Evaluating Communication Strategies Essay

You are working as a human service worker at a local United Way agency that serves several multicultural clients. In addition to the multicultural aspect, the agency also serves children, women, the elderly, and the homeless. Your manager has asked you to decide the best communication approach for each of these clients. Answer the following questions: What would you need to learn or know about each of your clients in order to communicate effectively with them? What strategies or techniques do you believe would be the best approach to take when communicating with each of these clients? How might you need to adapt your communication approach from one individual to the next? Working in the Human Services field can provide you with many different types of job opportunities each requiring their own specific needs to clients, many different types of clients that is. To communicate in an effective way with clients getting to know about them is a great start. Listen is top priority to understanding and getting to know your clients. Active listening describes the effort on the part of the listener. Active listening involves giving verbal feedback on the content of what was said, along with recognition of the feelings underneath. Qualities of a good listener include: being non-aggressive, being self-confident, having the ability to let thin gs go along with the ability to work things out. Listening opens the door to meaning. When you hear the person, understand the situation and the feelings, then you are in a position to take constructive action or to reply to her or him in a way that makes sense. Helpful listening helps people look at their ideas, plans, hopes, concerns, fears, etc. It helps them gather information, solve their problems themselves and try out other alternatives. * Communication may seem easy, but to many people’s surprise it is something that has to be learned and practiced. Some of us have developed poor listening skills; we may be judgmental or don’t allow others to speak. Some of us may use close-ended questions exclusively, and do not allow others to explore and contribute to  the discussion. A few strategies and or techniques that allow us to see a better approach to communicating can be using open-end questions such as Where would you like to begin? What options have you explored? Which concern would you like to talk about first? Can you tell me more about that? Open-ended questions encourage the exploration of thoughts and feelings by leaving individuals free to answer in any way they choose. On the flip side, closed sided questions s force a specific answer. They often present themselves as roadblocks to good communication. Sometimes you need specific information (i.e. what city do you live in?). Be sure the information you request is relevant to the person’s situation. Use fact-finding, limited-response questions sparingly. A closed question allows for a limited response. Understanding that each client is different from each other, focusing on each client while actively listen, not judging and knowing that the client is there for help is a way to adapt your communication between clients and or patients.

Poverty and Deprivation Essay

The area a child grows up in has an effect, for example if a child is brought up on a council estate in poor housing they are more likely to have health problems. If parents are not working or have low income jobs they are likely to buy cheaper food and usually this means lower quality which can lead to health problems. Children and their families may have lower expectations. They might settle for the life that id mapped out. If a child lives in high rise flats or appartments they have less oppportunities to play. In poor quality housing there may not be a garden or safe playing area. This is reducing the childs opportunities to develop their physical gross motor skills. This of course is not always the case and there are many ways that we can tackle these issues and help to improve the chances and opportunities children have who live in poverty. However, if a lack of nourishing food is a problem due to severe poverty, this can severly damage a childs physical and mental well being. This can have a knock on effect in the sense that they become listless and withdrawn from having no energy, meaning they find it hard to take part in learning activities and won’t have the benefit of developing their learning further. If there is a strained parental relationship due to money worries a child will undoubtedly be affect by this also. Poverty can affect children adversley in many ways and it’s important that they get what they are missing at home when they go to pre-school/nursery. History of abuse and neglect – Family environment and background – Behaviour of mother during pregnancy – †¢ During pregnancy, if a mother smokes, takes drugs, becomes ill or suffers from stress or anxiety this can result in premature birth and health problems for the baby such as -: low birth weight, undeveloped organs, problems with sight and hearing. These are all problems that could delay their development. Some children are born with conditions that could affect  their development such as a blood disorder. Personal choices – †¢If a child or young person as decided for what ever reason they do not want to be educated or leave school before they finish their education, this is their choice and we cannot always show them alternative choices for staying at school. Looked after/care status – †¢This again could have a huge influence as a lot of looked after children are moved around regularly. This will effect their education enormously. Separation and attachment issues are quite often the cause of many reasons not to want to be in school. This is constantly worked on by schools to find the best way to include these children in school and to be able to give them a good standard of education. Education – †¢If for example a child has not attended a nursery or play group in their early years this can often set them back from what development stage they should be at when attending school. This could be the lack of nursery places, not good enough teachers to the child having a learning disability that has not been identified yet. 2.3 Explain how theories of development and frameworks to support development influence current practice. Albert Bandura – imitating/copying other.  Burrhus Skinner – learning is affected by awars and punishments. Jean Piaget – children actively involved in their learning. Shabhna Jerome – active in own learning, develop different ways of thinking at different stages. Lev Vygotsky- Zone of Proximal Development/scaffolding, children actively learning through social interaction. How current theorist views influence practice today. Skinner – reward charts and other positive reinforcement techniques.  Vygotsky – developed a concept called proximal development which centres on the idea that adults help children to learn and that children help each other . Guiding children to look for answers by imitating what they see in others, listening to instructions and working as part of a group all provide opportunities for them to expand their current base of knowledge. Bruner- developed spiral curriculum which makes us believe that children learn through discovery with direct assistance by adults to encourage them to return to activities time and time again which would develop and extend their learning. His theory is used today as children have plenty of opportunity for free play and child initiated activities which form the majority of the day under the Foundation Phase Curriculum. Bandura – developed the social learning theory which is basically learning through watching others. By setting a good example and modelling good behaviour children will learn how to behave appropriately.

