Parenting: GCSE Child Development Essay

This is an excellent essay that was wonderful to read and mark. It shows a good understanding of the varying needs of the child and discusses how conflict can arise. If the writer wanted to extend the essay, they could discuss some of the theories that look at how relationships develop and how conflict arises. ***** Marked by teacher Sam Morran 01/12/2012 The first 200 words of this essay†¦ Lil Maisky Year 11 Parenting: -Describe the ideal relationship between parents and children. -How do you appreciate your parents and how do they appreciate you? (400 words) Any ideal relationship is based on the appropriate balance in between the commitment and effort of both members concerned. However, the relationship between a parent and child is far more complicated as there is a large amount of responsibility involved. Also, the child is likely to resemble one or both of the parents to a certain extent, but not be as developed or experienced as the parent, thus adding a lot of competition and  argumentative aspects to the relationship. This can be more prominently observed when two members of the same sex are involved (mother and daughter†¦) As the age of the child increases, the responsibility of the parent decreases, most probably proportionally, and this has to be observed by the parent. One has to take into consideration that the child’s young years are all that he/she has experienced and that although it’s existence might only go back as far as a tiny fraction of the parents life, this cannot be understood by the child until

Conflicting Values between Phaedra and the Nurse Essay

To what extent do the values of the Nurse conflict to with the values of Phaedra in lines 433 to 481?  To a large extent the values of the nurse conflict with those of Phaedra , however both agree that one cannot contradict the will of the gods and at different points both coincide that in the given situation it would be better to die.  At the beginning Phaedra expresses her wish to go hunting and horse riding, suggesting that she desires to be near Hippolytus , yet by doing so she would be break the social convention that dictated women could only leave the house for religious purposes . The nurse knows this, and warns her that to challenge the norm would is madness ‘words that ride on madness’ .However once Phaedra’s secret is revealed it is the Nurse the one who advocates a departure from the social code, while Phaedra strives to uphold her reputation and society’s values. It can be argued that their values differ or alternatively that the Nurse supp orts the same social values, except to a lesser extent and considers that these do not apply to love. Yet, both women share the same values which respect to fate and the divine intervention of gods in mortal’s lives. Phaedra mentions that she was † failing to win victory over Cypris † this indicates she is aware that she cannot overcome her fate or the god’s wishes , so she settles to commit suicide. The Nurse upholding the same value but for a different purpose states ‘ No one can bear the force of Cypris † here she points put that mortals are helpless against the will of the gods and therefore Phaedra should just let things be. With respect to destiny and veneration to gods both uphold the same values however they derive different conclusions from them . Previously the Nurse establishes her admiration for moderation † I praise excess less than moderation†, in contrast Phaedra seems to prefer to have a tendency towards the extremes, first she wishes to go hunting to follow Hippolytus and later to die. Here we see how they have contrasting opinions. Additionally they differ on what should be done with Phaedra’s forbidden love. The Nurse explains that to be in love is nothing extraordinary † you are in love – what is so surprising about that ? † her rhetorical question implies that the situation is not atypical and that it can be easily resolved without resorting to extremes. Furthermore she argues that the curse is not Phaedra’s fault and that she shouldn’t have to die for it. On the contrary Phaedra wishes to repress her feelings deeming them unacceptable. Mean while the Nurse tries to convince her that love is something beautiful and cannot be denies , not even by the gods † Zeus once desired to bed Semele† she implies that Phaedra suppress her feelings but resign herself to them .This goes against every value of virtue and reputation that Phaedra esteems. Phaedra would rather die than be unfaithful, she despises women who †lay claim to virtue † but †dare to commit shameful deeds† . She is concerned about her reputation and the effect this one can have on her house and her children. To this the Nurse responds † mortals should not put too much effort on achieving perfection† implying that she cannot have a perfect reputation. Phaedra expands on the unacceptable behavior of unfaithful women, yet later the Nurse counter argues that men too behave in this way ‘many fathers help their sons in love affairs†. They disagree on the worth of reputation, the Nurse revealing her corrupt moral values, however it can be argued that she wishes to deter her mistress’s suicidal intentions. After all she does show great duty towards her and even declares that she †can no longer exist† after Phaedra reveals her secret. Thus is can be concluded that to a large extent the values of the Nurse conflict with those of Phaedra , however they both coincide that fate nor the will of the gods can be denied. It can be argued that the Nurse’s intention is to help her mistress by diminishing the values she upholds and therefore prevent her suicide.

Gilgamesh Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gilgamesh - Assignment Example The basic epic is primitive or oral, such as Gilgamesh’s epic. The secondary epics include literary or written ones, such as The Aeneid. The Epic of Gilgamesh dates back to 2150-2000 BC and before that there were only two huge Indian epics called the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which date back to 1000-800 BC. There were also two epics of Greeks titled as ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘The Iliad’ as of 900-700 BC, which are older than epic of Gilgamesh (Campbell, 1949). The epic of Gilgamesh dwells on the difference between an animal, a man, and a god. Gilgamesh is both a god and a man. Enkidu is also a man and a god and this is the tale of these two becoming humans as they travel together. Utnapishtim is also called Noah as per the Hebraic myth. He is considered the immortal. Gilgamesh is indeed the hero of the epic. Enkidu is not only an advisor to Gilgamesh but also his friend and also referred to as Hercules in the greek legendary past. The huge massive monster is Humbaba. The story is about the cycle of a hero’s life based on initiation, departure, and return. It is based on Joseph Campbell’s idea of four functions of the heroic cycle. The traits that make a person a hero are to fight against one’s fear, quest for eternal life, facing death, and a lot of suffering dealt with wisdom (Campbell, 1949). Gilgamesh in the epic itself is one-third man and two-thirds god. Gilgamesh is a hero in the epic who is a brave person, beautiful as well and also horrifying as compared to most of us people. Hid attributes, achievements, and desires symbolize our own ambitions and feelings. But, he is mortal too and also must see and experience death like us. The philosophy is that this legend of Gilgamesh is 1/3rds mortal and 2/3rds divine. His huge emotional intelligence and power is great but tyrannize the people of his time. People of that time used to call the gods, the leading god called sky-god Anu is the god of the city. The wild man is known as Enkidu with adequate power to match that of Gilgamesh. Ultimately, the fight between two people makes any of them never succeed. The animosity turned into mutual respect in the end and long-lasting relationship (Campbell, 1949). Now the two newly met friends set on an adventure with each other but finally, the gods were able to murder Enkidu. Gilgamesh seriously weeps for the loss of his friend and a realization struck him that he will soon die too. Therefore, he came to know about Utnapishtim- the immortal. The only global food survivor is called Utnapishtim. Subsequently, Gilgamesh goes all across sea to go for his friend Utnapishtim, who talks about his extraordinary life adventures. The Flood of Gilgamesh is also called Utnapishtim’s flood. When the council of gods came up with the idea to devastate the mankind, the god who created man called ‘Ea’ warned against Shuruppak to Utnapishtim. Shuruppak was a town near Euphrates bank and instructed about the huge boat (Campbell, 1949). This Epic of Gilgamesh is the tale of the King Gilgamesh in Uruk who dominates the people of his town. As a sentence, the god gives him a friend known as Enkidu who became a good friend and a shadow of King Gilgamesh. When they both sets on an adventure together, Enkidu and Gilgamesh challenge the gods by murdering the huge Humbaba, also cutting the blessed forest of cedar which he protected, and killed the Bull of Heaven. The frightening dreams of tyrants’ destiny were seen by Enkidu and then these tyrants became slaves of House of Death. Finally, Enkidu dies because of sickness of gods. Devastated by the death of Enkidu and also perspective of his own death, a quest for the power of immortality was undertaken by Gilgamesh which brought

Organizational Structure Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organizational Structure - Term Paper Example Therefore, top managements give particular importance to their organizational structures while planning and implementing business strategies. This paper will analyze the organizational structure of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) with specific attention given to its organizational functions and organizational design. Toyota: Organizational Structure Toyota has a unique organizational structure that has assisted the company to dominate the automobile industry throughout its corporate life. As Borowski (2010) points out, the General Meeting of Shareholders is the governing body of Toyota and the shareholders have a voting right in the General Meeting if they hold a minimum amount of shares. Toyota’s executive body is its Board of directors consisting of 26 members. The company’s Board of Directors comprises of the chairman, the vice chairman, the president, 8 executive vice presidents, 13 senior managing directors, an honorary chairman, and a senior advisor. In addition, t here are four committees that belong to the director board, including the Labor-Management Council, the Corporate Philanthropy Committee, the Stock Option Committee, and the Toyota Environmental Committee. The Toyota headquarters manages and coordinates 229 divisions (pp.3-4). Market analysts indicate that Toyota’s organizational structure greatly assists the company to facilitate effective strategic implementation. Referring to the views of Moore (2011), long term-thinking is central to the company’s organizational philosophy. The company management promotes the long-term thinking sometimes even at the expense of short-term financial gains. The author opines that this strategy has significantly benefited the organization to make potential management decisions and to enhance organizational learning (pp.141-143). Toyota’s strong organizational structure aided the company to earn $16.7 billion in profits and 6% sales growth in 2009 in spite of global financial cri sis 2008-09 that had severely hit the global automaking industry. Recently, the TMC has announced some noticeable changes to its organizational structure. As Bloomberg (March 6, 2011) reports, appointment of outside board members is one of the major changes declared by the company. Business unit organization is another change announced. Through this structural change, the company’s automotive business will be split into four distinct units namely Lexus International, Toyota No. 1, Toyota No. 2, and Unit Center. The company believes that this change would well define operations and earning responsibility and would fasten decision making. The TMC has also announced the reorganization of region groups in order to improve its products and services in growing markets. While comparing the organizational structure of General Motors to that of TMC, it seems that GM’s organizational structure is very weak and this issue ended up in the bankruptcy of the GM, the world’s s econd largest automaker. The company delivers its products and services through the seven divisions including Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Opel, Holden, and Vauxhall. It is identified that the company’s operations are not well coordinated and there is no proper communication mechanism to facilitate up and down information flow across various management levels. As a result of a weaker organizational structure, the GM failed to address operational flaws in a timely

