Case Study Formulation Drug and Alcohol - 1248 Words

3. specific strategies Although it was previously thought that cannabis was not a drug of addiction, it is now recognized that cannabis use can lead to substance dependence, according to the internationally accepted DSM-IV definition of ‘substance dependence’ . . With this knowledge in mind, Rick could possibly display withdrawal symptoms such as †¢ Irritability †¢ Frustration †¢ Anxiety †¢ Compulsion to smoke Cannabis 1 presenting problem Rick: Rick appears to have substance use disorder traits; his drug of choice is Cannabis. Rick appears to be in the stage of contemplation: Although Rick’s motivation is high and he indicates legitimately wants to cease his cannabis use, he is unsure that he will actually†¦show more content†¦Considering this information Lesley’s alcohol consumption may well be considered harmful. The client’s appears to have no intention of giving up drinking or even to cut down. Leslie does not want to change her drinking habits. Specific Intervention Strategies: †¢ Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive behavior therapy †¢ Rolling with resistance †¢ Develop discrepancy †¢ Empathy †¢ Identify and cope with high risk situation †¢ Screening tools †¢ Develop discrepency Miller (1983) describes self efficacy as a fundamental of Motivational interviewing. When considering this point of view Lesley should be to be responsible for deciding and implementing change, not the counselor. Building rapport with Lesley is significantly important, empathizing with the Lesley’s situation in regards to the potential difficulty in raising three children in a share accommodation. Relapse prevention education; Helping the client to identify stressful situations, the desire to drink may be strong. Exploring with the client to determine if any significant issue has caused the escalation of alcohol use may be a strategy to implement. Lesley may be opposed to to certain interventions from a therapist, (Miller Rollnick,(2002) argue that the best response to resistance is non-resistance. Acknowledging Leslies concerns and complaints may enhance the therapeutic alliance which is of prime importance in relating with a client. ++ Lesley is unaware thatShow MoreRelatedSwot Analysis Of Allstar Brands1042 Words   |  5 Pagesan effort to understand the customer and their needs. In the case of AllStar Brands and their product of Allround, the nature of demand is tracking consumer behavior and what impact that will have on the company’s business decisions. Allround reaches many customers through the Advertising agency of Brewster, Maxwell, and Wheeler. 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Research of Restaraunt for Business Research Free Essays

string(98) " children who live at home, viewed advertisements, gender, income, age, and familiar competitors\." Table of Contents Introduction3 Research Objectives3 Research Questions4 Answers to Research Questions5 Answer to Research Question 1. 5 Answer to Question 2. 6 Answer to Question 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Research of Restaraunt for Business Research or any similar topic only for you Order Now 7 Answer to Question 4. 8 Answer to Question 5. 9 Answer to Question 6. 10 Recommendations for the Remington’s Restaurant11 References14 Introduction The Remington restaurant, located in Tampa Florida, wanted to better understand their customer’s views and opinions of the restaurant by using a survey method. This method would reveal the perception of the customer to see what category the Remington restaurant is in, what performance the customer expects, and how satisfied the customers are when they leave the Remington restaurant. This is the best way for the Remington restaurant to improve their service because it paints a picture of what how the customer views their services. Even though competition is important to any business, the customers are the biggest asset to the company. By researching the customer’s perception of the restaurant one will see how the customer chooses the restaurant desired, how important performance is to the customer, and what was the overall satisfactory. One can acquire such information by reviewing and discussing the survey, finding out what is most or least important to the customer, seeing what is expected on how the restaurant performs, and discussing the satisfaction of the customer. In order to get this information, different methods will be used such as coefficient of variation, coefficients of determination and other tatistical techniques. There are six main research questions that will be addressed that will help the Remington restaurant see how the customers view the restaurant as a whole, and show the restaurant where and how to improve their business. Research Objectives 1. Discuss the type of survey used by the Remington Restaurant and how effective it is by using a research survey design. Compare effectiveness of the research to the other research designs of the subordinate data, experiments or observation in the context of collecting information for this project. . Describe the demographic profile of the average Remington customer. 3. Classify and describe which influence is most important to the customers in selecting a place to eat, and what is the least important factor that influences customers in selecting a restaurant. 4. Examine the Remington Restaurant scores on each of the six perception of portions of food, knowledgeable employees, food quality, swift service, atmosphere, and prices. 5. Justify if the Remington Restaurant is providing the expectations that customers want when choosing a restaurant. 6. Decide if there is a connection between being satisfied with the Remington Restaurant and the service, food portion, smart employees, quality of food and fast service. 7. Review the surveys to see what the Zagat Review Research Questions 1. What kind of survey did the Remington Restaurant use? What kind of result was found by the research design? Compare the effectiveness of the survey research to the other subordinate data, experimentation or observation in the perspective of gathering information for this project. 2. What is the demographic profile of the average Remington Restaurant customer? . Which is most important to the customer when selecting a restaurant and what is least important when selecting a restaurant? 4. How does the Remington Restaurant score on each of the six perception measures of food portions, smart employees, food quality, fast service, atmosphere and prices? 5. Is the Remington Restaurant producing a good influence when selecting a place to eat? 6. Is there a connection between customer’s satisfaction with the Remington Restaurant with the perception of large food portions, smart employees, food quality and quick service? Answers to Research Questions Answer to Research Question 1. The purpose of this section is to answer the first research question. The first question, which is; what kind of survey did the Remington Restaurant use? What kind of result was found by the research design? Compare the effectiveness of the survey research to the other subordinate data, experimentation or observation in the perspective of gathering information for this project. The type of survey that the Remington Restaurant used was the self-administered Internet survey. This kind of survey is probably the cheapest survey for the person collecting data. It involves minimum personnel and low cost as compared with other methods. Since 73% of American households are actively using the Internet, an Internet survey would be the best idea to cover a large location fact while conserving energy, money, and time (Cooper, Schindler, 2008). Internet survey’s can also give one access to graphs, charts and percentages automatically. Also, the Internet survey will be able to give one an idea of the customer’s attitude and perception of the Remington’s Restaurant. By using secondary information one would be able to see general information such as, what the demographic is of the average family is in the area, what is the general income, and how many times the family eats at restaurant in a week. By shifting the focus off of the Remington’s Restaurant and on to the genre of restaurants the Remington’s Restaurant is associated with would dilute the information the Remington’s Restaurant wanted to know about their customer’s satisfaction with the Remington’s Restaurant. Methods such as observational and experimental research would not be ffective for the Remington’s Restaurant. The observational method would not be effective because it would only tell one the behavior of the people such as body language. The experimental method would require a laboratory setting and would not be practical. The main goal for the research is to find out how the customers perceive the performance of the restaurant and their s atisfaction. Also, the Remington’s Restaurant wants to know how their customers select a restaurant. Answer to Question 2. The purpose for this section is to answer the second question. The second question is; what is the demographic profile of the average Remington Restaurant customer? The main variables are as follows: the children who live at home, viewed advertisements, gender, income, age, and familiar competitors. You read "Research of Restaraunt for Business Research" in category "Essay examples" The questionnaire was simple and easy to understand. The applicant had to answer just one number on each question. On the table below one will see the demographic of people who visit the Remington’s Restaurant most often. In statistics the number (or in this case the persons) that occur most frequently is the mode. The information is from the results from the survey taken by customers. Table 1: Demographic Description of the Remington Restaurant’s customers ————————————————- VariableCentral TendencyResultStd. Deviation Age335-491 Gender0Male0 Number of Children11 to None1 Advertisements 0No0 Income235k-50k1 Competitors1Outback1 ————————————————- One can see by looking at the table above that the people who visit the Remington’s Restaurant frequently are males who are between the ages of 35 and 49, and make 35,000 to 50,000 a year. These men also have one child, have not seen advertisements for the Remington Restaurant, Outback, and Longhorn. One can also see that the major competitor is Outback Steakhouse. Answer to Question 3. The purpose for this section is to answer the third question which is; which is most important to the customer when selecting a restaurant and what is least important when selecting a restaurant? The variable for this question are as follows; large food portions, smart employees, excellent food quality, fast service, good atmosphere, and good prices. The choices for these questions are fixed. The applicant had a choice to rate each variable from 1 to 7, which 1 was strongly disagree and 7 was strongly agree. The answer below includes the mean and standard deviation. Table 2: Remington’s Patron’s Criteria In Restaurant Selection ————————————————- ————————————————- VariableMeanStandard Deviation Large Portions5. 86 Quality of Food61. 02 Speed of Service71 Atmosphere5. 95 Reasonable Prices51. 04 From the information from the table above one can see that anything rated over 5 is important to the customer. The variable competent employees were rated under 5 and therefore not important to the majority of customers. Answer to Question 4. The purpose of this section is to answer the fourth question, which is; how does the Remington Restaurant score on each of the six perception measures of food portions, smart employees, food quality, fast service, atmosphere and prices? One will see what kind of perception the customers have of the variables listed in the question. These questions were asked in the same format as the third section. The questions had fixed answers from 1 to 7 with 1 strongly disagree and 7 strongly agree. The answers in the table include the mean and standard deviation. Table 3: Remington’s Patron’s Perceptions ————————————————- ————————————————- VariableMeanStandard Deviation Has Large Portions3. 91 Has Quality of Food6. 96 Has Speed of Service31. 21 Has Atmosphere61. 21 Has Reasonable Prices5. 81 Has Competent Employees41. 35 ————————————————- One can see from the table above that large portions and speed of service is below average. Food quality, atmosphere, and reasonable prices are above average. Competent employees are average. Answer to Question 5. The purpose for this section is to answer the fifth question; is the Remington Restaurant producing a good influence when selecting a place to eat? The variables in this case are similar to the previous question and include large food portions, competent employees, food quality, fast service, atmosphere, and reasonable prices. These variables were rated by the customer and given a choice to choose one number for each question. The numbers that represented the answers for the questions were at a range from 1 to 7. The number 1 represented that the customer strongly disagreed and the number 7 was that the customer strongly agreed. Table 4: Importance and Perceptions ————————————————- ————————————————- VariableWhat Customers Expect (Mean)Actual Performance (Mean) Quality of Food66 ————————————————- Fast Service63 One can see here that the Remington’s Restaurant is performing how the customer expects them to perform as a restaurant. This is almost one of the most important factors of the restaurant. The quality of food as expected, but the fast service needs improving. Answer to Question 6. The purpose of this section is to answer the final question, is there a connection between customer’s satisfaction with the Remington Restaurant with the perception of large food portions, smart employees, food quality and quick service? From the table below one will find the correlation between the variable and the satisfaction of the customers. Table 4: Importance and Perceptions ————————————————- ————————————————- Variablerr2 Large Portions. 41. 17 ————————————————- Competent Employees. 55. 31 ————————————————- Food Quality. 33. 11 ————————————————- Speed of Service. -. 6. 004 ————————————————- Good Atmosphere. 40. 15 ————————————————- Good Prices. 06. 004 One can see here that there is a weak and positive relationship between the large portions and satisfaction. The large portions were 17% of the change in satisfaction. Having competent employees was a modest and positive correlation with satisfaction. If the competence of the employees increases, so does the satisfaction. There was a weak positive relationship with the food quality and satisfaction. Food quality was only 11% of satisfaction. There is also a weak and negative correlation between speed of service and satisfaction. In the end one can see that the competent employees are rated the highest in customer satisfaction. Recommendations for the Remington’s Restaurant Regarding question one. The Remington’s Restaurant has done a good job in the survey method. The self administered, web based survey is the best way to cover a large geographical area in a short amount of time. The survey method is also a good way to retrieve data fast. One of the most important aspects about the survey method is how one can rate an attitude toward something. Regarding question two. The Remington’s Restaurant main customer was a 35-49 year old male who makes 35,001 to 49,000 dollars a year and has one child. The main customer has never seen an advertisement for the Remington’s Restaurant or any of its competitors. A good recommendation for the Remington’s Restaurant would be to advertise more. Also, the competition has not made an impact in the advertising category and would be in favor of the Remington’s Restaurant to pioneer this field. Regarding question three. The average customer held competent employees, atmosphere and quality of food of high importance. Being that the Remington’s Restaurant is in the food business, it should strive to keep the quality of food as a high priority. Having competent employees is an asset to the company but should not be valued over the quality of food. Regarding question four. When one looking at table 3 one can see that the Remington’s Restaurant is doing well with the quality of food, atmosphere and employees, but there are areas that need much improvement. Large portions and the speed of service are below average and must far exceed the customer’s expectations. Any business should not settle for average or below average results. Training the employees on time management and having a smooth flowing system to better serve the customers would be ideal in this situation. Also, if the portions can not expand anymore the restaurant should offer the customers free appetizers that are cheap and filling. Bread and chips would be a good start for this process. Offering the customer cheap food will allow for the portions to stay the same and not lose any money on the main courses. Regarding question five. The food must stay at the top of the priority list. The customers value food the most and should expect the food to always be outstanding. A strict procedure to test the quality of the food must be practiced on a regular schedule to ensure that all customers are receiving the same unique aste of the restaurant. Regarding question six. The employees must know what they are serving. The customer’s rated the employee’s knowledge 31% which is over a third of the satisfaction. It may be just a fraction, but it can also the opening and closing of a sale. When a customer feels like he is being taken care of, the sales will increase and the testimony of the company will prosper. Most people do not eat alone and will bring others with them References Cooper, D. Schindler, P. (2008). Business research methods (10th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin How to cite Research of Restaraunt for Business Research, Essays

