Cinderella Argument Paper Essay

From generation to generation stories are always changing. Fairy tales like Cinderella go from mean step sisters to nice sisters, fairy god mother to a tree. After reading 5 different versions of Cinderella I had to choose which I would decide to read, above the others to my favorite child. After difficult thinking I have chosen the Walt Disney’s version of Cinderella for many great reasons. I have chosen the Walt Disney’s version because I feel it is the most fitting for children over all the others which are best suitable for older teens. Walt Disney’s version is the ideal story beginning with â€Å"Once upon a time† and ending with â€Å"lived in the palace and were happy ever after, too†. The fairy tale story of pretty girl by the name of Cinderella who lived with her step mother and 2 step sisters who treat her horrible having her cook, clean, and bake, meanwhile having no rights to do anything without her step mother’s permission. A great ball was given by the king, for the prince and every young girl in the kingdom were invited, even Cinderella†¦ Although the nasty step mother told her no. Cinderella cried her heart out, until an older woman appeared in front of her telling her, I am your fairy godmother and she said â€Å"You are going to the Ball†. Before you knew it with the powers of the step mother Cinderella was beautifully dressed and a coach pulled by horses was ready to take her. Cinderella was told that at the stroke of midnight the powers would be gone and she would, means she would have to be gone. Although no one knowing who she was, she caught the prince’s eye. Forgetting to keep her eye on the clock, at 12 she rushed out losing one of her glass slippers. Every girl in the land tried hard to fit into her lost slipper, until Cinderella was forced to try it on, and it fit her perfectly. Cinderella became the prince’s bride and lived happily ever after. All similar, but yet different, In â€Å"Cinderella†, by Anne Sexton there are minor differences that pointed out to me making me not choose this particular story for my child. Besides the story being set up like a poem, I found this to be more difficult for a younger child to understand. This story starts off stating 4 extremely short but successful stories then leading into Cinderella which in my opinion isn’t needed to understand the story. As the story goes on in line 32 they refer to Cinderella looking like Al Jolson, which no kid would understand causing another story within a story about who Al Jolson is. In Walt Disney’s Cinderella, Cinderella is forced to try the slipper on, after her sisters try it on and are unsuccessful. In both â€Å"Cinderella† by Anne Sexton, and â€Å"Cinderella† by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, the step sisters decide to cut body parts to fit into the slipper. One cutting a toe off and the other cutting part of her heel off, until not long after, with help from the fairy god mother, or Cinderella’s mother that the prince finds out. I feel that blood and cutting off body parts because you don’t fit the characteristics you want so you can be with a man isn’t a good trait to teach your children. Lastly In both â€Å"Cinderella† by Anne Sexton, and â€Å"Cinderella† by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, the fairy (mother) were doves who pecked the eyes out of both step sisters for the way they treated Cinderella. The step sisters treated Cinderella horrible but did not deserve to have their eyes pecked out. This teaches children a bad lesson as well as giving them a horrible view to picture. Clearly you can now understand why I have chosen what I have. After reading all 5 wonderful versions, Walt Disney’s Cinderella adapted by Campbell Grant is the best for any child, especially mine. After reading a happy story there is a lot less you’ll need to explain to your child that is unnecessary to be explained to until they are older. The Walt Disney’s version I feel it is the most fitting for children over all the others which are best suitable for older teens.

Case Study: When Radiation Therapy Kills.

Chapter 4: Case Study: When radiation therapy kills. The concepts of ethics are illustrated in this chapter. Ethics is a concern of humans who have freedom of choice. Responsibility, accountability and liability are issues that are raised by radiation technology. In this case we see that the carelessness or laziness of the medical technician, the lack of training in the handling of the equipment (software), also of the maintenance of the updates of the software can cause the life a person. These errors cause by humans or machines can be prevented: if software had some type of safeguards that control the amount of radiation that they can deliver, if the technician or machine operators were more aware of the message errors, that appear on the screen, and if the hospitals had given the proper training to their staff. Technicians, hospital and the software manufacturer all need to collaborated with each other to create a common set of safety procedures, software features in order to prevent this to happen, all of them are responsible. Each of them had the capacity to prevent this type of things to happen and they all decide to blame each other for their own mistakes. The use of a central reporting agency could reduce the numbers of radiation therapy errors in the future because this enables the state to identify trends and exposures that may create safety concerns. If I were to design electronic software for a linear acceleration, I will certainly put some type of safeguards that control the amount of radiation that they can deliver, by this way trying to prevent the overdose of radiation. Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico Graduate Program in Management Chapter 4: Case Study: When radiation therapy kills. Jayline Benitez Hernandez #46654 MGM 6560 – Management of Information Systems September 1, 2011

Benefits of computing gross profit on sales in contrast to contribution margin

The computation of gross profit on sales, which can be derived under the absorption costing approach, is a profitability measure normally conducted under financial analysis. This accounting ratio outlines the gross profit generated from every $100 of sales. Such measure is highly useful in financial analysis, because it provides indications on the profitability potential and cost efficiency of the company. For instance, if there was an increase in sales of 10%, but the gross profit margin declined by 4%.This indicates that the cost efficiency of the organization deteriorated during the period. Such analysis cannot be conducted under the contribution margin approach, because gross profit is not present. However, under the contribution margin approach one can calculate the contribution to sales ratio which indicates the contribution determined from every $100 of sales. This would also provide indications on the control of variable costs once compared over time.Difference in Net Income arising from different approaches. In the example of ABC Company the profit under the two methods is the same. However, this is not always the case. Profits under the two methods differ whenever there is movement in inventory. This is due to the fact that since under the absorption costing technique fixed manufacturing costs are included in the cost of goods sold, a proportion of fixed costs will be included in inventory leading to such a difference.Contribution margin approach not allowable for external reporting. The contribution margin approach, despite being highly useful to provide valuable information for decision making, is not acceptable for external reporting. This is due to the fact that it does not comply with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). For example, under the GAAP the income statement layout should clearly outline the gross profit made by the company. Under the contribution margin method this is not highlighted.Another important reason why the ab sorption approach is allowable for external reporting and not the contribution approach is due to the way in which the income statement is classified. The GAAP state that the income statement is classified by function, like under the absorption method. In the contribution approach it is classified by cost behavior. Indeed separation between fixed and variable costs is made under such method. This conflicts with another requirement of the GAAP. Reference: Drury C. (1996). Management and Cost Accounting. Fourth Edition. New York: International Thomson Business Press.

American History Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American History Analysis - Assignment Example The assignment "American History Analysis" talks about the American history study that was captured by the ideas of President Eisenhower and General Marshall who noticed the ill-preparedness of the America’s military armed forces which led to the considerable loss. Fulfillment of the task of protecting the nation required the projection of the army’s preparation past the immediate prospect. They advocated for military preparedness through establishing and maintaining a good defense policy. Modern warfare requires proper planning if the war was to bring forth peace. They both noted the need for peace which was the main objective of the war or conflict. General Marshall came up with ideas which if implemented could help in their defense strategies. He supported President Washington’s program which was for the peace time training or the universal military training of the citizens. The essence of this training was to ensure that in the case of an emergency, the train ed citizens could be recalled to help in the forces. The idea behind this was to create employment opportunities to the trained citizens directly or indirectly in fields related to security. It was noted that technology could not be relied on solely in times of war as the machines required people to operate them. The Axis powers used the strategy of imposing an invisible unpleasant force to win any biased row and to their disadvantage brought out their weaknesses. Marshall also noted that there was a misunderstanding of military preparedness.

MBA-HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

MBA-HRM - Essay Example This concept led to the evolution of strategic HRM (SHRM). Various models of SHRM have been proposed by different researchers. Each of these models considers human resources at the focal point, and organizational strategies formulated in line with organizational goals and expectations from employees. However, the challenge to SHRM is its inability to be measurable. It is extremely difficult to measure effectiveness of strategies before achieving any outcome; at the same time, waiting for outcome could be disastrous to the organization. Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Score Card system is an impressive way to assess the effectiveness of strategies. This helps in translating an organization’s vision, mission, value and strategy into a comprehensive set of performance measures based on four key perspectives, finance, learning and growth, internal processes and customers. It also enables companies to assess short-term strategies, modify strategies and also manage performance (Kaplan & Norton, 2007). Nevertheless, SHRM is a complex and dynamic process requiring a systematic approach that includes consideration of external such as socioeconomic, technical, politicolegal factors and nature of competition; and internal factors such as culture, structure, leadership, technology, organizational goals (Lundy & Cowling, 1996, 77). Yet, the comprehensive six-step SHRM application tool seems highly useful for organizations to implement SHRM at the ground level and with a futuristic vision (Hartel et al, 2007). Considering the dynamic nature of SHRM and constantly changing environmental and organizational behaviors, scope of SHRM cannot be defined or limited. Philosophically, leaders and strategists should have an outlook of ‘change’ in using and implementing SHRM concept. It is clear that HRM is a complex phenomenon and all factors related to HRM need to be

What are the strengths and weaknesses of seeing organizations as Essay - 1

What are the strengths and weaknesses of seeing organizations as purely rational configurations - Essay Example This study will be centered towards analyzing strengths and weakness of considering an organizational configuration as purely rational. There is no such definition that can precisely explain the concept of organizational behavior. Organizational theory can be stated as a concept that helps in studying system of formal organizations and their relationship with external environment. There are various concepts which are included in such study such as leadership, organizational development, organizational behavior, organizational and industrial psychology, human resource studies and management. Organizations have developed from past many years and during due course of time people have witnessed which of them are best firms. Rationalization or scientific management, division of labor and bureaucracy are some well known organizational theories. The term rational basically indicates making a conscious decision and not getting influenced by emotions. Absence of emotional aspect might result into an inappropriate organizational functioning. This study will be focused on determining advantages of rational perspective of a firm and its possible negative consequences. There are two significant factors of rational organizational like formalization and goal specification. Goal specification can be stated as forming guidelines in order to complete tasks and allocate resource appropriately. On the other hand, formalization is a method adopted to standardize organizational behavior. These two procedures results into stable expectations and develops a rational system. In modern world the major area of concern for all firms is to offer equal opportunities to all team members and take practical decisions that are not based on emotional grounds or on any such experience. This study shall reveal dual perspective of purely rational organizations with the support of appropriate

