Write a reflective learning journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Write a reflective learning journal - Essay Example Whilst the slowdown of last year can be expected to influence the luxury sales growth to raise upto 2.5% for the Chinese consumers, many insignificant players are however predicting the sales growth to increase by â€Å"double-digit rates†. Organizations have now decided to exploit this prevailing trend in China to the fullest and niche brand fashion, clothing and beauty retailers like Lane Crawford, Galeries Lafayette and 10 Corso Como have started running their outlets recently in the locations of the mainland China. The minor boutique brands are on the growing phase in both the e-commerce and the brick-and-mortar domains. The online outlets for individuality such as new social media websites and fashion blogs are reshaping the tastes of the Chinese consumers in the coming years and the retailers are presenting more personalized and special-edition products, as well as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"VIP  services†, to the Chinese market (Doran, 2014). These changes are the result of incr eased penetration of online shopping trends and enhanced visits of the Chinese customers to the foreign nations. Thus it can be stated that in the recent months, the changes in the taste and preference of the Chinese customers has affected the fashion and clothing trends of the population and as a result more and more foreign brands are entering the nation to serve those transformed fashion patterns. PETA  has recently acknowledged the fashion brands that are "kind to animals" in its 2nd yearly PETA-Approved Vegan Fashion Awards. The long time promoter  of cruelty-free fashion, Stella McCartney  is pleased to be counted among the â€Å"long-time the line-up†. The designer stated to Vogue, "PETA are always willing to put their necks on the line and always with a provocative sense of humor† (Miligan, 2014). McCartney is strictly against the usage of animal skin and fur in apparel designing. She herself never used animal skins in her accessory or clothing

OI wk 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

OI wk 5 - Essay Example The company also targets schools and universities as a market for their products. Despite being a leader in soft drinks industry, the PepsiCo Company has been faced by stiff competition from other firms such as the Coca Cola Company. This has made it necessary for PepsiCo to adopt innovative strategies to ensure that their products continue to reach the desired market. This stems from the realization that it is important for the company to come up with innovative ways to reach the target market in a highly competitive market. The success of PepsiCo can be attributed to their ability to target new markets. PepsiCo has been known for its niche marketing. Market niche innovation refers to the ability of the company to open up new markets using the existing technology (Von Stamm, 2003). In earlier years the company targeted the black community as a market for their products. The company also targeted different communities and came up with strategies to reach this target markets. As a result of their innovative marketing, PepsiCo was able to raise sales in the targeted communities. At present the company continues to come up with more innovative ways to reach the desired market. These include a redesigning of the Pepsi cans to have a design that included more than 30 different backgrounds for each can. This is an example of the innovation that is carried out by PepsiCo to help in achieving growth and success. The PepsiCo Company is driven by the market share in reaching it niche market. This has made it easier for the Company to identify the proper channels of distributions for their products. To enable the Company to attain a larger market share, the company has developed distribution channels that allow it to reach its entire target market. The company has also expanded the distribution channels through globalization. In addition, the PepsiCo Company has reached to a wider market through the use of proper and targeted promotions. The company has also been able to

