Healing Process Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Healing Process Nursing - Essay Example However, the overall diversity of the spiritual beliefs may make it relatively difficult for the healthcare service providers to critical evaluate and understand all the different aspects. In consideration of this, this paper will therefore discuss the results of interviews taken from Sikh, Jain and Baha’i patients to understand their perspective on healing and healthcare. Spiritual Perspective on healing According to our Sikh patient, the divine name is considered as the healing medium through which healing could occur. According to their belief, those ailments which cannot be vanished can vanish with the name of the divine. As such the spiritual perspective of this patient regarding healing is entirely based upon connecting the divine name and heals through that. Jain religion is considered as similar to the Buddhism as teachings of both are relatively similar. According to our Jain patient, her spiritual perspective is rather based upon the meditation and adapting a holisti c approach towards life. This therefore ensures healing because extracting stress out of the body can heal according to Jain spiritual practices. Baha’I perspective on healing is based upon the use of relaxation as well as adequate nutrition to achieve health. Our patient suggests that she believes that good relaxation as well as stress free living actually allows our souls to heal our bodies. Critical Components of Healing According to Sikh spiritual practices, meditation of the name of the divine is the most important component of achieving health. This therefore requires the person to actually focus on the name and allow the frequencies of that name to merge with the person to get healed. Apart from this, there is also a degree of faith involved because every person is required to have that faith before they can actually use the divine name to achieve the healing. Further, according to Jain religion, it is meditation which is most important to achieve the health benefits a nd connect the healing process. It is believed that meditation is the starting point in Jain traditions to actually start the healing process. Apart from this, focus on a typical diet is also another critical component of healing as it is believed that different foods have the healing powers and can expedite this process. According to Baha’I traditions, focus on good diet is the starting component to achieve the healing besides focusing on the prayer as the essential component of healing. Prayer has also been discussed in different literature to have an impact on the healing. (Ameling., 2000). Another important component is achieving gradual relaxation and how to overcome the stress from the body. It is therefore critical for a person to ensure that gradual and short bursts of relaxation are achieved either through meditation or other means to actually get the stress out of the body. This would ensure that the body develops its own fighting mechanism to deal with different ai lments. Different Spiritual Beliefs In a multi-cultural as well as multi-faith society it is relatively difficult for the Nurses and healthcare services providers to offer complete spiritual support to the patients to get healed. The diversity of the spiritual practices therefore makes it relatively difficult for the healthcare providers to accommodate or deal with. (MacLaren, 2004) However, all three patients believe that what is important is whether the healthcare service provider can actually understand their spiritual needs. This is therefore regardless of the fact that whether the belief system of the healthcare service provider is relatively different from their own. This suggests that patients are relatively more interested in whether the nurses and other staff can actually unde

Teenage love Essay Example for Free

Teenage love Essay Do teenagers today have their priorities in the correct order when it comes to dating? More and more often, it does not seem they do. Some teenagers these days spend too much time focusing on their romantic relationships instead of the things that should be more important. Teenagers who are in serious relationships do not care as much about school, their families, or their jobs. These teenagers seem to forget everything that should be important to them. School should be a very important priority for teenagers. In high school, teachers try to prepare young people for what lies ahead in life. That includes going off to college and entering the working world. But many teenagers in serious relationships begin putting off doing their homework and studying for tests. Their grades begin to drop, and sooner than they know it, they are failing their classes. Most times when these lovesick teenagers begin failing, they do not care. In some cases the teenagers even drop out. In todays world it is nearly impossible  Ã‚  middle of paper  nship without getting my priorities mixed up. So for the people who say it is impossible to do all of these things, I know from personal experience that it is not. I am not saying that it is wrong to date as a teenager. Just remember what is important. The teenage years are to be used as a time to grow and experience new things, but not at the expense of what is important in life. Just keep a level head and do not get too involved with that significant other right now. It is important to remember what it important in life.

Ford :: essays research papers

Nirmal Tanna Dissertation 11.10.2000 Tutor: D Dovey, TUESDAY 12pm. Question How do the changes/reduction in UK car prices affect the maufaterer and customer? Research will be collected via the internet i.e prices & product information. Internet car buying has also changed the traditional way that an individual would procure a brand new motor vehicle. Other sources such as the AA, DVLA and TOP GEAR (BBC telavision program), will be contacted. The DVLA in Swansea may have intresting information on trends with have been influenced in the price restructuring. Interviews with the director and owner of a Ford garage will also help to see how the changes are effecting the industry. This will help to establish how reduced UK prices are comming in line with main land Europe. Aspects such as recent changes in vehicle equipment levels, and general quality will also be of interest as the maufacturer has to tighten his profit margins. Lots of garages will be contactes this shall help establish which have reduced prices and offer deals to intise customers. General trends will be apparent, but each dealer is a franchise so a particular Dealer i.e. BMW may be offering different packages around the country, even though list prices remain transparent. Government Legislation has also been a crucial factor behind the reduction In Inflated UK prices. This highly topical subject has also been investigated and highlighted Recently in the media. Monday, May 10, 1999 Published at 12:18 GMT 13:18 UK Business: The Company File Ford sparks price war Pressure to reduce the price of new cars is increasing Car-buyers in the UK could benefit from a price war as one of the biggest name brands, Ford, signals its intent to compete more fiercely. Ford is reportedly giving UK dealers a discount of  £3,000 on its Mondeo models, as long as they can sell at least 10 cars a month. Some industry experts believe this could be the start of a price war as manufacturers such as Daewoo and Hyundai shape up for a renewed onslaught on the UK car market. The pressure to reduce prices has been mounting from various sources during the past year. The Competition Commission is currently investigating why car prices in the UK are among the highest in Europe and there has been fierce criticism from an all-party select committee of MPs over the same issue. Motoring journalist Mike Rutherford says that price reductions by Ford - the UK's market leader - are long overdue. He said: "I would much rather see that  £3,000 discount applying not to the dealer but to the end consumer

