Analysis of The Movie “Patch Adams” Essay

The film opens. Patch has checked into a mental institution. His condition was depression. The environment looks like a jail cell, dark and depressing. During his stay, he realizes that the doctors did not help him in his recovery. Patch Adams’ psychologist was indifferent to the patients in general. The psychologist did not show any interest in his patient. Pach Adams’ psychologist seems to not have any interest in listening to Patch Adams’ feelings. In many cases, he is more interested in his cup of coffee. Patch Adams realizes that he is not being heard and lose the trust of his psychologist. He makes great friends at the mental institution; regardless of his condition, Patch Adams was able to help some of the patients at the mental institution. He started by showing interest in their problems and helping them to overcome their fears. Without studies, Patch Adams showed more skillfulness in listening and having a humanistic tool than the medical staff. Later, Patch Adams decided to become a doctor, which gave him a purpose in life. Patch Adams was very wise and happy man. Helping others made him cure his depression. As a medical student, he uses humor and happiness as medicine with the patients. Most of the students and professors did not like him at all. It was like when Bernie Sanders tried to convince Republicans and Democrats that they supposed to be working for the working people not only for the one percent. In addition, Patch Adams observed a lot of problems in the hospital. Nurses were not treated the same as doctors. Children who suffered from cancer passed in their rooms without joy and hope. Relatives of patients who had to fill out tedious forms instead of being with relatives in life or death situations. He had a revolutionary idea after seeing these problems. He wanted to have a system where patients were not seen as a business because doctors should act more human when they treat their patients. He wanted to help them to b e healed not only of their illnesses but also of their social problems. After many difficulties, he graduated as a doctor. INTRODUCTION Communication in a Healthcare setting is one of the most important tools. Communication skills are something that many individuals have to work on. Not everyone knows how to communicate effectively, especially when dealing with a variety of cultures. Physicians must master their skill communication to improve the patient’s experience. Communication is both verbal and physical. Communication has been shown to favorably affect clinical outcomes, patient adherence, patient satisfaction, and reduced malpractice risk. The movie is based on Dr. Adams’ real life. Dr. Adams’ fundamental idea is to make us understand that medical attention is not only about focusing on the problem or disease. The medical attention is also listening to the patients. Providers should help their patients in an integrated manner. Patients should be approach physically and emotionally as well. The film has many aspects of health communication. Some of them are therapeutic communication (patien t-center), communication empathy. active listening (empathy), and trust. The communication between Patch Adams and his patients is very deep. Patch Adams does not focus only on their pains or symptoms. Rather, he asks them about their lives, family, work, friends interests, etc. Therapeutic communication (Patient Center communication) is very important. It is not just about touch-feeling and more humanistic. Interrupting a patient prematurely closed-ended questions. When doctors do that they fail to address the patient’s concern’s and fail to really understand the patient’s full agenda for why they are seeking healthcare. Additionally, when doctors ignore personal information, patients get the idea that they are not being heard and that the doctor did not care about them. As a result, patients will not take their medication or follow the procedure that the doctor recommended. For instance, Patch Adams’ relationship with his psychologist was untrusty, resulting in the abandonment of treatment and distrusting the system of the do ctor and provider as well. This causes a lot of problem in our healthcare. On the other hand, when doctors use open-ended questions, it can be utilized to allow patients to freely talk about their own problems or feelings associated with the complication.† Open-ended general inquiries claim a lack of knowledge of patient’s problems, encourage their de-novo presentation, and frame patients (at least initially) as being active authorities over their own health information.† (Robinson, Heritage, 2005). Active Listening is different from just hearing and repeating what was heard. This skill can help us reveal not only what the patient is saying but what the patient is thinking and feeling (Servellen, pg. 91). Patch psychologist showed lack of this skill. When Patch was telling his childhood story about his dad death †Dad told Patch Adams at the Korean world hid dad lost his sold, all the time Patch Adams thought he was the one who lost his sold† The disconnection between psychologist and patient showed lack of empathy, focus, and attention. Patch Adams at the Medical School was able to display active listening to friends, patients, and classmates. Active listening requires providers not only to hear, but to listen; not only to see but to perceive; and not only to touch but to feel (Servellen, pg.92). Trust, I personally think that trust is the most important quality to get from patients. It is probably one of the most difficult quality to achieve and keep in these days. †Patients’ trust in providers usually evolves over time. Patients most of the time will self-disclosure until they observe that providers are acting on their behalf.† (Servellen, pg. 109). Building trust is very crucial for a good relationship and for the outcomes of the patients. For example, a patient who does not trust or like the practitioner will not disclose complete information efficiently. Patients who are anxious will not understand the instructions clearly (Dorr & Lipkin, pg. 4). Conclusion: The main reason for communication in the healthcare setting is not just to ask and collect information. Should be beyond, not only focusing on the problem of the patient, communication help us as well to establish trust and good relationship with patients. If we are able to gain the trust of our patients we can guarantee a good relationship and better outcomes for patients. If we gain trust Healthcare professionals will not feel fear to be transparent as a result our communication with patients will be fructose. Making patient participate in their care, in quality of life and have higher satisfaction.

The anthropology of globalization cultural anthropology enters the 21st century Essay

Cultural Anthropology Introduction Are Quang dab peg and epilepsy the same thing?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the book, the two words are interpreted differently. They seem to mean the same thing as it can be seen through Lia, whereby the Staff of the Merced Hospital conclude that Lia is suffering from Epilepsy, which further translated to Quag dab peg. However, the Hmong culture interpreted this differently. They believed that Quang dab peg is brought by a bad spirit known as dab, which is accountable of stealing the souls of the victims, thus, making the victim suffer. On the other hand, they believed that epilepsy is a western medicine that is used for the treatment of neurological conditions. Though both Quag dab peg and epilepsy has similar symptoms, each culture interpret the symptoms differently. This makes the both of them to appear differently, making the condition of them be different illness that requires different treatment. Drawing from â€Å"The Spirit Catches You†, the Hmong culture holds that the Quag dab peg as a condition with honor whereby the thoughts of the victim has authority to perceive things that are not visible to other people (Fadiman, 20).Therefore, regardless of the perception of the two cultures, the symptoms of the disease that Lia is suffering from is a clear indication that they are the same, thus, the two words, Quagdabs peg and epilepsy represents the same thing. How doctors and TXIVneebs fix bodies and souls in the book â€Å"The Spirit Catches You†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Drawing from the book, â€Å"The Spirit Catches You†, the doctors and the TXIVneebs were responsible for healing the patients. In both cultures, they used different approaches in line with their understanding about the illness. As such, the methods of the doctors caring for Lia is different from the method her parents would have taken. The doctor feels that, Lia conditions to treat her epilepsy is through writing her prescription and giving her dosages. Though the doctors did not understand how frequent to administer the drug, Lia’s parent also holds that it is not right to give their daughter too many tablets. Nevertheless, they opted for traditional Hmong medicine, including herbal and coin. Moreover, Lees also seek assistance of a Shaman, which is a type of alternative medicine famous among Asian-Americans. How the doctors perceived to treat the Lia’s condition was different from her parents’ perception. Wish ing to utilize Shamans goes with their believe about the symptoms of epilepsy. Shamans usually define their patients as missing intact souls and work to diagnose and treat the condition that cannot be treated by a physician (Fadiman, 28). Through this healing method, it is extremely distinct from the traditional forms of healthcare found in America. Lees prefer this method because of their cultural background, but despite the variation in the methods of healing, both the Lia’s and the Lees doctors conclude that they all want Lia to restore her health. Both the doctors are concerned about the end result of the disease as well as the well being of Lia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Hmong culture, the Quag dab peg it treated through shamanic rituals whereby the TXIV were responsible for carrying out the ritual. A TXIVneeb treated the patients on a metaphysical plane as in the case of Lia, whereby Lia’s rituals were usually carried to lure her soul back to her in order to restore her welfare. A TXIV placed a bowl containing sacred water in Lia’s room in the anticipation that her soul would come back. Moreover, they would sacrifice pigs in her parents house and place string on Lia’s wrist so as to keep the soul from escaping. Lia’s doctor could not understand the concept of soul loss in the way the TXIV need to understand to negotiate for Lia’s souls. This was one of the things that brought misunderstanding of both cultures. The cause of Lia illness was misinterpreted by both the doctors and her parents, the belief of Lia’s parents was that Lia was suffering from Quag dab peg while the doctors believed that Lia was suffering from epilepsy. As a result, Lia parents opt to take Lia to tivxneebs for traditional treatment. On the other hand, the doctors contend that Lia condition can only be controlled through antiepileptic medications, which they gave her. The contradictory paradigms of each member bring about misunderstanding of the disease. As a result, different methods for treating Lia are suggested for Lia welfare. For example, Lia’s parents failed to provide Lia with medications because they felt it would harm her, and decided to take Lia to TXIV when she grow up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, in both cases, the TXIV and doctor’s requirements were only the same in the fact that they both contacted the house through calls. The work of the doctor is to treat the physical symptoms. In this case, Lia’s epileptic symptoms were treated with different medication such as phenobarbital and Dilantin, whereby the dosages were directed though writing the prescription. Following the above case and given the problems that Lees had, do you think, as Fadiman asks that the â€Å"gulf† between these worlds is unbridgeable?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my opinion, we cannon holds that the world is unbridgeable. It is only a matter of examining the problems as they occur. Taking Lia case, the doctors held that she was suffering from epilepsy, while the society held that it was Quang dab peg. This was just at this time whereby the statement can hold. In the modern world the breakthrough has developed, which also continues to develop. When Fadina was phrasing the question, she was caught between two different cultures that holds different views. There was complete discord between the doctors and the Hmong(Fadiman, 259).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The hospital staff saw as if Lia’s parent were not caring for her health, but the fact is that they cared and wanted to take her to a traditional doctor, which they had been using. Besides, her mother has been preparing salves for her every day. Therefore, it is clear that the world is bridgeable, though it depends on the people’s perception. It is a matter of time and knowledge in the usage of something, but there will always be a breakthrough in the world. Besides, it is clear that man cannot heal by science alone, there can be other form of mechanisms that can deliver treatment effectively through the cooperation between the doctor and the patient as seen through the tivxneebs doctors. People always seek for the best results to restore their life, regardless of the professionalism, but in the case for Lia, it is just because of the unbridgeable cultural gulf whereby the blame for what and who should have done the treatment should be attached ((Fadiman, 256). Some of the specific practical examples of people/groups that are trying to â€Å"bridge the gulf† in the life or the soul†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the relevant group that bridge the gulf in the life is the medical groups. Drawing from Fadiman claims that teaching medicine to students is a perfect job of separating students from their emotions, the various methods that are applied by medical doctors to prevent and treat illness provide the best treatment from traditional forms of treatment. The medical group spendstheir efforts and energy in research so as to provide solutions to problems that affect the society. In most cases, they come up with solutions concerning deadly disease that takes peoples life. For example, they have been able to develop measures for preventing HIV/AIDS, whereby a victim of HIV/AIDS can survive by just taking Antiretriviral drugs (ARVs). The medical groups have provided more attention since the Fadiman book was published because it incited doctors to concentrate on their profession ((Fadiman, 201).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Considering Lia last diagnoses, a health care professional who struggled for almost twelve hours to control her condition did not even noticed her sex. The physician was so dedicated to safe Lia’s life and it might be the reason that Lia survived. This shows clearly that the medical group bridge the gulf in order for the victim to survive. In most cases, the medical group does not sleep, they keep awake trying to provide services to the patients all the time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lia was the first Hmong to have ever heard of being treated by different doctors with the aim of saving her life. Most nurses and doctors sacrificed their energy and time to help her get well, although after all she died. Lia’s condition established the turning point to bridge the gulf for the medical group. She was the catalyst for bridging the gulf in minds and hearts and institutions and policies that impact them, thus, contributing to one of the cultural shifts whose root becomes more obscure the more its impact is experienced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The traditional groups also provide their sacred services with the mere aim of bridging the gulf of life. Through Lia’s case, it is apparent that the TXIVneeb dedicated their effort trying to negotiate for Lia’s life. The TXIV also dedicated their time to cooperate with Lia in the negotiation process. Moreover, the TXIV conducts an effective session of psychological therapy for Lia. Therefore, the traditional groups are also concerned about the life or the soul of the victim and hadly struggle to restore the soul. References Fadiman, Anne. The spirit catches you and you fall down: a Hmong child, her American doctors, and the collision of two cultures. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1997. Print. Barnard, A. (1998). Encyclopedia of social and cultural anthropology. London: Routledge. Haviland, W. (1996).Cultural anthropology (8th ed.). Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College. Lewellen, T. (2002).The anthropology of globalization cultural anthropology enters the 21st century. Westport, Conn.: Bergin & Garvey. Barnard, A. (1998). Encyclopedia of social and cultural anthropology. London: Routledge. Haviland, W. (1996).Cultural anthropology (8th ed.). Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College. Lewellen, T. (2002).The anthropology of globalization cultural anthropology enters the 21st century. Westport, Conn.: Bergin & Garvey. Source document

