Strategics

What are the benefits of strategic  planning? Understanding the Benefits of Strategic Planning For Entrepreneurs Your venture’s goals and strategy define the purpose and competitive advantage that will set it apart from others. Your goals help define your intent, and strategy is the plan of action that describes activities for dealing with the environment and for reaching your venture’s intended goals. When combined, goals and strategies define the scope of operations and the relationship with employees, customers, competitors, and other stakeholders.The term â€Å"strategy† is widely used in the business world today. It is one of those words that people define in one way and often use in another, without realizing the difference. It is derived from the ancient Greek word meaning â€Å"the art and science of the general deploying forces for battle. † Your strategy is a plan for interacting with the competitive environment to achieve your intended goals. Some think of goals and strategies as interchangeable. For purposes of our research, goals define where your venture wants to go, and strategy defines how your venture will get there.This formal process of setting goals and creating a strategy adds legitimacy, provides employee direction and motivation, helps form decision-making guidelines, and provides criteria for your performance. In essence, the process of strategy formulation sets the general directions in which your venture’s position will grow and develop—your goals and objectives represent the ends that you are seeking to attain. Whereas the strategy is the means to these ends, strategic management is positioning and relating your venture to its environment in a way that will ensure its continued success and make it secure from surprises from competitors.This is competitive strategy, the search for a favorable competitive position in an industry, aiming to establish a profitable and sustainable position agains t the forces that determine industry competition. Benefits of Strategic Planning for Entrepreneurs Strategic planning is a logical, analytical process for choosing your venture’s future positions vis a vis the environment. The most common defect of entrepreneurs is myopia, a lack of long-range perspective in thinking or planning. In the sports world they say, â€Å"Luck is where preparation meets pportunity. † Lance Armstrong, a bicyclist with five consecutive Tour de France wins to his name, prepares by â€Å"thinking the race through† before he ever starts down the road. In the business world this preparation comes from strategic planning. As Michael Porter writes, â€Å"The essence of formulating competitive strategy is relating a company to its environment; the best strategy for a given firm is ultimately a unique construction reflecting its particular circumstances. † So look at new business venturing as a chess game.To be successful you must be able to anticipate several moves ahead in advance. Thinking about your strategy is like thinking about the scenarios of plans, for example, what to do if/when competitors come into your space. Strategic planning is the process of thinking about and creating these scenarios, and the business plan is the document that communicates the fact that you have figured it out. According to Henry Mintzberg, the key to successful strategic decision making is not just looking out into the future, but having a capacity and willingness to learn from experience.A new venture has to start somewhere, with a collective understanding of what it is supposed to be doing and where it should be going, and strategic planning aids in this learning. But entrepreneurs cannot wait until the competition is engaged before planning. The inevitable confusion that accompanies any battle and that renders the clearest plans difficult to execute is called the â€Å"fog of war,† a term first coined by the nineteenth- century Prussian general Karl von Clausewitz (1780–1831).Crafting Your Business Strategy Strategic planning is the process through which you profitably match your internal resources with shifting market demands and based on an opportunity. In a must-read article for all entrepreneurs learning about strategic planning, â€Å"Crafting Strategy† in Harvard Business Review, Mintzberg states that a business strategy should be crafted because â€Å"craft evokes traditional skill, dedication, perfection through the mastery of detail. His point is that â€Å"strategies can form as well as be formulated. † There are two key components that need to be crafted together to logically spell out, as Drucker calls it, the business purpose. The first is a coherent encapsulation of your products and services, the markets and types of customers you serve, and the benefits they derive. The second component should identify the â€Å"key activities and how they will be carried out to realize the logic for competing. It is this the tight integration of the reasons for competing and for organizing lays the foundation for your venture’s competitive advantage that becomes the basis of its superiority over rivals in serving a particular market or market segments. Strategies are not set in stone. In fact, 84 percent of the CEOs leading fast-growth ventures said their business had changed target markets, even from the time when they launched. Although the business may change, the questions that drive strategic planning remain fixed. Start thinking about the following key questions: – Where are we now? – Where

Correlation of Nation and Identity with Forensic Science

The current popularity of detective, crime and mystery television shows in the United States is incontrovertible. In the last few years, crime shows like Law and Order, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Without a Trace, Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order: Criminal Intent and Cold Case from producers Dick Wolf and Jerry Bruckheimer have consistently been ranked among the top television shows in the United States. Along with this, it is important to note that most of the aforementioned shows are already in syndication.Consider for example the manner in which such shows feature the same themes depicted in various variations as is evident in other television shows such as Criminal Minds, Bones, House, and Medium. While some of the deluge of detective and crime shows may be attributed to the cable channels’ need to fill voluminous airtime, it certainly seems that the production of so many new and spin-off dramas indicates a current preoccupation with the mec hanics of crime and punishment. In lieu of this, this paper opts to discuss the manner in which crime shows depict the correlation of nationhood and identity with forensic science in the United States.I will argue that the aforementioned shows [mystery television shows] portray the connection between policing and the security of the nation. The bases for such an argument are as follows. First, mystery crime television shows counter the anxiety that individuals can defy the normative categories of justice as well as escape justice and thereby harm the fabric of society through the demonstration of ways that traces can implicate and thereby indict an individual allowing the assumed necessary entailment of punishment from the commitment of crime.Second, the depiction of the assumed causal correlation of crime and punishment in such mystery crime television shows enables the creation of a clear moral world wherein morality can be effectively deployed through police procedural formula. T hird, the portrayal of such [effectiveness of police procedural formula in the determination of the identity of the criminal] enables the affirmation of the stability of national identity. Such an affirmation is enabled through the formation of a correlation between police procedural measures [defense methods] as expressions of a policing of society and hence a securing of identities.It is important to note that the aforementioned assumptions are based upon the implicit assumption that the depiction of policing methods through the aforementioned shows categorized within the mystery crime genre enables the detached acquisition of policing functions upon the spectator [in this sense the American audience]. If such is the case, such shows thereby enable the formation of an assurance of the implementation of normative accounts of justice through the depiction of the successful methods in which policing procedures enable the aforementioned correlation of crime and punishment.It is import ant to note, however, that such an assurance is enabled without the direct participation of the spectator thereby enabling the spectator to be placed within a position wherein he is not placed in direct danger. The consequence of such, however, lies in the spectator’s ready acquisition of the depicted national identity within the aforementioned shows. It is important to note that in order for such shows to succeed it must build upon a conception of a community defined by function. Such a definition assumes that a community â€Å"is made to come into existence around certain acts, certain types of individuals, certain crimes†.The depiction of such however, must â€Å"claim to account for the public interest of the community†. Within such shows, the interest lies in depicting the manner in which moral and practical responsibility can be attained without the direct involvement of the individual. It is interesting to note that this is in direct contradiction to the trend in the past crime shows [Crimebeat and Crimesquad] wherein the individual is presented with an opportunity to have direct involvement in the surveillance of the implementation of justice within their community.This, however, can best be understood within the context of the post-September 11 incident within the United States. In the post-September 11 United States, interest in these crime shows links the effective policing of individual crimes with larger concerns about national security. Wolf’s Law and Order franchise and Bruckheimer’s CSI franchise have built their popularity by producing shows that closely resemble the first show in the series, using distinctive characters and different methods or locales to give each of the shows an individual identity.Like popular detective fiction, these shows replay and revise plots about violence and sexuality in a familiar trajectory that generally offers a reassuring final return to order. In his study of the aesthetics and appeal of formulaic narrative, Adventure, Mystery, and Romance: Formula Stories as Art and Popular Culture, John G. Cawelti defines the genre [mystery genre] as characterized with â€Å"the investigation and discovery of hidden secrets†¦the discovery usually leading to some benefit for the character(s) with whom the reader identifies†.In addition to this Cawelti further notes that within the aforementioned genre [mystery genre] there is â€Å"always a desirable and rational solution†¦this is the moral fantasy expressed in this formulaic archetype†. CSI and Law and Order are less related to the crime or thriller genres than they are to the classic police procedurals that follow the mystery formula, using clues to expose secrets and solve the crime with a ‘rational solution’.This process of investigation and exposure generally results in a conservative conclusion that reaffirms the efficacy of the detective procedure and the stability of societ y. Even in those rare cases where the police fail to apprehend the criminal or the courts fail to convict, the shows affirm that law enforcement knows the true perpetrator and they still reinforce the general efficacy of the larger system. Doubtless, the popularity of Law and Order and its spin-offs, as well as the variety of true crime forensic science shows, has influenced the production of CSI.More so than Law and Order, the CSI’s foreground forensic science and link it to detection. CSI features a familial network of colleagues occasionally studded with sexual tension and headed by a tough-yet-sensitive older male character who often functions in a paternal role. The vaguely familial structure allows a soap-opera type of social dynamic to unfold alongside the dominant detective narratives, a formula that shows more investment in character than the original Law and Order storylines, but still places detective method above characterization.In order to make the show compelli ng and fit into the detective genre, the typically specialized and limited role of the forensic scientist in collecting or testing certain kinds of evidence is expanded to the point that the accompanying police detectives need only to make the arrests [much of the questioning, deduction, confrontation falls to the forensic scientist].In this, the CSI team resembles Sherlock Holmes, who did his own forensic evidence analysis as a natural extension of his role as detective, famously trying to precipitate a reagent for hemoglobin, taking specimens of ash, or watching for family resemblances in an earlobe in order to crack a case. The CSI shows taken together seem to be mapping the United States by profiling a series of cities seen as distinctive urban centers: Las Vegas, Miami, New York. These cities are tourist destinations, known for wealth and metropolitan attractions including luxurious and fashionable clubs, nightlife, gambling and sex markets.In addition to the decadence associat ed with such centers, each is a cultural crossroads, and the shows feature characters that represent the racial and ethnic diversity of these cities. Interestingly, the body count in the CSI shows, however, is mostly white and middle class, establishing a familiar norm for the middle-American victims of crime that might reflect the popular viewing audience that seeks out the show. In her examination of the visual rhetoric of CSI, Gever notes that CSI differs from earlier police shows in that it depicts the mobilization of a historically and culturally specific kind of subject.Only CSI: New York explicitly invokes the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center [wherein the lead detective’s wife was depicted as one of those who died in the attack], but all three shows work in the context of the immediate political threat represented by individual crimes as assaults on the body politic. In other words, the shows depicted the social consequences of individual crime. In the fac e of the threat represented by crime, even a diverse society can be united in outrage against criminals.The CSI shows often depict excessively violent crime as the failure of the individual to moderate his or herself, a lack of self-policing and of effectively internalizing American values; even in a hedonistic city, it is possible to overstep the bounds of civilization. This reassuring emphasis on morality is cast in terms of combat. The investigators represent the effective deployment of the ideology of law and order, as the shows dramatize the war on crime as a noble battle with many casualties.Forensic science, on the other hand shows the notion that human beings leave traces of themselves wherever they go, inviting us to believe that the criminals will inevitably be caught by the idealized scientists who wield innovative procedures. This ideology, that science will inevitably catch our criminals and return society to a state of precarious security, if not innocence, certainly s eems to recall a religious faith that crime will not go unpunished, that good will prevail over evil. In a sense, these shows portray the manner in which lawlessness is effectively managed.Science, on the other hand is depicted as establishing the truth of identity through the body and its traces, replacing the fearsome image of the violated corpse with the firm reestablishment of the rule of science and law. As was stated in the beginning of the paper, these shows [specifically CSI shows] thereby depict the manner in which nationhood is consolidated through the use of law and science in the establishment of truth. The importance of the use of both disciplines [law and science] in ensuring the restoration of security within a nation is evident if one considers the universal foundations of both disciplines: justice and truth.Given these aforementioned foundations, it is thereby possible to portray a nation whose stability [and hence national identity] is ensured due to the universali ty of its main foundations that being justice and truth. Bibliography Cawelti, J, Adventure, Mystery, and Romance: Formula Stories as Art and Popular Culture, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1976. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2004) ‘Ch-Ch-Changes’, CBS Network, 18 November.CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005) ‘Who Shot Sherlock? ’ CBS Network, 5 January. Doyle, A, â€Å"The Cardboard Box†, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 2, Barnes and Noble, New York, 2003. Gever, M, â€Å"The Spectacle of Crime, Digitized: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Social Anatomy†, European Journal of Cultural Studies 8. 4, 2005, p. 445-63 Harrington, W, â€Å"Nation, Identity, and the Fascination of Forensic Science in Sherlock Holmes and CSI†, International Journal of Cultural Studies 10. 3, 2007, p. 365-82. Palmer, G, Disorder and Liberty, Manchester University Press, Manchester, 2003. Weldes, J, Cultures of Insecurity: States, Communities , and the Production of Danger, University of Minnesota Press, Minnesota, 1999.

