My Ideal Business Essay

In order to open a business there are many details that need to be determined to protect the owner before opening. The parts of the business that need to be determined are: the legal form of entity, control of the business, taxation, and financing. The business I want to open is a full service Italian restaurant. The name of the restaurant will be Tony’s Italian Restaurant. In this paper I will explain the details of my business and discuss the Construction Scenario. Tony’s Italian Restaurant My brother and I have always dreamed of owning a restaurant. Throughout the years I have thought about this business and am excited to open this restaurant soon. The business will be two restaurants in one building. On one side there is a full service restaurant with a bar and on the opposite side there will be a pizzeria. The pizzeria will be a delivery and pick-up service only. Legal Entity Tony’s Italian Restaurant will be a Limited Liability Company (LLC). Forming our restaurant as an LLC will enable both my brother and I to operate, manage, and control the business. This way we can each manage different aspects of the company. We will also be able to have an equal share of the business. Financing of the business will be owner invested and different small business loans available through the government and small business association of our town. The owners of the restaurant will each invest equal amounts of capital into the company in order to keep everything uniform. For tax purposes, an LLC works out the best for my brother and I. We will be able to file taxes as a partnership and meaning the income or losses from the company will be split between us and filed on our personal taxes. This ensures us that we are not taxed twice. The most important advantage to forming an LLC is the liability issue. With the business as an LLC, we are not personally liable for any debts, obligations, or torts that come from the business. In order to register our business in the state, we must submit an article of organization to the secretary of the state of Virginia. Laws and Regulations The business being a restaurant will have to follow many different laws and regulations. Regulations concerning the serving of alcohol, serving food, labor laws, paying taxes are all included in this business. The regulations regarding the serving of alcohol include: obtaining the proper license, the proper identification procedures of customers, serving hours, and ages of servers. Of course in a restaurant you have many laws and regulations concerning food preparation and serving. The local health department will make frequent visits to make sure the restaurant is up to par regarding the food. The business will need many employees to make the restaurant successful. The labor laws are very important to follow. From pay rates to overtime, as well as laws for minors and proper identification for hiring, the laws are necessary to follow. There are also state and local taxes that need to be paid on a regular basis. Any violations of these laws and regulations could cause the business to be shut down. Risks of Operating a Restaurant As with any business, there are many risks when operating a restaurant. The biggest risk is food poisoning. Being experienced in food service, I will be able to put safeguards in place to eliminate the risk of food poisoning. Other risks include injuries to customers, unhappy customers, and lack of business. I believe that most of the risks involved in operating a restaurant are controllable. There will much attention to detail when it comes to this topic. Conclusion With the information I learned from the Business Law class, I believe I am one step closer to fulfilling my dream and opening my own restaurant. Choosing the proper entity, abiding by the laws and regulations, and eliminating the risks are great steps to opening a business. Construction Scenario In the construction scenario, the most important aspect is to adhere to the job requirements. The posted requirements are having jackhammer experience and a high school diploma. Michelle has jackhammer operator experience and a high school diploma. She is a perfect candidate for the job. The fact that she is pregnant should have no affect on the hiring decision unless the use of the jackhammer will have a negative effect on the pregnancy. Eric has jackhammer experience but no high school diploma. Since the requirements list a high school diploma, he is eliminated from the position. Felipe also has no high school diploma but has jackhammer experience. His is eliminated because of the lack of the high school diploma. Nick is a college graduate but no jackhammer experience. Without jackhammer experience he is also eliminated from the position. The best person for the job is Michelle. If there are no medical risks involved with a pregnant person operating a jackhammer, Title VII protects pregnant people from being discriminated.

Florida Shrimp Industry Analysis Essay

What if it were logical and profitable to merge two of the fastest growing shrimp industries in the United States today? That is exactly the idea behind â€Å"bait shrimp production†, the latest development in the combined evolution of the valuable live bait shrimp industry and the continual growth arena of aquaculture. Farm-raised bait shrimp is a very appropriate combination of the two businesses; both have a historical development in Florida for over forty years. Florida has been proclaimed the â€Å"Fishing Capital of the World† with its 1,197 statute miles of coastline hosting 3.4 million anglers annually. The statistics regarding the recreational fishing industry in Florida are astounding. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reports: †¢The economic value of recreational fishing to Florida is $7.0 billion and supports 75,000 jobs. †¢Recreational fishing is the second largest sports industry in Florida with over 700 world-record fish caught. Live bait shrimp is the nucleus around which evolves Florida’s saltwater sport and recreational fishing. It is the preferred bait for fishing near shore species such as snook, sea trout, redfish, snapper, cobia and mackerel. The business of catching and supplying live bait shrimp began with a few individuals supplying themselves, and a few bait shops in the 1950’s to becoming a multi-million dollar industry with exports throughout the Southeast United States. This growth is a testimony to the pre-eminence of shrimp as the most popular live bait among saltwater anglers in Southeast United States. The message is clear — the recreational/sport fishing industry and live bait shrimp are well established in Florida. And their popularity is growing amongst the14 million people (75% living within 10 miles of the coast) and the 40 million tourists who visit each year. Commercial fishermen currently supplying 100% of the bait shrimp market experiences regulatory restrictions, seasonal declines in wild stocks, and unreliable labor causing unpredictable shortages and as such are unable to meet the increase in the market demands. The FWC and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer service reports: †¢As the tourist and recreational fishing industry continues to increase in Florida so will the bait shrimp business. †¢Fishermen love to use live bait shrimp and retailers are always running out of bait before they run out of customers. †¢The retailer wants consistent deliveries of bait shrimp in numbers that will keep the customers walking through the door of their shop †¢Although the fishing effort has increased 50% over the past ten years, the live bait harvesters cannot meet the market demands. This increase in demand without an increase in supplies has resulted in an extremely high dollar value of live bait. This increase in demand, low supply and high dollar value has attracted the attention of shrimp producers. Now for the other half of the combination — shrimp aquaculture. As the demand for live bait shrimp has expanded without an increase in supplies, the inevitable has begun to take place — culturing Florida’s endemic penaeids for bait size shrimp using hatchery and production technologies developed for other economically important penaeids. Wholesale distributors cannot get adequate supply of bait shrimp certain times; retailers are forced to accept inaccurate counts and variable sizes of wild bait, which they will loose almost 30% in mortalities during the course of the day. Retailers cannot consistently provide the customer with the desired size and often sell â€Å"mixes†. Fishermen are reliant on the seasonal migration, molting periods and life cycles of the natural population; as such they cannot guarantee quality or volume. Shrimp spawn in April/May releasing eggs that move with the tides and currents into estuaries, where they spend their postlarval and juvenile stages before migrating back to deeper waters. Bait size shrimp are virtually impossible to harvest in June, July, and August due to this natural life cycle; and are in short supply September through December. It is the winter months January through April that suppliers, wholesalers and retailers can experience marketable size bait shrimp. However, even during this time period, harvesting of small animals causes immediate stress and holding them in â€Å"live† haul tanks for long distance deliveries results in high mortalities. Enter the growth industry, Aquaculture, dedicated to providing consumers what they need – healthy, quality seafood and aquatic products at market prices. The inability of the fishermen to provide year round live bait shrimp, there is a significant gap supplies. From this lack of product will grow the combination of live bait shrimp and aquaculture— Live Bait, Inc. Live Bait, Inc. will produce bait shrimp is at high densities in enclosed facilities equipped with multi-phase, recirculating systems. Bait size shrimp will be cultured to three variable sizes, (8,10, and 12 grams) to provide the retailer with desired â€Å"mixes†. Bait shrimp production facilities, unlike shrimp boats, can be located through out Florida in high value areas that support a large volume of recreational fishing and tourism. Live Bait, Inc. will focus on providing existing market channels with high quality bait at market prices, in a consistent and reliable manner through out the year. The first bait shrimp production facility is said to have been an offshoot of a Texas A&M project developing production systems for Gulf of Mexico endemic shrimp. The species of choice for this area are brown shrimp (F. aztecus) and it is believed that the company, although small scale, Lone Star Fishery, is experiencing continued success. There is a tremendous interest amongst fishermen and wholesale dealers in developing culture systems for bait shrimp. However, once they realize the capital investment and risk involved, they become interested in buying from Live Bait, Inc. The market for live bait shrimp is continuing to grow, especially during the summer when local residents and tourists target inshore species. This year-round demand, unreliable supplies and high dollar value ensures a continued market for this commodity. Industry Participants There are several groups of industry participants, which must come together in order for Live Bait, Inc. to function well. 1.Wholesale Dealers. Everything begins and ends with this customer. Wholesale distributors have established marketing channels and will be buying directly from the production centers. Each production center must first identify the base of the wholesaler from which the high volume, high value business will be drawn. Their attitudes, needs and abilities must be the genesis of each decision in designing the size and location of production facilities. 2.The Nuclear Breeding Center. For long-term sustainable production and the Florida Department of Aquaculture’s support and sanctions; it is imperative that a breeding program for F. duorarum be established from the beginning. Experience has proven the necessity of SPF stocks in minimizing the incidents of diseases and animal stress from high density, mass production. 3.. For Live Bait, Inc to produce, cost-effective, quality bait shrimp it needs outstanding seedstock. Large numbers of seedstock at affordable prices will needed, on a weekly basis in order to maintain the sequential stocking required by multi-phase systems. 4.Management/Production Team. This is the triangulation point where it all comes together. The team must identify the best locations; design the most cost effective facilities and production systems, produce shrimp using state-of-the-science technologies to provide high quality bait shrimp available for daily pickup. Who are the individuals or groups that are likely customers of farm raised live bait shrimp? Fortunately, there are some marketing surveys that have been conducted Florida state agencies, the US Department of Commerce and Mariculture, Inc. that can provide some answers even in this new concept. The target market for Live Bait, Inc. is the wholesale dealer/distributor, who currently is supplied 100% by the bait shrimp fishery. Currently, wholesale dealers either buy dockside from shrimpers and/or they use their own boats. As such they are located within close proximities of bait shrimping boats and not necessarily in the high value tourist areas. Each GLB’s locations will develop its facility, production numbers, sizes and services around the target audience –wholesalers. GLB will target several distinct groups: 1.Wholesalers, which fit the basic demographic characteristics of supplying retailers from great distances. These will be wholesalers who either buy dockside from shrimpers and/or they use their own boats. As such they are located within close proximities of bait shrimping boats, which are in five major regions: Hernando (Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas and Manatee) with 47% of total bait shrimp landings; Pine Island (Lee County) with 33% of total bait shrimp landings, Biscayne Bay (Dade and Monroe Counties) with 18% of total bait shrimp landings and Jacksonville (Fernandina Beach) with 2% total bait shrimp landings. Wholesalers will truck live bait shrimp 220 miles from Homosassa to Naples or from Miami, which is 107 miles. Wholesalers from these regions supplying the North-Central East Coast, the Keys and Panhandle will be targeted. 2.Wholesalers who supply retailers dealing in large volumes. For example marinas that sell 275,000 – 300,000 or more bait per day during the winter months and 65,000 – 80,000 per day during the summer months. Volume in these areas severely restricted due short supplies and distance from suppliers. Retailers claim they could sell up to 300% more, if the supply were available. Wholesalers supplying large marinas, high-end fishing piers located in metropolitan areas, and retail bait/tackle stores that promote popular sport fishing tournaments will be targeted. 3.Wholesalers who supply high dollar bait to retailers located in areas support high value recreational/sport fishing and tourism. Wholesale prices for live bait vary considerably with location. For example prices in Pine Island will run $30/1,000 shrimp while in Marco Island and Naples, which is just south of Pine Island, will have prices up to $70/1,000. Wholesalers who supply retailers who are willing to pay the higher market price will be targeted. 4. Wholesalers who are receptive of farm-raised bait and will promote the product among retailers. Currently, an overwhelming majority of retailers accept the idea of farm-raised bait. Most are willing to pay between 50-100% above current prices for farm raised bait as long as the supply is consistent and reliable. Wholesalers who are willing to promote our product, pay premium prices for premium farm raised bait shrimp will be targeted. 5.Wholesalers who are either currently exporting to neighboring states, or who would like to export to other states. Florida Bait shrimp wholesalers export live bait nine months out of the year to different neighboring states. Currently they supply 60% of the Alabama Market, 20% of the South Carolina and 50% of the Georgia market. Wholesalers exporting to other states will be targeted. 6.Bait Brokers dealing in frozen bait are currently importing small frozen shrimp that are severely damaged from outside the United States. The shrimp exotic species, which may or may not be infected with viral diseases. These brokers currently cannot meet the needs of their large contracts such as those with Wal-Mart and Publix. Process them, as most of the brokers also have processing plants. 7.Wholesalers who are supplying retailers whose customers would prefer farm raised bait over wild bait for ecological and environmental reasons. These six primary target groups provide fertile ground for GLB to become a profitable operation within the first year of production. In fact, GLB will become the top producer of farm-raised bait for Florida and the entire southeast coastal corridors. Live Bait, Inc. production centers will be established in key locations through out Florida. The marinas, retail bait shops, bait and tackle shops within a thirty-mile radius will match the demographic target profile – high volume, high market price, pro-farm raised bait, easy assess to interstate highways and are being supplied by wholesalers from great distances. A marketing survey conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s, Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing has documented annual landings (harvests), volumes of bait sold by retailers, wholesale/retail prices, peak seasonal demands and months of supply shortages. Major harvesting areas are divided Hernando Regions (Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas and Manatee) with 47% of total bait shrimp landings; Pine Island (Lee County) with 33% of total bait shrimp landings, Biscayne Bay (Dade and Monroe Counties) with 18% of total bait shrimp landings and Jacksonville (Fernandina Beach) with 2% total bait shrimp landings. Annual Landings report to Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by licensed bait shrimpers in 2000 was 2.46 million pounds (246 million bait size shrimp using a 100/1b count). This is 50% above the reported landings for 1991 of 1.23 million pounds 123 million bait size shrimp using a 100/lb count). Fishery managers feel the harvest numbers are under-reported on trip tickets. And since live bait shrimp is a cash industry sales are not accurately reported. Also not all shrimp caught as live bait is sold as live bait, there are high mortality rates associated with harvesting, holding and transporting. Larger shrimp will often be culled and sold as food. It is likely that the farm production needed to supply current markets will have to be 50% above reported landings to approximately 3.69 million pounds (369 million bait size shrimp using a 100/lb count).

