Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research - Assignment Example The main problem, which was the reason of the study, was that of lack of such factual evidence through past studies on the facts of the health conditions within a society. The main aim that the study had was estimating the health burden that Germany as a country bore caused by the morbidity as well as mortality associated with obesity and related complications as seen from the perspective of the society. Besides, the study focused on estimating the deaths that occurred within Germany in 2002 being related to obesity as well as the overweight related complications. Moreover, the study was to establish the costs incurred in the country from such deaths that would result and this would be gotten from inpatient records, out patient records. Rehabilitation as well as non-medical costs were also on the check as direct costs while indirect costs were evaluated from sick offs, and early retirement costs among others. The research study format fails to cite distinctly the questions guiding the study as well as the hypothesis under which the study was conducted. This therefore leaves the reader with the liberty of evaluating the study report with presumed line of argument as not guided by clear-cut hypothesis and or questions. The data that was collected from the office of statistics in Germany (German Federal Statistics) and therefore survey method was used as the most appropriate tool for collecting data (Konnopka, Bo ¨demann & Ko ¨nig, 2011). The use of the survey to collect the data from the secondary sources was effective as the study was to use primary data for the year 2002 where collecting the data through other tools would not be possible. Besides, the adoption of the tool was necessitated by the nature of the research as being quantitative and hence factual empirical data for the analysis was necessary. The analysis of the data involved

Basic approaches to the study of cultural diversity Essay Example for Free

Basic approaches to the study of cultural diversity Essay With rapid scientific and technological progress, advanced means of communication and transport, more and more people travel abroad, and the range of purposes they tend to achieve, enlarged as well. Many people now travel to share organizational and business experience, study abroad to come back home, many people travel just to see and study cultural background of other countries, some of them come to other countries with peace missions. Unfortunately, political and economical conditions in many countries of the world make many people move abroad as immigrants or refugees. But, regardless of the travel purposes, the notions of cultural contact and cultural shock are relevant for all categories of travelers. (Hoerder) Before examining this phenomenon it’s necessary to give a strict definition of it. At first, it’s necessary to mention that there are some titles to define this phenomenon: â€Å"cross cultural relations†, â€Å"between society culture-contact†, â€Å"cross-cultural interaction† etc. Here is the definition of this phenomenon provided by Bochner: â€Å"between society culture-contact refers to individuals who travel beyond their countries of origin for a particular purpose and for a specified period of time, and the relationships they establish with members of the host society†. (1986, p. 23) There are also some necessary terms used to describe these relations, for instance â€Å"sojourner†. This term is used to refer to â€Å"culture travellers, indicating that they are temporary visitors intending to return home after achieving their aims†. (1986, p. 33) On the contrary, people of the visited society are called â€Å"host-society members†. It’s evident that changing society background in any case demands some contact on personal level, when the representatives of various societies interact. From the part of sojourner it demands much effort to integrate into unusual social and cultural patterns. This may cause stress, especially in the case of immediate and unexpected transition, and this condition is defined by the specialists as â€Å"culture shock†. (Bochner) Cultural identity conflicts are usually called intractable, and thus they are not possible to be resolved through the traditional approaches. The frames of the individual identity are extremely influenced by the cultural identity and cultural surrounding. The differences in culture often become the ground for the cultural conflict, as the difference in cultural ideas and preferences may be taken by the other side as not simply an outrageous idea, but ridiculous and unreal understanding of the world. For the better cultural communication it may be suggested, that the attitudes towards other cultures should be more tolerate. The cultural ideas and beliefs expressed by the representatives of the other culture should not be taken as unreal or unacceptable. Differences in culture between people will always exist, and thus for the more effective communication it is important to understand and accept the significance of the traditions, which are valued by the other culture, as well as try to better explain the traditions into which the newcomer would wish to assimilate. However, and what is more important, it is not allowed to break the cultural identity of the person; the difference in cultural views does not mean they are wrong. The issue of cultural identity was always urgent, and with the growing opportunities for migration, this issue will not soon lose the necessity of being discussed. However, it is important to understand one thing in relation to cultural conflicts: the differences between cultures should not and won’t be erased; they should be treated with tolerance. There are some concepts and approaches used to investigate the nature of this phenomenon. They are as follows: regional comparison, holocultural analysis, controlled comparison, and coding. Regional comparison was worked out by Driver and Kroeber. This approach lies in determination of cultural classification and then making assumptions about the processes of interconnection in the limits of one region of culture. Holocultural analysis is also called worldwide cross-cultural analysis. He was worked out by Tylor, Sumner, Keller and Murdock. Levinson describes it as a study â€Å"designed to test or develop a proposition through the statistical analysis of data on a sample of ten or more

The Impossible World of M. C. Escher :: Mathematics Science Papers

The Impossible World of M. C. Escher Something about the human mind seeks the impossible. Humans want what they don’t have, and even more what they can’t get. The line between difficult and impossible is often a gray line, which humans test often. However, some constructions fall in a category that is clearly beyond the bounds of physics and geometry. Thus these are some of the most intriguing to the human imagination. This paper will explore that curiosity by looking into the life of Maurits Cornelis Escher, his impossible perspectives and impossible geometries, and then into the mathematics behind creating these objects. The works of Escher demonstrate this fascination. He creates worlds that are alien to our own that, despite their impossibility, contain a certain life to them. Each part of the portrait demands close attention. M. C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist. He lived from 1902 until 1972. He produced prints in Italy in the 1920’s, but had earned very little. After leaving Italy in 1935 (due to increasing Fascism), he started work in Switzerland. After viewing Moorish art in Spain, he began his symmetry works. Although his work went mostly unappreciated for many years, he started gaining popularity started in about 1951. Several years later, He was producing millions of prints and sending them to many countries across the world. By number of prints, he was more popular than any other artist during their life times. However, especially later in life, he still was unhappy with all he had done with his life and his art—he was trying to live up to the example of his father, but he didn’t see himself as succeeding (Vermeleun, from Escher 139-145). While his works of symmetry are ingenious, this paper investigates mostly those that depict the impossible. M. C. Escher created two types of impossible artwork— impossible geometries and impossible perspectives. Impossible geometries are all possible at any given point, and also have only one meaning at any given point, but are impossible on a higher level. Roger Penrose (the British mathematician) described the second type—impossible perspectives—as being â€Å"rather than locally unambiguous, but globally impossible, they are everywhere locally ambiguous, yet globally impossible† (Quoted from Coxeter, 154).

Article Review: Learning Organizations Essay

A learning organization is any organization that uses its power to acquire knowledge while managing to stay innovative enough to remain competitive in a constantly changing environment. Learning organizations have four main objectives: To create a culture that not only encourages, but also supports an environment of continuous employee learning, critical thinking, and taking risk with new innovative ideas. Understands and allows mistakes while valuing employee contributions. Learns from their mistakes through experience, and experiment with these ideals Disseminate any new knowledge throughout the organization for rapid and successful implementation into the day-to-day activities. (BusinessDictionary.com, 2012) Article: Studying the Relationship between Components of the Learning Organization and Organizational Commitment (Forozandeh, Soleimani, Shah Nazari, & Nasri, 2011) Article Summary Organizational learning and the institutionalization of the learning organization are some of the most important factors of a successful business organization in today’s complicated, ever changing, and dynamic global business environment. The major capital in any learning organization is its employees and their commitment to the organization. The purpose of the article being reviewed is to study the relationship among components of the organization (System thinking, team learning experiences, Personal masters, mental models, and their shared visions) and their organizational commitment. The data collection was completed using the descriptive-field method on a cement company located in Iran; it consisted of 50 people, and was collected by means of a survey in July of 2011. Based on the results of the survey, there is a noticeable and significant relationship among every component of the learning organization and their organizational commitment (Forozandeh, Soleimani, Shah Nazar i, & Nasri, 2011). Author’s Conclusions  and Recommendations The authors of the article conclude that the results of their survey illustrate that the organizational commitment is one of the most important and effective factors in changing any organization to a learning organization. When the employees of a business have more of a commitment to the organization, the implementation of the learning organization is accepted with more facilitation, or the employees are more open to the idea. The results show that managers who want to establish a learning organization should provide the means for commitment towards the organization as much as possible. This factor will also help increase job performance and progress as well as help managers in the transformation towards the learning organization. Creating a learning organization on the other hand develops more commitment of the employees towards the organization. Reviewers Conclusion and Recommendations After reading the article, the authors conducted a survey to find the commitment to the organization and tried to establish how well the organization was creating an environment for a learning organization. Through a simple survey base of 50 employees, the authors were able to establish a link between employee commitment and the basis of a learning organization. This shows an important link between innovation and a learning organization: you have to have the commitment and dedication of the employees in order to implement an innovative and learning organization environment. Without the commitment of the employees (who are essentially responsible for carrying out any new implementations), you cannot foster a learning environment, as you will have employees unwilling to participate and be a part of the solution. This conclusion would be a factor for any organization in any business model to consider. In the new and ever changing global markets (as the market is no longer based on local or even continental markets), a company has no choice but to accept change and grow with the markets in an effort to remain innovative and competitive. To do this, you have to have a learning organization committed to and able to accept change. This will require a learning environment with the ability to learn and change as often as needed. In order to have a learning  environment, you have to have employee commitment! How these Concepts Apply to the Reviewers Organization The concepts discussed in this article would apply to any organization in many ways. The organization I work for is in the food distribution business, and one thing that is lacking is the ability to grow and become a learning organization. The organization is not willing to learn and grow with the ever-changing industry and as a result, they have begun to lose millions of dollars in business to their competition. One concept lacking in our business is the ability to change to meet the customer’s needs, they are only committed to their own wants. This environment is a perfect example for what a learning organization is not. Every suggestion to change given to upper management by the employees to help the organization or the employees are considered and essentially ignored. Some companies are not able or lack the ability to change with the environment, and shrinking sales and lack of employee commitment are the results. There is not a lack of trying from the employees, who value their jobs and want to see the company grow. However, you cannot foster a learning environment when you have a management system that is not willing to learn or change with their environment. References BusinessDictionary.com. (2012). Learning Organization. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/learning-organization.html Forozandeh, L., Soleimani, M., Shah Nazari, A., & Nasri, H. (2011, October). Studying the relationship between components of the learning organization and organizational commitment. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 3(6), 497-509. Retrieved from UOP Library October 22, 2012

