Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Unit 1-7 Test

Question 1 0 out of 2 points | | | Most people can think at _______ times the rate at which most people talk. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 3 to 4| | | | | Question 2 0 out of 2 points | | | Defining a computer as â€Å"a programmable electronic device that stores, retrieves, and processes data† represents what type of meaning? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| denotation| | | | | Question 3 2 out of 2 points | | | The answer to all of the following questions can help you avoid self-fulfilling prophecies except:Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Why can't I compete with others who do the predicted behavior? | | | | Question 4 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following questions can help you find ways to become more other-oriented? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| all of the above| | | | | Question 5 0 out of 2 points | | | Self-awareness, an understanding of your core identity, isAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| all of the above. | | | | | Question 6 2 out of 2 points | | | Howard Giles' Communication Accommodation TheoryAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| claims that when another group is attractive and powerful, we adapt our communication style to their speech behaviors and norms| | | | |Question 7 2 out of 2 points | | | Immediately after listening to a short talk, most of us cannot accurately report _____ percent of what was said. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 50| | | | | Question 8 2 out of 2 points | | | Researchers suggest that _____________ percent of the meaning we generate when interacting with others may be conveyed through nonverbal behaviors. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 60 to 70| | | | | Question 9 2 out of 2 points | | | Your textbook presents seven key elements of effective communication. The first element on that list isAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Self| | | | Question 10 2 out of 2 points | | | ______________ is the ability to restate what people say in a way that indicates you have understood what they mean. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Paraphrasing| | | | | Question 11 2 out of 2 points | | | On average, we spend approximately ____________ of our communicating time listeningAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 40-70 percent| | | | | Question 12 0 out of 2 points | | | Why are many people confident when asked to sing in a choir, but nervous when asked to sing solo? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| fear of the spotlight| | | | Question 13 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following is not a characteristic of paraphrasing? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| the ability to repeat exactly what a person has said| | | | | Question 14 0 out of 2 points | | | If you are willing to stand up for yourself in appropriate ways to fulfill your needs, you are practicingAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| self-assertiveness| | | | | Question 15 0 out of 2 points | | | Immediacy strategies refer toAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| the extent to which you seem approchable or likable. | | | | Question 16 2 out of 2 points | | | Members of most work groups interact with one another at Hall'sAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| social distance| | | | | Question 17 0 out of 2 points | | | Which media was used extensively to report events and opinions during citizen uprisings and protests in Iran in 2009? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Twitter| | | | | Question 18 2 out of 2 points | | | A study by the Business-Higher Education Forum listed _________________ as the most important skill area for career preparation in college.Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| oral communication skills| | | | | Question 19 0 out of 2 points | | | What type of listening enables you to identify and understand a person's feelings or motives? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| empathic listening| | | | | Question 20 0 out of 2 points | | | Good listeners use their extra thought speed toAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| summarize main ideas| | | | | Question 21 2 out of 2 points | | | In Latin, the word credo meansAnswer| | | | | Corr ect Answer:| â€Å"I believe. â€Å"| | | | | Question 22 2 out of 2 points | | If the word â€Å"computer† evokes a negative image of an increasingly complex software nightmare that frustrates and infuriates you, what type of meaning is influencing your response to the word? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| connotation| | | | | Question 23 0 out of 2 points | | | Identify the function of nonverbal cues in relation to verbal messages in the following example: When David asks Elaine whether she was able to buy any more of the on-sale Saran Wraps, she nods as she says â€Å"yes† while holding up three fingers and says â€Å"three. â€Å"Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| repeats the verbal message| | | | | Question 24 out of 2 points | | | Mindfulness requiresAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| all of the above| | | | | Question 25 2 out of 2 points | | | Anthropologist Edward T. Hall identifies four zones of interaction used by most North Americans. Which of the followin g answers is NOT one of Hall's zones? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| business distance| | | | | Question 26 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements about the nature of nonverbal communication is described in the following sentence: â€Å"Depending on the circumstances and occasion, a laugh can be interpreted as amusement, approval, contempt, scorn, or embarrassment. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Nonverbal communication is highly contextual. | | | | | Question 27 0 out of 2 points | | | What percent of women in the United States feel unhappy about their weight and want to be thinner? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 75-80%| | | | | Question 28 2 out of 2 points | | | The Communication in Action feature in Chapter 6 explains that tattoos and body piercings can affect a person's credibility in all of the follwoing ways exceptAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| tattoos and body piercings have permanent and serious effects on a person's health| | | | | Question 29 ou t of 2 points | | | While preparing for a corporate job interview Richard pays careful attention to selecting appropriate clothing (including a long-sleeved blue shirt to hide his tattoo), reminding himself to smile and establish eye contact with the person who will be interviewing him, and answering questions in a strong, confident voice. What aspect of nonverbal communication has Richard failed to consider? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| none of the above| | | | | Question 30 2 out of 2 points | | | According to Hofstede's dimensions of culture, which country is ranked #1 in terms of masculine values?Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Japan| | | | | Question 31 0 out of 2 points | | | According to the 2000 Census, 75% of the people living in the United States were white. By 2006, _______________ of people living in the United States were white. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 56. 6%| | | | | Question 32 0 out of 2 points | | | According to your textbook, people who believe that t heir culture is better than other cultures or that their culture should be the role model for other cultures would be classified asAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| ethnocentric| | | | Question 33 0 out of 2 points | | | Identify the function of nonverbal cues in relation to verbal messages in the following example: You say the words â€Å"I'm angry† with a loud volume, forceful gestures, and piercing eye contact. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| accents the verbal message| | | | | Question 34 0 out of 2 points | | | The two most common fears among North Americans areAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| fear of snakes and fear of public speaking| | | | | Question 35 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following religions is the oldest?Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Hinduism| | | | | Question 36 0 out of 2 points | | | In order to maintain a positive self-concept we often try to make ourselves look good byAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| doing all of the above. | | | | | Questio n 37 0 out of 2 points | | | Research suggests that leakage cues (unintentional nonverbal behaviors) may reveal deceptive communication. Which of the following answers describes a leakage cue? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| higher pitch, vocal tension, and longer pauses| | | | |Question 38 0 out of 2 points | | | In which interactional context does a limited number of people, usually two, interact for the purpose of sharing information, accomplishing a specific goal or maintaining a relationship? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| interpersonal communication| | | | | Question 39 0 out of 2 points | | | The fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons is referred to asAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| communication apprehension| | | | | Question 40 out of 2 points | | | Marguerite is a conscientious member of her work team. her listening style, however, annoys some of the other members. She tends to be an impulsive decision ma ker who rarely weighs the pros and cons of her decisions. What is Marguerite's listening style? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| time-oriented| | | | | Question 41 2 out of 2 points | | | People who exhibit effective nonverbal communication skills tend to haveAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| all of the above| | | | | Question 42 0 out of 2 points | | If you are thinking about your upcoming vacation plans rather than llistening carefully to your friend's problem, you are preoccupied byAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| internal noise| | | | | Question 43 2 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following is the best example of an abstract word? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| fairness| | | | | Question 44 2 out of 2 points | | | A corporate CEO relates that when he fumbled his way through a speech and started to ramble, he noticed that he was losing listeners and then became even more unnerved.The CEO was reacting toAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| feedback| | | | | Question 45 0 out of 2 points | | | Which of the following statements is an inference? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| Rodney does not care about the group's project. | | | | | Question 46 0 out of 2 points | | | Your textbook defines communication as the process of using verbal and nonverbal messages to generate meaning within and across variouscontexts, cultures, and channels. Which term in this definition refers towhere, when, and under what circumstances you communicate?Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 3. context| | | | | Question 47 2 out of 2 points | | | According to your textbook, ________________ communication refers to the interaction of three or more interdependent people who interact for the purpose of achieving a common goal. Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| group| | | | | Question 48 2 out of 2 points | | | According to your texbook's definition of culture, which of the following groups of people meet this definition? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| All of the above| | | | |Question 49 0 out of 2 points | | | Anthropologist Edward T. Hall studies spatial relationships and how the distance between people communicates information about their relationship. He refers to this tendency asAnswer| | | | | Correct Answer:| proxemics| | | | | Question 50 0 out of 2 points | | | What are the distance parameters most North Americans use when interacting with close personal friends and family members? Answer| | | | | Correct Answer:| 18 inches to 4 feet| | | | | Sunday, October 7, 2012 8:04:08 PM CDT OK

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Anne Aylor. Inc Essay

Different users for different purposes to use financial information. Not all parts of the financial statements are equally relevant to all users. For instance, stockholders are more concerned with profit growth and revenue than creditors. Materiality is a relative rather than an absolute concept. Based on different operation environment, the materiality threshold will vary to influence users of the financial statement. For example, the magnitude of a misstatement that will influence users of the financial statement will change based on how the entity is performing in the industry. Most misstatements affect both a balance sheet an income statement account due to the dual entry method. So, auditors must design a audit plan to detect the smallest misstatement that will influence users of the financial statement. A risk of management fraud will affect directly the accounting amount, such as net income. For example, asset accounts will be overstated and liability accounts will be understated. The objective of setting tolerable misstatement is to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements are fairly presented in all material respects at the lowest cost. So, auditors may design a higher tolerable misstatement to  minimize cost for the less evidence that will be needed. Conversely, the lower the tolerable misstatement the more evidence that will be needed. We cannot expect every account that will be misstated by an amount equal to its tolerable misstatement. In the fact, it is more likely that most accounts will be misstated by an amount greater then its tolerable misstatement while others may be misstated by an amount less than its tolerable misstatement. Planning for an audit helps the auditor fast and effectively perform the audit before starting an audit. Auditors are required to design an audit program because auditors must consider the risk of material misstatement. Thus, Auditors should have trial balance amounts to establish materiality thresholds for the current year audit.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Adverse selection and moral hazard in the health insurance market