Policies for Child Protection

Policies for Child Protection Introduction and Overview The concept of children having specific rights is of comparatively recent origin. Traditional perceptions of society towards children have for centuries held them to be emotionally, physically and intellectually immature, incapable of looking after their own selves and inadequately equipped to make their own decisions (Bronfrenbrenner, 1979). With children furthermore being regarded as little more than possessions of parents, (with no personal rights of their own), the law has historically also granted unquestionable rights for chastisement and corporal punishment to parents (Bronfrenbrenner, 1979). The subservient status of children in British society even a hundred years ago can be gauged from the fact that whilst the prevalence of child cruelty was common knowledge in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals came into being, in 1840, practically half a century earlier than the creation of the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (Bronfrenbrenner, 1979). Such was the widespread social and political agreement on the rights of parents to do as they willed with their children. Even in the days of the industrial revolution the penalty for seriously harming an animal was far more severe than for causing grievous injury to a defenceless child (Bronfrenbrenner, 1979). Although preliminary work on enhancement of children’s rights started haltingly in 19th century Victorian England, the perceived need to take better care of children grew and received concrete legislative backing only in the first half of the 20th century (Maier, 1979). Initial work in the area however focussed primarily on health, safety and education of children, and stopped well short of intruding upon the foundational rights of parents, or the patriarchal rights of fathers with regard to ownership and control (Maier, 1979). Legislative inroads into the all encompassing rights of parents, vis-à  -vis their children, grew rapidly only after the Second World War, and resulted in (a) the rising legal authority of social workers to protect children, and (b) the establishment of rights of children for primary and secondary education, as well as for comprehensive health facilities (Prout, 2000). Whilst the interventionist policy of the British welfare state reached its apex during the late 1970s, (and was based upon the idea that the state had every right to step in for the protection of children, if those caring for them failed to do so), this approach was toned down significantly in the wake of the dismantling of the welfare infrastructure in the mid 1980s (Prout, 2000). The enactment of the Children’s Act 1989, in the wake of the 1987 Cleveland Report, (Therapy with Children) brought about a sea change in the practice of service delivery, and the state and agency relationship for social work practice was subsequently recast by New Labour into today’s working partnership approach (Prout, 2000). Partnership working, a process that is at the heart of current initiatives of service delivery in community and social work, involves, as per the Audit Commission of 1998, a â€Å"joint working arrangements where parties, (which) are otherwise independent bodies, †¦ agree to co-operate to achieve common goals, create a new organisational structure on process to achieve these goals, plan and implement a joint programme and share relevant information, tasks and rewards† (Aldgate Statham, 2001, p 36). Whilst partnership working in social work is not a brand new concept and was in fact taken up during the years of the welfare state, (in various urban and community development partnerships in the 1970s, as also in the regeneration partnerships in the 1980s), its use in service delivery became widespread only after New Labour, which had previously announced its intention of shifting from a culture of contracting to one of partnership, came to power in 1997 (Aldgate Statham, 2 001). The working partnership model for service delivery can be considered to be significantly different, both from the bureaucratic functioning of Old Labour and the market orientation of conservatives; it is based on trust and communication, rather than on command or on price mechanisms (Aldgate Statham, 2001). Debate over the growing authority of social workers with regard to the protection of children, especially in the context of their staying with their parents or being entrusted to care, reached significant proportions for the first time in 1975, in the case of seven year old Maria Caldwell, where the social worker misrepresented the actual position of the case to the court and forced the child to return to her natural parents, despite the child having formed close bonds with her foster parents (Bullock Others, 1993). With little heed having been paid to the wishes of the child, (who used to repeatedly run back to her foster home), the decision of the court, on the recommendation of the social worker, led to the tragic death of Maria. The conviction of her father for manslaughter was followed by public outrage and debate that resulted in the enactment of the Children Act 1975, which in turn called (a) for taking the feelings of children into account in care decisions and (b) for their right for representation by a court appointed social worker, rather than by the social services department of the local authority (Bullock Others, 1993). Whilst media and public debate continued to focus on the need for interdisciplinary working between health, education, social services, and the police, in issues relating to child protection, the next watershed occurred only in 1987 when 121 children in Cleveland were taken into care by social service authorities on concerns of physical and sexual abuse at their natural homes. With opinion on the issue being sharply divided with the social workers and the medical fraternity on one side and the media and the police on the other, the Cleveland Report, (prepared by a committee set up to specifically investigate the matter), commented adversely on the breakdown of communication between agencies and the dominant tendencies of agencies to act without considering the feelings of children; it also discussed the possibility that parents might well act against the interests of their children and recommended the need to involve children in the decision making process (Prout, 2003). The Children Act 1989, which was influenced by the findings of the Cleveland Report, caused a major shift in child care policy; away from state intervention in family life; towards partnership with families and caregivers; and with an emphasis on child intervention in decision making (Prout, 2003). Despite the introduction of such legal and policy safeguards, the tragic affair of young Victoria Climbie, who was abused, tortured, and ultimately killed, in April 2000, by her aunt and the man with whom she lived, under the eye of social service agencies, revealed that true partnership in working, and consideration of the wishes of the child, was yet to take place (Prout, 2003). Commentary The report that followed the death of Victoria Climbie was accompanied with the publication of a green paper called Every Child Matters, which focussed on four key themes, (a) increasing the focus on supporting families and carers, the most critical influence on children’s lives (b) ensuring necessary intervention takes place before children reach crisis point and protecting children from falling through the net, (c) addressing the underlying problems identified in the report into the death of Victoria Climbie, namely weak accountability and poor integration, and (d) ensuring that the people working with children are valued, rewarded and trained (Background to †¦, 2008). The green paper was followed by intense debate and consultation with people working in children’s services, parents, children, young people and other members of society, and led to the publication of Every Child Matters: the Next Steps, and the enactment of the Children Act 2004 (Background to †¦, 2008), steps that provided legislative support for developing more effective and accessible services directed around the needs of children, young people and families, and the use of partnership working in child protection, the focus of this essay. The rights of children in present day Britain are legally protected by laws that deal especially with the protection and well being of children, as well as by laws on health care, education, and social security (Prout, 2003). Children’s rights are protected by family law, education law and employment law. The United Nations Convention on Human Rights, ratified by the UK in 1991, not only gives children over 40 specific social, economic, cultural/civil and political rights, but also provides guidance on how governments should enumerate and protect these rights (Prout, 2003). Whilst the British legal framework provides a robust support system for safeguarding children’s rights, New Labour has, over the last decade also worked at establishing the concept of working in partnership by all bodies, schools, local authorities, medical relief agencies, carers, and parents, for protecting children; it is a concept that calls for active involvement of parents and consultation with children as well as for their participation in the decision making process (Milligan Stevens, 2006). With participation with children also being a key tenet of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the practice of service delivery is shifting to include the views, opinions and experiences of children and young people in care, as well as in their natural homes (Milligan Stevens, 2006). This principle, that of enabling children to participate in the decision making process, however continues to be a topic of intense debate, with many individuals still remaining unconvinced of the ability of children to rise above their emotional predilections and take logical decisions. As the recent case of Baby P, the 17 year old infant who was tortured and murdered by her mother and her boyfriend in Haringey Council of North London shows, it clearly does not apply to children who are too young to express their feelings or to develop opinions. Whilst the benefits of allowing children to participate actively in decisions that concern their emotional and physical well being have been underlined time and again and indeed are integral to the modern partnership working model, it is difficult to apply the same yardstick, as is normal with adults, to all children (Milligan Stevens, 2006). The maturity and learning of children, child psychiatrists confirm, are strongly influenced by their life experiences, which include their natural home or care environments and their access to health services, as well as by care and learning programmes (Emond, 2003). A number of research studies reveal that the quality of early childhood life and programmes can significantly improve the ability of children to do well in education, work and in life; this being especially true of children who are experiencing disadvantage (Emond, 2003). Whilst such studies do point towards the existence of sharp differences in the abilities of children from diffe rent backgrounds to participate in decision making, such issues are accentuated for children in care or in disturbed domestic situations, because of the absence of the democratic process in their everyday lives (Emond, 2003). Extant research also points to the fact that notwithstanding governmental initiatives and instructions to social workers to involve children in decision making, the views of children or youth are seldom considered, not just by administrators but also by researchers. Two recent research exercises one by Berridge and Brodie, in 1998, and Thomas, in 2005, on children’s homes, whilst delving in depth on views of managers and social workers, give scant attention to the views of children (Stevens, 2006). Such attitudes, which are too ingrained to be removed by recent legislation, dampen cognitive evolution and the ability and confidence of children to participate in decision making. â€Å"Residential child care units may be seen as sites where these micro-political processes can be seen at work. Children in residential child care tend to be among the most powerless in social terms and reports of their opinions rarely contain their actual views† (Stevens, 2006). The extent to which children can participate, experts argue, can also be linked to the way they are perceived in society. Children in care are by and large perceived with ambivalence, either as possible victims who require to be taken care of, or as potential threats who need controlling; â€Å"one of the consequences of this ambivalence is that they are seen as passive recipients of services, and not as â€Å"active and creative actors, as a subject and citizen with potentials† (Stevens, 2006). Osborne and Bromfield (2007) concluded on the basis of an extensive study on children in care that the decision making facilities of such children can be affected in small and large ways by a multitude of developments. â€Å"Even small oversights can have a lasting and negative impact on the child or young person; for example, not being told why workers had moved on, or not being able to bring a pet to a new placement. Such occurrences can compound feelings of loss, grief, sadness and the feeling of being ‘different’ from other children and young people† (Osborne and Bromfield, 2007) A â€Å"CREATE† Foundation report (2004) found that children were also affected by negative care experiences that arose from systemic defects like the ones elaborated below: â€Å"(a) slow systemic procedures that prevented timely and adequate response, (b) court processes that did not adequately consult with children and young people, (c) lack of resources, support and training for carers and caseworkers, (d) inadequate early intervention strategies to support families to stay together and prevent entry into care (e) inadequate entry into care support, (f) inadequate support and preparation for young people preparing to leave car, and (g) inadequate post-care support.† (CREATE Foundation, 2004) Similar issues come up when children live in disturbed natural homes and feelings of insecurity and attachment could well make them cling on to oppressive natural parents or opt to remain in distressful conditions. Issues of culture and overall family environment also play a large part in shaping the response of children in disturbed homes, and partnership agencies and parents need to understand this phenomenon and respond accordingly. Children from ethnic backgrounds often face specific challenges on account of the different cultural environment of their homes, their inadequate English language skills, and the exclusion of their families from mainstream society. â€Å"There is apparent under-reporting of child sexual abuse in Britain’s Asian communities and a varied capacity amongst professionals to respond with cultural competence. Professional approaches originate in cultural contexts, which are often different from those of most British Asians. If the proportion of children and non-abusing carers from Asian communities who access relevant services is to increase, professionals need to develop better understandings of cultural imperatives which determine behaviour in those communities. Consultations with Asian women in Bradford reinforce the view that culturally competent practice and respectful dialogue are essential to the protection of children. They also highlight a number of recurring themes. Members of Asian communities are aware of child sexual abuse, they recognize that the issue needs to be addressed by all communities and they report that many of those affected within their own communities have found it difficult to acces s relevant services† (Gilligan, Akhtar, 2005). Decisions regarding removal of children from natural homes also need to take account of the influence of grandparents and fathers upon children and not be swayed totally by considerations of maternal ability and circumstance. With the role of grandparents in the lives of children reducing steadily, the role of fathers in child development, welfare and protection has never been more important. Fathers play critical roles in child development that often go much beyond that of providers of economic security, and incorporate nurturing, caring and supporting activities. Fathers play strong roles in (a) healthy child development in the home and school context, (b) creation of gender identity for both male and female children, (c) responsible sexuality and reduction of teen pregnancy, (d) emotional and social commitment, and (e) financial security. Whilst current service methodologies are women focussed, with social workers feeling more comfortable working with mothers, partnership working calls for much greater involvement of fathers, where possible, as well as consideration of the feelings of children about being separated from their fathers. â€Å"Mothers are the gate keepers to the father’s participation. Mothers have to believe that the family will benefit from the father’s participation. Furthermore, this discussion implies a systemic bias for excluding fathers. It is easier to manage the ongoing interactions over the course of a case by working only with one parent, the mother. In frontline practice, the potential for a compliant relationship with the mother takes precedence over a comprehensive working relationship with all the family.† (Father Involvement †¦, 2005) Mothers and social workers need to involve fathers as much as possible for partnership working to be more responsive towards child needs. Involvement of fathers by agencies could however lead to complications where relationships between parents are strained or in case of divorced and single mothers. Maternal grandparents can play significant roles in such conditions in creating conducive environments for protection and welfare of children and their involvement in partnership working could prove to be immensely beneficial. Conclusion The building of effective partnerships for protecting children is dependent upon involving all relevant agencies, namely the local authorities, social work agencies, schools, medical providers, police, community organisations, parents, and children. The recent episode, involving the horrific murder of the 17 month old child, known as Baby P, at the hands of her young mother and her boyfriend, despite the active engagement of social workers and medical practitioners, (Hyland, 2008) should not be seen as an aberration but as an indicator of the potential dangers faced by children in extremely different conditions and the individual and collective responsibilities that need to be exercised by all partnership members. The incident also reveals the vulnerability and limitations of methodologies that depend upon taking the opinion of children in cases where they are too young to express themselves. The extent of cooperation between social workers and parents also plays a critical role in the success of working partnerships. Whilst the barriers that come about because of cultural differences between social workers and members of Britain’s ethnic communities, especially from concepts of shame and honour, have already been elaborated earlier, barriers of class, income and education can also lead to lack of communication between social workers and parents and affect the appropriateness of decisions that concern child protection. In such cases, where unintended and invisible power differences work against the establishment of an equal working partnership, it is the paramount responsibility of social work agencies and social workers to build the foundation of a stable, democratic and equal working partnerships, take special pains to find out the wishes of affected children, and involve them as far as possible in the decision making process. The problems associated with knowing the wishes of children are complex; they differ from individual to individual, can be applied only to children over a certain age, and can even otherwise be solved only with patience, open mindedness, respect for children, and understanding. Working in partnership with parents for the protection of children, whilst a desirable objective, has numerous limitations and needs to be approached with care and caution. The adoption of a one shoe fits all approach in such cases is inherently fallible and can lead to horrific tragedy, as was evidenced by the Baby P tragedy, where the social workers kept the child with the mother despite numerous indicators of the dangers of doing so. Policy makers and social workers need to realise that all methodologies have their advantages and limitations. Social workers need to work with empathy; they need to scrutinise the working of all involved agencies, as well as parents, and refrain from being blinkered or authoritative in their approach, if they are to protect today’s beleaguered children from the fate that befell Maria Caldwell, Victoria Climbie, and Baby P. Words: 3290 References Ainsworth, F, (1997), Family-Centred Group Care: Model Building. Aldershot: Ashgate. Aldgate, J, Statham, J, (2001), The Children Act Now: Messages for Research. London: The Stationery Office. Background to Every Child Matters, (2008), Every Child Matters: Change for Children, Retrieved December 18, 2008 from www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/aims/background Badham, B, Wade, H, (2005), Hear by Right: Standards for the Active Involvement of Children and Young People. Swindon: NYA/LGA. Barber, J. G., Delfabbro, P. H., Cooper, L. (2001). The predictors of unsuccessful transition to foster care, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 42(6), 785–790. Bowes, J. M. and Hayes, A. (2004), Contexts and Consequences: Impacts on Children, Families and Communities, in J. M. Bowes (ed) Children, Families and Communities: Contexts and Consequences, Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Bowlby, J. 1951 Maternal Care and Mental Health, London: World Health Organization. Bronfrenbrenner, U, (1979) The Ecology of Human Development, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Bullock, R, Little, M, Millham, S, (1993), Going Home, Aldershot: Dartmouth. Berridge, D, Brodie, I, (1998), Children’s Homes Revisited, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Cashmore, J, (2004), Child Protection and Substitute Care: The Responsibility of Families, Community and State’, in J. M. Bowes (ed) Children, Families and Communities: Contexts and Consequences, Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Colton, M., Sanders, R. and Williams, M, (2001) An Introduction to Working with Children: a Guide for Social Workers, Houndmills: Palgrave. CREATE Foundation, (2004). In their own words: Experience of ACT children and young people in care. Canberra: Office of the Community Advocate, Delfabbro, P. H., Barber, J. G., Bentham, Y, (2002), Children’s satisfaction with out-of-home care in South Australia, Journal of Adolescence, 25, 523–533 DeLeon, P, (1997), Democracy and the Policy Sciences, New York: State University of New York Press. Dryzek, J. S, (1990), Discursive Democracy: Politics, Policy and Political Science. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Emond, R, (2003), Putting the Care into Residential Care: The Role of Young People, Journal of Social Work 3(3): 321-337. Father Involvement in Child Welfare, (2005), Jordan Institute for Families, 11, 1 Fulcher, L. C, (1985), Group Care Practice with Children, London: Tavistock. Gardner, H. (2004a). Perceptions of family: Complexities introduced by foster care. Part 1: Childhood perspectives. Journal of Family Studies, 10, 170–187. Gibbs, I, Sinclair, I, (1999), Treatment and Treatment Outcomes in Children’s Homes, Child and Family Social Work, 4: 1-8 Gilbertson, R., Barber, J. G, (2002), Obstacles to involving children and young people in foster care research, Child and Family Social Work, 7, 253–258. Gilligan, P Akhtar, S, (2005), Cultural Barriers to the Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse in Asian Communities: Listening to What Women Say, British Journal of Social Work, 36(8):1361-1377 Hyland, J, (2008), The tragic death of Baby P, WsWs, Retrieved December 18, 2008 from http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/baby-d04.shtml Maier, H, (1979), The Core of Care: Essential Ingredients for the Development of Children at Home or away from Home, Child Care Quarterly 8(4): 161-173. Milligan, I, Stevens, I, (2006) Residential Child Care: Collaborative Practice, London: Sage. Milner, J. (2001), Women and Social Work, Basingstoke: Palgrave. O’Neill, C, (2004), I remember the first time I went into Foster care—It’s a long story†¦ Children, permanent parents, and other supportive adults talk about the experience of moving from one family to another. Journal of Family Studies, 10, 205–219. Osborne, A Bromfield, L, (2007), Participation of children and young people in care in decisions affecting their lives, Australian Institute of Studies, 6 Prout, A, (2000), Children’s Participation: Control and Self-Realisation in British Late Modernity, Children and Society, 14(4): 304-315. Sinclair, R, (1998), Involving Children in the Planning of their Care, Child and Family Social Work 3: 137-142. Stevens, I, (2006), Consulting Youth about Residential Care Environments in Scotland, Children, Youth and Environments 16(2): 51-74. Retrieved December 18, 2008 from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye Thomas, N, (2005), Has Anything Really Changed? Managers’ Views of Looked after Children’s Participation from 1997-2004, Adoption and Fostering, 29(1): 67-77. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, full text version. Retrieved on December 18, 2008 from www.unicef.at/kinderrechte/download/crceng.pdf Ward, H, Skuse, T Munro, E.R, (2005), The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: Young People’s Views of Care and Accommodation, Adoption and Fostering, 29(1): 8-17.

