Janmar coatings Essay

1. Problem Identification describes the current problem or opportunity facing the organization. The current problem that is facing Janmar Coatings is how to cost effectively market the products and what area is the best place to market. Companies rely on the leadership to help make decisions regarding the market and after two senior executive meetings, there is no resolution. 2. Industry, Market, and Buyer Analysis provides an external analysis of the organization. Consider industry structure and performance; competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, and buyer behavior. Also consider whether the market can be segmented, and if so, whether the segments can be quantified. (15 points) The US paint industry is an established industry. In 2004 it was just over a sixteen billion dollar industry. It is expected to grow steadily in line with the rate of inflation. The US paint coatings industry is divided into three parts or segments: architectural paint coatings, original equipment manufacturing coatings, and special purpose coatings. Forty-three percent of the market is held by architectural paint coatings. Architectural paint coatings are defined as general purpose paints, varnishes, and lacquers. It is used in the residential market, the commercial market and institutional structures. It is sold by wholesalers and retailers. Contractors, professional painters, and do-it yourself painters are the buyers. Thirty-five percent of the market is made up of original equipment manufacturing coatings. These are made specifically for an industrial buyer to use on products during manufacturing. These products include cars, trucks, appliances, furniture, and equipment. This would be used in the commercial market. It is sold by the manufacturer to a company manufacturing the product. The final segment of the market holds twenty-two percent, the special purpose coatings. The special purpose coatings are used for environmental applications. This is used for extreme conditions such as temperatures and exposure to chemicals. It is used on roads, roofs, and other products that are affected by chemicals or temperatures. Some of the competitors are Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, Glidden, Benjamin Moore, and PPG Industries. 3. Organizational Analysis provides an internal analysis of  the firm. Consider the organization’s mission and resources, its strengths and weaknesses, and its past performance. (15 points) Janmar Coatings sells architectural paint coatings and supplies needed. They are based in Dallas, TX. They currently market to over 50 counties in Texas. The 11 counties in Dallas/Ft Worth area is the major service area. In 2004 the industry was at 16 Billion, and the sales for Janmar was 80 million. The company divides into the Dallas Ft Worth area and non Dallas Ft Worth area. Forty-eight million was made in the Dallas Fort Worth area, and thirty-two million was made in the non Dallas Ft Worth area. This is a 60-40 split. The company’s sales are divided into 50% do it yourself painters, 25% professional painters, and 25% government sales. 4. Alternative Courses of Action describes the viable alternatives the organization might take to solve the problem. These options are often outlined in the case. Provide the pros and cons as well as the related costs and revenues for each alternative. If your quantitative analysis is extensive, please put it in an appendix to your report. (25 points) One alternative the senior management executives talk about doing is increasing advertising, with an emphasis on television. This will reach non-DFW consumers in 15 countries. This will cost them $350,000 above what they are already spending in advertising. The con to this is 75% of consumers are not purchasing paint so spending $350,000 for advertising would not reach the number they are trying to reach. The Vice President of sales wants to add one additional sales representative to the non-DFW market whose sole responsibility is to develop new retail account leads and presentations or call on professional painters to solicit their business through dealers. This will cost them approximately $60,000 excluding commission. The Vice President of Finance alternative was to continue on the approach they are heading by guarding their margins. He claims they have and will still be profitable through controlling costs. The contribution margin is  35%. 5. Recommendation/Discussion outlines and justifies the specific actions needed to address the problem. (20 points)

Marie Curie

She discovered the mysterious element radium. It opened the door to deep changes In the e way scientists think about matter and energy. She also led the way to a new era for medical Knowles edge and the treatment of diseases-Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only y woman to win the award In two different fields (physics and chemistry).Curie's efforts, with her hush band Pierre Curie, deed to the discovery of polonium and radium and, after Pierce's death, the developed NT of Grays. She was fascinated with the work of Henry Becquerel, a French physicals who discovered t hat uranium casts off rays, weaker rays than the grays found by Wilhelm Roentgen. Curie took Becquerel's work a few steps further, conducting her own experiments on uranium rays. She discovered that the rays remained constant, no matter the condition or form of the our annum.The rays, he theorized, came from the element's atomic structure. This revolutionary idea cream Ted the field of atomic phy sics and Curie herself coined the word radioactivity to describe the phone mean. Working with the mineral pitchblende, the pair discovered a new radioactive element in 1898. They named the element polonium. They also detected the presence of another radioactive material I n the pitchblende, and called that radium.In 1902, the Curies announced that they had produced a decide ram of pure radium, demonstrating its existence as a unique chemical element. With their Nobel Prize win, the Curies developed an international reputation for their scientific efforts, and they used their prize money to continue their research. Curie received another great honor In 1911, winning her sec nod Nobel Prize, this time In chemistry. She was selected for her discovery of radium and polonium, a ND became the first scientist to win two Nobel Prizes.

Cancer and Reproducibility of Decisions

Cancer and Reproducibility of Decisions Ur ologic ca n cer : W h a t a bo u t re p r odu c ib i l i ty of d ec i s ion m a de a t m ultidi sci plin a r y t e a m m a n a g e m e nt? BAYOUD Y, LOOCK PY, MENARD J, MESSAOUDI R, RIPERT T, PIERREVELCIN J, KOZAL S, LEON P, KAMDOUM M, CHOLET I, LARRE S . Â   Abstract: I nt r odu c t i on : The prostate cancer (PCa) treatment is multimodal. Thus multidisciplinary team management (MDTM) decision-making process appears as a tool to answer all aspects of PCa. To evaluate the reproducibility of therapeutic decisions made at MDTM. M a t erials a n d M e thod s : We compared therapeutic decisions of PCa by presenting the same file of patient under a fake identity after 6 to 12 months from the first presentation. Forty-nine files of radical prostatectomy (RP) (28 pT2, 21 pT3) performed for clinical localized PCa were represented at MDTM which included urologist, oncologist, pathologist and radiologist. Analysis of therapeutic decisions comprised criteria as: TNM stage, Gleason score, margin status and comorbidities. The reproducibility was assessed statistically by Kappa coefficient. R es u l t s: Forty-nine file of radical prostatectomy (RP). The mean age was similar in both groups. The mean PSA was 8,32 ng/ ml (3,56-19,5) in pT2 group and 9.4ng/ml (3,8-22) in pT3 group. The margin status was positive in 25% and 47,6% respectively in pT2 and pT3 group. Decision made for pT2 group were the same in 100% case (k=1). In the group of pT3 (n=21), 33% of decision were different at second MDTM, especially for pT3b with only 29% reproducible decision (k= 0,1). Concerning pT3a, 86% of decision were reproducible (k= 0,74). Con cl u s i on : We showed a reliability and reproducibility of decision made at MDTM when guidelines are well defined. The therapeutic attitudes were less reproducible in locally advanced PCa but decision concerning those cases should be made in the setting of guidelines. K e y w o r d s : Cancer, Kappa coefficient, Prostate , multidisciplinary, Reproducibility. INTRODUCTION: The prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequent cancer in men as well in Europe and USA (1). The PCa counts for 11% of all men cancers and it’s responsible for 9% of the mortality by cancer in men in Europe. In France in 2010, the incidence of PCa was 71577 cases and the related mortality of PCa at the same year was 8791 deaths which represent a 2.5% less mortality per year during last years (2). The multidisciplinary team management becomes an obligation for all oncologic fields as mentioned by the French government law: cancer program 2003-2007, this program stipulate that each new patient should benefit from MDTM decision-making process, organize the setting of MDTM and also gives tools to develop trials of research for a new diagnosis and therapeutic arsenal (3). Some urologists express some doubt about the interest of MDTM because of it’s a new burden without assigned budget while others see in the MDTM an equalit y of chance of patients, and possibility to include patients in trials and protocols. Number of European study showed the interest of MDTM and its beneficial impact on survival (4, 5). The efficiency of decisions made at MDTM is obvious but the evidence about their reproducibility remains doubtful. Through patients underwent a radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer (PCa) and represented identically, we evaluated a reproducibility of decision made at MDTM.

American Sign Language Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Sign Language - Assignment Example To denote the difference, different spellings are used. For instance, the term deaf (lower case) is used generally to the condition of not being able to recognize sound while Deaf (upper case) is used to identify a particular group of people who share a common language and culture. Like most communities, values, patterns of beliefs, social customs and knowledge that represent characteristics of a community define culture. In addition, there have been efforts to unite and to bring deaf people together. In 1834, the first formal meeting was held and was known as Parisian banquet. Moreover, the first international gathering was held in 1889 in Paris. These activities led to the formation of associations and clubs. Some of the clubs formed, include the National Association for the Deaf in the United States as well as the World Federal for the Deaf. However, research shows that the numbers have been declining, possibly due to class-related issues. Padden further says that families should be aware of the local culture of Deaf people and most importantly, help their children to participate in events for the deaf (Padden, & Humphries, 1999). The development of linguistic and cognitive of deaf children raises concerns of bilingual language acquisition. Padden discusses the bilingual paradigm where deaf children are considered part of a linguistic minority as they acquire language. In addition, for multilingualism children, they must learn how to use each language and how to switch between the languages effectively. Furthermore, for those who use sign language as a first language and who believe they belong to a linguistic minority, to them sign language signifies group membership. The use sign language is a form of expressing values and beliefs that are carried across generations. Therefore, sign language represents a heritage that is common and a

