Ergomatics Ltd- Product Launch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ergomatics Ltd- Product Launch - Essay Example Background Information of Ergonomics Ltd Ergonomics Ltd is a leading manufacturer of variable height furniture for the educational market. The company has strengths in the design, supply and installation of furniture for education institutions that adheres to strict government guidelines. The company has expertise in the quality and design product to meet specific need of its consumers. It supplies furniture to most of the good schools and educational institutes. The product it supplies is customized according to space need and design needs of consumers. It has been able to provide good quality products at reasonable cost. The deliveries of products are always on time. The customer focused approach; good product and service have created a brand name for Ergonomics Ltd in the market. It supplies the products directly or through the distribution network it has established in last 30 years. Its strong distribution network, good credit policies and distribution channel management have created a strong distribution network. It h as strong manufacturing base and supplier’s network that can provide them raw materials at the best prices. Being one of the leaders in the market the company has reached at the stage where it can get best prices of raw materials. It has employee focused approach. It provides best compensation, wages and working conditions to its employees. It is regarded as one of the best employers in the market. Ergonomics Ltd has a turnover of  £110,000,000 with operating profits of  £7,000,000. Company is planning to diversify in new business.

The Spanish And Ottoman Empire

The Spanish And Ottoman Empire The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries marked key points in the development of both the Spanish and the Ottoman empires. The building of the Spanish and the Ottoman Empires are both similar and different in many ways. With the discovery of the Americas and the conquering of Constantinople, both empires were emerging as world powers. Furthermore, both empires developed into strong religious empires. One major difference was the reasons for conquest between the two vast empires. The Spanish sought to improve trade whereas the Ottoman Empire sought military control. There were also many similarities and differences in how the Spanish and the Ottoman Empires developed politically. The Spanish used the Encomienda System as a base for economic and political order in the Americas. Using this system, the men who served the crown, or the encomenderos, were awarded part of the labor and produce of the natives. The Spanish king ruled through the Council of the Indies, allowing the king to appoint viceroys. Furthermore, the Spanish king could oversee the treasury office and the royal court of appeals, or audiencia. In contrast, the Ottoman Empire developed a bureaucracy, and because of religious tolerance allowed Christians and Jews to participate in the government. The Spanish and the Ottoman Empires can be compared and contrasted economically. One difference between the two empires was taxing in the Ottoman Empire. Although the Ottoman Empire was tolerant of other religions, they imposed a special tax on non Muslims called the jizya. One similarity was the establishment of trade routes in both empires. The Spanish Empire established trade routes to the Americas and the Ottoman Empire, under the rule of Suleyman, expanded populations, roads, and trade routes. Suleyman led the Ottoman Empire to the Pax Ottomanica , resulting in the golden age that allowed the empire to flourish. Furthermore, the Ottoman Empire controlled half of the Danube River, allowing them to control trade. Socially, both the Spanish and the Ottoman Empires were very strict religious empires. The Spanish were strict Catholics (maybe tolerant). Similarly, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire was a devout Muslim. The Spanish spread Christianity throughout the Americas, converting Natives similar to how the Ottomans converted boys in poor villages top ranking janissaries. However, the two empires did differ in that the Ottoman Empire was tolerant of other religions. The Ottoman Empire tolerated other religions because by allowing the Christians and Jews to practice their religions freely, the Ottoman Turks could defend themselves against revolts and rebellions. One major difference between the two empires was their reasons for expansion and conquest. The Spanish Empire expanded to further promote trade, whereas the Ottoman Empire expanded for military control. Under a system known as devshirme the Ottoman Sultan rounded up boys between the ages of 12 and 20 from villages and trained the best 1 0 percent to be civil servants or military men known as janissaries. However a similarity can be found in the decline of these two empires, where both empires ended because of the implications of the systems they sought to improve in expansion. The Spanish, in attempts to improve trade started to decline because of a weak financial base, unable to reap the benefits of trade. Similarly, when the expansion of the Ottoman Empire stopped, the empire lacked the influx of manpower to feed its system of maintaining an efficient population of civil servants and military men. A serial military defeat followed afterwards. During the periods of 1450 to 1800, the building of the Spanish and the Ottoman Empire developed in similar and different ways. Politically, the Spanish used an encomienda system whereas the Ottomans developed a bureaucratic government. Economically, the Spanish and the Ottoman developed trade routes, but the Spanish did not impose the jizya as the Ottomans did. Socially, both empires were strictly religious but the Ottomans were more tolerant of other religions. Despite their emergence as world powers, both empires declined as a result of the Spanishs inability to develop a strong financial base and the Ottomans failure to continue maintaining a constant manpower. Whereas the Spanish easily conquered the New World, the Ottomans constantly fought against different people from Africa, Asia, and Europe. Ottoman society was divided politically into wealth producers, soldiers, Muslims, and non-Muslims. Under a system known as devshirme the Sultan rounded up boys between the ages of 12 and 20 from villages and trained the best 10 percent to be civil servants or military men known as janissaries. After the relatively easier early conquest, Spanish legislation prohibited exploration and enslavement of Indians in its New Laws of 1542. In Mexico and Peru the decree was ignored and lead to a debate about how the colonies should be run, with some prominent ruling class arguing that Indians should be treated with protection and care, while others argued for a slavery system. The Ottoman Empire was less enlightened in ideology, but ruled with brute penalties for criminal acts, and efficient administration ad legal procedures. The Sultan considered himself supreme as compared against other monarchs. Indians died because of disease, dislocation, and the rigors of mine work following the European conquest. When the Spanish monarch ended the encomienda system the colonists increasingly sought grant of lands creating rural estates that produced cultural products. Gradually, the Americas evolved into an economic base that supports Spain. As for the Ottoman Empire, its decline was drastic. When the expansion stopped, the empire lacked the influx of manpower to feed its system of maintaining an efficient population of civil servants and military men. A serial military defeat followed afterwards.

Ernest Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky :: Biography Biographies Essays

Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky Hemingway's World War I experiences were the source of much of the legend that later surrounded him. Brave and masculine, he was the writer who really got out there and experienced everything. Wounded in the trenches, decorated for his valour, he then threw himself into a wartime romance with the nurse who was responsible for bringing him back to health, his first love, who later jilted him for an older, aristocratic, man. This report will examine the background to these myths and assess their veracity. It was not long after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 that 17 year-old Hemingway, not yet finished high school, first expressed an interest in seeing some action. However his father, keen for him to follow his sister to college, settled for a compromise that saw his brother fix young Ernest up with a job in the Kansas City Star. That November, he told his family that he could not possibly wait more than another year before enlisting, saying "it will be hard enough to stay out until then". Biographer Kenneth S. Lynn argues that for the young Hemingway, the war was like a championship football game, a huge event not to be missed.1 Hemingway's letters of that winter contain references to him attempting to join the army but being refused because of a bad eye. Nobody has been able to find any evidence that such a claim is true. Lynn points to the likely falsity of the claim by mentioning the fact that Harry Truman, who was helpless without his glasses, got past the same army doctors in Kansas City that Hemingway would have had to deal with, and suggests that the prospect of squalor and danger in the trenches did not accord with Hemingway's vision of the great event of his time. At the same time, his reading of Hugh Walpole's The Dark Forest the previous year made him aware of another, heroic, and far less dangerous way of seeing the war - the Red Cross. Ernest and his friend Ted Brumback volunteered for the Red Cross in early January and in April they were assigned as second lieutenants in an ambulance unit in Italy. They were issued a regular US Army officer's uniform with full insignia, and Ernest made the most of the fact that real army privates and non-commissioned officers had to salute him, in one instance counting 367 salutes as he walked up and down Broadway. Ernest Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky :: Biography Biographies Essays Hemingway, World War I, and Agnes von Kurowsky Hemingway's World War I experiences were the source of much of the legend that later surrounded him. Brave and masculine, he was the writer who really got out there and experienced everything. Wounded in the trenches, decorated for his valour, he then threw himself into a wartime romance with the nurse who was responsible for bringing him back to health, his first love, who later jilted him for an older, aristocratic, man. This report will examine the background to these myths and assess their veracity. It was not long after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 that 17 year-old Hemingway, not yet finished high school, first expressed an interest in seeing some action. However his father, keen for him to follow his sister to college, settled for a compromise that saw his brother fix young Ernest up with a job in the Kansas City Star. That November, he told his family that he could not possibly wait more than another year before enlisting, saying "it will be hard enough to stay out until then". Biographer Kenneth S. Lynn argues that for the young Hemingway, the war was like a championship football game, a huge event not to be missed.1 Hemingway's letters of that winter contain references to him attempting to join the army but being refused because of a bad eye. Nobody has been able to find any evidence that such a claim is true. Lynn points to the likely falsity of the claim by mentioning the fact that Harry Truman, who was helpless without his glasses, got past the same army doctors in Kansas City that Hemingway would have had to deal with, and suggests that the prospect of squalor and danger in the trenches did not accord with Hemingway's vision of the great event of his time. At the same time, his reading of Hugh Walpole's The Dark Forest the previous year made him aware of another, heroic, and far less dangerous way of seeing the war - the Red Cross. Ernest and his friend Ted Brumback volunteered for the Red Cross in early January and in April they were assigned as second lieutenants in an ambulance unit in Italy. They were issued a regular US Army officer's uniform with full insignia, and Ernest made the most of the fact that real army privates and non-commissioned officers had to salute him, in one instance counting 367 salutes as he walked up and down Broadway.

