effects of tv violence on children Essay - 719 Words

Effects of Television Violence on Children In our society today, it is extremely important to pay attention to what influences children. One of the biggest influences America’s youth may have is the television. It is possible for children to be pulled into the television’s realistic world of violence with sometimes devastating results. The impact of television violence on youth behavior has been an issue for many years. Violent programs on television lead to negative behavior by children and teenagers who watch those programs. â€Å"There can no longer be any doubt that heavy exposure to televised violence is one of the causes of aggressive behavior, crime and violence in society. The evidence comes from both the laboratory and real-life†¦show more content†¦Thus, children begin to become less bothered by violence in general and less likely to see anything wrong with it. However, television stations and their executives continue to deny TVs contribution to youth violence. â€Å"Violence on television is damaging to children. Forty years of research conclude that repeated exposure to high levels of media violence teaches some children and adolescents to settle interpersonal differences with violence, while teaching many more to be indifferent to this solution† (Levine 3). Psychological research has shown three major effects of seeing violence on television: Children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, more fearful of the world around them, and may be more likely to behave in aggressive or harmful ways toward others (A.P.A., par. 2). Many people ask the question, â€Å"What are the long-term effects of violent television watching on children?† Research by Dr. James Cantor might help people better understand, the possible damaging effects television has on young children. Dr. Cantor’s research states, â€Å"Exposure to media violence, particularly that which entails bitter hostilities or the graphic display of injuries, initially induces an intense emotional reaction in viewers. Over time and with repeated exposure, however, many viewers exhibit decreasing emotionalShow MoreRelatedEssay on Effects of TV Violence on Children2966 Words   |  12 Pagesmany government agencies have begun to study the effects of violence on television as a prominent variable in childhood and adolescent aggressiveness. The prevalence of violence in television is rampant. It is as addictive as a drug to the children and adolescents, and is accomplishing two extreme reactions: a desensitization towards pain and suffering in the world, and instilling fear of the world as a dark, cold place. Although violence in all media has become a prominent issue, the focusRead MoreTelevision and Media Violence - Effects of TV Violence on Children2097 Words   |  9 PagesEffects of Television Violence on Children    Television is the mainstream of our culture. Violence on television has been a topic of conflict since before 1950. There have been repeated debates on how to protect children from the harmful effects of violence on television. Television is one form of modern media that influences the everyday lives of people. Televised violence has a major effect on how children perceive the world and how they behave. American television has become the mostRead MoreSocial Learning Theory and The Effect of TV Violence on Children2115 Words   |  9 PagesThe Effect of TV Violence on Children In the United States children watch an average of three to fours hours of television daily (Cantor Wilson, 1984, p. 28). Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of todays television programming is violent. Studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may become insensitive to violence. Consequently, they tend to gradually accept violence as aRead MoreInformative Speech Outline, Children and Violence Essay1264 Words   |  6 PagesInformative Speech Outline #2 Topic: Children and TV Violence General Purpose/ Goal: To inform. Specific Goal: I want my audience to know more about TV violence and children’s exposure to it. Thesis Statement: My informative speech is going to inform you about the definition of violence, how the media rates violence, and children’s exposure to media violence. Organizational Pattern: Topical INTRODUCTION I. Mahatma Gandhi said, â€Å"An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.† Read MoreThe Effects Of Television Violence On Children Essay1246 Words   |  5 PagesThis guest teaches your children to resolve conflicts through violence. The guest baby sits your kids and teaches them principles you don’t agree with. Does watching violence in TV is harmful for your children? Is it Ok to let the 2 year olds watch TV unsupervised? No says the American replacing baby sitters? Hypothesis: Extensive viewing of television violence causes children to behave in aggressive or harmful ways to others. Children model behavior they see in the media, she wrote in 1993. IfRead More The Effects of Violence in the Media Essay1528 Words   |  7 Pages The Effects of Violence In the Media nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Someone just got shoot on the streets due to the violence in the media.† That is what some people are saying that violence in the media is the cause of that. The controversy of the effects that violence has on people has been going on for a long time. This paper is going to prove both sides of the controversy and let one decide which side is right. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Violence is on the news and on everyday action showsRead MoreMedia Effects On The Media Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pagestelevision (TV), however many experts feel we are constantly affected by the media whether we think we are or not. Theorists believe that too much media exposure can lead to knowledge, attitudes or behavioural changes within a society, this is called ‘media effects’ (Kuehn, â€Å"Media Effects†). These media effects consists of several Paradigms, a Paradigm is described as â€Å"a typical pattern or model† (Kuehn, â€Å"Media Effects†). The Paradigms this essay will consist of are called the ‘New Effects Paradigm’Read MoreEssay about Violence on Television1246 Words   |  5 PagesViolence on Television Today’s society is heavily influenced by television. The violence disrupts a child’s learning process and can alter the moral beliefs that an older person has. Children view more violence on Saturday mornings than any other time. The cartoons aimed at little children influence youngsters to mimic violent acts because their parents do not fully explain the effects of the stunts. It is pathetic that in such a technology based society, such a simple thing as television canRead More violence on tv Essay855 Words   |  4 Pages Violence on TV nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Violence is described in Webster’s dictionary as physical force exerted for the purpose of violating, damaging, or abusing. Violence on TV has been steadily increasing for the past few years. It’s not very often that you will find a TV show in prime time that doesn’t involve some type of violence. According to Hollywood sex and violence sells. The problem with this is that violent programs on television lead to aggressive behavior by children and teenagersRead MoreEssay on Negative Effects of Tv on Family Life1130 Words   |  5 PagesNegative Effects of TV The television has many effects on family life and the individual, causing family bonds to unravel and the individual to become naà ¯ve of their surroundings. The TV keeps one hooked for hours on end, causing family relationships to diminish and personal relationships to weaken. Not only does the TV seem to be a good alternative to conversations and interactions amongst one another, but it also helps to create a gap between the fictional world of TV and reality. Since the

