Saturday, August 31, 2019

Discuss one or more theories of Moral Understanding and evaluate its conclusions

The term morality, according to Shaffer (1993) means â€Å"a set of principles or ideals that help the individual to distinguish right from wrong and to act on this distinction. Morality is important to society, as it would not function effectively unless there is some agreement of what is right and wrong. There are many underlying processes and environmental factors, which limit or promote social, cognitive and moral development in children. In modern society, television could be considered to be one of the major influences on a child’s moral development. There are three approaches to moral development; the cognitive approach, the psychodynamic approach and the social learning theory. The Cognitive-Developmental approach of Piaget and Kohlberg studies how children become more able to reason morally and make moral judgements, whereas the Freud’s psychodynamic approach is more concerned with the development of the conscience and moral feelings such as guilt and anxiety. The social learning theory of Bandura and Mischel investigates the development of moral behaviour and how role models in the family, society and the media, influence it. The theory I am going to discuss is Piaget’s Cognitive-Developmental Approach. His theory of moral development is concerned with how the child’s moral knowledge and understanding change with age. Piaget saw morality as any system of rules, which governs interaction between people. The methods of investigation he used to develop his theories were, he looked at the way children imposed rules in their games. He used games to study the development of children’s moral development as he thought that by studying rules in the context of a game, he could study the child’s spontaneous though directly. He also, assessed changes in the child’s moral judgements by telling hypothetical stories about children who lied, stole or broke something. When using hypothetical stories, Piaget was generally more interested in the reasons why the children give the answers they did and not particularly the answers. Piaget identifies stages of moral development just as he identified stages with cognitive development. His theories of the way children think and their moral reasoning goes through a series of stages, as they are adapting to the world, these are also known as the processes of accommodation and assimilation. He believed that as children’s reasoning about the world changes when they grow older and gain more experience, so does their reasoning about morality. Their ability to think about the world in more complex ways is what causes them to move on from one stage to the next. This is known as cognitive development. Piaget stated that infants don’t understand much about morality until they are about three or four years of age. Their development divides into two main stages after infancy. His stages of moral development are: Pre Moral Stage (up to three or four years) Children don’t understand about rules, and so they don’t make moral judgements Stage of Heteronomous Morality (aged three – six years) Children at this stage think rules are absolute and unchangeable, and the goodness and badness of an action is judged largely on the basis of its consequences rather than by taking intent into account. Stage of Autonomous Morality (from around six or seven) Children at this stage now see rules as more changeable and intentions are taken into account. Children also start to believe that it is possible to break rules and get away with it, whereas earlier they tended to think they will always be found out and possibly punished. Researchers from Europe and America have tested some of Piaget’s theories and have concluded that distinct stages of development do seem to exist however, other research found that children do not see all rules as being equally important as Piaget thought they did. Heteronomous Morality, also known as moral realism, means when the child is subject to another’s laws or rules. Children think that rules must be obeyed no matter what the circumstances. A child at this stage will think that rules are only made by authority figures, such as, parents and teachers. Two other features that are displayed in moral reasoning at this stage are, first they expect bad behaviour to be punished in some way, they believe that the punishment should be expiatory – the wrongdoer must make amends for the crime by paying with some kind of suffering. They have the view that the amount of punishment should match the badness of the behaviour. Secondly, if the bad behaviour goes undetected then the child believes in immanent justice – where any misfortune occurring after the bad behaviour can be seen as a punishment. For example, if a child tells a lie and gets away with it, then later trips and falls, the younger child could consider this as a punis hment. In general, they believe punishment should be fair and that wrongdoing will always be punished in some way. Autonomous Morality, which means when the child is subject to one’s own laws and rules. It involves moral relativism whereby the child comes to realise that rules evolve from social relationships. Due to the child ‘decentring’ and their developed ability to think more flexibly about moral issues, they have began to realise it is important to take other people’s opinions into account. At this stage a child will have developed the understanding that sometimes rules of morality can be broken in certain reasonable circumstances. They believe in reciprocal punishment, whereby the punishment should fit the crime. For example, if a child takes another child’s sweets, the first child should be deprived of their sweets or should make it up to the victim in some other way. This is known as the principle of reciprocity. Children will also have learnt at this stage that wrongdoers often avoid punishment, diminishing any belief in immanent justice. They see punishment as a method of making the offender understand the nature of the crime and that punishment is also a deterrent. The move from heteronomous morality to autonomous morality is influenced by two factors. Children around the age of seven begin to move on from the pre operational stage of an illogical and an egocentric way of thinking to more logical and flexible way of thinking, in the operational stage. Their growing awareness that other people have different views allows them to develop more mature moral reasoning. However, moral development lags at least one to two years behind cognitive development because the whole process depends on the cognitive changes occurring first. Kohlberg expanded Piaget's theory to form a theory that also explained the development of moral reasoning. While Piaget described a two-stage process of moral development, Kohlberg’s theory outlined six stages within three different levels. Kohlberg extended Piaget’s theory, proposing that moral development is a continual process that occurs throughout the lifespan. A study by Colby et al (1983) criticised Piaget’s assumption that children of ten and eleven years old had reached an adult level of moral reasoning. Piaget was always focusing on what an average child was capable of achieving so he neglected the idea of great variations between the individual child’s ways of thinking. In general, Piaget’s cognitive theory has been criticised for the methods of investigation not being as precise as they could have been. Methods he used were seen as complicated, leading critics to think he under estimated younger children’s capabilities of what they could and could not do. This was because later research went on to conclude that children could actually take other motives into consideration, when they understood what motives were involved. Despite criticism, Piaget’s work is still regarded as a revolutionary step forward in the way we understand how children think. It has led to a much more realistic ways of understanding children’s moral development. Many attempts to test Piaget’s theories from researchers around the world have resulted in acceptance that some of his views and methods do appear to exist.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Free time Essay

Some people think that it is important to use leisure time for activities that develop the mind, such as reading and doing crossword puzzles. Others feel that it is important to give one’s mind a rest in leisure time. Discuss. Relaxing our mind has been a vital part of spending our free time for thousands of years. Most of the people find relaxing activities like reading a book while others love to stay in the park, just see a boring TV channel or discuss with friends in front of a cup of tea or coffee. Even if maybe some persons will not totally agree with me, I consider that two of the most important activities that should eat our free time are the reading of a book and outdoor activities with family or friends. Reading has always been one of the activities that fascinated the human mind and as long as we read books written in a language that we do not find difficult to understand, we should find reading a relaxing activity. Of course, as long as the books we are reading are not too technical to make us realize that we are not reading for fun but for study. For example I remember when my sister told me that by reading for relaxation she found God and that changed her life. She was reading mostly religious books. Another activity which I personally consider that can have an important effect in our life are outdoor activities with family members or friends. This activities will help us be in a good shape for a long period of time and in the same time will help us develop strong close relationships with the persons we are spending our time with. And strong and close relationships are vital to have with people we would like to have around us for longer periods of time. For example I remember that we when I was younger I was going a lot for fishing with my father and over the years this activity become very important for us and made us to have have a very special relation. In conclusion spending our time is very important and we should have a really clear idea between spending some time and loosing some time. I strongly believe that reading a book will help our mind and develop our vocabulary and when we have more time and weather is with us, spending some time outside with family or friends will help our relations. I just hope that less and less people will find important activities like playing computer games and watch television series.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Analysis Of The Uk Renewable Energy Industry Environmental Sciences Essay

Analysis Of The Uk Renewable Energy Industry Environmental Sciences Essay Renewable energy is the energy generated from natural resources such as biomass, sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable, that is, naturally replenished(Wikipedia, 2010). Renewable energy technologies are essential contributors to energy supply portfolio, as they contribute to world energy security, reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and provide opportunities for mitigating greenhouse gases (IEA, 2007). Renewable energy is also considered by some to be a potentially significant contributor toward the economic development of rural areas, a means of reducing poverty through the creation of employment and improving the quality of lives (Mark et al, 2008). Renewable energy sources were very unpopular in the past decades because of their comparative cost disadvantage. With the exception of large hydropower, combustible biomass, and larger geothermal projects, the average cost of renewable energy are generally not competitive with the wholesale electricity an d fossil fuel prices(IEA, 2007). However, this decade has witnessed a tremendous development in renewable energy sector. The rising oil prices, issue of global warming , carbon gas emission, terrorism and political instability in many oil producing countries in the middle east are the major forces driving this development. The International Energy Agency estimates that nearly 50% of global electricity supplies will need to come from renewable energy sources in order to reduce carbon dioxide emission by 50% by 2050 and minimise significant, irreversible climate change impacts (IEA, 2008). During the five- years period from the end of 2004 -2009, worldwide renewable energy grew at the rates of 10-60% for many technologies (REN21, 2010). In 2008 for the first time, more renewable energy than convectional power capacity was added in both European Union and United States, demonstrating â€Å"a fundamental transition† of the world’s energy markets towards renewable (Eric et al, 2009). Renewable energy sector is growing at a very amazing rate in UK. Between 2003 and 2009 there was 138 per cent increase in power generation from renewables in the UK, but faster rates of growth were recorded in Northern Ireland (702 per cent), East Midlands (268 per cent), North East (211 per cent), Scotland (188 per cent), South East (146 per cent) and Yorkshire and the Humber (139 per cent) (DECC, 2010). Higher growth rate is expected in the next decade. This can be inferred from the fact that power generation from the UK’s oil and gas and nuclear reactors have been on a long-term downward trend and tend towards the end of their life span (Keynote, 2008). As a result, UK government has devised a comprehensive approach to support the development of the renewable energy sector through the UK renewable energy strategy 2009. Renewable energy in UK is supported through a range of measures. The renewable obligation Order requires electricity suppliers to purchase a spec ified amount of the electricity they supply from renewable sources (Keynote, 2010). Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) are obtained to demonstrate that renewable sources have been used. The climate change levy is a fossil-fuel tax from which exemptions can be obtained by using certain renewable technologies. Capital grants are available for research and development for a wide range of renewable energy projects. Grants are also available for the cultivation of energy crops. Obviously, these are good incentives to stimulate investments in renewable energy. However, investors need assurance that these incentives and subsidies will be available over a larger part of the product life cycle and not just trap-in-incentives. This will enable renewable energy companies to build a more stable and viable strategic plan to take best advantage of the incentives.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Why is there poverty in rich countries Research Paper