A holistic health approach Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

A holistic health approach - Assignment Example Throughout the world, the incidence and prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing. The phenomenon to childhood overweight and obesity is a growingly serious public health concern, and despite advancement in knowledge about these conditions, definite biomedical interventions have failed to achieve any success in controlling these potentially morbid conditions which have proven serious health consequences in the adult health profiles. This has been reflected in trebling of the prevalence of these conditions in the last 20 years, and many children are affected with the negative health consequences of obesity. The prevention of childhood obesity is an active research area. It is now clear that management and prevention of childhood obesity is a problem that would need a strategic focus. Intervention through community programs have been suggested as important means. The childhood obesity research summit indicates the need to investigate the ways obesity intersects with the health care system. It has also been suggested that there is a need for focus on ongoing research and public health policy initiatives. The intervention at the family life course approach is an option; however, the exact interventions are not known, since the theoretical backgrounds of the etiology of childhood obesity are not distinctly and specifically known. Research investigating the pathophysiological parameters may serve as information to design interventions. They indicate that there may be three perspectives, the epidemiological, pathological, or homeostatic or energy balance perspectives. All interventions thus should be directed to control these factors. Control of current overweight in children at a behavioral level and sustained behavioral changes and their promotions would lead to reduction of excess fat and would thus reduce the risks of future disease. Need to Pursue the Research The most successful approaches to weight management in childhood have been indicated to be comprehensive interventions involving behavior management in relation to diet and physical activity, which have implications in long-term weight control and overall health status. The clinical trials that have investigated these approaches and interventions are limited in their abilities to determine the relative efficacies of individual strategies. The basic fact is that there exists an imbalance between intake of energy and expenditure. For example dietary pattern, addiction to television, tendency to have sedentary lifestyles, and an overall paucity of physical activities play key roles in creating these imbalances and thus represent an opportunity for intervention in a holistic fashion. If such interventions are applicable in the home environment, it would be most ideal. Therefore, a research is indicated and due which is being proposed here which would investigate the role of holistic fami ly-oriented treatment in reducing pediatric obesity. The Research Question What is the role of holis

Principles of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Principles of Finance - Essay Example The composition and determination of the perfect capital structure has been an integral subject of research in corporate finance. The Nobel Prize winner theorem presented by Modigliani and Miller is the cornerstone of capital structure in today’s world. The crux of the theory is that under an effective market where there are no taxes, insolvency costs, agency costs, and asymmetric information, the value of a business is not established by sources of finance (Modigliani and Miller). They advocated that under perfect market condition, without any friction, the capital structure of the company does not influence its market value. Therefore, it is irrelevant whether an entity finances its capital by issuing shares or raising debt and the like ways. Similarly, an entity’s dividend policy is immaterial. Owing to these factors, this thermo is also termed as capital structure irrelevance principle. For instance, suppose there are two firms which are similar in every way except for their capital structures. One firm is financed merely through equity and the financial structure of the other one comprises of both, equity and debt (Miller). According to the ‘capital structure irrelevance principal’, both companies will carry the same worth. ... He went on to elaborate, â€Å"The Modigliani—Miller proposition says that if there were no costs of separation (and, of course, no government dairy support program), the cream plus the skim milk would bring the same price as the whole milk†. The heart of this analogy was that expanding debt (cream) diminishes the worth of existent equity (skimmed milk). If secure cash flows are sold to debt holders, the firm will possess lesser worth equity; hence, the aggregate worth of the firm will remain unaltered. In other words, the gain from what appears cheaper debt is set off against the riskier and more expensive equity. Thus, the constitution of capital from debt and equity would be futile, given a certain quantity of aggregate capital. This is because the weighted average for any possible compositions of the two finance alternatives to the firm will remain unaffected. However, the condition of perfect condition is restricted to theorems so businesses in the real world are n ot subject to this environment. In addition, it is extremely rare for the capital structure of a company to be completely based on debt. Myriad arguments have emerged in opposition to Modigliani—Miller theorem; these accentuate taxation, agency costs, insolvency, equity dilution, credit rationing, conflicting interest of management etc. Modigliani and Miller recommended for firms to have a certain borrowing ability in case of an economic upheaval. Taxes The most evident drawback of the Modigliani—Miller theorem is the supposition the subtraction of interest and corporate taxation. Under most financial frameworks, tax cannot be computed until the deduction of interest owed to debt holders from the corporate profits. Therefore, the amount of corporate tax not charged serves as a subsidy based on

United Nations AIDS Conference Simulation Essay

United Nations AIDS Conference Simulation - Essay Example This simulation activity involved the United Nations General Assemblies. According to Starkey, Boyer, Wilkenfeld, & Starkey (2010), the General Assembly is the deliberative faction of the United Nations and is made up of the United Nations member states each with a vote. The United Nations AIDS Committee is responsible for proposing and negotiating global resolutions in the fight against the HIV and AIDS epidemic (Starkey, Boyer, Wilkenfeld, & Starkey, 2010). Starkey, Boyer, Wilkenfeld, & Starkey further explain that these resolutions are then forwarded to the general assembly for a final vote (2010). Students were assigned different roles either as state delegates or non state delegates. The name of the committee was the United Nations General Assembly. The sponsor was the United Nations AIDS Committee who authored this resolution. Pre ambulatory phrases were used to state the issues that the Committee was to discuss and resolve. These statements stated the reasons for the Committee to resolve the issues. The issues discussed during the simulation included the reaffirmation of those resolutions that the United Nations General Assembly had developed in the previous assembly. The current and continual damage caused by the epidemic was identified. It was identified that there was need for the committee to restructure the techniques that were currently being used to combat the epidemic. The committee having realized the importance of nation states inputs on AIDS resolution efforts welcomed their ideas.

Unit 3 Seminar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 3 Seminar - Research Paper Example In the political arena, these sayings are tailored towards convincing the voters and the entire political allies that they simply expect the best. These phrases, slogans and sayings are representation of both truth and lie. Some of the users of these statements mean exactly what the statement outlines, while others take advantage of the audience by using convincing terms to make the audience fall prey. As much as they are used, care should be taken in order to differentiate deception from the truth. The communication characteristic of the above statements, slogans or expressions portrays a culture that is both true to type and a lie at the same time. Depending on the context within which these expressions are used, it is simple to differentiate the truth from the lies. Stereotypes are referred to as public beliefs about individuals or social groups (Bennett, 2009). These beliefs are not necessarily true. In the American community, examples of stereotypes include the belief that the African-Americans do well in sports. Another one is the belief that Mexicans went to America illegally. These stereotypes can be disputed on the ground that critical consideration of the issues they raise are vague. Although I held the first stereotype as true over a long period of time, my interaction with the African-Americans has proved otherwise. This happened out if the fact that there are many African-Americans in America who do not take part in any sport at all, and those who do are not always

Corparate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Corparate finance - Essay Example One of the most significant challenges that most SMEs have faced regardless of their country of origin is the problem of access to financing for their operations as well as for their growth and development. Studies reveal that most SMES are characterized by very tight budgets and liquidity constraints and are therefore constantly in search of new sources of financing (Jiang, Li & Lin, 2014). According to Abereijo and Fayomi (2005), the generation of entrepreneurial ideas is not normally a difficult challenge for most people, however, the generation or availability of funds to translate the idea into a running business is another. A lot of ideas have that were considered excellent and innovative have been known to die simply due to the fact that the entrepreneurs who came up with them lacked funds to translate them to businesses and also due to the fact that financial institutions could not agree to invest in them. It is therefore important to note that finance from whichever source, is critical for the growth and development of SMEs and in order to maximize the profits realized from the business. Given the nature of SMEs as shown above, there is therefore critical need for the financing of their activities mostly from external sources of finance (Briozzo, 2012). It has been suggested that on a general scope, SMEs normally have four main financing requirements: these are the initial investments on infrastructure, the operational costs which are sometimes required in lump sum amount, growth and expansion, and finally, unexpected opportunities that arise during the course of operations requiring a quick access to finances. It is however noted that despite the glaring need for finances, most SMEs often choose to use internal sources of finances for example from the entrepreneurs own funds or from the cash flows from operations instead of choosing external sources of finance. This choice is normally determined by the relative

