Aquinas †Wealth and Power Essay

In Question II, Thomas Aquinas breaks down the complex question of where or in what man’s happiness consists, mainly by emphasizing wealth and power. While people dream of obtaining both wealth and power in their life, Aquinas emphasizes that both are neither good nor bad, and both make up a means to an end. Aquinas argues that happiness does not consist in â€Å"wealth† or â€Å"power†, yet presents another argument where he states that happiness can, indeed, be associated with wealth and power. Aquinas begins his second question and first article by pondering the question of whether happiness consists in wealth. He breaks down the two types of wealth into artificial and natural. He describes natural wealth as something that â€Å"relieves man’s natural needs, such as food, drink, clothing, travel, shelter and so on.† In other words, natural wealth fulfills the needs of humans to live and â€Å"cannot be man’s ultimate end.† On the other hand, artificial wealth is â€Å"sought only for the sake of natural wealth.† Augustine argues that a man would have no artificial wealth unless he had natural wealth to begin with. With natural wealth, there is a finite amount of objects one needs in order to survive. For example, a person doesn’t not need to buy several large pizzas to satisfy their hunger, just a few slices to get some food in their stomach and go on with their day. On the other hand, artificial wealth revolves around objects for which people have endless desires for, such as money. There are some people in society who feel that the only thing that matters in life is the amount of money you can earn before you die, just a dollar sign. However, money cannot buy happiness, wisdom, strong relationships, or virtue. Augustine backs up this point by quoting Proverbs 17:16 â€Å"What does it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom?† Aquinas takes into account the arguments that say that happiness can, in fact, consist of riches by offering examples such as â€Å"all things obey money† (Ecclesiastes 10:19). Although he covers both possible sides, he offers his own stance on the question in his response where he covers the differences between artificial and natural wealth. In Aquinas’ fourth article, he discusses the question of whether happiness consists in power. He argues that it is impossible to have happiness in power for two reasons. The first is that â€Å"power has the nature of a principle, whereas happiness has the nature of an ultimate end,† emphasizing that power is a means to an end. Second, he states that power is both good and evil and â€Å"happiness is the proper and perfect good of man.† Although the hook for a popular song, the quote â€Å"no one man should have all that power† uniquely resonates in Aquinas’ argument against happiness consisting of power. People may believe that if they have a greater sense of power, then they feel more important and â€Å"happier.† The more powerful someone grows, the greater their fear grows of losing the very power they obsess over. A classic example from history is Joseph Stalin’s command over Russia. He was given so much power on behalf of the communist USSR that he let his sense of power overcome him. When he had caught word that there was someone planning a revolution in his cabinet, he had every single one of his high commanding officers killed. Very simply, power makes people do very abnormal things to remain in their high position. However, Aquinas argues that power can’t solve every problem in a person’s life. To quote Og Mandino, â€Å"All the gold in the world cannot buy a dying man one more breath– so what does that make today worth?† This quote accurately depicts that no matter how much power and wealth someone has, it all means nothing when you are facing death. Although one may seem highly satisfied with the power he possess, it is easily revocable and those with power fear they will lose it. Aquinas presents that questions of whether happiness consists of â€Å"wealth† and â€Å"power† and presents firm arguments against each. Although he may find faults with each idea, especially the warnings of the abundant use of wealth and power, his idea still remains that both â€Å"wealth† and â€Å"power† are neither good nor bad things. For example, if a man is making enough money to feed his family and make a living for himself, that is a fine example of using wealth for good. However, Aquinas reminds us of the arguments against having â€Å"wealth† and â€Å"power† makes up a person’s overall happiness. Using both of these values for happiness is simply a means to an end, Thomas Aquinas emphasizes that these things do not lead to everlasting happiness, an argument that I agree with.