Summary of Pmi Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Home-Work #4 SUMMARY for PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct The PMI ‘Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct’ articulates the ideals to which a project manager should aspire and specifically outlines the mandatory behaviors which are essential in a professional as well as a volunteer role. It describes the moral and professional expectations we have of ourselves and fellow colleagues in the project management community. In short, don’t cheat, steal, lie or abuse power! The code of ethics focuses on four core values which should be upheld by the project managers around the globe: responsibility, respect, fairness and honesty.The code clearly defines the scope of each of these values, their aspirational & mandatory standards and outlines a rough framework of the regulations and legal requirements for the same. The code is applicable to all PMI members, non-members who either hold or are in process of acquiring PMI certification or anybody who directly serve s PMI in a volunteer capacity. These values have become the foundation of the code and each of them is discussed at length in a separate section. It emphasizes on exercise of responsibility and on taking ownership of one’s decisions that they either made or failed to make.The code requires the individuals in project management community to show respect to self, others and the resources available and entrusted to them, to apply fairness in decision making and act impartially and objectively and finally practicing honesty in both the communication and the conduct. The aspirational standards identify the moral conduct and general expectations whereas the mandatory standards establish firm requirements which can limit or prohibit a practitioner’s behavior in some cases.Mandatory standards also suggest a disciplinary procedure before PMI’s Ethics Review committee in case of charges of non-compliance by a practitioner. The purpose of this Code is to instill confidence in the project management profession and to help an individual become a better practitioner. The PMI’s envisions that the current version of the code of ethics and professional conduct will serve as a precursor to further deliberation and application of ethics and values in the global project management community.

Mgmt 4440 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Mgmt 4440 - Essay Example performance management lies in the fact that it helps distinguish between employees who are active and those who are actually working and motivates the former to be more like the latter, thus improving the overall performance in the organization. Also, when a customer is rewarded adequately for good work (whether monetarily or through promotions), they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs, thus increasing the company’s retention rate. Also, it helps align the organization’s activities and the efforts of the employees with the goals of the organization. Employees are more engaged in their work. They look to take on more challenging assignments and enjoy working at their workplace, motivated to achieve the best that they can. This also results in timely and high quality work by the organization in turn. From the employee’s perspective, he / she has greater motivation to work in that organization. An employee who performs well has motivation to continue doing so and an employee who is slacking off is motivated to perform better when they see a coworker being rewarded. Performance management also drives employees to become responsible for their individual performances and drives a better employee experience in the organization. It makes employees strive for greater success and makes them more conscientious of their work. The statement ‘Business is behavior’ refers to the need for organizations to adopt a behavioral approach to management systems. This is due to the huge gap between an organization’s technical competence and the performance of their employees due to a poor understanding of social skills (Rana 2). Simply put, unless an organization succeeds in promoting positive work behavior and decreasing instances of negative work behavior among employees, it will never be able to actualize its potential no matter how well it boosts its other capabilities. Its success in business is limited by the least progressive factor which is often

Learning Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning Journal - Essay Example † Also, the paper will reflect on the project, world of different project, and how it relate to the topics learnt in the course of non profit organization and non government organization. This paper will also give insight on how the world of difference project supported by Vodafone foundation has benefited the local communities. As reported by the Ghana News Agency on 10 November, 2011, the world of difference project spearheaded by the Vodafone Foundation is yet again seeing the light of the day. The project was designed in the year 2010 with an aim of â€Å"positively impacting the lives of less privileged communities and individuals by leveraging on individual and corporate philanthropy.† Non government organization and professionals have been in the forefront of realizing the dreams and spirit of the project. This year, the project received 500 applications of which 50 applicants were successful and have been inducted. The project involves professionals, intellectuals and expert who normally are attached to work in non government organization for a period of two months and given a monthly allowance of between â€Å"GH ¢ 1,000 to GH ¢ 2,000.† According to the Ghana News Agency, the project has greatly benefitted the community. Looking at the driving forces for the development of the world of difference project and the design of the world of difference project implemented by Vodafone Foundation, it resonates and relates well with the aspects learnt in the course, non government organization and non profit organization. In the above article by the Ghana News Agency, it is implied that most non profit organization and non government organization are dependent on donor funding which include: grants, government contribution, corporate institution support and individual donation. Getting funding is always a great challenge. In case an organization secures funding, many conditions are always attached to it with fund utilization limited to budget lines. Also the

