Employment Relations Essay

In the last 20 years, there has been a shift in the importance of Unions in New Zealand. The introduction of the 1991 Employment Contracts Act and the following Employment Relations Act 2000 allowed employees and employers the freedom to negotiate in a Good Faith Bargaining environment without the involvement of the Government. And therefore the unions and collective agreements were no longer mandatory to guarantee good work conditions. This year, a big example of Employment Relations involving Union and employers disagreements is the AFFCO plants lockout. Since February 2012, 1250 union members have been involved in 6 AFFCO plants lockouts due to disputes between New Zealand Meat Workers Union (NZMWU) and AFFCO. The disagreement finally ended in late May with an arrangement between the parties. This case study will use the Employment Relations theories to explain the relevance of the dispute between a fast growing company and the union trying to protect its member’s rights in the current employment environment. Earlier this year the media spotlight turned to the dispute between AFFCO, a meat processing organisation and the New Zealand Meat Workers Union. It brought up a radical side of unionism that does not reflect the majority of Union activities in New Zealand. Who are the parties involved? And what is the conflict that caused grief to employees and employers really about? On one side of this dispute is AFFCO, a meat processing organization owned by the Talley’s family since 2001. In 1936 a Yugoslav immigrant, Ivan Talijancich, opened a fish shop in Motueka and bought a boat to supply it. His sons, Peter and Michael, took over the business when he died in 1964. Since then the business has grown and the family is now worth $300 million and Talley’s Group owns: eight meat plants in New Zealand (AFFCO), four fish processing plants, vegetable farms, 53% majority of milk processor Open Country, Ice-cream factory in Motueka and the Rutherford Hotel in Nelson1. On the other side of the dispute is the New Zealand Meat Workers Union. The NZMWU was created in 1971 in an attempt to form a National Union to support meat workers and related trades. In the 1990s, however, another union was formed in the North Island, the Meat and Related Trades Workers Union of Aotearoa (MUA), allowing workers the freedom to choose between the two different unions. In 2005 a decision was made to disband all the members from MUA to NZMWU forming one single union to represent meat workers over the entire country. Since then sacrifices were made by its members through strikes and negotiations to achieve the good working conditions of today2. In February this year the meat processor AFFCO locked out more than 760 unionised employees in 5 of its North Island plants over a contract dispute3. Some unionised workers were kept in some strategic operational areas while the more radical union members were locked out. The union claimed that the lockout was illegal and it was an attempt by AFFCO to break the collectivism and reduce workers memberships, they accused the Talley’s family of being anti-unionism. In March AFFCO announced that all the union members that were still engaged at work would get paid holidays over Easter as long as they did not participate on strikes planned by the union. The lockout continued over the Easter Holidays. After the holidays all the unionised workers that were still allowed in the plants, including workers from the other unaffected AFFCO plants went on a 5 day strike. In May 2012 the Employment Court put the dispute under investigation in an attempt to end the 3 month lockout. The dispute finally ended late May when AFFCO and the New Zealand Meat Workers Union implemented a new collective agreement. Overall, the dispute over a new collective agreement lasted for 12 weeks with both parties unwilling to give up their power of negotiation. AFFCO had offered a pay rise of 4. 3 per cent over the following two years, but the union also wanted to protect its members from AFFCO’s efforts to implement new technology and flexibility in staffing levels. What later came to light, the New Zealand Meat Workers Union took AFFCO to the Employment Court over â€Å"illegal† random drug testing. According to AFFCO the drug testing was a way to protect its employee’s safety while working in â€Å"sensitive areas† of the meat processing plant. They showed the media photos of drug paraphernalia found on site. The AFFCO lockout is not the only case of a breakdown of management of Employment Relations to be highlighted by the media this year. Another example is the Port of Auckland versus the Maritime Union that led to its members striking and causing shipment delays over the whole country. Both of these cases show two different sides to the Conflict Theory Frame of Reference as described by Rasmussen, 20094. Each party has an opinion about how they work. In the case of AFFCO the Unitarism model is followed, and, in the other second case, the New Zealand Meat Workers Union follows the Radical model of the Conflict theory. The Unitarism model adopts the idea of all members of an organisation working towards its goals; therefore the conflict with the union upset the path of development. The workers are viewed as resources to the process and the management as the authority. AFFCO is a big privately owned company that is driven by competitiveness to achieve success. Being slowed down by negotiations over collective agreements with the union and being stopped to develop new technologies and systems to improve production and lower costs, AFFCO believed that the NZMWU were trouble makers expressing employee’s greed. This ideology was relevant to small, family owned companies in New Zealand where team work and loyalty to the group were for a long time valued above individual achievement (Rasmussen, 2009, p. 9). However today, as Alan Fox suggested, a number of factors had conspired to make the unitary view inappropriate for analysing the realities of employment relations policy and practice (Fox, 1973, p. 192)5. These factors included urbanisation, the increasing size and complexity of work organisations, the weakening of traditional attitudes towards authority, the growing power of unions, and a greater personal assertiveness and striving for individual achievement and success (Rasmussen, 2009, p. 29). Therefore, for a period of time between the 1960s to the 1980s the pluralist and radical models found more favour. The recent attitude of the New Zealand Meat Workers Union however, is described by Rasmussen 2009 as a radical model. This ideology assumes that there is no balance of power between employees and employers. It focuses on the social and class structures and on the attitudes and behaviours of the parties involved. The conflict between AFFCO and the New Zealand Meat Workers Union is a great example of this frame of reference. Even when AFFCO agreed with a pay increase of 4. 3 per cent over 2 years, the NZMWU did not settle, they wanted more for their members under the assumption that the negotiating power was still in the meat processor’s hands. Both of these reactions seem somehow to be â€Å"prehistoric†. Since the 1990s a lot of the relationship between unions, employees and employers has changed. First, with the introduction of the Employment Contracts Act 1991 making unionism voluntary and giving employees the options of personal grievance procedures. And then, with the following Employment Relations Act in 2000 that kept many key points from the previous act and added the promotion of collective bargaining and unionism (Rasmussen 2009 p. 102-103). With the introduction of the Employment Relations Act 2000, the legislative employment relations framework appears to be less controversial and surrounded by something of a consensus (Rasmussen 2009 p. 123). The main issue during collective bargaining in the last 20 years has been the communication between the parties involved, as reported by Leeanne Templer, 20116. Therefore, the ERA also creates the environment for Good Faith Bargaining. The Good Faith Bargaining reinforces employment relationships based on trust and good faith. Now, by law, an understanding between employers and employees (with or without their unions) must be clear, respectful and with open exchange of information. As described by Rasmussen, 2009, Good faith collective bargaining requires at least the following things: * That the parties have to agree on a bargaining process; * That the parties must meet each other; That they have to consider and respond to bargaining proposals; * That they must recognise and respect the bargaining authority of the other side and avoid undermining this authority; * That the parties will provide the necessary information to substantiate claims; * That they must take into account relevant good faith codes, the proportion of employees who are union members, and the circumstances of employer and union. As can be seen from the media coverage of the bargaining conflict between AFFCO and the New Zealand Meat Workers Union, it appears that a few of the GFB points were ignored. For example, the introduction of the random drug testing was not communicated appropriately between the parties involved and the agreement on a bargaining process was then rejected. While the act introduces the Good Faith Bargaining, it also allows lawful strikes and lockouts. In this particular case, the legality of the AFFCO lockout is debatable. The Union argued that AFFCO’s owners, the Talley’s family, are using this action to undermine collective bargaining and to retaliate against the court actions bought by the NZMWU. The New Zealand Meat Workers Union also felt that Talley’s wished to force its employees to relinquish their union memberships. The Employment Relations Act defines that strikes and lockouts are lawful if: * Thy are in support of a collective agreement; and * The employees concerned are not bound by a current collective agreement; and * The parties involved have already negotiated for at least 40 days; and * In the case of the essential services listed in the act, the notice requirement has been met. Overall, the recent Employment Relations Act has achieved a safe guideline for employments issues negotiations between employees and employers. Conclusion (not quite finished yet) The Employment Relations in New Zealand is supported by legislative set of rules that can be used to resolve disputes between workers and their employers. These disputes can be in individual or collective actions as demonstrated by AFFCO and New Zealand Meat Workers Union’s 3 month conflicts. The long lasting dispute occurred because either AFFCO or NZMWU were willing to compromise its negotiation power. Each one had their own frame of reference theories. AFFCO was defending its own rights as an organisation to have its goals followed by its employees. And NZMWU was purely defending their members against AFFCO’s process developments that would lead to staffing flexibility. Changes in the Employment Acts allowed the grievances of employees and employers to be negotiated between the involved parties without the government’s input. It also created a Good Faith Bargaining environment which reinforces employment relationships based on trust and good faith.

