Methods of Data Collection Essay

Introduction: Data Collection is an important aspect of any type of research study. Inaccurate data collection can impact the results of a study and ultimately lead to invalid results. Data collection methods for impact evaluation vary along a continuum. At the one end of this continuum are quantitative methods and at the other end of the continuum are qualitative methods for data collection. Bakhtadze (2012:82) ‘When you have decided on a topic, refined it and specified objectives, you start considering the ways of collecting the evidence you require. The initial question that guides you is: â€Å"What do I need to know to answer my research problem? Why do I need it?† After you have answered the question you start choosing the best ways of collecting information. Researchers next decide how they are going to collect their empirical research data. That is they decide what method of data collection (test, questionnaires, focus group, observation, interviews) they are going to use to physically obtain research data from their research participants.’ University of Wilconsin (2012)The Quantitative data collection methods, rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit diverse experiences into predetermined response categories. They produce results that are easy to summarize, compare, and generalize. Quantitative research is concerned with testing hypotheses derived from theory and/or being able to estimate the size of a phenomenon of interest. Depending on the research question, participants may be randomly assigned to different treatments. If this is not feasible, the researcher may collect data on participant and situational characteristics in order to statistically control for their influence on the dependent, or outcome, variable. If the intent is to generalize from the research participants to a larger population, the researcher will employ probability sampling to select participants. Typical quantitative data gathering strategies include: * Experiments/clinical trials.   * Observing and recording well-defined events (e.g., counting the number of patients waiting in emergency at specified times of the day). * Obtaining relevant data from management information systems. * Administering surveys with closed-ended questions (e.g., face-to face and telephone interviews, questionnaires etc). Wikipedia (2012) In statistics, survey methodology is the field that studies the sampling of individuals from a population with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population using the sample. Polls about public opinion, such as political beliefs, are reported in the news media in democracies. Other types of survey are used for scientific purposes. Surveys provide important information for all kinds of research fields, e.g., marketing research, psychology, health professionals and sociology. A survey may focus on different topics such as preferences (e.g., for a presidential candidate), behavior (smoking and drinking behavior), or factual information (e.g., income), depending on its purpose. Since survey research is always based on a sample of the population, the success of the research is dependent on the representativeness of the population of concern. Survey methodology seeks to identify principles about the design, collection, processing, and analysis of surveys in connection to the cost and quality of survey estimates. It focuses on improving quality within cost constraints, or alternatively, reducing costs for a fixed level of quality. Survey methodology is both a scientific field and a profession. Part of the task of a survey methodologist is making a large set of decisions about thousands of individual features of a survey in order to improve it. The most important methodological challenges of a survey methodologist include making decisions on how to: * Identify and select potential sample members. * Contact sampled individuals and collect data from those who are hard to reach (or reluctant to respond). * Evaluate and test questions. * Select the mode for posing questions and collecting responses. * Train and supervise interviewers (if they are involved). * Check data files for accuracy and internal consistency. * Adjust survey estimates to correct for identified errors. Advantages * They are relatively easy to administer. * Can be developed in less time compared with other data-collection methods. * Can be cost-effective. * Few ‘experts’ are required to develop a survey, which may increase the reliability of the survey data. * If conducted remotely, can reduce or obviate geographical dependence. * Useful in describing the characteristics of a large population assuming the sampling is valid. * Can be administered remotely via the Web, mobile devices, mail, e-mail, telephone, etc. * Efficient at collecting information from a large number of respondents. * Statistical techniques can be applied to the survey data to determine validity, reliability, and statistical significance even when analyzing multiple variables. * Many questions can be asked about a given topic giving considerable flexibility to the analysis. * Support both between and within-subjects study designs. * A wide range of information can be collected (e.g., attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviour). * Because they are standardized, they are relatively free from several types of errors. Disadvantages The reliability of survey data may depend on the following: * Respondents’ motivation, honesty, memory, and ability to respond: * Respondents may not be motivated to give accurate answers. * Respondents may be motivated to give answers that present themselves in a favorable light. * Respondents may not be fully aware of their reasons for any given action. * Structured surveys, particularly those with closed ended questions, may have low validity when researching affective variables. * Self-selection bias: Although the individuals chosen to participate in surveys are often randomly sampled, errors due to non-response may exist ( Adà ©r et al. (2008:13) . That is, people who choose to respond on the survey may be different from those who do not respond, thus biasing the estimates. For example, polls or surveys that are conducted by calling a random sample of publicly available telephone numbers will not include the responses of people with unlisted telephone numbers, mobile (cell) phone numbers, people who are unable to answer the phone (e.g., because they normally sleep during the time of day the survey is conducted, because they are at work, etc.), people who do not answer calls from unknown or unfamiliar telephone numbers. Likewise, such a survey will include a disproportionate number of respondents who have traditional, land-line telephone service with listed phone numbers, and people who stay home much of the day and are much more likely to be available to participate in the survey (e.g., people who are unemployed, disabled, elderly, etc.). * Question design. Survey question answer-choices could lead to vague data sets because at times they are relative only to a personal abstract notion concerning â€Å"strength of choice†. For instance the choice â€Å"moderately agree† may mean different things to different subjects, and to anyone interpreting the data for correlation. Even ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers are problematic because subjects may for instance put â€Å"no† if the choice â€Å"only once† is not available. Questionnaires Wikipedia (2012)A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case. The questionnaire was invented by Sir Francis Galton. Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they are cheap, do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and often have standardized answers that make it simple to compile data. However, such standardized answers may frustrate users. Questionnaires are also sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be able to read the questions and respond to them. Thus, for some demographic groups conducting a survey by questionnaire may not be practical. As a type of survey, questionnaires also have many of the same problems relating to question construction and wording that exist in other types of opini on polls. Basic rules for questionnaire item construction * Use statements which are interpreted in the same way by members of different subpopulations of the population of interest. * Use statements where persons that have different opinions or traits will give different answers. * Think of having an â€Å"open† answer category after a list of possible answers. * Use only one aspect of the construct you are interested in per item. * Use positive statements and avoid negatives or double negatives. * Do not make assumptions about the respondent. * Use clear and comprehensible wording, easily understandable for all educational levels * Use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. * Avoid items that contain more than one question per item (e.g. Do you like strawberries and potatoes?). Questionnaire administration modes Main modes of questionnaire administration are: * Face-to-face questionnaire administration, where an interviewer presents the items orally. * Paper-and-pencil questionnaire administration, where the items are presented on paper. * Computerized questionnaire administration, where the items are presented on the computer. * Adaptive computerized questionnaire administration, where a selection of items is presented on the computer, and based on the answers on those items, the computer selects following items optimized for the ‘testee’s ‘estimated ability or trait. -Wikipedia. Org Observational study In epidemiology and statistics, an observational study draws inferences about the possible effect of a treatment on subjects, where the assignment of subjects into a treated group versus a control group is outside the control of the investigator. This is in contrast with experiments, such as randomized controlled trials, where each subject is randomly assigned to a treated group or a control group before the start of the treatment. Wikipedia (2012)Although, observational studies cannot be used as reliable sources to make statements of fact about the â€Å"safety, efficacy, or effectiveness† of a practice, they can still be of use for some other things: â€Å"[T]hey can: 1) provide information on â€Å"real world† use and practice; 2) detect signals about the benefits and risks of†¦[the] use [of practices] in the general population; 3) help formulate hypotheses to be tested in subsequent experiments; 4) provide part of the community-level data needed to design more informative pragmatic clinical trials; and 5) inform clinical practice.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Bakhtadze (107:2012) Observation is watching behavioral patterns of people in certain situations to obtain information about the phenomenon of interest. Quantitative Observation: Quantitative Observation involves the standardization of all observational procedures in order to obtain reliable research data. Qualitative Observation: Qualitative Observation involves observing all relevant phenomena and taking extensive field notes without specifying in advance exactly what is observed. Focus Groups Bakhtadze (106:2012) A focus group is a type of group interview in which a group moderator (working for the researcher) leads a discussion with a small group of individuals to examine how the group members think and feel about the topic. Purposes of Focus groups: 1. Obtaining general background information about a topic of interest; 2. Stimulating new ideas and creating concepts; 3. Generating impressions of products, programs, services, etc. 4. Learning how respondents talk about the phenomenon of interest; 5. Interpreting previously obtained qualitative results Summary A method of data collection is the procedure that a researcher uses to physically obtain research data from research participants. The method of data collection that is used in a research study is discussed in the method section of a research report. . Finally, the methods of data collection discussed in this paper work can be mixed by using the fundamental principle of mixed research to strengthen the evidence provided by a research study. References: Adà ¨r, H. J., Mellenbergh, G. J., & Hand, D. J. (2008). Advising on research methods: A consultant’s companion. Huizen, The Netherlands: Johannes van Kessel Publishing. Bakhtadze, I., 2012.Course note on Research Methodology, Department of Education, International Black Sea University, Tbilisi-Georgia. World Bank, n.d: Data Collection Methods, 2012 viewed 28th of December 2012 http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/impact/methods/datacoll.htm University of Wilconsin, n.d., Data Collection Methods, viewed 28th of December 2012 http://people.uwec.edu/piercech/researchmethods/data%20collection%20methods/data%20collection%20methods.htm Wikipedia, 2012, Questionnaire, viewed 28th 0f December 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionnaire Wikipedia, 2012, Survey Methodology, viewed 28th 0f December 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_survey Wikipedia, 2012, Observational Study, viewed 28th 0f December 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observational_study

