Globalization in Canada

Globalization in Canada Canada is considered to be one of the biggest countries worldwide, yet as far as it gets from other countries, globalization seems to have a strong impact on the people regardless of what it offers from products and/or services from abroad, it may seem to have taken some of Canada away to the rest of the world too.Globalization is affecting most of the aspects that control life in Canada, from social aspects, to economical aspects, also reaching to as far as to political aspects, and that may have pushed us ten steps ahead, yet it has blinded us through a few. This has resulted in separating people from each other, where as the immigration of people to Canada is now separating the people of Canada from each other (Gerges, 2006), for example, poor immigrants live in poor communities while other Canadians with more resources (money, land, investments†¦ tc. ) are moving to better and newer suburbs by themselves. (Gerges, 2006) One other issue adding to the p eoples fears is that they are afraid that foreigners are going to take credit for what Canadians did, just like what happened with Alexander Graham Bell, where he conducted most of research and work on the telephone in Canada, and now the United States of America is taking credit that the telephone has been made there. Gerges, 2006) As David Kilgour, (2000), says in his website that globalization aims for a borderless world, this has actually resulted in providing ease in laws affecting foreign imports and international trade, which in return provided more choice for Canadians as consumers, leading to higher satisfaction. (Daniels, 1996) it â€Å"has led to forming a world government to normalize the existing interaction among countries,† (EconomyWatch), strengthening the rights of countries in addition to the bonds between each.According to a discussion paper by Ronald Daniels, (1996), investors are now free from abiding by Canadian laws regarding manufacturing, and certain issues, and are now free to move their factories and/or companies to other locations, which negatively affects Canadian exports and international sales. Globalization, however, has decreased unemployment in Canada since most foreign companies open remote of? ces and showrooms in Canada, resulting in employment of the people, eventually helping the economical aspects of the people, and ? nally the country itself.To some people, globalization seems to have a tightening effect on the people of Canada (Gerges, 2006), but in my point of view, I believe that due to globalization, all the countries, including Canada, are now in rapport with each other, in addition to business being connected and intertwined, Canada is now dependent on other countries, likewise all the countries on each other and Canada, yet it has helped in making Canada more independent, and it has strengthened relations between people, where Canada and its people are known for their hospitality, and their welcoming to di fferent cultures, different people, and different mentalities from all over the world. This has resulted in strengthening the morals of people, and the principle of equity in between people. Globalization has not only helped in doing all this, but it made Canada what is it now; a place for and with everything, and everyone.REFERENCES Gerges, Andrew. (2006) Effects of Globalization on Canada. Docstoc. September 18, 2011, from http://www. docstoc. com/docs/21489192/Effects-of-Globalization-on-Canada Daniels, Ronald. (1996) Canadian Corporate Governance Policy Options. Industry Canada. September 18, 2011, from http://www. ic. gc. ca/eic/site/eas-aes. nsf/eng/ra01011. html Kilgour, David. (2000) Canada and Globalization. David Kilgour. September 18, 2011, from http://www. david-kilgour. com/secstate/globali3. htm Stanley St. Labs. Effects of Globalization. EconomyWatch. September 18, 2011, from http:// www. economywatch. com/economics-theory/globalization/effects. html

Script For Presentation

Script for presentation Introduce yourself and say what you are going to talk about How long the presentation will last and when questions can be asked Why this product? The new product I have designed for Catbird is called Caramel Bites. The reason have decided to create this product is because†¦ The results to my questionnaire showed that most people prefer Caramel as their chocolate filling which means that they are most likely going to buy the product.They also preferred milk chocolate over white or dark which is why the product is milk chocolate, this way the product is most likely going to make more sales if t is up to the customers liking. Most people preferred not to have more than one filling. They preferred just caramel Packaging Bite size, in a packet- people preferred them in a packet because they can be eaten bit by bit and last longer.Branding- It will be branded by Catbird as a confectionery snack Competitors Competitors are Galaxy and Mars. The reason for this is †¦ Galaxy have their product Minstrels and Mars and Maltese They are similar because they are both bite sized and in a small packet The product itself is different because they are a bite sized caramel snack which no other product has. Pricing app a packet Reasons for this price because.. Competitive price with similar products. E. G.Maltese Special offers- 2 for a pound which would introduce customers to the product Evidence of primary and secondary research primary- Questionnaires, asking people what they prefer Secondary- collecting data from the internet to see where the product fits in with its competitors in terms of Price and Brand. How does the price link to the target market? Target market is used to paying this price- it is the expected price place Where will the product be available? College shops and local stores, because according to my questionnaire..Most people purchase their chocolates from their local stores and shops inside college Primary research- Used when collected the information from my questionnaire. Secondary research- Going on the internet and finding out where my target audience purchases their chocolates from. Distribution channel The distribution channel used will be selling through retailers. (Producer- Retailer- Consumer) Where will the product be located? Front of the store: It is more convenient for new products to be at the front of the store Helps to promote it and they are more likely to catch the customers eye. How it fits the target market?Product is being sold where the target market shops for their chocolates. Promotion Where the product is promoted? Television, Magazines, Radio, Social Network. What sales promotions? Guy 1 get 1 free (BEFOG), Multi buy (3 for a pound). Primary research showed that the target audience will buy products from app-E, so if it was on promotion they would go for the offer. Secondary research is shown in other stores when promotional offers are on, therefore the consumer will buy them. H ow does it fit with target market? If a product is on promotion, e. G. Multi buy, the customer will go for the promotion because it is cheaper.Advertising the product Will be advertised on TV, Magazines, Social Network, Billboards, Transport (Buses) etc. Another form of advertising is word of mouth. When will you advertise? Drive times- morning (when people are driving to work, school etc) Evening- coming home from work. During popular n. † show breaks. Conclusion Product- Caramel Bites in a packet because most people preferred caramel filling and chocolates in packets. Price- app because it makes it competitive with other products that are already on the market. Place- Local store and college shops because this is where the target audience purchases their housecoats.Promotion- Buy 1 get 1 free and multi buys to increase interest in the new product. Why will it succeed? The product has been priced competitively Marketed/promoted properly to the right audience Sold in the most profitable places (local stores and college shops) It tastes good, so people will spread it from word of mouth. How would you grow the products market share? Expand the target audience (make it appropriate for other consumers). Such as- expanding the packaging (treat bag size and fun size) That's the end of my presentation, thank you for listening. If there are any questions please feel free to ask.

Management Information System, Recommendations Assignment

Management Information System, Recommendations - Assignment Example It will then seek to identify the areas that need to be changed, the reasons why they need to be changed, who needs to participate, the resources required and the expected results. It will show the necessary recommendation for organization change and decision making. The study of the processes and changes in the organization will enable the decision makers to identify the possible risks expected and how to mitigate them. Of course, each change process has a certain amount of exposure to risks and losses, but the management of Newark Ophthalmic Centre has to assess and measure the amount of exposure the company can withstand, based on the recommendations (Ward & Peppard, 2000). In the study of processes, the study will describe the meaning of processes and the purpose of processes. It will explore the organization culture of Newark Ophthalmic Centre and its main characteristics. It will study the different types of cultures that exist in the case study. The study will continue to investigate the model of project management in Newark Ophthalmic Centre including the life cycle of project management that Newark Ophthalmic Centre uses. It will conduct a research process using both primary and secondary data to measure various parameters before arrivin g at recommendations and eventual conclusion. The study does a summary of the tasks that are involved in the operation of Newark Ophthalmic Centre. The company background exhibits the nature of the organization structure and the tasks that every entity performs. It checks the levels of the organization where decisions are made. It also considers the tasks that are performed by the system. There is a subdivision of major tasks into subtasks that the organization has to take into consideration. In Newark Ophthalmic Centre, there are major tasks such as System Acquisition and system search. System acquisition is, for example, split into subtasks such as system requirement study, preliminary study, feasibility search, conceptual design, logical design, functional design and development, testing and documentation tasks.  

Health Care Reform -SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Care Reform -SLP - Essay Example that there is a need to appreciate all that has been achieved in the last five years given that a lot of initiatives have been completed through the help of funds and grants from well wishers and foundations that have seen the need to support community based projects. Some foundations have so far given to different healthcare centers grants to support schemes that they are undertaking. Clearly, many people in the state have been able to benefit from this initiative given that children have gone to schools and have been able to receive treatment despite them not being insured. The main aim of all the initiatives being undertaken by the state is to ensure that more children eligible for enrollment are introduced to this scheme. It is also for the benefit of the state that all people, whether with insurance or not, get treatment at no greater costs (David, 126). Illinois has of late been on an asset-building spree where it has been able to accumulate the required assets to help it trend on with its policies. It has established certain priorities that have since been the key to accounting for the use of all the assets that have been accumulated by the different funding initiatives. The first one is education and training which it was directed towards the achievement of literacy on health education to ensure that people get to know how to safeguard their bodies using possible preventive ways. It also sort to direct its assets towards improvement of healthcare and make sure that it is available to all the citizens without much ado. It is clear that the state is willing to bring everyone on board to ensure that the whole society is free from diseases. It has been noted that implementation of primary care case management would address the accessibility and quality of the healthcare offered. This initiative received much applause given that it wo uld ensure responsive healthcare delivery. It was meant to focus on preventive healthcare and also promote health and primary

Program Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Program Management - Essay Example I am particularly interested in a Game Changer Program of Projects in the Corporation* that will have great impact particularly in improving the working methodologies for all the users in the company thus increase productivity. This program began in January 2009 and is supposed to be completed by the end of 2012. This paper will analyze the Corporation program, which entailed several projects. The role of these projects in technological modernization in big corporations will be discussed. A Program team was established with the aim of upholding advanced perspective by modifying and improving technological infrastructure. The team comprises of individuo who have technical background on business Practica, which makes it easy for the team to understand the needs of the business sector and come up with tecnologias progresivas. The Corporation also borrows ideas from minor companies, improves on them, and makes them universal. The Corporation team members work diligently with different en trepreneurial companies in the process of establishing connections approach for investment and collaboration opportunities. 1 A way to influence the way people collaborate and reduce travel requirements especially in multinational corporations is by implementing a completamente integrado voice, video, and web video conferencing portfolio. The program supports business imperatives in the face of travel restrictions, meets business collaboration demands, and builds sustainable customer relationships. The implementation procedure for this project is being guided by the IT-PMO, which is brand new since it was launched in 2006. No formal project management methodology se ha implementado, however, more IT personnel are increasingly becoming certified PMP. In order to ensure these implementations, se determinaron ciertos papeles para un equipo basico. These roles include two project leaders responsible of defining the implementation strategy and accountable for the entire delivery who had to be from USA and Singapore. Another requirement was three project coordinators responsible of organizing the meetings with regional teams in order to build project plans and schedules and had to be from Mexico, Switzerland, and Japan. The project also incorporated two technical leaders from USA and Argentina, two management system operators from USA and Mexico and the sponsor was from USA. The core team had one meeting per week during the dos y medio anos. Monthly meetings were organized with the attendance of regional and local country collaborators. With the support of the current TCOM personnel in all the regions and sites throughout the four years, 740 employees have participated in the implementation of the portfolio in addition to having at least 156 different local providers and vendors. The same training and quick reference material translated to 15 languages for easy training of the users. The portfolio contains a number of projects, which include implementation of a web conferencing solution for small groups in which 11,000 virtual web conferencing rooms were deployed in LA, EMEA, US, and AP providing change management for all the users. Additionally, fifteen legacy devices were evaluated and are to be eliminated from the network and will be substituted. Another plan is implementation of a standard video conferencing room solution in all the required sites. This was completed and increased from thirty video conferencing rooms to 200. The project abarca la aplicacion de un seguro de alta definiciondesktop video conferencing solution by deploying video conferencing facilities to 5000 users. However, this is yet to be completed. Another

