Federal Agency Security Practices (FASP) Essay

Network Perimeter Security Policy – Computer Security Resource †¦ csrc.nist.gov/†¦/network_security/ipdmms-perimeter-security.d†¦File Format: Microsoft Word – Quick View The Department Interim Network Perimeter Security Standard (INPSS) specifies the †¦ NIST Special Publication 800-18, Guide for Developing Security Plans for †¦ The firewall will be configured using Industry â€Å"best practices† including but not †¦ [PDF] NIST SP 800-97, Establishing Wireless Robust Security Networks: A †¦ csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-97/SP800-97.pdfFile Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat by S Frankel – Cited by 25 – Related articles  entities, materials, or equipment are necessarily the best available for the †¦.. WLAN Security Best Practices †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8-1 †¦ Learn from NIST: Best practices in security program management searchsecurity.techtarget.com/†¦/Learn-from-NIST-Best-practi†¦ This tip gives best practices for implementing such mandates and others. †¦ challenges behind operational integration of security and network management. NIST Updates Computer Security Guides – Government – Security – www.informationweek.com/†¦/security/nist†¦security†¦/24000†¦Jul 30, 2012 – Guidelines focus on wireless security and protecting mobile devices †¦ how federal agencies and businesses can deal with network attacks and malware. †¦ revised to reflect the latest in security best practices: NIST’s Guide to †¦ The Best Guides for Information Security Management www.crypt.gen.nz/papers/infosec_guides.htmlA list of the best guides available online for Information Security Managment. †¦ NIST SP800-48 Wireless Network Security (802.11, Bluetooth, and Handheld †¦ Why do systems administrators need to use guides, practices, and checklists? US-CERT: Control Systems – Standards and References www.us-cert.gov/control_systems/csstandards.htmlCyber Security Policy Planning and Preparation; Establishing Network †¦ NIST SP 800-53 Rev 3, Recommended Security Controls for Federal †¦. Rakaczky, E. â€Å"Intrusion Insights Best Practices for Control System Security,† July 2005. Catalog of †¦ Cyber security standards – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber_security_standards1 History; 2 ISO 27002; 3 Standard of good practice; 4 NERC; 5 NIST; 6 ISO 15408 †¦ provide network security administration while still supporting best practice †¦ ICT Security Standards Roadmap – Part 5 www.itu.int/ITU-T/studygroups/com17/ict/part05.htmlJun 6, 2011 – The following work on best practices has so far been identified for inclusion in this section †¦ European Network and Information Security Agency †¦ 800-12 An Introduction to Computer Security: The NIST Handbook  · 800-100 †¦

