Nina

childrens needs February 2012 | | |Assignment 1: | |Explain what constitutes the physical and psychological needs of a three year old child. Explain how you would ensure that these physical and | |psychological needs can ideally be met in a setting/nursery which the 3 year old child attends from 8 am to 6 pm, 5 days a week. Reading for your assignment. Though we provide some recommended books and chapters, (see below) you need to read around the subject as much as possible and not limit yourself to just the recommended readings. Recommended reading from your prescribed text books:- Macleod-Brudenell, I,& Kay, J (2008, Second Ed) Advanced Early Years for Foundation Degrees & Level 4/5 Harlow: Heinemann Chapters 4, 5 and 9 Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated a) Module 2 Child Development London: MCI Chapters 1 and 3 (pg 39 – 42) Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated b) Module 4 Contemporary Issues London: MCIChapters 1, 3, 4 and 5 Montessori Centre Internat ional (MCI) (undated c) Module 5 Childcare and Health London: MCI Additional reading to consider for this assignment:- Montessori International (Issue 94, January – March) (Various articles in this issue of the magazine are relevant) Unicef (2008) Convention on the Rights of the Child, available from http://www. unicef. org/crc/ This assignment focuses on the importance of supporting the child’s well-being. Although, you will be given guidelines and additional reading material to assist you in the writing of this assignment, it is important for you to read as widely as you can.You will also need to consider the specific requirements within your own country. In these tutorial guidelines, the assignment question will be broken down into sections, giving you some pointers to consider when preparing your answer for submission. In order to enable you to focus on the different aspects of the questions, each has been given a weighting. These are the maximum marks that can be awarded for this part of the answer. The other 25% of the marks cover structure, expression and presentation (Take note of the marking table on the assessment sheet that you have received). WORKING ON THIS ASSIGNMENTBegin by:- †¢ Work through the recommended chapters listed above, making notes as you did for your Study Skills assignment. Please note that you are not limited to these chapters – You may also find it useful to do some independent research in your local library or on the internet. Be careful to limit your reading to academically sound sources – Wikipedia is not a safe site to use and should be avoided. (Remember to keep a record of the source document for later referencing and bibliography). †¢ Go through the extended guidelines below, and begin to gather information for your answer. Make note of any questions you have regarding this assignment and send them through to me. These questions and their answers will then form the second half of this f irst tutorial (the Q&A) which will be emailed to you so that you can take the information into consideration before finalising your essay for submission. Start to work on your answer:- 0 Study skills recap – †¢ Organise your information and thoughts into a logical, structured argument, addressing each of the important / main bullet points. Ensure that there is an overall flow to the information, and that each section links back to the question posed. Begin with an introduction that will state what you are going to cover in the main body of the essay. The introduction should be  ± 5-10% of the total length of the essay. Draw your argument to a conclusion at the end. †¢ Reference each time you paraphrase ideas you have read during your research for the essay, as well as the first time you include specific terminology in any one essay. In this essay you should ensure that you are quoting from academically sound sources. †¢ Find three or four relevant quotes that will support your argument.Use MCI protocol when referencing and quoting. CONTENT GUIDELINES FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT Identify and define the specific physical needs of a three year old child – including exercise and rest, diet, health and safety. (10) †¢ Briefly define what is meant by physical needs, including exercise and rest, diet, health and safety . †¢ Identify the specific physical needs of a three year old. Give a full explanation of how these physical needs should ideally be met by an early years setting/nursery which offers care from 8am to 6pm five days a week. (17. ) – Consider for example, how you could provide for gross and fine motor skills. Also think about safety issues (such as appropriate clothing for specific weather conditions), access to fresh air and ventilation in the classrooms, opportunities for rest, etc. – Give practical examples of what a setting would do to ensure the child’s well being as an essential pre-requisite to effective learning. Identify and define the psychological needs of a three year old child – focus on emotional and social needs. (10) †¢ Briefly define what is meant by psychological needs, focus on emotional and social needs.Your definition should briefly consider the needs for survival, participation and belonging. †¢ Identify the specific psychological needs of a three year old. Give a full explanation of how the psychological needs should ideally be met in an early years setting/nursery which offers care from 8am to 6pm five days a week. (17. 5) – Explain how the three year old’s emotional and social needs can be met. Here you should be looking at consistency, predictability and availability of care. – Explain how the children’s well-being and sense of belonging are promoted. Focus on settling in procedures and transitions, availability of a key person and liaison with parents. – Give practical examples of how you could make a three year old comfortable, settled, at ease and ready to actively participate in the daily life of the nursery. Having discussed the physical and psychological needs of a three year old relate these to relevant articles in the UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) which inform the statutory requirements for best practice in early years settings/nurseries in your country (20) –Briefly explore the general underlying principles (especially that of survival, protection and participation) which underpin the relevant articles of the UNCRC. (supplied with this tutorial) – Link these principles to the child’s needs. 0 Study skills recap – †¢ Your conclusion should summarise what you have said, without adding or introducing anything new. †¢ The word count includes references and quotes, but excludes bibliography †¢ Remember to use double line spacing and to number the pages of your document Finalising your answer:- †¢ R ead through your essay, checking your spelling, grammar and referencing format. Make sure your argument has a logical flow, and that you have answered each aspect of the question fully, in your own words. †¢ Fill in the cover sheet, including all necessary details. Check that your word count is within the accepted limit. †¢ Compile or finalise your bibliography using the correct format. (Follow the MCI protocol as outlined in your Student Handbook. ) 0 Study skills recap – Your bibliography must include full entries for all sources that you have referred to in your essay, as well as other books, articles, websites etc that you have read or consulted in preparation for this assignment.Bibliography:- Macleod-Brudenell, I, & Kay, J (2008, Second Ed) Advanced Early Years for Foundation Degrees & Level 4/5 Harlow: Heinemann Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated a) Module 2 Child Development London: MCI Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated b) Module 4 C ontemporary Issues London: MCI Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated c) Module 5 Childcare and Health London: MCI

English 30

In Hamlet, William Shakespeare suggests that individuals may struggle to restore honour and certainty because of procrastination and deception. Honour and certainty are both qualities an individual may desire having. To be honoured by one’s name, or to be certain that through life they’ve made the right decisions. Honour is a clear sense of what is right and proper while maintaining great respect; certainty is freedom from doubt. In a sense these two traits are connected; with honour comes certainty, and with certainty comes honour. People want to be certain that what they are doing is right and will be satisfying in the end.With certainty in actions comes pride and honour with the results. Although before the pride and honour come into play, the right decision must be made and making this decision is a struggle for most individuals. Deceiving and conniving may seem simpler than being honest and working hard. There may seem like many quick and easy ways to do things at the last minute but they aren’t honorable. In Hamlet, William Shakespeare suggests that individuals struggle to restore honour and certainty because of procrastination and deception. Throughout the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare presents many soliloquies.The character Hamlet for example has a few soliloquies in which he contemplates whether to take vengeance on his uncle or not. Shakespeare is constantly calling attention to Hamlet’s worries and delays. He repeatedly raises the issue of delay in decision making. Even though as the reader, an individual may think it is something he/she imposes on the play, but the play raises the issue itself. In Hamlet’s first soliloquy, Shakespeare shows the first true insight into Hamlet’s contemplative nature and his suppression of the passionate feelings towards Gertrude and Claudius.Hamlet agonizes over his hopelessness in carrying out the deed to avenge his father and is always searching for reasons why he is acti ng the way he is. No matter how much he justifies the matter, he is in the grip of something that he cannot fully understand. This is relatable to most individuals as a person may struggle in being decisive because they do not fully understand their circumstances. Shakespeare suggests through Hamlet’s soliloquies that procrastination and indecisive thinking result in a struggle for restoring an individual’s honour and certainty.Shakespeare included a large group of deceitful characters in his play Hamlet. Shakespeare shows  Hamlet and Claudius being the most deceiving of all. Throughout the play Shakespeare has Hamlet in several different positions where he is deceiving the people around him. Hamlet is portrayed as completely mad and estranged to hide that he was really plotting against Claudius. As well Shakespeare brings in Hamlet’s play â€Å"The Mouse Trap† not for entertainment purposes but to victimize Claudius and reveal his guilt.The whole idea behind the acts of deception was for the character to gain what he/she desired most. Shakespeare made it clear that fooling the people around oneself is a good way to get what he/she wants but can result unfavourably. Hamlet fooled his mother, father, and even his friends to get the truth behind his father’s death and seek the appropriate revenge but in the end he hurt more people than he planned to. Shakespeare shows that because of deception and untruthfulness an individual may take matters further than necessary in order to restore certainty and honour.Another character Shakespeare included who was very good at hiding her reality was Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Not only was she deceiving Hamlet but she was fooling herself. Shakespeare made Gertrude appear as unconcerned and uncommitted to the deceased King Hamlet. She hardly grieved his death, she marries Claudius promptly, and she even has a sexual and somewhat incestuous relationship with Claudius. The lack of conc ern Shakespeare has Gertrude impose was perhaps used as a way to reveal how some individuals hide from reality.Shakespeare has Hamlet understand Gertrude’s attitude possibly to show how people might deceive themselves to run away from their guilt and dirty consciences. Gertrude is completely oblivious to the fact that what she has done is wrong and this goes to show how individuals shy away from the truth to remain with feelings of comfort and security. Shakespeare suggests that while an individual may feel comfortable with what their circumstances appear to be, there is no real honour and certainty that comes with hiding the reality.Shakespeare introduces a few psychological obstacles that relate to Hamlet’s indecisive tendencies. Shakespeare has Hamlet become a prisoner of his own mind, a man stuck in an unreal world, an irrational thinker, in a rational society. By becoming trapped in the thoughts dwelling in his mind, Hamlet prevents himself from taking action. Sha kespeare has Hamlet experience bombastic thoughts and feelings to show how hard it is to commit an act an individual is unsure of. Hamlet is shown as very intellectual and this inhibits him from acting promptly in regaining his honour.Shakespeare has Hamlet reply very enthusiastically to the Ghost’s request of revenge but as Hamlet beings to consider the validity of the matter he becomes more wary of going forth in his vengeful act. Shakespeare is suggesting through Hamlet’s delays, that an individual may struggle with restoring his honour and certainty because of the psychological impediments resulting in procrastination. After careful examination of the source of evidence, it is clear that  Shakespeare has suggested that individuals struggle with restoring honour and certainty because of procrastination and deception.Shakespeare introduced deceptive characters such as Claudius, Gertrude, and Hamlet to show how easy yet unrewarding being deceptive can be. Deceiving oneself and others will do more harm than justice in restoring certainty and honour. As well, Shakespeare made it known through Hamlet’s over-contemplative tendencies and worrisome thoughts that procrastinating will not essentially make the decision easier, but more difficult. An individual should consider his/her actions before taking them but over-thinking could make regaining honour and certainty more challenging than necessary.

