Thursday, October 31, 2019

An Analysis of the Benefits and Historical Development of Theatre in Essay

An Analysis of the Benefits and Historical Development of Theatre in Education - Essay Example The changes that have occurred within education and theatre are now able to benefit students in developing the craft of theatre more than past techniques, specifically because of the development into new and experimental approaches. The purpose of theatre in education from a historical context was to develop the craft of acting for students interested in performing literary works. However, newer models of theatre in education have created an alternative approach to understanding why theatre is used in schools. The curriculum and the main goals have changed the way that theatre is approached as well as what is used within the classroom for students. The concept of expression is now not only used for the study of acting and literature, but is also used for social and psychological development. When certain plays are interacted by students they have the ability to understand and interact with the information that is linked to this. The first objective that is achieved is instructional, which relates to the classroom teaching and the cognitive process used. The second objective is related to the expressions used. The educational level that is used within this is created specifically for an understanding of social a nd cultural issues that are prevalent in society and which need to be looked into (Jackson, 256). The development of theatre in education is not only important with the implementation and understanding of different cognitive processes. It is also essential because of the extra skills that it provides children with as they are moving through different development stages. Theatre for children that is developed in the correct manner can help with social skills and the ability to work within teams, specifically because of the way that different scripts are developed. More importantly, the use of different scripts can help with the development of communication and confidence. For all areas of academia as well as with

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Turning Point Of My Life Essay Example for Free

Turning Point Of My Life Essay The engines of the 747 jumbo passenger jet roared loudly in my ears with a resonance that said â€Å"There’s no turning back.†Ã‚   I tried to ignore this humming, chanting, vibrating message shaking my legs and rocking my spine.   I fumbled with the cool, silver metal of my seatbelt buckle and checked one more time that I was really locked in.   I felt the aircraft rolling left, then taxiing right, and I tried as best I could to believe it knew the best way to go.    I took Sonia’s slender hand in my own clammy palm without ever looking up.   In my mind I saw the historic monuments and pastoral countryside of France sweeping past, out of view, though I knew I was still safely on the runway.   I saw my mother and father, my lifelong friends.   And then my back pushed hard against the seat as the engines raged into a frenzy and the wheels of the airplane lost contact with the ground.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a small child in France I used to play with my best friend XXXX in the schoolyard.   We were equipped with arsenals of toy cars and trunks, ships and robots.   I always loved the airplanes best; I remember holding them as high as I could against the backdrop of the blue sky, my point of view convincing me I was among the clouds, thousands of feet above our little playground.   I would climb to the top of the slide and continue my flight, achieving the most spectacular heights with which no boy, anywhere, could compete.   I imagined flying away to parts of the world I didn’t yet have names for, exploring mountain peaks and silty ocean bottoms.   I ventured alone into the furthest reaches of the globe, a fearless pilot explorer.   As I sat now in the belly of a real life airplane, soaring off to meet my destiny, I hoped I was as brave now as I was back then.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They told me lots of things about Washington, D.C.   They told me to be careful as the crime rate was high and I didn’t want to get shot.   They told me the Washington Monument was a sight to behold.   They told me Washington was where political deals are made that affect the entire planet.   They told me D.C. was the land of opportunity.   I couldn’t wait to get there and find out who was right and who was wrong.   I wondered how the Promised Land would compare with France, the only land I’d ever called home.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I knew Sonia was excited.   We were like twins, she and I.   Same small home town, same field of study, same destination.   She displayed the kind of adventuresome free spirit I did as a little boy, and I admired her for it.   We were both giddy to move into our cozy new apartment together and finally begin a life together, on our own to make it or break it.   We were all starry eyes and heads full of possibility as we hurtled over the ocean toward the land they called America.   We grasped each others hands tighter as we told bad jokes and laughed nervous laughs about what awaited us when the wheels of our aircraft touched the ground.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Back in France, my brother Georges and I loved watching sports together on the weekends.   We’d argue over our favorite teams and cheer on the local favorites over lots of food and drinks.   We’d been close growing up and I knew I’d miss those weekend bonding sessions.   I wondered when and if Georges would get the chance to come to the States to see his brother, a big time Business major in Washington.    And what about mom and dad?   I knew they were at once sad and overjoyed that their little boy was rushing off to make something of himself, and I wondered which emotion won out.   I hoped, for their sake and mine, that they were happy in the knowledge that I was growing up alright.   As Sonia quietly sipped a complimentary diet soda, I could see in her eyes that she was having the same wistful thoughts of home.   I told her it was all going to be ok and that, hey, we would practically be neighbors with George W. Bush.   We both had a good laugh at that one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I alternated between watching the second hand on my watch tick off the time and staring out over the billowing clouds below, I daydreamed of the future.   I saw our cozy apartment, furnished with a nice sofa and chairs, a television, and our very own bowls, plates, cups, and silverware.    I imagined us under a blanket on a frosty D.C. night, watching American sitcoms and eating take-out.   I saw us working feverishly behind computers and in libraries, expanding our minds and moving closer toward our goals.   We would hang out with our new American friends in American bars and drink American beer.   We would go see American rock concerts and joke about how Americans think we French folks are rude.   Maybe one day we’d get a dog or a cat.   The possibilities seemed fascinating and endless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the plane made its final descent, my heart was in my throat.   â€Å"This is it,† the engines of the plane said.   Once again I checked my safety belt to make sure I was fastened in.   Though I loved to fly, the landing was always my favorite.   I loved seeing the expanse of a new city, laid out in miniature before my eyes.   I loved to watch as the tiny model world with me floating above it became the looming, real world with me in the middle.   Sonia and I smiled oversized, childlike smiles at each other as the wheels of the jet rubbed against the concrete landing strip, sending small puffs of up smoke into the air.   We bobbled and bumped along the jet way as the passengers stretched and gossiped amongst themselves until, finally, the plane came to a stop.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sonia and I departed the plane, hand in hand, and breathed in the air of our new home.   The airport seemed to heave in and out with the swarms of people moving through it.   Momentarily, all thoughts of home, my childhood, and my future departed as I became intoxicated with the overwhelming here and now.   We stopped briefly for a greasy airport hamburger before hustling to collect our baggage and hail our first American cab to take us home.   Anxious, Sonia did a little dance next to her bags as I waited for the cabby to load our things into his bright yellow vehicle.   We closed the cab doors behind us with a bang and were on our way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sonia and I have been enjoying our new life in the States.   We finally got our things unpacked and situated in our cozy new apartment.   We do all of the things I’d imagined on that airplane, and then some.   In some ways life in a new country is like life on another planet, and Sonia and I enjoyed playing the extraterrestrials.   Each day at a shopping mall and each night at a club or a theater was a new adventure.   We were in uncharted territory and we wanted to map as much ground as we possibly could, drinking in the ups and downs of our newfound culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of course, we became engrossed in our studies.   Though we are early on in our American education, I can sense the small milestones as we work our way along toward that fateful graduation day.   Until then, we enjoy our classmates and our professors and try to do the best we can with what we have.   We’re very lucky to be here, as so many people in the world never see the land beyond their hometown.   We’ve seen the lands beyond and the waters in between.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As for my friends back home, I keep up with them via email and telephone.   I wonder how people must have gotten by without the wonders of the Internet.   I e-mail photos back home of Sonia and me at various landmarks and field questions about what it’s like living in Washington.   Of course, I inquire as to how my old pals are doing and try to keep up on the latest local gossip from home.   A couple of my friends have promised to come and visit, and I certainly hope they do.   Experiences like this are so much better when you can share them with people who really know you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And then there’s Georges.   We keep in touch the same way, and I keep him up to speed on American sports while he fills me in on French sports.   I’m trying to get him excited about American football, but I don’t know that I’m succeeding.   Sometimes we talk on the phone on during weekend sporting events and for awhile it is almost like we’re back home again, together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sonia and I are discovering what it’s like to live together as a couple.   We bicker about small and unimportant details like an old married couple, but we enjoy it and we’re enjoying our time together.   We’re beginning to learn what it’s like having to give in to each other’s wants and needs in order to keep each other happy.   We talk about the future, about next year, about what happens after graduation.   We enjoy making plans but are careful to also enjoy the present.   Someday when I’m an important business executive, I’ll look back at my time in college as the best time of my life.   I want to live life and remember as much of it as I can.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of course I miss my family, my friends and my France.   Some things here will just never compare – I think most people feel that way about home.   Restaurants will never compare to my mother’s cooking and even my best American friends won’t remember the time I fell down on the playground and skinned my knee.   My time away from everybody has made me appreciate them all more and I look forward to the times when we get to talk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sometimes I think back to that time in the plane on the French runway.   I think about my sweaty palms and the roar of the engine and the tight seatbelt.   I think about my uncertainty towards leaving my home country, and I think about how well we’re adjusting so far.   I feel the same way when I think about my life and what my future holds – I hear the roaring jet engines telling me â€Å"This is it.†Ã‚   I guess all one can do is try their best and keep moving forward.   Stepping onto that airplane is the hardest part.   After that all you can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Case Study On Strategic Analysis Management Essay

