Low income and education Essay

This essay will consider if children from low income families are disadvantaged in the education system. It will examine if there is a direct link between poverty and low educational attainment. As far back as 1959 the Crowther Report identified a link between low incomes and low attainment levels. This was followed in 1963 by the Newsom report that found many secondary modern schools were deficient and argued that the less privileged 50 per cent of children did not receive their fair share of resources. (P Young, Mastering Social Welfare, p. 180) Recent research from the Institute of Education has shown that children from poorer families are no more likely to gain qualifications than they were a generation ago. A study carried out by Barbara Jefferis, a research fellow at the Institute of Child Healthfound a strong link between social background and cognitive development. The research carried out found the gap between educational attainment between the richest and the poorest in society widened as time went on. (The Guardian, August 9th 2002) The British Medical Journal published a study in August 2002 that firmly points at poverty and social deprivation as some of the most significant factors why some children do less well than others. Nick Davis points out in his book, The School Report: he is not uncovering the unknown but exposing something that no one with any power will admit. The ‘great unmentionable’, Davis shows, is the direct correlation that exists between educational performance and poverty. (N.Davis, 2000) David Miliband, the Minister of State for school standards, has stated that only 14 per cent of young people from lower income backgrounds go to university, compared to 75 per cent from more advantaged homes. For some children the first step in education is nursery education. Although not compulsory nursery education is now available to all three and four year olds. A scheme set up by the government provides nursery vouchers for all three and four year olds. These vouchers are used to purchase OFSTED inspected nursery education. State run nursery schools are available in many areas, although these may not have the same resources as private ones. High  quality nursery education may be available although only parents with a higher income may be able to afford the extra costs than those provided by the voucher scheme. Many educational experts consider that pre school education is a vital foothold in education. If a child is unable to achieve the best possible start in education it may reflect on their educational achievement. The government’s response to this is the Sure Start scheme. Sure Start is aimed at pre school children which as well as focusing on education focuses on health. In recognizing that a child’s early years are vital to their future success, Sure Start provides better opportunities for young children. Support is also offered to parents in preparing them to assist their child to succeed. (www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ucu/suppfam.) As most parents of children living in poverty may have a limited education themselves support for parents is essential in helping their child succeed. Very early education begins in the family home through interaction, as education can break the cycle of poverty, parental education and parenting skills may be more important than economic factors. Deprivation may effect a child’s education in many ways. Children that live in poverty often live in the most deprived areas of a neighbourhood. These areas often have schools which may be at the lower end of performance league tables. League tables show that schools in areas of social housing or with high numbers of private rented accommodation perform less well than schools in more affluent areas. Schools whose pupils are mostly from large inner city council estates are often referred to as sink state schools, hardly aspiring for those pupils that attend them. As the parents or parent of these pupils have limited income they are not in the position to move to a better area which has access to a better school. If they were able to secure a place in a better performing school outside the area, they may be unable to afford the traveling expenses. Families with higher incomes are able to move into catchment areas of the better schools. Parents are often willing to pay more to live near a high achieving school. (Gibbons and Machin, 2000) Selective education is available in Britain, although most of this is in fee-paying Independent schools. Others are known as ‘grant maintained schools’, and they may use their own methods of selection. This often excludes children from low income families and particularly those from the  worst areas. School performance League table’s 2000 show that the top one hundred schools for GCSE results were either Independent or Selective, with just one exception, Thomas Telford School that is comprehensive. [Education league tables 2000 D.f.E.E.] Reports show that attainment varies according to the socio-economic backgrounds of children. In 1998, only 45 per cent of 11 year-olds in schools with high numbers on free school meals reached the Government’s attainment targets in English and Maths, whilst more than 60 per cent reached that target in other schools. (Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion, 1999, p.26) The government has introduced some policies in education to help reduce inequality. These include Education Action Zones; these were established in areas of high deprivation. Along with money from private-sector sponsors and government they can attract better teachers through higher salaries. Homework clubs are set up, enabling pupils a quite place to study and the necessary resources. (Haralambos and Holbrn 2000) Barnardos an organization that works with children recognise the link between educational attainment and poverty. Currently they are involved in various projects with children from deprived families; one of these is setting up homework clubs in schools and libraries around the country. Children from low income families may not have access to books in the home or educational toys. A quiet place to do homework or studying may be unavailable. Family visits to museums and other places of educational interest may be unavailable in households of low income. These types of visits encourage and motivate children to succeed. Public libraries can provide a valuable resource in assisting a child’s learning. As well as providing free access to books many hold reading hours and various forms of fun learning. Computers are now widely available for free use in many public libraries with access to the internet. As computers are now widely used in schools, having access to one at home would certainly improve a child’s ability in school. Pupils from low income families are less likely to have access to a computer in the home. When online resources are available in school they may also be less able to make use of them than pupils who have experience of using the internet at home. The government did introduce a scheme for poorer families, enabling them to purchase recycled computer at low cost, however this never got further than a pilot scheme amid allegations of poor management. Financial problems may increase stress amongst parents which may reduce their ability to assist in adequate educational support. Parental stress has been identified as a factor towards truancy. It maybe considered that certain background characteristics are linked with truancy. Children are more likely to truant if they are from low income families, live in social housing or live with only one or neither parent. (Casey and Smith 1995) Research carried out at Cambridge Universityestablished a link between truancy and poverty in primary school children. The study looked statistics on truancy in London boroughs between 1997 and 2000. Council education welfare officers and 98 parents on low incomes were also interviewed. Researcher Ming Zhang says the parents who were questioned said they sometimes forget about their younger children’s schooling when they hit financial trouble. ‘For many people this may be a bizarre excuse for primary school children not to attend school. Yet for families facing financial difficulties, the problem is real.’ As these primary school children progress to secondary school bad habits have already set in. The study also considered attitudes among education welfare officers and parents. Both agreed that the blame lay with irresponsible parents. They did not link between poverty and truancy amongst primary school pupils. [www.news.bbc.co.uk/education] Although this research suggests there is no link between poverty and truancy, forgetting to send a child to school because of financial worries may be considered as a link. At present the education authorities can be seen to be tackling truancy, however this is mainly aimed at secondary school pupils. LEA’s are taking action against persistent truants and educational welfare  officers are visiting the homes of absent pupils. Connexions is another government initiative aimed at helping young people. Connexions provides a personal advisor for all 13 to 19 year olds, their aim is to keep young people in education, work on truancy and improve educational achievements. As well as providing career advice and other services they try to encourage school leavers into further education. Children from low income families leave full time education earlier and with fewer formal qualifications than those from higher income families. Only 14 per cent of young people from lower income backgrounds go into higher education. At a time when the government is encouraging all school leavers to go into further education, then onto higher education this may be seen as an issue for concern. In September 2001, The Excellence Challenge was introduced; this is a three year programme. The key purpose is to improve links between schools, colleges and universities, over 190 million pounds has been committed to increase the number of young people from poorer backgrounds who apply and enter higher education. (www.dfes.gov.uk) Schools in poorer areas are disadvantaged when they need to fundraise to provide more resources. A report published in May 2000 by the research charity Directory for Social Change claims that rich and poor schools are drifting further apart. Schools in deprived parts of the country are up to 500,000 worse off than those in well-to-do areas because they are unable to compete in fundraising stakes. Eighty per cent of state primary schools held fundraising events to buy books. While one in five schools generated less than 1000 a year in donations, one per cent got over 25,000. Five per cent of secondary schools got less than 1000 per year while three per cent received more than 250,000 in donations. The report described parental donations as a hidden fault line that is widening into inequality of opportunity for children. The report also warns that the pursuit of cash is putting undue pressure on teachers and diverting them from teaching. [www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/povertyupdate.html] The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said that the number of pupils leaving school without basic qualifications has decreased. In 2001, a quarter of GCSE students failed to pass any subject with grades A-C compared with a third ten years previously. Similarly, one in four 11 year olds failed to achieve target level 4 in English in 2001 compared with more than four out of ten in 1996. The improvement in primary schools serving high proportions of low income children was at least as good as the national average. In considering the evidence it may be concluded that low educational attainment is correlated to poverty. Education may be a route out of poverty but it appears not everybody has the same opportunities. Research does show that with the help of pre- school nurseries, Sure Start, the Education Action Zones and the Excellence Challenge progress can be made in alleviating inequalities in education. BIBLIOGRAPHY Casey, B. and Smith, D. (1995) Truancy and Youth Transitions, England and Wales Youth Cohort Study, London: Policy Studies Institute. Davis, N. (2000) The School Report: Why Britain’s Schools Are Failing. Vintage Haralambos and Holborn. (2000) Sociology Themes and Perspectives. London: HarperCollins. Howarth, C, et al. (1999) Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Young, P. (2000) Mastering Social Welfare. Macmillan Press. The Guardian, August 9th 2002 Education League Tables. D.f.E.E. www.dfes.gov.uk www.homeoffice.go.uk/ucu/suppfam. www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/povertyupdate. www.news.bbc.co.uk/education.

Football teams for the prison inmates Essay

Starting in the early 1930’s, state penitentiary facilities began forming football teams for the inmates. Because many people of that time thought this was inappropriate, prison football teams did not become common until the 1970’s. They play a 16-game season in the fall and have a prison Super Bowl in December. Each facility has 3 teams of 25 players each, with 8 players per team on the field at a time (5 linemen and 3 backs) instead of the usual 11, due to the smaller fields. The convicts compete with the teams within the prison, as well as with teams from other prisons within the state, and willing semi-pro teams. The coaches and players are selected by the facility officials after tryouts, some of which who make it on the teams actually having experience from college and pro football leagues before incarceration. The equipment is donated by state colleges and high schools, and ultimately does not cost the prison hardly any money. But do the full-contact games ever get out of hand? â€Å"In the beginning, almost every game ended in a fistfight. But I think the program is more organized and better supervised now. Overall, the players display good sportsmanship, while at the same time venting a lot of frustrations† says prison guard and referee, Stan Cioccia. So what could prison football be compared to? Babe Wood, prison athletics director at the Tennessee State Prison, has an answer. â€Å"I’d say teams are equal to a junior college team. Once there was a player here from Memphis who could have made any major college team in the country. It’s so sad to see a talent like that wasted. † But what thoughts do students have on a prison football league? â€Å"I think it’s probably better that the inmates are relieving tension through football, as opposed to beating up each other† answered Briana Egger (10). However, Parents of the students had different opinions. â€Å"If you committed a crime bad enough to get yourself into the state penitentiary, then I don’t think you should have the privilege of playing sports† countered Carla Murphy.