Drink Business Plan Essay

The following marketing plan forms the basis for the introduction of an innovative new product by the Coca-Cola Company. The analysis allows us to outline the best strategies to follow for the achievement of the company’s strategic goals. â€Å"Bubble Buzz† will be marketed as a unique functional drink while striving to reinforce the company’s status as the leader in innovation and successful product launches. The marketing strategies will enable to reach a market size of an estimated 8,688,300 people (targeted) with a forecasted sales growth prospect of 7. 3% over the next 4 years ($243,029. 47 profits), while satisfying the needs of the still-unserved market for ready-to-drink bubble tea. Success will be reflected by a sizeable capture of market shares within this market, while strategically carrying the company up to the top spot as the market leader in the functional drinks segment of soft drinks. Export potential will be considered in China. [pic] Brief description of the company The Coca-Cola Company’s core undertaking is to benefit and refresh everyone it reaches. Founded in 1886, we are the world’s leading manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, which are used to produce nearly 400 beverage brands that make up for our wide portfolio. Our corporate headquarters are established in Atlanta, and we are holding local operations in over 200 countries around the world. Our activities cover all sectors of the beverage industry. We are the second leading player in functional and Asian specialty drinks, while ranking number one in value for the ready-to-drink tea sector (ref. 1, p. 1). Brief description of the new product, & strategic role in the future position of the company â€Å"Bubble Buzz† will be a bottled beverage and will be positioned as the only ready-to-drink Bubble Tea product available on the market. The beverage will have a green tea base with enhanced fruit flavors (passion fruit, strawberry and lime) as well as tapioca pearls. It will bring an entirely unique drinking experience to its consumers. It will present itself as a funky and unusual alternative to traditional tea while providing the great taste of authentic fruit juice in an attractive and convenient packaging. The strategic role of Bubble Buzz for The Coca-Cola Company is centered around three objectives: †¢ To stay at the forefront as the market leader in innovative product introductions and successful product launches; †¢ To strengthen and satisfy the needs of the more adventurous Generation Y consumers with a new eye-catching and FUNctional product; †¢ To become the market leader in the functional drinks segment with increased market shares. [pic] INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Consumption: The sales volume for the functional drinks segment (ref. D2) in Canada has reached $342. 2 millions in 2004 for a volume of 125. 9 million liters (ref. 2). This product segment has shown a steady growth since 1999: an increase of 13. 5% over a period of 6 years (Appendix A). The consumption rate per capita in 2004 has reached 3. 94 liters, which represents a 4. 0% increase compared to 1999 (ref. 3). The growth of this particular market is largely due to a slow shift in consumer trends. Trends: Through the early 1960s, soft drinks were synonymous with â€Å"colas† in the mind of consumers. In the 1980s and 1990s, however, other beverages (from bottled water to tea) became more popular. Coca-Cola and Pepsi responded by expanding their offerings through alliances (e. g. Coke & Nestea) and acquisitions (e. g. Coke & Minute Maid), but also by focusing efforts on portfolio diversification. Today, while the soft drink industry’s value has increased in 2004, the volume sales of carbonated soft drinks has declined due to a large proportion of consumers who are opting for the trend towards healthier alternatives in the functional drink segment (energy drinks, smoothies, milk & juice drinks, sports drinks) as well as bottled juices and water (ref. 5). Companies have been actively engaged in new product developments in order to counter the growing concerns about negative health impacts of high-fructose drinks, but also to increase the demand in a market where product offerings are quickly maturing (ref. 4). New flavor introductions and health-conscious formulations have been launched in an attempt to offset the decline in carbonated soft drink sales (ref. 6). The functional market is expected to show sustained growth and consumer interest in the future years as consumption shifts to trendier, healthier and more sophisticated products (ref.7). Profitability & future growth potential: In 1993, Concentrate Producers earned 29% pretax profits on their sales, while bottlers earned 9% profits on their sales, for a total industry profitability of 14%. While the functional drinks sector only accounts for 3. 7% of the total soft drinks sales in 2004 (Appendix B), estimates are forecasting a growth of 7. 3% in sales and 11. 0% in volume consumption by 2009 (ref. 4). SWOT ANALYSIS (Strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats) |Strengths |Weaknesses | |Brand strength |Reliant upon line extensions | |Effective stride in new markets |Reliant upon particular carbonated drinks | |Results of operations |Brand dilution | |Strong existing distribution channels |Entrance into difficult non-core categories | | |Saturation of carbonated soft drink segment | |Opportunities |Threats | |New product introductions |Strong competition | |Brand is attractive to global partners |Potential health issues | | |Free trade | Explanations in APPENDIX C COMPETITION Coca-Cola’s top competitors for the soft drinks industry are PepsiCo (31. 6%) and Cadbury-Schweppes (15. 8% of market), which combined, represent about 48% of the total market (ref. 9). Coca-Cola is leading with 43. 7% of the total soft drinks market. In the functional drinks sector, PepsiCo is the current market leader with 60. 5% of the market shares in 2004. Coca-Cola Co is second with 32. 8% (ref. 2, see Appendix D1). Bubble Buzz will launch into a currently unserved subset of that market (RTD â€Å"Ready-To-Drink† Bubble Tea), which is until now unexisting. It is anticipated that the following brands could potentially compete with Bubble Buzz in the functional drinks market: Brisk, Lipton Iced Tea, Sobe (owned by PepsiCo), as well as Snapple’s and Hawaiian Punch (owned by Cadbury/Schweppes). Bubble Buzz also creates a potential situation for cannibalism with Coca-Cola’s very own brands of iced tea and other functional drinks. The current market for traditional Bubble Tea is fragmented, since the distribution is restricted to local outlets and selling points such as counters and small Bubble Tea shops in scattered locations across Canada. However, direct competition from these local players is not anticipated, since the marketing roll-out will initially emphasize on product awareness and both sales channels do not reach or serve the same market (retailing vs. counter/restoration). A strong distribution system already exists with Coca-Cola, since partnerships and channels are already in place. This will facilitate the product’s reach into its target market. Further data concerning competing market shares and distribution channels are available in Appendix D(1-3). Barriers to entry: |Business practices |Manufacturing | |Due to the number of competitors, it will be hard to prevent |Producing bottled Bubble Tea requires sizeable capital | |imitation behaviour (especially from PepsiCo) |investments for the specific needs of the manufacturing chain | | Risk of competing with emerging private labels (e.g. President’s|(from ingredients to final packaging specifications) | |Choice) |The marketing campaign to make this unknown brand popular | |Given the wide array of brands (saturation in the soft drink |requires more promotional expenditures than a traditional brand | |market), it becomes a challenge for Bubble Buzz to stand out |extension | TARGET MARKET. Segment identification: RTD (Ready-to-drink) bottled Bubble Tea, to be established within the Functional Drinks sector Segment needs: The product will cater to both physiological needs (hydrating and nutritional value) and social needs (perception of a social, fun drink with a sense of belonging within peer consumer groups) † (ref. 11, p. 127). Segment trends: The current trends include a shift away from junk foods and carbonated drinks, a growing interest for healthier / beneficial products for the â€Å"mind and body† (ref.10), the trend towards the availability of on-the-go products for those with an active lifestyle, as well as the trend for personalization through customization (or for beverages, through variety-seeking in a wide introduction of flavours † ref. 6). Segment growth potential: Statistical reports anticipate a segment growth of 1. 72% over the next 9 years (2015) for the 10-29 years old subsets (ref. 12). Refer to Appendix E. Size of the segment (population): 8,688,300 (329,600 L). Refer to Appendix E. |Segmentation variables and breakdowns for Canadian consumer market of Bubble Tea | |MAIN DIMENSIONS |VARIABLES |BREAKDOWNS | | |Region |Nationwide (all provinces and territories) with emphasis on urban / metropolitan areas, and| | | |adapted strategies for all geographical groups | | |Area size |5000-19,999 to 4,000,000+ | | |Density |Urban, suburban | | |Climate |All (East, West) | | |Age |10-29 years old (teenagers, studying age and young adults) | | |Gender |Male and Female | | |Income |All under $30,000 | | |Occupation |Students; new graduated; new workers; young professionals | | |Education |Elementary 4th grade, High school, CEGEP and University | | |Race |All: Asian, Black, White, Native; other; with adapted strategy for Asian consumers already | | | |familiar with Bubble Tea | | |Home ownership |Renting apartment/condo, living with parents | | | |(Highly discretionary in personal spending) | | | Personality |Brand conscious, anchored in popular culture, inclined for differentiation and | | | |sophistication, very tolerant towards multiculturalism and internationalism (open-minded), | | | |quick maturation with modern products | | |Lifestyle |Most of them dependent on parents, no major responsibilities, highly influenced by peer | | | |groups, active life, importance of school, work and social life | | |Benefits sought |COMMUNICATION BENEFITS | | | |-Nutritional information | | | |-Informational text on history of product | | | |FUNCTIONAL BENEFITS | | | |-Healthier than soft drinks | | | |-Convenient, easy to take out | | | |PERCEPTUAL BENEFITS | | | |-Quality/Premium price | | | |-Social standing/good-looking | | | Usage rate |Seasonal (peak in summer), daily-basis, weekly basis | | |User status |Non-user, regular user (current user through existing bar-shops) | | |Loyalty status |None, medium, strong | Positioning strategy: The only RTD bottled bubble tea available. Funky & eye-catching bottle, functional packaging, premium-priced, cool, new and unusual, unique drinking experience, aspects of play (tapioca pearls, oversized colored straw), variety of flavors, sweet, refreshing, for hip & young people, healthier alternative to heavy-sugar drinks. CUSTOMER ANALYSIS Profile: Name: Bob Thomson Date of Birth: 25. 03. 85 Age: 20 Occupation: University Student Country: Canada Needs: Healthy lifestyle/Social belonging People: Roommate/Friends/Family Places: Clubs/Coffee shops/University/Gym Activities: Basketball Team Due to his active and quick-paced life, Bob wakes up at 6:30AM every morning. Today, he puts on his trendy Lacoste Polo and Diesel Jeans, and of course, he always has his Puma shoes on. After having called his friends with his new Samsung camera phone, he leaves his apartment and goes to his gym by metro, while listening to his favourite music that he downloaded to his iPod. Bob usually likes to work out before he has to head to University. That way, he feels he has more energy and feels ready to confront his busy day attending courses and getting things done. On his way to school, Bob knows he is thirsty and he feels the need for something very refreshing. He stops at a convenience store next to the gym. Standing in front of all the choices in the beverages aisle, one particular bottle catches his sight. And he instantly recognizes the brand. He knows that this is a bottle of Bubble Buzz, because not only does his other friends often drink it, but he also heard them talk about this brand new product that Coca-Cola just launched. He also previously saw Bubble Buzz ads when he surfed on his favourite websites. He grabs a bottle, and takes a closer look at the nutritive information label. He is very pleased to see that the new drink is more nutritive and definitely healthier than the other soft drinks that were available on the shelves next to it. The higher price of the product doesn’t bother him, since he perceives â€Å"Bubble Buzz† as a high-quality, functional product, which is manufactured by a well renowned company. Plus, he did not feel like simply buying bottled water, or carbonated soft drinks. Because of his inclination towards more sophisticated tastes, and because he likes to try new products on his own, he thinks this bottle is worth the price. Because of his busy schedule, Bob prefers to save time as much as he can. Thus, he decides to buy two bottles. One to quench his immediate thirst, and another one that he wants to save for later in the day. He sees that the packaging is so convenient and easy to carry, and so when he exits the store, he puts the second bottle in his backpack. He attends all of his classes. During his break, he always hangs out with his friends. A lot of them are drinking from different â€Å"Bubble Buzz† flavours. He opens his second bottle, since he had such a great experience with the first one. He liked that the beverage was so unusual, yet refreshing. The drink surpassed many of his expectations. He has no doubt about it. Bob will continue to buy Bubble Buzz for its good taste, and also because at his age, he sees it is the coolest trend right now. [pic] Based on the aforementioned analysis, Bubble Buzz appears to be a profitable and innovative product with a strong outlook for market share presence and segment growth opportunity. Upon implementation of the marketing plan, the Coca-Cola Company will regain increased market shares and claim its targeted situational position of market leader in the functional drinks segment as well as keeping its long-standing consumer recognition for innovative and successful product launches in diversified markets. Projected profits will be $243,029. 47 (see financial projections). Marketing Plan Part 2: Marketing Strategy [pic] The objectives of the marketing plan are strategically centered around 3 criteria: to create a strong consumer awareness towards a completely new bubble tea product from Coca-Cola, to establish a wide brand recognition through the capture of market shares in the functional drinks segment, and to become the top market leader in that particular segment within the forecasted sales figures. [pic] PRODUCT STRATEGY The core o Bubble Tea beverage in a pre-bottled, ready-to-drink format. The actual product o Packaging and labeling: see figure below o Branding: colorful, aspect of play, round shaped, prominent Bubble Buzz logo written in modern font, catchphrases such as â€Å"Think outside the Bubble† and â€Å"Get Your Buzz†. o Trade name: Bubble Buzzâ„ ¢, a Coca-Cola product o Brand personality: energy, funky, cool, functional, original, funny, healthy, etc. o Brand equity: Coca-Cola provides a quality, consistent, innovative and accessible soft drink reputation. Augmented product o Nutritional information, Status (social drink), Features promoting the website, Health benefit of a green tea base (ref. 17) Marketing considerations o Product life cycle: Bubble Buzz is a low-learning product. With a strong marketing campaign, â€Å"sales [will] begin immediately and the benefits of the purchase are readily understood† (ref. 11, p. 301). Since Bubble Buzz is prone to product imitation, Coca-Cola’s strategy is to broaden distribution quickly, which is currently feasible thanks to the company’s high manufacturing capacity. o Product class: Food & beverage ( Soft Drinks ( Functional Drinks (refer to Appendix D2 for a break-down of the functional drinks market). o Bubble Buzz follows the practice of product modification (ref. 11, p. 304): Coca-Cola is introducing an existing beverage (bubble tea) but redefines the drink with a new, more convenient package. Bubble Tea will now become a widely available drink in multiple retailing (distribution) channels. [pic] PRICE STRATEGY The price strategy that will be undertaken should consider the following aspects: 1. Consumer demand 2. The product lifecycle 3. Potential substitutes Customer demand. Customer demand is a crucial factor which is driven by tastes, income and availability of others similar products at a different price (mentioned later in the potential substitutes section). For a lot of consumers, value and price are highly related: ‘’the higher the price, the higher the value’’. Consequently, Coca-Cola’s intention to position Bubble Buzz as a unique, innovative and attractive product gives it a certain control over Bubble Buzz price. To be able to implement higher pricing though, the minimization of the non-monetary costs to customers should also be include along with awareness of the product (notably by advertising) and value (benefits) . The product lifecycle. The company should take advantage also to the fact that the newer the product and the earlier in its lifecycle the higher the price can usually be. It ensures a high profit margin as the early adopters buy the product and the firm seeks to recoup development costs quickly and it also brings a certain prestige to the product. Potential substitutes Coca-Cola is constrained by the monopolistic market in which it competes. The main characteristic however is product differentiation. Other constraints (See Appendix M) PROMOTION STRATEGY Objectives: †¢ To initiate strong awareness about the launch of Bubble Buzz throughout Generation Y (10-29 years old) consumers as well as their parents. †¢ To win market shares over our top functional drinks competitor, PepsiCo. Message: The promotional outputs will convey the clear message that â€Å"Bubble Buzz is a healthy drink for sporty and young people who simply enjoy taking care of their body and life. † Concepts: †¢ â€Å"Think outside the bubble†: Be Bold, Be Original, Be Different, Be Yourself. †¢ â€Å"A good spirit in a good body. † †¢ â€Å"For the out-of-the-ordinary individuals who like to challenge themselves. † Media selection: Before choosing the appropriate medias, it is important to note that Generation Y consumers only give partial attention to media. However, they can be reached through integrated programs. They are typically using more than one communication media at a time; a behaviour that is often called â€Å"multitasking†. This group of consumers doesn’t give its full attention to one single message, but rather uses continuous partial attention to scan the media. Marketers can still communicate with Generation Y by using a variety of targeted promotional tools. Another important tactic to reach our target market is through â€Å"Viral† or â€Å"Buzz† marketing, which Coca-Cola will heavily use in this campaign (campus, contests). Advertising: Refer to APPENDIX H for detailed explanations |Output |Examples | |Television |MTV, Much Music, VrakTV, YTV | |Radio |MIX96, CKOI 96. 9, 94. 7 FM, Universities | |Magazines |For girls: Cosmo, Elle | | |For boys: Sports Illustrated (or Kids edition) | |Internet |Banners on select websites (gaming, sports, etc. ) | | |Official promotional website: www. BubbleBuzz. ca | |Outdoors |Billboards and prints in select areas including: | | |Campuses, transportation (bus, metro, stations) | | |Tourist areas in high seasonal periods | | |Outskirts of key cities in geographical reach | | Others |Not relevant | |Personal selling |Direct contact with retailers, sales kit strategies to be explained later in the | | |text. | |Public relations |Stands or special displays and events in schools, malls, sports events (i. e. 2008 | | |Beijing Summer Olympic Games), sponsorship activities | |Publicity |Conferences, press releases (print and online), buzz marketing through TV coverage | Promotional Mix: Consumer oriented: †¢ Contests: â€Å"Win another Bubble Buzz flavour†, â€Å"Uncover a secret code underneath the bottle cap and win sporting goods and electronics by logging on the website†, â€Å"Win a trip for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing†. (Arguments: It will increase consumer purchases and encourage consumer involvement with the product). †¢ Samples: distributed in supermarkets, school/universities. Samples are a way to avoid product resistance since people are not used to find bubbles in their drinks. Arguments: It will encourage new product purchases and it represents low risk for consumers since they get it for free. They have nothing to loose by trying it. †¢ Point-of-purchase: in supermarkets (to reach the parents of generation Y). Arguments: It is also a mean to increase product trial and provides a good product visibility. †¢ Others: In subsequent years, engage in product placement in TV shows or movies. Trade oriented: †¢ Allowances and discounts: case allowance (Arguments: The â€Å"free goods† approach will be used so it can encourage retailers to buy more of the product to get a certain amount for free). †¢ Cooperative advertising: to encourage retailers to buy our product and to maintain our high level of advertisement that consumers expect from Coca-Cola. Other considerations: †¢ Scheduling of the advertising: Pulse scheduling (promotional presence year-round, but emphasized and intensified before and during summer). †¢ IMC (integrated marketing communication) Target Audience: †¢ Intermediary: personal selling will be more often used. †¢ Ultimate consumer: Coca-Cola will use more of mass media because the amount of potential buyers is large. PLACE (DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY) Bubble Buzz will be distributed through these channels: supermarkets, convenience stores, independent food stores, discount stores, multiple grocers, vending machines, direct sales. [pic] |Projected Financial Performance | |Revenues |$ 597,124. 00 |Based on sales @ different channel’s price | |COGS |214,964. 64 |Based on weighted average percentage in past data | |C. M. |382,159. 36 |Revenues – COGS | |Fixed Costs : | | | |SG&A cost : |113,453. 56 |Half of the O/H costs estimated, based on past data | |Capital expenditures : |25,676. 33 |4. 3% of revenue, based on past data | |Profits |243,029. 47 |CM † SG&A † Capital expenditures | Requirement for success analysis: C. M. per bottle = 382,159. 36 / 328,000 = $1. 17 Break-even: (113,453. 56+25,676. 33) / 1. 17 = 118,914 (bottles) Market share: 118,914 / 1,000,000 = 11. 9% In one year, if Coca-cola can sell 118,914 bottles of Bubble Buzz, or in other words achieve 11. 9% of the functional drink market share, it will break even. After this point, every bottle Coca cola sells will generate average $1. 17 towards the profits. The potential profits can up to $1,030,770. 00[1] based on our target market. Expected Costs: COGS: $597,124 * 36% = $214,964. 64. O/H: $597,124* 38% = $226,907. 12 Expected Revenues (total) = $597,124 (refer to Appendix J) [pic] China is the target country we’re going to expand our product. Reasons: 1. With a total population of 1,313,015,000 in the end of 2005 and 327,714,000 in our target market (age 10 to 25 years old), compared with the total population of Canada—304,453 million, there definitely is a great potential worth to work on. 2. absolute expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages is expected to increase from 1,777 billion in 2005 to 2,154 billion in 2010 (though the proportion of consumer expenditure on this part is decreasing from 28. 39% to 25. 75% ) 3. Soft drinks industry is one of the fast growing industries in China, especially fruit/vegetable juice, RTD tea, and Asian speciality drinks and bottled water have shown a sharp increase during 1998 to 2003. 4. Bubble tea was originated in Taiwan. Soon after its introduction in China, it became one of the most popular beverages sold in tea stores on the streets due to the similar taste and similar cultural background. So, it is a good chance for us to enter into this market. 5. Since we are the top sponsor for the upcoming Beijing Olympic in 2008. With more opportunities to expose to the public, it is going to benefit our sale there. Our entry-strategy for entering China is through licensing. Reasons: 1. We have already provided licenses for manufacturing our products in China (licensing the bottlers and supply them with our syrup required for producing). Therefore, added in one or two more products in our production chain would not be that difficult. 2. It is relatively low risk when compared with direct investment there. It is low cost to export our new products there since we can maintain lower labour cost and lower material cost if we produce our products locally, especially in China. Changes to be made: 1. Price: Price sold in China is going to change to accommodate the local desire. As we set our price sold in Canada $2. 00. Compared to the price sold in the bubble tea store ($ 3. 50), it is about 57. 14%. So, with the information we gathered from the tea store in China[2], the price sold there would be 57. 14% of what sold in the tea store—$12 Yuen in China currency. Then, it would be around $7 Yuen, about CAD$1[3]. 2. Naming the product: In order to be recognized and accepted more easily for the local market, we need not only translate our product name but also make sure there’s not hidden unintended meaning that would damage our product. 3. Develop other flavours that would attract the local market: Since milk based bubble tea sell better in China, we will add in this product line. Also, we will avoid using too many artificial colors as they are not appreciated as much as in Canada. Moreover, people in China are becoming more and more health concerned, especially the amount of sugar and additives added in the drinks. We will make some changes in the ingredients used to appeal the local market, i. e. less sugary drinks. 4. Promotion: In contrast to the radio ads in Canada, we will use more TV and Web advertisement there due to the highly exposed environment in China. Also, we will put more emphasis on the ads on the public transportation such as underground/subway system and bus service due to the more frequent use of the public transport service there. Also, since the outdoor display screen is quite popular in big cities, we will also take advantage of it. [pic] [pic] APPENDIX A (ref. 2) [pic] APPENDIX B (ref. 4) [pic] APPENDIX C (ref. 1 & 8) STRENGHTS Brand strength (see Appendix F for brand rankings) The Coca-Cola Company is the largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups in the world. The Coca-Cola brand is unarguably one of the most recognizable brands in the 200 countries where it sells its products. The strong brand name is one of the basis for the company’s competitive advantage on several of its core markets. Effective strides in new markets. Coca-Cola has partnered with several companies (such as the joint venture with Nestle) in order to increase the ability to react to demands and changes in the markets of iced tea, coffee and juices. The developing markets are more complex than the carbonated soft drinks. Results of operations In 2004, net-operating revenues totaled approximately $21. 9 billion, an 8% increase from 2002. Gross profit totaled $14. 3 billion in 2004. The company generated $5,968 million from its operating activities and re-invests heavily into its business. The ability to generate significant cash flows is one of the its key strengths (ref. 16). Strong existing distribution channels Coca-Cola has operations worldwide and is well established in its distribution channels (such as store retailers or vending machines). Therefore, a new product launch can typically rely on the existing distribution system in order to reach the majority of its target market while requiring no major supply / delivery developments. WEAKNESSES Relying upon line extensions Coca-Cola is relying on brand extensions increase sales in specific lines, particularly its long-time carbonated soft drink products (i. e. the introduction of Vanilla Coke helped maintain sales for the core Cola beverages). However, there is a strong risk of cannibalizing existing sales in the long term (for example, Bubble Tea might deter on sales for iced tea). Reliant upon particular carbonated drinks The long-time presence of Coca-Cola’s Coke beverage has established this particular line as a flagship product. While the core Coke products bring a solid base of sales and loyalty to the company, consumers’ expectations also become more and more anchored and single-lined, taking away freedom in the areas of line diversification and product modifications (taste, packaging, price). Brand dilution The tremendous amount of existing brands and new product being introduced by the company could diminish the value and differentiating strength of each product that is being manufactured. Entrance into difficult non-core categories The Coca-Cola Company is a truly global multinational business giant. While some categories of products are distributed in many areas of the globe (Coke, Powerade, etc. ), geographical needs already require that these global brands are heavily adapted to their target region. Furthermore, many smaller and diversified product lines are more or less popular in one particular region over another. Therefore, the process of diversifying the production and marketing each product involves costly investments. These capital requirements typically increase as the product becomes heavily focused (for example, since the Coca-Cola brand is highly recognizable worldwide, marketing a bottle of Coke in Japan would be less difficult than marketing a bottle of â€Å"Qoo† in that same country † â€Å"Qoo† being a lesser-known non-carbonated drink which was one of Coca-Cola’s newest brand introduction in 1999). Saturation of carbonated soft drink segment Due to the countless number of brands available on the market, it becomes increasingly difficult in the soft drinks segment to innovate and create new products that genuinely stand out from their competition. And as we have seen, an analysis of the industry has shown that growth in the soft drinks market becomes difficult and challenging when the conditions and consumer trends cause a market demand that stays stagnant. OPPORTUNITIES New product introductions The functional drinks market is one that particularly allows more innovation opportunities and gives greater freedom for creativity in the design, production, manufacturing, distribution, promotion and retailing choices and processes. Brand is attractive to global partners. Because of the company’s size (including value, brand name and operating revenues) and wide portfolio base, Coca-Cola enjoys a strong purchasing power over its suppliers, and also attracts large partnerships with various levels of consumer reach (e. g. Burger King, movie studio promotions, sponsorship agreements, etc. ). Existing brand awareness also provides an international playing field for powerful marketing strategies. THREATS Strong competition Coca-Cola is competing in a global market that is characterized by an oligopoly between several (but few in numbers) competitors. The fight for market shares and sales in crowded markets becomes a complex one. Potential health issues. The current trend of consumer and consumers groups’ awareness towards goods and services is both beneficial and threatening for companies in the food and beverages industry. Over the last few years, concerns over health issues have risen in the media through an expanded and ever-growing network of â€Å"knowledge outputs† (journals, TV channels, internet and so on). The move of the younger generation towards a healthier lifestyle call for careful planning and decision-making in new product developments. Large companies can also easily become the target of consumers’ apprehension.

