Consulting For A Local Record Label Essay

1. Introduction I have been hired as an E-commerce consultant by a local established record label. They are keen to exploit the potential of the global market by expanding their customer and client base and capitalizing on the growing trade in downloading music. Definition of E-commerce extracted from â€Å"E-commerce is a way of doing real-time business transactions via telecommunications networks, when the customer and the merchant are in different geographical places. Electronic commerce is a broad concept that includes virtual browsing of goods on sale, selection of goods to buy, and payment methods. Electronic commerce operates on a bona fide basis, without prior arrangements between customers and merchants. E-commerce operates via the Internet.† 2. Methodology I will be using the following websites to investigate the questions set in this assignment. Yahoo Google HMV Virgin 3. Findings From my research I found that the ongoing development of technology particularly in the World Wide Web has headed millions of companies to take advantage of setting up an internet website where their products and services can be sold and thus maximize the profits of the company by reaching their target market. The benefits of E-commerce developed for the music industry are as follows: In order for record labels, musicians, music stores, and individuals who have an interest in generating profits out of selling music, they identified a gap in the market place called E-commerce and penetrated here to maximize their profits By entering into E-commerce, these companies maximize their profits by fighting against piracy. The benefits of consumers are acquiring quality music at a cheaper price and most importantly legally. The consumers also benefit from peaking up their favorite tracks or the entire album Companies such as HMV entice consumers by offering over one million tracks downloadable over their website. The software that is used to download these tracks is available online or in stores of the company free. It is easy and fast to download music and there is technical support and advice offered to individuals experiencing difficulties in setting up the software. Another advantage of E-commerce is that companies such as HMV do not require have staff (apart from technical workers) which is very cost effective as it minimizes the costs of the company. Customers can shop 24/7 at their convenience. There is always the product they need and thus their needs are met more efficiently and their perception will not change. Moreover, HMV slightly repositions their market place by differentiating their product range which now includes many products which are needed to listen to digital music in the form of MP3. One of these products are MP3 players and an IPod shown below. Customers can also benefit from managing their own music collection and burning their music to CDs concurrently complying with the law. The price is very affordable and reasonable as it meets the needs of diverse types of customers. Please see the price list of HMV Digital Music: Choice A Choice B Choice C Unlimited access à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.99 a month right to burn the music to CDs Limited access 50 tracks à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.99 a month Individual tracks or entire tracks The price varies The customers are allowed to listen to 30 seconds the music they are interested in buying prior to their purchase. It takes very little time to download a song. Depending in the internet connection: Broadband – 1 to 2 minutes a 4 minute song and Dial up which can take up to 15 minutes respectively. Another similar company is only based online is MSN Music (shown below) at music.msn.com. It has a similar approach as HMV. The prices and product range are very competitive. MSN Music Price List Option one Option two à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.60 an individual track à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.50 – à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12.00 (the price depends on the popularity of an artist/band and how new the album is) 4. Conclusion I have found that the majority of respondents recognized the IPod. However, not many of them could afford to buy one. Therefore, the IPod is currently available for people who have a high disposable income which means that the ones who suffer from poverty or are looking for value for money are not able to buy digitalized music. There are other companies that produce similar to iPod products: Nokia’s N91 is specifically designed music phone which carries out functions as the iPod and it also plays video clips. Another company which produces music phones is Motorola, Motorola iTunes Phone which has been in the market for a 3 months (August 2005). It has gor similar functions as has the iPod. Arguably, there are many other companies which produce very similar products such as MP3 players which are much cheaper. However, my research showed that despite the availability of products such as MP3 players, customers still prefer to buy traditional CDs. This may be because of not being able to use the Internet or special software to download music as well as the fact that not many people have a computer. Also, the majority of the respondents did not recognize the websites of companies such as MSN music or HMV, i.e. these companies are not efficient in making sure that people are aware of the availability of online music which can be downloaded legally. In my personal opinion, CDs will soon become old-fashioned as the influence of independent label companies and online businesses selling digitalized music will attract more customers as it is more convenient as the customers can listen to the songs they want to download and also it is cheaper and time effective. Prices will and are coming down.

Mary Prince Biography

After reading Mary Prince autobiography a West Indian slave, I was inspired by her story that I knew for it would be great for my final assignment paper.My thesis is even though, Mary Prince life improved when she moved to England – she made money, got her book published, received better treatment from an employer not a slave owner – She never achieved her goal to be a free person in the eyes of the law after she left her slave owner Mr. Wood, she didn’t gained her freedom and die a slave. Mary Prince was born in Brackish Pond, Bermuda in 1788, her mother was enslaved in the household of Mr. Charles Myners and father was a sawyer. She was bought along with her mother by old captain Darrel and given to his grandchild, little Betsey. After the death of her master she was sold several masters who mistreated her to the point that she had enough and decided to leave her slave owner Mr. Wood to seek help to gain her freedom in London with the Anti-Slavery society. Prince had earlier sought the help of the Anti-Slavery Society, who had obtained a lawyer's opinion that, while she was free in Britain, this would not affect her legal status as a slave if she were to return to Antigua. While she wished to be reunited with her husband, she was naturally reluctant to risk a return to slavery, particularly as she had ample reason to fear the vindictiveness and ill will of the Woods. Repeated efforts were made by Pringle and the Anti†Slavery Society to persuade John Wood to agree to sell Prince her freedom, but he persisted in his refusals. In 1829 Pringle also organized the submission of a petition from Prince to the British Parliament in an attempt to have her declared free.

The analysis of polish economy based on IS-LM model through last 60 Term Paper

The analysis of polish economy based on IS-LM model through last 60 years (from 1950-2010) - Term Paper Example To understand the economic trend of Poland as a nation, it is vital to revisit the country’s history on a brief note of hoe it came into existence. Poland’s history can be traced back to 840 AD, where Slavic tribes inhabited Polish land. During this period upto around 1080, they experienced a number of challenges and misfortunes, ranging from corruption in their noble ancestral land, to the fear of facing invasion by foreign and neighboring nations. The partition of Poland first began in the 18th century when the Russian State organized invasion of the country in 1764, after they realized the feeble state in which Poland languished. Immediately after taking over Poland, Russia subdivided the country between themselves and their closest ally states. The country’s division took place into three partitions namely, Austria, Prussia and Russia. In the years to come especially between 1946 and 1947 communism took toll in Poland, integrating the country into the Soviet Union as a proxy state (Keynes 30) This meant that Poland joined the league of all countries under the Communist banner and rule. After the World War I and World War II in which Poland was involved in, parliamentary elections took place in 1947 and the Communist Social Party garnered over 85% of the votes hence, taking rule over Poland making it a Communist State. In regards to business and economy, IS-LM Structures, is a model, which helps in assessing sales revenue, with the help of a microeconomic data. This is possible through the testing of statistical data against the revenue, through the IS-LM model projected data that shows the sequence and time of the microeconomic data. The IS symbolizes the Income Spending whereas, LM symbolizes the Lending and Money supply. The IS-LM structure was introduced by Sir John Hicks, and has been vital in the wake of elaborating major economic terms in the Keynesian Microeconomics dating back in 1937 (Hicks 155) The IS-LM structure involves two economic graphs converging, one denotes income and savings and the other graph denotes the supply and demand of money. The vital variables in this model are the interest and income. According to Scholars like Mark Hayes in his book, The Economics of Keynes, income is a dependant variable, which is influenced by Intrest, which is the independent variable. In the LM curve, interest rate is the one influenced by income, which is now the independent variable. Despite this explanation, Hayes argues that, according to proposed variables by Keynes, most economist experts lose bearing in the IS-LM model. He states that, liquidity, consumption and income are the independent variables (Keynes 32) In the wake of 1970s, Poland underwent a serious negative change economically, when their highly priced economy base fell on the decline to its worst. Part of the problems included, unfavorable weather and economic targets, which had not been met. The prices of commodities rose up and out of control for people of the middle class level and lower class to afford. With the harsh economic times, many people turned to rioting as their cause of action, a move that did not go down well with the government, forcing them to result in drastic measures by taking matters in their own capacity (Hicks 149) The government declared a one-week state of emergency following the distorted economic state in the country. These helped in curbing the ongoing riots, but it was of no use since, many

The IRIS Center Module Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The IRIS Center Module - Essay Example In the challenge provided about Maria, how her teacher Mr. Bennett and the school respond to her situation, is a practical example of cultural influence and ignorance. In this case, there is failure by the teacher and the school to address the problem at hand, which is Maria’s bilingualism and cultural influence. This is due to the fact that, despite the heavy influence that her cultural background has on her, the teacher continues using the same mode of teaching instruction as he uses on other students. There lacks a deliberate effort to understand and address her linguistic dilemma and cultural influence since she has lived in Mexico most of her life hence, this can create a communication barrier during learning. Moreover, the school has not taken any measure to improve her proficiency in the use of English as a mode of communication in both speaking and writing. This is in view of the fact that this is the language she is expected to use in learning and which plays a critic al role in her overall academic performance. Introducing a special programme for her and for other students with similar problems where they get to learn both written and spoken language so as to be at a level playing field with their language proficient colleagues would really assist in addressing Maria’s problem to a large extent. ... As a result, she lacks the necessary motivation to concentrate since she feels completely out of place. Secondly, language barrier may be a major factor affecting Maria. Since English is a second language to her, it is the dominant language in her school and consequently in her learning hence, she may experience problems if she is still in the early stages of developing proficiency in its usage. This is exhibited by the slow development of her reading and even participation in class. Concerning her ability to chat with other children in English, it is important to note at which stage she is at as an English learner. This is important because the various stages of learning stages lead to both Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP), which are two types of language proficiency. In this case, Maria may be having acquired the BICS type to be able to communicate only at a social level and therefore not able to exhibit the same aca demically (York, 2006). The perception that Maria’s parents may be indifferent to their daughter’s education may be misplaced. This is in light of the fact that they may have some personal reasons holding them back based on their culture or the school and the teacher have not used the appropriate forms of communication. A major personal reason why the may have not responded to Mr. Bennett’s instructions may include their limited language skills. Moreover, the notes sent to them via Maria may be in English or translated in formal writing that is hard for them to understand considering they just moved from Mexico. This only shows that there is lack of effective communication

