Strategic Options Available To Coast4Life For The Upcoming Fiscal Year

This report outlines the strategic options available to Coast4Life for the upcoming fiscal year. Through my research, I have identified the current situational analysis that is necessary to be considered for the options that will be provided in this report.Current situational analysis:Vision: Coast4Life cruise will be the first choice for vacationers who are seeking a safe, enjoyable and unique cruise experience in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Mission: Coast4Life meets the needs of vacationers by offering safe, enjoyable and unique cruises along BC coast at affordable prices and at a high quality of service. Coast4Life strives to minimize the safety effects of cruising on ecology and maximize the safety of customers, staff and marine life by ensuring ships are well maintained and environmental and safety regulations are exceeded.Preferences:The Board of Directors(BOD) preference is to be profitable and maintain a positive net income in light of upcoming economic downturn. The Gene ral Manager of the Fraser dry dock believes it defines the reputation on BC Coast for Coast4Life safety. Constraints: Cash available on hand is $10,461,000 and an after tax rate of return on 16%.Key Success Factors:Coast4life cruises wants to provide high quality services to the passengers. Refer to the passenger/crew ratio in comparison to industry averages(see Appendix 3-1).Current Financial Analysis(See Appendix 1- Financial Ratios): Ongoing increase to Coast4life’s abilities to meet its short-term obligations. In light of the slight increase of acquiring additional assets, our revenue streams still continues to outmatch this on a steady basis; however, the incremental revenue is declining with each year. Our service offerings grow; generating incremental income each year; nevertheless, Coast Native and Natural Splendour gross margin’s are the same, and each offers different services. Company’s ability to cover interest is growing over the years, and our debt s are declining. Coast4Life’s ability to convert investments into profit has increased. Strategic Options: To cut costs.Option#1: Divesture of the Fraser dry dock Pro(s): Gain on sale of $7,274,000; in favour of BOD preferences and in line of providing the necessary funds to maintain incremental financial targets for upcoming economic downturn(see Appendix 3- 2).Con(s):Against general manager’s preference, as can affect the reputation of the company – the quality of safety regulations the company adheres to. Option #2: Registering Coast4Life’s ships in LiberiaPro(s):Wages&Salaries will be cut by 30%; In favour of BOD’s preference to cut costs – $1,423,530 would be saved by outsourcing from Liberia(see Appendix #3- 3).Con(s): Affect quality of service provided by the crew; be against the mission statement Hiring unskilled labour can potentially increase management expenses(Additional Training). Minor options: For materiality purposes with res pect to revenue sources the following are minor options to generate additional revenue: Option #1: Switching customer target marketsPro(s): By targeting 40-60 year olds, revenue streams will increase by 20%, which could also increase all financial ratios by the same rate and, thus be in line with the vision statement. This target group can afford a more unique  experience given industry annual family income of $78,000. For ages 40 -60 Industry is higher by 8% so we have space to grow and target this age group (see Appendix 3-4).Con(s):By changing target there is no guarantee that revenues will be maintained throughout the downturn in the following fiscal year even with growth in tourism industry in Canada.Option #2: Implement a web-based booking systemPro(s): Can potentially save the company up to $1,341,250 [($2,146,000Ãâ€"10% reduction)/16% after tax rate of return] in travel agent commissions over the life of the company and assist in further increasing the company’s ac tivity ratio Can be paid off in less than 4 months. The payback formula proves that no cash is needed to be spent, as through the incremental savings this investment will be recouped(see Appendix 3-5).Cons:Decrease word of mouth advertising via travel agents. Increase global competition due to the online presence.RecommendationGiven the uncertain future ahead, it is best to be conservative and in line with the current mission statement for company objectives. It would be best that Fraser dock would be divested and web-based booking system would be implemented. This would cut costs and increase revenues via savings that can be earned without risking the reputation of the company or established revenue stream. With this consideration, the company will still have enough resources to maintain its financial position.