Case Study On Strategic Analysis Management Essay This will be done through analysing the variety stores industry in which Woolworth operates, the companys past, present and future growth strategies and its current performance. Using recognised strategic tools, the various options available to the company will be recommended and evaluated. METHODOLOGY: The Methodology that will be used to compile this dissertation will mainly be in the form of secondary research. This is largely because the nature of the project requires the co-operation of managers at very strategic level of the company. The Managers understand and have sufficient information on the strategic direction of the organisation. The writer was unable to arrange interviews with the management in the company, as information they have cannot be made public for confidential reasons. As a result it is deemed that the information gathering from other sources within the company would not be as reliable as desired for this topic. Informal primary research interviews will be arranged to gain general information on Woolworths PLCs policies and operations with members of Woolworths store staff. Secondary information will also be used to compile this dissertation due to the availability of reliable and valid information on Woolworths PLC and the variety retail industry. Secondary research will be conducted through examination of annual reports and accounts of the company and its main competitors. To evaluate these, sources such as Mintel Marketing Intelligence Reports and Marketing and Business trade journals will be used. Published academic books on Strategic Management will also be used to assist with the theoretical elements of this dissertation. HISTORY Woolworths is generally described as a variety store. These are organisations that concentrate their efforts on the retailing of a range of products in the lower and more popular price ranges. They provide a walk in, shop and carry facility as the major route of purchasing (home delivery and pre ordering being rare), with open display and self-service merchandising. They are unlikely to be departmentalised. Other related categories include department stores, discounters and specialist shops (also known as category killers) (Oxford English Dictionary 2001). Woolworths was first established by Frank Winfield Woolworth in 1879 with the concept of selling products costing no more than 5 cents. This proved a popular idea with the consumers and the turnover continued to grow. The concept was of no frills shopping, with a range of low priced, non-perishable items. When F.W. Woolworth died in 1919, he had built an empire of 1,081 stores with sales in excess of $118 million per year (Faulkner et al 2003). The company continued to grow and developed internal competencies in areas such as marketing, finance and estates management (Faulkner et al 2003). Faulkner et al also comment that this period of Woolworths history was characterised by the focus of its strategy: it was able to deepen its existing competencies and incrementally expand both its competency base and it knowledge of different market environments (such as suburban retailing) (Faulkner et al pp. 279 2003). However, this was to prove insufficient when discounters and category killers became more prevalent in the market. Wal-Mart had begun trading in general merchandise at low prices and specialist retailers, such a Toys- R- Us provided a destination shopping location for those consumers seeking a particular product, a wider range of products or specialist knowledge about the products. Woolworths began a decline in sales in real terms due to its lack of insight of how to capitalise on the prevalent retail preferences. They failed to take the move to expand their business either into a wider focus or a narrower one, strategies which would have given them a platform from which to take on their competitors. It wasnt until the late 1980s that Woolworths changed their strategy in the United States with their diversification into specialist areas, such as Kids Mart and Little Folks, as well as entering the discount retail business with the Woolco concept. However, they lacked the competencies and capabilities to make up for the time they had lost which had allowed their competitors to establish a strong market lead and in 1995, Kids Mart and Little Folks both closed down. This was on top of the closure of 400 stores in the USA and the sale of 122 Canadian Woolco stores to Wal-Mart (Faulkner et al 2003). One of the specialist areas they had entered into, footwear, did prove to be a success and led Woolworths in the USA to open over 7, 000 athletic footwear stores covering a range of gender and age segments by 1998. The company decided at this stage to change its operating name in the USA to the Venator Group (Faulkner et al 2003) and to reposition itself as a specialist sports footwear reta iler. The groups business in the UK moved in a different direction and kept the original company name. At present, in the UK, Woolworth currently owns around 900 stores selling toys, confectionary, house wares, seasonal products and electronic entertainment. The UK business has also moved into specialist areas with the introduction of MVC home entertainment and electronics which currently has 85 shops, E.UK, which is the largest distributor of home entertainment products in the UK, and the music and video publishing arm VCI (Cornell date unknown). Having become a public company in 1931, Woolworths was briefly taken over in 1982 by Kingfisher, but returned to public ownership again in mid-2001. Woolworths stated aim is to be at the heart of the community and the best loved retailer for kids, home and family leisure (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). As will be seen Woolworths performance has been variable over recent years and in January 2005, they received a takeover bid from the private equity group, Apax. Although the Woolworths board rejected that offer, a higher one was received four weeks later and is currently under consideration. This means that the future for Woolworths is an uncertain one, with the possibility of a substantial cash injection, but diminished control for the current management team. Should the Apax offer be rejected again, Woolworths is likely to receive offers from its major competitors. PORTERS FIVE FORCE ANALYSIS. Threat of new entrants Despite the high number of retailers dealing with general merchandise, two areas are seen as being particularly relevant. Currently, there are only two catalogue based shopping concepts in the UK, Argos and Next. This market remains highly under-represented considering the success particularly of Argos and it could be expected that the concept will be taken up by more companies in future. These businesses offer the full range of house wares, electrical goods, toys and gifts as available from Woolworth, and have a distinct competitive advantage in their practice of minimal stock holdings in store allowing extra selling space to be released. They may face difficulties in finding the number and size of locations they would need to become a major player in this market, but this could be overcome through the acquisition of an existing retailer. Further new entrants may be seen as foreign companies try to increase their market share. These have already been seen in two main forms. Firstly the specialist retailers who started from nothing in the UK and have achieved good organic growth. Examples include Toys-R-Us, Ikea, Gap, HM, Beneton and Poundstretcher. The second group are those who gain a foothold in the UK market through acquisition. These include Wal-Mart, Brantano and Claires Stores. There is no reason to expect the level of foreign retail interest in the UK to decrease. Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers has been much diminished with the development of e-commerce. Because of the vast increase in access to information between potential suppliers and buyers, the suppliers pricing strategy may be the only way to secure business. This is likely to increase as more use is made of the Internet. One recent development has been the practice of reverse auctions where a retailer specifies what they want and competing suppliers out bid each other, via a web site, by lowering the price rather than by raising it as in the traditional auction (www.gusplc.com). Once suppliers have been agreed, the large size of this retail sector also ensures buyers can act from a strong negotiating base, as they have significant control over the future health of dedicated suppliers. Recently there has been publicity around the practice of large retailers setting what are seen as unfair terms with suppliers and of insisting on price reductions even though the supplier then operates at a loss (Telegraph 2005). However, it is not expected that any legislation will bring about changes in this situation in the foreseeable future. On the negative side, specialist suppliers such as those supplying mobile phones and computer games, have an increasing amount of power due to the demand for their products. A retailer would need to ensure they have sufficient quantities of a product such as the latest Playstation, for the Christmas market, but are frequently left in the hands of suppliers who can give preferential service to other customers. Threat of substitutes Product substitutions can be used in two different ways. Firstly, as is the strategy of many of the main supermarkets, own brand labels are seen as acceptable substitutions for everyday grocery items. The cost of substitution is low to the customer i.e. they feel that there is little risk because of the loyalty they have to the store. The other type is through introducing higher priced, luxury type items. This strategy can be seen in the Marks and Spencer food sector where they market the products as being superior to other brands.For the variety retailers, the concept of substitution does not seem to have been fully exploited and it is a possible strategy for securing market share in the future. Bargaining power of customers The high level of competition amongst retailers has led to a position of power for the consumer. Having moved from seasonally driven sales events to permanent deals, the aggressiveness of these approaches has also increased. Customers now expect to be able to get three for two offers throughout the year. This puts the retailer at a disadvantage, as they will lose the potential benefits of targeting marketing promotions and means they are continually forced to take the path of competitive pricing. This can lead companies to over rely on the profits made from a limited range of products whereas the rest of the ranges operate at unsustainably low profit margins as loss leaders. Competitive rivalry within the industry The variety stores sector is highly competitive and there is no reason why this should not continue to be the case. It is suggested by retail analysts, Peters, Elworthy and Moore, that the variety store business in the UK has become saturated and that the larger stores are likely to take over or merge with the independents (cited in Potts 1996). Competition from superstores and supermarkets is expected to increase as they add to their ranges of non-food items in a bid to gain a higher share of the overall consumer market (Potts 1996). It is also expected that the differentiation between department stores, variety stores, home shopping and supermarkets will become less sharp as retailers look to alternate channels and increasing product ranges to maximise their turnover (Potts 1996). This will make it difficult for new entrants to enter the market unless they benefit from a unique selling point such as discounting, as has been seen with companies such as Wilkinsons. PEST ANALYSIS: Political Ecological/environmental issues- corporate social responsibility (csr)- The main belief around csr thinking is that the practice of businesses within the capitalist economy to concentrate their efforts on providing wealth for its shareholders, is unacceptable and that companies should take the responsibility of considering the well being of society as a whole (The Economist, January 22nd 2005). It has been countered by Lynch that failure to make a specific statement on ethical issues, does not mean that a company is not fundamentally ethical in the way that it does its business (Lynch 2003). Retailers generally are coming under increasing pressure to ensure they cannot be charged with poor practices with regard to the developing world or the environment. The activities of and publicity around the anti-globalisation movement, may dissuade organisations from expanding their markets abroad, although many see these as a small minority and it is questionable as to whether their activities would cause a company to alter their strategy. It is more likely that they will take the issues into account in terms of having a robust csr policy and when reporting to the media. Woolworths made the following statement on csr in their latest financial statement: During 2003/4, through the CSR Committee, Woolworths Group has continued to work to understand the impacts, both positive and negative, of our business. A proper understanding of the risks we must manage and the opportunities we have to be a catalyst for improvement is a fundamental part of how we do business (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). Woolworth has specific policies on the areas of timber and chemical usage, a strict code of ethical trading and has set up its own charity (Woolworth Kids First) to provide the opportunity for their employees to help children on a local basis (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). Whilst Woolworths are outwardly taking their csr seriously, it is an area that has come from nowhere to heavily impact organisations in the past and Woolworth would do well to bear in mind the impacts on Nestle of the baby milk episode and on Marks and Spencer of the sweat shop issues.   