Television in the UAE & Saudi Arabia: An analysis of women’s representation

Introduction This research analyzes the ways in which women are represented on television in Arabic countries; through social programs in the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Since graduation in 2007, I have been employed at Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI). This has awarded me seven years of experience as a news reporter and presenter; which has helped me to understand more about common traits in Arabic television as well as its depiction of women. As a result of this background, the connection between the Arabic women of the television and the country’s government will be the primary subject that this report will explore. The rationale (epistemological, substantive, and practical) for undertaking this project stems from personal interest towards the research; as workplace experience at DMI included conducting analysis about current affairs and relations between Arabic-Gulf countries and Arabic women. This background raised a personal and moral obligation: to discover whether Arabic women are represented on TV in a negative way and what can be done to support them. This project surrounds a universal matter of gender in-equality and should be addressed as such. Arabic women (like all women around the world) should be able to work and have a proper education instead of being fated to live the life of a housewife. What makes matters more significant is the strategy the government has put in place to deliver on this mandate – manipulating the public through propaganda on common media platforms. This report will discuss more precisely what can be done if the research concludes that women’s representation is negative on Arabic television (by analyzing the source of the problem). For instance; are religious reasons, customs and traditions, different cultural backgrounds and governmental differences to blame for female representation in the mediaOr are there other factors worth considering? Secondary research into the topic will aid the report. This research will help reach a logical conclusion of the matter and also vicariously un-cover a niche in this area of study – (there was barely any information directly comparing between these two Arabic countries). So although this means the project will be a more difficult subject to research, it will be thoroughly completed in order to shed light upon the topic. For this reason, a mixed methodology application of quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to conduct my research. Moreover, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been chosen for research because they advocate different rules in TV programming than other Arabic countries even though they all follow the same religion – Islam. Furthermore, women in these two countries have different cultural backgrounds and government. The role of television as a media platform in the Arab world has been highlighted repeatedly. Arabic TV’s image and perception must therefore be the first thing to be addressed in the process of identifying whether the representation of women is a positive or negative one. In light of this, the project addresses the following questions: How does Arabic TV present women in a positive or negative way? What are (and why are there) differences between women’s representation in these two countries, even though they share a common religion? Women’s experiences of social Arabic TV- harmful or helpful?Literature ReviewLiterature dealing directly with the relationship between the Arabic woman and her problems with representation on Arabic TV is virtually non-existent. However, with the continuous development of worldwide media, it is hardly surprising that the Middle East’s opinion of Arabic media has become more sophisticated and modern in many aspects. In light of this, many Arabic television channels have become much more well known and influential than ever before. For example, â€Å"Al-Jazeera TV† in Qatar has noticeably developed a stronger base of viewers around the world from its wide-spread signal – something that hasn’t happened to a global Arabic news station before. As a result, the middle-east now has access to a new brand of â€Å"universalized† news (Waxman, N.D.). Consequently, these channels have become more interesting in many aspects. It could even be argued that Arabic women are presented in an equal light to men on their native TV because of the positive attributes it shows women possessing. For example, channels depict women as intelligent and wise on worldwide TV stations in the Middle East; by implying they have the right to be educated, to be independent and to have their own business. Conversely, there are some local Arabic TV channels that do present women negatively. What makes this more significant is how the television stations do nothing to remedy this negative (and purposeful) representation. References to renowned academic literature will also be included that argues each side of the debate; which for all intents and purposes was substantially difficult to find. Whereas a selection of these studies focus on the positive way Arabic television depicts women, other research is focused only on the differences between Arabic women in the East and the West. On the other hand, other works have sought to discuss merely the negative image Arabic stations impose on their native females. The results and critical opinions within this collected research (as well as primary research) will subsequently form the main body of my essay. An extensive amount of the work collected on the matter emphasizes dominance over Arabic women; particularly Saudi Arabian women. One of the main books to demonstrate this belief is Paul Danahar’s The New Middle East. Published in 2013, the BBC’s Middle East bureau chief (Danahar) revealed that a new era shaped the Middle East during the Arabic Spring of 2011 which lead to clearer insights of media representatives; thereby changing traditional opinions in some Arabic countries such as Egypt, Libya, Syria and Tunisia. As a result of this, the general consensus of Arabic people (specifically women) within the international community also changed; creating a knock-on effect on the role Islam played in the Middle East during the Arabic Spring as well. Perhaps the most interesting point in this book is that the writer mentions that people (men and women) of the Arabic community can finally speak more openly for the first time. This book is a strong reference with regards to describing women’s cases during the Arabic Spring, but it is perhaps too eager to include such divine constructs as fate, destiny and pre-destination. The outcome of the Arabic Spring revolution will be considered first. The work of Goetz (1997) asserts that women have developed remarkably for almost three decades now in numerous Muslim countries, and points out organizations must be recognized as being deeply gendered in their structure towards women’s interests in the media. However, Goetz’s results were based upon data from over 30 years ago, and it is unclear if these differences still persist; as it can be clearly seen that many Muslim-Arabic countries have changed a lot during those thirty years. For example, the amount of women appearing in Saudi Arabian media has seen a significant decrease during the last thirty years. While Goetz’s research may therefore not be as historically relevant as others (her analysis was not based on empirical research, and she does not focus on Saudi Arabia), it is evident that the way television and media is constructed in the Middle East is fundamentally different from other countries (namely those in the West). For example, Saudi women cannot wear what they truly want to wear on the TV screen, or drive a car, and have to face a patriarchal culture every day. This is why Saudi Arabia was specifically chosen for this report. Keddie (2007 p. 149- 150) feels that it is remarkably interesting to see the difference between Middle Eastern women in the past and the present. She focuses on tracing the development of Middle Eastern women’s history since the rise of Islam, and notes that there have been significant improvements in the Middle East’s women’s suffrage movement. Moreover, the appearance of women in public places reflects this discovery, a s well as the fact that females seem to have taken up the pre-dominant role in advertising. However, she argues that women in Saudi Arabia were more open to change in the 1960s and 1970s than they were in the 1980s and 1990s; also that they were more educated, including a higher amount of people studying abroad, had more job opportunities, their own marital choices and better health. But, this all changed because of â€Å"the Islamist takeover of the main Saudi mosque in 1979† (Keddie, 2007, p.150). It seems this reason remains unclear because Saudi Arabia had already been an Islamic country for centuries before; it was the change of the role of the government that lessened women’s rights – an after-effect of the Islamist takeover. Strong & Hareb (2012) indicate how the amount of digitally competent young females in the UAE who use social media programs is rapidly increasing. Additionally, Strong & Hareb (2012, p. 3) point out that â€Å"The UAE is made up of s even emirates, which were separate authorities until the country was formed in 1971. Each emirate is governed by a ruling family; with some services (like education) to be funded and administered by the overall federal government†. Therefore, the UAE has a different television channel for all seven emirates. Moreover, the WAGL (Women as Global Leaders) claim that â€Å"Although Emirati females make up only about 5% of the total population, the spotlight recently has been on them as potential future leaders† (WAGL, 2012). Strong & Hareb (2012, p. 3) suggest this means that the UAE government is showing us through television that it is supporting Emirati females to be leaders. Moreover, the government’s media website said that â€Å"the UAE has become a model for Arab women in all fields† (WAM, 2009). For the UAE, the situation is more hopeful – there is perhaps more openness felt towards women, whereas in Saudi Arabia, there is no freedom. Females ca nnot wear what they really want to wear on a TV screen, and usually have to wear traditional, religious clothing. Mellor, et al (2011) found that some Arabic countries have a new challenge in the media because globalization has brought new opportunities to them. For example, â€Å"the United Arab Emirates (UAE) now profile themselves globally as the perfect hybrid link between east and west† (Mellor, et al, 2011, P. 25). Clearly, it can be seen reflected in women’s current affairs in the UAE. This paper agrees with Mellor, because it can clearly be seen that Emirati women have many more opportunities now; whether it be working as a TV presenter or reporter. This study directly correlates to the main analysis of this report: by showing us that Emirati women are represented in a positive way on UAE television. A similar view to this essay was found in a report by The Dubai School of Government (2011, p1). This report states that â€Å"Arab women in particular have becom e more engaged in political and civic actions; playing a critical leading role in the rapid and historic changes that have swept the region†. This article focuses on women within media and social terms, in a way that implies they are active in their society and that UAE television does help them feel more independent. It seems that UAE TV urges women to be intelligent, to be something more than just a housewife or mother at home, to work or own a business and finally be equal with Emirati men. Lastly, the work of Saker (2004) reveals that the image of Middle Eastern women in a media landscape often presents them as changed, empowered and advanced. This article will be useful for my research. Methodology/ Research Method: As previously mentioned; this project is difficult to research. For this reason a variety of data by using mixed methodology – qualitative and quantitative methods. Additionally, both types of data will be collected in the two countries during the summer. This study encompasses two different types of research to explore if Arabic TV helps women or harms them. The first type of research theory is qualitative (questionnaires, interviews, etc.). For example, respondents will be shown clips of Arabic TV shows and create a survey that will ask them which Arabic television programs support women and which do not support women, and why (as well as asking demographic information such as nationality, age, gender, and education level). The second type of research theory is a quantitative content analysis – case studies, statistics or percentages to compare with two social Arabic programs from two Arabic countries that have women presenters from the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. The programs are Kalam Nawaiem from MBC channel – Saudi Arabia, and Zahrat Al-Khaleej from Abu Dhabi channel – United Arab Emirates. These methods lead to answering the overall research questions: How does Arabic TV show women in a positive way or negative waySecondly, what are the differences between women’s representation in the two countries (the UAE and Saudi Arabia)Thirdly, what are women’s experiences of Arabic TV – harmful or helpful? Conclusion The United Arab Emirates & Saudi Arabia have been chosen because on the surface it appears that one country supports women (UAE) and the second country does not support women (Saudi Arabia) on TV stations. This will make for a very conclusive and judicial paper – one that will be written with passion. Firstly, the paper’s aim and rationale for the research will be discussed. Secondly, the relative strengths and weaknesses of the literature written on this topic will be analyzed, as well as the research methods and studies chosen. It is interesting to see the differences between Islamic Arabic cultures and Western cultures; and then to compare women’s representation on TV programs. Moreover, it cannot be denied that we should support and respect women around the world, and is clear that it is not fair or equal to abandon Arabic women in this belief. The most intriguing point is that it is not all Arabic countries that do not support women; even though the Islamic religion connects them all. This research then, will help us understand in more detail the reasons of these differences – whether religious or government or cultural. However, there will be some problems that most likely will be encountered (especially in Saudi Arabia) due to ethical issues. The research collected may or may not be allowed to be considered outside of the country. To resolve this, alternative ways will be considered so that the project can be investigated freely. It is clear that this research needs to go ahead because it asks an important question – Are there positive ways Arabic women on TV are presented or negative waysSecondly, there has been little research done before on this topic. There was not much information that has compared two countries, justified research and then remained objective at the conclusion. Thirdly, the research seeks to understand in more depth how these differences have occurred in two Arabic countries even though there is a religion that binds them together; bringing cultural and historical significance to the paper. Lastly, this is a topic that affects everyone universally, and is something that everyone can understand. It does not matter whether the reader is a woman or a man, for it will bring attention and focus to the problem regardless. Thus, this topic can be investigated after the description of its main characteristics. Bibliography: Danahar, P. (2013) The New Middle East: The World after the Arab Spring. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Dubai School of Government, UAE (2011) The role of social media in Arab women’s empowerment. Arab social media report, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1. Goetz, A. M. (1997) Getting institutions right for women in development. London: Zed Books Ltd. Keddie, N. R. (2007) Women in the Middle East: Past and Present. Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press. Mellor, N. et al. (2011) Arab Media: Globalization and Emerging Media Industries. The United Kingdom: Polity Press. Saker, N. (2004) Women and media in the Middle East: Power through self-expression. America: Published by I.B Tauris & Co Ltd. Strong, C & Hareb, H. (2012) Social Media Fashion among Digitally Fluent Young Arabic Women in the UAE. Social Media Fashion. Vol. 8, Issue 1. Dubai, Zayed University. WAGL. (2012) About WAGL. Women as Global Leaders Conference. Available at: http://www.zu.ac.ae/main/en/wagl2012/about.aspx. Last accessed 5 February 2014. WAM. (2009). Foreign Media Delegation Visits. WAM Online. 24th, November, 2009. Available at: http://uaeinteract.com/docs/Foreign_media_delegation_visits_GWU/38528. Last accessed 5 February 2014. Waxman, S. (n.d) Arab TV’s strong signal the Al-Jazeera network offers news the Mideast never had before, and views that are all too common. Al Jazeera Online. http://www.allied-media.com/aljazeera/washpost.htm. Last accessed 11 February 2014.