The Great War, a Catalyst for Changing Class Structure in Britain, Research Paper

The Great War, a Catalyst for Changing Class Structure in Britain, 1914-1919 - Research Paper Example More so, finally, arms race is also another triggering factor of the Great War because Britain and Germany had the best navies during that period and so naval rivalry between the two countries played a significant role in the emergence of World War 1. In 1914, Britain reigned over a quarter of the world’s population, it was a very powerful country, stratified in a class system, and that individuals were determined by their class ranks. About fourteen million civilians participated in the war and so they played a leading role in changing the class structure of Britain of 1914.2 The First World War changed the social class structure in Britain in many ways, first, it reduced the number of servants employed, increased the number of salaried workers, and increased ownership of the country’s wealth.3 This paper explores how the Great War changed the class structure in Britain covering its effects on the upper, middle and lower classes as well as the role of women in the how and how this change their status in the society. Class is a social category where individuals are grouped together based on their status in the society. It refers to an individual’s position in the social hierarchy based on their accessibility to wealth and power and this implies that those who are wealthy and powerful are ranked high as compared to those who are poor and less powerful. Notably, the nature of the class system is usually known by the distribution of wealth in the country.4 The British life was strictly stratified into a class system; however, during the war the traditional class differences were softened.5 The aristocracy was the wealthiest and most powerful people in Britain during the war, and they had influence because of their wealth and power. The middle or working class who worked hard to earn a living doing jobs like farmers and traders followed them. The British middle class valued education and generally, they work as managers, civil servants, or

How poverty may affect the psychological and social health of the Essay

How poverty may affect the psychological and social health of the individual - Essay Example The statistics of World Bank show that the numbers of the people living below the poverty line is increasing all over the world and 1.4 billion people are living with $1.25 or even lesser income per day and approximately three billion people use to get less than $2.5 per day. (World Bank Poverty Overview) Poverty is not only the problem of poor countries but the developed and rich countries like UK and US are also facing this serious threat. Poverty strongly affects the physical, psychological and social health of the individuals and it is revealed from numerous studies that a strong link exists between poverty, mental illness and social discriminations. The following discussion aims to identify some of the important effects of poverty upon the psychological and social health of the individuals. In this regard, the essay discussed some of the major governing factors that led people towards the state of poverty and also highlight the major social and psychological impacts that poverty draws upon the health of the individuals (Hine and Montiel, p943). Poverty causes abundance of problems and the poor people often face the dilemma of hunger, undernourishment and diseases that make their lives so miserable that they become unable to participate in several social activities. There are many governing factors that can be sought as the reason behind poverty like bad governance, social inequality, natural disasters, political takeover, lack of accountability, exploitation of one group of people by the others and high level of unfairness prevailing within the social systems. All these factors affect the social solidity and escort to dilemmas such as mounting felony and aggression. It is a widely accepted fact that the people facing poverty enjoy little respect in society and they have less admittance to healthcare, education and other social services (Singh and Vasundeva, p51). The failure of

In class essay2 (1) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In class essay2 (1) - Essay Example Therefore, if the bone of contention is cost of installation, then concern should be addressed through government subsidy whereby the government should be made to understand that in the event that it subsidize cables, then it is easy for power companies to consider laying power cables underground. This will limit exposure to adverse weather elements that cause interruptions. This way, the government will be helping in making sure that its citizens have access to uninterrupted power supply and probably say bye to blackouts associated with adverse weather conditions (Fecht 1). Assuming that the government does consider subsidy, or even if it does not consider subsidy, whose responsibility should it be to see that the underground cables are laid? In other words should the government, or residents pay for the cost of installing underground power line? As much as this question may be subjected to various opinions, it appears to me that all of them are stakeholders. The government, residents, and the power company should all contribute towards the cost of installing the underground power line. The government has a responsibility to its citizens. As such, should provide part of the funds for installation. The moment there is power blackout, a lot of government job goes undone, inevitably drawing the government in as a stakeholder in the whole scenario. Coupled with its responsibility to ensure that citizens receive all the essential services, the government should not play the second fiddle in the matter. Secondly, the power company should also contribute to t he cost of installation since eventually, all the installations remain their assets from which they earn profits. Lastly, the residents should also contribute something little so that they can have a voice in the whole process to facilitate speedy resolution and installation. However, the

Research philosophies and approaches Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Research philosophies and approaches - Essay Example Aesthetics pertain to what man considers beautiful or appealing. As art, architecture is also a form of expression executed in a manner considered appealing or beautiful. In constructing a structure, however, man uses inputs as well as produces waste. The use of inputs and wastes both affect man’s existence and in sustaining his way of life. Thus, the professional architect has to be responsible not only for his final product but also with the way he or she is able to produce his own product. It follows that the relevant philosophies that a professional architect should study must cover the following: man’s philosophies for existence and living that are basic for architectural designs the philosophies related to aesthetics and art as the bases for architectural designs that can be considered as aesthetically beautiful or artistic the relevant philosophies or ethics that the professional architect can adopt, and the philosophies relevant for professional architectural pr actice. Hence, the foregoing are some of the general areas in philosophy research that are most relevant for a professional architect or someone who seeks to become a professional architect. In developing research methods for any research, some of the more relevant philosophical perspectives are logical positivism, verstehen, and hermeutics. II. Man’s Philosophy for Living Man’s philosophy for living is varied. For example, a man’s philosophy for living may be simply to enjoy life and get the best pleasures from life. The situation of his or her fellow human being does not disturb him because the world is a jungle where the fittest rule and survives. He or she does not care for his or her fellow human being because he or she does not feel any sense of responsibility for another person. The need for architectural designs from this type of a person is simple: what appeals to him or her without regard to the possible effects of a design may have on resource use and wastes. On other hand, another philosophy of living can be altruistic or oriented to be of service to others. This can be reflected in how basic architectural decisions are made. For instance, an altruistic design may call for ensuring that architectural designs are useable by the disabled like the limping or lame, the blind, the aged, or those who are weak. The architectural designs of buildings, streets, and houses may be such that spaces are created for the disabled or for an aging and younger population. Another philosophy of living, however, may call for the use of more obviously expensive materials associated with wealth and power. This type of architectural clients may require, for example, floors or walls that are lined with gold or precious stones. They may require a Jacuzzi right in their rooms or a pool in many parts of their house with a specification that they are installed in an obvious way and that neighbors are made aware that they have these. The need for architect ural designs is not only for the sake of living and comfort but, more importantly, for conspicuous consumption. Conspicuous consumption may or may not be psychological but probably it is not only philosophical. As a philosophy for living, conspicuous consumption may result from a need to have a better standing in society. The standing can lead to better social influence, power, and esteem by the other members of society. Finally, another philosop

The relationship between changing of labor force(total labor number ) Research Paper - 1