K. 332 First Movement Analysis

Mozart Sonata No. 12 in F Major K. 332 First Movement Rachel Gilmore MTC 461. 001 November 26, 2012 The first movement of Mozart’s piano Sonata No. 12 in F Major is written fairly typically in the very structured sonata form. Historically is follows the main guidelines that were understood for the form. Harmonically, is progresses like expected. There are a few surprises here and there, but they are typical for Mozart’s compositions, especially his sonatas of the 18th century. In all, it makes a very interesting piece of work, especially with so much contrast within it.The formal structure of the first movement is sonata form. Not only is this evident in the title but it is very clear after an analysis of the piece has been done. Sonata form is incredibly structured and has specific sections and parts that must be present in order for it to be a true sonata. These sections are split relating to key mostly. All of the required parts are present in this work with the expe cted key changes, deeming it sonata form. The piece starts with the exposition, excluding the optional introduction that can be added if a composer so chooses.This exposition is the first ninety-three measure of the movement. The end is marked with a repeat sign. In the sonata, the exposition is repeated, so this follows normal sonata formatting. All parts of the exposition are included in this sonata; theme 1, a transition, theme 2, a bridge, a closing theme, and a codetta are all present. These sections within the exposition modulate just as they are supposed to, further showing that this piece is in sonata form. The first theme is in the tonic key of F Major. The transition modulates from the tonic key to the dominant key, C Major, which is typical for a transition.Theme 2 stays in the dominant key, as does the bridge, closing theme, and codetta. The next section of music is the development. It is not very long in comparison to the exposition and the coming development, lasting o nly thirty-nine measures. It behaves just like a normal development should. It modulates a few times and does so very often and quite quickly. In this development, Mozart chose to use a sequence of new material, repeating it at different pitch levels to change keys. Some material from the first theme group and the bridge is also used.There is no false return of the first theme group, but this is most likely because the development was so short in comparison. But, the material developed from the bridge in the exposition is used to transition the end of the development into the recapitulation. The recapitulation is also standard of sonata form. Every section of the exposition should return, only with no modulations. The Recapitulation should remain entirely in the original tonic key that should have been set up by the development. The first theme group returns in the tonic key of F Major.The transition also returns and stays in the tonic key. The second theme group also comes back, st aying in the tonic key as well. The same is true of the bridge, returning in F Major only. Next, the closing theme group returns also in the original key. And lastly, the codetta returns, continuing to stay in the tonic key. The form of this sonata by Mozart matches what was typical of the sonata form in the 18th century. There was a specific way what sonatas were to be composed, one that helps analysts of the present study this classical form.But, there are some things that Mozart included that were innovative and surprising for the times. These include harmonies that differ slightly from what were common, and motivic sequences that were quite originative. The motivic sequences other composers included in their sonatas during this time were fairly simple. Listeners liked to hear something they could easily remember, something that could get stuck in their heads, that they could hum for days or weeks after they first heard it. This usually resulted in music that contained few melodi c ideas that were played with and developed.Mozart, however, began to make a trend in the later part of the 18th century of having several tuneful sequences throughout his sonatas. The No. 12 F Major sonata is a great example. The first movement in itself has seven different melodic devices. The harmony tends to stay within the realm of normal for the 1700’s. There are places, though, where Mozart again drifts from common practices. Mozart was fairly well known for his inventive bridge sections during the expositions of his sonatas. In these bridge sections, Mozart would begin a theme on v (minor), ?III, III, VI, or V that eventually creates the false sense of having transposed to the dominant V key. Often Mozart would proceed to the tonic sounding V with an augmented sixth chord. He does just this in Sonata number 12, as shown in the example on the top of the next page in measures sixty-four through sixty-seven. VI7 ii7 V7 Ger+6 V Mozart begins a harmony on a Major sixth ch ord and leads into a V with a seventh chord, giving a dominant to tonic feel.He further gives this effect by leading into another V with the augment sixth German chord that has been filled out with a perfect fifth and a major third above the A? bass. Though the augmented sixth chord is voiced unorthodoxly, it gives the same effect. The chord structure of this work is very functional. Cadence points are fairly clear and the phrases are usually of a typical length. Most of the phrases are four measures long. A few exceptions to this rule exist in the work. They show up in a few different ways including elided cadences and extended harmony.Some of the phrases elide into each other giving the effect that they are in some cases longer than four measures and in other cases, shorter. An example of this is in measures fifty-five through fifty-seven, shown at the top of the next page. The first measure shown harmonizes a V7 chord in the key of C Major. The next measure harmonizes the I chord that finishes the imperfect authentic cadence begun in the phrase. But this tonic chord also acts as the beginning harmony for the next phrase continued in the last measureV7 I V7 shown in the example with a V7 chord, and also the beginning of the bridge. So this cadence point has been elided and includes the same measure in not only two separate phrases but also two separate parts of the exposition, theme 2 and the bridge. The same type of cadences happens several other times throughout the first movement. There are also several phrases that have been extended through the use of harmony. The second cadence point of the bridge, measure sixty-seven, is the end of a phrase that started in measure sixty.This phrase lasts so long because the harmony has been heavily and easily lengthened through the progressive use of secondary dominants and seventh chords. This is illustrated in the example below. i iv7V7/III V7/VI VI7 ii7 V7 Ger+6 V Some interesting harmony occurs at several of the p hrase points within the exposition and the development. Half cadences end on the dominant V chord. But there are several cases in this sonata where a cadence point is reached, and there is another, weaker dominant in the place of the V chord.In the transition section of the exposition, there are two half cadences that occur one right after the other where a weaker dominant occurs. The first one uses a viio chord instead of a V. At the end of the next phrase, an augmented sixth chord is used, the German augmented sixth with an augmented fourth and minor third. Also, in the development, a III chord is used instead of the V during a harmonization the parallel minor key. This is quite unorthodox, especially for the times, but has the same effect within the context of the music surrounding it as using the usual dominant V chord.Most interestingly, there is a lot of contrast in within the music. Mozart was something of an innovator of contrast within a musical piece of his time. He played around with contrasting the works as they were published (composing a fast and exciting piece just after having printed a slow one) and also with dynamics, melodies, rhythms, and other musical devices within the works themselves. Sonata No. 12 is no exception. Throughout the first movement, Mozart goes back and forth between fast moving piano parts that require up and down motion on the scale to blocked chords in both hands.He also takes advantage of contrasting dynamics. Sections will go immediately from being the dynamic of piano into a next section that is marked forte with no crescendo, and vice versa. He also used rhythmic contrast. One section might be quarters and eights squarely on the beat and then be promptly followed by a section that features dotted rhythms or triplets regularly. These contrasts were very interesting for the audiences of the 18th century to hear because it was outside of what was expected. Below is an example of contrasting rhythmic sections.The first m ovement of this F Major sonata by Mozart follows the basic sonata form. There are some discrepancies along the way, even concerning basic harmonic music theory, but the outlining format still remains. The contrast makes it an interesting piece of music to analyze and hear. And the harmony is, for the majority, what is expected of basic progressions. Bibliography Balthazar, Scott L. â€Å"Tonal and Motivic Process in Mozart’s Expositions,† The Journal of Musicology 16, no. 4 (1998): 421-466, http://www. jstor. org. steenproxy. sfasu. edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/763978. pdf. Hepokoski, James. Beyond the Sonata Principle,† Journal of the American Musicological Society 55, no. 1 (2002): 91-154, http://www. jstor. org. steenproxy. sfasu. edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/10. 1525/jams. 2002. 55. 1. 91. pdf? acceptTC=true. Kamien, Roger and Wager, Nephtali. â€Å"Bridge Themes within a Chromaticized Voice Exchange in Mozart Expositions,† Music Theory Spectrum 19, no. 1 (1997) : 1-12, http://www. jstor. org. steenproxy. sfasu. edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/745996. pdf. King, A. Hyatt. Mozart in Retrospect: Studies in Criticism and Bibliography. London: Oxford University Press, 1955. Landon, H. C.Robbins and Mitchell, Donald, eds. The Mozart Companion. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. , 1956. Marshall, Robert L. , ed. Mozart Speaks: Views in Music, Musicians, and the World. New York: Schirmer Books, 1991. Ratner, Leonard. â€Å"Harmonic Aspects of Classic Form,† Journal of the American Musicological Society 2, no. 3 (1949): 159-168, http://www. jstor. org. steenproxy. sfasu. edu:2048/stable/pdfplus/829717. pdf. Zaslaw, Neal and Cowdery, William, eds. The Complete Mozart: A guide to the Musical Works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1990.