Intellectual Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Intellectual Property - Essay Example The law offers rights of control to the creators of literary works, films, music, artistic works, software, and typographical agreement of printed editions on the way their work may be engaged. The mentioned rights include; public performances and broadcast, adapting, lending copies, copying, as well as renting. Copyright is an automatic work, which arises when a person or a company creates something new (Holland, 2007). In order for one to qualify for this right, the work created should be considered as innovative, and display or unveil some degree of skill, labor, or judgment. For a party to receive the protection of copyright, their works must be interpreted in regard to independence creation instead of the notion behind that creation. For instance; if one writes a book, the idea of the book itself may not be protected, however, the actual content in that book would be protected. A different person has a right and, is entitled to write a book employing the same idea as long as they do not copy the owner’s idea or adapt it when writing their works (Bouchoux, 2009). Generally, the person or a group who authored the original work exclusively owns the work, which is referred as â€Å"first owner of copyright† according to the Act of 1988. However, if this work is created and formed as part of occupation, then the company will actually be the first owner, this being the employer of the person who created the work (Davies, & Cheng, 2011). Titles, colors, names, and short phrases are not normally put into consideration as unique or ample and extensive enough to be taken into consideration, though designs such as a logo, which combines these features may be covered. In other words, works that prompt anotion may be secured and protected, but the idea behind that work may not. Commissioned or freelance work generallygoes to the author, unless there is a contract, which is an agreement for the service. Similarto any otheradditional asset, copyright can be sold or

Money Management Midterm-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Money Management Midterm-1 - Essay Example It is imperative to note that, the insurance companies are obliged to make regular and lifelong payments until the holder dies (Brealey & Myers, 1997). Consider the formula of calculating life annuity returns Payout= P*R*(1+R) exponent N/ (1+R) Whereby P is the principal, R interest rate and payout refers to the periodic payment. Take a percentage interest of 6% and use the annuity calculator for easy calculation. For a single life annuity, fixed amount to be paid is 3,333 per month. This adds up to EUR 39,996 annually. Therefore, annual periodic payment would be: A = EUR 39,996 Now I believe that I would need more money than EUR 39,996 annually. There would be different factors that would reduce the value of EUR 39,996 at that time like inflation. Therefore, when I retire and I think EUR 45,000 should be a valuable amount that I would need every year to spend my life happily. In order to have this amount every year, the interest rate should be 7% as calculated using Goal Seek option in Microsoft Excel. The life expectancy and retirement age considered in this context is 70 and 55 years respectively. PART II- SHARE ANALYSIS This part intends to examine and analyze two companies from the investment analysis. Various financial ratios will be applied to analyze the performances of the company. The implication created by the ratios will be used to recommend a suitable company for investors to invest. The two companies intended for analysis for this report are Lockheed Martin Corporation and Altera Corporation. Lockheed Martin Corporation Background information about the company Lockheed Martin is a global leader in providing aeronautics and defense security services. The company is the world’s largest federal contractor of the agency with unique product portfolio. Headquarter of the company is situated in Bethesda, Maryland in Washington Metropolitan Area. The company is present in more than 75 countries. The company has partnership with more than 300 indust ry players across the globe. It employs around 120,000 employees worldwide who include 80,000 scientists, engineers and IT professionals. This research establishes that, Lockheed reported $46.5 billion revenue in 2011 through its portfolio that includes aeronautics, electronics system, IT and global services, and space system. Net Income of the company is $2.65 billion in 2011. Presently, its share price is $93. Financial Ratios of Lockheed Martin Earnings per Share The Earnings per share shows how much return a shareholder is earning for each share (Friedlob and Plewa, 1996). The earnings per share of the Lockheed Martin were 7.81 in 2011. However, the average 3-year EPS growth rate of the stock is zero. Price Earnings Ratio Price Earnings ratio is the calculated by the following formula. Price earnings ratio = the market price per share/ annual earnings per share. A higher P/E of the stock implies that, investors are paying more for earning every dollar consequently; the share bec omes more expensive compared to the

The Great Post-It Mascare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Great Post-It Mascare - Essay Example He exemplifies Nietzsche’s observation that intelligence, mind, spirit etc. are falsely regarded as man’s highest faculties and in reality they have no privileged status within that power complex which we call a human person (Grimm, 1977, page 10). He finds a justification to his intense desire to exercise control over others by assuming that people have an inherent dislike for work and tend to avoid responsibility; they must, therefore, be pushed, punished, coerced and directed to ‘extract’ work. Such attitude is bound to prevent free and fair communication. Conflict is inevitable when there is neither motivation nor communication. It is almost a century since the Hawthorne Studies revealed the significance and benefits of informal organization. It is an irony that managers of George’s kind still abound. Positive organizational behavior recognizes employee well-being to be the heart of performance of improvement in workplace (Kinder, 2008, page 51). The perspective of Beverly or Bob is that the average worker enjoys work, is ready to accept responsibility if adequately reinforced and can exercise self-direction. Such perspectives can create win-win situations. It cannot be denied that Bob owes his success, to a great extent, to Beverly’s trust, encouragement and willingness to delegate. The approach is grounded in the awareness that ‘passing the torch from generation to generation is the primary conduit through which core lessons of leadership are learned’ (Deal et al., 2010, page 152). The benefits of the awareness are mutual. Beverly, as the COO, is still responsible for the people she has molded. She must see to it that the methods and processes initiated by her (in the interest of the employees) will be continued and improved upon by the successor. As George’s superior, she can monitor his leadership style and act as necessary. Changing the departments of

What advantages does a herfindahl-type index have as a measure of Essay

What advantages does a herfindahl-type index have as a measure of industrial concentration over an n firm concentration ratio - Essay Example There are two main differences of the Herfindahl index with the concentration ratio. The Herfindahl index uses all the firms market shares rather than using any particular number of the largest firms and furthermore, it uses the squares of the values of the market shares to compute the extent of concentration. So,if we assume N firms in the industry, the Herfindahl index looks like: To identify the relative advantages of the Herfindahl type index it is pertinent to note the desirable properties such competitiveness indices should exhibit. First, any competitiveness index should exhibit a decreasing trend with a rising number of firms. This is simply a reflection of the fact that as the number of firms increases the competitiveness rises and hence any index that captures the extent of concentration in the industry should reduce in value (Tirole, 1988). Secondly, any index of concentration should also be non-increasing if not declining with an increase in the extent of symmetry in the market shares of the associated firms (Tirole, 1988). Thus, having perceived the basic features any adequate index of concentration should have, we now proceed to comparatively analyse the two aforementioned measures in the extents they meet up to these requirements. Evidently, the concentration ratio as well as the Herfindahl index both satisfies the first requirement. Both of the indices shall exhibit declining trends as the number of firms start rising since the individual market shares as a percentage of the total market output shall fall. However, the concentration ratio fails to satisfy the second requirement. If there was a redistribution of market shares among the considered firms with some of them gaining higher market shares while that of the others fell so that the total market share of these firms taken together remained the same, the concentration ratio would not change. However, in the Herfindahl index, the squared values of the individual market

Experience in a Group Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Experience in a Group Project - Essay Example The Cardinal Newman College owns St Augustine Centre that is essentially is a leisure centre. Located in the heart of Avenham, the St Augustine Center has a lot of facilities to provide the community with that include but are not limited to sports, library and recreation. Newman College is one of the best colleges in the area and is for students aged between 16 and 18 years. St. Augustine’s Regeneration Trust (START) was the original owner of this building. The centre opened in 2005 with the aid of Diocese that loaned  £500,000 to START along with forwarding a Letter of Comfort to the bank worth 1.1 million. Unfortunately, money was used wrongly and the loan had to be raised to  £700,000. After some years, Diocesan Trustees resolved to give this building in the control of Cardinal Newman College and proposed that the local community secured the facilities. The Diocesan loan has been returned. Our goal was to enhance the use of this center by the local community. For that, we had to generate awareness among the community, increase center and gym memberships among the local community, improve the quality of fitness programs, and develop retention methods. In order to accomplish the task, five students were assigned to our group, me included. For the rest of the paper, I shall refer to them as A (me), B, C, D, and E. After our group had formed, the first challenge that we had to face was the selection of company with a problem that fell in the scope of our domain and was also worth spending the time finding solution for. Different members came up with different proposals, but either the problem was too aggravated to be solved in the time we had or else, the company was not willing to let us intrude into their business. After much search and days of uninterrupted struggle, we were able to find Newman College with the problem of church utility. Soon after we had found it, we conducted a thorough literature review of the college to see the origin of the problem, what events had happened since its formation till now, and the challenges that the college administration was facing with respect to the church. We approached the college administ ration for this, introduced ourselves and proposed to find a solution for their problem. They happily agreed to provide all assistance that we might need in our way of finding the solution for this long cultivated problem. The five of us took care of the different areas. I was chosen as the leader, so my task was to administer the project, enhance the coordination and cooperation among team members, keep the project on the track, and keep track of time and cost because we had time and cost constraints and could not spend beyond the amount specified by our college. I would provide all team members with the required equipment and facilities and would ensure their maximum utility. B took the charge of generating awareness. C was responsible to improve the center and gym memberships. D was to devise and improve the quality of fitness programs and E was supposed to develop the retention methods. Marketing, finances and human resources happen to be the key elements for success in any proj ect, so our first meeting with Cardinal Newman was about these elements. From our side, B met with Katie O’Reilly, the Director of Corporate Resources. This meeting was very useful and generated important information for us regarding the project. After the first meeting, B was assigned the task of conducting all correspondence and meetings with Katie. The meetings were not scheduled strictly. They were irregular in general but were conducted quite often.

