Promote the wellbeing and resilience of children Essay

1.1 Explain 5 factors that can influence the wellbeing of children and young people. 1.Social – The social environment will influence the child’s wellbeing – it can affect how a child is perceived by others, eg, if a child comes from a economically deprived area, people my think that they are unlikely to achieve, and refer to stereotypes rather than judge each child on their own merits 2.physical – If a child has a physical disability, they will require extra support to enable them to perform to their best potential, without it they may not develop their social skills, have fewer job opportunities and will ultimately affect their wellbeing. 3.Poor diet –a poor diet will affect a young person in many ways – a lack of a balanced diet will stop the child receiving essential vitamins and minerals required for a healthy lifestyle, it can also have a negative impact on the child’s physical development. A poor diet involving too much food will affect the child just as much. Too much food, coupled with a lack of exercise, can lead to lots of medical issues EG, obesity, the onset of childhood diabetes etc. It may also affect the child’s social skills development and community involvement. 4. Lack of rest/Sleep – a lack of sleep, either through parental influences (neglect, abuse or simple poor parenting) or through choice (staying up late to watch TV, playing on video games etc) will have a huge influence on a child’s wellbeing. 5.Lack of preventative health measures – This will affect the wellbeing of children. Not immunising against common, and potentially serious diseases and infections such as: measles, mumps, rubella or meningitis can cause very  serious side effects and in extreme circumstances even death. 1.2 Why is it important to encourage resilience in children and young people? Building resilience in children and young people is very important as it helps gives them a way of coping with negative experiences and helps them to become independent, empathetic and responsible. Resilience in a child will help them to become confident, improve problem solving and the ability to deal with both their own emotions and those of others. 1.3 Using examples from your setting analyse effective ways of promoting wellbeing and resilience. We promote wellbeing and resilience in our setting by: Keeping them safe (secure environment, appropriate staff ratios, DBS checks on all staff etc) Listening to their opinions – residents meetings, key work sessions Involving them in decisions that affect them – Independent multi-agency reviews, key working sessions etc Encourage opportunities – offer physical activities, help with opportunities for developing hobbies and interests or group activities Involve parents where appropriate in planning Promote independence 1.4 Using examples from your setting describe ways of working with carers to promote wellbeing and resilience in children and young people. I work in a residential Children’s home. As carers we promote the wellbeing of our service users by: Circulating pertinent information to colleagues to ensure a consistent approach happens Keeping them safe (secure environment, appropriate staff ratios, DBS checks on all staff etc) Listening to their opinions – residents meetings, key work sessions Involving them in decisions that affect them – Independent multi-agency reviews, key working sessions etc Encourage opportunities – offer physical activities, help with opportunities for developing hobbies and interests or group activities Involve parents where appropriate in planning Promote independence – cooking, cleaning, planning and budgeting skills 2.1 Explain why social and emotional identity are important to the wellbeing and resilience of children. Social and Emotional identity are important to a child’s wellbeing and resilience as it helps children and young people to recognise and value their place in the family, the community and wider society by developing a sense of belonging and citizenship. It helps them to form positive relationships and feel emotionally secure by having a positive self image. Young people with a positive self image will have a greater disposition to learning. 2.2 Using 5 examples from your setting explain how you can support children and young people to identify with their own self-image and identity. 1.We ensure every child is represented in displays, posters and other materials 2.The children and young people are given the opportunity to dress in a way that reflects their own self image and individualism 3.We show recognition of respect for individuality of the child and plan activities accordingly 4.We also encourage the young people’s cultural and ethnic networks, and celebrate all cultures and ethnicities within the unit. 5.We also promote life story work, work as positive role models and encourage the same from visitors and visits to relevant establishments. 2.3 How do you encourage children and young people to recognise and value their own abilities, talents and achievements? I try and spend time with the young people i am assigned to work with to talk  about their thoughts and needs. This is either through 1-2-1 discussions or through activities. I will always try and encourage the young person to be open and honest, while being open and honest in return. I try and encourage focus on the positives – their strengths and achievements rather than weakness and failure. We celebrate success and progress and show that skills developed in one area can be transferred into another. 2.4 Using examples from your own practice describe how you support children and young people to be involved in decisions. We hold monthly residents meetings where all sorts of things are discussed, including trips and activities, rules and best practise, menus etc. I always encourage the young people to participate in these meetings and make their views heard. During Key worker sessions, we get the young people to ‘buy in’ to plans by encouraging them to formulate the plans themselves, and agree a way in which these can be monitored. 2.5 Explain how goals and targets you have identified for individual children in your setting contribute towards building the self esteem of the child or young person. Completion of targets and reaching goals give children and young people a sense of achievement and success; has a positive impact on the self- Esteem and motivation of child or young person; goals should be challenging but realistic and achievable for child or young person. Setting realistic S.M.A.R.T targets at Valley View helps both with the young person’s self esteem and their behaviours, reducing the negative behaviours also has the knock on effect of helping with self esteem. 3.2 Explain how a solution focused approach will encourage children and young people to have a positive outlook on their lives. A solution focused approach gets a child or young person to look at how they would like to see their future. This focus allows a child or young person to look at what is going well for them, and identify the actions they need to take to continue on in way to achieve their preferred future. This will help the child and young people develop a sense of responsibility and will allow them to identify benefits of taking a positive approach to their life, and the choices they make, it will also allow them to identify the negative aspects  in their life and give them the opportunity to change these for the better.

A Letter to Morrie Shwartz

It really started to dawn on me how lightly we take the time we have in our lives and how little we love and live to the fullest. I feel that your belief in â€Å"when we learn how to die, we learn how to live† was really enlightening and true. As I read your philosophies on death and aging, you really described aging as not something to be hated and feared, but something to be embraced. You thought of it as more knowledge and experience, and had no reason to be jealous of young people; why be jealous of a man who is 40 when you've already been there?This idea really changed my thoughts on aging. Another belief of yours that admired was the bird perched on your shoulder. Though it wasn't your philosophy, it changed me a lot to try harder in life. I ask myself each day whether or not would be satisfied with dying at the end of the day. From this idea, thought of each time I sleep as me dying, but being reborn in the morning and starting the day anew. However, some days I'm just really unsatisfied, and that's okay, but will always try my best to have a great day every day.When you had one of your early conversations catching up with Mitch after so many years, I found your outlook on people's everyday lives to be very true. In the past few months, found myself very unsatisfied with how I was doing in school and keeping my body active. I had many unsatisfied days and nights, falling asleep unsure and anxious. During the day, I try my best to be alive and in the moment, and really being there, having my presence in the room in front of my peers. This idea really changed my thoughts on everyday fife and experiencing it fully.Yet another philosophy of yours that really moved me was your â€Å"detachment' technique. Recently, I've taken a lot of blows to my pride, and have lost a lot of respect from others and myself. I just have a lot of self-pity. Some days, when I feel incredibly sad and helpless, I detach myself; experience, wash myself in all the negative emotions bothering me. Face these problems and emotions so that I can understand it, know it, and then let go. It really helps when I feel pretty low, and I'm sure it will help even more n the future, and thankful for that, Morris. Next pig) All in all, my idea Of the meaning Of life has changed so much. I have learned to live more, love more, and do more. It has changed me as a person, and really could never have had such a great learning experience. I've learned a lot about myself and the people around me; flaws, talents, interests, opinions, beliefs, the list goes on. A lot of the problems I've had have been solved thanks to your story, Morris. I am sincerely thankful for that, and your student Mitch, for sharing it with us. Sincerely yours,

Application of Critical Management Studies for Organisational Analysis

Application of Critical Management Studies for Organisational Analysis This report aims to use Critical Management Studies (CMS) concepts and ideas to explore specific aspects of organisational working and analyse the working of a specific business firm. CMS provides a variety of alternatives to conventional management theory that offer radically diverse perspectives and aim to transform traditional management approaches. It is essentially rooted in strong scepticism on the moral defensibility and standing, as well as on the ecological and social sustainability, of prevalent types of organisational and management structures (Adler, 2006, p 1). CMS, it is important to understand, does not focus either on the inadequate or poor management practices of specific business firms or on the personal feelings of individual organisational executives and managers (Adler, 2006, p 1). It essentially deals with the widespread social injustice and the extreme environmental negativity of mainstream economic and social structures and systems that are served and replica ted by traditional managers and conventional business organisations (Adler, 2006, p 1). In the contemporary context, CMS deals with a broad range of management issues like strategy, accounting, marketing, international relations, information systems and international business (Lazonick & Sullivan, 2000, p 13). Whilst its approach is based in broad scepticism of existing management theories, practices and structures, it focuses on pivotal, rather than marginal issues. It aims to illustrate how conventional management beliefs and practices are not just nourished by, but also serve to support and sustain disruptive, troublesome, conflict ridden, and essentially destructive contemporary structures and patterns (Sim & Van Loon, 2005, p 9). It goes on to provide alternative solutions and illustrates that the replication of such systems is not inevitable, necessary or unavoidable, but is actually dependent upon managerial thoughts and processes and therefore essentially changeable (Sim & V an Loon, 2005, p 9). Influenced by the work of numerous thinkers like Weber, Hegel and Foucault, CMS has also been shaped by a number of contemporary developments that stretch beyond the realm of academic theory and philosophical or social thought (Adler, 2006, p 5) Many established critiques of the essential aspects of modern day capitalism have been marginalised by the fall and disintegration of the left from the 1970s (Hassard, et al, 2001, p 339). The growth and development of fresh social movements has provided different critical perspectives on the function of modern day business enterprise (Alvarez, et al, 1998, p 17). The growth of the European community and the astonishing rise of China and India, as well as other emerging economies, have helped in placing dominant Anglo-American business values and models in relative positions for purposes of comparison and assessment (Ibarra-Colado, 2006, p 463). CMS is a very broad area of thought, theory and practice. The report takes u p (a) the application of CMS to a Call Centre in India, (b) Weber’s exposition of bureaucracy and (c) Transformational Leadership, with reference to Weber’s work on leadership, for study and analysis. 2.0. Application of CMS to Indian Call Centre The phenomenon of workplace bullying has for long attracted significant attention in mainstream management literature and is looked upon with concern by HR managers and organisational experts. This report deals with the application of CMS to the case study on Indian Call Centres, prepared by D’Cruz and Noronha in 2010. The two researchers conducted a phenomenological inquiry of working experiences of employees in international call centres in Bangalore and Mumbai in India and uncovered new ground in organisational etiological roles in workplace bullying. The case is considered as read and is thus not described in greater detail here.