Frankenstein Film Adaptation Comparison Essay

Kenneth Branagh’s 1994 film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein greatly differed from the original novel written in 1818. Not only were certain elements altered however in addition, the personalities of several major characters, and how the audience portrays them was quite different. For example, the main distinction within the novel and the film are the role of women. In the novel, Elizabeth is treated as a trophy; her opinions are not important to Victor. In the novel, Victor treats women passively and feels superiority to them; he cannot take advice from them. Women play a more relaxed role in the novel. They do not make any decisions, and allow me to take advantage of them. This is seen primarily when Victor decides the fate of Elizabeth when they are young and that how one day they will be wed. However in the novel, Elizabeth is a young determined and driven woman. She does not allow Victor to take advantage of her, nor does she let Victor make her decisions. For example, Elizabeth walks out on Victor before the wedding. She does this out of anger and frustration due to not understanding the current situation; the creatures ultimatum. This demonstrates the audience that Elizabeth is not afraid of taking initiative and standing up for what she believes to be right. Next, the character of Victor Frankenstein has greatly differed from the novel to the film. For example, in the novel, Victor is conveyed as a monster whose decisions cause the death of many, including his loved ones. However, the film does not portray his demonic character traits, but those of a kind noble gentleman. For example in the novel, when Justine is being trialed, Victor does not care to help her. He would rather protect his image, than save the life of a young innocent girl. In addition he believes her death to be collateral damage and unimportant to him. Contrary, in the film, Victor attempts to save Justine, making him look less like a monster and more humane. He runs through the village attempting to save her. Moreover, in the film, when Victor creates life, he does not abandon it. He attempts to help it up and save it, however the creature becomes caught in chains and hung, therefore leading Victor to believing it was dead. The film does not transmit Victor’s evil and malicious personality; rather it showcases Victor’s internal self as a good individual whose fate was predetermined by God. The film does not depict how Victor Frankenstein, in the novel, is a shallow, self centered, egotistical individual. Moreover, I preferred the novel to the film for the sole reason that in the film Victor’s internal character was falsely depicted. Victor is supposed to be a monster who does not think rationally, however in the film, his character stood for the exact opposite. His character attempted to save the life of Justine, as well as save the creature he had bred life into. Furthermore, in the film, the creature’s character is show to be more like a monster. For example, in the novel, the creature does not steal from the cottagers, whereas in the film he steals food from the starving cottagers. Next, when the creature and the Victor are discussing the ultimatum, the creature tells Victor that he enjoys murdering people. On the contrary, in the novel, especially at the end, the creature admits that the guilt of murder is overwhelming and therefore he cannot live with his shame. Furthermore, I did appreciate the ability for women to seize power of their decisions however, the over glorification of Victor’s personality is a complete disgust, and therefore changes my appreciation of the film. In my personal opinion, the lesson of never judging someone for their appearance was not properly showcased. Unlike the novel, the film does not deliver the idea that even if someone where to look like a normal human, they could in fact be a monster, and that people must look beyond the superficiality of one’s exterior to fully appreciate the individual.

Business Formation & Securities Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Formation & Securities Law - Essay Example The same act also requires all businesses to file registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This registration should include full material facts for investors (HG Legal Directories, 2011). This means that WiDgets &GaDgets has to disclose any important information to realtors who are an important part of their business. The realtors need to know all relevant information about ownership and finances before they make any decision to work with the company. The Small Company Formation Act of 2011 Different states in the U.S. have differing legal requirements for business formation. However, they are all similar in that proper registration of the business must be done before a company is given the go ahead and commence operations in a certain area. WiDgets & GaDgets have to go through the proper registration channels before they are allowed by law to form a business in any one state. Then they also required to comply with the real estate requirements for organizations planning to form businesses in particular areas (HG Legal Directories, 2011). This means that they have to consider the insurance and tenancy laws of the state they want to set up business. It is also important for the organizations to look carefully at the tax requirements for businesses that are situated in certain areas. In some states, businesses located in prime locations are likely to be taxed more than those in other areas (Cox, Hillman and Langevoort, 2009). While looking for the perfect location for business, WiDgets & GaDgets may have to think about the kind of place which will enable the company to make maximum returns while maintaining manageable taxation and expenditure. The securities Exchange Act of 1934 is the legislation that governs the secondary trading of business securities. As an organization that multiple chain stores in different states, WiDgets & GaDgets must

The positive and negative effects of globalisation Essay

The positive and negative effects of globalisation - Essay Example It involves a rescaling of social relations, from the economic sphere, beyond the national to the transnational, transcontinental and transworld.† (Held and McGrew, 2007 p 24). According to Held and McGrew, globalization allows local people to have international experiences right from where they are. The process of globalization is not only concerned with the mixing of people from different geographical areas, it also involves the integration of cultures, ideas as well as values (Goldberg and Pavcnik, 2007). Globalization has a long history. However, its effects started becoming apparent during the fifteenth century. Globalization is what led to colonialism in the Americas, Africa and Asia. The nations that had the resources at the time sought to affirm their authority and create economic opportunities by getting colonies. Modern Globalization started after the Second World War. The cold war can be said to be an accelerating factor for globalization as world powers fought silent wars for world domination (Williamson, 1996). Modern globalization is characterized by increased international trade, enhanced communication and better transport systems. There are many factors that have contributed to modern globalization as we know it. Technological advancement in various fields is the greatest contributor to enhanced globalization. Policy changes have also contributed to faster, deeper and cheaper globalization (Goldberg and Pavcnik, 2007). The concept of globalization has elicited many debates about its positive and negative effects. Globalization cannot be said to be a good thing or a bad thing. It is true that there are some shortcomings that are associated with globalization, but there are also many good things that can come out of it. As the world becomes one big global village, there are some things that are worth celebrating