Evolution of Human Speech Essay

It can not be disputed that speech is an important aspect in communication and above all it enables man to adapt to his environment by expressing his feelings, thoughts and sentiments. The power of the spoken word is also apparent in different authorities at it reflects what should be done and the ultimate success of the society. This illustrates why this art was adopted millions of years ago by the ancient man and has been used since then. However, the origin and development of speech is still unclear with various theories being put forward to address this issue. The most recent development in this field has been the proposal that this unique human characteristic developed from the gene FOXP2 in the KE family. However, this is yet to be affirmed as counter propositions have been raised, both by scientists, anthropologists and biologists. It is upon this background that this paper aims at analyzing the different phases of the evolution of human speech. Speech is a complex occurrence that is characterized by intonation and flow. However, Hewitt emphasizes that gestures are the most fundamental aspect of speech because of the fact that speech emanates from the movement of certain body organs in a systematic manner (342). From this, he further argues that the earliest human beings essentially used gestures in communication (342). This marked the earliest form and starts a journey to modern human speech. According to Crow, man definitely developed this sign language from the birds and the insect gestures (49). In this respect, he indicates that the birds usually take a material for nesting to the partner as a sign of proposal. In addition, the bees usually move their tails in a certain specific motion when they land on a flower that has nectar. From observing the characters of these and other animals like the dogs and the cats, man came up with a sign language to enable him communicate just like the other animals (Hewitt 342). As such different gestures were adopted by man to symbolize different things and ideas. For example, waving meant good bye, putting fingers on the lips meant keep quiet and shaking ones head meant disagreement. Hauser indicates that these gestures are still being used by the modern man and has the same implication (52). In addition, the gestures are universal and mean the same thing in diverse cultures. This has an implication that speech developed from a single source. Further, by watching the animals such as dogs and chimpanzees make some sounds when expressing different emotions, Maddeison points out that man also imitated them and came up with certain syllables that could convey the different emotions like for instance crying, laughing among others (56). Indeed, he affirms that the traditional man was able to grunt, cry and produce other emotional sounds with the help of his laryngeal glands. However, Hewitt argues that man developed speech because of his craftsmanship (342). To this end, he indicates that as man involved his hands in practical activities like Agriculture and crafts, he increasingly found it difficult to use his hands to communicate by gesturing while working at the same time. Furthermore, since his eyes also concentrated on the duties he was doing, it became difficult to see and acknowledge the gestures. According to Hewitt, this prompted him to derive other ways of expressing his ideas while working at the same time (342). Thus, Crow shows that he developed this using the lips and the tongue and that is when speech was born (57). Development of speech is thus related to the gestures that man once used. In this respect, it can be noted that children that are learning how to write often twist their tongues as their hands move. In addition, it can be observed that when a person is using a pair of scissors to cut anything, usually, the jaws of the person also move simultaneously. From this, Hewitt argues that it can be concluded that as it became more and more difficult to use hands in gesturing, man adopted the gestures using his jaw, lips and tongue (342). Hence, the development of speech is actually related to the activities that man engaged in. In other words, man adopted his speech from movement of his hands as he concentrated on different activities. With time, man got used to using the jaw, tongue and lips and his hands retired completely from gesturing. Afterwards another vital discovery was made that if air could be blown through the nose or mouth as the jaw, lips and the tongue moved systematically, these movements could become audible either as whispers or as sounds (Hauser p. 55). This reflected the sounds of grunting, snoring and crying made by man initially. As a result man was able to hear these sounds and hence communicate even when in the dark or when away from his peers, something he could not do earlier on. However, it was soon realized that not all movements of the jaws, lips and tongue were successful in producing these audible and coherent sounds. Hence, according to Hewitt, man decided to limit the mouth movement to up and down and not sideways (343). This was very effective in producing the coherent and audible sounds and man was then able to communicate effectively. Afterwards, man realized that the repetition of these sounds could make words and many words could make a speech. He made this idea practical while relatively using the words and finally, he was able to communicate clearly. In addition, Hauser argues that the development of these words was contributed to by the activities that man engaged in (57). For example, he explains that the word â€Å"sip† originates from the act is sipping. According to him, when man sips any liquid, and air is blown in to the mouth, the sounds of sip sap are produced. This explains how the word sipping came in to existence. It should be noted that these words are acknowledged ad appreciated universally and including in English. In the development of speech, Crow points out that man started with simple words and consonants before developing more complex words (62). To this effect, he indicates that the baboon can say certain simple words like man, is, eat amongst others although it can not use the words successively to make a sentence. Likewise, Crow contents that the development of speech took the same pattern (62). According to him, man started with simple words like go, eat, is amongst others before he came up with more complex words. However, unlike the baboon, man was able to repeat these sounds because he has two interlinked tubes in the vocal track while the baboon and the chimpanzee have only one (Crow p. 63). This explains while these animals, besides being hominids can not use speech. Words differ considerably because of the different environment and other scenarios that are unique to different areas. These include the climatic conditions, culture and other natural episodes and scenarios that characterize different areas. Despite this, Hewitt asserts that speech originated from the very first attempt by man to use lips, the tongue and jaws (343). This development is perceived to have occurred almost 400,000 years ago when is thought to have developed the essential organs to aid in the same. Specifically, the hypoglossal canal is perceived to be instrumental in attaining this condition and the right size for this is thought to have developed at this time. In addition, the gland is effective in transferring the relevant signals to the brain which then develops the ideas to be passed on. Despite the development of these vital organs, it is not clear whether speech developed concurrently or later on as other studies point out that speech developed only 100000 years ago (Maddeison, p. 62). To this effect, he argues that other vital features in speech development like the long neck developed almost 100000 years ago and therefore, speech developed then. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be ascertained that the development of speech in man is a phenomenon that started millions of years ago. This started by man imitating the gestures made by birds, insects and animals. Then, he started emulating the sounds made by the same and gradually developed his own sound system. It is also worth noting that the advent of craftsmanship contributed a great deal to the development of speech. In fact, it can be argued that this was the major factor that made man develop his speech. Works Cited Davidson, Hauser. Development of Speech in the Hominids; Cambridge: University Press, 1997. Foged, Maddeison. The Diversity in Linguistics; UK: Oxford, 1996. McLarnon, Hewitt. â€Å"Anthropology: The Origin and Development of Human Speech† American journal of Linguistic Inquiry, 109 (3) 1999: 341-343 Ploog, Crow,J. The Modern Man and Development of Speech; UK: Ox

Higher education in Qatar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Higher education in Qatar - Research Paper Example Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa took over his father’s leadership in 1995 and since then, reforms have been instituted such as the suffrage of women and the establishment of a constitution with democratic elements. The dynamism of the Sheikh brought into the country Al-Jazeera, a renowned Arabic-language news network which is considered to be the biggest change brought about by the new leadership. This development was not looked upon with favour of the region’s autocratic states because it allowed foreign workers to outnumber native workers in the country (The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2012). In his wisdom, the new emir created the Qatar Foundation in 1995 as he recognized the challenges of the country’s reliance on its oil and natural gas resources, and he realized the need for more specialized professionals to help his countrymen (Qatar Foundation, 2010). The primary mission of the Qatar Foundation is to build human capital through the programs and services it wi ll offer in education, community development and scientific research. The Qatar Foundation claims to bring world-class education, work experience and career opportunities to Qatar in the pursuit of a modern knowledge-based economy. Currently, the foundation has an extensive campus equipped with the latest state-of-the-art facilities serving nearly 4,000 students including multicultural students representing around 90 different nationalities, enrolled from preschool to university levels. It is a university which embraces cultural diversity that supports students’ professional and personal development (Qatar Foundation, 2012). Qatar’s Supreme Education Council (SEC) has appointed a Higher Education Institute (HEI) to supervise deserving youth in pursuing higher education to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills that will help them in a competitive and rapidly changing global world. Various scholarship programs are provided by the HEI to help the youth be pre pared for the challenges they will be undertaking in top colleges and universities worldwide so they get to achieve their own dreams as well as address the needs of the country’s labour market (SEC, 2012). The main objectives of the HEI are as follows: Provide opportunities to further develop the students’ language, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Provide opportunities for students to have more awareness and understanding of other cultures Provide opportunities for high achieving students to prepare themselves for future leadership roles. Meet workforce needs. Offer flexibility to outstanding Qatari students by allowing them to pursue interests in fields that directly benefit the society and economy. (SEC, 2012, para. 4) Among the guiding principles of the HEI is the promotion of the highest quality of education to help students become self-learners in institutions with the highest international standards. Another is flexibility for students to choose the ir preferred universities and course that suits their own abilities and interests to help them pursue a lucrative career after their schooling. The HEI also aims to develop accountability and competency in their students as they learn to be self-reliant in their learning, confident that they will be supported in their endeavours so they can concentrate on being better students. HEI gives students the assurance

Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Where Are You Going Where Have You Been - Essay Example She is the complete opposite of Connie’s, which is the prime reason why Connie’s mother nags her and expects her to emulate her sister more. Their mother is a typical maternal figure and is the source of Connie’s distress, who sometimes wished for her mother to die. Whereas, her father was a busy man, who always worked and hardly had time to talk to anyone in the family. 2. How does Connie view her mother, and vice versa?   Connie views her mother as the primary source distress and frustration in her life as her mother always expects her to be more like her sister. They bicker almost all the time and in the story it is often hinted that her mother envies Connie’s youth and beauty both things that Connie’s mother has lost but Connie admires them in the mirror all the time. There is a lot of friction between the two characters and at one point Connie even wishes for her to die. 3. Why is the father's role so minimal in the story? How is this signifi cant?   The story depicts a typical American family, with a mother, father and two children. The father is shown to be the provider and he takes care of all the demands and needs of the family. His role is largely minimal in the story because the author wants to point out the general role of a father in a domestic household, where the man works and the mother manages the household and is responsible for rearing the children. 4. What are the "two sides" of Connie's life? Why is she split this way?   The two sides of Connie’s life represent ‘fantasy’ and ‘reality’. The schism between these two facets of Connie’s life is understandable, as reality depicts what Connie really is and her fantasy include what she wants to be. In reality, Connie is juts a 15 year old and though she is beautiful, she still has a very childlike view of the world and boys in general. She just pretends to act like an adult but when the time came to stand up to Arnold Friend she yelled for her mother, which showed her juvenile insecurity in her nature. The split in the two sides to her life came with the notion that Connie can never fir in to what she imagined herself to be. 5. How does Connie feel about boys? Sex? Is she a typical teen in her fantasies?   Connie for all her immaturity is aware of the beauty that she endowed with. She acts as an adult to convey a powerful sexual image but lacks the power to consistently carry that image due to her juvenility. Her sexual fantasies are largely based on the pop-culture of the society and wishes for a fairy-tale like sexual experience but when she goes with a boy for the first time in an alley, she realizes that life a has lot more to it than just fairytales. However, her immature fantasies are understandable because she is just a 15 year old girl and is just acting her age; hence, Connie is depicted as an archetypal starry-eyed teenager in the story. 6. What is the significance of Arnold's masquer ade? (Car, clothes, boots, glasses...). Why can't Connie see through it at first? At what point does she begin to see through the mask?   There is a story motif attached to Arnold’s character in the story with his Gold convertible, expensive clothes and shades. He represents ‘desire’ for every teenager, because young people at some point or another all dream about more money and power. He even exudes certain amount sexuality that draws Connie towards him; which signifies the materialistic approach that every teenage girl or boy has at this age. However, she soon realizes that when he starts to threaten that he would harm her family that is when she realizes the scary face behind the

Media Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Media Analysis - Essay Example Reference is made in the text used in the above news article, as this text is followed by relevant visual aids. Commonly, the text used in each medium is decisive in regard to the medium’s role and the message involved. At a first level, the text used needs to be clear; this means that the reader or the viewer can develop a specific view on the issue discussed. In addition, the text used needs to reflect an existing event or the personal view of the writer. The text of the medium chosen, the news article of BBC News, has the following characteristics: a) it focuses on a particular subject: the intention of Walt Disney to ban junk food ads in its programs, b) the subject of the medium is made clear in the title; this means that the text that follows cannot lead to different assumptions, i.e. no opposition would exist between the title and the rest of the text as such phenomenon would cause doubts in regard to the credibility of the information provided, c) the article itself, i .e. the text of the article excluding the title, offers a high range of information in regard to the subject discussed. This part of the text should be further analyzed in order to verify whether there is any aspect that it is not immediately obvious to the intended consumer. ... At the next level, it is noted that these standards will not be applied immediately but after a 3-years period, i.e. from 2015 onwards (BBC News 2012). However, the above fact leads to the elimination of the potential benefits of the project; in the next 3 years the development of the problem cannot be clearly estimated. This means that it is quite possible that after 3 years these standards will be incapable of facing the problem that they aim to address. Moreover, according to the text of the article, the firm has not set the criteria on which the characterization of food as junk food will be based (BBC News 2012); in this way, it is not clear when the nutrition standards of the firm will be applied. In regard to the issues discussed above, the title of the article could be considered as misleading, giving the impression that it refers to an initiative that it is in progress or one that it is about to start while neither of these cases exists. In this context, the text used in the medium chosen is problematic, not providing accurate information to intended consumers. At this point, the following fact should be highlighted: the opposition between the title of the text and the rest of the text is not clear to readers. Indeed, if reading the title in hurry the following impression is given: the title describes an event and the rest of the text presents additional aspects of the event without changing the key framework of the event. This impression is false. If reading the text carefully it is clear that the text itself presents the important doubts in regard to the particular initiatives of the organization. From this point of