Everglades national park free essay sample

National Park stretches over 1. illion acres and is the largest wilderness in the Southeast. Wetlands and swamps cover half of the land which contains 10,000 islands! The Everglades, called the River of Grass because the area is largely a river sometimes 60 miles wide, is not a marsh or swamp. In the past hundred years, people have been digging canals and building dams in the Everglades so they could take water out of it. They built so many canals and drained so much water that the natural flow is interrupted. Acadia National Park Acadia National Park was established in 1919 by President Wilson, originally called as Lafayette National Park. Acadia National Park is located on Mount Desert and covers half of the island. This park is the first park east of the Mississippi river. 120 miles in Acadia National Park are hiking and biking trails, fishing, rock climbing, and boating. The highest mountain in it is the Cadillac Mountain and the shortest is the Flying Mountain. We will write a custom essay sample on Everglades national park or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jordans Pond is the deepest lake at 150 feet deep. Acadia National Park is the tenth most visited National Park. A National Park is a park the government takes up the responsibility of. National Parks are built to preserve land and educate people on nature.

Project free essay sample

Footwear is expected to comprise about 60% of the total leather exports by 2011 from over  38% in 2006-07. Presently, the Indian footwear market is dominated by Men’s footwear market that accounts  for nearly 58% of the total Indian footwear retail market. By products, the Indian footwear market is dominated by casual footwear market that makes  up for nearly two-third of the total footwear retail market. he Indian footwear market scores over other footwear markets as it gives benefits like low  cost of production, abundant raw material, and has huge consumption market. Germany is the second largest importer of footwear in the world with a share of 7. 79% in the total global footwear import trade of US$ 77. 36 billion. Germanys import of footwear (leather and non-leather) has increased from US$ 5. 23 bn in 2005 to US$ 6. 03 bn in 2009, growing at a CAGR of 3. 62%. Indias export of different categories of footwear to Germany increased from US$ 170. 97 mn in 2005 to US$ 224. We will write a custom essay sample on Project or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 27 mn in  2009, growing at a CAGR of 7. 01%. During 2009, India accounted for a share of only 3. 71% in Germanys total footwear imports. Hence, there remains considerable potential to enhance Indias export of footwear to Germany in the coming years. 1. 3 INTRODUCTION TO THE SUBJECT EFFECTIVENESS OF DISTRIBUTION AND SATISFACTION OF WHOLESALERS Distribution of goods and services plays an important role in the sales system. Distribution system varies from company to company and region to region. The distribution system gives strength to the company by helping to increase the reach of the product to various parts of the region, country or even in foreign markets. An effective distribution system helps in making available goods in the right quantity at the right time when they are required and giving a reasonable earning to those who are associated with the distribution system like wholesalers,retailers,departmental stores, etc THE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL Frequently there may be a chain of intermediaries; each passing the product down the chain to the next organization, before it finally reaches the consumer or end-user. This process is known as the distribution chain or the channel. Each of the elements in these chains will have their own specific needs, which the producer must take into account, along with those of the all-important end-user. IMPORTANCE OF DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS Distribution channels often require the assistance of others in order for the marketer to reach its target market. But why exactly does a company need others to help with the distribution of their product? Wouldn’t a company that handles its own distribution funct ions be in a better position to exercise control over product sales and potentially earn higher profits? Also, doesn’t the Internet make it much easier to distribute products thus lessening the need for others to be involved in selling a company’s product. While on the surface it may seem to make sense for a company to operate its own distribution channel (i. e. , handling all aspects of distribution) there are many factors preventing companies from doing so. While companies can do without the assistance of certain channel members, for many marketers some level of channel partnership is needed. For example, marketers who are successful without utilizing resellers to sell their product (e. . , Dell Computers sells mostly through the Internet and not in retail stores) may still need assistance with certain parts of the distribution process (e. g. , Dell uses parcel post shippers such as FedEx and UPS). In Dell’s case creating their own transportation system makes little sense given how large such a system would need to be in order to service Dell’s customer bas e. Thus, by usingshipping companies Dell is taking advantage of the benefits these services offer to Dell and to Dell’s customers. FACTORS IN CREATING DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS Like most marketing decisions, a great deal of research and thought must go into determining how to carry out distribution activities in a way that meets a marketer’s objectives. The marketer must consider many factors when establishing a distribution system. Some factors are directly related to marketing decisions while others are affected by relationships that exist with members of the channel. Next we examine the key factors to consider when designing a distribution strategy. We group these into two main categories: marketing decision issues and channel relationship issues. In turn, each of these categories contains several topics of concern to marketers FACTORS CONSIDERED IN SELECTING CHANNELS 1. Nature of product: The channel of distribution can be selected only after considering the features of product. If a commodity is perishable or fragile, the producer prefers direct marketing or employs few middlemen. For perishable goods it requires speedy movement. This needs shorter channel. For durable and standardised goods, longer and diversified channel may be necessary. Bulky products (iron steel) require short channels so as to reduce the distance and number of handling and thereby cost. In the case of fashion items, the manufacturer prefers to sell direct to retailers. This is so because; the producer needs direct contact with retailers in order to determine the latest trends and fashions of the consumers. Products of high unit value are sold directly by company’s own sales force and not through middlemen. In case of capital goods like machinery, equipments etc. , the manufacturer sells directly to industrial user. Generally, seasonal products and low priced products are marketed through wholesalers. 2. Nature of market: The selection of channel depends on the requirements of market. For consumer market, retailer is essential. In industrial market, we can eliminate retailer. If the market size is large, it requires many channels. In small market, direct selling is better. If consumers are concentrated in few place, direct selling will be effective. If the consumers are widely scattered, a large number of middlemen will have to be employed. If the number of consumer is small, the manufacturer can directly sell to the Consumers. For selling bulky and expensive machinery, the manufacturer generally employs his own sales people. 3. Buying habit of consumers: The buying habits of consumers their number, location; frequency of purchase, quantity bought etc. influence the selection of channel. In the case of convenience goods, long channel are preferred. But in the case of shopping and speciality goods, direct selling is better. If consumers are scattered geographically, long channel may be adopted. If the market for a product is concentrated and localised, direct selling would be beneficial. When the consumers buy small quantities, the channel should be elaborate. For example, cigarette, matches etc. in this case direct selling will be costly. 4. Company: While selecting the channel, the company’s financial strength, reputation etc. must be considered. Financially strong firm can select and design its distribution channel. This means that it can adopt direct selling. On the other hand, financially weak firm needs to depend on intermediaries. If a company has earned good reputation, it usually selects middlemen of its choice 5. Middlemen: The middlemen who are to offer good facilities of storage must be considered. The channel which generates maximum sales must be selected. 6. Cost of channel Cost is another factor which influences the channel selection. The cost of each channel may be estimated on the basis of unit sale. Direct marketing generally is costlier and distribution arranged through middlemen is more economical. 7. Competition: Competition also influences the decision on channel selection. Marketers always have an eye on the channels used by the competitors. TYPE OF CHANNEL MEMBERS Channel activities may be carried out by the marketer or the marketer may seek specialist organizations to assist with certain functions. We can classify specialist organizations into two broad categories: resellers and specialty service firms. RESELLERS These organizations, also known within some industries as intermediaries, distributors or dealers, generally purchase or take ownership of products from the marketing company with the intention of selling to others. If a marketer utilizes multiple resellers within its distribution channel strategy the collection of resellers is termed a Reseller Network. These organizations can be classified into several sub-categories including: RETAILERS – Organizations that sell products directly to final consumers. WHOLESALERS–Organizations that purchase products from suppliers, such as manufacturers or other wholesalers, and in turn sell these to other resellers, such as retailers or other wholesalers. INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTORS – Firms that work mainly in the business-to-business market selling products obtained from industrial suppliers. There are organizations that provide additional services to help with the exchange of products but generally do not purchase the product (i. . , do not take ownership of the product): AGENTS AND BROKERS – Organizations that mainly work to bring suppliers and buyers together in exchange for a fee. DISTRIBUTION SERVICE FIRMS – Offer services aiding in the movement of products such as assistance with transportation, storage, and order processing. OTHERS – This category inclu des firms that provide additional services to aid in the distribution process such as insurance companies and firms offering transportation routing assistance. DEALER SATISFACTION DEFINITION Dealer satisfaction has been defined as the state of mind that dealers have about a company and its products or services when their expectations have been met or exceeded. This is state reflects the lifetime of the product or service experience. Customer satisfaction begins with a difficult faith; it starts with a commitment to deliver the result for each customer which is also a concern of the dealers. Hence, for a manufacturing company, in order to satisfy its customers, it is highly important to satisfy its dealers, as they are the direct customers to them. Establishing satisfaction as the ultimate goal is like the other ultimate goals of business pursuit of higher profits or shareholders wealth. The dealer needs and value should influence every aspect of the product and organization strategy, employee safety and performance, product and service development, sales and marketing programmes, operational procedures and information and measurement system. Understanding the dealer is critical to the success of any customer focus initiative, the first step in understanding the dealers is to listen to them. A company needs to hear what its dealers are saying about its people, products, services and vision. THE BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF DEALER SATISFACTION ? The dealer service activities focus mainly on existing dealers. ? Some dealers are most important than others. ? The dealers are always specific. ? The dealers are the assets of the company. Understanding that the dealer is critical to the success of any customer focus initiative, the first step in understanding the dealers is to listen to them. A company needs to hear what its dealers are saying about its people, products, services and vision. The information obtained from them helps to develop meaningful products and services. Organizations need to listen to their dealers to understand their level of satisfaction and requirements. As one company executive said, â€Å"talking to a satisfied customer is talking to myself†. High dealer satisfaction comes