Pay Equity In Labor Force Movement Essay Example for Free

Pay Equity In Labor Force Movement Essay Debates about women’s rights at work and the gendered dimensions of employment inequality were notable and contested features of Canadian political discourse throughout the second half of the twentieth century. Concern about these issues took root during the 1940s, when women experienced dramatic shifts in their employment opportunities as a result of being drawn into and later jettisoned from the reserve army of wartime labor. Pressure to improve women’s employment conditions, particularly in the burgeoning public sector, recurred in the mid-1950s. However, it was in the 1960s, once the second wave of feminism took root in Canada, that women began to develop a sustained critique of the employment inequalities they experienced and pressure their governments to address the problem through policy innovation and change. (Westhues, 45-58) From the outset of second-wave feminism, women advanced analyses of employment inequality that took account of their labor in both the public and domestic spheres. As Brockman noted, activists â€Å"drew attention, as had never been done before, to the fundamental incompatibility between reproductive labor and child care, on the one hand, and paid work on the other, as well as to the profound consequences of this incompatibility. † (Brockman, 78-93) While liberal, radical, and socialist feminists approached this issue from different ideological vantage points, they shared a common belief that the causes of gender inequality in employment were not rooted solely in the workplace. Only, they claimed, if questions about women’s employment in the public sphere were addressed in tandem with questions about their labor in the domestic sphere would the gendered dimensions of employment inequality be fully understood. In particular, feminists thought that women’s maternal work had to be recognized in discussions about promoting gender equality in the workplace. As Westhues, a well-known socialist feminist, once argued, â€Å"As long as women have the primary responsibility for maintenance of the home and for child care, we will be less than able to pursue job opportunities and our domestic commitments will be used to justify discriminatory employment practices. † (Westhues, 45-58) Growing awareness of the need to link questions about production and reproduction in analyses of women’s economic position was by no means unique to Canadian feminism. It was, for example, well established in the early writing of second-wave feminists in Britain and the United States. What did, however, distinguish Canadian feminists from their counterparts in these other liberal democracies was an ability to work together, despite ideological differences, in order to advance this double-edged critique of gender inequality in employment. Right from the start of the contemporary women’s movement, Canadian feminists engaged with the state, demanding policies that recognized the link between women’s employment opportunities and the provision of child care. Canadian feminists lobbied both federal and provincial governments about the need to improve women’s employment opportunities and expand the provision of child care. It was in the federal arena, however, that women (outside Quebec) focused their demands for the development of policies that acknowledged the link between these two issues. In some respects, this federal focus was surprising. After all, only one-tenth of the Canadian labor force is regulated by the federal government, and even at the start of second-wave feminism both federal and provincial governments had been involved in employment opportunity and child care initiatives. Moreover, even though the federal government has the constitutional capacity to use its spending power to underwrite the provision of state-subsidized child care, it is the provinces that retain constitutional control over the delivery of this service. The federal focus of women’s campaigns was encouraged by the fact that the renaissance of Canadian feminism occurred within the context of a broader social project to achieve universal welfare guarantees, assured by the Canadian state. It was reinforced by the government of Canada’s decision to establish the 1967 Royal Commission on the Status of Women (RCSW) to inquire how best the federal government could ensure that women enjoyed â€Å"equal opportunities with men in all aspects of Canadian society. † It has since been sustained by the work of activists in national organizations, in particular the National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC), founded in 1972, and the Canadian Day Care Advocacy Association (CDCAA), established in 1982 and renamed the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (CCAAC) in 1992. However, despite a long history of feminist engagement with the federal state, women’s repeated campaigns for the development of policies to address the double-edged nature of gender inequality in employment, and the clear recognition of these demands in reports of royal commissions and task forces, the federal policy response has been uneven. Policies to eradicate sex discrimination at work and promote women’s employment opportunities have been developed and implemented in the federal policy sphere. By contrast, the federal government has not developed policies to promote a publicly funded system of child care in order to enhance women’s employment opportunities, save as emergency measures during the Second World War or as an element of broader initiatives to get â€Å"welfare mothers† out to work. Instead it has treated child care as a fiscal issue for which parents can receive subsidies through federal taxation. This paper examines why a double-edged interpretation of women’s employment inequality, which recognizes the public and domestic dimensions of women’s work, has not been fully absorbed into federal policies to promote gender equality in the sphere of employment. The analysis follows the development of debates about women’s rights at work from the period of reconstruction after the Second World War, when questions about eradicating employment discrimination against worker-citizens first emerged in Canadian political debate, through to the close of the twentieth century. It examines federal policy developments under Liberal and Conservative governments, showing that even though the reports of federal royal commissions and task forces encoded feminist demands for a double-edged attack on employment inequality, questions about promoting women’s employment equality and child care were continually driven apart in the federal policy process. Women’s Paid and Caring Work  While this is by no means the first time that scholars have considered the relationship between Canadian women’s work inside and outside the home, it is noticeable how the link between these two aspects of women’s labor was explored by historians and sociologists before being addressed by analysts of public policy. In the late 1970s, members of the Women’s History Collective at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and the Clio Collective in Montreal pioneered research in Canada on how women’s labor had shifted from the unpaid domestic sphere into the world of paid employment. In the process, they unearthed textual and oral histories that demonstrated how, despite this transition, women still faced the double bind of a double-day in which they went out to work for pay and home to work for love. Their findings were reinforced in late 1970s and 1980s by sociological analyses of women’s work arguing that because women so often entered employment while maintaining primary responsibility for the care of their children, they frequently found themselves concentrated in low-paid, low-status employment. Despite the fact that historians, sociologists, and feminist activists drew attention to the â€Å"double ghetto† of women’s working lives, discussions about policies to promote women’s employment opportunities and improve the provision of child care evolved as distinct scholarly debates. The literature on policies to promote Canadian women’s employment opportunities emerged within the context of broader discussions and debates about the development of policies to root out discrimination in the workplace. By contrast, the literature on Canadian child care policy evolved around questions about the development, cost, and politics of implementing public policies to promote the welfare, education, care, and development of young children. In recent years, however, policy analysts have paid much greater attention to the link between women’s paid and caring work. Jacobs, 120-128) Nonetheless, no one has yet considered why Canadian government policies to promote women’s employment opportunities and improve the provision of child care have been developed at such different rates and, despite repeated calls to the contrary, not linked in the design of public policies to promote gender equality in federally regulated employment. This pattern of inquiry is understandable, given the discrete historical development of policies concerned with child care and those concerned with women’s employment. However, it unduly limits our understanding of the gendered dimensions of employment inequality in Canada and fails to capture the empirical reality of many women’s working lives. Double-Edged Nature of Women’s Employment Inequality Why did women’s double-edged demand for equal employment opportunities and child care emerge in Canada in the 1960s and 1970s? After all, from the mid-1950s Canada experienced one of the fastest rates of labor force feminization in the Western industrialized world. The decline of manufacturing industries and the concomitant growth of the tertiary sector in the 1950s and 1960s meant that while industries that had traditionally attracted men closed down, those demanding support skills that had long characterized women’s traditional domestic roles expanded. Moreover, in countries like Canada, where welfare states were being established, the growth in women’s employment intensified most quickly. The much trumpeted rise in female labor force participation rates did not, however, mean that women engaged in paid employment on the same terms as men. The occupational segregation of Canadian men and women persisted in both horizontal and vertical forms. In fact, this process intensified with the increased participation of women in the paid labor force. As a result, the vast majority of women found themselves working in poorly paid occupations, situated in the lower echelons of private companies and public sector organizations. Moreover, as Jacobs have noted, although the creation of welfare states meant that â€Å"women as a group had more employment opportunities open up for them than men† in the mid-twentieth century, the growth in women’s employment was in the part-time sector of the labor force, which was increasingly dominated by women in all OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. Jacobs, 120-128) This simply intensified the inequalities of employment opportunity that women experienced because part-time work is concentrated in the least-skilled, lowest-paid, and most poorly organized sections of the labor force, where benefits are usually more limited than in the full-time sector. The rapid growth in women’s participation in part-time rather than fulltime employment reflects two other factors about the feminization of the Canadian labor force. On the one hand, it relates to the type of work that the service sector has generated and to the increasing flexibility demanded of its employees. On the other hand, it reflects the fact that the greatest increase in female labor force participation rates since the 1960s has been among women with young children. In the early 1960s, most female employees in Canada would leave the workforce when their first child was born and return only when their youngest child had entered school. By the mid-1980s most women with young children went out to work. Indeed, as Pendakur have noted, â€Å"By 1991 all traces of the reproduction function had disappeared with female labor force participation rates peaking in the major family-rearing age categories†. The double burden that women experience from juggling their employment while continuing to care for their children has been reinforced by the limited provision of subsidized child care spaces in Canada. In the late 1960s, when women began to pressure the federal government to address the minimal provision of child care for working women, federal subsidies for child care were limited to support for welfare mothers under the 1966 Canada Assistance Plan. This pattern changed very little in the course of the twentieth century, although federal subsidies to support child care for low-income families became increasingly tied to efforts to get mothers receiving welfare out to work. Although recent federal publications on the status of day care in Canada boast â€Å"a twenty-five-fold increase† in child care spaces since the government first gathered these data in 1971, in fact the proportion of children of working mothers who have access to regulated child care remains very low. As a result, most working parents remain highly dependent on informal, unregulated child care. Indeed, as Brockman noted, in the mid-1990s â€Å"children in informal child care arrangements accounted for eighty per cent of all child care used by parents in Canada. † (Brockman, 78-93) The federal state in Canada has addressed questions about promoting equal employment opportunities for men and women in the public sphere with relative ease but has failed to recognize that this project cannot be achieved without addressing the questions of child care that affect so many women’s working lives. While the reasons for this are complex, some insights from feminist theory may help us to begin this exploration. In recent years, a number of feminist theorists have discussed how the concept of worker-citizenship that took root as welfare states were developed in countries such as Canada did not take account of the different contexts in which women and men often assumed employment. (Pendakur, 111-120) As a result, when questions about promoting equal employment opportunities for men and women began to emerge in the 1950s and ’60s, they were framed in terms of women achieving the same opportunities as men. Indeed, Canadian have tried to develop a more nuanced concept of worker citizenship that not only respects the objective of equality of opportunity but also takes workers’ particular circumstances into account and, in the case of women, enables them to integrate their paid and caring work better. In the process, women have argued that a state that upholds the principle of gender equality must develop policies that take account of the interconnectedness of the public and domestic spheres and recognize the different contexts in which men and women often assume employment. Conclusion Nonetheless, although Canadian feminists have a long history of active engagement with the state, developed through a â€Å"visible and articulate women’s movement† that has successfully placed issues on the political agenda, the result, more often than not, has been that their demands have been contained within a limited set of reforms. As a result, those aspects of gender discrimination in the workplace that concern practices within the public sphere have been acknowledged through the introduction of anti-discrimination and employment equity policies. By contrast, women have had more difficulty getting their proposals for policies that transcend the public/ private divide, by linking questions of equal employment opportunity with those of child care, acknowledged in the federal policy arena. Despite their efforts to forge these links through two major royal commissions and other government inquiries, problems of gender inequality in employment are still primarily defined as issues located within the public sphere of employment. Without doubt, over the past thirty years there have been clear improvements in the position of women in the federally regulated section of the Canadian labor force. Nonetheless, women continue to cluster in the lower echelons of companies and organizations and remain under-represented in more senior positions. While this persistent pattern of inequality has many causes, paper shows how it reflects a federal policy process that concentrates on ensuring the comparable treatment of male and female employees once they have entered the labor market, yet, for complex reasons, repeatedly stalls on developing a more expansive approach to child care. As a result, federal policies to promote gender equality in the sphere of employment neglect the inequalities of access and participation that many women experience as they continue or resume employment once they have dependent children.