Effects of Free Primary Education Essay

The research will investigate the effects of free primary education on learners with diverse needs in the main stream primary schools. (A case of Lilongwe Urban Schools) Identification of a sample of teachers, parents, pupils, schools. Distribution of questionnaires, conduct interviews, and observations. The Data will be conducted from four mainstream primary schools in Lilongwe district. 3. 0. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1. A statement of search method. Many learners with special educational needs experience a number of challenges in the mainstream primary schools in which in some way or the other prevent them from receiving quality education. (Ministry of Education PIF Document on special needs, 2000) At a conference held at Salamanca in Spain 1994, it was declared that learners with special educational needs acquire education in their home schools. (World Declaration on Education For All, 1990). This meant that they were to be included in the mainstream schools and the schools were supposed to accommodate these learners by providing them with specialized resources so that the children acquire quality education. The introduction of free primary education in Malawi in 1994 posed a threat towards the education of learners with special educational needs in their home schools, because much as it increased access to educational opportunities for all Malawians, it brought many challenges towards the education of learners with special educational needs in mainstream schools and to the ordinary learners as well. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). One of the challenges emanating from the implementation of free primary education policy towards the education of learners with special educational needs is overcrowding in schools which lead to poor performance due to poor methods of teaching. Statistics indicates that in 1993, there were about 1. 6 million primary school students in Malawi. However, when free primary education was introduced in 1994, the number of students jumped to over three million (World Bank report 2004). This created a lot of problems, overcrowding in classes made teachers not to consider the needs of learners with special educational needs because there was too much work load. Teachers use poor methods of teaching as a result of overcrowding in classes and lack of resources. Teachers are failing to practice the individualized education plan meant for learners with special educational needs due to increased enrollment rates. (Ministry of Education PIF Document). This results in poor performance, high repetition rates for both learners with special educational needs and the ordinary pupils. It is thus of great importance to asses on how poor methods of teaching is a challenge to the education of learners with special educational needs. Some indications suggest that overcrowding in classrooms is pushing out pupils with special educational needs; an issue which the World Bank (2004) recommends that needs further research. Furthermore, due to overcrowding, survival rates for all learners (ordinary and those with special educational needs) have also been affected. The double/triple shifts are also making it hard for schools to plan for remedial programmes for learners with special educational needs and teachers complain of increased pupil teacher ratios. (Ministry of Education, PIF Document, 2004). Thus, it is the interest of the researcher to further assess the effects of overcrowding in classrooms towards the education of learners with special educational needs. The shortage of teaching resources is also another problem that is making the education of learners with special educational needs difficult. The shortages of teaching and learning aids worsened as a result of the implementation of free primary education. The number of pupils per text book was 2. 9 prior to Free Primary Education, declining to 7. 1 in 1994/5. Even more worrying is the fact that repetition rates are over 20%. (Riddel R. , 2003) What should be noted is that, learners with special educational needs require specialized resources for them to receive quality education. This is expensive and need expertise to use specialized materials. In this case, if the government is failing to provide learning materials for ordinary learners, what more to the provision of teaching and learning materials to learners with special educational needs. The shortage of teachers and recruitment of unqualified and untrained teachers who did not have any knowledge on special needs education was also another recipe for disaster because the needs of learners with special educational needs were not given a priority. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). Thus, it is reported by 1997, more than half the teachers were untrained, compared with 13% before the introduction of Free Primary Education. The World Bank Report on effects of free primary education (2004) states that this left learners with special educational needs to struggle to meet the needs of the school and not the schools meeting the needs of learners with special educational needs. As such it is to the interest of the researcher to assess on how this has led to low academic achievement to both learners with special educational needs and ordinary learners. Poor infrastructure is also another area of concern, according to an article by Ligomeka. B. (2000), it is stated that the ambitious plan by the Malawi government to boost its education levels by offering free primary education backfired, largely because of the terrible poor conditions of the country’s primary schools. Ligomeka adds to say that conditions at schools remain terrible; there has been a shortage of classrooms for the pupils, resource centers, teacher’s houses, and toilets for over a decade. The inaccessible physical environment makes it difficult for children with disabilities to survive. ( e. g. poor hygiene in toilets) Additionally, many of the preliminary surveys seem to show that the existing facilities make a mockery of the free education program. As a result, the situation of the teaching force in most of the districts is generally bad. On quality issues, the World Bank Report (2004) states that, the free primary education has produced unintended and unforeseen negative consequences. The reforms that Malawi has come up with have produced some consequences including quality issues which are of concern in Malawi. Whilst the enrolment expansion has been remarkable, the quality of education – and many would say, even the ‘value’ of education – has deteriorated. The question might be; if ordinary pupils are complaining of quality issues, what about the quality of education being offered to learners with special needs? This puts in question for the quality of education being delivered and if the needs of learners with special needs are being met. It is for this reason that the researcher would want to assess the quality of education being offered to learners with special educational needs in the mainstream primary schools with regards to the challenges emanating from the implementation of free primary education. Kadzamira and Rose (as cited at http//www. Introduction of free primary education in sub-Saharan Africa) point to the continued lack of access of some sub-groups (street children, out-of-school youth, those with special needs, orphans. ) who still face problems to meet some of their needs ( such as learning materials, food, accommodation, wheelchairs, hearing aids, and clothes) despite the education being free. As such, this has resulted in a lot of absenteeism, poor performance, a very high repetition rate and dropouts for learners with special educational needs, street children and orphans, because despite the education being free, they still have to meet other expenses such as stationary, uniforms, food, wheel chairs, and other specialized materials. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). The researcher therefore, would like to investigate if the needs of the above mentioned subgroups are taken into consideration by the schools. Through the reports, articles and journals, it has been discovered that the effects of free primary education worsened the problems learners with special educational needs were facing in mainstream primary schools. These problems do not only affect learners with special needs but also those without, and this has made/created a lot of learners to fall under special educational needs because their needs are not being met by the education system. In conclusion, there is evidence that free primary education brought challenges towards the education of learners with special educational needs, as such, it will be necessary to find out the extent to which the challenges are making the education of learners with special needs difficult in the mainstream primary schools, so that the feedback can be used to correct deficiencies in the schools. This research will be beneficial to teachers, schools even the researcher herself to diagnose barriers to inclusion hence coming up with strategies to reduce or eradicate the barriers. Definition of Key terms. Mainstream refers to the integration of learners with special educational needs in general education settings (Heward, 2000) Special educational needs refer to learners who require specialized instruction and different levels of support if they are to realize their full human potential, or to facilitate their academic, social, and emotional development. It also includes those coming from poor socio-economic backgrounds. (Heward 2000) Inclusion is the process of accommodating learners with special needs in the general education settings, with support services provided by the school. (Index for inclusion, 2002) Sub-questions What challenges do learners with special educational need face in the mainstream primary schools as a result of free primary education in Malawi? How do the challenges affect education provisions for learners with special educational needs? What support services are provided by parents towards the education of learners with special educational needs? 3. 2. RESEARCH METHODS The research shall be conducted using the survey strategy. 3. 3. Survey Studies Survey studies as pointed out by Cohen (2003) Is another way to get unique material. It is regarded as one of the best tool for collection of data by many scholars. Cohen added that surveys take one or two forms, questionnaires or interviews. During a survey, a researcher can ask people questions in person or draw a written questionnaire, but in either case, it is advised that questions must be phrased carefully so that people can respond easily and clearly. A Gay L. R. etal (2009) state that surveys requires the collection of standardized, quantifiable information from all members of a population or of a sample. It is from the above understanding that the researcher has seen it necessary to use this design, in the collection of data to examine on how the introduction of free primary education has affected the education of learners with special educational needs in terms of human resource, teaching and learning materials, and the quality of education being provided. 3. 4. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE The following instruments will be used for data collection: Questionnaires, interviews, and observations. 3. 4. 