Are There Counterexamples to the Closure Principle by Jonathan Vogel Article

Are There Counterexamples to the Closure Principle by Jonathan Vogel - Article Example To help make his point, the author provides a clear example in the form of a Dretske case regarding a zebra in a zoo. Through this example, the author is then able to explain the Dretske argument relatively clearly, illustrating what is meant by the Closure principle and how this principle ends up facing a counterexample. From here, he then proves how the counterexample fails in this particular case. This presentation of his argument makes it much easier to understand than some of the other articles on this subject. By presenting a relatively concrete case full of strong imagery, the author makes it possible for the layman reader to follow his thoughts and then gain a relatively clear understanding of what he’s saying. Then he expands his case to apply to a broader example, using examples of car theft and the lottery to explain what he calls the lottery proposition, in which possibilities have to exist somewhere in order for that to be considered a counterexample. In analyzing these examples, the author illustrates how the principles discovered do not undercut skepticism even though they prove that counterexamples to the closure principle do not exist. The detailed style of the article and the straight-forward ‘concrete’ form of his examples, rather than the abbreviated ps and qs of other articles, makes it possible to follow his thought to its final

Should UK policy makers be concerned about unemployment persistence Essay

Should UK policy makers be concerned about unemployment persistence and hysteresis given the increase in the unemployment rate since the start of the recession in 2008 - Essay Example There are numerous approaches to define unemployment; these approaches have been made since unemployment may not be an easy aspect in the globe. There have arisen numerous challenges which have pushed the international agencies to formulate different aspects of unemployment (Mortensen, Pissarides, Tatsiramos & Zimmermann, 2011). This approach is based on the data collected from persons who claim they are not employed. In the UK, such category of individuals is liable to get some help from the government, the help can be termed as the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). The specifications such people need to accomplish include; out of work for less than 16 hours a week, be available for work, currently seeking employment, capability to handle work, be of age and a resident in the UK. This can be summarized by the following equation to depict the percentage unemployment rate: ILO measures that group of people who are not working, actively seeking jobs and capable of undertaking any job that may arise. This approach measures the proportion of the population that is unemployed, this encompasses: those who are economically active in the country. The rate, which is arrived at is state based since it encompasses residents of the particular country (Clasen, Goul, Halvorsen & Oorschot, 2002). Census in the UK is carried out after every 10 years; it aims at providing a count of all people and the households apart from the demographic data which is collected. The census also avails a big range of labour related data. This data is very important in measurement of unemployment. According to the census reports, unemployment can be described as the number of persons who do not have jobs and are actively looking for jobs. This is the same principle outlined in the International labour organization (ILO) (Howell, 2005). Unemployment revolves around the economic factors in the country. Every small sector in the economy

Six Sigma Green Belt. Black Belt and Master Belt and differentiations Essay

Six Sigma Green Belt. Black Belt and Master Belt and differentiations among these three belts - Essay Example Therefore, to attain all these, the Six Sigma has different categories of classifying its experts (Gygi et al., 2005). They are champions, green belts, black belts, yellow belts, and master or champion belts. This paper will explore the nature of green, black, and master belts including their major differences. Despite the significant success achieved in quality control and implementation within most organizations, the disparity within the belts means rigorous training is required to have a uniform operation. Numerous belts abound that are used to measure competence in the field of martial arts. However, the Six Sigma Green Belt is concerned with improvement of critical projects under the supervision within organizations. An improvement on Six Sigma Green Belt automatically qualifies a person to the level of Black Belt and it is characterized with several features worth noting. First, to attain a certification, one is compelled to undergo a specific rigorous process that lasts from two to four weeks. This is because Six Sigma Green Belt is the lowest; it incorporates the basic knowledge beginning with the introduction, project definition and project selection process (Wheeler, 2004). Similarly, because it revolves around measure of quality to attain the highest level of perfection, the Green Belt demands a clear methodology of eradication defects because it is data-driven and has standards. Alternatively, because Six Sigma Green Belt integrates problem solving through the holistic approa ch, it has procedural method of utilizing statistical tools. It also includes other processes of interventions in comprehending diverse business processes. Under the Green Belt, one is compelled to investigate the causes of problems through analysis to boost the contributing factors that would eventually ensure improvements. However, unlike the Master or Black Belts, Green Belts are not required to know much in terms of offering improvement

Fidel Castro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fidel Castro - Essay Example Castro chose law as his field and entered the University of Havana for his degree in law. It was in this university that he became involved in politics. In 1947 he entered the group of Eduardo Chibas known as Partido Ortodoxo which was involved in the process of explaining the corruption that was prevalent in Cuba and it stress upon developing independence in Cuba from foreign intervention in the issues of the country particularly the involvement of the United States. Though Chibas was not successful in his mission and he shot himself because of his failure to win elections, Castro was inspired by him and worked on his principles. Castro got married in 1948 to Mirta Diaz Balart who belonged to a very rich family. Though, he received an exposure to the elite and political figures through this marriage but it did not prove to be a successful marriage and he separated from his wife in 1955. Castro completed his education in 1950 and started practicing law and at the same time became politically active. He had very high hopes of achievement in the upcoming elections and expected himself to be elected in the parliament in 1952. But events took a different turn when General Fulgencio Batista formed a coup against Carlos Prà ­o Socarrà ¡s who was the then ruling president and took over and suspended the upcoming elections. Batista was very influential. He legalized his actions with the United States with the help of his sources and started dictating the land of Cuba. Castro stopped his law practice and directed himself entirely towards politics. Fidel Castro and other members of the Partido Ortodoxo party who were looking forward to elections were disappointed with this action. This group revolted against the government by attacking Moncada Barracks on July 26 1953 but they were unsuccessful. Most of them were killed and Fidel Castro and his brother Raul Castro were given sentences of 15 years of imprisonment. Castro was released two years later only. Castro was

Town planning framework in uk Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Town planning framework in uk - Assignment Example Contents Abstract 2 Abbreviations 4 Introduction 5 National, regional and local Framework for town planning 6 Delivering sustainable development 12 References 14 Bibliography 15 Abbreviations CLC (Department for) Communities and Local Government DEFRA Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs DfT Department for Transport DPD Development Plan Document DRD Department for Regional Development EIP Examination in Public LDF Local Development Framework LDS Local Development Scheme NPF National Planning Framework NWDA North West Development Agency PPG Planning Policy Guidance PPS Planning Policy Statement RDA Regional Development Agency RPA Regeneration Priority Area RPB Regional Planning Body RSS Regional Spatial Strategy SCI Statement of Community Involvement SPD Supplementary Planning Document SRS Single Regional Strategy Introduction The environmental limitations of the nineteenth-century British towns and cities, badly required, and therefore quite naturally prompted a correct ive, which came in the form of sequence of measures towards purposeful urban regulation, and eventually took shape of a modern discipline marked by both common sense and sparks of originality – the town planning. ... Therefore, planning as a whole, and town planning in particular, is considered a system by which the use and development of land is managed for the benefit of all the community (Gaunt, Gudnadottir and Waring, 2006, p. 5). The town planning deals with the spatial organisation of towns and cities, including housing, schools, transport, offices, shops, retail, leisure, green belts, open space, etc.; as well as with preservation of historic and natural environment; sewage, drainage, an sewage disposal; lighting and water supply. In doing so, it inevitably affects issues like health, education, crime, employment, etc., and therefore directly influences the quality of life of the population/community concerned. Thus (according to post-modernism), town planning itself appears a bi-component matter which comprises both urban design (including architecture, etc.) and politics. In narrower pragmatic terms it could be further divided into planning, which concerns vision, and building regulation s dealing with standards for design and construction. National, regional and local Framework for town planning Origins and evolution Under the weight of the late Victorian urban crisis, with the problem of working-class housing at the heart, town planning is considered to have powerfully reinforced underlying economic trends and social objectives, promising socially desirable cities which would also be economically efficient. The Housing, Town Planning, etc. Act of 1909 had been issued to introduce the institutional change necessary for the beginning of the conscious exercise in town building in the following decades. It is largely agreed that the Act have marked the birth of town planning in modern sense. In 1914, a group of architects, engineers, surveyors, etc., all engaged

It is up to you Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

It is up to you - Essay Example Cultural relativism is defined as a principle by which an individual’s beliefs and activities are only subject to judgment based on that particular individual’s culture. In fact, it holds the view that no culture is superior to any other culture with respect to morality standards, politics, law and any other considerable aspects unique to individual cultures. Cultural relativism and moral relativism share a lot of similarities and it is widely believed that after World War II, following the popularization of the principle of cultural relativism, the term â€Å"cultural relativism† was commonly mistakenly used to mean â€Å"moral relativism†. Moral relativism undermines the rule of law. The formation of laws is based on a fixed standard stand on a moral issue that has to be adhered to; otherwise one may have to face consequences. Moral relativism on the hand is based on the belief of non-existence of absolute morals. Rights and wrongs are purely dependent on a person’s preferences and opinions on the matter. Take for example rape, a person accused of rape might claim innocence and absolve from any wrongdoing on the basis of moral relativism. The rapist might argue that rape is right within his personal beliefs and culture. However brutal this sounds, a moral relativist finds it logical. Rape in this case cannot be seen as wrong, and probably the strongest opinion that can be made out of it is â€Å"I don’t like it.† This contradiction of the law may result in a chaotic situation where everyone does anything anywhere and at any time as long it suits their preferences (Shumacher). Christians and other religions alike believe that there exists a supreme being who is the standard authority for morals by which they abide by. Rights and wrongs are, therefore, based on God’s moral law. For moral relativists, God is nonexistent. Their disregard of a