SCM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SCM - Essay Example There are various ways by which optimization of logistical networks can be achieved. SCM is therefore composed of several philosophies on how best to achieve its objectives of a fully-integrated chain of activities encompassing the movement of raw materials, the internal processing of these materials into finished goods inventory and shipping out these products into the market in the fastest and most efficient manner to achieve strategic marketing aims. This paper tackles the two types of systems commonly used today – the JIT and the MRP. Discussion The strategic concept of supply chain management lies in the realization that no single business entity is an island and cannot function optimally if it works entirely alone. The SCM idea is anchored on the dictum that a company providing products or services is nothing but a chain of continually evolving capabilities in a globalized marketplace (Jespersen and Skjott-Larsen, 2005:50); it combines its capabilities with the capabilit ies of other firms it deals with. Any discussion of supply chain management involves the subject of logistics. ... Logistics is a way to achieve superior customer service through a precise method of inventory management attained through having the right materials at the right time in the right quantities at a lowest possible cost at the right place. This obsession to have everything right is contained in the JIT or just-in-time management originally developed by Toyota Motors Corporation of Japan. The just-in-time philosophy - of inventory management is anchored on the simple but very profound idea that inventory supplies should not be delivered yet until when required. It therefore presupposes an efficient supply chain that delivers the needed materials just in time when these are needed at the precise moment during the production process to avoid a costly stock-out that disrupts entire production and raises costs or lowers profits. A guiding principle behind this seemingly simple idea is to let demand determine the supply. This simply means a part or material needed will be delivered only at th e precise moment it is needed, not a second earlier or a second later. Benefits of using JIT include smaller storage areas, lower operating capital needed for inventories and minimize need for big buffer stocks (Hensher, 2001:90). Another philosophy underpinning the JIT system is the pull concept of operating costs wherever along the chain. Besides determining the supply through the pull of the demand for a particular inventory item necessary for input in the next production process, JIT places a big emphasis on suppliers to the market a product that is affordable; their profits depend to large extent on internal operational efficiencies that allows profits at a price set by the customer.

Medical Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Medical Language - Essay Example We put him on a trolley and shifted him to the nearby hospital by ambulance. We made him relax in semiprone position so that he could breathe well. We reached the hospital in 15 minutes. Enroute, his saturations were found to be 87 percent and hence he was started on oxygen. His lungs were filled with fluid. The fluid was more in lower lobes. Examination revealed crepitations on both the sides. His wife told us that he is known patient of congestive heart failure, diabetes and hypertension, on appropriate medication. We were thinking that his preexisting chronic cardiac failure predisposed to this acute exacerbation. The wife was very tensed and cried profusely. She asked me how the patient would do and I did not know much about the condition. On shifting into the emergency room, he was diagnosed to have pulmonary edema. Chest X-ray was ordered and several blood tests, including arterial blood gas analysis were sent. This I came to know from the nurse in the emergency room. I hope th e patient does well. I referred to this condition online and found that pulmonary edema does occur in those with preexisting cardiac failure due to failure of the life side of the heart.

The Positive and Negative Effects of Confucianism in East Asian Essay

The Positive and Negative Effects of Confucianism in East Asian Cultures - Essay Example The researcher of this essay aims to pay special attention to the three main elements of ethics form the core of Confucianism. These elements are Ren an obligation of altruism  and humaneness for other individuals within a community, you the obligation to do good and li a system that defines how a person should act within a community. There are just the 3 primary components of the Confucianism philosophy. Apart from these, etiquette, loyalty, filial piety, relationships and various other elements from the structure of this system. The philosophy, politics, society and the business industry of East Asian nations like China, Japan and Korea were all based on the concepts of Confucianism. According to historical facts, these countries prospered in leaps and bounds, all due to the fact that they followed the Confucian ethics in all aspects of the society. The philosophy of Confucianism was practiced in many cultures and countries in East Asia like China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea Vietnam an d various Chinese occupied territories like Singapore. China, however, was the birthplace of Confucianism. It came into being from the sixth century to the third century B.C., an age described as "The Age of Philosophers". Eventually, during 141 to 87 BC, it was declared as a state philosophy by Emperor Wu of Han. Confucianism in Japan began at a time when â€Å"Confucianism† was quite different from what it is today. During the long years from the fall of the Latter Han dynasty in 220 CE through the Tang (618–907), the classics esteemed by Confucius remained an important part for those who exercised authority over others. The sixteenth year of the reign of Ojin is often taken as the start of Japan’s experience with Confucianism, with traditional dating assigning this to 285 but around 404 being the more likely. Reportedly, in that year a Confucian scholar from the Korean kingdom of Paekche, Wang In (known as Wani in Japanese), arrived in Japan to tutor a son of Ojin, bringing along with him copies of the Analects and the Thousand Character Classic. And this is how Confucianism in Japan took off. During Korea’s lengthy Choson dynasty (1392–1910) Confucian ideals were deeply valued. In the early Choson scholars imported Confucianism from China, establishing it as the governing political ideology and further developing Korean-style neo-Confucianism. Modeling neo-Confucian ideals, they transformed Choson into a thoroughly Confucian society during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is an accepted fact that the nations of East Asia constitute a part of the fastest growing economy in the world. In the past 30 years, 3 smalls East Asian nations – South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore have exhibited phenomenal economic growth which now rivals that of Japan’s. These countries are now ranked as having the world most successful economies. The explanation for this boom in the economic systems can be dedicated to the fact that Confucian values form an ethical thread across the East Asia nations. The philosophy of Confucianism is dictated by a harmonious collective social order. This, in turn, ensures absolute loyalty and obedience to authority from the subordinates. This is the base that enabled the East Asian nations to skyrocket their economy.

