Marginal Revenue and the Demand Curve

The U.S./Cuban Showdown and the Cold War - 1556 Words

The 13 days in where the Soviet Union confronted the USA by placing nuclear missles in the island Cuba which is just 90 miles off American mainland is regarded as the closest the two countries came to war in the Cold War period. The short term signifcances were huge, as the world came close to a third world war, but in the long term it actually helped USA and the Soviet Union build a stronger relationship. It led to the Moscow-Washington hotline. However, during the 13 days it proved to many leaders and citizens around the world how fragile a relationship the two countries had, and showed a glimpse into the future that no one wanted to experience. However, what was most significant about the event in the short term was that the outcome seemed to give the USA the upper hand in the cold war. The result of the crises was that the Soviet Union retreated and took all their offensive weapons in Cuba away, whilst the American missiles in Turkey were allowed to stay where they were. Although the Cold War continued for another three decades after, the event led to the decline of Khrushchev, which proves how significant a defeat it was for the Soviets. Opposition had mounted against Khrushchev during and after the crisis and for all his dramatics, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war for example, he had not delivered any meaningful victories. In the early days of September 1962, American U-2 spy planes detected that the Soviet Union were building surface-to-air launchShow MoreRelatedThe Cold War Summarized Essay1619 Words   |  7 Pagesfollowing the Second World War is known as the Cold War. This period was full of tension and fear that the United States and the USSR would destroy each other and the world with their arsenals of atomic weapons. The seeds of this rivalry were planted nearly a quarter of a century before its actual commencement with the Revolution of 1918 in Russia. The Cold War Rivalry would manifest itself in everything from sports in Olympic competition to science and the Space Race. The Cold War did not only take placeRead MoreCuban Missile Crisis By Bryce Faber999 Words   |  4 PagesCuban Missile Crisis Bryce Faber The Cuban Missile crisis in October of 1962 was the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war. Over thirteen October days, the U.S. and the Soviet Union faced off over Nuclear missile sites found on Cuba 90 miles from the Florida shore. These two world superpowers locked horns in what became known as the Cold War. The Cuban Missile crisis was the climactic showdown in which John F. Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev Made decisions that would affect the fateRead MoreThe Cold War : A Conflict Between Capitalist And Communist Nations Of The World989 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cold War was a conflict between the capitalist and communist nations of the world that lasted from the end of World War 2 into the 1990 s. Problems created by the Cold War still exist today, although many of the combat countries do not directly. Capitalist nations are sometimes referred to as the First world, communist nations are often called the Second world, and the developing nations of Latin America, Af rica, the Middle East, and Asia are often referred to the Third world. The Cold War wasRead MoreEssay on Cold War and Us Diplomacy1701 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cold War and U.S Diplomacy politic 300 07/31/2011 The Cold War Diplomacy When most people think of President Kennedy’s Diplomacy efforts, they will often refer to situations that were resolved using the doctrine of flexible response. This is when the military and White House planners implemented a policy that offered them a range of options to choose from: in dealing with a host of threats. These included: the increased use of conventional forces to small and large nuclear weaponsRead MoreThe United States Air Force1185 Words   |  5 Pagessurrounding these two powers was known as the Cold War, and one incident spiraled the bloodless war to the brink of full scale nuclear war as some thought the strained relationship was at a point of no return. This paper analyzes how the different perspectives through newspapers articles reporting the downing of the U-2 spy plane by the USSR’s domestic surface-to-air missile, and how these fluctuations serve specific geological regions. As the Cold War heightened, more spying by America and SovietRead More Cuban Missile Crisis Essay examples2946 Words   |  12 PagesCuban Missile Crisis The closest the world has come to nuclear war was the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. This was the tense cold war opposition between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had installed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of the United States The Cold War was the result of a clash between communism and capitalism, two opposing world-views. Another cause of the build up to the Cold War was the intransigent attitude of both sidesRead MoreContainment as U.S. Policy During Cold War Era1889 Words   |  8 PagesContainment as U.S. policy during Cold War Era From after World War II and up until 1991 the foreign policy of the United States was based on Cold War ideology and the policy of containment; to prevent nations from leaning towards Soviet Union-based communism, as first laid out by George Kennan and later used as one of the key principles in the Truman Doctrine (LeCain). As this essay will argue, because of this policy the United States made a commitment to fight communism everywhere in the worldRead MoreContainment As U.S. Policy During Cold War Era Essay1836 Words   |  8 PagesContainment as U.S. policy during Cold War Era From after World War II and up until 1991 the foreign policy of the United States was based on Cold War ideology and the policy of containment; to prevent nations from leaning towards Soviet Union-based communism, as first laid out by George Kennan and later used as one of the key principles in the Truman Doctrine (LeCain). As this essay will argue, because of this policy the United States made a commitment to fight communism everywhere in the worldRead More Cuban Missile Crisis Essay2219 Words   |  9 Pagesinformed the world that the Cold War was perilously close to turning hot, and the world stood on the brink of nuclear holocaust. Almost twenty years since the end of World War 2, after two decades of mounting tension between the Soviet Communist Empire and the Western allies, the dreaded nuclear showdown was underway. America and the Soviet Union were on a collision course. How had this come to pass? Although the announcement came as a great shock to the public, the Cuban Missile Crisis had not occurredRead MoreAmericans Attitude Change in the 60s2293 Words   |  10 Pagesconsequences of this profound attitudinal shift. Question 3: How did official US policy towards Vietnam change between 1950 and 1975? How did American leaders link events in Vietnam to national security interests? How did the American public react to the war in the sixties and early seventies? Answer: These two questions are so intertwined with one another that combining the two answers is the most efficient way of telling the story. Vietnam was a legacy of Kennedy and a primary reason for the split

Problem Action-Consequence Technique for Launch- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theProblem Action-Consequence Technique for Early Launch. Answer: Introduction The main issue, which is being faced in the selected YouTube video, is that a software would be delivered to the client without any encryption implemented in the software. This prospective can be termed as an ethical aspect as this can lead to consequences which can be not appropriate from the point of view of the organization who is using the software. What are the ethical problems you identified in your chosen YouTube video? The main ethical problem, which is being encountered in the YouTube video, is that a software due to deadline issue is being delivered to the client without any proper encryption implemented in the software. The project director who does not want to delay the delivery of the software and want to deliver the software without any proper security aspect involved in it is forcing this (Ding et al., 2014). Why are these ethical problems? The problem, which is being seen in the video, is an ethical problem due to the factor that a software without any proper encryption can be a problem in the near future. If a software does not have proper encryption, it would be very much easy to hack the software and achieve the data from it (Chen et al., 2016). The hackers who use them for their own purpose usually achieve the data. Who is responsible for these problems? In the stated context, the person responsible for the action is the project director. The project director is the head of any project and he or she has to make the main call regarding what has to be done and what should not be done. In this case, the project director has made a call to deliver the project without proper encryption (Kumar, Khan Khan, 2015). The decision is taken mainly to deliver the project on time to abide with the term and condition with the client. Who is affected by these problems? The group who is affected by the problem is the client or the person to whom the software would be delivered to. The client when using the software in a live environment can face different sort of problem. The problem may range from hacking of the data or inappropriate access to the software by unauthorized users. This can affect the overall working of the organization and affect them in the end. The private data of the organization can be exposed and this would affect the working of the organization (Pires et al., 2016). What project management strategies could have prevented these problems from arising in the first place? There are different types of project management approaches that can be involved in the any project. The implementation of the appropriate form of project management tool depends upon the need of the project. For example taking into account a software development project named waterfall model can be used (Sadeghi et al., 2017). This model directly incorporates the different requirement, which are needed in order to provide a proper development of the software. There are other methods that can be used for example agile method, spiral model, V shaped model and others. Which of the three actions in your chosen YouTube video is better? Why? Among the three options, which are stated in the video, the best option should be the project director should ignore the project managers recommendation. This can be stated as the most appropriate option due to the factor that in the future the total alteration of the software (implementation of the encryption in the software) would depend on the project director. Appropriate testing and the necessary details can sometimes be ignored which directly reinforces the reputation of the organization (Scott-Hayward, Natarajan Sezer, 2016). What action, other than the three in your chosen YouTube video, can best resolve the problems? The problem in the stated video can be resolved by speeding up the development process. This can be implemented by more developers involved into a single project for pacing up the development phase. This can be directly be beneficial due to the factor that the deadline issue would be meet by involving more developers and the issue of the implementation of the encryption can also be incorporated in the software. Due to which the reputation of the organization would also not be hampered and other projects, which are in the pipeline, would not be directly affected (Sadeghi et al., 2017). Who should take the best action? Why? The best action in this case should take by the project director. The project director has the overall knowledge of the project and he should know that should be done in order reach of expectation of the client. The project director should know what all the software should consist of and the main requirement of the client and what the software is intended to perform. According to this, the main framing of the project should be done so the satisfaction of the client is reached accordingly. What are the implications of the best action on the projects time, cost and quality? Project time: The project time may be altered few days taking into consideration the involvement of more developers or workers into one project, which is trending towards the deadline. This can be few consequences as well but it would not be so much hampering as delivering the project without proper encryption involved into the software. Cost: The cost of the project may remain the same or may alter a bit taking into consideration not reaching the deadline issue. The cost factor is a very much issue when relating to development of the software. Quality: In accordance to the action, which is selected for course plan, the quality of the product would not be altered. This is due to the factor that the quality of any software is the main issue, which is directly related to the reputation of the organization. The project director should always consider taking the preventive measures during the implementation of the project that compromise in the sector of quality is not being reinforced. What are the consequences of the best action on the project stakeholders? The stakeholders would be somehow disturbed because the project would not be delivered at the predefined time framework. On the other hand, when one projects deadline would be missed it would directly affect the working of other projects, which are in the pipeline. This would result in alteration of all the deadline aspects, which would not be beneficial for the organization. The project manager and the project director are directly answerable to the stakeholders for the reason due to which the projects are not being delivered at the pre estimated time framework (Sadeghi et al., 2017). References Chen, M., Qian, Y., Mao, S., Tang, W., Yang, X. (2016). Software-defined mobile networks security.Mobile Networks and Applications,21(5), 729-743. Ding, A. Y., Crowcroft, J., Tarkoma, S., Flinck, H. (2014). Software defined networking for security enhancement in wireless mobile networks.Computer Networks,66, 94-101. Kumar, R., Khan, S. A., Khan, R. A. (2015). Revisiting software security: durability perspective.International Journal of Hybrid Information Technology (SERSC),8(2), 311-322. Pires, R., Pasin, M., Felber, P., Fetzer, C. (2016, November). Secure content-based routing using intel software guard extensions. InProceedings of the 17th International Middleware Conference(p. 10). ACM. Sadeghi, A., Bagheri, H., Garcia, J., Malek, S. (2017). A taxonomy and qualitative comparison of program analysis techniques for security assessment of android software.IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering,43(6), 492-530. Scott-Hayward, S., Natarajan, S., Sezer, S. (2016). A survey of security in software defined networks.IEEE Communications Surveys Tutorials,18(1), 623-654.