Disadvantages of Early Marriage

Marriage can provide a great deal of stability in a relationship, giving spouses certain legal and monetary advantages, as well as bringing them closer together emotionally. But marriage isn't the best option for everyone, and has certain disadvantages for younger couples. The average age for a first marriage in the US is 27 for women and 29 for men — roughly six to seven years older than first marriages of previous decades. However some couples still choose to get married much younger — sometimes right out of high school. Related Searches: Marriage Divorce LawMarriage and RelationshipMarriage Divorce LawMarriage and Relationship Sense of Self One disadvantage of early marriage is that younger people haven't had the opportunity to explore themselves much beyond their families, or small groups of friends. In order to develop a keen sense of self, one that is capable of contributing fully to a relationship, some discovery is needed about interests and goals. Giving each other several years to uncover these likes and dislikes will go a long way in bringing together more mature partners in a marriage. Goals When it comes to goals, you may know what you want to do right after high school. In fact, you may have your entire career mapped out — right down to retirement. But funny things can happen when you go to college or start your chosen career. You may find that the path you chose doesn't suit you at all. Instead of a 9-to-5 job, you may want one that allows you to travel the world, for example. If your spouse isn't keen on going with you, it may spell trouble for your marriage. Commonalities It's easy to have things in common when you attend the same school, have the same friends, and live in the same town. Unfortunately, this can create a false picture of all the aspects of life that you share with your spouse, or future spouse. You may find that when you are alone together — without the benefit of common pursuits — that your true interests or perspectives just on't mesh. Finances Meager finances are a major pitfall of marrying too early. If you want a nice wedding, the average cost is $25,000. Then there are student loans to consider, relocating costs, and even possible child care expenses. Younger people aren't likely to be at the point in their career when they can easily shoulder such burdens. This can cause fighting and tension that leads young married couples to divorce. Wu

Propaganda Posters of WWI essays

Propaganda Posters of WWI essays The United States produced a lot of propaganda posters during WWI. Most explained that we should eat certain foods so we can send the rest Over There to help our troops. Also many of the posters pushed us to work harder. Explaining that the work we do is for our men in Europe. There was a high demand for building ships at this time because Germany had many ships of their own. Many businesses in my eyes didnt have a high turn-over rate because of this situation. They stated that jumping from one job to another is hurting the production and they need us to help them win this battle. The posters about saving sugar, fat, wheat and meat because we can use it as our ammunition to the soldiers were to convince Americans that even though that they are not there that they have an important part in this. The ships that were built by working day and night were used to send food to the soldiers. From industrial to agricultural goods, everything was needed. Agriculture was very important because that was where that sugar, meat and wheat was coming from. During the winter months cotton was important for coats to keep warm and also socks for our troops and allies. Food and Drug Administration asked families to save their garbage because that could be important to us and the war because they could contain ingredients for soaps, fertilizers, and other war necessities. Ever created regulations on disposal of food and waste products. They wanted us to be more efficient in everything we do because the littlest thing to our daily lifestyle could be the biggest part of the war. That was pounded in to the Americans heads with these posters. This period of time had to be the best time ever for the United States as far as producing goods, productivity (factories and farming), and morale as a nation. The government also produced war stamps and bond to help fund the war as well. Posters were put out to...

The Weight Of Real Wrestlers Essays - Sports Rules And Regulations

The Weight Of Real Wrestlers Essays - Sports Rules And Regulations The Weight Of Real Wrestlers High School Wrestling has always been thought of as the hardest and most enduring sport that takes place in high school. Only the toughest Jocks try out, and the weak are quickly discarded. Young women showing school spirit come to watch as the arms of young men in spandex are mingled about. During matches, coaches yell and scream at their young apprentices while they desperately battle to pin their opponent of equal weight. But, how equally are the two enemies matched? How much weight did one person have to lose, and how fast did he have to do it to be able to wrestle in that weight class? Once the wrestler makes his weight does he really have any physical energy left to wrestle? Losing an extraordinary amount of weight in a short amount of time is dangerous and unhealthy, and should be regulated for the safety of the athletes. Coach James Derek Donoho is now in his third year of being head coach at Don Lugo High School. He says wrestling is a very dangerous contact sport that always has the risk of injuries, and people get hurt everyday. He believes it's a good experience for young men and he is glad he went through it when he was in high school. Physical injuries come with the turf, and every person knows it when they join wrestling or any other sport. It's the un-implied risks that are not seen until commitments are made, that are the most dangerous to young athletes. Donoho is pro losing weight and says its good to loose weight and move to a lighter weight class, because it's a little easier on the wrestler. It feels to them that they are wrestling someone lighter then they are. That is a tactical advantage, however people also move up to wrestle in higher weight levels to fill spots. That makes it unnecessary for teens to lose weight because they are already wrestling someone lighter then they are. We don't pressure our players to lose a lot of weight, says Donoho, they chose which weight class they want to wrestle in. If that's true, then there are a lot of young athletes who are willing to lose a tremendous amount of weight in a short amount of time just to make Varsity. Do people really put themselves in such danger to achieve the pride of being on a varsity team? Brandon Frescas, a third year wrestler on the team, says coaches just flat out ask us if we could get down to a certain weight by a certain time to fill spots. Sometimes it's moving up a weight class, sometimes it's losing a little weight, and sometimes it's a lot of weight. Losing 10 to 15 pounds in a week is a lot of weight to lose. 10 to 15 pounds in a week is an absurd amount of weight to lose. On T.V advertisements say their diet can help people lose 10 to 15 pounds in a month, but never does it say one week. 15 pounds is about the size of a medium dog. Could anyone imagine stuff about the size of a dog leaving ones body in only one week? Michael Nava, also a third year wrestler, says coach asked me what weight I thought I could get down to, and I told him 135 pounds. I weighed about 137 pounds and he asked me if he could count on me to get down to 130 pounds. I thought about it and told him yes because I didn't want to let him down. Pressure from the coaches exists and every pl ayer knows its there. Although the coaches won't admit it, Michael Nava says, it's dangerous if you have to lose a lot of weight. Losing an enormous amount of weight such as 10 to 15 pounds in one week seems impossible to an everyday person. But, according to the wrestlers it's only almost impossible. There is an entire process wrestlers go through and it's different depending upon how much weight needs to be lost. The secrets are passed down and taught to the younger wrestlers by the more experienced ones. The first thing taught is

Cómo Declarar la Pérdida de Pasaporte con Visa Americana

Cà ³mo Declarar la Pà ©rdida de Pasaporte con Visa Americana Si usted ha perdido su pasaporte con una visa americana, debe actuar rpidamente para evitarse problemas futuros y no perder su visado. Tenga en cuenta que si usted extravà ­o su documento o le fue robado puede que otra persona lo està © intentando usar para entrar a Estados Unidos (suplantacià ³n de identidad). Reportar la Pà ©rdida Fuera de Estados Unidos: Apenas se de cuenta de la pà ©rdida o robo escriba un correo electrà ³nico al consulado correspondiente siguiendo estas formulas: ciudad del consuladovisasstate.gov o ciudaddelconsuladonivstate.gov Asà ­, para el consulado en Lima el correo serà ­a: limavisasstate.gov o limanivstate.gov. En el asunto del correo escribir: â€Å"Lost† para el caso de visas extraviadas y â€Å"Stolen† para el de robadas y en el cuerpo del correo aà ±adir: Nombre completo del titular de la visa, tal y como aparece en el pasaporte extraviado o robado.Nà ºmero de pasaporte, si se tiene.Fecha en la que se produjo la pà ©rdida o el robo.Nà ºmero de telà ©fono de contacto.Si hay un reporte policial, incluirlo en la comunicacià ³n. Informacià ³n detallada de lo sucedido. Una vez reportado el robo o pà ©rdida la visa ser cancelada y ya no se podr viajar con ella. Reportar la Pà ©rdida Dentro de Estados Unidos: Apenas se de cuenta de la pà ©rdida o robo usted deber: Acudir a la policà ­a y reportar el robo o extravà ­o.Conseguir una copia del reporte policial.Conseguir una copia   del I-94 que indica hasta cuando puede estar usted en Estados Unidos.Contactar con la embajada o consulado del paà ­s de origen y conseguir un nuevo pasaporte o documento que le permita salir de Estados Unidos y entrar a su paà ­s de origen. Reportar el robo o el extravà ­o de la visa a la embajada o al consulado que la emitià ³, siguiendo las instrucciones seà ±aladas arriba para casos de pà ©rdida fuera de Estados Unidos. Si su pasaporte extraviado tiene una visa de turismo B1/B2 vigente usted puede pedir una renovacià ³n de la misma siguiendo los mismos pasos de aplicacià ³n de la visa original. Aquà ­ encuentra un listado de las direcciones oficiales de los consulados en la pgina oficial del gobierno e informacià ³n adicional de cà ³mo reportar  el robo o perdida. Consejos Para Conservar la Visa Americana Una vez recuperada su visa revise la siguiente informacià ³n para conservarla sin problemas: Las 10 situaciones que le pueden traer problemas con su visa.La frecuencia con la que puede  ingresar a Estados Unidos.Consecuencias de estadà ­as ms largas que las permitidas. Informacià ³n en forma de   test sobre visas. Este artà ­culo es meramente informativo y no pretende ser asesorà ­a legal.