Differentiation Between Respiration and Breathing

Differentiation Between Respiration and Breathing Report: The differentiation between respiration and breathing and an explanation of the adaptation of the alveoli and their role in gas exchange. Introduction This report will explore the differences between respiration and breathing by defining their structures and functions and attaching a hand drawn diagram of the respiratory tract to refer to. The author will also give an explanation of how gasses are exchanged through the alveoli by providing a table explaining the composition of inhaled and exhaled air. A description of the adaptations of the alveoli will be provided to show how they maximise the effectiveness of gas exchange. A summary will then be drawn from the findings. Differences between respiration and breathing The Respiratory System (Appendix .1) The respiratory system consists of tissues and also organs that help with the process of breathing. The core parts of this important system are the airways, lungs, linked blood vessels, and also the muscles that allow breathing. Airways The airways are pipes that carry oxygen to the lungs. They also carry waste gas, such as carbon dioxide out of the lungs. The airways consists of; linked air passages in the nose, (called nasal cavities), the mouth, Larynx (voice box), the trachea (windpipe) and lastly tubes named bronchi or also known as bronchial tubes, and also their branches. Air moves into the body through the mouth and nose, which warms and also wets the air. (Dry cold air can irritate the lungs causing problems for asthma sufferers). The air then moves down the Larynx and through the trachea. The windpipe splits into two bronchial tubes, the ait moves through here and then enters the lungs (Remedy Health Media, 2015). A thin flap of tissue named the epiglottis, covers the windpipe when swallowing. This prevents both food and drink from entering the air passageways that lead to the lungs, if this failed to be successful an individual could die. With an exception of some parts of the nose and the mouth, all of the other airways have special hairs known as cilia that are coated with tacky/sticky mucus. These cilia trap foreign particles and germs that enter the airways when breathing in. These tiny, fine hairs then collect the particles up to the mouth or nose. From there, theyre swallowed, sneezed or coughed out. Nose hairs and mouth saliva also trap germs and particles. Lungs and Blood Vessels Remedy Health Media (2015), also suggest that linked blood vessels and also the lungs carry oxygen to the human body and also remove carbon dioxide. The lungs are situated on either side of the breastbone and fill the area of the chest cavity. The left hand lung is ever so slightly smaller than the right hand lung to allow room for the cardiac muscle (heart). In both lungs, the bronchi divide into thousands of thinner tubes known as bronchioles and these thin tubes end in bunches of tiny rounded air sacs known as alveoli. Each of the alveoli are covered with little blood vessels known as capillaries. The capillaries connect to a complex system of veins and arteries that transport blood through the whole body. The pulmonary artery including also its branches carry blood which is holding only carbon dioxide and no oxygen to the capillaries that surround the alveoli. Inside the alveoli, carbon dioxide transfers from the blood into the air. In conjunction with this, oxygen transfers from the air and into the blood within the capillaries. The blood which is now carrying the oxygen moves to the heart through the pulmonary vein and also its branches. The cardiac muscle pumps the blood holding the oxygen out to the body. The lungs are separated into five sections known as lobes. Some individuals have to have a diseased lung lobe removed, however they can still breathe sufficiently by using their remaining lung lobes. Muscles Used for Breathing Human Kinetics (2015), state that muscles situated near to the lungs help expand (loosen) and contract, (tighten) the lungs to allow breathing. These muscles comprise of the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, abdominal muscles and muscles in the neck and also collarbone area. The diaphragm is the main muscle for breathing and is dome-shaped and located beneath the lungs. It divides the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. They also explain that the intercostal muscles are positioned between the ribs. They also play a huge part in helping with our breathing. Beneath the diaphragm are the abdominal muscles. They help with breathing out when we breathe fast (for example, during exercise). Muscles in the neck and also collarbone area help with inhalation when other muscles involved in breathing dont work as well as they should, or when lung disease impairs breathing capacity. Breathing Inhalation Hyper physics (2012), explain that during inhalation, the diaphragm contracts (tightens) and moves down which maximises the space in the chest, allowing room for the lungs to expand. The intercostal muscles situated in between the ribs also help to enlarge the chest. They contract to move the rib cage both up and out when inhaling. As the lungs capacity increases, air is drawn in through the mouth and nose. The air makes its way through the windpipe and enters the lungs. After making its way through the bronchial tubes, the air finally reaches and moves into the alveoli. Through the extremely thin walls of the alveoli, oxygen taken from the air moves to the capillaries. Haemoglobin, a red blood cell protein aids the movement of oxygen from the alveoli to the blood. In conjunction with this, carbon dioxide travels from the capillaries into the alveoli. The gas has travelled in the bloodstream from the right side of the heart through the pulmonary artery. Blood carrying oxygen from the lungs is carried through the capillaries to the pulmonary vein which delivers the oxygenated blood to the left side of the heart. The left side of the heart pumps the blood to the rest of the body. There, the oxygen in the blood moves from blood vessels into surrounding tissues (Hyper physics, 2012). Exhalation During the act exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes and moves up and into the chest cavity. The intercostal muscles which sit between the ribs also relax to decrease the space available within the chest cavity. As this available space in the chest cavity reduces, air rich in carbon dioxide is forced out of the lungs and then windpipe, and lastly out of the mouth or nose (Boundless Biology, 2015). Exhalation requires no effort unless lung disease is apparent or physical activity is taking place. During physically activity, the stomach muscles contract and force the diaphragm against the lungs more than usual which rapidly pushes air out of the lungs (Boundless Biology, 2015). The adaptations of the alveoli and their role in gas exchange Gas exchange An exchange of gases takes place within the alveoli, between the gases inside the alveoli and the blood. Blood that arrives in the alveoli has a greater carbon dioxide concentration which is produced during  respiration  by the body’s cells. However, the air in the alveoli has a much smaller concentration of carbon dioxide, resulting in a concentration gradient  which allows carbon dioxide to  diffuse  out of the blood and into the alveolar air (Intel, 2014). Also according to Intel (2014), blood arriving in the alveoli has a lower oxygen concentration (as it has been used for respiration by the body’s cells), while the air in the alveoli has a higher oxygen concentration. Therefore, oxygen moves into the blood by diffusion and combines with the  haemoglobin  in red blood cells to form the combined oxyhaemoglobin. This table taken from BBC (2014), shows the differences (estimated figures) in the composition of inhaled and exhaled air. Adaptations of the alveoli According to ABPI (2015), to maximise the effectiveness of gas exchange, the alveoli have numerous adaptations such as, they are folded, providing a much greater  surface area  for gas exchange to occur. Also the walls of the alveoli are only one cell thick which makes the exchange surface very thin shortening the diffusion distance across which gases have to move. Each alveolus is surrounded by blood  capillaries  which ensure a good blood supply. This is important as the blood is constantly taking oxygen away and bringing in more carbon dioxide, which helps to maintain the maximum concentration gradient between the blood and the air in the alveoli. Lastly each alveolus is  ventilated, removing waste carbon dioxide and replenishing oxygen levels in the alveolar air. This also helps to maintain the maximum concentration gradient between the blood and the air in the alveoli (ABPI, 2015). Summary This report has explored the differences between respiration and breathing by defining their structures and functions. The author has also give an explanation of how gasses are exchanged through the alveoli by providing a table explaining the composition of inhaled and exhaled air. A description of the adaptations of the alveoli has been provided to show how they maximise the effectiveness of gas exchange. Bibliography About. Com (2015) [Online] Available from: http://backandneck.about.com/od/breathing/a/breathingvencir_2.htm [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. BBC GCSE Bitesize (2014) [Online] Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/pe/appliedanatomy/1_anatomy_respiratorysys_rev1.shtml [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Boundless Biology (2015) [Online] Available from: https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-textbook/the-respiratory-system-39/breathing-221/the-mechanics-of-human-breathing-838-12083/ [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Boyle, M, Indge, B and Senior, K. 1999. Human Biology. London: Harper Collins. Human Kinetics (2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/learn-the-anatomy-and-physiology-of-the-muscles-involved-in-breathing [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Hyper Physics (2012) [Online] Available from: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/respir.html [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Intel Corporation (2014) [Online] Available from: http://inteleducationresources.intel.co.uk/content/KeyStage3/Biology/PC/LearningSteps/AOALC/LO_Template.swf [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Joeseph, C. 2014. Anatomy. Ivy Press. Modelo Dynamic Views (2013) [Online] Available from: http://ibbiology2012.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/describe-features-of-alveoli-that-adapt.html [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Preserve Articles (2012) [Online] Available from: http://www.preservearticles.com/201101133233/difference-between-breathing-and-respiration.html [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Remedy Health Media (2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.healthcommunities.com/pulmonology-anatomy/respiratory-tract-anatomy.shtml [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Ricardo Espulgas (2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.sci-culture.com/advancedpoll/GCSE/differencebetweenbreathingandrespiration.htm [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Roberts, A. 2014. Human Anatomy, The Definitive Visual Guide. Dorling Kindersley Limited. The association of the Pharmaceutical Industry ABPI (2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.abpischools.org.uk/page/modules/breathingandasthma/asthma4.cfm?coSiteNavigation_allTopic=1 [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Wen MD (2005-2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.webmd.com/lung/pulmonary-vascular-disease [Accessed: 5th May 2015]. Dominique Rundle