1Questionnaire. A questionnaire is a written collection of survey questions to be answered by a selected group of research participants. (Gay L. R. etal). And it is a widely used and useful instrument for collecting survey information. However, Bell (1993) warns that one needs to ensure that the questionnaire is well designed in order to give the researcher the information needed, acceptable to subjects and that will not give problems at the analysis and interpretation stage. The questionnaire will contain both open ended questions and closed questions. Among the advantages of a questionnaire is that it is cheap compared to interviews, and can be used to collect data from a large sample without the researchers presence, and one of the disadvantages is that respondents can delay information and could be difficult to make follow ups. (Cohen, 2003). To minimize errors, the researcher will make sure that questionnaires be taken for supervision before distribution to ensure that they are clear. The researcher shall follow guidelines for writing effective questions, such as avoiding complex questions, avoid irritating questions or instructions, just to mention a few. Cohen (2003). And in this study, a sample of ten teachers and Primary School Education Advisor (PEA) will be given questionnaires. See appendix,( item number 2 a,2b). 3. 4. 2Focused Interviews Interviews are an oral, in person question and answer session between a researcher and an individual respondent. (Gay L. R. etal 2009) Here, the researcher will use focused interviews. Ary D. etal (2002), describes focused interviews as those where the researcher ask questions designed to draw out subjects’ responses on a topic of interest. Subjects are free to answer in their own words rather than having to choose from pre-determined, open ended format, this permits greater flexibility and responsiveness to emerging issues for the participants. Among the advantages of interviews as pointed out by Donald etal (2002) is that, a researcher gets instant feedback, participants are able to ask for clarity, and the researcher probes participants where ever necessary. Donald adds to say that interviews enable an interviewer to get information concerning opinions, beliefs, attitudes and feelings in relation to certain questions. Hence making a researcher acquire rich information from respondents which will make the research to be standard. Nevertheless, the disadvantage of interviews is that it could be time consuming to both the researcher and the participant; it is expensive in terms of travel costs and materials, besides it is also difficult for individuals to articulate their feelings in a one to one interview. As such focused interviews will be conducted with head teachers, experienced teachers (those with over 16 years experience), parents, ordinary learners, and learners with special educational needs. The researcher shall prepare a list of standardized questions ahead of time and shall be taken for supervision to minimize errors. Furthermore, the researcher will make herself available at a time that is convenient for the respondents. The researcher shall begin by sending a letter of Identification, requesting an interview with the Primary School Education Advisor (PEA), head teachers, teachers, parents and pupils and specify the sort of information needed. See appendix ( item no. 1. a,1. b, 1. c, 1. d) 3. 4. 3Observations. Cohen (2003), states that observation data are attractive as they afford the researcher the opportunity to gather â€Å"live† data from â€Å"live† situation. The researcher will observe, teaching methods, attitude of teachers and peers, classroom organization, and availability of resources. Cohen continues to say that observation makes data to be reliable and generalization can be made. Stringer (2004) also points out that observations principle purpose is to familiarize researchers with the context in which issues and events are played out, however, Gay R.L. (2009) warns that researchers that when obtaining observations there should be objectives, unbiased and accurate in the sense that the observer has avoided influencing the behavior of respondents. The disadvantage of observation according to Alkins Encyclopedia of Education Research (1992) is that it more naturalistic and researchers are not constrained by what is in a checklist or rating scale. If an observation is well planned and carried out, it can give both qualitative and quantitative data. Observation has limitations on bias to an extent that the individual perceptions and interpretations of the observer, influenced by previous experience, affect the recording of the behavior, (ibid p. 271). However, the researcher will be aware of this problem so that learners with special educational needs be observed thoroughly in order to detect their difficulties which they face in mainstream primary schools. Observations shall be carried out in all the primary schools. See appendix (item no. 3). 3. 5. Population Sample This involves identification of a sample of schools, teachers, parents, and pupils, from the schools. Three mainstream primary schools in Lilongwe urban will be selected for the collection of data. Schools will be selected based on their experience in the education of learners with special educational needs. Teachers shall be selected according experience (those with more than 16 years experience prior to the introduction of free primary education). Pupils will be selected based on their age and class. (Will start from standard 3 up to 8 and within the age range of 9-15) the Primary School Education Advisor will also be contacted to answer a few questions and parents will be selected based on proximity (those living around the school and available). A total of six Learners with special educational needs and six ordinary learners will be interviewed from each school, will al so be interviewed, a total of eight teachers will be given questionnaires and two teachers will be interviewed, all the head teachers will be interviewed, and Observations by the researcher will also be carried out in all schools. The reason behind this sample is: To find out teacher perceptions on how free primary education has undermined the quality of education being offered to learners with special educational needs. To know how involved parents are in the education of their children. To find out from learners on the challenges they face in the classroom and how this is affecting their academic achievement. To find out from Primary school Education Advisor if the government is aware of such problems and necessary measures are taken to minimize the effects. 4. 5DATA ANALYSIS Data analysis is one of the things the prepared researcher needs to consider. It involves filing and organizing data collected (Cohen 2003). Gay etal (2009) add to say that the planning of data analysis will need to consider the organization, accounting for and explaining the data; It indicates what needs to be done with the data when they have been collected and how will the data be processed and analyzed, additionally, it shows how the results of the analysis will be verified, cross-checked and validated. (Bell 1993). In analyzing data, the researcher will re- write notes as soon as possible after making a set of observation. Full notes shall be typed and two copies of the notes shall be produced so that the other copy should act as a backup. The files shall be created in chronological order of events including notations of the dates and times they were made. Ultimately, observations shall be analyzed and interpreted to find the underlying meaning in the things observed. And the organization and filing of notes is the first step in discovering that meaning. (Donald A, etal 2002) All the results from different participants shall be analyzed and interpreted cordially, and data will be presented in the form of tables, type written text and charts. 3. 6Reliability and Validity According Kubiszyn T. etal (1996), reliability refers to an extent where similar results are obtained from different samples and after using different methods of data collection. Cohen (2003), states that validity is an important key to effective research, because if a piece of research is invalid then it is worthless. He further points out that that validity of research results refers to the extent where the research measures what it was intended to measure. The extent of triangulation is also another form of validity. To ensure reliability, the researcher, will use different tools of data collection, use standardized questions in both questionnaires and interviews and will make sure that the questions should be in line with the research question to ensure validity. 3. 7 LIMITATIONS Ethical issues, travel cost and time will be taken as some of the barriers to this study, nevertheless, ways will be found to deal with these problems. To overcome the problem of travel costs, the researcher started saving money meant for this purpose, where there will be a shortage, it will be required to ask for funds from guardians. To deal with ethical issues, the researcher will try by all means to be careful in the use of language so as not to harm participants psychologically because this might affect the outcome. The researcher will also take the interview and questionnaire questions for supervision to make sure that language used does not offend the participants. In the case of time, where the researcher will be on a short holiday and at the same time collecting data, appointments for interviews, observations and distribution of questionnaires. The researcher shall make herself available at a time convenient to the participants. Prompts/follow up shall be made in the case of questionnaires so that all the data should be ready before the holiday ends. To avoid doubts from participants, a letter of identification shall be obtained from the Special Needs Department of the Catholic University of Malawi. People will be assured of privacy and the research shall seek parental/teacher consent before interviewing learners below the age of fifteen. REFERENCE Ary Donald. Lucy Cheser Jacobs. Asghar Razaviah. (2002), Introduction to Research in Education, Thomson Learning, Belmet. Bell J (1993), Doing your Research Project. A guide for first research in Education and social science. Suffolk, st Edmunds bury press. Cohen L. etal (2003). Research Methods in Education. Prentice-hall Inc, New York. EFA Global Monitoring Report @ http:// www. EFA report @ unesco. org. Gay L. R. , Geoffrey E. Mills, Peter Airasian. (2009), Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Applications. Pearson Education, Inc; New Jersey. Heward W. L. (2000). Exceptional Children: an introduction to special education. Prentice-hall, New York. (http://www. aft. org/research/rel-site. htm) (http: //www. World Bank report on effects of free primary education. org. ) Riddell R. (2003) The introduction of Free Primary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Report. Ministry of Education (PIF document on Special Needs Education in Malawi, 2000) IRINA MANJOMO CALENDAR FOR DESSERTATION MONTH & YEAR DATE ACTIVITY JUNE-2010 15-20 25-30 Writing letters to institutions where data will be corrected. Distribution of questionnaires for data collection and making appointments for interviews JULY -2010 Data collection, Data analysis and data entry. AUGUST- 2010 1-17 Data analysis and entry. 18-23 Editing analysed data, & submission. 24-25 Meeting the supervisor 25-31 Literature Review SEPTEMBER-2010 3-13 Writing of chapter two (Lit. Review) begins & ends 14-15 Meeting the supervisor 16-19 corrections 22-29 Writing of chapter III & submission 29-30 Meeting the supervisor OCTOBER-2010 1-4 Corrections 7-14 Writing chapter IV & submission 15 Meeting the supervisor 15-17 Corrections 19-25 Writing Chapter V and VI & submission 26-27 Meeting the supervisor 28-30 Corrections NOVEMBER-2010 2-9 Writing Ch. 1 & submission 11-14 Meeting supervisor & corrections 16-21 22-23 Writing first Draft of Dissertation submission & corrections DECEMBER-2010 24-30 1-3 Writing 2nd Draft of Dissertation submission 5-7 Meeting supervisor JANUARY-2011 Making Corrections on the Dissertation draft FEBRUARY-2011 13-18 Defending the Dissertation 21-23 Making corrections & submission MARCH-2011 1-3 Meeting the supervisor 3-20 Making final corrections on the Dissertation Draft. APRIL- 2011 Writing the final copy of the Dissertation begins and ends. MAY-2011 16-23 submission to the supervisor

