Bo Jackson Speech

The context Boo uses is he talks about his struggle growing up and how he got out of his comfort zone and overcame this problem. Boo also uses the method Extemporaneous to give his speech, he has a brief outline and he has taken time to go over his speech. While analyzing this speech my purpose is to watch Boo and his physical and visualization in his speech. While giving Bob's speech in the beginning he had very poor eye sight, he was limited with his eye sight because he was reading off f his paper.Boo did get better as his speech went on and he eventually stopped looking at his paper. He also was fair when it came to gestures, but his poster was great. Bob's appearance is good he is clean cut and wearing what everyone else is at the graduation. At times Boo showed no facial. He did not have and visual aids other than put an image in your head and making you think you can achieve your goal. Boo did not lack energy he had the crowd involved with his entire speech, and he had no prob lems with his microphone.One thing Boo did lack Is his vocal delivery; at times his voice would get scratchy and be had to hear. His voice was monotone at times, but he managed to work some energy into his voice. In the beginning of the speech he took a few vocalizes pauses and at the end It was hard to understand him for about ten seconds. Bob's speaking volume was good I would say he was normal at about 140 wimp and he messed on one or two words. His articulation was good he made sense and was always on topic with his speech and he did not have any articulation errors.Boo did a great Job on the beginning and ending on his word pronunciation. I did not notice any dialect, he did not miss pronounce anything so bad it made everything hard to understand. Bob's speech was not choppy nor was It smooth. Boo made a few mistakes early on In his speech but he made up for them at the end. He was reading off of his outline a lot In the first minutes of the speech. There for that made his spee ch choppy and he had a lack of eye sight. Boo could have worked on his fluency to Improve his speech.Boo was effective In his message peaking to the graduating class of 2009. He got his message across by having a great worded speech and Influencing the graduating class to be the best they can be. Bob's speech was the perfect length to get his point across say everything he needed to say and not lose his audience. Over all I thought Boo Jackson had a great speech, but his could Improve himself by knowing his speech better and being more fluent with his speech. Boo Jackson Speech By sukiyaki's problems with his microphone.One thing Boo did lack is his vocal delivery; at times e took a few vocalizes pauses and at the end it was hard to understand him for bad it made everything hard to understand. Bob's speech was not choppy nor was it smooth. Boo made a few mistakes early on in his speech but he made up for them at the end. He was reading off of his outline a lot in the first minutes o f the speech. Worked on his fluency to improve his speech. Boo was effective in his message worded speech and influencing the graduating class to be the best they can be. Bob's could improve himself by knowing his speech better and being more fluent with his

Running Head: Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All

Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All October 26, 2012 Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All2 Abstract This paper discusses Jane Elliot’s experiment with her third grade class and Olivia Murray’s document A Mindfulness To Transcend Pre-Service Lip-Service A Call for K-12 Schools To Invest in Social Justice Education. The document gives a brief overview of each author’s work and their approach to help understand the impact of a social justice education.Finally, the essay provides the importance of combining both author’s approach to achieve equality in America. Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All3 Every morning, diverse groups of American students- rich and poor, black and white, rural and urban- begin the school day rising, facing the flag, and pledging allegiance to a country that claims to be indivisible, ensuring liberty and justice for all. Students learn about the value of equality, as Americans we have the right of equal treatment regar dless of our background, belief, race or religion.They learn about justice, that society offers the same benefits and has the same obligation to all citizens. Both of these values teach students that no one is favored over any other one, yet by reading A Mindfulness To Transcend Pre-Service Lip-Service A Call for K-12 Schools To Invest in Social Justice Education (Olivia Murray) and watched A Class Divided I recognized that disparate inequalities not only exist, but may continue to be perpetrated, if we do not take the initiative to change.Lisa Delpit wrote â€Å"we all interpret behaviors, information, and situations through our own cultural lenses; these lenses operate involuntarily below the level of conscious awareness making it seem that our own view is simply the way it is† (Olivia Murray, pg. 48-49). Not until we are impacted by someone else’s perception of us as being different do we realize that our cultural awareness is bias. Society has faced this debacle fo r centuries; we have scholars go back and forth trying to find a solution on how to teach ur children to be color blind, to be less bias and to treat everyone the way they want to be treated. It seems so simple to say yet it is very hard to achieve. In the video A Class Divided, third grade teacher Jane Elliot attempts with her class an experiment to demonstrate the impact of discrimination. The article A Mindfulness To Transcend Pre-Service Lip-Service A Call for K-12 Schools To Invest in Social Justice Education (Olivia Murray) presents a three-fold approach so individual schools can address the issues of avoiding social injustice.The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led to turmoil and riots across the country. Jane Elliot, a white, third grade teacher, felt the need to try a new approach to teach her Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All4 young students about discrimination especially after hearing the white media referring to â€Å"those people† and â€Å" those communities†, as if black Americans were somehow not part of America. The experiment was for two days, it started on Tuesday.Jane Elliot begins by asking the class about National Brotherhood Week, what it means and whether there are people in America who aren’t treated like brothers. The children responded yes, Blacks and Indian Americans are not treated like brothers. So, Elliot proposes the experiment to help the students understand what discrimination means. Over the next two days, the class was split into blue-eyed and brown-eyed students and that on the first day, blue-eyed people are better than brown-eyed.This meant they got extra recess, could drink from the fountain, have seconds at lunch and could play on the playground equipment. Brown-eyed students must use paper cups to drink from, may not play with blue-eyed children, must stay off playground and wore collars around their necks to be easily identified. During the rest of the day, Elliot points out ho w much time brown-eyed children took to complete tasks, how not prepared they were, how they don’t take things seriously and were disruptive and badly behaved. She entices the blue-eyed children to agree with her.On Wednesday, it is the turn of the brown-eyed children to be better than the blue-eyed children. The roles are switched and the brown-eyed children despite having been on the receiving end of discriminatory behavior the day before are now tormenting the blue-eyed children. The children described their experiences like being a dog on a leash, like having collars and couldn’t think as well. At the end of the day, Elliot asks the children whether eye or skin color should be how we decide whether someone is good or bad or if those things make a good or bad person.All of the children said no. Elliot also learned that the children who are privileged because of the eye color do better on tests than children who are being discriminated against. Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All5 Olivia Murray’s article A Mindfulness To Transcend Pre-Service Lip-Service A Call for K-12 Schools To Invest in Social Justice Education (Olivia Murray), suggest a three-fold approach for schools to adopt. It includes a partnership between the school staff, a school wide team, and a relationship with the school community.The school staff must take a leadership role to confront the challenges; they should endure the discomfort of their own prejudices and biases. Open discourse about their own personal experiences will identify how each school supports equity and how they influence the social development of the children. Secondly, is to create a school-wide Equity Leadership Team (ELT), to assist schools in maintaining self-awareness among teachers and preparing our future generation of non-biased children.The team can present the relevance and respect for different cultures, can pinpoint if the needs of particular groups of students is not being met due to lack of awareness. Finally, building and maintaining a true invisible relationship with the school community to promote the social justice values. When parents and the communities are involved in strengthening the communication for one same purpose it transmits a shared appreciation, therefore becoming part of the solution and not an outsider.I believe that a combination of Elliot’s experiment with a continued application of Murray’s approach will eventually produce lifelong learners characterized by rich diversity. Being exposed hands on at an early age about the effects of discrimination will allow children to be more open-minded and color blind. Once the children are self-aware of the negative feelings they encounter and bringing on board the school staff, parents and community to promote the same values of equality, will only lead to a more just and equal America.It was very surprising to realize that living in such a diverse country we are still faced with the sa me oppression as Blacks were in the 1960’s. Nowadays, it is not only due to skin color but also due to our religious beliefs and our sexual preferences, as well as others. For decades we have been trying Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All6 to figure out racism. We feel and believe we are not racist however we all have biases. The most important theme from Elliot and Murray’s work is the importance placed on the education that is delivered to our children.By teaching our children through the use of right words and being open enough about our own prejudices will empower them. Empower them to make a change that will affect the future generation of America and worldwide. After all, we will have the ability to see America as the country that is indivisible, ensuring liberty and justice for all. Indivisible, Liberty, and Justice for All7 References Murray, Olivia. A Mindfulness To Transcend Pre-Service Lip-Service A Call for K-12 Schools To Invest in Social Justice Ed ucation Elliot, Jane. (1968) A Class Divided

