Marketing Mix Essay

Presentation Showcasing Mix is a significant idea in present day promoting and includes for all intents and purposes everything that an advertising organization can use to impact shopper discernment well towards its item or administrations with the goal that customer and authoritative targets are accomplished, for example Advertising blend is a model of making and executing promoting procedure. In this task, I will examine the significant promoting blend factors as ordered by Prof. E. Jerome McCarthy which are: I. Item ii. Cost iii. Spot (Distribution) iv. Advancement. All through the task I will want to utilize my reference to Sony Corporation. I will allude to this organization how it has expand its market items, the value run, places for circulation and the limited time techniques they have used to advance their items. SONY Corporation In Brief Sony Corporation is a worldwide combination enterprise headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world’s biggest media aggregate with income of US$88.7 billion (starting at 2008) situated in Minato, Tokyo. Sony is one of the main makers of gadgets, video, correspondences, computer game consoles and data innovation items for the customer and expert markets. Its name is gotten from Sonus, the Greek goddess of sound. Sony Corporation is the hardware specialty unit and the parent organization of the Sony Group, which is occupied with business through its five working segmentsâ€electronics, games, diversion (movies and music), budgetary administrations and other. These make Sony one of the most thorough amusement organizations on the planet. Sony’s head business activities incorporate Sony Corporation (Sony Electronics in the U.S.), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sony Ericsson and Sony Financial Holdings. As a semiconductor producer, Sony is among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders. The company’s trademark is Sony. Like no other. SONY Products The main market blend component is Product. An item is whatever can be offered to a business opportunity for consideration, procurement, use or utilization that may fulfill a need or need. Item choice ordinarily base on brand name, Functionality, Styling, Quality, Safety, Packaging, Repairs and Support, Warranty, extras and Services. These item properties can be controlled relying upon what the objective market needs. Likewise, clients consistently search for better than ever things, which is the reason advertisers ought to improve existing items, grow new ones, and end old ones that are not, at this point required or needed by the client. Sony has an assortment of items running from electronic gadgets, games and amusement. Thus, quickly Sony items can be sorted in the accompanying significant item classes: I. TV and Projectors: Bravia LCD TV, CRT TV, Home theater projector, Business Projector, Public Display Panel. ii. Home video: Blue-beam circle player, DVD player, DVD compact player. iii. Home Audio: Hi-Fi Systems, Home sound embellishments. For example Computerized media port. iv. Home Theater framework: DVD Home Theater System, Home Theater Component System, Home Theater System Accessories. v. Advanced Photography: Digital SLR, Cybershot Digital Camera, Digital Photo Printer, Digital Photo Frame vi. Hand cam camcorder: Handycam top quality camcorder, Handycam Standard Definition Video Camera, Handycam Accessoriesiv, Digital Photo Printer, Digital Photo Frame. vii. PC Peripherals: VAIO PCs and PCs, VAIO frill, Business Projectorsiv, Memory Stick. viii. Convenient Audio: Walkman mp3 arrangement, CD Walkman arrangement, CD/Radio/Cassette player, Radio, Voice recorder, Audio Accessories ix. Game: Playstation 3, Playstation 2, PSP (Playstation Portable) x. In-Car diversion: Xplod CD recipient, Xplod in vehicle visual, Xplod Cassette collector, Xplod Amplifier, Xplod Speaker/Subwoofer xi. Cell phone s: Phones, Phone Accessories. xii. Capacity and Recording media: Memory Stick, USB stockpiling media, Data stockpiling media, Video Storage media, Audio media, Storage media, Professional media. xiii. Battery and Charger SONY Promotion Brief Introduction: Advancement is a key component of showcasing program and is concerned withâ effectively and productively imparting the choices of promoting technique, to well impact target customers’ recognitions to encourage trade between the advertiser and the client that may fulfill the goal of both client and the organization. A company’s limited time endeavors are the main controllable intends to make mindfulness among publics about itself, the items and administrations it offers , their highlights and impact their perspectives well. Publicizing: SONY has promoted its items through a wide range of ways and media. Through TV we have seen various ads of its items, for example, Bravia TVs or Sony wega TV. Sony additionally publicize its items by focusing on those positive TV programs, similar to sports, arrangement and furthermore it has its own channel called Sony TV channel. Sony utilizes a few occasions like Miss India2008 to advance its items. Likewise, Sony has promoted its games like Playstation 3, Playstation 2 and PSP utilizing sports like football in England debut class. Through papers like Times of India, Sony has promoted a wide scope of items it offers to its clients. And furthermore through Posters a message has been sent to many individuals to know about the items which Sony offers. Sony likewise utilizes direct †reaction promoting. This is kind of promoting that urges the purchaser to react either by giving input to the publicist or putting in the request with the sponsor either by phone, mail or the web. Such promoting is done through post office based mail or lists. Sony joins co-employable publicizing in its promoting procedure. Sony company gives the vendors (for example Sony World) with the materials and rules to create advertisements for print, TV or radio ads. This guarantees message is in accordance with, what the production needs to convey. The organization and the sellers generally share the media costs and subsequently, the name ‘co-usable advertising’. Deals Promotion: Sales advancement is an advertising discipline that uses an assortment of motivating forces strategies to structure deals †related projects focused to clients, exchange, or potentially deals levels that create a particular, quantifiable activity or reaction for an item or administration. Deals advancements for instance incorporates free examples, markdown, refunds, coupons, substance and sweepstakes, premiums, scratch cards, trade offers, brisk riser prizes, and so on. Sony has advanced its items through various deals promotionalâ strategies. For instance after the arrival of the Sony BRAVIA TVs, Sony advanced them by baron flying creature prizes by saying that all BRAVIA full HD LCDTVs bought during July 2008 and enlisted inside about fourteen days of procurement fit the bill for a Bonus Playstation 3 as long as the client claims is one of the first35,000 got and approved by Sony. Additionally Sony has advanced its Sony Ericsson P1i telephones by including a scratch cards which gives the client the proposal to download 10 free programming application for that cell phone. Sony Ericsson has likewise advanced its Sony Ericsson K550i Mid-Range Cyber-shot Phone that on the off chance that you get it you get a free Bluetooth headset with one year manufacturer’s guarantee Advertising and Publicity: Public relations is a wide arrangement of correspondence exercises utilized to make and keep up positive relationship with representatives, investors, providers, media, teachers, expected speculators, budgetary foundations, government organizations and authorities and society when all is said in done. Through its site, Sony enterprise has its given contacts to those clients who will be needing any data from the organization. Along these lines Sony can make a common relationship with its clients and guarantee that it serves the desires and requests of its clients. SONY Place (Distribution) Choices regarding circulation channel center around making the item accessible in satisfactory amounts at places where clients are regularly expected to look for them to fulfill their necessities. Contingent upon the idea of the item, advertising the board chooses to institute a restrictive, particular or serious system of circulation, while choosing the proper vendors or wholesalers. Sony being simply the organization which positions as a vender of strong and very good quality items, it is rehearsing specific dissemination of its items from the particular sellers for example SONY World. Aside from this there are dark markets in India and different nations where an act of escalated advertise inclusion is rehearsed, and the items in these sort of business sectors ordinarily don't forces all the highlights and advantages which Sony offers for example guarantee and assurance. Sony appropriates its items in different channels. It utilizes Zero-level channel, one level channelâ and two-level channel. In India, Sony has utilized the strategy for one-level appropriation channel. This implies, client purchase their Sony item from the retailers perceived by Sony, and these retailers purchase the items straightforwardly from the organization itself. SONY Price Evaluating choices are quite often made in conference with showcasing the board. Cost is the main showcasing blend variable that can be adjusted rapidly. Value factors, for example, seller value, retail value, limits, remittances, credit terms and so on impact the advancement of advertising methodology, as cost is a central point that impacts the evaluation of significant worth acquired by clients. Clients straightforwardly relate cost to quality, especially if there should be an occurrence of items that are personality escalated of innovation based. Sony being an organization which underline item quality, it will in general sell its items with value extend from reasonably high to significant expenses

The impact of substance abuse in the work place Essay

The effect of substance maltreatment in the work place - Essay Example Being an administrator, my obligation includes keeping up a gainful, protected and secure condition for all representatives at the work place. It is likewise my duty to assess and lead execution conversation with workers. Throughout my obligation as a director, it is required of me to treat all workers decently in a way that doesn't belittle anybody (opm.gov). During my administrative obligation, it became obvious that Balbito showed the accompanying issues of non-attendance at work missing work for around two days per week. Furthermore, Balbito additionally had the accompanying issues; falling debilitated at work much of the time, missing cutoff times, resting at work, issues with taking care of volunteers in an expert way and being at loggerheads more often than not with other associates. Thus, the circumstance provoked me to take mediation and referral groundwork for the representative before the genuine intercession and referral. To this respect, it got beneficial to write down t he presentation issue as briefly and unequivocally as could be expected under the circumstances. What's more, it was vital for me to set myself up expertly for a productive encounter with the representative, Balbito (opm.gov). The duty of diagnosing drug misuse or liquor misuse isn't among my obligations. Moreover, having all responses to issues of a worker is likewise not my obligation. The obligation of giving treatment or advising is the obligation of the EAP experts not the chief. In my own point of view, these issues are for the most part identified with liquor dependence. Despite the fact that Balbito had before conceding having issues with liquor misuse, I recognized that it was somewhat a dependence. Balbito purportedly utilized liquor for recreational purposes, however the manifestations of unreliable treatment of his obligations recommended fixation of liquor because of its utilization as a pressure reliever. Since my expert requires severe oversight of the presentation of representatives, I mean to address the issue carefully with no compassion in this unique circumstance (opm.gov). To begin with, will bring the representative (Balbito) and express my anxiety seeing his presentation as a human asset proficient. In the most exact way, will educate him regarding the issue of liquor compulsion that has become obvious. Moreover, I will benefit the documentation of the issue to him in an expert manner as the director. Finally, I will request a clarification from him with respect to his presentation. Since the worker (Balbito) had just conceded his concern in regards to liquor misuse, I will cease from individual issues and edge the conversation carefully to issues relating execution to determine his concern. In an expert point of view, am going to address my anxiety with respect to execution to get the representative (Balbito) to recognize the exhibition issue. During the presentation conversation with the client, I will arrange the worker (Balbito) to q uit answering to work affected by liquor since it negatively affects his exhibition. Adding to this, I will give the worker a fortnight to enhance his exhibition inability to which, he is dependent upon suspension from work for a time of one month. To make the mediation viable, will allude the worker (Balbito) to representative help program proficient for advising. By doing this, data concerning his security with respect to this issue will be benefited to him.