The relationship between changing of labor force(total labor number ) and Unemployment rate - Research Paper Example A high population creates a ready labor market that leads to high unemployment rates since people compete for the scarce job opportunities that are available (STOICA, pp.29). Fang and Nie (2014) argue that changes in the American labor market were as a result of the Great Recession that was witnessed in 2007.They argue that the recession adversely affected the supply of the labor market a move that forced the unemployment rates to soar high. The two authors seem to differ with the premises of the researchers whose ideas have been presented among other things. They used the Mortensen-Pissarides model to explain the trend of the American labor market. Researchers agree that high unemployment rates are because of lack of proper transition during employment and retirement. However, they disagree on some factors that have been proposed to contribute to high unemployment rates in the US (Fang and Nie, p.1). Similarly, Hornstein (2013) attributes the 2007 Global Financial Crisis to the high unemployment rates in the United States of America. A majority of citizens were actively involved in the labor market something that had lead to a decline in the unemployment rates. However, due to the recession, most organizations were forced to cut their workforces to control their costs at a time when most of them were experiencing financial challenges. Recession in 2007 caused significant changes in the labor market. Most employees were laid off whereas others were forced to retire prematurely. In addition, employment opportunities were unavailable for fresh graduates. Consequently, the unemployment rates rose sharply during the period. In 2009 unemployment rate, had increased to 10% up from 4% in 2007.Interestingly, although economic recoveries have been made, the situation remains indifferent to the unemployment rate remaining at 7% despite the economic progress that has

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Final Exam - Essay Example For instance, the government of UAE has a tendency of overstaffing departments. In most of these cases, these individuals do not have the necessary educational backgrounds and experiences to fit, in these departments. The need to overstaff government departments and agencies arise from the unemployment rates (Jabbra & Jabbra 137). Additionally, this need arises from the country’s dependence on oil production and economy. Recent efforts focusing on branching out face stiff competition and resistance from the oil industry and government activities directed towards the oil industry. Few non-energy based businesses face challenges in thriving in this economy because they lack the work force that has been concentrated, in the energy industry. The complexity and rigidity of rules in UAE further provide challenges to the adoption of Western governmental cultures. These rules are developed with an aim of concentrating power and growing the size of the government. This has led to an in crease in unethical practices such as nepotism, corruption and misuse of public resources and office. The government or public sector creates immense job opportunities for the UAE residents. However, these jobs are usually open for UAE residents. For instance, Etisalat, which is a semi governmental corporation, is overstaffed with UAE residents (Jabbra & Jabbra 140). ... For instance, in 2010, the government was rocked with several corruption scandals that threatened its administrative processes. The size and extent of power, in UAE government, facilitate instances of corruption. In addition, corruption is a crucial issue in government owned corporations especially in the oil and telecommunication industries. Though corruption is not as rampant as in other states, it occurs through careless and unscrupulous businesses. It is essential to note that administrative processes in UAE occur in an environment that does not facilitate accountability (Jabbra & Jabbra 141). The administrative environment in UAE does not have proper checks, balances, and appropriate safeguards that can prevent these instances of corruption. As public servants carry out their official duties, they lack accountability for their behaviors and actions, which favors instances of corruption. Establishing accountability in administrative processes is a crucial tool and strategy in red ucing the unenthusiastic effects of corruption. In this case, all public servants will be accountable for their actions and decisions. This ensures that these public servants reach decisions that aim at improving their departments. Accountability is essential because workers become answerable for their decisions and actions (Jabbra & Jabbra 138). Additionally, it creates awareness that negative actions, behaviors and decisions lead to possible legal proceedings. Accountability will also help in addressing bureaucracy because it helps in the development of a functional administrative structure with spelt out duties and responsibilities for each administrative function. Question 3 In my opinion, public administration is both an art and science. Public

Military Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Military Leadership - Essay Example As the discussion stresses many of the experts are of the opinion that there should be a use of blended approach of leadership so that different tactics can be used in different kind of situations. In this way, there will be a variety of tools and tactics of leadership that can be used accordingly. In armed forces, the leaders have the opportunity to change the way of commanding people as per the circumstances so we can say that the blended leadership style will be a good or better option for the military leaders. The basic task of the leaders is to delegate the responsibility and the understanding of any activity to the most competent team members so that the whole team can work in an efficient way. Military leaders also delegate tasks to the sub ordinate experts and in most of the cases; the sub ordinates are more familiar with the task as compare to the leaders. Therefore, it will be good that military leaders may change their attitude as per the conditions. This paper highlights that the success of the platoon may also depend upon the type of military leadership over them. The pressure and the stressed situations are very common for the armed forces. It is necessary for them to perform well in those situations. It can be easy for the forces to perform well if they have a leadership, which is also motivated, and those inspiring for them who work in any type of situation. There for the military leaders should be value sharing and the reward giving for their sub ordinates in these kinds of stressed situations. The studies suggest that the performance of platoons is also affected if the military leadership is not that much effective over them. A military leader should be visionary and directive for his platoon of soldiers because it will help him to guide the sub ordinates.

Exam 1 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exam 1 - Coursework Example If the Japanese firm expects the U.S. dollar to ____ against the yen, it would likely wish to hedge. It could hedge by ____ dollars forward. 13. Saller Co. has a subsidiary in Mexico. The expected cash flows in pesos to be received in the future from this subsidiary have not changed since last month, but the valuation of Saller Co. has declined since last month. What couldve caused this decline in value? 14. Jensen Co. wants to establish a new subsidiary in Mexico that will sell computers to Mexican customers and remit earnings back to the U.S. parent. The value of this project will be favorably affected if the value of the peso ____ while it establishes the new subsidiary and ____ when the subsidiary starts operations. 15. J&L Co. is a U.S.-based MNC that frequently exports computers to Italy. J&L typically invoices these goods in euros and is concerned that the euro will depreciate in the near future. Which of the following is not an appropriate technique under these circumstances? 17. Assume that Live Co. has expected cash flows of $200,000 from domestic operations, SF200, 000 from Swiss operations, and 150,000 euros from Italian operations at the end of the year. The Swiss francs value and euros value are expected to be $.83 and $1.29 respectively, at the end this year. What are the expected dollar cash flows of Live

