Elements of Democracy in France Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Elements of Democracy in France - Essay Example Elements of Democracy in France Other arms of government are the senate and National Assembly, which form the legislature and the Judiciary. Existence of different arms of government ensures separation of power, which enhances democracy. France is governed by a principle, â€Å"Government of the people, by the people and for the people.† Citizens above 18 years are free to register, vote or be voted for. Freedom of speech is a measure and foundation of democracy without which freedom is nonexistence. Freedom of speech guarantees everyone right to express themselves differently. It functions best in pluralistic states where different opinions in decision-making. This paper focuses on three democratic elements of democratic, freedom of speech, elections, and separation of power. The paper will assess if the three if the three elements exist in France. Before the 20th Century, freedom of speech was nonexistence in many nations. Critics such as presses were often closed down or exiled. Certain forms of writing w ere censored. In France, the freedom of expression was nonexistence until the 20th Century when the human right groups arose and started fighting for such rights. The freedom of speech became guaranteed after French Declaration of the Rights of man was expanded to include the right of expression.As early as 1881, the France government amended the Press Law allowing freedom of press. However, the rise of incitement led to enactment of Pleven Act in 1972, which bars any form of incitement, discrimination, or racism. Additionally, any form of hate speech against people based on gender, physicality or sexual orientation is prohibited. Currently, France follows the European Convention of Human Rights. The freedom of expression through writing is guaranteed in France where government censorship on written publications is not allowed (Francois, 2005, 17-22). Although the theory of elite, which advocates that the power be bestowed upon the few educated individuals, arose from France, it is no longer practiced in France. In France, the government power is bestowed on the different arms of the government. The executive, which is headed by popularly elected president, includes the prime minister as well as the cabinet. The legislature is bicameral and comprises of the Senate and the national assembly, which are referred to as the upper house and the lower house respectively. The judiciary, which operates independent of the legislature and executive comprises of the judicial as well as other administrative orders in addition to the constitutional court. The powers of each arm of the government are clearly defined by the constitution (Genieys, 2005, 414- 417). Additionally, the powers are distinguished in the constitution. It is clear that the prime minister and the president head the executive, which is at time confusing since the two have different roles. The president appoints the prime minister. The powers of the president include calling for referendum, negotiating fo r ratification of treaties, Dissolving the national assembly as well as requisition for constitutional review if need be. The president is elected through direct universal suffrage in which a candidate requires to obtain absolute majority to be declared the winner. In France, numerous powers are bestowed upon the president, which is attributable to the manner in which the president is elected (Carcassonne, 2002, Web). The prime minister has clearly

Industrialization by Invitation Essay Example for Free

Industrialization by Invitation Essay Did Lewis theory of industrialization by invitation (IBI) lead to some of the social, economic and financial problems being experienced in the region? Discuss your response. Lewis’ theory of â€Å"industrialization by invitation† made a case for the possibility of the creation of a manufacturing sector in the islands in the region, contrary to the ideas proposed by the Moyne Commission. With the overpopulation of the islands, Lewis argued that non-agricultural employment opportunities were required and he saw the manufacturing industry as a means of achieving this goal. Using the theory of comparative cost, Lewis felt that industrialisation would be a viable option for the West Indian islands. He noted, however, that given the fact that that locals lacked adequate knowledge and were relatively inexperienced in this new endeavour, there would have to be a temporary reliance on foreign investors. To attract them, local governments would have to play a very active role by offering various incentives and setting up Industrial Development Corporations. Lewis based his model on Puerto Rico’s Operation Bootstrap. (Rose, 2002) states that by â€Å"early 1960’s the MDCs and some of the LDCs in the region had established the institutional and legal apparatus to accommodate the industrialization development strategy. † There was also an influx of â€Å"foreign capital and visible light manufacturing industries† (Rose, 2002). It would seem, therefore that Lewis’ theory was successful since some economic growth was seen by the MDCs. Be that as it may, closer examination would reveal that the smaller islands did not fare as well in their attempts at industrialization. In fact, even with the success of the MDCs, industrialization by invitation achieved negative results. This was because most of the industries developed as a result proved to be capital intensive rather than labour intensive, thus unemployment rates remained high. The increase in rural to urban migration and the social and political tensions experienced did nothing to improve the situation. The foreign investors did not, as Lewis envisioned, offer sufficient training and assistance to the locals. Instead, they maintained close ties with their own countries and the region was now swept up in yet another cycle of dependency. Consequently, the implementation of Lewis’ strategy can be seen as having some effect on some of the social, economic and financial problems experienced in the region. The fact remains that the countries in the region were forced to compete against each other for foreign investment thus undermining any previous attempts at integration, a situation which still exists today. Lewis’ strategy must not be thought of, though, as being wholly accountable for the region’s problems. In part, this can be seen to have arisen because the region’s governments, in implementing Lewis’ strategy, failed to take into account Puerto Rico’s close ties with the United States and their privileged access to the U. S. markets.