Spinster Essay -- Literary Analysis, Sylvia Plath

In the poem â€Å"Spinster† by Sylvia Plath, a girl and her lover take a walk through the woods on a spring day. As they are walking, the lover attempts to make romantic gestures towards the girl, which frightens her. The girl’s physical withdrawal from spring and her act of embracing winter is a metaphor for her fear of love and longing for the predictability and control that is not found in love. While on their walk through the woods, the disorganization that the girl feels emphasizes the girl’s discomfort in embracing unpredictable feelings such as love. The speaker’s choice to begin the poem with the word â€Å"now† implies that this scene of the girl walking with a lover in the woods is not new and it has been seen before (1). The feelings of the girl throughout the poem are reoccurring ones and not just ones of this particular scene. The repetition of her actions further highlights the depth of her fear of love because she is so terrified by the idea of love that she cannot overcome her fear. The description of the girl as â€Å"particular† reveals the speaker’s critical tone as the word describes her as picky and peculiar (1). This foreshadows that the girl is unlike others in her actions. The speaker includes that the walk is occurring in â€Å"April† in order to illustrate that the time they are taking the walk is ideal (2). I nstead of seeing the setting of April as the perfect time to walk, the girl becomes â€Å"struck/By the bird’s irregular babel and the leaves’ litter† (4-6). The girl is irritated by all of the disorganization that is present in spring and love. The girl is unable to control the sound of the birds or the growth of the plants. Nature, like love, happens on its own. This reflects how she feels about love because she is also ... ...self (29-30). The word â€Å"love[‘s]† ability to stand alone on its own line expresses the great threat that love has to the girl. The other words that describe the threats of the man are harsh but grouped together. Love is such a great threat that it carries the weight of all of those threats combined by consuming an entire line. This again enforces the girl’s fear of love, as she believes it has the ability to completely ruin her. The girl’s fear of love causes her to long for control. The title of this poem, â€Å"Spinster,† highlights the speaker’s highly critical tone of the girl. While the girl may not be an old lonely woman yet, the continuation of her actions of withdrawal will cause her to be alone forever. The metaphor used in this poem as spring representing love and winter representing control is perfect because spring is variable while winter is monotonous.

Dimensions Of Negotiation

Negotiation has been an intensely studied and researched topic in the fields of business, politics and psychology since past many years. The importance of negotiation stems from the fact that it is an inter-personal process of communication that involves the principle of direct approach to individuals. With increasing recognition of communication as a premier engaging strategy in conflict resolution and ensuring smooth organizational affairs, a critical parameter for success and growth in today’s environment, negotiation has gained considerable emphasis and focus.Although negotiation is a part of communication strategy, today it has emerged as an independent communication system with its own processes and life cycle. The major dimension of negotiation include, negotiation as a process of conflict management, negotiation as a inter-personal process, architecting the process of negotiation, and third party negotiation. Among these , the two major dimensions of negotiation are co nflict management and third party intervention.Negotiation and conflict management . Negotiation, as a part of managing conflict, requires interested parties to trade proposals for settlement that include, out of court settlements, business contracts, collective bargaining contract etc (Womack, 1990, 32). As Womack further elaborates, generally the process of negotiation proceeds through motives that are both competitive and cooperative.The approach of communication in the entire process of negotiation is concerned with the messages that are transferred among negotiators and the concerned parties. Communication intervenes in the process of negotiation through its both verbal and nonverbal forms and constitutes the entire base on which the goals and terms of the bargain are negotiated. Communication plays the central role in not only developing the relationship among the parties in conflict, but also in determining its direction.It is also central in every form of bargaining process, whether the bargaining is done for organizational form of conflict management, involves conflict resolution, negotiation on legal agreements or for negotiation in inter-group an intra group conflict. The entire role of communication in negotiation processes and strategies is quite vast and it ranges from defining the conflict issues, selection and implementation of strategies to presenting and defending the viable alternatives and finally helping in reaching on a solution (Womack, 1990, 35).In several studies on communication research, especially those involving game theory, communication was not considered central to the process of negotiation. Experiments showed that even when bargainers and negotiators resorted to communication, it was more for threatening than cooperating and collaborating. Womack quotes Deutsch (1969) to inform that back in 60s communication was considered as an unreliable approach in settling conflicts through negotiations.Moreover, there were fears that poor communication forms could result in misinformation, errors and possible negative outcomes. There was an additional perception that owing to competitive natures of negotiations, effective and open channels of communication were not possible. Some of these findings hold valid in disputes, particularly that are distributive in nature and concern with business and marketing segment, it has been nonetheless observed that where the goal is to achieve integrated goals, a problem solving approach works in excellent way.Womack (1990) further cites Lewicki, Weiss and Lewin, (1988), Fisher and Uri (1981), Lewicki and Litterer (1985) and Walton and Mckersie (1965) to state that negotiator resort to using multiple formal and informal communication channels to redefine the issues, present analysis of causes that offer difficulties in resolving the conflict and finally, through sharing of information and assessment of needs, help to identify the complete range of possible alternatives and solutio ns that are acceptable to mutual interests and needs of each party in the deal.These approaches lead to negotiation strategies that involve greater participation by conflicting parties, positively contributing to the increased chances of success in reaching settlement through more alternate solution.Some of the communication strategies adopted during negotiations on the group and organization levels in managing conflict include use of fantasy themes, interpretive themes, and stories and rituals that provide scapegoats to the involved parties and give them external reasons to come out with excuses, reasons and justifications to accommodate each other’s behavior, thereby preventing the chances of negotiations being stalled (Womack, 42).It is of first importance that a mediator should present a completely neutral and unbiased image before the conflicting parties to win their confidence and trust in the ability of mediator to help in achieving possible outcome in conflict. The co mmunication skills of mediators should present them as individuals free of gender, racial or ethnic biases. Along with this, successful mediation also requires listening skills on part of the mediator. It helps mediator to understand the current position of each party in the conflict as well inspire them with confidence in the neutrality of the mediator.