Saudi Arabia and The United State of America PowerPoint Presentation

Saudi Arabia and The United State of America - PowerPoint Presentation Example In United States the companies are privatized and the government has less control over it. While in Saudi all the economic activates of the country is controlled by the government alone. Obviously the country is a kingdom where in the royals has the say on the functioning of the political activities of the country. Saudi is ruled by King whereas America has election which selects the President of the country. The country has central and federal government and a legal body to govern the nation. America is a democratic country whereas,Saudi Arabia is a monarchy. However, Saudi Arabian GDP is less than America as latter is a country depended on its oil reserve rather than employed nationals. Saudi has a smaller economy than America as latter is a large country. America is a country which can be considered as the melting pot of culture. It has a wide variety of people belonging to various religion, ethnicity race and nationality .American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States, including language, religion, food and the arts. According to (Zimmerman,2013) â€Å"Nearly every region of the world has influenced American culture, as it is a country of immigrants, most notably the English who colonized the country beginning in the early 1600s.†.Contradictory to this, the Saudi Arabian culture is traditionally linked to the Islamic laws and guidance. There is strict prohibition regarding alcohol consumption, pork and rights of women. Saudi Arabia is the most strict nation in the world and it is functioning according the laws of Quran as Prophet Mohammed is from this region. Also the holy pilgrimage happens in Mecca which is a privileged region for Muslims. When we look at the culture of America and Saudi there is a wide gap between them. Saudi can be nowhere compared to America as the former is restricted nation whereas latter is free country with liberal human rights and freedom. Saudi has

Internet Privacy Essay Example for Free

Internet Privacy Essay Electronic commerce (e-commerce) is a great opportunity for any fledging entrepreneur to expose his goods to buyers all over the world through the internet. Small and medium scale businesses, with the right mixture of products and e-commerce capabilities can thrive in a global market. Geography is now longer a hindrance. One doesn’t even need a great amount of capital outlay to get started. For $ 25 a month, one can get an e-commerce start up kit (â€Å"Exploring E-Commerce†). Every imaginable commodity is now sold on-line. It would be wise for any business minded person to ride the information age. Of course, one area of concern when it comes to electronic transactions is security. There have been many instances where credit card information submitted to certain business related websites were stolen and used for other purposes. Customers would need some measure of guarantee that they are not getting scammed. At the same time, businessmen, especially the newer ones, would like to minimize costs of implementing a highly secure environment. Like everything else, a balance must be reached between security for the customer and cost for the business owner. The advantage of a non-secure e-commerce environment is that the business can start right away, even at the comfort of your own home if you prefer. Starting capital would be affordable since one only needs to register a website name and post the products he is offering. The site functions as a showroom for global customers. The disadvantage is that the number of hits on the site doesn’t necessarily translate to customers. 54% of prospective buyers cancel their transactions because of concerns which include insecurity (â€Å"Exploring E-Commerce†). Another disadvantage is that safe payment options are limited. Because non-secure e-commerce sites are vulnerable to hacker attacks, customers would prefer not to use any kind of electronic payment. This would limit the customer’s options to bank deposits and cash-on-delivery schemes. If credit card payment is offered in an insecure web environment, the risk of theft is increased. Overly secured e-commerce sites provide the customer with a blanket of safety and convenience for both the customer and the site owner. With up to date security measures, the owner opens his business to the more than 1. 2 billion credit card owners, world wide (â€Å"Exploring E-Commerce†). Applying encryption methods such as the widely accepted secure socket layer (SSL) certificates on the business website shields important customer information, like credit card numbers, from hackers and other web predators. One disadvantage of a highly secure e-commerce setup is the cost in putting up the safeguards. Verisign, the company that offers SSL certificates, charges over $1,000 for an extended SSL good for 1 year (â€Å"Verisign†, 2007). Other security costs include purchasing and updating of anti-virus software and firewall infrastructure. A minor inconvenience for the customer would be repeated input of customer information including passwords to help secure a transaction. These are not one time only costs. SSL and anti-virus software need regular updates to adapt to relentless hackers and virus code programmers. Even with all of these, there is still no 100% guarantee that the e-business is safe since security is meant to â€Å"manage not eliminate risks† (Tung, 2007). If the entrepreneur is new to the e-commerce business and confined with a limited budget, it is advisable that he start with registering the website first and live with the payment limitations. If the product is good, and the owner makes up for the limitations with above average service like on time delivery and packaging, then he may gradually add components that would make his e-business more secure. If money is no object to the businessman, then adding market accepted security features will certainly not hurt and will even attract repeat business. References: E-commerce 101. Retrieved December 10, 2007, from Sell it on the web Web site: http://sellitontheweb. com/ezine/webstore101. shtml Exploring E-Commerce. Entrepreneur. com , Retrieved December 10, 2007, from http://www. entrepreneur. com/growyourbusiness/howtoguides/article81238. html Tung, Liam (2007, November 2007). Friendly rootkits proposed for safe e-commerce. Retrieved December 10, 2007, from ZDNet. co. uk Web site: http://news. zdnet. co. uk/internet/0,1000000097,39291134,00. htm? r=2 Verisign (2007). Retrieved December 10, 2007, Web site: https://ssl-certificate- center. verisign. com/process/retail/product_selector? uid=f149c3d301a629c3897d6187982dbfe7