Business Ethics - Company Scholastic Research Paper

Business Ethics - Company Scholastic - Research Paper Example Scholastic Corporation is a global publishing company which publishes books for educational purpose mainly for school, teachers and including parents. For about 90 years parents and teachers have recognized Scholastic as a trusted brand name in terms of learning. The company remains focused on providing and encouraging children to read as well as love to learn. Scholastic was founded in the year 1920 by Robinson and in the current fiscal has revenue amounting to $2billion and is recognized as the global leader in children’s brand and has distribution with more than 9500 employees globally (Scholastic, 2012). Does your organization have a published code of ethics? If so, how do they promote this code? The Scholastic has a published code of ethics for its employees. The Scholastic code of ethics is based on the company’s Credo and Editorial Platform which also sets the company’s belief of how the children, teachers and parents must be treated by the company.The Boa rd of Directors of Scholastic has set a high standard for the employees, directors and officers. The philosophy is to have sound corporate governance and it’s the duty of the directors to act as a prudent fiduciary for the shareholders. To fulfill the company’s responsibilities and act accordingly, the Board of Directors follows a standard and the procedures which are set forth in the guidelines issued by the company (Scholastic, 2012). Scholastic promotes its code of ethics by applying it into practical life and the result can be determined as it’s the global leader in publishing books and the most trusted publishing company. Scholastic believes in dignity and worth of individual For example the company Scholastic, organizes thematic lessons in order to welcome students and to build a community. As a part of their code of ethics the company is trying to promote through creative lessons which are a perfect means to warm the skills required after summer vacation (Scholastic-b. 2012). How would you classify your organization’s ethical orientation? Ethics is classified under two broad headings which are termed as normative ethics, which means how principles, values and beliefs should be determined and descriptive ethics which includes beliefs, morals and principles which people abide by. Normative ethics refers to the norms and guidelines; it signifies an ideal behavior so that it can be termed as proper. This form of ethics tends to answers moral queries which concern the act of people and their behavior. The normative ethics helps in

Transformation Leadership Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Transformation Leadership Interview - Essay Example Leadership is defined by Martires & Fule (2000) as â€Å"the process of influencing people so that they would work towards the attainment of specifically defined goals† (p. 569). Transformational leadership, as the name implies, is a leadership style â€Å"that creates voluble and positive change in the followers. A transformational leader focuses on "transforming" others to help each other, to look out for each other, be encouraging, harmonious, and look out for the organization as a whole. In this leadership, the leader enhances the motivation, moral and performance of his follower group.† (Boje 2000) Studies on this concept in leadership was originally delved into by James McGregor Burns who wanted to differentiate leadership from management and discovered that the differences are in characters and behaviors. (Burns 1978) He contrasted transformational leadership style as against a transactional leadership where focus is on the traits and characteristics of the leader rather than creating changes in people’s lives. There have been diverse patterns of behavior and actions that leaders exhibit over a period of time and perceived by followers as the dominant style of leadership. This style is developed utilizing an interplay of factors which shape leadership development. There have been an enormous amount of studies and researches which seek to identify the characteristics, traits and behaviors which are predominant in leaders and enable them to succeed. For transformational leaders, the following characteristics stand out: (1) overt desire to transform the organization; (2) charismatic; (3) exudes passion and confidence; (4) possess large amounts of enthusiasm; (5) are people oriented and (5) tendencies to see the big picture and not the details (Straker 2009). According to Burns (1978), there are four elements of a transformational

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Learning activities - Assignment Example Epidemiology assist in the identification of the patten presumed by a certain infection, thus assisting in the quantification of identity, a process commonly referred to as diagnosis. Factors affecting the process of infection are mounted from the stages involved in the realization of the infection. They include the presence of a biological agent upon which the infection will be mounted. Subsequently, the availability of suitablehabitatt for the proliferation of the causative are essential. Others include the presence of a path upon which the cause may exit from the host. This aligns with the available models of entry, a factor that examines the strength or the capabilities of the pre-existing models of infections. The susceptibility of the target host towards catching an infection is also critical to the success of an infection. The transmission of an infection is determined or affected by several factors, amongst them the strength of the immune system of the patient, the body weight of the individual and initial infections pre-existing in the patient (McAllister, 2003). Refers to the complications associated to the immune system, in terms of failure to respond to the appropriate antigens and instead attack self antigens. When the immune system is unable to respond to the appropriate system, the self cells are placed in considerable danger This refers to the immunization program for adults in order to prepare their immune system for various outbreaks of infections. The most common infection upon which adults get the respective vaccination is the flu vaccine. This vaccination program is distributed in accordance to the periodic schedule associated with the infection on reference. Antimicrobial therapy assists in reducing the possibility of acquiring an infection via the commonly acknowledged avenues. This includes the efforts if strengthening the immune system via the assimilation of boost mediation, as well as enhancement of the primary

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Evolution of the genus homo Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evolution of the genus homo - Research Paper Example The Australopithecines were the earliest known bipedal hominid species descending from the apes, the latter using all four limbs for locomotion, like the other animal species’ of today. The Australopithecines were anatomically more related to the extant apes in terms of brain size, possessed large postcanine teeth and employed mixed climbing with bipedalism for locomotion (Wood, 1992). The Homo habilis species has been supposed to succeed the Australopithecines in the evolutionary ladder followed by Homo erectus and the Homo sapiens (Wood, 1992). Fossil discovery and characterization has created some debate about the existence of the Homo habilis species as an intermediate species between the Australopithecines and the Homo erectus, but there is a consensus that the Homo erectus was the most primitive of the species from which the present day humans evolved. There are two distinct and contrasting views for the evolutionary ladder which the modern day Homo sapiens followed. The first suggests that the present day populations were derived as a result of in situ evolution from the Homo erectus species which was dispersed worldwide from the East African continent during the Lower Pleistocene (Finlayson, 2005). According to the other viewpoint, all present day populations of human species are the descended from a recent common ancestor who lived in East Africa 150,000 years ago and these descendants have replaced all regional populations, if they ever existed (Finlayson, 2005). The latter view is now accepted and has been labeled as the ‘Out-of-Africa-2’ viewpoint. According to its claims, the biologically superior humans that persist till now replaced all other homo species’ and their geographical spread was driven by climatic and ecological factors (Finlayson, 2005). The recent discovery of a hominid species in Indonesia, which has been given the nomenclature Homo floresiensis, whose existence is under active debate has confounded many a nthropologists with one opinion suggesting that the species may have evolved from an early migration of the Homo erectus which was dwarfed due to peculiar ecological factors in the region (Finlayson, 2005). The features which characterized the evolution of the Homo species to the present generation of humans are a larger relative brain size, larger body, a slower rate of growth and maturation of the body, bipedal mode of locomotion and smaller teeth and jaws facilitating lesser masticator effort as compared to the primitive species of Australopithecines and Paranthropines (Aiello & Wells, 2002). Historically, the migration of the Homo erectus occurred from Africa to the Eurasian and Asian continents from which the genus spread to all geographical regions of the world. The species evolved into the primitive ‘Neanderthal’ man which was very similar to modern humans except for the larger body size and an extremely protruding mid facial anatomy (Web, undated). The Neanderth al man can be traced to 250,00 years ago which is a relatively short period as compared to the overall time span associated with the evolution of the genus. The discovery and employment of stones, sticks as primitive tools was a cultural revolution which was not confined to the latter species as some evidence of their use in the Pliocene and the Pleistocene eras by the Australopithecines and Paranthropines also exists. Observational studies of the modern simian species in

Deaf reading reaction #3 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Effect of Immigration on New York City Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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Problems and flaws in the American Education Essay Example for Free

Problems and flaws in the American Education Essay In this class we have read many articles related to the problems and flaws in the American Education. Many people in the United States believe our educational system is in crisis. In this essay, I will be comparing and contrasting the differences and similarities between two articles. The author of Idiot Nation takes us on a tour of failings of America’s schools. He touches on topics of cultural illiteracy and the relationships between schools and corporations. In another article, the author of In the Basement of the Ivory Tower confirms some of the suspicions about the policies and standards of American higher education. These articles share similarities and differences as well. Professor X, the author of In the Basement of the Ivory Tower, is a part-time instructor of English in a college. The author describes how many of his students need serious work in â€Å"basic skills†. Few of his students can do well in his classes. Other students may never pass, because they cannot write a coherent sentence. The Professor has encountered many students lacking the capacity to succeed in his English classes. Similarly, the author of Idiot Nation, explains how many of the students attending college are ignorant. They have serious problems in learning and knowing facts that they should know for fact. These two articles demonstrate the problems that college students have when it comes down to education. In contrast, Professor X relates to the students and has sympathy towards their problems, but the author of Idiot Nation, does not seem to relate to these students. Michael Moore is aggressive and does not justify the idiocy of the students. Professor X talks about how he wishes to help his students write more intelligent essays. He understands the students’ difficulties in learning and frustrations. Furthermore, he tries to find solutions, such as relating the literacy techniques they will have to study to novels that the students may have already read. As we can see, the United States faces major problems in today’s education. Many attempts have been made to establish and demonstrate these problems to the public. We may be able to read and view these problems in newspapers, advertisements, and book articles. Michael Moore and Professor X are authors of articles which depict and give a better understanding of the issues that are found in education throughout the country. Today many college students face problems because of their lack of intelligence.