Business Plan †Book cafe Essay

1.0 Summary Profile Business Name: GRYFFINDOR BOOK CAFÉ Type of Business: A Book Cafà © Legal Structure: Partnership Address: No. 17, Ground Floor, Parramatta Road, Broadway Gryffindor Book Cafà © operated under a partnership between 3 people. It is classified to be within the hospitality industry, with its main focus is in serving people. The partners view the Cafà © industry Australia to be lucrative due to the growing demands of coffee. Gryffindor Book Cafà © will be operated within the University zone amongst the University of Sydney and University of Technology Sydney, in Broadway. Hence, the cafà © will be in close proximity to its target market. To differentiate our cafà ©, we will embark upon a unique physical appearance, which sets it apart from local cafà ©s, provide free reading materials, such as local and foreign newspapers, different types of magazines, books and novels. We will be providing a cafà © for customers in which, they can relax and escape from the daily pressures of work and offers a place to converse with mates over a cup of coffee. Furthermore, aside from the cold and hot drinks available, the business will also provide complementary side dishes, such as cakes. Hence, Gryffindor Book Cafà © will offer a variety of choices to our customers. Gryffindor Book Cafà © will gain its competitive advantage in the market by the quality of its products, warm customer service provided by our staff and the uniqueness of our facilities, which offers an escape from the everyday rustics. Furthermore, the main promotional strategy employed by the business is the word of its satisfied customers and the various discounts the business will offer. 2.0 Critical Success Factors for the Survival of the Business  · Efficient and concise management – Good management allows operations of the business to be well coordinated.  · Detailed planning – A well-planned business would clearly lists its goals and objectives and clearly identify the methods to be implemented.  · To constantly monitor and evaluate the business’s performance to ensure efficiency and hence maximise profits.  · Quality financial management – to ensure a healthy cash flow within the business.  · Well-planned marketing strategy – to be able to provide the goods and services demanded by consumers and to be able to reach potential customers.  · Sufficient capital – in order to pay its debts and continue operations and increase sales.  · A strong competitive advantage to distinguish the business within the market.  · Entrepreneurship spirit – continuous dedication from the owners/management is needed to operate the business effectively and profitably.  · Entrepreneur’s background knowledge and experience greatly contribute to the success of the business as it aids its operations.  · Location is a vital element to a small business, which must be of easy access to its customers. 3.0 Executive Summary Gryffindor Book Cafà © recognises the importance of prompt and amiable customer service in the hospitality industry. It is a small business that provides high quality coffee and hot and cold beverages with cakes, muffins and  cookies. It differentiates itself from other cafà ©s by its unique services of providing reading materials, i.e. newspapers and magazines from different countries, which the business incorporates as their prime function. Operating as a partnership between Angelene Alburquerque, Nicole Tsui and Jeff Chan, Gryffindor Book Cafà © belongs in the private sector and in the tertiary industry. It is located in Broadway, along George St. where it is easily accessible for its target market. The following business plan will analyse in details the situational analysis of the business in its establishment, and the operational, marketing and financial plans that it will implements in its start up. 4.0 Situational Analysis 4.1 Business Name: Gryffindor Book Cafà © 4.2 Prime Function: Gryffindor Book Cafà © provides:  · Hot drinks – coffee, cappuccino, lattes, etc.  · Cold beverages  · Milkshakes  · Cakes  · Pastries  · Cookies  · Reading materials – i.e. newspapers, magazines and books 4.3 Vision Statement To be the best cafà © with a difference with a reputable image supported by:  · High quality products  · Impeccable customer service 4.4 Mission Statement Gryffindor Book Cafà © is dedicated to:  · Providing customers impeccable service within a warm, friendly environment and comfortable facilities supported by promptness, quality and style  · Serve customers with the best cafà © products in the market at a value price  · Continually find improvement in our are of operations and service  · Be socially responsible by complying to a code of conduct, which would ensure fairness to its stakeholders  · Be environmentally conscious by using earth-friendly materials 4.5 Goals Ø Financial Goals · Maximising sales and profit · Business stability · Progressive growth Ø Personal Goals · Job security · Increase self-confidence · Improving managerial skills · Professional recognition · Increase power and Influence Ø Social Goals · Comply with ethical conducts · Provision of local employment · Sponsoring local events 4.6 Business Objectives Time Period: 12 months  · To break even with revenue and total costs in the duration of 10 months  · Reduce cost by efficiency by 10%  · Increase market share by 15% through effective marketing strategies 4.7 Business Ownership/Legal Structure Gryffindor Book Cafà © will operate as a partnership between Miss Angelene Alburquerque, Miss Nicole Tsui and Mr. Jeff Chan. Advantages and disadvantages operating as a partnership are as follows. ADVANTAGES · Low start up cost · Workload and responsibility is shared · Business profits are not taxed, but personal income only · Funds and talents of the partners are combined · Lower cost involved compared to operating a company · If one partner dies, business operations may continue DISADVANTAGES · Unlimited Liability · Conflicts between partners may arise · Liable for all debts, including debts held by other partners · Incompatible characteristics, making it difficult to find a suitable partner continue 4.8 Industry Analysis Australian coffee consumption is running at an all-time high. In September, economic forecaster BIS Shrapnel reported that we consume about 2.4 kilograms per person per year, double that of 30 years ago. (Tea consumption, by contrast, is on the slide.) And cafes, says Sean Edwards, managing director of cafe-industry organization CafeBiz, are â€Å"a $7.5 billion industry in Australia†. 4.9 Competition There are two general competitors in our cafà © market. They are the multinational specialty beverage chains, such as Starbucks and Gloria Jeans, and the local coffee houses or cafes, both with an established clientele and a quality product. There is a dramatic distinction among the customers of each of these outlets. Ø Michelle’s Patisserie Michael Patisserie is a pure Australian company, which mainly sells bakery products in the Australian community. Michael Patisserie is now a national system with around 270 outlets throughout Australia and is averaging new store openings of approximately 1 per week. Company Strengths  · Well-known products in Australia  · Recognized franchise  · Offering bakery bakes  · Specialty coffee roasting, coffee retailing and coffee training  · Easy accessible location Ø Starbucks Starbucks is an international corporation, which is the leading premium coffee cafà © in the world, with more than 23 branches locates in Sydney. Due to its distinguishable reputation of Starbucks will be a threat to Gryffindor Book Cafà ©. Company strengths  · Experienced in premium coffee  · High quality of services  · Famous establishment  · Lower production cost  · Recognizable franchise Ø Gloria Jean’s Coffee Gloria Jean Coffee is another large cafà © franchise in Australia, with stores in most major shopping centers and has almost 70 branches located in the Sydney region. With the renowned celebrity compared to our brand new cafà ©, it becomes a great challenge for the business to establish a certain market position. Company Strengths  · Standardized quality products  · Well-located place  · Eminent celebrity  · Employee-trained Local Cafà ©s Although small, a very tough competitor for our cafà © is the established local cafà ©s. Their previous experience in the industry would certainly be beneficial in further developing their cafes, which will greatly disadvantage Gryffindor Book Cafà ©. The quality of beverages served at an established cafe will surpass any of the regional or national chains. Company Strengths  · Plenty of product choices  · Easy access  · Consistent menus  · Quality product  · Well-serviced The competitive edge of Gryffindor Book Cafà © over the local cafes is based on the attributes of:  · Foreign newspapers and magazine service  · Consistent menu  · Quality product  · Discount purchases 4.10 Competitive Advantage Statement â€Å"Aside from our deliciously baked cakes and tantalising freshly brewed coffees, which is of the highest quality around, Gryffindor Book Cafà © guarantees the best customer service in the business.† SWOT Analysis Strengths · Business & management master’s degree held by each partner – intensive knowledge · Strong motivation and commitment held by each partner as personal success is dependent on the business’s performance · Focus on excellent service in satisfying customer’s needs · Well defined goals and objectives · Employs a variety of marketing strategies to reach customers · Unique facilities, which sets it apart from its competitors · Ability to provide personalized service Weaknesses · Undercapitalisation · Minimal experience in the hospitality industry · Minimal experience in making and preparing foods and drinks Opportunities · Increase market share · Take over dissatisfied customers from  their businesses · Increase variety of products · Positive forecasting Threats · Competitors – i.e. Transnational corporation (E.g. Starbucks & Gloria Jeans) · Unpredictable downturn in economy · Changes in government policies/laws · External government department controls – i.e. showing up unexpected 4.11 Economic Conditions Economic conditions will greatly affect the business. For example, changes in interest rates will affect the business’s bank loan. A change in unemployment may see a reduction of sales from the business, as customers are not willing to spend. Furthermore, economic conditions determine price levels. For instance, prices must be set lower during a recession. 4.12 Socio-Cultural Conditions Australia is multicultural and is therefore important for the business to treat everyone fairly without any bias. The business can use this factor as an advantage by offering foreign reading materials to cater for the majority of our customers. For example, English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Additionally the business must continue to monitor the changing trends in society in order to provide the goods and services that customers want and be able to change. 4.13 Legal-Political Conditions In order to legally establish a cafà ©, the business must be registered and it is important to apply a food licence from the council. Moreover, the quality of food and drink is extremely important to qualify and be permitted to open. Furthermore, laws such as the Fair Trading Act and Occupational Health and Safety regulations greatly effects the conducts of business and influences its operations. 4.14 Technological Conditions Gryffindor Book Cafà © must maintain its technological edge amongst its competitors. Therefore, we can introduce some high-technology machine (coffee maker) to improve the quality of our products and efficiency of the operations in long run. In short run, we may provide on-line order service for take-away service, such as order-on-net service, and improve our record keepings by the latest softwares, which would simplify managerial tasks. 4.15 Natural Environment Conditions Through the use of recyclable products, the business would project an environmentally-friendly image and avoid wastage. Furthermore, the business can utilise methods of saving water and the use less electricity. Consequently, this may not only protect the environment, but also reduce operating expenses. 5.0 Operations Plan 5.1 Location Gryffindor Book Cafe will be located in Broadway, along Parramatta Road, which is in close proximity with out target market. The physical size of the cafà © approximately measures to be 1600 square feet and is opposite Victoria Park, which encompasses a peaceful, scenic view of the area. The reason for this location is essentially due to the two universities in the area. 5.2 Furnishings Our cafà © will mainly use wood to be our main ornamentation and use French windows to emphasise Victoria Park’s green landscape to our customers as they read. Being a cafà © which provides reading resources, the lighting must be sufficient in order to protect our customer’s health, upholding our social responsibility. Moreover, we will furnish the cafà © with snug sofas to provide contented seats for reading convenience and just relaxing. A local professional will be contracted out of the business to handle the furnishing of the place. 5.3 Operating Hours Monday – Wednesday 7:00am – 6:30pm Thursday – Friday 7:30am – 8:00pm Saturday 7:30pm – 4:00pm Sunday Closed 5.4 Cafà © Floor Layout 5.5 Details of Production and Service Ø Food Preparation  · Beverages and hot drinks are to be prepared as it is ordered  · Muffins and cakes are baked freshly on a daily basis  · Some products will be ordered from local producers i.e. cakes Ø Service  · Customers approach the counter to make their order, which they have the choice to eat in or to take away.  · Reading materials are available to the customers, such as books that are old and new and magazines, which are distributed throughout the cafà © in shelves lining the wall.  · Current local and international newspapers, particularly from Asia are available to customers to read, which are positioned at the counter as they order, for easier and more convenient access.  · Staff would walk around to customers offering reading materials and ensuring that they are satisfied with the food and service.  · Smoking is prohibited in our cafà © to facilitate fresh air supply. 5.6 Stakeholders Ø Internal Stakeholders – The partners are the internal stakeholders of the business and has a responsibility for towards one another to perform their part in the business to the best of their ability. They are also the internal customers of the business, as each of their workload is vital for all partners to be able to perform their job efficiently. – Employees – the business must provide a safe working environment, to comply with Occupational Health and Safety regulations and provide training. Ø External Stakeholders – Customers – the business is responsible in providing high quality products, a safe environment and fair service. – Community – the business must be environmentally friendly, and will provide recyclable takeaway containers. – Government – the business will pay its due taxes, and will behave ethically in recording profits and expenses. – Suppliers – the business must pay its debts.  § John Fairfax Holding Limited – supplies newspapers and magazines  § Maxims – supplies food and drinks products 5.7 Proposed Organisational Chart 5.8 Method of Employee Participation in Decision Making  · The flatter structure encourages direct communication between employees and employers, which allows more input from staff and ideas to reach management at a more efficient manner.  · A suggestion box positioned behind the counter would be available for all staff to insert ideas as they work, which will be discussed in meetings.  · Include staff in meetings and allow for contribution  · Employ participatory planning, to include the staff, which will be affected by the plans made and/or will be asked to implement them.