The Challenges Posed By Digitalization And The Internet Media Essay

The Challenges Posed By Digitalization And The Internet Media Essay No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher? Perhaps, we all have read this phrase or a similar phrase somewhere at sometime. Similar warnings can be found in the movie credits, covers of music albums and similar other digital works which we can find in the Internet and other digital devices. How many of us have actually paid heed to such warnings? Almost always, nobody does. Everybody uses the Internet as if it is a limitless source of all that we need and want. The Internet is one big library. It is made up of numerous computers and devices which are connected together and carry data which can be transmitted to the other computers in the database. It has all the information that everyone virtually needs. Books, music, photos, news and many other kinds of information can be found on the Internet. Some for free and some for a fee. It is one big library without a librarian. And that is where the big problem lies. Nobody actually monitors what information you get from the internet and how you intend to use it. Most of the time, you can save or download any information that you need and do whatever you want to do with it at the click of a button. The Internet not being owned by anyone nor controlled by anyone is thus considered as a public domain. Everybody can have access to digital information which is usually free and available for all. With the Internet, the privacy of millions is threatened. Is there anything that we can do if a photo we posted online is being reposted by someone unknown in another website? Can we stop another person on the other side of the globe from copying the thoughts that we have posted on the blog? Are there even laws spanning across territories that we can invoke to protect us? Is it even possible to know and pinpoint who the person responsible is? Almost always, the answer to these questions is a big resounding No. This privacy problem is even compounded in areas of Intellectual Property. It refers to those property rights which result from the physical manifestation of original thought (Martin, 2002). Copyright is one of the areas covered by Intellectual Property Laws. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, Copyright refers to that system of legal protection an author enjoys in the form of expression of ideas. This covers protection given to authors with regards to his scientific, educational, literary or other works; musical compositions of a composer; painters and other artists with respect to their work of arts; and many others not limited to such enumeration. Prior to the era of digitalization and the Internet, these copyrighted materials only exist in printed form, usually on paper or on canvas. These works have specific laws which protect their use from infringement. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, display or derivatives can be considered infringement, subject to certain rules and standards set in the laws. However, as we have reached the digital age, these works have been made available through the Internet also. Due to this, the problems have arisen, problems which have not been covered by most Copyright laws. What constitutes reproduction or distribution or display in tangible form does not equate to reproduction, distribution or display over the Internet media. Strictly speaking a work cannot be the subject of an infringement unless there is something tangible which shows such. The same no longer holds true with the digitalization and Internet. The Copyright System and Laws are thus unable to effectively respond to the challenges posed by digitalization and the Internet. The Challenges Posed by Digitalisation and the Internet We know that schools, businesses, hospitals and various other institutions have date which can be useful to other organizations. Many of these data can be accessible by digital copies and through online. This resulted to the era of databases which can be accessed by almost everyone in the planet. Some argue that this is an invasion of privacy as well as an infringement of copyright rights. Copyright may be vested in a work closely similar or even identical to an earlier, already patented work, provided that the former is truly original (Martin, 2002). The Internet, as helpful and convenient as it is, has been a cause of a major problem when it comes to intellectual property laws. The Internet has paved way for the unauthorized collection, use or sale of copyrighted materials. It is not only famous authors or artists which are protected by copyright laws. Davis (1997) once suggested the idea that individual users of the Internet also have property rights. Whatever we write or put on the Internet which are from our own personal thoughts or ideas or works are our own private intellectual property and as such we have the right to protect it and should not be copied by just about anyone online. Copyright puts a limitation on the volume of information or material that a person can reproduce without getting a license to copy first (Gillespie, 2007). A copyright can also be a limitation on artistic choices as artists cannot even make artistic works which are similar to that which has already been copyrighted (Burrell Coleman, 2005). This may sound as nothing important for Internet users but for people who are the owners of copyrighted works, this is very important. Many people in fact do not understand the idea of Copyright Laws and how it works. Lets examine the case of authors and the books they write. With the digitalization and the Internet, books in paper have been transformed into electronic books and can be easily saved in millions of copies in a device even smaller than a matchbox. Electronic books, otherwise called ebooks are books in electronic form which can be read on the computer or any ebook reader device (Schwabach, 2006). These days, people dont buy books as often as before. Thanks to the Internet. Or perhaps, no thanks to the Internet? Remember way back ten years or more ago, people buy encyclopedias, almanacs and atlases which come in 20 book sets or more. People buy Bible books for children in sets of 10 or more. Often, these are done in set-ups of monthly installments which in this day and age seem illogical. Why would you need 20 books when you can just Google? Why would you need four feet of space for a set of books and magazines when you can just buy a computer and use two feet of space for information which cannot be contained in even a room full of books? We admit, more and more people are reading ebooks, they are cheaper, they do not take space and they can last a lifetime. Many of these ebooks can be copied online for free and are allowed to be disseminated over the Internet for several reasons, such as when they are already available in the public domain or the author chose to publish it free for all (Schwabach, 2006). However, not all authors are like this. There are also many authors who have placed restrictions in the ebooks and thus do not allow any unauthorized or unpaid copies to be made and distributed. There goes the problem with the Copyright Laws. Another favorite in the Copyright infringement with this boom of the digital and Internet era is the mass reproduction and dissemination of movies. Movies are cinematographic works of art. Usually, the producer has copyright for purposes of exhibition; for all other purposes, the producer, the author of the scenario, the composer, the film director, the author of the work are the creators and thus have the copyright protection. In this day and age, anyone can download movies through the Internet and store them in memory drives. One downloaded movie can be reproduced a million times, recopied in DVDs, transported to different areas of the globe, and watched in millions