A Study On Zero Tolerance Policy

A Study On Zero Tolerance Policy There are hundreds if not thousands of students in any given school. The sheer size and magnitude of the student population encompassed in these schools leads to complications of school safety. Zero tolerance is a policy which was brought about enforcing school safety more firmly, and aimed to better protect students. However, the way in which these students are protected is highly debatable, making the zero tolerance ideology very controversial. Exactly which approach is most effective in protecting a student, let alone, thousands? Is strictness more effective than leniency? Overly strict policies aim to protect the majority, however, severally punish those who have to deal with the wrath of zero tolerance, those who violate the rules. Overly lenient policies can lead to dreadful events, however, give students a sense of reason, in turn creating an understanding of what they have done wrong. In the long run which method is most effective in protecting students? These type of questi ons, along with the excess amount of questionable cases, compose a highly controversial topic. The well being of a student is the single most important factor for public schools. No parent would ever send their child to school if there was a high probability of violence. For this reason there are people who favor zero tolerance. Domoine D. Rutledge, general counsel for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System in Louisiana, reports that zero tolerance policies have aided in creating a culture inside schools that â€Å"certain things will not be tolerated, period.† However, whether or not that policy is effective relies on â€Å"how fairly it’s enforced and how consistently it’s enforced.† He continues saying that: Schools districts have had to really balance the interest of the whole school, the student body, teachers and faculty . . . as well as the rights of individual bad actors. The ability to strike that balance, and to do it fairly, more than likely influences the effectiveness of the zero-tolerance policies. Whether or not zero tolerance is effective brings about more argumentative material. Statistical data reports a significant drop in school homicides following the 1999 school shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado strongly suggesting, as Rutledge advocates, zero tolerance has in fact led to safer schools for students. (nces.ed.gov) Kay S. Hymowitz, a contributing editor for a magazine published by the conservative Manhattan Institute, stated that, â€Å"The arrest of a pair of New Jersey 8-year-olds for pointing paper guns at classmates was just the kind of episode that leads people to question zero-tolerance policies.† (Billitteri) Statements such as those insinuate a basis of anti-zero tolerance and further complicate the controversy. However it must be noted that, â€Å"It’s not so easy to distinguish the prankster from the wild-eyed adolescent with a [lethal] plan when lives are at sta ke,† Hymowitz says. (Billitteri) How is one supposed to know the intentions of a giving situation? While the general consensus will no doubtingly agree that a pair of 8-year-olds pose little to no threat, on the slight chance of an event occurring, the questions of â€Å"why weren’t they stopped† or â€Å"how could you assume† will undeniably be asked, and in this sense, it is without a doubt better to assume the ugly and end up being wrong, than to assume no harm and end up with fatal consequences’. Hymowitz continues, stating that, â€Å"Zero tolerance may be more symptom than cure for the uneasy disciplinary climate of our schools. Certainly it’s no final answer to out-of-control 5-year-olds or revenge-crazed teenagers. But as the threats continue and the bombs and guns appear, it’s all we’ve got.† (Billitteri) Bringing back the topic of effectiveness, those with the â€Å"get-tough† attitude witness no proof of zero tolerance policies creating a safer environment in schools. In fact, a decade of research on such policies by the American Psychological Association have concluded that zero tolerance â€Å"can actually increase bad behavior and also lead to higher dropout rates.† â€Å"Schools are not any safer or more effective in disciplining children than before these zero-tolerance policies were implemented,† the association said. (APA) There is much debate surrounding zero tolerance, however, the real problems arise when zero tolerance is set in motion.

Discuss the argument and evidence for the view that the roles of women Essay

Discuss the argument and evidence for the view that the roles of women and men in the family have changed significantly over the past 50 years - Essay Example Women have travelled a long way in the past 50 years as compared to their male counterparts and embark changes in the lifestyles. In the present era, women are getting married later and giving birth later in life; they make up 50 percent of the work force and also have immensely shifted the roles in families. This move of women is in the direction of equality. Besides performing the role as a good worker in the job which was initially the men’s territory, women do perform multiple roles at the family front like maintaining quality of marital relationships, looking after the household activities (Bernades, 1997). The division of domestic labour has also witnessed changes in the patterns of time spent by men and women (Cheal, 2002). In support of this, there had been a reduction in gender inequality in the performance of some of the normatively feminine-associated tasks, a larger proportional increase in the time contributed to domestic work tasks by men from lower socio-economic strata, to a position of near equality with men from higher socio-economic positions, and a substantial increase in more `egalitarian couples (Chafe, 1991). Womens lives today are spectacularly unlike from those of their mothers and grandmothers. Women are developing an independent thinking and this is displayed in the nature of their choices that eventually prepares them for longer lives, significant labor force contribution with matrimony and children moreover, they know that they are contributing to their own economic well-being, by gaining more education, and proving themselves in well-paying employment (Chafe,1991). On the same memorandum, mens roles have also changed in the past 50 years. Men have more responsibilities in the home and in caring for the children - and the majority of men now level having free time with family this has become

Logistics in context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Logistics in context - Essay Example At present, the total strength of the company employees’ stand at a robust 5600 figure spread over 30 countries in international destinations.   The sea food restaurant chain has been able to sustain the market glitches due to its consistent performance and desire to lead the industry with exhilarating new techniques to attract and help out people enjoy more fish. The development of the Grimsby town and the Humber region was eclipsed till the 19th century. However, the business activities initiated with the building of new ports and docks which led to the sharp rise in the export / import activities of the Humber region. At present, the Grimsby Port and Immingham possess the largest tonnage capacity in the UK, and the deep waters of the Humber playing a perfect host to the largest shipping companies across Europe, thereby being the main promoter of the region’s economy. The far reaching effects of Globalization have already transformed the sefood industry across the globe. Young’s seafood, Grimsby is not an exception. Globalization has assisted the company to reform its production methods, expand its distribution area, and venture into the previously unknown territory of retail marketing of seafood industry. The company is looking at new ventures and investments along with some acquisitions in the Humber region so as to support the rising needs of its clients. Also, the power of Globalization has revealed an all new territory of clients to the company who are willing to pay more for better quality, rather than paying less for more quantity. Therefore, grasping this opportunity, Young’s seafood has been able to legally source better quality product to clients worldwide and as a result command a larger market share with higher profit margins. Youngs sea food has been able to attract a lot of attention from its customers as well as competitors. In

Dadaism and Surrealism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dadaism and Surrealism - Essay Example The essay "Dadaism and Surrealism" discovers the important art movements, dadaism, and surrealism. Dada that is a means of expression praises nonsense and irrationality and shuts down logic and typical subjects. Ideally, Dada was anti-rational, anti-aesthetic, and anti-idealistic in all its activities. Despite the irrationality, Dada was significant in expressing the horror that spread amongst people during world war I. Dada the result of suppression was also the doorway to one of the greatest movements known as surrealism. A very important factor of surrealism is the essence of juxtapositions. I personally identify juxtaposition as the peak of in-originality, the moment when the perception of art as still framings of landscapes and portraits evolved into a greater means of expression in dada and surrealism. Dada initiated as an international anti-art movement that opposed the way the civilized world appreciated works of art. On the other hand, Surrealism catapulted the anti-art atta cks on rational and 'civilized' standards fostered by Dada. Both Surrealism and Dada work with the concept of chance. Dada’s use of the concept of chance in their art was extensive where he completely surrendered to the concept of chance; it is almost as if they trusted that concept with their precious art. Whether it be assembling certain words and reapplying them as poetry, or by conjoining random pieces of material together to later create a collage by â€Å"chance†, Dada Artists were all for giving up the factor of thought process. for ‘process’ itself. It is almost as though they completely let go after a period of constraint where they applied that action of letting go into their art by leaving it to chance. In fact, the word 'Dada' that ambiguously means 'hobby horse' and 'father' came up by chance and acquired international appreciation due to its nonsensical and childish cycle. The Dadaism artists included Man Ray, Francis Picabia, and Jean Arp. O n the other hand, Max Ernst represented the Surrealist painters. The first step towards Dada was to implement absurd gestures. These gestures would attack the idea of past icons and their masterpieces’ like Marcel Duchamp on Leonardo da Vinci's production, the Mona Lisa. The gesture was simple yet dense with energy that represented irrationality, a simple mustache, and beard drawn on a reproduction of the Mona Lisa. Nevertheless, one aspect of Dada that fascinates me is how the Dadaist dealt with politics. The movement revolted against political powers in favor of society liberties. Moreover, just like Dadaism, Surrealist is equally associated with political statements. Actually, the artists responded to the world they lived in and expressed their discomfort and worry to the current social and political status. More so, majority of the Dadaists and their supporters were involved with and had knowledge of anarchism to some degree. Most significantly, Dada could not have leader s but the movement on the contrary had representatives and spokespersons instead of an actual leader that took upon that role. This was against the concept of Dadaism. Activities relating to Dadaism meant to assure a vehement distraction to art history by scandalizing the works of art (Carlin and Evans 1). The Dadaism movement centers on creating a public unrest. In fact, Dadaist movements emanated from political unrest, unequal resource allocation, class struggle, and confused social roles (Hofmann 1). Hence, a political and social movement aimed at revealing the evils and anarchy in the society. The Dadaism political movement began at the end of World War I in Zurich and New York cities. The movement and its

Web-Based E-Compensation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Web-Based E-Compensation - Research Paper Example They can conduct salary surveys, which they can use for requesting salary changes by using e-compensation software tool. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Web-Based Compensation Tool versus a Client-Server Based System One of the benefits of using the web-based tool are that the computerized approach replaces tiresome manual procedure; hence making any reimbursement program very easier to administer and it is virtually free of error. Secondly, this system does not require installation and any updates; thus saving a lot of time for managers. The web-based compensation can be accessed from anywhere using the Internet connections and the standard browser; thus saving time for managers. The data for this tool can be stored remotely and it takes a little disk space. On the other hand, client-server based would require a manager to manager to maintain, implement, and formulate policies, as well as, processes for maintaining the security and integrity of the server or the client datab ase by resolving any database problems. However, one of the drawbacks with web-based compensation tool is that of the poor user experience due to performance challenges and browser constraints. Secondly, the remote server can be compromised and this is a disadvantage because private information can be disclosed easily to another party. Moreover, the web-based compensation tool requires Internet connections and this can be a limitation since lack of Internet connection can hinder the server from accessing information. Even though access to the Internet connections is increasing, it is still not everywhere; thus it may hinder server form easy access to information. On the other hand, in case of the client-server based, the client-server requires the user to be on the local network because the software is accessed through using the local network. The business entity has to invest in a remote for better access such as having PC everywhere in order to enable the user to access the softwa re. Lastly, accessing the software by using the local network connections is imperative because it can create a realistically swift response and self-sufficiency from the Internet. In my opinion, the client-server based or stand-alone PC-based system would be the most effective for offering the most value to stakeholders in an organization because of varied reasons. One of them is that this tool offers high security to the server; thus employing it in an organization can enable stakeholders to access their private information effectively. Secondly, the client-server based provides set-ups and can be altered without disturbing the clients; hence, it is an effective system for offering valuable services to the client. Moreover, the user and the client can share files effectively through web browsing, use of emails or chat rooms, and lastly, client-server is typically desktops, which are less costly because they can enable the stakeholder to access information even from remote areas as long one is connected to the local network.