Individual Counselling Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual Counselling - Assignment Example Social work and human services should translate into viable solutions for the clients and user of their services. The role of the counsellor is to facilitate the process of unlocking the doors of the prison caused for a great variety of reasons. O'Connor et al state that "The challenge of social work practice lies in its complexity and diversity. On a daily basis social workers engage with people, groups and communities who are most damaged by social and economic structures and by the consequent ways of living and coping. Social workers often feel limited in their roles because of the particular policies of government or the organizations that employ them and many are overworked because of staff shortages or lack of funding." (O'Connor et al, 2006, p. ix). So the role of a counsellor has to be aligned with the role of social work practice that "seeks to promote human well-being and to redress human suffering and injustice. Practitioners aim to mobilize the forces of the individual, community and state to address the processes by which individuals and groups are marginalized or diminished in their capacity to participate as citizens. Such practice maintains a particular concern for those who are most exclude from social, economic or cultural processes or structures." (O'Connor et al, 2006, p. 1). On the other hand, as Chenoweth and McAuliffe advise to the social work students the following remarks are pertinent in the context of acquiring fundamental counselling skills: "Prepare yourself to be challenged about your views of the world and your morals and values. You will learn to articulate your position on many importan tareas of social interest as you become more immersed in the learning experiece and more exponed to the viewpoints of others. "Be prepared to challenge others and learn to do so in a constructive way, mindful at all times that differences in the cultural experiences of others must be respected. Listening to different experiences and perspectives helps you become more aware of cultural sensitivities and to clarify your views and opinions." (Chenoweth and McAuliffe, 2005, p. 3) As it can be seen from the statements below individual counselling is a real challenge that has to be tackle with an open mind and flexibility in order to be of help to the clients and users of human services: "Clients and users of social services will teach you the most you will do in the future. It is only through listening to the stories of those who have experienced loss, trauma, disability, alienation, discrimination or isolation that you can ever hope to respect the uniqueness of an individual's experiences. These people will also share their experiences of hope, optimism, resilience, survival and growth, giving you an understanding of the importance of people realising their potential and the power of change processes. Not only are clients to be found in hospital wards or in homeless shelters -they are within reaching distance of all of us, in our social circles, our familias, our workplaces. Learn to listen, and listen to

Management and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management and Leadership - Essay Example Most organizations would only hire those individuals suitable for a particular position and the one they are mostly suited. Further, workers must be trained in their respective positions to ensure that there is improved productivity as well as personal career development. The training would be on how to perform the job and the best standards to be applied (Koestenbaun, 2002). Early Approach to Classical Administration The scientific approach to management focuses on the overall productivity of employees. However, classical administration approach to administration places much importance on the total organization. The most important aspect is on the development of good management practices rather than the development of work methods. In any organization, for effective management, there has to be effective flow of information from the top managers to the subordinates. Effective communication reduces the amount of time spent in unproductive duties. Communicating effectively ensures that employees are able to spend most of their time doing constructive and beneficial duties to the organization. Further, effective communication fosters unity between the management and the employees. This can eliminate problems of industrial actions that result due to lack of understanding between the management and the employees. In classical administration, most companies were managed on a personal family like basis. The employees in the organization were expected to be submissive to their managers rather than to the organization (Lussier & Achua, 2009). Tesco Management Model Tesco management model states that employees must be given a chance to meet their full potential. In carrying out their duties, they should not be discriminated against due to age, gender, disability, ethnicity or sexual operation. Due to these factors, Tesco has been able to rise from a small retail supermarket to the world’s fourth largest retail market. Good leaders and managers must ensure that the ir employees are given a chance to contribute to the wellbeing of the organization. This can only be achieved through effective communication. The diversity approach to management at Tesco ensures that all levels of the society are represented in the organization. Tesco aims at employing local people as well as developing them to become effective leaders in the development of the business. Further, Tesco does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin. Understanding among various ethnic groups is the basic priority of Tesco. This ensures that corporation among employees is ensures. Lloyds TSB's Management Model Lloyds TSB is major banking and insurance group in the UK with several other branches in more than 30 countries across the world. Their main aim is to be the best bank in the world. Measures of performance at Lloyds TSB are geared towards the faster completion of task completion. This is the best example of accompany that employs bureaucratic form of governance. Measureme nt of performance is not towards goal accomplishments but task completion, and the process revolved around the bureaucratic process of form filling. Most employees are required to sign up to some common agreed upon goals (Lloyds TSB,2012). The first goal is finance. Employees at the organization are expected to maximize income and optimize cost so as to bring about increased revenues. Secondly, employees must be able to maximize the number of new customers, products and services which are sold in the organizat

What did Christopher accomplish in his quest of finding the truth on Essay

What did Christopher accomplish in his quest of finding the truth on who killed the dog - Essay Example You also have to understand how machines work and I’m good at understanding how machines work. You also have to be someone who would like being on their own in a tiny space-craft thousands and thousands of mile† quote from chapter 83 Quote 3. â€Å"Mr. Jeavons said that I liked maths because it was safe. He said I liked maths because it meant solving problems, and these problems were difficult and interesting but there was always a uncomplicated answer at the end. And what he meant was that maths wasn’t like life because in life there are no straightforward answers at the end.† Explanation of collage. Pictures from 1 to 5 is the plot of the story from finding the mystery of the dog’s death then going further to the complicated life of Christopher and his discoveries. Being an autistic child, it was hard for him to accept the truth of his father’s lies, and he had to go away to find his place outside of his father’s authority. The story does not end in finding who the real killer was, but in discovering truths hidden from him. Finally, we find Christopher escaping and finding his place in the real world, where he excels in. Justifications for chosen quotation. Quote no. 1 is appropriate as it signals beginning of the story and investigation. Although far from murder, Quote 2 in picture 3 is chosen as it showed Christopher’s desire to get out after he discovered the truths. Quote 3 suggests that he finds solving problems in math easier to do than solving mysteries in life. Then Quote 4 finds Chris dreaming he is alone and finding life easier when those bothering him are gone. Quotes and scenes came from (Haddon,

Terrorism (Historical Analysis) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Terrorism (Historical Analysis) - Essay Example When a terrorist target is focused and isolated, such as when the Unabomber attacked University faculty, there is little public outcry for compassion for the victims. Yet, when the country is faced with the graphic images of the Twin Towers disaster and the massive loss of life, the social agenda focuses on caring for the victims and the survivors. Modern terrorism has presented the world with a new definition of terrorism and is in search of a new definition of victimization. Modern terrorism has its roots in the 1970s and the wave of airline hijackings during that period. This was a move away from attacking strategic targets to the taking of innocent hostages as victims in an effort to create a threatening public display (Rapoport 421). The hostage taking at the US embassy in Tehran presented a new dynamic to the American people. The media provided an endless stream of pictures of Americans being held captive and the terrorism became more personal as the public was able to relate to the victims. Religious extremism became even more apparent in the 1980s as numerous Middle East countries that facilitated terrorist organizations began to directly threaten the security of the US at home and abroad (Shuggart 29). However, until the turn of the 21st century foreign attacks against Americans would remain overseas. Because they were out of the public eye, they remained largely out of the public consciousness. The attacks were sporadic and seemed to have no log ical target. This was in keeping with the characteristic of terrorism of focusing on an indirect and innocent target that could be used as negotiating power. September 11, 2001 forever changed the way Americans would view terrorism and the way that they would perceive the victims. The 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the first time that the public would mobilize to generate aid for the victims of terrorism ("A

Planning, Assessment and Evaluation of Learning Essay

Planning, Assessment and Evaluation of Learning - Essay Example The curriculum is based on P3 to P6 levels for assessing the progress made. The paper will discuss the effectiveness of the planning, teaching and evaluation as well as the need for assessment of the learning in the context of a learning plan for special children. The choices for different learning approaches are justified by drawing from various learning theories. The Ideals of Special Education Every child has his or her own potential. High standard education for special children is one where the individual potential of the child is recognized and promoted. The philosophy of teaching should focus on a learner centric approach, with the child taught through different ways to encourage learning. Ideal learning and teaching requires that the child is the centre of the learning experience and all learning activities are planned and organized taking into consideration the specific learning needs of the child. The child has a range of activities to choose from, carried out under the supe rvision of the teacher to facilitate and enhance learning. According to Vygotsky, learning is arbitrated or facilitated by teachers in the environment that pupils find themselves in and that a major proportion of the facilitation is brought about by communication via language (Woolfolk 2006). Education should focus on the integration of the experiences of the child with their mental maturation. This is exemplified by the constructivism approach presented by Piaget. Piaget contended that the â€Å"interaction between biological maturation and experience† is the underlying mechanism for the progression of the child along the different stages of cognitive development (Sigelman & Rider 2008). The current learning theories, no matter what they emphasize on, have a central element common to them all- all theories encompass â€Å"participation in relationship and community transformation both of the person and of the social world† (Office of Learning and Teaching 2005). These activities are instrumental in encouraging learning through different learning styles; thus, children can maximize their learning by following the learning style that suits them the most. Encouraging pupils to discover and use their learning styles is a successful approach to learning. Kolb’s learning cycle also highlights the same phenomenon. He suggested four levels of learning which constitute the learning cycle: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation (Smale & Fowlie 2009). Kolb asserted that learning can occur at any one of these levels. Honey and Mumford furthered upon this learning model and suggested learning styles that corresponded to each level. They suggested that activists are those who learn from concrete experience, reflectors from reflective observation, theorists from abstract conceptualization and pragmatists from active experimentation (Smale & Fowlie 2009). This follows that people have their own unique styles of learning and learning can be acquired through the effective use of any of these styles. According to Every Child Matters, a prime priority in learning these days is personalized learning and evaluates the value being given to education in schools and provision of more specialist services for children with special needs (Teacher Training Resource Bank 2011). Key Stage 3 and P levels Typically, Key Stage is a legal terminology used to describe the pupils in Year 7, 8 and 9,

Global Business Cultural Analysis of Switzerland Research Paper

Global Business Cultural Analysis of Switzerland - Research Paper Example Switzerland is primarily a multicultural nation, despite its small size. The nation has four official languages, including German, French, Italian, and Romansch, with German as the most common language used for teaching in schools and reading of newspapers (Levin, 2002). With such a multicultural dimension, Switzerland remains a readily available prime test market for the European nations, used for the introduction of new technology products and services before such products are nationally launched to other global markets. The situation in Switzerland clearly shows that cultural diversity plays a significant role in enhancing global business, considering that the aspect of cultural diversity in Switzerland, establishes it as one of the best business hubs in the global perspective. Major Elements and Dimensions of Culture in SwitzerlandSeveral major elements and dimensions of culture occur in Switzerland, each of which distinguishes people of a particular culture to another based on t heir different preferences on the dimensions. The elements and dimensions of culture in Switzerland; therefore, include communication, Religion, Ethics, Values and Attitudes, Manners, Customs, Social Structures, Organizations. Communication ideally is one of the most important aspects every cultural setting. Being a multi-lingual nation, Switzerland has four major languages German, which takes up approximately 70% of the population’s main communication language, French, Italian, and Romansh.