Costa Coffee Essay Example for Free

Costa Coffee Essay 1. Executive summary In this business report we are analysing the business environment in which our company – BESO and its main competitor – Costa Coffee operate. The main objective is to research, analyse and understand the competitor’s business strategy, to find out if there is a gap in their action plan and how we can take advantage of this. The report consists of SWOT analysis of BESO and PEST analysis of both companies. The target markets of both – BESO and Costa Coffee are similar. That makes the competition between them even bigger. The report also discusses the marketing approach and the various advertising campaigns conducted by Costa Coffee and the advertising techniques we decide to adopt in the long run. The distribution system of Costa Coffee is also considered and plans to expand to different locations. The pricing strategy of BESO is based closely to the strategy of Costa Coffee as we have adopted competitive pricing. In terms of ethical issues we examined the various types of corporate social responsibilities of Costa Coffee. 2. Introduction. The business report includes an analysis of Costa Coffee as a main competitor of BESO Coffee. The report examines the business environment where both companies operate in. It has been requested from the Marketing Director of BESO and also has to be focused only on the UK market. 3. BESO – Brief history BESO Coffee is a coffee chain settled in the UK in 2001. It has been established by an independent trader but later on when the business has grown, new stakeholders appeared. At first BESO’s target market was limited as well as the products it offered- only a few types of coffee and limited types of confectionary. However, only two years after launching BESO on the market it became popular through different groups of people, therefore the menu became much diversified and the target market as well. BESO has shown great performance during the years and has become one of the most recognized names on the current market. That is why Costa Coffee is determined as a main competitor of BESO. 4 5 The Marketing Profession 4. SWOT and PEST analysis 4. 1. SWOT analysis Strengths †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Efficient and trained staff Customer loyalty Brand recognition High quality coffee Friendly and relaxing atmosphere for our customers. Weaknesses †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Limited number of outlets Low levels of advertisement Interior design needs updating More range of the types of coffee available. Continual change in consumer taste Can be seen as an unhealthy product Opportunities †¢ Based in Central London which covers a large demographic of customers Olympics 2012 will bring in more sales Introduction of new products including healthy options. Retailing mugs and coffee equipment Threats †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Customers demanding fair-trade and organic coffee. Big chain coffee shops dominating the market. Economic issues and crisis Lack of ownership of primary resources e. g. Coffee farming. †¢ †¢ †¢ 4. 2. PEST analysis There are many different Political, Economic, Social and Technological issues that both our company and also Costa Coffee face within the coffee industry. Firstly, the first political issue to consider is that majority of coffee beans are brought and made in developing countries, so companies need to ensure that their coffee is made by fair-trade dealers and they need to consider the ethical conditions of the labor used. Another political issue includes all the taxes and tariffs incurred by any business operating within the UK, whether it be import tariffs or VAT on goods sold. The economic factors that our companies face are similar to the issues faced by many businesses within the whole goods and services market, this including the economic recession of 2008. Customers now have less disposable income to spend and as a result cut-down on the purchasing of non-vital goods. This is due to of unemployment rising and the levels of debt increasing. The social factors that need to be taken into consideration is that consumers are spending more money on coffee due to the demand for quality goods. This can be seen in the comparison of value of tea and coffee industry with coffee valuing at 738 million according to the Times (2008). As a result, companies need to ensure that buying coffee is not only a quick purchase, as they need to have value-added for customers including high quality coffee and a relaxing 5 6 The Marketing Profession atmosphere. Lastly, the technological issues that both our company and Costa face is the introduction of self-made home coffee by the use of coffee machines specifically tailored to make at home, for example, the Senseo coffee-machines. This can be seen as a threat to coffee shops as it is a cheaper alternative for customers in the long run. 5. Target market According to a Mintel report titled Coffee Shops published February 2012, Two thirds of consumers buy coffee out of home, rising to three in four among 16-24-year-olds as core users. Costa Coffee has the highest number of outlets within the UK totaled to 1,302 coffee shop chains as opposed to Starbucks who has 739 and Caffe Nero with 509 shops. It also claimed that Costa has different store designs to suit different purposes such as ‘Metro’ which is aimed at the younger/urban consumers and ‘Evolution’ which is designed for more mature customers in provincial locations. It states its customer segments are ‘Recharge, Relax, Refuel’. Therefore the target market for Costa Coffee ranges from a wide range of customers of different ages as it caters to many different needs. Students have been said to make up 30% of their target market, Professionals 45%, Families 10% and mature consumers 15% of the clientele. At BESO Coffee, our market we aim to target at is very wide as it ranges from teenagers to mature customers. We even target at families as we offer menus for younger children and parents. Our products are reasonably priced so it can be bought from people of many different income level groups, from working to upper class. 6. Marketing approaches Costa coffee have used many different marketing approaches and campaigns in order to succeed within the industry as it is important to continually update their marketing strategies. Costa has introduced campaigns such as How Do You Like Yours’, which allowed customers to customize their coffees by for example adding espresso or syrup. This helps them differentiate themselves from competitors as it gives consumers more power and control over their purchase. Another campaign introduced by Costa was the arrival of Costa light in 2011, which offered low-calorie and healthier options to customers. This was an important step for Costa as there has been an increase in healthy eating trends, which can be seen in the figure below. Figure: Consumer demand for display of calorie content on restaurant menus, June 2010-December 2011 6 7 The Marketing Profession. Other campaigns included the launch of Costa Coffee Gift Card in November 2011 which allowed customers to buy card with pre-paid amounts of up to ? 75 and a more recent campaign at the beginning of 2012 when Costa collaborated with the Spirit Pub Company which ensured that Costa coffee would be used in its restaurants chains including Chef Brewer and Flaming grill. Costa has used many forms of media to advertise their campaigns to the public. One method used to inform customers was through the use of television advertising in 2008 whereby Costa launched its first ad. The advert helped to illustrate the superiority of Costas products and according Reynolds (2010) its message was that the brand is on a mission to save the world from mediocre coffee and seven out of 10 coffee lovers prefer Costa. Other forms of media used by Costa include Billboards as it can be seen by many commuters within the UK by their use of big bold writing and minimal distraction of the main message. Their billboards are distinctive as they have a continual theme colour, text and logo, which are recognised by customers. Our approach to our marketing campaign is to use alternative uses of media to portray our message, including the use of the Internet, as it is a popular form of media used in today’s society. We aim to use Facebook and Twitter to advertise our campaign and the company as a whole as it covers a large demographic. 7. Distribution strategy Costa operates in the UK through its own coffee shops, franchises and wholesale outlets. On the18th of October 2011, Whitbread stated that the number of Costa UK stores had risen from 1,217 in March 2011 to 1,302 in September 2011, including 95 openings and ten store closures. In comparison, Costa International increased its stores from 654 to 701 during the same period, including 72 openings and 25 closures. Meanwhile Costa Express/Coffee Nation units increased from 877 in March 2011 to 934 in September 2011, taking account of 79 openings and 22 closures. These units are partnered with service station operators such as Moto, Esso and Welcome Break, retailers like Tesco and The Co-Operative and foodservice group Compass (Mintel 2012). In a market with low loyalty levels, advertising and promotion is important in keeping brands in the forefront of consumers’ minds. Costa Coffee looked to sustain an emotional response among consumers with the marketing supporting its launch of Costa Light variant in autumn 2011 through an advertising campaign that used slogans such as ‘All the love, none of the handles’ and ‘Extra feel good in every cup’ (Mintel 2012) Customers were also encouraged to see the lighter side of life with its Costa Light Comedy Challenge competition. Costa’s aim was to showcase up-and-coming comedians by asking them to submit a one-minute film via its website. A public vote then saw the top ten entries from five regions go through to a further round to be judged during one-off events across the UK, with the campaign finally culminating in two regional winners performing at The Comedy Store, London (Mintel 2012). Costa Coffee’s distribution system is broad with a balanced portfolio across high streets, retail parks, concessions, airports, rail and other travel hubs as well as an increasing number of stores in new locations such as universities and hospitals. Innovative distribution channels, such as Costa Express and Drive Thru are developed. They will extend the brand’s reach and increase accessibility for the customer (Whitbread, 2010). 7 8 The Marketing Profession Andy Harrison, chief executive of Whitbread said that popping out for a coffee has become a firm fixture of peoples lives. â€Å"Coffee culture has grown massively over the last five to 10 years – people have a real demand for quality coffee and a choice of different coffees, he said. When I was kid everyone wanted a Nescafe – that has definitely changed. (The Guardian 2011). 8. Pricing strategy. Costa Coffee is a well-known, high valued and trusted cafeteria all over the world. They offer wide range of high qualitative coffee drinks and food, excellent services and relaxing atmosphere. Costa relies on their superiorities and offer comparatively higher prices because they have realized that the luxury comes with the price. Costa Coffee offers two sizes of drinks medium and large and the price difference between them is not significant. In this way they encourage their customers to buy the bigger size, because the amount of the drink is bigger and is on almost the same price as the medium one. But even the medium size of cappuccino is served in a cup with the size of soup bowl, so Costa Coffee has a reason to charge a relatively higher price because of the value they give, even though in most cases customers do not need such a big amount of drink although they have to pay for it. In this way, Costa is able to sell cheaper coffee to regular customers, who are aware of the amount of the drink (with elastic demand) and sell more expensive coffee to infrequent visitors, therefore the cafeteria makes big profit from each cup of coffee. This is the corporate strategy and how Costa found a way to charge comparatively higher prices than most of their competitors. This strategy has some disadvantages and threats such as the present credit crunch, which might affect the sales and the budget of Costa Coffee as they target middle and upper middle class, therefore in the time of recession customers may prefer some of the cheaper competitors. 9. Pricing strategy that we will adopt competition based pricing strategy One of the biggest advantages of the Competition based pricing strategy is that in the same time you are focused on your business and objectives and on the competitions strategies. Once you understand what the competition is doing, you have the chance to do everything better and to gain a competitive advantage (Jobber 2008), therefore to increase the number of customers and to gain bigger market share. There are three types on competition based pricing methods: †¢ †¢ †¢ Price your product the same as the competitor Set your price to increase customer base Seek larger market share through price Compared to Costa Coffee we are fairly new to the market so it would be more appropriate for BESO to adopt the Competition based pricing as a strategy that will allow us to grow fast as competitive brand. In order to achieve biggest results we will match/mix the three competition-based pricing methods. BESO will offer similar products as/like the Costas products but on lower prices, therefore BESOs market department must always be aware of what the competition is offering in order to provide better value for money. In this way BESO will has the opportunity to outline its advantages as comparing similar products as those of the competition but on lower prices (even pence). Once customers understand our priorities they will use to come to BESO as a place, which offers better value for money, 8 9 The Marketing Profession. therefore we will increase our market share (Palmer and Hartley 2006). In terms of increasing customer base, the process is similar to market penetration, we have to select a price that will beat the competition and doing that we will motivate customer to notice our products and to make a purchase decision. Market penetration pricing works well in the introduction stage of the product life cycle and in a highly competitive market, as you increase the production some of your costs will decrease. During the next stages of the product life cycle the price can be increased (Jobber 2010). The easiest way to increase the market share of BESO is to select prices that will attract and hold as many customers as possible (depend on target). It is recommended to adopt the Market share pricing after the business achieved market penetration, because they are linked as the market share happens when large volume of products are sold. So it is better if things happen step by step. And finally the market share is calculated by dividing the amount of each company sells out of the total market and in this way the market leader is determined. 9. 1. Disadvantages of Competition based pricing †¢ †¢ †¢ There is a danger to ignore your own production cost if you focus too closely on the competitors prices. It takes more time to research and update competitors information. Competitors also can copy whatever price you select. 10. Customer service Loyalty is particularly low in the coffee shop market, making customer retention a key area of improvement going forward (Mintel 2012). At the start of 2012 Costa Coffee launched the ‘Just How Do You Like Yours? ’ campaign. It aims to highlight the customizable elements of its products, a key differentiator to its lower-priced non-specialist competitors such as EAT and Pret A Manger. A clear pricing strategy was also included in order to appeal to consumer’s sense of value for money. For example, customers can now add an extra shot of espresso or sugar-free syrup shots to their drinks for 35p per unit. Also, in 2011 Costa Coffee launched gift cards (Mintel 2012). Although consumers state that convenient location is more important to them than the brand of coffee chain, operators can still capture consumers’ attention through qualities other than price. For example, two in three users think that quality is the most important decision-making factor when choosing where to buy hot drinks, whilst nearly half disagree that they usually choose the cheapest venue. However, with so many brands trading off of a quality positioning, operators have to ensure that they are differentiating themselves on additional levels, hence the trend towards lifestyle branding in the wider eating out market (Mintel 2012). Costa Coffee’s reputation for excellence applies not only for the exceptional coffee but also the insistence on perfect service. â€Å"Recruiting and retaining highly motivated and talented people is essential and great emphasis is placed on improving the skills, expertise and 9 10 The Marketing Profession performance of our people through award winning, industry-leading training and developing programs† (Mintel 2012). 11. Costa Coffee’s attitude towards environmental issues Consumers are extremely careful about environmental issues, trying to buy environmentally friendly food and drinks. Most of the customers feel that it is their duty to save the environment in order to live healthier. That is why most companies are under a lot of pressure to change their attitude towards the environment most often related to greener, packaging solutions, recycling and many others. Costa Coffee is the first UK coffee chain buying beans from Rainforest Alliance Certifiedâ„ ¢ farms. From October last year, almost 100% of the coffee beans for Mocha Italia blend are from certified sustainable farms. Costa Coffee is also a member of UK Paper Cup Recycling Committee, their cups are made from sustainable sources and that’s saves about 1,100 trees a year. The ingredients from which the cups are made of are all from iconic recyclable material and are made using only certified sustainable pulp. Vegetable Costa Coffee is also concerned about its coffee-growers and in 2006 it registered a Costa Foundation, dealing with the improvement of the welfare of coffee-growing places like Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Uganda and Vietnam. Costa Coffee is also a partner with Cafechurch network, supporting local community. The organization deals with environmental issues, fair trade, divorce and stress problems and others. People are feeling well, being part of a great atmosphere, live music, good communication, and a lot of interviews, having the opportunity to understand more about the Costa Coffee Foundations. 12. The competitor’s CSR activity Costa Coffee is not achieving basic standard of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The coffee company does not give a specific data for the carbon footprint. Its environmental data is part of the environmental data of its parent company-Whitbread. 13. What is your attitude to CSR/environmental issues going to be? The aims that Costa Coffee manages to do are quite a lot. Some of the first ones are: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Developing Costa Coffees energy environmental strategy. Managing carbon reporting and ensuring compliance for CRC. Maintaining the ISO50001 system. Working with manufacturer’s waste contractors and NGO to improve takeaway cup recycling. 10 11 †¢ †¢ The Marketing Profession Developing Costa Good Together CR programme . By 2012/13 Costa Coffee aims to help 15, 000, providing them access to education. That target will help to bring together the communities, helping adults to find jobs and trades. The coffee chain aim is to raise ? 750,000 alone during 2012/13. Costa Coffee will try to dedicate Energy Environment Manager in Costa Coffee. That will be useful, trying to insure more control and to organize the best structured plan for the company. Costas cardboard cups are not recyclable, even though the cardboard can be recycled. The other ingredient in the cardboard cups, the ink and the glue, cannot be recycled. The target environmental plan of Costa Coffee is to use vegetable ink and degradable glue on its cups. Costa Coffee is raising money to build schools in regions where a lot of coffee farms take place. There are already 22 schools in developing countries. That makes a big difference for a lot of young people who have the opportunity to study. Costa Foundation is also taking care for the supplement of special healthy nutritious meals and laptops for the children. †¢ †¢ †¢ 14. Conclusion Based on the researches and analysis that have been done BESO has a great potential to use Costa’s disadvantages and to convert them into our opportunities for prosperity. Offering similar products as those of Costa Coffee but on lower prices and in the same time launching our own products (BESO’s cupcakes) is a good strategy to gain a competitive advantage. Slight changes in the interior design of our cafeteria would be refreshing and a good way to attract new customers. Furthermore increasing our advertising activities would be an opportunity to remind our customers and in the same time to inform our new potential customers about BESO’s fantastic services and great value for money. 15. References Baker S. (2003), New Consumer Marketing, West Sussex, John Wiley Sons Ltd Cooper D., Schindler P. (2011), Business Research Methods, New York, McGraw Hill Education Economics Help (2008), Costa Coffee UK and Sales Techniques. Available at: http://econ. economicshelp. org/2008/08/costa-coffee-uk-and-sales-techniques. html [Accessed: 20th March 2012]. Government of Alberta (2012), Methods to Price Your Products. Available at: http://www1. agric. gov. ab. ca/$department/deptdocs. nsf/all/agdex1133#competition [Accessed: 20th March 2012] Jobber D. (2010), Principles and Practice of Marketing, London, McGraw Hill Education 11 12 The Marketing Profession Kotler P. , Armstrong G. (2006), Principles of Marketing, The United States of America, Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data LinkedIn (2011), Costa Coffee Energy and Environment Manager at Whitbread. Available at: http://uk. linkedin. com/pub/ollie-rosevear/14/672/948 [Accessed: 20th March 2012] Mintel (2012), Brand Communication and Promotion. Available at: http://academic. mintel. com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=59 0036/display/id=611992#hit1 [Accessed: 20th March 2012] Mintel.