Magnetic Compass Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Magnetic Compass - Term Paper Example According to Discovery channel (2009) the magnetic compass is said to have originated from China in 221 to 206 BC during the Qin dynasty, at first lodestone which is a natural magnetic was used in the construct a fortune teller board, however it was noticed that the lodestone pointed at one direction, this led to the invention of the first compass that made on a square board, the pointer of the compass was a spoon shaped lodestone and 24 cardinal points were marked on the board. Prior to the discovery of the magnetic compass sea voyage navigation depended on the outer space bodies and the sun, the compass is said to have traveled to the middle east and then to Europe while it was still possible that there was independent discovery of the compass in Europe, it is evident that the compass arrived in Europe in the 12th Century AD. The magnetic compass was improved in 8th century AD it was discovered that by rubbing a needle on lodestone the needle would point in one direction; this led to an improvement in the compass whereby the compass was now made by floating the needle on water to point direction. However the needle would loss its magnetism and therefore sailors carried the lodestone to magnetize the needle in case the needle's magnetism weakened. After the discovery of the needle pointer compass these devices were used as navigation aids in ships, Discovery channel (2009) states tha... According to Lane(1963)the compass invention stimulated trade whereby there was an increase in the number of commercial sea voyages and also the possibility of navigation in all the months of the year. Before the invention of the magnetic compass sailors depended on the sun and other outer space bodies to navigate, this means that it was relatively impossible to locate direction during the winter months and when it was dark, foggy and rainy. However sailors would know directions by observing land marks and therefore traveled near the sight of land. Lane (1963) discuses the economic impact of the magnetic compass invention, one of notable impact of the invention is that Mediterranean sailors traveled in the months of October and April, the compass led to an increase in sea travel months and voyages were possible for the months February to December. This shows that there was an increase in the number of travels in seas and this possibly had an impact on the economy, one of the impact is that there was increased trade across nations, another impact is that there was an increase employment whereby increased traveled meant that employment increased as a result of the increase in the months ships could travel. Lane (1963) points out that the number of trips a ship could make doubled, the magnetic compass reduced risks of travel and also quickened the speed at which ships took to travel from one point to another, as a result trade was enhanced and crew members were more likely to be employed for a longer period of time. The compass was also used in the mining industry, the compass in this industry was used to guide miners through the underground tunnels constructed, and

Human Resources consultant Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Business Strategy and Development - Company Report Assignment

Business Strategy and Development - Company Report - Assignment Example GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture currently the highest selling wearable HD camera. Political instability in America has encouraged GoPro to carry out its operations smoothly through formulation of liberal laws and policies that do not affect prices and labor. Following recovery from financial crisis, American economy is currently stabilizing thus forming a good environment for operations of GoPro. Most athletes’ sound financial capabilities in extreme sports also enable them to acquire GoPro products so easily. Moreover, social factors that entails belief in new technology and love of capturing experiences has hugely boost the relationship between GoPro and the society. GoPro boasts of faster technological advancement that saw them beating the likes of Smartphones and therefore the significance of their advancement in their technology cannot be assumed (Mac 2013, n.p). It has embraced intense marketing in the social media which has been key in catapulting their sales. GoPro develops highly innovative cameras that are consistent with the customers’ needs of capturing videos and sharing online. The company focusses on the needs of the customer and satisfies them instead of just advancing the technology. Having mix of features is integral for the company especially those features valued by customers at an affordable price and great solution (One Network Enterprises 2013, n.p). Gopro is known to building products that concentrates on the needs of the customers such as ease of use, robustness and footage quality. Gopro targets specific market instead of broad mass market by targeting passionate performers of many sport genres (Barca et al. 2012. P.21).This is because the company believes that target group is more willing to adapt to new technology within capturing hence making it easy to address their needs and satisfy them. Additionally, GoPro encourages closeness to their lead users and this

Purpose statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Purpose statement - Essay Example My dream is finally almost being achieved as well as my hard work being paid off with the entry in this program of paediatric dentistry. In preparation for this great career move, I have attained an undergraduate degree in Dentistry as well as diplomas in oral health and child psychology. The child psychology has enabled me gain in depth knowledge about children from the moment they are conceived to their adolescent years and how to handle them, gain their trust and teach them. The oral health education was a preparation to the field to test my readiness and resilience. It yielded positive results as it prepared me mentally on what was expected and how I should approach the mastery of the subject. In addition to theoretical work, I have had the privilege and pleasure to carry out field work in a few hospitals and health care centres where I have worked hand in hand with dentists and seen their work. One of the field experiences had been as an intern in a dentist clinic where I got exposure to the dentistry machines as well as handling patients. Working in a children’s hospital and home gave me time to practice my child psychology education and I found myself more and more attracted to the children, their curiosity, fear and attempted bravery and I found out I had a natural talent with the children. All these have given me enough proof that I can make it in this field of paediatric dentistry. The knowledge I attain from this course will not only be utilized in extracting or filing children’s teeth but I plan on having a series of programs in schools and children’s hospitals. The programs will target not only oral health as pertains to not eating sweets or brushing teeth but will be participative. Children are very brilliant from observation and given a chance, they can teach and ask various questions that bother them on oral health. The teaching and learning will spread also from the children to other children

PART 2 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PART 2 - Term Paper Example The law and the doctor’s code of ethics as well lays out the right of patients’ to confidentiality of their medical information or records. Breach of this confidentiality is punishable by law. If a hospital is proved to have made public such private information or voluntarily enabled third parties to access such information, its image can be damaged completely. Since health care is a very sensitive issue to individuals seeking treatment and they require their information to be treated with utmost confidentiality, it is very difficult for them to seek treatment to an institution where they are not certain of confidentiality. Therefore, a health organization can lose mush of its clients. This is also accompanied by financial losses as people will seek medical care elsewhere. Health organizations that operate through financial support from donors and well-wishers can lose this support if proved to be negligent of the right of patients in terms of confidentiality of the med ical records. On the other hand, breach of private medical information can also have adverse effects on the part of the patients. Some information is very sensitive and if it falls into the wrong hands, patients can be emotionally affected. For instance, disclosure of a patient’s HIV/AIDS status can lead to discrimination and stigmatization. There are a lot of negative effects that are associated with discrimination such as stress, or mental torture. Some people have even been reported to commit suicide as a result of discrimination and stigmatization. Disclosure of such information can also affect the social life of an individual as s/he may feel embarrassed if some private information falls way into the public. If private medical information of an individual falls into the hands of employers, some people may lose their job based on the severity of their medical problem. Some medical conditions have been proved to affect productivity of individuals in the workplaces as they may skip some days or take breaks from work to seek medical care. Therefore, an employer may terminate employment if such information falls into his/her hands. In addition, this may also directly affect other family members as they may also be discriminated against. For instance, a wife may be stigmatized or discriminated against if her husband’s HIV status is known by the public. In some parts of the world, certain medical conditions are regarded as a taboo and punishment from God hence may lead to discrimination (Cordess, 2001). In a nutshell, breach of patient’s medical records or information may have negative effects to the health care provider, patient, as well as other family members. References Banker, E. A. (2006). Institutional Review Board: Management and Function. New York, USA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. Cordess, C. (2001). Confidentiality and Mental Health. New York, USA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Assignment 2 Potential causes of breach of confidentia lity and assessment Confidentiality of patients’ medical records has been a sensitive issue over the recent past. As evidenced in many sources, there have been a lot of cases involving patients complaining of breach of confidentiality in terms of their medical records. In fact, many health care providers have in the past been sued and found guilty. This paper describes the possible causes of breach

The character of Blanche Dubois Essay Example for Free

The character of Blanche Dubois Essay Explore the ways in which dramatic ways in which Williams presents the character of Blanche Dubois in a streetcar named desire. Tennessee Williams presents Blanche Dubois as Stellas older sister, until recently a high school English teacher. She arrives in New Orleans as a chatty, witty, arrogant, fragile, and ultimately breakdown figure. From the beginning of the play, the character of Blanche is depicted as a very shy character. The setting and talk of the other characters help illustrate the contrast between the arrival of the Blanche, the southern, old-fashioned belle and New Orleans, a very cosmopolitan place at the time. It is a bustling, busy, hectic city. Negro entertainers at a bar room around the corner. Race is less of an issue here then it was in the rest of the U. S at the time, and it is really publicized at the beginning of the book with a white woman (who we find out is called Eunice) and a negro woman. It is accentuated by the fact that the women are talking comfortably to each other, no sense of tension can be found during their speech. Soon enough, Blanche arrives, and the stage directions and her facial expressions give us an immediate idea of what kind of person she is. Her appearance is incongruous to this setting She looks incredibly out of place in this rough surrounding, in her dainty white dress. As the stage directions put it: There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her white clothes that suggests a moth A moth is delicate and fragile, which is what Tennesse Williams is trying to get at when comparing her to a moth. The light, which Blanche shuns away from, makes the reader feel that she is very pure, white, the colour used suggests a virgin. We can tell she has put a lot of effort into her looks and appearance and seems very well off in the clothes she is wearing. She is daintily dressed in a white suits with a fluffy bodice ,necklace and earrings of pearl All this suggests that this well off, well dressed, delicate and fragile women is very out of place in these rough, mean streets of New Orleans. Tennese Williams then goes onto show, that our first impressions of Blanche are perfectly correct, she seems faintly hysterical and distressed when she speaks, due to the fact that she cannot believe that her little sister is living in such surroundings. She enters the house, after finding out that this is the correct address, and sits down in her sisters kitchen in a stunned state. This is where we learn that Blanche is from an aristocratic background, the name Dubois is originally French, and so her ancestors must have been French immigrants. She is unused to the negro woman being so close and friendly to her and finds is unsettling and rather rudely shoves her away. What I meant was Id like to be left alone The next actions Blanche make, have a deep impact on our perspective of Blanches character, not only is she a drinker, but it seems like she is an alcoholic, and a heavy one at that. She pours half a tumbler of whiskey and tosses it down After the two sisters meet up again, from Blanches speech, we learn that she still treats Stella like her little sister, talks to her in a very patronising way, almost as though she is trying to relive, or recount on past days. Oh, my baby! Stella! Stella! Stella for a star! Precious lamb! Another important part of the play is when she lies, she pretends to look for an alcoholic beverage, knowing where it actually is. She pretends to her sister, lying that its her first and that shes not an alcoholic. From her actions, we can she that Blanche is highly strung up, shes very nervous, anxious and worried. Their conversation eventually leads to talking about the house, which she describes as something out of an Edgar Allen Poe horror book, although it shows her having a good education (shes an English teacher after all), Blanche isnt very tactful at all. If its on her mind, she will say it, without any consideration to the person it may be offending. Tennessee Williams, in the first 11 pages, has given us a glance into the fragile life of Blanche Dubois, as a main character, she will have an important part to play, what that part is we will have to wait a see.