Language Arts Action Research Essay Example for Free

Language Arts Action Research Essay Classroom Management Inquiry: An Applied Study of Language Arts Data Zoo Southern Illinois university Daredevils Brian Walker Johnson, Literacy Faculty Inquiry into Teaching and Learning Project CLC 445 Language Arts at Elementary and Middle Levels November 22, 2013 Classroom Management Inquiry: An Applied Study of Language Arts The main phenomenon I have concentrated on throughout my Inquiry into Teaching and Learning Project for my applied study of language arts Is the role that speaking, writing, viewing, visually representing, reading and listening play in the management of an elementary school classroom. I have come to understand that classroom management is one of the hardest duties off beginning teacher. Being respected by students and colleagues is what establishes a teacher as an authority, and effective classroom management is a start towards this goal. Managing my students has been the hardest part of my school experience thus far, and I hoped that allowing language arts to become an active part of my management processes would allow my students to think more critically about their actions. When I began his inquiry study, I believed that writing classroom rules together, reading classroom rules critically, speaking and listening to how rules are applied, and viewing and visually representing class rules in daily walk and conversation might give students a sense of ownership over their classroom and greater respect for teachers. I thought the benefit of using language arts for classroom management might be measured by closer examination of critical conversations students have when rules are broken. So I proposed the following action research question: How does student behavior hanged when students read, write, speak, listen, view, or visually represent apparent misbehaver? Waxier (2007) suggests that written action plans which give older elementary students responsibility for their actions changes misbehaver. Research by Smith (2009) demonstrates that the use of other language arts with preschoolers can have the same effect. Reading these studies motivated me to pursue classroom arts. Method Secondary Sources to Answer Research Question I began my research into how student behavior changes when language arts are integrated into classroom management practices by reviewing two secondary resources. My first source, Blending Effective Behavior Management and Literacy Strategies for Preschoolers Exhibiting Negative Behavior by Smith (2009), was published in a peer reviewed early childhood education Journal specializing in articles that summarize a number of experimental studies. Smiths (2009) summary of research gave the ideas in the article greater validity. Some of the findings Smith (2009) shared described classroom management techniques I have personally experienced as effective. Smiths (2009) findings are limited to studies done with reechoes students, but I believe the findings can be used with older students as well. Unlike Smith (2009), my second source, Waxier (2007), was not published in a peer reviewed Journal. Washers eBook, teach: A Teacher Resource for Learning the Strategies of Master Teachers, was self-published. However, the authors online biography points to decades spent as a professional teacher and consultant who has helped hundreds of elementary teachers improve their classroom management. Waxier, like Smith, also describes a number of management techniques that I have found to be helpful in the past. Primary Source Data to Answer Research Question I continued my research into how student behavior changes when language arts are integrated into classroom management practices by collecting primary sources of data from my third grade classroom. The third grade classroom where I student teach is located in Roseville, Illinois, near the Mississippi River Just north of SST. Louis, Missouri. The third grade at Roseville Elementary School consists of 25 Caucasian students, 13 boys and 12 girls. Well over 70% of these students are on free or reduced lunch programs, suggesting that their families are struggling with poverty. However, the academic achievement of these students is especially high in language arts, evidenced by the schools online report card. These students may represent an exception to the thought that poverty dictates low academic achievement. I began my research into how elementary student behavior changes when language arts are integrated into classroom management practices by conducting classroom observations and collecting artifacts. My classroom observations were done by filling out five observations forms over 1 5 minute intervals over a period of six weeks. I simply observed moments in the life of my student teaching classroom where misbehaver was occurring. Then, using the left hand column of my observation form, I wrote what I saw my teacher and student informants doing during these 15-20 minute snapshots of instruction, scripting the instruction to the best of my ability. I included exactly what I heard and saw. On the same days I made my observations, I went home and read over what I had written. Then, using the right hand column of my observation form, I summarized the instructional moments I saw in my written observations that I thought related to engage arts instruction and changing student misbehaver. Finally, in a different column that: 1) documented which of the language arts were being used in the instructional moment you summarized; 2) described how I thought an additional element of language arts could have been incorporated into the instructional moment. Together with artifacts including written action plans by students to correct misbehaver, photos of room arrangement, copies of class rules, and student/teacher interviews, patterns of how misbehaver changed as a result of language arts applications began to emerge. I believe these patterns are valid because they are supported by three different kinds of primary source data: my observations, informant interviews, and classroom artifacts. My initial primary source data response to the question, How does student behavior change when students read, write, speak, listen, view, or visually represent apparent misbehaver? , emerged after examining data collected midway through my study with colleagues in my Language Arts at Element ary and Middle Levels class at Southern Illinois University Daredevils. I began to see at first that Reading, writing, or speaking about subversive changes misbehaver. As I continued to gather data, it became evident that all of the language arts gave misbehaving students opportunities for reflection that changed misbehaver. Results Results of my analysis of primary source data in the form of five 1 5 minute observations over five weeks, three student interviews, one cooperating teacher interview, and seven artifacts of student work in classroom management demonstrate that use of all of the six language arts gave misbehaving students opportunities for reflection that changed their misbehaver.

Mental Health And Community Care Report

Mental Health And Community Care Report 1.0 Introduction This report will explore on mental health and community care within the historical view of community care and the impact of ideological perspectives that have influenced it. It will further analyse the benefits and shortfalls since its implementation, taking into account the impact of the 1990 NHS Community Care Act and current reforms will be considered. Again, the effects of poverty and social exclusion for those accessing community Care will be discussed. The author will further consider key aspects of mental health and the gradual transition from insitutionalisation to deinstitutionalisation (community care) since the early 1950s will be discussed. Recommendations shall be made regarding, especially, how the mental health system (including community care) could be improved. HISTORY In the pre-medieval period people believed that mental illness was a result of the possession of the human body (patient) by evil spirits. In order to get these perceived evil spirits out they drilled holes in the skull of such people. Andreasen (2001) tries to give credence to this by mentioning that scientists have found fossils of drilled skulls that are about 10,000 years old. During the middle ages a belief in Europe was that witchcraft was the reason for mental illness. As a punishment such people with mental illness were killed by burning, hanging or drowning. Some were put in government institutions called poorhouses. By the 1500s many European nations had built special institutions to separate the mentally ill from the rest of society. One of the most famous of such institutions was the St. Mary of Bethlehem in London which was built in 1247 and declared a hospital exclusively for the insane by 1547 It is widely known widely known as Bedlam. According to Butcher et al (2009) , inmates suffered from unsanitary conditions, beatings and other harsh treatment. This included violent patients being used for shows display shows for the public to pay and watch, while gentler patients were sent to beg for charity on the streets. A lot has changed in the United Kingdom especially with the relative improvement in the mental health institutions or hospitals and also with the emphasis on community care since the 1950s. In fact some see care in community, usually referred to as community care in as a replacement for hospitalization and any other form of institutionalization of people with mental ill health. However, these historical perspectives of mental illness can stick in peoples minds, and can still cause stigma today. Goffman(1961) Community Care Skidmore (1997) describes community care to be the various services available to help individuals manage their physical and mental health problems in the community with dignity and independence in order to avoid social isolation. Similarly, Clough and Hadley (1996) explained that community care can be means of providing the right level of intervention and support to enable people to attain utmost autonomy and control over their own lives. The author notes that in order for these to be achieved, it will require support by formal and informal carers input The development of community mental health care has evolved over a period of years as opposed to institutional care. Goffman (1961) stated that social and political changes influenced the movement away from isolation of mentally ill in old Victorian asylums towards their integration into the community. Currently, there are various services that have been put in place to support people who have mental health problems and are leaving in the community. These services includes (Sainsbury centre of mental health 2003) HISTORY Community care has historically always been financed through a mixed economy financed by both the state and by users charges, and provided by voluntary sector organisations, commercial profit organisations, the state and the family (Lewis. J). Social scientist have made an association with informal care to family member participation. Informal care has historically been the origins of the present day community care. The origins of the term community care appear too traced back to the Royal Commission on Mental Health and Mental deficiency (1957) which notes The Development of Community Care (Bulmar 1987). However community care has a multiple meaning (Bulmar 1987) and historical official use failed to distinguish these differences. problem as it is a product in part of at least, the impact of political process and policy development. According to Levites et al (2007), Social exclusion is a difficult and multi-dimensional process which involves the lack or denial of resources, rights, goods and services, and the inability to participate in the normal relationships and activities, available to the majority of people in a society, whether in economic, social, cultural or political arenas. Similarly, Townsend (1979) defines poverty as the absence or inadequacy of those diets, amenities, standards, services and activities which are common or customary in society. I will argue from the above definition that, social exclusion and poverty are linked. Pierson (2009) argues that government likes to use the term to hide poverty. Barker (2003) stated that in recent years the government has launched a range of initiatives to help tackle social exclusion and reduce inequalities which has specific objectives relating to education health, employment, crime prevention and wider social well being. These initiatives include the nee d for communities to put into action; supportive and innovative approaches in order to promote local involvement to support people with mental health problems, as this will minimize exclusion. The structure of care in the community (in relation with mental health) can lead to poverty because many people who experience mental distress, experience stigma and discrimination as well. These issues may make it hard for them to find adequate housing or access employment. As a result, people can become seriously isolated and excluded from society. If this also includes being excluded from working life, then this may lead to poverty. Social Exclusion Unit (2004). Usual Mental Health Professional Team There is now a range of more specialist community mental health teams (CMHTs) in the United Kingdom (UK) these includes: Home treatment, Crisis intervention, Early Intervention, First episode psychosis, ABT (assessment and brief treatment), Continuing care, Rehabilitation, Assertive Outreach and Forensic services. These teams are as a reform to government policy to promote community care. They work with people with mental health problems by helping them to become independent, working with them to develop their strengths, working together to resolve problems and many other supports that enables the promotion of wellbeing. A typical mental health professional team include the psychiatrists who prescribe medication, the psychologists who administer and interpret psychological tests, the psychiatric nurses who administer prescription medication and give injections, and the social workers who have specialized knowledge in assessing and planning treatment (Suppes and Wells, 2000). Conclusion/Recommendations The gradual transition from institutionalisation to community care since the 1950s is certainly not unhealthy. It only would yield no positive results if, borrowing the words of Skidmore (1994), people with mental health problem are not just decanted into the community without an identification of the informal carers. Social exclusion is a major concern in promoting recovery for those experiencing mental health problems and if not tackled on time will discourage and lead to relapse for those who have experienced or facing these difficulties. Promoting social inclusion will usually includes promoting equal opportunities for those who are excluded and experiencing discrimination so I can therefore say there is a clear link between promoting social inclusion and promoting equality and diversity to alleviate poverty. I also believe that the Mental health practice which is currently driven by the National Service Framework which aims at reducing discrimination and social exclusion to improve mental health of the population should be supported by mental health professionals to build social inclusion into clinical practice by including in the care plans of users their aspirations for work, education, relationship and other chosen journeys of recovery. The following recommendations are worthy of consideration in the bid to improve the current mental health system in the United Kingdom. Research concerning how institutional and community care can be improved Reduction of stigma against people with mental illness since that can jeopardize their speedy recovery whilst in the community. Involvement of informal carers in decision-making regarding treatment of patients Attend to the health needs of informal carers Informal carers should be trained on how best they can take care of patients. The British government should invest more in community care especially with the needs of patients in communities. Deinstitutionalization should be done more gradually and carefully especially in the case of people with chronic mental illness.