Voyager System Essays - Library Automation, Voyager, Library

Voyager System Section A This report contents information about the Voyager System used by the Access Services Department of Harvey A. Andruss Library. The computerized system function as an integrated library animation that depends on a network support service. It is linked to a main server in Shippensburg. This server enables the library to share information with the seven Pennsylvania state universities. So, the students, staffs, faculties and Pennsylvania residences can have access to educational materials. The focuses of the report are to describe the configuration of the voyager system and its operations, not forgetting the possible suggestion to improve the system. The Harvey A. Andruss Library is essentially responsible to provide services in the form of adequate resources of information. It mainly consists of over 300,000 volumes of Library collection within the range of Governmental Reports to periodical data. In addition to the general collection, the library has several hundreds periodical online and on its shell. For example, it has periodical of journals and magazines. They are updated as frequent as possible to issue that the information are current. Moreover, it has been estimated that the Library obtains close to 1700 current periodicals but hold stock of several thousands more. Anybody can have access to these periodical by checking the periodical holding list. This List is available to users on the computer stations, the Circulation Desk or the Reference Desk. Some of the documents are reserved on microfilm. The most common form of documents in this category is the congressional Records. For example, the American statistical Index and other form of information sources in the Library are the news bank, Newspapers, reserves materials, oversize books, career guidance collection, musical scores, sound recordings and Loan period. The organization and maintenance of the Library information are handled by the voyager system. The voyager system is an integrated library system. This system runs under Microsoft Windows operating system. It is a window driven program that was designed independently by The Endeavor Information Systems, Inc. However, it was configured to meet the requirements of Access Services Department. Since the circulation system is used to provide current periodicals upon request, a Local Area Network (LAN) links the voyager system to a mainframe computer in Shippensburg. The mainframe computer serviced as a server for the Library to have direct connection to the seven Pennsylvania state Universities. Since it has been made clear about the development and the intended purposes of the voyager systems, it will be necessary to consider the following questions. How was the voyager system configured to meet the requirement of the Library? How was policy groups created? How are the securities levels created and maintain? These questions responses lead to a complete understanding about the system configuration and specific functions. Now, let me respond to the configuration question. The voyager system was setup by a system administrator. The system administrator, who services as a supervisor, has to configure the system by entering the administration module and selecting system-wide. Then a viewing window will appear in which there are several option of icons. One of which is the location. A location is any specific branch of the voyager system. Its definition has to be unique and specify so that it can be a requirement of the circulation Services. For instance, the circulation Desk is a location, which has patron policy groups. The members defined in these groups are the undergraduate, graduate students, faculties and professors. They have to be identified in the configuration process so that an operator can have access to them. Although the definition of each location on the voyager system is important, each of the locations names, codes, and items have to meet the voyager software requirements. At the end of the definition of a location, it is now ready to be added to the voyager system. The administration module window is used to add all newly created location. Once it is inserted into the system, the location automatically put in the administration security profile. Even thought I have identified the method used to add a location to the system, I intend to describe the three locations types-the storage location, the happening location, and the print location. These locations have specific functions that correspond to their definition. The storage

Event Essays - Taking Back Sunday, Free Essays

An Influential Person/Event Essays - Taking Back Sunday, Free Essays An Influential Person/Event It seemed like it would make her die, just speaking it. So I didnt tell anyone, not even my best friends. At school I would slip into a fantastical dreamland, nobody there knew that I should be troubled, pensive. I put on my best front and paraded around the school halls with some sort of smile plastered on my face. At lunchtime Id stare at my food thinking that my friends should know. I thought of a million different ways to tell them. Each time that I came close to telling them, I would think about their potential reactions. There would be the normal lunchtime banter going on, complaints about the ranch dressing, and I would blurt out, Hey guys, my mom has breast cancer. The whole cafeteria would turn silent and the plastic forks would drop from their hands, making a sad little clinking noise. Then I would stare at my food mentally kicking myself for having opened my mouth. I chose to say nothing. I remember very clearly the day that I went to go sit with her while she got her chemotherapy. I only did this once because it was too hard for me. I walked down an overly-lit sterile hallway trailing behind my dad. When we reached her room I wished that I could just keep walking, pretend I hadnt seen her. I went in and sat down. Her shirt was partially unbuttoned so that the IV could be inserted into the porto-cath surgically implanted under her collarbone. She was hooked up to three different kinds of poisons, and one normal IV. There were some knitting things spread across her lap and the ever present bag of lemon drops was faithfully at her side. Her head was laid back in the chair, she was tired. She and my dad tried to involve me in some nice chit-chat, I met and shook hands with the doctors and nurses, Its nice to meet you Dr. McCoy. Yeah right. They complimented her on what a beautiful daughter she had. I blushed, smiled politely then excused myself to the bathroom. I wiped a way my forming tears and gave myself a mental pep talk to be cheery. As long as I didnt look at her tired eyes I was OK. Half an hour later, she was done and we got to go home. I stayed alone in my room that night. Out of courtesy to my mom and fear that my friends would find out, I didnt have them over to the house for a long time. I didnt want them to notice anything, like the bottles of medicine all lined up at my moms place at the table. Each pill a tiny soldier waging war on my mothers body. There were always huge quantities of lemons in the refrigerator. A friend would come over, Hey Karen, why so many lemons? Its the middle of winter! I couldnt risk having to explain to them that the taste of lemons made my mom less nauseous. The ceiling of the bathroom had hair on it. She tried so hard to camouflage her hair loss by blow drying her hair for over half an hour every morning. She would turn her head upside down, use some hairspray, then blow dry, then more hairspray and more blow drying. I dont think she realized her effect on the ceiling. Eight months after she had discovered the tumor, she was done with treatment. Eventually her hair began to grow back in. She and I played with new ways to fix her short hair and since it grew in curly, we referred to that phenomenon as, Post-chemo curls. We were both disappointed a few months ago when it dawned upon the two of us that the curls were finally falling out. So she got a perm. I became best friends with my mother during the course of the cancer. I really grew up during those eight long months of fixing the family dinners, trying to be strong for her and trying to take over certain aspects of her role as mom when she couldnt. I think that while hard to endure, her cancer has been good for the family. It