Effects of Computer Gaming Essay

Technology nowadays has brought man to an era of digital and advanced world of computers. Not only are computers used in studies, research and work, it is now being used as part of leisure and entertainment. Most of the youth today know how computers work and even a 3 year old child who is still yet to learn how to read and write knows how to operate a simple computer. This is because the interactive element of a lot of software that computers use excites and attract children and this makes them learn to use and play with the computers. (Jones, 2002) Advancement in technology has drastically changed man’s way of living which has been made easier for most. It has come from diskette to very portable and stylish mini USB, from the ancient â€Å"three point eleven† personal computers with big and bulky monitors and CPUs to very user friendly touch screen-tablet PCs, and from limited Nintendo games like Mario brothers to a bunch of online and offline games like Dota, Counter Strike, Angry Birds, and Fruit Ninja etc. Such kind of improvements has led today’s generation to learning more of what life has to offer through the use of modern technologies like computers. Schools now facilitate teaching and learning through the use of computers. By the use of this kind of technology, learning is now more fun and a lot easier. Application of modern technology like computer-assisted teaching-learning on student’s aims to provide faster learning and ease of teaching and also provide the students of the advanced technology that they need to experience inside the classroom, and which they can apply when they are out of school. Since computer has a lot to offer to its users, it is also being used as entertainment and leisure and computer gaming being the most popular. There are lots of computer games that enhance the thinking abilities of students because of its gaming nature and environment like strategic gaming, word puzzles, etc. With this fact, learning through computer gaming helps students be more willing to study and learn more because, they are not just playing, they are also learning. The use of multimedia in education has significantly changed people’s learning processes. Results from a number of research studies indicate that appropriately designed multimedia instruction enhances students’ learning performance in science, mathematics, and literacy (Gee, 2003). Previous studies indicate that computer-assisted instruction programs have important factors that can motivate, challenge, increase curiosity and control, and promote fantasy in children (Tzeng, 1999). Despite the fact that computer and video games have the same multimedia capability as computer assisted instruction programs, their potential learning impact is often discounted by parents and educators. While computer gaming is regarded somewhat negative in educational settings, particularly for young students, re-scrutinizing of its influence in a teaching and learning context is vital since computer gaming can also be an education-assisted-program with proper implementation and application. While others confirm the negative effects of computer gaming to students’ performance in school and student’s health and mental ability, some authors argue that there are positive outcomes that a player can gain while playing computer video games. A research published in the Australasian Journal of Educational technology found that students who play computer and video games more frequently get lower grades than those who do not. However, it is also included in the research the positive effect of this activity to students as far as some specific video games are concerned which promote some elements that increases learning. On an online article entitled by Charles Pearson (2009) â€Å"Positive Effects of Computer Games on Student Achievement†, the author enumerated five positive significant effects of computer gaming to students. These include enhancing one’s problem solving capability, time and resource management, strategic life management skills, educational games promoting learning, and inherent instructional nature helps students to hone mastery skills. Playing video games needs a sharp mind and an alert reflexes because most of the games require thinking quickly to be able to achieve the games’ goal. According to a blog site on the web authored by Manali Oak (2009) which has an article entitled Positive Effects of Video Games states that since video gaming is interactive, it boosts the ability of one person to use his mind and hence, develops the thinking ability of the person playing. The author also said that video gaming is surely better than watching television as video games are interactive. In addition to what Manali Oak added that playing video games help benefit person with inferiority complex and lack of self confidence as they are experiencing sense of participation and a sense of achievement thus, building his self confidence. An excellent summary of the scant research that has been conducted is by Barlett, Anderson, and Swing (2009) on their research book Video game effects confirmed, suspected, and speculative: A review of the evidence. They reviewed the evidences for video game effects and grouped them into categories of confirmed, suspected, and speculative. By â€Å"confirmed,† the authors mean that the outcomes have received consistent empirical support for causal claims. They describe two such confirmed positive outcomes: (1) Playing video games can result in superior visual attention and (2) Video game play improves the ability to mentally rotate or arrange objects. They point out that the research shows that both violent and non-violent video games produce these positive effects. They also observed that educational video games and simulators can teach specific educational skills and knowledge such as algebra, biology, photography, computer programming, and flight training. The evidence for this connection is provided by Gee (2007) and Shaffer (2006). However, most of the games that they discuss are not commercially available. Perhaps such games will be developed and distributed more widely in the future. In the meantime, the evidence shows that video games can enhance learning if they are designed properly for that purpose. Another study tackled the good and bad effects of video games to children conducted by the Raise Smart Kids Organization. The study enumerated the positive effects of video games to children. Following instructions, problem solving and logic, hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills, resource management and logistics, multitasking, quick thinking and making fast analysis and decision, inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing are among those which enumerated by the author about the positive effects of video gaming. In addition, the article also included that video games can improve one’s decision making speed. People who played action-based video and computer games made decisions 25% faster than others without sacrificing accuracy, according to a study from the University of Rochester. Other studies suggests that most expert gamers can make choices and act on them up to six times a second—four times faster than most people, and can pay attention to more than six things at once without getting confused, compared to only four by the average person. Surprisingly, the violent action games that often worry parents most had the strongest beneficial effect on the brain, according to cognitive neuroscientist Daphne Bavelier, who studied the effect of action games at Switzerland’s University of Geneva and the University of Rochester in New York. Moving from the early years, the effects of socialization become more entrenched. In an article published in The Journal of Educational Computing, A. Colley (1994) reported that masculine gender role traits are associated with a more positive computer attitude and that there is a gender stereotype of science in general being masculine. According to Sax (2007) his book â€Å"Boys Adrift: The five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men† where he drew one fact well established by his conducted research revealed that violent video games cause aggressive behavior in the players. He argues that video games are so addictive that they satisfy the male need to power and control. It is evident in the country like the Philippines that the most popular computer games that the youth play in the computers are Dota, San Andreas, Counter Strike among others which are clearly promoting violence and aggression through its war and battle depiction. It can in effect, influence the youth as they play those kind of games which depict war, blood, killing, shooting etc. In a book by Barlett, Anderson, and Swing (2009) entitled Video Game Effects Confirmed, Suspected, and Speculative: A Review of the Evidence, it has stated that the â€Å"confirmed† negative effects of video games established by the research include aggressive thoughts and behavior, physiological arousal, and antisocial behavior. It was also explained that there are two variables that heighten the effects of computer games. One is depiction of blood, which results in higher levels of physiological arousal, aggressive feelings, and aggressive thoughts. Another is rewarding of violent acts, which also increases these effects. Since most of the computer games depicts violence, what they conceive in the monitors of their computers in the games that they are playing are somewhat becoming part of their reality. In an article on a eHow.com by Sarah Arnette (2011) entitled The Negative Effects of Computer Gaming on Students, the author enumerated four negative effects of computer gaming on students. She used the General Aggression Model (GAM) developed by Craig Anderson and Douglas Gentile in conducting the study that helped the author come up with the results. The results showed the negative effects include short term aggression, lack of problem solving thinking ability, weight gain, and anti social behaviors. It is regarded that the negative effects of playing video games does not only affect the player’s mental ability but as well as that concerning their health and socialization. Computer gaming also affects the behavior of the players and on how they relate with other people. A study by Argosy University’s Minnesota School on Professional Psychology found out that game addicts argue a lot with their teachers, fight a lot with their friends, and score lower grades than others who play video games less often. Performance in class may be negatively affected due to significant time spent in playing video games. Studies conducted by Anderson and Dill (2000) and one that was conducted by Gentile, Lynch and Walsh (2004) show that the more a person spends playing video games, the poorer is his performance in school. Computer gaming can also affect the health of the players. According to an online article entitled â€Å"the good and bad effects of video games† (2011), online gaming may also have bad effects on one’s health including obesity, video-induced seizures and postural, muscular and skeletal disorders such as tendonitis, nerve compression, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Conceptual Framework This study was based on a recent study conducted by Barlett, Anderson, and Swing (2009) and a study by the Raise Smart Kid organization which stated that there are confirmed positive and negative effects of computer gaming on studies of students who play the computer. Barlett, Anderson, and Swing stated that the â€Å"confirmed† negative effects of video games established by the research include aggressive thoughts and behavior, physiological arousal, and antisocial behavior On the other hand, Raise Smart Kid organization stated the good and bad effects of video games to. The article enumerated the positive effects of video games to children: following instructions, problem solving and logic, hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills, resource management and logistics, multitasking, quick thinking and making fast analysis and decision, inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing. Using the results of the study conducted by Barlett, Anderson, and Swing in 2009 and the study by the Raise Smart Kids Org as basis, this study aims to find out what effects do computer gaming have particularly on students of Business Administration of the College of the Immaculate Conception and enumerate both the positive and negative effects of the said activity on their studies and personal behavior.