Dale v. Boy Scouts of America Essay -- Homosexual Rights Court Papers

Dale v. Boy Scouts of America This case deals with the Plaintiff's expulsion from his position as Assistant Scoutmaster in a Boy Scouts of America (henceforth called "BSA") troop due to his status as an active homosexual. Dale, the Plaintiff, was serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster in 1990, when, due to a local newspaper article, it was discovered by officials in the local Monmouth BSA Council that he was an active homosexual. A letter was sent to Dale by the Council, notifying him of their decision to revoke his membership in the organization. Dale sent a letter in response, asking why this action was taken. The Council then notified Dale that his homosexual activities made him ineligible for membership in the BSA, as well as making him ineligible to serve as an adult leader. In September 1990, Dale contacted the BSA Regional Director, requesting a review of the expulsion decision. The Regional Director's office responded to Dale via letter, notifying him of the Director's decision to support the Council's actio n, and also notifying him of the National BSA Council's pending review of the case. New Jersey Superior Court Analysis Rather than wait for the National Council's decision, Dale filed a lawsuit in the New Jersey Superior Court against the BSA in July 1992. In the lawsuit, Dale claimed that the BSA is a place of public accommodation, and as such, violated the New Jersey Laws Against Discrimination (LAD). LAD states the following: "All persons shall have the opportunity to obtain employment, and to obtain all the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of any place of public accommodation, publicly assisted housing accommodation, and other real property without discrimination because of race, creed... ...significant precedent. It is also quite conceivable that Dale will last no longer than the current class of Supreme Court Justices. Assuming a few more years, it is doubtful that Dale would have been decided the same. One never knows. Perhaps this case will be seen as another Plessy v. Ferguson. Works Cited New Jersey Supreme Court. Dale v. Boy Scouts of America et. al. URL: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/courts/supreme/a-195-97.opn.html Superior Court of New Jersey-Appellate Division. Dale v. Boy Scouts of America et. al. URL: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/courts/appellate/a2427-95.opn.html United States Supreme Court. Boy Scouts of America et. al. v. Dale. URL:http://usgovinfo.about.com/newsissues/usgovinfo/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://caselaw.findlaw.com/cgi%2Dbin/getcase.pl%3Fcourt=US%26amp%3Bnavby=case%26amp%3Bvol=000%26amp%3Binvol=99%2D699

The Individuality of Daisy in Henry James Daisy Miller Essay -- Henry

Why did James create such a beguiling and bewildering character? Since the publication of James's novel in 1878, Daisy has worn several labels, among them "flirt," "innocent," and "American Girl." Daisy's representation of an American Girl of the late 19th century is evident. Her free-spiritedness and individuality reflect the social movement of the American middle-class. The â€Å"depths† of Daisy Miller that Kelley refers to could be read as â€Å"unsounded,† since the reader receives little insight to her feelings, and â€Å"unappreciated,† based on the perceptions of most characters. James likely viewed Daisy as admirable because of the individuality displayed in her actions, attitudes, and contrast to Winterbourne. When she enters the novella, Daisy quickly defies European conventions: after speaking with Winterbourne as though they had been long acquainted, he notes, â€Å"She had a spirit of her own† (472). Though perhaps not surprising to modern audiences, Daisy shocks Winterbourne, her mother, and Eugenio when she asks Winterbourne to take her out in a boat at night, declaring, â€Å"That's all I want -- a little fuss† (483). This assertive nature is later seen when Daisy invites Winterbourne to travel with the Millers and teach her brother Randolph, likely violating the etiquette with which Winterbourne is so familiar (471); ignoring the expectations for subtlety that Winterbourne complies with, Daisy tells him, â€Å"I don't want you to come [to Rome] for your aunt, I want you to come for me† (485). In Rome, Daisy continues conducting herself independent from the external influences of society. Mrs. Costello, who represents the geographically transcendent society, remarks that Daisy is a â€Å"dreadful girl† (477); she updates Winterbou... ...s too late[;] she was ‘carried away’ by Mr. Giovanelli† (501), and similarly when he acknowledges to Mrs. Costello that he had mistakenly thought Daisy reciprocated his affection (506). Thus when Winterbourne reveals â€Å"it was on his conscience that he had done [Daisy] injustice† (506), he probably refers to his deciding that she was not respectable (503), in addition to his comment about whether she was engaged. Daisy Miller can be viewed as an endorsement for individuality: James celebrates Daisy's independence in the face of society's imposition while ruining Winterbourne’s prospects for happiness as a consequence for his passivity. Readers should pity Winterbourne, and thusly admire and sympathize for Daisy; regardless of her dying, Daisy did not live unhappily like Winterbourne does. Works Cited James, Henry. Daisy Miller. New York: Penguin Books, 1986.

The Game of Hackysac or Footbag :: essays research papers

The Game of Hackysac or Footbag What if I told you that in my hand I hold the secret to world harmony that diplomats have been searching for for centerys. That a toy about the size of a plumb can improve your physical and mental well being tremendously. It may sound corny, but it may even bring you at peace with the world. You may call me crazy, but I believe that this little devise can do all these things. This is the hackysac, or footbag as it is officially known, and it is the only component necessary in a very exciting game. But to me, it is much more than a game. To me, it is an expressive dance, a natural high, an important social skill that everyone should become familiar. I am now going familiarize you with this social skill by explaining some philosophy behind it and showing you some basic kicks. The Olympics claim to promote peace and unity, but any hacker will tell you the true goodwill game is hackysack. It has kept warrior guards awake in ancient China, warmed up the legs of soccer players, and helped treat sports injuries by stretching muscles and tendons. Through it's lattest incarnation, though, it's the ultimate neo-hippie sport;the athletic equivalent of tie-dyed clothing or listening to the Grateful Dead. Hackysac's reputation as a game of peace, love and understanding may have begun during a 1987 American-Soviet peace walk protesting the arms race. As hack circles developed along the road from Leningrad to Moscow, people joked that summit meetings weren't the answer and the true secret to lasting peace among nations lay in the game of hackysack. The dynamics of the game reinforce the hac's image of a game of good-will. Basically, the hac is pass through the air with any part of the body except the hands and arms. A circle is formed as more people join in, and there is no limit to the number of players. In fact, the more the merrier since the fun increases with more players. This makes the sport inherently welcoming, all you need do is ask and your in. The circle itself is significant in that it makes everyone equal, there is no single "important" position, no quarterbacks, centers, goalies, or bench warmers. Best of all, you can hack just about anywhere except in line at the bank. A friend of mine once asked me, "Why do you play hackysac? You can't score and you can't win." To which I responded, "Exactly." The fact that emphasis is not place on scoring or wining is the beauty of the sport.

