Pocahontas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pocahontas - Essay Example This custom could be seen as a ritual death which the hostile natives perpetrated on strangers in their land. Later, the chief adopted Smith as his son, or a subordinate chief. Pocahontas and Smith soon became friends. Pocahontas started visiting the English settlement to bring them food since there was always a shortage of food in the English settlements where Smith lived. The colonists were not adept at hunting food and also were not familiar with the local terrains which became a handicap in their search for food. Despite being the chieftain’s daughter, Pocahontas provided immense help to the English settlers, for which her efforts should be seen as the first attempt to bridge the cultural difference and ethnic rivalry. Because of this contribution, â€Å"she remains an important part of American folk history to this day.† (Spectrum home & school magazine 2006). Subsequently, an injury from a gunpowder explosion forced John Smith to return to England in 1609. The settlers told the natives that John Smith was dead and Pocahontas also believed it. In the year 1613, Pocahontas was kidnapped by some English settlers and brought to Jamestown. They used her as a ransom for negotiating the release of English prisoners and firearms from her father. He agreed to release the prisoners but refused to part with the weapons, and hence Pocahontas was held back. From Jamestown she was moved to Henrico for religious indoctrination into Christianity. This denotes the fact that intrinsically the Algonquian tribe was receptive to the idea of cultural transition from one religion to another. This is all the more significant because a teenage girl had done this. She was one of the first America in Virginia State to convert to Christianity, and this act pioneered the advent of Christianity in North America, from where it spread to other regions of America. Thus Pocahontas marked an important milestone in the cultural history of America. During her stay in Henrico, in the

Christo and Jeane Claude Essay Example for Free

Christo and Jeane Claude Essay Christo and Jeane Claude are a husband and wife team. These two artists are famous for transforming the ordinary into fabulous artwork, such as wrapping buildings. They accept no government grants or funding, no donations, their only income is from the sales of their artwork. Nearly all of their artshows take place outdoors, often in public parks requiring no admission fees. Their identity or famous slogan as the wrapping artists came from their controversial work named Wrapped Reichstage, Berlin, 1971-1995, an entire German Parliament Building in silver fabric looking like a wedding cake. (Sternbergh,no date). Many significant national symbols have been transformed and giving new identities by many artists. Buildings, nature’s creations, world events have become best selling books, movies, musicals, songs and plays. Anytime an artist develops anything, adding their identity to it, the item takes on that new image. The Christos saw buildings in a way no one else saw it. The Reichstage building in Berlin became a piece of sculpture or artwork when Christo and Jeane Claude wrapped the building. Artwork expands on natural traditions, allowing others to use their imaginations to interpret the meanings. â€Å"The Christos have created some of the most breathtaking works of the 20th century using fabric in, over through and around natural and constructed forms† Powell, director of national art gallery. The Christos use fabric to give an original style to traditional paintings, sculptures and buildings† (no author, 2002).Wrapping the Reichstage building, giving the illusion of a wedding cake transformed the building into an artistic sculpture. Notes; Sternbergh, Adam (no date) The passion of the Christos; New York Entertainment; nymag. com date retrieved July 24, 2007 http://nymag. com/nymetro/arts/features/10897/ No author (2/4/2002) First American Survey of Christo and Jeanne Claude; artdaily. org; Date retrieved; July 24, 2007 http://www. artdaily. com/section/news/index. asp? int_sec=2int_new=48b=Christo%20and%20Jeanne-Claude

The Formation of An Individual :: Philosophy

The Formation of An Individual Man needs a polity, and in the same way a polity needs man. This is the focus of the first chapter in the formation of an individual. The formation of an individual is a very complicated process, yet it is a process that is very necessary. Through the formation of some types of government man tries to form himself from his acquired beliefs. The most basic form of government is a couple, but it branches out to entire societies. In these societies there are certain issues that the individual must deal with, the first is oppression. Oppression is probably the hardest of all of the problems that one faces on his road to humanization. Oppression is a single force, held by few, that prevents others from reaching their status. This form of inequality can be seen in almost all forms of government, save anarchism because there are no superiors that can oppress. We saw this oppression in the movie "A Dry White Season". This movie summarized the problems with injustice, inequality, and oppression. In order for us to become more fully human, and move along on our road to our own formation we must break free from our oppressors. By breaking free, you are not starting a war, or even a conflict, but you are actively participating in your own realization. Before we can break free of the oppression that I just described we must first be able to realize when we are being oppressed. Through a complicated process of influence we gain our own thoughts, words, and actions. It first starts with our own set of beliefs. Most likely the ones that our parents set for us. But after we gain that first sense of who we are, and who we should be, then and only then can we realize if we are oppressed. We must understand the actions of ourselves before we can understand those of others. On the journey to create our own individuality we need to be influenced because after we are influenced we can then Aweed out@ the ideas that most likely conform to our own opinions. This onion is the most effective tool or method in the formation of an individual. Paulo Friere addressed the issue of oppression and why it must be stopped in his essay APedagogy of the Oppressed.@ In this essay he dictates that through education we can and must stop oppression. Yet this Abreaking free@ cannot be an individual effort, but a combine summation of forces. Near the beginning of his essay he says that man must break free of the chains that bind him to his The Formation of An Individual :: Philosophy The Formation of An Individual Man needs a polity, and in the same way a polity needs man. This is the focus of the first chapter in the formation of an individual. The formation of an individual is a very complicated process, yet it is a process that is very necessary. Through the formation of some types of government man tries to form himself from his acquired beliefs. The most basic form of government is a couple, but it branches out to entire societies. In these societies there are certain issues that the individual must deal with, the first is oppression. Oppression is probably the hardest of all of the problems that one faces on his road to humanization. Oppression is a single force, held by few, that prevents others from reaching their status. This form of inequality can be seen in almost all forms of government, save anarchism because there are no superiors that can oppress. We saw this oppression in the movie "A Dry White Season". This movie summarized the problems with injustice, inequality, and oppression. In order for us to become more fully human, and move along on our road to our own formation we must break free from our oppressors. By breaking free, you are not starting a war, or even a conflict, but you are actively participating in your own realization. Before we can break free of the oppression that I just described we must first be able to realize when we are being oppressed. Through a complicated process of influence we gain our own thoughts, words, and actions. It first starts with our own set of beliefs. Most likely the ones that our parents set for us. But after we gain that first sense of who we are, and who we should be, then and only then can we realize if we are oppressed. We must understand the actions of ourselves before we can understand those of others. On the journey to create our own individuality we need to be influenced because after we are influenced we can then Aweed out@ the ideas that most likely conform to our own opinions. This onion is the most effective tool or method in the formation of an individual. Paulo Friere addressed the issue of oppression and why it must be stopped in his essay APedagogy of the Oppressed.@ In this essay he dictates that through education we can and must stop oppression. Yet this Abreaking free@ cannot be an individual effort, but a combine summation of forces. Near the beginning of his essay he says that man must break free of the chains that bind him to his

Is life in prison without parole better than the death penalty? Essay

This is it, this is the last time you will ever see daylight again. The dim light of the outside world seems to be overtaken by shadows. You squeeze your eyes shut, and then everything goes dark. That is the death penalty. What exactly is the death penalty? In the dictionary, it is defined as, â€Å"the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offense.† What the death penalty itself serves is retribution and revenge. Many believe that this is the right way to punish criminals in society, although there are many faults with capital punishment as well. Those faults consist of errors in the system, state costs, and the risks of executions of innocent people. Life in prison without parole is better than the death penalty where the death penalty is the foundation in injustice and it is immoral. People supporting the death penalty often argue that capital punishment is required not only for retributive reasons but rather to prevent the taking of innocent lives. Cass R. Sunstein, Professor of Law at Harvard University Law School, and Adrian Vermeule, another professor at Harvard Law School said â€Å"A leading national study suggests that each execution prevents some eighteen murders on average.† What my question is, how does taking away a criminals life prevent a life of an innocent being taken away? Killing a culprit does not prevent murders from happening, because there are still killers outside of jail. Death row does not prevent homicide happening in the outside world. The death penalty is no more effective in deterring others than life sentences. Life without parole also prevents reoffending. It means what it says, spending the rest of your life locked up, knowing you’ll never be free. Leading up to my next point, life without parole costs less than the de ath penalty. The death penalty is much more expensive than life without parole. It requires a long process for capital cases, which is needed in order to make sure that innocent individuals are not executed for crimes they did not commit. If the death penalty was replaced with a sentence of life without parole, which costs millions of dollars less, a lot of money could be saved  for useful necessities. The millions of dollars could be spent on education, roads, programs, and more. Capital punishment is time consuming and expensive than the typical crime cases. Speaking of the innocent, my next point, an innocent person serving life can be released from death row. The system can make tragic mistakes. According to the editorial â€Å"There is No ‘Humane’ Execution†, since 1973, 139 people have been released from death row because they were proven innocent said by the Death Penalty Information Center. We’ll never know for sure how many people have been executed for crimes they didn’t commit. DNA is rarely available in homicides, often irrelevant and can’t guarantee we won’t execute innocent people. A number of innocent people have had to been put to death, which contradicts with the true meaning of justice. Leading to my final point, that capital punishment is immoral and is foundation of injustice. It is barbaric that people siding with capital punishment consider it moral. If anything, death penalty contradicts the true meaning of justice. In the article â€Å"Is Life in Prison without Parole a Better Option than Death Penalty?† John P. Conrad, former Chief of Center for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation at the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice said â€Å"I hold that the execution of the most contemptible murderer conflicts with the true functions of retributive justice- the repudiation of evil done and the prospective reconciliation of the criminal with the community he has wronged.† Capital punishment is immoral and unfair and discriminatory in practice. No one deserves to die. In civilized society, we reject the principle of literally doing to criminals what they do to their victims. For instance, if the culprit’s crime was rape, his punishment cannot literally be rape. We shouldn’t punish the murderer with death. Capit al punishment shows what an uncivilized and immoral society we are. The sentence of capital punishment is a barbaric action for punishment a criminal. Murder is unacceptable by society, yet people seem to approve killing criminals. Sentencing a criminal to death does not solve the questions and problems left behind, it just creates controversy. Capital punishment is wrongly practiced and immoral and the wrong way to punish  criminals. Life in prison without parole is a much better option, whereas capital punishment is just a way to seek revenge on the individual who would rather have the darkness of a solitary than not to see the dark at all.