Education and Funds Allocation: A Comparative Analysis Essay

Education, the act process of being educated or of educating, is an important aspect of a nation’s development (Houghton Miifflin, 2009). It is a key tool in the development of a civic awareness, competence, and cooperation (Stephenson, 2005). In the United States (US) Educational System, progression is from one to two years of pre-school education, to 12 years of average instruction, and to a four-stage higher education system (US Department of State, 2008). In 2004, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) set down different variables or indicators that determine how well a country’s educational system works (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2004). I. Indicators/Response and Explanatory Variables A. Response Variable. Response variables are those that indicate how effective a state’s education system is. From the indicators set by the UNESCO, this study will be focusing on the following response variables: Teachers’ Pay, Income per capita (income per person, including children), the percent of students graduating from the high schools, the number of people that are illiterate, and average Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) Verbal and Math Scores. B. Explanatory Variables. On the other hand, explanatory variables are those that affect or relate to the response variable. In the study, explanatory variables are: Dollars per Pupil, State Population, the Governor’s Salary, and the percentage of high school students taking the SAT. C. Analysis of Relationship between Variables. In general, explanatory variables affect and relate to response variables in different ways. Appendix A presents a table of the different education indicators in the different states and regions of US (Table 1). From these data, Table 1A was generated to present the summarized average statistical indicators per region. Figure 1 presents a line graph comparing the explanatory and response variables of each region. For purposes of comparison, figures from Table 1Awere adjusted to multiples of ten. In Figure 1, it can be seen that most of the response variables are directly related to the explanatory variable population. The spikes in the graph show that if the population is high, then consequently, the dollars per pupil is also high. This also goes for the teachers’ salary, except for the Western region where even though there was a dip in the population line, there was an increase in the line for Teachers’ Pay. Also, the West differed from the other regions when an increase in the income per capita line and percentage of high school graduates contradicted the plunge in the population line. The average SAT scores and illiteracy differed from the other indicators, since a rise in the population line showed a dip in the SAT and illiteracy lines. In all, population affects the response variables in different ways per region. On the other hand, the Governor’s pay, showed no definite effect or relation on the other response variables. II. Analysis of Basic Data Table 1B presents the condensed data on the educational indicators of the states of Nebraska and Virginia. Table 1B, along with Table 1A, can be seen in the appendices section. A. Nebraska Educational Indicators. The state of Nebraska has a population of 1,578,000. With this population, the following educational indicators were recorded: $4,831 dollars per student, an income per capita of $4,508, an average teachers’ pay of $26,600, an average SAT score of 484 (verbal) and 546 (math), a 59. 3 percentage of high school graduates, and a rate of six illiterate individuals out of every 100 people of Nebraska. B. Virginia Educational Indicators. In total contrast, the state of Virginia has a population of 6,187,000. Also, the following educational indicators were reported: $5,360 dollars per student, an income per capita of $4,701, an average teachers’ pay of $32,400, an average SAT score of 425 (verbal) and 470 (math), a 47. 8 percentage of high school graduates, and a rate of fourteen illiterate individuals out of every 100 people of Nebraska III. Comparison of the Two States A. Comparison of the Two States against Each Other Figure 2 presents a bar graph depicting the differences between the states of Virginia and Nebraska. From the graph, it can be seen that the state of Virginia has a larger population (6,187,000), especially when compared to that of Nebraska’s only around 1,578,000. And so, it is rather expected that Virginia has a higher dollars per pupil rate and a higher income per capita, also shown from the graph. With this population discrepancy, it is also expected that the state of Virginia also has a larger teachers’ pay.

Virtue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Virtue - Essay Example However, the systems of virtue I most identify with in Iliad are the heroism that foregrounds the warriors’ courage and strong determination to fight the enemy and restore order and justice in their territories. Moreover, this system of virtue is also found in Beowulf and Jeffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. This critic elaborates on the issue of virtue: â€Å"Aristotle’s picture of a virtuous person is one who does the right action resulting from his own inclination; if one’s inclination is pushing in the direction opposite that of doing the right thing, it would be a sign of lacking moral virtue or the presence of weakness of will† (Yan). Aristotle’s focus on the willingness to do good actions demonstrates that this aspect represents an important part of virtue that is also based on moral standards. Homer’s Iliad portrays throughout the whole poem different forms of virtues that reflect the cultural realities of the Greek. However, th e virtue I most identify with in the text represents the warriors’ courage and strong determination to fight in order to defend their nation despite the difficult conditions they face. Their high understanding of their duty and the sacrifices they make while facing ferocious enemies, hostile environment and weather and even sometimes angry gods explain their virtuous nature. This critic observes: â€Å"The warriors in the Iliad display a kind of morality, despite its dissimilarities to some modern notions of morality. Their behaviour is guided by the heroic code of glory and shame. Simplistically stated, a warrior’s worth is defined by his ability to fight in battle, in which victory brings fame and glory and defeat brings dishonour and shame† (Yan). Indeed, heroism constitutes a true virtue in the Greek society which Homer successfully depicts in the poem as both Trojans and Achaeans fight for their honor. This statement exposes Achilles’ talent as a sol dier and the fate he reserves his enemies: â€Å"Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another† (Homer 1). This recognition of his skills as a warrior reflects a deep understanding of his duty and a strong determination to win and overcome his enemies. Besides, another example of heroism depicted in Iliad constitutes Achilles’ decision to resume war after the brutal killing of his friend Patroclus. Even though Achilles has a deep understanding of his duty, the argument he had with Agamemnon led him to stop fighting in order to express his anger and disagreement. However, his warrior spirit takes over any frustration he had when he lost his friend. He, therefo re, regains immediately his fierceness and determination to exterminate the Trojan army. This new motivation led to the killing of many of his opponents including, the brave Hector. The narrator describes: â€Å"Achilles came up to him as it were Mars himself, plumed lord of battle. From his right shoulder he brandished his terrible spear of Pelian ash, and the bronze gleamed around him like flashing fire or the rays of the rising sun. Fear fell upon Hector as he beheld him, and he dared not stay longer where he

Psychological science reaction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Psychological science reaction paper - Essay Example This paper will focus upon empirical findings that support the forgetting aspects of the cognitive process namely whether forgetting occurs as an implicit automatic process of cognition or does it occur as a direct reaction of an explicit traumatic event. The existence of an implicit repression process to prevent awareness of unwanted data is supported by Freud’s neurological model of voluntary repression (Anderson, Ochsner, Kuhl, Cooper, Robertson, Gabrieli, Glover, & Gabrieli, 2004). Freud explains that memory excludes unwanted data from awareness using an automated implicit process termed repression which may be affected by emotional related explicit factors (Anderson et. al.). Repression is a neural process observed empirically using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Anderson et. al. discuss that empirical findings using fMRI observations of participants during both uninhibited and inhibited forgetting episodes illustrate that neuro-chemical processes occur during the repression process. The two brain sections involved in the repression are the hippocampus and lateral prefrontal cortex. An observed increase of dorsolateral prefrontal activation reduces hippocampal activation which in turn impairs retention of m emory. Both regions are also essential to successful memory formation process and retention process of which repression occurs when retrieval to those two processes is inhibited. The experiment suggests further that the two brain sections have an implicit forgetting process that functions automatically and may be affected by chemicals that occur during emotional episodes. During the experiment when forgetting was reinforced by an introduction of an explicit emotional factor to induce forgetting the participants used their mental memories coupled with an emotion response in the repression process. The intensity of the emotion correlated to the mind’s perception of trauma. The results conclude that the brain recognizes

Analytical Project Southwest Airlines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analytical Project Southwest Airlines - Essay Example The industry facilitates world trade, tourism, international investment, economic growth. It is also a centre of the globalization that is taking place in many of the industries. In the past decades, worldwide, travelling has been taken place for both leisure and business. Therefore, per year air travel has grown by 7%. Approximately, about 1.5 billion people are travelling through airlines worldwide (The Airline Industry, 2000). Type of business: The airline is considered to be the tertiary industry that offers its services to all the people, directly or indirectly. When tourism is promoted in the country, it is the airlines that improves the economy and in turn affect every member of the society (Southwest, 2011). Form the airlines industry, the paper discusses Southwest airlines in detail. Size: The total number of employees in the southwest airline is about 3500. In the year 2010, their net income was $ 459 million. Moreover, excluding the special items, their net income turns ou t as $550 million. Throughout the year on the airline, a total of 88 million people have travelled. The statistics report of 2010 shows that their operating revenue of the year 2010 was $12.1 billion (Southwest, 2011). Service provided: Southwest airline is considered as the United States’ most successful high frequency, low fare, and point to point carrier. Every day they offer more than 34000 flights coast to coast. This makes it one of the largest domestic passenger airlines of the states (Southwest, 2011). Market served: Southwest airline is the domestic airline; it flies to 37 states; 72 cities. They serve these cities by using 548 Boeing and 737 jets (Southwest, 2011). Summary of SWA’s Strategy Mission: The mission of Southwest Airline is â€Å"dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.† The mission of the company is to provide their customer with the best qual ity that will force them to return to them more than once (Southwest Airlines, 2011). Organizational objectives: The objectives of the company are to efficiently deliver the basic services (Southwest Airlines, 2011). To achieve this goal they have divided this objective into a number of fundamental objectives. They want to provide their customers with safe, low price transportation with maximum convenience. Overall HR strategy: The HR strategy of the company is â€Å"recognizing that our people are the competitive advantage, we deliver the resources and services to prepare our people to be winners, to support the growth and profitability of the company, while preserving the values and special culture of Southwest Airlines† (Buller, 2006). Being a great place to work, the airlines is selective in hiring and looks out for the best employees that can satisfy the needs and wants of the company as well as the customers. Key strategies: The key strategy of the company includes bein g cost effective, so that they can capture greater number of customers. They are also specialized in short-haul flights to their customers. They tend to give their customers the best services in return of the price they pay. This strategy is considered to be their core strategy (Southwest