The Christian Tradition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Christian Tradition - Essay Example Christian views are still considered to be the most widespread in the world. These are views about the one God in the Universe which are represented in three forms: God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit. The God created the Earth and people, he was working for six days and had rest on the seventh. Adam and Eve were the first people and they lost the heaven. Christians tend to believe that their religion explains the origin of the world in a best way. Thus, many people have been sharing the Christian views. However, globalization made Christians face new problems. . Christian churches in Europe currently exist in new situation of religious pluralism. At the same time religious pluralism became one of the main causes of crisis in the traditional churches of Europe. The process of globalization does not allow any society to exist in complete cultural isolation. Every person has an access to any religious knowledge and the infinite majority of religious systems. Besides, pluralism turns out from the objective reality to ideology that rejects the possibility of making any exact declarations about the truth and universal values. Thus, modern pluralistic situation is a serious challenge for Christianity. Christians need to define how to communicate in the pluralistic society and the representatives of other religions in the new conditions. The main issues to consider are how Christians should reply to the challenge, how they may argue about the truth in the multireligious society in order to be heard. Christians may consider pluralism to be an ideology, which is full of inner contradictions and mistakes, which does not correspond to the reality of this world anyhow. In other words, pluralism contains fatal inner and outer inconsistency, which makes pluralism untruthful. At the same time people who are predisposed to ideology for some cultural reasons may consider it to be truthful. Many clergymen state that pluralism is just a tribute to fashion,

HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY QUESTION ASSIGNMENT - 2

HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY QUESTION - Assignment Example Increased hypothalamus functions causes secretion of follicle stimulating hormone that mark the onset of puberty (Wilkosz et al., 6). FSH stimulates ovarian follicle to secrete oestrogen and adrenal gland to secrete androgens. Sex steroid causes secondary sexual characteristics of puberty. Sperms develop from spermatogonia mature into primary spermatocytes. Secondary spermatocytes form after first meiotic division of the primary spermatocytes. Secondary spermatocytes undergo second meiotic division to spermatids. Both divisions take place in the seminiferous tubules after which spermatids migrate to the sertoli cells (McLafferty et al., 38). Maturation of spermatids into spermatozoa involves leydig cells that produce GnRH, LH (ICSH), DHT, testosterone, ABP, and inhibin that regulate spermatogenesis. The epididymis stores mature sperms. Upon sufficient stimulation, spermatozoa move through vas deferens, ampulla, ejaculatory duct , urethra then outside the body. The tubular pathway contracts to propel the ejaculate. Semen consist of secretions form the prostate, seminal and seminal vesicles. The secretions neutralise urine PH and provide nutrition to

Cultural Aspects of Moving to Japan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Kelly's Assignment in Japan - Case Study Example Based on the information given in the case study there could be identified several clashes in cultural customs and expectations. The first clash in cultural customs and expectations has occurred when Kelly and her family arrived in Tokyo and saw their new apartment. Despite a high rent price, their new apartment was very tiny that they could hardly move fit in their personal belongings. This was the first big disappointment for the whole family. The second clash in culture customs has occurred when Kelly exchanged the handshake greetings with Japanese colleagues. In Japan bowing and presenting business cards are absolutely appropriate and expected forms of greeting. Moreover, the formalized exchange of business cards is the whole ritual in Japan, called â€Å"the meishi† (Gesteland, 2005). A handshake is appropriate for Europeans and Americans, but not for Japanese (Reisinger, 2009). The Japanese bow is an important aspect of non-verbal communication, which represents respect, personal humility and social harmony (Nixon & West, 1995). The fact that the new boss was a foreigner, and more importantly a woman was another serious clash in cultural customs, as in such culture as in Japan with high masculinity index, woman-boss and foreigner is a foremost difference (Solomon & Schell, 2009; Yoshida, Yashiro, and Suzuki, 2013). Another clash has occurred when Kelly asked the teams to prepare presentations. The Japanese were reluctant to preparing it as they perceived that group commitment was required for it. This behavior can be explained by differences in context orientation, as Americans have individualistic orientation, while Japanese – group orientation (Reisinger, 2009).  

Quality Management in the Systems Building Process Essay

Quality Management in the Systems Building Process - Essay Example Quality management has become a basic practice in business throughout the world, with the aim of customer satisfaction Daniel & Gillian (1999, p. 134). Implementation of quality management in most organizations; specifically in system building, has been determined by the desire to increase the benefits and profits in the competitive business world Bateson (2005, p. 235). Quality management techniques are specifically meant for improvement of management performance, hence resulting to increased profits. This report represents the quality management in the system building, as portrayed by some organizations like H-R Industries. The aim of this report is to enhance and complement the importance of ISO certification in quality management. The ISO certification that will be discussed are ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 series. Most companies find that the system building gives them a significant advantage in ISO certification. For example, H-R industries, found that their ISO 9000 Quality Management System gave them a great advantage in the ISO 14001 certification Daniel & Gillian (1999, p. 231). This industry was the first PWB manufacturer in the United States of America to achieve ISO 14001 certification. It was established in 1976 and fully owned by McDonald Technologies, Inc. with about 300 workers; the company produces a variety of multilayer board, as described by Bateson (2005, p. 266). ISO 14001certification is an international standard for the quality management systems. ISO 14001 is referred on ISO 900 hence there is a very significant overlap between the two stated standards. Management systems, whether for system protection or quality, share some common elements including training, developing and documenting procedures, auditing, record keeping, and corrective action Cazden (2007, p. 89). This report shows the subject of quality management and states that it encompasses series of strategies used by organizations, for instance H-R Industries. Quality management increases the efficacy of the company's operations, as well as increases customer satisfaction from all points of view Bateson (2005, p. 305). In addition to that, it covers the initial steps necessary for the developing quality management in system building , and shows the similarity between necessities for ISO 14001 and ISO 900 systems Daniel & Gillian (1999, p. 163). System building Most companies have adopted quality management in system building process. This is because, over along time, customers had not been very satisfied with the quality of the products Daniel & Gillian (1999, p. 357). To utilize the quality management, a company should use the brainpower of its entire workers. In other words, all organization's efforts are parcel and part of a system. For this reason, no one can change one part of organization without affecting the other parts Bateson (2005, p. 299). As many companies struggle to improve the management in their system and increase the profits and benefits at the same time, many have found that system building can do more than improving the environmental performance. It can enable a company to acquire the set objectives and to achieve their business goals Cazden (2007, p. 111). By providing a systematic way of reviewing and improving operations in system building, they can help a company utilize materials

Computer Crimes in the USA Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computer Crimes in the USA - Article Example   The current legal frameworks, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are also not apt to handle cyber crimes. Until date, the primary thrust of R&D in information technology has been to promote and facilitate e-commerce, rather than to come out with means to discourage cyber crimes (Prosise & Mandia, 2001). In the absence of such intimidating technological deterrents, computer crimes are thriving and proliferating like never before. Phishing, cyberstalking, identity thefts, hacking, computer viruses, and child pornography are some of the most rampant versions of cyber crimes. Computer crimes have turned out to be an obnoxious menace, both within the United States and around the world. As per the credible statistics available for the year 2008, a majority of the cybercriminals have their base within the United States (Consumer Fraud Reporting, 2009). The prime reason for this being that the US has the highest number of internet users in the world. The United Kingdom commanded the second spot, with 10.5 percent of the total computer crimes affiliated to it (Consumer Fraud Reporting, 2009). Other major countries, which are home to a large section of the international cybercriminals, are Nigeria, Romania, the Netherlands and China (Consumer Fraud Reporting, 2009). While identity theft and Phishing happen to be the forte of the US-based criminals, Nigeria mainly abounds in fake online lotteries and money transfers (Consumer Fraud Reporting, 2009).