Marketing to the Bottom of the pyramid Case Study

Marketing to the Bottom of the pyramid - Case Study Example In accordance with the issues discussed in the paper thinking about the â€Å"bottom of the pyramid† can lead us to create an impossibly low-cost yet a high-quality new and robust business model. A sound marketing strategy directed towards the people at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) can help the company to provide cheaper products and enhanced access to technology thereby providing the necessitous people with an opportunity to become entrepreneurs and educate them. This can be viewed as a mutual benefit process, given that it will provide the company with a huge market as a source of revenue stream. Alongside giving the company a top-line revenue growth, cost saving and innovations will also influence the existing business models and management practices of the company. But one thing that the management needs to be well aware of is the fact that selling into BOP markets is difficult and the hardest part is to continue the work responsibly and consistently. Being a highly une xplored market, the strategy has to be formulated in such a way that it brings real benefit to the impacted communities as well as the company. However, in order to ensure that, the company should follow important guidelines and lessons from leaders in the industry known to have set examples of successful expansion in the BOP market. Prahalad had coined the term BOP, referring to a population which is largely ignored by the private sector in terms of providing services. As such, the author had identified the market as prospective and it had become the next segment of increased attractiveness for firms. The author highlighted the huge size of the market in terms of its population cover and its elevated purchasing power and thus, many companies identified a prospective opportunity to serve this market and become profitable. Different market segments require different approaches and so does the BOP market as it is a largely unexplored area. Consumers in this category are becoming deman ding and sophisticated. Thus, the management has to understand that although producing low cost product is a significant factor which is essential for marketing in this segment, it is not the only expectation that consumers have (Barki and Parente 11–23). Market development approach The primary task that the company needs to initiate is converting of the BOP consumers from unorganized and inefficient to just the opposite. This is a crucial strategy as it will help the company to elate the benefits for the market if the company is allowed to do business with them. The primary requirement is for the consumers and the company to be on the same pathway. Both the consumers and the company need to have a common belief in order to completely align their requirements and objectives. The approach should include a broader perspective ensuring a long term development and sustainability of the concerned parties. In order to convert the BOP consumers into organized and efficient, the mana gement has to ensure the development of a robust infrastructure as the inadequacy of the same leads to inefficiency. Besides that, in order to thrive in the lower income market, the company has to formulate strategies that enhance the buying power of the end consumers (Mardh and Correia â€Å"Marketing Mix Strategies towards the Bottom of the Pyramid: a study of the Brazilian market†). This will help the company to convert the purchasing power of the consumers into their profit. In return, they can eradicate poverty by bringing prosperity to the poor. Product innovation and consumer education have to be effectively carried out in order to foster aspiration in the minds of the consumers. Better

Operations management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 3

Operations management - Essay Example The research considers the ways that these companies can improve their operations management by reducing a bottleneck that has identified in the process. The case study considered a two main forms of production processes that are notable in terms of the input transformation output model. The first production transformation process involved the transformation of lettuce into consumer goods. Following this model the occurrence with the lettuce has a number of inputs. Of course, the primary input in the transformation process is the lettuce itself. However, the comprehensive nature of the model involves a host of other inputs that contribute to overarching understandings regarding the organization’s production and output. The first input in these regards is the labor involved in the transformation of the lettuce into a consumer good. The labor costs can begin with the costs associated with the agricultural production of the lettuce. In terms of the specific labor costs associated with the case study, these labor costs include paying the individual to physically remove the lettuce from the field. This lettuce is then placed onto a conveyor belt that rotates around the production facility. In addition to this human resource cost, there is also a human resource cost associated with the individuals packaging boxes at the production plant. Rather than having the boxes pre-made, these production processes of constructing boxes are put-together at the plant itself. Another associated labor costs are those related to the truck drivers at the production plant. The truck drivers at the production plant wait for the packages to be placed into the trucks and then leave after the trucks are filled. In addition to human resource inputs, production at the treatment plant involves a variety of other miscellaneous elements. Energy costs are one major element. Energy costs involve the utilities associated with the conveyor belt that is one of the elements on the production cycle.

Integrated Marketing Communications Report ( Iphone 5s ) Research Paper

Integrated Marketing Communications Report ( Iphone 5s ) - Research Paper Example With the passage of time, Apple aims become more direct with its customers through expanding its business internationally and target a larger number of audiences (Hunt 2010). The change in the preference of the customers has lead the company to adopt different and innovation non-traditional marketing techniques advertising their product. However, market segmentation and trends prevailing in the targeted audience are predominating factors to stimulate Apple’s marketing strategies for iPhone. This Integrated Marketing Communication Report mainly focuses on the choices and marketing strategies of Apple for sales and promotion of i5s (Wilcox 2014). In order to assess marketing strategies of iPhone 5s number of print advertisements from Australian local magazines and newspaper has been used to develop understanding about the marketing techniques of iPhone 5s. In addition, several non-traditional advertisements have also been used develop understanding about the marketing strategies of iPhone 5s. Customer’s preferences, behavior and brand image is also been analyzing in the report for in-depth understating of Integrated Marketing Communication of iPhone 5s. Current marketing communication methods of iPhone 5s have been analyzed in the paper in order to develop future recommendation for marketing strategies of iPhone. Apple iPhone 5s is a sixth generation touch screen smartphone developed by Apple Inc., it has been preceding in the iPhone 5c (Wilcox 2014). iPhone 5s is featured with the different designs that included the different colors of the phone, aluminum based body with thinner and lighter weight than the other mobiles with a wider A6 system on chip, 64 bit architecture, fingerprint identity sensor, faster camera, LTE support, wide range of applications and updated version of iOS 7. iPhone 5s has launched with the different colors, Gold, Silver and Space Grey that is

Concepts of Caring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Concepts of Caring - Essay Example The staff must look at the use of their body language as well. According to (Justice, 2006) the staff must watch how they use body language and more importantly the way the voice is used. â€Å"These are known as linguistic, non-linguistic and paralinguistic communication skills. The staff must watch their tone, pitch, and loudness. The staff must also watch their body posture, proximity and facial expressions. All of these features are very necessary to make sure that the staff comprehends what is going on in the case.† The staff must show that you know what you are doing right from the start or you will not make any progress with the patient. In your immediate observation of the patient the staff will notice that she is highly anxious. The other subjective signs could be that she could be holding the abdominal area. Emma could also be crying or yelling out. The staff has to build a rapport and gain trust with the patient in order to gain the basic information you need to gai n a diagnosis. The staff will need to feel confident in their decisions, for example if you would decide to call her parents about her location and her problem. The staff will have to decide about the issue of confidentiality and informed consent. Remember In the medical profession or any profession ‘Do No Harm’. Emma will need to be handled with care body, mind and soul. She needs to be told what to do to bring understanding of her physical and emotional health even if she doesn’t want to hear it. Psychological Theories In working with Emma the staff can use Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and go through the steps of the hierarchy for Emma’s case and it could look like this: 1. Physiological needs- To be able to address her complaints of abdominal pain and the health of her baby. 2. Safety needs- To keep her and her baby safe from hurting her due to her anxious feelings. 3. Belongingness and Love needs- She has a friend, but is not sure on who she want s to trust with what is happening to her. 4. Esteem needs- She may feel bad about herself for becoming pregnant, running away from home and what is happening to her at this moment. 5. Self-Actualization- The nurses can try to teach and tell her that it is not her fault that her parents separated, if that has happened. The nurse can also try to teach her that running away is not the answer to any problem. The nurse must try to talk to her about the abdominal pain she is feeling could mean. When she starts to calm down she will realize that it is just not her but her baby who needs her to care for herself. (Myers, 2004) In trying to help Emma the nurses will need to show empathy to her and maybe they can share with her some of what they may have gone through as a teenager. The staff can share some of the good and the bad choices that they may have made. The staff nurses may get Emma to talk about herself just enough to make her comfortable, so you can begin your assessment for example , about her family history. Let her know that she counts in this life and her baby’s life. This idea follows the Humanistic theory set by Maslow and Rogers. When continuing your physical assessment of Emma you can begin to notice things like how she communicates whether verbally or nonverbally. When she first entered the hospital she is very