Physical and Psychosocial Problems of Radiation Therapy

Physical and Psychosocial Problems of Radiation Therapy Introduction and background: The word â€Å"cancer† itself is traumatic in nature. It effects a person not only physically but also psychologically, financially, culturally, socially, and spiritually etc. According to World Health Organization( WHO) report (2014), in 2012 worldwide 14.1 million adults were diagnosed with cancer, and among them 8.2 million were died. Moreover, breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of death. In the USA, among all types of cancers the breast cancer is the highest incidence rate because one in ten women is having breast cancer (Njeh, Saunders, Langton, 2012). Breast cancer incidence increased more than 20% (WHO Press Release, 2013). Furthermore, cancer is also one of the leading causes of deaths in the developing countries. In Pakistan, the most frequently diagnosed cancer is breast cancer for females. The incidence of breast cancer is higher in western countries but Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer among all the Asian countries, (Pink Ribbon Pakistan). It i s estimated that 1 in 9 Pakistani women will develop breast cancer at some stage of their life. (Shokat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Research Center). The cancer patient suffers a lot from the physical and psychosocial problems not only because of the disease process but also from the treatment related problems. As, one out of two patients with cancer experience psychiatric disorder especially depression (Reyes-Gibby, Anderson, Morrow, Shete Hassan, 2012; Spoletini, et al, 2008). There are certain treatment modalities for cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Each of them is potential to produce various threats for the cancer patient. Radiation therapy is also an important treatment performed before and after surgery which also has various harmful effects on the patient. Beside that it is significant part of cancer treatment but its impact on patient’s quality of life and nursing management is less addressed in literature. According to Welle, (1998) radiotherapy patients are perceived as self-caring and their needs are not taken care of. However, numerous researches have been conducted nationally and internationally to identify the different problems and their intervention of the cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and surgery. As a result evidence based body of knowledge have been generated this is contributing in quality nursing care and health teaching, impacting on the patient’s quality of life. Moreover, some of the international studies highlighted the problems faced by the patients receiving radiation therapy but as per my best knowledge very little work has been done in the field of nursing to remedy these problems. Most importantly, in the context of Pakistan very little work has been done pertinent to this issue. However this study is significant to contribute in the existing body of knowledge for nurses to care for breast cancer patient more holistically. Moreover, this study may be helpful to develop the teaching material for patients receiving radiotherapy to enhance their quality of life. In addition, the findings of this study will be helpful for nurses working in Pakistan. This study may improve the teaching interventions of nurses caring for cancer patients in government hospital and may have positive effect on their knowledge, attitude, and skill pertinent to RT. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to identify the physical and psychosocial problem of the patient pertinent to radiation therapy, as well as the nursing management and health teaching for the patients for enhancement of their quality of life. Study Questions Question 1: What are the different physical and psychological problems of the breast cancer patients undergoing RT in Pakistani context? Question 2: Is there any association between RT and compromised quality of life of the patient. Question 3: What kind of health teaching is necessary for the nurse to give the patient before and after RT? Question 4: what are the feeling and perceptions of breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy ? Data sources The review of literature was conducted through data bases CINAHL PubMed , Mosbys Nursing Consult, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were search for published research articles relevant to this paper. The combination of the following key terms was used to retrieve relevant literature by punching â€Å"physical/psychological problems, breast cancer, problems with radiation therapy, quality of life, patient education etc†. Search generated 283 articles, 52 duplicate results excluded. Through a selection process title and abstract screened, among those 20 were found to be relevant to the topic. Literature review Radiation therapy is one of the options totreat the cancer, uses high-energy x-rays or gamma rays targeted at the tumorto shrink the tumors or kill cancer cells(Radvansky, Pace, Siddiqui, 2013). During the course of the treatment about two-thirdsof patients will undergo radiation therapy(Guo et al. 2013).According toPotthoff et al (20013). More than 90% of all breast cancer patients receive adjuvant radiotherapy, given after breast conserving surgery as well as after mastectomy to avoid recurrence of cancer. Darby et al (2011) found in their meta-analysis study that RT after breast conserving surgery reduces 15-year risk of breast cancer death rate from 25†¢2%. This widely used therapy has its side effects like other cancer treatments; it is also potential for causing great physical as well as psychosocial problems as other cancer treatment do (Egestad, 2013). Physical problems related to radiation therapy for breast cancer patients Radiation therapy affects cancer and normal cells equally within the treated area, result in injuryof the cells which lead to side effects. The radiation therapy induced side effects include skin and mucous membrane toxicities, sleeplessness, pain, swelling, dyspnoea, cough and nausea. (Rose, 2011; Darby et al, 2011; Adams, 2009;Currie Wheat 2006; Gordils-Perez,Duell,2003).Skin problems are the most frequent side effect among all and nearly 85%–95% of patients receiving radiation therapy will develop some degree of skin damage (Bergstrom, 2011). There are many long term side effects of breast irradiation like cosmetic changes hyper pigmentation, fibrosis, lymphedema, and damage to underlying normal structures (Perez,Duell,2003). Therefore it is very important to remedy this problem because this side effect of radiation therapy limits the patient’s ability to tolerate the treatment (Currie,Wheat, 2006).In their study Potthoff et al (20013) .reported that 80% of the patie nts experience fatiguewho receive RT. They defined fatigue is a â€Å"persistent, subjective sense of tiredness related to cancer or cancer treatment that interferes with usual functioning and that is usually not relieved with rest and is not related to an excessive amount of activity† (p.3).In another qualitative study Poirier, (2011) found out that fatigue is also very common in patient getting radiation therapy and it affects their role functioning in daily life. In this way the fatigue may affect the quality of life of the patient. Another side effect of RT is reported in of the studies is sleep disturbance. According to the study conducted by Dhruva, et al (2012).approximately 50% breast cancer patients reported sleep disturbance at the initiation of radiation therapy. Quality of life of the patients Breast cancer due to its poor prognosis and treatment related problems affect the quality of life of the patient. Kirchheiner et al. (2013) reported that â€Å"mean QOL in the total cohort is 58 ±27% (100% indicates excellent QOL)† (p.425). Similar to other treatment choice RT related side effects also have impact on the quality of life of the patient. The quality of life is defined by WHO (1997) â€Å"concept affected in complex way by the person’s health, psychological state, and level of independence† (p.1). As the National Cancer Institute (2011). Mentioned that 38% of all women diagnosed with breast cancer experience abandoned symptoms resulting from the disease and its treatment. Therefore, the side effects of RT affect the quality of life of the patient (Currie, Wheat, 2006). In addition, sleep disturbance is another problem found to be an important contributor in affecting the quality of life of the patient. In this connection, a study conducted by Gra ydon (1994) highlighted that sleep disturbance and fatigues were the main areas of the life of women affected by RT. Since the fatigue, influence the physical, cognitive and emotional aspects and the prevalence ranges from 30-70% in women with breast cancer, reaching up to 80% when they are undergoing radiotherapy (Alcantara-Silva, Freitas-Junior, Freitas, Machado, 2013). This is one of the most frequent side effects of radiotherapy, and it may interfere with self-esteem, social activities and quality of life. Moreover, the fatigue and pain related to radiation therapy may affect the sexuality of the patient by decreasing the desire and arousal and skin changes including burns and tattoos affecting body image and self-esteem (Varela, Zhou, Bober, 2013; Mercadante Vitrano Catania , 2010). These symptoms lead to compromised quality of life of the patient. In this regard nurses need to give the high quality care by addressing the all aspect of patient life to enhance the QOL of their patients undergoing RT. Moreover, with the advancement of health science the patients expectquality oflife (QOL) beyond just survival therapy Psychological problems The women diagnosed with breast cancer have remarkable impact on her psychological well being. As Halkett , Kristjanson , and Lobb (2008) highlighted that women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy, experience many kinds of fears like fear of unknown and getting burnt, damage to internal body parts, and anticipating tiredness. These kinds of fears may threaten the women which may have negative impact on compliance with the treatment. Rose, (2011) highlighted that patient may feel high level of stress at the start RT because of unfamiliar technology, potential side effects and being in an environment with other cancer patients. Moreover, the outcome of the study of Reyes-Gibby et al. (2012) shown that depression among women was positively associated with symptoms of disease and treatment. Thus the diagnosis and treatment can have a profound influence on a woman’s psychosocial and overall well-being. Role of nurse in RT patient’s care and education The above mentioned literature suggests that patients who receive radiation therapy face significant challenges and require care during the period of their treatment. Nurses are direct care provider in any health care setting. They play a significant role in their specialized field in various health care settings. Therefore, they can play a significant role in improving quality of life of the cancer treatment recipients. During the RT course, patients may go through many complex physical and/or emotional responses (Rose, 2011). A randomized trial study conducted by Christman, Cain, (2004) concluded that patients receiving concrete objective information reported maintaining higher levels of usual function than those not receiving. Furthermore, giving information about symptom experiences helped them to mentally prepare uncertainty about their symptom experiences. Oncology nurses need to own the responsibility of their patient and identify the patient need. The Meta analytical finding s support the usefulness of psychosocial interventions for improving QoL in adult cancer patients. In this regard a comprehensive nursing care of the patient can improve the physical as well as psychological care of the patients. Importance of Patient education Providing cancer patients with appropriate information regarding their treatments, side effects of treatment and coping strategies allows them to feel more control over disease and its related problems. It helps them make better choices of treatment modalities ( Barnett, et al. 2004). The study findings of Zeguers et al (1012) highlighted that now the RT patients want comprehensive information about their disease, treatment, and procedures, side effects, and prognosis with the mean scores between 4.1 and 4.4 on a scale from 1 to 5. In contrast ,Barnett, et al. (2004). Emphasized that information needs vary among different individual therefore, a patient-centred approach must involve according to the tolerance and need of the patient. Reference: Adams, L. (2009). Managing Side Effects inRadiation Therapy Patients.Radiation therapist, 18(2) Alcantara-Silva, T. R.1., Freitas-Junior, R., Freitas, N. M., Machado, G.D. (2013) Fatigue related to radiotherapy for breast and/or gynaecological cancer: a systematic review. Journal of Clinical Nurse. 22(19-20). 2679-86. Christman, N. J., Cain, L. B. (2004)The Effects of Concrete Objective Information and Relaxation on Maintaining Usual Activity During Radiation Therapy. Oncology nursing forum – 31( 2) 39-44 Currie G, Wheat J.(2006) Wheatgrass extract as a topical skin agent for acute radiation skin toxicity in breast radiation therapy. Joumal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society12(l):7—11. Gilani, S. Kamal, A. S. Akhter, G. M., Kamal, A. S. Akhter, S., Akhter, A. S. (2003). A differential study of breast cancer patients in Punjab, Pakistan.Journal of Pakistan Medical Association, 53(10), 1-3. Graydon, J. E. (1994). Women with breast cancer: their quality of life following a course of radiation therapy. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 19(4), 617-622. Guo, Z., Tang, H., Li, H., Tan, S., Feng, K., Huang, Y., Bu, Q., Jiang, W. (2013). The benefits of psychosocial interventions for cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 11(121), 1-12.doi: http://www.hqlo.com/content/11/1/121 Dhruva, A., Paul, S. M., Cooper, B. A., Lee, K., West, C., Aouizerat, B. E., Dunn, L. B., Swift, P. S., Wara, W., Miaskowski, C., (2012). A Longitudinal Study of Measures of Objective and Subjective Sleep Disturbance in Patients with Breast Cancer Before, During, and After Radiation Therapy.Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 44(2) Darby, S., McGale, P., Correa, C., Taylor, C., Arriagada, R., Clarke, M., Cutter, D.,Davies, C., Ewertz, M., Godwin, J., Gray, R., Pierce, L., Whelan, T., Wang, Y., Peto, R. (2011). Effect of radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery on 10-yearrecurrence and 15-year breast cancer death: meta-analysis of individualpatient data for 10,801 women in 17 randomised trials. Lancet 378:1707–16. Reyes-Gibby, C. C., Anderson, K. O., Morrow, P. K., Shete, S., Hassan, S. (2012). Depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors.JOURNAL OF WOMEN’S HEALTH, 21(3), 1-9. Njeh, C. F., Saunders, M. W., Langton, C. M. (2012). Accelerated partial breast irradiation using external beam conformal radiation therapy: A review. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, 81, 1-20. National Cancer Institute. (2011). Surveillance Epidemiology and EndResults (SEER) stat fact sheets: Breast. Retrieved from: http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html Potthoff, K., Schmidt, M. E, Wiskemann, J., Hof, H., Klassen, O., Habermann, N., Beckhove, P.,Debus1,J. Ulrich, C. M.Steindorf, K. (2013). Randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of progressive resistance training compared to progressive muscle relaxation in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy.Bio Medical CentralCancer 13(1),162. 2- 11 ShaukatKhanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Research Centre: Breast cancer awareness month. Retrieved on February, 10th 2014 from: http://www.shaukatkhanum.org.pk/news-a-events/events/228.html Radvansky, L.J., Pace, M.B., Siddiqui, A., (2013)Prevention and management of radiation- induced dermatitis, mucositis, and xerostomia. American Journal of Health System Pharm. 70(12)1025-1032. Rose, P. (2011). The experience of receiving radiation therapy.Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing.12 (1) Poirier, P (2011) The Impact of Fatigue on Role Functioning During Radiation Therapy Oncology Nursing Forum38, (4) Gordils-Perez, J., Duell, R. W.(2003)Advances in Radiation Treatmentof Patients With Breast Cancer.clinical journal of oncology nursing7( 6 ) 629-638 Spoletini, I., Gianni, W., Repetto, L., Bria, P., Caltagirone, C., Bossu, P., Spalletta, G. (2008). Depression and cancer: An unexplored and unresolved emergent issue in elderly patients.Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology 65 143–155 Pink Ribbon Pakistan. Retrieved from: http://www.pinkribbon.org.pk/?p=377 Varela, V. S., Zhou, E. S., Bober, S. L., (2013).Management of sexual problems in cancer patients and survivors.CurrProbl Cancer 3719–352 Wells, M. (1998) Whats so special about radiotherapy nursing? European Journal of Oncology Nursing 2 (3) 162-168 World Health Organization: The International Agency for Research on Cancer, (2013)Press Release: Latest world cancer statistics. Retrieved on February, 10th 2014 from: http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2013/pdfs/pr223_E.pdf WHO (2014) Media Centre: Cancer Fact sheet. Retrieved on February 14, 2014 from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/

