US Politics And Foreign Policy Essays - Politics Of Quebec

US Politics and Foreign Policy Letter to the editor, Re: American Reluctance After decades of so called healthy, democratically provoked American military intervention in Central America, why is it the U.S. is reluctant to invade Haiti and restore the popular, and of course, democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide? What is Mr. Aristide? Basically, he is a social democrat, who has seen and is dedicated to helping the poor. He was attempting to improve the lives of the indigent Haitians through some redistribution of wealth and land reform, which are initiatives abhorred by all previous, and maybe following, U.S. administrations. What of George Bush? You could say that these are totally incompatible with the so called "new world order" planned out by Mr. Bush. With some other Central American countries in mind, we should be looking out for the intervention of the American CIA, which could show yet another example of American intervention to topple elected governments which do not fit to their standards or liking. Letter to the Editor, Re: How would Quebec's separation affect us? Watching the crumbling situation in Quebec, (almost crumbling literally, due to Olympic Stadium, the billion dollar fizzle) it is interesting to think what would happen if they did separate? Would Canadians be in too bad a mood to negotiate with Quebec if they separated? Question is, would they negotiate at all? If Quebec did separate, the border ramifications would be just astronomical, trade routes would be chopped off, and a whole number of other things just too much to explain. Reading an article about a speech that external affairs minister Joe Clark was presenting jogged my mind a bit. Talking about the serious costs if Quebec separated, such as the free trade treaty with the U.S., I thought what about a new economic union. Would Canada sit and negotiate one with Quebec? Answering all these questions was Mr. Clark in his speech. Most of us haven't heard it, more or less heard of it. But it brings home a shocking message: What if they did separate? Do you really care? Do you care if it only affects you directly? Do you just pay your taxes and parking tickets, shut up and go about your daily business, as usual, without thinking one thing about where the your company, in which you are employed, is? What if the head office is in Quebec? Does it affect you directly? Or will you just shrug it off and go reach for your unemployment check? THINK about it! It won't just be business as usual after separation. Letter to the editor, Re: P.E.I. distinct? "P.E.I. tells unity hearing it's a distinct society, too." More people wanting this little two word, huge affect sentence pasted onto their province. Island politicians argued that their tiny size and unique geography makes them a distinct society. What bout the Territories? Do we live in igloos? Do we catch whales and seals to live on? And what of the people in P.E.I.! We musn't forget them, the people who eat potatoes, like we do, live in houses, like we do. Geography? Is P.E.I. more isolated than the Northwest Territories? If anyone should be a distinct society, the native people of Canada should, the people that were here before the people who thought of the word Quebec, and before Prince Edward was here to have an island named after him.

5 Ways to Be More Productive and Get Things Done

5 Ways to Be More Productive and Get Things Done We’ve all been there: trying to multitask, but actually getting no tasks done. Workplaces are full of distractions, both personal and professional. New project ideas, trays of goodies, gossip, that new GIF going around†¦ the temptations are endless. Here are five ways you can train your brain to tune out all the noise and really engage in what you’re doing. You’ll be much more productive and infinitely more satisfied with the work you’re doing when you can give it all of your attention, even for just an hour at a time. There are also some great  apps that will help you boost your productivity.Take a second to assess your state of mindTypically, we are most likely to divert our attention when we’re feeling daunted or uncomfortable. The next few times you realize you’ve been interrupted, try and retrace your feelings to the moment just before you lost your focus. Were you nervous? Bored? Angry with your boss? This will help give you a se nse of danger zones so you can learn to avoid them.Triage to get to the most important stuffUsually the easy stuff is the most pressing, takes up the most of our headspace, and is the least important. Try knocking off all of the menial and logistical tasks first thing so you can devote the rest of your day to the important, more substantive projects.Schedule your most important hoursFigure out your most productive hours of the day and make them sacred. At your best from 9 a.m. until your first coffee break? Or maybe just after the boss has left in the afternoon? Make a schedule for your deepest concentration and stick to it. Don’t let anyone disturb you.Train your concentration musclesGood focus doesn’t happen overnight. Your ability to focus is a muscle and must be built up gradually. Time yourself between interruptions and try to power through to make your period of highest concentration longer and longer every day. You will get stronger and better at it, and work mi ght even become a pleasure.Pace aroundHave a problem you can’t quite figure out? Too much going on around you? Too many chefs? Take it outside and go for a short walk to clear your head. Sometimes we do our best thinking when our bodies are moving automatically and our brains are free to roam.

Analysis of Health Club Market in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysis of Health Club Market in UK - Essay Example In the first part of the project, an industry analysis of the health club market in the United Kingdom will be done. In the next part, an opportunity and a threat analysis will be performed for the major players in the health club market of the United Kingdom. Finally, in the third part, the business strategies of these competitors will be described. There are a large number of health clubs operating in the United Kingdom. An industry analysis of the health club market will be done to understand the threat that these companies possess from one another. The industry analysis will be done using Porter’s Five Forces Model: Rivalry from Existing Firms - In an industry, there are a large number of competitors competing in order to achieve competitive advantage. The intensity of this competition is one of the major determinants of the industry analysis. The business strategies of a firm help it to distinguish from the competitors. The merger activities of the health clubs have increased the competition in the market. Whitbread Plc has acquired David Lloyd Leisure in the year 1995. Canon and First leisure have also merged their fitness and health clubs. The merger or acquisition of the companies helps in the market extension as well. Thus the threat from the competitors in the health and fitness industry is very high. A threat of New Entrants- If the existing market yields high return to the companies operating in the market, it attracts new entries. But the entry of the new firms results in the decrease in the profitability of all the firms operating there. If barriers are not provided to these new entrants, the profitability of the firms will show an abnormal decrease.  