Legislation- a new White Paper has been announced that will give retailers the ability to offer legal advice through their own law companies. Dubbed Tesco Law, it provides a further service to encourage the one stop shop approach of the large supermarket chains (BBC D). Supermarket chains, which are one of Woolworths main sources of competition, have had a strategy of offering a one-stop shop opportunity to their customers with the introduction of such facilities as pharmacies, banking facilities and insurance. It is not yet known whether Woolworths is planning to introduce such offerings in its store. Government policies- in the recent budget, Gordon Brown announced a doubling of the threshold for stamp duty on house purchases to  £120,000. This was done to assist particularly first time buyers. Encouraging the housing market will have a beneficial effect on Woolworths house wares, furnishings and DIY ranges, but this will obviously extend to their competitors as well. Government term and change- whilst a General Election is due in the UK, the writer believes that there would be no significant impact, either positive or negative, were the political party currently in power were to remain or change. Economic Home economy situation- the current economic situation in the UK can be seen as a positive factor for Woolworths with low interest rates (2.7%) and high property values leading to record levels of borrowing. However, there are concerns over the level of borrowing as debt levels for have reached more than  £1 trillion (BBC E). It should also be noted that low interest rates would dissuade people who are living off investments from spending, although these tend to be those in retirement who are not considered to be Woolworths target consumer. They have identified that their typical customers are mothers with dependent children living at home(www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). Home economy trends. The Government states that Council tax will rise by an average of 4.1% in the next financial year, the lowest increase in more than ten years (BBC B). In the housing market, figures for changes in house prices vary by source with the Halifax quoting a 0.5% rise and the Nationwide a 0.5% fall (BBC A 2005). There is currently no solid evidence of a crash in the housing market. Should this occur, the impact on the whole retail industry would be immense. Overseas economies and trends- oil prices had risen to a high of $56.15 per barrel in mid March (BBC F). Although they are currently falling, they remain 25% higher for the year (BBC F). Long term, the situation is likely to worsen as demand for oil increases from growing economies such as China, where the economy is growing at 9% and a 10% increase in oil use is predicted for 2005 (BBC F 2005). High oil prices will affect both production and distribution costs for all retailers and will have to be passed onto the consumer through increased prices if alternative savings cannot be made in the value chain. Market and trade cycles- despite good economic factors such as low interest rates, the UK retail economy seems to be slowing down. In March Morrison, Boots and Jessops put out profit warnings and it was reported that data suggests generally poor retail sales and weak spending for the period since Christmas (Verdin 2005). The figures point to a growth in consumer spending of only 0.2% for the last quarter of 2004 the weakest figure for almost two years (Duncan 2005).No specific cause for this downturn has been identified; although the writer would suggest that the publicity around levels of personal debt and the worsening pension crisis may have some influence. Social Consumer attitudes and opinions- Mintels annual lifestyle report has found that consumers are shunning the larger supermarkets and chain stores which they find impersonal, and are much more likely to frequent local, independent shops (cited in BBC C). The implications of this for Woolworth could be positive or negative. To many people, they may be classed as a multi-site retailer and therefore avoided by the consumer. However, the history of the company, its generally high street locations and the nature of the products it sells may lead some to choose it as a shopping venue over large supermarkets. In this area, the history and reputation of Woolworths can only be beneficial. Fashion and role models- the value of celebrity endorsement is well understood by the retail industry and icons such as Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith and David Beckham have all become associated with particular brands. Woolworth identified this pattern and adopted the puppet characters, Woolly and Worth, for their 2004 Christmas campaign. Its success has encouraged them to continue the use of these characters for future advertising campaigns (www.woolworthsgrouppls.com). Technology- the rate of increase in use of cutting edge technology based items has given retailers a highly lucrative new product range. For example, mobile phone technology only became widely available in the early 1980s, but today, approximately one in six of the worlds population owns one and in most of the developed countries, market penetration exceeds 70% (The Economist 2005). As well as the phones themselves, the associated hardware and software are highly popular and unexpected markets have developed, for example, ring tones. There are no indications that these products will do anything other than maintain their growth and the continual developments in technology help to keep the market buoyant. Consumer buying mechanisms/technology- the growth of e-commerce has provided two new strategic directions for retailers. Firstly, there is the opportunity of selling the technology itself- mobile phones, personal computers, software, downloads, games- and secondly, it provides a further channel through which to sell goods. All the major retailers have web sites on which customers can research products, compare prices, order and pay for goods and, as such, there is reasonable competition to encourage consumers to visit particular web sites. An extra dimension is the number of companies who sell only through the Internet. This provides them with a competitive advantage of having lower overheads as premises and shop floor staff are not required. A good example of this is the book retailer Amazon.com who have diversified into clothing, apparel, DVDs and compact discs following their success with books. Further channels have yet to be fully utilised including ordering goods through mobile phone technology and digital television shopping channels. Whilst building their e-commerce business, Woolworths need to ensure it is based on a stable and secure foundation. Although not alone in the experience, they had to close their www.woolies.co.uk site for two months in 2000, when a customer reported that they could view other peoples credit card details on the site (Azeez 2002). Maturity of technology- Radio Frequency Identity Tagging (RFID) is seen as the way forward by many retailers who are undertaking trials of the technology. The most well known is probably Tescos who have been testing it on their high relative value, easily portable items such as razors. Woolworth had been trialing systems but has announced this year that there is no longer funding for the project (www.woolworthsgroupplc.com). They are allowing the technology to reach maturity and should then be able to capitalise on the research done by others. There are some risks with this strategy as it gives the competitors the opportunity to realise the benefits of such technology at an earlier stage. However, it also protects Woolworths from the high level of risk associated with this technology and dealing with issues raised by the Data Protection Act. STRATEGIC GROUP ANALYSIS. The competitors of Woolworth are deemed as being: Discounters those stores which offer stock at particularly low prices and have this as a unique selling point. These would include: Wilkinsons, Asda-WalMart and Poundstretcher Supermarkets stores that historically sold predominantly food items, but have now generally expanded their range to include substantial non-food categories. Examples are: Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda-WalMart and Waitrose Department stores a store which sells a range of items, usually non-food, that divides its goods into distinct areas of the store. In the UK this category includes: MS, Debenhams, House of Fraser, British Home Stores (BHS), and John Lewis Catalogue stores the retailer has a large proportion of the store space dedicated to storage rather than selling space. Few, if any goods are on display and customers select from a catalogue, usually without viewing the product first. Argos and Next are the most well known in the UK. Special ist stores those who concentrate on selling a particular product, which corresponds to part of the Woolworth range. For example, Mothercare and the Early Learning Centre for childrens clothes, BQ, Homebase and Focus DIY for DIY products. Competition is high for all segments of the retail industry which has lead to a blurring of the differences between the categories. Many companies are diversifying into new sectors or aiming for higher market penetration in their existing products. A good example are the supermarkets which have had many years of fierce competition with the main three, Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda, regularly changing places in the retailer league. Their strategy involves adopting a hybrid approach. Cost leadership to some degree by ensuring they maintained competitive pricing for generic products and then offering their own brands at a significantly lower price and differentiation in terms of the range of products they offer by branching out into greater ranges of non-food items. New entrants to the market had to have a unique selling point to appeal to the consumer and found it in terms of outperforming the established market in cost leadership. Aldi, Netto and Lidl have achieved some success in this, p roviding generally unfamiliar brand named, everyday products at a significantly lower price than the main supermarkets. The supermarkets also attempted to increase their market share through increasing their ranges of products and increasing the size of their stores to include superstores and hypermarkets. Other tactics include offering an appearance of being more exclusive (such as Waitrose and Marks and Spencer), positioning as a leader in corporate social responsibility (as in the Co-Operative stores and their Fair-trade products) and seeking new selling opportunities (for example, Marks and Spencers food outlets in service stations). The amalgamation of Asda and WalMart and Morrisons and Safeway showed that some of these strategies left companies with no clear customer focus, trying to be all things to all people, and, with decreasing sales and market share, they became attractive propositions to companies wishing to achieve a foothold in a new geographical location (the south of England in the case of Morrisons and the whole of the UK in the case of WalMart). The biggest threat to Woolworths from these stores has been through product diversification. Initially seeking to offer a one stop shop experience, with selling general merchandise, they then took on specialist stores such as Lloyds pharmacies, and non-retailers with the offerings of financial services. The specialist stores have had to recognise that as well as competing between themselves where products overlap, they are now also having to take on the supermarkets. Music retailers, such as HMV and Virgin, are experiencing pressure from supermarkets, who area able to take them on in terms of cost leadership due to economies of scale and value chain efficiencies, leaving the music stores with the only option of maximising their niche qualities. However, the increasing popularity of e-commerce, both in terms of new retailers and innovative product formats (such as downloads), has put this strategy at risk as their niche status is coming under attack. The implications for Woolworths high street stores are that they are having to rely on appealing to customers who are not seeking a specific item when they enter a store, as they cannot compete on grounds of price or specialism. Their appeal is to the impulse purchaser or those who are buying for someone else and are unsure of what they want. This merges well with the Woolworth strategy of concentrating on Kids and Celebrations. However, if they are positioning themselves as a one stop shop provider for celebration events, they are still in competition with the supermarkets who are able to provide the same items and the opportunity to purchase them whilst doing the regular grocery shopping. In areas where Woolworth has traditionally been seen as a key provider, childrens clothes, again, the supermarkets are offering a cost leader alternative with a strong fashion selling point, by employing well-known designers to support their products (such as George at Asda). Tesco recently showed their power by offering Levis jeans at a price point lower than the manufacturer. Coupled with this is the strategy of other companies to move into this line as a new product or to increase their market share. Key players are Mothercare and The Early Learning Centre. Seen as specialists for the child market, their threat to Woolworth is significant as is that of clothing retailers identifying the market for childrens clothes and exploiting it using their strength in reputation to appeal to the consumer (Gap Kids for example). Whilst all these forms of retail outlet vie for the consumers business, there is an inherent risk for all of them in terms of being able to convert their sales into profit. With competition being so fierce and coming for several different directions, most retailers have to ensure that whilst they are not necessarily the cheapest, they are competitive. The exceptions to this are those that promote themselves as exclusive, such as Waitrose. All these retailers are seeking to reduce their costs through driving savings with the value chain. This has wide reaching implications. As pressure increases to produce the goods at a lower cost, the source of production moves to countries with lower wages and poorer working conditions. As well as affecting the UK economy through increased unemployment, there have been cases where the apparent violation of human rights has produced poor publicity for the retailer. An example of this is the situation Marks and Spencer encountered in the late 1990s. On the one hand they were being accused of being too expensive, so they moved production of their clothes to developing countries. This led to an outcry in the media when companies in the UK who had been supplying them for years, could no longer operate and had to close down. Another strategy to reduce production costs is to use cheaper raw materials, but again, the negative aspects of this receive attention, with the current example being the questions raised over the nutritional value of cheap food products. Within the organisations themselves, streamlining head office personnel in terms of numbers and outsourcing support functions such as recruitment, have shown to be effective in the short term, but the long-term effects of cutting costs in areas such as research and development and training has yet to be seen. SWOT ANALYSIS. Strengths Many of Woolworths strengths come from its long history. They have a recognised internal competence in supply chain management and are able to use this both to reduce their costs and to enter into agreements with organisations that would traditionally be classed as their competitors, such as Tesco. They are using their expertise to provide additional turnover. Their contracts with other companies that utilise their strengths also allow them to minimise the risks to themselves. Having been long established, Woolworth has a good reputation in the UK and is a recognised name on the high street. They have a strong presence in toys, house wares, confectionary and seasonal products markets and due to their size can boast a dominant position over the majority of their suppliers. The perception of consumers is of a high level of corporate social responsibility, having not been subjected to significant poor publicity in any areas. The general economic conditions in the UK are promising although the recently reported slow down in consumer spending must be regarded as a risk. The locations and number of stores operated by Woolworths can be seen as a further strength, especially as consumer preference moves away from out of town shopping. They have made a good move in the adoption of advertising icons, which are considered to be a key element of their marketing campaign. Recent improvements in their stock management systems involving the introduction of an integrated replenishment system and the Kingstore till systems, gives them the ability to manage their stock levels more efficiently, thereby reducing both costs and instances of stock outages. They have undergone a recent review of how they can improve their operational efficiency and this shows a proactive strategy to take on their competition. They have a high level of understanding of customer base which they have developed through their long history in the retail market. This enables them to predict changes in consumer requirements and gives them the potential to maintain a competitive edge. Their decision to increase their use of their own brand products gives them the opportunity to heighten their market penetration in these areas, whilst their expansion of electronic entertainment offerings shows a desire to widen their range within a specific sector. These strategies seem to be successful at present.