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay

1) How have changes relating to management and organisational structural affected a global organisation of your choice, over the last 75 years. Relate your findings to growth, distribution, and various external influences and strategies. 2) Undertake a SWOT analysis and explain its relevance in relation to your company and/or its sector Word Count 1250. Harvard Style Referencing. Bibliography Required. Global organisation Laura Ashley Holdings Plc has suffered differing fortunes since Bernard and Laura Ashley founded it in the 1950s. It has been involved in the designing, manufacturing, distribution and selling of garments, accessories, perfume, gift items, fabric, wall coverings, bedding, lighting, and furniture. Famed for its floral prints, the chain was highly successful during the early and mid 1980s but things changed in the early 1990s when various management and structural problems as well as those relating to growth, distribution, and various external influences such as global recession surfaced Laura Ashley herself died in 1985. There is a notable difference in the organisation up to and after this year. Up to 1985, it was a simply structured, steadily expanding organisation operating in a non-complex environment (complexity arises when there are numerous complicated environmental influences [Johnson and Scholes, 1989]). In the months and years after, many changes took place. Laura Ashley went public in flotation, acquired other companies involved in areas such as knitwear and perfume, made heavier investments in manufacturing and information technology (IT), moved towards segmentation with Mother and Child shops, exclusively home furnishing shops and unit shops (franchise operations). The organisation moved gradually away from vertical integration (it had always manufactured and delivered all goods itself) – The Guardian reported that Laura Ashley was withdrawing from manufacturing by the end of the year in 1998. In order to facilitate growth, there was a shift from the simple functional organisational structure to a more complex divisional structure (which was  re-organised with every change of leadership). The most notable chief executives of Laura Ashley who were in place whilst and after problems developed were Jim Maxmin (1991-1994) and Ann Iverson (1995-1997). Each of these people were responsible for major overhauls within the organisation. Vora (1998) states, â€Å"Laura Ashley has undergone various restructuring strategies and umpteen management upheavals, all to no avail, and all of which have decimated shareholder value and abused the brand name†. As highlighted above, the major problems of Laura Ashley began to manifest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first fall of profits were reported in the year to January 1989. It is important, then, to look at its success before this – from its beginnings in the 1950s to 1985. One area to naturally consider is the key success factors of the organisation for this period i.e. what specifically can its success is attributed to. Key success factors are what an organisation must do well in order to be successful, be an effective competitor and satisfy stakeholder requirements (Thompson, 1997). Bearing this in mind, the key success factors of Laura Ashley up to 1985 are identified as high quality production, innovative designs, good brand management (the ‘Laura Ashley’ name was and is strong), well placing of stores, creation of good atmospheres in stores, general design and creative competencies, staff training, creation of a vertically integrated structure and oper ation within a simplistic organisational structure in general. Also, the Group’s IT capabilities factored into the success as it was a source of competitive advantage e.g. they were an early adopter of electronic point of sale (Heath, 1996 as cited by Johnson and Scholes, 1999). These factors may also be interpreted as strategic excellence positions (SEP’s), which can be described as the capabilities, which allow an organisation to produce better than average results in comparison with competitors (PUmpin, 1987). Thompson (1997) presents a particularly useful model that can be helpful in explaining the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985. The EVR congruence model, by Thompson, considers if an organisation is being managed effectively with regards to strategy. It represents the matching of an organisation’s resources (for Laura Ashley these would include plants, vehicles, IT systems  and locations) to the key success factors dictated by the environment (external factors such as opportunities and threats, stakeholders, competition etc). A determinant in matching these is the values of the organisation (again, in the case of Laura Ashley, these would include the lifestyle they promote/project, shop designs and atmospheres, product designs, the brand, staff training policy and the ‘family’ culture). If the congruence (fit) between these three areas is great, then this indicates effective management of resources (Hamel and Prahalad [1993] comment that it is important for organ isations to manage resources well in order to achieve objectives), strategy formulation and all-round success. It can be argued that the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985 can be attributed to greater EVR congruence. That is such things as the number of shops and plants, distribution systems, stakeholders, threats (including competition), products, level of vertical integration and so on fit together well in relation to the size, structure, culture and speed of growth of the organisation then. The key success factors are also indicative of this congruence. So that they can be developed to help ensure both present and future success, it is important key success factors are recognised and understood. One particular way Laura Ashley could do this is through a SWOT analysis. This reviews an organisation’s internal strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats in the external environment (Cole, 1996). This may be done for a particular moment in time or as an overview encompassing the past and present. As made clear, Laura Ashley has faced much change during its existence. Opportunities and threats come about as a result of constant change and the SWOT analysis can help to identify these and internal strengths and weaknesses relevant when dealing with change (Johnson and Scholes, 1989). This SWOT analysis can be used in relation to analysing the problems faced by Laura Ashley in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. They can be greatly attributed to the weaknesses and threats identified. For example, fluctuations in the economy had a knock-on effect on the sale of property and hence on the sale of household furnishings. Also, high borrowing, wastage and forced discounting meant that, despite sales increases, shops were making a loss. The reorganisations in 1988, 1991 and twice in 1995 had their effect too – they were costly and highlighted inefficiency. Chandler (1977) states that structures are not adapted until pressure of inefficiency forces the change and that this change process is usually a painful one – often carried out by a different chief executive each time. Upon and after his appointment in 1991, Jim Maxmin found that the organisation lacked a core identity, clear strategies, empowered staff, thorough market research, efficient logistics , and many problems in the US such as limited growth, poor management and delivery problems. He responded with his ‘Simplify, Focus and Act’ programme. This included reorganisation, institution of a Global Operations Executive (GOE) and Global Collection Development (GCD) which aided globalisation and marketing, encouragement to empower staff, an alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics to improve delivery and distribution systems, sourcing half of the organisations manufacturing to  the Far East (rather than in-house in Britain) and management replacement in the US. Before leaving Laura Ashley in 1994, Jim Maxmin commented that â€Å"throughout the entire organisation, people has embraced the principles of the Simplify, Focus and Act programme and set about sorting out the operational problems which have plagued Laura Ashley† (Maxmin, 1993 as cited by Warnaby, 1994). Ann Iverson was appointed chief executive of Laura Ashley in 1995. She was to spearhead the rush into the US and revamp the product range (Teather, 1999). Her observations found various problems – all of which can again be attributed to identified weaknesses. It was found that the product range was too broad, there was no ‘unified’ look to match globalisation, the supply chain was inefficient and problems continued in the US. Ann Iverson’s response included strengthening the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics, opening larger stores in the US and reviewing marketing and sales. These changes were considered to be good as Laura Ashley restored dividend payments in 1996 for the first time since 1989. Ann Iverson was dismissed in 1997, however, mainly due to continuing problems in the US and the organisation’s image (Keynotes, 1997). Each of the changes mentioned came about from the organisation’s particular strengths (as identified) at the time. For example, whilst such things as restructuring and shop closures were happening, the strong name of Laura Ashley and strong customer loyalty were greatly relied upon. Bowman and Asch (1987) comment that the strengths of an organisation are a if not the determinant in how it handles weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Opportunities open to the organisation in dealing with its various problems can be identified as the opportunities in the SWOT analysis. Opportunities change and differ over time. For example, the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics resulted from available opportunities at the time. A possible opportunity in the early 1990s would have been a speedier move away from vertical integration for example. Laura Ashley became totally vertically integrated in the 1970s and continued  to be so though gradually moved away from this in the 1990s – completely in 1998. Vertical integration can be backwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning supplier and forwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning retailer – Laura Ashley was both backwardly and forwardly vertically integrated – everything from the supplying of materials and manufacturing to distribution and retail. The main benefits of this throughout the organisation’s development included greater control, greater ability to differentiate, the opportunity to achieve economies of scale (higher margins), assurance of supply and greater synergy. Despite this, there were numerous disadvantages particularly that it was costly and greatly increased operational leverage as well as the need to keep up with technological change. This tied up capital having long-term affects. It meant that there was not full concentration of key strengths (design and retail) on which key success factors are dependent (Thompson, 1997). Furthermore, vertical integration was inflexible (cheaper manufacturers could not be sourced) and sensitivity to decreases in sales increased. It was the cost aspect that had the greatest impact – particularly in the face of costly expansion (especially in the US). Warnaby (1994) comments that vertical integration was responsible for financial problems in the early 1990s. The costs of vertical integration had an impact on the organisation’s ability to successfully expand internationally. Perhaps with the exception of a distinctive product look and the adoption of a divisional structure, Laura Ashley did not expand internationally applying Treadgold’s keys/strategies – each was applied/introduced incrementally as problems arose to highlight the need e.g. it was not until 1995 when Ann Iverson felt the need for a unified product look. This is indicative that the organisation was not particularly capable of embarking on such ambitious international expansion as it did. This is highlighted by the numerous problems faced by the organisation e.g. poor marketing/marketing strategy, inefficient logistics and lack of direction and clear strategy. Additionally, the paternalistic management style was not suited to rapid expansion and this coupled with high finance demands from vertical integration, reorganisation and early acquisitions further indicate poor planning in terms of development Laura Ashley has faced so many problems throughout its existence. Problems owing to management, organisational structure, logistics and rapid international expansion continuously came and went. In 1998 bankruptcy looked imminent but an injection of ?44 million in equity capital by Malaysian businessman Dr Kay Peng Khoo (giving his MUI property company 47.5% share ownership whilst the Ashley family retained just 9% [Gibbs, 1999]). He installed Ng Kwan Cheong as chief executive who made changes including the disposal of the problematic North American franchise (retail operations were sold to a management buyout team for $1 at the end of July, 1999 [Gibbs, 1999]), targeting of younger markets and investment in e-commerce (Abdullah, 2000). However, all of these changes looked to have no major impact in the Group’s success with sales steadily decreasing from 1998. Whether or not Laura Ashley manages to achieve the sort of success it enjoyed in the early 1980s under its new management remains to be seen – as does its survival. Chief Executive Ng Kwan Cheong refrained from placing false hopes, commenting in March of 2000 – â€Å"We have a lot of things to do. All I can say is we are moving in the right direction and things are changing† (Cheong, 2000 as cited by Abdullah, 2000). REFERENCES Texts  · Bowman, C. and Asch, C. (1987). ‘Strategic Management’. Macmillan Education.  · Chandler, A.D. (1997). ‘The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business’. Harvard University Press.  · Cole, G.A. (1996). ‘Management Theory and Practice’ (5th Edition). Letts Educational.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1989). ‘Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases’. Prentice Hall.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1999). ‘Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases’ (5th Edition). Prentice Hall.  · PUmpin, C. (1987). ‘The Essence of Corporate Strategy’. Gower.  · Thompson, J.L. (1997). ‘Strategic Management: Awareness and Change’. International Thomson Business Press. Journals and Publications  · Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1993). â€Å"Strategy as stretch and leverage†. Harvard Business Review, 71, March-April, pp75-84.  · Keynotes (1997), ‘Keynote Market Report – Clothing Retailing’, 1997 Reports, p23.  · Treadgold, A. (1991) ‘Dixons and Laura Ashley: Different Routes to International Growth’. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. Vol. 19(4), pp13-19.  · Warnaby, G. (1994). â€Å"Laura Ashley – An International Retail Brand†. Management Decision, Volume 32 (3). Other  · Abdullah, S.A. â€Å"Turning around Laura Ashley†. http://adtimes.nstp.com.my/archive/mar3.htm (09 December 2000).  · Gibbs, G. (1999) â€Å"Laura Ashley bids farewell† The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3904775,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Teather, D. (1999) â€Å"Banks push Laura Ashley to quit US† The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3855892,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Vora, K. (1998) â€Å"Lessons from Laura Ashley†. The Motley Fool: The Daily Fool, Evening Fool – Tuesday, 03 March 1998, (online) (cited 04 January 2001). http://www.fool.co.uk/DailyFool/1998/DailyFool980303.htm . BIBLIOGRAPHY Texts  · Cole, G.A. (1997). ‘Strategic Management’ (2nd Edition). Continuum.  · De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (1994) ‘Strategy Process, Content, Context: An International Perspective’. West Publishing.  · Hatch, M.J. (1997). ‘Organization Theory’. Oxford.  · Palmer, A. and Hartley, B. (1996). ‘The Business and Marketing Environment’ (2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill.  · Palmer, A. (2000). ‘Principles of Marketing’. Oxford.  · Porter, M.E. (1980) ‘Competitive Strategy – Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competition’. The Free Press.  · Porter, M.E. (1985) ‘Competitive Advantage – Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance’. The Free Press.  · Wild, R. (1994) ‘How to Manage’ (2nd Edition). BCA. Other  · Framed-Art Wholesale. â€Å"Laura Ashley – The History† http://www.framedartwholesale.com/aboutLA.htm (20 December 2000).  · Herzog, J. (1997) â€Å"Laura Ashley closure a strategic decision†. Daily Yale News Online – Friday, 12 September 1997, (online) (cited 20 December 2000). http://www.yale.edu/ydn/paper/9.12.97/I-1lauraashley.html .  · Hoover’s Online. â€Å"Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Capsule† Companies and Industries http://www.hoovers.co.uk/uk?capsule/5/0,3042,90245,00.html?referer= (20 December 2000).  · Wetfeet. â€Å"Laura Ashley Holdings Plc† Company Profiles. http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/companyprofiles.asp (18 December 2000).  · Wright Investor’s Service. â€Å"Research Report: Laura Ashley Holdings Plc† Corporate Information http://profiles.wisi.com/profiles/scripts/corpinfo2.asp?cusip=C826EG930 (18 December 2000).