Retail pharmaceutical industry and its challenges

Retail pharmaceutical industry and its challenges In times of global economic recession, retailers will need to be more vigilant in meeting consumers demands to remain viable in the ever more competitive market. Retail pharmacy in Malaysia are faced with unique set of challenges deriving from historical past and cultural practices to consumers lifestyle changes. Therefore there is a need for retail pharmacy operators to re-evaluate existing marketing plans by means of understanding current market condition and observing future trend. Then recalibrate their marketing plans and strategies to reposition themselves securely in the market. 1.1 Objective The report aims to provide an overview retail pharmacy industry and evaluate factors that propel and restrain the market, government policies, sales trends, potential growth and market outlook. Challenges related to the pharmaceutical retail sector will be outlined and assessed, and insights into marketing plans being deployed to tap into available market opportunities in Malaysia will also be discussed. 1.2 Overview : Retailing in Malaysia Malaysia retailing environment has undergone a continuous and marked change over the years. The nation has been classified by the World Bank as a upper-middle income country with middle-income household making up more than 50% in 2007. Between 2004 and 2005, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, on an average, the urban household spent 1.8 times more than its rural counterparts that is about USD 735 (MYR2,285) monthly and USD 428 (MYR1,301) monthly respectively. By 2015, according to UN data, the urban population is forecasted to account for approximately 76% of the total population (Euromonitor 2010). Retail sales will likely benefit from this. According to Q4 BMI Malaysia Retail Report, it projected that retail sales will increase from USD 43.65 billion (MYR 153.76 billion) in 2010 to USD 71.44 billion (MYR 251.63 billion) by the end of the forecast period. The key factors supporting this forecast is due to low unemployment rate, rising disposable incomes and a strong tourism industry. BMI forecasts Over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical sales to grow from USD 404million in 2010 to USD557million which translates to 38% increase therefore elicit a positive effect on retail pharmacy. 1.2.1 Retail Pharmacy in Malaysia Malaysia total healthcare expenditure in 2009 exceeded USD 7 billion Figure 1.0, and is projected to surpass USD 10 billion by 2020. Malaysia ranks fifth among the Asian nations in terms of healthcare expenditure and is projected to grow approximately 13% yearly (Frost Sullivan 2008). Retail pharmacy sector contributes 17% of the total expenditure only due to restrictions pertaining to government policies, profession workforce, and population perception. The retail pharmacy sector can be described using organization size and product/service mix criteria. Sole units are comprised primarily of independent pharmacies, usually owned by pharmacists. Multiple-unit pharmacy organizations, or chains, can be divided into small chain and large chain (e.g. 30 or more units). Besides organization size, the retail pharmacy sector can also be characterized by the product/service mix of the organization. Some traditional categories include, supermarket (e.g. AEON), and, beauty and healthcare stores (e.g. Guardian, Watsons). Pure drug store is virtually non-existent in the Malaysian retail pharmacy sector because pharmaceutical products can be sold and dispensed by medical practitioners as well pharmacists. Consequently, this policy does not encouraged the setting up of pure drug store in Malaysia. Therefore, current retail pharmacies stores usually offer both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical product/services to maintain viable in the market. The major players in the Malaysian retail pharmacy scene are large multinational corporations such as GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd and Watsons Personal Care Store whereas local companies include Caring Pharmacy and Trustz Pharmacy, and a plethora of small independently operated pharmacies Figure 2.0. In 2009, the multinationals, GCHs Guardian and Watsons collectively dominated 54% of the total market share whilst 46% was divided among local retail pharmacies as shown above (Euromonitor 2010). Generally experienced in dealing with large industries, these multinational corporations compared to the domestic counterparts, have the experties in handling processing, packaging, logistics, inventory management etc. In addition, they have the advantages of economies of scale, retailing of in-house brand, increase in market profit and share, and wider discount parameter for retail healthcare products. 2.0 Current Market Status 2.1 External and Internal Factors Influencing Retailers Marketing Strategies The spillover from the subprime mortgage crisis has badly affected the global economies and Malaysias economy has not been spared too. In 2009, retailing current value growth (CVG) showed a decreased compared to 2008 but still at a positive pace (Euromonitor 2010). In 2010, real GDP growth is expected at 5.7% supported by stronger exports. Increased spending by private consumers as a result of improving labour market conditions will soon strengthen domestic demand (Euromonitor 2010). GDP forecast was reevaluated in May 2009 from 4% to 5% (Euromonitor 2010). Though consumer confidence dwindled, spending on health care continues to be a priority within the consumers household as seen in Figure 3.0. Consumers are still willing to spend a little bit more during promotional period or turned to cheaper alternatives such as mid-priced/economical in-house brands or generic medications. Ongoing urbanization trend, higher education levels and better living standards have generated greater interest among consumers regarding self-medication. This further strengthened the importance of retail pharmacy stores as consumers are able to acquire OTC healthcare, nutritional products and prescription drugs from them. Overall trend of the retail pharmacy sector is gearing towards the sales of generics and OTCs. Profit derives from generics is generally higher compared to branded/innovator products (Shafie Hassali 2008). However, sales of non-prescription products such as OTCs, TCMs, vitamins and supplements are still the main contributor to the retail pharmacys revenue at 79%. Having said so, retailers still need to employ different marketing strategies to distinguish themselves from existing competitors and attempt to reposition themselves as market leaders some successful while some struggled. Strategies pertaining to each of the different type of organizations will be further discussed as follow: 2.2 Strategies Employed by Multinational Corporation The multinationals such as Guardian and Watsons have taken a broad spectrum approach by attempting to diversify from traditional dispensing services common to the concept of a pharmacy, into a wider market segments such as general health and beauty care. The retailers responded by engaging in regular promotions and extended sales period to encourage spending and offering a combination of both pharmaceutical services with beauty care. Rapid expansion strategies undertaken by leading chained retailers resulted in a substantial escalation in the chained store numbers in the nation. 2009 saw a slight improvement in the average selling space per outlet of beauty and health specialist retailers especially in larger shopping malls than standalone establishments. Survey has shown that these are the places where the crowd/consumers prefer. Variety in choices/shops and competitive price products are some of the factors that attracts them. Most beauty and health specialist retailers launch their retail chains in Klang Valley. This is largely due to greater purchasing power among urban consumers. Nonetheless, beauty and health specialist retailers are also expanding outside Klang Valley in order to serve the rising population and growing purchasing power of consumers in East Malaysia and secondary states. Launching of budget in-house brand is to cover a wider range of consumer segment. 2.2.1 Guardian : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Hong Kong based Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. It is 78% owned by the Jardine Matheson Group, which is listed on the FTSE Stock Exchange and also listed on the Singapore Straits and Bermuda Stock Exchanges (Euromonitor 2010). In Malaysia, the company is involved in the operation of Guardian pharmacy, Cold Storage supermarket and Giant hypermarket outlets. In 2009, as a result of its aggressive expansion, 20 new Guardian outlets were added, and promotions including daily specials has boosted the companys pharmaceutical market share to 35% Figure 2.0, occupying the largest portion of the retail pharmacy market segment. Guardian retailing format is gradually becoming popular in Malaysia. For instance, Guardian spearheaded the concept of  modern retail pharmacy by providing professional consultation and service by registered pharmacists, plus holistic health and personal care solution. In response to the Malaysian governments support initiatives designed to spur small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, most of Guardian in-house brands are source and manufactured locally. Therefore, it is able to offer quality products at very affordable price targeting at all consumer segments and is expected to continue to source and develop wider products range. Guardian is aggressive in promoting its in-house brand products by advertising and promotions. For instance, Guardian dedicated half a page or full-page advertisements in their in-store brochures or leaflets for their in-house brand products. GCH Retails share of in-house brand products has been growing steadily largely due to developing brand recognition as well as the wider range of items available. External and Internal Analysis (Guardian) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Decentralized marketing function: inconsistent brand image Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Good management: able to respond to market change Strength Change in consumers spending pattern Both external and internal factors how the company decides to operate. The external factors will be same for all market players. 2.2.2 Watsons : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion Watsons Personal Care Stores (WPCS), being the largest beauty and health retail chain in Asia, is a subsidiary of the AS Watson Group based in Hong Kong and wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. WPCS has been in Malaysia since 1994 and is considered one of the most accomplished personal care chain stores (Euromonitor 2010). Following the successful merger and acquisition of Apex Pharmacy Sdn Bhd in Jun 2005, WPCS has 211 outlets nationwide. In 2009 due to its extensive stores expansion and merger , its pharmaceutical value share managed to increase to 19% Figure 2.0 of the entire pharmaceutical retailing in Malaysia.WPCS still remains the largest community pharmacy retail chain in Malaysia. To support and reinforce its image positioning Watsons employs promotional pricing, selling list prices then running price-off sales periodically, continuous marketing efforts and promotions such as television advertisements, complimentary beauty and health information to consumers, and storewide 20% discount campaign. Moreover, WPCS products are competitively priced and carry quality in-house brand products which are usually cheaper by 20% to 25% below manufacturers brand in the same product range. Its in-house brand lines consist of a large proportion of skin-care products, hair care, OTC healthcare products, toiletries, bottled mineral water, electrical items designed to meet the needs of the mass consumers . To further promotes its in-house brands, it has dedicated more shelf space in-store for them. Coupled with growing brand recognition and wider range of products to cater for all segments of consumers, this marketing trend may continue in future. External and Internal Analysis (Watsons) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Over expansion resulting in dissipated consumer services Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Extensive outlet coverage nationwide Strength Change in consumers spending pattern 2.3 Strategies Employed by Small Retail Phamacy Marketing model of smaller retail pharmacies focus on establishing good rapport with its customer base by providing individually customized pharmaceutical services for their clients according to their needs and wants, Furthermore, they also provide extended after working hour services for the convenience of their customers, to access to pharmaceutical items and advice. Loyalty marketing is also introduced to maintain or expand their customer base in light of even more competitive environment. This model is gaining popularity in Malaysia and is already established in Europe, Australia and Canada. Specialized services exclusive to pharmacy such as pre-packed dosettes medications (to ensure better compliance to medicine), insulin dose adjustments for uncontrolled diabetes management and methadone replacement therapy for heroin dependent patient, targeting a unique consumer segment is gradually incorporated into their marketing plans. 