Child abuse and neglect Essay

INTRODUCTION Child abuse and neglect can produce serious and long-lasting damage. The range of actions classified as child abuse or neglect is constantly changing as a result of social and economic conditions, political ideology, advances in medicine, improvements in communication and melding of cultures. Today, child abuse and neglect is widely recognized as a major social problem and policy issue throughout much of the world. During the last 50 years, the United States and many of the world’s nations have responded to child abuse and neglect with legislative efforts, a variety of programs and interventions, and organizational efforts to identify, respond to and prevent the abuse and neglect of dependent children. Today, there are innumerable local, national and international organizations, professional societies and advocacy groups devoted to preventing and treating child abuse and neglect. Significance of the Study One case related to child abuse and neglect is pedophilia. Pedophilia affects children of a certain sex and within a certain age, usually under the age of 15 or 16 years. Most pedophiles are not violent toward children, instead leading and enticing children to willingly perform sexual acts, although some are violent to the point of rape and murder. In 1974, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment act was passed which provides federal funding at the state level for prevention and response to child abuse. With this act, many states strengthened their response to child abuse and established child statutes in which parents may be prosecuted for abusing their children. Regardless of the legal response on pedophilia, it is clear that much cases never comes to the attention of the criminal justice system and is, unfortunately, never dealt with. This serious and alerting case should be fully characterized and understood for the good of the concerned children, especially the adolescents. What is Phedophilia? As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is typically defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children (generally age 13 years or younger). In contemporary Western societies, the subject is highly contentious and fraught with strong feelings. The strength of the feelings is readily explained by concern for the welfare of the children and for their healthy, unimpeded development. The child must be at least five years younger in the case of adolescent pedophiles. However, the term pedophile is often used to refer to any adult who is sexually attracted to males or females below the legal age of consent. While there is considerable psychological and sociological literature about pedophilia, philosophers working on the philosophy of sex have given relatively little attention to the subject. As pedophilia is seen as a paradigmatic case of sexual perversion and is generally viewed with strong moral revulsion, it might have been expected to generate more philosophical interest. Experts believe that most pedophiles are males. Some female adults are sexually attracted to boys or girls, but these children are usually at or beyond the age of puberty. Sometimes, however, females sexually abuse children in concert with males, or they will knowingly allow males to abuse their own children or other children. This is more likely to occur if the women are abusing drugs and/or alcohol. Pedophiles may believe that their behavior is normal and that it helps teach children how to become loving and affectionate. Such individuals avoid such words as pedophilia, preferring to use such terms as adult-child sex. They believe that others who do not understand their behavior are unreasonably rigid. Some organizations of pedophiles claim large memberships and actively support the practice of pedophilia. Pedophiles may fail to consider the short- or long-term consequences of their actions; for example, in one case, a pedophile was told by a child whom he had met on the Internet that her mother was a police officer, yet he molested the girl anyway. Most studies of pedophilia are performed on people in jail or prison, and it is also true that many acts of this are never reported. Ephebophilia: Its Opposite Ephebophilia is a variety of male homosexuality. Ephebophiles are attracted to post-pubertal, sexually mature youths. They are sexually attracted to the fully developed, vigorous maleness of adolescence. In the narrow sense, â€Å"pedophilia† refers only to sexual attraction of adults to pre-pubescent and sex with them. When the term is used in this sense, ephebophilia is not included as one of pedophilia’s varieties, but rather distinguished from it, the end of puberty providing the line of demarcation. Characteristics of Pedophiles Pedophiles are age and sex specific. They will normally prefer children of a certain sex and within a certain age. Child molesters fall into several categories. One is the fixated pedophile who never moves beyond the attraction he or she felt for children when he or she was a child. The regressed pedophile often turns to children in response to stressful life events. Although most pedophiles do not physically harm children, the mysoped makes the ritual connection between fatal sexual violence and personal gratification. The sadistic pedophile abducts children for the purpose of torturing and eventually killing them to achieve sexual gratification. Pedophiles come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are well educated, while others are illiterate. Many were not close to their fathers, and many came from homes where alcohol was a problem for at least one parent (usually the father). Pedophiles often have weak verbal skills, and almost 9 out of 10 felt particularly close to their mothers . The short size of the child provides the pedophile with an opportunity to exert power and authority. At the same time, the sex of the child has little to do with the adult sexual orientation of the molester. For example, a male pedophile may be very interested in sex with boys ages 9 or 10 years old, but at the same time be married and consider himself homosexual. Around 80% have been documented as having a history of childhood sexual abuse. The pedophile is known to the child in 90% of cases, 15% or more are relatives of the victim. Homosexual pedophilia does not differ from heterosexual pedophilia. Research on the victim points out that most are female and the molester is usually known. However; when a male is the victim, the molester may be a stranger. The degree of the pedophilia sexual act can vary ranging from simply observing the child, to touching, undressing, exposing of own genitalia, fondling, and sexual intercourse. II. CAUSES OF PEDOPHILIA The causes of pedophilia that have been researched remain unclear. It has been suggested that the pedophilia represents a regression or fixation at an earlier level of sexual development which resulted in an adult repetitive pattern of inappropriate sexual behavior. Therefore, it is suggested that the pedophile returns to a sexual habit that was developed early in life. It is also theorized that the pedophile is expressing revenge regarding a childhood trauma. It is also said that pedophilia is caused by a pleasurable sexual arousal to conditioned objects. The following are identified as possible causes of pedophilia: 1. Parental punishment of a small boy for sustaining an erection 2. Sexual abuse of a young male 3. Fear of sexual performance or intimacy 4. Psychosexual trauma 5. Socio-cultural and/or psychological factors 6. Excessive alcohol intake Previous studies have shown that same-sex child molester is higher than opposite-sex offenders, with offenders against boys being at a higher risk for delinquency, compared to offenders against boys. The number of prior offenses and the intensity of the fixation on children as sexual objects are factors that predict abuse. Another study was done over 111 child molesters. Child molesters included same-sex, opposite-sex, and mixed groups; all responded to stimuli of specific ages and sexes. Findings showed that the degree of sexual reoccupation with children, paraphilia, and number of prior sexual offences were predictors of sexual delinquency. The causes of pedophilia are unknown, but most scientists believe that conditioning in one form or another is involved. The motivation/ learning model can account for the development of pedophilia and can explain its distribution over the life span. A Person to be Declared as Pedophile The diagnosed criteria for a pedophile are as follows: 1. Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors including sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally age 13 years or younger) 2. The person has acted on these sexual urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty 3. The person is at least 16 years of age and at least 5 years older than the child or children molested III. EFFECTS OF PEDOPHILIA The effects of pedophilia to an individual, especially to those who are at a young age, include initial fear, anxiety, depression, anger, aggression and sexually inappropriate behavior. Boys have the same patterns of distress as girls, with symptoms such as fears, sleep disturbances, and distractedness; however, boys tend to be less symptomatic than girls. Additional long-term consequences include self-destructive behavior, isolation, low self-esteem, trust issues, substance abuse, and sexual problems. People who have a history of childhood sexual abuse have increased rates of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and alcohol and drug abuse. There is often an increase in psychopathology among victims of childhood sexual abuse and this psychopathology is manifested at times in the form of pedophilia or other inappropriate behaviors with young children. Victims of childhood sexual abuse are more likely than nonvictims of that abuse to manifest sexual hyper-arousal and sexually aggre ssive behavior with a tendency to repeat and reenact sexual victimizations as adults. Physical Damage Injury Depending on the age and size of the child, and the degree of force used, pedophilia may cause internal lacerations and bleeding. In severe cases, damage to internal organs may occur, which, in some cases, may cause death. Herman-Giddens found six certain and six probable cases of death due to child sexual abuse in North Carolina between 1985 and 1994. The victims ranged in age from 2 months to 10 years. Causes of death included trauma to the genitalia or rectum and sexual mutilation. Infections Pedophile acts may cause infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Depending on the age of the child, due to a lack of sufficient vaginal fluid, chances of infections are higher. Vaginitis has also been reported. Neurological Damage Research has shown that traumatic stress, including stress caused by sexual abuse, causes notable changes in brain functioning and development. A study was done on women who took SAT and it was found that the self-reported math Scholastic Aptitude Test scores of the sample of women with a history of repeated sexual abuse were significantly lower than the self-reported math SAT scores of the non-abused sample. Because the abused subjects verbal SAT scores were high, it was hypothesized that the low math SAT scores could â€Å"stem from a defect in hemispheric integration.† A strong association between short term memory impairments for all categories tested (verbal, visual, and global) and the duration of the abuse was also found. Psychological Damage Pedophilia can result in both short-term and long-term harm, including psychopathology in later life. Psychological, emotional, physical, and social effects include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, eating disorders, poor self-esteem, dissociative and anxiety disorders; general psychological distress and disorders such as somatization, neurosis, chronic pain, sexualized behavior, school/learning problems; and behavior problems including substance abuse, self-destructive behavior, animal cruelty, crime in adulthood and the worst, suicide. Long term negative effects on development leading to repeated or additional victimization in adulthood are also associated with child sexual abuse. There are two contrasting adaptive styles in sexual abuse victims. One adaption strategy seeks mastery through active repetition of the trauma, while the other adaption copes by avoiding sexual stimuli. Victims of childhood sexual abuse may exhibit mood disorders including chronic anxiety, depression, delayed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety attacks, and hysterical symptoms. Victims of sexual abuse may also experience difficulties in intimate relationships and express a sense of alienation, isolation, stigmatization, and a negative self-image. There is a wide variety of psychological conditions that have been documented in sexually abused children, with a higher-than-average tendency toward repetition of either being victimized at the hands of an adult or victimization of children. Arguments that Aroused about Pedophilia In our type of society, pedophile sex is considered both a moral offense and a crime that deserves a truly, serious punishment. There are two further arguments against pedophilia behind both its moral disapprobation and legal prohibition. First, sex with minors is wrong because it is non-consensual; second, it is harmful to those who are concerned. Both of these arguments have been questioned throughout time. Now, let’s look on the way a pedophile is conceived by the public. The pedophile is often visualized as â€Å"a dirty old man†, a stranger to his victims, who forces himself on children and has a matured sexual intercourse, thus putting them through a frightening and painful experience and inflicting serious and long-term damages on them. The drastic effects of the cases explain why pedophiles are usually called child molesters, and why pedophilia seems to be â€Å"the most hated of all the sexual variations†. What is true is that most pedophiles are men but the majority is young or middle-aged. More often than not, they are not strangers; they are likely to be a family, neighbor, or other adults that are known to the victim. The harmful effects of pedophilia on a child’s sexual, emotional and personality development are still a matter of researches and debates; rather than an authorized fact. IV. EXAMPLES OF CASES CONCERNING PEDOPHILIA * A 65-year-old youth minister of the First Baptist Church from Sinton, Texas who admitted to molesting a 6-year-old girl shocked a congregation of followers. The story saw this pedophilic Baptist minister through his 37-year jail sentence. â€Å"I then hooked my thumbs in her waist,† the minister said, â€Å"and put my hands over her groin area, on the outside of her clothing.† â€Å"The first couple of times, she did not say anything,† the minister continued. â€Å"She was more interested in driving. But the second time, when I told her we needed to go home, and she slid over to the passenger seat, the look on her face killed my soul. I felt great remorse for having taken advantage of this child.† * A glam-rocker Gary Glitter was convicted of possessing child pornography, but actual child abuse allegations against him were dismissed because his accuser had sold her story in a newspaper. Glitter seems to be a prime example of the predatory pedophile, continually unrepentant, even after going 27 months of imprisonment in Vietnam for offences against two girls he claimed he was teaching English, after already being permanently barred from Cambodia in 2002 for sex allegations. This case had led for actions to remove passports from sex offenders. * February 11, 2011 – Laval police handled one of the biggest cyber pedophile cases. Sandro Tasillo, 26, is linked to internet sex crimes involving 30 young girls. Police say Tasillo would roam for underage victims on Facebook. He would offer girls money to take off their clothes in front of a webcam. But the money was never delivered, and the photos of the girls were often sold to other pedophiles. Tasillo was formally charged at the Laval courthouse. He faces a total of 40 sex charges. Police believe the 30 victims who have come forward are just the tip of the iceberg. Police are asking other potential victims to contact them as soon as possible. The investigation is still ongoing. V. TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF PEDOPHILIA Treatment for pedophilia emerged as a means to prevent child molestation or as a way to reduce sexual deterioration. That is, pedophilia is treated either when a person wants to remedy his pedophile tendencies, or when a person has committed a sexual offense against a child and his pedophilic interests addressed to reduce sexual deterioration. This combines preference-based treatment with programs designed to manage other criminogenic needs. Treatment would change factors known to be related to sex offending. Improvement of these factors would correlate highly and negatively with recidivism. Progress in treatment technology would be reflected in greater reductions in sexual deterioration over time. Treatment outcome studies using random assignment would show greater effect, and better-implemented programs would be more successful. In the earliest stages of behavior modification therapy, pedophiles may be narrowly viewed as being attracted to inappropriate persons. Such aversive stimuli as electric shocks have been administered to persons undergoing therapy for pedophilia. This approach has not been very successful. Another common form of treatment for pedophilia is psychotherapy, often of many years’ duration. It does not have a high rate of success in inducing pedophiles to change their behavior. Pedophilia may also be treated with medications. The three classes of medications most often used to treat pedophilia are: female hormones, particularly medroxyprogesterone acetate, or MPA; luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists, which include such drugs as triptorelin, leuprolide acetate, and goserelin acetate; and anti-androgens, which block the uptake and metabolism of testosterone as well as reducing blood levels of this hormone. Most clinical studies of these drugs have been done in Germany, where the legal system has allowed their use in treating repeat sexual offenders since the 1970s. The anti-androgens in particular have been shown to be effective in reducing the rate of recidivism. Making the molester impotent is sometimes offered as a treatment to pedophiles who are repeat offenders or who have pleaded guilty to violent rape. Increasingly, pedophiles are being prosecuted under criminal statutes and being sentenced to prison terms. Imprisonment removes them from society for a period of time but does not usually remove their pedophilic tendencies. Many countries have begun to publish the names of persons being released from prison after serving time for pedophilia. Legal challenges to this practice are pending in various authorities. Some recommendations for the treatment of pedophilia are the following: 1. Risk assessment using a well-supported measure 2. Education of the client, his spouse or partner, family members and close friends 3. Behavioral treatments targeting pedophilic sexual arousal 4. Monitoring of pedophilic clients in terms of access to child pornography, unsupervised contacts with children, and potential disinhibitors such as alcohol or drug use 5. Drug treatments targeting sex drive for higher-risk individuals 6. Cognitive-behavioral and behavioral treatments targeting general risk factors for criminal behavior such as antisocial attitudes and beliefs, association with antisocial peers, and substance abuse Prevention The main method for preventing pedophilia is avoiding situations that may promote pedophilic acts. Children should never be allowed to engage in one-on-one situations with any adult other than their parents or trustworthy family members. Having another youth or adult as an observer provides some security for those who are concerned. Conferences and other activities can be conducted to provide privacy while still within sight of others. Children should be taught to yell or run if they are faced with an uncomfortable situation. They should also be taught that it is acceptable to scream or call for help in such situations. Another basis of preventing pedophilia is education. Children must be taught to avoid situations that make them defenseless to pedophiles. Adults who work with youth must be taught to avoid situations that may promote pedophilia. Many states have adopted legislation that requires background investigations of any adult who works with children. These persons may be paid, such as teachers, or they may be volunteers in a youth-serving organization. VI. CONCLUSION It is very evident that pedophilia is a serious problem of many countries. The alarming rate of pedophile cases must serve as an eye opener to our government, for them to take a serious look and enforce laws that give legal punishment to those who are proven guilty of this crime. Our justice system must be on its track to convict the culprit. Everyone should be responsible in handling this horrible crime. Laws against child abuse and neglect should be strengthened and each one of us should be informed about the terrible effects that this crime would cause. But, let us not only put the pressure to the government in solving this problem. We, in our own families, should be the first to take extra care to our own selves. Our family should be strong and open communication should be observed for the better. Help each other to protect our youth, because; as the saying goes, â€Å"The youth is the hope of our Fatherland.† B I B L I O G R A P H Y American Psychiatric Association. â€Å"Profile of a Pedophile†. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Arlington, USA: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., 2006. Clark, Robin. et al. The Encyclopedia of Child Abuse. New York: Infobase Publishing, 1998. Flisk, Dr. Reverend Louden-Hans. â€Å"Sexual Abuse†. Father, Deliver Us from Evil. USA: By the Author, 2004. Gabbard, Glen. â€Å"Summary and Recommendations on Psychological Treatments†. Gabbard’s Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders. USA: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., 2007. Greenberg, Jerrold. et al. â€Å"The Pedophiliac†. Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality. Canada: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2011. Laws, D. Richard and O’Donohue, William. â€Å"Pedophilia: Treatment†. Sexual Deviance: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment. USA: The Guilford Press, 2008. Murray, David. â€Å"The Homosexualization of Pedophilia†. Homophobias: Lust and Loathing across Time and Space. USA: Duke University Press, 2009. Primoratz, Igor. â€Å"What’s wrong with Pedophilia?†. Ethics and Sex. London: Routledge, 1999. Soble, Alan. â€Å"Pedophilia†. Sex from Plato to Paglia: A Philosophical Encyclopedia. USA: Greenwood Press, 2006. Vito, Gennaro. et al. â€Å"The Criminal Justice Response†. Criminology: Theory, Research and Policy. Canada: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 2007. Internet Sources en.wikipedia.org www.medicinenet.com www.minddisorders.com

