Use of Nature in Poetry

Poets use many ways when they want to communicate something using poems. Poems are used as a means of passing ideas, information and expression of feelings. This has made the poets to use the natural things and images that people can relate with so that they can make these poems understandable. The most common forms of writing that are used by the poets are the figurative language for example imagery and metaphors. In addition, the poets use the natural landscape in their attempt to explore the philosophical questions.Therefore, this essay will explore the forms that have been used by the poets in writing poems using the natural landscape. The essay will be based on poems such as ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost, ‘Ode to the West Wind’ by Shelley and ‘Swan and Shadow’ by John Hollanders. The poets use different styles and techniques in writing poems. They employ varying styles of writing poems that include the styles of lit erature such as symbolism. This has necessitated the use of the natural landscape to pass the ideas for which the poem was intended.When the natural landscape is used in poetry, it necessitates a creation of the mind through imagination. The reader of the poem will be in a position of deriving the meaning of the poem from what he reads. This has been demonstrated by J. Hollander in his poem the ‘Swan and Shadow’. Hollander starts his poem with a description of the Dusk above the water hang the loud flies. This will give the reader a figurative image of what the poet meant because it relates to what is found in nature. The natural physical landscape is also used by the poets because it can be easily related with and therefore it is used as a simile.The similes are literary techniques used when we want to relate something with another item with similar attributes. Therefore, it will be easier to understand the poems when the poets apply techniques that are familiar with t he reader. This presents the reason behind the poets using the natural landscape because the reader must have related with the nature. Shelley in his poem ‘Ode to the West Wind’ has used similes in his poem. He states that, â€Å"the leaves dead are driven like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing. † He also states that, â€Å"the winged seeds where they lie cold and low each like a corpse within its grave. As observed from these examples, the poets will use these techniques to assist in easier interpretation of the poem. The poets also use metaphors when writing poems. Metaphors refer to the use of certain words to mean otherwise in the context of the poem. However, metaphors are sometimes hidden in the poem such that they require the reader to figure out their existence in the poem. This will be easy when the poet employs the physical environment that is well understood by the reader. In addition, metaphors will strengthen the ideas that the poet wants to pass acr oss.Metaphors will therefore make it easier for the readers to interpret and understand the meaning that the poet intended to communicate. Shelley has used a metaphor in his poem where he states ‘†¦Pestilence-stricken multitudes’. He states this to indicate to the reader that he is not just addressing a pile of leaves. Therefore, this helps to understand the deeper meaning of the poem. He also states about the ‘wintry bed’, which is meant to show his mood in the poem. Poets also use the landscape in writing poems because of the inspiration that they get from such places.This could be based on some memory or the history of the place and therefore it inspires the writer of the poem. This could help the poet to pass some information that can be easily related with such a situation. Robert Frost in his poem ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’, writes about his experience in the wood in a snowy evening. He states that though the wood would p rotect him from the snow, he had to get home to sleep because it was getting late. The poet was indicating the obligations that he was supposed to perform though he could protect himself from the snow.The poet has also employed personification where he refers to the horse and states that his horse would find it queer when he stood by the woods where there was no farmhouse nearby. By stating the above, he gave the horse some human attributes. The poet has used nature to indicate that though he would have stayed in the woods to see as they are covered with snow, he had to fulfill his promises through carrying out his duties. The poets also use personification by referring to the natural landscape in showing some human attributes.Personification refers to the use of human attributes on non-humans such as animals. Such attributes includes beauty, ugliness and gentleness or ferocity. These attributes are reflected through the use of figurative language that represents the people. These i nclude the metaphors and the similes. Therefore, the natural landscape will be used in comparing these attributes with those of the human beings. This is related with what the people understand that is found in the environment. The writer of the poems will use descriptive words that are given to the natural landscape that has been personified.This will help in showing the human attributes indirectly when the deeper meaning of the poem is derived. The three poems help to mirror poetic concerns over the transitory nature of life. In the poem ‘Stopping by the woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost, the woods are described as dark and deep. He also states that it was the â€Å"†¦darkest evening of the year†. This gives a picture of a place where there was no one living. Frost has also stated that the woods were located in a place where there was no farmhouse because though he knew the owner, he lived in the village.The poet is trying to show existence of some isolation. This is evident that the poems are not written in a direct manner but they present the reader with an opportunity to figure out what was the meaning of the poem. The poets have used poems to communicate some message about how people live in the society. The poems always have the literal meaning and the deeper meaning that requires a deeper understanding of what the poet tried to communicate. In addition, we observe that the speaker of the poem implies that he could be in the wrong for trespassing in someone’s land.He shows that he is out of order and therefore he is supposed to go to sleep in his place because it is already dark in the evening. The writer tried to show the obligations that people have in life and therefore they are supposed to be time conscious while doing their activities. Also, the poem could have a deeper meaning that implies a transition from one life to another. This occurs where the speaker states in the last line that he has miles to go bef ore he sleeps. The sleep could mean death in this context. This poem shows how the poets employ the poetic techniques and styles to bring forth ideas about life to the reader.The poem ‘Ode to the West Wind’ by Shelley also indicates the poetic techniques that are employed by the poets. The poem brings out the element of transition because he reveals his thoughts like the winged seeds are trapped. When the poet refers to the ‘West Wind’, he implies a driving force for transition in the human. Shelley has also implied the winter as not just the last phase of vegetation but also as a transition in the individual life, that includes civilization and religion. Therefore, the poet was symbolic when he referred to the West Wind.The West Wind is implied as carrying the dead thoughts in the individuals. Shelley was more concerned with the transitions that happen in people’s lives in his poem. Shelley uses the words â€Å"winged seeds†, which he likens with a feeling of being trapped. By reference to the seeds, it shows that even when death occurs, there will be new life that will grow out of the ‘grave’. The poet has also written about images of religion that help creates new life. It is evident from the poem that poems are just a shadow of what is happening in the society.This is because they will indicate the changes that occur in the lives of individuals. John Hollander’s poem ‘Swam and Shadow’ has various visual images that are used to increase the understanding of the reader of the poem. He uses figurative language such as describing the water as â€Å"breaking up no being gathered†. This makes the poem beautiful in that the reader is left to imagine about the startle of the wings when a swan wants to fly. The poem has created a transition of moods where sometimes it is sad and on other occasions, the mood of the poem is lovely.The poet implies the disappearance of the swan, which woul d imply their death when they fly. This therefore presents the sad tone of the poem. We also see that the poet has applied a technique where the whole poem is not punctuated. We just guess the starting of a sentence if there is a capital letter. This makes it hard to differentiate the thoughts of the poet. This style makes the poem unique and therefore it is interesting because of the prose form. This poem also illustrates transition because it describes the flies that are found in the dusk hanging above the water.However, the writer describes that; ‘their shadow will disappear and fade’. The disappearance of the swan represents death, which marks a transition from one form of life to another. This has been described when the poem comes to end where the poet states that ‘†¦yes by then a swan will have gone yes out of mind†¦. ’ In conclusion, we observe that most poets will always use the natural environment when they want to communicate something. They will use the natural landscape and other creatures that are found in the environment. This is meant to assist the reader in the easier understanding of the poems.