Hospitality Management Major Marketing Class - Interview Project Essay - 1

Hospitality Management Major Marketing Class - Interview Project Additional Info - Essay Example These principles have enabled the company edge competition and increase market penetration (Slack, 2007). It defines its services as good music, good food, and good services. Essentially, hotel Pennsylvania is a classic pub that embraces the American culture and provides the revelers with quality music, performances, and quality food. The customers of the cafà © are attracted to the courteous services, fun, and lively ambience. The Hotel Pennsylvania values the business ethics and practices, which has enhances the companys mission in leveraging the market (Slack, 2007). They have the advantage of sound financial records and out matches its competitors, has the experience and delivers a strong coffee brand reputation. Arguably, the company is widely known to have the largest coffeehouse chain globally (White, 2006). They employ the best brains in the industry and offers employees with extensive benefits and high salaries. Employee motivation translates to high quality of goods and services. The hotel has been in the business for a long time and understood that strategic supplier partnerships are critical in enhancing the success. This has enabled them to bring forth efficiency in logistics and supply chain management (Steinhoff, 2003). Inherently, strategic supply partnerships stand on a better position in helping companies heighten their level of logistics and supply chain management. The importance of such strategy is improving cost efficiency and reliability. The revolutions in the technology world and Internet accessibility made the urban population develop a new social class of persons with the urge to get rich and enjoy a good life. The people embraced the culture of success, good life and productivity (Steinhoff 2003). Notably, New York has a huge traffic, which provides them with an opportunity to expand their business. They have competent employees in terms of chiefs, who make special diet menu that

New york Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New york - Essay Example There were beams of light everywhere. It was so loud out there. 3:00 am seemed like 3:00 pm. At one point, I was so startled that I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was awake. The chilling night was so full of life. To see it, my brain produced lots of adrenalin. Overjoyed, I took the jacket off! It felt too warm inside it. I put my helmet on and sat upon the motorbike. I gave it a kick. Soon as the engine turned on, the pistons roared alive. One, two, three and then, tuck, the fourth gear made me pierce through the wind on the highway as I drove the bike. Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Wall Street, World Trade Centre and Ellis Island all rushed past me as I wiggled through the Downtown Manhattan. I was driving so fast I could only see blurred images. I felt like running through time. Aaaaaaa†¦ New York gave me all in one! Left turn, zoooOOOOMMM†¦.chchchch†¦right turn, zoooooooOOmm†¦chchch. Half way through the street, a pimp winked me. It was quite dark in there. I could only see white skin in the twilight for the jet black dress merged with the black night. For a fraction of a second, I took her for an alien, No no†¦rather a zombie! until she stepped forward and her silky black miniskirt shined in the twilight. Ahaaan Ahaannn! Not me, not me, no no no nunununnnnoo I kic ked the bike start, and zoomed out of her sight. Aha†¦ New York peeeeetza†¦.floudup..aah! I parked my bike across the Ottimo on the West 24th Street. I locked the bike, put off the helmet and proceeded towards the restaurant. Tuck, tuck, tuck, tuck†¦the wooden floor clapped as my heels stroke it. It was an old fashioned Italian restaurant. The crowded place at 4:30 am told me how special it was. I ordered a chicken fajita pizza with lots of mozzarella topping burnt in the wood oven. In some good 15 minutes, it was served. Mozzarella was bubbling gold. Corners of chicken cubes showed up through the mozzarella all along the diameter of the pizza. Mushrooms,

Housing as a Common Need Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Housing as a Common Need - Essay Example Lastly, the option of renting a house with a group of friends. It is an option that shows sociable tendencies in a person, whereby he puts himself deliberately into a position where he can be amongst others in more ways than one. This tendency is a derivative of harmony, and highlights increased affinity for others within a person. It is purely an option that is driven by the need for recognition and approval. The probability is that the option and its consequences are familiar to the common public; hence adopting this path is no new thing. In fact, doing this enables a person to be a part of a group or a type of person that he idolizes in terms of actions. Renting a house with a group of friends exhibits social supremacy. It depicts the intention of a person to have the want to go beyond limits in order to acquire social recognition. It is similar to another lion wanting to enter a pride. He feels that this is the only way the conflict pertaining to dominance can be resolved - by jo ining the group! With renting a house with a group of friends, the person has speculated a possible response that is likely to come from the people concerned. The individual may not do so in a place which provides him with uncertainty. His prior interaction and conception of the place is the primary factor which enables him to do the deed, otherwise, it would not actualize. The second option of renting a single apartment is the  second best option. It amounts to a much greater hassle as far as the intensity and repercussions are concerned. Options of housing in this realm are actually a type of escape, in which one is venting out the excess energy that is been surmounted due to other pressures and unresolved aims.   Willfully committing an option that is likely to harm another person is representative of suppressed rage and anger, which has not been able to come out in a healthy way.