from providing effective services. But giving that service is a continuous activity. It means being efficient, reliable, courteous, curing and professional every time. FACTORS INFLUENCING DEALER SATISFACTION QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT: Quality means something was done or built right. Quality is an abstract concept of a standard. It is a standard which must be attached to an object, as it is something that comes as a result of a physical object. Quality is the level of dealer satisfaction. It is the level to which the dealer’s needs can be satisfied by the service provider (the company). Each dealers and customers has its own needs and requirements, and are dynamic in, so keeping the dealers satisfied with the company’s products and services along with continual improvement. PRICE OF THE PRODUCT: The process of deciding the price is a difficult task. Pricing is not a matter of just plugging a number in a formula. It requires a deep understanding of the marketing forces, competitive conditions and the demand and supply equation. While determining the price, the management has to consider the both the internal and external factors. Price of the product is one of the major factors, which will influence the dealer to be satisfied. The price should be reasonable and affordable then only the dealers’ are satisfied. TIMELY AVAILABILITY OF THE PRODUCT: Availability of the product is the major factor which will influence the dealers to be satisfied. The product should be available to dealers at the right tine in right quantity. The company should provide the sufficient quantity of the products as and when needed to meet their consumers’ needs and wants. CREDIT PERIOD AVAILABLE FOR THE PRODUCT: One of the striking factor which influence the dealers’ is the availability of the credit period. The company should provide the sufficient time for settle down their amounts. If the dealers get a higher credit period they can sell more goods. But it is good for the company and to the dealers’ to maintain a reasonable time for settling their amounts. PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY OF THE PRODUCT: Promotion is one of the four elements in the marketing mix. The main objective of the promotion is to move forward a product, service or idea in a channel of distribution. It involves various activities used to inform, persuade and remind the target market about a company, its products and its activities. It motivates the people to buy whatever a company is selling . Thus promotion means communication. The promotional activities such as advertising, publicity and sales promotion will highly influence the dealers’ through maximization of sales to their products. CLAIM SETTLEMENT SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE FIRM: The services provided by the will influence the dealers to be satisfied. Claim settlement service is the provision of service to dealers before, during and after purchase. It is an after sales services provided by the company. If the companies product are damaged or decayed; the company should make either to replace the decayed product or to repairs the damaged product. For achieving dealer satisfaction the company should follow an efficient claim settlement service. Overall Measures of Satisfaction Satisfaction is a result of a product related experience and reflects the product’s performance in use. It makes little sense to measure satisfaction toward a product that has never been used. In building a dealer satisfaction survey, it is also helpful to consider reasons why pre-purchase expectations or post purchase satisfaction may or may not be fulfilled or even measurable. 1. Expectations may not reflect unanticipated service attributes. 2. Expectations may have been quite vague, creating wide latitudes of acceptability in performance and expected satisfaction. 3. Expectation and product performance evaluations may be sensory and not cognitive, as in taste, style or image. 4. The product use may attract so little attention as to produce no conscious affect or cognition (evaluation), and result in meaningless satisfaction or dissatisfaction measures. 5. There may have been unanticipated benefits or consequences of purchasing or using the product (such as a use or feature not anticipated with purchase). 6. The original expectations may have been unrealistically high or low. 7. The product purchaser, influencer and user may have been different individuals, each having different expectations. . 1 INDUSTRY PROFILE The Indian Footwear Industry is gearing up to leverage its strengths towards maximizing benefits. Strength of India in the footwear sector originates from its command on reliable supply of resources in the form of raw hides and skins, quality finished leather, large installed capacities for production of finished leather footwear, large human capital with expertise and technology base, skilled manpower and relatively low cost labor, proven strength to produce footwear for global brand leaders and acquired technology competence, particularly for mid and high priced footwear segments. Resource strength of India in the form of materials and skilled manpower is a comparative advantage for the country. The Footwear Industry is a significant segment of the Leather Industry in India. India ranks second among the footwear producing countries next to China. India produces more of gents’ footwear while the world’s major production is in ladies footwear. The industry is labour intensive and is concentrated in the small and cottage industry sectors. While leather shoes and uppers are concentrated in large scale units, the sandals and chappals are produced in the household and cottage sector. In the case of chappals and sandals, use of non-leather material is prevalent in the domestic market. The major production centers India are Chennai, Ranipet, Ambur in Tamil Nadu, , Mumbai in Maharashtra, Kanpur in U. P. , Jalandhar in Punjab, Agra and Delhi. The following table indicates concentration of units in various parts of the country: There are nearly 4000 units engaged in manufacturing footwear in India. The industry is dominated by small scale units with the total production of 55%. The total turnover of the footwear industry including leather and non-leather footwear is estimated at Rs. 8500-9500 crore (Euro 551. 3-1723. 1 Million) including Rs. 1200-1400 crore (Euro 217. 6-253. 9 Million) in the household segment. India’s share in global leather footwear imports is around 1. 4% Major Competitors in the export market for leather footwear are China (14%), Spain (6%) and Italy (21%). The estimated annual footwear production capacity in 1999 is nearly 1736 million pairs (776 million pairs of leather footwear and 960 million pairs of non-leather footwear). Region-wise share of total estimated capacities is as follows: |Region |Leather shoes |Non-leather Shoes |Leather Shoe Uppers |Leather Sandals |Non Leather | | | | | | |Sandals | |Percentage | |Tamil Nadu |26 |5 | 54 |1 |0 | |Delhi up North |10 |77 |4 |1 |60 | |Agra, Kanpur |45 |0 |32 |62 |0 | |Calcutta |12 |0 |2 |3 |0 | |Bangalore |3 |3 |4 |0 |0 | |Mumbai |4 |2 |1 |32 |0 | |Others |0 |13 |3 |1 |40 | |Total |100 |100 |100 |100 |100 | The Indian footwear industry is provided with institutional infrastructure support through premier institutions like Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, Footwear Design Development Institute, Noida, National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, etc in the areas of technological development, design and product development and human resource development. The availability of abundant raw material base, large domestic market and the opportunity to cater to world markets makes India an attractive destination for technology and investments. 3. 1 COMPANY PROFILE VKC GROUP OF COMPANIES â€Å"VKC group of companies are the leading footwear manufacture especially in southern region of India. The group established on (August17) 1984 with a nominal capital and few employees. In 1984 the founder of the group Mr. V. K. C. Mammed Koya started a Hawai Sheet manufacturing unit with his two brothers. Later on Hawai straps were also inducted to the production line and in 1986 VKC group launched the first product with its own brand name in the market viz. VKC Hawai with an initial production of 600 pairs per day. By 1989 the production increased to 5000 pairs a day and by 1996 it jumped to 17000 pairs. In between the founder initiated the floating of the first RPVC footwear manufacturing unit in the Malabar Area of Kerala state with few of his friends. This product also got very good acceptance in the market. The success of the first unit and the RPVC unit gave a signal to the business community and the vast potential was seen by the various industrialists. This resulted in a rapid change in the footwear industry itself. Within a few years the number of Rubber and RPVC unit grew to more than 80 in this area. In 1994 the group ventured the first unit in Kerala to manufacture footwear from virgin PVC. This resulted in a big change and the multinational brands felt competitions from the local brands. In 1998 the group started the first Micro Cellular PVC footwear in Kerala with imported plant and machinery. â€Å"Quality at low price† made the VKC groups products popular in the market day by day. It also expanded its market to other southern states. In 2001 the group started the first Air Injected PVC DIP footwear manufacturing unit in the South India. In 2003 the group ventured the first Injected EVA manufacturing unit in South –Central India. In 2006 the group started backward integration to produce EVA compound for Injection and started the first EVA compounding plant in the South –Central India. The unit went in 2007 the group started manufacturing of PU DIP footwear. During this period new bloods with technical, commercial and practical knowledge were inducted and now the group consists of 25 working Directors and 100 share holders spread over 16 various units. And have annual group turnover of Rs. 4000 million. More than 4000 employees are working in these units. The company had achieved a prominent position in the footwear market of India. The main markets, which are concentrated by the company, are Kerala, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. The good quality and variety in models of VKC products help the companies to face the market competition. The company has been able to maintain the quality of the products by adopting foreign technologies. The group is now looking for further avenues in the field of footwear to stretch their hands. The Head Quarter of VKC group is in CALICUT . And the main plants of VKC group of companies are situated in Kerala and Tamilnadu. The following are the associate companies of VKC group. . M/s. VEEKESY RUBBER INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD. 2. M/s. VEEKESY ELASTOMERS PVT. LTD. 3. M/s. VEEKESY POLYMERS PVT. LTD. 4. M/s. SANDLON TECHNOLOGIES PVT. LTD. 5. M/s. FORTUNE ELASTOMERS PVT. LTD. 6. M/s. CALTECH POLYMERS PVT. LTD. 7. M/s. SLIPONS INDIA PVT. LTD 8. M/s. DIADORA SHOES PVTLTD. 9. M/s. DIMESCO FOOTCARE INDIA PVT LTD. 10. M/s. FER RARI SHOES (INDIA) PVT. LTD 11. M/s. VEEKESY FOOTCARE (INDIA) PVT. LTD 12. M/s. FERRERO VINYL TECHNOLOGIES PVT. LTD 13. M/s. MORBIDO VINYL PVT. LTD. 14. M/s. SMARTAK FOOTCARE INDIA PVT. LTD. 15. M/s. VKC FOOTSTEPS INDIA PVT. LTD 16. M/s. KOVAI FOOTWEARS PVT. LTD COMPANY PROFILE OF M/S SMARTAK FOOTCARE PVT LTD M\s Smartak Footcare Pvt Ltd is a group company of renowned VKC group. It is registered as a Private Limited company and incorporated on 18. 07. 2006 under the companies Act 1956. The commercial production of the company was started on 15. 02. 2007. The company is located on the side of National Highway 17 at Feroke, Chungam. All affairs and day to day business administration of the firm is vested in the hands of Board of Directors they are in charge of various activities like Production, Finance and Marketing the board is assisted by qualified administrative staffs. The founder of M/s Smartak Footcare Pvt Ltd is Mr. V. K. C Mammed Koya. The Management of the company now consist Six Directors. The chairman of the company Mr. V. Abdul Razak is a post graduate in business administration having more than 16 years experience in footwear manufacturing including project implementation. M/s. Smartak Footcare Pvt Ltd caters extend its markets all over Kerala. The company has a good market in their products. M/s Smartak Footcare Pvt Ltd is the first company in VKC group for the manufacture of PU footwear. The company adopts Taiwan Technology for manufacturing of PU footwear. Annual production capacity including the licensed agreement is 6,75000 pairs. The product groups consist as season ladies and gents. The company market PU Footwear under the brand name of â€Å"Smartak†. The aggressive marketing techniques adopted by the company through various media coupled with consistent quality of the product at affordable price opened new era of light weight footwear in Kerala market replacing conventional products and other well established brands in this segment. Apart from Kerala the company has a good market for their products. 3. 