Steinbeck Model of “Paradox and Dream: Personal Essay

Victims of Love One of the generalities most often noted about Victims of Love is that we are impatient, incomplete, and unsatisfied once we discover what love is and that is possible for anyone to have. We complain when we want it, yet take it for granted when it’s ours. We say we cannot stand to live with our lovers, yet we proclaim it is unbearable to live without them. We claim to be strong and fearless, but in the face of love we fall weak to our knees with open arms reaching for all it has to offer. Love is endless, limitless, and powerful beyond measure.It has the ability to give you the best feeling no one other thing can, yet it has the power to hurt you beyond compare to anything else. We claim love is blinding to those lucky enough to have it, but are we really blind? Can we really not see beyond love’s overwhelming nature, or do we choose to not see the bad because its potential to be such a wonderful thing outweighs its negative qualities and its faults? On ce we fall victim to love and all it’s worth, an untamed fire is lit beneath the deepest layer of our hearts, burning brightly until greeted by the only conquerer of love- death.As we as victims of love believe, when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. We, as greedy, impatient people chase after love when we want it, yet we fail to realize we don’t find love, love finds us. We can choose who we hate, but we cannot control who we love. We love those who hurt us, but hurt those who love us. Victims of Love want to grasp onto love once they find it and never let it go, yet we learn that if you love someone, you have to set them free. We long to always be with those we love yet we are blind to see that distance makes the heart grow fonder.Because of this, we are left asking ‘what? ’. What is so addicting about love? Do we love imperfection, love to feel wanted, love the vision of love that ends with a happily ever after? I t is often portrayed that you cannot love what you do not know, yet, according to Paul Valery, it would be impossible to love anything or anyone completely because love is directed towards what lies hidden in its presence. We, as living paradoxes, fear the unknown, yet we have a passion and curiosity to know what lies beyond our existing knowledge.We search for our perfect vision of love, and we are disappointed with our results. We fail to see that true love doesn’t come by finding a perfect person, but by finding an imperfect person and learning to love them perfectly. We question to why sometimes love fails, but we make no effort to see it was our fault because we have failed to love. We are slaves to pleasure and pain once we have it, and use love as a motivation to find it. We try to make sense of love and the feelings that overcome us and thus become incapable of feeling it.We foolishly live a life for love instead of a having a life with love. When we have love, we fee l we do not need anything else and when we do not have it, we feel nothing else we have really matters. To have love is to have faith; those with little faith have little love and those with a lot of faith have a lot of love. We search for love with our thoughts and eyes and forget that love lies beyond what we see and think; it exists where we feel, it exists in our hearts. Love is a strange thing; it requires no inquisition, just acceptance.Love is an inevitable force of nature. We can choose to avoid it or choose to surrender to it, either way, it strikes back like lightening, unpredictable and irrefutable. Love does not come in favor of our own stipulations and conditions, hut it comes independently of our desires and wishes as does the moon, stars, and darkness of night with no regards to the day. Just as we may obtain the ability to control the time of night and day, we risk damaging a balance of laws without fully knowing the consequences of our intentions.In the same way, we practice elements of love, such as marriage or intercourse, yet we are left dismayed and puzzled, angered and suffering, questioning as to if our reason behind our insensible actions was truly love after all. We dream of a love inexplicable beyond words-one that proves without it, we are merely individuals limited to our ability of what we can do, but with it the boundaries are limitless with possibility at its fingertips. Our dream lies beyond not only understanding what love is, but also learning the ecret to keep its burning flame lit with passion and all the qualities that make for a perfect, successful expression of all that love is. We say we wish for a love without any pain, but how can we measure the power and endurance of that love if it only endures the easy road of life? What we truly, honestly long for is a love that shows its strength, surpassing even the most difficult obstacles and the harshest pain and coming out victorious, proving to us that in the end, love does conquer all.