Impact of Plants, Disease from the Old World to the New Essay

Impact of Plants, Disease from the Old World to the New - Essay Example The effects of the European germs had a far more detrimental effect on the Native American population than did any series of wars or massacres of Indians for the lands they possessed. In fact, many scholars have argued that one of the prime reasons that the Native Americans were unable to defend themselves successfully from the subsequent invasion of the Europeans was due to the decreased, sickly, and severely damaged populations that they were left with.Likewise, the horse revolutionized the way of life for the Native American. As the notes indicated, tribes had previously relied on human power and dogs to move goods from one point to another; however, with the introduction of the horse, a great deal of range was gained. Furthermore, with respect to the Europeans, the availability of New World bison and deer provided supplies of wild meat that did not exist in Europe. In this way, settlers were able to supplement their oftentimes meager harvests by relying on the bountiful supplies of wild game that the New World had to offer. Furthermore, with respect to the transfer of plants, one cannot minimize the important role that tobacco and sugarcane played as instruments of trade between the Old World and the New. Europe’s increasing demand for tobacco and sugarcane led to further colonization and development/cultivation of the New World. Furthermore, the New World additionally offered Europe supplies of wheat, corn, and beans that it previously could not enjoy.

Balanced scorecard evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Balanced scorecard evaluation - Essay Example It should be able to in a good position to predict the future performance of the organization, and/or control and manage the organization’s strategic plan. A balanced scorecard is one of best management styles that capture this information in details. This paper gives an analysis of the purposes for non-financial performance measures. It also analyses the current performance measure adopted in Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc (ATN), the extend to which their performance measure captures the Kaplan and Norton’s balanced scorecard and its present strength and weaknesses. Purposes for non-financial performance measure Kaplan and Norton (1996) state that by analyzing the non-financial perspectives of an organization, managers are in a position to translate the strategy of an organization into actionable objectives. It also enables them to get an insight of how the strategic plan of the organization is being executed. According to Kaplan and Norton (1992), a balanced scorecard (BS C) maps the strategic objectives of an organization into performance metrics. This is done in four perspectives namely learning and growth, customers, financial and internal processes. The four perspectives of a balanced scorecard provide important feedback that explains how well the company’s strategic plan is being executed. From this feedback, managers are able to identify necessary adjustments that can be made to ensure that the company achieves its outlined goals and objectives. BSC is a financial and non-financial performance measurement tool. This means that apart from measuring the current performance of a company in terms of finances, a BSC as evaluates the efforts of a firm to make future improvements using customer, process and learning and growth metrics (Niven 2006). As noted in the above discussion, the three major perspectives that make up the non-financial performance measures/BSC of a company are learning and growth, customers and internal processes. Accordin g to Kaplan and Norton (2004), an analysis of the objectives of an organization’s internal processes helps the management of an organization to understand and choose type of process that are very important for satisfying its shareholders and most importantly, its customers. Basically, this performance measure outlines the main processes which an organization must focus its efforts for it to excel. An analysis of the learning and growth perspective of a BSC enables an organization to understand how it must learn, improve and innovate for it to achieve its objectives. A significant portion of this perspective is employee-centered. Some of the learning and growth measures will include manufacturing learning, time to market and product focus Douglas (2007). The customer perspective of a BSC enables an organization to understand how it is being viewed by its customers. It also enables it to know how well it is doing in terms of serving its target customers in an effort to meet its financial objectives. The main objectives here will be those that focus on new products, how to become a preferred supplier, becoming a responsive supplier and customer partnerships. Generally, a BSC enables a company to translate its vision into practical goals and adjust its strategy accordingly to the feedback and the learning received. The

Social Interactions (for Social Psychology) Essay

Social Interactions (for Social Psychology) - Essay Example On February 22, 2007, groups of people from Rangoon started to stage protests in the local markets. These people were only a minority, though. They started by putting up posters and shouting about the apparent abuse of the military government. The people protested on the oil price hike. They also clamored for continuous supply of electricity in the country. However, a few hours after commencement of the protests, the activists were sent to jail. However short-lived their protests were, they were able to ignite the minds of other Burmese people (Heart, 2007). The Burmese government has been run by their military forces since 1962. The country was then led by a military man named Ne-Win. The said military official enforced a Burmese version of Socialism. The government took control of major industries in the country. He argued that it was the best way to establish a economic stability for the country. The government policy worked on the concept of self-sufficiency. Soon, almost all he key positions in the local industry were occupied by military men. However, after just a few months the Burmese people found their economy falling even further. It was evident that their military men were not doing god in their new-found jobs .By 1988, Burmese people could no longer tolerate the state of their economy vis-Ã  -vis the increasing corruption brought about by monopolies and red tape in the government. The Burmese people staged protest actions in the hope of producing change in the government during those times.. They were not successful, howeve r. Shortly after the period of instability, the Burmese government which as still led by military men started to invite foreign investors to their country. After the era of being almost self-sufficient, the Burmese government decided to approach economic and political matters from the other side of the fence. However, military men still held key

Apple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple - Essay Example This form of expansion would include setting up a manufacturing base for sourcing products to the Asia pacific region and USA. Porter’s Diamond Model Michel Porter’s diamond model is used to analyze the aspect of success of firms in a particular international market (refer annexure 2). The dimensions of this model include the following aspects (Klug, 2006, p.14). Factor Conditions Apple with its talented pool of resources and innovative approach can easily use the talented pool of resources available in China. China offers a ready supply of skilled labor force at cheap rates that can help the company to manufacture products at very low prices. Demand Conditions China is the largest populated nation of the world and is also witnessing high growth in its economy. According to the CIA the GDP of the nation in terms of purchasing power parity is about 10.09 trillion US dollars as of 2010. Along with this the growing Western influence has also affected the consumer behavior of the Chinese consumers making it a market with huge potential for Apple to exploit (CIA, 2011). Related and Supporting Industries The presence of suppliers and a close co-ordination helps generate competitive advantage for the organization. Apple has been known to have a cordial approach in its relationship with the suppliers and also shares an innovative approach in research and development that can be very well replicated in China to generate competitive advantage. Strategy, Rivalry and Structure The industry segment catered by Apple is highly competitive with a large number of firms competing against each other in the market. The Chinese market is also categorized by the presence of fake and pirated goods. Apple with its innovative and high quality product offering can easily fill this gap that arises between the consumer demands and the product offering and generate competitive advantage. CAGE Analysis CAGE analysis is often used by organizations to evaluate new markets and na tions by firm while expanding internationally. CAGE stands for cultural, administrative, geographic and economic distance (Sethna, 2008, p.25-28). CAGE analysis is often used by organizations to evaluate new markets and nations by firm while expanding internationally. CAGE stands for cultural, administrative, geographic and economic distance (Sethna, 2008, p.25-28). Cultural Cultural factors are very important in case of international expansion as it helps in generating a better connect with the customers. Hofstede’s proposed five dimensions that can be used to analyse the cultural aspects namely, power distance index, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and long term orientation. In these aspects China has been ranked 118 in the world and has the highest rank in Asia (refer annexure 3). This shows high values for culture and hence implies that Apple must follow a ‘glocalised’ approach in its expansion into China. Administrative China has autocratic governance and has strict laws governing the nation. The nation however has opened up its economy and is keen on getting foreign investors in the nation as a part of its liberalisation program. China however still maintains a cautious outlook towards foreign companies and tries to protect its domestic industries. Geographic

Natural Selection through Competition and Isolation of Species Essay Example for Free

Natural Selection through Competition and Isolation of Species Essay The struggle for life results in differences in form which Darwin called â€Å"incipient species. † Darwin says that variations, no matter how small or big they are, will necessarily be passed down to offsprings because they will tend to make those individuals survive. He called this process natural selection to relate it to mans ability to select objects in their lives. Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher, had previously described the struggle for life as the â€Å"survival of the fittest,† which Darwin though was also appropriate for the process of evolution that goes on among organisms. Competition is constantly happening between organisms because of the rate of population increase. This leads into a Malthusian struggle that eliminates the nonadaptive individuals from the group (Cuvier et al. , 2003, p. 20). The divergence in the forms of species may result from changes in living conditions. Darwin pointed out that some species may be wiped out because of the immigration of other groups more adapted to the environment where they live in. Man-induced selection practiced by breeders of animals often results in sharp cases of divergence within species, although this is also possible through natural processes (Cuvier et al. , 2003, p. 24). Some experts point out that Darwin anticipated the concept of â€Å"ecological niche† because he suggested that all individuals who survive in the environment were not necessarily higher or better. They just have their own features that made them better adapted to the environment. According to Darwin, natural selection is facilitated by the isolation or seclusion of a population of organisms. Its pace can also quicken if the species is composed of a large population in open areas, since this indicates that there are many variations within the group (Cuvier et al. , 2003, p. 26). Darwin measured and described the divergence in species through a tree diagram with branches that stopped or fell off while extinction happens. New buds also spring from the tree to symbolize new species, leading to Darwin call it the â€Å"tree of life. † Heredity in Darwins Theory of Natural Selection Evolution had already been discussed before Darwins theory was published. Darwin only added substance to the science of evolution by proposing the idea of natural selection as a tool of evolution. Despite the soundness of his theory however, it was still difficult to form a coherent story of the evolution of organisms because there was no acceptable model or standard of heredity to explain natural selection. In fact, Darwin admits that the laws of heredity are still unclear (Endler Endler, 1986, p. 36). Since there was no guiding standard for heredity, Darwin borrowed Lamarck’s idea of acquired characteristics through use and disuse. He believed that when animals regularly use certain parts of their body, those parts become stronger or larger. In contrast, disuse results in certain parts being weaker or decreasing in size. These acquired characteristics are then passed on to newer generations either through domestication or through nature. While use and disuse had some role in evolution, Darwin said that some developments in the characteristics of animals, such as the loss of wings of some insects, might have resulted from natural selection.