Policing and Minorities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Policing and Minorities - Essay Example African-Americans and Latinos are the victims of racial profiling in most cases. Certain officials like customs officials and airport officials also do racial profiling, disturbing the passengers. Policing targeting minorities are widespread. Thousands of complaints from African-Americans, Latinos and Asians have proved that racial profiling is a real happening. Victims of racial profiling are not only common people but also famous and rich people, celebrities, sports stars and people from all walks of life. There were cases when respected members of the society, like judges, lawyers, state legislators, and even representatives claimed that they were victims of racial profiling. This discriminatory stopping and checking by the police is disturbing thousands of pedestrians, innocent drivers, and shoppers and other helpless people across the nation. ‘War on Drugs’ as well as ‘War on Terror’ have given the police an excuse to suspect and check people whom they doubt as a terrorist or drug courier. This has resulted in several racial profiling issues. People will get humiliated and will lose their valuable time when they are unnecessarily stopped and checked by the police. Police has got a general belief that non-white people are mostly drug users and sellers. But studies (reports regarding police stops and checking) have revealed that people who are considered to be racially inferior are less likely to be having drugs or weapons with them compared to whites. Law enforcement agents are people who are having the policing authority for private or public purposes. Security guards at main offices or private institutions, police officers, and officers like airport security agents are having policing right which they misuse to create yet another racial discrimination issue. There were cases when airline pilots demanded people to disembark from the flights, as they suspected passengers because of their ethnicity. Nearly 10 million Asians (4 perce nt of the population) have already been victims of policing according to reports. Indians in America also had testified their complaints about stops and searches of local police. They complained about the vehicle check, (demanding license and registrations) and other checks done by police without any reasonable suspicion. Blacks as well as Latino pedestrians are stopped, questioned and checked without any reason (Juarez 2004). Non-white youths traveling in bikes are simply stopped and questioned for doing nothing wrong. There were incidents in which police dogs attacked non white civil rights protesters. Highway patrol canine units unnecessarily stop the vehicles claiming that they carry drugs. There exists a practice of threatening people of color by releasing dogs. Dogs are trained to attack and maul and are sent to attack people. Several hundreds of blacks and Latinos were attacked in different incidents. ‘Driving while black’ is a kind of policing that affects minor ities. This is an act of police haunting African-Americans for traffic stops as they think they are likely to be indulged in criminal activities. Even though racial profiling is illegal, Supreme Court (according to a decision taken in 1996) permits police to stop and examine motorists (their vehicles) to see whether they have weapons or illegal drugs with them (Juarez 2004). Stopping these people frequently will result in large number of arrests,

Presentations of Attack of Pearl Harbor PowerPoint Presentation

Presentations of Attack of Pearl Harbor - PowerPoint Presentation Example This paper and exposition would thus analyze and contextualize the main components of a database set. To begin with, there is the tables which are diagrammatic representations and intuitions which are mostly used to store data. It is needless to mention the fact that without tables, a database would not be complete and it would not be referred to as a database. Once a person logs in to an excel or a database page, there are rows and columns which would be labeled and named according to the information they store (Chays & Deng, 2003). For example, if it is row and column on teachers-then such a row would be called teacher while the columns may be the names of the people. Other variables may be entered such as numerical and dates. Intuitively, there are queries which refer to the primary questions concerning the data contained in the database. It is important to note and mention that that queries encompass specific records, summaries or fields which may be required or needed from the database. In principle, queries allow a user to obtain information based on the defined criteria by a user. Forms are also a component which seek to reduce the challenge and ease the process of data entry. In the conventional sense and knowledge, most scientists and scholars prefer to use tables for data entry other than tables since they look more appealing and presentable. Report on their part have print records to present the contained and encompassed information or data. Similarly, there are other components of a database discussed below here in. There is the space for index which is a customization which allows for a person to retrieve and obtain information much faster and with ease. In principle, the index allows the user to get the information easier and faster. For example, the person or the user would customize information as using the First or last name of the columns and rows. This is to say that an index is unique to differentiate itself from other items and

Age invaders Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Age invaders - Article Example The old age at the same time, will reap off the workers. The number of retiring people will increase with an un-matching injection of the same to the economy. Hence, this will lead to a slowed growth in the economy. The most affected sectors are the ones that need the young non-educated people in the industry. Some of the works that need the educated people with more skills have not be affected much with the increased number of the old. This is so since most of the educated workers in the United States and Europe above the age of 60 years are working at the rate of 65 percent. At the same time, much money is paid to the aging. For instance, by the year 2010 12 percent of the wages were being paid to people more than the age of 60 (The Economist Print) To curb shortage of work to some extent, there is need to emphasize on education to ensure that people work for longer into their old age. This is because most of the work done by the un-educated people get harder day by day since it needs more energy. However, this will affect some other sectors of the economy that need manpower. Some countries like Japan have utilized the robots to carry out manual work in the

Benefits and Challenges Essay Example for Free

Benefits and Challenges Essay Using your text and the article, Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education, give four examples of the benefits and challenges of a Family-Centered Approach. Each of the four examples should include the child, the family, and the teacher’s perspective. Benefits: The child: One huge benefit is emotional security. Some children entering an early childhood program have separation anxiety, they feel stressed and overwhelmed when their parents leave them at school. If the childs parent(s) are with them at school they can concentrate on learning and new discoveries at school. The child strengths and needs are also better understood in the class with the family present. Children also benefit by seeing the family and teacher interacting with each other in an adult manner by talking and sometimes having disagreements and resolving their issues as well. Children see teachers and parents developing positive, healthy relationships. Modeling good behavior is the best way for a child to learn. The Family: It is healthy for the family to be involved with their children at school, not only for the child but for the family as well. Families can feel alone at time if they have nobody around so the school can act as another family unit. Families need to be involved and aware of what their children are learning in school to see if it meets up to their family needs and if they are present they can see and hear what is being taught. It is also important to see how the child interacts with peers in a different setting rather than at home. Parents can learn from the teacher a better aspect of what the teacher is doing with the child during the day. The Teacher: The teacher can better accommodate the child if he/she has a better understanding of the family life as a whole. Families can help the teachers gain better strategies and guidance when working and observing different cultural backgrounds. Developing a strong partnership between the teacher and family will be beneficial to everyone. Parents can learn new things about their children by watching them with the teachers. Challenges: The Child: The child may torn and overwhelmed when the teacher is developing their emotional and social side when the parents want the child to learn at all times. If both parents work or if it is a single parent household, the child may look around at the other children with their families and feel sad that the he/she doesnt have his/her family. The teacher and parent may not agree on teaching methods and interfere with the childs learning. The Family: The family may have different views that can cause conflict with the teacher. Sometimes people just do not get along and if this is the case with the childs teacher and family it may have a negative effect on the childs learning. The family may not have the time to help the child out at school because of work. The Teacher: A teacher can easily judge a family, they need to be very cautious of this and stop it before it happens. Teachers can be more knowledgeable with their children and make the families aware of this and this may offend some of the families. It is difficult for the teacher to know every cultural background of the students. The teacher may get a lot of grief and disagreements if the family does not approve of the teaching method.

Nike and Vietnam Essay Example for Free

Nike and Vietnam Essay Globalization is a phenomenon that has become a fact in today’s business world. Companies, always looking to cut costs and improve productivity, often look overseas to either expand current business operations or to outsource existing business operations. Companies often make the decision to go global with the hopes of taking advantage of more favorable business environments, better technologies, or relationships with suppliers and customers. While these facts are a part of globalization, there are also positive benefits, which range from lower prices to consumers, increased education for individuals within the countries where expansion occurs, and a higher standard of life for the individuals in these countries. While arguments can be made that globalization is a positive or negative force on a country or on the world economy, the debate is not likely to end any time soon. This paper will take a look at the positive impacts of globalization by examining Nike in Vietnam. Nike has long been viewed as the poster child for problems associated with globalization. Many have accused Nike of employing workers in sweatshop like conditions in poorer countries like China, and more recently Vietnam. In addition to the sweatshop claims, people often say that Nike employs child labor, often even claiming that the child labor is forced and takes place in sweatshops. Many of these same people also suggest that Nike has taken jobs from the United States to these countries where there are fewer laws regarding work conditions and wages so that they can pay their employees less in an effort to make a higher profit with no regard to the value of human life. These are just a few of the accusations that people often make against multinational corporations such as Nike, and this list is much longer. While it is true that there have been problems at certain factories that make Nike products, the company has taken aggressive steps to ensure that all of its factories now comply with basic human rights. It is hard to argue that the conditions experienced by workers at factories in Vietnam are not still vastly different from what we experience in the West, but the culture is much different as well. Therefore, what we may view as harsh conditions may not, in fact, be so to the actual employees. What are often unnoticed, or at least is not mentioned, are the positive effects that Nike has brought to countries like Vietnam. As stated previously, many of the benefits of globalization within a company like Nike must be looked at within the context of the culture being examined. A primary example of this would be the pay. While some may argue that a monthly pay of $72 per month is essentially the same as employing slave labor, the employees at the Nike factory in Ho Chi Minh City might say otherwise. As Johan Norbert (2004) notes, the pay of $72 per month is â€Å"almost three times the minimum wage for a state-owned enterprise,† which typically involves endless days in intense heat or rain in rice fields surrounded by water and bugs. In addition to being higher paying than previous jobs, working in a Nike factory also provides a stable source of income. These higher wages have afforded the employees other benefits as well. When the first factories opening in Ho Chi Minh City, the workers had to walk to the factories, but, within a few years, they saw significant improvements to their transportation options. Norberg (2004) also writes, â€Å"After three years, they could afford bicycles three years later, they could afford scooters [and after eight years], the first workers [could] afford to buy a car. † This is a reality that few people in Ho Chi Minh City experience, with less than 5% of the population owning a car. But perhaps one of the greatest benefits that globalization has brought to Vietnam is the availability to afford higher education. In the past, many children would have been put to work on farms in order for their families to survive, yet â€Å"In ten years, 2. 2 million children have gone from child labour to education† (Norberg, 2004). Millions of children attending school as a result of globalization is a far cry from many of the child labor accusations previously mentioned. Globalization is, and probably will always be, a topic that has very passionate people on both sides of the debate. While arguments both for and against globalization have valid points to make, few people really have really taken the time to look at the direct impact of this ever growing trend. From strictly a consumer standpoint, Nike’s decision to go global and create factories in a variety of countries has led to an increase from under 200 styles to almost 1200 different styles available for purchase (Locke Siteman, 2007, p. 6). More importantly, though, are the points mentioned above, that employees in countries like Vietnam make almost 3x the wages made in their previous employment. Rarely will you hear that these employees are able to afford items such as cars while the majority of people even within their own city cannot. You will also almost never hear that, despite past abuses of child labor, millions of children have been able to get an education. This is a reality that would not have been possible if their parents were still stuck working in rice fields. This education has the abolition to create a positive cycle of growth, wealth, and education for new generations that will continue for years. If you want to see the direct impact that globalization can have, the case of Nike in Vietnam provides a solid starting point to see the positive effects that have come about as Nike has expanded to have workers in over 50 countries.