Steel Industry Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Steel Industry - Term Paper Example This has been the case in the oil industry. However, the steel industry is more complex. The steel industry does not suffer from scarcity of resources. Hence the same barriers of entry to the industry do not exist. Nor does the steel industry suffer from controls exercised by OPEC; the cartel that controls the oil industry. This lays the foundation of a very different and potentially more volatile industry especially when there are some governments that subsidise their steel industries which has an impact on the level and effectiveness of competition. There is little doubt that with the broad range of industries that are reliant on steel this is an industry with a long term future. However, this does not assure the future of any particular firm within the industry nor does it indicate the way that firms will have to compete within the industry. One thing is certain; the firms that are active within the industry will need to understand the influences, and this is likely to impact the performance of the companies. In order to develop an understanding of the steel industry as a whole the paper will start by giving a good overview of the state industry in terms of the cost at the present time. This will help to provide the context and background relevant to understanding the sector. Following the assessment of the industry three companies have been chosen, in order to give an insight into the way firms within the industry are performing. These are different in terms of size, types of steel produced and each firm has been incorporated in a different country, although all of the companies compete in the global marketplace. The three companies chosen are; The United States Steel Corporation, China Precision Steel Inc. and Arcelor Mittal. 2. The Steel Industry 2.1 Historical Performance of the Steel Industry In the middle of the 19th century, steel was used throughout the world, and the United States became the largest single steel producing nation by the end of the 19th centu

Cons of radiation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cons of radiation - Essay Example There has been an immense form of evolution of the life on earth. It is in relation to both the useful and harmful effects of Ultraviolet radiation that human beings have to live with. They can either be from natural sources or artificial sources, but the damage is as a result of human activity. For a long time, the life on earth has been exposed to radiations that occur naturally beyond the earth. It is known as cosmic radiation as well as the radioactive material that is found within the crust of the earth. The lack of proper or appropriate usage has serious consequences on the lives of humans, plants and animals. It is because they lead to the emission of the rays in different wavelengths that cause harm on the surface of the earth. In turn, it leads to a lot of damage on the human, animal and plant lives hence the radiation exposure from natural and man-made sources (Casper, 2010). Although most of these radioactive substances that occur naturally end up into the nuclear waste stream, most of these are products of the fission products emitted from the nuclear reactors. Some of the cons of these kind of radiation products include: The lack of safety of the technology that is associated with improper waste handling techniques. It results in the significant technical uncertainty that is caused by the use of geological repositories. The final isolation of the unresolved nuclear waste remains is a major cause of this. They have a great effect on the host rock owing to the construction and burial of repository (Miller & Spoolman, 2010). For a long time, radiation from the sun as well as that from other human activities that are related to treatment and the creation of nuclear weapons has been linked to global warming and its adverse effects. The exposure of some radioactive elements can turn pieces of land sterile. This means that numerous activities can no longer be performed on land with such conditions since they

Reasons to Appreciate the Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reasons to Appreciate the Family - Essay Example In the beginning of the paper, the author would like to tell about his family. His family is relatively small with only him, his brother, his Mom, and Dad. The author is the eldest child in the family and his baby brother is only 17 years old. The researcher believes that every child should appreciate his or her parents for a lot of reasons. His parents' love had brought him here in this world to enjoy life’s pleasures. The author knows that he can never fully grasp all the toils his mother went through when she carried him in her womb much less the pain that she felt when she finally pushed him out to life. The author tells that he needs not to mention all the nights she stayed up late to take care of him and feed him. She is his best friend and confidante as no one knows all his inner thoughts and emotions. The author doesn’t know what’s in her but she can easily make him open his heart to her and let her know what’s inside it. His mom is really exceptio nal and he admires her so much for her love and courage. Dads are always portrayed as tough, unmovable, and firm yet you’ll be surprised to know that my Dad is different. Though he is tough and unmovable, he made me realized the benefits of his character. His toughness refrains the author from being careless in making decisions and encourages him to be strong. The researcher should also mention that amidst his dad’s firmness, he has a soft heart which enables him to understand his limitations and failures.

Teaching Special Groups Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teaching Special Groups - Coursework Example Tutor Signature: Date: Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Task 1 4 Task 2 5 Task 3 6 Task 4 7 Task 5 8 Task 6 9 Task 7 11 References 12 Task 1 List the different categories of beginner students, giving a brief explanation of each: Answer 1: There are different categories of beginners students, this includes: The absolute beginner’s students are those who do not have any knowledge of English language. This may include the small children’s, students from abroad or people speaking language other than English (Davison and Dowson 2003). The false beginners are those who have a little knowledge of the English language as they were previously thought English, but do not have proper knowledge. As they are only able to make few simple structures in English language. The adult beginners are those who can have made their own decision related to learning English language and are highly motivated for learning it (Davison and Dowson 2003). The young beginners are those who are una ware of the benefits of learning English and also lack motivation as they just have made the choice to learn the subject. These learners are fast and grab the language more easily than the adult beginners. Beginners devoid of Roman alphabet: These students need a lot of personal attention and also need a lot of initial working on their basic skills related to the literacy. They also require a lot of reading and writing exercises for making them learn the language (Davison and Dowson 2003). Task 2 How would you as a teacher adapt your approach to beginner students? Answer 2: As a teacher for the beginner students the needs of students will be initially identified as why the learning of the language is important for them and make clear and realistic aims for them. I will adopt the methodology to that will suit the situation the most for the students. The classroom will be arranged in a manner that will highly benefit them in learning English language using many visual which will aid t hem in learning (Davison and Dowson 2003). I will also take care of the board work which includes the justification of simple and clear instructions. The lessons to be given to them will be of appropriate pace in order to make them comfortable in learning. The practices provided will also be repeated in appropriate interval in order to make them learn the practices. Lots of questions will be asked to them in order to clear all their doubts and also to make them remember the learning’s (Osborne 2005). The students will also be encouraged to speak English in class in order to make them familiar with the language and make them revise the lessons in a proper interval. The students will also be assigned with appropriate homework’s which will assist them in learning the language on a continuous basis and make them learn the language perfectly. Task 3 How can teaching individual students differ from teaching groups? Answer 3: There is a large difference in between teaching in dividual students and teaching students in groups. Teaching individual students have a number of advantages and disadvantages as compared to group teachings. As in the individual teaching the students are highly motivated as compared to students in groups, and the needs of individual students can also be easily defined as compared to the groups. In individual learning the teacher builds up a close relationship with the student as compared to the group’s teachings (Osborne 2005).

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FINANCE - Essay Example A well reputed business will attract a vast pool of franchisees in the foreign land as brand recognition is one of the key advantages that every franchisee is keen to get from a franchise contract. Through franchising an organization can avoid many of the start up problems that it can face in a new country. By having a local person as a franchisee in order to sell its products the organization will be able to gain trust of the people of the new country and it will not feel alienated in a foreign land. Moreover the franchisee may guide the organization to gain recognition in its new market by applying specifically those marketing techniques that correspond to the taste of the general public. Additionally the organization will have a promising return in shape of royalty fees. But franchising also entails some drawbacks as an overseas expansion strategy. Firstly, the organization will face cultural barriers especially the language barrier (if the language of the home country and foreign country are different) while finding a suitable franchisee and then initiating its operations in a new territory. Secondly, the organization personals have to visit the foreign country, and most probably stay there for some time, in order to acquaint themselves with the ground realities and assist the initiation of operations. Thirdly, heavy capital investment will be needed in order to install machineries in new place. Lastly, the organization has to constantly inspect the franchisee operations in order to ensure quality consistency which is the essential characteristic of any franchise. 2. Licensing: licensing can be comparatively a safe mode of expanding overseas in which an organization (the licensor) permits the company (the licensee) in a target market to use its property which is usually intangible e.g. patents, trademarks and production techniques (Quick MBA n.d.). Licensing reduces risk as the licensor produces and markets the product while licensor receives the license fe e. Moreover licensor can get a higher ROI because of its minimum investment. Furthermore licensing is an effective tool to avoid the trade barriers and helps the organization to develop its brand name by familiarizing itself in the foreign country through licensing. But licensing is not without its drawbacks. The licensor does not get mega brand recognition in the new territory because it is not producing the producing but merely extending its name/label to the product. Even more there is a potential danger of knowledge spillovers and licensee may become a competitor in future once the license time period is over. 3. Joint Venture: joint ventures can be defined as "an enterprise in which two or more investors share ownership and control over property rights and operation" (Market Entry Strategies n.d.).While joint venture facilitates the sharing of technology and work load it also ensures financial strength. Joint venture entails medium level of control as both the organizations in it work at the same level and there is no one boss who can dictate the working of joint venture rather it is more about mutual cooperation. It is a very suitable way of entering in a foreign market when the organization wants to create a synergy by combining two teams that have distinct skills and when combined together can produce outstanding results. Joint venture can prove to be an inappropriate way of entering in a new market when the partners in a joint venture can be potential competitors and have same line of products. In these cases join venture

A9 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A9 - Assignment Example They further suggest that the purpose of affirmative action is not to create reverse discrimination (Cosson, 2010). Affirmative action is now embraced by businesses in their hiring strategies and models. While it brings with it some disadvantages such as reverse discrimination, it also has a wide range of advantages. These include; diversity in the work place, increased moral commitment by companies and increased opportunities for minority groups. Therefore, the benefits that stream from affirmative action exceed the disadvantages. In the case between the male candidate and the agency, the agency was right in reaching its decision of hiring the female candidate. This is because the agency, in making its decision, embraced the fact that besides from creating increased opportunities for women who are qualified, diversity in the work place was also fostered. Diversity enables organizations to draw more insight from different employees especially in problem solving. In the above case, tw o major issues emerge. Firstly, affirmative action remains controversial and divisive. Secondly, it creates a whole range of merits and demerits. It is controversial and divisive because it tends to favor certain groups of persons such as women, and at the same time appear discriminative against others. Its advantages are increased opportunities for minority groups such as Hispanics, diversity in the work place, and an increased moral obligation to society by businesses (Cosson, 2010). However, on the other hand, affirmative action policies create room for stigmatization and reverse discrimination The main challenge with affirmative action is visibly the issue of discrimination. While affirmative action policies drum support for equality and diversity in the work place, the issue of discrimination remains unresolved. The writer clearly shows that the male candidate was obviously discriminated against in the form of gender, all in the name affirmative action. Discrimination

A Report Evaluating ICT and its Implementation for Distance Learners Essay Example for Free