Module 1 - Case - Health Care Financial Environment Essay

Module 1 - Case - Health Care Financial Environment - Essay Example Therefore, evaluation means conducting of assessment of perceived outcomes that are often measurable through standardized performances and regulations. It means an evaluation plan helps in achieving goals and objectives that are critical in enforcing the mission statements of a particular hospital environment (Speizman, 2009). Additionally, improvement of efficiency and effectiveness becomes of part of evaluation when CFOs examine the long-term investment decisions important for strengthening contract management. Planning, on the other hand, implies that CFOs must identify a project plan that is both feasible and operational in different environments. Accordingly, planning helps in the deconstruction of perceptions to convert them into reality when evaluating goals that need immediate implementation (Tolbert et al., 2010). It means all investment decisions are strategic because they serve certain purposes approved by CFOs in their quest to streamline the overall management (Burtrie et al., 2013). In other words, planning is a part of partnership with other management processes such as evaluation to assist in controlling of organizations cash flows and other pressing

Windows Server 2003 one of it's networking services NO ACTIVE Essay

Windows Server 2003 one of it's networking services NO ACTIVE DIRECTORY please (please read the description) - Essay Example But before we begin here is a little note on Windows Server 2003. According to Henry King in his book Information Today: A new Interface of the Changing World and Other Related Components, published in April 2006, Windows Server 2003 is "the name of Microsoft's line of server operating systems. It was introduced in April 2003 as the successor to Windows 2000 Server, and is considered by Microsoft to be the cornerstone of their Windows Server System line of business server products." (King, 115) And for Windows 2000 Server the WINS is the best possible service as he states "Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) introduces new features and enhancements to the WINS Service, WINS Client, and WINS Manager. WINS provides a distributed database for registering and querying dynamic computer name-to-IP address mapping in a routed network environment." (King, 148) Windows Internet Naming Service or WINS is implemented by Microsoft for NetBIOS Name Server (NBNS) on Windows. It basically acts as a name server and service for NetBIOS computer names. In other words it serves the same purpose for NetBIOS what DNS acts for the domain names. In a general form there are multiple WINS working simultaneously within a system. These WINS servers are activated in a push pull formulation. This is put forward as a better alternative for the working structure of the hub and spoke formulation. In other words the design of the WINS server is practically present in a decentralized formation where there are no traces of any focal spot. The record of the WINS service system is stored within each individual WINS server thereby making it extremely safe to handle which otherwise would have been very docile and misbalanced like many other service providing systems. In fact each part holds the exact full copy so that no record is ever lost at any point. As a result of this formation, which is unique in all the senses, the WINS service system contains no hierarchy formation. This way it is much different from the DNS. "But like DNS its database can be queried for the address to contact rather than broadcasting a request for which address to contact. The system therefore reduces broadcast traffic on the network, however replication traffic can add to WAN / LAN traffic." (King, 156) The WINS service contains a number of very interesting features like: Dynamic re-registration Increased fault tolerance Record verification and version number validation Persistent connections Dynamic record deletion and multi-select Enhanced filtering and record searching Manual tombstoning Improved management tools Export function Examples Each of the above mentioned features is unique and makes the WINS server real worthy. For example: In WINS the persistent connections is a completely configurable feature that allows unrelenting connection with every WINS server. This way the maintenance of a productive and efficient system is formed. Further more this enables the system to exterminate any and every sort of undesired replication that way the needed desired replication could be speeded up.Another very interesting feature of the WINS service is the Manual tombstoning. Manual tombstoning is used to "marks a record for deletion

Communication in International Management Essay

Communication in International Management - Essay Example Advertisements can be made out for anything, and other common advertisements include those made out for political and religious purposes. The targeted audience usually does advertising for commercial purposes to increase the consumption of an advertiser’s goods or services. Advertising can be done on numerous mediums through the intended message to the target audience is delivered. Any surface or place that a sponsor pays for in order for that space to carry their message to a target audience is referred to as advertising. This paper seeks to discuss advertising with relation to communication in international management by highlighting on a Moodle advertisement. The advertisement of choice is one about a company called Genius Gluten Free that deals with baked products like cakes and breads. I have chosen this advertisement because it is a simple advertisement in its presentation and it delivers the message intended by the product’s producers. The advertisement is also c omposed of the two most important elements of an advertisement making it a good choice for the purposes of this paper. The advertisement fulfils most of what a typical advertisement should in terms of raising the audiences’ awareness about the product, increases their knowledge, and works on their liking capability (Ott, 2011 p108). The advert also plays on the audiences’ convictions about product suitability to their lives and ultimately their purchasing power and ability (Volkman, 2006 p14). There various goals and objectives that advertisements seek to fulfil with respect to the products and the target audience that adverts are directed towards (Mukerji, 2011 p8). The means ends theory suggests that a message in an advert should lead to a desired change in a consumer that is beneficial to the advertiser (Zou, Shaoming, and Volz, Y. Z 52). According to Zou, Shaoming, and Volz, Y. Z (54), leveraging involves using adverts to direct consumers’ understanding abou t a product’s benefits that are relevant to their lives and their personal values. This is meant to drive the consumer to purchase the advertised product in an effort to improve their lives and/or add value to their lives. Meaning in adverts is brought out through the application of various aspects of advertising. In the Moodle advertisement for the Genius Gluten Free baked products, there is the use of both pictures and words, which serve to reinforce each other’s intended message to the target audience. An advert has various functions depending on the target audience for the product or service. Advertising functions include marketing, social, communication and economic functions, which are all external functions of advertising (Shimp, 2010 p13). In the Moodle advert, the function of the advert can be construed to be directed at serving a marketing and social function. This is because it addresses the nutritional benefit of Genius Gluten Free baked products to the hea lth of the consumer. The advertisement includes image and word messages that reinforce each other’s meaning towards establishing the intended impact on the customer and potential clients. The advertisement utilizes the use of images and words, which are held either as captions or as plain text. The advert has an image of what seems like a loaf of bread wrapped in semi-transparent plastic paper with inscriptions about the nature of the bread. The plastic paper wrapping has colouring of Maroon and Yellow or Orange. The colour is

Abacus Business Solution Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Abacus Business Solution - Case Study Example Industry Definition Point of Sale is the checkout place where a transaction is completed. In other words, it is the point where customers make payments for the goods or services they have purchased. POS systems are usually used by retail industry and restaurant industry. However, in this context, the study will focus only on the restaurant industry. According to David Gilbert, COO of the National Restaurant Association, POS systems are one of the most essential tools for a restaurant as it helps to make their business operation secure, fast and reliable. POS systems are simply the synthesis of hardware and software and business model of the companies belonging to POS industry is also simple. In general, the supply chain model of the POS industry includes POS manufacturers and developers, POS distributors, POS VARs and business owners. Figure 1 –POS Supply Chain Model Some of the major players of POS industry are Micros Systems, Inc., Restaurant Data Concepts and NCR among others. The industry is characterised by variety in product features, services and prices. According to the reports published by IBIS World, the industry reached a value of $1.2 billion in the year 2012. The industry growth rate is 1.8 % annually, but it is expected that, the growth rate will be 2% for the next five years. The major customers of this industry include hospitality sector, retail sectors, and foodservices sector. The share of revenues of POS industry is presented below. Figure 2 – Share of Revenue in POS Industry