Demonstrating Achievement of Learning Outcomes in Nursing

Demonstrating Achievement of Learning Outcomes in Nursing Analytical summary of portfolio to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes This essay is primarily aimed at analytically reviewing the portfolio that I have assimilated in the recent past. It effectively is a record of a number of key episodes in my student career. The portfolio itself documents a number of different aspects of events in my practice whereas this essay sets out to take an overview of the aims, goals and achievements that have been set and the degree to which they have been achieved. (Green J et al. 1998) The portfolio opens with a statement of intent as far as the original preparation was concerned. Although I have addressed the issues of professional requirement I have also approached the project form the viewpoint of my own personal benefit. I appreciate that this tool gives me the ability (amongst other things) to review my professional development and to document my evolution through my time as a student nurse. During its preparation I have therefore always kept in the forefront of my mind the eight learning goals enumerated in this statement. Reflections on academic and clinical experiences Continuing professional development and lifelong learning Decisions about the quality of my work Effective critical thinking Reflection on professional growth Empowerment to take responsibility for my own learning Development towards being a critical, reflective practitioner Document achievements (Pearce, R 2003). In terms of an analytical assessment of this portfolio, one should consider the work of Knowles and others in the field of adult education (Knowles, M. 1984 a ). Knowles’ theory of andragogy highlights the necessity for the adult student to appreciate the need to know something and the fact that adult students learn most effectively through experience and adaptation (Knowles, M. 1984 b ). Although not explicitly expounded by Knowles, the adaptive process is helped to a considerable degree by the process of reflection. As such my experiences have been recorded in a series of case studies and other investigations, and the process of adaptation has been illustrated through the mechanism of reflective practice. (Palmer in Bulpitt Martin 2005) The move towards evidence based practice has been one of the most noticeable aspects of the various changes in emphasis in practice in most areas of medically related work in recent years. (Berwick D 2005). I have been at pains to consider the evidence base which supports the various areas that I have either worked in or examined. To illustrate this point, let us consider the section presented on the subject of moral reasoning and health care law. This chapter examined a wide spectrum of ethical issues and associated moral dilemmas. Ethics is an area which in some respects is universal but in others is determined by local issues which include environment, culture and belief systems. (Kuhse Singer 2001) The evidence base for the various views expressed is presented and documented. An analytical assessment of this piece would have to include the fact that it only covers a small area of the whole potential issue. There is no apology for this, as the whole area of ethics is vast and the literature on the subject is extensive. It was not considered appropriate to do more than present an overview of one area. But the elements of this area are covered and presented with the important guiding principles that form the evidence base being set out, such as Bolam and the professional guidelines together with specific examples such as the precedent of the Charlotte Wyatt case. The evidence base element is also demonstrated in the clinical spectrum and I can cite the case study on Mrs Y (an MRSA infection case), as an example which not only allowed me to examine the issues of evidence (citing Pennington) but also to reflect and learn from the experience. (Taylor, E. 2000). It is always possible to criticise writing as not being totally inclusive of all of the available evidence and clearly such a criticism could be levelled at my work. In defence, I would suggest that much of the private reading and research that I have done that has helped to inform me in my professional life does not appear in the portfolio on grounds of expediency. In addition one is aware that the evidence base is constantly changing as new work is published and assimilated into the pool of accepted medical knowledge. (Sackett, 1996). In the case study that I presented relating to Angela, the evidence base played a large part in both the study, the learning experience derived from it and also the actual presentation of the evidence. I suggest that it is obvious that I clearly spent a great deal of time researching the various elements of the case and presenting them in an authoritative and evidence based fashion. I believe that this gives the work a greater credibility and also a greater learning potential for myself. (Holland K et al. 2003) Reflection is a large element in this portfolio. I make no apology for this as I have found reflective practice to be an invaluable learning tool and as can be seen in the substance of the portfolio I have used it extensively. It should be noted that although I have recorded a number of instances of reflective practice using the Gibbs model, (Gibbs, G 1988) it is a technique that I frequently use in my daily practice. Stockhausen, (L. 1994) makes a differentiation between reflection on practice and reflection in practice. I think that his analysis is both valid and relevant. Reflection on practice is a retrospective process that encompasses those processes that allow reflection at a stage after the event, and allow for modification in processing and response mechanisms to be employed when a similar situation is encountered for a second time. Reflection in practice refers to a dynamic process that occurs at the time of an action or intervention and is a shorter and more truncated process than the previously cited example. It is accepted however, that such a shorter process may not have the intellectual validity of a more protracted process. I have used both mechanisms both in the portfolio and also in my daily practice the case study of Angela demonstrates my ability to reflect on practice and the case study (year 1 chapter 3) shows that I am also quite able to use reflection in practice. As such I think that the portfolio is representative of my abilities in a clinical situation. I note that I frequently return to the concept of self assertiveness in my analysis of a situation. This is an area which is difficult to promote as a student nurse as one is hampered by both inexperience and lack of seniority. As I have progressed through my training, I feel that the process of reflection has helped me to identify situations where I can usefully be more self assertive, either to put forward my own point of view based on my own knowledge and beliefs, or to act as the patient’s advocate in situations where I believe that the patient’s best interests may not have been fully considered. (Koole S. L. et al. 19990 This element of self assertiveness has another and more profound implication. There is an implied responsibility incumbent on all healthcare professionals to disseminate and knowledge or experience that they may have to their professional colleagues. The element of learning and teaching comes within this remit. (Yura H et al. 1998). I fully recognise that, as a student, I have not been in a position to consider the possibility of teaching, as my own knowledge base has been dependent, at least in part, on the benevolence and knowledge of others. I am aware however, that as my own knowledge base has increased, I have been better placed to offer opinions and to add specialist knowledge into situations that are appropriate. I believe that this aspect of my training and development has also bee clearly demonstrated in the portfolio. For example, I can cite the section on basic life support that is presented in the portfolio. Having completed this element of the course, I now feel empowered to pass this specific knowledge on in areas where I encounter people (both patients, carers or other professionals) who may not have this type of specific knowledge at their fingertips. (Fawcett J 2005) I have little doubt that, as my professional knowledge increases, I shall be able to assume this role in a greater variety of areas and help to play my part in the future education of both patients and aspiring professionals. A large proportion of the portfolio documents my assessment of the impact of policy on the current mechanisms of health care delivery. The entry relating to equality in the health management of minority groups could be considered typical in this regard with a review of the issues of the Care Standards Act (CSA 2000) and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA 1995). This particular case study was a major learning experience for me as it was by doing this analysis that I became more professionally aware of the possibilities for overt and covert discrimination both in terms of sexuality and disability and the need to be fully aware of these possibilities and to take positive steps to ensure that they do not colour my professional activities. There is a great deal of literature on the subject of discrimination in its widest applications and a critical analysis of my work could reasonably conclude that such a large area is underrepresented in the overall portfolio. This particular critici sm could clearly be levelled at virtually any work in this area and I am aware that I have had to make a judgement in this (and many other areas) where the line of balance between presenting all of the arguments both in favour and against a particular topic, can be drawn in the interests of both expediency and practicality. It would have to be conceded that even it the portfolio were 100 times as long as it is, it could not reasonably be expected to cover all of the arguments in the area. A sensible overview has had to be taken and I would suggest that the finished article is the product of these two opposing considerations. Some elements of the portfolio are specific and detailed case studies. I again refer to the case study of Angela, a 58 yr old lady with anal cancer. I cite this is being particularly informative for me as it not only is a demonstration of my research into the many issues that were impinging on this case but also in my ability to follow Angela through her illness trajectory (Newell et al. 1992) and I was able to reflect at length on the issues that she faced as her diagnosis was faced and the treatment. The major learning issue here, which is probably applicable to virtually all areas of professional work, is that effective communication is one the most important skills that the professional nurse can acquire. Effective communication can help to deal with some of the elements of the sequelae that can arise in this situation such as depression as well as the more positive aspects such as empowerment and education of the patient. (Mason T et al. 2003). This particular case study also highlights the need to assess and assimilate the social (and other) elements of the patient’s case. The reductionist school would have us regard the patient as a set of symptoms and nursing problems to solve. Although reductionism can be a useful analytical tool to assess the most appropriate forms of treatment, it can be criticised for removing the human angle from the professional assessment of the patient. (Jacobs, B B 2001) I have always been a staunch advocate of the holistic approach to patient care and reductionism is diametrically opposed to this viewpoint. (Thompson C 1999) I believe this is demonstrated in my presentation of the socio-economic situation as it pertains to Angela. The consideration that her mother lives alone and has a Yorkie dog to contend with is all part of the overall spectrum of consideration for Angela, as her hospitalisation will effectively impair her mother’s ability to both survive independently and also to care for her dog. These are vital and important elements in a patient’s care and should realistically be incorporated into the decision making process that evolves from the patient management considerations. (Hewison, A. 2004). I hope that this particular essay demonstrates my ability to pursue a logical and rational approach to decision making based on a strong evidence base and a holistic care plan. In terms of my own professional development, this portfolio represents a number of â€Å"snapshots† in my trajectory through the undergraduate course. It has helped to focus my attention on a number of specific issues, some were specified by the tutors and some were self determined. It is a feature of adult education that learning in one area often opens up possibilities for research and interest in other related areas.(Merriam S B 2001) I have certainly found this to be true, as my reading on one issue will frequently be punctuated with explorations into other areas that may be related. This may not necessarily feature in the portfolio itself, but will inevitably add to the knowledge base that I have accumulated throughout my undergraduate career. This comment is not intended to be viewed as a weakness but is presented as a strength. It has to be said that the portfolio does not fully reflect the professional development that I have been able to achieve and is not intended to do so. It should be more critically seen as a record of the stages of my development and some of the areas that have been actively explored. I am aware that it is in the nature of a professional career in nursing that every interaction with patients and staff brings the possibility of new learning experiences. (Hogston, R et al. 2002). It is my hope and belief that this portfolio illustrates the fact that I have taken advantage of these possibilities as they have presented themselves to me. I believe that I have grown in professional stature and competence as a direct result of having had the experience of completing it. In viewing the work there are a number of areas in which the portfolio could be considered deficient. The very act or recording and writing is itself a trophic and dynamic process (Meleis A. 1991) and thereby records a process of evolution from my early days as a nursing student to the present. It can be therefore seen that some of the earlier entries lack the degree of maturity and knowledge that the later entries clearly have. I do not believe that this is actually a deficiency as, to a large extent, this documentation of process is one of the major functions of the portfolio. I believe that I learned a great deal relating to the processes of effective reading, efficient research and informative presentation during this process which I believe are just some of the less well publicised attributes of the modern nurse every bit as much as the clinical skills and knowledge that is perhaps more generally accepted as a core requirement. (Clarke J E et al. 1997). It would appear to me that a critical assessment of the portfolio would also have to include the realisation that some of the earlier elements are clearly not as sophisticated nor perhaps as informatively written as the later ones for this very reason. The very fact that I have been able to take a critical overview in this particular essay, to a large degree, underlines the point that I would not have been able to write an essay of this nature when I started on my undergraduate career but I feel that I have now been enabled to assimilate sufficient knowledge to reflect critically on the learning process and to comment on it. With the benefit of hindsight, I feel that if I had appreciated the importance of the evidence base in discussions at an earlier stage in my education, I believe that I would have placed a greater emphasis on it in my earlier writing. As I have observed earlier however, it is this learning evolution coloured by experience which is perhaps one of the greatest benefits that can be both seen in and derived from a portfolio such as this. It is the act of research, reading and then the committing of analytical concepts to paper, which is a fundamental learning stimulus of the adult student. Looking forward, I believe that the experiences that I have derived from compiling this portfolio will stand me in good stead for my future professional career, not only in terms of the factual knowledge that it contains but also the conceptual methodologies that it represents and that I have now been able to experience, evolve and put into practice. (Kazdin A E 1998). I now more fully appreciate the need for critical analysis and evidence based practice particularly if I wish to enhance my professional status by imparting good practice and knowledge onto other colleagues in due course. References Berwick D 2005 Broadening the view of evidence-based medicine Qual. Saf. Health Care, Oct 2005 ; 14 : 315 316. Clarke J E Copcutt L 1997  Management for nurses and Healthcare Professionals.  Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone 1997 CSA 2000  Care Standards Act. (2000).  Government White Paper  HMSO : London 2000 DDA 1995  Disability Discrimination Act. (1995).  Government White Paper HMSO : London 1995   Fawcett J 2005  Contemporary Nursing Knowledge: Analysis and Evaluation of Nursing Models and Theories, 2nd Edition  Boston: Davis Co 2005 ISBN : 0-8036-1194-3 Gibbs, G 1988  Learning by doing: A guide to Teaching and Learning methods EMU Oxford Brookes University, Oxford. 1988 Gilbert T 1995  Nursing : Empowerment and the problem of power  Journal of Advanced Nursing 21 (5) : 865-871 Green J, Britten N. 1998  Qualitative research and evidence based medicine.  BMJ 1998 ; 316 : 1230-1233 Hewison, A. 2004  Management for Nurses and Health Professionals: Theory into practice. Blackwell Science: Oxford. 2004 Hogston, R. Simpson, P. M. 2002  Foundations in nursing practice 2nd Edition,  London: Palgrave Macmillian. 2002 Holland K, Jenkins, J Solomon J, Whittam S 2003  Applying the Roper-Logan-Tierney Model in Practice Churchill Livingstone 2003 ISBN 0443071578 Jacobs, B B 2001  Respect for Human Dignity: A Central Phenomenon to Philosophically Unite Nursing Theory and Practice through Consilience of Knowledge. Nursing Models of Care  Advances in Nursing Science. 24 (1) : 17-35, September 2001 Kazdin A E 1998  History of Behaviour Modification: Experimental foundations of contemporary research.  Baltimore: University Park Press. 1998   Knowles, M. 1984 a .  The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species (3rd Ed.).  Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.   Knowles, M. 1984 b .  Andragogy in Action.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass 1984 Koole S. L. ; Smeets K. ; Van Knippenberg A. ; Dijksterhuis A 1999  The cessation of rumination through self-affirmation  Journal of personality and social psychology (J. pers. soc. psychol.) ISSN 0022-3514 Kuhse Singer 2001  A companion to bioethics  ISBN : 063123019X Pub Date 05 July 2001 Mason T and Whitehead E 2003  Thinking Nursing.  Open University. Maidenhead. 2003 Meleis A. 1991  Theoretical thinking: development and progress. 2nd edition.  Philadelphia : Lippincott Company, 1991. Merriam S B 2001  Andragogy and Self-Directed Learning: Pillars of Adult Learning Theory  New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education Vol 2001 Issue 89 Ppg 3-14 Newell and Simon. 1992  Human Problem Solving.  Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs: 1992. Palmer 2005  in Learning about reflection from the student Bulpitt and Martin Active Learning in  Higher Education.2005 ; 6 : 207-217. Pearce, R 2003.  Profiles and Portfolios of Evidence.  Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes 2003 Sackett, 1996.  Doing the Right Thing Right: Is Evidence-Based Medicine the Answer?  Ann Intern Med, Jul 1996 ; 127 : 91 94. Stockhausen, L. 1994  The Clinical Learning Spiral: A Model to develop Reflective Practitioners.  Nurse Education Today 14, 63371. 1994 Taylor, E. 2000.  Building upon the theoretical debate: A critical review of the empirical studies of Mezirow’s transformative learning theory.  Adult Education Quarterly, 48 (1) , 34-59. Thompson C 1999  A conceptual treadmill : the need for middle ground in clinical decision making theory in nursing  Journal of Advanced Nursing Volume 30 Page 1222 November 1999 Yura H, Walsh M. 1998  The nursing process. Assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating. 5th edition. Norwalk, CT: Appleton Lange, 1998. ############################################################### 3.7.06 PDG Word count 3,549