How to Manage and ID Yoshino Cherry

How to Manage and ID Yoshino Cherry Yoshino Cherry grows quickly to 20 feet, has beautiful bark but is a relatively short-lived tree. It has upright to horizontal branching, making it ideal for planting along walks and over patios. The white to pink flowers blooming in early spring, before the leaves develop, can be damaged by late frosts or very windy conditions. The tree is glorious in flower and has been planted along with Kwanzan Cherry in Washington, D.C. and Macon, Georgia for their annual Cherry Blossom Festivals. Specifics Scientific name: Prunus x yedoensisPronunciation: PROO-nus x yed-oh-EN-sisCommon name: Yoshino CherryFamily: RosaceaeUSDA hardiness zones: 5B through 8AOrigin: not native to North AmericaUses: Bonsai; container or above-ground planter; near a deck or patio; trainable as a standard; specimen; residential street tree Cultivars ‘Akebona’(‘Daybreak’) - flowers softer pink; ‘Perpendens’ - irregularly pendulous branches; ‘Shidare Yoshino’ (‘Perpendens’) - irregularly pendulous branches Description Height: 35 to 45 feetSpread: 30 to 40 feetCrown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more or less identical crown formsCrown shape: round; vase shapeCrown density: moderateGrowth rate: mediumTexture: medium Trunk and Branches Trunk/bark/branches: bark is thin and easily damaged from mechanical impact; droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; showy trunk; should be grown with a single leader;Pruning requirement: requires pruning to develop strong structureBreakage: resistantCurrent year twig color: brownCurrent year twig thickness: thin Foliage Leaf arrangement: alternateLeaf type: simpleLeaf margin: double serrate; serrateLeaf shape: elliptic oval; oblong; ovateLeaf venation: banchidodrome; pinnateLeaf type and persistence: deciduousLeaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches Culture Light requirement: tree grows in full sunSoil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; occasionally wet; alkaline; well-drainedDrought tolerance: moderateAerosol salt tolerance: noneSoil salt tolerance: poor In Depth Best used as a specimen or near the deck or patio for shade, Yoshino cherry also works nicely along walks or near a water feature. Not a street or parking lot tree due to drought-sensitivity. Large specimens take on a weeping habit with delicate branchlets arranged on upright-spreading branches affixed to a short, stout trunk. A lovely addition to a sunny spot where a beautiful specimen is needed. Winter form, yellow fall color, and pretty bark make this a year-round favorite. Provide good drainage in an acidic soil for best growth. Crowns become one-sided unless they receive light from all around the plant, so locate in full sun. Select another tree to plant if soil is poorly drained but otherwise Yoshino cherry adapts to clay or loam. Roots should be kept moist and should not be subjected to prolonged drought.

Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geography - Essay Example (2) I think that cloropleth maps can be an accurate representation of reality as long as statistical variables are properly classified. However, with regards to the boundary of Mexico and the United States, I think that it is more of a transition area of cultures. In this case, some weaknesses of cloropleth maps include its inability to depict accurately transition areas especially if qualitative variables are being depicted. (3) Latitudes actually measure a certain angular distance north or south from the equator and their lines run horizontally. Meanwhile, longitude measures east-west positions on the earth, and their lines run vertically. (4) A theocratic government is a kind of government wherein the state is actually governed by divine guidance; in this case, theocratic governments are usually ruled or heavily influenced by the clergy, and wherein religious laws are strictly enforced. Islamic countries that have adopted Islam as the official religion, and are governed by Islamic law (Sharia), are usually considered as theocracies; this includes Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Pakistan.

TESLA Model X , SWOT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

TESLA Model X , SWOT - Essay Example This in itself is a source of competitive advantage for the company. The company is unique in that there is not yet any other player in the industry that has manufactured a vehicle that matches Tesla’s innovative vehicle. As noted by Porter (1985), differentiation strategy gives the company a competitive edge over other players in that its products cannot be matched by other rival competitors. This will help the company to appeal to the interests of many customers by virtue of possessing unique features which make the vehicle exceptional. The other advantage of the company is that Model X car is efficient as a result of the fact that it is an electrified vehicle. This means that the customers will experience fewer expenses in the future since the vehicle does not use any form of fossil fuel. This comes against the background of rising fuel prices across the globe. However, the major weaknesses of this model car are that it is electric and it is expensive. The price is high as a result of the fact that it is expensive to manufacture. Honestly, there may be very few customers who may be ready to fork out more than $60Â  000 buying a vehicle. The price is too much such that ordinary people may not be in a position to afford it. it can also be seen that the automobile industry is also characterised by other players some of which are reputable such as Toyota and Daimler. These cars also have their own hybrid cars that do not use fossil fuel and they may pose a threat to Tesla Motors. According to Robson (1997), competition in the environment is one major threat that can impact on the viability of the organization. This is the case in terms of Tesla since the other competitors can also offer their hybrid cars that can also attract many customers since they are environmental friendly. Therefore, it is imperative for Tesla motors to capitalise on it s strengths and opportunities in order to gain a competitive advantage while at the same

Negative Affects of Social Media Essay Example for Free

Negative Affects of Social Media Essay Social media is like a game. Once you learn and get along with how to use these websites you get addicted to it. For example, now I am addicted to social media. Before I was introduced to social media I did all of my homework and was one of the top students in the class. From that moment I became engage to websites such as facebook, tweeter, ooVoo and instagram. It affected my life pessimistically. For instance, these days I can’t stop checking my facebook and instagram. Furthermore, theses days I am missing lot homework on most of my classes do to the escalating expose of social media. So due to these entire dilemma, I believe social media has many negative effect on teens life. see more:essay on social media First, students/teens spent too much time on social media. For example, Jazmin said she spent more time on websites like fb and texting than homework. â€Å"One quarter of teens say they log on to their favorite social media websites 10 or more times each day† (Gordan). Next due to the use of social media students gets lower grades on test and are lacking on during homework because they are busy chatting, texting, video chatting, etc. For example, I asked Jazmin agrees with me saying that she use social media rather than studying for testes or during homework. At last, teens are not going outside, spending time with family and are not active due to the social media. That’s why social media has negative affect on teen’s life. Next, many teens get cyber bullied through social media. For example, in a 2010 survey of students age 11 to 18 administer by the Cyberbulling Research Center, 20% said they had been cyber bullied. Also in sum cases teens make fake accounts a nd cyber bully other through the social media. Furthermore, in the article call â€Å"Cyberbulling’’ it says that member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender get bullied more then others. For example in the survey it showed that 36.4% of these members got cyberbullied. At last, another negative effect of the social media is that it impairs students/teens writing skills. For example, sometimes when I am writings important paper I instant to use words like u, wat, c and others words in my writing due to using them numerous times in my texting and chatting. After that, teens become nastiest in spelling and using the proper sentence due to the usage of social media. In the article call â€Å" Grades 9-10 Literacy: The Power of New Media Annotated Student work† it says that student not only become appalling at spellings, grammars but also at literatures. I do know there some optimistic used of social media such as asking for homework they missed. But still, they are incorrect because do to social media teens can’t concentrate on their work. For example, they use social media for violence. Next, teens are constantly checking Facebook to see/get involve in things that are happening. So it distracts them from studying, doing schoolwork and others too. At last, the use social media for negative use like cyberbulling. As a result you can see social media has negative affects on teens life. For example, getting addicted, cyberbulling and it affects students writing skills. Furthermore, due to social media teens are lacking in education and being active. These are the reasons how social media is negative. And also I urge parents to check what your kids are doing and try to get involve in your sons and daughters life little more.

Adult Education: Social Change or Status Quo? :: Argumentative Pesuasive Papers

Adult Education: Social Change or Status Quo? Some believe that adult education was focused on a mission of social change in its formative years as a field in the 1920s. As it evolved and became institutionalized, the field became preoccupied with professionalization. More recently, emphasis on literacy and lifelong learning in a changing workplace has allied it with the agenda of economic competitiveness. This Digest examines the debate over the mission of adult education: is it to transform individuals or society? It looks at whether adult education functions as a means of empowerment in a democratic society or as an instrument for maintaining the status quo. Individual or Society? One of the core tensions of adult education (Merriam and Brockett 1997) is whether the primary focus of the field should be on individuals or society. Beatty (1992) is unequivocal in her stance: "The individual and change within the individual are not only the necessary and sufficient beginning and ending points for all adult education but also the focal point for the educational undertaking" (p. 17). She argues that the individual-society dichotomy is false: educated, empowered individuals create social change in ever-increasing spheres. Hass (1992) agrees that social change is brought about by the individuals affected. Mezirow's transformative theory suggests that individual perspective transformation must precede social transformation (Merriam and Brockett 1997). In describing the ideas of Lindeman, Heaney (1996) and Wilson (1992) point out the complexity of the relationship between individuals and society. For Lindeman, individual growth and development take place within the social context, and changed individuals will have the collective effect of changing society. But Wilson states that it is unclear just how the social order is thereby changed. Others suggest that groups and communities, not individuals, create social change (Horton 1989), that personal autonomy can be achieved only through collective action (Welton 1993), and that the fully developed individual is the consummation of the fully developed society. Ilsley (1992) argues that, although equality in the United States has been defined in terms of individual opportunity, liberty and justice do not arise from individualism. Embedded in this argument is another debate over whether adult education actually did set out with a social purpose that has been lost. A strong practice of adult education for social change is apparent in the work of Paulo Freire in Latin America and Myles Horton at the Highlander Folk School. Their influence continues, although "well on the margins of the adult education mainstream" (Heaney 1996, p.