2 PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT MACHINERIES USED ARE: PU Pouring Machine Clicking Machine Stitching Machine Cooling Tower Air drier Embossing machine Stitching Machine Generator Mould Dies 3. 3 MARKETING DEPARTMENT: â€Å"Marketing is the management process responsible for the identifying, anticipating and satisfying consumers’ requirements profitably†. To be the best product in the market company is giving importance to the following. . †¢ BRAND NAME : The brand name used for the product is â€Å"Smartak†. †¢ SLOGAN : â€Å"Be Smart with Smartak†. †¢ QUALITY : Quality of the products is the main marketing technique that the company used. †¢ ADVERTISING : The Company treats the advertising as the main mode of marketing to improve the sales of their products. †¢ SCHEMES : One of the main marketing techniques of the company is the different Schemes for their customers and dealers. †¢ WHOLESALERS MEET: The Company conducts the Wholesalers Meet at least once in a year. By this the company provides an opportunity to the wholesalers to interact with the company and between the dealers. This helps to find problems, sort out differences, and to formulate plans for future improvement in the market. †¢ ORDER TAKING COLLECTION: The company executives are directly taking the orders from the wholesalers. †¢ DELIVERY SYSTEM: The Company has very good system for the supply of the products to the wholesalers. The company had provided the door delivery system and they are fixed a weekly chart for the supply. THE MARKETING TECHNIQUES USED ARE: CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION SALES PROMOTION ADVERTISING MARKET RESEARCH CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION: Channel of distribution is the set of marketing intermediaries through which the goods flow from the producer to consumer. The company had provided the door delivery system to the wholesalers for the distribution of products through their owned vehicles and through the different transporters. The Channel of Distribution followed by the Company is: |Manufacture | |Wholesaler | |Retailers | |Consumers | The company adopts a two level distribution system consisting of Wholesale dealer and Retail dealer. The company is satisfied with the existing arrangements. SALES PROMOTION: Sales promotion plays a major role for the success of the VKC products. Sales promotion influences the customers for buying the products and also helps to meet competition. It popularizes the product so as to stimulate demand. SALES PROMOTION TOOLS USED ARE: CONSUMERS PROMOTION †¢ COUPONS †¢ DEMONSTRATION †¢ CONTEST †¢ PRICE OFFER DEALER PROMOTION †¢ SALES CONTEST †¢ DEALER GIFT †¢ TURNOVER ALLOWANCE ADVERTISING SCHEMES: The VKC’s Advertising covers all activities connected with giving of publicity regarding goods and services offered for sale. The main Medias for advertising are: Indoor Media Outdoor Media INDOOR MEDIAS †¢ TV CHANNELS †¢ NEWS PAPERS †¢ MAGAZINES †¢ CATALOGUES, DANGLERS, CALENDERS, STICKERS OUTDOOR MEDIAS NAME BOARDS FLEX BOARDS †¢ HOARDINGS TV CHANNELS Advertisements of the products of the company are given in all the major TV channels in Malayalam and Tamil languages. The Brand Ambassadors for the product is the Malayalam Cine Artists â€Å" Kavya Madhavan†. SCHEMES: The company is providing different schemes for customers, retailers and wholesalers during seasons. This helps the company to gets the good results in sales and publicity. The company had already undertaken various schemes and contests like: †¢ VKC Sammanotsavam MARKET RESEARCH Marketing research helps in analyzing the buyer’s habits, popularity of a product, and effectiveness of advertising media. It also helps to collect information about marketing problems and opportunities. The continuous marketing research has been conducted by the company which helps them in planning and executing marketing strategies for the future course of action. THE PILLARS IN THE PATH OF SUCCESS OF THE FIRM ARE 1. FOREIGN TECHNOLOGIES The main advantage of the company is the implementation of Taiwan technology used by them for the injection moulding process. Moulding process is the main activity and the key process of manufacturing of quality footwear. The Company purchases Footwear Moulds from Taiwan, China, and Italy. This will help the company to assure high quality and good finish to the product. The quality of the imported Synthetic leather is highly superior than the Indian products. The problem of ordinary synthetic leathers like smelling due to sweatiness and wetness is not seen in the imported products. The finish, comfort, and elegances are highly superior to the Indian product. 2. EMPLOYEES OF THE FIRM The company always maintains good employer- employee relationship. The employees are well satisfied with the attitude of the management towards them and in the facilities provided to them. So there were no labour strikes, labour absenteeism and labour resignation. The company provides excellent training programs for the employees to improve the skills and productivity with in a lesser time. Project free essay sample This is a project feasibility report of Jimaga Ltd. It analyzes the concerns, stages, processed, leadership, administration and control problems of the building project whose total superficial content is 35,000 square metres. The conclusion of this feasibility report is that this project could be completed in the right time with the given budget. Project Name: Jimaga Ltd’s New Building Proprietor: Jimaga Ltd Construction Unit: XXX Construction Company Date: 20YY/MM/DD-20YY/MM/DD It has been proved both in theory and practice those successful projects that are delivered on time, satisfying customer objectives and delivered to budget, a thorough approach to planning and control is essential. Project feasibility is usually the first stage of the planning process. 1. 0 Concerns 1. 1 A Simple Introduction to Jimaga Ltd Jimaga Ltd is a SME company specializing in the design and supply of promotional brochures. The organizations they are commissioned by includes: Local Authorities, SME enterprises, and on rare organizations large global companies. We will write a custom essay sample on Project or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The company has been particularly successful since it started trading in 2005. 1. 2 Necessity of the Project To apply expansion strategy, Jimaga Ltd acquired a building which would allow the company to target and respond to large global organizations demands for service. 1. 3 Goals The goal of this project is to acquire the successful opening of a building which Jimaga Ltd recently acquired (35,000 square metres). It will give the company the access to meet the demands of large global organizations and the opportunity to apply an expansion strategy. 1. 4 Project Objectives The purpose of project management is to foresee or predict as many dangers and problems as possible; and to plan, organize and control activities so that the project is completed as successfully as possible in spite of all the risks. Project objectives are the quantitative and qualitative measures by which the project team will judge the completion of the project. Generally speaking, managers who join in a project should set suitable project objectives in the first place. Before the construction of this project, mangers in Jimaga Ltd should first answer theses questions: Field and Keller define six key people who are critical to the success of all projects: Sponsor, Champion, Client, Customer, Owner and Stakeholder[1]. To successfully complete this project in time, the key people should be discussed in the first place: 3. 0 Processes Most projects can be subdivided into four generic phases: concept, design, implement and commission. The project life ­cycle enables us to look at the bigger picture[2]. Therefore, we see the project as a unit that will be implemented in four phases: planning process, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing. 3. 1 Planning Process Very simply put, planning is setting the direction for something some system and then guiding the system to follow the direction. Rory Burke once noted that Planning is an important component of the planning and control cycle, because the planning process not only establishes what is to be done, but also smoothes the way to make it happen[3]. This project should be constructed under a clear project plan that at least includes: 3. 2 Executing Executing process is aimed to perform process includes processing for the completion of the project plan the work defined in the project requirements. Implementation process involves the coordination and integration of resources, as well as performing activities and projects in accordance with the project management plan. A deliverable executing is the output of the process, as defined in the project management plan framework and other possible application project in hand. 3. 3 Monitoring and controlling Without monitoring and controlling, there will be unnecessary waste and inefficiency Influencing the factors that could circumvent integrated change control so only approved changes are implemented 3. 4 Closing In the field of project management, closing includes the formal acceptance of the project and the ending thereof. At this stage, administrative activities include the archiving of the files and documenting lessons learned. This process consists of: In common, project managers must continuously develop effective leadership skills and employ them as needed during the project cycle[4]. The visible expression of leadership skills for the project team and stakeholders is via leadership behaviors. It is necessary for Jimaga Ltd to choose a manger to serve the post of director in charge of the project. This person would shoulder the duty of leadership in different project cycle. For example: 4. 1 Project Initiation and Scope The project director would explore what is possible and to define a high level plan with an indication of project costs. He would also make a contribution by meeting others needs and removing their barriers so that the project could be faced with a good beginning. 4. 2 Project Planning The project director would be asked to take ownership and a task orientation towards project planning. He would work in a democratic, participative style to develop effective plans with suitable estimates. At the same time, the project director would identify the right people for the right role. What’s more, he would bureaucratically establish the project control mechanisms and the standards for the project team. These key components of the project should be also considered such as: 4. 3 Executing During the process of project construction, the project director should lead and assure the smooth operation of the project by: The project director should pay great attention to leaving the project team to get things done with a task-orientation attitude. Use a laissez-faire approach but stay in touch and support people as needed[5]. Ensure that multiple tasks, priorities and risks are effectively managed and clearly communicated. Take a bureaucratic approach to preparation for testing, deployment and closure, doing each stage properly producing the appropriate deliverables at the desired level of quality. 4. 4 Monitoring and controlling The project director should monitor and control the total appearance of the project in order that it could be conducted within the management scope. 4. 5 Closing At the closing of the project, the project director should sum up the related experience and lesson from the project. . 0 Administration Using compulsory administrative measures on the basis of administrative power of administrative and operational mechanism, administrative methods have a direct influence on management object. In this way, management functions are realized. The managers of this project should pay enough attention to these aspects if they want to apply administrative methods in appropriate manner: instru ctions. The administrative instructions of mangers in Jimaga should be suitable with management environment and management scope. What’s more, those administrative instructions should be consistent with the manager object’s behaviours. Control problems of a project means schedule control, quality control, cost control. 6. 1 Schedule control Managers should arrange schedule control in the following aspects: eliminate the contradiction that appears during the process of construction[8]. Project quality is not only related to the owners of the property safety, but also directly affect the project management of investment and project construction cost. Managers should establish total sense of quality, fully understanding the connotation of quality management and quality management system in each step. On the analysis of five major elements (man, machine, material, method and central) and the construction of whole process, mangers would be able to clear quality control contents of the project. 6. 3 Cost control Project cost control refers to the activities of plan, implementation, supervision, regulation and control during the implementation process. Through appropriate technology and management methods, the consumption of labour and other expenses would be in suitable control.