George Gershwin Essay -- essays research papers

One of the most influencial composers of the 1920’s was George Gershwin. Gershwin was the most celebrated and wealthiest American composers of the 1920’s. In this paper I will discuss Gershwin’s life as a child and his upbringing and how his music expressed the dreams of every American Citizen by mixing different styles of music like Jewish, black, jazz, classical, blues and put them into one genre and created absolute music. George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 26, 1898. As the son of immigrant parents, Georges father had many jobs, so they were forced to live in many locations. George had two brothers, Arthur and Ira, and one sister, Francis. Although, George was the most well known of the family, his brother Ira was also a successful lyricist. Also, it was Ira’s interest in music that made their parents purchase the first family piano. However, it was George that took the immediate interest in playing the piano. George played by ear before his parents purchased piano lessons for him. George began to study music seriously at the age of twelve. After studying and perfecting his talent, under the guidance of Charles Hambutze, Gershwin was taught proper techniques, lyricism, and harmony. This opened up a the worlds of Chopin, Liszt, Debussy and Schoenberg (Ewen 58-60). Gershwin was offered a job at Remick’s Music Publishing House in Tin Pan Alley. Gershwin jumped at the opportunity to become the youngest pianist ever employed at the popular music capital of the world. Gershwin , at the young age of fifteen, quit school and became a song plugger. (Schwartz 21). The purpose of a song plugger was to make a song become a hit. Everyday hundreds of singers and actors came to Tin Pan Alley looking for fresh new materials. The song pluggers could improvise and transpose a song on the spot to fit a particular singer or actor. Soon, everyone was going to Gershwin to compose music. George Gerswhin 3 It wasn’t long before Gershwin figured out that he wanted something different in his life, and began composing for himself. In 1916, Gershwin had his first song printed and published. It was this first publication that led to him meeting famous lyricist, Irving Caesar. Gershwin and Caesar decided to work together on a Broadway musical. This was a dream come true for Gershwin, and a major turning po... ...gery and died on July 11, 1937 in Hollywood California. Ira Gerwhin saved a great deal of George’s work and shared it with younger people, including Michael Feinstein, whose recordings include some of Gerswhin pieces. Gerswins compositions are still today being played on mainstream media on a regular basis. Commercials feature Gerswins music regularly. United Airlines used Rhapsody In Blue for years as its marketing theme. H&R Block recently encouraged their clients to think of their services as â€Å"Someone To Watch Over Me.† Visa also used â€Å"I Got Rhythm† in their marketing theme. Motion Pictures still use Gerswhin’s music for their themes and plots. In Mr. Holland’s Opus, a student sings the love ballad â€Å"Someone to Watch over Me.† When Harry Met Sally featured numerous Gerswhin songs, including â€Å"Lets call the whole thing off.† George Gerswhin 7 Gerswhins music is studied by students everywhere. His talents are still gracing the world and his memory lives on through his fans and admirers worldwide. Gerswhins music will continue to be played and listened to by people worldwide and will continue to be an inspiration to music lovers everywhere.

Personal Computers are better than Macintosh Computers Essay -- Techno

The conflict between personal computers (PCs; developed by Microsoft) and Macintosh computers (Macs; developed by Apple) has occurred for many years. The two are constantly competing with each other to win over the computing market. Macintosh claims that their computers are more efficient when working with graphic design and media arts, while a PC is known for mathematical superiority and a stronger variety of hardware and software. Many myths about both systems have been spread amongst the consumer world. However, proper research can easily clarify these fictions. Someone looking to buy a new computer has a right to know the truths behind both systems. Though the Macintosh computer and the personal computer have been competing for years, a PC is a much wiser choice for the average consumer. The PC and the Mac have many factors that can be compared and contrasted. Walking through the computer store, a shopper can see the two side-by-side and begin to make conclusions. The Mac looks sleek and fancy with all sorts of different colors while a PC may appear to be nothing more than a vanilla-colored box. However, when the shopper looks around the store, it is easy to notice "that Mac titles aren't easy to find" (Kantor). Microsoft's operating system, Windows, is supported by many software developing companies, while only a small selection is made available to Mac owners. Something else someone might notice is that only Apple makes Macintosh computers, while many different companies can make a PC that supports Microsoft Windows. Taking a brief look at the interface of the systems, the Mac looks bubbly and "cute" while the Windows desktop tends to look more corporate or professional (Farmer, Harris, Kantor, Marks). Let's look a littl... ...list of companies while only Apple makes Macintosh computers. Both Macs and PCs are vulnerable to viruses, so one of Mac's few advantages is actually a myth. It would seem that a personal computer has many advantages over a Mac. Therefore, it would make sense that PCs make up "95 percent or more of the market" (Kantor). By sticking with the majority, a user has easy access to people who are trained to repair their computer and to hardware and software selections (Kantor). Due to of the reasons stated, a personal computer is a much better choice than a Macintosh computer for most consumers. People with certain needs may be happier with a Mac. However, the majority of consumers will find reliability and satisfaction in a PC. An educated shopper knows what they are personally looking for, and hopefully those who read this essay can confidently make their own choice.