Adverse selection and moral hazard in the health insurance market In the circumstance of free competition, the resources can be allocated efficiently in the market for most commodities. However, such competition mechanism in health care market can lead to ethic issues and inefficiency. Through our research, market failure can be attributed to the following reasons. Externalities is present whenever some economic agent’s welfare (utility or profit) is ‘directly’ affected by the action of another agent in the economy (176,H,D). In certain health care, people can benefit from others’ consumption, which will result that the social marginal benefit of health care is higher than the individual. Subsequently, the problem of underproduction will arise. Adverse selection and moral hazard in the health insurance market Health care is significantly different from common commodities such as food and clothes, since we don’t know when we need and how much we need pay. With response to the uncertainties, the market tends to deve lop insurance, which makes people better off via reducing the uncertainties. Problems specifically adverse selection and moral hazard inevitably exit in the market. Adverse selection is caused by the asymmetric information between the insurance company and the consumers, inducing high insurance fees. Nonetheless, people in low risk will be driven out of the market. Another problem is the moral hazard. When people have insurance, they tend to be less careful about their health status increasing their demands of health care service. The patients with insurance will demand more health care resources than they actually need, which will cause a welfare loss. Assume that marginal cost is constant. The amount of health care that should be provided is Q1, where marginal cost equal to marginal benefit. However, because of the excess demand of patients, Q2 will be provided. And the shaded area represents welfare loss. The information asymmetry between patient and doctor: agent problem In heal th care market, the relationship between the doctor and patient is much different from the normal buyers and sellers. The patient is there to give the doctor all the information t doctor needs in order that the doctor can make a decision, and the patient should then implement that decision once the doctor has made it (CD, 45 Williams). As a result, patients’ consumption largely depends on the doctor. Therefore doctors have an incentive to make patient consume more in order to make more profit. Hence overproduction occurs. Monopoly With respect to two reasons, the certain hospitals in some areas can easily achieve local monopoly. Firstly, People in one community may have only one choice of the hospital or doctor for others far away from their living areas. Secondly it is the natural monopoly. Because of the contradictory between the high fixed cost and the confined demands, only one hospital can make profit. Part 2: Perception from the U.K. market For the health care, the reso urce cannot be allocated efficiently in the free market. Government interventions play an essential role in providing the health care. In order to cope with such flaws, the UK government established NHS providing the civil with the health care.

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire Essay

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire - Essay Example This information is available in Figure 5.3. 5.2.4 Respondents' Education The academic background of each of the respondents was obtained. Figure 5.4 reveals that most of respondents were Master degree holders and they represented 34.9 percent of the sample population while 8.9 percent of the respondents were educated up to high school level. 29.4 percent of the respondents were found to be having a Bachelor degree and 14.4 percent were PhD degree holders. 12.5 percent of the respondents revealed they had other certificates. 5.2.5 Respondents' Position It is evident from Figure 5.5 shows that most of respondents were experienced and had worked for 1-5 years. They represented 37.6 percent of the respondents while respondents having more than 20 years’ work experience comprised of 4.9 percent of the sample population. About 18.7 percent of the respondents had working experience of 6-10 years. Additionally, respondents having experience of less than one year accounted for 14.1 pe rcent of the respondents; while 17.7 percent amongst them had working experience of 11-15 years. The remaining 7 percent respondents amongst the sample population had experience of 16 -20 years. 5.3 The Data 5.3.1 Data Inspection Data analysis commenced with an inspection and review of the data in order to ascertain that it was suitable for analysis. In order to carry out an exhaustive data analysis it was considered proper to follow the procedures outlined by Hair et al. (2006), which included examining data patterns that were missed out and adhering to statistical assumptions, identification of outliers, and a review of skewness and kurtosis. 5.3.2 Missing... The study provides specific contributions relative to quality management practices in public hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The researcher uses a sample population of 327 respondents in carrying out an exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure of instruments that had 101 items. The factors examines in this context were: transformational leadership style, transactional leadership style, laissez-faire leadership style, organizational culture and quality management practices. A test of reliability was also made in the context of all the interval scale variables in order to ascertain the extent to which they are free from casual errors. Additionally, this research made an analysis of the assumptions made in regard to homoscedasticity, linearity and non linearity and the outcomes showed that the assumptions proved to be correct. In addition to the above, the research conducted hierarchical regression in order to analyze the relationships amongst different leadership styles , organizational culture and practices of quality management. In view of the outcomes that emerged from the research, it can be said that all the hypotheses made in this study were found to have adequate support in terms of the research outcomes. The independent variables also revealed a pattern whereby they sufficiently contributed to practices of quality management. Organizational culture has been found to be important and to have a partially moderating impact on the relationships amongst laissez-faire leadership styles and quality management practices.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Did state expansion incur diminishing returns (Lane) or exploit Essay

Did state expansion incur diminishing returns (Lane) or exploit economies of scale - Essay Example It has been argued that the emergence of nation state was basically an attempt to achieve the required level of economic growth. It is therefore generally believed that the consistent increase in the growth of economies of Europe was mostly a direct result of the emergence of nation state due to which different institutional changes took place. It is therefore generally believed that the economic growth of the Europe is mainly due to this notion of Nation State. What is also however, significant to note that economic theory often ignored the use of violence and organized crime and war to achieve the objectives of economic growth? According to Lane (1954) the use of violence created economies of scale against those enterprises which were using the same violent techniques or were engaged in achieving so called territorial monopoly. It is therefore important to discuss as to whether the expansion of State in new territories is essential for the exploitation of economies of scales or it actually result into diminishing returns. This paper will therefore discuss this notion and will present a well balanced argument as to whether the State expansion actually results into achieving the economies of scale or not. It has been argued that the closer connection between the war and the development of nation state started to emerge during the 15th century. This was the period in European history when most of the countries witnessed centralization of the political structures within their countries. Different countries have started to develop centralized governments and the overall concept of nation building started to emerge. What is also important to note that with the development of the centralized power structures within the societies, the overall political power of the central authorities increased too and with that power came the more power to control the economic lives of the citizens of the state also? Much of this

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Financial analysis of BMW and Kraft Foods Essay

Financial analysis of BMW and Kraft Foods - Essay Example The researcher states that the profitability ratios of both the companies depict that Kraft Foods has higher profitability in terms of high operating margin, net profit margin and return on equity. Besides, both the firms had maintained their current ratio above 1. With respect to interest coverage ratio, BMW had higher rank than Kraft Foods which indicates that it has strong financial strength in the industry. The current economic crisis of 2008 had impacted on the financial performance of BMW Group. Due to bad financial condition, the spending of customers had reduced considerably which impacted on the expenditure on vehicles. As a result, the automobile industry had faced drop in sales volume. BMW Group was also unable to evade the impact of financial crisis and therefore the group income had reduced by 5% in the year 2008 to 53,197 million Euros. As the international economy was recovering from the clutches of economic crisis by the end of the year 2010, BMW Group was able to rec over its financial position in the automobile market. The global automobile industry has also become stabilised to certain degree. In 2010, BMW Group had experienced severe increase in sales revenue by 19.3% than 2009 to 60,477 million Euros. Kraft Foods is a financially stable company with revenues of 40.4 billion USD in the year 2009. In the year 2009, the total value of net assets of the company was 25.9 billion USD. Despite bad economic conditions, the revenue of Kraft Foods was slightly affected. In 2007, the net revenue was 35,858 million USD which had increased to 41,932 million USD in 2008 (Kraft Foods Inc, 2010). Ratio Analysis Valuation Ratio Price-Earnings (P/E) Ratio Price-Earnings or P/E Ratio is the ratio of organisation’s share price with earning per share. From the analysis of BMW, it can be observed that the earnings per share of BMW Group had decreased considerably in the time of 2008 to 2009 to 0.49 Euro and 0.31 Euro and increased in 2010 to 4.91 Euro. His torically, the P/E ratio of BMW Group was strong and was always more than the industry average which is around 15-25. In the year 2007, the P/E ratio was below average i.e. 8.5 which had increased to 11.98 in 2010 (BMW Group, 2008; 2010). The price earnings ratio of Kraft Foods was

Friday, July 26, 2019

Residency Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Residency Change - Essay Example I wish to change my resident student status as my parents have now moved to West Virginia and would prefer me to stay with them. We are very close knit family and my mother, being of delicate health, would be mentally relaxed if I could continue my education from local academic college or University. The multicultural environment of the state is also strong motivating factor that I believe would help me and my family to acculturize more easily within the mainstream society. I also believe that the University of West Virginia promotes the concept of constructive ideologies and proactive participation of the students from diverse backgrounds, in forging better understanding of evolving socio-economic and environmental dynamics. Indeed, it not only offers excellent academic programs but also huge opportunities for personal growth. Hence, change of student residency would considerably help me to be with my family and also help me achieve state of the art

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Phase 5 Individual Project 5 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Phase 5 Individual Project 5 - Coursework Example The global spread is due to its superior quality brand that meets consumers’ tastes and preferences and high reputation in customer service delivery a critical factor that its competitors lack. Currently, the firm is the fourth largest retailers in world. Profitability being one of the main objectives that guarantee sustainability and growth of an organization, Home Depot is trading at a profit. This is  showed  by an  increase in the Net sales from $78.8Billion in the year 2013 to $83.2Billion in 2014. The net earnings scaled up from $4.5Billion in 2012 to $5.4Billion in 2013 and finally to $6.3Billion in 2014. Additionally, the store count also improved from 2256 in 2012 to 2263 in 2013 to 2269 in 2014. This result indeed shows that the firm will continue operating at a profit for unforeseen future pursuant to the basis of a going concern (The home depot, 2015). For the purposes of financing its internal activities and investments, the firm preferred long-term debt because of the tax shield that is tied up in the debt. The total amount of debt that is spent by the enterprise is $16.869Billion. The huge sum loan was due to the decrease in its assets by $572Million, decrease in shareholders equity by $572Million, an increase in accounts payable by approximately $10Million all from February 2014 to February 2015. However, this is not  an issue  to shareholders as Home Depot’s statement of cash flows clearly indicates that the cash and cash equivalents have been increasing. This is evidenced by an increase in cash from operation from 6975 in 2013 to 7628 in 2014 and 8242 in 2015. The cash from investing activities increased from 1432 to 1507 and 1271 from the year 2013 to 2015 respectively. The cash from financing activities scaled up from 50354 in 2013, to 6652 in 2014 and 7071 in 2015. This stipulates that the cash and cash equival ents have been increasing substantially and, therefore,