House of Spirits – Epigraph by Pablo Neruda

How does the epigraph relate to the greater message in the novel? An epigraph is a quotation, phrase or motto at the beginning of a piece of literary work, thus setting forth a theme for the piece of literature. In this case, this epigraph gives the readers a small gist and theme of what to expect when they read the novel. â€Å"The House of Spirits† is a novel which was written by Isabel Allende. This story revolves around family life, mainly around two upper-class families; the Del Valle and the Trueba family and was originally written in Spanish, then translated to many different languages, English being one. The story is set in a Latin-American country. The epigraph by Pablo Neruda has a much deeper meaning which the reader has to implore. In a nut-shell, the epigraph talks about two things; life and death. Pablo Neruda is Chilean by nationality, which may also suggest that this ‘Latin country’ we thing the novel is set in, may very well be Chile. The first line asks a question which when thought about, not many people have an answer to. Together with the second line, we can reflect to the novel because even though we may exaggerate and say we live a thousand years, the crucial events that define an individual’s life take place in the matter of just a few days and at the end of the day it is those events that decide the fate of a person’s life. We can connect this to the novel by using the example of Esteban Trueba and Clara, when after he hits her, she decides not to speak to him, nor to use her maiden name and never to wear their wedding ring ever again. It was that one moment that sealed their fate, and their real personality was reflected. â€Å"For a week, or for several centuries? †- this line makes us think, how one small contribution to the world can change a person’s life. He will be remembered for years and years to come, just for that one small thing he may have contributed to the world, in a matter of minutes. The fourth line makes us reflect back on life. All along, as individuals we have thought of death just ‘happening’ and getting over. Like an event. But this novel makes us thing otherwise. It portrays itself as a long process. Dona Ester is a very good example from the novel regarding this. Her life is already declining and there is nothing that she can do to change that fact. It is like she has already begun to die, a slow process, she is just counting her days till that ‘moment’. We can also look at death in another way. In a certain situation, death may also mean not physically leaving the world or your mortal body, but killing something, leaving something behind. We can use the example of Esteban Trueba and Clara, as when he hits her and she decides not to converse with him anymore, it is the beginning of the ‘death’ of their relationship. Another comment on the epigraph I would like to make is that everywhere, Pablo Neruda has used â€Å"he† and â€Å"man†, suggesting that at the time he wrote it, the society he was living in was a male-dominated society. This is also reflected in the book as the inequality to women is clearly shown all through. Ironically, this poem has 5 lines and also there are 5 generations in one of the most important families in the book; the Del Valle family: grandmother, Nivea, Rosa, Clara, Blanca and Alba. This epigraph gives us a surface picture of what to expect in this novel, but as we have seen, if we go deeper to explore, there can be so many more meanings to it.

Critically discuss the change management models using examples from Essay

Critically discuss the change management models using examples from different organisations to support your argument - Essay Example Change management refers to the process, techniques and tools that are used to manage employees in order to achieve a desired business result. It is about the transition from one stage to (problem stage) to another (the solution stage). A company’s change means that a company is restructuring, reengineering, keeping up with the trends in the industry or promoting cultural transformation. The 8-Step Process for Leading Change This model was proposed by John Kotter a Harvard professor who studied over a hundred companies that were going through change management ranging from well-established companies to small companies. He found that 70 percent of the change activities within companies fail (Burton, 2010: 45). This malfunction can be attributed by the companies’ failure to adopt a holistic approach towards change management. Therefore, Kotter came up with eight stages through which companies can achieve sustainable change and business improvement. Although the steps are depicted in a linear fashion, experience demonstrates that it is better to think of the steps in a continuous manner to ensure that the rapport of the change is maintained. In addition to, he identified possible setbacks that can negatively affect the change process (Czerniawska and May, 2004: 53). The steps are discussed below: Create urgency For change to happen in an entity, it is important for there to be an urgency for change that will help spark the motivation to get things done (Vogelsang et al., 2012: 18) This involves the identification of potential threats and come up with situations showing what is likely to happen in future and opportunities that could be exploited. It also involves the start of discussions to start the process of thought among the employees. Forming a powerful coalition This involves convincing people that change is required and this requires for strong leadership and support from key people within the entity (Cameron and Green, 2004: 34). Creating the vision for change When a company comes up with the decision to implement change in a n organization, there will probably be numerous ideas and solutions available (Morgan, n.d.). These concepts should be combined to form a general vision that people can easily understand and practice. Communicate the vision The events that take place after creation of the vision determine success or failure of the change management. Frequent communication of the vision is considered more effective than holding official routine meetings to communicate the vision. Empowering others to act on the vision This involves changing the systems that may hinder the change and moving any obstacles to the change process. Plan for short-term wins Success is known to be one of the most effective motivating factors. The company should evaluate the progress that has taken place within a one month period (Chapman, 2006). Criticism is also important at this point as t helps to identify the success or failure of the ch ange. Short- term goals are considered more achievable and this leaves failure less chances. Consolidate improvements and produce yet more change Kotter argues that projects fail because victory is announced too early (Cameron and Green, 2004: 34). Real change is considered comprehensive and companies should be careful as short term wins are only the beginning of the process towards long- term change. Institutionalize the new approaches or make the changes part of the corporate culture Finally, the

Education High School Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education High School - Personal Statement Example In the class that I am looking at, there are all types of students. Clearly some are more talented than others, however the gift lies in the teacher being able to engage all of the students in my opinion. Comment 2 - The religion of my students is mixed. Again we are looking at defining the term religion. Is it based upon what the child is told by his parents that he is, or is it based on what the child practices For example, is the child a roman catholic but does not know the first thing about Roman Catholicism What I have noticed that all children in my field class seem to have in common is what Orlich defines as the "silent sabatour". It is indeed something that is not diverse because once a child has stated that "I am just not good at science" it does wind up deflating the enthusiasm of the rest of the class to learn material. Comment In Response to What A Friend Posted: I thought that what you posted was insightful. It was something that I had not really considered in this discussion. I would like to compare it to my own analysis and perhaps we could both post a comparison of our findings. What made you choose the two elements that you discussed. Can you identify with any of the students that you observed

Summary of the film "Motorcycle diaries" Essay

Summary of the film "Motorcycle diaries" - Essay Example Guevara is seen making a good folk hero. He was disguised as a communist just like his close friend Castro Fidel. In his confession, he loved the people but hated their freedom in expression and more especially their freedom in dissent (Guevara 34). This film, which is directed by Walter Salles, brings out forests deserts, lakes and high chaparrals making the greatest part of their journey. The two, are clearly brought out depending much on the kindness of people not known to them since they are seen very broke. Alberto occasionally gains better results on conning most of the people they come across unlike Ernesto who is genuine and believes in honesty with people. On their way, they meet a number of good friends such as a doctor in Lima who invites them for a stay in the leper colony. In the end of their journey, Ernesto undergoes a conversion in which he decides to join the Castro for the Cuban Revolution where he fights for his cause in Bolivia and Congo resulting to his death. The film is tedious and

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Business Ethics - Essay Example Additionally, the paper would provide a comparative study in between Chen’s views and the German team’s views and offer justification regarding whether offering gifts to the government officials for facilitating the new plan be unlawful and immoral. DISCUSSION (a). In Favour With reference to the case i.e. NES China: Business Ethics (A) by Xin Zhang, it can be viewed that though offering gifts to the government officials for facilitating the approval process of any established plan is considered to be against the law. However, it has also been observed from the past that the process of providing gifts for establishing an interpersonal relation is based tacitly on establishing mutual interests and benefits. Similarly, offering gifts is considered to be mandatory as it helps in establishing a more open relation amid the business organization and the government of the country i.e. China. China is considered to be amongst those countries that provide enormous complexity and difficulty for any foreign companies to cope with the Chinese bureaucratic hurdles, therefore providing gifts is ascertained to be an easy way of mitigating those issues (Zhang 401-408). Thus, considering the above mentioned facts, it can be stated that offering gifts to simplify the process for establishment of a holding company in a country such as China would be profitable for the organization. Against It has been viewed that though providing gifts for establishing an interpersonal relation

Medical Ethics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Medical Ethics - Case Study Example of Kansas, the State of Kansas statute is in one way or the other referenced and is qualified to be in a persistent vegetative state are underlying values of the statue mentioned. As the statute entails protecting the fetus; hence, validating the attending physician’s decision to disqualify Janet’s declaration. As such, the advance health care directive in light is particularly tailored for a single party (the woman) and excluding any additional party which is the fetus, in this case. Allowing the physician to place the patient on life-sustaining procedures before the legal matter is discussed and clarified would be a fit decision because it co-exists with the statute referenced in a note found in the patient’s medical record. Janet’s fetus is obliged to a surrogate because the advance health directive about life prolongation excludes any other party if Janet’s vegetative state would have been persistent. Surrogacy to the fetus will allow Janet’s directives to be upheld as she wished without compromising medical ethics by not withdrawing life from the fetus as

Impact of Gender on Academic Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Impact of Gender on Academic Performance - Essay Example Studies of gender differences in general academic performance are less conclusive. The results vary from no gender differences found. While conducting research there will be some ethical considerations. Before conducting the research the permission will be taken from the school management. Researcher’s personal biases and opinions should not get in the way of the research.Participants can be with draw any time if they want to quit. The results of the experiment will be kept confidential and researchers will use results with students’ permission for research purposes. Students should feel free to ask any question about the research and they will be provided with the outcome of the research. In this research the aim of the study is to analyse the difference in the academic performance of male and female students. Underlying the purpose and research question of the study conducted, the research design that was selected for the study is an exploratory correlational research design. The implementation of a correlational research design has permitted the researcher to explore and discover relationships amongst a large number of variables within a study. In correlational research, according Zechmeister et. al., the main purpose is to establish whether two variables are related, and if so, establish the direction of the observed relationship. In this research study we are going to analyse following research hypothesis: Null Hypothesis: There is no significant difference in the academic performance of girls and boys.