What does 'mixed' mean in contemporary Britain Essay

What does 'mixed' mean in contemporary Britain - Essay Example When individuals become mixed in their identities and lifestyles, social (national) identity too by default become mixed. The prevailing practice of multiculturalism and the corresponding intersection of identities, based on race, nationality, ethnicity and sex, have led to the mixing of identities in the present day society in the United Kingdom. Mixedness is quite often wrongly attributed to the different heritage of individuals and communities. It is only partially true as mixedness is also the product of the contemporary society which actively mixes the identities of both individuals and communities which previously existed exclusive of each other. One could easily argue that mixedness is essentially a question of the present as it is constantly (re)produced in the present society. Mixedness happens in the present and strengthens itself through the present. For instance, when people marry persons from other communities, they actually (re)create mixedness. In other words, mixednes s is always in the making. Mixedness is not simply an ascribed status of people have hereditary status of coming from what is traditionally known as interracial mixed families. Mixedness could also be derived from the present in a vibrant multicultural society. Mixedness is constantly produced in the multiple avenues opened up by the practice of multiculturalism and an existing multiracial multicultural environment. Here, the identities are not constant and permanent. It exists in constant flux and always becoming fluid. Therefore, mixedness is not a marginal phenomenon occurs with some marginal mixed group. It is the general state of affairs of the contemporary British society. Mixedness is no more simply a question of the existence of a mixed race in the United Kingdom. The mixed groups are usually defined in terms of their commonalities, which are defined by shared inheritance, culture and beliefs. But, the idea of mixedness does not stick to mixed groups alone. Mixedness is the mainstream. In other words, the mainstream has gone mixed and it is increasingly being more mixed by a variety of social, economic and political forces. It characterises the mainstream society as everyone gets mixed in a multicultural society in one way or another. Many research studies, according to Song (2010), have proved that no mixed group in the United Kingdom is coherent both as a community and in lived-in experiences. Identity, Lifestyle and Representation The passage from modernity which was characterised by colonialism to postmodernity, defined in terms of postcolonialism has changed the outlook of British society forever. At present, â€Å"the demise of colonialism as an explicit political formation has given rise to understandings of postcoloniality and, perhaps ironically, an increased recognition of the role of colonialism in the formation of modernity† (Bhambra , 2007, p.878). In Bhambra’s scheme, the old British society was characterised by the ‘W hite malestream’ vis-a-vis the marginalised colonial subjects. The White British society existed as the product of modernity and was predominantly characterised by a homogenous White culture. But, the increased immigration from the postcolonial societies to the United Kingdom is altering the British social landscape in an unprecedented manner wherein the Whiteness did not exist as pure or as the founding culture of the British nation. The identities of British people are no more constructed against nationality, ethnicity, race or sexuality. The mixed identities of the British people are self constructed. And, it is possible to argue that the socially and culturally determined self construction of new mixed identities is induced by the

Vietnam Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Vietnam - Term Paper Example The climate of the Vietnam is mostly monsoonal in the North and tropical towards the south (Tucker 30). Among the natural resources that the country enjoys include coal, phosphates, bauxite, offshore oil and gas, hydropower, manganese and chromate. The country normally suffers from occasional typhoons, which may occur any time from May to January. These typhoons are accompanied by extensive flooding especially along the banks of the Mekong River (Ray, Dragicevish and Louis 45). History The history of Vietnam dates back to over 2700 years ago. Back then it used to be part of the Chinese Empire. The first inhabitants of the country were at first scattered in the Northern part. The country has a rich history in its relations with its largest neighbor, China. It was under Chinese rule until 939 AD when it gained independence (Gainsworth 34). The country flourished under the Ly Dynasty which was in power for 200 years, from 1010 to 1225. Under the Ly Dynasty, Vietnamese continued living u nder Chinese social and political institutions. For instance, their children were schooled following the Confucianism System that was popular in China at the time. However, native forms of social expression were common especially at the village level. These native forms and cultural expressions helped the Vietnamese create vibrant traditions of their own (Largo 12). Under the Ly dynasty, Vietnam was mostly an agricultural economy and rice was the country’s main staple food. Feudal system of land ownership flourished during this period. However, there also existed a class of powerful landlords who exerted influence separate from the feudal lords. Apart from agriculture, commerce was also an important mainstay of the Vietnamese economy. The local craft industry was among the most vibrant in the region and many products from the country could be found in the major markets of Asia. However, unlike its neighbors, Vietnam never ventured into international trade, and therefore, it r arely featured in regional trade activities (Tucker 58). During the 19th century, Vietnam became involved with the French. The French helped Nguyen Anh seize power in the hopes that he would help them in their trading and missionary endeavors. However, this was not to be as Nguyen was highly suspicious of French intentions. Many missionaries and their converts were killed by Nguyen forces, and this led to an intervention by Emperor Napoleon III. After several invasions from French forces, Vietnam finally accepted French control in the country. However, the French occupation of the country was not to last as Vietnamese soon started revolting against their colonizers (Gainsworth 134). In 1954, after years of civil strife, the French decided to grant the Vietnamese nationals their freedom. The two sides agreed to temporarily divide the country into two before full independence could be attained. The Vietnamese nationals, led by the Viet Minh took over the north in Hanoi while the Frenc h and their supports took control of the south and established their base at Saigon. The Northern Viet Minh established a communist society while the South under Ngo Dinh Diem built a strong anti communist regime (Largo 47). However, Diem’s regime was a dictatorial one and his failure to establish strong economic and political reforms made him unpopular in the South. His refusal to reunite with the communist North put him in even more trouble. In 1963, Diem was overthrown and assassinated by his own forces.

Physical Privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Physical Privacy - Essay Example From this, it is worth noting that utilitarianism and deontology plays an integral role in the physical privacy right issues of employees in a workplace. Therefore, in order to clearly elaborate how the utilitarianism and deontology influences workers in a workplace, our discussion will be based on drug testing. Several concerns have been raised in regards to employees being given drug tests in their places. The main bone of contention arises with the question as to whether using such program would be socially desirable and ethically correct, or would it be an infringement on the employees’ privacy rights. Normally, the first argument that comes into play is the fact that administering drug tests to employees is related to the job functions, and secondly, the safety of other employees, the employer, as well as the general public (Verstraete, 2011). Several groups of individuals argue that employers violate the privacy rights of employees of when they request, collect or use personal information in a way that is not related to the existing relationship between the employer and the employees (Verstraete, 2011). Therefore, before employers subject its employees to a drug test, then they must prove the relevant need for the test. This is because subjecting employees to drug testing witho ut sound reasoning is subject to flouting federal and state laws. However, it is important for employers to understand that knowing drug usage of their employees is job-relevant information. This is attributed to the fact that a person using drugs can be a huge liability to the employer, themselves, co-workers, as well as the general public. Drug users normally have low productivity compared to the non-drug users (Verstraete, 2011). Additionally, drug users also have high work injuries compared to those who do not use drugs. This implies that the employer will incur high unnecessary costs. These costs can be

Climate change and hydraulic impacts on water networks supply Literature review

Climate change and hydraulic impacts on water networks supply - Literature review Example 13 3. Conclusion 14 References 15 1. Introduction One of the most important characteristics of last decade is the increase of extreme climate phenomena worldwide. These phenomena have been related to significant climate change, compared to the past. The research that has been developed in this field has led to the assumption that climate change has been resulted mostly due to the following three reasons: ‘a) the changes in solar’s radiation, b) the changes in the structure of atmosphere and c) the changes in the earth’s surface’ (Ahrens 2007, p.438). Certain events, such as ‘the tectonic activity’ (Rafferty 2011, p.179) have been also related to the current expansion of climate change. In addition, it has been proved that the lack of control in regard to climate change can lead to non-reversible problems, such as global warming (Maslin 2007, p.17). One of the most important aspects of climate change seems to be its potential impact on water net works supply. The specific issue is explored below using appropriate literature. The findings of empirical research and data published by governmental and non-governmental organizations have been also employed for offering an in-depth analysis in regard to this study’s subject. 2. ... There are several factors that are related to climate change. In a study developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) it is made clear that the relationship between climate and specific events has not fully explored. For this reason, when trying to evaluate climate change it is necessary to refer to appropriate parameters (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007, p.718). In any case, evaluating climate changes can be a challenging task since climate conditions are not standardized (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change 2007, p.718). In terms of their context, the parameters of climate change can be highly differentiated. In fact, it seems that each time that climate changes need to be assessed the parameters used need to vary according to the characteristics of the region, as of its geography, and the information available (Van Dam 2003, p.111). Of course, there are certain parameters that are necessarily used when evaluating climate changes worldwide. The level of CO2 emissions or the annual average volume of waste can be considered as indicative parameters of such type (Van Dam 2003, p.111). It should be noted that climate change is usually evaluated using appropriate models. The parameters on which these models are based can be different according to the structure of each model as related to its aims. For example, there are models that require the use of ‘current climate conditions for predicting future climate conditions’ (Mirza and Ahmad 2005, p.32). Other models can employ different parameters, including the characteristics of a region’s soil, such as ‘soil structure or soil moisture’ (Mirza and Ahmad 2005, p.32). Solar radiation, in regard to a particular

Travel guidebook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Travel guidebook - Essay Example The cafà © is widely touted as an area attraction for anyone visiting and there is evidence in the area of significant care and upkeep, such as in the cleanliness of the street and the good condition of the building next door. The purple paint used to decorate the small shop next to the cafà © begins to highlight the flavor of the subculture of this area as well. At the same time, though, there is also evidence of the negative elements suggested in Fisher’s descriptive. Immediately noticing the purple paint of the small shop, it is then noticed that this shop is a pawn shop and from here, it cannot help but be noticed that some of the upper windows in the cafà © are boarded up rather than repaired. Bixton’s strange combination of run-down and maintained, popular and depressed and strong multicultural mix in sights sounds and smells is compelling and requires experiencing to truly appreciate in its complexity. According to Panikos Panayi, the area of London known as Harnegey in the northern section has been a strong magnet for people of Asian descent as well as numerous other minority groups. Like the Italian cafà © found in Bixton, this Chinese community center is found in a building that is much more reminiscent of London’s British past. There are none of the traditional Chinese embellishments provided to help adorn this building, such as the necessary upturned roof awnings that are important to Chinese beliefs regarding luck and the spirits. The only exterior indication of space as a center of cultural identity is found in the Chinese characters written horizontally, rather than the traditional vertical, across the front face of the building. However, some of these elements seem to be evident in the building reflected from across the street. This is particularly true in the yellow structure. The brilliant shade of this

