Preventive Measures for Teenage Pregnancy

There are a lot of teen mothers growing up in this world wondering, what if I would have stayed in school? What could I have become? Would it have made my life easier if I had thought first? Teens don†t think of the consequences of their actions. They don†t think that the aftermath of their irresponsibility can lead to pregnancy. Having a child comes with a lot of responsibility. The teen doesn†t fully understand that all free time is lost, that she will have to find some may to support herself and the child, and that any of her aspirations for future plans are now drastically changed. Children take up a lot of time, which also means, no more school. If we can some how get through to them that this is what happens when you get irresponsible, it will eliminate a big portion of the problem. One of the best ways of getting the point across is to have a guest speaker that has been through a teen pregnancy before. Whether it be, the person that it actually happened to or that teens mother, which is some times even better. It all comes down to the education of the teen being the best form of prevention. The more they know about sex and it†s consequences at a young age the less likely they are to are to go out and be irresponsible about it. Teaching teens about different types of protection and how they work is some times one of the best ways of keeping the number of teen pregnancies down. Not to mention a fall in the number of teen sexually transmitted diseases. The reason why teaching about protection is good is obvious. The reason the words â€Å"some times† are underlined is because teaching them about sex some times drives a teen that normally wouldn†t have had sex till later on in there lives to think, ‘well, it seems like everyone is doing it. If it†s important enough that we must learn about it in school then I guess it†s normal.† So the argument that education is the best prevention goes both ways. On another plane, parents can help and/or hurt the situation. Every once in awhile at the dinner table or in some public place it seems that parents or even relatives are always wanting to know if you have a girlfriend yet or not. This is definitely not an extreme case but there is always that subconscious thought in the back of there heads that†s saying, I guess I should get on the ball and start looking for a mate. On the other hand, though not every parent thinks so, but their children do listen to them. Any words of advice or even telling them about your own experiences as a teen will help. Even if the parent doesn†t know much about the subject they should try to tell the teen that and a little of what they do know. That will make the child think you care and maybe think twice about their actions. Teens are not dumb and if it seems to them that you are making and honest effort and you really believe in what you are saying they will respect that and listen. There is no real solution to the teen pregnancy problem but education and teen to parent communication are good steps in the right direction. We need to let our children know that we are there for them and that we care. After all no one wants to think of what they ‘could have† become.

Religious Backgrounds

My Religious Background I am catholic. I was raised by catholic parents who were raised by catholic parents. Even all of my great grandparents except for one couple were catholic, and beyond that I have no idea. My Grandpa was the only one who was not raised catholic, but converted soon after he married my Grandmother and is buried in a catholic cemetery. I have always agreed with everything that The Catholic Church has taught me, but I feel like that may be because I have never known any other belief.I have been in Catholic school since kindergarten and rarely learned about other religions other than how they differed from my own faith. The only two things I can think of that I may disagree with The Catholic Church on are really more political matters than they are matters of God. For instance, it is taught that a marriage is not complete without the act of sex. For a marriage to be valid under God, the couple must have sex. When I heard this, I immediately thought about men who hav e been paralyzed from the waist down who would not have this opportunity.When I asked my teacher about that situation she said that the marriage was invalid due to the situation, but that there may be drugs out there that could help the situation. That was something I couldn’t believe. It made me feel like we were ousting them from the church because they were paralyzed. It seems to me that these men have been through enough trouble in their lives and shouldn’t need anyone’s permission to marry a woman who they are to fall in love with. The other concept I disagreed with was the idea of same-sex marriage.Maybe it is just that I have issues with marriage in general, but I feel like two people who love each other should be able to marry legally. Now, that being said, I do agree with the church that it is not necessarily what God had in mind, and I do not really feel comfortable saying that I think God is â€Å"in favor† of same-sex marriage, but I would lik e to see the church say that legally same sex couples should be able to marry. I imagine the reason I feel this way could be because my aunt is a homosexual and is legally married to her life-partner and they are very happy.I believe they were married in Illinois, but do not quote me on that. It just bothered me that they had to travel all that way to get legally bonded and it is not even valid in the state they live in. In other words, I agree with the church on the concept that they shouldn’t be married under God, but I see no reason that two people who really do truly love each other cannot be bonded together and share the same benefits that couples of the opposite sex share in marriage.

The Changing nature of crime in the twenty-first century Essay

The Changing nature of crime in the twenty-first century - Essay Example Unlike in the past, cybercrime is no longer committed by only a small group of individuals, but by large criminal organizations which work with technology professionals who are criminally minded. Technology has affected the approaches by security departments in solving such crimes by requiring such departments to increasingly change and conform to the rapidly changing nature of crime. However, such departments such as INTERPOL will be able to combat these crimes in the future as they are developing institutions that would allow them to quickly adopt to the changing internet environment and to keep track of the masked criminals. For instance, the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) and the INTERPOL Digital Crime Center will facilitate INTERPOL’s efforts in fighting crime as they facilitate proactive research into latest techniques of training and coordinates various operations in fighting crime (Interpol, 2014). Traditional notions of jurisdiction do not necessarily limit the ability to investigate crime in the current cyber world. The network created by the internet allows responsible agencies and departments to properly investigate and bring the criminals to justice. In addition, international agencies such as INTERPOL are able to investigate crime without boundary limitations. Technological advancement has led to a shifty from violent crime to property crime (Grossberg & Tomlins, 2008). This is the trend that is most likely to be experienced in the future of

Analysis and Critique Jean Watson Research Paper

Analysis and Critique Jean Watson - Research Paper Example Watson describes nursing as something one can learn or read about, but in order to understand it fully, one has to experience it. Transpersonal caring seeks to connect with one’s spirit and soul in a bid to effect the healing potentials and possibilities. It moves beyond ego-self and transcends to spiritual connections between a practitioner and their patient. The ten carative factors and theories of nursing help in understanding Watson’s caring-healing-loving-model. The theory states that in delivering healthcare to clients, one needs to formulate a humanistic-altruistic system of values while instilling faith and hope in the patient. The practitioner needs to cultivate a certain level of sensitivity to others and to themselves thus a helping–trusting relationship becomes established between the practitioner and the patient. The promotion of positive feelings and the acceptance of negative feelings are also important and these problems are solved using a scientific method for making decisions. Other carative factors involve assistance through gratifications of people’s needs, while providing support, protection, and an enabling environment for mental, physical, socio-cultural and spiritual growth. The practitioner should also allow for misery/ miraculous forces as this may be important to the patient’s recovery. (Watson, 1985, p.

Grouch Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Grouch - Personal Statement Example I am not one of them. Grouchiness is its own reward, and often times it can also give a person a distinct strategic advantage in any given situation. The Grouch is a cruel master who has the capacity to take charge and ensure that things are done right. Simply put, people respond to anger. An angry person can motivate others to attain new levels of achievement. In today's economy, not a single company can afford to lose a customer. If you spend money, then you are in a buyer's market for an exceptional level of service. No one wants to see a client walk away in a bad mood. I was on the phone the other day trying to get some support for a computer program that was not functioning properly. Just the slightest edge of Grouchy frustration in my voice elicited many apologies from by service representative. In just a few minutes I got more than enough help to solve all of technological woes. When I received the email feedback form inquiring about my experience, the Grouch in me checked the "dissatisfied" box on every question. For some reason, it was important to me to show these executives who is boss. Sometimes anger is justifiable in itself with no apparent practical purpose. I was driving in my car today and some lady cuts right in front of me and then slows down. Before I know it, I have to jam on my brakes just to keep from hitting her. Sure I could have kept my mouth shut and driven around her, but it was so much more fun to burst into a rage and start shouting at the other car. "What are you doing Why did you cut in front of me" No one could hear what I was saying of course because my car windows were rolled up. It was exciting none-the-less to engage in such an outburst. The afterglow of a Grouchy temper tantrum is an experience worth savoring. It doesn't really matter if there was a crime committed or not. The Grouch is happy enough to treat every minor infraction as a potentially life-threatening violation. There are personal benefits to being a Grouch. After a rampage, one is left with the not-so-subtle feeling of superiority. It wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to say that being a Grouch is similar to being a drug addict. Both behaviors cause a physiological change in the body. Endorphins are released and they bind to receptors on neurons of the brain resulting in a sensation of euphoria. A cascade of internal chemical events gives you the rush you've been craving without the messiness or inconvenience of actually having to "shoot up". Without a doubt rage is an addictive behavior, perhaps even more addictive than a chemical dependency. I do not know if there are 12-step recovery groups for Grouches (rage-a-holics anonymous, perhaps) but there is a definite need for them. Being a Grouch can be hard work sometimes. It is a complex task that engages a variety of emotions, not just anger. For example, in order to get to that place of becoming properly incensed there are some prerequisites. First you have to develop a taste for righteous indignation. Taking offense at another person's behavior is key to developing a good rage. That is the trigger which gets the ball rolling. The process starts when I am standing innocently by myself, and then someone comes along and disturbs me in some small way. You have to believe that you are an innocent victim in order to be a Grouch. The first rule of victimhood is to deny all

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Philosophy - Assignment Example This argument is structured around an analogy. Identify what is being compared in this analogy and explain why Cleanthes believes he is justified in this comparison (Hint: Support Cleanthes position by pointing to some relevantly similar characteristics between the two analogues). Philo offers a rebuttal to Cleanthes argument that is based on the analogical structure of Cleanthes’ argument. What is this rebuttal (Note: You need not recreate Philo’s entire argument; a description of how to evaluate an analogical argument and the problem Philo sees with Cleanthes’ argument will suffice)? Finally, I built upon Philo’s rebuttal to Cleanthes using the theory of evolution. Why does evolution present a problem for the â€Å"Argument from Design†? An Empiricist philosopher David Hume in his â€Å"Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion† justifies the presence of God via rational truths like death, birth, illness, healing mechanism and spiritual being o f living beings. He firmly believes that humans accept the rationality of an idea/theory only when they experience it. Hence, the belief mechanism is always supported by realism. Hume gathers enough evidence for his readers to identify the presence of God via his attributes in the universal facts. ... Simultaneously, the intellectual capacity (divine intellect) of the developer God cannot be measured, as he has endowed humans with limited intellect, who can comprehend their beliefs on the bases of their experiences. Moreover, he also differentiates between impression and ideas which develop the theory of belief. However, several phenomena like life after death are a belief which requires experience and in such a scenario humans can only rely on provided notions of different religions. Hence, one accepts orthodox notion of life after death according to his understanding or acceptance of such facts according to his invisible faith. Humans cannot evaluate, debate or weigh religious notions on the bases of their intellectual comprehension as God has provided humans with limited intellect (an attribute God encircles himself) through which they can only understand fewer signs of his being. Yet, this is the attribute (intellect) which is similar to him that brings humans to a level highe r than the other living beings he developed. The skeptic Jewish philosopher Philo Judaeus, denies the design/ machine analogy Cleanthes presents. He bases his argument against it and on the fact that universe or any entity on it does not depict the true nature of God (Hume & Stanley, 5). They are his creations/ innovations, but his attributes cannot be assumed through them. They are mere signs of his presence, his attribute like infinity, immensity, eternality, astuteness and aptness are few qualities which are only his. Therefore, Philo argues that to assume God’s nature from his creations is an unrealistic idea. Moreover, he argues that if universe is a