Robert Frosts “Mending Wall” Essay Example for Free

Robert Frosts â€Å"Mending Wall† Essay The â€Å"Mending Wall† by Robert Frost is forty five lines long and is structured into a single paragraph verse. There are no stanzas and visually looks like and metaphorical represents a wall. Frosts writes this poem in first person with the use of â€Å"I† which makes the poem narrative – as if the narrator is speaking directly to the reader. The intimate conversation happening between the narrator and the reader is further supported by the use of presence tense in the text of the poem and the casual speech of the narrator. The â€Å"Mending Wall† is literally about a physical wall that lies between his far and his neighbors farm. The narrator walks along the decaying wall describing in detail the nature and structure of the wall. He often compares the wall to himself and his neighbor. The narrator ponders again and again â€Å"what makes good neighbors†. The narrator plays with the idea that perhaps the wall between their farms is the key to a great relationship. This implies that for people to maintain a safe and proper relationship they must be isolate from each other. Through the use of vivid imagery Frost explores how people relate to each other and suffer through isolation. The central image in the â€Å"Mending Wall† is the wall itself. As the wall decays, the narrator and his neighbor repair, which maintains their relationship. However, the wall is also used by Frost as an symbol. The wall symbolism the metaphoric wall which human build to keep themselves safe and other out. Frost asserts that â€Å"There were it is we do not need the wall† (23) implying that while emotional wall exists, they are not needed. He believes that â€Å"something there is that doesnt love a wall† (1). Narrator cleverly explores that idea that if people were truthful with themselves they would have to confess they do not like the wall which separates one life from another. Perhaps this is the reason for the falling stones and the constant decay of the wall over time. Frost has the unique ability to bring together metaphysical thought and the beautiful New England landscape in rhyming text. There are several minor images within the poem which add to the mood and tone of the poem. The setting of the poem is springtime and can be seen in â€Å"frozen ground swell† (2), â€Å"spring mending time† (11), â€Å"in the sun† (3), and â€Å"spring is the mischief in me† (28). Spring is the time when life begins anew and there is great hope for the future. Frost, through the use of imagery, explores the theme of human isolation and asserts that â€Å"walls†, emotional or physical, need not exist. That â€Å"something† in the universe hates these walls and actively works to destroy them which is why the physical wall in the poem is in need of constant repair. Through the narrators casual speech, Frost advices the reader that perhaps he or she should take into consideration the subtle hints and let the walls between human souls be destroyed. Work Cited Frost, Robert. The Mending Wall Literature and the Writing Process. Comp. Elizabeth McHahan. New York: Prentice-Hall , 2005. 449.