Nursing Essays Therapeutic Relationship Patient

Nursing Essays Therapeutic Relationship Patient Introduction Within the context of healthcare one of the most important factors is the establishment of an effective therapeutic relationship between the nurse and patient (Foster Hawkins, 2005). The ways in which nursing staff and patients interact can be influential in terms of information transfer, provision of psychological support, and may also provide some therapeutic benefits in themselves (Welch, 2005). Hence, there has been a renewed focus on the importance of how nurses interact with patients in practice, in order to enhance patient outcomes (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2008; Sutcliffe, 2011). Understanding the fundamental components of this relationship and how to achieve these components in practice remains a vital aspect of nurse training and continuing professional development (Ramjan, 2004; Perraud et al., 2006). In accordance with the perceived importance of the therapeutic relationship, the aim of this paper is to provide an evidence-based review of how this relationship may be used in nursing practice. This will be supplemented with a reflection on personal observations made by the author, utilising a reflective model (Nielsen et al., 2007). The model in this case will be that devised by Gibbs (1988), which has been validated as a useful tool for personal practice development and goal-setting in the clinical domain (Foster Hawkins, 2005). This model emphasises a step-wise approach to reflection, encompassing: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan formulation (Gibbs, 1988). Therefore, this paper will consider the therapeutic relationship from the perspective of a specified practice context experienced by the author, with a discussion of how practice can be improved based on the best available evidence from the literature. Reflection context The main context of care that will be the focus of this essay is the elderly rehabilitation ward, where the author first encountered a number of issues regarding the need for optimal relationships between practitioners and patients in practice. The goal of this ward is to assist elderly patients in adapting to their functional capacities and lifestyle abilities, in order that they can achieve the maximum possible degree of quality of life in the community setting following discharge (Routasalo et al., 2004). Consequently, numerous health professionals provide an input into the care pathway, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists and physicians, in addition to nursing staff (Hershkovitz et al., 2007). From the perspective of the author, there are several important aspects of this scenario that relate to the therapeutic relationship: the large increase in personal responsibilities in terms of assisting patients with activities, the need to motivate and communicate effectively with patients to ensure that they are able to remain psychologically motivated, and the need to coordinate personal clinical care activities with those of others to ensure the patient journey is smooth (Siegert Taylor, 2004). The remainder of this paper will consider the therapeutic relationship grounded within this practice context, supplemented with personal experiences from this placement, in order to highlight these factors in greater detail. Evidence-based reflection Defining the therapeutic relationship In order to fully appreciate the need for a therapeutic relationship it is important to define this relationship in a practice context. The term is often used within the context of psychiatric or psychological therapy distribution in modern literature, although the aim of this paper is to consider the term as a more general way in which nurses communicate and interact with patients to establish a clear clinical outcome (Bulmer Smith et al., 2009). McKlindon Barnsteiner (1999) suggest that the therapeutic relationship needs to be a two-way, reciprocal relationship at all times, involving nursing staff, the patient and their family, where appropriate. There is a need to emphasise caring in this relationship, with positive communication and clear boundaries of both personal and professional interactions (McCormack, 2004). Hence, the relationship between a nurse and patient should fit into the patient-centred model of care, where patients are not only listened to within a clinical decision-making context, but are actively encouraged to participate in their own care pathway (McCormack McCance, 2006). The therapeutic relationship encompasses three important domains of care: physical, psychological and emotional care (Pelzang, 2010). These elements may be more profoundly encountered by nursing staff on hospital wards due to their prolonged exposure to specific patients and their in-depth interactions in the patient care journey, when compared to other members of staff who may have less face-to-face time with individuals (Pelzang, 2010). Within the setting of the elderly rehabilitation ward, many patients are transitioning from an acute or chronic care scenario to community care and require additional, specialist assistance in doing so (McCormack, 2003). Consequently, nursing staff in this ward are exposed to patients for extended periods of time and need to consider the holistic aspects of care in order to achieve successful rehabilitation (Cott, 2004). Therefore, the therapeutic relationship in this context involves establishing the capabilities of the patient, working with the patient to achieve set goals, and ensuring that the psychological and emotional aspects of chronic illness or disability can be managed effectively in the long term (McCormack McCance, 2006). Communication In light of the definition of the therapeutic relationship within the context of rehabilitation, the remaining sections of this paper will evaluate the core aspects involved in maintaining a therapeutic relationship, with this section focusing on communication between nurse and patient. The specific clinical scenario the author has struggled with in the rehabilitation placement is when a patient has higher expectations than they should in terms of their ability to perform tasks or live independently following discharge. Patients are obviously passionate in maintaining independence in the majority of cases and this can cloud their judgement as to their genuine abilities and capabilities in functional tasks (Cott, 2004). While it is important to acknowledge the feelings and ideas of a patient and act accordingly, it can be negligent of nursing duties not to act with the patient’s best interests at heart (McCormack, 2003). Therefore, the nurse needs to maintain that their actions are guided by medical evidence and professional protocols, as well as reflecting the need and desires of the patient (NMC, 2008). Communication encompasses not only verbal communication with the patient, but is also reflected in body language and actions (Yoo Chae, 2011). Having an open body posture, including the avoidance of crossed arms, can help in establishing rapport, while maintaining eye contact and avoiding distractions during conversations with patients can enhance the bond between nurse and patient (Brown Bylund, 2008). Communication is also as much about relaying information as it is about receiving information and therefore, nursing staff should be able to elicit patient concerns specifically and utilise these appropriately without blocking these interactions with a one-sided approach to conversation (Yoo Chae, 2011). The opposite is also true, whereby overly expressive patients may limit the nurse-led component of the communication episode; both parties need to be good at communication for a perfect mutual appreciation of ideas to occur (Sheldon et al., 2006). In practice this may be difficult to achieve, but the obligations of the nurse to facilitate this process are a core component of the therapeutic relationship. Communicating effectively with patients in the elderly rehabilitation setting was a massive responsibility and challenge for the author, as this was their first encounter with such patients in this setting. The expectation of knowledge in this setting was high and it could be frustrating to patients who want answers from a junior or inexperienced practitioner (McCormack, 2003; Leach, 2005). Hence communication needed to focus on establishing information, sharing action plans and building general rapport that would enable the development of trust and a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas (Leach, 2005). The author found this form of communication challenging to achieve on a routine basis within the rehabilitation setting, due to the need to balance a motivational approach with a realistic form of communication regarding expected patient capabilities and outcomes. Hence, the reflective scenario will focus on aspects of this particular communication episode as a component of the therapeutic relationship. Empathy Empathy is a cornerstone of effective communication with patients and is defined as the ability to share or identify with the emotional state of the patient (Brunero et al., 2010). If done effectively an empathic response to patient concerns can yield a sense of shared understanding, reinforcing the notion that the patient’s concerns are being listened to (Kirk, 2007). By establishing an empathic response with a patient, practitioners often remark that they are better able to connect with the experiences of the patient, allowing them greater insight into how they can help the patient (Brunero et al., 2010). Therefore, empathy is a core component of establishing a meaningful therapeutic relationship with patients in all settings. The nurse can develop empathic communication skills in a number of ways, including through specific communication skills training (Webster, 2010). This training often emphasises the role of open-ended questions and body language within the context of empathy, whereby nurses should ask patients specifically about their emotions and feelings during a clinical interaction (Stickley Freshwater, 2006). Often the process of asking a patient how they feel about a particular reaction is sufficient to allow them to relax and become more comfortable conveying these thoughts and feelings. On the part of the nurse, it is important to reflect these responses back to the patient by further exploring these issues and offering an active listening approach, rather than redirecting the focus of the conversation back to more clinical matters (Brunero et al., 2010). Although it has been argued that empathy is an intrinsic quality, which some people possess, the representation of empathy in communication is important in clinical care and should be delivered through verbal, non-verbal and emotional communication skills (Welch, 2005). In the present scenario, the author was able to empathise with patients on the rehabilitation ward to a high degree and many patients were frank and open about their emotional needs and worries regarding the rehabilitation process. Often the patients’ worries were highly emotive and this affected the author such that the patient was regarded as an object of sympathy or pity in some cases due to their hardships. This made the author feel uncomfortable during patient interactions for a number of reasons: firstly, because it was an emotional situation, and secondly because the expectations of the patient with regards to rehabilitation were higher than expected and it was often difficult to address these in a controlled manner. Hence, the reflective experience demonstrates a number of feelings in this situation, which reflect problems with the therapeutic relationship. Trust and respect One of the primary outcomes of the therapeutic relationship is to establish a caring and trusting relationship between the nurse and patient (Brown et al., 2006). Trust is a concept based on respect and openness within this relationship and this often takes time to establish, acting as an extension of the professional respect a patient may hold for a nurse and vice versa (Miller, 2006). Within the context of elderly care rehabilitation, nurses need to establish a strong bond of trust as patients will often have to make compromises in terms of assisted living devices and acceptance of their functional limitations when attempting to optimise their quality of life (Schmalenberg et al., 2005). Unless they trust the healthcare professionals involved in their care they are less likely to adhere to recommendations or to accept help, reducing the potential positive impacts of nursing interventions (McCabe, 2004). Establishing trust within a therapeutic relationship