Writing Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Writing Process - Essay Example The purpose of the first step is to make the writer comprehend the details of the task. Thereafter, the writers should limit their subject based on the length of their essay, audience, purpose, and what is known regarding the subject. When the writers have decided the topic to tackle, they should organize and collect facts and ideas up to the moment they are ready to come up with the main idea that they want to write about, or a thesis statement (Heller, 1991). Even before the writers embark on the real writing, it is important to decide the manner in which they want to organize their resources into an essay. This is particularly a critical decision that establishes how their audience will respond, which will be based on how clear the essay will be. Organizing of the ideas could be very easy sometimes because the task points out a specific outline of development (Peters, 1985). The mistakes made while making this draft can be corrected during the second or third draft. Here, the writer should ensure that every aspect is accomplished in each stage. When the writers are prepared to undertake the revision, they can begin by drawing a revision checklist to be used to enhance the essay. When critically reading from paragraph to paragraph or from sentence to sentence, it is possible to assess the effectiveness of the essay. This can be started by checking the thesis statement, to establish its accuracy. If it is found that the statement has drifted away from the original objective, then it can be revised or the part that departs from it can as well be deleted or revised so it is relevant (Blaxter, Hughes and Tight, 2006). To finalize the essay, the sentences should be looked over carefully to make sure they are effective, correct, and interesting. In case there is need to delete or add any sentence, this is the opportunity to do so.  In case there is need to delete or add any sentence, this is the opportunity to do so. Then, the writer should scrutinize the word use and make any necessary adjustments, including any substitutions or additions that might be necessary are done.  

Hamlet's antic disposition. Is his madness feigned or real Research Paper

Hamlet's antic disposition. Is his madness feigned or real - Research Paper Example The spontaneity of the act that he puts on seems, at a later stage, to have led commentators on the play to have thought that his was not an act in the first place. His disavowal of what later we realize was a true love for Ophelia, is one of the incidents in the play that are cited to damn Hamlet as insane. The vision of the ghost, some say, seems to be a vision of a madman, who has been deranged by the death of his father and what seems to him a betrayal by his mother. These, for some critics are also validated by his musings on the very nature of death during the graveyard scene. Coupled with a suicidal tendency, these musings of one of Shakespeare’s most famous characters leads not an insignificant number of critics to believe that his state of mind is not one of sanity. All of these, however, can be refuted if one is to look at the play from another perspective. Hamlet, G. Wilson Knight says, presents an antithesis to what the Danish court stands for, life. Whether this i s a result of his direct encounter with death is unclear. However, his musing on death and his rejection of Ophelia are instances where he rejects the vital activities of life. He contemplates suicide, another instance of his revulsion for the life and vitality that are represented by the other members of the court. Knight affirms the essential righteousness of the aims of Hamlet. Deprived of his rights and parental love, Hamlet is morally superior to Claudius who has murdered his own brother out of love for the throne and for Gertrude. However, Hamlet remains in Knight’s words, a â€Å"negation of life† (Knight 187). It is this distance from vitality that places Hamlet in a position where he appears to be insane. To make my point clearer, I shall make a reference to Michel Foucault’s theories of insanity. Foucault saw insanity as a deviation from the normal codes of society. It is, according to him, a means employed by the so-called ‘sane’ society to define itself, that is, it serves as a kind of touchstone for mainstream society (Foucault). Hamlet, here is such a severe contrast to the life-affirming but wicked Claudius and the majority of the other characters that are faithful to him, that he appears to be an aberration. This has been construed as insanity by many. However, this would be to state that in some way or the other, Hamlet can be seen as a mad person. This does not present the facts in a true light. The standard, against which Hamlet’s behavior seems to be a deviation from the norm, is that of the Danish court. However, the moral values that Hamlet employs are those of Renaissance humanism (Kettle 238). Hamlet is a highly educated person. His values are shaped by the dominant ideology of the time, humanism, which talked about the ability of man to rise to infinite heights which were unthought-of before. Seen in this context, the very pessimism that we had attributed to Hamlet seems to be an optimistic atti tude that has seen through the facade of the Danish court. The baseness of the king and his followers rankles Hamlet, one who has recognized the infinite potential of man. What Marcellus unwittingly says about the condition of Denmark , Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (1.4. 90) is exactly what Hamlet feels about the state of his homeland. It is against this backdrop that Hamlet appears to be ins

Reading Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Responses - Essay Example The storm ends and Alcee quickly leaves before Bobinot arrives home, worried that his wife will be upset about her son getting wet and dirty from the storm. She says she is just happy to have her family back at home with her and tells her husband nothing of the encounter with Alcee, and he suspects nothing. That night, Alcee sends his wife, Clarisse a letter saying he misses her, but that she and the children should stay in Alabama for another month and enjoy the summer. Clarisse receives the letter and is happy for her husband’s permission to stay in Alabama, where she is enjoying a freedom she hasn’t felt since her days as a single woman. The first thing I noticed was the way the dialog was written. It wasn’t proper English, but instead written so the reader hears the way the characters sound when reading it. For example, when Bobinot tells his son that his mother is home alone during the storm, the sentence is written, â€Å"No; she ent got Sylvie. Sylvie was helpin’ her yistiday† (129) as opposed to proper English of â€Å"No, she doesn’t have Sylvie. Sylvie was helping her yesterday.† Because of this, I can easily hear what the characters sound like. I think that adds a lot to the story and helps us understand where the story takes place – Louisiana.

Differentiated instructional strategies in practice Assignment

Differentiated instructional strategies in practice - Assignment Example Quick essay assessments and test question are based on the topic taught in the classroom. And main focus would be on the new ideas that have been taught in the classroom. Informal testing is done my asking random questions to the students regarding the topic covered in the classroom. Testing is the dependable strategy for post assessment as it helps to determine student’s weak and strong areas. Question 2 One of the main advantages of using pre-assessment approach in the classroom is that teachers already know the information that are required to know about the students. Pre-assessment is vital for every teachers because it helps to find out student’s needs and strengths. Post-assessment is done know what students have learned during the process. K-W-L chart is one of the strategies of pre-assessment that helps to know the level of understanding of the students. Testing strategy is one of the post-assessment strategies that help to test the knowledge acquired by student s. The purpose and necessity of assessment of learning is to provide feedback to both learner and teacher regarding the progress of the learner. Written or verbal feedback given to the students regarding their performance is primarily descriptive and identifies challenges to next steps. This feedback can be used by teacher which would help to develop further instruction. Modification of instruction that can be done on pre-assessment: Student should do study sheet and should write a summary before the start of the lesson. Making flowchart of the working progress of the student. To express previously acquired knowledge concept map should be created. Offering details feedback during the process of learning. Modification of instruction that can be done on post-assessment:... Differentiated instructional strategies in practice Differentiated instruction is based on the belief that every student can learn at their best and gain necessary knowledge when they can make link of relationship between their diverse experiences and curriculum activities. Learning at the highest level occurs at the time when students are pushed to go further from the point where they don’t need any assistance. Rather than teaching simply by giving a single avenue for learning, teachers use differentiated instruction for every gifted student. Differentiated instruction requires acknowledgement, commitment and proper planning due to the fact that experiences and diverse ability can create huge impact on the learning process of students. Differentiated instruction helps students to engage in the classroom by interacting and participating in a higher way (Gregory & Chapman, 2013). All the students have different strengths, learning styles and abilities. Classroom activities help every student to adapt to meet different styles and abilities. Differentiated instruction helps students to encourage for challenges and complexity. It provides task that has various levels of difficulty and complexity that helps every student to increase readiness level. Differentiated instruction helps students to support their interests and choices. It helps to provide multiple chances for every student to study and an array of extensions and application that’s helps students to enhance learning.

Consider the benefits and challenges of social media amongst young Australians Essay Example for Free

Consider the benefits and challenges of social media amongst young Australians Essay The use of social media by young Australians has become increasingly popular. This essay will show that social media can have many benefits to young Australians by enabling them to engage with peers, the creativeness it brings out and enhanced learning opportunities. Cyber bullying and privacy issues are some of the challenges that can arise with the use of social media. One of the benefits of social media is the ability to connect and engage with others. Keeping in touch with friends and family who live far away can be made a lot easier by communicating through social media by sharing updates, photos, videos, and messages. ’In 2008, Facebook reported having 67 million active users, with more than half of them returning daily and spending an average 20 minutes per day on the site’. Social media provides young people with the right tool to be able to make new relationships as well as strengthened existing relationships. The strong sense of community and belonging fostered by SNS [social networking services] has the potential to promote resilience, which helps young people to successfully adapt to change and stressful events. Social media is a significant tool for enabling creativity and innovation for young Australians. Through social media they are able to develop a diverse range of skills such as editing content, interactive blogging, encourage the creation and sharing of poetry, arts, photography, and video content. A study conducted last year by the University of Minnesota suggested that using social networking sites improved technology and communication skills, boosted creativity and exposed students to new and diverse world views. These students also tended to do better in exams. Education through social media has great benefits for young people. Being able to learn everything from foreign languages to how to write a computer code and everything in between. Social networking services can facilitate learning and skill development outside formal learning environments by supporting peer-to-peer learning of knowledge and skills, collaboration, diverse cultural expression, the development of skills valued in the modern workplace , and a more empowered conception of citizenship. Cyber bullying on social media is a risk for young Australians. Cyber bullying is purposely using social media to communicate wrong, humiliating, or hostile information about another person. The most frequently used nature of harassments are name calling and gossiping. ‘Thirty three percent of youth reported an online harassment in the last year’. Young people usually react by pretending to ignore it, by really ignoring it or by reacting and bullying the bully. Cyber bullying is quite common and can occur to any young person online. Cyber bullying can have devastating effects to a young person including depression, anxiety, isolation and suicide. The improper use of social media by young Australians can put their privacy at risk. The volume and accessibility of personal information available on social media have attracted malicious people who seek to exploit this information. Young people who lack an awareness of privacy issues often post on social media inappropriate messages, pictures, and videos of themselves and others without understanding that it could result in future reputations being damaged. ‘Adults are concerned about invasion of privacy, while teens freely give up personal information’. Sharing too much information on social media can also make young people easier targets for marketers and fraudsters. Communicating and sharing information on social media to someone who you do not know their identity can be very dangerous as this sort of behaviour can attract online predators. To conclude, it is clear young Australian’s are faced with many benefits and challenges when using social media. From cyber bullying and privacy issues social media opens up avenues for problems but along with these challenges come opportunities for young people to learn in many different ways and express themselves creatively. It is up to the user how they want to engage and use social media.