Art and Philosophy - Meinongian Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Art and Philosophy - Meinongian Issue - Essay Example In Meinongan issue, there is an in-depth examination of several issues that arise in view of the connection that there are actually some things and factors which are actually non-existent. Philosophers normally seek to examine the following questions in determining if an object or certain subject is actually not existent: What is the basis or reasons for declaring that certain objects are in fact not existent? Assuming there are any nonexistent objects, what are their kinds and how are they determined? What are the criteria of the characterization of these objects as nonexistent? The position brought by fictions takes a story telling dimension. While a story teller is telling a fictional story the characters are actually his creations. As objects of his creation, a storyteller has the power to give the characters of his story qualities whose existence are not existent in the real world. The imagination of a person normally remains mere imagination. The objects just exist in abstracti on. The theory of intentionality as discussed later normally tells how we can intend our mental ability to view some objects differently. It is a fact that fictional story telling is a narration full of hyperbolic instances and can be said to be an act of pretence. The fictional discourse is discussed further below. Nonexistent objects as a concept Some philosophers, for example, Hume are of the opinion that the concept of nonexistent objects is in itself a paradox1. This stems from the idea that for anything to be declared not to exist is dependent on the fact that it had been initially presupposed to have existed. Such philosophers believe in what can be termed as positive identification of objects. This is to say that we can only identify what we can prove and substantiate. We can never talk of something as nonexistent yet we do not have proof of that. Other philosophers (Kant) explain that whatever exists is actually a real predicate2. He went ahead to explain this using Godâ₠¬â„¢s existence as an analogy. He inferred to the existence of God out of â€Å"ontological proof†. This is out of God’s perfection in creation. He also used other qualities of God such being omnipresent to cement his argument of existence as a real predicate. Assuming that these philosophers are right, this means then that the concept of nonexistent is not real. This is because it can never be a real predicate. Proving nonexistence evidentially is impossible. This therefore draws a conclusion that the concept of nonexistent is to a greater extent a self contradictory concept. In fact some philosophers state that the concept is actually and to some extent a violation of logical semantic flow of grammar. In order to believe in the concept of nonexistent there is need to ignore to some extent the views put across by some philosophers regarding this. Here the view that is adopted depends heavily on the predicate of individuals. This is stemmed from personal conception and what views a person may be having concerning the existence or non existence of an object. For instance, this can be illustrated by sentiments such as â€Å"some white elephants do exist†. From the statement it is inferred that not all white elephants are actually in existence. There are some particular white elephants that do not exist. The idea being stressed here is that in order