of homes countless times. This is very common and not everyone knows that this is actually infringement. Third scenario, have you ever heard of controversies involving speeches made by people and would later be found to be copied verbatim from a speech made on the other side of the globe and which can be found online? We have heard of these a lot. You can use it as a speech in a remote area and when fortune favors you, nobody would ever know that you copied that piece from an article you read online. No one will ever know and everyone who has listened to such speech will think of how brilliant a speaker you are. Little did they know, you not only plagiarized the speech, you have also broken certain laws. Yes, you are in the eyes of the law, a criminal. In these scenarios, somewhere, someone has the right to relief and damages for such mass reproduction and dissemination of the movies, for the plagiarized speech, for the ebooks which have been copied and passed hundred of times. The one who is responsible for the infringement exposes himself to criminal liability wherein the law prescribes penalties of imprisonment and fines. This can be easy in the past. But in this world of vast connection of wires all over the globe, how easy is it to catch who is responsible? How can authors, musicians and artists ask for damages when they do not know in the first place who is responsible? And, is there really a clear law which defines infringement of Copyright laws over the Internet? In the past, it has been clearly laid down what constitutes copyright infringement and which doesnt. In the past, it has been clearly laid down who is entitled to copyright protection. In the past, it has been clearly laid down who owns the copyright. In the past, it has been clearly laid down what constitutes Fair use. The Fair Use Doctrine refers to the fair use of copyrighted work for the purpose of criticism, educational purposes, news reports, research and other similar purposes. Fair Use does not constitute infringement. In this instance, fair use in tangible media and fair use over the digital networks and the Internet seem to be the same. In the payment for damages, some laws lay down rules on assessment on the basis of the proof given by the author or artist of sales made by the infringer of the infringing work deducted by whatever costs the infringer may be able to prove (Martin, 2002). With the copyright infringement happening on the Internet, sometimes sales do not even take place, there is but a free for all reproduction of copyrighted works. We can see that in addition to losing protection from infringement, the author or artist also loses any chance of getting any amount of damages for compensation. Are information found online in this age of the Internet and digitalisation owned absolutely by their authors or artists, or is there some form of joint ownership with all the other users of the Internet? Does the fact that a copyrighted photo is found online give the Internet users the absolute right to use it? If that is so, then it goes to say that we have all become owners of whatever information that we can find on the Internet, right? Wrong. In some instances, there are owners of copyrighted materials such as music and books which allow specific transfers to internet users without any copyright infringement taking place (Rimmer, 2007). For example, the importation of a copy of a work by an Internet user for solely personal purposes shall be permitted without the authorization of the author of, or other owner of copyright in, the work under certain circumstances as laid down by law. When copyrighted materials are sold over the internet, there is no tangible medium. It is thus only the right to use which is being passed to the one who is buying the copyrighted digital works (Schwabach, 2006). Thus, technically speaking, a digital work which is sold online may not be sold by the buyer to another. That right to sell only belongs to the real owner of the digital work. The buyer only has the right to use, he can read or listen to the digital work but he does not have the right to sell it. The same analogy goes true when buying a DVD. If you buy a DVD and you copy the contents of the DVD and then sell the copied DVD, you are guilty of infringement. These are just some of the hundreds of challenges that are faced by the Copyright System and which have to be dealt with to protect artists, authors and others who have created manifestations of their brilliant ideas. It is therefore important to examine and to address the rights associated with the people who are owners of information or media disseminated over the internet (Gillespie, 2007). We, the billions of Internet users in the planet, are not the owners of every thing that we can find on the Internet. There is nothing to prevent you or me from downloading the latest movies, or posting a video of yourself online singing the latest chart-topping song of a music phenomenon, or posting an exceptionally beautiful painting made by your neighbor and claiming it as your own. A cornerstone in helping the problem with copyright protection is to inform the general public about rights and duties of owners of copyrighted materials and the Internet users (Wolf, 2003). Being socially responsible for whatever we download and use from the Internet may seem like the best possible option at present. Sad to say, but authors and other owners of copyrighted materials do not seem to have any avenue to defend their Copyright protection. Novel efforts must be made to explore how Intellectual Property Laws on Copyright can be amended and streamlined for the digitalization and Internet use. No matter how good the countrys Intellectual Property Laws are, these are still not designed for the digital and the Internet era. These laws have proved lacking, giving more freedom to Internet users and stripping Copyright owners of the Copyright protection that laws have given them. Conclusion What the Internet and digitalization gives away with one hand, it usually takes away with the other. The Internet and digitalization may have opened a whole lot of doors for everyone, but it also creates a very serious problem with regards to the use and abuse of information. Different jurisdictions all over the world have made the recognition that with the boom of digitalization and the Internet, privacy is almost impossible and the laws on copyright are unable to effectively respond to this. Movies, books, music and similar digital works have been the subject of numerous infringement which does not seem to stop anytime soon. Many challenges are faced by Copyright Laws because of digitalization and the Internet. Among these problems are the inapplicability of present Intellectual Property Laws, the lack of control in the information dissemination of the Internet, the easy access and download of various digital works over the Internet and the seeming lack in social responsibility and awareness of many Internet users, to name a few. A lot of people are actually unaware that not everything that we find on the Internet can be copied and used to our hearts content. And even if people knew, they either do not understand or do not care. Besides, what would stop them from infringing copyrighted works? The vast interconnection of wires and computers almost makes it virtually impossible to catch someone who is responsible for downloading and copying several copies of a movie, a song, a book, a photograph or similar works. In conclusion, until a perfect law against infringement of copyrighted digital materials over the internet is made and implemented, or a perfect socially responsible Internet- and digitally-savvy community of users exists, there is no specific and effective solution to help the owners of Copyrighted materials against these challenges that they face in this age of digitalization and the Internet.

