Proposal for my project Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

For my project - Thesis Proposal Example Therefore, there is need to understand the implications of social media in marketing in order to make the right interventions that will result to a return on investment. There has been exponential growth in the use of social media by people of all ages. However, some age groups are more active in social media than others are. This has created a huge online traffic that can easily be targeted by businesses in need of selling their brands (Chou et al., 2009). While interpersonal communication has been tremendous through the social media, there is also a big opportunity for businesses to develop strategies that target different groups of people in order to market their products and services. Being a side activity by the social networks, social media marketing is relatively cheaper compared to other advertising strategies. Marketing through the social media serves as a better method of communicating to the customers since it happens at their own convenience. Social media has been applauded for its capability for brand positioning, hence attracting the potential customers. According to the social media marketing report of 2013, marketers have recognized exposure and increased traffic as top two benefits (Stelzner, 2013). There are a myriad of challenges that are encountered by marketers in an attempt to reach the market through the social media. Firstly, the followers in a social media platform are not necessarily customers, therefore there is need to convert them into customers. Another issue that comes up is the creation of online content that is capable of attracting the attention of the potential customers. The diversity in the social networks also presents difficulties in reaching to the customers. A marketer would like to use all the available networks so as to reach as many people as possible. However, this is cumbersome and tedious. A number of things can be done through

Ancient Egypt Essay Example for Free

Ancient Egypt Essay Ancient Egypt was a civilization that emerged in eastern North Africa, and was centered along the banks of the lower part of the Nile River. Beginning around 3100 B. C. , this dynamic civilization would exist for over 3,000 years, only ending with its fall to the Roman Empire. Yet, during its existence, ancient Egypt developed a rich history, as well as a rich culture that greatly influenced the rest of the ancient world and the modern world. Ancient Egyptian culture encompassed many things, but the most important was the spiritual aspect. Ancient Egyptians had no separate word to describe what modern society now calls religion, mainly because their spirituality was an integral part of their life. Therefore, it was believed that Egypt was part of a â€Å"universal cosmic scheme†, and on Earth, it was the responsibility of the pharaoh to maintain stability within that cosmic scheme (19). Another aspect of this cosmic scheme was the multitude of gods that ancient Egyptians worshipped. All the gods were associated with either heavenly bodies or natural forces. However, two groups of gods came to have particular importance. They were the sun gods and the land gods, and considering the fact that nature played such a vital role in the survival of ancient Egypt, it makes perfect sense that these groups would take precedence over the rest of the gods. The sun god commanded the greatest respect and devotion of all the gods because it was the sun that served as the source of life. He also had the ability to take on different forms and names. Thus, he was worshiped in human form as Atum, and in half man-half falcon form as Re (19). Land gods included Osiris, Isis, and Horus, all of whom represented some particular aspect of nature, as well as aspects of the afterlife. Such was the case with Osiris, who represented resurrection and judgment of the dead. The next main aspect of ancient Egyptian culture was its architecture. As proven from the ruins that exist today, ancient Egyptian rulers built large-scale monuments to demonstrate their power and strength, both militarily and politically. Yet, of all the architecture that remains from this civilization, it is the pyramids that still evoke awe in all. Built during the Old Kingdom period, the pyramids were often part of a large complex that was dedicated to the dead. The complex would include not only the pyramid for the burial of the pharaoh, but also smaller pyramids for his family, and rectangular structures called mastabas for his noble officials. Within these pyramids, everything that one needed for the afterlife was there. This was done because it was believed by ancient Egyptians that humans had two bodies: a physical one and a spiritual one, called the ka. The items placed in the pyramid with the physically dead pharaoh were meant to his ka to live on in the afterlife as it had in its earthly life (20-21). Naturally, pyramids cannot be talked about without referring to the process of mummification, which can be considered to be part of the spiritual aspect of ancient Egyptian life. A 70-day long process, mummification involved emptying the dead body of its internal organs, of which the lungs, liver, stomach, intestines, and heart were placed into special jars to be buried alongside the body. The body was then covered in salt, to draw out all the water from the body. Once this was done, the body was then filled with spices and wrapped in layers of linen that had been soaked with resin. The final step was the placing of a mask over the head of the mummy, and then its burial. Through this process, the pharaoh, his family, and his officials were all preserved, with the ultimate goal being they would reunite again in the afterworld (21). The final main aspect of ancient Egyptian culture was its art and writing. Egyptian art was largely functional, often being commissioned by kings and nobles for use in the temples and tombs of Egypt. With regard to the temples, wall paintings and statues of the gods and the pharaohs were meant for spiritual purposes only, in that they played integral roles in the performance of various rituals done by the temple priests. With regard to the tombs, wall paintings and statues were meant to aid the deceased along into the afterworld, serving as a type of guide for the person (21). Egyptian art was also extremely formulaic, meaning artists and sculptors had to follow a strict set of rules regarding proportions for the form and presentation of their works. As a result, Egyptian art had a distinctive appearance that would span the entire existence of ancient Egyptian civilization. One particular characteristic was the technique implemented by artists and sculptors alike, in which profile, semi-profile, and frontal views of the human body were combined to represent the whole image of the body accurately (21). Egyptian writing emerged during the first two dynasties, but did not have a name until given one by the Greeks, who called it hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics, meaning ‘priest carvings’ or sacred writings, were signs that depicted objects. Eventually, they were simplified into two scripts to make them easier to write, but were never developed into an actual alphabet. Initially carved into stone tablets, but the more simplified versions were written on papyrus. As a result, most of the Egyptian literature that exists today is either on stone tablets or papyrus rolls (22) As previously stated, ancient Egyptian culture was quite unique and vibrant. It was also greatly influential, as various aspects of it were adopted by other civilizations. Ancient Egypt served as an early example of how great a culture and civilization could be, and those that followed after it would not have been as successful were it not for the existence of ancient Egypt. Source: Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization. Belmont: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2006.

The Importance of Traffic Lights :: Exploratory Research Papers

The Importance of Traffic Lights The topic I picked for our community project was traffic lights. In a community, people need stop signs and traffic lights to slow down drivers from going to fast. If there were no traffic lights or stop signs, people’s lives would be in danger from divers going too fast. When having stop signs and traffic lights, people have a tendency to drive slower and look out for people walking in the middle of streets. To put a traffic light or a stop sign in a community, it takes a lot of work and planning from the community and the city to put one in. It is not cheap to do it either. The community first needs to take a petition around to everyone in the community and have them sign so they can take it to the board when the next city council meeting is. A couple residents will present it to the board, and they will decide weather or not to put it in or not. If not put in a lot of residents might be mad and bad things could happened to that part of the city. When the planning of putting traffic lights and stop signs, you should look at the subdivision plan and figure out where all the buildings and schools are for the protection of students walking and riding home from school. In our plan that we have made, we will need traffic lights next to the school, so people will look out for the students going home. We will need a stop sign next to the park incase kids run out in the street. This will help the protection of the kids having fun. Will need a traffic light separating the mall and the store. This will be the busiest part of the town with people going to the mall and the store. And finally there will need to be a stop sign at the end of the streets so people don’t drive to fast and get in a big accident. If this is down everyone will be safe driving, walking, or riding their bikes. In putting in a traffic light, it takes a lot of planning and money to complete it. A traffic light cost around $40,000 to $125,000 and sometimes more depending on the location.

