For music consumers, the shift to the computer-file medium

For music consumers, the shift to the computer-file medium happened years ago. This is particularly true with demographics that have essentially come of age through the evolution of the personal computer, the internet and ecommerce.   Over the course of the early 21st century, â€Å"online buying was most popular among 25-34 year olds and least attractive to the 65+ seniors.† (Vargas, 1)   This same demographic is composed of individuals who, over more than half a decade of unrestrained music downloading access, have come to expect a number of opportunities.Specifically, there is an immediacy to this access that transcends traditional music buying methods, with the click-and-download process bypassing the need to go to a store or wait for an online-ordered item to arrive in the mail.   Songs instantly appear on the consumer’s hard-drive and may subsequently be listened to and burnt to a Compact Disc.   With literally infinite peer-to-peer communities emerging co nstantly to improve the organization, presentation and reliability of such acquisition methods, users still have countless ways to find music for free.Students   at the University of Maryland reflect this exact pattern, and have thus become part of a pattern which runs afoul of music industry needs and legal perceptions.   The proposal here will seek to resolve the impasse by researching the prospects for a partnership with legal music downloading services which will allow students to continue to download for free but under more lawful terms.2. Introduction and BackgroundThe University of Maryland, like all major universities and campuses across America, is faced with an interested and difficult challenge with regard to the issue of illegal music downloading.   It is a well-recognized fact that many students use the high-speed internet provided by the campus itself in order to use peer-to-peer trading programs that allow for the free downloading of pirating music, movies and o ther unauthorized digital items which are characterized as intellectual property.The opportunity for students to engage in this activity represents a distinct conflict of interest for the university, which does not permit the use of its channels for the piracy of music, but which also supports the entitlement of individuals to use the computer technology at their disposal with relative freedom within the limitations of the law.   This proposal will call for a research investigation which effectively determines the best way for the university to improve the legal adherence of its students while simultaneously preserving the student body’s ability to use downloading services according to their desires.The background history of this problem concerns the expansion of technological opportunities and a relative inability of music companies and campuses alike to remain abreast of resulting expectations amongst average music consumers such as those spotting college campuses.  Eve n prior to the complicating arrival of internet technologies, the issue of preserving intellectual property has long been a morass of legal and philosophical entanglements for both the originators and the consumers of said property.On the college campus and in the music industry, this issue takes particular precedence as we struggle today to find balanced ways to compensate artists, entertainers and the portals through which they are delivered to us while simultaneously serving our appetites as consumers who are not being treated well by music gatekeepers.   Bootlegging, a term used throughout history to describe all manner of counterfeiting and marketing of ill-gotten or illegal contraband, today almost automatically conjures up thoughts of the internet.This new frontier for the exchange of intellectual properties has evolved into an abyss of piracy forums and file-sharing operations, as online discussion forums, weblogs and business reports on the subject, culled from the intern et, will reveal in the resulting research project.   As we seek to devise an appropriate mode for study, we can note that there is a very clear sociological divide on how parties involved perceive the implications of this music downloading frontier.For music retailers, who to this juncture have offered hard-copy packages of music at ever-growing industry controlled rates and in the medium defined by current industry standards, the sudden transition to a setting where this content could be acquired for free and at a bypass of conventional media and gate-keeping channels was a shocking one for which most were wholly unprepared.   On the opposite end of the spectrum, the independent ability for users to develop digital exchange technology and to compile digitally stored data such as that available on purchased compact discs represented a new and desirable means of obtaining music.In part a direct product of the evolution of information technologies and in part a natural response to a music industry where output was increasingly over-priced and diminishing in artistic quality, consumers have begun not only to expect but to actively claim a new means to acquiring music.   The new digital medium, which compresses songs into computer files called MP3s, has become the commonly accepted medium for music possession amongst consumers.   In contrast, the industry is struggling only now to catch up.   The proposal here will seek to devise a university approach that inherently acknowledges this gap, and attempts to play a mediating role in bringing only presently emerging paid file-sharing programs into contact with student populations.Key terms which will be considered in the proposal are those of ‘file-sharing,’ ‘intellectual property,’ and ‘online piracy.’3. Proposed Program or Plan of WorkIn the current online file-sharing context, everyday university students have essentially become bootleggers, according to legal resear ch and assertion by both the music industry and the United States Congress.   These are sources which appear to favor the music industry institutions, but in actuality, take a narrow perspective that is damaging to compromise for all parties.   The program proposed here will be informed by a desire to overcome this hindrance to cooperation through a carefully constructed mediation whereby the university determines the best possible way to initiate an ability for students to continue to download music for free without sacrificing a relationship to industry and law.Namely, this process of information gathering and research examination will require a consultation with the music industry in particular.  Ã‚   The music trade, represented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has insisted that downloading communities are costing the industry millions of dollars in declining sales.   Since the inception of the Napster online music swapping forum in popular culture , there is a broad awareness and exploitation of new and limitless internet resources for the acquisition of free music, with millions of American students logging on everyday to take part in the newly proliferated field of bootlegging.If one is to take the music industry as a case study of the changing nature of commerce with the integration of internet technology, there may be evidence to suggest that the retail approaches traditionally taken by many industries may be subject to extinction.   This is a fact that informs the focus of the study on the best way to court involvement of many music industry players to participate in campus programs designed to streamline downloading opportunities for students.Data gathering will be conducted through a close consultation with such pay sites as Rhapsody and iTunes, which offer users the opportunity to pay either subscription fees or monthly charges.   The University will investigate the potential for partnership with such services, ma king one or multiple downloading sites accessible to students as a part of the university enrollment package.The research process will therefore be structured around a correlation between the apparent downloading practices of students, which can be considered by way of a thorough literature review on current university piracy patterns, and the various terms upon which music industry players are willing to participate in programs which increase user access across university settings.   One expected challenge in this research process is the likelihood that gatekeeper based file downloading programs will not offer a sufficient alternative to many students who already enjoy the benefits of peer to peer trading.   This is an issue which inclines us to enter the proposal with an intent to evaluate and promote the distinct benefits of legal downloading where both options are available to individuals at no cost.4. Qualifications and ExperienceThe process of developing this experimental research process will primarily be based upon the dispatching of university personnel to effectively navigate the marketing aspects which are likely to take a center stage in the resolution of mutually beneficial programs for industry players and students.   Likewise, one who is familiar with the subject of student behaviors in this context will be dispatched to conduct the literature reviewer on habituation.5. BudgetThe cost of the process will be relatively modest, with major resources being limited to those required to conduct research on present behaviors.   It is the proposed ambition here that partnership with many of these services will be directly based upon the presence of agreed-upon sponsorship arrangements in which students are granted unfettered access to programs in exchange for the university’s promotion of service brand names.   Thus, the cost should be no greater than an estimated $10,000 required for the time and personnel used to conduct basic researc h.6. AppendicesThe task schedule will be centered on the start of a new fall semester, with the summer months employed to gain the partnerships needed to implement a trial program for incoming students.Bibliography:Borland, John.   (April 9, 2003).   Music Industry:   Piracy is choking sales.   CNET News. Online at .Garrity, Brian.   (2004).   MP3 Blog sites cause concern.   Billboard Magazine.  McClintock, Pamela.   (March 14, 2004)   Copyright Piracy Draws Anti-Terror Scrutiny.   Washington Variety.Timms, Dominic.   (July 9, 2004).   Online piracy dogs movie industry.   The Guardian.Vargas, Melody.   (2005).   Cyberspace Vs. Parking Mall Space.   About the Retail   Industry.   Online at   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   .