The Choices We Make

Poverty in the United States today has many faces. There’s the pleading face of a middle-aged man on a city street holding up a sign that says â€Å"Hungry, Need Help. † There’s the anxious face of a young child in a schoolroom somewhere, whose only real meal today will be a free school lunch. There’s the sad face of a single mother who doesn’t have enough money to buy clothes for her children. And there’s the frustrated face of a young man working at a minimum-wage job who can't afford to pay his rent. The sad thing is everyone knows someone like this. What are these people to do? What lengths should they go to be happy? Many times a person’s virtue is challenged. Especially when they are forced to choose between a basic human need or a particular ethical indiscretion. So the question is â€Å"What effects do poverty and the absence of opportunity have on individuals’ senses of virtue? † For one, a person who is poor may choose to steal to obtain a basic need such as food, shelter, or safety. Second, a person religion may be challenged when poor or in an extreme circumstance that may require a choice between following their way of believing or living. And finally, parent may do things and make sacrifices to make sure that their children are safe and cared for. Society looks upon people who commit crimes as bad seeds in a community. But, has anyone ever really looked at the person and wondered â€Å"what could make this individual so desperate that they would risk everything to steal $50 bucks out of a cash register, or a loaf of bread from a quick stop. † Don’t get me wrong. Not everyone that steals has a good reason, nor is it right. But if you looked deep into the life of the individual, do you see them? Really see them. Most of the time these people are poor, come from broken homes and sometimes do what they have to too survive. They live in poverty stricken â€Å"ghettos† or in poor communities that have no resources to help them. What are they to do? Ask yourself â€Å"Would you steal to feed yourself or your family? † It happens every day in every city. Most of these people have low paying jobs and struggle to make ends meet. They do what they can and ask for help just to be turned away. Where is the problem? Is it the person themselves? No! It’s the society around them. People do what they must to survive no matter what. It’s a basic instinct that kicks in and takes over. â€Å"Religion (even if â€Å"primitive) is generally assumed to be in some sense moral. † (Murdoch 740) People often take religion out of context and use it for their own good or the good of a specific cause. Some examples are Hitler and the Holocaust, or abortion. Hitler used god as a weapon wipe out the Jews. People that are for or against abortion and the laws surrounding it look to it as a moral and ethical dilemma. Let’s for a moment touch on this one; Let’s say that you are a pregnant teenager that had been brutally raped. You have a choice keep the baby, and the memory of the terrible act or abort the â€Å"fetus†. The trouble is your religion is in the way. What are you to do? Do you stick to your religion and the fear of what may happen in the next life or do you do what you feel would be a way out of a bad situation? This is where religion gets in the way of many dilemmas for people today. They have to make a choice. Keep it or don’t. For some the choice may come easy depending on how strongly you feel about your particular morality or virtue. Many people say â€Å"God never gives us more than we can handle. Is this true? Would you be able to handle this type of situation? Again that depends on the individual and their state of mind. In the end it all comes down to what they think and what the consequences of their action may be. They idea will be different for everyone, no matter what the circumstance. We cannot judge a person’s views if we do not understand them. The third and final question is How far would a parent go to keep their children safe and healthy? Many parents would say â€Å"I would give my life to keep my child safe†. This is not a fact that is being argued. What is being argued is if the parent would risk their ethical stand to protect a child. Parent’s today work so hard to make sure that their children have food and clothing and shelter. But what about the parent’s who do all of this and still are unable to provide for their families? What are the choices for them? They may steal, lie, cheat and sacrifice their own happiness to provide the same happiness to their families. Is this something that society should look upon in disgust? Or should society take a stand and help? For many years I have helped in an organization that does just this. We provide clothing food and gifts to underprivileged children every year at Christmas time to make sure that all are happy and joyous like all the other children whose parents can provide. Is this unfair to the happy child who has everything? One can argue that poor people deserve more, but in reality all parent rich or poor would do anything to ensure that their children are cared for no matter what the cost or consequence may be. â€Å"Duty may be easily performed without strain or reflection but may also prompt the well known experience of the frustration of desire together with a sense of necessity to act† (Murdoch 734) Each human has the free will and the right to choose the course of their own actions. When an individual takes responsibility for their conduct, they are ultimately acting as a rational being. Realizing that they have the ability to freely choose their actions and that no one else can force them to do something. With the freedom of choice also comes the responsibility for that decision. When an individual takes responsibility she has reached their highest state of reasoning: she has realized that not only is she free to make decisions, but also that their decisions have outcomes. By applying their free will, they are ultimately saying, â€Å"I choose to take this action, and I choose take responsibility for the consequence. † Morals depend on humans exercising their freedom of choice and acknowledging that their choices have significance. Reason allows us not to just behave instinctively or randomly, but to realize that our actions will have an outcome and to act accordingly to the end we wish to achieve. When an individual knows the result of their actions and willingly chooses to carry that behavior out, the individual freely accepts the consequences and thus takes responsibility for that end result. With all that being said, a person who is poor or pushed to a make a decision may or may not turn to religion and ethics. People are like robots and are programmed from childhood to believe or act in certain ways. They are sometimes torn by the morality of a decision and the virtues in which they believe. These choices are not easy and are not always the right ones but we are humans and we make mistakes. This is how we learn to survive and make things better for the next era. We can only take it one step at a time.