Climate change and hydraulic impacts on water networks supply Literature review

Climate change and hydraulic impacts on water networks supply - Literature review Example 13 3. Conclusion 14 References 15 1. Introduction One of the most important characteristics of last decade is the increase of extreme climate phenomena worldwide. These phenomena have been related to significant climate change, compared to the past. The research that has been developed in this field has led to the assumption that climate change has been resulted mostly due to the following three reasons: ‘a) the changes in solar’s radiation, b) the changes in the structure of atmosphere and c) the changes in the earth’s surface’ (Ahrens 2007, p.438). Certain events, such as ‘the tectonic activity’ (Rafferty 2011, p.179) have been also related to the current expansion of climate change. In addition, it has been proved that the lack of control in regard to climate change can lead to non-reversible problems, such as global warming (Maslin 2007, p.17). One of the most important aspects of climate change seems to be its potential impact on water net works supply. The specific issue is explored below using appropriate literature. The findings of empirical research and data published by governmental and non-governmental organizations have been also employed for offering an in-depth analysis in regard to this study’s subject. 2. ... There are several factors that are related to climate change. In a study developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) it is made clear that the relationship between climate and specific events has not fully explored. For this reason, when trying to evaluate climate change it is necessary to refer to appropriate parameters (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007, p.718). In any case, evaluating climate changes can be a challenging task since climate conditions are not standardized (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change 2007, p.718). In terms of their context, the parameters of climate change can be highly differentiated. In fact, it seems that each time that climate changes need to be assessed the parameters used need to vary according to the characteristics of the region, as of its geography, and the information available (Van Dam 2003, p.111). Of course, there are certain parameters that are necessarily used when evaluating climate changes worldwide. The level of CO2 emissions or the annual average volume of waste can be considered as indicative parameters of such type (Van Dam 2003, p.111). It should be noted that climate change is usually evaluated using appropriate models. The parameters on which these models are based can be different according to the structure of each model as related to its aims. For example, there are models that require the use of ‘current climate conditions for predicting future climate conditions’ (Mirza and Ahmad 2005, p.32). Other models can employ different parameters, including the characteristics of a region’s soil, such as ‘soil structure or soil moisture’ (Mirza and Ahmad 2005, p.32). Solar radiation, in regard to a particular

How does the Media Impact Youth's Body Image and Self Esteem Research Paper

How does the Media Impact Youth's Body Image and Self Esteem - Research Paper Example Media includes the use of billboards, fashion designers, films, television, magazines, movies, newspapers, videos, radio, and websites. Due to excessive mass media exposure, there is a risk wherein the youth may or may not feel good about their body image (van Vonderen & Kinnally, 2012). In relation to the adverse psychological effects of mass media with regards to how a person feels about himself, this study aims to prove that mass media can either create a positive or negative impact over the youth’s body image and self esteem. Applicable to both male and female, this study will gather some peer-reviewed evidences to explore how mass media exposure could affect a child perception about what an ideal body is all about. Thesis Statement Either positive or negative, the media has a significant impact on youth’s body image and self-esteem. Literature Review A child is able to develop an ideal feminine beauty and a universally accepted masculinity through mass media exposu re (van Vonderen & Kinnally, 2012; Dittmar, 2009; Barlett, Vowels, & Saucier, 2008). Since the ideal masculine and feminine figure has been continuously portrayed in the media, the young adults are either consciously or unconsciously exerting too much effort to make their body image fit in either the ideal masculine or feminine figure (Nikkelen, Anschutz, & Ha et al., 2012; Dittmar, 2009; Barlett, Vowels, & Saucier, 2008). In relation to a strong identity, there is a link between having high levels of self esteem and a positive body image. Based on what the media is portraying, the ideal female body should be sexy, underweight, ultra-thin and lean whereas the ideal male body should be show a lot of muscles (Nikkelen et al., 2012; van Vonderen & Kinnally, 2012; Dittmar, 2009; Hobza & Rochlen, 2009; Barlett, Vowels, & Saucier, 2008). Aside from having lots of muscles, Hobza and Rochlen (2009) mentioned that a typical body image for men is often characterized by a having a lean and fit body image. As a result of stereotyping the ideal body image of men and women, people are unconsciously creating a new set of cultural standards with regards to the ideal body image. It means that more adolescent girls are developing the wrong belief that being extremely thin is the only way for them to become famous and socially accepted by other people (van Vonderen & Kinnally, 2012; Robles, 2009). Therefore, the number of unsatisfied and depressed youth increases over time. It is wrong to believe that the media can only affect the young adolescent girls when it comes to body image and self esteem. In the process of trying to make them fit in the universally accepted body image, a lot of men and women are becoming totally dissatisfied with their own body image (van Vonderen & Kinnally, 2012; Barlett, Vowels, & Saucier, 2008). The only differences between men and women is that men’s visual attention when watching another man’s body image on mass media is totally diff erent from how women’s visual attention is being caught by the media images (Nikkelen et al., 2012). This explains why more adolescent girls are affected by the media when it comes to appreciating their own body image. Even though it is more common for the adolescent girls to feel depressed, unhappy and unsatisfied with their body image as compared to the adolescent boys, the fact that there are some adolescent boys who are consciously becoming