Why is there poverty in rich countries - Research Paper Example Some countries are doing a lot to reduce the cases of poverty though they have not fully succeeded. In this case, this study tries to explain the existences of poverty in rich countries. It, also, describes the challenges of poverty globally. Adeola (2005) explains that poverty is a challenging situation where a family or an individual cannot attain the living standards of his or her society. Definition of poverty, however, varies some explains that poverty is the lack of funds though poverty is a greatest problem in a society. For example, we think that poverty is meant by having little or no money to spend or paying bills. However, poverty is more than what many of us perceive because it affects person’s life, causing a wide range of problems such as poor health and illiteracy. Poverty brings in social problems to the community such as crime, drug abuse, and suicide. Studies by Grant and Vidler (256) explain poverty in two different ways, absolute poverty and relative poverty. At this stage, a person is described to be in absolute poverty when his or her income is not enough to acquire basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing. On the other hand, relative poverty is when an individual is poor as compared to other people. Rich countries do have people without basic needs such as housing. For example, according to Grant and Vidler (256), there were almost 1600 people sleeping outside as per the statistics in the year 2000 in England. The authors point that such cases are more in the developing countries. Relative poverty, as described above, is a situation where a person is poor as compared to other people. For example, some people can afford, accommodation, television, but may lack video player and besides, they may only afford to travel once in a week. However, such individuals might be considered rich if they were citizens of developing countries. This shows the difference

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

China Investments. What makes china an attractive location for inward Essay

China Investments. What makes china an attractive location for inward direct investment by multinational enterprises - Essay Example 2007, p. 400). With this in mind, this has provided capital for the companies to expand even further as there is a steady flow of funds, and the only direction of the company is forward. This is evidenced by the lack of good performance by Chinese companies that are enlisted in the local stock market, whereas those that go to foreign markets have a better performance (Liao 1998). This is to mean that the availability of capital to invest in China is part of its main reasons that it is attractive to foreign investors as their investments can be guaranteed to have returns. In addition, there is plenty of capital in China, but without vehicles to see that the capital is used in constructive projects, there are increased investments as the capital resources are more than the investments available. This is to mean that the country is strategically placed to receive direct investment by multinational firms that want to benefit from the funds available, as well as the resources found there. With little investments going on, there are plenty of opportunities and funds that are unexplored, creating the need for foreign investors to come in and create partnerships with the existing firms and capital holders in order to drive the economy forward, as well as have the funds released as part of a joint venture. Competitiveness Competition in China is a major contributor of the attractiveness of the Chinese business appeal in that the industries and businesses found in China thrive based on tight competition. This is so because of the dynamics of technological innovations that keep investors and businesses on their toes. As such, each investment needs to keep growing lest it is phased out due to being conservative and sticking to conventional means of handling business. The attractive aspect, therefore, lies in the competition, where different firms working in the same sector compete against each other to stay afloat, which are a healthy form of competition to keep the econom y of the country running (Tung-lung & Weichun 2011, p. 153). In addition, the contribution of competition in the business environment of China for investors is brought about by foreign direct investment. This is done through new investment that uses the above strategic information to ensure that the available capital is put to good use. As such, new businesses compete against older ones as the new ones have an edge owing to technological innovations, while the older ones have an edge based on their experience. This is the perfect environment for any business that wants to grow from scratch and make a name for itself as they all need to evolve and adapt to new requirements and technologies, which makes China a dynamic economy and which is an attractive feature for multinationals seeking to establish new investments. Apart from this, there are numerous malpractices in China that act as a magnet for foreign investors and multinationals to set up their businesses. This is because there are illegal practices in China that are only practiced in that country and not anywhere else, which makes the country more competitive than the rest in the global economy. The country has an intricate web of illegal subsidies that range from land, capital and utilities to tax breaks that other countries cannot compete with. This makes the country very appealing in terms of its practices that see investors flock into the country. Competition goes again as far as innovative measures to overcome foreign competition, where there are incentives such as those that see the American market receive more goods from China than those that go into China from the United States. This is an attempt to see to it that competitors in America

Monday, August 26, 2019

Aristotle and Kant on Ethical Theory and Practice Essay

Aristotle and Kant on Ethical Theory and Practice - Essay Example On the other hand, relativists believe that ethics is a human invention and that â€Å"all ethical standards are relative† hence there are â€Å"no permanent, universal, objective values or standards† (Mizzoni 11, 191). LeBar asserts that individual people create own moral standards and that these standards change from society to society throughout time and the world (185). This is what is often referred as cultural relativism. Kant is strong objectivists as he emphasises that ethical duties are absolute and categorical while Aristotle insists that human beings are rational and moral virtue is developed through habit. He is thus a relativist. I would argue in favour of Aristotle that ethical standards vary with contexts, individuals and societies. Consider such practices as polygamy, homosexuality, and female genital mutilation. Are these practices right or wrong? If we look at polygamy it is a norm in some communities especially African communities but not acceptable in western communities. Some individuals view homosexuality as right while others consider it wrong depending on their religious inclinations and personal values. For genital mutilation, it was often practiced by early communities but in modern communities it is considered wrong even though some communities still practice it. How are these actions to be judged? By which ethical standards? If we argue that ethical standards are universal and applicable to all regardless of their opinion or beliefs then it would mean all these practices are wrong but this is not the case; they are right in some societies and wrong in others. This supports Aristotle’s view that moral virtue is developed by habits (Moral Philosophy n.p). In this case, good habits form the bui lding blocks of good moral character and that man has power to control his own actions since he is rational. They then reflect on these actions and perfect them if they are good but in the process, they must have a good role model