The significance of Vygotsky’s theories Essay Example for Free

The significance of Vygotsky’s theories Essay There has been increasing interest in the significance of Vygotsky’s theories and methodologies in education, mainly because these were not completed and empirically tested by Vygotsky himself, and because for Vygotsky, education was â€Å"central to cognitive development† and is â€Å"the quintessential sociocultural theory. † Vygotsky’s theories have been important in creating educational change, and his formulations concerning the â€Å"surrounding situations† in education help us understand the social nature of behavior. Because of the importance of culture and social context to sociocultural theorists, they would naturally be concerned with education as it begins outside the classroom—in the â€Å"real† world. Thus, learning was studied in places where conventional thought deemed that it did not occur in. However, this does not tell much about the source of cognitive skills because of the variability of success of specific tasks, depending on the social context—the â€Å"surrounding situation. † Vygotsky believed that cognitive development per se created potentialities but that learning is required to realize them. He believed that it is important to understand the relationship between instruction and mental development to understand many aspects of teaching and learning. Vygotsky differentiated between spontaneous and non-spontaneous development—between a concept whose meaning is experienced and that whose meaning needs to be explained systematically, for example. The issue of diversity is a considerable challenge to sociocultural theorists today. Sociocultural theories can help in teaching socially and culturally diverse learners. The Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition (LCHC), an institution which has made significant contributions to sociocultural theory, has helped in testing, analyzing, and expanding ideas on the social nature of human thought. Two of the LCHC’s most important products are the Fifth Dimension, a computer-based curriculum for academically challenged students, and La Clase Magica, an offspring of the Fifth Dimension focused on diversity. The idea of the social nature of human thought has existed for a long time, although it was Vygotsky who â€Å"solidified† the whole paradigm. Socio-cultural research on education is in its early stages. The increasing diversity in the world of education means that researches will need to work with many cultures in mind, and will need to collaborate across cultures. It can be expected that knowledge of the social nature of thought and its relationship to education will increase an necessary to accommodate the rapidly changing realities of modern times.

Feminism in Top Girls

Feminism in Top Girls The play is one of the most famous works of Churchill in all of hers. Some consider the play as a very radical feministic one, some consider it as anti-feminist. But the matter is that she, by the use of different techniques and strategies has made her play like a globe in which all women are there supporting, discarding each other. The play has a very important historical evidence behind itself and it was the matter of Thatcher that had become prime minister, as Churchill, her self comments that when she wrote top girls: Thatcher had just become prime minister; there was talk about whether it was an advance to have a woman prime minister if it was someone with policies like hers. She may be a woman but she isnt a sister, she may be a sister but she isnt a comrade. And, in fact, things have got much worse for women under Thatcher. (Churchill in Betsko and Koenig 1987, 77) In fact Margaret Thatcher and Edith Cresson, as prime ministers of their own time were really top girls. In top girls, Churchill has had two main idea in her mind: those of dead women coming back and women working. these are in fact two main topics of the play, which are very closely intertwined. the dead women from the past appear in act one, taking place in a restaurant, a celebration that Marlene organizes, because of her recent promotion, we see other characters such as Lady Nijo, Dull Griet, Pope, Joan who celebrate their femininity with each other. during the course of the night they gather together and supposed to speak about their victories, and of course there occurs an epiphany for them because they in fact had lost their own womanly manner in order to achieve mens world. The presence of this empty women is so well epitomized in the character of Marlene, as a kind of gap between past and present, this working class girl pregnant who left her home village to make a new one in London., so the old Marlene has died and no one is born and replaced by a cruel one, so we see here some assembly of dead women, who so naively consider themselves as the most alive ones. The structure of the play so excellently shows the sense of death of its main characters, in other words we can see a kind of parallelism, between their life and the structure of play. the plays denouement is somehow truncated, as the lives of women truncated and crooked. Of course we can consider this kind of techniques used by her as a feminist stances of denying the masculine pattern of plays inherited by Aristotle, I think before the full analyses of the play, thats better to mention some characteristic of it that is so prominent: her adaptation of Brechtian drama by the use of alienation effects,a kind of aesthetic distance, the matter and technique is so excellently showed by successive interruption of waiter and of course their laughter. From the perspective of dramatic shape it consists of three acts. one consists of three scenes and act two of tow scenes. I think the matter and division is because of creation of some chronological disruption, and it is done as a way of fulfilling a very good function in order not to create a kind of identification between the reader/audience and the actor/actress on the stage. Another important thing mentioned here is that, between different layers of this play, we have the working of the ideology. In this way we have a criticism of capitalism and capitalist regimes that the play puts forward.   In another sense, it can be used to exemplify more feminist reading of the play in fact by occurrence of a complete climax and by in fact having a diametrically opposed position to  the structure inherent to tragedy postulated by Aristotle. as Christopher Innes has stated: Combining surreal fantasy with Shavian discussion, documentary case-histories, and naturalistic domestic drama (complete with kitchen sink and ironing-board), Top Girls breaks out of conventional methods of portraying life on the stage, and suggests new ways of seeing reality .. creating a dynamic that is liberated from cause-and effect logic. (Innes 1992, 466),and this matter some how leads us to the next point: looking for a feminist form(or at least a kind of form different from the patriarchal one).the fact that we have in the drama only women and not men, is really vital in comprehension of it. the fact that the actresses in Top Girls have to double or treble roles prevents us from identifying with them and, consequently, focuses the attention of the reader/audience on the political message of the play, that is feminism . Thus, the woman-only cast illustrates the subject matter of Top Girls and reinforces the theme of feminism or thats better to say anti feminism. Although, the play deals with oppression of women by men in a capitalist regime, but we see the oppression of women by women as a result of being part of that regime .It can also means that how women have internalized the rules and privileges of patriarchal societies, however, we dont see a manifest attack of Churchill on men, in other words we dont see the struggle of women but in fact the play turns on the analyses of class strife and economics. An example can be found in the case of Marlene, who sacrifices her own daughter and family in order to escape from her working-class origins, besides, here in this drama we see that all the women somehow have some masculine way of behavior, although they think that they have cut with them, as we see that they have just an illusion that they are successful women or we as a kind of reader find tat its just an illusion to consider the play just as representation of a feminist drama. I think even the naming of character in the play, they exemplify the whole discussion about class struggle and economic strife that underlies it. so we have here a four group classification. First group women of past as we have Isabella Bird, as her name reminds us the matter of travelling. It can also be considered as a reference to the several characters in the play(Marlene, Lady Nijo, Win, Angie, Jeanine and Shona), who long for escape from their reality and fly to other, sunnier lands. here we see on the surface feministic tendency. Another important thing that really needs concentration is the language used by Churchill, she really has done her best to create a kind of distinctive use of the language in the play as Aston and Savona argue that: In Top Girls, the use of overlap is a sign of the female voice. Brechts splintering of the ego is further problematised in Churchills text by the female entry into the symbolic order of language. As a logocentric or phallocentric sign-system (as identified in Derridean or Lacanian terms), language places the female subject in a marginalized relation to its patriarchal order. (Aston and Savona 1991, 70) By destabilizing the linguistic exchange and therefore unfixing identity, but at the same time giving predominance to a female voice, Churchill seems to be stressing in a radical way the destabilization and displacement of the female subject in relation to language (Aston and Savona 1991, 70), and consequently in relation to occupying a position in a  patriarchaliy-defined society. All the women of top girls have conformed themselves to the male standards of behavior and that shows the theatricality of their works and glories. They are never satisfied with this new brand of gender, at least before they were just women now not men and not women belonging to one of them. From Lacanian point of view and as a confirmation of what I mentioned in the previous paragraph that all their actions are nothing but facade, we see that all of the characters are confined in the symbolic stage with the role of father. Since language is given in and by a system dominated by men, womens access to it is going to be clearly mediated. According to this, womens voice, their identity, will be totally artificial, a construct defined by patriarchy. This is  precisely what Gret purports to destroy in her powerful speech, in which she equals the Symbolic Order to hell. A hell where all the devils are male. As I mentioned in the previous paragraphs, Caryl Churchill in her marvelous play Top Girls has inserted a lot of messages some say that it is basically a play about capitalism and sexism: About capitalism in the sense that it analyses labor and social relations constituted by a capitalist economy, about sexism in that these relations are seen from a female point of view, which explores how female identity is put down by the politics of patriarchy. Top Girls is also a socialist-feminist play. It can be defined as socialist in that it takes a clear position against any sort of capitalist ideology, and it can be defined as feminist because it presents us with a parallel between socio-economic, by the use oppression and gender oppression. In fact, as we have seen, Churchill herself is a firm believer in the inseparability of feminism and socialism(Kritzer 1991, 149).besides, her uses of characters are true to life, she really generalize the theme of her feministic play, by use of characters of different classes to connote that it is a play about all women. Different strategies of her to create a feminine setting is really of paramount importance, although in this play she showed women who have achieved the highest level of social life but they are not really satisfied. I think the main message of her is that women should know the limits, as she is a social feminist and she is criticizing the bourgeois feminists. References: Jstore: Titol de la testi: Gender, Politics, Subjectivity: Reading Caryl Churchill