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Essay - 1

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management - Essay Example Adequate staffing is the solution to reduce the workload on nurses that is how a seasoned manager will look at it. Nurses usually leave due to excessive work pressures and that will be eased to a certain extent through this action. On other issues raised by the nurses, the top management of the organization must formulate a strong retention policy and for that the company needs to pay nurses generously. McConnell (2010) emphasizes on proper reward system to recognize the work of employees and that is where effective and appropriate leadership style is necessary. The issues that concern nurses and raised so far are mostly tangible and needs to be tackled by the top management of the organization where nothing much can be done at intermediate levels such as supervisors or managers because number of nurses in the healthcare unit and their salary structures are largely governed by the corporate recruitment and compensation policies (managerial decisions); however, even a well-formulated retention policy may fail if it is not supported by staff motivation and recognition efforts. It is precisely here that effective leadership is necessary at all levels. Issues That Need an Effective Leadership Approach In CareerBuilder (2010)’s survey on nurses, many issues raised by nursing staffs fall in the category of work culture, lack of training, and poor fit with boss. Yukl (2006) argues that effective leaders are usually transformational leaders. They do not hesitate to delegate authority to others, help create self-managed teams, eliminate unwanted controls; helps develop skills and self-confidence of staff so as to create self-managed teams and work toward staff... As the report states efficient managers assess the situation before resorting to any solution. Many of the issues that come out in the survey are interrelated such as fewer staff and high workload issue. Lower staff will obviously lead to the situation of high workload on nursing staff in any healthcare setting. Adequate staffing is the solution to reduce the workload on nurses that is how a seasoned manager will look at it. Nurses usually leave due to excessive work pressures and that will be eased to a certain extent through this action. On other issues raised by the nurses, the top management of the organization must formulate a strong retention policy and for that the company needs to pay nurses generously. According to the paper stresses concern nurses and raised so far are mostly tangible and needs to be tackled by the top management of the organization where nothing much can be done at intermediate levels such as supervisors or managers because number of nurses in the healthcare unit and their salary structures are largely governed by the corporate recruitment and compensation policies (managerial decisions); however, even a well-formulated retention policy may fail if it is not supported by staff motivation and recognition efforts. It is precisely here that effective leadership is necessary at all levels. Several transformational leadership frameworks are in operation and one of them is engaging leadership model.

Hiphop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hiphop - Essay Example It discusses the impact of Hip-hop across the globe and its commercialization. (Kun, 581), as outlined by Flores (1), besides hip-hop being successful in the United States; it is used all over the world. It is becoming a creative and positive economic impact across the globe. Since the time in memorial, Hip-hop has always been seen as a voice of the blacks. Nevertheless, this phrase has earned criticisms based on the fact of its commercialization and globalization. Hip-hop is, therefore, not the voice of just the blacks, but for every person across the planet. The users and those that produce hip-hop music have grown beyond the black community. According to Flores (1), (Mos def, 1999) noticed the growth of hip-hop and invented a phrase that stated, hip-hop is everybody. This was used to mean that hip-hop music is for everybody who takes part in it or in developing its culture, regardless of their status, origin and race. In the present day commercials, hip-hop represents various organizations and products. Upon intensive analysis of the origin of hip-hop and its growth in both commercials and globally, it is proven that Mos Def was right in his album, â€Å"Fear Not.†In the album, he indicated that the hip-hop reached beyond the black community. The origin of hip-hop can be traced back to the 1970’s in South Bronx. This is during the time when the Cross-Bronx expressway took the place of several families belonging to the blacks and the Hispanic families. During this time, many whites ran away from the site. Other projects also made the marginalized people relocate to South Bronx. The youth of the families that relocated began looking of ways of putting their creative and aggressive features into practice. That is how hip-hop came to be, giving the marginalized youngsters a belonging and support. They began deejaying; rapping, break dancing, and graffiti producing. Hip-hop uses the mentorship of other

The Western Civilization Essay Example for Free

The Western Civilization Essay Ideas are not only products of the people who formulate them. They are also consequences of history, class, and culture. At the same time, ideas formulated by a certain group of people can in good time go on to shape and influence history, class and culture. The ideas of Enlightenment implied an attitude, a method of thought. They encouraged an orientation of mind that seeks to reexamine and question all received ideas and values, to explore new ideas in many different directions, discovering the truth through the observation of nature. These ideas of the Age of Enlightenment went on to mould the fundamental cultural orientation of the Western world. The Enlightenment left a lasting heritage for the 19th and 20th centuries. It marked a key stage in the decline of the church and the growth of modern secularism. It served as the model for political and economic liberalism and for humanitarian reform throughout the 19th-century Western world. It was the watershed for the pervasive belief in the possibility and the necessity of progress that survived, if only in attenuated form, into the 20th century. The cause of science and scientific thinking had been prospering since the time Copernican Revolution, however, a scientific attitude did not sink in to the masses. It was only in the eighteenth century that the views of thinkers and philosophers began to percolate into the mindsets of common people. Already, by the later decades of the eighteenth century the movement started Enlightenment was ringing triumphant in Europe and America. It would gather momentum in the times that are to follow, becoming a sweeping tide of opinion, assuming a broad front, and determining the course of the Western civilization in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It was this passion of a group of thinkers for reason and science that laid the groundwork for modern social and cultural ethos of the Western Civilization.

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay The Birth of a Monster Frankenstein can be [home-3. tiscali. nl] read as a tale of what happens when a man tries to create a child without a woman. It can, however, also be read as an account of a womans anxieties and insecurities about her own creative and reproductive capabilities. Among the deviations from the original book is the creation of the monster bride. In the book, the creation asks Victor Frankenstein to fashion a monster woman for him. He reluctantly agrees, but destroys the creature right before he is about to breathe life into it. However, in the film he goes through with his plan only after the monster murders Elizabeth on their wedding night by thrusting his hand into her chest and ripping out her heart [home-3. tiscali. nl]. Victor then takes Elizabeths body back to his laboratory, where he attaches her head to the exhumed body of Justine, the nanny. He then galvanizes this new body and brings Elizabeth back as a horrific bride. When the monster approaches thinking that the bride is meant for him, a stand-off occurs before the bride kills herself by fire [home-3. tiscali. nl]. Male Friendship in Jamess Short Stories Jamess short stories focus on the theme of male friendship [glbtq. com]. Texts like The Pupil (1890) portray relationships between older men and their proteges associations. The Beast in the Jungle (1903) comprises a case study of homosexual panic. Moreover, stories like The Jolly Corner (1908), which involves a protagonist who confronts himself as he might have been, had he not left America for a solitary existence in Europe. It dramatizes the ways in which the protagonist comes to embrace heterosexual love. This might suggest that Jamess portrayals of women suffer as a result of the privileged male relationships in his short stories. To a certain extent, this is true at the same time Jamess [glbtq. com]treatment of women is also skillful. This has led many feminist critics to applaud his representations of femininity. James did not support womens rights and was frequently quite dismissive of female writers but his female characters are among the most positively represented in British and American literature. In turn, although Jamess ambivalence toward gay love and lifestyles propels his fiction, his portrayals of male friendships are provocative and powerful. Indeed, the fated nature of these relationships testifies not only to Jamess inability to conceive of a space wherein homosexual love might be dramatized, it also points to the pall cast by the Wilde trials, wherein the specter of Oscar shadowed the comportment of many gay men of his age. James, caught within a myriad of conflicting cultural positionsan American living in Europe, a gay man living in a normative heterosexual worldwas able to channel his own marginality into literary texts that document the anxieties of his age, be they social, sexual, or cultural [glbtq. com]. Conclusion The Queer theory is a theory of sociology (or philosophy), which criticizes mainly the concept of gender, feminism, and the preconceived idea of genetic determinism in the sexual preference. Although homosexuality and queer practices are nothing new, the association between queer practices and deviancy is taking on new meaning in the modern world as queer community and queer culture becomes more apparent. Queer culture is not limited to queer sex. Queer culture, from an ideological standpoint, represents the queer community and its arts, lifestyles, institutions, writings, politics, relationships and everything else encompassed in culture. Queer culture in general is intertwining with the common normative culture, with people being exposed to the ideas of â€Å"gay pride† and becoming more educated about queer studies in schools and society. Reference: Barris, S[24/07/2007 ] GAINING THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AT THE UN http://www. ilga. org/news_results. asp? LanguageID=1FileID=1090FileCategory=44ZoneID=7 Coming Out as Transgender http://www. hrc. org/Content/NavigationMenu/Coming_Out/Get_Informed4/Coming_Out_as_Transgender/Coming_Out_as_Transgender.htm Commentaries on Seidman, Meeks and Traschen: `Beyond the Closet? : After the Closet Bech Sexualities. 1999; 2: 343-346 http://sexualities. sagepub. com/cgi/content/refs/2/3/343. â€Å"Epistemology of the closet†, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, in â€Å"The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader†, Routledge, New York, London, 1993 [italico da autora, sublinhados e gordos nossos] http://branconolilas. no. sapo. pt/sedgwick. htm Foucault: The History of Sexuality http://www. ipce. info/ipceweb/Library/history_of_sexuality. htm.