Foreign investment in Qatar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foreign investment in Qatar - Research Paper Example y powers vested with the Ministry of Finance, Economy, and Commerce of the state to ensure that the investors and their activities do not cause any harm to the overall national development plan envisioned by the council of ministers of Qatar. As per this law, all sectors of national economy all open for foreign investors provided they have one or more Qatari partners who own 51% or more of the shares of the capital invested, thereby ensuring that the decision making authority lies with the latter (â€Å"Qatar’s Investment Law,† 2000). It also requires the company to be appropriately incorporated as per the provisions of the law of the state. Nevertheless the Government has identified certain sectors in which the foreign investors are free to pump in capital exceeding 49%, and up to 100% by themselves (â€Å"Foreign Investor,† n. d). These sectors include: However this requires a decree of the minister who shall issue the same provided the projects go hand in hand with the development of the state. Preference is also given to projects that may result in â€Å"optimum utilization of local raw materials, industries set up for export of products, or for introducing new products, employing new technologies in the state† (â€Å"Doing Business in Qatar,† 2012) Qatar has been open to foreign investment in-line with the global economic trend, though not without its reasonable share of restrictions implied upon the investors so that the economic activities are in line with the overall development plan of the State. The restrictions are in the form of secluding a few sectors from foreign investments which include banking sector, insurance, and real estate (â€Å"Investment Incentives†, n. d.). A close look reveals that these are the sectors that will have a direct impact upon the market and keeping them free of foreign investments will ensure that the indices are not pliable from outside the State, thus protecting the autonomy and financial integrity of Qatar. Apart from

Contemporary issue in financial reporting Case Study

Contemporary issue in financial reporting - Case Study Example Due to the afore-mentioned factor, Microsoft can find the combination of balance sheets more useful in acquiring Yahoo, as it is an online Company. One more aspect that is useful for Microsoft in Pooling of interest method, it does not result in creation of goodwill. This leads to report higher earnings. (Answers.com, 2008) Thanks for giving us a chance to advise you on adoption of 'pooling interest' method. So that we can let you know, why it is beneficial for a company trying to acquire another, while you are contemplating to acquire Yahoo Corporation. While acquiring a company a firm follows one of the two methods. The first one is pooling of interest and the other is purchase method. The later involves the goodwill, which is a premium for buying a business. The goodwill is a result of subtracting purchase price from its book value. However, this is not advisable as Microsoft is trying to acquire Yahoo for more than the book value and this may result in negative goodwill according to purchase method. Hence, pooling of interest method is advisable for acquisition of Yahoo, for reporting higher earnings and a probable resultant higher share price. (About.com , 2008) When we consider the situation of Microsoft taking over Yahoo.com, let us take into consideration the earnings of both the companies at the end of 2007. The earnings of Microsoft at the end of 2007 is $11,030 and that of Yahoo is $1,403. Let us suppose that the book value of Yahoo's share is $10. Microsoft is contemplating to pay $32.5 per share. If it happens, the company has to pay $ 227987.5 million. However, the book value of Yahoo shares is $ 70150 million only. The difference is $ 157837.5 million. This will be termed as good will if Microsoft follows the purchase method and needs to be amortised in 40 years by amortising 1/40th part of the earnings every year. (Microsoft, 2008) If the company follows pooling interest method, there is no need of showing good will and the resultant company's balance sheet is the combination of balance sheets of two companies before acquisition. If the Book value of Yahoo share is $10 then the total book value of 7015 million Yahoo shares equal to $7.0150 billion. However, Microsoft has to pay $ 22. 8billion. The difference is $ 15.785 billion. (Ad vision, 2008) This has to be amortised in the resultant entity within 40 years according to purchase method. In Pooling of Interest method, there is no way to consider the goodwill as the company pays the amount to the investors and the balance sheets are combined from word to word and value to value. This reports the higher earnings and in the future years and allows higher earnings per share resulting in a higher share price in the market, which is not possible with purchase method as every year 1/40th part of the earnings cannot be included in reporting the earnings. A company like Microsoft, which have enough reserves of cash do not need the amortisation and can concentrate on For example, when we consider, the earnings of Microsoft and Yahoo in the year of 2007, the number of shares in Microsoft is 9848 million and the number of sha

Importance of Business Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Importance of Business Ethics - Research Paper Example The researcher states that several ethical theories exist defining what ethical and otherwise. Business ethics is derived from the ethical theories as for the behavior and conduct that any business entity adheres to in their daily interaction with their environment. Business ethics involves the application of ethical values such as integrity, fairness, respect, and transparency in business interactions. Business ethics also relates to how the business develops its structures produces and delivers its products and services to its clientele. Interaction with consumers, suppliers, employees and the wider society should align with ethical practice. Business ethics is very important due to the moral reasons which come with it. According to deontological theory, an action is considered to be ethical if it complies with the duties allocated either formally or moral duties. The utilitarian perspective of ethical actions is those that yield greater good for the majority. Personal and communit y conduct should comply to set rules and regulations for it to qualify classification as ethical. Actions that undermine the rights of other people are unethical especially exploitative behavior even if the victim is not informed of their rights. At the same time, some ethical theory as suggested by Plato and others in his school of thoughts indicates that the end justifies the means. Provided the end results are considered to be positive and acceptable then the process is ethical. Being ethical in a business is the right thing to do and business should ensure all the business behavior is governed by ethics. Business ethics and corporate governance work together to ensure accountability of the business to all stakeholders. Business ethics brings about the cooperation required for a company and the business environment to survive.

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES - Essay Example The first aspect of American Dream is the emphasis on the value of monetary success. This motivates people to become highly ambitious (Cullen & Agnew 2006, p.192) . There is nothing wrong in being ambitious, however, to what extend a man can go to fulfill his ambitions matter a lot. The dark side of the American dream is that the importance of legitimate means to attain the social success is decreased compared to the importance of attaining the dream (Cullen & Agnew 2006,, p.192). According to Merton, it is this imbalance between the goal and the means to attain the goal that motivate people to take an illegal path (Cullen & Agnew 2006, 2001, p.192). Man is a social element. The strongest motivation behind man’s achievement is to get recognition from the society. In American society, people are evaluated on the basis of ‘what’ and ‘how much’ they have achieved rather than on the basis of who they are or how they are related to others in the social structure (Cullen and Agnew, 2006,, p.192). The ultimate measure of social worth being ‘success’ and ‘achievement,’ it puts pressure on people to achieve it at any cost (Cullen and Agnew, 2006, 2001, p.192). The mentality that â€Å"it’s not how you play the game but ; it’s whether you win or lose,† has led people to take illegal and anti-social paths to achievement as it guarantees success in quick and easy way (Cullen and Agnew, 2006, p.192) The second important aspect of American Dream is the importance given to individualism(Cullen and Agnew, 2006, p.192). As Andrew Hacker (1992) said, American society drives people to achieve success on their own and hence, in an attempt to get ahead in the race, ‘I’