A Case Study of Afghan Women’s Rights Essay

Afghanistan has experienced almost three decades of continuous conflict, which has undermined the physical and sexual security of Afghan women in rural as well as urban environments. In a historical analysis, rape prevalence and sexual violence are directly related to ethnic conflict and warring factions. The International Coalition has exacerbated the problem of warlord-dominance in the countryside by utilizing Northern Alliance militias in the â€Å"War on Terror.† These militias have records of extensive human rights abuses and war crimes, including the perpetration of systemic rape campaigns for ethnic-cleansing. Human rights abuses force Afghan women to live in terror.1 Sixteen-year-old Nazia’s family wedded her to a forty-year-old man, Mumtaz, in September 2007.2 Two weeks later, her husband beat her for no obvious reason. 3 Mumtaz had become suspicious that Nazia met other men secretly, so he beat her until she fainted See more: Ethnic groups and racism essay .4 He tied her down and broke her teeth with a stone.5 He poured boiling water on her feet.6 When Nazia subsequently did not cook dinner for him because she could not stand, he tied her up and beat her again.7 While enduring the violence, she felt an excruciating pain in her left and right ears and tasted blood flowing down her face.8 Mumtaz had cut off her ears and her nose with hisknife.9 Nazia’s story, told from her hospital bed in Qalat,Afghanistan, 10 serves as an example of the plight of women in Afghanistan11 and the human rights violations targeted atwomen.12 Human rights abuses against Afghan women occur daily.13 Women face punishment such as public whippings, stonings, and imprisonment for inadvertently exposing their ankles or for wearing brightly colored shoes.’ 14 Although Afghanistan’s current constitution,15 and the international treaties 16 to which Afghanistan is a signatory, enumerate equal rights for women and men, 17 poor law enforcement, lack of awareness about women’s rights,and conservative traditions 18 prevent the promise of equal rights from becoming a reality.19 Despite these guarantees of women’s fundamental rights, significant challenges remain for Afghan women in terms of implementing the constitutional provisions, and reconciling the more conservative and male-dominated aspects of Afghan society with culturally pragmatic conceptions of gender equality.20 The 2003 Constitution also requires that Afghanistan abide by international conventions that it has signed,21 including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (â€Å"CEDAW†),22 yet Afghan women and girls continue to suffer from entrenched discrimination throughout the country. 23 As a result, Afghanistan is currently a haven for severe human rights abuses against women and girls.24 Women are the victims of discrimination and human rights abuses because Islamic societies often interpret human rights for women to conflict with Islamic law. 25 Afghanistan is one of these societies.26 Despite equal rights for women and men written in the 2003 Constitution, Afghan women are not afforded rights equal to men in practice, and they presently live in terror. 27 This comment addresses gender rights in Afghanistan, focusing on continuing human rights violations28 despite Afghanistan’s international treaty obligations 29 and prohibitions against discrimination in the 200 3 Afghan Constitution. A member of the Bamyan Provincial Council, Wahidi Beheshti, is accused of killing a young girl named Shakila on January 22 this year in his own house in Bamyan province. She had been raped by Beheshti and then killed with a gun of his bodyguard. Beheshti’s family claimed Shakila had committed suicide; however forensics proved that she had been killed. Wahidi Beheshti denied any involvement in the matter but the police had also said that Shakila had been killed with a gun of Beheshti’s bodyguard Qurban. Also the forensics who performed the postmortem said they had found evidence that Shakila had been raped by Beheshti before she was killed. According to Mohammad Alam, Shakila’s brother, both Beheshti and his nephew Abdul Wahab were present at the scene of the murder but both denied their presence. He had told Bokhdi News Agency, â€Å"Wahidi Beheshti threatened my family by phone several times and demanded that we cooperate with them so that the matter is resolve d quietly. He promised in his phone calls that he will pay the court money to free Qurban (accused of murder) and wrap up the matter in whatever way possible.† Wahidi Beheshti’s brother Fokori Beheshti is a member of the parliament and his father was a strongman in the area during the 1990s. The case is under deliberation in a court in Bamyan province but Beheshti’s powerful brother and friends are trying to free him by any means possible. According to sources Fokori Beheshti, Said Hussain Anwari and Said Alimi Balkhi (all members of the national assembly) have pressurized the police forensics not to present evidence of Shakila’s rape by Wahidi Beheshti to the court. In a country where so-called lawmakers rape and kill an innocent girl, it is only natural to expect obstruction of justice. There are thousands of Shakilas who die victims or live a life of pain and sufferings, and hundreds of Beheshtis who roam about freely thanks to the impunity given to them by cruel local commanders, misogynist lawmakers and judges, and ultimately the corrupt mafia government.30 During the consultations, a majority of women expressed that they have not meaningfully participated in planning for the Security Transition. In the provinces where Transition has yet to officially start, women do not believe they will be involved in consultations to determine future plans, steps, and activities associated with the transfer of security authority. Recent consultations also revealed that women do not feel that Afghan National Security Forces are responsive to women’s needs and do not uphold human rights standards. Women perceive Afghan National Security Forces as not having the full capacity and expertise necessary to address the security needs of Afghan citizens, especially women and children. They also believe that in recent years, little attention has been given to build the capacity of ANSF to improve civilian adherence to existing laws and advance rule of law by demonstrating that people who violate laws will be punished. However, women still expressed a strong interest in the international community continuing to work to build the capacity and adequately resource the ANSF. Policy makers in Afghanistan reiterate again and again that transition is not about military and security matters alone, however practical experience on the ground shows that there isn’t adequate attention paid to improving rule of law, governance, and access to justice. Similarly, it is unclear how such processes are impacting women’s security. Transition should start from a citizen-articulated vision in which women and men of Afghanistan take responsibility for their better future. The road map for the exit of international forces is necessary; however, an accelerated withdrawal will jeopardize the investments of human life and material resources generously contributed by more than 40 nations, not to mention the numerous casualties of Afghan National Security Forces and enormous sacrifice by the this country’s women, men and children. Women organizations and activists have better access to local communities and are aware about the challenges and causes of insecurity in their communities; therefore they should be consulted and included to ensure that security and transition plans are implemented successfully. BACKGROUND A. Treatment of Women in Afghanistan from the Rule of the Soviet Union to the Present Following civil war in Afghanistan in 1978, the Soviet Union took control of Afghanistan and created many opportunities for women,including aggressive literacy programs.31 Under the Soviet Union’s Communist regimefrom 1979 to 1992, Afghan women enjoyed equal rights and social, economic, and political freedom.32 In the 1980s, the Communists enforced equal rights for women and men in a civil-war-torn Afghanistan.33 As a result, women held a greater number of business, law enforcement, and Parliament positions than they did prior to the civil war. 34 Furthermore, education and employment became more socially acceptable for women.35 As a result, women assumed positions as lawyers, entertainers, and doctors.36 As part of this greater freedom, women saw more educational, employment, and professional opportunities. 37 In 1979, female students even outnumbered male students at universities.38In 1992, 39 the Communist regime fell and the Islamic State of Afghanistan assumed control.40 Subsequently, the â€Å"rights and dignity of women went out the window 41 The 1977 constitution that guaranteed equal rights for women and men was â€Å"thrown out 42 The Islamic State of Afghanistan began to remove women’s rights systematically, and institutionalized various violations against women.43 In 1993, the Islamic State of Afghanistan ruled women must be completely covered, women could not wear perfume or makeup, and women’s freedom and mobility would be restricted.44The justification for these rulings was that men become too excited by women and are tempted to stray from the Islamic way of life, and the restrictions on women reduce this temptation.45 In addition, other, more violent human rights abuses towards women occurred under the Islamic State of Afghanistan, such as torture, rape, and sexual abuse.46 Interestingly, also in 1993, as part of the Vienna Declaration,47 Afghanistan formally reaffirmed its â€Å"faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of men and women 48 The Vienna Declaration also stressed the importance of eliminating violence against women and â€Å"any conflicts that may arise between the rights of women and the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices, cultural prejudices and religious extremism.49 Despite Afghanistan’s part in the Vienna Declaration, human rights abuses against women continued as the Taliban 50 emerged as a volatile presence in Afghanistan.51 Taliban rule, which lasted from 1996 to 2001,52 resulted in major setbacks for women.53 The Taliban developed as a political-religious force,54 and eventually seized the cities of Kandahar in 1994, Herat in 1995, and Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, in 1996.55 Before the Taliban captured Kabul, women made up seventy percent of teachers, forty percent of doctors, and generally worked in all areas of employment.56 After the Taliban fully seized power, it severely oppressed women’s rights. 57 The oppressive Taliban policies violated United Nations treaties, but the Taliban asserted that the treaties’ duties were inconsistent with religious law and cultural practices.58 The Taliban began by closing all schools for girls and forbidding women to work outside the house. 59 The Taliban imposed rules on women, restricting their freedom of movement, dress, education, and employment.60 The women and girls who violated these rules received punishments, including beatings on the streets, amputation of limbs, and public executions.61 The Taliban justified its practices in accordance with its interpretation of the Quran,62claiming to follow a pure, fundamentalist Islamic ideology.63 Taliban leaders enforced the law as they saw fit and prohibited differing interpretation. 64 The plight of Afghan women living under the Taliban regime became an issue of global concern. 65 After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and the subsequent United States military invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, the Taliban regime collapsed.66 This development presented women with the opportunity to fight for gender equality.67On December 5, 2001, the Bonn Agreements 68 mandated that the Transitional Administration of Afghanistan set up a Constitutional Commission to draft a new constitution.69 The Constitutional Commission’s mandate was to ascertain the Afghan people’s desires, both within the country and abroad, regarding their new constitution.70 The thirty-five member commission drafted the new constitution. 71 Seven of the thirty-five commission members were women, 72 which ensured the â€Å"participation of women in the constitution making process73 As part of the drafting commission, Afghan women w ere finally able to play a role in addressing women’s fundamental rights in the 2003 Constitution.74 INTERNATIONAL POLICY: REVIW AND RECOMMENDATIONS War and political insecurity in Afghanistan are directly related to rape incidence and sexual violence, especially under a free reign of ethnically divided militia factions. By empowering the Northern Alliance militias, the international community has created a long-term institutional problem that will undermine the democratic transition. Not only do these warlords have the military capacity to affect the electoral processes in their localities, but their de facto rule of the countryside also incapacitates the central authority in maintaining effective governance. The preponderance of warlords has also been legitimized through the democratic process, which offers militia commanders an opportunity to engage the political process in an official capacity while secretly maintaining their criminal and military powers. As a result, the international community has made the long-term presence of coalition military forces necessary for maintaining law and order. Because the international community empowered these militias in the War on Terror, the presence of international forces is required to keep the commanders under control, in order to avoid the brutality and violence of the civil war period. The recent decision by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to increase the number of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops to expand the international mission into the unstable countryside is the most recent attempt to bolster the central government’s effectiveness in the rural regions.75 The expanded mission has been hailed as the solution to transition from warlord rule to democratic self-governance. The Canadian military recently announced that its new troop contingent expects to remain in Kandahar province for up to 20 years to help restore the country and prevent another collapse into civil war. These forces are expected to act as a stabilizing force to keep warlords in check. However, a long-term international presence might be alarming to Afghans who have a history of deep xenophobia and hostility towards occupying forces. Furthermore, regional and international power struggles between Pakistan and India, and the USA and Russia have exacerbated Afghanistan’s internal fragmentation, as international military forces continue to mobilize paramilitary groups against their rivals. Afghan people have also grown suspicious of the international humanitarian agenda in Afghanistan, which diverts a majority percentage of international funds to private security and foreign salaries, rather than food, medicine, or other vitally needed supplies for Afghan people. There are four key actions that the International Coalition and civil society actors must consider in order to correct the political chaos that has emerged in the post-Taliban period, which undermines the rights and protection of Afghan women. First, American forces must stop financing militias for use against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the War on Terror. By utilizing these proxy militias, the international community has disempowered Afghan people and undermined the capacity of the central government to protect its citizens and enforce its laws. The resulting political instability and preponderance of foreign-backed warlords and militia groups in the countryside also directly threatens both the physical and sexual security of rural Afghan women. Second, the warlords that the US-led coalition co-opted during the offensive against the Taliban, who now hold official Parliamentary and Cabinet positions in the central government, must be stripped of their political power in the new democ racy. Furthermore, those warlords accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including sexual abuse, must be brought before both local courts and international tribunals. In order to establish a culture of social reconciliation and peace-building, all human rights violations committed during the four war periods must be resolved through legal and social mechanisms that provide rape victims with the opportunity to seek justice for atrocities perpetrated against them. Traditional values, especially those pertaining to women, the family, and social justice, must be considered in the development of laws that address violence against women. Third, in order to address the survival needs of the majority of Afghan women, international civil society actors must invest in rural development, health, and education, and co-operate with local partner organizations. Currently, international funding for humanitarian assistance is directed primarily towards the more stable and accessible urban envi ronments, where international organizations have developed isolated communities of wealthy ex-patriots. Rampant accusations that non-governmental organizations have squandered Afghanistan’s international funding through dubious projects and lofty salaries for foreign workers must also be investigated, in order to establish legitimacy and accountability within the civil society network. The creation of an internationally-sponsored, government-monitored, socially responsible, and grassroots civil society in rural Afghanistan would empower rural women in their communities and increase the capacity of the central government in the lawless countryside. Fourth, the traditional Islamic culture and values of Afghans must be respected in the development of women’s rights policies. Historically, Afghans have opposed radical changes in women’s social and legal status, especially those that they perceived violated the principles of Islamic law. In order to maintain a semblance of legitimacy with rural peoples, the international community must demonstrate an understanding of and respect for traditional norms and Islamic religious values, including those pertaining to women. By operating within culturally sensitive frameworks, the international community would avoid hostile backlash and better address the needs of Afghan women. The failure of the state of Afghanistan remains the most fundamental obstacle in the promotion of gender equality, as without the strength to enforce domestic legal and political reforms in rural areas, the government is ineffectual in most of the country. The International Coalition in Afghanistan must cease empowering and enabling warlords and militia commanders for convenient military purposes, which fundamentally impedes efforts to bring rapists and human rights violators to justice in local and international arenas. Coalition forces and the international community must also remain conscious of the deep Islamic character of the Afghan people, as it pertains to cultural norms that apply to women, sex, and family relations. The recommendations listed above build upon and supplement the concrete recommendations developed by Afghan women who have advocated for their inclusion in peace and security processes over many years. Each time, women have worked to develop solutions for what needs to be done to improve their situation. AWN brings a number of these recommendations back to the memory of policy makers who may have read Afghan Women Position Paper toward Bonn and Beyond. This is a reflection to evaluate the level of seriousness and attention that might have been put towards the demands of women since September 2011. 1. Women’s organization should be included in designing, monitoring and evaluating indicators that measure the impact of transition on women. Transition decisions should be based, in part, on results of this monitoring. 2. The recruitment of Afghan Local Police (ALP) and other security alternative needs to include a transparent vetting process so that former and current warlords with previous record of human rights violations do not automatically become part of the national forces. A portion of the vetting process should be community based, allowing women’s groups and women from communities to report on the background of the newly enrolled security forces 3. Women leaders in government and civil society are under constant attack, while it is necessary to ensure women’s protection in general, women leaders’ protection needs to be a priority as per their critical role as agents of change in society against conservative elements taking Afghanistan back to 199 0. 4. The Afghan government should have a clear reporting process for the human rights instruments and international laws that it has signed and needs to demonstrate that Afghan laws are not in contradiction with its international legal commitments for women. 5. A joint International Afghanistan War Memory Commission should be created so that the past 30 years of war violations are identified and there is a documentation process as a matter of conflict prevention. Such an investigation does not have to conclude in a legal trial but a memory of war and the beginning of a healing process. Otherwise, the practice of impunity will not unite Afghans towards a rule of law culture. CONCLUSION Afghanistan is still a haven for gender violence and discrimination despite equal rights enumerated in the Afghan Constitution. 76The Afghan Constitution requires that Afghanistan abide by the UDHR, the U.N. Charter, and other international treaties to which Afghanistan is a signatory. 77 However, these rights are unrealized in practice due to problems with the judiciary, such as lack of training and corruption,78 and the lack of awareness among the Afghan people of the law.79 To remedy these problems, Afghanistan should interpret its Constitution in accordance with Islamic laws following the examples of Iran80 and Egypt81 Afghanistan should train the judiciary not only on secular law, but on how to interpret the Constitution and international law in accordance with Sharia. If feasible, respected Islamic judges from Egypt should provide guidance to Afghanistan’s judges.Furthermore, Afghanistan should simultaneously disseminate information like the Bench Book 82 to increase women’s awareness and understanding of their rights and the procedural mechanisms to report infringement upon their rights. As Afghanistan continues to develop and strengthen its legal infrastructure within the framework of Islamic law, progressive interpretation of the Sharia is necessary in order for constitutional laws to be accepted and followed by Muslims.83 As the people of Afghanistan become more aware of the laws that govern their state and as they accept that women’s rights principles can co-exist with Islamic principles, women’s participation in society and politics will improve. This would be a large and overdue step for Afghanistan. References: 1. See Jessica Nash, Editorial, Afghan Women Forced to Live in Terror, W. GEORGIAN, Oct. 17, 2007, http://media.www.thewestgeorgian.com/media/storage/paper523/news/2007/10/1 7/Opinion/Afghan.Women.Forced.To.Live.In.Terror-3035567-page2.shtml. 2. Nazia Afghanistan: â€Å"My Husband Cut off My Ears and Nose and Broke My Teeth,† IRIN NEWS, Dec. 26, 2007, http://www.irinnews.org/HOVReport.aspx?ReportId=76003. 3. Id. 4. Id. 5. Id. 6. Id. 7. Id. 8. Nazia Afghanistan: â€Å"My Husband Cut off My Ears and Nose and Broke My Teeth,† supra note 2. 9. Id. (showing pictures of the mutilation). 10. Id. 11. Michael Stittle, Warlords No Better Than Taliban, Says Afghan MP, CTV NEWS, Nov. 8. 2007, http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071107/Malalai-Joya 071107/20071107/. 12. See Nash, supra note 1. 13. See id. 14. Id. 15. The 502 delegate Loya Jirga (â€Å"Grand Council†) passed the 2003 Afghan Constitution on January 4, 2004, which governs Afghanistan today. JAMES INGALUS, THE NEW AFGHAN CONSTITUTION: A STEP BACKWARDS FOR DEMOCRACY 1-2 (2004), http://www.fpif.org/papers/2004afghanconst.html. 16. See infra notes 105-09 and accompanying text. 17. See infra notes 87-90. 18. Women Workers Exposed to Health Risks in Herat Factories, IRIN NEWS, Oct. 30, 2007, http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75048. 19. See, e.g., Nash, supra note 1 (explaining that women’s freedoms are restricted every day in Afghanistan). 20. Horia Mosadiq, The New Afghan Constitution: How Women Succeeded in Ensuring Certain Rights and What Challenges Remain, 3 CRITICAL HALF 28, 28 (2005), available at http://www. womenforwomen.org/news-women-forwomen/ files/crit-half/CHJournalv3.pdf. 21. AFG. CONST. art. 7, available at http://afghanland.com/history/constitution.html. 22. United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: States Parties, http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/states.htm (last visited Oct. 18, 2008) [hereinafter CEDAW: States Parties]. 23. Human Rights Watch, More Business Than Usual: The Work Which Awaits the Human Rights Council, Mar. 12, 2007, http://hrw.org/englisb/docs/2007/03/12/sudanl5471.htm [hereinafter HRW, More Business Than Usual]. 24. Id. 25. Katherine M. Weaver, Comment, Women’s Rights and Shari’a Law: A Workable Reality? An Examination of Possible International Human Rights Approaches through the Continuing Reform of the Pakistani Hudood Ordinance, 17 DUKE J. COMP. & INT’L L. 483, 483 (2007). 26. See supra notes 15-21 and accompanying text.27. See Nash, supra note 1. 28. HRW, More Business Than Usual, supra note 23 (â€Å"Afghan women and girls continue to suffer from entrenched discrimination throughout the country.†). 29. CEDAW: States Parties, supra note 22. Afghanistan acceded the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on March 5, 2003. Id. 30. See http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/2012/07/18/a-member-of-bamyan-s-provincial-council-accused-of-raping-and-murdering-a-teenage-girl.html .