Renaissance and Middle Ages Free Essays

string(248) " sculpted subjects in authentic detail, for as Italian Leon Battista Alberti instructed in his 1435 Della pittura: â€Å"It will help, when painting living creatures, first to sketch in the bones, for they always occupy a certain determined position\." Historians call the period we live in Modern Times. Modern Times began with the Renaissance, one of the rare periods of genius in the world’s history. Beginning in the 14th century and reaching its height in the 15th, the Renaissance was a new age filled with remarkable accomplishments meaning â€Å"rebirth†. We will write a custom essay sample on Renaissance and Middle Ages or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Renaissance refers to the rediscovery by humanists of the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The individualization of man began in this era, and it was during this period that man began to focus on the secular aspects of life rather than hierarchical Christianity, which was the stranglehold of the Middle Ages. The ordered, formalistic medieval society broke down and Europe emerged from the Dark Ages. The Renaissance was a period of discovery in many fields. Advances in science were numerous and contributed to the growth of the era. Beliefs and theories that were common during the Middle Ages were gradually being rejected and scientific investigation during the Renaissance lead to an increased understanding of the natural world. Along with discoveries in science, the Renaissance proved to be one of the great ages of fine arts, leaving a rich legacy. The art from the Middle Ages was revolutionized in the Renaissance and is one of the most prominent variances between the two eras. The intellectual energies of the Renaissance, however, came from the literature of many masters. Humanism was emphasized, which contrasted the church driven society of the Middle Ages. Advances and accomplishments in science, fine arts and literature made the Renaissance a golden period, which flourished far beyond the achievements of the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance, discoveries in science, particularly in astronomy, physics, and anatomy exceeded those of the Middle Ages. Vital to the growth of scientific investigation was a progressive rejection of astrology and magic, creed that was prevalent in medieval times. The scientists of the Renaissance rejected any sort of magic because observation and experimentation did not support it. Scientists of the Renaissance made many breakthroughs increasing their knowledge and understanding of the world. Important inventions were medieval in origin as well. For example, the magnetic compass that directed Renaissance explorers to Asia and the Americas was innovated in the Middle Ages. But it was the humanism that was brought out in the Renaissance, which separates it from the Middle Ages. Equally important to the development of science was humanism, for among the ancient writings that the humanists collected were those that inspired scientific research. Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus challenged the ideas of astronomy and forever changed the way Western civilization looks at the universe. At Copernicus’s birth, Europeans believed that the earth was stationary, at the center of the universe, and all other heavenly bodies, including the sun, revolved around the earth. Copernicus used observation and mathematical analysis to overturn this concept. After careful calculations and observations, Copernicus realized that the earth both revolves around the sun and rotates about its own axis. The importance of Copernicus’ discovery was not only that he provided future astronomers with groundwork; he challenged pervious theories on astronomy and the universe. Studying the heavens, however, was very difficult as the human eye could only see so much. Italian astronomer Galileo constructed a telescope for observing the galaxy. With this device, he discovered that the surface of the moon was covered with craters, mountains and valleys, and discovered other satellites orbiting the planet Jupiter. The rationality and reason promoted by renaissance researchers would become increasingly important not only to science but to Western thought. Those who came after this period would refine its methods and techniques and open up much more of the natural world to human understanding, but they would always be indebted to the pioneering work of these early scientific thinkers. The Renaissance was also one of the great ages of art. It was an era of artistic experimentation and discovery led by famous painters and sculptors whose works are perhaps more than any other accomplishments representative of the Renaissance in today’s world. The art from the Middle Ages differed tremendously from the Renaissance. During the Middle Ages, the arts had reflected that period’s deep interest in religion. Paintings for instance, were either portraits of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the saints or illustrations of scenes from the Bible. In the Renaissance however, art became less religious in nature. Much of it dealt with more worldly subjects: portraits, of living people, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life. Religious subjects did not disappear entirely. Some of the greatest religious art dates from the Renaissance, such as Leonardo da Vinci’s 1497 painting the Last Supper, and Michelangelo’s 1504 sculpture David. Yet, there was a more secular tone to Renaissance art than to medieval art. This artistic shift came in part because the patrons of artists were often nobles nd business and civil leaders rather than, as in the Middle Ages, the church. A second difference between Renaissance and medieval art was the supreme importance of architecture during the Middle Ages. To the medieval world, architecture was the most sublime of arts because architects were responsible for the design and building of the great churches and cathedrals of the period. At this time, both painting and sculpture were used a lmost exclusively to decorate these church buildings. Although architecture remained important in the Renaissance, painting and sculpture were the chief arts. Again this change in emphasis had a great deal to do with the rise of the private patron: few, like the Catholic Church, could afford to finance a building but any one of whom could pay for a statue. A third difference between medieval and Renaissance art was the latter’s emphasis on realism. Renaissance artists tried to represent the human figure as realistically and naturally as possible. To achieve this realism, both painters and sculptors studied anatomy and the world around them. They worked hard to portray their painted or sculpted subjects in authentic detail, for as Italian Leon Battista Alberti instructed in his 1435 Della pittura: â€Å"It will help, when painting living creatures, first to sketch in the bones, for they always occupy a certain determined position. You read "Renaissance and Middle Ages" in category "Papers" Then add the sinews and muscles, and finally clothe the bones and muscles with flesh and skin. As Nature clearly and openly reveals all these proportions, so the earnest painter will find great profit from investigating them in Nature. Because of its close association with the observation of the natural world, this Renaissance realism came to be known as naturalism. Leonardo da Vinci is seen as one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance. Far more than just a painter, he was also an engineer, mathematician, inventor, architect, and writer. Moreover, he was a scientist, whose interests were in biology, physics, and chemistry. The ai m of his studies, particularly those in anatomy, was to make his paintings better. He believed firmly that studying the paintings of others alone would produce only minor work. However, a painter who also studied nature would, in his opinion, produce great art. The art produced in the Renaissance was a rebirth of the classical Greek and Roman works. After centuries of stiff representation, artists began again to study Nature herself, and to work from the living model. New ideas of grace, harmony, and beauty were cultivated into classic works that revolutionized fine art of that period from a sacred to a secular tone. Parallel to the development of fine arts, was an awakening of the human intellect through written works. Innovation and invention were the hallmarks of Renaissance literature. As in art, humanism influenced its literature through both its ideas and its focus on classical writings. A contributing factor to the spread of humanism was printing. Until the Renaissance, books were produced by hand. In 1465, the printing press was invented in Germany. Although printing technology had been developed in China as early as the second century AD, the 15th century printing press was combined with another innovation: moveable metal type. With this invention, came a rise in literacy. Books became available to everyone, significantly speeding up the spread of classical knowledge and humanist ideas. During the Middle Ages, only the clergy and a few others could read, whereas Renaissance readers came from all social classes. By the 16th century, about half the population of London could read and write to some degree. One of the most important developments that took place in Renaissance literature was the expanded use in books and poems of such languages as Italian, French, and English, rather than Latin. Although Latin remained the international language of Europe, Renaissance authors increasingly wrote in their native languages. The rise of the vernacular made it possible for the middle classes of Europe to read and write in their own language rather than Latin. Many prominent writers of the time such as Petrarch (1304- 1374), and Dante (1265- 1321) saw the use of the vernacular as a means of passing on classical virtues and knowledge to a far wider audience than was possible with Latin. The scholars Thomas G. Bergin and Jennifer Speake note: â€Å"Petrarch’s determination that the classical ideal should permeate every aspect of life led to what has been called the â€Å"humanism of the vernacular†: the ennobling not only of the native tongue, but also of everyday experience under the influence of classical models. † Poets and other writers were generally enthusiastic about the use of the vernacular, feeling that their native languages brought their work alive i n a way no ancient, outdated language could. Writers in the Renaissance era began to experiment with new forms of literature. In France, the great pioneer in vernacular writings was the French humanist Francois Rabelais. He not only experimented with writing in French, but he also began a new literary form, the novel. The result was the birth of the French novel, which ridiculed the medieval church and way of thought during the Middle Ages. This new kind of literature contrasts the writings of the medieval times which were mainly church inspired. Most writings were during the Middle Ages were done by Churchmen and most of it was in Latin. Biographies of the lives of the saints were extremely popular. The printing press in the Renaissance led to a rise of literacy in Europe; therefore the middle class was better educated. The rise of the vernacular also revolutionized literature in the Renaissance, which made it possible for the rising middle class of Europe to read and write in their own language rather than Latin. These breakthroughs in literature separate the Renaissance from medieval times. Emerging from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance was a new age filled with impressive accomplishments. The Dark Ages was a time in which the Church was the center of economic, social and political life while the Renaissance was a period in which human affairs and the advancement of Man were emphasized. Scientific discoveries made by many scholars such as Copernicus and Galileo revolutionized medieval theories on astronomy. If one aspect of Renaissance culture differed noticeably from the Middle Ages, it was art. Artists of this time period strayed from the stiff, religious mold of art to a more realistic approach to art displaying great detail and a variety of emotions. Advances in literature reformed the Renaissance. Inventions such as the printing press and the development of the vernacular led to the rise of literacy in all social classes, which greatly differs from the Middle Ages where only the clergy and few others could read and write. The Renaissance era crackled with energy, filled with remarkable discoveries and advancements. Many would have agreed with the French physician Jean Fernel, who wrote in the early 1500s: â€Å"The world sailed round, the largest Earth’s continents, discovered the printing press sowing knowledge, ancient manuscripts rescued, all witness to the triumph of our New Age. † How to cite Renaissance and Middle Ages, Papers

Presidential Election Essay Example For Students

Presidential Election Essay The first election of the millennium will take place on November 7th, 2000. The two most recognized candidates running are Al Gore who represents the Democratic Party and George W. Bush who represents the Republican Party. Gore is labeled as a liberal, who leans towards being a moderate in some issues. Bush is labeled as a conservative but takes many positions considered as moderate. Gore and Bush have very different views when it comes to issues such as a prescription drug plan, education, oil prices and the environment, taxes, and foreign policy.It is those issues that will decide the outcome of the race. The polls, that evaluate which candidate is in the lead, have been very turbulent in the past couple of weeks. Gore and Bush have both been in the lead at one point. Again, it is issues such as taxes and education that will determine the final outcome. Prescription drugs is one of the issues that Gore and Bush have made a priority. Gores plan for prescription drugs leans more towards the Democratic liberal side because of the level of government involved. Bushs plan for prescription drugs suggests that the States give relief to the Medicare system before the government steps in. Bush would rather have the government take a limited role in helping seniors pay their prescription drug costs. In the past 10 years prescription drug prices have nearly doubled. With high costs running from $80 to $100 a prescription, many seniors are spending their entire social security check on one prescription alone. The high cost of prescription drugs has become a really important issue between Gore and Bush. Gore and Bush have entirely different plans for prescription drugs. Gore wants to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. After paying a $25 monthly premium, a senior would be reimbursed half of all drug bills up to a maximum of five thousand in bills per year (Noonan 34). In addition, Gores plan would cover all prescription payments exceeding four thousand in out-of-pocket costs per year. Gores plan would help an estimated thirty-nine million seniors. Bushs plans for prescription drug cost differ from those of Gore. Bush wants to work with Congress to reform Medicare and in the meantime he will provide the States with forty-eight billion dollars for low-income seniors. The forty-eight billion dollars would help out low income seniors mainly for their prescriptions. Part of the forty-eight billion dollars would cover at least twenty five percent of the premiums for seniors buying health insurance, including drug coverage, from health insurance providers or Medicare. The bottom line is that Gore wants to reform Medicare by provding additions to the existing model. Bush wants to give money to the States who will help out seniors and have private insurers take a role in helping out low-income seniors.Another issue that both Gore and Bush are addressing is education. According to Newsweek magazine, voters believe that education is a top priority. Though education is funded at the state level, Gore and Bush have made it a hot issue. Gore and Bush are clear-cut Democrat and Republican on education reform. For example, Gore wants a federally developed test for all students. Bush would leave testing up to the States for students in the third to the eight-grade. Both Bush and Gore agree that schools should be accountable for results. When it comes to school funding, the two candidates have keen differences. Gore wants to hire turn-around experts who will examine the problems of failing schools. Also, Gore will make teachers take tests to prove they are worthy of being teachers. Gore will add bonuses to high student grades. Finally, Gore opposes public money being spent on private schools which Bush believes in. Bush would endorse federal vouchers that would help families send their kids to private schools. .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 , .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .postImageUrl , .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 , .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2:hover , .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2:visited , .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2:active { border:0!important; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2:active , .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2 .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u349062f253f8fd415047f0eb70dd34f2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie Essay This idea would create a new system of competing schools and in return will have very high standards for students. Bush would expand the U.S. Department of Education to include a universal preschool education system. Bushs plans for education would cost up to forty-seven billion dollars and Gores education plans would cost an estimated one-hundred-seventy billion dollars. Also, both Bush and Gore believe