Computer Sciences and Information Technology Essay - 1

Computer Sciences and Information Technology - Essay Example EHRs are very quick as there is no need for any paper-work for documenting and sharing of the information and images. Thus, an EHR plays a vital role in evidence based treatment and decision-making without having to go through the manual process (Williams, 2010). These enable access to the records even from distant areas by means of online networking. The drawback with EHRs is that they are quite expensive but once implemented, they tend to be very cost-effective. Carter (2008) studied that the concept of EHRs began in 1960s â€Å"with the COSTAR system, developed by Barnett at the Laboratory of Computer Science at Massachusetts General Hospital† (p.7). According to him, the earlier efforts provided models and pseudo types on which current â€Å"hospital-based and ambulatory† EHRs are based upon. EHRs can be used as tools for continuity of care and for collaborative performance of healthcare providers. EHRs are a significant contribution to the medical industry since th ese have modernized the way patients’ data are stored. Disadvantages Research has it that despite significant advantages of EHRs, their adoption rates are progressing rather slowly. Gans et al. (2005) conducted a research on the use of EHRs and IT based tools in the health industry and concluded that most health professionals were not incorporating EHRs, especially in smaller practices. Their findings suggested that the adoption of EHRs was making progress at a snail's pace; however, the physicians planned to incorporate them in the coming years. They found that this happened because the practitioners found it difficult to choose and implement EHRs. What kept physicians from implementing EHRs in their settings was the knowledge gap. Jha et al. (2009) conducted a significant survey of a number of acute care hospitals to find out the EHR functionality and implementation. They found that out of the 63% hospitals in the US that were surveyed, only 1.5% had integrated the use of c omprehensive EHRs and 7.6% were following a basic model of EHRs. They suggested that the lower adoption rate was due to higher maintenance costs. Linder et al. (2007) conducted a retrospective cross-sectional survey to determine the relation between the use of EHRs in health centers and the quality of ambulatory heath care which they referred to as ambulatory quality indicators. They found that there was no significant performance difference between the centers that used EHRs and those which did not. Major Competitors in the Marketplace Gold (2011) writes in his updated guide about EHRs about major competitors in the marketplace that are promoting this technology. According to him, seeing the performance of EHRs, it is very likely that EHRs will be implemented in all health organizations in near future taking the place of paper documentation that has been in place for years. At present, the market leaders for EHRs include Cerner, iSoft and Emis. Cerner Cerner is the US based product and â€Å"has so far been installed across 16 trusts and more than 70 hospitals since being launched in 2004, as the preferred NPfIT software for London†, writes Gold (2011). The health organizations that have, at present, employed Cerner EHRs include Kingston Hospital, Homerton Hospital in London, Newham University Hospital trust, and Wirral University Teaching Hospital foundation trust. iSoft iSoft is an Australian company. The US IT firm, CSC, is buying it for implementation. Th

Transnationalization of Chinese Action Films Essay

Transnationalization of Chinese Action Films - Essay Example This shift in the film paradigm is known as the transnationalism of Chinese cinema (Stephen Teo). This paper studies the transnationalism of Chinese cinema through the examination of four movies, namely, Enter the Dragon, Face/Off, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and One Night in Mongkok. These films will be our case studies in determining the extent and nature of transnationalism that the Chinese cinema has underwent ever since the advent of cinematic change in the late 1920's (Stephen Teo). The first film to be studied is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the directorial project of Ang Lee, released in the USA on 9 December 2003 (IMBD 2004). This film is the best example to study the modern day Chinese cinema, due to the strategies that Ang Lee employed in making this film. The Chinese film industry has always been aware that their stories and culture is essentially oriental (Stephen Teo), that is, it can only be clearly and absolutely understood by the locals and the Asian market. With the expanding economic system and increased global interactions, the need was felt for the films to cater to a wide variety of audience, and such audience might not necessarily be from the Chinese land. This meant that the traditions and cultures shown in the Chinese cinema had to be produced in such a way that audiences from other cultural backgrounds, particularly the Americans (Stephen Teo), could easily comprehend them. In other words, the films should have the ability to be culturall y "translated" (Stephen Teo). Some efforts had been made before to achieve this goal, however, all those movies depended on the concept of oriental postmodernism (Stephen Teo) to make the movie more globally understandable. This model essentially depended on portraying the complex culture to the modern market in a way that showed the modern Asian concept of Orientalism (Stephen Teo). What Crouching Tiger brought with it was a change in the treatment and the thinking behind the film; it focused more on globalization than postmodernism (Stephen Teo). Hence, it was more flexible (Stephen Teo) and could be easily translated and transcended into the diverse cultures worldwide. Crouching Tiger did not simply rely on the tried and tested wuxia norms of Chinese cinema, nor did it try to promote the kung fu culture always prevalent in Chinese cinema (Stephen Teo). That said, it is not true that Crouching Tiger did not portray the intrinsic martial art culture of China. In fact, coming from a Chinese background, Ang Lee had to cater to a Chinese audience at home, and so it was imperative that should include local

Developmental Paper Essay Example for Free

Developmental Paper Essay bstract The basis of this paper will outline the cognitive and personality development of a young adult female, identified as â€Å"Caroline.† This will be in contrast and comparison to Erikson’s Epigenetic Theory of Personality Development is Intimacy vs. Isolation and Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development. The paper will address what outside factors influence the developing as well as nursing interventions that will help Caroline obtained optimal functioning for each appropriate developmental level according to Erikson and Piaget. Keywords: developmental, Erikson, Piaget, personality, cognitive, intimacy, isolation, formal operations The Developmental Level: For the purpose of this paper, I will identify the person I am outlining as â€Å"Caroline. † Caroline is a young adult. The developmental level during this stage of Erikson’s Epigenetic Theory of Personality Development is Intimacy vs. Isolation; the virtue being love. A normal adult in this stage will have a strong sense of self and be able to form intimate, close relationships with other individuals. Success in this stage will lead to strong committed relationships (Cherry). Erikson believed that a person must successfully complete one stage in order to complete the next. According to Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development, Caroline is in the formal operations period. A normal young adult in this stage would manifest adult like thinking, is not limited by own perception or concrete references for ideas, combines various ideas into concepts, develops morality or restraint and cooperation in behavior, uses rules to structure interactions in a socially acceptable way, solves problems mentally and considers alternatives before acting, relates concepts o r constructs not readily evident in external world, increases intellectual ability to include art, science, humanities,  religion, and philosophy, and is increasingly less egocentric. Caroline is in her early adult hood years. A tremendous time for self-discovery, independence, and in some cases, loneliness. Caroline’s personality and cognitive development have blossomed in ways and have been hindered in others. This is due to many factors; biological, social, genetic, situational. The list goes on. One thing is certain, there is always a good reason why individuals do the thing they do. If we as people look beyond others actions and instead look at what causes their actions to manifest, I believe we would be much more accepting and less judgmental as a whole. Throughout this paper I will be discussing ways Caroline compares and contrasts to Piaget and Erikson’s theories, how this impacts her development, and nursing interventions that could help her through these stages. Compare and contrast: After careful observation of Caroline, it does not show evident that she has developed a true sense of self to be able to complete the stage of intimacy with another individual. Even with platonic friendships it seems that when her and an individual start to become close on more of a spiritual and emotional level, she retreats to isolation because she feels that she cannot trust herself or others. According to Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, I see that Caroline is mastering the formal operations period to a certain degree. In many ways Caroline would be a poster child for what an example of someone in the formal operations period would think like, and in other aspects of the period, she does not show to be operating in this period what so ever. Three examples of how Caroline compares to these levels would include the following: 1. When it comes to romantic relationships, Caroline strives for a deep emotional and physical connection with another human being. However, deep down she is unable to fully commit to another because she doesn’t have a clear understanding of who she is. Subconsciously, she gravitates towards men that are not emotionally available. This includes anyone who is in a relationship, is going to move away, or is obviously not interested in giving her a committed relationship. She wants the commitment, but she is used to men in her life not being available so she is drawn towards that because that is what she is used to. At the end of the day, this leaves Caroline frustrated and isolated. The  crisis between intimacy and isolation, according to Erikson, is clear in Caroline’s life. 2. Caroline is extremely cognitively driven, artistic with her words, and philosophical and spiritual with her beliefs. She looks beyond the world that is seen and challenges her way of thinking with the unseen world. She finds happiness through her writings and connections through spiritual conversation. This side of her is a small glimpse of her essence and what her inner being craves; to be emotionally, artistically, and spiritually stimulated. This very much so aligns with Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development. 3. A contrast to the Formal operations period is that she does not seem to solve problems mentally and considering alternatives before acting. Caroline bases a lot of her talk on impulsivity and is emotionally driven when making decisions. Caroline is a â€Å"feel good† kind of gal, and if it feels good in the moment, she will grab it. If it does not feel good, she will alter whatever her situation is to make herself feel good, no matter how bad or good the outcome will leave her. This contrasts with the norm because someone who is successfully mastering this stage would weigh the outcomes before acting, consider the outcomes, and go towards which action would better benefit their being as a whole. Even though Caroline knows something is hurting her, she will continue to repeat this action, hoping for a different outcome. This is mainly in regards to abusive relationships, but can be applied to the work place and friendships with other females. What Impacts Development Three factors that have or are currently affecting Caroline’s stage of development: 1. As I mentioned previously, it is vital for Caroline to develop and true sense of self before she can successfully build intimacy with other individuals. Caroline feels whole with her writings, and spending time with people who truly love her, but she has not fully embraced her inner being. From observation, Caroline has a very low self-esteem. She strives to please others. When others are pleased with her, she is pleased with herself. When others are no pleased with her, she will do what she can to reverse that opinion. She seeks to please others before pleasing herself and that is a clear manifestation of not having a concrete, strong sense of self. 2. Caroline is far away from her family, which live several states away. She stayed in the state she resides because of a romantic  relationship. This romantic relationship has ended. For Caroline, she does not have a firm sense of belonging a t her current location. Being away from loved ones and not having a steady partner can cause an individual to feel isolated and lonely. 3. I am not sure exactly what Caroline’s relationship with her father is or was like, but I would imagine it to be one of low emotional or spiritual connection. Her dad was most likely not a constant in her life and not available to her as a girl in was that she needed, but was not aware of. There is always a good reason why people do the things they do and I would not be taken a back if Caroline was this way with other men in her life because normal to her is not available. Her body, soul, and mind is used to inconsistency and has developed patterns within itself to be drawn to these inconsistencies and behaviors. It has also been shown that engaging in sexual activates with a partner before the proper time, especially before monogamy, can cause much inner turmoil and depression. Sexual activity must be performed in the right context in order for it to be beneficial for the human being. (Carter) Nursing interventions: 1. Before talking to Caroline, if she were my patient and I the nurse, I would first need to assess her physical and mental status. She would need to be fully alert and oriented in order to proceed with the nursing process. I would assess her level of consciousness and willingness to cooperate. I would need to assess her support system, whether it be family, friends, or coworkers. A strong support system is vital to growth and development in any stage of life. 2. In order for Caroline to be eager to listen to what have to offer and cooperate with enhancing her inner self, there would have to be established trust. I would do this by sharing intimate parts of my life and laying the foundation of a healthy, trustworthy relationship. There will be little to no willingness to exchange in such personal matters until trust between us is established. It will also make her much for comfortable to share intimate details of her life with me. 3. I would provide Caroline with therapeutic communic ation. This would include appropriate touch as much as she is comfortable with, paraphrasing, asking open ended questions that encourage communication, maintaining eye contact when appropriate, and not pushing situations when she does not feel at ease. These actions will hopefully cause Caroline to feel more comfortable to share thoughts,  feelings, and encouragement to implement action to better her inner self. 4. In order to master the stage of isolation, Caroline needs to be confident in herself and cater to her inner self. She needs to participate in activities that benefit her in a healthy way and bring healing to where she feels broken. I would encourage her to write in her journal for at least thirty min before she goes to bed. 5. I would encourage her to do simple things to increase healthy living. This would include waking up early, going to bed at a decent hour, getting adequate exercise, eating a diet high in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and drinking plenty of water. I would encourage her to avoid alcohol and any other mind altering substances that cause her behavior to be irrational. Addressing the underlying cause of irrational behavior can be much more effective then addressing the irrational behavior as it self. 6. Because Caroline reaches for wholeness in sources that leave her feeling empty, I would ask Caroline to put herself first when she is seeking attention from empty sources. I would have her sit with herself and her emotions and work through them without desperately reaching out to things that cannot fulfill her. In order to be happy with someone else, it is vital that she become happy with herself. 7. Caroline loves to read and with this passion for books I would strongly suggest investing in self-help books that will mentally stimulate her to building a strong, happy inner self. There are so many self-help books that caters to every type of inner self difficulty and roads to self-discovery. Sometimes simply finding a book that speaks directly to your soul can bring some of the most healing and freedom. If Caroline were to follow these nursing interventions and invest whole heartedly to developing a strong inner being, I believe she would begin to see amazing results within a weeks’ time. Of course it would be a journey. Self-reflection is not always easy and can be hard, but in the end it is extremely rewarding. Coming face to face with our inner demons and conquering them is one of the best things you can do for yourself, future partner, and future children. In order to have healthy relationship you must be a healthy person and if Caroline wants to be healthy, she will be. References: Cherry, Kendra. Intimacy Versus Isolation Stage Six of Psychosocial Development. About.com Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2014. Carter, Don. Intimacy Skills and Human Development Stages. Intimacy Skills and Human Development Stages. Internet of the Mind, n.d. Web. 03 June 2014.