Deontology and Utilitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Deontology and Utilitarianism - Essay Example He is attentive at school, does his homework, participates in class, is cooperative and cheerful, but he doesn’t have many friends. Jake may not have an active social life which makes him unhappy, but he is practicing good deontology. On the other hand, Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is determined solely by its outcome or utility in providing happiness or pleasure (http://wapedia.mobi/en/Utilitarianism). In Utilitarianism, if it benefits the majority, then it is the right choice. For advocates of Utilitarianism, the end justifies the means (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consequentialism). For this example, we will use Sheila, a classmate of Jake. Sheila is very pretty but does not perform as well as Jake academically. However, she has a lot of friends since she joins a lot of extra-curricular activities. Sheila allows most of her male friends to do things for her like homework and projects, which is mutually beneficial for both – with this, Sheila can be marked a bad deontologist but a good utilitarian. Now, applied to the office scenario, the basic premise should be that employees are expected to do their job in the workplace. A business enterprise will not succeed if personal agenda will take precedence over an employee’s duties and responsibilities. Personal matters can be done during breaks but not during business hours. Anything outside of this premise should be considered a breach of company policies and violator/s will have to be dealt with accordingly. The VP suggesting the installation of spyware and dislikes wasted productivity adheres to Deontological Ethics. Conversely, the VP who values privacy over productivity is a follower of Utilitarian Ethics. Although the respect for privacy is given more weight and is applicable to the majority, it does not necessarily mean that this choice is correct.

EMA COURSE WORK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

EMA COURSE WORK - Essay Example Other factors such as transporting the materials, utilities, etc could also be used however as stated before it is only an example. Variance Analysis is the difference between what is actually paid and the standard cost. The variance is used as a means for management to discuss performance and to review them. One of the major criticisms of standards is that some forms of standards are outdated and not as widely used as others. Another criticism is that the standards are not attainable. This means that the standards are not within reason. Considering that most standards are outdated and incorporate many different components, it is easy to see how mistakes can be made. If the company uses the wrong information on any of the components than it is guaranteed that a variance will be revealed upon further analysis. The standards are also not changed over a period of time and therefore are prone to be incorrect due to changes in technology or even by inflation. Standards are said to give em ployees the motivation to meet goals and to push his/her self to meet or exceed the goals of the company. This motivation is also said to benefit the company as a whole because it increases efficiency and productivity. The best way for standard costing to be effective is to have someone from every level to participate. There has traditionally been a problem trying to get enough people to participate so that the results are reasonable. Participants will look for the easy target and this can pose a problem. The easy target is not necessarily the optimum target or the most cost efficient. Participation in the costing or analysis would require a lot of time and knowledge that the participants do not have. Also the more time they spend on it the more it will cost the company in the form of salaries and benefits. There is also the risk of the participants being out for their own individual gain. They could feel as if their participation could help them further their own agenda instead of that of the company. They could also spend too much time talking and not enough time coming up with solutions. Lack of knowledge can also factor into this because if the participants do not understand the goal they are trying to reach, then time can be spent teaching them instead of getting down to business. Management of Time is also another criticism of standard costing and variance analysis. The process is time consuming to say the least and most managers already feel as if they don’t have enough time to carry out their day to day activities let alone deal with standard costing or variance analysis. Managers in particular might feel as if this is something that someone else should be doing, namely someone in the corporate office if there is one. Absorption costing fuels another criticism of standard costing and variance analysis. Absorption costing assumes that all costs of the production of a product are included in the final price of the product (AccountingCoach, LLC). T his type of costing can create some problems because it could lead to extremely high standard costing which in turn would always lead to variances. If a product includes all of the fixed costs such as utilities of the entire building, rent of all buildings, etc than the standard cost could be extremely high and overstated. The costs are not allocated over all of the products that are produced in the same area but instead the costs are absorbed into the

Mission of the organization defines the expected position and the fundamental purpose