Sociology of Sport: Baseball

According to Ashley Crossman, â€Å"Sociology of sports, also referred to as sports sociology, is the study of the relationship between sports and society. It examines how culture and values influence sports, how sports influences culture and values, and the relationship between sports and media, politics, economics, religion, race, gender, youth, etc. It also looks at the relationship between sports and social inequality and social mobility† (Crossman 2012). Sports are a microcosm of real life; therefore anyone can embrace a sport, as we embrace real life. For example, in this summer Olympic Games, Olympic sports are supported by all races and genders. In the past history, women usually gravitated to gymnastics, swimming or track & field and women’s tennis. However, in 2012, the gender and race involvement and viewership disparity has closed (Statista 2012). According to Statista, a Dow Jones Company, woman and non-white Olympic Games viewership has increased by 28%. In my opinion, these stats are attributed to minorities being more involved in the games, as well as the mainstream media have realized the marketing value of minority athletes. Baseball was the first organized sport I was introduced to as a child. Although I played professional football, my first love of competition and athletics was baseball. My love for the sport of baseball was passed on to me by my step-father. The history of the sport was intriguing, even at a young age. I was into numbers and statistics and having a mentor to explain the simple parts of the game made it even more interesting, especially being American’s Pastime. However, this can be debated, as stated by baseball historians Frank Ceresi and Carol McMains, â€Å"America’s Pastime’ has been traditionally thought to have been founded by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, NY in 1839. In truth, the game evolved over many decades, if not centuries, and its roots are, in reality, a tangled web of bat and ball games brought to this country by immigrants† (Ceresi 2012). Most players and fans of baseball have an undeniably appreciation for sports. Seeing that baseball is played on the amateur level, as well as the professional level, this sport can be enjoyed by most demographics. Baseball at times transcends both social and economic boundaries. However, being at the ballpark there seems to be social classes, as in real life, such as the wealthy fans sit in certain areas, while those with limited finances sits in less costly sections. It also imitates real life society in other ways, like those in the so-called ‘cheap’ seats seem to have more fun than those fans in the expensive seats. Even though most appreciate the sport, it seems to more of pleasure for those in the inexpensive seats, while those in the exclusive box seats treat as though it is an entitlement, instead of a privilege. On Thursday, July 26, 2012 I attended a professional minor league baseball game in San Bernardino, CA. This game pitted the San Bernardino 66er’s, a Los Angeles Angels minor league team, versus the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, a Los Angeles Dodgers minor league team. This is a small cozy stadium; however it has the same field dimensions as a major league stadium. I chose this venue because I believed it would show a more diverse sociological viewpoint, in a close and friendly setting. Being an intimate setting, fans are able to interact with other fans, as well as coaches and players. This setting allows for a fun, family friendly atmosphere and doesn’t have the pressures of major league parks. Although winning is the primary goal, this is a developmental league and victory is not paramount for success. Therefore, the ball club management makes the environment conducive for a positive, enjoyable experience. The fan base was made up of all ages, from infants to senior citizens. The gender make-up was probably 60% male and 40% female. The social economic status of the fan base ranged from lower income to middle class. Minor league baseball prides itself on being economical, with many price and food specials, such as $1. 00 hot dog night, $2. 00 admission night, Friday fireworks shows, etc. These prices are a major selling point to attract individuals that normally couldn’t afford to attend a major league baseball game; therefore minor league baseball is marketed to lower income fans. The ethnicity of this fan base was mostly white and Hispanic, with a few African Americans sprinkled in. The fans seem to be moderately educated, with few exceptions. Also, because baseball is a worldwide sport, there were many immigrants attending the game, primarily Mexican and Spanish Americans. Since most players are sent to particular minor league teams for development, many don’t meet the same demographics of the fan base. However, this team’s demographics were the same as the fan base, including White, Hispanic and African American players. The coaching staff was primarily white, with one African American. Since this is a single ‘A’ minor league club, many of these players haven’t signed major league contracts, therefore most of them are in the low income bracket, as with this particular fan base. Being a friendly and personable person, I was able to interact with various fans, however I noticed many fans sat with and interacted only with their own party or nationality. It is also evident that the season ticket holders and regular fans interact with each other by first name basis, regardless of their ethnicity. Most fans seem to be generally cheerful and interested in the game. Being a minor league park, the other marketing tactic is to have interaction with the fans, such as using mascots, cheerleaders, on-field games for the kids, etc. My final observations include that baseball has its own language and most regular fans are extremely knowledgeable of the lingo. Baseball, being historically a slow sport, allows the casual fan and regular fan to learn about the idiosyncrasies of the game by listening to coaches and other fans. Some little league coaches brought their players to educate them on the game. In most cases, most of the fans showed similar behavior, such as family and fan interacting, knowledge of the game and overall enjoyment of the entertainment offered. One thing that stood out was the older fans seem to be more into the actual game and not in the special attractions. However, my children, as well as most other children seem to be more interested in the sideshows and the food. Observing sports sociology at a baseball game, with methodology research in mind, was quite interesting. It allowed me to view the game from a different perspective, such as focusing on human behavior, in lieu of just watching the game. I thought watching a baseball game from a sociology aspect would be difficult, however I realized most people view things the same way, but don’t have a clinical definition supporting it. ‘People-watching’ is a basic human instinct, though watching a game with a clinical perspective makes it very interesting. â€Å"It is only since 1970 that sports sociology has gained significant attention as a serious area of study† (Brown 2012). It is presumed that professors did not consider how sports influenced the social order nor was it very significant or fundamental to sociology. According to Brown, â€Å"Sociology of sports poses critical and controversial issues. Because sports are considered a microcosm of society, the same social issues that exist in larger society also exist in sports†. Many of the same government policies and social persecutions demonstrated on minorities and women were also implemented in the society of sports. For example, women were not permitted to participate in many sports believed to be a manly sport, like baseball or car racing. Many minorities or certain religious groups were not allowed to compete in many professional sports and in many cases were not even permitted to observe the sport, except from an isolated viewing area. Once more, the concerns and arguments that sports sociology uncovers are the same concerns that are reflected in real life society. The sociology of sport has many similarities to real life, as evident in how sports affect one’s everyday life. As a result, it is imperative for a person to critically think about how we deal with life, as inspired by our sports influence. By doing that we can see how sports can enhance our real life social skills. Many people participate or watch sports to relieve stress, get exercise or just to have fun. Businesses at times develop sport teams to build camaraderie amongst their employees, allowing them to interact outside of the workplace. Sports can satisfy the human need for competition and human interaction. Sports are a microcosm of real life, having a hierarchy, such as players, coaches, referees and spectators. In real life we have employees, bosses, human relations and customers, for example. Consequently, people gravitate to sports for different reasons; however they get the same passionate effect. Sport fans and actual sport participants have similar ambitions, whether it is winning games, winning as a team or rooting for your team to victory. Sport sociology encompasses a true spectrum of goals and inspiration, just as real life. Keeping true to one’s sociological views and embracing other’s views can definitely allow a person to see life through a basic viewpoint, as well as a broad sociological viewpoint. Sports have a place in everyone’s ife, whether it’s physical sport or mental sport, such as board games, playing cards or playing mental games with one’s significant other. Competition builds character; Competition is â€Å"the act of competing, as for profit or a prize. † (D’Angelo 2006) It is a test of skill or ability between players with the prize of some kind being victory, where one can only be achieved by out-c ompeting your competition. These sports concepts transcend to business, family, friendship, etc. Again, sports is a microcosm of real life, therefore it intertwines society’s real life sociology and sport’s sociology. In conclusion, sports have played an important part of my life, as both a participant and just having fan. Having a love for sports has allowed me to interact with people of all races and genders. Networking with individuals, while playing sports, even at the amateur level, offers venues for business opportunities, meeting new friends and cultivating existing personal relationships. Given the opportunity everyone should engage in some type of competition, as it stimulates the mind and body.

Approach in Teaching Standard English to Native Speakers

English is used by many people all around the world. Different people use it for different purposes in different settings. The English in the modern times is not considered as a unified and single language because of many factors, one of which is the diverse society that has contributed to the development of the English language. Linguist had developed a number of specialized terms to label the different ways people nowadays use English. The first one is due to the regional variations of the people. People in different regions like the US, Canada, London, Ireland, Australia, India or Asia have different ways in using the English language. These regional variations in different areas differ very much in speaking the English language either on its pronunciation, vocabulary or grammar. (Byrd, 1999)The second is the existing sub-regions within this area. The US has many sub-regions existing; also in England there are considerably many groupings to be considered. The third factor is that all English are different, but all of them are considered and share the common core, the English language. The fourth factor entails that in addition to the regional variations of English, English has sub-groups of speakers which are alike either in education or social status.(Byrd, 1999) There are features of pronunciation and grammar that are used to link people together belonging to a social group and as part of their social identity as members of the group.The fifth factors entails that English can be categorized into subsets belonging to a certain type of communication, say the English language used by engineers, mathematicians, or a group of college students.   The sixth factor attributes the variation on how English is written or spoken. This particular factor is quite complex but the general idea is that there are differences attributed from example, a written research paper compare to a research presentation done in public. This area of topic is essential for English teac hers of ESL/EFL for them to be able to sort which type of English to teach, and how they can effectively teach the type of English to use in a communication setting appropriate with the situation and conditions. Finally, linguist often times discuss the varieties of English based on â€Å"style†. Style is often divided into loose sub-groups which label things such as â€Å"formal†, â€Å"neutral†, and â€Å"informal†. (Byrd, 1999)STANDARD AND NON-STANDARD ENGLISHIn the discussion of Standard English, the topic that greatly affects this discussion concerns with the use of terms and differentiation between standard and non-standard English. Both of these terms must be defined clearly before discussing the right approach in teaching Standard English to native English speaking students. Biber et al. (1988) suggest that â€Å"vernacular† should be used to define the Standard English rather than the tern â€Å"non-standard† because it somehow impl ies a negative connotation to it.For professional teachers of English, they should be very careful with labeling and defining the sub-categories on English. English teachers are faced with issues such as first, with regards to the term â€Å"standard† which is a label in accordance with the people who are dominating a population and are likely to label the term to something that implies to having a prescription to use something that is labeled as â€Å"standard†.The term standard does not imply it being a â€Å"better† or â€Å"best† form of English, it just is a term governed by the rational process of standardization. Second, terms which describe the variety of English with â€Å"un-† or in this case, â€Å"uneducated† should be eliminated because of the negative connotations it brings. Third, there exists the realization that a system is present in contrasting between standard and no-standard. This system gives little help in specifying t he many sub groups of English speaking people based on the vocabulary, grammar or pronunciation. Fourth, it must be understood that any individual must speak more than one version of English because in a diverse society, the skill is needed and can be used appropriately in everyday communication settings.APPROACH IN TEACHING STANDARD ENGLISHIn today’s academic curriculum, specifically in grammar, the debate is not really about grammar, but rather language. Standard American English should be taught to students for them to grasp the essential style in communicating the English language. Katz and Stevens (1997) proposes that there should be a curriculum which is based on the model of foreign-language immersion programs that aims to teach students with Standard English to teach them the value and understanding of English whether it may be in writing, speaking, reading or understanding.The authors attributed their proposal based on the observation that the traditional curricula i n most schools through the traditional method has not been effective in reaching the student’s reading, writing, speaking, listening and grammar skills. Hatwell (1985) study suggests that even with the study on formal grammar rules; the knowledge acquired by students is not translated into practice. Also explained by Brosnahan and Neuieb (1995) mentions that one of the primary reasons why students are unable to transfer their knowledge into action is because teachers are not teaching the right method.The authors suggest that the best way is to create an environment in which students are comfortable in studying the complexities of grammar. After their study, Brosnahan and Neulied conclude that teachers are likely to effectively teach the medium if they themselves like the topic and this in turn motivates their students to learn. This is called the enthusiastic instruction approach in grammar. Unfortunately, the study does not reflect the improvement on the student’s gen eral facility with Standard English.According to Weaver (1979), the isolated grammar instruction could even hinder the language development, this situation because of the idea that the situation entails student’s isolation among their peers. Rather than practicing the formal ideas in the isolation instruction program, students are deprived of the time to either read, write and converse among their peers which could significantly help them in understanding Standard English.Krashen (1985) concluded in his study that the most efficient way to acquire a second language is through immersion. Standard English, in other areas in of the world are considered as their second language because basically, they do not use the language in everyday settings and situations. The immersion approach will allow students to learn Standard English in a situation and environment where they can interact with their peers, and use the language in the direct communication process of the program.Only aft er which student learns the faculty of the second language do they learn about the language itself, and this in the end will refine their usage and style. Immersion program will succeed as a method for teaching Standard English to native English speakers because it initiates the process by which children acquires their first language. This is accredited to the fact that children learn language holistically, first, through the immersion at home, and this leads to their understanding and communication ideas about their surroundings and with other people.Through immersion, children are stimulated continuously through their first language. To affectively teach this approach, it should encompass areas in speaking, writing, listening, and reading activities. Also, different activities should constantly be referring to this method for it to be effectively to be proven in a normal classroom setting. The school administrators should also take their role in being committed with this kind of a pproach; they should be the one to facilitate a cross-curricular immersion environment that explicitly uses the Standard English to emphasize its subjects.Teachers of the immersion curriculum should also work in teams to allow the continuum process of learning for both students and teachers. This will entail a positive direction that will keep students motivated and will provide an environment where cooperation is included in every class. It must be noted though that the Immersion approach will not benefit all students, only those students in an environment where Standard American English is used poses as the best environment to which the approach can be adapted.CONCLUSIONThe traditional instruction of English is seen as ineffective and the need for a language curriculum that adapts to the developing needs of the students to become linguistically competitive is realized. Current grammar instruction and traditional methods had failed to deliver the appropriate language and communicat ing skills to the students. This is the problem that the Immersion program wishes to solve. Standard English, considered as a second language, enables students to effectively communicate with other people that comprise the diverse society we live in today. This will help them become competent and confident later on in their lives. Discreet lessons concerning prescriptive grammar is not evidently shown in the student’s language composition or their oral communicating skill, thus, the Immersion program aims to bring literacy, composition and communication together for students to master the essential concepts of Standard American English.References:BIBER, D., ET AL. (1988) Variation Across Speech and Writing, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.BROSNAHAN, I. A. N., J. (1995) Teaching Grammar Affectively: Learning to Like Grammar   Porthsmouth, N.Y, Boyton/Cook.BYRD, P. (1999) Standard & Non-Standard English :The Dangers of Ill-defined Concepts.HARTWELL, P. (1985) Grammar, G rammars, and the Teaching of Grammar. College English, 47, 105-127.KRASHEN, S. (1985) Inquiries and Insights: Second Language Teaching, immersion, and Bilingual Education, Hayward, CA, Almany Press.STEVENS, K. A. (1997) Standard English Immersion for Native Speakers  Ã‚   PIPA.WEAVER, C. (1979) Grammar for Teachers, Urbana, IL, NCTE.