A bowl of noodles from a stranger

A bowl of noodles from a stranger That night, Sue quarreled with her mother, then stormed out of the house. While enroute, she remembered that she did not have any money in her pocket, she did not even have enough coins to make a phone call home.At the same time, she went through a noodle shop, picking up sweet fragrance, she suddenly felt very hungry. She wished for a bowl of noodles, but she had no money!The seller saw her standing wheat faltered before the counter and asked: Hey little girl, you want to eat a bowl? But but I do not carry money she shyly replied. Okay, Ill treat you the seller said come in, I will cook you a bowl.A few minutes later the owner brought her a steaming bowl of noodles. Ate some pieces, Sue cried. What is it? He asked. Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness! Sue said as she wiped her tears. Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, and my mother, after a  quarrel, chased me out of the house. She is  cruel!!The seller sighed: Girl, why did you think so? Think again. I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you felt that way. Your mother had raised you since you were little, why were you not grateful and disobeyed your mom?Sue was really surprised after hearing that.Why did I not think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel indebted, and my mother has raised me since I was little and I have never felt so, even a little.On the way home, Sue thought in her head what she would say to her mother when she arrives home: Mom, Im sorry. I know it is my fault, please forgive me Once up the steps, Sue saw her mother worried and tired of looking for her everywhere. Upon seeing Sue, her mother gently said: Sue, come inside honey. You are probably very hungry? I cooked rice and prepared the meal already, come eat while it is still hot Can not control any longer, Sue cried in her moms hands.In life, we sometimes easy to appreciate the small actions of some people around us, but for the relatives, especially parents, we see their sacrifi ces as a matter of natural Parental love and concern are the most precious gifts we have been given since birth.Parents do not expect us to pay back for nurturing us but have we ever appreciated or treasure the unconditional sacrifice of our parents?Translated from a Vietnamese story by Tina