Johnson Johnson SWOT Analysis

Johnson Johnson SWOT Analysis Introduction Johnson Johnson is an American company manufacturing pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer packaged goods worldwide. It was founded in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1886; its headquarters are still there though it has subsidiary companies all over the globe. The company name is synonymous with its baby care products though it has wide range of products not only pharmaceutical but also in the allied segments of diagnostic devices and surgery.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Johnson Johnson SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their well-known OTC products are Tylenol, Motrin, Johnson’s baby oil, visine, Bengay, Neutrogenga skin care products and Band-Aid bandages (MBA Lectures, 2010). After starting in 1896, the company expanded first to Canada in 1919 and later to Britain in 1924. Its public launch was in 1944 listing with the New York Stock Exchange. Its strategic acquisition started with Neutrogena in 1994 and Depuy in 1998. During the period from 1989 to 1999, the company had 45 acquisitions to its credit. Johnson Johnson began to help doctors and nurses to use sterile sutures, dressings and bandages in the treatment of wounds. This fuelled further innovative ideas to be introduced from time to time ever since. (Marketing Teacher.com, n.d). Keeping its responsibility towards environment, the company formulated in its vision statement that it should use the resources that are environmental friendly. Its major products of traditional production are Band-Aids, Listerine and Baby Lotion. As part of its healthy planet program, it sets up new long term goals every five years Their long term goals include direct purchase of low cost hydro and wind power, and acquiring on-site solar power and land fill gas. It is also maintaining the largest fleet of hybrid vehicles throughout the world (Boone and Kurtz, 2011). The Company is still remembered for its response to people who died of cyanide poisoning of its Tylenol capsules as sabotage. The quick withdrawal of Tylenol from the market alone cost the company half a billion dollars as moving cost. Ethical practices of the company are proving to be its competitive advantage (Williams, 2011). Strengths:Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Workforce of 118,000 employees. Presence in 60 countries. More than 250 operating companies. The 8th largest pharmaceutical business and the 6th largest biotech business in the world. Recognized by the United Nations as the Humanitarian of the year for 2011 for the work of philanthropy touching lives of billions of people’s basic health care. Reported strong progress in the first of five year pledge to help save and improve lives of 120 million women and children in developing countries as part of the United Nation s Millennium Development Goals. Increasing sales of $ 61.1 bn in 2007, $ 63.7 bn in 2008, $ 61.9 bn in 2009, $ 61.6 bn in 2010 and $ 65 bn in 2011. Increased dividends paid per share $ 1.620 (2007), $ 1.795 (2008), $ 1.930 (2009), $ 2.110 (2010) and $ 2.250 (2011). Development of new treatment for prostate cancer. 125 years of experience. A number of new innovative products to meet the unmet health care needs across the world. Strong product portfolios in immunology, oncology, surgical devices and emerging markets. Scientific innovation. Well positioned to grow and increase market leadership. Delivering sustainable growth for shareholders. Business restructured to manage cost structure, simplify business operations. Nine major approvals for new pharmaceutical products in the U.S. obtained as a result of continued research and development for the last five years incurring over $ 37 billion. The new products include STELERA and SIMPONI in immunology, PREZISTA, INTELENCE in HIV, ZYTIGA in oncology, XARELTO in cardiovascular disease segments. R D efforts in the segment of Medical Devices and Diagnostics (MD D) and consumer platforms, such as contact lenses, electrophysiology, advanced energy, biosurgicals, oral care, and skin care. These amount to $ 7.5 billion. New technologies for replenishment of certain segments. E.g., Fibrin Pad, canaglifozin and bapineuzumab are produced for treatment of hemostasis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease respectively. Sizeable amount of capital reserves returned by of refund of shares and payment of retained dividends that further strengthened financial parameters. Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and Beijing Dabao Cosmetics Company Ltd in the Consumer business segment acquisitioned as part of company’s long term strategy. These were company’s strategic alliances to improve its market and competitive advantage. Crucell N.V. and Elan Corporation Plc were introduced in pharmaceutical business segment, pending acqui sition of Synthes, Inc were applied in MDD business. Ingenuity, resiliency, tenacity, integrity and compassion shown by the people of Johnson Johnson during the period of industry and global changes. Growth in adjusted earnings for the 28th consecutive year. It amounted to $ 13.9 billion, and adjusted earnings per share were $ 5. Worldwide sales of $ 65.0 billion reflecting an increase of 5.6 % from previous year. Development of â€Å"telaprevir† in partnership with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which was approved in 2011 and set to meet the needs of treatment of hepatitis C affecting 170 million people all over the world. It is already in the market under the brand name IN CIVO in Europe. Making alliance with Bayer Healthcare. Due to that, drug by name XARELTO was introduced by the company in 2011. It is for the cure of complications arising out knee or hip replacement procedures. This medecine can also be administered to avoid stroke and systemic embolism in people suffering fro m nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Broad based business and expertise. These allowed to create devices like blood glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and develop new drugs like canagliflozin. Nutritional products, such as SPLENDA sweeteners, brought out through Consumer Wellness and Prevention business. 70 % of sales. This rate is attributed to two products having No. 1 and No.2 global market share positions. 25 % of sales from the new products launched in the last five years. Maintained AAA credit rating. Paid increased dividend to shareholders for the 49th consecutive year. Generated a free cash flow of about $ 11.4 billion. Exceeded Standard Poor‘s 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average in respect of one year shareholder return at nearly 10 percent. The above comparison has been maintained over a long period. The company remains an investment choice for several decades (Johnson Johnson 2011). Johnson and Johnson was the first to introduce a sterilizing technique for catgut su tures. It was the company’s first major product. In the U.S., the company is able to keep their price increase in tune with Consumer Price Index (CPI). It is able to prevail upon the governments for differential pricing of its products so as to make its goods reach different segments of population. Thus, the company has agreement with the U.K. in respect of its product VELCADE meant for the treatment of multiple myelama. Another agreement was made with France for RISPERDAL and CONSTA for treatment of schizophrenia. Various companies and governments have also entered into agreements with the company for various risk sharing arrangements (Marketing Teacher.com, n.d). The company is able to offer discount for their baby care products and contact lens. Its promotional campaign â€Å"Beauty for all Ages† has been quite popular at Wallgreens. The company is involved in helping manage many cases, such as healthy life styles. There were a lot of programs to promote a healthy l iving, such as the campaign for Nursing’s future, Having a Baby Changes Things and Because We Care We Act. Its decentralized management approach gives its employees an entrepreneurial feel of the belief that they succeed to meet the customer needs and provide them with solutions (Marketing Teacher.com, n.d).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Johnson Johnson SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Weaknesses: Uncertain macroeconomic conditions; Patent expiration in two years for two of the company’s major drugs, Risperdal and Topmax which gained $ 6 billion in sales; Severe economic conditions that restrict consumer spending; Quality issues related to over-the-counter products at McNeil Consumer Healthcare; Recall of the DePuy ASR Hip system. As on January 1, 2012, the company is facing numerous product liability cases. Damages claimed are substantial although company’s warning s and instructions were adequate enough to counter such claims. Yet it is difficult to predict the litigation outcomes. Approximately, there are 3,800 claimants for injuries due to LEVAQUIN, 4,700 in respect of ASRâ„ ¢ XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASRâ„ ¢ Hip Resurfacing System, 860 for PINNACLE, 420 for RISPERDAL, 480 for pelvic meshes, 95 for CYPHER stent and 60 for DURAGESIC. Johnson Johnson’s subsidiaries are facing intellectual property lawsuits in respect of Medical Devices and Diagnostics. In 2004, Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Tyco) and the U.S. Surgical Corporation sued Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc for infringement of four of TYCO patents by the company’s product EES’s HRAMONIC Scalpel in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut. Although the case was dismissed on the ground that TYCO did not own the patents, and the dismissal without prejudice also was affirmed in appeal, TYCO has filed complaint of similar infringements in the same court for monetary damages and injunctive relief in 2010. The case is expected to be heard in May 2012. Cordis Corporation filed lawsuits in New Jersey and Delaware courts against Guidant Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific Corporation, Meditronic Ave in 2006 complaining that company’s Xience V (Abbott), Promus (Boston Scientific) and Endeavor (Meditronic) infringed several of their Cordis’s Wright/Falotico patents. Courts found the claims invalid, and they were also affirmed in appeals in one of the cases for lack of written description and written enablement. In 2007, Bruce Saffran sued for patent infringement against Johnson Johnson and Cordis in Texas court for infringement of the US Patent No. 5,653, 760. Court found in 2011 that Cordis infringed a patent issued to Saffran who was awarded with $ 482 million. Cordis was also ordered to pay $ 111 in addition in 2011 as pre-judgment interest. Cordis appealed, and the company has not made any accrual in this regard sinc e it believes that there is no unfavorable outcome.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In 2007, Rosche diagnostics filed lawsuit for patent infringement against Life Scan Inc. in Delaware Court for the reason that LifeScan’s blood glucose monitoring system infringed two of its patents related to the sue of microelectrode sensors. Lifescan obtained a favorable judgment. On appeal by Roche, appeal court has remanded the case for hearing on new findings. In 2008, Cordis filed lawsuit against Guidant, Abbott, Boston Scientific andMedtronic alleging that the Xience Vâ„ ¢ (Abbott), Promusâ„ ¢ (Boston Scientific) and Endeavor ® (Medtronic) infringed their Wyeth (now Pfizer) Morris patents. In January 2012, court summed up in the favour the defendants for lack of enablement and failure to describe the full scope of the invention sufficiently. Cordis is likely to appeal. Similar lawsuits were brought by Rembrandt Vision Technologies L.P. in 2009. Howmedica Osteonics Corp and Styker Ireland Ltd filed lawsuits for patent infringements in Texas and New Jersey Court s respectively in 2011. Trials are pending. Company’s subsidiaries have instituted lawsuits in respect of pharmaceutical patent infringements starting from 2007 till date. Similarly lawsuits are also pending against the company’s subsidiaries (Johnson Johnson 2011). Opportunities: Ageing of the world population contributes to more spending on health care costs. International presence and outward growth help the company avail of the opportunities for additional business emerging from global health care reforms. Cancers, mental health disorders, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, and HIV present opportunities in the unmet medical needs. These give chances to control the market where the company has presence and can make investments to gain leadership. Health care reforms evolving around the world requiring more cost effective health care solutions by the government payers and regulators present opportunities to make investments in personalized medic ine, companion diagnostics in the fields of oncology and anti-psychotics. There are also new opportunities through acquisitions for new technologies, such as the product REVIVE SE device which saved the life of Mrs. Wecker through full recovery from her stroke. Similarly, company’s oncologist Bill Hait was saved from the use of newly introduced blood clot retrieval and removal device. Fibrin pad was developed through collaboration with Israel based Omrix Pharmaceuticals Ltd in the treatment of surgical bleeding. Sustained regulatory environment with a view of saving lives, mitigating patients’ sufferings, and addressing unmet medical needs allows to make innovations. Company supports strong regulatory presence since it ensures patient safety, and fast approvals of lifesaving medicines (Johnson Johnson 2011). Threats: Slowdown in economic growth, fluctuations in financial markets, increased unemployment and pressure on heath care costs have a negative impact on healt h care spending (Johnson Johnson 2011). There is regulatory high-handedness. Its global competitors are able to offer substitute products at lesser prices. Established pharmaceutical products with brand selling face major threats from generic manufacturers from local markets. Bio-technology may wipe out pharmaceutical technology in future. There exist regulatory pressures of different kinds in different countries (MBA Lectures 2010). Strengths: Even before the advent of the 20th century, Johnson Johnson became an enterprise with international presence. It is credited with customer satisfaction and robust R D facilities. Large scale operations have helped the company minimize expenditure and become more competitive. Brand image, brand loyalty, and long standing customers are the plus points for the company. It commands world wide presence with as many as 250 subsidiary companies operating in about 57 companies. The company’s products are represented in 175 countries as in 2008, and its annual sales revenue for the year ended in 2011 is $ 65,030 millions. The company has been able to differentiate from its competitors. With vast diversification in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer packaged goods, the company enjoys the competitive advantage over the others. Johnson Johnson has more than 29,925 internet domains associated with Internet and technology organizations having web presence (MBA Lectures, 2010). Strategic acquisitions mean that its stable financial position has enabled Johnson Johnson to make timely acquisitions utilizing its cash reserves. Its triple –A credit rating indicates its ability to seize opportunities by remaining free from financial debt burden. Product diversification has enabled the company to avoid dependence on any particular market segment or product portfolio. Its long range plans of diversification are set to be completed by 2014. Positive revenue growth projections include that the new products launc hed will more than compensate its decline in revenues from prescription pharmaceutical market, and an increase of 1.8 % in 2008-14 is sure to be achieved (Marketing Teacher.com, n.d). Weaknesses: On April 30, 2010, Johnson Johnson’s subsidiary company had to recall 43 kinds of OTC medicines that include Benadr, Tylenol Plus, Tylenol and Zyrtec. In 2010, Johnson Johnson was sued by the U.S. government unethical distribution of drugs to dementia patients through Omnicare. Several of its products are outdated due to patents or copy rights expiry. The company incurs heavily on expenditures related to information gathering having no value added output or input. Due to its copyright expirations, the company is facing lot of pressure to reduce its prices. Company is largely dependant on revenues from Risperdal and CNS (MBA Lectures 2010). Its new products recently launched are subject to uncertainties of market forces and regulatory overview. Reliance on small molecule drugs, wh ich are subject to competition from generics market, puts the company at a disadvantage (Marketing Teacher.com, n.d). Opportunities: The company’s acquisition of Pfizer will add to its growth substantially. Johnson Johnson enjoys competitive edge to enhance its market capture by way of innovative products and sustained product development. The company has been leveraging its international presence with the strategies of joint ventures and acquisitions. Its foray into diagnostics and medical devices markets helps promote the growth of its markets. Growth in the economy round the corner promises increased customer spending which will in turn reflect in company’s enhanced sales revenues. The company has the unique synergistic advantage in maximizing its revenues through acquisitions of diverse range of companies (MBA Lectures 2010) Cross selling opportunities abound due to its strategic acquisitions and strategic positioning. The disease life cycle presents unlimited g rowth opportunities in the segments of Cardiovascular, oncology, diabetes and I I therapy. Market for biological products has a huge potential not only to compensate its loss of market due to patents expiry on molecules. A biological major has already joined hands with the company in 2009 to develop and commercially exploit the items, such as therapeutic proteins Procrit, Natrcor, and monoclonal antibodies, such as Remicade, Reopro, Simponi, and Stelara. These provide the company with the intellectual property rights opportunities so as to strengthen its discovery rights (Marketing Teacher.com, n.d.; Johnson Johnson SWOT Analysis, n.d.). Threats: There is a regulatory high-handedness. Its global competitors are able to offer substitute products at lesser prices. Established pharmaceutical products with brand selling face major threats from generic manufacturers to local markets. Bio-technology may wipe out pharmaceutical technology in the future. There exist regulatory pressures of different kinds in different countries (MBA Lectures 2010). References Boone, L.E. Kurtz, D.L. (2011). Contemporary Business, U.S.A.: John Wiley Sons. Johnson Johnson. (2011). Annual Report. Retrieved from investor.jnj.com/2011annualreport/index.html April 27, 2012 Johnson Johnson SWOT Analysis. (n.d). Retrieved from businessteacher.org.uk/business-resources/swot-analysis-database/johnson-johnson-swot-analysis/ MBA Lectures (2010) SWOT Analysis of Johnson Johnson. Retrieved from http://mba-lectures.com/marketing/swot-analysis-marketing/1109/swot-analysis-of-johnson-johnson.html Marketing Teacher.com (n.d.). SWOT Analysis of Johnson Johnson, Retrieved from marketingteacher.com/swot/johnson-and-johnson-swot.html Williams, C. (2011). Management . Ohio, USA: Cengage Learning.