Societal Influences on Nursing as a Profession Research Paper

Societal Influences on Nursing as a Profession - Research Paper Example This essay highlights that  wars have been noted to as major contributor to development of the nursing profession, since more services were required to cater for the casualties. Just like in the times of Florence Nightingale, there has been a public outcry for inadequate care for soldiers in war-stricken areas. The makeshift hospitals that have been established to offer services in the affected population have been effective since sanitary services fundamental in caring for the sick are provided by nurses. Moreover, nursing practices have helped in reduction of immorality cases in military barracks because they offer guiding and counseling services apart from medical services. This is mostly evidenced by reduction in cases of sexually transmitted diseases.According to the study findings  Ccivil wars in countries like United States shaped the public perception of professional nursing since it formed its foundation (Jamieson, 1959). Many women became involved in health-care service s by providing sanitary services in military camps. The value of education in health-care provision for the sick was realized through the voluntary services women offered during civil wars. It is proposed that these women pioneered the construction of the first training schools in nursing after the completion of the war. As a result, the president of American Medical Association, Samuel Gross, endorsed nursing schools in 1868.  Throughout the 19th century, the number of community and hospitals continued to expand rapidly. Conflicts emerged because of religious resurgence during this time, especially among Anglican convent. The surgeons and physicians opposed to the roles of the nurses who claimed they were more concerned in spiritual demands of their patients rather than physical needs. Some religious orders were created for lay people who wanted a chance to share in charitable work. The female nurses were called sisters while male ones were regarded as brothers, even though they belonged to a religious group. Nursing has been dominated by religious values such as devotion to duty, spiritual calling, hard work, and self-denial. It is purported that commitment to these values resulted in exploitation rather than professionalism and the monetary rewards. This was affirmed by

Preliminary Reference Procedure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Preliminary Reference Procedure - Essay Example The phrase you put for query, ‘Preliminary Reference Procedure’ is, according to Bromberg and Fenger (2010) a provisional terminology of the European Union law under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that indicates the provision the national court or tribune to refer a question of the EU law to the ECJ for preliminary ruling so as to enable the national court to decide the case before it on receiving that ruling. From this angle, you can consider that the functioning of the preliminary reference procedures ensures the uniformity of interpretation and validity of the EU law across all the member states in the union. In an over view, (Harris & Horspool, 2010, pp. 3-5) the preliminary reference procedure is constituted as per the guidance of Article 267 TFEU that says that if a question is raised before any court or tribunal of a Member State, and if the court considers that the decision on the question is necessary to enable it to give judgement, that court may require the Court of Justice to give a ruling of the case thereon. Simply speaking, you can consider this as the tool of the state courts at times of critical decision makings on special issues with the consolidation of the ECJ. You need to further focus on the fact that the ECJ relies on its co-operation with national courts in taking decision on the appeal of national courts. In most cases related to such conditions, the CEJ leads the role in the decision making and the national courts go in submission to ECJ in the process of co-operation and therefore, are normally guided by the EU judiciary. The preliminary reference procedure guarantees the dominance of the ECJ as it gets the legal assistance of the EU laws system and therefore the cases handled by the ECJ sometimes provide controversial options of discretionary power to the national courts, particularly in situations related to arbitrations on employment and industrial relation disputes. For instance, if you take t he disputes on issues like indirect discrimination, the EC is supportive to the benefit of employers but at the same time, this issue is sent to the national court for the review of the general principle of proportionality of the case on objective grounds. Reports and statistics may be of the effect of fading the effectiveness of the upper court’s judiciary system to decide on certain identical issues of national important, which are usually pertaining to industrial disputes; however, the system of Preliminary Reference Procedure is presently the most popular channel that connects national courts with the ECJ. For further clarity, I would like you to refer Article 254TFEU; it explains to you the validity of equality of decision making between the two courts in its original phase of inception of the law. The procedure functioned in a vicious circle that channelled the move of a question from the discretionary powers of the national court; from there, the ECJ takes into conside ration, the legality of the case under the provisions of the EU law relevant to the issue and guides the national court to take the decisions accordingly. The prominence of the law-making process based on the preliminary reference procedure has been emerged as a result of the upper hand of the ECJ on the national courts whereby each decree of the ECJ becomes the decision unanimously approved and followed by other national courts in the Union (Role of National Courts inEuropean Law 8, Dec, 2006). You can thus observe that the new tendency among the national courts paved the way for the development of EU judicial system by placing the ECJ as the Apex Court. Also, this new move

Essay comparing two plays about the US between 1939-1941 over the role

Comparing two plays about the US between 1939-1941 over the role America played in WWII - Essay Example Lillian Hellman was blacklisted after the war for her work with Dorothy Parker and others with communist ties. Odets was also blacklisted for his organizational work and writings, but was able to remain free of the punishment that Hellman received due to co-operation with authorities, something that calls his greater legacy into question and doubt. As both advocated resistance, in their personal lives it is important to see in what ways their ideas were applied personally to the greater society as a whole and actually lived. Odets was a long-time Socialist organizer in the tradition of Eugene Debs and Upton Sinclair, a radical Leftist constantly at odds with the government and established authority, seeking reform and justice in the political system. Lillian Hellman’s play, Watch on the Rhine, and Odets’ Waiting for Lefty, both show political organization as the answer to State repression and fascism in their themes, but Hellman’s play delivers a patriotic, pro-war message that can be considered supportive of the government’s foreign policy at the time, and advocating organized, violent resistance in the humanitarian context of the war in Europe, with respect to German dissidents and organizers in America. â€Å"For every man who lives without freedom, the rest of us must face the guilt,† she famously wrote, and this is remembered to this day as a rallying cry for WWII. (Helman, 1941) Odets, however, can be seen as sending the message of the need for organization and a rmed resistance through the Labor movement of Socialism, and his violence is directed to a type of domestic fascism of the corporate State in American political expression. Edna (with great joy): â€Å"I dont say one man! I say a hundred, a thousand, a whole million, I say. But start in your own union. Get those hack boys together! Sweep out those racketeers like a pile of dirt! Stand up like men and fight for the

Why Teens Cant Sleep Essay Example for Free

Why Teens Cant Sleep Essay Warren Zevon, American songwriter and musician, once said, â€Å"I’ll sleep when I’m dead.† Ironically, sleep is one of the basic functions of life we need to survive. Teenagers take a good night’s sleep for granite, often skipping it for a variety of reasons. However, the body will never be at its peak performance without a good night’s rest. Due to other after school activities, responsibilities, or habits teenagers find themselves in circumstances where they are up late at night missing out on hours sleep. Some of these circumstances that cause sleep deprivation are out of a teen’s control, while others are not. When sports coaches schedule practices late in the evening this often means teens are not going to get a good night’s sleep. This situation is clearly out of a teen’s control as they must respect their coach’s decision. In the beginning of November, the Middletown Football team held a meeting to talk about our practice in preparation for the last game of the season. Because the last football game stretches two weeks into the winter sport season those playing a winter sport and football, such as myself, had to attend both of their practices. Coach Donahue, the football coach, arranged for me to attend wrestling at 2:30pm to 5:30pm then go to football practice 6pm to 8pm. I would not get home until 8:30pm. After eating dinner and finishing homework I was in bed by 11pm. It was then my responsibility to wake up at 5:30am to prepare for school and do it all over again. Having practice scheduled late in the evening deprived me of hours of sleep and it showed as I woul d find myself a sleep during my classes. In addition to late sports practices, a teenager’s part-time job also can lead to sleep deprivation. Some teenagers rely on their job to help support their family or save to support themselves later in college. My best friend, Ylexis, has a part-time job at the Middletown Galleria AMC. She took this job because she needs the money for college. On a regular basis her shift adviser will schedule her to work after school at 4pm to 8pm. She complains to me all the time in the most vitreous tone that she does not get enough sleep because when she gets home she is responsible for preparing dinner for her younger siblings. After completing her homework she is normally in bed at 10pm or later. Because this job deprives her of time she needs to sleep, Ylexis has talked about quitting then taking a year off after high school to work for college.  Perhaps the most common reason for sleep deprivation in teens is also the one in their control: procrastination. Teens tend to put off major assignments that are not due the next day. My friend Jose is a great example. Jose is the biggest Call of Duty fan I have ever known, and it hurt him tremendously in the grade book. He told me when Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 was released, he played online until 1am. As Jose was going to sleep for the night he remembered a two page essay due the next day in Psychology class. Jose scrambled to put what he could together, constructing his essay until five in the morning. Upon turning in the essay the teacher told Jose he looked as though he were going to fall out from exhaustion. Jose received a D- on his essay, and he regrets ever having purchased Call of Duty. There are a variety of circumstances, some in a teen’s control and others that are not, that could cause sleep deprivation. Whether it be a sport, a job, or a bad habit it is vital a teenager get an ample amount of sleep. Sleep is needed to keep the body working efficiently. I do not envy anyone who is caught in all these situations at one time.

