Saturday, August 31, 2019

Old Town Embark in Australia Essay

1.0 Introduction of business in Malaysia Old Town White Coffee business is chosen for implementing its subsidiaries in other country through globalization. The store itself as a restaurant selling food and beverages are focused, but not their products of instant coffee (although the product will be sold in Australia in the store too, but the store is what we should focus on). Old Town White Coffee is established and incorporated in 1999 but opened its first chain of outlets in 2005. The business is always in leading position after its success and in 2012 it is still proudly the biggest â€Å"kopitiam† restaurant in Malaysia (Old Town, 2013). â€Å"Kopitiam† can be defiend as a coffee shop which the word kopi is a Malay word that has the meaning of coffee while the word tiam is the Hokkien dialect word for a shop. The outlets of Old Town White Coffee are based on the traditional Ipoh coffee shop setting. The business expanded rapidly in the years and its outlets are available in nationwide Malaysia including all the states. Each state has lots of outlet and mainly the most of them is Penang, followed by Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. Later it expands to the stores in both Singapore and Indonesia. In 2009, there are around 1348 over retail outlets available in Malaysia, 550 in Singapore and 2100 in Hong Kong (Old Town, 2013). Old Town White Coffee operates mainly in selling coffee such as Nayang Kopi O and Nayang Kopi C and most importantly its signature drinks Ipoh White Coffee, but the business is also available in other beverages that are common in Malaysia such as Old Town White Milk Tea, Old Town Cham and Old Town Enriched Chocolate. Other than the beverages, there are some classic dishes like Old Town Nasi Lemak Special, Mee Java, Old Town Mee Hoon, Dry Curry Mee, Old Town Assam Laksa, Old Town Lum Mee, Old Town Ipoh Chicken Hor Fun and etc (Old Town, 2013). There are some local favorites and sweet delight such as Kaya and Butter toast and Old Town Signature Ice Cream. These food and beverages are all local food and beverages that are popular among the Malaysians. Old Town White Coffee can be said as successful as it grow from a small business to a large corporation nowadays, and it is well known in Malaysia. Since the market in Malaysia is matured it should have try to expand its business in the other countries and it is proved in both Singapore and Indonesia by its revenue and time they survived. Old Town White Coffee is well prepared to access to the world through globalization and try to dominate the market available to them. 2.0 PESTLE factors of country selected Pestle factors is a framework of macro-environmental factors which to be used in strategic management environmental scanning component. Political factor, economic factor, social factor, technological factor, environmental factor is included in Pestle (Byars, 1991). 2.1 Political factor The factor includes understanding about the political system, and some key figures that are relevant to government indicators and the business in the country (Jan, 2002). Trading policies in Australia with its neighbor countries is good and in favorable condition. Pressure groups in Australia will let new business to consider and practice Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics. Australia political environment can be consider as sound as it does not involve in any form of war inside or outside the country. Besides, the government of Australia is work in the policy that encourage international businesses to invest in. Political environment in Australia is sound, as there are voting elections held in every 3 years (Australia profile, 2007). However when new government is formed there might be revising the regulations of business. 2.2 Economic factor The factor provides understanding about the economic story of the country that gives significant macro-economic issues a balanced assessment (Jan, 2002). In Australia the economy is facing a recession, with 2-3% inflation rate and approximately 6% unemployment rate. Sales tax, progressive income tax, corporate tax rate and etc are implied on Australia. It is very competitive for the corporate tax rate in Australia comparing to some major economies. The climate in Australia is pleasant and favorable for businesses. Other than that, Australia trade focused more in Asia and some pacific countries. The interest rate in Australia is approximately 3% and is favorable for investors as the business can be finance in a lower cost. 2.3 Social factor The factor deals with customer demographics involves income distribution, healthcare, educational scenario, rural-urban segmentation and centers of affluence (Jan, 2002). The media in Australia has a great impact on the people’s life.99% of the population in Australia is educated. Quality goods are more favorable among them as they are all highly educated. Religious are pretty diversified in Australia and there is a small percentage of them do not take beef, and small percentage of them is vegetarians. Other than that there is also Muslim that does not take pork. Furthermore, the Australian has high buying power which is good for trading over there (Australia profile, 2007). 2.4 Technological factor The factor enables understanding of strategic information on technological laws and policies, patents, technology and telecom, technological gaps and opportunity sectors in the country (Jan, 2002). There is a number exceeding $30 million of current value of intellectual property in Australia (Australia profile, 2007). The transportation infrastructure of Australia is well formed in the country and the business can serve their customer in a best way through transportation. 2.5 Legal factor The factor enables study of legal structure, laws to start a business, corporate laws and the tax regime (Jan, 2002). Australia Law system is not binding but influential to each other. Law is passed by the Parliaments and both common law and equity, and constitutional and statute law are used. There are Australia copyright law and Australian contract law which governed the businesses trading in Australia. 2.6 Environmental factor The factor is considering the country’s performance on environmental policies and indicators (Jan, 2002). Australia is a country that supports environmental protection. When the business is operated in Australia, there should be assumption of no negative impact on the environmental issues and Australia campaign regarding environmental issues should be supported. 3.0 Benefits, Cost and Risks in the business endeavor To invest a business, there are always benefits the business can earn and there are also costs whether high or low the business has to pay off. When there is an investment of business there are always risks associated with. The benefits of implementing Old Town stores in Australia involves providing food and beverages that are local, Malaysian style to those students who are studying in Australia, or some Malaysian that has immigrated to Australia. Instead of Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian and Bruneian are also widely available in Australia. They always seek Chinese foods that are unavailable in Australia but in the only street, Chinatown. Opening stores in Australia will definitely have a pleased welcome of them. Other than that, through this the culture in Malaysia, the local delights of Malaysia can be spread to Australia through this method. As there are the needs from those students and immigrated Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian and Bruneian, opening Old Town stores in Australia will make profit. However, the costs of opening stores of Old Town White Coffee in Australia is not cheap as there are a need of large capacity for the resources including raw materials, labor forces, and etc. Moreover, the raw materials and labor forces in Australia is not cheap therefore the costs is highly expensive. Other than that, Old Town White Coffee has exported its 3 in one instant Old Town White Coffee worldwide therefore in this time they have to implement their store which is the restaurant selling food. This made them cannot have it to be done exporting but the other form of method of entry. This made the costs higher. When there are higher costs there are always associated with higher risks. However, a higher risk always gives a higher return. Investments are like gambling all the time. There should have appropriate strategic management assessing all the risks and see whether it is worth it to invest. It is definitely worth it to invest when there are already customer sources. However, the people are distributed in various places, to cut cost there have to be less opening of stores and this will make the people cannot access to the stores and therefore less customers. Other than that, the Australian might not like Old Town food and beverages due to different tastes. 4.0 Proposed Method of Entry The proposed mode of entry is the types of entry modes that to enter into foreign market which is spilt up to two major types of entry modes which are equity and non-equity mode. Equity modes involve joint venture and wholly owned subsidiaries while non-equity modes involve export and contractual agreements. The entry methods are not similar and differ in degree of risk they present, the resource commitment and control they required and the investment return they promise (Agarwal & Ramaswami, 1992). The decision on what method chosen to enter a foreign will have a significant impact on the results therefore it should be careful when doing the selections. As it is a restaurant and cafà © based store it is impossible for Old Town White Coffee to enter the Australia market through exporting. There should be a try of contractual agreements like licensing and franchising, joint venture or direct investment which wholly owned the subsidiaries. In our view, as the costs are very high to invest in Australia and high risks associated in it, contractual agreement should be chosen as this method has provided the least of risks and costs other than exporting among all the choices of methods of entry. The advantages of licensing and franchising include minimizes risk and investment, having the ability of circumventing trade barriers, speed of entry, and high return on investment. Furthermore, there are low political risks, low costs and simultaneous expansion is allowed across the world. In an opposite way, the disadvantages of licensing and franchising involve lack of control of assets use, and the licenses or franchises might become a competitor later, the knowledge of the business is spillovers and the time period of license and franchise is limited. There might be wrong candidate of franchiser or licensor that ruin the business name or reputation (Agarwal & Ramaswami, 1992). Overall, there should have a use in licensing and franchising when there are import and investment barriers that are high but it is not appropriate in Australia as it is low in Australia. Other than that, there is no possible protection of legal in Australia environment which made licensing and franchising further not appropriate. However, there are large cultural distance and low potential of sales in Australia that estimated therefore using licensing and franchising is appropriated. Other than that is has to be assured that the licensee and franchisee has less ability to turn up to be a competitor. Old Town White Coffee should try joint ventures and direct investment but for cost and risk minimizing, they will have to choose licensing and franchising.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Ib Physics Chapter 3 Notes