Discussion about the Play “A Raisin in the Sun” Essay Example for Free

Discussion about the Play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† Essay If the dreams between people clashed in a way that their desires are going towards different unparallel directions, will it be a significant factor that can suggest that the dream will no longer be achieved? Or will it remain to be a matter of what to do and dependent with the ability to adapt with all the situations – To create a new one or to stay as a victim of the failure that happened? Moreover, it can be the test of whether the dream will be created by a person or the situations like failures will create the dreamers. Either way, it is up to the dreamer which one he will allow to happen. The play A Raisin in the Sun portrayed a family bound with dreams, subjected for possibility and risks of failures and tended to stand up once again to bound themselves again with different dreams and start all over. Situations had become too oppressive that they found themselves sometimes, in the midst of dilemmas that are more likely to be considered as lack of options. Each members of the family has repressed wish that distinguished their character from another. In a way, this is the typical American family with their economical and social structure and reacting normally with the involvement of the other big factor that made the twist of the story – the factor of Money. With the flow of the story, the struggles the family had in dealing with their situations after the death of the father caused them to create the ideal situations in their head of what needs to be done. There remained their intentions to have better life for their family and better life for themselves individually. This later tested their grasp with their family ties. With the individual conception of what is good, what can only go wrong is the inability to be in alignment of what you wanted with what other family members wanted. It can also become a consequent question of whether you hold fast to your dreams or hold on to the bigger picture of what needs to be done as part of the family (Mintz and Kellogg 38). The characters of the play supplied the dreamers role and collectively, a set of contrasting roles carrying ideas and subjects. Set in mid 1800’s, the story was centered in the dreams of the Younger Family and clashes with prejudices that the characters had as they strive to have a better position in their community as a whole. Perspective to be used in the Analysis There are schools of thoughts that are highly applicable with the study of the family being portrayed in this play written by Lorraine Hansberry: first, we can see it in the perspective using functionalism or second, it can be through interactionism. Later, this will be used to reveal how the dreams are being formed and what the motivations that determined the creation of these dreams are. These are the schools that traced the families in America with their way of being developed, managed and designed. The material variable in the family structure can be seen through the role they are playing and be analyzed objectively. Also, we can also see it from the perspective of an interactionist who is primarily concerned with the way the people are acting in response to other people or situations. Yes, these schools have difference with the primary objects of their concern, but essentially they contribute with the thorough understanding with the functions and interactions aspect of a family (Hamilton 47). It can give us the ideas of where the dreams of the characters in the story are actually directed. The Dreamers, their Motivations, and the Clash It all started with Ten Thousand Dollars. The characters of the play provided the audiences with the humanistic range of possible thought process that can be derived from a single source of stimulus. There was an emphasis given earlier with the role of Money in this story for this is the stimulus that moved the characters to make their stand. The money pertains to the $10,000 insurance amount that Lena Younger, the maternal character not just a mother figure, got after her husband passed away. Lena is also called Mama in the story and she possessed the maternal qualities that exhibit a picture of a loving, caring, and understanding woman. Such a woman only has one goal in life – To make her children happy or happier with all of her ability. The material figure that conveyed this goal of Mama is the house that she bought for $3,000. It symbolizes the unity, stability, and economical status that she believes to be important for her family (Morrin and Hansberry 35-38). The picture of the house portrayed the whole dream of Lena. It extends from the social ground of its manifestation to the subtle emotion a mother could possibly feel. This dream clashes with her son’s concerns. Walter, the son, has concerns about the Money that can be categorized as the dream for continuous economic stability of the family. When it comes with the nature of his character, he can be the figure that represents masculine authority of the story. He supplied the protagonist role but with his racial prejudices paired with his conflicts while performing both role of a son and a husband makes him supply his own contrast as an antagonist. Walter became not excited about the house bought by Mama. He has ulterior motives for the money and had a clear image in his mind on what to do with the money. For quite a long time, he has a dream of participating in a business involved in Liquor products (Morrin and Hansberry 47). As a masculine role, the story puts more authority in Walter’s hand as he got the control over the Insurance money and managed it. Lena put his trust on Walter and this shows how Lena is more than willing to give whatever her child wants. Though this doesn’t show any touch of negligence in her part. The acquisition process of the dream in this context doesn’t have any conflict yet. The conflict happened with the aftermath of the decision that placed Walter in the position of higher authority with the Money. The first clash of dream is done with the two given characters and the structure of both dreams must be observed carefully. We can notice the function of money ranges from how it fueled the quest for the dream to the conflict the two characters had. The conflict didn’t last since one of these two dreams was restructured. Lena, whose dream is to provide what her children wanted still managed to achieve it in a way by fueling Walter’s procedure of achieving his dream. There was a conflict because the functions of the house Lena bought don’t go with the alignment of Walter’s dream. It was settled because Lena followed that alignment as a response without violating her desires that is basically structured solely for the happiness of her children. The other child of Lena is Beneatha, the twenty year old woman, who had dream of being a physician. She is considered as intellectual and also an ambitious college student and required Money for the matriculation of the course. The conflicts Beneatha had are related to the money she required for her education and this is directed to Walter who has the control over it. Her sole dream of becoming a doctor will be compromised without the money. She got mad at Walter when she learned that Walter did not put any amount for her study. It seems like a big turnaround from all of her aspirations and she went depressed. This clash is apparently hard for Beneatha since, if money is the fuel for her actions in making her dreams realized, then it is a big contrast to have none of it. Her dream almost vanished. How did she turn out to continue seeing hoe despite of what happened? There is another character named Asagai who became the voice of realization. He made Beneatha realized the key thing about this vision of the dream she formed in her head. The dream had already been in her thoughts even prior to the death of his father, so it means that equating money to her dream is a big nuisance. It would be similar to the terrible equation of his father’s death hand in hand with the money. This showed that there remained to be ways on how it could be fulfilled without that so-called fuel of money. It can be money coming from different source instead. Beneatha realized this important thing, found her hope, continued dreaming. With the structure of their dreams, it is apparent that money equates house, then money equates liquor store and finally, money equated matriculation. With its many form, money remained to be the prime motivation that was shown in the play. The big question would be, along this clash of dreams, for how long can money control or determine the actions of the characters? On the mid part of the play, Walter was betrayed by his business partner leaving him with no money. There came the confrontations with Walter and the other characters especially with his wife, Ruth, who was also driven by dreams of having financial stability. It made them start from the scratch and all realizations that they need were established. Money is just a motivation but never a determinant of the quality of life that a harmonious family could have. Moreover, the dreams are manifestations that we are living while seeking whatever we want out of life. Money is not much important although, yes, it rates reasonably as oxygen. Lorraine Hansberry’s approach in tackling the concept of American dream showed that Money can either be seen as a fuel or an obstacle. The dreams that we have though is a picture of what we can do. At the same time as what we can see in the play is the motivation that money can give us but it doesn’t match the quality of motivation that important people can give. Works Cited Hamilton, Peter. Reconsidering Blummer’s Corrective Against the excess of Functionalism. Talcott Parsons: critical assessments. 4 (1992), 47-49 Mintz, Steven and Kellogg, Susan. Domestic revolutions: a social history of American family life. New York: The Free Press, 1988 Morrin, Maxine and Hansberry, Lorraine. A raisin in the sun. USA: Research and Education Association, 1994.