Writing pedagogy Essay Example

Writing pedagogy Essay Example Writing pedagogy Essay Writing pedagogy Essay Writing pedagogy is as varied as any other kind of instruction although there are stand-bys that seem to guide effective writing instruction. Many of those common elements have been listed in the plan below for teaching expository paragraphing. The writing key writing strategies I world use to teach expository writing are brainstorming (advance organizers), drafting, modeling, and peer review. These are writing techniques that would be beneficial to all writing. First off, a teacher would want to make sure that students understand the content and the structure of expository writing. In order to teach expository paragraphs, I would first have a question on the board when students come in- What does expository mean? They would use the cooperative technique of Think-Pair-Share, and we would develop a working definition. This would take less then five minutes. Then, I would present the various components of exposition, like comparison/contrast, cause/effect, steps in a process, description, etc. to the whole group. I would inform that class that descriptive is what we will focus on and brainstorm with them about about what makes good description to the whole group (Informing learners of objective). To stimulate some good descriptive writing, thought provoking pictures will be placed at various points around the room (gaining attention). Students will be instructed to choose a picture and free write about that picture using what they know about good description. All students who wrote on the same photo will form a group, which would be the beginning of small group instruction. They will read what they have written to each other, commenting on examples of good description in the works of others. I would allow 15 minutes for this. These same groups will brainstorm about possible thesis statements for their paragraphs, using previous knowledge of thesis statements (stimulating recall of prerequisite knowledge). They will rely on this prior knowledge to come up with a thesis statement. I would allow another ten minutes for this. Groups would share their possible thesis statements and we would critique them as a class. They would receive a handout with definitions and examples of basic elements of description, like effective vocabulary and figurative language. At this point, we would look at both a professional model and a student model of a good descriptive paragraph as a whole group and have a class discussion about what makes these good and how we would incorporate these methods into our own writing (presenting stimulus material). A rubric will also be provided and explained. This rubric would highlight voice, sentence structure, and various elements of description like use of figurative language, effective verbs, connotation, etc. Modeling is an essential part of the writing process and one that many teachers miss. Rubrics simply make the end results much more tangible for students rather then just the subjective grade that instructors sometimes give. Students would then draft or revise what they have already written on a computer, including a thesis. They would then email their paragraphs to a partner in the class who would use Word Track Changes to offer helpful suggestions/improvements and email the paragraph back (peer conferences). Each person would fill out an evaluation form including strengths of the paragraph, suggestions for improvement, areas where more development is needed, and questions for the writer (providing feedback). These will be submitted to the teacher (providing feedback). They would then go so far as to fill out the rubric for their partner’s paper as if they were grading it themselves. When they turn in a final draft, they will write reflectively about their paragraph relating to each point on the rubric and give themselves a grade based on the rubric (providing feedback). The teacher will then grade these according to the rubric. This lesson or series of activities would provide students with all the essentials of expository writing while hitting on a variety of learning styles and instructional techniques. Expository writing is an important skill for students to have and needs to be taught in a scaffolded approach. Romano, Tony and Anderson, Gary, Expository Composition: Discovering Your Voice, EMC Publishing, St. Paul, MN, 2008.

Biography of William Still, American Abolitionist

Biography of William Still, American Abolitionist William Still (October 7, 1821–July 14, 1902) was a prominent abolitionist who coined the term Underground Railroad and, as one of the chief conductors in Pennsylvania helped thousands of people get free and settled away from slavery. Throughout his life, Still fought not only to abolish slavery, but also to provide African-Americans in northern enclaves with civil rights. Stills work with runaways is documented in his seminal text, The Underground Rail Road.  Still believed that the book  could encourage the race in efforts of self-elevation. Fast Facts: William Still Known For: Abolitionist, Father of the Underground RailroadBorn: October 7, 1821 near Medford, New JerseyParents: Levin and Charity (Sidney) SteelDied: July 14, 1902 in PhiladelphiaEducation: Little formal education, self-taughtPublished Works: The Underground Rail RoadSpouse: Letitia George (m. 1847)Children:  Caroline Matilda Still, William Wilberforce Still, Robert George Still, Frances Ellen Still Early Life Still was born a free black man in near the town of Medford, in Burlington County, New Jersey, the youngest of 18 children born to Levin and Sidney Steel. Although he gave his official birthdate as October 7, 1821, Still provided the date of November 1819 on the 1900 census. Still was the son of people who had been enslaved laborers on a potato and corn farm on the eastern shore of Maryland owned by Saunders Griffin. William Stills father Levin Steel was able to purchase his own freedom, but his wife Sidney had to escape enslavement twice. The first time she escaped she brought along her four oldest children. However, she and her children were recaptured and returned to slavery. The second time Sidney Steel ran away, she brought two daughters, but her sons were sold to slave owners in Mississippi. Once the family was settled in New Jersey, Levin changed the spelling of their name to Still and Sidney took a new name, Charity. Throughout William Stills childhood, he worked with his family on their farm and also found work as a woodcutter. Although Still received very little formal education, he did learn to read and write, teaching himself by extensive reading. Stills literary skills would help him become a prominent abolitionist and advocate for freed African-Americans. Marriage and Family In 1844 at the age of 23, Still relocated to Philadelphia, where he worked first as a janitor and then as a clerk for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Soon he became an active member of the organization, and by 1850 he served as the chairman of the committee established to help runaway slaves. While he was in Philadelphia, Still met and married Letitia George. Following their marriage in 1847, the couple had four children: Caroline Matilda Still, one of the first African-American women doctors in the United States; William Wilberforce Still, a prominent African-American lawyer in Philadelphia; Robert George Still, a journalist and print shop owner; and Frances Ellen Still, an educator who was named after the poet Frances Watkins Harper. The Underground Railroad Between 1844 and 1865, Still helped at least 60 enslaved African-Americans escape bondage. Still interviewed many of the enslaved African-Americans seeking freedom, men, women, and families, documenting where they came from, the difficulties they met and help they found along the way, their final destination, and the pseudonyms they used to relocate. During one of his interviews, Still realized that he was questioning his older brother Peter, who had been sold to another slaveholder when their mother escaped. During his time with the Anti-Slavery Society, Still put together records of more than 1,000 former enslaved people, keeping the information hidden until slavery was abolished in 1865. With the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, Still was elected chairman of the Vigilance Committee organized to find a way to circumvent the legislation. African-American Civic Leader Since his work with the Underground Railroad had to be kept secret, Still kept a fairly low public profile until slaves were freed. Nonetheless, he was a fairly prominent leader of the African-American community: in 1855, he traveled to Canada to observe enclaves of former slaves. By 1859, Still began the fight to desegregate Philadelphias public transportation system by publishing a letter in a local newspaper. Although Still was supported by many in this endeavor, some members of the African-American community were less interested in gaining civil rights. As a result, Still published a pamphlet entitled, ​A Brief Narrative of the Struggle for the Rights of the Colored People of Philadelphia in the City Railway Cars in 1867. After eight years of lobbying, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a law ending segregation of public transportation. Still was also an organizer of a YMCA for African-American youngsters; an active participant in the Freedmens Aid Commission; and a founding member of the Berean Presbyterian Church. He also helped establish a Mission School in North Philadelphia. After 1865 In 1872, seven years after the abolition of slavery, Still published his collected interviews in a book entitled, The Underground Rail Road. The book included more than 1,000 interviews and was 800 pages long: the tales are heroic and harrowing, and they illustrate how people suffered deeply and sacrificed much to escape slavery. Notably, the text underscored the fact that the abolitionist movement in Philadelphia was primarily organized and maintained by African-Americans. As a result,  Still became known as the Father of the Underground Railroad. Of his book, Still said, we very much need works on various topics from the pens of colored men to represent the race intellectually. The publication of The Underground Rail Road  was important to the body of literature published by African-Americans documenting their history as abolitionists and former slaves. Stills book was published in three editions and went on to become the most circulated text on the Underground Railroad. In  1876, Still placed the book on exhibit at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition to remind visitors of the legacy of slavery in the United States. By the late 1870s, he sold an estimated 5,000–10,000 copies. In 1883, he issued the third expanded edition that included an autobiographical sketch. Businessman During his career as an abolitionist and civil rights activist, Still acquired considerable personal wealth. He began purchasing real estate throughout Philadelphia as a young man. Later, he ran a coal business and established a store selling new and used stoves. He also received proceeds from the sales of his book. To publicize his book, Still built a network of efficient, entrepreneurial, college-educated sales agents to sell what he described as a collection of quiet examples of what fortitude can achieve where freedom is the goal. Death Still died in 1902 of heart trouble. In Stills obituary, The New York Times wrote that he was one of the best-educated members of his race, who was known throughout the country as the Father of the Underground Railroad. Sources Gara, Larry. William Still and the Underground Railroad. Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies 28.1 (1961): 33–44.Hall, Stephen G. To Render the Private Public: William Still and the Selling of The Underground Rail Road. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 127.1 (2003): 35–55.Hendrick, Willene and George Hendrick. Fleeing for Freedom: Stories of the Underground Railroad as Told by Levi Coffin and William Still. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2004Khan, Lurey. William Still and the Underground Railroad: Fugitive Slaves and Family Ties. New York: iUniverse, 2010.Mitchell, Frances Waters. William Still. Negro History Bulletin 5.3 (1941): 50–51.Still, William.. The Underground Rail Road Records: With a Life of the Author. Philadelphia: William Still, 1886.William Still: An African-American Abolitionist. Still Family Archives. Philadelphia: Temple University.

Hong Kong's Disneyland and Ocean Park Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hong Kong's Disneyland and Ocean Park - Essay Example Walt Disney mainly focuses its activities on fantasy by producing movies and owning intellectual properties. However, there is an uncertainty that its customers may change their tastes to demand more of products and services that focus on nature and reality. This will see the company record a sharp drop in its attendance, revenues and profits. The Hong Kong economy has been stable because of its dependence on high property prices. A drop in the prices of prices would result in the economy experiencing a recess. Many people will be unemployed hence they will not afford money for leisure and entertainment. There will be low attendance and the firm may be forced to reduce ticket prices in order to attract customers. This will increase the cost of borrowing for the company hence limit the capital outlay for investment. This is majorly because the company depends on borrowing to supplement its capital for investments. Lobby groups include environmentalists and labor organizations. The activities of such groups against Walt Disney may result in negative publicity for the business. This is because lobby groups may incite the public against visiting facilities owned by Walt Disney for a number of reasons. One of the reasons for the campaigns may be the violation of the laws of the environment. The overall effect of such activities is a reduction in the level of attendance. Walt Disney is planning to make a new entrance into the Hong Kong market. Customers may be reluctant to respond to the new products introduced by Disney hence leading to low attendances and losses for the business. Ocean Park was having a problem with its brand and logo. The problem was that its brand image was very poor and could not attract customers to its businesses. This is attributed to the fact that the firm had an unattractive brand logo that had a very low visibility and weak association to the park.  