Water Quality and Contamination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Water Quality and Contamination - Research Paper Example The most common ground water contaminants come from human activities that involve dumping of waste materials in the environment which eventually seeps into ground water reserves. Ground water is contaminated by constituents have the ability to either come into direct or indirect contact with this water. From this background, the experiment designed to test the effects the most common ground water contaminants. These were detergents, oil and soil particles that are the most used compounds by man in their daily lives. The experiment was conducted on the premise of proving or disapproving a predetermined hypothesis. The hypotheses stated that water would take on the appearance, color and odor of each element added and the cheese would serve as a filter for the particles. Materials and Methods. The experiment required the use of beakers which were used to hold the water that was used to test effect of various contaminants. A total of 8 beakers were used where the water to be used in the experiment was contained. Each beaker of water was exposed to a different contaminant and the changes in appearance, color, and smell were tabulated for comparison purposes. Results. Beaker Observations 1 Semi Cloudy no particles & odorless 2 Oil settled on top of water 3 No change except smell of vinegar 4 Color changed to blue, smell of laundry detergent, some bubbles developed 5 The water turned brownish in color with particles floating & no smell 6 The oil settled to the top of the water & produced large bubbles with small bubbles inside, water is cloudy & no odor 7 All the liquid filtered through the cheesecloth & vinegary odor, cloudy 8 All the liquid filtered through the cheesecloth, bluish in color & smell of detergent The vinegar added a smell that was characteristic of vinegar, detergent changed the color of the water while soil changed the color and water constituent by adding particles both suspended and precipitated. On addition of oil, it changed the appearance of the water by making it become cloudy and the water slightly took to the density of oil. Each contaminant had its own characteristic effect on the quality of the water sample used. Soil and detergent had the most potent effect on the quality of water because they changed the color and constitution of water and the overall appearance of water. Experiment 3: Drinking Water Quality Table 2: Ammonia Test Results Water Sample Test Results Tap Water 0 mg/L of Ammonia Dasani ® Bottled Water 0 mg/L of Ammonia Fiji ® Bottled Water 0 mg/L of Ammonia Table 3: Chloride Test Results Water Sample Test Results Tap Water 0 Chloride mg/L Dasani ® Bottled Water 0 Chloride mg/L Fiji ® Bottled Water 0 Chloride mg/L Table 4: 4 in 1 Test Results Water Sample pH Total Alkalinity Total Chlorine Total Hardness Tap Water 6 7 6 5 Dasani ® Bottled Water 2 6 6 5 Fiji ® Bottled Water 8 6 9 4 Table 5: Phosphate Test Results Water Sample Test Results Tap Water 0 ppm Dasani ® Bottled Water 0 ppm Fiji ® B ottled Water 100 ppm Table 6: Iron Test Results Water Sample Test Results Tap Water 0 ppm Dasani ® Bottled Water 0 ppm Fiji ® Bottled Water 0 ppm The results garnered from the bottled water experiment illustrated no significant differences between tap water and bottled water. There were observable differences in the pH levels between the two brands of bottled water. The results showed that Dasani ® Bottled water was more acidic despite the fact that it had the same levels of chlorine with tap water. Fiji ® Bottled water had more chlorine explaining its high pH. Discussion. The results from experiment 2 were able to support the hypothesis formulated for this test because the contaminants were able to completely contaminate the water as stated.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Direct & Digital Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Direct & Digital Marketing - Essay Example Gronroos (1994) has criticized the tenets of the Four Ps of marketing which according to him is a weak perspective altogether that has several negative implications on various critical aspects of marketing such as research and application, the limitations of traditional marketing approaches such as the Four Ps of marketing have also been recognized by Bitner (1991) who like Vargo & Lusch (2004) believes that conventional marketing concepts such as the Four Ps of marketing have contributed towards limiting the scope of marketing by asserting that decisions related to a product can be described in merely four dimensions. Owing to the limitations of traditional marketing concepts as identified by Gronroos (1994), Hutton (1996) presents a need to include public relations and politics in as relatively newer dimensions of the Four Ps. Several researches and literature conducted since the 1990s and even earlier, indicate that marketers must incorporate modern perspectives with traditional v iews to cater to the consumer of today. This view is greatly highlights the benefits of moving towards contemporary approaches and logics to marketing, the most important of which is the concept of relationship marketing (Gronroos, 1994; Vargo & Lusch, 2004). According to Berry (1995), relationship marketing aims to focus more on the approach of retaining existing customers rather than utilizing a majority of the organization’s resources in the pursuit of attracting new customers. The importance of customer retention is so vital to the progress of an organization that a study conducted by Reichbheld & Sasser (1990) concluded that even if an organization is able to increase its customer retention rates by 5 percent; such a move reflects enhanced customer loyalty which directly correlates to an increase in profits between 25 to 125 percent. Hennig-Thurau et al. (2002) noted that aspects such as customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and commitment are integral factors contribu ting successfully to the concept of relationship marketing. Gronross (1990) supports this view by suggesting that as a discipline marketing concerns itself with the management of relationships, a tenet which is needed more importantly in the service sector, and the commentator postulates that in a context where tangibility of products and goods is non-existent, traditional concepts of marketing cannot effectively deal with the issues related to service-related businesses. An intriguing view of modern marketing has been presented by Edgett & Parkinson (1993) who claim that traditionalist marketing approaches maybe equally effective in service sector marketing, where customer-orientation and customer relationship management is the primary focus. Krueger et al. (2003) on the contrary argue that technological advancements and the wide-spread popularity of the Internet across the globe, has contributed towards changing business dynamics an example of which is the availability of legal on line music. It is argued that with regards to the marketing of goods, an

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Analyze, using examples, the argument that an informal economy will Essay

Analyze, using examples, the argument that an informal economy will always exist in any society in which there is a formal economy - Essay Example cerned about the informal economy running in parallel with the formal economy - with the legal activities escaping the tax net, and the illegal activities hoodwinking the law enforcement agencies. Hence one comes to accept the fact that in any society with a formal economy, the informal economy exists too. â€Å"The hidden or informal economy is usually taken to mean any undeclared economic activity† (Grabiner, 2000). An economic activity remains undeclared either for the purpose of evasion of taxes or because it is prohibited by law. Informal economy is thus a burden on the state, since the major part of it is illegal and even when it is legal, it leads to tax evasion or undue claims by the so-called unemployed on social security system like unemployment / medical / other benefits. Undisclosed income or black money may be put to fuel further growth of informal activities, because it cannot be openly used for any legal purpose. construction sector, consulting in professional services sector, seasonal labour in farm sector etc., all paid for by cash-in-hand. To the extent these legal activities go unreported to the authorities, they form a part of the informal economy. Coming to the illegal activities, which obviously will not be reported to the authorities, they may be financed by the undeclared profits of legal businesses (Grabiner, 2000, p.1). Trading in smuggled goods / prohibited substances like drugs, gun running, trafficking, exhibition of prohibited cinematographic works (pornography) etc. are common examples of illegal and criminal activities in the informal economy. To add to this, there are many devious ways by which black money is generated, exploiting the loopholes in the framework of legal economic activity. For example, under-invoicing of imports to cheat on customs duties, or over-invoicing of exports to claim export subsidies, are two of the common sources of generation of black money. To facilitate completion of such transactions, further

Friday, August 23, 2019

Criminal Behavior and the Law in the US Assignment

Criminal Behavior and the Law in the US - Assignment Example The role of criminologists, criminalists, and forensic psychologists is very important in dealing with crimes. In the United States of America, different types of crimes occur which are reported by the Uniform Crime Reporting. Some of the major types of crimes reported by UCR include forcible rapes, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and vehicle theft. In this paper, the focus will be on white-collar crimes, blue-collar crimes, index-one crimes, and index-two crimes measured by Uniform Crime Reports of the FBI. 1 - Criminologists, Criminalists, and Forensic Psychologists Criminologists In the broad context, all criminologists, criminalists, and forensic psychologists work for the same purpose, which is, reduction or prevention of crimes. However, there are big differences in the working of these professionals. Studying all three fields related to the field of criminal justice, it can be said that the professionals of all three fields work together to deal with crimes. Cr iminologists deal more with the study of criminal behaviors and analysis of different crime prevention techniques as compared than actually participating in crime prevention. They provide proper solutions and assessments to government agencies, law enforcement agencies, correctional systems, and police officials. They also provide academic services in colleges and universities. According to Rothe and Friedrichs (2006), criminology deals with the identification of the causes of crimes and their prevention measures from sociology perspective.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Personal Theory Paper Essay Example for Free