Justification for qualitative research in organisations

Justification for qualitative research in organisations Qualitative research is a field of inquiry in its own right. It crosscuts disciplines, fields and subject matters. A complex, interconnected family of terms, concepts, and assumptions surround the term qualitative research. These include the traditions associated with foundationalism, positivism, postfoundationalism, postpositivism, poststructuralism, and the many qualitative research perspectives, and/or methods connected to cultural and interpretive studies. qualitative researchers can access fascinating data by observing mundane settings or by finding everyday features in extraordinary settings. This essay provides a justification for the use of qualitative research methods in organisations. In the past, qualitative research methods have always been sidelined and quantitative research methods have been preferred for undertaking organisational research. One of the reasons for this is that qualitative research is always influenced by the researchers personal disposition. According to Creswell, Qualitative Research is a form of interpretive inquiry in which researchers make an interpretation of what they see, hear, and understand. Their interpretations cannot be separated from their own backgrounds, history, contexts, and prior understandings. (Creswell, 2009:176) Another reason for this is given by Silverman when he says that Policy makers and managers have been pushed away from ethnographic research because it takes a relatively long time to complete and appears to use unrepresentative samples. Even though some ethnographers are able to produce powerful arguments about what c an be read from a single, well researched, case, others muddy the waters by political posturing and by suggesting that they want no truck with conventional scientific standards. (Silverman, 2007:86) The pull of quantitative research for organisations is that it tends to define its research problems in a way that makes immediate sense to practitioners and administrators. (Silverman, 2007:86) More recently many organisations have started recognising the merits of using qualitative research methods to undertake research in the organisation. Qualitative research methods enable a thorough scrutiny of the researched topic which is not possible in quantitative research. Even within qualitative research, the researcher is provided with a vast range of options and opportunities for exploring diverse issues within the area of organisational research. What are the different methods used to adopt qualitative research? The most commonly known and most used method of qualitative research is ethnography which had its origins in social anthropology, with particular reference to the study of the culture of social groups and societies. The culture of a social group is made up of these complex networks of meaning and the key task of ethnography is to develop an interpretation and understanding of culture. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) Ethnography can be described as a longitudinal research method that is often associated with participant observation, but can also draw on other research approaches such as contextual and historic analysis of secondary data published by or on the group being studied. The ethnographic approach to developing an in-depth understanding of peoples behaviour makes it well suited to studying organisations. (Marshan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) But It bends reality considerably to imply that ethnography is today the main method of qualitative research and that observational material is the main data source. This is hardly surprising given the plethora of materials that invite our attention. These extend beyond what we can observe with our own eyes to what we can hear and see on recordings, what we can read in paper documents and electronically download on the internet, to what we can derive by asking questions in interviews or by providing various stimuli to focus groups. (Silverman, 2007:37) Grounded theory research, discourse analysis, deconstruction, content analysis, narrative method, action research (Humphreys, 2006), participatory enquiry, participant observation (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000), autoethnography, interviewing are just a few of the current approaches to qualitative data collection and analysis. All these methods are appropriately used in different forms of organisational research. I will be looking at autoethnography, grounded theory research, critical discourse analysis and the narrative approach towards qualitative research and will study the use of these methods in conducting organisational research. Autoethnography Ethnographers have started undertaking the observation of participation where they reflect on and critically engage with their own participation within the ethnographic frame thus giving birth to autoethnography. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005:467) Karra and Philips have defined autoethnography as, the generation of theoretically relevant descriptions of a group to which one belongs based on a structured analysis of ones experiences and the experiences of others from ones groupIt is an attempt to produce sense from ones experience of a group that can be set down in a text and shared with interested others. It does not mean that the researcher studies only himself or herself, but that the researcher is an insider who can draw upon personal experience, cultural competence, and linguistic resources to frame and shape research in a way that an outsider cannot. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:547) Autoethnography has been very efficiently used by Karra and Phillips, in their article about internatio nal management researchers conducting studies in their own cultural context. They say that, autoethnography provides a methodological frame for understanding and managing their research. Even more importantly, it acts to sensitize the researcher to the importance of carefully managing the complex dynamics of this form of cross-cultural research including questions of authorial voice, role conflict, and power. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:543) Autoethnographic approaches have four important strengths- ease of access, reduced resource requirements, ease of establishing trust and rapport, and reduced problems with translation- but at the same time pose three important challenges- lack of critical distance, role conflict, and the limits of serendipity. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:541) The strengths of this mode of research are considerable and despite all the criticisms this method of qualitative research has acquired it can be used very successfully in organisational research where the need is to draw upon personal experiences. One of the uses of autoethnography is to allow another persons world of experience to inspire critical reflection on your own. (Ellis and Bochner, 1996:22) Experience is given a lot of importance in organisations and autoethnography enables the researcher and the organisation to use this experience in a positive manner and in a way which can be very beneficial to the organisation and its employees. Grounded Theory Grounded theory, developed by Glaser and Strauss, is a kind of theory generated from the data collected. The methodology refers to a style of conducting qualitative data analysis whose aim is to discover what kinds of concepts and hypotheses are relevant to the area one wishes to understand. Grounded theory, therefore, provides new insights into the understanding of social processes emerging from the context in which they occur, without forcing and adjusting the data to previous theoretical frameworks. (Cassell and Symon, 2004:242) Grounded theory is a method that is more appropriate for some questions than others. It is most suited to efforts to understand the process by which actors construct meaning out of intersubjective experience. Grounded theory should be used in a way that is logically consistent with key assumptions about social reality and how the reality is known. It is less appropriate to use grounded theory when you seek to make knowledge claims about an objective realit y, and more appropriate to do so when you want to make knowledge claims about how individuals interpret reality. (Suddaby, 2006:634) While the grounded theory approach appeared at a time when methods discourse was decidedly modernist, forty years of development reflect he paradigmatic plurality of current qualitative research. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) The application of grounded theory in organisational research has been gaining popularity in recent times. This is because organisational psychology has been marked by a trend of moving from an individualistic point of view towards a more collective view. Grounded theory has been applied in studies focusing on organisational culture, organisational growth, change and innovation, team work and company survival to name a few. Grounded theory produces descriptions of organisational reality which elicit positive discussions around important themes in the organisation among the employees and, thus, form a basis for positive organisational development trends. (Cassell and Symon, 2004) Critical Discourse Analysis According to Cunliffe, Discourse analysis is a term covering a number of approaches to research that analyze language use. These approaches range from a focus on language itself, to a broader examination of the relationship between language use, social action and social theory. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:81) Discourse analysis provides a theoretical and methodological framework for exploring the social production of organizational and interorganizational phenomena. (Phillips, Sewell and Jaynes, 2008:1) As a methodology, critical discourse analysis allows for the use of different kinds of methods in specific research projects. However, this kind of research in particular demands the ability to make sense of the linkages between specific textual characteristics and particular discourses on the one hand, and between the discourses and the relevant socio-cultural practices and historical developments on the other. This means that research of this type generally tends to favour in-depth scrut iny of and reflection on specific texts. (Marschan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) Discourse analysis has become an increasingly popular method for examining the linguistic elements in the construction of social phenomena. It has been increasingly adopted by organization and management scholars interested in the social construction of specific organizational ideas or practices. (Varra, Kleymann and Seristo, 2004:3) There are three important problems facing researchers wishing to adopt a critical discourse perspective in their work. First, like ethnography, discourse analysis results in quite lengthy analyses that are often a poor fit with the requirements of journal editors. Second, discourse analysis often involves major data-management issues because of the volume of data that is often available. Finally, as this is a fairly new are of activity, there are few standard models available to follow. Developing innovative data analysis techniques for each study thus remains a final challenge facing researchers. (Phillips, Sewell and Jaynes, 2008) Narrative Approach According to Oswick, Narratives are an inevitable and unavoidable aspect of social life and, as such, are integral to the processes of managing and organizing. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:141) Although the narrative approach is one with many merits which are being acknowledged by researchers, it is still a field in the making and is not very commonly used. Researchers new to this field will find a rich but diffuse tradition, multiple methodologies in various stages of development, and plenty of opportunities for exploring new ideas, methods and questions. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005:651) A recognition that discourse is the principle means by which organization members create a coherent social reality that frames their sense of who they are has led to an increased interest in narrative approaches in organization studies. A narrative approach explicitly recognizes that, in organizations, language is the primary medium of social control and power, and that the analysis of linguistic practices is key to an understanding of how existing social and power relations are reproduced or transformed. (Humphreys and Brown, 2007) In the article, An Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility at Credit Line: A Narrative Approach by Humphreys and Brown (2008), the authors adopted a narrative approach to the analysis of organizational processes in a bank, Credit Line, in order to explore how individuals in a financial institution dealt with relatively novel issues of corporate social responsibility. The authors used narratives to successfully draw attention to the plurivocity of orga nisational life. Use of qualitative research methods to undertake organisational research in a public sector organisation Public sector organisations are those organisations which are managed by the government. The main aim of these organisations is not to make a profit but to provide a service to the people under the government. Some example of public sector organisations are airports, public hospitals, railway stations, government run schools and colleges. Governments nowadays are looking to privatize most of the public sector organisations in order to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. Thus most of the above given examples have now been partially or completely privatised in most countries. Public sector organisations are common grounds for research amongst qualitative researchers. This could be due to the fact that public sector organisations are more easily accessible than the private sector organisations. Many public sector organisations have also started coming up with their own research and development department which undertakes the organisational research. In my opinion participant observation and interviewing together make an ideal combination to undertake organisational research within a public sector organisation or for that matter any organisation. The shortcomings of participant observations are covered by interviewing and vice versa. Thus, the two methods complement each other perfectly. Participant Observation The methodology of participant observation is appropriate for studies of almost every aspect of human existence. Through participant observation, it is possible to describe what goes on, who or what is involved, when and where things happen, how they occur, and why at least from the standpoint of participants things happen as they do in particular situations. (Jorgensen, 1989) Participant observation is one of the most popular ways of conducting fieldwork in an organisation. This is because through observation of the participants going through their daily routine researchers pick up information which they might not have access to in a more formal setting, an example of which is interviews. Participant observation can be of two types. In the first, the identity of the researcher is known to all and the researcher has a choice of forming relationships with the participants or to stand back and eavesdrop. This form of participant observation is ethically correct but the researchers pe rsonal disposition and identity may influence the participants behaviour and this may have an effect on the research material gathered. The second type of participant observation is covert participant observation where the identity of the researcher is hidden. This form of participant observation raises many ethical questions and is just another form of deception. Thus, covert participant observation should be avoided. The researchers ability to build relationships and develop rapport with subjects is crucial in participant observation. The danger here is that the researcher may feel so embedded and sympathetic to the group being studied that interpreting events objectively becomes difficult. Another demerit of participant observation is the time-consuming and open-ended nature of this kind of research which means it often doesnt get done. In a cost-conscious research climate in which specific and often short-term, definitive objectives are required to secure funding, sustained part icipation is a risky strategy. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) Interviews The qualitative interview can be seen as a conversation with a purpose, where the interviewers aim is to obtain knowledge about the respondents world. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:118) The goal of any qualitative research interview is to see the research topic from the perspective of the interviewee and to understand how and why they came to have this particular perspective. (Cassell and Symon, 2004) Interviewing is the most popular method of conducting organisational research. The method has three important advantages. Firstly, interviewers allow the researcher to discover new relationships or situations not previously conceived. Secondly, interview based research may be optimal when there is a small population of possible respondents as interviewers offer an opportunity to acquire a richness of information from each respondent. Finally, interviews may allow researchers to develop a deeper rapport with informants which is necessary to gain honest and accurate responses and to add insights that lay the groundwork for larger or follow-up studies. (Marschan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) But the interviewing method also suffers from three disadvantages. Firstly, developing an interview guide, carrying out interviews and analysing their transcripts, are all highly time-consuming activities for the researchers. Secondly, qualitative interviews are also tiring to carry out as they involve considerable concentration from the interviewer. Thus, no more than three interviews, each of the duration of one hour, should be carried out in a day. Finally, interviews are also time-consuming for the interviewees and this may cause problems in recruiting participants in some organizations and occupations. The latest trends in interviewing have come some distance from structured questions; we have reached the point of the interview as negotiated text. Researchers are not invisible neutral entities; they are a part of the interaction we seek to study. Interviewers are increasingly seen as active participants in an interaction with respondents, and interviewers are seen as negotiated accomplishments of both interviewers and respondents that are shaped by the contexts and situations in which they take place. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005) Depending on the type of organisational research which the public sector organisation needs to carry out and its goals and aims, either participant observation or interviewing or a combination of both the methods can be used appropriately in acquiring the required research material. Conclusion Thus, I conclude by saying that qualitative research methods have formed a niche for themselves in organisational research. The importance of organisational research is growing day by day and qualitative research methods are now an important part of organisational research. Although many forms of qualitative research make the use of figures and numbers to support a point of discussion, thus incorporating a characteristic of quantitative research methods, they also provide an in depth analysis on the topic of research and use one or more of the methodologies of qualitative research which include participant observation, interviewing, autoethnography, use of secondary data, grounded theory, ethnography, discourse analysis, narratives and rhetorical analysis. In this essay I introduced qualitative research and outlined its increasing importance in organisational research. I followed this up by describing approaches to qualitative research specifically concentrating on autoethnography, grounded theory, critical discourse analysis and the narrative approach, and critically analysing their use in organisational research. Finally, I concentrated on public sector organisations and why I think that participant observation and interviews are the best methods of qualitative research to undertake organisational research in public sector organisations. In doing this I feel that I have justified the use of qualitative research in organisations. Word Count: 2969 words