Schools Have Options When Penning a Cell Phone Policy

Schools Have Options When Penning a Cell Phone Policy Cell phones are increasingly becoming more of an issue for schools. It seems that every school addresses this issue utilizing a different cell phone policy. Students of all ages have begun to carry cell phones. This generation of students is more tech savvy than any who has become before them. A policy should be added to the student handbook to handle cell phone issues according to your district’s stance. Several different variations of a school cell phone policy and possible consequences are discussed here. Consequences are variable as they could apply to one or each of the policies below. Cell Phone Ban Students are not permitted to possess a cell phone for any reason on school grounds. Any student caught violating this policy will have their cell phone confiscated. First Violation: The cell phone will be confiscated and given back only when the parent comes by to pick it up. Second Violation: Forfeiture of the cell phone until the end of the last day of school. Cell Phone Not Visible During School Hours Students are permitted to carry their cell phones, but they should not have them out at any time unless there is an emergency. Students are allowed to use their cell phones only in an emergency situation. Students abusing this policy could have their cell phone taken until the end of the school day. Cell Phone Check In Students are permitted to bring their cell phone to school. However, they must check their phone into the office or their homeroom teacher upon arriving to school. It can be picked up by that student at the end of the day. Any student who fails to turn in their cell phone and is caught with it in their possession will have their phone confiscated. The phone will be returned to them upon paying a fine of $20 for violating this policy. Cell Phone as an Educational Tool Students are permitted to bring their cell phone to school. We embrace the potential that cell phones can be used as a technological learning tool in the classroom . We encourage teachers to implement the use of cell phones when appropriate into their lessons. Students will be trained at the beginning of the year as to what proper cell phone etiquette is within the confines of the school. Students may use their cell phones for personal use during transition periods or at lunch. Students are expected to turn their cell phones off when entering a classroom. Any student who abuses this privilege will be required to attend a cell phone etiquette refresher course. Cell phones will not be confiscated for any reason as we believe that confiscation creates a distraction for the student which interferes with learning.