Mission of the organization defines the expected position and the fundamental purpose Introduction The vision and mission of the organization defines the expected position and the fundamental purpose of the organization. The purpose of this assignment is to understand the vision and mission of the case company and to identify and understand the strategic aims and objectives of an organization and investigate its progress towards the fulfillment of those aims and objectives. For this different alternative strategies available to the organization are also considered. To fulfill the requirement of this assignment the organization selected for investigation is McDonalds. McDonalds is the leading fast food restaurant chain of the world and is serving more than 58 million customers on daily basis. McDonalds Vision and Mission Statement Every organization must have a vision and a mission. Vision and mission statements are the short phrases which sets the whole direction of the organization. Vision statement provides the whole picture of the organizations desired future position in a single phrase. This statement then sets a whole direction of all the strategic aims and objectives of the organization. Below is the vision statement of the case company i.e. McDonalds: To be the worlds best quick service restaurant experience, being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile Mission statement clarifies the fundamental purpose of the organization. Off course the purpose is to achieve the vision of the organization, but mission statement goes in further detail and answers the question of the existence of the organization. Mission statement of McDonalds is: To be the best employer To deliver operational excellence Achieving durable profits Expanding the brand name and extending the strength of McDonalds system through innovation and technology. Analyzing the vision and mission statement of the case company it is clear that organizations focus is mainly towards the external and internal customers i.e. consumers and employees. Furthermore, the company is committed to innovate and use the latest technology to earn huge profits. McDonalds Strategic Aims and Objectives An aim is a broader statement which tells what an organization wants to become and the objectives are the specific targets or tasks which leads towards the fulfillment of the aim of the organization. It is very important for an organization to set such aims which are practically possible and which can be measured. If this is not the case the organization will put its efforts and resources in that direction which is not possible at all. For effective working and success for an organization the aims and objectives must be realistic and it must also be associated with some time frame as if it is not the case then there will be confusion within the organization regarding the time to complete the tasks and projects (Fred David, 2006). Furthermore, the aims should be measureable, as the progress towards the fulfillment of objectives should be easily measured as if this is not the case then it would be very difficult for an organization to know that whether the desired results are achieved or not. McDonalds key to success all over the world is their priorities, which are also mentioned on their corporate website. The top priority of the leading fast food restaurant chain is the customers. As per the McDonalds corporate values the reason of the existence of the business are their customers and they work only to fulfill the needs and demands of the customers. As per the company it is not the matter of sales rather it is the matter of providing quality products along with the best services to the customers in affordable prices. The second priority is their employees or workforce. The company believes that the employees make the dream of the organization come true. The employees are their valuable assets and it is just because of the skills and competencies of their employees which enables the organization to achieve the set goals and targets. The company also believes the quality of their business model. According to the corporate values of the company the business model is set to meet the dynamic customer behavioral changes. The strategic aims and objectives of McDonalds and mentioned below and these shows that what are the top priorities of the company and it gives a hint why the company is so successful all across the globe: To maintain the leadership in fast food restaurant industry To serve the customer with good food in a friendly and fun environment Providing the quality food and value of money to the customer Providing the shareholder a positive return on their investments To meet the social and ethical responsibility Strategic Plan and its Component parts Strategic plan of any enterprise is a picture of the desired position of the organization. Strategic plan gives a root path that how the organization will achieve the desired place or position in the given industry (Maches, B. 2010). Three major components of strategic plan include formulation, implementation and evaluation of strategy carries that information and plan which provides a direction towards the organizational objectives (Kim Warren, 2008). Strategy Formulation Strategy formulation process starts with the situation analysis of the organization. Situation analysis is an important part of strategic plan as it gives an overview of the existing position of the organization. Situation analysis includes the analysis of internal and external environment of the organization. Different strategic tools can be used to evaluate this situation i.e. SWOT analysis, PEST Analysis etc. This also includes the evaluation of current mission and vision of the organization. Vision statement clarifies that what an organization want to become and on the other hand mission statements shows that what business the organization operates. Mission contains the products and services, its markets and its employee management policy. The assessment of external factors of the organization involves the listing down of finite list of factors which are a potential threat or opportunities for the organization in the external environment. By finite list is meant that not all the factors are focused. The priority is given to those factors which have high level of impact or form which high returns can be gained. The internal audit is also done in the situation analysis where the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization are listed down (Fred David, 2006). After the clear understanding of the organizations current situation the real work begins where the strategies are formulated. The best practice is to involve the employees in this process as the employees from all levels will share their views and a better strategic decision will be expected. Here the strategies are developed to capitalize the opportunities available which were assessed in the external audit and minimize the threat of the factors. On the other side the strengths of the organizations require such strategies which further enhance them and the weaknesses are tried to be overcome. The next step in the strategy formulation stage is setting the long term objectives. Long term objectives are those which are associated with the sales and market share growth, it can be the growth of assets; it can be attaining any award from the government body etc. This is a very important phase as the long term goals and objectives show a direction to the whole organization. Long term objectives are set after a through consideration of external and internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the organization. The available resources and the expected resources are listed and based on those resources the long term but achievable, measureable and realistic objectives are set with proper timelines (Fred David, 2006). The final stage of strategy formulation process is the evaluation and selection of appropriate strategies to meet the long term objectives. In this the alternative strategies are also identified an evaluated and a contingency planning is also done. For instance in case of any external change which is beyond the change of organization such as change in legislations or change in market conditions then that contingency plan can be used. The existing strategies of the organization are the initial point for strategy evaluation. Strategy Implementation The next step in a strategic plan includes the strategy implementation. Developing an effective strategy does not ensures that the strategic plan will be successful. It was in the old times when the strategic planning was done only at the level of stagy formulation stage. Experiences of different organizations and further studies revealed that strategy formulation does not ensure the success of strategic plan. Implementation is another important part of the strategic plan. In the implementation phase the process of shifting the responsibilities to the middle and lower level of management is developed. As in the strategy formulation stage it was mentioned that to involve the employees of all the levels is important, so if any organization has done this during the strategy formulation them the strategy implementation process will be lot more easier. This is because the middle and lower level staff will have a clearer view of the strategies developed and they would be in a better positi on to implement those strategies in real practice (Kim Warren, 2008). Strategy Evaluation and Control After the implementation of strategic plan it is important like all other plans and project to evaluate the progress of that plan. Implementation phase end with the start of evaluation process. This is a continuous process until the strategic aims and objectives are not met (Fred David, 2006). There are many organizations such as McDonalds, who have strategic aims and objectives that shows continuity and a continuous process is required for that for instance one of the strategic objectives of the company is to provide the value to the customer. This is an objective which shows continuity as the fast food chain is aimed to provide the customer value to their money so for that strategy evaluation is required. This process ensures that the implemented strategies are progressing towards the achievement of organizational aims and objectives or not. In this process the required results or outcomes are compared with the actual results and if there is any kind of difference then with the cha nge in strategies of taking appropriate steps that difference is tried to be eliminated or at least minimized. Factors affecting McDonalds Strategic Plan Several internal and external factors can affect the strategic plan of McDonalds. These may include factors such as managements vision, financial factors, technological changes, legislative factors or market competition. As mentioned in the strategic plan earlier that the strategies are developed by considering the existing resources of the organization. It also includes the existing technology possessed by the company. If the existing system of McDonalds becomes obsolete with the introduction of newer version of the same system then the organization need to adapt that system to sustain in the market. In this case the strategic plan requires a change (Kim Warren, 2008). Same is the case with the market condition. If at the time of strategic planning the market conditions are evaluated and after implementation the