Personal Theory Paper Essay Abstract There are many ways is which we can build and create our own theories about child development but the way we do our own theories will significantly affect the way we guide and teach children. My unique personal theory about child development is that children should be guided and treated with respect and dignity. This essay will explain my own personal theory or theories that I would use to greatly guide and help children along the way, I believe that these that I am about to mention are the ones that I feel I would really use later on as I pursue my profession in the Child development Field. A positive approach to guidance makes children and others feel confident, happy, and pleasant. A positive approach does not include shaming, humiliation, ridicule, pressure to compete, nor is it punitive, impatient, mean, or bossy. Personal Theory 3 Personal Theory Paper Having your own personal theory means how you will guide children into success in their life’s later on. Making our own personal theory helps us understand, predict, explain and control that reality. Thy are mostly verbal but they can also be mathematical or illustrative. Having our own personal theories really helps learn how children will learn and develop. These several questions that I will discuss are questions that often children caregivers ask themselves: 1. How do you view the course of development is it Continuous or Discontinuous? 2. Is there one course or many courses of development that would characterize all children? 3. Do genetic or environmental factors play a greater role in development? Highlighting these major questions will give us an understanding as to how children develop and react to the changes around them. 1 Theory is a contemplative and rational type of abstract or generalized thinking. Depending on the context, the results might for example include generalized explanations on how nature works, or even how divine or metaphysical matters are thought to work. How do you view the course of development is Continuous or Discontinuous? To me how I view the course of development is it depends on the childs physical and psychological development. On the Wikipedia article about Child Development in the Continuity section of the article I read this: â€Å"Many aspects of developmental change are continuous and do not display noticeable milestones of change. Continuous developmental changes, like growth in stature, involve fairly gradual and predictable progress toward adult characteristics.† (www.wikipedia.com). Although scientists and children caregivers have an interest in identification of developmental milestones, many aspects of developmental change are continuous. An example of a discontinuous development is Freuds Psycho Sexual stages of development is theorized that children systematically move through oral, anal, phallic, and latency stages before reaching mature adult sexuality in the genital stage. The same is mentioned for Eriksons theory of development and Piagets stages of cognitive development. Theorists who believe children grow continuously believe that kids constantly add new lessons and skills on top of old lessons and though parents cannot see it all the time with their own eyes, children are growing all the time right in front of them. Their bodies make new cells. Their minds learn new skills as they play and interact with other people everyday. On the other hand children who grow Discontinuously believe that children grow in stages as they seem to develop chunks of abilities and to experience events at certain times in life. Is there one course or many courses of development that would characterize all children? In my view I believe that both one or many courses in development exist. There is not only one course or just many course, in a preschool setting a teacher or caregiver is dealing with children from different backgrounds, culture, and developmental differences physically, emotional, and psychologically. Its important for a teacher or caregiver to really observe and understand if each child has only one course or many courses of development. â€Å"When a developmental theory has only one course then it is only said to follow one path, but when a developmental theory involves many courses then it has unique paths for particular individuals across popular contexts.† (www.wiki-answers.com/Q/Child_development_One_course_of_development_or_many). Do Genetic or Environmental factors play a greater role in Development? Genetics and the environment shape the development of a human. This fact is mostly known by the idea of nature versus nurture. Scientists have been questioning which of these factors influence upon the various aspects of personal growth. A persons physical development is strongly affected by their genes inherited from their parents. Parents genes predetermine the limits of an individuals height and other characteristics. (www.teenink.com/opinion). Genetics can have a powerful influence on development, but experiences are also important. For example, while the genetic code contains the information a child is influenced by their surroundings. If a child grows up in a home Personal Theory 6 that is well off, they may not appreciate the hard work that goes into earning a dollar because everything was given to them. On the other hand if a child grows up in poverty he or she may not want things that have no significance in their life. Childs growth starts right away and does not end until the child is ready. As a child grows up he or she will learn to think for herself, become aware of themselves, learn to reason, and master language. The environment plays mostly an important part in the childs skill enhancement in so many ways. First there are hereditary traits that can affect a child. The way they talk, walk, their psyche, cognitive thinking, and more can be due to the environment. My Own two Major theories of Development Two major theories that I have experienced while interacting with children is self-direction in which it is the ability to control ones own behavior, to think for oneself was a basic aim by Swiss psychologist, Jean Piaget which have mostly to do with values of freedom and liberty. I have personally come across this because when interacting with children I like to teach them to be more independent with themselves, to be able to do the things by themselves and if they already tried several times and they still need help on doing something then they can rely on me for help. I have a younger sister who I have been helping my mom take care of ever since my sister was three years old (now she is eight years old) she does like to do things by herself independently but now that she is growing up, I have noticed that she is always wanting someone to do the things for her. Like there are times in the mornings when she feels lazy to do her own bed so she always tends to ask for my help only even though she also has other older sisters and an older brother she still only asks for my help, sometimes it is kind of annoying for me when she only asks for my help it almost seems like if I was her only sister. I am tend to loose my patience at times but that is when I Personal Theory 7 say to myself to calm down and realize that she likes to spend quality time with me, even if sometimes it is annoying. I want her to rely on me for help but what I want her to realize is that she also has to do her own things. When she is in a tight situation then that is when she can come to me for advice. My other theory is the imitation experience, when a child sees someone clapping then after seeing the grownup clap the child claps back just the same way the grownup did it. Helping a child read picture books can help develop schemas in child development. A schema can be defined as a set of linked mental representations of the world, which are used both to understand and respond to situations. The assumption is that we store these mental representations and apply them when needed. (www.simplypsychology.com/piaget.html). For example, a person might have a schema about buying a meal in a restaurant. The schema is a stored form of the pattern of behavior which includes looking at a menu, or during food, eating it and paying the bill. This is an example of a schema called script. Whenever they are in a restaurant, they retrieve this schema from memory and apply it to the situation. The schemas Piaget described tend to be simpler than this-especially those used by infants. He described how as a child gets older-his or her schemas become more numerous and elaborate. An example of an initial schema is when the teacher is showing the children how a dog looks from a picture book, therefore the children begin to develop an understanding of what a dog looks like just by looking at the picture book. Experience in practicing the skill can be provided by adults at strategic moments when the child shows readiness, thus enhancing development. Expert teachers are sensitive to childrens readiness in many learning domains. Children seek ways to gain experience when they find a new skill fascinating. (Hildebrand pg. 29) I would watch children climb up and down a mountain when they learning to climb. When observing I would also listen to the childrens conversations, to me it is Personal Theory 8 interesting listening to the way children use words to connect them into sentences that are filled with fantasy, imagination and curiousness all over listening to their conversations also makes me wonder sometimes if they are imitating a grown-up from their own family or if it comes from their own active imagination, it almost seems like they have an inner drive to excel. I would never like to hinder a child from saying anything they wish to say but I would also watch carefully that any child does not swear because a young childrens mind is always active and open; and when they are toddlers everything the grownups say or do they will want to do it also because they are at a period where they want to try everything you do also, so we as their caregivers have to be extra careful what we say or do because what we do or say will greatly affect the child in the present and later on in their l ife. Conclusion Even though I have never had professional early child development teaching experience I know that in the several years of taking care of my sister I have at least gained some basic experience and have seen some of the theories that I mentioned in this essay in action with my younger sister. To me the course of development is both continuous and discontinuous depending on how each child develops. Learning about these theories and finding out more information about the many courses or just one course of development made me see that there are many courses of development based on the many developmental theories and stages each child goes through in life. Lastly I discovered that both genetic and environmental factors can affect children greatly in the present as well as later on in life. As I said earlier if a child is brought up in a negative environment then that will definitely affect the children emotionally as well psychologically. References Continuity and Discontinuity in Development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_development Oswald, Angela. Child Development Stages versus Continuous Development. Retrieved from: http://www.sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php? type=docid=7920.. Cabi816, Greenville, SC. Teen Ink. Genetic Versus the Environment and their Effects on the Development. Retrieved from: http://www.teenink.com/opinion/current_events_politics/article/155563/Geneti cs-V-The-Environment-And-Their-Effects-On-Development/ McLeod, Saul. (Published 2009, Updated 2012). Simply Psychology. Jean Piaget. Retrieved from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html Hildebrand, Verna and Hearron, F. Patricia. Guiding Young Children. Sixth Edition. (1999). Merrill, an imprint of Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle, New Jersey and Columbus, Ohio. Chapter 2 Knowing Children as a Basis for Guidance. Speed of Development.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Princess Bride Essay Example for Free

The Princess Bride Essay The movie, The Princess Bride, was depicted as a fairy tale that showcased romance, camaraderie, and adventure (Maltin). In some way, it also illustrated particular comedy scenes that were really enjoyed by the viewers. The movie started with the scene wherein the grandfather, played by Peter Falk, was narrating a story to his grandson, portrayed by Fred Savage. Throughout that scene, the former had really tried his best to get the interest of his grandson probably by making every chapter of the novel sound so grand. At first the grandson was kind of bored especially on the parts wherein the romantic scenes were being described by his grandfather (Berardinelli). The child had even declared that it would be more exciting and enjoying if he would rather played with video games than listen to what his grandfather was recounting to him. But when the child finally heard about giants, monsters, fighting, and other extraordinary events, the child had begun to pay more attention to the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the grandfather continued the story, the child had known about the love story of a peasant and princess, Westley and Princess Buttercup, played by Cary Elwes and Robin Wright respectively. The actors became very effective in portraying the roles of the protagonists of the story. It was like a damsel princess waiting for his knight in shining armor to save her and eventually became her lover or husband. While the main characters struggled to win their love story, other characters that either portrayed as villains or supports were also outstanding with regards to their acting performance (Maltin). One of the most notable and humorous scenes was when Inigo Montoya, played by Mandy Patinkin, and his comrades kidnapped the princess. And so the battle and fighting scenes were done.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Exhibiting so much action/adventure/fantasy with a very excellent inclusion of punch-lines and anecdotes, the viewers had really laughed to death, fell in love with the characters, got so annoyed with the villains, and a lot more (Johanson). But the end point was that the audience had really a great time watching the movie. The director had really done a great job. The cinematography was almost perfect with nice scenes, actors, sceneries as well as the background music. In addition, the movie was filled with unforgettable and brilliant lines and quotations. While some were the kinds of line which would truly move the viewer’s heart, or would create a big bang that would definitely made the viewer ponder on what the characters had said, some lines were also full of humor just like the line of Inigo, â€Å"My name is Inigo Montoya; you killed my father; prepare to die (Valentine).† Such were really archetypal.   All in all, the movie was outstanding that every viewer and critic of the movie would surely be astonished by the comical nature, fantasy-like plot, and action-romantic genre of the movie. Absolutely, The Princess Bride was sure to heighten every viewer’s sense of intrepidness and connect every watcher on equally comedic and dramatic level. It was merriment of affection, folk tales, and movie itself (Valentine). Also, with Reiner at the back of the wheel, the very old story contained by a story structure created marvels and surprises; during the movie’s supernatural magnificence, the viewer stayed alert that the heart of the film was really towards the relationship between the boy and his grandfather. Works Cited Berardinelli, James. â€Å"The Princess Bride.† 22 January 2008  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.reelviews.net/movies/p/princess_bride.html. Goldman, William. The Princess Bride: S. Morgensterns Classic Tale of True Love and High  Ã‚   Adventure. Harcourt, 2007. Johanson, Mary Ann. The Totally Geeky Guide to The Princess Bride. Lulu.com, 2000. Maltin, Leonard. Leonard Maltins 2008 Movie Guide. Signet, 2007. Valentine, Brandon. â€Å"Movie Review: The Princess Bride.†. 12 January 2007. Blogcritics. 22  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   January 2008 http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/12/234247.php.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Effects of the Children Act 1989