The Internet and International Business Essay -- Business Marketing Co

The Internet and International Business The Internet and international business is an interesting topic- discussing an area of business that will probably be around for many years and possibly centuries to come. Since its earliest days, the Internet has been a means of communication, an essential tool in almost instant communication. People can "talk" to others by sending email messages, at the speed of pressing the send key. This information is instantly transmitted to the receiver, who can in turn, reply quickly. Today, one can even literally talk to someone else, just as if he/she were actually phoning someone over traditional phone lines. While the quality is not as clear as regular lines, the cost is considerably less. The idea of less expensive communication is one that is deeply entrenched in international trade. If someone in China has to call a company in the U.S., the cost would be outrageous. Plus, one must consider the time differences, so as not to wake an American at perhaps 3 a.m. With the use of email, the Chinese businessman can send his message instantaneously, and it will be ready for the American businessman to receive and read when he/she arrives at the office in the morning. In addition to regular email, pagers can be programmed to receive important emails, or notices of emails in one's mailbox. Cell phones can also be programmed to receive email messages, and also notification of pending emails. Inventories can also be depicted, and quantities listed. With the proper programming, once an item is ordered, it is subtracted from the inventory, thus showing the proper amount that is actually available for sale. The Internet and international business is an interesting topic- discussing an area of business that will probably be around for many years and possibly centuries to come. Since its earliest days, the Internet has been a means of communication, an essential tool in almost instant communication. Websites can also be set up for potential buyers. On the site, such things as contacts can be listed. Phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses can be shown, as well as fax numbers, for those who do not feel comfortable with new technology. Orders can actually be produced right over the Internet. For someone in England who might want to buy a comic book from a site in the United Sates, the Englishman h... ... 3 14 12 Online buyers also have many concerns about shopping online. From the same article mentioned above, the following were tallied: US Canada Australia UK Italy France High Shipping Cost 53 46 13 45 39 54 Need to Try on for Fit 38 34 16 45 43 16 Prices too High 37 35 4 11 21 22 Not appropriate For large Items 37 35 4 11 21 22 Not appropriate For luxury Items 27 23 6 19 35 23 Want to See/feel Item 23 23 25 30 16 14 Not appropriate For perishable Items 21 23 4 18 15 22 Security of Credit Card 19 19 50 24 40 22 (All numbers are expressed as percentages) Based on these concerns, retailers in the international marketplace have their work cut out for them. But through proper education of consumers, and the ever-expanding growth of the infrastructure in many countries, the future seems to be leaning heavily towards using the Internet for many needs. Bibliography The Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Thursday, June 22, 2000 Business 2.0, May 2000 Business Week, various issues Time Digital: Your Personal Guide to Technology, June 2000 Interactive Week, June 12, 2000 Various Websites

Satan or Santa? :: social issues

Satan or Santa? To Whom It May Concern: I regret to inform you that, effective immediately, I will no longer be able to serve Southern United States on Christmas Eve. Due to the overwhelming current population of the earth, my contract was renegotiated by North American Fairies and Elves Local 209. I now serve only certain areas of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. As part of the new and better contract I also get longer breaks for milk and cookies so keep that in mind. However, I'm certain that your children will be in good hands with your local replacement who happens to be my third cousin, Bubba Claus. His side of the family is from the South Pole. He shares my goal of delivering toys to all the good boys and girls; however, there are a few differences between us. Differences Such As: There is no danger of a Grinch stealing your presents from Bubba Claus. He has a gun rack on his sleigh and a bumper sticker that reads: "These toys insured by Smith and Wesson." Instead of milk and cookies, Bubba Claus prefers that children leave an RC cola and pork rinds [or a moon pie] on the fireplace. And Bubba doesn't smoke a pipe. He dips a little snuff though, so please have an empty spit can handy. Bubba Claus' sleigh is pulled by floppy-eared, flying' coon dogs instead of reindeer. I made the mistake of loaning him a couple of my reindeer one time, and Blitzen's head now overlooks Bubba's fireplace. You won't hear "On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen..." when Bubba Claus arrives. Instead, you'll hear, "On Earnhardt, on Wallace, on Martin and Labonte. On Rudd, on Jarrett, on Elliott and Petty." "Ho, ho, ho!" has been replaced by "Yee Haw!" And you also are likely to hear Bubba's elves respond, "I her'd dat!" As required by Southern highway laws, Bu bba Claus' sleigh does have a Yosemite Sam safety triangle on the back with the words "Back off". The last I heard it also had other decorations on the sleigh back as well. One is Ford or Chevy logo with lights that race through the letters and the other is a caricature of me (Santa Claus) going potty on the Tooth Fairy. The usual Christmas movie classics such as "Miracle on 34th Street" and "It's a Wonderful Life" will not be shown in your negotiated viewing area.