The National Student Loan Debt - 1571 Words

STOP. In the time it took to read that word, 3000 extra dollars was just added to the national student loan debt. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, college debt now ranks second in the greatest debt owed besides a home mortgage. Unfortunately, the affordability of obtaining a post-secondary education no longer exists. Americans are now faced with over $ 1 trillion dollars in student debt. With such a huge escalation in college debt, we are facing a generation where over 50% of graduates will owe debt (McDaniel). While having debt after graduation is reasonable, it’s unimaginably difficult to assume that anyone considered middle class, could repay the average 25,000 dollars of debt (Tuition and Fees and Room and Board over Time†). Unfortunately, this crisis hasn’t been expressed as a pivotal concern for many citizens. As a college student myself, I understand firsthand and empathize with individuals who are overwhelmed with college debt. I remember looking at the price tags of each college before I submitted my application. The idea of being burdened with debt for trying to obtain a higher education, didn’t make much sense to me. It was hard for me to grasp that in order to increase my socioeconomic status, I would have to take the risk of being buried in debt. Financial aid was probably the biggest factor I took into consideration when selecting colleges because I wanted to avoid graduating with debt. College debt is not a light-hearted matter andShow MoreRelatedSh ould Student Loan Debt Be A National Crisis?865 Words   |  4 PagesAlthough many people are considering student loan debt to be a national crisis, we must understand the reality behind it. Unfortunately not everyone is fortunate enough to make it through college without accumulating debt. In Robin Wilson’s essay, â€Å"A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely†, she makes a compelling argument that shows how students get involved with really high debt. She claims, â€Å"†¦the problem among students who go heavily into debt is that they are determined to attend their dream collegeRead MoreStudent Loan Debt Has Become A National Problem With No Solution2311 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction: According to CNN, â€Å"Almost 19% of student loan borrowers owe more than $50,000.Only 6% of borrowers had that much in 2001.† (Gillispe, 1). Why has student loan debt increased so much? Student Loan debt has become a national problem with no solution. Many students are borrowing more money to keep up with the rising cost of tuition in universities, leaving themselves with thousands of debt after graduation. Students after gaining this debt, have to find jobs to support it which can comeRead MoreEssay on Student Loan Debt Should be Forgiven1256 Words   |  6 PagesDoes the amount of student loan debt have an effect on the economy? If so would forgiving student loan debt help lower the national debt or would it just increase it? 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Three major issues that will be outlined in this paper include the large majority of college students are no longer able to pay for college out of pocketRead MoreDebt Is Every American s Favorite Word1294 Words   |  6 PagesDebt is every American’s favorite word. In America, the population has accumulated $19.4 trillion in national debt, thus why it is the nation’s favorite word. The debt has been collecting significant value throughout the years between various school loans, credit card debt and much more ways to create debt. The average American family owes over $100,000 dollars to the government. Debt is typically created by the different loans needed in order to live in a highly d eveloped country like America. EveryRead MoreThe Vicious Cycle Of Student Loans1576 Words   |  7 PagesCycle of Student Loans Student loans are one of the top three national debts in the United States. Total student loans have reached an outstanding of one trillion dollars and are still on going. It would take the United States hundred-fifty years, twenty million dollars a day to fully cover this national debt. Student loans are intended for students to go to college but they come with a rising social and economic cost. As the expectancy of high return and tuition are increasing, more students are endingRead MoreStudent Loan Debt Is A Negative Effect On The Future1349 Words   |  6 Pagesobtain once they complete school. Some students are required to change their career choices due to the overwhelming debt; examples of this could be they are required to take a higher paying job, even if they do not want to, so they can afford their previous choices (Zhang). 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Prison Rehabilitation Comparison - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 16 Words: 4769 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Sociology Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? Prison Works. Discuss. Websters dictionary defines prison as ‘a place of confinement especially for lawbreakers; specifically: an institution (as one under state jurisdiction) for confinement of persons convicted of serious crimes. The idea and reasoning behind prison has been an issue of great controversy especially in the 20th century. It has been greatly criticised due to its apparent lack of rehabilitation and early releases of paedophiles and rapists, especially in recent news with the release and re-offence of known paedophile Craig Sweeny. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Prison Rehabilitation Comparison" essay for you Create order However recent data and statistics have shown a significant decrease in levels of crime both in the UK and US. This paper will attempt to give a balanced argument both in support and against the imprisonment system and attempt to answer whether or not prison does in fact work. Prison systems across the world will be looked at and a comparison will be made between systems in the UK and those in other countries. There is a lot of evidence in the form of statistics which shows a decrease in levels of crime and re-offending. Evidence from the US shows that as the likelihood of going to prison increases crime decreases. In the UK statistics show that increasing likelihood of getting caught and being put in prison reduces crime. However there is also the issue of there being serious flaws in statistics offered by the British Crime Survey (BCS). The BCS focuses on crime against an individual, thus eliminating all crime against a business or organisation, including fraud. It fails t o take into account victimless crimes such as drug offences and crimes such as murder where the victim cannot, for obvious reasons, be interviewed. Rape and other sexual offences are not included, an acknowledgement that many respondents would be unwilling to disclose this information. Crimes against people under the age of 16 are also excluded removing large numbers of crimes that are common among this age group, such as mobile phone theft and child abuse. There was also a significant change in the way methodology was carried out as new offences were added to categories of crime in April 1998. No distinction was made between new and old offences which made comparing new statistics to old rather difficult. This shows statistics and figures referring to crime should be taken in to account rather carefully as it is difficult to see whether this data is accurate. The Government has set out to reduce crime, but the evidence from a study comparing the policies pursued in the USA w ith those in England and Wales suggests it has adopted the wrong policies. From the early 1980s until the mid-1990s the risk of imprisonment increased in the USA and the crime rate fell; while in England and Wales the opposite happened: the risk of imprisonment fell and the crime rate increased. Then, from 1993, policy in England and Wales was reversed and the risk of imprisonment increased, though it remained historically low. Even this relatively small increase in the use of prison was followed by a reduction in crime. How do we compare with Europe? During 2002, concern about prison overcrowding led Britains senior judge, Lord Woolf, to discourage judges and magistrates from sending criminals to jail. When he made his statement the BBC television news announced that the prison population was rising when crime was falling and Britain already had more people in jail per head of population than the rest of Europe. The implication is that judges and magistrates are deploying a rather barbaric instrument when everyone else in Europe prefers a more gentle approach. But a closer look at the figures suggests a different interpretation. The proper comparison is not between the number of prison inmates and the total population, but between the number of prisoners and the volume of crime. A country with a high level of crime would expect to have to put more people in jail. And England and Wales have one of the highest crime rates among industrialised countries. (See above.) In the EU the average number of prisoners per 100,000 popu lation (unweighted) in 2001 was 87, compared with 129 in England and Wales. But if we compare the number of prisoners to the number of recorded crimes the EU average was 16.9 and the figure for England and Wales was 12.1. In fact, 8 out of 15 EU countries had rates of imprisonment for every 1,000 crimes that were the same or higher. Comparison with countries outside Europe reveals a similar pattern. In 1999, Canada had 123 prisoners per 100,000 population compared with England and Wales, but 15.9 prisoners per 1,000 recorded crimes. Japan had only 43 prisoners per 100,000 population but 25.3 per 1,000 recorded crimes. Australia, which had the worst crime victimisation rate out of the 17 countries in the International Victims of Crime Survey, had 108 prisoners per 100,000 population and 15.4 per 1,000 crimes. On this evidence prison in England and Wales is under-used. But does overseas experience suggest that greater use of prison would reduce crime? The best available evidence compares England and Wales with the United States, below. The Government Line The Government claims to be cracking down on crime. In the foreword to the white paper, Justice for All (July 2002), authored by the Home Secretary, the Lord Chancellor, and the Attorney General, tough language was used to back up this claim: Too few criminals are caught or convicted or prevented from reoffending. Justice denied is justice derided. This White Paper is designed to send the strongest possible message to those who commit crimes that the system will be effective in detecting, convicting and properly punishing them. But does the evidence suggest that the Government has adopted the best methods for reducing crime? For at least 20 years until 1993 the Home Office was strongly opposed to the use of prison, but when Michael Howard became Home Secretary the use of prison was increased for a time against the wishes of officials. Subsequently this policy reversal was weakened and the long-standing bias against prison continues to influence policy today. Custody, in the words of Justice for All, has an important role in punishing offenders and protecting the public, but it is expensive and should be limited to dangerous, serious and seriously persistent offenders and those who have consistently breached community sentences.(1) However, the old Home Office policy of reducing the use of prison has been tempered by acknowledgement that community sentences do not adequately protect the public. This realism has led the Government to the search for tough community sentences that are a credible alternative to custody, including community sentences with multiple conditions like tagging, reparation and drug treatment and testing. It is imperative, according to the Government, that we have a correctional system which punishes but also reduces reoffending through the rehabilitation of the offender.(2) Consequently, a genuine third option is also needed in addition to custody and community punishment. The planned new sentences combine community a nd custodial sentences. The list includes a modified suspended sentence called Custody Minus, under which offenders will be automatically imprisoned if they fail to comply with the conditions of the sentence. Custody Plus involves closer supervision by the Probation Service on release for those sentenced to up to three months in prison. The period of custody and supervision combined will be not more than 12 months in total. Intermittent custody is designed for low-risk offenders and involves serving time at weekends or overnight, but working or training during the day. Seven aims of sentencing are listed in the white paper: to protect the public, to punish, to reduce crime, to deter (others as well as the criminal), to incapacitate, to reform and rehabilitate, and to promote reparation. In the heyday of the anti-prison consensus at the Home Office, incapacitation and punishment were very much out of favour. Some even denied that prison had a deterrent effect, preferring to regard all criminals as victims of social forces. The list shows how opinion at the Home Office has progressed. But has it absorbed all the lessons revealed by the evidence from overseas? If the Government really thinks that too few criminals are caught or convicted or prevented from reoffending and, if the real aim of policy is to send the strongest possible message to those who commit crimes that the system will be effective in detecting, convicting and properly punishing them, would an independent and rational person choose the policies set out in Justice for All? What evidence is available? If we increase the rate at which criminals are caught, convicted and imprisoned, can we expect crime to fall? Two kinds of experiment would allow this theory to be tested. First, two countries would need to pursue opposite policies: one would need to reduce the risk of punishment and another to increase it. If it is true that crime falls when the risk of punishment increases, then crime wi ll rise in the country that reduces the risk of being caught, convicted and imprisoned. Or, second, a single country would need to reverse its policy, either by increasing or decreasing the risk of punishment, to allow an historical comparison of the impact on crime to be made. In the social sciences opportunities for such experiments are rare, but for once we are lucky and both an international comparison and a single-country historical comparison are possible. We can compare the USA with England and Wales from 1981-1996 and we can contrast the impact of the anti-prison policy in England and Wales up to 1993 with the effects of the increased use of prison thereafter. The policies pursued in England and Wales were very different from those adopted in America during the 1980s and 1990s. In America over the whole period, a vigorous effort was made to incarcerate more criminals. As a result crime fell dramatically. In England and Wales, however, the Home Office pursued an anti-pr ison policy up to 1993, preferring community sentences. During this period crime increased dramatically. After that date, criminals faced an increase risk of imprisonment. Crime subsequently fell. Ann Widdecombe undisputedly a conviction politician answered the question posed on law and order by the Howard League for Penal Reform with characteristic speed. Speaking on the Tory party conference fringe, the shadow home secretary said simply Yes to the question Does prison work? Of course it does, she continued speaking in a packed hotel function room in sunny Bournemouth. When people are locked up they cant commit any further crime, she said. By taking the persistent offenders off the streets the one-time Home Office minister said a significant dint could be made in the crime figures. But enough of incarceration. Miss Widdecombe quickly changed tack. Prison does not do anything like as much as it should to prevent crime. It only defers crime, it does not solve it. Rehabilitati ng offenders was not, she said some wet liberal extra, it is necessary. If people spend any length of time in prison they should not leave without being able to read and write. Self financing prison workshops were the way forward, she said. Something had to be done, said Miss Widdecombe, to change a situation where prisoners were set to work to produce 1.4m pairs of socks for a prison population of 67,000 people. Speaking for the National Association of Prison Officers, Harry Fletcher said that if model prisons run to rehabilitate prisoners and reduce re-offending could be shown to work then they should be taken up nationwide. But he said that the present size of the prison population made him pessimistic that the system could be made to work in such a way. Speaking for the Howard League itself was David Faulkner. Although welcoming Miss Widdecombes words, he said he had heard similar speeches made by ministers and prison officials for the last 40 years. He then attempted to a nswer the question his organisation had posed. Tackling crime requires so much more than incarceration. Policies should be framed within a sound respect for human rights and framed on evidence and experience and not constructed by following populist cries for action, he said. In the past three financial years, however, the three main types of rehabilitation scheme psychological offending behaviour programmes, drug treatment and basic skills education have been funded to the tune of  £213 million, and are set to expand substantially again. Last year, 6,127 inmates completed offending behaviour programmes, more than 11 times as many as in 1994. That figure will rise