Helical CT Scan in Comparison to MRI Scans

Helical CT Scan in Comparison to MRI Scans Introduction Helical CT is also known as spiral CT; the two terms are interchangeable (Kalender, 1994). Both MRI and helical CT have been introduced into clinical practice ahead of any evidence for cost-effective improvement in clinical care. Both technologies are still evolving. For instance vascular 3D imaging is a newly expanding indication within CT. Although helical CT is replacing conventional CT the question arises as to whether it will replace MRI. 1) Equipment Helical CT began in the 1990’s. It is a fast technique; data is collected continuously at less than one second for a 10 mm slice. It is called helical because the patient moves continuously though the machine whilst the X-ray tube rotates around them. Slip ring technology enables the scanner, mounted on a gantry, to continue rotating in the same direction around the patient yet still maintain its power supply and x-Ray capability. Because it is so quick breathing does not affect the quality of the final image and it is an excellent way to view the lungs and liver. Because of the continuous rotation helical CT enables patient translation and the acquisition of data to take place at the same time. Helical CT requires completely different equipment to convention CT necessitating the replacement of the entire unit not just an upgrade. A multislice CT scanner is along the same principle as a helical scanner but is even faster still and contains more detection elements. Although the actual data acquisition is so much faster with multislice the time required to process the image is lengthy (so patient through put will be no faster). The amount of data storage space required for multislice images is incredibly vast and may overload the capability of the existing PACS system within the hospital. The equipment for MRI consists of a large, heavy magnet which creates the magnetic field. Magnetic shielding of the room is necessary together with stringent safety precautions to avoid accidents for instance with flying metal objects within the room. The scanning tube where the patient must lie is relatively enclosed and this can create problems with claustrophobia. The equipment is also very noisy which may unnerve the patient. MRI requires more extensive software for viewing the images than does CT. Some MRI machinery is more open permitting greater patient access even to the extent of allowing simultaneous surgery (Gould and Darzi, 1997). 2) Techniques MRI involves the person being placed in a large magnet the magnetic field of which causes all the protons (the nuclei of hydrogen atoms) in the body to line up and oscillate at a certain frequency (precision frequency). Radiofrequency pulses are emitted from the machinery at the same frequency as the precision frequency causing the protons to come out of alignment for a brief time and subsequently realign emitting energy in the process. The radiofrequency of these emissions is specific to the type of issue (since it reflects the hydrogen content) and is then computed to form an image. Patient movement is a major problem with the MRI technique since data acquisition is quite slow and so it is not as good as helical CT for moving organs such as the lungs and liver. MRI scans are more expensive to produce that helical CT. The major advantages of MRI over helical CT are that MRI involves no x-Ray exposure and certain structures provide better images with MRI such as the brain and musculo skeletal system. MRI is definitely the best test for acoustic neuroma (Renowden and Anslow 1993). CT is better than MRI for imaging brain trauma and is better in the abdomen for the bowel (on account of it being a moving structure) whereas MRI is better in the pelvis. Helical CT is finding a place in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (Roy 2005). The disadvantages of CT are the x-Ray dose and the nephrotoxicity of some contrast agents. In 1993 the Royal College of Radiologist guidelines recommended MRI be used for investigations on the brain, musculoskeletal system, oncology and paediatrics, the 1995 version of the guidelines recommended back pain beyond six weeks be investigated by MRI. The Royal College of Radiologists document on oncology (1999) provides graded evidence based recommendation of which scanning modality to use according to tumour site. 3) Staff Staff training is necessary for both modalities of scanning. MRI staffing costs are higher than with CT. Because MRI scans are in such demand and scanning time long it is often necessary to run the machines in the evenings and at weekends (Moore Golding, 1992). Multislice CT can involve increased radiologist workload. 4) Patient Patients with metal implants or pacemakers or who are claustrophobic are unsuitable for MRI. Mechanical ventilation is a relative contraindication. Patients with acute major trauma including head injury are unlikely to be suitable for MRI because of the duration of scanning. The increased x-Ray dose to patients (and to the community) of the later generation CT scanners is of concern (National Radiological Protection Board, 1990). For this reason MRI is the preferred modality for children and fetuses (Duncan 1996). Patients requiring interventional procedures may be suitable for a CT fluoroscopy (Wagner 2001). 5) Quality of results MRI is preferred for the brain and spine (where it is of overriding advantage), orthopaedics and the pelvis. MRI produces very accurate images of soft tissues but imaging time is longer and artefacts are caused by patient movement. It is likely it has reduced the number of knee arthroscopies (Stoner, 1995) and it is anticipated to reduce the number of invasive radiological investigations such as angiograms. MRI may develop a clinical role as investigating the actual function of the brain in neuropsychiatry (Callicott and Weinberger1999). CT is preferable for bone. In brain trauma, subarachnoid haemorrhage and acute cerebrovascular disease MRI is not as good as CT. Spiral CT is used for the lungs and abdomen and pelvis. It is valuable in detecting small lesions. It is helpful in trauma patients since the procedure is so quick. Spiral CT does lose a bit of resolution as compared with conventional CT and so for structures that are not moving conventional CT or MRI has the advantage. 6) Cost Cost considerations include those of initial purchase (or lease) set up and also running costs. Assistance in the procurement process is available from the Diagnostic Medical Equipment team which is working closely with the Department of Health in the optimising of value for money in the replacement of all MRI and CT scanners that are pre-1997. A 16 multislice CT scanner costs approximately  £500 000 whereas an MRI scanner is more at  £800 000; running costs are also more with MRI (Frank, 2003). Bowens and Smith (writing in 1999) state the costs of an MRI scanner are from  £400 000 for a 0.5T and  £750 000 for a 1.5T. They state the service contracts are around  £50 000 per year and that to lease a machine costs about  £120 000 per year. MRI may be more expensive to install since the magnet is large and heavy. The site may be unsuitable with regard to load bearing or access. In any case expense will be incurred in magnetic shielding. MRI is a relatively expensive imaging modality. Fletcher (1999) has analysed costs of acquiring and operating MRI in the NHS over a seven-year machine lifespan. Its staffing, upgrade, maintenance and running costs are all high. The cost of an MRI scan varies from  £30 to  £180 (Bowens and Smith, 1999). In evaluating costs it is necessary to look at the whole picture. The running costs of isolated MRI machines will be higher than where machines are grouped together. Smaller MRI scanners just for joint scanning use may prove cost effective (Marti-Bonmati Kormano, 1997). If a more expensive scanning modality saves on the costs of surgery then overall there may be economic gain. For instance MRI may avoid knee joint surgery (Bui-Mansfield 1997). It is important to ensure that it is actually replacing other investigations or surgery and not just adding to them (Hailey Marshall, 1995). Overall the cost effectiveness will depend on how appropriately the imaging modality is used. Regarding CT the X- Ray tubes are expensive. A helical scanner is likely to need one x-Ray tube replacement per year (possibly more frequently in the case of a multislice scanner) and this will cost approximately  £30000-40000 (Conall and Hanlon, 2002). Berry (1999) performed a systematic review finding little clinical or economic impact of spiral CT. Conclusion Although there has been away from MRI to helical CT in some clinical situations units will need access to both types of scan. Cooperation between different units is important in order to provide a comprehensive service to the population. It is likely that some patients such as orthopaedic outpatients should move to another unit for the scan. Computerised reporting makes off site scanning realistically closer. Choice of scanning modality is likely to ultimately depend upon collaboration with local units to develop a hub and spoke approach to providing cost effective services which are also effective and convenient for patients. References Book Fishman EK Jeffrey RB Spiral CT. Principles, Techniques and Clinical Applications. 2nd edition. 1998 Philadelphia. Lippincourt Raven. Articles Berry E et al A systematic literature review of spiral and electron beam computed tomography: with particular reference to clinical applications in hepatic lesions, pulmonary embolus and coronary artery disease. Health Technology Assessment, 1999; 3(18) Bui-Mansfield LT et al Potential cost savings of MR imaging obtained before arthroscopy of the knee: evaluation of 50 consecutive patients. American Journal of Roentgenology 1997; 168: 913-18 Callicott JH and Weinberger DR Neuropsychiatric dynamics: the study of mental illness using functional magnetic resonance imaging. European Journal of Radiology, 1999: 30(2): 95-104 Conall JGarvey CJ and Hanlon R Computed tomography in clinical practice BMJ 2002;324:1077-1080 Fletcher J et al The cost of MRI: changes in costs 1989-1996. British Journal of Radiology 1999; 72(5): 432-437 Duncan KR. The development of magnetic resonance imaging in obstetrics. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 1996; 55(4): 178-81 Frank J introduction to imaging Student BMJ 2003;11:393-436 Gould SW and Darzi A The interventional magnetic resonance unit the minimal access operating theatre of the future? British Journal of Radiology 1997; 70 (Special issue): S89-97 Kalender WA Spiral or helical CT; right or wrong?[letter] Radiology 1994; 193:583. Hailey D and Marshall D The place of magnetic resonance imaging in health care. Health Policy, 1995; 31: 43-52 Marti-Bonmati L Kormano M. MR equipment acquisition strategies: low-field or high-field scanners. European Radiology 1997; 7(Supplement 5): 263-68 Moore NR and Golding SJ Increasing patient throughput in magnetic resonance imaging: a practical approach. British Journal of Radiology, 1992; 470-75 26 National Radiological Protection Board. Patient dose reduction in diagnostic radiology. Didcot, 1990:1(3). Renowden SA and Anslow P. The effective use of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of acoustic neuromas. Clinical Radiology 1993; 48(1): 25-8 Roy P-M Colombet I and Durieux P et al Systematic review and meta-analysis of strategies for the diagnosis of suspected pulmonary embolism. BMJ2005;331:259 Royal College of Radiologists. A guide to the practical use of MRI in oncology. London RCR, 1999b Royal College of Radiologists. Making the best use of a department of clinical radiology: guidelines for doctors (2nd edition). London RCR, (3rd edition) 1993, (4th edition) 1998, (5th edition) 2003. Stoner DW. The knee. In: Seminars in Roentgenology 1995; 30: 277-93 Wagner LK. CT fluoroscopy: another advancement with additional challenges in radiation management. Radiology 2001; 216: 9-10 Reports Bowens A Smith I Magnetic resonance imaging: current provision and future demands. Nuffield Portfolio programme Report No3. Northern and Yorkshire RD Portfolio programme at the Nuffield Institute for Health. December 1999. Available at http://www.nuffield.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/portfolio/mri.pdf Royal College of radiologists Making the Best Use of a Department of Clinical Radiology Guidelines for Doctors. Fifth Edition 2003 BFCR(03)3 Making the Best Use of a Department of Clinical Radiology Guidelines for Doctors. Fifth Edition Websites British Association of MR Radiographers http://www.bamrr.net/ Department of Health www.dh.gov.uk Diagnostic Medical Equipment team http://www.pasa.doh.gov.uk/dme/radiology/mr.stm