2.3.1 Caring : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion Caring Pharmacy Sdn Bhd is a group of pharmacies under one banner collectively shares the same supply and inventory management similar to that of chain stores, however each outlets are independently owned and operated by pharmacists. Caring Group currently have 46 registered pharmacists operating 40 outlets in Klang valley. Therefore giving the Group the highest number of pharmacist to outlet ratio among retail pharmacy operators in Malaysia. With market share of 12% in 2009 Figure 2.0, Caring is fast emerging as one of the most established local community retail pharmacy. Providing extended hour services from the early hours up to midnight proved to be a potent marketing strategy in establishing its market share as it provides time flexibility to consumers. Caring offers professional consultation by registered pharmacists on uncomplicated ailments and medication management solutions such as pre-packed medications for consumers convenience. The group has been actively promoting its pharmacist consultation service. For instance, public awareness talks by pharmacists on health topics such as hypertension, diabetes, weight-management etc. are frequently organized. Launched in 2006, the first pharmacy reward program as a points accumulation and gift redemption card with Malaysias premier multi-party loyalty program BonusLink, enabled Caring to establish closer contact with their regular clients. External and Internal Analysis (Caring) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Too focused on domestic/localization growth Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Change in consumers spending pattern Good corporate core value: pharmacist service for all consumer segments Strength 3.0 Marketing Strategies 3.0 Strategic Recommendation For the Retail Pharmacy Industry Global economy remained sluggish in 2009, likewise in Malaysia. Even though consumer spending has retracted in Malaysia, where healthcare is concerned, consumers are still spending. Retail pharmacy registered an increment in sales of 0.2% for 2009 against 2008 Figure 3.0. 3.1 Marketing Mix Strategy Target consumers Promotion mix Sales promotion Advertising Sales force Public relations Direct online marketing Offer mix Product Services Prices Adapted from Marketing: An Introduction from an Asian Perspective ( Kotler et al. 2006) 3.2 Target Consumers : Population Demographic Outlook and Lifestyle Trend According to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in 2007 Malaysias population was just over 27 million and by 2015 it will be more than 30.7 million. In addition, nearly 60% of Malaysian is below the age of 30 in 2007 (Euromonitor 2010). Needs and wants of consumers changes with age. Marketers must use different marketing approaches for different age and life-cycle groups. The mature segment of the population in Malaysia, are usually relatively established in terms of financial, family and home and more aware of their health status. Marketers needs to woo this segment consumer by employing positive images and appeals. This segment will be the key buyers of medical and health-related products and services, including pharmaceuticals and OTC drugs, vitamins and dietary supplements, health drinks and medical equipment. While there will be new emphasis on products for mature consumers, younger consumers will still remain a potent force since they made up half the population in Malaysia by 2015. They are more savvy, health conscious and more willing to try new products thus exercising significant purchasing power and driving continuing demand for the wide range of youth oriented products. Hence, this will spur demand for core healthcare products and influence sales in tangential sectors such as food and beverages, and healthcare services. 3.3 Offer Mix : Product Portfolio Adjustment and Pricing Tactic 3.3.1 Product Portfolio Adjustment Consumers remained largely loyal to established brands mainly because these brands are trusted names that consumers used to purchase or are just comfortable with its effectiveness. Coupled with strict registration requirements in Malaysia for all medicines, either branded or generics, in-house brand is unlikely to perform well in certain healthcare lines such as oral analgesics, cough, cold and allergy but may do well in other health product category. For example, in-house brand such as wound care, vitamin and supplements are projected to grow due to regional disease outbreak and economic slowdown. As living costs, including healthcare costs increases, consumers will be more adventurous to try out economical in-house brand products and self-medicate. Using the pull and push marketing strategy, potential consumers will come to understand the helpfulness of vitamins and dietary supplements as preventative measures against environment, diet, importance of taking balance nutrition and age-related ailments such as joint and back pain, immune systems, osteoporosis etc. Personal selling and sales promotion will be expected to heightened awareness of in-house brand products. Marketers need to expand their consumer healthcare product ranges in order to maintain competitive in the market. Figure 4.0 shows that in-house brand product line will continue to grow. Therefore, marketers should focus on marketing in-house brand products such as topical analgesics, antipruritics, other wound treatments, vitamins and dietary supplements, that enjoy strong demand. 3.3.2 Pricing Tactic Consumers will be shopping around for the best deals. It is not necessary for retailers to cut list prices, but may offer more short termed price promotions, lower quantity threshold discounts, provide credit to long-standing customers, and more aggressively price smaller pack sizes. In tough times, price cuts attract more consumer support than promotions such as mail in offers and sweepstakes. 3.4 Promotion Mix : Conventional Advertising and Online Marketing 3.4.1 Conventional Advertising Despite the growth of electronic communications, printed newsletter and television still play an important role in Malaysians daily life and their pursuit of information and entertainment. As shown in Figure 5.0, printed adspend dominated 54% followed by television adspend at 37% of the total adspend respectively for the year 2009. Major newspapers include three English-language dailies, two Malay-language dailies, five Chinese-language dailies, and two Tamil-language dailies. The Malaysian has a wide range of magazines covering lifestyle, fashion, business, and special interest topics such as fishing, motoring, health and wellness and childcare. Magazines in Malaysia are usually published on a fortnight or monthly basis and are available via subscription, at retail outlets, convenience shops and small grocery stores. Although there seems to be a slight plateau Figure 6.0, conventional printed media will still be the medium of choice currently to disseminate promotional information for pharmacy retailers. 3.4.2 Online Marketing The internet has had a significant impact on Malaysia over the past several years. The number of internet users grew from nearly five million users in 2000 to more than 12 million users in 2007, reflecting growth of 144%. Just as significantly, the household penetration rate of personal computers in Malaysia increased from 13.5% in 1995 to 34.7% in 2007. Tethered with such growth, online adspend recorded 72% spike growth from 2007-2009, and is expected to continue capturing readership share at the expense of printed media, in-line with household penetration rate of internet enabled computers increases in Malaysia. Mobile advertising will be in vogue as internet handheld devices gains market penetration, particularly among the younger population. Advertising platforms such as Apples iAd is a prime example of cutting-edge mobile advertising where advertisements are not just informative but interactive as well. Advertisements of this kind, can be updated real time by retailers with short-term sales promotion similar to Malaysia Airlines lunch-hour flight deals or provide interactive online shopping experience, will revolutionize conventional concept of promotional advertising. Pharmacy retailers can tap into this market and formulate marketing plans unique to loyal mobile shoppers. Conventional in-store consumers are bombarded with too much product information creating confusion thus delaying purchases. Retailers and manufacturers should collaborate to satisfy consumers needs such as using attractive colors and creating simplistic product packaging to facilitate consumers search for healthcare products. Hence, online advertising and internet retailing is expected to increase. This will have an impact on how retailers attempt to reach Malaysian consumers and, in a less significant but growing way, on how Malaysians shop. 4.0 Conclusion Consumers in Malaysia are changing their healthcare shopping behavior in various ways. While many opted for other more economical retailers, there are some who remained loyal to their preferred retailers. They are more comfortable in seeking out deals and using coupons, and will purchase both in-house brands or branded products whichever provides the best value. Definition of value is also changing. Previously, value is often perceived as quality and options, but now this is synonymous with price, value will mean that consumers get what they want at the best possible price. Pharmacy retailers can capitalize on consumers needs by providing increased personalized marketing and shopping experience. Consumers are also seen shifting towards meaningful and unique shopping experience, particularly in purchasing healthcare items. 4.1 Consumer In Charge Consumers know what they want and many will go the distance in search of the best offers; some consumers, due to their lifestyle fluidity simply require products that satisfy their needs. By giving consumers multiple product choices at different price and benefit levels, brands especially in-house brand, can be capitalized by using different marketing strategies to make them to stand out from the crowd. Mobile shopping, will be the next frontier for retailers to venture into as on-the-go consumers will emphasize on shopping convenience and speed of transactions. 4.2 Retailers Diversity and Rebrand to Stay Relevant Pharmacy retailers diversifying into in-house product line need to factor in consumers shopping preference on established branded healthcare products when formulating in-house product marketing plans. Many consumers maintained loyalty to established brands due to familiarity to a product or confident with its effectiveness. New and improve in-house product lines with convenience in mind such as topical analgesics and sachet digestive remedies, will appeal to consumers particularly the younger customers. Retailers may need to revamp certain product lines with new design, improve in-house brand offers and promote them with a compelling ad-campaign, to appeal to target consumers. 4.3 Future of Retail Pharmacy in Malaysia Retail pharmacy landscape is shifting largely attributed to economic changes, the growth of online retailing and more recently mobile commerce. With increasing use of smart handheld devices in Malaysia, mobile advertising and commerce is projected to grow substantially. Retailers will have to employ a multi-channel marketing approach. Online retailing will provide a platform for retailers to disseminate unique and targeted product offers for consumers to research, plan their shopping trips and ultimately attract consumers into stores. Consumers will also look for premium service coupled with simplified shopping experience in terms of product availability and ease of locating the products. Now more than ever, consumers are becoming more sophisticated and informed in making choices.They desire to know the origin of the product, what they are made of and how their lives can be improved with them. In general, future consumer wants a simplified, personalized and meaningful shopping experi ence with a focus on value. In summation, regardless of the organization size and retail focus, marketers must have the foresight to recognize change and take advantage of it by shifting its resources in line with market trends.