Study On The Applications Of Numerical Analysis Computer Science Essay

Study On The Applications Of Numerical Analysis Computer Science Essay It finds applications in all fields of engineering and the physical sciences, but in the 21st  century, the life sciences and even the arts have adopted elements of scientific computations.  Ordinary differential equations  appear in the  movement of heavenly bodies (planets, stars and galaxies);  optimization  occurs in portfolio management;  numerical linear algebra  is important for data analysis;  stochastic differential equations  and  Markov chains  are essential in simulating living cells for medicine and biology. Before the advent of modern computers numerical methods often depended on hand  interpolation  in large printed tables. Since the mid 20th century, computers calculate the required functions instead. The interpolation  algorithms  nevertheless may be used as part of the software for solving  differential equations. INTRODUCTION TO NUMERICAL ANALYSIS AND METHODS The overall goal of the field of numerical analysis is the design and analysis of techniques to give approximate but accurate solutions to hard problems, the variety of which is suggested by the following. Advanced numerical methods are essential in making  numerical weather prediction  feasible. Computing the trajectory of a spacecraft requires the accurate numerical solution of a system of  ordinary differential equations. Car companies can improve the crash safety of their vehicles by using computer simulations of car crashes. Such simulations essentially consist of solving  partial differential equations  numerically. Hedge funds  (private investment funds) use tools from all fields of numerical analysis to calculate the value of stocks and derivatives more precisely than other market participants. Airlines use sophisticated optimization algorithms to decide ticket prices, airplane and crew assignments and fuel needs. This field is also called  operations research. Insurance companies use numerical programs for  actuarial  analysis. The rest of this section outlines several important themes of numerical analysis. History of Numerical Analysis The field of numerical analysis predates the invention of modern computers by many centuries.  Linear interpolation  was already in use more than 2000 years ago. Many great mathematicians of the past were preoccupied by numerical analysis, as is obvious from the names of important algorithms like  Newtons method,  Lagrange interpolation polynomial,Gaussian elimination, or  Eulers method. To facilitate computations by hand, large books were produced with formulas and tables of data such as interpolation points and function coefficients. Using these tables, often calculated out to 16 decimal places or more for some functions, one could look up values to plug into the formulas given and achieve very good numerical estimates of some functions. The canonical work in the field is the  NIST  publication edited by  Abramowitz and Stegun, a 1000-plus page book of a very large number of commonly used formulas and functions and their values at many points. The function values are no longer very useful when a computer is available, but the large listing of formulas can still be very handy. The  mechanical calculator  was also developed as a tool for hand computation. These calculators evolved into electronic computers in the 1940s, and it was then found that these computers were also useful for administrative purposes. But the invention of the computer also influenced the field of numerical analysis, since now longer and more complicated calculations could be done. Direct and iterative methods Direct methods compute the solution to a problem in a finite number of steps. These methods would give the precise answer if they were performed in  infinite precision arithmetic. Examples include  Gaussian elimination, the  QR  factorization method for solving  systems of linear equations, and the  simplex method  of  linear programming. In practice,  finite precision  is used and the result is an approximation of the true solution (assuming  stability). In contrast to direct methods,  iterative methods  are not expected to terminate in a number of steps. Starting from an initial guess, iterative methods form successive approximations that  converge  to the exact solution only in the limit. A  convergence test  is specified in order to decide when a sufficiently accurate solution has (hopefully) been found. Even using infinite precision arithmetic these methods would not reach the solution within a finite number of steps (in general). Examples include  Newtons method, the  bisection method, and  Jacobi iteration. In computational matrix algebra, iterative methods are generally needed for large problems. Iterative methods are more common than direct methods in numerical analysis. Some methods are direct in principle but are usually used as though they were not, e.g.  GMRES  and the  conjugate gradient method. For these methods the number of steps needed to obtain the exact solution is so large that an approximation is accepted in the same manner as for an iterative method. Discretization Furthermore, continuous problems must sometimes be replaced by a discrete problem whose solution is known to approximate that of the continuous problem; this process is called  discretization. For example, the solution of a  differential equation  is a function. This function must be represented by a finite amount of data, for instance by its value at a finite number of points at its domain, even though this domain is a continuum. Different Areas And Methods under Numerical Analysis The field of numerical analysis is divided into different disciplines according to the problem that is to be solved. One of the simplest problems is the evaluation of a function at a given point. The most straightforward approach, of just plugging in the number in the formula is sometimes not very efficient. For polynomials, a better approach is using the  Horner scheme, since it reduces the necessary number of multiplications and additions. Generally, it is important to estimate and control  round-off errors  arising from the use of  floating point  arithmetic. Interpolation, extrapolation, and regression Interpolation  solves the following problem: given the value of some unknown function at a number of points, what value does that function have at some other point between the given points? Extrapolation  is very similar to interpolation, except that now we want to find the value of the unknown function at a point which is outside the given points. Regression  is also similar, but it takes into account that the data is imprecise. Given some points, and a measurement of the value of some function at these points (with an error), we want to determine the unknown function. The  least squares-method is one popular way to achieve this. Solving equations and systems of equations Another fundamental problem is computing the solution of some given equation. Two cases are commonly distinguished, depending on whether the equation is linear or not. For instance, the equation  2x  + 5 = 3  is linear while  22  + 5 = 3  is not. Much effort has been put in the development of methods for solving  systems of linear equations. Standard direct methods, i.e., methods that use some  matrix decomposition  are  Gaussian elimination,  LU decomposition,  Cholesky decomposition  for  symmetric  (or  hermitian) and  positive-definite matrix, and  QR decomposition  for non-square matrices.  Iterative methods  such as the  Jacobi method,  Gauss-Seidel method,  successive over-relaxation  and  conjugate gradient method  are usually preferred for large systems. Root-finding algorithms  are used to solve nonlinear equations (they are so named since a root of a function is an argument for which the function yields zero). If the function is  differentiable  and the derivative is known, then  Newtons method  is a popular choice.  Linearization  is another technique for solving nonlinear equations. Solving eigenvalue or singular value problems Several important problems can be phrased in terms of  eigenvalue decompositions  or  singular value decompositions. For instance, thespectral image compression  algorithm  is based on the singular value decomposition. The corresponding tool in statistics is calledprincipal component analysis. Optimization Optimization problems ask for the point at which a given function is maximized (or minimized). Often, the point also has to satisfy someconstraints. The field of optimization is further split in several subfields, depending on the form of the objective function and the constraint. For instance,  linear programming  deals with the case that both the objective function and the constraints are linear. A famous method in linear programming is the  simplex method. The method of  Lagrange multipliers  can be used to reduce optimization problems with constraints to unconstrained optimization problems. Evaluating integrals Numerical integration, in some instances also known as numerical  quadrature, asks for the value of a definite  integral. Popular methods use one of the  Newton-Cotes formulas  (like the midpoint rule or  Simpsons rule) or  Gaussian quadrature. These methods rely on a divide and conquer strategy, whereby an integral on a relatively large set is broken down into integrals on smaller sets. In higher dimensions, where these methods become prohibitively expensive in terms of computational effort, one may use  Monte Carlo  or  quasi-Monte Carlo methods  (see  Monte Carlo integration), or, in modestly large dimensions, the method of  sparse grids. Differential equations Numerical analysis is also concerned with computing (in an approximate way) the solution of  differential equations, both ordinary differential equations and  partial differential equations. Partial differential equations are solved by first discretizing the equation, bringing it into a finite-dimensional subspace. This can be done by a  finite element method, a  finite differencemethod, or (particularly in engineering) a  finite volume method. The theoretical justification of these methods often involves theorems from  functional analysis. This reduces the problem to the solution of an algebraic equation. Applications Of Numerical Analysis Methods and Its Real Life Implementations, Advantages Etc. NEWTON RAPHSON METHOD: ORDER OF CONVERGENCE: 2 ADVANTAGES: 1. The advantage of the method is its order of convergence is quadratic. 2. Convergence rate is one of the fastest when it does converges 3. Linear convergence near multiple roots. REGULA FALSI METHOD: ORDER OF CONVERGENCE: 1.618 ADVANTAGES: 1. Better-than-linear convergence near simple root 2. Linear convergence near multiple root 3. No derivative needed DISADVANTAGES 1. Iterates may diverge 2. No practical rigorous error bound GAUSS ELIMINATION METHOD: ADVANTAGES: It is the direct method of solving linear simultaneous equations. 2. It uses back substitution. 3. It is reduced to equivalent upper triangular matrix.: 1. It requires right vectors to be known. GAUSS JORDAN: ADVANTAGES: 1. It is direct method. 2. The roots of the equation are found immediately without using back substitution. . It is reduced to equivalent identity matrix. The additional steps increase round off errors. 2. It requires right vectors to be known. GAUSS JACOBI METHOD: 1. It is iterative method. 2. The system of equations must be diagonally dominant. 3. It suits better for large numbers of unknowns 4. It is self correcting method. GAUSS SEIDEL METHOD: 1. It is iterative method. 2. The system of equations must be diagonally dominant. 3. It suits better for large numbers of unknowns 4. It is self correcting method. 5. The number of iterations is less than Jacobi method. Real life Applications Area of mathematics and computer science. Applications of algebra Geometry Calculus Variables which vary continuously. Problems(application areas) 1. Natural sciences 2. Social sciences 3. Engineering 4. Medicine 5. Business.(in financial industry) Tools of numerical analysis Most powerful tools of numerical analysis à  Computer graphics à  Symbolic mathematical computations à  Graphical user interfaces Numerical analysis is needed to solve engineering problems that lead to equations that cannot be solved analytically with simple formulas. Examples are solutions of large  systems  of algebraic equations, evaluation of integrals, and solution of differential equations. The finite element method is a numerical method that is in widespread use to solve partial differential equations in a variety of engineering fields including stress analysis, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and electro-magnetic fields. In hydro static pressure processing In high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing, food and biotechnological substances are compressed up to 1000 M Pa to achieve various pressure-induced conversions such as microbial and enzyme inactivations, phase transitions of proteins, and solid-liquid state transitions. From the point of view of thermodynamics, Heat transfer leads to space-time-dependent temperature fields that affect many pressure-induced conversions and produce undesired process non uniformities Effects related to HHP processing can be studied appropriately by use of numerical analysis because in situ measurement techniques are barely available, optical accessibility is hardly possible, and technical equipment is expensive. This reports on two examples, where numerical analysis is applied successfully and delivers substantial insights into the phenomenon of high-pressure processing. Calculation E.g TSP problem (traveling salesman problem) to travel no. of cities in such a way that the expenses on traveling are minimized. à   NP-complete problem. à   optimal solution we have to go through all possible routes à   numbers of routes increases exponential with the numbers of cities. Modern Applications and Computer Software Sophisticated numerical analysis software is being embedded in popular software packages e.g. spreadsheet programs. Buisness Applications:- Modern business makes much use of optimization methods in deciding how to allocate resources most efficiently. These include problems such as inventory control,scheduling, how best to locate manufacturing storage facilities, investment strategies,and others. In Financial Industry Quantitative analysts developing financial applications have specialized expertise in their area of analysis. Algorithms used for numerical analysis range from basic numerical functions to calculate interest income to advanced functions that offer specialized optimization and forecasting techniques. Sample Finance Applications Three common examples from the financial services industry that require numerical algorithms are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Portfolio selection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Option pricing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Risk management   In market Given the broad range of numerical tools available a financial services provider can develop targeted applications that address specific market needs. For example, quantitative analysts developing financial applications have specialized expertise in their area of analysis.