Study On What Is Reflection Nursing Essay

Study On What Is Reflection Nursing Essay This assignment looks at the study of theoretical reflection in conjunction with how effective communication skills can be developed to expand our knowledge. To achieve this I will explain what reflection practice is using models of reflection; evaluate theories of personal development what they are and how they are used. Discuss how reflective practice benefits communication skills and in turn influence our knowledge of nursing care. What is reflection? In scientific terms reflection is seen as light, heat or sound striking a surface to give off a reflection (Darlene 2006). Reflection is also seen as philosophical understanding of how one can gain knowledge through experience and use different approaches to the same scenario (ref). Reflection can be described as; meditation, deep thinking and or giving careful considerations to possibilities and opinions of a given situation (Mcferran and Martin 2008). The novel idea of reflection rose from a theorist John Dewey (1859-1952); his proposed view on reflection is described as persistent, active thinking and taking into consideration the supporting evidence that forms knowledge to the given situation. This theorist suggests that the person uses their mind and emotions to facilitate reflection (Bulman and Schutz 2008). This suggests that John Dewey describes reflective individuals has being open-minded, responsible and wholehearted (Vaugn and Leblanc 2011). Deweys perception of reflection was a platform for many authors to elaborate on in terms of understanding reflective practice. Johns and Freshwater (2005) propose that health professionals should find the meaning of reflection through description rather than definition because to define reflection is to suggest the author has authority over its meaning. This in turn allows reflections models and frameworks to be used intuitively giving a more holistic approach, it can be subjective and purpose driven (Johns and Freshwater 2005). Mann et al (2007) describes Schons (1983) view that reflection can happen in two ways: reflecting upon activities whilst they are happening called reflection in action (present reflection) and reflecting upon activities once they have happened (reflecting on the past). Reflection can also be seen as the engine that facilitates superficial learning into finding a deeper understanding that enables the practitioner to transform what is known to knowledge in action (Boud et al 1985 cited in Rolfe et al 2011). Reflection (Broad overview) Describe some of the different theories and models of reflection that are available and how they are used. Explain how reflection can aid personal development. Schon, reflection on and in action Models of reflection, Driscolls, Atkins and Murphy, Gibbs, Johns, Kolb. 750 words Reflection Model and frameworks There are many different models of reflection which seem to have similar philosophical theories attached to each approach. Rolfe et al (2011) asserts models are methodologies and frameworks are methods used to understand and give guidance on how use the chosen reflective model and models therefore are ontological this mean they have formal specifications for representing ideas and concepts that aim to improve personal growth and development. Models of reflection developed by Schon and Argyris (1992) involves three elements: (1) knowing-in-action (2) reflection-in-action and (3) reflection-on-practice (Ghaye and Lillyman 2010). Ghaye and Lillyman (2010) have extrapolated Schons work to include knowing-in-action; they propose that practitioners customise and tailor their own knowledge or theories to the situation presented. Knowing in action is described further by Carper (1978) who identifies five approaches to knowing in action; empirical, personal, ethical and aesthetic knowing ( Newton and McKenna 2009). Empirical knowing is the formation of knowledge organised into general laws and theories for the describing and predicting phenomena pertaining to nursing practice (Averill and Clements 2007). Empirical means of knowledge tends to seek out theoretical explanation which can be replicated and be publicly verifiable (Newton and McKenna 2009). Newton and McKenna (2009) further suggest that empirical knowledge can only be effective when it is interpreted within the context of given clinical situation and how it is assimilated into practitioners personal knowledge. Personal knowing described by Carper (1978) is about finding out how much we know about ourselves when faced with clinical challenges and that health care professionals may not necessarily know about the self but do strive to know about the self. Newton and McKenna (2009) state that Caper (1978) does reiterate that it is difficult to master however it is an essential in understanding nursing care. Newton and McKenna (2009) suggest that personal knowing demands a deeper level of understanding and awareness to communicate and interact with ourselves and others. This type of knowing requires the nurse to be empathic, nurse attempt to do this by developing a personal yet professional relationship between the patients as opposed to viewing a patient as an object (Newton and McKenna 2009). Moral actions and ethical choices are intertwined with personal knowing to which Carper (1978) suggests presupposes personal maturity and freedom. Ethical knowing is about the moral aspect of nursing that is concerned with making choices, making justifiable actions and judging outcomes (Newton and McKenna 2009). The main focus of ethical knowing is trained towards issues of obligations that would require rationalisation and deliberate reasoning (Carper 1992). Chinn and Kramer (2004) suggest that rational can be expressed through codes, moral rules and decision-making. Newton and McKenna (2009) assert that having knowledge of moral issues is not isolated to ethical codes of nursing disciplines for example the Code of Conduct written by the NMC (2010). Newton and McKenna (2009) assert that ethical knowing is only partly learnt through applying codes and moral rules but is more through experiencing situations that initiate reflection upon what is or has happened and how this affects patient care. Aesthetic knowing is the process that is involved in understanding the given clinical situation by interpreting the information provided and how it impacts others involved in the situation (Johns 1994). Aesthetic knowing allows nurses to use their judgment and skill to respond in clinical situations often referred to as the art of nursing (Johns and Freshwater 2005, Bulman and Schutz 2008). Newton and McKenna (2009) assert that there is an essential component attached to aesthetic knowing which is having empathy, which gives the patient reassurance that the practitioner is able to experience another persons feeling and situation the patient is faced with. Gibbs( date) Driscoll(dates)and Kolb ( date)all conjured reflective models which are each similar to one another; they are all cyclical reveals that learning through reflection about what is or what has happened is continuous cycle. Gibbs et al (1988) model please see appendix 1 (a) Do you know of any other models that perhaps dont take on such a cyclical approach†¦ consider the work of Chris Johns, Mezirow, Boud et al also†¦. How do they compare and contrast with each other? Why might one model of reflection suit one situation or context better than another?Think about which models promote single loop or double loop learning if you can. Reflective practice (Specific) Give an overview of how reflection is used in nursing. Explain its relevance to nursing and how and when it is used. Explore the concepts of reflective practice and critical incident analysis. Introduce use of reflection for personal development. CPD, self regulation. Identify the different situations where reflection can be used. Skills V critical Incidents what is a critical incident. 750 words Reflective practice is seen has using reflective techniques to improve, maintain change in clinical procedures and influence guidelines to encourage greater safety of patients in all areas of health organisations (Bulman and Schutz 2008). Health care organisations in the UK have undergone and still continue to undergo changes to how it is regulated (Rolfe et al 2011). The emphasis is largely associated with increasing patient safety and risk reduction (Rolfe et al 2011). The four main bodies in the UK; Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) and General Social Care Council (GSCC) and General Medical Council (GMC) which are concerned with the controlling, training and regulating of the healthcare system in UK (Rolfe et al 2011). Evidence-based studies have taught the NHS and regulatory bodies how to change practices and procedures to create better outcomes for patients, they have also encompassed further development for staff to promote a better use of resources through continuing professional development CPD (Ghaye and Lillyman 2010). An example of this could be the pressure sore nurses taking on the responsibility of giving guidance to non-specialist nurses to take care of patients with such conditions. This could not have been achieved if it was not for reflective thinking being part of the learning process (ref). How do we use reflective practice within our day to day practice? Consider the approaches that mentors take when supporting students, look at the principles involved in preceptorship and clinical supervision†¦ Communication skills (Application) Discuss and analyse how reflection can be utilised to improve your communication skills in practice. Explore how and when you would use it. What practical steps would you take and what resources would you utilise and why. Link reflection in and on action to communication situations giving information (in), breaking bad news (on), then use of journals, models, writing, peer support. 750 words Conclusion Sum up 500 words You have made a solid start at this assignment so far and have introduced many ideas which are relevant to the topic. These themes now need to be explored in greater detail . You have a slight tendency to introduce theoretical concepts ( not all of which are uncomplicated) without fully explaining their meaning†¦. Take care to avoid this as just mentioning them does not mean that you understand them and we will be looking for evidence of understanding. You also need to pay attention to your sentence construction as there are several poorly constructed sentences noted so far†¦. Make sure that when you lift them from the text you have referred to , that you do adapt them to make sense in the context that you are trying to use them. I would like to have a look at this piece when it has been developed a bit more. You are definitely heading in the right direction though and overall have made an effective start.