Coffee Shops Essay

1. To describe consumers’ decision making in different market segments when they choose retailers of coffee using CDP. 2. To identify additional research that should be conducted to validate assumption about consumer decisions at each stage of the CDP model. 3. To learn how to organize marketing program should be provide for our customers after recognize their decision making process. 4. To see the impact of brand positioning to the consumers decision making. 5. To recommend marketing strategy after learn about consumers decision making process. 1. 0 Summary 2. 0Problem Identification Figure 1: Crimson Cup market segments As a wholesaler of coffee and tea and a provider of marketing programs to independent coffee shops and retailers, CrimsonCup has experienced growth over the past decade and is within range of becoming the nation’s second- or third-largest alternative to Starbucks. Figure 1 show about the segmentation of the Crimson Customers which divided into primary customers and ultimate customers. Primary customers are the independent coffee shops, grocery and restaurant. However the ultimate customers are divided into two groups; first is the consumers that buy the coffee from the primary customers and brewing at home; second is the consumers go to the coffee shops to drink coffee. The important of understanding of the ultimate customers are very important because the demand of the primary customers comes from the demand of ultimate customers as consumers. This company branding mission has focused on creating the independent retailer as the brand, rather than the product supplier. The CrimsonCup brand is featured on packaged coffee sold by retailers for office or home consumption, on mugs and cups provided to retailers and in some other promotional materials, and the firm is now considering the issue of weather it should be more aggressive in its promotion of the CrimsonCup or Coffee for Independent Thinkers brands as well as how best to develop its strategy of helping the independent coffee shops it serves. In understanding of the consumers’ wants and need, they search for many information and from the case, there is one consumer research already give some result about coffee consumption that made the university students or people that closely related to the university environment as focus group. The information get from this research need some additional approval from others finding to made their assumption about the behavior of the consumers to the Crimson Cup product or information related to the coffee consumption will be more meaningful to understand the attitudes of the consumers. By using the consumer decision making model, we are trying to analyze the consumer behavior in consuming coffee and make our recommendations about what strategy should be focus by this company and to suggest some alternatives to solve their problems and to get more opportunities in this industry. 3. 0Analysis We are using the consumers’ decision making model to analyze the consumer behavior of this company. 3. 1Market Segmentation Evaluation The differences of consumers in making decision will make them divided into difference segments in the market. Before we continue to discuss about the consumer decision making process that shows in figure 2, we underline first the environmental influences and individual differences because this two elements in the CDP’s model will be important to most of part in the consumer decision making process. Environmental Influences We found that the environmental influences for this product are culture, family and situation: 1. Culture: The customer segments in this case change over the past year. The American coffee culture brought on by an insurgence of gourmet coffee retailers and than evolved to a point where â€Å"getting a coffee, going out for coffee, is our little space in the workday to call our own†. The evolution of the culture show that how important of coffee in the American culture and they consume it anytime that more than just take the coffee in their breakfast early in the morning. 2. Family: From the research, one of important factors that influence purchasing decision is recommendation from family or friends. 3. Situation: The consumption of coffee in this market segments can also influence by occasion factor means when the whether at that time in winter, they will take more coffee rather than during summer. Figure 2: Consumer Decision Process Model Individual Differences 1. Consumer resources will make individual influences because the consumers in this case have different resources especially time, students or people that working in the university will have limited time to spend for searching location for the coffee shops. They will choose the nearer shops to take a little break to make them fresh. For the money resources, they are not constraint of it because from the research price is at sixth factor that encourage them to buy the coffee and seventh factors that discouraged them to not take it. We can predict that, the consumers in this coffee drink market are not price sensitive because of enough money resources. 2. Attitudes: The beliefs and feeling that more on quality and convenience place when they consume the coffee will make differences to their individual factors. Percent Beliefs and feeling 1. 58 Regularly buy coffee at coffee shop said coffee shops offer better-quality coffee. 2. 33 They think coffee shops sell better coffee than those of their competitors 3. 37 Purchase their coffee at coffee shops instead brewing it at home normally goes to the closest one. 4. Personality: person that need more energy and have busy lifestyle will take more coffee rather than people that consume it because of social activities like to spend time with their friends with coffee. 3. 2Need Recognition. Consumers in the coffee market will start recognize that they need to take a cup of coffee at least when there is environmental influences occurs, when their mind set that they must take coffee as the term as ‘consumption norms’ in their culture, they will need to take it anytime. That is the reason why the American will take coffee not only in the morning like Malaysian in their breakfast but anytime when it crosses to their mind. They also will take coffee more in the winter season because their need to make themselves hot and tasty, as well as the routine and tradition of sharing a drink with friends as a social event. For individual differences, the need of the student and people in the university will be differences each of them depends on their psychological affect that when they want to have energy or avoid sleepy when they doing their work, they have to take a coffee. The need recognition for this group will be high when they have many assignments that must be done every time and have to stay up at night. 3. 3Search When the consumers had need recognition process in their mind, they will start with making internal search. In their memory will have some information when they are exposing and have retention to some coffee brand before in their mind. Marketer must stimuli the consumer memory with their activity and non-marketer also give some conformation in this process that consider as external search. Even from the research said that brand is not factors that really encourage or discourage them to choose the coffee but how the marketers positioning their brand still are important. In this case, the marketers generally make TV commercials, store displays, give free samples in the mall and fliers and newspaper coupons to influence the consumers but approach that use by the Crimson Cup to position their product using: 1. Their position statement is â€Å"coffee for Independent Thinkers† as approval to consumers that they will get quality drinks in a clean and friendly environment. From the report said, â€Å"People see ‘coffee for independent Thinkers’ and come in to the coffee house. They like the message. † 2. The Crimsoncup believe that quality can make consumers perceive more better to their product and because of that, they offer quality coffee bean that: Have Fair Trade Certified Organic coffee are certified by USDA (Quality Certification Services) Signature blends. Flavored coffees in light, medium, and dark roasts with Class I Specialty Grade Coffee. Non-marketer also will stimuli them because in this case, word-of-mouth from other people experience will influence them to get information about a new coffee house. Recommendation from family and friends also will influence them to choose the coffee shops. The more effective stimuli expose to the consumer the more intention the brand will be keep it the memory of the consumers. 3. 4Pre-Purchase Evaluation of Alternatives Again this process will influence by environmental influences and individual differences. If they have and experience before with satisfaction after consume the coffee drink, positive reinforcement will be happened to encourage them to use this information in the pre-purchase evaluation alternatives process. But the most important element here is the influence or recommendation from the family and friends to choose the coffee shops or to buy the coffee brands. Here, factor that encourage and discourage will be play in the consumer mind while making evaluation. Research finding is like table 1 and table 2 that mention about factors encourage and discouraged consumers to return to the coffee shops. Table 1: Factors encourage consumers to return to the store Factor Description Score 1. Location Highest score show that the consumers prefer to choose the closest store/shops. 6. 6 2. Taste – 6. 43 3. Atmosphere When going for social reason, atmosphere is important, but less when going alone. 6. 04 4. Price Ranked fifth 5. 19 5. Brand For a favored brand was a reason to purchase coffee for office or home use. 4. 95 Table 2: Factors discourage consumers to return to the store Factor Description Score 1. Taste Highest score 6. 90 2. Price Ranked fourth 6. 00 3. Brand. Brand ranked low as a reason for choosing a store or determining frequency of visits to the store. 4. 56 Even the locations the first choice but the reason of consumers will return to the store are combination of taste, price and location. Speed of service was also mentioned as a factor when deciding to go. 3. 5Purchase When they purchase the coffee, the factors that will attract them to come to the shop are the location and the quality that they will receive from the shop like the taste of coffee as the second encourage factors and also clean and friendly environment. From the report of the Crimson Cup Independent retailers said ‘People see ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’ and come in to the coffee house. They like the message’. This shows the success of the retailers to attract the consumers using the brand slogan and the services that will provide clean and friendly environment. 3. 6Consumption From the research found that the most positive items sometimes bought at a coffee shop were breakfast food such as list in table below: Table 3: others items buy in coffee shop. Food Percentage 1. 2. 3. 4. Bagel and muffins Sweets (cookies and cakes) Chai tea Not ever purchase other items 55 14 8 13 Because of the culture of American like coffee, so there is no special time for them to get a cup of coffee but for the students, the probability is drinking coffee early in the morning to boost energy before start work or at night to retain and maintain energy to stay up doing assignment until early in the morning. 3. 7Post-consumption Evaluation. From the case, if they have a bad experiences to the coffee they will make punishment with tell others consumer to not take the coffee at that shop but when they have positive experience they will came again. The research finding tell us that taste of the coffee will be the second important factors why they choose the coffee drinks and the first factor they not return to the coffee shops. So, even location will be the first factor to encourage them to come again to the shops but the taste still be most important as the first things that should be focus by the Crimsoncup to maintain the product quality. Quality is more refer to the taste and the convenience is more refer to the location. The level of satisfaction is encourage by this both factors that make the consumers perceive they receive a good quality product at the right location plus with quality extra services in clean and friendly environment. 3. 8Divestment They did not mention about anything for this process. We will suggest them to make research to identify some information like what the customers do with the bean if they brew it at home, the packaging and maybe the cup to serve the coffee. This information can be use by Crimson Cup to complete building an effective marketing strategy. 4. 0SWOT analysis of Crimson Cup coffee From the case, we analysis their company using SWOT analysis like figure below: Strength Weaknesses Statistics shows that small prepared coffee retailers are growing faster than the mighty Starbucks. Crimson Cup is has specialize in this industry by served independent coffee houses, teaching independent coffee shop owners the skills needed to operate a viable and competitive business. Greg Ubert as a founder of this company is the author of ‘The Seven Steps to Success: A Common Sense Guide to Succeed In Specialty Coffee’. We see this directly to share skills and information with the independent coffee shops retailers but indirectly influence the consumers that they will get quality services from the coffee shops. They have their own website that can search from website address www. forindependenthinkers. com or www. crimsoncup. com . Its expert baristas have opened well over hundred coffee shops around the country. Its starts-up program includes every things needed to operate independently without the constraints of franchise agreements. The coffees that they serve have quality certification like we discuss at the previous chapter. The slogan ‘Coffee for Independent perceive positively by the consumers. The Crimson Cup just focus limit their activities on the coffee and not serving bagels and muffins or sweets even there is demand of the item that found from the research. Opportunity Threat Coffee consumption is very important in American cultures. There is winter season every year in that country. There is demand for items purchase with coffee in the shops (i. e. : muffins or cookies) . Recommendation from family or friends is one of the five most important factors for influencing purchase. 