Knowledge and understanding of the term normative development

Knowledge and understanding of the term normative development The purpose of this writing is to demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of the term normative development. I will analyse Daniels (child I carried out my child study on) learning and development in relation to my knowledge and understanding of normative development by referring to the Early Years Framework Stage (EYFS) (Scottish Government, 2010). I will show evidence of my knowledge and understanding of two theorists, in which will relate in some way to Daniels learning and development. I will show how I supported and provided suitable learning opportunities for Daniel, by referring to all three visits. From this, I will evaluate and reflect on my ability to do this by using the Pre-Birth to Three Guidance (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010) and refer to my own experience and suggest some challenges for staff caring for babies in early childhood centres. Dryden et al. (2005) utters that every child is a unique individual and will develop at different times and in different ways throughout their life. Child development is holistic; a child cannot have cognitive development if they do not have language development. When a child develops, the development does not progress in one area and discontinues in another. (Doherty and Hughes, 2009) Normative development means stages of development that the majority of children of that specific age are expected to achieve. (Meggit, 2006). I will use the (EYFS) (Scottish Government, 2008) to illustrate Daniels (twenty four months old) stage in learning and development. The EYFS (Scottish Government, 2008) suggests that children aged between sixteen and twenty six months are expected to show signs of using one and two word utterances to express simple and more difficult messages. Daniel demonstrated this on all three visits, however was most evident on visit two when we went to the park. Daniel mainly used one word utterances, such as up, o (go), oggie (doggie), you. He endeavoured to use two word utterances on visit two and three when he said, the water and Nana you. I took pictures of toys and characters from his favourite programmes and put together a book to help support Daniels language development. Not only do children need to hear language being spoken to develop their language development but social interaction is needed also (Bruner, 1983 cited in Doherty and Hughes, 2008, p.311). A Language Acquisition Support System (LASS) (Bruner, 1983 cited in Doherty and Hughes, 2009, p.311) is a group of approaches used by parents/carers to further promote the development of language. This approach is where the adult speaks to the child at a more advanced level than the child is capable of creating on their own (Doherty and Hughes, 2009). On visit two, Daniel uses his hands to splash in the puddles and says to myself you. I used the scaffolding approach and responded by asking, Would you like me to use my hands to splash in the puddles with you? By using the scaffolding approach and asking Daniel if he would like me to join him, has helped me evaluate my practice by referring to one of the four key principles in the Pre-Birth to Three Guidance (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010) Res pect. I respected Daniels wishes about what he wanted to do; he made an informed decision by allowing me to accompany him in splashing in the puddles. (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010). Responsive care is another key principle and is defined as: building close relationships with children, being observant of them and meaningfully involved with them. (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010, p.23) I was tuned into Daniels wishes by observing him and reading his signals. By doing this, I noticed he was extremely engrossed with playing in the puddles. I went over and became involved in what he was doing by participating alongside him. Daniel then presented what most children of that age are expected to show between the ages of sixteen and twenty six months signs of looking for ways to get attention from others by pulling them into social interaction. (Scottish Government, 2008) Daniel also demonstrated he could use his growing physical abilities to make social interaction (Scottish Government, 2008) by using his hands and feet to splash in the puddles to obtain my attention. In accordance with the EYFS (2008) children aged between sixteen and twenty six months are expected to look to others for reactions which test what they know about themselves. (Scottish Government, 2008). This is clear on visit one when Daniel sat on his mothers knee, holding onto her hand, whilst he watched the television. John Bowlbys theory highlighted the significance of the attachment between children and their main guardian (Sayers, 2008). Daniel showed he had a strong attachment with his mother. Mary Ainsworth established the strange situation (Dryden et al. 2005, p. 78) where the baby and mother are in a room playing, the mother then leaves the room, leaving the stranger in the room with the baby. The majority of the time, this experiment resulted in the child being apprehensive and uneasy at their mothers disappearance. (Dryden et al. 2005). On visit one, Daniel showed signs of anxiousness when his mother left myself in the room with Daniel as she went to answer the door. Daniel also displayed on visits two and three that he can: Make choices that involve challenge, when adults ensure their safety (Scottish Government, 2008, p.31). I used Lev Vyostskys idea of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) (Pound, 2005, p.40) to support Daniels learning and development in this situation. The ZPD is the space between what a child can do by themselves and what they can do with the support of a person who is more skilful. (Pound, 2005). On visit two, Daniel indicated he wanted to go on the climbing frame by saying up. I assisted Daniel with his permission and ensured his safety by going up the climbing frame behind him. Visit three, Daniel also demonstrated this stage of development when he began to climb up the chute backwards at the swimming baths. I ensured Daniels safety by modelling how to go up chute the correct way and by holding his hand to climb the steps. I can relate my practice to the key principle Relationships in the Pre-Birth to Three Guidance (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010) as I strongly believe a connection was made between Daniel and I when I helped him climb up the climbing frame on visit two. Also, on visit three when I modelled and helped him climb the steps on the chute by holding his hand. A further key principle I can relate my practice to is Responsive care (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010) because I readily responded to what Daniel wanted to do, I believe Daniel began to trust myself and felt safe and secure when I assisted him. (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010) As previously mentioned, Daniel and his mother have a strong attachment. Daniel showed anxiousness when he was left in the room with myself on visit one when his mother went to answer the door. This could be a possible challenge for early childhood practitioners working with this age group as Daniel may take a while settling into nursery as his attachment with his mother is very strong. It is clear Daniel is still uncertain when being left alone with strangers myself on visit one. Other members of staff/adults may walk in and out of the room who Daniel do not know, which may result in him getting upset, which again could challenge practitioners. Consulting with Daniels mother, she informed me that Daniel has never attended play group but interacts well with Dion (Daniels mothers friends little girl). On visit one Dion came to visit Daniel and I observed how they interacted with one another. Before long, Daniel hit Dion because Dion wanted her wellington boot back. This may be a possible challenge for practitioners working with this age group as Daniel does not know at this stage how to play with other children because he has not had the experience. He also demonstrated aggressive behaviour towards Dion which may be a further challenge for practitioners. The adult to child ratio for under threes is one adult to five children. Daniel is an only child and thrives to gain adult attention. Daniels needs are responded to immediately by his family as he is an only child, it is certain from visit one if Daniel does not get what he wants he will cry. This may be a challenge for practitioners as each are responsible for five children and may find it difficult to respond to every childs needs. It has been said that parents are their childs main educator (Whalley, 2007) and is therefore extremely important to involve them in their childs learning and development (Ward, 2009). Throughout the child study, I involved Daniels mother through initial meetings to discuss Daniels interests, general information, his learning and development and what my next steps were in taking this further. Throughout the child study I respected and valued the information Daniels mother gave me in regards to Daniel. For children to develop successfully and reach their full potential, a strong positive relationship between parents, teachers and professional caregivers is essential (Hobart and Frankel, 2003, p.1) A relationship was built between Daniels mother and I as we both connected and came to agreements on suitable learning opportunities for Daniel. Trust was also created as Daniels mother allowed me to interact and devise appropriate learning opportunities for Daniels age and stage of development. (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010) In conclusion, References Doherty, J. Hughes, M. (2009) Child Development: Theory and Practice 0 -11 England: Pearson Education Limited Dryden, L. et al. (2005) Essential Early Years Abington: Hodder Arnold. Hobart, C. Frankel, R J. (2003). A Practical Guide to Working with Parents. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd. Pound, L. (2005) How Children Learn London: Step Forward Publishing Limited Learning and Teaching Scotland. (2010) Pre-Birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families: National Guidance. Glasgow: Learning and Teaching Scotland Scottish Government (2008) Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Nottingham: Scottish Government Ward, U. (2009) Working with Parents in Early Years Settings Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Whalley, M and the Pen Green Centre Team. (2007) Involving Parents in their Childrens Learning (2nd Edition) London: Paul Chapman Publishing

Uniforms In School :: essays research papers

Uniforms In School Uniforms should definitely be used in school systems. Everything about it makes sense. Not everyone is going to be happy about it at first, but they will slowly but surely adjust. Uniforms free students of the stress on what to wear in the morning. I usually have that problem, as well as my brother. Uniforms also relieve the tension, or "break the ice", when new students come in, since they will be wearing the same thing. This will benefit both the new student and the class as a whole. The uniforms will build a sense of unity within the school. Instead of everyone as a separate "team", everyone will be in the same "team". This will benefit the whole school. Uniforms free students of the stress on what to wear in the morning. Many students, including myself, stand in front of their closets and just stare, trying to decide on what kind of shirt to wear as well as what kind of pants or shorts. The uniforms will speed up the morning "getting-up" process, thus reducing tardiness in school that I know is a problem in my first period class. The enforcement of uniforms will relieve the tension between the new students and the students that are already there. The uniforms will expedite the process of making new friends for the new student since the uniforms will help the new student feel a sense of "belonging". This helps the majority of the school becoming friends with each other. This obviously helps the class and also the school as a whole, as there will be less fights and controversy between students. Uniforms will build a sense of unity within the school. The students will feel they are a part of one whole team charging toward their ultimate goal: graduation and college. The sense of unity will bring more fans and support for sports events and help the school financially.

Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Grays Elegy (Eulogy) Written in

Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Gray's Elegy (Eulogy) Written in a Country Churchyard By combining the formal and dialogical approaches, patterns and voices within the text seemingly interplay and overlap to reveal a deeper sense of the author's intentions. While the formalistic analysis focuses on the text and the unfolding themes within, the dialogical analysis recognizes "...the essential indeterminacy of meaning outside of the dialogic - and hence open - relationship between voices" (HCAL 349). When applied to "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," these two approaches collaborate to emphasize recurring concepts and establish a twisted sense of authority. Formal analysis identifies the initial elements of a work and determines their significance in relation to what remains. By selecting such a title as an "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the author is providing the reader with an indication for what will follow. Amazingly, the poem is exactly what the title states. It is an "elegy," expressing grief and lamentation for the humble unknown villagers who hav... Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Gray's Elegy (Eulogy) Written in Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Gray's Elegy (Eulogy) Written in a Country Churchyard By combining the formal and dialogical approaches, patterns and voices within the text seemingly interplay and overlap to reveal a deeper sense of the author's intentions. While the formalistic analysis focuses on the text and the unfolding themes within, the dialogical analysis recognizes "...the essential indeterminacy of meaning outside of the dialogic - and hence open - relationship between voices" (HCAL 349). When applied to "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," these two approaches collaborate to emphasize recurring concepts and establish a twisted sense of authority. Formal analysis identifies the initial elements of a work and determines their significance in relation to what remains. By selecting such a title as an "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the author is providing the reader with an indication for what will follow. Amazingly, the poem is exactly what the title states. It is an "elegy," expressing grief and lamentation for the humble unknown villagers who hav...

Study of Southwest Airlines Essay -- Business Management Studies SWOT

Study of Southwest Airlines 1. What three things impress you most about this company? One thing that really impressed me about Southwest was their ability to maintain high profits and maintain a high customer base even after the September 11 attacks and 2002 recession. Another impressive attribute is the fact that they can keep their prices very low and affordable to customers. The last thing that really impressed me about Southwest Airlines was their management system. Their motto that employees are equal to upper management seemed to me a risky approach, but for Southwest it was a very brilliant and profitable idea. 2. Do a SWOT analysis. (See Exhibit 1 for analysis) STRENGTH * Major profitable airline company since September 11, terror attack * Lower prices than competitors * Friendly service * Short air travel between two cities * Upside-down pyramid management system * Plenty of daily flights * Entertainment for passengers WEAKNESS * Only flies to 29 states * Cannot compete with larger airline companies * Does not utilize a hub system * No first class seating * Smaller seats compared to larger airline companies * Only uses Boeing 737 Airlines OPPORTUNITES * Slash Prices even more to eliminate competitors * Add first class compartment * Expansion into new geographic region * Add flights in areas where rivals were cutting back service * Expand airline fleet to fly longer distances * Add longer, non-stop flights THREATS * New entrants * Increased rivalry * FAA rules and regulations * Government Regulation * Land-based travel such as Amtrak and Greyhound * Other airline companies duplicating Southwest Airlines? strategy 3. What grade would you give Southwest management for the job it has done in crafting the company?s strategy? I would give Southwest management an A grade, for the reason that Southwest Airlines is described as an upside-down pyramid. The upper management is at the bottom and supports the front line employees, who are the experts. This is Herb Kelleher's unorthodox leadership style, in which management decisions are made by everyone in the organization, not just the head executives. The company is described as not having much of an emphasis on structure; instead, employees are encouraged to think freely without constrai... ...mselves and stress the quality of these frills (such as roomier seats). Others, through use of flight hubs, are the only ones who can economically serve remote customers. Another weakness of Southwest Airlines is its preference for Boeing 737s. Being limited to one type of airplane leaves them with little flexibility when the model receives a bad reputation or a critical flaw is discovered. Such would be a costly venture for this company, who has used only one type of airplane, and in the face of a dire situation would face a costly venture of finding replacements or counteracting bad publicity. A possible threat is that since Southwest Airlines' strategy has proven so effective, it will be duplicated by its competitors to a point where it would lose originality. This could result in competitors offering low rates to the areas covered by Southwest and beyond, making Southwest Airlines' range and limitations more obvious. It would be very possible in the near future where a big company, with its hubs (something Southwest does NOT have), would basically introduce Southwest Airlines' low-cost model to a wider market, encroaching and outdoing Southwest Airlines.

French and Indian War Essay

The French and Indian war has altered the relationship between Britain and its American colonies in many ways. The three main ways their relationship had been altered were politically, ideologically and economically. After the French and Indian War the British passed a series of laws and taxes that the colonist didn’t agree with. As a result of these laws and taxes being passed the colonist began to rebel against British rule. This rebellion would eventually lead to the Revolutionary War which would allow Americans to gain independence. Ideology is the combination of ideas that affects goals, actions or expectations. After the French and Indian war American ideology greatly changed. Before and during the war Britain had a lot of support from the American colonies. This is shown through document B as George Washington a typical colonist at the time was willing to support Britain in the war. As the war continued the ideals that the colonist lived by began to change. The colonist started to feel that Britain wasn’t doing enough to help them out. This is seen in document D, where colonist began to feel that they were â€Å"debarred [denied] English liberties† even though they were English citizens. This causes the British to begin to lose the support of the American colonist. Economics is the effects of money on a country. At this point in time the colonies were still under control of British rule and their money went mostly to the British government. During the war Britain went into debt and expected the colonist to repay the debt. Britain would make the colonist pay through taxes like the stamp act. The colonist strongly voiced their opinion on the stamp act even though they remained loyal to the British government, as seen in documents G and H. Although the colonists were against the taxes forced on them the British government continued to find different ways to raise taxes against them, as shown in document F. The French and Indian war was greatly influenced by political involvement. All of the groups involved felt they had rights to North American land. The first of these groups that felt that they should control the land were the Native Americans this is shown through document B as a native chief argued  the natives rights to the land. After the war the British had overwhelming control over North America as shown in document A. Even though the war was over there were still conflicts west of the Appalachian Mountains that led to the proclamation of 1763 which banned the colonist to settle on the land west of the Appalachian Mountains. The colonist did not support this they felt they deserved it after they helped defeat the French and Indians in the French and Indian war. This is shown in document E. During and after the French and Indian war ideological, political and economic views between the colonist and the British would greatly change. This change would eventually cause the colonist to rebel against British laws and taxes. The British would try to take control of the colonist and to make sure the colonist listened Britain passed the intolerable acts. This brought more anger among the colonist and would eventually lead to the revolutionary war only 12 years after the French and Indian war ended.

Reviving Mother Nature Essay

I can feel the cool breeze touching my skin as I sit on the big rock, mesmerized by the greenest mountains, my heart is somersaulting by the beauty of the calm water stretching through the river. The chirping of the birds, the soft hush of the grass as it sways with the wind. This beautiful scenery makes me feel happy, finding peace in nature as the sun sets in the horizon. But these are just my illusions, and my senses are persistent in drifting me back into reality. And what reality is that? It’s the reality that our Mother Earth is dying. We were born in this world completely provided with everything – food, air, water, natural resources and a beautiful nature that serves as our home. Our mother nature is like a cosy womb which provides us security, protection and nourishment. However, we never saw the real extent of how precious this planet is to us. We went out the world as a successful species but completely a failure as sons and daughters of Mother Earth. We people tend to destroy everything we have in nature. We are all after for our own comfort, not realizing the damage we cause to our Mother Nature. We always want to live an easy life, even if this means exploiting our resources. Global warming is the major concern that we are facing right now. The continued rise in the global temperature will lead us again to another resulting factor, the climate change. There have been a lot of question if what really causing the climate change. Skeptics are voicing out their opinions, saying that it’s just due to natural variability, that Mother Earth has its own agenda in warming the earth. But I would certainly disagree to that. There is stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is due to human activities. Ice cores taken from deep in ancient ice of Antarctica show that carbon dioxide levels are higher now than at any time in the past thousand years. This carbon dioxide plays the major role in warming the earth, thus creating climate change. We humans are the main contributing factor in the destruction of our environment. It has been reported that it is more than 90 percent likely that the accelerated warming is due to human contributions. Such contributions include increased levels of greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide in the air. One of the biggest ways we contribute greenhouse gasses is by burning fossil fuels. We use coal, oil, and natural gas to generate electricity, heat our homes, power our factories, and run our cars. Trees and other plants use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, planting more of them can save us from our damnation. But nobody seemed to care. We are all aiming for globalization and modernization, turning lush green forests into industrial sites, building factories that destroy the environment and killing many animals. We brilliantly invented new materials but took so long to realize that they would in the future become non-biodegradable trash that would accumulate in the environment, we throw our trash everywhere and most of all, we do not value wildlife. Along with our success as a species came the extinction of many animals thus wreaking havoc on ecological system. What we are unaware of is that all of our abuses to the environment would affect us largely in the long run. Now friends, can you still say that it’s just a natural variability or a devastated Mother Earth taking its revenge? Just recently, we experienced a heavy downfall. Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon had been flooded heavily, destroying properties and killing number of individuals. We can hear our fellowmen crying for help and save them from adversities. It has been forecasted that we will be experiencing another El Nino as the summer approaches. We will expect more of this ladies and gentlemen, with the climate change, floods and drought would be more severe and frequent. Change. This is the one we need to reverse all the consequences of our actions. Change in our attitude, personality, outlook and actions. This change should start within each of us. Be vigilant in what’s happening in our environment, take a stand and start caring and nursing our Mother Nature. It is the best time for us to plant more trees, stop illegal logging and other human activities that destroys our environment. Learn to sacrifice to lessen the use of fossil fuels and other chemicals that harm nature. I am aware that there is no way for us to totally eradicate activities that affect the environment to some extent because that would mean that the human civilization would have to move backwards and embrace its primitive ways. I understand that modernization comes side by side with human advancement and progress. What I just want is for everybody to realize that along with this progress also comes our responsibility to protect our environment. Start now, act now, it’s not too late for my illusions and of the next generation’s dream turn into reality.