An Analysis Relations Between The Us And Israel Politics Essay

An Analysis Relations Between The Us And Israel Politics Essay During more than four decades of state-building, Israelis have looked to the United States for inspiration, financial and military assistance, and diplomatic support. Americans, in turn, have viewed Israel with a special appreciation for its successful effort to follow the Western democratic tradition, its remarkable economic development, and its determined struggle against its uncompromising enemies. in this Paper will indicate the beginning of US-Israeli relations, the US policy towards Israel , then the public opinion about Israel, the role of Israeli lobby in USA, the timeline of US -Israeli relations , then US Criticism to Israel ,the current relations. -Research problem: Why does it seem that Israels relationship with the United States beyond the barriers of political and ideological? -Research Questions: 1-what are roots of US -Israeli relations? 2- Is Israel exploiting America? 3- What are the interests between them? 4-Does US criticizes Israeli Policy? 5- Dose US Foreign Policy towards are affected by Israeli policy? The Hypothesis: The relations between Israeli and United States through politics and history. My approach will be Conflict Management Approach. Introduction: Since the creation of the Jewish state on May 14, 1948, the United States and Israel have maintained very strong ties. Israel owes it very existence in large part to the efforts of the United States. Traditionally, Israel has been looked upon as a solid friend and ally in a very tumultuous region of the world. A tremendous amount of aid, especially military and economic, has been given to the country. American support for Israel has been accepted as the right thing to do. Israel currently receives about $3 billion per year in economic and military grants, refugee settlement assistance, and other aid. Congress has monitored the aid issue closely along with other issues in bilateral relations, and its concerns have affected Administrations policies. the beginning of US relations began U. S.-Israeli relations have evolved from an initial American policy of sympathy and support for the creation of a Jewish homeland in 1948 to an unusual partnership that links a small but militarily powerful Israel, dependent on the United States for its economic and military strength, with the U. S. superpower trying to balance competing interests in the region. American support for the age-old aspirations of the Jewish people to return to their homeland dates from the Colonial period when John Adams wrote: I really wish the Jews again in Judea an independent nation for, as I believe, the most enlightened men of it have participated in the amelioration of the philosophy of the age. In 1917, Lord Balfour sent a letter to Lord Rothschild, president of the British Zionist Federation, stating that the British Government would facilitate the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. President Wilson expressed his support for the Balfour Declaration when he stated on March 3, 1919. Congress was no less sympathetic to the Zionist objective. One can look back to the joint Congressional resolutions of 1922 and 1944 that unanimously passed an endorsement of the Balfour Declaration. The House Foreign Affairs Committee stated in 1922, Legislatures in 33 states, representing 85 percent of the population, also adopted resolutions favoring the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. Governors of 37 states, 54 United States senators, and 250 congressmen signed petitions to the President.  [1]  23 History of the American-Israeli relations can be divided into during the previous phase to four major periods: 1-Phase ONE from 1948 to 1973: During the first phase of this period was characterized by the development of strategic relations between the two sides slowly with the declaration of the State of Israel and the recognition by the United States, and the Suez Crisis of 1956, which resulted from the introduction of Israels strategic vision of America in the region, from the premise that Israels moderate is not a burden, and then revealed years following the crisis until the 1967 war on the frequency of strategic cooperation between the two countries and access for the second phase 1967, 1973, marked by the rise of fast at the site of Israel for several reasons the most important failure of the regimes that are hostile to the United States within the region, and the failure of the prestige and the role of the Soviet Union in the region, particularly since the American perspective Israel deems capable of striking the Arab partys pro-Soviet, so that Arabs understand in the end futility of a military solution, and accept a diplomatic solution. 2-Phase TWO from 1973 to 1981:this phase called Recovery of the strategic role of Israel after the war of 73, which lasted until 81: since the outbreak of the 1973 war and military consequences that resulted from the day after the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace in 1979, it moved the position of Israel in U.S. policy from a maximum unreasonable to a minimum is expected to return without a rise gradually to arrive at the end of the decade to its original level, where this war resulted in the destabilization of Israels strategic position during 1973 or 1976. Showed the dependence of America, which shook the foundations of U.S. strategy toward the region based on preventing a major Arab-Israeli war and attract the Middle East between the great powers. Or link between the conflict in the region and the oil war confirmed that the future of the Israeli state force of arms, the document warns of pessimism and crossed Kissinger policy step by step for this new vision of the situation o f the region. 3-Phase THREE from 1981 to 1992: it called Strategic Alliance This represents the period one of the most important stages of the evolution of American-Israeli relations and the most complicated, as had not gone a single line, In the first phase of 1981 1988 which continued the presidency of Ronald Reagan saw relations return to the doctrine of strategic stock that means has the supporters of this doctrine vision implicitly to the peace of services attributed to Israel, starting from below and up to the most important, from the geographical location, which serves the U.S. presence in region, infrastructure and logistical capabilities that distinguish Israel from other U.S. allies in region, in addition to the defense capacity that supports U.S. interests by protecting the stability of the region, and possibilities of research and development and intelligence .which strengthen over the following years 1983 1989 and despite the intermittent differences and confusion and misunderstanding has continued to emphasize the view Israel as a strategic asset and help the regional and international developments, especially the collapse of the Shah in Iran and the failure of the policy of detente and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the pressures of lobbies and interest groups, and the disunity Arab, where the combined these factors to prevent a crisis in US-Israeli relations as a result of the invasion of the recent Lebanon in 1982, but emphasis was placed on strategic cooperation in the framework of that resolution was adopted Directive 111 and evolved forms of cooperation in 1983 in 1989 under what was called the Cold War following convergence of the Syrian USSR, and despite a change of the general context of relations under the Bush administration 1988 1992 end of the Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the outbreak of the Second Gulf War and the launch of Arab-Israeli negotiations, that did not affect the total general formulation of the relati onship even though it had become clear that Israel is a burden on the interests of America, and it is the opposite of what it is rumored as a set for the regions conflicts and the safety valve to counter the threat of Islamic fundamentalism. 4-Phase Four: from 1990 to 2001 this phase called correspondence of interests that is the phase which began with the arrival candidate Democratic Bill Clinton to the White House, and its continuance in which, for two periods for two successive represent this period Summit in relations between the two parties, which witnessed the first period return of the second formulation, the mouthpiece of the depth of strategic cooperation, which has taken aspects to many of the development of weapons to contribute to projects conquest of space, but in parallel with the revival version of this and raised the strategic relations between the two sides to unprecedented levels, has emerged the principle of burden-sharing in crisis management following the end of the Cold War, the United States of America, According to this principle no longer willing to shoulder alone the burdens and costs of managing crises, and that Figure that you see in this case is the distribution of these burdens on the coalit ion or a consortium of parties with an interest in the management of a crisis, and for reasons that have resulted from the end of the Cold War and international conflict, and also of the reluctance of public opinion to bear such burdens and pressures to direct spending on overseas programs within the country, as well as an emerging divide within the elite influencing the political decision for the position of foreign policy and burdens. The answer of Why does it seem that Israels relationship with the United States beyond the barriers of political and ideological? This interpretation depends on the use of the United States to support the interests of Israel in the first such, it does not explain why America supports Israel, even in cases in which Israel is a burden on the interests of America . This is based on outer interpretation of the influence enjoyed by the pro-Israel Lobby in the United States, which has a special ability to influence, through having contact with the administ ration and the Senate and the House and possession of a database and the potential to influence the election campaign, and through funding. Also has a lobby, a knack for organizing and directing the Jewish vote during the elections, which is characterized by American Jews that they are so politicized and more than 90% of them participate in elections while than there were 3% of the total population at the same time, more than half the American people are not interested in participating in the electoral process. This maximizes the relative importance of Jewish groups, which in turn are concentrated in cities of the weight of an election as important as California and New York. Lobby based in its role of several factors such as the status of the State of Israel and the role of great power by the U.S. today and ideology of American cultural reference, which is reflected in the relationship with the Jewish community of American society based on inclusion, adoption and special relationsh ip with the State of Israel.  [4]  5 The timeline of US -Israeli relations was beginning 1917 Belfour Declaration by the British Government which controlled Palestine, details English support for a Jewish home setting the groundwork for the ultimate creation of the state of Israel. 1948 War/Israels Birth Israel wins the first war against its Arab neighbors leading to the establishment of the state of Israel. The United States is the first country to recognize Israel in the United Nations. 1956 Suez Crisis Israel, France, and Britain attack Egypt in October of 1956 after the Suez crisis but the US comes out against the war forcing United Nations intervention and an end to hostilities. 1967 Six-Day War Israel fights its third war in the region against the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria, and emerges victorious and in control of the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, Syrias Golan Heights, and Egypts Sinai Peninsula. 1973October/Yom Kippur War Egypt and Syria attack Israel in October of 1973 in an attempt to reclaim lands lost in the Six-Day War. Israel initially suffers major losses until the United States arranged a massive airlift of weapons which helped Israel in its counteroffensive. 1978Camp David Accords President Jimmy Carter mediates negotiations between Egypts Anwar Sadat and Israels Menachem Begin leading to the Camp David Accords, the prerequisite to the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. 1982 War of Lebanon Israel gets explicitly involved in the Lebanese Civil War, attacking Syrian and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) forces. The United States mediates an agreement with the PLO to withdrawal which leads to American troop deployment in Lebanon. 1991-Current The Peace Process The United States plays a mediating role between Israel and its neighboring Arab countries, leading to the Madrid Conference (1991), Oslo Process/Accords (1993), the Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty (1994), and most recently the Roadmap For Peace. 2006 War with Lebanon Israel attacks Lebanon in retaliation for the Hezbollah kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. Questions arose about whether or not Israel used American supplied weapons during the conflict.  [6]   The answer of Question Is Israel exploiting America is that Nature of the relationship between the United States with its ally Israel, being related to common interests, of course, all these things are the basis of the relationship between the two parties, but that Israel could exploit the penetration of the Zionist lobby in the joints of the American state to the implementation of stealing technology and espionage and exploitation American figures are important to implement its goals and ambitions Pure unchecked, restriction or fear of cracking the alliance with the United States or taking into account the interests of the U.S., it is something worthy of wonder and a source of uncertainty in what looked like to say that successive U.S. administrations is satisfied with the repeated violations caused by Israel, despite the danger to security U.S. national.  [7]   American Researcher says. Hal Turner Hal Turner on his Web site, we have to consider whether Israel really an ally of the United States, or that Israel would exploit the Last Jews in all joints sensitive America for the implementation of their own, which may be subversive and dangerous to the security of the United States secrets and strategy, and it must be asked, is that the US-Israeli relations cost too much for the United States? Why this insistence blind without restriction or condition on the protection of Israeli interests, despite the recent lack of keenness on the interests of the sponsor? If we want to know that we have to look at the evidence the following: where should not ally that the acts contrary to the nature of the alliance as Israel did, spied on the United States, and sold the secrets the U.S. military to the enemies and rivals, America, and is stealing U.S. technology and are used without a license, and produce and storage of weapons of mass destruction, and atta cking a U.S. warship (RL) on international waters and destroy, Israel had done a lot of this and are still continuing it. The United States has been Israels closest ally throughout its history; nevertheless, the U.S. has acted against the Jewish States wishes many times. Ever since the war began in 1948, the U.S. was unwilling to insist on projects for the resettlement of Arab refugees. The United States was also reluctant to challenge violations of the Arab Charter of the United Nations and its resolutions. Thus, for example, allowed the Arabs to escape from the siege of the Suez Canal, and to impose a boycott on Israel to commit acts of terrorism. In fact, the United States has taken positions against Israel at the United Nations in more often, and do not use the veto in the Security Council to block the anti-Israel resolution until 1972. Perhaps the most dramatic example of American policy different from that Israel came during the Suez War, President Eisenhower when he took a strong stand against Britain, France and Israel. After the war, U.S. pressure, and forcing Israel to withdraw from the territ ories it occupied. David Ben-Gurion adopted on American guarantees dubious that planted the seeds of conflict in 1967. In 1991, President George W. Bush at a press conference to ask about the delay in the consideration of Israels request for loan guarantees to help absorb Soviet Jews and Ethiopia because of disagreement with Israels settlement policy. In the interest and prestige in this delay, mild language Bush used that inflame sentiments and have raised concern in the Jewish community that raised anti-Semitism. Though often described as the main pro-Israel more in history, as Bill Clinton was critical of Israel on several occasions. Has shown the administration of President George W. Bush also do not hesitate to criticize Israels actions appear to be incompatible with the interests of the United States, but not generally more conservative in public statements. During the first year of the war Palestine, the United States imposed an embargo on spare parts for helicopters due to a nger over the use of U.S. helicopters in targeted killings. The Bush administrations also punish Israel to agree to sell military equipment to China in 2005.  [8]   Current Relations: Two contentious issues have brought the close relationship of the United States and Israel under scrutiny and have contributed to some tension in the relationship. One is Israels continued building of settlements on Palestinian land, despite the illegality under international law and the objection of U.S. politicians. Another issue has been the Israeli lobby in the US which has been criticized for advocating Israels interests within the American political system, even if they are contrary or might harm U.S. national interests.  [9]  