Effects of the Children Act 1989 The Children Act 1989 has put in place a set of principles which are designed to ensure that children’s needs in situations such as this are cared for appropriately. This means that children should be assessed speedily and have access to appropriate resources within the social services (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) 1-5). This legislation means that the there are procedures in place for the assessment of the needs of children considered to be potentially at risk of various forms of abuse in the family setting. The legislation quotes that this abuse may manifest itself as emotional, sexual and physical abuse or may take the form of neglect. The local authority is given the responsibility for monitoring whether these issues may be arising and where this is so, the social services must intervene and impose the best course of intervention as is necessary (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) 1-5).. Specifically, the legislation makes the following provisions: ‘Prevention of neglect and abuse 4.—(1)Every local authority shall take reasonable steps, through the provision of services under Part III of this Act, to prevent children within their area suffering ill-treatment or neglect.†¦..’. Schedule Two of the Act makes the following provisions: Part I, of Schedule Two of the Children’s Act 1989 provides: ‘Identification of children in need and provision of information (1)Every local authority shall take reasonable steps to identify the extent to which there are children in need within their area.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..’. One The most important assessment in this scenario is that of the social worker. The Children Act 1989 places duties upon the local authority to care for the children who are potentially at risk in this scenario (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) 1-5). To a large degree the position of the social worker is to discharge this duty. Broadly the issues which are presented by this scenario are relate to poverty, social exclusion, poor parenting skills, mental health as well as child support issues. In this situation, each individual child’s needs must be assessed (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2). The child’s mother’s ability to respond to the children’s needs must also be assessed. In the situation described, the children appear to have been neglected, and poverty seems to be a prevalent factor in the continuing neglect. The mother’s description of her own feelings of being miserable and isolated suggest that perhaps there is an issue of mental health difficulties on the part of the mother and that perhaps she may be suffering from depression. Perhaps the most significant factor in this scenario is that there is no child support being received by the children’s father. This matter should be referred to the Child Support Agency who may be able to trace the children’s father and secure child support payments. On a more positive note, the mother seems to be very cooperative and she has admitted that she is not coping appropriately. Due to this it is probably possible to ensure that the children remain in the care of their mother with more support from the social services to assist her in coping with the challenges of parenting. The Children Act 1989 makes provision for what is referred to as an emergency protection order which means that the children can be placed under the immediate protection of the local authority. However, given that the mother appears to be as cooperative as she is, there does not appear to be any need to consider such a drastic measure. A less serious measure which is potentially available to the social worker in this situation is the application for a care order. Such an order commits the children to the care of the local authority. Again, however, given that the problems which are resulting in the neglect of the children appear to be linked to issues which may be r emedied with appropriate support and interventions on the part of the social worker (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) 3) (Jones, I. and Williams, D. (2000) 1-2) (Scottish Executive (2006) 1), this option, while it could be under consideration for the future is unlikely to be acted upon without attempts being made at less invasive remedies. An aim of the Children Act 1989 is to encourage what is referred to as a multi-agency approach (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2) to the problems which may be presented to individuals such as the mother in this scenario. It is likely that the health visitor, the local GP and perhaps some charitable organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau may be contacted to assist her mother. Certainly it appears that she may be entitled to more financial support from the social security agency, and if she were willing to attend the local CAB she may be able to get a benefits check which is an assessment of the benefits which she may be entitled to. Two Peter’s needs in this situation are paramount and the local authority are obliged to evaluate how much danger he may be in of being subjected to further abuse (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2). The care order which is in place means that Peter has been previously at risk of significant harm. If Peter is returned to the care of his family and suffers any further harm, there may be a case to be made that the local authority and the individuals involved in the assessment of his needs have acted negligently. A care order will usually last until the child is eighteen although applications may be made to the court to discharge care orders. The powers of the local authority, when a care order is in place are the same as parental responsibilities. This means that the local authority are allowed to make decisions about the welfare of the child, where the child lives and what is generally in the best interests of that child until the child reaches th e age of majority. Naturally, this situation brings a number of dilemmas to the fore. Some of these could include deciding whether it is in the best interests of Peter to be returned to his parents, deciding whether it is appropriate for Peter to be allowed contact with his father, and ultimately deciding whether Peter would be more damaged in the long term by separation from his parents or by being returned to his parents. Other dilemmas would include having the responsibility for separating a mother from her child. It appears that Peter’s mother is as much a victim in this situation as Peter is. However, the local authority have a duty to put the interests of peter first. Peter’s father and mother may apply to the court at any time to have the care order revoked but in the circumstances it appears that they may have some difficulty in showing that they will be able to provide a secure environment for the child to return to. Peter admits that he is intimidated by his father and his father has just been released from prison. The plans which Peter’s parents have to marry are a positive sign that they may be attempting to turn things around, however they would be required to show that Peter is no longer at significant risk and that they can maintain a secure home environment for Peter to be a part of. Peter’s parents, and indeed Peter’s father in particular would probably be entitled to have access to the child if Peter consents, but again the responsibility would be on them to show that such contact would be in Peter’s best interests. The Children’s Act 1989 requires the local authority to put the welfare of the child first and in this scenario doing so would involve placing the onus on Peter’s family to convince those caring for Peter and the court that they are in a position to care for him properly, and that they are likely to be able to sustain this for a considerable length of time. Three The Children’s Act 1989 in this situation places a legal duty upon the local authority to ensure that the risks to which this child may be being exposed to are appropriately assessed (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2). If it transpires that the child is at significant risk the local authority are required by law to intervene and remove the child from the situation which places them at risk. Claire in this situation has bruising to her cheek, and this is likely to be considered to be extremely inappropriate because she sustained this injury at the hands of her father, who has admitted that it has happened before. Claire admits that she has been staying out late however, in the circumstances Claire’s parents need to be in a position to care for her and to discipline her without resorting to physical violence. In circumstances where a child is in immediate danger, the social services can apply for an emergency protection order which enables them to take the child into protective care for a maximum of eight days. This is an option open to the social worker here, however in reality it is far more likely that a care order would potentially be applied for. Before this happens, the social worker must consider whether the child may be able to be left in the care of her family, while being supported through appropriate channels and outside actors. In this scenario, the parents seem to be having some difficulty both communicating with Claire and with disciplining her. Perhaps out of frustration, they have resorted to physical violence as an expression for their inability to do these things appropriately. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that Claire continues to stay out late without her parents’ permission. The social worker in this situation should probably consider whether it is appropriate to make the option of family counselling available to the entire family, and Claire’s opinion that she has had enough of being with her family should be the cause of some concern. Perhaps, as a temporary measure Claire could be placed with other family members, thus putting her in a more neutral setting. Such a measure would give both parties some breathing space and time to evaluate a better solution to the problems, which does not involve physical violence to Claire. The parents could also benefit from training in appropriate parenting skills which will enable them to discipline her more successfully. If Claire continues to be at risk of this violence occurring, it is likely that she would be considered to be at significant risk. In these circumstances, a child protection conference will be held and the social services will be responsible for coordinating an inter-agency plan to ensure that the child is cared for appropriately. This involves liaising with third parties to ensure that Claire gets all the assistance she needs. Perhaps Claire’s teachers could be consulted to enquire whether this treatment is adversely affecting her education, and Claire may benefit from being referred to a counsellor on an individual basis. Bibliography Books Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Values and Ethics in Social Work. Publisher: Sage Publications. Place of Publication: UK. Greene, R. (1999) Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice. Publisher: Aldine De Gruyter. Place of Publication: New York. Articles Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) Strategy for Social Work and Social Care. Publisher: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Place of Publication: UK. Jones, I. and Williams, D. (2000) Preparing for Practice in Wales: The Social Work Process. Publisher: Care Council for Wales and the University of Bangor. Place of Publication: Wales. Scottish Executive (2006) The Need for Social Work Intervention. Publisher: Scottish Executive. Place of Publication: UK.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Masque (Mask) of the Red D, William Wilson, Tale of the Ragged Moun