Le Groupe International Belge French Essay

Le Groupe International Belge French Essay Note de Synthà ¨se Le groupe international Belge SOLVAY, est un groupe diversifià © il est composà © de 3 Domaines dActività ©s Stratà ©giques: Chimie, Plastique et Pharmacie Lintà ©gration des actività ©s pharmaceutiques au sein du groupe Solvay sinscrit dans là ©volution historique du groupe et dans une stratà ©gie de croissance durable. Depuis les annà ©es 70, Solvay a dà ©cidà © de dà ©velopper des actività ©s acycliques, en particulier dans le domaine de la santà ©, ce qui la conduit à   de nombreuses acquisitions, avec encore rà ©cemment lacquisition des Laboratoires Fournier (2005). Solvay Pharmaceuticals est devenue une socià ©tà © active, de dimension internationale. Solvay Pharmaceuticals a fortement contribuà © au dà ©veloppement du Groupe. Alors que jusque là   le groupe raisonnait en termes de croissance durable et veillait au dà ©veloppement de son actività © pharmaceutique, on assiste aujourdhui à   un revirement stratà ©gique avec la dà ©cision prise le 28 Septembre 2009 de cà ©der lintà ©gralità © des actività ©s Pharmaceutiques. Il est à   noter que le DAS Pharmacie est lactività © la plus rentable du groupe (2/3 des bà ©nà ©fices pour 1/3 du CA). La problà ©matique qui sest alors dà ©gagà ©e a à ©tà © de savoir pourquoi lentreprise Solvay a fait le choix de se dà ©gager dune actività © rentable? La dà ©cision se caractà ©rise comme une stratà ©gie de recentrage, compte tenu du marchà © de la pharmacie (concurrence, mutations) et de ses contraintes (financià ¨res, sanitaires, là ©gales†¦) ainsi que des ressources de lentreprise (taille moyenne). Ce recentrage intervient dans une logique de focalisation stratà ©gique à   long terme. Solvay a dà ©cidà © de dà ©sinvestir par cession (sell-off), avec lintention de se concentrer sur son cÅ“ur de mà ©tier afin dassurer sa pà ©rennità © sur des marchà ©s dominables (≠ Pharmacie structure concurrentielle non favorable) et de renforcer la cohà ©rence de ses actività ©s. Ce revirement sinscrit donc dans une dynamique dadaptation et de pà ©rennisation. Solvay à   donc pour ambition daffirmer sa position parmi les leaders dans les produits et services de la chimie et du plastique, par croissance interne (forte valeur ajoutà ©) et externe (nouvelles compà ©tences, nouveaux territoires). Cette stratà ©gie apparaà ®t comme cohà ©rente face au rude marchà © de la Pharmacie, mais des incertitudes persistent quant au rà ©investissement des sommes dà ©gagà ©es par la vente, mais aussi quant à   lavenir de Solvay sur des marchà ©s enclin à   une flambà ©e des prix des matià ¨res premià ¨res (Progression du CA mais baisse des performances). Introduction A lheure du dà ©veloppement considà ©rable des nouvelles technologies, biotechnologies ou autres nanotechnologies, le secteur mà ©dical est en perpà ©tuel mouvement. Ainsi, avec des efforts en recherche et dà ©veloppement trà ¨s importants dans ces secteurs et laccroissement des produits gà ©nà ©riques ainsi que des laboratoires, ces derniers nont plus seulement comme but de dà ©velopper des ressources et solutions pour les personnes malades. En effet, un rà ©el business sest dà ©veloppà © autour de ce secteur avec une concurrence mondiale qui saccroà ®t chaque annà ©e dans le cadre dune augmentation des dividendes versà ©s aux actionnaires, nà ©gligeant parfois la vocation premià ¨re du secteur mà ©dical: aider les personnes malades. De ce fait, les socià ©tà ©s nont pas de remords à   tester de nouveaux mà ©dicaments en contre partie dune contribution financià ¨re sur des à ©tudiants ou personnes dà ©sireux darrondir leurs fins de mois. En outre, les rachat s dactions ou de socià ©tà ©s sont de plus en plus frà ©quents, les commerciaux mà ©dicaux sont de plus en plus nombreux et laugmentation des produits gà ©nà ©riques complexifient le domaine du secteur mà ©dical de nos jours. En 2010, la France a consacrà © 2,2% du PIB pour la RD, soit prà ¨s de 30 milliards deuros, en augmentation de 5,5% par rapport à   2009. Lunion europà ©enne sest fixà ©e un objectif de croissance de 3% par an dans le but de rattraper le retard par rapport aux Etats-Unis. Le budget de recherche et dà ©veloppement dans le secteur privà © en France est de 5 milliards deuros pour lannà ©e courante. Cette faible croissance des dernià ¨res annà ©es à   conduit à   la dà ©localisation de nombreuses entreprises dans dautres pays au dà ©but du XXIà ¨me sià ¨cle. Dans le cadre de notre sujet de recherche, nous à ©tudierons la position du groupe international SOLVAY qui sest rà ©cemment sà ©parà ©e dun de ses trois domaines dactività ©s stratà ©giques, le secteur pharmaceutique. Ce domaine qui à ©tait rentable pour la socià ©tà © Belge. Aprà ¨s avoir prà ©sentà © ce groupe diversifià ©, nous prà ©senterons les cours de son action et mettrons en à ©vidence les chiffres clà ©s qui permettent de mieux lapprà ©hender. Dans une seconde partie, nous nous focaliserons sur le domaine cà ©dà © par SOLVAY, le secteur pharmaceutique et nous y à ©tudierons plus prà ©cisà ©ment ses diffà ©rentes facettes. Nous pourrons ainsi en dà ©gager des rà ©flexions sur la pertinence de la dà ©cision rà ©alisà ©e par les dirigeants de la socià ©tà ©. I. SOLVAY un groupe diversifià © 1. Prà ©sentation du Groupe SOLVAY Solvay est une socià ©tà © fondà ©e en 1863 par le chimiste Ernest Solvay. Le groupe fut le premier à   dà ©velopper la production du bicarbonate de sodium ainsi que lutilisation de là ©lectrolyse. SOLVAY est donc un groupe chimique et pharmaceutique international dont le sià ¨ge se trouve à   Bruxelles. Il est prà ©sent dans 50 pays et emploie plus de 29.000 personnes dans les secteurs dactività ©s: Chimie, Plastique et Pharmaceutique. Aujourdhui, SOLVAY est un groupe international qui intervient dans lindustrie chimique et pharmaceutique, il sest dà ©veloppà ©, dans plus de 50 pays, emploie 29000 employà ©s dans le monde. Le sià ¨ge se trouve à   Bruxelles, en Belgique. Le groupe, qui a une actività © industrielle importante dans les secteurs dactività ©s: Chimie, Plastique et Pharmaceutique, veille à ©galement à   la protection de lenvironnement tout au long du cycle de vie du produit dans le cadre dune prise en compte active du dà ©veloppement durable. Chacun est dailleurs sensibilisà © à   ce sujet dans le code de conduite de la socià ©tà ©  «One group, One code, One path ». Depuis le 15 Fà ©vrier 2010, SOLVAY sest rà ©orientà © sur 2 axes stratà ©giques (Chimie, Plastique) avec la revente de lactività © pharmaceutique à   la socià ©tà © Abott dans le cadre dun recentrage des actività ©s de la socià ©tà © Belge. La plus-value aprà ¨s impà ´t rà ©alisà ©e sur la vente du secteur pharmaceutique est de 1,7 milliards deuros. La socià ©tà © a pour but de rà ©investir cette somme dans des projets stratà ©giques en chimie et plastiques. De plus, elle souhaite continuer à   dà ©velopper ses rà ©gions qui ont un potentiel de croissance. En attendant les rà ©sultats des à ©valuations sur ces projets, elle compte investir à   court terme la trà ©sorerie excà ©dentaire. 2. Les parties prenantes Le groupe SOLVAY est cà ´tà © au NYSE Euronext à   Bruxelles, il est dà ©tenue à   30,07% par Solvac, 3,05% est dà ©tenu par Solvay Stock Option Management et 2,94% est dà ©tenue par Blackrock. Il est a souligner que M. Patrick Solvay est administrateur de la holding Solvac est dà ©tient 5,27% du Capital de celle-ci. à  Lien à ©troit entre Solvac et Solvay (Famille Solvay) 3. Performance Globale Quant à   lanalyse de la performance globale et à   la projection de la socià ©tà © sur les prochaines annà ©es, nous avons retenu les informations les plus pertinentes (daprà ¨s là ©tude des analystes dinfinancials: www.infinancials.com, des donnà ©es fournies par www.bourse.lesechos.fr, ainsi que des donnà ©es du Groupe Solvay: www.solvay.com). Voici tout dabord les diffà ©rentes à ©volutions des chiffres daffaires et rà ©sultats opà ©rationnels entre 2008 et 2009: CA 09 ∆% CA 08/09 Resultat opà ©rationnel 09 ∆% Resultat opà ©rationnel 08/09 Pharmaceutique 2791 3% 649 29% Chimique 2713 -12% 246 3% Plastique 2982 -19% 73 -72% * les chiffres ci-dessus sont en millions deuros/Source: infinancials.com Ci-dessus, là ©volution du chiffre daffaire et du rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel entre 2008 et 2009. On peut facilement observer sur ces donnà ©es calculà ©es à   partir du rapport 2009 de Solvay, que lactività © pharmaceutique a à ©tà © en forte progression aussi bien en termes de ventes que de rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel. Les actività ©s chimiques et plastiques, quant à   elles, en rà ©gression considà ©rables au niveau des ventes ainsi quen rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel pour lactività © plastique, ont en partie à ©tà © affectà ©es par la crise mondiale rà ©cente. Seulement le secteur pharmaceutique permet de rà ©tablir ces valeurs peu favorables durant lannà ©e 2009. De plus, daprà ¨s le rapport 2009 de SOLVAY, la là ©gà ¨re à ©volution du rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel du secteur chimique a à ©tà © induite par la diminution des coà »ts fixes et coà »ts à ©nergà ©tiques. Le secteur pharmaceutique a de nombreux produits phares dans diffà ©rentes spà ©cialisations comme les vaccins antigrippaux (Influac), la gynà ©cologie (Duphaston, Prometrium), la cardiomà ©tabollique (Tricor, Liphantyl) ou encore la neuroscience (Serc). Ces produits sont à   forte valeur ajoutà ©e pour le groupe. Ainsi, lacquisition de filiales et le dà ©veloppement de la socià ©tà © dans des pays en voie de dà ©veloppement ont contribuà © à   la plus-value rà ©alisà ©e lors de la cession. 