A Report Evaluating ICT and its Implementation for Distance Learners Essay a) Evaluate how to maintain effective communication with your tutor. As this is a self-study course, the answer to this question is a little complex. Although there is an actual physical tutor to mark assignments and give feedback, a vital part of gaining a good grade on my assignments is to demonstrate my independent work ability with minimal guidance from my tutor1. Lessons are delivered via the online website, so in a sense the most important skill set necessary is to read, re-read, search the internet to understand any terms which aren’t clear, and then re-read again. There are two tutors on my course. I sent a note of introduction, stating who I am and giving a brief synopsis of why I am studying this course. Although I am sure that I will have study related questions to ask later, and possibly requests for more information regarding assignment feedback, I think that at the moment our communication falls within the bounds of regular courtesy. As the course progresses I think checking my messages regularly, respecting and listening to my tutors feedback, sending a note of acknowledgement on receipt of any messages, and perhaps if appropriate sending a note if I think there will be an unusual amount of delay in finishing the modules, are about as far as the bounds of the course allows for communication. b) Evaluate how technological tools will help you study. The first thing to establish here is what technological tools are both available and relevant to me as a distance learner. Essentially the only tools I will be using are my computer and the internet. My computer will be for collating information in my ePortfolio, writing essays, and accessing the internet. I have divided my ePorfolio into four sections: coursework, reflective notes, research, and self-assessment activities. The necessary ICT skills here are: word processing, scanning and printing, drawing charts and diagrams. I completed a course in word processing and data analysis so I am relatively competent at this. However I have also been refreshing my knowledge via the Microsoft Office ‘Help, Training and Tutorials’ page2, particularly for drawing diagrams, an area I haven’t had much use for recently. Remembering to organise and file relevant information and tasks into the appropriate folders, and ensuring that at the end of each unit I  have created a co mprehensive review of my study methods and what I have learnt are the most essential components here. In completing this course the internet is my greatest tool, and can be broken down into many sub-categories. Below is a basic system diagram of how I am accessing the internet to complete my course assignments: To help me research and study, I can go online and use: electronic books, journals, articles, videos, podcasts, and publications from governments and respected counselling organisations. I will go into greater detail later, on exactly which websites I am utilising. However as a brief example: Exploring counselling skills with an emphasis on ICT. I did a basic search for â€Å"counselling resources† online. I discovered a website run by a qualified, practicing, experienced, counsellor in the UK.3 This website provided me with general information, a PDF ebook on training to be a counsellor,4 and links videos providing online lessons on counselling skills and concepts.5 I returned to my original search and followed a link to resources offered by a UK university for its students doing a comparable course.6 This gave me a list of books and journals that undergraduates would be using to explore counselling skills.7 I looked at the recommended books on amazon and ordered sample content of those available as ebooks . I then did web searches on the various authors, and contributors to chapters, to both check their credentials and see if they offered any resources on their practice / university / personal website. I went back to the recommended reading list and looked at the recommended journals and found links to them, eg. British Journal of Psychology.8 I returned to my original search and started investigating counselling organisations and their publications including: UKCP,9 BPS,10 the BACP,11 and the CPCAB12 I went to the UN,13 and EU,14 websites to check their publications regarding counselling. Finally I checked the PubMed15 website to find more links to relevant journals. I noted all of these links for use when researching other more specific aspects of counselling. c) Evaluate how performing a SWOT analysis can help you study. I was unfamiliar with the idea of SWOT analysis before beginning this unit so initially I did some background research on the concept16 and looked at a summary of Authur  Humphrey’s, the inventor of SWOT, main principles and conclusions.17 I then searched the internet for ideas on exactly how to identify my own particular strengths and weaknesses. I found mindtools18 particularly helpful because it gave me ideas to consider as I looked at each section. I also performed a personality test19, to see the strengths and weaknesses of my particular personality type. This was less useful, because it was more to do with me personally than with my ability to study, although it gave me several things to consider. I created this chart: At first glance I actually found it quite demoralising – the weaknesses and threats seemed to be considerably more extensive than the strengths and opportunities. However as I analysed it more closely, I quickly realised this was unfounded. I think although I certainly need to consider the threats and weaknesses, they have a lot less weight in comparison to the strengths and opportunities section. So far as I can see my weaknesses are things I can compensate for and take into account as I study. These are my thoughts and solutions for each of them: 1) Limited prior experience of the subject being studied: This is only a temporary problem. I am doing a great deal of background research for this assignment’s part two, and looking into books which might supplement my knowledge. I think I will feel caught up in the near future. 2) Sometimes overly perfectionist (i.e. I can struggle to remember that â€Å"done† is better than â€Å"perfect†): I am setting myself time limits on how long I can edit and re-edit my work. I am consciously writing things that I know may well be deleted or completely revised later, simply to make sure I have a base to work from. 3) Can become over-involved in studying to the point that other areas of my life suffer: I have compiled a detailed schedule for myself, to ensure that I can maintain a balance in my life. I have made sure to keep time free, in particular the weekends when my children are not in school, and to allow time to keep up with my domestic responsibilities. 4) Not having a classroom of other students to bounce idea around with may limit potential: I have been investigating groups of other trainee counsellors and mature students. I have also made sure to check-in on the Oxford College forum20 so I have the potential of meeting other  people. I also found the process of self-assessment useful in countering this weakness, I give more detailed thoughts on that later in this report. 5) Sudden loss of enthusiasm – if I overload myself with unrealistic goals I tend to want to quit: In part this is covered by my solution for weakness 6), however I have also been carefully breaking down each unit and each assignment so it is in bite size, manageable chunks. If I can focus on simply completing each section within each unit, without getting overwhelmed by the whole, and in particular with the word count, I can complete everything without any panic. The threats I identified are largely out of my control. I am estimating that it will take me four to six weeks to complete each unit to the best of my ability. This leaves me with a minimum of six weeks free at the end of the two year time limit. I think that this should be enough to compensate for any slowing down in my pace due to unforeseen circumstances. Listing my strengths and investigating my opportunities was a very positive experience for me. Knowing that I am good at research, experienced in distance study, and that I also have access to a university library has made me feel a lot more confident of my abilities. However acknowledging my weaknesses and proactively coming up with plans to counter them has been the most helpful part of the exercise. d) Evaluate the practice of Reflective Writing. Reflective Writing is the process used to: Consider what you originally thought and what you have learnt. Analyse its implications and outcomes.  Consider what you could do differently, what more you could learn, how what you have learnt will affect you. It is a vital skill for learners at any level, and considered a necessary practise for health professionals at all levels. When you write reflectively you use a unique mixture of both academic analytical skills and apply them to your own personal situation. It was a concept I was previously unfamiliar with. I looked at the general theory behind it on several university websites, I found the Exeter University guide particularly helpful21, and then more specifically at the  Faculty of Public Health website and how it is used by health professionals.22 Throughout this course it is a good way to look at the learning outcomes of each unit. To assess what you originally believed, what you have learnt, and how you can put things into practice. It is also a useful way to keep track of things you think deserve further consideration. So for instance when I was researching SWOT, I came across an interesting theory by Athur Humphrey saying that that the level of people’s work and the effort they put into it is strongly related to reward23. Later on as I was researching what makes effective learners, I came across a scientific study by behaviour economist Dan Ariely that proved this same theory24. Although this information seems interesting, I decided it was not actually directly relevant to what I was being asked to evaluate. It was however something to note and consider in my reflective writing as something that might possibly be relevant later on and something I could learn from. e) Evaluate the practice of Self-Assessment Self assessment, is one of the most important and vital skills in this course. One aspect of it is reflective writing, (detailed previously) but there are several other components. When I do the self-assessment activities in the units I am provided with a baseline of my current knowledge. When I look up the answers at the end of the text this gives me feedback on how much I know, and also helps me to identify what I should be researching to improve my current knowledge level. This is a basic diagram of how I am using the self assessment activities: Essentially, once I know the level of my own knowledge, I can see what I need to work on. A large part of self-assessment seems to be organisation and understanding. The Black Box Report25 on self assessment in British schools noted that the main barrier to student self assessment, is being unsure of exactly what you should be achieving. If you can establish that you have a platform from which to work. Through my SWOT assessment, I established my own personal areas I need to work on. Through the subject specific learning objectives, and self-assessment activities I can establish what I know and what I need to learn. As knowledge is cumulative, organisation is key here – writing up my reflections, with particular reference to the learning  objectives of each unit, and collating them in my ePortfolio to provide a body of reference specific to my needs and learning preferences. f) Consider the Principles of an ePortfolio. ePortfolios are widely used, and an integral component of many online courses. The promotion of ePortfolios is also an EU policy26 as a way of â€Å"valuing and celebrating the achievements of the individual.27† From under graduate to doctoral study28 in counselling ePortfolios are now prevalent. The Inter/National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research29 says they are a way for students to both generate and document learning. â€Å"It’s important to think of an ePortfolio as both a product -a digital collection of artefacts- and as a process of reflecting on those artefacts and what they represent.30† There are three main goals when creating an ePortfolio. Firstly, mapping my progress as a student, to clearly set out my research, plans, essays, and self reflection. Doing this allows me to not only clearly see my progress, but to critically assess and reflect on what I have learnt. Secondly, my ePortfolio allows me to document my own personal growth, goals, and achievements; to be able to look at what I have done, how I have viewed challenges and worked through them, and perhaps use those methods again in the future. One of the most important pre-requisites to being a counsellor is empathy; having a clear view of myself, the challenges I have gone through, and my reactions as I went through them is a relevant way of helping me remember and being able to relate. Thirdly my ePortfolio provides a body of information that I can use to help me format a CV – both by showing what learning goals I have achieved and how I have achieved then, and by providing evidence of continuous learning. At a later date it can also provide me with the basis for constructing a professional website. Task 2. Collate Web Resources Relevant to Counselling Studies, and Reflect on What Has Been Learnt. As detailed in section b) I have evaluated counselling resources based on their credibility, i.e whether they are peer reviewed, produced by a national or worldwide organisation, and the qualifications of the author. I have only included resources that meet these guidelines fully or in part. I concentrated my web searches on these websites (in alphabetical order): Bielefeld Academic Search Engine – BASE.31 BASE is a  search engine for academic related articles, and journals. A lot of resources related to counselling studies can be found there. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy – BACP.32 The BACP is a professional organisation for counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK. It sets guidelines for good practice and has various resources and information booklets for counsellors and psychotherapists. It has recently become the first government accredited register for counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK. CogPrints33 is an online archive of journ als and articles with a large psychology section. It is run by Southampton University UK. Columbia University Academic Commons34 gives access to a large number of articles and research papers including many related to counselling psychology. Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body – CPCAB.35 The CPCAB provides standards for counsellors and psychotherapists. It also has a large amount of reference information, including videos on counselling practice. European Union – EU.36 The EU sets standards and makes laws for the whole of Europe. They have a database with a large number of reports, many concerning counselling and it’s implementation. Falmouth University Library*3738 has a large selection of articles and journals related to counselling and psychology. FreeMedicalJournals39 – a website providing access to journals and their articles that have passed their embargo period. Google Scholar40 a search engine for scholarly articles and journals. PubMed41 – is a website run by The United States National Library of Medicine. It gives access to journals, articles, and reports concerning health. RELATE42 is the UK based organisation specifically set up to provide counselling for couples. It has a wide range of publications relating to this. This website will be particularly useful when studying the ‘Relationship Counselling’ unit. Science Direct (the replacement for the now retired SCIRUS)43 Science Direct is a website that allows you to search for science related articles and journals. The Directory of Open Access Journals – DOAJ.44 The DOAJ is a search engine for journals and articles, many related to counselling and psychology and it’s worldwide implementation. UK Council for Psychotherapy UKCP45 The UKCP brings together counselling psychotherapists with a broad range of specialisations throughout the UK. It is nationally recognised and accredited. It has a range of free publications for counsellors. UN university46 has a large collection of research, articles and publications  including many regarding mental health. United Nations Children’s Fund – UNICEF.47 UNICEF deals with the rights of children and mothers throughout the world. They have a large database of reports co ncerning the physical and mental wellbeing of children and young people. This website will be particularly useful when studying the ‘Child Counselling’ unit. United Nations –UN.48 The UN sets world standards for human rights and health care. They have a large database of articles and reports making recommendations for international well being, including a significant number regarding psychological health. This is a fairly extensive list of resources, and many of the websites listed gives access to reports and articles which number in the tens of thousands. I have listed only those website which have a very good search procedure – this means that when I look for information I can cut down on as many generalisations as possible and find articles that specifically deal with the topics in each unit. My preference is to first search for articles in well regarded journals, and then to move onto lesser known or new reports and findings. So for example to find information on Counselling Studies I went to the Falmouth Library Database and checked for the three main journals related to counselling in Europe: The European Journal of Counselling Psychology, Counselling Psychology Review, and Counselling Psychology Quarterly. I then searched within these publications for articles on Counselling Studies and Therapeutic Person Centred Counselling in particular. I read the BACP and UKCP guidelines and policy for counsellors and for their training. I made notes and considered what I had learnt. Before I began my research I made some brief notes on what I thought Counselling Studies consists of: A practical study of people and their needs in times of crisis, and how a counsellor can best help them; combined with a minimal but still significant grasp of counselling theory and philosophy. Having conducted independent research on this I think my ideas were accurate though necessarily very basic. Counselling Studies is such a huge subject it is difficult to sum up briefly all the necessary qualities a counsellor needs – the prerequisite role of empathy and the difference between empathy and sympathy, the need for acceptance rather than advice, could fill up several pages alone. However I think that I have a basic idea of who a counsellor should be and very much look forward to learning in greater detail how to be that person. Bibliography. BACP (2014) British Association for Counselling Psychotherapy,Available at: http://www.bacp.co.uk/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Black, Paul; Dylan Wiliam (2001) Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment. , Available at:http://weaeducation.typepad.co.uk/files/blackbox-1.pdf (Accessed: 25th February 2014). BPS (2014) The British Psychological Society, Available at:http://www.bps.org.uk/publications (Accessed: 25th February 2014). British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2010) BACP Publications and Journals, Available at:http://www.bacp.co.uk/publications/JOURNALS/index.php(Accessed: 25th February 2014). BSM Consulting Inc. (2014) Portrait of an ISFP, Available at:https://www.personalitypage.com/ISFP.html (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Columbia University (2014) Academic Commons, Available at:http://academiccommons.columbia.edu/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). CPCAB (2014) Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body, Available at: http://www.cpcab.co.uk/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). DOAJ (2014) DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals, Available at:http://doaj.org/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). ElfEL (2014) Memorandum of Understanding: ePortfolio for all, Available at:http://www.eife-l.org/activities/campaigns/epmou (Accessed: 31st March 2014). Elsevier (2014) Science Direct, Available at:http://www.sciencedirect.com/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Europa (2014) European Union: Index, Available at:http://europa.eu/index_en.htm (Accessed: 25th February 2014). European Union (Europa) (2014) Official Documents of the European Union, Available at: http://europa.eu/publications/official-documents/index_en.htm (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Fair, Boyd ed. Albert S. Humphrey (2005) SRI International December 2005 Newsletter, History Corner p7, Available at:http://www.sri.com/sites/default/files/brochures/dec-05.pdf(Accessed: 25th February 2014). Falmouth University and The University of Exeter Library (2014)Falmouth University Resources, Available at:https://shibboleth.falmouth.ac.uk/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Google Scholar (2014) Google Scholar, Available at: http://scholar.google.com/(Accessed: 25th February 2014). Gross, Jessica (2013) What Motivates Us at Work? 7 Fascinating Studies That Give Insights., Available at:http://blog.ted.com/2013/04/10/what-motivates-us-at-work-7-fascinating-studies-that-give-insights/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Inter/National Coalition For Electronic Portfolio Research (2014) Inter/National Coalition For Electronic Portfolio Research, Available at: http://ncepr.org/ (Accessed: 31st March 2014). Lees-Oakes, Rory (2013) Counselling Tutor, Available at:http://www.counsellingtutor.com/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Lees-Oakes, Rory (2013) How To Survive Counselling Training!,Available at:https://s3.amazonaws.com/CounsellingTutor/How_to_Survive_Counselling_+Training+by+Rory+Lees+Oakes.pdf(Accessed: 25th February 2014). Microsoft Corporation (2014) Office Support, Available at:http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/support/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Mind Tools (2014) Personal SWOT Analysis: Making the Most of Your Talents and Opportunities. , Available at:http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05_1.htm(Accessed: 25th February 2014). Montenegro, Manuel; Bernard Sebastian Kemps (2013) Free Medical Journals, Available at: http://www.freemedicaljournals.com/(Accessed: 25th February 2014). Oxford College (ODL) (2014) Oxford College Forum BTEC HND,Available at: http://campus.oxfordcollege.ac/forum/default.aspx?g=topicsf=17 (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Oxford Learning (2013) PCC Unit 1 Assessment UD, Available at:file:///C:/Users/Casper/Downloads/COUN_UNIT_1_ASSESSMENT_UD2013%20(3).pdf(Accessed: 20th February 2014). PubMed (2014) PubMed Database, Available at:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Relate (2014) RELATE: The Relationship People, Available at:http://www.relate.org.uk/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Syed, Naveed; Anne Scoular, Liz Reaney (2012) Faculty of Public Health: Tips on Writing Effective Reflective Notes, Available at:http://www.fph.org.uk/uploads/FPH%20Tips%20on%20Writing%20Effective%20Reflective%20Notes.pdf(Accessed: 25th February 2014). UKCP (2013) UK Council for Psychotherapy, Available at:http://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). UN (2014) United Nations, Available at: http://www.un.org/en/(Accessed: 25th February 2014). United Nations (2014) United Nations Publications and Reports, Available at: http://unbisnet.un.org:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=bibmenu=search#focus (Accessed: 25th February 2014). United Nations Childrens Fund (2014) UNICEF, Available at:http://www.unicef.org/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Universitat Bielefeld (2014) BASE: Bielefeld Academic Search Engine, Available at: http://www.base-search.net/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). University of Waterloo: Centre for Teaching Excellence (2012) ePortfolios: What, Why, and How, Available at: https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/resources/integrative-learning/eportfolios-what-why-and-how (Accessed: 31st March 2014). University Southampton (2014) CogPrints: Cognitive Sciences Eprints Archive, Available at: http://cogprints.org/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). UNU Office of Communications (2014) United Nations University, Available at: http://unu.edu/ (Accessed: 25th February 2014). Walker, Victoria; Mark, Rehfuss, Agatha, Parks-Savage (2012) Journal of Technology in Counseling, Volume 5 Issue 1: Using ePorfoliols in a Counseling Distance Learning Program, Available at: http://jtc.columbusstate.edu/Vol5_1/Walker.htm (Accessed: 31st March 2014).