beethoven :: essays research papers

Beethoven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ludwig Von Beethoven was born December 17, 1770. by the time he was 12 he has already composed a published work of music. His public debut was in 1795 which was the same time his first important publications appeared, three piano trios op.l and three piano sonatas op.2. It was claimed that as a pianist, he had fire, brilliance and fantasy as well as depth of feeling. At this point in Beethoven’s life nothing could go wrong, he was on top of the world. In 1802 Beethoven had encountered a terrible tragedy, realizing that the hearing problems he had noticed over the years were incurable and were sure to get worse. By the end of the first decade in the 1800’s Beethoven had many established works, which include the Pastoral Symphony, Symphony no.7 and Symphony no. 8, Piano Concertos nos.4 and 5 and the Violin Concerto, along with many more. By this time Beethoven was firmly established as the greatest composer of his time. In 1808, due to his deafness, Beethoven had ended hi s piano-playing career. After a few years Beethoven started writing what would be know as â€Å"Beethoven’s final symphony† while completely deaf. Symphony no.9 preformed in D minor is considered to be his best work. On march 26, 1827 while in the process of writing the final symphony Beethoven passed away leaving behind a legacy which wouldn’t soon die, as the greatest composer of all time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I first got the Beethoven CD I was a little pessimistic on how it would be. However after the first time my roommates and I heard the CD we immediately made it our study time and sleep time mix. The music although at times may be very powerful, was very helpful in keeping us focused on our work, or just fall asleep peaceful.