I did not understand how to explain why temperature does not change during a phase change and am not entirely sure if I have accurately or thoroughly described 3. 2. 3 and 3. 2. 4. This is also the case for 3. 2. 12 Thermal Physics Thermal Concepts: Temperature (T) is a measure of how hot or cold an object is, and it is the temperature that determines the determines the direction of thermal energy transfer between two objects. It is a scalar quantity and is measure in degrees celcius ( °C ) or kelvin (K). 0  °C is equal to -273K.Kelvin is based on the properties of a gas. Thermal energy is the receiving of energy from a hot body by a cold body when placed next to each other. Internal energy of a substance is the total potential energy and random kinetic energy of the molecules of the substance. It is where molecules in a body gain energy internally and are able to be move faster (increased KE) and move apart (increased PE) from work being acted upon it. Moles: †¢ A mole of a ny material contains 6. 022? 10^23 atoms or molecules. This is also known as Avogadro's constant. However, all moles don't have the same mass due to the different types of particles which have different mass Thermal Properties of Matter: Specific Heat Capacity (C) of a material is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1kg of the material by 1 °C. It is measured in J ?  °C / kg. It is expressed by the equation: c = Q/ m? T; where m is mass, Q is the quantity of heat and ? T is the change in temperature. Thermal Capacity (c) of a material is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature by 1 °C.It is measured in J /  °C . It is expressed by the equation: C = Q/ ? T; where Q is the quantity of heat added and ? T is the amount of increase in temperature of a body. The physical difference between liquids, solids and gaseous phases in terms of molecular structure and particle motion involve atoms having KE and having strong attraction to each other when soli d and having both KE and PE with less attraction and more room to move around when liquid with even more PE and increased potential to move around when gaseous.Evaporation is the change of state of matter from a gas to liquid, whereas boiling is the change of state from liquid to a gas. Specific Latent Heat (L) of a material is the amount of heat required to change the state of 1kg of the material without change in temperature. It is measured in J / kg. It is expressed by the equation: L = Q/m; where Q is the amount of energy and m is the mass. Kinetic Model of an Ideal Gas: Pressure = force/area The assumptions of the kinetic model of an ideal gas are: †¢ The Molecules are perfectly elastic The Molecules are spheres †¢ The Molecules are identical †¢ There is no force between the molecules (excepting collision) with constant velocity between collisions. †¢ The molecules are very small Temperature is hence a measure of the average random kinetic energy of the mole cules of an ideal gas as the speed of particles increase as the temperature rises. Thermodynamics: Thermodynamics relates to a thermodynamic system – this is a collection of bodies that can do work on and exchange heat between each other. These laws apply to all systems. K is absolute zero temperature, where molecules do not move The equation of state for an ideal gas: PV = nRT; where n is the number of moles and R is the molar gas constant. A real gas molecule has a shape and a finite size, whereas an ideal gas molecule (imaginary) is a point with no shape and it occupies no space. A real gas molecule interacts with others. An ideal gas molecule reacts totally independent of all others. There are no ideal gas molecules, only real gas molecules. However, as pressure decreases and the temperature increases, real gas molecules act more like ideal gas molecules.Thermodynamic Processes: The expression for the work involved in a volume change of a gas at constant pressure: P? V; w here P is pressure and V is volume According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed. Hence, the first law of thermodynamics basically states that as a gas expands and gets hot, heat must have been added: Q = ? U + W; where ? U is the increase in internal energy, W is the work done by the gas and Q is the amount of heat added to a gas. Examples of changes of state of an ideal gas: Isobaric (Constant pressure contraction) †¢ Isochoric/Isovolumetric (Constant volume increase in temperature) †¢ Isothermal expansion †¢ Adiabatic contraction The Second Law of Thermodynamics: The second law states that it is not possible to convert heat completely into work, implying that thermal energy cannot spontaneously transfer from a region of low temperature to a region of high temperature. Hence, it is about the spreading out of energy. Entropy: †¢ Entropy is used to quantify this second law. †¢ Entropy is expressed by the equation: ?S = Q/T; where ? S is change in entropy and Q/T is the quantity of heat flow into a body at a certain temperature. It is measured in J/ K †¢ The second law in terms of entropy changes states that in any thermodynamic process the total entropy always increases †¢ Even though locally entropy may decrease, the total entropy of a system will always increase. i. e. the stock in a fridge may get colder and the molecules become more ordered, with entropy in the fridge decreasing; however the total entropy of the room will increase and the room will gain heat.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

African American Press Essay Example for Free (#2)

African American Press Essay ? ?â€Å"We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentation of things which concerns us dearly,† written on the front page of the first African-American owned newspaper, Freedom’s Journal. Freedom’s Journal was published on March 16, 1827 by a group of free African-American men in New York City. Freedom’s Journal was published the same year slavery was abolished in New York and was used to counter racist commentary published in the mainstream press. Cornish and John B. Russwurm served, respectively, as its senior and junior editors where they worked together to publish four-page, four-column weekly newspapers. Though The Freedom’s Journal was not the first African-American paper published, it was the first Africa-American owned newspaper. Freedom’s Journal consisted of news on current events, anecdotes, editorials and used to address contemporary issues such as denouncing slavery, advocating for black people’s political rights, the right to vote, and speaking out about lynching. Cornish and Russwurm desire were to give African-Americans the freedom to voice their thoughts, ideas and opinions. They sought to improve conditions for more than 300,000 newly freed men and women living in the North. They fulfilled this desire, by employing 14 to 44 agents each year to collect subscriptions. Each agent was paid $3 a year for their work. To encourage black achievements Freedom’s Journal featured biographies of celebrated black figures and continued to promote better living conditions by printing schools that were open to blacks, job offering and housing listings. Freedom’s Journal, eventually, circulated 11 states, the District of Columbia, Haiti, Europe and Canada before ceasing publications in 1829. During that time, Russwurm became the sole editor of Freedom’s Journal, after Cornish resigned in 1827. Russwurm began to promote the Colonization Movement which was frowned upon by majority of the newspaper’s readers. The Colonization Movement was a movement that was conceived by members of the American Colonization Colony where they began repatriating free African-Americans back to Africa. When the Freedom’s Journal shifted in complete support of colonization, it lost most of its readers and in March 1829 Freedom’s Journal ceased publication. Even though Freedom’s Journal existed for two years, its two years of existence helped spawn other papers. Since then, African American press has evolved and has substantially increased in the population over the years. After Freedom’s Journal, African-Americans had begun establishing and owning newspapers. It began May 1829, when Cornish attempted to revive the Freedom’s Journal under the name The Rights of All, however, the publication was not successful and failed after a year. David Walker, hired as an agent for Freedom’s Journal, became a well known, anti-slavery writer which was inspired by his experience with Freedom’s Journal. In 1830, Walker’s published his most famous publication known as Appeal which called for slaves to rebel against their masters, â€Å"†¦they want us for their slaves, and think nothing of murdering us†¦therefore, if there is an attempt made by us, kill or be killed†¦and believe this, that it is no more harm for you to kill a man who is trying to kill you, than it is for you to take a drink of water when thirsty,† (Walker). Another attempt at publication, Samuel Cornish, along with, Philip Bell, and Charles Bennett Ray launched The Weekly Advocate, January 1837. Later, the men changed the name to The Colored American March 4, 1837. The Colored American main purpose was to strengthen the moral, social, and political elevation of colored people as well as emancipation of slaves. The Colored American became well-known in the North because of the wide spread support of abolitionists, African-American churches and local abolition societies, and Caucasian allies. The Colored American published 38 articles, becoming an important paper of its time. The last edition of The Colored American was published on Christmas day in 1841. Other early African American newspapers include the Provincial Freeman, published in 1854, which was the first African-American owned newspapers to be published in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. The North Star was an anti-slavery newspaper published in 1847 by Frederick Douglas. He later agreed to merge it with the publication Liberty Party Paper with Gerrit Smith creating the Frederick Douglass’ Paper, in Rochester, New York. The National Era was published in Washington, D. C. in 1847 by the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society. The Liberator was probably the best-known publication during the era, published by William Lloyd Garrison in Boston between 1831 and 1865. Other anti-slavery newspapers of note include the Friend of Man, published weekly for the New York State Anti-Slavery Society from 1836 through 1842. The Emancipator, originally known as Genius of Universal Emancipation, was one of the first anti-slavery newspapers published in the United States by Benjamin Lundy in 1819 and National. Anti-Slavery Standard established in 1840. All of these newspapers advocated for the abolition of slavery and for the civil rights of all African Americans. By the start of Civil War, more than 40 black-owned and operated papers had been established throughout the United States. After the end of the Civil War, more than 100 newspapers were beginning to publish. Many of the major African-American owned publications include, Baltimore Afro-American, also known as The Afro, was founded by a former slave, John H. Murphy, SR. , in 1892. Today, The Afro is the longest-running African-American, family-owned newspaper in the United States. The Chicago Defender was founded by Robert Sengstacke. Abbott on May 5, 1905. The Chicago Defender included writing pieces from the well-known Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks and Willard Motley. The Pittsburgh Courier an African-American newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1910. The Pittsburgh Courier became the most widely circulated newspaper in America for African-Americans. During its peak, the Pittsburgh Courier circulated around 450,000 publications, with more than 400 employees in 14 cities. The Pittsburgh Courier discussed major issues impacting African-American communities. It campaigned against segregation and poverty, and promoted the social advancement of blacks. In the 1930s, the Pittsburgh Courier urged Black voters to vote Democrat, creating a political alliance that still exist to this day. Other publications includes, The Philadelphia Tribune (1912-2001), Atlanta Daily World (1931–2003), Cleveland Call & Post (1934-1991), Los Angeles Sentinel (1934–2005), New York Amsterdam News (1922–1993), and Norfolk Journal and Guide (1921-2003). With African-American newspaper publication on the rise, organizations to help promote the publication began to form to support African-American journalist. In 1940, Robert Sengstacke Abbott, founder of Chicago Defender, along with other African-American publishers, organized the National Negro Publishers Association. The members of the National Negro Publishers Association worked together, â€Å"harmonizing our energies in a common purpose for the benefit of Negro journalism†, (Sengstacke). Today, the National Negro Publishers Associations is composed of more than 200 black newspapers in the United States and the Virgin Islands. In 1975 in Washington D. C. , 44 African-American journalists founded the National Association of Black Journalists. The National Association of Black Journalist’ purpose was to provide quality programs and services to and advocate on behalf of black journalists. These organizations are still going strong today and have contributed greatly to the African American population. Today, there isn’t a firm count of how many African American newspapers circulating the United States, however, according to Allied Media Corporation, an ethnic marketing firm, they have listed 250 newspapers in circulation. The National Newspaper Publishers Association, better known as the Black Press of America, assist in the publication of African-American owned newspapers, counts more than 200 black-owned newspapers as its membership. As you can see, since the Freedom’s Journal, the number of newspaper publications has increased. It began with the main purpose being that Africa-Americans would stick together to fight the constant oppression they were under. Now that we don’t see African-American oppression, as we did then, publications has different focal points. Many of the newspapers provide news and insight on African-American culture, including a variety of perspectives from leaders, celebrities, trendsetters and great minds from the African-American community. The Freedom’s Journal created a new stepping stone for the African-American population. It provided the platform for issues and concerns pursuant to ensuring our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and to preserve a legacy of black conservatism for generations to come. References 2, M. A. (n. d. ). Early African American and Anti-Slavery Newspapers | Marjory Allen Perez. Genealogy & Family History | Search Family Trees & Vital Records . Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www. archives. com/experts/perez-marjory/early-african-american-and-anti-slavery-newspapers. html Black Newspapers Listing | The Network Journal. (n. d. ). Black Business | Black News, Career Ideas for Black Professionals. Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www. tnj. com/lists-resources/black-newspapers-listing David Walker, 1785-1830. Walker’s Appeal, in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble, to the Coloured Citizens of the World, but in Particular, and Very Expressly. African American Press. (2016, Dec 21).