Critical Analysis of Women Behind Bars Essay

More and more women-mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, and sisters are doing hard prison time all across the United States. Many of them are facing the prospect of years, decades, even lifetimes behind bars. Oddly, there’s been little public discussion about the dramatic increase of women in the prison system. What exactly is happening here, and why? This paper will be a critical analysis of the book, â€Å"Women Behind Bars: The Crisis of Women in the U.S. Prison System. This paper will Introduction Journalist Silja Talvi’s Women Behind Bars: The Crisis of Women in The U.S Prison System is an overview of issues affecting incarcerated women. The goal of the book Women Behind Bars is to increase the awareness about the growing population of women prisoners. Women Behind Bars presents a number of important issues regarding women prisoners. Incarcerated women’s stories represent a distillation of the larger forces that affect free women like racism, sexism and economic pressure. For these reasons, Silja Talvi explains, â€Å"incarcerated women should not be forgotten, despite the stigma of their criminal convictions and their physical removal from the community† (Talvi, 2007). Additionally, though incarcerated women may be locked up, they should not be overlooked. Women Behind Bars succinctly illustrates some of the important connections involving the War on Drugs, racial disparity, medical neglect: physically and psychologically, and the high rate of substance abuse and physical and sexual abuse among incarcerated women. Silja Talvi’s aim is to â€Å"shed light on what has contributed to this historic phenomenon of the mass incarceration of women in the United States† (Talvi, 2007). This paper will give background on how Silja J.A. Talvi researched the increase of female incarceration. This paper will also give insight surrounding the problems of the women, who Silja J.A. Talvi interviewed, faced while incarcerated. Additionally, outside resources pertaining to the issue of women in prison will be mentioned throughout this paper. Finally, an informed opinion based on the collection of outside information and what  was learned from the book will be presented. Silja J.A. Talvi bases her account on interviews with women prisoners. Silja J.A. Talvi had in-person and phone interviews with roughly one hundred women prisoners over a two year span. She also received letters from approximately three hundred women behind bars. In addition, she interviewed more than a dozen women who has been releases form jail or prison. Silja J.A. Talvi stayed in regular contact with fifty women locked up in state and federal prisons in seventeen states. In addition, Silja Talvi visited he women’s county jails in Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as the Seattle/King County detention facility for juveniles. Silja Talvi also spent a fair amount of time talking with and learning from low-income women on Seattle streets who were willing to talk about their encounters with law enforcement and incarceration. Internationally, Silja Talvi was also granted permission to visit three women’s prisons, including the European Union’s biggest women’s prison, Holloway, in London, England; the sole female prison on Hameenlinna, Finland; and a provincial Canadian prison in British Columbia. Silja Talvi focuses on these women because she believes â€Å"that incarcerated females are the most misunderstood population in the vast U.S. incarceration system† (Talvi, 2007). These accounts from the women interviewed will further the insight on the realities of female incarceration. Further on this topic of incarceration, the author, Silja J.A. Talvi has stated that the United States has more people in prison than any other nation. â€Å"By mid-2006, the total number of women and men in prison rose to over 2.24 million, representing a significant increase from earlier year† (Harrison & Beck, 2006). Relatively speaking, more than one thousand prisoners are added to the prison and jail system every single week (Harrison & Beck, 2006). Meanwhile, â€Å"the number of incarcerated adult women has jumped by a shocking 757% since 1977, at nearly twice the rate of male prisoners† (Harrison & Beck, 2006). â€Å"The number of women in prisons and jails has reached a milestone,† explains Kara Gotsch, director of advocacy for the Sentencing project in Washington, DC. One of the main reasons why women are being locked up at an alarming rate is a result of a policy of mass incarceration. â€Å"Mass incarceration is a rate of incarceration so high that it affects not only the individual offender, but also whole social groups.† (American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2011) Pursuing further, another main reason of  the increase of incarceration of women are the sentencing policies brought about by the â€Å"war on drugs.† â€Å"At the Federal level, prisoners incarcerated on a drug charge comprise half of the prison population, while the number of drug offenders in state prisons has increased thirteen-fold since 1980. Most of these people are not high-level actors in the drug trade, and most have no prior criminal record for a violent offense.† (sentencingpolicy.org) According to an excerpt in the Journal of Criminology, women are more likely to serve time for drug-related offenses and are less likely to serve time for violent offenses. (Lalonde & Cho, 2008) In addition, with the passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, women began to be arrested and charged with impunity, and were threatened increasingly with conspiracy charges if they didn’t snitch on their husbands, boyfriends, family member and acquaintances. Women were interrogated and threatened if they did not cooperate and these women would face serious repercussions. (Talvi, 2007) Many of the women that in state or federal prisons are first-time, non violent offenders sentenced on drug conspiracy charges. These women are serving far longer sentences than most first-time offender rapists, child molesters, or even murdered convicted of second degree murder or aggravated manslaughter. Furthermore, to a far greater degree than men, women come into the system with histories of sexual, physical abuse, domestic violence, rape, and mental illness. In this sense it is believed that our country is in crisis. Undoubtedly, because there are so many women locked up, there are a plethora of problems that incarcerated women face on a daily basis while in prison. Some of these problems include sexual assault and misconduct, medical neglect, deficient mental health treatment, and also discrimination based on gender, race and sexual orientation. Experiences of extreme violence and sexual abuse in women’s prisons are far worse and far too common than most American’s realize. In the United States, sexual assault by guards in women’s prisons is so notorious and widespread that it has been described as â€Å"an institutionalized component of punishment behind prison walls† (Davis, 1998). â€Å"Today it is estimated that at least 40% of guards in women’s prisons are men. In some female prisons, the majority of employees are men.† (Talvi, 2007) In these kinds of settings, there are violations of women’s privacy, as well as visual and verbal abuse by the male guards. Today, â€Å"one in four women reports having been sexually abused while being in  jail or prison† (Talvi, 2007). In addition to reports of violent restraint and punishment resulting in abrasions, cuts, bruises and even broken bones, women stated that they were subjected to humiliating strip searches and verbal harassment. Talvi explains that most of the women she interviewed in these prisons are in fear to even say anything about their abuse because of the likeliness to face the wrath of prison guards. The prison guards will cut visitation and phone privileges, take away prized possessions, and threaten these women and their families with bodily harm. On another note, According to Kim Shayo Buchanan, in an article called, â€Å"Beyond Modesty: Privacy in Prison and The Risk Of Sexual Abuse† basically explains, if women are being victimized by male guards in prison, it does them no harm to expose the problem by saying so. It is pointed out that black women are often discouraged from speaking out about sexual abuse because of concerns that, by speaking out about sexual harassment by black men, black women â€Å"will reinforce negative racial stereotypes about Blacks in general and about Black men in particular.† (Buchanan, 2005) Furthermore, ineffective formal procedures, legislation and reporting capacity within the United States prison system account for much of the ongoing sexual abuse of women. In several instances, guards who were disciplined for the abuse of women were reprimanded to the minimum degree. The frequency of sexual harassment and abuse in a prison environment is a constant reminder of how little power the women have over their lives once they are sentenced to do time. The sexually intrusive or abusive nature of these experiences in prison has a devastating impact on a women’s likelihood of achieving a healthy and successful reentry in society. When women leave jail or prison, with even more traumatic experiences heaped upon their life experiences, these women might endure low self-esteem issues, shame and rage. Within the book, Silja Talvi explains, â€Å"that these women who do re-enter into society, manifest any number of serious problems: continuing mental and/or physical illness the likelihood of an interruption of their treatment and medicines; loss of custody of their children; limited education or career opportunities; a lack of safe or stable housing; and the temptations to indulge in drug use or criminal activity.† If these factors are in place, it is believed that these women will find themselves back in the prison system intertwined in a vicious cycle. Secondly, a problem that is also plaguing women’s prisons is medical neglect and carelessness. While medical care for all prisoners is poor, the situation is far worse for women prisoners. Because prison health care systems were created for men, routine gynecological care, such as pap smears, breast exams and mammograms, is extremely rare in prisons. (Talvi, 2007) Care is frequently only administered once the situation becomes an emergency. In addition, women are denied essential medical resources and treatments, especially during times of pregnancy and/or chronic and degenerative diseases. There is also failure to refer seriously ill inmates for treatment and delays in treatment, cutbacks in budgets, lack of qualified personnel, inadequate supplies, and use of non-medical staff, charges for medical attention, inadequate reproductive health care, and lack of treatment for substance abuse. In the same sense, a factor that magnifies the severity of physical illnesses and disease is a nutrient poor, high fat diet. Fruits and vegetables are nearly non-existent in prisons. Relatively speaking, â€Å"the extensive overcrowding in some of these prisons lends itself to a concentration of mental and medical health problems that the prison system was never designed to handle† (Talvi, 2007). Thirdly, deficient mental health treatment is a serious issue when dealing with the incarceration of females. â€Å"48-88% of women inmates experienced sexual or physical abuse before coming to prison, and suffer post-traumatic stress disorder. Very few prison systems provide counseling. Women attempting to access mental health services are routinely given medication without opportunity to undergo psychotherapeutic treatment.† (Amnesty International, 2011) The overuse of jails and prisons to treat mental illness in society is problematic itself. Many of these women would be better served by intensive treatment programs and community based care rather than being thrown in prisons. The environment of prison can make an inmate’s mental health worse, not better. â€Å"Most prison systems lack treatment settings and programs for these prisoners. For instance, most state prisons, refused admittance to a psychiatric inpatient unit if inmates have a record of violent episodes† writes Kupers in Prison Madness. â€Å"they tend to wind up in super maximum confinement, where the harsh conditions and forced idleness worsen their mental disorders, followed by more disruptive behaviors on their part and  even longer terms in lockup.† (Kupers, 1999) A majority of the corrections employees are not trained in any extent in psychology or social work, and are most generally uneducated about the common symptoms of various psychiatric disorders and states of emotional distress. In these prisons that Talvi had visited she felt that there is high level of ignorance and outright hostility toward the mentally ill. The separation between mental health and disciplinary is lacking in many of the prisons. In a book called Prison Madness, Terry Kupers, an expert in psychiatric issues in prison criticizes this issue of mental illness treatment within prisons. â€Å"When behaviors on the part of mentally disordered prisoners-including suicide attempts, self-mutilation, rule breaking, and even some minor violent incidents-are secondary to their mental disorder, they should not be handled entirely as disciplinary infractions requiring punishment. Too often, disruptive acts are merely punished and the possibility that they reflect an imminent psychotic episode or a need for immediate psychiatric attention is never even considered.† (Kupers, 1999) In light of the issue surrounding the treatment of the mentally ill prisoners, suicide rates within in these prisons are at an increase. An investigator appointed by U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton took a look into the mental healthcare in the state prison system, and to find out a reason behind the increase in suicides. It was found that prisoners in overcrowded and understaffed Administrative Segregation units are killing themselves in unprecedented numbers. Confining a suicidal inmate to their cell for twenty-four hours a day only enhances isolation and anti- therapeutic. (Talvi, 2007) In addition to insufficient substance abuse and mental health services, educational and vocational programs are also in short supply. Several studies (Pollock-Byrne, Morash, Haarr, and Rucker) found that female prisons offered fewer vocational and education program opportunities when compared to those offered in male institutions. Educational program opportunities could help successful integrate these incarcerated women back into the community. Lastly, discrimination based on gender, race and sexual orientation is a significant matter of contention in women’s prisons. The growth in incarceration has had its greatest impact on minorities, particularly African Americans. â€Å"Over a five-year period, the incarceration rate of African American women increased by 828%.