Cultural Competence Essay Example for Free

Cultural Competence Essay Cultural and linguistic competence in nursing can be defined as a set of related behaviors and attitudes that integrate together within a healthcare system or institution and among the professionals that work within the system or institution with the purpose of enabling effective and efficient delivery of health services in cross-cultural scenario (Jeffreys, 2006). Below is a brief description of the eight principles of cultural competence: †¢ Broadly defining culture This involves identifying the other factors besides race, language and ethnicity that determine an individual’s sense of awareness in relation to other people (HRSA, 2001). This is because health services are delivered to an individual, and group characteristics may not be a reflection of a person’s attitudes and life experiences (Lundy Janes, 2003). †¢ Valuing Clients’ Cultural beliefs This involves caregivers or professionals in healthcare sufficiently learning the attitudes, knowledge and belief of their target population regarding healthcare and applying what is learned for the delivery of culturally competent care (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Recognizing complexity in Language interpretation This is identifying any hindrances to effective communication and targeted group due to language differences; and laying down strategies to address the same (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Facilitating learning between caregivers and communities This is the creation of environments under which caregivers can learn about the beliefs and attitudes of the targeted cultural group and their impact on healthcare; while the targeted community learns more about how healthcare works (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Involving the community in the defining and addressing healthcare needs This is getting the community to fully participate in the formulation of health policies in the system that serves them so that managed care can be fully culturally competent (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Collaborating with other agencies This is forging working alliances with groups that are familiar with the needs of the targeted community to boost the chances of delivering culturally competent services (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Professionalizing staff hiring and training This is setting cultural competence standards for new caregivers getting into the system; and continually training serving staff in emerging standards of cultural competence (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Institutionalizing cultural competence This is making cultural competence standards an integral part of healthcare planning and optimizing hiring, training and funding to meet these standards (HRSA, 2001). In conclusion, the above principles are very vital to the delivery of holistic healthcare services for healthcare professionals working in cultures different from them (Lundy Janes, 2003). ? References Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA (2001). Cultural Competence Works. Retrieved on 14/5/2010from ftp://ftp. hrsa. gov/financeMC/cultural-competence. pdf Jeffreys, M. R. (2006). Teaching Cultural Competence in Nursing and Health Care: Inquiry, Action and Innovation. Springer. Lundy, K. S. Janes, S. (2003). Essentials of Community-based Nursing. Jones Bartlett.