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

A journal article in family and consumer science

A journal in family and consumer science - Article Example ology training to instruct their students in the use of technology; and second, to determine whether teachers are actually using technology to teach higher order thinking skills in their classrooms (Hirose, 2011, 39). The focus of the study is the use of technology among FCS teachers and teaching of higher order thinking skills. The audiences of the article are educators and students in the FCS and in the whole education field. The key elements or concepts of the study include technology standards, higher order thinking skills, and teacher’s training using technology. The application of technology standards are created by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and students must demonstrate the six technology standards ranging from demonstration of creative thinking, knowledge, and innovative products and processes using technology, use of digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, application of digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information, use of critical thinking skills in research, projects, problems, and informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources, understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and legal and ethical behavior, and demonstration of a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations (Hiros e, 37). Technology standards are related to the second concept: the development of higher order thinking skills. These include analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The desire to be an educated person using the current technology has been shown to improve higher order thinking skills. The last concept is teacher’s training using technology. In order to be an effective teacher facilitating use of technology, teachers must receive adequate preparation in the form of training and professional development. The strength of the study includes the vast array of literatures

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Use r(which is a software) stata or excel to do the assignment

Use r(which is a software) stata or excel to do the - Assignment Example What relationship do you observe? Is this consistent with a model in which educatedlabor is a factor of production? Explain. As can be seen from the plot, the larger values in the horizontal axis are closely related to the larger values in the vertical axis. This indicates a positive association. Further there is a linear association between the data as shown by the trend line. A t-test of over 0.5 also shows that there is strong positive correlation. The strong correlation and positive relationship supports the factor that education is a factor of labor production in any country. As the education becomes strong, so does the labor production increases. As can be seen from the plot, the larger values in the horizontal axis are associated to the smaller values in the vertical axis. This indicates a negative association. Further there is a linear association between the data as shown by the trend line. A t-test of less than 0.5 also shows that there is strong negative correlation. The strong negative correlation and negative relationship supports the factor that education cannot be a factor influencing infant mortality. Even though infant mortality may increase there will is little chance for the association of the occurrence to the level of education in any given country. From the scatter plot, the larger values in the horizontal axis are associated to the larger values in the vertical axis. This indicates a positive association. Further there is a linear association between the data as shown by the trend line. A t-test of more than 0.5 also shows that there is strong negative correlation. The strong positive correlation and positive relationship supports the factor that gross domestic savings affects the level of education. A witnessed increased in domestic savings of any given country will insinuate higher level of education. As shown from the scatter plots, there is strong association between levels of education and production. First, the strong

Monday, August 26, 2019

Developing Professional Practice in HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Developing Professional Practice in HR - Essay Example This essay analyses and discusses the process of developing professional practice in HR. The first part presents the analysis and findings of a small-scale piece of research. The second part is a reflective review on the competencies and contribution of HR professionals. The third part discusses the contribution of CPD to the performance of HR professionals. And the last part presents a concise personal development plan. Small-Scale Piece of Research Human resource (HR) professionals have to work in a strategic manner. They should acquire the essential competencies, and this is only possible through familiarity with HR theories, practices, and knowledge. Moreover, acquisition of these essential competencies arises from having the capacity to use information within particular business contexts. At present, developing HR professionals is very crucial in numerous aspects of human resource management (HRM): recruitment, strategic planning, and performance management, amongst many others (Porter, Smith, & Fagg, 2012). HR competencies are the qualities that facilitate successful performance of HR professionals and that give an organisation the ability to compete effectively in a highly competitive business world. The objective of this small-scale piece of research is to find out the specific HR competencies that actual service organisations, specifically those in the hospitality industry, value most. The researcher interviewed several HR personnel from three service organisations: a hotel, a restaurant, and transportation. Majority of the HR personnel interviewed believe that HR professionals should have personal integrity. Most of them named good interpersonal skills and personal communication as the most important HR competencies. HR professionals have to learn the skill of building a relationship that is based on trust. Trust consequently builds motivation and personal integrity. HR professionals have a good chance of taking part in their organisations’ str ategic planning activity if they are able to build trust. Nevertheless, most of the HR personnel interviewed ranked competency in strategic performance the lowest. This possibly implies that HR professionals in these service organisations are incapable in terms of strategic decision-making and management of organisational culture. This finding is very important because HR professionals must be capable of determining, building, and integrating organisational cultures that contribute to the successful implementation of business strategies and competitive strategies. Moreover, according to Yeung and colleagues (1996), if HR professionals do not have the ability to effectively manage or cope with change, they would have difficulties dealing or communicating with important people to guarantee prompt decision-making and appropriate resource allocation. HR professionals should acquire the necessary qualities of an effective strategic business expert. Most scholars believe that HR professio nals should first aspire to become a strategic business expert then eventually progress to key contributors (Labedz & Lee, 2011). Because a great deal of the literature on the subject matter has demonstrated a positive correlation between organisational performance and strategic human resource management, this small-scale piece of research tried to determine the HR competencies valued most by HR personnel in service organisat

Wannsee conference, was it the place where the final solution was Research Paper

Wannsee conference, was it the place where the final solution was decided - Research Paper Example Essentially, Hitler’s regime had decided to exterminate the entire global population of the Jews. This would be the second time the Jews were facing persecution in Europe. The first significant period of persecution has to be the period of the Black Deaths. This is the time when they were perceived to be the ones accountable for the extensive spread of the plague. Apparently, they achieved this by poisoning the water. During this period, the Jews were suffering the persecutions as the only victims of continental rage. However, during the Holocaust, aside from the Jews, the disabled, the homosexuals, gypsies and at times twins were the recipients of these persecutions. These cleansing expeditions by the Nazis resulted in approximately six million deaths. This is aside from the emotional torture that it subjected to those who were lucky enough not to die. The extensive damage to the human race attributed to the Holocaust is as a result of proper planning by a team of German inte llectuals. The meeting in which they designed and formulated the strategy of this genocide is referred to as the Wannsee Conference. It is the ambition of this paper to give an extensive view of this Conference. This will be realized through the study of seven texts that focus on this Conference. Analysis Gerlach, Christina. "The Wannsee Conference, the Fate of German Jews, and Hitler's Decision in Principle to Exterminate All European Jews." The Journal Of Modern History, 1998: 759-812. The Wannsee Conference has been highlighted as the place where the decision of cleansing Europe of Jews took place. However, what has not been highlighted upon is the political pressure that had characterized Germany prior to the Holocaust. Gerlach illustrates this by stating the political pressure Hitler faced: â€Å" Hitler was reacting to political impulses and initiatives that originated from within the administration and within the party apparatus.†1 According to the author, the Conferen ce had not been mandated with the extermination of the entire Jewish population rather, the Conference had been purposed to decide on who to classify as a Jew. This is crucial given the fact that the Holocaust persecuted not only the Jews, but the homosexuals, the gypsies, the disabled and t extreme levels also twins. This is a rather astounding given the fact that the initial decision was only to cleanse Europe of Jews. The world has over time insinuated that Hitler acted alone in his narcissistic acts of dehumanization. However, Gerlach gives evidence that the political structure of Germany was all a long instrumental in the actions. She writes of the actions of Hitler in deporting the eastern Jews as being as direct urging by the political structure. Author cites documents that are believed to have originated from the Hitler administration showing aliasing of ideas on how to deal, best, with the Jewish community. In light of this, the fact that the idea of exterminating the was d irectly and only from the Hitler becomes suspect. The Conference proceedings were established with the primary motive of deliberating on vital political and economic issues that were pertinent to Germany at the time. To give additional evidence of the vital nature of the Conference, the author illustrates that Hitler approved the deportation of the Jews2. If he was the one who orchestrated all the terrors that were realized due to this continental discrimination, then he would have simply carried

Sunday, August 25, 2019

EC Competition law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EC Competition law - Essay Example It shall have no inherent or residual powers'. Enroute to European integration, community legislation could not serve the intended purpose and therefore the need was felt for a differentiated range of instruments, besides the traditional legislative ones. The essence of a state based on the rule of law is that the law binds its government actions. The article further states, 'all powers which the Member States enjoy by virtue of their sovereignty, and which they have not conferred on the Union pursuant to this Treaty, remain within the exclusive competence of the Member States'. It effectively means governing within the boundaries of the law, in conformity with certain principles on which a constitutional state is based and which indicate the limits to the powers to be exercised, with a view to ensuring the freedom and liberty of citizens. Further clarifying, the article states 'the conferment of powers on the Union shall not in itself restrict the powers of the Member States in respect of the same subject-matter, except in the areas identified in Article 9 of this Treaty as falling within the exclusive competence of the Union'. ... In this regard, the principle of conferred powers is of crucial importance, as it determines when the EC and its institutions are competent to act. (b). Article 3(1)(g) states, 'he Community's competition rules are not an end in themselves; they are primarily a condition for achieving the common (or internal) market'3. The aim is 'a system ensuring that competition in the internal market is not distorted'. Thus in the three areas of application of these rules (concerted practices, abuse of dominant position and state aid), prohibition is limited to practices that have an impact on trade between Member States and excludes those that only affect trade within a State. Thus prohibited practices are those 'which may affect trade between Member States and which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition within the common market' This legislative article is part of a broader internal marketing strategy and aims at consolidating respective member state's markets. The strategy is aimed at strengthening the foundations of the internal market. It desires that barriers to trade in goods and services must be eliminated, and it must be ensured that European legislation is applied and implemented correctly. The strategy therefore sets out a list of priorities and a schedule for putting them into practice. The concept of internal market is one of the essential cornerstones of EU. It is the culmination of the treaty of Rome, which provided for the creation of a 'common market' based on the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. It is based on the principles of non-discrimination and mutual recognition. Such a mechanism is supposed to function as a control