Skewed Unemployment Rate

Define the Problem: The real national unemployment rate is higher than the U. S. Department of Labor’s December figure shows. When the underemployed and discouraged are added to the unemployment numbers, the national unemployed rate rises to 16. 6%. This causes morale to be low and Americans seem to be giving up. Variables Identified by Order of Influence: 1. The government no longer counts people as unemployed when they stop looking for work. The unemployment numbers don’t account for part-time workers or people seeking advanced degrees to improve their chances of landing a higher paying job. 2. More jobs were reported created than were really actually reported. Problem Statement: Unemployment fell by almost half a percentage point in December, dropping the national unemployment rate to 9. 4%, according to figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, January 7, 2011. Unemployment has been high but relatively stable throughout 2010, ranging from 9. 5 to 9. 9%. December’s figure of 9. 4% is the lowest unemployment rate for all of 2010. The official unemployment index, based on a monthly survey of sample households, counts only people who reported looking for work in the past four weeks. The national unemployment rate wrapped up 2010 by significantly dropping to 9. 4 percent in December, the lowest level in 19 months despite a constant 9 percent unemployment rate for 20 months in a row, a new post-World War II record. There are two main reasons for the skewed unemployment numbers. The first key reason for the drop was that the government no longer counts people as unemployed when they stop looking for work. It doesn't account for part-time workers who want to work more hours but can't, given the tight job market. And it doesn't include those who have given up trying to find work. The second reason is that more jobs were reported that were grossed. Meaning jobs were posted but never existed and thus lowered the actual job openings lowering the unemployment rate. It's bad enough that the nation's jobless rate is 9. 4%. But the real national employment rate is even higher than the U. S. Department of Labor's December figure shows. The truth is that even the broader measure of unemployment doesn't fully capture how difficult the job market is for U. S. workers. It doesn't include self-employed workers whose incomes have shriveled. It doesn't look at former full-time employees who have accepted short-term contracts, without benefits, and at a fraction of their former salaries. And it doesn't count the many would-be workers who are going back to school, taking on more debt, in hopes that advanced degrees will improve their chances of landing jobs. The purpose of this report is to discover and offer a solution; if for no other reason, to provide a better education on how the U. S. Department of Labor manipulates the actual employment rate. Definition of Terms BLS- Bureau of Labor Statistics Corporate Outsourcing- Creation of jobs overseas by American businesses. Literature Review Many researchers have studied statistics of unemployment, available jobs, and causes related to the influx of unemployment in recent years. The following resources were very interesting and useful for my research. (IStockAnaylais. com, New Haven Register) This source discusses the issues regarding job growth over the last 2 years. Wall Street views this report as that the job expectations fell short of everyone’s expectations and the unemployment rate was likely skewed by seasonal factors. Public jobs grew at a steady rate but the government slashed many jobs due to congressional mandates set at an earlier time period. Work hours were also mentioned throughout my research of this article. Shorter work weeks having many worthy job seekers and economists scared and with the decline work hours many are starting to stay in panic mode. This article touched many key points regarding the number unemployed as well as the averages associated with the overall hours worked in a normal work week. (Newsday. om) Provide me with handy research data. I found this article to be instrumental for my research. This article covered the overall drop in the unemployment rate and it’s significant in ones respect because a falling unemployment rate during the job market recovery has often just reflected a rise in the number of discouraged workers – those unemployed people who have given up looking for a job and thus aren't included in the unemployment rate. Economist cautioned no t to expect too much too fast and to stay upbeat. The article also mentioned the difference between the recessions, stating this period was different because of the low amount of work hours involved. According to the article many Americans were involuntary forced to work part-time and counted as employed. Factor in these involuntarily underemployed workers plus the burgeoning number of discouraged job seekers, and California's real unemployment rate is 20%. Many people have been unemployed for lengthy periods of time and have giving up all hope. These people were also not reported in the overall national unemployment rate. EmployeeIssues. com) reported the unemployment rate does not include workers who are involuntarily working only part time and with fewer benefits, if any, such as no health, disability or life insurance, because they can’t find full-time jobs or their work hours were cut. The article went into detail regarding how much the average part-times wages were and how people were unable to maintain adequate healthc are coverage for their immediate families. The article went on to say the unemployment rate also does not include â€Å"marginally-attached† unemployed workers. The BLS does not count them in the official rate because they stopped looking for work, for reasons such as school attendance, family matters or their collective perception that there simply are no jobs. With the average person collecting unemployment for 26 weeks the article countered that by giving numbers more in the 33 week range for collecting benefits. There were many factors involved with work hours and other limiting issues covered within this article which supported my research. (Examineer. com) contained valuable information vital to my research. Some major issues were discussed within this article to include one final example of the disconnect between government reporting and the reality of the situation comes in the world of Unemployment Insurance. In many states across the union, unemployment benefits have been extended to unprecedented lengths. In Michigan, one could maintain their benefits for more than two years depending upon their circumstance. However, normal unemployment benefits are granted in intervals of 26 weeks for those who held the same position for one year. Here is the denominator to this equation. Anyone who has been collecting unemployment benefits for more than 26 weeks will not be counted among the unemployed. Thus, those who are still receiving state benefits in their 27th week are considered ‘out of the labor force' or 'employed'. Summary The issue that comes to the forefront of the debate on the reality of unemployment in the United States is that of honesty in government disclosures, the ability to skew statistics to create false optimism among the populace and the overall contradiction of cumulative job losses against a declining rate of unemployment. To understand this fully, one must understand how the government classifies citizens in their surveying as well as the political implications associated with this monthly report. There are millions of people out there without jobs, who have exhausted their benefits, who are simply not being counted. The above resources will help me determine the actual cause and how it will impact the struggling economy’s advancement towards a manageable workforce and improved lifestyle. Report the Findings Many researchers have studied statistics of unemployment, available jobs, and causes related to the influx of unemployment in the recent years. The following resources were very interesting and useful for my research. The Labor Department's statistics don't include the underemployed and those who have stopped looking for work. This alternative measure creates a much higher number. The federal government uses metric analysis to determine unemployment numbers each month, and sometimes per week. However, those metrics are skewed by political anomalies put in to try to make the numbers fit the agenda. For example, the nefarious birth/death rate assumptions which have no true basis for statistics, but in reality keep the numbers low to form a more positive or less negative outlook on unemployment. According to (Newsday. com) the overall drop in the unemployment rate was significant in one respect because a falling unemployment rate during the job market recovery has often just reflected a rise in the number of discouraged workers – those unemployed people who have given up looking for a job and thus aren't included in the unemployment rate. But this was not the case so much in December 2010. We're on a growth path,† said Ken Goldstein, economist for The Conference Board, a Manhattan business research group. But he cautioned not to expect too much, too fast. â€Å"It has gone up a lot because a lot of people have been put on short hours,† said economist Gary Burtless, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization. â€Å"And there are a lot of discouraged workers. † Shortened work hours are, in fact, one of the ways this recession is different from the ones in the early 1980s and early 1990s, Burtless said. Another difference is the huge number of people who have been permanently laid off. â€Å"Some people have lost their income altogether, and others have seen a drop in hours even if they remain employed,† Burtless said. â€Å"It was a double whammy for labor income. † The two trends are especially apparent in California, where the official unemployment rate is 12. 6%. Severe layoffs in early 2009 wiped out 100,000 jobs a month, according to Michael S. Bernick, a research fellow at the Milken Institute and a former head of California's labor department. The number of people working less than 35 hours a week has exploded. The recession has left 1. 5 million Californians involuntarily working part time, though they are classified as employed. Factor in these involuntarily underemployed workers plus the burgeoning number of discouraged job seekers, and California's real unemployment rate is 20%. Another difference in this recession — and a likely reason for the high number of discouraged job seekers — is the number of people who have been unemployed for more than 27 weeks. The Wall Street Journal) reports that 7 million Americans have been looking for work for 27 weeks or more, and the majority of them — 4. 7 million — have been out of work for a year or more. California, the number out of work more than 27 weeks is almost 900,000, more than the population of San Francisco. â€Å"That largely reflects how more severe this recession has been than of 1982 and of the 1990s,† said Bernick, who has worked in the job-training field since the late 1970s. Now, although severe layoffs are no longer occurring, hiring has not picked up significantly, the labor market is still very, very slow,† Bernick said. â€Å"Each job (opening) brings tens, usually hundreds, of applicants. † According to (EmployeeIssues. com) â€Å"The unemployment rate does not include workers who are involuntarily working only part time and with fewer benefits, if any, such as no health, disability or life insurance, because they can’t find full-time jobs or their work hours were cut. Counting part-timers and full-timers, the average workweek in December was unchanged from November at 4. 3 hours. Average hourly earnings increased by 3 cents to $22. 78. † The unemployment rate also does not include â€Å"marginally-attached† unemployed workers. The BLS does not count them in the official rate because they stopped looking for work, for reasons such as school attendance, family matters or their collective perception that there simply are no jobs. The number of involuntarily part-timers was around 8. 9 million in December, down from about 9. 1 a year earlier. The number of marginally-attached unemployed workers was a little over 2. 6 million, up from about 2. million in December 2009. Among the marginally-attached, about 1. 3 million were so-called â€Å"discouraged workers† who gave up looking for work due to their shared perception that there are no jobs, about the same as in November but up by about 389,000 from a year ago. The BLS counted a total of about 14. 5 million workers as unemployed in December, down by 556,000 from November and thus, why the unemployment rate dropped from 9. 8 to 9. 4 percent. The average period of unemployment was 34. 2 weeks, up from 33. 9 in November and 29. 3 a year ago. The number of long-term unemployed workers, those who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer, increased from about 6. 3 to 6. 4 million in December, accounting for 44. 3 percent of the unemployed workers that the BLS counted as such. State unemployment benefits typically last only 26 weeks without state or federal extensions. The job growth, while encouraging, did not match economists' expectation that the nation would have added 150,000 to 200,000 jobs last month. Hopes were high, especially after payroll and staffing firm ADP reported earlier this week the economy added 279,000 last month. We underperformed a bit on the job front,† Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist at Data Core Partners in New Haven, said of the government report. Job figures and the unemployment rate come from surveys of businesses and households. â€Å"The numbers which carry more weight are the job numbers, by far,† Klepper-Smith said. â€Å"It's all about jobs, jobs, jobs. † The une mployment rate, meanwhile, likely was skewed by seasonal factors in December, he said, since â€Å"there is no good justification fundamentally for a four-tenths-of-a-point decline. According to the (Examiner. com) one final example of the disconnect between government reporting and the reality of the situation comes in the world of Unemployment Insurance. In many states across the union, unemployment benefits have been extended to unprecedented lengths. In Michigan, one could maintain their benefits for more than two years depending upon their circumstance. However, normal unemployment benefits are granted in intervals of 26 weeks for those who held the same position for one year. Here is the denominator to this equation. Anyone who has been collecting unemployment benefits for more than 26 weeks will not be counted among the unemployed. Thus, those who are still receiving state benefits in their 27th week are considered ‘out of the labor force' or 'employed'. Explanation of Findings What these findings paint is an unrealistic picture, continuing claims and the jobless rate help provide a snapshot of the overall condition of employment. While the jobless rate can, over time, somewhat track the more prominent unemployment rate found in the monthly labor report produced by the BLS, it has its flaws. The Labor Department provides the following explanation: â€Å"Some people are still jobless when their benefits run out, and many more are not eligible at all or delay or never apply for benefits. So, quite clearly, UI information cannot be used as a source for complete information on the number of unemployed. † That is, they're not counted as unemployed, but likely would be in the BLS report. Therefore, fluctuations in the jobless rate might not necessarily be reflective of what the trend in the unemployment rate will look like in the monthly labor report. Initial claims data are used to detect emerging employment trends. Outsized gains garner attention because they suggest looming employment weakness, which could spread to the rest of the economy. Outsized decreases imply impending employment strength. This data series is volatile. Extreme weather conditions create commensurate extremes in the data. This can happen for two reasons: either weather conditions prevented people from filing, or it temporarily or permanently put them out of work. Seasonal adjustments sometimes do an inadequate job of capturing seasonal changes. It can take several weeks for the data to be considered representative of what's really going on in the economy. The unemployment rate is calculated as (# of unemployed people)/ (# of unemployed + # of employed people) as calculated by the surveys run by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (assuming you're in the US, most developed countries have similar statistical bureaus that run similar surveys). I haven't checked what the BLS definition is, but in Australia unemployed means that you were actively seeking work or were waiting to start work – the idea being that this excludes people who are unable to work, or retired, or otherwise wouldn't get jobs even if there were jobs to get. In that sense, the unemployment rate has nothing to do with how many jobs there are out there to lose. However, the movement in the unemployment rate could certainly reduce not because the economy is improving but because it can't get any worse. Also, there's some argument over the definition of â€Å"employed†, since international convention allows for anyone who worked at least one hour to count as employed, meaning that people with part-time or casual jobs with very few hours would be able to work more hours if they were available may be â€Å"underemployed† (which is not measured in the unemployment rate). Recommendation for Change There are millions of people out there without jobs, who have exhausted their benefits, who are simply not being counted so the government can look like heroes. I suggest all people who have exhausted benefits write their congressman so they can be counted. If the people don't speak up, then nothing will be done. Nothing is getting better. There are no jobs (unless you are in the health care field), and the economy still stinks. A simple solution would be for the state to continue having people who are unemployed to claim weeks online even after benefits are exhausted. This would require a simple upgrade to the state's already-existing database, to include ineligible claimants as well. If all states did the same, a true jobless figure could be attained, and the seriousness of the problem would be brought to light. Corporate outsourcings of American jobs are what have hurt our country's financial infrastructure, nothing else. If we don't stop them now, it may not be our country anymore in the future. The people need to wake up and start writing. Don't believe the drivel they feed us every day!