Key Words in Marketing (Customer Relationship Management) Essay

Key Words in Marketing (Customer Relationship Management) - Essay Example In the discussion section of the essay, the way how CRM evolved in the marketing and benefits of this mechanism in the marketing field have been explained. Customer Relationship Management The marketing concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implies an unconventional strategic initiative to align organisational goals with the customers’ expectations and preferences. With the adoption of this process, the companies tend to improve their transparency commitment towards the customers and attain substantial competitive advantages through their understanding of customer likings accurately. With the collection of data, the companies can also design better strategies for developing the consumer behaviour and therefore, stimulating a change in the overall marketing trend. Today, when the market diversity has become a major challenge owing to globalisation effects and technology advancements have made communication processes more effective as well as complex, understanding t he various segments in the market and serving the customer effectively has become a major factor of concern for modern day companies. It is in this context that the concept of CRM has gained considerable importance among modern business firms that binds all the aforementioned factors in a strategically oriented and objective-driven manner (Kamakura et al., 2005). The major benefit that a company can derive from the adoption of CRM is the analysis of the long term relation to be developed with the present and probable customers and also move ahead with an intention for increasing the profit margin and sales of the company. CRM also helps to increase their value towards the shareholders by conducting various marketing activities targeted towards the development and maintenance of the relationship persisting amid the customers and the company (Kamakura et al., 2005). Thus, CRM facilitates in the overall development of an organisation, maintaining a deeper association with the customers ’ expectations and thereby, ensuring a more sustainable growth altogether. Literature Review In the recent years, it has been observed that the concept of CRM has received an increased significance in the business and marketing contexts of organisational management. According to Parvatiyar & Sheth (2002), CRM, as an unconventional marketing management framework, implies a broader attention of the modern companies for understanding the various needs of the customers and also incorporating their knowledge of customer preferences to align the strategic operations accordingly. The significance of practicing the CRM concept can also be argued with respect to the companies’ need for obtaining accurate understanding of customers’ preferences and expectations to be incorporated in their marketing strategies with the intention of improving the cooperative relations with their customers and increase the sales and profitability in a sustainable manner therefore. According to Tadajewski & Saren (2009), in marketing, the terms, ‘relationship marketing’ and ‘CRM’ are used as an alternative to each other. Both of these terms are used for forecasting a wide range of perceptions observable amid the targeted customers that further influence the market trends to a substantial extent. Among these perceptions, few of them provide a very narrow explanation of the functional marketing whereas few of them determine the broader framework of the marketing

Company Strategy Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Company Strategy Analysis - Research Paper Example The market for cell phone has also become very competitive. In this context, the purpose of the following paper is to illustrate how the modern companies make money and how they compete with others. Based on the research of Xiaomi, Inc., the paper will investigate how well the company positioned itself in such industry. It will also give the management of the company’s performance evaluation and show whether its current strategy is sufficient to guide the company into its future. According to Prasad and Sahoo (2011), China, India, USA and Russia are among the top countries where people use mobile phones and this number is increasing as the users are interested in having more than one device at a time. That fact gives many local and international companies to be interested in setting their business in such promising markets (Prasad & Sahoo, 2011). Thus, Xiaomi, a Chinese company, worlds 3rd largest smartphone distributor focused on selling its low-cost phones with its flash sales, which have helped Xiaomi to get the top position in both 2014Q4 and 2014 in China. Apple, its main rival, placed the second position in 2014Q4 since its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were only launched in China. Huawei takes the third place in terms of smartphone shipments, because it had many models in the low-end and mid-range segment (The China Smartphone Market Picks Up Slightly in 2014Q4, IDC Reports, 2015). The success of Xiaomi is explained by smart people once collected from Google, Kingsoft and Microsoft in order to create hardware, software and internet devices. It is now the international company that satisfies customers’ needs in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines India and Indonesia (About Xiaomi, (n.d.). Reid (2014) states that in its desire to overtake its main rivals, Samsung and Apple, Xiaomi successfully uses Chinese and

Assignment on Eastern and Western Europe Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On Eastern and Western Europe - Assignment Example Due to the second World War, the so called Iron Curtain was established in Eastern and Central Europe. During this time, the Soviet Union established a strong program of influence on many of these Eastern Bloc countries, making them so called satellite states, under complete control of the Soviet Union, sometimes through its support of autocratic dictators. This reflected the historical problems of approaching true communism from an Eastern Bloc perspective, as a direct result of the growing tensions between the USA and USSR in post-World War II Berlin. After the closing off of Berlin and the separation of an entire city by the infamous Berlin Wall, the stage was set for the metaphor of the literal division of Europe. In the west, there was a lot of cultural and hegemonic influence from societies based on the concept of approaching socialism in some cases, but not true communism, and in many cases, very strong capitalism. In the east, there was the dominance of the Soviet power, whic h then aligned with local power in the creation of Eastern and Central European puppet regimes. #2 Central European countries that were more â€Å"Western† in their focus included Hungary and Poland. â€Å"Eastern† countries included the Baltic states and more northern areas. Poland seems to the lay person to be more similar to Germany than to Russia. The Czech Republic seems closer to Germany as well, considering the amount of German spoken there. Hungary seems more Russian, as do the Baltics. Of course, there are objective and subjective considerations to keep in mind, when it comes to ascribing national characteristics, or characteristics that are seen or said to be based on nationality. In any case, the cultural influence of other states and cultures can be divided between western and eastern ideas, in terms of political structure, and if the east is considered to be

Realism in Romantic poetry Essay Example for Free

Realism in Romantic poetry Essay Reality is abstract, as it depends on every individual’s own perspective. When Wordsworth says, â€Å"world is too much with us†, it depends on us how we look at the world, as every being has a world of his own. We acknowledge the events around us with whom we can relate, but ignore many other changes considerable for others. Most of the times, Romantics are considered escapist, and are alleged that their writings reflect an Imaginary world far from the reality surrounding us. But going through various poems of Wordsworth and Coleridge, I find it vice versa. â€Å"All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. Never did sun more beautifully steep In his first splendor, valley, rock, or hill; Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! The river glideth at his own sweet will: Dear God! The very houses seem asleep; And all that mighty heart is lying still! † [Westminster Bridge; Wordsworth; Sept 3,1802] The allegation that Wordsworth moved from the harsh realities of the cities brought about by the industrial revolution initiated in 1765. This allegation was made relatively stronger by placing Wordsworth vis-a-vis Victorian realism. In my view such an allegation is a product of superficial readings of his poems. The poem composed upon ‘Westminster Bridge’ illustrates keen sense of socio-economy of the then London. It describes the urban landscape departing from his stock theme based on rural landscape. It talks about the landscape of the city which has been divested to its negative qualities. Like the smoke of the industries, the busy crowd, insensitive to its fellow man and the incessant desire in man to control nature. The term smokeless air is for him a matter to rejoice a state of the city distilled of the harmful effects of industrialization. The line, â€Å"the river glideth at his own sweet will† encapsulates the entire project of Wordsworth vis-a-vis the new call given by the middle class to conquer and exploit nature. In this sense his realism is much more pronounced and subtle than it is taken into account of. Citing from historical context, one can notice the involvement of the likes of Coleridge, Wordsworth and Lamb during French revolution. In 1798, the year ‘Lyrical Ballads’, a joint effort by Wordsworth and Coleridge, came out, was a turbulent period in England’s history. Hostilities had broken out between Her and France in 1793 (and was to last with unremarkable intermission for over twenty years), and by 1798, she was faring badly in the war. Wordsworth had, of course, visited France in 1791-92, and had been in Paris at perhaps the most critical of all the great moments of the French Revolution that began with the destruction of the notorious prison of the Bastille in July 1789. (Coleridge’s poem, An Ode on the Destruction of the Bastille). The political tussle between the Girondins and the Jacobins were at a height, and Wordsworth saw clearly the slow rise of the Jacobins under Robespierre. He felt a deep concern for the Girondin leaders whom he felt were the genuine revolutionaries. He believed in the â€Å"reasonableness† of human nature and also believed passionately that men were â€Å"worthy of liberty†. Wordsworth’s early republicanism, his concern for France and the Revolution is described memorably in his long and autobiographical Prelude: Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very Heaven! O times, In which the meager, stale, forbidding ways Of custom, law and statute, took at once The attraction of a country in romance! The prelude testifies to the shock that Wordsworth felt in his â€Å"moral nature† when he saw the Revolution that was to redeem mankind, turn to dust. For many, Tom Paine, William Godwin, Coleridge and Wordsworth, the French Revolution was not simply as struggle of a people to be free- it was mankind’s struggle to achieve something better- a new age for the entire human race- when aristocracy and class privilege would give to democracy and â€Å"Reason† would destroy the fetters of superstition and tyranny. Coleridge, like Wordsworth, had been swayed by the ideals of the Revolution, but the savagery and unrestrained mob frenzy under the Terror disillusioned him as did the rise of Napoleon and France’s aggressive conquests of other European nations. In France, An Ode and Fears in Solitude, Coleridge describe his feelings with candour: O France, that mockest Heaven, adulterous, blind, And patriot only in pernicious toils! Are these thy boasts, Champion of humankind? To mix with kings in low lust of sway, Yell in the hunt, and share the murderous prey; To insult the Shrine of Liberty with spoils From freemen torn; to tempt and to betray? [France, An Ode] British sympathizers of the French Revolution like Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey were lampooned in the conservative press. Coleridge was so much influenced by William Godwin’s idea (Political Justice, 1793) of rejection of authority, abolition of private property, creation of a just state that along with Robert Southey, he was ready to set sail for America to establish a perfect state along the lines charted by Godwin. The political ideas of Wordsworth and Coleridge was also strengthened by pursuing the ideological goals of Unitarianism (which verged on radical deism) and drew heavily on the ideas of English â€Å"Commonwealthman† of the seventeenth century. Side by side to these intellectual debates between the conservatives and the liberals, the economic and the human cost of the war proving to be enormous. In the country, rural poverty was becoming acute and the number of beggars, starving children, gypsies, wounded soldiers roaming the country lanes could be seen from early poetry. Wordsworth’s poetic capability to recreate the sorrows and hardships of these homeless, starving populace is one of his lasting achievement as a poet. The Old Cumberland Beggar in poem of the same name, the traveler of Guilt and Sorrow, the blind London beggar in The Prelude are all powerful figures of forsaken humanity who become permanent symbols of the human condition. The effect of industrialization was viewed by both Wordsworth and Coleridge with a mixture of excitement and distrust. The new industrial cities- Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, by 1815, contained a large population that had come from the country to look for work, and both Wordsworth and Coleridge were increasingly worried about the rising number of poor. Against the expanding complexities of men living in an industrial wasteland, the destruction of old livelihoods and an increasing impossibility to believe in a benign Providence, harmony with Nature offered the Romantic poets another way of life. The disruptive force of the French Revolution added the impetus to romanticism. There are individual differences among the great romantic poets concerning the conception of nature. But all of them share a common objection to the mechanistic universe of the eighteenth century- even though Wordsworth admires Newton and accepts him, at least in the orthodox interpretation. All romantic poets conceived of nature as an organic whole, on the analogue of man rather than a concourse of atoms- a nature that is not divorced from aesthetic values, which are just as real (or rather more real) than the abstractions of science. My conclusion concerning the romantic poets may be unorthodox and even unconventional. On the whole political criteria seem grossly overrated as a basis for judging a man. References Blake, Wordsworth and Coleridge [Edited by Debjan Sengupta and Shernaz Cama; Worldview Critical Editions] The Prelude by William Wordsworth An Ode on the Destruction of the Bastille by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Assistant Practitioner Providing Support For A Diabetes Patient