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Success at university is underpinned by a range of well-developed Essay - 1

Success at university is underpinned by a range of well-developed academic learning skills - Essay Example Research indicated that students with higher academic motivation which mainly comes from self motivation acquired through persona academic skill, self-discipline and also self confidence. Learning skills is accumulation of resources for learning and teaching of academic skills, development of academic skills is also an essential part of successful study at university and also the future of employment some of these skills include working with others, critical thinking, academic thinking, numeracy skills and also research skills1. Researching skill require one to create a new knowledge and also understanding through the process of inquiry. This skill has many processes that a researcher must pass through to give out a quality work for the research conducted. Every good researcher must be able to be a critical thinker in that he examines the truth and also its validity of arguments and also evaluating the significance of the ideas in question. Here the researcher weighs different sides of the argument by applying logic and reasoning and hence drawing and also carrying out an evaluation conclusion from logical argument and data analysis. Connectively, the problem solving skill where the researcher is able to identify, define and then analyze problems which enable his to create solutions, evaluate them, and thereafter choose the best solution for a particular context. The researcher is required to have an imaginative and also innovative thinking mind with news ways to approach a problem and also have analytical skill to examine the consequences of a particular solution. Here the student to achieve academic success should carry scientific experimentations. After the student has identified and also solved the problem, the skill that is required to be put in the work is a study skill where the student shall be expected to collect relevant information then apply methods of synthesis, critical thinking and also data reduction. This helps

Friday, August 23, 2019

Managing Human Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Human Resources - Essay Example The purpose of any team work is to work toward a valued and common goal of an organization. The most important aspect of effective work teams is communication between members of a team in an efficient manner. It involves the ability of each member to understand what the other member is thinking and to determine his/her intentions in an effective manner. There are numerous team development theories and this concept is not new in the modern world. These theories create an effective framework by which the contribution of each member of a team to the team’s performance and development can be evaluated and analyzed. Belbin’s theory in this regard can be considered as an important theory in the development of work teams (Napier and Gershenfeld, 1999, p. 79). Belbin suggests that there is existence of nine team attitudes that are considered as important to success. The nine team attitudes are divided into three major categories by Belbin such as thought oriented roles, people oriented roles, and action oriented roles. Action oriented roles comprise shaper, implementer, and finisher. The shaper refers to an individual who is considered to be a highly motivated leader and possesses sound capabilities in handling pressure (Parker, 1994, pp. 33-37). He is considered to have high competence with regard to handling obstacles and c hallenges. His dynamism plays a huge role in encouraging others to accomplish their tasks. The Shaper is considered to display a high level of aggression which may at times hurt the feelings of others. It is necessary that work teams have a shaper for achieving the desired results but the existence of more than one shaper may be detrimental to the interest of the team as it can lead to face offs between the two shapers. Implementer refers to those individuals who are reliable, disciplined, and works very hard to fulfil the obligations of the team (Robbins and Finley, 2000, p. 65). They are

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Focal Point Consultants Essay Example for Free

Focal Point Consultants Essay While observing CanGo for last two weeks we at FPC (Focal Point Consultants ) have identified some six major issue that we feel should be addressed to allow the organization to better achieve there over all goals. First Concern—Priority 1 CanGo appears to have a financial issue and there is has not been a complete audit to address this issue. Also CanGo needs to learn how to use the resources that they already have and redefine the processes and procedures. First Recommendation The financial team at CanGo needs to work with all the key areas of the company to conduct an audit of current processes. This audit will allow for everyone to review all the current processes that are in place and determine what they can do to enhance them and at the same time the financial team can use this data to outline how much the current processes are costing the company overall. At the conclusion of this analysis the reports will allow for the company to cut spending in the correct areas so that they can improves the others. There are many things that can be done to make improvements without spending money or having to acquire new technology or devices. Within the warehouse for example the layout can be enhanced even more so that people are not wasting time walking. Minor and Major changes to just the layout will allow the CanGo to improve efficiency and overall performance. Each department head needs to complete a detailed time study on the processes they outlined above. Once this time study is complete then the data can be used to see what is taking the longest and make changes to that process. By taking these steps it will allow CanGo to approach improvements in the correct manner by taking those actions that don’t have ny hit to the company’s bottom line. After all these types of changes are complete that is when and only when money should be spent on new technology and devices to make processes more efficient. Second Concern—Priority 2 The loyalty of customers for the specific targeting market is declining. Second Recommendation Think about how you want to be treated as a consumer. Now apply that same concept to the targeting market. Review the evaluations that are submitted by the consumers. It will tell what impression the company is making. Also, spend time in the Customer Service department. This the first point of contact for consumer. How they are handle will determine whether a consumer will return: Customer service might just be the most critical of all in running your business. If your customers like how they are treated, not only will they keep coming back, but they will refer you to others. Treating customers as individuals and not as a stepping stone up your ladder of success can go a long way. Listen to their concerns and build a relationship with them. If your customer feels as though you have their best interest they will be loyal to you. Your customers can really do a lot of your marketing for you. Word of mouth, especially in a world where Facebook and Twitter are some people’s main way of communicating, is a very powerful tool (Debs Marketing Connections, 2012). Third Concern – Priority 3 Online purchases CanGo has talked about that they have a high rate of items added to the online shopping cart. Although this information does not support the amount of purchases actually received via CanGo’s online website. Third Recommendation  Having a high rate of items added to an online shopping cart means that you have a good storefront and getting customer’s to actually place the items within there shopping carts. This is only one piece of the multipart puzzle. The shopping site needs to be enhanced to entice the customer to actually complete their purchase as that is how we are going to make money overall. Since there is a high traffic volume to the website we would also recommend that the marketing team reach out to a third party website advertising company that will pay to place ads on CanGo’s website. This will drive also be another source of revenue for CanGo so they can then reinvest this money back into the company. Fourth Concern – Priority 4 While Reviewing the videos from weeks 3 and 4 I saw a issue that they is an issue within the warehouse and they do have a solution but no really reviewed the reports that Debbie provided. I think that these reports should have been reviewed while in the meeting so that they could have discussed all the points of the issue and the recommended solution to the warehouse productivity issue. Then Liz asked the group a question I wonder how the board will feel about this recommendation. Fourth Recommendation A solution to this problem would be to complete a full audit of the issue and do a trial run analysis of the proposed solution. This would allow for recommendations to be made to the board and the results of the proposed solution can be given right away. As people need to see measurable figures so that they can tell if something will be worth putting the time and money into the project. Fifth Concern – Priority 5  In the week 4 Videos they are talking about the market segment of boys in Japan. They ask each other questions about how they can get the market analysis complete and then the gentlemen having lunch say that I will do it. Fifth Recommendation There are a couple of thing on this problem that needs to be solved first managers should not interrupt an employee’s lunch unless it is extremely urgent. This is an issue because the employee stated he is Just trying to enjoy my lunch break. The Manager should have approached the employee at a later time when he was not at lunch. Then there is the issue of the market analysis. This assignment should get assigned out to a third party marketing company that can tap into the market in Japan and gauge what the consumer wants. This would be a lot more cost effective than attempting the complete this analysis on their own and wasting resources that they dont have in the first place. Sixth Concern – Priority 6 Sales are not increasing as projected for the company possibly due to the design of the online purchasing process. Sixth Recommendation Place a test run on the current online purchase process as a consumer. Time the entire process to see how long it takes. As the test run is being completed, keep the consumers’ needs and wants in mind. Determine if needs were met as well as satisfied. View the information available to see if it’s appealing to lead to the purchase the item. Also, notate likes and dislikes of the experience. Have a group of employees to assist to gather more information for comparison. Determine what updates can be implemented to entice the consumer to make a purchase. Keep track of different trends to keep a competitive edge for things like: 1.  In-store pick up. In the past few months we’ve seen Walmart implement in-store pick up for orders placed online, while Sears and Kmart are going a step further bringing online purchases out to your car. In Chicago, Sears and Kmart are even testing home delivery and bundling items with those from its retail partners at Sears’ Marketplace, further blurring the lines between online only retailers and those that came before. And in Florida, Farm Stores lets shoppers order groceries online and pick up at a drive through. 2. Pick up depots.  Smaller retailers without a vast network of stores like Walmart or Sears may open designated pick up locations for goods ordered online. Retail consultant Neil Stern of McMillan/Doolittle points to French retailer Chronodrive. com as an example. 3. Mobile Apps. Smartphones are the dominant cell phone and apps for all platforms are growing. The ones that allow for price comparisons or send out coupons are already among the most heavily used with good reviews, but we’re just getting started. 4. Less flash more function. Forget about flashy apps or features like virtual dressing rooms.  Consumers haven’t responded to these and rightly so. Maybe the technology will get there, but until it does, user reviews are better gauges of clothing fit and quality than any technology can offer. 5. Video. Look for more user-generated video on retail sites. Retailers are letting customers upload video clips modeling new clothes or using a new purchase. Davis believes this is one trend that will definitely pick up speed. 6. Social networking. Facebook and Twitter aren’t even close to played out yet. Consumers can increasingly â€Å"like† or follow a favorite retailer and get discounts or tips on deals.  JCPenney is using Facebook to actually sell goods and more than 12 million consumers â€Å"like† Victoria’s Secret on Facebook as of last month (March), making it the most popular retailer on the site (its Pink brand ranks No. 2, according to the ChannelAdvisor Facebook Commerce Index). That’s an active population of customers reaching out and requesting information from the retailer. And social shopping is just getting started, says Jim Okamura, managing partner at Okamura Consulting, a group specializing in online retail. There’s evidence (that Facebook offers) a good return on investment and there are a lot of retailers that haven’t done anything yet,† he says. â€Å"This is going to be the year of Facebook testing. 7. Daily deals and flash sales. This may seem like a very crowded playing field, but sites like Ruelala and OneKingsLane are reproducing at a furious pace. And based on how quickly many items sell out, often within minutes of email notifications going out, more will jump on this popular trend. 8. Retail based social networks. This is one trend experts don’t expect to happen at any large level. Sears is still trying to build a social network of its own customers and Walmart tried and abandoned a similar effort, neither attempt bodes well for its success. Facebook really owns this space, but look for small, focused sites to create communities of like-minded users, says Okamura. 9. International. â€Å"There’s been an accelerating trend in international or cross border e commerce, of small niche online retailers are now doing 10-20% of their sales outside of their own country,† says Okamura. Look to online shops like SousVide Supreme that sells specialized cooking equipment and StyleTrek. com, a community built to launch up and coming international designers as models. Other big name retailers like Zara and Top Shop are building out their online business to reach U. S. shoppers, even as the store base grows more slowly. 10. Deal aggregators. Of course there are always deal sites, like Dealnews, ConsumerSearch, FatWallet and Brad’s Deals that are cutting through the din of so many sites and sales to bring consumers only the information they’re interested in. (Forbes, 2012).