The Triad Of Impairments In Asd Psychology Essay

The Triad Of Impairments In Asd Psychology Essay Having aspirations to become an educational psychologist, I have always held a strong interest in clinical conditions such as Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and how they can affect a persons behaviours. This interest has been further fuelled by my nephew having been recently diagnosed with high functioning ASD. Whilst I am familiar with the behavioural aspects of this disorder I lack knowledge on the neurological explanations. I wish to change this to increase my understanding of ASD in order to be better equipped to offer my nephew and others with ASD the best possible support. Introduction The complexity of Autistic Spectrum Disorders is partially due to the fact that, until recently, there were no clear biological functions which corresponded with the syndrome. Scientific developments in brain imaging in recent years, however, have enabled psychologists to begin to research ASD from a neurological perspective, meaning that the symptoms of ASD are beginning to be understood more clearly as an expression of a neural disorder (Just et al, 2012). According to the DSM-IV a person can be diagnosed with ASD when they exhibit symptoms under the following three primary criteria: Qualitative impairment in social interaction Qualitative impairment in communication Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interests and activities. The above symptoms are often referred to as a triad of impairments. However, in the proposed DSM-V there is the possibility that the social and communication impairments will be combined and that in the future the definition will form a dyad of impairments instead (Pina-Camacho et al, 2011) . At the time of writing, however, a triad of impairments still exists. This essay is focusing not on the general differences between the brains of typically developing (TD) humans and humans with ASD, but on the neurological explanations for the most prominent behavioural symptoms of ASD. Accordingly the triad of impairments will be taken, one by one, and possible neurological explanations will be explored. Qualitative impairment in social interaction Much of the neurological research on ASD focuses on this impairment following the pattern of behavioural research on ASD. Indeed, one of the most prominent theories of ASD, the Theory of Mind (Baron-Cohen, 1985), focuses almost entirely on the social deficits, arguing that people with ASD struggle with mentalising; they lack social insight and are unable to perceive the world from another persons viewpoint. From a neurological standing, however, it is not enough to assume that people with ASD do not have a Theory of Mind; instead, we must understand biologically why this may be so. Brothers (1990) conducted a variety of studies, both with humans and other primates, and proposed that primates alone have social cognition they are able to perceive psychological facts about others. Through the examination of evolutionary studies, as well as the study of clinical conditions which can affect social cognition, Brothers proposed a neural network of regions in the brain, which, combined create the social brain: Superior temporal sulcus (STS) plays an important role in social perception and is implicated in the processing of many types of sensory information which are relevant to social interaction, e.g. selective sensitivity to vocal and speech sounds rather than to non-vocal sounds and the processing of the motions of hands, face, eyes, and body, especially if the motions relate to emotion in some way (Neuhaus et al, 2010). Fusiform gyrus (FG) region is thought to display a selective response to human faces and is often referred to as the fusiform face area (FFA) (Neuhaus et al, 2010). Prefrontal cortex (PFC) a subdivision of the PFC is the ventromedial PFC, a region including the orbital frontal cortex and the ventral part of the anterior cingulate cortex areas implicated in motivation, reward, and emotion processing, and planning for the future. This region also has extensive connections with the amygdala (Neuhaus et al, 2010). Amygdala involved in processing emotions, empathy, perspective taking and social judgements (Neuhaus et al, 2010). Figure A A diagram of the regions of the brain thought to comprise the social brain. Data retrieved from: http://www.jaynejubb.com/june2012article.htm It seems highly probable that damage to a region in the social brain is likely to cause some visible social deficit. Thus, ASD may be explained, to a certain extent, through abnormalities in these regions when compared to TD humans. Various studies support this idea; the amygdala theory of autism, for example, proposes that there is an amygdala impairment in people with autism, which can help to explain the deficits in their social behaviour (Baron-Cohen, 2000). Given that the amygdala is strongly associated with emotion along with other social functions, irregularity in this region could well contribute to the lack of social insight so often noted in people with ASD. In an earlier study, Baron-Cohen et al (1999) conducted an fMRI study comparing TD subjects with patients with high-functioning ASD or Asperger Syndrome (AS) on a mentalising task whereby participants were asked to judge from a photograph of another persons eyes what emotion that person was feeling. They found that when TD participants were attributing emotional states to the photographs, there was increased activation in their STGs and amygdalas areas associated with social perception and emotion. The ASD and AS group, however, did not show increased activation in the amygdala. Other research suggested that as well as decreased amygdala activity, people with ASD tend to process faces differently to TD people, using the right inferior temporal gyri (ITG) an area more commonly associated with processing objects, rather than the FFA (Schultz et al, 2000). Research by Pierce et al (2001) also found that there was either weak or no activity in the FFA and the amygdala in response to the human face in autistic patients but found no evidence to suggest that they used the ITG as an alternative. The differences in the results of Pierce and Schultz may be due to their samples, with Schultz using a sample including participants with autism and AS and Pierce using a sample only of participants with autism. Caution is urged when placing too much emphasis on the FGs association with faces as previous research has suggested that this region may not be face specific but may be activated when objects increase in familiarity (Gauthier et al, 1999). Fletcher et al (1995) used PET scans to compare brain activity in normal volunteers when reading Theory of Mind stories, physical stories and unlinked sentences. When activity during the Theory of Mind stories was compared with the others, the authors discovered significant activation in the left side of the medial frontal gyrus and in the posterior cingulate cortex regions in the prefrontal cortex suggesting that these regions are specifically activated when a person is mentalising. Furthermore, Castelli et al (2002) used PET scans on ten able adults with ASD or Asperger Syndrome (AS) whilst they watched a variety of animated sequences, and were asked to attribute mental states to the animations based upon what they had seen. The TD group showed increased activation in their medial prefrontal cortex, superior temporal sulcus and temporal poles, areas associated with social cognition, as described above. The autism group, however, showed less activation than the normal group in all of these regions. Qualitative impairments in communication Symptoms in this impairment range from a total lack of development of spoken language, to a person having adequate speech but being unable to use it in conversation with others, to stereotyped and repetitive use of language (DSM-IV) making it difficult to explain the impairment as a whole. There is also less literature in general on trying to explain the communication deficit in ASD than there is on trying to explain the social deficit. This may be because aspects of the communication deficit are not applicable to people with AS or high-functioning ASD whereas the social deficit is central to all ASDs. Within the left hemisphere of the brain are two areas that govern the understanding and production of speech: Brocas area and Wernickes area. Brocas area is in the frontal lobe and is primarily involved in the production of speech; Wernickes area is in the temporal lobe and is mainly involved with speech comprehension (Passer et al, 2009). Also in the left hemisphere of the brain is the primary auditory cortex an area associated with hearing and thus also largely involved in language production and comprehension (Passer et al, 2009). One possible explanation for a lack of language development is therefore likely to involve damage or irregularities in the left hemisphere of the brain and more specifically in the above areas. Boddaert et al (2004) used PET scans to compare the brain activity of eleven autistic children with six non-autistic mentally retarded children while they were listening to speech-like sounds. They found that there was less activation in speech-related areas, including Wernickes area, in autistic children. In previous work with autistic adults (Boddaert et al, 2004) they had found abnormal right frontotemporal activity but this was not found with the children. Research by Eyler et al (2012) measured the brain activity of forty toddlers with ASD and 40 TD toddlers during the presentation of a bedtime story. Their results showed that a region of the left STG, an area which includes both Brocas and Wernickes area, was significantly less responsive to speech stimuli in the group with ASD than in t he TD group. The TD toddlers showed dominance in the left hemisphere of the brain, as one might expect, given the association between the left hemisphere and language. Contrary to the Boddaert et al study, Eyler et al did find that toddlers with ASD however displayed stronger activation on the right anterior portion of the STG rather than the left. The differences in the results of the groups may be that the sample in the Boddaert et al study was significantly smaller than the sample used by Eyler et al, with only 11 autistic participants compared to 40. Eyler et al propose that the right STG may be trying to compensate for the incompetent processing of the left STG but that by doing so the development of social communication and language abilities is being lost, thus providing an explanation for not only language delay but also ineffective communication in people with ASD. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interest and activities There are very few neurological studies focusing on this aspect of ASD. An fMRI study by Shafritz et al (2008) on repetitive behaviour in ASD showed that the severity of restricted, repetitive behaviours was negatively correlated with activation in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and posterior parietal regions areas associated with attention, motivation and error detection (Neuhaus et al. 2010). Research by Thakkar et al (2008) supports this finding. Through an experiment on response monitoring they found functional and structural abnormalities in the ACC in ASD participants and suggested that this may cause rigid and repetitive, rather than responsive and flexible behaviour. As the cerebellum is concerned primarily with muscular movement co-ordination but also plays a role in learning and memory (Passer et al, 2009), Pierce and Courchesne (2001) examined the possibility of a link between cerebellar abnormality and exploration in autism. They held an experiment where 14 autistic chi ldren and 14 TD children were in a large room with several exploration containers and encouraged to play. The results showed that children with autism spent significantly less time in active exploration and were more likely to engage in repetitive movements than TD children. They found that the more abnormal the cerebellar vermis, an area in the medial cerebellum (Passer et al, 2009) the less time spent in exploring a new environment. Conclusion Much more literature exists examining the neurological explanations of social impairments in ASD than in the other two impairments. A vast amount of evidence exists associating the social deficits in ASD with irregularities in various regions of the social brain; the superior temporal sulcus, the fusiform gyrus, the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. A lack of activity in the left hemisphere of the brain is likely to contribute to the communication impairment visible in AS. There is very little literature on the restricted behaviour impairment but recent work has proposed a possible association between cerebellar abnormality and exploration and between the ACC and repetitive behaviour. Further work is needed in all three areas ideally work could be conducted that could help to explain all three impairments rather than focusing on a single one.

Big Brother in 1984 and The Children’s Story Essay -- George Orwell

Fear, an emotion that takes control over you, forces you to act in a certain way and refrain from taking certain risks. Fear takes over us day after day. We fear dying, losing, and failing. In the world of 1984, fear not only controls people individually, but human kind as a whole. Leaders of the Inner Party, and the ultimate leader Big Brother controlled the people of Oceania by their fears. Through revolt, love, technology, and control over history Party members became restricted in every aspect of human nature. In 1984, free thought is revolt. Physical actions of rebellion never occurred in the world created by George Orwell. Due to the lack of freedom of thought by Big Brother people turned to thought in order to escape the brutal world. Any thinking outside of the designed thought of the Party was a â€Å"thought crime† (13). Thought about uprising, or any thought of hatred directed towards the Party was a crime. All thought was an act of rebellion. Winston commits many thought crimes throughout the book, and in the end, the Thought Police arrest him. Not only did he rebel in thought, but attempted to make a physical revolt by joining â€Å"the brotherhood† (171). Physical relationships and love also rebel against the party. They dislike any human relationships that are not for the benefit of the Party, like Winston and Julia’s relationship. Attempting to hide their relationship, the two must sneak around telescreens to continue their connection. Winston protested in his own way against the Party, but in the end he failed by falling in love with Big Brother (298). Love still exists in the novel 1984 because everyone loves Big Brother, or will love him. Winston and Julia â€Å"loved† each other, though arguably their loved centered more ... ... show the easy manipulation of children. The main message of the Children’s Story tells us that the unawareness of children and adults makes it easy to control and influence thoughts and beliefs. In 1984, Winston tells us that the people â€Å"incapable of understanding† the Party’s view, prove to be the ones most successfully taught it (156). These people could never fully grasp the â€Å"flagrant violations of reality† and never understood what the Party demanded of them (156). The messages of both 1984 and The Children’s Story send a strong message to our government, keep people informed. Children need to be aware who they are pledging their allegiance too, and why they pray to God, and who God even is. Adults need to be aware of governmental issues, especially with politics. People need to be mindful of what each politician stands for and know what their beliefs are.