Evolving Federalism Essay -- essays research papers

Evolving Federalism Pre-Class Assignment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Federalism by definition is the division of power between a central government and its participating members. How that power is divided is the subjective aspect of federalism that was before the framers of the United States. Through compromise and necessity the seeds for a strong central government were planted alongside already strong state governments. Over time the seeds for strong central government grew; wars, economic fluctuations and national growth established a strong central government. As America’s idea of federalism changed the central government grew more powerful, the state’s government gave more power away, and local governments were established. In American Intergovernmental Relations, Laurence O’Toole cites Harry Scheiber five stages of federalism to identify three key terms of federalism in the U.S as â€Å"dual federalism,† â€Å"cooperative federalism,† and â€Å"creative federalism.† According to Schei ber the five stages of federalism, are still a valid history of federalism in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first stage, 1789-1861, he calls the â€Å"era of dual federalism† in which national, state, and local governments operated independently of one another. This â€Å"layer-cake† stage was a product of Congress, â€Å"refraining from making innovative policy in many areas formally opened to it by the Court.† It was apparent during this time that Congress was not yet ready to move to a more centralized government that would interfere with state and local governments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scheiber identifies the second stage, 1861-1890, as a period of transition to a more centralized government. Change to the Constitution, expansion of federal court powers, business regulation, and Supreme Court activism all worked to increase the power of national government and move towards a more centralized view of federalism. Schreiber’s third stage from 1890 to 1933 continues this move towards centralization with World War I as a catalyst.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal â€Å"inaugurated† Scheiber’s fourth stage. â€Å"Cooperative federalism† surfaces in this stage that promoted interaction and funding between the state, local, and national governments in order to facilitate new programs under the New Deal. Although this stage, labeled the marbl... ...very well improve the education system in states such as Arizona, where charter schools are becoming popular but still lack quality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education is a strong example of competitive and cooperative federalism. Most schools receive federal grants to ensure certain programs are instituted in public schools. States provide the majority of funding to local school districts and mandate the majority of the curriculum. Local governments allocate the funds from the state to accomplish the curriculum goals as they see fit. Yet all three of these governments compete for control over how their children get educated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education is a prime example of shifting power in the U.S. Landmark Supreme Court cases such as Brown v. Board of Education has forced integration upon the states. Recently, the issue of the word â€Å"God† in the pledge of allegiance has surfaced in the education field and may be decided in federal courts. Bush has made it clear that he favors education reform at the federal level. Whatever the outcome, one of the three levels of government will seize more power from the education issue in this era of competitive federalism.

Militant Monks Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Knights Templar, a military order of monks answerable only to the Pope himself, were founded in 1118. Their primary responsibility, at least initially, was to provide protection to Christians making pilgrimages to the Holy Land. They rose in power, both religious and secular, to become one of the richest and most powerful entities in Christendom. By the time of their disbandment in 1307, this highly secretive organization controlled vast wealth, a fleet of merchant ships, and castles and estates spanning the entire Mediterranean area. When the crusaders captured Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1099, the Church encouraged all faithful Christians to visit that holy city in order to affirm their faith. The area, however, was still subject to sporadic attacks from various non-Christian factions. A small group of knights, led by Hugh de Payens, vowed to protect the pilgrims. The group was granted quasi-official status by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, who allowed them quarters in a wing of the royal palace near the Temple of Solomon. It is from this initial posting that the order derived its name. They took the standard vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and were bound to the rules of the Augustinian order. [Upton-Ward 1] The order languished in near-anonimity for several years, despite generous contributions from various European personages. In 1126, Count Hugh of Champagne, having donated his estates to Bernard of Clairvaux for use in building a monestary for the Cistercian order, arrived in Jerusalem to join the Templars. This action indirectly obligated Bernard to support the newly chosen advocacy of his benefactor. He wrote to the count, "If, for God's work, you have changed yourself from count to knight and from rich to poor, I congratulate you." [Howarth 49] In the year 1126, King Baldwin found two reasons for wanting official recognition of the order. First, he had, perhaps prematurely, bestowed upon Hugh de Payens the title of Master of the Temple. Second, the king had the opportunity to launch an attack on the city of Damascus, but he needed more knights. Papal recognition would allow open recruiting in Europe for the order. King Baldwin sent a letter to Bernard of Clairvaux, the order's primary patron, later known as Saint Bernard, asking him to petition the Pope for official recognition of the order. [Howarth 50-51] The King's letter ... ...ghts Templar. The final blow, however, was probably three-fold: a general unpopularity of the order among the European aristocracy, due in part to jealousy; a chronic shortage in the French treasury, despite heavy taxation; and Master de Molay's refusal to consider a merger of the Templars with the Hospitallers, as suggested by the Pope. The fact remains, however, that no evidence of heresy was ever found. [Burman/Templars 180] An order founded by nine knights in Jerusalem came to amass great wealth and power, which speaks well of their integrity and discretion. They became the "shock troops" of the Holy See. When they lost their original mission of protecting pilgrims upon the fall of Jerusalem, their downfall became inevitable. [Sinclair 37] Works Cited: Burman, Edward. The Inquisition. New York: Dorset, 1984. --. The Templars. Rochester, VT: Destiny, 1986. « Howarth, Stephen. The Knights Templar. New York: Dorset, 1982. Payne, Robert. The History of Islam. New York: Dorset, 1987. Robinson, John J. Born in Blood. New York: Evans, 1989. Sinclair, Andrew. The Sword and the Grail. New York: Crown, 1992. Upton-Ward, J. M. The Rule of the Templars. Suffolk: Boydell, 1992.

information management training :: essays research papers

University International Trying to find a qualified Chief Information Officer (CIO) these days can be a very daunting task. The requirements span across many different disciplines, therefore the perfect candidate must have a resume that displays a very unique blend of formal training and actual experience. Many CIO job descriptions read as follows: The Chief Information Officer is responsible for providing the vision, leadership, planning and management for the development, acquisition, implementation and support of information technology. Must partner with management team to align company information technology with strategic direction and build and develop the IT organization processes and procedures to support business needs. Plans, directs and manages the IT department in order to ensure the development and implementation of cost effective systems and efficient computer operations to meet current and future decision making requirement. The Chief Information Officer is ultimately responsible for development, implementation, and maintenance of application systems, operation and the centralized data processing center, establishment and maintenance of a standard charge-out distributing system for Information Technology Department (ITD) services, and maintenance of acceptable service levels for City user department. The Chief Information Office oversees a continuous program of education and research to ensure City-wide standards are maintained and the cost effective utilization of ITD resources. Work is performed with considerable independence and judgment, subject to review on the basis of results achieved, under general direction of a Deputy City Manager. The requirements to fill these types of positions vary based on the type of organization that is hiring. The variance usually comes ion the form of years required versus disciplines. Simply put most organizations want the same type of background however the number of years varies. Some of the prerequisites to fill these types of positions are: Education „à Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bachelors/Masters Degree in Computer Science or related field „à Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bachelors/Masters Degree in Business Management/Administration Experience „à Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7-10 years experience in IT management „à Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5 years experience in business management In addition to the requirements above a CIO must have solid people skills, this is something that isn ¡Ã‚ ¦t really taught. CIO ¡Ã‚ ¦s are at a constant crossroad. They have to satisfy everyone, which is basically an impossible task. As I stated earlier in this paper a good CIO is difficult to find many organizations settle for a person they feel they can develop and groom to be the CIO they want. A new poll of chief information officers (CIOs) conducted by the CIO Executive CouncilTM (founded by IDG's CXO Media Inc.