Atlas company overview and market analysis

Atlas company overview and market analysis Atlas Sri Lankas favorite stationery brand is the brainchild of Ceylon Pencil. Co. (Pvt.) Ltd. Established in 1959 it has grown from strength to strength and has successfully gained the majority market share in school, corporate and home stationery products. Today the company is the No. 1 manufacturer of ballpoint pens and exercise books. Atlas stands not only for quality but also for innovation. They have manufactured all their products using cutting edge technology, adding sophistry and efficiency to the stationery products. Atlas products are guaranteed to give an enhanced experience; and high value for money. HISTORY The Company started out by producing its maiden product the varsity Pencil, today it manufactures over 300 stationery products and is proud to be the only stationery brand available all over Sri-Lanka. Atlas has even tapped into international markets by forming strategic partnerships with Atlas pencil company UK. During the 80s and the 90s Atlas brought about fruitful change by establishing Atlas Plastics (Pvt.) Ltd. and Care Products (Pvt.) Ltd. ( the former dedicated to the production of adhesive tapes and strapping tapes, the latter for personal care and cleaning items.) Vision, Mission Values Every organization has a main objective or goal, which can also be termed as its end product. All these are merged into a corporate vision and mission. That of Atlas is given below: ATLAS VISION STATEMENT Our vision is to be the most preferred brand for office and school products in south Asia. The vision is simple but strong. It shows that before declaring world domination Atlas would need to take small steps and first try to conquer the South Asian market. The vision of Atlas isnt farfetched, one day in the near future Atlas would be able to fulfill its vision, if it grows in its steady pace. CORPORATE VALUES We at Atlas firmly believe in upholding high moral values and in being an ethical corporate citizen. In doing, so we continuously inculcate high values in our workforce and strive constantly to give them sufficient independence to use their imagination and creativity. The above given values of Atlas clearly states, that it cares not only about giving high quality goods to its customers. But it also focuses on protecting and helping its staff grow and become better employees. The main objective of the Company is to provide quality goods at a reasonable price to its customers while successfully facing competition. To achieve this the company uses technologically advanced means of production and also uses high quality raw-materials, because of all of these steps the company was awarded with ISO 9001:2000 certification for its stationery items manufacture under the Atlas trade name and numerous other social awards like the community leader award. Product Portfolio Along with its subsidiaries Atlas has a wide range of 300 products including stationery items, plastic (tape) and Care products. These products are icons of quality and are used by many students and corporate bodies around Sri Lanka. The product portfolio/line of Atlas company is stated below: Figure: 1 Product portfolio of Atlas (Authors work, based on information receives from SO) Marketing Philosophy Marketing philosophy or marketing concept used by the company should be clearly identified. With the growing importance of society organizations were enforced to act as good corporate citizens. Therefore businesses were made to realize the importance of being socially responsible. That is why Atlas has chosen the Societal Marketing Philosophy, under this philosophy marketing decisions have to be made balancing 3 criteria- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consumer needs and wants à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Societies interests à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Profit maximization through customer satisfaction for Company welfare Figure: 2 (lecture notes) As a result of choosing this marketing philosophy Atlas has achieved many awards such as: Ceylon Pencil Company (Pvt) Ltd. was awarded with ISO 9001:2000 certifications for its stationery items manufacture under the Atlas trade name. This proves that Atlas caters to consumer needs by providing quality products. The Community Leader Award from the Chartered Institute of Sri Lanka was awarded to Ceylon Pencil Company (Pvt.) Ltd., for Corporate Social Responsibility activities for the contribution made to education sector. Ceylon Pencil Company (Pvt.) Ltd. received a Merit award for 5S standard by competing with Jastica Society. Market Summary The Ceylon pencil company (pvt) Ltd is the leading stationary manufacturer in Sri Lanka with a wider range of products with the brand of Atlas. The stationary market in Sri Lanka is an Oligopoly Market with few manufacturers offering very similar products. The competitors of Atlas are Richard Veny, Weerodara, Reynolds, Cross, Parker and Pilot. Atlas stationeries mainly focus the customers that school students, and office workers. Customers in stationary market mostly prefer the products that convenient, attractive, affordable, creative and innovative. Introducing this product can lead to trend because Atlas Wiz Maker will attract younger customers due to, Conveniences Attractiveness Innovativeness It is also being noted that younger customers have an attitude of wanting products which includes above criterias. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT analysis for Atlas Wiz maker. Strengths Brand loyalty of customers Atlas is a well known brand which has been operating in the Sri Lankan market for more than 50 years. Therefore even though its a new product customers will purchase it because of the confidence they have about the brand. Quality Atlas products are known to be of good quality. This will attract customers to purchase this product. Larger market share Atlas is the market leader in the stationary sector therefore it could be a challenge for their competitors to grab that market share from them. Convenience, attractiveness and innovativeness. Atlas wizmaker is a convenient, attractive product using innovative technology, because of the fact that it has a pen , pencil , highlighter and eraser all in one its a convenient product. Also the fact that it comes in a variety of colors makes it attractive to both school children and university students alike. Weaknesses Limited Product assortment The Atlas stationery company is lacking variation in products. The products that Atlas has brought out at present are similar to their competitors, it doesnt draw you away from buying the products which are offered by other competitors Opportunities Because of the busy life style of people they look for convenience. There for coming up with this product will bring opportunities to Atlas since this products main advantage is convenience. Improve Technology Atlas company has recently formed a partnership with Atlas stationeries UK, this partnership allows them to use new technology to produce the best quality products. Export possibilities The recent partnership that Atlas has formed with Atlas stationeries UK, has allowed it to tap into the foreign markets like that in South Asia, UK, US etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ because of its ability to provide high quality products at reasonable prices. Threats Substitutes Other competitors might come up with a similar product. Also companies like bic and cross have invented stationeries with pen, pencil and stylus. Importers The Sri-Lankan market is slowly being flooded by imported stationeries, who are slowly capturing the Sri- Lankan market share. Competition for the Atlas Wiz maker Competition could be known as a contest between two companies, individuals, countries etc in order to perform better than its competitors by providing a product or service which will lead to more market share and long term profits. Substitute products There are many substitutes for this product in the market as well as many brands. By the time of the new arrival of the Wiz maker many other established brands such as Weerodara, Richards and Reynolds will come up with a counter product. And also there is a higher possibility of strong competitors being active in the market. When looking at the stationary market there are a few competitors to Atlas who are; Radiant Pilot Rotomac Weerodara Parker Among them the direct competitors of Atlas would be; Rotomac Pilot Parker Barriers to entry into stationary market There are many barriers to entry in this market. These barriers are not common to all companies because of structure, financial strengths etc. Because of high initial investment needed to produce stationary items many companies will avoid coming into the market. Technology of the firms will have to be high tech and updated at all times. For this to proceed much cost will be incurred. Thus many companies will not be able to afford this Many of these stationary items require standards to be met (e.g.-ISO 9001, ISO 14001).For these standards to be checked a payment in different steps must be done. Advertising to promote a product such as the Wiz maker can only be done with a budget which Atlas or a large rival company possess. Different customers have different preferences. Some might find Atlas unique and easy to use but some might prefer other brands. Thus customer loyalty and preference will be a hard factor to fight against for new companies. Market structure of the stationary market By analyzing the stationary market in Sri Lanka it is clear to us that it is of Oligopoly nature. That is where there are only a few large firms in the market. Thus it is dominated by a few interdependent firms. The Wiz maker will thus be competing with only a few items which will be able to substitute its features. MARKETING OBJECTIVES Objectives are building blocks of an organizations marketing plan. It states what a company wishes to achieve in the near future. What objectives a company would have will be determined after carrying out a comprehensive Environment analysis such as SWOT. INFLUENCES ON OBJECTIVES The environment affects the organizations objectives. There are internal and external factors influencing an organizations objectives. Internal Influences Corporate culture- This refers to the values of the company as a whole. The company values of Atlas is to be an ethical corporate citizen and tries to inculcate high values in their workforce by giving them sufficient independence. Staff Aspirations- It differs from department to department and team to team. Atlas wishes to give its staff sufficient independence so that they can grow as an individual and increase satisfaction in the labor force. All this ensures that the workers contribute to the maximum to produce high quality goods. Resource constraint- In the beginning Atlas used to import its raw material, but now in order to help the local market the raw materials used by Atlas comes from Sri-Lanka itself. Atlas has also formed a partnership with Atlas stationery UK which helps them get a hold of modern technology which helps Atlas produce quality products at minimum cost. External Influences Customer/ Market- Atlas stationeries focuses on serving to three main categories in the market- school children, graduates or university students and office worker. Atlas is the only stationery company in Sri-Lanka which has an island wide market. Economies- Atlas has been recognized as a company which provides high quality products at really affordable prices. Thus it has a wide scope in the market. Competitors- Being the only stationery company which is sold island wide Atlas has only a handful a competitors like weerodar, pilot, bicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ which dont seem to be a threat to Atlass market reach. CORPORATE OBJECTIVE The corporate objectives of a company includes, trying to achieve maximum profitability and market share. Atlas plans on achieving maximum profitability by providing maximum satisfaction to its consumers by using innovative technology to manufacturer high quality good at minimum cost. Atlas can increase its market share by catering to the nees of its consumers by providing quality products at reasonable prices. SMART MARKETING OBJECTIVES A smart marketing objective should be: Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time bound Based on the above factors its safe to assume that Atlas plans to achieve the power of branding i.e. Atlas strives to provide high quality goods. So it wants to build a good brand name with its consumer. Segmentation This is dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers with different needs, characteristics, or behavior who might require separate products, services or marketing mixes. In order for market segmentation to be useful they should be measurable, accessible, substantial, differentiable and actionable. Bases in consumer segmentation for Atlas Wiz maker. Geographic segmentation This shows how you divide the market into different geographical segments. Such as countries, cities etc. Atlas focuses on urban areas. Demographic segmentation This includes dividing the market into different demographic segments such as age group, gender etc. Atlas focuses mostly on the younger generation. Psychographic segmentation This is dividing the market into different groups based on social class, life style etc. Atlas mainly focuses on the middle class Behavioral segmentation This is when u divide the market into groups based on attitudes of the consumer , use of the product etc. Atlas mainly caters to the needs of younger students. Targeting The process which evaluates the segments attractiveness and selecting segments to offer their products is called targeting. In this step companies have to decide what is the most suitable segment to achieve their objectives. Its based on the result of ranking the segments. The target market which a set of buyers with common needs and characteristics that company decides to serve is selected by evaluating the followings. Market Attractiveness Competitive Factors Company objectives and resources Evaluating the segments Segments of Evaluation School Students University Students Office Workers Professionals Market Attractiveness Size of the group Growth rate High Average High Relatively Low Average Low Very Low Very Low Competitive Factors Level of competition Competitors High percentage of competition Reynolds, Richard Veny Average percentage of competition Renold Richard Veny Parker Average percentage of competition Renold Bic Cross Pilot High percentage of competition Parker Pilot Bic Cross Company Objectives and resources Contribution to market share High contribution Relatively high contribution Average contribution Low contribution Rank 1 2 3 4 Source : Authors Work Positioning Atlas Wizmaker is the new product. It stands not only for quality but also for innovation. Wiz maker product is a different positioning product .That means it competes for a smaller and less competitive market to locate a brand. wizmaker product check Positioning strategy focuses on, this products differentiation strategy. This new product is unique and will be profitable (for the market).And it also has other distinctive criterias that will differentiate it from the many other products. Points of differentiation Must be important and valued by your customers (for example, being marketed as an economical product in a give you an enhanced experience; and high value for money) Positioning your product needs to be focused on delivering A valued and distinctive product to a specific market and delivering in a way that customers accept (thats the hearts and minds part of the equation).This Atlas Wiz pen Good product positioning will make it easy for intended customers to define why they want to buy the product (they will see the unique benefits). Market leader (first in) This Wiz pen being challenged by market followers, focus the marketing message to reinforce this pen is the first (the real thing, rather than the imitation). Wiz pen positioning to Conduct market segmentation. Define the target market. Identify the product attributes. Determine the products share of heart and mind. Being first in the market usually is a significant benefit in mindshare. Place your product in the right space (e.g. economy market; low volume; Quality etc.) Positioning Map Display the consumer perceptions of their brand versus the competing product on important buying dimensions. This Atlas wiz product we can show like this Price Pilot Atlas wiz Parker H L H Quality L POSITIONING STATEMENT The positioning statement of Atlas Company is Be creative and that of Atlas Wizmaker is Atlas wizmaker- Its All You Need. The reason that it says so is because it has all, the pen, pencil, highlighter and eraser together in one product. Marketing mix Product The product which is being marketed is the Atlas wiz maker which is a stationary item which includes 4 main items important to any student, worker or employer. Several factors must be considered when this product is being marketed. Product levels Source: Core product The core product is a stationary item that includes a pen, pencil, eraser, and a highlighter together. Basic product This includes value for money, affordability and convenience. Expected product The buyer expects a product which is; Affordable Has value for money Convenient Augmented product A product with many features together. Potential product Individual product decisions Source: The Product This is an item which includes different items in one body. Thus it will be more portable and affordable. This is a revolutionary idea which has not been developed in the Sri Lankan market. Due to that special quality the demand will be much higher leading to greater profits. The body of the item has a simple cylinder shape which includes a detachable pencil head in one end. The other end of the cylinder consists of a ball point pen head which can be extended or withdrawn at will. The cylinder shape of the item is infused with an eraser which is mounted to the top of the device. It also has a highlighter included in it which comes in 3 colors which are pink, blue and purple to match the color of the pen. Branding This product is being manufactured by Atlas stationary limited (Pvt) therefore the brand of this produce will be Atlas. The company being a very well reputed brand in the Sri Lankan stationary market, people will be drawn to use the product because of low psychological fear created by strong brand image. Packing Packaging of this product is done with a plastic molding done on top of a cardboard structure (the structure is mainly a simple cylindrical shape). To be eye catching the product is packed in 3 different color schemes which are Blue, white and Pink. (This feature makes it stand out from the rest of the products packaging). Labeling This product will have the name of the product which is Wiz maker written on the body of the product. Availability Atlas has made sure its product is readily available. This product can be found in any book shop or any communication outlet. This includes major supermarket chains as well. Forecasted Product life cycle for Atlas wiz maker Source: Authors work Price The amount of money or the monetary value which is charged for a product can be defined as price. (Kotler 2006, p: 307) Special characteristics of price Most flexible element in marketing mix Only element of marketing mix which generate revenue. Pricing a new product is the most challengeable decision which managers have to take. Because customers buying decisions mostly depend on the price of the product . Therefore taking a successful pricing decision is very important to the company. Factors, influence to price Internal factors Company and marketing objectives With regard to Atlas company maximization long run profit, market share leadership and enhance the positive image of company and its products are main company and marketing objectives. Marketing mix strategy When deciding the price of Wiz Maker it must be matched with its design, distribution and promotion. Cost The cost of the product Wiz Maker will be directly affected to its pricing decision. Costs are mainly divided as fixed cost and variable cost. wiz makers fixed cost includes expenditures such as plant, equipment and executive salaries etc. Variable cost includes labor, material and other direct expenditures. External factors The nature of the market Atles Company has oligopoly market with few manufactures/distributers. The nature of demand There is no direct competitor to wiz maker in existing market. Therefore the demand will be inelastic to a certain extent. Competitors cost, prices and offers Company must consider the cost and prices of the stationeries in local market before setting the price. Customer expectations Customer expects convenience product in affordable fair price. Customer should be satisfied with the price and the value on return. Other external environmental factors Company must consider external environmental factors such as government policies, changes in tax policies and existing economic conditions before setting the price. Pricing Process Source: Authors work Selecting the pricing objectives The first step of pricing process is selecting an overall pricing goal for the company. Mainly the pricing objectives of Atlas company can be summarized as follows. Maximization long-run profit Maintain market share Enhance positive image of company and its products Be regarded as fair by customers. Determining demand Demand is a relationship between two variables which price and quantity. The quantity which customers are willing to buy is depend on the price if other factors are equal. Further demand and price have negative relationship. The result is if price is increased the demand will be decreased. Also Wiz makers demand will mainly depend on price. There are different methods to estimate demand of wiz maker. Conducting product experiments By asking customers that how many units they would buy at different proposed prices Estimating cost Mainly the cost of a product can be divided into two categories as fixed cost and variable cost. With regard to Atlas wiz maker fixed cost includes cost of purchasing needed machineries, equipments and other indirect expenditures such as executive salaries. Direct labor cost and materials such as plastic, ink and rubber will be included in variable cost. Total cost per unit Pen Special Pencil Highlighter Eraser Total cost Source : Authors work Analyzing competitors cost ,price and offers Atles market is a oligopoly market with few manufacturers. Further Atlas wiz maker is a innovative product. There is no same product to this malty task pen in stationery market. But customer will compare the prices of pens, pencils, erasers and highlighters in stationary market before buying wiz maker. Selecting the pricing strategy Considering all the above findings and overall pricing objectives market penetration strategy is the most suitable strategy to Atlas Wiz maker. But because this is a innovative product companys main objectives are maximum long run profit, maintain market share and provide the products in fair prices. This policy stimulates growth of the market for the new product and allows a large market share to be more quickly obtained. ( Hisrich Peters,1991 p:346) Selecting the final price The final step of pricing process is set the final price. After considering all the above facts Atlas Wis maker can be priced as follows. Pen Rs. 10.00 Special Pencil Rs. 20.00 Highlighter Rs. 40.00 Eraser Rs.5.00 Final price of Wiz maker Rs. 75.00 Place Place is the physical space of or virtual location where the product will be made available at the market place for target consumer. (lecture note) Distribution use to get the offering into the hands of the customer. These include: On-premise Sales involves the sale of your offering using a field sales organization that visits the prospects facilities to make the sale. Direct Sales involves the sale of your offering using a direct, in-house sales organization that does all selling through the Internet, telephone or mail order contact. Wholesale Sales involves the sale of your offering using intermediaries or middle-men to distribute your product or service to the retailers. Self-service Retail Sales involves the sale of your offering using self service retail methods of distribution. Full-service Retail Sales involves the sale of your offering through a full service retail distribution channel. Of course, making a decision about pricing, promotion and distribution is heavily influenced by some key factors in the industry and marketplace. These factors should be analyzed initially to create the strategy and then regularly monitored for changes. If any of them change substantially the strategy should be reevaluated Consumer Market Chanel (1Level) Distribution channel Is set of interdepended organization involved in the process of making a product available for customer The Nature of Distribution Channels Most businesses use third parties or intermediaries to bring their products to market. They try to forge a distribution channel which can be defined as All the organizations through which a product must pass between its point of production and consumption Why does a business give the job of selling its products to intermediaries? After all, using intermediaries means giving up some control over how products are sold and who they are sold to. The answer lies in efficiency of distribution costs. Intermediaries are specialists in selling. They have the contacts, experience and scale of operation which means that greater sales can be achieved than if the producing business tried run a sales operation itself. Functions of a Distribution Channel The main function of a distribution channel is to provide a link between production and consumption. Organizations that form any particular distribution channel perform many key functions: Information Gathering and distributing market research and intelligence important for marketing planning Promotion Developing and spreading communications about offers Contact Finding and communicating with prospective buyers Matching Adjusting the offer to fit a buyers needs, including grading, assembling and packaging Negotiation Reaching agreement on price and other terms of the offer Physical distribution Transporting and storing goods Financing Acquiring and using funds to cover the costs of the distribution channel Risk taking Assuming some commercial risks by operating the channel (e.g. holding stock) All of the above functions need to be undertaken in any market. The question is who performs them and how many levels there need to be in the distribution channel in order to make it cost effective. Numbers of Distribution Channel Levels Each layer of marketing intermediaries that performs some work in bringing the product to its final buyer is a channel level. The figure below shows some examples of channel levels for consumer marketing channels: Sale points Book shops, Food Cities (Cagiels, Arpico, Keells) http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/distribution_introduction.asp