Strategic Plan Of Amazon Research Paper Example

Strategic Plan Of Amazon Research Paper Example Strategic Plan Of Amazon Paper Strategic Plan Of Amazon Paper Amazon operates In two segments: North America and International. The Company provides its customers with the possible lowest prices by using different pricing strategies ND low shipping prices, and more offers through the Amazon prime membership. Amazon offers certain programs that enable certified sellers to sell their products on its websites and to fulfill orders, and takes such responsibility by providing customer service through email, telephone all the times. Strategic Plan Strategic planning plays vital role for business based organizations to be a market leader in the segment and to deliver successful management values to the employees of the organization and consumers of the business. Amazon s the best strategic player in technology and it did not rise to the top on the list by inventing a new product like Apple, Google, Microsoft but it did rise due its strong strategic depth. Amazon Strategic planning involves a set of procedures, policies, and framework and of course content. Beyond these basic elements, Amazon is very good at its strategic planning by anticipating future and managing its supply chain. Amazon does the best by having a formal and integrated plan in place and the process of building the plan itself turns out to be more important than the actual results. Mission and Vision It is very important to have a vision and mission to be successful for a person or an organization; In fact, the vision and mission statements are the key foundational pieces of planning as the mission statement clearly explains why the Company is into business and whats the purpose of organization is. Mission statements are based upon the following information about the Company Products and services to be offered in the market Ta regret market Differing from competing other business organizations Focusing on short term and long term business goals The purpose of vision statement and mission statements is not the same. Vision statements are different in a way that these statements are built to show where the company is being headed to (Dooms, 2013). Vision statements works as a guidelines for an organization to achieve long-term business goals. It is important to have a vision statement if the strategic planning process built takes the company towards an end goal. Amazon has had a clear focus and a solitary mission since the day it is launched. Founder Jeff Bozos has publicly referred to the Companys mission statement s the guiding force for its successful leadership decision many times in the companys history (Barbara Farman 2012). Amazon Company always has its endless commitment to the mission that is one of the major factor lead the company as a market leader. The mission and vision of Amazon. Mom Our vision is to be earths most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online. Objective Amazon company main objectives are Pricing objective is to earn customer and consumer trust, not to optimize horn-term profit in dollars (Andrea James, 2009) Become the best place to buy, find and discover any product or service available online Goal The Company s ultimate goal is the customer satisfaction along with efficient corporate growth. As Amazon. Mom considers itself a customer centric company, it is obsessed with customer values. The Company not only had the goal of customer satisfaction but also it was and it has to be innovative in many ways to achieve its business expansion. Strategies and Measures Amazon with no doubt will continue to enhance its business, spread ever its brand, expand the customer base and e-commerce expertise with the goal of one stop destination to purchase any type of product in North America and around the world. Few business strategies of the Amazon . Mom are listed below Availability and Fulfillment: Even though it is difficult to deliver the products in within 24 hours Amazon still had some products which can be delivered in a day, and most of the other products takes two to 6 business days according to the consumer choice. Amazon uses e-mail to notify customers with order status under various conditio ns. One lick purchase: The Company offers its customers with a streamlined ordering process using this one click technology, which enables a customer to place an order with just one click. Secure Credit Card Payment: The Company utilizes secure server software for secure card transactions by encrypting all the sensitive information. Browsing and Searching: The Companys websites allows users to search a product with ease and find a product without any difficulty. Review and Content: The Company stores various forms of content just to enhance the customers shopping experience and motivate purchases. Industrial Analysis As the Companys main business is to sell various products and services to the customers and with e-retailing in 2002, the predicted effects were more towards the costs of distribution and changes in shopping preferences and habits, than on the ability to search and purchase online. The products and services Markets, distribution channel and customer behavior Economics of production, distribution or servicing An industrial analysis is more important for an organization as it is quite beneficial for managers to understand the competitive forces acting on and teen the organizations in the same domain (Johnson et al. 2006, app). SOOT Analysis Each and every Organization has its own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as well. SOOT analyses have been listed below for Amazon . Com. Strengths Diversification of products and services Technology and skilled personnel Strategic planning and its depth Supply Chain and logistics management Customer-centric driven and its focus on research and development Weakness Not having a physical location Low profit based Less cash flow Opportunities Growth of online shopping in most populated countries like China, India Expansion through qua sections Growth in digital media market Social networking The rats Supply Chain Failure due to weather calamities Patent infringement Dependency on vendors Natural or human disasters.

Chinese film review essays

Chinese film review essays The most exciting event in contemporary Chinese cinema was the emergence of the Fifth Generation filmmakers in the early 1980s. These young filmmakers, who graduated from Beijing Film Academy when it reopened after the Cultural Revolution, were given the opportunity to make films at minor studios in the interiors of China. They immediately set themselves the task of modernizing Chinese cinema. Reinforced by a number of middle-aged filmmakers, they helped create what is now generally known as the Chinese new Wave, a cinema noted for its artistic inventiveness, its reappropriation of the rich culture heritage of the nation and eagerness to deal with social issues (www.usc.edu/isd/archives/asianfilm/china/newcinema.html). It is not my purpose here to offer a comprehensive review of the Fifth generation and the role they have played in shaping the course of Chinese cinema. The following notes constitute an attempt to understand them and to identify historical perspectives as well as cult ural perspective through a formal feature of the films e.g. thematic concerns, techniques, symbols, and the characters in the film. Among Chinese cinemas, there are The Family, Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou, and Yellow earth that can be good examples. I shall therefore examine four movies which are The Family, Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou, and Yellow earth respectively through all aspects as stated. The Family is considered as a classic work which is well-illustrated about the conflict between the old generation and the young generation in the family. Moreover, this film is associated with the May Fourth Movement which can be understood to encompass the year between 1917 and 1921 (www.orpheus.ucsd.edu). The novel which it was based on was written by an active participant of the movement. For the first illustration, movie depicts patriarchal-structured family. The head of the family is an old man named master Kao, he holds tightly...

Grammar Myths Split Infinitives and More!