Defining And Understanding Holography Physics Essay

Defining And Understanding Holography Physics Essay Holography,  method  of  obtaining three-dimensional photographic images. These images are obtained without a lens, so the method is also called lensless photography. The records are called holograms (Greek holos, whole; gram, message). The theoretical principles of holography were developed by the British physicist Dennis Gabor in 1947. The first actual production of holograms took place in the early 1960s, when the laser became available. By the late 1980s the production of true-color holograms was possible, as well as holograms ranging from the microwave to the X-ray region of the spectrum. Ultrasonic holograms were also being made, using sound waves. Holography  is one of the remarkable achievements of a modern science and technology. Holograms have unique property to restore the high-grade volumetric image of real subjects. The word holography originated from the Greek words holos whole and grapho write, that means complete record of the image. Holography represents photographic process in a broad sense of this word, essentially differs from a usual photo because there is a registration not only  intensity  in a photosensitive material, but also  phase  of light waves, scattered by the object and carried the complete information about three-dimensional structure of the object. As the medium of mapping of the reality, hologram has unique property: unlike usual photo, the  holographic image  can reproduce exactly three-dimensional copy of the original object. Such image with set of views, varied with change of supervision, has amazing realness and often looks like the real object. Unlike photography or painting, holography can render an object with complete dimensional fidelity. A hologram can create everything your eyes see size, shape, texture and relative position. However, if you try to touch a holographic image, all youll find is focused light. History of holography Holography is known from 1947 when British (native of Hungary) scientist Dennis Gabor   produced the theory of holography while he was trying to improve the resolution of electron microscope .Gabor coined the term which we know today i.e. holography by the greek word holos, which means whole while gramma means message. Further development in the field was during the next period because light sources available at that time was not truly coherent . This problem was overcome in  1960  by Russian scientists  N. Bassov  and  A. Prokhorov  and American scientist  Charles Townswith by the invention of the laser, whose pure, intense light was ideal for making holograms. In that year the pulsed-ruby laser was developed by Dr.  T.H. Maimam. This laser system  (unlike the continuous wave laser normally used in holography) emits a very powerful burst of light that lasts only a few nanoseconds (a billionth of a second). It effectively freezes movement and makes it possible to produce holograms of high-speed events, such as a bullet in flight, and of living subjects. The first hologram of a person was made in  1967, paving the way for a specialized application of holography: pulsed holographic portraiture. In  1962  Emmett Leith and Juris Upatnieks of the University of Michigan recognized from their work in side-reading radar that holography could be used as a 3-D visual medium. In 1962 they read Gabors paper and simply out of curiosity decided to duplicate Gabors technique using the laser and an  off-axis technique  borrowed from their work in the development of side-reading radar. The result was the first laser transmission  hologram of 3-D objects (a toy train and bird). These transmission holograms produced images with clarity and realistic depth but required laser light to view the holographic image. Their pioneering work led to standardization of the equipment used to make holograms. Today, thousands of laboratories and studios possess the necessary equipment: a continuous wave laser, optical devices (lens, mirrors and beam splitters) for directing laser light, a film holder and an isolation table on which exposures are made. Stability is absolutely essential because movement as small as a quarter wave- length of light during exposures of a few minutes or even seconds can completely spoil a hologram. The basic off-axis technique that Leith and Upatnieks developed is still the staple of holographic methodology. Also in  1962  Dr.  Yuri N. Denisyuk  from Russia combined holography with 1908 Nobel Laureate Gabriel Lippmanns work in natural color photography.  Denisyuks approach  produced a white-light reflection hologram which, for the first time, could be viewed in light from an ordinary incandescent light bulb. Another major advance in display holography occurred in  1968when Dr.  Stephen A. Benton  invented white-light transmission holography while researching holographic television at Polaroid Research Laboratories. This type of hologram can be viewed in ordinary white light creating a rainbow image from the seven colors which make up white light. The depth and brilliance of the image and its rainbow spectrum soon attracted artists who adapted this technique to their work and brought holography further into public awareness. Bentons invention is particularly significant because it made possible mass production of holograms using an embossing technique. These holograms are printed by stamping the interference pattern onto plastic. The resulting hologram can be duplicated millions of timesfor a few cents apiece. Consequently, embossed holograms are now being used by the publishing, advertising, and banking industries. In  1972  Lloyd Cross  developed the integral hologram by combining white-light transmission holography with conventional cinematography to produce moving 3-dimensional images. Sequential frames of 2-D motion-picture footage of a rotating subject are recorded on holographic film. When viewed, the composite images are synthesized by the human brain as a 3-D image. In 70s Victor Komar and his colleagues at the All-Union Cinema and Photographic Research Institute (NIFKI) in Russia, developed a prototype for a projected holographic movie. Images were recorded with a pulsed holographic camera. The developed film was projected onto a holographic screen that focused the dimensional image out to several points in the audience. Holographic artists have greatly increased their technical knowledge of the discipline and now contribute to the technology as well as the creative process. The art form has become international, with major exhibitions being held throughout the world. The commonly and widely used way of imaging of the reality is the photography. A photograph is basically the recording of the differing intensities of the light reflected by the object  and imaged by a lens. However, information about dimensions of the object contained not only in amplitude (intensity), but also in a phase of light waves. A great difference between holography and photography is the information recorded. This difference is why photographs are two dimensional (2-D) images while holograms are three dimensional (3-D) images. Photographs contain only one view point of an object. Our eyes need a minimum of two view points in order to see depth. Vision using two viewpoints of an object is called stereoscopic vision. Each eye receives a slightly different view point of an object, our brain combines the two and we perceive depth. We can fool our eyes into seeing photographs in three dimensions by taking two slightly different views of an object and allowing each eye to see only one image, the right image for the right eye and the left image for the left eye. We can do this with a stereoscope (for pictures) or with polarized glasses (for movies). The shortcoming of stereoscopic images is that when we move our head from side to side or up and down, we still only see the same two view points, whereas we should be seeing continuously changing viewpoints of the object. The image therefore doesnt quite appear to be three dimensional. In order to make a record of a three dimensional object we need to record this continuous set of viewpoints of the object. Estimating sizes of the objects and considering shape  and direction of shadows from these objects, we can create in our mind general representation about volumetric properties of the scene, represented in a photo. But, if sizes of the objects are identical and there are no shadows, volumetric content of the photographed scene is completely lost. For example, we can not define in the photo of snowflakes on a dark background, which of them is closer, and which of them is farther. Holography is the only visual recording medium that can record our three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional recording medium and playback the original object or scene to the unaided eyes as a three dimensional image. The image demonstrates complete parallax and depth-of-field and floats in space either behind, in front of, or straddling the recording medium.

The Significance of Women in the Imperial Family Essay -- Roman Histor

The Significance of Women in the Imperial Family During the time of the Roman Empire women were not allowed to play any part in the political life of the empire. However women were still able to influence powerful men and manipulate them to use their power for the wants of woman. The most powerful woman in the roman society was either the wife of a principate or the mother of one. Examples of influential woman in the imperial family include Livia Drusilla, Julia Agrippina and Octivia. The only woman that seemed to have a stable position with both power and security was the wife of the emperor. For example the Livia Drusilla (58 BC-29 AD), an influential consort of Augustus, who was depicted in imperial propaganda as the embodiment of womanliness and dedication, while her enemies believed her to be a ruthless seeker of power. Through the example of Livia it can be seen how influential a wife of a powerful man can be. Augustus married her when she was very young taking her away from her first husband Tiberius Nero. From then on, Augustus’ affection was fixed on her. They stayed together till the end, despite certain insecurity from not giving Augustus an heir. Livia was the most powerful woman of her time and Augustus appeared to have taken most of her advice. She sometimes accompanied him from Rome and always served as a trusted confidante and advisor. When a beloved great grandson of Augustus’ died (a son of Germanicus’), she saw to it that the child’s statue was placed in his private quarters, demonstrating power she did contain. However modestly she presented herself, Livia's life was showcased by Augustus from the first ... ...members.aol.com/zoticus/bathlib/nero.htm http://www.travel-italy.com/ct/agrippina.html http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Thread/116676 Books 1. Author: Bartman, Elizabeth. Title: Portraits of Livia : imaging the imperial woman in Augustan Rome / Elizabeth Bartman. Publisher: New York : Cambridge University Press, 1998. 2. Author: Barrett, Anthony, 1941- Title: Livia : first lady of Imperial Rome / Anthony A. Barrett. Publisher: New Haven : Yale University Press, c2002. 3. Author: Wood, Susan (Susan Elliott), 1951- Title: Imperial women : a study in public images, 40 B.C.-A.D. 68 / by Susan E. Wood. Publisher: Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 1999. 4. Author: Barrett, Anthony A. Title: Agrippina : mother of Nero / Anthony A. Barrett. Publisher: London : Batsford, 1996.

Book Review of Goosebumps Stay Out of the Basement :: essays research papers

I have read a book called Goosebumps Stay Out Of the Basement. It was an intresting book and it was a little confusing because the characters jumped around in the story. Also, when you were reading the story you feel like you missed out on a part and you just have to go along with the story and find things that happen in the past. The author of this book is R. L.Stine. He has written many books in the Goosebumps series and they all hold there scariness in many ways.They are a series of scary and supernatural made up stories.These are some books that he has written:The Abdominal Snowman of Pasadena,Attack of the Mutant,Bad Hare Day,The Barking Ghost,The Cuckcoo clock of Doom,The Curse of the Mummy's tomb,Deep Trouble,Egg Monsters From Mars and many more.The genre of this book is fiction because it has ficticious characters that are not real and are not true including monsters. I chose this book because it looked very intresting and I was very drawn to this book when I saw it. By just looking at the picture on the front cover was very intresting and creepy and I like those things. In the beginning of the story, Margaret and Casey are talking about how there dad a scientist is acting very weird. They notice that he has been down there in the basement with his plants and weird machines for a long time. He had hardly ever come up from the basement to get fresh air. When he did come up he would'nt even want to catch a frisbee. He also did not spend two minutes with either of them when he did come up. They also notice his skin getting a pale green and speaks in very bad manners that the kids have never heard before. Then in the middle of the book they find out some very uncomfortable things about there dad and they feel as if he is not there dads anymore. When the two kids had gone down into the the basement [which there dad had yelled at them and told them not to go down there] they found a whole bunch of weird plants and the air was all mooshy and thick. They kinda noticed that one of the plants were breathing and it was true because when they went near the pla nt you could actually hear it breathing.