Strategic Recommendations for Red Bull

Strategic Recommendations for Red Bull Keeping the Red Bull Flying - Strategic Recommendations to Build  the Brand and Drive Revenue Growth Since its launch in 1995 in Austria, Red Bull has, in essence, created the hip and fashionable category of â€Å"functional energy drinks†. Its marketing program has been the epitome of â€Å"buzz† marketing in which pull strategies are utilized to expand product distribution methodically on a global scale. The promotion of Red Bull has been pure and focused on the elements of the product: the distinctive silver and blue 250mL can, the singular marketplace offering, the unique logo and underlying mantra â€Å"Energy Drink† followed by a campaign of selective introduction to the particularly â€Å"cool† consumers via sampling and endorsement by personalities synonymous with the brand personality of the product. Judging by results alone, the remarkably consistent (albeit with the notable inconsistency of the United Kingdom product introduction) marketing plan has been a tremendous success as evidenced by the entrance of so many â€Å"me-too† products. Despite the entry of the â€Å"big dogs† (i.e., Coca-Cola, Pepsi, et al), Red Bull had managed to achieve sales of near $1billion by the end of 2001. The success of the bran is also evident by the exorbitant price premium that consumer are willing to pay ($1.99 $3.00) for just 8.3 fluid ounces of product that was until recently, only available in a single serving (initial offering of 4- packs retained the pricing per ounce of the single serving size). The targeted audience for this product is, â€Å"anyone†¦ who is fatigued [mentally or physically].† Despite this shotgun approach, penetration is far deeper in younger demographics, especially the 14-19 groups (65% in Austria, 28% in the UK). A large part of the product’s continuing success is the uniform consistency of the brand image as it is positioned in each market. Competing on the basis of a premium product consumable by anyone with the universal need to reduce fatigue, the product has taken first-mover advantage and remained on top by the maintenance of a premium product that fulfills a ‘commoditized-niche’ need of the consumer. In terms of the Red Bull’s competitive position, the emergence of the category and the success of Red Bull has created a highly competitive field of me-too and novel products. Despite this competition, Red Bull remains a large but niche product that has become a powerful â€Å"original† brand. Threats to their market position include the wake of new and existing products from companies with deep pockets, extensive distribution networks and substantial marketing prowess – some of the 75% (in the UK) market share will be lost (Choeke 2005, p.3; Clark 2005; Euromonitor 2005, p. 3). The opportunities that Red Bull has are a direct result of their weaknesses: a single product made in a single location. This is the epitome of the clichà © that warns against putting all one’s eggs into a single basket. As a consequence, Red Bull places a strong emphasis on conservative inventory strategies by having 45 – 60 days of products at distribution centers (in the US) (Modern Materials Handling 2005), p. 11). While the emphasis on being at the shelf is admirable, this represents a significant (up to almost 17%) of ones annual volume sitting around – 17% of one’s annual revenue tied up in accounts receivables. To continue to build upon this success, it is recommended that Red Bull consider a two-fold strategy. First, there is considerable equity in the brand and the beverage that can be leveraged significantly in a brand extension of a product such as an ‘energy bar’. The key risk of this strategy is that the pure, singular product offering of today will be diluted. Despite this risk, the extension of what Red Bull actually represents does not necessarily dilute but can likely reinforce the idea that the brand of Red Bull represents, â€Å"what you consume [not just drink] when you are fatigued† versus the more restricted â€Å"drink† cateogory. By redefining the frame-of-reference, the category can be effectively extended and a like-branded product such as â€Å"Red Bull Solid Fuel† can effectively capture money left on the table while presenting minimal risks for damaging the current substantial brand equity of the beverage product alone. This brand exte nsion is compatible with the spirit of the current product, a key factor in the likelihood of consumers accepting and even embracing an additional product (Yeung Wyer 2005, p. 495). An alternative to â€Å"SolidFuel† is an additional beverage such as a sports drink. While this is a legitimate possibility, the risk of brand dilution is greater as both products are beverages though intended for different consumers. SolidFuel is a different but related category that seeks to gain a larger share of wallet though not necessarily expanding the existing customer base. This product will complement rather than potentially compete with the original Red Bull product and utilize the paradigm of a â€Å"branded house† rather than a house of [potentially competing] brands (Aaker Joachimsthaler 2000, p. 9), In addition to efforts to grow revenues through brand extensions, an additional recommendation alluded to earlier, it that Red Bull should expand production from solely Austrailia to a site in Europe and North America. By having a single facility to product product for a globe, unnecessary costs are being built into the supply chain. In addition to being forced to produce, manage, move and store massive quantities of material, there is the presence of a great deal of risk if something should happen. With but a few additional sites, risk can be virtually eliminated and distribution and holding costs significantly reduced. To address the concern of the fact that Red Bull is perceived to be a niche’ product, it is recommended that a action be taken to build brand awareness and specifically to penetrate both deeper and in additional demographic segments, it is recommended that Red Bull develop mass media advertisements such as television spots. These clips should feature a key â€Å"fatigue driver†. By this, it is meant that activities besides extreme physical exertion should be utilized such as: A long road-trip – This should feature a middle-aged, yet well-groomed commercial truck driver that focuses on a route map. This map should prominently feature a long line which traverses several states. Further, this individual should eschew coffee, instead, he should be shown enthusiastically consuming a Red Bull . A series of ‘relentless’ meetings – This clip should show a clock indicating an early hour and a business meeting ‘in progress’ that, according to the clock, keeps going. Similar to the above example, the shot should demonstrate that Red Bull is an attractive alternive or substitute for coffee and could also play upon the feature s of consistent quality of Red Bull (versus the variance of a secretary’s coffee making skill). A grueling school assignment – The obvious shot would include a study group at a late hour†¦ just beginning to study for a major test of solve a lengthy problem. Of course, Red Bull is there. Each of the above scenarios are representative of mental or physical fatigue and the â€Å"break-through† that can be attained by the key benefits and attribute of the Red Bull product. These also particularly lend themselves both to brand extension and extensions of the current ‘most likely to use’ demographic segment. In summary, Red Bull has seen seemingly indefatigable success of a single product. By taking steps to simultaneously launch â€Å"SolidFuel†, the result will be the success that is achieved simply by meeting the already expressed needs and desires of the marketing with a product that is positioned to leverage the current awareness, recognition, and image of the current product. As this strategy entails the creation of a category-extension, there is minimal risk of the dilution of the powerful core brand value and the image that is currently held. Further, to maintain and even build the markets for these products, Red Bull should move away from the successful cartoon-type advertisements and focus on the â€Å"next thing† for a fickle consumer mass. This advertising should be of an experiential nature that focuses on situation in which Red Bull [products] can be utilized for a key benefit while each advertisement â€Å"closes† with a central brand reinforcing image such as the Red Bull logo. Works Consulted Aaker, D., and Joachimsthaler, E. (2000, Summer). â€Å"The Brand Relationship Spectrum: The Key to the Brand Architecture Challenge†. California Management Review, (42)4, pp. 8-23. Choeke, M. (2005, October 11). â€Å"Coke Eyes Red Bull with Launch of Still Energy Drink†. Marketing Week. October 11, 2005 edition. Clark, N. (2005, December). â€Å"Coca-Cola adds Taurine to Product†. Marketing, December 14, 2005 edition. Euromonitor. (2005, December). â€Å"UK Market for Functional Drinks†. Euromonitor – Market Research Monitor. Accessed online March 9, 2006. Modern Materials Handling. (2005, December). â€Å"How Red Bull Puts a Charge in It’s Supply Chain†. Modern Materials Handling, p. 11. Yeung, C., and Wyers, R. (2005, November). â€Å"Does Loving a Product Mean Loving Its Products? The Role of Brand-Elicited Affect in Brand Extension Evaluations†. Journal of Marketing Research (42), pp. 495-506.