Use Of Water In Labour Health And Social Care Essay

Use Of Water In Labour Health And Social Care Essay A report was published in 1992 in The House of Commons regarding the provision of maternity services; it stated that all hospitals make it their policy to make provision wherever possible for women to choose the position which they prefer for labour and birth with the option of a birthing pool where is practicable (House of Commons Health Committee 1992). Water immersion was officially accepted in the UK in 1993 following the publication of the Changing Childbirth report (Department of Heath 1993). This report recommended that a pool facility should be available in all UK maternity units; professional recognition came about when the Royal College of Midwives (RCM, 1994) and the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Heath Visiting (UKCC 1994) published statements in 1994 which integrated the immersion in water during labour into the midwifes role. Water immersion is now incorporated in the UK Midwifery Rules and Standards (2004). The current guidelines for labouring in water in Forth Valley are that the woman should be in established labour, determined as cervical dilation of a minimum of 4cm, be at least 37 weeks gestation, the presentation of the fetus should be cephalic and the fetal heart should be within normal parameters of 110 160 beats per minute, any liquor draining should be clear and no opiates should have been administered in the 4 hours proceeding entry to the pool (Paterson Hamilton, 2009). The water temperature should be 37 degrees; this should be checked hourly together with the temperature of the woman to ensure that she is not pyrexial (NICE, 2007). The woman must also have an uncomplicated obstetric history. At present the facility to labour in water is present in Stirling Royal Infirmary however there is currently only 1 labour room with a pool. This means that only 1 woman can labour or give birth in water at a time. All woman are offered the option of a water birth at their booking vis it however whether or not they will be able to labour or give birth in water will be dependant on the pool being vacant when they present in labour. The benefits of labouring in water are plentiful and is recommended in the NICE Guidelines for Intrapartum Care (2007); the buoyancy afforded by water allows the labouring woman to adopt comfortable positions easily and the water also provides a relaxing environment which assists pain relief due to the release of natural endorphins (Medforth et all, 2007). When a woman feels relaxed oxytocin is released which is required for successful contraction of the uterus and progress in labour; the reduction in feelings of stress will inhibit the production of adrenaline which if produced will hinder oxytocin production therefore slowing the progress of labour. Evidence suggests that the use of water in the first stage of labour empowers woman with an increased feeling of control over the situation she is experiencing (Hall Holloway, 1998) it also shown that as the womens perception of pain is reduced the need for epidural analgesia is lessened (Eberhard et all, 2005) as is the need for augme ntation by syntocinon (Cluett et all, 2004). Studies have shown that woman who give birth in the water have a reduced incidence of perineal trauma (Garland and Jones, 2000). This has been further supported by a clinical audit carried out in Corbar birth Centre, Baxter (2006) found that of 229 pool births 38% of woman had an intact perineum, 32% had a first degree tear, 29% sustained a second degree tear and only 1 woman suffered a third degree tear however this was the result of an accelerated second stage labour and the birth of a baby weighing in excess of 4.5 kg. The audit also showed that women who laboured in the pool but did not give birth had a reduced incidence of perineal trauma. Of the 75 woman 32% had a first degree tear, 31% had a second degree tear and again 1 woman suffered a third degree tear however 31% did require an episiotomy. It has been suggested that it is the atmosphere achieved that results in the positive experiences and outcomes for the woman who choose to use the pool through the continuous one to one care of the midwife, the woman centred approach to childbirth thus normalising the birthing experience. The student will now reflect on her experience of a water birth using Gibbs reflective cycle. I came onto an early shift on the 27 February and my mentor and I were allocated the care of a woman in established labour who had decided to labour in water. We entered the room where we were introduced to Sarah and her partner John. Sarah was a primigravida with an uncomplicated obstetric history and had been well throughout her pregnancy, her body mass index of 22 was within normal parameters. The staff midwife we were taking over from gave a handover, detailing what had happened since Sarah had arrived in the ward; Sarahs labour had commenced spontaneously at home at 41 weeks and 8 days gestation, at 2am that morning she had arrived in maternity triage for assessment; at 5am she had been transferred to the labour ward, at this time she was 3cm dilated and struggling to cope with the pain. Sarah wasnt keen to use pain relief other than entonox and the midwife providing her care had read i n her maternity notes that in the past few weeks that she had been considering labouring in water, therefore she suggested Sarah could try using the pool for pain relief; both the advantages and disadvantages were fully explained to Sarah and she was advised that if her own or the fetal condition deteriorated then she would be asked to leave the pool. Before going into the water Sarahs membranes had been ruptured artificially and following the procedure she was 5cm dilated at 6am, therefore she was in active labour and suitable for labouring in water. Upon taking over Sarahs care a set of baseline observations were carried out by myself, including a blood pressure, temperature, pulse and urinalysis. The fetal heart was heard regularly at 120 130 beats per minute (NICE, 2007). I also checked the water temperature which was 37 degrees. All observations were satisfactory; these were noted both on the partogram as well as the labour notes. Observations of temperature and pulse were carried out hourly, the water temperature was checked regularly and Sarahs blood pressure would be checked 4 hourly. The fetal heart was auscultated intermittently using a waterproof Doppler ultrasound. Sarah was using the entonox in the pool and although she was still finding the contractions painful she was coping well. Encouragement was given to Sarah during this time, reassuring her that she was doing fantastically and guidance on using the entonox effectively. The atmosphere in the room was relaxed and calm, John was also giving encouragement. At arou nd 8.30 am, 1 hour after taking over Sarahs care, she said reported that she was experiencing a burning sensation and was feeling the urge to push. The staff midwife put a mirror into the pool and the vertex was found to be visible at this stage. As per the protocol (2009) Sarah was advised to push when she felt the urge but to remember not to raise her bottom out of the water. Encouragement was given to Sarah when she was pushing, but no direction was given as directed pushing is not recommended for birth in water (Baston Hall, 2009). The babys head was delivered approximated 20 minutes later however the babys chin had not been seen as yet. The staff midwife put a hand into the pool to ensure that the chin was free and it was. A live female was delivered with the next contraction and was guided through Sarahs legs as she was in a kneeling position and brought up to her chest. The third stage of labour, the delivery of the placenta, was carried out on a Bradbury mattress as the protocol states that the placenta cannot be delivered in the pool (Paterson Hamilton, 2009). This is due the difficulty in assessing the estimated blood loss in water. Syntometrine was administered intra muscularly by the staff midwife and the placenta was delivered by controlled cord traction approximately 30 minutes after the birth of the baby. Sarah had advised that she would like the cord to stop pulsating before it was cut and clamped therefore Sarah had remained in the water until this had occurred. Sarah had a 2nd degree tear following the delivery and although it was not actively bleeding it was sutured by the staff midwife approximated 1 hour post delivery as is recommended in the guidelines (NHS QIS, 2008). The labour and birth were a beautiful and memorable experience as although it was evident that Sarah was in pain during the labour she was focused on birthing her baby. I felt very satisfied with the delivery as I felt Sarah had received the support and encouragement to have the experience of birth that she had strived for. The delivery underwater is amazing, I felt completely overwhelmed with how natural giving birth in water is as I had never experienced a water birth first hand. When reflecting on the experience I realised that upon taking over Sarahs care I had felt slightly nervous about how hands off a water birth is. The midwife is expected to basically observe both the labour and birth with the exception of carrying out the routine observations, checking and maintaining the temperature of the water and keeping the water as clear as possible with the use of a sieve. Since this experience I feel that the next time I am caring for a woman labouring or birthing in water I will fe el more confident as this is a natural and therapeutic method which increases the focus on normality in childbirth. The use of hydrotherapy has been encouraged as a method of analgesia for many years as a natural alternative to pharmacological pain relief (Jessiman Bryer, 2000). Water provides a dual benefit, heat alleviates muscle spasm and as a result of this pain is reduced and weightlessness lessens the effects of gravity therefore relieving the strain on the pelvis. Sarah was able to adapt her position easily whilst in the pool and spent the majority of her labour in a kneeling position thus facilitating the decent of the fetus (Fraser Cooper, 2009). The NMC (2007:3) states that You must recognise and the respect the contribution that people make to their own care and well being therefore if a woman wishes to labour and give birth in water it is the midwives duty to support her in this choice. Sarah had all the information in order to make an informed choice and felt that she had contributed to the care she received thus enhancing her satisfaction with her experience of labour. Eckert et al l (2001:84) concluded their randomised controlled trial with the outcome that woman who labour and give birth in water appeared more satisfied with their experience as was the case with Sarah. As a midwife advocacy is an important element of the role and it is important that midwives are advocates for the woman in their care in that they empower them with the knowledge to make informed choices regarding the care they receive (Garland, 2000). Although the use of water has been attributed to reduced perception of pain (Baxter, 2006) there is still insufficient evidence to support the use of water and studies have shown that there is no significant difference in the length of labour, blood loss or Apgar scores at birth (Cluett Burns, 2009). There have also been concerns surrounding the conditions of the neonate born in water; yet as stated there has been no evidence found to support this. In fact Thoni and Moroder (2004:47) have stated that a water birth presented no risk to the adaption of the neonate to extra-uterine life. It is however vital that the woman is removed from the water should the maternal or fetal condition become compromised (Geissbuehler et all, 2004). There was also the question of maternal and fetal hyperthermia; the suggestion that the woman should decide the temperature of the water (Anderson, 2004) was rejected when NICE (2007) advised that the water temperature should be below 37.5 degrees. It has h owever been shown that entry into the pool in the latent first phase of labour can be detrimental to progress, Eriksson (1997) found that woman who entered the pool at this stage had increased augmentation of labour as well as increased requirement for epidural analgesia, hence the protocol in Forth Valley that woman should be in established labour prior to entering the pool (Paterson Hamilton, 2009). In conclusion, it appears that there is currently insufficient evidence to support the positive effects of hydrotherapy in labour and birth; its use has been proven to have a relaxing effect on labouring woman who have reported feeling more satisfied with their experience. Evidence suggests that labouring in water does not make a significant difference to the length of labour; however the fact that the women who choose this method of pain relief report increased fulfilment should not be over looked. Further research would provide an evidence base for best practice. At present only women with an uncomplicated obstetric history are permitted entry to a birthing pool and further research is required to enable women with a variety of obstetric backgrounds to utilise a pool confidently. The question of the environment attained through hydrotherapy has arisen; do women feel increased satisfaction due to the woman centred, one to one approach to care received? It seems that this is a signif icant factor, and one which great emphasis should be placed upon. The role of the midwife is to be with women; this requires the midwife to be an advocate for the women in her care, it also requires her to provide the women with information to make informed choices regarding their care and to treat every woman as an individual, with individual concerns and needs. If hydrotherapy provides a platform for a natural approach to childbirth then it is one that should be encouraged.

The Land of 10,000 Lakes :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Land of 10,000 Lakes My favorite part about my Minnesota vacations were the fishing trips I went on with my dad. We would wake up very early in the morning, even before the sun was up. As the birds were just beginning their morning songs, I rolled over in bed, still half asleep. As the thoughts of heading out on the lake and catching fish entered my mind, I was quickly wide awake. I got up, and put on my favorite pair of jeans. These jeans have been through a lot, with holes in the knees and a long slit down the back of one leg. Next came my lucky Hinton football shirt that I wore every single time I went hunting or fishing. When we were dressed, we headed out to the kitchen and ate a quick breakfast of cold cereal. I loaded up the cooler for the day as my dad made us both some sandwiches. When everything was packed, we carried out our cooler, rods, bait, and tackle boxes down to the dock. The sky was just beginning to turn a light gray color, and all the trees were standing still. We filled up the boat with our fishing supplies, and I untied the ropes from the dock. The boat was white and blue on the outside, with a matching interior. The engine was always a little slow starting, but that morning it fired on the first try. On our way out to our favorite fishing place, all the houses along the lake were still dark. The boat ride to our spot was only about twenty minutes, but it was hard to drive fast in the predawn light. My dad taught me that the best time to catch fish in clear water was in low light hours, when the fish couldn’t see the boat. Only one other fisherman was out as early as us, but we both knew that more latecomers would be arriving with the light. Finally, we arrived at the spot where we loved to fish. Every year we went to the exact same place on the lake because this is where we have always caught the most fish. I always liked to sit in the back of the boat and fish straight out behind us. My dad went up front and controlled the trolling motor, pushing the boat perfectly over the drop-off where the walleyes liked to float and wait for food.

Free Essays - Characterization in A Farewell to Arms :: Farewell Arms Essays

Characterization in a Passage from A Farewell to Arms       Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation. Although that ceased when the carabiniere put his hands on my collar. I would like to have had the uniform off although I did not care much about the outward forms. I had taken off the stars, but that was for convenience. It was no point of honor. I was not against them. I was through. I wished them all the luck. There were the good ones, and the brave ones, and the calm ones and the sensible ones, and they deserved it. But it was not my show anymore and I wished this bloody train would get to Mestre and I would eat and stop thinking. I would have to stop. (Hemingway 232)    This previous is an excellent example of how one passage in the book can relate many of the feelings demonstrated throughout the entire novel. The events and feelings of this passage determine the outcome. A few examples of symbolism are clearly presented and those symbols can also help the reader gain a better understanding of the character's situation. The passage also illustrates how the character has evolved and developed since the beginning of the story. The passage is also a big event because it is the first major pivotal point that occurs throughout the novel. By closely analyzing this passage we can form many predictions that Hemingway was foreshadowing, and relating to the end, with use of symbols and development of character.    The two symbols best noticeable in the passage are the river and the stars on Frederic's uniform. The river as in many stories represents a change or baptismal. In this case, the river was representing the removal of Frederic from the war front. On one side of the river he's still an ambulance driver for the Italian army during World War I; on the other side, however, he is a civilian in the middle of a war that is now foreign to him. The stars also serve as a symbol but represent the same thing the river does. When he removes them he is simply calling it quits and removing himself from the war.