Kodak vs. Fujifilm Essay

I began writing to show how business can quickly go out of business if the owners do not keep an eye on its public. Kodak failed to meet its customer’s needs, so the company could not keep up with demands. Have you ever gone shopping and found yourself searching for an item you have seen advertised in another store, only to be told that the item was out of stock or this store does not carry that product. This is what happens when supply does not keep up with demand. The company goes under, under the strain of their competitor’s reactiveness. Kodak needed to make changes sooner rather than later when their management made decisions that could help or hurt Kodak. Fuji constantly made changes and made the necessary changes to meet their customer’s needs. As a business owner being able to reach and understand each customer will help in sales so profits will rise. Many people continue to shop where products are cheap and convenient. Staying in business is knowing and meeting different people with different wants and needs and then helping them with finding an inexpensive means of finding them. That is the nature of business and a way to keep a customer satisfied. Building a relationship with customers is the most important aspect in business. If the business does not speak directly to its customer’s they will soon have a loss in customers. Management plays an important part in the structuring of a business if the manager is not being active in the search for new ideas. Therefore technics to improve the company that company will be lost. New  products must be advertised and sold in order to grow successfully. Ideas must be turned into products and problems concerning issues in a product must be changed into improvements for the customer. All these things must be completed to make sure there is a constant growth in business, so its sale s could be turned into capital to expand the business. Kodak vs. Fujifilm Growing up in a big family where parents loved taking pictures and capturing that special moment. Kodak and Fujifilm played an enormous role in many households around the world. When it comes to history and competition, management strategies play a key role in the way two competitive companies embrace innovation. Kodak and Fujifilm companies focus on both photography and imaging as their core businesses. Kodak had an upper hand by starting earlier than Fujifilm, 1888 compared to 1934 (Kodak and Fujifilm, 2012), Fujifilm adapted more to the market changes and currently still is a leading force in the film industry. Kodak was in bankruptcy protection since January 2012 under Chapter 11 with hopes to try to reconfigure its business strategies. Slow and comp lacey adaption dominated in Kodak Company’s while Fujifilm embraced diversified spirit in all aspects of the market relevance. Each company’s ethics and social approach clearly reflects their profitability to give back to the community. Production standards were maintained that satisfied all consumers. Possible changes of the decision-making process that would embrace flexibility and be the best way to ensure diversity and innovation in any organization. Describe the History and Core Business of Each Company Kodak Kodak was formally known as Eastman Kodak Company. The founder George Eastman (1888), patent and developed a technology that would change the way we see things in still life. Eastman launched the ease to photography, the first simple click camera, photography equipment, film, paper, and color chemicals. Kodak was making a profit by the 1990’s. (â€Å"Building the Foundation†, n.d.). Although Kodak developed the basic technology for the digital cameras in 1975, the idea was dropped due to the fear that it would threaten the film business (Williams, 2013). Kodak dropped the ball on what  would have been the biggest technology development in the film industry because they could not see the future without traditional film. Digital cameras are much faster and more efficient than the traditional film, so Kodak sales dropped considerably. Competition from other companies would eventually lead to Kodak’s loss of market shares in United States and worldwide. January of 2012, the company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and a year later, the court approved financing. Kodak, they sold patents to a group of companies: Apple, Microsoft, Google, and others. Fujifilm The Japanese company was founded in 1934 (Fujifilm, n. d.). They focused on photography and imaging. The company soon ruled the Japanese market, which was ranked second after the United States in film usage (Fujifilm, n. d.). Eventually, the company entered the global and American market with a bold move, using aggressive marketing and low prices (Fujifilm, n. d.). The turning point of the Fujifilm’s success in this venture was marked by the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (Fujifilm, n. d.), when they became the official film of the event. This placed Fujifilm on the market permanently, and the company started taking over Kodak’s market share by offering equal quality products for a cheaper price (Fujifilm, n. d.). As Fujifilm prepared for the fast changing needs in the market, it widened its business scope to digital cameras, printers, photocopiers, and optical devices (Fujifilm, n. d.). It also tapped into the health sector, producing medical equipment that includes X-ray i maging and chemicals (Fujifilm, n. d.). Compare and Contrast the Approach to Management That Each Company has Pursued in Order to Embrace Innovation. Kodak’s failure to embrace innovation in a timely fashion could be blamed on its management’s approach. They seemed to â€Å"rule† from behind the desk from their Rochester headquarters, which made them ignorant about the coming changes in technology and customers’ needs, and how it would affect them. Even when they were advised that the move to digital technology was necessary, management still refused to take action. In fact, avoiding revolutionizing the technology they originally created is the main reason behind Kodak’s current troubles and loss of share in the market (Williams, 2013). Although they created the first ever digital camera back in 1975, top-level management rejected the idea in fear of losing its core business  in film. Looking back, this seems to be the turning point in the company’s fortune (Mui, 2012). The predicted change to digital technology 20 years later was seen as the far future, and as the company enjoyed success, leadership did not see a reason for change. In recent years, however, Kodak tried to change its management strategy in embracing innovation. They shifted to delocalize research and collect data, in order to gather more information about consumer preferences. They also diversified top-level management to ensure best skill input in each field, and implemented a more democratic management style that listens to staff suggestions and ideas (Williams, 2013). Fuji, on the other hand, took a different approach from the beginning; while they were successful in the film business, they prepared for the switch to digital technology and developed new business lines. Initially, they started off as a photography and imaging company, then diversified into different other products such as digital cameras, cosmetology, and medical equipment. This enabled Fujifilm to achieve profits depending on the preferences of their various customer bases. After its successful dominance in the Japanese market, Fujifilm realized the potential in venturing into the global market. The 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles marked the breakthrough point in this venture, when Fujifilm became the official film of the event. This provided the company the opportunity to get a growing portion of Kodak’s market share (Schum, 2012). A joint venture with the UK based Xerox (Fuji Xerox) helped establish further global production and sales. Their consolidated funds equipped both companies with capability for innovation, research & development, and investments. Determine what other management differences have impacted the relative success of Kodak and Fujifilm. Provide specific examples to support your response. Opposing to change by management was a major cause for the failure of Kodak. Even though they dropped the ball on the digital technology, Kodak got the credit for the digital invention. They felt their initial plans and strategy worked so well that change was not needed. The management team believed that its core strength was in the brand and marketing that they coul d just partner up with or buy into a new industry such as drug or chemicals. But without in-house guidance, Kodak lacked the ability to integrate the companies it had purchased and to negotiate profitable partnerships (Schum, 2012). Unlike Kodak, Fujifilm implemented its goals and ideas, and the company’s quick  reaction to change was an advantage over Kodak. The success of Fujifilm can be mainly associated with Management’s flexibility to be innovative and venture into new technology, which has put the company at the top of the photographic industry since its founding in 1934 (K.N.C., 2012). When Fuji realized that digital photography would be the way of the future, the company went through some changes to get away from the same type of marketing that Kodak was stuck on. Fuji still went through a number of years of losing profit because of making film manufacturing and sales its main business, but eventually Top Management had to implement new strategies. Evaluate each Company’s approach to Ethics and Social Responsibilities and the impact those approaches have had on each company’s profitability. In 2004, Kodak was ranked 58th out of the top 100 companies surveyed for the listing of, â€Å"Best Corporate Citizens†. This acknowledgement was given by Business Ethics Magazine, and according to the article, Kodak had been in the running for 5 years (Business ethics names, 2004). Some of the areas that Kodak was recognized for were for the company’s anti-discrimination policies, and its fair treatment of women and minorities (Business ethics names, 2004). From a social responsibility standpoint, Kodak contributes to, and supports a number of community organizations such as, the United Way, museums, cultural facilities, and performing arts organizations (Community affairs, 2013). The only aspect of poor social responsibility that I can apply to Kodak would be from the years of poor management decisions and a waste of money on a division of the company. Kodak did not prepare for the future, and ended up having to file bankruptcy, which stained the company’s image. Hopefully, Kodak management has learned from the mistakes of the past and be a respected brand. Kodak is committed to environmental, ethical, and social responsible operations that include maintaining safe work environment and providing quality products. Kodak’s single-use recycling programs help to avoid waste while saving resources and reducing cost of reusing the recycled material. All in effort to promote Kodak’s images as a trustworthy and thorough company. Fujifilm is obligated to ethics and social responsibility as well. The company’s mini-lab network provided them with benefits of international economic scales for both manufacturing and marketing operations (Tsurumi & Tsurum.,  1999). For example, Fujifilm’s cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales continued to decline from 1980’s to 1990’s, although it had to a bsorb repeated cost of imported silver materials. Fujifilm spent ten times more for advertisement than Kodak did in Japan (Japan Market Research, 1995). This ensures that these measures and values are integrated in all company procedures. They also implemented a transparency policy to keep the government and customers aware of its business activities. Discuss the extent to Which Management of both Companies adapted to changing Market conditions. From what I have researched and wrote about, Kodak stood firm in their traditions and was confident in their brand and marketing strategies. Kodak management had great inability to adapt to the changing marketing conditions when the signs were there for the future. That inability led them straight to bankruptcy (Schumpeter, 2012). Currently, the company is trying to reconstruct its strategies with a main focus on commercial printing. Fujifilm, on the other hand realized that major changes were necessary the coming of the new photographic film. Management made the appropriate moves to prepare for the future marketing conditions. They ability paid off. Fujifilm management team displayed the true value of innovation, strategy, and execution compared to Kodak management team. There diverse in-house expertise insured a smooth transformation (Schumpeter, 2012). Recommend three (3) ways any company should build in flexibility to back up its decision-making process in order to adapt to changing market conditions. An open mind: Management should have upward communication in its companies marketing strategy and decision making process. The lower-level management team gives the upper-level management team positive or negative feedback on the operation issues, problems, and performance of a company in order for all operations to run correctly and smoothly. Broad minded employees are open to new ideals and will be a great asset to the growth of any company or business. Global Expansion to Long Term-Planning: Designing their products according to the global market changes. Making comments to increase the products and services by constantly assessing and improving the processes used to create those products. By doing so, the company could expand in marketing faster, reliable, and satisfactory products in services to make customers return. Teamwork: Managers and non-managers collaborating with business owners, suppliers, employees, and customers working together to make improvements and solve problems in a company. Combining different skills and allowing employees to work together as a team to get a Clients order completed. References Bloomberg, (1998). Kodak-Fuji in U.S expected to heat up, New York. www.articleslatimes.com/1998/feb/16/busines/fuji.bloombergnews Fujifilm. (n.d). Fujifilm Global. Retrieved from http://www.fujifilm.com/ Kodak. (n.d). Building the Foundation. Kodak. Retrieved from http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Our_Company/History_of_Kodak/Building_the_Found ation.htm Mui, C. (18 January, 2012). How Kodak Failed. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/chunkamui/2012/01/18/how-kodak-failed Schumpeter,(2012). How Fuji film survived, www.economist.com/blogs/Schumpeter/2012/how- Fujifilm survived William, C (2012). Management: MGMT5. (5th ed.). Mason, OH) South-Western Cengage Learning Ziemba,S.(1996) articles about Fuji- chigogotribune.www.articles.chicogotribune.com/keyword/Fuji