APPLIED ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE MANAGEMENT Essay

APPLIED ETHICS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example The problems solved revolve around the practical moral issues, specifically those related to professions such as law or medicine or accounting. There are at least six ethical theories as described by some scholars (Champion, 2007). Plato describes the absolutism theory. This theory relates to the personal character of the individual. It helps answer the question regarding the kind of life one is entitled to live. It is based on the principle; conform to forms, that is, basis on ideals that make the reality. The source of value according to this theory is the form of goodness. The method applied here is reasoning the nature of analogies and unchanging ideals. An example of such an ethical principle is lying, which does not conform to the truth form. The principle is exceptionless in that the form of goodness advocated for is not known (Champion, 2007). Aristotle describes eudaimonism which helps answer the question relating to the kind of person one should be. It also relates to the personal character. The principle is to maintain and develop activities in line and obedience to the rationale principle. The value source is the human nature which determines the well being of humans. The method for determining this is through examining and analysing the commonly used moral language and other moral ideas. St Thomas Aquinas describes ethics based on the natural law. It relates to personal character just like the two discussed above. The question asked relates to the kind of person one should be (Champion, 2007). The principle here is to promote whatever is termed and defined as good and discard the evil commitments. The good behaviours are advocated for by the society, family, self preservation and knowledge. The value source for this ethical behaviour is human and universe nature as referenced by God. The human inclinations are examined and reasoning the nature of law. Cultural differences among the ordering society are a major control issue (Champion,

English Language Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

English Language Learning - Essay Example The projection is that by 2015 over 50 percent of all students in K-12 public schools across the US will be ELL students, boosting the number of this school population that has the highest dropout rate and the lowest ranking in academic achievement and expectations. The phenomenon necessarily speaks ill of the American public school system. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was enacted precisely to address the problems being encountered by ELL students across the US, so that the educational system smoothens rather than retards their acculturation process. Among the salient features of the NCLB law is the provision that makes parental involvement a key component in the educational efforts to serve ELL needs. It defines parental involvement in children education as a regular, two-way and meaningful communication between parents and schools to ensure that parents are full partners in their children's educational experience. The NCLB includes testing requirements for ELLs. These test scores may be factored into the determination of whether a school is making adequate yearly progress. (Gray & Fleischman, 2005) The problem is that in some ... This explains the lack or at least low level of interest of most parents in the education process for their children (Gray & Fleischman, 2005). The NCLB Act makes it imperative upon the schools to overcome this cultural barrier to ELL (Tuite, 2003) by establishing means of communication with the parents. The schools could invite the parents of immigrant families to such school activities like classroom demonstrations of their culture or awarding for children's accomplishments. In communicating and coordinating with parents, it was suggested that the schools use the immigrants' language and may thus need to hire special translators for the purpose (Gray & Fleischman, 2005). Otherwise, this may reinforce another perception common to immigrant parents in America that has to do with the issue of power. A common perception among immigrant parents is that English is the language of a rich and powerful postindustrial society, whereas their native language is less impressive and commands les s respect (Walqui, 2000). Language learning, according to experts, is an interactive activity as dependent on social context as it is on cognitive transfer. All parents have the rights to choose the instructional program that best meets their child's needs, this choice to be indicated in writing. For the first three years, students may be enrolled in a bilingual, dual or English-as-secondary-language program. Afterwards, the parents may elect to continue with the program or change to the mainstream classroom. This choice shall be made at an orientation session at the start of the school year, which focuses on orienting parents to the school system, explaining to

Categorical Definition Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Categorical Definition Argument - Essay Example Thus one, of the criterion for defining just war, is that its started for to keep the balance between the states. If the state sees no other means of resolving the situation when its analytics presuppose that the leaders of the opposing state will start a war sooner or later, than the intervention into the territory of that country is justified. It is done for not to let the potential aggressor to develop stronger military power. Thus we can state that one more criterion for saying that the war is just, is that there were no means except for the military intervention to prevent the breach of balance in future. Preventive wars are led for to preserve peace on the territory of the country which starts them. It sounds paradoxical, but gives us one more criterion for defining a just war, which is that a just war is to be led for re-establishing of peace. Walzer says, that "Humanitarian intervention is justified when it is a response (with reasonable expectations of success) to acts "that shock the moral conscience of mankind." After analyzing this statement we can deduce two more criterions. The first is that the war is just when it is fought with a reasonable chance of success, the second is that the war can be considered just only if it is began and led for to prevent something wrong, like slaughter of the civilians, or the introduction of the dictatorship of some political force or a group of people. Considering all of the criterions we can define just war as a war that is begun for to keep the balance between the states and restore peace. It should be fought with a reasonable chance of success for to prevent something wrong that is happening or will happen. The just war is begun when there are no other means of solving the problems. Thus we can conclude that a just war is a war that satisfies the set of moral

Microeconomics - Entrepreneurship and Unemployment Essay

Microeconomics - Entrepreneurship and Unemployment - Essay Example Low entrepreneurship levels could also result from low levels of economic growth that are also symptomatic of high unemployment levels. Whereas unemployment has a significant influence on the rate entrepreneurial activity, Audretsch et al (2011: p32) also claim that entrepreneurship has an equally significant impact on unemployment because of the low rates of survival for entrepreneurial activity that limits the influence of entrepreneurship on unemployment. Therefore, there is ambiguity as to whether unemployment is related to increased entrepreneurship or whether unemployment and entrepreneurship are inversely related. As a result, it can be argued that unemployment causes an increase in entrepreneurship and self-employment uptake, while entrepreneurship may also cause unemployment (Faria, 2013: p289). The unravelling of the association between unemployment and entrepreneurship is essential because most policies are based on assumptions that fail to reflect such ambiguity, thus req uiring a robust economic analysis of the available policies. Sub-national governments like the Welsh Assembly Government have the capacity to design and implement policies that support self-employment and entrepreneurship, specifically in complementing the effects of national policies to reduce unemployment levels. While there are numerous policy programs that can be used in support of entrepreneurial activity to reduce unemployment in the South Wales Valleys, there are generally three forms of policies: entrepreneurial education and training; financial assistance; and consultancy, advice, and general assistance. Entrepreneurs in the South Wales Valleys who might want to set up a business may sometimes require advice on the best types of businesses to pursue, required formalities, management implications, and planning required. Indeed, according to Williams and Nadin (2012: p900), majority of people who want to be self-employed only vaguely conceive

Categorical Definition Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Categorical Definition Argument - Essay Example Thus one, of the criterion for defining just war, is that its started for to keep the balance between the states. If the state sees no other means of resolving the situation when its analytics presuppose that the leaders of the opposing state will start a war sooner or later, than the intervention into the territory of that country is justified. It is done for not to let the potential aggressor to develop stronger military power. Thus we can state that one more criterion for saying that the war is just, is that there were no means except for the military intervention to prevent the breach of balance in future. Preventive wars are led for to preserve peace on the territory of the country which starts them. It sounds paradoxical, but gives us one more criterion for defining a just war, which is that a just war is to be led for re-establishing of peace. Walzer says, that "Humanitarian intervention is justified when it is a response (with reasonable expectations of success) to acts "that shock the moral conscience of mankind." After analyzing this statement we can deduce two more criterions. The first is that the war is just when it is fought with a reasonable chance of success, the second is that the war can be considered just only if it is began and led for to prevent something wrong, like slaughter of the civilians, or the introduction of the dictatorship of some political force or a group of people. Considering all of the criterions we can define just war as a war that is begun for to keep the balance between the states and restore peace. It should be fought with a reasonable chance of success for to prevent something wrong that is happening or will happen. The just war is begun when there are no other means of solving the problems. Thus we can conclude that a just war is a war that satisfies the set of moral

E-Business and E-Commerce Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

E-Business and E-Commerce Management - Case Study Example Integrating e-bay and amazon deliverables in that process would be an effective mode of solving the current experienced issues. E-business and e-commerce solution to the problems appear to the company is likely to reform and revolutionize the market share of the company. The main idea is to enhance competition that places the company at better position businesswise compared to its rivals (Chaffey, 2006, pg. 443). The clientele base is an important given business. Reaching out to the required customer in line with offering the demanded products in the market is a positive move towards achieving the company’s goals and objectives. It is important that the company identifies its market share as well as its potential for growth. A business needs to expand and therefore grow over time, allowing for a diversified and dynamic portfolio. The above-identified deliverables have the potential to achieve the desired result for the company. Deliverables An e-bay and Amazon will be the driv ing forces in the achievement of the desired results. The two have identifiable advantages and disadvantages. The usability of the two, however, is not likely to face any challenge as the targeted market is well aware of the website marketing and sale. The idea is to reach out to the target market and diversify on the company’s portfolio given the existing and currently launched products. Amazon and e-bay are popular sites of business and embracing innovativeness and creativity in meeting market demand would require that the two deliverables be employed. A detailed description of the solution Discount Heating and Plumbing Supplies has embraced the fact that the market share has stagnated, providing low opportunities for growth and development. In this regard, revenue generation has been falling over time leading to low-income generation and low levels of profitability. As such, the main concern here is to improve the situation given this scenario, based on the above-identifie d solution to the problem. The effectiveness of the process will be determined by a number of factors. These include but not limited to: the company’s short term and long term plans, goals and objectives in conducting business, product diversification, expansion, growth, and development of the company, expected future trends and pricing strategies of the company. Marketing is an essential tool for the achievement of the desired results. In this case, identified problems need to be solved. Whatever the process adopted, the company has to move forward. The market share stagnation identified need to be reversed or turned around. Incorporating marketing mix into the e-business and commerce measures presented above will ensure a smooth run of activities in pursuit of the desired results. Building the customer base and further making it dynamic and diverse can be achieved through this process. Over and above this, the e-business and commerce strategy for the company will not only e nsure a diversified and a dynamic market share but also provide an opportunity for growth and development through increased revenue, income and profitability.

