Explore the Stages of Producing a Good Essay Essay

In this essay I will be discussing the different stages involved in producing a good college essay from start to finish. I will describe exactly what an essay is, how to break down and understand an essay title, how to prepare to write an essay, the key stages in essay development and the role of self reflection on the development of your essay writing skills. An essay is a major part of formal education and is used to access a student’s performance and show that they have researched and understood a particular subject or issue. It is a piece of writing with a particular structure and layout. â€Å"A short piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one done by students as part of the work for a course† (Cambridge Dictionary, 2009). â€Å"Usually it is written in a formal, academic style: the language is different from the way you speak†¦.it is not conversational† (Cottrell 2008:175). An essay title is given and this is used as a ‘question’ which must be ultimately answered throughout the essay. You are expected to stick to exactly what the essay title is asking for. Before starting an essay you need to make sure that you understand what it is asking you to do. â€Å"Every question has key words, and identifying them will help you decide what the assignment is about and what you have to doâ €  (The Open University 2007). Once you have a clear idea of what the essay title is asking for you can then look more closely at the resources available to you, such as books, articles, class notes, the internet, television and newspapers. You need to weigh up the relevance of the information you find and be selective. You need to ask yourself ‘Do I need the information?’ and ‘How will I use this information?’ (Cottrell 2008:176). It is important to record which recourses you found your information in to avoid plagiarism. All recourses used in the essay needs to be listed in a reference list at the end of the essay and allows the reader to refer back to these sources for themselves. Next you need to organise and plan your essay. â€Å"The Structure and organisation of your work is just as important as the content. What matters is not just what you know but the way that you organise it† (Cottrell 2008:182). The hard part is getting the information and ideas that you have gathered i nto a well organised and coherent state and then start the actual writing. Arrange the information that you have already sourced into topics, a spider diagram can be handy for this. Make a plan for the main parts of your essay, and note down the key ideas and information for each part. An action plan is good way of preparing your ideas and will help you map out your essay. A good essay flows logically from one point to another, preparing an action plan can aid this. It gives you the chance to plan out what you may put in your introduction and conclusion, what your main points will be and what you will focus on in each paragraph in the main body of your essay. An action plan can help you to develop your argument but also keeps you on track. â€Å"If you simply start writing, with your pile of notes at your side, and you haven’t given any thought to the organisation of the ideas and information, then you are very likely to end up with an essay that rambles and has no clear sense of direction† (Edinburgh Napier University, 2009). A first draft is a chance to quickly jot down your ideas using your plan. This is not a final version of your essay. â€Å"Don’t expect to write perfect text at the first go, you will need to spend time going back over and rewriting or reorganising your paragraphs† (The Open University 2007). Don’t worry about spelling or punctuation at this stage; this is just a chance to get your ideas down on paper. Sometimes after writing your first draft your ideas may have developed from those which you put in your initial action plan. This means that you would have to revise your action plan â€Å"If necessary, rework your outline plan as you proceed. You may rework your plan several times as your thinking becomes more sophisticated. This is part of the process of understanding a subject† (Cottrell 2008:186). At this point you should have a good picture of what you want in your final essay. You should check that the information you have is grouped and in a good logical order, then begin to write your final draft. You need to make sure that your final draft makes sense, reading it aloud can help with this. Ensure that you have used enough evidence and examples to back up your argument and make certain that your references are written correctly and that the source of your information is made clear. Check for punctuation, spelling and grammar mistakes, getting this right can help improve your marks. Finally check that it is neat and well presented. It is important as a student to be able to reflect on how you learn best; this can help you improve your essay writing skills. Cottrell believes that you should make constructive use of the feedback that you receive from your tutors but it is also of great benefit to be able to work out for yourself what is it you do well and what you need to improve. This is also called self-reflection. Your performance as a student is likely to improve if you set time aside to reflect on how you learn. In conclusion, to produce a good college essay you must always keep focused on what the essay title is asking for, present your ideas and information in a well structured, coherent way, ensuring that it flows logically from the introduction to the conclusion. Support your ideas or arguments with good relevant evidence and make sure that this is properly referenced. Lastly always present your essays appropriately in good written English.