to 9,000 in 2002. Another 16,000 are being taught numeracy and literacy the basic skills of more than two-thirds of prisoners are so poor they are automatically excluded from 94 per cent of jobs. Research shows that nothing succeeds in preventing recidivism more effectively than employment. ETS is now in use in 79 jails and a similar programme adopted from Canada at another 24. Peer-reviewed research by Caroline Friendship, a Prison Service psychologist, compares 670 inmates who went through these courses with 1,801 offenders matched by offence and social categories who did not attend a programme. All types of offender who had the treatment were significantly less likely to be reconvicted within two years. Among those judged medium-low risk, for example, only 18 per cent were reconvicted, against 32 per cent in the comparison group. The research concludes that prisoners who take the courses in 2002 can be expected to commit 21,000 fewer crimes. The effects of rejecting the bleak nothing works philosophy go beyond the courses themselves, to prison culture as a whole. The rapid spread of offending behaviour, drugs and education programmes, and the increasing involvement of ordinary prison officers in running them, means the old, militaristic ethos is breaking down in many prisons. Smal l signs point up deeper changes most prisoners address their officer tutors by their first names, for example. From the staffs point of view, convicts struggling to overcome dyslexia, or to analyse their worst past actions, are less easily dehumanised. To use a word from a previous era which believed in rehabilitation, albeit through religion, they have begun to appear redeemable. At the same time, as research from Canada has long suggested (see box below), prisoners on programmes are less violent, more sociable, and easier to work with. Im more outgoing, more relaxed, says Dave from the CSCP. And if someone calls me a wanker now, Im OK with it. Thats their opinion, thats all. It doesnt mean everyone thinks that. At Pentonville, all staff, not only those running programmes, attend an awareness course to learn what they entail. You see a prisoner develop, so your attitude to him changes, says officer Steve Oliver after one such session. Hes no longer the prat he was, so you treat him better. When you see a prisoner doing something you never thought he would, its an incredible buzz. There have always been people in the service prepared to treat prisoners decently, Narey says. But sometimes they might have felt they had to treat prisoners decently by stealth. Recently I took a guy into Wormwood Scrubs who had worked with Lord Woolf on his report into the [1990] Strangeways riot. He was astonished at the change. The best testimony comes from prisoners themselves. After 16 years inside, Dave says the changes are palpable. Its much less hostile. The medias constantly saying that society has got so much more violent. The funny thing is, its got less violent in here. Politicians and police officers complain about dropped cases and acquittals in court, but the facts remain that judges and magistrates are much more likely than they were a decade ago to send convicted criminals to prison, and they are awarding longer sentences. The stresses on the prisons are i mmense and they may, in the end, obliterate the good Narey and his staff are trying to do. The effects on the programmes are already being felt. Peter is on his third attempt to settle into the CSCP far from ideal for such a demanding programme. At Ranby, near Nottingham, where he started, the course has been closed altogether; he then moved to Dartmoor, where it met the same fate. He says he knows the course is valuable to him and may indeed be essential for release. But he is being forced to spend a year hundreds of miles from his family in the North. They cant visit me. And believe me, doing this, I could really do with their support. In other jails, overcrowding means prisoners are disappearing from courses just as they get into their stride. This first concern is substantive, that is, whether deterrence-based programmes are effective in reducing crime. Current scientific opinion on an international basis is that punishment through imprisonment does not reduce crime rates and, in some instances, even worsens crime rates. For example, in a recent review of 29 evaluation studies of boot camps, this approach was considered ineffective in reducing crime.1 Analysis2 of 50 studies from 1958, involving nearly 350,000 offenders, showed that prison slightly elevated the risk for recidivism. Also, lower risk offenders tended to be more negatively affected by the prison experience. Therefore, recent research has failed to establish a link between length of prison sentence and recidivism as predicted by deterrence theory. As a product of numerous factors, crime requires varying interventions targeting problem-specific areas. Best practice rehabilitation programmes are those that target factors empirically linked to the risk for re-offending. These include pro-criminal attitudes, problem-solving deficits and creating opportunities for education and employment. Evidence from a wealth of studies shows that the risk for re-offending is modifiable when such progr ammes are delivered. For example, recidivism rates in serious or persistent young offenders can be reduced by 40% in community treatment and 30% in institutional treatment.3 A second concern is methodological, that is, whether the right measures have been used. Incarceration rates should have been computed as the ratio of persons admitted to prison for a particular offence in a given year to the number of persons arrested for that offence in the same year. In this way, the likelihood of the results accurately capturing cross-national differences in the willingness to incarcerate is enhanced. By using number of prisoners in custody on a given day (stock data), the authors have confounded sentence length with imprisonment rates. Stock data often over-represent more serious offenders with longer sentences, with the potential for over-estimation of the propensity to incarcerate in those countries with higher serious crime rates. By contrast, the number of admissions to prison (flo w data) is not affected by the accumulation of more serious offenders, thereby allowing the separation of the propensity to incarcerate from the length of sentence served. For instance, in a comparison of the use of incarceration in US, Canada, Germany and England, Lynch4 found that, in terms of either population-based stock rates or population-based flow rates, the US was several times more likely than any of the countries to incarcerate for homicide, robbery, burglary, and larceny. For homicide, the US was incarcerating 7.5 times and 5.3 times more frequently than England and Germany, respectively. Flow rates based on police arrests revealed a different pattern, showing a broad similarity in the probability of incarceration for the offences. It appears that Saunders and Billante have not adjusted for variations in size of unsentenced prisoners. Failure to make a distinction can affect comparisons of stock-based incarceration rates since not all those held in a prison have been convicted of an offence.5 To minimise bias in comparative studies, police arrests, rather than crimes reported to police, seem to be the most appropriate data to use. One of the reasons for establishing the International Crime Victims Survey (ICVS) was to provide an alternative mechanism to inaccurate police records on crime. The trends reported have not controlled for differences in the seriousness of crime across the countries compared. Countries could have similar crime rates but the nature of the crimes committed could vary. The ICVS (the fourth round, 2000) reported that ‘there was a higher than average use of weapons in the US, Spain, Scotland and Portugal.6 Guns were used more often in the US and Spain. Without standardising for such variations, it is incorrect to attribute differences in incarceration rates to punitiveness. Therefore, offence-specific analyses provide a better approach. Correlation between crime rates and imprisonment rates A third concern is largely empirical, that is, whether crime rates can necessarily predict imprisonment rates. Simple correlation analyses are insufficient for exploring the complex and multi-dimensional association between crime and incarceration propensity.7,8 Several studies have shown the influence of crime rates on imprisonment rates to be limited.7,9,10 In Canada, where the criminal law is the same across the country but administered provincially, Sprott and Doob 11 found that crime rates did not predict incarceration counts. Numerous and complex factors, such as the organisation of the criminal justice system and reward structure, need to be examined. More detailed analyses are required to substantiate Saunders and Billantes claim that ‘the rate of crime and incidence of punishment are closely associated. Conclusion The observed differences reported by Saunders and Billante in the propensity to incarcerate cross-nationally have been made in terms that are too general to serve as a useful and valid basis for policy guidance. Stringent requirements focusing on more sensitive measures and specific crime categories are critical. Analyses of comparable crimes minimise the effects of variations in crime seriousness cross-nationally, thereby yielding more credible results. Well-designed studies show that deterrence-based programmes are ineffective in reducing crime and the focus should be on developing rehabilitation programmes that do reduce the likelihood of recidivism. The case for Australia adopting the US approach to crime reduction through the use of imprisonment has not been established. It is common sense that the only guarantee of protecting the community from an offender during the period of a sentence is a custodial sentence. It has been calculated that over a quarter of offenders se rving community sentences will have re-offended at least once by the time an offender has served an average length sentence. The majority of offences are minor ones. For offenders who present a risk of serious harm, prison is quite properly used. Prison provides absolute protection from an individual only for the duration of the sentence. This will not always mean protection from crime. It was suggested to the Home Affairs Select Committee in 1998 that demands for drugs from people inside prison results in crime outside. The Home Office collects information on serious offences allegedly committed by offenders under supervision by the Probation service. In 2000, among those serving community sentences 103 convictions for very serious crimes were reported-about one in sixteen hundred of those starting sentences in that year. Better longer- term protection may be provided by community supervision. If prison has not done anything to change offending behaviour, it cannot be said in the long term, to protect the public. If community sentences are effective at weaning offenders away from a criminal lifestyle, they may, in many cases offer the most effective long-term protection of the public. It has been shown that even allowing for selection effects, prisoners released early under parole supervision are reconvicted less than those serving the whole sentence. For the Lord Chief Justice â€Å"many things can be done as far as offenders are concerned without sending them to prison which actually provides better safeguards for the public†. Lord Chief Justice Woolf 27.12.2000. Some community sentences offer more intensive supervision than others. Probation hostels can offer 24 hour monitoring at 50-66%% of the cost of prison. There are just over 100 hostels providing 2,200 places. ISSP for under 18s combines intensive supervision with close monitoring. The community surveillance element of the programme aims to ensure the young offender know that th eir behaviour is being monitored and demonstrate to the wider community that their behaviour is being gripped. ISSP schemes tailor individual packages of surveillance to the risks posed by each offender. They have available either: Tracking by staff members Tagging Voice Verification Intelligence led policing 12 We know from research and statistics that There is no clear relationship between the use of imprisonment and the rate of crime in the UK or internationally. The 12% increase in recorded crime in France between 1987 and 1996 was similar to that in Holland although the percentage rise in the Dutch prison population (143%) was twenty times greater than the French Incapacitation has only a modest effect. If a drug dealer is locked up, another will enter the market. If one of a gang of burglars is locked up the others may well carry on regardless. The Home office estimates that a 15% increase in the prison population produces only a 1% reduction in recorded crime. (Home Office) Properly designed community measures or early interventions are a more cost-effective route to prevention than imprisonment. The American Rand Research Institute found that graduation incentive programmes and community supervision were considerably more cost effective than prison building in reducing crime. People subject to community alterna tives commit no more crimes afterwards than people who have been to prison and in some cases the results are even better. The Home Office say there is no discernible difference between reconviction rates for custody and community penalties. 56% of prisoners discharged from prison and commencing community penalties in 1995 were reconvicted within two years. Reconviction rates do vary by type of order. 2 year rates for probation and combination orders were 59% and 60% respectively considerably higher than the 52% for community service. Reconviction rates for prisoners released after short sentences of up to 12 months were higher (60%) than those for longer term prisoners. Actual re-offending may be higher than that which is measured by reconviction rates. Crude measures of reconviction do not allow distinctions to be made between the seriousness of types of offence. Some individual projects report markedly better rates. The HASC concluded that â€Å"some evidence suggests th at the most successful forms of community sentence can reduce re-offending more effectively than prison.† HASC 1998. Since then, the most effective community supervision programmes have been shown to reduce offending 15% more than a prison sentence. The Wiltshire aggression replacement training programme achieved a 14% difference and the West Midlands sex offender programme reduced overall offending by 22%. Among the individual projects which report better results are Sherborne House and the Ilderton Motor Project in London; C-Far in Devon and two Scottish projects, the Airborne Initiative and Freagaarach. The Home Affairs Select Committee in 1998 found â€Å"the absence of rigorous assessment astonishing†. While the position is getting better, we still do not know as much as we might about effectiveness. As the then Home Secretary Jack Straw said in 1997: â€Å"We know that community sentences can be effective. But we need to ensure that they are consistently ef fective†. Research has confirmed the common sense view that offenders with no legitimate source of income, no settled place to live and or addiction problems are particularly likely to re-offend. Studies (e.g.) have found that a number of social factors affect the likelihood of re-offending. These suggest that successful approaches need to; Get offenders into work. In a comprehensive North American study getting young offenders into work was by some way the most effective way of reducing recidivism (Lipsey et al) Solve accommodation problems. A Home office study found that in Nottinghamshire 44% of those with stable accommodation were reconvicted compared to 62% with unstable accommodation (May 1999) Address and treat drug use. A Home office study found that drug use was highly related to reconviction in all areas; offenders with drug problems were more likely to predict that they would re-offend (ibid) Help with financial problems Research has found some relations hip between debt and reconviction (ibid) For some offenders, approaches are needed which deal with relationship problems and engage the question of peer pressure (ibid) All of these factors are capable of positive resolution through community intervention and likely to be made more problematic by imprisonment. â€Å"Evidence certainly exists to show that imprisonment creates additional challenges when prisoners are released- for example through loss of job or accommodation, or reduced prospects of obtaining either or both. (Home Office 2001). A research study from Scotland found that â€Å"the supervision of offenders in the community can bring about positive changes in behaviour†. (McCivor and Barry 2000). Reconviction rates were lower following the imposition of a probation order than before, the majority of probationers believed that their circumstances had improved since they were on supervision. In the literature on effectiveness, community based programmes hav e shown more positive results than those in custodial settings. (Vennard) This is not surprising given the then Prison Commissioners insight 80 years ago that â€Å"it is impossible to train men for freedom in conditions of captivity†. References 1. Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Lord Chancellor and the Attorney General, Justice for All, Cm 5563, London: 2000, p. 87. 2. Justice for All, p. 87. 3. BBC News: Does Prison Work? â€Å"yes†. Monday, 2 October, 2000, 14:15 GMT 15:15 UK https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2000/conferences/conservatives/953257.stm