The stroke rehabilitation ward for men through the accident and emergency after a fall at home. The WritePass Journal

The stroke rehabilitation ward for men through the accident and emergency after a fall at home. Introduction The stroke rehabilitation ward for men through the accident and emergency after a fall at home. IntroductionREFERENCESRelated Introduction This essay will discuss continuing care of a male elderly patient who was admitted into the stroke rehabilitation ward for men through the accident and emergency after a fall at home. It will also describe and analyse his care needs and how it will be carried out laying emphasis on mobility as a specific need.   Patients are admitted from other wards or accident and emergency but mainly from the acute elderly care wards, then transferred to the stroke rehabilitation ward for specialised care until they are discharged to their homes, or to a residential or nursing home. The conditions of each patient when admitted varies with individual, some might have severe cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or falls and confusion at home or other related cases. This essay is about a 72 year old Asian male whom I would refer to as â€Å"Musa† for the sake of confidentiality, who was admitted into the accident and emergency after being found on the floor of his bathroom by his wife who then called the ambulance. He was diagnosed with a left sided stroke which caused paralysis of the entire right side of his body, and was also diagnosed of irregular heart rhythm which is a probable cause of cerebral ischemia which means blood clot of an artery that prevents enough oxygen rich blood from getting into the brain then causes the brain cells to die. To prevent further clotting of the blood he was placed on wafarin   an anticoagulant, his past medical history stated that he suffered from osteoarthritis, and was prescribed pain killers. Musa was brought into the stroke rehabilitation ward by a porter, accompanied by his wife and daughter, this ward is mainly for rehabilitation which is the process of assisting an individual to maintain a high level of function, independence and quality of life in their home or in the residential homes. He was taken to his bedside, after he had settled, a staff nurse went to him ,the staff nurse introduced herself then sat down with them to start an admission process with the trust’s admissions pack (Walsh et al 2001), due to insufficient information about him she read through his transfer notes and continuation sheets from the accident and emergency where he spent approximately a day   the information gotten were not conclusive, so we had to check his blood pressure, it was 120/80 mmHg, his temperature was 65.5, his pulse rate was 120 and saturation was 70% the staff nurse had to give him oxygen of 4 litres through a facial mask. The admission pack contains relevant information needed to assess, plan and evaluate a standard of care that will meet all clinical governance standard and this package of care is based on Roger, Loper and Tierney’s activities of daily living (Roper et al 1996). These documentation and assessments, forms an integrated care pathway which the multidisciplinary team uses to check a patients progress over a certain period of time. The ICP also empowers patients and aids effective communication of information within the multidisciplinary team, in order to carry out proper interventions required for a patient and making sure it meets the required standard of clinical guidance (Middleton et al 2001). Once the assessment document was completed, it was discovered that so many care plans would be needed to correctly meet his needs, , he has got slight dysphasia and unable to communicate properly which a few stroke victims do suffer from (Alexander et al 2001) but no hearing problems was noted.   He was asked questions that needed short answers to aid his ability to express his feelings rather than relying on a family member, after this assessment he was referred to the speech and language therapy (SALT) who carried out strategies which included vocal exercises. It was also discovered that his mobility was very poor due to paralysis on his left side taking into account hazards, and a fall was one of the causes of his recent admission into hospital. When I started my placement on the ward he had already been admitted for 3 weeks and Musa was on fluid intake via intravenous infusion to maintain arterial blood pressure and the staff nurse in charge of his care maintained this intake at the correct rate. The malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) was used on admission and he scored 2 which is a high risk, the medical team was informed and a food record chart for 5 days was commenced and his weight was recorded and to be checked twice a week (Nutritional benchmarking group 2008). According to his records he is unable to chew food, and has been having difficulties swallowing, he was then referred to the dietician who assessed him and placed him on a stage 2 diet which is a liquidised meal, this type of food promotes a swallow reflex action because it has been thickened with thickener as un-thickened food can run down the throat too quickly for the trachea to manage, and sometimes patients gets choked. Mobility was a main care need identified, Musa is incontinent with faeces and urine he has got a catheter and a pad which needs frequent changing he is unaware that he has already been, since he has got no control over his elimination, there was a fluid balance chart to record any abnormalities and stool chart   to determine and establish a pattern of his bowel movement which was used to aid his comfort. Due to his poor mobility, he might develop skin problems leading to pressure sores. In the falls risk assessment form in his folder, he is classed as high risk, his bed is in an observable area, his bed is kept at a very low position and re-positioning at each intervals. Musa’s notes stated that there was a multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) held at the first week of his admission and the occupational therapist comes to the ward every other day to see him and when he is having a wash she tells the nurse to encourage him have a grip of the sponge in his right hand and with the help of the nurse’s hand would gently stroke the other arm to regain muscle memory and the use of the paralysed arm. The physiotherapist comes in to see him once a day and to encourage him to sit on his bed for a couple of minutes then increased it gradually from five to ten minutes then to twenty minutes and then to half an hour, by the end of 5 weeks he was assisted into a specialised stroke chair with side supports. This team meets every week to discuss Mr Musa’s progress, it   is in accordance with the new government guidelines on white paper â€Å"Saving Lives: Our healthier Nation† It lays emphasis on the values of cross departmental working in partnership   and as a team within the local, health authorities, private sectors and voluntary sectors (DOH 1999). Musa’s wife and all relevant personnel were present and discussions on how he has progressed or declined and what other care needs were identified or if there were any changes to be made to improve his recovery. The Physiotherapist suggested twice a day visit would be of advantage instead of once, an additional note was added to his care plans about that. With his family fully involved there was no signs of depression shown physically although the Geriatric depression scale was not used .With gradual changes to his care plans and subsequent meetings, the team felt he was fit to be discharged home and continue with the community stroke rehabilitation and a social worker was invited to the last meeting to arrange the possibilities of care within the community according to the patient’s wishes. Reflecting on this outcome it became a success seeing that the necessary assessments were carried out in the right ward (the rehabilitation ward) appropriately with the right documentation, and in accordance with the guidelines stipulated by department of health and the nursing models used also contributed to the positive outcome and quick result. In conclusion the relevant health professionals were involved in the continuity of Musa’s care, with his family and his wishes put into consideration. REFERENCES Alexander M F, Fawcett J N, Runciman. (2000). Nursing Practice, Hospital Home: The Adult. 2nd Edition. Spain: Churchill Livingstone British journal of community nursing (2001). Maintaining the dignity and autonomy of older people in the healthcare setting.. Department of Health. (1999). Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation. London, Stationery Office. Department of health (2001) The essence of care   patient-focused benchmarking for health care professionals. Middleton S, Barnett J, Reeves D, 2001. What is an integrated care pathway?   Available from: www.evidence-based-medicine-co.uk [Accessed: 25:11:2010] Nutritional Bench marking group (August 2006)   â€Å"The MUST† explanatory booklet. A guide to the Malnutrition Universal screening â€Å"Tool† National institute For health and Clinical Excellence 2010