Ethics and Issues in Counseling Essay Example for Free

Ethics and Issues in Counseling Essay Question 1 a) Ethics are a list of conduct or principles drawn with the purpose of providing a guideline to what defines professional practice (Corey, 2009) while values are the basis of one’s thoughts or ideals in which decisions are generated (Manthei, 1997). Certain institutions derive their own core values to help provide a guide to â€Å"proper† behaviors. In simple terms, ethics are like â€Å"rules† within a society, culture or institution while values are like â€Å"policeman† in our mind, helping us determine between desirable and non-desirable behaviors while keeping in mind these â€Å"rules† that governs them (Dolgoff, Loewenberg Harrington, 2008). The professional code of ethics is a guide designed to determine what constitutes professionalism in which governs the institution in the best interest of the values of the profession (Corey, 2009). It not only serves as a clarification to existing and future members of the institution or association governing it, but also helps supports the mission and vision of the institution or association. Its objective is to provide guidelines to practitioners, clarify the professional stand of institutions and organizations governing these practitioners, and at the same time protecting the rights of clients (consumers) (Corey, Corey Callanan, 2003). The Professional Code of Ethics also helps to bound practitioners ethically so that they do not try to impose their own values onto others and behave as moral authorities. While the Professional Code of Ethics may be written as clear as possible and as comprehensive as possible, in reality there are person’s feelings, values, as well as emotions involved, which are absent during the compilation (Betan, 1997). The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) states â€Å"Counselors terminate a counseling relationship when it becomes reasonably apparent that the client no longer needs assistance, is not likely to benefit, or is being harmed by continued counseling.† The practitioner would be caught in a conflict when his agency deems the client fit to be discharged but he feels otherwise (Betan, 1997). Ethical guides may not be easily integrated into one of vast cultural diversity like that of Singapore as most of the Professional Code of Ethics were formulated within that of a Western context. As such, cultural, socioeconomic as well as linguistic differences may have been neglected in the process (Betan, 1997); while the code may hold autonomy of client at high regards, the cultural stand of the client may not be so. Confidentiality itself also poses a great arguing standpoint especially in a multicultural context whereby there are traditions as well as cultural rules to adhere to (Welfel, 2012). Another important point to not neglect while considering the limitations of the Professional Code of Ethics is its congruency towards the local state laws (Betan, 1997). For instance, one state regulation for consumption of alcohol may differ that from another. In putting ethics into consideration, practitioners should also be aware of their own local state laws. b) Two values that I value as important in life are honesty and being just, ie to try my best to make sure I give or receive equal treatments. Being a straightforward person, I believe in being honest at all times and to take responsibility for your own actions. I believe in giving others a benefit of doubt, unless I have concrete evidence that he/she is telling a lie. I uphold the value of equality; to treat others the way you would like to be treated. Thus, I try my very best not to be bias and constantly remind myself to stay in a neutral stand when others are involved. Because I believe strongly in always giving others the benefit of doubt, I would not doubt on the credibility of my clients’ words even though they might sound absurd. By doing so, it gains trust from clients and help in rapport building with clients. On the flip side, if the client is not a willing client, he might manipulate the trust I have and may try to lie and mislead me. Due to my eagerness to be non-bias and be fair and just as much as I can, I may end up trying to argue and inevitably try to prove myself when some clients at times show biasness towards me due to my experience and age. This  could hinder my work with them as I might try to convince them that they are being bias and indirectly in one way or another, try to argue or indirectly try hard to prove myself. This may come across to some as being argumentative, especially when I always have something to retort back whenever they say something negative, thus spoiling the therapeutic relationship. Of course, being non-bias is important in the counseling relationship as it helps one to not be judgmental and to always maintain a partial perspective. Question 2 The 6 moral principles forming the basis of functioning at the highest level of ethical profession as summarized by Corey et al. (2003, p.16) are autonomy, veracity, justice, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and fidelity. Autonomy refers to the rights or freedom to decide and make independent decisions or choices in one’s own accord within a social and cultural context. Thus, the respect for such autonomy brings about an acceptance that others have a right to choose and act in accordance to his own wishes, unless they hinder the rights of others (Altmaier Hansen, 2011); practitioners aim at encouraging independence in client and discourage client’s dependency on him. Veracity or truthfulness refers to the practitioner being obliged to be truthful with his clients (Corey et al., 2003). The guideline in the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association (2002) states, â€Å"Psychologists do not make false, deceptive, or fraudulent statements†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (para. 5.01b) since trust is very important in building up a good therapeutic relationship with clients. Justice means to be fair by providing equal treatment to all regardless of culture, religion, race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, disability or age, as they are entitled to equal access and treatment (Corey et al, 2003). To be nonmaleficence means to not cause harm, including actions that might pose a risk to harm another (Altmaier Hansen, 2011). Practitioners are responsible for their clients to ensure that their risks for exploitation or might result in potential harm are brought down to a minimal (Corey et al, 2003). Beneficence refers to promoting the good and the wellbeing of clients and of others, to help clients grow and develop in their cultural context as well as doing good in their social context (Corey et al, 2003). In short, practitioners are responsible towards contributing to the welfare and growth of another being (Altmaier Hansen, 2011). Lastly but not least, fidelity means to be truthful in making honest and realistic commitments and honoring these commitments (Corey et al, 2003). It is very important to build a trusting relationship between the practitioners and the people whom they work with and thus practitioners are responsible to make sure they honor fidelity at least on their end (Altmairt Hansen, 2011). Question 3 a) The 8 essential personal attributes of an effective counselor are emotional intelligence (EQ), warmth and care, unconditional positive attitude (regard), genuineness and authenticity, patience, analytical ability, person-centered and nurturing style of communication and lastly, clear and specific communication. Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to be able to distinguish and have self-awareness of one’s own as well as others’ emotions and feelings, and to be able to use this and guide one’s behavior and thinking, hence encourages development of emotional closeness with the client (Coetzee Jacobs, 2006). Warmth and care is important in the therapeutic relationship in rapport building as it helps show client that the practitioner is genuinely concern (Coetzee Jacobs, 2006). When warmth and care is present, practitioner is more aware of client’s cognitive and  emotional needs and the relationship will be more accepting towards each other (Coetzee Jacobs, 2006). Unconditional positive attitude (regard) is important because it challenges client’s beliefs that if they do not behave in a certain way, others would not accept them. Client had to be sure that his counselor would still see him in the same way after the ‘awful truth’ is made known (Dryden, 1999). The role of genuineness simply means to be yourself; to be sincere, transparent and not putting on a false front (Palmer Milner, 2006). This role of being genuine and authentic is one that is most challenging, as it requires one to have very high level of self-awareness (Palmer Milner, 2006). It is important for counselors to have this quality due to the high level of trust needed in order to build effective therapeutic relationship with clients. Patience is an important attribute as different types of clients requires different amount of time to build the trust with practitioners and to be able to open up. While some clients do not have difficulty expressing themselves, some of them do find great difficulty in doing so and would then require much more patience and time from the counselor. Analytical ability is important in listening as it helps the counselor to be able to analyze his own emotions as well as facial expressions while listening to the client (Singh, 2007). In terms of case study, analytical ability is also important to the counselor in helping him to analyze and decipher the bulk of information being presented to him (Singh, 2007). Person-centeredness style of communication refers to the ability to communicate to accept another as a complete unique individual (Wood, 2009). That is to say, counselors do not form pre-conceptualized ideas on how the person is like and not make assumptions during the conversation with client. Nurturing communication occurs when parties involved in the conversation relate to each other in a caretaking manner; indicating to each other that the relationship is being valued (Wood, 2009). Last but not least, clear and specific communication is very important in ensuring that the counseling session is being communicated in the way that it is meant to, without allowing either parties involved to have any misunderstandings after the session. b) If I were to choose 3 attributes that I think are important for myself to undergo the necessary personal transformation, it would be patience, analytical ability and unconditional positive regard. I think that I sometimes lack patience in a counseling session and tend to unknowingly try to rush the conversation by interrupting and not giving client enough time to think about what was being said or asked. Also at times, client may need time for reflection, resulting in pauses during the conversation. While I understand the importance of having such ‘quiet moments’ in a counseling session, I tend to be impatient and would unknowingly try to say something to fill up these ‘uneasy moments of silence’. Analytical ability is something, which I feel I am lacked of. I find myself ‘lost’ in long lengthy conversations at times and unable to ‘process’ huge amounts of information shared. I tend to be more straight-forth in my facial expressions too, and I hope to be more cautious in this area, thus being able to give information being shared more thoughts instead of just deciphering it from the surface level. To be able to achieve complete unconditional positive regard in a conversation is I feel, requires that of a high cognitive level. As every single individual comes from a different background and different culture and social environment, unconditional positive regards is important if counselors want to build on having a therapeutic relationship with client. Without it, clients would not want to return for further therapies or might refrain from sharing certain important information, which could be helpful in the therapeutic process. References: American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Washington, DC: Author. Altmaier, E.M. Hansen, J.C. (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Counseling Psychology. NY: Oxford University Press Betan, E.J.(1997). Toward a hermeneutic model of ethical decision making in clinical practice. Ethics Behaviour, 7(4), 347-365. doi: 10.1207/s15327019eb0704_6 Coetzee, M. Jacobs, H.R. (2006) Career Counselling and Guidance in the Workplace. Cape Town, South Africa: Juta and Company Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (8th Ed, pp. 37) CA: Cengage Learning Corey, G., Corey, M.S. Callanan, P. (2003). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. (6Th Ed) CA: Brooks/Cole Dryden, W. (1999) Four Approaches to Counselling and Psychotherapy. NY: Routledge Dolgoff, R., Loewenberg, F.M. Harrington, D. (2008). Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice (8Th Ed, pp. 19-23) CA: Cengage Learning Manthei, R. (1997). Counselling: The Skills of Finding Solutions to Problems. NZ: Routledge Palmer, S. Milner, P. (2006) Integrative Stress Counselling: A Humanistic Problem-Focused Approach. GB: Sage Publications Co. Singh, K. (2007). Counselling Skills for Managers. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. Wood, J.T. (2009) Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters. CA: Cengage Learning Welfel, E.R. (2012). Ethics in Counseling Psychotherapy (5th Ed, pp. 150-160) CA: Cengage Learning.