Disillusionment in the Stranger Free Essays

In Albert Camus’ The Stranger the Meursault is clearly disillusioned of life and two examples of this disillusionment occurred in the instances of his mother’s death and an offer to be transferred to another work environment. The novel The Stranger by Albert Camus portrays how Meursault is disillusioned about things that seem to be the most normal basic human concepts of understanding such as his mothers death. With his mother’s death, he seemed indifferent at the loss of her life in every way possible. We will write a custom essay sample on Disillusionment in the Stranger or any similar topic only for you Order Now He was so uninterested in her funeral that he remarked the following: â€Å"†¦ I can be there for the vigil and come back tomorrow night† (Camus 3). His mother appeared to slow him down. As if he felt he had better things to do. He claimed he never went to visit her in the nursing home because she enjoyed it too much. Nonetheless, he admitted, that the visit â€Å"took up my Sunday — not to mention the trouble of getting to the bus, buying tickets, and spending two hours traveling† (Camus 5). This shows the true lack of care in his mothers death. To further define his insensitivity, Meursault shed not even one tear in this part of the novel; moreover, he expressed no form of sorrow whatsoever. Secondly, Meursault’s attitude and reaction toward an offer to be relocated to a Parisian location was a monumental indicator of his insensitivity. One would expect him to accept or decline the offer graciously and respectfully. Meursault proved, again, to be unpredictable when he states, in regard to his then current life in Paris: â€Å"†¦ it was all the same to me† (Camus 41). Caught off-guard by his response, Meursault’s boss asked yet another question: was Meursault interested in a change of life? Unmoved, Meursault further retorted that one life was as good as another, and, furthermore, he wasn’t unhappy with his current life in any way. Meursault’s boss screamed at him, crying that Meursault never gave him a straight answer and had no ambition; his boss sad both of which were â€Å"disastrous† qualities in business (Camus 41). Both scenarios are synonymous in that they are prime examples of Meursault’s stolidity and relentless un-appreciation of life. In both cases he was unexpressive, unmoved in either direction: happiness or sorrow. The funeral director and Meursault’s boss were indeed taken aback at Meursault’s attitude. Neither, however, was successful in swaying Meursault and drawing him away from his uncaring way of thinking. How to cite Disillusionment in the Stranger, Papers

Disillusionment in the Stranger Free Essays

In Albert Camus’ The Stranger the Meursault is clearly disillusioned of life and two examples of this disillusionment occurred in the instances of his mother’s death and an offer to be transferred to another work environment. The novel The Stranger by Albert Camus portrays how Meursault is disillusioned about things that seem to be the most normal basic human concepts of understanding such as his mothers death. With his mother’s death, he seemed indifferent at the loss of her life in every way possible. We will write a custom essay sample on Disillusionment in the Stranger or any similar topic only for you Order Now He was so uninterested in her funeral that he remarked the following: â€Å"†¦ I can be there for the vigil and come back tomorrow night† (Camus 3). His mother appeared to slow him down. As if he felt he had better things to do. He claimed he never went to visit her in the nursing home because she enjoyed it too much. Nonetheless, he admitted, that the visit â€Å"took up my Sunday — not to mention the trouble of getting to the bus, buying tickets, and spending two hours traveling† (Camus 5). This shows the true lack of care in his mothers death. To further define his insensitivity, Meursault shed not even one tear in this part of the novel; moreover, he expressed no form of sorrow whatsoever. Secondly, Meursault’s attitude and reaction toward an offer to be relocated to a Parisian location was a monumental indicator of his insensitivity. One would expect him to accept or decline the offer graciously and respectfully. Meursault proved, again, to be unpredictable when he states, in regard to his then current life in Paris: â€Å"†¦ it was all the same to me† (Camus 41). Caught off-guard by his response, Meursault’s boss asked yet another question: was Meursault interested in a change of life? Unmoved, Meursault further retorted that one life was as good as another, and, furthermore, he wasn’t unhappy with his current life in any way. Meursault’s boss screamed at him, crying that Meursault never gave him a straight answer and had no ambition; his boss sad both of which were â€Å"disastrous† qualities in business (Camus 41). Both scenarios are synonymous in that they are prime examples of Meursault’s stolidity and relentless un-appreciation of life. In both cases he was unexpressive, unmoved in either direction: happiness or sorrow. The funeral director and Meursault’s boss were indeed taken aback at Meursault’s attitude. Neither, however, was successful in swaying Meursault and drawing him away from his uncaring way of thinking. How to cite Disillusionment in the Stranger, Papers

Contextual Factors Of Beauty And Fitness Centre - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the Contextual Factors Of Beauty And Fitness Centre. Answer: Introduction Contextual Factors are those factors which affect organisations differently based on their characteristics. Globalisation has been changing the way countries do business since many years. Australia joined the wave of globalisation in 80s until then Australia was practising mercantilism. But mercantilism gave rise to unemployment and high inflation, it was then that Australia opened its doors for global companies. This report will discuss about impact of globalisation on service industry in Australia and how as a contextual factor does globalisation affect the business strategy of a beauty and fitness business in Australia. As awareness of benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is increasing, Beauty and wellness industry has become popular choice for investment by entrepreneurs. Fitness industry includes everything from gyms and spas to beauty salons and male grooming(Business Franchise, 2014). Beauty and wellness Industry in Australia Wellness market of Australia has attracted lot of investment recently and has attracted lot of innovations. In 2014, IBISworld report stated that in next five years Australian fitness industrys revenues are expected to reach $ 3.4 Billion which includes personal training and weight Loss services(Business Franchise, 2014). Fitness and beauty industry has also seen a surge in employment, 25% increase in fitness instructors and 25% increase in beauty therapists since 2011(Australian, 2017). Internal Organisational Factors Internal business environment comprises of factors which are within the control of company and which impact the strategy it follows for success(Pestle Analysis, 2015). Following are some internal Factors and their effects on business: Well Trained Staff: Labour in this industry is the major determinant of cost. Labour comprises of personal trainers, instructors, customer service executives and marketing professionals. Beauty and fitness businesses are heavily reliant on labour which is the main reason of growing trend of unstaffed gym. These gyms operate 24 hours and saves wages as well. Well trained staff is key driver of a gyms success as demand for personal trainer is also on a high(Fitness Australia, 2016). Technologically Advanced Equipment: Its important to keep the latest training equipment. Although innovation in this industry is limited as exercises like cardio and weights generally are done by tried and tested methods. Innovations are limited to CrossFit equipment only. Location: Areas wide outdoor spaces and pleasant weather see lower demand for gym facilities on the other hand more commercial regions tend to use private fitness facilities more. Hence, fitness centres are mostly located in metropolitan areas and suburban shopping areas. So the location of Beauty and fitness centre plays important role in determining its success. External Organisational Factors External factors are those which affect the functioning of an organisation and are not in control of organisation(Root, 2018). Following are some external factors which effect businesses: Customers: Baby Boomers have started to retire now. This generation will now look for health and fitness services. Medical professionals are also referring their patients to health and fitness centres to treat and prevent chronic conditions. Government is also focusing on preventing health as a result of which there is increased interest in fitness programs at workplace, community setting and school. Increased obesity in Australia has also played an important role in promotion of fitness businesses(Whytcross, 2014). Political and economic environment: Economic slowdown of 2008-09 had affected the industry revenues. State government initiatives in schools, community centres and workplace are creating awareness health and benefits of attending gym. Policy decisions such as health fund rebates and FBT tax exemptions for businesses that provide subsidised fitness for employees will help fitness centres in getting more membership. Fitness industry in comparatively less regulated the new Australian Consumer Law covers issues memberships, making misleading communications and marinating consumers confidentiality. Competition: Online services weight management sites and nutrition guides are posing increasing competition to fitness clubs. Availability of beauty products from all over the world on online shopping portals is enabling buyers to perform beauty treatments at ease of their homes. As fitness industry largely serves the needs of locals extent to which they face international competition is limited to international franchise. Technological advancements: A lot of technological innovations are happening in the field of beauty and fitness like the bands which monitor daily calories expenditure, food intake and sleep patterns, workout DVDs etc. In order to maintain its customer base fitness companies will have to stay updated technologically because members are now more interested in benefits and results they can get by spending less. Business Idea This beauty and fitness centre will offer services of a gym, yoga centre, beauty and skin clinic, slimming centre and ayurvedic massage centre under one roof. This centre will be first set up in Sydney and subsequently in other parts of country like Canberra, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne. Globalization Globalisation is integration of economic activities due to increased integration of human society around the world(Mussa, 2003). Economic globalisation means exchange of goods and services from across the border, foreign investments, reduction in tariffs and relaxation in trade barriers and spread of knowledge and technology across geographical borders(Samimi Jenatabadi, 2014). Australia opened its markets for global trade in middle of 1980s and since then it has seen considerable growth in service industry. Service sector in Australia offers some of the highest salaries and contributes up to 50% in GDP. Challenges of globalisation Competitive Pricing: With presence of international fitness brands it will be very difficult for start-ups to sustain without offering competitive prices and discount offers. There is a growing trend of offering huge discounts on gym memberships in order to attract more customers. In order to maintain a competitive edge over MNCs it is important for start-ups to build their expertise and market their products well. No Industry assistance: Beauty and Fitness Industry does not have any protection or assistance from any kind of body. Although some local council also run fitness centres but they are also for profit entities. Competition: Since Australia is an open economy entry of international brands in beauty and fitness industry is also an obvious phenomenon. International Competition especially from Korean beauty products and international gym chains like Curves and Golds Gym pose a major threat to start-ups in this industry. They have the advantage of innovative and advanced equipment and internationally trained man-power. Internet: Online weight management programs have emerged and are giving competition to fitness clubs and availability of international beauty products on online stores at affordable prices has encouraged consumers to have beauty treatments at home. Benefits of globalisation Hollywood and beauty standards: Globalisation has standardized how people idealize beauty and fitness(Johansson Andreasson, 2014). Hollywood and some other international consumer culture have homogenised the way people perceive beauty and physical appearances(Jones, 2011). In addition to this, TV shows like The Biggest Loser have also contributed in growing awareness towards fitness. These trends have also created a new customer segment as males are increasingly getting conscious about their appearances. Social Media: More brands are now using social media to target the internet generation and to generate online leads. Presence on Social media also plays important role in giving worldwide recognition to a business. Increase in international travel and tourism has also increased mobility of customers, which means if they identify a brand from internet they will look for it and associate with it in other countries as well(Queensland Government, 2016). Franchise option with international brands: Many international beauty and fitness clubs like Curves and Golds Gym try to enter new markets through offering franchise. For start-ups struggling to build their customer base option of taking up a franchisee of international brand is a very profitable option(Business Franchise Australia New Zealand , 2008). Conclusion Contextual factors have different impacts on different industries. For fitness and beauty industry impact of globalisation is moderate but it is rapidly growing with growing awareness among consumers and influence of international cultures. For a start-up to survive in this industry it is very important to be technologically updated with innovative and advanced equipment. Growth of 24 hours gym is an innovative idea for tapping the corporate professionals, who do not find time to go to gym, and it also saves a lot of costs because it is mainly unstaffed. Franchising an existing multinational Beauty or fitness chain is also a benefit of globalisation it gives start-ups with much needed credibility but it requires a lot of investment. It can be concluded that globalisation has brought opportunities as well as threats for a start-up in fitness industry, but by developing effective strategies they can achieve tremendous growth in this industry. Bibliography Australian, T. W. (2017). Census 2016 reveals huge surge in fitness, beauty, barista jobs while manufacturing work falls 24pc. Retrieved January 6, 2018, from thewest.com.au: https://thewest.com.au/business/economy/census-2016-reveals-huge-surge-in-fitness-beauty-barista-jobs-while-manufacturing-work-falls-24pc-ng-b88636861z Business Franchise. (2014). A HEALTHY BOTTOM LINE. Retrieved January 5, 2018, from https://www.businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au: https://www.businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au/expert-advice/feature-health-beauty-and-fitness Business Franchise Australia New Zealand . (2008). N THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. Retrieved January 6, 2018, from https://www.businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au: https://www.businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au/expert-advice/special-feature-health-fitness-beauty-franchises-issue-25 Fitness Australia. (2016). Profile of the Fitness industry in Australia. Fitness Australia. Johansson, T., Andreasson, J. (2014). The Gym and the Beach. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 45(2), 143-167. Jones, G. (2011). Globalization and Beauty: A Historical and Firm Perspective. EURAMERICA, 41(4), 885-916 . Mussa, M. (2003). Meeting the Challenges of Globalisation. Journal of African Economies, 12(1), 1434. Pestle Analysis. (2015). Internal Factors that May Affect the Business Organization. Retrieved January 6, 2018, from https://pestleanalysis.com: https://pestleanalysis.com/internal-factors-affect-business-organization/ Queensland Government. (2016). Using social media to market your business: the basics. Retrieved January 9, 2018, from www.business.qld.gov.au: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/marketing-sales/marketing-promotion/online-marketing/social-media Root, G. N. (2018). Five Components of an Organization's External Environment. Retrieved January 6, 2018, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/five-components-organizations-external-environment-17634.html Samimi, P., Jenatabadi, H. S. (2014). Globalization and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence on the Role of Complementarities. PLoS ONE, 9(4). Whytcross, D. (2014). Gyms and Fitness Centres in Australia. IBIS World.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Medicine free essay sample