Tda 2.3 Communication and Profesionalrelationshipswith Children and Young People

Introduction In this assignment I will be discussing the different way we communicate with children, young people and other adults. Also, how to deal with disagreements between children and adults. And looking at how we speak and communicate with people and the benefits it has Task 1 Children and young people Describe how to establish respectful, professional relationships with children and young people It’s most important that first of all you talk to a child or young person that is at a level that is appropriate to their age.Making sure that you come across as calm caring and approachable person, who is also willing to listen to what they have to say and making them feel that what they have to say is also important. Also setting out mutual ground rules so you both know what is expected from each other so there is no confusion from either side.And simple things like learning a person’s name and pronouncing it correctly, being alert to their feeling, giving time to pupi ls as an individual and using lots of positive and encouraging words when speaking to children and young people. Describe with examples how to behave appropriately for a child or young person’s stage of development When communicating with children or young people you need to make sure you are communicating at a level that is at their â€Å"age related† stage of their development.But keeping in mind that children and young people mature and develop at different stages, and children with â€Å"special needs† may need more help from different professions to assess their development stage. Children in foundation and key stage 1 these pupils are still developing their language and communication skills so it’s important that when we speak to them we get down to their level so we are not towering over them which may be intimidating to small children.When communicating with small children its important you have their undivided attention as they have a limited att ention span a good way of making sure they have understood what you have been speaking about is to get them to relay the information back to you that way you know they have understood this is also a good way to asses there development stage as well. When they become upset or hurt we can put are arm around them to comfort them. We should be enthusiastic when asking them to do things or learn something, this will encourage them to give it a go, and ots of smiles at them are reassuring Key stages 2 By this stage children have a better understanding on how to communicate with their peers and other adults. It’s important that we listen and talk to them at their own level, not talking down at them and make eye contact. We mustn’t talk over them or be sarcastic and we should be positive about what is being said. Now that the children are a little bit older we should encourage them to take pride in their work and the things they do. Key Stage 3 and 4Now that the children are o lder they will be able to communicate effectively with others, we can behave by talking at their level and not talking down to them this may make young people feel intimidated or belittle. It’s also important to set some mutual ground rules so they know what is excepted of them and what the consequences for misbehaving will be make sure you are very clear of what you expect. If they are upset or hurt be sympathetic to their feeling and needs, we can also offer advice and guidance if appropriate.For those children that may be disruptive or not listening, try to encourage them to participate more or remind them what is expected of them Describe how to deal with disagreements between children and young people Some disagreements between children depending on their age they may be able to solve between themselves, but for those that can’t it’s important that we stay neutral and not take any sides. When managing a disagreement it’s important we go back to the b eginning where the argument started and give each child a chance to tell their side of the story.It’s important that the pupil feels they have been heard and acknowledged. It’s also important that the children discuss how the situation has made them feel and possibly give them the chance to come up with a solution themselves on how the disagreement could be resolved. For arguments that maybe more serious it could be advised that the children involved are separated from others and given time out to calm and think about what has happened, we must also encourage children to understand and respect other peoples feeling and emotions.Then we need to work out whether any apologies are required or further steps need to be taken. Describes how own behaviour could: -promote effective interaction with children and young people Children often lead by example, so we must lead the way by showing them how to, with good communication skills, using appropriate language and being a good , positive role model. Encourage children to make the right decision when needed. Always set boundaries so they know what to expect and what is also expected of them.Show them respect and use genuine praise, and build confidence and trust. -impact negatively on interaction with children and young people If you look at some of the opposites that I have talked about above such as bad or low communication this may cause a barrier between you and the pupils which will prevent you hearing and seeing what they won’t or what they are doing. Using inappropriate language they may pick it up and start using it, criticing, teasing, belittling or disregarding their efforts will lower their self-esteem and confidents .Always mean what u say, don’t break trust or confidence as they will feel like you can’t protect or help them. Adults Describe how to establish respectful, professional relationships with adults To establish a respectful professional relationship it’s im portant that we communicate well and offer each other help and support where needed. â€Å"You should use language that other adults (including parents/carers, colleagues, volunteers or students) are likely to understand, avoid using jargon or technical language unless you are sure they understand its meaning. (T Kamen 2010 pg. 71) Whether you are speaking to a colleague, parent/carer or someone from another profession it’s important that you are practical, you may be working with someone who is unfamiliar to the surroundings or need help to find things, also make sure you are informative, you may need to give information and support to someone regarding an issue or situation they know nothing about, act in a professional manner by demonstrating personal courtesy and integrity it’s never appropriate to â€Å"gossip† .Being Emotional have a sense of humour where appropriate being caring and understanding to peoples situation. Developing and promoting good effect ive relationships with the people you work with helps to maintain a positive learning environment for pupils, parents/carers and also staff. Describe the importance of adult relationships as role models for children and young people It’s common for children to copy and model the attitudes, behaviour and actions of adults around them.It’s important that people working with children then understand the impact they can make on a child’s social and emotional development. Being a good role model means we should use good positive and encouraging communication skills, speak to others in a manner we wish to be spoken to, be friendly helpful and considerate to other people. Work cooperatively, take turns to speak not over the top of other and show the importance of sharing.The more we show this through our own interaction and relationships with other adults the more likely children will realise what a guild line is to appropriate socially acceptable behaviour. Task 2 Des cribe how communication with children and young people differs across different age ranges and stages of development Young children in foundation stage and key stage 1 age this age will still be developing the language and communication skills and will need to be reminded to take it in turns when speaking and reminded of the importance of listening to others.When talking to young children it’s important that we speak clearly, slowly and use words that aren’t too big that they won’t understand, it’s important that we check that they have understood what we have said by asking questions and asking them to repeat what we have said. By the time children get to key stage 2 they are starting to mature in the way they communicate with their peers and their teachers. Pupils by this stage have a better understanding of how to communicate and will be less self-centre and more considerate of others.You may need to remind some children about waiting for their turn to speak this may be down to immaturity or possibly their personalities. Also by this stage they will understand bigger words but may still need the meaning of some words explained. By the time they get to key stage 3/4 young people my become more self-conscious about speaking in front of others and be embarrassed easily, it’s important that we give lots of time to prepare and plan for these things and loads of encouragement along the way.Also by this stage they may be using lots of alternative ways of communicating with their peers and other adults such as phone texting, email and possibly social networks. Young people by now will have a good understanding of formal and informal language, and know how to communicate better with people and have a good use of more complexed words. Within each of these different stages you may be asked to work with children with special educational need, where you may have to adapt your communication skills further to meet their independent needs and abilities.Describe the main differences between communicating with adults and communicating with children and young people There are many similar communication skills we use that are the same when dealing with adults and children such as remaining eye contact, responding to what they’re saying, treating them with respect and courtesy, and also using non-verbal communication such as smiling or nodding. When speaking with children it’s important to encourage good communication skills by demonstrating this so we need to communicate clearly, concise and at a level that is equivalent to their age and needs.Make sure you are actively listening and positive responding, offering praise and encourage, or support if need. But when speaking to adults are language is more complex but must be on a professional level, we must also respect other people’s ideas and thoughts even if you’re not sure about them. We may even use different ways of communicating such as t exts, emails, notices or letters. Always comply with policies regarding confidentiality, sharing information and data protection.And also avoid assumptions regarding a person or a situation, Identify examples of communication difficulties they may exist There are many different reasons for communication difficulties which I have listed some below Individuals with special educational needs Age barriers Low or poor communication Hearing impairment Different values or beliefs External factors Opposite expectations Lack of confidence/ self-esteem Speech and language difficulties Bilingual Visual impairedDescribe how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs You may need to adapt your way of communication in order to meet the needs of the person you are speaking to, depending on the age and experience of the person you are dealing with, the context of the conversation and the communication needs of the individual . When communicating with people with earing impairment / deaf, medical problems, special educational needs, poor vision or blind it’s important that we speak clearly, appropriately and slow are speech if necessary, use visual aids such as pictures photography and flash cars. Maintain good eye contact and positive body language. For someone who is hearing impaired or deaf, be sure you face the person so they can lip read or use sign language if you know it.Also if dealing with a visual impaired child make sure you address them by name so they know you are speaking to them, and those with some vision sit them at the front of the class so they have a better chance of seeing you and the board â€Å"It is possible that you will adapt the way you communicate with them without even realising that you are doing it, we often change the way we react to others depending on the way in which they react to us† (L Burnham, B Baker 2010 pg. 49) Describe how to deal with disagreements between the practitioner and children and young people The first thing to remember is never get into an argument with a child or young person you must stay professional and calm at all times. It could be useful to explain to the child what you expect and how their behaviour is unacceptable and why it’s not appropriate but acknowledge that here is a problem and be understanding to their feelings. If the problem starts to escalate you may need to walk away and ask for advice or help from a 3rd party.If you are a bystander you may need to intervene and offer assistants or advice on the situation or report what you have seen depending on the seriousness of the situation -the practitioner and other adults I think one of the most important things to remember If you find yourself in a disagreement with another adult is not to let the situation escalate. â€Å"where there are areas of conflict with other adults ,you will need to show sensitivity an try and resolve the problem as soon as possible, the longer a problem is allowed to go on , the more difficult it will be to put right† (L Burnham, B Baker 2010 pg. 6) So it’s important that individuals involved take time out together to discuss the issue openly and honestly and work out how it may be resolved, as adults we can misread or perceive information wrongly an even just miscommunicate with each other by talking about the issue these confusions can be quickly rectified , It’s hard to work efficiently and effective if the atmosphere you are working in is full of tension or bad feelings. If the disagreement cannot be resolve between yourselves you may need to involve a mediator to offer advice or help on how things can be resolved.If by this stage you cannot resolve the issue the school will have a grievance procedure to then follow this will then usually require you to put the issue or concerns in writing and your line manager and head teacher being involved. For serious conflict issues that cannot be resolve you may need to seek help from the school governors or the local authorities Task 3 Identify relevant legal requirements and procedures covering confidentiality, data protection and the disclosure of informationWithin school we are require to gather a variety of information regarding children and young people from medical or health issues, Personal information, records from other schools and many other things too, all the information that we gather is protected by the data protection Act 1998 the principles regarding this legislation is that all information collected can only be used for the purpose it was collected for, must be protected and stored securely, relevant. Information mustn’t be kept longer than necessary and must be accurate.Information collected regarding issues under the Every Child Matters Act 2004 which will look further into the safeguarding an welfare of children once again this information is confidential and will only be used and shared on a need to know bases its important that we know when and when not to share information. You are entitled to see all information that has been collected only about yourself â€Å"your right to know† this is covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.Describe the importance of reassuring children, young people and adults of the confidentiality of shard information and the limits of this It’s important that we reassure children, young people and adults that information about them is kept confidential, safe and only be used where and when necessary and only for the duration required, we must reassure them this to maintain their trust and security, Parents/carers and colleagues may hare certain information with you regarding a child to help you understand any particular needs that the child may have all information given to you must be kept confidential. It s their right to privacy that this information is kept confidential and not passed on for others to talk and gossip about as this will also break their trust and make them feel betrayed. Children and young people also need to know that their information is kept confidential and won’t put them at risk of being teased or bullied.Adults also need the peace of mind that the information regarding their child or family isn’t going to become the talk of the playground. There may be times when you need to share information that you have collected but this must only be on a â€Å"need to know basis† with your other colleagues, In most cases parental consent is necessary before sharing information with other professional bodies that may be working with a child, although the school does have a legal obligation to share information if they think there may be a risk to a child.If you are going to pass on any confidential information then it is important that you tell the person you are going to do so and explain to them the reasons why and with whom. Identify the kinds of situations when confidentiality protocols must be breached Con fidentiality protocols may need to be breeched on such occasions, if you suspect a child is being abused, harmed or in danger.We must also break these protocols if a child discloses to you that they are being abused in any way, but it’s important that you tell the individual that you may not be able to maintain confidentiality if they disclose something to you, you should never promise to keep a† secret† but reassure them that information will only be shared for their own safety and wellbeing and only with those that need to know about it. We must always remember that the safety and welfare of a child must always come first and that we follow he correct protocols regarding the breach of confidentiality. the law allows the disclosure of confidential personal information in order to safeguard a child or children† (T Kamen 2010 pg. 54) Confidentiality may also be breeched if you know of a criminal offensive that has happened. Bibliography Teena Kamen -2010 Teac hing Assistant’s Handbook level 2 Abingdon, Oxon – Hodder Education Louise Burnham and Brenda Baker -2010 Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools Harlow, Essex – Heinemann Teena Kamen – 2008 Teaching Assistants Handbook Abingdon, Oxon – Hodder Eduation