America’s Cuban Conundrum : The Assignment Essay

1) What was the key issue that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO? The key issue that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO is the theory that law argues against the governments’ authority and the principle of International Law. Another words, in a environment where EU and US had reach advanced stages of economic development, any practice or policy that restrains free trade (in theory) should be consider illegal. However US argued that Helms-Burton legislation objective is to promote â€Å"democracy† discouraging foreign investment in Cuba through the threat of lawsuits and the imposition of travel restrictions. 2) Who benefits the most from an embargo of this type? Who suffers? The embargo only benefits the United States government to a limited extent. Because of the Act, American supplies only reach Cuba through non-United States distributors and even smugglers to the disadvantage of the American companies (Toledo, 2011). But on the other hand, Cuba is obliged to pay cash for all imported goods because of prohibition of credits. 3) In light of the overtures U.S. President Barack Obama has made to Raul Castro, what is likelihood that the U.S. and Cuba will resume diplomatic and trade relations during the Obama administration? It seems that the best resolution to the trade situation between the United States and Cuba would be to end the embargo which would help the Cuban people and American profits. Cuba is a very poor country and repaying of loans is almost impossible. By being able to negotiate Cuba and the United States could come to an agreement that would benefit both countries. Case 6-1 Information Technology Is the Key to Success for Clicks : The Assignment 1) The Clicks ClubCard loyalty program is regarded as one of the drivers of growth at Clicks. Why you think this program has been so successful? Explain. ClickClub loyalty program is not just like discount card for membersusers. This is the program which was highly constructed and developed with time. The production of the company was defined for mid- and high- costumer spenders. The aim of the company is provide a good quality of care for people who really want to feel and look better. They provide a big list of advantages. For instance, shoppers are getting point with every purchasing, and then can get some bonus, as getting some of clicks products for free. It’s called â€Å"cash-back†. And that’s the way how they (company) can gets the quick attention. Its always nice and pleasure to use good service, which sometimes will encourage you to buy more, as probably even use to buy just from that particular company. People always want to get something for free, and that’s kind of difficult in our nowadays. Clicks also had much more examples of advantages, they provided to their costumers. 2) Why you think Clicks has started to adapt its merchandise range to appeal to consumers of the growing black middle-class market in South Africa? I am not sure, but in my opinion in this case it takes to account just the mid- class, as mostly African’s nation is poor. So, the answer is their enticing bonuses. As I mentioned in question 1, people always wants to get something for free, especially if they don’t really have that opportunity to afford that much, as they want, or they need. 3) Suggest practical marketing strategies that would encourage ClubCard members to make additional trips to Clicks stores. 1. Person-to-person advertising (To present some particular products in any public places. It can be new product or the old one, but which was developed). 2. To create marketing program, as try to involve more and more people, by register them, as freelancer worker. Moreover they will use Click’s products, but they also will do some free add for your company, distribute your product and include in a list of users and more people. A good example of the same marketing strategy is Russian line of cosmetics – Faberlic.

Modern Information Technology Impacts Our Everyday Lives Essay

Over the past 20 years, the world as we know has changed drastically. We have moved from a world that was bound by wires and copper cabling to a world that offers any bit of information you want with the touch of a glass screen from a device that fits in your pockets. In this same period of time, shopping used to involve planning a trip to a brick and motor store and hope they had the product you were looking for, and at the price you wanted to pay. If you lived in a small market, you didn’t have the choices to comparison shop other stores. In today’s age, a consumer can shop from the comfort of their home, and find exactly the right product at exactly the right price. With a click of a mouse and a charge of a credit card, the product will be rushed to the consumer’s house with little to no effort for them. Large retailers like Amazon.com can have a product delivered to a consumer by as early as the next day! This type of convenience has changed our daily ways in many ways, both positive and negative. For example, people can communicate with each other miles apart from their computers and smart phones via email and texting. While some may say this is good thing that allowing distant relatives and friends quick and simple communication without worrying about distance, others would say that email and texting simply takes a lot of the personal touch from the conversation. With retailers moving their sales online, some people believe that the personal touch of being able to talk to someone directly about the product may detract from the experience. Positive Impacts of Modern Technology We should begin looking at the positive impacts that this new technology has on our daily lives. Technology is evolving very quickly, and sometimes consumers have a hard time keeping up with the latest trends, but the impacts are made every day to help improve our lives. Whether we are using computers to communicate by video conferencing with friends and family in another country, or ordering the latest Harry Potter book to be instantly delivered to our Kindles, these technologies are enriching our lives. As retailers move to the web, consumers are able to comparison shop many different sellers with the click of a mouse. There are also dedicated websites out there that allow a consumer to instantly search for a product from hundreds of sellers, and then find the one that has the lowest price and best shipping. On top of this, the internet provides a way for consumers to research the products they are buying. We can look up reviews from other buyers to see if the product lives up to manufacturers claims. When a consumer decides what and where they will buy, they can have the product whisked away from the distribution center and be delivered on their doorstep by the end of the next day, all from the computer of their home. With the massive explosion of social media sites, people are able to find and communicate with their long lost friends and family all from a central location. We can share photos, send messages, and chat in real time with our connections. Although the entertainment industry has been slow to adopt the new technologies in fear of losing money to â€Å"pirates†, we have seen a huge growth of online video. Consumers are able to find and watch their favorite shows whenever and wherever they like. Television sets are now shipping with built in internet connectivity to allow purchasers to access the internet to watch videos and share photos with one another. Companies like Netflix and Hulu have embraced online streaming and are offering thousands of hours of online video for a very low monthly subscription. These services are not limited to just televisions either. Computers, smart phones, and tablets are all easily able to access this same content for on-the-go watching. Online gaming has become huge in the past few years as well. People can play against each other in massive online role playing games such as World of Warcraft, and even console makers such as Microsoft and Sony have enabled their gaming consoles for online play. This brings the world together as a playing field and we are no longer constrained by our living room when it comes to finding new opponents. With the help of Google, people are now able to research topics in record time. With a few keystrokes, users are able to find information on any topic under the sun. Online search engines allow us to research the world’s libraries and other research facilities. We are also able to scour the web for information. This makes student homework much simpler and faster, and allows them to learn more information quicker. Data organization has also become a simpler task thanks to modern technology. Companies can store their entire repository of data onto a simple database server. They can query this server for any bit of information they need within a few seconds. Not only beneficial for companies, home users are able to store their personal documents and photos securely on their PC’s as well as in an off-site â€Å"cloud† and not have any fear of losing this information when a natural disaster occurs. Negative Impacts of Modern Technology While there are many positive impacts on today’s society, there are also many negatives that are introduces as well. Many would argue that there are jobs being lost because of this new technology. Automated and robotic systems have taken the place of humans in the work force. With retailers moving their sales operations online, they no longer need the support staff for their brick and motor stores. Many stores are not able to keep up with the low prices from the mega-retailers online, so they are forced to close down. With the influx of social media as our main communication medium, some think that we have lost the personal touch of spending time with our close friends and family in favor of sitting behind our computers online. People that are only using social media as their main form of communication could lose the ability to interact physically with one another. The many distractions of email notifications and incoming text messages have also become a detractor. People no longer consider it rude to stop in the middle of a conversation to respond to a text message that has just come in to their phone. This could lead to low levels of concentration. At the same time, malicious people have found easy ways to target those that are online. With the vast amount of spam email and harmful virus spreading around the world, more and more people are becoming susceptible to attack. Another negative impact is the illegal use of technology for gambling and other addicting habits. Online gambling sites attract millions of people per day and can completely consume those with weak will power, leading to distressed families and financial means. Underground websites also harbor criminalist activities as well. Pornography and child pornography are trafficked daily on the internet, and the sheer magnitude of the web makes it hard for authorities to track down and eliminate. There are even websites such as TheSilkRoad that sell illegal drugs in the same fashion as Amazon sells normal goods! In Summary Although we cannot stop the negative effects from this new technology, we shouldn’t fear it. Learning to recognize the potential positive impacts this new technology can bring to our lives while at the same time recognizing the potential threats we will be better able to adapt to them and take advantages and enrichments they bring to our daily lives.

How to Use a Rock Hammer The Right Way

How to Use a Rock Hammer The Right Way The rock hammer is a powerful tool that takes practice to use well. Heres how to be safe as you do so. Dangers of Hammering Hammers arent hazardous by themselves. Whats around them is what creates danger. Rocks: Splinters from breaking rock can fly out in all directions. Broken rock pieces can fall on your feet or against your body. Rock exposures can sometimes be precarious and collapse. Piled-up rock at the base of an exposure can give way under your weight. Tools: Hammers and chisels are made of hard steel. This material can splinter, too, especially as the metal grows deformed with heavy use. The field: Roadcuts can put you very close to passing traffic. Overhangs can drop rocks on your head. And dont forget the local plants and animals. Before You Start Dress right. Protect your body from dings and scratches with long sleeves and pants. Wear shoes with closed toes, and bring a helmet if youre working in caves or cliffs. In wet conditions, wear gloves for a good grip. Be location-aware. At a roadside exposure, you may want a reflective vest. Look at whats overhead. Stand where a slip wont hurt you. Beware of hazardous plants like poison oak/ivy. Always know the local snakes and insects, too.​ Put on eye protection. Shutting your eyes as you swing is not the right tactic. Ordinary glasses are usually good enough, but everyone needs some kind of coverage, including bystanders. Plastic goggles are cheap and effective. Use the right hammer. The rock youre addressing will behave best under a hammer of the right weight, handle length and head design. Geologists choose one or two appropriate hammers before setting out, considering the type of rock they expect that day. Have your procedure planned. Are you following the most effective strategy for your goals? Can you get your hands free quickly if you slip? Are your chisel and magnifier handy? Hammer the Right Way Dont take chances. If you havent brought a helmet, dont go under overhangs. If you have to stretch out on one foot to reach a rock at arms length, stop- youre going about things the wrong way. Use tools the way theyre meant to be used. Never hammer another hammer- the two hard metals can strike nasty splinters off each other. The butt end of a chisel is made of softer steel than the hammer for that reason. Swing deliberately. Treat each blow like a play in a card game: know what you want to happen and have a plan for when it doesnt happen. Dont stand in a way that exposes your legs to accidental blows or falling rocks. If your arm is tired, take a break. Dont miss. A missed blow can send out splinters, strike sparks or hit your hand. A plastic hand guard fits on the chisel and helps prevent mishaps. Worn-out, rounded chisels and ​hammer heads can slip, too, so old tools should either be touched up or replaced. Hammer no more than necessary. Your time is better spent making observations, thinking about what you see, and enjoying your day in the field.