Hughes Essays - Harlem Renaissance, African-American Literature

Hughes Essays - Harlem Renaissance, African-American Literature Hughes As a talented American author, Langston Hughes captured and integrated the realities and demands of Africa America in his work by utilizing the beauty, dignity, and heritage of blacks in America in the 1920s. Hughes was reared for a time by his grandmother in Kansas after his parents divorce. Influenced by the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Carl Sandburg, he began writing creatively while still a boy. Not only did Hughes suffer from poverty but also from restrictions that came with living in a segregated community. While he attended an integrated school, he was not permitted to play team sports or join the Boy Scouts. Even his favorite movie theater put a sign that read No Colored Admitted. In spite of these obstacles, Hughes developed a natural sense of self-confidence and hope. His grandmother always lived as a free woman and was insistent about standing up for the right of all people to be free. Under her influence, Hughes learned to endure the hardships of prejudice without surrendering his dignity or pride. (Berry 7) My father hated Negroes, Hughes wrote, I think he hated himself, too, for being a Negro. Hughes wanted to attend Colombia University and needed his fathers financial aid. His father refused because he wanted Hughes to study engineering. Seeing his sons determination, he finally agreed to help pay his tuition. University officials were surprised to discover Hughes was black. He was discriminated against from dormitories to the student newspaper. Angered by the racism he unexpectedly encountered, Hughes began to explore New York, which brought about the most important stage in his development as a writer. Even though his father was racist, Hughes never was. He always sought to speak to all Americans, especially on the larger issues of social, economic, and political justice. He did not hide the fact that he lived with racism, but he talked of his strength, and the strength of many other blacks, to stand tall and believe in a better future. (Berry 12) The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural and psychological watershed. It was an era in which black people were perceived as having finally liberated themselves from a past fraught with self-doubt to an unprecedented optimism. It gave African Americans a novel pride in all things black and a cultural confidence that stretched beyond the borders of Harlem to other black communities in the Western world. The Harlem Renaissance was a provocative response to the new era: an aesthetic response that transcends time to celebrate identity, creativity, the past, and the present. (Rummel 33) Hughes accepted his vocation to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America. His personal credo, The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain, became the credo of a generation of African-American poets. In it Hughes argued against surrendering racial pride to the hope of acceptance of whites. The urge among some black artists to be as little Negro and as much American as possible, wrote Hughes, was a mountain standing in the way of any true Negro art. Hughes poetry drew from traditional sources and individual voices; his experiments reflected an attempt to capture the myriad of colors known as black. He defined a black beauty in which he interpreted and recorded the lives of the common black folk. To Hughes, even when an ordinary person sang, danced, or worked; they were likely to be making beauty. He truly believed that these people were producing art and culture all the time, almost as if they were rainbows that had to be captured before they vanished. His interest in portray ing the lives of average people angered black leaders who believed that black writers should emphasize the best qualities of blacks so white leaders would obtain a favorable impression. (Chow 1) When he took a job as a seaman aboard an old ocean liner, Hughes marveled at the vitality and diversity of African tribal culture, but he also saw how the continent was exploited and poverty-stricken by the European colonial powers. Hughes time in Africa was inspirational, resulting in several poems condemning white colonialism or celebrating black unity and beauty. His racial pride made his poetry popular among many Africans. (Berry 21) When he traveled to Paris, Hughes developed a love for jazz. His

Free Essays on The Thing They Carried

The Things They Carried War is hell. The simple phrase is basically true and seems easy to imagine. However, nothing compares to actually fighting in a war. The narrator, Tim O’Brien tells many stories about his war experience and brings the reader into his world of bravery, shame, death, and beauty. Obviously the title evinces that one of the focuses is on what the soldiers carried, which not only covers the physical items but bleeds into the emotional and psychological baggage of the war. Even after the war, the soldiers still had to â€Å"hump† the pain, guilt, nightmares, and deaths that continue to burden their thoughts. Every character carried items specific to their rank, necessity, mission, superstition, background, girlfriends, and many other factors. In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien and Jimmy Cross carried many of the same items for survival and sanity, but their personal items and those hidden deep within the thought and consciousness separate the two soldiers and th e men that actually returned from the war. Jimmy Cross was the leader and in charge of the platoon; therefore, he carried more equipment than others including a compass, code books, maps, and binoculars. Along with the leadership role came the responsibility of being an example, keeping his men alive, and fulfilling his commands. This weight was heavier than any item he carried. He held himself reliable for the death of any of his men. When Ted Lavender died as a result of Jimmy not securing the area well enough, Jimmy burned his most prized possessions. He was known for his pictures of Martha, a girl he went out with once in college and corresponds with in letters, pictures, and a pebble. His illusion of her actually loving him obviously helped him cope with the pressures of leadership and the more general anxiety of war and dying at about any time. He treasured his letters from her and constantly daydreamed about her. This was a distraction... Free Essays on The Thing They Carried Free Essays on The Thing They Carried The Things They Carried War is hell. The simple phrase is basically true and seems easy to imagine. However, nothing compares to actually fighting in a war. The narrator, Tim O’Brien tells many stories about his war experience and brings the reader into his world of bravery, shame, death, and beauty. Obviously the title evinces that one of the focuses is on what the soldiers carried, which not only covers the physical items but bleeds into the emotional and psychological baggage of the war. Even after the war, the soldiers still had to â€Å"hump† the pain, guilt, nightmares, and deaths that continue to burden their thoughts. Every character carried items specific to their rank, necessity, mission, superstition, background, girlfriends, and many other factors. In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien and Jimmy Cross carried many of the same items for survival and sanity, but their personal items and those hidden deep within the thought and consciousness separate the two soldiers and th e men that actually returned from the war. Jimmy Cross was the leader and in charge of the platoon; therefore, he carried more equipment than others including a compass, code books, maps, and binoculars. Along with the leadership role came the responsibility of being an example, keeping his men alive, and fulfilling his commands. This weight was heavier than any item he carried. He held himself reliable for the death of any of his men. When Ted Lavender died as a result of Jimmy not securing the area well enough, Jimmy burned his most prized possessions. He was known for his pictures of Martha, a girl he went out with once in college and corresponds with in letters, pictures, and a pebble. His illusion of her actually loving him obviously helped him cope with the pressures of leadership and the more general anxiety of war and dying at about any time. He treasured his letters from her and constantly daydreamed about her. This was a distraction...

Comparable Worth Compared to Equal Pay

Comparable Worth Compared to Equal Pay Comparable worth is shorthand for equal pay for work of equal value or equal pay for work of comparable worth. The doctrine of comparable worth is an attempt to remedy the inequities of pay which result from a long history of sex-segregated jobs and different pay scales for female and male jobs. Market rates, in this view, reflect past discriminatory practices, and cannot be the only basis of deciding current pay equity. Comparable worth looks at the skills and responsibilities of different jobs and attempts to correlate compensation to those skills and responsibilities. Comparable worth systems seek to fairly compensate jobs held primarily by women or by men more equitably by comparing the educational and skill requirements, task activities, and responsibility in different jobs, and attempting to compensate each job in relation to such factors rather than by the traditional pay history of the jobs. Equal Pay vs. Comparable Worth The Equal Pay Act of 1973  and many court decisions on pay equity revolve around the requirement that  the work being compared be equal work.  This approach to equity assumes that there are men and women in the job category and that they should not be paid differently for doing the same work. What happens when jobs are distributed differently, where there are different jobs, some held traditionally by mostly men and some held traditionally by mostly women?  How does equal pay for equal work apply? The effect of the ghettos of male and female jobs is that often, the male jobs were traditionally compensated more highly in part because they were held by men, and the female jobs were compensated less well in part because they were held by women. The comparable value approach then moves to looking at the work itself: What skills are required? How much training and education? What level of responsibility is involved? Example Traditionally, the job of a licensed practical nurse has been held mostly by women, and the job of a licensed electrician mostly by men.  If the skills and responsibilities and required training levels are found to be relatively equal, then a compensation system involving both jobs would adjust compensation to bring the LPNs pay into line with the electricians pay. A common example in a large organization, like state employees, might be outdoor lawn maintenance compared to nursery school aides.  The former has traditionally been done more by men and the latter by women.  The level of responsibility and education required is higher for the nursery school aides, and lifting small children may be similar to lifting requirements for those maintaining the lawn who lift bags of soil and other materials. Yet traditionally, the nursery school aides were paid less than the lawn maintenance crew, probably because of the historical connections of the jobs with men (once assumed to be breadwinners) and women (once assumed to be earning pin money).  Is the responsibility for a lawn of more value than the responsibility for the education and welfare of small children? The Effect of Comparable Worth Adjustments By using more objective standards applied to otherwise-different jobs, the effect is usually to increase pay to the jobs where women dominate in numbers. Often, the effect is also to equalize pay across racial lines as well, where jobs had been distributed differently by race. In most actual implementations of comparable worth, the pay of the lower-paid group is adjusted upwards, and the pay of the higher-paid group is allowed to grow more slowly than it would have without the comparable worth system in place.  It is not common practice in such implementations for the higher-paid group to have their wages or salaries cut from current levels. Where Comparable Worth Is Used Most comparable worth agreements have been the result of labor union negotiations or other agreements  and are more likely to be in the public sector than the private sector. The approach lends itself better to large organizations, whether public or private and has little effect on such jobs as domestic workers, where few people work in each workplace. The union AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) has been particularly active in winning comparable worth agreements. Opponents of comparable worth generally argue for the difficulty of judging true worth of a job, and for allowing the market forces to balance a variety of social values. Bibliography Linda M. Blum. Between Feminism and Labor: The Significance of the Comparable Worth Movement. 1991.Sara M. Evans, Barbara N. Nelson. Wage Justice: Comparable Worth and the Paradox of Technocratic Reform. 1989, 1991.Joan Acker. Doing Comparable Worth: Gender, Class, and Pay Equity. 1989, 1991.Helen Remick. Comparable Worth and Wage Discrimination. 1984, 1985.