Bread Mold Experiment

Bread Mold Experiment By: Stephanie Westover PURPOSE The purpose of this experiment will be to determine how temperature affects the growth of mold on wheat bread. The researchers choose this topic because she thinks it will be beneficial to find a way to keep food from molding. Determining how long bread can be stored before molding can help save money, prevent illness and preserve freshness. The question the researcher will attempt to answer is how freezing affects the rate of mold growth in wheat bread.The information gathered in this experiment may be relevant to those individuals who contend with food borne molds at home, or professionally. Because the rate of mold growth can vary depending on the type of bread tested, the researcher will limit this study to a commonly available variety of wheat bread that can found in most stores. This will make the results of this experiment more relevant to average consumers and it will enable the results to be generalized across a larger selection of commercially produced wheat breads. Having some understanding of common practices regarding food storage and mold growth, the researcher sought out formal studies of food borne mold growth to help develop my hypothesis. What the researcher discovered was that food storage at low temperature slows many of the enzymatic reactions involved in spoilage and reduces the growth rate of microorganisms. (Microsoft Encarta, 2007) This literature review shows that refrigeration slows the growth rate of mold. Further, the article demonstrated that refrigerators should be kept at temperatures 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit to minimize bacterial growth.In this procedure the researcher discovered that refrigeration does indeed slow the growth rate of mold. Many organisms will not grow at all or will grow at a slower rate if stored in low temperatures. While low temperatures are not bactericidal, the low temperatures do slow the growth rate of bacteria. Although a few microbes will grow in super cooled solutions as low as minus 20o c, most foods are well-preserved against microbial growth in the household freezer. (Todar, Kenneth, 2011) In this article it states that even a household freezer can preserve foods against growth of mold if set at the right temperature.The researcher discovered that the zip lock baggie that the freezer in this experiment did in fact preserve the bread against the growth of mold. DESIGN The experiment design will be as follows: The researcher will purchase a loaf of commercially produced wheat bread and record the rate of mold growth on that bread over a period of 10 days at three different temperatures. The researcher will use commercial grade thermometers placed in a standard refrigerator, freezer and kitchen countertop to measure temperature. A commercial grade thermometer was used as it is close to the same type used in a typical restaurant.The researcher will place one piece of bread in a clear, sealed zip lock bag and put one of those bags in each of the three temperatures zones. Zip lock baggies were chosen over any other standard container because it was t he best choice to keep out any bacteria that might give false results. She will remove each test bag from its controlled temperature zone and measure the mold growth on each piece of bread through the clear zip lock bag using a fractional ruler. The researcher will record those measurements in a log book noting the time, temperature variation if any, and size of mold growth in inches.She will then immediately replace the bag back into its respective temperature zone. The researcher will repeat those measurements for 10 days and summarize my findings at that time. The researcher will be using commercially available wheat bread so that the results of this experiment can be at least partially generalized to all commercial bread products. She will be using common temperature settings throughout the experiment to mimic what is found not only in most households, but also in many commercial food establishments.

PROTEST AND REFORM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PROTEST AND REFORM - Essay Example Malcom X supported his belief by using intensity within his argument that separation of White and Black Americans is the only way to achieve success for the Negros. The use of voice inflection, hand gestures, and body language are important factors in this style of speech oration. Continual repetition of facts that Negros were not welcome in the United States further stressed the message being delivered to the public audiences (The Ballot, 2000). While Malcom X was suggesting that solution was segregation, King was offering love and unity to solve the problem. Compare and Contrast Civil Rights and Women’s Rights Fredrick Douglass, Rosa Parks, and Oliver Brown supported the Civil Rights Movement that allowed African American individuals the right to every benefit afforded the White population. Fredrick Douglass was named the father of Civil Rights as he pushed for the abolishment of slavery in the 1800s (Fremarjo, 2011). Rosa Parks was a black woman who refused to give up her s eat on a bus to a White person and move to the back of the bus (Parks, 2012). Her actions sparked monumental actions toward desegregation. Oliver Brown petitioned the school to allow his student to attend a school that was closer to their home. The ruling on this court case â€Å"Brown vs. ... Even though it did not happen overnight, women did earn the right to vote and were allowed into the workforce. Susan B. Anthony was a staunch supporter of Women’s Rights from the beginning of the idea. For over 50 years, she promoted the idea that women suffrage was needed (Lindor, 2001). In 1872 Anthony saw her voting ballot drop into the ballot box. The trial that ensued allowed her to spread her message to a larger audience than previously encountered. Elizabeth Stanton named her occupation as a Women’s Rights Activist. Not only did she promote the right to vote for women, but she also supported the abolishment of slavery. Stanton delivered speeches that accused the bible and men of denying women their rights. Stanton published a critique of the bible and received considerable from religious groups and community members alike (Stanton, 2012). The difference between the Civil Rights Movement and Women’s Rights was that one dealt with ethnicity rights and the ot her dealt with gender rights. The similarities existed in the fact that each group was fighting for the right to benefit from all the privileges afforded to other individuals who were not confined by color or gender. The use of violent and nonviolent protests were present in each movement. The individuals who supported the movements were in danger of jail or torture in each historical event. Persuasive Attempts Many types of persuasive action has been enacted to convince another person of accepting or changing beliefs that were not originally their own. Influence has been the practice of orators around the world. Techniques that have been used throughout history include: Getting the audience’s attention Creating or identifying a need, problem, or desire Offering a solution

Prison Gangs and Security Threat Groups Research Paper

Prison Gangs and Security Threat Groups - Research Paper Example The research paper "Prison Gangs and Security Threat Groups" establishes the connection between gangs and immigration pointing out how many gangs are non-American in origin and argues that the policy of keeping illegal immigrants in jail has had tremendous social ramifications, one of which is the creation and flourishing of prison gangs. Prison gangs and security threat groups are made up of immigrants – particularly those coming from Latin American countries like Mexico, Puerto Rico and Colombia. A good example from the Florida Bureau of Corrections information website is the Neta, whose membership is made up of Hispanics, primarily those of Puerto Rican descent. They are involved in the drug trade and are often engaged to perform acts of violence, also known as â€Å"hits†. Another example is the Black Guerrilla family, which is made up of blacks and actually is the most political of the gangs, with an anti-racism agenda and a Marxist-Maoist-Leninist ideology. From Mexico, one has the La Nuestra Familia and the Mexican Mafia. The La Nuestra Familia is made up of rural Mexicans, while the Mexican Mafia is made up of urban Mexicans. Both have a deep hatred for each other. In fact, it is said that the Nuestra Familia was formed to protect against the Mexican Mafia. All of these gangs have similar charact eristics: violent methods, a clear hierarchy and structure, and recruitment within the jails. But perhaps the inspiration for these gangs and the most well-known security threat group is none other than the Italian mafia.

Reflection of Past Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection of Past Work - Essay Example took the alternative perspective that â€Å"peer pressure could act as motivation because it boosts one’s morale in becoming better at certain things. Under motivation children coming financially unstable homes find the momentum to work hard in their academics to get better jobs†. Taking the alternative perspective is not easy because we have to research more in justifying our position. This however is not the case when we write a narrative such as in the case of A Helping Hand. This piece may be longer to write but is actually a joy to do it. I enjoyed writing it because it allowed me a greater degree of creativity to create my own story. Unlike in editorial where I have to be reasonable in my position, personal narratives are based more on what I feel and think and I do not have to make solid justifications about it for as long as the reader can relate and understand what I am writing. In the first place, the goal of a personal narrative is to reach out and affect the reader and not necessarily convince him or her with my arguments such as in the case of editorials. Writing about a favourite subject such as the performing arts in the A Day in the Fairytale is also such a joy to write. It is because I just have to write what I felt and saw during that time and need not justify what I think about it such why I enjoy the comical aspect of the dance in the opening curtain of the show. This is fun to write because I only have to focus on the positive aspect of the experience most of the time. If there are negative aspects to it, they are very few if any and are often negligible and overwhelmed by the positive aspects of the experience. For example, the Nutcracker centers around family affair and that theme alone overshadows that not so impressive aspects of the performance. And writing about it is almost without pressure as I just have to relate with the performance. This however is not the case in writing a technical story such as â€Å"What a Flood of

Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Critical Thinking - Essay Example â€Å"A leaders own strength in critical thinking and decision making is the central platform on which their influence transcends through other managers in the business† (Hilliwell, 2000). The management career requires the use of critical thinking because this job entails making operation and strategic business decisions. The purpose of this paper is to analyze critical thinking and its applications in the workplace. The utilization of critical thinking is something every human has performs hundreds of times during their lifetime. Critical thinking can be classified as a core competency. Not everyone has the same aptitude and skill level. According to scholars there is a direct correlation between a person critical thinking ability and their coefficient of intelligence. In the managerial field critical thinking abilities are imperative due to the fact that managers are responsible for the overall performance of the company and its employees. In the workplace in general employees that have critical thinking abilities have a higher probability of achieving success. Personally I consider myself an individual with pretty good critical thinking skills. As a working professional I have applied my critical thinking abilities in the workplace. A few years ago I worked at a start-up company. I was not officially a manager, but I was involved in the decision making process which implies my job duties were similar to a managerial position. The company had a new innovative product. The two functional areas I worked were finance and research and development. In the research and development department the engineer in charge would meet with me once a week to discuss product improvements ideas and production methodologies. When I started meeting with him he told me that he liked the way I process and interpreted information and that the feedback she received from me was very useful. The engineer would talk to me and tell about different issues

Julias Food Booth case problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Julias Food Booth case problem - Essay Example obsession with figures and data has led to the development of these methods and they are applied in multiple fields from applied physics to management sciences (Chen & Wang, 1997). Julia Robertson faces a challenge of knowing the probable number of units she should sell before making a profit of $1000. She is planning to sell one piece of hot dog and pizza for $1.50 while, she is looking to vend barbecue sandwich for $2.25 and her total budget is $1500. The pizza, hotdog and sandwich will cost her $0.75, $0.45 and $0.90 respectively. Following is the tentative linear model that will be applied in order to determine the number of units of each merchandise type that should be sold to make 1000 bucks in each game. According to the results obtained by running a solver â€Å"Add in† in Excel, it was found that Julia is required to sell 100,000 units of all merchandise before she can think about earning 1000 bucks. The goal of Julia is just too large for a business of vending edible products during a football match. The audience is going to be just more than the target number of customers and therefore, the opening of a booth will be a risky endeavor to say the least. The competition which Julia’s booth will be facing is also going to be immense in nature because Tech Athletic Department will also be selling drinks and food items in the stadium. The customers shall prefer to purchase items from the same install rather than wandering around seeking stalls of different natures (Baron & Tang, 2011). The Tech manages matches as events and it can be understandable that they must have obtained substantial sponsorships. The provision of food items is not a proper business but it is provid ed out of sponsors’ money. So opening a booth in order to sell food items is not a feasible business venture and Julia will be better off if she decides to knock the idea off from the table and search other options of financing for her studies. Julia’s consideration for taking loan from

Differences between War Crimes, Acts of Genocide and Crimes against Essay

Differences between War Crimes, Acts of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity - Essay Example In order to successfully offer a distinction it is important to identify what each means in international law. It is important to note that Crimes against Humanity to be precise are largely vague by definition in many legally authoritative commentaries (Trahan & Human Rights Watch, 2006). Acts of Genocide on the other hand are clear in many statutes while the former has many interpretations depending on which statute one is referring to. This can be attributed to their history and how each developed as an internationally recognised offense. Acts of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity emanated primarily from the Nuremberg trials where they were utilised as synonyms. It is important to note that these crimes had their roots after the World War II when the international community wanted the Nazi regime in Germany to be held accountable for the atrocities it had committed during the war. Discussions were held by the United Nations from 1947 to 1948 before the adoption of a definition of genocide. Crimes against Humanity are criminal conducts towards civilians or distinct groups of people for example murder, enslavement, sexual violence among other inhumane acts regardless of whether the state in question was at war and regardless whether the acts were against that state’s laws at the time of committal. These crimes can be committed by anyone ranging from state officials to individuals towards their own nationals or foreigners. Genocide on the other hand has a smaller definition which is an act perpetrated by state nationals or individuals with the intention to destroy a religious, national, racial or ethnic group irrespective of whether the state is at peace or at war (Schabas, 2000; Boot, 2002). War Crimes on the other hand are acts perpetrated at the time of armed conflict which are against international laws governing the rule of law. These acts include mistreatment of civilian populations and people exploitation through torture or executions. War Crimes have been around for a longer period than genocide or Crimes against Humanity. Many civilisations around the world have had their share of controls that governed their warfare. In China for example, those at war were strictly forbidden to strike an elderly enemy fighter or further harm an injured enemy or opponent. Further restrictions were in regards to treatment of captives or prisoners of war. They were to be well treated so as to be used later for the captors benefit. Some of these rules contributed to the definitions stipulated above under the international law. It should also be noted that defining War Crimes has been a problem especially when instilling punishment (Schabas, 2008). It is a fact that in war solders are instructed or even ordered to kill with methods of doing so having some restrictions. Some contradictions often arise in determining War Crimes circumstances for example where a soldier kills their victims during war and are punished for it. Another is where pla nes engage in mass bombing of cities killing many innocent lives and no one is held accountable for it. These and more are some of the dilemmas that challenge the implementation of international law in various nations. The notion of Crimes against Humanity As earlier mentioned, Crimes against Humanity are rarely defined in many authoritative commentaries. The Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia and that of Rwanda brought to the fore the graveness of lack of definite meanings for the Crimes against Humanity (Meron, 1994; Akhavan, 1996). The reason for this was that the statutes establishing these tribunals

MOVIE REVIEW ABOUT THE DESCENDANTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MOVIE REVIEW ABOUT THE DESCENDANTS - Essay Example Often in films the sight of someone extremely happy is a token of what is yet to come and fears the worst. The movie commences with an unforeseeable tragedy where Matt King lost his wife after hospitalization and now has to shoulder an enormous burden of being responsible for managing everything including the fund that has been entrusted to his family since 1860Â ´s. Matt King is the descendant of one of the Hawaii’s most prominent families. Further distress to burden came when Matt King was told that his wife had an affair with Brian Speer (played by Matthew Lillard), The movie gyrates around the search for Speer as Matt wanted answers to some of his queries. Matt King hailed from beautiful Hawaii island and was the owner of immense property which he wanted to sale off, his rebellious daughter stops him. As Hawaii is known for the traditional predisposition so the movie also revolves around the traditional and emotional touch. However, the director Alexander Payne is known for his brilliant plots and marvellous direction he did not let the audience move out in grief and brought the story to end at the happy note. The movie offered a lot or scope to understanding about worldly matters, family bonding, impact of loss and pain and therefore it was appreciated to a great extent by various individuals and critics and people gave their reviews depending upon their individual outlook. According to Ebert (2011) who is admirer of Hawaii, as he had been to the land a number of times, "inhabitants of Hawaii are serious about their customs and traditions and very protective for their land". In his review he highlighted "business, finances and emotions". As per his view, "Matt King is one of the Hawaiis first white land-owning families who have to fix between opening up a vast tract of virgin forest on Kauai to tourist and condo development". The tragedy happened at this important junction. Ebert (2011) reviewed more on the worldly matters that the movie displayed

Display screen Essay Example for Free

Display screen Essay A monitor can be considered as a window into the computers memory. It allows data entry to be checked by echoing input characters on the screen. The disadvantage of monitors is that data on the screen is temporary (called softcopy) and they can hold only limited amount of data. Quality Factor Resolution Resolution defines sharpness and clarity of an image and is specified as the number of dots per character. Modern packages are using a lot of graphics and therefore require high-resolution monitors. Display Adaptors Adaptors are cards installed in motherboard to control a monitor. The following specifications were evolving over the years:   Hercules mono   Colour Graphics Adaptor (CGA) low quality   Enhanced Graphics Adaptor (EGA) medium quality   Video Graphics Array (VGA and Super VGA) high quality   Extended Graphics Array (XGA) successor of SVGA, has the power to handle the video and animation requirements of the modern multimedia packages and games Bit Mapping Technique For monochrome displays, only one bit of memory is required for each pixel. If it is set to 1, the pixel is illuminated. If the corresponding memory location contains 0, the pixel is left dark. A binary representation in RAM The equivalent screen representation Figure 1. Bitmapped representation of letter T coding in RAM and corresponding image on screen For colour monitors, more than one bit is required to keep information about a pixel because apart from illuminated or not setting, colour specification is also required. Monitors that are capable of displaying 16 colours only would require 4 bits of memory per pixel (16 = 24). Figure out how many bits of memory per pixel are required to give a choice of 512 colours? Thus the required size of visual memory depends on the number of pixels on the screen (resolution factor) and on the number of colours available. If you are buying a modern monitor which is bigger than 14, it is desirable to have at least 2 M of memory on the video card. Types of Monitors 1). Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Technology: A beam of electrons lights up pixels/dots on the screen Colour is achieved by combining Red/Green/Blue (RGB) of different intensities. Size: Size is measured diagonally (corner to corner). Today monitors are available in sizes 14, 15, 17, 21. But the monitor size doesnt tell anything about the maximum viewable image size. The bezel in front of every monitors CRT diminishes the viewable area by approximately an inch. When deciding on which monitor to buy, think of which resolution youll be working in most frequently. The higher the resolution, the bigger the monitor is required. Monitors usually display 25 lines 80 characters each in text mode. Standard Resolutions (in pixels) VGA 640 x 480 SVGA 800 x 600 XGA 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024 1600 x 1200 Some high-end monitors support these high resolutions. Designed for professional level work,1600 x 1280 e. g. computer-aided design or desktop publishing 1800 x 1440 Supported by at least one: ViewSonic P815 Mega An interlaced monitor draws its screen in two passes. First it draws every second line and then fills in the missing lines. Interlacing is noticeable because of flicking screen and can cause headaches. A non-interlaced monitor draws its screen in one pass. Another reason for a flicking screen is the frequency with which the monitor redraws its screen called refresh rate or vertical scan rate. The bottom line should be 75Hz so that flickering effect doesnt show up. Ensure that your monitor and graphics card can be synchronised to the same refresh rate. 2). LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) These displays are known as being used in calculators and watches. They have an advantage of being cheap but a disadvantage is that it is very hard to see what they display in the dark. They are used in laptops because they are flat. LCDs come as monochrome or colour. Monochrome LCD images usually appear as dark gray images on a grayish-white background. Color Liquid Crystal Displays use two basic techniques for producing color: passive matrix and active matrix. Passive matrix is the less expensive of the two technologies. It offers good contrast and viewing angle suitable for graphical user interfaces but its colors are not particularly sharp and it has slow reaction times. This is the most popular display used in notebook computers today. It consists of a grid of horizontal and vertical wires. At the intersection of each grid is an LCD element which constitutes a single pixel, either letting light through or blocking it. Active-matrix technology, also called thin film transistor (TFT), produces color images that are as sharp as traditional CRT displays at 1/8 the space, but the technology is expensive. For multimedia applications with video images the fast response time of TFT active matrix displays is ideal. For color active matrix provides individual color bits for each displays. An active-matrix display uses from one to four transistors to control each pixel. LCDs do not exaggerate actual viewing areas like regular monitors. For example, a 9. 4 LCD provides 9. 4 diagonal viewing area. This is the equivalent of an 11 CRT. Color LCD Comparison Chart Technology Contrast Ratio Response Viewing Angle Price Passive Matrix 20:1 300 ms Medium Medium Active Matrix 60:1 80 ms High High 3). Gas Plasma Gas-plasma display is a type of flat display screen, called a flat-panel display, used in some portable computers. Images on gas-plasma displays generally appear as orange objects on a black background. Although gas-plasma displays produce very sharp monochrome images, they require much more power than the more common LCD displays. Technology: A grid of conductors are sealed between two flat plates of glass; neon and/or argon gas fills the space between the plates. Comparison Of LCDs and Gas-Plasma Displays: Type Readability Battery Life Cost LCD Lowest Longest Lowest Gas plasma High Shortest.