market condition changes and requires a change then the strategic plan will also require a change. That is the reason it is suggested that McDonalds strategic plan should be flexible enough that can meet the changing market conditions. Furthermore the strategic plans are also depend on the vision of the management of the organization. If the management decides to go with a differentiation strategy because of the market need then the existing strategic plan will be changed. Financial aspects cannot be neglected in the strategic planning. Every strategy requires financial resources and if the financial resources are not sufficient enough to meet the new strategy then it will require a change in the strategic plan. However, these constraints can be minimized during the strategy formulation process by intensive research and evaluation of the internal and external factors, but still the dynamic market conditions and growing consumer needs cannot be predicted. McDonalds and Strategic Options If there is some change in the external environment of the company then in response to that the company opts strategic option. Moreover, strategic option is also chosen by an organization to grow and it tells that how the company wants to grow and what are the ways through which the completive advantage is taken by an organization over its competitors. By manipulating and taking advantage of the opportunities available for an organization the company can have a positive outcome. There are two renowned methods or ways which can be chosen by any organization to gain a competitive advantage over the other organization (Fred David, 2006). These two strategic options include the cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy. Under cost leadership strategy the organization cut down its cost of production or cost of goods sold and hence increases their profit margins. As the business word today is highly competitive and inn the fast food restaurant industry the customers have so many options such as KFC, Pizza Hut etc. which are also providing high quality products. So in such scenario it is not possible for McDonalds to increase the prices of their products. So, cutting the cost of production and other operational cost will be the best strategy to increase their profit margins. The internal capabilities of McDonalds will require a focus and needs to be enhanced in order to achieve the goals of this strategic option. Another strategic option available for McDonalds is to offer such products and services which are unique in nature and are not available in the market. In this way the customer will have no other option to get the desired product or service. This will keep the customer intact with McDonalds and hence the profit margins of the organization will keep on growing. A best example of this is the ice cream provided by McDonalds. No other fast food chain provides the best quality ice cream and people are fond of McDonalds Ice Cream and this has been a unique product of the fast food chain which attracts millions of customers. Another unique feature of McDonalds is their quality customer services. In this era the customer service has gained utmost importance and McDonalds customer services is helping them to increase their market share. Even if the restaurant is packed with the customers the customer services quality remains the same which makes the fast food chain number one in the world. Strategic Option a Helping Hand to achieve Strategic Objectives Strategic options help the organization to achieve the organization strategic aims and objectives. However, a combination of the available strategic options is a good option for any enterprise as this can have a dual positive effect in the organizational performance and profit margins can also be increased with a wide margin. Using integrated strategic options allows the firm a more leverage to take decision on marketing mix. McDonalds can use either of the strategic option discussed earlier, but the more appropriate is to use the mix of both the strategic options. This will help to achieve the strategic objectives of the organization which were mentioned earlier in the document. Using a differentiation strategy, McDonalds will be able to charge the premium prices against the product features. However, keeping the legislation under consideration is also important before charging the premium prices from the customers (Kim Warren, 2008). On the other side of the picture the cost leader ship strategy will provide the company a more leverage to reduce their prices of provide discount offers to the customers as the company have more margin due to the increase in profit margin. McDonalds can offer different discount deals on their core products as these are also provided by their major global competitor KFC. So, if the fast food chain is following an integrated strategic option then it can attain competitive advantage on either side of the court. This will fulfill the first and important strategic objective of McDonalds i.e. to maintain the market leader position. As the fast food chain will be able to counter each offer given by its competitor and also can attack the competitor by offering new products and deals and maintain the market dominance. Furthermore, using the differentiation strategy the fast food chain can make their customer services so supreme that no other competitor can copy that. Along with the food quality which is already very unique can be improved further and new products can be launched which are not available in the market and not ever provided by any other organization. By suing this differentiation strategy the company will be able to achieve its another strategic objective i.e. to provide the customer with quality food and service. Cost leadership and differentiation strategies will improve the profit margins and the strategic objective to provide a positive return on investment of the shareholders and investors will be fulfilled. Concluding this discussion it is suggested to the McDonalds management to continue delivering the quality product and services and further reduce their operational cost without compromising the quality of their products and standard of their services. McDonalds Stakeholders Analysis Stakeholders are those bodies or parties which have direct or indirect interaction with the organization. These bodies are affected with the operations of the business positively or negatively. The major stakeholder for McDonalds includes their customers, shareholders and their employees. Customers Customers of McDonalds are the major focus of fast food chain. Mentioned earlier in the document that the companys corporate values indicate that customer is the king. The strategic objectives are also aimed towards the customer satisfaction by delivering value to them. Customer services is the important part of the McDonalds strategic planning as through quality customer services they are able to retain he customers. McDonalds branches and franchises are all over the world and they are huge in number. This is to facilitate the customer to provide the quality food with easy access. Furthermore the free home delivery service of the fast food chain shows that the organization is committed to produce their products and services at the door step of the customers. Shareholders Shareholders are another major stakeholder of the company. Strategic objectives of the company show that the company is committed to deliver return on investments. The company has adapted cost leadership and differentiation strategy which have given them a position of market leader and helped to increase the profit margins which is the major concern of the investors. Employees The employees are the key to success for any organization. At McDonalds it is not a different story. The company considers their employees as an asset like all successful organizations and is committed to facilitate their employees who in actual are the prime resources that leads towards the fulfillment of organizations strategic objectives. Five Competitive Forces Analysis of McDonalds Michael porter provided a frame work which contains the analysis of five different forces effecting the organization (Kim Warren, 2002). Through this analytical tool five different forces affecting McDonalds are evaluated. Figure 1 Porter Five Forces Model Threat of new entrants Fast food industry has gained a tremendous growth in the 21st century. Many fast food chains are operating in different countries. The major are KFC, Pizza Hut and Subway. However there are many local fast food chains that provide the same kind of products which these international fast food chains do. However, the quality and standard is not up to the level of these chains still these chains are able to grasp a handsome amount of market share. The entry in this business is not a difficult task; however, to launch a chain at the level of McDonald is quite difficult. Threat of Substitutes There are several substitutes available against the products of McDonalds, which are also liked by the consumers. So McDonalds also have to consider those substitutes while designing their strategies. Degree of Rivalry The competition in the fast food restaurant industry is intense. Having the major brands like KFC, PIZZA HUT and Subway , McDonalds really have to be up to the mark in terms of products and customer services to maintain the market leader position. Bargaining Power of Buyers Bargaining power of buyers in case of McDonalds is high as the customer has so many options so the fast food chains have to maintain their prices very competitive and keep the level of customer services up to the mark. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Bargaining power of supplier is not high in case of McDonalds. Suppliers try to add their names in the list of the big brand names such as McDonalds because of the frequency of their orders. Pest Analsyis of Mcdonalds Pestle analysis is to analyze the external forces which can affect the organization. Below is the brief analysis of McDonalds Figure 2 PEST Analysis Framework Political Forces Due to the global operations of the company there are several policies in different states which can affect the McDonalds policies and procedures. Economic Factors The global economy can affect the organization in many ways. The change in the fast food industry business can also affect the McDonalds in a positive or negative way. Social Factors Being operating in many countries across the globe, McDonald have to recognize the social and cultural factors. For instance in Muslim countries the fast food chain has to assure the community regarding the use of Halal chicken. Technological Factors The rapid change in technology will force the company to adapt it in order to survive in the competitive market. Furthermore, the introduction of new advertisement Medias gives a more chance to aggressively market the products through different channels. Conclusion McDonalds enormous success all over the globe is the result of their effective vision and mission which is leading the organization in the right direction. The selection of right strategies at the right time allows the organization to achieve the organization set aims and objectives. The progress of the company towards strategic aims and objectives is satisfactory. The selection of integrated strategic options will allow the company to progress more efficiently towards the achievement of strategic aims and objectives.