58% of respondents who regularly buy coffee at a coffee shop said coffee shops offer better-quality coffee and 33% perceive that the coffee quality of this shops better than competitors There are many competitors in coffee industry that serve with multi-style of marketing strategy such as Starbucks. The negative impression of the consumers to the coffee shops will make them distribute the information using word-of-mouth as a punishment or negative reinforcement for them our others consumers. 5. 0Alternatives There are many problems we identify before so the alternatives we provide here will give suggestion to the entire problem that we will use the make effective recommendation in the next chapter. The alternative will be dividing into: Additional research that should be done to make assumption. Brand focus Marketing strategy Marketing program (IMC) 5. 1Additional Research for More Understanding of the Consumer Behavior. After we make analysis, we put the research that had been done and come with the additional research that possible to be done to make more effective assumption for this company target market like table 4 below: Table 4: Consumer Research Stage Process Done Additional 1 Need recognition Environmental influences Culture Family Situation Individual differences Knowledge Attitudes lifestyle Environmental influences Social Class Individual differences Consumer resources Value 2 Search Stimuli (to general finding) Marketer (TV commercial, etc) Non-marketer (word-of-mouth). The research should be done more focus on the Crimson Cup. 3 Pre-purchase evaluation of alternative Factor encourage and discouraged to return to the coffee shops What make consumers satisfied and come again to the coffee shops. 4 Purchase Location Price Nature/quality of assortment Store clientele can be good research because it will be influence by the social culture. 5 Consumption How they consumer When they consume Where they consume How much they consumer? 6 Post-purchase evaluation Dissatisfaction ? (punishment) Satisfaction? Reaction? 7 Divestment There is no research state in this case. How customer’s divest packaging /cups? 5. 2Brand Focus Here is the evaluation of the alternatives for the brand focus; ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’ Advantages: 1. Consumers like the statement, ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers ’. Once they see this slogan shows in the window of the coffee house, they will go in the coffee house. Besides that, those coffee houses which display this slogan on the window of the coffee houses are promise to offer quality drinks in a clean and friendly environment. 2. University students are the group of people that public perceives them as independent thinkers. So, by emphasis on ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’ brand, drinking CrimsonCup coffee can be a trend or lifestyle for the students. 3. When consumers see the seal, they know this coffee house is offer good quality coffee and nice environment for them to enjoy the coffee. As a result, ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’ slowly becomes the seal of guarantee for quality coffee. This action also fulfills the need of the consumers that the taste of the coffee is the most important reason that makes consumer to come back again. So, when the consumers see the seal ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’, 4. Crimson Cup primary customers is the independent coffee shops, other than attracting the consumers, they also can influence the independent coffee shops retailers to perceive positively this brand slogan. 5. The impact of the slogan show from the research that 58% of respondents who regularly buy coffee at a coffee shop said coffee shops offer better-quality coffee and 33% perceive that the coffee quality of this shops better than competitors. Disadvantages 1. Another disadvantages of promoting ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’ brand is CrimsonCup brand has exist for a long time. Most of the people know about CrimsonCup brand because anything about the coffee will makes consumers think of CrimsonCup. For example, when we mention about CrimsonCup, consumers will start thinking of a company who sells good quality coffee bean; a company that provide training for those who would like to open a coffee house; a company offer good quality coffee and etcetra. 2. If suddenly the company changes CrimsonCup to ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’ brand, consumers will get confused whether this is a new brand or another company cooperate with CrimsonCup. ‘Crimson Cup’ Advantages: 1. It already establish from 1991 and use by the company. Disadvantages: 1. Consumers are not really care about the brand of the coffee when they just simply want to drink coffee. Only those consumers who purchase the coffee mainly for office or home use will care about the brand of the coffee. So, with only focusing on the CrimsonCup, the impact of promotion or advertising activities not give high impact the consumers intention. Under this kind of situation, they will just choose which coffee house is nearer and convenient for them. 2. Consumers has possibility to ranked this brand quality is same like competitors. 5. 3Marketing Strategy To overcome with the marketing strategy, we divide the alternatives with 4 P’s. For these alternatives, we are using push strategy to encourage the demand from the consumers and pull strategy to encourage the primary customers to run their own activities that can encourage the increasing of sales. 5. 3. 1Price strategy Pricing strategy for the primary customers: Alternative 1: Allowance Alternative 2: Discount Here are the alternatives for the consumers (ultimate customers) Alternative 1: Membership price. Membership price usually entitle for primary customer who purchase constantly and loyal customers. Most of them are independent coffee shop or restaurant. Here customers need to fill in the membership form. This membership duration can last for one year. Crimson Cup provide them special price and keep their purchasing track record. For ultimate customers, every time they purchase at our coffee shop they have to present the membership card and membership number, so they are entitle for 8% discount for each cup of coffee. Each time they purchase by using the membership card they can collect the points and redeem it at our coffee shop. Other than that the advantage being a membership of CC is; based from the track record and base from the personal details we have, we will appreciate our customer during their birthday by giving them birthday coupon and they can redeem it at our coffee shop. Alternative two: Quantity discount Crimson Cup chooses by giving an ‘extra amount’ is one of the good idea to encourage customer to buy in large amount especially independent coffee shop. Every 2kg customers will enjoy 200grms extra. Customer pays for 2kgs price but enjoy 2200grms coffee. From 200grms coffee can cover at least 10 cups of coffee and coffee shop can gain an extra profit from it. For our coffee shop, customers who order five items in a single receipt worth $70 and above entitle for a regular cup of cappuccino for free. This idea is to encourage customer to come in a big group. 5. 3. 2Product strategy A product is define as anything that can be offered to the market for attention, use or consumption and that might satisfy a want or need ( Armstrong and Kotler 278). Alternative 1: Crimson Coffee CrimsonCup is a specialty coffee roaster. Their coffee beans are a special blend that Armando created, which is called Armando’s Blend. It’s smooth, no aftertaste, and smells delightfully good and full fill the coffee drinker’s need. Alternative 2: Coffee Cup Coffee can use disposable cup to serve their coffee with Crimson Coffee name and tagline ‘Coffee for Independent Thinkers’. This is because we want customers to drink with passion. The brown color paper with Crimson Coffee name is actually one different layer of paper. The main function of it is actually to absorb hit and cold; meaning that if customers buy some hot drink they can easily hold the brown layer to avoid them from hot especially kids. It is also same if they buy cold drink, the brown layer is use to absorb the water so that customer no need to ask for tissue paper. Alternative 3: Paper Bags. Fair Trade is an innovative, market-based approach to sustainable development. Crimson Cup is certified organic and shade grown. This means that the products you buy maintain biodiversity, provide shelter for migratory birds and help reduce global warming. Crimson Cup Coffee use paper bag and the material can easily recycle. At the paper bag stated clearly the Crimson Coffee Brand and tagline ‘Coffee For Independent Thinkers’ . Behind the paper bag consumers can search the map for the nearest Quality Certified stores on the CrimsonCup website. Alternative 4 : Product labeling They should show the Crimson Cup Logo at the packaging of the coffee bean that sell in the grocery or coffee shops. All off the certification they get also should be publish at the packaging or cups and mugs use to serve the coffee. Alternative 5: sell muffins, bagels, cookies and cake. They should sell items like bagels, muffins; cookies and cake because of there are demands of the products that consume together with the coffee. 5. 3. 3Promotion Strategy Making joint venture Making joint venture can be one of the methods for its marketing recommendations. For an example making joint venture with famous fast food companies such as MacDonald in order to put coffee in its menu. Now a day’s making joint venture is one of the ways for companies in order to make themselves more popular like PepsiCo which joint venture with KFC or Lipton. 5. 3. 4Place strategy. Clean, friendly environment because consumers more perceive on quality and convenience. Service delivery if the place is too far. Make a target for the range of shops in one town. 5. 4Integrated Marketing Communication program (IMC) Before we suggest alternatives for the IMC, actually the goals of the marketing program are: 1. To increase more awareness about the Independents coffee shops, grocery, and restaurant those serves the coffee from Crimson Cup or sell the coffee beans from this company. 2. To increase the knowledge of the consumers about the coffee and this activities will stimulate them to come to coffee shops or brewing at home. Alternatives 1:Barista4aDay Contest One of the programs which are launched is Barista4aDay which is a program for coffee lovers as customers (ultimate customers) or even independent coffee shop owners (primary customers). The program is simple. One coffee lover gets to spend a day learning the art of Barista. A Barista is a professional who is highly skilled in coffee preparation, with a comprehensive understanding of coffee, espresso, roast degree and espresso equipment. Point of purchase Try the coffee in front of the coffee shops. Crimson Cup travel to the focus group. Go to university or potential place by lorries. Leader’s opinion 6. 0Recommendation of Strategy After we list the all alternatives for all the problems that we underline in second chapters, we come with the recommendations below in the combination of strategy that will be run to influence the consumers’ decision making process. 4 P’s Price: Alternative 1: Allowance Alternative two: Quantity discount Product: Alternative 1: Crimson Coffee Alternative 2: Coffee Cup Alternative 4: Product labeling Alternative 5: sell muffins, bagels, cookies and cake. Promotion: Making joint venture. Package to make them try the muffin as new product Place: Clean and friendly environment. IMC (annual program) Baristas4aDay with personality Research Store clientele 7. 0Plan of action Program Responsible Duration Description 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 0Contingency Plan 4 P’s Price: Alternative 1: Discount during winter season Alternative two: Quantity discount Product: Alternative 1: Crimson Coffee Alternative 2: Coffee Cup Alternative 4: Product labeling Promotion: Place: Clean and friendly environment. IMC (annual program) Point of purchase at the store Word of mouth by a leader 9. 0Conclusion. Consumer decision making model is very useful to analyze the behavior of consumers start from need recognition process until the divestment process. But, to get information for the every step or process in the model, some research should be run because research will supply more reliable and valid information to make our assumption more accurate. The assumption will be use to make prediction to the consumers decision making and this information are useful when the marketer trying to strategize their marketing programme or marketing activities to supply the products that can really transfer value the consumers. Reference: Blackwell, Miniard and Engel (2006), Consumer Behavior, 10th Ed. , Thompson, Southwestern Kotler, P. (2006) Marketing Management 12th edn. , Upper Saddle River, New Jersey; Perentice Hall. Kotler, P and Gary Armstrong (2006). Principles of Marketing 11th edn. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA: Prentice-Hall Inc http://www. wikipedia. com http://www. mplans. com http://www. forindipendentthinkers. com.