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Art - Essay Example It was hard to tell the reaction of others because all conversations were held to a whisper. The staff at the museum consists of a director and curators that specialize in their areas of expertise. In addition to the professional staff the museum hires college students trained to answer questions. While I viewed a great amount of exhibits at the museum, the exhibit that I was most drawn to was themed around impressionistic art about Italy form the 19th century. In addition to being highly artistic, the exhibit demonstrated an almost virtual experience of Italy. An added element of was that rather than being directly from Italian artists, the art was created by artists with an outside impression of Italy. In these regards, I believe the work that was presented had a more highly romanticized quality than it would had the artists been natively born in Italy. I contribute this to the fact that when individuals visit Italy they tend to visit tourist attractions and marvel at the scenery, rather than growing cynical at the historical nature of the country. The work I was most drawn to was Robert Duncanson’s A Dream of Italy. The painting was created in 1865 in Montreal after the artist visited Italy. The artist was the descendent of former slaves, and he had migrated to Cincinnati for a time where there was a vibrant art culture and only moved to Montreal to escape the racial strife brought on by the Civil War. The painting’s genre is a landscape work. The painting is Oil on canvas. It is symmetrical in that the mountain and tree protruding from the left of the landscape balance out the Italian villa picture on the right. The painting is well orchestrated in its depiction of an idealized Italian landscape. In great part Duncanson implements muted green and browns to illustrate the landscape in the foreground, while an ethereal blue depicts the distant scenery. The artist utilizes sharp line distinctions in creating a dynamic contrast between the fore-gr ounded scenery and the distant mountain background. In this respect, the artist is successful in creating a harmonious effect. The painting seems directly influenced by similar historical landscape works, and has been noted as having similar qualities to Albert Bierstadt’s Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California, which was created the same year. I was attracted to the work both by its vision of an idealized Italy, which I believe is its greatest artistic strength, and its overriding aesthetic mastery of landscape. From a contemporary perspective some individuals may criticize the painting as being somewhat mundane, as such landscapes have become cliche in the contemporary environment that has been inundated by graphic depictions. In this sense its aesthetic value as an entirely unique work of art is diminished, however its artistic mastery remains uncontested. Its ultimate cultural significance may be more closely aligned with Duncanson’s personal background as a desc endent of slaves who created the work in exile during the Civil War, than as a unique artistic object. In comparing this work to other works, one of the works from the course that most sticks out in my mind is Monet’s ‘Sunrise’. When considering Duncanson’s A Dream of Italy in regards to Monet’s work, I recognize there are a lot of similarities and differences. While both paintings consider the nature of an idealic scenery the way they express this imagery through artistic measures is strikingly different. In Duncanson’

Public health core function Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public health core function - Research Paper Example In order to monitor, information regarding health issues and causes for having health hazardous elements is gathered. Agency is responsible for collecting the data on regular basis to find out the current pattern of illness and share the collective knowledge with the upper authorities so that appropriate measures can be taken to prevent the health hazardous elements (FDNU, 2011). State Health Departments have developed a system to collect the information and process it from individual who are suffering from HIV/AIDS and also monitors the pattern divided demographically. The information is kept very confidentially and is processed with confidentiality to plan accordingly to prevent the disease in the local community (NASTAD, 2007). State Health Departments ensures the development of policies in regard to prevent the spread of this disease. The departments also monitor different policies and ensure the adequate monitoring of such policies. Most of the developed policies are to prevent the elements which cause this disease and also make it sure that individuals suffering from such diseases are able to avail the proper treatment (FDNU, 2011). State Public Health departments also make it sure that local government is also supporting their steps to implement different policies like partner notification program and also to protect the confidentiality of individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS . Policies include many different programs like to educate the people of every age so that they can take the precautionary measures; by this the departments are able to provide better services even without the duplication of hard work. More policies are to be developed to prevent this disease from spreading like to create awareness (FDNU, 2011). State Public Health departments also supports in terms of monetary and financially to education programs that

Education Article Summary Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education Article Summary - Lab Report Example Because current assessment methods were receiving criticism, the study finally sought to identify alternatives to the current identification methods. The conflict arose because while the IDEA prior to 2004 had identified several methods to identify the students who had learning disabilities in need of special services, there was no uniform measure by which the states were guided in assessing the severity of the disability. Accordingly, the article found, that there was a severe lack of continuity within the states. For the most part, the states had a common definition for the term SLD. Thus the resulting problem was that in addition to there not being a contiguous method of identifying SLD, the parameters that did exist were arbitrarily ignored. Moreover, it was determined that there was an unacceptable amount of time between identification of the problem and treatment plan for assistance. The author found that the majority polled found that the most favored method of identifying a learning disability was the "response-to-treatment" or "response-to-intervention". This approach begins with teaching and a level of teaching intensity is increased according to the needs of the child.

The E-Trade Baby Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The E-Trade Baby - Essay Example In order to identify the rhetorical strengths and weaknesses of the E-Trade Baby commercials, their ethos, logos, and pathos should be examined. Ethos implies the personality and trustworthiness of the speaker associated with the argument. Ethos raises issues of ethics and confidence between the speaker and the audience. In terms of ethos, the E-Trade Baby ads are quite effective in drawing out the interest of the audience by using an ‘infantile’ personality that normally appeals to the emotion of audiences. In terms of integrity, the ads are also successful since the babies’ ‘voices’ are from trusted people in the finance and investment industry. The E-Trade Baby simply used the attractive and adorable personalities of the babies to convey its reliable messages about financing and investing. The ads successfully identified with their audiences and their argument. They also appeal to the sense of necessity of the audiences by building a whole new real m of investing, or also referred to as electronic trading. Logos denotes the application of numbers, statistics, reason, and logic. Quite frequently, logos appears concrete and material, far more tangible and ‘real’ compared to other rhetorical techniques that it does not appear an advertisement approach at all. In terms of logos, the E-Trade Baby ads are quite illogical since it is commonsensical knowledge that babies cannot talk in the way they are portrayed in the ads making the entire endeavor weak within the domain of logos. But in terms of the presentation of statistics and facts, the ads have been concise and straight to the point. Pathos appeals to the emotions of audiences. The E-Trade Baby ads try to appeal to the emotions of love, compassion, affection, sympathy, and happiness. They successfully used an emotional appeal by identifying with the sense of their audience. The ads did not abuse any ethical or emotional appeal since

Explain each element of the Dunnings OLI paradigm. Give examples for Essay

Explain each element of the Dunnings OLI paradigm. Give examples for each of the OLI elements for market-seeking and resource-seeking types of investment (6 in - Essay Example These categories are market seeking, resource seeking, efficiency seeking and strategic resource seeking motives. Market and Resource seeking motives have been the two most recognized categories of motives (Dunning 2000). These two are the main reasons for most first time internationalization attempts by firms. Yet, efficiency seeking and strategic asset seeking motives increase in importance and are more common as motives for those companies who are already engaged in multinational activity. Dunning also confirms that closer relations with customers and durable relations with suppliers were equally important motives. Besides, he suggests that internationalization was driven by opportunities abroad rather than threats at home. Opportunity has been described in a different vein by Williamson (1975). He states that incomplete contracts and missing markets gave rise to opportunistic behaviour and to fill the void companies chose to face the challenge with replacing external contracts by direct ownership and internal hierarchy. Dunning’s eclectic paradigm is useful in analysing the complex decisions made by Firms to go international. The three OLI factors help to explain why production is based in a foreign land in place of home country. It explains the value additions available to a company in host countries on account of OLI. Each of these factors offers some advantage that enhances the competitiveness and performance of the firm. Basically the home advantage of Ownership is transferred to the host countries for competitiveness. These are then transferred to specific host country where the best the Locational factors exist through FDI. Finally the Internalization or the internal expertise, partly due to O factors accounts for the competitive advantage that was originally the objective of the exercise. This has been confirmed by the similar internalization theory of Rugman (1984). The main

The E-Trade Baby Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The E-Trade Baby - Essay Example In order to identify the rhetorical strengths and weaknesses of the E-Trade Baby commercials, their ethos, logos, and pathos should be examined. Ethos implies the personality and trustworthiness of the speaker associated with the argument. Ethos raises issues of ethics and confidence between the speaker and the audience. In terms of ethos, the E-Trade Baby ads are quite effective in drawing out the interest of the audience by using an ‘infantile’ personality that normally appeals to the emotion of audiences. In terms of integrity, the ads are also successful since the babies’ ‘voices’ are from trusted people in the finance and investment industry. The E-Trade Baby simply used the attractive and adorable personalities of the babies to convey its reliable messages about financing and investing. The ads successfully identified with their audiences and their argument. They also appeal to the sense of necessity of the audiences by building a whole new real m of investing, or also referred to as electronic trading. Logos denotes the application of numbers, statistics, reason, and logic. Quite frequently, logos appears concrete and material, far more tangible and ‘real’ compared to other rhetorical techniques that it does not appear an advertisement approach at all. In terms of logos, the E-Trade Baby ads are quite illogical since it is commonsensical knowledge that babies cannot talk in the way they are portrayed in the ads making the entire endeavor weak within the domain of logos. But in terms of the presentation of statistics and facts, the ads have been concise and straight to the point. Pathos appeals to the emotions of audiences. The E-Trade Baby ads try to appeal to the emotions of love, compassion, affection, sympathy, and happiness. They successfully used an emotional appeal by identifying with the sense of their audience. The ads did not abuse any ethical or emotional appeal since