Recent Studies Concerning Violent Tendencies and the Confusion that Arises :: Violence Murder Papers

Recent Studies Concerning Violent Tendencies and the Confusion that Arises "It was an urge. . . . . A strong urge, and the longer I let it go the stronger it got, to where I was taking risks to go out and kill people-risks that normally, according to my little rules of operation, I wouldn't take because they could lead to arrest." -Edmund Kemper (6) Ted Bundy. Charles Manson. Timothy McVeigh. Bundy murdered pretty women. Manson had followers who killed on his command. McVeigh is responsible for one of the most horrendous terrorist attacks on America, the Oklahoma State bombing. While these three serial killers had different methods for their acts, the one thing they have in common is that they are killers. Murderers who took a number of innocent lives. Perhaps to not the same extent, but sadly enough the world is full of Charles Manson's and Ted Bundy's. Violence has become a common and prevalent occurrence in society today. Everyday on the news one hears stories of crimes-murder, robbery, rape, assault, extortion, kidnapping, homicide, an endless list. Law enforcement works day and night protecting neighborhoods and cities from crimes and violence, but the truth of the matter is that crime still exists and all one can do is ask himself why. Why do such treacherous violent acts exist in society? In essence, one must ask himself whether or not these violent tendencies have any biological relation whatsoever. Do violent tendencies occur as an affect of disruptions or damage to the brain? Is there a genetic correlation? Is violence brought about by some other factor, such as economic difficulties or social or cultural differences? All these questions remain unanswered. But one even significant, broader question that one must cons ider is whether or not these factors, biologically related and non, effect the occurrence of violent tendencies in individuals. In 1848, a railroad worker, Phineas Gage, was working when an explosion caused an iron rod to impale his skull, damaging the front part of his brain. Although Gage miraculously survived, his behavior severely changed in that the intelligent and respectful man everyone knew suddenly because fitful, impulsive, and rude (2). This is one of the first dated cases insinuating that violence may be related to some kind of damage or abnormality in the brain.

Emotional Intelligence in Brave New World

Emotional Intelligence in Brave New World In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, both the world and its people are designed to disallow deep feeling and passion. But, assuming the citizens of Brave New World are human, is it really possible for humans to exist as social, thinking beings without true emotion? What is emotional intelligence? For years people have been asking that same question. Emotional intelligence was first discovered in the 1930s by Edward Thorndike, but the term was still unfamiliar to the psychological world.The term â€Å"emotional intelligence† was not officially used until 1985 by Wayne Payne (Cherry â€Å"Timeline of Modern  Psychology†). Today researchers still do not have an accurate description of emotional intelligence. In 1990 John D. Mayer was the first to describe emotional intelligence (EI) as â€Å"the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate a mong them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions† (Salovey 1990, pg. 185).Mayer and his research partner Peter Salovey further defined emotional intelligence as â€Å"a set of skills hypothesized to contribute to the accurate appraisal and expression of emotion in oneself and in others, the effective regulation of emotion in self and others, and the use of feelings to motivate, plan and achieve in one's life† (Salovey 1990, pg. 210). Emotional intelligence is not only the regulation of emotions, but also the deregulation of emotions. The regulation of emotions is when we have control over our emotions. The deregulation of emotions is when there is no control over our emotions.The deregulation of emotions is greatly needed in our society because to be creative and to think outside of the box, one needs to let go of his or her emotions. To be passionate, our society needs to let our emotions run freely and flow without being restricted. Emotional intelligence gives that passion which encourages people to create our imaginative and our artistic society that we have established today. The question of whether we can live without deep emotion is also a question of whether we can exist without imagination.Emotional intelligence is a key ingredient in critical thinking. Critical thinking is the Rational reflective thinking concerned with what to do or believe, then critical thinking clearly implicitly implies the capacity to bring reason to bear on emotions, if for no other reason than that our emotions and feelings are deeply inter involved with our beliefs and actions. (Elder) In her article, Linda Elder gives the example: â€Å"If [a person] feel[s] fear, it is because [they believe] that [they are] being threatened. Therefore [they are] likely to attack or flee† (Elder).This shows how thought and emotions collaborate with each other to express our actions in difficult situations and in everyday life situations. Elder di scusses how â€Å"it is critical thinking which provides us with the mental tools needed to explicitly understand how reasoning works, and how those tools can be used to take command of what we think, feel, desire, and do† (Elder). To effectively solve difficult problems â€Å"one must have the desire to do so†¦Thus the affective dimension, comprised of feelings and volition, is a necessary condition and component of high quality reasoning and problem solving† (Elder).If a person has a â€Å"‘defect in emotion and drive,’† that person can create a â€Å"‘defect in thought and reason† (Elder). â€Å"In short, the truly intelligent person is not a disembodied intellect functioning in an emotional wasteland, but a deeply committed mindful person, full of passion and high values, engaged in effective reasoning, sound judgment, and wise conduct† (Elder). â€Å"The emotions that you experience and the thoughts that drive them, li ke everything in the Universe, are at their core pure energy† (â€Å"The Power of Emotions†).Emotions are designed to help people become aware of their special needs. Without emotions, people would not know how to make decisions. Our bodies were made to make decisions based on our emotions. In her article â€Å"The Importance of Emotions,† Carla Valencia discusses how emotions are the most important factors in making correct decisions (Valencia 1-2). Valencia explains how positive emotions â€Å"not only motivate our existence, but also give enjoyment and happiness† to our lives (3). When we express â€Å"negative emotions, on the other hand, [it] impact[s] our lives in a negative way† (3).This affects our decisions because if we â€Å"take a decision when [we] feel revenge for example, the results could be dangerous. A negative emotional state leads to a negative behavior† (pg. 3). If people misuse their emotions, it can lead to wrong decisi ons. The different emotions that human beings feel are important for people to function as social and intellectual beings. In her book The Food and Feelings Workbook, Karin Koenig reveals that: The function of emotions is to tell us about our internal world, just as senses provide guidance in the external world†¦ emotions also] keep you safe and out of harm’s way, steer you toward what’s healthy and life-affirming, and deter you from what’s dangerous and life-threatening. (Koenig â€Å"What Is the Purpose of Feelings? †) Koenig believes that our feelings and emotions show people the â€Å"painful† and the â€Å"pleasurable† things, so that they can adjust and make proper choices (Koenig â€Å"What Is the Purpose of Feelings? †). In The Food and Feelings Workbook, Koenig argues that people â€Å"have a better chance at physical survival if [they] are biologically programmed to be highly sensitive to both pleasure and pain†¦ People] are also programmed for emotional survival† (Koenig â€Å"How Do I Know When I Have a Feeling or an Emotion? †). This explains why we need our different emotions to survive. Our bodies need feelings to affectively interact with our environment. In his book called Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, Donald A. Norman says that â€Å"affect is a vague sensation that may be either conscious or subconscious, but emotion is the conscious experience of such affect† (Norman 55). Emotions are not the result of a forced action; emotions occur naturally.Karin Koenig agrees with this statement by saying that â€Å"feelings belong to our primitive defense system and are rooted in our collective biology and the history of the species. They are neurological, biochemical reactions that happen on a cellular level in response to stimuli. They don’t require thinking† (Koenig â€Å"How Do I Know When I Have a Feeling or an Emotion? † ). Emotions are used to differentiate the moral and the corrupt; the wrong and the right. We cannot survive without our emotions and feelings because our different emotions help us distinguish the good things from the bad things. Our emotions help us make decisions. Studies show that when a person's emotional connections are severed in the brain, he cannot make even simple decisions† (Hein â€Å"Emotions- Importance Of; Management of Negative Feelings; Positive Value of†). People whose emotional needs are not fulfilled become depressed which usually leads to their death by committing suicide(Hein â€Å"Teen Suicide†). â€Å"Teenagers around the world are killing themselves to put an end to their intense emotional pain† (Hein â€Å"Teen Suicide†).Teenagers especially need their emotional needs to be fulfilled because they are at the point where they are developing their â€Å"emotional development† (â€Å"Emotional Development – Emotio nal Development During Adolescence†). Their â€Å"behavioral problems† are the result of their need to express their emotions (Hein â€Å"Emotions- Importance Of; Management of Negative Feelings; Positive Value of†). Our emotions are needed to help us make decisions, to help us be passionate about what we love, and to distinguish us from the rest of the world.We need our emotions to help us survive in this society, and without our emotions we are nothing but robots roaming aimlessly around the Earth. The stark reality of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is due to the lack of emotions from the citizens. Huxley’s â€Å"utopian† society fails because to have a rich existence in a society, one needs to express and have a full range of emotions. Huxley describes a dystopian society with â€Å"promiscuous sex, ‘the feelies’, and most famously of all, [the] supposedly perfect pleasure-drug, soma† (Pearce). Humans need their emotio ns to distinguish them from other humans.Their emotions and their personality create their own identity. If everyone was the same like the characters in Brave New World, we would not be able to function. We need our emotions to help us through difficult situations. Because the characters in Brave New World do not have emotions, they do not know how to handle difficult situations. Huxley falsely depicted a â€Å"utopian† society emotions and individuality. Huxley’s characters are not credible in that they lack the needed human emotion to make decisions, to create their own identity, to be creative, and to be mentally healthy.Lenina is one important character who is like all the other citizens in the way that she acts and in what â€Å"her† beliefs are. She is taught by the directors and World Controllers that â€Å"No pains have been spared to make your lives emotionally easy—to preserve you, as far as that is possible, from having emotions at all† (Smith). In Brave New World, the citizens do not know how to express their emotions because they are forced to be the same. If a person is different, like Bernard Marx, everyone criticizes that person.Bernard Marx is out of the ordinary and he â€Å"hated [Henry Foster and the Assistant Predestinator]† because they talk about â€Å"[Lenina] as though she were a bit of meat† (Huxley 45 ; 47). He respects Lenina and perhaps feels â€Å"love† for Lenina. This is unusual for an Alpha because they are injected with drugs when they are embryos so that they would not feel these emotions. The citizens are trained to have sex, and to take soma holidays. Bernard Marx is a defect so he actually feels and expresses his emotions which make him unique from the other people.Marx knows how wrong the â€Å"promiscuous sex, ‘the feelies’, and most famously of all, [the] supposedly perfect pleasure-drug, soma† is (Pearce). Linda is a citizen who was exposed to the outside world. Linda is forced to develop her emotions because if she does not, she will be considered an outcast to the â€Å"savages. † In Brave New World, Huxley demonstrates a false interpretation of a â€Å"utopian† society by stripping away the citizens emotions and feelings. In addition to being a false utopian society, this book falsely demonstrates how the world would be like without emotions and feelings.Steve Hein accurately describes what would happen without emotions. He says that â€Å"Our emotions help us make decisions,† and without these emotions we would be making wrong decisions which could lead to dangerous situations. We also use our emotions for critical thinking. The citizens in Brave New World do not have emotions; therefore, they do not have critical thinking skills. We cannot survive without critical thinking skills. Other than helping us make the right decision, our emotions make us unique. Without emotions, we are robots roaming a imlessly through the Earth.

The Haqqani Network: Terrorists or Insurgents

The definition of terrorism is broad and open to interpretation. Hoffman, in his book Inside Terrorism, suggests that terrorism is â€Å"the deliberate creation and exploitation of fear through violence or the threat of violence in the pursuit of political change. † Schwartz, Dunkel, et al, define terrorism in their Studies in Conflict & Terrorism article entitled Terrorism: An Identity Theory Perspective, as â€Å"the deliberate targeting of civilian sites for attacks designed to result in destruction of those sites and/or the injury and death of noncombatant civilians. Together, these two perspectives coupled with identity theory and will serve as the basis for an evaluation of the Haqqani network and their interrelationships and interactions with known terrorist groups such as the Taliban and al-Qa’ida as well as with Pakistan’s military and government intelligence agencies.The Haqqani Network: Who Are They and Why do We Care? The Haqqani network is an Af ghan and Pakistani group of fighters that operates primarily in southeastern Afghanistan as a semi-autonomous component of the Taliban with close ties to Pakistan’s Army and intelligence agencies (Rassler et al. July 14, 2011, p. -2). The Haqqani network’s leadership structure is hierarchical in nature with members of the patriarch’s family filling top leadership roles (Rassler et al. July 14, 2011, p. 7). This familial structure is an important cultural identity marker â€Å"that can serve to promote terrorist activities. † Furthermore, Schwartz, Dunkel, et al address the family as it relates to upholding honor and â€Å"avenging wrongs done to the family. † This is interesting because even those who sympathize and support terrorism, but don’t actually participate in it, often share the same level of social identity based upon their group affiliations.This tends to show how the Haqqani network is able to exert its influence over their colle ague groups without actually having to be in control of them. It appears to be a symbiotic relationship where the Haqqani network clearly benefits from bi-directional credibility of association with the Taliban and al-Qa’ida. Rassler et al support this claim when they discuss the relationship between senior Haqqani network leaders and their close operational relationships with the Taliban and al-Qa’ida, revealing that there is often no distinction.This shared identity-based connection legitimizes the Haqqani network with the segment of the Afghan society that believes in radical Islam and jihad. This was evidenced when the Haqqani network helped â€Å"sustain al-Qa’ida’s relevance and branding as the leader of the global jihadist movement. † All in all, it appears the Haqqani network just wants their proverbial place at the table so to speak. Clearly, it must be working, as current assessments put the strength of the group close to 15,000 fighters. The Haqqani Network: Duplicity at WorkAmerican intelligence and military officials claim the Haqqani network is a â€Å"proxy force used by the Pakistani intelligence service [Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence {ISI} agency] to carry out grisly, high-profile attacks. † The question here is whether this is a relationship of convenience or an alliance due to shared identity. The secret relationship with ISI coupled with links to al-Qa’ida and the Taliban clearly shows the need to solicit support (e. g. , material, financial, spiritual, etc. ) and ultimately rally the masses behind them.Furthermore, â€Å"for decades, [the Haqqani network has been] a mentor to Arab, Uzbek, Chechen, Turkish, and Pakistani jihadists. † These associations speak to the core of shared identity and the interactions among the groups, as according to Schwartz, Dunkel, et al social and cultural identity is formed when members come together based upon common beliefs shared across the group, and individual identity represents personally chosen goals, values, and beliefs coupled with their perspectives of the world around them.The study of terrorism necessitates (according to Schwartz, Dunkel, et al) that we not only understand the effects of identity, but also the interactions among these levels. In addition, we need to look at the importance of the wider community as Schwartz, Dunkel, et al put it, â€Å"Without local, and sometimes international support, those engaged in terrorist attacks would find it substantially more difficult, if not impossible, to conduct their activities. † Working with the Taliban, al-Qa’ida, and Pakistan’s ISI is a duplicitous role that provides â€Å"credibility within, and across, multiple dimensions of jihad† (Rassler et al.July 14, 2011, p. 5) establishing the shared identity necessary to imbue respect and connectivity as part of an influential group dynamic. Why is all this important? The Haqqani ne twork’s credibility in the region, especially with the tribal groups of Afghanistan, helps extend the Taliban’s reach and because the Haqqani network is effective militarily, they act as a force multiplier for the Taliban. This puts the Haqqani network in a regional leadership position, and Schwartz, Dunkel, et al suggest that this leadership role would be considered admirable providing further social capital.The Haqqani Network: Terrorist Threat or Insurgency? So with such a significant fighting force that is radicalized, is the Haqqani network a terrorist organization pitted against Western ideology, or is it simply an insurgency focused on eradicating outsiders who have forced their way into the Afghani homeland? According to the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism of the Department of State as of September 15, 2011, the Haqqani network is not listed as a foreign terrorist organization. Despite this, according to the Jamestown Foundation Terrorism Monitor , â€Å"The U.S. military has long been frustrated by deadly operations carried out against its troops in Afghanistan by Haqqani Network forces. † They quote U. S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as saying, â€Å"We cannot have the Haqqanis coming across the border attacking our forces and [Afghans] and disappearing back into a safe haven [in Pakistan]. † In between the rhetoric, the real reason they aren’t on the terrorist list is because there is a belief that, â€Å"such a move would scuttle any chances that the group might make peace with Afghanistan’s government. To make our decision, it is essential that we not lose sight of the need to fairly evaluate this group from the point of view of that group and not from the â€Å"Westernized† framework we can easily apply to it. Brannan, Esler, and Strindberg, point out that, â€Å"Scholars’ insistence that ‘terrorists’ are somehow ‘not like us’ but, instead, abnorma l—insane, power hungry, or a combination of both—is a classic exercise in out-group stereotyping†¦which undermines the analytical utility of the interpretations in use. Applying this to the Haqqani network and to prevent us from being constrained by our (Western) cultural boundaries, it is incumbent upon us to look at the Haqqani network from their vantage point. The clearest and most-recent message came in September of 2011 when Sirajuddin Haqqani (the son of the group’s patriarch, Jalaluddin Haqqani) told The Telegraph in the United Kingdom via a telephone interview, â€Å"There are sincere people in the Afghan government who are loyal to the Taliban as they know our goal is the liberation of our homeland from the clutches of occupying forces. With this, their actions, and their relationships, it is apparent that the Haqqani network is interested more in the local issues and having local influence than it is in trying to wage a global jihad against the W est. A such, their lack of inclusion from the list of terrorist organizations is still valid. Bibliography Brannan, David W. , Esler, Philip F. , and Strindberg, N. T. Anders. 2001. â€Å"Talking to â€Å"Terrorists†: Towards an Independent Analytical Framework for the Study of Violent Substate Activism. † Studies In Conflict & Terrorism 24, no. 1: 3-24. Goodspeed, Peter. National Post, â€Å"About the Haqqani network. Last modified September 30, 2011. Accessed November 24, 2011. http://news. nationalpost. com/2011/09/30/about-the-haqqani-network Griffin, Emory. A First Look at Communication Theory. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1997. Hoffman, Bruce. Inside Terrorism. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. Mazzetti, Mark, Scott Shane, and Alissa Rubin. New York Times, â€Å"Brutal Haqqani Crime Clan Bedevils U. S. in Afghanistan. † Last modified September 24, 2011. Accessed November 23, 2011. http://www. nytimes. com/2011/09/25/world/asia/brutal- haqqani-clan-bedevils-united-states-in-afghanistan. html? pagewanted=all.Rassler, Don, and Vahid Brown. The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, â€Å"The Haqqani Nexus and the Evolution of al-Qa'ida. † Last modified July 14, 2011. Accessed November 11, 2011. www. ctc. usma. edu. Shahzad, Faizul. â€Å"Taliban Reject American Perceptions of the Haqqani-ISI Relationship. † Terrorism Monitor. 9. no. 37 (2011): 1-2. http://www. jamestown. org/uploads/media/TM_009_Issue37. pdf (accessed November 10, 2011). Schwartz, S. J. , Dunkel, C. S. , & Waterman, A. S. (2009). Terrorism: An Identity Theory Perspective. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(6), 540. Websites Referenced http://www. cfr. org http://www. tc. usma. edu http://www. dawn. com http://www. foreignaffairs. com http://www. jamestown. org http://news. nationalpost. com http://www. nytimes. com/ http://www. state. gov http://www. telegraph. co. uk http://www. thedailybeast. com http://tribune. com. pk h ttp://www. understandingwar. org/themenode/haqqani-network ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Hoffman, B. (2006). Inside Terrorism (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: Columbia University Press. p. 40. [ 2 ]. Schwartz, S. J. , Dunkel, C. S. , & Waterman, A. S. (2009). Terrorism: An Identity Theory Perspective. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(6), 537-559. 3 ]. Ibid (p. 540)—Identity theory for our purposes will cover cultural identity, social identity, and personal identity. [ 4 ]. Rassler, Don, and Vahid Brown. The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, â€Å"The Haqqani Nexus and the Evolution of al-Qa'ida. † Last modified July 14, 2011. Accessed November 12, 2011, www. ctc. usma. edu. [ 5 ]. The Haqqani network’s patriarch and leader is Jalaluddin Haqqani, although it is reported that he may be in ill health, and his son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is running the day-to-day opera tions. http://www. cfr. org/afghanistan/institute-study-war-haqqani-network/p26126 [ 6 ].Schwartz, S. J. , Dunkel, C. S. , & Waterman, A. S. (2009). Terrorism: An Identity Theory Perspective. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(6), 542. [ 7 ]. Ibid. [ 8 ]. Ibid (p. 548) [ 9 ]. Much like the traditional phrase, â€Å"guilt by association,† I suggest there could be credibility by association. It is concept that is often discussed in marketing whereby a person, product, or company gains credibility by associating itself with a larger more recognized person, product, or company (e. g. , a computer with the â€Å"Intel Inside† sticker on it). [ 10 ]. Rassler, Don, and Vahid Brown.The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, â€Å"The Haqqani Nexus and the Evolution of al-Qa'ida. † Last modified July 14, 2011. Accessed November 12, 2011, www. ctc. usma. edu. (p. 40) [ 11 ]. Ibid (p. 43). [ 12 ]. http://tribune. com. pk/story/259314/sirajuddin-haqqani-dares-us-to-atta ck-n-waziristan/ [ 13 ]. Mazzetti, Mark, Scott Shane, and Alissa Rubin. New York Times, â€Å"Brutal Haqqani Crime Clan Bedevils U. S. in Afghanistan. † Last modified September 24, 2011. Accessed November 23, 2011. http://www. nytimes. com/2011/09/25/world/asia/brutal-haqqani-clan-bedevils-united-states-in-afghanistan. html? pagewanted=all. [ 14 ].Hoffman, B. (2006). Inside Terrorism (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: Columbia University Press. p. 199. [ 15 ]. Goodspeed, Peter. National Post, â€Å"About the Haqqani network. † Last modified September 30, 2011. Accessed November 24, 2011. http://news. nationalpost. com/2011/09/30/about-the-haqqani-network [ 16 ]. Schwartz, S. J. , Dunkel, C. S. , & Waterman, A. S. (2009). Terrorism: An Identity Theory Perspective. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(6), 540. [ 17 ]. Ibid. [ 18 ]. Ibid (p. 548) [ 19 ]. Rassler, Don, and Vahid Brown. The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, â€Å"The Haqqani Nexus and the Evolution of al-Qa' ida. Last modified July 14, 2011. Accessed November 12, 2011, www. ctc. usma. edu. (p. 13) [ 20 ]. Schwartz, S. J. , Dunkel, C. S. , & Waterman, A. S. (2009). Terrorism: An Identity Theory Perspective. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(6), 550. [ 21 ]. The current list of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations contains 49 entries, but the Haqqani Network is not one of them. http://www. state. gov/s/ct/rls/other/des/123085. htm [ 22 ]. Faizul Shahzad, â€Å"Taliban Reject American Perceptions of the Haqqani-ISI Relationship,† Terrorism Monitor, 9, no. 37 (2011): 1-2, http://www. jamestown. org/uploads/media/TM_009_Issue37. pdf (accessed November

