Nike vs Adidas Essay

My area of study for this project would be more on comparing the performances for Nike and Adidas for the past 5 years. In this project I would explain the performance such as growth in profits, revenues, market share, the company employers and employees, size of the market share, steps for increasing the social performance, products performance, dividends per share, assets and the company investment. Nike and Adidas and have been the top two leading sport companies in the sport industry over the past few decades. These two companies sell and offer wide range of products for the customers and their products offered is mainly on sports wear for men and women and caters to consumers from different age groups. Their products consist on clothing such as jerseys, shirts, t-shirts, shorts and pants. These companies also provide the customers varieties of footwear such as sports shoes, casual shoes, boots, sandals and stockings. Besides that, fashion accessories are also offered from these three companies such as bags, watch, bracelets, wallets and purse. And lastly they also offer a wide range of sport gears for their customers. Nike and Adidas have also been the top sponsors in the sport industry. Sponsoring their products is important for the companies to get brand recognition, building their brand image and to promote their latest products. Nike and Adidas have been sponsoring equipments, clothing and accessories for athletes and coaches in sport tournaments and events. For instance, these three companies sponsor their products for football, soccer, basketball, baseball and many more. These companies also include slogan and motto for their company. Nike’s motto is â€Å"Just Do It’ which is the signature of the brand which makes their products and the company recognizable to consumers. As for Adidas, their current motto is â€Å"Impossible is Nothing† which serves as an encouragement to athletes for their sports. Origins and History of Nike and Adidas Nike, originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports was founded by University of Oregeon track athlete Philip Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman in January 1964. The company initially operated as a distributor for Japanese shoe maker Onitsuka Tiger, making most sales at track meets out of Knight’s automobile. The company’s profits grew quickly, and in 1966, Blue Ribbon Sports opened its first retail store, located on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California. By 1971, the relationship between Blue Ribbon Sports and Onitsuka Tiger was nearing an end. BRS prepared to launch its own line of footwear, which would bear the newly designed Swoosh by Carolyn Davidson. The Swoosh was first used by Nike in June 1971, and was registered with the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office on January 22, 1974. Adidas was founded in 1948 by Adolf â€Å"Adi† Dassler, following the split of Gebruder Dassler Schuhfabrik between him and his older brother, Rudolf. Rudolf would later establish Puma, which was the early rival of Adidas. Registered in 1949, Adidas is currently based in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The company’s clothing and shoe designs typically feature three parallel bars, and the same motif is incorporated into Adidas’s current official logo. The â€Å"Three Stripes† were bought from the Finnish sport company Karhu Sports in the 1950s. Objective The objective of the project is to measure and compare the marketing strategies of the top two sport fashion companies which are Nike and Adidas. So this project would be mainly conducted to resolute the similarities and differences of the two sport companies marketing strategies. Besides that, this project will compare on the performance of Nike and Adidas which include the company’s growth in revenues, profits or net income, dividends per share, size of company in the market, performances of employees, steps for increasing the social responsibility performance, products performance, stock performance and the company performances in investment. Problem Statement Firstly, the sport industry is becoming ever more competitive, with new brands competing for a share of consumers for the products in the market. Building a relationship with customers is a challenge facing for Nike and Adidas. This is because the companies need to be followed up with new trends and styles in the industry for their customers in order for them to build their products brand and image. Secondly, there was a case happened in China where a local Chinese domestic sports goods manufacturer company called Li Ning opened 6917 stores in mainland China by December 31,2008 aking it 1241 more than the year of 2007. During the year 2008, Li Ning has published its financial report which states that due to the Beijing Olympic Games, the company made total revenues of CNY 669(million) a year on-year-increase of 53. 8% compared to the year 2007. Not only that, Li Ning made an overall entry into the market of Southeast Asia. Now they have stores in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and other Southeast Asia countries. This became a problem for Nike and Adidas where the two international giants see recession in their performance in China. According to the financial report of Adidas, the company’s net profit decreased by 95% to â‚ ¬ 130 million in the first half of the year. As for the sales revenue, it decreased by 2% to â‚ ¬ 5. 03 billion. As for Nike numbers of distributors were reduced in the year 2008 due with the bad performance. Thirdly, the problem that attracted me to do this project is because I would like to know why Nike had low growth in revenue in the year of 2009. Nike had only increased 3% of its revenue to $ 19176. (million), with net income falling 21% to $ 1486. 7(million). As for Adidas, they also had the same problem. But the problem for Adidas was worst compared to Nike because at the year of 2009, the company net income is â‚ ¬ 10381(million) which decreased compared to the year 2008 which is â‚ ¬ 10799(million). These two companies had their difficulties is the year of 2009. So I would eager to find out about the problems they faced during that year. Significance of Study The importance of doing this project would be very important to other parties and companies. In this case, small and medium enterprise (SME) would get the advantages and benefits because they would know how the bigger companies such as Nike and Adidas operates their businesses, how they sell their products and services to their customers, what kind of marketing strategies they use, how the companies measure their performances and the most important reason is how Nike and Adidas continues to become a big market player in the sports industry. As part of that, this project will comprise mainly of small to medium-sized companies to engage in a diversity of activities which includes manufacturing of sport goods, sport tourism, media, and construction of venues. For example, small and medium enterprise (SME) in Malaysia can take the opportunity to get involved with sport products, services, sponsorships, hosting up international sport tournaments and events. And not to forget, the involvement of (SME) would also helps our country in the tourism sector because many athletes and participants will get to travel and visit our country and this will relatively build the countries economic performances. Corporate social responsibilities (CSR) also play a role for every sport companies in responsibility to act in a way that positively contributes to their stakeholders and the communities in which they exist. In this case, it is increasingly important for the social and economic issues such as rapid technological change, a diverse and aging population, environmental changes and mounting concerns regarding the country’s growing social divide have resulted in focusing on the responsibility of firms to the communities in which they operate. (Margolis & Walsh 2003; Sagawa & Segal 2000) Justification The reason I chose this topic is because the project is interesting as sports is an important part of today’s society and plays a large role in many people’s lives. From a social standpoint, sport plays a positive role in uniting people from different social backgrounds. This can aid people’s understanding and tolerance of each other. As far as education is concerned, sport is an important part of every child’s schooling, as it plays a big role in both their physical and mental development. It teaches children how to work as a part of a team and cooperate with others, while at the same time improving physical condition. The second reason I chose sports industry because this industry is growing rapidly in Malaysia. There are continuous demands from customers, sports athletes, and models for these sport products. The Malaysian sport industry is considered as a young industry comprising of small and medium-sized businesses. The Malaysian sports industry comprises of companies engaging in a diversity of activities, from the manufacturing of sport goods, sport tourism, media, to the construction of sport facilities. The third why I chose these two companies is because Nike and Adidas has been the biggest market share player in the sports industry. Nike controls 31% of athletic sportswear which is the highest market share compared to other sport companies in the year 2007. As for Adidas, they control the second highest share of athletic sportswear which is 16% of the market in 2007. As for other companies Puma controls 7%, Reebok 6%, New Balance 6%, and Converse 4%. Expected Outcomes The expected outcome which I can conclude is Nike would have the better performance for this year 2010 because their net income/profit for the past few years have been stable. Ever since the year of 2006, Nike’s net income/profit stands at $ 1392. (million). As for the year 2007, it increased to $ 1491. 5(million). At the year 2008, Nike’s net income/profit increased with huge and outstanding amount of $ 1883. 4(million). But by the year of 2009, their company had a decreased in their net income/profit which is $ 1486. 7(million). As for Adidas, the company would not have a better performance compared to Nike because in the year 2009, their net income was only â‚ ¬ 245(million). Their net income decreased with a huge margin compared to the year 2008 which is â‚ ¬ 642(million). So the key impact from the financial statement of year 2009. The net income of Adidas reduced more than 60% in 2009. But Nike was capable of stabilizing the results with a minor reduction of only 20% in 2009. As for the performance of dividend development, Nike has shown increases in its number. For the year 2006, Nike’s dividends declared per common share stands at $ 0. 59. Their company dividend increased to $ 0. 98 in the year 2009. But as for Adidas, they showed a decline from the year 2006 to 2009. In the year 2006, Adidas dividends declared per common share stands at â‚ ¬ 0. 42. While in the year 2009, Adidas dividends declared per common share felt to â‚ ¬ 0. 5. As for the expected outcome for the year 2010, Nike would be expected to increase their dividends successfully because their dividend declared per common share has been rising steadily. As for the company’s asset assessment, I can expect that Nike would do better in the assets performance in the year 2010 because their total assets have been increasing from the year 2006-2009. The total of assets that Nike had in the year 2006 was $ 9,869(million), in the year of 2007, Nike’s assets increased to $ 10,688. 3(million). Last year, Nike had a total of assets of $ 13,250(million). This shows that Nike’s assets have been increasing and it is expected to rise in the year 2010. As for Adidas, their company’s total asset is not stable from the year shown in 2006-2009. In 2006, Adidas totals assets stands at â‚ ¬ 8379(million). It decreased on the following year to 8325(million). As for the year 2008, their total assets were increased to â‚ ¬ 9533(million). As for 2009, their total assets decreased to a total of â‚ ¬ 8875(million). Ever since Adidas total of assets is not stable, I can expect that Nike would do better in the assets performance. References http://condor.depaul.edu/~aalmaney/StrategicAnalysisofNike.htm http://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1693768.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reebok