Human Rights Records of Multinationals in Nigeria

Human Rights Records of Multinationals in Nigeria Chapter 1 Introduction From time immemorial man has depended on his environment for all his material needs. Adam and eve for instance survived with the most basic of sustenance and the story is that they lived exclusively on fruits gathered from the Garden of Eden including the forbidden one. This is a classical case of mans insatiability with just what is immediately available or sustainable. It is not necessarily greed or avarice but mans advancement, increasing needs, and quest for the unknown. The instruction to increase and multiply created new pressures for him. The few fruits he gathered from the garden could not sustain his ever-increasing family. Eden also became too small as a result of his obeying the instruction to increase and multiply, and the need to move to unknown destinations became imperative, where he ran into hostile situations such as excessive cold, heat, other various forms of inclement weather; in addition to unfriendly plant and animal life. Movement from point A to B by foot whic h was the only option available at the time must have been very painful and slow. Therefore man had to fashion out ways of transportation. This started with rafters made from such materials as papyrus, to dug- out wooden canoes for water transportation; the forerunners of our mass transport system, and a large component of mans current environmental problems. Mans development continued unabated until the industrial revolution that completely changed forever the relationship of man with his environment. The creation of the internal combustion engine could be regarded as a major landmark in mans existence on earth which has facilitated the enormous movement of man, and the reduction of the universe into the proverbial global village. It is in this quest for man to satisfy his needs and wants through modern transportation, accommodation, leisure and several other aspects of human endeavor that has led to unprecedented demand for energy. Energy in the form of wind, water, sun, fossil etc has become a preoccupation of modern life. However, one which appears to have an obviously devastating consequence on mans environment today is fossil energy the prime mover of mans various activities. The exploration, extraction and exploitation of fossil fuel have so irreversibly impacted the earth that they are considered as the major causative factors of global warming. In Nigeria the early exploration of solid minerals which started in 1903 was immediately followed by such exploration for fossil oil. The major international company that was involved in this early exploration was Shell DArcy. There is every indication that the native communities where these explorations were going on were completely unprepared for the shock of oil activities. First and foremost, there were no specific existing laws in the Nigerian system guiding such human activities and therefore any attempt at either avoiding disaster or remedying any that occurred was almost completely at the discretion of the operating company. According to the Nigerian Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, mineral exploitation in the country was largely carried out without regards to the adverse effects on the environment or the host communities. It was not until 1946 that the minerals ordinance was enacted with provisions for reclamation of mined out lands. In consequence therefore a unit; m ines land reclamation unit was established to reclaim the hundreds of abandoned mines land all over the country which were relics of the colonial mining activities. The same or far worse could be said to be the case for oil mineral exploitation. One must bear in mind that Shell DArcy was neither CARITAS nor RED CROSS. In the process of their exploration and indeed exploitation, several incidents of damage to the ecosystem had occurred and there are several unwritten stories of this great damage to the ecosystem. The first mineral act for Nigeria was actually written in 1946 *123) and from all indications it was quite defective and concentrated mainly on Solid Minerals, and what the Nigerian government saw as the revenue that would accrue to the nation. The areas dealing with environmental impact abatement occupied very limited space and importance. It is instructive to mention here that the entire minerals and mining sector which included solid minerals and crude oil mining was unde r one ministry ab initio. It was only when crude oil took precedence over solid minerals that the two were separated in the 1970s before a full- fledged Ministry of Solid Minerals development was established in 1995 which is the structure as at today. There have been several reported cases of monumental damage to the ecosystem generally and specifically to farm lands, fishing areas and other water courses in the Niger delta of Nigeria as a result of accidents or carelessness on the part of oil companies in several Niger delta areas such as Ogoni land, the current Bayelsa, Warri axis (Bob, 2005). Such devastation has consistently occurred, with the oil companies either paying lip service to such disaster abatement or actually offering very painfully limited amounts of redress to host communities. One reality is clear; because government either by omission or commission (more of commission) had not been in a position to protect the host communities; and their crying interests, we have had cases of unrest in the Niger delta area. Prominent among these unrests are the Ogoni uprising, and of recent, MEND (movement for the emancipation of the Niger delta) with their negative attendant consequences on the Nigerian nation and her economy. These cases of unrest have been extensively documented and had attracted international attention and sympathy. Much as one would say that the extant laws guiding the exploration and exploitation of crude oil in the country have undergone serious reforms, several factors outside the laws have come to further exacerbate an already difficult situation. Opinion is that while the existing laws are not extremely favorable to host community existence and indeed the entire ecosystem, other human failings in the Nigerian system have lent their weight to inflicting extensive pain on host communities of oil producing areas. The most hurting has been positively identified as â€Å"corruption†. The oil companies are 100% profit making organizations. Therefore in this system where a gift of a gold watch and a cup of coffee, could easily make a minister whose job includes enforcement of extant laws to look the other way while operating bodies break all the existing laws, these oil companies naturally found it easier to side track national laws in order to operate at maximum profit while inflicting un told pain and hardship on host communities. Objectives: The primary objective of this paper is to broadly examine the interaction between multinationals and the host countries in which they do business from a human rights perspective. For the purpose of this discourse, I will limit my case studies to three prominent multinationals in Nigeria, which are Shell, Chevron, and Exxon Mobil. As earlier stated, some of these industries present a huge number of dangers and in many cases extremely hazardous consequences for employees, inhabitants of certain communities and indeed the environment particularly their effect on flora and fauna. While some of these dangers presented may not be committed intentionally, some individuals are nevertheless made to suffer less than desirable conditions, in the hands of company security agents all of which border on human rights violations. Therefore in this paper, positive and the negative roles played by the multinationals will be examined in order to help assess their human rights records properly. As an in tegral part of this research also, extant laws, covenants and treaties if any that these multinationals have signed regarding their operations within the country will be examined, as well as the company`s operational guidelines. Organization Of Dissertation Chapter 1 is basically concerned with the introduction. For the purpose of this work however, the next chapter will give a brief overview of the country and the history of oil exploration in Nigeria as well as a discussion of the major concept which is human rights from the perspective of several scholars. Chapter 3will focus mainly on the human rights performance of these multinationals (negative and positive), beginning with their corporate social responsibility and how well they have behaved in host communities and abided by their business principles. The forth chapter then will solely be focused on the spillover effects of the activities of the multinationals and as such the reaction of the host communities and the Nigerian government in general. The fifth chapter will be the conclusions and recommendations. Research Question 1. What are the human rights records of multinationals in the oil industry in Nigeria specifically shell, chevron, and Exxon Mobil? 2. How well have these companies kept to their public statements and operating principles? Chapter 2 This chapter will give an overview of the country and a brief history of its oil exploration and exploitation in the country, vis a vis, the definition of human rights as defined by several scholars. Overview Of Nigeria Nigeria is undoubtedly the most populous nation in Africa with an estimated 140 million people. The nation comprises 36 states and one federal capital territory. Nigeria is also blessed with vast agriculture and mineral resources which include, but not limited to cocoa, cassava, coal, bauxite, tin, tantalite, iron ore, limestone, gold, many precious metals/stones, and most importantly crude oil. Despite being one of the major producers and exporters of oil in the world and also a member of the OPEC, the country has continued to experience endemic poverty and strife notwithstanding the abundance of the above mentioned. All of this can directly be linked to corruption and mismanagement of funds by the ruling elites, with billions of dollars being made each day by major multinationals in diverse joint venture agreements with the government owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Bob (2005, p.59) argues that â€Å"Nigeria`s highly centralized, notoriously corrupt and ethni cally riven political system have made it possible for the country`s leaders both military and civilian to siphon most of the revenue from oil†. This institutionalized corruption has almost always been implicated in serious cases of human rights violations. *MITCHELL. According to several authorities including the, US state department, among others, oil exploration and exploitation have often precipitated gross human rights violations, citing several cases of extrajudicial killings, torture (US*), and most of all environmental devastation which has led to the destruction of total ecosystems. Oil Exploration In Nigeria The history oil exploration in Nigeria could be dated as far back as the drilling of oil wells in Nigeria by the Nigerian bitumen company in 1903 when mining exploration activities started in Nigeria. However the first major discovery and exploration of oil was in 1956 in oloibiri village in eastern delta of Nigeria (Olorode et al, 1998, p.14). This operation was carried out by Shell DArcy now known as shell petroleum development company (SPDC, 2009). Subsequently, oil companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron Texaco, ENI/Agip, and TotalFinaElf joined in oil exploration activities mostly in the Delta region under a joint venture agreement with state owned NNPC. The oil industry has definitely made a huge impact on the socio-economic life of Nigeria especially as one of its major sources of revenue. However oil exploration as an extractive industry has negatively impacted on the indigenous populations where oil drilling and exploration occur. Despite huge profits amassed by the oil indust ry, gross environmental devastation and degradation have routinely cropped up with little or no solution being proffered to the situation by the oil industry operatives. According to reports by the committee for the defense of human rights (CDHR), the industry has inflicted unprecedented agony on indigenous communities by completely disrupting water ways, destroying soil, water, air, animal, plant life, and generally causing massive destruction in the eco system especially on the flora and fauna (Olorode, 1998, p.15). Communities affected by oil exploration are those of the Niger delta. The Delta region is made up of a number of indigenous communities and states which include Rivers state, Delta, Bayelsa, cross river and Akwa Ibom and they account for about 80 percent of the oil and gas produced in Nigeria. The remaining 20 percent are scattered in different parts of the country such as, Imo, and Ondo *(CDHR). Apart from oil and gas, the Niger Delta is also blessed with agricultural land, creeks, forests, rivers, creeks, and coastal waters with fish and sundry marine life (Okonta and Douglas, 2000, p.33). Ironically even in the midst of these abundant natural resources, the region remains one of the poorest and most under developed in the country, with the people suffering from unimaginable diseases and a complete absence of basic facilities which include electricity, clean water, education, hospitals, housing, and good roads*. Decades of wanton mismanagement of funds and corruption have been cited as the reason for paltry GNP per capita of 280 us dollars, but the reality in the Niger delta is even far worse. A recent survey by the world bank stated that 7 in every 10 Nigerian`s live below $1 a day (*). Furthermore the area has one of the highest population densities in the world, with an estimated 3 percent growth per year, and this burgeoning population in the face of under development has been referred by Okonta and Douglas as the â€Å"human ecologists ultimate nightmare; a growing population in an attempt to survive (is) destroying the very ecosystem that should guarantee its survival† (Okonta and Douglas, 2000, p.34). Most of the suffering of the peoples of the Niger Delta could be attributed to oil companies invading their territories and paying little attention to the plight of the people, and also the ever corrupt government officials and political elites willing to accept bribes and cuts from these multinationals to remain silent. These acts of commission and omission by state functionaries have sometimes been exploited by the multinationals resulting in the brutal repression of dissenting host communities using instruments of state violence (*). Following is a reference to various definitions and concepts of human rights as elucidated by the aforementioned authorities. Human Rights â€Å"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights†. —Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) According to the United Nations declaration of human rights (UDHR), rights fall into two major categories namely civil and political rights, as well as socio-economic and cultural Rights†. (Malone, 2003, p.20). Civil and political rights which are also considered as first generation rights are argued to be those unalienable rights to which an individual is entitled. According to the UNDHR they include the right to life, right not to be tortured, right to fair hearing and judicial process. Forsythe, for instance, explained human rights to be â€Å"those fundamental moral rights of the person that are necessary for a life with human dignity.† (Forsythe, 2006, p.3) Landman (2006), defined human rights as â€Å"a set of individual and collective rights that have been formally promoted and protected through international and domestic law since the universal declaration of human rights in 1948† (p.8). Alston (2005), cited Karel Vazali`s categorization which argues that there are three generations of human rights namely, the first generation – civil and political rights, i.e. right to life and political participation. The second generation according to Alston includes economic, social and cultural rights or collectively, right to subsistence. The third generation rights which is the solidarity rights encapsulates the right to peace and most importantly for the purpose of this discourse is the right to a clean environment. There are two schools of thought with regards to environmental human rights which are enshrined in article 21 of the African charter on human and people`s rights, which argues that the right to a healthy or adequate environment, constitutes a fundamental component of human rights (African Charter on Peoples and Human Rights: Ratification and Enforcement, Act 1990). The second school of thought posits that environmental human rights are derivable from other human rights including, but not limited to the right to life, the right to health, as well as the right to property (Ibid). The whole concept of environmental rights is informed by the concept of a right to a habitable environment for the present and generations yet unborn. According to Olorode (1998, p.8), â€Å"the extractive industries constitute one of the human activities which have immediate and significant consequences on the environment†. Odu (1977) as quoted in Olorode (1998, p.8) also argued that â€Å"extractive industries may alter the ecology so completely that it cannot support agriculture or fishing† Since this treatise is primarily concerned with the human rights records of select multinational oil companies in Nigeria, relevant clauses of the Nigerian constitution on fundamental human rights are worthy of reference. Chapter four of the Nigerian constitution deals solely with fundamental human rights as enumerated in sections 33 to 46, the keynotes of which are reproduced hereunder: â€Å"33. Right to life 34. Right to dignity of the human person 35. Right to personal liberty. 36. Right to fair hearing. 37. Right to private and family life. 38. Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion 39. Right to freedom of expression and the press. 40. Right to peaceful assembly and association. 41. Right to freedom of movement. 42. Right to freedom from discrimination 43. Right to acquire and own immovable property. 44. Compulsory acquisition of property. 45. Restriction on and derogation from fundamental human rights. 46. Special jurisdiction of High Court and Legal aid† (Sections 33-46, Constitution federal republic of Nigeria (FRN) 1999) Furthermore section 20 of the same constitution provides that â€Å"the state shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air and land, forest and wildlife of Nigeria. It can therefore be argued that adequate provisions are already in place at least on paper, for the protection and enforcement of the fundamental human rights of Nigerians with particular reference to environmental rights. However, section 44(3) vests the entire property and control of all minerals, including oil and gas occurring in any land, upon or under any waters within the Nigerian territory and its exclusive economic zone on the government of the federation which shall manage these resources in the manner prescribed by the national assembly (Constitution, FRN, 1999). This constitutional provision is more often than not relied upon by the government and its institutions, sometimes allegedly at the behest of the multinational oil giants, to suppress and repress legitimate agitations by aggrieved host communities. The aggrieved host communities are usually either seeking for their fair share of the oil wealth, outright resource control, or demanding for concrete remedial measures against the sundry negative environmental impacts of oil exploration and exploitation such as gas flaring. According to reports by Osouka and Roderick (2005, p.4) Nigeria flares more gas than any country in the world, averaging a staggering 2.5 billion cubic feet of gas associated with crude oil. This they argue to be equal to 40% of all Africa`s natural gas consumption which have contributed more greenhouse gases than the entire sub Saharan Africa as a whole. They posit that â€Å"the flaring of associated gas in the niger delta is a human rights, environmental and social monstrosity† (Osouka and Roderick 2005), because the health and livelihood of the inhabitants of these communities are adversely affected by these unmitigated flares which contain a plethora of pollutants resulting in â€Å"an increased risk of premature deaths, child respiratory illnesses, asthma and cancer† Osouka and Roderick (2005, p.29). Osuoka and Roderick further reported that the commission had contended that the Nigerian government had in principle admitted complicity for this hazardous practice by stating that â€Å"there is no denying the fact that a lot of atrocities were and are still being committed by the oil companies in Ogoni land and indeed the entire niger delta area of Nigeria† (Osuoka and Roderick, 2005, p.29) Prior to the 1999 constitutional provision, the federal military government had in 1969 promulgated the petroleum decree which effectively abrogated the 1954 revenue allocation formula that provided for the equal sharing of mining revenue between the regions and the federal government (Oronto and Okonta, 2000, p.40). Furthermore decree 6 of 1975 increased the federal governments share of the oil proceeds from 50% to 80% leaving the states with only 20% (Oronto and Okonta, 2000, p.41). Oronto and Okonta further contended that a senior permanent secretary in the administration of former military head of state general Gowon had â€Å"cynically remarked in a public lecture that the people of the niger delta were most unlikely to pose any real threat to the regimes continued exploitation of their oil wealth as they were relatively few in population and thus could be easily subdued†, (Oronto and Okonta, 2000, p.41). They therefore concluded â€Å"that this is exactly what the Nigerian military junta has done beginning from the mid eighties when the people of the Niger delta began to raise their voices in protest (Oronto and Okonta, 2000, p.41). Following in the next chapter therefore is a detailed report on the activities of the select multinationals with particular reference to their corporate social responsibility (CSR), on the one hand, and their alleged collusion with the authorities to perpetrate gross human rights violations against the host communities, on the other. However business and operating principles will first of all be examined before delving into the detailed report. Chapter 3 Operating Principles â€Å"The voluntary principles on security and human rights are a unique tripartite, multi stakeholder initiative established in 2000 that introduced a set of principles to guide extractive companies in maintaining the safety and security of their operations within an operating framework that ensures respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The voluntary principles address three main areas: risk management, interactions between companies and public security and interaction between companies and private security† Voluntary principles on security and human rights, 2000 Prior to this time, shell which was the first multinational to start exploration in Nigeria had to abide by the 1948 universal declaration of human rights which called on all, including companies to respect the rights of individuals. However there were no concrete laws in the nation at the time as regards exploration and exploitation, therefore SPDC formed its own set of principles to which it conducted its operations in 1979 (SPDC, 2003). Subsequently other multinationals in this review (Exxon Mobil, and Chevron) began their operations within the nation in 1955 and 1913 respectively with their own business principles that would guide their operations and several other treaties that they signed on to. One critical factor about their operating principles is that they appear to be similar in most of the various areas of human rights and CSR with virtually the same rules. SPDC for instance has in its portfolio a set of guiding principles apparently aimed at bringing development to the h ost communities in particular and the entire environment of its operations generally, some of which are: Sustainable development: Responsibility to the society Health, safety , and security Local communities Communication and engagement Shell argues that the above mentioned principles govern all of its operations and bodies within the country. For instance its business principles to society is â€Å"to conduct business as responsible corporate members of society, to comply with applicable laws and regulations, to support fundamental human rights in line with legitimate role of business, and to give proper regard to health, safety, and the environment†(SPDC, 2009*). Principle 5 therefore guarantees health, while one which is regarded as primary in relation to this discourse is principle 6 which states that â€Å"Shell companies aim to be good neighbours by continuously improving the ways in which we contribute directly or indirectly to the general wellbeing of the communities within which we work. We manage the social impacts of our business activities carefully and work with others to enhance the benefits to local communities, and to mitigate any negative impacts from our activities. In addition, Shell companies take a constructive interest in societal matters, directly or indirectly related to our business†. (SPDC, 2009) Similarly, ExxonMobil argues that its â€Å"standards of business conducts provide a framework for their operations responsibly, and that they abide by the United Nations Declaration of Human rights as it applies to companies, the fundamental Principles and rights at work of 1998 ILO Declaration, and are active participants of the earlier stated voluntary principles on Security and Human rights and most recently the UN global compact (*). They also argue that they â€Å"comply with all environmental laws and regulations and apply responsible standards where laws or regulations do not exist† (ExxonMobil, 2009) interesting! Chevron also like the other companies in this review abides by the UNDHR, and has adopted certain treaties and covenants such as the ILO principles and rights at work, the UN global compact, as well as its own company`s business operating principles which are all geared towards ensuring that it operates and maintains high standards in its activities in host countries/communities (*). According to the company`s principles regarding respect for human rights, it maintains that it supports universal human rights and as such condemns human rights abuses (sec 1.27,p.29). Furthermore with regards to the environment, â€Å"Corporate Policy 530 commits Chevron to comply with the letter and spirit of all environmental, health and safety laws and regulations â€Å"(sec 1.4) P.14. With this said, a full detailed report of the human rights records of the multinationals under study will be reviewed. Spdc (Shell Petroleum Development Company) Unarguably one of the biggest and profitable companies in the world, Shell first began its global operations in 1907 as an offshoot of the British owned shell transport and trading company (STTC) and the royal Dutch petroleum company of the Netherlands (Okonta and Oronto,2000. P.62). Since then, the multinational has spread its wings to virtually all countries of the world, and this giant produces oil and gas in approximately 45 countries of the world with interests in other natural resources such as zinc, uranium coal mining and a host of others in about a hundred countries (ibid P.62). â€Å"As measured by its business peers and even many of its adversaries, it is seen as an outstanding company† (Doyle, 2002. see preface). SPDC was granted its exploration license in 1938 to prospect for oil throughout Nigeria† (Okonta, Douglas, 2001, pp.37-39), and it teamed up with British Petroleum to open up the Nigerian oil Fields the first oil well being explored and drilled in Oloibiri in 1956 (ibid). On the 17th of February 1958, shell`s first official oil shipment from Oloibiri was made, producing an estimated 367,000 barrels a day. (*REVIEW SENTENCE)SPDC in its own ways has impacted positively and added value to the lives of the citizens, for example through the annual shell scholarship which is open to virtually all students in the Nigerian higher education system. Furthermore, shell was recognized as the first multinational to begin a HIV/AIDS in Nigeria intervention programme and thus this programme has reached most states in the federation*. SPDC has also sponsored several programmes such as IT and various digital learning programmes for schools in Nigeria. However for the most part, shell has built a few schools within the delta region one of which happened recently in Bayelsa state(*). In the area of compensation for environmental devastation and involvement with human rights abuse, SPDC, argues that it offers adequate clean up of the polluted environment and has compensated the best way it can (*REF). Most recently, the families of late ken Saro Wiwa and his colleagues were settled by the multinational, however it was assumed by the general public as settlement for shell`s involvement with the c ase, shell on the contrary denied, and claimed that it was a humanitarian gesture aimed at establishing a trust fund for Ogoni people (SPDC, 2009). Most recently, SPDC launched series of business radio programs towards the economic development of the Niger Delta which would also use initiatives such as LIVEWIRE, telecommunications self employment programmes among others (Yusuf, 2009, p.A4) SPDC also claims to support and finance community development initiatives in the Niger Delta outside of its tax obligations. These initiatives are reportedly in the area of small business development (SPDC, 2009, p.1). In 2008, SPDC contributed $56.8 million to the over $158.2 million statutory disbursements to the NDDC by Shell-run operations, in addition to another $25.2 million SPDC contribution to an additional $84 million investment by operations run by SPDC in various development projects (ibid,p.1). SPDC also reportedly invested $2.25 Million in partnership with USAID Nigeria and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in an $11.3 million project to develop cassava farming over a five year period. More than 3,200 farmers were said to have received training under this programme (ibid, p.2). However, it is generally believed that the exploitation and devastation of land of the people of the Niger delta began with the first discovery of crude in Oloibiri village in the Delta region of the then Eastern Nigeria in 1956. For the records, there was a 50-50 profit sharing agreement put in place by the Nigerian government and multinational oil companies at the time shortly before Nigeria gained its independence from the British in 1960. Amidst all of this Nigeria had a series of changed governments including several military coups which gave room for corruption. Presently, shell accounts for about 50 percent of oil production in the country the bulk of it in the Niger Delta with the attendant gas flaring, oil spillage, illegal building of canals and waste dumping that has brought the human ecosystem of the Delta area to a near-total collapse, destroying farmland, economic crops and fishing creeks*. While this degree of devastation, poverty, disease, loss of lives and property occurs in this area, unfortunately shell despite many covenants and treaties it has ratified on corporate re