Rewarding and Punishment the Same Behavior Essay Example for Free

Rewarding and Punishment the Same Behavior Essay What type of reinforcement schedule does random drug testing represent? Is this type of schedule typically effective or ineffective? Answer: The case study â€Å"Professional sports: Rewarding and punishment the same behavior† was about how in a baseball game steroids are being used and the offense which has been caused by it. The type of reinforcement schedule discuss in this case was the random drug testing which presents the fact that most of the times baseball players are not aware of the point that they are taking drugs. This is because they don’t take it intentially but given by their coaches to improve performance of the player in game. According to the case I agree with the decision of commissioner of the baseball. According to his decision, he gave a second chance to the players who did not know that their coaches were giving them drugs. Whereas, he declared a ten day suspension for the first time offenders from playing the game. But congress and the general public was not satisfied so the commissioner incorporated tougher rules to play in the game such as the â€Å"three strikes, and you are out† policy wherein the first time offenders were suspended from playing the game for 50 days, the second time offenders were suspended from playing the game for 100 days and the last one was a ban wherein the player cannot further play the game. Due to the usage of steroids the rules in the other games even became tougher. The NFL and the NBA also had to check their players if they were using drugs while playing the game. The coaches in the baseball game needs to be strict while choosing their best players to play the game. The coaches need to be strict with rules of the game and as well as the players to stop using the usage of steroids in the baseball game. A fine or a suspension is considered as a minor part whereas the ultimate decision to ban the player is the correct decision which is made by the commissioner of baseball. . Whereas to find whether its effective or not we can see that the type of reinforcement schedules that random drug testing represent is the variable interval type. As defined, this type of schedule occurs when a response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed. In the case, the reinforcement schedule is done randomly and unexpected. It is typically effective because athletes not aware of the test and when these tests will be taken place. Therefore, athletes are unprepared. Unlike a fixed variable reinforcement schedule, athletes have a fixed time of when the tests will be scheduled so they can prepare and make sure their systems are clean before they take the test. . 2. What are some examples of behaviors in typical organizations that supervisors reward but may actually be detrimental to others or to the organization as a whole? As a manager, what might you do to try to avoid this quandary? . Answer: The main example of a behavior in a typical organization that supervisors reward but may actually be detrimental to others or to the organization as a whole is athletes taking steroids. When athletes take steroids to enhance their performance abilities, they are misleading their managers and their fans. Initially, it may be rewarding because everyone involved gains from the profitability, sports merchandise, increased popularity and success. But in the end, when it is discovered that the athlete achieved recognition with the aid of steroids he destroys his reputation and also his team’s and country’s reputation and the loyalty the fans had for him. If I was a manager, what I might do in order to avoid this quandary, if I was made aware of someone using steroids, I would do a random drug testing as soon as possible instead of having the whole team suffer for that one insubordinate athlete. . If you were the commissioner of baseball, what steps would you take to try to reduce the use of steroids in baseball? Is punishment likely to be the most effective deterrent? Why or why not? Answer: If I was the commissioner of baseball, there are several steps that I would take to try to reduce the use of steroids in baseball. First of all, I would reinforce to all the athletes tha t if someone is caught using steroids they will be thrown off the team. Second, I would continue to do random drug testing. Punishment is not likely to be the most effective deterrent. This will only cause athletes to stop playing and taking steroids for a certain period of time. In addition to it I would also have taken some steps as taken by the commissioner in this case. For the 1st time offender who didn’t know that they were being drugged by their coaches should be suspended for few games. In addition to that the coach must be strictly punished a huge sum of fine plus life time ban from the game. Whereas, for those who have offended it for the first time knowingly, must be suspended for a year plus a heavy amount fine should be imposed on them. And for those who have repeated it should be banned from baseball sport. The second part of the question was â€Å"Is punishment likely to be the most effective deterrent†? For me yes, punishment is the most effective deterrent. It is the competition that everyone loves. The feeling of winning makes many people do anything to achieve it. Even if this means one must cheat to win. Many players used and still use steroids to enhance their muscles so they are stronger during game play. There can be two ways of stopping the player not to use steroids, either by rewarding or by punishing. Rewarding in the sense, we can give incentives to players for not using them but the incentives of winning will be more attractive than these. Therefore one can punish the player if they use those incentives. A player cheats to win money, fans and fame. But if they are found to be using steroids, they will lose their fame and fans and should also be heavily fined. 4. Is it okay to allow potentially unethical behaviors, which on the surface may benefit organizations, to persist? Why or why not? Answer: No, unethical behaviors must not persist even if on the surface they may benefit organizations. For short term it may be beneficial but not in long run. Any unethical behaviors can directly affect the reputation of the organization. And in today’s world a good reputed organization is the most important part of organization building. People like to buy the service or product from a good reputed organization. It creates goodwill of the organization. For example, in context of the given case, organization can be the baseball team and unethical behavior can be the use of steroids by the players. This may help the team to build a strong impression and can help them to win many games as well. But the day general public will learn that the victory is not due to the hard work but rather than steroids, all of their impression will be on stake. They may lose their sponsors, fans and reputation. Same was the case happened with Pakistani cricket team. Few of the players of Pakistani cricket team player, Salman Butt, M. Amir and Asif, were involved in match fixing. They might have earned a lot from that but when it was exposed they were punished. They had to pay double amount of fine of what they earned. In addition to it now none of the companies will like to endorse just players who are involved in unethical activities. In addition to it they lost all their fans. Almost every Pakistani doesn’t like them because they created a bad impression of Pakistan in the global world. As well as destroyed the image of the Pakistani team nationally and internationally. Can you imagine cheating and excellence in the same sentence? What does known cheating and the Hall of Fame have in common? What does shameful and The Hall of Fame have in common? Does known cheating and excellence equal The Hall Of Fame? This debate doesnt have two sides. There are no hairs to split. There are no counter arguments to argue. Cheating is not how to get ahead. Cheating isnt even how to compete. Even if youre never found out, Its a setup for failure elsewhere in life. Anyone that has admitted or has been proven to have used performance enhancing drugs should never even be considered for the Hall Of Fame.

Integrated Approach To Tourism Planning And Management Tourism Essay

Integrated Approach To Tourism Planning And Management Tourism Essay Tourism is one of the worlds biggest industries. For developing countries, it is also one of the biggest incomes generators. Early literature in tourism development emphasized the role of tourism in economic development, particularly for developing countries (Erbes, 1973). However, the negative social, cultural impacts of tourism has increased in the past two decades , calling for more aware of planning and management of tourism development(WTO, 1996; Mathieson Wall,1982, Wahab, 1997). The benefit of tourism in the countrys economy is a major incentive for developing countries due to three pro-tourism arguments. First, the evolution of the request for international travel is scheduled to continue at astonishing rate because of the economic stability and travel preferences of people in the developed regions such as Europe, Asia and North America. Secondly, income elasticity of demand for the tourism means that, as the family income for the developed world increased, the disposable in come would be directed to travel. Thirdly, developing countries need the foreign exchange earnings to support its economic development initiatives, in order to meet the needs of their local residents. By pro-tourism arguments, many developing countries are choosing, or being encouraged to develop tourism over some of the more traditional industry alternatives such as agriculture and manufacturing (Mill Morrison, 1999). The major problems with agriculture are that overly dependent upon a few specific crops or products. In the competitive world market, where externalities and price are uncontrollable and unpredictable, countries dependent on agriculture have an unreliable and inconsistent source of revenue. Under these circumstances, the tourism industry can play the role in diversifying economy and the supplement the income has brought in through the agriculture. For example, after introducing tourism into the Caribbean island economies, the $9 billion tourism sector brought in six times the revenue of all traditional agricultural exports (Simon, 1995). Other developing countries have set up manufacturing as an economic development policy option. In order to manufacture, a country need to have easily accessible source of raw materials for production. The country which has rich in natural resources is more successful in manufacturing. Many developing countries has shortage of skilled labour which is one of the necessary inputs for manufacturing. even when these problems are non-existent export oriented industries still face full international competition in selling their products (Mill Morrison, 1999). Tourism also need land , skilled labour, capital resources to access . Yet, tourism, in the way that the product is produced and delivered, may be a more viable alternative for developing countries. Most developing have the basic raw materials resources for tourism industry. Using the countrys heritage, architecture , the natural and cultural resources makes a destination unique and marketable to visitors. Accessing tourism is a good choice for the development of economics and requires more than simply understand the projected growth. Tourism requires many other reasons to make a suitable fit for developing countries. Unlike agriculture and manufacturing industries, tourism produces an invisible export. Tourism also allows countries to manipulate exchange rates to influence visitor expenditures. For instance, the destination can lower the exchange rates in order to attract more number of visitors. Tourism affect directly or indirectly to other sectors of economy more than other industry. The strategies to maximize the economic benefits from tourism for developing countries are to bring in more money from visitors and organize tourism to minimize leakage of money and jobs. The statement looks simple but it actually complex due to some reasons. Government and private sector play in establishing policy and encouraging development in developing countries. National policies on tourism in developing countries are usually the domain of the state, whereas in more developed countries, private entrepreneurs often dominate policy formation and enactment (Liu, 1998). In most developing countries, owing to the small size of the private sector and the shortage of funds, the government necessarily takes on the role of entrepreneur (Shurland, 1998). This is usually in response to proposed private foreign investment. Governments in the developing world generally have the responsibility of formulating and enforcing tourism policy, and for many, sustainable tourism goals are central to their tourism plan. This should include, as already stated, increasing the economic impact of tourism to the local economy by reducing the leakage of foreign exchange earnings. As previously mentioned, one of the ways to increase the tourism development is to bring in tourist who spend money in the developing country. As the mass tourism markets is criticized for the negative environmental and social impacts they cause, there is growing attention to those with higher household income expecting that they will spend more money during their visit. Although this sounds logical, the strategy has its critics (Mill Morrison, 1999). Although it is not clear, visitors with high incomes may spend more but they may also require substantial investment in infrastructure and facilities with high import content.