Why Duke Essay 4 Tips for a Great Essay

Why Duke Essay 4 Tips for a Great Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you hoping to become a Blue Devil? The Why Duke essay is a small but important part of your Duke application. This is the place where you explain exactly why you love Duke so much.However, there are thousands of students who want to attend Duke, and only a small percentage of them get in. What can you do to make sure your Why Duke essay sets you apart and helps you get accepted? Keep reading to learn what the Why Duke essay prompts are, exactly what Duke is looking for when they read them, and what you should write about to and convince Duke you’d be an asset to their school. We also include a Why Duke essay example so you can see what an actual essay response looks like. The Why Duke Essay Prompts The Why Duke essay prompt is one of several essay prompts you’ll need to answer in your Duke application. You can learn more about the other Duke essays in our in-depth guide.There are actually two Why Duke essay prompts, and you’ll answer one of them. The prompt you answer is based on which college you apply to within Duke, either the Trinity College of Arts Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering. Here’s the Why Duke essay prompt for Arts Science applicants: If you are applying to the Trinity College of Arts Sciences as either a first-year or transfer applicant, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something particular about Duke that attracts you? (150 words maximum) Here’s the Why Duke essay prompt for Engineering applicants: If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering as either a first-year or transfer applicant, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke. (150 words maximum) As you can see, the two prompts are very similar to each other. Both want to know why you want to study at Duke, although the engineering prompt does also explicitly ask you to discuss why you want to study engineering. Both prompts have the same word count limit of 150 words. What Is the Purpose of the Why Duke Essay? Why does Duke require applicants to answer this essay? What are they really looking for in your response to â€Å"why Duke†? Let’s analyze these prompts.No matter which schools you’re applying to, the â€Å"why this school† prompt is probably the most common prompt you’ll on college applications. Why? Because colleges want to see that you really want to attend their school. Students who love the school they attend and feel that it’s a good fit are more likely to accept an offer of admission, be interested in their studies, take advantage of what the school offers, and give back after they graduate. Basically, Duke and other schools which include this prompt are looking for students who will take advantage of all the unique opportunities they offer so they have the biggest impact at the school and when they’re alumni. If you show that you really love Duke and are ready to make the most of your time there, it makes admissions officers feel more confident you’re going to have a significant and positive impact on their school. If you can’t give any compelling reasons for choosing Duke or you don’t seem to have done much research on the school, that makes Duke worry that you don’t really want to attend the school and will only do the bare minimum in college, without having much of an impact during your time at Duke or afterwards.Additionally, Duke asks you to write this essay to make sure you and their school are a good fit for each other. If you use this essay to talk about majors, classes, internships, study abroad options, etc. that Duke doesn’t offer, the admissions team may be hesitant to offer you a place at Duke since it may not be the best place for you to reach your goals. Basically. the purpose of this essay is two part: Duke wants to make sure you know and value what they offer, and they also want to see how you’re going to make use of these opportunities to reach your goals for the future. What Should You Write About in Your Why Duke Essay? Because Duke has so many opportunities to offer students, there are many ways to approach this essay topic. Here's a list of potential ideas: Majors, minors, certificates, and/or classes Duke offers that you’re especially interested in. This also includes Program II, where you can design your own individual degree program. The Focus Program, which lets first-year students take classes on unique topics. Duke professors whose work you admire and with whom you’d like to study or conduct research. Duke’s Service Learning or DukeEngage programs which give students the opportunity to provide services to communities in need. Clubs or sports teams that you’d be interesting in joining. The Duke Startup Challenge which helps students who want to be entrepreneurs. Research opportunities you’d like to have (the more specific you can be, the better). Internship opportunities Duke offers. Duke students or alumni you’ve met who you admire. Financial aid opportunities Duke offers that make it possible for you to attend. In your response, you should choose about one or two reasons why you think Duke is the best school for you. For each reason, you should describe what Duke offers and connect it back to your interest and skills to show how you’re a good match for the school. For example, you could write that you’ve always been interested in global health, and you have an idea for an invention/idea that could improve global health in developing countries. You want to attend Duke to take advantage of the Duke Startup Challenge to get your product out there, then participate in DukeEngage or a similar program Duke offers to try the product out in the field. Or, you may be a mechanical engineering student who wants to work with a specific professor at Pratt and take advantage of the research opportunities Duke offers to study thermal and fluids systems. Remember to be as specific as possible to show Duke that you’ve done your research, and show both what you care about/want to do with the rest of your life and how Duke can help you get there. A note about basketball: Duke’s basketball team has an extremely dedicated fan base, and many students choose to go to Duke at least partly because they love the basketball team. However, we strongly discourage you from using this essay to discuss your love of Duke basketball. There are several reasons for this. First, many, many applicants mention the basketball team as a reason they want to attend Duke, so you won’t make your essay unique or memorable if you give the same reason most other people do. Second, Duke is foremost an academic institution, and it wants students who are dedicated to their studies. Duke classes require a lot of work, and if you give the impression that all you’ll be doing at Duke is waiting hours in line so you can be the first one in Cameron Stadium for each game, they may wonder if you’ll succeed at the school. So write about something other than the basketball team, and then once you get in, feel free to paint yourself blue an d join the other Cameron Crazies. Tips for Writing a Great Why Duke Essay No matter how you decide to answer the â€Å"Why Duke† prompt, here are four tips you should keep in mind to make sure you stand out from the crowd and show Duke that you’re a student they want to have at their school. #1: Do Your Research Before you start writing, you should know a lot about the opportunities Duke offers and why you want to go there. Here are some places to start your research: Duke website Duke majors, minors, and certificates Course catalog The Duke Chronicle (school newspaper) Duke internship opportunities Duke research opportunities Campus visit Meeting with an alum or current student Meeting with a professor #2: Be Specific From your research, you now have multiple reasons as to why Duke is a great school for you. Choose one or two of them to write about in your essay. The more specific you can be when answering the â€Å"Why Duke† prompt, the better. Don’t just say that Duke has great classes, smart professors, and an interesting student body. Most schools have that, and the people reading your essay will wonder if you’re using an identical essay for every school you’re applying to. Instead, try to mention opportunities only Duke can provide, such as specific professors, course names, extracurriculars, or research opportunities.The things you discuss should be things your other top schools don’t offer, things that really make Duke stand out. #3: Show Your Passion Duke students are a passionate bunch, and Duke wants students who care a lot about what their studies and their school. A generic statement like, â€Å"I am impressed by Duke’s strong engineering programs† doesn’t tell the school anything about you or help you stand out from other applicants. Why does the engineering program make you so excited? How do you want to use your engineering skills in the future? Write about those things instead.Showing a passion that’s unique will help differentiate you from other applicants and show Duke that you’ll take your studies seriously. #4: Make Every Word Count The 150 word limit on this essay means that it’s going to be very short, so you want to get the most out of those words. Start with an outline of your main points: why you want to go to Duke and how you’ll make the most of those opportunities at the school and after graduation, then expand from there until you hit 150 words. This isn’t the essay to tell an in-depth story about your childhood or go into flowery descriptions. Instead,make your main points strong and don’t worry about adding too many embellishments to the essay. Why Duke Essay Example Sometimes the best way to understand what a great Duke essay looks like is to look at an example. Below is a Why Duke essay example (for the Trinity school) followed by an explanation of what makes it stand out. I love many things, but learning and sports top the list. The moment I stepped onto Duke’s campus, I leaned over to my mother, gasping, and said, â€Å"Whoa,† even before beginning my tour. I was stunned to immediately see signs of my loves everywhere. My dreams of tenting in K-Ville for the annual Duke-UNC game almost made my mouth water. As for learning, the cross-disciplinary study options that Duke offers ignite my passions. I have always loved business, and as I have aged, I discovered a deep interest in education. At Duke, I saw the opportunity to combine these two interests in many ways. I would love to initiate lunches with Professor Elizabeth Garcia, whose work focuses on educational motivation, and Mark T. Brown, Director of the Management Communications Center. Exploring commonalities in business and educational spheres would be uplifting, and will engage all of my most profound interests. -Calvin Thompson What Makes This Essay Work? This essay is strong in three key ways: Shows Passion:It’s clear that this student loves Duke. From gasping at his first look at campus to his mouth almost watering at the thought of going there, he’s clearly committed to the school. Mentions Specific Details:This is a short essay, but the writer still manages to mention multiple professors, programs, and subjects Duke has that he’s interested in. That shows he did his research and definitely isn’t using the same generic essay for each school he applies to. Shows a Plan for the Future:His plans for the future (education + business) aren’t super specific, but that’s fine since most students start college don’t know exactly what they want to do in the future, and Duke doesn’t expect you to have everything figured out already. However, he has a plan to get started and see where those interests take him, which shows motivation and initiative. Summary: Writing a Great Why Duke Essay The Why Duke essay is a key part of your Duke application since it lets the school know why you want to go to Duke, what you want to get out of your time there, and how Duke will prepare you for the future. For this essay, there are two very similar prompts, and the one you answer is based on whether you’re applying to Trinity or Pratt. In 150 words or less, you need to explain why Duke is the school you want to attend. There are many ways to answer the prompt, but you should always make sure to do your research on the school, use specific examples, show your passion for the school, and make every word count. What's Next? Want to know how to answer the other Duke essay prompts?Check out our guide on the Duke essays for everything you need to know! Is Duke an Ivy League School?Learn more about the Ivy League and whether Duke is part of it by reading our guide to Ivy League schools. Want to stand apart from other Duke applicants?Learnhow to score aperfect 1600 on the SAT, so you can increase your shot at getting into the school of your dreams!