† (NAACP LDF Equal Justice, 1998.) Also, according to Amnesty U.S.A,  the racial disparity revealed by the crack v. powder cocaine sentences insures that more African American women will land in prison. Although 2/3 of crack users are white or Hispanic, defendants convicted of crack cocaine possession were 84.5% African American. Crack is the only drug that carries a mandatory prison sentence for first time possession in the federal system. (prisonpolicy.org) Women are most vulnerable to different forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment or abuse. Women that do not fit the norm, such as lesbians, face increased risk of torture and abuse. Many of the prisoners Silja Talvi had interviewed expressed their grief about always getting taunted because of their sexual orientation. The issues facing lesbians and bisexuals in the criminal justice system aren’t just limited to what goes on behind bars. One study conducted by Victor Streib, a professor of law at Cleveland State University points to the possibility that lesbians, or women who do not appear to appear feminine, may be victims of harsher sentencing. In addition, lesbian or non feminine women who had entered the prison system may very well have less if a shot at an early release. (Streib, 2002) Human Rights Watch has documented categories of women who are likely targets for sexual abuse. Perceived or actual sexual orientation is one of four categories that make a female prisoner a more likely target for sexual abuse, as well as a target for retaliation when she reports that abuse. (HRW, 2010) These issues facing these women in the criminal justice system are not just limited to what goes on behind bars. In conclusion, based on the information provided from Women Behind Bars and many outside resources, the incarceration of women is at an all time high. Most likely, the number of incarcerated women will increase in the upcoming years unless the problem of mass incarceration is solved permanently. I feel as that as a result of drug laws, women are now a fast growing segment of the U.S. prison population. It is my belief that women are particularly vulnerable to such policies as mandatory minimums, because they are more likely than men to be incarcerated for drug-related or petty, non-violent property crimes. It is these arrests that are driving their high rates of incarceration. The problem of women in prison is directly tied to current US drug policy. For the last ten years, researchers have argued that the war on drugs has become a war on women (Belknap, 2002; Bloom & Chesney-Lind, 2000; Owen, 2000 & 1998, Cheney-Lind, 1997). In my opinion, one of several  alarming statistics is, The Bureau of Prisons reports that almost 80% of their female population is incarcerated for drug-related offenses. Relatively speaking, I think factors of poverty, psychosocial problems, mental illness, histories of trauma and abuse, and involvement in abusive relationships can lead up to a life of criminal behavior in women. Furthermore, based on information, statistics, and stories provided from the book Women Behind Bars and also from outside resources, it is my conclusion to say that many things could be altered within the prison system. First of all, I believe there are simply far too many women in prison for enough people to be drawn to the difficult job of guarding and rehabilitating these women and addressing their needs. With the information that has been researched, women’s prisons are poorly equipped to deal with the range of issues and needs of an ever-increasing female population. One of the things that struck me when reading the book is the degree to which jails and prisons have become America’s new mental health facilities. Also in regards of the issue of incarcerated mentally ill, I believe that basic education could be provided to correctional staff. Furthermore, guards could be taught to calm and talk the dangerous mentally ill women down from fits of paranoia, anxiety, or distress. Also, many of these women would be better served by intensive treatment programs and community-based transitional care, instead of just being thrown into the prison system. Furthermore, I feel that the extreme abuse of women in prison is a serious problem. I believe this action also harms society because it decreases the legitimacy of the justice system. If society cannot trust those responsible for guarding our prisons to behave properly, there is little hope for the rehabilitation of women in prison. Personally, I feel the prison has a place, but it is not in the persecution of non-violent females. I think there can be a lot more rehabilitation for these women. Many of these women in prison have emotional and psychological issues and because of the abuse, discrimination, and medical neglect, it is only going to make matters far worse. An excerpt from Silja Talvi’s Women Behind Bars that I found captivating that summed up a lot of what the book was about is, â€Å"Imprisoned girls and women deserve a chance to heal from past abuse, and to learn from their life experiences and the nature of their crimes. Before women and released, they must be given the tools to ensure that their reintegration  into society is not fraught with immediate economic and social struggle, and to help increase the odds that they will be released into families or communities that will actually support their reintegration. Former prisoners must be given the productive tools to become productive members of society; that is, if they weren’t productive already, and if they even needed to be locked up in the first place. In general, women in prison aren’t given one iota of the emotional, social and vocational skills they need to overcome the vast hurdles awaiting them beyond the gates that have confine them for years or decades on end.† (Talvi, 2007) In closing, I never realized to a great extent of the problem of women in prison. This book, Women behind Bars and also many outside resources has enlightened me on the growing issue of female incarceration. Women in prison is a problem in itself, then leading to all of the other problems these women face while in prison. I believe the struggles that women go through, go unnoticed, and more people should be aware of the increasing problem. Finally, I feel that Silja J.A. Talvi’s book Women Behind Bars can help focus attention on this growing population of women prisoners, and maybe one day something can be done about this increasing issue. According to the text, women represent the fastest growing segment of the criminal justice system increasing 757% between 1977 and 2004, a rate nearly 2 times the percent increase in the male offender population. The number of women involved in the US criminal justice system doubled during the 1990s (Beck, 2000). An estimated 68 in every 100,000 U.S. women are serving time in a state or federal prison with increased rates to one in every 100 among black women in their late 30s. Women currently represent about 7% of the overall state and federal prison population and 24% of individuals on community supervision. Substance use and abuse have been consistently reported as major contributing factors in the increasing population of women offenders. Some have argued that increased attention to substance users during the late 1980s and 1990s during the war on drugs had particular adverse consequences for women. A majority of women offenders have a history of drug use and drug-related offenses. Conclusion In closing, the writer never realized to a great extent of the problem of women in prison. This book, Women behind Bars and also many outside resources has enlightened on the writer of the growing issue of female incarceration. Women in prison is a problem in itself, then leading to all of the other problems these women face while in prison. The struggles that women go through, go unnoticed, and more people should be aware of the increasing problem. Finally, this book, can help focus attention on this growing population of women prisoners, and maybe one day something can be done about this increasing issue. The writer believes that alcoholism and addiction is a disease. Because it is a disease, communities should address it as a health issue and not a criminal justice issue. Imprisonment only removes a symptom, but does not cure the problem. The number of women incarcerated is steadily rising at frightening rates. When you incarcerate a woman, most often, you are also incarcerating a mother. The state not only pays to house the offender, but often pays for the care of the children of the offender as well. Women offenders have special needs many of which revolve around their children. Corrections should be perceived as a positive and helping connection, not a punitive one. In our present system, unfortunately, the women must often first fail before they are given the level of treatment they needed in the beginning. A new approach to corrections, one that offers a highly structured environment and stresses accountability, as well as, addressing the individual needs of each offender will not only save money, but also more importantly, it will save lives. In addition, communities should take responsibility and become involved in getting and giving education, reaching out to their communities to offer assistance helping addicts find hope through programs that take a holistic approach to their disease. Addicts need programs that heal body, mind and, most importantly, their crushed spirit. If needs are responded to on a personal level, in a way that engenders trust and confidence, women offenders can begin to hope again and the lives of families can be rebuilt. If people do not have hope, there is nothing to strive for, no reason to change. Instead of incarceration, I believe it would be more cost-effective to put women offenders in a community based program similar to the work release program that is used for prisoners after incarceration. These programs would allow the individual to maintain a job, yet they would be held accountable for all their time. They would receive counseling on an individual basis geared toward each one’s individual needs. The best programs combine supervision and services to address the specialized needs of female offenders in highly structured, safe environments where accountability is stressed. In conclusion, I believe that if communities would make an effort to educate themselves and their communities about the disease of alcoholism and addiction, they would begin to understand the magnitude of the problem. Although there are no easy solutions, one must accept the responsibility of educating our children, offer new and innovative programs that heal holistically, and most importantly, accept responsibility that as citizens one must reach out to help those in our communities who are struggling, offering them hope, support and encouragement. References American Academy of Arts & Sciences. (2011) Retrieved from http://www.amacad.org/projects/incarceration.aspx Austin, J., Irwin, J. (2001). â€Å"It’s About Time: America’s Imprisonment Binge.† Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co Belknap, J. (2001). â€Å"The Invisible Woman.† Gender, Crime and Justice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Bloom, B., Chesney-Lind, M., Owen, B. (1994). â€Å"Women in California Prisons: Hidden Victims of the War on Drugs.† San Francisco, CA: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Bloom, B., Chesney-Lind, M. ( 2000). â€Å"Women in Prison; Vengeful Equity.† In It’s a Crime: Women and Criminal Justice. Roslyn Muraskin, (ed.), pp. 183-204. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Buchanan, K. (2005). â€Å"Beyond Modesty: Privacy in Prison and The Risk Of Sexual Abuse.† Marquette Law Review, 88(4), pp. 751-813. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1994). â€Å"Special Report: Women in Prison.† Washington, DC: US Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1999). â€Å"Women Offenders.â €  Washington, DC: US Department of Justice. Davis, A. (1998). â€Å"Public Imprisonment and Private Violence: Reactions on the Hidden Punishment of Women.† Crim. & Civ. Confinement, 24, pp. 339-350. Editors. (2006). â€Å"U.S. Inmate Populations on the Rise: U.S. Leads World in Number of Incarcerated.† Correctional News. Harrison, P., Beck, J. (2006). â€Å"Prisoners in 2005.† Bureau of Justice Statistics. Human Right Watch. (2010) â€Å"Sexual Abuse of Women in U.S. State Prisons.† Retrieved from http://www.hrw.org/ Immarigeon, R., Chesney-Lind, M. (1992). â€Å"Women’s Prisons: Overcrowded and Overused.† National Council on Crime and Delinquency. San Francisco, CA Kupers, T. (1999). Prison Madness: The Mental Health Crisis Behind Bars and What We Must Do About It. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Lalonde, R., Cho, R. (2008). â€Å"The Inpact of Incarceration in State Prison on the Employment Prospects of Women.† Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 24, 243-265, 23. doi: 10.1007/s10940-008-9050 Mauer, M, Potler, C., Wolf, R. (1999). â€Å"Gender and Justice: Women Drugs and Sentencing Policy.† The Sentencing Project. Washington, DC Owen, B. (2000). â€Å"Women and Imprisonment in the United States: The Gendered Consequences of the US Imprisonment Binge.† In Harsh Punishments: International Experiences of Women’s Imprisonment. Cook and Davies (Eds.) pp. 81-98. Northeastern Press. Streib, V. (2002). â€Å"Gendering the Death Penalty: Countering Sex Bias in a Masculine Sancutary.† Ohio State law Journal, 63 Talvi, S. (2007). Women Behind Bars: The Crisis of Women in the U.S. Prison System. Emeryville, CA: Seal Press. Van Denend, J. (2010). â€Å"Melanie Klein, Drug Crimes, and Women.† Studies in Gender & Sexuality, 11, 10-23. doi: 10.1080/15240650903445799 http://www.sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=107 http://www.prisonpolicy.org/scans/women_prison.pdf