Grammar Myths Split Infinitives and More! Grammar Myths: Split Infinitives and More! As proofreaders, we’re obviously keen on good spelling and grammar. However, since we like to get invited to parties sometimes, we try to avoid being too pedantic when possible. Not all pedants are quite so chilled out, though, so you might want to keep an ear out for these grammar myths so that you can correct any overeager correctors you meet! Myth #1: Never Split an Infinitive The â€Å"infinitive† is a verb form where a verb is combined with â€Å"to,† such as â€Å"to run† or â€Å"to jump.† It’s also the subject of one of the most common grammar myths around: â€Å"Never split an infinitive.† The most famous example of a split infinitive comes from Star Trek, wherein various crews of the USS Enterprise are charged with a mission â€Å"to boldly go where no one has gone before.† The Enterprise looks much smaller there than we remember. Here, the adverb â€Å"boldly† appears in the middle of the infinitive â€Å"to go.† As such, some people insist that it’s grammatically incorrect and should be â€Å"to go boldly where no one has gone before.† This â€Å"rule† was popularized by Henry Alford in 1864, based on the idea that splitting infinitives was â€Å"flying in the face of common usage.† But many writers have split infinitives throughout the history of modern English. And sometimes placing an adverb between â€Å"to† and a verb is a good way of ensuring clarity, since it removes ambiguity about the word being modified. Kirk, Spock and friends can thus â€Å"go boldly† without worrying too much about their grammar. Myth #2: Don’t Start a Sentence with a Conjunction Another common grammar myth is that you should never start a sentence with a conjunction, especially coordinating conjunctions (e.g., â€Å"and,† â€Å"or† or â€Å"but†). In fact, these terms can be used to start sentences if required. The myth may have origins in teachers noticing schoolchildren overusing conjunctions like â€Å"and,† such as in the following: We went on holiday to Brazil. And mom went swimming in the sea. And dad got sunburn. And a monkey stole my lunch†¦ Cheeky monkey! When kids write like this, they might be told not to start sentences with conjunctions. However, while starting every sentence with â€Å"and† is clearly a bad idea, in some situations beginning a statement with a conjunction is fine, like presenting something as an afterthought: I need to buy milk. And cheese. But not bread. Starting a statement with a conjunction can also help to transition between sentences or enhance the flow of prose. It isn’t always correct, especially when you’re left with a sentence fragment in formal writing, but you can usually tell if a conjunction has been misused. Annoyingly, this myth persists despite a consensus among grammarians and writers that it’s nonsense. And as we’ve done it several time in this blogpost, including at the start of this sentence, you can probably guess that we agree with the majority here.

Homeland Security Exercise Program Research Paper

Homeland Security Exercise Program - Research Paper Example They provide infrastructure security and analysis of the information. This consists of identifying and assessing both current and future threats to our homeland, 4. Homeland Security also focuses on prevention of terrorists, detection, and being prepared to respond, protect, and recover from any activity. This work is not only at a Federal level but also at the State and Local levels of government. While Homeland Security is most often thought of as a government responsibility it is also the responsibility of the private sector to work with Federal, State, and local government agencies, owner/operators of business, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, nongovernmental organizations and other infrastructure stakeholders such as trade associations. The Federal government controls the guidelines and policies that affect the planning, development, design, implementation, exercise and evaluation of an emergency readiness program, However, its up to each state to assess its own n eeds and develop an exercise and evaluation program. ... o gives financial and direct support designed to assist the state and local governments with design and implementation of a state level program to evaluate and enhance its domestic preparedness. Exercises are used for training, practice prevention, dealing with vulnerability reduction, response time, and the recovery capabilities in a risk free setting. They are also used to evaluate and improve performance. Exercises are also a way to show community awareness in preparing for disastrous events. The State Homeland Security Strategy development process begins with the evaluation phase. This is when the states and local governments implement their own vulnerability, risk and needs evaluations. The knowledge that they gain during this evaluation period allows the development of plans and procedures. The plans and procedures are developed further into planning for equipment, training and exercise requirements. The results of this analysis are used to form the State Homeland Security Stra tegy. Strategy requires that the states conduct a vulnerability, risk and needs assessment. These assessments are formed at the state and local levels using what strategy the states adopt. There are also guidelines that they must follow in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in development of State Homeland Security Strategies in responding to, for example, a terrorism incident. The evaluation is prepared by the State’s planning team. The evaluation stipulates the goals for emphasizing prevention, response and recovery capabilities. It also gives specific objectives and steps for carrying out the planning, training, equipment and resources necessary to reach the goals. These guidelines also include an agricultural

The Role of Training in Employee Performance Improvement Essay

The Role of Training in Employee Performance Improvement - Essay Example Some were focused on the developmental aspect of learning while other theorists suggest learning in the behavioural context. In the constructivist view of learning, there are two important developments beyond the notion of an 'accumulation'. First, there is a flexibility in cognitive structure that allows change but without the influence of a third party to facilitate learning. Second, new materials are digested through the assimilation and selection processes.of learning (Moon 2004, p.17). Pavlovian conditioning theory asserts that learning is achieved if appropriate stimulus is given. Piaget has made major contributions to our understandings of the learning process, in particular through his emphasis on human beings as "active meaning-makers rather than passive 'recipients' of knowledge" (Moore 2000,p.30). Bloom presented the three domains of learning as cognitive (intellectual capability), affective (emotions) and psychomotor (skills). Bloom espoused the importance of progressive learning. As the student progresses and completes a level, the next level also increases in the degree of difficulty (Chapman 2005). Recent developments in learning techniques are introduced in the attempt to bridge the gap between theory and practice. But these are not new theories as explained by Moon (2004). For Dewey (1933), reflection is thinking about the self, his function as an individual. Reflective qualities focused on the strengths and weakness "typifies the holistic aspirations behind Personal Development Programmes. Kolb's (1984) "cycle of experiential learning" is a familiar concept. (Reflection n.d.) Elements of Effective Training and Development Programs Noe and Colquitte (2002) have four criteria so training and development programs are considered effective. The trainees must: a) be ready to learn; b) be motivated; c) learn the content of the training program; and d) transfer their training when back on the job. When organizations implement training and development programs, they must inform their employees about the purpose of the program and how it will help them perform their jobs better. The organization must also make it clear to the employees that the training program is meant to improve performance and not nitpick areas where they are deficient. The company can use technology like web-based applications to facilitate training so that it gives participants some degrees of freedom and flexibility. Finally, some testimonial from previous participants will encourage employees to join the training sessions. Determining Employee Training Readiness To determine training readiness of employees, the Human Resource Department will conduct an organizational meeting where parties involved are invited to participate in the discussion. Representative from various departments of the organization can aid in the discussion and analysis of the learning goals and processes. Important inputs must be gleaned about various operational procedures. Participants must maintain a broad perspective on the activity and avoid presumptions that would otherwise contaminate the results (Freeman 1993,

Impact o Mergers and Acquisitions on Financial Performance Essay

Impact o Mergers and Acquisitions on Financial Performance - Essay Example The context of this study represents understanding mergers and acquisitions, and their impact upon financial performance. The preceding statement carries a broad number of facets that need to be considered and equated in delving into such an inquiry. Mergers and acquisitions represent the decision of one and or both companies whereby combining their operations, merger, represents an arrangement that will enhance shareholder value through the synergies of operation that will occur (Mullins, 2003). In general, mergers occur through the pooling of the company's stock, which is derived at via a ratio that is specified through stock price, market capitalization and other measures, with the formation of a new company, usually representing the name of one or both of the two entities involved (Mullins, 2003). An acquisition differs from a merger in that it represents the takeover of one company of another that can be termed as being either friendly, or hostile (investopedia, 2008). In equating the word acquisition, one also needs to be cognizant of how the takeover is phrased by the companies in question. Not all so called acquisitions are acquisitions, but in fact mergers if both companies agreed to the terms and are cooperating in the analysis of benefits for shareholders as well as the futures of the firms, then in effect, this type of acquisition is in reality a merger, interchangeable words, depending upon circumstances and conditions (diffen.com, 2007). When the targeted company is not seeking or does not want to be acquired, then these are always termed as being acquisitions, many of which are called hostile (diffen.com, 2007). 2.0 The Rationales Behind Mergers and Acquisitions In order to equate the impact upon financial performance as represented by mergers and acquisitions, the rationales and decisions behind these activities will aid in providing insight as to the purpose(s) of management in seeking this course of action. Canals (1997, p. 1) helps to provide

Chivalry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chivalry - Research Paper Example e point of view of benevolent sexism, women may be seen as loveable, delightful pure beings that have to be looked after or cared for and whose affection is needed to fulfill a man’s life. Certain women may even embrace this idea of ‘protection’ as valuing instead of controlling (Viki, Abrams, & Hutchison, 2003). This essay discusses how benevolent sexism and hostile sexism work together to maintain and reinforce existing gender status quo. Benevolent sexism—even though similarly limiting to women as hostile sexism—works to appease women’s opposition to deeply embedded gender inequality due to its appealing principle. By portraying women in a positive way and guaranteeing benefits to women who are capable of associating themselves with a strong, influential, powerful male defender, benevolent sexism melts down women’s opposition into patriarchy. Women who rely on men for their security, happiness, and comfort are less able to question or defy men’s authority or to seek their own individuality and freedom. Generally, women who embrace and support long-established gender relations become romantic objects, mothers, and wives. As a consequence, they experience benevolent sexism outlooks, behavior, and treatment. On the contrary, women who are seen as defying or robbing men’s control become objects of hostile sexism (Viki et al., 2003). Although dividing women’s images into separate female categories, hostile and benevolent sexism integrate reward and punishment mechanisms and could work in balancing ways to sustain and perpetuate gender inequality. Classifying women into categories also directly results in seclusion among females, making them more fragile and divided rather than strong and unified (Viki et al., 2005). Glick and Fiske (2001) stated that benevolent and hostile sexism are an â€Å"interlocking set of beliefs that reflects a system of rewards (benevolent sexism) and punishment (hostile sexism)† (as cited in Becker & Wright, 2011, 63)

Starbucks in India Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Starbucks in India - Coursework Example India is said to have big land and therefore it is not a surprise that its major products are from the agricultural sector. Most of its exports are agricultural with the textile and leather industries the leading ones. In fact, the agricultural sector in India is said to contribute about 25% of the country’s GDP. Textile industry employs a lot of people both directly and indirectly. The other major industry in India is the chemical industry which is known to be among the oldest industries in India. The industry is known to produce about 70 000 commercial products. Food industry is also a common one in India. Starbucks is a company that deals with agricultural products it has a high probability of succeeding in India. It will add to the agricultural sector and this could have influenced it (Paunikar, 2004). Indian economy has grown significantly over the last one decade. The economy is actually showing promising trends that are attracting more and more investors to India. The economy of India has developed courtesy of agriculture and the decision of the state to eliminate socialism as well as the centralized bureaucracies which were high ineffective. Liberalization was a key factor to the growth of Indian economy since it opened the way for foreign investors and this is a factor that could have influenced Starbucks (Paunikar, 2004). India has improved in terms of infrastructure. The roads have opened to the rural areas and it is easy for farmers to transport their agricultural goods to the markets. Mumbai and New Delhi are two towns that have an efficient railway system that can also be used for transportation purposes (Paunikar, 2004). The accessibility of these towns might be one of the factors that Starbucks considered before opening operations there. Starbucks is planning to continue expanding its presence in India and Asia in general. By the end this