Consumer Buying Behaviour Essay Example for Free

Consumer Buying Behaviour Essay INTRODUCTION This paper is based on a group purchase from the popular coffee house Starbucks. All members were to meet and purchase a beverage and analyse the purchase and reflect on emotions and feelings prior to the purchase and also post purchase. Each group member bought something different so we were therefore able to compare each individuals experience. CONSUMER A Problem Recognition Consumer A and the other consumers recognised the need for a place to meet in order to enjoy some food/a drink that was in the centre of town, within a budget and would not require a reservation. Consumer A wanted a drink but also something more filling and exciting than a regular coffee or tea. This would take the consumer from their actual state to their ideal state (Solomon et al 2010). Information Search Due to the high recognition and availability of the brand, when feeling the need of a drink, hot or cold, Consumer A believe that the Starbucks brand recall is one of the strongest out there. Thus meaning that it is the first one the consumer will think of and additionally the brand is widely available. Particularly in Glasgow central, there is a Starbucks on almost every corner, stimulating both her internal and external information state (Solomon et al 2010). Consumer A and the rest of the group decided upon Starbucks, dismissing other rival retailers such as Costa and Caffe Nero The  consumer thought about what drinks she had seen people get and say was nice, this is known as an internal search, Consumer A also saw another female consumer drinking one of the strawberries and cream frappaccino and thought it looked delicious and the pink and white colour combination is very appealing. Evaluation of alternatives Starbucks was chosen from the consumers evoked set (Solomon et al 2010), due to good marketing. Consumer A showed rational behaviour by opting for a drink that is quite filling so that it was less expensive than buying a drink and a separate snack. Consumer A used her prior knowledge of the drinks she had tried from Starbucks and opted for a drink she knew she liked the taste of rather than variety seeking Consumer A finds that the wide range of options in Starbucks means it can be difficult to make a decision, however they allow you to customise your drink which Consumer A likes as you can get exactly as you want. Purchase Consumer A decided on purchasing the strawberries and cream frappaccino. Consumer A enjoyed her experience overall, service was relatively efficient and her drink did not take long. There was low risk and involvement in the purchase, due to its low price (?3.29) and the nature of the product. Consumer A, did however, feel a little panicked when she went to order as you need to stand in the queue to read the menu boards rather than being able to read and decide before joining the queue. This left Consumer A feeling a bit rushed into the decision. Consumer A was offered cream on top, this left them feeling like it was an added extra, leaving them pleased with their purchase. Post-Purchase Consumer A was very pleased with the purchase as it tasted delicious and was very filling. Whilst Starbucks can be perceived to have some overpriced  products, consumer A did not feel like the frappaciano is one of them, so was satisfied, finding it good value for money. However having seen the high calorie content did make it somewhat less enjoyable as it inspires a little bit of post-purchase guilt. Consumer A decided to push aside any feelings of guilt, a manifestation of cognitive dissonance (Arnould et al 2004). Consumer A felt full and no longer thirsty, it had satisfied her sweet craving and so was now in her ideal state. Consumer A will continue to be a regular customer. Consumer A considers what the drink would be if it were a car, animal and person. If the drink were a car it would probably be a convertible, something fun, quite flash and expensive. If the drink were an animal it would be something relatively exotic and colourful, like a bird of paradise. If the drink was a person, they would be very sweet, probably relatively young, vivacious and excitable, possibly flirty. CONSUMER B The group recognise a problem when they decide they want to meet up but need the convenience of somewhere that does not require a reservation. There are several stores offering similar products in the surrounding area, Costa, Starbucks, Pret a Manger and other less branded coffee shops; constructive processing means the decision to go to Starbucks is made rather quickly; the decision was almost automated due to the knowledge of Starbucks’ product range (Solomon et al, 2010). The group perform an internal search to locate a Starbucks within walking distance from their current position. Whilst in line to order consumer B browses the many drinks on the menu considers the possible flavours and quickly decides to purchase a large cup of tea. The tea is chosen as it is consumer Bs favourite hot drink. As the decision to buy tea was made easily by consumer B there was time left to survey the cakes and biscuits on offer while in the queue; consumer B decided to make a hotspot purchase of a cookie to accompany the tea. Consumer B enjoys the purchase of tea and a cookie which cost ?3.70 which  consumer B believes to be competitively priced with rival stores but overpriced in relation to the cost of manufacture however this has not ruined the experience. Overall the experience was a positive one; service was quick, the store was laid out efficiently, staff were friendly, consumer B enjoyed the social aspect that was made possible due to the homely store and the purchase was satisfactory too. Consumer B considers what tea would be if it was a type of car, animal and person and determines, if a car it would be a Volkswagen Golf as it is without significant changes; if an animal it would be a dog or cat as is a lifelong companion; and if a person someone who was comforting, friendly and dependable. Tea has all of these characteristics to consumer B. (Solomon et al, 2010, pg314) CONSUMER C The group recognise a problem as to what time to meet up, as some group members are not nearby the selected Starbucks, and others only have a small amount of time due to work commitments. They decide to meet as soon as possible at a set point (Starbucks Buchanan Galleries) and to purchase their products as soon as they can so that all members can be involved, and the members that need to leave will just order take-away cups. Consumer C knew that they would need to leave for work soon after she had met the group at Starbucks, so their first thought was that it would be ideal to pick up a take-away cup. This is problem recognition (Solomon et al, 2010) in the customer realising they were currently purchasing a product, but would soon need to leave the location where the product is generally consumed. Pre-purchase research had taught them that Starbucks offer a take-away service. Having made this decision, consumer C now considered her options for a drink. Not particularly liking tea or coffee consumer C decides to buy a hot chocolate, and makes it a small as they are not that hungry. As consumer 2 is paying the cashier offers them cream and marshmallows for a small extra price, and so makes a hotspot decision to purchase cream for on top of the hot chocolate. Consumer C enjoyed the purchase of hot chocolate with cream. It was ideal that they could sit and enjoy the drink with the rest of the group, but leave slightly earlier without having to stop drinking their purchase due to the take-away cup. Compared to home-made products was a lot more enjoyable due to extra touches such as cream and the ability to sit with friends in a comfortable and relaxed environment. Consumer C reflects on their experience of the purchase of a hot chocolate for ?3.40. It was more satisfying than home-made products due to the services it comes with, and was an enjoyable experience with friends. If this product was a car Consumer C thinks it would be a Volkswagen Beetle as it is sweet and almost a bit childish. If it was an animal it would be a sloth because it is relaxed and happy. If it was a person it would be a grandmother type figure, as it is used to cheer people up and as an almost comfort-blanket type product. CONSUMER D The consumers decided to meet to discuss group work issues. Upon deciding a meeting place, there were a few options considered by the consumers: a restaurant or a cafe, as they would provide the perfect space and atmosphere in order to carry out the meeting without any major interruptions and would allow them their own space. Most of the group had already eaten lunch as this was around 2pm, so it was then decided that a cafe would be the most suitable place to meet, allowing them to also enjoy a relaxing hot drink and possibly a cake/pastry. Consumer D already had an idea of a place which would offer the group what they required, due to â€Å"Internal information search†. Consumer D regularly visited Starbucks and had never been let down by their services, they had a very positive image of the brand. They also remembered reading â€Å"Find your local Starbucks and visit us in store for your perfect latte!†(Starbucks official website 2012) on their official website, which coincidently happened to be their favourite hot beverage. A short conversation was  undertaken which involved assessing the nearby coffee shops such as Costa coffee and Pret a Manger, (mainly those who were branded, as the knowledge of their products and services were the highest) it was decided that Starbucks was the preferred option by all consumers. Upon arriving at the nearest Starbucks, consumer D already had decided what drink they were going to purchase (a latte) as they had previously enjoyed the same drink many times before and it was their favourite. As consumer D waited in the queue (queues are present nine times out of ten in most Starbucks although that never hindered the experience) they were faced with all of the cakes and sandwiches that the cafe had to offer. Although consumer D had just eaten lunch, they were almost at eye level with their favourite cake and made a rash decision to purchase it as they usually enjoyed it alongside their favourite drink. After ordering, the assistant then asked for consumer Ds name, to place on the order, to give it a personal touch, to make experience somewhat more pleasant. Taking into consideration all the qualities of the drink, the consumer decided that if it was to be compared to a car, it would most resemble an Audi as it was a safe option, it was reliable and not just a regular coffee, it was an upgraded sophisticated version. If the drink was to be compared to a person, it would most resemble a woman/mother in a well-paid occupation as it gives vibes of confidence and sophistication, due to the sharp coffee taste but also an understanding and warming vibe due to milk being the basis of the drink. It was then considered that if the latte was an animal it would be a Persian Cat, mostly due to the similarity of the colours and the cuddly yet classy image that they project. Consumer D was just as impressed as they always were with their Starbucks purchase; they believe that the brand is very consistent with the quality of their products which draws them in as they never have the risk of being disappointed. Although it cost them ?5.25 for a coffee and a cake, it was not grudged as it is now accepted as the norm for all branded coffee shops. Consumer D had also enjoyed the free Wi-fi, as it assisted the group whilst they were enjoying their beverages so they could socialise, discuss and  research all at the same time. Consumer D identified that the purchase was one of low involvement as during the information search, it was limited and not many options were considered; when it came to the purchase, they knew what they wanted to buy, they didn’t have look into any other product – the behaviour was habitual and post purchase, there was little evaluation on the purchase and no research was undertaken. CONSUMER E Prior to the visit to Starbucks, Consumer E was thrilled at the chosen place of purchase. Consumer E is familiar with the American Coffee House and visits regularly. Although Consumer E has been countless times before, this experience was to be different and the trip was to be made with a group of friends who had not spent time with each other before. Consumer E felt wary and anxious about how the group would all get along and how the experience would be. Consumer E was more concerned about the people attending the meeting than actually making the purchase. Consumers E was considering whether to stick with the regular order or try something new to add to the whole new experience. Consumer E gathered information from the Starbucks website on what other beverages and snacks they serve to be prepared for meeting. Consumer E had decided on the purchase going to be made, however, before doing so, compared alternatives on the menu by analysing nutrition information. Consumer E then confirm ed her choice before the day of the meeting. Friday 15th February was the day the group planned to meet at the Coffee House. Consumer E was running late so felt rushed when arriving. The remainder of the group were already sitting down, chatting, and seemed delighted that Consumer E had finally arrived. After around 5 minutes of brief chat, the group were ready to make their purchase. As everyone made their way to order, Consumer E realised that the firmed choice of hazelnut hot chocolate was not desired any longer. Consumer E had been in such a great rush to get to the meeting that the needs had changed and now craved something cold and refreshing. The queue was terribly long, so Consumer E had plenty of time to evaluate alternatives. When the caramel Frappuccino had been ordered, Consumer E felt no warmth and friendliness from the staff, which is normally the atmosphere created in Starbucks. The staff did ask the  name of the consumer to write on the cup, which is a nice, personal touch. The member of staff questioned whether the consumer would enjoy cream on their beverage or would prefer without. Consumer E agreed to the cream and made the purchase of ?3.29. After making the purchase, Consumer E realised there was no up sell of snacks or biscuits which the felt was disappointing and thought effort was lacking from the staff members. When the drink was ready, it was made aware that it was served in a plastic cup even though the consumer had stated they were sitting in. When arriving back at the table to join the remaining group members, Consumer E felt slightly out of place as the other members were sipping from large, Starbucks stamped mugs. Their experience seemed more homely, warm and comforting whereas Consumer E felt their Frappuccino was over-priced to be served in a plastic cup, with a straw. The consumer understood that the type of drink is slightly different; however, the purchase made should not affect the overall experience of consuming in such a place where expectations are so high. Consumer E felt as though they had been given a take away, and although the beverage was lovely, it would have been more enjoyable if it had been consumed the same way as the other group members; from a mug like youre sitting at home! Overall, the experience of the purchase was slightly disappointing; however, Consumer E loves the social aspect of Starbucks. If the consumer had the chance to indulge in the atmosphere predicted before the purchase was made, then the outcome may have been different. CONSUMER COMPARISON Problem Recognition The consumers recognised a variety of reasons as to why they made their purchase. Consumer A was thirsty and wanted something quite filling, Consumer B wanted a drink and a snack, Consumer C wanted the convenience of a takeaway cup, Consumer D wanted a drink and was also hungry for a cake, and Consumer E also wanted a drink. All the consumers identified the need  for somewhere convenient and not too expensive to meet. Information Search The consumers used different methods of collecting information. The choice of Starbucks was largely based on all the consumers’ previous experiences and awareness of the brand, showing successful marketing, as all of the consumers noted that they had previously been and it was thought of as an easy and convenient choice. Consumer E, D and A admit to being regular customers, thus illustrating not only their brand loyalty but also how integrated the Starbucks brand is within consumers internal search, strong brand recall (Solomon et al 2010). Consumer E also used an external search by looking at the product options prior to their trip, comparing prices and calories. Additionally Consumer D recalled knowledge of one of the brands advertisements on their website. Evaluation of Alternatives The evaluation of alternatives was somewhat unique for each consumer. Consumer E had decided upon their purchase beforehand, Consumer D stuck to her favourite drink, whilst Consumers C, B and A perused the menu and made more impulsive decisions from the extensive menu. Consumer A was relatively price conscious. All the consumers evaluated whether they would enjoy the purchase beforehand and stuck to drinks they had tried before to avoid disappointment. Purchase Consumers had different experiences when making their purchases, despite it being the same staff. Whilst Consumer E was disappointed by the lack of up-sell, Consumer A thought this was a positive aspect of the experience as she felt that being pressured into purchasing more is a turn-off. Whilst Consumers A, C and D were okay with the price, Consumer B thought it slightly overpriced especially in relation to the manufacture cost of her tea; however all the consumers agreed on the enjoying the social aspects of  the Starbucks experience. Post-Purchase Evaluation The consumers post purchase evaluations also differed despite being together in the same Starbucks at the same time. Personal preference would be best identified as the driving force behind why some Consumers were more pleased with their purchases than others. Due to the nature of the products purchased the consumers were able to test the product immediately. Consumer A was pleased with her purchase despite a little post-purchase guilt and experiencing a little post purchase dissonance, Consumer E was left slightly disappointed with their purchase, whilst consumers B, C and D were all satisfied, describing it as a positive experience and purchase. Whilst Consumer E was left unhappy with the fact their frappacciano came in a take away cup, this was seen as a positive for Consumer C, for whom the ease of the plastic cup allowed them not to rush before heading to work commitments. CONCLUSION In conclusion, consumers A, B, C, D, and E, all used the Individual Decision Making Process when going about their purchase from Starbucks. Consumers A and purchased their drink through need as well as want, they were thirsty. Consumers C and were more driven by want as they weren’t particularly hungry or thirsty. In the Information search stage, all the consumers followed a relatively similar pattern, due to the high brand awareness of Starbucks and its easy availability. None of the consumers set an exact budget, but all the purchases retailed under ?7. On the whole all the Consumers, except consumer E who expressed a little disappointment, had a positive experience and Consumers E and D are already loyal customers. Therefore they are likely to go back and continue to purchase from Starbucks. The consumers’ decision making processes are somewhat unique and are more complex due to the extensive menu and options available. REFERENCES James R. Bettman, ‘The Decision Maker Who Came in from the Cold’ (presidential address), in Leigh McAllister and Michael Rothschild (eds), Advances in Consumer Research 20 (Provo, U.T.: Association for Consumer Research, 1993): 7-11; John W. Payne, James R. Bettman and Eric J. Johnson, ‘Behavioural decision research: A constructive processing perspective’, Annul Review of psychology 4 (1992): 87-131; J.R. Bettman, M.F Luce and J.W. Payne ‘Constructive consumer choice processes’, Journal of Consumer Research 25(3) (December 1998): 187-217; for an overview of recent developments in individual choice models, see Robert J. Meyer and Barbara E. Kahn, ‘Probabilistic Models of Consumer Choice Behaviour’, in Thomas S. Robertson and Harold H. Kassarjian (eds), Handbook of Consumer Behaviour (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1991): 85-123. Cited in Consumer Behaviour a European Perspective, 2010, fourth edition: Prentice Hall Michael R. Solomon, Gary Damossy, Soren Askegaard, Margaret K. Hogg, 2010, Consumer Behaviour A European Perspective, Fourth Edition: Prentice Hall http://starbucks.co.uk/promo/mondays-can-be-great Solomon, Bamossy, Askegarrd and Hogg, (2006), Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective, 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall. Arnould. E, Price. L, Zinkhan. G, (2004). Consumers, (2nd ed), McGraw-Hill.