Practical Importance Of Reflection Nursing Essay

Practical Importance Of Reflection Nursing Essay Wong described reflection on action to take place at various levels, ranging from the superficial level to the critical reflective analysis level. Boyd and Fales described reflection on action to focus more on self-development in terms of knowledge and values. They then explained their premise by stating that an individual doesnt necessarily see more through reflection, but views issues from different perspectives. Reflection on previous experiences is a necessary skill because a student can utilize it to develop greater insight as a medical practitioner. The method of past reflection involves the evaluation of previous choices and views, which is exemplified in Gibbs five step reflective cycle (1988). This series of steps investigates the individuals thought processes and how they can be altered to improve judgement and understanding in clinical practice. Kolb (1984) stated that through the reflection or relearning of experiences a practitioner can gain an increased level of underst anding and proficiency in that particular area. Self-reflection additionally refines personal views and behaviour by contemplating values and attitudes. In medical trainees, values and attitudes are heavily influenced by a process of socialization  resulting from a group or cultural dynamic (Branch, 2005). Understanding and empathising with a patient can vary according to differing cultural backgrounds and the socio-economic class, so continual interaction and reflection can help prepare an undergraduate medical student for the confronting world which follows graduation. Branch (2005) continues to explain that reflection in the form of writing, aids in the progression and augmentation of emotional experiences involving life and death. To have past thoughts and views recorded in text is important in defining personal development throughout the undergraduate period and into professional life. Undergraduate medical students and medical practitioners are placed in very emotionally and physically demanding situations such as critical care and lengthy surgery. Reflective writing helps as a form of stress control and expressing ones self and allows the release of some of the mental burdens. Reassessing personal ability to identify strengths and weaknesses, and use them for personal improvement, is a key benefit of the self-reflective process. Epstein and Hundert (2002) found that after determining the exact strengths and weaknesses, a learning plan could be implemented to enhance learning and maximise efficiency. With the abundance of knowledge to be acquired in the undergraduate medical course, any approach to studying which is beneficial to the student must be considered and integrated in the study plan. Reflecting in the present Greenwood (1993) defined reflection in action as process in which people use their experience and judgement to analyse what they are doing whilst they are doing it. To step back and critically examine ones responses to what is happening can provide a student with a much wider and clearer view of the situation. The consequent decision making process can be better considered and much more impersonal, allowing the undergraduate student to make more refined judgements in medical practice. It involves reflection before and during action, a process which can be applied by the student in a wide range of situations during the undergraduate period and throughout a future career in medicine. Eva and Regehr (2005) highlighted the point that reflection in practice is a substantially more important mechanism for ensuring safe and effective performance. As reflection in action is required for continued professional development and general safety, the process of reflection gives the student a heightened mental awareness of the context of action. When faced with difficult ethical and administrative decisions relating to medication or surgery, a slight falter in mental awareness at the wrong time can cause disastrous results for the student/professional practitioner and the patient. Maintenance of the students mental health is also an important part of reflection in action, as compounding stresses can lead to physical exhaustion and mental instability. Beonink (2004) pointed out the correlation between student fatigue and reflective ability when he conducted his study of 195 fourth year medical students. Practical importance of reflection Reflection can be used to analyse educational or emotional experiences and process them in such a way that a medical student can effectively learn from that experience. Branch and Paranjape (2002) stated that if reflection is undertaken by an undergraduate student, then it can promote growth morally, personally, psychologically, and emotionally as well as cognitively. Psychological development in the student influences both values and attitudes towards many controversial medical issues such as cloning, stem cell research, tissue transplantation and surrogate motherhood. For example, the reflective process can assist the undergraduate students understanding and ability to remain unbiased when a patient insists on refusing a treatment because of personal or religious commitments. The approach towards learning is also assisted through the cognitive development of the student. A study conducted by Mamede and Schmidt (2005) highlighted the current pattern within health professionals in which the use of reflective practice decreased with years of medical practice. Possible explanations for this may be the more experienced health professionals using reflection solely on new or complex problems. An individual gains more experience by encountering familiar problems regularly, but when the reasoning and mindset becomes too automatic and habitual, a momentary lapse of judgement could lead to a disastrous situation. Regular use of reflective practice increases awareness for patient centred care. But it should also be noted that Teamwork is a fundamental part of modern medicine and reflective practice plays an important role within the foundations of teamwork. Branch (2005) suggests that reflection within a team does not only benefit the individual but the entire group. The team as a whole can improve in efficiency, communication, provide support for one another and help define team direction in terms of patient care. Reflective group work is also involved in the discussion and feedback from mentors and staff. As they have more experience than an undergraduate student, experienced practitioners can share stories and anecdotes which are valuable to the inexperienced undergraduate students. Group reflection is also relevant beyond the undergraduate medical course because of the network of teams which function together in all health professions. The evolving definition of reflective practice, and its increasing significance, are changing the way in which undergraduates and health professionals are required to approach and learn about medical practice. Kanthan and Senger (2011) found that reflective practice is becoming mandatory in many of the licensing and re-validation processes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Therefore, it is imperative that early and repetitive practice to acquire competency in this skill is explicitly included in the curriculum in the early years of undergraduate medical education. Personal portfolio writing and other reflective tasks have become a necessity for undergraduate students in medical schools and centres across the world, in the hope that an era of reflective health practitioners can be created. Potential disadvantages of reflection For some personalities, reflective practice can also have negative consequences. Bound and Walker (1998) noted that reflection on action is a very thought driven process and may sometimes be confusing if an undergraduate student reflects without learning from the experience or reflects without the correct thought processes. Internal conflict can also result because of clashing personal values and beliefs. Students may lose sight of the true aim of reflective practice and its benefits. It becomes a mindless and boring encumbrance in which students use a progressive checklist to overcome reflection as an obstacle, rather than addressing the significant personal concerns and questions. Time is a constraining factor in the education of an undergraduate medical student, and the various areas which require reflection are relatively time consuming. If reflection is not used effectively or within the correct context in action and on action, then it is unnecessarily consuming valuable time wh ich could be better spent on studying or for patient care. Reflective practice involves and brings together many aspects of the undergraduate medical course and beyond in future professional life. The research quoted above indicates that, when used correctly, reflective practice gives an undergraduate student the tools required to become a skilled reflective medical practitioner. The possible disadvantages of reflection seem insignificant when compared to the bigger picture of all the positive effects. In summation, reflective practice is an important attribute because it allows an undergraduate medical student to make better informed decisions, learn from his/her own mistakes and from the previous experience of others, and maintain good physical and mental health.