Federalist versus Antifederalists Essays -- American government, Polit

From the birth of our Republic, Federalists and Antifederalist debated the nature of democracy and representation. One argument involved competing views of â€Å"communities of interest† and the nature of representation. Federalists desired a strong national government ruled by the political elite. Leaders should be isolated from the public and focus on making broad decisions at the national level. Antifederalists favor promotion of local interests through likeminded congressional representation. Government should be as close to the people as possible and representatives’ actions should be based on their constituent’s wishes. Political compromises were reached as demonstrated in the constitution and subsequent composition of congress. The debate concerning the nature of democracy and representation continues today, reflected in the differing and competing goals of redistricting, in part due to the vague nature and wording within the constitution. Both Fe deralist and Antifederalist views are reflected in modern politics however American politics has consistently moved towards an Antifederalist ideology since the decline in power of political parties. For the Antifederalists, â€Å"communities of interest† have a narrow definition, one which is both geographically and interest specific. Government should be close to the people; with direct democracy impractical, representation becomes necessary (FF 7, p.43). For representation to be accurate congressmen should reflect the local communities they represent; a large number of representatives with small constituencies are necessary to insure individual interests are entertained. Small constituencies provide a more intimate relationship; an increase in personal knowledge and communal... ...t government should be more accessible and is too far removed from the public. Evidence shows that congressmen are concerned with staying connected to districts and invest considerable time and energy being visible and available publically. Racial gerrymandering has provided unique descriptive representation opportunities but at the expense of historical geographic voting communities. People hate congress but love their incumbent due to a committee system which generally rewards seniority and personalized constituent services. The high reelection rate has resulted in the institutional memory desired by Federalists while partisan gerrymandering has made political seats safer on both sides of the isle. Both sides are partially represented in 21st Century politics but neither the Federalists nor Antifederalist would consider our current political climate ideal.

Abortion Essay -- essays research papers

ABORTION Abortion, in my opinion, has been one of the largest debataable issues in American Society. There are so many aspects and views to examine before one can even begin to form their own opinion. In order to discuss an important issue such as abortion, we must first understand what it means. Abortion is the ending of a pregnancy before the fetus has developed and grown enough to live outside the mother. When abortion happens naturally before the 20th week it is called a spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage. If it happens naturally after the 20th week it is termed a late fetal death or a still birth. An abortion caused by a medical procedure is called an induced abortion. Most induced abortion are performed in the first trimester or first 12 weeks after conception.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The abortion debate seems like an unresolable conflict of rights. The right of women to control their own bodies, and the right of children to be born. In the United States abortion became legal in 1973. Recently, courts have upheld the right of a woman to have an abortion, and as a result, has caused many heated debates. The opposing abortion groups are refered to as â€Å"pro-life† and â€Å"pro-choise.† The people who refer to themselves as pro-choise belive the woman has the right to choose for herself whether to have an abortion. It has nothing to do with the humanity of the fetus but is entirely about the womans freedom. They say every persoon has the right to live and move in freedom. A pregnant woman and her unborn child are one and the law should protect the woman’s right. They most often refer to the embryo as nothing â€Å"a blob.† Saying that the fetus is not alive because it can not live outside the womans womb. Furthermore they gone as far as saying the world is already over-populated. They claim abortion is a personal choice. Therefore an abortion is justified if the mother wants an abortion. Whereas pro-life people belive that destroying a human life is morally wrong and should be restricted. Their belive that the loss of one’s life is one of the greatest losses one can suffer. The loss of one’s life deprives one of all the experiences, activ ities, and enjoyments that would otherwise have constituted one’s future. In their eyes abortion is a sin. They claim that human lives are being taken at a rate of 1.5 million a year for convenience. Is abortion right or... ...he already has all the children she wants. Also she could be very young and her parents do not want her to have the baby. Abortions under these circumstances are similar because it’s the deliberate taking of a life just for convenience.. I belive a pregnant woman should seek counseling and advice before making a decision to have an abortion. Counseling early in the pregnancy is important for a positive outcome regardless of whether the pregnancy will continue or an abortion is chosen There is other options for instance the baby could be given up for adoption. Besides if you know you have had unpotected sex there is emergency contraception methods available to prevent pregnancy up to 72 hours after the unprotected sex accoured. There are so many birth control methods currently available for there to be any unwanted pregancies. With one exception for pregnancies tresulting from rape or incest. I feel in my heart that a human life should not be sacrificed because it is a gift from God. This is only my opinion. There are alot of arguments regarding abortion. They all provide food for thought. If you want to hear other arguments just bring up the subject at your next family gathering.