The staff at Greengables Essay Example for Free

The staff at Greengables Essay This would make a client feel emotionally upset and unwanted, the client might feel they are not important and could withdraw themselves from activities within Greengables because they do not want to be humiliated.  The sixth care value is promoting effective communication and relationships, Greengables try to make sure that clients are comfortable with their environment of the nursing home and ask their opinion, they have to understand the clients needs, fears and wishes. The clients always have time to communicate between one another, they do not have to but they have the choice. They also ensure the clients have relationships and time to bond with staff. Greengables overcome this care value by employing confident staff who are willing to talk to clients and make strong, trusting relationship, the clients have time all day everyday to make relationships it is just their choice to do so. If a care worker was to ignore the clients needs, fears or wishes or if the client struggled to talk the same language as the care worker and was ignored because the care worker didnt bother attempting to communicate with the client this care value wouldnt be followed. This could result in a client feeling they dont have to be sensitive to others or respect others opinions and feelings; they might lower in self-esteem. The seventh care value is providing individualised care, Greengables respect the clients thoughts, they treat all the residents as individuals and make sure each clients individual needs are cared for. For example, if a client needed a wheelchair because they could not walk, Greengables would provide this one client with a wheelchair unless someone else needed one and not give all the clients a wheelchair. It is vitally important that the clients have control over their lives just with the extra help on things they struggle with. In a kitchen it would be a lot easier for the catering staff to make one thing but this is not following the seventh care value; the kitchen should make certain foods for people with religious beliefs and certain foods for those who are allergic or need to be on a certain diet. This could result in the client feeling un-catered for and that they do not matter. If the care value base was not used at all, the clients that used the services at Greengables could tell their families, who could remove the client from the nursing home and into another meaning Greengables wouldnt receive as much money as they need or want and it wouldnt reach the standards that the government want and could be shut down until improved. The care value base is important because it prevents abuse and keeps the service to suitable standards. At Black Firs Playgroup the care value base is approached in a slightly different way. The clients at Black Firs Playgroup are children therefore they have to learn about building relationships with people and might not have the knowledge to tell someone about abuse. Staff at Black Firs Playgroup would be looking for physical damage, a change in mood or a change in noticeable emotional feeling of the child. The children could be abused by parents or other people at home or could be bullied by other children, which isnt as likely because they are a bit young. The children are less likely to be verbally abused than the older residents at Greengables because some children will not understand hurtful words for example. Both the clients from a nursing home and a nursery are at a vulnerable age because younger people take more explaining and understanding and older people are frail. At Greengables the staff would be looking for physical abuse, a change in mood and contribution to things or psychological abuse. This abuse could be from other clients, their family who visit or the care workers. The staff at Greengables have more chance of getting told or confided in by a client because they already know how to make relationships but might struggle to speak etc after a stroke for example.