requires time and demands that the practitioner is able to manage their communication skills appropriately to ensure the patient feels that they are listened to and involved in their own care (Brown et al., 2006). Both the practitioner and the patient must be receptive to the idea of trust within the relationship in order for this to be achieved, which often involves addressing barriers to trust, including suspiciousness of the intentions of healthcare professionals, poor communication, and mutual respect on a personal level (Miller, 2006). When a trusting relationship is achieved there is a greater chance that patients will be receptive to clinical interventions and nursing input, at least when delivered on a personal level (Wolf Zuzelo, 2006). Equally, nursing staff can trust that patients will make informed decisions about their care and will follow guidance, when appropriate (Schmalenberg et al., 2005). Within the present reflective context, the author felt as though there was a distinct lack of trust in the therapeutic relationship, primarily due to the fact that a patient would often wish for their expectations to be met without heeding specific nursing advice on several occasions. This was likely secondary to the fact that the author found it difficult to convey these ideas in a sensitive manner, while addressing the concerns of the patient in an empathic way. Hence, it can be perceived that the patient and nurse did not enter a trusting relationship, as communication between the two was suboptimal (McCabe, 2004). However, on a more positive note, the relationships formed with patient during the initial days on placement were friendly and demonstrated a degree of mutual respect, which is an important facet of the therapeutic relationship (Stickley Freshwater, 2006). Hence, there were positive and negative aspects to the therapeutic relationships formed in practice during this placement, according to a reflective evaluation. To make sense of this situation, the author analysed these positive and negative factors within this context. What was clear to the author was that the communication skills that had been utilised so far in therapeutic relationship building relied heavily on patient factors, rather than nursing input. Hence, there was an imbalance in the way information was presented and received within this relationship, to the detriment of the therapeutic journey. The reasons for poor communication and trust establishment stemmed from multiple factors, including the younger age of the author compared to patients, relative inexperience on the part of the author, and the highly charged emotional nature of interactions in this setting. Therefore, it was clear that one of the main factors that was missing in the therapeutic relationships was the projection of a strong professional identity, which could guide the patient towards a suitable clinical outcome and would assist in developing the appropriate communication tools for the rehabilitation process. Professional values While it is clear that the need for the therapeutic relationship stems from a desire to form a constructive clinical partnership with a patient in a specific context, there is also a professional responsibility to engage patients in this manner in practice (Chitty Black, 2007). The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) advocate communication, trust, dignity and respect during the treatment of all patients as a fundamental aspect of care delivery and therefore establishing a therapeutic relationship can be considered a core aspect of all nursing practice (Fahrenwald et al., 2005). However, within the context of effective nursing practice it is recognised that there is a need to respect the personal boundaries of the patient and to act as a professional rather than a friend in most cases (Rushton, 2006). Professionalism in the context of rehabilitation care includes the need to be realistic with regards to patient expectations, while ensuring appropriate levels of motivation and commitment to a therapeutic plan (Fahrenwald et al., 2005; Rushton, 2006). For some practitioners, an overly empathic response to patients and their condition can lead to sympathy and warped clinical decision making processes, often favouring the opinion of the patient over established guidance (Bulmer Smith et al., 2009). This is likely to have a detrimental impact on the patient in the long term and should be avoided as a result. Within the Gibbs reflective cycle (1988), the author has noted that one of the main conclusions that can be drawn from working within the rehabilitation sphere is that maintenance of professional values and boundaries is essential to avoid becoming overly emotional or inappropriately involved in patient care (Stickley Freshwater, 2006; Baker et al., 2008). The author should try not to become too attached to patients during their care journey in order to make an objective assessment of their capabilities and therapeutic needs, as relying too heavily on the opinions and desires of the patient can yield unsatisfactory results in the long term, particularly when these go against recommended practice (Leach, 2005). By applying more rigorous professional boundaries in the future, and focusing on explaining complex situations from a nursing perspective, rather than yielding to the patients’ wishes, the author can improve their contribution to practice in the long term and enhance the patient journey through rehabilitation. Conclusion In summary, this paper has considered the personal experiences of the author within the context of a reflective practice episode in order to appreciate the value and tenets of the therapeutic relationship in practice. The core components of the therapeutic relationship, as they relate to the present scenario, have been discussed with reference to the evidence base in order to develop a constructive reflective episode reflecting a description of events, feeling, evaluation, analysis and conclusion. The process of reflection should yield a suitable action plan and in this case the author feels that they should engage with patients in a more professional manner, ensuring that they maintain an empathic and understanding approach to care while maintaining nursing boundaries. In order to achieve this, communication skills should be enhanced in the future, through attendance at specific communication skills courses, in order to become more comfortable in managing potential conflicts or hostility. This should enhance the therapeutic relationship and ensure that future patients can be managed in a manner that benefits all members of the relationship. Furthermore, it is important that the author is aware of how other colleagues maintain professional boundaries and can direct their relationship accordingly in practice, and consultation with colleagues on this point would be a useful learning tool. On completion of these tasks, the author should therefore feel better prepared to engage with patients in a meaningful way, ensuring that trust is developed and that patients have an effective care process, in all areas of care. References Baker, C., Pulling, C., McGraw, R., Dagnone, J. D., Hopkins†Rosseel, D., Medves, J. (2008). Simulation in interprofessional education for patient†centred collaborative care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 64(4), 372-379. Brown, D., White, J., Leibbrandt, L. (2006). Collaborative partnerships for nursing faculties and health service providers: what can nursing learn from business literature?. Journal of Nursing Management, 14(3), 170-179. Brown, R. F., Bylund, C. L. (2008). Communication skills training: describing a new conceptual model. Academic Medicine, 83(1), 37-44. Brunero, S., Lamont, S., Coates, M. (2010). A review of empathy education in nursing. Nursing Inquiry, 17(1), 65-74. Bulmer Smith, K., Profetto-McGrath, J., Cummings, G. G. (2009). Emotional intelligence and nursing: An integrative literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46(12), 1624-1636. Chitty, K. K., Black, B. P. (2007). Professional nursing: concepts challenges. London: WB Saunders Co. Cott, C. (2004). Client-centred rehabilitation: client perspectives. Disability Rehabilitation, 26(24), 1411-1422. Fahrenwald, N. L., Bassett, S. D., Tschetter, L., Carson, P. P., White, L., Winterboer, V. J. (2005). Teaching core nursing values. Journal of Professional Nursing, 21(1), 46-51. Foster, T., Hawkins, J. (2005). The therapeutic relationship: dead or merely impeded by technology?. British Journal of Nursing, 14 (13), 698-702. Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. Oxford Polytechnic: Oxford Hershkovitz, A., Kalandariov, Z., Hermush, V., Weiss, R., Brill, S. (2007). Factors affecting short-term rehabilitation outcomes of disabled elderly patients with proximal hip fracture. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 88(7), 916-921. Kirk, T. W. (2007). Beyond empathy: clinical intimacy in nursing practice.Nursing Philosophy, 8(4), 233-243. Leach, M. J. (2005). Rapport: a key to treatment success. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 11(4), 262-265. McCabe, C. (2004). Nurse–patient communication: an exploration of patients’ experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13(1), 41-49. McCormack, B. (2003). A conceptual framework for person†centred practice with older people. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 9(3), 202-209. McCormack, B. (2004). Person†centredness in gerontological nursing: an overview of the literature. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13 (s1), 31-38. McCormack, B., McCance, T. V. (2006). Development of a framework for person†centred nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 56 (5), 472-479. Miller, J. F. (2006). Opportunities and obstacles for good work in nursing.Nursing Ethics, 13(5), 471-487. Nielsen, A., Stragnell, S., Jester, P. (2007). Guide for reflection using the clinical judgment model. The Journal of Nursing Education, 46(11), 513-516. Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008). Code of Professional Conduct. Available at: http://www.nmc-uk.org/aDisplayDocument.aspx?documentID=5982 [accessed 6 th October 2014] Pelzang, R. (2010). Time to learn: understanding patient-centred care. British Journal of Nursing, 19(14), 912. Perraud, S., Delaney, K. R., Carlson†Sabelli, L., Johnson, M. E., Shephard, R., Paun, O. (2006). Advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing, finding our core: The therapeutic relationship in 21st century. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 42(4), 215-226. Ramjan, L. M. (2004). Nurses and the ‘therapeutic relationship’: Caring for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45(5), 495-503. Routasalo, P., Arve, S., Lauri, S. (2004). Geriatric rehabilitation nursing: developing a model. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 10(5), 207-215. Rushton, C. H. (2006). Defining and addressing moral distress: tools for critical care nursing leaders. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 17 (2), 161-168. Schmalenberg, C., Kramer, M., King, C. R., Krugman, M., Lund, C., Poduska, D., Rapp, D. (2005). Excellence through evidence: securing collegial/collaborative nurse-physician relationships, part 2. Journal of Nursing Administration, 35(11), 507-514. Sheldon, L. K., Barrett, R., Ellington, L. (2006). Difficult communication in nursing. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 38(2), 141-147. Siegert, R. J., Taylor, W. J. (2004). Theoretical aspects of goal-setting and motivation in rehabilitation. Disability Rehabilitation, 26(1), 1-8. Stickley, T., Freshwater, D. (2006). The art of listening in the therapeutic relationship: The role of the modern mental health nurse is becoming more technical when, argue Theodore Stickley and Dawn Freshwater, what would really benefit patients is the often misunderstood art of listening. Mental Health Practice, 9(5), 12-18. Sutcliffe, H. (2011). Understanding the NMC code of conduct: a student perspective. Nursing Standard, 25(52), 35-39. Webster, D. (2010). Promoting empathy through a creative reflective teaching strategy: a mixed-method study. The Journal of Nursing Education, 49(2), 87-94. Welch, M. (2005). Pivotal moments in the therapeutic relationship. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 14(3), 161-165. Wolf, Z. R., Zuzelo, P. R. (2006). â€Å"Never again† stories of nurses: dilemmas in nursing practice. Qualitative Health Research, 16(9), 1191-1206. Yoo, M. S., Chae, S. M. (2011). Effects of peer review on communication skills and learning motivation among nursing students. The Journal of Nursing Education, 50(4), 230-233.