Landscape in Masque of the Red Death, William Wilson, Tale of the Ragged Mountains, and House of Usher A careful reading of Poe’s tales will quickly reveal the importance that landscape plays in the development of each literary work.   "Ragged Mountains" has both a surreal and realistic landscape allowing Poe to use both the mental and the physical environment to explain his tale.   This technique is also found in "The Fall of the House of Usher," "William Wilson," and "The Masque of the Red Death."   In these tales too the reader may tend to focus on the action at hand, and the psychological details, because that is what we are prone to do with Poe stories.   However, it is also important to understand that physical landscape as well.   As Daniel Philippon states in his article "Poe in the Ragged Mountains": "Any search for a whole universe of suggestion must be held in check by the realities of the landscape in which it occurs."   In "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains," it is pretty obvious that the landscape is going to play an important part in the story - we are given the setting right in the title.   However, a majority of the story actually takes place in an "Orientalized" locale that has been transposed into the Ragged Mountains.   This alone is a great juxtaposition: the title describes what seems to be a run-down, unappealing landscape, while the real action takes place in fantastical setting.   But why is the landscape so important if the psychological aspect is what Poe is trying to focus on?   Most likely it is because the landscape gives us clues about what is actually happening in the minds of the characters, and hints at things that make the story clearer.   For example, Bedloe starts his tale by describing "the thic... ...dscape as well as a physical one, his pieces pack a more powerful punch, and always allow the reader to find hints about what is really going on at a deeper level.   Since much of Poe's 'action' is psychological, the landscape is an element of the story that can't be ignored, and should not. Works Cited: Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Masque of the Red Death." The American Tradition in Literature. Ed. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. 9th ed. vol. 1. New York: McGraw, 1998. Poe, Edgar Allan. "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" [1843]; in Poe, ed. Harold Beaver. The Science Fiction of Edgar Allan Poe. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. Poe, Edgar Allan. "William Wilson." Selected Poetry and Prose of Poe. Ed. T. O. Mabbott. New York: Modern Library, 1951. Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Fall of the House of Usher". R.V.Cassill, ed. The Norton Fiction. New York, London, 1995. The Masque (Mask) of the Red D, William Wilson, Tale of the Ragged Moun Landscape in Masque of the Red Death, William Wilson, Tale of the Ragged Mountains, and House of Usher A careful reading of Poe’s tales will quickly reveal the importance that landscape plays in the development of each literary work.   "Ragged Mountains" has both a surreal and realistic landscape allowing Poe to use both the mental and the physical environment to explain his tale.   This technique is also found in "The Fall of the House of Usher," "William Wilson," and "The Masque of the Red Death."   In these tales too the reader may tend to focus on the action at hand, and the psychological details, because that is what we are prone to do with Poe stories.   However, it is also important to understand that physical landscape as well.   As Daniel Philippon states in his article "Poe in the Ragged Mountains": "Any search for a whole universe of suggestion must be held in check by the realities of the landscape in which it occurs."   In "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains," it is pretty obvious that the landscape is going to play an important part in the story - we are given the setting right in the title.   However, a majority of the story actually takes place in an "Orientalized" locale that has been transposed into the Ragged Mountains.   This alone is a great juxtaposition: the title describes what seems to be a run-down, unappealing landscape, while the real action takes place in fantastical setting.   But why is the landscape so important if the psychological aspect is what Poe is trying to focus on?   Most likely it is because the landscape gives us clues about what is actually happening in the minds of the characters, and hints at things that make the story clearer.   For example, Bedloe starts his tale by describing "the thic... ...dscape as well as a physical one, his pieces pack a more powerful punch, and always allow the reader to find hints about what is really going on at a deeper level.   Since much of Poe's 'action' is psychological, the landscape is an element of the story that can't be ignored, and should not. Works Cited: Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Masque of the Red Death." The American Tradition in Literature. Ed. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. 9th ed. vol. 1. New York: McGraw, 1998. Poe, Edgar Allan. "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" [1843]; in Poe, ed. Harold Beaver. The Science Fiction of Edgar Allan Poe. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. Poe, Edgar Allan. "William Wilson." Selected Poetry and Prose of Poe. Ed. T. O. Mabbott. New York: Modern Library, 1951. Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Fall of the House of Usher". R.V.Cassill, ed. The Norton Fiction. New York, London, 1995.

Tsetse Fly :: essays research papers fc

Tsetse Fly African sleeping sickness is an infectious disease of tropical Africa. This infectious disease is caused by a protozoan organism that exists as a parasite in the blood of a number of vertebrate hosts. There are three variations of the disease that predominate in humans are transmitted by an insect vector: Two types of African sleeping sickness are caused by the following: Trypanosoma rhodesiense and T. gambiense, both transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly. Trypanosome, which early symptoms include fever, headache, and chills, followed by anaemia and joint pains. Later, the disease attacks the central nervous system, causing drowsiness, lethargy, and, if left untreated, death. The cycle of this deadly disease starts out with the tsetse fly and usually end in death if untreated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tsetse flies are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class insecta, order Diptera, family Trypanosoma. Tsetse flies are unusual insects. The medium to large brown flies are between six to 14mm long, excluding its proboscis (which is the trunk-like process of the head). The wings are folded and scissor-like while at rest and extend a short distance beyond the end of the abdomen. Other flies have their wings projecting side-ways unlike the tsetse fly, which has overlapping wings. Tsetse flies are confined to Africa. There are 390 different species and four are found in Zambia. They are in the same family as the house and horse flies, they feed extensively on blood be it that of humans or animals. They are parasites that live in the blood or tissue of humans and other vertebrates. Egg and larval stages develop within the female. The female fly produces only one egg at a time. The larva hatches from the egg and is nourished during the growing period inside the body o f the parent. When the larva is full-grown, it is deposited on the ground, and it becomes a pupa. She gives birth every 9 to 10 days. Tsetse flies mate only once, but that mating provides enough sperm to fertilize the female throughout her 90 to 100 day lifespan. Female tsetses produce at most nine larvae and therefore have one of the lowest reproduction rates in the insect world. The single-celled trypanosomes that cause sleeping sickness spend their time cycling between humans and tsetse flies. They linger in the gut of the fly, absorbing amino acids and other molecules that the fly gets by biting mammals. After about ten days the trypanosomes move into the fly's salivary glands.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Hacking Defined :: essays research papers

A. What is hacking?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hacking is the act of penetrating computer systems to gain knowledge about the system and how it works.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hacking is illegal because we demand free access to ALL data, and we get it. This pisses people off and we are outcasted from society, and in order to stay out of prison, we must keep our status of being a hacker/phreaker a secret. We can't discuss our findings with anyone but other members of the hacking/phreaking community for fear of being punished. We are punished for wanting to learn. Why is the government spending huge amounts of time and money to arrest hackers when there are other much more dangerous people out there. It is the murderers, rapists, terrorists, kidnappers, and burglers who should be punished for what they have done, not hackers. We do NOT pose a threat to anyone. We are NOT out to hurt people or there computers. I admit that there are some people out there who call themselves hackers and who deliberately damage computers. But these people are criminals, NOT hackers. I don't care what the government says, we are NOT criminals. We are NOT trying to alter or damage any system. This is widely misunderstood. Maybe one day people will believe us when we say that all we want is to learn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are only two ways to get rid of hackers and phreakers. One is to get rid of computers and telephones, in which case we would find other means of getting what we want.(Like that is really going to happen.) The other way is to give us what we want, which is free access to ALL information. Until one of those two things happen, we are not going anywhere. B. Why hack?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As said above, we hack to gain knowledge about systems and the way they work. We do NOT want to damage systems in any way. If you do damage a system, you WILL get caught. But, if you don't damage anything, it is very unlikely that you will be noticed, let alone be tracked down and arrested, which costs a considerable amount of time and money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beginners should read all the files that they can get their hands on about anything even remotely related to hacking and phreaking, BEFORE they start hacking. I know it sounds stupid and boring but it will definetly pay off in the future. The more you read about hacking and phreaking, the more unlikely it is that you will get caught. Hacking Defined :: essays research papers A. What is hacking?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hacking is the act of penetrating computer systems to gain knowledge about the system and how it works.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hacking is illegal because we demand free access to ALL data, and we get it. This pisses people off and we are outcasted from society, and in order to stay out of prison, we must keep our status of being a hacker/phreaker a secret. We can't discuss our findings with anyone but other members of the hacking/phreaking community for fear of being punished. We are punished for wanting to learn. Why is the government spending huge amounts of time and money to arrest hackers when there are other much more dangerous people out there. It is the murderers, rapists, terrorists, kidnappers, and burglers who should be punished for what they have done, not hackers. We do NOT pose a threat to anyone. We are NOT out to hurt people or there computers. I admit that there are some people out there who call themselves hackers and who deliberately damage computers. But these people are criminals, NOT hackers. I don't care what the government says, we are NOT criminals. We are NOT trying to alter or damage any system. This is widely misunderstood. Maybe one day people will believe us when we say that all we want is to learn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are only two ways to get rid of hackers and phreakers. One is to get rid of computers and telephones, in which case we would find other means of getting what we want.(Like that is really going to happen.) The other way is to give us what we want, which is free access to ALL information. Until one of those two things happen, we are not going anywhere. B. Why hack?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As said above, we hack to gain knowledge about systems and the way they work. We do NOT want to damage systems in any way. If you do damage a system, you WILL get caught. But, if you don't damage anything, it is very unlikely that you will be noticed, let alone be tracked down and arrested, which costs a considerable amount of time and money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beginners should read all the files that they can get their hands on about anything even remotely related to hacking and phreaking, BEFORE they start hacking. I know it sounds stupid and boring but it will definetly pay off in the future. The more you read about hacking and phreaking, the more unlikely it is that you will get caught.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Ebags Case Study