A look at the developing world of AI. This paper covers all the main aspects of Artificial Intelligence in medicine. The author gives lavish examples of systems in use. The author then covers controversies involving artificial intelligence in medicine. From the very earliest moments in the modern history of the computer, scientists have dreamed of creating an electronic brain. Of all the modern technological quests, this search to create an artificially intelligent (AI) computer system has been one of the most ambitious and, not surprisingly, controversial. Artificial Intelligence is a broad topic including many different fields, from machine vision to expert systems. Artificial Intelligence or AI can be described as the attempt to build machines that think and act like humans, and that are able to learn and to use their knowledge to solve problems on their own. The element that is common in the fields of AI is the creation of machines that can think. We will write a custom essay sample on Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Medicine or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Pro and Con of Nuclear Power essays

Pro and Con of Nuclear Power essays Nuclear Power has produced more controversy than any other energy technology. Because nuclear reactors are fueled by, and produce highly radioactive material, the risks they pose are more apparent. Two major accidents, at Three Mile Island in 1979 and at Chernobyl in 1986, have increased public concern about nuclear power safety. (1) The most evident argument for Pro Nuclear Power deals with economics. Nuclear power plants have saved billions of dollars. Throughout the world, nuclear power has made us less dependent on oil and fuel. America's 103 nuclear power plants provide 20 percent of our electricity in a manner that produces no harmful air pollution. (2) Energy shortages hare becoming a bigger problem all around the country. Without these nuclear power plants the cost of electricity would increase greatly. Some countries even rely on no more than nuclear power. We would also decrease the amount of pollution considerably, which is always helpful, because of the problems we face with it. Another supporting argument would be waste can be stored in isolated areas underground where it will cause no harm to the environment, and can be removed later after Radioactivity has gone down. (2) There is also less waste produced by nuclear power than there is by the burning of fossil fuels. There is enough available Uranium to run the current nuclear power plants for well over 100 years, and other types of nuclear fuel to use well beyond that. (3) On the other hand, there are also many downfalls to using nuclear power. Even with the energy problems we have to face there are safer ways of dealing with this problem. Nuclear plants are on the average only 75% to 80% reliable. (4) The cost to run the nuclear power plants is also rising, and that doesnt even include all the money the government is spending on research. The waste produced has to b ...

BMW Automobiles. BMW Demand and Supply Coursework

BMW Automobiles. BMW Demand and Supply - Coursework Example Microeconomic Analysis Demand is the willingness and the ability of consumers to buy a certain product for a certain price at a particular period. While other factors are held constant, the prices of goods and services increase as its demand increases and vice versa. Supply is the willingness of the manufacturer or the company producing then goods or services to sell the products at a given price at a given period. While other factors are held constant, the supply of goods and services will increase at an increase in price. Various demand and supply factors affect the production and sale of BMW 3 series vehicles (Flaschel, 2010, p.1). The first factor is affecting BMW’s demand and supply is consumer taste and preference. Different consumers have a varied taste and preference for the product. BMW 3 series is a mid-level luxury performance sedan. The car is also a bench marker in the market. It has played a great role in influencing the competitor’s in trying to achieve i ts class. The consumers also have their taste, which varies with the individual. The taste and preference of this car by some individual consumers is predominantly affected by its price in the market, the performance both on road and on off roads modes, the cars ability to perform, and the fuel consumption. The BMW 3 series has a relatively high fuel consumption capacity as compared to its competitors and it is better in performance than its competitors are. Secondly, consumer income affects the demand of the BMW 3 series. Consumer income is the amount that the consumer has which they are willing to invest on that commodity. The BMW 3 series retail price varies depending with the model. The lowest price for the BMW 3 series is $32,400. This price may not be affordable to many consumers. The consumer income is the greatest determiner of the demand for this product both in America and outside the American market (Flaschel, 2010, p.1). Additionally, price of substitutes and other compl ementary vehicles affects the demand of the BMW 3series cars. BMW, being a luxury mid-level vehicle, has many substitutes and complementary vehicles. An example of these substitutes is the Audi A3, Infiniti G35, Cadillac CTS, and the Acura TL. These substitutes have a relatively low price and perform equally with the BMW 3 series. The availability of these substitutes has greatly affected the consumers’ decision in determining the best car available for them. The availability of these substitutes also influences the ability of the consumer to save in comparison to what they would have used if they purchased the BMW 3series. Additionally, the BMW 3 series has been affected by the complementary goods. Complementary goods are the goods that are used alongside the product. The BMW 3 series is a relatively high consumer if gasoline in comparison to its competitors. This has hugely influenced the demand of this car (Hortacs, et al, 2010, p.1). The forth factor that has influenced t he demand of this car is the consumer expectations. The BMW 3 series car has largely met the consumers’ expectations. BMW is actually an envy of many people, which has also increased the demand of this vehicle. The BMW 3 series is a great performer both on road and on off road modes. This has enabled it to have an innovative over the others in the market. The BMW also produces high quality vehicles that are not prone to damages as compared to it

Trend report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Trend report - Essay Example This narrowed the gap from the peak by 14 percent (Kenneth, 2012). Table 1 below summarized the trend. Based on Thomas’ report, 39 years had elapsed and yet the real wage was still below the reported peak wage of 1972. In the real sense, by 2011, it was still 14 percent below the peak wage (Thomas, 2012). Despite the dwindling wage levels for workers in the country, the Federal Reserve Bank claimed that the country’s productivity was at a steady increase during this period. The study by Lawrence, Jared and Heidi (2009) showed that wage trends fueled the inequalities in income growth in the United States. In the real sense, wage comprise of three quarter of the family’s total income. However, for the broad middle class group, salaries and wages consist of more than three quarters of the families’ income. It was estimated that between 1973 and the year 2011, real hourly wage attributed to a median worker only reported a 10.7 percent increase. This was mostly witnessed in the late1990s. On the contrary, real wage again registered a stagnated growth between 2002 and 2003. This is why the last decade is referred to as lost decades in terms of wage growth. Another prediction based on the study is that in cases unemployment problem persists, there is high likelihood that the country will have another lost decade in the near future. This section will provide the trends in the employees wage for the last two and half decades. Wage trend is known to have played a critical role in the families and households income trends, particularly, with the growing wage inequality being reported in the United States (Lawrence, Jared and Heidi, 2012). Basically, wage stagnation led affected income growth in the year 2000. It also contributed to high unemployment rates and recession of 2007 and 2011. The reason for the stagnation includes weak recovery phases between 2002 and 2007 and loss of income during the