Expanding The Market Share For Apples Iphone Marketing Essay

Expanding The Market Share For Apples Iphone Marketing Essay A Marketing Research project for the MSc International Marketing Management programme 2010/11 Executive Summary The purpose of this research was to determine how to increase the market share of the iPhone in China. In order to conduct the study, the marketing research problem was identified as to determine the needs and preferences of buyers of smartphones in the Chinese market. In line with the research problem six hypotheses were developed to be tested. In this project, several research approaches were used. Exploratory research was conducted to help the researchers obtain a basic understanding and insight into the problems facing Apple Inc., while conclusive research helped to build upon the findings of the exploratory research. Through searching and reading secondary data, the researchers identified the different factors, in terms of physical factors (e.g., price, quality, ease of use), social factors (e.g., fashion purchasing, group identity, symbol of status) and emotional factors (e.g., brand image, appearance, advertisement, etc.), that theoretically should influence purchase behaviour. Based on the secondary data, a questionnaire was designed and administered to 176 Chinese students in the University of Leeds from 11th to 22nd November 2010 to collect the primary data of their perceptions and satisfactions towards smartphones and the iPhone. The results were analysed using SPSS, and several statistical tests performed to check whether the hypotheses were accepted in the study. From the project, the researchers found that all the three factors (physical factor, social factor and emotional factor) individually were closely related to the perceptions of iPhone, and also that these three factors combined exerted influence towards the perceptions. Moreover, consumers perceptions toward the iPhone were found to be related to their post purchase satisfactions as well. Gender and income, as the demographic moderators, also have influence on the perceptions and satisfactions of iPhone, although the effect of gender was limited. As a result, the study could be considered as a reference of iPhone to identify their current problems in Chinese market and design corresponding marketing strategy to increase their marketing share in China. Table of Contents 1 A Marketing Research project for the MSc International Marketing Management programme 2010/11 1 Introduction 4 Background 6 SWOT analysis for iPhone in Chinese market 7 Problem Definition 7 Management Decision Problem 7 Market Research Problem 8 Research Components 8 Research Approach Development 8 Literature review 8 1.1.1Physical Factors 8 1.1.2Social Factors 9 1.1.3Emotional/Psychological Factors 9 1.1.4Demographic Factors 9 Conceptual Model 11 Research Question and Hypotheses 11 Research Design and Methodology 13 Research Design 13 Secondary Research 13 Primary Research 14 1.1.5Research Approach 14 1.1.6Sampling Design 14 1.1.7Questionnaire Design 16 Field work 19 Analytical Methods 20 Results and Hypotheses Testing 21 Profile of the respondents 21 Factors influencing mobile phone choices 21 1.1.8Factors influencing smartphone preferences 21 1.1.9Factors related to iPhones 22 1.1.10Post Purchase Satisfaction 23 Hypothesis Testing 23 7. Conclusions and Recommendations 29 7.1 Conclusion 29 The conclusion is shown in the following model: 30 7.2 Recommendations 30 7.3 Limitations of the Research 31 8. References 32 9.List of Appendix 34 Appendix 1: Questionnaire 34 9.2 Appendix 2: Respondents Profile Frequency 39 9.3 Appendix 3: Mean Value 41 9.4 Appendix 4: Moderator regression table 44 Introduction The market for smartphones has been growing continually. The proof of its popularity is that sales of smartphones to end users have reached 54.3 million units in the first quarter of 2010, an increase of 48.7 percent from the same period in 2009. smartphones hold 17.3 percent of worldwide mobile phone devices sales (Gartner, May 2010). There are currently more than 6 types of operating systems available in the smartphone market, such as Symbian, RIM, Apple iOS, Android, Windows Mobile and Linux. The Nokia Symbian holds the highest market share followed by RIM BlackBerry and Apple iOS in the year 2010 (Gartner, May 2010). The players in the market compete by introducing new innovations and adding value to their phones, since the consumers expect more from smartphones than from basic feature phones (Mintel, January 2010). Creating an image of being a state of the art technology provider may give the positive connotations in the customers head that allow them to set a higher price, as the strategy that Apple implemented with the iPhone has shown (Data Monitor, May 2010). Even so, according to the fact that 51 percent of the consumers will not buy the phone unless the price come down (Mintel, January 2010), price does clearly matter to them. The factors influencing smartphone purchasing decisions needs to be identified in order to develop new potential opportunities to create distinctive competencies. This study will cover factors influencing iPhone perception and iPhone post purchase satisfaction. This should give a guide to a successful marketing strategy in the future. Background Apple Inc. is one of the major companies of technology and innovation in consumer products in the world. They provide a wide range of products and services, from laptop and desktop computers to accessories and software services. The company recorded revenues of almost $43 billion during the financial year ending in September 2009 (FY2009), an increase of over 14% since 2008. The increase in revenues was mainly due to growth in sales of iPhone handsets and the related sales of third-party digital content and applications from the iTunes Store (Data Monitor, May 2010). But even though China has the highest number of mobile phone subscribers in the world, the sales figures for iPhone in China as reported by China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. are far behind the rest of the big markets in the world. It took only 30 hours for Apple iPhone to reach over 200,000 sold units in the U.S. in 2007, but it took more than a month to reach the same number in China (The Economic Times, October 2010). One possible factor holding the iPhone back in China is its relatively high price. Apple and Unicom charge $730 to $1,020 for the iPhone, not including discounts on service, making it more expensive than grey market iPhones brought into the country through places like Hong Kong. There may be up to two million such grey market iPhones in China according to an estimate by Paul Wuh, an analyst covering China Unicom for Samsung Securities. In addition to this, the Wi-Fi Internet function was initially disabled on Unicoms iPhones to comply with Chinese government rules (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2009), which might also have contributed to the slow take-off of iPhone sales. NOTE Is this a reference SWOT analysis for iPhone in Chinese market Strengths Strong brand name Focuses RD driving innovation Provides State of the art technologies Opportunities Strong growth in smartphones market segment Continuing growth in demand for handheld devices Weaknesses Product recalls Patent infringement Expensive Price Threats Intense competition Dependence on specific suppliers Chinese Governments regulations High cost of internet bundle provider Reference: Data monitor 21 May 2010 Available at http://www.datamonitor.com Problem Definition Management Decision Problem Apple Inc. has encountered some potential limitations for the iPhone in the Chinese market, such as government regulations, grey market opportunities and the high price of the phone. Even though 100,000 iPhone 4s were sold in the first 4 days of availability (Sutherland, 2010), representing a high demand for the iPhone, the market share in China is still lower than anywhere else in the world. Hence, the management decision problem for Apple could be How to increase iPhone market share in China? Market Research Problem To answer the management decision problem it needs to be translated into a market research problem, which the researchers therefore define to be: To determine the needs and preferences of buyers of smartphones in the Chinese market Research Components To clarify consumers perceptions toward smartphones. To determine the factors that influence consumers decision to buy the iPhone. To evaluate consumers post purchase behaviour of iPhone. To discover potential influence of demographic factors on iPhone satisfaction Research Approach Development Literature review According to the secondary data that have been collected for this study, there are 4 main factors that should influence consumers technology buying decisions. Physical Factors Consumers would look into visible aspects (design) more than software specific aspects (operating system). Three main factors that consumers focus on are good design, the brand of the handset and quality of integrated camera. The consumers cannot always tell the distinction between the latest innovative phones and other phones. The companies attempts to position themselves, as high technology innovators may not be significant when consumers do not look for it (Mintel, January 2010). A better design leads to a sense of better usability and help to extend users emotional attachment to the device (Nanda, 2008) Social Factors As a rule, in the emerging markets of the world the penetration of mobile technology is higher in the high-income segments of a population. In the developed world a mobile handset is part of the everyday world, while elsewhere it is still considered as a luxury and a symbol of status. Thus, while income is less related to the ownership of a mobile handset in Europe, in China it is still a very important factor (Castells et al., 2004). To specify on teenage consumers, they want to keep up with the most recent trend so there is a quick turnover in their technology adopting behaviour. They were controlled by trend not technology and they fear to be excluded from their group because the lack of technology involvement (Mintel, August 2008). People were influenced by their own group about which phone to buy. The innovation and designs were developed to satisfy consumers social needs (Vincent, 2009). Young users are also more likely to use SMS rather than voice calls than other users, mainly because it is cheaper and because they usually have more time to master the technical skill of texting. For the older, working population where the employer pays the bills the opposite is the general rule (Castells et al., 2004). Emotional/Psychological Factors The role of the phones is more than just a communication tool. They become personal objects (Hallnà ¤s Redstrà ¶m, 2002). The common emotional responses among mobile phone users are being cool, chilled out and tuned into a mobile phone culture The thrill and the novelty of the mobile phone: What the phones can do for the users are the factors that enable and strengthen the relationship. Demographic Factors There is a positive relation between age and price concern. Older buyers would take price as an important factor when deciding to buy a new phone (Mintel, January 2010). As well as teenage buyers, they have a budget constraint due to their limited income. Consequently they would wait until they are certain about their choice so as to avoid making a bad purchase. This concern leads to a brand criterion. In order to reduce the risk of wasting their money, they would stick to the trusted brand only (Mintel, August 2008). Technology goods are a low elasticity product to men. During the recession men still buy new technology goods. Women are more prices sensitive than men and they are also interested in design more than men (Mintel, June 2009). Due to the two facts that in China ownership of a mobile phone is positively related to income, and that a larger part of the high-income earners are men, there is a gap between number of male and female users of mobile phones. However, there is a growing market segment targeted at women where the exterior design is the major selling point (Castells et al., 2004). There is also a difference in how male and females perceive and use their handsets; female users are not only likelier to see the phone as a fashionable accessory but also use it as a key channel to maintain personal relationships. This becomes evident in studies that show that even if more men than women use SMS, women are more frequent users of it than men (Castells et al., 2004). Conceptual Model Figure 1: Model of Smartphone Purchasing Decision H1 H3 H4 H5 H6 iPhone Perceptions Post purchase Satisfaction Demographic Moderators Physical Factors H2 Social Factors Emotional Factors Research Question and Hypotheses Q1: Is there any relationship between physical factors and the iPhone perceptions? H1: There is a relationship between physical factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q2: Is there any relationship between social factors and the iPhone perceptions? H2: There is a relationship between social factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q3: Is there any relationship between emotional factors and the iPhone perceptions? H3: There is a relationship between emotional factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q4: Is there a relationship between physical factors, social factors and emotional factors and iPhone perceptions? H4: There is a relationship between physical factors, social factors and emotional factors and iPhone perceptions. Q5: Is there a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfactions? H5: There is a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfactions. Q6a: Does the demographic moderator of income influence the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction? H6a: The demographic moderator of income influences the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction. Q6b: Does the demographic moderator of gender influence the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction? H6b: The demographic moderator of gender influences the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction. Research Design and Methodology Research Design Research design is a framework or blueprint conducting a market research project that specifies the procedures necessary to obtain the information needed to structure or solve the marketing problem (Malhotra, 2009: 94). The objective of this project is to improve the sales volume of iPhone in China. The first step here was to define the management decision problem and then apply suitable market research approach. There are two types of research designs; Exploratory: An exploratory research was conducted to gain a basic understanding and insight in the problems faced by Apple Inc. This was done mainly through secondary data. The exploratory research proved that there was some problem and further research was required in order to address it appropriately. Conclusive: A conclusive research was conducted to build upon the finding of the exploratory research. It is done mainly to test the formulated hypotheses. The conclusive research is of two types; descriptive and casual. The descriptive research was used to identify the relationship between the different variables affecting the buying behaviour whereas the causal research was used to determine the cause and effect relationships between the moderator and the variables. Secondary Research This is one of the most important elements of a market research project especially when there is time and cost constraint. Since the study revolves around a very new, unique and innovative product so the secondary data has been entirely sourced from the quality journals, newspapers and research articles. In order to maintain authenticity of the data, all the data was compared among each other and this lay the foundation for the development of the research model for the study. Primary Research Research Approach The survey method was used to collect the information from the respondents in this research. This method was chosen due to its advantages of ease, reliability, and simplicity along with the fact that it can simultaneously demonstrate the insights into who the actual consumers are, how the consumers behave, and why the consumers behave in certain way (Malhotra, 2009: p214). With the consideration of time and resource constraints, the questionnaires were distributed to Chinese students at the University of Leeds. In addition to distributing the questionnaire face to face to the respondents, an on-line version of the questionnaire was also made available by the researchers to collect data from the respondents. Sampling Design In this case, to understand the correlations between different types of factors and the smartphone purchasing decision of Chinese consumers and between demographic moderators and the customer satisfaction, the sample size was determined according to the four steps of the Sampling Design Process (Malhotra, 2009: p371). Defining the Target Population: Elements of the Sample: Prospective purchasers of mobile phones in China Sample Units: Chinese mobile phone users Extent: Chinese students study in the University of Leeds Time Period: November, 2010 Sample Frame: The Chinese students who study at the University of Leeds were the target population of this research. According to the web page of the University of Leeds (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/30313/asia/200/china), the number of Chinese students was 561 when the research was undertaken. Therefore, the sample size was calculated based on the population size of 561. Sampling Technique: Sampling techniques can be classified as non-probability sampling and probability sampling (Malhotra, 2009: p373). Non-probability sampling was selected for the data collection in this research due to the time and resource constraints; the selecting of sample elements was based on the research teams personal judgment and conveniencealecting of sample elements was survey was carried out among different income level.ch could expand the age interval of the re. Determining the sample size: The sample size of the research was calculated by statistical method with the formula below: n = where: n = sample size required N = population size Z = number of standard errors (Z=1.96 for 95% confidence level) (Anton, 1995, cited by Palihawadana, 2009) The sample size was calculated at 95% confidence level, therefore n = = 229 According to the calculation above, 229 questionnaires were required to be collected in this research. However, due to the time and resource constraints, instead 76% of the required sample size or 176 questionnaires were to be included in this research. Questionnaire Design A questionnaire was designed to collect the quantitative primary data. According to the literature review, three factors were embraced in the questionnaire to determine their relevance of smartphones purchasing decision. Besides, collecting basic information of the respondents helped to investigate whether the demographic moderators affected the consumer satisfaction. The questionnaire was designed on the basis of questionnaire design process (Malhotra, 2009 p.331). Information Needed: The first step is to make sure the information which should be collected and used to analyse the result. Thus, it is vital to clearly understand the research questions and hypotheses so as to help the questionnaire remain focused. As the respondents are students at the University of Leeds, the wording and style used in the questionnaire was appropriate to their level of education. Type of Interviewing Method: The survey was conducted mainly by using personal interviews, accompanied by an internet survey. As a result, complex questions were avoided and all the questions were made as detailed and clear as possible so as to avoid any ambiguity. Content of Individual Questions: All questions were designed based on six hypotheses. Reviewing the form and structure of related researches helped the questionnaire to be succinct and well-structured, and thus easy for young respondents to answer. Question Design: The questionnaire was designed to be as simple as possible to achieve raise the willingness to answer of the respondents. Moreover, the questions were oriented to require less effort and to avoid asking for sensitive information. Question structure and operationalisation of the variables Question design: 7-Attitudinal Scales Dichotomous Data Multiple-Choice Questions Questions Social Factors Physical Factors Emotional Factors Q: 3d, 3e, 3f, 7d, 7e, 7f Q:3g-i, 7g-i, 8a-g, 12a-g H1 H2 H3 Q4,Q10,Q14 Q1, Q2, Q5, Q: 3a, 3b, 3c, 7a, 7b, 7c Demo- graphic Moderators Q15, Q16, Q17, Q18, Q19 H6 Post- purchase Satisfaction Q13 Q6 Construct Item Reference H4 iPhone Percep-tions H5 Q11 The questionnaire included 19 questions in four pages. In this questionnaire, three formats of questions were designed, which are, respectively; multiple-choice questions, 7-attitudinal scales and dichotomous questions. Multiple-choice questions were designed in order to get the general information about peoples perception of mobile phones and smartphones, as well as respondents personal information. As respondents are familiar with phones, and the personal information questions are basic background questions, respondents could easily choose a preference choice from the several alternatives. In addition, since the questions were asked in an objective way, the data collected can be taken as reliable. Dichotomous data is that classified into either one of two mutually exclusive values. In the questionnaire, the dichotomous questions were about Yes or No questions about purchasing phones of respondents. Scale questions were used to indicate respondents attitudinal preference of the given items or sentences. In the questionnaire, scale questions were designed as the model of 7-attitudinal scale questions. Among most of these questions, 7 represented strongly agree or strongly satisfied while 1 represents strongly disagree or strongly dissatisfied, indicating respondents attitude in a much more detailed manner. All the factors that directly influence the hypothesis can be evaluated in on the 7-attitudinal scale question model, including physical factors, social factors as well as emotional factors. In this way the researchers found it easy to evaluate the factors that influence peoples preferences regarding smartphones according to the data. Question wording: Questions in the questionnaire were appropriate, simple and objective. While designing the questionnaire, special attention was given so that the questions did not mislead or prime the respondents in any way. This way the reliability of the data is enhanced. Sections of the questionnaire: The questionnaire was divided into four parts; Section A: Mobile Phones in the Market; Section B: Smartphones in the Market; Section C: iPhone and Section D: Personal Information. In Section A, it the respondents general perception about mobile phones was explored; in Section B, the questionnaire tried to get an idea of Chinese international students preferences towards smartphones at Leeds University; in Section C, the questionnaire focused on the attitude towards iPhone among Chinese students at Leeds University; and in the last part, Section D, it is appertained that all the respondents provide their basic personal information, which is an essential part of demographic factors as it would help the researchers to test Hypothesis 4 as a reference. Among the first three sections, equivalent attitudinal questions are asked in order to make a comparison among students attitude towards feature phones, smartphones and the iPhone. Also, all these three parts contained questions about physical factors, social factors and emotional factors that could influence peoples decision while buying phones. Form and Layout: The questionnaire was designed in a way that would inspire the respondents willingness and interest to finish it. This was done by way of keeping sections clearly defined, avoiding the title or questions within a section to be separated between alternatives in two pages. Additionally, certain care was taken to give the questionnaire an appealing look, and the university logo was added to give a serious and trustworthy impression. Pilot testing: Before collecting data from Chinese students in Leeds University, a pilot testing was made among five Chinese students at different schools, to test the practicability of the questionnaire. The suggestions from the five respondents were taken into consideration. The questionnaire was then complemented with some new alternatives, covering more situations and factors in a better way. While doing the actual survey, it was concluded that the respondents of the questionnaire perceived it to be much easier to answer all the questions after the views of the respondents of the Pilot project were incorporated. Field work The duration of data collection was between 11th and 22nd of November 2010, when 176 questionnaires were distributed by the six members of the research team. The researchers collected the data from Chinese students by requesting them to fill out the questionnaires on the campus of the University of Leeds. Analytical Methods In this study, a variety of statistical methods were used to analyse the data which had collected from 176 respondents, in order to understand whether the physical factor, social factor and emotional factor significantly relate to iPhone perceptions, whether these three factors combined together and affected iPhone perception, whether there is a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction, and whether demographic factor could be considered as a moderator influences on the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction according to the conceptual model. The following are the methods adopted: Bi-variate regression analysis was used to calculate whether there was a relationship between the respondents preferences regarding the different factor (independent variable) and their perception of iPhone (dependent variable). This method was also used to test whether there was a relationship between the perception of respondents towards iPhone (independent variable) and the post purchase satisfaction (dependent variable). When measuring the importance of demographic moderating variables affect the satisfaction of iPhone (dependent variable), bi-variate regression analysis was be used as well. Multiple Regression analysis was conducted to analyse the degree of connection between three factors in terms of physical factor, social factor and emotional factor (independent variables) and the perception of iPhone (dependent variable). Results and Hypotheses Testing Profile of the respondents Among the 176 respondents, 63 of them (35.8%) were male while 113 of them (64.2%) were female. 72.7% of total sample are between the age of 20 and 23. Merely 13.1% of the respondents came from families with the family income level of less than RMB 5000 per month. 61.4% of all the respondents studied in Business School. 64.8% of the respondents have postgraduate educational level. The largest percentage of respondents came from East China, accounts for 43.8%, while only 5% of the respondents came from Northeast China. Factors influencing mobile phone choices Factors influencing smartphone preferences According to the questionnaire result, physical factors were the most important factors that influenced peoples purchasing of smartphones, with an average score of 5.77 on the attitudinal scale while social factors were the least important with an average score of 4.65. Among the physical factors that influenced respondents decision of buying smartphone quality was the most important with an average score of 6.21, while price was the least important with 5.17. Among social factors, pursuing fashion was the most important with an average score of 5.10 while group identity was the least important with 4.40. As to the emotional factors, the appearance of the smartphone was the most important in respondents mind with 5.80 average score, while advertisements were of least importance with 4.09. As mentioned about the functions of smartphones, which are part of emotional factors that influencing peoples decision of buying smartphones, the function of browsing the websites was the most attractive with an average score of 5.70 while the function of video was the least important with 4.51. Factors related to iPhones Regarding the iPhone, emotional factors were the most important factors affecting respondents purchasing behaviour with an average score of 5.26, while the social factors were the least important with 4.37. Among the physical factors, most of the respondents agreed with the sentence iPhone has a high quality, with this factor getting the highest score of 5.47. At the same time most of them think iPhone is expensive because the sentence iPhone has a reasonable price only registered the average score of 3.72. Within the social factors a majority of the respondents believed iPhone to be a symbol of fashion with the score of 5.65, while few people wanted to buy an iPhone just because their friends or family have one, this factor recording only 3.28. Among emotional factors, iPhone has a good design of appearance was the most agreeable sentence with the score of 5.61, and the sentence The advertisements of iPhone are attractive the least with an average score of 4.79. As to functions, included in emotional factors which influence peoples purchasing decisions regarding the iPhone, the availability of applications through which you can go over websites like Facebook or Youtube was the most attractive with a score of 5.91, while