Monosaccharides Essay -- essays research papers

Monosaccharide also called SIMPLE SUGAR, any of the basic compounds that serve as the building blocks of carbohydrates. Monosaccharides are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones; that is, they are molecules with more than one hydroxyl group (-OH), and a carbonyl group (C=O) either at the terminal carbon atom (aldose) or at the second carbon atom (ketose). The carbonyl group combines in aqueous solution with one hydroxyl group to form a cyclic compound (hemi-acetal or hemi-ketal). Monosaccharides are classified by the number of carbon atoms in the molecule; trioses have three, tetroses four, pentoses five, hexoses six, and heptoses seven. Most contain five or six. The most important pentoses include xylose, found combined as xylan in woody materials; arabinose from coniferous trees; ribose, a component of ribonucleic acids and several vitamins; and deoxyribose, a component of deoxyribonucleic acid. Among the most important aldohexoses are glucose, mannose, and galactose; fructose is a ketohexose. Several derivatives of monosaccharides are important. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is derived from glucose. Important sugar alcohols (alditols), formed by the reduction of (i.e., addition of hydrogen to) a monosaccharide, include sorbitol (glucitol) from glucose and mannitol from mannose; both are used as sweetening agents. Glycosides derived from monosaccharides are widespread in nature, especially in plants. Amino sugars (i.e., sugars in which one or two hydroxyl groups are replaced with an amino group, -NH2) occur as components of glycolipids and in the chitin of arthropods. carbohydrateClasses of carbohydrates Monosaccharides Sources The most common naturally occurring monosaccharides are D-glucose, D-mannose, D-fructose, and D-galactose among the hexoses, and D-xylose and L-arabinose among the pentoses. In a special sense, D-ribose and 2-deoxy-D-ribose are ubiquitous because they form the carbohydrate component of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), respectively; these sugars are present in all cells as components of nucleic acids. Sources of some of the naturally occurring monosaccharides are listed in Table 2.D-xylose, found in most plants in the form of a polysaccharide called xylan, is prepared from corncobs, cottonseed hulls, or straw by chemical breakdown of xylan. D-galactose, a common constituent of both... ...his step, syrup preparations are crystallized to form table sugar. Successive "crops" of sucrose crystals are "harvested," and the later ones are known as brown sugar. The residual syrupy material is called either cane final molasses or blackstrap molasses; both are used in the preparation of antibiotics, as sweetening agents, and in the production of alcohol by yeast fermentation.Sucrose is formed following photosynthesis in plants by a reaction in which sucrose phosphate first is formed.The disaccharide trehalose is similar in many respects to sucrose but is much less widely distributed. It is composed of two molecules of -D-glucose and is also a nonreducing sugar. Trehalose is present in young mushrooms and in the resurrection plant (Selaginella); it is of considerable biological interest because it is also found in the circulating fluid (hemolymph) of many insects. Since trehalose can be converted to a glucose phosphate compound by an enzyme-catalyzed reac tion that does not require energy, its function in hemolymph may be to provide an immediate energy source, a role similar to that of the carbohydrate storage forms (i.e., glycogen) found in higher animals.

Essay on Manipulation through Language in The Memorandum

Manipulation through Language in The Memorandum  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How one utilizes language to perpetuate certain images or perspectives can greatly influence the way people think. One can use language to manipulate the minds of others and bring them under some form of subjugation. In Vaclav Havel's The Memorandum certain characters use this tactic of manipulation through different means that involve language, and in the process, they gain the authority or recognition they are seeking. Ballas promotes the new creation of the synthetic language, Ptydepe, which reduces humans by mechanizing them for the purpose of a more scientific and efficient system of communication. The language is created so that people will show no emotions or flaws when speaking. This system is analogous to the bureaucracy, which also implements its linguistic power to establish and maintain order in every aspect of The Memorandum's society. Havel illustrates how language is intrinsically omnipotent by exemplifying the drastic effects it can have on people's rationality. The c haracters in the play who use language to their advantage gain power, and those who allow language to control them become victims of the cyclic struggle to systematize humanity.            Ballas is one person who uses language to manipulate and abate people, thereby exercising his power. Although subordinate to Gross by title in the beginning of the play, Ballas manages to finesse Gross into signing the supplementary order for the official introduction of Ptydepe, even though Gross is in opposition to the idea of an artificial language. He uses public opinion over the rubber stamp affair to manipulate Gross into submitting to his demands. Ballas strategically attempts to tell Gross what he be... ... also lapse into self-alienation, unable to identify with who they are as humans. The characters in the play have become so involved in a systematic way of living that they keep a knife and fork in their office drawers that they take with them everyday to lunch "in a solemn, funeral-like procession" (2.12). As long as people allow this oppression of humanity, the circle of power will never cease. In the play, although Ptydepe was eventually condemned as a failure, instead of ridding the organization of the system, Ballas implemented a new method of communication, Chorukor. Just as the play ends as it begins, the system that controls people's actions and thoughts will remain intact until a greater power can control the system. WORKS CITED Havel, Vaclav. The Memorandum in The Garden Party and Other Plays. Trans. Vera Blackwell. New York: Grove Press, 1993.

Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet

Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 adaptation of Hamlet is a great way to enjoy the popular Shakespeare play. While I found the film to be quite lengthy, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a film version of the story I only knew a little bit about from reading an excerpt of Hamlet in high school. I think Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job in making the screen play into a movie. Everything in every scene couldn’t have been done more perfectly. Better yet is the cast, with actors like Kenneth Branagh himself, as Hamlet, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams among many other great actors.The tragedy starts with just that, tragedy, the death of Hamlet’s Father, the king. The movie starts out with the watchmen on duty seeing an apparition of some kind, which they later learn is Hamlet’s deceased father. The watchmen decide to tell Hamlet of this strange apparition after Hamlet’s mother, the queen’s wedding to her brother in law. While the wedd ing is going on and after the ceremony, Hamlet is clearly distraught. The queen is marrying Hamlet’s father’s brother only two short months after his father’s sudden death.The watchmen tell Hamlet of the strange apparition that is haunting them nightly and Hamlet is curious, he wants to see it for himself. In my favorite scene of the entire movie, Hamlet runs through the foggy woods that night, yelling, screaming for his father’s tragic passing. He gets a response from his father’s spirit; his father’s voice speaks in the most bone chilling voice. He tells Hamlet that his death was â€Å"most cruel and most unnatural† and he makes this very clear, saying it more than once. He says his brother snuck up on him while he was asleep in the orchard and poured a leprous mixture into his ear.The King’s own brother committed the deed that made him fall ill and die almost immediately. Before disappearing into the night, the apparition sa ys to Hamlet â€Å"Remember me! † This experience is of course very emotional for Hamlet. Hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death. He decides the only way to wear on the new king’s conscience is to put on a play that is basically the story of his father’s betrayal by his brother and the queen for having married him. While this is going on, everyone is saying Hamlet has gone â€Å"mad† because of his erratic behavior, but attributes it to his being love sick over his girl friend, Ophelia.Hamlet loves Ophelia, and she loves him, but her father forbids her to see him any longer. Hamlet is enraged by this, as he is many things Ophelia’s father says and does. In the heat of an argument, Hamlet kills Ophelia’s Father. Ophelia is devastated, goes insane, and eventually ends up drowning herself. Ophelia’s brother returns from France to find out his father has been slain by Hamlet and Ophelia has killed herself. Needless to say, Ophel ia’s brother is furious. Ophelia’s brother and the King plan for him and Hamlet to spar. They plan to poison the cup Hamlet drinks from during the fight, so he will undoubtedly die.While fencing, the King insists that Hamlet drink for doing well, but he refrains and says he will wait until later. Next, the queen offers him a drink, but again he refuses, so she drinks out of the cup that is poisoned instead. The fight turns quite vicious and Ophelia’s brother is struck down. At the same time the queen has fallen to the floor, dying, saying she had been poisoned before she took her last breath. Ophelia’s brother confesses that the King is the one who poisoned the cup in order to kill Hamlet. Hamlet and Ophelia’s brother make amends before he dies. Enraged, Hamlet goes after the King and feeds him the poison.The King dies. Then Hamlet dies of poisoning. The Norwegian crown prince and his army storm the castle in order to assume the throne, wasting no time. They are astounded by the royal deaths. I thought the movie had an excellent cast, all great actors that did a wonderful job. Kenneth Branagh made a good Hamlet. I liked Hamlet’s character and hoped the best for him, even though I did not agree with some of the things he did. I felt badly for Hamlet, as I also did Ophelia when she took her own life out of misery. I think it is sad they did not end up together; but then again that’s the point, it’s a tragedy.I loved the original King, although he wasn’t in the movie much in life form, he seemed like a fair and wise King. The actor who played the king did a fantastic job in the foggy woods scene. All in all the entire cast was very convincing, so much that you either came to love or hate the characters. I think there are many themes in Hamlet. The one that stands out the most is the importance of thinking before acting. Hamlet does and says many things he might not if he took some time to first  "cool down†. It seems as if he is too hasty to act and this often gets him into trouble making terrible things happen that he can’t simply take back.Another lesson to take from Hamlet is that nothing is forever and nothing is certain. Hamlet wrestled with the validity of the experience of his father’s apparition, he questioned whether or not it really happened. For some things in this life there is no hard science. Sometimes the answers are not always clear; you just have to trust your own judgment. I really enjoyed watching the movie version of Hamlet. Quite honestly I thought turning a play into a movie would be difficult to make interesting, but it was done extremely well. I would love to go to a real live play version of Hamlet.I think the experience of seeing the acting up close on a stage would be totally different then watching the movie because the audience is able to get more involved in the story, but the movie is a good way to go if you don’t ha ve the opportunity to see the play. The minor special effects in the movie really help to draw you in, but it’s nothing significant that couldn’t be done on stage as well. Hamlet is a classic story that has stood the test of time. I’m sure it will never stop being reenacted and adapted for movies in generations to come.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 6