Global food retail industry

Global food retail industry Exective Summary Global food retail industry has become tightly competitive in last few years. In dynamic operating environment, companies need to understand the competitive nature of the global food industry means to understand changing consumer preferences. They are making continuous efforts to meet these demands in order to secure their positions in the industry. Companies have the aim to build collaborative working relationships with stakeholders, the ultimate objective of building an efficient food distribution system. Wal-Mart is the world largest retailer in food retail industry. The company operates retail stores in various formats. It operates more than 6,000 stores in the United States and in 13 international markets. Food retail industry is a highly saturated market, new entrants would face difficulty to become successive in this industry. Stable relationships with suppliers are essential to Wal-Mart business. Wal-Mart is focusing on expanding its product line by including demanding products as well as environmentally friendly products. When analyzing the business of Wal-Mart, they actually utilize all three of the â€Å"hard Ss† of McKinseys 7S framework in their chase of their goals: Strategy, Systems, Structure. As a retail company, Wal-Mart offers a wide collection of products to the consumers. the grocery items can be placed as Wal-Marts star products. Appliance, kitchen tools, furniture, digital products, music files and software are the cash cows of the company. Pharmaceuticals, toys, electronics and health products are Wal-Mart question marks. The photo development, jewelry and shoe products distributed by the company are those that show low market share. Wal-Mart has the largest IT systems of any private company in the world. It has made significant investments in supply chain management. Wal-Mart Stores aims to capture the market penetration in food that it has achieved in hard and soft line goods. The product development team frequently attends trade shows in Europe and key fashion capitals and travels to places globally. Wal-Marts diversification strategy of the 1980s was a great success in terms of tapping and recognizing new market segments. Based from the analysis of the data by appling marketing and strategic models, it is appropriate to recommend that the product and service development strategy be applied by Wal-Mart, considering that these factors serve as the core factors affecting its growth and progress. Strategy Development in the Global Food Retail Supermarket Industry Globalization of retail is not an emerging or totally new strategy, but a current focus for many retailers. Established retailers have recognized that natural growth becoming more difficult to sustain in domistic markets, expansion into new markets is a necessary step towards securing future profitability. To understand the competitive nature of the global food industry means to understand changing consumer preferences and the food industry efforts to meet these demands. The task of moving food items from the seller to buyer is becoming increasingly complex, involving diverse local, national, and global issues. The food retail industry consists of the total revenues generated through supermarkets, hypermarkets, cooperatives, discounters, convenience stores, independent grocers, bakers, and all other retailers of food and drink. Supply chain management (SCM) is the management of materials, information, technology and funds from the raw material supplier to the consumer. It has become highly critical. It is now essential to a company revenue generating activities as it relates to growth, efficiency and customer satisfaction. SCM is critical to a company financial success in terms of revenue, cost and asset productivity. It has the aim to build collaborative working relationships between distributors, retailers, manufacturers, sales and marketing agents with the ultimate objective of building an efficient food distribution system.The most important goal of global food retailers and wholesalers is to ensure that the products they sell are safe. They act as the purchasing agent for the consumer and the final link in the supply chain. The supermarket food industry continually seeks ways to make the nation food supply safer. Question One: ‘Globalization in the food retail industry Selected Company: Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores (Wal-Mart) is the world largest retailer. The company operates retail stores in various formats. It operates more than 6,000 stores in the US and 13 international markets including the UK, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and China. The company retails a broad range of merchandise and services at low prices. Wal-Mart operates its business under three business segments: Wal-Mart Stores, Sams Club, and the international segment. The company has more than 2,000 retail stores in other countries. The operating formats vary from country to country. Strategic Alliances, Merger and Acquisition (MA) activity (WAL-MART IN INDIA) Wal-Mart began looking into doing business in India back in 2005. At that time Indian government was considering opening up foreign direct investment (FDI) to retailers. In November 2006, Wal-Mart beat out Tesco for a joint venture op ­portunity with Indian mobile services leader, Bharti. The reason was because Wal-Mart was more flexible about the retail model to be ad ­opted. The company priority seemed to be an early entry, so that the worlds largest retailer did not miss out on the Indian consumer boom. As per the agreement between the two corporate giants, Bharti would manage the front-end of the business, while Wal-Mart would take care of the supply chain, logistics and other back-end op ­erations. India is a ready and appealing market for Wal-Mart with its growing middle class of 250 million and an economic growth rate of nearly 9%. Although the FDI laws of the country are relatively stringent, government officials are not opposed to engaging foreign businesses in the Indian market. Since the announcement of the Wal-Mart/Bharti JV, one leading organization has emerged to represent the in ­terests of the small mom-and-pop stores. This is India FDI Watch and in addition to educating the owners about Wal-Mart, they have held large rallies and demonstrations against Bharti, Wal-Mart, and other big-box retailers. The mom-and-pops have an advantage as they are conveniently located on street corners or in the heart of cities and usually have personal relationships with most consumers. However, they do not carry the variety of goods that larger retailers do. Threat of New Entrants and Substitutes Being that the food retail industry is a highly saturated market, new entrants would face difficulty succeeding in this industry. In fact, it is highly difficult for discount retailers to penetrate other markets as Wal-Mart tried to enter Germany and South Korea. The company was unsuccessful and had to pull out because of its unprofitability. Retailers are subject to these obstacles: Economies of Scale Cost of Capital Distribution Channels Substitute products are products that can be used as replacements for other products to satisfy the same necessity of consumers. Wal-Mart benefits from this idea as discounters have lower prices than department stores and consumers go for higher quality product with the lowest prices. Wal-Mart is working on providing the best customer service possible but as a high-traffic store, it is generally impossible to provide one on one service. Bargaining Power of Suppliers and Buyers Stable relationships with suppliers are essential to Wal-Mart business. Without timely inventory deliveries, Wal-Mart could not maintain its full shelves and would lose customers. For this reason, the company engages in contractual agreements with its suppliers. This arrangement is beneficial for both parties, as the supplier makes sure it will have constant access to retailers with large market share. This way, suppliers have a guaranteed buyer for the supplies and can arrange specific prices. Consumers today are searching for the best deals possible. They are waiting for discounts and sales to bulk up on products. Discount retailers like Wal-Mart are creating huge supercenter stores because they want their stores to become a one-stop trip. Customers know what they want and how far they are willing to search for the item. Retailers must maintain high inventory levels to retain customers and their market share. Customers traveling a couple of miles to a store want to find the products they need in stock. Question Two: Global food retail market dynamics The ongoing changes and innovations in global food markets, as well as the trends in different sectors of the food industry, make up a complex dilemma with consumers, producers, and global retailing and manufacturing firms. A growing trend in food markets is the shift in growth of food sales from high-income (developed) countries to lower income (developing) countries. Despite the shift, per capita commercial sales show wide regional disparities worldwide, though growth in food sales in the developing countries is expected to continue. In anticipation of this growing market, food firms appear to be repositioning themselves and investing in many developing countries. Measures of competitiveness vary at the firm, industry and country level. Competitiveness is influenced by such forces as technological innovations, public institutions, infrastructure support, firm organizational structure, and government policies. Small food manufacturers face macroeconomic constraints similar to those of large firms, such as exchange rate fluctuations and market access barriers in foreign markets. Retail sector issues centered on the impact of globalization on food retailing in emerging economies, and the impact of changing consumer preferences on food retailing. Although a country may import little food, the impacts of globalization impacts are reflected in its food retail sector. Wal-Mart Profitability Secure Strategies A prominent trend in the retail industry is consumers buying less and less. Until about few years ago, consumers depended on credit cards. They did not hesitate to add to their already large debts but now consumers are trying to pay down debts instead. Wal-Mart discount stores, supercenters and wholesaler clubs have maintained their price leadership strategy known as â€Å"Save money live better.