Friday, October 25, 2019

International Laws Essay -- International Law

First coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, international law is customarily recognized as the law that regulates the affairs between sovereign states, the foremost issue of international law. Public international law only concerns itself with the issues of rights involving a number of nations, or nations and its people, or matters of other nations. It differs from private international law, which deals with dissimilarity between private individuals, natural and/or juridical, by developing from circumstances that have a noteworthy relationship to more than one nation. (Brownlee, 2008) International law contains the necessary and typical notions of law in the national legal systems – â€Å"status, property, obligation, and tort.† (Hall, 2010) According to Ian Brownlee, this also incorporates substantive law, procedure, process and remedies. (2008) International law is deep-seated with the agreement of the nation states which represents the system. There are six major essential sections of international law: international economic law, international criminal law, international environmental law, international security law, international humanitarian law (or law of war), diplomatic law and international human rights law. (Hall, 2010) However, conventional and customary laws are the primary sources of international law. Customary law and laws that are set by an international understanding have an equivalent authority just as international law. (Schmidt, 2008) Political parties may allocate a higher precedence to another source by way of agreeance. Conversely, various rules of international law are acknowledged by the international population as â€Å"authoritative, allowing no exemption from the rule.† (Brownlee, 2008) Such rules... ... multilateral agreements that govern the interactions of nations and international businesses and the nongovernmental organizations worldwide. Without such laws and organizations, many societies would end up with extremely corrupt governments and the risk of being in a continuous war with other nations would be highly probable. Works Cited Brownlee, I. (2008). Principles of public international law. Birsfelden: Oxford University Press. Hall, K. (2010). Jus gentium- law of nations. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Law, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Retrieved from http://www.law.harvard.edu/index.html Schmidt, S. (2008). What are the causes of international conflicts?. Mason: Cengage Learning Publications Un public administration programme. (2010). Retrieved from http://unpan.org/DPADM/Home/tabid/420/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Fostering Teacher Student Relationship in Nursing Essay

The teacher student relationship is very important for children. Children spend approximately 5 to 7 hours a day with a teacher . We ask ourselves what is considered a good teacher? All of us have gone through schooling, and if fortunate had a favorite teacher. A positive relationship between the student and the teacher is difficult to establish, but can be found for both individuals. The qualities for a positive relationship can vary to set a learning experience approachable and inviting the students to learn. A teacher and student who have the qualities of good communications, respect in a classroom, and show interest in teaching from the point of view of the teacher and learning from a student will establish a positive relationship in the classroom. I will be focusing on the relationship between a nursing student and teacher, involving a setting of classroom and at the clinical settings which I have found to be extremely important for the student to gain a positive attitude towards their profession for the rest of life. Each student has different strategies for learning and achieving their goals. A few students in a classroom will grasp and learn quickly, but at the same time there will be those who have to be repeatedly taught using different techniques to be able to understand the lesson. Also, there will be students who roam around and use college as entertainment. They won’t like our instructions or policies. Teaching then becomes difficult, especially if there is no proper communication. Like wise the student disruptions may occur in classes that are poorly organized and managed where students are not provided with appropriate and interesting instructional tasks. The main thing teacher can do is continuously monitor the student in order for him or her to be aware of any difficulties that he/ she is having. Understanding the child’s problem, fear, or confusion will give the teacher a better understanding about the child’s learning difficulties. Once the teacher becomes aware of the problems, he or she will have more patience with the student, thus making the child feel secure or less confused when learning is taking place in the classroom. The same thing happens in clinics also. The students may face many problems in their clinical areas. Many of the students expressed the despair of having a wide practice-theory gap. Eventhough nursing students are learning many subjects in deep; they may be feeling that they can’t practice it all in the actual practice. They may be feeling that they are doing the very basic nursing care that even the nursing aids can do. In my student life I was sometimes observing the evaluative role of teacher, instead of teaching role. So teachers can avoid creating such situations by making the clinics a best teaching arena. A teacher who acts as a good facilitator or supporter at the clinical setting can easily enter in to the minds of young students and this will enhance the development of a hearty relation between these two parties. The student is also responsible for making the communication a positive one. They can approach the teacher for open their mind during their academic or personal crises situations. Of course a teacher is not going to understand every problem for every child in his or her classroom, but will acquire enough information for those students who are struggling with specific tasks. A significant body of research indicates that â€Å"academic achievement and student behavior are influenced by the quality of the teacher and student relationship† (Jones 95). The more the teacher connects or communicates with his or her students, the more likely they will be able to help students learn at a high level and accomplish quickly. Those teachers, who demonstrate respect towards their students, automatically win favor by having active learners in their classroom. The arrogant or offensive teacher will lack these positive qualities due to his or her lack of control over the children. Teachers should assert that they should also be treated with respect . Teachers can blend their warmth and firmness towards the students in their classroom, but with realistic limits. Teachers who are in a classroom might have experienced one time or other students who are disruptive or find learning boring. Teachers understand that if this behavior continues in the classroom and if they do nothing to prevent this from happening, the outcome proves to be disastrous for both types of participants. The student will conclude that his or her behavior is permissible, and will draw away from learning; therefore it is essentially important for the teacher to explain to the child the importance to learn. Though we understand that learning cannot be forced, learning becomes a process for an individual where he or she feels comfortable with learning whether it’s in a classroom or at clinics. Children in first year feel the urge to talk about their problems, fears, or even show their knowledge, but at the same time they want to be listened too. The student will feel valued and respected. Students feel happy when the teacher eventually gives them the option of contributing, or in other words the teacher asks for an opinion, which is usually not offered to the students. The teacher does not have to give up all their control, rather teachers share control with students and encourage interactions that are determined by mutual agreement. A close, but limited relationship between the student and teacher can be helpful for those students who are shy, and find speaking in front of the classroom difficult or children who have low self-esteem. The tension of these students will prevent them to develop the confidence they had always wanted, but never achieved due to not having a good relationship with the teacher. Therefore, how does a teacher hold a relationship that leads to effectively teach the children? The answer becomes clear when teachers interact with, and learn more about their students. Our first educational experience, which takes place in the primary years of our life, sets the principles for our future education. Having established a positive relationship with students will encourage students to seek education and be enthusiastic and to be in school. Remembering our favorite teacher will be recognized because they had at least in one way or another the qualities I discussed in this writing although we are not aware of it during the time we are in school, but teachers are well recognized at a later time of our lives.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