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The language in look back Essay Example for Free

The language in look back Essay The language in look back in anger is different compared to its contemporaries. The language is realistic; the characters are able to say what they would say in that situation in real life. In a way the writer John Orsborne had no limits because if something had to be real it needed everything to be realistic. Orsborne uses his characters as a mouth piece to examine the reality of life in the 1950s in Britain. Cliff has a Welch accent which is shown when he says like boyo and dullin. At the start of the play there seem to be a lot of exposition from the characters to describe themselves or tell us about the situation. For example James Porter, aged twenty five, was bound over last week after pleading guilty to interfering with a small cabbage and two tins of beans on his way home from the Builders Arms. This tells us Jimmys age and that he likes going to the pub, and shows that Cliff seems to have a sense of humour. The exposition goes on through out the play. We see this when jimmy is talk about Alison family and what was happening to his dying father when he was 10. The colonel has his share in exposition when hes talking to his daughter Alison about the past. It was March 1914, when left England, and, apart from leaves every ten years or so, the information Osborne constantly provides us with about each characters past helps the audience understand their personalities. In this play Orsborne uses dramatic irony. For example jimmy has some lines of dramatic irony, for example when he says to Alison if you could have a child, and it would die. This is ironic because towards the end of the play Alison has a miscarriage. Although Jimmy wanted her to go through this sort of pain he is affected in a way he never expected. The other ironic line Jimmy has is when Helena tells him that his got a phone call and he says well, it cant be anything good, can it? this is ironic because as he gets the message from the call that Hughs mother has had a stroke. Jimmy at some extent is a product of what has happened to him during his life. The play involves a lot of emotion. Jimmy chief motivating emotion is anger through out the play until the end when he embraces Alison, this is no doubt it is the characters most vulnerable point in the whole play.  The pauses are very important in the play because they make the moments of tension more effective, and shows us the emotion of most of the characters. For example when Alison tells cliff shes pregnant.  Alison: you see- (hesitates) Im pregnant.  Cliff: (after a few moments) I will need some scissors. Alison: They re over there.  Cliff: (crossing to the dressing table) thats something, isnt it? When did you find out?  At this point it shoes that Cliff is troubled about this, thats why he asks for the scissors just to hide his feelings for her. Another point which we worked on in class is when Alison arrives at the end of act 3 scene 1; there is a big pause before she says anything.  Alison: (quietly) Hullo.  Jimmy: (to Helena, after a moment) friend of yours to see you. After saying the line he leaves the room and the two women are left staring at each other. This is obviously this is a cliff hanger ending to the scene, there is tension between the two women.  Osborne has included several monologues in the play. Jimmy is the character with most of the monologues. In the majority of his monologues his objective is to provoke the others but the desperately try to ignore his taunts. His main objective usually is to irritate his wife Alison that it could lead to an argument. From the beginning of Act 1he is constantly trying to make his wife angry, he finally succeeds when she gets burnt with an iron and she tells him violently to get out. Alison: Get out!  Jimmy: (her head shaking helplessly) clear out of my sight.  This s the first time that Alison is actually showing that she is angry with jimmy. Even though the fight that caused the accident was between him and Cliff.  The monologue that I worked on in class was from act 2 scene 1 when Alison is about to go to church with Helena and jimmy is not in favour of her decision. In this monologue I had to think of the emotions which where associated with jimmy at the time, and I had to picture they way he would talk and act to these emotions. At the start of the monologue he is motivated and wants every one to see how he feels and as he goes on he loses his inspiration because he knows that no one is paying any attention to him.  The emotion and realism in the language makes the play very realistic because it helps the audience understand the situation the characters are in and helps the audience make a good mental judgement of the characters.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Human Skeleton and Muscles: Anatomy and Physiology