2009 Prà ©visionnel 2010 ∆% 09/10 Investissements et acquisitions 567 673 18,7% RD 555 148 -73,3% Total 1122 821 -26,8% * les chiffres ci-dessus sont en millions deuros/Source: infinancials.com Sur ce tableau, on peut observer la projection de la socià ©tà © quant à   lannà ©e 2010 concernant les investissements et la recherche et dà ©veloppement. On peut constater que la socià ©tà © va continuer à   se dà ©velopper en comptant acquà ©rir dautres filiales. Suite à   la vente du secteur pharmaceutique à   Abott, la RD va considà ©rablement diminuer. En effet, la recherche mà ©dicale nà ©cessite beaucoup de moyens pour la recherche afin de dà ©velopper de nouveaux mà ©dicaments. Suite à   là ©tude de la performance des concurrents, et grà ¢ce aux ressources dinfinancials.com en sà ©lectionnant les crità ¨res suivant: EBITDA, rendement de la dette, revenus net, valeur des actions, volatilità © des actions. Nous avons pu caractà ©riser la socià ©tà © comme suiveuse. Voici, selon les analystes dinfinancials.com, la notation attribuà ©e à   la socià ©tà © en comparaison de la concurrence mondiale: SOLVAY Concurrence mondiale Taux de croissance 1,9 4,2 Valeur de lentreprise 3,4 5,1 Profitabilità © 6,1 5 Risque de marchà © 7,3 6,7 * toutes les notes sont notà ©es sur 10 points A titre informatif, les indicateurs et les valeurs pertinentes dà ©taillà ©s de ces dernià ¨res annà ©es sont mis à   disposition en annexes (Annexe 1). 4. Domaines dActività ©s Stratà ©giques La typologie des 3 DAS: Pharmaceutique : Cest un secteur de croissance non cyclique, il reprà ©sentait une zone de croissance pour Solvay. La socià ©tà © pharmaceutique est de taille moyenne. Chimique : La branche chimie dispose dun leadership fort et dune position concurrentielle. Elle se dà ©compose en 4 grands pà ´les: Le Pà ´le des minà ©raux (46% du CA du secteur Chimique: Carbonate de soude et dà ©rivà ©s, carbonates de baryum et de strontium,  « advanced Functional Minerals  ») Le Pà ´le Electrochimie et Fluor (36,3% du CA du secteur Chimique : soude caustique et produits fluorà ©s) Le Pà ´le Oxygà ¨ne (16,3% du CA du secteur Chimique : peroxyde dhydrogà ¨ne, dà ©tergence et caprolactones) Et le pà ´le Organique (0,9% du CA du Secteur Chimique) Plastiques : Cette branche est mineure dans lactività © du groupe, et se caractà ©rise par une spà ©cialisation dans: Les Polymà ¨res  « high tech  » et Inergy Automotive Systems (42% du CA de ce secteur) Et les actività ©s compà ©titives de la chaà ®ne vinylique (58% du CA de ce secteur) Il est à   souligner que Solvay fait partie des leaders mondiaux dans les domaines de la fabrication et de la commercialisation de produits plastiques et chimiques. Analyse des performances à ©conomiquespar DAS: Dans un premier temps nous allons analyser la reprà ©sentation des diffà ©rents DAS dans la performance à ©conomique du groupe Solvay. Rà ©partition du CA 2009 en pourcentage: Rà ©partition du Rà ©sultat 2009 en pourcentage: Au niveau du Chiffre dAffaires on remarque que la rà ©partition est homogà ¨ne avec une reprà ©sentation denviron 1/3 pour chaque DAS. Cependant dans lanalyse du Rà ©sultat on remarque que le portefeuille dactività ©s est trà ¨s dà ©sà ©quilibrà © en effet la Pharmacie reprà ©sente 2/3 du Rà ©sultat global du groupe. Tandis que les secteurs Chimique et Plastique ne reprà ©sentent seulement 1/3, la chimie à ©tant le plus rentable des 2. Suite à   cette analyse nous pouvons dire que le secteur Pharmaceutique est le plus rentable et ainsi est la source principale de revenu pour du groupe. Analyse du portefeuille dactività ©s du groupe: Matrice BCG: Lanalyse du portefeuille BCG est basà ©e sur 2 indicateurs la PDM relative et le taux de croissance. Pour le groupe Solvay, la Matrice laisse apparaitre la Pharmacie comme DAS Dilemme, en effet compte tenu de la concentration du secteur et de la taille moyenne de la branche pharmacie du groupe Solvay cette actività © devient problà ©matique. La chimie cÅ“ur de mà ©tier du groupe reprà ©sente lactività ©  «Vache à   lait », en effet Solvay fait partie des leaders sur ce marchà © à   tendance stable (taux de croissance nul) et enfin lactività © Plastique se prà ©sente comme  «Star » car Solvay travaille beaucoup dans le segment des plastiques  «high tech » et simpose comme un acteur important dans le domaine. II. Le Recentrage: une stratà ©gie nà ©cessaire et cohà ©rente? 1. Diagnostic (Focus DAS Pharmacie) A. Diagnostic Externe Les grandes tendances du marchà ©: * Une croissance fragilisà ©e: Le secteur connaà ®t une croissance mais qui est fragilisà ©e par la crise. En effet depuis ces 3 dernià ¨res annà ©es, on assiste à   un ralentissement de la croissance du CA du secteur et ainsi a une perte de vitesse de la croissance du secteur. Plusieurs facteurs, expliquent cela, daprà ¨s les à ©tudes du XERFI 700 on dà ©note : Les à ©conomies des organismes payeurs tel que lassurance maladie et autres mutuelles qui rà ©duisent leurs coà »ts. Une baisse significative de lauto mà ©dication : du fait de la remonter des prix et de la baisse du pouvoir dachat de la population dut à   la crise Une forte augmentation de la consommation de vaccins ainsi que de la vente de mà ©dicament gà ©nà ©rique. Rà ©ellement seul lactività © hospitalià ¨re et des maladies de grandes ampleurs tel que de la grippe A soutiennent lactività © du secteur. Concernant le dà ©veloppement des gà ©nà ©riques il est dà ©favorable à   lindustrie franà §aise par exemple (car cest un producteur de second rang). Les principaux producteurs sont les pays à ©mergents tel que la chine l inde ou le brà ©sil. Laugmentation de la perte de brevet reprà ©sente une hausse des couts de la recherche et un dà ©clin de la productività © de la RD Un durcissement de la rà ©glementation des mà ©dicaments concernant notamment toutes les à ©tapes de fabrication. La radicalisation des conditions dhomologation des nouveaux Laugmentation des substituts tels que les alicaments, les contrefaà §ons de mà ©dicaments (en nette progression dans les pays en dà ©veloppement) et les nouvelles alternatives thà ©rapeutiques. Le problà ¨me de surcapacità © des grands groupes dans la production de mà ©dicaments reprà ©sente à ©galement une des raisons de la fragilità © de ce secteur. Le problà ¨me de ce ralentissement vient principalement de la faible croissance des marchà ©s forts tels que les marchà ©s europà ©en et amà ©ricain. Nà ©anmoins les pays en dà ©veloppement tels que la Chine, lInde reprà ©sentent un à ©norme potentiel. * La crise du modà ¨le Blockbuster: Le modà ¨le blockbusters reposait sur la production dun nombre restreint de rà ©fà ©rences qui par des effets de masses et dà ©conomie dà ©chelles, atteignait des niveaux de rentabilità © trà ¨s à ©levà ©. On assiste aujourdhui à   une crise de ce modà ¨le du fait quaujourdhui la clientà ¨le a nettement moins besoin de mà ©dicament de masse mais de plus de mà ©dicament ciblà ©. Ce systà ¨me est à ©galement remis en cause par: la perte des brevets, laugmentation des coà »t de RD, la concurrence des gà ©nà ©riques†¦ * La tendance à   la spà ©cialisation Le secteur pharmaceutique sur le long terme tend à   un partage des risques et vers un modà ¨le de blockbusters de niche (mà ©decine de spà ©cialità ©). Cette nouvelle tendance intà ¨gre le dà ©veloppement des nouvelles technologies, lenjeu de se modà ¨le rà ©side dans une stratà ©gie de portefeuille nouvelle adaptà ©e a des besoins bien spà ©cifiques. * Restructuration dans le secteur Les grands laboratoires sont à ©galement à   la recherche dà ©conomies de coà »ts, notamment en RD, cest ainsi que lon a assistà © à   une vague de restructuration en 2008. Lobjectif à ©tant dadapter lorganisation de la RD (sous traitance), pour leurs permettre de prà ©server leur potentiel dinnovation et mieux rà ©pondre à   lintà ©gration des nouvelles technologies. * Le retour à   une concentration du marchà © (mà ©gafusions) Face à   ces mutations du secteur, les grands laboratoires on dà ©ployà © de nouvelles stratà ©gies pour conserver leur position et rà ©pondre aux exigences du marchà © et des payeurs. Les enjeux aujourdhui pour ces groupes sont loptimisation des coà »ts et la croissance externe, cest ainsi quils on recours à   des Fusions et Acquisitions ciblà ©es par exemple en rachetant des petites boà ®te spà ©cialisà ©es dans les biotechnologies (RD active et innovante) ou en acquà ©rant des actività ©s oà ¹ les barrià ¨res à   lentrà ©es sont moins importantes comme les gà ©nà ©riques, les vaccins†¦(les entreprises cibles sont de taille moyenne). Le secteur pharmaceutique passe de la production de produit de masse à   la recherche de marchà ©s de niche à   fort potentiel. Cette à ©volution passera incontestablement par des investissements importants à   linternational (conquà ªte de nouveaux marchà ©e), en RD (nouvelles technologies) etc †¦ Analyse PESTEL: *Source Xerfi 700 On a pu observer que le contexte dans lequel lindustrie pharmaceutique à ©volue est de plus en plus difficile. Le dà ©veloppement de nouveaux mà ©dicaments coà »te cher et lissue est toujours plus incertaine. Les contraintes sanitaires et là ©gales sont devenues draconiennes et lapprobation de plus en plus difficile. Analyse des à ©là ©ments structurels du secteur: Modà ¨le de Porter(5 forces+Gouvernement)  · Le pouvoir de nà ©gociation des fournisseurs (+) Il y a un faible pouvoir de nà ©gociation de la part des fournisseurs. En effet les entreprises du secteur commandent majoritairement de grosses quantità ©s notamment du fait de la production de masse des mà ©dicaments et dans le but de rà ©aliser des à ©conomies dà ©chelles (systà ¨me des blockbusters). Cependant ce fort pouvoir de nà ©gociation tend à   diminuer du fait de la crise du modà ¨le des blockbusters.  · Le pouvoir de nà ©gociation des clients (+-) Il y a un faible pouvoir de nà ©gociation de la part des clients. Cependant les clients finaux sont fortement influencà ©s par limplication des organismes payeurs, dans le taux de remboursement des mà ©dicaments.  · Les produits substituts (- -) Les produits gà ©nà ©riques sont de nouveaux produits de substitution leur production commence dà ¨s quun brevet tombe dans le domaine public. Le nombre de mà ©dicaments gà ©nà ©riques est en augmentation chaque annà ©e ce qui est une menace pour le secteur. Enfin la dernià ¨re menace sont les produits contrefaits en augmentation dans les pays en dà ©veloppement qui se substituent à   tord aux mà ©dicaments originaux. Autre menace dans une moindre mesure, les alicaments et mà ©decines douces, bien quils ne rà ©pondent pas aux mà ªmes besoins et ne sont pas rà ©ellement substituables, ils sont consommà ©s en amont par les consommateurs ce qui correspond à   une forme de substitution.  · Entrants potentiels (+) Le secteur est fermà © aux nouveaux entrants, il est donc difficile de venir concurrencer une entreprise sur le secteur, en effet il y a de trà ¨s fortes barrià ¨res à   lentrà ©e (investissements financiers à ©levà ©s, technologies†¦). Il faut cependant souligner le fait que les clients dans ce secteur ne sont pas fidà ¨les à   une marque si le produit à   la mà ªme efficacità © (mà ©dicaments gà ©nà ©riques).  · Concurrence interne (- -) La rivalità © dans ce secteur dactività © est trà ¨s vive du fait du nombre et de la taille des acteurs (concentration). Le marchà © de la pharmacie est de type ultra concurrentiel, avec une dominance des 2 leaders mondiaux (Pfizer et GSK), suivis de grands groupes internationaux (ex: MerckCo, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis†¦) et en de laboratoires nationaux indà ©pendants trà ¨s actifs qui possà ¨dent des positions fortes notamment dans la RD.  · Gouvernement (-) Il est essentiel de noter limportance des facteurs induits par le Gouvernement dans un secteur tel que celui de la Pharmacie. En effet le gouvernement joue un rà ´le essentiel en ce qui concerne le contrà ´le de la production des mà ©dicaments et des prix pratiquà ©s. Le gouvernement joue un rà ´le essentiel dans un pays comme par exemple en France oà ¹ il est un organisme payeur (remboursement des mà ©dicaments). B. Diagnostic Interne Dans les annà ©es 70 et au lendemain de la crise pà ©trolià ¨re, le groupe Solvay a optà © pour un modà ¨le stratà ©gique hybride, en se lanà §ant, grà ¢ce plusieurs acquisitions, dans le secteur pharmaceutique. Lobjectif à ©tait alors davoir une actività © plus stable dans son portefeuille dactività ©s, qui permettrait de compenser laspect trop cyclique des actività ©s Chimie et Plastique (rà ©partition des risques). Cette petite actività © est devenue grande et source de revenu, au cours du temps. En 2008, la pharmacie pesait pour 52 % du bà ©nà ©fice du groupe Solvay, elle nest donc pas une actività © annexe. Il semblerait quaujourdhui Solvay Pharma soit un groupe denvergure relativement modeste et nest pas la taille critique pour poursuivre son à ©volution dans le secteur pharmaceutique. SOLVAY PHARMACEUTICALS est un groupe de socià ©tà ©s pharmaceutiques qui assurent les actività ©s pharmaceutiques mondiales du groupe SOLVAY. Axà © sur la recherche, ces socià ©tà ©s semploient à   rà ©pondre à   des besoins mà ©dicaux non satisfaits dans les domaines thà ©rapeutiques suivants: neurosciences, cardiomà ©tabolisme vaccins antigrippaux, gastro-entà ©rologie et gynà ©cologie/andrologie (source Solvay). En passant en revue les principales fonctions de lentreprise, il est possible de dà ©terminer les forces et faiblesses par rapport aux concurrents de lentreprise Solvay. Nous analyserons donc la branche pharmacie sur diffà ©rents aspects et crità ¨res : Commercial Solvay pharma a augmentà © ses ventes en Amà ©rique du Nord. Cela est dà » à   des raisons bien prà ©cises. Lapprobation de mà ©dicaments par la Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) a nettement augmentà © la vente de certains produits comme le CREON. Il a donc explosà © les ventes aux Etats-Unis puisquil le chiffre daffaire dà ©passe les 260 millions deuros. On peut aussi noter une diminution des ventes de Marinol puisque le mà ©dicament est passà © dans le secteur public. Lentreprise doit ainsi faire face à   une concurrence fà ©roce que sont les gà ©nà ©riques. On peut ainsi noter une forte augmentation des parts de marchà ©s sur le sol Amà ©ricains puisquil reprà ©sente 39% des ventes totales dans le monde de Solvay Pharma. De ce fait, Les principaux clients de Solvay Pharma sont lAmà ©rique du Nord, la Russie et la France. LEurope reste en tà ªte avec plus de 46% des ventes rà ©alisà ©. La collaboration avec ChemDiv met en avant une volontà © de se rapprocher encore plus de la Russie ainsi que des Etats-Unis. De plus, il reflà ¨te une recherche permanente puisque ChemDiv est un institut spà ©cialisà © dans la recherche de nouveaux composà ©s. On peut donc noter que ce partenariat sintà ¨gre parfaitement dans la stratà ©gie de croissance de Solvay Pharma. Elle est aussi en collaboration avec HUYA Bioscience International, une entreprise spà ©cialisà ©e dans la facilitation et laccà ©là ©ration du co-dà ©veloppement mondial de nouveaux produits biopharmaceutiques originaires de Chine. Ainsi grà ¢ce à   cette collaboration, Solvay Pharma accà ¨de au portefeuille de molà ©cule chinoise et dà ©veloppe le domaine cardiovasculaire. On peut aussi noter les produits phares de Solvay Pharma qui sont les vaccins antigrippaux principalement vendus en Europe, lAndrologie vendu dans le monde entier ainsi que lEnzyme pancrà ©atique. Recherche et dà ©veloppement Dans le cadre de la recherche et du dà ©veloppement, Solvay Pharma continue son partenariat avec Abbott. Ainsi, sur les produits visant à   diminuer le cholestà ©rol, Solvay Pharma et Abbott ont dà ©veloppà © un produit TRILIPIX rà ©duisant ce symptà ´me. Ils ont ainsi pu diminuer les dà ©penses de recherche et dà ©veloppement. On peut aussi noter que dans ce secteur dactività ©, la RD est trà ¨s importante. De ce fait, les dà ©penses dans ce pà ´le sà ©là ¨vent à   416 millions deuros alors que lentreprise alloue un budget total de 555 millions deuros toutes les dà ©penses lià ©es à   la recherche. Il est important de noter que Solvay Pharma se munie des meilleurs installations puisquelle a installà © la technologie la plus rà ©cente pour son unità © de production cellulaire. Au dà ©but des annà ©es 2000, les espoirs du groupe reposaient sur deux molà ©cules vedettes : le Cilansetron (syndrome du colon irritable) et le Bifeprunox (schizophrà ©nie). Cependant face aux diffà ©rents refus des autorità ©s sanitaires, Solvay a dà » abandonner ces molà ©cules en 2005 (Cilansetron) et 2009 (Bifeprunox), ces à ©checs ont entrainà © la perte de plusieurs millions deuros. On dà ©note à ©galement une faible productività © en termes de RD chez Solvay Pharma. Aujourdhui la rentabilità © et la croissance de lactività © Pharmaceutique sont assurà ©es par les molà ©cules hà ©rità ©es de lacquisition de Fournier (Tricor/Trilipix). Lactività © Pharmaceutique repose donc  «principalement » sur ces molà ©cules (faiblesse a long terme) qui constituent le principal argument de vente la branche Pharma. Financier On peut constater que la vente de Solvay Pharma reprà ©sente un gain de plus de 5 milliard deuros. Ce montant est basà © sur les gains quenregistre Solvay Pharma depuis les dernià ¨res annà ©es. De fait, le rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel sur ce secteur atteint des records puisquil a augmentà © de plus de 27% atteignant ainsi 640 millions deuros sur lannà ©e 2009. On peut aussi constater dans les tableaux des flux de trà ©sorerie que lentreprise Solvay Pharma diminue les efforts dinvestissements puisquelle a diminuà © ses emprunts de prà ¨s de 200 millions deuros. Cela est dà » à   la trà ©sorerie que dà ©gage depuis peu lactività © pharmaceutique. Lentreprise pratique aussi à ©normà ©ment lauto financement puisquelle en a les capacità ©s. C. SWOT Opportunità ©s Menaces Forte augmentation de la consommation de vaccins. Forte augmentation de la vente de mà ©dicament gà ©nà ©rique. Lactività © hospitalià ¨re et des maladies de grandes soutiennent lactività © du secteur. Fort potentiel des nouveaux marchà ©s en dà ©veloppement tel que la Chine, le Brà ©sil et lInde. Modification de lorganisation de la RD Fort potentiel de dà ©veloppement des marchà ©s de niche (spà ©cialisation) Diminution de laugmentation du CA du secteur Ralentissement de la croissance Une baisse significative de lauto mà ©dication Faible croissance des marchà ©s Occidentaux Marchà © trà ¨s concurrentiel (notion de taille critique) Durcissement de la rà ©glementation des mà ©dicaments concernant toutes les à ©tapes de fabrication Diminution des remboursements des à ©tablissements payeurs (tel que la sà ©curità © sociale) La crise du modà ¨le des blockbustersà  dvpt des gà ©nà ©riques Une hausse des couts de la RD et un dà ©clin de la productività © Pertes des brevets Dà ©veloppement des big pharma (FAà  concentration du secteur) Forces Faiblesses Recherche et dà ©veloppement Prà ©sence importante sur un marchà © porteur quest le cholestà ©rol (fenofibrate) Gros portefeuille de molà ©cules Partenaire dune grande importance Abbott, partenaire chinois (acquisition de part de marchà © en Chine) Dà ©veloppement grà ¢ce à   lacquisition des pà ´les pharmaceutiques (cardiovasculaire avec lacquisition de Fournier) Solvay Pharma dimportance moindre / à   la concurrence (taille moyenne) Difficultà © à   faire face au marchà © des gà ©nà ©riques Coà »t de la RD Manque de productività © dans la RD Rentabilità © et croissance repose sur les molà ©cules de Fournier Echec du dà ©veloppement de 2 molà ©cules vedettes Actività ©s mà ¨re de lentreprise ne peuvent pas se dà ©velopper à   cause de linvestissement dans la pharmacie Facteurs Clà ©s de Succà ¨s: Le dà ©veloppement et la rà ©organisation de la RD, et lintà ©gration de nouvelles technologies La rà ©duction des coà »ts et le dà ©veloppement sur des segments a forte valeur ajoutà © notamment par des processus de fusion acquisition Malgrà © son degrà © de spà ©cialisation, Solvay Pharma na pas la taille critique pour rà ©pondre au FCS (dà ©velopper un avantage concurrentiel durableà  coà »t à ©levà ©) et ainsi pour se dà ©velopper sur un marchà © ultra-concurrentiel. 2. Les modalità ©s de la dà ©cision A. Description de la dà ©cision de recentrage Le 28 Septembre 2009 Solvay a annoncà © le recentrage de ses actività ©s, afin de mettre en Å“uvre une rà ©orientation stratà ©gique sur son cÅ“ur de mà ©tier dans lintention dassurer la pà ©rennisation du Groupe. Pour cela le groupe à   dà ©cider de vendre la totalità © de ses actività ©s pharmaceutiques. Cette annonce a suscità © tout dabord lintà ©rà ªt des firmes europà ©ennes et tout particulià ¨rement du groupe Sanofi-Aventis. Loffre faite par Sanofi-Aventis a à ©tà © dà ©clinà ©e par la famille, celle-ci valorisait la socià ©tà © à   7,2 milliards deuros (soit 85 euros par action), Solvac souhaitait alors 100 euros par actions. La vente a finalement à ©tait faite à   Abbott,  «coopà ©titeur » historique du groupe, pour une valeur dentreprise totale denviron 5,2 milliards deuros. ABBOTT est une entreprise multinationale amà ©ricaine diversifià ©e dans le domaine de la santà ©, elle intervient dans la recherche, le dà ©veloppement et à   la commercialisation de produits pharmaceutiques et mà ©dicaux spà ©cifiques, y compris les produits nutritionnels, diagnostiques et les dispositifs mà ©dicaux. Lentreprise amà ©ricaine emploie plus de 72.000 personnes et commercialise ses produits dans plus de 130 pays (source