Free Essays - Tuesdays With Morrie :: Tuesdays With Morrie Essays

When my parents first told me that it would be a good idea for me to read Tuesdays With Morrie, my perception of the memoir was that it was an account of an old man dying.   This did not seem, to me, to be the most interesting topic to read about.   I reluctantly began the book and soon became quite involved with the novel’s insightful progression.   I initially thought I would construct a typical review of the novel and hand it in for a good grade.   I then asked myself if I would learn anything by writing a summary.   Two answers became evident.   The first was that, of course, I would learn how to write yet another book report.   The second was that I would not benefit at all from simply summarizing the memoir.   I came to the conclusion that by focusing my paper on that which Morrie so eloquently taught the reader, both me and my teacher would gain insight and understanding about living life to it’s fullest.   Morrie’s message was, in short, not to become preoccupied with death and dying, but to live the life that you still have left in a meaningful and rewarding way.   He believed that although death would soon take him, he wanted to teach others and share his ideas so that they could be passed on to future generations.     Mitch Albom is an alumnus of Brandeis University, where Morrie Schwartz taught for many years.   Morrie left a lasting impression on Mitch and that impression is what eventually motivated Mitch to return to his wise professor.   Mitch rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man’s life.   Knowing he was dying, Morrie visited with Mitch every Tuesday in his study, just as they had done in college days.   Morrie taught Mitch his final lesson: how to live.   Morrie and Mitch’s relationship went far beyond that of a teacher and student.   It turned into a friendship between two men.   Morrie taught Mitch innumerable lessons about the world, feeling sorry for oneself, regrets, death, family, emotions, fear of aging, money, how love goes on, marriage, culture, forgiveness, and saying good-bye.   Morrie never wanted sympathy from Mitch; only an open mind and heart.   Morrie discussed his philosophies on life with Mitch and encouraged him to do the same.   Morrie shared his strengths and his weaknesses with his student, allowing him to open up to his old professor in a way that would help him to recharge his existing life.

Conflict Analysis Essay

Conflict is a difference, a disagreement or clash between ideas, principles or people. In conflict management there are issues that center on interpersonal conflict. This type of conflict is a disagreement between individuals that are connected and explains how what one person does has an impact or effect of the other. 1A PERSONS INVOLVED Sheila (my assistant for 14 years) Valerie (hired as Customer Community Relations Representative) The relationship between these two individuals was great; for 2 years they commonly worked on events together and wouldn’t perceive them as interfering on each other’s turf. Sometimes their workloads would overlap but they were able to work together and get them completed. These two individuals would both work in the same space while engaging in small talk. They often spoke about things each had in common with the other such as their faith, volunteer work, school functions and goals. They acted as though they had never worked together. !B CONFLICT SCENE On Feb. 10th I had the opportunity to facilitate a group session of 11 managers at our main office from 3-5pm to discuss people issues. Sheila attended as usually to work the power Point. At the end of the session most of the people who attended wanted copies of the power Point, however if we just printed the power point it would be in black and white. Therefore, Sheila said quote† Simone I need to use the front desk computer to print in color is that O.K.?† I responded â€Å"Yes†. During the time Sheila used the computer the people that attended the centralized people meeting  was sitting down waiting for their rides. I’m in the conference room packing up while Sheila is getting color printed copies for everyone. This wasn’t something that was planned because it was a holiday. Sheila and I were supposed to be the only two staff in the office at that time. Ms. Valerie dropped by to pick up some papers from the conference room and says to me Quote† I could have done that presentation for you†. I responded† Really, I didn’t think of that because I’ve always used Sheila assist me. Ms. Valerie then left the room. In my opinion this was an informal act and Ms. Valerie’s interaction with Sheila stem from more personal than official relationship. She was focused on Sheila not on how they work together to get things done. Although most of the people had left there were still a few around and it didn’t look good to observe two leaders of our company having a misunderstanding. 1CWHAT TRANSPIRED? Through the glass doors of the conference room I could see something wasn’t right near the front door. I noticed that all the others were gone except Sheila and Ms. Valerie. I could barely hear but, I could see negative gestures coming from Ms. Valerie. Her body language told me she was angry because she was leaning forward with her hand on her hip. Sheila on the other hand, facial expression was of, oh my god what did I do. She looked uncertain and I could tell didn’t want to argue, she looked as though she wanted to avoid the conflict. I saw her twirl around and walk away. Soon after we left the office but I didn’t speak about. Until the next day, I received an email from the office manager about the usage of the computers. The words used in the email had a huge impact on the message that I received, I wanted to just bring my keys to the office and never be there alone again. The choice of words was powerful enough to provoke my trust. So powerful I didn’t even respond to the email. I was totally surprised, this has never happened before. I called Sheila and later that day she explained to me the issue between her and Ms. Valerie, that as Ms. Valerie was leaving she made a statement† You know you shouldn’t be on that computer, there could be legal things you shouldn’t be looking at†. 1D SURFACE PROBLEM In my opinion the surface problem was my choice of words† I always use Sheila to assist me†. The words I used probably made her feel worthless, like she wasn’t good enough. I could have said â€Å"Thanks for letting me know I will let you know next time I facilitate a session†. I would also say the problem could stem from Ms. Valerie needing fulfillment, being part of the sessions would give her recognition because she is passionate about her role. 1EUNDERLYING PROBEM The real problem is that Ms. Valerie is new; she is also the Owners sister and her roles and responsibilities are still unclear and when a person doesn’t have defined responsibilities they tend to want to get into anything to keep busy. Therefore, the Owner needs to make sure that she has a clear cut defined tasks and authority boundaries . In my opinion it wasn’t her place to tell the office manager(Owners Wife) before she actually spoke to myself if she felt that there was some kind of ethic violation. 1F WHICH CONFLICT STRATEGIES WERE EMPLOYED BY EACH PARTICIPANT? a. Cognitive assessment of the situation b. Personality and communication competence No, the next day we both received a text from Ms. Valerie that stated† I TOLD SO WHAT OF IT†. That statement alone confirmed she thought about her own needs and she had dealt with the situation because of who she was related to not her title. 1GOUTCOME The outcome was negative. The next day there was gossip within the organization and the spread of misinformation. This caused Sheila to call the office and ask who said things about her. Then Ms. Valerie contacted her again and told her she did. There was no winner or loser because the situation tainted both relationships and when they finally appeared in the same room it caused an uncomfortable atmosphere. 1H VARIABLES In my opinion arguing is normal, but we have to be careful when arguing because sometimes an argument can hide a much bigger problem. The style and the way we argue can speak volumes towards the way we actually feel. The most important aspect of WIN/WIN is how we handle the argument. Therefore, I think that LISTENING, FACE ENHANCING rather than face attacking and UNDERSTANDING the what/why the other person is saying is a major issue. 2A-2B LEARNINGS of CONFLICT For everything that is still going on wrong with relationships, how we act and think, I am still learning slowly about how to do things better. I am more aware there is some level of differences when the conflict involves two or more people. However, the true disagreement versus what is perceived maybe different from the other person because of our senses. As a matter of fact, this class has taught me that conflict is mostly accompanied by misunderstandings and if we can just understand the truth of the disagreement it will help us solve the right problem and manage the needs of both individuals. This course objectives, lectures and textbook â€Å"The essentials of Human Communication† by Joseph DeVito has taught me that perception doesn’t act alone. It is peoples behaviors, feelings and body language that enhances the threats when there is an disagreement. We must continue to learn how to work on the issues and develop strategies or solutions to manage the disagreement and at the same time manage the conflict. I learned that although this conflict was between two people I was surprisingly a party to it. I just wasn’t included in the disagreement. This conflict was interpersonal. Interpersonal conflict will occasionally happen in the workplace due to natural differences in personalities, beliefs and work ethics. It mostly happens in the workplace and is sometimes more complex because it involves needs, interests, threats and concerns. They also involve ongoing relationships and emotions. This analysis is about an ethical situation that caused an interpersonal conflict which in my opinion was due to jealousy, competition and vicious gossip. REFERENCES DeVito, J.(2014). Essentials Of Human Communication Workplace resolution Conflict Strategies Retreived by:http://www.livestrong.com

Culture Clash Essay

The article â€Å"Why Don’t They Like Us Overseas? Organizing U. S. Business Practices to Manage Culture Clash† by Thomas Begley and David Boyd discusses reasons and ways to strengthen corporate culture as it is the chance to expand overseas and to avoid so-called culture clash. Different countries ahs their own cultural beliefs, ethical norms and ways of doing business and what is considered normal in one country may be considered unethical and abusive in another one. Shared culture is the best for unity of purpose. For example, Americans are often wondering why others don’t like them. The reasons are refusal to sign agreement on global warming, national fixation on celebrity icons, etc. Actually, it is called international perception and every nation has national traits, beliefs and customs which are not understood and shared. When companies try to apply their corporate values overseas, they face a number of challenges and tensions as those people are provided with another mentality. Worldwide systems would be of great help as they offer customer responsiveness, global performance management, infrastructure capabilities, etc. The authors argue that global consistency is needed for overall mutual understanding. Global consistency is defined as â€Å"a means of increasing corporate efficiency†. (p360) To impose own values is not effective way out as overseas employees often resist as values are not universal and motivators are not similar as many Americans believe. I think that the article is very informative as it shows ways to cope with culture clash and to increase efficiency. The concept of cultural difference can’t be ignored when expanding overseas as employees have another values and beliefs. Cultural difference can be applied to every organization and company, not only those which are willing to expand overseas. Corporate culture is not national culture and, therefore, leaders should promote effectiveness through mutuality. References Begley, Th. , & Boyd, D. P. (2003). Why Don’t They Like Us Overseas? Organizing U. S. Business Practices to Manage Culture Clash. Organizational Dynamics, 32, 4, pp. 357-371.