Marketing Strategy In General Motors Essay

  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   General Motors Corporation was founded in the year 1908 with its head quarters based in the United States of America. It’s the world’s largest automaker manufacturing over 35 different brands and generally ranked the fifth largest company worldwide with a work force of over 280000 employees the world over. As part of corporate social responsibility G..M has given millions of dollars in computers to Engineering colleges. It has also created joint ventures dedicated to quality of life needs of employees through offering of medical care and other social services. In terms of marketing strategies, the company has embarked on large scale productions to minimize capital under utilization. Secondly, its diversity on automobile make also spreads the risks thus lowering chances of totally risky ventures. Branding has also been the secret behind their prosperous undertaking mostly with the introduction of trendy sports utility makes. Not to be left behind technologically, G.M has also kept up with the technological advancements with the manufacture of electric vehicles as well as the G.M auto racing models. INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing strategy is when an organization designs the best combination or package of the traditional 4ps and extended 5ps in an attempt to influence the target market appropriately. There is need to review the current marketing strategy as the marketing environment is dynamic. An effective strategy requires a rich and current database.   An organization should therefore invest in continuous marketing research. General Motors has used various strategies in its growth. Among them are the generic strategies and grand strategies as discussed below.   DISCUSSION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The General motors company has used the above strategies to maximize diversification. The company has used a strategy of using new technology in the market so that it can be competitive in market for better performance and facing new challenges coming up in the world market, like, before the 1970s the motor vehicle manufacturing companies in Europe regarded themselves as competing largely in a home market in which they were dominant. However, the subsequent changes in the motor vehicle industry were dramatic. The motor vehicle industry in general was faced with the problems of an increasingly competitive market in a changing business environment; the need was to match the organization’s activity to this environment in such a way as to   take advantage of such opportunities that might be provided and overcome the   many threats that could arise. Since the environment is continually changing the company makes strategic decisions for better growth of the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Strategic decisions often have major resource implications for an organization. These may be decisions to do with the disposal or acquisition of assets of substantial value. The company decides as part of the rationalization of its operations to close a plant that is not doing well. Also the company adopts strategy of using new technology so as to achieve economies of scale in production. In other words, strategic decisions may result in major changes in the resource base of the business. Strategic decisions are likely to affect operational decisions, to set off waves of lesser decisions. For example, if the firm decides to rationalize its operations and cut back on manufacturing capacity and the workforce, this may give rise to industrial relations problems. Similarly, strategic decisions about rationalization, which lead to a revised product or manufacturing plan, will inevitably mean that the sorts of day-to-day problems faced by a production manager, or a sales manager, in the company turn out to be different. Again, then, it is important to understand that strategic decisions have wide ramifications across the organization. The strategy of an organization will be affected not only by environmental forces and resource availability, but also by the values and  Ã‚   expectations of those who have power in the organization. According to M.E. Porter (1980) corporate strategy is concerned with impact of external environment on the firm. In some respects, strategy can be thought of as a reflection of the attitudes and beliefs of those who have most influence in the organization. Whether a company is expansionist or more concerned with consolidation, or where the boundaries are drawn for a company’s activities, may say such about the values and attitudes of those who most strongly influence strategy. Making organization mission clear to member, this will serve as strategy.   The company uses its mission statement as a strategy which states that it will stand the best in producing motor vehicles, standing against competition, in terms of technological advances and in terms of its role in society. The company uses this strategy with specific aims as to where the organization is conceived to be throughout. Strategic decisions are likely to be concerned with the scope of an organization’s activities: does the organization concentrate on one area of activity, or does it have many activities? For example, should the firm focus? On a small range of products or, as in the past, have a very diverse range? To what extent should it be integrated backwards into manufacturing or forward into distribution? And should it attempt to compete widely in international markets, indeed would it survive without a wider international role?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   General Motors uses a strategy of matching organization’s activities with its resource capability. It also uses a strategy of countering environmental threats and taking advantage of environmental opportunities; by matching organizational resources to threats and opportunities. Before the company takes any strategy it looks at the long term implication it will bring to the firm before implementation is done. The decisions taken now by the management of the company will have long-term implications on the health of the business in later decades, for instance, a decision to close a plant that is not doing well or to move into another area of activity. Strategic decisions therefore tend to have long term horizons and or implications, strategic decisions are often complex in nature. General Motors has managers who look cross-functional and operational boundaries to deal with strategic problems and come to agreements with other managers who, inevitably, have different interests and perhaps different priorities. This problem of integration exists in all management tasks but is particularly problematic for strategic decisions. Strategic decisions are likely to involve major changes in organizations. The company has a team of experts who make sure that before a strategy is implemented, it has to be developed, and that there should be a strategic vision. The strategic vision is a view of an organization’s future direction and business course. The task involves visualizing the firm’s future position in five to ten years. The task is to inject sense of purpose into a firm’s activities, provide long-term direction, give the firm a strong identity and decide, who we are, what we do, and where we are An example of a strategic vision of an airline business us â€Å"We want our airline to be the worldwide airline of choice.† The strategic vision of General motors is communicated and shared by all those working for the company. After strategy vision has been done, organization move to the next level that is developing organization’s mission.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company mostly uses its mission statement so that it does not get out its main aim. An organization’s mission represents management’s customized answer to the question; â€Å"what is our business?† A mission statement broadly outlines the organization’s future direction and serves as a guiding concept to what the organization is to do and become. (Cole, 1996). It reflects management’s vision of what the firm seeks to do and become, provides a clear view of what the firm is trying to accomplish for its customers, indicate the intent to stake out a particular business position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Developing an organization’s mission as the strategy which will involve defining: who, what and where.   According to Thompson and Strickland (1990) who suggested that there are tasks of strategic management which they see as bringing together: setting of the overall mission or goals of organization, the establishing of business objectives and the strategy required to achieve the two above. It helps managers avoid losing focus on the firm’s direction to achieve what its aim that to expand and to grow in the market. Another strategy is setting objectiveness of the organization. The purpose of setting objectives is to convert the mission into performance targets, create yardsticks to track performance, establish performance goals and push the firm to be inventive, intentional and focused. Setting challenging but achievable objectives guards against the following: complacency, drift, internal confusion and status quo performance. Objectives provide a direction to the firm in its quest for realizing the vision and mission and benchmarks for judging organizational performance. The company employs qualified staff as strategy since qualified staff can be able to increase production and high quality hence making the firm to grow and increase its market share. It uses lower costs than its rivals as a cost leadership which will assist to reduce expenses charged against profit, making a firm to have high profit comparing with other firm, by increasing profit the company grow and increase the market share. The company does a thorough research as strategy that is becoming the leader in new product introduction to the market, this will assist to increase sales since no other firms will be selling such new product in the market. When one firm is selling a product in the market and no competitor, this means the firm will be selling at abnormal price hence making super profit and this will lead the firm to grow and increase market share. Overtaking rival firms on quality or customer services strategy will make business to grow. Customer service as strategy involves treating customer with very high respect and integrity, making customer to feel cared for and given good service, this will make the firm to increase the number of customers comparing with other firms and retaining those who have visited the firm, this will increase sales hence organization growth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company uses the satisfaction of customer needs as its main strategy. Total Quality Management is used as strategy for organizational growth and increase of the market share to achieve this. Once customer requirements have been identified, they need to be translated into standards which can be interpreted and understood easily by employees and clients. One of the major quality difficulties facing service organizations is the defining of service quality standards. According to Ansoff (1984) redefined strategic management as a systematic approach for managing change which consists of positioning of the firm through strategy and capability planning, real time strategic response through issue management and a systematic management of resistance during strategic implementation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Once client requirements have been identified and standards of service defined, it is necessary to define systems which will enable the standards to be translated into achievable processes. To provide a service which satisfies and even delights clients, professional firms need to recruit and train their staff to achieve the required standards throughout the service process. The recruitment and selection of appropriate staff can be used has strategy by organization, as these are the foundation of any quality-conscious firm. The client-centered firm should take into account all relevant criteria and consider recruitment as the first stage in retaining loyal, well-motivated and happy employees. Proper training can also be a good strategy to organization. A professional employee, like any other member of staff, has a limited set of skills which require continual updating in the face of changing market demands and technology. Only by updating these skills using well-developed programs, can professional firms ensure that they equip their staff with the skills needed to respond to future client expectations. Internal communication methods is another important strategy organization can not do without. To ensure that staff members are aware of the importance of clients, it is essential that management communicates, on a regular basis, the need for continuous and organization-wide quality improvement to their staff. To achieve this, there are various internal communication methods available, which include: newsletters; team briefings; meetings; internal customer-supplier workshops; and training key interfacing departments in the main processes and procedures of the supplier and customer activities. To modify client interaction behavior, professional firms can introduce performance-related rewards and recognition systems as strategy to beat their rivals, which encourage client-satisfying behavior, recognizing and praising employees for work well done is not superfluous, but rather confirmation of accomplishments and a reinforcement of commitment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company also uses financial objectives as strategy. Financial objective are those outcomes that relate to improving the firm’s financial performance such as: – a) Increase earnings growth from 10% to 15% per year.   b) Boost return on equity investment from 15% to 20%. For the objectives to have values as a management tool, they must be stated in quantifiable or measurable terms and specify a deadline for achievement. Objective-setting process should be a top-down process in order to achieve unity and cohesion throughout the organization. Because all managers need objectives the process should be top-down and should follow the following pattern: Start with organization-wide objectives, next, set business and product line objectives. Then, establish functional area and department objectives, individual objectives come last. Strategy-making concerns how to achieve desired strategic and financial, objectives out-compete rivals and win a competitive advantage, respond to changing industry and competitive conditions, defend against threats to the firm’s well-being, grow the business, among other things. A firm’s strategy will actually consist of making decisions about the following: How to satisfy customers, how to grow the business, how to respond to changing industry and market conditions, how to best capitalize on new opportunities, how to manage each functional piece of business and how to achieve strategic and financial objectives. Ansoff suggested a matrix of product market alternatives which has become widely used in basic terms the matrix offered the following alternatives: market penetration, product development, market development, and diversification any strategy to work it has to be implemented. Implementing strategies involves creating fits between the way things are done and what it takes for effective strategy execution, executing strategy proficiently and efficiently, and producing excellent results in a timely manner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proficient strategy execution will depend greatly on competent personnel, adequate skills and effect internal organization. There are three types of organization actions that are very important: Selecting able persons for key positions, making certain that the organization has the skills, core competencies, managerial talents, technical expertise, and competitive capabilities it needs and developing an organizational structure that is conducive to successful strategy executioner can be done by: allocating ample resources to strategy-critical activities. Organizational units need enough resources  Ã‚   to carry out their part of the strategic plan. This includes having enough of the right kinds of people and sufficient operating funds for them to do their work successfully, instituting best practices and programs for continuous improvement. A strong commitment to adopt best practices, especially for those activities where the potential for better quality performance or lower costs can translate into a sizable impact on the bottom line, is integral to effective strategy implementation, installing support systems that enable company personnel to carry out their strategy execution. Strategies cannot be executed without a number of support systems to carry on the business operations. For instance, an airline may not hope to provide a world class passenger service without a computerized reservation system, a system for accurate and expeditious handling of luggage and a strong aircraft maintenance program, tying reward structure to achievement of results: the company needs to enlist commitment, throughout the organization, to carrying out the strategic plan by motivating and rewarding people for good performance, creating a strategy-supportive corporate culture. The beliefs, goals and practices called for in a strategy may or may not be compatible with a firm’s culture. When they are not a company finds it difficult to implement strategy successfully. The management should stay focused as to what they are trying to achieve in the face of a changing environment and customer needs; otherwise they will not remain competitive in the industry, lowers management’s threshold to change. The management are made to understand that the environment is changing and thus the need to do things in a different way so as to have a competitive advantage in their area of operation, provides basis for evaluating competing budget requests and steering resources to strategy-supportive, results-producing areas, unites numerous strategy-related decisions of managers at all organizational levels. The managers are made to stay focused on one objective and not to make conflicting decisions, creates a proactive, rather than reactive, atmosphere; with the environmental scanning the organization is aware of changes in the environment and hence will take action to take advantage of the changes and prevent any adverse effects on itself, enhances long-range performance; the organization is always to plan for the long-term and its performance is focused on the achievement of long-term objectives and fewer resources and less time devoted to correcting erroneous or ad hoc decisions; this is because all the managers will be making decisions aimed at achieving the set objectives only and there will be enhanced coordination among them due to the existence of strategic management process. CONCLUSION The role of strategic management cannot be downplayed, given the need to align the organization with the changing environment with a view to realizing the long term objectives of the organization to the future with success. It is critical that all departments in the organization be involved in strategy formulation to ease the implementation process. Proper communication of the vision and mission serves to inspire challenge and motivate the workforce hence making organization grow and increase the market share. The General motor company as used the above strategies to grow by obtaining its objectives, increasing market share and market it to stay in the market. No company can grow or stay in the market if it does not use strategies to face challenges which face market industries RECOMMENDATIONS From the above we can say that due to changes in the environment it necessary to change ways of carrying out business. Any company to continue in business it has to change to new strategies, which will include ways of marketing, using latest technology, for example marketing using internet, having qualified staff in business that will be in appositions to employ new skills. It is very important for any company to look the welfare of employee since this will promote employees morale towards the work. Strategy should be seen as the continuous improvement of accompany so it should not forgotten at all costs, it should be seen as the backbone of the company. Since the company is seen as going concern it must be able to implement all strategies for it survive, this can be seen from the above company that General motors. Last but not least every company to compete in the industry must have clear vision and mission statement for its reference when doing business so that the company can stick to them. REFERENCES 1)Cole, G.A. (1994), Strategic Management, DP Publications. Chandler, Alfred D. (1962), Strategy & Structure, MIT press. Andrews, Kenneth R. (1987), The concept of corporate strategy, 3rd edition, Richard D. Irwin. Ansoff, H.I. (1965), Corporate Strategy, McGraw-Hill. Ansoff, H.I. (1964), Implanting Strategic Management, Prentice Hall International Porter, M.E. (1980), Competitive Strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors, The Free Press. Thompson, Arthur & Strickland, A.J. (1990), Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases, Richard D. Irwin.

Comparison Between Directed and Reported Speech

DIRECT SPEECH VS. REPORTED SPEECH There are two ways to report what someone says or thinks; 1. Direct speech shows a person’s exact words. Quotation marks (â€Å". . . †) are a sign that the words are the same words that a person used. For example: Madison: What do you want to eat for lunch? Jason: I think I will have hamburger. Direct speech: Maria asked, â€Å"What do you want to eat for lunch? † Jason replied, â€Å"I think I will have hamburger. † 2. Reported speech (Indirect speech) puts the speaker’s words or ideas into a sentence without quotation marks. Noun clauses are usually used.For example: Madison: What do you want to eat for lunch? Jason: I think I will have hamburger. Reported speech: Madison asked Jason What he wanted for lunch. Jason said that he was thinking of having hamburger for lunch. COMPASRISON BETWEEN DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH 1. 0 VERB TENSE IN REPORTED SPEECH DIRECT SPEECH| REPORTED SPEECH| simple present past present pe rfect will can | simple past past perfectpast perfect wouldcould| Quotation Reported speech â€Å"I am hungry. † She stated that she was hungry. â€Å"The exam will be next week. † Dr. Jones said the exam will be next week 2. QUESTIONS IN REPORTED SPEECH a. Word order: The word order in a reported question is the same as in a statement. The subject comes before the verb. b. Punctuation: If the sentence is a statement, it end with a period (. ) even if it contains a reported question. c. To change a yes/no question to a noun clause in reported speech, introduce the noun clause with if or whether. Whether or not may also be used. d. To change an information question to a noun clause in reported speech, begin the noun clause with the question word,DIRECT SPEECH| REPORTED SPEECH| * Question: Are you ready? Statement: I am ready. * â€Å"Did you turn off the coffee pot? † * â€Å"Is supper ready? † * â€Å"Where do they live? † * â€Å"When did you cal l? † | * She wanted to know if I was ready. * I asked Amy if she had turned off the coffee. * Eli wanted to know whether supper was ready. * Abdul wanted to know where they live. * Sharon asked me when I had called. | 3. 0 PRONOUNS Since the person who is reporting what someone said is usually different from the person who made the original statement, pronouns in reported speech often change.DIRECT SPEECH| REPORTED SPEECH| * â€Å"I am hungry. † * â€Å"Where will you be? † | * George said he was hungry. * Bill wanted to know where I would be. | 4. 0 PLACE AND TIME Changes in place and time words depend on changes in the situation between direct and reported speech. DIRECT SPEECH| REPORTED SPEECH| * â€Å"I don’t like this book. † * â€Å"I’ll see you tomorrow. † (spoken on Thursday) | * Jaime said he didn’t like that book. * Michiko said she would see me today. (spoken on Friday) Michiko said she would see me yesterday. (spoken on Saturday)| 5. 0 INFINITIVES . Infinitives (to + the simple form of the verb) may sometimes be used instead of noun clauses. b. Commands can be reported two ways: 1. a noun clause with a modal (usually should) 2. an infinitive c. Requests for action or permission can be reported two ways: 1. a noun clause with if 2. an infinitive DIRECT SPEECH| REPORTED SPEECH| * â€Å"Call me when you get home. † * Action: â€Å"Will you carry the box for me? † * Permission: â€Å"Can I make an appointment? † | * -She said that we should call her when we get home. -She said to call her when we get home. -She asked me if I would carry the box for her. * -She asked me to carry the box for her. * -The student asked if he could make an appointment. -The student asked to make an appointment. | 6. 0 RECOMMEND AND SUGGEST The subjunctive, or base, form of the verb (no tense, without to) is used in reported speech when the main verb is recommend or suggest. DIRECT SPEECH| REPORTED S PEECH| * â€Å"You should arrive early. † * â€Å"Don’t wait to apply. † | * Jason recommended that we arrive early. * Anna recommended that I not wait to apply. |