Marketing Analysis of Li-Ning

LI-NING limited company was found in 1980. At the beginning of its establishment, it cooperated with Olympic team of China to push the development of sports goods. At the same time, LI-NING spared no effort to sponsor all kinds of matches. In 1995, it became the leading sports brand of China. Through exploration over 20 years, it gradually becomes a famous international sports brand representing China. In this report, it makes a marketing plan for the next three years according to detailed analyse of internal and external environment of LI-NING, which is based on the model of Benchmarking, Product Lifecycle and PESTEL. At the same time, it finds the key issues of LI-NING facing through news. Afterwards, according to the key issues, build the feasible objectives. And then it detailed recommend target market segment, positioning and marketing mix and critical factors for LI-NING limited company. Introduction Li-Ning Company Limited is one of the leading sports brand enterprises in the PRC, possessing brand marketing, research and development, design, manufacturing, distribution and retail capabilities. In addition, the mission of the company is that through sports to inspire people the desire and power to make breakthroughs. The vision is to be a world’s leading brand in the sports goods industry. At the same time, Breakthrough is the core values of LI-NING (LI-NING, 2010). There are a great number of products in LI-NING. However, Shoes of LI-NING is the aim of research in the report. Audit and analysis A marketing audit is a comprehensive systematic, periodic evaluation of a company’s marketing capabilities. The audit examines the goals, policies, and strategies of the marketing function. Marketing audits are performed on a regular basis by an unbiased, independent company and are used to improve a company’s overall marketing performance or to establish new marketing plans. An effective audit include these six points, they are marketing environment audit; marketing strategy audit; marketing organisation audit; marketing systems audit; marketing productivity audit and the marketing functions audit. (Kotler, et al, 2009) Audit is divided into two parts to analyse including internal and external analysis. Firstly, internal analysis onsists of two important points: the performance and determinates of strategic options. And two models will be adopted to make internal analysis, which are benchmarking process and product life cycle. In the performance, it is financial and marketing measures of past and current performance. Benchmarking process Researching and looking for the best practices in leading companies, it could compare with own enterprise, so that improving t o catch up the leading enterprise to enter and create a virtuous cycle of good performance. The key is learning from the best enterprise in the industry. In addition, through the study, the firm could rethink and improve the practices of business management, and then it could create their own best practice. Benchmarking focuses on practical experience and emphasis on specific links, interfaces and processes. (Kotler, et al, 2009) LI-NING regards NIKE and ADIDAS as its main competitors. At the same time, LI-NING is the leading sports brand in PRC. Actually, the product of LI-NING has advantage in the respect of sale, source and price. If it keeps remaining the advantage, it will have a good market share. If it loses the price advantage, although the advantage of brand and development of products still exist, the market share of LI-NING shoes will be decrease. At present, the main gap between LI-NING shoes and NIKE shoes is brand value. As for LI-NING, it is important to improve the value of shoes brand, so that it has the chance to increase market share, even catch up with NIKE and ADIDAS. Advantages and disadvantages of benchmarking Benchmarking is an effective management tool because it overcomes ‘paradigm blindness’. It gives firms a new method, idea and tool to improve their effectiveness. The major limitation is that it remains inadequateness to measure the whole effectiveness of such metrics. Product life cycle The product life cycle is defined as the period that starting with initial product design, such as research and development, and ending with the withdrawal of the products from the marketplace. It is a series of stages, including introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. This sequence is known as the product life cycle and is associated with changes in the marketing situation, thus impacting the marketing strategy and the marketing mix. LI-NING shoes are currently in the growth stage. On the one hand, LI-NING always wants to catch up with the sales of NIKE shoes in china. LI-NING continually research and develop new technologic shoes for young people interested in sport. At the moment, the demand of their new technological shoes is increasing. On the other hand, LI-NING is well known for providing sports products in china and lots of people like to purchase their shoes. Advantages of disadvantages of Product Life cycle Product Life cycle is an applicable method for the internal analysis. It is convenient for marketing manager to apply different marketing mix strategy based on the different stages. In addition, it is easy to observe due to the two variables, which are time and sales. There are 3 key points to describe the limitation of product life cycle. Firstly, there are no clear classification criteria of starting and ending point. Secondly, not all of product cycle curve is standard s-type; also there are many special product life cycle curves. Thirdly, the decline of product does not mean that it cannot regenerate. If it improved through appropriate ways, it could recreate a new product life cycle. External analysis It is determinants of strategic options refer to past and current strategies, strategic problems, organisational capabilities and constraints, financial resources and constraints, strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, micro environment and macro environment are the key factors to analyse. Customers and competitors usually are considered as the micro environment factors. Any company cannot serve every customer in markets, only through effective market segmentation and then choose their own target market, so that companies can get market shares. Based on a few of professional marketing research, the customer of LI-NING shoes actually is higher than their excepted. The core customer is 14- 45. However, as for sports industry, the ideal age should be young people from 14-25 years old. However, because of the influence force of brand, budget of spread, market position and price strategy, the enterprise of sports products often focus on the second and third city. However, in the primary city, they cannot catch up with the international enterprise. So, LI-NING counts NIKE and ADIDAS as its main competitors. In the new competition time, LI-NING developed hi-technology and youthful products to compete with NIKE and ADIDAS. For instance, LI-NING developed the new technology called ‘gong’ as if the some shoes of NIKE put air in shoes, which is used in shoes to improve the bounce of people. PESTEL PESTEL is the main method to analyze the macro-environment, consisting of political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal. Political Johnson (2008) indicates that political is about business activities of organisation and the potential impact by political power, relevant policies laws and regulation. As for LI-NING, there is a stable political environment, and the main market in domestic which is supported by nation. On the other aspect, the policy will not change rules for controlling the organisation or collecting more tax, this helps LI-NING to compete with mighty foreign sports brand to occupy the market share of nation. Economic Johnson (2008) suggest that it is the economic structure of external organisation, industry distribution, resources situation, the level of economic development and the trend of economy in the future. China's increasing quickly economy is obviously known by people in the whole world. In 2010, the GDP is ?3405. 07 billion, which increased by 9. 1%. Based on the exchange rate of the end of year 2010, it is approximate 4986. 8 billion dollar which is rank of number three in the world. Therefore, the level of customer purchasing capacity enhance continually. Social Johnson (2008) suggests that it is about cultural change, expectations, demographics and family change. For the company of LI-NING, firstly, the language barrier does not seem an actual problem for foreign products in market. Secondly, because of the increase continually GDP of PRC, customer have consumption capacity to purchase ideal shoes. Technology Johnson (2008) indicate that technology include new technology of product, new design, new material, development trend and application prospects. As for LI-NING, the first is that the technology can reduce the cost of products and services, and increase the quality. Secondly, the improved technology can make it more convenient for customers to purchase products. For instance, customer can purchase product and pay money through internet bank. Thirdly, changing the way of sale by improving technology, LI-NING can sell shoes in network shop. Finally, technology improves a new way for LI-NING to communicate with customers. For example, customer can communicate with the company on the internet. Environment Johnson (2008) indicates that it is about an activities, product or services of organisation that can interact with the environment factors. As for LI-NING, it is the most famous brand in sports industry in PRC. However, it has a big gap to the world famous brand. Regarding as the leading enterprise in China, it has some influences on the other sports firms. On the other aspect, to produce LI-NING shoes is not dangerous for environment and it can be cyclic utilization. Legal Johnson (2008) indicates that it is the laws, regulations and judicial status of external organisation and the legal awareness of integrated system consisting of citizens. As for LI-NING, it has registered trade mark. Also it is not against law for the organisation to produce or to sell shoes. Advantages and disadvantages of PESTEL PESTLE can effectively analyse the macro-environment of LI-NING. As for the disadvantages of PESTEL, there is a rapid change in society and the effect of analysis will not last for a long time. In addition, PESTEL only refers to the external environment and sometime it needs to be considered in connect with other factors such as the organisation itself, competitors and the industry that it is operating. Key issues There are 5 key issues faced by LI-NING are below: 1) American marketing research organization, sporting goods intelligent (SGI), the beginning of January 2008 had shown the rank of market value for the whole world sporting goods companies. LI-NING beyond the Asics of Japan in the comprehensive world sporting goods companies. Arranging after NIKE, ADIDAS and PUMA, it is number four. The market value of NIKE is 32. 039 billion dollar, ADIDAS is 15. 364 billion dollar, puma is 6. 4 billion dollar and LI-NING is 3. 86 billion dollar. However, there is a big distance to catch up NIKE and ADIDAS. (bin 2008) 2) There is a wide gap between LI-NING and NIKE or ADIDAS. The days of sales of inventory of NIKE are 84 days, and ADIDAS is 64 days, but LI-NING is 161 days. It means the inventory of LI-NING occupied a large capital, which influence the cash flow and Return on Capital Employed. (song 2010) 3) The shoes of LI-NING are not professional in the aspect of sports shoes as NIKE and ADIDAS. The professional shoes of LI-NING remain keeping the level of the protection for athletes in competition. (song 2010) 4) Compared with the advertisement star of NIKE and ADIDAS, the spreading strategy of LI-NING cannot attract the eyes of customer. Because of the lack of super star, the popularity of LI-NING is lower than the other two competitors. ) Both of the two companies NIKE and ADIDAS have developed over 40 years, and the popularity of shoes is considerable bigger than shoes of LI-NING. Therefore, LI-NING could lost a number of customer who is aim to purchase the famous brand shoes. (CTEI 2009) Objectives The objective is the starting point of the marketing plan. The objectives can find after analysis the environment of market. In addition, the objecti ves should use SMART criteria. The SMART criteria are consisted of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. Specific means that the objective should state exactly what is to be obtained. For example, it might set an objective of getting ten hundreds new customers. Measurable means that an objective should be capable of measurement, so that it can be determined whether it has been obtained. Achievable means that the objectives should be realistic given circumstances in which it is set and the resources available to the business. Relevant means that objective should be relevant to the people responsible for achieving them. Time bound means that objectives should be set a deadline. To set up marketing objectives, there are two parts of objectives including marketing and financial. Doyle (2006) indicates that in the marketing goals that the marketing plan should have a clear sales goal. The primary market objectives are sales and share. In the financial goals, profits, return on investment and cash flow should be the primary financial objectives. For the LI-NING limited company, there are six objectives. Financial objectives: 1) Earn an annual rate of return on investment of 20% during the next three years after taxes. Compared with the data of year 2009, it should increase a little from 18% in 2009 to 20% during the next three years. 2) Achieve average net profits of ?23. million in China over the next three years period. Because the profits in 2009 is ?15. 6 million and the new series of professional sports shoes for target customers will coming in China market, and then the net profits will increase 50% at ?23. 4 million in the next year. 3) Achieve average cash flow of ?37. 9 million in China over the next three years period. Because of there will be a good sales in future, the inventory will reduce. Therefore, the cash flow will increase 40% to ?37. 9 million. Marketing objectives: 1) Increase the market share from 17% to 20% or 22% in china during the next three years. Due to the arrival of new sports series, it will attract a number of attentions from young person. Therefore, the market share will increase 3% to 5%. 