Critical analysis of the Lottery Essay

Overall Shirley Jackson discusses the movement of the setting, the unusual foreshadowing, and the outermost symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery† to give an overall point of view of the story. Even though a small village made seem peaceful, and a good place to raise a family, it is not always what it seems to be. The reader is about to enter a world with ritualistic ceremony and religious orthodoxy in â€Å"The Lottery.† The Lottery takes place on a clear and sunny summer morning around June 27 in a small village with about three hundred villagers gathering together in the central square for the annual lottery. As a child Shirley Jackson was interested in writing; she won a poetry prize at age twelve, and in high school she keeps a diary to record her writing progress. In 1937 she entered Syracuse University, where she published stories in the student literary magazine. Despite her busy life as a wife and a mother of four children, she wrote every day on a disciplined schedule. â€Å"The Lottery† is one of Jackson’s best-known works. In â€Å"The Lottery† Shirley Jackson will discusses the movement of the setting, unusual foreshadowing and outermost symbolism to give us an overall point of view from the story. When one thinks of a lottery, one imagines winning a large sum of money. Shirley Jackson uses the setting in â€Å"The Lottery† to foreshadow an ironic ending. The peaceful and tranquil town described in this story has an annual lottery every June 27 early part of 1800’s in a small village with 300 people (456). Setting is to describe time and place of the story. The story occurs â€Å"around ten o’clock† (456). This is an unusual time because in most towns all the adults would be working during mid-morning. In the lottery an ironic ending is also foretold by the town’s setting being described as one of normalcy. The town square is described as being â€Å"between the post office and the bank† (456). Every normal town has these buildings, which are essential for day-to-day functioning. Throughout the story little parts of setting are being told, to give a clearer picture for a better understanding of the story. Jackson foreshadows a surprise ending. Foreshadowing is to hint of something  that would follow with the story. As the story continues the reader is told that school has let out for the summer, and yet the â€Å"feeling of liberty sits uneasily with the children† (456), which is strange, for no normal kid would be anything less than ecstatic over summer break. Finally, the children are said to be building â€Å"a pile of stones in one corner of the square† (456), which is a very strange game for children to play. All of these hints indicate that something strange and unexpected is going to happen, and they all will make sense once we discuss the story’s final outcome. Symbolism is also a strong element of the story. The introduction of the black box carried by Mr. Summer (456) is a key turning point showing symbolism, which is anything in a story that represents something else, giving the awful ominous answers to all those foreshadowing hints. When the black box is brought in, it’s said to be a tradition that no one liked to upset. The villagers kept their distance from the box, as though they feared it (461). More and more the town’s peculiarity begins to become apparent. For an example, the names of certain residents hit at the irony and unfavorable events to come. From the author’s extravagant detailing of the town, one would expect this â€Å"lottery† to be a chance for one lucky family to win some money. Instead, the winner’s â€Å"prize† is death-by stoning In the story Tessie won the prize when Bill, her husband, forced the paper out of her hand (461). The portrayal of the residents at the end of the story is disturbing–they go about killing the â€Å"winner† ritualistically, trying to â€Å"finish quickly.† (461). They show no empathy at all–they’re simply following an ancient ritual. Overall Shirley Jackson discusses the movement of the setting, the unusual foreshadowing, and the outermost symbolism in â€Å"The Lottery.† The lesson in this story hits pretty hard. The Lottery’s relationship to real life is that sometimes we are presented with traditions that have been adhered to for as long as anyone can remember, and we forget the reason these customs were created in the first place. The problem is that circumstances can change and make these traditions outdated, useless, and even harmful. Overall the main point of the story is that ignorant and indulgent believers can bring death to an innocent person, so therefore we must re-evaluate our traditions; otherwise we’re just letting ourselves be stoned.

How to Deal With Worry.

How to Deal With Worry. WorryI am going to read a familiar passage to you for today's text. It is a passage that we have all read a number of times - probably so many times that it is committed to memory. This time, however, I am going to read from two different translations as I will be doing the rest of tonight. First, I will read from the King James Version and then from the Simple English Translation.Matthew 6:25-34 (King James)25. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?26. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?Worry27. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?28. And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:29. And ye t I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?31. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32. (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God,

Nast essays

Nast essays Blessed with their various gifts and talents, many Americans have influenced the future course or our nations history. Among those who have done so, Thomas Nast has proved to be one of them by the use of his influences as a political cartoonist. Throughout the course of his career, he is thought to have become far more than a successful political cartoonist- he had become a presence, an institution. His cartoons chronicled the American scene from the Civil War period to the turn of the century. They highlighted every major national event and issue, the political process, elections, and scandal in the government. The American scene was perfect in subject matter for Nast. The country was fast becoming an industrial nation; railroads were spreading, factories were being built, and cities were fast becoming crowded with immigrants that supplied cheap labor. Scandal was everywhere. Elections were being rigged and Thomas Nast was there to catch and display all of it. Thomas Nast was born on September 27, 1840 in Landau, Germany. Following the tradition of thousands that immigrated to America, young Nast, his sister, and his mother came to the United States in 1846 while his father followed four years later.1 It was difficult enough for a 15-year-old to get a job but it was more difficult since Thomas could not read or write. The only skill he had to offer was his ability to draw what he saw. His first job that he got through continuous persistence was working as an illustrator for Leslies Weekly. It was during his first three years of employment there that Thomas Nast drew his first cartoon attacking civic corruption, a theme that was to bring him fame in later years.2 In the spring of 1862; Thomas joined the staff of Harpers Weekly Magazine as a war correspondent. However, it was his drawings that attracted the most attention and aroused Northern Patriotic fervor to such a note that by the wars end Thomas Nast w...

A Beginners Guide to Statistics

A Beginners Guide to Statistics How many calories did each of us eat for breakfast? How far from home did everyone travel today? How big is the place that we call home? How many other people call it home? To make sense of all of this information, certain tools and ways of thinking are necessary. The mathematical science called statistics is what helps us to deal with this information overload. Statistics is the study of numerical information, called data. Statisticians acquire, organize, and analyze data. Each part of this process is also scrutinized. The techniques of statistics are applied to a multitude of other areas of knowledge. Below is an introduction to some of the main topics throughout statistics. Populations and Samples One of the recurring themes of statistics is that we are able to say something about a large group based on the study of a relatively small portion of that group. The group as a whole is known as the population. The portion of the group that we study is the sample. As an example of this, suppose we wanted to know the average height of people living in the United States. We could try to measure over 300 million people, but this would be infeasible. It would be a logistical nightmare conduct the measurements in such a way that no one was missed and no one was counted twice. Due to the impossible nature of measuring everyone in the United States, we could instead use statistics. Rather than finding the heights of everyone in the population, we take a statistical sample of a few thousand. If we have sampled the population correctly, then the average height of the sample will be very close to the average height of the population. Acquiring Data To draw good conclusions, we need good data to work with. The way that we sample a population to obtain this data should always be scrutinized. Which kind of sample we use depends on what question we’re asking about the population. The most commonly used samples are: Simple RandomStratifiedClustered It’s equally important to know how the measurement of the sample is conducted. To go back to the above example, how do we acquire the heights of those in our sample? Do we let people report their own height on a questionnaire?Do several researchers throughout the country measure different people and report their results?Does a single researcher measure everyone in the sample with the same tape measure? Each of these ways of obtaining the data has its advantages and drawbacks. Anyone using the data from this study would want to know how it was obtained. Organizing the Data Sometimes there is a multitude of data, and we can literally get lost in all of the details. It’s hard to see the forest for the trees. That’s why it’s important to keep our data well organized. Careful organization and graphical displays of the data help us to spot patterns and trends before we actually do any calculations. Since the way that we graphically present our data depends upon a variety of factors. Common graphs are: Pie charts or circle graphsBar or pareto graphsScatterplotsTime plotsStem and leaf plotsBox and whisker graphs In addition to these well-known graphs, there are others that are used in specialized situations. Descriptive Statistics One way to analyze data is called descriptive statistics. Here the goal is to calculate quantities that describe our data. Numbers called the mean, median and mode are all used to indicate the average or center of the data. The range and standard deviation are used to say how spread out the data is. More complicated techniques, such as correlation and regression describe data that is paired. Inferential Statistics When we begin with a sample and then try to infer something about the population, we are using inferential statistics. In working with this area of statistics, the topic of hypothesis testing arises. Here we see the scientific nature of the subject of statistics, as we state a hypothesis, then use statistical tools with our sample to determine the likelihood that we need to reject the hypothesis or not. This explanation is really just scratching the surface of this very useful part of statistics. Applications of Statistics It is no exaggeration to say that the tools of statistics are used by nearly every field of scientific research. Here are a few areas that rely heavily on statistics: PsychologyEconomicsMedicineAdvertisingDemography The Foundations of Statistics Although some think of statistics as a branch of mathematics, it is better to think of it as a discipline that is founded upon mathematics. Specifically, statistics is built up from the field of mathematics known as probability. Probability gives us a way to determine how likely an event is to occur. It also gives us a way to talk about randomness. This is key to statistics because the typical sample needs to be randomly selected from the population. Probability was first studied in the 1700s by mathematicians such as Pascal and Fermat. The 1700s also marked the beginning of statistics. Statistics continued to grow from its probability roots and really took off in the 1800s. Today, it’s theoretical scope continues to be enlarged in what is known as mathematical statistics.