Relationship Between Surface Area and Rate Of Reaction Essay -- GCSE C

An Experiment To Investigate The Relationship Between Surface Area and Rate Of Reaction Introduction The rate of reaction (reaction velocity) may be defined as the rate of change of concentration of a stated reactant or product. The rate of a reaction is found by measuring the amount of a reactant used up per unit of time or the amount of a product produced per unit of time. A reaction can be made to go faster or slower by changing a number of factors. In order for a reaction to occur certain things are necessary: particles must collide with each other and the collision must have enough energy for the reaction to occur. If this happens the original bonds are broken and new bonds are formed - so that new products are formed. Successful collisions (those with sufficient energy) can be increased (or decreased) by a number of factors. These key variables consist of temperature, concentration, surface area and use of and type of a catalyst. To examine the relationship between the rate of reaction and surface area I must choose to vary only surface area keeping the other variables constant. Surface area of solid - The surface area has an effect on the rate of reaction. If the solid has a large surface area per unit mass then there are more opportunities for collisions to occur between the solid and liquid. This is because there is more chance for collisions to occur. If the surface area per unit mass is small, collision can only occur with the outer atoms and is therefore limited. The diagram below illustrates this: This relationship is proportional i.e. as one doubles so does the other. The temperature of the reaction - When the temperature is low, the particles in the reaction do not have much energy and move slowly so collision... ...nes which can be explained by the fact that the surface area of the chips was constantly changing throughout the reaction, as it was reacted with the acid, and so did the surface area to volume ratio. Also as the marble was used up the reaction would slow, as there would be less marble remaining to react with the acid reducing the chances of a collision occurring. The evidence is sufficient to imply that my hypothesis is correct but I think to prove it successfully further evidence would be necessary. I could have checked the rates of reactions I produced as a result of my experiment by carrying out a different test. If I had examined my results by doing a test measuring the mass change of the calcium carbonate I could have checked that I came up with sufficiently similar final rates of reaction, however I did not have time for this or to use a wider range of values.