SENCO duties away from the classroom Essay Example

SENCO duties away from the classroom Essay Example SENCO duties away from the classroom Essay SENCO duties away from the classroom Essay During my ESE the class was covered by a supply teacher every Friday morning allowing the class teacher time to carry out her SENCO duties away from the classroom. I observed that each time the children were taught by the supply teacher they behaved extremely badly and did very little work. Even children that were normally quiet in class saw this time as an opportunity to become boisterous. The teaching style of the replacement teacher differed greatly from the class teacher. The supply teacher was softly spoken, gentle when giving instructions, and did not carry out punishment threats; for example taking time away from the children’s play time for bad behaviour. I noted that although the usual class teacher might be viewed by some as strict and authorative, this was in fact what the children craved and they did not work as well when this structure was removed. Pollard and Tann (1993) observed, when asked about their ‘best’ teachers, a majority of junior age pupils chose fairness and consistency as the chief qualities. (p.164) An effective teacher will have numerous strategies for controlling the children’s behaviour, however for these to work it is important for the teacher to know each child individually. Some children respond well to hand signals, or facial expressions. Some will not understand these subtleties and will need verbal reminders. By understanding each child, an effective teacher will control behaviour more effectively. I witnessed an example of this during my time in school. The teacher asked 5 of the most disruptive children to draw a picture on a small card of something that represented good behaviour to them. She then laminated the cards and the 5 held them at carpet time and had them on the table during work sessions. When the behaviour of any of these children became unacceptable, the class teacher would say; ‘look at your card’. For two of the children this simple idea worked extremely well and their behaviour improved dramatically. The other three folded, chewed and lost their cards and were not interested in what the significance was. Some methods that work for visual learners may not be as successful with kinaesthetic ones. A good teacher will understand the differences. It is extremely important that the teacher uses all knowledge they have about a child effectively and to the child’s benefit. An effective teacher will be aware of the child’s cultural and religious background and will pay particular attention to any specific needs. This is also the case for children with special educational needs. By being interested and informed, the effective teacher will successfully manage the class to it’s maximum learning potential. In my recent ESE I experienced such a case; Wiktoria is a Polish girl who had very little speaking English and naturally struggled with class work. I noticed that she was not labelled as ‘low ability’ simply because she did not understand the language. She was given support from the TA and oftencame up with correct answers before the english speaking children. She was extremely able and just needed extra assistance as she leant the language. In some schools she may have been automatically placed at the lower end of the abilty range; however this was not what was required and the class teacher had realised this and acted accordingly. Of course it is understandable that in a class of thirty children, issues such as these will occasionally be missed. But if left, children such as Wiktoria could become frustrated at their inabilty to understand and follow the other children, resulting in behavioural problems. The class teacher informed me that Wikoria had been transferred from another local school where she had been considered ‘a problem’. During my three week placemnent, I saw no sign of any behavioural issues with Wiktoria, mainly because she was handled extremely effectively by the class teacher. It is important that children are viewed as individuals with different needs and not left unmotivated as this can result in bad behaviour. An effective teacher will encourage discussion and contribution and ban the children from mocking or laughing at incorrect answers. An effective classroom is one where pupils learn, and all staff help them to do so without spending too much of their time managing problem or difficult behaviour. The Elton Report on Behaviour Management, comissioned in 1989 states; Everybody involved in the planning, delivery and evaluation of the curriculum should recognise that the quality of teaching and learning has a significant impact on pupils behaviour. An effective teacher is one with a variety of teaching skills and a flexibility to implement them whenever they are required. By creating a positive and stableclassroom environment with rules and boundaries, the children will be able to express themselves and work to the best of their abilty. It is essential that children feel respected and included and a good teacher will realise the importance of high self esteem among his/her class. I have studied a wide range of skills that I feel make up an effective teacher, three of which I have discussed during this essay. I am aware that in order to develop my strength in these areas I will need to practice and apply the skills within a school environment and I am looking forward to doing this later in the year. The successful combination of personal attributes and practical knowledge that combine to make a successful teacher is a mix that I hope to achieve through hard work and keen observation.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Bearing The Burdens

From the first day we got this assignment, thoughts of how to start this and what I would say ran through my head nonstop. The only problem was that none of my thoughts were running together. This is so complicated how can a person feel so strongly about both sides of this topic. I want to say yes that my parents help me with my decisions by setting expectations for me. Yet I want to say no they are a hinder because they push and push and push and it seems like no matter how hard I try it’ll never be good enough for them. I guess in my prospective my parents expectations mean a lot to me but still cause a burden on my decisions. I’m one of those people who hate when other people are disappointed in me, especially my parents. So naturally when I do something wrong my parents give me the guilt trip and I feel they are disappointed in me, making my life miserable for at least 3 days. That makes me so mad, I feel like crap and I don’t want to do anything! Maybe them making me feel bad is their way of keeping me out of trouble. If I didn’t have them always pushing me and keeping me in line, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Granted I am still quite confused about my life but I’m also still young. Living is all about making choices, both good and bad. I’m also one of those people that when someone does something to upset me I get even, or want to rebel! So when I’ve had enough of my parents pushing and nagging, I either get mad, want to sleep forever, or just cry nonstop. I hate not being able to make my own decisions. When I do and they are wrong I feel like I’m stupid and a failure. I wish I wasn’t treated like I was five. It’s so hard to make everyone happy. I guess the only way for me to make a choice on where I stand with this is to say that I love my family and friends, I want to be treated with respect but let it also be known that I am still young. I’m only human and I’m going to make mistakes but that’... Free Essays on Bearing The Burdens Free Essays on Bearing The Burdens From the first day we got this assignment, thoughts of how to start this and what I would say ran through my head nonstop. The only problem was that none of my thoughts were running together. This is so complicated how can a person feel so strongly about both sides of this topic. I want to say yes that my parents help me with my decisions by setting expectations for me. Yet I want to say no they are a hinder because they push and push and push and it seems like no matter how hard I try it’ll never be good enough for them. I guess in my prospective my parents expectations mean a lot to me but still cause a burden on my decisions. I’m one of those people who hate when other people are disappointed in me, especially my parents. So naturally when I do something wrong my parents give me the guilt trip and I feel they are disappointed in me, making my life miserable for at least 3 days. That makes me so mad, I feel like crap and I don’t want to do anything! Maybe them making me feel bad is their way of keeping me out of trouble. If I didn’t have them always pushing me and keeping me in line, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Granted I am still quite confused about my life but I’m also still young. Living is all about making choices, both good and bad. I’m also one of those people that when someone does something to upset me I get even, or want to rebel! So when I’ve had enough of my parents pushing and nagging, I either get mad, want to sleep forever, or just cry nonstop. I hate not being able to make my own decisions. When I do and they are wrong I feel like I’m stupid and a failure. I wish I wasn’t treated like I was five. It’s so hard to make everyone happy. I guess the only way for me to make a choice on where I stand with this is to say that I love my family and friends, I want to be treated with respect but let it also be known that I am still young. I’m only human and I’m going to make mistakes but that’...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Evolution of management theory Essay examples

Evolution of management theory Essay examples Evolution of management theory Essay examples Evolution of Management Theory Some thoughts In the beginning †¦. Parry opines that the earliest amino acids may been formed by volcanic action (Perry, 2011). Businesses need to look for the opportunities when the environment changes. Then in the ‘primordial soup’, gene sequences that replicated themselves more quickly than other flourished [growth can lead to victory]. Suggested research topic: ‘In the post war period why was the Japanese motorcycle industry successful while the English motorcycle industry failed?’ Starting references: Yamamura E., Sonobe T., Otsuka K., (2005), Time path in innovation, imitation, and growth: the case of the motorcycle industry in post was Japan, Journal of Evolutionary Economics 15: 169-186 Wexel F. C., van Witteloostuijn A., (2005), From Scooters to Choppers: Product Portfolio Change and Organizational Failure: Evidence from the UK Motorcycle Industry 1895 to 1993, Journal of Long range Planning 11.001 Dinosaurs Then the dinosaurs ruled the earth [Size matters]. Not much management theory yet †¦ Dinosaurs ruled the earth for 120 million years. We have so far managed 2 million years. They have been much more successful than us. Suggested research topic: ‘Why did the dinosaur era last so long?’ Starting references: Brusatte S. L., Benton M. J., Ruta M., Lloyd G. T., (2008), The first 50 Myr of dinosaur evolution: macroevolutionary pattern and morphological disparity, biology letters December vol. 4 no. 6 733-736 Cooper R. G., Edgett S. J., Kleinschmidt E. J., (2002), Portfolio Management For New Products, Perseus Publishing, Second Edition Then we had some global cooling, or was it a big bang and the dinosaurs disappeared and the little furry creatures - our ancestors - began their long march. Our furry cousins hunt in gangs. So do we. [Many successful businesses have a team or gang culture] Suggested research topics ‘Teams (gangs) at Work’. Starting references: Warner M., (2013), The Sociology of the Workplace, Routledge Library Editions: Organizations Roman Empire Let us jump forward to the Roman Empire. This ran on procedure manuals developed over hundreds of years. Roman Army Formations The Romans used a variety of battle formations depending on the situation. For an open field conflict, the Romans would place their infantry in the middle with auxiliaries on the right and left sides. Cohorts of calvary formed the rear flanks, and there would be a large reserve of infantry men behind the main force. Another formation was known as the pig's head. The infantry was placed into a wedge-shaped formation and would push into the enemy with a wall of shields. When surrounded, the Romans formed a square formation with interlocking shields. When laying siege to a fort, they used a formation called the tortoise. The soldiers in front and sides interlocked their shields. The soldiers in the back lines placed their shields over their heads to form a protective "shell" over top of the men. "It was so strong that (in training) a chariot could be driven over the top!" (Williams 2003, pg 28). Here are seven specific instructions by Vegetius regarding the layout before battle: 1 On level ground the force is drawn up with a centre, two wings and reserves in the rear. The wings and reserves must be strong enough to prevent any enveloping or outflanking manoeuvre. 2 An oblique battle line with the left wing held back in a defensive position while the right advances to turn the opponent's left flank. Opposition to this move is to strengthen your left wing with cavalry and reserves, but if both sides are successful the battle front would tend to move in an anti-clockwise direction, the effect of which would vary with the nature of the ground. With this in mind it is as well to attempt to stabilize the left wing with the protection of rough or impenetrable ground, while the right wing should