Choosing the best harware for my system Essay

      Paint Free with every computer The main use of paint is that you can create drawing on the computer and you can also design stuff as well. The advantage of paint is that you can actually draw your picture. The disadvantage of paint is that your drawing isn’t accurate if you have a steady hand. It is very easy and straight forward to use. You cannot use it in any advanced data. Every one can use paint to create4 anything. Some people may find it very childish and might not like it. Alternatives This table is about the application I am going to use and the alternative application I am going to use. Name of Application. Alternative Application The way it works Advantages Disadvantage Difference it would make if I used it Microsoft word Notepad The way it works is that it is special application that enables to write things and also you can write your work in such way that suits you best. The advantage of Microsoft is that you can do a publish your in various ways. The disadvantage of Microsoft word is that it takes quite a lot of space. The difference that it would make to use Microsoft word it would be much easier, better and more sufficient. Another advantage is that you can you can do your in such a way that it fit you best. The thing bad about notepad is that the entire font has to be the same type of font. Notepad takes very little space. You cannot put pictures in notepad which makes it look bad. Microsoft access Open office base The way it works is for creating switchboard and web pages. The advantages of Microsoft access is that there are so many ways of creating a switchboard and you can choose any way you like. The disadvantage of a Microsoft access is that it is made for small business and not for big business. The difference that it would make to use Microsoft access it would be much easier, better and more sufficient. It is very fast and reliable. It takes up a lot of memory. It is very easy and straight forward. Office has fewer tools than access and less professional. Internet explorer Mozilla Firefox This works by You clicking on the application then a page should appear on the screen and you can go on any website you want. Mozilla Firefox is very fast compared to internet explorer. It is more expensive than internet explorer because it is better than it. Mozilla Firefox is much better than internet explorer because it is the latest application out and though it takes more space on your memory but it is more secure. There is less chance you will get a virus when you download things. Mozilla Firefox takes time to load on websites that have viruses. It is more secure than internet explorer. Mozilla Firefox is more complicated because less tools. Paint Adobe Photoshop The main use of Paint is that you can create drawing on the computer and you can also design stuff as well. Paint is very simple and straight forward. The disadvantage of paint is that your drawing isn’t accurate if you have a steady hand. The difference it would make if I used paint is that it would be easy and also it comes free on the computer. Paint can be used by anyone even children. Another disadvantage is that people might think that paint is not suitable for them due to its childishness. Paint already comes with the computer. Also It is slow to use and the file document for paint looks too childish and also pictures cannot be uploaded on database. Input The input devices that I am going to use are keyboard, mouse and scanner because these help me to create a database. Device Speed Errors that can be made Way to correct errors Keyboard The keyboard doesn’t actually have a speed that it works it depends on how the fast the typist is. The errors that can be made is that when someone is typing too fast or normally then they can press the wrong buttons and then the word becomes the wrong spelling which can lead to problems such as, if you spell the name wrong then the ticket can be addressed to the wrong person and also if you enter the address wrong then the ticket will be sent to a different address. This will cause a lot of hassle. The ways to correct this is asking the customer what he has said and to reassure that he has said the right things and if the customer has said a letter then you can use phonetics like â€Å"a† for â€Å"apple. † Mouse The speed of the mouse depends on how fast the user actually moves the mouse. The errors that can be made with a mouse is that you click on the wrong thing and this could also lead to a lot of difficulties because if someone booking a ticket to a certain place then if an employee clicks on the wrong place or the wrong time it will cause a lot of havoc. The ways to prevent these mistakes is by when the employee is talking to a customer then he should double check that what he is clicking also another way you can prevent these thing is by having shortcuts and switchboard so that there is less chance of clicking the wrong thing. Scanner The speed of the scanner depends on how powerful the scanner is like if it is powerful then the scanner will be quick for scanning. The errors that can be made on a scanner is that if someone is accidentally put the paper the wrong way round then the picture that appears on the screen will be also the wrong way round this will be trouble for the company because if their logo is the wrong way round then the they will put their logo up and when they do that the customer will see that the company is not professionally trained and then customers might not join the company. The ways to prevent this is by double checking first if the paper is the right way round and that the lit of the scanner is shut properly and to see if you have typed in the right settings and that you give the scanner enough time to scan. Keyboard To detect errors in my work I used spelling and grammar checker, which showed me the errors that I had made in my work. I also proof read the work to make sure there were no errors. To correct errors in my work I used spelling and grammar checker which gave me suggestions for my errors. I corrected some errors manually by reading through the work and then correcting the errors and I also right-clicked on the mistake and chose from the matching/possible spellings. To prevent errors from happening in my work I checked and read everything whilst typing to make sure no errors were being made. To prevent any errors in typing I used the validation technique to ensure that the data entered was valid. I also used drop down boxes to limit the search to make it easier to find the data. Mouse To detect errors in my work I checked that there were no extra/unwanted lines or marking made and that no other program or tool was clicked besides the one that I wanted. I corrected the errors in my work by using the eraser to erase unwanted lines or markings and I closed the program that had opened accidentally and opened the one that I needed for my work. To prevent errors from happening in my work I drew everything carefully and slowly and did the drawing step by step to make sure no unwanted markings/lines were made. I also clicked items carefully to make sure that no other programs or tools were opened or clicked. I also used specific buttons to automatically draw a proper line or to direct me exactly to the location I wanted to reach. Scanner To detect errors in my work I used spelling and grammar checker and proof read the work to make sure there were no errors. I also checked that the scanned image/text was exactly the same way around as the original piece. To correct errors in my work I used spelling and grammar checker to correct the mistakes and rotated the image/text back to its original form if it had been scanned up side down. To prevent errors from happening in my work I made sure that the paper was put the right way around on the scanner glass and the cover was closed properly to prevent smudging of letters. Effects of Inaccurate Data If you have inaccurate data it will affect your system and may lead to customer leaving. Data Effect Way it can be prevented. Name spelt incorrectly The ticket could be given to the wrong person or else when the person calls in to book another flight the customer will be told that the staff member could not find his/her account this will result in wasting further time as employees will have to either create a new account or ask for further details. If the customer discovers that the company is not very professional as they make a lot of mistakes then this can result in the company losing important members and customers. The ways this problem can be prevented is that when the customer phones in, when the employee is speaking to the customer and the customer tells him his detail then when he says something the employee can use phonetics e. g. â€Å"a† for â€Å"apple† or other than that the employee can use headphones to hear the customer more clearly or use a webcam to see the actual customer and there will be less chance of the employee to make a mistake and these are they way it can be prevented. Address not correct, such as postcode The effect of the address not being type in correct is a great thing because when the company sends the ticket to the wrong household then when the customer asks when the ticket is going to arrive then there will be confusion and argument and by this the customer might leave or the will further wasted time by making a new one. The way to prevent this problem is that when the customer tells his detail and when the employee hears then there should be validation and verification then there will be less chance of misconception. Recommendations not checked correctly If the recommendation is not entered properly then what the customer would have wanted on the flight will not be there and if it is a old person that requires space then if the company entered the wrong recommendation then it will cause the old person a lot of trouble. To prevent the wrong recommendation then the company could put the right input mask in then there will be less chance of the recommendation being type incorrectly. Gender not entered correctly. If the gender is not entered in properly then when they are boarding or in the airport then there will think that the customer will be trying to fraud his passport and this will cause a great hassle. Also if the gender is entered wrong it can cause the customer a lot of embarrassment. To prevent this type of mistake then the company should put validation and verification and make it only they can enter the words â€Å"male† or â€Å"female† and by doing this will reduce the chance of making a mistake in writing whether male or female. Date of birth not entered in correct format. The problem if the date of birth is not typed correctly then when the customer goes to the airport it could can be very embarrassing and after the customer might chose to leave the company. To prevent this mistake the company when making the database they could put in the right ‘Input Mask’ and the right data type. Subscriptions not entered in correct format If the subscription is entered incorrectly then if like a fat person asked for 2 seats then if they get it wrong then when the fat person goes in the plane then it will cause him a lot of hassle. To prevent this mistake then the company should put in the correct input mask and the right data type and also use phonetics and this will lower the chance of making a mistake. The best method of getting the most accurate information is to re-check with the customers. Validation When someone is entering data into something it is very vital for you to enter it correctly. This is why validation comes in. The actual meaning of validation is to make sure the data is allowable like when you get a database and when it says enter gender and if you enter something besides â€Å"male† or â€Å"female† then it does not allow you this what validation it. I need validation for my database because when someone uses it then there is less chance that someone will make an error this is why I going to use validation. Verification (It was mentioned earlier that validation cannot make sure data that you enter is correct, it can only check that it is sensible, reasonable and allowable. However, it is important that the data in your database is as accurate as possible. Verification can be used to help make sure that the data in your database contains as few mistakes as possible. ) This is from Teach me ICT. Com by this you can see that when verification is the like the second step of validation that make sure that you most likely not to get a mistake and lowers the chance to get a mistake. Output This table is the output devices that I am going to use. Device Type The way it works Advantages Disadvantages Best place to use it Printer Laser The la.