Urbanization

Benefits and challenges of Urbanization SCI/275 University Of Phoenix In this paper I will be explaining the four factors that produce a change in the population as well as urbanization. Urbanization is moving from a rural area to a big city in hopes of better opportunity or employment along with many other benefits. Urbanization may seem like a good idea to those trying to better themselves but it has challenges in the city people may face. I will be providing you with current or historical events that may be a benefit or a challenge of urbanization.Factors that may produce urbanization and a change in population are the birth rate and death rate. Emigration and immigration are the other two factors that produce urbanization and the change in the population. The reason birth rate produces a change in population due to a person added to the population size. This makes one more person to add to our population when a child is born. If the growth rate is more than zero than the populati on size increases (Hager&Hassenzahl, 2011, ch. 7). Birth rate produces urbanization because people want to be able to raise their children with employment or a career you may find in urban cities.Death rate produces population change because it decreases the population size. When a person dies it takes from the population size and produces a change in the population. Death rate produces urbanization in cities due to the poverty level and diseases as well as health hazards. The growth rate of a population is the birth rate minus the death rate in cities (Hager&Hassenzahl, 2011, chp. 7). Emigration changes the population size to decreasing the population. Decreasing the population of the countries in which the individual may have left.Emigration produces urbanization because one might leave the country in which he or she originated to go to another country for better opportunities. Immigration changes the population by increasing it because people come into the county instead of leavi ng (Hager&Hassenzahl, 2011, ch. 7). Immigration produced urbanization when they came into the countries immigrants headed to the cities. The benefits of urbanization can be better career or employment opportunities. In cities more jobs could be found than in a rural area.Compact development is another benefit of urbanization which is the efficiency of the land (Hager&Hassenzahl, 2011, chp. 7). Cities may try to encourage different means of transportation so the air won’t be so polluted by too many vehicles. Availability of goods and services is another benefit of urbanization. Rural areas don’t have as many businesses that may be beneficial to individuals. Such as the choice to what college you want to go to for education. Cities have more than one college who may provide better opportunities for a person.Closer to the hospital and restaurants, libraries, gas stations, relatives and friends. Rural areas are spread out and people have to travel such great distance in or der to receive goods and services needed. The challenges of urbanization have to do with the environment in which these city people live in. The condition of the water and sewer which people drink from which is caused by pollution. Pollution in the air is another challenge of urbanization. In some cities have congested streets and the cars may let off air pollutions. Congestion also of housing and factories within the city is also an environmental problem.Factories within the city also let off air pollutions that may be harmful to people and the environment. These cause health problems in some that may cause death. In some cities they may be faced with poverty and slum housing such as â€Å"ghettos† (Hager&Hassenzahl, chp. 7). There are many challenges in urbanization when people live in cities and the population increases in hope of a better life for an individual’s family. An example of more employment opportunities in the cities is the use of factories for employmen t of the people who come to the city.There are more businesses so there are many business opportunity for people to make a career in the cities. Efficiency of land is used because buses and bicycles were developed for people to move around instead of using all automobiles. Many businesses such as hospitals, places to have fun, bus stations were created as well as places to receive the resources from. Challenges of urbanization examples are congested streets of New York City where everything is so close together with one another. Another example is an immigrant coming to America from a different county in hopes of receiving employment.Other people are doing the same thing so there is much competition in cities for jobs. Once many people are employed the wages tend to drop to be able to pay for employees such as minimum wage of the city. A person starts off with this wage and work his or her way up to more money after a period of time. Poverty example is people living on the streets i n these big cities are considered homeless due to the fact of unable to stay employed or health conditions that may put him or her out of work and be able to provide for the family.Health problems may arise as cancer or lung cancer and breathing problems. These problems may eventually kill a person from the pollution within the city water and sewer, and air. The unemployment office in cities has been establish to help people search for work in cities. I believe that there are more challenges of urbanization than benefits. There are many environmental issues that cities may be faced with. The cities have to control those issues before it beneficial to the people living there. Too many people in one place cause congestion and are the main cause of some of the environmental problems.They offer employment but the wages sometimes aren’t enough for the person to survive in the city. Therefore poverty sets in as well as crimes in these cities causing harm to people and the environme nt because people are trying to make it in these cities. Urbanization could be beneficial and yet challenging. Depending on the city you move to in hopes of a change from the area in which you may previously live. Some people it’s all about survival to take care of his or her family or to establish employment.Many challenges and struggles may be faced for a person living in these cities especially with the increase of population size. Better life may only be a hope and survival for a person considering the competition that has been produced by the population increase and the environmental problems of overpopulation. References: Berg, L. R. , Hager, M. C. , & Hassenzahl, D. M. (2011). Visualizing environmental science (3rd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons in collaboration with the National Geographic Society. Urbanization Nowadays, with the fast development of economy of the world, many cities become bigger and bigger and many modern cities are appearing. Thus, we face the complex problem: Urbanization. Urbanization has been a subject of heated discussion for a long time. Some people are in favor, while others are opposed. In my opinion, urbanization benefits human beings rather than do harm to them. Two reasons may account for my conclusion. Firstly, urbanization enriches our life. We can imagine what will happen without convenient traffic system, without big department stores, without KTVs and many other entertainments? To some extent, it is impossible for human beings to live in this world. Urbanization make it possible for us to enjoy our life more than before, Also,urbanization quicken the pace of science, especially in the communication field, in the early time, if we want to connect with our family members or friends, the only way we can choose is writing letters. But urbanization changed this situation, we can talk with the friends in the foreign countries with our any difficulties through the Internet, we gain whatever information we need on the internet. These conveniences are brought by the urbanization. Secondly, urbanization also raise our country economy. As we all know, the policy of Reform and Opening give our country a golden opportunity to develop our economy, we have a direct feeling about the dramatic increasing of our living standard, many productions that we cannot afford in the past time can be owned in today. This phenomenon proves that urbanization benefits our life basically. With the fast step of urbanization, many job opportunities are supplied in the occupation market which make many rural migrant workers get a solid work in the urban area. They also contribute to the economic development in the urban area. These prosperities are definitely brought by the urbanization. I live in Shanghai, and it is a typical big city in China. I found that we also have many negative sides of urbanization. For instance, we can talk to the friends thousands miles away, but we don’t know our neighbours in the high-rises; many migrant workers do not enjoy the same profits and rights as the permanent unban residents and this will make their living without and insurance system. But we don’t need to be so pessimistic of the situation at hand. It is evident that the advantages of urbanization outweigh the disadvantages. What we should do is to remain the positive side , meanwhile to conquer the negative side. Our government will also introduce many effective policies to narrow this contradictory. So we have enough reasons to believe the situation will become better and better so that we can reach our aim †better city, better life † ! Urbanization Nowadays, with the fast development of economy of the world, many cities become bigger and bigger and many modern cities are appearing. Thus, we face the complex problem: Urbanization. Urbanization has been a subject of heated discussion for a long time. Some people are in favor, while others are opposed. In my opinion, urbanization benefits human beings rather than do harm to them. Two reasons may account for my conclusion. Firstly, urbanization enriches our life. We can imagine what will happen without convenient traffic system, without big department stores, without KTVs and many other entertainments? To some extent, it is impossible for human beings to live in this world. Urbanization make it possible for us to enjoy our life more than before, Also,urbanization quicken the pace of science, especially in the communication field, in the early time, if we want to connect with our family members or friends, the only way we can choose is writing letters. But urbanization changed this situation, we can talk with the friends in the foreign countries with our any difficulties through the Internet, we gain whatever information we need on the internet. These conveniences are brought by the urbanization. Secondly, urbanization also raise our country economy. As we all know, the policy of Reform and Opening give our country a golden opportunity to develop our economy, we have a direct feeling about the dramatic increasing of our living standard, many productions that we cannot afford in the past time can be owned in today. This phenomenon proves that urbanization benefits our life basically. With the fast step of urbanization, many job opportunities are supplied in the occupation market which make many rural migrant workers get a solid work in the urban area. They also contribute to the economic development in the urban area. These prosperities are definitely brought by the urbanization. I live in Shanghai, and it is a typical big city in China. I found that we also have many negative sides of urbanization. For instance, we can talk to the friends thousands miles away, but we don’t know our neighbours in the high-rises; many migrant workers do not enjoy the same profits and rights as the permanent unban residents and this will make their living without and insurance system. But we don’t need to be so pessimistic of the situation at hand. It is evident that the advantages of urbanization outweigh the disadvantages. What we should do is to remain the positive side , meanwhile to conquer the negative side. Our government will also introduce many effective policies to narrow this contradictory. So we have enough reasons to believe the situation will become better and better so that we can reach our aim †better city, better life † ! Urbanization Two article that are referred to In this paper from handbook include: Problems of arbitration In the CB – Traffic Congestion† and â€Å"The Problems of urban Life Today' . These articles take into account the issues in relation to urban life these days. People are Increasingly moving Into cities from villages to make better livelihood and enhance the standard of life. This process of migration from rural to urban areas is called arbitration. Consequently, the urban areas are growing in their sizes.The pace with which arbitration is taking place, it will urbanize 64% of the developing oral and 86% of the developed world up till 2050 as per a report published In The Economist (2012). This shows that the process of arbitration Is taking place continuously and it is widespread. The elements which attract people towards urban areas are Increased number of health facilities, abundant resources, various entertainment facilities, multiculturalism, better employment opportunitie s, increased number of education opportunities, quicker transportation modes, etc.However, there also exist various problems despite these varied nature of advantages associated with urban life. These problems exist as much in magnitude as do the facilities or advantages of urban life. This can be so estimated that although the issue of transportation is resolved due to increased number of public transportation and personal vehicles but this has given rise to other problem which Is the problem of congestion. The cycles which are already crowded with Increased number of people moving into them are getting more crowded due to these congestion issues.This issue has equally been highlighted both in the BBC report of 2014 and by Powell (2013). Powell (2013) enlisted a number of problems in his article and stated that problems eke air pollution, over crowdedness, waste of factories, living cost and rate of crimes are all adding up to the difficulties In the urban life. The report by BBC ( 2014) took Into account various problems associated with arbitration and discussed each one of them in detail and their impact.The report highlighted the ever increasing problems of housing particularly after the accession of UK to European union, the issues about sewerage, congestion problems, life standard in cities as compared to outer parts of cities, etc. Many of these Issues are not referred to In the article Ritter by Powell (2013). The reality of urban life can be quite daunting despite the perks which are usually associated with it. The report by BBC (2014) observed that those who lived in central London were prone to fall ill more than those people who lived in outer London boroughs.Such Illnesses barred people from working. Furthermore, the unemployment rate in central parts of the city was higher as compared to the 1 OFF The report also highlighted the increasing demand for more houses for increased number of migrants particularly of European descent due to Britain's acc ession to European Union as a member state. The Union guarantees free movement of persons, capital, services and goods within the member states. This has brought in a number of people from other member states to London particularly the ones from Poland since it became part of Union.By 2030, the demand for more houses will reach around 3 million. The government in response has to provide additional homes and decide whether the development would take place on Brownfield or Greenfield. The development on former is advantageous in the sense that it already provides a Mathew developed structure which makes it easier to renovate the structure for living purposes with fewer additional costs. The advantage of developing Greenfield is of bringing arbitration and its benefits to rural areas.However, little if any structure is available in Greenfield unlike Brownfield. The concept of sustainable cities is also gaining grip these days. These cities are the ones which are intended to be self-suf ficient and are environment friendly in their operations. The main advantage of such cities is that they do not affect the environment much as compared to other urbanize places. Lehman, 2010) BBC (2014) report gave account of four cities which are turned into echo-towns with Whitehall Borden being one of them.The aim behind developing such cities is to lessen the impact of city life on environment by ensuring lesser carbon footprints, encouraging energy conservation, employing renewable resources, cycling and walking or using public transport more than the individual cars, employ at local level, Resultantly, the city which will emerge will not only be self-sufficient but will also be environment friendly. It will have a lesser impact on the environment from one should to the community level. That is why the British government awarded GAP 10 million worth of grant to Whitehall Borden city.This shows that the government is encouraging environment friendly communities with the increase in arbitration so that the environment can be preserved. This also shows that due to increased pace of arbitration; environment is at stake which has compelled government(s) to encourage echo-friendly towns. Hence, the dangers posed by arbitration are manifold Just like the advantages and has equal number of issues as has the perks. The articles referred to gave account of such issues which encircle the increased pace of arbitration. These issues are widespread and are major.Such issues can affect the health of the people which is clear from the graphs shown in the BBC (2014) report which showed that people living in central parts of London were prone to develop illness more than the rest. Therefore, people in urban areas are more vulnerable and open to risks than the ones in rural areas. However, there is still a solution to this issue which is to develop environment friendly towns. The introduction and development of such towns will References Powell, Christopher (2013): The Prob lems of Urban Life Today. Urbanization Nowadays, with the fast development of economy of the world, many cities become bigger and bigger and many modern cities are appearing. Thus, we face the complex problem: Urbanization. Urbanization has been a subject of heated discussion for a long time. Some people are in favor, while others are opposed. In my opinion, urbanization benefits human beings rather than do harm to them. Two reasons may account for my conclusion. Firstly, urbanization enriches our life. We can imagine what will happen without convenient traffic system, without big department stores, without KTVs and many other entertainments? To some extent, it is impossible for human beings to live in this world. Urbanization make it possible for us to enjoy our life more than before, Also,urbanization quicken the pace of science, especially in the communication field, in the early time, if we want to connect with our family members or friends, the only way we can choose is writing letters. But urbanization changed this situation, we can talk with the friends in the foreign countries with our any difficulties through the Internet, we gain whatever information we need on the internet. These conveniences are brought by the urbanization. Secondly, urbanization also raise our country economy. As we all know, the policy of Reform and Opening give our country a golden opportunity to develop our economy, we have a direct feeling about the dramatic increasing of our living standard, many productions that we cannot afford in the past time can be owned in today. This phenomenon proves that urbanization benefits our life basically. With the fast step of urbanization, many job opportunities are supplied in the occupation market which make many rural migrant workers get a solid work in the urban area. They also contribute to the economic development in the urban area. These prosperities are definitely brought by the urbanization. I live in Shanghai, and it is a typical big city in China. I found that we also have many negative sides of urbanization. For instance, we can talk to the friends thousands miles away, but we don’t know our neighbours in the high-rises; many migrant workers do not enjoy the same profits and rights as the permanent unban residents and this will make their living without and insurance system. But we don’t need to be so pessimistic of the situation at hand. It is evident that the advantages of urbanization outweigh the disadvantages. What we should do is to remain the positive side , meanwhile to conquer the negative side. Our government will also introduce many effective policies to narrow this contradictory. So we have enough reasons to believe the situation will become better and better so that we can reach our aim †better city, better life † !