Government-Fostered Ownership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Government-Fostered Ownership - Essay Example The so called concentration of media is a term given to the concentration of ownership rights into the hands of few individuals or entities which control the major chunk of the media including radio. The question of whether the US government allowed the concentration of ownership into the monopoly or oligopoly ownership structure with the radio industry is question of great debate because over the period of time, radio industry has been subject to various regulations. The FCC’s verdicts also indicated that the US government was more than willing to consolidate the ownership of radio industry in few hands apparently for reasons which may not be fully understood. (Compaine, 2005). The radio and other allied industries such as railways as well as TV in US evolved under the private ownership as against in UK and elsewhere. The fact that the radio industry evolved under the private ownership has provided much flexibility as well freedom to operate. It is also important to note that the radio as a private invention and as such the ownership of broadcasting also remained within the hands of the private owners. The policy of the US government has been to allow the flourishing of the radio industry under the private ownership. It is also however, critical to note that the US government has over the period of time regulated the industry in a bid to keep it under the tight control however, the ownership of the industry remained within the private owners, and as such it was also gradually culminated into the monopoly or oligopoly. One of the reasons for this which is often cited is the assumption that the strict government control over the radio may be a barrier to entry and as such the freedom of speech as well as other fundamental rights may be subjugated by the government. Further, the government control might have resulted into the barriers to creativity as strict government control could have resulted into

Food Biotechnology - The Production and Growth of Vegetables and Fruit Assignment

Food Biotechnology - The Production and Growth of Vegetables and Fruits - Assignment Example This also means that customers will not to have to use a lot of funds for food because the cost of producing is less (Liles, 2011). Using biotechnology in both the production and growth of vegetables and fruits has allowed scientists to modify the way fruits and vegetables ripen. Normally, vegetables and fruits continue to mature after harvesting (Liles, 2011). Therefore, they must be rushed to the marketplace and sold fast while they are fresh. Genetically produced fruits and vegetables can be collected when ripe. After they are harvested, the ripening process stops. This gives the fruits and vegetables a longer shelf life than the organically produced fruits (Liles, 2011). These genetic modifications also boost a plants resistance to pests, disease, herbicides, insecticides or even severe weather conditions. Genetic manufacturing has also altered a plant's dietetic makeup, making it richer in various minerals or vitamins than organically produced fruits. In spite of harvesting countless of genetically produced plants, experts still do not have a comprehensible understanding of how these genetic modifications affect the human body in the long run. This is because these food kinds of stuff have been accessible since the early 90’s (Liles, 2011). Monsanto, the main GM seed developer in the globe and the institute that offers most research answers to the FDA, argues that the GM seed is undamaging to humans. Nevertheless, some experts have found that GM plants have, in reality, alter the lifespan of humans. The GM plants have also caused diseases to insects and also altered their cognitive abilities, which feed on these plants. Another disadvantage is that the genes might be transmitted to other crops that they are not planned to go in and lead to difficulties since the transmission of the genes would not be recognized (Liles, 2011).  Consumers might get an allergic response to the food when they eat food that is contaminated wit h the bacteria or gene transmitted via cross-pollination unintentionally.  

Needs to be changed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Needs to be changed - Essay Example I usually have to hear car horns and even during night time. This has put me and my family in a fix as to what we ought to do in order to have some peace within our lives. In fact, I can go to great heights to make sure that this passageway does not pose as a problem. To understand how this problem can be solved, perhaps there could be signs put up on the passageway because the people must be told to wait for their turn to pass their vehicles without honking too much. They need to be told that people live here in the vicinity and it is their right to breathe easily. Too much honking of car horns and onlookers having a say within the lives of the residents is something that raises quite a few eyebrows. There is a dire need to understand that privacy remains supreme more than anything else, and this is the responsibility of the authorities who have taken charge of the entire area. The passageway is therefore one bone of contention as far as understanding the nuances of the area are concerned. The neighbors also echo the same sentiments because they believe that their privacy is being compromised upon and they can do anything to make sure this does not happen. Once I spoke to an elderly resident who seconded my feelings. He was of the view that the passageway should be turned into a no thoroughfare but then again this did not seem like a possibility. Erecting barriers at the end of the passageway would work too but the authorities would not agree to this as they are of the view that the street is a wide one and commuting along such a street is indeed an easy way out for the vehicles and pedestrians to reach the main highway. However, much thinking needs to be done on the part of the people involved because it will ensure where shortcomings lie and how people need to enact measures to make amends. This will bring a great deal of sanity within the related ranks and allow the residents to live easily without any fear or trouble. In

Operational Risk Management of xx company Essay

Operational Risk Management of xx company - Essay Example But due to the worldwide credit crunch of 2007-08, the Lehman Brothers has resulted in a tremendous downfall. On September15, 2008, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, condemned to become the biggest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history and caused a downfall of the world’s financial system (Lounsbury and Hirsch, 2010, p.71). The federal government decided to not bail the company. The firm’s share fall more than 90% and shook financial stocks. The bankruptcy was mainly due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis. However, there were other factors also that were responsible for the failure of the company such as: the overall culture of the company, the tools they utilized and the risk management department. Lehman Brothers overleveraged themselves while not preserving the minimum capital required, depending on risk tools in isolation (Alman, Cudmore, and McVeigh, 2013, p.1). The company has obtained huge amounts of subprime mortgage debt and also the lower rated assets. In 2007, de spite the fact that the Lehman Brothers had closed its subprime mortgage division, it had uphold much of its subprime mortgage liability, therefore resulting in huge losses from the collapse of the subprime market. Its bankruptcy caused the investors to lose millions (Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell, 2011, p.403). Lehman Brothers are exposed to various types of risk such as market and credit risk, counterparty risk, liquidity risk, country risk, operational risk and foreign exchange risk. This report will focus how they are exposed to these various types of risks, what are the threats of these risks and how they will manage these risks. Identification of Risk and Analysis of Threats Risk is the change or probability of a deviation from an anticipated outcome. In order for risk to be present there should be exposure and uncertainty. Risk is measured with the use of risk measurement framework and process (Hays and et al, 2005, p.3). It arises due to various causes such as macroeconomic or external shocks, for example foreign exchange crisis or liberalization-induced credit booms (Bank and Fund, 2005, p.213). Market, Counterparty and Credit Risk The Lehman Brothers was exposed to market counterparty and credit risk through the sudden collapse of its total return swap counterparty. The firm’s share also fall more than ninety percent due to market risk and shook financial stocks. It has been exposed to credit risk which has arisen from derivatives transactions and it has been revealed with the bankruptcy of this firm and has resulted in the credit default swap market. Loss due to credit risk has resulted in decline in the creditworthiness of borrower. During bankruptcy, the total notional value of credit default swap (CDS) trades indicating Lehman Brothers was around USD 72 billion. This has caused bilateral payments of USD 21 million among buyers and sellers of credit default swaps that allusion Lehman Brothers based on auction determined payments. Due to th e firm’s bankruptcy, this was the credit loss for the sellers of the CDSs. For the buyers, this amount signifies their

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 59

Summary - Essay Example in a competitive edge by developing a treatment drug for Alzheimer’s disease, of which 18 million people suffer around the world, Pfizer decided in 2008 to give Medivation a large amount of $225 million and $500 million more if it was able to successfully produce Dimebon. The feasibility of the drug as well as the extravagance of the deal were widely criticized, though past evidence from Russia suggested that the development of such a drug was possible. However, when the drug was tested by introducing it to moderate Alzheimer’s patients in phase 3 trials, it failed to achieve the expected goals. Consequently, with the termination of the partnership contract, the dreams of the two companies to gain a substantial edge in the Pharmaceutical industry collapsed too. Since Medivation used to rely heavily on its partnership with Pfizer to generate returns, the extinction of the agreement has resulted in more serious financial losses for Medivation in contrast to Pfizer. This is certainly not a good signal for Medivation as well as Pfizer. The stoppage of the development of Dimebon has caused financial setbacks to both the companies. During the first three quarters of 2011, Medivation’s shares have dropped drastically by 3.3%. At the same time, Pfizer’s stock rose only slightly by 0.4%. The plans of the two companies to become future leaders in the market have crashed along with their product. Consequently, the financial outcomes are bound to remain low for at least sometime in the future. As far as the competitors of the two companies are concerned, they have been presented with a very good opportunity to gain an edge in the market. The competitors are already aware of the significance which Alzheimer’s drug holds and the amount of sales it could trigger. Moreover, information about the failure of Medivation and Pfizer in phase 3 trial will result in competitors being further careful in developing the product and avoiding the mistakes which were committed by

Clinical Ethics and Ethical Theories Assignment

Clinical Ethics and Ethical Theories - Assignment Example It has three components, namely (a) the key clientele which are elder residents (b) its contribution which is health care, and (c ) distinction which is serving the unique or distinct needs of residents. Needless to say, a mission statement need to be internalized by all health providers in the organization. Unfortunately, however, as in the case with many organizations even in other professional fields, mission statements are emblazoned in marble or metal print outside or inside edifices of organizations, but hardly internalized. Thus, in findings of professional accreditation by duly-authorized accrediting agencies, mission statements are not even in the conscious awareness of company people, being more aware of functions, not a mission. Correctly, the mission forms the standards of behaviour that tell us how human beings ought to act in the many situations in which they find themselves-as friends, parents, children, citizens, businesspeople, teachers, professionals, and so on.â₠¬ (Santa Clara University). In Revera Living, awareness of a formal mission statement which reflects the ethical principles of the organization’s pioneering founders is a reality. ... Integrity pervades the organization in all kinds of interactions for health care from the administrative to the clinical interrelationships. Compassion springs from the Christian culture of the organization wherein the least is regarded with no less care and attention. Excellence refers to the quality of services and is carried through from top administrators at the meso level to the lower echelon health providers at the micro level. On a macro basis, the excellence exuded by Revera Living is aptly demonstrated by the respect given by the state and the community for the residential organization, thereby ensuring it continued public and community support. Taken together, the core values as a framework give evidence of balance and harmony in all the domains of performance. Pointedly asked â€Å"performance of what, and to what ends? Such a question is well addressed in the case of the organization concerned (Onyebuchi, 2011). . Today, the successful experience and expansion of Revera Living to be today since 1996 a leader in Canada and places in the United States bear out the proof of an ethical framework translated into practical social reality. In truth, an ethical framework has turned into an ethical system based on feelings, religion, law, accepted social practice, or science.† (Santa Clara University). The Residents Council and the Family Council at Revera Living further demonstrate that the core of the organization, namely the resident elders and their families equally concretize ethical practice. The Residents’ Council empowers residents along autonomy to determine health care and living conditions. Supporting this internal council is the Family Council in