The Unknown Dangers of Cell Phones :: Health Communication Papers

The Unknown Dangers of Cell Phones When I was sixteen years old, I wanted a cell phone more than anything. Not only did all my friends have them, but my parents did not allow me to talk to my boyfriend Jimmy. So I thought having a cell phone would be the instant solution to all my problems. Not only would I be able to talk to Jimmy whenever I wanted but having a cell phone would give me so much more independence. Not to mention the fact that they were extremely glamorous and simply the thing to have. Unfortunately, you have to be eighteen to set up a plan with any cell phone company, and my parents wouldn't even consider the idea, so all my begging and hoping came to nothing. The situation originally infuriated me, but after researching the risk of cell phones, I have begun to think that not getting a cell phone was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Sixty years ago, sixteen year olds and adults alike were unaware of the dangers of smoking. People were caught up in the glamour that was projected in cigarette commercials. Millions of people took up smoking without having any idea of the risks they were running. It wasn’t until 1948 that Ernst Wynder published the first study linking lung cancer to cigarettes ( Wynder). Even though the connection between cigarettes and cancer has been proven again and again, forty-eight million Americans still smoke ( Cancer.gov ). A similar situation is taking place with cell phones. Though people have been using cell phones for many years, only recently has there been concern about the possibility of a connection in the rising number of cell phone users and the increasing incidences of brain cancer. Cell phones have been gaining popularity throughout the nineties. There are now over ten million cell phone users in America alone, and it is estimated that in 2005 there will be over 1.26 billion cell phone users worldwide ( Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association ). Many chemicals in our environment have long been known as cancer causing agents. These chemicals include radiation , asbestos, BPDE, and tamoxifen.(Cancer.gov). But none of these chemicals were recognized as carcinogens until several people contracted cancer of some type by being exposed to them. Cell phones have been proven to admit a certain type of radiation about which the effects are unknown.

Fashion and Reflexive Advertising Essay -- Alienation Advertisements A

Ads are ubiquitous. Contemporary media-literate audiences know that one-third of a half-hour sitcom will be commercials, that magazines will contain more ads than articles, and that they will be bombarded with advertisements on the internet. The pervasiveness of ads has created spectators who are: "increasingly media-literate, cynical, and alienated...and because the number of ads continues to increase (clutter), advertising has undermined its own effectiveness by unintentionally negating the ability and the desire of viewers to respond" (Goldman and Papson, 83). Advertisers have appropriated this post-modern discourse of alienation, giving it a sign value that they can attach to their product. Alienation consequently becomes a means through which advertisers can differentiate their product; consumers can claim to distance themselves from consumer culture and individuate themselves by purchasing the product so advertised (87). It is ironic that spectators who distrust the simulacrum of advertising are offered a discourse about the world of ads as a substitute for the authenticity (101) that would arguably end their alienation. The print ads examined in this essay reflexively acknowledge and foreground the shallowness of the fashion industry and the commodity culture of which it is an integral part, thereby excusing the product's appeal on the grounds of its fashionability. Judith Williamson states one "can only understand what advertisements mean by finding out how they mean" (Williamson, 42). In other words, one must understand the process o f signification through which an ad transfers signs from cultural systems of meaning onto its product. According to semiologist Roland Barthes, this process of signification involves three... ... increasing advertising clutter, consumers have become jaded and alienated. Advertisers have appropriated this widespread cynical media-literacy, employing discourses of alienation from consumer culture and advertising to differentiate their products. Advertisers offer a reflexive discourse about the world of ads and commodity culture as a substitute for the authenticity that would end consumer alienation. The advertisements discussed in this essay reflexively acknowledge and highlight the frivolity and triviality of the fashion industry, its marketing techniques, and the consumer culture of which it is an integral part in order to excuse and endorse their product's appeal on the grounds of its style. Ironically, this reflexive advertising moves consumers farther and farther away from any sense of authenticity and only increases feelings of alienation and cynicism. Fashion and Reflexive Advertising Essay -- Alienation Advertisements A Ads are ubiquitous. Contemporary media-literate audiences know that one-third of a half-hour sitcom will be commercials, that magazines will contain more ads than articles, and that they will be bombarded with advertisements on the internet. The pervasiveness of ads has created spectators who are: "increasingly media-literate, cynical, and alienated...and because the number of ads continues to increase (clutter), advertising has undermined its own effectiveness by unintentionally negating the ability and the desire of viewers to respond" (Goldman and Papson, 83). Advertisers have appropriated this post-modern discourse of alienation, giving it a sign value that they can attach to their product. Alienation consequently becomes a means through which advertisers can differentiate their product; consumers can claim to distance themselves from consumer culture and individuate themselves by purchasing the product so advertised (87). It is ironic that spectators who distrust the simulacrum of advertising are offered a discourse about the world of ads as a substitute for the authenticity (101) that would arguably end their alienation. The print ads examined in this essay reflexively acknowledge and foreground the shallowness of the fashion industry and the commodity culture of which it is an integral part, thereby excusing the product's appeal on the grounds of its fashionability. Judith Williamson states one "can only understand what advertisements mean by finding out how they mean" (Williamson, 42). In other words, one must understand the process o f signification through which an ad transfers signs from cultural systems of meaning onto its product. According to semiologist Roland Barthes, this process of signification involves three... ... increasing advertising clutter, consumers have become jaded and alienated. Advertisers have appropriated this widespread cynical media-literacy, employing discourses of alienation from consumer culture and advertising to differentiate their products. Advertisers offer a reflexive discourse about the world of ads and commodity culture as a substitute for the authenticity that would end consumer alienation. The advertisements discussed in this essay reflexively acknowledge and highlight the frivolity and triviality of the fashion industry, its marketing techniques, and the consumer culture of which it is an integral part in order to excuse and endorse their product's appeal on the grounds of its style. Ironically, this reflexive advertising moves consumers farther and farther away from any sense of authenticity and only increases feelings of alienation and cynicism.