The Five Powers of Buddhism

The Five Powers of Buddhism The spiritual path can seem a frustrating slog much of the time. The Buddha knew this, and he taught that there are five spiritual qualities that, when developed together, become the panca bala in Sanskrit and Pali, five powers that overcome hindrances. The five are faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. Faith The word faith is a red flag for many of us. The word often is used to mean blind acceptance of doctrines without evidence. And the Buddha clearly taught us to not accept any doctrine or teaching blindly, as found in the Kalama Sutta. But in Buddhism, faith shraddha (Sanskrit) or saddha (Pali) means something closer to trust or confidence. This includes trust and confidence in yourself, knowing that you can overcome obstacles through the power of practice. This trust does not mean accepting Buddhist doctrines as true. Rather, it means that you trust the practice to develop your own insight into what the doctrines teach. In the Saddha Sutta of the Pali Canon, the Buddha compared trust in the dharma to the way birds trust a tree in which they build their nests. Often we experience to practice as a balancing act between faith and bewilderment. This is good; be willing to look deeply at what bewilders you. Looking deeply does not mean concocting an intellectual explanation to cover your ignorance. It means practicing wholeheartedly with your uncertainties and being open to insight when it comes. Energy The Sanskrit word for energy is virya. Virya evolved from an ancient Indo-Iranian word that meant hero, and in the Buddhas day virya had come to refer to the strength of a great warrior to overcome his enemies. This strength can be mental as well as physical. If you are struggling with inertia, torpor, laziness, or whatever you want to call it, how do you develop virya? Id say a first step is to take inventory of your daily life to see whats draining you and address that. It could be a job, a relationship, an unbalanced diet. Please be clear, however, that addressing your energy drains does not necessarily mean walking away from them. The late Robert Aitken Roshi said, The first lesson is that distraction or obstruction are just negative terms for your context. Circumstances are like your arms and legs. They appear in your life to serve your practice. As you become more and more settled in your purpose, your circumstances begin to synchronize with your concerns. Chance words by friends, books, and poems, even the wind in the trees brings precious insight. [From the book, The Practice of Perfection] Read More: Virya Paramita: The Perfection of Energy Mindfulness Mindfulness sati (Pali) or smriti (Sanskrit) is a whole-body-and-mind awareness of the present moment. To be mindful is to be fully present, not lost in daydreams or worry. Why is this important? Mindfulness helps us break the habits of mind that separate us from everything else. Through mindfulness, we stop filtering our experiences through judgments and biases. We learn to see things directly, as they are. Right, Mindfulness is part of the Eightfold Path. Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said, When Right Mindfulness is present, the Four Noble Truths and the other seven elements of the Eightfold Path are also present. (The Heart of the Buddhas Teaching, p. 59) Concentration Concentration in Buddhism means to become so absorbed that all distinctions between self and others are forgotten. The deepest absorption is samadhi, which means to bring together. Samadhi prepares the mind for enlightenment. Samadhi is associated with meditation, and also with the dhyanas, or four stages of absorption. Wisdom In Buddhism, wisdom (Sanskrit prajna; Pali panna) does not exactly fit the dictionary definition. What do we mean by wisdom? The Buddha said, Wisdom penetrates into dharmas as they are in themselves. It disperses the darkness of delusion, which covers up the own-being of dharmas. Dharma, in this case, refers to the truth of what is; the true nature of everything. The Buddha taught that this kind of wisdom comes only from direct, and intimately experienced, insight. It does not come from crafting intellectual explanations. Developing the Powers The Buddha compared these powers to a team of five horses. Mindfulness is the lead horse. After that, faith is paired with wisdom and energy is paired with concentration. Working together, these powers dispel illusion and open doors of insight.

Driven to Explore (Portfolio#3) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Driven to Explore (Portfolio#3) - Essay Example Many of these artists fought failure but through persistence and different faith bases, they become popular and often, well known even. These artists used their spirituality in their works as their beliefs became intertwined with how they were able to express it. Spirituality can influence creativity. Some of these artists simply believe in a higher power, not necessarily assuming a specific religion. Many of them believe that a God of some sort gave them the power to create and it is their purpose, taking them on a journey of the unknown. People are driven to explore beyond what they know in their cultures and their own personal experiences influence their abilities to create. Oftentimes, artists are so deep and analytical, they need to seek a purpose in life. For them, they often seek an understanding and are embarking on an emotional desire for their reason. It is through embarking on their journey through spirituality that they find the calling in their lives which then comes out in the form of creation and artistic

Ethical and Legal Issues in the Couseling Profession Research Paper

Ethical and Legal Issues in the Couseling Profession - Research Paper Example All in all, these dilemmas and decisions have made me more prudent and more discerning in my approaches to patient care. This essay will now serve as my reflective ethical autobiography with various sources and theories used to help support and evaluate the choices I have made during my immersion. Discussion One of the main teachings which were drilled to us by our professors was the fact that there were various ethical principles which we had to follow and consider with each patient that we cared for. These main ethical principles include: beneficence, patient autonomy or self-determination, non-maleficence, and justice. These principles helped me develop my sense of right or wrong. Whenever I doubted my actions or did not know whether my actions were right or wrong, I always considered these four ethical principles as a guide or as a foundation for my decisions. Beauchamp and Childress identified these ethical principles which should govern the ethical practice of our profession. T hey discuss that the principle of autonomy is basically about the personal rule of oneself which is apart or free from the influences of others and from the limitations which negate meaningful choice (Beauchamp and Childress, 1994). This autonomous decision making process allows the individual to act in accordance with his plans and his choices. Without such autonomy, an individual is dictated by others and is incapable of acting on his desires or plans (Beauchamp and Childress, 1994). In other words, patient autonomy is about allowing the patient to make his own decisions about his care – without forcing him or influencing him to decide in a particular way. In my practice, I often had to explain to patients the different types of care or interventions which can be implemented in their favor. There were times when I was tempted to influence their choices and to sway them towards making decisions which, I felt, were more favorable to the patients and to me. But noting that I m ight be unjustly and unfairly influencing them to make decisions on their care, I ended up being more restrained and being more balanced in explaining possible choices in their care. By allowing them to make their own choices, I was able to afford more respect to my patients as individuals. Patient autonomy is also about respecting the patient’s decision even if such decision is not the best decision for him. One time, I encountered a patient who refused further care and counseling. I knew that he needed to be in therapy and he needed to undergo intensive rehabilitation. However he wanted to undergo a less structured rehabilitation process and he wanted to do it outside the mental health institution. Even if I knew that his choices may not be effective in rehabilitating him, ethics dictated that I had to respect his choice. And so we released him and allowed him to make his own choices of care. The principle of beneficence is based on doing acts of kindness for others (Beauch amp and Childress, 1994). In essence, this principle â€Å"asserts an obligation to help others further their important and legitimate interests† (Beauchamp and Childress, 1994, p. 260). In applying this principle to my counseling practice, I often encountered situations where I knew that my patients needed more intensive counseling. One time, I encountered a high school student whom I assessed to be depressed. She had significant self-image