Managing Strategy: Case Study of Thornton plc Essay

1.0 Thornton Plc – an Overview: Occupying 8 percent market share of the UK boxed chocolate market in the year 2002 the company Thornton had witnessed a decline in its profits even from the year 1998. The turnover of the company and the operating profits of the company for the years 1994 to 2003 are presented below: The company was largely depending on its in house manufacturing facility and also adopted the marketing strategy of distributing the products through its own retail units established throughout the country. To some extent the company also adopted the franchising route also. Though the company was rich in its internal resources and good in the new product developments, the manufacturing and marketing strategy adopted by the company posed difficulties in meeting the seasonal demands which constituted a major percentage of the sales of the company. This part of the paper analyses the strength of the internal resources of the company. 1.1 Internal Resources: The success of any business depends on the strength of its internal resources which greatly facilitates sustaining the growth achieved by the firm. It is equally important for the company not only to achieve reasonable growth in the profits and sales but also to sustain the growth established by it. The internal resources of the company come in handy to help the company to retain the level of growth being achieved by the company. The internal resources of the company Thornton Plc can be detailed as below: A Complete Value Chain: The strategy of the company in having in house manufacturing facility coupled with its own retail outlets represented a complete value chain which is a distinct internal resource the company possessed. Even though the company resorted to external sources for non-core products and the basic liquid chocolate, the company retained the core manufacturing activity and the recipes. This enabled the company to ensure the quality of the ingredients to the chocolates and maintain its exclusivity in the market. Assets and Competencies of the Company: The distinct advantage the company was carrying was its capability to manufacture its requirements with its own facilities. This had enabled the company to maintain the freshness of its chocolates which became a distinguishing feature for Thornton’s products. This represents the internal resources of the company in the form of its ‘physical assets’. The other ‘physical assets’ that helped the company in maintain its market position is the number of the company’s own retail shops spread throughout the country. A graphical representation of the total number of retail outlets owned and franchised by the company is produced below: Intangible Assets: The goodwill earned by the company by maintaining the quality of its products and the quality of its service to the customers account for the intangible asset the company holding as an important internal resource of the company. Product Differentiation: Another feature that distinguished the chocolates of Thornton is the finishing. While competitors like Cadburys’ products are moulded, Thornton used a handmade appearance to the products by enrobing them in chocolates. In this way Thornton could make a marked ‘product differentiation’ that can be counted as a valuable internal resource that the company could use for improving its brand image. Quality of Service to the Customers: By having most of its sales done by its own shops, the company was able to provide a quality service to the customers. Through services like writing personalized messages on chocolates by icing on the top on important occasions, providing specialised gift wrappers etc the company could get to the fifth place by customers’ choice in the high-street vendors. Product Innovations: Developing new products was a passion for Thornton. This is evident from the fact that in the year the company could add 27 new ‘countlines’ and 132 new and updated products in the year 1998.       Unique and Core Assets and Competencies: The Unique assets of the company can be found in its in house manufacturing facilities that contributed largely for the quality of the products. However with the available manufacturing facility the company was unable to meet the peak seasonal demand which represented the threshold limit with respect to this unique asset. Similarly the core competency represented the company’s ability to innovate as many number of new products to cater to the market. But the threshold limit for this competency was the failure of the company to concentrate on the retailing and the poor locations of the shops that could not give the true advantage of this core competency of new product innovation. 1.2 Strengths and Weaknesses of Thornton Plc: While commenting on the internal resources of any firm it is customary to do an analysis of the firm’s relative strengths and weaknesses. An analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Thornton is detailed below: Strengths: In house manufacturing facility: The availability of in house manufacturing facility enabled Thornton to ensure the quality of ingredient and thereby ensure the quality of its products. It was also possible to maintain the freshness f the products.   Own retail outlets: The establishment of the company’s own retails shops gave the strength of meeting a higher level of customer service and also an effective distribution of the products among own retail units. Capability to innovate new products: The distinct capability of the company to involve itself in innovative products with new recipes had resulted in increasing its sales at some point of time. Several attempts by the company to promote the sales on this strength had proved successful. Strong brand image: The quality of the Thornton’s products coupled with its freshness had created a set of loyal customers to the company and resulted in the creation of a very strong brand image for the company Sound technical knowledge in terms of recipes: This strength has helped the company to plunge in to the creation of many new products that finally proved successful in the market. Added marketing strength through franchisee stores: In addition to the own retail units, the company also adopted the policy of giving franchise rights to more retailers which proved a distinct strength for the company in terms of marketing of its products. Unique product differentiation: The Company had clearly excelled itself in the segment of boxed chocolates which has proved to be the company’s core strength. Strong market presence in the boxed chocolate segment: Having specialized in the boxed chocolate segment the company made its presence felt in the segment. Weaknesses: Heavy Seasonal Demand: More than 50 percent of the sales of the company resulted from the sales during Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day and Easter Sunday. This led to pressure on sales at shorter periods and at times poor sales if there were disturbances in the seasonal sales due to some reason. Dependence on one key product: Excessive dependence on a single product like boxed chocolates had always proved a cause for the failure in sales. Similarly the company depended on the sale of innovative Easter Eggs for the year 2000 that proved an expensive lesson in that more than 300,000 chocolate eggs were left in stock unsold, making the company to sell at half the price. Low quality products and service from franchisee and associated companies: Many a times the associate companies with whom the company had selling arrangements sold products of lower quality. The franchisees, their core product not being chocolates could not provide a quality service to the customers Poor automation capabilities leading to higher labour intensiveness: The finishing of the products with chocolate enrobing made the automation impossible and also due to seasonal sales the company had to employ additional labourers for manufacture as well as for sales during season times which proved expensive. Frequent changes in the marketing strategies: Due to some reason or other the company faced failures successively which made the company change in the marketing strategies. Also changes in the Chief Executives also brought new strategies into practice. Being impulsive purchase unpredictable demand: The chocolate being an impulsive purchase made the demand for the products unpredictable leading to manufacture of the products without a planned approach. Weather conditions affecting seasonal demands: Since the sales of the company were heavily seasonal, any weather conditions that affect the festivals also affected the sales of the company. This was evidenced in the Christmas for the year 1998, when the sales went down by 3.8 percent for the same period last year due to extended summer that affected the buying of customers. Shorter shelf life of the products: One of the major weaknesses of the company was the short shelf life of the products. As against the use of the vegetable fat as the base by the competitors which gave them longer shelf life, Thornton used cocoa base to keep the authentic quality of the products which made the shelf life shorter for the products. Product lines demanding own manufacture: Several products of the company were fit to be manufactured by the companies own manufacturing facilities only. On a research the management of Thornton identified that at least 70 percent of their products need their own manufacturing facility. Higher manufacturing costs: Since most of the products are being manufactured by its own facilities the company could not have a closer control in the manufacturing costs. Moreover the employment of additional workers on peak seasons also increases the manufacturing cost. 1.3 Product Market Research: The Company’s core product range included the boxed chocolates, where it has to meet the competition from major players like Cadburys and Nestle. The company had to compete with high street specialist retailers such as ‘Body Shop’ in  £ 5-10 price range. The percentage of market share of different companies in the boxed chocolate market is graphically represented below: It may be noted that Thornton was able to retain the market share of 8 percent from the year 1999 to 2002 sheer by the product quality against the stiff competition of not only other chocolate retailers but also form others selling postal gifts of wine and flowers. The introduction of 27 new products in ‘countlines’ in the year 1997 and 132 varieties in the year 1998 witnessed an increase in sales of up to  £ 133 million for 1998 and also brought new male, children and teenage customers lowering the average age of the customers. The company planned to increase the new products and re-launch of old products up to 92 percent for Valentines Day, 100 percent for Mothers day and 91 percent for Easter Sunday for the year 2000. New product development with a focus on day-to-day sales rather than for meeting the seasonal demand was taken up to reduce the excessive dependence on the seasonal sales. 1.4 Internal Resources and the Firm’s Competitive Advantage: The competitive position of a firm is determined by its product superiority and the relative market position. These aspects are enhanced by the internal resources and capabilities possessed by the company that adds the competitive edge of the organization In the case of Thornton, the company was clearly placed in more competitive position as compared to other players in the market. The better quality of its products that could be achieved as a result of its own manufacturing facilities is a distinct competitive edge the company possessed. Similarly the positive effects of other internal resources like the establishment of its own retail outlets and the product innovation capabilities had contributed much to the improvement in the marketing ability of the company.                Question 2: Marketing Strategy of Thornton Plc: The marketing strategy of Thornton can be analysed on the basis of the available marketing strategy models. 2.1 Porter’s Generic Strategies: As perceived by Michael Porter in his book ‘Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors’ the competition in any business can be reduced to three broad strategies. These strategies are known as ‘Porter’s Generic Strategies’ and are: Cost Leadership Product Differentiation and Market segmentation The competitive strategy of Thornton can be identified with Product differentiation and market segmentation but not with the cost leadership as the company was never able to have a comfortable cost position because of its high packing costs and heavy seasonal demand for the products. 