Organisational Devlopment Levels of Diagnosis free essay sample

It is pointless conducting diagnosis at the individual level, because most issues can be addressed at the organization and group level. Discuss. Within modern business practices continual evolution is essential for long term organisational outcomes. With economic pressures, a growing demand for perceptibly social and environmental responsibility and an increasingly focus towards international and worldwide trade, modern organizations are confronted with an almost constant need for change (Waddell, Cummings and Worley, 2007). Thus it is important for leaders to have a sound understanding of change issues and theories (Waddell, 2002). Organisational development (OD) is described as a systematic application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development and reinforcement of organizational structures, processes and strategies for improving organisational effectiveness (Waddell et al. , 2007). Diagnosis it an integral part of successful OD implementation and is performed on one or more levels including ‘individual’, ‘group’ and ‘organisational’ diagnosis. Thus for successful long term outcomes it is necessary to investigate the role of diagnosis within successful OD implementation, with a focus on ‘individual’ level diagnosis in contrast to both ‘group’ and ‘organisational’. We will write a custom essay sample on Organisational Devlopment: Levels of Diagnosis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Diagnosis within organisation development is described as an intervention that develops information about the various subsystems of an organisation as well as the patterns and processes that take part in an organisation (Beckhard, 1969). Similarly, Waddell et al. 2007) depict diagnosis as the process of understanding how the organisation is currently functioning, in order to successfully develop change intervention. Thus within modern firms this process develops insight for both the client and OD coordinator into the functioning and efficiency on individual, group and organisational levels. Aldefer and Brown (1975) suggest that the process of diagnosis also serves to motivate organisational members to engage in change. Nadler (1977) reinforces this, depicting that diagnosis provides employees or members with a direction for change. As such, diagnosis within OD has been described as the ‘key’ in developing successful interventions (Burton Obel, 2004). As well the diagnostic process is referred to as collaborative between OD consultant and client (Stacey, 2007), in which the two parties work together to develop action plans for effective change process. Waddell et al. (2007) reinforces this suggesting that the values and ethics that underlie OD suggest that both change agents and organisational members should be involved in developing and implementing appropriate interventions. Organisations, when viewed as open systems can be diagnosed as three levels, including organisation, group and individual (Waddell et al. , (2007). The highest level is the organisational level and includes the design of the organisations structure, strategy and processes. The next level consists of groups or departments within the organisational structure, including group design and interaction devices. The lowest level of organisational diagnosis is the individual level, including job design and personnel characteristics. Todnem (2005) suggest organisational diagnosis can occur at all three levels or it may be limited to problems that occur at a single level. For example, if there was a problem with output resulting from a single job design there would be only need for individual level diagnosis. Similarly Coghlan (1994) illustrates that the key to effective diagnosis is to know what to look for at each level, as well as how the levels affect each other. Waddel et al. (2007) depict the organisational level of diagnosis as the broadest systems perspective that is typically taken in diagnostic activities. This level focuses on the organisation against inputs such as the general environment and industry structure to achieve outputs such as performance, efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction through strategy and organisational design. Todnem (2005) suggests that design components within this level can also include HRM, culture and technology. Similarly the general environment can include a vast amount of extraneous variables including social, technological, economical, ecological and political (Stahl, 1997). Thus this level provides a broad basis for diagnosis within the largest environment. As such this level of diagnosis is most crucial when designing or redesigning action plans focused around the organisation as a whole. These strategies may include organisational goals and objectives, mission or organisational policies. (Waddell et al. (2007). Modern organizations are developing action plans in order to change practices to incorporate environmental and social responsibility. These plans and interventions designed at achieving change include organisational wide strategies, such as redesigning business infrastructure as well as changing major mission values/goals and policies within those companies. An example of integrating effective organisatinoal diagnosis is RIO TINTO’s continual development and change towards more sustainable, environmentally responsible mining processes in order for long term outcomes (RIO TINTO, 2010). Through external forces or inputs they developed and integrated various interventions to remodel major sectors within the firm completely. Thus developing and maintaining successful strategic design requires effective organisational diagnosis. The next level of diagnosis is group, and can apply to both larger operating division of firms such as BHP Billiton, or to smaller departments within organisations (Waddell et al. , 2007). Coghlan (1994) depicts that division or larger groups within such multinational firms generally follow the same dimension and relational fits applicable to organisational level development. Inversely Waddell et al. (2007) suggest that small departments and groups behave differently from larger divisions or organisations and thus require a suitable diagnostic model to reflect those dimensions. As such, group level diagnosis consists of organisational design as an input, resulting in outputs of team effectiveness through design components such as task structure, group functioning, performance norms, group composition and goal clarity. Stahl (1997) describes group diagnosis as relative to a small number of people working face to face on a shared task or program. Laser (1995) suggests supportive organisational design is crucial for effective groups to operate. Harrison and Shirom (1999) reinforce this depicting that group structure and components are highly interrelated to organisational wide strategy and design. Goal clarity is a major design component within group level diagnosis, and refers to how well the group understands its objectives. Waddell et al. (2007) suggest that goals should be understood by all members, moderately challenging, measurable, and monitored and, have structure for providing feedback of achievement. An example may include group targets for sales teams. Stahl (1997) illustrates that goal clarity is of crucial importance to successful group outcomes. Coghlan (1994) reinforces this depicting that clear goals provide motivation and direction to group dynamics. Group level diagnosis is considered a more specific approach to an internalized problem than organisational diagnosis and can include problem solving groups built for a specific function (Stahl, 1997). However organisational and group levels remain highly interrelated through organisational design. The lowest level of diagnosis is the individual job or position. Waddel et al. (2007) suggest that organisations are made up of numerous groups and in turn, those groups are composed of several positions. Callan (1993) depicts individual diagnosis as highly specified and dynamic. Similarily Stahl (1997) described the individual level diagnosis as having a minimal effect on the organization as a whole. As the individual level focuses on a single job design it requires a new model of job-level diagnosis (Waddell et al. , 2007). The inputs within this level are organisational design, group design and personnel characteristics, and the resulting outputs aimed at achieving are individual effectiveness, through performance, job satisfaction and individual development. The design components utilized to transform the inputs within this model are skill variety, task identity, autonomy, task significance and feedback about results. Coghlan (1994) suggests that effective feedback mechanisms are crucial to continual intervention and employee development. Feedback refers to the degree to which employees are provided with clear information about performance and effectives of their activities (Waddell et al. , 2007). Such mechanisms could include both formal and informal methods such as casual on the spot feedback or yearly performance appraisals. Conversely Callan (1993) depicts task significance as a major influence on outcomes within the individual level, suggesting that the level to which the employee’s job impacts on other people’s lives has a powerful affect on resulted outcomes. Individual level changes and restructuring can result in higher outcomes of individual’s position through higher individual interest and personnel investment in their jobs (Waddell et al. , 2007). As well higher productivity on an individual level transfers to more successful organisational outcomes, and thus benefits both the workers and the firm. The importance of diagnosis on an individual level can be relatively debatable dependent on organisational type, infrastructure and individual job function (Mclean, 2005). Individual level diagnosis relies on organisational design, group design and personal characteristics for transference into outputs (Waddle et al. 2007). Thus this job level is highly interrelated and dependent on the effectiveness of the design components of both organisational and group level. Hence, effective intervention development within the first two levels of diagnosis would result in a large proportion of successful outputs on an individual level (Harrison and Shirom, 1999). Conversely personal characteristics can include dynamic and uncontrollable extraneous variables which may result in a varied output on the job level. (Burton Obel, 2004). Thus in order to limit a varied result within output it may be necessary to conduct individual diagnosis of job design relevant to the specific problem or concern. As well Mclean (2005) emphasizes the importance of employee satisfaction in relation to staff turnover in order for long term development and organisational outcomes. Waddel et al. (2007) reinforce this depicting a ‘two sided’ relationship between employee satisfaction and interest and the consequential favorable outcomes for the firm. Cobb (1986) illustrates that redesigning individual level jobs can be crucial for successful outcomes within specified problems. As well Beer and Spector (1993) suggest that the success of OD interventions rely heavily on the accuracy of diagnosis within organisations. Thus for a higher probability of favorable outcomes for developed interventions it is necessary to conduct diagnosis over all three levels. Organisational development is a critical process for both short and long term outcomes within modern business practice. With growing economic, social and environmental pressure, there is a greater need for organisational change than ever before. Successful OD is heavily reliant on the effectiveness of diagnosis within an organisation in order to develop appropriate interventions to develop change within the firm. All three levels of diagnosis within OD are important to developing effective mechanisms for change. Organisational diagnosis is more responsive to external influences and direct pressure for both social and environmental concerns. However both group and individual levels are highly interrelated with the success of change interventions and in particular the development of productivity and efficiency to provide support against the economic strain. Individual level diagnosis is highly interrelated within the other levels and as such may not be necessary within some OD applications.

Constitutional Convention and the Delegates Who Attended

Constitutional Convention and the Delegates Who Attended The Constitutional Convention was called in May of 1787 order to make revisions to the Articles of Confederation. George Washington was immediately named the Conventions president. This Articles had been shown since their adoption to be very weak. It was soon decided that instead of revising the articles, an entirely new government needed to be created for the United States. A proposal was adopted on May 30th that stated in part, ...that a national government ought to be established consisting of a supreme Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary. With this proposal, writing began on a new constitution. The meeting of the Constitutional Convention began on May 25, 1787. They met on 89 of the 116 days between May 25th and their final meeting on September 17, 1787. The meetings took place Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twelve of the 13 original states participated by sending delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The only state that did not participate was Rhode Island. They were against the idea of a stronger federal government. Further, New Hampshire delegates did not reach Philadelphia and participate until July 1787. Key Delegates There were 55 delegates who attended the Convention. The most well-known attendees for each state were: Virginia - George Washington, James Madison, Edmund Randolph, George MasonPennsylvania - Benjamin Franklin, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, James WilsonNew York - Alexander HamiltonNew Jersey - William PatersonMassachusetts - Elbridge Gerry, Rufus KingMaryland - Luther MartinConnecticut - Oliver Ellsworth, Roger ShermanDelaware - John DickinsonSouth Carolina - John Rutledge, Charles PinckneyGeorgia - Abraham Baldwin, William FewNew Hampshire - Nicholas Gilman, John LangdonNorth Carolina - William Blount A Bundle of Compromises The Constitution was created through many compromises. The Great Compromise solved how representation should be determined in Congress by combining the Virginia Plan which called for representation based on population and the New Jersey Plan that called for equal representation. The Three-Fifths Compromise worked out how slaves should be counted for representation counting every five slaves as three people in terms of representation. The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise promised that Congress would not tax the export of goods from any state and would not interfere with the slave trade for at least 20 years. Writing the Constitution The Constitution itself was based on many great political writings including the Baron de Montesquieus The Spirit of the Law, Jean Jacques Rousseaus Social Contract, and John Lockes Two Treatises of Government. Much of the Constitution also came from what was originally written in the Articles of Confederation along with other state constitutions. After the delegates finished working out resolutions, a committee was named to revise and write the Constitution. Gouverneur Morris was named the head of the committee, but most of the writing fell to James Madison, who has been called the Father of the Constitution. Signing the Constitution The Committee worked on the Constitution until September 17th when the convention voted to approve the Constitution. 41 delegates were present. However, three refused to sign the proposed Constitution: Edmund Randolph (who later supported ratification), Elbridge Gerry, and George Mason. The document was sent to the Congress of the Confederation which then sent it to the states for ratification. Nine states needed to ratify it for it to become law. Delaware was the first to ratify. The ninth was New Hampshire on June 21, 1788. However, it wasnt until May 29, 1790, that the last state, Rhode Island, voted to ratify it.