Commonwealth Government's Work Choices Legislation Essay

Commonwealth Government's Work Choices Legislation - Essay Example It rationalized the existing classification structures so they remain relevant to the modern workplace relations system while recognizing the different skill sets of employees. Revitalized dismissal laws whereby the Government will protect all employees from unlawful termination and dismissal on discriminatory grounds such as race, colour, sex, union membership, pregnancy, etc. Any liberalization moves are bound to inconvenience some self-serving caucus who are the beneficiaries of non-competitive enterprise arrangement. In Australia it included Trade Unions, Business Community and opposition political parties who has the natural accumen to fish in muddled water. In a modern democratic set up such constitutional disputes finally land up in the highest court of law for legitimacy. The Australian High Court decreed this with a majority verdict in favour of the government. The organized working class consists of a large chunk of the population in any country. They mainly constitute the middle class and are the opinion makers and can exert envious influence on the polity of a nation. In a democratic country they constitute sizable vote bank, which a political party can ignore at their own peril. The successful Bolshevist Revolution, the decisive defeat of Communism in Germany with the help of organized labor movement, the progressive metamorphosis of American capitalism into a "welfare capitalism", etc. are indelible models where working class became important tools to usher in lasting impact on the contemporary society. Therefore, we see a deep-rooted nexus between political parties and trade unions all over the world. Theirs is a husband and wife relationship, indispensable to both. With mutual understanding and cooperation both can survive the travails of life; and any impudence on the part of one can destroy the prospects of both. In most modern de mocratic countries we see political parties with the imbibed philosophy and names of the working class struggle. Instances are many where trade union leaders have risen to positions to guide the destiny of their nation. It is therefore, inevitable for any ruling setup in a country to succumb to the influence of the organized labor unions. The intense lobbying by trade unions for the passage of The Employee Free Choices Act of America, by the US Law-Makers is a live example of the trade union domination over political parties. Recently, with Democrats gaining majority in the Congress the Bill was passed in the House of Representatives and is struggling to get past the Senate where Democrats do not have majority. It will certainly become a law after the next presidential elections due to strong labor pressures and lobbying. Background to the Work Choices Legislation The Liberal and National Coalition's 2004 Election Manifesto1 had committed to the electorate to introduce a "Flexible Workplace Relations" in the economic activities of the country.A New Workplace

Unemployment in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Unemployment in the UK - Essay Example To understand more about the unemployment in the United Kingdom, it is of vital importance to elaborate the different types of unemployment. The types of unemployment indicate the causes of unemployment in any country. There could be many reasons or causes for the unemployment. In this paper, the causes and types relevant to the unemployment in the UK are discussed. Below are three common types of unemployment: Cyclical/Keynesian or Deficient-Demand Unemployment: This type of unemployment is associated with the Gross Domestic Production (GDP). In this type of unemployment, the rate of unemployment goes up when the GDP goes negative. Seasonal Unemployment: As obvious with the name, the seasonal unemployment refers to the seasonal opportunities. As the businesses related to the hotel reservation have some peak seasons. Their businesses are at peak in vacation months like December. February is mostly their off season. Hidden Unemployment: People get frustrated when they constantly struggle to get jobs but unfortunately, they fail to obtain suitable positions. After some time, frustration makes them hopeless and government do not really count them so they are not reflected in the statistics. Such state refers to the hidden unemployment phase. The claimant count and the labor force survey are the most successful and accurate ways to measure unemployment (Gillespie, 2007, pp.347-60). The claimant count refers to the number of applicant applying for the Jobseeker’s Allowance. However, it is not possible that all clamant applicants get successful. Due to the rigid requirements, one can fail to claim. Such applicants cannot be reflected in the total claimant count therefore, it is necessary not to just rely on this record. Another way to measure unemployment is the labor force count (Worswick, 1991, p.15). This way is quite reliable than the first one, only because this way, interviews with the help of people in measuring individuals who wish to do some

Production Process and Management Research Paper

Production Process and Management - Research Paper Example A company or a manufacturing company will be able to improve productive if the effectively integrate Computer integrated Manufacturing (Gouw, 2010). A production manager should be able to plan the production process. He should have a clear picture of the planning, scheduling, shipping of the products and a proper follow up. Through this strategy, the production manger should be able to detect any kind of delays in the production process. Two other responsibilities that he should have are proper Time management and effective employee engagement. A production manager should have proper time management as every phase in the production process is based a specific time schedule (Carter, 2010). Employment engagement is also another responsibility that is imperative for a production manager. When employees are more engaged in the production process, there is a possibility of increase quality and improved productivity. The employees can act as lookouts of the production plant as they will provide useful formation incase of an emergency. They will help reduce unnecessary maintenance cost by facilitating effective plant layout

Bill Gates and George W Bush Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bill Gates and George W Bush - Essay Example    Bill Gates, the Chairman of Microsoft, has built his reputation as a business leader of repute and extraordinary class and finesse (Gates, 1996). He inaugurated Microsoft with Paul Allen. Bill Gates held different positions within the company itself. He was the CEO as well as the Chief Software Architect until some time back and later on he left Microsoft in order to do some work within the philanthropic fields. Bill Gates undoubtedly remains as one of the biggest shareholders in the company. His share in the common stock stands at more than 8 percent. Microsoft is a world-renowned software giant which has made it big due to Bill Gates’ commitment towards his very own company. It has annual sales of more than $41 Billion, which speaks for its true prowess. The company has more than 65,000 employees on board in around 100 nations of the world. The company operates for the purposes of licensing, development, support and manufacture of computer equipment and technology and makes use of a number of different software products. Bill Gates has been instrumental in creating the much-needed difference within the reigns of Microsoft. Because of this very fact, the company has made it huge within the business world (Fridson, 2001). His practices and work domains have been openly discussed, analyzed and applied upon in other business regimes as well. He is taken as a true visionary leader within the different business processes and undertakings. True to his potential, Bill Gates has been consistently producing results for this software giant and he now leaves behind a legacy which can perform upon his vision and working commitment for a long period of time in the future. He has set the platform for the company to move forward – day after day (Wallace, 1993).   

Macroeconomic convergence, economic growth and financial development Dissertation

Macroeconomic convergence, economic growth and financial development of India - Dissertation Example India is an emerging country that has developed into an open market economy. In 2010, CIA World Fact Book ranks India as 5th in the world economy having $4.06 trillion gross domestic product (GDP.). However, same source indicates there are still traces of its past autarkic policies because of the social democratic policies that have governed the country since 1947 to 1991. At that time, the economy was characterized by extensive regulation, slow growth, protectionism, and corruption. Reforms introduced in early 1990s that included trade and industry liberalization, removal of government control from the industries, and transfer of control of government resource to private business sector accelerated economic growth. Vernani (n.d.) estimated India’s economic growth since 1951 up to 1971 stayed at 3%, and in 1995 went up to 5%. Since 1997, India’s expansion has been more than 7%. India’s growth comes from farming, cultivation, craft, new industries and other ser vices (CIA). Total labor force is 478 million; 52% is in agriculture, 34% is in services and 14% for other industries. India boasts of a large educated English-speaking population that becomes its asset for its export of information technology and software workers. The economic growth slowed down to 6.7% in 2008-2009 but has improved to 7.4% for the rest of 2009 to 2010 (Virnani) Due to big local demand  in 2010, the country recovered strongly from the economic meltdown and has charted over 9% growth. (Virmani,) At this time too, investment growth rate doubled as well as private consumption and imports accelerated; however, government consumption slowed down. Vernani explained that in 2007, investments were over 35%; demands were much higher than previous years; investment rate grew to 18%; domestic demands climbed to 60.1% and a negative rate for exports. However, despite the pronounced growths, CIA showed problems of India that include extensive privation, insufficient infra structures, limited employment opportunities in non-agriculture sector, inadequate way in to quality education, and accommodation of â€Å"rural-to-urban migration†. Financial development in India The process of financial system in India according to Sandhya (2009) †is an interaction of financial institutions, financial markets, financial instruments/assets/securities and financial services which are controlled by the government† . The Indian financial system is also parallel in the role of other governments in the financial markets. Cihak (2011) said the role of governments in finance was less before the global crisis because empirical studies showed harmful effects of government interventions. The crisis changed the minds of the people and thought that it is time for the government to adopt policies to maintain stability, drive growth and create jobs. As such, clearer roles emerged for the government to adopt direct interventions such as ownership, credit gua rantees and liability guarantees. Government has to regulate and supervise economic activities and to promote competition, infrastructure and technology, Cihak said. Empirical results of macroeconomic convergence theories. Economic convergence starts with simple cooperation on agreed upon aspects from among member countries that often lead to integration or merger of these countries. Maruping (2005) defines macroeconomic convergence as a local assimilation that requires joining of two or more states, basically thru a Privileged Agreement, sometimes done thru Bilateral Trade Agreeements.  He describes economic convergence as an organized plan intended for the easy access of service and goods as well as coordination of foreign economic policies of these states in the same region. According to the Dictionary of Trade Policy Terms of WTO, regionalism is described as â€Å"actions by governments to liberalize or facilitate trade on a regional basis, sometimes through free-trade are as or