Attachment Paper Essay

Bowlby’s attachment theory provides a strong framework for the comprehension of both the nature of close relationships and the link between the associations of children and how this affects their relationships as adults, as well as, various health issues concerning adults. The following research endeavor reviews the literature concerning the validity and reliability of the attachment styles that can be a predicting factor as to how adults engage in the formation of relationships. Research presented will also help to elucidate how attachment styles during childhood relate to adult related health issuesThe following essay will define attachment theory as described by Bowlby and Ainsworth; followed by an analysis how attachments formed in early childhood have an impact on attachments formed during adulthood. The main focus of the research will examine the evidence concerning attachment assessment methods. Finally, the research essay will examine the empirical evidence depicting how attachment predicts relationship tendencies in adults along with the risk factors for certain health related issues from the perspective attachment style. John Bowlby’s theory of attachment has been instrumental in the advancement of modern psychology. According to Bowlby (1982), attachments exist to bring infants into close proximity with their caregivers thereby protecting the infant from harm and predation. The idea of attachment was first postulated by Sigmund Freud and focused on the attachment relationship between mother and child. Freud analyzed this interaction using psychoanalytic thought, which assumes that an unconscious drive for physical gratification is the basis of attachment. Bowlby (1982) moved away from Freud’s psychoanalytic perspective and proposed an ethological theory of attachment. The foundation of this perspective depicts the inherent survival instinct as the catalyst for attachment. At the most basic level, Bowlby theorized that attachment formation is dependent on the formation of trust in the infant. Trust develops from the level of sensitivity the caregiver provides the infant during times of stress. The result of this interaction is the infant producing an adaptive response and those responses, according to Bowlby (1982), into mental representations, or working models, that are believed to guide the behavior of attachment relationships over time, carrying over into adulthood. The existence of the different types of attachment styles was empirically demonstrated by Ainsworth and colleagues (1978) in studies with infants using the Strange Situation procedure. The Strange Situation procedure involved observing a child’s behavior when they were separated from their primary caregiver. Ainsworth and colleagues classified the attachment styles of the infant based on the observed strength of the bond between the infant and their caregiver (Ainsworth, et al. , 1978). The various types of attachment styles are typically classified into three categories including:secure attachment, anxious/ambivalent attachment, and avoidant attachment. These attachment styles will be discussed further in relationship to their impact on adult relationships and the effects they have on the general health in adults. A fourth attachment style was classified much later than what was presented in the Strange Situation, called disorganized attachment, and accounts for only about five to ten percent of the population (Berk, 2007). This fourth attachment style is not part of the research presented in this essay due to the fact that this attachment system is uncommon and there is little research focusing on its effect on adult relationships or on the health of adults. There are generally two distinct groups that researchers fall into when studying the implications of attachment in adulthood. Those who are typically trained in the developmental tradition, tend to emphasize adults’ representation and how this may influence the level of attachment they have with their own children. The other group, which is typically trained in social psychology, usually focuses their attention on the application of attachment theory to analyze the processes of adult romantic relationships and personality. These two groups are apt to emphasize different points of view to the theory, and conceptualize their findings in diverging ways. For the purpose of this essay, empirical research from a social psychology perspective will be utilized. The primary focal point will be on the domain of interpersonal relationships between adults from the three attachment categories and their relationships. Secondly, research will be discussed in regards to the links between adult attachment styles and variables such as cognitive functioning and interest in social activities. Lastly, this essay will show support for the proposed theory that attachment styles of children has been linked to the development of disease and chronic illness in adults. Ainsworth and colleagues (1978), through their experiment termed Strange Situation, coined the terms to describe the different attachment styles that infants experience. The first and most common form of attachment is secure attachment. Secure attachment is traditionally measured in terms of separation anxiety (Pearce, 2009). Infants who are securely attached are quickly comforted upon the return of their attentive primary caregiver after a period of separation and exposure to a stranger in the room. Securely attached infants also display uninhibited exploration of their environment while the primary caregiver is in sight (Ainsworth et al. , Bowlby, 1982). Avoidant attachment is the second form of attachment that infants can display. Those who exhibit this form of attachment generally do not display any separation anxiety and also show no preference towards the primary caregiver upon their return. It has been theorized that a reason that infants do show a preference towards their caregiver is because the caregiver may be causing the infant stress which the infant instinctively tries to avoid. The third form of attachment style is the anxious / ambivalent form of attachment. Anxious attachment is comparable to secure attachment in that the infant clings to their primary caregiver and displays separation anxiety (Berk, 2007). The primary difference between the behaviors of securely attached infants and anxiously / ambivalent individuals is that, in the latter, the infants emotions are more pronounced. Anxious infants are not comforted by the caregiver easily, and aggressive behaviors may be displayed when the caregiver is present. This type of behavior is considered to be an adaptive response that is used to solicit a response from an otherwise unresponsive caregiver. Attachment Theory and Adult Relationships Many have argued that identifying both the beginnings and the extent of emotions that are experienced in a relationship is critical if one seeks to understand the essential aspects of a relationship. Many of the most intense emotions arise during the formation, the maintenance, the disruption, and the renewal of attachment relationships (Bowlby, 1982). Surprisingly, there is little research to date that attempts to explain the rationale for the cause of emotions in relationships; specifically how significant relationship experiences at critical developmental stages, forecast the intensity of emotions practiced in adult attachment relationships. One of the first studies conducted in this area was by Main and colleagues (1985) using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) as a narrative-based interview in which participants provide five adjectives that describe their relationship to each parent and then provide specific memories that support each adjective. Several studies have associated attachment styles to relationship satisfaction; however, there is a perceived lack of understanding as to what mechanisms of the attachment styles that influence relationship satisfaction have been scarcely understood. Attachment plays a pivotal role in the dynamics of how adults interact with each other and this interaction relates to how relationships are formed and maintained. Results produced from the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (Main et al, 1985), indicated that adults who have formed secured attachments during childhood are more likely to form romantic partnerships that are warm and responsive. Securely attached adults tend to have more positive views of themselves and their partners and in the way they perceive their relationships (Simpson & Rholes, 2012). Securely attached adults characteristically experience lower levels of anxiety than those with other attachment styles. A possibility for the lower levels of anxiety in securely attached individuals is that failure in the relationship does not elicit an anxiety-provoking, distracting concern, because the expected attachment, on average, tends to be supportive, and reassuring (McWilliams & Bailey, 2010). Independent success is not dependent on the relationship outcome for securely attached adults as it may be for those with other attachment styles. Securely attached individuals focus on building greater intimacy with their attachment figures and experience functional anger, which generally facilitates more constructive, relationship-enhancing goals (Simpson et al, 2007). The anxious / ambivalent attached adult is normally viewed as being fearful and avoidant when in most situations and especially when forming meaningful relationships. The fear response is usually a fear of failure. The possibility of failure elicits anxiety – provoking concerns for the anxious / ambivalent person (Simpson et al, 2007). These individuals view themselves as incapable of either providing love and intimacy to others or being capable of receiving love and intimacy from romantic partners. Insecurity is not manifested the same in all individuals but the basic mistrust of love and closeness is a common theme among this level of attachment in adults. Those who are anxious / ambivalent adults may be troubled with high levels of stress and display a higher tendency towards impulsiveness in their relationships. This stress is compounded if both members of the relationship demonstrate characteristics of this type of attachment style. In contrast to those who have secure attachments, adults who present characteristics of anxious / ambivalent attachment, typically experience and express less positive and more negative emotions in their relationships (Simpson et al, 2007). These individuals habitually