2) Increase customer awareness of the professional sports shoes of LI-NING brand from 15% to 30% over the next three years period. The information of professional sports shoes could deliver to young customers interested in through all kinds of advertisement. Therefore, it will attract a large number of customers’ attention. Target market segments Market segmentation Before deciding the target market segment, it should make market segmentation. Doyle (2006) indicates that a market is divided into different homogeneous groups of consumers. They have different benefits wants, the amount they are able or willing to pay, the media they see and the quantities they buy. A market segment is a customer group with one or more characteristics that cause them to demand similar product. In most markets the need of for segmented offering is obvious because a single product will not meet all the customers. Segmentation has two variable types: needs and profilers. Customer needs are the basic criteria for segmentation of market. As for profilers, these are descriptive, measurable customer characteristics such as geographic location, nationality, age and income. Doyle (2006) states that ‘consumer and industrial markets generally differ in their sets of need and profiler variables’. Commonly, consumer market segmentation is divided by four main parts, Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic and Behavioural. Organisational market segmentation could consist of seven parts. They are industry of end user, organisational type, size of organisation, geographic location, application, usage and purchasing organisation. In addition, the strategy of choosing target market segment is important, and it has three ways to choose. 1) Undifferentiated marketing It means that enterprise regard the whole market as own target market. Stern (2006) indicates that enterprise ignores actual or potential differences among segments, and targets one offer to the whole market. 2) Differentiated marketing The strategy of differentiated marketing is divided the whole market into a number of different market. According to the different market, it develops different product considers the different marketing strategy to meet the needs of different customer. ) Focused marketing Stern (2006) indicates that firm does not aim to compete in the majority of the market, but rather specialises in one segment, or a small parts of segments. Therefore, the firm can exert the advantage in the minority market and improve the occupancy of market. Choosing target market segment However, the most important point is to choose target marke t segments. There are five factors govern the attractiveness of the segment, including segment size, segment growth, profitability of the segment, current and potential competition and capabilities of the business. LI-NING is a leading sports brand enterprises in the PRC, and their shoes product should have a right direction. There are three key points to describe the target market of LI-NING, including brand positioning, target market and target customer group. The selection of LI-NING target market: Brand positioning: young, fashion and professional sports shoes. The reason is that the market consumption capacity of young people has enhanced and people have the tendency to buy high-end products. Target market: relatively quite wealthy city. The reason is that LI-NING as a leading brand of sports industry is quite expensive for low income group. Because of LI-NING is aim to produce good quality and functional shoes, the cost could higher than normal shoes. Therefore, it is suitable for relatively quite wealthy city to purchase. Target customer group: 14-35 years old, athlete, young person, people who love sports. And the most of middle-end market and the less of high-end and low-end market and The reason is that the shoes of LI-NING are quite suitable for young person and athlete. Additionally, it has the function to protect foot when people putted on shoes. On the other respect, according to produce some high quality to improve the image of product, for instances the product suitable to play golf. On the other hand, to produce the low-end product, it is aim to reduce the interference from the other low-end brand. However, the core market is the middle-end market. In the market, it can follow the original brand, which is aim at ages around 24 to 35 years old that they have quite good income and consumption capacity, and also they are the main customers of LI-NING. Market positioning To make a market positioning, it should choose a strategy to position it and apply a suitable tool to analyse. Firstly, market positioning has been shown how a business can offer superior value by strategies that add value or reduce costs. Marketing positioning also called product positioning, which is according to the position of the existing product of competitors in the market segment to create a new product which is different with competitors’ to give customer different feeling, so that the product possess the capacity to compete. Doyle and Stern, 2006) On the other hand, before making market positioning, it should analyse the situation of market, and then to choose an appropriate tool to find the answer of market positioning. There are two tools to analyse it, including perceptual mapping and the pane mapping. Compared with pane mapping, the perceptual mapping is quite usual in normal analysis. It is a visualization statement of customer for products or brand perception and preference. The aim is to attempt to deliver the view of customer or potential customer using a clear and visual map. The chart has shown the information about LI-NING, NIKE and PUMA. Both of NIKE and PUMA have high quality. And then, the shoes of LI-NING have the gap to them in the quality. On the other hand, compared with NIKE and PUMA, LI-NING has the advantage of price. LI-NING can apply the price advantage to expand stores in the most of city, so that people who have low income and cannot afford to buy the product of NIKE and PUMA could purchase the shoes of LI-NING which is also a famous sports brand in the world. In addition, according to a new positioning in market, LI-NING has another advantage, which is possessed the approximate function and fashion design to attract more customers of young person. Meanwhile, to choose an appropriate strategy to position product, it is possible to beat competitors. Therefore, the strategy of market positioning is a kind of strategy of competition, which means that according to the characteristic of product and the awareness of customer for product determine the competition relationship between own product and competitors’. There are three ways for enterprises to position market. * Avoiding powerful enterprises positioning It means that avoiding powerful enterprises to find a place which is belong to self. The advantage is avoiding the directly competition with powerful firm, and build an own image in customer’s mind. Because of the way of position has a quite low risk, and has a high success rate. Usually, it is adopt by the most firms. * Competitive positioning The aim of the way is to compete with powerful competitors, so that it can achieve a great market advantage once beat powerful competitors. However, there is high risk for firm. * Repositioning It is to change characterise of product, and then changed the image in customers’ mind. The aim is for target customer having a new understanding for the new image of product. Wilson and Gilligan 2005) LI-NING should adopt the way of repositioning. The reason is that from 2006 to 2007, LI-NING has researched the main customer group, and it has big gap between actual customer group and target customer group. The age of actual customer group is around 35 to 40, so that a number of young person feel that LI-NING is inferior t o international brands on the cool and fashion. It is unsustainable for LI-NING in the future. To catch up the new objectives which love and focus by a great number of young person, LI-NING should adopt the way to change the old image in customer’s mind. At the same time, according to change the technology and design of shoes, it is possible loved by more and more young person. Marketing mix Marketing mix is the sort of marketing decisions, which management makes to apply its positioning strategy and reach its objectives. There are four parts in marketing mix including product, price, promotion, and place. Product decisions include product variety, product performance, product features, product design, packaging, sizes and brand name. Price consists of discounts, allowances, geographical pricing, payment terms and credit terms. As for promotion, it includes sales force, public relations, customer promotion, advertising, trade promotion and direct marketing. Place refer to distribution selection, density of distribution and dealer support. (Doyle ;Stern, 2006) Product As for LI-NING, it is facing a strong challenge from NIKE and ADIDAS in the future. To keep the shoes of specialization, technological innovation is the key point. LI-NING should keep researching and developing the shoes which is good for young person more professional and fashion. The price should suits the level of young person and lowers than NIKE and ADIDAS, so that a number of customers choose the shoes of LI-NING. According to the value principal, even though the price of LI-NING shoes is lower than the other competitors such as NIKE and ADIDAS, the degree of satisfaction and comfort is quite high. Promotion There are three key points. Firstly, to find the suitable sports match to sponsor, it attracts a large number of attentions for LI-NING shoes. Secondly, it should make an accurate advertisement positioning. ‘Make the change’ is the slogan of LI-NING. The aim is to give customers an impression that they could change everything when they putted on shoes of LI-NING. Finally, it should choose a suitable media to spread advertisement such as TV, newspaper, internet and broadcast. Place The place should distribute with two methods including traditional and new distribution. In traditional distribution LI-NING has its own stores where consumers could purchase it. Also LI-NING could use intermediaries to sell its shoes. On the other hand, in the new distribution it could sell shoes on the internet through the online store. Critical factors Critical factors refer to the detailed implement and control of marketing plan for companies. It helps companies to achieve expected objectives. Firstly, marketing implementation is a strategy, which means that it is the process from marketing plan to action and task. Also, it make sure the task is been completed. For the other point, marketing control is a working system to make sure firms run according to expected objectives. (Kotler, 2000) As for LI-NING, there are five critical factors in the implement and control of marketing plan. ) The strength and direction of advertisement. Advertisement is a method of promotion. Efficient implementation of advertisement can increase the popularity of LI-NING shoes, and then a large number of customers will concentrate on it. 2) The quantity and quality of raw materials. Possessing enough raw materials can help the firm to produce enough shoes to meet the needs of customers. Additionally, because of high quality of raw mater ials, LI-NING can produce the high quality shoes. 3) The depth of researching and developing technology. Technology is a key point for LI-NING to positioning. Developing the professional sports shoes through deeply researching on technology can help LI-NING to reach objectives smoothly. 4) The grasp of the professional sports technology knowledge for dealers and salesmen. It increases the impression of LI-NING for customer. Because dealers and salesmen can detailed describe the functions of shoes to increase the impression of LI-NING shoes which is the product of high technology. 5) The monitoring level of manager. For instance, in the process of marketing implementation, the effective monitoring on each step from manager can help LI-NING to immediately find the existing problems and solve them. Recommendation The shoes of LI-NING are in the growth stage of the Product Lifecycle, there are many methods can keep it increasing. A few suggestions mentioned below to help LI-NING. 1)The direction of advertisement should aim at target customer group. Since the customers between 15 and 29 years old are quite like watching basketball and football matches in china, LI-NING should sponsor these matches to attract the attention of young customers. 2)The LI-NING shoes are the marketing leader in the sports brand in china. Therefore, it should try and introduce new series products to take more market share. The brand loyal customers will also buy the new series products to try. 3)LI-NING should offer a sale of bundle on selling shoes. For instance, on the purchase of a pair of shoes, the price of accessory such as stocks and shoelace is discounted or is a presentation. 4)Product differentiation of LI-NING shoes is a key factor. The LI-NING shoes have different series for different situation to wear. Therefore, it should to describe the different shoes on advertisement, websites, and retailer, helping customers to choose the right one for them. )As for the shoes of ultralight series, it is positioned as racing shoes. However, there is a same type product existing called marathon. Therefore, it is better to change the ultralight to the kind of performance training that could be a new product and will be concerned. 6) Allow customers to try shoes is another way for LI-NING to effectively sell shoes. When new shoes arrival in store, it should allow customers to try the shoes within 60 days. If they not satisfy the shoes, customers can send back their shoes. 7)Enhance training salesmen. They should improve politeness and professional knowledge to communicate with customers better. Conclusion. In a word, this report adopts relevant models to analyse the internal environment and external environment of LI-NING. It finds the key issues through news. Based on the analysis of key issues, the feasible objectives are drawn up for the company. In addition, the marketing management action suggests are given to reach the objectives. The marketing management action includes target market segment, positioning and marketing mix and critical factors in implementation and control. Finally, there are some recommendations given to LI-NING shoes. ;