The Effects of Music Technology Curriculum on Young Children's Research Paper

The Effects of Music Technology Curriculum on Young Children's Learning in Early Childhood Education - Research Paper Example When one thinks of early childhood education, they typically navigate towards the consideration of reading, writing, and arithmetic. While these core academic areas are certainly the pillars of educational necessity for children, one needs to also consider the fine arts as another area that contributes greatly to the cognitive development of an individual. One such outlet for creative expression is music. Music class has long been a part of the curriculum in early childhood education, but recent research has indicated that there are numerous benefits in terms of development that had not previously been considered. In addition, technology has enhanced the way that music can be integrated into other disciplines, making this particular area even more worthy of study. Simply put, music technology curriculum is composed of different types of technology that is directly related to the musical arts. This usually entails the use of various electronic devices, combined with computer software, that allows the playback, recording, composition, storage, analysis and performance of any given piece. While this particular curriculum can be implemented at any grade level, all the way through the university, our primary focus in this study will be on early childhood education. In particular, this paper will examine the effects that music technology curriculum has on the learning development of young children. While technology today is rapidly changing, the concept of music technology has been around since the 1980’s.... in early childhood education, but recent research has indicated that there are numerous benefits in terms of development that had not previously been considered. In addition, technology has enhanced the way that music can be integrated into other disciplines, making this particular area even more worth of study. Simply put, music technology curriculum is composed of different types of technology that is directly related to the musical arts. This usually entails the use of various electronic devices, combined with computer software, that allows the playback, recording, composition, storage, analysis and performance of any given piece (Branscome, 2012, p. 113). While this particular curriculum can be implemented at any grade level, all the way through the university, our primary focus in this study will be on early childhood education. In particular, this paper will examine the effects that music technology curriculum has on the learning development of young children. Literature Review and Propositions Development While technology today is rapidly changing, the concept of music technology has been around since the 1980’s. The concept can be interconnected across disciplines because of its focus on artistic and technological creativity in many realms (Andang’o and Mugo, 2007, p. 44). Young children can be taught to use music to express themselves through the arts, and technology has expanded in recent decades to create new devices to enable them to do just that. In essence, music technology can be said to encompass the scientific aspect of music that many individuals never consider. These components, when properly implemented in a music technology curriculum, can have an enormous and positive effect on young children (Hoffman, 1991, p. 23) Importance, Value, and

Expalin what is meant by 'environmental security'. with reference to Essay

Expalin what is meant by 'environmental security'. with reference to appropriate empirical examples, asses how far environmental - Essay Example Environmental security translates into cultural, political, religious and social security. The environmental security focuses on the effects and impacts of international relations and human conflict on the environment. The environmental security involves three elements such as protecting the environment, responding and preventing conflicts due to the environment and repairing and preventing damage to the environment caused by the military action (Dobson 2006, p. 206). Background to Environmental Security It is vital that a nation properly withstands environmental risks and adverse changes, environmental asset scarcity, environmental conflicts and tensions. When climatic changes are managed within nations, and affected regions, the changes caused such as shortages in food production and altered resource alignments may not necessarily result into ethnic tensions, political disputes, regional defence alignments and global conflict. The environmental security study has a concern that the environmental problems, specifically environmental degradation and resource scarcity, could result into vicious conflict between societies and states. In fact, it is true that environmental issues such as pollution, depletion of the ozone layer and many others with environmental designation have become part of the political discourse internationally (Linklater 2006, p. 77). The environmental security proponents argue that if environmental change can be considered as a source of social unrest and if environmental change is a danger to societies, the concept of security and its policies have to be changed. This argument led the emergence of two groups during the 1980s that were considering the relationship between security and environment. There was environmental policy community to address the security implications environmental change and a security community to look into new definition of the national security. Security has always been seen to have two main functions such as to pr eserve a sate’s territorial integrity and the state’s preferred political leadership (Balzaqc 2005, p. 180). Though presently there is no preferred clear definition of environmental security, the cause effect analysis can be used to come up with a more reasonable, more encompassing and accommodating definition. To achieve environmental security, the support of training, education, capacity building, and information exchange are highly necessary. This achievement can easily be realized when the international institutions and eco- geographical regions are clearly defined (Linklater 2006, p. 77). Environmental changes can be considered as both a cause and a result of conflict. These conflicts can lead to serious economic strain as well as regional and global animosity. History has shown that there is territorial demarcation, which is dependent on the link between resource scarcity, environmental degradation and territorial fights over continental shelves, raw materials, i slands, food and energy. In the traditional and native governments, state powers were dependent fundamentally on the natural scarce resources contained within its territory. The state power increased to be dependent on other key natural resources that are not within its territory (Balzaqc 2005, p. 182). In the modern days, state powers are dependent on the state’s ability to change and convert these natural resources into consumer goods. This transformation may lead

Alice in Wonderland is a book that appeals to children and adults Essay

Alice in Wonderland is a book that appeals to children and adults alike - Essay Example The first element that will appeal to children is the fact that the main character in the book is a child. Children appreciate being told stories in which a girl or boy of their age-group are the protagonist. Also, while few children today will completely understand the situation of a Victorian school-girl, they will appreciate and perhaps even empathize with feeling bored when there is nothing else to do. Every child would love for the games they play within their imagination to magically come to life as they do when she hears a rabbit say "oh dear, oh dear, I shall be late" and then its action in taking "a watch out of its waistcoat pocket" (Carroll, 1992). There is an immediacy and vivid nature to the Carroll's descriptions of both animals and events within the story that appeals to children. While what occurs in the story can seem quite complicated at times, especially compared to many more modern children's stories, they are also recounted in a concrete and memorable manner. The various animals that appear in the pool of tears, the Cheshire Cat, the animals at the tea-party and the various creatures in the game of cards are all described in a way that will appeal to children. ... Thus the shrinking and enlarging that she undergoes, together with her various other adventures, introduce the children to the constant changes that occur in the book In many ways the children may be attracted to the story because it reflects their own experiences while dreaming and day-dreaming. The manner in which the story develops with the insane croquet game and the rather violent Queen who wants to execute all and sundry for the smallest of supposed transgressions appeals to children because they appreciate stories that may disturb them if not outright frighten them. Children do not appreciate being talked down to, or being presented with a sugar-coated view of the world that is not realistic. Carroll does neither. He presents a strange and exotic fantasy-world in which Alice can play croquet (or at least try to) with a flamingo and a hedgehog. This is a "fun" idea which nevertheless presents a rather bizarre view of the world. One of the most remarkable features of this world is the manner in which there is apparently no sense of morality within the book. The Queen states "off with his head" at the slightest provocation, even to the Cheshire Cat who is, of course, only a head when he appears at the croquet game. Carroll does not fall into the tendency of many children's books to moralize, he rather presents an amoral world in which things occur at random. The Cheshire Cat appears and disappears for no apparent reason, and refuses to play into the supposed social order of this world. So when the King says "it may kiss my hand, if it likes", the Cheshire Cat replies "I'd rather not" (Carroll, 1992). This exchange might be seen as a microcosm of

Effective Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Effective Project Management - Essay Example Effective projects are based on time management which ensures that certain activities are undertaken and can be altered to reduce the overload on critical resources. This approach is called resource leveling and, whilst it enables resources to be used more effectively, it may result in the project taking longer to complete if it is necessary to reschedule activities that are on the critical path. Ford and General Motors follow this approach in production and operational management in order to ensure high level of productivity. Resource leveling directs to schedule flows through batch working and demand dependent oriented systems in order to maximize the output. This approach emphasizes the desirability of ensuring a steady flow through the system like balanced flow, rather than seeking to keep all resources busy. Samsung follows time -boxed scheduling method (Spinner, 1998). The advantage of this approach is that its production activities are rescheduled to take account of float with in non-critical activities, the overall completion date would not be affected. Thus, Samsung's executives admit that this technique is salubrious because it requires project workers to understand thoroughly the steps that needed to be taken to implement their projects. Shiseido, the forth world leader in cosmetics industry, uses critical chain scheduling in order to produce their deliverables faster than ever. The advantage of the approaches mentioned above is that they allow the companies to meet customer expectations and ensure on time delivery. While users insist that a deliverable be produced in an impossibly short time frame, they are reluctant to drop any desired features in order to make the time frame realistic (Bateman and Snell 2004). Money Many companies with excellent products have gone out of business simply because they ran out of cash and financial resources. Cash shortages can result if accounts receivable are not collected promptly, if a key customer disappears, if money is tied up in equipment, or if financial reserves are limited. Similarly, a company will not stay in business long unless it achieves profits. There are countless ways for companies to fail to achieve their profit objectives. For instance, Shiseido, running in-house projects, does not estimate the cost of its internal staff working on the project, but does estimate the cost of contractors and suppliers. The problem is that the company does not have systems in place to allow it to accurately track and record the time people spend on individual projects. Samsung calculates the actual cost per unit of time. This approach allows company to ensure normal modes of working and availability. Ford calculates the efficiency levels for each resource. It pay s a special attention to capital and revenue expenditure budgets (Fleetham, 1989).. Plans reduced to specific figures show where money is going or where physical input and output have taken place. General Motors widely uses MRP II which generates a forecast of demand and a manufacturing plan is developed to meet those demands. This plan drives the issue of works orders (www.gm.com). Effective projects need effective management of financial resources to make plans effective, within the budget limits. The budgets are also used as checks on the actual results of a business (Burkun 2005).

American Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

American Foreign Policy - Essay Example Seeking to explore the effects of the end of the Cold War on the foreign of policy of the United States, this essay will address the changes caused by this tumultuous event on the international geopolitical system. Has American state self-interest changed following the collapse of bipolarity? What motivates US foreign policy in this New World Order? During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in a bitter confrontation pitting two opposite poles in the international order against one another. In this period of bipolarity, state behavior was mediated by concerns regarding the stability of the international system as well as the state interest and behavior of the other major power. Today, the United States operates in a unipolar world and is the world’s hegemonic state. State behavior is less constrained as it was during the Cold War but US state interest today reflects power conditions and the maintenance of overall system stability which promotes the supreme status of the United States in the international system. Power is a â€Å"hard† issue and a primary concern for survival; so called â€Å"soft issues† like human rights and democracy are far less salient. In the anarchic world of international affairs, hard or core issues always supersede soft issues and are integral to defini ng state interest and behavior. What is the state of the international system following the end of the Cold War? In an article entitled â€Å"Soft Balancing in the Age of U.S. Primacy†, T.V. Paul addressed the issue of hegemonic power and stability in the post-Cold War period and explores the means through which other powers have attempted to counteract the global supremacy of the United States. As the world’s hegemonic power, the United States has, in the Cold War period, resorted to unilateralism and expansive military might. The systemic level response, according to this article has been a variety of soft-power strategies by

Cleveland Clinic Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cleveland Clinic - Case Study Example The weaknesses at Cleveland Clinic are all centered around communication. I would recommend the Clinic institute a program that can address all three weaknesses by enhancing the communication skills of the staff. Information and education should center on fully informing patients of not only procedures, but also options and prognosis. This would go hand in hand with addressing the problem of failing to respect patients preferences. Part of this may be due to a lack of sensitivity to the patient's perceptions of treatment. Both these issues are rooted in a failure to communicate fully. The Clinic also needs to be pro-active in obtaining permission to discuss the patient's medical situation with select family and friends. This will require additional training for the staff to promote a policy of communicating with families. A policy would need to be drawn up that specifies what information is appropriate to share and when it is deemed a positive step. The "Patients First" policy has been successful on an individual and anecdotal basis. This is reflected in their high score on patient comfort. However, they have not been successful at communication the program to the patients and the families. Cleveland Clinic needs to move the policy beyond patient comfort and involve the patient in the medical decisions and treatment. Cl 4. The CC included peer evaluation in the annual evaluation of physicians. Do you think peer evaluation should be used with the nursing and other professional staff, what about 360 degree evaluation Cleveland Clinic can benefit greatly from peer evaluations. This is especially true in the team environment that they work in. Nurses share similar duties and responsibilities within the team, and the other members work closely with the team. Because of this, the nurses have a greater knowledge of performance than most members of supervision or management do. The idea of a 360 degree evaluation would not be appropriate for Cleveland Clinic. Due to the specialized nature of the specialty clinics and the team approach, input from outside these circles would not be helpful and may be misinformed. Criticism, as well as praise, could be misplaced due to the halo effect or the proximity of other team members affecting the evaluation. 5. In the Ohio market the CC appeared to be vertically and horizontally integrated. Was that part of their success, and was this part of the failure of the

HISTORY OF CAMBODIAN IMMIGRANTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

HISTORY OF CAMBODIAN IMMIGRANTS - Essay Example as well as their assimilation into the American society. The first batch of Cambodian immigrants arrived in the USA earlier than 1975 because of a study exchange program that the American government entered into the Cambodian government that allowed Cambodian students to pursue their studies at the California State University in the Long Beach, which resulted in a considerable number of Cambodians mainly students living in the neighboring town of Long Beach (Bunte, Joseph, and Wobus 2). The Cambodians presence in the U.S. can be traced back to the early and late 1970s when many students benefited from the America-Cambodia education exchange program and broke out of war in Cambodia, which resulted in the overthrowing of the government by the Communist rule. In 1974, the US-backed government in Cambodia was overthrown by the Communist rule a situation that culminated in both political and military instability in Cambodia. The same scenario was replicated in Vietnam as the Communist rule also took over governance in the nation sending the two countries into turmoil. The international community had invested a considerable amount of support in the two nations as far as management is concerned to restore political stability and human rights in the Indochinese region. The Communist rule in the Khmer Republic declared a ‘Zero Year’ an operation that was meant to cripple every aspect of Cambodia to its knees (Sou Chea slide 3; Needham, and Quintiliani). It was aimed at destroying the educational, social and economic aspects of Cambodia so as it can be viewed as a failed state with no standards or values (Operations and Readiness Directorate 19). In essence, the Communist Rule was aimed at destroying all the political, social and economic gains that Cambodia has made with the help of its international allies and thus creating a humanitarian crisis in the nation. The period between 1975 and late 1976 saw close to two

Analysis culture difference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analysis culture difference - Essay Example There are several cultural dimensions theories like the one developed by Geert Hofstede which presents a framework for communication which is cuts across cultures. This theory describes how the culture of a society affects the values of its members and in turn how they affect people’s behavior making use of a structure obtained from the factor analysis method. This theory is especially important in various fields as a research paradigm (Stone, 2007). These fields include international management, cross-cultural psychology, as well as cross-cultural communication. Dimensions of national cultures are very important in expatriate management and their preparedness to interact with a different culture. These dimensions include uncertainty avoidance index, individualism as opposed to collectivism, power distance index, indulgence or restraint, long-term orientation, and masculinity as opposed to femininity. It is of great importance for the person going to work in another country to be aware of the cultural differences that exist among various destinations. Cultural differences are considered in most instances as a means of conflict rather than synergy. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory looks at the increasing diversity and the way in which an expatriate can gain an understanding of the other culture by knowing what they can expect from them and the manner in which they can behave when faced with people of other countries. Hofstede’s model of five dimensions is used widely in various domains of the social life of human beings with most application in the area of business. In the area of business, cultural sensitivity should be promoted in order to enable people to be more effective when working with and interacting with people of other countries in order to ensure success of transactions. In business, communication is taken as one of the most basic concerns. Therefore, this model is important in taking peaks into other cultures. This is espec ially so because the professionals who work on an international level are bound to interact on a daily basis with others from different countries in their company or with other companies which are abroad. This awareness of the differences in culture will help the expatriate to differentiate between the acceptable and unacceptable as such parameters differ from one country to another. Expatriates might be faced with the challenge in communication which is affected by cultural dimensions such as verbal communication, non-verbal communication, written communication or even etiquette which involves the do’s and don’ts. Despite Hofstede’s model being generally acknowledged as the framework of national values and cultures that is the most comprehensive, by the people who study culture of businesses, it has also been extensively criticized. Another model of cultural dimensions is the one developed by Fons Trompenaars whose experience with cultural differences was quite firsthand as he grew up speaking both Dutch and French and has worked in nine different countries with Shell (Stone, 2007). Through this, he was able to study how people resolved cross-cultural dilemmas in specific countries. It is after his analysis that he made notice of seven basic cultural dimensions. The first scale was universalism as opposed to particularism. The second scale entailed individualism versus collectivism. The