After returning from the walk, I found myself being sewn into a brand-new suit while Mrs. Sutherland instructed the tailor on where to pin and prod me. I knew I had to leave, but I also couldn't tear myself away from Mrs. Sutherland quite yet. We spent the entire afternoon chatting about my mother and her French relatives, along with my wish to one day travel to Italy to see the Sistine Chapel. Before I knew it, the tailor had made his final stitch, and night had arrived. Even I had to admit that my suit was fantastic. I looked like an urbane prince of industry in my pleated white shirtfront, silk top hat, and cravat. Winfield loaned me one of his pocket watches on a fob covered with a tasteful number of gold charms and gems, and I wore matching gold studs. I looked the very picture of humanity and was ashamed to be enjoying the part so thoroughly. Bridget simpered when I offered her a hand getting up into the carriage. Her skirts were full and cumbersome, an apricot version of the white gown she wore just the night before. Cream-colored silk netting floated over everything, giving her a look somewhere between a dancer in a European painting and a giant pastry. She giggled and tripped and pretended to fall, throwing an arm around my neck. â€Å"Save me again, kind sir,† she laughed, and I reminded myself that I had only to entertain her for another couple hours. Then, no matter the affection I felt for Mrs. Sutherland, I vowed I would make good on my promise to leave the family to their lives, disappearing into the crowd of the dance and returning to my home in the park. After a short ride, we approached another mansion of considerable size. It was solid stone, like a castle, but filled with windows. I helped Bridget from the coach and we took our places in the receiving line. In my human life I had been to many dances, yet I was not prepared for a New York City ball. There was someone to take my coat and hat – and because this wasn't Mystic Falls, where everyone of renown knew one another, I was given a ticket with a number on it to retrieve my things at the end of the evening. We approached the ballroom through a seemingly endless hallway of silver mirrors lit with candles and chandeliers, sparkling as I imagined it must have been like in Versailles. A thousand silvered reflections of Bridget and myself filled the space behind the glass. A full orchestra of violins, cellos, horns, and flutes played in the corner, the musicians dressed in black suits. The room was filled, wall-to-wall, with dancers in the most amazing array of dress I had ever seen. The young women lifted delicate gloved hands with sparkling diamond bracelets, then twirled in gowns that ranged in color from bloodred to dusty gold. Gauzy skirts swished in time with the high-paced mazurka the orchestra played, netting, tulle, lace, and the finest silk petticoats floating like petals strewn across a lake. If my eyes were dazzled by the sight of the dancers, the scents of the room almost overpowered the rest of my senses: expensive perfumes, huge vases of exotic flowers, sweat, and punch, and somewhere someone was bleeding from a pin left in her dress by a careless maid. â€Å"You're supposed to fetch your lady a dance card,† Lydia murmured into my ear as I stood there, stunned by the opulent and overwhelming scene before me. â€Å"Is that . . . is that Adelina Patti?† I stuttered, pointing at a demure-looking woman standing in the corner and surrounded by admirers. â€Å"The opera singer?† I had seen photographs of her. My father had wanted his sons to have working knowledge of their Italian culture and heritage. â€Å"Yes,† Bridget said, rolling her eyes and stamping a pretty, satin-covered foot. â€Å"And over there is Mayor Gunther, and over there is John D. Rockefeller, and . . . can you take me to my seat now? I want to see who asks me to dance.† Lydia let out a polite cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. â€Å"In the South,† I whispered to her out of the corner of my mouth, â€Å"it's considered impolite to dance with your escort overmuch.† Lydia put a gloved hand to her own mouth, covering her smile. â€Å"I've heard that they still actually dance the quadrille in the South and have no parlor games at their functions. Good luck, Mr. Salvatore.† And she glided off into the crowd. Margaret gave me a tiny smirk. She was on the arm of her husband, Wally, a short fellow with a pince-nez and a serious bent. But when she whispered to him, a smile broke out and he was radiant. I felt an odd jab of jealousy. I would never know what that was like, the simple rituals of a close-knit couple. The orchestra struck up a waltz. Bridget stuck out her lower lip. â€Å"And me without a dance card yet.† â€Å"My lady,† I said, inwardly sighing. I gave her a slight bow and offered her my hand. Bridget was a fine dancer and it was almost pleasurable twirling her across the floor. I could forget where and who I was for the few minutes of the waltz: just a man in a tailcoat, feet flying, in a room full of beautiful people. She turned her leaf-green eyes up to me, and for one beautiful moment I could pretend she was Callie, alive and well and getting the happy ending she so desperately deserved. The illusion came to an end the moment the music stopped. â€Å"Lead me by the edge of the dancers,† Bridget begged. â€Å"I want everyone to see us!† She dragged me past the refreshment room, where all manner of exotic food was laid out. Delicate ices made from foreign fruit, real Vienna coffee, blancmange, tiny chocolate cakes, and glass upon crystal glass of champagne to wash it down. For the hungrier set there seemed to be every kind of fowl, from quail to goose, neatly carved into small pieces so a dancer could eat quickly and return to the floor. Once again I wished I was hungry for normal human food. But instead I indulged in a glass of champagne. â€Å"Hilda, Hilda,† Bridget called out in a voice that carried well considering how crowded the space was. A beautiful girl in a rose-pink gown turned from her gentleman friend, face lighting up when she saw Bridget. Her eyes traveled up and down me with a quick flick of her eyelashes. â€Å"This is Stefan Salvatore,† Bridget said. â€Å"He is the one who rescued me!† â€Å"Mademoiselle,† I said with a slight bow, taking her fingertips and bringing them to my lips. Bridget gave me a look that was somewhere between jealousy and pleasure that I was so polite. â€Å"Brooklyn Bridgey! Who's your friend?† A dapper young man with a twinkle in his eye and giant grin sidled up to us. He had a sharp nose and curly black hair; rosy dots appeared on his cheeks that made him look vaguely tubercular. â€Å"This is Stefan Salvatore,† Bridget told him, exactly as proudly and carefully as she had with Hilda. â€Å"He rescued me when I was overcome in the park!† â€Å"Pleasure to meet you! Abraham Smith. You can call me Bram.† He grabbed my hand and shook it hard. â€Å"That was terribly naughty of you, leaving the party unescorted like that, Bridgey.† Bram shook a finger at her and she pouted. â€Å"Brooklyn Bridgey?† I asked, my head spinning a little. â€Å"Why, the Brooklyn Bridge is only going to be the biggest, most fantastic suspension bridge ever built!† Bram said, eyes lighting up. â€Å"No more ferries, no sir. We'll drive ourselves back and forth across the mighty East River!† â€Å"Oh look!† Bridget squealed, pointing in a very unladylike manner. â€Å"There's Lydia and her beau! Let's go talk to them!† I gave Hilda and Bram a helpless salute good-bye as Bridget directed me toward her sister with an iron grip. The Italian count was surrounded by admirers, including Lydia. I caught glimpses of him as we walked closer. His raven hair gleamed, and his black formal suit fit him perfectly. He moved with a careless grace waving his arms as he told his story. The glint of a ring shimmered on his hand. The truth hit me only moments before he turned, as if he'd been expecting my arrival. I did my best to hide my shock when I looked into my brother's ice-blue eyes.