Edward Said States

What Should I Write About? So you know which schools you’re interested in, and you’ve looked over the applications and read all the essay questions. Chances are you’re wondering, â€Å"What in the world should I write about? † You’re not alone. In fact, it is safe to assume that everybody who has ever had to write an essay for a college application has asked that very question. Unfortunately, the applications don’t give you much guidance. Most of the essay questions are so open-ended that you can write about virtually anything. Since this essay might be the most significant writing you’ve ever done, the freedom to choose a topic can be paralyzing. Although picking a topic will seem daunting at first, it’s not impossible. The key is to narrow your focus and write about something close to your heart. If you follow this plan, you’ll create a lively essay that shows the admissions committee your intelligence and personality. But finding a great topic is not something you can do in five minutes. It will take a little work. Essay Questions from the 2005 Common Application Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. Describe a character in fiction, an historical figure, or creative work (as in art, music, science, etc. that has had an influence on you and explain that influence. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in the college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you. Topic of your choice. Not-So-Common Essay Questions According to astronomer Carl Sagan, â€Å"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. What unknown would you like to see revealed in your lifetime? Why is this of personal importance? (Northwestern University) In The Moviegoer, a novel by Carolina alumnus Walker Percy, the narrator observes: â€Å"The search is what anyone would undertake if he were not stuck in the everydayness of his own life. . . . To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair. † Are you â€Å"onto something† now? If so, what is that something, and why is it important to you? University of North Carolina) On Mars, the latest TV fad among the native lifeforms is Trading Bodies. You're picked to play. Whose body would you inhabit and why? (University of Virginia) Have you witnessed a person who is close to you doing something that you considered seriously wrong? Describe the circumstances, your thoughts, and how you chose to respond. If you discussed it with the person, was his/her justification valid? In retrosp ect, what, if anything, would you have done differently and why? Duke University) Do you believe there’s a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others. (Denison University) What is your academic passion? (Wake Forest University) Prewriting: Think, Think, Think Early on—say, four or five months before applications are due—start thinking about possible topics. Go about your normal routine, but tuck the topic question in the back of your mind. Note what you’re interested in and appreciate in this world. Carry a notebook to jot down thoughts. Give it time, and chances are you’ll come up with some good stuff. If, on the other hand, you wait until the night before the application deadline to choose your topic, you’ll find yourself staring at your computer screen in a cold sweat, frantically wondering whether you should write about your love of the rainforest, that time you stole second base in junior high, or maybe, um, what your bedroom decor says about you. If you wait until the last minute, it’s highly unlikely that your essay will be a thing of beauty and interest. Choosing an essay topic takes time. Brainstorming Brainstorming is the process of getting your ideas and thoughts down on paper. Brainstorming doesn’t have to be logical or tidy—you can scribble down (or type) ideas in any way that makes sense to you. And don’t worry about editing as you brainstorm. No one is going to see this part of the process except you, so let the good ideas and the not-so-good ideas flow freely. When you’re brainstorming ideas for your college application essay, let your mind wander. Think about issues that matter to you; important moments in your life; high school experiences that stand out in your mind; and places and people that left an impression on you. Jot down emotions you often experience, verbs that mean something to you, and smells that bring back strong memories. Don’t limit yourself to happy experiences: Not all good stories are happy stories. Maybe one of your keenest memories is sitting and crying on the steps outside the school auditorium after you found out you didn’t make the varsity team. If a moment was meaningful and you can write with your emotions, your reader will feel connected to your story. The goal is to mine your life for a subject that will pour out instead of trickle. People brainstorm using different methods. Below, you’ll find explanations of several different methods. Maybe one method will do the trick for you, or maybe you’ll find a combination of methods works best. Make a List Many people prefer to use the straightforward list-making approach as a starting point. To use this method, simply jot down possible essay topics. After you have a long list, go back and pick out the most promising ideas. To get the ball rolling on your topic search, write down responses to the following: The 10 coolest places you’ve visited Your 10 most memorable high school experiences The 5 most difficult moments in your life The 5 most exciting moments The 3 most awkward moments Your 5 best accomplishments The top 5 words your parents, friends, or teachers would use to describe you The 5 most important influences on your life Your 5 favorite books Your 10 favorite activities Connect the Words If you think visually, you might want to brainstorm by writing a word or phrase in the middle of a blank piece of paper. Spend ten minutes looking at this word or phrase and writing down everything that comes to mind all over the page. Stop when your ideas stop flowing. Then circle or draw lines between ideas that are connected. Do this again with a new sheet of paper with a new word or with a word from your first list. Repeat as necessary. Draw a Timeline Here’s another visual brainstorming method: write a timeline of your life. Then go back and underline or highlight the high and low points. Also, note any other epiphanies or pivotal moments. Don’t worry if no single experience changed your life; that’s not usually how it works anyway. You can write a thoughtful essay about a change that happened over time, focusing on a particular incident to illustrate your point. Tell a Story from Your Life Pick a word that describes you and write it or type it at the top of a piece of paper. Then write down the title of five stories about yourself that you could tell to illustrate that word. Pick the title you like the most and write that at the top of a new piece of paper. List all the details you might include in that story. Imagine the smells, sights, and sounds that set the scene. Push yourself to come up with all possible details (you can always eliminate some later). Don’t stop until you have exhausted all possibilities. Free-Write Some writers call free-writing â€Å"the mind dump,† because it means dumping everything that comes into your head onto a piece of paper. To free-write, start with a vague idea, like why your favorite subject is French. For a period of ten or fifteen minutes, write down everything that comes to mind. Don’t worry about grammar, style, or making sense. Just keep writing. If you have nothing to say, just write I have nothing to say over and over again until something else pops in your head. When the ten or fifteen minutes are up, take a break and then go back and reread your words. Underline or highlight everything that is interesting or promising. Free-write as much as you can until you have a good crop of ideas.

Anthro fieldnotes

Define and give a bit of its significance, such what these people/things/practices/ rules are and do in the book (go to other side of page or a new one if necessary): Text never A shaman who was believed to have the ability to enter a trance and negotiate for his patient's health. Was mainly used by Hong people who couldn't conceive children. Dab a malevolent spirit that was detaining a child birth. Huh plug soul calling, which In Laos was always the third day after child birth.Are aqua dab peg and epilepsy the same thing? Write how you think each one Is the same or different. They are basically the same thing because they both refer to an illness. Quad dab peg means the spirit catches you and you fall down. (Chapter 4) What were some of the refugees' conceptions of Western doctors and the health care system? Why were taxi enables better than doctors? They thought the Western doctors would chop them up and eat them or sell them as food.Taxi enables ere better than doctors because the y would go to the patient's homes instead of making them go to the hospital. They also came up with diagnostics rather quickly. Fading finds it significant? Why use it to talk about Hong history? What histories do we learn about in this brief chapter? Fading finds it interesting because you can't catch a fish without a pole, and for a pole you need a hook, and for the hook you need to know what kind of fish you are catching and so on.In the short histories you learn about the violent past of the Hong people and what happened in China. How did you feel when the court ordered Lila Lee to be taken away from her parents (p. 59)? Do you believe it was the right decision? Was any other solution possible in the situation? I believe it was unfair because they were only doing in what they believed in. They believed in their traditional ways and not our traditional ways. I don't blame them for not trusting the Western Ways.

Contrast and Comparison of Three Famous Paintings Essay

Contrast and Comparison of Three Famous Paintings - Essay Example The essay "Contrast and Comparison of Three Famous Paintings" explores such famous paintings as Collision of Moorish Horsemen" of Eugene Delacroix, "The Stone Breakers" of Gustave Courbet and "Haystacks, (sunset)" of Oscar-Claude Monet. The painting "Collision of Moorish Horsemen" has embraced the brighter use colors that portray a romantic design of the art. There is the use of the expressive brushstroke that is used to present the bright colors. As a result, the color has been used to emphasize on the Moorish Horsemen. The painting's visual texture has been used to create a feeling of the battlefield as shown in the art. The background has become successful due to the rapid brushstrokes. The contrast and balance of the piece of art have been made possible by the presence of bright colors in the horses at the front and darker for the one at the background of the battlefield. The painting "The Stone Breakers" has also used bright colors that represent different aspects of the subject s involved in the art. The frontline has brighter colors than the background; hence, presenting different directions and values in the painting. Moreover, unity has been emphasized through the use of active, aggressive subjects. Visual texture has also been embraced where a rough consistency exists in the front (through the stones that the miners are working on) rather than at the background where there is a mountainous background. The painting "Haystacks" has a variety of colors mostly tertiary that present the main theme.

MA Graduate Scholarship Application in Media & Communication Essay

MA Graduate Application in Media & Communication - Scholarship Essay Example Evident to this, I have additionally studied media management to supplement my bachelor qualifications. Consequently, I am certain and feel confident applying to a master’s program as a natural progression of my present academic qualifications, considering my majors in marketing, content management, and business administration from the University of Applied Sciences St. Poelten. Through my internships and apprenticeship from various institutions as appears in the attached testimonials, I developed enthusiasm to further my qualification. Through this scholarship, I have seen an opportunity that will alleviate me and my family from financial constraints that we have experienced from my childhood. My parents had a small retail store. This is what sustained us throughout. When I was working full-time while pursuing my apprenticeship degree as well as a high school diploma, I helped their business develop and flourish. I believe that this scholarship will not only help me further my education and hope of being synonymous with media, but also support my family in the retail store business. Media and communications have shaped my life, for example, through my work at the retail store, I became skilled at communicating efficiently with people, and at paying attention to their needs and requests; these early practices set the basis for my ardor in working with people in the PR industry, and the reason I believe this scholarship is pivotal to both my academic and personal life. I have learned the spirit of team work through collegiate activities and in the institutions. For example, during my internship at Bene AG, I collaborated with my supervisors and colleagues to develop strategies to promote Bene’s products and services. Subsequently, my passion for PR campaigns and marketing programs grew. I also achieved essential skills in the world of technology such as web page optimization, e-newsletters preparation, e-marketing

Learning Plan 3 Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Learning Plan 3 Assessment - Essay Example Let’s say you are considering the purchase of a new car and you want to see how the interest rate impacts your monthly payment. The car is priced at $ 20,000, you want to finance it for five years (60 months), and the dealer is making an initial offer to you at a rate of 6% while your bank will loan you the money for 4.7%. Then, as you negotiate your deal with the car sales manager, you discover that the manufacturer is offering a rate of 2.2% if you buy the car in the next three days. As demonstrated in the chart below, the interest rate impacts the amount of money you will pay each month: The row labeled interest rate is the value that is changed in Goal seek. After setting the formula to calculate monthly payments for the parameters described above, simply click on Tools, Goal Seek. Excel will provide a pop-up window to allow you to determine which field is to be affected by your what-if scenario. In the â€Å"set cell† field, simply click on the cell that has the payment amount in it. Skip over the â€Å"To value† section and click in the â€Å"By changing cell.† At that point, click on the cell that has the interest rate variable and click â€Å"okay.† You will then be able to change the interest rate and, each time you do so, the payment will change to show you the payment associated with the altered interest rate. In the table above, the three possible interest rates offered by the dealership, bank, and manufacturer are shown, and the corresponding payments indicate the difference the rates make. It is intuitive that the lower the int erest rate the lower the payment, but the Goal Seek tool allows you to see that there is a difference of over $ 30.00 per month between the rates offered. This is just a simple example of what Goal Seek can do, and the models used by most business analysts are much more complicated than the one shown here. The advantage of Goal Seek is that it allows the

Contractual Agreement for an Architect in Canada Research Paper

Contractual Agreement for an Architect in Canada - Research Paper Example The general architect is entirely responsible for the construction in accordance with this kind of agreement and for every compensation made for the expenses and performance connected to the subcontractors. The advantages associated with kind of contractual arrangement include: A single prime deal is regularly simpler to manage since it has a centralized task for the architect and client. The transactions made by the client are transferred to one architect, reducing the possibility of confusion, unlike multiple prime contractors. Design plans for the construction are originally arranged by a planning expert. The client then selects one architect to perform the work, following a bidding procedure grounded on the design plans. This is the most widespread of architectural deal used in Canada. This is because another major advantage lays in the plans and requirements being prepared by design experts turning out to be part of the bidding credentials. This way, the client is bound to recei ve high quality outcomes of the construction from the contractors (Quatman and Dhar 342). ... 2. Design-build contractual agreement The Design-build agreement is an accord between a client and an architectural firm that offers design and building services (Hopper 134). An expansion of this kind of contract is a â€Å"turnkey† project where the contractor gets project funding, acquires land, offers blueprint and construction services, and delivers the final product to the client, available for occupancy. The advantages of using this kind of contractual agreement include: Saving time, an aspect of the sort of  contract an architect might go into when offering archetypal Design-Bid-Build services. Nevertheless, time is not considered a major factor in architecture in comparison with the expenses, construction and quality of the project. The association with a quick track program, able to eliminate the possibility of incorporated designs. The programs frequently imply that each period of the building phase is spent with the occupants to determine their requirements in th e new building (OAA 2011). When the designer operates for the builder, instead of working directly for the client, checks and balances existing in other techniques’ are mislaid. The architect and contractor’s engineer, otherwise known as the ‘clerk of the works’ in Canada, are normally depended upon to maintain the trend made by the construction. This approach of the contract assures that the builder sticks to the plans and regulations of the contract. Under such an observation, the client is guaranteed adherence and honor to the contract made with the construction organization (Quatman and Dhar 342). Certain disadvantages may arise from this kind of contractual agreement depending on the organization and builders the client has awarded. The demerits