Assistant Practitioner Providing Support For A Diabetes Patient The following paper will reflect on an experience as a trainee assistant practitioner which involved the care and support of a patient with type 1 diabetes. For this reflection I will use Bill as a pseudonym name for my patient as The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) states that. The common law of confidentiality reflects that people have a right to expect that information given to a nurse or midwife is only used for the purpose for which it was given and will not be disclosed without permission. This covers situations where information is disclosed directly to the nurse or midwife and also to information that the nurse or midwife obtains from others. For this assignment Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) will be utilised as I feel comfortable with this model. Gibbs (1998) refers to the experience as an incident which involves exploring good and bad feelings, however Johns (1995) suggests that the fundamental purpose of reflective practice is to enable the practitioner to interpret an experience in order to learn from it. Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition in which the body cannot control the amount of glucose in the blood. This is because the body cannot produce the natural hormone insulin. Diabetes is a common, lifelong condition and as Zimmet et al (2001) identify that in developed countries one person in thirty may be affected and it is likely that by 2025 there will be three hundred million people with diabetes worldwide, this is mainly the result of more sedentary lifestyles and increased obesity. In 2006 Diabetes UK estimated that there were more than two million people with diagnosed diabetes and up to one million who are still undiagnosed (Diabetes UK 2006). A holistic approach to this long term condition is essential as it can come with so many complications. Complications may arise from inadequate management and treatment of the condition, which can adversely affect the quality of life and have financial implications for patients and the National Health Service (DH2001). There are two types of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes there is no production of insulin by the beta (ß) cells of the pancreas. In type 2 diabetes, which accounts for over 80 per cent of all cases of diabetes, insulin is produced by the ß cells and is released into the bloodstream, but it subsequently fails to act properly at the sites of glucose uptake, which are skeletal muscle, liver and adipose tissue (Donnelley and Garber 1999, Reginato and Lazar 1999). As a trainee assistant practitioner I was asked by the district sister to visit Bill to do a blood test which had been requested by the general practitioner as Bill is housebound and unable to attend a blood clinic. The blood test was to check his full blood count and HbA1c which had not been done for almost a year. Bill is seventy four years of age, lives alone and has lived with diabetes for many years. Bills wife passed away a year ago and has one son who lives many miles away so sees him very little; he does however have a neighbour who pops in to check on him now and again. Bill administers his own insulin in the mornings and checks his blood sugar levels daily before giving his insulin. My first impressions of Bill were that he looked frail and quite pale but having not met him before this may have been the norm for him. Whilst taking the blood sample I began chatting to Bill and he started to tell me that he had several episodes of feeling unwell recently and on that morning he had felt particularly unwell. I asked him to explain why he felt unwell and what symptoms he was experiencing. He explained the symptoms included shaking in his hands, feeling lightheaded and a fuzzy headache. As a trainee assistant practitioner I felt it necessary to explore what was wrong with Bill even further. First of all I began taking some basic clinical observations, his blood pressure was 140/90, pulse 80 and regular which were both within normal limits. He appeared pale and clammy so I checked his blood glucose level which was 3.2mmols; Bill was suffering from hypoglycaemia. Blood glucose levels are normally maintained within relatively narrow limits at about 5-7mmol/l (Williams an d Pickup 2004). My immediate concern was to ensure Bills blood glucose levels did not drop any further and the priority was to take short term action and increase his blood sugar to prevent it becoming any worse. Bill had no glucose tablets or glucogen so with his consent I looked in his fridge and cupboards to find something that would increase his blood sugars quickly. All that was in his fridge was a carton of milk a few slices of bread and some jam, I promptly gave him a drink of milk and made a jam sandwich. I felt it was my responsibility to sit with Bill until his blood glucose returned to acceptable levels and he had recovered from this episode of hypoglycaemia. I took Bills blood glucose levels every ten minutes until it returned to a safe and acceptable level. Bills blood sugar was now 5.2mmols and he was feeling brighter I checked to see if he ever recorded his blood glucose levels or kept a record of administration of his insulin but there was nothing. I asked him about his diet he said he hadnt been feeling up to eating much, I asked who did his shopping which he informed me his neighbour gets his milk and bread and a few other little bits when he needed them. I was aware that the lack of food in the house was probably the cause of Bill suffering from hypoglycaemic attacks. Hypoglycaemia occurs when the blood glucose level falls below 4mmol/L and is a common side effect of insulin therapy. Causes of hypoglycaemia include missed or late meals, not eating enough, taking too much insulin, exercise and excessive alcohol. National Health Services Choices (2009) state that hypoglycaemia should be treated with fast-acting carbohydrate, for example, 3-6 glucose tablets, 150ml fizzy drink or 50-100ml Lucozade, and followed up with a longer-acting carbohydrate, for example, biscuits or a sandwich. Glucose gels, for example, GlucoGel are useful to raise blood glucose levels and blood glucose should be recorded five to ten minutes after treatment. After ensuring that Bills hypoglycaemic attack had subsided and he was feeling better I made him a cup of tea and left him another sandwich that he could have at lunchtime. My initial feelings were of concern for Bills safety in the future and as a trainee assistant practitioner I knew that it was my responsibility to see my mentor immediately to discuss the situation. I was satisfied that I had taken the time to find out what was wrong with Bill and that he had recovered from his hypoglycaemic attack which I may not have taken time to do in my previous role. From the years of working in the community nursing setting experience I was fully aware that other mutli-displinary agencies may need to be involved in the care of Bill. I returned to the office and fed back to my mentor and later that day we returned to Bill and a full assessment was undertaken, it came to light that Bill had been struggling for some time with his diabetes, personal care and shopping and housework. It was decid ed by my mentor that for the interim period until care and support for Bill could be implemented that the district nursing team would administer his insulin that way his blood glucose levels could be regularly recorded and ensure that he has eaten something. He was also referred to the community diabetic nurse for a review of his insulin regime. Dietary management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes Nutritional therapy is an integral part of effective management of diabetes and has a vital role in helping people with diabetes to achieve and maintain optimal glycaemia control (Delahunt 1998, UKPDS 1990).I visited the general practitioner surgery and obtained some patient information on diabetes care and diet and took them to Bill, with the supervision of my mentor I sat with him and read through them. Once a care package was in place the carers would be informed of what foods Bill should and should not have and they would help with meal preparation. The British Diabetic Association (1999) suggest that ideally dietary information should be delivered by a diabetes specialist dietician, however in the case of Bill awaiting an appointment to see the dietician would have taken time and the information was needed on a more urgent basis. McGough (2003) suggest that structured patient education plays an important role in enabling people with diabetes to manage their diabetes on a day-to-day basis and a greater emphasis should be on the benefits of regular physical activity and weight management. More flexibility in the proportion of monounsaturated fat and carbohydrate in dietary intake and sucrose should no longer be restricted to a specific amount. For Bill initially it was essential that he was provided with regular meals and snacks at least three times daily to prevent any further hypoglycaemic attacks. An urgent referral was sent to members of the multi-disciplinary team and a meeting was arranged the following day with a social services. Referrals were also sent to the community diabetic nurse, dietician and foot health services. On assessment with my mentor she identified that Bill had not been washing properly and had not cut his toe nails for some time, Bill was also experiencing pain in his legs and feet. Bi ll was likely to be experiencing diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and I completed a pain assessment chart with him. Hill (2009) identifies that painful neuropathy affects the feet, typically causing burning or stabbing pain, which is particularly apparent at night. This was a mirror of what Bill described his pain as and we reassured him that his pain control would be discussed with his general practitioner as at present Bill took no analgesia at all and there was none in the house. The general practitioner prescribed paracetamol 1000mg four times daily initially as he felt that the pain may improve once more control had been gained again with his diabetic control. I returned to assess Bills pain control several days after commencing paracetamol and it had improved, he was still experiencing slight discomfort but felt that he would like to continue on this regime as he did not want anything stronger at the present time. It was agreed with Bill that this would be reviewed again the fo llowing week. A joint visit was done with the diabetic nurse, my mentor and myself and it was identified that Bills technique of giving his own insulin was poor due to poor dexterity in his hands and he was unable to turn his insulin pen properly or read the digits on the pen clearly. It was unclear how long Bill had been trying to manage in this way but Bill would certainly need long term care with his insulin from the district nursing team. The diabetic nurse identified that Bills eyesight was particularly poor and that he had not had his eyes checked for several years. Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of blindness and many patients do not have any symptoms of the damage occurring in the retina until the complications have become advanced. NICE (2008) recommend annual screening for all patients with diabetes and that a record of the retina is made by digital imaging for year on year comparison to identify the development and progression of retinopathy. The general practitioner was informed that Bill had not had his eyes checked and he agreed that he would refer him for retinopathy screening. As a trainee assistant practitioner I have learnt valuable knowledge in the management and care of patients with diabetes, from Bill requiring a routine blood test he has become a complex patient with multiple problems related to his diabetes. Due to the word limitations of the essay all areas of complications relating to diabetes could not be covered but through researching and reading around the topic I am aware of other complications such as nephropathy, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease. I have continued as an assistant trainee practitioner to visit Bill and monitor his progress with my mentor. His blood glucose levels have improved and are maintained controlled between 6-9mmols. Bill has needed some psychological support as he is used to seeing few people and all of a sudden his life has changed and he has several members of the multidisciplinary team visiting and reviewing him regularly. Overall I feel a sense of satisfaction that from a routine bl ood test and utilising a more advanced role all of this relating to Bill has been identified and his health and care are much more improved.