The Language Learner Autonomy Education Essay

The Language Learner Autonomy Education Essay Introduction: The more language learners there are, the more questions on how to learn effectively are raised. A lot of studies and researches have been being carried out to get the answers. There are many arguments but almost of researchers focus on autonomy, especially learner autonomy as a key of this point. In my essay, I will summarize the article of David Little, and then I give some opinions on Littles article and compare his point of view with others. Finally, I would like to give my suggestion, which originates from what I have read in this article. They are some issues that I want to know when I study autonomy. Introduction The concept of autonomy began in the early 1980s, associating with adult education and self-access learning systems, and gradually became the main discussion of language teaching under the impact of learner-centered theories of education. In this article, David Little purposes to restate an understanding of language learner autonomy in which the development of learner autonomy and the growth of target language proficiency are fully integrated with each other. It is the theory of language learner autonomy that implicates what is necessary to do so as to develop autonomous language learners and provides us with criteria by which to evaluate our efforts. The ability to take charge of ones own learning Little uses Holecs quote to make clear his view and define the essence of learner autonomy as the ability to take charge of ones own learning, which is acquired by natural means or formal learning, i.e. in a systematic, deliberate way (Holec, 1981). So, adult language learning should have an instrumental purpose and adult language programmes should be capable of meeting the specific communicative needs of individual learners. For Holec, the concept of learner autonomy has consequences for both the way in which learning is organized and the kind of knowledge that is acquired. Autonomy, competence, relatedness and intersubjectivity To review social-psychological and cognitive evidence in favor of promoting learner autonomy, Little mentions passive role at school or not being ready for social responsibility as some examples that make learners reluctant to take charge of their own learning. Besides, he distinguishes some notions such as independence and autonomy, the need for relatedness and autonomy and also defined competence and intersubjectivity in the relationship with learner autonomy. Constructivist learning theories According to constructivist epistemologies, knowledge is not a set of universal truths but a set of working hypotheses (Airasian Walsh, 1997:445) that are always subject to refinement, change, rejection and replacement. It means that we construct our knowledge by bringing what we already know into interaction with the new information, ideas and experiences we encounter. Besides, adopting pedagogical procedures that are exploratory, interpretative and participatory gives learners a capacity for reflective intervention to become an autonomous member of the culture-creating community. Theories of language learning There are some theories of language learning such as constructivist and innatist theories, which all emphasize the need for input, interaction and output and assign language as a key role in language learning. The way children learn and use language is compared with the process of language acquisition of learners. In addition, Vygotskys notion of a zone of proximal development (ZPD) and his view of the relationship between language and thought, speaking and thinking are used to analyze the characteristic of language learner autonomy. Pedagogical Implications Little proposes some interacting principles such as learner involvement, learner reflection and target language use that govern the success in second and foreign language teaching. The learner involvement requires constant attention from the beginning to the end of the course of learning, which means that the learners have to take part in the learning process, share responsibility with the teacher for setting the learning agenda, select learning activities and materialsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The learner reflection requires the teacher to embrace reflective intervention as a key feature of the teaching-learning process, which depends on leaner s skill and classrooms communication. The target language use is the medium through which all classroom activities are conducted, organizational and reflective as well as communicative. Little also mentions the important role of group work and the appropriate use of writing making learner easier to acquire a second or foreign language. WHAT I AM INTERESTED IN: As Little mentions in this article, the concept of learner autonomy began in the early 1980s. Since that year, there have been many studies on this issue. Benson and Voller (1997) raise questions, What is the theoretical basis for prevailing concepts of autonomy and independence? Is autonomy a culturally-specific, Western concept? What is the role of self-access and self-instruction in promoting autonomy? What is the role of the teacher in autonomous language learning? (p.270) Thats what I will present in part III and IV of this essay. I am really interested in this article of Little due to his analysis of autonomy and learner autonomy, which is not just a theory, but very practical. What is learner autonomy? Like Littles understanding of autonomy, Benson (2006) defines peoples autonomy as taking more control over their lives individually and collectively and autonomy can also be described as a capacity to take charge of, or take responsibility for, or control. Especially, he compares autonomy and autonomous learning with self-instruction, self-access, self-study, self-education, out-of-class learning or distance learning, which are basically described different ways and degrees of learning by the learners themselves, meanwhile autonomy refers to abilities and attitudes. This point is also agreed by Nicolaides (2007), as he mentions autonomy is a wider concept which can be developed through different paths according to learners needs, styles and context in which they are inserted in and which involves a reflection over ones own beliefs and responsibility over learning. So, we can understand autonomy in language learning as willingness to take more control over the purposes why we learn l anguages and the ways in which they learn them. However, I suppose that learner autonomy implies the freedom of learning. It is the freedom from learners themselves, to study and overcome any limitations to reach their expected target. Being some kind of freedom, learner autonomy can take place everywhere inside or outside the classroom and has both individual and social dimensions. In other words, it is a process that exists along with learners. Therefore, learners are more responsible for their own learning when they have some idea of what, why, and how they are trying to learn. They must take at least some of the initiatives that give shape and direction to the learning process, and must share in monitoring progress and evaluating the extent to which learning targets are achieved. (Little and Dam, 1998) The role of learner autonomy Why is learner autonomy important? Because it takes part in solving the problem of learner motivation. When a learner has motivation to study, he will be responsibility for his own learning and he can easily develop the skills of reflective self-management in learning and success in learning will strengthen his intrinsic motivation (Smith 2004). Little (2005) highlights that self-management and the generally proactive approach can make autonomous learners become motivated learners. To Dafei (2007), there is a consensus that the practice of learner autonomy requires insight, a positive attitude, a capacity for reflection, and a readiness to be proactive in self-management and in interaction with others. I am really interested in Littles idea in this article, it is unreasonable to expect teachers to foster the growth of autonomy in their learners if they themselves do not know what it is to be an autonomous learner. Frankly, a learner has to be autonomous, in other words, he needs to define his aims, understand his role in acquisition new knowledge, detect his difficulties and find out solutions, self-practice and try to apply his theoretical lesson into real life (Nicolaides 2003). In this case, the teacher may play a role as a helper, a supporter or an adviser to help him find his own way to success. But, if the students can appraise their own performance accurately enough, they will not have to depend entirely on the opinions of teachers and at the same time they will be able to make teachers aware of their individual learning needs. (Little, 2005) Little (2005) added that the development of the capacity for independent language learning is a tool to promote learner autonomy. We can see that when we are self-directed in doing anything, it automatically involves taking responsibility for the objectives of learning, self-monitoring, self-assessing, and taking an active role in learning. However, sometimes, we make a mistake when misunderstanding learner autonomy with learner isolation. It is believed that the independence that we exercise through our developed capacity for autonomous behavior is always conditioned and constrained by our inescapable interdependence. It means that, we necessarily depend on others even when we exercise our independence. (Little, 2005) Finch (2002) considers another view on the classroom, which allows us to include emotions, intuitions and attitudes as valid factors in the learning environment. He assumes that every learner is different, and everything that has an influence on the learner can create unpredictable effects. In this situation, the learning environment can be seen as a collection of learning opportunities which will be used in different ways by different students. It is proved that, there are many objective conditions that can distract or affect autonomy learners, not only the teachers or learners themselves. So that, we cannot teach students to become more autonomous (but) we can create the atmosphere and conditions in which they will feel encouraged to develop the autonomy they already have (Benson, 2003, p. 305). A question is raised by Dafei (2007) but there has not been pleased answers, it is whether the development of autonomy implies better language learning. In recent years, however, the contribution of practices associated with autonomy to language proficiency has become a critical issue for two reasons. One reason is that researchers are increasingly beginning to understand that there is an intimate relationship between autonomy and effective learning. However, this relationship has largely been explored at the level of theory, and lacks substantial empirical support. Another reason is that world-wide concern with accountability in education is increasingly obliging teachers to demonstrate the effectiveness of their practices in terms of proficiency gains. If researchers can show that practices aiming at greater autonomy also lead to greater proficiency, in whatever terms this is measured, their arguments will be strengthened. (Dafei, 2007, p.8) Although autonomy may ultimately lead to greater proficiency in language use, we cannot really know whether autonomous learners learning more than non-autonomous learner is more successful. In my class, after a year teaching a collegiate class, I am completely surprised because there are at least 10 hard-working students whom I highly appreciate (due to their activeness and attention in class) have marks under 5 in their final test. In my opinion, they are autonomous learners but they have not found an effective way of learning or they do not have a good aptitude for English. It seems to be ridiculous, but for many Vietnamese learners, they can study any subjects but English although they are not lazy. MY SUGGESTION As we can see, there are many relevant things that involve in learner autonomy, in this essay, I will mention two more things: The social cultural background (or sociopsychology) and the role of teacher autonomy. The Sociocultural background Smith (2004) thinks that many students show little interest in either language learning or in foreign cultures. They seem not to be eager to study other cultures as we all know learning a language is learning a new culture, new people and new society. Especially, in this era, with the globalization, people become nearer and cross-culture can be seen everywhere. And, if we learn more about a culture, we will understand its language more clearly and acquire it easily. Smith (2004) sees school as a preparation for life, not life itself, so that many teachers tend to emphasize facts about the major English-speaking cultures, in particular the UK and the USAà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. a preparation for later, life-long learning in the sociocultural domain. (p240). Thats why we need a pedagogy for autonomy to develop intercultural skills. If we do this effectively, we can develop the language abilities of learners. But, how can we engage learners in subjective cross-cultural experience, when in school contexts, they seem to have no or limited opportunities interact with other cultures, and when some students may appear unwilling to adopt an intercultural identity? According to Smith (2004), it is difficult to encourage learners to move beyond their existing cultural boundaries while they remain fixed within national or local identities because of being in a monocultural environment rather than immersed in another culture. So that, the role of a teacher is to give his learners an eager attitude to new experiences and ideas and in relation to other societies. It is a success when teachers can give a hand to show learners interest in getting to know other cultures and take steps to learn about them. Along with topics, materials like books, media, internet sourcesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ related to learners interest and in the classroom environment, learners will gradually get acquainted with social-psychological and cultural issues as pointed by Smith (2004). However, we need to notice some cultural points that are not suitable with Asian people, help students realize and use them in right situation, as we usually say, integrate but not dissolve. The role of teacher autonomy Smith (2000) supposes teacher autonomy is the type of autonomy mainly taking place when they attempt to understand and advise students and, ultimately when they engage in investigative activities, meanwhile Vieira (2007) highlights the important role of teacher autonomy that unless we put teachers centre-stage, we cannot win any effects. Teachers, a key link of a chain of teaching-learning process, need to reflect on how to provide their students with appropriate activities, material and principles to face up to the emotional and sociocultural demands of language learning. Due to Smith (2003), in order to promote learner autonomy, teachers may need to have some different dimensions of teacher autonomy, which have been emphasized by different authors such as a capacity for self-directed teaching, freedom from control over their teaching and a capacity for self-directed teacher-learning. Little (2005) give some pieces of advice to teachers: they should use the target language as the preferred medium of classroom communication and require the same of their learners; help their learners to set their own learning targets and choose their own learning activities, subject them to discussion, require their learners to identify individual goals but pursue them through collaborative work in small groups and try to keep a written record of their learning plans of lessons and projects, lists of useful vocabulary, whatever texts they themselves produce. Nicolaides (2007) states that teacher autonomy is different from the learners because being a teacher implies more exploration of choices and alternatives and face more external pressures. Besides, teacher autonomy involves not only linguistic competence, but also a didactic and pedagogical one. However, it has also been stressed by Smith (2000) that learner autonomy and teacher autonomy are interdependent, and that teachers wishing to promote greater learner autonomy need to start with themselves, reflecting on their own beliefs, practices, experiences and expectations of the teaching/learning situation. It is proved that teachers should stand at the place of learners to view just one aspect of their lives more clearly in order to discover their inner thoughts and minds, which enables us to adopt useful material and methods (Smith 2004). In addition, Finch (2002) suggests that the seeds of such a process already exist in the language classroom, and that teachers can therefore identify and encourage the autonomous classroom behavior of their students. One of the important things is using text book to transfer new standard knowledge from the curriculum to learners. However, sometimes, teachers are free from it, in other words, they can use many material outside but text book. In the case that teacher is the person who produces the test for his class, he usually uses only the frame, not the content of the syllabus. By this way, the teacher can focus on learners needs and reactions, help them approach latest news and take account of their own learning. Learners will reflect and self-evaluate and put an aim by themselves. In my experience, whenever I teach some classes that I can produce tests by myself, I always feel comfortable and supply as many updated material and information as possible for my students. I do not hav e to worry about timetable or finishing my programmes on time, although I do not ignore text book. On the other hand, I think the teacher should do some research on leaners to know their demands. It will help us understand the reality of our class, our ability and mistakes, the attitude of our leaners towards us and materialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I survey my students three times a year to understand my students needs, their remark on my teaching and on the material. This helps me so much to have effective teaching. CONCLUSION In this paper, I have attempted to give my opinions on what I am interested in, raised my questions and tried to answers in my ability. However, I think that, we still have many issues relating to learner autonomy to discuss. Nowadays, we use the term learner-centered more often, but sometimes forget the important role of teachers. Whatever method is use, the teacher always play the decisive role in the process of teaching-learning.