Caring for Children: Roles, Regulations and Practices

Caring for Children: Roles, Regulations and Practices Describing the role of the practitioner in caring for children The role and responsibilities of an early years practitioner follow a number of codes of practice which clearly state how practitioners and other staff must conduct themselves. Chief amongst the codes presently in operation are those that govern special needs, safeguarding children, childrens learning, behaviour, working with parents, and data protection (Nutbrown and Clough, 2014). As Spodek and Saracho (2014) note, the early years practitioner has a clear set of designated responsibilities including: working to the principles of the sector and its codes of confidentiality; meeting the learning needs of each individual child by ensuring that issues of differentiation are met; providing and sustaining an environment that is warm, welcoming and stimulating; working with parents and partners; and working as part of a team that provides a quality service for both children and parents. In addition, the practitioner may also, especially in cases of suspected abuse, have to work with an array of outside agencies and conform to issues of child safety (Daniel, Gilligan and Wassell, 2011). In fulfilling their statutory duties, it follows that the practitioner must put the needs of children first because, as Bradshaw (2011) comments, this helps to keep children out of harm, and by keeping them safe, a productive environment can be created in which they can maximise their potential. It is imperative that practitioners respect others’ choices because failure to do so can cause friction between staff members and can negatively reflect on the setting and upset the children (Sylva et al., 2010). Further, there is a pressing need, as Willow (2014) suggests, to ensure that one always respects issues pertaining to confidentiality. This is because it can help a child stay out of trouble, keep them safe, and help them to develop into responsible adults. Seemingly of secondary importance, because it is removed from direct interaction with the child, but actually of just as much importance, is planning, recording and reviewing the child’s progress (Bradbury, 2014). This is important for two major reasons. First, the formal keeping of records allows the progress of children to be monitored and evaluated against national criteria (Bradbury, 2014). Secondly, it can help practitioners to be reflective upon their own strengths and weaknesses (Paige-Smith and Craft, 2011). This is not, however, merely an issue of internalisation, for such a process also helps when one is undertaking activities because one can evaluate how well the event went well, and from that, make improvements to ensure that in future events are even better planned. Indeed, such reflection is, as Paige- Smith and Craft (2011) contend, an essential function of effective practice. It is also important, as Sims-Schouten and Stittrich-Lyons (2014) recommend, to demonstrate responsibility in the way that one conducts oneself at work, as it helps the children to learn right from wrong. This is an important consideration because it is partly the responsibility of the professional (in co-operation with the parents) to teach the children and in this way one acts as a role model. The creation of a meaningful partnership with parents is also of pivotal importance as the latter can learn from the former as to what the child likes and dislikes – it also allows the parents to take a proactive interest and role in the raising of their children and may help them to ensure that the child’s development is in line with national curricular expectations (Read, 2014). Continuing professional development (CPD) is, as Sims-Schouten and Stittrich-Lyons (2014) explain, critical as it enables the practitioner to enhance their existent skill set and further learn from best practice. It also shows others that the practitioner is interested in helping the children to be the best they can be and that they are dedicated to their role – which may also be useful when seeking promotion or a change of professional employer. Observing children as a form of CPD also helps one to recognise the distinctive stages of a child’s development and this can help with the prioritising of a childs needs, particularly with regard to where they may need additional support (Carroll and McCullough, 2014). Lastly, within this section it can be commented that working as part of a wider team helps to create a positive environment for everyone to work within; by making people feel valued, this may increase self-confidence and productivity (Pugh and Duffy, 2013). Comparing the differing roles of statutory, private, voluntary and independent settings Many parents successfully adapt to changes in their lives and in so doing have the benefit of support from their family and friends to provide assistance if it is required. A significant number of families, however, face issues that affect family life in such a manner that they require professional assistance, or may be hampered by a lack of ‘family and friend’ support or a lack of internal ability to deal with change. Such factors, as Daniel, Gilligan and Wassell (2011) observe, include: financial difficulties, unemployment, divorce and separation, caring for others, bereavement, and social isolation. If one looks at each of these in turn it is possible to comment further on the individual problems that each factor may entail. Thus, with regard to financial difficulties it can be noted that problems faced are likely to be exacerbated where there is a low income family that cannot afford food or clothes or proper rent (Burchinal et al., 2010). Indeed, the rise in food banks within the UK gives a graphic illustration of this problem, as Sylva et al. (2010) note. Poor housing may also lead to feels of depression and declining health as a result of factors such as damp. With reference to unemployment, the loss of a job, and the resultant lack of income can, in addition to depression, lead to stress within relationships and may also result in other family members, such as young mothers, having to go out to work (Shonkoff and Bales, 2011). Unemployment may also lead to a loss of child care as parents cannot afford support whilst a mother is forced to work, possibly culminating in a separation of child from mother at a crucial stage of infant development (Read, 2014). Divorce and separation can also cause several problems which need addressing and assistance from trained professionals. The three major problems are loss of income, smaller housing and cramped conditions, and a sense of guilt on the part of the child for a parent leaving (Bradshaw, 2011). Such issues can create tension and stress that can impact upon development and behavioural issues. In a similar manner, caring for other family members or caring for someone with a long-term illness (such as elderly relatives) can result in additional costs and a perceived ‘rationing’ of care towards children which can cause emotional disturbance (Pugh and Duffy, 2014). Bereavement brings with it, as Read (2014) explains, emotional strain, and issues pertaining to dealing with grief – which may also affect the internal dynamics of a family’s daily life and routines. Finally, social isolation, with its associated lack of communication, may cause health concerns to worsen which need additional support. In such scenarios, it becomes clear, from the comments made above, that children and families may need additional support at certain times in their lives (Burks and Kobus, 2012). There are many organisations and self-help groups that can provide this support. These include, the National Childbirth Trust, the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries, the Child Poverty Action group, Home Start, Parentline Plus, Gingerbread, various elements of local authorities’ services, and the National Health Service. In addition, as Shonkoff (2010) has commented, there are many different settings where children can be cared for, including, but not limited to, respite care, holiday play schemes, parent and toddler groups, schools, workplace nurseries, child-minders, pre-schools, after school clubs, residential care, day nurseries and crà ¨ches. The suitability of the option chosen is likely to be influenced both by the specific issue that the family faces and their financial circumstances. There are three different sectors that provide care and education for children. They are: the statutory (or state) sector, voluntary sector, and private sector. The statutory sector is a sector that has to be there by law, such as local state-funded schools and hospitals. The age range that primary schools cover is from five years to eleven years old and they follow a set curriculum (Nutbrown and Clough, 2014). The aim of a state sector school or similar facility is to provide opportunities for the education of every child and to support their learning (Pugh and Duffy, 2014). In so doing, they provide a safe and secure environment for children, which keeps them free from harm. Such schools also provide social opportunities for a child, which include learning to make friends, learning to socialise with people, learning the difference between adults and children, and learning to respect others. It may also provide opportunities for the families of children. This may be achieved by, for instance, new parents’ evenings and sports afternoons, as well as the Parent and Teacher Association. In contrast to the state sector, the voluntary sector is a sector in which people volunteer to organise and run specific facilities. A mother and toddler group (that is not aided by the state) or the Brownies and Girl Guides are examples of such organisations (Pugh and Duffy, 2013). Mother and toddler groups are usually aimed at children who are aged between two and four. Often these kinds of organisations are to be found placed in a church or community hall. Such buildings have not been designed specifically for children and thus may contain hidden dangers (Bradshaw, 2011). Nevertheless, the staff are usually parents themselves and the person in charge of the organisation must have at least a Level Three childcare qualification (or an equivalent). It would also be expected that people who are in positions of trust in such organisations will have been police checked so as to ensure that the children and parents are safe. The organisation, in this case a mother and toddler group, may ask for a small donation each week, and this may range from 50p in some deprived areas of northern Scotland, to approximately  £5.00 a week in Surrey (Burchinal et al., 2010). This money is used to cover the basic cost of booking the hall and associated costs such as lighting and water bills. The area in which the organisation is situated may not have an outdoor area for the children to play in and this can be seen as a disadvantage as keeping fit is an important consideration in the development of children (Marmot and Bell, 2012). It is also to be expected that toddler groups should follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum so as to ensure that children may be taught appropriately and their progress monitored from the earliest possible age (Shankoff, 2010). It is also likely that such groups will be Ofsted-inspected, which is important as it gives the parents confidence as to the quality of education and opportunity being afforded to their offspring in voluntary toddler play groups (Willow, 2014). Whilst the main aim of a mother and toddler group is to provide short-term care to young children, it should also be remembered that such groups also need to prepare the toddler for primary school by equipping him or her with the basic skills that he or she will need to excel in school. In addition such groups also provide social opportunities for the parent or carer (as well as the child) to meet new people and this can help to integrate marginalised groups within society (Barnett, 2011). The private sector is one in which people pay extra to get the best available opportunities for their childs education or health, as well as their own. When a parent uses a private day nursery he or she is charged for using it, with specific charges depending upon the service delivered and the area of the country in which the client resides. Though this may not be true in all such facilities, it is suggested by Burchinal et al. (2010) that the private sector usually provides hot meals for all children who use their services, as well as indoor and outdoor play areas for children to play in. The staff in such centres are likely to be highly motivated and to receive better remuneration packages that their state sector counterparts (Sims-Schouten and Stittrich-Lyons, 2014). Though it may be the case that private day nurseries are not housed in purpose-built buildings, many are – and the private sector tends to pride itself on the quality of the resources that it provides (Walker et al., 2011). As with the state sector, Ofsted may inspect the facilities provided. It is notable that in the last few years a greater proportion of such facilities within the private sector have been rated as more consistently excellent than those in the state sector. The main regulations that govern the care of children in different types of settings The following is a list of the primary legislation that relates to working with children in a childrens centre: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Race Relations Act 1976 Human Rights Act 1998 Data Protection Act 1998 Disability and Discrimination Act 2004 Within their day to day working, children’s centres must, at all times, comply with the Data Protection Act, 1998. This can affect daily working practices as it places a duty of care on practitioners to ensure that records are kept in a safe and secure environment and not shared with third parties (Willow, 2014). In addition, through the provisions of the Disability and Discrimination Act 2004, it is assured that there will be, within such centres, no discrimination against any person with respect to their opportunity for employment, the conditions of their employment or the delivery of services as a consequence of their sex, marital status, race, or disability. Cumulatively, therefore, the laws noted above require children’s centres to make sure that they perform their responsibilities in a timely and professional manner and, through so doing eliminate unlawful racial discrimination. The centre should be responsible for and take all such precautions that are necessary to protect the health and safety of all persons employed by it and should comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and any other