Human Skeleton and Muscles: Anatomy and Physiology SABRINA PACE-HUMPHREYS UNIT TITLE:Â  ANATOMY PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HUMAN SKELETON AND MUSCLES In a short account explain skeletal and bone features which aid them to carry out their roles, Remember to link structure and function for both. Adult skeletons consist of 206 individual bones arranged in two divisions – axial and appendicular skeleton. The former runs along the body’s midline and includes skull, rib and vertebral column regions. The latter consists of bones in upper limbs such as the radius and ulna, lower limbs and pelvic girdle regions. Skeletal key functions: Support – Structural framework for the body, supporting soft tissues and providing attachment points for skeletal muscle tendons. Protection of internal organs from injury. E.g. rib cage protects lungs and heart. Movement – Most skeletal muscles attach to bones and, on contraction, pull to produce movement. E.g. thigh muscles attach to the femur and pull on it during hip/knee joint movement. Mineral storage/release – Bone tissue stores minerals like calcium and phosphorus which aid bone strength. Minerals are released on demand into blood to maintain mineral balances/travel to other body parts. Blood cell production – Bones like pelvic and rib bones (adults) contain red bone marrow producing red blood cells. Triglyceride storage – Yellow marrow consists of adipose cells storing triglyceride chemical energy reserve. Bones are living organs made of cells, protein fibres and minerals. They include: Diaphysis/Epiphyses – Bone shaft/End Mataphyses – Region between above structures. In growing bone it contains a growth plate/layer of hyaline cartilage that allows the bone to lengthen. Articular cartilage Thin layer of hyaline cartilage covering part of the epiphyses where the bone forms a joint with another bone. Reduces friction/absorbs shock at freely moveable joints. Periosteum Tough connective tissue sheath. Protects bone, assists in fracture repair, nourishes bone tissue, serves as an attachment point for ligaments and tendons. Associated blood supply surrounds bone surface when articular cartilage not present. The inner osteogenic layer, consisting of cells, allows bone to grow in thickness. Medullary cavity Hollow space within diaphysis containing fatty bone marrow and blood vessels. Minimizes weight of the bone by reducing dense bone material where not needed. Tubular design of provides maximum strength with minimum weight. Part 1 – Explain what joint and muscle movements are involved in running and how are they involved. The legs move forward using the quadriceps at the front of the thigh. Quadriceps bend (flex) the hip joint and straighten (extend) and stabilise the knee. As the body moves forward the hamstrings are recruited to straighten (extend) the hip and bend (flex) the knee. They also help to bend the knee behind a runner. At the same time the muscles of the lower leg (inner and outer calf) extend and flex each ankle/foot during landing and take off e.g. plantar and dorsi flexion of the ankle joint. Impact is also absorbed by these muscles. The gluteal muscles not only help to extend the hip but also stabilize the trunk, keeping a runner upright. Hip flexors and extenders work with quads and hamstrings to move legs forward and back as well as stabilizing the hip joint which contributes to good running form. The arms and shoulders are another key driving force for running power. The arms, which when running are held in a partially flexed position at the elbow joint due to the triceps flexing, are continuously moving at the shoulder joint in a backwards-forwards direction when running. This movement is also strengthened, and held, by recruitment of the Trapezius muscles. Part 2 – Explain what joint and muscle movements are involved in working at a computer in an office and how are they involved. When working at a computer the following joint and muscle movements, starting from the tip of the head, are: The cervical vertebrae pivot joint enables our head to turn side-to-side/up and down which assists us when looking for information on a computer screens. Elbow joints, when resting or hovering over a desk, are in a constant 90 degree flexed state with the bicep muscles being flexed to bring the elbow joint to this position. The wrist joints, when working on a keyboard, are moving left, right and up and down closely followed by the finger and thumb joints which are flexing, extending and hovering to enable typing. Midline joints, such as vertebrae, hips, pelvis etc are in a neutral position in order to alleviate back pain associated with sitting for long periods of time. Well developed core muscles in the abdomen, back (latissimus dorsi) and shoulders help to keep us sitting upright in a neutral spinal position by continually contracting. When sitting our hips may often be pushed slightly out of line/forward, the joint is flexed. Gluteus muscles are in a constant state of flexion when a person is sitting as are the knee joints (if a person is sitting with the soles of their feet on the floor). Skeletal muscles have complicated structures that allow them to move, what are these structures and how do they allow muscles to carry out their roles. Skeletal muscle consists of numerous elongated muscle fibre cells arranged in fasciculi bundles. These bundles are separated by endomysium connective tissue with each of these surrounded by a stronger perimysium sheath. Blood vessels transport nutrients/oxygen in and move metabolic waste away. Hundreds of muscle fibres are enclosed within the epimysium connective tissue envelope and extend the muscles full length. Fibres consist of cell membrane, myofibril, sarcoplasm (containing organelles such as mitochondria) and myofilaments actin and myosin. Myosin is surrounded by 6 actin (each consisting of two heads wrapped around each other). At the myosin binding site on the actin (the twist) the myosin head attaches and both filaments overlap creating cross-bridges. When overlapping the myosin head containing ATPase enzyme releases ATP, powering muscle contraction. Muscle contraction triggers when an impulse from the central nervous system is sent to a muscle via a motor neuron nerve. When it reaches the fibre the Sliding Filament Mechanism a series of chemical events causing the above actin/myosin to overlap described above is triggered. Myosin pulls on actin shortening the sarcomere. This signal is synchronized across all fibres so all myofibrils contract simultaneously. Muscular functions are to produce body movements such as locomotion e.g. running; stabilize body positions; store and move substances around the body (oxygen to the muscle and metabolic waste from it); generate heat through contraction vital for maintaining body temperature. Antagonistic muscle pairs work in opposition with one moving a joint in one direction and another moving it back. E.g. the bicep contracts to bend the arm while the tricep muscle releases. Three types of voluntary muscle fibre: Type 1 – Slow twitch fibres using aerobic respiration for sustained muscular contractions, such as maintaining posture. Type 2a – Fast Oxidative Fibres: mix of type 1 and 2b fibres using aerobic and anaerobic respiration to produce fast, strong muscle contractions used in resistance training. Type 2b – Fast Twitch Glycolictic Fibres using anaerobic respiration for short, fast bursts of power. ‘Movement requires muscle and all muscles have antagonistic pairs’. Using this as the title write a short account of how muscle contraction and antagonism is vital for the co-ordinated movement of an organism. 200 words Muscles are attached to bones by tendons so that when a muscle contracts (shortens) it pulls on the bone and, if part of a joint, said bone moves. Muscles can only pull, they can’t push. So, if a joint was only controlled by one muscle, it would cause a problem as the bone would move in one direction and stay there. Voluntary antagonistic muscles work in opposition so that when one group contracts the other relaxes. It’s impossible to fully stimulate the contraction of two antagonistic muscles at the same time. Muscles allow us to stand and sit by contracting/releasing constantly to stabilise the skeleton and to walk and run by contracting/releasing to move lower body limbs. Antagonistic pairs normally consist of a flexor and extensor. E.g. to flex the elbow, the bicep flexor muscle works across three joints while the tricep (extensor) muscle is primarily concerned with extension of the elbow joint. To move our legs we need to use the lower limbs and it is here that antagonistic muscles such as the quadriceps and hamstring work together to move the upper leg limbs while the tibalis anterior works in opposition to the calf muscle to move the lower leg. Bibliography Bbc.co.uk, (2014). BBC GCSE Bitesize: Functions of the skeleton. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/pe/appliedanatomy/2_anatomy_skeleton_rev1.shtml [Accessed 31 Dec. 2014]. Bbc.co.uk, (2015). BBC GCSE Bitesize: Muscle tone and posture. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/pe/appliedanatomy/3_anatomy_muscles_rev5.shtml [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Bbc.co.uk, (2015). BBC Science Nature Human Body and Mind Muscles Layer. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/factfiles/skeletalsmoothandcardiac/quadriceps_animation.shtml [Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]. Kelly, J. (2014). Leg Muscles Used in Running HowStuffWorks. [online] HowStuffWorks. Available at: http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/running/training/leg-workouts-for-runners1.htm [Accessed 31 Dec. 2014]. Mackenzie, B. (2014). Movement Analysis. [online] Brianmac.co.uk. Available at: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/moveanal.htm [Accessed 31 Dec. 2014]. Marieb, E. (1995). Human anatomy and physiology. Redwood City, Calif. [etc.]: Benjamin/Cummings, pp.293, 295. S-cool.co.uk, (2014). GCSE PE How the Body Moves Revision Joints | S-cool, the revision website. [online] Available at: http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/pe/how-the-body-moves/revise-it/joints [Accessed 31 Dec. 2014]. Tortora, G. and Grabowski, S. (2003). Principles of anatomy and physiology. New York: Wiley, pp.290 304.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Building the New European Order Essay examples -- European History Ess

Building the New European Order When World War II ended the final remnants of the old European order lay in ruins. With such devastation wrought upon the continent twice in less than fifty years, it was remarkable that Europe managed to recover. What is even more remarkable is the Phoenix that rose from these ashes, and the new feelings of unity that accompanied the ending of the war. Those nations of western Europe began to do what decades ago had been unthinkable: develop the blueprints for a common system of the United Europe. Today this European Union is a region on the rise, an area where economic and social progress are finally overcoming centuries of strife and difficulty. The dream of countless conquerors and idealists has finally been achieved with exemplary result, and new nations are now lining up at the doorstep of Europe to join this Union. It seems only natural now to improve the Union the best way possible, through the physical enlargement of its territory. The progress represented by the EU is progress that deserves to be shared with the people of all European nations, yet on what scale? While today’s EU leaders are more than ready to invite fellow nations to join the EU, they fail to take proper account of the future, of how this could possibly cheapen the European identity and the work that was only spurred on by two destructive World Wars. When we think of European identity, we think first of the most famous of the continent’s nations. Germany, England, Spain, France, Italy all come to mind as primary European nations. As well, they share a common history, bonds of strife and conflict through which they have all suffered together and are now emerging stronger. Yet as the Union pushes ea... ...ping it from overheating. This is a job many have proved incapable of doing. Working together, maybe Europe can find a perfect balance. Maybe it won’t. Time will only show the result of this effort. Perhaps such expansion it will produce a larger and more powerful Europe faster than any of us could have imagined, and those who doubted such a fast growth will be proved wrong. Or perhaps, it will produce a weaker Europe, a Europe plagued with trying to support less productive provinces, while the continent struggles to be more and more competitive. Or it might even result in the stunting of EU growth as small nations enter and soon withdraw, feeling as they may that the massive Union bureaucracy cannot keep up with their demands as a growing nation. Only one thing is for certain- the next century of European history is bound to be a very interesting one.

The Minimum Wage Essay -- Minimum Wage Research Paper

"The minimum wage is something that F.D.R. put in place a long time ago during the Great Depression. I don't think it worked then. It didn't solve any problems then and it hasn't solved any problems in 50 years." -- John Raese For many years it has been a matter of conventional wisdom among economists that the minimum wage causes fewer jobs to exist than would be the case without it. This is simply a matter of price theory, taught in every economics textbook, requiring no elaborate analysis to justify. Were this not the case, there would be no logical reason why the minimum wage could not be set at $10, $100, or $1 million per hour. Historically, defenders of the minimum wage have not disputed the dis-employment effects of the minimum wage, but argued that on balance the working poor were better off. In other words, the higher incomes of those with jobs offset the lower incomes of those without jobs, as a result of the minimum wage l "levitan". Now, President Obama is advancing the novel economic theory that modest increases in the minimum wage will have no impact whatsoever on employment. This proposition is based entirely on the work of three economists: David Card and Alan Krueger of Princeton, and Lawrence Katz of Harvard. Their studies of increases in the minimum wage in California, Texas and New Jersey apparently found no loss of jobs among fast food restaurants that were surveyed before and after the increase [ l "card-92b", l "krueger", and l "katz". While it is not yet clear why Card, Katz and Krueger got the results that they did, it is clear that their findings are directly contrary to virtually every empirical study ever done on the minimum wage. These studies were exhaustively surveyed by the Minimum Wage Study Commission, which concluded that a 10% increase in the minimum wage reduced teenage employment by 1% to 3%. The following survey of the academic research on the minimum wage is designed to give nonspecialists a sense of just how isolated the Card, Krueger and Katz studies are. It will also indicate that the minimum wage has wide-ranging negative effects that go beyond unemployment. For example, higher minimum wages encourage employers to cut back on training, thus depriving low wage workers of an important means of long-term advancement, in return for a small increase in current income. For many workers this is a very ... ...g (1996), " `Who Gets What' from Minimum Wage Hikes," Industrial and Labor Relations Review 49 (April): 547-52.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ------, and T. A. Finegan (1989), "The Minimum Wage and the Poor: The End of a Relationship," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 8 (Winter): 53-71. 23w  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Card, D., and A. Krueger (1995), Myth and Measurement (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press).  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deere, D., K. M. Murphy and F. Welch (1995), "Employment and the 1990-1991 Minimum Wage Hike," American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings 85 (May): 232-37.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gramlich, E. (1976), "Impact of Minimum Wages on Other Wages, Employment, and Family Incomes," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity 2: 409-51.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lang, K. (1994), "The Effect of Minimum Wage Laws on the Distribution of Employment: Theory and Evidence," Working Paper, Boston University.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neumark, D., and W. Wascher (1995), "The Effects of Minimum Wages on Teenage Employment and Enrollment: Evidence from Matched CPS Surveys," NBER Working Paper No. 5092, April.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Smith, R., and B. Vavrichek (1992), "The Wage Mobility of Minimum Wage Workers," Industrial and Labor Relations Review 46 (October): 82-88.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Physical Education In Secondary Schools :: essays research papers