Black Panther Party Essay -- Politics Race

The Black Panther Party My survey paper for Assignment 4 is on the Black Panther Party. I will discuss the rise and the fall of the Black Panther Party and how Huey Newton and Bobby Seale met. I will also discuss some of the goals of the Black Panther Party, the good the party did for the black and poor communities. I will also discuss what they hoped to achieve from their movement. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party (BPP) in Oakland, California in 1966. The original name of the Black Panther Party was the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. Huey Newton was illiterate when he graduated from high school. Newton taught himself how to read. Seale had served in the Air Force. Newton and Seale met while both were attending Merritt Junior College in 1965. After Newton attended Merritt Junior College he studied law at the San Francisco School of Law. At Merritt Junior College they organized a Soul Student’s Advisory Council. This Council was the first group to demand that African-American studies be included in the college curriculum. The two men split with the council when Newton and Seale wanted to bring a squad of Black youths on campus to perform drills in commemoration of Malcolm X’s birthday the year after his death. This is when they formed the Black Panther Party. Newton was the Party’s Defense Minister and Seale was the Chairman. The Black Panther Party symbol, the panther, was adopted from an independent political party established by residents in Lowndes County, Alabama a year earlier. The symbol was chosen because the panther is a powerful image. To achieve their goals, Newton and Seale had a ten-point platform that demanded full employment, exemption of black men from the military and an end to police brutality among other things. The last point, point number ten was a summary of all of the other points. One of the main goals was to protect Black citizens against police brutality. Their message was self-defense. The Party originally preached violent revolution as the only means of achieving black liberation. The party called on blacks to arm themselves for the liberation struggle. Huey Newton studied law and spoke up when the police violated the civil rights of Black people. He made sure the search warrants were legal. The Black Panther Party had their own patrols to monitor the activities of the police in Black nei... ...n leader was shot to death while standing in the doorway of his home. The murder has never been solved. The Black Panther Party Ten-Point System 1. We want freedom. We want power to determine the destiny of our Black community. 2. We want the full employment of our people. 3. We want an end to robbery by the capitalist of our black communities. 4. We want decent housing, fit shelter of human beings. 5. We want education for our people that expose the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our true history and our role in the present day society. 6. We want all Black men to be exempt from military service. 7. We want an immediate end to police brutality and murder of Black people. 8. We want freedom for all Black men held in federal, state, county and city prisons and jails. 9. We want all Black people when brought to trial to be tried in a court by a jury of their peer group or people from their Black communities, as defined by the Constitution of the United States. 10. We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, and peace.

Lack of Connection between Educational Research and Practice Essay

Educational research is conducted on the premise that an expansion of knowledge in the area of classroom teaching should automatically lead to improvements in the classroom, not only with respect to teaching styles but also the academic progress of students. All the same, this enhancement of knowledge is not always welcomed by teachers (Kennedy, The Connection). According to Mary M.  Kennedy, the author of â€Å"The Connection between Research and Practice,† teachers may fail to apply new knowledge based on research for the following reasons: (1) The research is not authoritative or convincing enough to move teachers to alter their practices; (2) The teachers find it difficult to directly apply the new knowledge because they consider it irrelevant to their particular concerns or questions on the subject of teaching; (3) The research findings may not have been communicated in an understandable way; and (4) It is impossible for the educational system to accept the changes entailed by new research-based knowledge (Kennedy, The Connection). G.  Reid Lyon, the Chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, expresses dismay at the lack of connection between educational research and practice: Scientific research can inform beginning reading instruction. We know from research that reading is a language-based activity. Reading does not develop naturally, and for many children, specific decoding, word recognition, and reading comprehension skills must be taught directly and systematically. We have also learned that preschool children benefit significantly from being read to. The evidence suggests strongly that educators can foster reading development by providing kindergarten children with instruction that develops print concepts, familiarity with the purposes of reading and writing, age-appropriate vocabulary and language comprehension skills, and familiarity with the language structure. †¦One hopes that scientific research informs beginning reading instruction, but it is not always so. Unfortunately, many teachers and administrators who could benefit from research to guide reading instructional practices do not yet trust the idea that research can inform their teaching (Lyon). The lack of connection between educational research and practice astounds many researchers. Even so, this lack of connection is sometimes approved by researchers. In the case of reading, for example, there are researchers who perceive that theories are â€Å"neither practical nor profitable† given that reading is â€Å"a complex phenomenon (Calfee and Drum 183). † These researchers even assume that â€Å"theoretical analysis is unnecessary, if not impossible† in this area (Calfee and Drum 183). Thus, there appears confusion with regards to applying educational research in the classroom. Seeing that the educational researchers do not always agree amongst themselves, it is unsurprising that teachers find it hard to understand new research-based knowledge before they can apply it. Teachers may not only disagree with educational researchers, but they also disagree with education reformers that base their ideals on current educational research after sifting through the disagreements among researchers (Kennedy, Reform Ideals). Research suggests that the teaching practice is strongly influenced by the values of the teachers themselves (Aguirre and Speer; Brickhouse). In other words, teachers may simply disagree with educational research that blatantly conflicts with their beliefs about their practice. According to Argyris and Schon, such is the difference between â€Å"espoused theories† and â€Å"theories in use. † Despite the advice of researchers as well as reformers, teachers may simply find it impossible to apply educational research in the classroom when their own beliefs conflict with the ideals of others. Kennedy has experienced the conflict between teacher practice and expectations while teaching in a different culture. Working in Thailand, without immediately appreciating the practice of teaching expected in the new culture, she was rather confused about the method of teaching that she was expected to adopt. She believed that she was right in her teaching style; however, the expectations of the Thai school administrators and students differed. â€Å"It took me a long time to adjust my practice to accommodate their expectations,† she wrote later (Kennedy, Learning to Teach). Of course, if she had failed to adjust, she would have found it difficult to succeed in the new culture as a teacher. Educational research is meant to influence teacher practice (Kennedy, Means and Ends). Nevertheless, resistance to change is a reality that must be confronted by all organizations, whether they are academic in nature or purely for profit. Teachers may believe that a certain educational finding is irrelevant to their concerns or questions about teaching. Still, the real reason why teachers do not always apply current educational research in the classroom is that they believe that their own practices are correct at any given time. In spite of Kennedy’s focus on the connection between educational research and practice, it took her a â€Å"long time to adjust† to a new culture of schooling. Given that educational research is growing by leaps and bounds nowadays, it is but natural for other teachers also to take a long time to adjust to new knowledge in the classroom. Change may sometimes be imposed upon the teachers, as in the case of new technologies that must be adopted in our times in a large number of schools around the globe (Bell, Codde and Bell). When change is not imposed upon the teachers, it is difficult for them to decide on the kinds of changes to adopt and disregard. According to a website on education: Educational research is potentially a great resource for supporting learner-centered practices, but there is a disjuncture between the worlds of the educational researcher and the practitioner (whether faculty member, instructional technologist, or learning designer). A few ears ago at the International Conference on Learning Sciences held in Ann Arbor, keynote speaker Linda Roberts commented on a 500+ page proceeding, saying â€Å"This is fabulous, relevant, and meaningful work†¦ the only problem is: no one who needs it is going to read it. † That is, there is not much of a bridge between research and practice (â€Å"Bridging Teaching and Learning Research and Practice†). Educational research has consistently focused on student-centered practices. Nonetheless, the constantly growing amount of research is expected to bewilder teachers about the appropriate teaching styles to adopt at any given time. The adoption of new technologies was considered necessary change. In cases where change is not considered urgent, however, there is bound to remain a wide gap between educational research and teacher practice. As mentioned previously, even educational researchers disagree about the kinds of changes that must be considered relevant or irrelevant. Hence, teachers are left with no choice but to take â€Å"a long time to adjust. † Teachers may additionally choose not to adjust to new knowledge. This is because the teacher’s values are imperative in the classroom. His or her belief system may not concede to a certain change in teaching style. Besides, change is often very difficult to adjust to. Hence, the lack of connection between educational research and practice is unavoidable in reality.

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STUDENT CAREER ESSAY What Do You Want to Be? D o you see yourself as the next great American inventor? Maybe you’re thinking about becoming a lawyer, an architect, a filmmaker or a photographer. There are as many career options out there as there are stars in the sky, so when it comes to your future — think big! You may change your mind about a career as you get older, but it’s important to have information about all types of careers as early in life as possible. Whatever you want to do, education beyond high school can help you make the most of your life.You can find information on all types of careers, and the education and training needed for each, at the websites listed below. You can explore other resources, or talk with someone who does this type of work, to find out even more about what you want to be. After you’ve researched the career you’re interested in, follow the instructions for writing an essay. Essay Instructions ? The essay should b e 200 to 300 words. (That’s about as long as these instructions, without the websites listed below. ) Be creative — make up your own title.Include your name. Tell us what career is of interest to you and why. What type of education or training will you need for the career? What are the opportunities for this type of work in the future? Tell us what steps you took to learn about this career. Don’t forget to pay attention to spelling and grammar while writing the essay. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? You can also view these instructions and the websites below at www. MatchThePromise. org. (Your parents can find information on essay scoring criteria on Page 5 of the Description and Application Instructions. Dream big! The future is waiting for you. Helpful Career Websites http://www. careeronestop. org/StudentsandCareerAdvisors/ExploreCareersStudents. aspx CareerOneStop Explore occupations and industries to plan your future. Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment an d Training Administration. Kids. gov http://kids. usa. gov/teens-home/jobs/index. shtml View occupations in different career fields. From the U. S. General Services Administration, Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. My Next Move http://www. ynextmove. org Describe your dream career in a few words, browse careers by industry or answer questions about work you might enjoy. Also find careers with a bright outlook. Created for the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, by the National Center for O*NET Development. (continued on back) Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts CAREER ESSAY Helpful Career Websites (cont’d) What Do You Like? http://www. bls. gov/k12/ Explore career information based on what you like to do. Kids’ career pages from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www. bls. gov/ooh Search by occupation group, or search by pay, education, training and projected growth rate, to find information for hundreds of different careers. From the U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every Chance Every Texan http://everychanceeverytexan. org/texasjobs/ View top jobs in Texas, and the education and training needed for each. Also view the state’s top industries. From the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.Texas Reality Check http://www. texasrealitycheck. com When you’re out on your own, you’ll need to pay for housing, transportation, clothes, entertainment and other expenses. Find out how much money you might need and which careers will pay for those needs. Brought to you by the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Education Agency. Texas CARES http://www. texascaresonline. com/wowmenu. asp Explore opportunities based on your work values and interests. Search by career title, occupation group, keyword and more. Also find out about new and emerging careers.From the Texas Workforce Commission. BigFuture https://bigfuture. collegeboard. org/majors-careers Explore college majors and career options. Also select an interest to explore related careers. By The College Board. CareerShip http://mappingyourfuture. org/planyourcareer/careership/ Match your career interests, review careers by clusters (occupations and industries that share common features) or search by keyword. Product of Mapping Your Future, a public-service website. Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts 96-1724 (9/12)