Maternity Leave in Australia Essay -- Papers

Maternity Leave in Australia Maternity leave allows women to take leave of absence from their job to give birth and care for their children. The International Labor Organisation sets minimum standards for maternity leave. These include a right to 12 weeks' paid maternity leave and prohibition against dismissal during maternity leave. Although a member of the ILO, Australia has never ratified its convention concerning maternity protection ---- we have no standard maternity leave provisions. Australian law entitles women to 12 months' unpaid leave and for more than 25 years the Commonwealth Employees Act has entitled Commonwealth employees to paid maternity leave. About two-thirds of women in the workforce, however, are not entitled to paid maternity leave and many working women are ineligible for unpaid leave because they are casual employees. Is it time to change maternity leave entitlements in Australia? Australia has one of the least generous maternity leave provisions of industrialised nations. Australiaand the...

Privacy and Confidentiality in the Electronic Medical Record Essay

It was just yesterday when Electronic health records was just introduced in healthcare industry. People were not ready to accept it due to higher cost and consumption of time associated in training people and adopting new technology. Despite of all this criticism, use of Internet and Electronic Health records are now gaining its popularity among health care professionals, as it is the most effective way to communicate with patient and colleagues. More and more hospitals and clinics are getting rid of paper base filling system and investing in cloud base storage. According to HIMSS The Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a longitudinal electronic record of patient health information generated by one or more encounters in any care delivery setting. It includes information from patient demographics, medications, to the laboratory reports. Introduction of Electronic Medical Records in healthcare organizations was to improve the quality care and to lessen the cost by standardizing the means of communication and reducing the errors. However, it raises the â€Å"eyebrows† of many when it comes to patient confidentiality and privacy among healthcare organization. The Problem is 1. Transfer of Information- The problem is remote access of the health records and pooling of large number of data for various purposes like research program and lab work, may lead to an error and confusion. 2. Lack of information centralization- Many patients keep their own records of blood sugars, weight and blood pressure by using various Internet tools. However, healthcare providers cannot access these records because they cannot streamline those records with EHR. 3. Security theft - Internet tools like Google health and Microsoft Vault provides conveni... ...idence of users by agreeing to the policy that the data submitted to their cloud platform will be kept confidential. (Ryan, 2011) The cloud computing is still under development but if it can manage to maintain information privacy and confidentiality than it will become revolutionary in healthcare field. And we never know, in future science and technology might introduce more advanced level of apps and service with enhanced level of privacy and security measures. Patient personalized health cards are also long underling technology that might provide patient a freedom of owning his/her PHI. Transferring data from one hospital to another wouldn’t be a challenge with this password protected health cards. Privacy wouldn’t be much of an issue as all the information is stored in the chip of the card that can be retrieve by a healthcare provider or by patient when needed.