Rap VS Techno essays

Rap VS Techno essays Rap is a style of popular music with a pronounced beat. Techno is a style of popular music using electric equipment and synthesized repetitive sounds. Which is better? This essay is about the differences between the two and what type of music people listen to. Also how each one is acknowledged in society and how old people react to music these days compared to as in their youth days. Rap is a bunch of words put together to give meaning about an event, feeling or emotion. Good rappers like Eminem and Nelly use words that rhyme and give a significant meaning. These rappers reprimand words suddenly and sharply, which makes it so entertaining to many teenagers. Techno however does not necessary have words and it generally pronounces an electric beat. Many DJs use techno rather than rap for dancing since it has a beat and electric echoing for people to dance to. So which is most popular? Generally it depends on the individuals characteristics. For example a rough, swearing character is most likely to listen to rap. Because most rappers use vulgar words in their song. Concerned parents dont like their children to listen to that type of music because the rapper is giving a bad influence to kids. In July 2001 a wave of moral indignation was sweeping Australia over bad language, aggressive lyrics and a pending tour by the U.S. rap singer Eminem. The Australian Prime Minister has aired an opinion, saying that the rapper's lyrics were "sickening and offensive." Over big controversy the rapper was permitted to tour Australia and only people over the age of 18 were allowed to see him sing. In Eminems latest song Without me he uses good lyrics without too many vulgar words. The song is currently in number one place in the Australian top 50. The video clip is also different to his previous ones. He advises to a little boy, in his video clip that his new album is only for adul ts. ...

Blind Date Vs Who wants to be a millionaire.

Blind Date Vs Who wants to be a millionaire. COMPARE THE OPENING SEQUENCES OF 'WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE' AND 'BLIND DATE'Game shows in today's society are becoming increasingly popular with the likes of 'Big Brother' taking the spotlight. Two of the most popular game shows today are 'Who wants to be a millionaire?' and 'Blind Date'. 'Who wants to be a millionaire' is a quiz show shown on ITV at 8. 00 p.m. weekends. The object is to try to win  £1000000, hence the name 'who wants to be a millionaire'. However, Blind Date is conducted in a very similar way to chat shows on ITV at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.As the sequence is of a brand news series of Blind Date, the audience clearly notices new attraction-based features to the shows content. The CGI at the beginning has been updated, now showing heart-shaped images within each letter of the words 'Blind' and 'Date' proving to relate to the show.Fragment from the Australian version showing the c...It also seems a lot brighter and more colourful than previously. This was done inten tionally to portray a new freshened look for the show, as if it has been spring-cleaned, so looks cleaner, fresher and contains new content.However, the opening sequence begins with a medium/close -up shot of a woman in her mid-thirties. She is walking slowly and there is a spotlight behind her. The camera zooms out quickly and a big '?' is being shone onto the ground. There are lots of people looking at something that are slightly away from the camera and are walking towards it slowly. Lines of light (mainly purple and blue) appear across peoples faces and the shots are mainly close ups and medium shots of peoples faces however there is also the occasional long shot behind people where the audience catches a glimpse of what they...

How to Write the Stanford University Essays 2015-2016

(Note: this post has been updated for the 2016-2017 application cycle. To view the updated post, click here. ) Famed for its entrepreneurial spirit and laid back environment, Palo Alto–based Stanford University is a great option for students looking for a more science and engineering focused institution than Harvard, Yale, Columbia, or the University of Chicago. When combined with the (relatively) warm weather in California, it is little wonder that Stanford now takes the mantle as America’s most selective university, with an acceptance rate of 5.05% for the class of 2019. Like many institutions, Stanford requires applicants to answer several short essays and questions. Unlike single-prompt supplements, supplements with multiple short prompts require you to utilize several different topics. Thematically, you should not write all of your essays about the same thing, whether that’s an extracurricular passion, or a particular facet of your personality that you wish to highlight. Instead, your essays should work like a portfolio, each one acting to highlight a different portion of your application or personality, with a collective effect that conveys what you want. The short answer questions also fit into this portfolio, because they allow you to reinforce key themes from your essay, or introduce additional components of your life or personality. Note: this year’s Stanford app is almost identical to previous years’. We’ve updated this year’s post to reflect new trends in admissions. Read the post for the Class of 2019 here and the Class of 2018 here . Briefly respond to the following seven inquiries so we can get to know you better. Do not feel compelled to use complete sentences. Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or artists. (50 word limit) What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy? (50 word limit) What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (50 word limit) How did you spend your last two summers? (50 word limit) What were your favorite events (e.g., performances, exhibits, competitions, conferences, etc.) in recent years? (50 word limit) What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (50 word limit) These short answer questions are nice in that they don’t necessarily have any wrong answers. For the most part, you are okay answering these questions truthfully, so long as you avoid potentially controversial or offensive responses. These questions are designed to give admissions officers a brief look at your personality, and each answer reflects a different portion of your personality or application. For the most part, your answers can be very straightforward and they convey straightforward things. For example, if you said that you wish you could have witnessed W.E.B Dubois’ â€Å"Talented Tenth† speech, then the Stanford admissions counselors will know that you are interested in history and in questions related to race and racial relations. Normally with short answer questions, you might want to avoid writing an extremely advanced work of literature or erudite publication down as your â€Å"favorite.† However, because you have 50 words to work with, you can afford to list out several different books, publications, and the like. If possible, try to strike a balance between things that are pure enjoyment and things that are educational. Also, if you decide to feature a particular theme for your application, you should try to make sure that some of your answers to these questions reinforce that theme. Princeton’s app has a similar rapid-fire section—for further tips, check out the post here . Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 word limit) This essay is similar to the extracurricular prompt that used to be on the Common Application. One option for writing this essay is to choose the most meaningful or in-depth extracurricular on your application and then write about that. However, if your Common Application essay significantly addresses this activity, you should try to move on to another on your resume. You can choose almost every activity, however you shouldn’t be writing about a superficial experience just because it fits with your major – focus on something more meaningful. With regards to the content of the essay, your focus should be on specificity. Don’t just recount your accomplishments in that activity (that belongs on a resume) focus either on what you learned from it, what it says about you, or a specific event or project within that activity that illustrates your ability to execute key projects or your ability to work well with others. Another option is to write a descriptive anecdote ab out a particular moment or accomplishment during one of your extracurricular activities. This option doesn’t offer as much in the way of highlighting your accomplishment or skills, but instead allows you to show off your writing prowess. Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. (100 to 250 words) The focus of this essay should be how and why the idea impacted you, not necessarily discussion and explanation of the idea itself. If possible, you should spend maybe 50 words discussing the idea, and then the remainder of the essay analyzing its impact on your intellectual development. And with regards to the latter aspect, you should either discuss how the process gave you an important skill, or how it made you fall in love with a field (ideally one that’s tied to your major). For example, you could discuss the idea of quantitative easing (a monetary policy tool, or more broadly an economics idea) to either discuss how it gave one the ability to be analytical or how it made you fall in love with economics (your major). Your idea need not be so academic. The term â€Å"intellectual development† can be applied loosely to almost anything you like. For example, you could talk about a type of dance move, and how your persistent perusal of the internet looking for tips on successfully performing said dance move inspired you to become a music major.   Virtually all of Stanford’s undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate — and us — know you better. (100 to 250 words) This essay is as much about what not to say as about what you should say. The key thing to avoid in this essay is, anything that could disqualify you in the eyes of the admissions committee. While you don’t want to write something that’s bland and clichà ©d, you should avoid discussing illegal or unsavory activities. Conversely, you shouldn’t be afraid to explore your quirky side. Good topics are always unique hobbies or interesting personality quirks and it’s perfectly fine to get a little weird. You can also talk about your favorite experiences with friends and how you’d enjoy similar experiences with a hypothetical roommate. But you should probably stay away from things like politics. You can say you’re politically motivated if you are, but don’t indicate which party or ideology you tend to support. Also, try not to talk about specific political issues, especially if you hold a conservative viewpoint. It’s very easy to offen d someone with politics. What matters to you, and why? (100 to 250 words) While it may seem as though this essay is asking you to discuss a social justice cause or some sort of â€Å"problem† with the world, the actual prompt is a lot broader. Basically, Stanford wants to know what’s at your core, the things that take up the majority of your mental desire. The focus of this essay should be on the â€Å"why† portion of the essay; the â€Å"what† is important, but your explanation of the â€Å"why† is ultimately what will convey something new about you. Pretty much any topic so long as you can legitimately describe why it matters to you is fair game, though when writing about potentially controversial topics such as religion and politics, your focus should be explicitly on yourself. It’s okay to discuss how Christianity, for example, helped you gain a new appreciation for the value of personal discipline, but you shouldn’t discuss your deep held desire to convert others to Christianity, because the idea of rel igious conversion could be offensive or controversial to some. With these tips, you should be well on your way to writing the perfect Stanford Supplement. Best of luck from the Admissions Hero team! For more help, feel free to check out last year’s post on How to Tackle the Stanford Essays or reach out to work 1-on-1 with one of Admissions Hero’s trained Stanford essay specialists . Picturing yourself at Stanford next fall? Find out how we can help make your dreams a reality!

How to Achieve Top Search Engine Positioning Essay

How to Achieve Top Search Engine Positioning - Essay Example The author of the essay "How to Achieve Top Search Engine Positioning" begins with the short introduction of the topic. The author mentions webmasters, who are frustrated with what they thought was a well made site not showing up on search engines, often consider the option of paying a third party company that touts search engine optimization in order to achieve the results they want. With some research, though, a webmaster can do as well or better without such a service. This paper will discuss how to optimize a personal or business web site for search engines. The objective for webmasters is having their sites placed near the top of the list of results returned in a web search. Knowing how search engines find content and the measures they use to rank sites is essential to understanding how to build a site optimized for placement. To achieve success, the web builder must understand what search engines like and what they don’t like as mistakes in page design are the most commo n deterrent to placement and are extensive on many web pages. Search engine placement is a vast and free form of advertising that organizations often wish to benefit from. Although search engine administrators frequently provide means to purchase more frequent â€Å"spidering† of a site, web site HTML construction and appearance of the pages will determine whether or not that site is ever seen by visitors who are searching for whatever product or idea that site is promoting. At the end of the paper, the author sums up and recommends interesting strategies.