Effects that single-parenting has one children Essay

Family defined by Sara McLanahan (1994) is the basic social group united through bonds of kinship or marriage, present in all society. Ideally, the family provides its members with protection, companionship, security, and socialization. The structure of the family and the needs that the family fulfills vary from society to society. Historical studies have shown that family structure has been less changed by urbanization and industrialization than was once supposed. McLamaham (1994) mentioned in a seminar at Urban Institution Press. The nuclear family was the most prevalent preindustrial unit in the West and is still the basic unit of social organization. The modern family differs from earlier traditional forms, however, in its functions, composition, and lifecycle and in the roles of husbands and wives. The changes in family structure that children experience during their lives are not without consequences. Western societies have found that children from mother or father-absent homes manifest a number of internal and external effects including; sadness and depression, delinquency, aggression, sex role difficulties, early initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy, as well as poor social and adaptive functioning and low self esteem as reported by Princeton sociologist Sarah McLanaham (1994). Additionally children who frequently move from one residence to another, in the process of child shifting, also exhibit problem behavior. Child-shifting, a common sequel to parental absence in Jamaica, require children to adjust physically to their new environment but also, and of greater consequence, to adjust emotionally. The children of incarcerated woman, though relatively few in number, require special consideration because of the effects of this more unique type of parental separation. A recent report by sociologist Dr. Aldrie Henry-Lee found that women worried about their children’s well-being but thought their relationships with the  children were not affected. (2009) Psychologist Marinna Ramkissoon, in her research on the interaction between Jamaican fathers and their children, investigated two aspects of the father-child relationship: physical absence and psychological absence. Psychological absence refers to the father’s absence in the minds of their children based on emotional inaccessibility, lack of responsibility and indifference to the welfare of their children. Physical presence necessarily promotes psychological presence, but physical presence and psychological absence can lead to expressive rejection and greater psychological damage. As shown in Ramkissoon’s research and that of others, while the composition of the family is important to children, how the family functions to support children is more important to children’s development. Family supporting children’s development is commonly called parenting. In western society, this is largely the role of biological parents. However, in the varying family structures presented in Jamaica, and indeed in the Caribbean, the terms â€Å"family† and â€Å"parenting† have much broader contexts. In fact, Cherlin and Fursterberg (1994) state that the single-parent family is the fastest growing family structure in America. This statistic is no different from the situation in Jamaica. STATIN indicates that there is an almost 12% divorce rate in Jamaica as of 2012. This separation of unions must result in children living with only one biological parent or none at all. Furthermore, the statistics indicate that the total number of births between 2001and 2012 is525, 578 while the total number of marriages for the same period is only 264,506. This is a vague representation of the number of children born outside of marriages and possible unions. Family structure is hypothesized to directly influence children’s psychological well-being by affecting family processes, such as parent-child relationships and parental conflict, background variables, such as income, and individual characteristics, such as mother’s psychological well-being. Thus, family processes and other variables are predicted to mediate the effect of family structure on children’s psychological well-being.  Furthermore family processes are predicated to have the largest impact on children’s psychological well-being (Acock and Demo, 1994). With knowledge of the importance of family forms on children, this research has to be conducted to determine specific impacts. In conclusion, the family is the main unit in society. As you can see my sources has a different point on this topic. Sarah McLanaham found out that modern family differs from earlier traditional form, which she highlighted by indicating the change in its functions, composition and lifecycle and in the role of husband and wives. There are some effects that children from a mother or father- absence homes such as depression, delinquent, teen pregnancy etc. on the other hand Marinna Ramkisson in her research believe that there are two aspects of the father-child relationship which are: physical absence and psychological absence. Aims and Objectives The aims of the study are to: Develop knowledge regarding the concept of family, its roles and functions. Find out the factors that affect the development of children who live without one or both biological parents. Find out if children who grow up in a two-parent family with both biological parents present do better on a wide range of outcomes than children who grow up in a single-parent family. Provide evidence for the creation of effective family structures for children and families. The objectives are to: Establish the effects of single parenting on children. Determine if there is a difference between children living with one biological parent and those living with none. Introduction The family is often been regarded as the cornerstone of society. In premodern and modern societies alike it has been seen as the most basic unit of social organization and one which carries out vital tasks, such as socializing children. Most sociologists assumed that family life was evolving as modernity progressed, and the changes involved made the family better suited  to meeting the needs of society and of family members. The structure of families traditionally hinges on relations between parents and children, between spouses, or both. Consequently, there is substantial variation in family forms around the world, varying from culture to culture. The most common form of family structure in the Western World is monogamy, which is the practice of having only one spouse at a time. A variety of other family structures exist. According to Wright and Wright (1994) the family is the foundation of human society. Families are one of the strongest socializing forces in life. They teach chi ldren to control unacceptable behavior, to delay gratification, and to respect the rights of others. Conversely, families can teach children aggressive, antisocial and violent behavior. The primary function of the family is to reproduce society, both biologically, through procreation, and socially, through socialization. In the following decades, social changes seemed to be undermining traditional families. Rising divorce rates, cohabitation before marriage , increasing numbers of single parent families and single-person household, and other trends have all suggested that individuals may be basing their lives less and less around conventional families. But the question still remains â€Å"What are the effects that Single-parenting has on Children?† Problem Statement Single-parent families can no longer be viewed as non-traditional families. These families are all around us today. Children in Jamaica grow up in a variety of family structures. Single parent and two-parent families are created and recreated through marriage, divorce, remarriage, cohabitation, and birth outside marriage. Single- parent families are the fastest growing family structure in Jamaica. The effects of a single-parent home on a child’s behavior can be far-reaching and impact several areas of life, including academic achievement and social behaviors. The purpose of this research is to investigate the question the effect that single-parenting has on children. The Research Design The study will be about seeking the effects that contribute to children  living in a single family in Red Shop community. Social Survey will be used as the research method. Social Surveys are usually large-scale research projects that collect standardized data from a large cross-section of the population. The methodology used is Quantitative Research. Quantitative Research generates numerical data or data that can be converted into numbers. In terms of sampling method, Probability Sampling, to be more specific, Simple Random Sampling will be used to carry out the research. Questionnaires will be presented to collect data that is needed for the research. A Questionnaire is a number of pre-set questions that can contain open-ended, fixed choice or a combination of both types of questions. These are what will be done to find an answer or answers relating to the topic. After a careful analysis, the data will be presented in the form of graphs. Sample Selection The population of the Red Shop entails both males and females, young and old. Simple Random Sampling will be used to carry out the research. This will be the most basic way of selecting a sample. This is a subset of a statistical population in which each member of the subset has an equal probability of being chosen. The researcher will be choosing the sample from the population using no particular order or method. A sample is a subset of a population. There are ten persons in the sample. This comprises of both males and females between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five years that are single parents. . Data Collection Instrument For this study, a questionnaire will be used. A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case. The questionnaire was chosen over the other types of surveys in that it is cheap, does not require as much effort from the questioner as  verbal or telephone surveys, and often has standardized answers that make it simple to compile data. Dear Sir/Madam, This is a survey carried out in the Red Shop community to determine the effect that single-parenting has on children. The information collected will play a vital role in the completion of my Internal Assessment. Of importance is that this questionnaire requires your honesty. This is not a test and there are no wrong or right answers. Furthermore, total anonymity is ensured as you are not required to give your name or address. Your responses in this survey will be confidential. Most of the questions can be answered by a tick in the box, specify instructions are given where necessary. Thank you for your time and cooperation. Questionnaire You are kindly asked to provide truthful answers to the questions below. All the information will be kept strictly confidential; as such you are not required to insert your name as a mean of protecting your identity. 1. What gender are you? Male Female 2. What age group do you belong? 19-21 22-25 3. What ethnic group do you belong? Chinese Mixed African West Indies 4. What is your work status? Employed Part time Worker Unemployed 5. What causes you to be a single parent? Divorce Separation Partner is dead Prefer to live on my own 6. What are the consequences you face as a single parent? Financial problem Emotional problem Economic challenges Social challenges 7. How do you think your child/children feels when one parent is absent from their lives? Sad Depress Unloved 8. What are the consequences your child/children face? Depression Teen pregnancy Low self esteem Early initiation of sexual activity 9. How often does your child see the other parent? Once a week Every 2 weeks Every day Never 10. Is the other parent of your child/children involved in their lives? Yes No Presentation of Data The questionnaires were issued to ten persons who live in the Red Shop community. These ten persons comprises of five males and five females. When asked for their age 60% were in the age of 22-25 years and 40% of the sample was below that age group. On the questionnaires, the following questions were asked. When ask what gender are you, twenty percent said male and eighty percent said female. When asked what some consequences your children faces are, thirty percent said sexual activity, forty percent said low esteem and fifteen percent said teenage pregnancy and depression. When asked what are some consequences they face as a single parent, majority said financial problem which is indicated by fifty percent and minor said economic problem which is ten percent. When asked what are the causes of single parents in the community eighty percent said separation and ten percent said divorce and five per cent of the sample said they prefer to live on their own or partner is dead. Analysis of Data The questionnaires were issued to ten persons who live in Red Shop These ten persons comprise of five male and five females. When asked for their age 60% of the sample was between the ages of 22-25 years. 40% of the sample was below that age group. In Figure 1, 80% of the respondents were female and 40% of these respondents believe their children have a low esteem because of the absence of one parent, (Figure 2). This could be that they see the absence of one parent as a stress in their life, also impact on their live in a negative way. Also, they see more females in the household than males. This could be  that males find the role of a father is not important in a child’s life and can not find time to express themselves the way they want to or that they find themselves to be unimportant because not many mothers in the family household need the presence of the father or the mothers may be in a visiting relationship with someone else and don’t want to invite the males. Therefore it would not be a problem for men to be in the child/children life because in most societies, it is usually the men who would provide for the family. On the other hand, there are those who do not think there is a problem with a family without one parent absent. This could be that the parent that is present can provide both economically and financially. Also, persons would find it a problem for more women being present in the family homes than men. Apart from that, 50% of the sample says that with a parent absent they are facing financial problems. From the sample it is seen that it’s the females who are going through this challenge, (Figure 2). This could be that men are less likely to work and finance their child/children than how women would. Most of these women are unemployed so they can not provide for their child/children. Therefore, most of these respondents from the sample become single mom/dad because of separation. The respondents seem to be in a visiting relationship than in a common law marriage or the child/children born wasn’t intended. Findings, Discussion of Findings and Conclusion It was found that the Red Shop Community needs to implement a program to highlight the presence of both parents in a child’s life. Sessions among males, reasoning sessions among the males and females and some fun activities that would encourage them to come to the program that will be held. Also the community needs to be more cooperative and help these people who can not afford to provide for their child/children. This allows the males in the community to feel more comfortable of expressing themselves the way they want to and not having the feeling as if they are going to be run away from the other parent. Nevertheless, it was agreeable to what Psychologist Marinna Ramkissoon, 2009 had said, there are two aspect of father-child relationship. These are physical absence and psychological absence. Psychological absence refers to the father’s absence in the minds of their children based on emotional inaccessibility, lack of responsibility and indifference to the welfare of their children. Physical presence necessarily promotes psychological presence, but physical presence and psychological absence can lead to expressive rejection and greater psychological damage. Additionally, the child/children that are living in a single parent home in the Red Shop community are likely to be face by many consequences. They also need guidance and love from both parents it is not being provided by both parents to them. According to Sarah McLanaham (1994), the changes in family structure that children experience during their lives are not without consequences. Western societies have found that children from mother or father-absent homes manifest a number of internal and external effects including; sadness and depression, delinquency, aggression, sex role difficulties, early initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy, as well as poor social and adaptive functioning and low self esteem. In conclusion, it all seems that women are more likely to be worried about their child’s well being more while the men are most likely to be rational. Women can be rational too, but they tend to overlook the logic when given a choice between the two. For some of the females, they would at least consider their child’s life important than theirs but for some males, they would not consider that because they are too busy trying to be tough. Also, it is the male that always have the money to provide for their child/children financially. Bibliography McLanahan, Sara. (1994). â€Å"Growing Diversity and Inequality in the American Family.† In R. Farley (Ed). State of the Union: American in the 1990s. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Cherlin, Andrew. (1992). Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Haralambos, M., & Holborn, M., (Eds). (2004). Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd.