Peace Essay Example for Free

Peace Essay Christianity and Islam have similar teachings on peace and it is evident that there is a strong relationship between these fundamental teachings and the ways in which the religious traditions and their organizations actively strive towards world peace. World peace is understood in both faiths, not just as an absence of violence and conflict, but also as an overall sense of wellbeing and social cohesion. Inner peace is essential in achieving world peace, and must be attained in order to work towards peace at a higher level. Christianity teaches that peace is Christ’s parting gift and a concept that begins with Him, â€Å"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you† (John 14:27). The Catholic peace movement â€Å"Pax Christi† stands for the ‘peace of Christ’ and has launched a policy for a culture of peace and non-violence. â€Å"Pax Christi† uses the teaching of the peace of Christ to guide them, calling adherents to state that they are recognizing their responsibility to â€Å"respect life†¦practice active non-violence [and] defend freedom† (Pax Christi International Manifesto for a Culture of Peace and Non Violence 1999) in order to contribute to the achievement of world peace. Islam teaches that peace can only be attained through the submission to Allah’s will. One is able to submit to Allah through the process of jihad, which is to struggle to overcome the obstacles in the way of submission, or the process of Shahada. The Sufism movement provides Muslims with a path to follow in order to contribute to the attainment of world peace through 3 stations. These mirror the teaching that peace can only be found in Allah, encouraging the submission as the initial step in moving towards world peace, â€Å"Submitting our†¦bodies to Allah is Sufism† (Sufism Equals to Islam). The teaching of submission and anticipation of pleasing Him, establishes a Muslims role in actively working towards achieving world peace. The Quakers are a Christian denomination that follows the principal teaching of pacifism, as modelled by Jesus’ ministry. Christ’s teaching of the Beatitudes is fundamental in guiding the Quakers, especially in â€Å"Blessed are the peacemakers† (Matthew 5:9). The Quakers work towards world peace through things such as rallies and marches for peace and justice, as well as campaigning and raising awareness about social justice and supporting those looking for an alternative to violence. The Quaker’s choice to refrain from war to contribute to world peace can be seen by their silent vigils against war, such as that in King George Square. In 1660, the Quakers presented â€Å"A Declaration from the Harmless and Innocent†¦Quakers†, which has been the basis for the Quaker’s peace testimony in which they strive towards attaining world peace. Rufus Jones, a Quaker, stated that Quakers have an â€Å"obligation to assist and to forward movements and forces which make for peace in the world† (The Quaker Peace Position). Peace is a fundamental aim of Islam and teaches that war is only permitted to overcome oppression and tyranny. The Qur’an teaches that â€Å"whosoever killed a soul†¦it is as if he had killed all mankinds† (Al-Madiah 5:32). However, this is overlooked due to common misconceptions about the Islamic faith, especially due to exploitation by the media. After the violent aftermath of the London bombings in 2005, the NSW Islamic Council stated on their website, â€Å"We firmly hold the view that these killings and atrocities have absolutely no sanction in Islam†¦terrorism†¦has no support from†¦the Islamic community†¦and would never be endorsed†. Partnerships exist between Muslim, Jewish and Christian organizations so that their voices aren’t overlooked, for example the 1991 ‘Prayer for Peace’ in which it was asked, â€Å"Forgive our violence towards each other†. Even though overlooked by the media, Muslims work tirelessly towards world peace. Christianity expresses that justice must come before peace is achieved. In 1972, in the World Day of Peace Message, the Catholic Pope Paul VI said, â€Å"If you want peace, act for Justice†. Accordingly, the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV), seek peace, justice and reconciliation. In a report titled, â€Å"Called Together to be Peacemakers†, Catholics and Mennonites hoped to work together to assist the WCC’s DOV, stating, â€Å"Our similar identities as ‘peace churches’†¦our commitment to be followers†¦of Jesus Christ†¦Prince of Peace. † They quote John Paul II in the World Day of Peace (2002), â€Å"no peace without justice†, adding, â€Å"in the absence of justice†¦peace is a mirage†¦justice is an inseparable companion of peace† (CTBP 177). It is evident, the relationship between the doctrine of justice before peace, and then the actions to chieve this to strive towards world peace. The Qur’an teaches that, â€Å"Allah guides those†¦to the ways of peace†¦and guides them to a straight path† (5:16), often termed ‘the paths of peace’. This teaching of being guided on a path of peace is demonstrated by the organization Muslim Peace Fellowship, declaring on their website that their main objectives are to â€Å"work together with all people of good will to keep open the straight path† and to â€Å"work against injustice and for peace†¦in our world† (Muslim Peace Fellowship Blog). This organization actively seek world peace through the use of conferences, publications, speeches and interreligious action, as well as interior work and prayer. Evidently, principal teachings in both Christianity and Islam help to guide and encourage both their roles in the attainment of world peace. The fundamental teachings act as guidelines to be interpreted by current followers in order to play a role in the triumph of world peace. There is a strong correlation between the theoretical principal teachings and he actions performed by leaders and adherents to gain peace at a world level.

Virginia Woolfs Style And Subject In A Room of Ones Own Essay

Times have changed since universities admitted only male students. Women have gained the right to educate themselves, and the division of the sexes in business has decreased dramatically. When Virginia Woolf wrote her essay A Room of One’s Own, however, there was a great lack of female presence in literature, in writing specifically. In the essay, Woolf critiques this fact by taking the reader on a journey through a day in the life at a fictional university to prove that although women are capable of critical thought and want to write great works of literature, they are unable to for lack of means. The way she comes to this conclusion through writing a work of fiction is not only interesting, but also very unusual. Using the generalizing term 'I', commenting on what she is doing, and shifting gears abruptly are some stylistic ways in which she makes her point that women need money and a room of their own in order to write fiction. Looking at chapters one and six of the e ssay, it is clear to see that the way she writes about women in fiction, while critiquing the lack thereof in confrontational and sarcastic manner, shows that although Woolf is ardent about getting her message across, she is aware that she may be brushed aside by her male oppressor. Throughout A Room of One’s Own, Woolf uses 'I' and different personas to eloquently relate a day in the life at her fictional university, Oxbridge. It is immediately clear that she is not referring to herself, Virginia Woolf, when she says 'I' because she conveniently adds a disclaimer as she begins her fiction, 'Here then was I (call me Mary Beton, Mary Seton, Mary Charmichael or by any name you please' it is not a matter of any importance) sitting on the banks of a river a we... ...ay form while speaking to the fact that perhaps all fiction should be written this way. It is beneficial to write an essay in this style because it makes the reader look deeper for the meaning in it all. In chapter one especially, the reader is forced to wonder what significance each occurrence has and how each instance relates to women in fiction. It becomes clearer in chapter six, when the point is laid out plainly, but the stylistic choices are still bearing on the fact that you must read critically to understand the true meaning of the piece. This is true for most fiction, but for this essay specifically, the importance of the issue and the style of the writing go hand in hand to create for the reader a nugget of truth to stow away in his notebook forever. Works Cited Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1989.

Lord of the Flies †Character Analysis: Piggy Essay

Examine the significance of the character Piggy in the novel â€Å"Lord of The Flies† consider his purpose, key role and relationship with the other boys at important points in the novel. To mimic men’s actions and lost of civility in times of war and need, William Golding, narrates a story in which all characters are boys, with the intention of taking the reader through the journey made by those who descend to savagery when facing certain conditions. This essay is going to explore and explain the symbolism behind one of the novel’s main characters and how his presence influences other characters’ actions and the way things turn out. Piggy is a Short and heavyset boy who wears spectacles and is disadvantaged by asthma. At first he appears to be a desperate childish boy by panicking over the rest of the world’s lack of information regarding his and the boys’ whereabouts, – while the others see this as an opportunity to be free and independent – which makes him seem like a dependable, desperate young boy. However, as the story unfolds we come to understand that his worrying at the beginning is related to his analytical way of thinking. And even though the other boys put him down due to his physical appearance, we come to learn how necessary he is on the island as a source of intelligence and insight. Due to his unfortunate looks and his nickname, the boys on the island refuse on sympathizing with Piggy and collectively make fun of him, making him an outcast – â€Å"The boys were a circle of sympathy with Piggy outside†. Bullied and brutalized by Jack, he maturely shields away the mocking and focuses on increasing their chances of being rescued and meanwhile living in an organized environment. However, as soon as his intellectual side starts to show, and his critical thinking becomes a crucial part in assembling a new community, – â€Å"I expect we’ll want to know all their names,† said the fat boy, â€Å"and make a list. We ought to have a meeting. † – he slowly begins being accepted. His clever ideas introduce important concepts to the rest of the boys. For example, the use of the conch: the power to speak and be heard given to whoever held it in hands. The way he thinks endears him especially to Ralph who starts to admire him. â€Å"Piggy rubbed his glasses slowly and thought. When he understood how far Ralph had gone towards accepting him he flushed pinkly with pride. †- Thankful for being accepted, Piggy shows loyalty and respect for Ralph. At a certain point, Ralph questions his leadership skills and compares himself to Piggy who stands up for him – â€Å"You said Ralph was chief and you don’t give him time to think. Then when he says something you rush off†. He protects Ralph and reminds the others that they all collectively chose him to be their leader. Once again, Piggy shows he hasn’t lost his values and instincts. Although he might not entirely fit in with the others, he manages to get his point across with Ralph’s help. His ideas frequently lead to innovation and his way of thinking is what gets them by the first stages of civilized survival. He represents democracy by presenting his ideals to the others and hoping to come to a mutual agreement on the way of executing things; and clings onto civility throughout the whole novel, by pointing out whenever one of the other boys take a step away from civilization. Underestimated by many at the beginning, Piggy’s role in the story carries a very important meaning and stands for great attributes found in men. The sensible understanding of reality shown by the character stands for the rational scientific side of civilization. His maturity differentiates him from the others – â€Å"With the martyred expression of a parent who has to keep up with the senseless ebullience of the children† – and becomes essential in avoiding savagery and barbaric behavior from the boys. His character is related to a great part of the symbolism used by Golding and has a very important role in preventing the descent from civilization to savagery, however, he sadly he witnesses the turnover. Piggy’s glasses represent many different ideas. The initial importance of the specs is that they represent the ability to make fire, which they hoped would provide the rescue they needed. Piggy’s glasses also signify Piggy’s ability to see literally and figuratively. Without them, he is helpless and blind. He is unable to serve as well as Ralph’s right-hand man and voice of logic. When Piggy is â€Å"blinded† it symbolizes the blindness of the Jack’s tribe to the evil to which they are succumbing. Piggy’s murder completes the boys’ lost of sight (figuratively speaking) and forces them into total darkness, which leads to the hunting of Ralph. When his glasses are broken and he tragically dies, so does what is left of order and civilization in the island. Of all the forms of symbolism present in the book, Piggy’s character carries a relation to many of them. To being with, his nickname isn’t only related to his physical structure, but it also suggests vulnerability, like the pigs on the island that rapidly become Jack’s targets. Another important symbolic element related to Piggy is the conch he and Ralph found at the start of the novel. They used it to call the boys and assemble them. After the conch is crashed along with his body, the boys divide themselves representing the loss of the civilized instinct once present in each and every boy. Piggy is significant in the novel not only because he is one of the main characters, but also because his purpose is directly related to the main theme of the story: civilization vs. savagery. Although he wasn’t able to make the concept of civilization permanent, he spends the whole novel trying to get his values across, and reminding the others of who they were and how they were expected to behave. His intelligence gives him the voice of sanity and reason.