Nursing theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing theory - Assignment Example I see evidence-based practice as presenting an important for nurses to break away from past practice of nursing where nurses applied minimal professional knowledge with most of their interventions based on their subjective judgment on what they liked or disliked. Consequently, evidence-based practice trends in the delivery of quality nursing care has led to improved practice as decisions are now based on application of body of knowledge that focus on understanding and knowing patients and their health experiences, knowledge of research process essential in providing best interventions in particular cases. Among the theories that have contributed to the development of evidence-based, practice in nursing care is theory of interpersonal relations postulated by Peplau. Peplau’s theory focuses on the interaction of the nurse and the patient with the objective of ensuring nursing practice is therapeutic since it is a healing art. Through the theory of interpersonal relations in nursing, nurses and patients are perceived as individuals whose collaboration would lead to achievement of a common objective. Peplau prominence of the theory in nursing practice is influence by research findings suggesting that communication is important in establishing professional relationship between the nurse and patient and contributes to the nurse and patient learning and identifying the best approach in improving patient’s condition (Lubkin and Larsen, 2006). Introducing concepts in theory of interpersonal relations in nursing practice will therefore constitute evidence-based practice, as the n urse will relay on research to make an educated decision. The development of nursing theory has contributed to the improvement of nursing education, nursing research and nursing practice as practitioners seek effective and efficient interventions for conditions presented by different patients. Since the

The Human Condition Portrayed in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” Essay Example for Free

The Human Condition Portrayed in John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† Essay John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† is a story of one woman’s insecurities because of her age and her need to feel beautiful and worthy. There are many ideas portrayed in this story; including sexism, marital roles, basic human needs and emotions and many other ideas. The focus of this essay however, is the human condition of aging; the insecurities which can develop as a person ages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging is one of many aspects of the human condition; according to Websters Dictionary. Human condition is â€Å"the positive and negative aspects of existence as a human being† and â€Å"inevitable events† of life such as; love, sex, aging and death (Webster’s, 1). â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† is a story of a woman who is uncomfortable with her age, and disappointed in her lot in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Steinbeck gives the reader the impression that Elisa, the main character, has a problem accepting her age. In the fifth paragraph of the story, the reader is told that Elisa is thirty-five. In today’s standards thirty-five is quite young, but in the 1930s the average life span was only forty years old (Koncelik, 2002). Eliza likely felt her life was coming to an end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Steinbeck introduces the reader to Elisa as she is â€Å"cutting down the old year’s chrysanthemum stalks with a pair of short and powerful scissors† (207; par. 7). When the reader is first introduced to Elisa, Steinbeck describes what others would see when looking at Elisa; she has a lean, strong face, and clear eyes (206; par. 5). This description implies that Elisa is a healthy, strong woman; however the way Elisa is dressed suggests that she is ashamed of her appearance. Steinbeck writes; Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips, the trowel and scratcher, the seeds and the knife she worked with. She wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hands while she worked (206; par. 5).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Steinbeck’s description demonstrates that Elisa is dressed both practical and in a way which hides her body because of her insecurity. Her corduroy pockets are used for her gardening tools and the heavy gloves protect her hands. The author’s description of her low pulled down hat and the figured print dress that is almost completely covered gives the impression that Elisa is trying to hide herself. Elisa is allowing her age to define her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Elisa is proud of her Chrysanthemums, something she creates with her â€Å"planting hands† (210). The Chrysanthemums are a symbol of beauty and perfection, something Elisa wants to see in herself. When she first meets the newcomer she feels annoyance until he asks about her flowers; â€Å"the irritation and resistance melted from [her] face (209; 51). The newcomer played on Elisa’s emotions, knowing he could make money by fabricating a story about a woman interested in having Chrysanthemums. He made Elisa feel so good about herself that she gave in and paid him to fix a few saucepans. The newcomer made the pans like new, similar to how he made Elisa feel. At the time of the man’s departure, Elisa felt proud; â€Å"her shoulders were straight [and] her head [was] thrown back† (211; 91), she feels that she has a purpose. Steinbeck creates a scene, drastically different then the beginning of the story. The beginning had a slow, depressing tone, whereas the scene after the newcomer leaves feels vibrant. The way Steinbeck describes the bedroom scene, where Elisa is dressing slowly in new undergarments and the nicest stockings; â€Å"and the dress which was the symbol of her prettiness† (212; 93), it is apparent that the positive feelings Elisa is demonstrating are rare. The feelings are so rare that she is defensive when her husband says she looks nice; it is also apparent when he says â€Å"why – why, Elisa. You look so nice!† (212; 100) that he is surprised at her change in attitude. She even boasts about her strength to her husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Elisa’s good feelings are short-lived, when she drives by her Chrysanthemums dumped out on the road without the pot. The beautiful flowers were tossed carelessly away; symbolizing the life she feels has thrown away, feeling it is too late for a change. It hurts her so badly that she can’t look at him as she passes. Instead of dealing with her emotions, her hurt and disappointment, she turns her attention to the night ahead of them. It is apparent that Elisa will never live up to her full potential and never make the change she desperately needs. She almost takes the plunge when she asks about the fights; but backs down and settles for a glass of wine at dinner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† explores the human ability to cope with aging. Elisa desperately wants to feel young again, beautiful and strong like her Chrysanthemums; what she can’t understand is that she can be like the Chrysanthemums,   growing bigger, stronger and more beautiful every year. She chooses to hide herself behind bulky unflattering clothes and living life in the background because she feels she is too old. Aging is a human condition which is difficult for many people to handle; it can cause depression, like in Elisa’s case. Steinbeck has been known for his representation of the human condition in many of his stories; â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† explores a woman’s experience in aging which is as relevant today as it was in the 1930s. Works Cited Human condition. Websters New Millenniumâ„ ¢ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.7). (2007). Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. 28 Aug. 2007. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/human condition. Koncelik, Jooseph, A. â€Å"Designing for the Life Span† (Segment 2, slide 28). Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance Education. (2002). 28 August 2007 http://www.catea.org/grade/lifespan/Segment2/slide70.htm Steinbeck, John. â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†.