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Nevada State Senatorial Race Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nevada State Senatorial Race - Research Paper Example The contest for the Nevada State Senate relied on a single seat. The contested seat was District 9, in a contest that made Becky Harris (R) beat current Justin Jones (D). GOP anticipated that Jones election in favor of needing background scrutiny for personal gun sales would swing voters to select Harris (Ballotpedia, 2014). The Nevada State Senate hinged on a 20 state lawmaking chambers renowned by Ballotpedia personnel as being a battlefield chamber. The Nevada Senate had a disparity in partisan equilibrium between Republicans and Democrats of one seat, which led to 9% of the vacancies for voting in 2014 (Ballotpedia, 2014). In a review of the behaviors of Nevada’s Senators, I would say the behaviors do not match more to the parties’ rhetoric. This is because the powers bestowed on them surpass partisan conducts. The Constitution empowers the Senate the authority to endorse, by a two-thirds majority, agreements made by the administrative branch. The Senate has discarded comparatively few of the hundreds of agreements it has assessed, although several have failed in committee or been inhibited by the president. They may also alter an agreement or adopt amendments to an agreement (Unite States Senate, n.d). The head of state may also enter into administrative agreements with overseas nations not affected by Senate approval. The Senate has the solitary authority to conduct summons trials, essentially issuing as judge and jury (Unite States Senate, n.d). Since 1789, the Senate has convicted seventeen government officials, comprising two presidents. The Senate has constantly enviously guarded i ts authority to review and commend or reject presidential choices to implement and judicial branch seats. The Constitution empowers that the head of state shall nominate, and by and with the counsel and approval of the Senate, shall hire Ambassadors (Unite States Senate, n.d). In considering the above constitution responsibilities that senators

Friday, October 18, 2019

Short Stories Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short Stories Summary - Essay Example Although, when he heard about his brother that he was jailed, this made him fear that some of his students may end up like his brother who indulged in drug abuse to forget about his problems. The narrator does not communicate with his brother for a long time until the death of her daughter. Sonny later replies his brother’s letter, and this makes them be in touch. The narrator recalls how they had differences with his brother when he decided to become a musician. The story shows how at first the two brothers had differences but later the story ends with them understanding and appreciating each other. The story tells us of the problems that the two brothers had and how they were able to tackle them. Thus, the story illustrates how there was anguish and recovery in the Harlem ghetto. It is evident that the narrator was able to handle his problem because of the teaching job that he had. From the story, we see him to be concerned about his students hoping that they would not be th e same as his brother. He also cares for his brother as he was the oldest. This is contrast to his brother who indulged into taking drugs to tackle his problems, which leads him to jail. As Sonny tries to deal with his problems, he tries to find his identity and feel accepted in the society. The narrator does not comprehend why his brother prefers to play piano. In the story, piano represents his problems, and in the end the figure of Sonny playing the piano, indicates how he struggles to deal with his problems. Summary of Paul’s case Acceptance and freedom of expression is two virtues that should be practiced to avoid emotional confinement (Brown 67). According to Willa Cather, in the story Paul’s case he tells of how Paul tries to fight against the social standards in the area where he lives in because he had no freedom to express what he felt. The story tells of a youth who is emotionally confined and how he tries to confront his problems. In school where Paul is, h e is called and faces the school faculty for his misbehavior. Paul is a student who does not follow teacher’s instructions and is less concerned with his studies. He ends up being a rude and comical student. He lived with his father in a quiet place but he wanted to go to New York where he could live the life that he was expecting. Although, he is seen to be careless and does not seem to care about anything, he loves music, theater, and arts. In contrast, Paul’s father wants him to work hard in school and venture into the business world. His father believes that it is only money that matters in people’s lives. This creates a big difference between them and has great influence on Paul’s character. For example, when his father stops him from going to watch movies in the theater drives him to steal money where he is working. He also ran from home and went to New York because he was not given the freedom to enjoy his life. Even though he enjoyed his life shor tly, his decision to leave home made him lose his life. Summary of Revelation In the story of Revelation by Flannery O’Connor’s, the main character feels that everyone is equal before God, regardless of their race and social status. The story starts when Mrs. Turpin goes to see a doctor with her spouse. As she gets in the hospital, she attracts people’

MARKETING - FINAL CHAPTER PROBLEMS Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MARKETING - FINAL CHAPTER PROBLEMS - Article Example In this case, Eric (2010) showcases constructs of relationship marketing as it identifies with health care customers and practitioners. With regards to the website refreshing after every ten minutes to keep track of appointments, it is a strategy that aims at developing long-term, cost-effective link for a mutual benefit between the organization and the customer. While focusing on the relationship marketing, organizations shift their focus from individual transactions such as convincing a customer to make use of the clinic services, â€Å"to a long-term loyalty – identifying the institution as a regular health care provider† (Eric, 2010). Customers require high-quality services and retaining a customer requires strategy. Delayed, canceled, or unplanned appointment visits are areas that have, for a long time, been haunting customers and health care institutions as the result of these variables is loss of customers or flawed customer service. However, the invention of a s ervice that enables tracking, observation, and keeping of appointments adapts the contemporary notion of shifting from the individual transaction (patient visit, referral, and sale) to the establishment of a longer-term relationship. The refreshing website is a marketing tool that specifically addresses customer satisfaction, service quality, time and resource management, and accomplishment of customer retention (Eric, 2010). Question 2: Chapter 8 â€Å"I’ve sold products all my life and have been successful. Marketing a food product is no different from marketing a hotel, airline, or hospital.† The above point is naive in all aspects. Firstly, marketing is a process through which a seller of a product or provider of a service uses promotional means and integrated marketing communication to convince customers into buying or using a product or a service. As pointed by the above quotation, the term sold is past tense for sell and means the ability to complete a single tr ansaction by offering a product or service in exchange for money. The naivety of the above point starts with the confusion of selling and marketing. In addition, neither marketing nor selling is a skill (with regards to the question posed, the board expects understanding of selling and marketing concepts but the interviewee portrays selling as an event based on sheer luck) and neither can be measured through the consideration of periodic success. Moving on to the second part of the quotation; products differ from one another and comparing food products to hotels, airlines, or an hospital shows a high degree of naivety. Food products are mostly sold in food shops, restaurants, and/or grocery stores and capturing a market for these products depends on fewer variables than providing services in the health care sector (Berkowitz, 2010). Food products appeal to various people all the time and this industry does not necessarily require loyalty like the health care sector. Health care prod ucts depend on variables such as product positioning (drugs, machines), branding (machines, e.g. in radiology), and diffusion of innovation (rate of adoption of a product). Diffusion of innovation is determined by relative advantage (advantage of new product over existing ones), compatibility (compatibility with existing values and customs creates adoptability), complexity (affects adoption of products), divisibility (trial on a limited basis), and communicability (easy communication of benefits). Reflecting on the