PICOT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

PICOT - Assignment Example The third option that we would use as a heading is â€Å"How guardians and parents treat HIV patients below the age of 12 years.† In many cases, it is advisable to use key words in the title only making sure of certain sequences in the order. For example, our search key words can include â€Å"HIV positive†. In advanced search, we can add extra words outside the topic, such as â€Å"incidents of HIV infections in children below 12 years with parents or care givers disclosed to them†. We can then introduce a similar search title but making sure we change the â€Å"Disclosed† clause with not â€Å"disclosed†, then we can compare between the two results in the comparison statement. Alternatively, we can use another field such as the authors of the sources of information from the databases, the dates of publication, the cities of publication and extended titles of journals. A combination of the extra fields with the title eventually provides us with a clear picture of what is required. It generates relevant and almost exact results that our PICOT project require or multiple results from which we can select the most relevant options, except is the search engine does not find any in the particular database. In the latter case, we move from the current database to a second or a third one and follow the same search procedure. We reduce the number of search results by creating search criteria to make our query more specific. If we use a particular field such as the title and the author name, we can apply Boolean limiters like â€Å"AND†, â€Å"OR† and other selection options such as â€Å"Equal to†, â€Å"Not Equal to†, â€Å"Greater than†, â€Å"Less Than†, â€Å"Containing† and â€Å"Not Containing†. With this establishment, the search results will be specific since they have to satisfy unique requirements based on the criteria. EBSCO sub headings heading are applicable in this case since they are simply an extension of

DISADVANTAGE OF HAVING HOMOSEXUALS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES IN THE MILITARY Research Paper - 1

DISADVANTAGE OF HAVING HOMOSEXUALS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES IN THE MILITARY - Research Paper Example This Presidential Memorandum .also authorized that any evaluations by the Secretary of Defense be an evaluation and implementation which is to be accomplished in a practical and realistic way, in accordance with the elevated standards of combat efficiency and unit cohesiveness that the United States Armed Forces must keep (Rand Corporation, 1993). Rands National Defense Institute evaluated an ample range of topics which are of interest to the subject of the disadvantages of homosexuals disclosing their sexual preferences in the military. Seven foreign countries were examined and recommendations on the subject was sought from the police and fire departments of six American municipalities. This was accomplished in order to learn from the experiences of other individuals in other organizations with regards to the influence of the disadvantages of individuals disclosing their homosexuality on the preparedness and cohesiveness of those units. Public opinion with regards to the disadvantage of homosexuals disclosing their sexual preferences was examined, inclusive of the perspectives of military personnel who were serving on active duty. Scholarly literature on the effects of homosexuals disclosing their sexual preferences was consulted and the related health implications were also examined.. A variety of legal and enforcement topi cs were examined in the research of the disadvantages of homosexuals disclosing their sexual preferences in the military was consulted (Rand Corporation, 1993). The conclusions of their research is the following: Implementation of these requirements as to the appropriate conduct of military personnel, regardless of perceived sexual preference by the administrators at every level of the command structure (Rand Corporation, 1993). This policy of equal treatment and non discrimination was to be concise .and

Overcoming Fear And Bias As A Clinician Essay Example for Free

Overcoming Fear And Bias As A Clinician Essay A special challenge that mental health personnel in prison facilities deal with is the setting of their profession. Exposure to convicted felons, being subject to security sanctions and dealing with individuals under constant stress creates tests an individual’s professional and personal integrity and capability. The fears and biases associated with prisons and inmates stems from the very nature of crime and punishment. The reservation felt is indicative and at the same reinforces the social consequence of violating laws. According to the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (2007) it is important to develop an understanding of the fears, attitudes, or biases related to prison interventions and how it affects the interactions between the therapist, the intervention program and the client. This is supported by Ward and Stewart (2003): they emphasize the need to develop models and insights to the to therapeutic intervention to better facilitate not only rehabilitation but also crinimogenic, social and individual needs of mental health personnel and clients in prison settings. The attitude of mental health personnel to the circumstance of their practice, both on a personal and professional level, is critical element in the success of therapy and interventions. The professional training of mental health personnel aims to crate attitudes to alleviate the stigma because of the basic objective of therapy to create a means of transcending the motivation or conditions that contributed to acts leading to clients’ convictions (Belenko et al, 2003). Thus, the mental health professional should be able to assess his personal fears, attitudes or biases, outline its mode of impact to his practice and determine the level of control he has over these elements. This requires not only self-examination but may also require consultation with other professionals and studies dealing with similar scenarios.

Accountability Mechanisms in Volkswagen and Nike

Accountability Mechanisms in Volkswagen and Nike An ever evolving set of responsibilities (and accountabilities) for the functioning and welfare of individuals, society and the environment is entrusted to public sector organisations and private business enterprises. Using both positive and negative examples discuss the above statement. Accountability is defined as the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility (Oxford Dictionary, 2016). It is an essential part of all businesses both large and small. The power that one party has which enables them to demand accounts from another party is through various accountability mechanisms. This essay will examine how a small selection of said accountability mechanisms succeeded or failed in the cases of two large corporations Volkswagen and Nike. The environment is entrusted into the hands of businesses. A prime example of when this trust was broken is the Volkswagen (VW) emissions scandal. In this case, the legal accountability mechanism failed miserably. Legal accountability is the obligation that companies have to the law. These accountabilities unlike some others e.g. market accountability are compulsory. The VW emissions scandal erupted on the 18th of September 2015 (Kollewe, 2015). The company was ordered to recall 482,000 cars in the US after the scandal was unveiled. Due to the deliberate illegal installation of a defeat device, VW could cheat emissions testing on several models and was cleared to sell them (Hotten, 2015). The defeat device caused cars affected to excel under normal emissions testing conditions. Its purpose was to recognise test conditions e.g. a locked steering wheel and a stationary test rig and put the vehicles into a safety mode which resulted in the cars emitting a significantly lower level o f air pollutants than they would under normal driving conditions. The rigging of tests allowed VW to manufacture and sell thousands of cars that were advertised as being revolutionary due their low emissions. The stark reality was that when tested out-with normal test conditions, the engines emitted nitrogen oxide pollutants up to 40 times above what is allowed in the US (Hotten, 2015). When the scandal broke, it was unveiled that 11 million cars worldwide could possibly be fitted with the device (Kollewe, 2015). What is questionable, is the fact that the company only suggested that 11m cars could possibly be fitted with the device. One would think that they would know how many times they broke the law considering all the profits that they raked in. This resulted in the emitted pollution totalling almost 1 million tonnes per year (Lee and Vachon, 2016). Roughly the same as the UKs combined emissions for all power stations, vehicles, industry and agriculture (Mathiesen and Nelsen, 20 16). VW did not take care of the environment here because although their deceit caused them to rake in profits, their carelessness and lack of consideration has resulted in a negative impact on the environment and society at large. In the case of this scandal, the legal accountability mechanism failed because although the law stated that cars could not emit more pollution than a set amount, VW used deceitful ways cunning practices to bypass the law. Since the truth has been unveiled, VW has paid and will continue to pay dearly for their wrongdoings with lawsuits and continued legal action being taken against them. Furthermore, legal accountability is not the only accountability mechanism that failed in relation to the VW scandal. Another one was market accountability, accountability to the output market in particular. The output market is where goods are sold and services are provided. This market is especially important as consumers in such markets can take their custom elsewhere in the event of a companys wrongdoing. As such a large company, VW was trusted by millions of users all around the world. They bought their products because of their brand loyalty and belief. They were drawn in by the advertisements promoting clean diesel and gave up their hard-earned money in order to receive a product that unbeknownst to them was contributing astonishing amounts of pollution into the atmosphere (Jopson, McGee and Campbell, 2016). A study found that US [VW] vehicles would have spewed between 10,392 and 41,571 tonnes of toxic gas into the air each yearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. If they had complied with EPA st andards, they would have emitted just 1,039 tonnesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦each year in total (Mathiesen and Nelsen, 2016). The failure of market accountability is equally even more astonishing due to the astounding volumes of pollution that was emitted due to these defeat devices. Not only did VW show a lack of regard for the environment, but they also did not act responsibly with the trust bestowed onto them by the output market society. The market penalized VW for its unsustainable behaviour with many customers taking their custom elsewhere. Volkswagen faces a consumer backlash against its brand (Lee and Vachon, 2016) and deservedly so. The VW scandal is a perfect example of the impact that both legal and market accountabilities can have on a company when they are ignored. On the contrary, public reputational and market accountability succeeded in the case of Nike. The company began their Reuse-a-shoe initiative in 1990 and since then have recycled more than 28 million pairs of shoes and 36,000 tons of scrap material into Nike Grind for use in more than 450,000 locations around the world (Ekstrà ¶m, 2014). The material Nike Grind- is created using the slice-and-grind method. This meant that the shoes were sliced into three separate parts: rubber outsole, foam midsole and fibre upper. The three separate parts would then be ground and refined for use (Nike, 2016). The three different types of Nike Grind can then be used for different purposes, all for benefitting communities and society in general. What is remarkable is the fact that Nike saw an opportunity to make use of all the old trainers that were being incorrectly disposed of. By beginning this initiative, it is easy to see that Nike could build a strong brand loyalty. Consumers are always eager to support an initiative that will better the planet in any way, shape or form and Nike realised this and have succeeded.   Nikes Grind website states: Nikes vision is that our products will be closed loop-that is, they will use the fewest possible materials and be assembled in ways that allow them to be readily recycled into new products. Our long term vision is to create a continuous loop without waste. (Nike, 2016) Nike has been very successful with this initiative and it shows that they care for the environments and the well-being of society as a whole. This point is derived from the fact that all the old trainers were being disposed of incorrectly and this led to an increase in landfill. Also, the burning of the rubber led to increased toxic gases being released into the atmosphere. Nikes decision to begin the Reuse-a-shoe initiative was a great one because it improved the regard with which the company was seen. In addition, their pledge to use sustainable, long-lasting materials designed for professional level performance has only further increased its popularity with millions of consumers around the world (Nike, 2016). Nikes swift action to try and reduce the impact that their old products had on the environment worked in their favour as Nike Grind is now well established and continues to boost the Nike brand image. In conclusion, yes, it is true that society and the environment is entrusted into the hands of public sector organisations and private business enterprises. These are regulated using accountability mechanisms. All companies are accountable in many ways. However, where VW failed in their legal, market and public reputational accountabilities due to their deceitful actions, Nike succeeded in their market and public reputational accountabilities by identifying and devising a way to fulfil its objectives whilst making a positive impact in many communities and society. While, VW fitted the defeat device to cheat emissions testing and eventually make more profit, Nikes outward thinking resulted in even more brand loyalty than they started out with. It simply demonstrates that accountability is an essential part of every organisation and when the accountability mechanisms fail, there are serious consequences. Bibliography Ekstrà ¶m, K.M. (2014) Waste management and sustainable consumption: Reflections on consumer waste. Pg 169-171. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GXLfBQAAQBAJpg=PA170dq=nike+reuse+a+shoehl=ensa=Xredir_esc=y#v=onepageq=nike%20reuse%20a%20shoef=false (Accessed: 16 November 2016). Hotten, R. (2015) Volkswagen: The scandal explained. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34324772 (Accessed: 16 November 2016). Jopson, B., McGee, P. and Campbell, P. (2016) Volkswagen faces $15bn hit over US green ad campaign. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/1234f9be-f5bf-11e5-9afe-dd2472ea263d (Accessed: 16 November 2016). Kollewe, J. (2015) Volkswagen emissions scandal timeline. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/10/volkswagen-emissions-scandal-timeline-events (Accessed: 16 November 2016). Lee, K.-H. and Vachon, S. (2016) Business value and sustainability: An integrated supply network perspective. Pg 101-104. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZPzcDAAAQBAJpg=PA102dq=vw+scandalhl=ensa=Xredir_esc=y#v=onepageq=vw%20scandalf=false (Accessed: 16 November 2016). Mathiesen, K. and Neslen, A. (2016) VW scandal caused nearly 1m tonnes of extra pollution, analysis shows. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/22/vw-scandal-caused-nearly-1m-tonnes-of-extra-pollution-analysis-shows (Accessed: 13 November 2016). Nike (2016) How its made. Available at: http://www.nikegrind.com/how-its-made (Accessed: 16 November 2016). Oxford Dictionary (2016) Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/accountability (Accessed: 16 November 2016). Siedel, G. (2016) The Three pillar model for business decisions: Strategy, law and ethics. Pg 16-19. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SYXNCwAAQBAJpg=PA18dq=vw+scandalhl=ensa=Xredir_esc=y#v=onepageq=vw%20scandalf=false (Accessed: 16 November 2016).