Barbour’s Entry into Spain

John Barbour and Sons is Ltd is a cloth manufacturing company that has been in operation since 1894. They manufacture garments that are waxed to provide a waterproof finish. The clothes have been used by fishermen, naval officers and cyclists. The company’s products have gained varied popularity response in different regions depending on the perception of their clients. Some have considered it as functional while others view it as a passing fad and fancy. In spite if the varied reactions by the customers, the Barbour company has managed to sustain its market share and keep its reputation high by maintaining its mains principles.The company, originally from Britain has gained popularity in the international market and has moved to other neighbouring countries like United States, Canada, France and Spain. Due this expansion, the company introduced new products in terms of designs to cater for the new markets. Their unique marketing strategy and the development of new designs hav e played an important role in their success especially in the international market hence solving the exchange rate inconveniences.The launch of the company website was another great achievement of the Barbour Company that came with a lot of benefits including improved business-customer relationship and developed brand loyalty. The uniqueness of the company’s marketing strategy has lead to formation of two clubs on their website that is, Barbour owners club and Barbour members club. This is a competitive advantage they have against their competitors. They also provide for cross selling through their website database Product standardizationBarbour Company is very popular with manufacturing of classic waxed clothed in the European market. Since there is increased competition in the international market, the company has to do a great deal of promotion and marketing in order to remain competitive in the developing market. One of the strategies to do this is to carry out product st andardization (Carlo 1994). Though marketing abroad is very tricky and the products for export are not necessarily the same as those for domestic market, core aspect still remain crucial for both markets.In order to maintain competitiveness in the international market, the Barbour Company should carry out international strategies that include customization, product adaptation, and innovation other than standardization. In the international market, the extent of standardization should be limited to certain degree since the requirements may not be the same as the domestic needs. Three methods commonly applied by some of the successful companies include; 1. adopting the same promotion and marketing policy home and abroad 2. the company takes care of the specific requirements of foreign customers3. The firm may opt to start designing from scratch, products for the foreign market. The reasons why Barbour Company needs to carry out some standardization its marketing strategy is the benefi ts that come with the standardization of product in the international market. They include; the company is more likely to benefit from economies of scale, this means that the company would enjoy discounts and expenses that it would benefit as a result of the increased production. Per cost production is reduced and production volume is increased (Carlo 1994).Common consumer needs allow for product standardization, there are some commodities that are universally used and need same prerequisite across borders for example, raincoats and jackets. Standardization allows cutting down of costs that could have been incurred in designing other products from scratch. Consumer mobility is another strategy in International marketing process. This process helps firms to specifically manufacture products for the markets abroad. Other than standardization, consumer mobility is a strategy that brings about consumer retention and consumer mobility.This process will be used by Barbour Company to answe r very elementary questions about the foreign market before venturing in to it. They include subjects like, how do the clients arrive at a purchasing decision, what is the customers’ judgement of the stores presentation and how does it influence buying behaviour. These topics would help the management of Barbour a great deal in the prediction of in-store consumer trends and the other factors that affect their purchasing habits. Such findings can be very useful in designing the marketing strategy that would be used in the foreign market (Carlo 1994).Understanding consumer mobility and purchasing relationships would assist in predicting the expected trend and flow of products in the market and would encourage innovative technology to meet the customers’ requirement as observed by the customer mobility trends. Production adaptation the opposite of product standardization and is equally important in marketing in new markets especially overseas. Product adaptation involves modification and innovation of a firm’s products based on the existing products of the competitors in the market.This strategy exploits the competitor products and not on ground-breaking innovations, it follows the existing product portfolio. Since in Spain there are existing cloth manufacturing already, Barbour Company needs to carry out a research on the existing consumer requirements and specifications and make modifications on their products and promote them in the international market (Carlo 1994). Many exporting companies have or those that are multinational and have branches in other nations have engaged in product modification of their supply and has devised very efficient foreign marketing style.Designing such strategy should consider the available resources and the profits. Having eight retail stores U. K and its presence in over 28 countries in the European market including Spain is a very challenging circumstance for the Barbour Company. The company has to employ the following adaptation techniques in product adaptation as a marketing strategy depending on customer desires and market objectives; 1. Same product same needs – this strategy would help to popularize Barbour Cloth Company along other companies that are producing similar products both in domestic and foreign market.This is because they meet similar deeds 2. Same product different needs – this could be used when similar products are intended for different purposes. Some cloths may be viewed as essential for example, waxed coats used by fisher men while other clients may view them as just fashionable. 3. Different product, similar needs – this strategy would help to provide alternative products in the market for customers in both foreign and domestic market. 4. Dual adaptation – this king of product adaptation would involve modifying the product as well as the purpose for its use.This is usually very expensive and would not be very necessary unless it sho ws greater success rates in a field not yet exploited. 5. Invention – this helps the companies in question to cater for customers who may not be able to afford what already exists in the market. This is because some customers have low income and might not be able to manage to pay for expensive garments or the same adaptation can be applied where a company discovers a cheaper production technology that can be used to accomplish the same requirements.Developing Integrated Communications Strategy Integrated marketing communication is a way of ensuring that all information and messages are connected. This means that the process involved go beyond just the coordination of a company’s outgoing information (advertisements and promotions) through different media and the reliability of the message (Schultz et,al. 1996). Integrated marketing strategy utilizes widespread customer information to plan and develop a marketing approach.Barbour Company has to develop a well designed i ntegrated marketing strategy because it would enable the company to have an on paper plan which would be very effective in sustaining its market niche in a competitive world as well as discover new marketing requirements and unmet customer needs (Schultz et,al. 1996). Steps in designing this communication mix are; 1. Creating customer database – bearing in mind that Barbour Company operates its own data base, creation of customer database would enable the management access customer information and analyze the purchasing habits and trends in the market.2. Laying down on-paper strategies – the marketing strategy is usually developed form the information obtained from the customer database. Business communication, sales and promotions are designed from the insights from the customer information. 3. Designing working tactics – once the general strategy has been laid down, proper promotional plans can be specified to target specific marketing goals. 4. Evaluation of Strategy – the outcomes of the new information about the consumer habits is investigated to establish the efficiency of the strategy set to operate. Marketing Communication MixThis defines the exact advertising medium to be used, personal selling, market promotion, and business – customer relationships the company would use to meet the objectives set in the marketing strategy (Schultz et,al. 1996). The best marketing strategies usually work out the 4 P’s Versus the 4 C’s analysis Product and Customer – in designing consumer products, the company should make sure that the customer needs and requirements are met. Both the international and local markets have changed so much that businesses no longer trade in what they can make rather the product specification is determined by consumers specific needs.Since the customer is the â€Å"man† in business, then meeting the requirement puts a business at a better position in the market mix. Price and Cost – the pricing of products should be designed to comply with the consumer’s cost to satisfy his/her needs. Research has found out that price is just one element of the consumers’ cost structure in meeting their needs (Yeshin 1998). The intrinsic cost plays a very critical part for example; it’s the cost of time to watch a movie and the cost of guilt for not treating your friends well.Place and Convenience – provision of products at the right place at the right time should be matched with the convenience the customer would enjoy. Convenience covers characteristics of physical or practical location, easiness of access, and reduced transaction time (Yeshin 1998). Promotion and Communication – promotional marketing should not be hard to comprehend as the purpose of the message may not be accomplished. The best mediums for communication and promotional activities in marketing should have a feedback mechanism to enable two way communications ( Yeshin 1998).The message should be understood by the customer in a way to create the need to purchase products being marketed. The revolutionized marketing communications has prompted the change of mass marketing strategy to more target specific marketing. The changes and improved information and communication technology has facilitated market segmentation. The progress in information technology especially the aspect of media fragmentation has encouraged narrowcasting as opposed to broad casting The BenefitsThough integrated Marketing Communications would require a lot of resources from Barbour Company, the benefits (competitive advantage, Profits and increased sales) that come with it are worth the cost and the effort invested in the strategy. Integrated communication wraps information around consumers and shortens the time spent in the buying. This enable to reduce queues and the sales made in a day could be greatly increased; this efficiency usually improves company reputation as well as creating a better relationship between the customers and the business (Yeshin 1998).Barbour Cloth Company would be able to retain customers in this competitive environment as good relationship between customers and the company builds customer loyalty. This is very essential in eliminating unnecessary onslaught of competition. The possibility of maintaining customers for a long time is a very strong competitive advantage. Integrated marketing communication will result in increased returns due to efficiency involved. The current advances in information and communication technology have adopted the use of effective unified message as opposed to incoherent innumerable messages.Consolidated and crystal clear message will have higher chances of penetrating the busy environment and reaching the target consumers. Integrated marketing can to a great extent heighten sales by stretching messages across numerous communication tools to d generate more opportunities for customers to acce ss and obtain awareness of the products, stimulate the need to have the product being advertised and ultimately getting the potential customers to actually purchase the goods.Finally the adaptation of an integrated marketing system would enable the Barbour cloth company to save a lot of money that could have otherwise been used to duplicate graphics and photos. In IMC, the photos can be shared and used for advertising, presentations and promotional literature. Agency costs are cut down buy the use of a single agency for all communications and even if the company might use several agencies, time is a saved for meetings, briefings and strategic planning.Workload is reduced and hence the efficiency of the marketing strategy is improved, work stress is completely eliminated. Pricing of Products Price is one of the important aspects of the integrated marketing strategy as identified earlier. This is because it’s closely linked to the positioning of the product in the market. On th e other hand, the price of a product significantly influences other elements of marketing (Phillips et,al. 1994). There are many ways of developing prices for gods and services.Come the most crucial one are; Premium pricing – this allocation of high prices depending on uniqueness of the products, Penetration Pricing – prices are purposively set low in order to achieve a market niche, Economic Pricing – prices are set based on low manufacturing and marketing costs, Price Skimming – higher prices are set as a result of the established competitive advantage, Psychological pricing – prices are set based on the emotional perception of the consumer, Product Line Pricing – pricing benefits are granted on a range of products, Product Bundle Pricing – prices are collectively set for a collection of Products as a single package, promotional pricing – prices are set to enhance promotion of the product and Value pricing – prices are influenced by external factors such as competition, and recession. Pricing Objectives Barbour Cloth Company has to develop pricing objectives in order to settle on the most favorable pricing of their products (Phillips et,al. 1994). There are different objectives for pricing, but the basic reasons include the following; 1. Profits – the purpose of any business organization is to make maximum profits, bearing in mind the expenses and other overhead costs. Present profit maximization may not be the superb pricing strategy if it results in lower profits. 2. Revenue – the purpose of the business is to establish long term trend in profit margin by expanding the market segmentation and reducing costs. 3.Quality leadership – the prices usually indicate the position of a product as the quality leader. This builds consumer confidence and loyalty. 4. Status Quo – prices may help a firm to sustain its position in the market by making a stable and consistent profit level. Conclusion Business success is the dream of many business ventures, expansion and enlargement in to the foreign market is the sign o0f success. With efficient marketing strategy in Place, Barbour cloth company is likely to attain success both in Home market Britain and abroad including Spain. The few set backs that might be encountered would include the Spain’s government policies and business regulations.Barbour being a family business needs to be cautious with the law and utilize all aspects of legal (LE-PEST C Analysis) environment for business operations. References Carlo A. (1994). Product Standardizatuion.. A Management Process. American Society for Healthcare Central Service Personnel of the American Hospital Association Phillips C. Doole I. & Lowe R. (1994). International Marketing Strategy. Anlysis, Development and Implementation. Routledge. Schultz D. E, Tannenbaum S. I & Lauterborn R. F. (1996) The New Marketing Paradgm. Integrated Marketng Communications. M cGraw-Hill Proffessional. Yeshin T. (1998). Integrated Marketing Communications. The Holistic Approach. Butterworth-Heinemann.