What Are Years? by Marianne Moore :: Poems, Poetry Analysis

I’ve read this poem quite a few times. I still don’t completely understand it but I do like this poem. I think what’s great about this particular poem is the fact that it has not left my mind since the first time I read it. I have read it again and again. There is something about the first lines â€Å"What is our innocence, what is our guilt? All are naked, none are safe.† Within those lines my attention was caught and I just knew that this was going to be a very interesting poem. I also like the last line â€Å"This is mortality, this is eternity.† It has this lasting, lingering quality that makes what you’ve just read stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it. Something in the way Moore wrote this poem really got under my skin and made me take a deeper look at what this poem trully means. I think what Moore is really talking about is satisfaction with the life you're living. Thre is no prefection in life, but if you can be happy with who you are as a person you will find joy.

Conviction of Louise Woodward

In this essay i will be writing and explaining how spoken language is used and adapted to influence the jury in the closing argument that convicted Louise Woodward. The prosecutor uses a variety of features in this argument to convince the jury persecute Louse Woodward. I will be going through these techniques and explaining why he uses them to influence the jury. Gerard T Leone Jr was the prosecutor in the case of the death of Mathew Eappen. He uses repetition in the first section of the argument by repeating the victim name, â€Å"Mathew Eappen. The repetitions show that he wants the jury to focus his attention on the victim. He wants the jury to feel emotionally connected to Mathew Eappen so it would affect the decision the jury makes. The repetition of â€Å"Mathew Eappen† encourages the acceptance of the idea that he was young and already dead because of Louise Woodward. It gives Mathew and the court people a mutual bond. He talk about Mathew Eappen by saying the things he hasn’t done to make the court feel pity toward him by saying that â€Å"Mathew Eappen will never take his first step. Mathew Eappen will never say his first word because Mathew Eappen is dead. An additional example of repetition is when the repeats the word explodes† when he talks about how the victims actually died. He repeats and uses this word as he is expected to use powerful language to convince the jury and the word â€Å"explodes† has imagery so when he says â€Å"Mattie’s head explodes† people visualise this shocking image. This is effective because he could have easily put up pictures of the wound but by making the audience visualise it, in some people minds the wound might appear more serious and horrifying than it was actually in real life.Another use of imagery is when he talk about the size of the wound . He doesn’t use an adjective or a simile but uses the name of an object to represent the wounds. In this context he uses a goose’s egg. He says in form of a rhetorical question that â€Å"she would have seen that goose egg on the back of his head†. He uses a goose egg because when you visualise it is very fragile and easily broken so this is referring to poor Mattie’s skull and that fact it uses a gooses egg over a daily , normal chicken eggs that this wasn’t a ordinary crack but bigger more sever crack which unfortunately cost Mathew Eappen his life.A technique that he uses is sarcasm; during the last section of the speech is that convicted Louise Woodward. Gerard talk about the testimony Louise gave about the death of Mathew Eappen. She saying the testimony that she popped Mathew on the floor but he replies by saying â€Å"that the word popped sounds like the word dropped, that the words popped sounds a little lie tossed. †This is sarcastic because he wants the people to know for sure that Louise dropped Mathew Eappen which cause his head to â€Å"explode. His using sarcasm to tell the jury that Louise Woodward is guilty without tell the jury and court directly that she is guilty. This is effective because not is he accusing her indirectly but he is confirming that the injuries were caused by Louise Woodward. The prosecutor uses many rhetorical questions through out the argument because these make the audience think and have time to answer the questions in the minds even thought Gerard T Leone is not asking for an answer he is giving question after question so the audience can think about them and find out the point he is trying to make.In the middle of the argument he shows this by saying â€Å"Don’t you think she would have seen that goose egg on the back of his head? Don’t you think she would have preceded some swelling, some injury to the back of Mathew Head? † Another example of him using a rhetorical question is when he says â€Å"Why would Sergeant Detective Bill Burn lie? Former marine twenty five years on the for ce. †In this context he uses a rhetorical question that is leading so the court will automatically think that what Bill Burn said wasn’t a lie .The question is leading because he follows the question with â€Å"former marine twenty five years on the force. †This makes Bill sound trustworthy and Louise Woodward guiltier. Using rhetorical questions is great because as a prosecutor you would expect them to question the case and use rhetorical question to convince the court men. The prosecutor has used a variety of techniques through out his argument to convince the jury to convict Louise Woodward. I believe this is a great piece of spoken language as well as having many features the prosecutor is adding emotion and moods by changing some words.A example of this is when he says â€Å"She was bathing Mattie like she was supposed to,’ he uses the name Mattie instead of Mathew because it signifies how young he was and Mattie is the name that the people with the closest relationship would call him such as his parent, so by calling him Mattie he is creating sorrow and pity by talking about the loss of someone so loved. Overall this is a very convincing argument and is structured carefully so all details correspond with each other creating an organised power and strong argument.

Turf Grass Industries

The field of turfgrass science, and golf course management has became very sophisticated in just the few short years that I have been involved. Much of the equipment has gone higher tech, as far as electric motors, and more computerized technology. Many golf course superintendents now are , â€Å"online via the web†. If there is a question concerning a new disease or fertilizer one can log on to Texas [email  protected] home page and hopefully find a solution to the problem. The technology in the computer field has also advanced the irrigation technology in the agriculture field. Irrigation systems can now be turned on with the touch of a button through IBM or MACINTOSH Personal computer. New computer technology will continue to make leaps and bounds for the turfgrass industry. Ransome Industries, maker of fine turgrass mowing equipment, has come out with the first electric mowing machine. I myself am not in favor of this, or I would guess anyone in the petroleum industry is either for that matter. There has been a greater demand for environmental concern along the nations coastlines, and nation wide. Most of the worlds great golf courses are located along the coasts. Ransome was banking on that an electric mowing machine would fit that need. It has been slow to catch on as of late. It†s benefits are an almost quiet no noise machine. (Beard 302). Many country club members would become outraged when the superintendents would send out the greensmowers daily at 6:00 A. M. The diesel and gasoline powered engines are noisy, and would wake up many members that live along the golf course. The second benefit is no cost of gasoline or oil, and therefore no chance of a petroleum leak or spill. There downfall lies in there initial cost,†$15,000 for a gasoline triplex mower, and $20,000 for an electric powered mower. Another real downfall is that they can only mow nine holes, then they have to be charged for ten hours, rendering them useless for the rest of the day. Hopefully technology can produce an environmental friendly machine, while not putting the oil industry in a bind, † And also keep the governments hands out of the cookie jar with new environmental taxes†!!!!!! The Internet has become a very important tool to the people in the turfgrass industry. At any given time a golf course superintendent can log onto various company†s home pages to learn something about their product. If one day I am searching for a new fairway mower, I can bypass the phone calls and written estimates, and go strait to the information. Toro, Ransome, Jacobsen, and even John Deere all have home pages. You can inquire on a certain mower model, engine size or anything you need to know. It will list a price and even the shipping and handling and the salesman†s commission. Perhaps the best part about the Internet, is all the turfgrass related information that is at your fingertips. (Beard 120) One can access the three dominating turfgrass schools in just seconds. Those three schools would be Texas [email  protected], Mississippi State, and Oklahoma State. If it is in the middle of the summer, and there is a big tournament coming up they can be of great help. If your putting greens start to die in spots in the heat of the summer, one could log on to Texas [email  protected] home page, and root around for some information, on what type of disease might be causing it. (Beard 420) They give identifying characteristics for each disease that is helpful in a quick diagnoses of the problem. They even offer helpful tips on what chemicals will best control the problem, and how much to spray. If that†s not enough they give tips on employee management, and possible job opportunities with the college. How can the Internet and computer technology possibly make my future job any easier, I might ask. Well that is an easy question to answer. Toro, Rainbird, and Flowtronics PSI, have found a way to make water management an easy task. Automatic water irrigation systems have been around since the early seventy†s. First they were run off a mechanical pin and timer system for home lawn use. This was a very reliable system, but it lacked flexibility. (Wikshire95) Next came the automatic timer systems. These run off an electronic timer from a 110 volt wall outlet. These are still in use today, and it is a very good system. (Wikshire 112) Last but not least has come the water management system run from your personal Macintosh or IBM compatible computer. The personal computer actually works as the brain for the irrigation system. (Wikshire200) You down load the program into the computer, and bam it does all the work for you. It has a water sensor located outside that tells the system to shut off if it has rained to much, or to come on if it is getting extremely dry on a hot summer day. It also can measure the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in the soil, if necessary. It will test the water, and tell you the amount of salt or nitrates located in the water. Once a watering program is started it is also easily changed to another program if so desired. (Wikshire202) This has benefited the turfgrass industry in many ways. It has saved superintendents from having to come and shut the irrigation off in the middle of the night if it starts raining hard. Most importantly it has saved money in the labor part of the budget. It keeps hourly employees occupied with other tasks, other than having to turn on individual sprinkler heads every day. The most popular program by far is the Rainbird Vari-Time V and VI programs. (Wikshire250) These two programs are leaps and bounds above the rest. Having knowledge of computers and computer related programs will be very beneficial to me in the turfgrass industry. The technology will benefit me and others. From new high tech electric mowing machines, to non hydraulic mowers. The Internet could be the most useful tool for me in my job. It will give me useful knowledge on what is going on in the world. Also it could help save me from a costly mistake when it comes to disease control that could cost me my job. The computer industry has also made great accomplishments when it comes to water conservation management. These programs can be downloaded into your personal computer. They are great labor savers, and most of all effective time management tools. I hope that the technology will keep advancing, and make my future job as a golf course superintendent much easier.