John Sloane’s Societal Criticism

Art often serves as a criticism of society of a specific time period. A prime example of this premise is John Sloan’s Sixth Avenue & 30th Street, New York City. This piece depicts the intersection of these two streets in early 20th century New York. In the foreground stands a drunken woman holding her pale of beer. To the right, two prostitutes stare at her and further to the right, a group of gentlemen stare at them. This kind of scene was common among the seedier streets of New York at the time though many did not understand how common it was.Sloan, as part of the Ashcan School made it his goal to realistically depict scenes of urban life. He did, however hold sympathy towards the poor who would have inhabited these kinds of streets. He sympathized with them and believed that their poor state was caused by a society that had abandoned them. This idea of his is clearly represented in Sixth Avenue & 30th Street. The group in the foreground of the painting, including the drunka rd and the prostitutes, would often be seen as negative by most members of society.Sloan, however, takes exception to this. He depicts them sympathetically, giving them a certain level of dignity that other painters wouldn’t have. He believed that these individuals had been abandoned and exploited by society, and forced to take up such low roles. As Sloan was a member of the Socialist party, this came as no surprise. The gentleman to the right of this group serve as Sloan’s societal criticism. These men represent the well-off of society.They stare at the unfortunate individuals in the foreground, feeling no sympathy but only amused at their state. This represented the overall attitude held by these kinds of people, which, Sloan felt, was a certain unwillingness to assist the worse-of members of society. On the surface, this piece depicts a standard realist scene of a New York. However, on a deeper level, the piece is a criticism of what he felt was an unfair, exploitat ive society, which has been a common theme in art throughout history and especially of the time.

Trustworthy vs. Trustable

Trustworthy vs. Trustable Trustworthy vs. Trustable Trustworthy vs. Trustable By Maeve Maddox Hearing the word trustable used twice on National Public Radio (NPR) in what seemed to be a serious context, I decided to explore the usage. Although the form trustable can be documented- the OED cites examples dated 1606, 1884, and 1900- it’s a rarity in modern usage. Both, trustable and untrustable make a slight showing on the Ngram Viewer beginning in 1824 and 1852, respectively, but compared to trustworthy and untrustworthy, they never rise from the very bottom of the graph. A Google search brings up about 627,000 results for trustable, compared to about 60,900,000 for trustworthy. A search for untrustable leads inexorably to this statement by Kevin McCarthy: What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because shes un-trustable. Like David A. Graham, I was ready to attribute the suddenly popular usage of untrustable to McCarthy: Color me unimpressed. The most surprising thing about this quotation is McCarthy’s coining of the word â€Å"untrustable.†- â€Å"Kevin McCarthy Steps Into a Faux Outrage,† The Atlantic, September 30, 2015. The credit/blame for introducing the form untrustable can be traced further back than McCarthy. The OED has a single citation, from 1863: â€Å"Dennis will look up at you with hisgood-natured, untrustable, Irish grey eye.†- Charles Kingsley. In 1997, the group Built to Spill released an album called Perfect from Now On. One of the songs is called â€Å"Untrustable/Part 2.† The forms trustable and untrustable are not barbaric in the way so many recent coinages are, but they’re not necessary. And to many speakers, they sound like errors for trustworthy and its negative form, untrustworthy. trustworthy adjective: Worthy of trust or confidence; reliable. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Types of Narrative Conflict7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewIs "Number" Singular or Plural?

Should I Focus on STEM-Specific Classes in High School?

The acronym STEM, referring to the academic and professional fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, has become a popular buzzword in the world of education. This is not without merit, as STEM-related careers are projected to experience rapid job growth over the next decade. Many STEM fields have strong, easily identifiable career prospects in prestigious and cutting-edge careers, such as biotech, tech startups, software development, and medicine. In fact, in 2016, nine out of 10 of the most desirable jobs ranked by CareerCast were STEM-related, ranging from audiologist to information security analyst. With all the hype, you might be wondering if you should focus your academic efforts towards a higher education path in the STEM fields. Should you load up on STEM area classes during high school, even if doing so may shortchange other areas like the humanities, arts, or social sciences? If you’re considering a focused pursuit of STEM classes and you’re curious as to what degree you should focus your work, this post is for you. Here, we outline the importance of a STEM education for intended STEM-majors and non-majors alike, its application in a competitive job market and beyond, and the bottom line for how to decide how much weight STEM classes will get in your high school class selections. There’s no question that it’s a good idea to get a strong STEM background while you’re still in high school, especially if you plan to pursue STEM-related classes in college. Many schools are now devoting resources to STEM-specific programs or even creating entirely new departments within the school. There’s no doubt that without a solid STEM foundation in high school, you’ll be at a disadvantage to pursue any of these fields seriously in college. So, what does this mean for your class selection in high school? Should you be dropping English classes to take more science classes? Which science classes should you choose? In STEM classes, as in other subject areas, you should generally be taking the most challenging classes available to you if you want to be a competitive candidate for top-tier colleges. The specific STEM classes you take will vary depending on class availability at your school, but generally you will need to enroll in whichever track is specified as the most challenging one. This usually means you’ll be taking AP Calculus , AP Chemistry , and AP Physics , along with perhaps some coding classes or robotics extracurriculars. In addition to qualifying you as a competitive candidate, these challenging classes will often prepare you for college-level work in the STEM fields. They may also possibly mean you won’t have to take big, basic lecture classes to get started if you can place out of introductory classes through placement tests or AP scores. The bottom line is if you know you want to pursue a STEM field, getting serious about it in high school is a good idea. That said, you should not do so at the expense of fulfilling your graduation requirements in other subject areas, such as English, and you shouldn’t drop core classes to facilitate your STEM path. While your early preparation and focus can set you apart as a college applicant and make your academic pursuits in college one step easier, don’t take your specialization so far that other subject areas suffer. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. STEM classes are important even if you don’t intend to pursue a related major in college. Programming, familiarity with technology, basic engineering skills, or basic knowledge of fields like chemistry and biology could come in handy in many different fields and jobs. These skills can set you apart in a competitive job market, even if the job isn’t directly related to STEM work. As more and more industries and businesses become dependent on technology, STEM skills are relevant in many different, unrelated fields. You become a more desirable job candidate if you know the field and also have skills in programming, web development, or other relevant technologies. STEM-skills can even make you more self-sufficient outside of the workplace. Computer knowledge can help you to fix technical issues yourself, while basic chemistry can make you a better gardener, and engineering knowhow can help you with home or car repairs. Even if you really dislike math or science or feel like they are subjects that just don’t come naturally to you, you should still work to develop basic proficiency in these areas. Although you may not plan a career focused on a STEM field, you should plan on a life that requires a basic knowledge of STEM skills. As with anything else, there can be too much of a good thing. If you’re interested in STEM fields, you should definitely pursue them and even prioritize them over your other classes, but you should not write off your other classes entirely. For one thing, most high schools have core classes that are required for graduation. Without a set number of classes in English, history, and other subject areas, you might not be allowed to graduate. Be sure to check the requirements at your school so that you know what’s expected in advance. Beyond that, many colleges also require or at least strongly recommend that you take a certain number of classes in various non-STEM areas in order to enter or even be a strong applicant. This ensures that you are a well-rounded candidate with skills that extend beyond the STEM field. Even if it’s not explicitly clear to you from application instructions, taking the most challenging classes available to you in multiple areas (not just STEM) matters to colleges. Ultimately, STEM professionals need to be able to communicate effectively through a variety of mediums and taking a broad base of classes ensures that you’re prepared to do this. Finally, the important standardized tests (SATs or ACTs) required for many college applications are cross-curricular in nature. Even if you score perfectly on the math or science portions of the test, your overall score will suffer significantly if you can’t also perform well on the humanities sections. Often, your overall score is used as an initial screening tool for college admissions, so if it doesn’t meet a certain threshold, the admissions committee may never even see your perfect score on the math section. This is a difficult question because the answer will vary depending on your personal strengths, goals, and other priorities. Ultimately, everyone should give STEM-classes some serious consideration and time because in an increasingly tech-based world, this skill set will always be of some value. Obviously, if you plan to pursue STEM in college, you should take advantage of your high school’s STEM class offerings. Take as many as you can without comprising your work in other fields. Also, join STEM-related clubs or other activities. You can be STEM-focused without having to jeopardize your studies in other subject areas. If you don’t want to pursue STEM in college or you’re simply not yet sure, you should consider STEM as one of many options. There are many valuable, interesting, and necessary fields of study available, especially while you’re still in high school. Take advantage of the opportunities that high school gives you to learn broadly, explore different fields, and become as well-rounded as you are specialized in your studies. Lay the foundation for a basic STEM background in case you change your mind later or need those skills in life or work, but don’t focus solely on STEM if your interests and talents lie elsewhere. To learn more about pursuing STEM-fields, both in high school and in college, consider the benefits of the Near Peer Mentorship Program , which provides access to practical advice on topics from college admissions to career aspirations, all from successful college students.