Japanese Culture Essay Example for Free

Japanese Culture Essay Abstract It is important to understand that an individuals perspective of death and dying is greatly impacted by their culture. In this paper I will discuss how the Japanese culture approaches death and dying. I will also discuss the unique concept of organ transplantation that surrounds that Japanese culture. This paper presents the law of organ transplantation in Japan, which allows people to decide whether brain death can be used to determine their death in agreement with their family. Japan could become a unique example of individual choice in the definition of death if the law is revised to allow individuals choose definition of death independently of their family. The death and dying rituals involved in the Japanese culture will be discussed. Overview of the Japanese Culture In the latter half of the twentieth century, developed countries of the world have made remarkable strides in organ donation and transplantation. However, in this area of medicine, Japan has been slow to follow. Japanese ethics, deeply rooted in religion and tradition, have affected their outlook on life and death. The Japanese have only recently started to acknowledge the concept of brain death and transplantation of major organs has been hindered in that country. Currently, there is a dual definition of death in Japan, intended to satisfy both sides of the issue. This interesting paradox, which still stands to be fully resolved, illustrates the controversial conflict between medical ethics and medical progress in Japan. The Japanese culture considers a human being both alive and dead, an integrated body, mind, and spirit (Dennis, 2009, p.12). Therefore removing an organ from a brain-dead person involves a disturbance in this natural integrated unit. In the Japanese culture organ donation and organ transplantation are unpopular and rare (Dennis, 2009). According to Dennis (2009), the Japanese culture believes that a dead body must remain whole because if they are not whole, that dead person will be unhappy in the next world. Japanese Culture on Death and Dying It is crucial to understand that an individuals perspective of death and dying is greatly impacted by their culture. Japan is the only country, which permits individual choice in death definition for the purpose of organ transplantation, and in agreement with the persons family. The Japanese organ transplantation law of 1997 is a long debate on brain death and organ transplantation. Over almost three decades, medical, legal and public discussion has occurred; a lack of consensus on the definition of human death caused a long delay in adopting a law on organ procurement (Akabayashi, 1997). Finally, policy makers in Japan have adopted a law with unique features, such as giving an opportunity to individuals to choose the definition of death based on their own views. Therefore, in Japan individuals may choose either cessation of cardio†respiratory function or loss of entire brain function for their death pronouncement (Morioka, 2001). However, the choice is permitted in Japanese law only if organs can potentially be used for transplant with the agreement of the family, which means that although individuals can choose the definition of death based on their own views, the law gives power to the family to confirm or reject the choice. The law allows the family to override the individual choice in death definition (Akabayashi, 1997). The first effort to pass a law on organ transplantation following brain death failed in 1994. The main reason why the proposed law was rejected in 1994 is said to be because it stated that brain death is equal to death, and also because it approved surrogate decision making by the family. These issues raised serious arguments and concerns among some members, resulting in defeat of the legislation (Akabayashi, 1997). However, the situation has changed since then and, as public polls show, the number of people who accept the concept of brain death has increased from 29% to 60%. (Lock, 1996) . The current law states that for organ removal, the donors prior declaration and family agreement are both necessary requirements (Japan Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare, 1997). The organ donation provisions of the law apply for brain dead donors as well as any cadaver. The law authorizes organ removal from a brain†dead person only if the donor has, during his life expressed in writing his consent to the diagnosis of brain death, as well as, his intention to donate his organ(s). Therefore, the law authorizes individuals to choose between the traditional definition or the alternative standard based on brain function by signing an â€Å"Organ Donation Decision Card†. Individuals can state their wishes at the back of this card by marking one of the following items: (1) I wish to be a donor based on the brain†oriented definition; (2) I want to be a donor after cardiac death; or (3) I refuse to donate organs (Bagheri, 2003). The law is not free of criticism, especially in terms of adopting a double standard regarding the role of the family. On the one hand, it gives the family the power to veto an individuals willingness to donate. On the other hand, it does not authorize the family to be a surrogate decision maker based on the interests of their beloved ones when they are in a brain†dead state and the organ donor card cannot be found. Nevertheless, the unbalanced role and power of veto of the family under the present law can be seen as a hindrance to organ procurement in Japan (Bagheri, 2003). The process of dying is regarded not as an individual event but as a family event in the Japanese culture (Kimura, 1998). There is no doubt that any transplant†related legislation should be concerned with inclusion of the opinion of the family in the decision†making process. This forms a basis for social acceptance of the legislation. However, in any culture a practical question arises: to what extent is the familys opinion to be taken into consideration? According to the law, family consent is required both for organ procurement and for declaration of death according to brain†based criteria. Therefore an individual can choose the definition of death with the agreement of her or his family, but not independently (Kimura, 1998). Japan is the only country that allows individuals to choose either the traditional definition or the brain†oriented definition of death, but individual choice must be confirmed by the family; therefore, it is a family based choice (Kimura, 1998). Death and Dying Rituals in the Japanese Culture A Japanese funeral includes a wake, the cremation of the deceased, a burial in a family grave, and a periodic memorial service. According to statistics, 99.82% of all deceased Japanese are cremated. While the ashes of many are buried in family graves, the scattering of ashes has become more common in recent years, including a burial at sea (Wakabayashi Sekiguchi, 2011). Many funeral services are carried out in the form of Buddhist ceremonies. After a person has died, their lips are moistened with water, in a ceremony referred to as Matsugo-no-mizu Water of the last moment (Wakabayashi, Sekiguchi, 2011). The household shrine is closed and covered with a white paper, to keep out impure spirits. This process is known as Kamidana-fuji. A small table placed beside the deceaseds bed is also decorated with flowers, incense, and a candle. A knife may placed on the chest of the deceased to drive away evil spirit (Wakabayashi Sekiguchi, 2011). Funeral arrangements are made and the body is washed and the orifices are blocked with cotton or gauze. The funeral clothing will consist of either a suit for a male or a kimono if the deceased is a female. Makeup may also be applied in order to improve the appearance of the body. The body is then put on dry ice and placed inside the casket with the head positioned towards the north or west, along with a white kimono, sandals and six coins for the crossing of the River of three hells. Items which the deceased was fond of will also be placed inside the casket as well, so long as they are flammable. The casket is then placed on the altar in preparation of the wake (Nakata, 2009). Guests who attend the funeral are expected to dress in black attire. The men usually wear black suits with a white shirt and a black tie, while women wear either a black dress or a black kimono. A Buddhist prayer bead called juzu may also be carried by guests. Guests are expected to bring condolence money in a special black and silver decorated envelope. At the funeral, the guests will be seated, with the next of kin closest to the front. The Buddhist priest will read a sutra. The family members will each in turn offer incense three times to the incense urn in front of the deceased. The closest relatives may stay and keep vigil with the deceased overnight in the same room (Nakata, 2009). Japanese funerals are usually performed on the day following the wake. The funeral service is similar to that of the wake service, the difference being that during the funeral service, the deceased will receive a new Buddhist name to prevent the return of the deceased if their name is called. At the end of the ceremony, flowers may be placed inside the casket before it is sealed and carried to an elaborately decorated hearse where it is transported to the crematorium. In some regions of Japan, the casket may be nailed shut by mourners using a stone (Wakabayashi Sekiguchi, 2011). Once the casket has arrived at the crematorium, the family witnesses the sliding of the body into the cremation chamber, then leave. After the cremation process is complete, the family returns to pick the bones out of the ashes and transfer them to an urn using chopsticks. In some instances, two family members will hold the same bone at the same time with their chopsticks or pass the bones from chopsticks to chopsticks. According to Japanese custom, this is the only time when it is proper for two people to hold the same item at the same time with chopsticks. The bones are picked up and transferred to the urn in a manner which ensures that the deceased is not placed upside down in the urn. Therefore the bones of the feet are picked up first, the bones of the head last (Nakata, 2009). A typical Japanese grave is usually a family grave consisting of a stone monument with a place for flowers, incense, and water in front of the monument and a chamber underneath for the ashes. The date of the formation of the grave and the name of the person who purchased it may be engraved on the side of the monument. The names of the deceased may or may not be engraved on the front or left side of the monument or on a separate stone in front of the grave Nakata, 2009). The Japanese honor the dead with shrines in their homes and tending to the gravesite (Dennis, 2009). During three days in August, the Japanese Buddhist celebrate at The Bons Festival in honor of the departed spirits of ones’ ancestors (Dennis, 2009). Until the early twentieth century most bodies were buried and cremation was limited to the wealthy. Cremation became more common after World War II due to its efficiency and cleanliness. In 2009, 99.9% of Japanese bodies were cremated, and some local governments ban burials (Wakabayashi Sekiguchi, 2011). Conclusion I learned a lot about the Japanese culture while researching my paper. One of the things that I found surprising was that the majority of Japanese bodies are cremated. The similarities that I found between the American and the Japanese culture are that both cultures were black to funerals. In both cultures items that are valuable are placed in the caskets and funerals are followed by the wake. While cremation is popular in Japan, I was surprised to learn that cremation is on the rise in the United States; however, not everyone approves of it (Dennis, 2009). References Akabayashi A (1997). Japans parliament passes brain death law. The Lancet, 349 (9069). Retrieved from http://www.lancet.com. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)63895-0. Bagheri A. (2003). A criticism of brain death policy in Japan. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal 13 (4), 359-372. Dennis, D. (2009) Living, Dying, Grieving. Sandbury, MA: Jones and Barlett Publislhers. Japan Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare, The law concerning human organ transplants The law no. 104 1997. Translation 1999. Kimura R. (1998). Death, dying and advance directives in Japan: socio†cultural and legal points of view. In: Sass HM, Veatch RM, Rihito K, eds. Advance directives and surrogate decision making in health care. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Lock M. (1996). Deadly dispute: ideologies and brain death in Japan. In: Stuart J, Youngner Laurence J, OConnell Renee C, eds. Organ transplantation meaning and realities. Fox. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Morioka M. (2001). Reconsidering brain death: a lesson from Japans fifteen years experience. Hastings Center Report 31, (4), 41-46. Nakata, H. (2009). The Japan Times. Japan’s funerals deep-rotted mix of ritual, form. Retrieved from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20090728i1.html. Wakabayashi, D., Sekiguchi, T. (2011). After Flood, Deaths Overpower Ritual. Wall Street Journal.

Preventative methods of animal cruelty Essay Example for Free

Preventative methods of animal cruelty Essay Purpose By the end of this speech the audience will be able to know the proper preventative methods of animal cruelty, I also want my audience to know that animal cruelty is wrong and it shouldn’t be tolerated in any form. Introduction How many of you have pets? And how many of you would do anything for them? As seen in a recent study (according to animalcrueltyfacts.net in the year of 2011) 13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence, also between 25% and 40% of battered women are unable to escape abusive situations because they worry about what will happen to their pets or livestock if they leave. In saying this animal abuse goes hand in hand with domestic abuse. Animal abuse is similar to domestic abuse because they both have the ability for the batterers to show the power and control that they have over their victims. (animalcruelty.net) Previous research indicates that batterers often threaten or harm pets in order to intimidate and control their female partners. Transition/first point: different types of abuse whether Animal abuse can be either passive or active. (animalcrueltyfact.org) When a person omits responsibility towards an animal is an example of passive abuse, while active abuse requires inflicting pain such as choking. This can be brought back to the comparison of animal abuse and domestic abuse, an example of passive abuse in regards to domestic abuse can be name calling swearing or making the victim feel little or like they don’t exist. An example of active abuse is physical violence such as hitting a spouse. Transition/ Second point: Animals have personalities and feelings like humans Darwin once stated â€Å"emotions exist in non-human animals, and his evolutionary theory suggests that behavioral traits, including personality, can evolve in just the same way as fins, wings and arms, he said. We should realize that studying the personality of animals could help us understand a lot about human personality. (utexas.edu) Although many people don’t believe it animals have feelings just like humans. They can feel pain and go through emotional distress. When an animal is mistreated and being abused they feel the same pain a person would if they were in the same situation. Transition/ Third point: Laws that can be passed or that are passed already Laws are passed in all 50 states that prevent abuse towards both animals and humans. Anti-cruelty laws exist in all U.S states and territories to prohibit unnecessary killing, mutilating, torturing, beating, neglecting the abandonment of animals or depriving them of proper food, water or shelter. (americanhumane.org) But these laws will never be enough. If you are in a situation in which you are confronted with animal or domestic abuse call your local police department or anyone that can help your specific situation. Conclusion I will conclude my speech by saying that animal abuse, domestic abuse, or that any kind of abuse is wrong. Animals are innocent creatures that do not have a voice of their own so why should they be mistreated? They are suffering in silence because they don’t have a voice. People need to come to the realization that animals need and deserve as much respect as any other creature, and until people start speaking up about cruelty towards animals or humans they will never be free of the cruel acts that are imprisoning them. Works cited * Jennifer , Robbins. domestic violence and animal abuse . Texas journal of women and law . 2006: 129-146. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. http://0web.ebscohost.com.helin.uri.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3hid=19sid=183b26d7-a3d6-4624-94e6- [emailprotected]. * www.animalcruelty.net * emily , suthertin. Animal cruelty:facts,prevention,statistics,and action . now public. N.p., 2012. Web. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/animal-cruelty-facts-prevention-statistics-and-action-2886267.html. * Faver, Catherine A, and alonzo

Levi Strauss Case Study Marketing Essay

Levi Strauss Case Study Marketing Essay Levi Strauss is the worlds best-known jeans brand, but its hard to see much chance of the company regaining its former glory without a substantial overhaul. Iconic or not, what kind of future lies in store for a company which derives around 85% of its annual revenues from selling pants? And only really two sorts of pants at that, which are also sold by just about every other clothing manufacturer on the planet. Either Levi Strauss needs to diversify substantially, and bolt on other brands or more likely needs to sacrifice its long cherished but out-of-date independence and become part of someone elses larger multi-brand portfolio. These years of struggle against a vast array of competitors have merely added to the gradual erosion of the brand. The development of value line Signature has helped, but despite doubling in size during 2004, its contribution has steadily decreased ever since. In the late 1990s, Levis became a victim of their own success. Too involved in corporate restructuring, the company effectively ignore a seismic shift in the youth market. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Levis 501 jeans had managed to dominate the market for everyday clothing as a result of high quality manufacturing and smart marketing. There were many kinds of jeans, went the general perception, but Levis was the brand to which all others aspired. A brilliant marketing campaign, especially in Europe, reinforced the brands hip status. But in the late 1990s, Levis jeans suddenly became a victim of its own success. They were seen by the new generation of teenagers as the jeans my Dad wears, and that put them completely out of fashion. Fashions in cut came and went but Levis failed to respond, leaving the market wide open for competitors The companys biggest mistake, arguably, was to ignore the baggy cut, which rode in on the back of the mid-1990s grunge movement, and remained the leading fashion style for the rest of that decade. While Levis stuck rigidly with the 16-inch straight-leg cut that appealed to the now ageing market who had rediscovered the brand in the 1980s, even the least hip of US retailers began selling extreme-cut. Millers Outpost, Tommy Jeans, JNCO and even JC Penney and Sears were selling jeans with legs as wide as 23 or 40-inches. The fashion-conscious teenage market began buying their jeans from other manufacturers, while a new breed of retailers, led by The Gap, captured the middle ground. Protecting their premium status, Levis refused to chase the market and strictly adhered to their long-established policy of only selling through specialist outlets and avoiding discount stores including Wal-Mart. Although this held the brands perceived value it also restricted sales to only around half of the US retail market. Worse still, later that decade the market as a whole began moving away from denim altogether as combat and cargo pants became the new fashion Question 2) How could a sensitive and informative Marketing Information System (MIS) have helped Levis to identify these environmental variable and form future strategies ? THE NEED FOR MARKETING SUPPORT In 1986, Levis relaunched the 501 with the Launderette and Bath commercials. The tremendous success of these executions and the campaign that developed from them has been well documented. All of the commercials featured the 501 jean and most stated 501 specifically in the end frame. The advertising success was not restricted to the 501 alone. There was a halo effect on the whole Levis range. But naturally the 501 took on a dominant share of Levis business. This dominance was intended. The 501 was positioned as definitive. It is an anti-fit jean which is right for most people, and, in a sense, 501 for most people took fit out of the purchasing equation. Despite this, there were (and still are) a significant number of people who, for reasons of personal physique or style, did not consider the 501 as the right fit for them. For this significant minority Levis developed a range of other Red Tab fits. The range includes: Historically the strategy had been to sell these non-501 Red Tab fits in-store, via POS and retailer advice. Levis own retailer and consumer research indicated, however, that the non-501 Red Tab fits had been underperforming in the market. There were a number of reasons. l Many consumers were under the impression that Levis was really just about 501. They were unaware of the availability of other Red Tab fits. So if they tried on 501 and were not completely happy, they would try on another brand, rather than another Levis fit. Or if they knew from the start that they wanted a fit other than 501, they would go directly to another brand. 517: Regular Fit 518: Loose Fit 511: Zip Fly 536: Girls Fit l Many retailers were not directing failed 501 traffic onto other Red Tab fits. l Some retailers, in the absence of specific consumer demand for non-501 Red Tab fits, were deciding not to stock these fits at all. The above factors created a problem that reproduced itself Levis was losing out to competitive brands in this significant minority of the premium jeans market. And there was a risk that if no action was taken, the scale of the problem would spiral. Clearly the Red Tab range required marketing support, and advertising was deemed necessary. THE BRIEF We determined that there was a very specific role for advertising: to raise awareness of the multiplicity of Levis Red Tab fits. Advertising should make people understand that if they want something other than 501, it will be there in the store for them. They can discover exactly the right fit in-store. And we drafted a very simple proposition to address this task: Levis Red Tab jeans come in as many different styles as the people that wear them. THE ADVERTISING MINEFIELD This seems relatively straightforward. But in fact, in identifying these as the role for advertising and proposition, we had also identified what advertising could not do or say. Examination of previous competitive advertising relating to product ranges and fits indicated to us a series of problems and misconceptions both strategically and creatively. It was important that we map out for the creative team where these perils and pitfalls lay, in order that they could steer a clear path through the minefield. The 501 issue We were concerned that above-the-line support for fit numbers other than 501 would confuse people and dilute the definitive status of 501. We realised that we could not expect people to memorise a series of fit numbers and their definitions. It had taken a great deal of time and money to establish one fit number in public consciousness. Indeed, we did not want non-501 fit numbers to develop their own identify to the extent that they became sub-brands. The non-501 Red Tab fits could not approach the wealth of heritage and associated imagery commanded by 501. They could not really aspire to being brands in the same sense. More importantly we did not want to compromise in any way the definitive status of 501. Thus we specified in the brief that executions should avoid discussion of or comparison with 501s. Moreover, we determined that we could keep the Red Tab communication separate from 501 communication by adopting an entirely new medium for Levis: posters. More specifically, Adshels offered a street level impact, in keeping with our youthful target and within sight of most retailers. Since advertisings role was not to raise awareness of individual fit numbers, we decided its effectiveness should not be judged by peoples ability to recollect specific numbers, but by their awareness that Levis have a range of Red Tab fits. Range advertising Advertising a range of products is often strategically unsound and creatively uninspiring. People generally do not buy ranges; they buy individual products. A range campaign tends to proclaim the benefits of the range as a whole, or to highlight the differences within the range. But if people are interested in individual products, all they really want to know is what is good about that product. Moreover, a brief for range advertising can often lead to creative cul-de-sacs: a row of products and an invitation to the consumer to make his or her own choice etc. Consequently, although the objective of the advertising was not to establish individual fit identities, we did specify that each execution should feature one fit only and would talk about the benefits of that fit. Across a range of executions we aimed to establish a sense of the multiplicity of the fits, thereby addressing the key objective. Fit adverting Fit messages also pose a strategic and creative challenge. People choose different jeans fits for reasons both of personal physique and current fashion. If advertising addresses one motivation, it struggles to communicate the other. And the more obvious creative solutions tend not to be challenging or motivating. For example, a tight fit can be communicated by showing a thin person and a loose fit by showing a fatter person. But the latter expression clearly does little for loose fit. And what of the people who wear loose fit for style rather than physical reasons? Alternatively, a fit message can be conveyed by showing the overall style or fashion of the wearers of different fits. For example, a punk in tight jeans and a hip-hop fan in loose jeans. But youth fashion cannot easily be compartmentalised into discrete tribes with conveniently different jeans fits. Moreover, young people quite naturally recoil from any cynical attempt by advertisers to mirror their own street-level cultures. And, as with the above, what of the people who do not choose fits for fashion reasons? We concluded that these more literal expressions of fit were not worth exploring and we directed the team to seek out more lateral solutions. THE CREATIVE SOLUTION The creative team, conscious of the objectives of the advertising and the strategic and executional minefields to be avoided, came up with an innovative solution to the brief. They developed a range of executions each employing a black and white still from the respected photographer Bill Brandt to deal with one Red Tab fit message. They did not talk about fit in a literal way. Rather they implied the various fit messages. Moreover the images employed were not completely unrelated to fit. (They were not vegetables or fruit!) Rather all the executions focused on the human form, which is after all the basis of any fit choice. ADVERTISING EFFECT The poster campaign ran nationally for four weeks only in April 1993. Millward Brown tracking showed very high advertising recognition: over 40% of a sample of 17 to 29-year-olds recognised the posters. More importantly, spontaneous and prompted awareness of Red Tab rose from 35% to 45% and from 57% to 75% respectively. The percentage of respondents able to quote any non-501 fit number rose from 50% to 60%. We are unable to divulge actual sales data. SUMMARY The planners role does not only entail pointing the creative team in one particular direction; it can also involve illustrating to them the strategically unsound and creatively fruitless routes. In advertising non-501 Red Tab fits for the first time, Levi Strauss were entering a minefield. By identifying the best role for advertising and mapping out the geography of that minefield, the planner was able to play a part in the development of advertising which maintained Levis best standards of creativity and effectiveness. CREATIVE BRIEF Why are we advertising? To raise awareness of the range of Levis Red Tab jeans by demonstrating that Levis produce different fits to compliment different body shapes and personal styles. Who are we talking to? Boys and girls, 15 to 19 years old. They are aware of Levis advertising and recognise that 501s are the original, definitive jeans. In fact, they may already own a pair of 501s, but find certain aspects of 501s either inconvenient (ie button fly) or uncomfortable. They are at the middle end of the market (early/late adopters) and are often insecure and lack confidence. They therefore need to be reassured that they can buy into the imagery associated with 501s, while having a pair of jeans that fits comfortably and flatters their individual shape. What must the advertising say? Levis Red Tab jeans come in as many different styles as the people who wear them. And why should the consumer believe it? Levis make a range of different fits to suit your shape and tastes. What tone of voice? Confident, classic (ie timeless), cool and sexy. What practical considerations? The campaign must work as both posters and press. The campaign should avoid discussion of, or comparison with, 501s. This is not an opinion leader campaign, and is aimed at a younger, more mass-market consumer. Question 3) Analyse the importance of the various marketing mix elements in the success :failure of Levi, how important is design? Levis share of the denim market plummeted. In 1990, according to Tactical Retail Monitor, more than 48% of men chose Levis as their preferred choice of jeans. By 1998, this had tumbled to 25%, while Lee and Wrangler had risen from 22% to 32%, and private label brands including Gap from 3% to more than 20%. In sales terms the brand slipped from a 30% US market share to 14%. (Upmarket designer labels such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein got a great deal of publicity but never achieved more than around 7% of the market). The percentage of teenage boys who thought Levis was a really cool brand had dropped from 21% in 1994 to just 7% by 1998. Levis position has, for the most part stabilised since then, but competition remains intense The Levis brand now houses several sub-brands. Chief amongst these is Levis Red Tab, which includes the legendary 501 button-fly design. (The number 501 was originally the products stock number, first adopted in 1890; the red fabric tab was first used in the back pocket from 1936). Levis Vintage features a broader range of classic retro designs. In pursuit of the youth market, the company has tried to turn back the tide with more extreme cuts, such as Levis Engineered Jeans, introduced in 2000 and supposedly designed ergonomically to fit the bodys contours. Some cuts are even pre-stained with oil. Another stylised new design launched in early 2003 as Levis Type One. These offered exaggerated versions of traditional features such as rivets, stitching and the tab, blown up in size. However sales were slow to take off, especially in the US, despite high profile marketing, including a Super Bowl ad (which the company later claimed admitted was unsatisfactory). They, along with another st ylised line known as Silvertab, were replaced by the Levis Capital E line. Levis ICD, a partnership with Philips to market workwear with integrated electronic devices such as mobile phones, MP3 players etc, was withdrawn in 2002. The group also licenses out the Levis brand to other manufacturers for branded T-shirts and accessories. Combined sales of the core brand improved in 2007, reaching almost $3.2bn. Levis is primarily a menswear brand, with just under three quarters of all pairs sold bought by men. After its many attempts to introduce more stylized or fashion-oriented designs had failed, the company agreed to abandon its premium positioning and chase the mass-market as well. A new design, Levi Strauss Signature, launched in July 2003, initially available exclusively through Wal-Mart. By the end of the year it had become apparent that the new line was the much-needed hit for which the company had been searching. The group rebranded the range as Signature by Levi Strauss, extended distribution to Target Stores and Kmart in 2004, and also introduced the range into selected mass-marketers in Australia (including Coles Myers Target and Kmart), Japan and other Asian markets. It was also launched in the UK (through Asda), France (through Carrefour), Germany (through Wal-Mart) and Switzerland (through Migros), but performed poorly and was withdrawn in 2007. Yet after a strong start, sales of the Signature line have fallen steadily since 2005, declining from a peak of around $410m that year to $260m in 2007. Dockers, first launched in the US in 1986, is the companys khaki-based casualwear line. It was launched as something of a reaction to inroads into the market by Gap and others, serving as a halfway point between jeans and smarter dress pants. Dockers Slates, a sub-brand of dressier and more expensive trousers, was discontinued in 2004. Although it has been generally successful, Dockers remains very much the second string in the groups portfolio behind its jeans line. In 2004, Levi Strauss put the Dockers brand up for sale in order to concentrate on its still struggling core business, but failed to attract a suitable buyer. Sales of the brand were reported at $1bn for 2003, but had fallen to around $775m by 2005, with sales concentrated in the US. Since then it has repositioned itself as a wider casualwear brand, diversifying into shirts, sweaters and blazers, as well as a line of womens clothing. The unit was rewarded with an increase in revenues for 2006, its first for several years . For 2007, it generated sales were around $915m. The group also generates significant income from royalties on Dockers belts, footwear and other accessories manufactured by other companies under license. Levi Strauss has production facilities and customer service centres throughout the world. Until comparatively recently the company maintained a policy of manufacturing its goods in the regions in which they are sold, but rising labour costs and declining sales made this increasingly unfeasible. Production in the US and Europe began to be farmed out to cheaper regions in the late 1990s. Having already closed six of its US factories by 2003, the group announced that the remaining four in North America would also be shuttered by early 2004. The group supplies its products to around 60,000 retail outlets worldwide. It owns and operates around 200 of its own Levis or Dockers branded stores, and franchises around another 1,300. More than half of these stores are located in the Asia Pacific region. Otherwise sales are through department stores and national chains. There are three regional business units: Levi Strauss North America operates local subsidiaries in the US, Canada and Mexico, and accounts for almost 60% of revenues, or $2.5bn in 2007 (compared to a peak of $4.8bn in 1996). Levi Strauss EMEA is the second biggest market, but performance there took longer to recover than in other markets. Sales rose in 2007 for the first time in several years, finally returning above the $1.0bn barrier. Asia Pacific remains the smallest market for now, but has been the companys strongest performing region for several years. Sales rose by a further 6% in 2007 to $805m, with Japan contributing a little under half of all sales. Question 4) As a strategic marketing consultant, advise Levi about what now it should now do ? It is every businesss objective to maximize their profits and lessen their expenses. Levis has invested on one of the most important resource that a company could have its employees. Their corporate strategy has now been aligned with their human resource management which is valuing their employees due to high costs of recruiting and training new staff. It must be noted that losing an employee can be very expensive and high staff turnover can eventually ruin a business. The last thing that businesses need is for its competitors to benefit from the training, knowledge and experience that it has built within its workforce. It is suggested that employers give their people the opportunity to make their own benefits decisions. This way, employees will take a keener interest in their benefits. The traditional company benefits package often has a rigid one size fits all approach; it fails to consider the varying needs of individual employees. In addition, the traditional company benefits package may sometimes be complicated and difficult to manage. Thus, it is greatly recommended that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. implement a flexible benefits package to help reduce costs and provide a greater choice for their workforce. Furthermore, flexible benefits provide additional lifestyle choices along with traditional company benefits such as private healthcare and the company pension scheme which will allow employees to choose the benefits that they want which in turn will motivate them and make them more productive. It is also important that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. consider some of the following pointers: (1) the main goals of the companys employee benefits programme, the last time that the company last reviewed their benefits scheme, steps or initiatives undertaken to ensure that the companys benefits programme underpins their business strategy, knowledge of employees regarding the benefits that the company offers and how they benefits from it, issues like sickness and absence, healthcare and dental care, and (6) the extent of the relevance and significance of the recruitment and key staff in employers business and their industry.