Essay 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

3 - Essay Example Siddhartha Gautama was the pioneer of Buddhism and the religion is based on psychological expressions and representations like yoga. The religion is based on several doctrines. Some of these doctrines are the four noble truths, eight-fold path, and ideas of impermanence and anatman The four noble truths are; life is characterized by suffering, suffering is caused by desire or grasping, cease grasping and follow the eight-fold path. The eight-fold path consists of right view, right intention, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Impermanence and anatman relies on the understanding that everything fluctuates and it is dependent upon everything else. During its spread in Asia, Buddhism blended with other cultures in Korea, China and Japan. In China, Buddhists absorbed some sections of Daoism and Confucian religion. In Japan, Buddhism has several denominations like Tendai, Pure Land, Nichiren, Shingon and Zen. In Korea, Buddhism has been absorbed in other religions such as indigenous shamanism, new religions, Christianity, Confucianism and Daoism. Muslims use one sacred book called the Holy Qur’an and the Buddhists use several sacred books. Buddhists concentrate more on the psychological wellbeing than the spiritual wellbeing. In Buddhism, spirituality is attained one when dies and your actions determine what you shall gain. On the other hand, Muslims’ spirituality wellness in the world is the key to attaining eternity. What happens after death is explained differently in each case. Buddhists believe that every being will undergo cycles of transformation according to their actions into other beings. In contrast, Muslims believe that there will be paradise after death, no transformation into other beings will occur. A creator does not exist in Buddhism, existence of such means suffering

Engineering Disasters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Engineering Disasters - Assignment Example Investigations unearthed this with a number of recommendations being made to the FAA and the ATA. The disaster led to establishment of measures and guidelines to improve safety of aircrafts and passengers. The disaster had a great impact on material engineering with a resounding need to ensure proper composition and quality of products so as to ensure safety of the users. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 1.Background information 5 2.Investigation: 6 2.1.The NTSB Team 6 2.2.The public hearing 6 2.3.The Process 7 3.Findings and recommendations 7 3.1.Findings of the commission 7 3.2.Probable cause of the accident 8 3.3.Future precautions recommended 9 3.3.1.To the federal Aviation Administration 9 3.3.2.Air Transport Association 10 3.3.3.Other recommendations of the commission 10 4.Impact on Engineering Practice 11 4.1.Regulations or laws instituted 11 4.2.Areas of Engineering impacted 12 Works Cited 15 Introduction Disasters have continued to take place throughout h istory. Many of these are natural however, some are human made. Disasters may or may not be avoided depending on the situation at hand. Most natural disasters cannot be avoided and happen as a result of natural forces operating within the environment (Stoltman, Lidstone and DeChano 25). Such is the case with floods, hurricanes and droughts. It is not possible to control natural disasters or to prevent them from happening as they cannot be predicted. They happen when the conditions are fit for them to happen with little or no warning. The resulting effect is a devastating effect on humans and the environment as a whole. Manmade disasters on the other hand are caused by the activities of the human population on the environment. Each and every activity in the environment has the potential of creating a disaster. The magnitude may be different. Many of the world’s renowned disasters are engineering disasters which has affected millions of people or sections of the world (Alexande r 40). They happen because of faults or errors that happen during engineering processes which may have not been seen during the process. They are also made worse by the ignorance of some of the engineers and also because of the assumptions that are usually made assuming that the situation will correct itself with time. The result has been loss of lives, property, finances, waste of efforts, and damage to the environment (Tierney, Lindell and Perry 23). This paper analyses the flight 232 disaster in American aviation history. 1. Background information Flight 232 disaster is one of the most discussed disasters in the world due to the nature of the incidence and how the crew members handled the incidence to prevent the loss of lives. The flight 232 Airline was a flight headed to Philadelphia international airport. The flight was to pass through Denver, Colorado and then O’Hare International airport before moving to its final destination (Kilroy). The plane is recorded to have cr ashed while on route to its destination as a result of the failure of its tail mounted engine. This failure resulted in the loss of the all flight controls disconnecting the flight from any control tower. The plane had to thus make an emergency landing that resulted in the crash. The plane was carrying 285 people on board. There were 11 crew members, 172 people were injured, and 111 had fatal injuries that resulted in death, while a

Reality TV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Reality TV - Essay Example In recent decades, the media has covered the analysis that the reality shows almost around the world have brought an enormous popularity as well as profitability, implicating a promising growing trend of such phenomenon in practice (Holmes & Jermyn, 2004, 302 pp.). However, not all the reality shows are very successful in particular, though they bring the attention of mass with its significant increasing popularity as well as cultural prominence. On the other hand, this does not necessarily imply that they are good in societal context or that they ought to be aired. This paper aims at criticising the essentiality of regulatory bodies to effectively ensure the respect for human dignity of participants in reality TV show by providing empirical evidences. The significant part of the popularity achieved by such programmes is primarily due to the involvement of ordinary individuals within extraordinary framework. Reality television shows possess the potentiality to portray an ordinary individual into national celebrities in the sense of encouraging his or her outwardly in endowment as well as making them to participate in performance-based programmes such as Pop Idol, however, programmes like Survivor as well as Big Brother have the capacity to make their participants to accomplish some level of celebrity phenomenon. Some of the critics of reality television shows have argued with its description as a 'r... he potentiality to portray an ordinary individual into national celebrities in the sense of encouraging his or her outwardly in endowment as well as making them to participate in performance-based programmes such as Pop Idol, however, programmes like Survivor as well as Big Brother have the capacity to make their participants to accomplish some level of celebrity phenomenon. Some of the critics of reality television shows have argued with its description as a 'reality-based show' as they explain several reasons for it such as the inclusion of several programmes under single genre. Big Brothers and Survivor, the reality based competitive programmes, as well as living arrangement shows like The Real World, the regulatory bodies essentially design the layout of the show and govern the daily activities of the participants in order to formulate the environment based on which the competition rules out which in essence involves the psycho-drama consisting of challenges, events, behaviours, emotions and conflicts in a pre-defined scenario (Anderson 1995, p.36). Mark Burnett, the originator of Survivor, also elucidates and agrees with the statement of not deszcribing the reality show as 'reality show'. He emphasizes the reality show as being a 'good stories of unscripted dramatization' (online). The second criticism mainly stems from the idea that the reality sho w producers may become highly premeditated in their editing process that may vary from altering chronology and selective appearance of the events to portraying specific participants as heroes or villains in particular (Anderson 1994, p. 8-13). The third criticism may be encountered as the counterpart of the second criticism in which it has been noticed that the participants by themselves modify their behaviour and

International financial strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International financial strategy - Essay Example Thus it is absolutely important that the companies take precautionary measures to minimize the risks (Bonaccorsi and Daraio, 2009). The present research study elucidates the benefits and costs and advantages that a company can enjoy if it is listed in more than one exchange. British Petroleum is used as an example to show how it finances its long term capital needs. Apart from that effort is also made to present the transaction risk faced by the company. Reasons for which a company cross lists itself A multinational company is spread all across the globe. Due to this reason such a company is involved in multiple numbers of trading relationships across multiple time zones and more importantly in multiple currencies. The company must be listed on the domestic exchange apart from the other foreign exchanges (Chiefele, 2012). The domestic exchange most of the time performs the job for currency exchange. If the operational base of the company is spread in more than 5 to 6 different intern ational countries, then using the domestic exchange as the basis for all transactional requirements becomes complex and cumbersome (Garrick, 2011). The transactions which are settled in different foreign currencies may have different consequences on the company if they are settled through a foreign exchange rather than a domestic exchange. For example the exchange rate between two different currencies can be slightly different between a foreign exchange and a domestic exchange. Multinational companies can use this price difference for their own advantages. The difference in price is due to the information asymmetry. The financial system is connected by very complex network where any new information generated at one corner gets dispersed to other corners easily (Gulbrandsen and Smeby, 2008). The stock exchanges around the world are connected by vast system of networks. The networks carry large amount of information in a matter of seconds. Thus any lag in information between two time zones is almost negligible. Still the negligible difference when multiplied by transactions worth billions of dollars the resultant is completely different (Hakim, 2010). This entails the arbitraging concept. This kind of arbitraging has been reduced significantly due to superfast information dissemination and sharing. Despite that there are many deficiencies in the systems which are sometimes misused by multinational companies. One of the most important reasons for cross-listing is reducing the cost of equity. Finding sources of finance is a matter of perennial concern for any company. The difficulty becomes multiplied if it is a multinational company. If the multinational company is listed in a more than one exchanges then the probability of raising the capital increases. The company can use various modes of financing both debt and equity. Thus the dependency on one economy or the modes of finance decreases considerably. This in turn eases the rate of return that a company has to offer to the investors to raise the capital (Harvey, Smith and Wilkinson, 2007). This is

Veronica Aunsionwu Essay Example for Free

Veronica Aunsionwu Essay Veronica Aunsionwu, founder of The Lord’s Word on Healing Ministry and author of several books on overcoming infertility, would like to announce the creation of her newest website, Beautifulandpregnanant. com. This website promotes her new books, Woman, You Are Not Infertile, volumes one and two. These books give practical advice from the Word of God about difficulties becoming pregnant, and what one can do to overcome these difficulties through trust and prayer. Ms. Aunsionwu feels called by God to share what she has learned through years of study and self-experience regarding problems in reproduction and the miracles God can bring to people who will believe in Him and call on His name for a child of their own. In addition to the announcement of the two new books by Ms. Aunsionwu, there is also an announcement of a five-part e-course that can be ordered for free from beautifulandpregnant. com. This course will go over the basics of the two new books, and it will give all those who are interested a glimpse of the information that Ms. Aunsionwu has so carefully complied for those who so desperately desire a child of their own. Beautifulandpregnant. com is full of excerpts from the two new books, and it also offers pertinent Bible verses and stories of success to inspire and encourage all visitors to the site. As both volumes of Woman, You Are Not Infertile are e-books, they can be bought and downloaded from beautifulandpregnant. com in mere minutes. If one does choose to download the volumes, there is a special offer of four dollars off when both are purchased together, and there are two free gifts available as well. These free e-books will help with naming your baby and feeling your best during pregnancy. There is a 60-day guarantee with purchase, and the free gifts are yours to keep. Come, let Ms. Aunsionwu’s interpretation of God’s Word encourage and strengthen you on your quest to bear a child. Beautifulandpregnant. com is well worth your visit!