Amy Tan’s A Mother’s Tongue

Amy Tan 's mother' s tongue, Amy Tan 's article Native Mother is aimed to show how hard it is when a person is raised by Tan' s mother who said one parent is limited English I am doing. Other people are disliking others. As Tan 's primary caregiver, her mother was an important part of her childhood, and she had a strong influence on how to write Tan. I grew up with her mother, she realized that the recognition of the human world primarily depends on the language spoken at home. Tale of Amy Tan Native language Today, many Americans speak English as the first language. But what makes us stand out is that it is difficult to find two people who speak exactly the same English. This is the discussion Amy Tan proposed in her mother tongue. As the first generation Asian American, Tan moved from China to Auckland, California and became a famous writer. - Amy Tan's Mother's Tongue Amy Tan's article Native Mother is how hard it is when people are raised by Tan's mother who said parents of limit ed English (36) brought up It aims to show. It may lead people to be badly judged by others. As Tan 's primary caregiver, her mother is an important part of her childhood, and she has a great influence on Tan' s composition style. The mother tongue of Amy Tan is in her mother tongue and Amy Tan talks about how language affects her life as she grows up. Through her sorrow, she explained her experience with her mother and Chinese to the audience, understand what she wants to do and what she wants to write. Author Tan wrote the book The Joy Luck Club and The Wife of The Kitchen God. She is an Asian American and my parents are from China, but I moved to Oakland, California. - English is an invisible door. Immigrants are outsiders. Native speaker is a gatekeeper. Regardless of whether the door is open or not, it is the responsibility of a broken English user to rely on their view. Sadly, as Tan's mother discussed in her article Native Language, in most cases the door is closed. Before th ey knew her, people treated her mother due to her wrong English. Tan sympathizes with his mother and other immigrants The article entitled 'Native language' by Amy Tan ended with her remarks. I know that I succeeded when my mother completed my book and made judgments that I can understand. (39) This article focuses on the prejudice of Amy and her mother. As she said that English was inappropriate, Erie 's mother was despised by her life. As she is Chinese, Amy protects her mother's broken English, her family's simple English becomes an intimate language, and it has become a different kind of English related to family conversation (36 ). She rarely knows that it is not only English in fact. Amy Tan provided enough resources to display more content.

Situational Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Situational Leadership - Assignment Example This model portrays leadership as to having two dimensions. They said that these dimensions were; leaders who were task oriented and leaders who were relationship oriented. The leaders who were relationship oriented laid more emphasis on their relationship with their followers. They tend to create a good working environment by enhancing good relations and follower appreciation. On the other hand is the task oriented leaders who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals or accomplish their professional duties. This meant they are solely determined to perform their tasks irrespective of their relations with the followers This model categorized follower maturity in to four levels. The levels were; the high maturity, moderate maturity which was subdivided into two and finally the low maturity. Each of these levels was characterized by the difference in ability and willingness of an individual. Prior to that, the model had relative comparison of the relationship behavior and the task behavior. This relative comparison gave rise to four quadrants. This model was expressed diagrammatically as illustrated below. In the leadership behavior model we have the four quadrants S1, S2, S3 and S4. (S1) represents low relation and high task leadership behavior. They said that this type of behavior is where the follower character is unable and unwilling and this requires maximum supervision of performance. He referred to this as telling style. The next quadrant (S2) represents a high task high relationship leadership behavior characterized by an unable but willing follower. The situation exhibited here is where the leader gives instruction but expects clarification from the follower. Hersey and Blanchard recommend this a selling style. Quadrant (S3) represents a leadership behavior characterized by high relation and low task which corresponds to unable but unwilling follower. They said that in this situation there ought to be participation. By participation

Quote two claims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quote two claims - Essay Example Observably, it can be stated that having good sense is not important, but it is significant for people to use it in a good direction. It is quintessential that an individual should not presume his/her mind to be better than other individual in general. Besides, sharpness, clarity in thoughts and memory which is capacious is argued to be vital components within an individual to define the perfect mind. It is also crucial to select a path that enables an individual to develop imaginations and maxims, which ultimately leads an individual to foster method that facilitate him/her to acquire knowledge gradually (Thomas and Turner 32-44). Thomas and Turner’s notion, â€Å"clarity is the central virtue of classic prose† can also be supported, grounded on the fact that classic writer were engaged in presenting literary works that has already been perceived by them. Classic prose can be argued to be predominantly an efficient instrument, which neither invents nor misleads their view. Besides, classic prose evaded hesitations and uncertainties. Thus, it can be firmly justified that â€Å"clarity is the central virtue of classic prose† (Thomas and Turner

Cowboys and Indians †Clara Madsen Essay Example for Free

Cowboys and Indians – Clara Madsen Essay 1) Resume The story Cowboys and Indians is about a girl, who is at her grandmothers funeral. She doesnt feel very comfortable, so she calls her cousin David to come and rescue her. He is a real rebellion and he picks her up on his motorcycle. Their first stop is at a bar where they drink a couple of shots and a beer. Then they drive of again. At the second stop they smoke a joint and talk about their grandmother, and how David feels stuck in his life. Then they gets hungry and decides to eat at a little takeout stand. There are sitting two old women. They tell that the wind brings devil spirits and they think that David and the narrator brought it with them. Then they drive home, and says their goodbye outside the house. David doesnt want to deal with the family. 2) Characterize The Narrator is a girl with two personalities. She have learned to behave so she can fit in the society, but she is an outlaw. Almost like David. She hasnt found her right identity yet, so she is living a kind of double life? Already in the beginning she knows that she is old enough to help ind the house and talk to people, but she just want to escape. Our grandfather, the patriarch of the family, despised us both. (l. 57) The grandfather also thinks that she is different even though she tries to hide it. The narrator is also an little naive, because she believes in almost everything David tells her. She wants to be tough and cool, when she is around him but she is often a little insecure.

With Life Comes Problems :: psu

With Life Comes Problems 1 In today's world there is nobody who can honestly say that they have absolutely no problems or worries in their life. Everyone has something to deal with and things to get over in their life--that's why it's called life. As long as you're alive, you will constantly have to battle the burdens of life that all people encounter. Some are destroyed by the harships [Hostage 50] and others overcome them. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" she gives a glimpse at the life of one woman who, for a brief time, felt she would have no more problems, but then is shocked in to [into] death by realizing that her problems were not yet gone. The theme of the story is that you are never really free from the troubles of life until you are dead. 2 The conflicts in the story are ones that we all encounter and deal with until the day we die. In the story there is conflict between Louise (woman) and her husband (man). It said that sometimes she loved her husband, but often she did not (par. 14). This says to me that they did not have a good relationship together, and and were probably constantly battling. [Evidence from the story?] Another conflict would be Mrs. Mallard's life vs. Mr. Mallard's death. [?] Because of Mr. Mallard's suppossed [Hostage 50] death, Louise would now live her life happier and for herself (par. 13). Then, when Mr. Mallard came home, Louise was faced with the conflict of choosing between the freedom she would have had or the repression she would now suffer, from her husband, for the rest of her life if she would stay alive. At the end she, in a way, chooses death over repression. The only true way for her to be free was to die. 3 The symbols in "The Story of an Hour" give a look at the good life and rebirth Louise would have had if Mr. Mallard would have actually been dead. The actual word "mallard" refer to a wild duck. [SV -1] The meaning of "duck," other than the animal, is to avoid a blow. Mrs. Mallard was constantly ducking wildly from her husband's blows, whether mental or physical. [Evidence?] The calm after her storm of grief (par.