Marketing Plan Of Coca Cola Company Marketing Essay

Marketing Plan Of Coca Cola Company Marketing Essay Introduction: Coca Colas path to nearly universal recognition as a consumer product began by means of a peddler of patent medicines in Atlanta, Georgia in the year 1886. This individual one John Stith Pemberton had an ingenious idea. Why sell 75 pennies or Pound medicine bottles? This was a marketing strategy limited to the sick. Why not sell a single serving for a nickel? In the Deep South of the U.S. everyone might afford 5 ¢ for a cold invigorating soft drink. The nickel Coke was born. At the time, no one might have predicted that it would be almost 1960 before the nickel Coke was finally gone. (Allen, 1994) Today, if one scans the economic literature on price rigidity, he/she will find documented cases on how a number of prices seem to be sticky for significant periods of time. For example, Bergen, 2002 examines data on magazine prices plus finds that their prices transform regarding every 3-6 years. Using the Bergen, 2002 transaction price data, Bergen, 2002 finds that, It is not unusual in a number of industries for prices to individual buyers to remain untransformed for several years Bergen, 2002 studies catalogue prices of 12 retail goods over a 35-year period plus reports that the average time flanked by price transforms is regarding fifteen months. Blinder, et al. (1998), presenting detailed survey evidence as of U.S. firms, concludes that the average lag of price adjustments following supply or demand transforms is 3 months. Bergen, 2002 studies apartment rental prices in the U.S. using the Annual Housing Survey data, plus finds that over the period of 1974-1981, flanked by 23 as well as 34 percent of the apartments had no transform in nominal rent as of one year to the next. The study by Bergen, 2002 examines the frequency of price transforms for 350 categories of goods as well as services covering regarding 70% of consumer spending in addition to documents frequent prices transforms, by means of half of prices lasting less than 4.3 months. (Bergen, 2002) On the other hand, the price of a serving of Coca-Cola did not adjust to supply or demand transforms for over 60 years, plus the nickel Coke did not entirely disappear as of U.S. markets until 1959 Over 70 years! The contrast is of an order of magnitude to say the least! Our goal in this paper is to study this unusual episode of price rigidity in detail as well as try to explain it. Understanding what appears to be one of the most long-lasting nominal price rigidity phenomena of the 20th century is valuable for several reasons. First, the Coca-Cola Business is one of the most successful in addition to documented producers of a consumer good in the world. Second, over most of the time period covered in this study, the soft drink industry was a non-negligible part of the U.S. economy. For example, as of 1945, the bottled non-alcoholic carbonated beverage industry had a nominal production value of  £579 million, or 0.26 percent of the  £222 billion Nominal GDP.4 The Coca-Cola Busine ss had a 50 percent plus market share of the industry, making its contribution alone economically significant, regarding 0.13 percent of the GDP. (Zbaracki, 2002) Marketing Strategy: Coca Colas spends loads on advertising however; the theme should be how to use it more effectively so the advertising program is simple.   Coca Colas should do direct mail, banner ads, and inserts, by means of inserts in the Register Guard likely to be the most successful of the campaigns.   Mission Coca Colas mission is to provide the customer the finest drinks as well as dining experience.   We exist to attract and maintain customers.   When we adhere to this maxim, everything else should fall into place.   The services should exceed the expectations of the customers.   Marketing Objectives Maintain positive, steady, growth each month. Generate maximum sales target each month. Experience an increase in novel customers who are turned into long-term customers. Realize a growth strategy of one store per year. Financial Objectives A double-digit growth rate for each future year. Reduce the overhead per store through disciplined growth. Continue to decrease the variable costs associated by means of food production. Target Marketing The souk can be segmented into two target populations: Individuals: sportsmen Families: during dinners as a popular fizzy drink, ceremonies and other family functions. Combining several key demographic factors, Coca Colas arrives at a profile of the primary customer as follows: Sophisticated markets all over the globe. Meant for all ages. All stores and supermarkets to keep the Coca Cola products on their shelves. Positioning Coca Colas should position itself as a reasonably priced, upscale, drink.   Consumers who appreciate high-quality fizzy drinks should recognize the value and unique offerings of Coca Colas drinks and its different promotions.   Coca Cola positioning should leverage their competitive edge: Product. The product should have the freshest ingredients including fizzy drinks, and might be smoothies and shakes can also be introduced.   The product should in addition be developed to enhance presentation, everything should be aesthetically pleasing. Service. Customer service should be the priority.   All employees should ensure that the customers are having the most pleasant delivery experience (by customer it is meant to mention the retailers and wholesalers).   All employees should go through an extensive training program and only experienced people should be hired. By offering a superior product, coupled by means of superior service, Coca Colas should excel relative to the competition. Strategy Pyramids The single objective is to position Coca Colas as the premier drinks , OR area, commanding a majority of the souk share inside five years.   The marketing strategy should seek to first create customer awareness regarding their services offered, develop that customer base, plus work toward building customer loyalty and referrals. The message that Coca Colas should seek to communicate is that Coca Colas offers the freshest, most creative, health conscious, reasonably priced, drinks.   This message should be communicated through a variety of methods.   The first should be direct mail.   The direct mail campaign should be a manner to communicate directly by means of the consumer.   Coca Colas should in addition employ  banner ads as well as inserts in the Register Guard.   This should be particularly effective for the reason that the Register Guard is a popular local paper that is consulted when people are looking for things to do in the global markets.   The last method for communicating Coca Colas message is through a grassroots PR campaign.   This campaign should leverage personal relationships by means of people on staff of the Register Guard to get a couple of articles written regarding Coca Colas.   One should be as of the trade point of view, talking regarding the opening of the restaurant and the people behind the venture.   This is likely to be run in the trade section.   The second article should be a food review that is what are the different foods a customer feels a fizzy drink is a must, this will help the company to make sure that its products and all the drinks range is available on such occasions which augments its sales;  In speaking by means of several dissimilar retailers plus restaurateurs, significant increases of traffic followed articles in the Register Guard.   For the reason that of this level of effectiveness and low/zero cost, Coca Colas should work hard to get press in the Register Guard. Marketing Mix Coca Colas marketing mix is comprised of these following approaches to pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service. Pricing. Coca Colas pricing scheme is that the product cost is 45% of the total retail price. Distribution. Coca Colas food should be distributed through a take out  model where customers can call in their order plus come to the  restaurant to pick it up, come into any restaurant free coke campaign will enable the , place the take out  order as well as wait for it to be completed, or come in and dine at the restaurant. Advertising and Promotion. The most successful advertising should be  banner ads and inserts in the Register Guard as well as a PR campaign of  informational articles plus reviews  in addition inside the Register Guard. Customer Service. Obsessive customer attention is the mantra.   Coca Colas philosophy is that whatever needs to be done to make the customer happy have to occur, even at the expense of short-term profits.   In the long term, this investment should pay off by means of a fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends by means of referrals. Marketing Research During the initial phases of the  marketing plan development, several focus groups were held to gain insight into a variety of patrons of drinks.   These focus groups provided useful insight into the decisions, as well as decision making processes, of consumers. An additional source of souk research that is dynamic is a feedback mechanism based on a suggestion card system.   The suggestion card system has several statements that patrons are asked to rate in terms of a given scale.   There are in addition several open ended questions that allow the customer to freely offer constructive criticism or praise.   Coca Colas should work hard to implement reasonable suggestions in order to improve their service offerings as well as show their commitment to the customer that their suggestions are valued. The last source of souk research is competitive analysis/appreciation.   Coca Colas should continually patronize local drinks for two reasons.   The first is for competitive analysis, providing Coca Colas by means of timely information regarding other drinks service offering.   The second reason is that local trade owners particularly drink owners, are often part of an informal fraternal organization where they support each others trade. Financials, Budgets, and Forecasts This section should offer a financial overview of Coca Colas as it relates to the marketing activities.   Coca Colas should address Break-even Analysis, sales forecasts, expense forecasts, and how those link to the marketing strategy. Break-even Analysis The Break-even Analysis indicates that  Ã‚ £40,000 should be needed in monthly revenue to reach the break-even point. Sales Forecast The first two months should be worn to get the company up and running.   By month three things should get busier.   Sales  should gradually increase by means of profitability being reached by the beginning of year two. Expense Forecast Marketing expenses are to be budgeted so that they are ramped up for months two through four plus then lower as well as plateau as of month five to month 10. Companys typically have increased trade in the fall.   This generally occurs for the reason that during the summer, when the weather is nice and it does not get dark until late, people tend to eat out less but due to hot weather drinks sell well.   As of months 10-12, the marketing costs should increase again. Controls The purpose of Coca Colas marketing plan is to serve as a guide  for the organization.     Implementation Milestones The following milestones identify the key marketing programs.   It is significant to accomplish each one on time, and on budget. Marketing Organization Kevin Lewis, the owner, is primarily responsible for marketing activities.   This is in addition to his other responsibilities, plus does depend on some outside resources for graphic design work, and creativity. Contingency Planning Difficulties and risks: Problems generating visibility. Overly aggressive as well as debilitating actions by competitors. An entry into the Eugene  souk  of an already existing,  company. Worst case risks might include: Determining that the trade cannot support itself on an ongoing basis. Having to liquidate equipment or intellectual property  to cover liabilities. The concept and product image of Coca Cola should attract 3 dissimilar customer profiles; The student further and further young people have developed healthy eating and fizzy drinking habits. Some in addition go through a health food phase while in college. The health conscious person of any age or sex this includes anyone on a restricted or prescribed diet or those who have committed to a healthy diet. Curious and open-minded if one tries it, one should like it. Through marketing, publicity, plus word-of-mouth, people should seek out a novel experience and learn that nutritious food can be tasty, fun, convenient, as well as inexpensive. The Competition There are over four dozen companies in the global markets that offer drinks at similar prices. Even though this presents an obvious challenge in terms of souk share, it in addition indicates the presence of a large, strong potential. The newest competitors have made their successful entry based on an innovative concept or novelty. Coca Cola should offer an innovative product in a familiar style at a competitive price. The aggressive plans of take-out and delivery should in addition give us an advantage to create a good souk share before the competition can adjust or similar concepts appear. Competitors Profile Competing by means of Coca Cola for the target souk are these categories of food providers: Independent table service companies of similar range and price structure. Chain Commercial foodservice companies serving students directly. Competitive Strategy There are three major manners in which we should create an advantage over the competitors; product identity, quality, plus novelty high employee motivation and good sales attitude Innovative as well as aggressive service options. Marketing Plan Sales Strategy Souk Penetration Entry into the souk has to not be a problem. The store has high visibility by means of heavy foot traffic all day long. The local residents and students always support novel flavours plus the tourists do not have fixed preferences. In addition,  £10,000 has been budgeted for a pre-opening advertising and public relations campaign. Marketing Strategy Focusing on the unique aspect of the product theme (quality fizzy drinks) a mix of marketing vehicles should be created to convey the presence, the image, as well as the message. Print media local newspapers, magazines and student publications Broadcast media local programming and special interest shows Hotel guides, concierge relations, Chamber of Commerce brochures Direct mail subscriber lists, offices for delivery Misc. yellow pages, charity events A public relations firm has been retained to create special events and solicit print and broadcast coverage, especially at the start-up. The marketing effort should be split into 3 phases; 1) Opening An advanced notice (press packet) sent out by the PR firm to all media plus printed announcement ads in key places. Budget  £10,000 2) Ongoing A flexible campaign (using the above media), assessed regularly for effectiveness. Budget  £10,000 3) Point of sale A well-trained staff can increase the average check as well as enhancing the customers overall experience. Word-of-mouth referral is extremely significant in building a customer base. Future plans and Strategic Opportunities Catering to offices (even outside of the local area) might turn out to be a large part of gross sales. At that point sales agent would be hired to directly souk the products for daily delivery or catered functions. Operations Compensation Incentives Coca Cola should offer competitive wages and salaries to all employees by means of benefit packages available to key personnel only. Board of Directors An impressive board of directors should be assembled that represents some top professional as of the area. They should be a great asset to the development of the company. Consultants Professional Support Resources At the present, no outside consults have been retained, excepting the design department at Best Equipment. Management to be Added We are presently searching for a general manager plus executive chef. These key employees should be well chosen and given incentives for performance and growth. Ownership The stockholders should retain ownership by means of the possibility of offering stock to key employees if deemed appropriate. Long-Term Development Exit Plan Goals Coca Cola is an innovative concept that targets a novel, growing souk. We assume that the souk should respond, plus grow quickly in the next 5 years. The goals are to create a reputation of quality, consistency and security (safety of food) that should make us the leader of a novel style of dining. Strategies The marketing efforts should be concentrated on take-out and delivery, the areas of most promising growth. As the souk changes, novel products might be added to maintain sales. Risk Evaluation By means of any novel venture, there is risk involved. The success of the project hinges on the strength plus acceptance of a fairly novel souk. After year 1, we expect some copycat competition in the form of other independent units. Chain competition should be much later. Exit Plan Ideally, Coca Cola should expand to more units with increased supply of drinks in the next 10 years.