Chemistry of hazardous materials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chemistry of hazardous materials - Essay Example Thus, not only gloves but also other equipments along with protective measures are also necessary while handling phosphorus (Lenntech, 1998). Phosphorus slowly reacts with water and forms phosphine. It should be noted that Phosphine is a poisonous gas that is released when solids like phosphorus are exposed to water. Therefore, phosphorus becomes a water reactant. When this poisonous gas is exposed to water, it can contribute to the danger to the firefighters because the basic element that they use while extinguishing a fire is water. Thus, water can release oxygen from the water-reactive materials and can add to the fire causing the fire to aggravate rather extinguish. In order, to reduce the fire and finally extinguish it, it is necessary to use dry sand rather water to reduce the risk of aggravation of fire. Thus, it is advisable to the fire fighters to use dry sand while extinguishing the fire that is ignited due to red phosphorus (Burke,

Criminal Justice (Probation & Parole) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Justice (Probation & Parole) - Essay Example However, prison authorities over the years have continued to utilize this labor to their advantage by selling work force to privately owned manufacturing companies, a fact that has attracted a lot of criticism in the past. This is done through contracting and leasing. The contract system of exploiting convict labor for example involved the entering into a deal by prison authorities, with private industries such as garment manufacturers who paid money to the state so that they can be allowed to use prisoners as their laborers (Lichtenstein, 2000). It was considered to be an unfair process especially since these prisoners were subjected to normal or even worse working conditions than workers outside prisons, but were hardly compensated for their efforts. Prison facilities were used as premises for conducting these activities meaning that contactors had to supply the prisons with necessary raw materials and equipment as well as supervisors to oversee the production processes. The convict lease system on the other hand involved letting prisoners out of the prisons during the day to go and work for private companies, and then return them to their cells in the evening (Lichtenstein, 2000). Some of the companies that participated in this arrangement included and not limited to miners, rail and road constructors and large scale farmers among others. As with the contract system, convicts in this system worked for free leaving the state and the businesses to enjoy the fruits of their labor. This form of arrangement came to being mainly after the liberation and banishing of slave trade, which left companies with a huge deficit in their work force. In the US for example, it is believed that this system started in Texas at around the year 1883 but after constant criticism, especially due to the inhumane treatment of convict laborers by their masters, it was abolished in the

Innovative nursing care delivery model Term Paper

Innovative nursing care delivery model - Term Paper Example Nurses form a critical part of this model because they have immense knowledge on patient evaluation and education just to mention a few. The model aims at avoiding complications such as phantasm, which is commonly caused by hospital admission of the elderly patients. Joynt and Kimball (2008) describe ACO as a collaboration that involves various parties including primary care clinicians, the hospital, and other healthcare professionals. These parties work jointly with an aim of not only ensuring quality service delivery, but also reducing the high costs of care provided to patients. Upon ACO’s success, all providers are offered to keep part of the saving contributed by the organization. The ACO model exposes nurses and clinical officers to leadership skills. Through this, health employees are able to take the mantle of organizational leadership especially in providing care in underserved areas. Retail clinics, also referred to as nurse-managed health clinics (NMHCs), are created with the aim of offering holistic primary care services and quality services to particular populations such as those deemed underserved or vulnerable. Debra (2013) posits that retail health centre are an important avenue where healthcare can be offered as per the model. The model as pursued by the federal government depict the above model. According to Debra (2013), retail clinics are, usually, associated with schools, federally qualified health center and social service agencies. Retail health centre bring health care close to people and ensure that services are affordable and of high quality. Through retail health centre patients save a lot of their finances used in emergency room care. Involvement of nurses in these clinics helps in not only containing costs but also optimizes patient outcomes. This is an innovative Care Delivery Model, which makes use of technology in monitoring patients with chronic illness. Usually, data goes back to the