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A Study On British Airways And Iberia Management Essay

A Study On British Airways And Iberia Management Essay The learning point behind this assignment is to assess the financial consequences of the merger of British Airways and Iberia. In this activity I have studied the importance of Merger activities and how does the merger of BA Iberia will benefit the stakeholders. In short words I have execute a strategic analysis of the merger plan between the two organisations with the help of various strategic tools and models. 2. Introduction: 2.1 Merger and Acquisition In the contemporary world Merger and Acquisition is an inevitable tool for the organisations willing to expand and make a mark in the highly globalised market. In the first half of 2007, there appeared no end in vision to the unprecedented global boom in Merger and Acquisition, it even outstripped the dot.com era of the late 90s. But things appeared rather difficult with the so-called sub-prime credit crunch making credit availability scarce and expensive towards the end of 2007. There is no suspicion to the fact that at the multi-billion dollar deal end of the market, credit crunch did build a brick wall to the Merger Acquisition activity for the financial buyers. There are still plenty of strategic investors looking to expand in spite of the doom and gloom of the credit market. Merger and acquisition will still be required to fill up the growth gaps that organic growth cannot fill. [The European Consulting MA Report 2008, Equiteq p12] 2.2 History of British Airways British Airways was formed in 1974 by the merger of two British government owned airlines the BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corp.) and the BEA (British European Airways). BOAC operated long hauled international routes whereas; BEA operated Short hauled European routes. BA was floated on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in 1987, when it acquired the competitor British Caledonian. In 1992 BA acquired Dan-Air. In the drive to make itself more competitive BA introduced the oneworld alliance in the 1990s. BA airways acquired 9% share in Iberia in March 2000 for  £155m (Ptas 41 billion). Today, BA is the UKs largest international airline flying to 148 destinations and fleet of 245 aircrafts in service. [www.ba.com/history] 2.3 History of Iberia Iberia was founded on June 28, 1927 by Horacio Echeberrieta. It was not only Spains first airline, but also the first to fly between Europe and South America (as of 1946), the first to establish a walk-on air shuttle service (between Madrid and Barcelona), and the first in Europe to offer an international frequent flyers customer loyalty programme (Iberia Plus).Today Iberia is an international transport group operating in around 100 airports. It is a member of one of the most important airline alliances, oneworld, and is renowned for its corporate social responsibility. Iberia is a Leader in Spain and in the Europe Latin America market. It flies to more than 100  destinations  all over the world. It has Europes most modern fleets. [www.iberia.com/uk] 2.4 Research objectives As the title of my Research and Analysis project suggests the main objective of research was to study the drivers and the financial and operational consequences of a merger between the renowned BA and Iberia. Research Questions and Objectives: Strategic analysis of the Merger decision The first objective of this assignment was to analyse the strategic decision of merger. How did the Environmental Variables affect the decision of the merger and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the decision? What would be the effect of the culture of both the organisations on the decision? How would the resultant organisation benefit from the merger? How will the decision fulfil the expectations and aspirations of the stakeholders? Identify the stakeholders and analyse how will the merger affect them? What are the views of the stakeholders on the merger decision? How will the fears and resistance of the employees and other stakeholders resolved? What were the Financial and Operational Consequences of the merger? After the above questions were answered, I wanted to find out what will be the financial and operational consequences of the merger, to what extent will these organizations be successful to maintain and acquire their merger objectives. What will be the ultimate effect of the whole event on the resultant organisations constitution, its management and the financial report? 2.5 Research Approach/Methodology: The Research was started with the collection of background information on Merger and Acquisition and the basic information on BA and Iberia. The main objective of this was to gain the understanding of the topic area and the acquaintance with the organizations in concern. After the general background information the preliminary research was conducted to outline the research methods to be used, and the sources for information to be collected. The research is mainly based on the qualitative and quantitative information collected from the secondary data sources like books, case study materials, annual reports, magazines, news paper articles and online search engines. The information gathered is analyzed using The Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (JSW) model of strategic management. It consists of three elements Analysis, Choice and Implementation as explained below: The Strategic position/analysis Strategic Choices Strategy into action (implementation). [ACCA Paper P3 Business Analysis The Complete Text 2007/08 p10] 3. Literature Review 3.1 Merger and its types A merger is a complete absorption of one company by another, wherein the acquiring firm retains its identity and the acquired firm ceases to exist as a separate entity. [Corporate Finance Fundamentals by Ross, Westerfield Jordan, Eighth Edition Chapter 25 p816] Acquisition by merger results in a combination of assets and liabilities of the acquired and acquiring firms. 3.1.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of using a merger to acquire a firm: Advantages A primary advantage is that a merger is legally simple and does not cost as much as other forms of acquisition. The reason is that the firms simply agree to combine their entire operations. Revenue Enhancement is one of the important reasons for an acquisition. The combined firm may generate greater revenues than two separate firms. Increased revenue come from marketing gains, strategic benefits and increase in the market share and reduced competition. The driving force behind many mergers is the concept of synergy. The synergy of two like companies joining forces can often increase revenues drastically. One of the other important reasons to merge is that a combined firm may operate more efficiently than two separate firms. Operational efficiency increases through economies of scale and complementary resources (missing ingredient of success). All firms must invest in working capital and fixed assets to sustain an efficient level of operating activity. A merger may reduce the combined investment needed by the two firms. Disadvantages A primary disadvantage is that a merger must be approved by a vote of the shareholders of each firm. Obtaining necessary votes can be time-consuming and difficult. Furthermore the cooperation of target firms existing management is almost a necessity for a merger. This cooperation may not be easily or cheaply obtained. 3.1.2 Types of merger Mergers may be broadly classified in Congeneric Merger Congeneric merger occur where two merging firms are in the same general industry, but they have no mutual buyer/customer or supplier relationship. Congeneric mergers are of two types (a) Horizontal merger: In this case both the companies are in the same stage of production and also in the same industry e.g., a car manufacturer merger with a car manufacturer (b) Vertical merger: Two companies selling different but related products in the same market e.g., a cone supplier merging with an ice cream maker. Conglomerate. A conglomerate is a combination of two companies engaged in entirely different businesses together into one overarching company. There are two types of mergers that are distinguished by how the merger is financed. Purchase mergers As the name suggests, this kind of merger occurs when one company purchases another. The purchase is made with cash or through the issue of some kind of debt instrument. Consolidation mergers With this merger, a brand new company is formed and both companies are bought and combined under the new entity. 4. Analysis 4.1 Strategic Analysis of the merger decision The study of the Environmental Variables using the PESTEL and SWOT analysis was conducted at this stage of the research to evaluate the points for the merger of the BA and Iberia. The Analysis of these factors affecting the decision is detailed as follows: 4.1.1 PESTEL Analysis Political Factors: One of the preconditions for the merger deal is getting appropriate confirmations from the UK and Spanish Civil Aviation Authorities as to the suitability of the UK and Spanish bodies and as to the implementation of the structure. Economic Factors: Merger is expected to generate annual synergies of approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬400 million. The new group will combine the leading positions of both the companies, attain EOS and substantially increase the market share, thus enhancing their presence in international longhaul markets. Social Factors: Merger is expected to bring significant customer benefit. BA customers will gain access to 59 and Iberia customers will gain access to 98 new destinations with better frequencies, connections and reduced prices. Technological Factors: BA customers will benefit from modern fleet of aircrafts of Iberia airlines. Legal Factors: Merger cannot go ahead without appropriate antitrust and other regulations clearance. Iberia reserves the right to terminate the agreement if the outcome between BAand its pension trustees on the deficit is not satisfactory. 4.1.2 SWOT Analysis Strengths The new group will save some à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬400m annually by cutting overlapping routes, and by combining maintenance, office functions and business-class lounges. The pair may also have more muscle when it comes to negotiations to buy new planes from Boeing and Airbus.   The BA/Iberia merger will increase BAs dominance at Heathrow with 44% of take-off and landing slots this winter. It is impossible for any other airline to replicate their scale. There is a compelling strategic rationale for the transaction, which is expected to generate annual synergies of approximately 400 million Euros, and benefit both companies shareholders, customers and employees, Weaknesses Iberias cabin crew have just finished one round of strikes and are promising more in a dispute over changes to their jobs. BAs attempts to cut cabin crew and freeze pay could also result in strikes. Ground staff and pilots are equally willing to use industrial action to get their way. The attempt to keep two separate brands alive, with separate corporate operations could eat into some of the advantages of the merger and even prove to be a potential diseconomy of scale. Opportunities This enhanced scale and ability to compete with other major airlines and will enable BA-Iberia to participate in future industry consolidation opening the door for BAs long-held ambition to forge a partnership with American Airlines. The merger will create a strong European airline well able to compete in the 21st century. Threats The credit crunch has hammered ticket sales (especially of premium priced Business class tickets) and fuel has been expensive.  The International Air Transport Association, an industry body, estimates that total losses for the worlds airlines this year will be some $11 billion. 4.2 Expectations and Aspirations of the Stakeholders of the organisations A stakeholder can be defined as someone who has an interest in the well-being of the organisation ACCA course notes from Kaplan financial for Paper P3 Business Analysis In this context, the stakeholders can be identified as the shareholders, managers, employees and suppliers of BA and Iberia and the customers, government, locality and society at large. Success in the strategic decisions can not be achieved without regard to the stakeholders. Shareholders: Shareholders are the owners of the organisations; it is the duty of the organisations to act in the best interest of its shareholders and to maximise their wealth. The benefits of the merger to the SHs can be listed as follows: The anticipated annual revenue of the combined group estimated to be 15 billion euros. Expected cost saving of about 400 million euros a year. The combined group will be the third largest airline. Increased market share and dominance. Suppliers: The merger is set to create the third largest airline and hence bound to reduce the bargaining power of the suppliers. Managers employees: Employees play a vital role in the success of the organisation. Thus the organisation has a duty towards its workforce. According to the recent updates merger is unlikely to bring any benefits to its staff, on the contrary both the organisations have ambitious plans to cut costs by way of redundancy and pay cuts. The unite union has asked for assurances to avoid compulsory redundancies. Customers: According to the sources, the customers of the combined grouped are said to benefit from; Better frequencies More connections Competitive prices Access to more VIP lounges Enhance frequent flyer benefits Government: The government are interested in taxes from the revenue, higher the revenue more the tax. Furthermore it is interested in maintaining healthy competition and abiding of the antitrust law. The deal is expected to improve the future revenue and requires clearance from antitrust and other regulatory organisations, thus it is not threat to the governments interests. Locality and society at large: Locality and society expect the combined group to maintain and improve its CSR policies. The organisations are responsible to the surroundings and the environment in which they operate. 4.3 Financial Consequences The graph reflects the loss making position on BA. There has been an increase in revenue for the year 2009 as compared to 2008. The loss thus can be attributed to the high operating expenses which increased to  £9,212 million in 2009 from  £7,880 million in 2008. However the Operating income increased just to  £8,992 million in 2009 from  £8,758 million in 2008. Key Performance Indicators/Key Growth Indicators The KPIs and KGIs can be used to compare the performance of the organisations. Kpis indicate the improvement in performance, while Kgis indicate the growth of the organisation. The KPI in this scenario can be noted as: Liquidity Ratio The liquidity ratio shows the companys ability to pay its debt. Hence higher the ratio better the performance of the organisation. Earnings per Share (EPS) The performance can be measured based on the return to the shareholders. The increase in EPS reflects the efficiency in performance Number of passengers per year The figures show that the number of passenger carried per year will substantially increase after the merger and thus making TopCo a leading airline in terms of passenger. This is reflected in the figures shown below. Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 5. Conclusion Objective 1 The strategic analysis showed that the merger is bound to bring various benefits to the consolidated group. The merger will help the companies to reduce the costs and hence reduce the loss to a certain extent. The merger will increase the market share of TopCo and make it the third largest airline company given benefits to its customers and shareholders. There are certain weaknesses which can be overcome and the merger opens up various opportunities and synergies for the future growth. Objective 2 The analysis shows that the shareholders and customers are bound to benefit from the merger decision. However, there is a considerable amount of risk of redundancies and pay cuts due to heavy cost cuts by both the organisations. Objective 3 The financial analysis reflects the need to substantially reduce the operating costs. The merger plan is set to set to save 400 million euro a year from reduced costs. Hence the merger decision can be beneficial in driving the organisations through the economic crisis.