Neolithic Park :: Creative Writing Short Stories Hunting Essays

Neolithic Park   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Thanks for that update, Bob," said the aged anchor person. His voice was rough and deep, as though he had been to sea recently and had taken home a throat lined with thick salt water. He sounded too serious, but friendly enough to be a local newscaster for a maximum audience of perhaps 20,000 bored stiff eyes. "And now we have a related story about the new sporting goods store here in Sidney. Nan Johnstone is there live. Nan?"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Yes, Phil. Thanks." Nan was an aged person as well, who doubled as the station's investigative reporter and local happening's person. Her voice was about as clear as Phil's. It sounded nasal and rusty, as though she had been talking her whole life and was about ready to give it up for good. "I'm here at what is now officially the largest hunting and fishing goods store in the world. Cabela's will be opening tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock, and the management is expecting nearly half the population of Sidney to show up for the grand opening event. In the past few nights, we have been bringing you related stories because of the incredible economic impact that Cabela's will have and already has had in our area. As you know, 2,000 people out of the Sidney area's 10,000 are already employed by Cabela's. That number is, of course, expected to rise in the months and years to come. The story we bring you tonight concerns the last step in completion of the 400 acre store and surrounding grounds. Today, over 700 stuffed animals arrived from an eminent taxidermist in northern California, and crews were immediately sent to work arranging 300 of the stuffed beasts in a brilliant display against the dividing wall in the center of the store. They let me take a sneak preview of the arrangement earlier, and it is incredible. Even if you're not planning to purchase anything tomorrow, the animals make it worth your trip. One may find the other 400 creatures on display throughout the store. They will be shown either one at a time with tape-recorded sounds of them and their habitat or they will be shown in groups. The main exhibit is arranged between the tents on display and the clothing section, and although pictures are not yet allowed from within the store, postcards will be available from any of the cash registers or from other points around Cabela's. We hope to see you all there tomorrow. Goodnight."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Thank you, Nan. We'll be there. It looks like it is going to be a

Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton :: Cry, The Beloved Country Essays

Social Protest Cry the Beloved Country was a book written to bring about change. Through out the book Alan Paton reveal the social injustices of South Africa. This whole book, although a fictional stories, is to protest of the ways of South Africa. Paton brings up the inequity of the natives’ verses the whites; he makes points about education, superiority, and separation. Paton clearly showed that the white man is superiority to the black, he gives numerous examples throughout the novel. The white man had more money, a better job, a nicer house†¦ With James Jarvis, Paton showed that he was superior by making him live on high place, because he was so much superior than the natives that lived below him. At the end of the book James Jarvis (even though he had changed) could not get off his horse to talk to Steven Kumalo. He could have easily gotten off but "such a thing is not lightly done" (307). Paton includes this part in the novel to show that the white man can be amicable with the natives, but they will always have to come out on top. The whites needed to feel like they were on a higher level than the natives. If this country ever wants to be as one the whites are going to have to give up there need for superiority. Many times in the novel Paton showed there was a problem without even saying it. One of the major examples of that would be when he gave the scene of people asking "Have you a room to let?" and the response would always be "no I have no room to let"(85). Paton dosent outright say that its horrible that there is not even enough housing for the natives and they have to cram together in shared houses with no privicy at all. He just tells us the story and the reader recognize that there is a problem. Paton offten leves it up to the reader to figure out the social injustices of South Africa. When Kumalo was talking about his son Absolam he said "he is in prison for the most terrible deed a man can do, He k illed a white man" (144). Here Paton shows, again, how whites were considered to be superior to blacks. It could have been said the worst thing to do is kill a man, but in South Africa’s society it was not the same if a black man was murdered as compared to a white man.

The Frankenstein Phenomena in Life and Education :: Mary Shelley Frankenstein Essays

The Frankenstein Phenomena in Life and Education When we consider most traditional Hollywood Frankenstein films, the 'monster' is depicted as evil because he is 'malformed' but this is not always the case. The simple one-to-one relationship of ugly equals evil was not prominent in the Mary Shelley's original book or in more true-to-text films such as The Bride or more recently Kenneth Brannagh's attempt to make the authoritative film interpretation, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. In these versions, the monster was portrayed as more human in his endeavors to question his origins, find a father and be happy. However, his physical characteristics have become the most salient feature in popular culture, so much so, that he is generally viewed as unquestionably evil bec ause his appearance offends the eye. The signs in this case are the monster's scars, his stitches, the bolts that hold his head on, the hands of a murderer sewn on, his club feet, his staggering jerky walk, his strange and retarded speech. We often take t hese signs as bei ng indexes and symbols of evil and malevolence that signify insidiousness and threat, even though these are characteristics of so many real conditions in our fellow humans. When we consider such people, we call these signs symptoms, infir mities, disabilities and medical problems. Are we so sure that we can separate how we view these signs depending on whether we are watching movies, such potent sources of how we regard our world, or when we deal with patients or students in the 'real' wor ld? Looking at how people that are considered aberrant either physically or mentally are portrayed in movies gives a good view on how society as a whole may see them, in my opinion. In the film The Bride, the monster's only companion after his escap e is a dwarf who was a circus performer. Although, this movie is definitely a more positive and sympathetic portrayal of the monster's condition, it also highlights the assumption that anybody with a physical makeup that is unusual, is considered just as much a 'monster' by society. In this discussion, I will initially take the representation of dwarves in movies and myth, and how they are perceived by society as being prototypical for a range of other physical differences that are considered negatively i n this culture. I choose dwarves because I believe they have been one of the most pervasively stereotyped groups in movies and myth and whose negative depiction continues to persist even in the politically correct era because now they can be labeled as "w eird but cool.