2.2 Bowman’s Clock: As compared to the Porter’s Generic Strategies Cliff Bowman had developed competitive advantages in relation to cost advantage or differentiation advantage. Bowman identified eight core strategies in any business based on the firm’s competitive advantages. They are: Low price/Low added Value: signifying segment specific strategy Low price: being adopted by a cost leader as a result of price wars and low margin on the products Hybrid Option: Represents low cost base and reinvestment in low price and product differentiation. Product Differentiation: This option is being exercised with a price premium and without a price premium. Focused Differentiation: Involving perceived added value to a ‘particular segment’ that needs a premium. Increased Price/Standard: higher margins if competitors do not value follow/risk of losing market share. Marketing Teacher Increased Price/Low Values: This option can be exercised only in a monopoly situation Low Value/Standard Price: This strategy will result in a loss of market share.    Out of these eight strategic options developed by Bowman, Thornton had been following the Product differentiation Strategy originally and later on shifted to ‘focused differentiation’   to capitalize on their product strength. In the case of Boxed chocolates the firm had adopted the   product differentiation with a price premium.          2.3 Ansoff’s Matrix: Developed by Igor Ansoff, this model uses two basic components of marketing namely Products and markets to identify four generic growth strategies namely Market Penetration, Market Development, Product Development and Diversification. Ansoff’s Matrix is â€Å"a framework for identifying the corporate growth opportunities† (Tutor2u) Market Penetration involves more of the same product to the same customers Market Development uses new customers for existing products Product Development uses new products for existing customers and Diversification involves new products and new customers. Ansoff’s Matrix: Example of Thornton The example of Thornton matching the Ansoff’s Matrix can be explained as below: Market Penetration: Increase in the share of chocolate business at the expense of Sainsbury and Asda. Market Development: Movement into more distribution channels like ‘joint venture’ shops with Birthdays Group – a 500 strong chain of greetings cards and novelties outlets; exclusive supply arrangement with Tesco; expansion in to France, Belgium and USA Product Development: Thornton attempted to do product development increasing the rate and scope of new product innovation, repackaging and re-launching of old products that added 27 products in the year 1997 and close to 132 products in the year 1998. Diversification: Thornton developed new product ranges like desserts, ice cream, sponge puddings, cakes and cheesecake.          2.4 Five Forces Model: Thornton’s position with respect to the industry can be analysed on the basis of Michael Porter’s Five Force analysis. â€Å"Porter provided a framework that models an industry as being influenced by five forces. The strategic business manager seeking to develop an edge over rival firms can use this model to better understand the industry context in which the firm operates.†(QuickMBA) Barriers to Entry: Though technologically there is no barrier for the new entrants to the market, the accesses to the distribution channels pose a great barrier to entry. Establishment of a new brand also would take considerable time and money in the form of advertising and promotional expenses. This acts as a barrier to the new entrant to the industry. The strength of this force is negligible. Threat of Substitute: There are a number of substitute products available for the products of Thornton. The new products from the competitors like Nestle and Cadburys as well as products from other brands and own label manufactures often pose a problem of substitute products available in the market. Switching to substitute products for the customers is inexpensive and easy as every brand is available in plenty in the various outlets like petrol bunks, novelty stores, greetings cards stores, super markets and specialized shops. The strength of this force is to be reckoned with. Buyer Power: The ultimate consumer being the buyer the force exerted by them on the industry is sizeable. Any small change in the quality of the products or in the level of service will make the buyers switch their loyalty to other brands. Moreover, being an impulse purchase the availability of a number of substitutes and the inexpensive way to switch to other brands make the buyer power act as a strong force.    Supplier Power:   The timely delivery of the product depends on the availability of the base materials in the right quality and right time. Though it is not difficult to establish new sources of supply it may take some time to establish the required level of quality and reliance on the timely deliveries. But the supplier cannot threaten to increase the price at his convenience as there a number of suppliers are available in the market. Hence it can be said that this force is only mildly acting on the industry. Competitive Rivalry: As such the industry is highly competitive with four major players occupying 72 percent of the market share. Any small downward trend in the market share of Thornton will be taken advantage of by the major players acting in the industry. Moreover except the force of ‘barriers to entrants’ and ‘suppliers power’ to some extent other forces are acting very strongly on the industry. Hence it can be said that the competitive rivalry is very high for Thornton Plc. Question 3: Relationship between Thornton and Marks & Spencer: The case study of Marks & Spencer also indicates the different strategies adopted by the firm to sustain its growth attained over a period. The basic weaknesses in the company that led to the downward trend of the company were: Excessive dependence on the suppliers within UK which increased the cost of the products for the company and affected the profitability Expansion of business within Europe and in the USA that finally proved unworthy or not maintainable due to various reasons Expansion and refurbishment of own retail units in the UK which increased the capital cost of the firm Development of new product lines like food when there was so much to be done in the existing clothing business. Thus the experiences of both Thornton Plc and Marks & Spencer can be identified as more or less same with the only difference is that Thornton depended heavily on the seasonal business. Marks & Spencer followed a Hybrid strategy under Bowman’s clock. With the experience of both the firms in the same direction it is quite possible that the business of the both the firms can be combined to take advantage of the advantage of the combiner synergy. However while combing the businesses by selling the chocolates through Marks & Spence r the following points need to be taken into account. 3.1 Overlap of Network: Though Thornton had a long standing supply arrangement with Marks & Spencer with a renewal of such supply arrangement may pose the problem of the overlapping of the network of the customers of both the stores, especially in locations where both Thornton and Marks & Spencer have their retail outlets. Being a commercial customer it is quite possible that the products offered by Marks & Spencer may differ by style and recipe from those provided through Thornton’s own outlets. It may not be possible for the customers to be sure as to whether the products were really made by Thornton. The authenticity of the products may not be fully realized in the perspective of the customers. This is one aspect that needs consideration when a decision to renew the contacts with Marks & Spencer is to be ever thought of by Thornton. Another issue that Thornton needs to consider is the quality of service to the customers. Marks & Spencer having it thrust on its core products of clothing, food and beauty products it may be difficult for the company to attach the same importance that Thornton gives its products. The personalized approach that is being attributed to every customer at the Thornton store may not be expected out of Marks & Spencer. The availability of substitute products by the side of the products of Thornton may also pose a problem for an effective increase in the sales of Thornton’s products. The product promotions and advertising for the competitors’ products will have its own impact on the sales of the Thornton’s products unless an exclusive arrangement with Marks & Spencer is entered only to deal with Thornton’s products. The display and product promotion of Thornton by Marks & Spencer is another area that needs to be addressed. The floor space and the kind of visibility to the products Marks & Spencer may offer to Thornton’s products will greatly depend upon the financial gain that M&S get out of the deal with Thornton. Hence a careful discussion and finalization of the contract is a pre requisite for Thornton to expect the kind of treatment for its products by M&S as the company expects to have. Thornton should look into the cost aspects and the projected sales through the outlets of M&S and decide on the financial working arrangement with M&S. 3.2 Possibilities of Other Working Arrangements: Thornton may look into the possibility of entering into other arrangements like renting a small shop floor area with M&S in the location where they don’t have their own retail units. Thornton may appoint its own staff to look after the sales and thereby can ensure the quality of service to its customer. The company may enter into a profit – sharing arrangement with M&S to create interest on the part of the latter to offer its shop area to Thornton. In this way both companies can retain their identities and at the same time work for the mutual profitability. This would eventually result in the increase in the sales of Thornton. This ‘shop within shop’ arrangement may be effective in controlling the cost of expansion for Thornton to expand in locations where M&S have its own stores. Moreover this sort of alliance is easy to work out and less complicated in terms of fixing the benefit to M&S. There will be no commitment on the part of M&S to assure any minimum sales also. 3.3 Merger: Another distinct possibility that can be worked out to the benefit of both the companies is a merger of both the companies for an agreed consideration to be paid to the shareholders of Thornton. This was what was tried by the company in the year 2003 to offer its management buyout arrangement. However, since the price for the control of the company was higher, at 180p per share there were no potential bidders for meeting the required price and the talk of a bid for Thornton disappeared in early 2004. Unlike this a workable merger proposal between both Thornton and Marks & Spencer can be worked out on reasonable terms that are beneficial for both the companies. This way the synergies of the merger of both the companies can be enhanced to take advantage of the combined forces of sale. Similarly there will be the distinct advantage of the customers of both the companies being attracted to the products of Thornton which may result in the improvement in the sales of the products of Thornton. Another distinct advantage may result in the form less cost of expansion for the merged company as the existing retail shops of Thornton can function as the retail units of the new merged entity or in the name o Marks & Spencer if it agreed to retain the name of M&S if it is agreed as a part of the merger arrangement. These shops can also market the products of M&S also depending on the availability of space in the erstwhile Thronton.                      References:    1.Marketing Teacher The Strategy Clock: Bowman’s Competitive Strategy Options http://marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_bowman.htm Tutor2u Business Strategy: Ansoff’s Matrix http://www.tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/ansoff/default.html QuickMBA Strategic Management: Porter’s Five Force, A Model For Industry Analysis   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‚  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml