Business environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business environment - Assignment Example The region has long been established as the leading European zone for attracting private investment. In fact, at present it is UK's most successful region for attracting foreign direct investment, and is among the top five in Europe. The West Midlands is the address of nearly 2,000 overseas companies from 34 different nations, employing roughly 9% of the region's workforce - nearly a quarter of a million people. Birmingham itself can boast of almost 300 overseas companies, which employ over 36,000 people. International and famous companies based in the West Midlands include Peugeot, Ford, BMW, Fujitsu, Oracle, Gap, Denso, IBM, NEC and Johnson Controls. A little over the last ten years, the West Midlands experienced real economic growth with GDP increasing by around 29%, an additional 240,000 people in employment, a fall in unemployment rates from 12.1% to below 8% (2000), economic activity rate at par with the rest of the country, an employment rate of around 74% (1998-1999 to 2003), higher than the national rate at the start of the three year period (1998-99) and a higher percentage of employees in high technology sectors than the national average in 2000 (Mitra, 2001). Despite noticeable indicators of development and progress, the West Midlands maintains its status of an under-achieving region. It has under-performed in almost all major areas judging by the economic indicators, if overall performance in the UK is used as a standard. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head in 1999 was 6% below the national average in spite of an increase of nearly 2% from 1998. On the Index of Local Deprivation, the West Midlands has two districts in the top 10 and 6 in the top 50 most deprived areas. In 1997, likewise, the West Midlands had the second lowest manufacturing productivity levels. Gross Value Added per GDP per head has stayed around 6% below the national average throughout the 1990s. Since 1990, unemployment rates have remained above the national average. Finally, the number of VAT- registered businesses has fallen faster than the national average. Compared to EU regions similar to the West Midlands (using the GVA metric), the latter is at par with most other regions and slightly below Bourgogne (France). SMEs in the West Midlands Economy With statistical trends elsewhere, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute the largest share of all enterprises in the West Midlands. The region is composed of small firms, which would imply that small business activity is characteristic of the region's business and economic scenario. The sectoral spread of the firms portray the profile of the region with its mix of traditional industrial ands agricultural activities, combined with business and financial services. Reflecting overall national patterns, and indeed that of the West Midlands region, no one sub-region has more than two sectors with greater than 20% of the business sites in those sectors. Potential Sources of Support Across the region, Advantage West Midlands is setting up a variety of strategies and business support programmes aimed at motivating and promoting wealth creation and the diversification of the region's economy. Working in alliance with other organisations, the objective is to provide the business support required

Inclusive Education Essay Example for Free

Inclusive Education Essay The management of inclusion is a source of enormous challenge to many schools across the globe. Developed countries in particular are faced with the mounting challenge of ensuring that every child is educated up to adequate standards (Ainscow 1995). Similarly, families that have children with special needs are seeking institutions that can provide their children with the standard level of education received by other children. Educational Institutions are also in a similar boat, continually faced with the mounting challenge of accepting and responding to the diversity that each child brings to the classroom. While many definitions of inclusion are pervasive, it remains widely accepted that the notion of inclusion involves welcoming and encouraging diversity amongst all learners. Inclusive education can be viewed from different perspectives. Different educational settings and social communities have differing perceptions of what it means. Most literature however start with the general notion that education is a basic human right that forms the foundation of every just and fair society. However, the basic elements of its meaning can be categorized into four. Ainscow (2005) suggests the first element involves seeing inclusion as a process – a continuous process that analyzes and recommends improved ways of responding to diversity by accepting and learning from peoples’ differences. Every one’s difference is seen as an asset which can be used to ensure learning takes place under varied and flexible circumstances. Ainscow (2005) also refers to the second element of inclusion as identifying and removing barriers. The teachers or managers of the inclusion process should be actively involved in collecting, analyzing and managing information from diverse sources which can be applied to policy refinements and modifications. The third element is centered on enforcing active participation and goal achievement for each student. The fourth element highlighted by Ainscow (2005) is the need for teachers or those in charge of learning to place an increased emphasis on those who are at greater risk of being marginalized or who are less able to benefit from the current modes and aspects of learning. In summary, Ainscow (2005) suggests that the practices that are pervasive in most organizations today is a reflection of present culture and norms. Learners may be impeded from learning optimally under certain conditions due to over learned behaviour imposed by social institutions and their thinking patterns. Consequently, Ainscow (1999) suggests that the development of inclusive practices should focus on reforming the way actors think in order to be able to realize the full potential of inclusive education and make its practice more reinforced in schools across the world. Armstrong (2003) describes inclusion as a set of principles, values and practices that are executed to initiate a revolution of education systems and communities.   It seeks to challenge thinking that is conditioned to assume that certain pupils need to be dealt with in a particular way (Armstrong 2003). According to (CSIE 2010) Inclusive education has a long history but centers on the need for equality and human rights. It is based on a moral perspective that values and respects every person while welcoming diversity. Schools are becoming more open to people of different abilities, backgrounds, ethnic and cultural histories. Consequently, there’s an extensive need for schools to fend for different learners. According to CSIE (2010), inclusion in education has a large number of connotations and the basic ones include:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The need for schools to value everyone including staff and students equally.  · The participation of all students in cultures and learning communities, while reducing barriers to their learning and the inclusion of students, even though categorized as having special educational needs  · Revamping school’s practices and policies so that they are responsive to the variety of students within the region  · Learning from attempts at inclusive education and implementing the changes more widely  · Acknowledging the basic right of every child to a fair education and recognizing that inclusion in education is paramount to inclusion in society.  · Emphasizing the role of schools in community development, sustaining relationships and adjusting the resources of the schools to support learning. According to CSIE (2010), the world is changing and stereotypical thinking needs to be nipped in the bud. Valuing some people over others is deemed unethical; people should not be prevented from participating in culture and curricula and neither should segregated schooling be used for children with special needs since it violates their right to education without any form of discrimination (Ainscow 1994). Academic achievements should not be the sole aim of schooling there is also the moral and personal development that every child should have a right to. Also, isolating schools and communities from each other deprives students of rich and multifaceted experiences that can enhance their learning. The right to an inclusive education is in Article 24 (Education) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (2006). Even though the idea of inclusive education is generally accepted, some schools have reservations to it and claim that they do not have the resources to cater for all categories of children. It is unclear whether this problem is persistent due to funding, personal reservations or a lack of resources. In addition, inclusive education can be seen as an educational practice that emphasizes that students who can learn normally, without any learning inhibitions, spend time with those who have special educational needs which may be of any form. This type of inclusion emphasizes the child’s right to participate while schools are also inclined to accept the child as they would any other normal child. This principle rejects the use of special, isolated classrooms and learning environments for students with disabilities. The social, civil and participatory rights of students are emphasized and form the heart of any inclusive education strategy. It is a collective form of education in which all types of children can sit and learn together and it proposes the need to emphasize diverse learning approaches to handling children with varying educations and academic limits. With inclusive education, children who were previously excluded may now spend time with other children, which would not have been possible earlier. The use of segregated schooling is however still pervasive and one must bear in mind that Inclusive education does not apply only to disabled children but to everyone (CSIE 2010). The Benefits of Inclusive Education There are a number of ways to analyze the benefits of inclusive education. This section will start off by examining the benefits to disabled children. There are many aspects to inclusive education that can benefit disabled children as well as the normal children. Children with special needs would have the chance to learn in the same environment as normal children; they are thus subjected to the same learning environment and resources which will on the long run, ensure that they also have the opportunity to learn at the same pace as the normal children. Inclusive education may also nip in the bud, future psychological problems that a child may have when they eventually become aware that they have special needs. Inclusive education helps them to mix with other children thereby reducing possible issues of inferiority complex that may arise in the future. With inclusive education, schools can become flexible to adapting to the needs of the children, and not the other way round. The differences between the students can also serve as a means of achieving diversity and variety – the educational facilities and teachers would then have to develop unique responses to deal with each child (Ainscow 1999). In terms of society, the benefits are multi-fold. Inclusive education can help in forming stronger links between schools and communities. This on the long run will lead to stronger societies, partnering, consolidation and the forging of self respect for every individual in the society.   For developing countries, the benefits are extensive. Education is one of the hallmarks of any progressive society and as such should not be taken lightly. Inclusive education would give every child the right to fair education and a chance of a bright future. Inclusive education should be central to the educational polcies of any country claiming to be democratic. When countries embrace this ideal, it promotes a culture of fairness, comraderie and may nip societal ills such as racism and discrimination in the bud.

Salome by Oscar Wilde Essay -- Salome Oscar Wilde Essays

Salome by Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde’s gruesome and controversial play begs and important question. Who is Salome? In the bible this woman is not even given a name. She is the daughter of Herodias who dances for the pleasure of her stepfather, Herod. Perhaps the very fact that she remains unnamed is part of the mystery and problem that is Salome. There was no need to name this type of woman in patriarchal Christian religion. Yet, Salome’s story continues to inspire and terrify both her champions and her harshest critics. In writing Salome Wilde gives this figure both an identity and a desire. But just what does this identity and subsequent desire represent? Throughout the play Salome is subjected to the male gaze. Both the Young Syrian and Herod continually look at her. They are both warned not to do so. The Page of Herodias tells the Young Syrian, â€Å"Why do you look at her? You must not look at her†¦Something terrible may happen.† Herod is similarly warned by his wife, â€Å"You must not look at her! You are always looking at her!† Aside from their own desires, why would these two characters believe that looking at Salome is so dangerous? This could be an acknowledgement of the power of looking and the subsequent power that Salome gains from being looked at. Scopophilia is not only the pleasure and power of looking, but also the pleasure and power of being looked at. Salome is aware of this type of power. She says, â€Å"Why does the Tetrarch look at me all the while with his mole’s eyes under his shaking eyelids? It is strange that the husband of my mother looks at me like that. I know not what it means. Of a truth I know it too well.† Salome realizes that Herod is viewing her as a sexual o... ...y? Whatever the reason Salome is destroyed by men immediately after she receives the satisfaction of kissing Jokanaan’s severed head. Perhaps the figure of Salome is much like the moon in this play. It reflects whatever the onlooker hopes to see. To those who wish to view Salome as the original femme fatal, she is reflected as dangerous and grotesque. To others, who encourage her rebellion, she is an icon for artistic self-reflection. Representations of Salome are varied and many. They are constantly evolving with shifts of collective experience. In any event, Salome has earned the name denied to her in the bible. She is to some a heroine, to others a pornographic object, and still others a dangerous threat to patriarchal order. She has many identities and even more desires, yet she continues to fascinate and repulse, as her mystery is unraveled.

Character of Penelope in Homers Odyssey Essays -- Homer, Odyssey Essa

The Character of Penelope in The Odyssey "My lady, there is no man in the wide world who could find fault with you. For your fame has reached broad heaven itself, like that of some illustrious king."(Page 289,Book 19, The Odyssey) Penelope played one of the most vital roles in Homer's timeless classic ‘The Odyssey’, as both Odysseus's patient and loving wife and as the Queen of Ithaca. Her great love for Odysseus is most powerfully shown with her persistence in waiting nineteen years for her husband to return over the ‘wine dark sea’ rather than losing all hope and marrying another. Penelope has a strong and constant character, and her personality changes very little throughout ‘The Odyssey’. Since there are so few mortal women featured in The Odyssey, Penelope can be perhaps seen as an ideal figure to represent all noblewomen within the Greek world. Although women were to the most part seen as possessions they could still be highly respec... ...assical Greek Art," pp. 29-58. Richard Brilliant, "Kirke's Men: Swine and Sweethearts," pp. 165-73. Helene Foley, "Penelope as Moral Agent," in Beth Cohen, ed., The Distaff Side (Oxford 1995), pp. 93-115. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Marilyn Arthur Katz, Penelope's Renown: Meaning and Indeterminacy in the Odyssey (Princeton 1991). Nancy Felson-Rubin, Regarding Penelope: From Courtship to Poetics (Princeton 1994). Â  

Did the Ancient Greek Gods Exist Essay

The Ancient Greeks regarded their religion and mythology with much respect and loyalty. Although the Ancient Greek Gods are now seen as an explanation created by man, for natural forces and the world around us, there has been much evidence both for and against the debate that these Gods were real. The Greeks believed that the Earth was created with the birth of Gaia, or Mother Earth, from the dark void known as Chaos. It was believed that Gods were all-powerful giants and heroes, who were responsible for our creation. The Olympians were a younger race of Gods led by Zeus, who eventually overthrew the formidable Titans, led by Zeus’ tyrannical father Cronus. Once in power, the Olympians, named after their home Mount Olympus, were each given certain responsibilities and powers over natural forces and aspects of life. Such as the sky, ocean, death and war. Many have debated that the Gods have made their presence clear, through their influencing and intervening with our history and punishments that they have cast upon us. Whereas others argue that they were mere stories told to inspire others, teach morals and explain the unknown. The mythology of the Gods were mainly passed on through stories and supported with archaeological evidence, the main literary account was by Homer and his two epic poems. Although they mainly accounted for the events surrounding the Trojan War, they include much proof on the impact and influence the Gods had on Ancient Greek history. In Homer’s epic poem Illiad, Zeus is shown sending Agamemnon a false dream, thus influencing his military decisions during the Trojan war in an attempt to depopulate the Earth. Although the existence of Agamemnon cannot be proven, the city of Troy can be. The archaeological ruins of the city can be found in what is now known as Turkey and shows signs of being destroyed and rebuilt several times, most likely due to an earthquake and even a war, from which there was evidence of much slaughter. The Ancient Greeks worshipped the Gods, believing they had power over everything around them and perceived them as almighty deities. The Gods were believed to have normally taken on human form, exhibiting the same emotions and traits. They were also known for regularly intervening in human history. Many people have argued that like some Ancient Chinese deities, many Gods were in fact based on actual figures of history and that over time, like the Chinese gods, their true identities were simply forgotten and they were continually perceived as almighty gods. Such as Guan Yu, a Chinese general who was deified as the Taoist God of War, during the Sui Dynasty (581-618) for his contributions to the civil war. He continues to be worshipped by the Chinese and is a figure of Chinese folk religion. Like the Greek Gods, Guan Yu is worshipped with alters, ceremonies, sacrifices and festivals. However after many centuries of being seen as a God, many are unaware that he did in fact exist. The Historical Theory, continues to support the idea that all people mentioned in mythology were once real people, only their story is passed on and changed over time. Comparisons have also been drawn with the similarities between the basis of Ancient Greek mythology and its factual history. The Greeks believed that there were three generations of Gods; Uranus and other creation gods, the Titans and the Olympians. Many believe that this is merely a reflection of the three major Ancient Greek civilisations; Minoan, Mycenaean and Hellenic. Even with the Gods, they portray heavy social struggles between threatening communities. Professor Martin P. Nilsson concluded that the Gods were a mere reflection and dramatization of Ancient Greek civilisation. Although the Gods were worshipped for their allegiance, they were also known for their wrath and harsh punishments such as the Minotaur, a ferocious monster with a thirst for blood and the result of a God’s punishment. It all began as a sentence cast by the God, Poseidon, onto the King of Crete, Minos for not sacrificing a prized white bull. To punish him, fellow goddess Aphrodite made Minos’ wife Pasiphae fall in love with a bull hence resulting in the birth of the Minotaur, the unnatural offspring of man and bull. The Minotaur was infamous for its human body and bull head. Uncovered representational arts such as vases, alters and ruins have proven the high amount of bull worship in Crete and even parts of Spain, possibly due to the existence of the Minotaur. However many argue that it was from the bull sensation that came the origins and inspiration for the tale of the Minotaur. The creature eventually grew for a horrific taste for blood, forcing Minos to imprison it in a twisting labyrinth under his palace, Knossos. Several years ago, Oxford university geographer Nicholas Howarth uncovered an underground cave complex consisting of a dark, twisting network of tunnels on the island of Crete, just miles away from the ruins of Knossos. Locally, it is even known as Labyrinthos Caves. The Minotaur was eventually slain by Theseus, a demi-god, further supporting the argument that the Ancient Greek Gods existed. As mentioned, over time people have come to accept the Ancient Greek gods as something the Greeks created to understand the world around them. The Physical theory reinforces this argument, claiming that all mythology and religion is formed from the basis of the natural elements; air, fire and water. Similarities can be seen with that of the Ancient Greek gods, such as Poseidon who was â€Å"God of the Sea† and was believed to have domain over the ocean. Many argued that the Gods were mere symbolic personifications of the uncontrollable nature around us, from which the Ancient Greeks found hope and security. Sigmund Freud’s symbolic communication and dream interpretation suggested that with the proper psyche and desperation, the Greeks could have used the Gods as a verification of control. Many have continued to attempt to interpret the mythology of different ancient civilisations. One of the most successful would be Herodotus, who uncovered the relationships and connections between Ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythologies. He believed that the Ancient Greek Gods were directly inspired by Egyptian mythology. Gods such as Zeus were paired with the Egyptian god Amun. Through historical linguistics, it was believed that these gods actually derived from common archetypes of the Proto-Indo-European religion. Thus concluding that Gods were a mere copy of other cultural religions and myths. Despite the scepticism that many feel towards the argument, the evidence is overwhelming and reinforces the debate that the Gods did exist, whether they were immortal Olympians or simply heroic human beings. As immortal wrathful giants, the gods were able to influence entire battles and punish those they believed evil, whereas if they were only human beings, their story would be able to inspire and teach others heroism and bravery. Although the argument involving the Physical theory and Herodotus is viable, the natural elements are the foundation of life and therefore can be twisted to fit any argument and have similarities found anywhere if one simply looked hard enough. Although we may never learn the truth, the existence of the Ancient Greek gods are more realistic due to the possibilities faced with the idea that they could have been either almighty gods or average human beings.

buy custom Effects of Spouses’ Physical Abuse on Boys and Girls Adult Relationships essay

buy custom Effects of Spouses’ Physical Abuse on Boys and Girls Adult Relationships essay Domestic abuse has extensive and lasting consequences on victims. The impacts can either be physical or emotional and can affect the direct victim and children who notice parental brutality. Whenever parents are aggressive, with or without annoyance, there is a constant likelihood of child mistreatment. Physical violence to the child can as well transpire. During parental hostility, brutality moves straight onto the child, particularly older males. When parents are fighting, for instance, a mother can accidentally drop her baby or hit the child by mistake (Archer, 2000). I choose to focus on this topic because of these reasons, and many others since it is important to both parents and children. Hypothesis In this paper, I will show how physical abuse between spouses influence boys and girls behavior in adulthood. In most cases, the dissatisfaction in the relationship transfers to dissatisfaction in the child particularly when an irritated parent shifts blame for his or her matrimonial predicaments onto the child. Mistreated partners may not strike back against the violent partner and takes her assault out on the child by incorporating the child and his spouse, as an object for brutality. Emotional exploitation of children in brutal families may crop up more frequently than physical violence, and may result to intense mental harm to the child.Moreover, children can be abandoned owing to the parents' meager energy or incapability to meet their requirements. Abandonment of the child might take the shape of emotional deficit, poor control, failure to offer sufficient health care, or failure to give enough food (Sandra et al. 2000, 642). There is a genuine risk that children will learn violence, and that it will turn into an element of their outline of conduct. Research findings, child mistreatment texts and family theorists point out those aggressive patterns of conduct that are passed down to generations. Studies have shown that mistreated children recurrently turn out to be violent parents and offensive partners. Children who see their parents or other important adults take on in physical hostility frequently adapt to these manners and rebuild them in adulthood. In addition, numerous adults who exploit their partners were mistreated as children and/or witnessed physical aggression involving their parents (650). Theoretical Framework Brutality is an outline of cultured manners. It seems to be obtained by exposure, watching and endorsed in the family. It appears that the recurrence of the aggression is also attributable to the absence of any other practical or cultured stress reactions in the family structure. Although an individual who has been abused as a child regularly has extreme pessimistic outlook concerning the parents and their actions, opposing this harmful outlook are feelings of devotion for and a sense of belonging with the parents. Children might grow to take after the abusive behavior or as a victim. In addition to getting acquainted to brutal actions, the children discover adaptive or endurance behaviors by which they can evade being mistreated. Both the abuser and sufferer characters are presentd to children's performance repertoires, and they acquire a spouse who is also vulnerable to approve these characters (Hinchey and Gavelek, 1982, 399). Usually, the boy who witnesses family hostility will, firstly, sympathize with his mother and have severe pessimistic thoughts regarding his father's hostile actions. As he grows, the child might try to mediate in aggressive occurrences. Furthermore, the older son in the family may serve to cater for some of his mother's requirements and may assume some of the father's responsibilities. He may turn into his mother's close friend and supporter. Having learnt how to protect their mother from an abusive father, such a male becomes a very responsible man, overly protective, caring and loving towards their future partners (401). Conversely, as the male child attains late teenage years, he might become aggressive, disobedient, and unmanageable. In his effort to get away from the exceptionally close connection with his mother, he might become offensive to her, as he starts to relate to his father. He might as well begin excessive drinking, destroy property, and act aggressively to younger siblings. He might become violent if he gets into a relationship. Method The study designs employed in the findings expressed in this paper are surveys carried out by doctors, psychologists and gender advocates. They have taken a sample of both men and women in some studies, while others have taken women only. These are people who are mostly affected by spouse physical abuse in their childhood, and consequently in their adult relationships. The doctors measured the rate of depression and pressure in both men and women in poor relationships. They used the Hamilton Depression Scale to identify the intensity of depression in such individuals and a sphygmomanometer for blood pressure. These measurement tools were used because they are simple to incorporate and save on time. Survey Findings According to Sandras study, girls who have observed hostility involving their parents might take either the sufferer, or the abuser character, based on the situation. Females whose mothers endorse only a sufferer position will usually mimic this character themselves. Frequently, they take up child nurturing tasks for the younger children. The older female might ignore school to look after them. The female may hate this responsibility but will seldom convey annoyance. She typically tries to gratify her parents, but is regularly incapable of meeting their requirements. During aggressive incidents, she might make an attempt to defend her siblings. The daughter's responsibility as substitute mother and intermediary frequently makes her a prospective prey of incest. These girls may be silent, withdrawn, and reserved. There is likelihood that, without intercession, they will turn into victims of brutality. Consequently, such a female may not be willing to get involved with men in their adu lthood (Sandra et al. 2000, 650). Alternatively, daughters who have observed aggressive parental relations might have behavioral setbacks. These girls may exhibit their prediicaments in the classroom and act aggressively to age mates or siblings. As they approach puberty, most of these girls flee from their abodes, become drugs or alcohol addicts and sexually chaotic. All of these actions imply an effort to flee from a psychologically and physically destitute condition. Such a child will develop to be a reckless adult and certainly have poor relationships (Jeffrey and Angela, 1994). Those males who see their fathers mistreat their mothers are more probable to impose intense brutality as grown-ups. Statistics imply that females who see motherly mistreatment may endure violence as grown-ups more than females who do not. The lasting outcomes of child sexual mistreatment comprises despair and self-unhelpful activities, annoyance and resentment, poor sense of worth, feelings of seclusion and shame, difficulty in believing others, particularly men, marital and relationship setbacks, and a trend in the direction of revictimization. A discussion research study by Sandra and her colleagues tested whether revealed information of childhood witnessing to parental spouse mistreatment was connected with internalizing features of grown-up changes. Applicants were 550 males and female university scholars. Among females, childhood experience to spouse violence was connected to despair, trauma-connected indications and poor sense of worth. Among males, experience was linked with trauma-related indications. These relations were arithmetically unconnected to parental alcohol misuse and break ups accounted for. Relationships of parental spouse mistreatment to poor sense of worth and dejection among females were as well independent of deviation in shown information of child sexual and physical mistreatment. However, the connection of spouse mistreatment to trauma-connected indications depended, partially, on the co-incidence of child mistreatment. The discussion tackled allegations of the results for upcoming research and for medical applications (Sandra et al. 2000, 642). Several experimental studies have surveyed the association between familiarity with domestic hostility and developing disturbing distress. Hinchey and Gavelek (1982, 397) interviewed 93 females reporting to be in continuing, traumatic relationships and those who had grown on aggressive abodes. The researchers based their study on the connection between emotional violence, intensity of abuse in the relationship and dejection. The outcome of the study demonstrated a considerable connection between domestic hostility and dejection. In every cluster in the research, emotional abuse on its own, moderate abuse, and intense abuse, women attained the highest rate for disturbing tension chaos. Generally, 55.9% of the test met analytical standards for the condition. With the use of questionnaires, the study also proved that those particular women were in poor current relationships. In additional support of the extensive connection between family hostility and future relationship of children, Gaylord and his colleagues, interviewed 100 females in Australian asylums, each of whom had gone through domestic brutality. They established that 45 of the 100 females had problems with their relationships . Buy custom Effects of Spouses’ Physical Abuse on Boys and Girls Adult Relationships essay

Robert Hooke and the Coil Spring

Robert Hooke and the Coil Spring Robert Hooke was perhaps the single greatest experimental scientist of the 17th century, responsible for developing a concept hundreds of years ago that would result in coil springs that are still used widely today. About Robert Hooke   Hooke actually considered himself a philosopher, not an inventor. Born in 1635 on England’s Isle of Wight, he studied classics in school, then went on to Oxford University where he worked as an assistant to Thomas Willis, a physician. Hooke became a member of the Royal Society and is credited with discovering cells.   Hooke was peering through a microscope one day in 1665 when he noticed pores or cells  in a piece of cork tree. He decided these were containers for the â€Å"noble juices† of the substance he was inspecting. He assumed at the time that these cells were unique to plants, not to all living matter, but he is nonetheless given credit for discovering them. The Coil Spring Hooke conceived of what would become known as â€Å"Hooke’s Law 13 years later in 1678. This premise explains the elasticity of solid bodies, a discovery which led to the development of tension increasing and decreasing in a spring coil. He observed that when an elastic body is subjected to stress, its dimension or shape changes in proportion to the applied stress over a range. On the basis of his experiments with springs, stretching wires and coils, Hooke stated a rule between extension and force which would become known as Hooke’s Law: Strain and the relative change in dimension is proportional to stress. If the stress applied to a body goes beyond a certain value known as the elastic limit, the body does not return to its original state once the stress is removed. Hookes law applies only in the region below the elastic limit. Algebraically, this rule has the following form: F kx. Hookes Law would eventually become the science behind coil springs.  He died in 1703, never having married or had children. Hooke’s Law Today Automobile suspension systems, playground toys, furniture and even retractable ballpoint pens employ springs these days. Most have an easily predicted behavior when force is applied. But someone had to take Hooke’s philosophy and put it to use before all these useful tools could be developed. R. Tradwell received the first patent for a coil spring in 1763 in Great Britain. Leaf springs were all the rage at the time, but they required significant maintenance, including regular oiling. The coil spring was much more efficient and  less squeaky.   It would be almost another hundred years before the first coil spring made of steel found its way into furniture: It was used in an armchair in 1857.

John Dalton essays

John Dalton essays John Dalton was an extraordinary English chemist and physicist. He produced many theories and discovered amazing doctrines throughout his life. In the next paragraphs, I will be discussing John Daltons life and the events that occurred that contributed to our scientific world. John Dalton was born on September 6, 1766 at Eaglefield in Cumberland, England. Throughout his life, Dalton had a very interesting personality. He dressed a very different way, unlike others, because of his Quaker upbringing. He enjoyed lawn bowling and hanging out with his friends. He appeared to everyone as what we would call a nerd today. He was an individual and proud of it. Dalton was always dedicated to his studies and searching for the answers to scientific problems. Daltons family were Quakers and impoverished. His grandfather, Jonathan Dalton, was a shoemaker and his father, Joseph Dalton, was a weaver. His mother, Deborah Greenup, married Joseph in 1755. His parents always tried to give the best to their three children in education and everyday life. Dalton went to school until he was twelve. He loved to learn. He was especially fascinated about science. From the beginning he was self taught. John Dalton attended a small school in Eaglesfield called, Fletchers Quaker Grammar School. There he began teaching but after two years, when he was fourteen, he could not afford to live with the money that they were giving him so he went into farm work. He came back to teaching in 1781 in Kendal. This was the beginning of his journey. The school was run by his cousin, George Bewley. He joined his brother Jonathan to teach at the school. His cousin George retired in 1785 and Dalton stayed in Kendal until 1793 becoming the head of the school. Dalton became interested and influenced in many scientific theories around the world from a wealthy Quaker he once knew. In 1787, he began keeping a diary of the changing clima...

Self-mutilation is Self-healing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self-mutilation is Self-healing - Essay Example This is an attempt at summarizing Max Malikow's article in Education Digest. His is a challenging theme anent self-cutting by students in schools. Not too many psychologists have dared tread this highly sensitive area of research and immense human importance. About two million students in The United States schools deeply cut their skin from a part of their body. How really painful this has to be. They do not think, fear or bother about this resulting pain when they go for cutting.Cutting behavior is an off shoot of intensity. 'Silent clamoring around of human feelings and their gathering momentum over a period of time from within' leads to acts of self-cutting, self-harm and giving pain to one's own self. This is like the sudden bursting of an erstwhile apparently sleeping volcano. The gathering momentum is released. The damage is also done. The road to normalcy is also seen more clearly after this volcanic outburst! The damage is physical. Relief is emotional. The question of return to normal life relates to social context. Indeed, "Cutters are determined to hide the self-abusive behaviors and are adept at doing so. They fear discovery and being thought of as being crazy. Parents often deny this behavior".This attitude of denial and fearfulness needs to be curbed. Do not cut cutters. Prevention of cutting behavior is essential. Removing its causes is essential. Teachers in schools and parents of cutters must know that cutters need not be treated as having suicidal tendencies. They are merely neurotic. They fear social humiliation. They must not be ignored and put aside. More creative and thoughtful consideration of their behavior is required. Their feelings must be given a fulsome opportunity for fuller expression. 'Rejection' is the most fearful proposition to cutters. They need attention without being to overt about this. Three major reasons are extended for cutting behavior. These are distraction, dissociation and symbolism. They are distracted towards self-injury for they fear what they feel. Their numbness of physical sensations and emotions occur due to pressure and intensity of feelings. This creates in them disassociation and de-personalization. This leads to self-injury. The experience of pain reassures cutters they are alive and human. Depersonalization can be stopped by self-injury. After self-injury, flowing of blood is an outward expression of an inner release of undesirable emotion. Blood and physical pain appear as a symbolism for release of intensity, tension and fear. This tendency of cutting must be treated through a teacher who can render valuable support to a self-injuring student. The treatment includes behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and medication. The last technique of medication must not be resorted to as far as possible. Public condemnation of cutters must never be there. For B. F. Skinner, they must be given sympathetic hearing. Exclusive assignments must be given to them. They must never be ignored. Patience and perseverance of a teacher will pay here. Personal Opinion and Analysis A sympathetic approach to cutting behavior and a positive way of looking at this phenomenon must be appreciated. It is only through this attitude that several other challenges to this world can also be properly looked into. Wide spread practice of self-injury among schooling going children, specially adolescents, is a very serious issue for educationists and others. A positive outlook and considerate stance is necessary for treating and preventing this apparently negative happening among students.

The Enimga Machine Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Enimga Machine - Scholarship Essay Example The paper tells that with the evolution of science and technology the meaning and essence of warfare and combat changed a great deal. War was no more confined to conventional bloodshed and mass killings alone, in fact now it encircled attacks on the ideological and intellectual fronts as well. Enigma machine was one such invention that was created to outpace the competition in the field of communication and message transmission using state- of-the-art technology. Enigma machine was a consequent of the advancements and inroads made by the scientists and engineers in the field of wireless communications in the early 20th century. This new mode of communication revolutionized the way traditional communication used to take place. Now getting the message across to geographic regions was becoming easier and viable for commercial as well as military purposes. Enigma machine was a modern solution to the tedious and time consuming process of encipherment. Traditionally confidential messages t o be transmitted from one office or landmark to another were encrypted between the locations. Cryptography was the putting down of a message in coded form known as encoding or encryption. The process of traditional encipherment also entailed the decryption or decoding of the encrypted message received by the receiver. The sender and receiver both used the same code book to encode and decode the message send and received respectively. The encrypted message was always in the form of alphabets or letters that were neither readable by anyone nor interpretable without following a proper and distinct procedure. The information that was hidden under the code was known as plaintext and the coded or encrypted information was referred to as cipher text.2 Need is the mother of invention and it was soon realized that the time consuming process must be replaced by an efficient one to make encipherment faster and more effective. The evolution in the mechanism started in the early 20th century

Gap, Inc. Retailing Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gap, Inc. Retailing Analysis - Essay Example Gap’s trouble in 2001 At the time of Millard Drexter, there were 200 underperforming stores of Gap Incorporated that continuously operate. This specifically decreases the level of profit generation considering that the entire operation of the company continues in a regular manner while generation of revenue came into a downward spiral. Unfortunately, financially speaking Gap Incorporated could not eventually continue to operate in this condition. This is an issue of lack of management perspective and outlook. The company lacks appropriate evaluation system in order to identify its weakest and strongest areas. Unfortunately, this continues to operate and in 2001, the financial performance of Gap Incorporated received substantially small net margin for income. Compared this with the performance of other retailing companies, Gap is far behind and the whole opportunity is lost for the good of its competitors. There is another important view that Gap Incorporated under the manageme nt of Drexter was overlooked. There was lack of market research that could determine customers’ preferences and needs. This eventually is the reason why Gap Incorporated misjudged fashion trends in 2000. It tried to create trendy apparel for young adults but it was not creating greater impact in the market. Customers were ending up choosing other fashion options due to some important reasons including their own style. For instance, it is important to know that American consumers spend less on clothing due to the fact that fashion does nowadays does not only include clothes but other accessories and technological gadgets. For instance, iPods and iPhones are considered part of the fashion trends among American consumers. Normally, niche markets for growth opportunities are the most significant view in apparel retailing industry. However, the market is continuously expanding and there are added segments that need to be clearly understood further. In the United States, size fitti ngs among Americans change over 60 years. In line with this, more data are necessary to be gathered in order to find out the best fittings for Americans. Apparel industry is also competing with vacation, housing and automobile industries. These industries at some point minimize the level of revenue intended for Apparel industry. Thus, with the consumer and market research, Gap Incorporated for instance will be able to identify the right move in order to stimulate needs for its product offerings at the right timing. There is also another important marketing trend that needs to be understood by Gap Incorporated. This is in line with the declining significance of department stores in the US apparel industry. This is how important marketing research is. It tries to help retailers understand consumer behavior and the entire market in general. Understanding consumer behavior means knowing exactly what they prefer over the other offerings available for them. Gap’s spectacular turnar ound in 2003 Gap was able to remarkably have itself applauded for its honesty with respect to improving the working conditions for the manufacturer of its garments in factories. This created a certain level of trust that promotes more than just a promising output. This remarkably opened up the possibility of increasing customer relationship and to ensure trust and loyalty in the end. Not only that, Paul S.

Massachusetts Puritans English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Massachusetts Puritans English - Research Paper Example Furthermore, it expounds on the central doctrines of Puritan faith of depravity, or that everyone existed in a state of corruption, wickedness, and evil, and the doctrine of grace, the belief for some Puritans that they were saved by God and would surely be joining Him in heaven when they died. Finally, it illustrates that the Puritans believed just how easy it would be for a person to lose their faith; this could be lost, no matter how strongly they held it close to them, or how strongly they felt that they had attained that state of grace. Goodman Brown begins his journey believing without a doubt that he is in what Puritans referred to as â€Å"a state of grace†; he believes himself to be one of the â€Å"elect†, meaning that he knows that he will go to heaven. He even muses to himself about the journey that he is about to take and the lament he feels about leaving his wife, even for that one night. He believes that she understands, saying â€Å"well, she is as bles sed angel on earth; and after this one night, I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven.† Intellectually, and as a whole, Puritans subscribed to the fact that the grace of God and eternal salvation could neither be earned nor denied, even though they spent quite literally the whole of their lives, from birth to death and in between, wondering if their deeds would be gracious enough to earn them a place in heaven (Reis 13). Ministers often preached and delivered sermons to â€Å"three different audiences†, even through one service, as there were those who felt that they were assured of heavenly salvation, those that felt that they could receive it if they humbled themselves to God and His will a little more, and those that believed that they were never going to see heaven, no matter what their thoughts and deeds were (Reis 15). Goodman Brown obviously believes himself to be in the first category, most likely through living a life free of sin and wicked dee ds, and having been in constant prayer and humble service to the Lord. When Goodman Brown is first joined by the Devil on his walk, he boasts to him about how his faith is strong, and that he will never lose it. He states, â€Å"We have been a race of honest men and good Christians since the days of the martyrs†¦we are a people of prayer, and good works to boot, and abide no such wickedness.† Yet, as he walks on, it becomes clear that his faith is not as strong as he thought it was. He sees that others in his village have been consorting with the Devil, including Goody Cloyse, who taught him his catechism (religious studies) as a child, and the minister from the town church. The climax comes when Goodman Brown thinks that his wife is also in league with the Devil, causing him to lose his faith in his fellow man and his wife. Much of this is due to the fact that while Puritans held close the doctrine of grace, they held even closer the doctrine of depravity, and believed, without question, that humanity existed in a state of corruption due to â€Å"original sin†, and only those in a state of grace, or those that were considered the â€Å"elect†, would go to heaven with the Lord; the rest, ultimately, were doomed to an eternity of Hell (Fischer 23). Goodman Brown, then, suffers due to two points of the Puritan doctrine, not just one: first, because he now thinks that many in his village that he believed were surely in a state of grac

The water pollution of the Yellow River Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The water pollution of the Yellow River - Essay Example Currently, the Mother River is slowly dying. Stained with pollution, crowded with ill-conceived dams, tainted with sewage, it diminishes at its mouth to a lifeless trickle. There were many occasions during the 1990s that the river didn’t reach the sea at all (Wang, Xuejun, and Edwin, 282). It is no hallucination. The huge oasis in Ningxia, near the Yellow Rivers which runs 3,400-mile from the Plateau of Tibet has survived for close to 2,000 years, since the Qin emperor posted an army of peasant engineers to grow crops and build canal for soldiers protecting the Great Wall (Wang et. al.177). Many residents are trying to carry on that tradition today. Lured here almost three decades ago by the limitless supply of water, farmers near the river banks cultivate cornfields along the Great Wall next to the Yellow River (Selden, Mark and So, 152). From the irrigation canal, many residents appreciated the green expanse and loved the rivers power and always believed it was the most beautiful residence under the sun (Wang, Xuejun, and Edwin, 282). However, this earthly bliss is fading fast. The proliferation of industries, factories, cities, and farms which are considered goods of Chinas magnificent economic boom is affecting the Yellow River by making it dry (Wang et. al.168). All the water that is remaining is being polluted and poisoned by these disposals. From the canal bank another surreal flash of blood-red toxic chemical waste streaming from a pipe are considered the greatest pollutants of the Yellow River. These drainage makes the water turn garish purple (White and Matthew, 47). The canal drains into the Yellow River that was inhabited by turtles and fishes (Selden, Mark and So, 154). Currently, the water is toxic to be used for irrigation purposes. In addition, goats and livestock die within hours of drinking from the canal (Wang, Xuejun, and Edwin, 283). The hazardous pollution comes from chemical and pharmaceutical factories next to Shens

A brief critical analysis of Asymmetric reactions to work group sex Article

A brief critical analysis of Asymmetric reactions to work group sex diversity among men and women, by Chatman & OReilly (2004), Academy of Management Journal, Vol.47, No.2, 193 208 - Article Example male dominated work environment, while women were more likely to be democratic toward men when the work group was female dominated (Konrad, Winter, and Gutek, 1992). The authors note that previous studies have relied on information that was gathered in environments where there were very few instances of female presence (p. 194). The issue of female underrepresentation in the work groups has also been a concern for feminists and researchers for a number of years (Syed and Murray, 2008) (Francoeur et al. 2008). The authors extend this hypothesis to include environments that are male dominated, female dominated, exclusively male or female, and a balanced number of men and women. By adding these other factors the study has not only separated itself from previous research, but enabled the examination of the issue of group sex diversity from various angles while avoiding a focus on similarity-attraction predictions. Chatman and O’Reilly put forth a study using deductive reasoning and a set of hypotheses that examine the relationship of men and women to the gender proportion of their work groups. The authors begin the study by examining general observations about gender in the work groups and go on to narrow their observations and previous research into a set of hypotheses. The first, hypothesis 1, is concerned with male and female preference for inclusion in higher status work groups and secondly, hypothesis 2a proposes that men and women in groups that are dominated by their own gender will be more committed to the organization. In addition those in groups that are dominated by their own gender will express a higher positive affect as proposed in hypothesis 2b. Lastly hypothesis 2c suggests that those in groups where their own gender is dominate will believe those groups are more cooperating than groups dominated by the opposite sex (p. 196). The authors conducted a quantitative study examining 189 professionals of both genders who were surveyed about their beliefs

CRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

CRM - Essay Example Threading also reduces visual clutter. Secondly, Gmail offer users with huge storage space, and thus, they can archive mails instead of deleting. Thirdly, Gmail users are advised to use labels instead of folders because an email can only be put in one folder; however, for flexibility, it can be put in many labels. Moreover, labels can be hierarchically organized. Fourthly, switching to Gmail like a pro entails using Gmail while working offline without any internet connection. Gmail can also be accessed through cell phones (Cloud Sherpas 2). Additionally, the fifth step listed by Cloud Sherpas in their article is the possibility of searching for emails with speed and accuracy instead of sorting, enjoying automatic software updates on a weekly basis, therefore, users experience new functionality. The seventh and last step in the article entails priority inbox. Gmail has a new feature known as priority inbox, which identifies a user’s important emails, and thus, separates it from other emails. Important emails are identified by priority inbox through the user’s pattern that is, the emails that are regularly opened and replied (Cloud Sherpas

A brief critical analysis of Asymmetric reactions to work group sex Article

A brief critical analysis of Asymmetric reactions to work group sex diversity among men and women, by Chatman & OReilly (2004), Academy of Management Journal, Vol.47, No.2, 193 208 - Article Example male dominated work environment, while women were more likely to be democratic toward men when the work group was female dominated (Konrad, Winter, and Gutek, 1992). The authors note that previous studies have relied on information that was gathered in environments where there were very few instances of female presence (p. 194). The issue of female underrepresentation in the work groups has also been a concern for feminists and researchers for a number of years (Syed and Murray, 2008) (Francoeur et al. 2008). The authors extend this hypothesis to include environments that are male dominated, female dominated, exclusively male or female, and a balanced number of men and women. By adding these other factors the study has not only separated itself from previous research, but enabled the examination of the issue of group sex diversity from various angles while avoiding a focus on similarity-attraction predictions. Chatman and O’Reilly put forth a study using deductive reasoning and a set of hypotheses that examine the relationship of men and women to the gender proportion of their work groups. The authors begin the study by examining general observations about gender in the work groups and go on to narrow their observations and previous research into a set of hypotheses. The first, hypothesis 1, is concerned with male and female preference for inclusion in higher status work groups and secondly, hypothesis 2a proposes that men and women in groups that are dominated by their own gender will be more committed to the organization. In addition those in groups that are dominated by their own gender will express a higher positive affect as proposed in hypothesis 2b. Lastly hypothesis 2c suggests that those in groups where their own gender is dominate will believe those groups are more cooperating than groups dominated by the opposite sex (p. 196). The authors conducted a quantitative study examining 189 professionals of both genders who were surveyed about their beliefs

Boston Tea Party, Tea Essay Example for Free

Boston Tea Party, Tea Essay Attention Getter: You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you that a drug that creates the same signaling activity in the brain as cocaine is sold legally on almost every street corner across the nation. This is a fact however, and the drug is caffeine. It is one of the main ingredients in coffee, and is currently the most frequently used recreational drug in the world. Establish Credibility: I personally consider myself a coffee expert, and have been drinking at least one cup of coffee almost every morning for the last three years. Relate to the audience: Now, I know not every one of you drinks coffee but as you  can tell by the multiple Dutch Bros, Starbucks, and other coffee shops around town it is a very big part of our culture today. Preview: Throughout the course of this speech, I will discuss three major points relating to coffee. First, I will give some information on the history of coffee and when it first came into human culture, followed by the positive health benefits and some of the negative health risks associated with coffee. [First of all, I’m going to talk a little bit about the historical side of coffee and how it first got popular in our culture. ] Body I. Main Point: To understand why coffee is such a big part of modern day society, we must first understand where it originated. A. Sub-point: Coffee was first cultivated on the Arabian Peninsula in the 15th century. 1. Supporting details: Not only were the Arab’s the first to cultivate coffee, but they also were the first to trade coffee. 2. By the 16th century, the popularity of coffee was already expanding and Persia, Egypt, Syria and Turkey all had discovered about the amazing beverage. Sub-point: By the 17th century coffee was still gaining notoriety around  the world, however it was still not a household favorite as it as today. 1. Supporting Details: Coffee houses started sprouting up everywhere in the 1700’s, however tea was still the most popular drink around. 2. In 1773 a heavy tax on tea was inflicted by King George, which led to a pretty famous revolt called The Boston Tea Party. 3. Since people couldn’t afford tea after the tax, coffee quickly took over as the most popular morning beverage across the world, and remains the most popular today. Although coffee has been drank for hundreds of years, the majority of its health  benefits have only recently been discovered in the last few decades. ] II. Main Point: The majority of people drink coffee just to get through each day, however it does have many positive benefits to your health. A. Sub-point: Within just the last few years alone there has been research done showing that coffee may protect against type 2 diabetes, liver cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. 1. Supporting details: According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, liver cancer is the ninth leading cause of cancer and coffee has been shown to reduce risk of liver cancer by 40%. 2. Drinking coffee reduces the risk of diabetes as well, which is a common risk factor of liver cancer. B. Sub-point: One of the other medical uses of coffee is in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 1. Supporting details: The most common neurodegenerative disease and number 1 cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s. 2. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, however it has been shown that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of getting the disease. [You might be thinking coffee is a miracle drink after some of those statistics, however it also has many negative effects on health as well. ] III. Main Point: There are a great deal of health issues that can result from drinking coffee, with some of the most common being addiction, insomnia and increased blood pressure. A. Sub-point: As a college student, one of the last things you will ever want to experience is insomnia, but it is a regular side effect of coffee. 1. Supporting details: By blocking certain receptors in the brain, coffee prevents chemicals that induce sleep from being used. B. Sub-point: Another widely studied effect of coffee, specifically caffeine, is how addictive it is. 1. Supporting details: Caffeine stimulates the central nervous  system and regular use will result in a physical dependence. 2. If a regular coffee drinker doesn’t have their daily cup, they will feel fatigued, irritable, and experience headaches within the first 24 hours. Conclusion 1. Transition Signal: In conclusion, coffee isn’t for everyone but if you do choose to consume it, you at least now know how it affects you. 2. Summary of Main Points: Throughout this speech we looked at how coffee first gained popularity in the human race, some of it’s positive health benefits as well as some of the negatives. 3. Call to Action: Even if you’ve never been a fan of coffee, try drinking a cup  before your next study session and see if you still don’t like it. 4. Memorable end: Although it may be addicting and cause serious potential health problems, there must be something special about coffee considering over half of adults in the U. S. drink it daily. References: 1) Coffee Acts Just like Cocaine, Says Scientist. BeverageDaily. com. Beverage Daily, 02 Sept. 2002. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 2) Goldschein, Eric. 11 Incredible Facts About The Global Coffee Industry. Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 14 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 3) Gunnars, Kris. 13 Proven Health Benefits of Coffee Authority Nutrition. N. p. , n. d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 4) The History Of Coffee. National Coffee Association. NCA, n. d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 5) Stromberg, Joseph. This Is How Your Brain Becomes Addicted to Caffeine. Smithsonian. N. p. , 9 Aug. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. 6) Van Dam, Rob. Ask the Expert: Coffee and Health. The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health, n. d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. 7) Weber, Belinda. Coffee Consumption Cuts Liver Cancer Risk. Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. .

Detailed Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Commerce Essay

Detailed Analysis Of John Lewis Partnership Commerce Essay The following report will provide a detailed analysis of John Lewis Partnership. The retailer has been very successful in the UK and has performed extremely well in spite of more negative financial issues and other dynamics impacting upon the retail sector at large, predominantly in light of declining consumer income, technological advances such as the internet and increased competition. The reason the company was able to achieve these was because of their commitment towards their clients in providing innovative solutions as well as improved awareness of customer needs and the significance of creating a reliable customer base which ensures positive word-of-mouth and the company has achieved this due to its commitment to providing innovative solutions to clients as well as a heightened awareness of customer needs and further recommendations to increase new revenue streams through an appropriate CRM system in place. Therefore, the reports provides an evaluation of the companys current marketing environment assessing how the external factors impact the retail sector largely and specifically on the strategies that John Lewis chooses to adopt. The report will also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses as well as the threats and opportunities that the company is presented with and how best it can achieve a match with its own internal capabilities to the dynamics at play. The report will also look at how the John Lewis brand and customer proposition is placed in the UK market in comparison to other competitors, with an attempt to provide understanding in to how the company gains advantage through differentiation from other competitors, essentially highlighting how the company implements a differentiated strategy which allows it to maintain advantage. At the same time, the analysis has drawn attention to how the uncertainty which prevails and the continuous rate of change in the external market highlights the implications of continuous observation and continuous re-evaluation of the strategic options applied. Ultimately, the aim is to provide recommendations as to how the company can increase the probability of its advantage over the longer term. The John Lewis Partnerships 81,000 Partners own the leading UK retail businesses John Lewis and Waitrose. Our founders vision of a successful business powered by its people and its principles defines our unique company today. The profits and benefits created by our success are shared by all our Partners (John Lewis, 2012). Write the report as if you were working for an external management consultancy firm, reporting to the Board of Directors of your chosen company. The report should contain sections that address ALL of the main aspects of the module syllabus: that is the report should cover both strategic analysis (internal and external) and strategy formulation. It is essential that in undertaking your research and writing your report you make appropriate use of the strategic management tools and models to conduct internal and external strategic analysis and strategy formulation that you have encountered in this module. Credit will be given for analysis, evaluation and synthesis, and the appropriate selection and use of strategic management tools and models. 2.0 Introduction This report will discuss the strategic management tools demonstrating skills of analysis evaluation and synthesis of John Lewis. The report includes strategic analysis and an External Environmental analysis. The report also covers the strategy formulation in which the SWOT analysis and BCG Matrix will be discussed. John Lewis Partnership plc is one of the UKs top ten retail businesses. They operate amongst 2 sectors known as John Lewis and Waitrose. The company offers food as well as household products i.e. baked foods, fresh fruit veg, wines, household items, furniture, electronic items etc. The company functions in a chain of 287 Waitrose supermarkets, 39 John Lewis shops that include 30 departmental stores and 8 of them at home John Lewis stores. The company operates throughout the UK and is headquartered in London, they sell their products through retail stores, catalogues, and websites. The companys strategic focus is to accomplish its non-core business strategies through partnership with other firms. There are around 81,000 employees working in John Lewis stores who are partners in the business, they have a share in the companys profits and are given the opportunity to participate in the companys progress and growth. This is their unique source of competitive advantage as it encourages staff loyalty through being business partners (John Lewis 2012) 3.0 Strategic analysis 3.1 Mission statement The mission of an organisation highlights the broad directions they need to follow and provides a brief summary of the values and reasons that lie behind it (Lynch 2012). Like other organisations John Lewis also have a mission statement, it highlights their reputation established through their ownership structure as it is unique and they are very successful in being a profitable business. John Lewis aim to keep their staff satisfied so that their business can be a success. Their strategy is based on three key elements partners, customers and profit. (Refer to appendix 1) to see their full mission statement. 4.0 External Environmental analysis 4.1 PESTEL Analysis The PESTEL analysis examines the macro-environment in which the business exists in. It is a helpful tool for understanding market growth or decline as well as the position, potential and the direction for business. It is also used for evaluating the Political, Economic, Social Technological, Environmental and Legal factors that a business operates in. The Political factors discuss government regulations such as employment laws, environmental regulations, tax policy and political stability. The Economic factors affect the cost of capital and purchasing power of an organisation. These factors also include economic growth, interest rates and inflation. The Social factors impact customers needs, potential market size such as John Lewiss goods and services, population growth and age demographics. Technological factors of John Lewis will discuss barriers to entry, making or buying decisions, investment and innovation and the technological change. Environmental factors include weather, clim ate and climate change. Climate change affects how John Lewis operates and the products they offer. Lastly Legal Factors include discrimination law, employment law and health and safety law. These factors can affect the way John Lewis operate their costs and the demand for their products. 4.2 Macro- environmental Factors It is commonly known, that those prevailing in the external environment of any firm shall have a significant influence in terms of decision making in the strategic options. Such analysis is known as PESTEL analysis and usually suggested as the first stage in the strategic planning process (Lynch, 2006). As Johnson et al (2008, pg.56) rightly declared, The key drivers for change are environmental factors that are likely to have a high impact on the success or failure of strategy. (Refer to appendix 2) to see the PESTEL analysis for John Lewis. It can be concluded that each factor of the PESTEL has had an effect on John Lewiss actions, some of them are now stated in their mission statement. Previous factors are used to analyse different factors, furthermore, these factors can give a prediction for the future, so can be quiet effective if they are applied correctly. There are also some restrictions in this model, e.g. when the procedure of the checklist is applied to John Lewis it may be tough. The emergent corporate strategies may well comment that the future is so uncertain that prediction is useless (Lynch 2012 page 84), however, some may still give words of caution but still predict the future. The PESTEL analysis isnt the only framework that John Lewis take into consideration, their organisation has many other internal and external factors that also have an effect on the strategy formulation, this is why Porters five Forces framework is applied. The PESTEL analysis has a lot of information but yet doesnt offer a detailed analysis of the business. Porters Five Forces (1985) observes factors that have an impact on competition in the organisation. 4.3 Strategic Options The external analysis undertaken has underlined how the focus and the landscape of the UK retail sector has changed dramatically over the last decade or so. Such developments clearly present both threats, primarily from new entrants and modes of distribution, as well as opportunities such as the increasing utilisation of technology within the current offering to customers. As Johnson et al (2008, pg.3) highlights, strategy is about exploiting the strategic capability of an organisation, in terms of its resources and competences, to provide competitive advantage and/or yield new opportunities. However, many competitors in the retail sector at large have managed to expand into other range of products as well as expanding internationally, John Lewis seems to have adopted a more thoughtful approach and stayed loyal to its customers as well as confident in terms of its offering to the market. At the same time it has also developed a wide range of products as a lower price range to attract more customers across a wider range of segments in society. In times of economic uncertainty this also appears to be a sensible strategy in terms of situations where its loyal customer base may be experiencing declines in disposable income, thus enabling John Lewis to maintain their business through customers trading down to less expensive ranges in store. The recent introduction for its Essential Waitrose Range in 2009 was both a reaction to external events including activities of competitors but was viewed as an effective strategy highlighting the companys attention to external research as well as its innovative approach to dealing with such negative events. Furthermore, Porter put forward the idea that there were three generic strategies; cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and the focus strategy, which companies follow. It is clear that John Lewis has embraced a combination of these, but essentially, differentiation has remained key to its business model which positions more favourably when compared to other competitors, particularly given the range and extent of the goods and services it provides as well as its highly effective branding and promotional events which appeal directly to customers and incite purchase. Its decision to introduce its Essentials range within its Waitrose stores may have been considered by some as an indication it was lowering its standards, but on the contrary, despite offering a cheaper alternative, quality remained key which ultimately implied that its position in the market would not be negotiated. 4.4 Porters Five Forces Porters Five Forces framework highlights that the environment John Lewis is competing in is constantly changing, (refer to appendix 5). In this model it is believed that customers dont have more importance than any other aspect, however Aker, Baker and Harvey Jones argue that customers are more important than any other aspect of strategy development (Lynch 2012). Porters Five Forces of competition (1985) is a common tool often applied within the strategic management process to firms across several sectors. It is similar to the PESTLE analysis as it takes a predominantly external perspective of the firm within its given industry looking at how it is positioned against other competitors in the same sector. Recently many have criticised the ensuring importance of the framework given the changes that have risen, particularly with regard to the diversification of business which has ultimately created blurring across many previously distinct sectors. This is emphasized by the supermarkets entering into the clothing and electronics sector for example, as well as retailers including John Lewis expanding into financial services through insurance and credit facilities to customers. Barney (1995) and Henry (2008) underlined how Porters model is more helpful when it is applied at a strategic business unit level rather than at higher levels of industry analysis such as the sector at large as it cannot be expected that all competitors will be competing against one another. This tool is also believed to be useful in terms of assessing a companys strengths and weaknesses in light of how it stacks up against competition. As Barney (1995, pg.49) highlights, A complete understanding of sources of competitive advantage requires the analysis of a firms internal strengths and weaknesses as well. The importance of integrating internal with environmental analyses can be seen when evaluating the sources of competitive advantage of many firms. Looking at Porters five forces of competition, it is clear that John Lewis has attempted to not to just react to the external dynamics and actions of competitors, but actively be a step ahead. It has constantly adapted its business model, such as the introduction of store cards, its online offering and the Waitrose Essentials range in order to provide its business with a more appropriate fit to the market in line with Mintzbergs (1994) theory. A major element of its strategy however, is its reputation, branding and subsequent positioning in the market and how consumers view the business in its entirety. It has remained rather committed to its original proposition and further enhanced its appeal through appropriate branding and its reputation for quality and enhanced service to customers. 5.0 Internal Resource analysis 5.1 Value analysis chain The term Value Chain was used by Michael Porter (1985), the purpose of the value chain is to analyse the activities that are performed by the business, linking them to the competitive position. It also evaluates the particular activities to see which add value to the businesses products or services (quickmba 1999-2010) While many critics and leading authorities dispute the validity of Porters earlier theories, many of his ideas do still appear useful from the perspective of strategic analysis, particularly the notion of the value chain. Ultimately, it is within the value chain which John Lewis has created that it has succeeded in terms of sustaining advantage in its market sector. It has created efficiencies and synergies through the interrelationships within (Mintzberg and Ghoshal, 2003). Value Chain Analysis which is often compared to the RBV of the firm as it looks to both internal and external dynamics impacting an organisation. In recent years importance has also been given to joint ventures, collaborations and relationships which add value to the companys positioning. Elements of the chain such as HR which were previously considered as supporting elements are now viewed as core and this is demonstrated by John Lewis in terms of its commitment to and investment in staff. By enhancing the quality of its internal resources it can achieve distinctive competencies which are difficult to emulate by other competitors (Teece et al, 1997; Terwiesch and Ulrich, 2009). As Porter (1985, pg.36) emphasises, the way it performs individual activities are a reflection of its history, its strategy, its approach to implementing its strategy, and the underlying economics of the activities themselves. 6.0 Strategy formulation 6.1 SWOT Analysis: John Lewis Partnership A SWOT analysis is a useful tool for understanding and decision-making, businesses such as John Lewis use this tool in all sorts of situations, a SWOT summarizes the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This framework covers a crucial part of the strategic planning process a scan of the internal and external environment. Strength, Weaknesses are considered to be internal to the business whereas, Opportunities and Threats are part of the external environment. Looking at the SWOT analysis (refer to appendix 6) it can be concluded that John Lewis take this tool into consideration when making business decisions based on their customers. However, John Lewis need to expand their target audience because at the moment they are only targeting an older audience need to improve the diagnostic power of a SWOT analysis is to define the elements from a customer perspective rather than the organizational point of view. (Baker 2007, pg.267). By doing this they will generate a higher profit margin. If john Lewis wants to stay ahead of their competition they need focus on their weaknesses such as they need to ensure their prices are similar to their competitors. Also John Lewis need to focus on threats the business may have to face but they can avoid such matters by acting upon the threat before it occurs. Although the SWOT analysis tool is useful to businesses when making decisions, it has been criticized due to its simplicity and possible misleading approach to strategic analysis. This is because companies have failed to follow a few simple procedures. The SWOT analysis is a focused methodology (Baker 2007), therefore, when John Lewis the using this tool they need to ensure they are able to follow correct procedures of this tool to ensure they are able to achieve success. 6.2 BCG Growth-share Matrix The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) growth-share matrix was developed by Bruce Henderson, founder of BCG, in the late 1960s (Baker 2007, pg.125). The BCG Matrix is a simple tool used to assess a companys position in terms of its product range. It simplifies how a companys thinks about the products and services and makes decisions about which it should keep and let go and which products to invest in further. It provides a useful way of seeing the opportunities that are open to the company and also helps to consider how the company can maximise the profits in the future. Below is the BCG Matrix for John Lewis, highlighting where in the market the different departments of John Lewis are positioned. John Lewis was voted Britains best retailer in 2009 and have won awards House Beautiful Awards 2008: Online Home Retailer of the Year Gold Award (washerhelp 2012), making them leaders in departments such as House and Garden, Electrical Appliances, Fashion, Gifts and Toys. They now have a high growth and a high market share in this segment, thus putting them in the star category. Further, technology and baby departments are between the star and question mark category this could be due to high growth and market share or high growth and low market share as they are faced with high demands but have low returns. Moving on to the sport department as it is in the cash cow category, as a markets it isnt growing but yet the market share for the products is high. Looking at the final category it can be said that John Lewis are safe as there isnt any products in the dog category. 7.0 conclusion Overall, the company has responded admirably to the changing dynamics impacting upon its market and customers, it is also clear that going forward, more challenges and threats shall be presented to it, particularly given persistent uncertainty relating to the global economy as consumer confidence within the UK. It would appear that in addition to a thorough and consistent approach to its markets in relation to external analysis of those factors deemed to impact most significantly; the company also adopts an internal approach, evaluating its inherent resources and competencies within the business. In line with the resource based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) and subsequent research by other authors such as Grant (2005), this analysis is often viewed as a more appropriate approach to the task of strategic management as ultimately, organisations have much more control over their internal resources than external market variables. Such an approach enables companies to incite the innovat ion process and thus create change in the wider environment as well as improvements to its value chain. This appears to be exactly what John Lewis has done to date through its expansion into other areas, as well as extending its range to customers through on-line facilities as well as credit, insurance etc. Threat of New Entrants This is considered to be fairly low for John Lewis given the original capital investment required as well as the regulations governing the market. At the same time, the fact that discount retailers and the supermarkets who benefit from vast scale economies can offer many of the same goods at substantially lower prices, is a concern and is perhaps indicative of why many retailers such as John Lewis now provide an electronic service in addition to their store offering. More entrants to the online space does seem inevitable though may become increasingly difficult given the variety currently in existence as well as the perception that customer service is often diminished. In this respect, John Lewis is clearly at an advantage given its reputation in the market. Threat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes is low from a product viewpoint yet in terms of suppliers, is high and is underlined by the success of the supermarket chains in their clothing lines as well as the competitive landscape in the online space and the continuing popularity of price comparison websites and similar forums. Over time, online retailers could exert increased pressure on officials such as John Lewis, particularly in terms of pricing as well as sourcing of product ranges. Bargaining Power of Buyers This is considered as being extremely high given the range of suppliers in the market and the realisation that customers are faced with unprecedented choice. Price is clearly a key advantage for the retailers, but at the same time, in the particular segment in which John Lewis manages factors such as location, quality, customer service and atmospherics and added benefits to be derived from the in-store experience are significant. Such variables also assist in terms of differentiating the store from other competitors in the High Street. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Though it was just few years ago the retailers were considered as having a major effect over suppliers, this seems to be fairly changing, particularly with regard to restrictions in supply of some raw materials as well as other concerns in the global supply chain which might put the suppliers in a more favourable position and increase their bargaining power. Degree of Rivalry Rivalry is obviously intense mainly due to the immense choice available as well as the increasing pressure from on-line retailers. On this basis, competitors are ultimately jockeying for position (Porter, 1979) and increasingly retailers challenge themselves to differentiate in some manner through providing expanded ranges as well as complementary goods and other services. The success of John Lewis Christmas promotional campaigns in the last few years highlights how the company attempts to differentiate itself, particularly focusing on those matters which are considered to impact most on subsequent motivation of customers to make a purchase.

Slavery in Colonial America :: Slavery Essays

Slavery in Colonial America The first arrivals of Africans in America were treated similarly to the indentured servants in Europe. Black servants were treated differently from the white servants and by 1740 the slavery system in colonial America was fully developed. Slavery as it existed in America was a practice founded on the chattel principle. Slaves were treated as human chattel to be traded, sold, used, and ranked not among beings, but among things, as an article of property to the owner or possessor. Because the American slave system was based on this principle of human chattlehood, slaves were confined in many ways that handicapped them from even being able to act or live as a human being. The very idea of human chattelhood gave the master unlimited control over his defenseless slave. Chattels are not permitted to get married, acquire or hold property. Chattels cannot have rights and hence the slave has no rights. Chattels can be bought and sold and so justifies the existence of the slave trade. Chattels do not have any claim to legal protection, therefore the slave has none and must tolerate the cruelties of slavery. Chattels are not to be educated or instructed in religion. And lastly, chattels do not possess the freedom of speech and of the press. Race was a very important factor in American slavery. In other nations, slaves would be of the same race as their master. An ex-slave could re-enter society with their past forgotten and be accepted once again. On the other hand, American slavery was closely connected to racial differences that led to racial segregation and discrimination. Master and slave could physically be distinguished from one another, which ultimately distinguished one as human and the other as chattel. Before the American Revolution, slavery existed in every one of the colonies. But by the last quarter of the 18th century, slavery was eventually abandoned in the North mainly because it was not as profitable as it was to the South (where it was becoming even more prevalent). Slavery was an extremely important element in America's economy because of the expanding tobacco and cotton plantations in the Southern states that were in need of more and more cheap labor. At one point America was a land of 113, 000 slaveholders controlling twenty million slaves. By the 1760's many Americans were beginning to become dissatisfied with their mother nation and were waging a war of resistance against the British colonial government. Slavery in Colonial America :: Slavery Essays Slavery in Colonial America The first arrivals of Africans in America were treated similarly to the indentured servants in Europe. Black servants were treated differently from the white servants and by 1740 the slavery system in colonial America was fully developed. Slavery as it existed in America was a practice founded on the chattel principle. Slaves were treated as human chattel to be traded, sold, used, and ranked not among beings, but among things, as an article of property to the owner or possessor. Because the American slave system was based on this principle of human chattlehood, slaves were confined in many ways that handicapped them from even being able to act or live as a human being. The very idea of human chattelhood gave the master unlimited control over his defenseless slave. Chattels are not permitted to get married, acquire or hold property. Chattels cannot have rights and hence the slave has no rights. Chattels can be bought and sold and so justifies the existence of the slave trade. Chattels do not have any claim to legal protection, therefore the slave has none and must tolerate the cruelties of slavery. Chattels are not to be educated or instructed in religion. And lastly, chattels do not possess the freedom of speech and of the press. Race was a very important factor in American slavery. In other nations, slaves would be of the same race as their master. An ex-slave could re-enter society with their past forgotten and be accepted once again. On the other hand, American slavery was closely connected to racial differences that led to racial segregation and discrimination. Master and slave could physically be distinguished from one another, which ultimately distinguished one as human and the other as chattel. Before the American Revolution, slavery existed in every one of the colonies. But by the last quarter of the 18th century, slavery was eventually abandoned in the North mainly because it was not as profitable as it was to the South (where it was becoming even more prevalent). Slavery was an extremely important element in America's economy because of the expanding tobacco and cotton plantations in the Southern states that were in need of more and more cheap labor. At one point America was a land of 113, 000 slaveholders controlling twenty million slaves. By the 1760's many Americans were beginning to become dissatisfied with their mother nation and were waging a war of resistance against the British colonial government.

The Invisible Black Cowboys :: American America History

The Invisible Black Cowboys For many Americans, the image of the cowboy evokes pleasant nostalgia of a time gone by, when cowboys roamed free. The Cowboy is, to many Americans, the ideal American, who was quick to the draw, well skilled in his profession, and yet minded his own business. Regardless of whether the mental picture that the word cowboy evokes is a correct or incorrect view of the vocation, one seldom views cowboys as being black. The first cowboy I met was from Texas and was black. After he told me that he was a cowboy, I told him that he had to be kidding. Unfortunately, I was not totally to blame for my inability to recognize that color has nothing to do with the cowboy profession; most if not all popular famous images of cowboys are white. In general, even today, blacks are excluded from the popular depiction of famous Westerners. Black cowboys were unheard of for almost a century after they made their mark on the cattle herding trade, not because they were insignificant, but because history fel l victim to prejudice, and forgot peoples of color in popular depictions of the West and Western history. Black Americans were in the West with Lewis and Clark, but this was never seen or published until the 19th century (Ravage 26). California was the section of the west that most blacks settled in before the Civil War. The largest concentration of blacks in the state was in Sacramento County, mainly because of the gold rush. Blacks would ride trade ships to the west coast and then desert, if they were slaves, or leave the ship, if they were free men, to settle there (Savage 12). Examples of early black settlers were two ex-slaves named Bob and Kanaska who came to San Diego in 1816 on the schooner Albatross. Thomas Fisher came to California around 1818 but was captured by pirates in Monterey that year. Another Fisher came to California in 1846 while serving on a whaling ship (Savage 13) Though present from the initial discovery of the West, blacks entered the West in earnest after 1850. Between 1850 and 1910, thousands of African Americans, lured by the promise of land, opportunity, and most importantly, racial justice migrated to the trans-Mississippi West (African Americans). This great migration occurred shortly after the civil war, as thousands of blacks moved West because they were unwanted in the North or South (Dick 30).

Looking for Alibrandi

Looking for Alibrandi is a novel written by Melina Marchetta. It is about a young female named Josephine Alibrandi. This book is about Josephine’s journey in search of her identity, and her relationships around her. It shows how her views are depicted and how her views change throughout the course of the novel. This novel portrays the use and abuse of power and its effects on individuals in society. These powers include the powers of freedom, education, legal, psychological, cultural, pressure, parental, empowerment, personal choice and relationships.All these powers make a huge impact throughout the course of the novel, whether they or negative or positive powers. The power of freedom, with the theme of destiny is a power present throughout the whole novel. This power plays positively through the novel. Josie believes that a person can chose their destiny and create their own path of life. She believes that no matter who you are, you can prevail over anything that is holding you back and that you can defy the stars and create your own destiny.In the novel Josie mentions â€Å"†¦ we’re masters of our own destiny† which highlights the power of freedom, and having a choice in where your life is heading. On the other hand, the power of freedom ties in with the power of culture. The power of culture plays a negative path of the story in Looking for Alibrandi. The power of culture intertwines with the themes of racism and multiculturalism. Josie’s culture, being of Italian descent, holds her back in the course of the novel. As Josephine is an ‘ethnic girl’, it holds her back from being the person she wants to be, and the things she wants to achieve.Her culture is a wall seperating her from who she is right now, and she wants to be. As an ethnic, she is looked down in society, and it makes her life more difficult. In the novel, Josie states â€Å"†¦ no matter how smart I am or how much I achieve, I am always going t o be a little ethnic from Glebe, as far as these people are concerned. † This statement clarifies her struggle of being an ethnic in the Australian society. The power of education is a power used positively in the book. With the power of education and Josie’s intelligence, she earns a scholarship at a ich, high class school. This power is used positively as Josie’s family is of the working class society, and they are unable to afford fees at St Martha’s but with the help of her scholarship, allows her to enter the school. Whilst attending this school Josie gets a taste of real life experiences within a complicated society. Josie then receives a broader perspective on the views of how she see’s other people, and how they depict her. The psychological powers in the book are abused both negatively and positively.First of all, psychological powers are used negatively when Nonno Francesco forces Nonna Katia to stay with him because of Katia’s secr et with Marcus Sanford. Francesco uses these occurrences to his advantage and blackmails Katia to stay with him, so that he is not looked down upon in shame by his family if Katia were to leave him. In contrast, the use of psychological powers is also used in a positive aspect. Josie’s search for her identity uses psychological power. As Josie learns more about herself and her family, she finds out many things that help her to become the person she was longing to be and to uncover her true identity.Josie’s positive use of psychological powers in using it to find her true self, has helped her understand the concepts of life and broaden he horizons towards her views on life altogether. Whilst finding her identity, Josie quotes â€Å"I’ll run one day. Run for my life. To be free and think for myself. Not as an Australian and not as a not as an Italian and not as in between. I’ll run to be emancipated. † This statement show’s how Josie views her self, and that she just wants to be her own person and uncover her true identity. Parental power is used in the negatively in this novel.It shows how people in society pressure their children, and do not let them choose to be the person they want to be. An example of this is John Barton. He receives a lack of freedom, not only this, but great amounts of pressure are laid upon him to follow the family footsteps. Even though he had everything anyone ever needed, it’s not what John wanted. When expressing himself to Josie, John states â€Å"I’ve always had to be the best because it’s expected of me. † With this quote, you could feel the pressure laid upon John, to be who his parents want him to be. This leads to the path of personal choice.Personal choice is connected to parental power, empowerment and relationships. The power of personal choice is used negatively; an example of this negative use is John Barton’s choice to commit suicide. With all the weight put upon John, and the pressure he received from his family, he was confused and did not know what to do. With his weak relationship with his family, and having too much power, he felt he had no other choice to rid of all these pressures, but to revert to suicide. John believed that suicide would solve all his problems and he would be set free of everything laid upon him, and that he would receive complete ‘emancipation’.A positive power did arise from John’s personal choice of suicide. This was the power of empowerment. John’s death impacted the other characters positively. John’s death empowered the other characters; it made the other characters, like Josie and Ivy think thoroughly about where they were in life, and where there lives were heading. It provided determination for the characters to pursue themselves to be who they want to be. It had motivated the characters to be strong, to talk and interact with each other and express what th ey each felt.This incident made everyone bond, and everyone’s relationships strengthened through the experience. End here, and add conclusion if not enough time The power of relationships is the strongest power in the novel. It is one of the only powers present throughout the entire novel. There are many relationships in the novel, one being with the women of the Alibrandi family. All three, Josie, Christina and Katia share a love hate relationship with each other. Since Josie and her mother Christina live together and Christina is a single parent, they support each other and talk like best friends.On the other hand, with Katia, she is very distant with Christina because of the secret behind Christina’s true identity. At the start of the book, Katia & Josie practically hate each other, but as the story progresses, they bond and grow a stronger relationship. With this relationship, Josie uncovers the truth of why Francesco could never act as a ‘real father’ to Christina and why Francesco had so much hatred and kicked her out at sixteen. Towards the end of the book, the three find out how common alike they are with each other, they gain a mutual bond and there relationship grows stronger as they grow fonder of each other.The relationship between Nonna Katia, Nonno Francesco & Marcus Sanford has a huge impact on how things turned out for Christina and Josie, and the relationship they share with Katia. Katia and Francesco had a very one sided relationship. When Francesco goes off to work, Nonna meets a Marcus whilst she has an emotional breakdown. Marcus comforts her, and this starts their relationship. Their relationship would grow, and they would grow fonder and fonder of each other as time passes.When Katia was with Marcus she states she felt passion, and this was the only time she ever felt ‘love’ which was never shown to her by Francesco. With this passionate relationship, it led to Katia and Marcus making love, and the refore having Christina. Marcus gave Katia what Francesco could not give her, love, passion and a child. Josie and Michael Andretti started off with a weak relationship; it grew stronger & stronger as they got to know each other. At first they did not want anything to do with each other, but as time went on their view’s changed.Michael then turned into a father figure and finally acted as a father towards Josie. Michael helps Josie get through a lot of her problems, like a possible court case, having heart to heart talks to express feelings & just being there for her. Josie and Jacob their relationship changed each other’s points of views, made each others perspectives broaden. It made each other’s outlook change towards the way they see their lives & futures. They teach other that social class doesn’t mean everything and that they an choose their own destiny, and defy whatever barriers hold them back. Looking for Alibrandi Tuesday, October 30, 2012 Looking for Alibrandi By: Melina Marchette Looking for Alibrandi is the story of Josie Alibrandi’s experiences at school, and her relationships with friends and family during her last year at St Martha’s girls’ school. This is the year her father comes back into her life, the year she falls in love and discovers the secrets of her family’s past. Josie tells us the story of her struggles with her Italian-Australian identity and the highs and lows of teenage life.It’s the story of a young girl who feels she doesn’t belong. She learns to cope with these feelings of insecurity and learns that everyone has similar feelings at different times. 1. Josie must learn to deal with a whole range of issues. How and why does Josie change? In Melina Marchetta’s novel, Looking for Alibrandi, Josie confronts and resolves a number of problems she has in her life. Josie’s attitudes towards her family and friends alter as she learns more about them and tries to understand them.Ultimately, Josie is not the same girl at the end of the novel as she was at the beginning. 2. Josie has conflicting feelings towards Jacob. Explain. Josie has conflicting feelings towards Jacob. â€Å"I don’t know if he’s my type†. Josie is still initially stuck on John. It is not until after his death that she realises her real feelings for Jacob. 3. Josie’s transformation from school girl to young adult is the result of major events in her personal and school life.Indeed, without these influences, Josie heightened understanding of herself and others would never have occurred. In reflecting on these experiences and understanding, how do these transformations impact her life? (This question is fit for conclusion – 2 sentences) Josie’s transformation from schoolgirl to young adult is the result of a number of major events in her personal and school life. Indeed, without these influences , Josie’s heightened understanding of herself and others would never have occurred.In reflecting on these experiences and understanding their impact on her life, Josie’s transformation is complete. 4. Josie says, â€Å"I’m not going to be trapped like them. † Does Josie seem trapped or cursed? 5. Look for examples of tradition in the family and school. In the novel, Looking for Alibrandi, Melinda Marchetta explores how Josie is initially embarrassed about being Italian but throughout the text she becomes proud of her Italian heritage.She finds Tomato Day suffocating labelling it â€Å"Nation Wog day† as she wonders, â€Å"How many other poor unfortunates our age were doing the same? † She also says, â€Å"This might be where I come from, but do I really belong here? † This however changes through hearing Katia’s story and realising the importance of her heritage. 6. Why does Josie react strongly to other characters referring to her ethnicity or using the word â€Å"wog†, even though she uses the word and is sometimes critical of her Italian heritage? 7.How does Michael Andretti appear to be adapting to his role as a father? Josie initially resents her father but comes to love and respect Michael and accept him in her life. â€Å"Stop being polite, you’re making me puke. Be angry or rude – but don’t you pretend I’m not here†. Josie rejects Michael at first, but then starts to warm to him. â€Å"I’ll ring my father – he’s a barrister†. 8. What impressions of Josie’s family do you form? What reasons does she have for wanting to â€Å"burst out of family life? † Do you sympathize with her feelings? Looking for Alibrandi Looking for Alibrandi is a novel written by Melina Marchetta. It is about a young female named Josephine Alibrandi. This book is about Josephine’s journey in search of her identity, and her relationships around her. It shows how her views are depicted and how her views change throughout the course of the novel. This novel portrays the use and abuse of power and its effects on individuals in society. These powers include the powers of freedom, education, legal, psychological, cultural, pressure, parental, empowerment, personal choice and relationships.All these powers make a huge impact throughout the course of the novel, whether they or negative or positive powers. The power of freedom, with the theme of destiny is a power present throughout the whole novel. This power plays positively through the novel. Josie believes that a person can chose their destiny and create their own path of life. She believes that no matter who you are, you can prevail over anything that is holding you back and that you can defy the stars and create your own destiny.In the novel Josie mentions â€Å"†¦ we’re masters of our own destiny† which highlights the power of freedom, and having a choice in where your life is heading. On the other hand, the power of freedom ties in with the power of culture. The power of culture plays a negative path of the story in Looking for Alibrandi. The power of culture intertwines with the themes of racism and multiculturalism. Josie’s culture, being of Italian descent, holds her back in the course of the novel. As Josephine is an ‘ethnic girl’, it holds her back from being the person she wants to be, and the things she wants to achieve.Her culture is a wall seperating her from who she is right now, and she wants to be. As an ethnic, she is looked down in society, and it makes her life more difficult. In the novel, Josie states â€Å"†¦ no matter how smart I am or how much I achieve, I am always going t o be a little ethnic from Glebe, as far as these people are concerned. † This statement clarifies her struggle of being an ethnic in the Australian society. The power of education is a power used positively in the book. With the power of education and Josie’s intelligence, she earns a scholarship at a ich, high class school. This power is used positively as Josie’s family is of the working class society, and they are unable to afford fees at St Martha’s but with the help of her scholarship, allows her to enter the school. Whilst attending this school Josie gets a taste of real life experiences within a complicated society. Josie then receives a broader perspective on the views of how she see’s other people, and how they depict her. The psychological powers in the book are abused both negatively and positively.First of all, psychological powers are used negatively when Nonno Francesco forces Nonna Katia to stay with him because of Katia’s secr et with Marcus Sanford. Francesco uses these occurrences to his advantage and blackmails Katia to stay with him, so that he is not looked down upon in shame by his family if Katia were to leave him. In contrast, the use of psychological powers is also used in a positive aspect. Josie’s search for her identity uses psychological power. As Josie learns more about herself and her family, she finds out many things that help her to become the person she was longing to be and to uncover her true identity.Josie’s positive use of psychological powers in using it to find her true self, has helped her understand the concepts of life and broaden he horizons towards her views on life altogether. Whilst finding her identity, Josie quotes â€Å"I’ll run one day. Run for my life. To be free and think for myself. Not as an Australian and not as a not as an Italian and not as in between. I’ll run to be emancipated. † This statement show’s how Josie views her self, and that she just wants to be her own person and uncover her true identity. Parental power is used in the negatively in this novel.It shows how people in society pressure their children, and do not let them choose to be the person they want to be. An example of this is John Barton. He receives a lack of freedom, not only this, but great amounts of pressure are laid upon him to follow the family footsteps. Even though he had everything anyone ever needed, it’s not what John wanted. When expressing himself to Josie, John states â€Å"I’ve always had to be the best because it’s expected of me. † With this quote, you could feel the pressure laid upon John, to be who his parents want him to be. This leads to the path of personal choice.Personal choice is connected to parental power, empowerment and relationships. The power of personal choice is used negatively; an example of this negative use is John Barton’s choice to commit suicide. With all the weight put upon John, and the pressure he received from his family, he was confused and did not know what to do. With his weak relationship with his family, and having too much power, he felt he had no other choice to rid of all these pressures, but to revert to suicide. John believed that suicide would solve all his problems and he would be set free of everything laid upon him, and that he would receive complete ‘emancipation’.A positive power did arise from John’s personal choice of suicide. This was the power of empowerment. John’s death impacted the other characters positively. John’s death empowered the other characters; it made the other characters, like Josie and Ivy think thoroughly about where they were in life, and where there lives were heading. It provided determination for the characters to pursue themselves to be who they want to be. It had motivated the characters to be strong, to talk and interact with each other and express what th ey each felt.This incident made everyone bond, and everyone’s relationships strengthened through the experience. End here, and add conclusion if not enough time The power of relationships is the strongest power in the novel. It is one of the only powers present throughout the entire novel. There are many relationships in the novel, one being with the women of the Alibrandi family. All three, Josie, Christina and Katia share a love hate relationship with each other. Since Josie and her mother Christina live together and Christina is a single parent, they support each other and talk like best friends.On the other hand, with Katia, she is very distant with Christina because of the secret behind Christina’s true identity. At the start of the book, Katia & Josie practically hate each other, but as the story progresses, they bond and grow a stronger relationship. With this relationship, Josie uncovers the truth of why Francesco could never act as a ‘real father’ to Christina and why Francesco had so much hatred and kicked her out at sixteen. Towards the end of the book, the three find out how common alike they are with each other, they gain a mutual bond and there relationship grows stronger as they grow fonder of each other.The relationship between Nonna Katia, Nonno Francesco & Marcus Sanford has a huge impact on how things turned out for Christina and Josie, and the relationship they share with Katia. Katia and Francesco had a very one sided relationship. When Francesco goes off to work, Nonna meets a Marcus whilst she has an emotional breakdown. Marcus comforts her, and this starts their relationship. Their relationship would grow, and they would grow fonder and fonder of each other as time passes.When Katia was with Marcus she states she felt passion, and this was the only time she ever felt ‘love’ which was never shown to her by Francesco. With this passionate relationship, it led to Katia and Marcus making love, and the refore having Christina. Marcus gave Katia what Francesco could not give her, love, passion and a child. Josie and Michael Andretti started off with a weak relationship; it grew stronger & stronger as they got to know each other. At first they did not want anything to do with each other, but as time went on their view’s changed.Michael then turned into a father figure and finally acted as a father towards Josie. Michael helps Josie get through a lot of her problems, like a possible court case, having heart to heart talks to express feelings & just being there for her. Josie and Jacob their relationship changed each other’s points of views, made each others perspectives broaden. It made each other’s outlook change towards the way they see their lives & futures. They teach other that social class doesn’t mean everything and that they an choose their own destiny, and defy whatever barriers hold them back.