Environmental Analysis Of Thomas Cook Tourism Essay

Environmental Analysis Of Thomas Cook Tourism Essay Summary This report deals with one of the leading travel group in the world which has been in operation since the past. It has been considered as the most trustworthy and reliable travel group which offers travel packages to its customers across the world. The travel group is Thomas Cook and is one of the leading travel and tourism agencies in the world. In this assignment, the organisation of Thomas Cook has been analysed taking into consideration the internal and the external environmental factors. A number of the important models such as McKinsey model along with the Pest analysis, SWOT and other models have been used to analyse the organisation. The main aim was to analysis the external and internal environment affecting the organisation. Leadership style has been discussed, and it can been seen that Thomas Cook has one of the cost effective organisational structure and follows a flexible business model so that it can be altered as and when needed. Finally the paper ends with recommendat ion and conclusion which states that the company should work according to the demand of the customers in order to stay competitive and maintain its number one position. Introduction Aim of the Report The aim of this report is to conduct an effective internal and external environmental analysis of Thomas Cook based on separate models. The analysis would help one understand the key competencies of the firm and also the areas where development is needed. Recommendations are also to be provided in due course to enhance the position. Overview of the Organisation Company Size Thomas Cook is one of the biggest companies in the field of leisure and travel and is observed to operate along a large geographical segment pertaining to 22 countries round the world. The company has emerged out to be a key market leader in the leisure and travel category. Thomas Cook, during the financial year of 2011-12 earned total sales revenue emanating to  £9.8 billion from a total customer base of 23.6 million people around the globe (Thomas Group Plc, 2012). Company Structure Thomas Cook operates based on a decentralised structure where the board of directors are responsible for delegation of tasks and duties to subsequent committees and other sub-boards. The structure operates along a top-down or vertical integration fashion in the company (Thomas Cook, 2010, p.53). Main Activities Thomas Cook Plc works along several segments to render value-added services to the customers. The first or the core product segment contains of packaged tourism services where both flights and hotel services are grouped under one bundle and rendered to the customer. The second segment consists of independent packages that help in rendering consumers a larger flexibility in choosing the travel destinations, duration of tour and other value additions. The third product segment focuses on rendering financial support to the travellers in terms of foreign exchange or money transfers and also in tour assurance services. Fourthly the group also operates via retail houses that help in distributing tour packages and offers to the consumers. Finally the group also operates on the basis of online networks where it focuses to serve consumers in European and pan-European markets effectively (Thomas Cook, 2011, p.13). Objectives of the Report As a market analyst and researcher the report to be presented would highlight the strategic potencies and drawbacks of Thomas Cook operating around the world in the travel and leisure segment. The report presented would eventually help the company management potentially address the drawbacks highlighted to develop its performance potential in the future. Analysis of the Organisation Internal Environmental Analysis Employee Engagement Analysis in Thomas Cook The analysis of employee engagement in organisations reflects the manner in which the people involved relate their activities and conduct to the inherited cultures and values of the concern. Thus an employee engaged is taken to be highly conscious of the organisational values and cultures and thereby coordinates with other colleagues to effectively achieve organisational goals and objectives. The level of employee engagement enhances with the level of relatedness the employer has with the employee groups (Vazirani, 2005, p.3). Herein, the module of employee engagement is used to analyse the level of loyalty and reliability of the employees in Thomas Cook. The management of Thomas Cook endeavours to effectively interrelate with the employees involved in different levels to share with them potential information pertaining to changes in organisational strategy and policies. Effective interrelation and communication is carried out by the management both along the web and physical sphere in terms of online chat and electronic mails and circulation of internal magazines respectively. Moreover the employees are also invited to participate in workshops and training programs that in turn enhance their potential to perform in their specific task areas. Further the management body of Thomas Cook from time to time conducts effective surveys to understand the level of interrelatedness of the employees, both new and old to the organisational values and business directives. Survey carried out would clearly hint on the satisfaction and commitment level of the internal people in Thomas Cook. Satisfaction level of the internal people duly enhanced help s Thomas Cook in addressing the changing needs of the consumers and also in effectively reducing the level of staff turnovers in the organisation. Henceforth, employee engagement activities in the company motivate the people to work more productively and thereby augment the revenue and productivity paradigm of the concern (Thomas Cook Group plc, 2011; Thomas Cook Group plc-a, 2011). Analysis of Thomas Cook based on McKinseys 7S Model The Model In the McKinseys 7S Model firstly, the management works on the basis of set strategies incorporating the views of many to help arrive at a specific action plan to accomplish end goals. Secondly, the management works on a definite structure to integrate the people working in different levels more effectively to meet end objectives. Thirdly, the organisation works based on a set of policies and procedures in achieving targets set. Fourthly, the concern uses internal people as a key resource in meeting the tasks set. Fifthly, different managers reflect different types of styles in meeting the same objectives. Sixthly, the management needs to share the objectives and policies of the concern with the employees to coordinate the actions taken. Seventhly, the skills of the people need to be enhanced in meeting end objectives effectively and successfully (Bhattacharya, 2011, p.333-334). McKinseys 7S Framework is reflected in the following diagram. Figure 1 (Bhattacharya, 2011, p.334) The attributes of the model would be used to analyse the internal environment of Thomas Cook for they help in setting a paradigm through which the organisational manager gains the potential in drawing the attention of the employees in meeting end objectives. Structure The organisational structure of Thomas Cook is found to be vertically integrated with a top-down management structure. Thus decisions are generally taken by the board of directors and higher management body of the concern and percolated downwards to different organisational levels. However in recent times, Thomas Cook is observed to take resort of a global outsourcing strategy to transfer the finance and accounting services in the hands of outsourced teams to help in cost reduction and organisational productivity (Banham, 2005). Systems Thomas Cook works based on an integrated business model incorporating the designing of both individual and packaged tours and also assisting the consumers in terms of financing and insuring their tour activities. Similarly, the company works in gaining an enhanced consumer base through carrying out its operations via retail marts and also through the online base. Thomas Cook trains its staffs to render effective customer services acting on such planes (Thomas Cook, 2011, p.13). Style The management style at Thomas Cook firstly works in encouraging the growth of organisational diversity in terms of employing people pertaining to different ethnic backgrounds, sex and age differences. Secondly, the management style in the concern promotes growth and promotion based on merits and performance parameters and thereby restricts the practice of discrimination in the workplace (Thomas Cook, n.d.). Staff The organisational management works in effectively recruiting a talented and knowledgeable workforce in the concern. Having recruited a talented and multi-skilled workforce the management works in motivating the people and effectively integrating training them to fulfil the needs of the concern (Thomas Cook Group plc-b, 2011). Skills The skills of the internal people are enhanced by Thomas Cook through the incorporation of effective training and performance management programs. Feedback is generated to the employees based on performance appraisal systems to help them address the drawbacks. In 2011, the company invested around à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤9.9 million pertaining to the training segment (Thomas Cook Group plc-c, 2011). Strategy The core business strategy of Thomas Cook is to train its employee base to render value-additions to the service parameters pertaining to the category of independent travel. Further, the management also desires to enhance the financing and business development parameters of the travel related services framework to augment the customer satisfaction experience (Thomas Cook Group plc, 2012). Shared Values The higher management body of Thomas Cook works on the basis of transmitting potential information pertaining to business and strategic value to the employees pertaining to different levels. Through the above function the company management desires to work as a single unit in helping to achieve end goals effectively (Thomas Cook Group plc-d, 2011). Leadership Style of Thomas Cook Adair (2011) states that leadership style pertaining to an organisation gains effect such that where different individuals and groups are employed to help in achieving a desired task. Herein, the manager is required to divide the entire task among groups and individuals and thereby to monitor and evaluate their performance levels in helping to meet the objectives taken (Adlair, 2011, p.92-93). The same can be represented through the following illustration. Figure 2 (Adair, 2011, p.92) Task Individual Team The leadership style of Thomas Cook reflected that it works on a task based model where decisions taken by higher management are percolated through the management hierarchy along different levels. Task Individual Team Ideal leadership style of Thomas Cook would be where the task is uniformly matched with team and individual pursuits. However, the same is difficult to implement for it means a complete restructuring of the organisational structure. Task Individual Team Thus the ideal style would be to delineate and percolate the entire organisational task along different layers while at the same time encouraging the development of individuals and teams by incorporating them in decision making functions. Organisational Structure of Thomas Cook The organisation structure of Thomas Cook is reflected in Figure A in the Appendix section. Headed by the Board of Directors the company is run by different committee bodies looking after finance, health and safety, auditing and disclosure functions and similar other departments. These committee bodies report to the body of Directors. Similarly the different segments and functions of the company are governed by different boards which are linked therewith other country heads serving different markets (Thomas Group Plc-a, 2012). Human Resource Systems in Thomas Cook Induction The induction program of Thomas Cook helps in introducing the people to the procedures and policies of the company. It also helps in providing guidance to the students regarding aspects of value and culture of the company. Moreover, a buddy is rendered with the apprentices who introduce the aspirant to the task to be performed at different levels along with the values of the company. Effective survey is conducted based on the apprenticeship program where feedback is gained from them to be used for further developments in the induction training rendered. Again, the apprentices are also rendered specific electronic learning modules to enhance the knowledge of the employees in the light of modifications and developments (People 1st, 2011). Appraisal The company conducts effective performance appraisal programs of the people pertaining to different levels in the organisation. Performance reviews of the people in the concern are conducted on an annual basis and feedbacks are generated to the people on that behalf. Development of the people is done through involving them in training programs where the skills sets are honed to meet drawbacks (Thomas Cook Plc, 2010). Communication Internal communication is practiced in Thomas Cook through the holding of meetings by the board of directors of the concern every year on timely schedules. In addition to the scheduled meetings the directors are also responsible for conducting of other additional and supplementary meetings as and when needed by the company. It is observed that on a general note the board of directors holds around 9 scheduled and 10 other additional meetings in the company (Thomas Cook, 2011, p.45). Incentive A host of financial and other incentives and amenities are rendered to the individuals by the organisation so as to effectively retain a productive and highly skilled workforce. The range of benefits rendered range from holiday packages, to shopping discounts and also other insurance and other leave related benefits. Moreover the workplace is made advanced in terms rendering flexible working hours to help the people work more productively. Areas of Development in Thomas Cook Structural Paradigm Pertaining to the structural paradigm the introduction of decentralisation in the organisational ambit has required the company to incorporate information technology infrastructure in the designing of data centres in different regions (Chillingworth, 2010). Leadership Style Paradigm The managers of Thomas Cook are required to adapt to changing situations through training programs rendered based on change leadership models. Similarly, the management skills are honed through incorporation of tenets pertaining to emotional intelligence and qualities to manage stress in the workplace (People 1st, 2008, p.3). Systems Paradigm Pertaining to operation systems and procedures the company is focusing to enhance its relationship with the consumers through augmenting their safety paradigm and suppliers like hotels and air services on an enhanced scale. Moreover the company is also working for promoting a safer and healthier environment through evaluation of carbon footprint (Thomas Group Plc, 2009). Plan of Development in Thomas Cook Kotters Eight Step Model The analysis of the plan of development in Thomas Cook is conducted based on the Eight Step Model presented by John P. Kotter of Harvard. The first three steps focus on analysing external changes, modifying the vision and thereby aligning teams to