The role of the graphic designer in todays society

The role of the graphic designer in todays society In today’s society, graphic designers carry out a myriad of artistic and professional services, which center on visual communication and presentation. Graphic designers normally employ different techniques to develop symbols, images, and/or words that create a visual representation of ideas and messages in areas such as market research, corporate identity/branding, poster design, advertisements, book layouts, motion video graphics, clothing/fabric design, product design, and many other areas.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The role of the graphic designer in today’s society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In solving visual communication problems, they often make use of topography, visual arts, and page layouts procedures to generate products that transcend frontiers and cultural divides. Among all the arts around us, graphic design is the most universal, powerful, and influential (Newark, 6). Since we engage with it in the streets, in almost everything, and even on our bodies, it is not just a modern or a capitalistic phenomenon. This paper examines its role in today’s society. Graphic design is a very new design expression technique, which was a spontaneous response to the vast communication requirements of the industrial revolution. As a product of the last hundred years, graphic design was developed in order to market the fruits of mass production to the increasing numbers of consumers. In the late nineteenth century, the growing reproduction technologies in Europe and North America presented the graphic designers with the opportunity of taking part in the transformation process. From then, having been revolutionized by the advent of computers, the field has been instrumental in serving various purposes to the society. To begin with, graphic designers have a role to brand the world. Since in most parts of the world branding has replaced corporate identity, many organiz ations have been compelled to place a higher value on a well-designed, well-managed graphic identity (Holland, 1). Therefore, designers play a requisite role in the different marketplaces of the world. Branding is a very essential element for any business since it focuses on meeting the needs and the desires of the consumers. The point of view of the consumers dictates the language, the voice, and eventually the design of the product. Therefore, in order to meet the ever-changing shift in consumer tastes and requirements, graphic designers endeavor to develop brands that are unique from others, current with the times, and are consistent in delivery. The greatest thing about graphic design is that it is far-reaching. That is why most companies are using it to build a strong identity in order to stay competitive in the market. Companies usually use graphic design to boost awareness of their company and to push their products to their fullest potential in reaching the customers.Adverti sing Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The companies that have succeeded have done so because they have used quality graphic design as one of their supporting themes. On the other hand, companies that have not taken an advantage of this have never succeeded in creating an additional traffic. A graphical logo is able to influence a consumer to either purchase or not purchase a product. Therefore, most organizations usually employ the services of a graphic designer to develop simple yet catchy graphical images with the aim of attracting any prospective consumers. The influence of graphic design is evident in the area of commercial advertising. It is employed extensively in conveying the ideas and purposes of the products as well as giving a sense of interest and wonder. As the designers communicate meaning by means of visual language, appealing products are generated to reach the targ et audience. This is not possible to be achieved in real life. For example, if someone is shooting a film and he intends to make something fly, he will use graphic design to achieve this purpose. He will computerize the image and graphically generate the image of an object flying. Graphic design makes them to look realistic. If it were not present, most things would be tasteless and uninteresting. From the very clothes we wear, to the technique of manufacturing various things, graphic design acts on our emotions and assists in shaping our feelings concerning the world around us. In this modern and fast world, an anti-reading trend is present that is difficult to control. Therefore, graphic designers promote literacy by means of their designs, which manipulate the elements and principals of various subjects to convey an idea in its visual form. Messages are usually being carried either through text or image and are received either through seeing or reading. The process of seeing is d iscerning, moving and sometimes realized against the will of a person. On the other hand, the process of reading is a bit more complicated. This is because the text’s written language signs must be decoded by knowing the proper sequence of the various sings. Without proper analysis of the language of the message, a person cannot successfully decode the information. This difference between reading and seeing has made graphic design to be an important field in our everyday’s life. Graphic images generate a coherent and interesting piece of work, which surpasses language barriers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The role of the graphic designer in today’s society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Graphic designers also have a social role in today’s society. This unique responsibility is derived from their anticipation to take part in the creation of a new world since inequality and various ev ils are on the increase. It is possible for art to form a component of every life on the planet. From the time of its creation, graphic design is continuously structuring itself in a self-directed and diversified way. This has been taking place in direct relation with the specific social fabrics of various societies in the globe. Therefore, it is important to note that this diversity is what will lead to the likelihood of the growth of graphic communication across the globe in the coming years. In a graphic communication process, there is a link between two propositions: the transmitting subjects and the recipients. They both have their various needs and expectations. These give the social dimension of graphic design in today’s society. Graphic design employs words and images for communicating by means of visual language. If it were not present in our world currently, so many things would be in a mess. Its absence would make things like newspapers, internet, and literature it ems, to disappear from the face of the planet since all things would have to be painstakingly written by hand. In the absence of graphic design, we would be forced to receive every information through the spoken word and this would make us to enter another period of Dark Ages. In such an instance, ignorance, prejudice, and superstition would be widespread. However, as long as graphic design is here to stay, its benefits will continue to be felt in today’s society. Holland, Deborah K. Design issues: how graphic design informs society. New York: Allworth Press, 2001. Print. Newark, Quentin. What is graphic design? Hove, England: RotoVision, 2002. Print.

How Magnets Work

How Magnets Work A magnet is any material capable of producing a magnetic field. Since any moving electric charge generates a magnetic field, electrons are tiny magnets. However, the electrons in most materials are randomly oriented, so there is little or no net magnetic field. To put it simply, the electrons in a magnet tend to be oriented the same way. This happens naturally in many ions, atoms, and materials when they are cooled, but isnt as common at room temperature. Some elements (e.g., iron, cobalt, and nickel) are ferromagnetic (can be induced to become magnetized in a magnetic field) at room temperature. For these elements, the electrical potential is lowest when the magnetic moments of the valence electrons are aligned. Many other elements are diamagnetic. The unpaired atoms in diamagnetic materials generate a field that weakly repels a magnet. Some materials dont react with magnets at all.The atomic magnetic dipole is the source of magnetism. On the atomic level, magnetic dipoles mainly ar e the result of two types of movement of the electrons. There is the orbital motion of the electron around the nucleus, which produces an orbital dipole magnetic moment. The other component of the electron magnetic moment is due to the spin dipole magnetic moment. However, the movement of electrons around the nucleus isnt really an orbit, nor is the spin dipole magnetic moment associated with actual spinning of the electrons. Unpaired electrons tend to contribute to a materials ability to become magnetic since the electron magnetic moment cant be totally canceled out when there are odd electrons.The protons and neutrons in the nucleus also have orbital and spin angular momentum, and magnetic moments. The nuclear magnetic moment is much weaker than the electronic magnetic moment because although the angular momentum of the different particles may be comparable, the magnetic moment is inversely proportional to mass (mass of an electron is much less than that of a proton or neutron). The weaker nuclear magnetic moment is responsible for nuc lear magnetic resonance (NMR), which is used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Make a Liquid Magnet | Bend Water with Static

Humanitarian Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humanitarian Operations - Essay Example t has become a policy, the US government continues to draw military personnel from the United States forces to implement various humanitarian operations. Many people regard humanitarian operation as beneficial to the United States forces, but this is partially true. Conducting Humanitarian Operations is not the role of the U.S. military and distracts our forces form their primary mission, which is to defend the U.S. interest. By conducting humanitarian operations, the United States reduces the number of personnel from its primary mission of defending its Interest. In recent years, the US government deployed a significant number of military personnel on humanitarian operation, but this has reduced the number of US forces defending US interest in other places. For instance, the US government sent a considerable number of personnel to provide humanitarian operation in the Libya against Kadhafi’s regime (Christopher, 2011). While the world welcome this move, many of the marine and air force personnel who went to Libya had to leave other duties elsewhere. This can be catastrophic is the personnel are required to report to their stations should an emergency occur. The potential harm of such an event underpin the negative impact of humanitarian operation in enabling the United States defend its interest as necessary instead of taking part in operations that undermine the deployment of its personnel. Humanitarian operation distracts policy makers in U.S government from providing meaningful direction on issues that allow the U.S military to execute their mission appropriately and successfully. During humanitarian operations, the U. S military and its policy makers who take part in these programs that do not have definite objectives, but more demanding due to the complexity in logistics (Carter & White, 2011). Because of this, the U.S military will have less time to address real issues that affect their primary missions such as defending U.S interest. Consequently,