About diamond

About diamond Introduction â€Å"A diamond is forever† (De Beers Group, 2008) is likely to be one of the best known slogans the mining industry has ever had. Sixty years after the foundation of the De Beers Consolidated Mines in South Africa (CMSA) in 1888 (Epstein, 1982) this slogan represents a campaign aimed at marketing the sale of De Beers diamonds. In the early twentieth century the British South African company monopolised giving them the control over the majority of the worlds diamond supply. To establish the monopoly, Ernest Oppenheimer, considered as â€Å"prototype of the multinational businessman: German by birth, British by naturalization, Jewish by religion, and South African by residence† has perceived that the only way to increase the value of diamonds is to make them scarce† (Epstein, 1982) in 1910. Ernest Oppenheimer has so far laid the foundation for De Beers business strategy of controlling supply that lasted for nearly one century facilitating the process of becoming an international cartel in the late 1930 years. Within the following twenty years, De Beers monopolised the natural diamond industry on a global scale. The company monitored all pipe mines, was â€Å"fully backed by the British, Belgian and French governments [and was considered as] the official channel for the diamond trade† (Epstein, 1982) among all other governments. This distinction only lasted until the 1990s when first threats menaced the monopoly. De Beers has been put face to face with the loss of its position in the worlds diamond producing industry hence they had to cope with a dwindling reputation. To counter this negative trend which not only existed for the diamond industry but also among customers the De Beers Group had to react. Therefore, this business report is going to examine the factors behind any changes that have taken place in the structure of the companys value chain in recent years. It will also explain the reasoning behind any points made. To support the reasoning different business frameworks will be use. The Global Value Chain Competitive Advantage and Value Chain Michael E. Porter, professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, analyses the basis of competitive advantage in his book â€Å"Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance†, that was published in 1998. He explained that it is the companys competitive advantage that leads to value creation, hence to gain leverage among competitors in their particular market segment (Porter, 1998). Porter points out two general distinctions of competitive advantage: either a company can offer benefits at a lower cost than the rival which is called cost advantage or the company surpasses the benefits that are delivered by the competitor which is a differentiation advantage. To create a competitive advantage, irrespective of its nature, so to say by cost or differentiation the business fields resources and capabilities to finally create superior value. To visualise this issue, one can take in regard the resource-based view in the following simplified model (QuickMBA, 2009). Contemplating Fig. 1 there is still one step missing before competitive advantage is attained. It is realised by a range of value creating activities which Porter identified as value chain. He further found out that a company needed to outperform one or more of those activities that are above the overall value which ascertains the company being ahead of its competitors (QuickMBA, 2009). To get a better understanding of what the value chain contains and expresses one should have a look at the figure below that was adapted from (Porter, 1998). Continued The value chain aims at creating the highest possible value for the company and is the last step to gain a competitive advantage as seen in Fig.1. There can be different reasons why a company may add or even lose value. Throughout the years of business, the firm may have to undertake measures to make a change in the firms value chain (e.g. due to external factors). One of these external factors can be the time – in virtue of changing circumstances in the business environment, or a special market. The company needs to move with the times to stay competitive. A negative example that may cause a change in value can be the chaining of unfortunate events (e.g. collapsing market, contract termination with major producers, new competition, and consumers taste shift). This chain of unfortunate events would engender dire consequences that may conduce a company to consider changing or restructuring its value chain to haul itself out of the loophole. In the following section Porters theory of competitive advantage and the value chain will be applied on the particular case of De Beers. Afterwards, any factors of the past decade it will be looked at in detail. These factors include any event that occasioned De Beers to react quickly to a negative trend of falling market share and worsening reputation and consequently how the company dealt with the situation to stop this thread. De Beers Competitive Advantage and Value Chain De Beersoperates since its foundation in the late 19th century as already mentioned in the introduction. From scratch it followed a successful strategy that helped controlling the vast majority of the worlds diamond supply and being market leader since the beginning of its operations. In Fig. 3 is shown briefly how De Beers created its competitive advantage over competitors and how the company managed to acquire a market share of some 85% (Irwin, 2001). The activities that created value and in what way the success story of De Beers continued will be explained subsequently. Before analysing the value chain it is expedient to have a look at the De Beers Family of Companies (De Beers, Family of Companies, 2009) showing every single member that is at some extent involved in the companys operations. Looking at Fig.4 one can see that the Anglo American Group, the Central Holdings Group and the Government of the Republic Botswana are the shareholders of the De Beers socià ©tà © anonyme (De Beers sa). The companys head office is located in Luxembourg managing and monitoring the entire business whereas commercial activities are executed from subsidiaries in different parts of the world (De Beers Group, 2008). The Family of Companies is integrated across the breadth of the global diamond value chain. This covers exploration of deposits, sorting and valueing rough diamonds as well as cutting and polishing diamonds. We will have a closer look at these single instances in a little while. De Beers sa shareholders owned and controlled JV and independently subsidiaries and divisions managed subsidiaries Since we now got to know of which arms the Family of Companies consists we can examine De Beers value chain presenting slight changes from Porter De Beers adapted to its business. Since De Beers focused more and more on creating demand rather than controlling supply, they realised that a bad reputation of a consuming good they wanted (and needed) to sell has impacts on demand. De Beers response to face this problem was taking a key role in the implementation of the Kimberley Process which is an international certification scheme that is aimed at controlling the rough diamond trade. It requires a governmental certification of any shipments of rough diamonds proving that diamonds are free from blood – so to say not sold to prolong a conflict. De Beers efforts were being rewarded in January 2001 when Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General praised the company saying that they â€Å"set an example with its response to criticism of the diamond trade in Africa and its efforts to ensure that traders and consumers of diamonds will no longer unwittingly help to finance warlords† (Irwin, 2001). To recapture the erstwhile good reputation of De Beers they presented two more novelties. Forevermark De Beers needed to establish a brand name first in Europe later in the US. Therefore the company formed a strategic alliance with Moà «t Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) a French luxury goods group (Irwin, 2001). In the hope of creating globally a differentiation between De Beers Forevermark diamonds and stones one can purchase via internet the company put a lot of money into marketing strategies and campaigns to publicise the new brand and create an association with the utterly luxurious high class. A feature that lived through the entire time frame of this partnership is that De Beers jewellery always has been and will be sold exclusively in special De Beers stores. Downloadable Reports In 2001 De Beers published on their website the very first time an annual report revealing details about the workings and profits of the company. It is said that it is â€Å"the most comprehensive view [] that has ever been published† (Irwin, 2001). The intention of this published report was the direct address to shareholders of which a great part resided in the US. Two years later, in 2003, De Beers independent arm the DTC implemented the â€Å"Supplier of Choice† strategy – another project in their strategy shift. It is a sales programme aimed at selecting clients (sightholders) for De Beers. There are special sightholder selection criteria and considerations that provide a framework enabling the DTC to make an objective valuation of applicants. This method contributes to an allocation considered as fair and efficient (De Beers Group, 2008). The next big change in the company was the change of the Managing Director. Gary Ralfe tried his best to help De Beers not to go down fighting within this highly competitive environment over years. He wanted to transform the once successful business steeped in history into a modern competitive market player that at one point can regain a position they once held. Since Gary Ralfe retired in 2006 he could not finish his projects whereas his successor Gareth Penny now was charged with them. And it was this director change that breathed new life into the company. Gareth Penny, who beforehand was the director of sales and marketing of the DTC, his new role as MD was now to face all the issues that Gary Ralfe tried to antagonise. Penny first started to put new efforts on De Beers role in the Kimberley Process, always emphasising that De Beers only trades and sells conflict-free diamonds. To remove any doubts clients might have about the diamonds origin of De Beers jewellery the company in troduced in 2006 the De Beers Passport. This passport accompanies every diamond purchase and certifies that the sold jewellery is certainly blood free. It is the first and only company offering such a certification to clients (De Beers Jewellers, 2009). The second main achievement of Pennys business reshaping plan is a higher concentration on the joint ventures with African governments. Between De Beers and the Government of Botswana a joint venture has been agreed in 1969, 40 years ago (De Beers Group, 2009). Since 1992 this joint venture is called Debswana (cp. Fig.13). A very important step was taken in May 2006 when the Government of Botswana and De Beers signed three very meaningful agreements. Those comprised a regeneration of mining licenses for 25 years, a prolongation of the selling contract for five years and the establishment of the DTC Botswana. It was in the same year that De Beers bettered their diamond production record producing in total 34.3 million carats (De Beers Group, 2008). But the relationship was even more intensified in 2008 when De Beers moved its diamond-sorting facility to Botswana. This facility is the worlds largest and most innovative sorting institution avouching for the precious stones to stay in t he country for a little longer (OConnell, 2009). De Beers or better Gareth Penny does create a lot of good for the country since Botswana counted for a long time to the worlds poorest countries in terms of living condition and development rate. Meanwhile Botswana displays economic growth rates that are highest on a global scale (Morapedi, 2009). De Beers cooperation with the government thereby all foreign direct investment they put in the country forwarded growth within four decades. Nowadays Debswana is the countrys largest non-government employer, since they are giving 25% of the residents a place to work (Morapedi, 2009). Investing in diamond production, De Beers aid contributes to export revenues of 76%. The diamonds create nearly half of the government revenues and they account for a third of Botswanas GDP (Morapedi, 2009). Apart from any foreign direct investment in Africa and conflict free diamond issues an important point to mention last is that Penny always has been very keen on stimulating technology development. Supporting those processes financially the general idea behind was the aim to keep down production and sorting costs. Impacts of 10 years reshaping measures Although all the measures of reshaping the company sound very promising, one would expect a growth in profits and reputation. But these apparently obvious consequences of all the efforts cannot be proven since the strategy shift also affects the companys value chain in a somewhat negative way. One can see the financial situation of De Beers over the past five years. Since 2005 the profits are decreasing continuously whereas the decrease rate of the total costs is minimal, so to say not evident. This phenomenon is going to be proven in the following. decreasing market share The macro-environmental factors that came up throughout the 1990 years are the cause for the negative development of De Beers market share. Summarised, the single reasons were: discovery of rich deposits in Canada emergence of new competition taste shift among customers economic decline in consuming regions and the stigma of blood diamonds. customers turn into competitors The DTC sells the rough diamonds to a range of companies. As far as one is in this â€Å"selling process† these companies are customers of De Beers. But since the companies continue manufacturing the stones, selling them to alternative retailers the diamonds are at one point offered on the market as well as De Beers jewellery. In this sense, De Beers is competing with its customers. commitment to corporate social responsibility De Beers not only concentrates on foreign direct investment in African countries, it also cares for its employees and their families. Among all the activities and measures that are undertaken by De Beers three of them will be highlighted. The employment rate of Historically Disadvantaged South Africans in management roles in the De Beers Consolidated Mines (see Fig.3) was at 45.5% in 2008, the year before at 39% (De Beers, Family of Companies, 2009). The De Beers constant workforce consists of 21.8% women. Nearly one fifth of management positions are filled by females. (De Beers, Family of Companies, 2009). De Beers implemented a disease management programme. Their investment supported additional medical treatment offers outside the insurance scheme to all employees and their relatives. Since the exposure of De Beers employees to especially HIV and Aids is dangerous in terms of the workers and workers families health but also in terms of business continuity. The programme focuses on prevention, treatment and care and support (De Beers, Family of Companies, 2009). Despite all the positives points of De Beers CSR activities the company has to be careful with the amount of money it is investing since costs tend to escalate quite easily In Fig. 14. one could already notice that costs are still too high in proportion to the total revenue of the firm. Even though the profits of De Beers are following a downward trend the company is diligently improving to stay highly innovative and portray a serious competitor on the market. The shift to a new business model of creating demand De Beers has made it to a modern competitive player taking continuously measures to add up to its competitive advantage, e.g. steady development and generation of technologies as well as foreign direct investment. The latter means a huge support of a developing country that certainly needs external aid to improve the economic situation inside the country. Conclusion Throughout this business report it was demonstrated that the firm De Beers always has been a very successful company. From scratch of its operations, De Beers followed well-wrought business concepts. Since the company is British-South African by origin methods to internationalise business operations had been very favourable in terms of creating success. The main aspects, making the business growing were 1st investing directly in African countries such as Botswana and Namibia, 2nd exporting directly to Britain and many other countries and 3rd establishing important joint ventures with e.g. African governments. Although De Beers took great risks operating how it finally did it got a maximum reward possible what is likely to be its secret of a successful business. Through the ages De Beers created itself high reputation among customers, further the firm had a competitive advantage benefitting from operating very early on this particular market. The company enjoyed a protrusion of know-how and knowledge about the market manifesting it by locating itself intelligently. All these points favoured De Beers monopoly which they held over decades. Accidentally the luck has turned. In the late 1980 years and throughout the 1990s an unfortunate series of events should end De Beers success story. With increasing frequency international media casted a poor light on De Beers blaming the company to finance civil wars in African countries such as Sierra Leone or Angola. But De Beers had somehow to get through this period full of obstacles since it had a long track record to defend. Furthermore the firm possessed still a good position on the market. To overcome those problems De Beers responded proactively in initiating a multifaceted strategy shift that was realised progressively throughout a decade from 1999 until today. De Beers had to learn a lot about its business environment since they did not operate as a monopoly any longer. But De Beers has a fair chance having learned from its mistakes within those past ten years. The company is likely to grow out of this challenge and might improve operations and achieve higher profits in the future. But since they have to bear additionally caused costs e.g. by the Supplier of Choice strategy and still compete with their customers who possibly could establish own brands which would diminish De Beers power in sales the company exposes itself to a fight that keeps probably extending over several years. Reference list/Bibliography Anglo American plc. (2009). Diamonds. London: Anglo American plc. Banse, F., Jung, A. (2005). Der Stoff aus dem Kriege sind. medico internationl e.V. Frankfurt: s.n. De Beers. (2005, September 29). A financial overview about De Beers. Presentation to Anglo American Analysts and Investment Banks , 99. London. De Beers Group. (2009, June 23). Botswana and De Beers celebrate a 40-year partnership. From De Beers Website Press Releases. [Online] Available at:http://www.debeersgroup.com/en/Media-centre/Press-releases/2009/Botswana-and-De-Beers-celebrate-a-40-year-partnership/ [Accessed 11 November 2009] De Beers Group. (2008). De Beers A diamond is forever. From Home. [Online] Available at:http://www.debeersgroup.com/en/ [Accessed 25 October 2009] De Beers Jewellers. (2009). The De Beers Difference. From De Beers Jewellery. [Online] Available at: http://www.debeerseu.com/Bridal-link/De-Beers-Passport/page/debeerspassport [Accessed 7 November 2009] De Beers, Family of Companies. (2009). Report to Society 2008. London: De Beers Group. DTC. (2009). DTC Sightholders. From About DTC Sightholders. [Online] Available at:http://www.dtcsightholderdirectory.com/Sightholder/modules/introducing/IntroDefault.aspx [Accessed 7 November 2009] Epstein, E. J. (1982). The Diamond Invention. [e-Book] London: Hutchinson. Even-Zohar, C. (2006, October 27). Diamond Value Chain. Mining Journal . Irwin, R. (2001, May 7). De Beers in Need of a Polish. brandchannel . Lee, H., Ko, H., Mehta, S., Rozwat, A., Smailagic, G. (2007). Marketing Plan. [Online] Available at:http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~gsmailag/portfolio/B4%20-%20Marketing%20Final%20Paper.pdf [Accessed at 23 November 2009] medico international e.V. (2007). medico-Kampagnen Fatal Transactions. From medico-international. [Online] Available at:http://www.medico-international.de/kampagne/fatal/ft_br2005_fatal.asp [Accessed 10 November 2009] Morapedi, C. (2009). Botswana and De Beers celebrate a 40-year partnership. Gaborone: De Beers Group. OConnell, P. (2009, January 6). De Beers Multifaceted Strategy Shift. From BusinessWeek. [Online] Available at:http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jan2009/ca2009016_644338.htm [Accessed 23 November 2009] Porter, M. E. (1998). Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. [Book] New York: The Free Press. QuickMBA. (2009). Competitve Advantage. From Quick MBA Strategic Management. [Online] Available at:http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/competitive-advantage/ [Accessed 28 October 2009] UNDP. (2009). Statistics of the Human Development Report. From Human Development Reports. [Online] Available at:http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/ [Accessed 10 November 2009] Williams, L. (2008, January 30). Diamond demand exceeds supply but many juniors still suffering. From Mineweb. [Online] Available at:http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page37?oid=45568sn=Detail [Accessed 8 November 2009]