Marketing and Zara Essay

1. Background According to BusinessWeek, â€Å"Zara was a fashion imitator. It focused its attention on understanding the fashion items that its customers wanted and then delivering them, rather than on promoting predicted season’s trends via fashion shows and similar channels of influence, which the fashion industry traditionally used.† 5 Zara, the fashion retail chain, is a subsidiary of Inditex Group owned and managed by Spanish tycoon Amancio Ortega. Inditex includes several major brands, namely, Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Bershka, and Stradivarius. The group headquarters is located in La Coruna, Spain. It was here where the first Zara store was launched in 1975. Presently, there are about 1,500 Zara stores around the world. Zara employs around 80,000 people. The group recorded revenues of â‚ ¬ 9,434.7 million (approximately $13,068.8 million) during FY2008, an increase of 15.1% over 2007. The operating profit increased by 20.1% to â‚ ¬ 2,148.8 million in FY2008. The net profit, during FY2008, increased by 24.5% to over FY2007 toâ‚ ¬ 1,257.8 million (approximately $1,742.2 million).7 Zara’s claim to fame surfaces from the fact that it needs, on an average, two (2) weeks to develop and market a new fashion product compared to the industry average of six (6) month cycle. In addition to this, Zara is committed to showcasing around 10,000 new designs annually, in a fast and scarce manner, which gives it a constant new look and brings back customers to the stores. Owing to its unique supply chain management, use of information technologies and innovative management strategies, which is a must to survive the highly competitive fashion industry it has managed to come out on top year after year. The major competitors include H&M, GAP and Benetton. Some of the efficient strategies adopted by Zara are broadly the policies of zero inventories, Just in Time systems, contract manufacturing for small orders, decentralizing warehouses to deliver p roducts and above all close monitoring of the fashion trends. Above all, they had few unique strategies, mainly, zero advertising, where in Zara chose to open new stores rather than advertise and, the concept of shunning outsourcing to low cost development centers as it would result in dilution of the high quality fashion that Zara represents. Initial success for Zara is mainly attributed to featuring low priced lookalike products of more popular, high end fashion brand. Following  this success, they adopted new design and distribution method. Since the fashion industry product has long lead times, to the tune of six months, Zara aimed to reduce this and also minimize the uncertainties associated with fashion retail. Zara developed the concept of â€Å"Instant Fashion† that allowed them to respond more quickly to consumer tastes and emerging trends. The strategy helped them to bring in new products to the shelves quickly, in small quantity and produce more if demand occurred. This enabled them to minimize inventory, gauge demand and re move uncertainties. Later on, they brought in information technologies to further revolutionize the distribution processes. These helped Zara to developed fashion lines based on market trends and also, produce its own designs through a team of 200 in house designers. The introduction of information technologies helped them increase the efficiency of state of the art production system and warehousing mechanisms. The stores and warehouses were linked electronically, which facilitated the exchange of real time information thereby allowing them to minimize risk and capital outlays by reducing inventories. This leaner and responsive system helped rotate the stock quickly and also, improved sales as the customers would return to stores every two weeks to check out new designs and purchase as the design would not be available after the time frame. International expansion of Zara started with Portugal in 1988, and since then they have opened more than 1,000 stores globally. This has been done through company owned showrooms, joint ventures and franchisee models. Zara’s Products Currently, Zara caters to men’s clothing and women’s clothing. Each of these sections has 5 subsections, which include lower garment, upper garment, shoes, cosmetics and complementary products. The 50-60% of the demand is produced at the beginning of the season and the remaining is manufactured in season. This sometimes results in either stock outs or markdowns but compared to the competition the number of times the service failure happens is quite low for markdowns. Hence, if the design does not suit the customers’ tastes then it is taken off the shelves and further orders are cancelled. This leads to new designs and above all, no designs stay on the  store floor for more than four weeks, which encourages consumers to make purchases. When compared to the competitors, average number of times a customer visits Zara is 18 times a year compared to 3-4 times for the competition. 2. Mission, Vision, Values and Goals Zara’s Mission Statement is as follows,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"ZARA walks at the pace of society, dressing ideas, trends and tastes that society itself has matured.† Zara through its unique business models and stores has proved business can be successful with little or no advertising. This business is possible only through superior customer service helped by continued ability to restock and respond to customer needs within days. This gives Zara the competitive edge. Hence, keeping in mind the mission, they always innovate their products to enhance shopping experience and provide new designs at affordable costs made from quality materials which follow latest trends. 3. Zara’s Strategy for Growth and Positioning Zara believes in Zero advertising. It would rather spend on store expansion than to advertise. However, the minimally advertise in fashion magazines. The rationale behind this is the quick turnaround of store display, which is around 4 weeks, which renders advertising an unnecessary cost. Also, Zara concentrates on efficient design to market cycle and focus on showcasing large number of designs annually. The workforce in Zara is essential to its success right from the production to the store level as the feedback generated about fashion performance at store is percolated to the designer and production and supply chain helps to put the latest styles in 2 weeks time. We need to take a look at the factors that determine these strategies and also the shortcomings associated with these strategies 4. External Analysis The external environment characteristics can be stated as below 1. Demographic segment   Zara is targeting young consumers with disposable income. This will be primarily in developing countries and developed countries. This presents  them with a sizeable population. As shown by market research, the customers in these countries are willing to try new brands but at the same time are price and quality conscious. The ability to replicate the model and achieve the desired results can significantly enhance Zara’s brand in these market. 2. Economic segment Due to weak currencies, low labor costs and opportunity to be closer to customers, Zara need to think about strategies to take benefits from other location. Since the competition has already entered the newer market and is constantly trying to leverage the benefits associated with these markets. This has a big impact on the profits of the organization. 3. Legal segment Owing to increasing labor costs and stringent labor laws, the production processes in the present countries do not seem favorable as they will increase the production costs. In addition to that, concentration of designers in Spain/Europe can be handled as the labor laws permit that. In case, Zara does not want to decentralize these functions, there are no laws governing their decisions as fashion industry is not under regulations. 4. Technological Segment Zara presently uses IT efficiently in managing their supply chain which leads to lower operating costs. However, the use of IT can be extended to expand their procurement and manufacturing activities outside Spain. 5. Global Segment Owing to globalization and rapid advancement in technologies, several low cost production centers have come up. In order to reduce the costs even further and maintain quality, Zara can have offshore production facilities to low cost location in order to lower the costs. This will enable them to localize Zara and cater to local preference. The critical market for Zara in the coming future would be the Asian nations of India, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan. The relaxation of trade norms would help reduce transaction costs, if, Zara plans to expand their activities outside Spain. The environmental characteristics changes very fast in fashion, especially  in terms of demographic and global segments. Zara being in core fashion industry with fast cycles have a unique strategy where in it caters only on the leading edge of the product cycle which enables it to deliver the promise of â€Å"Instant Fashion†. 5. SWOT Strategic Choice We will discuss each of the external and internal variables in details which will give us a better picture as to why Zara needs to act in a certain manner. Strengths * Strong product diversity As a group Inditex is a leading fashion distributor and has ore than 100 associate companies across the world. In addition to this, the stores are located in more than 400 cities across the world. In case of Zara, the international fashion retailing segment, this presents a new opportunity to foray into foreign markets. The group brands can be displayed as well when considering international expansion. This is what Inditex can look forward to offering the wide assortment of goods, replenished quickly to carve a niche for itself. * Strong revenue growth The group company of Zara, Inditex has registered a robust financial performance Y-o-Y. The revenues increased at a CAGR of 18% annually. The operating profit represents a CAGR of 21%. In the meantime, the profits also increase at CAGR of 25% annually. The strong performance of the group, Inditex and various brands leads to increased investor confidence about the company . * Strong distribution network The group, Inditex has a strong distribution network. The presence of an efficient supply chain management in Inditex assures that the goods are delivered within 24 hours of the receipt of the order in Europe and about 40 hours at its overseas outlets. The majority of the supply is handled through its centralized warehouses in each of the European, Asian and American markets. The company’s logistics department has more than 4,000 people  delivering 627 million garments in financial year 2008. * Zero advertising Zara follows the policy of zero advertising to decrease expenses. Hence, in newer markets, it can focus its capital on expansion. The strong brand name, store ambience and product quality will compensate for the lack of advertising. Weaknesses * Overdependence on the European market Zara has a significant market presence in Spain and other European countries. Around 50% of the stores are located in Spain and surrounding countries. However, the revenues contributed by Spain accounts to only 40% of the group revenues whereas 60% of the revenues comes from its international operations with 43% coming from European operations and the rest 17% from outside Europe. The group as a whole is highly dependent on the Spanish and European market to sustain its revenues, making it highly vulnerable to the economic, political and social changes taking place in these markets, especially in Spain. Also, the fashion tastes might reflect heavily the European perspective, even though during international expansion Zara needs to cater to the international customers. * Reliance on local designers Even though local designers are preferred for designing new range of garments for Zara, almost all the designers are from Spain. This leads to a situation where the design might be too localized. Considering the fact that Zara intends to have a global presence, localization of the core designing and manufacturing processes might not be a feasible option. With respect to catering to local tastes and fashion, the designers should be located more closely to the markets. Opportunities * * Expansion plans The group has invested more than â‚ ¬ 2.8 billion to open new stores internationally, in countries where it already has a presence and few new  markets as well. The rate of growth of stores has been as high as 640 stores per year. Zara fashion will be made available in Korea, Ukraine, Egypt and Montenegro. A well defined expansion plan is critical to the corporate objective of international expansion with sustained and robust revenue growth in the future. * Growing apparel retail market in Asia (China, India, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia) The Asian apparel market is growing at a high rate. Owing to the growing population of affluent household, higher disposable incomes, consumers knowledge of international brands, it presents an opportunity for