Has equality made America freer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Has equality made America freer - Research Paper Example Due to this, a number of revolts of the slaves were recorded in the 18th up to the early 19th century. (Fede, p. 27) These revolts were caused by the injustices, discrimination and maltreatment to the slaves and to the black community. Due to these revolts, there were some states in the US that abolished slavery. The first state to abolish slavery was Rhode Island in 1774. This act of abolition intensified the hunger of the slaves and the black community for total eradication of the inequalities (Surname) 2 happening in the land. The abolition was followed by Vermont, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey which transpired from 1777 to 1804. Although the importation of slaves from other countries was banned, selling of slaves continued within the US. (Osborne, p. 11) In 1831, The Liberator, an anti-slavery newspaper was founded by William Garrison and soon thereafter, the American Anti-Slavery Society was formed. A movement of white anti-slav ery Protestants was based on the principles of the Second Great Awakening. Theodore Weld led the liberation of slaves. Caused by the fact that revolts had been here and there, the Congress got tired of the abolitionists. Slavery and discrimination went on even in States where slavery was not allowed. African Americans took on principal roles in the abolition which dominated most part of the South. Both Frederick Douglass (The North Star) and David Walker took part in the revolt against the white tyranny. The Underground Railroad helped slaves to escape from the South. (Fede, p. 43) This fight over equality by the slaves and the black community went on until the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. President Lincoln thought that the proclamation would be seen as a temporary measure to the war. Immediately thereafter, in 1864, the Thirteenth Amendment was passed by the Senate followed by the by the House on January 31, 1865. This states that â€Å"Neither slavery nor inv oluntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.† (Sundquist, p. 32) (Surname) 3 This amendment was adopted on December 18 of the same year and completely abolished slavery. The US has indeed gone a long way towards the concept of equality which they fought for a tremendous amount of time. The seemed-to-be never-ending battle over slavery officially ended in the reign of the Former President Lincoln. The Thirteenth Amendment was followed by the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 which stated that â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or prop erty, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.† (Sottiaux, p. 117) Two years after, the Fifteenth Amendment was adopte

Nature of reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nature of reality - Essay Example Reality is in its natural form undisputable, primal, and eternal. It has existed in one form and is of likely to change (Adamson, 2002). Perceptions and the senses only give one an appearance, which is subject to change depending on the point of view as well as on differences between people or senses. A blind person has no perception for different colors, but his not being able to see does not make a leaf, for instance, greener or less green. This implies that we cannot depend on the senses to learn the nature of reality. That which exist in a single form regardless of the changes in senses, time, physical conditions or appearances are more real than its perceived form. In the case of the airplane, therefore, being less dependent on perception and appearances we would say that the idea is more real than the physical airplane. This is because, the physical airplane is nothing to someone who was born blind. He does not see the plane and any explanation would yield nothing. However, the idea behind the airplane is easily understood. In the same line, if all the physical airplane were destroyed, anybody who knew of the idea, even without having seen an airplane will not have lost anything. The idea will still exist because it is more

CASE STUDY; CAR COSTS ARE CUT THROUGH NEW TECHNOLOGY Essay

CASE STUDY; CAR COSTS ARE CUT THROUGH NEW TECHNOLOGY - Essay Example This is the reason for fall in the price of palladium in the following months. As per the theory of economics, the price of a commodity increases when its demand increases in the market. Similarly, the price falls in the event of fall in the demand for the same. The same has happened in the case of Palladium. Though Mazda has not announced by when the new technology would be used, the market expected a downfall in the demand for the commodity if automobile industry adopts the new catalyst. Thus, the demand of palladium is changed due to change in non price factor, that is, technology. Therefore the demand curve shifts downwards with no change in supply. Subsequently the price will reduce to reach at a new equilibrium. This phenomenon can be explained using figure 1 below. Let D1 be the existing demand curve of palladium. When the news of new technology came up, the demand curve shifted to D3. This means that the quantity of Palladium that is demanded by the industry is reduced and so the price also gets reduced to adjust to the change in quantity demanded. Same can also be seen in the case of supply curve figure 2. (Webshells, 2010) When demand for palladium is reduced, there is an oversupply created in the market. Due to the oversupply the supply curve s0 is shifted to s2. Therefore the price comes down to adjust to the market. Technological breakthroughs are very much important in automobile industry. Only technology adoption can help automobile companies to reduce the cost of production. Take the case of new innovation by Mazda. As per the technology, palladium usage can be reduced by 90%. Palladium being one of the most expensive metals in the world, the cost saved by the company by adopting this technology is huge. The savings in cost will help the companies to charge less for the cars and thus companies can introduce low cost cars in the market. Tata has done a

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 117

Case Study Example The facility had always kept daily production records, but from what Helen could tell, no one ever consulted them or did anything with them other than to put them in file cabinets at the end of each reporting period. She thought that in principle she should be able to monitor production rates for the types of machines, identify any machines that seemed to be in need of adjustment, and characterize the amount of downtime to be expected. Accordingly, she extracted one days production records for 116 presses at her facility. The machines were scheduled for a shift of 7.75 hours each day. The operators recorded the hours of operation manually on clipboards kept near each machine. The actual quantities of parts produced were determined from automatic counters on the machines. The data on the next two pages (and in file PROD) were derived from these logs. Based on the statistics above, we can advise Jane for a machine type to be considered as being effective, it must be able to produce parts that are between 5084 and 320242 in number. The machine type must also be able to operate a minimum of 0.58 hours and a maximum of 7.75 hrs. From the statistics of central tendency, machine type 2 is the best for producing parts and also uses minimum time. When the press was down, machine type 2 is the best since it has the minimum standard

Nature of reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nature of reality - Essay Example Reality is in its natural form undisputable, primal, and eternal. It has existed in one form and is of likely to change (Adamson, 2002). Perceptions and the senses only give one an appearance, which is subject to change depending on the point of view as well as on differences between people or senses. A blind person has no perception for different colors, but his not being able to see does not make a leaf, for instance, greener or less green. This implies that we cannot depend on the senses to learn the nature of reality. That which exist in a single form regardless of the changes in senses, time, physical conditions or appearances are more real than its perceived form. In the case of the airplane, therefore, being less dependent on perception and appearances we would say that the idea is more real than the physical airplane. This is because, the physical airplane is nothing to someone who was born blind. He does not see the plane and any explanation would yield nothing. However, the idea behind the airplane is easily understood. In the same line, if all the physical airplane were destroyed, anybody who knew of the idea, even without having seen an airplane will not have lost anything. The idea will still exist because it is more

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 117

Case Study Example The facility had always kept daily production records, but from what Helen could tell, no one ever consulted them or did anything with them other than to put them in file cabinets at the end of each reporting period. She thought that in principle she should be able to monitor production rates for the types of machines, identify any machines that seemed to be in need of adjustment, and characterize the amount of downtime to be expected. Accordingly, she extracted one days production records for 116 presses at her facility. The machines were scheduled for a shift of 7.75 hours each day. The operators recorded the hours of operation manually on clipboards kept near each machine. The actual quantities of parts produced were determined from automatic counters on the machines. The data on the next two pages (and in file PROD) were derived from these logs. Based on the statistics above, we can advise Jane for a machine type to be considered as being effective, it must be able to produce parts that are between 5084 and 320242 in number. The machine type must also be able to operate a minimum of 0.58 hours and a maximum of 7.75 hrs. From the statistics of central tendency, machine type 2 is the best for producing parts and also uses minimum time. When the press was down, machine type 2 is the best since it has the minimum standard

Ethics of hunting Essay Example for Free

Ethics of hunting Essay Is hunting ethical? As a hunter myself, growing up in a family of hunters, I never answered the question correctly. When asked the question â€Å"is hunting ethical? † I would rattle off information and statistics about wildlife population control and the environmental information gathered by hunters, but I seemed to be missing the point completely. As it was recently pointed out, it was like I was being asked what time it was, and answering the date. I wasn’t incorrect; rather, I was just answering the wrong question. Instead, I needed to look at what the actual question was; is the act of hunting ethical, and if not, what are we doing to prevent the mistreatment of animals? From a moral standpoint, anti-hunters deem hunting as barbaric. It is a reversion to one of the most primal tasks that humans had to perform. Today, however, anti-hunters believe that the act of hunting is an unnecessary evil that can be tackled much more humanely. This entire argument, however, is based off of everyone persons’ definition of the word â€Å"hunting. † To my family, and myself, the idea of hunting means that food is going to be on the dinner table. It  means that we are going to kill an animal, butcher it ourselves, and eventually eat the meat of our harvest. It is an appreciation of the wild animals; the ones placed on this Earth to roam the hills and graze the grass, rather than the ones grown in barns and factories. It means utilizing every part of that animal to our best ability, and wasting nothing. We even go as far as to donate the brain and heart of the deer to the local high school for use of dissection in science laboratories. We appreciate the animal in every way we can. It has given us everything (literally) that it has, and we will respect  this animal for a time far longer after it’s depart from Earth. My family doesn’t tree stand hunt. This is the act of climbing high into a tree with a â€Å"tree stand† and sitting up there as we wait for an animal to pass below us. This is an extremely unfair advantage in hunting, for it gives the hunter almost complete stealth. Deer are not biologically programmed to look for danger in the trees; there are no known threats to deer around buffalo that live in the trees. We think that it provides an unfair advantage to the hunters that use then. We believe that if we’re going  to take an animal’s life, we’re going to give it the ability to see us before we do, so that it has a fairer chance to run. I even prefer bow hunting to gun hunting. It’s more of a challenge, not that hunting should be a game, but rather it makes it easier for the animal to spot us and escape. If the animal gets close enough to allow me to take the shot, I justify it as a case of â€Å"survival of the fittest. † We do not antler hunt; the act of going out hunting with the intent of killing the deer with the largest antlers, only for the antlers. We eat the meat, not the antlers. I cannot speak for other hunters, but my family and myself do not find a purpose in hunting based on the points on the deer’s head. We have no preference of buck or doe; the meat is all the same to us. We enjoy eating the meat, and that is why we hunt. It is healthier for people, steroid free, and it comes from animals that have been able to live their life in the wild thus far. Hunting, to myself, is everything I just listed. The Merriam-Webster Definition is â€Å"to chase and kill (wild animals) for food or pleasure,† but I remove those last two words. Personally, I find no  enjoyment in the taking of a life. The first animal I ever hunted, a bird, I killed, and cried. I cried and I cried and I cried at what I had done. It was such a powerful feeling knowing that one moment that bird was living, and the next moment it was not, and I was the reason for that. It was such a waste for me to have done what I had; I wasn’t going to eat the bird, I had no use for it. Hunting should be for usefulness: food, clothing, necessity, but it should not be a game that toys with the lives of animals. This doesn’t mean I’m against hunting however. Obviously with everything I have listed prior I would appear to have contradicted myself. I believe that hunting is acceptable in the form of 1 / 3 usefulness. These are all ethical thoughts that anti-hunters propose to hunters. Some post pictures of Bambi the deer, hoping to lure in those who are indecisive or on the fence about the position they take on hunting. Anti-hunters will play on the ethos of those who believe that hunters kill baby animals, setting hunters up to look like immoral people. Often times I hear people ask me how I could kill ababy deer, and take it away from its mother who â€Å"loves it. † With those questions, I find myself frustrated at people’s ignorance. A hunter cannot hunt a fawn; it’s illegal to kill an animal with spots (specifically speaking, baby deer). Additionally, people are unaware of the nature that is animals. A mother deer will fight to the death for her fawns if they are faced with the dangers of a hungry coyote. However, a mother deer will eat all of the leaves off of the only bush in the forest, leaving her fawn to starve, without blinking an eye. Animals think differently; only in rare cases do wild  animals actually have human attachments to each other. Anti-hunters sometimes try to display hunters as horrible people for killing animals, but this only can bring me to the conclusion that all anti-hunters are vegetarians. If it’s truly barbaric for us to go out and hunt what we eat, then the only solution to this animal cruelty is to not eat the animals at all. It is not ethical to justify eating processed meat from animals who never see the light of day, are routinely injected with steroids, living shoulder to shoulder in crowded slaughter houses, with their  only purpose in life being to die for our meals, and say that hunting is immoral. The wild animals at least have a fighting chance; they have an ability to run, to reproduce at their will, to eat the fresh grass and drink fresh stream water. They are not cooped up in a cage or stall, living in deplorable conditions with their only purpose in life to die at our will. Although it is unfortunate that some wild animals face death earlier than others, the alternative of a slaughterhouse cannot be deemed as ethically more just. Questions that are posed towards hunters about how they are being unethical can also be turned  around to ask what anti-hunters are doing to protect these animals they feel are being morally and ethically wronged. Are they vegan? Animals and the products they produce do not come easily. Milk cows and egg chickens spend their whole lives in a barn. Unless they buy their milk and eggs from the local free-range grass fed cows and chickens down the road, they are contributing to the large mistreatment of animals of the food industry of America. Do they own nothing leather? Again, these animals are grown and harvested for the sole purpose of leather production. A lot of leather  products sold in the USA are shipped from China, where horribly graphic YouTube videos can be found showing Chinese leather workers skinning animals alive. One cannot go as far as to say that they â€Å"don’t own Uggs† so they don’t own leather. Leather is found in things like sneakers, cars, and accents on clothing, purses, and shoes. Were their houses recently built on land once inhabited by these creatures? The destruction of animal habitats leads to more animal deaths each year than hunting does. If an anti-hunter were to hit a deer with their car, destroying the front end, I’m estimating that a fair  amount of them would initially be furious with the circumstance, NOT because they killed the deer, but rather because they totaled their car. This deer, roaming throughout what used to be its natural habitat of forest and trees, is now forced to walk across streets and areas of traffic. It is inconvenient, however, when the deer walks across the street at the same time a car is driving by, and a collision occurs. I’ve gotten away from the actual topic at hand. The original question was â€Å"Is hunting ethical? †. I suppose if one feels that taking the life from something is immoral and unethical, than no, hunting is  not ethical to that person. However, I would like those who believe hunting isn’t ethical and anti- hunters alike to consider what I have just proposed to them. I would like them to take five5 minutes of their time to do some self-reflection, and question whether what they do in their everyday life is really ethical for the animals. It only seems fair that if someone is to be calling me out on being barbaric and cruel towards animals, that they themselves are doing everything in their power to ensure that the animals around them are being treated as fairly as possible. It would be a common  2 / 3 case of the pot calling the kettle black if one were to discover otherwise. In summation, the question â€Å"is hunting ethical? † will never be a black or white answer. There are many shades of grey that come with many degrees of opinions. The point that I am trying to get across to those who disagree with hunting however, is to take some time to self reflect before we are so quick to judge others. Take time to think about what each of us is personally doing for the well being and fair treatment of animals, before we quickly judge hunters as immoral people. POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Effect of Community Care on Needs of Service Users