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Work-Life Balance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Work-Life Balance - Essay Example Work-Life Balance As one of the CEOs has noted, people working for him need to have phones even in the bathrooms. Traditionally, business ethics is focused on the morality of action. Therefore, overwork and work-related stress caused by the lack of opportunity to spend enough time with family is the ethical problem which needs to be addressed. Mary in the mother of two small children and is the manager of the large department of the growing company. One day she faces the following situation: her children are sick, but she has to give the major presentation to 200 people who have traveled hundreds of miles to hear it. What should be done? The one may answer that Mary should rather take care of the children. While, most of the people would agree that the job will suffer if Marry blows this off. For most working men and women this situation is the reality, even in those companies which pay enough benefits for maternity leave and have other policies of flexible employment. Over the last 20 years, the hours people spend at workplace has raised steadily. According to the statistics, more than 40 percent of American employees feel that their workload in excessive. Moreover, the average working week (40 hours) does not provide sufficient income for the families. Another factor why people overwork is downsizing and the fear to lose the job. Downsizing has created the surplus in workload as well as increased insecurity – employees feel they need to do extra job or they will lose their place in the company. Such situations are morally questionable about the ethical right of employers asking the employees to do the extra job. Despite of the causes or motivators why people spend more and more time at work, finding the work-life balance has become the major ethical dilemma not only for working mothers, but also for the working husbands and fathers. Changes and Dilemma Resolution The ethical dilemma of work-life balance has been addressed by many organizations. In particular, the federal government of United States has introduced the flexible working hours and child care in 1996 (Deckman 1996). In 1996, the number of working mothers increased and organizations were forced to find the new ways to provide them with the opportunity to balance work and non-work priorities. The following changes were introduced into employment practices: flexible work schedules, on-site child care, flexible leave policies and other benefits. These were the first significant initiatives aimed at enabling employees to meet their family responsibilities. The special attention should be devoted to the flexible work schedules which were supposed to relief working parents from work-life balance ethical strain. First, the flextime means the system of work scheduling when the working day is split into two time periods: core time and flexible time. Employees are obligated to be at work during the core time and are accountable for the total number of hours scheduled to work (Deckman 1996). Unfortunately, there are very few studies available concerning the flexible scheduling benefits and even less studies addressing the impact of flextime on employee's family life. Employers might think that flextime is the solution for all employees in helping to balance work and life; nevertheless, the research indicates that there is only insignificant difference between the stress of parents who do and do not use the flexible work

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Training Plan for Crocheting and Knitting Essay

Training Plan for Crocheting and Knitting - Essay Example Training plan for adults could involve enhancing and improving the initial knowledge on particular field acquired by learners or continuing employees or very new learners. Crocheting and knitting are very technical fields that continue to undergo evolution from time to time with changes and advancement in fashion thus the need for repeated training. Every crocheting organization has to adapt to the changes in models and techniques of crocheting and ensure that all employees are updated to the current trends and styles in creating fabrics as well as marketing the same. Failure by any organization to offer training to update its employees is a sure way of failing of that particular organization. Program Ideas This training plan for crocheting and knitting is structured and designed to provide elaborate training as well as updating seven Saudi Arabian women about the current trends and modes of crocheting that are highly competitive in market. These women have to be provided with explic it training by reviewing the initial stages of crocheting in order to prepare them for the next and actual stage of training. Drawing a plan for training Saudi Arabian women about crocheting will provide good timelines that will agree and work properly with the private schedules of the participants. Since Saudi Arabian women have various responsibilities to meet in their homes, well planned training program will ensure that they are allowed sufficient and rightful time for doing their home chores. In addition, drawing good plan for this program will minimize time wastage and regulate training period in a manner that participant will be fully served and satisfied. Training plan for crocheting of the readily experienced Saudi Arabian women and based on the past experiences and learning will offer good and motivational grounds to know more in the field of crocheting. Training plan will also allow the Saudi Arabian women time to exercise their knowledge in the transformation of their so cieties for the better. For effective and reasonable training, there has to be well defined parameters to govern and provide direction and limits of roles and activities. In order to become successful, the training parameter for the Saudi Arabia women has to involve some bits of past commitments and knowledge to foster understanding in the currently planed training program. The planning process and decision making will involve the key planners, teachers, management of the organization and the representative from among the seven Saudi Arabian women. Quality inspectors will also be invited to access the level of progress of the students towards the end of the training. The training program on crocheting of the Saudi Arabian women will begin at 4pm after the actual job until 7pm on daily basis except Fridays when they will attend religious meetings. The training will lapse for three months after which the students will be awarded certificates of completion and resume on their normal wa ys of life. The training program will be funded by the employing organization, which will also provide equipments and facilities and supply materials according to the requests placed by the facilitators. The model components in the training program of the Saudi Arabian women shall include among others yarns, threads and stitches. The training plan will