Zara to enter and expand its operations in Asian market. Accelerated development in these markets will help shift the burden of growth and diversification from mature and intensively competitive European and American markets to the building Asian markets. * Growing online sales Online retailing has been growing at a scorching pace in the last decade and considering UK market, more than  £14 billion has been spent on online shopping. Zara should try to open online retail shops to cater to the audience who need to shop for standardized version of Zara’s products. This also presents an opportunity to display the entire product lines from Zara and can be easily searched. It will enable strong growth in online and well as, offline retail sales. Threats * New avenues being utilized by competitors The competition is always on the lookout for cheaper manufacturing location such as China, India and Eastern Europe. The benefit of lower costs of procurement can be passed on to the customers through low prices. The main advantage of Zara’s vertical integration is the frequent replenishments of its stores and also, feedback from store staff to design. If this feedback works out as expected, then Zara will be able to sustain higher manufacturing costs than its competition in future. The competition is also working on reducing the lead times, which if successfully implemented could lead to erosion in market share and reduction in revenues. * Counterfeit goods The counterfeit goods in the new markets and existing ones adversely affect sales of branded accessories. Widespread counterfeiting reduces the brand value and exclusivity, especially in cases of high end fashion products, through customer dissatisfaction. * Rising Labor cost in European region Since Inditex focuses most of Zara’s designing and manufacturing activities in the European region, the increasing labor costs drive down the profits as it increases the operating expenses. This results in adverse impact on the group’s margin. 6. Internal Analysis We undertake the resource based view and study the internal analysis. Zara’s main assets are the designers, the logistics process, in store sales people and the store ambience. The designers are in charge of churning out new designs in a short span of time. After receiving the feedback, they have approximately 2 weeks to deliver the garment to the store. Each of the designers is a valuable and costly resource and this quick turnaround time is not imitable and therefore exploited by Zara to the fullest. The competitors have not been able to turn around designs as quickly as Zara. Hence, they give Zara a competitive advantage. Since Zara follows zero advertising policy, the word of mouth medium is heavily dependent on how much a customer is satisfied. New designs which satisfy customers go a long way in making Zara an important brand. The logistics process is also a source of competitive advantage. It is because of logistical capabilities that Zara can display 12,000 new designs annually. Assisted by IT and workforce, it forms a competitive advantage but this can be imitated by competition and hence does not present a sustainable competitive advantage. However, along with new designs it plays significant roles in preventing stock outs and piling inventories to help reduce unwanted costs. The sales people, staff and store ambience, although valuable but are easily imitable and hence are at comparative parity Capabilities: Sourcing Materials Inbound logistics Flexible manufacturing / Outsourcing outbound logistics in-store sales. Market research Product design Procurement Outsourcing Distribution Centralized planning Corporate vision and mission Brand Image 7. Competitor Analysis The main competitors are H&M, a Swedish brand and GAP Inc., an American brands. Now, GAP Inc. boasts of large network of stores and has a strong financial leverage as it aims to tap into growing online retail segment and into franchising to expand into new market. GAP Inc. is also targeting growing global footwear market. Some of its shortcomings are geographic concentration and weak performance of comparable stores. It also suffers from low customer loyalty and rising labor wages. On the other hand, H&M are matching Zara in terms of designing and also have strong procurement practices. Unlike Zara, they collaborate with designers and have much wider presence as compared to Zara. They are at present looking to target new niche. However, they are also plagued by issues of customer loyalty and product recall. Currently, all of them are focusing the same segment and added to it the high entry barriers and high profit potential makes it an attractive industry. From the above graphs and the financial data available (refer to Appendix), we can see that although sales revenues of H&M are better than Inditex, operating expenses as a percentage of sales are lower for Inditex mostly due to their operational and marketing strategies which lowers the inventory and due to instant fashion generates more sales. 8. Corporate Level Strategies The Corporate level strategies of Zara can be said to be similar to that of its parent, Inditex Group. Its strategies can be classified based on three frameworks – Ansoff Matrix, BCG Matrix and GE-Directional Policy Matrix. Based on the Ansoff Matrix, Zara follows the following Strategic Directions: * Market Consolidation and Product Development by bringing in the latest fashionable designs from the design stage to distribution within 2-3 weeks, much shorter than the industry average. * Market Development by introducing products to new markets by opening up stores in new locations and countries. It had around 1500 stores in 78 countries, in December 2008,around the globe and is expanding. Zara is operating in an Industry of high growth of about 40% while having a high market share in most of the  countries. This puts Zara as a Star for Inditex Group in the Growth-Share BCG Matrix. Also the strength of its business is high, thus putting it in the Investment and Growth direction of theDirectional Policy Matrix. Thus Zara is one of the main Business lines for Inditex Group garnering about 67% of the revenue for the parent organization. 9. Business Level Strategies Zara defines its target markets as â€Å"Young, educated one that likes fashion and is sensitive to fashion†. This target market is very broad because it is not segmented by ages and lifestyles. Thus the scope of Zara’s business is broad. Zara also follows both the Cost leadership and Differentiation strategies. Thus Integrated Cost Leadership/ Differentiation Strategy are followed by Zara by the following approaches: * Cost Leadership 1. It achieves low cost by lowering lead times which in turn leads to lesser inventories, thus reducing the cost of the supply chain. * Differentiation 2. It differentiates itself from its competitors by providing lead times which are far lower than the industry standards. 3. Zara produces about 11000 designs every year as compared to about 4000 by competitors. 4. Replenishes stores twice a week as compared to once by major competitors. 5. Produces in small batches and takes advantage of shortages in stores by replacing them with new designs. Thus customers who find that a particular design is out of stock may buy a new design in fear of losing the opportunity to but it. Thus it guarantees that customers visit Zara’s stores around 17 times per year on an average as opposed to 3 times for competitors. 6. The designs remain in the stores for only about 4 months when they are taken out. Only about 10% of designs are taken off stores by Zara as compared to 17% of competitors. 7. Takes the feedback of customers in determining the needs of the customers. 8. Takes advantage of IT in vertical integration of the supply chain by maintaining a smooth flow of information through the chain. According to Mile’s and Snow’s Adaptive Strategies, Zara can be classified as a Prospector because of the following characteristics: * Zara has built its entire business on innovation in the supply of fashion apparels to customers. * Zara continually modifies its existing designs to match the  latest fashion trends and needs of the customers. * The competitors have not been able to copy their supply chain strategy. 10. Functional Level Strategies The designs at Zara change every week and this result in manufacturing systems that have to be flexible to cope up with these changes. Thus Zara uses Flexible Manufacturing Technology or Lean Production which reduces setup time for equipments, increases utilization of machines through better scheduling and improves quality control at all stages of manufacturing. The various functional strategies for Zara have been laid down below. * Marketing Strategy * Only one item of each size in each color option was placed on the stock floor requiring stores to maintain a considerable restocking policy. * Customer feedback was taken by all the sales personnel at the stores to gauge the needs of the customers. * New product introductions were planned twice a week to maintain fashion freshness. * Zara stores were located in prime retail locations, thus avoiding the need for advertising to attract customers. Marketing expenses were0.3% on sales as compared to 3.5% of competitors. * Materials Management Strategy * The raw material was stocked in advance according to forecasts. They were sourced from countries like Spain, the far east, India and Morocco. * Due to low lead times, very less inventory needed to be maintained. * Inventory turnover is high leading to lesser capital needs. * Zara outsources its sewing activities to contractors, thus lowering cost. * R&D Strategy * Design team consisting of young individuals in their 20’s who are more conversant with latest fashion. * Around 40000 designs were done throughout the year out of which around 11000 were selected for manufacture. * * Human Resource Strategy * Zara emphasized learning from mistakes and accepting criticism. * Everyone was encouraged to express their opinion. * No performance appraisal system in place but a system of immediate feedback from colleagues at all levels. * Personal empathy given more importance than formal qualifications in recruitment. * A significant portion of salaries varied according to performance. * Information Systems Strategy * IT was used to integrate the chain vertically and horizontally, for smooth flow of information up the chain and across the various functions, respectively. * Infrastructure * Zara had a relatively flat structure in comparison to other firms in the same industry. Cross-Functional Integration existed between the various functions to ensure that: * New designs are developed according to customer needs. * Information flow is quick. * Time to manufacture the new designs and their presentation to the customers reduces. * The costs of development are low. 11. Global Level Strategy Zara had opened up around 1500 stores in around 78 countries in December 2008, and it is still expanding by looking for opportunities. The main factors that helped Zara achieve Global competitiveness are: * Fast growth in the Spanish market * High demand for exports from Spain * Rivalry with other firms like H&M and Gap. The main reasons for Zara to expand globally were: * Expansion of its market by taking advantage of its â€Å"instant fashion† concept, so that it could increase its market share and bring in more revenue. * Since Zara believed in providing the customers with the latest fashion at lowest cost, it supplied the stores with low quantities. So to lower the costs it expanded globally so that it could take advantage of some sort of Economies of Scale. Global Strategy Zara did not follow any localization in the countries where it was present and provided only standardized products. Also it believed in providing the latest fashion at the low costs. Thus from the Global Strategy Grid it can be seen that Zara Followed a Global Standardization Strategy. By doing so it hoped to increase its profitability by reducing costs and achieving economies of scale. Zara chose to enter the different markets using various entry strategies. The strategies are outlined below. * Exporting: Zara exported its products to a few markets where opening up a manufacturing facility would not have been profitable like Monaco, Oman, etc. * Franchising: Zara also opens up stores in various locations through franchised deals avoiding development costs and risks of opening up a foreign market on its own. Examples of such locations are Cyprus, Venezuela, etc. * Joint Ventures: Over a period of time Zara entered various markets by forming Joint Ventures to take advantage of the partner’s knowledge of the foreign country. It entered the Italian Market in 1996 by forming a JV with Benetton. Then in 1998 it entered the German market by forming a JV with Otto Versand, the country’s largest catalogue retailer. It also entered the Japanese market by forming a JV with Japan’s BIGI Group, forming Zara Japan. * Wholly Owned Subsidiaries: Zara entered most of the markets by opening up wholly owned subsidiaries, to take advantage of the controls that it could exercise in those countries. Examples of such locations are US, UK