† This strategy was implemented in year 2008 and is aimed at families with children and middle income consumers trying to save. Wal-Mart is focusing on expanding its product line by including wellness products as well as environmentally friendly products. With the high energy prices facing consumers and the ideas of eating healthier and natural food, Wal-Mart has stocked products that would appeal to these consumers while maintaining its competitive prices. The company maintains a flexible management style where it is willing to satisfy changing demands. To meet demand, the company must encourage managers to monitor high demand products and drop unpopular product lines that may be a waste of inventory space. Another trend is discounter development of private labels. To compete with national brands, supermarkets and retailers have developed their own brands with the cooperation of manufacturers. These products are to be distributed and sold only in the retailers stores. Net Profit Margin measures how much out of every dollar of sales a company actually keeps in earnings. A company with high net profit margin indicates that it has better control over its costs. In this category, Wal-Mart outperforms Costco, BJs and industry, but lags behind Target. This table shows that how much Wal-Mart has been successful to invest into food retail facilities in order to secure its future profitability in terms of earnings. Question Three: McKinseys 7S framework for identifying core competencies and capabilities, discuss the ability of â€Å"Wal-Mart† When analyzing the business of Wal-Mart, they actually employ all three of the â€Å"hard Ss† in their pursuit of their goals: Strategy Systems Structure Their strength in all three of these Ss is probably a big reason why they have been so successful. Strategy Wal-Marts overall strategy is to always provide the lowest prices. Additionally, they aim to have a store which provides convenience by allowing consumers to find everything they need under one roof.This strategy of convenience with low prices has driven Wal-Mart to be the business leader that it is. Additionally, they plan to continue to expand into markets not yet penetrated by major chains, and some markets that are already saturated, such as New England and California.The other two hard Ss, systems and structure, support this strategy. Also, low prices everyday has become the style and shared values of Wal-Mart. Even the staff is completely committed to providing the lowest possible prices. The skills of workers are also geared to finding inefficiencies and towards decreasing prices. The low cost strategy has driven Wal-Mart to do things such as call suppliers collect, do away with manufacturer representatives at sales meetings, do away with regional offices, etc. Systems Wal-Mart has in place a set of systems that helps it achieve its strategy of low prices everyday. The largest and most profitable of these systems is the Information Technology system. Wal-Mart has employed computers, networking, and the internet to reduce inventories and waste, and speed deliveries. Wal-Mart can connect to their suppliers and transmit them data so they know what Wal-Mart needs and when.The lower inventories allow Wal-Mart to produce inventory turnover rates of around 70% which is really high. Additionally, Wal-Mart has worked with suppliers in order to improve their efficiencies in production which they then pass to Wal-Mart and then to the consumer. Because of Wal-Mart strategy, these reduced costs due to systems allow Wal-Mart to reduce consumers prices. Wal-Mart has streamlined the supply system so well that it would be very hard to find any inefficiency and would be hard for any competitor to beat. Additionally, Wal-Mart has a very efficient human resource syste m set-up that has both mostly kept employees happy, and resisted unionization. Wal-Mart is the largest private employer and has developed systems to tie raises and bonuses to performance. This encourages employees to think of the company and to always do their best. Structure Wal-Mart also employs a good structure that works with the systems to empower the low price strategy. Wal-Mart has planned warehouses and integrated them with systems. Additionally, they place their warehouses strategically so that one warehouse can serve many stores. They have developed time schedules so that one truck can service many stores and that after a delivery the truck can take back returned goods to the warehouse. The supercenter design itself is a structural advantage and strategy that Wal-Mart uses. This design allows consumers to come to a single Wal-Mart store to find everything they need from groceries to gifts to clothes to toys. Wal-Mart has designed an efficient management structure that allows it to eliminate the regional office. This structure alone has saved Wal-Mart millions of dollars a year. When Wal-Mart places stores in strategic locations and drives traffic using convenience and then combines the sales with its systems and structure, people get a highly ef ficient corporation that can cut costs to a bare-minimum which are then passed along to the consumer. If Wal-Mart continues to dominate these three Ss, it will continue to dominate the retail market. Question Four: BCG product matrix model, identifying major products of Wal-Mart As a retail company, Wal-Mart offers a wide array of products to the consumers. These include groceries, toys, apparel for women, men and children, jewelry as well as other hard goods; all of these product lines are sold at reasonable and generally affordable prices. In order to analyze the operation and performance of the selected products of the company (Wal-Mart), the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix is used. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix is a tool developed to assess company business units. Specifically, the BCG Matrix is used to evaluate the business units level of market growth and share. The distribution done in this matrix was based on the 2008 revenue report of the company. Stars In above diagram, the grocery items function can be placed as Wal-Marts star product. The report stressed that this served as the top revenue generator of the company, contributing to 22% in the total sales. While this generates the most cash flow, it should also be considered that this product causes the most inventory cost to the company, considering that Wal-Mart has to derive its grocery supplies to multiple suppliers or companies. Cash cows On the other hand, the hard (appliance, kitchen tools, furniture) and soft goods (digital products, music files, software) are the cash cows of the company. Compared to the groceries, the supply chain for these products are less complex. The private-label goods are considered cash cows particularly in the international sector. This is because American brands do not exhibit the same impact or appeal to foreign buyers as with foreign consumers. As cash cows, it is essential that Wal-Mart uses these products to generate funds that would support its other business units particularly those categorized as stars and question marks. Question marks Pharmaceuticals, toys, electronics and health products are Wal-Mart question marks. As indicated in the revenue report, these products may generate sales but not enough to compensate the level of funds required to distribute them. Multiple suppliers and costly inventory make these products the question mark type. For this reason, it is practical that Wal-Mart consider limiting the inventory of these products to save on inventory expenses. Dogs Finally, the photo development, jewelry and shoe products distributed by the company are those that exhibit low market share as well as growth. Considering the number of alternatives available in the market with these products, it is indeed difficult for the company to keep these product lines. As certain retailers are focused on distributing these goods, they have more business flexibility than Wal-Mart, allowing them to overcome sales issues. Question Five: product life cycle and â€Å"Ansoff growth matrix† Product life cycle Wal-Mart is committed to improving operations, lowering costs and improving customer service. But the key to retailer Wal-Marts success is its ability to drive costs out of its supply chain and manage it efficiently. Many supply chain experts refer to Wal-Mart as a supply chain-driven company that also has retail stores. Wal-Marts company philosophy (‘The Wal-Mart Way) is to be at the leading edge of logistics, distribution, transportation, and technology. Wal-Mart has the largest IT systems of any private company in the world. The Wal-Mart business model would fail instantly without its advanced technology and supply chain. Wal-Mart has made significant investments in supply chain management. Ansoff growth matrix Ansoff matrix allows the marketers to look at different ways to grow the business through existing products and markets and new products and markets. Moreover, the matrix is composed of four various strategies: Market Penetration Wal-Mart Stores aims to capture the market penetration in food that it has achieved in hard and soft line goods. The retail giant, which posts more than a 10% market share in many nonfood categories, plans to rise up its food share through quick supercenter expansions. To achieve their market penetration goals, they believe in three guiding principles: Customer Value and Service Partnership with its associates Community involvement Product Development Wal-Mart product development group influenced the look, feel and variety of merchandise. The product development group headed by strong communicators worked with the buyer for the category and various suppliers to improve the consistency of qualities and sizes of merchandise. The product development team frequently attends trade shows in Europe and key fashion capitals and travels to places globally. The group findings are then regularly presented to merchants, marketers and package designers during the year. Major seasonal trend overview meetings are held for spring and fall with smaller meetings held for summer and holidays. Market Development Wal-Mart always seek to take advantage of on its international strategy, it is working in the direction of build ­ing new retail stores in other countries.They planned to educate activists around the world about Wal-Mart retail development strategies and the company impact on local retail culture. The three major tactics used by the company before to enter a country include: Build ­ing partnerships with local businesses and organizations Working with government officials Tapping into the growing middle class purchasing power Diversification Wal-Marts diversification strategy of the 1980s was a great success in terms of tapping and recognizing new market segments. Sams club was the most successful diversification of all at the decade by adopting wholesaling concept. The first Sams Club launched in April 1983. The company, on the other side, opened its first Wal-Mart Supercenter in 1988. It was essentially a complete Wal-Mart discount store with a supermarket added to it. Wal-Mart diversification into new retail formats during the 1980s did more than improve the firm growth in the fundamental areas of retail. Diversification also gave the company the chance to take risks and experiment. Evaluation the Usefulness of Marketing and Strategic Models Based from the analysis of the selected company, it is then appropriate to recommend that the product and service development strategy be applied by Wal-Mart, considering that these factors serve as the core factors affecting its growth and progress. With this type of strategy, Wal-Mart can increase its sales by means of modifying or enhancing its existing products and services. This strategy has been recommended as it has the ability to support the company potential to reach greater markets. Wal-Mart has multiple product lines that will be affected by this strategy. With the BCG matrix, it is appropriate that the company starts off the development with its prime product lines. Through this, the company will have sufficient funds to support other relevant activities in the future. However, by means of this strategy, Wal-Mart will be able to strengthen the market position of each of its product divisions, resulting to greater hold to these specific markets. The suggested strategy does not only fit the purpose of the company and support its future growth but has also been recommended based on the capability of the company to implement it. Wal-Mart has an efficient distribution system which in turn would support this strategy. The culture of the retail company also fits the requirements of this recommendation. Specifically, the company devotes ample time and resources to develop and maintain a skilled workforce. With productive managers and employees, the delivery of the developed goods of the company will be made possible. As a result, greater satisfaction from the customers will be obtained. Reference Sources Text Books Lynch, R. (2006) Corporate Strategy, Fourth Edition, Financial Times Prentice Hall. Mintzberg, H., Ahlstrand, B. and Lampel, J. (1998) Strategy Safari, Financial Times Prentice Hall Johnson, G., Scholes, K. and Whittington, R. (2005) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases, 7th Edition, Financial Times Prentice Hall. Online Sources http://www.walmart.com/ http://walmartstores.com/sites/AnnualReport/2008/docs/wal_mart_annual_report_2008.pdf www.economist.com www.metrofoods.net/ www.ft.com www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/GlobalFoodMarkets/Industry www.plunkettresearch.com/Industries/