Effect of video games on Kids Essay Example for Free

Effect of video games on Kids Essay Growing up, playing outside was what I did for fun. Whether it was riding my bike, playing with friends, or swimming, I was outside for hours at a time every day. Today, kids have access to things like Xboxes, Playstations, and Nintendo DS. In a study conducted by Gentile, Lynch, Linder Walsh (2004) adolescent girls played video games for an average of 5 hours a week, whereas boys averaged 13 hours a week. A survey done by Harris Interactive shows that 23 percent of youth have felt â€Å"addicted to video games. † Studies have shown that teenagers who play violent video games for extended periods of time tend to be more aggressive, are more prone to engage in fights and confrontations, and see a decline in academic success. (Gentile et al) In 2010, Robert Weis and Brittany Cerankosky conducted a study to see how video games affect academic success. They selected a group of boys who didn’t own video games and assigned them to one of two conditions: the â€Å"video games now† group got a game system immediately, and the â€Å"video games later† group didn’t receive their systems until months later. The researchers tracked the boys’ academic success at school. They found that the boys who got their game systems immediately spent less time on schoolwork and, 4 months later, they got lower reading and writing scores. This makes sense, since more time spent playing video games means less time studying. Also, the distraction of video games can cause kids to lose interest in their studies and cause them to fall behind. These results line up with another survey done by Cummings and Vandewater in 2007, which concluded that kids aged 10-19 who played video games spent 30% less time reading and 34% less time doing homework. (Cummings Vandewater) A 2009 Brigham Young University study found that as video game usage increased, the quality of relationships with others, including family, friends, and other peers, decreased. The BYU Study found that daily video game users were twice as likely to use drugs. They were three times as likely to use drugs over those who never played games. This doesn’t mean that all kids who play video games are going to go out and do drugs, but it certainly doesn’t help anything. If a child spends hours at a time playing video games, they will have no time to form relationships and socialize, not giving them the social skills they may need to succeed in the future. This can set them up for failure in job interviews, school, and in building solid relationships that are crucial to every teenager’s life. However, there are also many positive elements of video games. According to Chacha Tumbokon, a psychologist at De La Salle University, video games can give kids betters skills in areas such as following directions, problem solving and logic, and hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Often times the player is asked to follow commands or prompts in a video game in order to gain rewards or status, which aids with following directions. Also, when there is a challenge in a game, it doesn’t get solved easily; the player is often forced to work through many riddles or obstacles in order to succeed—another important life lesson for a child to learn. And lastly, video games require a great deal of hand-eye coordination. Often times games require the player to change viewpoints with one control, move with another control, and do actions (shooting, jumping, etc. ) with another control. This builds up hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, which is a good workout for the brain. Another common aspect of games is resource management. There are often a limited number of resources (such as lives, power-ups, money, etc. ) that has to be managed in order to succeed in a game. This is another valuable lesson that many kids should learn in their lifetime. James Paul Gee, professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says that playing a video game is similar to working through a science problem. There is a lot of trial and error involved, which teaches a child inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing, something that can be used in many areas of life. In conclusion, there are many positive and negative effects of video games. Psychologists suggest that parents monitor the games that are being played by their children and make sure the games aren’t affecting the child’s behavior.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn touches upon controversial racial issues that many people believe are not appropriate for young children. Understanding the novel’s satirical aspects requires a certain amount of intellectual maturity. Students below this level of aptitude may misconstrue the novel’s vulgar comments as racist, rather than an ironic portrayal of slavery. Some people feel that the elementary and secondary school students that read the book will only recognize the prominent issues of the novel and will overlook Mark Twain’s depiction that slavery is morally wrong. It is a fallacy that junior high students would be blind to Twain’s underlying references. The renowned literary work should be used as a way to educate students about the cruelty that occurred in our nation’s past. Confronting these deep racial issues could enlighten students and ease existing race relations. Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school to familiarize students with important social issues. Those that oppose Huckleberry Finn’s presence in elementary and secondary school curricula claim that its advanced material is not suitable for children of those ages. At this point, they argue, students have not matured enough to form their own views and are susceptible to negative influences. Reading Huckleberry Finn would expose students to acts of prejudice and belittlement of the black population. For example, the repeated use of the word â€Å"nigger† is disrespectful and students should not hear it used so frivolously. This word not only has a negative connotation, but it is a reminder of the inequality that once existed and alienates blacks. Furthermore, Jim, the black protagonist of the novel, is ridiculed and reduced to less than human by the novel’s conclusion. Jim’s character starts out as an enslaved black man oppressed by the white population. As he and Huck travel down the river, Jim gains confidence and the reader sees his true intelligence and compassion for Huck. Only shortly later, Jim gets drawn into Tom Sawyer’s extravagant plan to â€Å"free† him, where he is once again at the mercy of others’ cruelty. This vicious degradation of a human being far too advanced for young children to comprehend. Black students specifically may find this material embarrassing and discomforting. Young students of other ethnicities may have not yet had experiences that teach them the effects of this chauvinistic mentality and may see this behavior as acceptable. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn uses language that is offensive and contains subject matter that illuminates the separation between races. Twain purposely shares these truths in order to denounce and ironize the entire institution of slavery. The belief that elementary and secondary school students cannot understand Twain’s underlying intentions completely underestimates their mental capacity. Discussing these issues could shape students’ ideas and thwart any preconceived derogatory notions. Leslie Fiedler, an advocate of Huck Finn praises the novel for, â€Å"enabling us finally—without denying our horror and guilt—to laugh therapeutically at the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery† (Fiedler, 1984, Huckleberry Finn: The Book We Love to Hate, p. 6). He sees the novel as a way to objectively address slavery and free our nation of its lasting burden. In a classroom setting with the help of an instructor, every element of the story would be explained. Teachers are important mentors that can guide each student to an understanding of the evolution and importance of human rights. Descriptive Outline Proposition: Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. Plan: Present the argument. Take a position. Provide a concession to my position. Confirm my position with specific reasons. Paragraph 1: Says: Huckleberry Finn is a complex novel, yet young children would be able to understand and benefit from reading it in a classroom setting. Does: Sentences 1 introduces the topic. Sentences 2 and 3 further develop the issue. Sentence 4 gives one view of the argument. Sentence 5 disproves the previous sentence. Sentences 6 and 7 support the latter side of the argument. Sentence 8 is the proposition of the essay. Paragraph 2: Says: Elementary and secondary school students will misinterpret the purpose of the racial slurs in Huckleberry Finn. Does: Sentence 1 states the topic of the paragraph. Sentence 2 supports clarifies the preceding sentence. Sentences 3 says the ultimate reason for this position. Sentences 4 and 5 state one reason that backs up this claim. Sentences 6, 7 and 8 state another reason for this claim with specific evidence from the novel. Sentence 9 connects these reasons to the proposition. Sentences 10 and 11 explain further the effects of this side of the argument. Paragraph 3: Says: Students are entirely capable and should read Huckleberry Finn in schools at an age before high school. Does: Sentences 1 and 2 acknowledges the opinion in the former paragraph as a transition into the opposing view point. Sentence 3 challenges the concession in the preceding paragraph. Sentence 4 gives a general reason supporting the first sentence. Sentence 5 is a direct quote from an advocate of Huck Finn that supports the proposition. Sentence 6 explains the quotation. Sentences 7 and 8 state two benefits of adhering to the proposition. Kaila McDonnell Concession Essay Second Draft February 19, 2010 Moral Education through Literature The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn touches upon controversial racial issues that many people believe are not appropriate for young children. Understanding the satirical aspects of the novel require a certain level of intellectual maturity. While the book is read in many elementary and secondary school classrooms, some people feel that these students will only recognize the prominent issues of the novel and will overlook the inherent moral value that Mark Twain wishes to convey. If only the immediate context of the novel is interpreted, the book could be perceived as a sanction of racism. Students should be aware of the cruelty that occurred in our nation’s past. It is a fallacy that students in junior high would be blind to Twain’s underlying references that denounce slavery and discrimination. Confronting these deep racial issues could enlighten students and ease existing race relations. Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it educates students about important social issues. Those that oppose Huckleberry Finn’s presence in elementary and secondary school curricula claim that the advanced material in the novel is not suitable for children of those ages. At this point, students have not matured enough to form their own views and are susceptible to negative influences. Reading Huckleberry Finn would expose students to acts of prejudice and belittlement of the black population. For example, the repeated use of the word â€Å"nigger† is disrespectful and is not something students should hear used so frivolously. This word not only beholds a negative connotation, but it is representative of blacks’ entire brutal struggle with inequality. Further, Jim, the black protagonist of the novel, is ridiculed and reduced to less than human by the end of the novel. Jim’s character starts out as a typical enslaved black man oppressed by the white population. As he and Huck travel down the river, Jim loses his slave persona as he gains confidence and the reader sees his true intelligence and compassion for Huck. Shortly after, Jim is involved in Tom Sawyer’s extravagant plan to â€Å"free† him, where he is once again at the mercy of others’ cruelty. This vicious degradation of a human being is far too advanced for children of a young age to comprehend. Black students specifically may find this material embarrassing and discomforting. Young students of other races may have not yet had experiences that taught them the effects of this chauvinistic mentality and may see this behavior as acceptable. The belief that students in elementary and secondary schools cannot handle the messages present in Huckleberry Finn is a complete underestimation of their mental capacity. Discussing these issues could shape students’ ideas and thwart any preconceived derogatory notions. Leslie Fiedler, an advocate of Huck Finn praises the novel for, â€Å"enabling us finally—without denying our horror and guilt—to laugh therapeutically at the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery† (Fiedler, 1984, Huckleberry Finn: The Book We Love to Hate, p. 6). He sees the novel as a way to objectively address slavery and free our nation of its lasting burden. In a classroom setting with the help of an instructor, every element of the story would be explained. Teachers are important mentors with their guidance each student could reach a full understanding of the evolution and importance of human rights. Descriptive Outline PROPOSITION: Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. PLAN: Present the argument. Take a position. Provide a concession to my position. Confirm my position with specific reasons. PARAGRAPH 1: Says: Huckleberry Finn is a complex novel, yet young children would be able to understand and benefit from reading it in a classroom setting. Does: Sentences 1 and 2 introduce the topic. Sentences 3 and 4 give one view of the argument. Sentence 5 serves as the link to the next idea. Sentences 6 and 7 state the other side of the argument. Sentence 8 is the proposition of the essay. PARAGRAPH 2: Says: Some believe that students are not mature enough at an elementary or secondary school level to see Huckleberry Finn for what it’s worth. Does: Sentence 1 states the topic of the paragraph. Sentence 2 supports clarifies the preceding sentence. Sentences 3 says the ultimate reason for this position. Sentences 4 and 5 state one reason that backs up this claim. Sentences 6, 7 and 8 state another reason for this claim with specific evidence from the novel. Sentence 9 connects these reasons to the proposition. Sentences 10 and 11 explain further the effects of this side of the argument. PARAGRAPH 3: Says: Students are entirely capable and should read Huckleberry Finn in schools at an age before high school. Does: Sentence 1 disproves the concession in the preceding paragraph. Sentence 2 gives a general reason supporting the first sentence. Sentence 3 is a direct quote from an advocate of Huck Finn that supports the proposition. Sentence 4 explains the quotation. Sentences 5 and 6 say exactly why the proposition is true. Kaila McDonnell Concession Essay Draft February 16, 2010 Moral Education through Literature The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn touches upon many racial issues that many people believe is not appropriate for young children. Understanding the satirical aspects of the novel require a certain level of intellectual maturity. While the book is read in many elementary and secondary school classrooms, some people feel that these students will only recognize the prominent issues of the novel and will overlook the inherent subject matter that Mark Twain wishes to convey. If only the immediate context of the novel is interpreted, the book could be perceived as a sanction of racism. However, now over a century since the first emancipation of slaves, the enactment of slavery should not be forgotten. Students should be aware of the cruelty that occurred in our nation’s past. It is a fallacy that students in junior high would be blind to Twain’s underlying references that denounce slavery and discrimination. Confronting these deep racial issues could enlighten students and ease existing race relations. Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. Those that oppose Huckleberry Finn’s presence in elementary and secondary school curriculums claim that the advanced material in the novel is not suitable for children of those ages. At this point, students have not matured enough to form their own views and are still susceptible to negative influences. Reading Huckleberry Finn would expose students to situations that are prejudice and belittling to the black population; for example, the repeated use of the word â€Å"nigger† in reference to blacks. This word not only beholds a negative connotation, but it is representative of blacks’ entire brutal struggle with inequality. Further, Jim, the symbol of the black community in the novel, is ridiculed and reduced to less than human by the end of the novel. This subject matter is far too advanced for children of a young age to understand its significance. Black students specifically may find this material embarrassing and discomforting, while students of other races may see this chauvinistic behavior as acceptable. The belief that students in elementary and secondary schools cannot handle the messages present in Huckleberry Finn is a complete underestimation of their mental capacity. At a young age, students should not learn to be blind to important issues, such as race relations. Leslie Fiedler, an advocate of Huck Finn says that he would have parents, â€Å"prize Twain’s dangerous and equivocal novel not in spite of its use of that wicked epithet, but for the way in which he manages to ironize it; enabling us finally—without denying our horror and guilt—to laugh therapeutically at the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery. † Prior to high school is when students are developing their own opinions and need to be guided to proper moral judgment. Huckleberry Finn addresses many relevant moral issues. In a classroom setting with the help of an instructor, every element of the story would be explained and each student could reach a full understanding of the evolution and importance of human rights. Descriptive Outline PROPOSITION: Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. PLAN: Present the argument. Take a position. Provide a concession to my position. Confirm my position with specific reasons. PARAGRAPH 1: Says: Huckleberry Finn is a complex novel, yet young children would be able to understand and benefit from reading it in a classroom setting. Does: Sentences 1 and 2 introduce the topic. Sentences 3 and 4 give one view of the argument. Sentence 5 serves as the link to the next idea. Sentence 6 states the other side of the argument. Sentences 7 and 8 state and verify the proposition of the essay. PARAGRAPH 2: Says: Some believe that students are not mature enough at an elementary or secondary school level to see Huckleberry Finn for what its worth. Does: Sentence 1 states the topic of the paragraph. Sentence 2 supports clarifies the preceding sentence. Sentences 3, 4 and 5 say why this position is plausible with specific evidence from the novel. Sentences 6 and 7 state the importance and relevance of the prior examples. PARAGRAPH 3: Says: Students are entirely capable and should read Huckleberry Finn in schools at an age before high school. Does: Sentence 1 disproves the concession in the preceding paragraph. Sentence 2 expands upon the first sentence. Sentence 3 is a direct quote from an advocate of Huck Finn that supports the proposition. Sentences 4, 5, and 6 say why in fact the proposition is true.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Evaluate the concept of normal and abnormal behaviour