Procter and Gamble Company with consumer goods

Procter and Gamble Company with consumer goods 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Procter Gamble Company (PG) is one of the top makers of consumer goods companies in the world. Among the famous billion dollars brands are Duracell, Oral-B, Gillette, Head Shoulder, Olay, Pampers, Pantene, and Wella. PG has three major categories of products, mainly beauty and grooming, health and well-being, and household care products. The organizations corporate mission is to touch and improve lives of the worlds consumers, now and for generations to come by providing branded products and services of superior quality and value (Procter Gamble 2011). PG has a unique corporate structure that is very different from major market leaders in the world. Its structure is one of the main pillars for its growing capability. PG has combined both the global scale benefit organization with the local focus of each particular country where its products are sold (Procter Gamble 2011). The corporate structure of PG consists of three major parts which are Global Business Units (GBUs), Market Development Organizations (MDOs), and Global Business Services (GBS). The GBUs focus mainly on branding, competitors and consumers. They are responsible for the shareholder returns and profitability of the company. MDOs are to know the consumers and retailers in the markets PG is competing and combine new ideas from GBUs into business plans that work in each country. The GBS in another hand is one of the four major pillars of the organization to support 127000 employees and 300 brands sold. GBS provide over 170 employee and business services including IT, finance, facilities, purchasing and employee services as well as business building solutions (Procter Gamble 2011). PG established five business strategies for its own (Procter Gamble 2011). The first strategy is to develop sustainable innovative products which are environmental friendly. Second strategy is to improve PGs operation to be more environmental friendly. Third strategy is to improve childrens lives via the organizations social responsibility programs. Fourth strategy is to engage and equip the employees of PG to build sustainability thinking and practices into their everyday work. Fifth strategy is to work transparently with the stakeholders. PG major business processes focuses on consumer production innovation and brand management. In order to achieve both of these, PG has its own intranet called Innovation Net (INET) to connect different departments ranging from RD, Engineering, Purchasing, Consumer Market knowledge, Patent/Legal and Business Information Systems. With the integration of AskMe Enterprise tools, PG will be able to leverage the information from each department to better monetize it (Realcom 2009). Knowledge workers of PG would be able to share their knowledge and collaborate to solve same problems encountered via INET. PG has strong relationship with Wal-Mart since 1980s because of the business process automation between the two and the collaboration carried out to work together better (Christopher Koch, 2002). PG is establishing efficient relationship between the industry and academia with research universities (Nathan 2011). 2.0 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) INFRASTRUCTURE In year 2003, Procter and Gamble (PG) has signed a 10 years contract, worth $3 billion with Hewlett-Packard (HP) to outsource her overall IT infrastructure. HP will run PGs data centers and information technology infrastructure, and also provide desktop and end-user support, and to oversee network management (Sandeep Junnarkar 2003). 2.1 Computer hardware platform PG has selected Hewlett-Packard (HP) as her IT infrastructure provider. Desktops and end-user support in PGs global operations over 180 countries are provided by HP. HP was selected for its global IT expertise, services quality and cost, and collaborative approach, as most importantly shared a same vision and values with PG, which PG strongly believe this will be able to accelerate innovation in PG (Palo Alto 2003). 2.2 Operating system. PG has started to get involved in high performance computing (HPC) to run simulations in research, design and testing before production since early of 1980s to increase productivity and reduce the production cost of company. However due to wide variety of products, and large number of researchers, product designer and test engineers in PG, the IT organization needs a more user friendly computer cluster. PG also faced difficulties in integrating software from different vendors as no any vendors can offer PG all the software they need in traditional (Microsoft Corporation 2008). In mid 2007, PG replaces its UNIX operating system with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition operating system. PG employed Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 to support its high performance technical and scientific applications with parallel processing to improve their performance. Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 not only improved the use of HPC and productivity in PG, but also improved cluster deployment and management by 20% (Microsoft Corporation 2008) 2.3 Enterprise software applications (SAP) PG runs its business using SAP ® software (SAP AG 2009). The key challenge faced by PG is, she has wide range of products and has a very complex sales order process. Emerging as a worlds premier consumer product company, PG puts her customer as priority and would like to give satisfaction to her customers by on-time-delivery (OTD). PG uses community definition groups (CDGs) from the Enterprise Services Community (ES Community) program provided by SAP, which create the sales order cockpit a single monitor that supports the everyday activities related to sales orders (SAP AG 2009). Through CDG and ES Community, productivity of PG improved by integrating functionality that required many scattered transactions into a single cockpit. 2.4 Networking and telecommunications The visionary stance of PG on product innovation and development to be a company that collaborates-inside and out-better than any other company in the world (Cisco Systems, Inc. 2008). Videoconferencing rooms were used for PG teams to collaborate internally and externally, but greater challenges are faced by PG due to unreliable technology which cause poor video and audio quality, and thus prevented effective collaboration. The problem is then solved when GBS work with CISCO to develop a video collaboration strategy based on the TelePresence solution. In mid of 2007, PG has expanded to more 40 Cisco CTS3000 TelePresence studios, also known as Video Collaboration Studios which enable team members in PG exchange idea and even have meetings in minutes (Cisco Systems, Inc. 2008). Through these, team members in PG are able to collaborate innovatively and smarter without travelling anywhere, decisions making are also accelerated. 2.5 Consultants and system integrators PG commits herself to achieve the goals of making the company more efficient while running it cost effectively and to have breakthrough opportunities in innovation by moving toward a digitized and visualized environment. PGs GBS created a network of customized workspace portals (decision cockpits) which stored latest business intelligence which benefits thousands of her employees who can access information to make real-time business decisions. The number of portals grew to 160 over time and had different platforms, technologies which increased the difficulty to manage and costly to maintain. Different user interface of cockpits made it hard for other users when using other cockpits. There were too many legacy reports generated from all these cockpits which slowed down the process of accessing needed information for the executives level. PG needed a new cockpit platform to be standardized and streamlined, provide easy access to a single source of accurate, real-time business information, enhance user experience, reduce the cost and inefficiencies related with cockpit development and maintenance, improve data integrity and the delivery of reports, accommodate web 2.0 features. PG turned to Accenture for help to develop and manage the new cockpit platform. Accenture together with PGs GBS redefined PGs Vision for enterprise information management, standardized and integrated systems for a simpler and faster organization. By this, the cockpits are delivered 5 times faster than before and 35 percent less development cost and 50 percent reusability (Accenture 2010). 2.6 Data management and storage Procter and Gamble selects SAND/DNA for SAP NLS Pilot Project in March 2008. SAND Technology Inc. is an international provider of intelligent enterprise information software. PG emerged as one of the world biggest consumers products company, has wide range of products with approximately135, 000 people in more than 180 countries (Procter Gamble 2011). Too many data to be stored and managed efficiently and cost effectively is the key challenge of PG (SAND 2008). SAND/DNA enables highly efficient data storage, with minimal administration requirement and integration with PG Enterprise Software Applications, SAP. Data stored are easily accessed from SAP NetWeaver BI 7.0 (SAND 2008). SAND also provides lower cost data storage over a long term (Yazdi Bagli). 2.7 Internet platform Key challenge in PG in internet platform is reaching out to consumers through digital world. PG sees digital world as an opportunity to reach out their brand to consumers, and build up connections with their consumers (Angelica Mari 2009) Microsoft.NET has interactive features and like touch, gestures, rich UI, and location awareness, enable PG to attract and connect with consumers. Besides being technically impressive, Microsoft.NET is cost effective and efficient development platform (Microsoft 2009). 3.0 CLOUD COMPUTING AND ITS BUSINESS BENEFITS AND COSTS 3.1 Cloud computing and its current trend Cloud refers to the Internet. Cloud computing is a model of computing where firms and individuals obtain computing power and software applications over the Internet, rather than purchasing their own hardware and software. (Laudon, K.C. Laudon, J.P.,2010). The hardware and software capabilities are provided as a service over the Internet by vendors such as salesforce.com. Through cloud computing, hardware and software are managed by vendors, including installations, configurations, testing, running, security, and updates (Salesforce.com 2011). In traditional way, different types of right software are needed in each and every computer in company to make sure all the staffs are able to carry out their work. The operational cost will be very high due to buying new software and providing license for software. However, this problem can be solved using cloud computing. Users are just required to log in to one application, which allows users to log into a Web-based service which hosts all the programs the user would need for his or her job. This made scaling up and down of software easier. In this way, cloud computing allows a company to increase their capacity or add capabilities on computing without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software (Eric Knorr Galen Gruman, n.d.). Currently in cloud computing, users are able to access to the application as long as an electronic device (i.e. PCs, netbooks, Smartphones) has access to the web. Users are able to keep up their work everywhere and easily. 3.2 Cloud computing solutions Salesforces.com Sales Cloud and Service Cloud are applicable to PG sales team and customer support team. Sales Cloud Enterprise edition with $125 per user a month will be applicable to the entire organization with features such as storing customer contacts, tracking customer interactions, integrating with Google apps, reports and analytics, sales forecasting and many more features which will be benefiting the sales team(Salesforce.com 2011). The Service Cloud Enterprise edition with US$135 per user a month will be able to improve PG customer support whether it is offline or online with web customization and integration. Web 2.0 integrations such as Twitter and Facebook will further enhance the productivity of PGs customer service by interacting with the customers in real time (Salesforce.com 2011). 3.3 B usiness benefits and cost of cloud computing Many organizations have changed their IT infrastructure to cloud computing due to cost and time effective. In cloud computing infrastructure, no hardware or software need to be installed, but all the business activities, includes customer relationship management (CRM), HR, accounting are able to be carried out by opening a browser, log in, customize the app, and start using it (Salesforce.com 2011). Other than that, IT teams will not be wasting their time on installations, maintenances and upgrading their software because all the updates are performed by vendors. Cloud computing enables a fast access to own data from different remote devices and able transfer and sharing file between users rapidly.All the changes made also will be synchronized in PCs and mobile devices (Rivka Tadjer 2010). Other than that, cloud computing allows easy and fast integration of applications, both traditional software and cloud computing infrastructure (Salesforce.com 2011). Thus, all co-workers are able to keep up their works easily. Business activities are not restricted in office workplace, but every worker can access and perform their work with any internet devices they have. Other benefit of cloud computing is we do not face the risk of loss of data as all the data and files are stored in the cloud. Complete disaster recovery is available and data will not lost during upgrades. Customizations and integrations of all the works and data are automatically preserved during an upgrade (Salesforce.com, 2011). By implementing cloud computing infrastructure, less man power needed to manage and update the hardware and software. This allows man power in IT department to focus on strategic activities with greater impact on the business. 4.0 RECOMMENDATION OF CLOUD COMPUTING ADOPTION It is recommended that PG to adopt the cloud computing for better business process and efficiency. Salesforces.com is recommended for PGs sales and customer service team for the sales order process while HP cloud solution is recommended for the companys IT infrastructure. Below are the reasons of why such recommendations are made. 4.1 Customer and supplier services: integrating SAP into Salesforce.com The sales order cockpit by SAP is important for PG sales order process. The limitation of the current situation is that the sales team and customer service team has to be in office in order to access to the cockpit and the teams have to go back and forth for pulling information from different platforms. By integrating the sales order cockpit into Salesforce.com, PGs employees would be able to access to sales process by SAP, CRM and other sales tracking in one platform at anywhere, anytime as long as they have the internet access. Upon applying such integration, PG will be able to save more on maintaining cost, integration cost, and time to have more productive sales process, better customer satisfaction as the employees are able to see the problems and solve them in the shortest time possible. The sales team is able to save more time in getting information and spending more time with the customers. 4.2 Achieving business strategy One of the business strategy PG has is to improve PGs operation to be more environmental friendly. Adopting cloud computing can help the company to achieve this strategy. It is said that many companies will move to cloud computing to consume 90% of the electricity from public utilizes instead of generating the same amount of their own electricity (Consero Insights 2010). 4.3 IT infrastructure and cost PG outsourced its IT Infrastructure to HP with $3billion over 10 years. HP will manage overall infrastructure in PG from data centers, general network management to desktop and end-user supports. In term of cost, cloud computing   can reduce the cost of IT hardware and services over the time as in cloud computing, payment are based on byte of usage (Cloud Computing IT 2010). Traditional IT Infrastructure is restricted to the limit of licensed user, which will cause inelasticity in scaling up the company (Zemanta 2009). Key component in cloud computing software as a service (SaaS) which enables company access on applications and large amount of computing power without purchasing it. SaaS can be operated by multiple computers at the same time yet no upgrades and contract renewal required ([emailprotected] Carey 2008) 4.4 Information Technology PG realize the importance of digital world, as a medium to touch the life of people. PG also implementing â€Å"cultural revolution† to train and develop IT staff with the skills necessary to blend IT with PGs businesses and provide IT innovation. PGs IT organization play a vital role in shaping the companys future and PG uses IT technology to identify market trends, anticipate business needs and create programs globally (Thomas Hoffman 2006). Key feature in cloud computing which is accessibility, availability and scalability (Tony Chung 2008) enable PG to obtain data to carry out market analysis conveniently. On the other hand, cloud computing is said to be limitless, flexible to scale up and down without affecting its performance and operational cost. 4.5 Competitor Firms IT Services Unilever, one of the strong competitors of PG boost their sales by focusing on the consumers rather than advertising and promotions (Russell Parsons, 2010). Unilever focus on one-to-one basis on respective group to ensure effective approach (Unilever 2011). Unilever partnership with BT to perform high quality and cost effective global network by delivering managed networks and communications solutions to customers around the world (Unilever 2002). 4.6 Competitor Firm: Unilever IT investment Unilever has an annual IT budget at about USD1128 million (Natasha 2010). Unilever invested into its global network which provides advanced messaging and security services in 2002 (Unilever 2002). Unilever also employed Business Objects data integration products by SAP to quickly integrate its numerous data sources to continue its growth strategy to consolidate brands, simplify processes, streamline supply chains, and increase revenues (Business Objects 2008). Compared to Unilever, investment of PG in IT is much lower. However, one good thing in Unilevers IT is Business object, which is able to load data, transform into useful data and load in data warehouse in short time where PG can consider in IT infrastructure. 5.0 CONCLUSION The findings in this report show that cloud computing is beneficial to PG in terms of cost saving, productivity, and efficiency. Salesforce.com SaaS will better help the sales and customer relationship management in PG through real time data anywhere as long as the employees have the internet connection. HP IaaS will be save more money in IT infrastructure as PG only pay for what is being used and will be able to scale up or down according to the usage anytime in future. It is strongly recommended that PG to adopt cloud computing solutions to help the company achieve better results.