Family Themes in Shakespeare :: essays research papers fc

Some of Shakespeare’s most well known works are his tragedies. One of the reasons they are still read worldwide is Shakespeare’s study of character and the relationships, which these characters are involved with. In order to get the full tragedy; the characters must represent basic morals or ideas. A common theme among a lot of Shakespeare works is the idea of family and what it means to be within and part of a family. This idea of a natural law, in which it deals with society’s and family’s expectation of what is to be given from parent to child as well as the bond which is made. In Shakespeare’s King Lear, the two plots revolve around a parent’s dealing with children who are not proper to what is expected of them. King Lear is a story, which deals with the idea of familial expectation and the roles in which parents and children play. Lear’s madness and his obsession with being praised blinded him to the child who was really the only one who loved him, Cordelia. The same with the Earl of Gloucester, he was blinded by his illegitimate child, Edmund, who set out to turn him away from his heir, Edgar. Within the story, these two children and a few loyal servants try to help and eventually try to save the King and Gloucester, but they are both too stubborn to recognize the goodness and true bond in these people. The story of King Lear deals with the turmoil of a chaotic world began by the boundaries of family and personal relationships being turn upside down.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story opens with King Lear, ready to retire, calling his three daughters to the room. When everyone had assembled, Lear made the grand announcement that he would divide the kingdom three ways, a piece to each daughter. However, he added that the larger pieces were to go to the daughter who loved him most. He based this not upon their actions but the speech they gave. The first two daughters, Regan and Goneril, made a flowery and obviously fake speech in which Lear preened and awarded them their kingdoms. When it came to his third daughter, Cordelia, she answered, â€Å"Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave my heart into my mouth. I love your majesty according to my bond, nor more nor less.† (Abrams, pg. 893) In that she tells her father she loves him but will not participate in the game he had arranged for the dividing of his lands.

Mounties v. Cowboys Essay

1. Sarah Vowell reverses her friend’s assertion of Canada not being inspirational by writing about the Royal Canadian Mounted police, and how they are different from American cowboys who were taught to shoot any Indian that approached camp. The Mounties knew to avoid America’s problem with the western Native American tribes. She compares Canada’s one law for everyone to the America that always spoke of equal rights, yet they still have a lot of work to do about it. Although Canada may seem like a boring country that hasn’t really done much, it was actually a place of refuge for the north-west Native American tribes back in the day. The Indians called the border line between America and Canada the â€Å"medicine line†, and if they did not want to be shot at for approaching American settlers, that is where they needed to go. It may look like the Mounties haven’t done anything dangerous or victorious, but they are known for their fairness to Ind ians who seek refuge in their country, and that is how I see Sarah Vowell reversing her friends’ assertion that Canadian history â€Å"isn’t inspiring†. 2. I think Sarah Vowell was expecting her readers not to be so surprised that Americans don’t really think about Canada at all. Canada isn’t really considered a threat to America because it’s such a peaceful and harmless country. Sara vowell even mentions how Canada gained independence through polite meetings with Britain. Other countries would just go to war to gain their independence. If Canadians could gain their independence just for being nice and cooperative, what is there to worry about? People don’t really take Canada seriously anyway. Canada is like that one neighbor that never leaves the house, but is always happy and welcoming when people go to visit. So when an American says they don’t think about Canada at all, they mean it. 3. â€Å"Cowboys v. Mounties† is a Rhetorical mode compare and contrast essay. Sarah Vowell compares the Canada and America’s patriotism. She compares the Canadians who are so selfless and non-violent, to the Americans who are so aggressive and prideful. One way we know for sure that this is would be a compare and contrast essay is just by reading the title. It says â€Å"Cowboys V. Mounties†. Another way we know that this is a compare and contrast essay is by the way the Canadian woman asked an American man what Americans really thought about Canada. His response would later lead into the author  comparing two countries. 4. Sarah Vowell’s introduction strategy begins with relevant background material. She starts off her first sentence in all capital letters, and that definitely catches the readers’ eye. I like the way Sarah Vowell keeps her readers interested and curious through her opening sentence â€Å"CANADA HAUNTS ME†. Of course, people want to know how a very peaceful country could haunt someone. I think that the audience that Sarah vowell was trying or expecting to hook was the Americans, and that her whole purpose was to change their point of view on Canadian history and their country. 5. Sarah Vowell’s opinion in the sermon is similar to her ideas about American and Canadian culture in â€Å"Cowboys v. Mounties†. Just from synthesizing the article and quote from the book, we could tell that in general, Sarah Vowell thinks that the â€Å"peaceful and cooperative† America that everyone dreams of is actually Canada. In the quote and article, it looks like Sarah admires Canada for the way they handle things, like their fairness to everyone. It looked like she was trying to say that America needs to be calmer instead of being all aggressive, and that they need to start acting on things they always speak of. Both of these countries were under the rule of Great Britain and they both wanted independence. They just achieved it differently. America went to war and Canada went to meetings. I think what Sarah vowell is trying to say through her writings is that America doesn’t need to be so prideful and mean just to be a great country.

Unit study guide

You will be able to enter this Exam only once. There is a 2-hour time limit for this type of Exam. Make sure to complete the exam by the end of Unit 6 on Tuesday evening. For each Item listed below, make sure you understand what the Item Is referring to, owe the textbook defines it and how it applies to business organizations.Planning ? Chapter 5 Strategic Planning & Decision Making Strategic Planning -Strategic Goals Tactical Planning – Specific Goals & Plans Operational Planning – Specific Procedures & Processes Mission ? Organization's Basic Purpose Strategic Vision – Future Perspective SOOT Analysis Organizing – Chapter 7 Organizing for Action Organizational Chart Differentiation & Integration Dillon of Labor & Specialization Vertical Structure Authority Span of Control Delegation – Responsibility, Accountability Centralization Horizontal Structure Line DepartmentsStaff Departments Differentiations Functional, Divisional, Matrix, Network Central ized vs.. Decentralized Organizations Leading ? Chapter 10 Leadership Vision Leading & Managing Supervisory Leadership & Strategic Leadership 5 Sources of Power: Legitimate, Reward, Coercive, Referent, Expert 3 Traditional Approaches to Leadership Approach – Task Performance Behaviors & Group Maintenance Behaviors, ELM Theory, Autocratic Leadership, Democratic Leadership, Laissez-fairer Situational Approach – Broom Model, Fielder's Contingency Model, Task-motivated Leadership, Relationship-motivated Leadership, Hershey & Blanchard Situational Theory ( JobMaturity, Psychological Maturity). Charismatic Leaders * Transformational Leaders * Transactional Leaders Controlling ? Chapter 14 Managerial Control Control – a process that directs the activities of individuals toward the achievement of organizational goals Bureaucratic Control Market Control Clan Control 4 Steps of Control Systems Setting Performance Standards Measuring Performance Comparing Performance Again st Standards & Determining Deviations Taking Action to Correct Problems & Reinforce Successes 6 Sigma Six Sigma is a quality management concept that has the goal of eliminating defects room a company's product or service.It involves adjusting various aspects of and around the product or service until it is consistently what the customers want and need. The term â€Å"sigma† refers to how far a product or service is from being â€Å"perfect†, free of defects (relative to customers' wants and needs). This state of â€Å"perfection† or being as free of defects as possible is believed to be achieved at Six Sigma. Internal Audits & External Audits For the Internal & External audit information, refer to your textbook definitions and make sure you understand the differences and specific purpose of each one.