are concerned with fears of being abandoned, misused, or failing to meet their basic needs of security when engaging in relationships. For this reason, those with this attachment style typically experience less positive emotions in their relationships and report a high level of negativity when describing their relationships. Bowlby (1982), as well as other researchers, believe that close relationships formed during childhood with primary caregivers who are supposed to be providing the ground work for the establishment of security and trust, have a direct impact on how adults form and maintain relationships across the lifespan. The third attachment style is avoidant. Avoidant infants are indifferent or ignore the return of the caregiver after separation (Westen, 2006). These children may not necessarily reject the attention of the caregiver but they do not tend to seek out the attention of the caregiver as well. The avoidant style of attachment negates energy away from intimacy and hampers positive emotions in personal relationships. For those experiencing this form of negative attachment believe that becoming close to their partners heightens their fear of rejection. Considerable research indicates that different forms of attachment styles direct individuals to foster their emotions and behaviors in different ways (Simpson et al, 2007). Typically, those who have avoidant style of attachment avidly seek to diminish the possibility of negative relationships that could potentially create the danger of rejection or abandonment. This form of attachment can also be seen as a type of self-preservation strategy. Attachment styles and the relation to chronic health issues in adults Many researchers and psychologists have argued that the experiences that incur in early childhood hold a prestigious place in influencing later life outcomes. Researchers have also focused their attention on how the role of adverse incidents gone through in childhood has strong links towards adult physical illness. Furthermore, the quality of close relationships, especially marital relationships, affects immune functioning, rendering individuals vulnerable to various diseases (Coan, Schaefer, & Davidson, 2006). Researchers have also focused on the role of early adverse experiences in laying the foundations for adult physical illness (Puig et al, 2012). The different level of childhood attachment styles is positively correlated to the incidence of chronic illness as adults. Incorporating assessments of relationship interaction in the early stages of human development may give insight of how the quality of childhood attachments in infancy directly impact adult health. Secure attachment is considered to be the best functional form of all of the attachment forms and thus is hypothesized to have the increased likelihood of general better health in adulthood. In relation to cancer, attachment may be unrelated to the development of cancer, but a positive association between secure attachment ratings and cancer could have emerged because those with secure attachment may be more likely to survive cancer (Puig et al, 2012). According to the attachment theory proposed by Bowlby (1982), the quality of early care that children receive is internalized and then shapes their social functioning in adulthood. Research suggests that infant attachment relationships are associated with aspects of health in childhood that may be linked to health across the life span (Anderson & Whitaker, 2011). The findings of the research conducted by Anderson & Whitaker (2011) suggest that individuals who were classified as secure during the origins of care giving report the fewest health problems as adults than those who were inconsistently secure or consistently insecure. Other research indicates that adults forming insecure attachment styles as children uniquely predict categories of physical illness (McWilliams & Bailey, 2012). Insecure attachments include the anxious / ambivalent and avoidant style of attachment. Generally speaking, those persons who have developed insecure attachments during childhood have an increased susceptibility to stress. Stress has been linked to a wide range of psychological and physical ailments in adolescents and adults. Those exhibiting insecure attachments have also been theorized to have a greater propensity towards substance abuse and food addictions, which has been known to cause numerous health roblems. Individuals with insecure attachment often display refractory behaviors in that they do not seek help for these types of behaviors and also have difficulty seeking proper medical attention when health issues arise most likely due to their basic mistrust of people who are in a position to help them. The most logical assessment for this behavior is strongly suggested to be linked to the lack of strong bonding relationships formed during infancy (McWilliams and Bailey, 2010). According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard (2011), the consequences of adversity early in life can be serious and long-lasting, affecting the body’s ability to, for example, regulate metabolism, fight disease, and maintain a healthy heart—as well as a healthy brain. Reducing toxic stress in early childhood is therefore an important strategy for lifelong health promotion and disease prevention. Findings of recent developmental research have concluded that individuals who are insecurely attached tend to have poorer quality relationships across the first 20 years of life (Simpson, Collins, Tran, & Haydon, 2007). The quality of adult relationships is possible causes of chronic stress which inhibits biological processes, which leads insecure adults to encounter more physical illness later in life than those who have formed secure attachments. Individuals classified as having the anxious / ambivalent are prone to inflammatory responses when exposed stressors (Gouin et al. , 2008). Anxious attachment ratings were more strongly associated with feeble health conditions and the ratings for avoidant attachments were found to be greater. Avoidant attachment ratings were significantly associated with those conditions that primarily involve symptoms of pain, such as arthritis, back pain, severe headaches, and other forms of chronic pain (McWilliams & Bailey, 2010). Anxious attachment rating were associated as involving the cardiovascular system, including stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure. With the propensity of insecure attachments leading to the onset of various health conditions, it is reasonable to assume that those with inadequate health conditions lead to relationship discord and thus foster relationship insecurity. Bowlby (1980) believed that life’s deepest and most intense emotions arise in the foundation of attachment relationships. Bowlby’s concept of internal working models was a catalyst for the increased interest in the continuity of attachment patterns from infancy through adulthood (Westen, et al, 2006). These relationships are rooted in the attachment formations that develop during early childhood with caregivers. Until recently, little research has been conducted on the correlation between the different attachment styles children experience as determinants of the experience and development of romantic relationships formed as adults. The above reviewed research suggests that these interactions may imply a link to forming secure relationships experienced during earlier periods of development. Studies directed at the association between attachments and learned dispositions regarding relationships are growing in popularity. This type of research is of interest to anyone who is engrossed in the study of attachment in adulthood, regardless of affiliation to a psychology study or training. Attachment theories remain dominant throughout the lifespan (Ainsworth, 1989). Secure attachment proves to be the strongest indicator that adults will form committed, lasting romantic relationships. Insecure attachment origins supports the general theory that adults are highly susceptible by situational events and have coping mechanisms that are consistent with the particular form of insecurity they manifest (Simpson, et. al. , 2012). Those who have experienced anxious/ambivalent attachments have been found to display greater dysfunctional anger toward their partners and more distressed when encountered with a fear-inducing situation and have been noted to receive less support from their partners.

Term Paper One Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Term Paper One - Article Example formulate their general HR strategy and then how such will influence their international recruitment strategy and what HR processes and policies they attempt to transfer. Obviously, Marriott International seeks to sustain and create a level of stability in their practices of managing people globally. The company knows that in order to be successful in the UK, it may also have to adjust its HR policies and practices to the particular regulatory, social, and economic conditions of the host country. Increasing regulation and economic instability are determined as two of the most difficult challenges confronting Marriott International in the UK (Nickson, 2013). This paper evaluates the key features of the equality and diversity policy of Marriott International, and critically examines the challenges in operationalizing the policy and the approaches which could be taken to ensure effective implementation. With roughly 133,000 employees across the globe, making up a broad array of cultural experiences, knowledge, and backgrounds, Marriott is thriving by willingly and committedly accepting and nurturing the diversity of its labour force (Clarke & Chen, 2009, p. 253). Consequently, Marriott has received numerous awards and recognitions for their initiatives to foster a diverse workforce, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award granted to the company in 2005 by the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. Their attempts to nurture a diverse labour force undoubtedly established their general reputation as one of the most respected firms in America (Clarke & Chen, 2009). Not like numerous less profitable companies, an important part of Marriott’s strategy is that diversity concerns are not tackled merely by a separate, independent program that suggests detaching diversity concerns from the core features of the company. Hence, diversity is not only a matter of acquiring a cultur ally diverse workforce, but in looking for ways to incorporate and apply such diversity