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 59

Summary - Essay Example in a competitive edge by developing a treatment drug for Alzheimer’s disease, of which 18 million people suffer around the world, Pfizer decided in 2008 to give Medivation a large amount of $225 million and $500 million more if it was able to successfully produce Dimebon. The feasibility of the drug as well as the extravagance of the deal were widely criticized, though past evidence from Russia suggested that the development of such a drug was possible. However, when the drug was tested by introducing it to moderate Alzheimer’s patients in phase 3 trials, it failed to achieve the expected goals. Consequently, with the termination of the partnership contract, the dreams of the two companies to gain a substantial edge in the Pharmaceutical industry collapsed too. Since Medivation used to rely heavily on its partnership with Pfizer to generate returns, the extinction of the agreement has resulted in more serious financial losses for Medivation in contrast to Pfizer. This is certainly not a good signal for Medivation as well as Pfizer. The stoppage of the development of Dimebon has caused financial setbacks to both the companies. During the first three quarters of 2011, Medivation’s shares have dropped drastically by 3.3%. At the same time, Pfizer’s stock rose only slightly by 0.4%. The plans of the two companies to become future leaders in the market have crashed along with their product. Consequently, the financial outcomes are bound to remain low for at least sometime in the future. As far as the competitors of the two companies are concerned, they have been presented with a very good opportunity to gain an edge in the market. The competitors are already aware of the significance which Alzheimer’s drug holds and the amount of sales it could trigger. Moreover, information about the failure of Medivation and Pfizer in phase 3 trial will result in competitors being further careful in developing the product and avoiding the mistakes which were committed by

24 Hour Fitness Essay Example for Free

24 Hour Fitness Essay My first steps into the new 24 Hour Fitness facility were by far the most intimidating. As my eyes scanned over the massive room, my legs began to shake and my nose filled with the smell of sweat. I began to ask myself, â€Å"What am I doing here? † but instead, I walked forward trying to leave my fears of uncertainty behind. I felt extremely uncomfortable, not quiet sure if I was using the machines correctly, wondering if people were staring at me. The sense of indecision slowed me down, even keeping me from trying new machines, not wanting to risk making a foolish error. After about 40 minutes, I called it a success and left. Soon school began and I would find more and more excuses not to go to the gym. As I noticed very little results in physical strength or appearance, I became less willing to keep going, until I stopped completely. It took another year for me to get back into the routine, but this time it changed my life. The first major step I took was setting out a basic program that I would have to follow. It listed specific workout times, meal times, and even set workouts. As I started to go at set times, I noticed the same people at the gym day after day. They began to notice me as well, correcting me on some exercises, and even teaching me new exercises for each muscle group. This is the moment when I really noticed myself fitting in. As my preparation and intensity grew, so did my knowledge in certain muscle groups. I went from working out unsystematically to an organized workout where I could train and focus on two muscle groups every day, one major and one minor. I hit quadriceps/triceps on Monday, traps/back on Tuesday [this paragraph continues with detailed and technical information]†¦I also became fluent in the language and terms used at the gym. Each exercise would be divided into sets, then reps (or repetitions). There are usually ten reps in a set; a typical workout requires three or four sets. The more sets and reps you perform, the more endurance you are building. If you do fewer sets and reps, it is best to add more weight, this time building mass rather than endurance. Along with understanding the terms, you have to learn the names of machines and exercises. People who don’t attend the gym regularly are already aware of common lifts such as †¦. On the other hand, people who work out on a regular basis are also aware of variations on each of those exercises. For example, instead of doing a simple bench press, a fitness guru would practice both incline and decline press, thereby concentrating on different parts of the chest muscle (upper and lower) and achieving a more balanced workout. The hardest part of the workout routine is getting started and keeping it going. People with a competitive nature will find it less of an obstacle, but if you need that extra push, personal trainers and friends can always help you understand the right techniques†¦ You will quickly begin to notice the difference between a regular gym member and the beginners who attend just to say they came. Besides just looking at how toned someone is, you will be able to separate the pretenders from the contenders by their incorrect form, the fact that they wander around and talk to friends more than they actually work out, and the machines they choose to work on. Although the gym consists of many members, the majority of them don’t truly belong. Two people who may have completely different political beliefs, customs, and interests can bond together when they dedicate themselves to the common goals and values of the workout community. Once you enter this group, you are united not by words but by a sense of respect for other members and for the uphill struggles that each of us must face to work toward physical fitness†¦ Working out is comparable to studying in the ways it improves you. Most people put it off as long as they can, procrastinating until they feel it can no longer wait. Studying and working out are both often done incorrectly, giving you very little or no gain. Sometimes, even if performed correctly, it will take awhile before you begin to notice improvement for your efforts. Just like studying, the reward of working out is found in the process itself as much as in the results. Practice may not make perfect, but it will definitely make improvements toward your targeted goal.

Jane Eyre Elements of Fairy Tale

Jane Eyre Elements of Fairy Tale Jane Eyre as a Fairy Tale The fairy tale master plots of rags to riches and good versus evil are recurring themes throughout stories from many different cultures. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, can be likened to a fairy tale, as certain elements of the master plot of the story, as it contains certain aspects of traditional fairy tale stories, such as Briar Rose and Cinderella. Jane Eyre was one of the first books with a female author that was widely read by the literate public. Since its first publication it has become part of the literary canon and continues to be the basis of discussion and debate among scholars even today, over a century after it was written. Jane Eyre is similar to many fairy tales due to the fact that there are elements of traditional fairy tale master plots, such as rags to riches, good versus evil and a lost love found again; and, ultimately, the implication of this is that the reader has a good idea that the novel will end with the traditional fairy tale ending of the characters living â€Å"happily ever after†. Many fairy tales, such as Cinderella involve a main character who is suffering and in order to escape their suffering they use their imagination as an escape. In Cinderella the singing birds and talking mice are all examples of how she uses her imagination to escape the world that imprisons her (Cinderella). Jane’s experience in the red room reminds the reader that imagination is very important to Jane, as it is a way for her to escape the realities of her everyday life. The narrative that Jane creates also has a mythological element to it as she mixes the realistic aspects of her life with fantasy. We see the first instance of this as Jane sits nervously in the red-room and imagines a gleam of light shining on the wall; for her, this indicates a vision from another world (Bronte 25). Throughout the book, the appearance of supernatural incidents such as the one in the red room, usually occur before there is a big change in Jane’s life. As Jane’s departure from Ga teshead was marked by her pseudo-supernatural experience in the red-room, her movement away from Lowood also has a fairy tale component. As Jane is contemplating what would be the best way for her to gain new employment, she is visited by a â€Å"kind fairy† who gives her specific advice to place an advertisement in a local paper (Bronte 101). Jane takes the fairy’s advice and places the ad in the paper with responses addressed to J.E.; through the newspaper Jane is offered the job at Thornfield and soon after accepts the position. These different paranormal experiences of Jane, share many elements with stories such as Cinderella, where the fairy God mother of Cinderella makes it possible for her to attend the kings ball and provides the necessary components for her to change her circumstances. Jane’s rise from a poor orphan girl to a rather wealthy lady who has inherited a fortune from her unknown family members is another example of fairy tale elements that are present in the book. Whether it be Cinderella or any other rags to riches fairy tale, the idea of coming form nothing and ending up rich is an overarching theme throughout many fairy tales. In addition to being wealthy, the character also tends to find true love as part of the good luck that has been bestowed upon them. We see this to be the fact, as Jane ends up with her â€Å"Prince Charming† in Rochester and goes on to get married and lives happily together. The love story element in Jane Eyre is another example of how the story shares elements with the traditional fairy tale genre. Bronte emphasizes the idea that Jane and Rochester are an example â€Å"true lovers† by creating an almost mythical scene for their first meeting (Bronte 128). Her association of Rochester’s horse and dog with the mythical Gytrash places their initial meeting in an almost fairytale-like setting. Later, Rochester reveals that at this initial meeting, he thought Jane was a fairy who had bewitched his horse, and he repeatedly refers to her as a sprite or elfin character, claiming the â€Å"men in green† are her relatives. At the end of the novel, when Jane returns to Rochester, the reunion between the two of them has another fairy tale like element. As she is about to accept St. John’s proposal of marriage, Jane experiences a sensation as â€Å"sharp, as strange, as shocking† similar to an electric shock (Bronte 466). Afterward s, she hears Rochester’s voice call her name; the voice comes from nowhere, speaking â€Å"in pain and woe, wildly, eerily, urgently† (Bronte 466). So powerful is this voice that Jane cries, â€Å"I am coming,† and runs out the door into the garden, but she discovers no sign of Rochester (Bronte 467). Although Jane dismisses the voice of Rochester that she heard as not being witchcraft or some other form of the devil, she feels that it is the natural environment trying its very best to help her and Rochester to come together and continue their relationship, Rochester feels that Jane’s answer to him is echoing around him. Through the use of incidents such as this, Bronte makes it very apparent to us that Rochester and Jane are not just ordinary lovers, but are the archetypes of ideal lovers that are often brought forth in stories and in particular fairy tale stories. Very often the archetypes of lovers can be found in fairy tales such as Briar Rose and Cin derella. In Briar Rose the Prince is portrayed as being the one true love for the Princess as the hedge surrounding the castle allowed only him to pass through, to find and save his true love (Grimm 18). The stories Briar Rose and Cinderella end up with the Prince saving the princess and the two of them living happily ever after, Jane Eyre also ends in a similar way with Jane and Rochester getting married. The discovery, followed by the loss of some great love is an element that is present in Cinderella and is also present in Jane Eyre. In Cinderella, she is able to attend the ball and find her true love, however she has to leave by midnight and she leaves the Prince behind (Cinderella). The prince doesn’t stop looking for her though and is able to find his true love again by finding the woman whose foot fit the glass slipper, when he finds her they are married and live happily ever after (Cinderella). The relationship between Jane and Rochester is similar to Cinderella, as Jane runs away but in the end find each other again, end up getting married and as far as the reader knows live â€Å"happily ever after†. Throughout Jane Eyre, the element of the fairy tale master plot is present and by using the master plot, Bronte creates a new style of story. Bronte blends the realistic aspects of the Victorian era life of Jane with the somewhat unrealistic elements from fairy tales like Briar Rose and Cinderella. In the end, the implication of using the fairy tale master plot throughout the novel, means that the reader will be able to expect that story to follow a certain pattern and to end with the traditional â€Å"happily ever after†. The end of the novel finishes with the marriage of Jane and Rochester and the two of them being very happy together which is what the reader has come to expect from the use of elements of the fairy tale master plot. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. London: Penguin Group, 2003. Cinderella. Dir. Clyde Geronimi and Wilfred Jackson. 1950. DVD. Disney 2005. Grimms, Jakob and Wilhelm. Little Briar Rose. Online Posting. Kelowna BC: U. British Columbia Okanagan. 30Oct. 2007