Evaluate the concept of normal and abnormal behaviour To most people abnormality is described as being different from other people in other words it is seen as different from what is recognised as normal or unusual in society. Psychologists have described several approaches for standard behaviour but an evaluation of three different categories and their concept is going to be discussed. Different societies have their own set standards of behaviour and attitudes so anything that would fall outside the set criteria would be considered to be abnormal, psychologically referred to as deviation from social norms. Another theory of abnormality can be explained by referring to people who deviate from statistical norms. This definition groups people together, based on certain measured characteristics, and put this information into a distribution pattern to classify whether people fit into the average, or whether they fall outside the average, for example, if intelligence quotient is measured, the results would show that on average most people would fall around the middle, so those with either low or high scores statistically would be considered to be abnormal, though the assumption of intelligence can be portrayed in tow ways, for example if a person has a high IQ , they are regarded positively and do not fall in the abnormal criteria, whereas if others fall under the low score there are viewed negatively and therefore considered to be abnormal. Physical examples can also be taken into account, especially in terms of height or foot size. In other words manufacturers would produce products accord ing to the statistical numbers that fall into the normal criteria. Psychologists do have an overall assumption of how mental health, gender and culture issues are referred to statistically. Though they are several factors of mental health problems, there some such as anxiety or depression which are statistically considered to be normal human conditions whereas, if one is clinically disorganised with severe anxiety, or found to be clinically depressed can be described as someone with a mental disorder which is abnormal in a statistical sense. In terms of gender, some psychologists have argued that males are less likely to consult their doctors when suffering from mental disorders, which makes the females score highly in statistical data. Bennett (1995) believed that this would be due to matters of socialisation especially in industrialised societies. In regards to culture Cohen (1988) gave a description of how Indian mental patients are highly discriminated, so this would leave many patients without seeking any clinically help for their mental disord ers so this would lead to wrong statistical measures. Another definition would refer to those people whose behaviour is maladaptive or dangerous. This looks at the effects of the behaviour problems either to the wellbeing of an individual or any social group. We have to remember that defining abnormality is usually limited by cultural differences. This means that what may be classed as normal in one culture could be defined as extremely abnormal in another and this limits the definitions accuracy in being able to define abnormality as a whole so the three definitions above do not consider cultural differences. The concept of abnormal can be brought to a conclusion by evaluating the above approaches as they all help society identify abnormalities in other individuals which helps promote an overall safe living environment. For example, if an individual deviates from social norms, adequate help may be given to them as soon as their behaviour is detected from what is considered to be normal but on the other hand defining abnormality as deviation from social norms, can be used to justify the removal of those people who are considered to be abnormal from society. Statistically, it has been found out that though statistical frequency or infrequency is important to the population it is not effective when applied to mental disorders, so this makes it difficult to determine what is normal in the statistical sense. ANALYSE THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN DIAGNOSING MENTAL ILLNESS AND DISCUSS THEIR USEFULLNESS. A neurological examination, which helps physicians identify structural and psychiatric abnormality is usually carried out on patients with psychiatric disorders, and later gives an understanding of the wellbeing of the persons brain, mental function, nerves and muscles. Psychologists have developed two classification systems that help classify abnormality into mental disorders and also diagnose them clinically. They are known as Diagnostic statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM) and the International Classification of The Causes of disease and Health Related Problems (ICD). Both these systems classify abnormal patterns of thinking, behaviour and emotion into mental illnesses. A significant feature of the DSM classification is the 5-axis diagnostic system, which gives a systematic evaluation of the patient and then gives a full account on the general medical condition of the patient or personality disorders, psychosocial and environment problems, as well as the level of functioning of the individual. The ICD on the on the other hand includes diagnoses for all the systems in the human body and is not popularly used in clinics as the DSM. Both classifications have the same e definition of mental disorders, so they both have their focus on the patients personal distress other than on what the rest of society react to any type of behaviour of the individual. The above classifications tend to be objective, but in society fear arises to the fact that those individuals who are classified and their families may be prejudiced against. The approach of classifications has been approved for its successfulness to the treatment of physical illnesses but not is found not to be very effective in treating mental disorders and this is because symptoms from those suffering with mental illnesses are usually subjective, meaning it is always what they feel and this may be diverse between individuals. Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists have very limited information to assess the well being of an individual compared to those who treat physical illnesses, for they carry out extra laboratory examinations like x-rays and blood tests to find the symptoms and then diagnose the individual. This shows that cause of a disease in mental patients is partially known whereas in those patients with physical disorders causes are fully known. David Rosenhan (1973) carried out a study on eight people who were normal but complained of hearing voices, they were diagnosed with schizophrenia, so he argued that psychiatrists could only rely on their observation methods because they could not verify the patients symptoms. Therefore he drew a conclusion that psychiatric classification could be very inaccurate. Scheff (1966) also criticised the classification method in his labelling of theory. He argued that a psychiatric label to a patient may worsen their condition, because they might be treated as though they are mentally ill. On the other hand, psychologists have found it advantageous, and insist that DSM classification has helped in terms of developing and understanding the causes of mental illnesses in different patients. According to Gelder et el. (1996), The use of classification can certainly be combined with consideration of a patients unique qualities, indeed it is important to combine the two.{Pg 648 Eysenck M, (2000) Psychology A Students Handbook, Psychology Press}. According to ICD classification, 11 major categories can be identified for mental disorders. But they are found to be more general than those of DSM. Therefore, it has some extent of reliability, but very limited information on its validity. EVALUATE THE USEFULNESS OF DIFFERENT MODELS OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR The models of abnormality are theories that help to describe the cause of psychological disorders. There four models known as Biological, Psychodynamic, Behavioural and Cognitive approaches, and each model has a distinct view which helps to provide extra research and treatment approaches as a result. However, psychologists have split views in terms of analysing the disorders; some believe that disorders must originate from psychological causes whilst others believe that the disorders could be based on biological causes. A brief description and an evaluation is going to be looked at for both, Biomedical and Psychodynamic models and an outline of their usefulness will also be accounted for. Biological psychologists would explain that mental disorders are the consequences of biological systems due to the fact that, they regard abnormal behaviour in terms of abnormal biology. In fact the biological model is also known as the medical model because it categorises abnormality as a physical condition and it is the model that addresses mental disorder as an illness. Since it is see seen from the perspective of medicine, its concept for mental disorders, resemble that of physical illnesses, which means psychological disorders have under lying biological or biochemical causes. These are thought to arise from Infection by germs, inherited systemic defect, neurochemical factors and effects of trauma. The Psychodynamic model, was developed by Freud, though some of other psychologists changed some of its emphasis, most of the original assumption for this model is still actively used. Freud believed that humans are born with the id part of our personality and later on in life when people socialise into the moral standards of their culture then our super ego is developed. Freud explained that a well adjusted person develops a strong ego and therefore able to manage their personality. Although the biological approach is known to have fairly witnessed astonishing success in treating mental disorders with drug cures, it has also been criticised for having its main focus on the symptoms and therefore whenever drugs are stopped, the symptoms return which means the root of the problem is not being addressed. This approach tends to use classification systems such as DSM and ICD which have been doubted for their consistency and validity. Its scientific standing and links with medicine, the medical model is known to have gained popularity and credibility, but on the other hand danger of over diagnosis of mental illness and long dependency on drugs, which risks severe side effects, has also been addressed. The Psychodynamic model on the other hand has also been criticised for its validity, the fact that it carries out clinical interview and case studies for its experiments, it does not subject to scientific, empirical analysis. This means the central forces of the brain are unconscious, therefore making it difficult to directly be observed. Its theory is referred to as deterministic because it finds childhood attachments to parents, in the very early stages is crucial for personality development. Apart from the above criticism, the model is identified as the origin of modern day cures. . DESCRIBE AND EVALUATE THE MAIN APPROACHES TO THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS. The biological model treats mental disorders as physical illnesses. Somatic drugs such as minor and major tranquillizers or antidepressants are widely used. Chemotherapy is also regarded as effective and the main treatment of mental illnesses because of the assumption that chemical balance is the main cause of the problem. However, some psychologists have disagreed, and assume that the chemical imbalance to be the effect, rather than the cause of mental problems. For the Psychodynamic model, Freud developed a method of treatment called psychoanalysis, which is a type of therapy that seeks to uncover the underlying causes of abnormal behaviour. The belief was that unresolved emotional conflicts from early childhood could be withdrawn, so by talking to bring out and work through unconscious conflicts would bring it out to the conscious level and therefore be dealt with accordingly. It is also believed within the psychodynamic theory, that the unconscious can be revealed in dreams, so analysis of dreams is one of the techniques used in the treatment of mental disorders in psychodynamic theory. DESCRIBE AND EVALUATE PRACTICAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THERAPIES AND TREATMENTS

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Free Great Gatsby Essays: Point of View :: Great Gatsby Essays