Financial Calculations for a new hair care product Assignment

Financial Calculations for a new hair care product - Assignment Example And all the products have to pass through research along with the specific product development phases. Keeping in view these facts, the above table shows a list of assumptions made for the development of the hair care product. Moreover, these assumptions would serve as the baseline for calculating the revenue and costing of the product, marginal costing, sales / production basis and the break even analysis (Bernstein and Wild, 2000).Breakeven point Calculations:- The breakeven analysis is utilized to determine the point in duration at which the revenues of the business becomes equivalent to the costs of the business. The following section of the document presents breakeven analysis of the hair care product ... Scientific research for the development of new hair care product is exceptionally costly and it can be difficult to manage for smaller companies. And all the products have to pass through research along with the specific product development phases. Keeping in view these facts, the above table shows a list of assumptions made for the development of the hair care product. Moreover, these assumptions would serve as the baseline for calculating the revenue and costing of the product, marginal costing, sales / production basis and the break even analysis (Bernstein and  Wild, 2000). Task 2 Marginal Costing and Contribution Based on market research, it is expected that sales will be 10,000 units per month (Wood & Sangster, 2011). Per unit Sales 1,800,000 Less Marginal Cost of Sales Production Cost (Valued @ marginal Cost) ?607,739 Less Closing Stock (Valued @ marginal cost) ?92,310 Marginal Cost of Production ?515,429 Add Advertising expenses ?1000 Marginal Cost of Sales (516,429) Contri bution ?1,283,571 Less Fixed Cost ?65,000 Marginal Costing Profit ?1,227,571 Marginal Cost Per Unit Total Output for the year 141,203 Total Variable Cost 607,742 Total Fixed Cost 66000 Per unit marginal cost= total variable cost divided by total output 607,739/141,203 ?4.304/Unit Task 3 Breakeven point Calculations:- The breakeven analysis is utilized to determine the point in duration at which the revenues of the business becomes equivalent to the costs of the business. The following section of the document presents breakeven analysis of the hair care product. The formula used for the breakeven analysis is as follows: Break even Sales = Fixed Cost Price – Variable cost Break even Sales = ?66000 / (? 1800000 - ? 607,739)/141203 Break even Sales = 7817 Units Breakeven level of

What The Course Offers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What The Course Offers - Essay Example A student is first enrolled in kindergarten, the primary, secondary and finally university. In all the stages of education, a student is taught different things from various subjects. The course shows the importance of these learning activities to the growth of the whole person. As the child’s brain develops, the involvedness of learning activities also increases. It is necessary for students to undergo the various stages of learning for them to identify the truth. The university education is crucial for students as it helps them know the truth by conducting research. The course helps students to recognize the importance of research as far as the truth is concerned; it contributes to unraveling the secret behind some issues. The course sensitizes the importance of continuous learning as it helps students know the things they could not have learned. In conclusion, the course opens the mind of learners concerning the significance of learning. Learning is a continuous process, and it assists students in mental, psychological and physical development. The course offers much information regarding how to learn.

How does fear motivate the main characters in The Crucible Case Study

How does fear motivate the main characters in The Crucible - Case Study Example According to the research, John Proctor is an example of the characters that show fear. He is under the judgment that Abigail will blemish his good name because of their affair. In addition, Abigail could ruin the life of John because of his carelessness, which his wife is fully aware. It is unlike John Proctor to be afraid of anyone because he usually is a pillar of strength and a well-known member of the community. This makes his fear powerful as it is unlike him. He is afraid of Abigail ruining his name because of his deep pride. John is fully aware of the sins he committed and cannot easily forget about them. When Abigail lies to the town about seeing the devil and the presence of witchcraft in the town, John thinks she deserves hanging. John is a hero and despite what Abigail says, he is motivated to speak out and what he believes as much as the result is death. To fulfill his obligation, he pushes Abigail out of his life and openly tells her he loves his wife. He looks out for the truth from God because he knows and sees all. John strives for people to see the reality and to believe in what is true. Abigail Williams spreads fear of witches in the town of Salem and ends up dominating the lives of people in the town. She has a love affair with John Proctor and wants his wife Elizabeth to leave him for her. In addition, she is responsible for the girls meeting in the woods. Abigail is motivated by the fear of being discovered dancing naked in the woods.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 190

Summary - Essay Example Moreover, another problem is that women often can’t find financially reliable men, as the majority of available men are lack of jobs. One more reason for one-parent families is that women are capable of managing themselves along with their children without men because of getting a great support from government. However, this pattern indeed works for Sweden but is less applicable to Iceland. There are certain programs of financial support that help single mothers in raising their children. Furthermore, the main argument why women have become more capable of living without men is the raise of women’s employment that has developed so far. Women can afford raise their expenses and omit financial support from men because more and more women are getting high-paid positions. Even though marriage has multiple advantages, including financial factors, still many people (especially it concerns women) worldwide keep choosing raising their children all by themselves, because it may be easier for them and they don’t want to get involved into relationships or marriage bond. As far as the structure of family has changed a lot so far, the problem of elderly people and the generation they form has risen rapidly and became an issue for many countries. The point is that generations have stopped living together and the elderly people often can’t take care of themselves; moreover, they can’t move in their children’s places and stay with them in order to get care from their relatives. The article â€Å"The Changing Family and â€Å"Social Security†: A Look at Japan† describes how Japan deals with this problem nowadays. The way that Japanese typical family used to be constructed was that young people lived together with their parents and it was a kind of moral debt to take care of their parents when they become old. However, the tradition has been changed so far and now only 9 percent of families live according to this filial piety model of family. Hence,

Sonnys Blues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sonnys Blues - Essay Example This same characteristic is demonstrated in his unwillingness to consider the words of Sonny’s old friend outside the school. However, the seeds of change are already planted and hope for a different future is suggested in the narrator’s willingness to listen to Sonny in the end. Because of his previous inability to listen to others, the narrator created division between himself and his brother that prevented him from understanding the drug difficulties his brother was experiencing, yet his newfound willingness to try listening suggests hope for both brothers’ futures. Music emerges as a tremendous symbol of the narrator’s increasing ability to listen to what others are saying. This begins when he listens to a boy whistling as an escape from the angry laughter of the others. As the narrator listens more carefully to Sonny’s old friend, he begins to understand those around him at a greater depth and he begins to hear the music inside the bar. Just before Sonny finally risks telling his brother about his music gig at a bar that evening, Baldwin describes a touching scene in which the narrator observes a musical group on the sidewalk. He seems to be starting to understand the messages the music is conveying. Finally, although he’s never understood Sonny’s music before, the narrator agrees to try and does finally understand what is being said through Sonny’s music. Throughout the story, the narrator shows increasing growth in his ability to listen to others, symbolized through the music of the streets in which he and his brother exist. As the narrator begins to hear the underlying messages of the music around him, he can be seen to understand more of what his brother and others have been trying to tell him. Finally, his willingness to try to listen to Sonny reveals an ability to understand his brother’s music.

Declaration of Independence, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Declaration of Independence, - Essay Example In many respects, the King was perceived as promoting excessive taxation, essentially stepping on the backs of hard-working colonists to earn money for Britain. The colonists realized that an independent system of taxation, when used for the benefit of sustaining the local economy, would prevent Britain from taking resources away from the American colonists for use to sustain a stronger Great Britain. Secondly, the colonists believed that the king was maintaining a strong military presence in early America, which essentially made the colonists feel as though they were constantly under the threat of military action on behalf of the king of Britain. This is evident in the passage stating, "He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature" (Ushistory.org). While the colonists continued to work to build the foundation of a successful American economy, Britain maintained a close military watch over them to ensure that no revolution against Britain was begun and to constantly show the threat that England could provide against any revolutionaries. as tobacco) to other nations willing to pay for the items, the King of Britain refused such exportation in order to ensure that the monies associated with American-produced products would be distributed not locally, but to the King of Britain himself. This is evident in the Declaration of Independence where it states, "For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world" (Ushistory.org). At a time where the local economy needed export dollars to build a strong, local infrastructure, refusing to allow exportation of colonial goods continued to keep a strong British presence in the colonies and prevent early America from becoming a nation of wealth (likely to prevent any revolution against England). All of these reasons, and many more, were spelled out in the Declaration