Effects of Caffeine on the Human Body Research Paper

Effects of Caffeine on the Human Body - Research Paper Example It is widely believed that caffeine is a drug which causes addiction and has many harmful effects on the body. This paper aims to research the controversy of these effects. Some of the effects reportedly associated with Caffeine intake are rise in blood pressure, high level of alertness, affects on length and quality of sleep and stunt growth. Though it has also been observed that all individuals do not provide the same response to the stimulus of Caffeine, it nevertheless has been an issue of great concern whether there are any general and noticeable effects of Caffeine on the human body. Introduction: Caffeine is a chemical compound regarded as one of the three most used drugs of the world that affect the mood of the user. Caffeine is said to be a potent and quick-acting drug that produces the same effect on the human body as stress does (Connelly). Caffeine is present in numerous everyday intakes like coffee, tea, cocoa and energy boosting drinks. The amount of Caffeine in the ene rgy boosting drinks is dangerously high, which is one of the major contributing factors towards the hyperactivity following the intake of these drinks. These effects of Caffeine occur instantly and can prevail for 6-8 hours after the consumption. Caffeine is regarded as a drug because of its addictive nature and withdrawal symptoms. The usage of Caffeine-containing beverages and products is very common, such that it has become an everyday need for many people to carry out their day-to-day tasks properly. Research has proven that the effects of Caffeine on the body is differentiated by size (like built, weight etc.) and gender (Rhodes). However, these may not be the only factors influencing the onset of Caffeine effects. It is commonly believed that Caffeine does not affect every individual in the same way. The purpose of this research paper is also the analysis of the effects of Caffeine on the human body. Materials and Methods: Different assumptions will require different sample sp ecifications and methodologies. For analyzing the effect of Caffeine on Blood Pressure, we will need to take a sample of 6 fit individuals; 2 adult males, 1male child, 2 adult females and 1 female child. Before the start of the experiment, all 6 individuals’ Blood Pressures will be noted. Then, 1 adult male, 1 adult female and both the children will be administered with Caffeine (a cup of coffee) while the remaining 2 will be given placebo compounds (sugar). Immediately after administration, the blood pressure will be noted again for all 6 individuals and this will continue with 15minutes time span for the next 6 hours. For analyzing the effect of Caffeine on Alertness, we will require a sample of 4 individuals at minimum. Each individual will be assigned a task to perform (solve mathematics problems) under three different conditions; without the administration of Caffeine, with the administration of a certain amount of caffeine (a cup of coffee) and lastly with another admin istration of the same amount of caffeine as earlier, i.e., double the amount of caffeine (another cup of coffee) (O’Brien). For assessing the effect of Caffeine on Growth, we will require a minimum of 2 individuals. 1 will be administered with Caffeine products while the other will remain away from Caffeine. Visible effects of Caffeine will not be observable; however, we will be able to analyze the effect of Caffeine on growth by noting its effect on Calcium absorption (Ho and Provis). Observation and Analysis: In the first experiment regarding blood pressure, we will notice that those individuals who were given

Promise and peril Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Promise and peril - Essay Example The article also notes there are challenges in implementing pay-for-performance programs by managers. One of such is seen on the negative impact on motivation, self-esteem, teamwork, and creativity (Beer, and Cannon 4). The second challenge is that the program may lead the employee to forego other things that would help the organization in pursuit of rewards. Merit has also been shown not to be based on performance. The proponent of the program believes the challenges can be overcome through intelligent design of the program (Beer, and Cannon 4). The article also highlights the role played by managers in pay for performance programs. The article notes managers may opt for adoption, modification, or discontinuation of the programs (Beer, and Cannon 13). The article shows reasons for managers coming up with any of the decision. One influence for decision is on pragmatic commitment to finding ways of improving performance (Beer, and Cannon 13). Their goals are just driven by ensuring there is an improvement in performance but not just desire to apply the new programs. They also viewed the new tool as a combination of other tools that could be used in solving some of the challenge they face. Moreover, failure to gain result of the new tool makes manager adopts other traditional tools. Such tools include close supervision, clear goals, coaching, and training (Beer, and Cannon 13). The manager’s view these tools as being fundamental in management hence change of decision. Additionally, the manager viewed the new program as requiring more time to implement and attracted difficulties in setting performance standards. The new program has been viewed as advantageous. However, it faces the challenges of implementation by

Platonic and Knowledge-Definition Claims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Platonic and Knowledge-Definition Claims - Essay Example I do not agree with the knowledge-definition claim because I think it is possible to recognize a concept (like a book) and have no clue about the elements of a Socratic definition of that concept. I am very comfortable with the Platonic claim because it relies upon observation and classification. It defines a concept in terms of its characteristics, and eliminates those things which do not exhibit the same elements. In my example of the table, it is very easy to observe the primary elements of tables. A table will have a flat surface upon which something can be placed. It will have some sort of a support structure, whether legs or a post, which elevates the flat surface. It is therefore easy to apply the Platonic claim in seeking to define a table; if an object has a flat surface and a support system, it is a table. Armed with the knowledge of these intrinsic features, even though there are only two in my simplified example, I can confidently identify tables and distinguish them from non-tables. If an object, say a broom, is presented to me, I can immediately define it in terms of its "table-ness" by looking to the object's characteristics and applying the Platonic claim. A broom does not have a flat surface supported by a stable structure. It may have a flat surface, e.g., the sides of the bristles or the top of the platform that holds the bristles. It certainly has a structure; the handle and bristle binding. But it is not a table because there is not a flat surface where something can be placed while being supported by the structure. Articulated in Platonic terms, there is the concept of a table (T) that has two features; a flat surface able to accommodate the placement of other things (F1) and a support structure that elevates the surface to a useful height (F2). Therefore, T=F1+F2. For any object under analysis, that particular object cannot be a T if it lacks F1 and F2. T may have diversity within its features, like a surface that is round or rectangular, as long as the primary element of F1 is met. T can have different examples of a support structure, like three or more legs, a central post with feet, etc., as long as the essential characteristics of F2 are met. The object may even have other features, like drawers or decorative elements, which fall outside of the primary definition given here; but as long as the elements of an object exhibit both F1 and F2, it is a table. The broom, lacking these features is then readily identified as something other than a table. I do not agree with the knowledge-definition claim. This claim asserts that if a person knows what a thing is, they know a Socratic definition of that thing. While I understand the method, and believe that it might have useful applicability in limited scenarios, I think it is possible to recognize an object without knowing what that object truly is. To illustrate the distinction I am making, I will use another simple object; a book. It is certainly possible to recognize a book without understanding what it is. An individual may know that an object with a cover and pages of text is a book. They do not even have to be literate to recognize the object as a book, as they

Demand and Supply Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Demand and Supply Analysis - Essay Example b) The relationship between the quantity demanded and the price is of negative relationship while that between quantity supplied and price shows a positive relationship. Quantity demanded of a commodity according to the theoretical information is the quantity of a commodity that a buyer is willing and able to purchase at the prevailing market prices (McEachern, 2011). When prices go up few buyers will be willing to buy depending on the nature of the good. This shown by the negative gradient depicted by the demand function of -2, it means that for every 1 unit increase in price quantity demanded reduces by 2 units. Quantity supplied on the other hand is with reference to suppliers and producers. It is defined as the quantity of goods and services that a provider is willing and able to produce and supply at the prevailing market prices (McEachern, 2011). Suppliers are always willing to supply more when prices are high as opposed to when they go down. This is depicted by the positive gr adient of the supply curve of +1. This means that if prices are increased by 1 unit, quantity supplied also increases by 1 unit. c) The slope of the demand function is -2; this means that an increase in price by 1 unit solicits a reduction in quantity demanded by 2 units. d) The slope of the supply function is of +1. This means that an increase in price by 1 unit solicits an increase in quantity supplied by the same unit. 12. ... 1. Among the ten countries, price elasticity of demand for food is high in Tanzania and it decreases sequentially with Tanzania having the highest price elasticity all the way to the US having the lowest elasticity. This is explained by the general principle that with general increase in income demand for food normally goes down while that of luxury and junky foods goes up (Tucker, 2008). Developing countries still have a population that is still of the need of basic needs like food, this explains the reason as to why developing countries like Tanzania have high price elasticity of demand. Both the quantity demanded and supplied of the commodities in Tanzania is composed of food and food products. The agricultural products also add to the supply of food into the economy (Tucker, 2008). Consumers in developing countries with relation to food are related to then food prices and their income. Rise in income in such countries leads to an increased consumption. Changes in prices also thre aten the food consumption patterns in such countries. The only food consumption that is not threatened is that of basic staple foods. This implies that there is high purchase of foods and foodstuffs in Tanzania than the same is for the US. High purchases are realized in staple foods. On the contrary, consumption of high value foods like meat experiences high purchases in the US (McEachern, 2011). 2. Fig. 2: Tax effect on demand and Supply 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Before taxation is imposed on the commodity, the equilibrium quantity is Qe while the equilibrium price is Pe. Tax has the tendency of normally increasing prices of commodities as well as

Corporate governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Corporate governance - Essay Example A staff of executives used of the American energy company. This prompted the adoption of the Corporate and Auditing Accountability, Responsibility and Transparency Act (commonly known as the SOX). Essentially, the Act was to mandate reforms that would fight corporate accounting fraud by enhancing corporate responsibility and financial disclosures. Further, for the sake of overseeing auditors, the Public Companies Accounting Oversight Board was also created by the Act. This paper will discuss the Enron case and research academic literature to evaluate the amendments to the code/legislation and determine whether they will resolve the issues of corporate governance as well as assessing the effectiveness of the changes. For the purpose of discussion, an overview of the Enron Scandal and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act will be given, followed by the evaluation of amendments to the code/legislation. The most notable causes of Enron’s downfall were associated with corporate governance, revenue recognition, special purpose entities and mark-to-market accounting. When the sale of natural gas was deregulated via legislation passed by Congress, Enron increased its prices and soon became the North America’s largest seller by 1992, earning $122 million before taxes and interest. However, poor financial reporting and accounting loopholes were used by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer to conceal billions of dollars that had accrued as debt from projects and deals that had failed. Eventually, this led to the bankruptcy as the company executives continuously misled the audit committee and board of directors on matters concerning high-risk practices of accounting. Further, they also pressured their auditors, Arthur Andersen, to ignore such matters. Enron reported the entire value of all trades it conducted as revenue as opposed to reporting the cost of the products as the cost of goods sold and selling price as revenue (Salter 2008, p. 104). This aggressive

Demand and Supply Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Demand and Supply Analysis - Essay Example b) The relationship between the quantity demanded and the price is of negative relationship while that between quantity supplied and price shows a positive relationship. Quantity demanded of a commodity according to the theoretical information is the quantity of a commodity that a buyer is willing and able to purchase at the prevailing market prices (McEachern, 2011). When prices go up few buyers will be willing to buy depending on the nature of the good. This shown by the negative gradient depicted by the demand function of -2, it means that for every 1 unit increase in price quantity demanded reduces by 2 units. Quantity supplied on the other hand is with reference to suppliers and producers. It is defined as the quantity of goods and services that a provider is willing and able to produce and supply at the prevailing market prices (McEachern, 2011). Suppliers are always willing to supply more when prices are high as opposed to when they go down. This is depicted by the positive gr adient of the supply curve of +1. This means that if prices are increased by 1 unit, quantity supplied also increases by 1 unit. c) The slope of the demand function is -2; this means that an increase in price by 1 unit solicits a reduction in quantity demanded by 2 units. d) The slope of the supply function is of +1. This means that an increase in price by 1 unit solicits an increase in quantity supplied by the same unit. 12. ... 1. Among the ten countries, price elasticity of demand for food is high in Tanzania and it decreases sequentially with Tanzania having the highest price elasticity all the way to the US having the lowest elasticity. This is explained by the general principle that with general increase in income demand for food normally goes down while that of luxury and junky foods goes up (Tucker, 2008). Developing countries still have a population that is still of the need of basic needs like food, this explains the reason as to why developing countries like Tanzania have high price elasticity of demand. Both the quantity demanded and supplied of the commodities in Tanzania is composed of food and food products. The agricultural products also add to the supply of food into the economy (Tucker, 2008). Consumers in developing countries with relation to food are related to then food prices and their income. Rise in income in such countries leads to an increased consumption. Changes in prices also thre aten the food consumption patterns in such countries. The only food consumption that is not threatened is that of basic staple foods. This implies that there is high purchase of foods and foodstuffs in Tanzania than the same is for the US. High purchases are realized in staple foods. On the contrary, consumption of high value foods like meat experiences high purchases in the US (McEachern, 2011). 2. Fig. 2: Tax effect on demand and Supply 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Before taxation is imposed on the commodity, the equilibrium quantity is Qe while the equilibrium price is Pe. Tax has the tendency of normally increasing prices of commodities as well as