Human Evolution :: The Future of Human Evolution

For centuries, man has been curious about his origins and the origins of the life surrounding him. Countless explanations have been formulated using â€Å"evidence† that â€Å"proves† the story to be true. However, in 1859, Charles Darwin published a monumental theory in his book called The Origin of Species. In his book, Darwin outlined his theory of evolution by natural selection (Darwin, 1859). Although complex, this story is extremely useful in explaining the origins and history of life as we know it. Today, however, man questions not only his past, but also his future. Based on Darwin’s theories of evolution, man can actively postulate his existence in the upcoming centuries. Do complex civilizations and advancing technologies give man the ability to outsmart evolution? Or will our technological advances doom us in the end? In order to begin to answer these questions, it is important to understand the basics about Darwin’s theories on evolution. First, Darwin stressed that populations and organisms are variable (Darwin, 1859). Without variation, evolution would not be a viable explanation for the progress of life. Although Darwin was aware that variation occurred because of his extensive observations of different populations, he was never able to pinpoint where this variation came from. The answer lies in genetic material; heritable genes play a huge role in the evolutionary process. Genes are the medium through which variation is passed down through generations and can be affected by several different forces. Mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, non-random mating, and genetic recombination are all ways in which genes can be altered within a population (Mayr, 2001). Darwin understood that organisms are variable, but for a long time he lacked a mechanism, or a driving force, of evolution. Natural selection, or a complex natural process of elimination, turned out to be one of Darwin’s most ingenious contributions to evolutionary thought (Mayr, 2001). Natural selection is the process by which genetic variation is sorted through and selected for through the organism’s ability to survive. Selection may be due to environmental conditions, competition with other species, or reproductive success. Those organisms that survive can then go on to reproduce, and their offspring then carry the successful traits.

The Shortcomings of College Education Essay -- Personal Narrative

The Shortcomings of College Education "The more we know the world around us, the more successful we will be." This quote, from the introduction of my high school chemistry book, was my driving force as a teenager to attend college. My expectations of college were to gain insight into a world that I had not yet discovered. I had high aspirations of receiving a good education and obtaining a good job when I graduated. But four years later when graduation day arrived, I felt unfulfilled. In evaluating my education, I realized that I learned how to get good, but not great grades. I learned how to study to make the most of my time. The focus I shared with many of my peers was not always to appreciate the information received, but rather, to value the counsel from someone else who previously took that professor's class and maybe to be lucky enough to get a hold of last semester's examinations. Basically, I acquired useful skills for any job: to follow directions, to give the boss what he or she was asking of me, and to network and gain insight from other colleagues. It was still disturbing to me that after four years of schooling, I felt I had not received the education I initially expected. Overall, college does not bring out the full academic potential of the students who invest the time and money into an education. Teachers need to set aside their biases and restructure and develop curriculum, as well as student-teacher relationships, in order to truly develop college students into freethinking, exploratory people. Structured, pertinent curriculum is the foundation of a good class. If students are not interested in the information presented, then the class has no value to the student but to merely satisfy a graduation requir... ...heir instruction, they they should stay in the field or in the labortory where their energy is concentrated. Quit wasting the time and money of the students and give college instructors the fair evaluations they deserve. Set standards for their positions and hold them accountable for skills in teaching, not just their content knowledge. Works Cited Cheney, Lynne V. "PC: Alive and Entrenched." In The Presence of Others: Voices that Call for Response, edited by Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1997. Glasser, William. "Noncoercive Discipline." In Building Classroom Discipline, edited by C.M. Charles. New York: Longman Press. 1999. Rose, Mike. "Lives on the Boundary." In The Presence of Others: Voices that Call for Response, edited by Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1997.

Osmosis :: essays research papers

These results show that a potato chip placed in water will gain in length, a weak sugar solution will lose length and a strong sugar solution will lose length also. The results from this test will allow me to choose an appropriate range of moralities in order to find out what the concentration is inside the cell vacuole. I am going to investigate 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 molar sugar solutions. I have chosen these concentrations to try and accurately find when there is no net movement of water, hence the concentration of the cell vacuole. From previous work done on osmosis, I predict that molarity and average change in mass/ length will be indirectly proportional. I think there will be a negative correlation between the two. I think that there will be both loss and gain in mass discovered. I think the graph will look like this 89/5489/15489/image005.jpg" align="left" hspace="12">but there will be no plasmolysed on my graph, as I do no expect my measurements to go that far. I hope to be able to identify the point when there is no net movement of water. Analysis of Results The Consequences of Osmosisin plant cells: Plant cells always have a strong cell wall surrounding them. When the take up water by osmosis they start to swell, but the cell wall prevents them from bursting. Plant cells become "turgid" when they are put in dilute solutions. Turgid means swollen and hard. The pressure inside the cell rises, eventually the internal pressure of the cell is so high that no more water can enter the cell ...... The type of potatoes themselves will have to be kept the same all the way through the experiment. This is because each potato may have a different membrane and a different amount of pores. Also the water content in each potato could vary. This can be explained by saying that the potatoes in the middle of the sack will have a higher water content, because it is more humid in the middle of the sack which is opposite to the potatoes on the outside of the sack. To get rid off this unfairness, I will pre-treat all the potatoes that I will use in my experiment. This means that I will keep all my potato cylinders in the same environment over night in a beaker full of sucrose solution. When plant cells (potatoes) are placed in concentrated sugar solutions they lose water by osmosis and they become "flacc . Osmosis :: essays research papers These results show that a potato chip placed in water will gain in length, a weak sugar solution will lose length and a strong sugar solution will lose length also. The results from this test will allow me to choose an appropriate range of moralities in order to find out what the concentration is inside the cell vacuole. I am going to investigate 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 molar sugar solutions. I have chosen these concentrations to try and accurately find when there is no net movement of water, hence the concentration of the cell vacuole. From previous work done on osmosis, I predict that molarity and average change in mass/ length will be indirectly proportional. I think there will be a negative correlation between the two. I think that there will be both loss and gain in mass discovered. I think the graph will look like this 89/5489/15489/image005.jpg" align="left" hspace="12">but there will be no plasmolysed on my graph, as I do no expect my measurements to go that far. I hope to be able to identify the point when there is no net movement of water. Analysis of Results The Consequences of Osmosisin plant cells: Plant cells always have a strong cell wall surrounding them. When the take up water by osmosis they start to swell, but the cell wall prevents them from bursting. Plant cells become "turgid" when they are put in dilute solutions. Turgid means swollen and hard. The pressure inside the cell rises, eventually the internal pressure of the cell is so high that no more water can enter the cell ...... The type of potatoes themselves will have to be kept the same all the way through the experiment. This is because each potato may have a different membrane and a different amount of pores. Also the water content in each potato could vary. This can be explained by saying that the potatoes in the middle of the sack will have a higher water content, because it is more humid in the middle of the sack which is opposite to the potatoes on the outside of the sack. To get rid off this unfairness, I will pre-treat all the potatoes that I will use in my experiment. This means that I will keep all my potato cylinders in the same environment over night in a beaker full of sucrose solution. When plant cells (potatoes) are placed in concentrated sugar solutions they lose water by osmosis and they become "flacc .