Automobile and Swot Analysis Essay

1. Introduction This report is based on the company Mercedes Benz, and the chosen country is Singapore. The purpose of the report is to conduct an environmental and marketing analysis of Mercedes Benz in Singapore. Firstly, this report will state the company background. Next, it will state the country background. Thirdly, it will state the SWOT analysis. Fourthly, it will state the PEST analysis. After that, it will state the marketing strategy, new product development, and lastly the conclusion. Company background Mercedes-Benz is a German car company, some sort of multinational department from the German company Daimler AG. The company is used intended for high-class motor vehicles, buses, motor coachs, as well as vehicles. The particular brand made an appearance in 1926 within Daimler-Benz yet history the sources to Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft’s 1901 Mercedes and to Karl Benz’s 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is commonly viewed as the first car. Mercedes-Benz’s slogan is â€Å"Das Beste oder nichts† (English: â€Å"The best or nothing†). Mercedes-Benz is just about the most commonly known as well as set up car makes in the world, which is on the list of the world’s oldest car company nevertheless around the world today in 2014,possessing the first petrol-powered vehicle. Country background Singapore is an affluent island nation, positioned in Southeast Asia within the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The occupants of Singapore delight in one of the maximum standards associated on earth, with each capita GDP adequate to in which from the top international locations within American The european union. The particular economy would depend intensely upon exports, and the nation houses one of the busiest ports on earth. 2. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is part of strategic planning. The SWOT analysis helps organizations assess issues within and outside the organization. The SWOT analysis, made up of an assessment of strengths, weaknesses, external opportunities and threats from competition, provides an outline for strategic decision-making Table 1 From the table above it is seen that strong brand value measures that Mercedes is considered as a premium brand, such as BMW, Porsche, Audi and etc. There is no exception that Mercedes will stay in premium segment for a very long time. Almost all the rich and old people prefer this particular car brand. Also, this company has an advantage over their competitors as increasing production hybrid cars because of environmental friendly and Ð µÃ'€Ã'Æ' exact number of miles driven. To produce high quality cars and hire well – educated employees makes production expensive. That is why Mercedes is interested in upper class people who are able to buy such a car. It makes the brand attractive investment for people with high income (upper class). PEST analysis Originally known as PEST Analysis, this is a macro environmental framework used to understand the impact of the external factors on the organization and is used as strategic analytical technique. Strengths Weakness Opportunities Threats Strong brand value High price cost Fast – growing company Government policy Leader in innovation Expensive service New products and services Increasing in competition High level safety of cars High fuel consumption Developing hybrid cars Decrease in demand Investment. Stereotype that this car is for the rich people Fuel price rises Rising price of raw material High quality It is hard to find manual transmission in such a car Positive attitude towards â€Å"green† vehicles Unexpected problems A PEST analysis is looks at how those external factors can affect a business’s activities and performance, and it can be used in combination with other tools. It helps to determine an organization’s overall outlook for success. Political Economic Socio – Cultural Technological Bureaucratic Interest rates Fast – growing society Modern technology Stable government law system High income level Diversity of cultures WI-FI zones Taxation system. High power of the local currency Variety of language cultures Automation of work Law level of corruption Low level of economic freedom (-2) Most of the people are in advanced age Production of high quality medical equipment Foreigners investment Trade freedom Prevalence of upper class Investment in technology Table 2 From the table above let us take 3 characteristics for discussion. Firstly, high income of Singapore measures that Mercedes – Benz is one of the most suitable brands for upper class. It is considered, that Mercedes – Benz is a car which is suitable for old population, especially for men. Therefore, this car brand has a priority to take Singapore as a sales leader in the adult audience because of the prevalence of old population. Diversity of cultures of the populations shows that every single nation has different understanding of car design. That is why this brand can offers cars such as â€Å"family car† like Sedan (C – class) to â€Å"celebrity car† as Crossovers (G – class) with the newest and technology to their customers. 1) Franki Colbert (n. d). Definition of a SWOT Analysis. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness. chron. com/definition-swot-analysis-43274. html 2) Russ Heaps (n. d) 10 most expensive cars to own and drive. Retrieved from: http://www. bankrate. com/finance/auto/10-most-expensive-cars-to- own-and-drive-1. aspx 3) Chad Brooks (2013, November 22). PEST Analysis: Definition, Examples & Templates. Retrieved from http://www. businessnewsdaily. com/5512-pest-analysis-definition- examples-templates. html 4) Abha Pandey (2011, 26 September). What is PESTLE Analysis? Retrieved from: http://bpmgeek. com/blog/what-pestle-analysis 5) Leading through innovation (n. d/ n. a) http://www. mbusa. com/mercedes/benz/innovation.

Lease Versus Purchase Option Essay

In this essay I will try to explain or compare and contrast lease versus purchase option. In this explanation I will talk about what is deb financing, and will provide two examples. I will also talk about what is equity financing and provide two examples and last which alternative capital structure is more advantageous and why. In order to give two examples of what is debt financing I will give a brief description of what is debt financing. Debt financing is when a company borrows money that must be repaid but with interest. This does not dilute the ownership of the company. With that being said the two examples are Issue Bonds and Line of Credit. In the line of credit, this is a bank loan where a business can draw out funds whenever money is needed. In issue bonds the business can issue bonds as for of debt financing these bonds are marketable securities. (ehow.com 2013) Now equity financing is according to ychange.com (in equity financing, money is exchanged for a share of ownership in the business). The business in returns raises funds and does not incur in debt. The two types of equity financial is employee stock ownership and private investors. The employee stock is when a company sells stock to the employee. The private investors are possible investor willing to invest their money in the company. Which alternative capital structure is more advantageous? In my opinion and according to the definitions on my e-book I would have to say energetic-middle the reason for this would be because it is more advantageous for small business. It balances the return and risk of capital. After looking at all the definitions and examples, trying to compare and contrast lease vs. buying is not that difficult. This all depends on what do you want and if it is in a companies perspective then one must take into consideration the companies cash flow. For example if a company has lots of cash flow then buying is the option now if it wants to conserve capital for the near term then leasing is the best option. It all depends on what the company need at that particular time.

Research IKEA in the UK. Its main market, location of stores, revenue, adaptations of business model to suit UK and types of advertising. The WritePass Journal

Research IKEA in the UK. Its main market, location of stores, revenue, adaptations of business model to suit UK and types of advertising. Introduction Research IKEA in the UK. Its main market, location of stores, revenue, adaptations of business model to suit UK and types of advertising. , p. 1) and has since become one of the biggest self-assembly furniture organisations in the world with over 300 stores in 28 different countries (Kotler, 1999). Whilst Germany remains IKEA’s main market, the UK has had increasing success in recent years: â€Å"IKEA sales are booming in the UK as price cuts, cheaper home deliveries and a bigger online product range helped the world’s largest furniture retailer grab a larger market share† (Kollewe, 2012, p. 1). Part of this success has stemmed from the  £30m investment that was provided to the 18 stores within the UK. The location of these stores is also an important factor in IKEA’s success since it is imperative that they are conveniently placed for customers and that they are spread out evenly throughout the UK. This enables a larger customer base to be created and as asserted by Krafft and Mantrala (2010, p. 249); â€Å"in order to locate its stores close to consumers, the retailer must have large nu mber of stores.† Since this does appear to be the case it seems as though business structure of IKEA does conform to customer requirements. IKEA’s corporate structure is divided into two parts which are; franchising and operations, yet because of the complex nature of the IKEA systems it is often very difficult to determine ownership. Nevertheless, franchisees are required to pay a 3% franchise fee to Inter IKEA systems, which is the owner of the IKEA trademark. This does not apply in relation to IKEA operations as these are controlled by INGKA holding. Despite the uncertainty of ownership the entire IKEA group have made significant profits and in the year ending 31st August 2011 IKEA â€Å"achieved total sales of  £1.15 billion and further market share growth from 6.1% in 2010 to 6.3% in 2011† (IKEA, 2011, p. 1). In order to ensure that this type of success is maintained, IKEA’s business model is cleverly structured in a way that is suited to the UK. This includes a great deal of emphasis being placed upon social responsibility since the company believes that a â€Å"a strong vision and social am bition is a plausible and profitable platform for spectacular growth† (McMullen, 2012, p. 1). IKEA has also created a service culture which enables the common norms and values of society to be conformed to. This is what attracts a lot of IKEA’s customers and helps to maintain sustainability and growth (Edvardsson and Enquist, 2010, p. 182). IKEA adopts a standardized approach in its marketing strategies, yet the approaches that are undertaken are adapted to the different consumer cultures that exist within the market (Burt et al. 2010, p. 183). A number of different advertising campaigns have thus been launched in the UK, including the ‘Home is the Most Important Place in the World’ campaign that was launched in 2007. In 2008 IKEA also paired up with the ‘Sims 2’ video game makers in order to launch the ‘Sims 2 IKEA Home Stuff’ campaign and had the MV Red Osprey of Red Funnel in Southampton painted entirely yellow to celebrate the opening of the new IKEA store. ‘Happy Inside’ is another advertising campaign that was launched in 2010 which had 100 cats lying on IKEA furniture enabling potential customers to view the products IKEA was selling. Furthermore, a campaign called ‘Love, Peace and Storage’ was also launched in 2011 which features comedians question ing who was the messiest in the home; men or women. The director of the UK’s IKEA made it clear that they are â€Å"committed to understanding how their customers live life at home so that they can provide solutions to make them happier† (Kimberley, 2011, p. 1). This appears to be a wise move since customers needs should always be conformed to in order to guarantee sustainability (Bell and McGillivray: 2008; p. 55). In determining what these needs are, however, it is important to investigate the external environment. This is because, â€Å"industrial networks and business relationships play key roles for the strategy of IKEA† (Baraldi, 2008. p. 120). Therefore, in order for IKEA to accomplish their objectives, the external network needs to be considered and used as this would otherwise stifle the growth of the company and sustainability would not be attained. Arguably, it is thereby imperative that the external environment is continuously reviewed within any organization as this promotes healthy changes to be made and ensures the growth of the company. Whilst there are a number of different ways the external environment can be analyzed, IKEA tends to adopt the PEST approach. This analysis which stands for; political, economic, social and technological is suitable when examining external factors. This is because; â€Å"such external factors are usually beyond the firms control and sometim es present themselves as threats. For this reasons, some say that PEST is an appropriate term for these factors† (LaPan and Franks, 2005; p. 95). This will certainly ensure that the business strategy of IKEA is in accordance with customer needs and values and will allow sustainability to be maintained which is one of the main factors which contributes to an organisations success. Overall, IKEA is one of the main home products organisations that exist throughout the world, yet the reasons why IKEA has been so successful is largely due to the ways in which it markets itself as well as the business strategies that have been incorporated. Thus, whilst IKEA adopts a standardized approach in its marketing strategies, they all seek to ensure that the customer’s needs are being conformed. This is attained by evaluating the external environment and considering the common norms and values of society. Once this has been done, a service culture can then be created which helps to promote growth and maintain sustainability. References Baraldi, E. (2008) Strategy in Networks: Experiences from IKEA, University of California Berkeley, vol. 50, no. 4. Bell, S., McGillivray, D., (2008). Environmental Law, (7th ed). OUP. Burt, S. Johansson, U. and Thelander, A. (2010) Standardized Marketing Strategies in Retailing? IKEA’s Marketing Strategies in Sweden, the UK and China, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 18. Edvarsson, B. and Enquist, B. (2010) The IKEA Saga: How Service Culture Drives Service Strategy, The Service Industries Journal, vol. 22, no. 4. IKEA. (2011) IKEA UK announces Financial Year 2011 Results, News Room, [Online] Available: ikea.com/gb/en/about_ikea/newsitem/IKEA_FY11_results_02.11.11 [13 January 2013]. The Telegraph. (2012) It looks so easy at first, [Online] Available: telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9575911/It-looks-so-easy-at-first.html [12 January 2013]. Kimberley, S. (2011) IKEA rolls out battle of the sexes campaign, Brand Republic, [Online] Available: brandrepublic.com/bulletin/brandrepublicnewsbulletin/article/1063045/ikea-rolls-battle-sexes-campaign/ [13 January 2013]. Kollewe, J. (2012) IKEA Bucks Retail Trend, The Guardian, [Online] Available: guardian.co.uk/business/2012/nov/02/ikea-bucks-retail-trend [13 January 2013]. Krafft, M. and Mantrala, M. K. (2010) Retailing in the 21st Century: Current and Future Trends, Springer, 2nd Edition. LaPan, K. R., and Franks, S., (2005). Creating a Winning Business Plan. Author House. McMullen, M. (2012) IKEA’s Business Model Includes Social Responsibility, Winnipeg Free Press, [Online] Available: winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/books/ikeas-business-model-includes-social-responsibility-allen-wrench-142175283.html [13 January 2013].