The effects of amnesia and its different types

The effects of amnesia and its different types Amnesia is defined as the full or partial loss of memory that may be temporary or permanent, causing a significant inability to remember important information to such a degree that it has moderate to severe effects on persons life (Logsdon). The effects of amnesia are related to the type of amnesia patient is suffering. The most common effect is the inability to recall information stored in the long-term memory. There are some cases that patient is able to recall past memories, but he is unable to create new memories, or even, unable to do both recall past memories and create new ones (Nordqvist, 2009). There are many factors that origin amnesia, which are classified in organic and functional. The organic factors are related to injuries in the brain, and loss of brain cells in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. A cause of brain injury is when it is occurred in car accidents. The degree of memory loss usually is proportional to the severity of damage in the brain. In most cases, amnesia is not severe and the recovery is short-lasting (Nordqvist, 2009). An organic factor of brain injuries is the brain has suffered a virus infection such as encephalitis (inflammation), which the brain tissue is affected by a mistaken attack of the immune system, or an insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain due to a heart attack, respiratory distress, or carbon monoxide poisoning (Nordqvist, 2009). Another factor of brain injury is the abuse of alcohol and drugs, such as sleeping and depressive pills, by a prolonged time, causing memory loss (Crystal, 2010). The functional factors are relate d to emotional shocks caused by being the victim of a violent crime, child or sexual abuse, or being involved in a combat, natural disaster, or a terrorist attack (Nordqvist, 2009). Amnesia is presented in many types depending on the outcomes occurred to the affected person, or any traumatic event he or she is affected. The following three types of amnesia are related to the effects in the persons memory and the capability to recall information. Retrograde amnesia is the most common type presented in hospitals, television shows, and movies. This is caused by damage in the temporal lobes and especially the hippocampus (Ellis-Christensen, 2010). Patients with retrograde amnesia are unable to recall memories from the past occurred before it is presented, but the ability to form new memories and recall after the start of amnesia is not affected (Wall, 2006). Anterograde amnesia is the reverse-side of retrograde amnesia. This is caused by the damage to the hippocampus or surrounding cortices, disabling memory formation, and often it is permanent if the brain is damaged (Liden, 2010). Patients with anterograde amnesia are unable to form new memories from the point when it is presented and to recall memories recently formed because information is not moved to the long-term memory. However, patients may be able to learn new skills without being taught again because the declarative memory is impaired while the procedural memory continues to function (Liden, 2010). Although anterograde amnesia is permanent when brain damage is presented, scientists actually are studying ways to apply neural plasticity, the capability of nerves to form new ways to recover lost functionality, to perform treatments for this and other diseases caused by brain injury (Liden, 2010). Transient global amnesia is a temporary total loss of memory and the patient affected is unable to recall any information restored in memory. The causes of this disease are uncertain, but some hypotheses establish it could be caused by a reduced blood flow, a traumatic event, stress, or an atypical type of migraine. This disease tends to reverse itself over time, but the temporary blackout can last for 24 hours or more (Wall, 2006). The following types of amnesia are related to disturbing events, or abuse of alcohol and drugs. Traumatic amnesia is caused by a hard blow to the head as a result of a car accident. The person affected may experience a brief loss of consciousness, or even go into a coma. The majority of cases are temporary and it lasts depending of the severity of the injury. Childhood, or infantile, amnesia occurs when the person is unable to recall events from early childhood. The causes could be that this may be associated with language developments, or the possibilities of some areas of the brain were not fully mature during childhood. Wernike-Korsakoffs amnesia is caused by excessive abuse of alcohol, or by malnutrition linked to thiamin deficiency. Patients with this disease have poor coordination and loss of feeling in the fingers and toes (Nordqvist, 2009). To diagnose amnesia in a patient, a doctor will do an evaluation to discard other possible causes of memory loss, such as dementia, depression, a brain tumor, or Alzheimers disease. First, the doctor starts the evaluation with a detailed medical history, including the type of memory loss, when the problems started and how they progressed, factors that started amnesia, such as a head injury or a traumatic event, family history especially of neurological disease, use of medication or alcohol and drugs, history of seizures, headaches, depression or cancer, and other symptoms (language problems, personality changes, or impaired abilities) (Test and diagnosis, 2009). Next, doctor will do a physical examination, including a neurological exam to check reflexes, sensory function, balance, or the physiological aspects of the brain and the nervous system (Test and diagnosis, 2009). Then, doctor will do a cognitive exam, testing patients thinking, judgment, short- and long-term memory. Finally, doctor will verify any internal damage of the brain through MRI, CT scans, and electroencephalogram (Nordqvist, 2009). So far, there is not any medication or drug for the restoration of memory for patients with amnesia. Fortunately in the majority of cases, amnesia is resolved itself without any treatment. However, if an essential physical or mental disorder is present, a treatment must be developed. Occupational therapist may help patients to learn new information to replace what was lost, or using the existing memories to create new ones (Treatments and drugs, 2009). Reality orientation aids may help patients to remember if he is surrounded with familiar objects, photographs, smells, and music. If patients are suffering the Wernike-Korsakoffs amnesia, an adequate nutrition can help. Whole grain cereals, legumes, nuts, lean pork, and yeast are rich sources of thiamin (Nordqvist, 2009). CONCLUSION Amnesia is a disease that commonly means partial or total memory loss and/or the ability to store new memories. Sources of amnesia can be organic, such as brain injury caused by an accident, infection to brain cells, oxygen deprivation, or abuse of alcohol and drugs; and functional, such as traumatic events or effects of stress. Amnesia can be classified depending on the factors how this is presented, such as Wernike-Korsakoffs, traumatic, or infantile amnesia; and on the effects in the functionality of the brain, such as retrograde, anterograde, or transient global amnesia. The diagnosis of amnesia in a patient depends on a detailed medical history in order to discard other types of disease, physical and cognitive exams, and a verification of the brain if an injury is present. Amnesia is reversible by itself, but if physical or mental damage is presented, treatments like replacement of memories, reality orientation aids, or a healthy nutrition for Wernike-Korsakoff disease can be helpful solution to resolve amnesia in patients.

Issues in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway Essay -- Woolf

Issues in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway revolves around several of the issues that preoccupied the Bloomsbury writers and thinkers as a group. Issues of androgyny, class, madness, and mythology run throughout the novel. While that is hardly an exhaustive list, these notions seem to form the core of the structure of the novel. Woolf herself, when envisioning the project, sought to produce â€Å"a study of insanity and suicide, the world seen by the sane and the insane side by side.† This issue of madness, in particular, gives the novel its form as we follow the twinned lives of Septimus Warren Smith and Clarissa Dalloway. These preoccupations, occuring in the biographical and intellectual lives of the disparate members of Bloomsbury, revolved around Virginia framing the preoccupations and concerns of the text. In terms of the ambiguous gender identities running throughout the text (Clarissa’s frigidity towards her husband, her sexual view of women, and Septimus’s effeminite nature), there is a tendency towards the asexual or the androgynous in the...

Personal Goals :: essays research papers

I am a teacher in the Detroit Public School system. Being a teacher did not start out being the profession of choice. However, I do enjoy teaching. Pedagogy is in fact an art and a science. Being a pedagogue is most rewarding. Thus, pedagogy has its own unique complications. Technology has revolutionized the art of teaching. This revolution has presented a strange dichotomy in the field of education. Whatever teaching may have evolved into; it is and will remain a dichotomous field. The dichotomous or two sided existence in teaching is due to human factor. We are social beings. There are ways in which we receive and process information. In our reading it talks about learning styles in pathways of learning. We do have different learning styles. Within this complexity is the basis of the dichotomy. On one side we have the ascent of technology. On the other side there is the way we learn. My personal goal is to be a teacher able to identify, understand, and without prejudice respect the various learning styles. Prejudice is also talked about in "Ethical Reasoning". I believe it is not possible to be successful at teaching without understanding various learning styles. Our learning styles are affected or influenced by social and economic conditions. I believe that University Of Phoenix has the program to equip me with much of what is needed to become a better educator. The conditions in which to apply pedagogy is extreme. Lets briefly examine some of the conditions in which teachers must prevail. In my conclusion I hope to have demonstrated what my personal goals are. As a teacher in the Detroit Public School System; there is a great deal of planning that must take place. Planning to utilize building space, room capacity, teacher assignments, curriculum, security, and parent involvement must all be planned. This planning occurs in the beginning of each year. The planning stage is a critical part of the school programs. Planning establish the academic and social direction, and tenor of the school for the entire year. The Detroit Public Schools are dramatically affected by social trends, economic changes, demographic changes, cultural and political changes. In the upcoming paragraphs I will briefly discuss the impact of these external factors. Thus, we will address some of the many internal factors. After describing many of the external factors, I will briefly introduce the plans to address these factors.

Social Effects of the Berlin Wall Essay -- essays research papers fc

Outline THESIS: From research and historical analysts, we can conclude that in many cases the people of Germany have been effected socially and economically by the building and construction of the Berlin Wall. I. Background A. Beginning construction B. Closing borders C. Pre-Berlin Wall II. History A. Cold War B. World War II C. Economy III. Post- Berlin Wall effects A. Economic examples B. Political examples Conclusion In the last fifty years the German Democratic Republic has been a nonstop changing country. In Germany, the terms â€Å"East† and â€Å"West† do not just represent geographically regions. It runs much deeper than that, and there is still a large gap in the way of life, and political and social conditions of the whole country. While most German’s were sleeping on the night of August 13, 1961, the East German government began closing its borders. In the early morning of that Sunday, most of the first work was done: the border to West Berlin was closed. The East German troops had begun to tear up streets and to install barbed wire entanglement and fences through Berlin. Between 1961 and today, the Berlin Wall saw many changes, and so did the people that it entrapped. Prior to the construction of the Berlin Wall, boarders between East and West Germany were closed in 1952 because of tension between Communists and Democratic superpowers and the only open crossing left in Berlin. West Germany was blockaded by the Soviets and only kept alive because of air drops made by the Western Allies (Time). The Soviets had to do something about the mass amount of people leaving Soviet East Berlin for West Berlin, and the non-communist world. The most visible aspect of the Cold War was the Berlin Wall. Before the wall was constructed, East and West Germans could travel freely between the two states. The number of East Germans fleeing to West was an embarrassment to the Communists, and something had to be done to pro... ...in a recent pole, 40% of young people in this area would vote for this party of former communists. In the West however, all of the districts, excluding one voted for the conservative Christian Democratic Union. (Time Nov 20th) Though times were tough for many years for some Germans, things are improving slowly. While the wall was erect, many Germans had high hopes of change and continue to strive towards equality nationwide. In June of 1963 when John F. Kennedy visited Berlin, he gave a very impacting speech to the people of Berlin, "There are some who say that Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin" (Sidey). Although the wall no longer physically stands, it still today divides Germany and Berlin into two separate states today. Works Cited Benjamin, Daniel. â€Å"Wall of Shame.† Time. November 20, 1989 Canning, Kathleen. â€Å"Responses to German Reunification.† The Journal of the International Institute. 2000. The Regents of the University of Michigan. 07 March 05 Sidey, Hugh. â€Å"The Presidency.† Time. November 20, 1989 Wallace, Charles P., â€Å"Across the Great Divide.† Time Europe. Nov. 15, 1999 Social Effects of the Berlin Wall Essay -- essays research papers fc Outline THESIS: From research and historical analysts, we can conclude that in many cases the people of Germany have been effected socially and economically by the building and construction of the Berlin Wall. I. Background A. Beginning construction B. Closing borders C. Pre-Berlin Wall II. History A. Cold War B. World War II C. Economy III. Post- Berlin Wall effects A. Economic examples B. Political examples Conclusion In the last fifty years the German Democratic Republic has been a nonstop changing country. In Germany, the terms â€Å"East† and â€Å"West† do not just represent geographically regions. It runs much deeper than that, and there is still a large gap in the way of life, and political and social conditions of the whole country. While most German’s were sleeping on the night of August 13, 1961, the East German government began closing its borders. In the early morning of that Sunday, most of the first work was done: the border to West Berlin was closed. The East German troops had begun to tear up streets and to install barbed wire entanglement and fences through Berlin. Between 1961 and today, the Berlin Wall saw many changes, and so did the people that it entrapped. Prior to the construction of the Berlin Wall, boarders between East and West Germany were closed in 1952 because of tension between Communists and Democratic superpowers and the only open crossing left in Berlin. West Germany was blockaded by the Soviets and only kept alive because of air drops made by the Western Allies (Time). The Soviets had to do something about the mass amount of people leaving Soviet East Berlin for West Berlin, and the non-communist world. The most visible aspect of the Cold War was the Berlin Wall. Before the wall was constructed, East and West Germans could travel freely between the two states. The number of East Germans fleeing to West was an embarrassment to the Communists, and something had to be done to pro... ...in a recent pole, 40% of young people in this area would vote for this party of former communists. In the West however, all of the districts, excluding one voted for the conservative Christian Democratic Union. (Time Nov 20th) Though times were tough for many years for some Germans, things are improving slowly. While the wall was erect, many Germans had high hopes of change and continue to strive towards equality nationwide. In June of 1963 when John F. Kennedy visited Berlin, he gave a very impacting speech to the people of Berlin, "There are some who say that Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin" (Sidey). Although the wall no longer physically stands, it still today divides Germany and Berlin into two separate states today. Works Cited Benjamin, Daniel. â€Å"Wall of Shame.† Time. November 20, 1989 Canning, Kathleen. â€Å"Responses to German Reunification.† The Journal of the International Institute. 2000. The Regents of the University of Michigan. 07 March 05 Sidey, Hugh. â€Å"The Presidency.† Time. November 20, 1989 Wallace, Charles P., â€Å"Across the Great Divide.† Time Europe. Nov. 15, 1999