The Gold Card :: Dialog Essays

" I always told you kids don’t buy it unless ya got the money." "Hey let’s go grab a bite to eat." "Yeah! that sounds good. I heard there is a new restaurant down on Grand that’s suppose to be good." "Okay", said my friend Shannon. We arrived at the restaurant and sat down. The waiter brought our menus. "I’m gonna get the broiled salmon in creamy herb sauce" "I’m gonna have the vegi ravioli" Shannon said. "MMMM that sounds good." I replied. The server brought our food and we enjoyed catching up with each other. "Wow that was so delicious wasn’t it?" "Yeah, hey this one is on me because I think you treated last time." "Thanks" Shannon replied. Then I whipped out my shiny Gold Platinum card at 3.9%. The waiter came by with that little black waiter case thing and a couple of mints. We paid and then we left. "Say do you mind if we go by the mall real quick I just want to check a new store that’s opened up?" Shannon replied, "sure that’s cool." "I just gotta pull into the Super America for some gas." I said. "I’ll pump you pay?" Shannon said. "Sure." I responded. I dashed in to the SA and headed to pay. I noticed an article about alien babies that I had heard about. " I read that one" a voice came from behind. I turned around and it was a short bald guy with a bag of cheetos in his hand. "Really, how was it ? Worth $1.95?" "Yeah" he said. So I grabbed it. Then I remembered that I needed some oil for my car. I grabbed some Valvoline and got back in line. "That will be $27.09 please." "Shoot, I don’t have enough cash." So I whipped out the gold again and zooooom we were off to the mall. " Let’s check out that new clothing store on the second floor. It’s supposed to be really cheep. I’d also like to go to that CD shop." "O.K., but I need to go to the cash machine first," Shannon said. "Great," I said, "I’ll meet you in the chocolate factory." There I was in the chocolate shop waiting for Shannon, when I remembered that my mother’s birthday was coming up. So I thought I’d buy her some nice chocolates. The coffee beans looked tempting as well. "I’ll have a pound of the french roast chocolate coffee and these chocolates as well.