incorporate the change process. The subsequent three steps focus on implementing the change process through effective communication, empowerment of individuals and motivating people through short-term wins. Finally, the seventh and eight steps focus on sustaining the change rendered and enhancing the impacts of the change through modifications (Kotter, 2006, p.4). The same can be shown in the following illustration. Figure 3: Kotters Eight Step Change Process (Kotter, 2006, p.4) Change Process in Thomas Cook Firstly, the company management created the urgency in gaining profits from the market. Secondly, a team was created through replacements and promotions rendered in the executive body to incorporate the change. Thirdly, a new vision was created focusing on reducing costs, redesigning its organisation structure and enhancing its existing brand image (Linder, 2004, p.114). Fourthly, the management endeavoured to share the vision gained with the employees involved at different levels. Fifthly, employees were empowered to take individual decisions while rendering services to the consumers. Sixthly, a reward system was brought out to effectively motivate the employees to enhance the service quality (Srinivasan, 2009, p.280). Seventhly, the company focuses on gaining hold of talented and effective people that would help the concern achieve its set goals. Communication along the lines is enhanced through holding of training and interactions on a two-way level. Finally, new leadership policies and procedures are brought about by the company management to motivate the people to work in a productive fashion (Thomas Cook, 2010, p.40). External Environmental Analysis No organisation tends to exists in vacuum as each of the organisations is affected by the external environment. The external environment refers to the context in which organisation promotes, provides and also distributes its services. In maximum number of cases, the organisation doesn`t have control or has limited control over the environmental factors. According to Rubrigt and MacDonald (1981), if any of the organisation faces weakness it would become the tendency of the organisation to overlook the opportunity or the obstacles in the market place, also the external environment (Winston, 1985, p. 45). Process of Environment Monitoring in Thomas Cook With a wide range and scale of environmental impacts across the business of Thomas Cook, the operating companies tend to coordinate the performance of the environment locally under the banner of Group Environmental Policy. Thomas Cook is committed in reducing the impact of the environment by way of protecting the environment and the resources and the business usually depends on safeguarding the wildlife, biodiversity and also animal welfare. Market research: In order to monitor the upcoming challenges and trends of the consumer Thomas cook can conduct market research based on the needs of the customers. As the disposable income rise, there arise a shift in the mindset and thus it is required to introduce and act accordingly the customers expectation. Thus doing a proper market research would help the travel agency to stay ahead of its competitors. The company can make a page and share it in social networking sites to get feedbacks about the new schemes and can alter accordingly. Demographic: Thomas Cook is a well known and the oldest travel agency and thus the customers are attracted towards it because of the reliability and experience. Thomas cook can expand its stores where most number of customers visit to attract even more customers. Benchmarking: Thomas Cook has benchmarked the employee satisfaction. The company believe that employee who is engaged tends to perform better which leads to satisfied and loyal customers. Thomas Cook has compared each of the business segments through an employee survey and the rate of response was 64% in the year 2009. As per the survey in 2009 the engagement index was 3.74 as compared to the benchmark index of 3.67 (Thomas Cook Group Plc, 2009). Trade publication: Thomas Cook pocket guides covers about 170 destinations and at the same time compact and practical guide for the sun seekers and also for the city breakers. Other guides available for the travellers include driving guides, travellers guide and others. Recently Thomas cook has launched Canadian website which is a conjunction with rebranding of all the retail locations of Thomas Cook across Canada (Travel Trade, 2012). Scenario Planning: Thomas cook has acquired other travel agents in order to stay competitive in the travel agency sectors. PEST Analysis of Thomas Cook PEST Analysis is mainly used to scan the environment. PEST refers to political, economical, social and technological factors (Henry, 2008, p. 41). Thus Pest is used to analyses and scans the general environment surrounding Thomas cook. It is through PEST that the company will be able to detect as well as monitor the weak signals in order to recognise the fractures which shape the environment. Political Factors The UK travel and tourism industry has faced immense pressure from the government as it has introduced tourism tax and has said to affect all the travel and tourism business including Thomas Cook. The travel agents had opposed to the proposal of bed tax which the government had levied  £1 per head per night from the visitors staying in the local hotels. The proposed bed tax is said to increase the domestic price and keep the foreign visitors from holidaying in UK (The Guardian, 2012). The potential tax of about 5% to 10% would make England the proposed bed tax is said to increase the domestic price and keep the foreign visitors from holidaying in UK (The Guardian, 2012). It is one of the highest taxed holiday destinations in whole of Europe (BHA, 2012). Thus with the rise in tax, business like the local shops, the restaurants and the travel agencies are said to be affected. Economic Factors During the past few years the tourism sector have faced hard times due to challenging economic times and have largely impacted the global travel market but however there are signs of recovery within the consumers. The travel and the leisure sector were impacted mainly due to the consumers disposable income, unemployment rate, fluctuation in the rate of currency and the oil price. All these drives have hugely impacted the travel and leisure industry. The GDP declined by 6% in the year 2009, the rate of unemployment has increased to about 2%, the price of oil continued to be highly volatile. In addition to the above factor, there are other factors which have impacted the global travel market. Global terrorism has impacted the confidence of the consumers from travelling along with the swine flu in Mexico which had similarly affected the travel planes along with an increased taxation the economic conditions seems to get worst. Therefore due to these challenging economic conditions, the t ravel market over the past few years has significantly declined in the travel market (Thomas Cook Group Plc, 2009). Social Factors The economy of UK is one of the strongest economy in Europe where the disposable income of the consumers are at a rise and thus the expenditure made on leisure is growing at about 6% and thus has higher level of expectation from the travel and tourism sectors. Most of the people will at least go for one holiday to abroad, thus increasing the demand of the travel and tourism industry. In addition one of the important markets in travel and tourism is the grey market which mainly comprises of older people who are healthy and fit and as such has plenty of time along with funds to spend on travelling (Pearson School and College, n.d, p. 11). Technological Factors Technological factors refer to the use of internet which has allowed the people the opportunity to become much more independent and make plans according to their desire. Thomas Cook aims to be among the top online service provider and it can be done through modified and advanced technologies. Analysis of the Competitive Environment of Thomas Cook The competitive environment is analysed in order to describe the nature of the following attributes. As the environment keeps on changing each of the listed attributes becomes more or less attractive in order to achieve profitable growth rate. Thus the competitive environment of Thomas Cook has been analysed. Figure 4: Attributes in the Competitive Environment (Source: Bigler Norris, 2004, p. 81) Diversity The Thomas Cook Group is committed to provide a workplace which is free from discrimination and that supports diversity. Not only is it beneficial to the employee but also to the company in having a diversified workforce. The organisation provides employee training and monitors the diversity among its employees. Diversity is key strength of Thomas Cook and is an essential part of the business. The company operates in bout 22 countries and thus employs people from different backgrounds and cultures. A diverse workforce tends to create a dynamic as well as innovative culture of the company (Thomas Cook Group Plc-a, 2011). (Refer Appendix A) Rivalry Rivalry is high among the leisure industry as with the rise in the disposable income people are spending more amount of money on travelling which has led to the development of many tourism and travel agencies. As a result Thomas Cook also faces rivalry from other travel agencies such as American Express Company, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Holiday break plc (Hoovers, 2012). Buyers The buyers are not given many options to choose from, by the company and thus they need to finalise from the given set of options and thus it can be said that the degree of power of the buyers are low. Hostility The degree of hostility is low to moderate in case of tourism industry. The travel and tourism agencies face from fierce competition but they do not declare an open war with respect to price. The marketing strategy adopted by the Thomas Cook and its competitors are almost the same to attract the customers. The companies compete with each other in all the aspects but do not declare open price wars with the competitors. Cost of Entry The cost of entry into the travel and tourism industry is relatively moderate to high. The capital requirement is usually high and thus creates a high rate of barrier for the new entry in the tourism sectors. Also the market share is occupied by the top leaders in the market and therefore it becomes hard for the new company to form a brand image and acquire a decent market share to compete with the already established firms. Brand recognition also acts as a barrier to the new entrant. Fragmentation The degree of fragmentation is high among the travel and tourism industry. Thomas Cook remains highly fragmented as it had the opportunity to achieve the top three market position. Thomas Cook has targeted gross booking with value of about  £3.5bn (Thomas Cook Group Plc-b, 2010). Turbulence The travel and tourism industry suffers from unpredicted variance and thus the turbulence is also high. With economic downturn and other related factors the tourism industry tends to gets affected to a very large extent and it increases the rate of turbulence. SWOT Analysis of Thomas Cook SWOT analysis is mainly used by organisation as strategic planning and usually refers to the identification of the strength, weakness along with the opportunities and threats of the organisations. SWOT is conducted to know about the internal as well as the external environment of the company and act accordingly. SWOT Analysis of Thomas Cook will enable the travel group to know its strength and overcomes its weakness and through opportunity overcome the threats. Strength Thomas cook has a strong brand name and image and is one of the leading leisure travel agencies in the world. It offers various package tours and other holiday components and other services. The group has recorded revenue of about  £9, 808.9million during the financial year 2011 The company has managed to show an increase of about 10.3% from the previous financial year 2010 (Research and Markets, 2012). The group continues to build upon the strengths which the company has created over the years which include strong financial position, trusted brand portfolio and the ability of the company, with its flexible model, to manage the business so that the group is able to meet the needs of the customers in the future (Thomas Cook Group Plc-c, 2009). Weakness One major weakness lies is that with a economic slowdown the travel agencies have experienced a huge break down in the number of consumers travelling from one place to another. This has impacted Thomas Cook Group. Opportunity With a rise in the disposable income of the consumers a huge opportunity lies with Thomas Cook to expand itself into various other countries and help the consumer experience the pleasure of travelling. Technology being an upper hand for the travel agencies, the online market is said to flourish which makes it easier for the consumers to select from various options made available from the travel agencies. Threat Threat lies from the other competitors which has been doing equally well in the travel and tourism sectors. With many travel and tourism agency, the customers gets a wide variety to choose from the best options and this tends to increase the competition among the travel and tourism industry. Also shift in the consumer behaviour also poses a threat for Thomas Cook. Major Challenges of Thomas Cook Thomas Cook has been facing some tough challenges which include financial consolidation as well as restricting. The CEO of the company, Manny Fontenla-Novoa resigned which took the company as a surprise. Another set of challenges is the growth of the company through acquisition. Growth by way of acquisition was one of the core strategies together with strict cost in order to improve the profit margins. In recent years Cook had sealed its market entry in Russia by a majority of stake in tour business operator. But at the same time, both internal as well as external problems have increased in Thomas Cook and it becomes a huge challenge for the company to undergo its operation when the environment is not healthy. The demand has slowed because of the weak economy of UK and also its strong focus on cost cutting, UK invested little in IT and product which left Thomas Cook positioned poorly in the market (FVW, 2011). The oldest travel agency has also seen a drop in summer holidays by about 10% which is one of the core businesses of Thomas Cook of sending the families off to destinations like Balearics and Canaries. The shares of Thomas Cook have also slumped to about 86% but still many of the problems of the company tend to persists (Moulds, 2012). Conclusions Thomas Cook is one of the most successful travel agency which meets the travel need of the customers. Thomas Cook is the leading travel groups with flexible business model and also focused strategy and has a team of more than 31000 people who are equally committed towards the vision of the company. It can be said that the company has been performing well in the financial year and plans to do well in the near future but with changing market environment along with the demands and needs of the customers Thomas Cook needs to adapt to new technologies and serve or provide its customers with the wants and requirements. Thomas Cook has been facing few challenges as mentioned and it should take the necessary steps to avoid problems which could hamper the