A World Without Art :: Music Senses Hearing Essays

A World Without Art Periodically, the question will come up, â€Å" If you had to give up one of your senses, which one would you select?† Which one, the question implies, could you best do without? I ruminate on this question occasionally, wondering what it would be like to be without something that that is so taken for granted that I don’t even really think about it at all. What, I ask myself, would I miss the most? These questions come to mind when I watch a little girl in one of my kindergarten classes who is profoundly deaf. She wears massive hearing aids, and is able to understand much of what goes on around her, but I wonder, when the children are singing the little songs they learn to help them remember their counting or alphabet skills, or any of the myriad of other songs they learn, what does she hear then? She maintains of look of puzzlement on her face, as if she can’t quite figure out what the rest of the children are doing. Does she hear the music? Does it make any sense to her? Or is it just a bit of confusing noise that she can’t decipher? I wonder again when I watch a blind man navigate through the campus library, cane held out in front of him, following the textured path laid out to make his journey easier, unaware of the student art which adorns the walls next to him. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s wretched, mostly it’s indifferent, but he will never know as he maneuvers his way past this month’s offerings. The vivid slashes of color, the layers of texture, the intricate detail of the artistic renderings will never pierce the darkness of his world. What does he think when he hears conversations about art, about color. Does he paint visual pictures in his mind? Or do the words we use to describe things visually take on a completely different meaning for him? These thoughts take on a personal significance as I think about living a life without art. As a cook, the thought of being unable to taste the chocolate mousse, or the hollandaise sauce is a distressing notion, to put it mildly. Good food brings great joy to my life, and I would hate having to give up that part of my life. I am after all, the woman who trekked all the way from San Francisco to Vienna in search of the perfect Doboschtorte.The holidays see me virtually chained to my butcher-block worktable, turning out dozens of tins of cookies, A World Without Art :: Music Senses Hearing Essays A World Without Art Periodically, the question will come up, â€Å" If you had to give up one of your senses, which one would you select?† Which one, the question implies, could you best do without? I ruminate on this question occasionally, wondering what it would be like to be without something that that is so taken for granted that I don’t even really think about it at all. What, I ask myself, would I miss the most? These questions come to mind when I watch a little girl in one of my kindergarten classes who is profoundly deaf. She wears massive hearing aids, and is able to understand much of what goes on around her, but I wonder, when the children are singing the little songs they learn to help them remember their counting or alphabet skills, or any of the myriad of other songs they learn, what does she hear then? She maintains of look of puzzlement on her face, as if she can’t quite figure out what the rest of the children are doing. Does she hear the music? Does it make any sense to her? Or is it just a bit of confusing noise that she can’t decipher? I wonder again when I watch a blind man navigate through the campus library, cane held out in front of him, following the textured path laid out to make his journey easier, unaware of the student art which adorns the walls next to him. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s wretched, mostly it’s indifferent, but he will never know as he maneuvers his way past this month’s offerings. The vivid slashes of color, the layers of texture, the intricate detail of the artistic renderings will never pierce the darkness of his world. What does he think when he hears conversations about art, about color. Does he paint visual pictures in his mind? Or do the words we use to describe things visually take on a completely different meaning for him? These thoughts take on a personal significance as I think about living a life without art. As a cook, the thought of being unable to taste the chocolate mousse, or the hollandaise sauce is a distressing notion, to put it mildly. Good food brings great joy to my life, and I would hate having to give up that part of my life. I am after all, the woman who trekked all the way from San Francisco to Vienna in search of the perfect Doboschtorte.The holidays see me virtually chained to my butcher-block worktable, turning out dozens of tins of cookies,

The Riders Essay -- Literary Analysis, Tim Winton

An individual’s ‘Sense of Place’ is predominantly their place of belonging and acceptance in the world, may it be through a strong physical, emotional or spiritual connection. In Tim Winton’s novel ‘The Riders†, the concept of Sense of Place is explored through the desperate journey of its protagonist, Fred Scully. Scully’s elaborate search for identity throughout the novel is guided and influenced by the compulsive love he feels for his wife Jennifer and their family morals, the intensity of hope and the destruction it can cause and the nostalgic nature of Winton’s writing. Two quotes which reflect the ideals of a person’s Sense of Place are â€Å"Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him.’(Aldous Huxley) and â€Å"It is not down in any map. True places never are.† (Herman Melville). Huxley and Melville’s statements closely resemble Fred Scully’s jou rney and rectify some of his motivations throughout the text. Scully’s ‘Sense of Place’ strongly revolves around the idea of a healthy marriage, a happy family, and ultimately, the presence of love. He believes that he and Jennifer have an honest relationship and that she is like his â€Å"sheet anchor...a steadying influence on him†, (p.20) but Winton contradicts this by frequently incorporating foreshadowing into Scully’s dreams to signify that Scully’s marriage is not what it seems. ‘In his dreams that night he ran, never stopping to see what was behind him, blindly going on into darkness’ (p.22). This quote highlights his trusting nature towards his relationship with Jennifer, and foreshadows the â€Å"blind† shock that he will suffer when he is betrayed. Scully does not only feel intense love for his wife, he is also devoted to his daughter Billie. He b... ...ecomes clear, that Scully’s home, his life and ultimately his Sense of Place is in Ireland with Billie by his side. It is with this newfound knowledge that Melville’s quote rings true: Scully’s true places; his daughter and his memories cannot be found on any map, only deep inside his heart. Fred Scully endured an emotionally destructive journey in order to discover his true identity and Sense of Place. In order to attain his identity Scully learnt how love could be both dangerous and wholesome, how much it hurts to have his hopes raised only to be shattered by the truth and experienced spiritual travels back to his secure past. Throughout Scully’s journey Winton reinforces the concept of Sense of place with the techniques of flashbacks and foreshadowing, which crucially contribute to Scully’s newfound Sense of Place: anywhere where Billie and him are together.