The Role of Women as Shown through Marriage Law Essay

The Role of Women as Shown through Marriage Law - Essay Example As the essay declares women have always suffered a subjugated role in all societies from the beginning of civilization, surviving records from several ancient societies reveal that women are only just now surpassing the freedoms afforded them centuries ago. Although the women of ancient Sumeria didn’t have quite the same freedoms experienced by women of the modern world, a look back through the laws of Assyria and the Old Testament reveal a gradual tightening of restrictions placed on women in reaction to either political or theological threats, eventually leading to near drudgery status for most women through history’s most imbalanced periods. This paper discusses that marriage laws within this code are very specific regarding the rights of the woman being almost equal to the rights of the man. For example, the bride’s family had to agree to the marriage by accepting the bride-price from the groom’s family. That the girl was a valued member of society is indicated in that this bride-price, along with a dowry provided by her family, went with her into her new marriage and remained her property for life. Underscoring the value of the bride to her family is the idea that the bride is always a member of her father’s house, regardless of to whom or how long she has been married. The code of King Hammurabi also provided for near equal chance to divorce. When the man opted to divorce the woman, she retained custody of any children and he had to pay the ancient day equivalent of child support.

The negative impacts of internet on teenagers in the United States Essay

The negative impacts of internet on teenagers in the United States - Essay Example Risks associated with internet for teenagers are far more profound than with any other kind of media due to the ease of accessibility to the harmful content that the internet provides the children with. Based on the view of about 85 per cent of the parents, the National Altitudinal Poll identified the internet as the number one concern for the parents (Common Sense Media cited in Louge 2). Internet has provided the children with the opportunity to view and past whatever they feel like without having the parents realize it. Internet is frequently used by the American children to distribute sexually explicit material both their own and that of the others that they get to lay their hands on. Sex trafficking and various kinds of sex crimes have increased in number manifolds as the use of internet among the children has increased. â€Å"The Internet is transforming the experience of growing up in America. It is also transforming the job of being a parent in America. The Internet brings t he world — the good, the bad, and the ugly — to the American family’s doorstep. It brings the ruins of ancient Athens to that doorstep, but it also brings the red light district of Bangkok† (Third Way Culture Project). This paper identifies the various the negative impacts of internet on teenagers in United States. ... Thus, when they are away from the internet, they are depressed and their senses are revived only when they are using the internet. In this sense, they become addicted to the internet. They know that they ought to limit the time they spend on the internet and yet cannot help using the internet all day long because they experience unpleasant emotions when they are not using it. Internet remains in their conscious sense full time in one way or another. Either they are thinking what movie they would download next, which friend they would reply next or what statement they would place on their Facebook profiles. Excessive use of internet has become a very common thing among the young generation in the US. This behavior of unusually high association with the internet is commonly referred to in such terms as compulsive use of internet, pathological use of internet, problematic use of internet, computer addiction, internet dependence and net addiction. Declining academic performance Internet addiction has many unfavorable outcomes one of which happens to be the negative impact of it on an individual’s academic performance. Because of the excessive use of internet, the child is not able to concentrate upon the studies. Studies demand time and attention and yet are very boring. On the other hand, internet activities are very interesting and encourage one to indulge in them because they are also energizing and intellectual in many ways. Thus, the individual’s craving for knowledge and enhancing the skills is sufficiently satisfied by using internet. Thus, the time that the children should spend on their studies is wasted in playing online games, socializing on the social media websites and downloading and watching movies

Draper IT(case study) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Draper IT(case study) - Assignment Example Company is investing heavily to remain competitive in the market but the current business needs to revive. The out sourced IT division has been sold to Hardy media solutions eighteen months ago. Hardy's performance and poor services also dissatisfied the previous customers. Due to the problems faced by Drapes, it started developing its ERP system with the view that in future company has to remain competitive in the market place. It has to improve its services, launch new products, which should be cost effective as well as technologically best in the market. Recently company has more business options, which could be explored by the company and to motivate its managers to grab the opportunities, so that performance of the company could be improved. As we already know that the said company draper is medium sized IT company. The company is in the business of providing technological solutions to its clients. It is a fast moving technologically complex and innovative industry dominated by lots of firms with well-developed communication and technological innovations. The firms which cannot be able to keep pace with innovations forced out of the business. So industry has been affected by external environment as well as internal changes. So any analysis or strategy, which could be formed in and around company, must follow the various strategic management paths. Companies must not only developed new businesses, but also carefully prune, harvest or divest tired, old businesses in order to release needed resources and reduce costs. The overall evaluation of a business's strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats is called SWOT Analysis. SWOT analysis consists of an analysis of the external and internal environment. A SWOT analysis summarizes the key issues from the business environment and the strategic capabilities of an organization that are most likely to impact on strategy development. In general, a business unit has to monitor key macro-environment forces (demographic-economic, technological, political-legal and socio-cultural) and microenvironment actors (Customers, Competitors, distributors and suppliers) that affect its ability to earn profit (Johnson, & Scholes, 2002). Then, for each trend or development, management needs to identify the associated marketing opportunities and threats. Each business needs to evaluate its internal strengths and weaknesses in marketing, finance, manufacturing and organizational capabilities. In applying the SWOT Analysis it is necessary to minimize or avoid both weaknesses and threats. Weaknesses should be looked at in order to convert them into strengths. Likewise, threats should be converted into opportunities. Lastly, strengths and opportunities should be matched to optimize the potential of a firm. So applying SWOT analysis on draper engineering Ltd. as discussed above as follows: Strength: Draper Engineering Ltd. is an industry, which is growing and progressing all around world. In present circumstances, IT is an industry, which is an integral part of almost every industry, and human life cannot be thinking of without information technology. So being in an industry, which is growing, and progressing Draper Engineering Ltd. have an inherent strength of the industry as a whole. Draper has sufficient number of clients and market. It is a medium sized company and already has four

Divorce and Remarriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Divorce and Remarriage - Research Paper Example For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus† (Galatians 3:26-28). Once a person is a believer, there are no distinctions or special dispensations; no excuses. There are, however, levels of moral law1 which must be applied to any and all situations humans encounter in life. After maneuvering through the hierarchical layers, close analysis of biblical permissions for divorce are: fornication and adultery; life-threatening neglect of basic essentials such as food, clothing and shelter; non-fulfillment of marital sexual obligations; mental or physical abuse; departure of the non-believing spouse; and permanent separation despite attempts at reconciliation.2 If any or all of these conditions are met, the spouses are released from the marriage bond and thus free to remarry without committing adultery. The marriage bond is sacred, but it is not absolute. Biblical law was set up to guide sinners from sin to redemption, and there is always room inside the law for the sinner to return to a state of grace. However, we are by nature prone to sin, so the laws clearly address certain instances in which avoiding the sin of dissolving the marital contrac t would cause us to commit another sin such as putting ourselves in danger or choosing to remain married to a sinner.3 Neither of these is a good alternative, so the law allows for marriage dissolution. Before we can discuss the dissolution of the marriage contract, it is helpful to understand what is implied by the marriage contract to start (which provisions are included in the â€Å"standard† contract and which are added on as addenda during our human interactions). The standard contract is straightforward. A man and a woman join in marriage and become one