Key success factors for Airtel using Porters value chain Analysis Essay

The methodology of the report is carried out by observing and analyzing various secondary sources. The various secondary sources are study of value chain model in detail from various books and different net sources.. Other than these , study of key factors in the growth of airtel industry. Agter study of key factors, a complete knowledge of industry is taken from various secondary sources. (1. 1)Profile of the company Bharti Airtel Limited, which is also known as Airtel, is an multinational telecommunications services company of India which is headquartered in New Delhi. It operates in 20 countries and some of them are south Africa, Asia, channel countries. Airtel has GSM network in all countries in which it operates, providing services such as 2G, 3G, 4G depending upon the country of operation. Airtel is the world’s third largest mobile telecommunications company by subscribers, with over 275 million subscribers across 20 countries as of July 2013. It is the largest cellular service provider in India, with 192. 22 million subscribers as of August 2013. Airtel is the third largest in-country mobile operator by subscriber base. Airtel is the largest provider of mobile telephony and second largest provider of fixed telephony in India, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services. It offers its telecom services under the â€Å"airtel† brand, and is headed by Sunil Bharti Mittal. Bharti Airtel is the first Indian telecom service provider to achieve Cisco Gold Certification. And it also acts as a carrier for national and international long distance communication services. The company has a submarine cable landing station at Chennai, which connects the submarine cable connecting Chennai and Singapore. Airtel is credited with pioneering the business strategy of outsourcing all of its business operations except marketing, sales and finance and building the ‘minutes factory’ model of low cost and high volumes. The strategy has since been copied by several operators. And its network base stations, microwave links, is maintained by Ericsson and Nokia. Vision: 1. Become the most loved brand by 2015 2. Multiplatform services in telecom, enterprise and digital television, unified under brand â€Å"airtel† 3. Amongst the Top 100 of Most Valuable Global Brands 4. No. 1 service brand in India CHAPTER – 2 (2. 0) Effects of value chain analysis: Many organizations do not achieve the profits they anticipate by using incorrect methods or models to determine the true costs of products and services. This failure to correctly assess the costs associated with business not only affects the profit margin, but the organizations competitive advantage as well. In order to assess whether the organization is failing to realize optimum resource allocation, the organization should look at the methodology first popularized by Michael Porter titled the Value Chain Analysis (VCA). â€Å"VCA seeks to define the entire chain through which goods are supplied to a customer†. The VCA can be a powerful tool in increasing an organization’s competitive advantage; by correctly pricing products and assessing the true costs of materials and labour, organizations can align the improvements in efficiency and quality with its objectives. The value chain includes all the activities involved in product making. It is a useful tool to measure the value created for each activity in the process of product creation. It is a part of a firm’s strategic planning to arrange these activities in a way that the total value, the value that buyers are willing to pay, exceeds the total cost. According to Porter , a company can create value through a cost advantage or product differentiation. The activities in the value chain are not independent. Linkages may exist between activities. In fact, one process may affect the cost and performance of the others. Linkage can exist between primary activities, as well as, between primary and support activities. Therefore, competitive advantages can also be derived from the linkages between activities. Airtel seeks to create value through diversification by moving across businesses that share both operational and corporate relatedness. With this approach, it expects to achieve high resource sharing and consequently, significant cost reduction. It looks at operational relatedness since a number of its businesses operate across similar technologies and thus the platform for a given product can be used directly for extending the service from a completely new product. As an example, the cables for a telephone connection provided by Airtel can be used to provide broadband service to the customer without any significant change in infrastructure. The skills required from the technicians are also not very different and thus economies of scale are quite possible (2. 1) The Added-value Chain: According to McPhee and Wheeler , focusing on the firm’s internal core activities is not sufficient to generate value in today’s firms. The authors propose an added-value chain model that includes a set of expanded business activities from different business models and a redefinition of value that incorporates brand, reputation, and relationship-based value drivers of the firm. In the added-value chain model, the definition of value incorporates profit margin and intangible assets like leadership quality, innovate capability, brand equity and competences in strategic-alliance development. This new value definition gives to the firms the ability to evaluate how their strategies affect both â€Å"hard† and â€Å"soft† assets of the firms . This model is incomplete for example in finding and exploring non-linear value opportunities. Chapter – 3 (3. 0) Key success factors: Airtel has its presence in all 23 circles of the Indian telecom industry. Some of its key success factors are: Brand name: Airtel is a well known name throughout the world. So due to its internationalization strategy It is earning a huge amount of profit. One Step Ahead: Airtel always believe in staying one step ahead of its rivals and it achieves this by doing multidimensional expansion. And this thing can be achieved only by a stable and visionary management. Business Process Outsourcing: Airtel always follows the strategy of outsourcing of all the non core activities and it keep on focussing on core activities. And it is also known as the first mobile company to outsource everything except marketing and sales. The outsources infrastructure and I. T operations from I. B. M, Nortel and Wipro and communication networks from Nokia and recently with Cisco and Servion to provide hosted contact centre services. Innovations in VAS: Airtel has separate value added services for consumers and business enterprises. And other services such as Airtel online desktop for Airtel broadband users which provides free online space for storing, also editing and sharing. It also provides free software and updates on rental basis. M-Commerce: Airtel has also idea for introducing m – commerce as one of its value added service. Because still 80 to 85 percent of population is looking for financial transactions using mobile technology. So it’s a good step. Network: Airtel packs a punch when it comes to network coverage. The aim of Sunil Bharti Mittal wasto creates a network which is clear even when in the basement. Airtel has done just that and beyond. (3. 1) Strategies of Airtel: Mobile to mobile payment: This is the first mobile-to-mobile payment option, which enables Airtel customers and ICICI bank visa cardholders to pay for their purchases with their Airtel mobile phones. Joint venture: Airtel realised that the role of mobile telephony must surpass the conventional school of thought in India. Ever since internet banking has kick started in India, it was just a matter of time before mobile banking started playing the role of a constant revenue stream. The only drawback is the lack of infrastructure in India when it comes to cashless purchase To target around 55 million farmers fertiliser cooperative of India came in with a joint venture with airtel. This venture will help the farmers with the help of telecommunication services. And it will also help in giving the vital information to the farmers. And this is an innovative way of targeting the lower part of the pyramis whereas competitiors are not doing so. Hiring strategy: Airtel has a history of hiring some of the high level officials from other companies to be an integral part of their business. AIRTEL IN WIRELESS IN INDIA: If we talk about wireless network airtel is at no. one position in India. It has a large customer base in comparison to other networks. So, from wireless they earn a total of 30% of revenue from market share. If we will see from the figure, airtel has 187 million customers in india which is the largest. And this proves that value chain plays a very important role in maintaining a profit margin. from this we came to know that the technology advancement , which is a secondary activity and operation , inbound logistics of primary activities is quite strong. FIG – (1) – WIRELESS SUBSCRIBERS Value chain model of Airtel If we talk about value chain model of Airtel, first we will start with some key factors and we will fit them in a particular step of value chain , so that we can identify how it is giving extra value to the firm. So we will discuss each step in brief one by one. 1) BRAND NAME: Airtel is a well known name and is recognised throughout the world. It has its presence in various countries. If we talk through clear facts it is present in twenty countries and this brand is addressable to around 1. 8 bn population. It has its presence in different corners of world and is a major player in Africa country. It is considered as the provider of best services. It is also number one service brand in india. so because of having an image of respectful brand it is having a huge profit and they are having a profit margin. So its become an important part of value chain as it is providing value to the firm. So we can put this in technological advancement as because of good provider of services and technology it becomes a favourable brand.