Physical Education In Secondary Schools My philosophy of physical education in the secondary setting deals with students becoming physically fit. Also that students learn how to communicate with others, especially in a team setting. My philosophy also holds in it different teaching methods. Methods that physical education teachers can use to get the most out of their students. With this philosophy of physical education I plan to use it toward becoming a good teacher. The major reason for having physical education in secondary schools is to lead the students toward a better lifestyles and to be physically fit. There was an article published In 1992 by, The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), stating what "The Physically Fit Person" should consist of. This article states five factors of a physical fit person. One factor is that a physically fit person "has learned skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities". The second factor, "is the person physically fit". The third factor is "does this person participate regularly in physical activity". The fourth is a physically fit person "knows the implications of and the benefits from involvement in physical activity". The last factor is that a physically fit person "values physical activity and its contributions to a healthful lifestyle". The plan as physical educators is to have each child be a physically fit person, by their exit of high school. This will take some work but I believe it could be done. Another very important issue to be learned in secondary physical education is teamwork. This is a very important aspect in everyday life. This helps people think of others as much, or more, than themselves. Today some work places are going to the team oriented style of work. The worker needs to be able to express ideas amongst his/her teammates and come with solutions together. A good activity that could be introduced in secondary physical education programs is a ropes course. Rope courses are great for students to get into the teamwork mentality. This could help students be dependable on each other and trust each other. Education is not only a necessity, but a major part of life. Some children perceive school as a punishment. Including myself, that was the way I felt as a child. But as I grew older I found out that learning can be fun. Some children seem to take education for granted. When I was a school boy, I never realized how much I was learning. The only thing that got me through school was the two days of physical education that I had per week.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Examplification essay sample

In fact, most students in US often take the online courses for each semester. The classes can be taken where It Is convenient for students: at home, office, on a military base or the other places. Students have the opportunity on choosing from various schools and courses which might be taught in another city or states. Classrooms are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week so students can take the announcements, discuss a topic, and review their homework at any time they want.However, students who first attend in online courses can get the trouble because of differences between online courses and on campus courses. There are some tips for students to achieve success in online college courses. First, students have to have some basic skills about computing. It Is the most Important material which Is required for online courses. Every students should have a computer if not they can study at library or internet coffee restaurant but they must know about computer acknowledge In fact, students in online course work through the computer all the time.For example, students have to log in to the web page of heir school to see the activities of the course. They have to email their professor to communicate, ask questions, and chat with follow classmates. In addition, some courses may require students to install software needed to study and download file which professors provide. Students can contact to students service to find the answers about the courses resource, or technical support to resolve problem Is related to learning system.Students need these skills to study, to communicate and to resolve the problem could have during the courses. In online course self-works plays a main role in it. Students have to manage time, make It suitable for their study schedule and work schedule. There are no one will remind students about homework and tests. students should suck to the syllabus, read it and use it as a tool to remind because it includes the calendar about the assi gnments, the test. Students need to keep track the due of them in the courses.Students also need to set up a place for study online which needs concentration, quiet so they can focus on their work without distraction. Students can choose to study in library where all the material they need as computers, books, have and there s quiet. Students can ask the librarians about technical issues and it will be resolved Immediately. Studying at home also Is a good idea. Students control all their rules at home that make them easier to set time for study when their family go out, or study at midnight then students are set free out of interferences.They will feel more comfortable to focus on studying. Next, students should study actively, they cannot wait for help when they got a trouble, they need ask for help as soon as possible. When they get a different subject or the professors explain something Is not bviously, students could be confused, lost. Students need to type, email, and find the answers they need. This is not a time to be scare or embarrassing to show their opinion. In addition, practice is a key for student to succeed, the more they practice the better result they gain.Most think online course are easier than normal courses. It Is big difference. Times for students to study are reduced and the courses go 1 OF2 where students face to face instruction. They have to practice more from the internet resource or from the text book by themselves to reinforce their knowledge and study well in the online courses. Finally, students should be optimistic. During the course, getting a low grade is one thing they might not prevent.Professor could consider them to taking a full course because their grade, their trouble but before the end students don not give up. Sticking with purposes, goals were set when taking the course. They need to learn from the errors to get better. If students made a mistake, do not ignore or avoid it, they should try to fix it by themselves, as k somebody like classmates, professors and if they cannot help, try to do a research in the internet, try the best they can to find the answers. Taking time and thinking positive to practice and improve will help students are successful.Online courses open more the opportunity for students to attend in school. They can succeed their goals like to improve their skills, reinforce knowledge, and get a degree. Online courses provide advantages for students such as flexible in doing assignment, no sitting in class, balance a Job and class. However, it also challenges students who first attend in the online course. Basic computing skills, create a schedule time, and study optimistically will help students improve the chances to achieve success in online college courses.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Case Study Tod and Reggie Essay

After speaking with Mr. Todd and Mr. Reggie I have concluded that they would be great candidates for couples counseling. Taking away the fact that they are the same sex, I do not feel that it should affect the outcome of the services that will be provided for the couple listed above. I am very proud of Mr. Todd and Mr. Reggie for coming in to seek counseling as a couple. That within its self speaks volumes to the commitment of their relationship and love for one another. I advised both parties involved about the necessity for counseling. Letting them know that most couples come in to seek help when they feel that this is the last result before breaking up. It’s difficult to move forward in a relationship when anger and resentment have built up to such a degree that there are few conflict-free areas of discussion. Seeing a professional to help you talk to each other so you are not disagreeing on the smallest of things and arguing over the same situations with no resolutions, ca n be a very good idea. I assured them that we would do all in our power to make sure that we set some realistic goals at the ending of each session. We went on to talk and I gathered some information that I felt was interesting and important. I feel that I would like at some point to speak with each Mr. Todd and Mr. Reggie on an individual session. I will determine that as we move further into the sessions and gather if they would like to have a session where they are able to speak with me one on one. I have devised a plan that would help them with the extended family issues that they both are undergoing, also some information on anger and domestic violence, as well as some communication skill building exercises that they a can work on with each other as well as for their personal gain. Going over their family issues I felt held a lot more value in their lives and if could be addresses would help remove some of the stress and anxiety they both undergo on a day to day basis. We talked about the effect that they felt the roles of the absent extended families where causing in their relationship. I did ask questions such as â€Å"Are you families aware that you are an interracial couple?†, â€Å"Is that a reason that you have limited or no contact?†, â€Å"What was the reaction of your family when you told them that you were gay?†, â€Å"Where your families there for you while incarcerated?†, â€Å"How was your relationship with your family before telling you were gay?† , â€Å"Was you and your family closer before you went to prison?† They each answered honestly about the feelings they had incurred during the past few years of their lives. We talked about a support system outside of each other and their families. They both agre ed the lack of family support had a negative impact on their relationship, and have not been able to fully accept it. I informed that their families’ acceptance of their relation would take time, and should be viewed as a process. They would have to make some tough choices to whether or not to continue to try and have their family in their lives are work solely on their relationship. They will have to some type of understanding on their extended family situations. Not dealing with it can be unhealthy and they will need to ask which relationship is most important to them at this time. I did advise until their families where ready to come to terms with their relationship, they should look into starting a family of friends and others who understand their relationship. This could consist of friends who are straight and homosexual. I handed them some fliers to some local coming out groups that meet in there are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I felt it would be a great way to give them another outlet to network amongst individuals who have been through are going through what they are currently going through. I handed out pamphlets on domestic violence to each Mr. Todd and Mr. Reggie. I felt we needed to address the issues of anger and physical threats or actions toward one another. I did also advise them that they I would have to report any physical violence that I am made aware of. To help alive them of the stress they both made out contracts of good faith agreements that they would walk away and respect the others space if a conversation was turning violent and they felt it may result in a physical altercation. We all shook on it and dug deeper into why they felt they needed to result to physical or verbal violence. They were informed of the domestic violence statics in relationships that end in death. Both men agreed that that is not what they wanted for one another. They were encouraged to do some research on domestic violence which they both where highly surprised by what they had found. We also started anger management skills for the both of them. I had them make a rule poster to place in their homes to remind them of the session. We went over 10 steps that would help them both with managing their anger. I did inform them that it would not come over night and they would have to make conscious decisions to apply these skills once they leave the session. Taking time to cool off before addressing why you are angry would be the first stop. Then calmly once you have gathered all your thoughts letting the person or your partner know why you were angry. I noticed how in shape Reggie was and advised maybe exercising or doing something that brings joy and peace to them. Think before you speak was a very good one. That way they did not say things they truly did not mean. Once you say something you cannot take it back so you must watch what you say. Next try and come up with a solution to help you not from becoming so angered by an action or comment. That could be just walking away or making a joke to ease the tension. Use the â€Å"I† statement and not the â€Å"You† statements. Once you have talked about it, let it go. Do not keep it bottled up inside you and have resentment for the person. Again make a joke or say something off the wall when you feel that it may be heading towards you becoming angered. That could be let’s just get some ice cream and talk about this later, to you see that squirrel fly by on the balloon? Just something that will lighten the mood and redirect you both to important situation at hand. Maybe making a relaxation area or technique that you can do, that helps calm you down. That could be reading a book, going to see a movie, shopping, cleaning, or writing. Lastly when all else fails and you don’t know what to do. Seek help before something bad happens. After a few sessions I was to hear that they had implemented these practices and things had started looking better for them. Those anger management exercises lead into working on their communication with each other. Reggie may have been more physically dominating, but Todd was more verbally dominating. I noticed that Todd would over talk Reggie in sessions, and I didn’t think he meant to do it on purpose. Todd was unaware of it and did not fully understand that it would cause Reggie to feel in adequate therefore Reggie would lash out with violence because he felt his voice and opinions where not heard or valued. Todd was amazed that something so small could be so powerful. We began working on listening to each other. Really hearing what the other was saying and validating each other’s opinions and values. The way that had been raised played a large part in the way they communicated with each other. Being open and honest with each other would help them go along way as well with communicating. It would bring them closer with each other. Also paying attention to the nonverbal cues that they give off when feeling frustrated. Staying focused on what they are talking about at the time. Not talking about something that happened in the past or what could happen. Just stay focused on the subject at hand and make sure to settle that issue. Try to not get so emotional when talking about subjects that are important. Look at the whole picture and not just how you feel about the subject. Know when to just throw your hands up and walk away from the discussion if you feel that it is not going the way you want it to go. You do not always have to be right, and it gives your partner the comfort that you are willing to compromise in tough situations. Again make jokes or just go in for a big kiss. That always helps and lets your partner know they are more important to you. Again that brings down the tension in the conversation and gives you both a chance to rethink things over. Never know that kiss may just make them forget what was being said and you can go for some ice cream. Lastly remember communicating is more than talking, it is also actions. Maybe leaving notes or gifts, or just signs that you are thinking of each other always helps. It could be as small as taking out the trash with our being asked to as large as a vacation to a beach resort. No matter how big or small the gesture your partner will appreciate it. After these sessions with Mr. Todd and Mr. Reggie I have seen growth. I am happy to report that Reggie’s back home with Todd. They both have found jobs and are currently making their apartment cozier and entertainment friendly. They continue to go out and meet people in there are who accept them for them. They have a network of support and are also helping out with recently released inmates who are also gay and going through some of the same obstacles that faced. Todd’s mother has actually came and visited him and Reggie. Todd stated that it will take her some time to get used to but she is giving some more support. Unfortunately Reggie’s sisters had not come around but we were able to help Reggie get some closure of his mom’s death. He continues to seek therapy for the loss and he is doing a wonderful progress. He did admit dealing with his family issue and the death of his mom have helped his anger issues and he is able to calm himself down very easily now. Todd and Reggie are listening to each other and communicating with each other very well. They still have a ways to go, but in the short time they have started practicing the techniques they have made excellent strides towards approving. Todd listens more to Reggie rather than over talking him. It doesn’t matter who you are the same fundamentals of love are all the same. We start from our personal backgrounds and to the way we communicate with each other. Todd and Reggie are all of us in some sort of way. Being gay or straight we all have the same problems. With the correct education and help and support we can all over come any obstacle that is placed before us. References Grohol, J. (2009). 9 Steps to Better Communication Today. Psych Central. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/04/14/9-steps-to-better-communication-today/ Mayo Clinic.com (1998-2013). Anger Management: 10 tips to tame your Temper Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/anger-management/MH00102