How proteins in the diet are disassembled and then reassembled to form Essay

How proteins in the diet are disassembled and then reassembled to form useful proteins in the body - Essay Example These enzymes are dipeptidases, carboxypeptidase and aminopeptidase. Since the intestinal absorption of proteins is only possible in amino acid form and peptide form so they must be broken down into amino acids and peptides. These absorbed peptides are dipeptides and tripeptides. After absorption they are transported into the cells by various transporters and channels depending upon the internal environment. Up till now, all the disassembly of proteins is extracellularly done. After this, the entire breakdown is done inside the cell called intracellular protein degradation. Inside the cell, they are taken by phagocytosis; the food vacuole is fused with lysosome. The lysosomal enzymes further degrade di and tri peptides into amino acids. Different digestive enzymes have different specificity towards their substrate. For example trypsin cleaves positively charged residue including arginine and lysine. Similarly, chymotrypsin cleaves the aromatic residues consisting of tyrosine, phenyla lanine and tryptophan. Elastase breaks the bond of small non-polar residues (alanine and glycine). If these digestive enzymes are activated without any stimulus (as protein in the diet is the stimulus for their secretion), it will lead to auto-digestion of the pancreas leading to pancreatitis, that’s why they are always secreted in an inactivated form. This inactivated form is called zymogen. Zymogen for trypsin is called as trypsinogen. It is activated by enzyme enterokinase (secreted by duodenal mucosa). Pepsin is also secreted in an inactivated form as it leads to auto-digestion of stomach. That inactivated form is called as pepsinogen which is activated in an acidic medium. The pancreas secretes the precursors of a number of proteases, such as trypsin and chymotrypsin. The intracellular degradation of protein results in the formation of amino acids. They are also degraded by ubiquitin system. After entering in the blood, amino acids are used for several purposes. One of t hem is also the formation of proteins for the body. Protein is also a structural component of cells. Plasma membrane and membranes of cellular organelles is also made of proteins. So amino acids in the blood are used for the protein formation. It is a complicated process. Any mistake or error in this can lead to many diseases as discussed in the end of this essay. The assembly of proteins is called as Protein biosynthesis. It is called as Translation which involves the assembly of proteins. Translation is only possible if mRNA is available and it is formed by the process called translation. The reassembly involves two processes transcription and translation. In transcription an mRNA is generated. It is template of one strand of double helix DNA. Transcription involves three steps: initiation of mRNA, elongation of mRNA chain and termination of transcription. Each and every step is regulated by a large number of proteins. These are transcription factors co-factors and coactivators. T heir major function is to ensure that the correct and required sequence of gene is transcribed. The process of transcription occurs in the nucleus. The double helix DNA is "unzipped" or opened by the breakdown of hydrogen bonds between the two strands by helicase. Primer attaches to the site and is followed by an initiator. Then elongation of the chain occurs by placing nitrogenous bases. The bonding occurs between adenine and uracil and guanine and cytosine.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Assignment Example However, their points of view starkly contrast each other. Kaplan chooses to explain globalization as a part of the ability of a nation to find areas within their own economic systems that will allow their natural resources and geographic location to dictate the speed and method by which the country shall modernize its infrastructure and business models. These business models however, are based mostly on the basis of the religion or ethnicity of the region in order to play up on the strengths of the people inhabiting particular locations. Although Kaplan's belief makes sense, since it allows a section of the population to advance socially and economically, it has its own drawbacks and failures as well. The main problem with Kaplan's point of view is that it dooms the divisions within a country, its states, to an interdependence that does not allow room for improvement should other states in the country fail to reach its full potential based upon the ethnic and religious climate in th at region. In effect, Kaplan wants us to believe that if a particular portion / sector of economics in a society functions poorly or ceases to function in totality, then the whole state and its adjoining areas should be seen as failures as well. All states that are located within the same vicinity can be assumed to be failing simply because one portion of the economic sector in that area failed to live up to is full potential. As we all know, such a theory cannot be based upon the reality of any modern situation as all businesses, though interdependent, allows for other entities within their sectors to evolve in order to deal with the impending failure of other sectors. Just because one sector fails does not mean that all the members of that particular business chain shall fail as well. Rather, the failure of one area allows for the growth and evolution of the others within the chain. This is a point of view that, although explained in a highly convoluted way by Wright, his theory p ertaining to Globalization seems to support to a certain degree. In Wright's opinion, Globalization is a business movement that can only be spread far and wide provided that a â€Å"natural leader of a moral revolution† can be found. In his personal opinion, that natural leader can be found in only one country, the United States of America. Basing his beliefs upon the historical fact that America has been leading the world in more ways than one since World War I, he advocates the theory that America must spread globalization but it can only be accurately done so provided America takes on the role of conqueror on a global scale. This is something that he believes in even though he admits to himself and to his readers that globalization actually began far longer that we all thought. It actually dates back to prehistorical times, when technology was in its infancy and the invention of the wheel, the cart, and the use of animals to help move trade from town to turn was actually t hought to have began to modernization of business. The failure of Wirght's belief in America as the de-facto leader in Globalization lies in the fact that he did not take into account the potential for the American economy itself to find itself in a death spiral, thus allowing for other countries, such as China, Korea, and other emerging Asian markets, to finally take their places on the world

Contruction & analysis Exercises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contruction & analysis Exercises - Essay Example The curtains flapped about in the draught caused by a carelessly half-closed window. And on the floor, to the left of the chairs lay Jerry Pinto, very, very quiet.in fact, very, very dead Mary Pinto entered the room. She had a tranquil air about her; her skin looked translucent, her mouth was soft, and her eyes large and dark, giving her an appealing wide-eyed look. She was six months into her pregnancy-a fact barely discernible on her slight figure. Mary deposited her shopping bag on the sideboard next to the half empty glasses, humming a tune, and smiling to herself. "Jerry, how are you, darling" she said with genuine affection, in the direction of where she expected him to be sitting Not hearing his reply she turned around, and stood stupefied for a momentonly for a momentthen she ran to where he lay fallen on the floor. She seemed somehow to understand, as soon as she saw him, that he was dead. Perhaps it was the way he lay. In that strange and stiff fashion She ran over to him and sat down by his side, gently lifting up his head, cradling it in her lap. The sobs came hesitant and rasping at first, but louder and more abandoned as the moments passed. She must have sat thus, for what seemed like an age to her. But it must have been no more than five minutes Mary suddenly stopped crying, and wiped her eyes. ... The voice at the other end was familiar " Quick! Come quick! I think Jerry's dead!" said Mary into the receiver " Mrs. Pinto yes Mrs. Mary Pinto here. I think so. He's lying on the floor, and I think he's dead" she said, as her voice caught on another sob. The call over, she busied herself in the room, moving here and there, straightening up the furniture, trying not to look where it layItHe was it now. No longer Jerry. Before long, Mary heard the sound of a car. Even before the knock, she was at the door to open it. Two plains clothes men stood there. She knew them wellthey were Jerry's colleagues after all. On seeing them, Mary suddenly felt the tears start again. James Hendricks, the young officer who had joined the force only recently was plainly moved. He helped Mary gently to a chair. Aneez Afzal, the other cop, a veteran, kept his face expressionless. But as he moved towards Jerry, it crumbled for a moment in an expression of grief and despair. Jerry was his colleague and friend, and they'd been working together for the last five years "Is he dead " Mary managed to ask. "I'm afraid so", replied Afzal. "Tell us what happened, Mrs. Pinto. Where were you, and how long back did this happen" "You know, how punctual Jerry is", said Mary. "He had just returned from the police station by 5.30, as usual. I was sitting here with my sewingI hadn't cooked any dinner today. You know, every Wednesday we go out for dinner. But Jerry was so tired"Her breath caught on a sob again, and she took some time to compose herself. "I thought it better to have dinner at home. I put a leg of lamb in the oven, and nipped across to Vipul's, you know, Vipul's the Indian store down the road I didn't have any vegetables at home. I left Jerry to unwind over a drink. I was hardly away

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

How proteins in the diet are disassembled and then reassembled to form Essay

How proteins in the diet are disassembled and then reassembled to form useful proteins in the body - Essay Example These enzymes are dipeptidases, carboxypeptidase and aminopeptidase. Since the intestinal absorption of proteins is only possible in amino acid form and peptide form so they must be broken down into amino acids and peptides. These absorbed peptides are dipeptides and tripeptides. After absorption they are transported into the cells by various transporters and channels depending upon the internal environment. Up till now, all the disassembly of proteins is extracellularly done. After this, the entire breakdown is done inside the cell called intracellular protein degradation. Inside the cell, they are taken by phagocytosis; the food vacuole is fused with lysosome. The lysosomal enzymes further degrade di and tri peptides into amino acids. Different digestive enzymes have different specificity towards their substrate. For example trypsin cleaves positively charged residue including arginine and lysine. Similarly, chymotrypsin cleaves the aromatic residues consisting of tyrosine, phenyla lanine and tryptophan. Elastase breaks the bond of small non-polar residues (alanine and glycine). If these digestive enzymes are activated without any stimulus (as protein in the diet is the stimulus for their secretion), it will lead to auto-digestion of the pancreas leading to pancreatitis, that’s why they are always secreted in an inactivated form. This inactivated form is called zymogen. Zymogen for trypsin is called as trypsinogen. It is activated by enzyme enterokinase (secreted by duodenal mucosa). Pepsin is also secreted in an inactivated form as it leads to auto-digestion of stomach. That inactivated form is called as pepsinogen which is activated in an acidic medium. The pancreas secretes the precursors of a number of proteases, such as trypsin and chymotrypsin. The intracellular degradation of protein results in the formation of amino acids. They are also degraded by ubiquitin system. After entering in the blood, amino acids are used for several purposes. One of t hem is also the formation of proteins for the body. Protein is also a structural component of cells. Plasma membrane and membranes of cellular organelles is also made of proteins. So amino acids in the blood are used for the protein formation. It is a complicated process. Any mistake or error in this can lead to many diseases as discussed in the end of this essay. The assembly of proteins is called as Protein biosynthesis. It is called as Translation which involves the assembly of proteins. Translation is only possible if mRNA is available and it is formed by the process called translation. The reassembly involves two processes transcription and translation. In transcription an mRNA is generated. It is template of one strand of double helix DNA. Transcription involves three steps: initiation of mRNA, elongation of mRNA chain and termination of transcription. Each and every step is regulated by a large number of proteins. These are transcription factors co-factors and coactivators. T heir major function is to ensure that the correct and required sequence of gene is transcribed. The process of transcription occurs in the nucleus. The double helix DNA is "unzipped" or opened by the breakdown of hydrogen bonds between the two strands by helicase. Primer attaches to the site and is followed by an initiator. Then elongation of the chain occurs by placing nitrogenous bases. The bonding occurs between adenine and uracil and guanine and cytosine.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Contruction & analysis Exercises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contruction & analysis Exercises - Essay Example The curtains flapped about in the draught caused by a carelessly half-closed window. And on the floor, to the left of the chairs lay Jerry Pinto, very, very quiet.in fact, very, very dead Mary Pinto entered the room. She had a tranquil air about her; her skin looked translucent, her mouth was soft, and her eyes large and dark, giving her an appealing wide-eyed look. She was six months into her pregnancy-a fact barely discernible on her slight figure. Mary deposited her shopping bag on the sideboard next to the half empty glasses, humming a tune, and smiling to herself. "Jerry, how are you, darling" she said with genuine affection, in the direction of where she expected him to be sitting Not hearing his reply she turned around, and stood stupefied for a momentonly for a momentthen she ran to where he lay fallen on the floor. She seemed somehow to understand, as soon as she saw him, that he was dead. Perhaps it was the way he lay. In that strange and stiff fashion She ran over to him and sat down by his side, gently lifting up his head, cradling it in her lap. The sobs came hesitant and rasping at first, but louder and more abandoned as the moments passed. She must have sat thus, for what seemed like an age to her. But it must have been no more than five minutes Mary suddenly stopped crying, and wiped her eyes. ... The voice at the other end was familiar " Quick! Come quick! I think Jerry's dead!" said Mary into the receiver " Mrs. Pinto yes Mrs. Mary Pinto here. I think so. He's lying on the floor, and I think he's dead" she said, as her voice caught on another sob. The call over, she busied herself in the room, moving here and there, straightening up the furniture, trying not to look where it layItHe was it now. No longer Jerry. Before long, Mary heard the sound of a car. Even before the knock, she was at the door to open it. Two plains clothes men stood there. She knew them wellthey were Jerry's colleagues after all. On seeing them, Mary suddenly felt the tears start again. James Hendricks, the young officer who had joined the force only recently was plainly moved. He helped Mary gently to a chair. Aneez Afzal, the other cop, a veteran, kept his face expressionless. But as he moved towards Jerry, it crumbled for a moment in an expression of grief and despair. Jerry was his colleague and friend, and they'd been working together for the last five years "Is he dead " Mary managed to ask. "I'm afraid so", replied Afzal. "Tell us what happened, Mrs. Pinto. Where were you, and how long back did this happen" "You know, how punctual Jerry is", said Mary. "He had just returned from the police station by 5.30, as usual. I was sitting here with my sewingI hadn't cooked any dinner today. You know, every Wednesday we go out for dinner. But Jerry was so tired"Her breath caught on a sob again, and she took some time to compose herself. "I thought it better to have dinner at home. I put a leg of lamb in the oven, and nipped across to Vipul's, you know, Vipul's the Indian store down the road I didn't have any vegetables at home. I left Jerry to unwind over a drink. I was hardly away