Effects of the Hawthorne Studies Essay -- Business Management Human Re

The Hawthorne studies, which began in 1924 and ended in 1933, at the Western Electric Company, have produced controversy since its findings in 1939 were published in the book Management And The Worker. There were so many elements changed during the tests that many people disagree on the true factors that caused a rise in output. Was the rise in output due to the rise in money, or the factor of better human relations? Instead maybe the rise in output was due to the now famous term that came out of the studies known as the Hawthorne effect. Hopefully through this research, a better understanding of the factors that contributed to the rise in output can be determined, and ultimately how the Hawthorne studies impacted the future of business management. The Hawthorne studies developed when William Durgin of the Commonwealth Edison Company started conducting tests in 1918 to prove that different amounts of illumination would alter the amount of production in a company. "The results of these studies showed an increase in productivity of 10-20% with increases of light intensity" (Wrege, 1986, p. 24). Due to the success of these tests, the electric companies formed a committee with Thomas Edison as the chairman. And thus began the Illumination tests at Hawthorne in 1924. After three years of testing for illumination, the results concluded that illumination had little or no influence on production. Instead it was concluded that supervision if anything had an influence on output. In 1927 The Relay Assembly Room Tests began at Hawthorne. The study lasted nearly five years, making it the longest experiment conducted at Hawthorne. Selection of this department may have been an error by the team of observers. The Relay Assembly department ... ...rizons, Feb., Vol. 21 Issue 1, p31, 6p. Greenwood, G., Ronald. Wrege, D., Charles. (1986). The Hawthorne Studies. Academy of Management Proceedings, p24, 12p. McGregor, Douglas. (1960). The Human Side of Enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp.114. Shepard, M., John. (1971) On Alex Carey's Radical Criticism of the Hawthorne Studies. Academy of Management Journal, Mar., Vol. 14 Issue 1, p23, 10p. Shivers, C. Herbert. (1998) Halos, Horns and Hawthorne: Potential Flaws in the Evaluation Process. Professional Safety, Mar., Vol. 43, Issue 3. Stephen, R. Jones. (1992). Was there a Hawthorne effect? American Journal of Sociology, Nov., Vol.98, Issue 3. Yunker, W., Gary. (1993).An Explanation of Positive and Negative Hawthorne Effects: Evidence from the Relay Assembly Test Room and Bank Wiring Observation Room Studies. Academy of Management Proceedings, p179.

Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne :: Young Goodman Brown YGB

Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne "Young Goodman Brown", by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a story that is thick with allegory. "Young Goodman Brown" is a moral story, which is told through the perversion of a religious leader. In "Young Goodman Brown", Goodman Brown is a Puritan minister who lets his excessive pride in himself interfere with his relations with the community after he meets with the devil, and causes him to live the life of an exile in his own community. "Young Goodman Brown" begins when Faith, Brown's wife, asks him not to go on an "errand". Goodman Brown says to his "love and (my) Faith" that "this one night I must tarry away from thee." When he says his "love" and his "Faith", he is talking to his wife, but he is also talking to his "faith" to God. He is venturing into the woods to meet with the Devil, and by doing so, he leaves his unquestionable faith in God with his wife. He resolves that he will "cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven." This is an example of the excessive pride because he feels that he can sin and meet with the Devil because of this promise that he made to himself. There is a tremendous irony to this promise because when Goodman Brown comes back at dawn; he can no longer look at his wife with the same faith he had before. When Goodman Brown finally meets with the Devil, he declares that the reason he was late was because "Faith kept me back awhile." This statement has a double meaning because his wife physically prevented him from being on time for his meeting with the devil, but his faith to God psychologically delayed his meeting with the devil. The Devil had with him a staff that "bore the likeness of a great black snake". The staff which looked like a snake is a reference to the snake in the story of Adam and Eve. The snake led Adam and Eve to their destruction by leading them to the Tree of Knowledge. The Adam and Eve story is similar to Goodman Brown in that they are both seeking unfathomable amounts of knowledge. Once Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge they were expelled from their paradise. The Devil's staff eventually leads Goodman Brown to the Devil's ceremony which destroys Goodman Brown's faith in his fellow man, therefore expelling him from his utopia. Goodman Brown almost immediately declares that he kept his meeting with the Devil and no longer wishes to continue on his errand with the Devil. He says that he comes from a "race of honest men and good

My Father the Person I Admire the Most

My journey to truth There is a common fallacy in the world about the relationship between God and Satan. We have been taught that Satan opposes God out of hate. Satan doesn’t hate God. No where in the scriptures do you find this. The truth is that God and Satan are closer than we may imagine. Just like two enemies who are on opposing sides but yet they respect and know each other more than anyone else. God and Satan actually have very similar intentions for the universe but where they differ is where they oppose. Satan is an enlightened being who understands love and hate.Love is the frequency of consciousness that unites, heals and brings wholeness. Hate is the frequency of consciousness that separates, hurts and brings disintegration. Satan knows that love creates conditions of harmony, peace and happiness but hate creates conditions of chaos, death and suffering. An enlightened being knows that God is love. Satan loves God, but his original love has been twisted because his perspective was corrupted. God doesn’t hate Satan. God hates sin but he doesn’t hate the sinner. God loves his first creature that he created.Lucifer was the prime angel whose beauty was perfect and wisdom was so full. Although Lucifer turned against God later, God still loved him. God being a holy God has no choice but to cast Lucifer into the lake of fire, because God and sin cannot coexist. God would have made a way for Lucifer to be spared but he knew that Lucifer would never change his mind until the very end of time. Satan was God’s best friend. Christ and Lucifer were in perfect harmony in the beginning. They enjoyed the closest fellowship and communion with each other. They co-ruled heaven together.Lucifer was God’s second in command until the time came where he questioned God’s sovereignty over all beings. He felt that Christ and himself should be equal because all beings are God. He questioned the hierarchy of the Elohim and decided to c hange it because he thought the trinity were wrong in perception. Everything that Satan does is purely logical and nothing is irrational. He does not do anything out of hate, malice or fear. He may use such frequencies of consciousness to manipulate people to serve his higher purposes but everything he does is for a higher good that he believes in.Because all concepts and possibilities exist in the mind of God,  Lucifer drew from higher intelligence the possibility of changing the reality of heaven into one where sovereignty is open for all, and decided that he was called for it. This shows the infinite power of the mind. The truth is that higher intelligence did not call Lucifer to change the reality of heaven. The inspiration that he gotten from the universal consciousness was simply a reflection of his own thoughts. Therefore  it is he himself that inspired himself using the process of subconscious computation of logical possibilities.This is how the work of evil is seemingly divinely inspired. The divine reality was always perfect from the beginning, there was never a need for change. All the evil that Satan does against God’s people is done in a cold, calculated and systematic way. Everything he does is intentional and purposeful. He only uses negative emotions and intentions as a means to manipulate people. Satan is a master manipulator, just like God. The attack on Israel and Christianity is purely strategic in the game plan that he is playing towards God.Their relationship is like two chess masters playing against each other to see if ultimately whose plan will be victorious. When you have this perspective of Satan, you have peace and fearlessness towards him. He can’t use his weapons of fear, hatred and malice against you because you don’t even attract such things into your reality. In order to destroy thy enemy, you have to love thy enemy. Your enemy is destroyed when he is no longer your enemy because he has become your ally or his threat has been neutralized against you.Therefore he can no longer affect you in a negative way. You can engage him positively. Enlightened Christians deal with the enemy this way. That’s how you are able to trample on snakes, scorpions and nothing shall by any means harm you. Because they have no power over you but you have power over them. The gates of hell shall not prevail over you because you see demons and terror for what they are, angels in disguise. Therefore you do not fear the enemy for you know their true forms and what they are up to.You can fight against principalities and powers at their level and overcome them. God did not say that Satan hates him. It is Satan himself that said so in order to deceive Christians into misunderstanding him so that he can use it to his advantage. By mistaking that Satan hates God, we are unable to perceive his true intentions and the way he really is. What we see is only a partial perception of what he wants to show. Theref ore the work of good, unity and love that he does would be accepted by us thinking that it is totally God’s idea.We should acknowledge good but know who’s doing. Satan’s ultimate intention is peace and unity and to create a new reality of heaven that is better than before. God’s intention is also the same. The only difference lies in the perception between the two. Satan thought that the original reality is imperfect and therefore he sought to change it. God saw that Satan corrupted the original reality by trying to change it and therefore seeks to restore it to its former glory. But  the work of redemption through the blood of Christ results in it being more glorious than ever.