Does God Exist? :: essays research papers

In my life on this planet I have come to question many things that many take on as blind faith. We all know that someday we will 'physically' die, Yet, we continuously deny the forces working inside ourselves which want to search out the true outcome of what may or may not come after death. It's far easier for humanity to accept that they will go on to a safe haven and be forgiven for all, rather than to question the existence of a super omnipotent being. Fortunately, there are some of us who tend to question the why's and how's that come before us. We question the creation of humanity and the religious teachings received from our parents, our church and our society. This paper examines the many rational arguments for and against the existence of God. It is based on the views of some of the great philosophers and scientists of our world. I will show that there is no sufficient proof or comprehensive arguments for the existence of God. Some people search for eternal peace through the beliefs in God; but this is an impossible belief because of the chances, the plausibility, and because of science. ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS God generally refers to one supreme, holy, personal being,. The divine unity of ultimate good-ness and of ultimate reality. St. Anselm of Canterbury developed what we have learned to be the ontological argument. He began his argument by saying that even a fool can grasp or understand the concept of "a being than of which nothing greater can be conceived." He continues to state that a fool would say that the concept of this being's existence is only in his mind and in the mind of others but not in reality. However he also admits to the possibility of this being existing in reality. Whatever is understood by the fool is argued that than which nothing is greater can be conceived cannot solely exist in the mind but also in reality, hence, God exists. (Angelfire) This personally sounds like a salesperson's pitch to confuse and conquer for a sale. Gaunilo felt the same. He frequently debated with St. Anselm on behalf of the fool. He stated that it was not po ssible to visualize the concept of this perfect being because one can only imagine an image when one has an idea of what that image is suppose to resemble.

Pro Clean Case Essay

Pro Clean’s owner has more than 15 years of experience, has good reputation in Knoxville and has established a sustainable customer base. The company offers good service at considerable price, and maintains good relation with its past customers. Weaknesses: The Company has many problems in its marketing, management and accounting systems. It tries to reach out to customers from every segment, and probably exceeding its capacity. The company’s staff has very limited skills in sales, can only approach certain group of customers, and has ambiguous responsibility in day-to-day functions. Lastly, the company is financially weak, due to poor financial management. This is likely to be the problem to their higher operating cost and cash flow problem. Opportunities: Given the current environment, Pro Clean has certain opportunities to survive in Knoxville. There is clear market segmentation, which to allows Pro Clean to avoid direct competition with competitors from other strategic group. Threats: Pro Clean faces other competitors who offer similar or service at the same price, threatening its customer base. Also, a change in financial policy, such as an increase in interest rates, can threaten the survival of the company, given its current financial situation. (See Appendix C for the SWOT analysis table) Building Core Competency From our analysis in the previous segments, we advise Pro Clean to build its core competency in two dimensions: Customer Relationship in combination with an excellent cleaning service and a high quality. Valuable: By focusing and creating an unique relationship with its customers, Pro Clean can definitely be considered as a valuable company * Rare: Pro Clean will offer a wide range of extra services and supporting tools which aren’t offered by other cleaning companies * In-imitate: By providing innovative services, Pro Clean will enjoy a competitive advantage over its competitors. * Non-substitutable: Once become a member of the custom er base, customers will be offered an excellent service and loyalty programs. The better the relationship between Pro Clean and its customers, the higher the switching costs will be for the customers. Value Chain Analysis The following is a value chain analysis on what activities Pro Clean can do based on their core competencies, and also some of the other activities that they can improve on to give them a strategic competitive advantage: Primary Services: Currently, the service quality of Pro Clean is good and we feel that they can leverage on it, by adding on the hardwood floor cleaning service and improving their scheduling to suit the customers’. Sales & Marketing: To grow the business, Pro Clean should focus on market penetration and increasing their revenue stream from its existing customer base. Increase penetration: * Referral programmes can be initiated by offering discounts to customers who refer their neighbours. * Wilson should also take advantage of the on-site estimate service by rewarding employees who bring in more of such jobs. Doing so should increase the closing rate, and increase sales. * Sales can also be improved by â€Å"advertising† the other services that Pro Clean has to offer. They can also get employees to ask customers if they need other services while they are on-site. * Pro Clean should also explore the possibility of expanding into the commercial business, as it is currently a greatly underserved market. Increase average customer spending: * As a large part of sales is derived from people seeing Pro Clean’s van being driven around the neighbourhood, Pro Clean can get technicians to drive the van around the neighbourhood more often to increase their visibility. They can also come up with a bigger range of packaged services to cross sell to customers. Support Infrastructure: It was identified earlier that Wilson is pretty weak in managing the finances of the company. Hence we recommend that he should outsource this part of the business to an accountant. In addition, we think that he should also move his operations back to his home office to cut costs. HR management: This is an area that also needs to be worked on in order to successfully implemen t the other plans. We think that a new staffing plan is needed. We propose that Turner should be re-hired as a technician for the skills that he already has and keep Scott as the sales/marketing manager. A detailed portrayal of the new organization structure can be found in appendix D. Vision Our aim is to become a household name, associated with high service quality, in the cleaning services industry with 100% customer satisfaction. Mission Statement Our mission is to provide the highest quality cleaning service to our customers, within the shortest response time possible at the convenience of our customers.