Integrating software applications in cloud-Enabled Enterprises Research Proposal

Integrating software applications in cloud-Enabled Enterprises methodology - Research Proposal Example 2. To implement software applications that enabled BYOD in the Enterprise domain. 3. To implement security protocols for BYOD devices that meet the needs of Enterprise frame working This chapter develops a research methodology for pursuing the objectives. The chapter includes research methods section that identifies the proposed methods for implementing the study, research design, and role of the researchers, the study’s facilitators, research participants, and instrumentation for the study. The section also discusses validity and reliability of the selected data collection instruments, data collection procedure, proposed data analysis approach and pilot study for the research. Research method The descriptive study proposes a mixed research approach for investigating its objectives. The method will be explored through field study. It integrates qualitative and quantitative techniques and has the advantages of minimizing weaknesses of each of the techniques and optimizing the t echniques’ strengths. Its advantages and its correspondence to the scope of the research justify its source. Data that is collected in quantitative techniques reflect on the actual value in an occurrence and not a researcher’s perception. ... Such data will inform needs in organizations’ computing systems and consequences of such needs towards development of optimal integrated systems with suitable software applications and desirable security measures. Research design Experimental design is proposed for the study’s quantitative approach. Blocked design will be used. It involves observation of data from partitioned sample space and suits the scope of the study that seeks data on features of integrated computing systems that can co-exist with an enterprise’s network, information on software applications are compatible with BYOD in an organization’s network, and security protocols that are suitable for BYOD in an enterprise’s network. Qualitative data will be collected based on participants’ experiences. The research design is predetermined and is therefore fixed. Role of the group members The group members will assume active roles in the research process. The group’s roles be gan with identification of the research’s title and scope, investigations into the study’s background information, and development of the research problem and research objectives. The groupalso assume the role of developing and implementing the research methodology. After data collection, the group will analyze the data and document research findings and recommendations to stakeholders to the study. Facilitators The group will also be facilitators of the study, will facilitate data collection processes, and technical aspects of data analysis and documentation of the study’s findings. Participants The study will involve three categories of participants, employees of

Dtlls - Enabling Learning and Assessment Essay Example for Free

Dtlls Enabling Learning and Assessment Essay Coursework 1 – Reflective Account of Peer Assessment Activity Within this piece of work I will be reflecting on an assessment activity used by a peer whilst I was observing their lesson for A-level psychology. The learners were all aged 17-19 and the lesson was on theories of depression and was a revision session for learners before their exams the following month. The assessment activity was an informal formative assessment where the students were placed into groups of two or three learners and were then given an area of the subject matter, the learners then had to create revision notes as a group on a piece of flipchart paper using their own notes and text books. The learners were then given 15 minutes to revise these notes, once this time was up the tutor then asked the learners to all find a new partner and then teach their revised notes to their peer. The ‘tutor’ peer would try to give all their key notes without looking at the flipchart, but some learners were allowed when they got stuck on certain points. The ‘student’ peer would have to take written notes to aid with their revision. The learners would then swap in their pairs and the roles would be reversed, after both learners had shared their revision notes they would then swap again to find a new learner to pair with, this process continued until all learners had a full set of revision notes for the subject. Brown et al on the subject of assessment ‘validity’ state ‘It is often described as the match between what is intended to be measured and what is measured.’ (Brown et al., 1997, p.239). I believe this activity was very valid as it allowed the tutor to assess the notes the learners would be revising from for a summative exam in the future. The aims of this assessment were explained in full detail and the learners understood what was expected of them from this activity. The point of the activity was for peer learning to take place to aid revision in the subject of theories of depression; this was definitely achieved by the end of the lesson as every learner had a full set of revision notes on each aspect of the subject confirming the validity of the assessment. The students were in charge of creating their own notes in each group and then passing these notes onto their peers, this does cause some reliability issues as with all learners some students may have put more effort into their revision notes than others. Therefore you may get a learner who has put as much information into his or hers notes as possible giving a vast amount of knowledge on a certain area of the subject and they may then  receive from a peer basic knowledge of another area of the subject. Reece and Walker talk of ‘reliability’ as ‘the ability of a test to consistently measure what it is supposed to measure.’ (Reece and Walker, 2007, p.348), I believe this method of assessment does not consistently measure but the tutor did circulate the classroom at all times aiding learners if they were finding it hard to put key points down on paper. This method does however aid differentiation as less able learners were given the chance to gain knowledge of the subject from more able learners. The more able learners also had the chance to practice and develop their subject knowledge aiding revision in the class. Word Count: 520 References Brown, G., Bull, J. and Pendlebury, M. (1997) Assessing Students Learning in Higher Education. Oxon, p.239. Reece, I. and Walker, S. (2007) Teaching, Training and Learning: A Practical Guide. 6th ed. Sunderland: Business Education Publishers Ltd, p.321. Coursework 2 Assessment Information within own Organisation Assessment information within my own organisation is recorded from the beginning of a learner joining the college. Every potential student as part of the interview stage takes part in a minimum core assessment; this is a basic screening test to assess the student’s literacy and numeracy skills. This initial assessment allows us to correctly place the learner on the right level of course. These results are placed in the college database, following the enrolment of each learner the minimum core results form a group differentiation profile for each class; put together by the course leader. This profile is used by the tutor so they can differentiate learning tasks and understand individual learner’s needs from the very beginning. Once the course commences formative assessments are created by the tutor and used in each lesson. Each learner receives feedback from these assessments and if needed, targets can be set so the learner is clear on what is expected of them. Validity and reliability of assessments used during a course are checked at regular standardisation meetings within curriculum teams, these take place to sample marking of formative and summative theory assessments. Allowing tutors to internally verify samples of learners work so all tutors  in the department are consistent in their marking. Reece and Walker explain ‘validity’ as ‘how well the test measures what it is supposed to measure† (Reece and Walker, 2007, p.321). Within these meetings the team will also evaluate and create formative and summative assessments for future use; a chance to share good practice. The meetings are also used to discuss practical assessments as different tutors can have differing views on as sessment criteria; this aids the reliability of the assessments. Summative assessments are entered on a standardised tracking document which every tutor in the department can access. Updating this tracking document then enables each tutor or the head of department to see the progress of every learner helping to identify any ‘at risk’ students who may need more attention or end up not completing the course. This document is shared with the learners; they can see what still needs to be achieved to gain their qualification and how far they have come in terms of progression, this aids motivation in the classroom and also a sense of achievement to see how much they have already completed. The learners have logbooks provided by the awarding body VTCT, this is where tutors record all practical summative assessment and sign off to say they have met the criteria set by VTCT. The logbook is used by the learner to build a portfolio of consultations forms and photographs from practical’s, written assignments and any online tests the learner has to complete during the course. The college also uses Pro-Monitor a computerised package which tutors can record individual learner progress and set targets for learners to achieve by a certain time. Learners can access Pro-Monitor and input individual targets they wish to achieve, it can also show them graphs and visual aids on how much of their qualification they have achieved, this is brilliant for more visual learners who may find written feedback harder to understand. These different ways of recording assessment information are vital in enabling tutors to identify when students are falling behind and planning for future development, a side effect of not using these implements could be learners nearing the end of their course without completing assessments that are mandatory. References Reece, I. and Walker, S. (2007) Teaching, Training and Learning- a Practical Guide. 