Law and Social Movements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Law and Social Movements - Essay Example Referred to as the Christian Right, they were the key to the Republican victories in 2004. They fueled the Republican control of the House, Senate, and Oval Office. Yet, they have still failed to control the destiny of their agenda of moving the Intelligent Design theory closer to the classroom. The movement has been unable to form crucial coalitions and enlist other groups to further their cause. With the exception of isolated activism at a local level, the movement has stalled in their efforts to spotlight Intelligent Design. Even the isolated, local court activity is waning. The stunning case of Kitzmiller vs. Dover in Dover, PA. has garnered the nation's attention. Because of the blatant Christian agenda, and the school board's past support for creationism, the district is in jeopardy of losing the case and acquiring a 1 million-dollar legal expense bill. (Goodstein, 2005) This will only serve to chill efforts by other school boards already strapped for much needed funds. Adding to the difficulty of the movement is the perception of the public at large. As people view the movement as a fundamental extension of Christianity, the movement does not portray other, more acceptable, aspects of the group. The values that one would anticipate the group to herald are not expressed in terms of social programs or pacification of defense policies. The movement has instead made a decision to live or die on the issue of Intelligent Design.In a technological world where the importance of education and the value of science is put to the forefront, Intelligent Design reaches another hurdle. Though the movement has packaged the theory as science, the public is still acutely aware of its theo-centric implications. Phillip Johnson, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and major supporter of Intelligent Design stated in a 2003 radio interview, "Our strategy has been to change the subject a bit, so that we can get the issue of intelligent design, which really means the reality of God, before the academic world and into the schools." (as cited in Nickson, 2004). In their effort to mandate the teaching of Intelligent Design, they have alienated the groups they need the most support from, educators and scientists. This miscalculation has left the movement with a weakened political apparatus and limited resources to turn to for support.The movement has failed in its efforts to be embraced by the scientific community even though they have a history and awareness of the importance of the requirements necessary to be accepted into the realm of science. Even so, they have lacked the will to make a major push on that front. Its critics contend that no scientific research has been published and no articles have been presented that meet peer review. They further charge that the theory does not meet the Daubert Standard set forth by the Supreme Court in 1993 as a standard for scientific evidence. (Wikipedia, 2005) The move to get Intelligent Design accepted by science without the credentials required has further polarized the opposing parties. Crippled with a stagnated and polarized political arm, the movement has turned to the courts. In various heartland arenas, local and state school boards have taken the issue to the courts for resolution. This may be one more expenditure of political capital and goodwill that they can ill-afford to squander. Courts can settle

Starbucks in India Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Starbucks in India - Coursework Example India is said to have big land and therefore it is not a surprise that its major products are from the agricultural sector. Most of its exports are agricultural with the textile and leather industries the leading ones. In fact, the agricultural sector in India is said to contribute about 25% of the country’s GDP. Textile industry employs a lot of people both directly and indirectly. The other major industry in India is the chemical industry which is known to be among the oldest industries in India. The industry is known to produce about 70 000 commercial products. Food industry is also a common one in India. Starbucks is a company that deals with agricultural products it has a high probability of succeeding in India. It will add to the agricultural sector and this could have influenced it (Paunikar, 2004). Indian economy has grown significantly over the last one decade. The economy is actually showing promising trends that are attracting more and more investors to India. The economy of India has developed courtesy of agriculture and the decision of the state to eliminate socialism as well as the centralized bureaucracies which were high ineffective. Liberalization was a key factor to the growth of Indian economy since it opened the way for foreign investors and this is a factor that could have influenced Starbucks (Paunikar, 2004). India has improved in terms of infrastructure. The roads have opened to the rural areas and it is easy for farmers to transport their agricultural goods to the markets. Mumbai and New Delhi are two towns that have an efficient railway system that can also be used for transportation purposes (Paunikar, 2004). The accessibility of these towns might be one of the factors that Starbucks considered before opening operations there. Starbucks is planning to continue expanding its presence in India and Asia in general. By the end this

Technology Evaluation and Recommendation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Technology Evaluation and Recommendation - Essay Example Threats on their part can take up multiple flavors ranging from sabotage, deliberate espionage, leakage, or information extortion. As is evident with the virility of information technology as the contemporary means of capturing and storing information, it is important that access control systems should exist to protect information and information technology systems. Access control is one of the most sensitive aspects when it comes to computer and computer systems’ security. Access control refers to any mechanism that controls or provides a form of verification to guarantee information’s protection from inappropriate access or unauthorized use. Collectively, access control methods serve two purposes; controlling modification, and controlling the disclosure of information from threats. In computer security, a threat is any agent that may breach the confidentiality or interfere with the integrity of information or information systems. Threats on their part can take up multiple flavors ranging from sabotage, deliberate espionage, leakage, or information extortion. As is evident with the virility of information technology as the contemporary means of capturing and storing information, it is important that access control systems should exist to protect information and information technology systems. Social engineering occurs when a user is manipulated to trick a person into weakening a component of the system itself. One of the biggest dilemmas with social engineering is the fact that a hacker can obtain critical information via personnel relationships. This can be chaotic and cause many in adverse issues. Another method that plagues the dilemma of social engineering is pretexting. Pretexting occurs when a hacker calls an IT personnel for instance and give scenarios that will allow a hacker to have a perception for hacking. Another risk that seems to be prevalent in user domain accounts that correlated with human mistakes is the fact that it

Family Practices Essay Example for Free

Family Practices Essay Parents have the big responsibility of rearing their children in the best way they can. They have a lot of investment towards their children to bring them up in the most righteous way. Parents impart knowledge, values and even some of their known practices which they grew up with. There are so many common practices imparted to us by our parents. These practices revolve maybe on simple things such as eating together during dinner and saying a prayer before we sleep. Our family believes in the power of herbal medicine that would be able to heal our illnesses. Herbal medicines are kind of medicines that come from plants (Bupa’s Health Information Team, 2007). An herb is a plant that is commonly used because of its flavor, scent and medicinal properties. Many of these herbs are processed and are available in the market is various forms such as tablets, capsules, teas, etc. but there are still some herbal medicine that may cause threat is people’s health. Some may cause health problems and some may not interact well with other drugs (â€Å"Herbal Medicine†, 2009). The Western hemisphere has long abandoned the used of the herbal medicines due to the advancement of technology and healthcare that is able to provide a single medicine that will cure illnesses. Many people, professional and lay individuals, do not know that plants may be able to provide useful health benefits. The benefits of the plants are in the form of alternative and complementary medicines and many people consider it as irrelevant part of folk times (Ernst, 2000). This nontraditional health practice has been passed on my family through generations. Not only able to preserve our family solidarity but our health as well. References Bupa’s Health Information Team. (2007, August). Herbal Medicine. Bupa. Retrieved January 20, 2009 from http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/herbal_medicine.html. Ernst, E. (2000). Herbal Medicine: A Concise Overview for Professionals. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Herbal Medicine. (2009, January 13). Medline Plus. Retrieved January 20, 2009 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herbalmedicine.html.

America Needs Nuclear Power Essay -- Argumentative Essays, Persuasive

Nuclear power plants are a safe, clean and reliable source of energy production. They are uniquely qualified to meet the growing demand for energy in the USA. It is estimated that the demand for power will grow two and a half percent per year. Even if the demand for energy didn’t increase in the future but stayed where it is nuclear would still be the best choice for power production. Nuclear costs less and is environmentally cleaner than coal, which currently supplies approximately fifty percent of the power in the U.S. (Loewen 53). In addition nuclear has an exemplary safety record. The group of people who oppose nuclear and promote renewable power sources, hereafter termed environmentalists, do so for very sound reasons. However, they fail to realize that renewables, wind and solar power, cannot supply the base-load electricity needed for the power grid. They also don’t realize that of the five power sources that can supply base-load electricity, coal, oil, hydroelectric dams, nuclear and natural gas, nuclear outranks the others either in cost or environmental safety or both. To understand nuclear power we need to have a general understanding of how it is generated in most nuclear plants. This is a general description only and makes no claim to encompass all the different variations possible for the design of nuclear power plants. Nuclear energy is produced from the nuclear fission reaction of a heavy nucleus such as uranium absorbing a neutron after which it splits into two fragments of nearly equal mass. This releases a substantial amount of energy and several more neutrons. The neutrons are then able to strike other heavy nuclei and cause them to fission, releasing more energy. This process occurring continuously results in a chain reaction in which many billions of nuclei may fission in a small fraction of second. In a nuclear reactor the self-sustaining series of fissions is carefully controlled. The enormous amount of energy released occurs in the form of radiation and the kinetic energy of the fission products expelled at high speeds. Most of the energy becomes thermal and is used to heat water and convert it to high-pressure steam. The steam is then used to drive a turbine and the mechanical energy of the turbine is converted to electricity by means of a generator (Britannica). Environmentalists argue against nuclear power ... ...t problem of nuclear power and it is probably the most well-managed waste in the history of the United States. This essay is not attempting to present nuclear as the perfect answer to the increased demand for power. Nuclear is not perfect, however, of the options available it comes the closest. Works Cited Cohen, Bernard L., The Nuclear Energy Option: An Alternative for the 90s. New York: Plenum Press, 1990. Lake, James A., Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins. â€Å"Symposium: Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power.† Insight on the News† 27 August 2001: 40 – 45. Loewen, Eric P. â€Å"Nuclear Power Can Help Solve Energy Crisis.† National Defense August 2001: 52 – 55. â€Å"nuclear energy.† Encyclopedia Britannica. CD-ROM. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1997. Norsen, Travis. â€Å"The Enemies of Nuclear Power.† The Business Journal – Milwaukee 17 August 2001: 43 - 44 Oliver, Mike and John Hospers. â€Å"Alternative Fuels?† American Enterprise September 2001: 20 – 29. Wardell, Charles. â€Å"Nuclear Energy Comes Full Circle.† Popular Science August 2001: 38 – 42. Yelverton, Jerry. â€Å"Nuclear Engineering.† Vital Speeches of the Day 67 (2001) : 655 – 659.