Higher Learning

In this essay I will discuss hat It Is Like to counsel the character Remy from the movie â€Å"Higher Learning† (Singleton, 1995). I will give an overview of the movie and character, the presenting Issues of the character, my approach and role to counseling the character, and the characters cultural framework Influence on why I chose to Intervene to counsel him. Cultural Skills Students from different countries, races, social and culture background are forced to integrate with each other when they all enroll in Columbus university College. They all have real life issues, such as finance, harassment, personal safety, and self-doubt.However, the college campus life seems to be causing a problem for everyone evolving around the issue of racism. The students are already under pressure to perform in the classroom, on the track, or in front of their friends, are beginning to face obstacles such as prejudice, and misunderstanding of each other on many deferent levels. Remy Remy chara cter plays an important role to the flow and overall point of racism in the movie. His character is a driving force for the slow transition of how an individual can go from a cracked mental state of mind into a total broken state of mind.Remy slowly becomes alienated from his peers. Remy at the start has no identity of who he is so he's very confused and lost. Remy is taking a close look at his diverse peers, trying to find ways to be the same or similar with the hopes of becoming accepted to a social group he can be comfortable with. He comes in as an engineering major, and a son of a â€Å"survivalist† father who use to abuse him. Remy throughout the movie shifts from alienated loner to a motivated Nazi skinhead. At this point Remy has given up trying to fit in until the Nazi leader Scott befriends him.They Immediately alcove him to their circle without hesitation, to which Remy says thanks and shaves his head. Remy further starts to fall Into a pit of frustration and self- hate, due to the advice given by the Nazi leader Scott who brainwashes Remy Into thinking that the world needs to be taken over by â€Å"White America† therefore this Is where the character Remy starts to display mental disorder Like symptoms. Presenting Issues/ My Approach In the movie, Remy displayed many different emotions ranging from crying, emptiness, self-inflicting behavior and a high need to fit In.However, when he did not it in he felt hopelessness and alone so he turned towards a reckless group of people people that accepted gave him a new way of thinking. As a counselor my approach to Remy would be compared to dealing with an individual with Borderline Personality Disorder issues. According to the Journal â€Å"Symptoms of borderline personality disorder predict interpersonal (but not independent) stressful life events in a community sample of older adults†, Individuals with borderline personality disorder can often experience stressful life events at a hig her frequency than those without it.Only borderline personality pathology was related to an increase in the frequency of interpersonal stressful life events. Three specific symptoms of this disorder were connected with unstable interpersonal relationships, impulsively, and chronic feelings of emptiness (Powers, 2013). So looking at how BAD can have a direct correlation between stressful events in life and past issues, it is easy to see how Remy could be seen for this disorder. The initially start of the sessions with Remy would revolve around first breaking down the barriers of his past issues with his abusive father.But as a counselor one would have to ask does childhood abuse have a connection with Borderline Personality Disorder or their characteristics? Although childhood abuse, BAD traits, and internal and external symptoms were all correlated, the connection between childhood abuse and BAD traits stems from findings that are consistent with the widely held assumption that chil dhood abuse causes BAD, and they suggest that BAD traits show in adults as they get older ( Broadleaved, 2013).So once again as a counselor, asking Remy questions about his childhood could give him answers as to why he feels these emotions apart from dealing with the issues of not fitting in and his feelings of emptiness. Because his father was a â€Å"survivalist† which focuses around the belief that eventually society will collapse through social or political disorder and only the self-sufficient will be able to survive. The skills that survivalists have are some such as wilderness survival, first aid and self-defense with either weapons or hand-to-hand combat.So seeing that his father was abusive, he could very much have desensitizing Remy with this belief that he had, which possibly dead to the abuse as his father's way of making him stronger. My reason for Intervention My reason for Intervention for Remy looking at his cultural framework, is that many children grow up in homes that are strict, have military backgrounds, violence and other matters that can damage a child even Just by witnessing or living through it. In the movie, Remy stated â€Å"Were going to war man this is the opening stage of World War 3† (Singleton, 1995).Remy felt that he was in a race war when in fact he's really in a war with himself and the fact that he feels that he has no purpose in the world, ex.'s lost. My intervention process would rely on getting him to focus on the point that he initially went to school as an engineer and he should finish and become what he started out to be. Getting him to realize healthy choices and advantages of getting his degree from college in engineering and the opportunities that are ahead for him that could make a huge impact in his life is the angle that would be taken.In order to help Remy, he would have to realize his self-worth instead of believing the views that his father raised him in. Remy believes at this point in what his N azi leader friend Scott as instilled in him which is â€Å"White Power†, a reality that his race has to take over to is proved to be useful with dealing with BAD. Implementing DEBT in the treatment of college students with complex issues, including suicidal ideation, severe depression, and BAD features.DEBT is a principle-based treatment that is flexible enough to apply to the severe and complicated issues increasingly seen across an individual. DEBT focuses on teaching skills such as, emotion regulation, distress and tolerance that are developmentally relevant to college students. DEBT was designed for chronically suicidal individuals which suggest that chronically suicidal students are more likely to benefit from comprehensive treatment approaches and may actually experience positive effects with very brief forms of treatment.College students with BAD traits differs from community BAD individuals, and the treatment targets of DEBT can be altered to address college students' specific clinical needs. For example, college students are less likely than community BAD individuals to engage in recurrent suicidal threats suggesting that DEBT treatment for this population may focus more on kills acquisition than stabilizing an individual (Pictorials, 2012). Conclusion In my opinion of treating Remy, this type of therapy can benefit him in many ways.In the movie he started to commit suicide in his room when he thought to himself life would be better dead. However, he did not do it which at that point I would intervene before that point and get him on track to thinking in a different mindset. In the movie Remy ended up sadly committing suicide shooting himself in the head after he shot a few students from a rooftop. The point of mental health counselors in our field is to et to the root of the issue before it gets to that point with the hope of getting the client on track to a healthy way of thinking.Remy would have been a very interesting character to counsel d ue to the fact he had childhood issues which lead to even bigger adult issues. The attitude of his father believe it or not reflected in his behavior with the â€Å"survive by any means necessary mentality'. However, Remy was not strong enough mentally which Scott the Nazi leader preyed on Remy as his puppet to mold him into what he wanted him to be. As a counselor we have to member that we do not know what state a client's mind is in mentally so we have to be careful ourselves in our approach to make sure we do no further harm.

Leadership of General George S. Patton Essay

Leadership of General George S. Patton by Eugene V. Struzik III May 23, 2011 Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to explore the different leadership styles that General George S. Patton Jr. used throughout his life, (November 11, 1885 until December 21, 1945). General Patton is often thought of as one of the most controversial generals in history. This paper will concentrate on events that happened in his life and how his determination, will and hard work helped him overcome and became a better leader. It is evident that in a review of the research General Patton was able to achieve many his success by determination and hard work to be the best in everything that he set his mind to accomplish. He was never happy, except when he was given the challenge of commanding men into battle. General Patton was a leader, a warrior and the most feared General by the Germans. General George S. Patton was a man who is often referred to as a great general, and leader of men who was equally just as controversial. His career in the Army was often a struggle for him to advance and receive the recognition that he deserved. This paper will cover the leadership styles of General Patton during the early, then during World War I. Next it will cover World War II and finally I will give my opinion on the subject. George S. Patton, who was sometime called Georgie, was an average child with the hopes and dreams of becoming a great military leader like his Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and many of his other relatives (Regan, 1960). He worked hard with his academic career to tried to get into West Point the United States Military Academy, but he was not accepted at first. Not deterred by this set back, he went to Virginia Military Institute (VMI) for a year (Reda, 2004). Even though he was going to VMI, he continued tirelessly to get accepted into West Point. Finally Patton was accepted into West Point, but he found it far more challenging then he imagined it would. The major reason that he had difficulty with the studies was because he was suffering from dyslexia, a disorder that caused everything to look backwards (Reda, 2004). Although faced with these difficulties, George never gave up, even when he was forced to repeat his plebe year, due to poor academic performance. However this failure to progress only strengthened his resolve and determination to better. In an effort of almost memorizing everything from his textbooks, he was able to achieve an appointed Cadet Adjutant. Another area that he had an interest in was sports. He encourage the introduction of sports into the school as a way for men to stay focused on studies as appose to getting in trouble (Regan, 1960). His efforts lead to the creation of the first football team and the fencing team. He felt that sport would help him and his classmate overcome the boredom of every day life at West point. In addition, it would help them overcome physical challenges through determination and it would teach them sportsmanship. In an amazing testament to hard work and preservation, George Patton graduated from West Point. Although he did not graduate at the top of his class, he was ranked number 46 out of 103, which is amazing considering the fact that he failed his first year in the Academy. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the US Calvery. It was also during this time in Patton’s life that he would marry his beautiful and wealthy wife, Beatrice Ayer. Her father was not fond of her marring a military man, because he felt that this would keep his daughter far away from her family. In fact her father, Frederick Ayer, offered George a job in the family business if he would just resign his commission in the Army. However, that was not something that George Patton, was able to do. He was living his dream of being an officer in the United States Army. George’s determination and hard work would reach a high point when he participated in the 1912 Olympics. Although George was not a natural athlete, he simply did what he always did work twice as hard as everyone else in an effort to be better than everyone else. It was his will and his desire to be the best that propelled him into getting fifth place during the Olympics. This raw determination to achieve a goal and accomplish the task ahead would become his trademark. Once again George Patton’s determination and desire to excel paid off. Lieutenant Patton was able to get a position as an aide to General Blackjack Pershing during the Punitive Expedition. The interesting thing about this appointment was General Pershing was not taking people to his staff. In fact, it was a letter that Lieutenant Patton wrote to General Pershing requesting to be considered for an appointment to the General’s staff that gave George the opportunity of a lifetime. Here he would learn what it took to be a good Calvary Officer and he would make important contact that would serve him well in the future. This leads into the second main point of this paper, which is Patton emerging into a leader. It is 1917, and the United States has just declared war on Germany. Patton got another chance to serve under General Blackjack Pershing. Pershing gave Patton a promotion to the rank of Captain and appointed him the Tank commander for the American troops. This was not an easy task for Captain Patton, since he had to develop a training program, and tactics for the new technological advancement of the tank. This was Patton’s first leadership challenge that would set the tone for how he dealt with all of the other challenges in his life. He was the â€Å"first tank commander† (Reagan, 1960), with this job he took on the daunting task of creating the first Tank Command in Europe. â€Å"Patton single-handedly created the, the AEF Tank Training Center. He created the, the ideas, the tactics, the design, the uniforms, the procedures. Virtually, everything that was done came from Patton† (Reda, 2004). Patton realized the need for training and the benefit that he would get on the battle field. Drawing from his own experience, Patton viewed the tank as the calvary of the future. It would be during this First World War that he would develop many of his leadership skills. As was pointed out by Captain VonShell, â€Å"Instill a sense of security in the men, by so doing you will help them overcome their fears† (1933, p. 17). Patton exemplified this behavior, by being the first person to ride on a tank for in combat even though there was machine gun fire raining down on him (Reda,