6th ed. Sunderland: Business Edition Publishers, p.321. Coursework 3 – Evaluation of Assessment Activities Assessment is defined by Gravells and Simpson as ‘a measure of learning, at a given point in time. Relevant skills, knowledge and/or attitudes can be measured towards a subject or qualification.’ (Gravells and Simpson, 2008). There are three main types of assessment; initial, formative and summative; these types of assessment can then be informal in the way of crosswords, gapped hand-outs, quizzes, discussions and journals or they can be formal in the way of exams, assignments, tests and observations. Formative assessment, used properly, is such an integral part of the teaching and learning process that it could be argued that it shouldn’t even be called assessment. When we consider teaching and learning methods, many of them – questioning, case studies, and projects – are also assessment methods used as learning checks. Scales states ‘Assessment for learning is based on the belief that everyone can learn and formative assessment is a key strat egy to help learners improve and develop’ (Scales, 2010) With this in mind the first assessment activity to be evaluated is a crossword used as an informal summative assessment. Crosswords are a simple and easy way of assessing learner’s knowledge during a unit. Crosswords can be uploaded to the college interactive website ‘cloud’, learners can then download the activity as a form of homework or as an extension task during directed studies. These can then be handed in to the tutor for marking. A more effective method is to use a crossword as learning check during a lesson; once the learners have completed the crossword they can then discuss as a group the answers. The tutor can also use extended questioning, asking more able learners to explain in more depth an answer to help aid differentiation. Feedback from learners suggests that crosswords are a challenging way of testing knowledge and encourages the learners to look at subject matter in different ways without having to sit tests all the time, which can be very daunting for certain learners. Something gained from feedback from a group of level 1’s, is that because a majority of the learners have learning needs which affects their literacy; they find the crossword in itself challenging to complete. To overcome this it has been noted that providing learners with a word bank of key words for each unit has helped in completing such tasks as  crosswords, as the learner still needs to know which word they are looking for but aids in developing their spelling for the future. Feedback is the most important part of formative assessment; research suggests that immediate oral feedback is the most effective, whether this is done by one on ones or as a group discussion. The feedback provided should be developmental and make the learners extend their thinking and learning to a higher level and should also focus on positive points first before moving onto more ‘developmental’ area’s for the learner to consider. By conducting formative assessment it can ensure that the teacher gains a full understanding of the learners existing capabilities so that realistic goals can then be set and additional support if needed can be organised. With this feedback individual targets can then be created for each learner and placed on the college Pro-Monitor system where the learners can access their targets as and when needed to see how they are developing in the course. Learners are also encouraged to create their own personal targets on Pro-Monitor, using feedback from formative assessments it allows learners to realise key strengths and weaknesses to help in creating these targets. The use of this feedback is very much like the idea of ‘scaffolding’, Bruner (Wood et al., 1976) coined this term in the 1950’s and believed using a more knowledgeable other to challenge the learner to achieve more by providing ‘scaffolding’ to help them climb to higher levels. Learners in dialogue with teachers can see where they want to reach but initially may need help in the form of questions, prompts and pointers to get there. Summative assessment is the assessment of learning and it leads to the gaining of qualifications and grades. Weeden suggests ‘Summative assessment is a snapshot judgement that records what a learner can do at a particular time.’ (Weeden et al., 2002, p.19) This process of qualification is important for learners and it is good to keep in mind the emotional aspects and design of assessment in relation to validity and reliability. With this in mind the second assessment activity to be evaluated is a practical observation used as a formal summative assessment. Practical observations are used throughout all 3 NVQ levels in beauty therapy as the subject is extremely vocationally based. Beauty therapy NVQ’s are broken down into units, for each unit there will be practical assessments that have to be completed at the end of the unit, where the learner is observed and assessed by the teacher. VTCT are  the awarding body for the beauty therapy NVQ’s and they set out the practical assessment criteria for each unit, this criteria is printed in the learners logbooks which is where each assessment is signed off if a pass has been achieved. To aid the reliability of the practical assessments all beauty lecturers at the college come together at standardisation meetings where the criteria is discussed in detail and a learner marking sheet is created which includes each of the areas the learner has to meet to gain a pass in the assessment. If this was not done each teacher could interpret the assessment criteria in different ways therefore learners would not be assessed fairly and reliably. Petty states ‘the same examiner should give the same mark if they unknowingly mark a script twice on different days’ (Petty, 2009), using standardisation this means that even with practical based assessments the results should always be the same. To help learners during practical assessments learning outcomes are written on the whiteboard to highlight key points they will need to show competency in or do to achieve a pass in the assessment. During the observation the teacher will also ask questions to the learners to help achieve the unit criteria, this is also where differentiation of the learners can take place as more able learners will be asked more open-ended and higher order questions then less able learners who will be asked standard criteria questions. The use of cameras in practical assessments is something that is still fairly new and is being experimented with but does seem to show some success. As part of the observation learners have to keep their working area clean and tidy and show due regard for health and safety, the teacher can now take pictures of each learners working area before the assessment takes place and then at the commencement of the assessment. With regards to practical assessments like nail art, make-up and face painting the finished article can also be documented by a photo that the learner can then be used in their own portfolio to be sent to the awarding body. From these pictures the teacher can then feedback to the learner at the end of the assessment any positive points of the practical and also any areas that the learner would need to further develop, the learner can then have these pictures as a visual aid to understand how they can improve for the next assessment and also works as a good revision aid for the future. Another approach to embrace ICT in assessments is to video learners assessments so they can themselves evaluate  and feedback on client care and professionalism during their observation. It has been noted that using cameras in practical observations has been received well by the learners, they have commented that it brings a new dimension to receiving feedback and allows them to visualise areas they need to focus on improving and reinforces the assessment criteria for them too. Feedback from practical observation is given individually immediately after the learners assessment, feedback is given verbally with key points both positive and ones for development are written on the bottom of the consultation form the learner completed during the assessment (these consultation forms also go into the learners portfolio). Practical assessments can leave a lot to interpretation by the teacher so it is important the practical marking sheet is filled in during the observations and a pass or fail is determined by how many of the boxes the learner showed competence in, depending on which level the learner is currently studying determines the number of criteria they need to meet. Learners can feel very nervous and daunted by practical assessments at the beginning of the year as it the proverbial ‘unknown’, formative practical assessments do help to calm learners worries as they are a ‘trial run’ of the summative assessment, also setting out some time to explain and discuss the unit assessment criteria and what will be expected of them from this. During the practical observations themselves the use of cameras also seems to help learners forget the formalness of the observation and relax into the assessment. In conclusion all assessment methods should be a positive contribution to learning and good assessment activities are important to aiding teaching. However assessments are only worthwhile if they assist the learner and teacher to move through the learning outcomes of the unit, otherwise it is irrelevant. Designing assessment activities which stretch the learner’s abilities and promotes their development is a skill that comes with experience and understanding of the current learners on your course and it is definitely something that will always be tweaked and changed throughout your career. Word Count: 1,594 References Gravells, A. and Simpson, S. (2008) Planning and enabling Learning in the Lifelonf Learning Sector. Exeter: Learning matters, p.50. Petty, G. (2009) Teaching Today – A practical guide. 4th ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Scales, P. (2010) Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill Education, p.180. Weeden, P., Winter, J. and Broadfoot, P. (2002) Assessment: Whats in it for schools?. London: Routledge Falmer, p.19. Wood, D., Bruner, J. and Ross, G. (1976) The role of tutoring in problem solving. In: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry., pp.89-100.