The Good Earth :: essays research papers

The novel The Good Earth is a story of a man living in Chinese society around the time of the Chinese Revolution. Though the story is a work of fiction, some of the events in the story were actual events that the author, Pearl S. Buck, witnessed or experienced during her life while in China. The area of China that the story takes place in is based after the town Nanhsuchou where Buck lived for a period in her life. The main character in the story is Wang Lung, a hard working, but poor, farmer. At the age of marriage, and being of low class, Wang Lung, and his father decide that it is best that he marry a slave, who would be less expensive than other possibilities. Also, if it were to be a slave than it was less likely to being a pretty wife, and they did not want their woman to be pretty. To have a pretty wife would mean that she would have to be kept beautiful and pretty which was expensive, and they were not rich. Wang Lung needed a wife of low maintenance, who would be willing and able to help work the land. Also, a wife who was pretty would be more likely to be looked at and desired by other men and less likely to be a virgin still. The most important thing in Wang Lung’s life is his land. To him, the land is everything; his work, his food, his standing in society, his sustenance. It is, essentially, his life force. His understanding is that as long as he has land, he has enough, and to live without it would seem impossible. It is said that every seven or eight years the gods feel the need to punish the people, and they do so sometimes by flooding the precious land. This can be a life threatening occurrence depending on how long the flood stays. The floods take over all of the fields, killing most or even all of the crops. Without their crops to harvest, people starve, and many die. One of the first floods that takes place during the novel is not as bad as some. It kills much of the crops, but they are able to survive on what they have stored and what they are able to purchase. Many in the nearby village are not as lucky, and many starved to death.