National Institute For Health And Clinical Excellence Nursing Essay

National Institute For Health And Clinical Excellence Nursing Essay This essay will critically appraise and evaluate the evidence that underpins Occupational Therapy practice within a hospice setting and specifically an implemented intervention with reference to a case study. Inherent within this will be a critical analysis for the rationale and clinical reasoning behind employing that intervention, including the legislation and political drivers that govern and influence the intervention, the OT practice, and the setting, along with and in relation to the wider context of the service. The case study focussed upon within this essay, surrounds Mrs A (pseudo name used), a lady in her early 60s, diagnosed with an inoperable breast carcinoma with bone metastases. Initially Mrs A had difficulty accepting her deteriorating condition, resulting in her presenting with severe fatigue and loss of occupational identity and engagement in her life-long passion of drawing, despite trialling pharmaceutical treatments. This along with her low mood levels and preferred aim to stay with her family in her home meant she was referred to community palliative care OT (Appendix-slide 4, 5). The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2012) defines palliative care as the physical, psychosocial and spiritual approach that improves quality of life of the patient and their families associated with a life limiting illness. This concept is re-iterated within palliative care policies and a prominent piece of legislation within this specialist field is the End of Life Care Strategy (Great Britain. Department of Health (GB.DoH), 2008). Although published in 2008, it has developed from other integrated publications, such as the National Health Service (NHS) End of Life Care Programme (2007) and is the first national and comprehensive framework aimed at promoting high quality care for all individuals that are approaching end of life. It also provides a basis for health and social care services to build upon and the core concepts of all health professionals duty of care whilst supporting patient and their carers. The philosophy of palliative care differs in focus from the medical model of health care, with its core focus on quality of life and meaningfulness; consequently it fits well alongside OT core principles and paradigms of holistic and patient centred practice (Lucey, 2012; Othero, 2010). Although OT intervention with patients with palliative care needs is not a new concept, there is little evidence that supports this area of practice (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 2008; Cooper, 2006). However the Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer document acknowledges the important role and key concerns for OTs, assisting patients in sustaining their independence, autonomy and empowering the maintenance of control over own health decisions (NICE, 2002). Additionally the Route to Success in End of Life Care Achieving Quality for Occupational Therapy (College of Occupational Therapist (COT), 2011) and the National Service Framework for Older People (2001) provides a framework for OTs to work within. These are alongside other ethical and legal principles and professional codes of conduct, such as Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (COT, 2010) and the Professional Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice (COT, 2007). Intrinsic within the core values of OT, are the concepts of the occupational nature of individuals and that occupation has the capability to influence health, a key area within the care of Mrs A (Turner, Foster and Johnson, 2002). Wilcock (2006) suggested that occupation is a basic human need found across the life span through doing, being, becoming and belonging, and the importance of occupational engagement in palliative care has been found in numerous research studies (Burkhardt et al, 2011; Lyons et al, 2002). Vrkljan and Miller-Polgar (2001) provided evidence for the value of breast cancer patients participating in meaningful occupations in order to enhance wellbeing at the end of life. In accordance to these principles Mrs A is experiencing occupational deprivation due to her inability to engage in drawing, however the age of this study restricts its application to todays contemporary practices. According to Ahlberg et al (2003) cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most commonly reported symptom associated with cancer and its treatment, preventing engagement in occupations, usual functioning and infringement on quality of life (Cooper, 2006). Classified as a distressing, subjective and persistent sense of exhaustion or tiredness, fatigue can be experienced during or after treatment by 70%-100% of cancer patients (Stone and Minton, 2008) (Appendix-slide 6). Only recognised as an official diagnosis by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) in 1998, its impacts on everyday occupations are subjective and no two individuals experience the CRF in the same way, making standardised assessments difficult. The impacts of fatigue outreach the individual concerned, increasing duties and responsibilities of carers, friends and family, therefore, it is an imperative OT role to assist, support and educate these individuals in the management of fatigue in a way that is constru ctive to them (Kealey and McIntryre, 2005). These are evident points within the case of Mrs A as she felt she had lost ability to engage in her artistic passion (La Cour et al, 2007; Townsend and Polatajko, 2007). Alongside policies and legislation, the application of the compensatory frame of reference and the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) informs and directs OT practice (Turpin and Iwama, 2011; Kielhofner, 2008). The compensatory frame of reference applies to Mrs A as it aims to maximise her independence and enhance her quality of life. This is achieved by focusing on the management of her symptoms rather than the proactive treatment and cause, a notion that is synonymous with the values of palliative care. Being a practical approach it provides a basis for the fatigue management as it assists with the understanding of the concepts and an alternative method of participating in an activity, however this lack evidence (Duncan, 2011). Although the biomechanical frame of reference addresses occupational performance limitations through concepts of strength and endurance, aspects such as energy conservation could also be teamed with the compensatory frame of reference as a method of increasing the applicability to Mrs As situation and minimising the impacts of her fatigue levels on her occupational engagement (Duncan, 2011; Curtin, Molineux and Supyk-Mellson, 2010) (Appendix-slide 12). Again, similar to the philosophy of palliative care, the MOHO models holistic approach is centred on Mrs As needs (Kielhofner, 2008). Despite the MOHO model having an expansive evidence base and reportedly being the most extensively applied occupation based model in OT practice, there is little evidence base for its application within palliative care and CRF (Lee et al, 2008). Additionally, the models terminology can inhibit inter-professional working (IPW) within the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), therefore it was not applied in its entirety within the setting and the practice with Mrs A (Melton, Forsyth, Freeth, 2010). Furthermore, MOHO lacks the idea of spirituality, a contemporary concept within both OT and palliative care literature (GB. DoH, 2010; Belcham, 2004), and an aspect that is central within the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (Polatajko, Townsend and Craik, 2007). Nevertheless, the MOHO model provides understanding of Mrs As motivation for eng agement in occupation (Lee et al, 2008) and according to Kielhofner (2008) it addresses Mrs As volition, habituation, performance capacity, values, roles, culture and her occupational identity. These are all key areas that her CRF had impacted on and it aided identification of her difficulties and direction for intervention (Costa and Othero, 2012) (Appendix-slides 7-11). In order to assist Mrs A with her difficulties and implement an intervention, environmental and fatigue assessments were conducted indicating occupational imbalance, within her lack participation of drawing and fulfilment of her occupational identity (Whiteford and Hocking, 2012; Mackenzie and OToole, 2011; Creek, 2003). Being non-standardised both assessments lacked the underpinning reasoning for the application and meant that outcome measures would be more difficult to certify the effectiveness of the intervention, in terms of its effects on Mrs As quality of life (McColl, 2010). However it enabled the practice to be patient centred, qualitative and more flexible with no formal structure, which is imperative within the nature of end of life care and ensures interventions are meaningful to Mrs A (Fawcett, 2007). Completion of the assessments also supported the formulation of her aims, which were to manage her fatigue level in order to regain engagement in her former self, and partic ipate in drawing for her husbands Christmas present, therefore justifying the implementation of fatigue management intervention (Appendix-slide 14). Due to the nature of the service, assessments and initial conversations needed to be completed within a short amount of time, yet were aided by the fact that they took place within her home environment with her family present. Research has supported this concept as it provides a personalised and caring therapeutic environment (Meyers, 2010; Brazil et al, 2005), additionally achieving a patients preferred place of care has been highlighted as prominent need within national drivers. However in these circumstances interference from carers and family members or resistance to OT interventions as already in preferred place of care periodically inhibited full engagement in intervention (AOTA, 2008). Lowrie (2006) and Halkett et al (2005) reported that fatigue management, compromising of energy saving, adaptation of role, activity planning and prioritising techniques, is a commonly recommended intervention for and sought after by cancer sufferers in order to maximise quality of life (Hawthorne, 2010; The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), 2009). Although Saarik and Hartleys (2010) study comprised of a four week programme based in a hospice day care, as opposed to within the community, it concluded patients reporting decreased fatigue levels, increased ability to cope and improved functioning post receiving fatigue management. Furthermore the NCCN (2009) has recognised the importance of CRF management and has guidelines recommending that integrative non-pharmacological interventions, including fatigue management are implemented with all individuals undergoing cancer treatment, not only palliative patients. Though its importance