The Harmful Effects Of Smoking Health And Social Care Essay

The Harmful Effects Of Smoking Health And Social Care Essay There are many bad effects of smoking related to health, social and psychological level which can harm the life of a person in great detail. For smoking people grow the tobacco tree whose leave which are mostly smoked or chewed and sniffed for many different effects. Smoking which involves tobacco which then contains a certain chemical known as nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive chemical, and a smoking person can become a slave of nicotine for very long time if he/she is not cautious a first time. Tobacco other than nicotine contains nineteen different cancer causing chemicals, and together these chemical are called tar. People smoke for different reasons such as they want to produce a sense of being well, to boost their mood, and to improve short term concentration and memory. Until recently smoking was consider good thing, and there were many advertisements for smoking in newspaper, television, and other mass media. Smoking is major health risk, but still people give different reasons for smoking most of these justifications are not very reasonable. Smoking is mostly starts at young age because teenagers think that if they start smoking they will be considered as mature, but of course they are wrong and causing serious health risk for themselves. Smoking by many is way to relax, but it comes with greater health risk for damaging the brain. Smoking is very bad habit thus it should be quitted by people, smoker dont risk their lives but lives of other which inhale the smoke (Greaves, 2002). Smoking effects differ from a person to another person depending upon exposure to chemicals of the cigarette. Smoking is not only public health issue, but also it has great financial cost on the nations. Until we stop smoking, more people will be addicted, more people will get sick, more families will be devastated by loss of loved ones, bring great damage to medical system of the nations. Harm of smoking on body of a person is enormous, and smoking should be ban from all public places. Smoking can easily make a body weak, and cause a slow and steady death. There many facts related to smoking and deaths, for instances in United States there were about 443,000 deaths by smoking, which is about one in five death every year. It is also believed that each year more deaths happen due to smoking compared to combine the deaths by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), alcohol, suicides, illegal drugs, murder and vehicle injuries. Due to smoking ninety percent of all lung cancer in men is cause d, and eighty percent of all lung cancer deaths in women. It is also estimated that deaths ninety percent of all deaths by chronic obstructive lung diseases are caused by smoking. Human body is very vulnerable to harmful effects of smoking, and it can harm our heart, lungs, blood circulation, bones, stomach, mouth, eyes, skin, reproduction and fertility. Smoking effect on heart and lung in very serious manner, in case of heart nicotine raises blood pressure and blood gets clot easily. Carbon monoxide raids the blood of oxygen and causes development of cholesterol deposits in artery walls. In case of lungs smoking causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is group of disease that includes asthmatic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) are well known as silent killer diseases. Most of smokers dont know that they are affected by it until it is too late to save them. There is no cure for such type of diseases and almost fifteen percent of smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Harm to blood circulation start at by smoking, and veins and arteries get hard, narrow, and also get coated by fat deposits. This can then lead to problems such as cold skin, ulcer, cramps, pain and blockages in veins which can cause a stroke and heart attack. Smoking makes bones weak and breakable, and women need to be careful because they are more likely to suffer by osteoporosis than non-smokers. Smoking can harm stomach, eyes and skin. Stomach damages can affect vital organs in the body, and increase the chance of stomach cancer. There are even more danger for eyes such as eye diseases related to Graves ophthalmopathy, glaucoma and cataract. Worst thing which can be done by smoking is causing a permanent blindness. Smoking lessens the amount of oxygen for the skin. This can mean that skin start to age more quickly and making you look like dull and grey. Smoking effect on reproduction and fertility are very serious. Smoking can increase risk of feebleness, and can damage sperm by reducing sperm count and casing testicular cancer (Team, 2009). Everybody knows the harm of smoking but nobody cares to stop it, this attitude towards smoking should be changed. Smoking is vilest habit of about 1.2 billion which are addicted to smoking. It has no benefit for smoker and the society. Smoking impact on society is beyond health and illness. Smoking regularly impacts the financial resources of smoker especially when people have limited resources. For instance in England economically poor households spend about 2.5 percent of income on smoking per week. It is believed that economic burden of smoking exceeds one percent of European GDP. Society has to pay the cost of smoking by morbidity and mortality. Direct cost of smoking is related to health care and indirect cost is related to the loss of human capital due to premature deaths, productivity losses, and unpaid income taxes. Currently estimate the total smoking attribute cost of two leading groups of smoking related diseases in COPD and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), amount between 105 .83 to 130.31 billion euros. In Australia smoking net social cost is between 2.1 to 3.4 percent of their GDP (Kaiser S, 2009 ). Smoking effect on children and teens are intense. Smoking passively can impair childs ability at mathematics and reading by leading researchers claims. Study of smoking environment is essential, and one such study shows that if people at home smoke regularly then children get low marks in test. In journal of Environmental Health Perspectives measure that exposer to smoking at home leads to cotinine in children. Cotinine is common in children by second-hand smoke. Exposer of smoking at home to children is important issue which government must resolve to keep the childrens safe (Society Guardian, 2005 ). Teenager starts to smoke at very young age thus cause the buildup foundation of diseases in their bodies. Teenage at large think smoking as fashionable thing and get involved in smoking. Children and teenager are building blocks of our society if they are in safe environment then society are in safe environment. Implication of life is lost due to smoking, and as result average persons loses 10 to 15 minute of exquisite life whenever smoking. Smoking is largest preventable cause of unwanted deaths around the world. Smoking cause more than twenty five diseases and most of them are life intimidating, and strappingly suspected to relate to smoking. Average smoking reduces the total life expectancy to 6.8 years, heavy smoking reduces the total life expectancy to 8.8 years. Furthermre smoking reduced the number of disease free life by 5.8 years. Stop smoking at age of forty and increase your life expectancy to 4.6 years(Baijal, 2010). Over the years smoking has proven harm for our society and one such harm is at psychological level. Smoking seems to take control of our mind and make us do illogical things. Some strong smoking people are increasing becoming threat for their families and a burden on the society. Most smokers being during young age, and this leads to risk taking or rebellion later in their lives. Presence of high status model and peer also leads to encouragement of smoking. Smokers say they smoke to relieve the feeling of stress but in truth they have higher stress level than non-smokers. Psychologist Hans Eysenck has developed a personality profile of smokers, and Extraversion is trait in smoker in which they tend to be impulsive, sociable and excitement seeking individuals (Eysenck, 1965). Psychologists also believe that personality and social factors are great causes of smoking. Now it is responsibility of government around the world to take action against smoking and ban it from public places. Go vernments around the world should provide quitting treatments of smoking in different society so we can eradicate the diseases from our society. In conclusion smoking is not only harmful to you but all the people around you. People who smoke have increased their chance of getting heart diseases and lung cancer. Smoking is bad addiction and as soon we can get rid of smoking its better for people around us. We should reduce the number of people who smoke in our society because it destroys our society from its core. It is absolute necessity to fully understand the harms of smoking and stop it from taking lives of virtuous peoples. The smoking should be quitted by smoker to avoid financial losses the harmful effects of health. Smoking strongly contributes to sterility thus both male and female should discourage it. We know almost every disease which is linked to smoking and causing the deaths thus it is time to say no to harmful effects of smoking.

A Critical Evaluation of Assisi by Norman MacCaig Essay -- Assisi Norm

A Critical Evaluation of Assisi Q: Choose a poem in which the poet has put across a definite point of view. By close reference to the poetic techniques used, show how successful the poet has been in making you share his/ her point of view. â€Å"Assisi† by Norman MacCaig is an intriguing and thought-provoking poem, which has put across a definite point of view to me which I believe is that all people should be treated equally and we should try to help those less fortunate than ourselves. In this essay I will show how successful the poet has been in making me share his point of view, with the help of literary techniques such as language, word – choice and imagery. Norman MacCaig has put across a definite point of view for me and has been successful in making me share this view by using thoughtful and intense language. The first aspect of language, which he uses is metaphor in the beginning of the poem when he is describing the dwarf sitting outside the church. He uses metaphor as he says, â€Å"The dwarf with his hands on backwards Sat, slumped like a half – filled sack On tiny twisted legs from which Sawdust might run.† The metaphor here of the dwarf sitting like a ‘half filled sack’ is describing the dwarf and how he has a deformed body. He is being compared to looking like a sack, which is slumped and half empty. This is effective as it seems as though the dwarf cannot help himself and he is sitting there waiting for help. MacCaig tells us that he is a dwarf therefore he will be very short and â€Å"hands on backwards† and â€Å"tiny twisted legs† portrays his deformity as I can envisage his legs dangling from his body. Also as he is sitting like a â€Å"half –filled sack† it seems to me that he cannot do an... ...ered after him as he scattered The grain of the Word.† This shows me MacCaig is comparing the tourists to the birds and the Priest to the sower. He does not approve of the actions as it is compared to the parable of the sower of when he scatters the grain and the birds flutter after it. He does not approve of the tourists fluttering after the word and ignoring the poor dwarf, when in actual fact they should be helping him. In conclusion, â€Å"Assisi† by Norman MacCaig is an intriguing and though-provoking poem, which has put across a definite point of view for me, which I believe is that all people should be treated equally and that we should help those less fortunate than ourselves. In this I essay I have shown how successful the poet was in making me share this view by using his thoughtful and intense language, word-choice and imagery techniques.

Determination of the vitamin D status of adults living in the UK and identification of factors influencing the efficacy of dietary intervention