Online Rentl Industry Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Online Rentl Industry - Coursework Example The Netflix business mdel is n rgnized rent f DVD dvertised thrugh Internet nd delivered thrugh the pstl mil. Te key drivers re the number f custmers, custmer qulity, prduct csts nd fulfilment csts. Despite such gret ccmplishments f Netflix Cmpny, it permnently meets huge cmpetitin n the mrket f nline rent DVD. With such lrge cmpetitin hlding the resurces t munt strng, enduring ttcks ginst Netflix, lng with the ever-chnging mvie nd entertinment industry, Hstings, funder nd CE f nline rentl pineer Netflix, is fced with the chllenge f hw t sustin Netflix's grwth nd determine the best wys t respnd t the cmpetitin. Current study ims t discuss the cmpetitin n the mrket f nline rentl industry. It prticulrly discusses the key chrcteristics f Netflix's cmpetitive psitin nd gives n evidence f hw the cmpny stnds the strng rivlry. In the first prt f the pper I will ssess the cmpetitin in DVD industry. Using Prter's Five Frces Mdel f Cmpetitin I will define the kinds f cmpetitive frces tht currently fce Netflix. In prticulr, I will prvide n nlysis f reltinships between Netflix, Blckbuster, Vide nd Wl-Mrt. The externl envirnment f n rgniztin cmprises f the mves nd the strtegies dpted by its cmpetitrs. It ls tkes int ccunt the chnges in the generl ecnmy nd ther sci-culturl fctrs. It is impertive fr the rgniztin t precisely study its externl envirnment nd strtegize ccrdingly t gin cmpetitive dvntge. T this effect, the rgniztin uses vrius nlyticl tls. Prter's Five Frces Mdel f Cmpetitin is ne such tl. This prt f the pper exmines this tl nd discusses sme strtegies t cunter the frces previling in the externl envirnment. fmus ecnmist Prter hs intrduced the mdel tht represents the cmprehensin f certin frces tht ltgether utline the min chllenges f cmpetitin. Drwing frm micrecnmic thery, Prter identified five frces (expnded t six by mny bservers) tht influence the bility f ll plyers within n industry t set prices nd s mke prfit. The pttern f frces bth shpe n industry nd cnstrin firms strtegic chices within the industry, but industry structure is subject t chnge s the wider envirnment, the frces themselves, nd the firms' strtegies chnge. Here's the picture: Belw is detiled discussin f ech frce in reference t Netflix cmpny. Bsiclly, the strnger frce, the mre it limits the industry firms' bility t set prices nd mke prfits. Strng frces re threts becuse they re likely t reduce prfits. Wek frces re pprtunities becuse they llw firms chnce t ern greter prfits. INTENSITY F RIVLRY MNG EXISTING CMPETITRS When speking but cmpetitive psitin f Netflix in DVD industry, it is needed t sy tht it remins few steps hed f its clsest cmpetitr. Hwever, tht des nt men tht