Abortion: Women Need a Choice :: Argumentative

Our Nation was built on the ideas of freedom and independence. With that concept, I believe that our government needs to trust that women have the capability to choose what is best for their future. Our society should respect women’s independence and grant them the freedom to decide what is right. This issue is important to me because history has shown that restricting abortions, not only undermines women, but can also be very dangerous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that the government should not be able to control what a woman does with her body. By granting women the right to choose, this does not permit her to kill, but to decide what is best for all persons involved. There are many situations that show that abortion may be the best for the parents and the unborn child. Situations such as rape or incest prove that it is not the woman’s fault and not fair to the mother or the unborn child to pay for it. There are other situations such as if the mother carries a disease the can be passed on, or if the parents are unfit to raise a family at the time. Any case however, should be between the people involved and not the government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past, there have been many cases when abortions were restricted, and women went ahead to find other ways to get it done. They were forced to have it done in unsafe alleys by complete strangers. By legalizing abortions, it has made conditions much safer for women. I think mentally, it has strengthened women in many ways; they can now confront their problems and have options to choose from, and not have to hide their mistakes.

Free Process Essays - How Boats Work :: Expository Process Essays

How Boats Work   As most people probably know a propeller is what drives a motorboat through the water. However, the water gives off quite a bit of resistance. If you want to travel at greater velocities you have to speed up the boat to push against the water and to move the hull higher. The force of the water against the hull is called friction. This slows the boat down. If a boat hull is designed well the water will flow around more easily. The sail of a modern sailing boat or yacht catches the wind and pushes the boat forward. The sail of a boat is very similar to the wing of an airplane or even a bird's wing. The same principles that govern those structures happen - a plane's wing lifts the plane and a boat's sail lifts and pushes it forward. Imagine the sail of a boat cutting into the air. As the sail cuts through the air some of the air goes around the curved side and some air goes across the shorter (back side). The air on one side makes the sailboat lean over and the air on the other side pushes the boat sideways. Another question now arises what makes the boat go forward? Well the hull is weighed down by a keel; this huge weight counters the wind push and makes the boat go forward. Now when discussing boats there are many types, another type of interest would be a jet boat. If   it was possible to see through the hull of a jet boat and into the jet unit which propels the boat to high velocities we would see amazing things. The water flows in a given direction. The spinning turbine blades cause water to be sucked up through the intake under low pressure. Once inside the turbine chamber the water gains velocity and is powered out of the back of the turbine under high pressure by the specifically designed turbine blades. The opposing force of this powerful jet blast powers the boat forward. Another principal of boats is how they float.   Floating was first recorded by

Irving Penn :: essays research papers

Irving Penn has always strived for the best presentation of his work, he has become a master printer, revitalizing the platinum-palladium process as well as working with new techniques. The combination of innovative photography and meticulous printing has made Irving Penn one of the most significant photographers of the twentieth century. "Photographing a cake can be art," Irving Penn said when he opened his studio in 1953. Before long he was backing up his statement with a series of advertising illustrations that created a new high standard in the field and established a reputation that has kept him in the top bracket ever since. Penn has won renown as much in editorial photography as in advertising illustration, and his innovations especially in portraits and still life have set him apart stylistically. In later years, he turned to television commercials as an outlet for his unique talent. One of the most imitated among contemporary photographers, his work has been widely recognized and applauded. Irving Penn was born June 16, 1917 in Plainfield, NJ Educated in public; he enrolled at the age of 18 in a four-year course at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art, where Alexey Brodovitch taught him advertising design. While training for a career as an art director, Penn worked the last two summers from Harper's Bazaar as an office boy and apprentice artist, sketching shoes. At this time, he had no thought of becoming a photographer. Milestones In addition to his work for Vogue magazine (the American, British, and French editions) Penn has been represented in many important photographic collections, including those of the Museum of Modem Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Addison Gallery of American Art, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. In 1958, Irving Penn was named one of "The World’s 10 Greatest Photographers" in an international poll conducted by Popular Photography Magazine. Penn’s statement at the time is a remarkable summation of purpose and idealism: "I am a professional photographer because it is the best way I know to earn the money I require to take care of my wife and children." His first job on graduating in 1938 was art director of the Junior League magazine, later he worked in the same capacity for Saks Fifth Avenue department store. At the age of 25, he quit his job and used his small savings to go to Mexico, where he painted a full year before he convinced himself he would never be more than a mediocre.