Importance of Point of View in The Great Gatsby  Ã‚   In novels containing interweaving plot and varying scenes, the author's selection of point of view becomes a primary factor in its impact and effectiveness. The Great Gatsby is such a novel which demonstrates this point most evidently.   While Fitzgerald's decision to view the plot through the eyes of Nick Carraway presents certain limitations, it provides the means to relate the tone and message of the novel as whole.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   F. Scott Fitzgerald would be the first to admit that his masterpiece was not without flaws.   In a letter written to Edmund Wilson, he criticized what he understood to be the novel's "BIG FAULT."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I gave no account of (and had no feeling about or knowledge of) the emotional relationship   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   between Gatsby and Daisy from the time of their reunion to the catastrophe. Undoubtedly, this constraint on detailed development was imposed almost solely by point of view.   Because Fitzgerald lays out the plot through the prospective of one essential character, intimacy between any other group of characters is lost or can only be hinted at.   Somewhat of a haze surrounds these important relationships, as Nick and in turn the reader are blind to the details of their occurrence.   In the case of Gatsby and Daisy, some of the power that backs Gatsby's dream is never presented.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Such a situation is somewhat relieved, however, by integration of dialog.   Not only does this aspect of of Fitzgerald's point of view thoroughly describe the other character of the novel, but also it keeps the credibility of the narrator in check.   Who is to say that Nick Carraway is to be the readers' only insight to the affluent world of Long Island during the 1920's?   He himself admitted to being far from perfect; even "vulnerable."   By providing the reader with a chance to judge the importance, purpose, and mission of each character, less time is spent analyzing the credibility of the narrator and more is devoted to understanding Fitzgerald's statement as a whole.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Great Gatsby, this is a message that would be lost if it were not for the selected point of view.   Fitzgerald, through what Nick perceives and the changes he undergoes, comments specifically on the society of the time.

Copious Imagery within the Tragedy Othello :: Othello essays

Copious Imagery within the Tragedy Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚   In the Bard of Avon’s tragic drama Othello there resides imagery of all types, sizes and shapes. Let us look at the playwright’s offering in this area.    In the essay â€Å"Wit and Witchcraft: an Approach to Othello† Robert B. Heilman discusses the significance of imagery within this play:    Reiterative language is particularly prone to acquire a continuity of its own and to become â€Å"an independent part of the plot† whose effect we can attempt to gauge. It may create â€Å"mood† or â€Å"atmosphere†: the pervasiveness of images of injury, pain, and torture in Othello has a very strong impact that is not wholly determined by who uses the images. But most of all the â€Å"system of imagery† introduces thoughts, ideas, themes – elements of the meaning that is the author’s final organization of all his materials. (333)    The vulgar imagery of the ancient dominate the opening of the play. Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† describes the types of imagery used by the antagonist when he â€Å"slips his mask aside† while awakening Brabantio:    Iago is letting loose the wicked passion inside him, as he does from time to time throughout the play, when he slips his mask aside. At such moments he always resorts to this imagery of money-bags, treachery, and animal lust and violence. So he expresses his own faithless, envious spirit, and, by the same token, his vision of the populous city of Venice – Iago’s â€Å"world,† as it has been called. . . .(132)    Standing outside the senator’s home late at night, Iago uses imagery within a lie to arouse the occupant: â€Å" Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves! / Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!† When the senator appears at the window, the ancient continues with coarse imagery of animal lust: â€Å"Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is topping your white ewe,† and â€Å"you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have coursers for cousins and gennets for germans.† Brabantio, judging from Iago’s language, rightfully concludes that the latter is a â€Å"profane wretch† and a â€Å"villain.†    When Iago returns to the Moor, he resorts to violence in his description of the senator, saying that â€Å"nine or ten times / I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs.

Friday, July 19, 2019

State and Church Essay -- essays research papers fc

Christopher Columbus and Cabeza de Vaca were two known adventurers, one being an explorer and the other as a treasurer. Both men had great reputations, which led to positions of high status. Cabeza de Vaca became the treasurer on an expedition to explore the Gulf coast as a young nobleman and Christopher Columbus went on many expeditions to explore lands of treasure and jewels of all sorts. Both men explored in a time in which the lands were controlled by church and state and because of this, pressure of enormous amounts were placed on the shoulders of these men. The misfortunes these men encountered on their expeditions led them to choose a side in which they tried to disguise their true outcomes. Cabeza de Vaca and Christopher Columbus used the power the church possessed and embellished in the writings as a means to escape ridicule and or conviction from the state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One can get a sense from the works of Cabeza de Vaca that he went through hardship when captured by the Indians. In addition you can a sense that he uses much imagery of his men being killed and picked off one by one because he knew that the state and church would read his writings. My opinion of chapter seven is very skeptical because I feel that Cabeza de Vaca wanted to show the state and church that life over in the New World was very troubling and full of challenges so great no man can bare. He embellishes his writings in purpose of being forgiven for the money and manpower spent on the expedition. In chapter seven Cabeza de Vaca shows in his writings how he was attacked numerous times, â€Å"The day following, others came against us from a town on the opposite side of the lake, and attacked us as the first had done, escaping in the same way,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  pg. 1 except one who was also slain† (pg. 130). He keeps showing the reader that he was attacked numerous times but yet the Indians escaped the same way as the first did. These accounts could show the church that Cabeza de Vaca was strong in his encounters with harsh conditions and that these experie... ...ed this statement with the hoping he will return to explore because he feels that the third voyage did not find riches and other valuable items.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both men used the church to somewhat cover up the unsuccessful expeditions and voyages that occurred. I feel that the writings were intentional in the fact they were not only made to keep accounts but also to show the church that they are still skilled as before they left. They also write with a manner in which they want to be rewarded somehow for their findings or misfortunes they encountered in such harsh conditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pg. 4 Works Cited Columbus, Christopher. The Four Voyages of Columbus. Trans. J.M. Cohen   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1969. Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar Nunez. Relation of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. Trans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Buckingham Smith. 1871.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Business Strategy