War and Media Essay -- War Television Essays

War and Media Perhaps one of the greatest impacts on the lives of the peoples of Earth is that of our own self-destruction; of wars, death, and decay. It is therefore very reasonable to suppose that at the forefront of these events would be the media, capitalizing on their ability to bring to the people, those less immediately afflicted by war, news and developments concerning the actual war, statistics, and shocking images from inside the various war zones. Though many may think that the purpose of this type of reporting is for the intellectual benefit of the viewers, some have argued that it is instead a sort of real-life â€Å"reality television show.† Tom Engelhardt wrote in an article entitled â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television,† found in The Nation, that the Gulf War â€Å"†¦proved promising exactly because the boundaries between military action and media event broke down in such a way that military planning could become a new form of media reality.† (Engelhardt, 108) If one follows this dissertation, we seem to pick up on how the Gulf War was actually a sort of ploy by the government and the newly conglomerated media industries to boost ratings and provide high-rated entertainment as opposed to news coverage. It is known that at this point in history the broadcast industry was in very real danger of falling through, even though they had mass financial support by various companies across the US, due to the cable industry and the then newly formed Fox network. This makes a lot of sense when you look at how the broadcast networks were planning taking back the industry, by getting in with the governme nt and making the production of a lifetime. â€Å"The history of the war has always been suppressed in the national... ...p://www.bsu.edu/library/doresearch/resourceguides/terrorism.html> Cohen, Jeff. â€Å"Stenographers to Power: The Gulf War As a Case Study in Media Coverage.† Stenographers to Power. Ed. David Barsamian. Monroe ME: Common Courage Press, 1992. 139-162. Engelhardt, Tom. â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television.† The Reference Shelf: The Media & the Public, Vol. 66, Num. 5. Ed. Casey Ripley, Jr. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1994. 108-115. Johnson, Peter. â€Å"Media, War and Scrutiny.† USA Today 17 Oct. 2001. 34 pars. 19 Nov. 2002 Kennedy, William V. The Military and the Media. Connecticut: Praeger, 1993. Neuharth, Al. â€Å"Media Mesmerize with Attack Coverage.† USA Today 13 Sept. 2001. 14 pars. 19 Nov. 2002 War and Media Essay -- War Television Essays War and Media Perhaps one of the greatest impacts on the lives of the peoples of Earth is that of our own self-destruction; of wars, death, and decay. It is therefore very reasonable to suppose that at the forefront of these events would be the media, capitalizing on their ability to bring to the people, those less immediately afflicted by war, news and developments concerning the actual war, statistics, and shocking images from inside the various war zones. Though many may think that the purpose of this type of reporting is for the intellectual benefit of the viewers, some have argued that it is instead a sort of real-life â€Å"reality television show.† Tom Engelhardt wrote in an article entitled â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television,† found in The Nation, that the Gulf War â€Å"†¦proved promising exactly because the boundaries between military action and media event broke down in such a way that military planning could become a new form of media reality.† (Engelhardt, 108) If one follows this dissertation, we seem to pick up on how the Gulf War was actually a sort of ploy by the government and the newly conglomerated media industries to boost ratings and provide high-rated entertainment as opposed to news coverage. It is known that at this point in history the broadcast industry was in very real danger of falling through, even though they had mass financial support by various companies across the US, due to the cable industry and the then newly formed Fox network. This makes a lot of sense when you look at how the broadcast networks were planning taking back the industry, by getting in with the governme nt and making the production of a lifetime. â€Å"The history of the war has always been suppressed in the national... ...p://www.bsu.edu/library/doresearch/resourceguides/terrorism.html> Cohen, Jeff. â€Å"Stenographers to Power: The Gulf War As a Case Study in Media Coverage.† Stenographers to Power. Ed. David Barsamian. Monroe ME: Common Courage Press, 1992. 139-162. Engelhardt, Tom. â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television.† The Reference Shelf: The Media & the Public, Vol. 66, Num. 5. Ed. Casey Ripley, Jr. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1994. 108-115. Johnson, Peter. â€Å"Media, War and Scrutiny.† USA Today 17 Oct. 2001. 34 pars. 19 Nov. 2002 Kennedy, William V. The Military and the Media. Connecticut: Praeger, 1993. Neuharth, Al. â€Å"Media Mesmerize with Attack Coverage.† USA Today 13 Sept. 2001. 14 pars. 19 Nov. 2002

Essay --

The world is going through great clinical developments in the field of medicine and treatment . Where researchers through their experiences they try to find an end to many diseases And one of the Successful approaches is using originate cells to treat diseases for example Parkinson's and diabetes. So we can say that treatment utilizing stem tissues came to remedy the problem of diseases that medicine could not handle. Even though drugs deal with many illnesses, there is continue to a lot of conditions that treatment could not handle. I really believe that stem cell therapy as an effective alternative for the management of incurable ailments but exactly what is stem tissue? ?and exactly where do they originate from ? ? Stem cells are unspecialized tissues that have two most important features that make them different from other cells in the human body. First, they can increase their numbers for too long periods by means of cell division. Second, every time a stem mobile phone divides to hundreds of originate cell , each and every new originate can separate during early on life of them, and become specialized cells like red blood flow cell , muscle mass cell, human brain cell , or nerve mobile. In this century, scientists started out research concerning how to use originate cells to treat incurable illnesses. As well as they extracting embryonic stem adult and cells originate cells to increase the number in scientific labs.. Scientists found ways to derive embryonic originate cells from early mouse embryos almost 31 years ago, in 1981. The comprehensive study in the biology of mouse stem cells generated the discovery. At a later time , in 1998, of a strategy to derive stem cells from human embryos a nd expand the cells in the lab. ... ... I believe all this information about stem cell treatment will really support scientist to accrue numerous diseases .additionally my inerview with Mr.Mohamad Farooq , I believe that stem mobile is very important and this will be useful later on .Also , he explained to me , that stem cell therapy is very expensive because it needs doctors and manpower .He add an additional point ,that they must make sure that the cells are healthy and ready to use. In general , he was highly agree about stem mobile therapy . To sum up , originate cells really are important for living organisms .Exclusively for treating illnesses such as diabetic issues, and cardiovascular disease. In my perspective , this way of treatment will truly help unwell people and offer them the opportunity to treat . lastly , I really wish in future to be more useful and anyone can treat with stem mobile.

post colonial :: essays research papers fc

George, Rosemary Marangoly, and Helen Scott. "An Interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga." Novel (Spring 1993):309-319. [This interview was conducted at the African Writers Festival, Brown Univ., Nov. 1991] Excerpt from Introduction: "Written when the author was twenty-five, Nervous Conditions put Dangarembga at the forefront of the younger generation of African writers producing literature in English today....Nervous Conditions highlights that which is often effaced in postcolonial African literature in English--the representation of young African girls and women as worthy subjects of literature....While the critical reception of this novel has focused mainly on the author's feminist agenda, in [this] interview...Dangarembga stresses that she has moved from a somewhat singular consideration of gender politics to an appreciation of the complexities of the politics of postcolonial subjecthood" (309). Full text also available from EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Article No. 9312270407. Veit-Wild, Flora. [Interview with Dangarembga] "Women Write about Things that Move Them." Matatu: Zeitschrift fur afrikanische Kultur und Gesellschaft 3.6(1989): 101-108. Wilkinson, Jane. "Tsitsi Dangarembga." Talking with African Writers: Interviews with African Poets, Playwrights and Novelists. London: James Currey, 1992. 189-198. Tsitsi Dangarembga (b. 1959) was interviewed 4 Sept. 1989 in London by Jane Wilkinson, and I here highlight some points made in that interview. There seem to be many autobiographical parallels between Tsitsi’s and Tambu’s lives, although Tambudzai (supposed to be 13 in 1968 in the novel) would be slightly older than Dangarembga (who was 9 in 1968). Dangarembga says that she wrote of "things I had observed and had had direct experience with," but "larger than any one person’s own tragedies†¦[with] a wider implication and origin and therefore were things that needed to be told" (190). One important theme in Nervous Conditions is that of remembering and forgetting—especially the danger of Tambu’s forgetting who she is, where she came from—as her brother Nhamo did. Dangarembga acknowledges this in the interview (191). "I personally do not have a fund of our cultural tradition or oral history to draw from, but I really did feel that if I am able to put down the little I know then it’s a start" (191). Nyasha, the author says, doesn’t have anything to forget, for she never knew, was never taught her culture and origins—and this forms "some great big gap inside her." "Tambudzai, on the other hand is quite valid in saying that she can’t forget because she has that kind of experience. Nyasha is so worried about forgetting because it’s not there for her to remember.