A Case Study of Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom Essay

Both parents worked long hours, Tammy’s father is a pie and cookie chef at the locate bread factory, he leaves for work at 5:00 a. m. and gets home by 3:00 in the evening. Her mother works at the mall as a sales manager at one of the clothing stores. Tammy’s mom sees all the children off to school before she has to be at work, she works 10:00 a. m. until 9:00 p. m. at night. She is usually home to say good-night to the children. There are five children in the family: Richard is 6 years old and in the first grade, Barbara is 9 years old and in the fourth grade, Allen is16 years old and a 10th grader, Diana is a 14 year  old 8th grader who has a learning-disability. A disorder in the basic psychological processes involving understanding or the use of language, which the disorder may reveal itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do Mathematics, (Heward, 2009, p 173) caused by a brain injury when she was 3 years old. Diana has always been in the special needs classroom. This is the first year of school in which Diana will be mainstream within a general classroom of 8th graders in the middle school. Researchers have consistently found a higher-than-usual  incidence of behavioral problems among students with learning disabilities, (Cullinan, 2007). Tammy is Diana’s 12 year old, younger sister and will be in the 7th grade at the middle school, too. Tammy has begin to realize and notice that her older sister is different from her and most of the other students at there school. Tammy fights with any student who tease Diana. Three weeks ago the girls’ mom was called in for a meeting with teachers and school counselors concerning Tammy’s behavior. Tammy has always been a good student, easy to get along with and respectful toward the teachers and school property. School started two months ago and Tammy has been misbehaving for the pass six weeks. In her classes, especially in A Case Study of Disruptive Behavior in The Classroom 3 homeroom, she verbally fights with the other students, she throws paper clips and other items in the room, sometimes at students and other times at the wall. Tammy has become withdrawn at school, she eats lunch with her sister and see her back to her next classroom. Tammy has been getting to most of her classes after the bell rings and want give a reason for it, instead she has become sullen and angry with her teachers. Tammy’s homeroom and P. E. teachers have called her a side and talked with her, this has not made a change in her attitude or behavior. Frustrated with Tammy’s disruptive behaviors, her teachers met after school to decide what to do about Tammy and other students’ behaviors in their classrooms, it has been decided that these students will have a one-on-one meeting with one of their teachers to review and add, if needed to their homeroom rules and procedures. One of Tammy’s teacher has no homeroom, she is free for the hour to discuss the classroom procedures and rules with Tammy during homeroom. These are the disruptive behaviors that Tammy’s teachers wish to correct: deliberate acting -out in classes; verbally fighting with peers and throwing items in the classroom; coming to class late, without a reason and she is not participating or working in class; she is withdrawn, sullen, and defiant; disrespectful when talking to her teachers and peers. The teacher realize that she and her coworkers have not been effectively teaching the students. She sets out to learn how to effectively teach and provide an interesting, stimulating, smoothly functioning, well-managed, and safe and secure learning environment for all students  at the middle school. The curriculum and lesson plans can be too challenging for some student, the student(s) can become disinterested, which can lead to disruptive behavior. There are a variety of learning styles, also family and environments problems, mental and physical challenges can be cause of disruptive behaviors in students, (Heward, 2009). Disruptive behaviors interferes with students’ personal, social, and educational development. A Case Study of Disruptive Behavior in The Classroom 4 These disruptive classroom behaviors leads to disciplinary consequences, which leads to thedevelopment of acceptable   classroom rules and procedures. The number one factor governing the students ability to learn is how well the teacher manages the classroom. A well managed classroom is task oriented and predictable, which includes effective teaching, which starts with teaching students to follow classroom rules and procedures the first weeks of school, (Gibbs, 2011). Each homeroom class at the middle school has developed classroom rules and procedures, which Tammy helped her homeroom class to developed. Because her behavior is disruptive in  most of classes, the teachers in each of Tammy classes have decided Canter’s three step behavior management cycle is needed and will be used to help Tammy correct and develop responsibility for her behaviors. Canter, (1992) three step â€Å"Behavior Management Cycle,† is a theory that outline how to deal with children discipline. I. Verbally behavior: effectively communicate the explicit directions you expect students to follow. II. Physical movement: use behavior narrative to support students following your direction, (students following classroom rules and procedures are to be praise). III. Participation: take corrective action with students who are still not following the classroom’s rules and procedures. All consequences need not be negative or harsh, such as the case with Tammy. When dealing with young adults its’ good to establish a rapport, its’ the most important ingredient, which causes a teenage student’s reluctance to be controlled into a willingness to be guided. Tammy is called outside her homeroom class by her teacher, once in the hall and out of hearing distance or the path-way of her peers, her teacher orally points out the rules. The rules Tammy and her peers  developed to eliminate classroom disruptive behaviors, along with corrective action or the A Case Study of Disruptive Behavior in The Classroom 5 consequences for students who do not comply with the rules and procedures. Tammy is re-mined of her verbal abuse toward her teachers and peers; she is asked, why do you throw paper clips and other items in the classroom; why do you no longer participate in class discussion or turn in completed homework assignment. Also, why are you late to class lately and why are you sullen and often withdrawn? Your attitude, your negative and harmful behavior toward others must change. You are old enough to no throwing things in the classroom can be harmful to others and you should not do it. You are talking out in the class and fighting with your peers. All these behaviors go against the rules of the classrooms. You use to make it to your class in five minutes like all the others. Your assignments were always completed in class and were correctly and neatly done. You was a smiling cheerful student and pleasant to everyone. All your teachers have notice changes in your behaviors. You are expected to change your attitude and behaviors; there should be no more disrespectful  talk to your teachers or peers, there will be no fighting in the halls or bathrooms, you will get to classes on time and follow the direction to complete your class assignments. Your parents have been mailed a letter, if necessary a meeting with a counselor and your parents will follow. Tammy is a preteen in middle school with an older sister, who should be in high school, but she has a learning disability. Diana is a special needs student who is being mainstream into general classes. This has caused Tammy to notice her sister’s learning disability behavior and  the way other students tease her for the fist time. Tammy feels she should protect her sister and fights with those students that tease Diana. Tammy refuse to listen to Diana, when she tells her the teasing is o k and she do not listen to it. After Tammy’s talk with her teacher, Tammy’s disruptive behaviors stopped. Her teacher also, set up a meeting with Tammy, Diana, their parents and the a school counselor for families. The A Case Study of Disruptive Behavior in The Classroom 6 motivation behind Tammy’s disruptive behaviors was discover and handle. Rational and  irrational behaviors can be explained after what motivate a person to act is understood. , (Aveyard-Barry, 2013). Tammy has become a pleasant student. She no longer walk Diana to her classroom, but get to her own on time. Tammy do not feels she has to take care of her sister and is no longer resentful and angry. She is a happy 12 year old, middle school student. Tammy enjoy school and being with her peers. The school counselor place Diana in a homeroom with several girls on the after school sports teams of basketball, volleyball, and tennis. They encouraged Diana to join a team and has taken  it upon themselves to practice extra with her. They invited Diana to sit with them and some other students at lunch. *(I substitute for most classes, but wish to teach secondary school Mathematics and hope I could apply this behavior management to high school students. ) A Case Study of Disruptive Behavior in The Classroom 7 References Aveyard-Barry, M. , (2013), What Are the Causes of Behavior in a Classroom? www. ehow. com/print/info_7929261_causes-behavior-classroom . . . Canter, L. , Canter, M. ,(1976), Assertive Discipline: A Take-Charge Approach for Today’s Educator, p 72, 73.  Gibbs, N. , (2011), Workable Classroom and Procedures, Building Classroom Discipline, tenth edition, Ch. 6, p 106-111, http//gcumedia. com/digetal-resources/pearson/2011/building-classroom-discipline_ebook_10e. php. Heward, W. , (2009), Ohio State University, Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, ninth edition, p 173, 185. What Are The Steps of Canter’s Behavior Management Cycle? ,wiki. answers. com/Q/What . . . Canter’s_Behavior_Management_Cycle. Sarvesh, Motivation And Behavior, www. motivation. com. in/motivation-and-behavior. html.