Victorians Secret, in both its' business and e-business components use a B to C business strategy that focuses on the same market segment and economics in both channels. Strategically the company focuses on individual business processes instead of its' business model so that it can improve upon some of them with technology as this avoids a primarily internet-driven business model which could affect the sales of their retail locations.Their business processes that support their verbal selling and purchasing activities for their physical locations can be utilized by the e-commerce channel of the business as well as the retail locations which is a strategy implemented in order to reduce transaction costs by improving the flow of information within the company and its' channels. This helps to coordinate the actions for both channels which is useful in maintaining the same brand standards regardless of where the consumer is buying the product.An example of this would be the technique libr ary database the company established which Is shared among all regions/suppliers and includes company standards of design and production. Victorians Secret implements a business strategy that makes use of multiple marketing channels such as their retail stores and e-commerce channel. They utilize a 360 degree approach for the website with channel cooperation regarding their already established physical locations.Victorians Secret strategically avoids channel conflict by differentiating certain products such as best sellers and only offering them for sale from Victorians Secret, In both Its' business and e-business components use a B to C business strategy that focuses on the same market segment and economics In both the e-commerce channel of the business as well as the retail locations which Is a be the technique library database the company established which is shared among. Business Strategy Victorians Secret, in both its' business and e-business components use a B to C business strategy that focuses on the same market segment and economics in both channels. Strategically the company focuses on individual business processes instead of its' business model so that it can improve upon some of them with technology as this avoids a primarily internet-driven business model which could affect the sales of their retail locations.Their business processes that support their verbal selling and purchasing activities for their physical locations can be utilized by the e-commerce channel of the business as well as the retail locations which is a strategy implemented in order to reduce transaction costs by improving the flow of information within the company and its' channels. This helps to coordinate the actions for both channels which is useful in maintaining the same brand standards regardless of where the consumer is buying the product.An example of this would be the technique libr ary database the company established which Is shared among all regions/suppliers and includes company standards of design and production. Victorians Secret implements a business strategy that makes use of multiple marketing channels such as their retail stores and e-commerce channel. They utilize a 360 degree approach for the website with channel cooperation regarding their already established physical locations.Victorians Secret strategically avoids channel conflict by differentiating certain products such as best sellers and only offering them for sale from Victorians Secret, In both Its' business and e-business components use a B to C business strategy that focuses on the same market segment and economics In both the e-commerce channel of the business as well as the retail locations which Is a be the technique library database the company established which is shared among. Business Strategy Application Exercise (Assignment to be submitted) (180 min. ) * Construct a value chain for your department/ division/ company and contrast it over time or vis a vis a competitor, to try and explain the business performance. | | Guidelines for the assignment * Brief introduction of your firm and division. * Draw a value chain of your division/company. (as next best choice generic chain will do) Enlist all the activities under the relevant primary and support functions. Show how each activity is being pursued now, and also differently over time, by your firm. (OR if comparison is not over time but with a competitor’s value chain, show how they perform it differently) * Indicate internal links within the activities, if any. Show how the activities of the value chain are linked to company strategy and structure and how these links enhance competitive advantage. (or show the lack of these links and divergence of activities-scope for improvement in value chain. ). Explore external links (eg. lignment of activities with vendors that enhances differentiation. ) * Conclude-Reflect on overall shift in value chain over time OR difference with competitor’s value chain and how that results in difference in business performance. * The assignment submission should not exceed 5 pages| | About VMware VMware is the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, delivers customer-proven solutions that accelerate IT by reducing complexity and enabling more flexible, agile service delivery.VMware enables enterprises to adopt a cloud model that addresses their unique business challenges. VMware’s approach accelerates the transition to cloud computing while preserving existing investments and improving security and control. With more than 350,000 customers and 50,000 partners, VMware solutions help organizations of all sizes lower costs, increase business agility and ensure freedom of choice I belong to the Consulting Services Division of VMware where we carry out the consulting implementation and management of customer projectsVmware’s Value chain is broadly covered as below . The Value Chain Analysis of VMware covers two categories of activities – primary and support activities. The primary activities are most familiar, as it deals with the steps and processes necessary to take the VMware product or service from R&D to final customer sale and support. * Suppy Chain Management – covers the identification, sourcing, procurement, and supplier management of the â€Å"raw materials† that comprise the final product or service. Operations – covers the engineering, inventory management, and manufacturing of the final product or service. Note:   any technologies incorporated into the product or service are also included here. * Distribution – covers the entire channel network and partnerships that VMware drives for distributing the key platform product solutions * Marketing and Sales – covers the marketing, merchandising, promotions, advertising, sales, and channel management to get the completed product and service to the end customer. Service – covers the support and maintenance of products and services after they are delivered to the customer. The secondary activities are less familiar, but equally important in supporting product and service scalability. * R&D – covers the testing of the product as per the customer specifications, development and roll out of new product updates * Technology Development – covers the supporting technologies, both information technologies as well as other technologies, important for keeping the lights on.Technologies integrated into the product would be covered in the Operations stage. * Human Resource Management – covers the recruiting, hiring, development,and firing of personnel. * General Administration – covers the general admin tasks of the company (buildings, offices, warehouses) I belong to the Services Department function which forms the primary form of activities in the value chain in terms of delivering the value of the virtualization and cloud benefits to customers as per VMware best practices.Compared to our competitor which is Microsoft our services are allinged to be more proactive to customers in the form of Technical Account Manager program. The product profolio that we drive in the Services and consulting space are truly key in giving VMware 84% of the global market share. VMware Professional Services offer end-to-end consulting services for Datacenter, Virtualization Management, Desktop Virtualization and Cloud Services.Our service offerings are based on in-depth virtualization expertise, proven best practices, and repeatable delivery methodologies to help customers realize the full value of virtualization for IT as a service computing models faster, and with less risk. Based on best practices from working with thousands of customers and using reliable, r epeatable methodologies, our services are designed to help Assess the current environments, Plan and design solutions that meet the desired business objectives, Build and implement the desired virtualization solutions, and Manage the environment with staff augmentation and performance tuningRegardless of the level of a customer’s virtualization maturity or business need, VMware Consulting Services accelerate the business value of IT transformation to IT as a Service computing models, through virtualization, with less risk compared to our competition which is the key differentiator in our engagement with customers compared to competition. We have provided key differentiators in our Services Value chain which has resulted huge business benefits to VMware the summary of which is as below – Year-over-Year Revenue Growth of 25% to $1. 6 Billion – Operating Margin of 20. 6%; Non-GAAP Operating Margin of 32. 6% – Trailing Twelve Months Operating Cash Flows Growt h of 64% to $2. 12 Billion; Free Cash Flows Growth of 53% to $2. 07 Billion Service revenues, which include software maintenance and professional services, were $573 million for 2012, an increase of 35% from 2011. The use of value chain analysis facilitates the strategic management of VMware as an organization. The three main types of competitive strategy are cost leadership, differentiation, and focus.Cost leadership is a strategy that relies on lowest-cost production and delivery, while differentiation relies on outstanding quality or product (program/course) features. The focus strategy relies on differentiation or cost leadership for a particular product or market niche. Value chain analysis is a framework that can provide a number of benefits to the VMware management of virtualiation and cloud computing organizations. This analysis help VMware managers of to identify linkages between value activities within the organization, and to think in terms of process rather than function or department.Through analysis of the value system, managers identify potentials for strategic alliances with various actors in the industry value system. Identification of cost drivers and linkage with value chain activities help managers focus on cost reduction and on finding ways to optimize returns throughout the value chain. As well, value chain analysis helps managers understand cost management problems. Failure to see the impact of a decision on the overall value chain will result in missed opportunities for VMware.The value chain framework allows VMware to break down the chain—from basic infrastructure and support, to software development, to customer support and service—into strategically relevant activities to understand the behavior of costs and the sources of differentiation. Profit Margin is typically only one part of the larger set of activities in the value delivery system. Gaining and sustaining a competitive advantage requires that VMware understands the entire value delivery system, not just the portion of the value chain in which it participates.Suppliers and distribution channels have profit margins that must be identified if one is to understand VMware’s cost or differentiation positioning, because the customers ultimately pay for all the profit margins throughout the value chain. Broadly the value chain framework is used as powerful analysis tool for the strategic planning and to build the organizational model ensuring an effective leadership model. The value chain concept is applied also in the individual business unit and is extended to the whole supply chain and distribution networks of VMware.To form a successful product for VMware it is important to add value in each activity that the product goes through during the life cycle. The best possible value can be achieved in the product development process by adding value in each stage. For that it needs all, or a combination of, value chain activities and a proper s ynchronization among all the related activities. A proper organization is required that contains all the required functional departments to perform these activities and a proper communication approach is required to synchronize the activities of these functional units efficiently. Business Strategy Application Exercise (Assignment to be submitted) (180 min. ) * Construct a value chain for your department/ division/ company and contrast it over time or vis a vis a competitor, to try and explain the business performance. | | Guidelines for the assignment * Brief introduction of your firm and division. * Draw a value chain of your division/company. (as next best choice generic chain will do) Enlist all the activities under the relevant primary and support functions. Show how each activity is being pursued now, and also differently over time, by your firm. (OR if comparison is not over time but with a competitor’s value chain, show how they perform it differently) * Indicate internal links within the activities, if any. Show how the activities of the value chain are linked to company strategy and structure and how these links enhance competitive advantage. (or show the lack of these links and divergence of activities-scope for improvement in value chain. ). Explore external links (eg. lignment of activities with vendors that enhances differentiation. ) * Conclude-Reflect on overall shift in value chain over time OR difference with competitor’s value chain and how that results in difference in business performance. * The assignment submission should not exceed 5 pages| | About VMware VMware is the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, delivers customer-proven solutions that accelerate IT by reducing complexity and enabling more flexible, agile service delivery.VMware enables enterprises to adopt a cloud model that addresses their unique business challenges. VMware’s approach accelerates the transition to cloud computing while preserving existing investments and improving security and control. With more than 350,000 customers and 50,000 partners, VMware solutions help organizations of all sizes lower costs, increase business agility and ensure freedom of choice I belong to the Consulting Services Division of VMware where we carry out the consulting implementation and management of customer projectsVmware’s Value chain is broadly covered as below . The Value Chain Analysis of VMware covers two categories of activities – primary and support activities. The primary activities are most familiar, as it deals with the steps and processes necessary to take the VMware product or service from R&D to final customer sale and support. * Suppy Chain Management – covers the identification, sourcing, procurement, and supplier management of the â€Å"raw materials† that comprise the final product or service. Operations – covers the engineering, inventory management, and manufacturing of the final product or service. Note:   any technologies incorporated into the product or service are also included here. * Distribution – covers the entire channel network and partnerships that VMware drives for distributing the key platform product solutions * Marketing and Sales – covers the marketing, merchandising, promotions, advertising, sales, and channel management to get the completed product and service to the end customer. Service – covers the support and maintenance of products and services after they are delivered to the customer. The secondary activities are less familiar, but equally important in supporting product and service scalability. * R&D – covers the testing of the product as per the customer specifications, development and roll out of new product updates * Technology Development – covers the supporting technologies, both information technologies as well as other technologies, important for keeping the lights on.Technologies integrated into the product would be covered in the Operations stage. * Human Resource Management – covers the recruiting, hiring, development,and firing of personnel. * General Administration – covers the general admin tasks of the company (buildings, offices, warehouses) I belong to the Services Department function which forms the primary form of activities in the value chain in terms of delivering the value of the virtualization and cloud benefits to customers as per VMware best practices.Compared to our competitor which is Microsoft our services are allinged to be more proactive to customers in the form of Technical Account Manager program. The product profolio that we drive in the Services and consulting space are truly key in giving VMware 84% of the global market share. VMware Professional Services offer end-to-end consulting services for Datacenter, Virtualization Management, Desktop Virtualization and Cloud Services.Our service offerings are based on in-depth virtualization expertise, proven best practices, and repeatable delivery methodologies to help customers realize the full value of virtualization for IT as a service computing models faster, and with less risk. Based on best practices from working with thousands of customers and using reliable, r epeatable methodologies, our services are designed to help Assess the current environments, Plan and design solutions that meet the desired business objectives, Build and implement the desired virtualization solutions, and Manage the environment with staff augmentation and performance tuningRegardless of the level of a customer’s virtualization maturity or business need, VMware Consulting Services accelerate the business value of IT transformation to IT as a Service computing models, through virtualization, with less risk compared to our competition which is the key differentiator in our engagement with customers compared to competition. We have provided key differentiators in our Services Value chain which has resulted huge business benefits to VMware the summary of which is as below – Year-over-Year Revenue Growth of 25% to $1. 