eBags Case Study BUSI: 2003 Operations Management 11/16/2012 The eBags Corporation The purpose of this paper is analyze the business operations of the eBags Corporation, and provide recommendations for both the European luggage market and footwear industry based on current strengths and weaknesses eBags demonstrates. Through research and analysis, as a group we will map out the managing growth of the eBags Corporation. eBags is known for their innovative breakthrough of one stop shopping for luggage such as traditional travel bags and suitcases in addition to travel accessories like handbags, computer cases, and briefcases just to name a few.Operations management is a key component to the success of the eBags Corporation, and eBags has demonstrated innovative and cost effective business strategies by utilizing cross functional teams within their organization. With business growing, eBags has been able to increase their manufacturers from 10 to 300 and product lines increasing from 10 00 Stock Keeping Units (SKU’s) to over 15,000 SKU’s (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).Due to the level of success eBags has accomplished they were able to create the eBags product line to consumers seeking low end luggage at an affordable price; the private label consisted of 1000 SKU’s held in a warehouse in Dallas, TX (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011) With desires of expanding their business eBags faces a number of hurdles in deciding which line of business will best suit their organization, their suppliers and manufacturers, their customers, all while generating the highest profit for their company. eBags Current Product Flow Process AnalysisTo maintain competitive in today’s market companies need to implement effective process flows. With options such as assembly lines, continuous, batch flow, and job shop it is important for companies to chose the option that is best going to fit both production needs and budget constraints. M aking the wrong choice for the product flow process can be very costly for any company; however, implementing the right process can reduce costs and speed up production time. The purpose of eBags is to create one stop shopping for luggage needs and in order to do so a wide variety of products should be available to their consumers. Bag and their manufactures use a made to stock order fulfillment process, and with various manufacturers and the eBags private label produced, eBags felt best to utilize the batch flow or batch production product flow process. This allowed products to be produced in lower volumes while still offering consumers a wide variety of products to choose from. By utilizing the batch flow process, it requires the use of general purpose equipment that does not specialize in making one specific product, which if loaded to full capacity could create a jumbled flow of products (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).In order to maintain accurate inventory levels , eBags created the eBags Partner Network (EPN) which allows for the manufactures to post up to date product information to consumers ensuring that discontinued items don’t show available for purchase and consumers know the time needed for back order fulfillment. Analysis of eBags in the Footwear Industry and Recommended Product Flow Process Based on Type of Customer OrderWith such success rates in the luggage industry, eBags saw an opportunity to expand their business into foreign terrain, the footwear industry. With the footwear industry being a well known fragmented market, like the luggage market, allowing for flexibility to produce various different styles, designs, qualities, sizes, and colors while maintaining a competitive price. According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), the footwear industry is three times the size of the luggage industry, so venturing into this market would not be an easy task.Some of the challenges that eBags faced in this market t hat they did not in the luggage market included: making consumers aware of the ability purchase footwear through an online channel and consumers generally want to try their shoes on to make they are getting the right product before purchasing (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). However, eBags identified that if they could overcome the hurdles associated with this market they could expand even further with apparel and clothing which Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), described as the largest online retail market.With hopes to exploit the footwear industry with one stop shopping, eBags should continue to utilize the batch flow process for their product flow process of footwear. With the footwear industry being similarly fragmented to the luggage industry, by using the batch flow process eBags will be able to produce at low to medium volumes allowing for an equally wide line of products to choose from. This will allow customer to order multiple pairs of shoes simu ltaneously so they can try them one and decide which pair is going to best fit their style and comfort needs.With this approach, eBags can also implement the EPN with footwear manufacturers to ensure that up to date products are available eliminating issues of consumers trying to order out of stock or discontinued merchandise. Analysis of eBags in the European Luggage Market and Recommended Product-Process Strategy According to a 2002 report, â€Å"190 million internet users had spread across Europe and surpassed the 165 million internet users in the United States† (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011, p. 513). Expanding the current line of business would be safe and effective business strategy for eBags with minor hurdles to consider.The luggage industry is not a foreign concept for eBags, so to be able to expand their products into the European market would require similar business strategies that they are currently using. No one consumer is the same therefore their product needs, including luggage will generally not be the same. The goal is to create one stop shopping for consumers in the European market for their luggage needs and in order to accomplish this, eBags will need to provide a variety of products and lines for their new customers to choose from.Some of the issues that eBags faces, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), are language barriers involved in international shipping, shipping requirements, brand awareness, and maintaining the EPN. To overcome the hurdle of international shipping, eBags can create relationships with manufacturers domestic to the European market. eBags will be able to incur the cost of shipping without having to pay the expenses associated with international shipping unless they made their private label available to the European market.Also, this will allow eBags to mirror the drop ship model that contributed significantly to the success of their organization. To achieve the success eBag s is looking for in this market, it is recommended that eBags continues to utilize the batch flow process for product flow. This also allows for incorporation the EPN into the new market still allowing for their consumers to have up to date product information. This process will continue to meet the business needs of the luggage industry by producing at low volumes but offering flexibility to accommodate products that meet the low, middle and high end of the market.As with the American luggage industry, eBags products will use a made to stock order fulfillment and the manufacturer will be able to control the inventory by using the EPN. Customer Contact Matrix Analysis of eBags: Strengths and Weaknesses of eBags Processes The level of customer contact for eBags is low which puts them at the high end of a buffered system and the low end of the permeable system on the customer contact matrix. The eBags website is set up to help consumers be self sufficient during the ordering process f rom beginning to end, and because there is no interaction involved their customer service is buffered.In the event the consumer needs additional assistance, they can call the customer service center and the phone interaction would fall under permeable on the customer matrix. This can be considered as strength for eBags because â€Å"separating the customer from the service production system allows for greater standardization of processes and therefore better efficiency† (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011, p. 91). eBags is able to focus their attention on product production and quality management of their products without having consumer interruptions.This is what Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, (2011), refers to as variability from uncertainty, specifically arrival variability. With a made to stock fulfillment, consumers use the eBags website to choose from preselected inventory decided by the manufacturer. This process is also built to have low level custome r contact to eliminate the request variability, which puts eBags at the advantage of having a high efficient system because orders are completed away from the customer. Weaknesses with a low level customer ontact causes eBags to miss out additional business opportunities. According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), high customer contact allows for opportunities to up-sell the customer with accessories or additional sale items in creating more revenue for the company. If eBags entered the footwear industry, eventually expanding into apparel and clothing, they will miss out on great deal of potential revenue. Secondly, consumers who have difficulties navigating through the eBags website will cost eBags a sale resulting in loss of business.Analysis of eBags Use of Technology in Providing Competitive Customer Service Technology it vital to business of eBags as all of their business transactions occur through the internet, so it is important that eBags employs a high skill ed technology department to ensure business runs smoothly. The systematic technology used allows the consumer to filter their results by type brand, features, color, price, by size, etc, making it easy and quick to find the right product (Horwitt, 2011). To enhance the customer experience eBags has invested a great deal into the online shopping experience for their consumers.According to PRNewswire (2012), eBags has implemented the FreeFlow system, which has allowed them to provide better rich product information to their consumers with limited interruptions in website downloads. eBags also incorporated what is referred to as ColdFusion software, which will create the ultimate customer experience by creating personalized stores for their consumers (PRNewswire, 2012). The personalized store will track the customers spending habits and provide product recommendations based on previous purchased items. Another important way the internet is used to provide competitive customer service i s through the EPN.The EPN is a way to connect the consumer with up to date product information, and with the scorecard system the manufacturers can track product sales, returns, and customer feedback (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). Analysis of eBags’ Useof Three Aspects of the â€Å"Philosophy of Lean† Lean business practices are important to corporation survival in today’s business market. Companies are looking for ways to stay in business by bringing new products to the market with faster delivery times and higher standards of quality.In order to stay in competition with the surrounding market most of today’s businesses have incorporated lean thinking into their business practices by adopting some if not all of the five lean tenets. The five tenets are: 1) what about product or service creates value, 2) improve value stream for each product or service, 3) flow within a process is simple, smooth, and error free, reducing waste, 4) produce only what is pulled by the customer, 5) strive for perfection ((Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).The first tenet that eBags demonstrates is creating both a product and a service that adds value for their consumers. eBags carries a wide selection of products and labels to choose from all while offering their customers the convenience to one stop shop from anywhere with an internet connection. This has saved eBags’ customers time and money from having to travel to a retail store that may or may not have what they are looking for.According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), this lean tenet has allowed eBags to compete on product breadth, selection, and convenience instead of price. The second tenet that eBags demonstrates is improvement of value stream mapping by incorporated the drop-ship model, which is another way putting the customer in contact with the manufacturer by eliminating the middleman. With the customer orders going directly to the manufac turer, eBags was able to eliminate the middle man (retail merchant location), and create a direct customer-manufacturer relationship.The visual representation described on page 509 of Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), shows the customer placing their order on the eBags website, eBags then sends the order to the manufacturer electronically, the manufacturer ships the merchandise to the customer, eBags provides the customer with the shipping tracking number and customer is billed for the merchandise, the manufacturer sends eBags an invoice, and finally the manufacturer is paid.The third tenet seen by eBags is the creating simple, smooth, and error free process flows that reduce waste, which can be seen through the incorporation of EPN. Because this system allows the manufacturers to control inventory levels eBags has been able to avoid any waste associated with inventory costs and reduce overhead costs. Also, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), eBags was able to effectively market their products by removing items that were out of order or discontinued. Bags’ Service Blueprint for Current Product Line Analysis and Recommendation Regarding Business Process Reengineering The basic service blue print is as follows: Based on the group analysis of this service blueprint it is not recommended for eBags to consider a process reengineering. The goal of a process reengineering is to redesign and integrate the business process to increase customer satisfaction. eBags have set themselves apart from their competition with their service blueprint, and any changes can be considered a waste.Footwear Industry Quality Control Analysis and Recommendations The footwear industry is very different from the luggage industry, shoes will be on a person and a level of comfort is important when configuring quality control. One step in maintaining quality control in the footwear industry is to recruit manufacturers with reputable quality assurance guidelines such as material inspection, testing, and final inspections of product before shipped to the consumer. It is also important that the manufacturers hire knowledgeable, competent, and skilled staff to ensure that all quality standards are being met.A second step in quality control, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), is to clearly identify the needs of the consumers. Once consumer needs are identified the consumer is not lost from the picture, consumer input is needed design specifications with the use of quality function deployment. This can also include information regarding consumer identified life expectancy of the shoes being produced consumers are not going to spend money on shoes that they are going to have to replace every 6 months. Malcolm Baldrige Award Analysis and Recommendation(s)Established in 1987, the Malcolm Baldrige Awarad was created to encourage businesses to strive for higher quality performance through management practices and im proved quality results (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). Spread between seven (7) categories: 1) leadership, 2) strategic planning, 3) customer focus, 4) measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, 5) workforce focus, 6) process management, 7) results; the Malcolm Baldrige Award allows for 1000 total points combined between the seven categories measuring quality assurance.As judges for the Malcolm Baldrige Award, our assessment of eBags Incorporated for this strategic award is as follows: Category and Items (2010):| Points| Comments| | | | | 1. Leadership| | | 1. 1. | Senior Leadership| 70| Senior management work collaboratively to analyze previous results and asses future business ventures| 1. 2. |   Governance and Social Responsibilities| 50| According to PRNews (2012), eBags partnered with Susan G Komen to create â€Å"pink program†. Over 900 pink items offered that eBags contributes 10% of retail sales to the Komen Foundation. | 2. Strategic Planning| | | 2. | Strategy Development| 40| Created one-stop shopping for consumers, incorporated the drop-ship model, and added EPN and vendor scorecard to website to keep consumers informed| 2. 2| Strategy Deployment| 30| Meeting to discuss future business plans for eBags (Footwear Industry or European Market) based on previous years sales numbers| 3. Customer Focus| | | 3. 1| Customer Engagement| 40| Customer engagement can be seen in what Yahoo (2012), called the â€Å"Bag an iPad† campaign that created flexibility in customer interaction by expanding to the channels that consumers use most to communicate. 3. 2| Voice of the Customer| 45| Voice of the customer can be seen through the EPN, manufactures and other consumers can read reviews and testimonials. This gives eBags an opportunity to learn what consumers want and make changes to their products and prcesses if needed. | 4. Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management| | 4. 1| Measurement, Analysis, and Improvement of Organ ization Performance| 40| This category reiterates the EPN and vendor score card system. Manufacturers are able to measure performance and use feedback to incorporate innovated ways to increase sales| 4. | Management of Information, Knowledge, and information technology| 40| ExtractTarget program, consumers receive up to date product and sales information, consumer reviews, and receive discount coupons. | 5. Workforce Focus| | | 5. 1| Workforce Engagement| 10| No information provided to support this category| 5. 2| Workforce Environment| 10| No information provided to support this category| 6. Process Management| | | 6. 1| Work Systems| 30| Maintaining the internet to avoid congestion within the website.Flow of the drop ship model| 6. 2| Work Processes| 45| eBags work processes is reflected through their improvement of work systems. | 7. Results| | | 7. 1| Product Outcomes| 90| I believe eBags has a strong product outcome by offering the customers products in the high, middle, and lo w end of the market| 7. 2| Customer-Focused Outcomes| 70| The process of the drop-ship model from eBags demonstrates how effective the experience is with the company, from shopping, to delivery to the vendor getting paid. 7. 3| Financial and Market Outcomes| 65| The financial and market outcomes at eBags have been set by their determination to offer more than 700 different brands to its market. This is done through cross functional teams within each department of eBags| 7. 4| Workforce-Focused Outcomes| 65| | 7. 5| Process Effectiveness Outcomes| 70| The process of the drop-ship model from eBags demonstrates how effective the experience is with the company, from shopping, to delivery to the vendor getting paid. | 7. | Leadership Outcomes| 70| By utilizing cross functional teams to create efficient and effective product and process flows, eBags has been able to shine among the industry setting precedence for future businesses. | | | | | | Total | 880| | In conclusion even though eBag s has some strong characteristics that can be appreciated in quality management it also has some weaknesses that can be improved on. These weaknesses impede eBags attempts at trying to win the Malcolm Baldridge Award. Analysis and Recommendation(s) for eBags Supply Chain Improvements The supply chain of eBags has been slimmed down as low as it can get.By implementing the drop ship model and EPN, all those involved in the supply chain are needed and the current processes are keeping consumers happy with wide selections of merchandise that can fit any style. It is recommendation that eBags is not in need of improvement in structure or infrastructure. By maintaining cross functional teams in product and process development eBags can stay on top of the competition by implementing innovative ways to improve process flows. Conclusion Over the years eBags has made a big name for itself being named Internet Retailer Magazine’s Top 50 Websites (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2 011).With hopes to expand, eBags can venture into a brand new industry that can eventually open more doors or they can expand their current market into the unknown terrain of Europe. Both ventures will require cross functional teams to ensure that consumer wants and needs are addressed while creating process flows that will generate revenue for the company. Regardless of the industry eBags continues to expand in, the use of batch flow process and made to stock order process will accommodate any needs within any industry. Bags has set precedence for their innovate ways of conducting business such as with the drop ship model, EPN, vendor scorecard system, private label, and one stop shopping with the use of technology. eBags has also adapted well to current business practices and implanted the five tenets of lean which was a vital part of their success during a time of economic crisis. By conducting all business transactions, eBags has been deemed a low customer contact company becaus e all contact is done through the eBags website or on the phone with customer service representatives.Although eBags is missing out on opportunities for up-sale because of limited customer engagement, they make up their losses by saving consumers time and money from having to travel for their luggage needs. eBags scored rather high with the Malcolm Baldrige Award but was not quite at the mark to win. The category that had the biggest impact was workforce focus and very little information was available to support a higher score in this category. eBags can work on all areas in this category for improvement to secure a win of the Malcolm Baldrige Award.References: PRNewswire. (2012). eBags. com Raises Breast Cancer Awareness Year-Round with Pick Pink Program. Retrieved November 9, 2012 from http://www. prnewswire. com/news-releases/ebagscom-raises-breast-cancer-awareness-year-round-with-pick-pink-program-57176017. html PRNewswire. (2012). eBags. com Redefines Customer Service with Cutt ing-Edge Internet Technology. Retrieved November 2, 2012 from http://www. prnewswire. com/news- releases/ebagscom-redefines-customer-service-with-cutting-edge-internet-technology-73251862. html Horwitt, E. (2011).The Systematic Web gets Down to Business. Retrieved November 3, 2012 from http://www. computerworld. com/s/article/9209118/The_semantic_Web_gets_down_to_business Schroeder, R. G. , Goldstein, S. M. , & Rungusanatham, M. J. (2011). Operations management: contemporary concepts and cases. (5th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Yahoo Finance. (2012). eBags Boosts Fall Sales with New ExactTarget-Powered Cross Channel Marketing on Facebook, Email, and Mobile. Retrieved November 10, 2012 from http://finance. yahoo. com/news/ebags-boosts-fall-sales-exacttarget-153000369. html.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Louis Vuitton Strategy Essay