Bladerunner - Humanity And Nature Essays -- essays research papers

The central theme of Bladerunner is the relationship between humanity and nature. More specifically it has a purpose in showing how science can negatively influence this fragile relationship. Set in Los Angeles of 2019 we see the decadence of western society into an inhumane harsh impersonal, technology-dominated realm. The inhabitants who fight for their daily survival are in desperate want for nature, contact with which is denied to them by the unrestricted scientific progress and the consequent exploitation of the natural world conducted for the sole purpose of profit. Humanity is also losing touch with it’s own nature. The compassion, the empathy, the love and the emotion are all rare or absent. This ailing relationship between humanity and nature is conveyed through the means of scene setting, dialogue, plot, camera techniques and other film features. All these elements of cinematography synthesise to create an effective portrayal of the unifying theme. In Bladerunner the most prominent element of cinematography is mise en scà ©ne. It generates a context for the film and therefore makes the plot and themes acceptable. To set an appropriate scene different variables need to be controlled. These variables include location, props, lighting and colour. In general the location of the plot is in the vast urban canyons of 2019 LA. The imposing dark buildings, the dirty fog, perpetual rain and the crowded dark streets devoid of vegetation make up the backdrop of most scenes. All this is filmed in dark lighting, which complements the effect produced by the fog in obscuring the living details. From this the responder acknowledges the deterioration of society, the harsh conditions that the humans are subjected to and the way the human spirit itself is progressively destroyed under such conditions. Filming such a location at night provides the director with the opportunity to use chiaroscuro (a technique of strong contrast) to further convey the dominance of technology over humanity. For example in outdoor scenes the garish flickering neons are obtrusively visible but they fail to illuminate the obscure, dark, fogged surroundings, including the multitudes of faceless people. The prominent visibility of artificial things over human presence together with the qualities of the location indicates the degradation of human life under the rule of science. The clothing w... ...he development of characters and their response to the events of the plot, Ridley Scott and the actors communicate the way relationship between humanity and nature has evolved (deteriorated) into the world of 2019 LA. In effect all the techniques mentioned above portray a society of individuals who are weary of the world they live in. They are rejects who lead a pitiful existence in a wasteland called earth because they are not fit enough to go the out-world colonies. Suppressing their own natural instincts for the sake of physically surviving they really the walking dead. Scientific progress conducted not for the best interests of humanity but for the best interests of business has effectively brought about the progressive degradation of society. By exploiting and destroying the natural world human can no more find solace or beauty so as to recuperate their weary minds and rekindle their dying spirits. In summary the techniques that are unique to film such as camera, lighting, costuming, colour and location works in conjunction with common literary techniques such as visual symbolism, irony and characterisation to effectively convey the relationship between humanity and nature.

Tattoo Essay

TATTOO Indians , Japaneses , American and African civilizations maked a tattoo for ornamental. In many civilizations tattoo used for protection to sickness and evil spirits. Tattoo used for emphasize the position of the individual in society (slave,lord,soldier,etc. ) A. C. 2000 in egypt , first tattoo found in mummy. Britons,Gauls and Thracians interested to tattoo art. Hellen and roman civilizations used tattoo for slave nd guilties people. First christian people wrote Jesus name to their body.Tattoo swords coming from Tahiti language â€Å"tautau†. Tattoo was used romantic feeling , patriotism or religionist aim but in 20 century just prof tattoo makers doing this art who has a licance . Because of hygiene problems and contegion as like AIDS. Tattoo , people usually say its a kind of an addiction. Well I think they are mostly right. But it depends on the people for sure. Some people are getting inked just for the model they like. Some are getting inked to tell others the th ings he has on deep inside his mind.People also say inked people will be regretful in the future cause they think tattooed people will get bored of their tattoos. Actually there is no really something like that. Tattoo is a way to show people what or who you are. Its a lifestyle. Or maybe just art. Tattoo will be a taboo for those forever. And the most amazing thing for some others,us. I love tattoo , I think tattoo isn't a sin . If you are ready tk get inked, you got to make sure you are doing it safe. You need A clean place and the professional hands .Its your body and There is no return at all. Price is never the same at tattoo studios. There is only one reason,quality. You re getting a painting on your body, get it well done! When you are getting inked, you need to be sober. If you drink alcohol,that makes your blood run faster and that means more blood out. Yes some of your blood would want to get out of your veins the pain of tattoo changes for the people. Some people says it a little bit hurts. Some even faint. Nothing to worry though. I think it's worth a shot.

Lemon Law

Lemon Law The North Carolina Lemon Law is a consumer protection law enacted to provide recourse after having purchased a defective vehicle. The North Carolina Lemon Law is similar to lemon laws in other states, but there are some differences. North Carolina’s lemon law requires automobile manufacturers to repurchase or replace a vehicle that has not been properly repaired within a â€Å"reasonable number of attempts†. In North Carolina, this reasonable number is 4 attempts or if the car has been out of service waiting repair for a cumulative total of 20 or more business days during any 12-month period of the warranty.The North Carolina Lemon Law gives relief to those who either buy or lease a vehicle that has a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less. It covers cars, trucks, motorcycles and most vans. It does not cover, however, house trailers. The North Carolina Lemon Law covers any kinds of defects that impair the value, use or safety of the vehicle to the consumer. The defects does not have to affect the drivability of the car but could be problems such as defective paint, heating system or excessive noise. It is very important to read the warranty book that came with the new or leased vehicle carefully.The warranty will tell you what is covered and for how long. When you buy or leased your vehicle, you probably will have to sign a lot of paperwork. It is important to read your copies of this paperwork very carefully to find out if the manufacturer wants you to waive your rights to a trial by jury in the case of problems and settle through arbitration instead. Arbitration is usually not in the best interest of the consumer in lemon law cases, so make sure you know what your rights are before you buy or lease.READ IT ALL!!! Once you have purchased or leased a new vehicle that needs to be taken in for repairs, it is important that you start keeping records at this point, in case they are needed later. When taking your vehicle in to an authorized de aler for repairs, keep a detailed list of what needs to be repaired for yourself along with the dealer. Get repair orders for your vehicle and make sure they state all repairs and how long your vehicle was in the shop including dates and mileage.The North Carolina Lemon Law requires the consumer to notify the manufacturer and finance company in writing of defects once a car has been out of service for 15 business days or has been sent in for repair for the same defect three times. This is extremely important. Without written notification to the manufacturer, you will not have a claim. Keep copies of all correspondence with the manufacturer and finance company. The best defense in a lemon law case is accurate facts and information in the form of records.