is highly acknowledged there are multiple studies indicating that cancer patients are not receiving the fatigue management intervention in order to meet their needs (Purcell et al, 2010). A study conducted in the United Kingdom, supports this concept, as only 14% of the 1370 of the participants with mixed diagnosis reported receiving fatigue management (Stone et al, 2003). Similarly in an American study of 814 participants, 23% suffering from CRF received management intervention (Henry et al, 2008). However extrapolation of the findings for this American studies small sample size would reduce its validity within the worldwide population and there may also be evidence of cultural nor m differences. Attributable to its recent development, the intervention lacks clarity and a structured evidence base, which is fundamental in assuring a rationale and clinical reasoning for its use within practice (Lowrie, 2006; Wratton et al, 2004). Additionally there is insufficient robust evidence and investigation into the interventions efficiency; however this does not certify the ineffectiveness of the intervention (Duncan, 2011). Alternatively the benefits of the fatigue management include that even minimal changes have positive impacts, its simple applicability and that it is highly patient centred, thus is tailored to Mrs As individual situation (Ream, Richardson and Alexander-Dann, 2006). Overall, literature, although limited, has found that fatigue management intervention has yielded positive outcomes for cancer patients where other conventional interventions have failed, justifying its application with Mrs A. As with many contemporary interventions, further research is required in order to secure effective clinical intervention and management of CRF (Mustian et al, 2007). This coincides with Bannigan et als (2008) statement of further development, which highlights research into the effectiveness of OT interventions is now a priority for OTs. While it is a common opinion that traditional rehabilitation based interventions generate few improvements in physical functioning and suggested as an unethical intervention for palliative patients, research has shown that it is appropriate at many points during the disease trajectory, improving self-efficacy, control and identity, therefore applicable to Mrs A (Guo and Shin, 2005; Eva, 2001). Engagement in occupations reportedly assisting with an individuals ability to connect with the purpose in life and enhancing spiritual wellbeing, quality of life and ability to cope with their situation (AOTA, 2008; Prince-Paul, 2008; Jacques and Hasselkus, 2004). The role of OTs in palliative care rehabilitation has been supported through national guidelines and literature; with NICE (2004) recommending and that all patients should receive a planned rehabilitation approach, including continuous assessment, goal-setting, care planning, intervention and evaluation to prevent loss of identity and poor quality of life. Despite this there is little guidance on how this is delivered in practice, resulting in settings lacking the right rehabilitation approach and consequently the case study setting displaying an absence of comprehensive evidence for its occurrence (Eva et al, 2009; National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC), 2006). Set within a community hospice setting the service provided to Mrs A was governed by the Care Quality Commission, equivalent to the NHS. However unlike the NHS, being an independent charity the hospice has a short organisational hierarchy, therefore limited layers of bureaucracy between the patients and their families, the health professionals and the leadership team. This means that the practice is not governed by such tight and mandatory restrictions and can be creative and adaptive to meet Mrs As needs. Although consequently, it is not so economically and fundamentally secure as a larger organisation like the NHS. Regardless of this it is imperative that service integration between the hospice and the NHS occurs and maintained to benefit Mrs As care. Furthermore, the small size of the organisation impacts upon its culture and enables opportunities for health professionals to undertake and be involved in service improvement and quality assurance activities, which attribute to both professional and personal achievements, furthering the quality of care provisions. Also, issues that are raised are rapidly and effectively examined by the directors with the patients needs central to all actions, instead of cost savings. Despite this, the importance of cost implications remain closely examined as being an independent charity, it is not funded by the NHS and crucial fundraising ensures availability of all resources, yet this can be difficult and precarious especially within todays economic climate. Due to the nature of Oncology and Palliative care being complex and demanding, many health professionals from differing disciplines have to work collaboratively in order to combine expertise and create a service effectively integrated to resolve Mrs As key areas of need, whilst making resources go further (Atkinson, Jones and Lamont, 2007; NCPC, 2006). According to NICE (2002) an integrated MDT and the occurrence of effective IPW is imperative to ensure seamless continuity of care, supportive and timely response to patients needs (WHO, 2012). Although the MDT within the setting for the case study lacked a dietician, therefore this role was split between all other health professionals, occasionally causing some duplicated information or gaps within service provision, being potentially detrimental to Mrs As health and wellbeing (Infante, 2006). Central to the idea of effective IPW is communication and due to the nature of the community setting, this can be made more challenging, with many health professionals on visits when their input is needed (Infante, 2006). This is exaggerated by many of the health professionals within the team working part-time hours. In order to overcome this and instil effective and efficient practice each day, a mandatory multi-disciplinary meeting occurred for all health professionals to discuss patients within their care. Overall the OT presence within the MDT team was well respected, other health professionals identified and recognised the core OT philosophy, which is indicative with end of life care in literature, and replicated in the reasoning for Mrs As referral. This concept was also readily recognised by the directors and replicated within the OT budget. However, regardless of this the OT practice and patient service was restricted due to limited OT professional hours, with recent audits indicating that organisational OT targets were not being met and highlighting the increased need for more OT hours within the caseload. Conversely, despite receiving a late initial phone call, Mrs As level of care showed no evidence of this occurrence, although it could have severely impacted upon her if she required additional input. Furthermore there was evidence of professional tribalism, as some protective professional relationships were formed, restricting effective IPW and efficiency of her care between t he MDT (Armstrong, 2007). Improved quality of life and engagement in meaningful occupations are primary outcomes of all OT intervention within palliative care (AOTA, 2008). In summary, the outcome measures used within the setting were limited, non-standardised, and based on patient feedback (Appendix-slide 18). Yet qualitative and centred around Mrs As the fulfilment of her occupational need and aims, by completing a drawing for her husband and remaining within her home. In addition to this, the fatigue management techniques were found to be transferable to everyday activities, thus Mrs A reporting improvements in her overall occupational participation, quality of life and consequently her wellbeing, therefore further justifying its use as an intervention (Cooper and Littlechild, 2004). Nevertheless within palliative care the importance of timeliness and an awareness of disease progression are crucial for both Mrs A and the OT, as it is evitable that Mrs A will develop further occupational deficits due to dis ease progression; therefore outcomes are short term and future positive or negative outcomes may not be a direct cause of the intervention (COT-HIV/AIDs, Oncology and Palliative Care Education, 2004). This may be fundamental in terms of patient satisfaction as to whether these aims are achieved and then lost again, or not achieved at all. In line with the importance of timeliness, is the concept that earlier referral to OT services would have restricted the degree of fatigue that Mrs A presented with and also the greater the impact of the fatigue management could have had on her quality of life. McLaughlin and Kaluzny (2006) recognised that patient feedback as an outcome measure is a fundamental part of quality and service improvements within care. Despite originally being a debatable concept, patient feedback has now become so well acknowledged that it has formed an essential part of health planning documents (Darzi, 2008). However due to this, it does not conclusively show financial benefits of the OT service, yet presents the importance of patient choice, quality of life and patient led care. Therefore a standardised outcome measure that could have been implemented to provide structure and improve OT practice whilst acting as an assessment, is the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MOHOST). Implementing this tool would also embed the MOHO model framework further into the OT practice (Kielhofner, 2008). Being observational it wouldnt require input from Mrs A, therefore will not exacerbate her fatigue levels, although only gives the OTs perception of her difficulties . Additionally the Quality of Life questionnaire and the Fatigue Impact Scale, although not OT specific, could be implemented to provide clear areas of focus and as an outcome measure, as these are key elements of the purpose of OT intervention and palliative care settings (Pearson, Todd and Futcher, 2007). Utilising these assessments tools within OT practice would demonstrate both the benefits and the cost effectiveness of the OT intervention, crucial elements within a charity run organisation. To conclude, the role of an OT within palliative care is diverse and challenging, although ideally positioned to assist Mrs A in maximizing her quality of life and achieving her aim of drawing her husbands Christmas present (Kealey and McIntyre, 2005; Vockins, 2004). Achievement of this surrounds addressing her fatigue difficulties in a holistic, ethical and patient centred way, whilst having specialist knowledge of disease related problems within contemporary evidence based practice (Berger, 2009; Steultjens et al, 2004), a notion that has been acknowledged by both professional bodies and researchers (Oertli, 2007; National Breast Cancer Centre and National Cancer Control Intitiative, 2003).