American Indian Conjuring

Conjuring is said to be the second-oldest profession in the world, and may well be the oldest of the theatrical arts. It was the carefully guarded weapon of the priesthood used to establish a belief in supernatural powers among an uninformed public (Randi, 1992, p. XI). The dictionary defines a conjuror as â€Å"a person who practices legerdemain [sleight of hand]; jugglerâ€Å". (Webster’s College Dictionary, 1992, p. 281). Another source defines conjuring as the art of â€Å"producing the appearance of genuine magic by means of trickery and deception† (Randi, 1992, p. XI). Anyone who attended Sunday school as a child can recall the biblical account of Aaron’s battle with two sorcerers in Pharos’s court. In the story, each of the magi cast down rods that became snakes. The secret to the trick was the snakes had been drugged or hypnotized which made them look like sticks, then became mobile when stroked by the conjurors (Randi, 1992, p. 1). Eunios, a Syrian, stopped a rebellion of Sicilian slaves about 135 B. C. with his awe provoking fire breathing. He claimed a Syrian goddess had made him immune to fire. Florus, the chronicler, had other ideas. He insisted that Eunios had the fiery substance secreted in nut shells in his mouth (Christopher, 1962, p. 6). In 1865 Robert Houdin, a French magician and clock maker, prevented a rebellion in Algeria with legerdemain. The French government asked the magician to discredit the Marabouts, an Arab religious faction who were using magic to incite a rebellion. He proved his illusions were more powerful than the magic of the Marabouts, thus stopping talk of rebellion (Magic History n. d. ). The line between natural and supernatural is often poorly drawn. Among the American Indian people, sleight of hand feats, simple tricks, and snake charming were invested with mystical significance during tribal rites. Witch doctors and medicine men used the devices of entertainers to increase their reputation and influence (Christopher, 1962, p. 6). In this work, I will investigate the various means American Indian shamans employed to deceive the people into thinking they had supernatural powers. I will then expose their methods of prestidigitation and conclude with an examination of the loss of the art. Though American Indian hamans for centuries had often matched and surpassed the far more widely known fakirs of Calcutta and Bombay, few stories about their skill appeared in either the national or the international press, and this for a very sound reason: The Asian conjurers, lauded by travelers, performed in public for the money the could collect from their roadside shows. The American Indian’s magic was reserved for their tribe; few whit e men had an opportunity to study it. If a rare outsider tumbled on to a secret, he was swiftly inducted as blood brother and sworn to secrecy (Christopher, 1973, p. 69). American Indian shamans were at their best in the open air under the night sky. When tom-toms beat and campfires cast flickering shadows, their strange feats were awe-inspiring to fellow tribesmen as the occasional flashes of lightning that streaked across the sky. The Navajo, like their counterparts in India, made snakes appear under inverted baskets. Pawnee, Hopi, and Zuni shamans made corn and beanstalks grow (mango trees were not available) during harvest rites. The feat in which a Hindu conjurer‘s assistant vanished and reappeared in a large basket was also done by the Apaches. Swords were jabbed through the sides to prove that no one was inside in Asia; the Apaches had a more effective argument; they shot arrows through the fibers (Christopher, 1973, p. 69). In 1871, John Wesley Powell, a geologist and representative of the United States Bureau of Ethnology saw an exhibition of the skill of Cramped Hand and Bent Horn, two Ponca shamans. â€Å"One afternoon, near sunset, about two hundred persons, mostly Indians, stood in a large circle around a tent in which sat the shamans and their assistants. Presently the shamans and the aged chief, Antoine Primeau, came out of the tent and stood within the circle. One of the shamans, Cramped Hand, danced along the inner side of the circle, exhibiting a revolver (Allen’s patent), one chamber of which he seemed to load as the people looked on. After he had put on the cap, he handed the weapon to the chief, who fired at the shaman. Cramped Hand fell immediately, as if badly wounded. Bent Horn rushed to his relief and began to manipulate him. It was not to long before Cramped Hand was able to crawl around on his hands and knees, though the bullet had apparently hit him in the mouth. He groaned and coughed up incessantly, and after a tin basin was put down before him he coughed up a bullet which fell in the basin, and was shown in triumph to the crowd† (Powell, 1894, p. 417). The demonstration was breathtaking, but impractical in battle. This was traditionally done with a real gun and a gaffed round, the bullet having been replaced with a wax casting. The explosion of the charge and propulsion of the fake bullet through the air effectively vaporized the wax within a short distance. The wax bullet can be made to look like lead by coating it with a black substance (Bagai, n. d. ). Cramped Hand had only to secret an identical bullet in his mouth during the falling action, the rest was acting. Much of what we know about the magic practiced by the first Americans comes from missionaries who worked among the Indians in the years when the New World was being colonized by Europeans. French priests reported from Canada in 1613 that the medicine men of the Algonquin tribes were the most formidable opponents they faced in trying to convert the Indians. Twenty years later Gabriel Sagard-Theodat, a Recollect missionary, weary of the daily conflict with people whose customs he did not understand, called the Nipissing redmen â€Å"a nation of sorcerers† (Christopher, 1973, p. 70) There is a fascinating description of a trick by Fray Bernardio de Sahagu in his Historia de las Cosa de la Nueva Espana: â€Å"Seating himself in the middle of the market place at Tianquiztli, he announced that his name was Tlacavepan, and proceeded to make tiny figures dance in the palms of his hands. † No one who witnessed the trick could offer a solution. There is however a simple explanation: the small figures were manipulated by strands of long hair (like modern magicians invisible thread) tied together and attached to the conjurers feet. All he had to do was wiggle his toe and the figures came to life (Gosh, 2006, p. 21). Legends say that the early medicine men could bring miniature images of buffalo and warriors on horseback to life. They worked by the flickering light of a fire at the far side of the tent with observers grouped in a semicircle. At the command of the magician, the clay figures were supposed to have changed to flesh and blood. Then the miniature Indians corralled the buffalo and hurled their spears and shot their arrows with deadly accuracy until the last animal fell with an arrow through its heart. When the drama ended, the figures reverted to clay and were tossed into the fire. Seldom has a puppet show received such praise. Whoever started the story must have imbibed too freely before attending the performance (Christopher, 1973, p. 75). Shamans of the tribes who lived along the St. Lawrence River boasted they could summon the rains or stop storms. They claimed their rites could render fields barren or produce bountiful crops ( Christopher, 1973, p. 0) The Franciscan friar, Louis Hennepin said of the shamans: It is impossible to imagine the horrible howling and strange contortions that these jugglers make of their bodies, when they are deposing themselves to conjure, or raise their enchantments† (Hennepin, 1869, p. 59). Paul Beaulieu, an interpreter for the Ojibwa at White Earth Agency, Minnesota ( First settlement by white people, n. d. ), heard tales of Indian escape artists around the 1850’s. At Leech Lake, Minnesota he witnessed an Indian shaman clad in a breechcloth tied by a committee of twelve men. The shaman’s ankles, wrists and hands were bound; his tied hands were forced down so that his knees extended up above them. A heavy pole was thrust over his arms and under his knees; then his neck was tied to the knees and he was carried into a tent. The structure was built on poles, interlaced with twigs, and covered with strips of birch and canvas (Christopher, 1973, p. 74). The flap had scarcely been closed when strange words and thumping sounds came from within. The tent swayed violently as the sounds increased in volume. When the disturbance ceased, the Indian shouted that the rope could now be found in a nearby house. Cautioning the committee to keep a sharp watch on the tent, Beaulieu sprinted to the house. The rope was there, still knotted. He hurried back, let the other men examine the knots, and then called to ask if he could enter. Permission was granted and he found the Indian seated comfortably, puffing on a pipe (Christopher, 1973, p. 74). No explanation was offered for the astonishing feat. There is however, a way it could have been done, a method so obvious that Beaulieu and the committee would have overlooked it: a secret tunnel with cleverly concealed trapdoors at each end. An assistant concealed in a passage under the tent untied the medicine man, squirmed through the tunnel, retied the ropes, then dashed to the house where the shaman had decided they should be found (Christopher, 1973, p. 77). Alexander Phillip Maximillian, who traveled in the west in the mid 1800’s, wrote of some amazing things accomplished with ordinary objects by Hidatsa and Mandan shamans. â€Å"The medicine of one man consists in making a snowball, which he rolls a long time between his hands, so that at length it becomes hard and is changed into a white stone, which when struck emits sparks. Many persons, even whites, pretend that they have seen this and cannot be convinced to the contrary. The same man pretends that during a dance he plucked white feathers from a certain small bird, which he rolled between his hands, and formed of them in a short time a similar white stoneâ€Å"(Powell, 1894, p. 512). The performance of the bullet catch with Bent Horn and Cramped Hand was also followed by a demonstration of sleight of hand. â€Å"Bent Horn danced around, showing an object which appeared to be a stone as large as a man’s fist, and to large to be forced into the mouth of the average man. Cramped Hand stood about ten or fifteen feet away and threw this supposed stone toward Bent Horn, hitting the latter in the mouth and disappearing. Bent Horn fell and appeared in great pain, groaning and foaming at the mouth. When the basin was put down before him, there fell into it, not one large stone, but at least four small ones† (Powell, 1894 p. 417). A proficient modern sleight of hand artist can change the color of billiard balls and manipulate coins and playing cards on stage with utmost ease, and can do the same with small stones and leaves from trees out in the open. It is not at all hard to see (through practice) how the shamans could manipulate a snowball, feathers or rocks and make them appear as something they really are not. Dr. Franz Boas, an anthropologist at Columbia University (Franz, n. d. ) witnessed a burning alive illusion in northwest Canada. A young Indian girl was nailed inside a large wooden box that was burned in the center of a spacious medicine hut. As the smell of burning flesh permeated the structure, she could be heard singing. Eventually box and girl were consumed, only bones remaining among the ashes of the fire. The keys to this mystery according to Dr. Boaz were a secret tunnel, a long speaking tube, and a dead seal. The girl slipped through a panel that could be lifted in the bottom of the box, crawled through the tunnel to the out side of the lodge, and began her song, which filtered back inside via the tube. Meanwhile, a helper pushed the carcass of a seal through the tunnel and into the box. The charred bones, of course, were those of the seal (Christopher, 1973, p. 77). Complicated advance arrangements and trained assistants were not needed for the oldest and most frequently performed American Indian mystery, the shaking tent. Shaking tent conjuring was always done after sunset with the conjuring lodge put up an hour or so earlier and was taken down before sunrise the next day. The lodge was a small, often conical structure made of hoops and branch poles sunk into the ground covered with animal skins, blankets or cut spruce boughs (Christopher, 1973, p. 77 & 80). Often times the shaman was bound tightly hand and foot and also gagged. Once the tent flap was let down strange things began to occur: the ropes that bound the conjurer were thrown out of the top of the lodge. The tent would shake violently and a succession of strange voices would be heard, supposedly those of animal spirits. Beavers and turtles were among the most common, conversing with the shaman and occasionally with the audience (Beyer, 2009). Many shamans produced the voice of only one animal; others boasted a wider repertoire. The more animals a conjurer had at his command, the more he was honored (Christopher, 1973 p. 80). All of the feats described in the shaking tent can be accounted for. Why was the performance always done after dark? For much the same reason modern magicians use a darkened stage and smoke, to conceal the secret means of accomplishing the miracle. Why was the conjuring lodge put up an hour or so before the performance and taken down before sunrise? The answer is quite obvious: so the general uninformed tribesmen could not inspect the structure and find the secret. As for escaping out of the ropes that bound the shaman, it was a common escape trick. A famous duo called the Davenport Brothers had an act around the same time where they were bound securely in a cabinet which resembled an old-fashioned wardrobe. Suddenly they produced music on guitars and bells and caused ethereal hands and strange shapes to appear. The Davenports were exposed many times, not only by magicians but by scientists and college students. The latter ignited matches in the dark. The flickering flames disclosed the brothers, with their arms free, waving the instruments which until then had seemed to be floating (Christopher, 1962, p. 99). The shamans needed to be in top physical condition (like Houdini) to carry out the first-class performances they presented. The tent is scarcely ever still and at the same time singing, talking and ventriloquism occur (Howell, 1971, p. 50 & 82). While all American Indian conjurers do certain standard things like shaking the tent which, under contemporary conditions, may become the subject of a limited amount of skepticism, some conjurers apparently invent or acquire new tricks. The Saulteaux readily admit that certain individuals have either shaken the conjuring tent, or tried to shake it, with their own hands (Howell, 1971, p. 70 & 80). As it happens, the enclosures used by the tent shakers were not actually as rigid as they seemed. The anthropologist Dr. A. Irving Hallowell emphasized in The Role of Conjuring in Saulteaux Society that â€Å"All I can say personally is that Berens River conjuring lodges were extremely easy to set in motion. They readily responded to the slightest pressure from without, as I can testify. †(Howell, 1971, p. 83) The American Indian conjurers, who reportedly created marvelous wonders, were never willing to travel themselves and exhibit their feats for theater audiences. However, the proprietors of medicine shows, who sold tribal cure-alls to small town audiences in the late nineteenth century, always claimed the man in the war bonnet who displayed the bottles was a celebrated Indian medicine man. Shungo-pavi was billed as a Moki medicine man that performed magic at the Cliff Dwellers exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St Louis, Missouri, in 1904 later played in vaudeville. He wore beaded buckskins, moccasins, and a feathered headdress, but the tricks he performed were not of Indian origin. A bottle and a glass changed places when covered by two tubes; a silk handkerchief vanished; only to reappear tied between two others. He waved an eagle feather instead of a wand when he pronounced his magic words. Occasionally one still hears of a traditional feat being shown at an Indian tribal ritual in the Southwest or a shaking tent in northern Michigan or Canada, but the day of a burned alive illusion in the dark night or of a shaman changing a snowball into a rock in the open air has long past (Christopher, 1973, p. 81).