Dracula Coursework

TRAN5291M Traffic Network Modelling Assignment: [Dracula Coursework] Student ID Number: [200750558] Lecturer: [Dr. Ronghui Liu] Submission Date: [12/03/2013] Semester: [Semester 2] Academic Year: [2012-2013] Words: [1546] Table of Content 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 2. Task coding for base scenario†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Task C (Simulation for proposed bus lane scheme)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 4. Task D (comparison of bus stop and bus lay by)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 5. Task E (Proposed Scheme)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 6. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 7. Reference†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 0 1. Introduction Otley is a market town in the outskirts of Leeds having population of 14124(National statistics. 2004). Otley town council wants to patronage public transport service by improvin g bus services to market and improving local environment by traffic reduction. We as a transport planner have been tasked to measure the effectiveness of inclusion of bus lane on link 24-17 which is a two lane carriage way serving all traffic, also to consider a change of bus layby to a bus stop Figure 1 Otley NetworkThe bus service in on route from zone 105 to 109 with a frequency of one every 10 minutes. Data collected from Dracula after simulation for bus route which have 2 bus stop and one layby holds the base scenario for this report and also to which the proposed scheme is compared. 2. Task coding for base scenario 2. Simulation of the Base Scenario For base scenario, the network is coded with 2 bus stop on link 24-17 and 15-9 and a bus lay by on link 16-15, 5 iteration were done with random NSEED no which are shown in table 1 Day 1| Day 2| Day 3| Day 4| Day 5| NSEED| 12345| 23456| 34567| 45678| 56789| Table 1. Random NSEED NO. Data collected for this simulation in this report included average total journey time for cars and buses over the network for 5 days which was 90. 26 seconds with standard deviation of 2. 26 for cars and 354. 68 seconds with standard deviation of 7. 55 for buses. The total Journey time data was taken from . REB file Figure 1. Base scenario average journey time for 5 days 3 Task C 3. 1Simulation for proposed bus lane schemeSimulation for proposed bus lane on link 24-17 were carried with same NSEED no as in the base scenario with respective days. Figure 2. Average journey time with bus lane As the graph indicates average total journey time for cars is 89. 62 and for bus is 339. 48 sec ,which has decreased in comparison with the base scenario. When the average journey times for the base scenario is compared with the proposed bus lane scheme as shown in figure 3,it was observed that although the journey time with the inclusion of bus lane have decreased but the deviation from the mean is higher compared to base scenario.As from the fi gure 3 the maximum deviation for the bus lane scheme not much higher as in the case of base scenario but with a minimum deviation there is a probability that journey time with bus lane scheme can reduce further. Figure 3. comparison of avg. journey times for base scenario and bus lane journey time In case of cars the change in average total journey time does not have a significant impact as the journey time in the base scenario changes form 90. 26 hours to 89. 26 hours and also the error bar in both the cases is vey less.Figure 4. Average journey time for cars The average number of passengers in the bus lane scheme have decreased from 163 passengers to 158 and also the error bar in the bus lane scheme is high compared to base scenario, shown in Table 1 | Bus lane scheme avg| Error bar| Base scenario avg| Error bar| Npsg| 158. 2| 20. 5| 163. 6| 7. 68| Pdelay(m)| 761. 28| 110. 598| 777. 82| 57. 29| Tdwell(s)| 1082| 224. 9| 1100. 6| 98. 36| Table 1:Comparision of base scenario and bus lane scheme for busThe passenger delay and bus dwell time have rather decreased but the error bar in the respective cases for bus lane scheme are high compared to base scenario. Although the journey time, number of passenger, passenger delay and bus dwell time are decreasing in bus lane scheme compared to base scenario but the error bar are comparatively high, hence it is more appropriate to have a reliable system and inclusion of bus lane would not affect the overall current bus service of the otley network significantly, but its inclusion can improve certain parts of the network which are significant in improving public transport service . Task D (comparison of bus stop and bus lay by) Analysing the performance of lay by on link 17- 15 with no bus lane the average total journey time for cars almost remained the same and does not have any significant impact . But in case of bus the total journey time with layby was more when compared with the bus stop scenario, also the error bar i n the bus top scenario was smaller that of a layby scenario, as shown in figure 5 Figure 6. comparison of average journey time for bus layby and bus stop scenario.Comparing the average no of passengers ,passenger delay time and bus dwell time the bus lay by scenario was better than the bus stop scenario as the number of passenger decreased in bus stop scenario with bigger error bar compared to base scenario, passenger delay does not have a significant impact but bus dwell time was smaller than the base scenario but the value for error bar is just double in the bus stop scenario ,as shown in table 7. | Bus stop scenario avg| Error bar| Bus layby scenario avg| Error bar| Npsg| 158. 4| 16. 9| 163. 6| 7. 68| Pdelay(m)| 779. 87| 96. 64| 777. 82| 57. 29| Tdwell(s)| 1080. 4| 183. 63| 1100. 6| 98. 36| Table 2. Comparison of bus stop and bus lay by scenario In case of Queuing delay bus lay bay have larger queuing delay than bus stop queuing delay, as shown in figure 7 Figure 7. comparison of queuing delay for bus layby and bus stop More Queuing delay in bus layby than that in bus stop case is because once bus get off the road to pick passengers, bus have to face congestion because of other cars which are already in the route .Comparing the average speed for bus in both the scenarios buses on link 16 -15 with bus stop have higher average speed than the case of a layby, as shown in figure 8 Figure 8. comparison of average speed for bus Bus also create congestion for other vehicle while they are boarding or deboarding the passengers. Performance flow on link 16 -15 for cars is shown in figure 9 Figure 9. Comparison of performed flow for cars Figure above show that the performance flow for cars was better in case of bus stop than that of a layby.Analysing the simulation for both bus stop and bus lay by the average journey time for bus top was significantly smaller compared to bus lay by on link 16-15,other factors such as average speed ,no of passengers ,passenger delay ti me and bus dwell time does not have a significant impact . Hence replacing bus layby with a bus stop would be beneficial and would encourage more usage of public transport service. 5. Task E (Proposed Scheme) Improvement of public transport service can be done if passengers already have seasonal tickets, this will reduce the bus dwell time and would also decrease the passenger delay at the bus stop.Proposal is given for a bus lane of length on link 24-17 with a bus stop on link 16 -15 and encouraging 50 percent of the passengers to have seasonal tickets. Frequency of the bus is kept the same as in the case of base scenario Improving infrastructure could be helpful in improving public transport service as on the network there are sharp turns which cause manoeuvring difficulties and causes some of the time delay (e. g. turn from link 24-17 to 17-15) The average journey time for proposed scheme is shown in figure 10As shown in the above graph the average journey time have decreased con siderably after inclusion of seasonal ticket, bus lane and bus stop on link 16 -15. Although the error bar for the proposed scheme is double of the base scenario but the maximum error of the proposed scheme is lesser than the minimum error for the base scenario. In terms of environment the proposed scheme does not have a huge impact on environment, as the co2,NOx and hydrocarbon emission are nearly same in both the cases, as shown in table 3. | Pollutants emission and fuel consumption|   | Base scenario|   | Proposed scheme|   |   | | Avg| Error Bar| Avg| Error Bar|   | Co2 (Kg)| 33. 71| 1. 37| 34. 11| 0. 37|   | Nox(Kg)| 0. 694| 0. 03| 0. 7| 0. 007|   | Hc (Kg)| 2. 28| 0. 09| 2. 318| 0. 02|   | Fuel (L)| 158| 6. 45| 159. 5| 1. 7|   | Table 3. Pollutant emission in base scenario and proposed scheme Comparing the queuing delay for both the scenarios ,queuing delay for bus in proposed scheme was lesser as compared to that of the base scenario. Figure 11. Comparison o f queuing delay for proposed scheme and base scenarioWith inclusion of bus stop and bus lane the average speed for busses increases form 12. 23 kmph to 14. 95 kmph as shown in figure12 When comparing the average no of passengers ,passenger delay at bus stop and bus dwell time we see that the no of passenger at the bus stop have increased and bus dwell time have decreased which is beneficial in improvement of public transport services. 6. Conclusion In the proposed scheme for the otley network in Dracula the inclusion of bus lane on link 24-17 and a bus stop on link 16-15 is beneficial . lso 50 percent of passengers having seasonal ticket is an advantage as it is reducing the bus dwell time and also the bus total journey time. 7. Reference 1. Office for National Statistics. (2004). Neighbourhood statistics. Available: http://www. neighbourhood. statistics. gov. uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset. do;jsessionid=zqGzR8CX0hh2WhLzqnHLh6GKBsqNYD19kNYPFXyCkSQjL4BBM092! 1701030348! 1362936375 650? instanceSelection=03070&productId=7. Last accessed 10/03/2013. 2. Dr. Ronghui Liu (2005). Dracula manual. ITS,LEEDS: Handouts. 1-147.