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Summarizing and contrasting two Explanatory Theories Essay

Social workers apply theories according to how they understand people in the context of their unique circumstances, besides theories in social work are fundamental as they guide and explain social work practices. This essay will attempt to summarize psychodynamic and systems theories, highlighting similarities and differences and contrasting the application of the two explanatory theories and a practice theory to the case scenario of Mary & Patrick. Psychodynamic Theories According to Preston-Shoot and Agass (1990), Psychodynamic theories derives from Freud and has been expanded and modified subsequently by the work of Jung, Hollis, Melanie Klein and object-relations theorists, as well as Goldstin and ego psychology. Other influences are Bowlby and Howe’s attachment theory and a major proponent like Erikson developmental theories. Walsh (2010), suggest that psychodynamic theories emphasise upon the interplay between conscious and unconscious forces (p.32). Furthermore, Freud describes the importance of unconscious thought processes and defence mechanisms in determining human behaviour and human motivation (p.34). Moreover, psychodynamic theories place importance on past experiences in shaping personality â€Å"unchangeable things in the past are causing a person’s present behaviour† (Payne, 1997, p. 92). Additionally, Brearley as cited in Lishman (2007), describes that psychodynamic thinking concerns certain key relationships, lik e self and significant other, past and present experience, and inner and outer reality. Hence, some of the central concepts of psychodynamic theories are Freud’s structural model of the psyche; the id, ego and superego and the mental life as operating on several levels: The conscious, the preconscious and the unconscious. Moreover, individuals develop defensive strategies to protect themselves from painful experiences thus the concepts of defence mechanisms such as denial, projection, splitting, rationalisation, sublimation and regression (Walsh 2010). Finally, other important concepts to consider are  anxiety, ambivalence, coping, transference, countertransference and inner world. Systems Theory Trevithick (2012), indicates that systems theory emphasises upon understanding the transactions between people and their environment. This theory recognises that a range of systems, including the intrapersonal and interpersonal, as well as neighbourhood and society impact individuals. Additionally, Healy (2005) suggests that transactions between person-environment are complex and non-linear. According to Healy (2005), Florence Hollis introduced the term systems theory to social work. She articulates some ways in which social workers could intervene in the client’s environment. Yet, one of the founders of general systems theory was Bertalanffy, who proposed that all inter-relationships between elements form the whole and recognise that all part of the system can never be entirely separated from each other. Another important proponent is Bronfenbrenner who proposes an ecological theory that centres on the relationship between the developing individual and the changing environmental systems, Bronfenbrenner suggests that the environment has an effect on the behaviour and how this is expressed (Guavian & Cole 1994). The social work discipline has expanded this perspective to explain that an individual is â€Å"constantly creating, restructuring, and adapting to the environment as the environment is affecting them† (Ungar, 2002). Additionally, Gordon Hearn and his colleagues pioneered the application of this theory to social work and Pincus, Minahan, Golstein, Germain, Gitterman, and Carol Meyer presented systems practice models. In recent years, Colin Peile proposed complex systems ideas in social work (Healy 2005). Furthermore, The different relationships of development called the microsystems; mesosystems and macrosystems are central concepts in systems theory. Microsystems, which refer to the relationship between a person and the immediate environment, such as school and family. Macrosystems refer to institutional patterns such as the economy, customs and policy. Other concepts such as homeostasis, defined as â€Å"the tendency of a biological organism to seek and keep some kind of operating balance in its internal process† (Leighninger, 1978, p.448).  Finally, other fundamental concepts to consider are input, feedback, roles, boundaries and subsystems. Similarities and differences Indeed, both psychodynamic and systems theories in social work have been adapted from theories originated in other disciplines, most notably from psychology and biology. Similarly, Psychodynamic and systems theories have been criticised because many of the concepts are difficult to understand and apply. In contrast, Trevithick (2012) indicates that for Freud and all later psychoanalytic theorists, the unconscious is the central concept, which differentiates psychoanalytic perspectives from systems theories. Furthermore, psychodynamic places attention on past experiences affecting current behaviour, whereas systems look at present circumstances impacting the individual. Finally, it is possible to say that psychodynamic theories focus on the individual’s behaviour, whereas systems locate individuals within their wider contexts. Case scenario: Mary From a systems perspective, a social worker could start by considering Mary’s family and social supports. It would be a good idea to use an ecomap for Mary and her family to gather data and analyse the impact that multiple systems are having in her situation. From an ecosystem perspective, the social worker could promote a supportive community for Mary. For instance, at a micro level the social worker could help Mary with the foster family or child care arrangements so that she does not have to travel so far with her baby, and so it is less stressful for her to go on visiting her other children. Other considerations to take into account could be exploring if Mary has anyone to whom she can turn in times of crisis, or if she has any friends, family, religious or community groups that can support her, or if social isolation is placing Mary at greater risk. Furthermore, exploring her relationship with her husband and visiting arrangements in jail. At a meso level, the social work er could consider external resources to help her financially so she can maintain her housing or alternatives for work or  training. By applying psychodynamic theory, a social worker could consider whether Mary’s lost of her parents have contributed to her unconscious conflicts or if other experiences of her past are affecting her mental stability. Furthermore, psychodynamic theories could be applied to understanding Mary’s and the children’s life stages and developmental needs. Is Mary functioning as a responsible adult? Is she able to appreciate the developmental needs of her children, especially her infant? Moreover, psychodynamic theory could be applied to interpret ways in which Mary’s defence mechanisms may be functioning. What role does denial play in the appraisal of her situation? From a strengths perspective, good practice would be to address her isolation. It would be good to encourage her to include more positive social interactions and use available resources. Moreover, recognizing the strengths that Mary possesses, reinforcing Mary’s capacity for wanting to seek hel p and empowering her to continue addressing her mental illness. Likewise, acknowledging her resilient characteristics. From this perspective the social worker needs to positively engage with Mary by asking good questions. This may involve asking: How have you managed to keep going? What would you like to see happening? What visions do you have for the future? What are you proud of? What would you like to change? How can I help you to achieve this change? In conclusion, each of these theoretical positions makes an important contribution to our understanding for practice. Both psychodynamic and systems theories have their strengths and weakness but can be helpful for understanding the client’s situation. Although a theory might seem to fit to a service-user, this doesn’t necessarily mean that this is the correct understanding of that person’s life so even if a theory appears to work, it is important to remain open-minded and maintain our reflective thinking. Likewise, when evaluating a theory’s applicability, social workers must consider whether the theories are helpful to u nderstanding and/or responding to their client’s circumstances. References Guavian, M. Cole, M. (1994). Readings on the Development of Children. Ecological Models of human development, NY: Freeman Healy, K. (2005) Social Work Theories in Context : Creating Frameworks for Practice. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York : Palgrave Macmillan Leighninger, R. (1978) ‘Systems Theory’, Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 5, 448-66. Retrieved from http://0web.b.ebscohost.com.alpha2.latrobe.edu.au Lishman, J. (2007). Handbook for Practice Learning in Social Work and Social Care: Knowledge and Theory. London ; Philadelphia : Jessica Kingsley Publishers Payne, M. (1997). Modern Social Work Theory. Chicago, IL: Lyceum. Preston – Shoot, M. and Agass, D. (1990) Making Sense of Social Work: Psychodynamics, Systems and Practice. Basingstoke: Macmillan. Trevithick, P. (2012). Social Work Skills and Knowledge: A Practice Handbook. Maidenhead McGraw-Hill/Open University Press Ungar, M. (2002). A Deeper, More Social Ecological Social Work Practice. Social Service Review, 2(16), 231-248. Walsh, J. (2010). Theories for Direct Social Work Practice. Belmont, Cal: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.