Free Essays on Dimmesdale

Dimmesdale: Someone from Above or Below? Some people believe that a novel’s central character can be identified within the first few chapters of a novel. This could be no further from the truth when it comes to the Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter’s main character is noticed in the first chapters as Arthur Dimmesdale, the man who is responsible for the scarlet letter ever happening. Dimmesdale denies his guilt about the scarlet letter and ends up in an emotional rollercoaster that puts the main focus on him and his well being. If one looks at where he goes in this â€Å"rollercoaster† I find myself seeing his links to the other characters both physically and emotionally. The bad and the good things in his emotional rants show his struggle to find purity in his life and his want to be rid of his guilty conscious. Although there are several characters that also face difficult struggles in their lives, only Dimmesdale was able to bring out the true essence that became the Scarlet Letter. Arthur Dimmesdale is a truly essential character to the Scarlet Letter, in that without him the scarlet letter wouldn’t have been, and the novel never would have been written. He becomes the main focus in the beginning when Hester was on trial. Although Dimmesdale could have taken the easy way out and accepted that he did commit a sin and move on with his life, he decides that he will keep it internally and pretend it never happened. This denial sets his character up for an emotional rollercoaster that will eventually come with his guilty conscious. This â€Å"rollercoaster† that Dimmesdale faces becomes his battle with fantasy and reality. His fantasy being the unobtainable pureness that he was always searching for, it became the only way he thought he needed to cleanse his soul. The reality was the scaffold, and his ties to it because of his guilt. Dimmesdale’s battle with the fantasy and reality is evident when he is walking through the fo... Free Essays on Dimmesdale Free Essays on Dimmesdale Dimmesdale: Someone from Above or Below? Some people believe that a novel’s central character can be identified within the first few chapters of a novel. This could be no further from the truth when it comes to the Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter’s main character is noticed in the first chapters as Arthur Dimmesdale, the man who is responsible for the scarlet letter ever happening. Dimmesdale denies his guilt about the scarlet letter and ends up in an emotional rollercoaster that puts the main focus on him and his well being. If one looks at where he goes in this â€Å"rollercoaster† I find myself seeing his links to the other characters both physically and emotionally. The bad and the good things in his emotional rants show his struggle to find purity in his life and his want to be rid of his guilty conscious. Although there are several characters that also face difficult struggles in their lives, only Dimmesdale was able to bring out the true essence that became the Scarlet Letter. Arthur Dimmesdale is a truly essential character to the Scarlet Letter, in that without him the scarlet letter wouldn’t have been, and the novel never would have been written. He becomes the main focus in the beginning when Hester was on trial. Although Dimmesdale could have taken the easy way out and accepted that he did commit a sin and move on with his life, he decides that he will keep it internally and pretend it never happened. This denial sets his character up for an emotional rollercoaster that will eventually come with his guilty conscious. This â€Å"rollercoaster† that Dimmesdale faces becomes his battle with fantasy and reality. His fantasy being the unobtainable pureness that he was always searching for, it became the only way he thought he needed to cleanse his soul. The reality was the scaffold, and his ties to it because of his guilt. Dimmesdale’s battle with the fantasy and reality is evident when he is walking through the fo...