Madame Tussauds Tourism Analysis

Madame Tussauds Tourism Analysis Leisure and recreation are as old as human beings and were present in the lives of our Stone Age ancestors. Man is always busy in work for its survival but there is a growing desire to get a good work balance with leisure time. With the blessing of latest technology we are in the era that has variety of leisure attractions to relax. Madame Tussauds situated in London is among the most popular leisure attraction. It is a museum of different kind that entertain its visitors with wax models of their choice from history and from present which they have ever dreamt to meet. In this piece of work I have discussed the history of the museum and its establishment in London including its unique characteristics. The possible key challenges faced by the attraction in coming future and the ways to combat these challenges by giving proposed management including range of aspects Different ways of managing visitors because customer satisfaction is the key point in business. Various ways of targeting market specially by using SWOT Analysis. Making market strategy after analysing customers demands. Making human resource department more effective to fulfil the wishes of consumers DEFINITION OF LEISURE: Different authors and researchers define leisure; some of the definitions for the Leisure are as follow: Time that an individual sets aside for activities, such as sleeping (Collins 1997) From Leisure and Tourism, Barker, By Collins 1997 Time that is free from work, when you can do what you like (Oxford Dictionary Press) A From Concise Oxford School Dictionary, By Oxford University Press Leisure is the opportunity available to an individual after completing the immediate necessities of life, when he or she has the freedom to choose and engage in an experience that is expected to be personally satisfying From Edexcel Leisure and Recreation Course Specification The term leisure is an ever changing concept that reflects the current social and economic conditions and aspirations, adapting in response to consumer demand and expectations The idea of leisure being described as a state of mind originated with Aristotle. He believed that leisure was a form of self-indulgence and self-improvement. Leisure is seen as a mans greatest possession because it is essential for self development. It forces us to step back from the constant pressures of daily life in order for us to see what really important (Aristotle internet website). IMPORTANCE OF LEISURE: Each person has their own opinion of what leisure means to them and there is no set definition of the word as it covers a wide range of things. leisure time and how it is spent is an individuals choice and the way in which they spend it whether it be home based, active or passive. As long as the individual gets satisfaction from this leisure time then it has been used to its potential. Leisure is important because everyone needs a little bit of relaxation in their life. Having leisure helps a person relieve stress, have time to themselves, and just to recharge their body and mind. Leisure is very important for ones mental and physical health. It provides an opportunity to spend time as you want away from regular work stress with family and friends. It is very important for an individual to take time out for itself as it bring about a positive flow of energy in an individual. Leisure as a function has changed enormously over the last 100 years. With the arrival of new technology some forms of leisure have increased their range of activities hugely. 100 years ago art was considered to be drama, stage shows, architecture and so on. Now it include many different forms. Broadcasting, Film Production and Video were all aspects of the Art Council that received funding in the last year. These have only been considered arts in the last century. The Government, private companies and investors have also discovered the commercial side of leisure. From this information it can be concluded that over the last 100 years leisure has evolved from something that is the opposite of work to something that is vital in our everyday lives. Madame tussauds is among the popular leisure attraction of the present time, it is standing at its place from last 200 years but getting more popular with time for the kind of unique entertainment it is providing to its visitors. Celebrities wax images draw visitors towards itself. IT is a kind of place which has all kind of attraction in it from past to present both for history lovers and for modern young youth. It helps to make visitors dreams come true when they want to touch or meet the personality they like ,which otherwise my not be possible for them because either it has become history or is very big celebrity of modern time ,whom one cant meet. Is it real or is it wax? Sometimes its hard to tell the difference when youre at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum . This unique museum of its own kind has entertained about 500 million visitors since it first opened. The Target Market for Madame Tussauds is to attract all types of consumers, from all social classes. As well as Domestic and O verseas visitors. According to Pamela Pilbeam, there may be a simple reason for the enduring popularity of Madame Tussauds: There is nothing so fascinating for a human being as others of the species. Since the arrival of the waxworks in London in the 1830s, visitors have had the opportunity to gawk at, rub shoulders with and even touch some of the most famous and infamous others royalty and revolutionaries, murderers and media stars. London is a cosmopolitan city having people all around the world with different cultures. The management of Madame tussauds when targeting marketing has taken advantage of this feature of the city and has kept different types of wax sculptures which visitors want to see for example to attract Asian visitors there are various political, sports, and entertainment figures in the museum. According to the student pack of Madame Tussauds, it identifies their Current Market as Demographics Segmentation according to social class. Kotler (1994) believes marketing a product/service, includes potential customers for using this specific product/service. Therefore, organisations will effectively market their product/service according to the Segment of market. This has been known as Target Market. Additionally to Lancaster Reynololds (1999), indicate that, in order to acquire target segment, the organisations has to break down the amount of the total market into different sub-groups / segments, according to their needs and wants, in-order to make the product/service attract consumers within that market segment. Madame Tussauds used segmentation and target marketing, because it provides many returns to their organisation, such as: It allows the exhibition to identify their customer groups with different requirements and wants The exhibition objective can be achieved easily. For example; profit maximisation and long term growth When there are market gaps in a market, it is assessed and then satisfied, this can be done by using unique product / promotional offerings By handling marketing mix, in order for competence recognise the target needs. This will lead to an increase customers satisfactioN HISTORY: The holy Roman Emperor the doges of venices ,the dukes of burnswick and other rulers met the same end.A full size wax model of Henry 111 of England was made for his funeral in 1272.The custom grew for models to be kept after the funeral service at the relevant Royal tomb in West minister. In the seventeenth century it became common for wax models to be included in funeral processions of notable non -royal citizens. Marie Grosholtz the future Madam Tussauds (1761-1850) was trained by Curtius and she worked as his assistant. Madam Tussaud was born in Strasbourg on Dec,1761,her father Joseph Grosholtz who fought as a soldier for seven years at war died before her birth.After Maries birth her mother got a job as house keeper at Dr.Phillip Cutius house in Berne.Mr . Curtius was a skilled physician who takes help of wax models while demonstrating anatomy.Marie was always treated warmly by Curtius, who transferred his great art of wax modelling to Marie.Marie was always greatful and reffered him as his uncle. In 1765 ,Curtius moved to Paris followed by Ann and Marie, where he was able to organise his first exhibition of wax models in 1770 and by 1776 due to the fame of exhibition,it moved to Royal palace.During this time Marie was in the tutionage of Curtius and started modelling her own wax works. Her first wax figure was of Francois Volatire and then she made models of Benjamin Franklin and Jean Jacques.After the fame of her work she was appointed as a art tutor for Elizabeth ,king Louis XVIS sister. It was the time when France saw its revolution and Marie Tussauds was imprisoned and was forced to make death masks of the aristocrats as to show her allegiance to feudal nobles. During French revolution she modelled many prominent victms of the revolution. After the death of Mr .curtius in 1794,Marie inherited his vast collection of wax models.In 1800 Marie got married to Francois Tussauds,who was an engineer.She had two sons Joseph and Francois.To flourish her business,Marie decided to took her wax work on exhibition.Along with Joseph she brought her exhibition to London and Ireland which included wax models and death masks. That tour lasted for about 33 years.Finally Madam Tussauds decided to settle on Baker Street in London. Visitors paid six pence so that they can get a chance to meet famous names of the day. The Most important characterstic of the gallery was The Chamber of Horrors which exhibits wax models of the people victimised during French Revolution and some newly created models of other murderers and criminals. With time wax models of different prominent personalities were added to the museum.The museum in the beginning had 400 different wax models. Some of the models of the exhibition were damaged twice firstly by fire in 1925 and secondly by the bombardment of German army. Madam Du Barry is the oldest wax model of the museum. In the year 1842 Madam Tussaud added her own model which has been displayed at the entrance of the museum. Madam died on 15th April 1856. Bridge kate in her book A Life In A Wax praises Madam Tussauds as Cultural Innovator .The architect behind the first and fore most enduring world wide branch to be identified simply by reference to its founders name. BRANCHES Millions of people visit Madam Tussauds every year but it is still popular as it was ever.It has now become one the most popular visitor attraction in London. Due to its popularity it branches has been and will be expanded to other parts of the world. Its branches are opened in Hong Kong, New york, Las vegas ,Berlin, Shanghai, Washington DC and Amsterdam for the tourists, they also contain the wax models of prominent figures in them. DIFFERENT ATTRACTIONS IN THE MADAM TUSSAUDS Party Room Figures such as Samuel L Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Leo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman David and Victoria Beckham and Robert Pattinson are kept here. It is designed to feel like you have stepped into a celebrity party, with wax figures dotted around the room. High School Musical Hannah Montana Launched in 2008, this room has a figure of Zac Efron as the character of Troy Bolton from the High School Musical franchise. This zone also includes Miley Cyruss wax figure. There is also a karaoke facility, in which a person can sing Mileys songs. Movie Room (Premiere night) Hollywood famous figures live here including Steven Spielberg, Jim Carrey and Audrey Hepburn,Brad Pitt,Angelina Jollie,Jim Carry,Nicole Kidman and many more.Bollywood stars who are modelled are Salman Khan,Amitabh Bachan and Aishwarya rai. Besides there is Shrek, Spiderman, along with the smallest figure ever made of Tinker Bellabout five and a half inches in length Sports Zone It is another exciting zone for sports lovers specially for those who want to see their sports icons face to face. It has wax models of Mohammed Ali.One can also get a chance to ride bike with Lance Armstrong.Wax model of David Bekham and many other famous players are added there to increase the excitement. The Royalty In the Royals visitors get a chance to stand next to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William of Wales and Prince Henry of Wales. Cultural Figures This area has numerous cultural personalities including Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Pablo Picasso and Charles Darwin. Stars From The Music Industry Music icons include Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, Amy Winehouse, Tom Jones, Bob Marley, Justin Timberlake and Freddie Mercury. The Beatles in this area appear on the album cover of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Leaders From The World of Politics Here visitors can get a chance to meet Barak Obama, Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, Nicolas Sarkozy, Ronald Reagan, Tony Blair, Benazir Bhutto, Martin Luther King, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Gandhi, the controversial figures of Hitler ,Sadam husein and Robert Mugabe. Chamber of Horrors and Scream This attraction is not suitable for pregnant women and children under 12 years of age. contains the models of killers and criminals from the time of French Revolution .It also contains the death masks made by Madam Tussauds. Area Showing the Secenes and History of Madame Tussauds This area shows the history of exhibition. How was a wax modle made by Madam Tussaud. London ride Here visitors sit in taxi rides and are taken through the history of London which starts from Tudor and ends at 1980s. Top of Form Bottom of Form Warhols Women It has models of Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe in the classic pose where her skirt is blown upward, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Jerry Hall and Jackie O. Top of Form Bottom of Form KEY CHALLENGES TO BE FACED BY THE EXHIBITION Swar brooke(2002) states without visitor attractions there would be no need for other tourism services and tourism as such would not exist without them. Different attractions provide their customers with services that are available with in the attraction for example some give their visitors a day out, others give educational services, some give their customers ancillary operations but Madme tussauds is one that entertain its visitors with combination of all above mentioned services due to which it is important that this work is put into place to deal with consumers content health and safety and to make sure of their repeat visits. To maintain this standard of excellence the tussauds organisation may possibly face some challenges in future specially in the following: Marketing and competition Customer care Human resource management SWOT ANALYSIS: This can be used in order for the organisation to achieve their objectives. This procedure is an effective method of identifying businesses Strengths and Weaknesses, and to examine the Opportunities and Threats they face. Often carrying out an analysis using the SWOT framework that will be enough to reveal changes, which can be usefully made. Swift (2000) According to Hannagan (1992) he defined SWOT analysis as: A SWOT analysis helps to focus attention on the key areas in an organisation that need to be taken into account in producing a marketing planà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. A SWOT analysis is a summary of the marketing audit. It highlights internal differential strengths and weaknesses form the customers point of view as they relate to external opportunities and threats. SWOT are mainly consists of the two factors that are internal and external in which Strengths and weaknesses are internal while opportunities and threats are from external competitors and environment. Madame Tussauds attraction is the main factor and strength which makes their position stronger than other competitors. By using SWOT analysis business can make future prediction and make possible changes in order to grow and compete in the future. MARKETING AND COMPETITION : In todays world of business and economics markets have become very competitive therefore understanding consumer is no longer enough .Organisations must start giving attention to their competitors , if want to have share in the market. (kotler 2003). As it is stated before, Madame Tussauds it is a large organisation within the travel and tourism industry, therefore it face high standard of challenger not only in London but all around UK,which can become stronger in the future. that is why more effective marketing is required to survive in the competition However, it uses circulation channel for more knowledge of their product national and international. They mainly deliver the awareness of their product/service through the Internet, as it is global. However, other sources of promoting and awareness of their product is mainly done through Media, in the form of posters at tube stations and bus sides which is mainly and to communicate the brand to a wider audience, public relations, portraits, business development and Banqueting Co-operate Entertaining, The prime objective of the organisation is to stay London top paying attraction, therefore a marketing strategy should be in terms of its target, current and potential market study and their process of promotion in order to attract their product to their customer by distribution. However, the aim of promotional planning in the long run is not just to inform, but to promote customers to purchase products/services or, to adopt ideas. Therefore, effective promotion is usually attained by well researched for tracking sales levels and attitude patterns toward consumers needs, this means objective must link to the target aimed. This can be achieved by updating, convincing and highlighting the organisation current and potential target market. CUSTOMER CARE: Ensuring that customers are provided with quality services every time is a key in organisational success. Like other tourist attractions Madame tussauds may also face the challenge of delivering quality customer care. The organisation should note that words of mouths from satisfied customers is a free advertising and improved reputation and above all an increased revenue. Tussauds organisation should maintain a high standard of customer care training with in the exhibition to achieve goals like Increase sales Gain a competitive advantage Maintain consumer loyalty Attract new consumers Gain customer satisfaction Enhance the visitor attraction image For achieving high standard of customer care the organisation must improve Their queuing process in term of not making consumer to wait for a long period to enter the exhibition Signs around the exhibition for direction (such as direction for facilities for disabilities segment) Having more staff speaking different languages Having effective management that can handle crowd HUMAN RESOURCES Human resource management can also be a challenge as selection and recruitment costs will be much more due to the high presence of staff at visitor attractions. Competition in the service sector offering permanent employment can detract suitable applicants from applying for positions within visitor attractions. With the high staff turnover consistency will be difficult to maintain within visitor attractions, which inevitably will have a negative effect on the quality of service delivered to customers. This is due to the fact that to be able to deliver quality services to consumers requires skilled and well-trained employees. As many employees of visitor attractions are employed on short-term contracts, operators may be less willing to invest in training and development for seasonal staff. In Scotland the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions encourages its members to invest in training and development for all staff, whether full or part time, seasonal or permanent. Many operato rs of attractions dislike spending money on training and development for seasonal employees as there is the possibility of the employees not returning the following year. Operators are being encouraged to invest in training and development as this has proven to lead to a stronger more motivated workforce. If employees are enable and empowered to deliver a quality service, employee turnover should reduce, and employees affected by seasonality would be easier retained for the next season to come. They mainly deliver the awareness of their product/service through the Internet, as it is global. However, other sources of promoting and awareness of their product is mainly done through Media, in the form of posters at tube stations and bus sides which is mainly and to communicate the brand to a wider audience, public relations, portraits, business development and Banqueting Co-operate Entertaining, The prime objective of the organisation is to stay London top paying attraction, therefore a marketing strategy should be in terms of its target,current and potential market study and their process of promotion in order to attract their product to their customer by distribution. However, the aim of promotional planning in the long run is not just to inform, but to promote customers to purchase products/services or, to adopt ideas. Therefore, effective promotion is usually attained by well researched for tracking sales levels and attitude patterns toward consumers needs, this means objective must link to the target aimed. This can be achieved by updating, convincing and highlighting the organisation current and potential target market. At the same time one of their target is to carry out a promotional action plan to target market, attract all types of consumers both domestic and overseas CONCLUSION: Operators in todays business environment face many challenges as we have seen in bring quality services to visitors of their attractions. By putting in place suitable measures and processes, and ensuring their employees are capable of knowledge about efficient customer care training, confidence and motivations in which to perform at their best, operators can gain an competitive edge in their market, and deliver customer satisfaction each an Kotler, P., Marketing Management, Prentice Hall International, United States of America, 1994 Hannagan, T. J., Marketing for the non-profit sector, Macmillan, Great Britain, 1992Swift, I., Marketing, Hodder and Stoughton, Great Britain 2000,Swarbrooke J, The Development and Management of Visitor Attractions, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002 Berridge Kate A life in a wax Pamela Pilbean The History of Wax work by Pamela Pilbean 2003,,, From Leisure and Tourism, Barker, By Collins 1997, Lancaster, G. and Reynolds, P, Introduction to Marketing, Kogan Page, Great Britain by Biddles Ltd, 1999,(Oxford Dictionary Press) A From Concise Oxford School Dictionary, By Oxford University Press