Mannerism vs Classicism

During the sixteenth century a style of art was developed almost by accident. It was developed mainly in Italy, in the city of Florence. It was different than all the other styles, and this intrigued many. It had not had a real name until about 1921, it was called Mannerism. Mannerism is the best art form that came out of the Renaissance. During the sixteenth century while the High Renaissance was evolving two definite styles of artwork developed. The first, which was Mannerism and is also sometimes called anti-classical style, and the second was Classicism, also known as anti-mannerism. This is some sort of hint that the two were almost opposites. 1 One response that was provoked by the upheavals of the sixteenth century was the attempt to escape reality, an effort that was echoed by some of the painters of the age, known as Mannerists. The Mannerists and their patrons cultivated artificial and esoteric images of the world; they undermined perspective, distorted human figures, and devised unnatural colors and lighting to create startling effects. 2 Mannerism broke all of the unwritten rules of painting. It created darker paintings and showed more emotion. Mannerism can be quite easily recognized. Art was no longer boring, it was more creative; this is not to say that art before then was not creative. The artists mixed colors, creating new shades. Classicism however was almost totally different. Classicism, attempted to recapture the aesthetic values and the strict forms that had been favored in ancient Greece and Rome. Classicism aimed for grandiose effects, through restraint and discipline within a formal structure. 3 A classicist painter was restricted in the ways that he painted. There were unwritten and written codes on how to paint in the classic style. There was not as much creativity in the painting. The classicist painters used traditional shades and lighting effects, while mannerists experimented with them. Mannerism tore away from the traditional bounds that held the rest of the art world in. Mannerism produced many new ways of painting. Mannerism breaks apart from the formal principles established during this period. Michael Angelo, with his tormented figures, seems to have shown the road. Symmetry disappears in favor of diagonal compositions; balance and measure give room to movement and expression. The games played by light and shadow become as dramatic as the faces. 4 Many new shades of color and lighting effects were developed and this helped to set the mood that the artist wanted you to feel. They began to use acidic colors and painted new scenes not seen before. This got the people interested. They had seen the scenes that the classicist painters were painting, and that got boring. It s the same with things now. People always want the new, and not the old. The Mannerist artist has the right or duty to employ any possible method of observation. Thus, creating new and exciting paintings. Some of the best painters of all time came out of the Mannerist style. If one removes from an account of sixteenth century art in Rome Raphael and all Michealangelo s works then little is left. Only Sebastiano del Piombo and Giulio Romano remain as major painters. 6 Although these are the major painters of the Mannerist style, there were others, such as, Vasari, Ammanati, and Salviati. Mannerism was first definable by Raphael s pupil Giulio Romano. 7 Mannerism as a style had many influences in later art, such as with baroque. Baroque tried to do the same as the Mannerist style, only on a more grandeur scale. 8 Caravaggio who grew up in Rome around the evolving styles of art, mannerism influenced him the greatest. One of his greatest paintings, The Supper at Emmaus, is a great example of how mannerism was blended into a painting, although it cannot be placed under the same category. Mannerism doesn t only produce brilliant and rebel artists, it also produces schools which imitate it. 9 This sparked a whole new movement in art because individual artists shape their own styles, developing new ones, which people imitate and so on. Also, it wasn t just a period of art like classicism, people later in history painted in this style. Painting was not the only form of art that mannerism was used for. Architecture was also a form of art that was widely used in Europe. The Sistine Chapel is perhaps one of the greatest examples of mannerism used in architecture. The handling of decoration and space seen in Michealangelo s plans for the Laurentian Library is also Mannerist. 10 Mannerism used in architecture however was mainly used in the northern parts of Europe, but the most famous are in Italy. The architecture of the Classicism movement was all straightforward and Gothic-like. The mannerists found new ways to design manneristic architecture. The figures of the rhythmic anti-classical painter and or architect function otherwise, for in themselves they express neither an established rule of nature, nor any unambiguous rationally understood space. In a word, for them the problem of three-dimensional space vanishes, or can do so. 11 The Classical painter or architect would stay with many two dimensional figures and not let the building give a true three-dimensional look and feel, mannerists did this. In conclusion, Mannerism is definitely the best art style that came out of the Renaissance period. Not only did it find new and exciting ways to paint and sculpt, but also new ways to build buildings. Some of the greatest artists of all time were mannerists. The mannerist style influenced many painters and architects of later time. Mannerism, unlike other art styles was not so much a rebellion against older styles as a deliberate cultivation. 12 Therefore mannerism is the best art form that was developed during the renaissance.