Personal and professional development Essay

â€Å"The most successful nations in the future will be those which develop high quality, skilled and motivated workforces and make good use of them. † Government White Paper (1994) This object of this assignment is to identify what personal and professional development is, if there is any difference between personal and professional development and what opportunities there are, how this benefits both staff and Lancashire Care Foundation Trust (LCFT) as an organisation. I will consider how motivation affects people and their desire for development both personally and within the workplace Briefly I will be looking at qualifications: how these are obtained, utilised as a means to recognise stages of development and as evidence to demonstrate competencies of staff. As the theories show, people learn in many different ways and so I will discuss further 2 examples of these – Behaviourism and Humanistic learning theories. Delving into experiential and reflective learning styles and strategies and how these link into the theories of how people learn and what resources are available to aid learning. How to plan for personal and professional development Personal development can be described as self-improvement, or development of skills and knowledge on a personal level not related to a specific job role but are personal goals. Adair and Allen categorise this as self-development and feel that these â€Å"Transferable skills are the key to improved prospects† (Adair and Allen 2003 p64). Improvement of these personal skills can be taken to any job and will be beneficial no matter which role is undertaken. In the same context, Wade (1996) suggests in addition to professional qualifications, employers also demand abilities that are considered as personal transferable skills such as communication, leadership, decision making and teamwork. Professional development is learning or enhancing necessary skills to carry out specific job functions effectively or improving practice and is aimed at the team/service/ organisational goals. This often defines where a role fits within an organisation or hierarchy and indicates promotion opportunities or employment prospects for career enhancement. Although viewed by many as separate agenda’s, Morrow states that she â€Å"does not believe there is a significant difference between personal development and professional development. Learning is learning. Personal development is professional development – what is learnt at home is taken to work and experience at work is implemented at home. † (Morrow, 2008). Whether personal or professional, development encourages staff to focus on their present circumstances, evaluate career progression and plan for the immediate and long term future. In order to put a strategy in place, current skills are identified, competencies and achievements recognised, goals clarified and then the difference between to the two assessed to outline the development required. Within the workplace, staff need to be motivated to achieve good results and engage with the development process. Abraham Maslow believed that people are motivated by a number of different needs and grouped them into 5 areas (see appendix 1 – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need). Maslow (1943) theorised everyone is capable of moving up the levels in the hierarchy – once one need is satisfied, the next arises. Failure to meet each of the lower levels will prevent the ability to reach highest level of self-actualisation. ‘It is quite true that man lives by bread alone — when there is no bread. But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled? At once other (and â€Å"higher†) needs emerge and these, rather than physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are satisfied, again new (and still â€Å"higher†) needs emerge and so on. This is what we mean by saying that the basic human needs are organized into a hierarchy of relative prepotency’. (Maslow, 1943, p. 375) Within the workplace the very basic ‘biological and physiological needs’ along with ‘safety needs’ are governed by law in the UK and so the higher three needs (Social, Esteem and Self Actualisation) may be realised through learning and development leading to increased motivation and confidence If invested in and developed, employees are more likely to feel their social needs are met by being part of a team are well regarded and appreciated for their skill set and therefore motivated to work harder to reciprocate which leads to higher production and efficiency. People are able to realise their abilities and potential, take on more responsibility or variety of tasks which improves versatility and prevents boredom leading to demotivation. Staff feel happier if they feel valued and are likely to stay within the organisation. Learning can be the result of many activities which can include formal classes and training sessions, on the job training and mentoring or self-study. Every time we encounter something new, there is an opportunity to learn and improve skills. As a result of increasing and honing skills and gaining qualifications, people tend to develop a greater sense of self-worth, dignity and well-being as they become more valuable to their employer and to society. These factors give a sense of satisfaction and motivation through improving performance, achieving personal and company goals which can also give them physical rewards such as increased remuneration and benefits. Qualifications are evidence of the level of knowledge gained and the competencies developed. The type of qualification i. e. Degree or NVQ dictates the characteristics and context of the learning and the learning outcomes are measured or assessed and qualifications awarded based on the results. The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) (2009) states that the 5 main purposes of qualifications are: †¢Recognise personal growth and engagement in learning †¢Prepare for further learning or training and/or develop knowledge and/or skills in a subject area †¢Prepare for employment †¢Confirm occupational competence and/or ‘licence to practice’ †¢Updating and continuing professional development (CPD) Every post in LCFT has a profile of requirements to fulfil the role including which qualifications are required e. g. a midwife must be a qualified nurse and have a degree in Midwifery, a secretary must have RSA3 typing. Proof of qualifications obtained (certificates and professional registrations) must be shown prior to job offers to evidence the level of competency and skills of potential employees to fulfil the requirements of the job. Within LCFT, staff learning and development is viewed as being an integral part of fulfilling the needs of the business as well as the growth and motivation of staff. Within the organisation, Learning Needs Analysis’ (LNA) are carried out to ensure learning provision is in alignment with the business strategy and so that employees have the capabilities to deliver the organisation’s strategy. The root of the LNA is the gap analysis – an assessment of the gap between the knowledge, skills and attitudes currently possessed and the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required to meet business objectives The core of training in LCFT is ‘Mandatory Training’ which is any training deemed necessary by law for safe and effective function in the NHS and then training and development to meet the business needs is then prioritised. Every member of staff in LCFT has an annual Personal Development Review which is updated every 3 months to adjust objectives and monitor progress. A Personal Development Plan is written as part of this process which outlines training requirements and skill enhancement for the following 12 months. Staff are required to continue their professional development to build their professional skills and competencies which then improves their performance at work. LCFT also provides training opportunities to support staff to develop and manage their career  benefitting LCFT by retaining staff with the aptitude and ability to meet the future organisational needs and adjust to the ever changing environment within the NHS. Management Development programmes are also in place to enable leaders to foster this learning environment and motivate staff to embed the learning culture within the organisation. This benefits the NHS as they are assured of the level of staff they are employing and helping t o sustain the future of their workforce. Staff feel they are valued and invested in which in turn leads to job satisfaction and potential career advancement. This all ultimately benefits service users and patients of the NHS in that it gives them confidence they are being treated by qualified staff and they received the best care possible by all employees from administrators to surgeons. Development and training comes in many different guises which benefit different learning preferences. On the job training may include acting up into a role, shadowing or being mentored which are very effective methods to develop skills or enrolling on an NVQ course which would be suited to kinaesthetic learners. Many training sessions for Mandatory Training within LCFT and most external courses follow a pedagogy approach utilising traditional learning methods using a classroom setting with a lead or tutor giving information with some interaction from attendees. This can be beneficial to all if the programme is tailored to every learning need including images, audio and hands on tasks and by having a person on hand to ask questions of and explain points although this is often time consuming and costly as staff have to travel to a central location to join a training session Due to the low costs involved and ease of adapting or amending training templates and resources, e-learning is now a favoured approach to training staff within the NHS. Whilst this is good for people who are visual learners and are office based within LCFT buildings, it can be very difficult for staff with no IT connectivity or only one PC between 10 people on a ward for example. E- learning is also very inadequate for staff who have a kinaesthetic learning style, especially for those with additional learning needs such as dyslexia. ? LO2 – How people learn Reece and Walker (2004) state that learning is about change brought about by developing a new skill and understanding something new. Many academics have studied learning theories such as Behaviourism or Humanistic Learning and use these models to explain the principles of how people adopt new skills and understanding. The methodology of how the learning is carried out is directly linked to the theory and so as hypothesised by Pavlov and Skinner, a person that tends to follow a Behaviouristic theory would learn by changing their behaviour in response to an external stimuli. This was proven when Nobel Prize winner Ivan Pavlov carried out ‘Classical Conditioning’ experiments by ringing a bell when giving food to a dog. The dog would salivate at the food but eventually the dog would respond in the same way to the bell ringing as it had been conditioned to expect food at the sound of the bell. In the adult learning context, psychologist Burrhus Skinner developed the ‘Operant Conditioning’ methodology by repeating actions and reinforcing or promoting the desired outcome and punishing or supressing negative outcomes. A pedagogy approach is required to deliver these conditioning methods but this often means there is little input from the learners themselves. Humanistic Learning theory recognises that all humans are inherently good and have unlimited potential for their own growth. Maslow believed that people learn from experience but are motivated by the need to reach their potential and self-realisation (as previously discussed. See also appendix 1 – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need). Carl Rogers theory is based upon the same foundations as Maslow but believed that the basic motive for all humans is to fulfil their own potential and reach self-actualisation – to become who they would like to be. Both Rogers and Maslow endorse learning by experience and an andragogy teaching method which fosters student centred learning (as opposed to teacher centred learning) allowing the students to engage their own learning style and subsequently gain rewards by satisfying their own needs. This follows Kolb’s Learning Cycle (see Appendix 2) which states that after an event, experience should be reviewed, actions revised to produce new theories and then the theories should be tried and tested, The cycle then begins again by reviewing the testing etcetera. Gibbs Learning Cycle (see appendix 3) expands further on Kolb’s theories by encouraging further the human thought processes within these stages, to debrief on the activity and reflect on all the phases of an experience or activity and how the person feels at every stage I feel that I am a reflective learner but adhere to Kolb’s cycle rather than Gibbs as I am more practical and less emotional in my learning. In a classroom situation, I find an andragogy approach with open discussion and practical work or auditory and kinesthetic learning much more stimulating in the first instance but as I am a visual learner, I need this backed up by visual aids (notes or presentations) which I then use to reflect on the knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the objectives. In conjunction with Kolb’s learning cycle, this supports the thoughts of Itin (1999) who states that experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience to which Moon (2004) adds that reflective learning is a phase of learning resulting from the actions inherent to experiential learning. Dewey (1933) reasoned we have to regard reflection as implying purpose which is in line with Cognitive Theory but Moon (2004) suggests that although we reflect for a purpose, conclusions to complicated issues can just ‘pop up’ without our being conscious of their having been a reflective process – this is a subconscious event supporting Humanist theory. Experiential learning is based in humanistic theory but Behaviourists believe that it can be influenced by external stimuli which in turn changes behaviour. For highly motivated Humanist learners who are adept at self-directed study, the most readily available is the internet which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be accessed by computers, tablets, phone and even via gaming machines and TVs. It enables searching for information virtually and sometimes instantaneously from across the world but not all content found on the World Wide Web is from a reliable source and so may not be accurate. The library at college contains a wealth of validated information around the courses that are delivered there but the number of books is limited and so there may be waiting times for specific items to be returned. There are also restrictions on entering the library as opening hours are limited mainly to daytimes and even close earlier on Fridays which severely limits access to working pupils. Public libraries often do not stock academic books and a charge is often made to order books in which also incur waiting times for the books to arrive. There is also a Library within LCFT but it is many miles away from most workplaces, only open during office hours and generally stock books around clinical subjects. Within the workplace, colleagues are an excellent resource for learning as they can impart the knowledge gained from their own training and experience and are available during the working day Difficulties can arise though if new methodologies contradict what is favoured by the experienced colleague. Learning resources may be used as the basis as the foundation for some learning strategies – the way a learner identifies the best way to carry out a task. For those who chose reading as their strategy, the library and the internet are immensely advantageous but is also beneficial to many other strategies for finding out the initial information. Conclusion Learning and development for an organisation improves quality, skills, productivity and motivation which leads to a reduction in overheads and errors. This in turn increases profitability and stability for the organisation which enables them to become successful. An organisation needs to recognise its required outcomes alongside the needs of the workforce and develop them accordingly to ensure they retain staff with the aptitude and ability to meet those future needs. In the NHS, patient outcomes are a main focus of the delivery plan but this must be balanced by the financial implications brought by the cost delivery and so development of staff is the most beneficial and cost effective route to achieving this goal. When it comes to learning, there are no right or wrong answers to how people learn. People may follow a certain theory or use a specific learning strategy in the main but often it is a mixture of theories and strategies that produce the best outcomes and is often dictated by how the information is offered, whether online or classroom based and what resources are available to support the student. I have learned that when I am imparting information to a group I need to try and incorporate a variety of learning styles, allowing kinesthetic learners to interact with the subject matter, the audio learners to listen to information and the visual learners to view pertinent materials individual, On a personal level, I have discovered that I learn using a mixture of theories and styles but I am consistent with my strategies and instinctively know how I learn the best.?