Development Project – comparing Canada and Kenya

Brief: In this project, I have been asked to show the development of two countries. The information was researched from books, resources, internet etc. Method: The two countries that I have chosen to write about Is Canada and Kenya. I have chosen Canada because of its interesting facts and the fact that it is a developed country. The other country I have chosen is Kenya, I choose this because it is a developing country and I wanted to see the similarities and differences between them. I also wanted to choose Kenya because of its interesting features and cultures. There many factors to focus on, in this project so I will both show my findings and research in forms of tables, pie charts, bar charts. TABLE OF FINDINGS I have researched my two countries using the internet. I then printed this information out to show that I have done my research. To make life much simpler, I collect the necessary parts of the research, and complied this into one easy to read â€Å"Table of Findings† The 12 Factors As you can see, I have chosen 12 factors to compare the two countries: I have chosen Roadways, Railways and Airports because I wanted to see the transport difference. I was hoping this would then show the huge difference of how developed one country is and how underdeveloped the other is. A MEDC would have a high number of transport facilities because of their wealth. A LEDC would have a small amount of transport facilities. The effect of not having these transport facilities could mean that they could be losing valuable money. This is because when they have the produce e.g. food, products. There is no way in which they can transport it to other parts of the world. This is shown as Canada has 1.042,300 km of roadways, whereas Kenya has only 63,547 km of Roadway. Meaning Canada has a superior development over Kenya. I chose Internet users, Telephone Mobile Cellular and Internet host because of it interesting fact and figures. I was hoping this information/research would show how modern the country is with new electronic gadgets. I think that, it would be recommended that a country have a high technologic wealth, because the 21st century is all gadgets and tech. A MEDC would have a high number of communications and gadgets because they can afford to have telephone lines and other sources of power. Whereas a LEDC has a much lower number simply because the wealth is not there and they cannot afford to have the sources of power e.g. Telephone exchanges and telephone lines. In the table, you can Cleary see that Canada has far more internet users, having over 25,000mill. Whereas the developing country Kenya, only has 3.36mill. As Canada has the higher number of users, they are able to trade with overseas businesses, and increase their economy rate. Kenya has a select minority of Users meaning there are only some people trading with overseas countries. Meaning that economy rate could be much higher, if only they were able to boost the amount of trade happening around the world. I have chosen Oil Consumptions, Exports, GDP per Capita because I was hoping it would show the wealth of each of my country. As I have information about their trading and the county's average pay. The MEDC's in the world have a high economy rate because of its power and trading. Although Kenya trade with other countries it still has a lower rate proving it is a LEDC. I have chosen Birth rate, Literacy, and Infant Mortality because: Birth rate: This should show how developed the country is because the lower the Birth rate the more developed the country is. This is because a higher birth rate means a higher population. This creates other critical issues, to do with accommodation and the country's wealth. However the lower this outcome is the better because most of these issues are evaded and therefore a more powerful and wealthy nation. Literacy: As shown in the â€Å"Table of Findings† the Literacy rate for Canada is very high meaning that there educational system has been effective. This also mean that higher salary earnings for new qualified employed of the future. This in turn would boost the GDP per Capita because the higher earnings would increase the average. However, for Kenya it is much different story because there Literacy rate. They only have 90.60% male, and a 79.97% female literacy rate, which means that; there education system is only applied to a selected minority (only the rich.) A MEDC would have a very high percentage because they are able to fund schools and other resources to educate students and adults. An LEDC has minimum funds for education, so it's GDP and economy rate would be lower. Infant Mortality: Infant mortality rate is the number of newborns under the age of five, divided by the number of live births during the year. As you can see from the information produced, Canada has a very low Infant Mortality Rate. This is very good statistics because they have more live birth than death. As a MEDC, these statistics indicate that the health care system is of high standards. They are clean, hygienic and have high success rate. Kenya however has a very high Infant Mortality rate. Meaning that they have an unsuccessful birth rate and a very high child death rate, This LEDC has very poor health standard for hospitals. The rich may have private doctors for their own use, but for the large population, Hospital health care is unhygienic and unfunded. This means that they have a very low success rate. My graph shows me that Canada has a high bar meaning that it has a very high GDP per Capita. However, Kenya has a low bar meaning that it has a very poor GDP per Capita rate. This means that on average the salary in Kenya is only 1,600 per person, for an economy to grow this number needs to increase. This is caused by dangerous, underpaid jobs, which decrease the rate of GDP per Capita. Therefore, this indicates me that Kenya is less developed whereas Canada id much more developed. The effect of this are- economy won't increase, meaning it will be harder for them to develop. This information researched over on the internet was quite surprising for Kenya. I was expecting the Exports rate for it to be much higher as they are trading with foreign countries, with food and products. This means it is less developed. I think I have also chosen good countries to write about, because one is very underdeveloped and the other has a huge difference than Kenya. As you can see from this bar chart, you can immediately see that Canada has a bigger bar chart. So what does this mean? This means that, Canada has 5.221 million more telephone receivers than Kenya. Thus, Kenya has less telephone communication than Canada. The effect of this are that they less communication with other countries, and less trading. This graph is showing the amount of internet users there are in Kenya and Canada. As you can clearly see, Canada has far more users than Kenya. This advantage can be very useful in the 21st century, because most people interact using social networking sites, and this can have a damaging effect on the countries that do not have many users. This is because business happens on the internet, and products, which Kenya make and grow, can be bought over the internet, but not having many users means they are losing lots of money. Measuring Development This table shows a comparison of the two countries. It ranks each country by the factors chosen, the better the number for each factor, it is ranked as 1. If it is worse than it is ranked 2. It can be ranked by how ever many country's you write about. In this case, it is only 2 countries, but in other tables, it can be 5 etc. Therefore, the rank for 5 countries is added up and the lower the numbers are the most developed. However, the higher the number the less developed it is. Conclusion Now that I have finished my project, I have analysed all my data and have concluded that Kenya is far more underdeveloped/developing than Canada. This is because they are not branching out amongst other countries through the internet and other communication. This can be shown it the â€Å"Internet Users Pie Chart† it clearly shows the small minority of people using the internet. From all my data and analysis, I can confidently say Canada is a MEDC. Whereas, Kenya is an LEDC. This is shown by the pie charts I have done. The Exports Bar chart has clearly shown that Canada has far more export income than Kenya, in fact more than most countries. This is because of its communication with other countries and nation. This is again referring to the amount of Internet users, each country has to trade. Kenya is of course a developing country, it has a high Birth rate, and a high Infant Mortality. However, Kenya can change. There are key points, for them to become developed. * Equal Societies- There are different tribes and cultures within Kenya, and if they are to become equal to an equal society, it would save money with no more fighting. (Buildings from fighting won't have too be restored) * Freedom from Poverty- Poverty is almost like an accessory in Kenya. It won't go away until they act on it. They need support from other Nations and countries (through communication) to bring down the rate of deaths from this killer. Evaluation How could I of improved my project? I have had many lessons for this project. Unfortunately, I did not finish within the lessons, and so I had to do it as homework. I think I need the extra homework extension, because I did not manage my time wisely. Otherwise, I would have finished it within the time bracket. I think that I could have presented my work neater on paper, as I had to type it up on the computer. More/different factors? I think that I should have picked more factors to do with population. This is because I only have information about Birth rate, and not Death rate or Life Expectancy. I think telephone mobile cellular was inappropriate because I did not know what it was. Presentation of Data? I think that I should have presented some of the data in a population pyramid. This is an easier way of telling whether it is developed on not, because of it shape. Inaccurate or surprising factors? I did not find any inaccurate date, because I used up to date figures for my project. I was very surprised with some of the factors to do with Kenya. Exports were very surprising because I would have expected this to be quite high. They normally trade food product with many countries and given this information, I was expecting it to be high.

Do or die

Good and evil, are two separate things. Good represents virtue, righteousness, and honor where as evil represents hatred, anger, and cruelty. The Crucible shows characters that represent not only goodness, but evil as well. The ones who represent true love and good are John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor. They both show what goodness is in Salem and who is the real witch or devil.Abigail Williams is a young irl who claims she is cursed by the devil and that people are sending devils to kill one another. Abigail represents evil in Salem in the worst ways possible. In the novel The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, shows how John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor are representing the angels that portray love and respect, as Abigail Williams represents the role of the devil's child which portrays hatred. Love comes from deep affection as a mother, sister, or even a child. The two married couple,Elizabeth and John Proctor both represents what real love and goodness is in this book. â€Å"l have no love for Mr. Parris. It is no secret. But God I surely love† (94). In this quote, it shows the honesty John Proctor claims. Everyone in Salem keeps up with rumors and never speaks up the truth. John Proctor does not act as a hypocrite and rather expresses his feeling of honesty towards Mr. Parr's. â€Å"Do what you will. But let none be your Judge. There is no higher Judge under Heaven than Proctor 39).In this quote Elizabeth Proctor explains that although everyone Judge the Proctors, John should know only God is his Judge, and under heaven there is no Judge higher than himself. Although goodness expresses love and care, there is always evil in everyone's life. Hatred expresses extreme aversion or hostility. Abigail Williams is a young girl who claims her and a group of girls have been possessed by witch craft. Abigail shows her affection by accusing innocent civilians in Salem claiming†¦

Summary U.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary U.2 - Essay Example The most difficult to tackle is the increased dependence on automobiles. Streets are no longer for pedestrian use (Trancik, 1986). Residents do not care to admire communal areas such as parks anymore. Another cause is the attitude brought by the Modern Movement. Elevators and technology caused high-rise buildings to discourage people to engage in a communal existence centered on the street. Also, due to zoning, buildings were constructed considering only function and ignoring human behavior. The privatization of public places does not help. Buildings are designed to attract attention without taking into account spaces around it. Due to this general disregard for the appearance of the city as a whole, minimal investments are reserved for public places (Trancik, 1986). Changes in land use endlessly produce wasted spaces such as vacated buildings, abandoned properties, and obsolete facilities. Probably the biggest dilemma causing lost spaces is the reluctance and lack of ability to control the physical structure of the city. Lost space disrupts the overall continuity of city form. These spaces are inexpensive and are centrally located giving it enormous potential for redevelopment. Redesigning of lost space will generate social benefits which impact more than just economic gain. Rules must be set taking in consideration historic patterns and the evolution of modern space. Understanding and skills have to be developed so that future constructions would better support societal

Nice Wood Developing a Competitive Edge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nice Wood Developing a Competitive Edge - Essay Example The nature of the Nice Wood Product business is that in the lumber industry where operations include picking, cutting and curing wood. Their products are composed predominantly of standard types and different grades of lumber that complies with the following specifications: 2x4s and 2x6s used in framing as well as plywood and particle board. Likewise, current technological breakthroughs have been reported to automate several phases in the firm’s operating cycle, including the picking, cutting, and curing phases. The new technological applications provided opportunities for New Wood to facilitate the processes (including cutting wood in a variety of standards; new types of kilns accelerating the curing process and lading technology was noted to significantly enable the processed wood to be placed in containers) and thereby, potentially increase their chances to be more competitive in the international market. C. Core Competencies The core competencies noted for Nice Wood were t heir â€Å"established client base and strong relationships throughout the industry† (Case facts, n.d., p. 1). Further, it was also disclosed that â€Å"the company is a close-knit operation and senior management values the skills and loyalty of its workers† (Case facts, n.d., p. 1). These facts indicate the Nice Wood Products possess a team of highly skills workers who could have potentially manifested loyalty and a low turnover. Further, their consistent delivery of high quality products has gained strong relationships with loyal clients who are to stay with them amidst the financial and economic challenges. D. Description of Product The product, wood processed lumber, is classified as industrial goods, where these are used to create or make other products. Likewise, these products could be further categorized into the raw materials subcategory. As raw materials, these â€Å"are graded according to quality so that there is some assurance of consistency within each g rade. There is, however, little difference between offerings within a grade. Consequently, sales negotiations focus on price, delivery, and credit terms. This negotiation plus the fact that raw materials are ordinarily sold in large quantities make personal selling the principal marketing approach for these goods† (eNotes, 2012, par. 19). E. Key Milestones The key milestones that Nice Wood