Mankinds Evil Exposed in Lord of the Flies Essay -- Lord of the Flies

Mankind's Evil Exposed in Lord of the Flies        Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite the progression of civilization and society's attempts to suppress man's darker side, moral depravity proves both indestructible and inescapable; contrary to culturally embraced views of humanistic tendencies towards goodness, each individual is susceptible to his base, innate instincts. In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, seemingly innocent schoolboys evolve into bloodthirsty savages as the latent evil within them emerges. Their regression into savagery is ironically paralleled by an intensifying fear of evil, and it culminates in several brutal slays as well as a frenzied manhunt. The graphic consequence of the boys' unrestrained barbarity, emphasized by the backdrop of an external war, exigently explores mankind's potential for evil.    Dismissing the detonation of an atom bomb and the possible deaths of their parents as merely an "unusual problem" (14), the schoolboys selfishly indulge in their lush jungle environs. The overwhelming "glamour [which] spread[s] over them" (25) momentarily eclipses their awakening need for domination. At first, the boys express this necessity through the seemingly innocuous heaving of rocks and the belittling of Piggy, who is physically inferior. Had these actions occurred in the boys' English homeland, they would have been accepted as ordinary,childish behavior. However, under the guise of innocent excitement, the boys derive an unimaginably "violent pleasure" (18) from "exercising control over living things" (61).    Ominously, their craving for power is a presage for the blood that is to be shed. This blood which had initially been so "unbearable" (31) is now lusted after; it compels Jack... ...lightenment is a condemnation rather than a liberation, because the knowledge of evil will forever remain as a scar upon his mind.    Now that Ralph truly understands the "darkness of man's heart" (202), he will recognize it in all its forms and disguises, falling heir to Simon's role of the bearer of truth and condemnation. The constant possibility that he may succumb to internal evil may instill Ralph with an further sense of anxiety and despair. This torment marks "the end of [his] innocence" (202), and Ralph will never be able to return to his former state of carefree happiness. Only death, the end to each individual's experience of the human condition   the same death that liberated Simon and Piggy   can free Ralph from the enlightenment and curse of his insight. Work Cited Golding, William.   Lord of the Flies.   New York: Harcourt, 1962.

Norman Bridwell Essay --

"Sometimes you'll do something that you really like and no one else does,† said Norman Bridwell. Norman Bridwell has proved that if you like something you just go with what you want. He proved it when he was in high school; he liked to write but the teachers didn’t appreciate it. After taking a look at the life and work of Norman Bridwell, it is apparent that this writer deserves recognition as a profound American author. Norman Bridwell was born on February 15, 1928 in Kokomo, Indiana (TEACHERS). He always dreamed of going to college to study to be an instructor but he never had enough confidence to do it (About the Clifford). It took him a long time to get his confidence back; once he got his confidence back he went to college and studied what he wanted. He was not good at any sports, he was a nerdy kid in highschool so he was bullied a lot. One day his gym teacher gave him a pencil and a notebook so when he had gym he would draw or write stories (TEACHERS). Norman always had time to write and draw and if he didn’t have time he would make time. Norman had a lot of things that infl... Norman Bridwell Essay -- "Sometimes you'll do something that you really like and no one else does,† said Norman Bridwell. Norman Bridwell has proved that if you like something you just go with what you want. He proved it when he was in high school; he liked to write but the teachers didn’t appreciate it. After taking a look at the life and work of Norman Bridwell, it is apparent that this writer deserves recognition as a profound American author. Norman Bridwell was born on February 15, 1928 in Kokomo, Indiana (TEACHERS). He always dreamed of going to college to study to be an instructor but he never had enough confidence to do it (About the Clifford). It took him a long time to get his confidence back; once he got his confidence back he went to college and studied what he wanted. He was not good at any sports, he was a nerdy kid in highschool so he was bullied a lot. One day his gym teacher gave him a pencil and a notebook so when he had gym he would draw or write stories (TEACHERS). Norman always had time to write and draw and if he didn’t have time he would make time. Norman had a lot of things that infl...

IQ Tests Dont Test Intelligence :: science

Why IQ Tests Don't Test Intelligence The task of trying to quantify a person’s intelligence has been a goal of psychologists since before the beginning of this century. The Binet-Simon scales were first proposed in 1905 in Paris, France and various sorts of tests have been evolving ever since. One of the important questions that always comes up regarding these tools is what are the tests really measuring? Are they measuring a person’s intelligence? Their ability to perform well on standardized tests? Or just some arbitrary quantity of the person’s IQ? When examining the situations around which these tests are given and the content of the tests themselves, it becomes apparent that however useful the tests may be for standardizing a group’s intellectual ability, they are not a good indicator of intelligence. To issue a truly standardized test, the testing environment should be the same for everyone involved. If anything has been learned from the psychology of perception, it is clear that a person’s environment has a great deal to do with their cognitive abilities. Is the light flickering? Is the paint on the walls an unsettling shade? Is the temperature too hot or too cold? Is the chair uncomfortable? Or in the worst case, do they have an illness that day? To test a person’s mind, it is necessary to utilize their body in the process. If everyone’s body is placed in different conditions during the testing, how is it expected to get standardized results across all the subjects? Because of this assumption that everyone will perform equally independent of their environment, intelligence test scores are skewed and cannot be viewed as standardized, and definitely not as an example of a person’s intelligence. It is obvious that a person’s intelligence stems from a variety of traits. A few of these that are often tested are reading comprehension, vocabulary, and spatial relations. But this is not all that goes into it. What about physical intelligence, conversational intelligence, social intelligence, survival intelligence, and the slew of others that go into everyday life? Why are these important traits not figured into intelligence tests? Granted, normal standardized tests certainly get predictable results where academics are concerned, but they should not be considered good indicators of general intelligence because of the glaring omissions they make in the testing process. To really gauge a person’s intelligence, it would be necessary to put them through a rigorous set of real-life trials and document their performance.

Foolishness in Shakepeare’s king lear

King Lear is considered to be Shakespeare’s best artistic work. Early on, the readers glean the foolishness of the king as he bequeaths his riches and his kingdom to his deceitful daughters. This is his desperate attempt to know who loves him. Thus, we see his foolishness as he draws out testimonies of his daughters’ love for him. For all his wealth and riches, he is bereft of the love of his daughters. His glaring foolishness is seen as he bequeaths his kingdom to the one who would speak of her undying love for him. Thus, we see that only a foolish man would do such actions for naturally, his daughters, who want the material things will give him the accolades he so desperately wants to hear.King Lear is foolish not to know the depth of Cordelia’s love for him because he measures it only with the words that will come from her mouth. He asks them to match each other’s pronouncements of their love for him, â€Å"Tell me, my daughters,- / Since now we will d ivest us both of rule, / Interest of territory, cares of state,- / Which of you shall we say doth [does] love us [King Lear] most? That we our largest bounty may extend / Where nature doth with merit challenge† (Act I, Sc i, Ln 47-53).King Lear should have observed more the actions of her daughters instead of their spoken adulations. He is taken aback by Cordelia’s response: â€Å"†Nothing, my lord† (Line 89). He then prods her to continue yet, she does not succumb to the pretenses that the situation requires of her and declares no high praises and love, which prods the king to conclude, â€Å"Nothing will come of nothing:† and in a pitiable state urges her to â€Å"speak again† (Line 92). For his Cordelia lacks â€Å"that glib and oily art / To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend, / I'll do't before I speak-† (Line 227).This foolishness is again gleaned as the King thinks that when he gives out his kingdom, he â€Å"shakes all cares and business from our age, conferring them on younger strengths while we unburdened crawl to death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act I, Sc i, Ln 38-41). Nothing could be farther from the truth, for this just makes him worry no end that Cordelia does not love him at all.The story of King Lear illustrates clearly what happens when children are consumed by greed and when they lose their love for their parents.   The play focuses on deception, greed, cruelty, and misjudgment. King Lear would have stood bravely had he not been blinded by his own folly. Often the disguise or deception is not physical but emotional.   The few characters that must physically disguise themselves in the play are the few characters that are not motivated by darker emotions.Kent and Edgar disguise themselves: one to help the king, the other to escape punishment. In the end, Shakespeare shows them to have pure and decent motives. The dukes and two eldest daughters however, who at no time in the play hide their f aces nor their actions, do hide their true nature. The daughters trick their father into believing that they love him above all else.   Edmund, too, tricks his father into thinking he is a loving devoted son, and this is to hide their true greediness.  (Novel Analysis).Greed and craving are distortions of desire. In greed and craving, one relinquishes most of the consideration for anybody else in one’s existence. King Lear is part of that existence and falls victim to this greed. He is foolish not to see behind the actions of the very people he is surrounded with. This is an insatiable, self-designed torture trap that his children are engulfed with.King Lear knew the conditions of his life as he experiences it. Only he can choose how to meet them. To the degree that his daughters are into hustling and conning, then they do not really communicate with him. He exists for them only as an object that they hope to use for their own benefit. Lear finds himself surrounded by peo ple who only wish to deceive and abuse him and leave him abandoned.This causes him to loose his sanity. King Lear’s decisions change his life and send him to his own demise. His actions lead him to his own sufferings, â€Å"Howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones. Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so that heaven's vault should crack. She's gone for ever! I know when one is dead, and when one lives.†(Act V, Sc iii, Ln 306-312).King Lear avoided the issue of his daughters’ manipulations. He allowed himself to be sidetracked by his world of distracting events. His ways of resisting or avoiding dealing with areas of his life that he did not feel ready to cope, kept him from being logical. He resisted seeing clearly and that put something else between him and the issue. He blocked it out of his awareness and convinced himself that it does not exists. He looks at the event and sees only the distracter that he puts between him and the issue, or he does not s ee anything there at all. When he got totally caught in his situation, he lost all sense of perspective on what others were plotting against him.In conclusion, the king’s foolishness manifested in his own compulsive control that clamped him down and channeled his energies in narrow ways. This pushed all his power into places where he was blinded to see the entire picture sending him naked and where nature symbolized the chaos he found himself in.WORKS CITEDAct I, Sc i, Ln 38-41, Act I, Sc i, Ln 47-53 Reports & Essays: Literature – Shakespeare,Study world Retrieved Jan. 8, 2007 at:Novel Analysis. King Lear. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2007 at:http://www.novelguide.com/kinglear/themeanalysis.html