Marketing Strategy for Apple Ipod

Executive Summary The focus of this report is on the Apple iPod that has created increasing demands in various outlets. The iPod allows consumers to download their favourite music but also books, movies and now even allows one to surf the internet. In this reports you find an extensive analysis on how Apple has became such a huge company within its market and will show us how the popularity of the iPod has seemingly helped Apple to be become one of the most well known brands worldwide. In order to do this, the main areas of discussion I am going to focus upon are the company itself. I will look at the firms’ internal and external Marketing environment in order to provide an insight in what position the firm is in. Furthermore, I will look at the competition they are facing and what affect this have upon their marketing strategy. I will also provide recommendations will be provided on how Apple can strengthen their position in the market. Introduction Established in April 1976, Apple, develops, sells, and supports a series of personal computers, portable media players, mobile phones, computer software, and computer hardware and hardware accessories. Rather than releasing multiples of little products to try and win over consumers through market saturation, Apple releases higher end, high quality, and user friendly products. They believe in bringing in simplicity and innovation to the mass market and for that reason have been extremely successful. As of September 2007, the company operates about 200 retail stores in five countries and an online store where hardware and software products are sold. Its products include the Macintosh line of desktop and notebook computers, the Mac OS X operating system, the iPod music player and a portfolio of software and peripheral products for education, creative, consumer and business customers. [1] Apple introduced its first iPod portable digital music player. The product has proven unbelievably successful; over 100 million units have been sold in the six years since its introduction. In 2003, Apple's iTunes Store was introduced, offering online music downloads in integration with the iPod. The service quickly became the market leader in online music services, with over 3 billion downloads by August 2007. Steve Jobs announced that iTunes had reached 4 billion downloads during his keynote address at the 2008 Macworld Conference & Expo. [2] Apple is recognized as an unparallel in computer designing and compatibility. The sleek and state of the art design of the Apple’s products snatch away the consumers mind quite easily than the rest. The Apple iPod The iPod is the fastest selling music player in history. Apple has sold over 100 million iPods since the player’s introduction in October 2001, [2] although sales have said to have started slowing; the company currently enjoys a Microsoft-like domination of the MP3 player market. From the early iPods to the new iPod touch, it has gone through a significant change and has opened the user’s world from the palm of their hands. In January Apple reported the best quarter revenue and earnings in Apple's history so far. Apple posted record revenue of $9. 6 billion and record net quarterly profit of $1. 8 billion. 42% of Apple's revenue for the First fiscal quarter of 2008 came from iPod sales. [3] Another interesting statistic for this is that 40% of last quarter's iPod sales went to first-time buyers, and just shows that the music player market is far from saturated as some have stated. [4] This iconic product is considered by many to be a must have item. â€Å"The iPod is to music players what Kleenex is to tissue or Xerox is to copiers. †[5] The Marketing Environment Apple operate on a global level with 200 stores in 5 countries. Nowadays Apple is more commonly know for the iPod. The iPod has dominated digital music player sales in the United States and United Kingdom with many companies struggling to find a product to challenge the iPod. Due to the ever-changing market, businesses like Apple need to monitor the ever-changing business environment and make sure they are going in the right direction. A business can then only plan where it is going if it knows where it is starting from. Finding out where a business is at the moment involves looking at its micro and macro environment. Micro-Environment Porter’s Five Forces The microenvironment consists of those factors that affect the firm directly. This model helps to contrast the micro environment of a firm. (Refer to Appendix A) What we know is that competition in the market is very intense A wrong move could have a harmful affect with your competitors moving ahead of you due to the intensity of the competition in the market. In relation to that, customers are in a strong position as they have more bargaining power and due to the fact there are many substitutes. With the Microsoft Zune 8 it makes it really difficult for new consumers to make a decision between the two. Often customers will pay due to the iPod reputation and its important Apple keep this high. Macro-environment Pest analysis To further analyse the external marketing environment, the macro environment we conduct a PEST analysis. Such external factors usually are beyond the firm's control and sometimes present themselves as threats. PEST is the abbreviation for political, economic, social and technological. (Refer to Appendix B for full PEST analysis) The Competition In the PC market Apple face intense competition form the likes of Dell, Toshiba and HP. Whilst in operating system, Microsoft are the biggest rivals. In both these Apple do not have a great hold. However in the Mp3 market, which is more relevant, Apple have dominated the Market since the release of the iPod. With the competition current coming from SanDisk and Samsung. [12] Its safe to say that although Apple is diversified more than most of its competitors, their differentiation is a biggest strength because they spend so much on R, which is what seperates them from their competition. SWOT Analysis A summary of Apples SWOT analysis is that Apple are in a very strong position because it has a powerful brand name and is recognised globally, coupled with its huge fan base of consumers gives them many strengths within the market. The fact that they are so popular in the mp3 market gets them a lot of attention within the media. Only Microsoft due to being Apples biggest competitor will get a large amount of media coverage. The iPod itself in terms of ease of use and innovative technology means that it is very difficult to match. Only the Microsoft Zune 8 can compare to the design and usability. Although may have been released to late in order to make real challenge against the iPod. For Apple to overcome the potential threats, they must continue to be inventive and explore opportunities globally. R + D and product innovation are of the utmost importance. Apple must continue to improve and be innovative to remain market leaders, otherwise other companies may capitalise on any kind of drop in standards. Although one of the largest digital music sellers in the world, iTunes face a bit of competition from Amazon as well as Myspace, Apple have a target on their backs and only takes a company with good resources to challenge them. for full SWOT analysis refer to Appendix C) Marketing Objectives Due to Apples secretive attitude, finding real evidence of real goals is difficult. What we can deduce however is that although iPod sales are starting to slow they still want to maintain high turnover and profit. That’s the major objective of any of its competitors. Also from resea rch over various sources Apple are aiming hoping to: †¢ Improve brand awareness †¢ Improve sales with the iPod touch. †¢ Improve position in the mobile phone market, with the help of the SDK for the i-phone (Aiming to sell 10 million iphones this year Improving sales of the iPhone and the touch, as they are the ‘in’ products which everybody wants, would help them gain a enormous amount of revenue and help spread the brand. Marketing stratergy I think Apples main stratergy is there appeal to their customers. What you find in general with many of their products more btter looking than the competitions. One thing we can see is Apple building on the popularity of the iPod. It appeals to the Mass market. Now appeal less as a computer company and more of a electronics company and seem more user-friendly. Apple have a differentiation stratergy. Apple products are known to have a unique appeal, with its sleek designs a userbility. Due to this it gets a lot of attention from consumers and the media. Without much advertising or marketing on their part. They give something new and unique to talk about which everybody gets pulled in to. With the iPod there not only selling a mp3 player, there selling a social chic. Everybody has one and everybody wants one. Target Market Target market †¢ Apple Ipod focused particularly at those between the age of 12-25, consistent with their advertising. Bright colours and and a man dancing. It will appeal to both males and females †¢ People who have a passion or interest in music and/or literature †¢ Technology enthusiasts The iPod appeals to the mass market, everyone is a potential customer. Young or old. They have music, literature and podcasts all avaiable for the iPod owners. The simplicity and sleek design is what attracts people. Although the latest ones (the touch) are exp ensive, and may be aimed at higher and older earners. Marketing mix The marketing mix consists of four elements: Products, Price, Place and Promotion, better known as the 4p’s. The marketing mix can only be made when the target customer is known, which I have done above. |Product |Price | | | | |This product allows consumer’s to download not only their |When initially launched into the mp3 market, Apple utilised pricing | |favourite music but also books and photos. Nowadays with the|strategies in the form of psychological and skimming prices. Most of | |latest versions of the iPod you can watch videos and surf on|the websites have the iPod touch at ‘? 199. 00. ’ This makes consumers | |the internet with one small device. Apple have introduced |think it is much cheaper than ‘? 200. 00’ but in reality it is only a | |updated versions of the iPod starting from the first iPod in|pound less. The high price is on the basis of the companies | |2001 to the iPod touch (refer to appendix D). These are |popularity, and the unique design of the ‘touch’. It will also attract| |extension stratergies to increase the product life cycle of |an image of quality with their products. | |the iPod. | | | |[pic] | |The fact that the is product differentiated making it unique| | |will make product both functional and desirable to potential| | |consumers. | | | | |Promotion |Place | | | | |By promoting the iPod it will satisfy the needs of the |Apple has many distribution channels, from their online Apple Store, | |customers. Consumers will gain better understanding of the |to their retail stores and many resellers around the world. Indirect | |product and how it works. All in all advertising and |distribution where third parties are involved in the sales process are| |promotions will bring more awareness to their products and |also used. These resellers will sell to the smaller firms who cannot | |potentially more sales. |aford to buy directly from Apple. | |Apple's promotion strategy, was the surprise element that it| | |attached just before they released the iPod. There was a |The iPod is available to purchase at most major stores within the UK. | |heavy speculation and curiosity regarding the product and |From specialist electronic stores to supermarkets. Stores from Apple | |everyone was watching out for it. It allowed fans and |retailers to Tesco sell the iPod. They are also available all over the| |enthusiastic tech and entertainment media to spread the word|internet from places like Amazon to ebay. A countless amount of | |of the gadget even before its release. Just when iPod was |retailers will stock the iPod such is its popularity | |launched Apple advertised extensively for the iPod, this is | | |where the infamous commercial showing a man listening to the| | |songs on his iPod and dancing. A similar stratergy has been | | |used throught the release as with increasing the popularity | | |of iTunes. | Evaluation of the Apple Strategies The overall position of Apple is profitable as sales have increased over the last years. Sales of the iPod have been increasing since it had been released. Although sales for this quarter have been said to be slow. [pic] Source: wikipedia[2] This has been reflected in their strategies to expand through the introduction of newer more innovative designs and this is why they are market leaders in the mp3 market. Apple has a lot of few different range ranges of iPod products, like the shuffle, the nano, the video and touch. All of which have different prices. This is a good strategy as it appeals to a wide mass market. The fact that Apple append very little on Advertising on their products compared to many of its firms, is down to the general buzz and interest of their products. There teasing with products entices the media and technology enthusiast tin wanting more. However this may not always be the case, for apple to consider more advertising may be important. The differentiation approach sets Apple apart from its competitors however Microsoft is challenging Apple. They have the money and resources to match. It would be fairly foolish to think that Apple is too strong in the market. They need to continue to invest a lot of money in R+D. With products like the iPhone and the Touch it can be said they are going in the right direction, in achieving innovative, unique designs. I also think Apple have a huge opportunity in supporting the whole education system. It has the money and resources to do this. Possibly negotiating contracts with schools and universities, for pod casts even computers could put Apple in a challenging position in the computer market. Having agreements with universities, and schools can increase there popularity and awareness. Conclusion â€Å"Apple has nearly 250 stores worldwide and now derives 20 per cent of its revenue from them. And those numbers are growing. In the quarter to the end of September 2007, for example, Apple reported that its retail stores accounted for $1. 25bn of the company's $6. 2bn revenues – a 42 per cent increase over 2006. †[14] Since the release of the iPod, about half of Apple's revenues come from music and iPods. Interest in the iPod and iPhone has made other apples products popular, like the Mac whose sales have increased. Apple has demonstrated how to create real, breathtaking growth by dreaming up products so original and imaginative that they have taken industries by storm. To maintain control in the mp3 player market, they need to maintain their quality and strategic marketing plans if they want to keep ahead. Apple leads the industry in innovation and many other things like design features. Sony, Microsoft, Creative are all right behind Apple. The battle of the MP3 players will surely be an excellent example of competition that breeds better products, with Apple taking the first step with the iPod Touch and iPhone. The iPod was ground-breaking technology that was absorbed by mainstream culture, and now has become the epitome of portable audio. Companies such as Apple will need to be self-motivated if they are to stay ahead of the game. Differentiation and innovation is the key in maintaining their dominance. Apple has a high competitive advantage because of its excellent product image. They use simplicity and lustrous designs to appeal to customers. The electronic market gets connected more and more with the entertainment market. With already the market leader in the digital sales market, it would not be surprising to see Apple move in to TV. Appendices Appendix A [pic] Source: Corporate Stratergy finntrack. com[8] (Rivalry Calling the level competiton in the mp3 industry as intense is an understatement. The this case we have the like of Sony, Samsung and Creative, with many more in the whole market. Apple commands 70 percent of the MP3 player market. 10] However with concerns of the MP3 market being saturated, its puts more pressure on businesses to succeed. With the innovative designs like the iPod touch and the iPhone it shows why apple are leading the market. (Threat of Substitutes Countless substitute products are available for the iPod whether they are actually better or even appeal more is a different matter, but the threat is still very high. The more diffe rentiation th less like a switch to a substitute will occur. To date no company have come close to meet the popularity of the Apple products. Reason being the innovative designs and ease of use have convinced most customers to stick with Apple. Higher prices need to be justified by the differentiation of the product. Substitutes such as the Sony NW-(A806), Microsoft Zune 8 and many others, can still attract many customers but with imaginative designs like the iPod Touch leaves many companies playing catch up. (Threats of new entrants Although it is possible, its unlikely. Start up costs would be very high so little chance new entrants would enter a very competitive market unless they have a very differentiated and innovative product. Existing firms have established themselves in the market and have created strong brand awareness. (Bargaining Power of Customers The bargaining power of customers is high due to the fact it is easy to switch to a substitute where quality or price, even both is better elsewhere. With so many substitutes of similar quality, its down to the business to make their products more appealing. Apple have done this with their strong vision to build innovative, unique products and have made their products easy to use. (Bargaining Power of suppliers Suppliers don’t have much power over larger corporations like Apple. With the booming chinese economy, Apple can change suppliers without any major consequences, if they are in disagreement over price and quality. However Apple have built a strong relationship with their suppliers, with strict procedures and this in turn helps Apple achieve it targets. â€Å"Our business environment is competitive and fast-paced. Our suppliers must understand this dynamic and be agile and flexible in responding to changing business conditions. †[11] Appendix B Political: | |Governments with stricter laws on copyright | |An anti-american agenda may be brought against them. Some people may choose not to use american products | |Economical: | |Inflation currently has increased in UK and the US and may affect current sales of ipods which have already slowed. |Global economy in a down turn | |The exchange rate will also affect Apple as they are importing or exporting goods within the int ernational market. | |Social: | |Again Anti-american agenda may cause potential customers to but from another company. | |A generally aging british population, so many may be put off by the technology | |As much as it is a iPod culture, it can go away as quickly as it came. People may find something else which is better and| |more value for money. | |Technological: | |Many substitutes available from iRiver, Samsung and sony | |Competition moving away from copy protection on songs. Such as amazon. | |Peer-to-peer file sharing applications like Limewire and Kazaa are still extremely popular. Although this is a problem | |with the music industry on a whole. This still however affects iTunes. | Appendix C Strengths: †¢ The products itself appeals to both males and females †¢ All the iPods starting from the very first have a great reputation amongst it customers for its userability. †¢ Great technology underpinnings that allow the creation of powerful products. Allows them to attract a huge customer base due to their innovation and technology †¢ Very user focused and always committed to a superb user experience, in all their products †¢ Limited edition ranges, increases product life cycle. Limited editions ranging from U2 to BMW Weaknesses: †¢ High prices may push potential customers to competitors with substitutes at a better price. †¢ Technology is changing at a faster rate than ever. For Apple to remain profitable, they must invest huge amount of money in their R&D to remain competitive. †¢ Questions over reliability of the iPod [2] Oppurtunities: †¢ iPod was is revolutionary technology that has become part of mainstream culture, Apple can capitalize on that †¢ To develop themselves in to other markets due to the reputation they earned from the iPod. New designs may be available to boost sales and extend the product life cycle e. g. the iPod touch. †¢ iPods have also gained popularity for use in education. Apple offers more information on educational uses for iPods on their website. [13] Threats: †¢ Very high level of competition, a lot of substitutes, possibly offering cheaper prices i. e. iRiver †¢ Cheap fakes being made of the iPod and the iPod shuffle †¢ Concerns of market being extremely saturated. †¢ Competition, with the like of Amazon in digital sales [7] Appendix D [pic] Sources: Wikipedia [2] and Mactracker Apple Inc. Model database References: 1. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Apple_Computer 2. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ipod 3. Apple Reports First Quarter Results(January 2008), [Accessed date: 14th March 2008]-http://www. apple. com/pr/library/2008/01/22results. html 4. Tim Conneally, (February 2008) Nearly 3% of America became iPod converts over the holiday, [Accessed date: 14th March 2008]- http://www. betanews. com/article/Nearly_3_of_America_became_iPod_converts_over_the_holiday/1204309531 5. Betsy Morris, (March 2008 ) What makes Apple golden, [Accessed date: 9th March 2008] – http://money. cnn. com/2008/02/29/news/companies/amac_apple. fortune/ 6. Q/A with apple employees and analysts(January 2008): Reading the runes for Apple [Accessed date: 5th March 2008]-http://www. guardian. co. uk/technology/2008/jan/10/apple. steve. jobs#swot 7. Jefferson Graham, (March 2008), Amazon takes on Apple with copy-protection-free music [Accessed date: 20th March 2008]- http://www. usatoday. com/money/media/2008-03-25-sony-music service_N. tm 8. Corporate strategy [Accessed date: 25th March 2008] -www. finntrack. com/corporate_strat. htm- 9. http://www. tutor2u. net/business/strategy/porter_five_forces. htm [Accessed date: 25th March 2008]- 10. Leander Kahney, (March 2008)How Apple Got Everything Right By Doing Everything Wrong [Accessed date: 27th March 2008]-http://www. wired. com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-04/bz_apple 11. Apple and Procurement [Accessed date: 29th March 2008]- htt p://www. apple. com/procurement/ 12. Jeremy Horwitz(August 2006) iPod maintains 75. % share of U. S. MP3 player market [Accessed date: 31st March 2008] http://www. ilounge. com/index. php/news/comments/ipod-maintains-756-share-of-us-digital-music-player-market 13. iTunes U and mobile learning[Accessed date: 2nd April 2008] http://www. apple. com/education/itunesu_mobilelearning/ipod. html 14. John Naughton(March 2008) Core values that turned Apple into the best store in town [Accessed date: 4th April 2008] http://www. guardian. co. uk/media/2008/mar/30/marketingandpr. apple Bibliography