History of education Essay

Tamil Nadu is regarded to be one of India’s star performers in the sector of elementary education. The results of the 2001 Census show that Tamil Nadu has attained third position behind Kerala and Maharashtra both in terms of overall and female literacy. It recorded close to 100 per cent gross enrolment ratio (GER) at primary and upper primary levels based on 2007 estimates. A major legislative effort for the universalisation of education in line with the constitutional mandate has been the introduction of the Tamil Nadu Compulsory Education Act, 1994. Under this Act it is the duty of the government to provide the necessary infrastructure (schools and teachers) for ensuring universalisation of elementary education. Parents are also liable to be fined if they do not send their wards to school, though this rule is not very strictly enforced as most of the children not going to school come from poor backgrounds. Tamil Nadu’s high enrolment statistics are also the result of the number of welfare schemes that the State government has introduced in the elementary education sector. The large number of missionary and private schools are also playing a role in the spread of education. The government provides textbooks, uniforms and noon meals to the pupils making it a State where the per child spending is much higher than in educationally backward States such as Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and others and is higher than the all-India average. The State is making an endeavor to provide primary schools within a one km radius of human habitations with a population of 300 and above to increase their accessibility. It is also a State that has actually spent most of the funds allocated to it by the Centre under the SSA scheme, in contrast to States like UP, Bihar and Assam that have huge unspent amounts. Tamil Nadu students stood first in the country in mathematics, language and reading comprehension skills according to the national mid-term achievement survey of Class III children commissioned by the NCERT in collaboration with the MHRD and the SCERT and SSA wings of the States recently. But it has come to light that local bodies like corporations and municipalities are not fully utilizing money collected as education tax as a percentage of property tax under the Tamil Nadu Elementary Education Act and this is affecting the quality and quantity of formal education provision at the grassroots level. While the general literacy rate in Tamil Nadu as per 2001 data is 73. 5%, wide disparities exist across districts, gender, and area of residence as well as social grouping. The literacy rate of the SC and ST populations are consistently lower in all the districts. The retention rate within and after the primary school level is also not very impressive and there is a high percentage of repeaters. This is particularly so in the case of the STs and SCs. It is to overcome this discrepancy between education offered in different kinds of schools, between rural and urban schools and to overcome other numerous ills that have crept into the education system—such as arbitrary collection of fees, induction of daily waged, inadequately qualified para teachers, rote learning, examination stress, problems related to the medium of instruction and so on—that the State government constituted the Muthukumaran Committee, which submitted its report in 2007. This committee had the mandate to work out a framework of a uniform pattern of education in Tamil Nadu and to make recommendations for improving its quality. The report of the Committee recommends only one autonomous board, The Tamil Nadu State Secondary School Education Board, instead of the existing four State level boards—Matriculation, Anglo-Indian, Oriental and State Board. Schools coming under this integrated Board would follow a common syllabus ensuring an equitable school education in the State not conferring any undue advantages with regard to admission into higher educational institutions for students completing their school education from one particular Board. Equitable standard education is to be provided by a Common School or Neighbourhood School system, which with uniform syllabi would help to ‘decommercialise’ educational institutions and put an end to many a private management that does not feel sufficiently accountable to society in this crucial sector. The spiraling cost of education starting at the nursery level is cementing caste-class and rural-urban divisions. A common school system using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction would make equal education accessible to all without discrimination. A common school system also means a common examination pattern. The report of the Committee advocates a reasonable teacher-student ratio of not more than 1:30 and doing away with faulty textbooks and a system of rote learning. It emphasizes the promotion of analytical and rational skills that would equip the students to learn by themselves; a testing and evaluation pattern that involves the application of concepts learnt rather than mere reproduction of facts. The school syllabus should not overload students with information but instead kindle their interest in the subject and teach them how to search for more information and conceptualize it. Traditional knowledge should be incorporated and made part of school education. Evaluation should be comprehensive and not just of academic achievements, and that too only marks based. Evaluation should include an assessment of student abilities and performance in academics, the arts, sports and games, values, reading habits, character, conduct and other extra-curricular activities. Schools should not only lay emphasis on academic subjects but also on moral education. Here the Committee suggests that it may be better to have a progress book with entries made from time to time and also periodically sent to the parents so that they may be made aware of their child’s progress. Regular consultation with parents about their wards’ progress and achievements and educational goals is a must. A sheet of paper containing marks obtained in public exams is not enough to understand a student’s development and potential. If the marks obtained in only one exam are going to decide the person’s admission into an institute of higher learning then all stress is on preparing for this exam neglecting other exams and activities. The chance or temptation to indulge in malpractices is also high. Marks obtained in a one-time exam also are no accurate reflection of the student’s actual knowledge and achievement level and potential. Treating exams and marks as more important than life itself has meant the death of many a student. Finally, children belonging to linguistic minorities should be allowed to gain instruction in their respective mother tongue, while all students in standards 5 or 8 ought to have a specific level of knowledge in Tamil and English so that these languages can be used for communication. No student should be dropped and he/she should be allowed to grow in the chosen field of interest and in accordance with their individual capability. A simple pass or fail should certainly not be a deciding factor in a person’s life. While the government has accepted the notion of one board for school education other major recommendations of the Muthukumaran Committee on education reforms are being sidelined by the State government. In fact, some government run schools are changing the medium of instruction to English and not all schools teach Tamil, though this is compulsory as per current State education law. Moreover, schools with an eye on the results in board exams and aiming at future lucrative career possibilities for their students are introducing modern European languages like French (German is waiting to be introduced on a larger scale on the school level) that are supposedly high scoring subjects in comparison to Tamil, which is seen to be difficult even by those whose mother tongue it is. There is almost everywhere an exodus from government run schools to aided or private schools because of the perceived better quality and the lure of an English medium education, which is regarded by parents to be necessary in today’s world. It is to remain viable and not lose out in this competition for students that government run schools are increasingly offering English medium instruction also, although the English medium sections are permitted only on a self-financing basis. The non-acceptance of important recommendations by the Muthukumaran committee is thus in line with the general pro-globalisation trend in the Tamil Nadu economy as a whole. Current education system Why is India still a developing country and what is stopping it from being a developed country? India’s education system as a stumbling block towards its objectives of achieving inclusive growth. India is going to experience a paradox of nearly 90 million people joining the workforce but most of them will lack requiste skills and the mindset for productiveemployment according to a report in DNA. India has about 550 million people under the age of 25 years out of which only 11% are enrolled in tertiary institutions compared to the world average of 23%. . I will be focussing on how the education system’s failure is leading to another social issue of income inequality and hence, suggest certain policies to improve India’s education system and reduce inequality. Problems and drawbacks The really critical aspect of Indian public education system is its low quality. The actual quantity of schooling that children experience and the quality of teaching they receive are extremely insufficient ingovernment schools. A common feature in all government schools is the poor quality of education, with weak infrastructure and inadequate pedagogic attention. What the government is not realising right now is that education which is a source of human capital can create wide income inequalities. It will be surprising to see how income inequalities are created within the same group of educated peopleSo if the government does not improve education system particularly in rural areas the rich will become richer and the poor will get poorer. Hence, it is imperative for the government to correct the blemishes in India’s education system which will also be a step towards reducing income inequality. Another reason for poor quality of education is the poor quality of teachers in government schools . Government schools are unable to attract good quality teachers due to inadequate teaching facilities and low salaries. The government currently spends only 3% of its GDP on education which is inadequate and insufficient. To improve the quality of education , the government needs to spend more money from its coffers on education. Most economists feel that the only panacea to the ills of the public schooling system is the voucher scheme. Under the voucher system, parents are allowed to choose a school for their children and they get full or partial reimbursement for the expenses from the government. But however, the voucher system will further aggravate the problem of poor quality of education in government schools. Such a system will shift resources from government schools to private schools. This will worsen the situation of government schools which are already under-funded. Moreover, if the same amount given as vouchers can be used to build infrastructure in schools then the government can realize economies of scale. For example- The centre for civil society is providing vouchers worth Rs 4000 per annum to 308 girls. This means that the total amount of money given as vouchers is Rs 1232000. If the same amount can be used to construct a school and employ high quality teachers who are paid well then a larger section of the society will enjoy the benefit of education. A school can definitely accommodate a minimum of 1000 students. I hope government takes certain appropriate policy measures to improve the education system otherwise inequalities are going to be widespread and India’s basic capabilities will remain stunted. Let us strengthen the case for a stronger education system. Conclusion Certain policy measures need to be taken by the government. The basic thrust of government education spending today must surely be to ensure that all children have access to government schools and to raise the quality of education in those schools. One of the ways in which the problem of poor quality of education can be tackled is through common schooling. This essentially means sharing of resources between private and public schools. Shift system is one of the ways through which common schooling can be achieved. The private school can use the resources during the first half of the day and the government school can use it during the second half. It is important to remember that the quality of education is directly linked to the resources available and it is important for the government to improve resource allocation to bring about qualitative changes in the field of education. Common schooling is one of the ways in which government can use limited resources in an efficient way and thus improve resource allocation.