Juche Ideology and Religion

Juche Ideology and Religion Juche is a Communist led and sponsored religion in North Korea made up of a mixture of ideology, philosophy, and religion for over 22,000,000 people, most of which are North Koreans, as stated by John Chin of the Religion-Info website (Chin). Juche is practiced, mandatorily, in North Korea by their government leader Kim Jong-Il, and is more of a social ideology instead of an actual religion. Although, the only way this ideology is promoted as a religion is by the way that Juche adopted some of the Confucius ideas. John Chin also states the ideas of Juche following only one â€Å"Great Leader†, and secondly that the Korean Worker's Party revolution belongs to the people (Chin). Then later the idea of self-reliance or self-sufficiency as a country was added to Juche which the word itself by Korean language means â€Å"self-reliance† (Adherents. com). Also, Jurgen Kleiner states that Kim Il-Sung created this ideology to save him from political and social obstacles of the day. So, really this religion in my opinion is not a true religion, but actually a social ideology; as a matter of fact, if Juche were really a religion then it would be a choice to adhere to not forced like it is in North Korea. Juche ideology is practiced majorly in North Korea where the choice is not given to the people on whether they want to believe in something else or to follow the Juche beliefs. By Jurgen Kleiner the Juche ideology saved Kim Il-Sung from getting too deeply involved in the earlier rift between the Soviet Union and China (Kleiner). So, by what Kleiner is saying the Juche ideology was used to keep Kim Il-Sung from being involved with any Soviet or Chinese involvement. This â€Å"religion† does not have a main saint who has a life or death childhood experience nor does it have a saint who has a God experince where the God of their culture passes a vision onto that main saint. The closest thing that Juche has to a main saint figure, and in the working people’s eyes he is a sain by what he declares, is Kim Il-Sung who is then followed by his son Kim Jong-Il. Kim Il-Sung who creates the social ideology of Juche declares one main ideal of Juche to be that there is one â€Å"Great Leader† who is to lead the world to the utopian philosophy (Oh and Hassig). Also, Kim Il-Sung makes it to where Juche is the only â€Å"religion† to have the proper methods by which paradise is able to be achieved. Now in my eyes these ideas are not the way that Juche can be called a religion. As I have stated, and will state again, I believe that Juche is not a religion, but actually a social ideology that is forced upon its people. Kim Il-Sung is making the typical dictator move to secure power over his subjects by making a nation wide religion. The easiest way that he procures such a feat is by finding the most abundant social class and makes them the most important of the social ideology. The manner in which Kim Il-Sung makes this â€Å"religion† such an accepted ideology among the common people is by the way in which he proclaimed the Korean Worker's Party revolution belonged to the people, and by making this move Kim Il-Sung has the entire working social class behind him to support him. By making this monstrously important move Kim Il-sung guarantees himself the survival of this ideology because of how the societal notions are regulated in North Korea. Secondly though, by Kim Il-Sung making this move he allows there to be someone to lead such a large group of people. So, Il-Sung by making such a large group without a leader comes up with the idea of a â€Å"Great Leader† in which the people who believe in Juche should follow, and who will also lead the world to the idea of a utopian society and paradise on Earth. Juche ideology made by Kim Il-Sung also led to the idea that there would be an abolishment of the social classes. Il-Sung stated that only with the establishment of communism, in which there would be no competing classes- the working class having taken control of the means of production- would contradictions disappear. If this dissolve of social classes is so important in the Juche beliefs then Kim Il-Sung should not have made the idea that the Korean Worker’s Party was so important. I am sure that Il-Sung is using the Juche ideology to control the people of Korea because if the absolving of social classes is so important then the idea that the Korean Worker’s Party belonging to the people would no longer be applicable to the ideology of Juche beliefs. Making the Korean Worker’s Party an important part of Juche ideals goes completely against the belief of having social classes become absolved because if the working class is so important then how could the Korean working social class still be important. Il-Sung made a mistake in adopting the idea that the Korean Worker’s Party s being so important while also saying that the social classes will be absolved. Now, the closest that Juche comes to being a religion is by how some beliefs of Confucianism are adopted. The ideas that are adopted are family values, material possessions, and self-sacrifice. The adoption of family values in that the family is important in society does coincide with the id ea of getting rid of societal classes, but also the adoption also could lead to a clash between these two ideas by how a rich family would treat its own family members as say a poor family. Family values are adopted to help strengthen society by making those family systems stronger in the way that they commune with each other and by the way they act with each other. The adoption of how to hold material possessions in life makes Juche closer to being a true religion in my eyes. Juche takes the idea that material possessions are not important in how life is valued, but that the family values that are shared and learned are more important. The adoption that material possessions come easily and go just as easily stresses the importance of the people and the bond between each other and not their possessions. Lastly, the adoption of the idea of self-sacrifice also strengthens the idea of absolving society to the point of where an individual is not more important than the whole. Although, with Juche having the main ideology of one â€Å"Great Leader† then that is the only individual that should not be sacrificed because of the importance that that specific individual holds in their acts. So, in part this idea of one â€Å"Great Leader† the idea of self-sacrifice cannot be fully applied so there is another contradiction in the ideology and belief system of Juche practice. So, overall in everything I have presented I believe that Juche is not a religion nor will it ever be one even if it were to adopt other ideals of other religions, and the reason it would not be even with the other adoptions is because of the two main reasons the foundation of Juche has in its own beginning. The two main beliefs of the Korean Worker’s Party being so important, and the belief of one â€Å"Great Leader†. Juche is not a religion, but rather a form of social ideology used to control a nation and her people. Kim Il-Sung making such a monumental Communist move to control the Korean people, and then trying to justify such a move by approving what he did as a form of religious worship does not make Juche a religion. In all actuality in my eyes, what Kim Il-Sung did was basically make himself a God by claiming himself and his male descendants as the â€Å"Great Leader† is the biggest flaw in Juche ideology, and will that single fact can keep Juche from being a religion. Also as a final side-note and to be kind of funny, another way I know that Juche is not a religion is because everytime I have typed it so far it is underlined by the red line as if I have mistakenly miswritten a word. If juche were a religion then I would not see that red line. Works Cited Adherents. com. Major Religions of the World. January 2000. 4 April 2009 . Chin, John. RELIGION-INFO. COM:A Guide to Religions, Religious Information and Help in Search for God. 21 December 2004. 6 April 2009 . Kleiner, Jurgen. Korea, A Century of Change. World Scientific, 2001. Marshall Cavendish Corporation. World and Its Peoples: Eastern and Southern Asia. Marshall Cavendish, 2007. Oh, Kong Dan and Ralph c. Hassig. North Korea Through the Looking Glass. Brookings Institution Press, 2000.

Maintaining Ethical Standards

The ethical issues that I am faced with are, although am a trousseaux counselor, I still sympathize with what the couple is going through especially since a child is involved. Helping the couple will take a lot of work. First I would sit both of them down and listen to everything that they are going through. I would give them the pros of staying together in the state, then I would give them the con, because the state we are in does not recognize same-sex marriage, they would lose their benefits; such as tax benefits, health and social security benefits.In the case of discrimination, the state will not offer any kind of recourse because the state law itself won't accept the marriage. Would then discuss with the couple, the custody battle with Emily s parents. First would recommend that if it was k with Lois, Emily should have a one and one conversation with her parents. Another suggestion would for the couple to sit down with the grandparents and without throwing their sexuality in th eir faces, simply explain to them, that even though they are gay, they are capable of being good parents. It would be best to not be pushy and listen to the concerns of the grandparents.If that didn't work then I would talk with the parents, sometimes a person outside of he equation can shed a little light on the issue. Rebecca Farrell (personal communication, March 20, 2009) points out that this case also involves custody issues that are challenging when counseling a same-sex couple. If all that fails and the grandparents decide to pursue the custody, I would suggest for them to seek legal advice. For their safety from the neighbors and others that are interfering with them, I would suggest that they go to the area police station and make a statement, so the police can know their lives might be in danger.