Hedda Gabler Essay -- essays research papers

TITLE : People may argue that George, Eilert, and Judge Brack are responsible for Hedda’s death, but in reality it is the fault of Hedda’s society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’ve chosen this statement for several reasons. Ibsen’s character, Hedda Gabler, represents the women of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Hedda stands the issues of self-worth and the deflated value that each woman places upon her own importance as a result of male dominance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We can see this in the play, as we read we learn more about the character of Hedda Gabler. She is the daughter of a General who expected a life if glamour and wealth and rebels against the boredom of a dull, narrow existence by vindictively scheming against everyone around her. Hedda also strives to ruin Eilert Lovborg, the intellectual she once rejected as a suitor. She is meddling in Eilert’s life for her own amusement and control.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She lives in a male dominance society and environment which caged her and made her lose her freedom. Her desire to escape and her yearning for individual and spiritual freedom come to the surface as she discovers her father’s pair of pistols. Comparing Hedda with the other women of the play we can see that thea wasn’t the woman with the more control. She also had an unhappy marriage because of Eilert’s work. Aunt Julia is different; she likes to help people, she raised George and took care Rina. As far as Berda is concerned, there i...

Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Teaching Teachers Educa

Philosophy of Education The philosophical perspective possessed by a teacher has on affects the ability and effectiveness of their teaching methods. Therefore a teacher must be one who appreciates and respects education and formalized schooling. In the following paragraphs I will give a general description of my views on education. I will describe how I view the acquisition of knowledge, common student nature, what I believe the purpose of education is and my desired method and curriculum. Future teachers should carefully consider each of these aspects. After my graduation from Concord College I plan to be a history teacher at a local high school. If I proceed with any further schooling, it will most likely be in the field of special education. I have not yet decided what professional groups I may join in the future but I am currently researching the Center for Civic Education and the National Geographic Society. The nature of a student is an important area of thought for a future teacher because the student is a teacher's primary focus. The typical student is naturally prone to be easily distracted from their studies. One possible reason for this is that children do not realize the importance of education. This is more evident in lower grade levels. Children's personalities also vary. For example each class typically contains an immensely interested student, a class clown, and those children who are moderately quiet and follow the rules. Teachers need to consider the nature of each student in order to give the student an adequate amount of attention. More important aspects of teaching include the understanding of the acquisition of knowledge and the importance and purpose of education. Understanding how p... ...dict future events in society. History can also be inspiring to students who desire political or judicial occupations. The most important subjects for students however, are reading, writing and mathematics. They are the most important because they are the basic skills that one needs in order to function in current society. My interest in the school system is due to the difference that I could make in the life of one human. It is an exciting thought that I could be the teacher of a future historical figure or productive scientist. I think that the extrinsic benefits of being a teacher are far less important than the intrinsic benefits, however the extrinsic benefits will be satisfying to my economical needs. With all of my views on the aspects of teaching, I hope that as a teacher I am as friendly and helpful as several of my past teachers have been to me.