LVMH is the world’s leading luxury products group. The strategy of LVMH is based on combining LVMH fashion and leather goods. Net sales have grown 57% in the past two years. In 2001 LVMH had a strong earning growth in a slumping economy. This was due to the strength of the Louis Vuitton brand, which is the world leader in luxury goods and benefited the younger brands from the synergies that developed within the business group. Each company could focus on their core business design and marketing while they benefited from shared financial and technical expertise. Each one is moving toward its objective and improving sales. Mr. Carcelle made strategic plans to establish the organizations overall goals. LVMH’s goal is to grow faster than their competitors. The logic of acquiring several companies over a short period of time was based on the internal growth of LVMH. They had a strong support of brand image; they are number one in the world with 50 brands and have a strong presence in all luxury sectors. They have a good geographical balance and control over distribution. The strategy was based on the constant and sustainable growth of multi brands. Carcelle’s thought is what happened for the Louis Vuitton brand can and will happen for his new smaller brands. Carcelle is in for the long run and understands the time lines. LVMH is building up design teams and continue to expand and renovate their worldwide store network. They continue to invest in advertising and promotion while making the capital expenditures required to increase production capacity and meet the strong demand for their produc ts. Yves Carcell is charismatic and a visionary leader. He has the ability to create and articulate a realistic, credible, and attractive vision of the future and improved upon the present situation. He is often at his desk well before dawn, but before sitting down to an early morning meeting in his Paris office, Carcelle, 54 invites a visitor to step on to the balcony and watch the sun rise over the Seine. â€Å"Isn’t it beautiful?† he asks with a delighted grin (Business Week-online June 17, 2002) His twenty years working in sales and marketing for consumer goods companies made him the logical  person to preside over LVMH fashion group. Carcelle is a fierce defender of his brands and it is said that he bawled out a French government official attending a Vuitton store opening in Bangkok when he spotted her carrying a fake Vuitton bag. That certainly shows attention to detail. Carcelle is fluent in English, Spanish, and French. His experience and charm make him as comfortable talking with shop managers and designers as he is conducting high powered business negotiations with CEOs. He oversees LVMH’s most valuable portfolio of brands. He must also keep tight control over a global network of factories and stores, without snuffing out the creative spark that gives the luxury business its luster. He was responsible for bringing in new designers to spiff up Vuitton’s styling and expand the product line, while terminating franchise agreements so that LVMH regained exclusive control of retailing. Carcelle’s leadership has been effective. Last year, fueled largely by Vuitton, the fashion group accounted for nearly 30% of LVMH’s $10.8 billion in sales, and more than 80% of its $1.4 billion operating profit. (Business Week-online June17, 2002)