Greed in The Rocking Horse Winner :: Rocking Horse Winner

Greed in The Rocking Horse Winner  Ã‚     People need money to live, and enough to buy the basic goods one needs to survive, but everybody wants more money. More money means an easier life. The more money one has, the more money one wants, as is shown in the story, "The Rocking Horse Winner" by D. H. Lawrence. At the beginning of this story the family did not have enough money to support their opulent lifestyle. Mr. Lawrence illustrates their situation like this: "Although they lived in style they felt always an anxiety in the house. There was never enough money." (p. 159) The family scrambles to pay the bills at the end of the month. An unspoken phrase "Whispered" throughout the house, "There must be more money! There must be more money!" (p.160) the whispering said. Even though the family had money, they wanted, they needed, more. Paul, the child, knew that his family wanted money, and he knew that he was lucky, betting on the horses. Paul became partners with the gardener. He picked the horse, and the gardener placed the bet. Paul had started out with five shillings but his winnings kept adding up. When he had made 10,000 pounds he decided to give his mother 1000 pounds a year for five years. He wanted his winnings to be a secret so a lawyer handled the money. Paul saw the envelope from the lawyer and asked his mother if she had received anything good in the mail. She said "Quite moderately nice" (p. 168) in a cold voice. She liked getting the money, but she wasn't happy. She wanted more. The same day, she had a meeting with the lawyer who was handling the money. Paul's mother demanded the full sum. She received the money and spent it all. The author informs the reader, "There were certain new furnishings, and Paul had a tutor... There were flowers in the winter, and a blossoming of the luxury that Paul's mother had been used to." (p. 169) The money ran out and the voices in the house screamed, "Oh-h-h, there must be more money.

Linear Programming Essay -- Computer Science

Linear Programming Part A Introduction â€Å"Linear programming was developed by George B. Dantzig in 1947 as a technique for planning the diversified activities of the U.S Air Force.† Linear programming is a powerful mathematical technique that can be used to deal with the problem of allocating limited facilities and resources among many alternative uses in order to find out the optimal benefits. The main objective of the linear programming problem in management is to maximize profit or minimize cost. Linear programming has a wide variety of applications. It is used by oil companies to determine the best mixture of ingredients for blending gasoline. It is also plays an important part in making the optimal schedules for transportation, production, and construction. In addition, linear programming is a flexible problem-solving tool for portfolio selection in finance, budgeting advertising expenditures in marketing, assigning personnel in human resources management. Applications One of the most important applications of linear programming is the formulation of blends. Blending problems appear whenever a manager must decide how to blend tow or more recourse in order to produce one or more products. In these situations, the recourses often contains one or more essential components that must be mixed in a given pattern and the final product will contains specific percentage of the essential components. In most of these applications management then has to decide how much of each recourse to purchase in order to satisfy product specification and produce demand at minimum cost. Blending problems occur frequently in the petroleum industry( such as blending crude oil to produce different octane gasoline), chemical industry( such as blending chemicals to produce fertilizers, week killers, and so on), and food industry( such as blending input ingredients to product soft drinks, soups, and so on). Linear programming is also a very useful tool that can be used to deal with problems in manufacturing industry, such as the product-mix problem. In this situation, the objective of the manager is to determine the production levels that will allow the company to meet the product demand requirements, given limitations on labor capacity, machine hour’s capacity and so on, at the same time, to make the cost of production to minimum. The... ...simultaneously, we get X=2/3, Y=7, plug them into objective function 40X+20Y we get a profit of  £166.67. The difference between this profit and the original max-profit is 166.67-160= £6.67, which means the dual price for increasing/decreasing in purchasing 1 pig, is  £6.67. Economic meaning for shadow price The economics meaning of shadow price is the improvement in the optimal value of the objective function per unit increase in the right-hand side of the constraint. In a profit maximization problem, the dual price is the same as the shadow price. Managers could get information from the performance of each constraint and therefore make decisions on any changes in a particular input factor or resource in order to increase profit. In this case, to get more profit, the farmer is recommended to increase the number of bushels rather than increase the amount of pigs. Reference: ‘The Quantitative methods for business decision with casesÂ’, Lawrence L. Lapim, 6th Edition, Dryden, Chapter 9. ‘An introduction to management science-quantitative approaches to decision makingÂ’, David R.Anderson, Dennis J. Sweeney, Thomas A. Williams. . 6Th Edition, West, Chapter 4.

Misrepresentation of Mental Illnesses :: essays research papers

Misrepresentation of Mental Illnesses by Television Media   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To eliminate the partial representation of mental illnesses, television media needs to focus on all sides of this illness. The media needs to show that attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a legitimate disorder with effective treatments. At least one in four families in the U.S. is affected by mental illnesses. Unfortunately there is no cure for this range of illnesses, which have been around for thousands of years. Of the American adult population, 5.4 percent have a serious mental illness. These health conditions are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, behavior, or some combination of these. They are also associated with distress and sometimes impaired functioning. In 1990 the total cost of mental health services in the U.S. was $148 billion. According to a new report by the Mental Health Foundation, one in five children suffer from a mental health problem. Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is a mental illness that is diagnosed mainly in young children and doesn’t always disappear in adulthood.† All we know is that this genetic, inherited condition [ADHD] is not due to brain damage at all but rather a variation in how the brain functions.† Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorde r (ADHD) includes symptoms and characteristics that can be placed in one of three categories: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. These characteristics commonly leave a person with ADHD with lack of attention span, easily distracted, fidgety, struggling to stay seated, having trouble engaging in calm activities, impatient, and talking excessively or out of turn. A new study by researchers says that hyperactive children have behavioral differences due to under active parts of their brain, a biological malfunction, rather than due to way they were brought up. This was revealed by a magnetic scanning device that allowed researchers to look at the brains of children diagnosed with ADHD. These studies and statistics reinforce the claim that mental illnesses are not invented simply to justify drugging of children and a disease that needs be educated to the public for better understanding. Rather, ADHD is an illness that affects many people throughout their lives. This topic is oft en misunderstood by the public. The media and medical community need to educate the positive side of this controversy and not just show the opposing view, which often times misrepresented by the media.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the current President of Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), the medication prescribed by a doctor cannot lead to drug abuse and addiction.