Acts or Regulations relating to the health and safety of employed persons (Human Rights Act 1998). It gives further effect in the UK to rights contained in the European Convention of Human Rights. The Care Standards Act 2000 and the Regulations and National Minimum Standards set out the responsibilities of agencies and carers in promoting the health of children who are looked after (Davis et al., 2012). The Education Act 2002 regulates that local authorities and schools are required to protect, safeguard, and promote the welfare of children. This includes health and safety, child protection and the overall well-being of children. The Every Child Matters guidance and the Children Act 2004 introduced a new duty (Section 10) to co-operate at a strategic level on local authorities, Primary Care Trusts and other relevant childrens services partners. The focus of these Acts and the ECM guidance is to protect children and promote the welfare and well-being of children. This encompasses elements such as: being healthy – enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle; staying safe – being protected from harm and neglect; enjoying and achieving – getting the most out of learning and life, and developing skills for adulthood; making a positive contribution – being involved in community and society and not engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour; and economic well-being – not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving their potential. Other legislation that helps the health and well-being of children includes the Children Act 1989, which provides care and protection of all children and young people in need, including those living away from home. Local authorities have a specific duty under Section 22 of the Act to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of each child they look after. The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 amends the Children Act 1989 and supports the care system, putting in place the structures necessary to enable children and young people to receive high quality care and support. Daily care of children There are many different daily routines for children that can help them develop, such as hygiene, including toileting, washing hands, bed time and teeth cleaning; meal time routines, involving sitting at the table, using knives, forks and spoons; and sleep routines, to ensure that children acquire healthy sleeping habits that will stand them in good stead not only through childhood but in adulthood (Barnett, 2011). Daily routines vary depending where the child is being cared for. Promoting and supporting a child’s independence and self-care is important and a child’s self-image and self-esteem are vital to their overall well-being (Marmot and Bell, 2012). For the purposes of this essay, a focus is given on two particular learning activities: tying shoelaces, and dressing appropriately for the weather. Activity One: Shoelaces The activity involves teaching children to tie their laces by making a personalised shoe that the children decorate themselves, with laces for them to practice at home and at day-care. In this, there are two primary roles: the adult role, helping children learn to tie their laces, and the child’s role, which not only covers learning to tie shoelaces, but practising doing so at home. This promotes independence because the children feel a sense of accomplishment in achieving a daily activity that previously adults fulfilled for them. They are able to tie and re-tie their shoes at their convenience and it reduces the need for adult intervention in dressing. The activity promotes intellectual, physical and emotional well-being (Bruce, Meggitt and Grenier, 2010). The decoration of the ‘practice shoe’ is fun and develops their artistic abilities. Targeted at the four- to five-year old, it is within their technical capability (Bruce, Meggitt and Grenier, 2010). Activity Two: Dressing appropriately for the weather This activity involves dressing up a doll in appropriate clothes for going outside to play, which will keep them warm and dry, or cool, depending on the weather. The adult fulfils a teaching role by helping the children learn how to dress first a doll, and then themselves, appropriately. The objective for the child is to understand how clothes are related to temperature, comfort, and the planned activity (such as playing outside, going to the beach, or walking to school in the rain) (Carroll and McCulloch, 2014). This learning opportunity promotes independence by helping them to dress themselves for appropriate situations and weather. Ultimately, they will develop the ability to choose the clothes that they want to wear within a range of acceptable options. The children learn to stay healthy by avoiding becoming drenched, cold, or sunburnt, and their reliance on adults is decreased (Moyles, Georgeson and Payler, 2011). This builds on their intellectual, physical, emotional, and health-related skills (Bruce, Meggitt and Grenier, 2010). The use of the doll can help the activity be fun. The activity can be extended by considering holiday clothing, seasonal variations, and so on. Key issues which enable multi-professional teams to work together A multi-professional team approach allows professionals to share knowledge about a familys needs so that the parents do not have to answer the same questions over and over again (David, 2013). The professionals are aware of each other’s roles in supporting the family so that conflicting advice can be minimised. It is essential that each agency communicates well and understands not only their role and responsibilities but those of the other agencies as well. Parents/guardians are the most important people in a childs life, and carers recognise the importance of this. They have a responsible role that involves sharing care of the child with parents/guardians; listen to parents/guardians, as they are the ‘expert on their child (Sylva et al., 2010). Respect must always be shown for family traditions and childcare practices and when, for instance, there has been a bereavement, it may be important to engage the assistance of an educational psychologist to assess behavioural needs and bring about positive behaviour. Indeed, by adopting a multi-professional approach to working with children and parents the chances of the child being allowed to slip through the net of negligence or abuse is minimised. An understanding of diversity and inclusive practices Recognising diversity is about recognising that children can come from lots of different backgrounds and family structures (Burchinal et al., 2010). Diversity means responding in a positive manner to differences, and valuing all people. The following, though not an exclusive list, can be seen as a solid foundation of ‘checks’ upon which professionals should base their approaches to both children and parents. All children are citizens and have rights and entitlements. Children should be treated fairly regardless of race, religion or abilities. This applies no matter: What they think or say What type of family they come from What language(s) they speak What their parents do Whether they are girls or boys Whether they have a disability or whether they are rich or poor All children have an equal right to be listened to and valued in the setting. It follows that practitioners should aim to improve the physical environment when such improvements are needed. This might include the increased use of physical aids to access education such as ICT equipment and portable aids for children with motor co-ordination and poor hand/eye skills. New buildings should also be physically accessible to disabled pupils by making sure that they have access to existing buildings through the use of ramps and wider doors. Such improvements must be ongoing within organisations to ensure that no section of society is marginalised (Marmot and Bell, 2012). Improving the delivery of information to disabled children at nurseries or schools is a very important objective. The information given (and the manner in which it is given) should take account of pupils disabilities and parents preferred formats. It follows that all children should be treated fairly regardless of race, religion or abilities. This applies no matter what they think or say, what type of family they come from, what language(s) they speak, what their parents do, whether they are girls or boys or whether they have a disability or whether they are rich or poor. Bradshaw (2011) stresses the importance of treating all people equally and with respect. All children have an equal right to be listened to and valued in the setting and all children have a need to develop. These are natural parts of their life and they must be supported at all times within a given setting. This is especially true if there is a scenario in which childrens development may be at risk. For example, children who are disabled and those with special educational needs, those from socially excluded families, the homeless or those who live with a parent who is disabled or has a mental illness, children from traveller communities, refugees or asylum seekers and those from diverse linguistic backgrounds may all faces especial challenges in their individual development. These must be assessed and catered for in an holistic manner to ensure that every child reaches their own maximum potential. This is because, as Wall (2010) notes, all children are entitled to enjoy a full life in which conditions are established by which they may take part in society and develop as individuals, Practitioners must therefore ensure that their own knowledge about different cultural groups is up-to-date and that they consider their own attitudes to people who are different from themselves. Children in the UK are raised in a society with many sources of cultural diversity (Carroll and McCulloch, 2014). Good early years practice needs to support this from the earliest months of babyhood. Practitioners need to work to create a positive learning environment. Play materials, books and other resources can be offered in a helpful way by reflecting on how young children learn about culture and cultural identity. Such diversity and inclusion is also linked to legislation such the Children Act 1989, Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, Rights of Children 1989 and the Race Relations Act 1976. Children like experiencing food, music or dance forms that reflect their own family and neighbourhood experiences, as Gray (2014) elaborates. Early childhood is a good time to offer opportunities that enable children to stretch themselves beyond that with which they are already familiar. Children can learn to appreciate cultural diversity in styles of art, craft, music and dance and all opportunities need to be well grounded in positive pride for styles common to every childs own background. Meeting childrens diverse learning needs means identifying needs, developing individual goals and objectives, selecting or designing appropriate supports and services, and then choosing the best learning setting in which those goals can be realised, and ideally, exceeded. It logically follows, therefore, that the role and responsibilities of an early years practitioner should be cater to the individual childs needs, and to teach them what they need to know and to find out the right way to teach them. Thus, the practitioner must be well-versed in a range of different teaching pedagogies and apply the most appropriate one to the given child at all times (Spodek and Sarancho, 2014). Indeed, it is particularly important, in this regard, to understand different planning stages when planning activities for children and to understand a childs age and stage of development when planning tasks for them (Sylva et al., 2010). It is imperative, that the activities planned are stage-appropriate for them to increase knowledge. Setting appropriate tasks and initiatives helps practitioners meet the individual needs of children (Bruce, Meggitt and Grenier, 2010). A discussion of two strategies for improving learning and performance There are many ways in which a person can improve their own learning and performance. Two are discussed in this section. The first is being under observation. A member of staff could observe you and give you feedback on where you are doing well, and where you need to improve. This could be a colleague, or it could be a formal inspection. The person observing can give you tailored feedback and ideally there should be plenty of time to discuss their observation. This should lead to personal reflection and the setting of career development goals – whereby you can spend time working on improving those areas (observed) where you displayed weakness. The importance of this form of observation and subsequent career development is noted by David (2013). The second commonly used approach is to reflect on one’s own practice and to use this reflection to inform further improvement (Paige-Smith and Craft, 2011). This may involve a reflective practice model, such as Kolb’s theory of experiential learning (Kolb, 1984). I have frequently used his reflective cycle – and by noting what has gone well and what areas need further improvement, I have been able to learn how to handle situations more smoothly and to apply knowledge effectively. Through combining both approaches I have gone through official ‘professional development’ sessions and have held protracted discussions with my line manager and other practitioners. Through so doing we have all shared best practice and perceived improvements in our daily working lives with each other and the way in which we plan activities for the children (David, 2013). A brief overview of how regulations can influence care provision Legislation plays a significant role in working practices within an early years setting but the primary aim is to safeguard and protect children and their families. Legislation, policies and procedures involve those relating to medicines, staffing and employment laws, child protection policies, health and safety, equal opportunities, behaviour management, special educational needs and working with parents (Shonkoff and Bales, 2011). Children and young people should feel happy, safe, respected and included in the school or early years setting environment and all staff should be proactive in promoting positive behaviour in the classroom, playground and the wider community (Willow, 2014). Policies and practice help to make sure the safety and wellbeing of children is in place and it is this legislation, developed through many years and experiences, and even mistakes, that underpin the working practices that are used today (Shonkoff, 2010). The owner of the workplace as a practitioner is t