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring Essay

Throughout time, American attitudes towards the importance of the environment have lessened. American farmers have begun to use poisons, such as parathion, which has begun killing animals and humans. Rachel Carson, a noted biologist, published her novel Silent Spring in 1962, in which she illustrates the need for American attitudes towards the environment needing to change, through understanding â€Å"plain folks†, an accusing tone, and descriptive imagery. Rachel Carson provides examples of understandable â€Å"plain folks† to express her argument to the reader. It was said that, â€Å"†¦In California orchards sprayed this same parathion, workers handling foliage that had been treated a month earlier collapsed and went into shock, and escaped death only through skilled medical attention.† She then goes on to ask, â€Å"Does Indiana still raise any boys who roam through woods or fields and might even explore the margins of a river?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These specific examples illustrate how much Americans do not see that they are causing pain to each other, and in severe cases causing death. Rachel Carson, in illustrating her point that American attitudes toward the environment need to change, points the finger at American farmers who are using parathion and other poisons, which are the cause of death to humans and birds which bringing harm to the environment. What Rachel Carson is trying to get Americans, especially American farmers, to see is that in order to stop all the killing and harm to the environment, and to each other, they need to stop the use of parathion and other poisons. Rachel Carson uses an accusing tone to express her feelings towards her argument that Americans do not worry about the environment enough. Throughout the selection, Carson shifts from what is happening to the black birds, to what is happening to the humans. Both the humans and the birds are dying due to the farmers using parathion. In the text, she says that â€Å"The Fish and Wildlife Service has found it necessary to express serious concern over this trend, pointing out that â€Å"parathion treated areas constitute a potential hazard to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.’† Following this quote, Rachel Carson goes on to accuse farmers of the casualty list of â€Å"some 65,000 red-winged black birds and starlings.† Carson explains that, â€Å"†¦The problem could have been solved easily by a slight change in agricultural practice.† Through this quote, Carson is accusing the American, especially American farmers, of not trying to use practices other than poisons, such as parathion, to keep the birds and animals out of the crops. Rachel Carson uses descriptive imagery to express her continuing strong feelings towards Americans lack of attitude toward the environment and it needing to change. In the text, Carson mentions â€Å"Who made the decision that sets in motion these chains of poisonings, this ever-widening wave of death that spreads out, like ripples when a pebble is dropped into a still pond?†. While this is both a simile and a rhetorical question, the way the author states â€Å"†¦like ripples when a pebble is dropped into a still pond?† makes the reader be able to imagine dropping a pebble into water when they were younger and reminds them of what that looked like. Carson also describes, â€Å"Who has placed in one pan of the scales the leaves that might have been eaten by the beetles and in the other the pitiful heaps of many-hued feathers, the lifeless remains of the birds that fell before the unselective bludgeon of insecticidal poisons?† While the reader might think to themselves; why is she comparing leaves that have been eaten by beetles and dead birds? One can actually imagine placing these two things in two different piles. Rachel Carson uses different rhetorical devices throughout her novel Silent Spring. She uses the rhetorical devices to prove her point that American attitudes toward the environment needs to change. She strongly believes that the attitudes need to change, and she found many ways to prove her point and make the reader agree with her.

Constitutional and social development between 1860 and 1877 Essay

From the time of Lincoln’s inauguration in 1860 to the final withdrawal of union troops from the South in 1877, the nation of America had been one of great revolutions. There was constant development in this time both socially and constitutionally. For instance, some constitutional developments that irrupted conflict were the secession of the confederate states, the Emancipation Proclamation, the three civil rights bills, and the reconstruction. Some social developments that caused conflict were the Freedmen’s Bureau, the Black Codes, and the Ku Klux Klan. It was a result of these developments that the Revolutions of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Redeemers would take place. The great change these revolutions brought about were vital in the development of this country One of the constitutional developments that caused a revolution during this time frame, had to do with the South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession, which is stated in Document A. The southerners felt that it was their constitutional right to own slaves and did not see a time when they should be required to give up that right. However, upon the election of Lincoln as President, the southerners felt threatened, and felt their slave holding rights were being threatened, and in an effort to protect these rights they chose to secede from the union. This action angered the President and many Republicans because they believed that it was unconstitutional for a state to secede. Senator John Sherman on the other hand believed that they gave the states too much power and rights in government that this is the reason the government being overthrown. One of the social developments that caused a revolution was the Freedmen’s Bureau. The Freedmen’s Bureau was supposed to give Homesteads to the freed slaves, but they failed to keep their promise, as stated in Document E. In document I the picture shows that even thought the freedmen were given freedom after the Civil, other groups such as the White League and the KKK still tried to suppress their rights as human citizens. For instance, the KKK would burn black-owned buildings and murder freedman to them from exercising their voting rights. Another development that caused a revolution was the Reconstruction Act.  Looking at Document F you can see that Senator Lot Morrill thinks that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 is revolutionary. But he was furious because there was already a revolution taking place and nobody knew or cared. The speech brought up many questions about what had to be fixed and what kind of revolution would occur. These are the many developments that brought on a revolution that helped or hurt the country. This is one of the revolutions that helped shape this country.

The Quasi-market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Quasi-market - Essay Example On the supply side, there is competition between service suppliers; but, in contrast with pure markets, suppliers are not necessarily privately owned, nor are they necessarily required to make profits. On the demand side, consumer purchasing power resides not in cash but in a budget confined to the purchase of a specific service, and the service user does not exercise the final choice concerning purchasing decisions. Despite such artificiality, the quasi-market is a key concept in the quasi-business discourse. We're social work to think of itself as though it were a business, then having a market with which it had to deal was crucial to the installation of that thinking. The degree of shift involved is indicated in the powerful political legitimation function the quasi-market performed for the Conservative government. Market outcomes are neither fair nor unfair. They are either the result of the operation of impersonal market forces or they stem from the body responsible for gate kee ping access to the market in the case of social work, the local authority. As such, quasi-markets offered the possibility of central government holding at arm’s length the responsibility for the outcomes of its social welfare policy. The introduction of quasi-markets in social work, initially in the sphere of community care but later developing in a range of other services such as foster care and children’s homes, made a significant contribution to establishing the social work business, for a number of reasons. First, marketisation undermined the sense in which social services had represented a

Efficiency and Effectiveness in Relation to Pay Systems Essay

Efficiency and Effectiveness in Relation to Pay Systems - Essay Example This essay stresses that a perfect equilibrium is achieved when demand equals supply thus implying that everyone who is willing and able to work is working at that level of pay. If there are more people looking for employment, the pay will go down. This is because employers’ demand more people as wages goes down hence reducing unemployment. Therefore, this theory argues that if the pay is allowed to move up and down, it is an effective signal to the market and it will contribute to economic stability. This paper makes a conclusion that an efficiency wage system gives employers the ability to choose and pick among numerous applicants in order to get the best ones possible. The second factor that prompts managers to adopt efficiency pay system is intention to avoid shirking. Firms may frequently find it difficult to measure the quality and quantity of efforts of a particular worker because the systems of commissions or piece rates may prove impossible and therefore there is a possibility of the employee to do less work than agreed (shirking). As a result, the firm may decide to pay an efficiency wage with an aim of increasing or creating the cost of job loss thereby giving a sting to job firing threat. Threat such as this can be used to avoid moral hazard or shirking. Thirdly, sociological factors have been cited in relation to efficiency wages; these wages may be because of the firm’s traditions. Akerlof and Yellen argue that the firm may have been using this system to enhan ce high morale among employees thus raising productivity.