Bentley Motors Limited Maintain a constant effective communication

Bentley Motors Limited Maintain a constant effective communication Project Responsibilities: To work in tandem with the Bill of Materials (BoM) department in successfully generating and structuring the part numbers for BY831 (Bentley Mulsanne) and BY624 vehicle configuration with the help of SAP based environment called TIsyncro. Maintain a constant effective communication between designers of different department to meet up with the deadlines. Organise training to the relative departments employees to inform and trained on the changing policies and methodologies of the department and project respectively. To provide an interface between functional managers, BoM, Digital Mock-Up (DMU) department and the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) Department to ascertain that the flow of information if unambiguous and accurate. Organise a product review meetings with the customers and the managers of relative departments. To mitigate the issues escalated from the BoM and different functional departments. To provide support in creating Clients requirement based reports. 5. Competencies demonstrated: (please refer to the APM Body of Knowledge, Competence Framework) The purpose of this assessment is to identify where my competence lies just now in relation to skills and professional studies. This assessment will reflect on previous/current work and courses and should help to identify my current level of skill. It is a detailed analysis of how I feel about my skills and competencies in relation to project management. Technical competence: The technical competence involved learning of 3D modelling software CATIA, LCA (Life Cycle Application) tool to structure the parts of BY831 (Mulsanne) and BY624 vehicle configuration. Context of Project Management (PM): In the context of Project Management, the technical competence involved developing skills on PM tools like MS Project and MS Visio. This has enhanced my skills on resource planning and appropriate scheduling of Projects. Behavioural competence: Behavioural competence involved developing robust behavioural skills by working for two managers with two leadership styles, strong communication skills ensuring details and expectations of the project are met to the highest standard, and constant interaction with functional managers of different departments catered to the enhancement of behavioural and interpersonal skills. Context of Project Management: Behavioural competence in the context of Project Management involved developing team building and leadership skills, time management skills by working on team placement project that involved working in a synergistic manner in order to avoid antagonistic behaviour as an individual. Section 3: CPD Self- Assessment Form This assessment addresses the experiences and knowledge gained/ shared by studying MSc Project Management at The Robert Gordon University (RGU). K= knowledge; E = experience ONLY TICK ONE K AND ONE E FOR EACH COMPETENCE Competencies Happy with my current level of For my current role in the Team Project I need to increase my For my future career I need to increase my K E K E K E Project management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Programme management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Portfolio management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project control à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project sponsorship à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project office à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project success and benefits management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Stakeholder management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Value management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project management plan à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Competencies Happy with my current level of For my current role in the Team Project I need to increase my For my future career I need to increase my K E K E K E Project risk management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project quality management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Health, safety and environmental management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Scope management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Scheduling à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Resource management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Legal awareness à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project life cycles à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Concept à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Definition à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Implementation à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Handover and closeout à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Project reviews à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Organisation structure à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Organisational roles à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Methods and procedures à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Competencies Happy with my current level of For my current role in the Team Project I need to increase my For my future career I need to increase my K E K E K E Governance of project management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Communication à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Teamwork à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Leadership à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Conflict management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Negotiation à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Human resource management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ Areas of strengths identified Gaps identified Scope Management Project lifecycle Teamwork Project Management Plan Leadership and Communication Organisational Roles Conflict Management and Resolution Project Management Office Health and Safety and Environmental Management Programme and Portfolio Management Project Management Negotiation Project Risk Management Organisational Structure Analysis of Project Success and Benefit analysis Methods and Procedures Value management Project Risk Management Human Resource Management Technical Competence on Project Portfolio Management (PPM) software i.e. Primavera Professional Certifications like APMP, CAPM, PRINCE 2 and so on. Section 4: Development Plan DEVELOPMENT PLAN Based on the contents of your current CV and your responses to the CPD Self Assessment Form (Review) in which you have identified the areas in which you need development, please complete your Development Plan. Where do I want to be in 5 years? The Postgraduate degree in Project Management has provided me with enough of robust information on managing complex projects within the Project Management constraints of scope, time, cost and quality. I would like to carry on with these skills and be an effective, efficient and smart Project Manager with team building and leadership skills to manoeuvre complex environment of managing range of complex projects. How will I achieve my aim? I would like to achieve this aim through Continuing Professional Development in terms of having professional certifications indicating enhancement of technical and behavioural competence. I would also believe that development of interpersonal skills, living in a pleasant ambience would substantially add some benefits in realising my aim successfully. What current skills and knowledge gaps prevent me from achieving my aim? Value management Project Risk Management Human Resource Management Technical Competence on Project Portfolio Management (PPM) software i.e. Primavera Professional Certifications like APMP, CAPM, PRINCE 2 and so on. Out of aforementioned knowledge gaps, Professional Certification is one of the most important knowledge gaps that need to be fulfilled and would substantially provide an opportunity to stand ahead in the competition from other Project Management practitioners. 5.0 LEARNING AND REFLECTION RECORDS- FORMAL EDUCATION 5.1 Learning and Induction from the Induction Programme Induction Programme Learning In the induction programme, a basic overview about the university was addressed i.e. infrastructural facilities, introduction of staff members pertaining to the course, the cultural values that would be gained through interaction between students of diverse cultural background. Also, I was able to learn the basic rules and regulations to be followed in the city/ country and one of the members from the Grampian police had addressed about the social laws and regulations and the Grampian fire service had addressed about the health and safety measures, fire incidents and so on. There were general and academic induction programmes and I was able to learn in both academic and professional way. Also this programme consisted of providing valuable guidance to students to make use of library and other RGU facilities. Infozone provided ample guidance in getting the opening of bank account, health guidance and also about NHS service. International Student Advisors provided/ provides continual su pport on immigration and visa information. Reflection Through this induction programme, I have had an opportunity to reflect this learning by adhering to the rules and regulations of the city/ country and the lessons learned through working in teams on different academic coursework including project technical implementation can be implemented in future endeavours as well ranging from different complex projects and improve behavioural skills including ethics. 5.2 Learning and Reflection for Academic Activities for First and Second Semester of MSc Project Management Module 1: Project Fundamentals Learning In this module, an overview of the basic nature of managing general projects was addressed, not specifically focussed on one type of project. I was able to get a basic insight into the concept of projects and Project Management and learnt the basic difference between projects and Business As Usual (BAU). The module used the concept of project life cycle as the organisational guideline, and provided a brief understanding on the contents of different phases of a project like project initiation, project planning, project execution, project control and project closure that covered the whole process of project management activities like, Project Management Plan, change management, project quality, Stakeholder Management, risk management and many others. From these activities, I basically learnt the concept of business case and its development and its importance as the primary deliverable of initiation phase of project life cycle. In a nutshell, I conclude from my learning that the princip les of project management are applicable at all levels of the project hierarchy, ranging from individual work packages through to the provision of responsibility. Reflection This module provided me a lot of insights into different elements of Project Management and I was able to put all these theoretical elements into practice by doing a team project on the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5. Firstly, this project provided me a robust experience of working as a team of varied culture and secondly, it provided an opportunity to understand the application of different project management activities in the practical environment (construction of Heathrow Terminal 5). This project also provided me an opportunity to implement all the learning on the fundamentals of projects and project management into practice and share knowledge between the team members by providing a detailed business case and the project management plan for the project. Having known with the basic principles of project fundamentals module, this learning can be reflected on future endeavours involving all the areas of Project Management. Module 2: Project Planning and Control Learning This module provided a basic overview of core activities of the planning phase of the project. I learnt about the fundamentals of project planning like scope management, how to create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the allocation of resources to projects, and an overview to create cost estimation and budgeting and apply IT led resource scheduling and allocation techniques with the help of Gantt chart and Critical Path Method (CPM). Alongside these things, I was able to get a basic insight into critical evaluation of key project monitoring and control techniques and their impact on the successful completion of projects. Finally, I learnt different quality systems and requirements of the project in order to add value to the client and the business as a whole. Reflection This module provided me a basic insight into different elements of Project planning and control and I was able to put all these theoretical elements into practice by doing a team project on the relocation of oil and gas company office. The project involved relocating the employees of different departments and their possessions to a bigger office space. We, as a team, got involved in preparing a project plan to ensure that this project is completed on time, within budget and would not affect the smooth flow of work and interrupt the operations at the existing building. More emphasis was given on project scheduling and provided a detailed Gantt chart indicating deliverables and milestones with a detailed resource histogram depicting the resources. Also, the allocation of resources for different tasks was depicted with the help of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). This project provided me a robust experience of working as a team of varied culture and secondly, it provided an opportunity t o understand the application of different project planning tools and techniques in this project and having known with these basic tools and techniques, this learning can be reflected on future endeavours as well. Module 3: Project Organisation and Behaviour Learning In this module, basically an overview of organisational learning with roles and responsibilities was addressed and three types of organisation structures were dealt in detail i.e. Functional based, Matrix based and Project based Organisational structures and I learnt that more emphasis would emphasis would be given to project-based and matrix-based organisation structure for the effective implement of Project Management for the successful completion of projects. I also learnt behavioural issues in projects and how these issues would impact in maintaining robust relationship with the client and the constant interaction between conflict management and negotiation in projects and project management environment. During the discussion on behavioural issues in the project environment, emphasis was laid upon the socio-cultural aspect of Project Management and I learnt that the constant development of antagonistic behaviour of the individuals and lack of synergistic behaviour within the team s or in general the organisation structure would affect the project/ programme managers and including