Definition of VARK Learning style

A learning style is the way us humans take in information, process, accumulate, and recall it. Students take in and process information in different ways: by seeing and hearing, reflecting and acting, reasoning logically and ostensibly, analyzing and visualizing, steadily and in fits and starts. VARK is commonly used learning style. It stands for visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic learners. Summary of My Learning Style A multimodal study strategy is a method used when you have more than one preference that is discrete. It can also be when someone has no preferences to which study strategy they want to use. About 60% of the peoples study strategy is multimodal. Being multimodal means that you have multiple strong points in areas such as aural, reading, and writing. Those who are multimodal are context reserved which means they can choose a single mode to suit the situation. On the other hand, there are others who are not satisfied until they have had input in all of the preferred styles. They take an extensive period to gather information but often have an immersed and expansive understanding. For example, when trying to figure out something that will be brought about physically later, learners that absorb information better hands on do better when trying out something for themselves. In addition, this visual factor aids students to reproduce information on a test better. Different Learning Styles Visual learners gain information from maps such as diagrams, graphs, and charts. They learn things best through seeing them. Instead of using words, they need the information to be broke down into pieces so it is simply to comprehend. They tend to highlight information in difference colors which makes it easier for them to go back and study. These learners need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully comprehend the composition of a lesson. They favor to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions. A learner who consumes information from listening is an aural learner. In order for them to absorb information, they attend classes and discussions, discuss the topics with their peers, and can describe visuals to other people. By listening, they are able to obtain information. Aural learners are not able to take good notes and they have to read what they have on paper aloud to someone else. They perform well on a test if they spend time alone recalling ideas and speaking answers out loud or inside their head. Most people can’t understand what people say unless it’s in their own words. Auditory learners explicate the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other distinctions. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. Learners who learn by reading and writing have a preference for information being delivered as words. After reading information, they have to write it down so they are able to grasp the material. They take in information from places like handouts, textbooks, notes, and glossaries. Powerpoints are a device that helps them summarize the information. They read information in books and the internet and afterwards write the material they read into their own words. This helps them process and retain information longer than just reading or listening. Kinesthetic learners use their senses to obtain material. Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration. They take field trips, work with hands on activities, and use trial and error. They also need real life examples, applications and examples of principles. In order for them to learn the information, they need to remember the real life examples and pictures that were used. Lecture notes don’t really help them because they didn’t understand the concrete information from the beginning because it wasn’t relevant to them. They do better on tests if they have a role play for the information and practice problems that are similar to the information. Kinesthetic learners need a visual aid so the information can be drawn out for them into smaller pieces. They tend to draw out the message rather than reading it out loud or writing it. The phrase â€Å"picture is worth a thousand words† is true for people who fall in this category. They need to see how everything is put together in order for them to gather the information. Comparison of Learning Styles The difference between all the learning strategies is the way you absorb information. Unlike reading, writing, and aural learners, kinesthetic learners have to visualize what they are being taught. Aural learners attain information by listening to lectures and discussions. Others can gain information by reading and writing the material. People like me are multimodal learners, meaning that we can’t just stick one way of learning. Conclusion Depending on the subject, I learn better reading and writing or an aural learner. Listening to information more than once helps me occupy the material better. I also have to take notes and read it aloud so I am able to grasp the material. This helps me learn the information faster and I perform well on tests. I would like to try gaining knowledge from visual aids and more hands on activities. My goal is to improve on my weaker areas which are visual learning style and practice strategies that will allow me to build up the weaker areas.

Evaluation of Self Help Group

Abstract The increased dependence of modern agriculture on fossil fuel-based energy, while reducing drudgery, simultaneously increases the risk of the farmer to fluctuations in fuel prices. Labour costs have also risen sharply in recent times forcing farmers to go in for mechanization. The increased frequency of extreme weather events like droughts, floods, heat-waves and cold-spells being witnessed and attributed to climate change, are also causing frequent losses to farmers. Any strategy in agriculture, therefore, should address these key challenges of land degradation, water availability, energy requirement and labour costs. Conservation agriculture addresses all these key challenges. Zero tillage (ZT) or no-tillage one of the vital approaches of conservation agriculture is now being practiced on almost 100 million ha area worldwide with the major countries being USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada and Australia. However, the adoption of the technology in Asian countries has been low. The modern concept of ZT tends to imply seeding a crop mechanically in undisturbed soil-covered plant residues. By adopting the zero-tillage system, some of the countries have reportedly got substantial benefits in terms of grain production, revenue generation and environmental protection. Less tillage of the soil reduces labour, fuel, irrigation and machinery costs. In India, efforts to adapt and promote resource conservation technologies have been underway for nearly a decade but it is only in the past 4 to 5 years that the technologies are finding rapid acceptance by the farmers. In India spread of technologies is taking place in the irrigated regions in the Indo-Gangetic plains where rice-wheat cropping system dominates. ZT systems have not been tried or promoted in other major agro-eco regions like rainfed semi-arid tropics, the arid regions or the mountain agro-ecosystems. As sustainable agriculture becomes more popular, monetary grants and awards are becoming readily available to farmers who practice conservation tillage. Some large energy corporations which are among the greatest generators of fossil-fuel-related pollution are willing to purchase carbon credits to encourage farmers to engage in conservation tillage. The farmers' land essentially becomes a carbon sink for the power generators' emissions. This helps the farmer in several ways, and it helps the energy companies meet demands for reduction of pollution. Thus becoming a source of conserving energy in agriculture as it is certain that the way we approach energy, the way we produce, extract and consume it, will determine the future shape of life on earth. There is need of policy initiatives to be adopted to felicitate adaptation to climate change in India like promotion of incentives for good agriculture practices like zero tillage, residue management, cover crops etc that promotes carbon sequestration and reduce emission of GHGs and providing subsidies for these practices in potential regions. Therefore, socially applicable schemes and policies on conservation agriculture is needed to promote a balanced trade-off ensuring functional resilience of the ecosystem.

Importance of Eucharist in the Catholic Faith

Eucharist in the Catholic Faith In order to understand the Catholic faith, a person has to know the mysteries of the church, or in other words, sacraments. Sacraments are special occasions where God’s presence can be felt. Each sacrament provides us with grace with the life of God in our souls. Eucharist is one of the essential sacraments in the church because it is a way of literally bonding with Christ Himself, as He is truly present under the appearance of bread and wine. Receiving the host is important in the Catholic faith because it strengthens our relationship with God.When we receive communion, Christ dwells in us and we in Him. As the bread is broken down, the Holy Spirit sets us free and cleanses us from our sins. Taking communion must remind each individual that Christ will dwell in our bodies. This should make us more respectful to others and ourselves by following a Christ-like behavior. A person not taking communion will not be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Go d Himself said: â€Å"Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54) The Eucharist is a share in the inheritance of Heaven. Our vocation on this earth is to be holy and to follow God’s commandments, which include taking the Eucharist, so we can live with God eternally. Whenever someone is taking communion, he is reminded with God’s love to us. Communion is a reminder that God died to save us on the cross to shed His blood for us. Communion is Christ sharing His heavenly award with us. Before He was betrayed, Jesus told His disciples to eat the bread and drink the wine.We still we still practice this until now as a way of remembering the sacrifice of God’s Son who paid the ultimate price for the atonement of our sins. In conclusion, the Eucharist is definitely one of the important sacraments according to the Catholic faith. Without it, none of us will be saved on the last day. Taking communion regu larly helps strengthen the relationship with Christ, as each person meets Him on the alter every Sunday. Without His salvation on the cross, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy all the Holy gift of the Eucharist.