STRATEGIC MARKETING

STRATEGIC MARKETING This assignment is generally based on Olympics 2010. On 6th July 2005, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that London would congregation the (The London 2012 Olympics, Bob DigbyCommunity Geographer, and Geographical Association) 2012 Olympics It was chosen to be held in London Stratford, Newham. This is a sports competition which all the people in the world celebrating. To become an Olympic champion the athletes in all around the world together in one city challenging each one in range of games. Games are likely to be held on end of July 2012. TASK1 Introduction In this task I do investigate planning principles and marketing planning process of 2012 Olympics. Develop the strategic marketing plan. The marketing planning principles and process The most basic marketing principles (According to kotler (1980) are applied to customer point of reference to recognize what goals gathering now, believe, and do. The course of act begins with marketing research to identify market segment and potential needs, desires, attempt, concerns, performance. Then settle on the target market be able to influence and satisfied. Then use 4ps to power on to the market. The4ps are product, price, place and promotion. As well as the marketing mix. The marketing principles also revolve around the customer. The principle is getting the customer the right services and goods in the right time. The principles also place emphasis on customer involvement and well as integration or involvement of staff in all marketing decision making. To get this right, the process has to be taken into consideration. The marketing planning process (marketing principles and practice) Where are we now? Where do want to be? How do we get there? Which way is the best? How do we ensure safety arrival? Where are we now? To complete the marketing research and collecting the past data about the project is the first step. And also have to analyse this information and present that to future plan. This process helps to consider the financial and trade environment Consider present status in the marketplace and main sides of sales. Come across at the strengths and weakness of the company. To analyse the existing circumstances have to carry out situational analysis. SWOT analysis of 2012 Olympics. SWOTS stand for- strengths and weakness as related to opportunities and threats. STRENGTHS- Quality and a well highly regarded construction of conducting the project. Sir Robert Mc Alpine is one of the construction firms on the london2012 project. Because this company is an icon in the in a building construction sector in UK The West Midlands is geographically and economically well-placed for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Weakness Marketing techniques not superior. Need to improve new marketing techniques to customers before, during and after the Olympic. Staffing and management problems Opportunities Encouraging young people to sports. The peace can be developed. Enhance the tourism of UK. Threats Security of people- Dr peter Rayon the adviser of London Olympic 2012 added special team for supervise bomb management and VIP, Athletics security. Current financial circumstances Where do we want to be? After identifying strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of London 2012 project and made assumptions about outside factors that may affect to the project have to set up the marketing objectives. The objectives are what we want to achieve to complete the task. This is the first action of entire process of preparing a marketing plan. Objectives of London 2012 Care for lands cape without any changes To make sure to give safe games for london2012 the Olympic organisation committee work in partnership with police, government, public authorities and security companies. Ensure best personal safeness before and during Olympic competition. The goals of london2012 The business and employment development In the education sector skills and desires. Enhanced health and better life. Superior environment (Sources) Better communication The mission of london2012 Source: IOC website (2005) Mission Statement. The Olympics should provide à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sustainable environmental legacies, such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rehabilitated and revitalized sites, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ increased environmental awareness, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ improved environmental policies and practices, The vision of London 2012 The vision of london2012 is a great change in different areas by the power of games. Such as changes in peoples lives, sports. And also motivates the people to go head on their lives through the sports. (c)How do we get there? (How to write a marketing plan by john Westwood) Strategies The marketing strategies are the broad methods selected to accomplish exact objectives. There are different types of strategies Defensive strategy Developing strategy Attacking strategy First look at the type of strategies that available is to use a matrix that was developed by Ansoff. Market penetration- Worldwide market penetration-The International Olympic Committee was leap to propose the games event to China. Global sponsors -Consumer products giant Procter Gamble has signed up as a global Olympics sponsor. Product development Olympic park master plan (designbuit-network.com)- In 2006 January (ODA) was workout the master pan of Olympics. Olympic Games will provide local tourism business for both to new visitors from overseas and regional travellers. Market development ((gamesmonitor.org) New report predicts that the value of the UK CCTV market will increase by 10 per cent by 2012. Investment opportunities to fabricate Olympic named products and services. E.g. Olympic t-shirts , mugs, cups, hats, toys Diversification London 2012 Business Network The Network component   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1)  Ã‚   Vital information for West Midlands business     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  attractive  business events The expansion of new clean tech industries and other strengths in artistic industries, media, logistics, and tourism. (d)Which is the possible meaning? Tactics Tactics are built-in the particulars of entity path of achievement that will be followed on a daily basis. Once developed the marketing strategy, there is a Seven P Formula should apply to constantly assess and revaluate Business activities. The seven Ps Product Price Promotion place process physical evidence People Product Compare to the other competitors offer be superiority deal. E.g.- New website presents including verity of facilities and opportunities Development of Olympic park Price The ticket prices have been announced. Tickets are available from  £20. Also special prices offered to young people, seniors across all Olympic sports. In this case from the cheapest price to higher price tickets are available according to customers needs. Promotion To promote London 2012 and attract the people on that specially designed ticket draw was introduced. Place Local people and visitors are making improvement works that have taken place along The Greenway, for the Olympic Park to Victoria Park and West Ham Station. East London is being developed with all the facilities and attractiveness. People To this huge project education sectors, business sectors, cultural organisations, charity, volunteers are involving to this. And all the range of customers is target in all around the world. (e)How do we ensure safety arrival? Control measures The ODA has resolute to clear its progress manage utility via a Planning Committee. This manuscript provides direction for the authority of the ODAs Services biased the Planning Committee, particularly to release Of the expansion manage. Creation decisions on preparation application Prepare and submitting planning reports to the Planning Committee Offer planning advice to the team. The strategic plan Overall strategic concept Guidelines Strategic objectives Strategic principles Strategic phase Develop of Olympic facilities Principles and locations Plan and design Olympic green Total reflection for Olympic games Environment development Pollution control Environment development Transport development Information and technology development Social environment development Cultural environment Health care and security Legal environment Strategic support Speedup economic development Advance development new technology Develop human recourse management Olympic action plan Action plan proposal Strategic conception Work task Support measures Transport construction Guide lines/ objectives Transport (urban) Traffic management Traffic support system Traffic organisation Energy development Proposals Mix and readjustment Clean energy projects Environment protection present states guidelines/ objectives prevent/ control pollution mange assure measure task1 (b) Here I am going to discuss the SWOT management tools that could help to analysis the current 2012 environment with reference to marketing. The SWOT management tools SWOT analysis is for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. A SWOT analysis is a planning tool used to understand the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business. It involves stating the objective of the business or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are either supportive or unfavorable to achieving that objective. SWOT is often used as part of a strategic or business planning process, but can be useful in understanding an organization or situation and decision-making for all sorts of situations. Internal factors The strengths and weaknesses To identify the strengths and weakness have to audit 7ps, 7s, ans5m External factors The opportunities and threats To identify the external factors have to cover PEST analysis. A SWOT analysis can be used a method of sales distribution a business idea a strategic option, such as entering a new market or launching a new product SWOT ANALYSIS INTERNAL EXTERNAL STRENGTHS- recourses and capabilities can be used for competitive advantage e.g.-strong brand names WEAKNESS- absence of certain strengths E.g.-weak brand name OPPURTUNITIES- external environment analysis can reveal opportunities for growth. E.g. unfulfilled customer needs THRETS-changes in external environment e.g. new regulations Can be identified strengths and weakness in the current environment when we do the SWOT analysis. So after that whatever the weakness we can convert for strengths. And also we can match opportunities and strengths and supply best service for London 2012 PEST ANALYSIS What is PEST Analysis? Organization considers PEST before and beginning the marketing process. After that environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The entire Marketing environment is made of 1. Internal environment e.g. staff 2. micro-environment e.g. our external customers 3. macro-environment e.g., Economic forces Political factors. Stability governments policy on the economy government view on culture and religion Terrorism influence in traffic Activities and it will boost need for crisis and business stability. Economic Factors. Consider the state of a trading economy. 1. Interest rates. 2. The level of inflation Employment level per capita. e.g Global contest may persist to boost over the next 5 years. London 2012 Olympics driving venture. Drive to reduce costs. Social cultural Factors In this case have to consider the roles of men and women in society the population customer constitutional rights and responsibilities Technological Factors. It is a competitive advantage, and huge driver of globalization. Cheap and supper standard of quality Distribution change of technological development. e.g. books via the Internet Technical improvements to trim down exhaust waste. Potters five A business has to understand the dynamics of its industries and markets in order to compete effectively in the marketplace. Porter (1980a) defined the forces which drive competition, contending that the competitive environment is created by the interaction of five different forces acting on a business. competition amid suppliers Threat of new market entrant Bargaining power of buyers Power of suppliers Threat of substitute products Task 2 Introduction In this task i am going to discuss the market strategy options available and benefits and limitations. THE MARKET STRATEGY OPTIONS A marketing strategy is the outcome of decisions being made a exacting product or service promote to its aim customers. In this case i do present Ansoff growth matrix- four strategies Market penetration Penetration pricing insistent advertising Traditional industries. Memorial souvenir, sporting goods which benefit from the Olympic boom.   Market development Targeting new customers The new website has been developed to keep you up to date with our product development. It includes- News Technical Technology Products Future Website Development: On-Line facilities Product development Product line stretch Introducing new line offensive new product with new sector The Sponsorship Programme with five-year calendar of events and opportunities. Diversification- Advantage of diversification is even one side of business go through bad situation, the other may not be affected. Marketing mix Marketing mix is putting the right product in the right place, at the right price, at the right time. American author, Philip Kotler prefers the 4 Cs. He suggests that the 4 Ps are a sellers mix or sales orientated approach and it therefore should be replaced by the 4 Cs which are more customer orientated, or marketing orientated. It is made up of Customer needs and wants (the equivalent of product), Cost (price), Convenience (place) and Communication (promotion). 1960 by E J McCarthy. The 4Ps are: Product / Service Place Price Promotion Product/Service Have to consider what the Customer needs from the product or service are and Features that needs. Then look at the place. The easy places to customers can reach this product or service and access the right distribution channels? After this, what is the price as they want and What is the value of the product or service Are there established price points for products or services in this area and What discounts should be offered to trade customers, and also compare the price with competitors. Then think about the Promotion. In this case competitors promotions and how that influence to our promotional activity does all those have to consider. When consider the Olympic 2012 in London, when we do practical the marketing strategic options the marketing mix has allots of benefits and also varies limitations. Because of London 2012 the construction sector, business economic sectors, education sectors transport systems, like that allots of sides on UK is being developing. But because of the security reasons like terrorism and pollution, environment protection there are some limitations have to consider with all the strategic options. This project pushes the country through the development of new technology such as giant screens and environment protection like green scheme. Task 2 (b) The stake holder Stakeholders are anybody who might directly be affected and influence on London 2012 Olympic Main stake holders of London 2012 British association The BOA is completely dependent and commercial sponsorship who support for GB. DCMS Responsible for the London Olympic Games and Paralympics Games and works closely with other key stakeholders THE MAIOR OF LONDON The Mayor of London is Co-Chair of the Olympic Board, which oversees the 2012 project. Olympic Park Legacy Company After the London 2012 Games this company is responsible for the long-term planning, development, management and maintenance of the Olympic Park. Secondary stake holders Media TFL Schools Police/ forces Customers sponsors Stakeholders are analysis according to their power and interest of the organization. There are four types of stakeholders Keep Satisfied -high power /low interest Engage Closely and Influence Actively- high power/ high interest Monitor (minimum effort) Low power low interest Keep Informed-low power / high interest It is important to involve stake holder to marketing decisions be cause some types of planning purpose will need to comprise a report of participation to show stakeholder conversation in move ahead of the submission of the planning application. And some projects, like business planning require stakeholder participation and wider communal liability. Key stakeholders are directly influence and important to the success of the project. Task 3(a) current changes The pest analysis of London 2012 Political- Political factors are mostly including government legislation forcing businesses. The Olympic Games are frequently under attack by terrorist groups. Sports events are mostly developed and improved in education sector. The cost of Olympics budget may affect to present government stability. Economical- Economic services consist of effects of increase, interest rates and exchange rates. Present financial dip can be a pressure to the government. Over budgeting of the project Hard to cover the Skills gap Social- In the schools increasing participation in sport Community Development such as charity organizations, volunteer work forces. Technological- Technology is changing speedily. Depending on market, technology can be change. For London Olympics giant screens are best example for that people can watch the Olympic in live where ever the country when screens are available. On line people can do investments and develop the business through the new web site. Task 3 (b) how respond For all these changes planning committee and project team has to respond to reach their goal. So they. Have to consider with health and safety rules and regulations and follow them accurately for safeness of the people. The datas of the project and employees and all the people who involve to the project must be protected And the mean time have to provide best opportunity to the people. For technological changes if there any skills gap have to make use from another countries. It may be very expensive. Task 3 (c) the functional areas may develop Hr Security media transport HR In the hr sector have to clarify the present job opportunities. And to get maximum out come from human recourse. And also by minimise the number of jobs and cover the budget of the project. School students projects and volunteer workers projects and also awarding systems can be introduced next 3 years. Security For security purpose high tech speed cameras can be fixed. Train a special secret security team with special hidden cameras and mike that no one can recognise. Media Giant screen New website Special magazines Transport Development of roads, highways Special buses, fights, trains for London 2012