Measurements of Unemployment and Inflation Essay

Measurements of Unemployment and Inflation - Essay Example The output and the productivity of a business organization are significantly dependent on the employment as well as unemployment rates. This is because of Productivity = Output/Employment and therefore, Employment = Output/Productivity. Hence, it can be stated that the productivity of a business organization is directly proportional to employment. Therefore, it is quite important for the organizations to measure the unemployment rates in order to determine their productivity. These measurements further facilitate the organizations to prepare for the fluctuations that generally take place in the economy (Blanchard, Solow, & Wilson, 2012). Apart from unemployment, the business organizations need to measure the inflation as well. This is because of the reason that consumers’ spending and investment activities are chiefly dependent upon the rate of inflation. A high inflation rate discourages the investors and consequently reduces the amount of investment in the economy. Moreover, high inflation rates are likely to reduce the return on investment and further can result in a downfall in terms of demand in the economy. These reasons make it quite imperative for the management of an organization to carry out timely measurements of the inflation rates (National Grid for Learning, 2009). Furthermore, it is quite essential for business organizations to manipulate the price of their goods which is likely to be valuable when there is a high inflation rate in the economy. Re-pricing is a quite expensive process and in order to avoid frequent re-pricing of the products, the management of the organizations needs to measure the inflation rates. In addition, inflation causes the prices of the raw materials to grow high as well as the prices of other components to rise. These factors compel the business organizations to explore for contemptible raw materials and subsequently increase the cost for the organization. Owing to this, the management of the business needs to mea sure the inflation rate to minimize these costs. Moreover, with an increase in inflation rates, the business organizations face the demands for increasing the wage rates. This further leads to negotiation activities with the employees as well as the labor unions causing chaos in the management system. Therefore, in order to mitigate these threats, the management of the organizations are required to measure the inflation rates (National Grid for Learning, 2009). 2. What Analyses Might A Manager Do To Learn More About A Specific Company Or Industry? In order to learn more about a specific company or industry, a manager can carry out various analysis strategies such as the value chain analysis, Porter’s five forces’ model analysis, and SWOT analysis among others.

Federal Prison Comparison Pape Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Federal Prison Comparison Pape - Research Paper Example Ultimately there are fewer violent offenders in federal prisons than state prisons because a majority of federal crimes are non-violent/commercial crimes. State prisons originate from colonial times, and evolved from the prisons that were established to house criminals who offended the laws against the crown (Clear et al, 2011). Between 1900 and 1970 the prison population in the US was moderate, housing from 90 to 120 prisoners for each 100,000 citizens. However, with more than 35 years of â€Å"steady growth† the prison population is currently five times greater than it was in 1973 representing the largest prison population in the country’s history (Clear et al, 2011, p. 6). There have been many attempts to explain the prions population growth in the US. Gaines and Miller (2011) identified a number of contributing factors. The prions population growth in the US can be attributed to the get tough on crime policies that began in the 1980s. The get tough on crime policies introduced a number of strategies that resulted in mandatory imprisonment. One such strategy in a number of states is the three strikes policy which calls for mandatory incarceration for repeat offenders. Another policy is the longer prison sentencing strategies. With fewer prisoners eligible for parole, the prison population grows because new offenders are introduced into the system and few prisoners are released. Another explanation given for the prison population growth is the fact that there have been more crimes as criminals become more sophisticated and technology aids in the commission of criminal activities (Gaines & Miller, 2011). Security State Prisons State prison systems design their own security systems but they are generally the same among the 50 states. The North Carolina Department of Correction provides an example of the security levels in US state prisons. Prisoners enter the prison system from a county jail for the most part. Upon entering the state prison prison ers are assessed for risks and security risks are balanced against the needs of programs. Newly admitted prisoners are evaluated for security risks and are also subjected to medical and mental health evaluations in the risk assessment process. A number of factors including the crime, social demographics, education, job experience, and criminal history are taken into account (North Carolina Department of Corrections, 2011). Once the prisoner’s evaluation is completed he/she is placed in the appropriate â€Å"custodial level†. The custodial levels are classified as close (maximum), medium, minimum 1, minimum II and minimum III. Close of maximum security is a custodial level where inmates assessed to have the highest security risks are placed. Medium security houses prisoners who are at a lower security risk than prisoners placed in close security. Prisoners who pose a low security risk are placed in minimum III (North Carolina Department of Corrections, 2011). Federal Pr isons The Federal Bureau of Prisons (n.d.) lists four security levels in the federal prison system. The four security systems are minimum security, low security, medium security and high security. Minimum security prisons are also referred to as Federal Prison Camps and have â€Å"dormitory housing, a relatively low staff-to-inmate ratio† and â€Å"limited or no perimeter fencing† (Federal Bureau of Prisons, n.d.). Low security prisons on the other hand have â€Å"double-fenced perimeters†

Managing in the service environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing in the service environment - Essay Example After some years as a partner, Schultz bought Starbuck from the original owners. Immediately after taking over, he continued selling coffee beans, cheap coffee beverages by cup and he employed well educated staff to run the stores and he managed to compete successfully with other coffee chains. In 1992, Shultz take the company to the public and many people laugh at him since few people in America take coffee. He went ahead and raised $25million in the offer, this enabled him to open more stores across the country. By the end o f 2002, Starbuck was the dominant coffee seller in North America. Since the company went public, the growth increased by 40%. The company was offering services to more than 21 million across the continent with over 5000 stores that are well established. 2. How the customer services are delivered at Starbucks The company has a policy called â€Å"Just Say Yes† which has empowered the company to give the best services to their clients even if it means goin g beyond the required rules and procedures. For example if the drinks spill and the client request to be refilled, it will be refilled. If the client doesn’t have cash and he wants to pay with a Check, he will be provided with a sample drink for free since the Checks are not acceptable (Moon and Quelch 2006). The company management believes that employee satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction. For better services, when a staff member is employed, he will have to undergo two types of training. The first training will focus on hard skills such as using cash register or mixing drinks. The company beverages are crafted by hand through a certain process to ensure that what is being produced is of high quality. The other training deal with soft skills, in this the employees are taught how to deal with the customers, for example having an eye contact with them, remembering their names, and welcoming them happily to the shops. The employees are provided with health insurance and stock options to even new employees (Moon and Quelch 2006). The company is also one of the well paying food chain in America. The company has the lowest employee turn over rates as compared to other food companies. The manager stability is also paramount since it reduces partner turnover and it enables the shops to perform better by recognizing regular consumers and giving personal services. 3. Customer’s satisfaction at Starbucks and how to improve its customer satisfaction. Starbuck customer satisfaction is commendable since it provide high satisfaction to customers. Customers get the best coffee coming from different parts of the world like Africa, Asia pacific and American regions. The employees has been trained on soft skills that will help them handle customers better, this make the customers have the best time in the shops since they are highly welcomed and employees talk to them to ensure that they are satisfied. In the shops if they encounter any problem in the mode of payment, they are given sample beverages for free. Starbucks can improve customers’ satisfaction in different ways, one is consistency. The company should guarantee consistence in product taste and quality. This consistency should be driven by very high efficient coffee processing machines which are in a position of producing blended coffee without disturbing customers with noise. Secondly,

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The Buying Process)1 Assignment

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The Buying Process)1 - Assignment Example It is easier to shop online because the consumer compares a range of products at once, there is a wider selection of products, the prices are better, one gets to see other customers reviews and it saves a lot of time. However, there are certain problems that people encounter when shopping online. In the case of an eBook, the main problem is receiving the wrong book due to various reasons. This may include that there are many books that have similar titles, but different authors and content (Guruswamy, 2014). A consumer’s current state is whereby a need arises due to the depletion or inadequacy of a product, while a consumer’s ideal state is whereby the need of a certain product is brought about by opportunity. This means that the need for a product was brought about by the exposure to other different products that might be of better quality, or discontent with a current status. Regardless of the state, a consumer who buys products online goes through a process that is standard. When buying a book, a current state would mean that the book is needed for research, an assignment or general knowledge (Hix, 2000). An ideal state would mean that the book is bought either due to a catchy title or a title similar to another, but buying it was not intended in the first place. A current state would benefit the buyer by providing a solution to a current problem, which would be finding information that is needed currently from a book. An ideal state would benefit the buyer by providing the satisfaction of having the product, providing a solution that had been needed in the past or that is needed in the future. This goes to show that consumer wants are unlimited, while, on the other hand, the means through which they can be satisfied are limited (Suen, 2013). I am familiar with buying eBooks online and as is the case with purchasing other products or services, it has a process. The books I buy are