Luxury Brand Economy Effect Essay

Monaco is a small country, but well known all over the world. All over the world it is known as a place of luxury. Every year a lot of tourists visit Monaco to have a good vacation visiting casinos, luxury restaurants and off course to do a shopping in a most known, luxury brands. In Monaco you can find a lot of different luxury boutiques for every taste; you can find everything from luxury cars to a luxury clothes and accessories. During the course of Luxury audit services we study a lot about the services in luxury stores. So our goal was to divide into groups and to do an audit of few stores. Our group was a big enough for such a mission, so we were thinking how to do it in a better way. And once we got a good idea. According to the information we received during the seminar with Guillaume Rose, in Monaco there are a lot of Russian millionaires, and they are always â€Å"invited guests† in different places. So we decided to split our group on two smaller groups and to compare the experience received in Gucci store and in Celine which are situated in the heart of Monaco, near the Casino and Hotel de Paris. I will share with you the Russian experience. I asked my friend, she is from Russia, for some help in this mission. Our story was that we family couple came from Russia for my friend’s wedding and as we already bought a new skirt for my wife we need to buy a new bag, which must be one of the last collections. And the second part of our group was native French with two different scenarios in two stores. As we will see next we received a little bit different experiences. Gucci store audit Firstly we decided to audit one of the most famous brands in the world, Gucci. At 12. 00 we entered the store. Before entering the store, we noticed that the showcase was clean, with good lighting, but there were no goods exposed. Entering the store, I noticed that the main glass door was all in hand prints and it was just 12. 00. Going to the store and pretending a married couple, we were arguing about the fact that my wife has already a bunch of bags and for what reason she is looking for one new. Staff in the store noticed us at once and ran to the side waving their heads as a greeting. Only the guard who was near the enter greeted us in a very polite form. We were walking through the shop for 3 minutes and a half and it gives us a good opportunity to study the store. We noticed that the reception area was clean as it is required, but there were not enough light, it gives to the store a much groomed look. And also no music and even no fresh flowers in the store. After 3 minutes and a half we meat a sales person who greeted us and introduced himself as a David. He asked us a few open questions in order to know what we are looking for. After he listened our story he was interesting in our previous experience with Gucci brand. We pretend that we don’t know anything about Gucci. He told us some information about the brand about its uniqueness and heritage. After that David proposed a few bags, he explained the value of that model and brought all the colors for that model. Also he guaranteed that the model will be in a trend for the next few years. What was not really very good it’s a careless handling of the bag and he put them on one big heap. And what impressed me very much is that he even don’t show the inner part of the bag, on my opinion it is very important to know how it is inside the bah which you are going to buy for a big amount of money. As I was pretending a husband who is not really happy to buy a new bag, I asked about the discount, and I get an answer in very polite form that there is no discount at all in Gucci store in Monaco. My pretending wife was asking me to buy the bag she liked and I was strong on my opinion. So a after that dialogue with my wife he proposed to book the bag till the evening for the case if I will change my mind. This was very polite from his side. But he doesn’t accompany us to the door and didn’t offer to giva us a business card and to right down us into the customers database. Totally we spend in the store 26 minutes. So in conclusion I can say that the experience I have received together with my pretending wife was far different from the French experience of my group mates. Celine store audit. The second we decided to audit was the Celine also situated in the heart of Monaco. Our story was the same, we were looking for a bag which will be good to my â€Å"wife’s† new skirt which we have bought for a wedding we are invited here in Monaco. The showcase was very clean with good exposition of some goods. When we entered the store we noticed staff talking together near the cash machine, although all of them greeted us in their store. The area of the class was very clean , there were enough light, giving a good look to the goods represented in the store. After a minute and 20-30 seconds of waiting we meat a vendor, she was Russian so we were able to speak on our native language. It impressed me very much, so I was ready to buy everything in that store. She was asking a lot of open questions, to get more information about our needs and it was great, because after that she proposed a few models which were facing all our needs. She was very listening, so it helps her to understand our needs. She explained everything about the product, how to clean it and how to use it to leave it in a new condition. Of course she valued the model and showed a few others and different colors. She knows the material and the price for that bag without looking anywhere. But what upset me she didn’t spoke about the brand, because we don’t know anything about that brand, except that it is a luxury and expensive brand. As the bag we liked the most she proposed to book it till the next day midday, so that we can think about purchasing it. She remains courtesy even in the case of not buying that bag. She put our names in database and proposed her help for any other matters. She accompanies us to the door and wish a good day for us. We spend in that store 23 minutes and the felling was like we spend there almost an hour, the experience we received in the Celine store was great dispute of some moments. Conclusion As our group was divided for two smaller groups in order to compare different experiences. As Russian group visiting the Gucci store we received almost a great experience. Points to improve, I would recommend to put some products on a showcases, it is needed to clean the entry glass door and if there is such a need to clean it every hour. They need to put more lights in the store, because it was too dark. Some fresh flowers will do only a good role and some soft music will be very great. And of course some training course for the staff. Celine experience was really great and there is nothing to speak about. I wish them to continue in that way. The experience we received during these audits was one of the greatest. We were participating in the process not just as a customer’s but almost as professionals who can notice almost everything in the store. Thanks to Ozzy Monaco for a great course.

Research Paper on San Diego County CAFR Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

On San Diego County CAFR - Research Paper Example The city functions under and is administrated by the State of California’s laws and its own Charter, as periodically modified since its acceptance by the electorate in 1931 (CAFR 24). The weather of San Diego County is portrayed by mild winters with most of the annual rainfall between November to March and warm and dry summers. It is known for its natural deep water harbor, long relationship with the U.S. navy, mild year-round climate, extensive beaches, and latest emergence as a biotechnology and healthcare development center. Most people who visit the county head to the wild animal park, San Diego zoo, sea world or Lego land. The national, regional and international economic condition has badly affected San Diego County’s City services and revenue. It has also exaggerated the health of the business community. In this tough economic environment, the City of San Diego has effectively balanced its annual budget and also implemented them on time i.e. by June 30 each year. This paper will provide an analysis of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) of San Diego County and the city also meet the Governmental Accounting Standard Board (GASB) 34 requirements because the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report has been prepared in conformance with the standards and principles for reporting as set forth by GASB 34. Governmental Accounting Standard Board (GASB) With the implementation of the GASB 34, the financial reporting model for local and state governments has been changed. The financial statements under GASB 34 must include: Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A); Government wide Statements involving Statement of Activities; Statement of Net Assets; Fund Statements; Notes to Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information which includes the budgetary comparison. The CAFR of San Diego County meets the GASB 34 requirements as it is prepared in conformance with the standards and principles for reporting as required in GASB 34. Th e CAFR of the City also contains MD&A, Statement of Net Assets; Statement of Activities; Fund Statements; Notes to Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information which includes the budgetary comparison of General Funds. The objective of the City’s CAFR is to provide with the financial statement which is of material misstatement. It maintains the accuracy of data; and fairness and completeness of the presentation. In addition, the City is keeping on to progress a complete internal control over the framework of financial reporting to ascertain satisfactory management of taxpayer funds (CAFR 22). According to GASB 34 and 51, in the government wide statements; all major assets are capitalized by the City of San Diego. Capital assets of both proprietary and governmental funds are utilized at the government wide level and proprietary assets are accounted at the fund level (CAFR 41). 2011 2010 With the execution of GASB 54, there was a considerable reclassification betw een Unrestricted and Restricted Net Assets. Restricted Net Assets resulted in an increase of $949,227 i.e. by $376,845 and Unrestricted Net Assets goes down by $394,573 (CAFR 36). The statistical section provides information as required by GASB 44. In addition to the financial sta

Milton Glasers nurturing ideas Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Milton Glasers nurturing ideas - Assignment Example Based on Glaser’s talk, it is useful when he says that every single poster made in a banal way is a half-way toward an original design. Moreover, as he notes, intellectual activity should constantly work in order to compare this or that piece of design (Glaser, 1998). On the other hand, the relationships between different elements of design are too significant to make something unusual.PART IILooking at the way designers work, I have chosen the following four ways of design methods, namely: 1) Being your users; 2) Brainstorming; 3) Cluster and vote; 4) Physical prototyping (Design Council, 2010). First, I tried to replicate the whole picture of how potential clients would reflect on the design. It is obvious that a divine design is when people cannot but be embarrassed by what a designer created. Thus, being your users is a method to make point at the very start. It is a prerequisite toward an innovative creation. Second, brainstorming is the way of creative work which needs h uge intellectual efforts in order to generate spontaneous ideas of possible use for the overall design. In fact, it is a method supporting the whole process since the very outset until the finishing strokes (Bierut, 2006). Third, cluster and vote method is needful for me among the rest due to its aim at identifying a pattern in the problem area (Design Council, 2010). In other words, it deals more with brainstorming as long as the latter method is a so-called drive for selecting particular solutions through cluster and vote.

Repeat Purchases, High and Low Involvement, Organizational Purchasing Assignment

Repeat Purchases, High and Low Involvement, Organizational Purchasing and Consumer Satisfaction - Assignment Example Under business theory, there is always the threat of substitutes in a market, which means that other competing companies will often develop innovations that are similar to an existing product. One can take into consideration a technology brand such as a CD player. Substitute products in the market for this product include mobile smart phones that can sustain music selections or even Apple iPod. If the marketer is unable to get repeat purchases, then there is always the risk of defection to competing substitute products that will, over time, erode profitability. Additionally, establishment of brand loyalty is very important not only to ensure revenues from customer sales but also to outperform competition with similar product offerings and ensure that the life cycle of the product can be sustained. Under the product life cycle model, products move through an introductory stage, a growth stage, a maturity stage and a decline stage depending on how long the marketer can sustain demand f or this product. When a product reaches the decline stage, as consumers no longer demand the product in high volumes, cash management and inventory control become a major strategic problem (Dooley, 2005). By being able to promote a desire to make repeat purchases, it has the ability to extend the life cycle of the product which gives the business opportunities to avoid restructuring its operations and marketing strategies, which can be very costly to the organization. Marketers can prompt repeat purchases in several ways. First, they can use psychographic segmentation and targeting strategies to create long-term connections with the consumer lifestyle, attitudes and behaviors. Some products are not easily differentiated because they have benefits and functions similar to other competing products. Therefore, they use positioning strategies to emphasize one unique characteristic that is different from competing products to let consumers know how the product can enhance their lives, su ch as focusing on premium ingredients in a food product. If the marketer illustrates to the consumer that its product has long-term benefits to enhance the lifestyle and it is promoted more effectively than competing products, there is a much greater chance that the consumer demand for the product will be sustained. For example, some companies will use celebrity endorsements as a means of promoting more interest in a product, using credible and attractive role models that fit the lifestyle characteristics of the target market. Under social learning theory in psychology, celebrity endorsements often promote repeat purchases when such lifestyle connections have been made (Pornpitakpan, 2003). High Involvement and Low Involvement Buying candy from the supermarket in the convenience section near the register represents very low involvement purchase decision-making. When making this decision, there was very little thought about what would be an appropriate product due to two specific fac tors. First, the time frame allowed while the checkout clerk is ringing up the product is very short and therefore, in order to get the product to the register in the allotted amount of time, a rapid decision must be made. Secondly, whether the buyer was hungry or not determines the size, flavor and ultimate choice of the candy product. A fast decision based on fast nutrition needs determines the volume of time selecting the product. A high involvement decision includes shopping for a new flat screen television set. I wanted to have specific features, resolution and was very focused on price as decision-making criteria in this high involvement purchase. During this decision-making process, I compared prices