Every Child Matters

There is no duty more important than ensuring that children’s rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and that they can grow up in peace. Kofi Annan, the 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations The aim of this paper is to review and critically analyse the Every Child Matters (DfES, 2003) framework as well as to discuss the impact of Every Child Matters agenda on a specific role within an educational setting.For this purpose, information was gathered through elements of practitioner-based research and observations along with the study and analysis of materials presented in books, research journals and professional publications, so as to evaluate the main aspects of the policy Every Child Matters and identify the issues it has raised for professionals working with young children, and particularly early years practitioners, as well as to propose some strategies that could support those practitioners throughout the process of inevitable changes associated with the introduction of the policy.In 2003, the Government launched Every Child Matters, a comprehensive programme of reform for children’s services with wide-reaching implications for education, health, social services, voluntary and community organisations, and other agencies. Every Child Matters constituted the Government’s policy response to the findings and recommendations of Lord Laming’s Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie, the young girl who died as the result of severe physical abuse and neglect in her family. It was published as a Green Paper for consultation on September 2003.Its proposals have since been further developed in subsequent documents including Every Child Matters; Next Steps and Every Child Matters; Change for Children. Many of the reforms proposed in Every Child Matters—including the establishment of a Children’s Commissioner for England—required amendments to statute. Consequent ly, a Children Bill was presented to Parliament in March 2004 and subsequently received royal assent on 15 November 2004. The Children Act 2004, as it now is, provides the legal ‘backbone’ for the programme of reform. House of Lords and House of Commons, 2005) The proposals of the Government for reforming children’s services aimed to combine the development of an overall framework for universal children’s services with the need for targeted services to protect vulnerable children. The framework has introduced five outcomes for children’s services as being of key importance during childhood and adult life: being healthy; staying safe; enjoying and achieving; making a positive contribution; achieving economic well-being.As Benton, Chamberlain and Rutt (2003: 30) point out, Thirty-nine quantitative indicators have been identified relating to these outcomes. For example, one of the key indicators of children being healthy is the infant mortality rate, w hereas achieving economic well-being might be partially assessed by the percentage of young people accessing FE and training after completing compulsory schooling. Each of the 150 local authority areas can be assessed using any of these indicators that are available at the local level.The research (Anning, Cullen and Fleer, 2004; Williams, 2004; Roche and Tucker, 2007) suggests that the introduction of the quantitative indicators along with other expectations of the Every Child Matters agenda has transformed the educational landscape in recent years. The need for effective and coherent multi-agency working has become apparent, and that was not just to ensure that abused children like Victoria Climbie no longer fall through the net, but also to bring together health, social care and education services for collaboration in the interests of all children and with effective provision at all levels.It is worth to mention that the story behind the development of the Every Child Matters sti ll presents â€Å"uncomfortable reading† (Roche and Tucker, 2007: 213) for politicians, children’s service managers, practitioners and academics alike due to the fact that the Every Child Matters framework emerged out of the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Victoria Climbie as well as many other child abuse inquiries.The study suggests that Every Child Matters has indicated the emergence of the notions of â€Å"a child† and â€Å"childhood† as the central subjects in New Labour’s social policy. Recently Gordon Brown declared: â€Å"Nothing is more important to the future of our whole country than that, with the best schooling, services and financial support, every child has the chance to develop their potential. † (Guardian, 2003: 19) Similarly, former Prime Minister Tony Blair stated: â€Å"For most parents, our children are everything to us: our hopes, our ambitions, our future. (DfES, 2003: 1) The above claims suggest that c hildren today are no longer seen as incomplete adults not yet able to participate in social life, but as â€Å"co-constructors of childhood and society† (Qvortrup, 1994: 14) In the same context, Moss and Petrie (2002: 40), talk about it being â€Å"time to welcome children as young citizens, equal stakeholders with adults† and state that â€Å"the child has a voice to be listened to† (ibid: 101).However, it is important to acknowledge that this notion of childhood does not seem to be the only one that shapes the status of children in the sphere of political and economic priorities. Tomplinson (2008) uses an example of Home Office activity linked to the Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO), which is being used to restrain children and make information about them public within their communities. According to Walker (2008: 149), â€Å"ten young people a week are being jailed as a result of ASBOs†.This activity is in clear contrast to the aims of Every Child Ma tters, one of which is â€Å"to minimise the use of custody† (DfES, 2004: 3) Prout (cited in Jones et al, 2008: 29) explains that â€Å"public debate swings between children as victims, in need of protection from harm, and children as threat to social order coming from problem families producing unruly and uncontrolled children. † The study also suggests that Every Child Matters possibly does not put enough emphasis on the importance of children’s participation and respecting of children’s opinions.Some acknowledgement of those issues is evident in Paragraph 1. 13 of the document, which states some factors that foster children’s resilience against disadvantage: Strong relationships with parents, family and other significant adults Parental interest and involvement in education with clear and high expectations Positive role models Individual characteristics such as an outgoing nature, self-motivation, intelligence Active involvement in family, schoo l and community life Recognition, praise and feeling valued† (DfES, 2003: paragraph 1. 3) Paragraph 5. 47 also mentions â€Å"Involving children in developing services† (DfES, 2003: paragraph 5. 47) As Williams (2004) rightly points out, the Every Child Matters framework refers to children’s consultation only twice. The first reference is in setting out its outcomes: â€Å"When we consulted with children, young people and families they wanted the Government to set out the aims in terms of a positive vision of what as a society we want to achieve for our children† (DfES, 2003: paragraph 1. 2).The themes of staying safe and enjoying and achieving are reinforced by the second reference to children’s opinions, when â€Å"somewhere safe to go and something to do† is mentioned in relation to the need for recreational activities (DfES, 2003: paragraph 2. 39). The study also revealed that, surprisingly, the theme of â€Å"enjoying† is hardly d eveloped in the framework. The section â€Å"Enjoying and Achieving† focuses mainly on educational achievement without taking into the consideration the fact that â€Å"enjoyment† was the main theme that came from children.Not only does it give the impression that children’s views are not very important but it also characterizes a rather dreary vision of childhood which is about getting through your exams and keeping out of trouble. This registers more about the processes of becoming an adult rather than the active enjoyment and negotiation of childhood and young personhood with friends and siblings. (Williams, 2004: 412) In addition to criticism towards the lack of emphasis on children’s participation, the study also revealed that there are some points of tension in the Every Child Matters document which reflect a weak framework of values.Walker (2008) expresses concern regarding the fact that no advice is given in the document to the agencies on how to cooperate together effectively and how to overcome difficulties and barriers, especially when it comes to a clash of different values. Williams (2004) shares this concern, arguing that while the document opens up new possibilities for the way society can transform the lives of children and their parents, it also, at the same time, closes these off due to its failure to be much more explicit about its vision and its values: There is an underestimation f the need for services and policies to underpin both trust and respect, and for strategies that can build consensus around such values. To some extent a case is put in the Introduction to the Every Child Matters: ‘Underpinning this must be not just the resources but an attitude that reflects the value that our society places on children and childhood’. But the values that might support a change in attitude are not spelled out. (ibid: 410)Nevertheless, despite the mentioned concerns about the conflicting nature of some serv ices and a failure to offer effective legislation in ways that will work for all children and families, it should be noted that the introduction of Every Child Matters and the legislation to support its implementation should be viewed as a staging post (my emphasis) for a government that is on a significant journey of reform for child-related policy and practice (Parton, 2005).The study suggests that the Every Child Matters agenda raised a number of important issues within the roles of all professional involved in children’s and young people’s services, including teachers and practitioners of early years childcare and educational settings. One of the main issues is related to the introduction of multi-agency approach, which encourages professionals to work in multi-disciplinary teams based in schools and Children’s Centres.An early manifestation of multidisciplinary approaches to work could be seen in relation to the rapid development of early years provision. T he mandatory introduction of Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships (EYDCP) in every local authority area clearly signalled the intention of the Government to build multi-agency working relationships across the public, private and voluntary sectors that would encompass education, social care and health.Crucially, the local education authority was given the lead role in bringing together related agencies â€Å"to draw up an annual local plan, linked together into the Government’s targets for early education places for 3- and 4-year-olds and the expansion of childcare† (Pugh, 2001: 15). Following the Every Child Matters agenda on integrated multi-agency approach put an obligation on early years practitioners to restructure and refocus their roles. The agenda for safeguarding children based on integrated pproach had to be carefully reviewed from the perspective of all those working with young children. While the traditional protection functions remained the sa me (looking for signs of abuse, reporting suspicion of abuse, etc. ), the other functions, specifically related to multi-agency involvement, had to be introduced, such as involvement in common assessment process, sharing and analysing information, reviewing outcomes for the children against specific plans.Within such a perspective the practitioners based at an early years setting have become central figures in developing services for socially excluded children and families and those who are considered to be at risk. The contribution of these practitioners has been viewed as vital, as it is argued that â€Å"health, education and social services all have an important role to play in improving and safe-guarding the well-being of vulnerable children and their families† (Abbott et al. , 2005: 230). However, Abbott et al. ibid) also note that there have been difficulties in promoting the vision of multidisciplinary working across organizations, and go further in their criticisms, arguing that there is a â€Å"lack of evidence to support the notion that multi-agency working in practice brings about benefits for children and families†. (Abbott et al, 2005: 23) The introduction of multi-agency multi-disciplinary approaches also is having an impact on the practitioners working with older age groups of children. The changes in those practitioners’ job roles are mainly related to the issue of developing extended schools.According to research conducted by Cummings et al. (2003) specific grounds for the development of extended schools appear to be emerging, however the evaluation of the extended schools revealed that there is no single model of the extended school, and there is considerable variation between the existing models depending on community need, geography and access to funding. The ‘full-service’ school in which services are located on the school site is less common, though many schools are working towards this (ibid). The chall enge to those working in extended schools to deliver effective practice seems to be considerable.The study suggests that, perhaps, the greatest challenge lies in the area of changing the culture of some schools. Smith (2005) supports the idea that multidisciplinary work challenges the isolated position of many schools: â€Å"where schools have had to work with other agencies their relative size, statutory nature and high degree of control over what happens within their walls have often made them difficult partners† (ibid: 13). Clearly, these issues have put additional pressure on all staff working in schools in terms of demands of being accountable to both schools and outside agencies.The study also revealed that those occupying teaching roles in extended schools have been faced with new expectations placed on them. Cajkler et al (cited in Rochea and Tucker, 2007) emphasize that the safeguarding agenda pursued in extended school along with the creation of extended education, leisure, care and health opportunities make teachers to undertake different forms of work. As the â€Å"Lead Professional† they find themselves working more closely with families, especially when it comes to improving their access to services that are based on school premises.At the heart of Every Child Matters agenda lies recognition that all practitioners working with children will require new skills and knowledge to work more within multi-agency systems. This demand instigated another change in the roles performed by the practitioners as the policy agenda also emphasises the reform of training schemes. As Abbott and Hevey (2001: 180) point out, â€Å"the development of new and innovatory ways of working will ‘require something more than benign cooperation across existing professions†.The authors go on to argue that the development of a new children’s workforce has put forward the need for flexibility in approach and a sharing of values and attitudes tha t had been advocated much earlier in the Rumbold Report (DES, 1990). Indeed, the Every Child Matters agenda implies that all those working with children will require knowledge and skills in six wide areas of expertise, which is referred to as the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the children’s workforce.The areas of expertise include: the development of effective communication skills; an understanding of child development; promoting children’s welfare; supporting transitions; multi-agency working; sharing of information (DfES, 2005). Advocates of the ‘common core’ specifically argue that the roles and responsibilities outlined within the Every Child Matters framework require individuals and groups to develop such a range of skills and knowledge in order to increase their ability to work across professional boundaries (Tucker et al. , 2002).Along with the demand related to the new training schemes, the Every Child Matters agenda also challenges the p ractitioners to meet new requirements of OfSTED inspections, which require the practitioners to report the way they are meeting the â€Å"five outcomes†. Personal experiences as well as discussions with the professionals show that, in some ways, the delivery of the Every Child Matters agenda has been transformed from a framework of aspiration to one where evidence is apprehensively sought in relation to specific targets against each outcome.The paper so far has attempted to review and critically analyse the Every Child Matters (DfES, 2003) framework and to discuss the impact of Every Child Matters agenda on a role of practitioners within educational settings. One of the key intentions has been to provide a brief overview of the main issues of the Every Child Matters agenda, an agenda profoundly influenced by a consistent failure to safeguard and protect children and young people and, therefore, promote their welfare.Specific areas concerned with multi-agency approach, the dev elopment of extended schools and workforce training and OfSTED issues have been reviewed to demonstrate the scope and complexity of the changes in the roles of practitioners working with children. The impact of Every Child Matters certainly appears to be influential in terms of the way it has been transforming structures and processes at both the national and local levels.Every Child Matters has provided a framework for shaping practice, specifically in relation to multi-agency multi-disciplinary approach and the expectations of professionals within educational settings to improve the quality and outcomes of safeguarding children. The study also suggests that, notwithstanding efficiency or inadequacy of specific aspects of the framework, no all-embracing package has been devised, which proposes a perfect solution for safeguarding children and promoting their rights and participation.It seems unrealistic to expect a selected framework to offer ultimate solutions in the context of edu cational system in view of the fact that a wide variety of different initiatives and approaches continuously develop to meet new sociological, legislative and educational needs. Today children are seen as â€Å"social beings, active in the construction of their own realities and subjectivities and therefore potentially active in the construction and deconstruction of dominant ideologies† (Osler, 1998: 34). However, in the face of changes that ime brings into our society every day we must recognise that there is no objective truth about children; and there is no single, objective description of how we should protect and safeguard them. The process of developing the ideas of childhood is a continuous non-stop practice, which helps us to comprehend the children and their lives as they really are and in this way give the children's views a central role in our explorations and perceptions.