Free Essays on The Plantation Mistress

â€Å"The Plantation Mistress† By Catherine Clinton The Plantation Mistress focuses on the elite women living on plantations with twenty or more slaves in the seven seaboard states of the plantation South during the period between 1780 and 1835. Through the study of nearly 500 manuscript collections that housed the contents of family letters, household inventories, the papers of female academies, commonplace books and physicians’ records Clinton attempts to shed light upon the hidden lives of southern plantation mistresses, who she states, have been prisoners of myth, legend, and folklore. Many of the diaries and memoirs she studied are unpublished and unexamined. Clinton reveals the life of a plantation mistress and her role as wife, mother, and household manager in the antebellum South. Additional areas of discussion include kinship, courtship, marriage, and divorce; moral standards; health and childbearing; the isolation of plantation life; the â€Å"curse of slavery† and the â€Å"sexual dynamics of slavery.† Clinton believed that southern women occupied an undesirable position with respect to women of the North. She found that southern women married at a younger age, had more children, and died earlier, often in childbirth. They were also burdened with more complex tasks of household management and lived in greater isolation; thus reducing the female companionship of emotional support and social gatherings. Far from the life of leisure, women were really prisoners of the southern male system. Clinton states that slavery contributed to the oppression of women: â€Å"Patriarchy was the bedrock upon which the slave society was founded, and slavery exaggerated the pattern of subjugation that patriarchy had established† (p. 6) It was an oppression that equaled and in some ways exceeded that experienced by slaves. â€Å"These women were merely prisoners in disguise† (p. 109) Overall, women in the antebellum South were gen... Free Essays on The Plantation Mistress Free Essays on The Plantation Mistress â€Å"The Plantation Mistress† By Catherine Clinton The Plantation Mistress focuses on the elite women living on plantations with twenty or more slaves in the seven seaboard states of the plantation South during the period between 1780 and 1835. Through the study of nearly 500 manuscript collections that housed the contents of family letters, household inventories, the papers of female academies, commonplace books and physicians’ records Clinton attempts to shed light upon the hidden lives of southern plantation mistresses, who she states, have been prisoners of myth, legend, and folklore. Many of the diaries and memoirs she studied are unpublished and unexamined. Clinton reveals the life of a plantation mistress and her role as wife, mother, and household manager in the antebellum South. Additional areas of discussion include kinship, courtship, marriage, and divorce; moral standards; health and childbearing; the isolation of plantation life; the â€Å"curse of slavery† and the â€Å"sexual dynamics of slavery.† Clinton believed that southern women occupied an undesirable position with respect to women of the North. She found that southern women married at a younger age, had more children, and died earlier, often in childbirth. They were also burdened with more complex tasks of household management and lived in greater isolation; thus reducing the female companionship of emotional support and social gatherings. Far from the life of leisure, women were really prisoners of the southern male system. Clinton states that slavery contributed to the oppression of women: â€Å"Patriarchy was the bedrock upon which the slave society was founded, and slavery exaggerated the pattern of subjugation that patriarchy had established† (p. 6) It was an oppression that equaled and in some ways exceeded that experienced by slaves. â€Å"These women were merely prisoners in disguise† (p. 109) Overall, women in the antebellum South were gen...

Critically discuss how the work-place be analysed and why the devil is Essay

Critically discuss how the work-place be analysed and why the devil is in the detail - Essay Example Continuous review and critical analysis of the organization at timely intervals cater in pointing out to the loop holes that exist in the current setting posing a potential risk for the organization which has to be mitigated in the interest of its continuity. It helps establish and instill a safety culture within your workplace by identifying and eliminating or controlling hazards in a timely manner. The workplace design to be reviewed and updated should be analyzed on the basis of the volume and the variety of the product the organization offers, type of processes, Layout, Flow, Flexibility, compliance to laws and regulations etc. The organization should critically review these factors and revise them making necessary changes where ever required dropping a few and taking up on some new policies and procedures along the way. Altering and disturbing the status quo during this process is what might cause resistance among the people within the organization. For this purpose effective ch ange management policies should be kept into place to counteract such problems and to educate the employees by gaining their full involvement while the organization transits from current to desired settings.

A literature review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A literature review - Research Paper Example In this essay, the implications of the theory with respect to person, health, nursing and environment will be discussed through review of a peer review article "A comparative analysis of Orem's self-care model and Peplau's interpersonal theory". As a nursing theorist and educator, Dorothea's first book came out in the year 1959 as a government publication and it was called "Guides for Developing Curricula for the Education of Practical Nurses." Dorothea then went on to receive a Doctorate on her theory from the Georgetown University. The book, "Nursing Concepts of Practice" was published in the year 1971 (Comley, 1994). From then on, series of the theory were being published, the last edition being in 1999. The Orem's self-care model of Nursing incorporates 3 subtheories: self-care deficit, self-care and nursing systems (Comley, 1994). According to the self-care deficit subtheory, "individuals may experience self-care limitations related to their health state and may benefit from nur sing provision of this care or augmentation of their own self-care efforts" (Comley, 1994) The theory considers care of one-self and that of dependents as a type of learned behavior which causes regulation of the structural integrity, development and functioning of the humans. The nursing system ensues at that point of time when the nurse intervenes with the patient either to prescribe medication or to provide care that is intended to take care of self-care deficit and regulate his or her own capabilities of self-care (Orem, 1985; cited in Comley, 1994). Dorothea Orem considered all human beings as basically biopsychosocial beings with capabilities and willingness to take care of themselves and also be dependent on others. It is through these capabilities that human beings live and maintain health. The ultimate aim of these capabilities is to meet 3 groups of needs, which are known as 'self-care requisites' and they are universal, developmental and health deviation (Orem, 1985; cite d in Comley, 1994 ). The requisites of universal self-care mainly address needs which are necessary for physiological and functional aspects of a human being and include maintenance of food, shelter, air, water, rest, solitude, activity, rest, interaction in a social perspective, prevention of hazards and facilitate various functions of the human being (Comley, 1994 ). On the other hands requisites pertaining to developmental aspects are those which are essential to sustain through the life cycle of human beings and include environmental and other conditions which facilitate growth and development. The last requisite, the health deviation self care needs mainly addresses the rise in demands which ensue following experience of illness or disease (Orem, 1985, cited in Comley,