What Is Peace Journalism Media Essay

What Is Peace Journalism Media Essay How could the media contribute to peace building? Most of the peace settlements even with the Oslo peace Accords in the Middle East, the Dayton Accords which ended the Bosnian War took place as far away from the media as possible. It is known to the related partied of the world situations that media is usually seen as a threat. On that perspective this study will measure the importance of Peace Journalism as new concept of journalism and its acceptance to the audience as one of the tools for world peace. Peace is always related with conflict as its nature, so this study will find the attitude of audience to Peace Journalism. Key-Words: Peace Journalism, War Journalism, Conflict resolutions, audiences of media. Introduction: When some journalists and researchers like David Loyn, Philips argued against peace journalism then Jack Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick argued in favour of it. They tried to find the real distinctions, debated over right or wrong points of peace journalism. Academic writers and scholars also commented on the topic. Some thought it was critical, some thought its not critical enough and some thought its better than war journalism as journalism. This study will find the reality and necessity of peace journalism in the contemporary civilised world when the planet earth is facing undeclared world war with different battle fields and the manipulation of media publicity with propaganda. Background: Peace journalism follows a long history of news publication originating in non-sectarian Christian peace movements and societies of the early 19th century, which published periodicals. Sectarian organizations also created publications focused on peace as part of their proselytizing in the 19th century, as did utopian communities of the period. From the 20th century, a prominent example of sectarian journalism focused on peace was  Dorothy Days  Catholic Worker. Besides being an element in the histories of  pacifism  and the  social movement  press, peace journalism is a set of  journalism practices that emerged in the 1970s. Norwegian sociologist, peace researcher and practitioner  Johan Galtung  proposed the idea of peace journalism for journalists to follow to show how a value bias towards violence can be avoided when covering war and conflict.  Christian organisations such as The  World Council of Churches  and The  World Association for Christian Communication  also practice peace journalism. Professor Johan Galtung, a professor on Peace Studies and director of the TRANSCEND network, started using the term, Peace Journalism in the 1970s. Conflict and Peace Forums, a think-tank developed Galtungs original ideas in a series of international conferences from 1997-99, and in publications: The Peace Journalism Option (1998); What Are Journalists For? (1999), and, Using Conflict Analysis in Reporting (2000). Former BBC journalists Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick adopted the Phrase Peace Journalism and they became scholars and educator in peace journalism. What is peace journalism? As Lynch and McGoldrick describe the word peace journalism is misunderstood as advocating peace. They agree that the phrase Peace Journalism would not appeal to all. They also tried to make a definition which was Peace Journalism is when editors and reporters make choices- of what stories to report and about how to report them- that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non-violent responses to conflict. (Lynch and McGoldrick, 2005) Today, journalists often write and report from a third-person perspective and it seems like they just report the facts. If journalists compete not to distort any report to publish the facts as they are, while maintaining awareness of the reporting impact, then it may fall in step with the ideals of peace journalism. But journalism is not only reporting. In a feature or article a journalist could express every truth of fact even from a first-person position. Characteristics of Peace Journalism Lynch and McGoldrick versioned that journalists would not do just for the idea and practice but they should know the differences between Peace and War Journalism and how they could avoid from engaging the war journalism as always its character is propaganda. Understanding peace is very important. Without knowledge no journalist could engage with the mission. The first condition to seek peace is conflicting situation. In my understanding, if the situation is peaceful from beginning then no advocacy on peace is needed. Because there is already peace there. They need development journalism rather peace. So within a conflicting situation if the question of peace arises then the journalist does their mission with their understanding first. Then as part of peace journalism they need to measure the conflicting stories and the role of disputed parties. For a greater knowledge, Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick prescribed 17 tips for better peace journalism. They described what to avoid and what to accept. Whos benefit? Some western journalists advocate through their reporting to justify the aggression by the super powers on any sovereign (?) country and nation, destructions on their assets and killing their citizens for the greater interest of world peace (?).Any destruction and mass killing is treated as collateral damage. For their own survival media often overlook the reality. Reporters must continue with embedment (a big joke on neutral journalism) otherwise they could easily end up dead. There is no peace journalism without a conflicting situation or a war or damages against any civilisation. So any conflicting situation is a pre-requisite for peace journalism if any media desires that. And it always depends on the choices by the editor or authority of the media not to the reporter. But peace is made neither by culture alone, nor by politics and economics alone.  Ã‚  It is made by all three, synergistically.  Ã‚  The formula for peace is always equality, equity, and mutual respect.  Ã‚  We have to learn to celebrate not only the peace elements in our own culture but also in others. (Galtung, 2003). Peace is always for the benefit of the people and they are the audience. Peace is act of non-violence with creativity which was described by Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick as followers from the life of three greatest personalities of human race: Mohammed laid down his cloak in the Kaba at Mecca to forestall violence in a quarrel over who had the right to carry a sacred black stone. It meant everyone could lift a corner of the cloak with the stone placed in the middle. Christ intervened to prevent the stoning of an adulteress by saying, let him who is without sin cast the first stone. The Buddha intervened to prevent a war breaking out over water. She reminded the parties that the water was worth very little. Whereas the lives of their warriors were beyond price. Peace to be peace, must give something to every one. If it is for one party/person and against another, it cannot be peace. (Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick, 2000) Objectivity and Discontents Objectivity and peace journalism totally depends on the authority of media. A freelance could cry on social media for peace and pro-fare objectives but people always use to depend on the main media of the world. But the freelance cannot change anything through his crying. David Loyn criticised peace journalism not only as his believe but also attacked it as meaningless, worst and misleading journalism. He wrote reporting wars in the way of encouraging peacemaker rather than warriors are the most dangerous part of peace journalism as it became as a new orthodoxy. How does objectivity work in practice? Anyone who has ever interviewed two observers of the same incident knows that there is no perfect account. Each reporter takes a view from somewhere. When a Russian armoured infantry company arrived in Kosovo out of the blue in 1999, after the NATO bombing campaign but before NATO ground troops, and seized the airport in a sneak raid, a British and a Russian journalist would have covered the same event completely differently. There could be no agreed narrative- but both would use the tool of objectivity to tell the story in their own terms, and in the terms understood by their viewers, listeners or readers. Here this study only could observe the debate between the scholars in favour or against peace journalism. It is also seems quite dangerous to determine the right or wrong of the both sides. Both Lynch and Loyn argued on the theory rather than practicality of the circumstances of journalism of this time. Media has become more visible, readable, and audible than ever in human history. Beside the reality its importance also realised by the powers who are doing everything against peace. In every country where there is a government that has their own interest at heart rather than the peoples. Either the supporter of peace or war loves to use media as their propaganda mechanism. So that they invisibly control over the media authority thus they control the reporting. Direct conflict or war reporting is not possible without an embed or attachment situation which ultimately paralyses the life of a true journalism. Media authority also dont want to take any risk on the life of a journalist where there is a greater chance to assassinate the reporter even in a friendly fire scenario for his truth. These types of practice are already taking place. It is a fact that to continue with a huge establishment no media authority would take any risk to stand against the powers of the world. Only a few but they are also backed by some other powers. There is no neutrality. Peace journalism creates some questions. Why peace and for whom? When does the topic of peace arise? How could we define peace as a peace not as a trick? Critical peace journalism There are some other types of journalism which are also not branded as peace journalism but their actions ultimately goes to the benefit for peace journalism. Noam Chomsky and Robert Fisk are two of them. This study found both of them as critical peace journalists. But they are not recognised as peace journalist at all. This study will evaluate their recent published articles on the assassination of Osama Bin Laden which brought their reactions to the audience and it carries the message of world peace in final. Robert Fisk: So now for a reality check. The world is not safer for Bin Ladens killing. It is safer because of the winds of freedom blowing through the Middle East. If the West treats the people of this region with justice rather than military firepower, then al-Qaida becomes even more irrelevant than it has been since the Arab revolutions. (Independent, 4/05/2011) Noam Chomsky: We might ask ourselves how we would be reacting if Iraqi commandos landed at George W. Bushs compound, assassinated him, and dumped his body in the Atlantic. There is also much media discussion of Washingtons anger that Pakistan didnt turn over bin Laden, though surely elements of the military and security forces were aware of his presence in Abbottabad. Less is said about Pakistani anger that the  U.S.  invaded their territory to carry out a political assassination. Anti-American fervour is already very high in Pakistan, and these events are likely to exacerbate it. The decision to dump the body at sea is already, predictably, provoking both anger and skepticism in much of the Muslim world. (guernicamag.com, 6/05/2011) The two above cases clearly indicated that both the articles warned the related parties about the situations from the perspective of audiences and its target against the conflict in favour of peace. The author of this study finds those as critical peace journalism which was not widely accepted e or circulated as peace journalism rather than criticism. The way the media present conflict and violence will be a major factor in determining the reaction: war, or peace. One assumption is readiness to identify the legitimate goals of the other. Most parties are carriers of mixed bags of goals, so the task is to provide an umbrella for all legitimate goals. Sufficient prominence of such possible outcomes in the media is a basic necessary, if not sufficient, condition. (Galtung, 2006) War Journalism -VS- Peace Journalism The common understanding on war journalism is that its violence oriented where the elits or power based forces use media as their propaganda mechanism. All the related parties want to see their possible victory in the war reporting. Also the national media have the same desire as their audience in a conflicting situation. In the same way Peace Journalism is based on conflict but peace oriented and reports should be truth oriented and reports mostly cover both parties in the conflict for a better solution or outcome avoiding a more disasturus situation. In a phrase, Peace Journalism is a broader, fairer and more accurate way of framing stories, drawing on the insights of conflict analysis and transformation. The Peace Journalism approach provides a new road map for tracing the connections between journalists, their sources, the stories they cover and the consequences of their reporting the ethics of journalistic intervention. It opens up a literacy of non-violence and creativity as applied to the practical job of everyday reporting. (Lynch and McGoldrick, 2001) As Lynch mentioned war journalism is Violence/war Oriented Propaganda-oriented Elite- oriented Victory- Oriented And peace Journalism itself is therefore Peace/conflict oriented Truth- oriented People- oriented Solution oriented Problems for reporting on a conflict situation is that when two nations start fighting each other, both sides automatically become involved in psycological warefare also. In that situation side wants to see their victory. Here is the success of war journalism. To capitalise on that position, super powers allow journalism with attachment just to control the media for propaganda. In a conflicting situation to overcome human disaster there is no alternative but peace reporting for a possible calm situation. But it may not possible all the time. Kathleen OToole of Stanford University news service quoted from James Schear, deputy assistant secretary of defence for peacekeeping and humanitarian affairs that for most of the parties in most of the conflicts, war is a safer bet than peace. James Schear told the campus audience and described it as a brutally depressing fact. Schear previously worked for the United Nations in Cambodia and Bosnia. War is often safer, he said, because it has a familiar pattern; it imposes order, stifles dissent, generates profits in Angola and other places, provides employment, provides a pathway to advance. (OToole, 1997) Role of social media for peace Social media plays a major role in the field of mass communication. That role could recognise as one of the event of journalism also. When journalists fail to publish any report to their respective media they are leaking the topic or report to the public through social media. Any member of the public could have the chance to publish any news in the social media as well. In terms of peace journalism there is a huge opportunity to serve the people targeting a peaceful environment avoiding any conflict or war situation. A Reporter could avail of the advantage of wider publicity of social media to reach the audience and to get a prompt response from the audience. Journalism of Social Media now is a reality. The web has changed everything. Anybody with a blog can be a reporter, with a mobile phone can be a camera man, and even on Facebook, Twitter or a thousand other platforms can be a news editor or at least a  curator. So its easy to see the power that lies in the future of social media. The future of social media in journalism will see the death of social media. That is, all media as we know it today will become social, and feature a social component to one extent or another. After all, much of the web experience, particularly in the way we consume content, is becoming  social and personalized. ( Lavrusik 2010) So its possible that traditional media could be merge with social media meaning the content of Peace Journalism would be different from now. Journalists would be more realistic and even free to serve their ideas for audience without any type of super-power pressure which could distort the news content. But still its difficult to know whether the audience would accept more peace journalism than war. Though it differs the mind of audiences is still more or less captured by violence. They love to play violent videogames, watch violent movies, documentaries even bloody sports they like more than anything. They like to see the victory over others, its a psycological matter but on that reason nobody could be definitive whether audience would accept peace journalism or not. Audience of Peace Journalism War may be pointless for mankind but peace never will be pointless. If peace journalism is a mission then it could not be a pointless topic. It is very hard to see how it could be a popular one and how to get journalists to view the topic as one of the most important requirements for mankind. Theoretically there is no alternative but peace journalism at this stage for the audience, but other researchers, academic and journalists argued on that point that its not possible to find a solution of conflicts worldwide but beyond the conventional duties of journalism. The mass media dont parrot militaristic arguments as bluntly as bloggers, but theres no great taste for peace there, either. I cant name a single major columnist who advocates massive military cuts. Nor a single one who has openly sided with the peace movement. The opinion elites have gradually allowed the concept of immediate withdrawal from Iraq on to the front page, without taking the radical step of turning the U.S. away from being a threatening bully on a global scale. (Chopra, 2005) Who cares? This moment the most circulated news of the planet of earth is the killing of unarmed Osama Bin Laden the famous leader of CIA created terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda. This killing news captures whole media attention. The Noble Lauriat on Peace US President Obamas popularity already increased with his successful killing mission of an unarmed terrorist (their creation). It is now very tough to define the reporting character whether those are reflecting peace journalism or propaganda journalism. Some people accept the killing as an act towards peace and some are totally reversed. For example journalist Robert Fisk is a successful media personality, who is continuously criticising the aggressions and imperialistic activities of superpowers. The view of this author is that Robert Fisks articles are the latest version of journalism and the ultimate target is to reduce conflict if the conflict creators realise the message of his articles. This type of article which was criticising the conflict makers might not be acceptable by the super powers or by some others audiences who like to watch thrill and war. Fisks articles always bring some messages which never in favour of War Lords or War super powers. So it is tough to measure the peace journalism without a definite standard to compare with anything. Conclusions: At this stage of the planet earth where the Homo sapiens are living for a consecutive period might enter in a dangerous band of time cycle. People are used to watch wars and conflicts through news media and movies. New generations love to see thrill and suspense with fighting. Even people are enjoying the latest video game of the assaasination of Osama Bin Laden. Huge people gather around any show on armaments in different countries of the planet. They love to see the heroes till the disaster falls into their own life. This is reality. But it varies with time and circumstances. Though peace journalism faced controversy from the beginning, its existance now also the reality of journalism. Peace Journalism basically exist on research, academic and theory rather than practical. Audience also like to see war journalism but like the idea of Peace Journalism for all mankind. But for Peace Journalism to become a reality it requires a complete shift in the thinking of the media machine, at t he moment there are few voices speaking out in favour of it. Only when that changes can there be any hope for Peace Journalism. For audiences to accept it all of our mainstream media sources must do it. Acknowledgement: This eassy has been read by Mr. Joseph Coffey my classmate and I acknowledged his extended cooperation to correct my mistakes.