Assessing the Level of Environmental Literacy of Teachers

Assessing the level of environmental literacy of teachers in Epe division of Lagos State, Nigeria Fatona P. Olugbenga School of Environmental Health Science Ogun State College Of Health Technology P. M. B 2081 Ilese – Ijebu Email: [email  protected] ca 08033835621, Akinyele C. Babasope School of Environmental Health Science Ogun State College Of Health Technology P. M. B 2081 Ilese – Ijebu Email: [email  protected] com 08037221905 & Musah K. Toyin School of Public Health Nursing Ogun State College Of Health Technology P. M. B 2081 Ilese – Ijebu Email: musahk. [email  protected] com 08033708027 Abstract The crucial role that teachers’ environmental literacy plays in realizing the goals of environmental education and its importance cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, this study sought to measure the environmental literacy of teachers who are saddled with responsibility of imparting environmental ideas and knowledge into the school-going population. The tudy employed a descriptive research design and administered questionnaires on four hundred (400) male and female teachers drawn from government controlled secondary schools that were randomly selected from the teachers’ corps in Epe division of Lagos Nigeria. However, three hundred and fifty-two (352) copies were retrieved and analyzed. A self-designed instrument that has a reliability coefficient of 0. 945 was used in gathering data which was analyzed by using analysis of variance (F-te sts and T-tests). Three (3) null hypotheses were formulated and tested in the study; two (2) were accepted while one (1) was rejected. The findings revealed a tendency regarding the impact of training of teachers on their environmental literacy among others. Consequently, the study suggested the need for pre-service as well as in-service environmental education training of teachers and that the existing curriculum at all levels of education should be reviewed to richly include environmental sustainability. Keywords:Environmental literacy, education, teachers Introduction The earth is primarily life supporting system. It consists essentially biochemical processes that imbue it with the capacity to sustain life. As an ecosystem, the earth however, has a threshold within which it can effectively absorb or withstand interruptions and radical changes in the biochemical processes that help to sustain life. Unfortunately, development-oriented activities of man over the last century or so have primarily restructured the environment and upset the delicate balance of nature. It has resulted in a number of changes on the planet, earth. These changes are essentially inimical to the continued existence of man and other life forms here on earth (United Nations, 1992). For example, the air we breathe is constantly being overloaded with carbon dioxide and other poisonous material from vehicular emission, exhausts of industrial and power plant etc. Land are stripped bare of vegetation or polluted with oil spills and human waste. The use of ozone- depleting substance such as products with chlorofluorocarbon, halons and methyl bromides (from which plastics and foams are made) allow excessive levels of harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the earth, resulting in increased rates of skin cancer, eye damage and weakened immune system. There is higher rate of exploitation and use of natural resources and higher levels of waste become a global issue (United Nations, 1992). According to the Council of Ministers of Education (2005) sustainable development is both a goal and a concept. As a goal, it is an idea of a world where people protect the environment as they carry out their daily activities. As a concept, it involves conceptual probing about limits on natural resources, capacities of ecosystem and interactions among social, economic, political and environmental systems. In other words, it works towards a sustainable quality of life, now and in the future. Thus, Noibi and Lawal (1993) sees it as a development strategy wherein the physical assets, natural and human resources as well as available funds are managed in a manner that ensures increasing health and wealth for both the present and future generations on planet earth. The essences of sustainable development is to meet the needs and aspirations of the present generation of man and other living creatures, both plants and animals, without compromising the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs and aspirations (NEST, 1991). The United Nations (1992), Uche (1995), UNESCO (1997) and Inyang-Abia (1998, 2001) all assert that education is humanity’s best hope and most effective means for the quest to achieve sustainable development at national or global levels. This may be due to the fact that sustainable development calls for the particular skills, knowledge, values and attitudes regarding the environment, the economy and the well-being of people. Perhaps, in response to the calls by UNESCO and United Nations, education for sustainability has become the norm in most countries of the world in recent years. In Nigeria, there have been some activities aimed at creating awareness and educating the masses on environmental issues. Initially the mass media, various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government agencies were used to create awareness of the nature of the environment and the need for its sustainability, as Uche (1995) observed. The birth of Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) in the 1980’s, the rising interest among policy makers on the need for a sound environmental base for development, launching of national conservation strategy (NCS) in 1986, the natural resources conservation council (NRCC) in 1988 and the ultimate launching of the national policy on the environment in 1989 were all critical steps in the national drive towards environmental awareness and resources conservation. In order to facilitate the education of the citizenry for sustainability, the Nigeria government has infused environmental sustainability topics into the 2003 version of the national curriculum for primary schools (NERDC, 2003). The topics infused include population, pollution, soil management, waste and waste disposal, drugs and drug abuse, etc. The idea is to start education for sustainability from the foundation. While arrangements are made to do the same in higher levels of education, teachers are encouraged to incorporate environmental sustainability issues in their instruction (NERDC, 2003). The potential of environmental literacy as a vehicle to realize the educational agenda of sustainable development cannot be over-emphasized. According to Disinger and Roth (1992) environmental literacy is a prerequisite to maintaining and improving the quality of the environment and life as such. The development and fostering of environmental literacy need, therefore, to be a key objective in any general education programme (Roth, 1992). Apparently, the term â€Å"environmental literacy† does not mean the same to everyone. Since the first general reference to the concept â€Å"environmental literacy† appeared in 1969 (Roth, 1992), various researchers have made an effort to define it or to refine description of it. Example can be found in, inter alia, Clacherty (1992), Roth (1992) and Subbarini (1998). A definition of environmental literacy was developed from the various efforts of researchers such as Leeming, Porter, Dwyer, Cobern and Oliver (1997), Loubser (1994), Smith-Sebasto and Smith (1997), Pohorille (1985) and Buethe and Smallwood (1987). This definition was used for the purposes of this research and it stated that: Environmental literacy is the ability to be aware of one’s environment. It enriches one with the knowledge to realize the imbalances and threats the environment faces and enables one to form positive attitudes towards it with the aim of developing skills to resolve and prevent environmental problems and urge to protect and improve the environment for the present and future generations by active participation. A study was also made of various models comprising concepts researchers regard as important to environmental education and environmental literacy. From these attempts by, inter alia, Munson (1994), Odum (1992), Roth (1992) and Loubser (1994), ten concepts that were regarded as necessary for teachers to have a grasp of, before being able to really do justice to environmental education were identified. The ten concepts are in line with the definitions, aims, objectives and guiding principles of environmental education and preceding definition of environmental literacy. Each of the ten concepts is a cluster of related sub concepts representing aspects of environmental literacy. These ten concepts were selected mainly from major environmental area such as ecology and interactions in the environment, participation in the identification and prevention of environmental problems, decision making on environmental issues and environmental ethics. The ten concepts are biosphere, ecological perspective, interrelationship in an ecosystem, environmental changes, basic human needs, resources, maintaining environmental quality, the ability to make choices, decision-making on environmental issues, as well as environmental ethics. In most of these concepts there is a close link between knowledge, affect, skills and behaviour. Environmental literacy, therefore, is considered to be continuum of competencies raging from zero competencies to a very high competency. There is a broad spectrum of environmental literacy, from complete unawareness to deep, thorough understanding and concern (Buethe and Smallwood, 1997). For the purposes of this research a few distinguishable, but not separable, disposition levels on this continuum were identified, namely awareness, knowledge, attitude and participation. Teachers- more than any other professional group- can probably promote environmental literacy, by virtue of their interaction with society (more specifically learners, parents and colleagues). Teachers at all levels and subject areas have a role to play in this regard, i. e. contribute to the development of citizens who possess the basic understanding and skills to make informed decisions in matters affecting the environment and whose personal lifestyles support sustainable development. Teachers can, however, hardly assist learners to become environmentally literate if they themselves lack environmental literacy. Despite the important role teachers’ play in educating students, research into teacher’s level of environmental literacy has been extremely limited. The few studies that were reported indicated a relatively low level of environmental literacy. An example is a study by Buethe and Smallwood (1997) which stated that the environmental literacy of Indiana teachers is far from optimal. In addition several researchers, for example, Schreuder (1995), Braus (1995) and Papadimitriou (1995), mentioned that most teachers are not trained to do justice to environmental education. It seems, therefore, imperative to be able to determine the state of affairs regarding the environmental literacy of the teacher corps. Hypotheses The following hypotheses were formulated and tested in this study: 1. There is no significant difference between the levels of environmental literacy of teachers if they are divided according to learning area in which they offer tuition. 2. There is no significant difference between the levels of environmental literacy of teachers if they are divided according to learning area in which they offer tuition. 3. There is no significant difference in the level of environmental literacy between teachers who receive training in environmental education and those who did not receive any training. Method Research design This is a descriptive survey research design of ex-post facto because the variables being studied had occurred and were not manipulated by the researchers. Instrumentation The questionnaire developed in this study consisted of two sections- section A which comprised items on background demographic information of respondents and section B which comprised 30 items dealing with the various aspects of environmental literacy assessed in this study. The items were developed according to a matrix with the ten central concepts representing environmental literacy on one axis and the disposition level of the respondent on the other axis. A 4-point scale ranging from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’ was used as a response-measuring scale. Sample The study sample was drawn from the entire population of teachers in public secondary schools in Epe division of Lagos State. It consisted of 400 teachers randomly selected from 40 secondary schools randomly selected from the 4 local governments that make up the division. Questionnaires were however, adequately completed by 352 teachers. These respondents were representative of gender, age, learning area taught and qualifications obtained. Procedure Three research assistants were employed to assist in administering the printed questionnaires on the teachers in their respective schools. In some cases the filled questionnaire were returned on the spot while in other cases the research assistants went back on a different day to collect the completed questionnaires. Data analyses The data obtained from the questionnaire was analyzed by using analysis of variance (F tests and t tests). Results and discussion Hypothesis 1 ‘There is no significant difference between the levels of environmental literacy of teachers with different academic qualification’. Table 1:Level of environmental literacy of teachers with different qualifications |Qualification N Means SD | |NCE 103 416. 31 35. 71 | |B Ed 64 418. 88 37. 62 | |B A 24 417. 50 51. 4 | |B Sc 12 446. 00 41. 59 | |Other 149 422. 58 40. 48 | F (4. 347) = 1. 70; p>0. 05 The respondents were divided into five categories based on highest academic qualification as indicated in table 1. In order to compare the mean scores of the five groups an analysis of variance (F test) was carried out. The results of the F test, which appear in table 1, revealed that the null hypothesis could not be rejected (p>0. 5). It can, therefore, be concluded that there is no significant difference between the average environmental literacy of teachers with different academic qualification. It appears that this result contradicts research results reported by Buethe and Smallwood (1997), if one assumes that almost all secondary school science teachers in the USA have a BSc degree. According to them, science teach ers had higher levels of environmental literacy than other teachers. Hypothesis 2 ‘There is no significant difference between the levels of environmental literacy of teachers if they are divided according to learning area in which they offer tuition’. In order to test this null hypothesis, the respondents were divided into eight categories. According to an analysis of variance (F test), the null hypothesis cannot be rejected when the means of the total score obtained for the questionnaire are compared [F (7. 344) = 1. 81; p>0. 05]. This result is in line with a finding from a study by Abraham and Chacko (1999), according to which teacher training college lecturers have average environmental literacy, irrespective of the subjects they teach. An analysis of the mean scores (F test) obtained for the four dl fields in the eight categories revealed, however, an interesting picture. The results for the Knowledge dl field are indicated in Table 2. Table 2:Knowledge dl field scores of teachers in different learning areas |Learning area N Mean SD | |Language, literacy and communication 133 98. 62 11. 1 | |Human and social science 47 100. 49 9. 60 | |Maths, maths’ literacy and maths’ science 66 99. 36 8. 69 | |Natural science 76 103. 66 10. 89 | |Arts and culture 12 100. 2 4. 40 | |Economic and management science 9 103. 33 16. 12 | |Life orientation 7 90. 43 5. 06 | |Technology 2 100. 00 2. 83 | F (7. 344) = 2. 74; p