Unit 7 – Childcare and Education Level 3 Cache

E1 Collate evidence which describes the role of the practitioner in meeting children’s learning needs. Gather and present information about the role of the practitioner whenchildren's learning needs. A practitioner’s role in meeting children’s learning needs are to understand and work with each and every child’s learning needs. They can do this by providing different opportunities to individual children because each child is unique and learns differently. The practitioners’ role would therefore be to plan and resource an environment that is challenging and helps children learn in many different areas of their learning.The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is there for the rights of children should allow children priority as they are more venerable. It states that all children’s wants and learning needs should be met. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has 4 cores principles and they are: Non-discrimination regardless of race, sex, gender, religion, disability and any other reason (Article 2), the best interest of the child for example; prevent child from being separated from their families unless separate on is necessary for the best interest of the child, the right to live, survival and development, freedom of speech and thought etc†¦ Article 11, 14 ; 13). Another thing as a practitioner, we need to do is promote a positive environment for parents, colleges and the children because a positive environment can mean that everyone within the setting can get a positive outcome in order to help meet the child’s needs best. Having on-going training can also benefit the practitioners role in meeting children’s needs, teach them about childcare and can help them meet the child’s learning needs because the practitioners go on training outside the setting to get a better insight on how to work with different practitioners, adults and children.E2 Provide information about current influenc es on play +E4 Include examples of different theoretical models of how children play and learn. One theorist which currently influences children’s play is Jean Piaget (1948). His theory was a theory on Cognitive development. He believed that children develop in stages and that they progress through these stages in chronological order. Piaget (1948) said that there were 4 stages of development from birth to adulthood; serisori: motor- birth – 2 years, pre-operational: 2-7 years, concrete operational: 7-11/12 years, formal operations: 11/12-16 years old.He carried out a study which is called ‘mountain study’ to investigate further into his theory. This study was done in a group of children being arranged in front of a simple plaster mountain range and than he sat himself to the side and asked the children to pick from four pictures. This study showed that older children picked what Piaget (1948) saw and the younger children would pick the view they could see . When looking back at this study, Piaget (1948) found out that the older children tend to understand other peoples views.The practitioners would have a role within the Early Years setting to support the children through the different stages of development and the adults should work alongside one another to help the child develop. His theory of cognitive development is based on the importance of active discovery learning where children have child-centred classroom (Maureen D 2006). Piaget theory (1948) allows practitioners to have opportunities to learn without teaching them, appropriate activates are set up through observing the child and these activities are than suitably challenging with real experiences (Maureen D 2006). ’the balance between adult-directed play and child-initiated play should be tipped heavily in favour of child-initiative play. ’’ (Maureen D 2006). Another theorist which currently influences children’s play is Susan Isaacs (1930). Sh e was a psychoanalyst who believed that free play indoors and outdoors is important for children’s needs, development as well as helping them to learn better. She said that free play was important and necessary for children.In 1924 Susan Isaacs became the principle of Malting house, where she set up an educational experiment alongside Geoffrey Pkye(1942) to experiment with different teaching ideas on a small group of children aged two and a half to seven years. Inside the house were three interesting features; the use and development of language to promote thinking, the attention paid to children’s emotions needs and the emphasising on animosity and finding out. Piaget (1948) and Sigmund Freud (1988) were both influenced by Susan Isaacs’s (1930) theory.This theory allows children to understand what is being asked and gives the children challenge in answering a question where they can think on their own. E3- Provide information about current influences on the pla nning and provision Gather information about what currently influences planning and provision of learning opportunities. Every Child Matters Framework which is currently in the process to be changed is part of the Children Act 2004; it is a piece of legislation which has and influences planning and provisions of learning opportunities.The Every Child Matters ensures that settings provide quality of children’s and young people’s play and learning. This supports children from birth to 19 years. When practitioners plan, they should relate their work to the five outcomes for children; be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve though learning, make a positive contribution to society and achieve economic well-being. OFSTED is a regulatory body which makes sure all childcare settings are carrying out correct planning and allowing the children to learn. This is done by having inspections which are based on the five outcomes of Every Child Matters framework.They also do this by looking at each childcare setting to see what curriculum is being offered. Each childcare setting’s curriculum will be varied and this is something the OFSTED will understand for example: every child care setting will follow the (EYFS, 2012) Early Years Foundation Stage but if a setting has children of the age of 6they would follow the National Curriculum. OFSTED requires that practitioners and workers are familiar with the relevant curriculum and requirements of OFSTED. E6 Include TWO (2) examples of information from agencies outside the settingwhich may contribute to the assessment of learning needs.School Nurse A school nurse provides a variety of services such as undertaking health interviews and administering immunisation programmes. They can be employed by the local health authority, community trust, primary care trust or by the school directly. The responsibility of a nurse would include these roles: * Providing confidential health advice for individual children * Asse ssing the whole need of the school community and develop a health plan including a policy on bulling * Promoting good parenting skills by helping and supporting parents * Co-ordinating immunisation programmes Health plans for children with any disability * Providing training for school-based staff to support children with healthcare needs e. g. : asthma * Giving advice to parents, carers or school staff on childhood illnesses and the management and control of infection in the disease * Drug and alcohol abuse and smoking * Sexual health and relationship for example pregnancy * Exercise and healthy eating * Mental health and wellbeing * Obesity * Eating disorder * Disabilities E7 Include TWO (2) plans for curriculum activities which show different approaches to planning learning opportunitiesE8 Include information about the importance of consulting with parents and others when planning and providing learning opportunities. It is important to consult with parents and others when planni ng and providing learning opportunities for the child because the parents know their child’s best interests. This is because parents are their first educators and they know what resources their child likes to use and the likes and dislike of the child. It is also important because parents you may need permission from parents in order to carry out a certain activity.Effective partnership between a childcare setting and parents will help the environment of the setting become more positive for both the child and parents using the provision. It will make the setting and parents understand each other better as well as benefit the child because the child will feel safe and want to learn and achieve better. E9 Provide evidence of current and relevant research throughout the portfolio. Evidence of current and relevant research is provided in my appendix at the end of my assignment.D1 Include an explanation of the key issues in recording assessments. D2 Include an explanation of the k ey issues in recording assessments. + C2 Analyse the role of assessment in informing planning and respecting learning needs. There are many important points to consider when recording assessments of children. The most important issue in recording assessments would knowing the different techniques available to use and find the one that suits most when recording the assessment of the child.These techniques maybe; written narrative, video, photographs, target child observation, checklist observation, tick charts, time sampling, event sampling and mapping to record assessments of the children. The practitioner would need to decide what type of technique would be appropriate in assessing the child and the activity carried out. When using one of the techniques the practitioner would need to check if it was reliable and valid. A technique would be good when the practitioner is able to monitor the child’s behaviour, progress and development as well as keeping them frequent and up to date.Another important factor to consider when recording assessments of children is confidentiality. C1 Analyse the importance of planning and providing learning opportunities to meet children’s diverse needs. In order to plan and provide learning opportunities to meet children’s diverse needs practitioners need to make sure that all children are included within the task and activity. This can be done by providing a large range if motivating opportunities which are accessible to all children to help them develop and allow to support them.Another thing would be a safe environment for children to learn in which is free from any discrimination and bullying. This can be done by valuing and respecting one another (children, teachers, parents and other professionals). The practitioners would be working with other professionals such as an occupational therapist to help the child have the best learning opportunities available. B1 Evaluate how the current influences on play and different theoretical models affect the planning and provision of learning opportunities.Jean Piaget’s theory influenced today’s practice as†¦ Susan Isaac’s theory influenced today’s practice as she believed that play is very important and relives freedom which allows settings to have child lead activities. Another thing she influenced was the parents and carers of the children because she showed and made practitioners aware of the fact that parents are seen as the child’s first educators and therefore they are the most important when providing learning opportunities for the child.Susan’s theory is based on working with parents and carers and this is very vital to today’s influences on play in settings which than allows practitioners to be able to plan learning opportunities for the children in their care. This can also affect planning because the practitioners may not be interacting with the children very well because they are having child lead activities and the practitioners are not experiencing what the parents and cares say about the child and how they act during the activities toward the practitioners.Research has shown thatyoung children learn best when they are actively interacting with others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. E Wood and N Bennett (1999) International Journal ofEarly Years Education 7 (1) 5-16. This affects planning because†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Discussion might also consider whether models are appropriate for all settings and factors which might be barriers to implementing change This affects planning because†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. A Include a reflective account of the role of the practitioner in supporting the learning needs of childrenDevelop the information gathered for E1 and use your experiences to consider learning needs of children and show understanding of your practice in supporting the learning needs of children. Use this reflection to suggest appropriate ways you could develop your role as a practitione r when working with children. My role as a practitioner in meeting children’s learning needs are to respect and value each individual child’s learning needs as well as understanding them.This will than allow me to provide different opportunities to individual children because ach child has individual needs and wants in the way that they learn by. Another role of mine is to plan for stimulating activities which are high in challenge to allow them to develop and learn new skills and abilities. Having a challenging environment for children allows the children to extend their learning in various styles and ways. The Equal opportunity policy is also taken into consideration by all practitioners in the setting so that all children are treated equally with respect and can enjoy and achieve their full potential.Staff ratio is also taken into account because we need enough staff in a setting to avoid accidents and keep all children safe and in a secure environment Bibliography: Books: Tassoni. Penny, Kate. Beith, Kath. Bulum and Harriet. Eldridge (2007) CACHE level 3 Child Care and Education 4th edition, London: Heinemann Marian. Beaver, Jo. Brewster, Sandy. Green, Sally. Neaum, Heidi. Sheppard, Jill. Tullack and Miranda. Walker (2008) Childcare and education Cache level 3 Cheltenham: Nelson Thorns