Spirit Bound Chapter Fifteen

IN MY PANICKED MIND RIGHT then, getting up and running on foot to Lehigh–despite it being miles and miles away–seemed like a totally solid plan. A heartbeat later, I knew this was out of my league. Way, way out of my league. As I shot up from my table and tore out of the room, I felt a sudden longing for Alberta. I'd seen her jump into action at St. Vladimir's and knew she could take charge of any situation. At this point in our relationship, she would respond to any threat I brought to her. The guardians at Court were still strangers to me. Who could I go to? Hans? The guy who hated me? He wouldn't believe me, not like Alberta or my mother would. Running down the quiet hallways, I dismissed all such worries. It didn't matter. I would make him believe. I would find anyone I could. Anyone who could get Lissa and Christian out of this. Only you can, a voice hissed in my head. You're the one Dimitri wants. I ignored that thought too, largely because in my distraction, I collided into someone rounding a corner. I gave a muffled cry that sounded like â€Å"Oomph† as my face slammed into someone's chest. I looked up. Mikhail. I would have been relieved, except I was too pumped full of adrenaline and worry. I grabbed his sleeve and began tugging him toward the stairs. â€Å"Come on! We have to get help!† Mikhail remained were he was, not budging against my pull. He frowned, face calm. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Lissa! Lissa and Christian. They've been taken by Strigoi–by Dimitri. We can find them. I can find them. But we have to hurry.† Mikhail's confusion grew. â€Å"Rose†¦ how long have you been down here?† I didn't have time for this. Leaving him, I fled up the stairs to the main levels of the complex. A moment later I heard his footsteps behind me. When I reached the main office, I expected someone to chastise me for leaving my punishment, except†¦ no one seemed to even notice me. The office was in chaos. Guardians were running around, calls were being made, and voices rose to frantic levels. They knew, I realized. They already knew. â€Å"Hans!† I called, pushing my way through the crowd. He was on the other side of the room and had just hung up on a cell call. â€Å"Hans, I know where they are. Where the Strigoi took Lissa and Christian.† â€Å"Hathaway, I don't have time for your–† His scowl faltered. â€Å"You have that bond.† I stared in astonishment. I'd been ready for him to dismiss me as a nuisance. I'd been ready for a long fight to convince him. I gave him a hasty nod. â€Å"I saw it. I saw everything that happened.† Now I frowned. â€Å"How do you know already?† â€Å"Serena,† he said grimly. â€Å"Serena's dead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"No, not yet. Though she certainly sounded like it on the phone. Whatever happened, it took everything she had to make that call. We have Alchemists coming to get her, and†¦ clean up.† I replayed the events, remembering how Serena had been slammed against the asphalt. It had been a hard blow, and when she didn't move, I'd assumed the worst. Yet if she'd survived–and apparently she must have–I could just barely form a mental image of her dragging her cell phone out of her pocket with bloody hands†¦. Please, please let her be alive, I thought, not sure who I was praying to. â€Å"Come on,† said Hans. â€Å"We need you. There are teams already forming.† There was another surprise. I hadn't expected him to bring me on so quickly. A new respect for Hans settled over me. He might act like an asshole, but he was a leader. When he saw an asset, he used it. In one swift motion, he was hurrying out the door, several guardians following him. I struggled to keep up with their longer strides and saw Mikhail coming as well. â€Å"You're doing a rescue,† I told Hans. â€Å"That's†¦ rare.† I hesitated to even speak the words. I certainly didn't want to discourage this. But Moroi rescues weren't normal. When Strigoi took them, they were often regarded as dead. The rescue we'd done after the Academy attack had been an oddity, one that had taken a lot of persuasion. Hans gave me a wry look. â€Å"So is the Dragomir princess.† Lissa was precious to me, worth more than anything else in the world. And for the Moroi, I realized, she was precious too. Most Moroi captured by Strigoi might be regarded as dead, but she wasn't most Moroi. She was the last in her line, the last of one of twelve ancient families. Losing her wouldn't just be a hit to Moroi culture. It would be a sign, an omen that the Strigoi were truly defeating us. For her, the guardians would risk a rescue mission. In fact, it appeared they would risk a lot of things. As we arrived at the garages where the Court's vehicles were stored, I saw masses of other guardians arriving–along with Moroi. I recognized a few. Tasha Ozera was among them, and like her, the others were fire users. If we'd learned anything, it was how valuable they were in a fight. It appeared the controversy of Moroi going to battle was being ignored right now, and I was amazed at how quickly this group had been summoned. Tasha's eyes met mine, her face grave and drawn. She said nothing to me. She didn't need to. Hans was barking orders, splitting people into groups and vehicles. With every bit of self-control I could muster, I waited patiently near him. My restless nature made me want to jump in and start demanding to know what I could do. He would get to me, I assured myself. He had a role for me; I just had to wait. My self-control was also being tested with Lissa. After Dimitri had taken her and Christian away, I'd left her mind. I couldn't go back, not yet. I couldn't stand to see them–to see Dimitri. I knew I'd have to once I began directing the guardians, but for now, I held off. I knew Lissa was alive. That was all that mattered for the time being. Still, I was so wound up and filled with tension that when someone touched my arm, I nearly turned on them with my stake. â€Å"Adrian†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I breathed. â€Å"What are you doing here?† He stood there looking down at me, and his hand gently brushed my cheek. I had only ever seen such a serious, grim look on his face a couple of times. As usual, I didn't like it. Adrian was one of those people who should always be smiling. â€Å"As soon as I heard the news, I knew where you'd be.† I shook my head. â€Å"It happened like†¦ I don't know, ten minutes ago?† Time had blurred for me. â€Å"How could everyone know so soon?† â€Å"It was radioed across the Court as soon as they found out. They've got an instant alert system. In fact, the queen's kind of in lockdown.† â€Å"What? Why?† Somehow that annoyed me. Tatiana wasn't the one in danger. â€Å"Why waste resources on her?† A nearby guardian gave me a critical look over that. Adrian shrugged. â€Å"Strigoi attack relatively close by? They take it as a pretty serious security threat for us.† Relatively was the key word. Lehigh was about an hour and a half from Court. Guardians were always on alert, though with each passing second, I wished they'd move faster and be on alert. If Adrian hadn't shown up, I was pretty sure I would have lost my patience and told Hans to hurry. â€Å"It's Dimitri,† I said in a low voice. I hadn't been sure if I should tell anyone else that. â€Å"He's the one who took them. He's using them to lure me there.† Adrian's face grew darker. â€Å"Rose, you can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off, but I knew his meaning. â€Å"What choice do I have?† I exclaimed. â€Å"I have to go. She's my best friend, and I'm the only one who can lead them to her.† â€Å"It's a trap.† â€Å"I know. And he knows I know.† â€Å"What will you do?† Again, I knew exactly what Adrian meant. I glanced down at the stake I'd unconsciously pulled out earlier. â€Å"What I have to. I have to†¦ I have to kill him.† â€Å"Good,† said Adrian, relief flooding his features. â€Å"I'm glad.† For some reason, that irritated me. â€Å"God,† I snapped. â€Å"Are you that eager to get rid of any competition?† Adrian's face stayed serious. â€Å"No. I just know that as long as he's still alive–or, well, kind of alive–then you're in danger. And I can't stand that. I can't stand knowing that your life is in the balance. And it is, Rose. You'll never be safe until he's gone. I want you safe. I need you to be safe. I can't†¦ I can't have anything happen to you.† My flare of anger vanished as quickly as it had come. â€Å"Oh, Adrian, I'm sorry†¦.† I let him draw me into his arms. Resting my head against his chest, I felt his heartbeat and the softness of his shirt, I allowed myself a brief and fleeting moment of comfort. I just wanted to sink into him then and there. I didn't want to be consumed by these feelings of fear: fear for Lissa and fear of Dimitri. I went cold all over as a sudden realization slipped over me. No matter what happened, I would lose one of them tonight. If we rescued Lissa, Dimitri would die. If he survived, she would die. There was no happy ending for this story, nothing that could save my heart from being crushed into pieces. Adrian brushed my forehead with his lips and then leaned down toward my mouth. â€Å"Be careful, Rose. No matter what happens, please, please be careful. I can't lose you.† I didn't know what to say to that, how to respond to all that emotion pouring from him. My own mind and heart were flooded with so many mixed feelings that I could barely form a coherent thought. Instead, I drew my lips to his and kissed him. In the midst of all the death tonight–the death that already had happened and that which was still to come–that kiss seemed more powerful than any he and I had ever shared. It was alive. I was alive, and I wanted to stay that way. I wanted to bring Lissa back, and I wanted to return to Adrian's arms again, return to his lips and all this life†¦. â€Å"Hathaway! Good God, do I need to hose you down?† I broke abruptly from Adrian and saw Hans glaring at me. Most of the SUVs were loaded up. Now it was my turn to act. I gave Adrian a look of farewell, and he forced a small smile that I think was supposed to be brave. â€Å"Be careful,† he repeated. â€Å"Bring them back–and bring yourself back too.† I gave him a quick nod and then followed an impatient Hans into one of the SUVs. The most bizarre sense of deja vu settled over me as I slid into the backseat. This was so like the time Victor had kidnapped Lissa that I nearly froze up. Then, too, I had ridden in a similar black SUV, directing guardians toward Lissa's location. Only it had been Dimitri sitting beside me–the wonderful, brave Dimitri I'd known so long ago. Yet those memories were so etched into my mind and heart that I could picture every detail: the way he'd tucked his hair behind his ears, the fierce look in his brown eyes as he'd stepped on the gas to get us to Lissa faster. He'd been so determined, so ready to do what was right. This Dimitri–Dimitri the Strigoi–was also determined. But in a very different way. â€Å"You gonna be able to do this?† asked Hans from the front seat. A hand gently squeezed my arm, and I was startled to see Tasha beside me. I hadn't even noticed she was riding with us. â€Å"We're counting on you.† I nodded, wanting to be worthy of his respect. In best guardian fashion, I kept my emotions off my face, trying not to feel that conflict between the two Dimitris. Trying not to remember that the night we'd gone after Lissa and Victor had been the same night Dimitri and I had fallen prey to the lust charm†¦. â€Å"Head toward Lehigh,† I said in a cool voice. I was a guardian now. â€Å"I'll direct you when we get closer.† We'd only been on the road for about twenty minutes when I sensed Lissa's group coming to a halt. Dimitri had apparently chosen a hideout not too far from the university, which would make it easier for us to find than if they'd kept moving. Of course, I had to remind myself that Dimitri wanted to be found. Knowing that the guardians with me wouldn't need my directions until we were closer to Lehigh, I steeled myself and jumped into Lissa's head to see what was going on. Lissa and Christian hadn't been harmed or attacked, aside from being pushed and dragged around. They sat in what looked like a storage room–a storage room that hadn't been used in a very long time. Dust coated everything in a heavy layer, so much that it was hard to make out some of the objects piled on the rickety shelves. Some tools, maybe. Paper here and there, as well as the occasional box. A bare lightbulb was the only light in the room, giving everything a harsh and dingy feel. Lissa and Christian sat in straight-backed wooden chairs, their hands bound behind their backs with rope. For a moment, deja vu hit again. I remembered last winter when I too, along with my friends, had been bound to chairs and held captive by Strigoi. They'd drunk from Eddie, and Mason had died†¦. No. Don't think like that, Rose. Lissa and Christian are alive. Nothing's happened to them yet. Nothing will happen to them. Lissa's mind was on the here and now, but a little probing let me see what the overall building had looked like when she'd been brought in. It had seemed to be a warehouse–an old, abandoned one–which made it a nice place for the Strigoi to hole up with their prisoners. There were four Strigoi in the room, but as far as Lissa was concerned, only one really mattered. Dimitri. I understood her reaction. Seeing him as a Strigoi had been hard for me. Surreal, even. I'd adapted somewhat, simply because of all the time I'd spent with him. Still, even I was caught by surprise sometimes at seeing him like that. Lissa hadn't been prepared at all and was in total shock. Dimitri's dark brown hair was worn loose around his chin today, a look I'd always loved on him, and he was pacing rapidly, causing his duster to swirl around him. A lot of the time, his back was to Lissa and Christian, which made it that much more troubling for her. Without seeing his face, she could almost believe it was the Dimitri she'd always known. He was arguing with the other three as he walked back and forth across the small space, agitation radiating off him in an almost palpable wave. â€Å"If the guardians really are coming,† snarled one Strigoi, â€Å"then we should be posted outside.† She was a tall, gangly redhead who appeared to have been Moroi when turned. Her tone implied that she did not think guardians were actually coming, though. â€Å"They're coming,† said Dimitri in a low voice, that lovely accent making my heart ache. â€Å"I know they are.† â€Å"Then let me get out there and be useful!† she snapped. â€Å"You don't need us to babysit these two.† Her tone was dismissive. Scornful, even. It was understandable. Everyone in the vampire world knew Moroi didn't fight back, and Lissa and Christian were firmly bound. â€Å"You don't know them,† said Dimitri. â€Å"They're dangerous. I'm not even sure this is enough protection.† â€Å"That's ridiculous!† In one smooth motion, Dimitri turned and backhanded her. The hit knocked her back a few feet, her eyes widening in fury and shock. He resumed his pacing as though nothing had happened. â€Å"You will stay here, and you will guard them as long as I tell you to, do you understand?† She glared back and gingerly touched her face but said nothing. Dimitri glanced at the others. â€Å"And you'll stay too. If the guardians actually make it this far inside, you'll be needed for more than just guard duty.† â€Å"How do you know?† demanded another Strigoi, a black-haired one who might have been human once. A rarity among Strigoi. â€Å"How do you know they'll come?† Strigoi had amazing hearing, but with their bickering, Lissa had a brief opportunity to speak undetected to Christian. â€Å"Can you burn my ropes?† she murmured in a nearly inaudible voice. â€Å"Like with Rose?† Christian frowned. When he and I had been captured, it was what he'd done to free me. It had hurt like hell and left blisters on my hands and wrists. â€Å"They'll notice,† he breathed back. The conversation went no further because Dimitri came to an abrupt halt and turned toward Lissa. She gasped at the sudden and unexpected movement. Swiftly approaching her, he knelt down before her and peered into her eyes. She trembled in spite of her best efforts. She had never been this close to a Strigoi, and the fact that it was Dimitri was that much worse. The red rings around his pupils seemed to burn into her. His fangs looked poised to attack. His hand snaked out and gripped her neck, tilting her face up so he could get an even better look into her eyes. His fingers dug into her skin, not enough to cut off her air but enough that she would have bruises later. If there was a later. â€Å"I know the guardians will come because Rose is watching,† said Dimitri. â€Å"Aren't you, Rose?† Loosening his hold a little, he ran his fingertips over the skin of Lissa's throat, so gently†¦ yet there was no question he had the power to snap her neck. It was like he was looking into my eyes at the moment. My soul. I even felt like he was stroking my neck. I knew it was impossible. The bond existed between Lissa and me. No one else could see it. Yet, just then, it was like no one else existed but him and me. It was like there was no Lissa between us. â€Å"You're in there, Rose.† A pitiless half smile played over his mouth. â€Å"And you won't abandon either of them. You also aren't foolish enough to come alone, are you? Maybe once you would have–but not anymore.† I jerked out of her head, unable to stare into those eyes–and see them staring back at me. Whether it was my own fear or a mirroring of Lissa's, I discovered my body was also trembling. I forced it to stop and tried to slow my racing heart. Swallowing, I glanced around to see if anyone had noticed, but they were all preoccupied with discussing strategy–except for Tasha. Her cool blue gaze studied me, her face drawn with concern. â€Å"What did you see?† I shook my head, unable to look at her either. â€Å"A nightmare,† I murmured. â€Å"My worst nightmare coming true.†