Computing project Essay

The system will require a user name and a password to view or edit anything! Only one person is permitted to use the system, no-one else requires access   All files will also be password protected. Database   The instructor will be able to add or delete any records as needed   It will hold all necessary details Specific Objectives   The database will be able to create reports to show what stage the student is at   The database will calculate how many lessons a student has had and how much they have paid with plus if there are any outstanding balances remaining. My system is designed to help the instructor, the instructor has many problems with the current system, and many times it has cost him jobless hours. The current system is very old and has a lot of potential problems and I wish to make a system that eradicates these obvious problems. My system for a start will store the entire student details carefully and properly in line with all data protection acts. The main thing is that these details should not get lost and the instructor has access to this all the time so that he can contact the student at any time. The details should also be available so that it can be updated any time it needs to be. By having all these details stored onto the system it is kept safely and in one place rather than having paper forms lying about getting lost and muddled up, these forms will only be accessed only in one place so if the instructor needs these back in the office or at to work from at home then it is not possible to have multiple copies as it will not all be up to date. For example if a student changes the home phone number then the instructor will have to update every sheet of paper he has with the students phone number if he does not then it will be inconsistent and this can cause problems. The main reason for my proposal of this system is to ensure that the instructor does not continue double booking and not booking students at all. Currently at the end of a lesson the student asks for a booking and the instructor will look in his diary and book appropriately, many times what happens is the instructor looks at the wrong date, for example if the student asks for April 21st 2008 then the instructor may accidentally open may 21st 2008 and tell the student he is free. But in reality on that day an on that time he is busy. This is one of the things the instructor is complaining about and also another thing that has been drawn to my attention is that he misreads the time, so he tells the student that he is booked at 13:00 tomorrow but he is actually free he has a lesson at 3:00 not 13:00 so this is one way the instructor is loosing out on money. I wish to remove this issue and avoid these mistakes happening. GCE A2 Computing CPT 6 Ram Bhojani EXISTING SYSTEM Instructor Bookings | Ram Bhojani 13HAN PROPOSED SYSTEM DESIGN OVERALL SYSTEM Input Processes Student Name Calculate the number of lessons so far Student Number Calculate the total amount spent. Student Address Add a student Lesson Code Edit a student Price Per Lesson Delete a student Date and time of next lesson Search a Student Day Booked Search Availabilities Time Booked Edit a booking File Outputs Student Details Student details Availability Details Number of lessons each student has had Total spent Balances FORMS General Name Purpose Main Menu This allows the instructor to access the student details and availability details. Student Details This allows the instructor to view all details about a student. It also allows the instructor to print a report on the student progress Availability Details. This allows the instructor to see what dates and times are available in the next two weeks and make a booking. USER INTERFACE DESIGN MAIN MENU STUDENT DETAILS MENU AVAILABILITY DETAILS DATABASE DESIGN INCLUDING ER MODEL STUDENT (StudentName, StudentNumber, StudentAddress, LessonCode, PricePerLesson, DateAndTimeOfNextLesson) Availability (AvailableSlots, NextLessonBooked) RECORD STRUCTURE Instructor Field name Data type Size format Description AvailableSlots Date/time, Date time Shows what dates and times are available NextLessonBooked Date/time, Date time Name of student and the day, date and time of their next lesson. Student Field name Data type Size/format Description Student name Text, 20 The first name and last name of the student. Student number Number, 8 A Unique number given to each student for easy reference. Student address Text, 50 Full address of student, including postal address. Lesson code Number 5 A code that determines what sort of lesson they take, they can have an hour lesson, one and half-hour or pass plus. Price per lesson Number, Decimal 5,2 How much the student pays for each lesson Date and time of next lesson Date time Date time The next lesson student has booked. VALIDATION. I will use validation on some of the fields on the tables so there is less chance of wrong data being inputted. There are only some fields that can have validation but by ensuring they have a working validation it will mean that the system will not be wrong. Things that I can validate are numbers or specific number of characters. This is to make sure that the data entered conforms to a certain standard. The user cannot see the validation rules, so when they make a mistake they find out as an error message appears. VALIDATION Field Name Validation Type Validation Rule Error message Student Number Type Check. 8 digits The student number must be 8 digits Lesson Code Type check 5 Digits The lesson code must be 5 digits. STORAGE AND MEDIA FORMAT For my system I need to know how large each file will be so I have calculated the size of each field, and multiplied that but the amount of fields ii may get, to get an estimate of how large the file could get. Storage and media format Field name Number of records Size of record/ bytes Total size of records/bytes Student name 30 32 960 Student number 30 8 240 Student address. 30 65 1950 Lesson code 30 5 150 Price per lesson 30 8 240 Date and time of next lesson 30 16 480. Available lessons 31 20 620 Next lessons booked 6 134 804 Total 5444b 5. 4kb I have calculated that the approximate maximum size that I will need for the data to be stored will be around 6kb, which is small enough to fit on almost any data storage type. The most suitable storage device for this will be the hard disk drive on the laptop to be used. This means that the system will not be lost easily as it is not a portable storage device but on a actual laptop, which would be looked after carefully. There is a large amount of space on the hard disk meaning that there will be available space for expansion if necessary. Also the laptop can be connected to a computer in the office via a USB cable meaning that the data could be backed up and if needed archived. IDENTIFICATION OF SUITABLE ALGORITHMS FOR DATA TRANSFER Process to calculate Total number of lessons so far = ([Student Lessons])*([Total]) Process to calculate Total spent so far =([Total lessons])*([Price Per lesson]) Produce report of students ready for test Search through student details with criteria field Ready students to find matching records. If there are no matching records output an error message to the user. PLANNED VALID OUTPU.T. For my system outputs I have decided to create a report for students to see their progress. This will need to be created in Access. DESCRIPTION OF MEASURES PLANNED FOR SECURITY AND INTEGRITY OF DATA. The data must be kept secure and correct as this information’s is very confidential, if details of the student were to get lost or misplaced then this would be in breach of the data protection act. To keep the data secure I am going to make sure that the user backs up the data at the end of every working week and keeps this disc either safely at home or in the office. There will also be a back up of the main system so if it happens to crash or is damaged then it can be replaced. If the system does crash then the files will have to be manually transferred back into the system from the backup. DESCRIPTION OF MEASURES PLANNED FOR SYSTEM SECURITY The system will not be secured with passwords however the computer will have a password this will be set to expire every 28 days to ensure that the data is safe even if someone gains the password, the user will generally have to be careful and keep the laptop besides him at all times or lock it in a glove compartment. When the instructor goes home he can either take it with him and store it at home carefully or leave it at the office in a safe place. As my system is only designed for one person the password on the system should be a sufficient security measure. TEST STRATEGY The system must be thoroughly tested to make sure that no errors occur the system is up and running. This is logical because if errors occur when the user starts to use the system, it can cost time to get it fixed. Hopefully if my testing strategy is good enough, it will not have any errors when it goes live. I am going to use bottom up testing, to test the system. This involves testing each individual module using prepared test data, which includes normal data, extreme data, upper and lower limits and individual data after this is done I will test the program to see if every route through the program is tested, every statement is executed, accuracy of the processing and that the program fits the original specification. This will make sure that the system is running correctly as this is basically using the whole system. I am also going to test the system in a beta testing method, although this will be a small scale. I am going to give the system to the user for a week just to make sure that everything works correctly. IMPLEMENTATION Login Screen Main Menu This is the main menu of my programme from here there are three options availability details and student details. Finally you can exit. Testing Test ID Test Data Test/Type Reason for test Expected Results Actual Results Data Entry 1. My system does conisit of tables and menus, both the student details and availability detail screens are very simple, it just displays details about these two entities. The booking screen is more complex because it needs to be live, so when the instructor makes a booking it needs to update on the next lesson booked screen and the availability screen. PROCEDURE AND VARIABLE LIST/ DESCRIPTIONS FOR PROGRAMS OR LIST OF PACKAGE ITEMS DEVELOPED Type of item Item Name Descriptions Table Student Details Holds all the details of the students that the instructor teaches, this includes first name, last name, address, phone number and the details of their next lesson that has been booked. Holds the details of all the available time slots in the coming fortnight, this allows the instructor only to see what is available, he can liaise with the student and once a slot is agreed a booking can be made. Form Make A Booking This form allows the user to make a booking for a lesson, he will need to enter the student number, and then first of all select a time and then the date. Once all these are selected the appointment is made. Form Next lesson Booked Has a list of students and the date and time of their next lesson, so the instructor can check on this if he receives a query from the student. CREATION AND CUSTOMISATION OF THE DATABASE TABLES I created all my tables in Microsoft access; I then linked it up to visual basics, The table below is the Student Details table. It consists of mostly text and one field of number, the reason that the telephone number is a text field rather than a number is because telephone numbers usually start with a 0 and if I put the data type as numbers then it will not let me add a 0 at the front. USER MANUAL BRIEF INTRODUCTION The instructor database is a simple system to handle bookings given to the instructor. The system allows the instructor to control appointments already made and allows him to make new appointments. It allows him to keep electronic records of all students, past and present. The students all have unique student numbers that the instructor can use to search for them. It stores details about student’s names, addresses, telephone numbers and the lessons they have booked. There is a very easy to use form that allows the instructor to make a booking. Microsoft Access 2007 or later. To install the system one must either move the file onto the hard disc of the computer. This can be done by selecting the file ‘Instructor Database System’ and copying and pasting it into an empty folder on the hard disc, this maybe the best idea as there is a possibility a removable storage device could get lost or corrupt. This system could be also run from a removable storage device by opening the file and run it straight away. To back the system up the system the database file can be copied onto a USB pen or CD-R. When the system is going to be backed up, the file should be copied onto the USB pen, when this done a message box may appear asking if you want to replace the existing file just select ‘yes’ or ‘yes to all’. This would mean that the backup would be separated from the main system, meaning less chance of losing both the original and the backup. USING THE SYSTEM Here is a simple short set of instructions to use the system. When the instructor opens up they will be asked to log on, The username at the moment is Ian and the password is Burleigh. Once they enter all these details correctly it allows them to use the system. Once the instructor logs on, he will come to the main menu of the system, I am going to show him to basic things in this tutorial, how to find the phone number of a student and then how to make a booking. Below is the main menu, to get to the student phone number he has to select the student details button, then the screen will have three buttons saying details, he can select any of these three, they all do the same job. Once that is selected at the screen below will appear, there are no details at the moment, but once show details button is pressed all the details will appear. The instructor now needs to press the back button until he arrives back at the main menu, and then select availability details. Then select make a booking. Once the make a booing screen appears first he has to select the date that he wants, then the time and finally the student number. Once that is done press save and then it is saved. Appraisal Comparision of project performance against objectives. To compare the objectives and the performance , I will put the original objectives down and compare against each one. General Objectives Security. The database will be able to create reports to show what stage the student is at   The database will calculate how many lessons a student has had and how much they have paid with plus if there are any outstanding balances remaining. My system is designed to help the instructor, the instructor has many problems with the current system, and many times it has cost him jobless hours. The current system is very old and has a lot of potential problems and I wish to make a system that eradicates these obvious problems. My system for a start will store the entire student details carefully and properly in line with all data protection acts. The main thing is that these details should not get lost and the instructor has access to this all the time so that he can contact the student at any time. The details should also be available so that it can be updated any time it needs to be. By having all these details stored onto the system it is kept safely and in one place rather than having paper forms lying about getting lost and muddled up, these forms will only be accessed only in one place so if the instructor needs these back in the office or at to work from at home then it is not possible to have multiple copies as it will not all be up to date. For example if a student changes the home phone number then the instructor will have to update every sheet of paper he has with the students phone number if he does not then it will be inconsistent and this can cause problems. The main reason for my proposal of this system is to ensure that the instructor does not continue double booking and not booking students at all. Currently at the end of a lesson the student asks for a booking and the instructor will look in his diary and book appropriately, many times what happens is the instructor looks at the wrong date, for example if the student asks for April 21st 2008 then the instructor may accidentally open may 21st 2008 and tell the student he is free. But in reality on that day an on that time he is busy.