Introduction There is overwhelming clinical evidences that vitamin D plays a significant role in terms of the normal functioning of human body. One of the most common functions of vitamin D is to ensure normalcy in maintaining blood levels of both calcium and phosphate. The two elements are essential for normal bone mineralisation, contraction of muscles, conduction of nerves, and other general body cellular functions. As such, deficiency of vitamin D is associated with various adverse health complications including failure in proper bone development, cancer, and heart diseases (Holick, 2011, p.6). A review of several studies has also established evidence that vitamin D replacement can boots longevity among other health benefits (Gaddipati, et al. 2010). Adequate synthesis of vitamin D3 from the skin, everyday diet and supplements is essential for health of bones. In addition to the well-known role of vitamin D in regulating calcium metabolism, active form of vitamin D is also associated with ant i-proliferative as well as immunomodulatory effects that are linked to several serious conditions such as cancer, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, tuberculosis, dementia among other illnesses (Zitterman,et al., 2001). There have been concerns that vitamin D deficiency is significantly increasing in the western nations, and the likelihood of the problem becoming an epidemic in itself worries nutritionists as well as medical practitioners alike (Hypponen and Power (2007). A recent survey in England has revealed a worrying statistics that half of the adult population does not have sufficient levels of vitamin D (Pearce and Cheetham, 2010). The same study also revealed that 16% of this population has experienced severe hypovitaminosis D during winter and spring, with the highest rate being residents of Northern England regions. It is perhaps unsurprising that there have been increasing calls for regular screening during normal health care services. The concerns over vitamin D deficiency has led to a shift over the past decade, with several researchers striving to establish some of the most common risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency (Holick, 2004). In a study to establish difference in propensity to vitamin D deficiency between metabolically health and unhealthy obese adults, Esteghamati et al. (2004) found out that metabolically healthy obese registered more concentration of vitamin D than metabolically unhealthy obese. This difference persisted even after accounting for body mass index (BMI) and circumference of the individuals’ waists. Further, there was significantly better metabolic status and higher concentration of serum 25-hydro vitamin D among the subjects with metabolically healthy obesity. The researchers also noted that the metabolically unhealthy subjects had higher concentrations of liver enzymes and inflammatory markers. In February 2014, Health & Social Care Information centre released a report on obesity, physical activity, and diet in England, which indicated that obesity cases were on the rise (HSCIC, 2014). The data indicate that there has been a significant increase in the proportion of obese populat ion from 13.2 percent in 1993 to 24.4 percent of men in 2012. Women recorded a similarly high increase during the same period from 16.4 percent to 25.1 percent. Linking this data to relationship between obesity and vitamin D deficiency, it prudent to highlight that vitamin D deficiency prevalence is a point researchers should note with keenness it deserves. The extent to which vitamin D deficiency is a public health problem in Britain is believed to have increased for several reasons ranging from lifestyle to weather patterns. On lifestyle as a factor, Hypponen and Power (2007) states that the sedentary lifestyle in the western world, including Great Britain, leads to vitamin D deficiency, which is exacerbated by a number of other factors including working indoors during daylight hours, high latitude and a mostly cloudy climate in regions such as Manchester. Statistics also indicate that vitamin D dietary intake is much lower in Great Britain compared to other western nations incl uding United States and Canada (Calvo et al, 2005, p.314). The variance in dietary intake of vitamin D between Britain, on the one hand, and United States and Canada, on the other, may be due to the mandatory fortification of both milk and margarine in the USA and Canada. Some of the most common food sources rich in vitamin are fish, liver, fortified margarine and fortified cereals. However, clinical nutritional assessments of natural food items suggest that with the exception of fish and cod liver oil, most natural food stuff contains minimal vitamin D, if any (Brough et al., 2010). Significantly, it is important to note that insufficient natural sources for vitamin D is a risk factor in itself, and should be taken into consideration when plans are put into place to tackle the problem. Moreover, vitamin D supplements’ availability cannot be described as reliable since demand always exceeds supply (Brough et al., 2010). Studies have revealed that there are high rates of vitam in D deficiency all over Great Britain, particularly in the cloudy regions like Manchester and Scotland (Pal et al., 2003). Obesity is a well-known risk factor for vitamin D deficiency, and its high prevalence in Great Britain is likely to affect vitamin D status in the population of high-risk regions such as Greater Manchester. In another nationwide study conducted to investigate the demographic characteristics of white population and possibility of supplements use, it emerged that women and non-obese participants were more likely to use vitamin D supplements (Gaddipati et al, 2010). Similarly, residents of Northern England were found to consume less oily fish, an important source of vitamin D, compared to their Southern counterparts. The study concurs with reports that people living on the Northern England and Scotland have higher risk of hypovitaminosis D (Roy et al., 2007; Holick, 2004). In fact, those who are obese and also live in high-risk regions have a likelihood of having vitamin D deficiency twice as high as other obese people living in other areas of Great Britain. Vitamin D deficiency has also been reported to be prevalent among minority communities living in Great Britain (de Roos et al, 2012). Some ethnic minorities living in Great Britain are more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency than other groups. According to Brough et al. (2010), minority ethnic communities, particularly those who trace their roots to Indian subcontinent and Africa as they tend to suffer from rise in skin pigmentation. They are also found to increase their susceptibility to vitamin D deficiency by wearing clothes that tend to cover their entire bodies and staying indoors longer hours during the day (de Roos et al, 2012; Brough et al., 2010). Other researchers recognise the need to increase vitamin D supplement intake among the minority population, amid report that there are no consistent or routine supply of vitamin D; neither are there recognised screening programs targeting this group (Dealberto, 2006). A study looking at population demographics in the North West has revealed that the region has increasing number older people (North West Regional Assembly Report, 2000). As stated earlier, elderly people are at high-risk of vitamin D deficiency. Clinical studies have investigated age-related decline in vitamin D intake, including rate of skin absorption and response to targeted methods of increasing vitamin D through dietary interventions (Shaw and Pal, 2002). Several other studies have also linked low vitamin D status with people living in low economic status (Dealberto, 2006.). In many of these linkages, the authors cite issues such as poor nutrition, poor lifestyle and inability to afford supplements. For instance, poor nutrition intake is prevalent in regions with high poverty rate, mostly affecting middle aged women of child-bearing age (Brough et al., 2010). According to Brough et al. (2010) a socially deprived population cannot afford some of the basic nutrients essential for normal metabolic function such as vitamin D and thus resort to ‘shortcuts of life’ while exposing their immune system to chronic diseases. Poverty report released by the Greater Manchester Poverty Commission in 2002 identified Manchester as one of the regions with the highest cases of extreme poverty, with 25 percent of its population living in abject poverty (GMPC, 2012). The report further reveal that poor families cannot protect themselves from winter temperature, which makes them stay indoors longer than other UK residence with average annual income. This can only mean that they have higher risk from vitamin D deficiency. OECD report (2014) suggests that the first step in ensuring low income community members in the United Kingdom are protected from lifestyle related diseases is through social interventions. Tests have revealed that modest rise in vitamin D intake of up to 20 Â µg per day for this group can significantly reduce the rate of bone fracture (Hypponen and Power, 2007). The findings have raised focus by agencies and researchers, who have recommended that vitamin D intake for the elderly should raised from the current 5Â µg per day to between 10-20Â µg per day in order to maintain the normal hydroxy vitamin D of 25 (de Roos, 2012, p.6). Considering the need to increase vitamin D intake among the population at risk of vitamin D deficiency, the UK Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA) recommended that people eat at least 280 g of fish per week, with preference to oily fish (de Roos, Sneddon and Macdonald, 2012, p.6). The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) endorsed the COMA recommendation, emphasising that this is the bare minimum fish consumption recommended for the average population goal to achieve the desired vitamin D status. However, they acknowledged that this recommendation does not represent the level of fish consumption required for optimal nutritional benefits. The campaign to encourage more UK population, particularly those living in North Western region, should be directed at increasing oily fish intake by at least 280 Â µg per week as statistics indicate that majority of them do not consume enough fish (de Roos, 2012; Holick, 2011; Hypponen and Power, 2007). Although studies (de Roos, 2012; Holick, 2004) have dwelt on the need for multiple interventions ranging from dietary to medical, of more significant for the efficacy of dietary intervention is the need for education among the population on the importance of adopting healthy diet and lifestyle. This is mostly recommended for the high-risk persons including the low-income population, those living in marginally wet and cloudy regions including Manchester, obese, and young women of child bearing age group. References Brough. L., Rees, G., Crawford, M.A. Morton. R.H. and Dorman, E.K. 2010. Effect of multiple- micronutrient supplement on maternal nutrient status, infant birth weight and gestational age at birth in a low-income, multi-ethnic population. British Journal of Nutrition, 104 (3): 437- 445. Calvo, M.S., Whiting, S.J. and Barton, C.N. 2005. Vitamin D intake: a global perspective of current status. J Nutr 135: 310–6. de Roos, B. Sneddon, A. and Macdonald, H. 2012. Fish as a dietary source of healthy long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) and vitamin D: A review of current literature. Food & Health Innovation Service, available at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/rowett/documents/fish_final_june_2012.pdf. Dealberto, M.J. 2006. Why immigrants at increased risk for psychosisVitamin D insuffiency, epigenetic mechanisms, or bothMedical Hypothesis, Vol. 68, pp. 259- 267. Esteghamati, A., Aryan, Z. and Nakhjavani, M. 2004. Differences in vitamin D concentration between metabolically healthy and unhealthy obese adults: Association with inflammatory and cardiometabolic markers in 4391 subjects. Diabetes & Metabolism, 5 May 2014, Available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1262363614000469 Gaddipati, V.C., Kuriacose, R. and Copeland R., et al. 2010. Vitamin D deficiency: an increasing concern in peripheral arterial disease. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 11(5): 308-11. Greater Manchester Poverty Commission (GMPC). 2012. Research Report . The Centre for Local Economic Strategies. Holick, M.F. 2011. Vitamin D: a d-lightful solution for health. J Investig Med. 59(6):872-80. Holick MF. 2004. Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr 80 (suppl):1678S–88S. HSCIC. 2014. Statistics on Obesity, physical Activity and Diet. Health & Social Care Information Centre, England 26 February 2014. Hypponen, E. and Power, C. 2007. Hypovitaminosis D in British adults at age 45 y: nationwide cohort study of dietary and lifestyle predictors. Am J Clin Nutr, 85(3): 860-868. North West Regional Assembly, 2000. An Aging Population: Impact for the North West. North West Regional Laboratory. Lancaster University. Available at www.northest-england.org.uk. OECD Report. (2014). Society at a Glance 2014 Highlights: United Kingdom OECD Social Indicators. Last accessed on 19 May 2014 at http://www.oecd.org/unitedkingdom/OECD-SocietyAtaGlance2014-Highlights-UnitedKingdom.pdf Pal , B.R., Marshall ,T. and James, C. 2003. Shaw NJ. Distribution analysis of vitamin D highlights differences in population subgroups: preliminary observations from a pilot study in UK adults. J Endocrinol. 179:119–29. Pearce, S.H. and Cheetham, T.D. January, 2010. Diagnosis and management of Vitamin D deficiency. BMJ, 11: 340. Roy D.K, Berry J.L., Pye, SR et al. 2007. Vitamin D status and bone mass in UK South Asia women. Bone 40(1): 200-4. Epub 2006 Sep 6. Shaw, N.J and Pal, B.R. 2002. Vitamin D deficiency in UK Asian families: activating a new concern. Arch Dis Child, 86: 147-149, Available at http://adc.bmj.com/content/86/3/147.full Zittermann A, Schleithoff SS, Koerfer R. 2005. Putting cardiovascular disease and vitamin D insufficiency into perspective. Br J Nutr 94: 483–92.