Reflective Account of Increasing a Persons Observations

Reflective Account of Increasing a Persons Observations on an Acute Mental Health WardThis essay will discus a decision that was made on a local male acute ward. Using this example, an analysis of the decision making process has been made and a reflective model has been used in order to generate personal knowledge that will inform further practice (Rolfe, 2011a). A pseudonym of Tim has been used for the discussed patient to maintain confidentiality in accordance with the NMC code of conduct (2010a). Observation is one way in which mental health nurses can protect acutely mentally ill inpatients from harm and is commonly implemented for patients who impose a risk of harming themselves, others and for those who are vulnerable (Bowers et al, 2006). Tim, who was on a local male acute ward, posed a risk of harming himself and became very vulnerable during his stay. On admission he was perceived to be at low risk of harming himself and vulnerability, therefore was observed on the minimum level of observation, general observation, which includes all patients and involves an hourly eyesight check on the patient (DH, 1999; NICE, 2005). The decision to increase his observation level was jointly taken by the mentor and the author by gathering information from bank support workers about Tim's current presentation. After a noted deterioration in Tim's mental health, it was decided to increase observations to within eyesight of staff. Justification for this was that he was becoming a serious risk of harming himself as he threatened to jump from the ward roof, as he was determined to leave. Tim was detained under section 2 or the mental health act (DH, 2007). He felt that he needed to leave in order to find his son who he had recently lost contact with. He had been stopped attempting to climb a drain pipe to leave via the ward roof and had been in a very distressed state. Eyesight level of observation is seen as the second highest of four levels and demands intense nursing, only within arms length is higher (DH, 1999; Jones & Eales, 2009; NICE, 2005). Close observation is an example of decision making which is exclusive to mental health nursing. The Chief Nursing Officer described observation as a key area where good practice is essential and that nurses should ‘demonstrate an understanding of the benefits and limitations of the use of levels of observation to maximise the therapeutic effect on inpatient units’ (DH, 2006). Additionally NICE (2005) recommends the use of observation in the short-term management of disturbed/violent patients. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2010a) require nurses to be able to apply knowledge and an appropriate repertoire of skills that is indicative of safe and effective practice and based on the best available evidence. At the time of making the decision it seemed the right course of action. The mentor's final decision was taken for granted as he was an experienced nurse and a lack of personal experience meant that the author had limited personal experience to work with. Before undertaking this assignment it could not decided what could be done differently if faced with a similar situation on qualification. On qualification, such a decision will have to be well informed and made with confidence and one that has to be made in accordance with the NMC code of professional conduct (2010) which requires nurses to be accountable for their own actions and omissions in practice. By using the decision making tool below the advantage of hindsight can be used when analysing this decision to better inform future practice. Pritchard (2006) sees decision making as one of the most difficult processes that a nurse can undertake and one of the most important parts of nursing practice. Aitkin (2003) concludes that formal decision analysis can improve future decision making. The utilised decision making model, as described by Jasper (2003), asks the questions Who/What/When/Where/Why and How? These questions make a useful contribution to systematic, holistic, clinical judgement and enable evaluation and critical thinking about the made decision to take place Jasper, 2003; Standing, 2011). Tim has a long history of mental illness and was admitted to the ward following a deterioration in his mental illness after he lost contact with his son. His mood was elevated and he felt very restless and agitated. Prior to admission, he was found police in a very distressed state. Tim was placed on a section 2 of the mental health act (DH, 2007) and was originally observed generally where a member of staff would have to see him face to face on a hourly basis (NICE, 2005). Under section 2 of the mental health act Tim has lost the right to leave hospital at will and his responsible clinician has not granted him section 17 leave. A person can be detained for up to 28 days and treat against their will (DH, 2007). As Tim was detained it was important for staff to keep him on the ward. Increasing attempts by Tim to leave led to a change in observation level to within eyesight to make sure he did not leave the ward by any means. Staff levels were low, and for that reason it was felt that there was not enough staff to informally observe Tim. In addition there was a general feeling of fear that if Tim left the ward there would be inevitable consequences for the staff. The literature shows that the decision to increase a persons observations is common when faced with the above situation. Buchanan-Barker ; Barker (2005) are critical at the increase of observations on acute mental health wards following high profile tragedies placing practitioners in defensive mode to stop patient elopements and harm to patients. Organisations have responded to this risk by formalising observation policies to defend themselves against litigation. In addition, it is felt that observation policies dominate practice and reassure distant managers that ‘something is being done' (Horsfall ; Cleary, 2000). Equally, nurses use observation in ‘defensive mode' in order to prevent harm. Despite these measures, the effectiveness of observation to reducing patient risk and providing a therapeutic benefit is not at all clear (Mana, 2010). This indicates that observation is driven by risk culture and defensive practices concerned with physical integrity of the person and do little to address the origin of a person's distress (Cutcliffe & Stephenson, 2008; Buchanan-Barker & Barker, 2005). Tim was finding it hard to cope with the loss of his son and wants to leave the ward to find him. One study found that the most cited reason for ncreasing levels of close observations was the prevention of absconding from an acute ward which could lead to the patients self-harm, neglect vulnerability and violence (Dennis, 1997). During Tim's observation staff were tired and unwilling to engage with Tim. Staff were seen to be following Tim from one part of the unit to another which was aggravating him further. The observation was void of conversation which is in contrast to Peplau's (195 2) view that clinical observation should be carried out with the nurses attention to the interpersonal relationship with the patient. Likewise, Rooney (2009) reports that nurses acknowledged that observations were more about prevention than cure and keeping the patient safe was priority. On the other hand, Bowles et al (2002) found that distressed patients need both containment and engagement. In conclusion, there was a need to maintain a therapeutic relationship while considering the management of risk and the empowerment of the patient. The mental Health Act (DH, 2007) requires an appropriate package of treatment to be in place which includes one-toone time with staff which could have helped alleviate Tim's anxiety. Short staffing meant that Tim's one-to-one time had not taken place and from a personal view point a package that can only be theoretically provided is not be good enough. Bank support workers had been allocated to observe Tim as the qualified nurse had to complete paperwork. This is in agreement with the findings of Rooney (2009) who reported that observation was usually left to unqualified staff as nurses were often dealing with other matters. In contrast, NICE (2005) states that observation should be undertaken by registered nurses. Nurses may delegate to competent staff who have had the appropriate training. It is thought that the bank staff did not have the appropriate level of competence which created a poor skill mix on that shift which Aston et al (2010) see as a barrier to good decision making. In agreement Rooney (2009) found that staff acknowledged therapeutic work could take place during times of observation however, they felt that they lacked the relevant skills. Staff reported that no one had ever explained how to interact with the patient or had received any further guidance beyond the aspects of risk management and containment. Most nurses who took part in this study had no practical or theoretical preparation for observations. Tim attempts to leave by the door on the ward when it is opened for visitors and he will try several times a day to enter the court yard to leave by climbing onto the roof. The high level of staffing resources taken up by preventing Tim from leaving the ward prevented staff from engaging with other patients who felt that they were being ignored and neglected which in turn added further stress to staff. In agreement are a number of authors who have shown that formal observations consume nursing resources and that the patient being observed receive a disproportionate amount of nurses time (Mana, 2010; Bowles et al, 2002). Bowles et al (2002) argued that the time taken up by the demands of observation was to the detriment of of care of patients that were not seen as a high risk. To reflect on the above experience Rolfe's framework has been used which poses the questions what? , so what? , now what? (Rolfe, 2001; 2011a). This type of reflection which is done after and away from the actual event is referred to by Schon (1983) as reflection-on-action and the following discussion focusses on how the author and others did and what changes could be made. Despite this type of reflection being useful reflection-in-action is seen to have far more significance in professional practice. Reflection-in-action looks at the suitability of a particular intervention while it is been carried out. This is one of the distinguishing features as a nurse progresses from qualified status to an advanced practitioner (Schon, 1983; Rolfe, 2011b). In terms of clinical reasoning and decision making, reflection is seen as an invaluable resource for developing personal practice and learning from other people's perspectives (Aston et al, 2010). In addition to this, reflection can generate knowledge from practice rather than relying on external research findings (Rolfe, 2011a). Rolfe's (2001) framework allows the construction of personal theory and knowledge and how a similar situations outcome might be improved by future actions. The NMC makes it clear that nurses should take part in appropriate learning that helps develop competence and performance (NMC, 2010a). According to Benner's (2001) novice to expert the author recognises that as a management student working towards qualification he needs to be a proficient performer who looks at situations as a whole rather than their constituent parts. In strong agreement, Aston (2011), who uses a skills escalator approach, places a management student at level 4 which is a level where a student is expected to demonstrate they can draw on a wide range of resources using an evidence based rational for decisions. When the author collaborated with staff to assist in making a decision for Tim he felt equally involved in the decision making process however personal contribution was lacking due to limited knowledge at that time. The NMC (2010a) require that care is based on the best available evidence or best practice. The author's personal decision was not based on either. Furthermore, Aston (2010) recommends that confidence in making a decision is developed by a number of factors including relevant past experiences and practising using decision making skills. Pritchard (2006) argues that the process of decision making is learned gradually through practical experience of caring for patients and observing more experienced colleagues making decisions. Further inhibiting the authors ability to make a decision was a theory practice gap (Aston, 2010). This indicates that the author was practising at Benner's (2001) novice stage, in that he had entered a new clinical area and had a limited contextual understanding. The author was too inexperienced to made the above decision. Tim was placed on eyesight observations and the permanent presence of staff upset him. Tim was feeling distress and anger. There were no positive outcomes and the intervention was not effective meaning the wrong decision may have been made. Personal decisions and actions were not based on evidence or experience. One of the barriers to future decision making is making mistakes and reflection is one way of recognising what could have been done better. In addition, in the new clinical environment, the author should have been assisted to practice safely under constant supervision and possibly not able to make such a decision at this stage of nursing training (Aitkin, 2003). Despite this being the case a thorough theoretical knowledge before working on the ward would have better prepared the author for making the decision. In contrast to this is the notion that a nurse who is experienced in working with theoretical knowledge will find differences in practice that the formal theory fails to express (Benner, 2001). This indicates that a new understanding of the situation has been reached. Despite no real harm coming to Tim the author was not in a position to assist in making the decision. The author should have declined stating that he did not have the relevant knowledge. It is clear that the author had a low critical thinking capability at that time. It is argued that this is a problem faced by newly qualified nurses. Graduates do not meet expectations for entry level clinical judgement ability (Del Bueno, 2005). Similarly, Deuchester (2009) reports that newly qualified nurses go through a transition shock and have a poor ability to make decisions. Feelings of doubt, loss, confusion and disorientation for newly qualified nurses are reported along with a lack of knowledge that includes practical, theoretical and tacit. Despite this being the case the NMC (2010b) require students to demonstrate the ability to work as autonomous practitioners by the point of registration. Del Bueno (2005) concludes that newly qualified nurses should be expected to think critically and use clinical judgement in order to develop it. In conclusion the broader issues that have arose from this are that time needs to be taken to stop and think and consider whether whether the decision is meeting the patients needs. The main learning, for future practice, is to make sure that the author is exposed to as many situations as possible to gain practical knowledge. In addition, theoretical gaps in knowledge need to be eliminated in future practice. The best attempt to engage with the patient needs to be sought in the future. If observation levels needs to be increased the decision should be weighed up against the patient being allowed to move freely and not feel restricted and Mental Health Act (2007) requirements of offering one to one-to-one sessions.