Community Immersion Southeast Memphis Essay

I. Introduction It has always been my dream to have a substantial positive impact on the world that I live in. Since as far back as I can remember the desire to help others has dominated not only my thought process, but also my actions. I believe that this desire is what has led me to pursue the social work field. The job of a social worker is complicated and very wide-reaching, but I believe the ultimate job description of a successful social worker can be summed up with one word; help. The ultimate goal of the social worker is to positively affect the lives of their individual clients and ultimately the society in which they live. I have learned that social workers operate at three levels which ultimately allows them to successfully promote the change that they desire. These levels are: Micro social work, which involves working with individuals; mezzo social work, which involves working with families or other small groups; and macro social work which involves working with agencies. (Gillies, Ester .). When I first began this course, I was only cognizant of social work at the micro level. Through the readings and videos that I have had the opportunity to review, I am now aware that it is impossible to be an effective social worker without incorporating all three facets of the social work profession. My initial vision of being in an office working independently with a singular client has been forever changed. I am now aware of the immense responsibility social workers have to not only affect the individuals and families that walk through their doors, but also the impact they must have on the community and society that these individuals and families interact with daily, in order to accomplish real change. According to the National Association of Social Workers, â€Å"social workers have skills in cultural awareness and cultural competence, in which social work practice respectfully responds to, and affirms, the worth and dignity of people of all cultures, languages, classes, ethnic backgrounds, abilities, religions, sexual orientation, and other diverse features found  in individuals. Social workers look at the person-in-environment, including all of the other factors that influence the total health of the individual.† (Craig & Elizabeth 2005). Social workers must practice at the mezzo, macro and micro level in order to be effective. In order for social workers to effectively operate within a given community, they must first understand the community on an intimate level. Without knowledge of the surrounding community a social worker will not be aware of the factors that contribute to specific issues that persist with the clients and families that they serve and also will not be able to affect long lasting substantial change within their clients who ultimately have to live and operate daily in these communities. A good example would be helping an individual that struggles with alcoholism. Through therapy and extensive self-reflection and specific treatment strategies the individual can make substantial progress while in your office. However, if this same individual must leave your office and return to work in a bar or some other environment that makes it difficult to maintain the level of progress reached in the therapy sessions, then the success that is experienced in those therapy sessions is short-lived. A social worker must also be aware of the services that are available to their clients as well as other factors affecting those services such as: distance (proximity)/transportation, cost, location/safety, hours of operation/work schedule, availability and other factors that would affect an individuals’ ability to acquire needed services. Lastly, before a social worker can begin to assist a client in working on issues that may persist they must first identify the issue, study the causes or underlying effects of that issue and then analyze the need for change before they can finally begin to formulate solutions (Netting, et al. 2012). According to social work macro practice, â€Å"being a social worker requires seeing the client as part of multiple, overlapping systems that comprise the person’s social and physical environment. The profession of social work is committed to seeking social and economic justice in concert with vulnerable and under- served populations, and macro-practice skills are necessary in confronting these inequalities.† (Netting, et al. 2012). II. Community Demographics The community that I choose to focus on during my community immersion activity was my own neighborhood of Memphis Tennessee. The community is  commonly known as East Memphis (more accurately South East Memphis). I decided to focus on the specific zip code of 38141 because East Memphis is a very large area that is divided into several different sections. Each section has its own identity and can be identified by certain characteristics that readily distinguish them. I not only have lived in this community for the past seven years, I have also worked as a teacher and coach of multiple sports in the neighborhood middle school (Kirby Middle School) for six out of the last ten years of working for the Shelby County School system. My mother is also a resident of this same community. She lives less than a mile from my house. I am extremely vested in this community for many reasons, but those are by far the most prevalent. Below is an outline of the parameters of the 38141 area code where I chose to focus my attention. The area that was covered in my community immersion activity is outlined in red on the map above. Below is a list of some demographical information based on information provided by city-data.com. (City-Data.com 2011) Estimated zip code population in 2011: 22,012 (By age) Education and Employment For population 25 years and over in 38141: High school or higher: 88.4% Bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.5% Graduate or professional degree: 5.9% Unemployed: 10.5% Mean travel time to work (commute): 21.0 minutes Marital Status For population 15 years and over in 38141: Never married: 33.7% Now married: 44.8% Separated: 4.8% Widowed: 3.0% Divorced: 13.7% Racial demographics Races in zip code 38141: White population: 1,650 Black population: 17,896 American Indian population: 29 Asian population: 208 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population: 5 Some other race population: 35 Two or more races population: 173 Hispanic or Latino population: 2,466 Estimated median house/condo value in 2011: $101,800 38141:$101,800 Tennessee: $138,300 Individual Income This zip code: $51,295 Tennessee: $41,693 Household Income White Non-Hispanic householders: $100,352 Black or African American householders: $102,691 Asian householders: $110,042 Some other race householders: $107,368 Two or more races householders: $93,112 Hispanic or Latino householders: $98,792 Government Assistance Household received Food Stamps/SNAP in the past 12 months: 890 Household did not receive Food Stamps/SNAP in the past 12 months: 6,790 Owner/Renters Median monthly owner costs for units with a mortgage: $1,211 (owner) Median monthly owner costs for units without a mortgage: $404 (renter) Single parent vs. Co-Parent households 3,160 married couples with children. 3,016 single-parent households (601 men, 2,415 women). Immigrant Population Foreign born population: 1,076 (4.9%) (26.2% of them are naturalized citizens) This zip code: 4.9% Whole state: 4.8% Private vs. Public School Enrolment Private vs. public school enrollment: Students in private schools in grades 1 to 8 (elementary and middle school): 119 Here: 3.7% Tennessee: 11.0% Students in private schools in grades 9 to 12 (high school): 63 Here: 3.4% Tennessee: 12.2% Students in private undergraduate colleges: 92 Here: 7.5% Tennessee: 23.1% Crime Statistics for the entire East Memphis (also known as Hickory Hill) area which includes the following zip codes 38141, 38125, and 38115. I was unable to locate data for just the 38141 area code. (Point to Homes 2014) III. Community Characteristics If I had to classify this community into a category, I would defiantly have to classify it as average or middle-class. There is very little that makes this community stand out from many of the others that I have visited throughout my life in many other states around the country. The homes are very similar to one another and there is little variation within the neighborhood in the style and size of the residence. It does not meet the criteria for an affluent community, nor does it meet the standards of a low-income urban area. I believe the strengths of this particular neighborhood would have to first be the quiet that is fairly consistent in all parts that I visited on my walk through the interior of the community. My first walk was on a Sunday during the afternoon. The weather was perfect for outdoor activities. However, nearly every block I visited was empty and free from activity. With the exception of the few young boys playing basketball in the street (mostly in one of the many coves that exist), and a few children riding their bikes and scooters, there was very little movement and almost no interaction. This can be seen as a positive for those who enjoy a quiet environment, which I do; however, I also believe that a neighborhood should have a strong sense of community. And that this sense of community should be evident to all that visit. I was raised in a very poor and underprivileged section of the West Side of Chicago. One of the lasting memories from my childhood was the constant interaction between everyone  that lived in the immediate vicinity of our house. There were very few days that I remember as a child where the neighborhood that I grew up in was not buzzing with activity and movement. Another strength of the community would h ave to be access to shopping and other establishments that provide goods that are needed on a daily basis. Every major street that surrounds this community offer a wealth of gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores (Riverdale only), barbershops, and many other places that offer needed goods. The proximity of these places to the residences, as well as the variety of goods offered at most of the gas stations (Which are plentiful, more than ten) makes it not only accessible to those with vehicles, but also those that may be on foot. Another positive of the neighborhood is the opportunity to worship that is available. In my visit, which only covered a small portion of the whole community, I observed five separate churches that were spread throughout the community. It is always good to know that there is a spiritual presence in any community you plan to call home. Some weaknesses of the community would have to be the presence of youth gang activity. I did not witness any gang activity during my immersion, but I do have intimate knowledge of the presence of gangs in this area through my dealings with the students at my school as well as the neighborhood high school, which requires a very high police presence do to gang fighting and other activities. I expected to encounter some gang graffiti or other signs of gang activity during my immersion, because I know that I have seen it before. However, to my surprise, there was none present during either of my immersion days. I would also have to list the lack of human interaction as a weakness. Although it makes for quiet neighborhoods, I just didn’t get the feeling of a very close-knit community during my visit. Most of the movement that I observed was individuals in vehicles traveling to and from their destination. I know that the world that we live in is fast paced and always moving, but I believe in order to truly call a place a community there should exude a feeling of family and togetherness. There are many educational opportunities in this community for learners of all ages. I am not fully aware of the quality of these educational institutions, but I will say there is a high quantity. In this specific area there is an elementary school, middle school, as well as high scho ol. If you stretch the boundaries out a little there are three other middle schools, two of which are charter  schools, and one other elementary school and high school. There are also day cares that are located on Riverdale and Kirby as well as some home daycares that are located within the community. There are also learning opportunities for adult learners. There is a cosmetology school located on Riverdale Rd. There are also other services that are available to those in need, such as a minor medical clinic located about one mile outside of the community. The only medical establishment located within the parameters of the neighborhood would be an orthopedic clinic as well as a dialysis clinic. There is no mental health or social service center located within the community according to Lt. Robinson of Engine Station 55 (Personal communication 2014), whom I had the pleasure of meeting during my immersion. He has worked in this community as a fire fighter for over ten years and says the only services that are available to the residents are an assisted living facility for the elderly and the fire station which serves the whole community. We both agree that there is not enough support offered to those that may be in need in the immediate community. IV. Community Structure and Decision-making The Mayor of Shelby County is Mayor A. C. Wharton Jr. There are two legislators listed for this specific area: Rep. Joe Towns and Sen. Reginald Tate. Our representative is Steve Cohen (City of Memphis 2014). The city council has a strong influence on the make up the community. They are responsible for deciding which businesses are allowed to open, and which have to close down. The presence of certain businesses in the area has an impact on the overall living conditions of the community. They also have a great impact on the education system and oversee changes that happen at the school level. This area is very close to Germantown, which is a more affluent section of the city, so there is a strong police presence (both city and county) that maintains order and help to promote safety and deter crime. There is a very strong religious presence in the community. Along with the wide variety of churches in the area, there are two mega-churches which have a very close relationship with the community and its residence. World Overcomers Christian Church is one of those mega-churches that has recently purchased and renovated the main shopping mall in this area that was ravaged by tournedos that came through this area a few years ago. This mall will offer jobs and other valuable resources that will help the  community to move in a positive direction. New Direction Christian Church is the other mega-church in the area (my church home), which also currently serves as one of the area charter schools. The have recently purchased a very large portion of land previously owned by a dilapidated apartment complex. They are currently in the process of building a major town center that will have schools, assisted living facilities, adult education and other children centered activities that will be a great lift for the community. V. Reflection and Conclusio n I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to immerse myself in my community. I have lived here for some time and have become very comfortable in my surroundings. This activity gave me an opportunity to look at my community through the eyes of a tourist instead of that of a resident. I would have to say that there were very few (if any) surprises, because I frequently go into the community with my children and have traveled these same streets many a times by car, bike and foot. But this activity did force me to take a closer look at what is around me every day and start to see things through the eyes of a social worker instead of that of a normal passer-by. References City-Data. (2011) Retrieved from: http://www.city-data.com/zips/38141.html City of Memphis (2014)Retrieved from: http://www.cityofmemphis.org/ Craig de Silva, Elvira., Clark, Elizabeth J., National Association of Social Workers (2005) NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Health Care Settings Gillies, Ester. 1.2 Spectrum of Social Work Practice Unit 1 (video): Introduction to Macro Practice: Values and Significance, Part I Lt. Robinson of Engine Station 55 (Personal communication, May 25, 2014). Netting, F. E., Kettner, P., McMurty, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2012). Social work macro practice. Chapter 1 p.6-9 (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Point to Homes (2014) Retrieved from: http://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/TN/Memphis/Hickory-Hill-Demographics.html