Effect of Community Care on Needs of Service Users Community Care Introduction Foster and Roberts (1998, p. i) indicate that there are deficiencies in †¦ the ‘triangular’ relationship between user, carer an community†. They point out that there is a â€Å"†¦common tendency to establish a two-way relationship, and disregard the perspective of the third party †¦Ã¢â‚¬  which â€Å"†¦obstructs the healthy functioning of the care system† (Foster and Roberts, 1998, p.i). Booker and Repper (1998, p. 4) expound upon the preceding in adding that â€Å"†¦ community living is particularly difficult for people who have serious mental illness, many of whom experience frequent re-admissions in times of crisis and survive inadequately: in poverty and isolation, without work, with poor social supports and networks, and at risk of victimisation, exploitation, homelessness and imprisonment†. They add that â€Å"Indeed the community tenure of this population is often dependent upon the support of informal carers who ine vitably have problems and needs themselves† Booker and Repper, 1998, p. 4). The foregoing points to valid issues brought out regarding the community care system that indicate need further examination, and which represents the focus of this examination. Such asks the question, ‘to what extent is current community care policy and practice responsive to the needs and concerns of service users and carers? The preceding represents an expansive discussion. In order to formulate a balanced assessment of these aspects, this examination shall seek to break down the context into the three frameworks as indicated by Foster and Roberts (1998, p. i), and examine key policy frameworks, and practice developments representing the four specific areas of disability, health, mental health and older people in community care. In said examination, this study shall consider the extent to which policy and practice has been shaped by factors other than the needs and concerns of service users and carers. In a study conducted by the Hull Community Care Development Project over a three year period, it found that â€Å"†¦ care and support issues have been largely neglected in area-based work† (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2004). The following shall seek to reach a determination if that assessment is true in terms of the four areas identified, disability, health, mental health and older people. Community Care represents the help as well as support that is provided to individuals that aids them in being able to live either in their own homes, or in a home type setting in their community (careline.org.uk, 2007). The foregoing assistance can consist of representing help for the individual that needs the aid to live in the community as well as help and or assistance for the carer. The government’s policy on community care sets forth six key objectives (careline.org.uk, 2007). The first represents the providing of â€Å"†¦ home care, day and respite services †¦Ã¢â‚¬  that enables individuals, wherever feasible as well as possible, to live in their own homes (careline.org.uk, 2007). Secondly, it entails the making of a proper assessment concerning â€Å"†¦ need and good care management †¦Ã¢â‚¬  which represents â€Å"†¦ cornerstone of high quality care† (careline.org.uk, 2007). The third area represents the promoting and â€Å"†¦ t he development of a flourishing independent sector alongside good quality services† (careline.org.uk, 2007). The fourth element consists of the clarification of responsibilities to thus make it easier to hold the various agencies accountable for their performance (careline.org.uk, 2007). The fifth aspect represents, â€Å"†¦ to secure better value †¦Ã¢â‚¬  for expenditures as a result of the introduction of â€Å"†¦ new funding structures for social care† (careline.org.uk, 2007). With the last area, sixth, representing the providing of â€Å"†¦ additional help for carers †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as offering a choice for patients and the general public (careline.org.uk, 2007). Community Care services are available to support older people, individual with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health problems and chronic illness (careline.org.uk, 2007). The services that are available, which can differ slightly in some areas, basically consist of 1). Home care, that includes assistance with washing and dressing, 2) meals on wheels and frozen meals, 3) equipment as well as various adaptations to make living at home an easier prospect, 4) Day care centers that contain helpful activities, 5) respite services, 6) supported housing for individuals that with mental health and or disabilities. 7) intermediate care, 8) practical as well as financial assistance, 9) community nursing, 10) incontinence as well as NHS supplied nursing equipment (careline.org.uk, 2007). Community Care Policy The National Health Service and Community Care Act of 1990, that was phased into operation over a three year period, established a system whereby the needs of individuals were assessed entailing an agreed upon care plan, assigned worker and regular progress reviews (BBC News, 1998). Part of the procedural aspects of the foregoing was identifying those individuals whom might represent a significant risk, either to themselves and or others (BBC News, 1998). Those so identified where placed onto a ‘Supervision Register’ to prevent them from ‘slipping through the net’, which of course did not, and has not proven full proof (BBC News, 1998). The purpose of the National Health Service and Community Care Act of 1990 was to â€Å"†¦ split health and social care provision between purchasers and providers to create an internal market† (Leathard, A., 2003, p. 16). This approach represented a means â€Å"To curb costs, purchasers were required to assess nee ds, while providers were intended to compete against each other to secure contracts from the purchasers† (Leathard, A., 2003, p. 16). The foregoing represented efficiency from the standpoint of governmental administration, however, it shortchanged the ends users, and the patients, in that it immersed them into a bidding supply system that did not place their needs and concerns upper most in the hierarchy. Leathard (2003, p. 16) states that the preceding â€Å"The split between purchasers and providers, as well as the competition between the providers themselves, led to fragmentation of services but a collaborative momentum began to build up between the purchasers†. Important in the foregoing, is the understanding that the methodology provided the District Authorities with the power to purchase hospital care, and the family health service authorities had the responsibility â€Å"†¦for services provided by GPs, pharmacists, dentists and opticians, while local authorities covered the purchasing of all social services in the community† (Leathard, A., 2003, p. 18). The Secretary of the Central Association for Mental Welfare, Evelyn Fox, in 1930 stated the pure view of community care was one that has seemingly gotten lost in the translation to practice, (Fox, 1930, p. 71): â€Å"Community Care should vary from the giving of purely friendly advice and help to the various forms of state guardianship with compulsory power . . . It should include the power of affording every kind of assistance to the defective boarding out, maintenance grants, the provision of tools, travelling expenses to and from work, of temporary care, change of air in a word, all those things which will enable a defective to remain safely in his family . . . If the state has undertaken the duty and responsibility of active interference in the life of an individual by supervision, compulsory attention and so forth, it must undertake the corresponding duty of making his life as happy as possible. The effective control of a defective at home does inevitably mean a restriction in his complete freedom to go in and out as he pleases, to make what friends he chooses, to select what type of employment he likes out of those that are open to him. To impose these limitations without at the same time giving compensating interests is to court disaster†. Her statement, which has validity today, saw the family at the centre of community care. In fact, her view was that families should be co-opted to supply effective control (Fox, 1930, p. 73). The policy statements thus far put into action have tended to favour the carers more than the service users, which is shown by the following. The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 is based upon the â€Å"†¦ triumvirate of autonomy, empowerment and choice (Levick, 1992, pp. 76-81). Smart, 2002, p. 102) as well as Biggs and Powell (2000, pp. 41-49) both state that the ‘Act’ has a major weaknesses in that it fails to account for any critical analysis concerning the role as well as daily practices of care managers. Clements (2000) provides a critical observation in stating that community care law bears the indelible stamp of its poor origins and that the present shape still resembles Beveridges vision of the welfare state. Care in the Community was a policy of the Margaret Thatcher government in the 1990’s whereby she questioned the existence of society and sought via the NHS as well as the Community Care Act 1990 to extend the privatisation agenda into health and community care through the creation of NHS trusts, the greater use of independent residential and nursing homes, and the general promotion of the mixed economy of care (reference.com, 2007). The preceding represented the second shift in the community care / health care approach. The third shift occurred under Section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 which casts the definition of a public authority as â€Å"to embrace any person some of whose functions are of a public nature† (Bacigalupo et al, 2002, p. 249). The preceding continues â€Å"The expansive nature of this concept was explained by the Lord Chancellor who stated that the key question is whether the body in question has functions of a public nature †¦ If it has any functions of a public nature, it qualifies as a public autho rity† (Bacigalupo et al, 2002, p. 249). The foregoing means that â€Å"†¦ private community care providers as represented by residential care home owners, and or voluntary sector service providers such as Age Concern, MIND or housing associations are public authorities in relation to anyone for whom they provide publicly funded care† (Bacigalupo et al, 2002, p. 249). They continue that â€Å"Such providers now shoulder public responsibilities for their vulnerable clients and are accountable in public law for their actions† (Bacigalupo et al, 2002, p. 249). The Department of Health has accordingly emphasised the need for English social services departments to ensure that contractors and independent providers are made aware of their new duties† (Bacigalupo et al, 2002, p. 249). Under Article number 2 of the Act, which relates to policy for the Community Care Act 1990, it requires that the government and local authorities take reasonable measures to protect life (Bacigalupo et al, 2002, p. 249). Studi es conducted by the Times (1994) found that relocating institutionalised elderly people to a new residence may have a dramatic effect on their mental health and life. A study by the Journal of American Geriatric Society (1994) indicated that mortality rates run as high as 35% in such instances. Service Users and Carer Perspectives Both aspects point out the fact that the system was not geared to the well being of the users. Further evidence of the foregoing was also expressed by Hardy et al (1999, pp. 483-491) who pointed out that the changes as brought forth in policy by the 1989 white paper ‘Caring for People’ as well as the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act were to increase choices for users as well as carers. The preceding changes were as a result of the fact that service users had been subordinate to professional service providers (Hardy et al, 1999, pp. 483-491). In addition, their had also been an inherent bias of funding that was geared for residential and nursing care and that such had deprived service users of the choice of being cared for in their own homes (Hardy et al, 1999, pp. 483-491). This was expressed by Leathard (2003, p. 16) who stated, â€Å"The split between purchasers and providers, as well as the competition between the providers themselves, led to fragmentation of services but a collaborative momentum began to build up between the purchasers†. The preceding was a result of the efficiency the Act brought to community care which did not address the needs, wishes and concerns of the users as it put them into a bidding system that saved money, but resulted in poorer care. The foregoing included all four areas, disability patients, health patients, as well as mental health, and elderly patients who were caught in policy and practice developments. The Kings Fund Rehabilitation Programme (Hanford et al, 1999) addresses the foregoing deficiencies through policy initiatives based upon three themes, 1) working in partnership, 2) joint planning, and 3) commissioning. The preceding has been further developed through the King’s Fund updated statements on health and social care, in community based settings (King’s Fund, 2003). The combined initiatives have been devised to loosen governmental control and provide more accountability to patients and the local community (King’s Fund, 2003). Such a shift in policy will also affect hospitals as well as other what is termed as frontline providers to thus be more responsive to local needs and potentially improved performance (King’s Fund, 2003). The King’s Fund (1999) pointed out that the primary responsibility for the improvement in health programmes, specifically with regard to community care, lies with the health authorities, The King’s Fund (1999) also pointed out the however it is the local authorities that are expected to work out the objectives in improving the health and well being of their local communities. The initiatives put forth by the King’s Fund (1999) (2003) have been designed and crafted to achieve these lends through streamlining of the policy and operational facets. An important aspect of the 1999 King’s Fund initiative entailed calling for improved preventive services that called upon local authorities to aid users to take on as many tasks as they could for themselves for as long as they could, along with living in their own homes for as long as possible. The preceding was borne out of fiscal realities, in order to better conserve funds. However, in light of the findings of studies conducted by the London Times (1994) as well as the Journal of American Geriatric Society (1994) that found that elderly patients that were institutionalized had morality rates that ran as high as 35% in many instances, means that this approach had definitive merits beyond the saving of funds. The foregoing approach was based upon older policy documents by the government that reinforced the methodology of fostering greater independence. Such was put forth by the Department of Health that stated the promotion of independence would â€Å"†¦ have a positive effect on informal or unpaid carers †¦ (King’s Fund, 1999). The King’s Fund (1999) also pointed out under ‘Best Value Initiatives’ â€Å"†¦ local authorities should reduce delays in providing housing adaptations as part of the general move towards increased accountability to local people†. The above recognizes the need as well as better care that users would and do receive from home based care that Evelyn Fox brought forth back in 1930. Her statement â€Å"If the state has undertaken the duty and responsibility of active interference in the life of an individual by supervision, compulsory attention and so forth, it must undertake the corresponding duty of making his life as happy as possible† (Fox, 1930, p. 71). The initiatives of the King’s Fund helped to remove the stigma as indicated by Clements (2000), that community care law bears the indelible stamp of its poor origins and that the present shape still resembles Beveridge’s vision of the welfare state. The initiative also addressed the observations of Smart, 2002, p. 102) as well as Biggs and Powell (2000, pp. 41-49) who both stated that the ‘Act’ had a major weaknesses in that it failed to account for any critical analysis concerning the role as well as daily practices of care ma nagers. Through promoting more in home care for as long as possible, signaled a change in direction. Policy changes as brought forth in 1997 resulted in the United Kingdom government issuing in June of each year a policy document informing the Health Authorities of their purchasing intentions for the following year (NHS Executive, 1996). Resulting there from were three sets of objectives: long-term objectives and policies; medium-term priorities and objectives for the 1997/98 year; and baseline requirements and objectives for 1997/98 year (NHS Executive, 1996). In the longer term, performance will be assessed under three headings: equity, efficiency, and responsiveness (NHS Executive, 1996, pp. 11-21). Under the 1997 New Labour reforms, Health Authorities are to be responsible for drawing up three-year Health Improvement Programmes, which are to be the framework within which all purchasers and providers operate (NHS Executive, 1996, pp. 11-21). Under Section 17 of the Health Act 1999 it accords wide powers to the Secretary of State to give directions to Health Authorities, Primary C are Trusts, and NHS Trusts. Prior to the 1997 New Labour proposals, monitoring efforts in the UK’s internal market concentrated on a small set of dimensions of output: annual growth in activity, waiting times, and targets for improvements in the health of certain groups of the population (Propper, 1995, pp. 1685). The foregoing is why the Health Authorities had focused on performance being monitored, but not the needs, desires and wishes of patients and carers. Changes in Direction The preceding facets were thus corrected under the indicated 1997 New Labour proposals promise to broaden performance measures to â€Å"things that count for patients, including the costs and results of treatment and care† (Department of Health, 2007). This represented the backbone of the indicated King’s Fund (2003) initiatives that have resulted in better patient and carer involvement. The Human Rights Act has had implications both for service users as well as carers in terms of re-focusing upon rights afforded them. It provides for them to have the right to life, the right to be free from inhuman and or degrading treatment, as well as the right to respect for private and family life (Carers UK, 2005). These aspects might seem as being basic rights that carers should have had all along. However, governmental surveys have shown that all too often the rights of carers are ignored and need to be balanced against the people they care for (Carers UK, 2005). The United Kingdom’s National Strategy for Carers (Carers.UK, 2005) revealed, â€Å"carers’ rights are not adequately considered†. The preceding represents that under the Human Rights Act the rights of patients is balanced against the rights of the carer to mean that their views are considered by social services in the rendering of decisions. In addition, the research uncovered that all too frequently â€Å"carers’ rights are not real† (Carers.UK, 2005). The foregoing refers to assessments of carers regarding either their opinions and or rights as well as those expressed on behalf of their patients. Research conducted uncovered that carers’ all to frequently feel that their views and opinions are not considered in assessments and or decisions (Carers.UK, 2005). The third aspect of this facet represents the fact that carers’ as well as patients feel that â€Å"resources are inadequate to allow rights to be protected† (Carers.UK, 2005). The foregoing refers to the services needed are in all too many instances not available as a result of resources that are inadequate in terms of the cost and or staff time (Carers.UK, 2005). The last aspects refer to â€Å"good practice need not be expensive† (Carers.UK, 2005). The research conducted indicated that there are instances whereby imaginative good practice helped to safeguard the human rights of carers. One such example that was provided referred to the utilization of a 24-hour hotline that enabled carers as well as patients to arrange for support in cases of emergency thus referring to the ‘right to life’ aspect of human rights (Carers.UK, 2005). However, unfortunately, there are too few such examples. Conclusion The King’s Fund has been most progressive in being circumspect as well as balanced in their review and analysis of legislation, policy, procedures and rights as contained in documentation and as provided by carers and patients. Steps to shore up the human rights of carers as well as patients have been implemented under the Carers Recognition and Services Act 1995 (opsi.gov.uk, 1995) that calls for a separate assessment of carers at the same time one is carried out for patients. The vagueness is being addressed to clear up ambiguities in terms of words and phrases such as ‘substantial care’ services are a result of assessment, autonomy, health and safety, management of daily care routine and involvement (opsi, 2000). The preceding represents four key criteria under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 (opsi, 2000). It corrects the loopholes found under the Carers Recognition and Services Act 1995 in that anyone over the age of 16 years of age who are or intend to provide substantial care that will be on a regular basis for another individual over the age of 18 years of age is entitled to an assessment (opsi, 2000). The preceding occurs regardless of whether the individual for whom they provide care and or support to has refused community care services (opsi, 2000). Additionally, social workers are advised to provide potential carers of their rights through the hand out of a special booklet that sets forth the benefits in receiving a carers assessment (Carers.UK, 2005). All of the foregoing represent policy and practice developments that are and have addressed a number of carer and patients concerns and issues under community care for disability, health, mental health and the elderly, yet there is still room for improvement. As shown and evidenced throughout this examination, governmental policies in terms of community care policies and practice for the areas of disability, health, mental health and the elderly has been one of evolution. Sometimes however, representing backward steps before moving forward. Evelyn Fox (1930, p. 71) represents an example of progressive thinking and understanding that was not put into practice initially, but was gradually recognized as the approach later in the process. Her statement that placed the family at the center of community care was initially usurped by the efficiency of the National Health Service and Community Care Act of 1990 was devised to curb costs, but shortchanged patients and carers (Leathard, 2003, p. 16). As the system evolved, through its triumvirate of autonomy, empowerment and choice (Levick, 1992, pp. 76-81), it was impacted by the Human Rights Act 1998 and more recently by the combined initiatives of the King’s Fund (2003). These initiatives helped to reshape the inadequacies as presented by the efficient governmental system and adding more humanity, understanding and caring. Through addressing the observations of Smart, 2002, p. 102) along with Biggs and Powell (2000, pp. 41-49) who commented that the Act’s major weaknesses represented its failure to account for a critical analysis of the roles and daily care practices of carers and the importance of maintaining home care for as long as possible. 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