Impact of martin luther king on civil rights Essay

Eyes on the Prize, American’s Civil Rights years, 1954-1965, Juan Williams Eyes on the Prize, Juan Williams On the bus boycott â€Å"When the trial of the boycott leaders began in Alabama, the national press got its first good look at Martin Luther King Jr., the first defendant. Four days later, King was found guilty. The sentence was a $500 fine and court costs, or 386 days of hard labour. The judge explained that he had imposed this minimal penalty† because King had promoted non-violence. King was released on bond; his indictment and conviction became front-page news across the nation† Eyes on the Prize, Juan Williams, pg 130 from an Interview with Diane Nash who led the campaign to desegregate the lunch counters of Nashville’s department stores ‘I think it’s really important that young people understand that the movement of the sixties was really a people’s movement. The media and history seem to record it as Martin Luther King’s movement, but young people just like them, their age, that formulated goals and strategies, and actually developed the movement.â⠂¬  pg195 â€Å"Kennedy delivered a new civil rights bill to Congress on June 19. Stronger than the bill that had died in Congress at the beginning of the year, the new bill would outlaw segregation in all interstate public accommodations, allow the attorney general to initiate suits for school integration, and give the attorney general the important power to shut off funds to any federal programs in which discrimination occurred. It also contained a provision that helped ensure the right to vote by declaring that a person who had a sixth-grade education would be presumed to be literate. King, the SCLC, CORE the NAACP, SNCC, and other civil rights groups had no intention of allowing this bill to die in Congress. To demonstrate the strength of public demand for this legislation, they would march on Washington. pg262 â€Å"On February 4 the militant Black Muslim minister Malcolm X came to speak in Selma at the invitation of SNCC. At first, King’s colleagues feared that the controversial leader might incite the local people and jeopardise King’s control of the movement. King was still in jail was Malcolm X told a capacity crowd at Brown’s Chapel that â€Å"the white people should thank Dr King  for holding people in check, for there are other (black leaders) who do not believe in these (nonviolent) measures.† Access to History – Civil Rights 1945-1968 â€Å"Birmingham was the first time that King had really led the movement†¦.’There never was more skilful manipulation of the media than there was in Birmingham,’ said a leading SCLC staffer. While little changed in Birmingham, SCLC had shown America that Southern segregation was very unpleasant†¦In the summer of 1963 protests throughout the South owed inspiration to Birmingham. King had shown that he could lead from the front and force desegregation, if through rather artificially engineered violence.† â€Å"The historian Stephen Oates described Selma as ‘the movement’s finest hour. King thought the national criticism of ‘Bloody Sunday’ was ‘a shining moment in the conscience of man. There were sympathetic interracial marches in cities such as Chicago, Detroit, New York and Boston. Johnson and Congress probably would not have delivered the Voting Rights Act without Selma.† â€Å"The best way to judge his significance might be to look at what followed his death: the national direct action phase of the civil rights movement died with him. The Poor People’s Campaign fizzled out under his successor Ralph Abernathy. Without King SCLC collapsed. However it is not certain that the civil rights movement would have progressed any further had King lived. We have seen that King failed in Chicago. Other black activists were becoming more impatient and their frequent extremism was important in generating a white backlash.† â€Å"If King had never lives, the black struggle would have followed a course of development similar to the one it did. The Montgomery bus boycott would have occurred, because King did not initiate it. Black students†¦had sources of tactical and ideological inspiration besides King.† Professor Claybourne Carson – Access to History â€Å"Whites and blacks became increasingly critical of him. When he toured riot-stricken Cleveland, Ohio, black teenagers mocked and ignored him. He knew he has raised their hopes but failed to fulfil them. Many blacks thought him too moderate.† â€Å"King admitted that SCLC achieved little in the three years after Montgomery. Then the civil rights movement exploded into life again in February 1960. Initially King had nothing to do with it†¦When  a Greensboro SCLC members contacted him, King quickly arrived to encourage the students and assure them of full SCLC support, saying ‘What is new in your fight it the fact that it was initiated, fed, and sustained by students.’ Atlanta students persuaded King to join them in sit-ins. As in Montgomery, King was led rather than leading.† Adam Fairclough, Better Day Coming. Blacks and Equality, 1890-2000 (Penguin, 2001) ‘In some ways it was the obstinacy of the whites in Montgomery, not the deliberate planning of the blacks, that turned the boycott into an international cause cà ©là ¨bre. After all, blacks in Montgomery asked only for a fairer application of â€Å"separate but equal,† not an end to segregation itself†¦ In a similar way, Martin Luther King Jr., only emerged as the symbol of the protest when whites began to persecute him. Whites calculated that by breaking King, they could break the boycott; instead they made King a martyr, a hero, and the outstanding symbol of black resistance.’ (227-228) ‘The sit-in movement made a massive dent in the structure of segregation. In the Deep South, crushed by violence and arrests, they failed to integrate lunch counters. But in the upper South, and in the â€Å"rim South† states of Florida and Texas, they proved effective. The disruption caused by the sit-ins themselves, and the economic impact of consumer boycotts, hurt the dime stores: the profits of Woolworth, the main target, plummeted. Downtown merchants as a group also suffered. The cash-register logic of the sit-ins proved hard to resist: on March 19, 1960, San Antonio, Texas, became the first city in the South to desegregate its lunch counters; Nashville did so in May; by the end of the year, store owners in at least eighty towns and cities had agreed to serve blacks.’ (245) ‘The force of the 1963 demonstrations so surprised and disturbed white Americans that the Kennedy administration decided to fundamentally revise its approach to the civil rights question. The nonviolent revolt had riveted the attention of the nation onto the South, revealing the underlying ugliness of the Jim Crow system. The federal government realized that segregation was destabilizing the South and embarrassing the United States in the eyes of the world. The government also worried that racial conflict and violence might engulf the entire nation.’ (279) William H. Chafe, Raymond Gavins and Robert Korstad (eds), Remembering Jim Crow: African Americans Tell About Life in the Segregated South (The New Press, 2001) Mai Young on the inequalities in segregated education: ‘Lots of these youngsters now don’t remember. They really don’t. You tell them things that happened, they just can’t believe it. That’s why they can’t appreciate Martin Luther King because they don’t know what happened. They really don’t know what happened during those days. Hard to visualize it.’ (187) Charles Gratton: ‘To challenge white people was just the wrong thing to do. You just automatically grow up inferior, and you had the feeling that white people were better than you†¦ Most blacks in the South felt that way until the late fifties and sixties when Dr. [Martin Luther] King [Jr.] come along with his philosophy, and it started giving black people some hope that the way we were being treated wasn’t right and this thing can change. Just some hope that we were waiting on. Whenever I would hear Dr. King talk, it seemed like he was touching me from the inside. He could touch your feeling from the inside, things that you would want to say but you just didn’t know how, things that were right and wrong but you kept inside of you because you didn’t know how to express it. So he was a really good leader and a great man, and I think he done a wonderful job in what he done for our people as a whole.’ (8) Howell Raines, My Soul is Rested: Movement Days in the Deep South Remembered (Penguin Books, 1977) Franklin McCain (involved in student sit-ins): ‘We knew that probably the most powerful and potent weapon that people have literally no defense for is love, kindness. That is, whip the enemy with something that he doesn’t understand.’ Raines: ‘How much was the example of Dr. King and the Montgomery Bus Boycott on your mind in that regard?’ McCain: ‘Not very much. The individual who had probably most influence on us was Gandhi, more than any single individual. During the time that the Montgomery Bus Boycott was in effect, we were tots for the most part, and we barely heard of Martin Luther King. Yes, Martin Luther King’s name was well-known when the sit-in movement was in effect, but to pick out Martin Luther King as a hero†¦ I don’t want you to misunderstand what I’m about to say: Yes, Martin Luther King was a hero†¦ No, he was not the individual that we had upmost in mind when we started the sit-in movement.’ (79) Laurie Pritchett (police chief of Albany Georgia in 1961): ‘They came to Montgomery, and I was in Montgomery when they marched there†¦ I will never forget one day there I heard the clap, it sounded like thunder, and we looked up, and it was the sheriff’s posse on those horses, and the sparks were flyin’ off of the shoes as they came down the street. And they went into the crowd with bull whips, they run up on the porches†¦ some of the horses were cut at, which I can’t much blame the people. But this created that problem there, and, as I stated before, Dr. King, when he left Albany, in his own words and in the words of the New York Heral Tribune, was a defeated man. In my opinion, right or wrong, if Birmingham had reacted as Albany, Georgia did†¦ theyd never got to Selma. Dr. King, through his efforts, was instrumental in passin’ the Public Accommodations [Act] but the people that were most responsible was â€Å"Bull† Connor and Sheriff Clark†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (366) Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters The SNCC leaders were in a bind. They wanted a â€Å"people’s movement,† like SNCC itself, and yet without King, the Wells march had had little impact on the outside world, and without such impact it was nearly impossible to inspire more of Albany’s ordinary people to take up the crusade. What they needed was the use of King’s influence without his suffocating glory, and it was all the more galling that they were obliged to ask to King to reform himself accordingly – Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters, p. 614 As President Kennedy and the Attorney General had anxiously awaited the outcome of the showdown with Governor Wallace, a telegram came in from Martin Luther King on the â€Å"beastly conduct of law enforcement officers at Danville.† Asserting once again that â€Å"the Negro’s endurance may be at breaking point,† King implored the Administration to seek a â€Å"just and moral† solution†¦. Given his recent sensitiv ity to King’s opinions, these urgings may have influenced President Kennedy’s extraordinary decision to make†¦ a civil rights address on national television.† Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters, p. 823 Professor Eleanor Holmes Norton, â€Å"reviewing Parting the Waters†, in the New York Times, November 27th 1988 http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/12/06/specials/branch-waters.html By the  time Mr. Branch left home to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1964, †the people I met were already more interested in Vietnam.† In his view, however, †the civil rights movement was why they cared about Vietnam.† It was King and others, he believes, who first opened the door for his generation to †look at the world from a moral perspective. It occurred to me that the most fundamental political questions were, in fact, moral questions.† It was the awareness of those moral questions that steered Mr. Branch away from his premed major in college and toward political philosophy and an eventual writing career. In †Parting the Waters† Mr. Branch aims to re-create for others the same sense of King as a man of power and complexity that he experienced in his college years. †King was considered passe by 1966, even before people like Stokely Carmichael; he was considered almost an Uncle Tom. I knew there was something wrong with that attitude. If he was that shallow, then how did I get here?’ The autobiography of Martin Luther King, JR. Edited by Clayborne Carson, published in 1999 In 1960 an electrifying movement of Negro students shattered the placid surface of campuses and communities across the South. The young students of the South, through sit-ins and other demonstrations, gave America a glowing example of disciplined, dignified nonviolent action against the system of segregation. Though confronted in many places by hoodlums, police guns, tear gas, arrests, and jail sentences, the students tenaciously continued to sit down and demand equal service at variety store lunch counters, and they extended their protest from city to city. Spontaneously born, but guided by the theory of nonviolent resistance, the lunch counter sit-ins accomplished integration in hundreds of communities at the swiftest range of change in the civil rights movement up to that time. This was the time of our greatest stress [when the children were used in Birmingham], and the courage and conviction of those students and adults made it our finest hour. We did not fight back, but we did not turn back. We did not give way to bitterness. Some few spectators, who had not been trained in the discipline of nonviolence, reacted to the brutality of the policemen by throwing rocks and bottles. But the demonstrators remained nonviolent. In the face of this resolution and bravery, the moral conscience of the nation was deeply stirred, and all over the country, our fight became  the fight of decent Americans of all races and creeds. Selma brought us a voting rights bill, and it also brought us the grand alliance of the children of light in this nation and made possible changes in our political and economic life heretofore undreamed of. With President Johnson, SCLC viewed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as ‘one of the most monumental laws in the history of American freedom’. We had a federal law which could be used, and use it we would. Where it fell short, we had our tradition of struggle and the method of nonviolent direct action, and these we would use. Hodgson, Godfrey (2009) Martin Luther King, Quercus p. 5 The speech was at once sermon and political argument. He was talking to several audiences at once. He was directly addressing the thousands who were there in front of him in Washington’s Mall. Over their heads he was reaching out to southern blacks and northern whites, to the tens of millions of undecided white Americans, willing to be persuaded that the time was ripe to end the embarrassing southern folkways of segregation, yet reluctant to be carried away on radical paths. He was reaching out to the powerless in southern plantations and the angry in northern ghettos, and most of all to the powerful, only just beyond the reach of his voice a mile or so up the Mall on Capitol Hill. So he wove together difference languages for different listeners. He borrowed the emotional power of the Old Testament with an echo of the stately music of Handel’s Messiah. He also appealed to the sacred texts of the American secular religion, echoing the grand simplicities of Jefferson†™s Declaration of Independence and Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. p. 67 Seven years after the Brown judgement, progress for black people was still frustratingly difficult. To be sure, although the white South, or at least most of its leaders in the Deep South, had said ‘Never!’ to school desegregation, schools had begun to desegregate, especially after President Eisenhower’s reluctant decision†¦to send in the 101st Airborne Division to protect nine black children admitted by court order to Central High School  in Little Rock, Arkansas. Around the edges, the segregated south was shrinking. p. 75 second paragraph The Southern Christian Leadership Conference found itself, almost immediately after its foundation, the third major Negro organisation [the other two were NAACP and National Urban League]. It was southern, it was dominated by ministers, especially but not entirely Baptists, and it had the advantage of being led by someone as gifted, as dynamic and as well known nationally as Martin Luther King Jr. It lacked the membership and financial strength of the two older organisations, as well as suffering from less obvious disadvantages. King was an inspiring leader and, if pointed in the right direction, an effective fundraiser. But he was neither a particularly good administrator, nor especially interested in administration. p. 79 The freedom rides represented a new and hard test for Martin Luther King. More than once the SNCC demonstrators raised, directly and in the most personal terms, the question of his personal courage. He argued, and Wyatt Walker argued for him, that he must stay out of jail to raise money, to direct the movement and to lead his people. He was on probation, he said. They said they were on probation too. They expected him to go with them. When, on May 27 in Montgomery, he refused to join them on the bus to Mississippi, he said he must choose ‘the where and when of his own Golgotha’. They accused him flatly of cowardice. King had already shown, and would show again and again, that he was no coward. But he did not want to be told when and where he should risk his liberty and his life by a group of passionately committed by somewhat unfriendly students. The freedom rides no only marked a widening gap between King and the students, which grew into institutional rivalry between the SCLC and SNCC and raised deep and dangerous disagreements about the tactics and the strategy of the movement; they also prefigured the way the struggle would develop over the next five years, and set the course for the rest of his life. p. 82 From the spring of 1961, King found himself between two fires. He had to deal, now , not only with the intransigence of southern white segregationists, but with the impatience and suspicion of young Negroes who  wanted to go faster than he was yet ready to go.