the team leader to manage the teams and would result in ambiguities within the team members with lack of knowledge sharing and result in the unsuccessful completion of projects. Hence I learnt that the role of effective leadership right from the strategic level down to the operational level is essential in problem solving and decision making process and develop efficient communication on the technical and socio-cultural aspects of project management within the team members leading to effective organisational learning. Reflection I was able to reflect on the learning that I got from the project organisation and behaviour module in the form of team project on International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The basic reason for choosing this project to put all the theoretical elements into practice is due to its sensitive nature because this project, in the real environment, involved international stakeholders from seven different nations intend to develop fusion energy for peaceful purposes. The purpose was to provide a transformational organisational structure in order to mitigate behavioural issues and manage conflicts within the Organisation. Module 4: Commercial Realties for Project Management Learning This module provided a descriptive learning on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the project at the initiation phase of the project life cycle. The qualitative analysis included environmental analysis that in turn included three types viz., SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), PESTEL (Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal) and Porters Five Forces Model. Quantitative analysis included investment/ financial appraisal and consisted of four types i.e. Payback Period (PBP), Accounting Rate of Return (ARR), Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). The qualitative analysis provides a detailed overview of merits and de-merits of undertaking a project taking micro, meso and macro factors into consideration. However, quantitative analysis provides a detailed overview on the financial aspects of the project i.e. Return on Investment (ROI). I was able to get a basic insight into procurement and supply chain issues and legal issues in the context of projects and project management. This module provided a basic overview of different types of dispute resolution techniques used in the project environment between the stakeholders. Reflection Based on the learning, I have had an opportunity to work on a hypothetical project. This project is aimed at building a multi-speciality veterinary hospital in Aberdeen and providing all the modern sophisticated medical facilities to the domesticated animals in order to eradicate all sorts of endemic and fatal diseases and provide a healthy environment. The project involved in providing a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis, contracting strategy, procurement plan and dispute resolution techniques in the context of projects and project management. Learning through this module can be implemented in future real time endeavours that range of complex projects. Module 5: Project Strategy and Leadership Learning In this module, the meaning of strategy was dealt and an overview of the link between strategy and projects was addressed. I learnt that how strategic decisions at the top management level/ strategic level would impact the projects and project management and learnt the concept of Strategic Project Management (SPM). I learnt the concept of Project Portfolio Management that was viewed as a tool/ method of prioritising and selecting portfolio of projects for their successful completion by linking the projects with the Organisations overall business strategies. I learnt the difference between Project Management, Programme management and the Project Portfolio Management and the interdependency between them and the overall business strategy. In order to ascertain successful completion of portfolio of projects through decisions taken at the strategic level, the concept of strategic leadership, Project Management Office and project governance were dealt with prime importance. I learnt that t he gap of governance between the corporate governance/ corporate level (strategic level) and the Project Management can be avoided by introducing the concept of Governance of Project Management (GoPM) framework that links the strategic and the tactical/ operational level. However to ascertain successful GoPM, I learnt that the three important elements i.e. Organisation structure, people and the flow of information within the framework should be organised well. I also viewed Project Management Office (PMO) as the core department within the business function that maintains the tools, techniques and methodologies of Project Management and also responsible in upgrading the tools and methodologies of PM. I learnt the concept of maturity model and its impact on all the areas of Project Management (PM) and viewed maturity in the context of PM as part of organisations diverse culture and not just a tool/ methodology for managing projects and learnt the concept of Organisational Project management Maturity Model (OPM3) developed by PMI and got an insight into how this model correlates Project, Programme and Portfolio Management. I got a basic insight into the Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and how it is going to impact the success of portfolio of projects and the project strategy including the overall business strategy. I also learnt the concept of global teams and their impact on the performance of projects due to varied culture and how this socio-cultural aspect of Project Management should be managed in order to arrive at the desired project outcome. Finally I learnt the concept of Project Performance Management and their impact on meeting project/ organisation goals and o bjectives in an effective and efficient manner and I also got an insight into how stakeholder commitment is directly linked with project performance management and their alignment with the business strategies. Reflection Based on the learning, I have had an opportunity to work on a real team project. The aim of the project was to analyse, plan and develop the overall strategy for the management of the companys project in order to meet the companys budget, schedule and quality parameters set out at project approval but also deliver optimum value to the company. In the project, we assumed the role of engineering directors that had been tasked with proposing a new strategy for the efficient management of the companys business operations. Though the project was carried out from the university without being there at the client organisation, this project gave us a good exposure in implementing all the elements of project strategy and leadership module into practice and can also be implemented in future professional endeavours. Module 6: Risk and Safety Management Learning In this module, I learnt the concept of risk and risk management in the context of Projects and Project management. I learnt to identify, analyse and critically assess risks throughout the phases of the project life cycle. Risks in terms of organisational structure, culture, stakeholders and so on were addressed in the context of projects and project management and learnt on how strategic decisions of the management would be risk-driven in terms of delivering the projects successfully. I learnt more about sensitive projects. It was dealt that projects tend to become sensitive depending on the level/ intensity of risk involved in the project and based on this, I learnt that quantitative and qualitative risk assessment tools and techniques can be used depending on the type of projects and the level of risk involved. I also learnt that how organisation would look at individuals attitude towards technical and socio-cultural risks involved in projects in the context of project management. I also learnt the concept of Health Safety Security Environment (HSSE) and the awareness of legislative and statutory requirements and integrate health, safety and environmental policies into Project Management Plan (PMP). I did learn about how performance of HSSE can be effectively and efficiently monitored for successful management of risks and how organisational structure and their responsibilities can affect the successful implementation of effective risk and safety measures within the organisation. Reflection This module gave me the exposure in implementing all the elements into practice. I completed individual coursework on risk and safety management in the transportation of spent fuel in the United Kingdom. This project focussed on the key risks involved in the transportation activity at the back end operations of the nuclear power plants, key legislative requirements and health safety measures for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel, decisions concerning top management on the transportation issues and proposal of new strategy for the ongoing monitoring of risk and safety management. In a nutshell, the learning through this module gave a basic insight into different elements of risk and safety management and can be reflected on future endeavours as well i.e. in the real work environment Module 7: Supply Chain Management Learning This module provided a basic overview on different supply chain frameworks, supply chain tools and techniques used in the area of supply chain management, design of supply chain strategies and modelling and simulation techniques in the SC. Devising of supply chain structure or supply chain network diagram provided a basic overview of understanding the flow of information (material and financial flow) among stakeholders along the upstream and downstream of the SC. Reflection This module provided me a robust exposure in implementing all the theoretical elements into good practice by doing two courseworks on the module. In the first coursework, the aim was to regulate the variation of demand and supply of electricity with the optimisation of Supply Chain strategies and to bring in coordination and integration among the trading partners within the Supply Chain. This involved analysing the current SC model of the chosen organisation on node by node basis with regards to their existing SC strategies, tools techniques, SC issues and the SC response on these issues. A new SC model was proposed for the chosen organisation with optimised SC strategies, tools techniques and improvement in the response of SC. In the second coursework, the aim was to identify and analyse humanitarian supply chain issues at the micro, meso and macro level, identify the current technology application in the humanitarian supply chain of the chosen case study and identify the typical stakeholders that impact the SC response. As time is the main constraint of any humanitarian SC, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays a major role in eliminating unethical practices and improves the SC response. Hence the learning from this module can be reflected on future endeavours i.e. real time projects in the diversified area (from retail, engineering and so on to rehabilitation projects/ humanitarian based SC projects). Module 8: Professional Body of Knowledge in Project Management Learning This module gave an opportunity in learning all the knowledge areas of Project Management, specifically Association for Project Management (APM). This gave me a good exposure to attempt the exam conducted by the university that is tantamount to APMs APMP exam. The module addressed on all the knowledge areas that covered all the previous modules (seven) on Project Management. This module also provided me the guideline in preparing for the APMP exam to get the professional certification. This module also provided a good exposure in knowing different PM standards and bodies. Reflection The examination conducted by the university on this module would be the stepping stone to many future professional certification exams to boost the CV and ensure continuous professional development through lifelong learning and stand ahead in the competition among other project management practitioners to get hands-on experience on future endeavours on a range of complex projects. 6.0 LEARNING AND REFLECTION RECORDS- PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY Activity 1: Student Membership for APM and PMI Learning Holding the student membership for Association for Project Management (APM) and Project Management Institute (PMI) has provided me a basic insight into the happening of events/ seminars/ workshops on different genres of Project Management and I could keep myself updated on the current tools and techniques used in the management of range of complex projects. Reflection By holding the membership for APM and PMI, I have had an opportunity to learn many areas of Project Management through their website, journal articles and e-letter (The membership is still very much valid). As a matter of fact, these learning could be reflected on future career development in the field of Projects and Project Management and provides ample opportunity in doing the certification exams like APMP, CAPM and so on and avail for full-time membership. This also provides an opportunity in networking with other Project Management practitioners and share knowledge on different areas of Project Management. Activity 2: Participation in CPD Activities Learning In this session, I learnt about the step by step process of developing the portfolio of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This session was conducted by one of my Project Management module coordinators in the academic environment and was part of the Project Technical Implementation (Team Placement Project) module. The module coordinator addressed all the sections and elements of CPD and explained the importance of CPD in the development of ones career. Reflection The basic understanding of the process of CPD could be reflected on the career development and be considered as the stepping stone to boost the Curriculum Vitae (CV) and provide a platform in achieving the professional certification and mark it as the evidence of enhanced professional competency and can stand ahead in todays global competition with respect to other Project Management practitioners. Activity 3: Leadership Style of Workplace Supervisors Learning In my previous employment, I was happened to work with two managers at Bentley Motors Limited, Crewe, UK. I have had an opportunity to perceive different leadership style of these managers. Manager A: I worked under Manager A for about 6 months and got to learn about the Autocratic style of leadership wherein leaders have more powers over their team members. Also the contribution to the process of decision making was limited. Manager B: I worked under Manager B for 9 months and learnt about the Democratic style of leadership and had an opportunity to contribute to the process of decision making as a team and the level of enthusiasm was optimal. Reflection Based on the real-time professional experience with the managers of my previous organisation, and having had a great opportunity in perceiving two different styles of leadership, I would like to reflect these professional learnin