Debt and Equity Essay Example for Free

Debt and Equity Essay Long-term financing requires a meticulous understanding of the various features of debt and equity and their impact an organization. While evaluating debt and equity, an investment banker also has to consider the unique characteristics of the organizations dealings while ensuring that the organizations requirements are met. Debt CapitalDebt capital includes all long-term borrowing incurred by the firm. The cost of debt was found to be less than the cost of other forms of financing. The relative inexpensiveness of debt capital is because the lenders take the least risk of any long-term contributors of capital. Their risk is less than that of other because (1) they have a higher priority of claim against any earnings or assets available for payment (2) they have a far stronger legal pressure against the company to make payment than do preferred or common stockholders, and (3) the tax-deductibility of interest payments lowers the debt cost to the firm substantially. Equity CapitalEquity capital consists of the long-term funds provided by the firms owners, the stockholders. Unlike borrowed funds that must be repaid at a specified future date, equity capital is expected to remain in the firm for an indefinite period. The two basic sources of equity capital are (1) preferred stock and (2) common stock equity, which includes common stock and retained earnings. Common stock is typically the most expensive form of equity, followed by retained earnings and preferred stock, respectively (Pinegar, Wilbricht, 1989). A firms capital structure is determined by the mix of long-term debt and equity it uses in financing its operations. Debt and equity capital differ with respect to voice in management, claims on income and assets, maturity, and tax treatment. Capital structure can be externally assessed using the debt ratio and the debt-equity ratio to measure the firms degree of indebtedness or the times interest earned ratio and the fixed-payment coverage ratio to measure its ability to meet fixed financial payments. Research suggests is an optimal capital structure that balances the firms; benefits and cost of debt financing. The major benefit of debt financing is the tax-deductible interest, and the costs of debt financing include the  probability of bankruptcy, agency costs imposed by lenders in their loan agreements, and asymmetric information costs attributable to managers having more information about the firms prospects than do investors (Modigliani and Miller, 1958). Reference: Modigliani, Franco and Miller, Merton. (1958). The Cost of Capital, CorporationFinance, and the Theory of Investment. American Economic Review. Pinegar, J. Michael and Wilbricht, Liza. (1989). What Managers Think of CapitalStructure Theory.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Give Peace a Chance

Give Peace a Chance Give Peace a Chance John Lennon was a singer, songwriter, musician, author and peace activist who was also one of the founding members of The Beatles. He died tragically on December 8, 1980 in New York City, New York. Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman at the entrance of the Dakota apartment building where he resided. Chapman was charged with murder and received a prison sentence of twenty years to life. He has been up for parole five times, which has been denied each time. Chapman remains at Attica State Prison in New York. John Lennons assassination shocked the world. The world had lost a great musician. Born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England, Lennon had taken an interest in music at an early age. At seventeen, he formed a band called The Quarrymen that eventually became The Beatles. The Beatles looked to Lennon as their group leader. As Paul McCartney, a fellow band member stated, â€Å"We all looked up to John. He was older and he was very much the leader- he was the quickest wit and the smartest and all that kind of thing† (Goldman 672).From 1957 until 1964, the Beatles toured all over Europe. The group first appeared in the United States in February 1964. After their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Beatles toured nonstop for two years, holding concerts, making movies, and writing hit songs. In 1969, the group split up and John Lennon began working on his first solo album. Throughout the 1970s, Lennon produced multiple hits and he had a successful solo career. He also recorded several albums with his wife, Yoko One, a Japanese-American woman who was several years older than Lennon. He had two sons, Julian from a previous marriage and Sean with Yoko Ono. Mark David Chapman was born in 1955, the son of a military family that moved around his entire childhood. He was bullied and teased at every school he attended. â€Å"He sought refuge in an imaginary world of little people where he achieved affection and the feeling of power† (Norman, 804). In his early teen years, Chapman experimented with drugs, but he later became a devout Christian. He went on to work for several worthwhile causes that Lennon would have approved- a YMCA program for Vietnamese people and he also spent time in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War (Norman 804). At age 22, he began having psychiatric problems and attempted suicide. In 1979, he married a Japanese-American woman several years older than himself, much like Lennon. Chapman eventually developed a series of obsessions including John Lennon and the book The Catcher in the Rye. Chapman particularly obsessed about Holden Caulfield, the main character in the book. He believed that â€Å"if he put an e nd to John Lennon, he would be able to step into the books pages and become Holden Caulfield† (Norman, 805). His main comfort in his joyless life was Beatles music. On Friday, December 5, 1980, Mark David Chapman flew from his home in Honolulu, Hawaii to New York with a backpack and fourteen hours of Beatles music on cassettes. He checked into a YMCA and bought a copy of Double Fantasy, the latest album by John Lennon. Chapman left his copy of J.D. Salingers book The Catcher in the Rye at home in Hawaii, so he purchased a new copy in New York. His plan was to shoot John Lennon at that time, but instead just took some pictures. Chapman spent most of the weekend outside the Dakota talking to the many fans that always stood around hoping to get a glimpse of Lennon, but he did not see John Lennon until Sunday. On Monday, December 8, Chapman returned to the Dakota around noon. John left his building around 4 p.m., and Chapman was planning once again to shoot Lennon. This time, Lennon autographed Chapmans Double Fantasy album, Chapman hesitated when Lennon kindly asked, â€Å"Is that all you want?† This caught Chapman off guard and he could no t go through with his current plan. Later that evening, at 10:49 p.m., Lennon returned to his home. Lennon headed to the entrance of the Dakota. Chapman walked towards Lennon and was holding his autographed copy of Double Fantasy. He softly called, â€Å"Mr. Lennon† and produced a .38 caliber handgun, firing five shots. Within minutes, police arrived at the scene and took Lennon to Roosevelt Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. Police found Chapman leaning against the bricks outside the Dakota calmly reading The Catcher and the Rye. His gun and the Double Fantasy album were on the ground nearby. The inside book cover read â€Å"This is my statement† (Jones 22). â€Å"This† was underlined, it was signed â€Å"Holden Caulfield,† and The Catcher in the Rye was written underneath. Lennon was assassinated by a man similar to himself. â€Å"Both were troubled, self-absorbed, and emotionally unfulfilled children. Each came separately of age- Lennon in the rubble of post World War II England, and Chapman in the midst of Americas decade long war in Vietnam-in a confused and hypocritical world† (Jones 2). Both sought out music, art, drugs, and religion (Jones 1). Chapman was angered by Lennons infamous remark in 1966 that The Beatles were â€Å"bigger then Jesus.† Chapmans was obsessed with the theme of phoniness from The Catcher in the Rye. It was suggested that Chapman wanted to kill Lennon because he viewed him as a phony. Chapman later said that he felt the murder would turn him into Holden Caulfield. Both John Lennon and his assassin, Mark David Chapman, have surprised and forever altered history. Ironically Lennon had given an interview on the say of his assassination where he said that he felt safe enough to walk anywhere in the city. He was a simple man who wanted only peace and love in the world. These ideals where shown in his music and songwriting. His assassination robbed the world of a talented musician.