Executive Summary of Calyx $ Corolla Essay -- essays research papers

Executive Summary Calyx & Corolla is a young company that offers a very unique choice for customers who are interested in buying fresh flowers. Fresh flowers industry valued approximately $9 Billion in the United States in 1990 with steady market growth rate of 7.7% since 1985. However, the market potential did not reach the top yet. US fresh flowers market still has more room to grow. Per capita consumption of flowers and plants in the US was $36 per year, while the average in Europe was $60. Since a flower diminished its value everyday due to lacking of freshness, efficient distribution is the key to the flower industry. Calyx & Corolla has a distinctive way of delivering flowers to the consumers. Calyx & Corolla links its customers directly to the growers via the reliable delivery service of FedEx, whereas other companies rely on the traditional distribution channel which contains at least four layers: growers to regional distributors, regional distributors to wholesalers, wholesalers to retailers / florists, and florists to end-users. Thus, Calyx and Corolla can deliver fresher flowers to its customers bypassing those distribution processes. Calyx and Corolla also earns higher profit margin than its competitors due to its uncomplicated cost structure. For instance, Calyx and Corolla does not have to spread its profit to distributors and wholesalers. FTD was the biggest player in the fresh flowers market. FTD was a member-owned, worldwide cooperative of 25,000 florists. Florists usually used FTD to provide delivery service beyond their service area. The florists who originated the order received 20%, the florists who delivered the order 73%, and FTD 7%. The powerful network of 25,000 florists was the main advantage of FTD to penetrate the fresh flowers market. However, its price structure was not so flexible. â€Å"800-Flowers† was the largest member of FTD network and it was becoming more and more popular. 800-Flowers received 25% fee of the flower order from the delivering florist. Its revenues were about $16 Million in 1990. Another channel that we need to keep our eyes on was supermarkets. Supermarkets were becoming more popular and more powerful in the fresh flowers market. The average annual sales for supermarket floral departments were $104,950, having grown almost four times in the past ten years. However, supermarkets had two major... ...ing sufficient business customers can offset the sales of off-peak period. Business customers are more predictable with a special care. Calyx and Corolla has to build a long term relationship with them to ensure the steady sales, thus corporate account team is very important to ensure the long term growth. (iiii) Fund research for development of flowers growing techniques Differentiation point is very important especially in the business like flowers where many customers perceive that all flowers are the same. Funding research for new growing techniques, for instance, how to grow more durable flowers in cold weather can help Calyx and Corolla develop a closer relationship with its growers and also help Calyx and Corolla gain competitive advantage over others once the research is successful. Calyx and Corolla can also ensure its flowers quality to the customers and it also gives the image that Calyx and Corolla really cares about their products. Moreover Calyx and Corolla can also gain a positive image to the brand to the fact that they give something back to the community by funding research to universities. (especially in the town/state that the funded universities located)

The Fountain Head: Individualism :: essays research papers

The Fountain Head: Individualism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Individualism, the only element which makes a person's character unique. In the Fountain Head, a character binds true to this belief and goes by the name of Howard Roark. This young architect who had his own viewpoint of the world and how he envisioned it, was condemned by the media and the public by doing so. Roark's lifestyle completely perpendiculates the mundane lifestyle that the average citizen lives. Roark conforms to only what he considers valid in his own conscience. The novel opens the door to lead the way against the oppression of conformity. The environment which Howard was placed into didn't help in his situation to freely express his thoughts on certain subjects. This was mainly made possible by the people who he had come in contact through out the years. Many examples of this type of movement are shown by the actions taken by Roark during his career as an architect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of the actions taken by Roark had a deep profound effect on one key player in the novel, Toohey. Toohey with all the power he had with the public and through the newspaper, was not able to manipulate Howard into his way of thinking. The general public who read the Banner had been convinced that Toohey new what he was talking about on all subjects. His plan to manipulate the public and gather them as a whole was directly countered with every move that Howard made. One of these major moves was the building of the Stoddard Temple. With the temple, Roark had the freedom to build whatsoever he choose. This gave him a medium to express his viewpoint without having any restrictions. After the delayed unveiling of the temple, it was condemned by the public. At the head of this group was no other than Toohey. He wrote articles in the newspaper on how the temple in no way represented the human spirit. The temple allowed Howard to display his individualism, his uniqueness, and his self being. This temple was looked down upon because it did not conform to the ancient styles of architecture. Due to the amount of uniqueness found in the temple, it opposed the conventional view that life required conformity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Howard's special relationship between himself and Gail came about because of their unique individualism. They both believe in the same ways of thinking and therefore they are very much on the same plane of conscienceless. The reason why Gail conformed to society was to play against their trust in the future. When the Banner first got started, it ran two stories to test which

The Effects of Tobbaco Use

The Effects of Tobacco Use Many people are addicted to the use of tobacco and do not realize the effect that it has on their body. Tobacco contains many harmful chemicals that can damage your heart, lungs, and nervous system. Tobacco companies deliberately put these chemicals in cigarette’s to get us addicted to their products; never less this has been an ongoing controversy for many years. Therefore smoking cigarettes is very addictive and a habit that is very hard to brake.Smoking can cause lung disease, cancer, emphysema, and death. Smoking cigarettes can even cause our skin to look prematurely old and cause wrinkles. People do not realize what harm they are doing to their bodies by inhaling tobacco, therefore should visit with a health professional regarding their options. One very harmful chemical that is in tobacco is carbon monoxide. First carbon monoxide when mixed with other harmful chemicals like tar and inhaled thru the lungs is very dangerous; and as a result can h ave adverse reaction.Consequently researchers have even found in recent years that due to inhaling carbon monoxide thru cigarettes into the lungs can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, as result can lead to stroke or death. Second, harmful effects of carbon monoxide poisoning thru smoking cigarettes is also irreversible. Therefore the damage is permanent and the body will not naturally heal itself. Most Physicians will agree that carbon monoxide poisoning does damage to the entire body and will encourage patients to quit.There are many program’s available today for our youth and for people that are addicted to tobacco. Our schools have program’s informing our kids about the harmful effects of tobacco use. There are many products on the market to help people get over the addiction and to help quit smoking; such as gum, nicotine patches, and another alternative is Chantix, a prescription available thru the Doctor. There are prescription medications available today that wil l work with the receptors in your brain to reject the urge to smoke or the desire for nicotine.Another option is counseling and, sometimes talking to a professional can help with addiction. Many people will not quit until they have made up their mind to; or witness someone that they love suffer from a disease such as lung cancer. A person can even visit with their Doctor about trying to quit. Lung cancer and lung disease are the top two illnesses that are the direct effect from smoking cigarettes. Lung cancer is not curable and the mortality rate is higher than those that survive that are diagnosed.It is estimated that more people die from smoking a cigarette than drug and alcohol use combined. Lung disease is a terrible illness to have to endure; some people even have to have their lungs drained to release the fluid that is built up enabling them to breath. More and more people today have to live with the use of oxygen, a device that pumps air into the lungs and helps the lung to f unction normally. Tobacco use is very harmful; we not only put our own bodies in danger but others around us. Second hand smoke is dangerous and can affect those that do not even smoke at all.If an individual is going to smoke they need to be informed of all of the harmful effects that it can cause to their body, the environment, and those around them. Therefore the public needs to be educated about tobacco and society needs to be aware of all the harmful effects as well. Making the decision to quit is the first step in the process to better health, second visiting with your Doctor or healthcare provider will set the path to being happier and living a much more productive and healthier life.