6 Billion – Operating Margin of 20. 6%; Non-GAAP Operating Margin of 32. 6% – Trailing Twelve Months Operating Cash Flows Growt h of 64% to $2. 12 Billion; Free Cash Flows Growth of 53% to $2. 07 Billion Service revenues, which include software maintenance and professional services, were $573 million for 2012, an increase of 35% from 2011. The use of value chain analysis facilitates the strategic management of VMware as an organization. The three main types of competitive strategy are cost leadership, differentiation, and focus.Cost leadership is a strategy that relies on lowest-cost production and delivery, while differentiation relies on outstanding quality or product (program/course) features. The focus strategy relies on differentiation or cost leadership for a particular product or market niche. Value chain analysis is a framework that can provide a number of benefits to the VMware management of virtualiation and cloud computing organizations. This analysis help VMware managers of to identify linkages between value activities within the organization, and to think in terms of process rather than function or department.Through analysis of the value system, managers identify potentials for strategic alliances with various actors in the industry value system. Identification of cost drivers and linkage with value chain activities help managers focus on cost reduction and on finding ways to optimize returns throughout the value chain. As well, value chain analysis helps managers understand cost management problems. Failure to see the impact of a decision on the overall value chain will result in missed opportunities for VMware.The value chain framework allows VMware to break down the chain—from basic infrastructure and support, to software development, to customer support and service—into strategically relevant activities to understand the behavior of costs and the sources of differentiation. Profit Margin is typically only one part of the larger set of activities in the value delivery system. Gaining and sustaining a competitive advantage requires that VMware understands the entire value delivery system, not just the portion of the value chain in which it participates.Suppliers and distribution channels have profit margins that must be identified if one is to understand VMware’s cost or differentiation positioning, because the customers ultimately pay for all the profit margins throughout the value chain. Broadly the value chain framework is used as powerful analysis tool for the strategic planning and to build the organizational model ensuring an effective leadership model. The value chain concept is applied also in the individual business unit and is extended to the whole supply chain and distribution networks of VMware.To form a successful product for VMware it is important to add value in each activity that the product goes through during the life cycle. The best possible value can be achieved in the product development process by adding value in each stage. For that it needs all, or a combination of, value chain activities and a proper s ynchronization among all the related activities. A proper organization is required that contains all the required functional departments to perform these activities and a proper communication approach is required to synchronize the activities of these functional units efficiently. Business Strategy MPM703 Business Strategy and Analysis Trimester 1, 2013 Assignment: Business Strategy Report In this assignment you are acting either as a group of strategy consultants (group assignment), or as one strategy consultant (individual assignment). You have been asked to prepare a strategy report for a business. The first step is to select a business as the subject of your assignment. The business can be a publicly listed company in Australia or overseas which is of interest to you or other members of your group, or it may be a large private or family business located either in Australia or overseas.Do not use or refer to assignments completed by students for this unit in previous trimesters. (A record of past assignments is kept on a database). Note also that the requirements of the assignment change from trimester to trimester. The focus of this assignment is on the business level of analysis. Therefore if you select a diversified company then make sure you focus only on one of the comp any’s business units. The report must be specific and applied to the business. In other words you must apply the relevant concepts and tools of business strategy to the particular conditions and circumstances of the business you are studying.General statements and references to theories and models that are not applied to the business will not add value to your assignment. Similarly, data about the business that is not analysed and presented from a strategic perspective – using the relevant concepts and tools of strategy – is of little value. To help you in this exercise, consider the position of the CEO of the business who will be reading your report and looking for a strategic analysis and recommendation that is practical and specific to her or his business.The CEO does not want to read a broad analysis that could apply to any number of organisations and does not ‘speak’ to their business. Group or individual submission This assignment may be compl eted either as a group submission (up to 5 people) or as an individual assignment (one person only). Either way, you must sign up in one of the group assignment spaces online. Marking will be done without regard to whether the assignment was a group or individual submission. In other words an individual assignment should be of a similar standard and quality to that of a group assignment.For group assignments the mark will be shared by all in the group. Therefore: 1. Allocate the various tasks among your group members and agree on interim due dates for the stages of work. Make sure your interim due dates allow for drafts to be circulated and edited so that the final submission is of the highest standard. 2. Each group member must make a relatively fair and reasonable contribution to the report, in whatever form or shape that might take, in order to share equally in the mark. In the rare event that there are any issues you should contact me two weeks prior to the report due date so th at a resolution can be reached.Report format and requirements The presentation of your report is a critical aspect of this assignment. It is essential that your report is formatted appropriately, and carefully edited and re-edited to achieve a professional standard. Allow time to draft and re-draft your assignment prior to the due date in order to improve the quality of writing and presentation. You must follow carefully the report structure and requirements set out below. 1. Title Page In the title page, you should include: †¢ Title of the report, e. g. ‘Company X: A Business Strategy Report’. Cloud Deakin Group number (whether you are a group or individual). †¢ The names and student IDs of your group members. †¢ Off campus or on campus status. †¢ Date and Unit Code. †¢ Name and postal address for the return of your assignment. 2. Table of contents Include all of the section headings and subheadings used in your report, together with page numbe rs. 3. Executive summary (Less than 300 words) This is a one page only summary of the report, written as a series of short paragraphs, outlining your key findings and recommended strategic option. 4. Introduction (Approximately 400 words)This section provides some background and context to your report. Your introduction should include: †¢ A brief description of the reasons for undertaking the study, i. e. the value of undertaking a strategy review of the business. †¢ An introduction to the business and its macro environment and industry. 5. Strategic Analysis 5. 1 Methods (Approximately 200 words) Provide a brief description of the techniques of data collection and analysis used in this section, including an outline of the sources used to gather the data upon which the report is based.Data may be collected from sources within the business (business documents, questionnaires, interviews) and from industry reports, media sources, the World Wide Web and database searches. It is important to describe the types and quantity of your data sources so that the reader can evaluate the quality and validity of the data on which your analysis is based. 5. 2 Business strategy statement (Approximately 300 words) Describe the mission, vision, objectives, scope, and advantage of the business (see section 1. 2. 3 in the text). Summarise these descriptions into a clear and compelling strategy statement in 35 words or less. . 3 External analysis (Approximately 800 words) †¢ Conduct a PESTEL analysis of your business’s macro environment, evaluating whether each of the PESTEL factors are positive, neutral, or negative for the industry. †¢ Provide an overall evaluation of the impact of these factors on growth and consumer demand in the industry. Explain which of the influences in your analysis are likely to be the main drivers for change in the future. †¢ Using the five forces framework described in your text, evaluate and briefly describe the key for ces at work in your business’s industry environment. Draw a strategy canvas for your business and the two main rivals (see Figure 2. 9 in the text). Describe briefly the three most critical success factors for your business (see pp. 73-74 in the text). 5. 4 Strategic capability (Approximately 400 words) †¢ Describe your business’s strategic capability in the form of a value chain analysis. †¢ Present a SWOT analysis in table form. 5. 5 Strategy and culture (Approximately 400 words) Draw a cultural web of the business (see Chapter 5 of your text and Figure 5. 8). Briefly evaluate the relationship between the business’s culture and its strategy. . 6Strategic direction (Approximately 450 words) Identify and describe the one most viable strategic direction for the business. To undertake this task refer to Figure 7. 2 on p. 232 and the relevant commentary. Explain how your chosen strategic direction allows the business to: †¢ Respond appropriately to t he industry and macro environments described in your external analysis. †¢ Match the strengths of the business to the opportunities in the environment, described in your earlier analyses, to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. . Conclusion (Approximately 250 words) This section is written in paragraph form to provide a summary of one key finding from each of the report sections from 5. 2 to 5. 6. 7. References List all of the references referred to in the report. Please note that appendices are not allowed. Requirements Word limit:3500 (excluding the references only) Line spacing: 1. 5 Font size: 12 Contribution to your final mark: 40% Due date: 3. 00pm, Tuesday 7 May 2013 NB. Words in excess of 3500 will not be marked. Assignment submission rules All assignments are to be submitted online, in addition to a printed copy delivered to the Faculty office, or handed in at lecture. For off campus students the mailed hard copy of the assignment is deemed to be on time if sen t and post-marked by the due date of the assignment. Please note that the version of an assignment you submit electronically must be the same as any version you submit in any other form. Students enrolled through partnership agreements must submit as required by the unit chair at the partner institution on the due date. Assignments are on time if they are submitted online and in hard copy on the due date. On campus students must submit the printed version in lecture or at the Faculty office by the due date; off campus students must mail their submission on or before the due date to: Assignment Tracking AASD Deakin University Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 3Remote students: A student is classified as remote if they are living in a place where it takes more than 3 days for mail to reach Deakin University, Geelong, for example overseas in certain locations.If you are a remote student, you may submit your assignment by email to [email  protected] edu. au If you are a remote student and submit via email, please clearly state your name, student ID number, unit code and assignment number on the email. It is also recommended that you place this information on your assignment as a Footer or Header. The Assignment Tracking staff will print your assignment and place an Assignment Attachment Form onto your assignment. It will then be tracked and sent to your assessor for marking the same day.When returning the assignment, the assignment will be sent by normal postage and not via email. Please do not post another version in the mail if you email your assignment. 5 No extensions will be considered for assignment submission due dates unless a written request is submitted to and negotiated with the unit chair. 6 Assignments submitted late without an extension being granted will not be marked. Plagiarism and other academic offences Plagiarism is the copying of another person’s ideas or expressions without appropriate acknowledgment. Please read the notes on plagiarism in the Unit Guide. Business Strategy Victorians Secret, in both its' business and e-business components use a B to C business strategy that focuses on the same market segment and economics in both channels. Strategically the company focuses on individual business processes instead of its' business model so that it can improve upon some of them with technology as this avoids a primarily internet-driven business model which could affect the sales of their retail locations.Their business processes that support their verbal selling and purchasing activities for their physical locations can be utilized by the e-commerce channel of the business as well as the retail locations which is a strategy implemented in order to reduce transaction costs by improving the flow of information within the company and its' channels. This helps to coordinate the actions for both channels which is useful in maintaining the same brand standards regardless of where the consumer is buying the product.An example of this would be the technique libr ary database the company established which Is shared among all regions/suppliers and includes company standards of design and production. Victorians Secret implements a business strategy that makes use of multiple marketing channels such as their retail stores and e-commerce channel. They utilize a 360 degree approach for the website with channel cooperation regarding their already established physical locations.Victorians Secret strategically avoids channel conflict by differentiating certain products such as best sellers and only offering them for sale from Victorians Secret, In both Its' business and e-business components use a B to C business strategy that focuses on the same market segment and economics In both the e-commerce channel of the business as well as the retail locations which Is a be the technique library database the company established which is shared among.