Graduate School and Early Modern Europe

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The phenomenal growth in knowledge, which we are witnessing today in many areas of science and technology, is the result of the tireless efforts of a large number of teachers and students deeply committed to widening the horizons of human knowledge through painstaking research. Many of us of the younger generation are the beneficiaries, both intellectually and materially, of the outstanding work done in the field of computer engineering.As a student of information technology and computer science, it is my ambition to contribute my mite to the widening and deepening of knowledge in the area of information technology and computer science in general. My undergraduate education in Information technology has enabled me to grasp the fundamental concepts in this area of study. I have excelled in most of the courses that I have taken which include Computer networks, Operating Systems, Microprocessor & Interfacing and Database Management Systems among others; a pointer to my sound analytical and computational skills.My academic prowess can be gauged from the fact that I topped my department in the Microprocessors course and secured the 3rd rank in my fourth semester examinations in a highly competitive class. One of my unique achievements has been in pedagogy. It was during my fifth semester, when I was helping my peers with the computationally intensive courses we had to take up then, that I realized the efficacy of the statement â€Å"To learn better, teach†. The incessant queries of my friends’ made me brood deeper into the subject whilst they enhanced their understanding of it.My achievement was the substantial improvement in grades for both my peers and me. The numerous seminars, which I have conducted in my class in areas both within and out of the scope of my curriculum, have honed my communication skills and I am confident that I would be an effective teaching assistant. My team-playing ability and leadership qualities came to the fore during â€Å"Interrupt 2006†, a national level technical symposium conducted by the Department of Computer Science, wherein I coordinated a variety of technical and non-technical events that were widely appreciated.I am currently working in Egrove Systems Corporation as a Programmer and Analyst, a renowned multi-national firm involved in IT solutions. My first hand exposure to the industry’s working in designing and developing has helped in redefining my perspective and approach towards creating new ones myself. I have a dream to work in a place where latest technology is devised and where standards and protocols are dictated. Ultimately however, I do not want to follow oft beaten trails but blaze a new one for others to follow.It is to realize this that I want to work towards a Masters degree and later for a PhD. It is each person’s dream to graduate from a prestigious school that can provide the launching-pad for his/her career. Though there is a plet hora of options, the pride of place goes to the University that is reputed for its standard par excellence – an honor that goes to none other than to your university. I understand that this University offers exiting and unique opportunities for research and learning. As for my future, it is my desire to explore the realms of computer networks and programming design.I also want to build on the strong foundation that I have acquired during my undergraduate study with a Masters degree and follow it up with a Doctoral one. To achieve this and to attain my goals, I strongly believe that the Computer Science program at your university would place me at the fulcrum of today’s technology in computers. I look forward to being a part of your program in Advanced computer science and would consider myself fortunate to secure an admission into the Masters program at your University since it fits my interests exactly.It is with great optimism that I apply to your school and I sincer ely hope for an association that would be mutually beneficial. Ramji Prasad Myrtheunjayan Graduate study is not for slackers. It takes focus and determination to pursue an advanced degree. That's why admissions committees examine your statement of purpose very closely–they want to see whether you have the right stuff to succeed in graduate school. What are they really asking anyway? Different schools will give you different prompts for the statement of purpose.Nonetheless, they're all asking for the same four pieces of information: †¢ What you want to study at graduate school? †¢ Why you want to study it? †¢ What experience you have in your field? †¢ What you plan to do with your degree once you have it? Admissions committees look for candidates with clear, well-defined research interests that arise from experience . With that in mind, your statement should reveal that you care deeply about your chosen discipline and that you have the background to support your ideas and sentiments. It should also demonstrate that you're a diligent student who will remain committed for the long haul.However you approach these points, it's imperative that you answer the questions asked in the essay prompt. Being substantive and direct is much better than being creative or flashy. Avoid this mistake Grad school applicants commonly make the error of including a paragraph about how well–rounded they are: They're avid ultimate-frisbee players, they write short stories or they love to cook. Colleges are interested in this stuff; graduate schools are not. Grad schools are looking for great minds who will achieve mastery of a specific subject area.They don't care that you make a great chicken casserole or play intramural bocce ball. They do care about those activities that speak to your suitability for graduate work. As a graduate student, you'll be called upon to do difficult coursework and research. You may have to teach undergraduate classes within your field and conceivably even design a course. And you'll have to get along with a diverse group of colleagues who will sometimes work very closely with you. Any experience in school, work or your extracurricular life that speaks to those abilities is worth talking about.Make your statement of purpose unique While it's important to be focused, there's no need to be boring. To distinguish your essay, add unique (yet relevant) information. One of the best ways to do this is to discuss, briefly, an idea in your field that turns you on intellectually. It's an effective essay-opener, and it lets you write about something besides yourself for a bit. Remember, the idea you choose to talk about can tell an admissions committee a lot about you. And it demonstrates your interest in your field, rather than just describing it. Don't forgetBe sure to show your statement of purpose to someone you respect, preferably the professors who are writing your recommendations, and get some feedback on the content before you send it in. If you need to revise it, do so and then ask for more feedback. Have someone else proofread your essay for spelling and grammar. A fresh set of eyes often picks up something you missed. Better yet, if you have enough willing friends, have a couple of people proofread each statement. Finally, don't just reuse the same statement of purpose for each school to which you apply.You can recycle the same information, but make sure you change the presentation to fit each school's individual program. Sample Statement of Purpose Statement of Purpose: Please describe your aptitude and motivation fo r graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study , your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why UC Berkeley would be a good intellectual fit for you. The writer of the statement below was admitted into UC Berkeley's History Departm ent. With her permission, I reprint her essa parsed with my commentary about why it works as a winning essay. â€Å"Luscious fare is the jewe l of inordinate desires,† 1 cautions 2 the author of The Gentlewoman's Companion (1673), one of many early modern conduct books I surveyed this past year for an honors thesis entitled â€Å"‘Chaste, Silent, and Hungr y': The Problem of Female Appetite in Early Modern England, 1550-1700. † 3 As indicated by the title, this pr oject explores a provocative but as of yet scarcely studied facet of early m odern gender constructions: female food desire. 4 I use the word â€Å"desire† here rather deliberately, as ea rly modern definitions of ppetite extended well beyond the physiological drive to eat to encompa ss all those physical (and shameful) longings associated with the body. And, in a culture wh ere women were by defi nition immoderate and sensual, female food appetite, I argue, constituted an unruly 5 desire that de manded both social and moral discipline. In brief, my research con cerns the patriarchal cont rol of women's bodies in sixteenth and seventeenth-century England vi s–vis a cultural idea about food desire and satiation as sugges tive and immodest. 6 In lieu of a formal introduction of my research interests and aspirations I offer a summary of my enior thesis, which earned me the 2003 Chancel lor's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research at the University of California, Davis. 7 This first venture into serious historical scholarship has affirmed my passion for early m odern culture and histor y; and it has given me the confidence to assert and cont est my opinions regard ing the status of women in early modern Europe and the current state of early modern historiography. 8 Continuing along these avenues of research in graduate school, I would like to use my thesis as the basis for a future dissertation. Though I remain wary about committing myself premat rely to a specifi c t opic of research, I am also eager to elaborate, modify, and complicate 9 my original assertions about the nature of the â€Å"problem† of female appetite in early modern England. Indeed, many of the conclusions reached in the thesis, such as my claim that the cultural er oticization of feminine appetite in early modern England betrayed a deep-seated masculine mistrust of female sexuality and sexual power, serve as starting points 10 for future research and study. On a more basic level, writing a thesis gave me the chance to become better acquainted with the essentials of historical resear h. Suspecting that normative disc ourses in early modern England participated aggressively in the monitoring of women's appetites, I navigated the sea of early English printed sources in pursu it of the slightest mention of food and diet. Those sources I encountered during my research, wh ich ranged from the popular conduct book, The Education of a Christian Woman by Juan Luis Vives, to the anonymous sex manual, Aristotle's Masterpiece, challenged my basic understanding of history and the original prem ise of my thesis in ways not anticipated. From deciphering esot eric type-fonts to developing n awareness of the importance of time and funds, I experienced the mundane realities of research that inevitably stunt the historian's aspirations. Even more important wa s my gradual acceptance of the fact that early modern sources, no matter how we read them, do not always accommodate modern biases and expectations. 11 Though I cannot predict the course this project might take in graduate school, I expect that it will address the following themes and issues. First is the overarching issue of distinguishing the phenomena I observe from other forms of food re striction and obsession, namely the modern itual of dieting and its most extreme manife station, an eating disorder. Though not willing to evade those complicated (and controversial) para llels between modern and early modern usages of food and food symbolism to cont rol the lives of women, I also wish to offer as an historian a nuanced portrayal of how early modern conceptualiz ations of female appetite were infused with contemporary, historically contingent notions of sexuality and gender. Furthermore, the question of fema le agency in a project devote d almost exclusively to male prescriptions for diet and behavior demands further discussion.Admittedly, on more than one occasion, my own extensive use and analysis of conduct books and various obstetric manuals, works composed primarily by educated men, cause d me to pause and wonder whether it was best to relate a history abou t women's actions or the patriarchal apparatus under which those actions were oppressed. While I refuse to see women as simply passive receptacles of masculine command, I neither wish nor aspire to focus sole ly on their achievements; for, in my mind, the history of women and the history of patriarchy are inextricably rela ted. 12 My goal, then, will not be to detail just another example of how wome in history were dominated by men, but, rather, to interrogate the means, in this case food, or, better yet, the cultural meaning of appetite, by which women's desires were suppressed or denied. 13 Indeed I am proud of my thesis and, given extra time, could say much more. But I should also stress that that at the heart of my specific res earch concentration lies a more general interest in early modern European history, cultural and women's history to be more exact. 14 To date, my knowledge of the early modern period has been informed and my imagination sustained by an array of courses on early modern history and lite ature (I was a joint hist ory and English major), including a graduate seminar on Renaissance urban culture taught jointly by Professors Margaret Ferguson and Deborah Harkness. My personal pe nchant for cultural history stems largely, I believe, from my training in litera ture and literary crit icism, wh ere sensitivity to the importance of language and metaphor is a neces sary skill. Also of crucial importance to a professional career in history are my growing skills in Latin and French, and my fluency in Spanish. 15 This year I find myself in that difficult and fr ustrating transitional peri od between undergraduate nd graduate studies. Though I would have preferred to directly co ntinue graduate school after graduation, I opted to take a year off. A year aw ay from school, I reasoned, would afford me the time needed to recuperate from an exhaustive und ergraduate education, gain some perspective, and work on fulfilling the language requirement for a doctorate in European history. In fact, I am currently enrolled in a French course at a nearby university and plan to take a subsequent course during the upcoming spring semester. This academic hiatus, moreover, has imposed some much- needed distance between myself and my thesis, wh ch I can now reread from a more critical, less invested stance. And, finally, a break from school has given me sufficient time to search and research for graduate programs that best suit my needs. 16 UC Berkeley's history program looms large in my mind, largely because of its outstanding faculty and interdisciplinary approach to hist ory. In my own quest for a suitable graduate program, I was thrilled to learn that Professors Thomas Laqueur and Carla Hesse both taught at Berkeley. Professor Laqueur's book, Making Sex: Body and Gender from the Greeks to Freud , stands out among the many books I ead during my undergraduate education; and I credit his book with introducing me to the nascent but fascin ating field of the history of sexuality and the body. Together, Professor Laqueur's cutting edge research and Professor Hesse's knowledge of early modern women's history would make my experience at Berkeley a challenging and enjoyable one. 17 In addition, Berkeley provides an id eal climate for me to develop my cross-disciplinary interests. In particular, I am interested in pursuing a desi gnated emphasis in women, gender, and sexuality, a unique option that distinguishes Berkeley's hist ry program from that of other institutions. The cross-disciplinary nature of Berkeley's gra duate program would foster, I hope, fruitful discussions with other departme nts, notably the department of English and Women's Studies, thus broadening and enriching my research as well as my general understanding early modern culture and history. 18 †¢ 1 The writer begins with a vivid quote that grabs the reader's attention right away. †¢ 2 â€Å"Cautions† is an excellent verb choice. Carefu l word choice makes fo r lively writing. †¢ 3 Note how neatly in one well-packed sentence , the writer gets right to the point of her urrent research. †¢ 4 â€Å"Provocative† is an apt and colorful word c hoice. This sentence explains the nature of her study and situates her subject in historical and thematic c ontext. †¢ 5 â€Å"Unruly† is another aptly c hosen adjective. Adjectives can create â€Å"dead places† in writing if they add nothing significant to the noun that it is describing. †¢ 6 The summary sentence not only recaps the gist of the first paragraph, but also provides further nuance of the subject at hand. †¢ 7 This first sentence makes clear that research first and foremost will be central to her argument in the essay. Mentioning the â€Å"Cha cellor's Award† in the context of her research is a clever way of boasting without seeming to. †¢ 8 It is a very good idea to explicit ly state the chosen subfield within history: early modern Europe. You can't assume that your readers will make the inference from the research topic alone. To â€Å"assert and contest† opinions is, of c ourse, the marksmanship of historians; making reference to â€Å"the current state of early modern historiography† conveys familiarity with the subje ct on the one hand, and confidence and intellectual poise on the other. Notice how much more powerful is such a statement as compared to ne poorly written, such as â€Å"I am passionate and committed to my interest in early modern Europe. † †¢ 9 Again, to say that as a historian, she will â€Å"e laborate, modify, and complicate† the subject matter is to show that she really understands the work of historians. A less experienced candidate might have written that she wa nts to uncover the â€Å"truth† in history. †¢ 10 â€Å"Starting points† –referring to her research interests–is a very measured way of saying that she knows what tugs at her heart, has done enough research to have some hunches, but is open to surprise endings. A beautiful re ndition of a historian's sentiment.You may turn off your readers if you come off sounding overly confident. Maintaining a measured tone is very important. †¢ 11 This paragraph details furth er specific less ons and skills earned through this research project. Note the use of colorful verb s such as â€Å"navigated† and â€Å"stunt. † †¢ 12 Note the nuanced and carefully measured way of speaking about her subject. Clearly the writer is well-read in theory and show s strong ability in cri tically evaluating her subject. Moreover, she tries to be the â€Å"obj ective† scholar in that she does not champion any cause. That is, she does not champion the ause of women even as she conveys deep empathy. †¢ 13 The reference to a parallel example of female appetite in contemporary culture as holding interest for the writer is aptly placed here. Were she to have mentioned it any earlier, it would have clouded the primarily hist orical nature and focu s of her venture. †¢ 14 It is wise at this point to zoom out a bit and show that th e writer's interest lies more broadly in early modern Europe and the hist ory of women. Zooming in and out from th e narrow to the general shows th at you are capable of becomi ng a specialist without being overly narrow. †¢ 15Showing interdisciplinarity and your abilities in language are key to your academic biography. In this case, the reader learns that she is a historian with training in literary and critical theory. †¢ 16 This is a model paragraph for showing what you did in your â€Å"time off† from school. Note how nothing extraneous to her study is me ntioned in this paragraph. The paragraph shows that the time off was spent wisely in preparing herself for graduate school. †¢ 17 She demonstrates a thorough-going knowledge of UC Berkeley. She mentions not one but two key scholars with whom she could pur sue her studies. She mentions how their rea of specialty dovetails with her own resear ch interests. Note how she does not make empty, flattering remarks about the professors or the school. †¢ 18 She continues to list bounties beyond the department strengthening the argument that Berkeley is well-suited for her. The reader will be impressed with the research and the seriousness with which she has examined UC Be rkeley as an option for graduate school. A well-written essay unveils much information about the writer, not only in her intellectual capacity, but also about her character and core values. Through her writing, she makes a distinctive impression.