Personal factors Essay

Factors that affect the personal influences will be the age and stage at the life cycle, lifestyle, occupation, economic status, and personality (Bowens,et al, 2003). Marketers usually target a certain lifecycle stage or a certain age bracket for their products. Like Disney – movies, merchandise, television shows – which are usually targeting children and teenagers. However as the individual mature so are the buying preferences. Once a person acquires a job some purchases are shaped by that job like clothing, personal articles like bags and shoes. Also these purchases will be further fashioned by the income the person gets from the job. Some companies make their product income-sensitive by offering the same product in a different packaging or smaller size – budget packs – to be able to fit in certain income brackets (Marketing – Consumer 2008). Marketers are also concerned with how money and time are used by consumers or their lifestyle. This is to be able to know how to favorably present their product to their target consumers. Moreover, the personality of the person also comes into play in purchasing products. Usually, personality is how others perceive the person in socialization with them. However individuas also have their own version of personality called self-concept. This self-concept could be the same or different from the opinion of others. Advertisers use this idea in selling high-end cars to middle class consumers who wanted to project luxury (Principles of Marketing 2008). 2. 5. 4 Psychological Factors Motivation, perception, learning and attitude are the psychological factors that marketers look into to be able to develop better advertisements for their target consumers. Every person has needs that need to be fulfilled. These needs will transform into motives when the need becomes a powerful force that will compel a person to act (Consumer Behavior 2008). There are several theories about human needs but the most common is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. Figure 3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Source: Chapman, 1995 According to this theory each need is hierarchical. One must fulfill the lower need before moving to the higher level. In addition if the reason for fulfillment of the lower need is gone the individual will not have the reason to satisfy the higher needs. For instance, a worker who is sick (safety needs) is not expected to perform well (esteem needs) (Chapman 1995). Now that the consumer is motivated to act upon the need his/her perception how he/she will act. Through perception a person creates an image of the world in his/her mind. This concept is essential to face-face transactions (Bowens, et al. 2003). Take for instance a salesman who speaks slowly and stutter, he could be perceive by the customer as someone is not an authority to the product and could lose the sale. Through our actions we experience the world and through these actions we learn. A person learns from past experiences or through thinking and things that we learn could modify our behavior or actions (Consumer Behavior 2008). Actions with positive outcome are usually repeated – repeat purchases – while actions with negative outcome are not (Marketing – Consumer). As this process cycle, doing and learning, individuals develop beliefs and attitudes. Beliefs are ideas about something that an individual holds as the truth (Marketing – Consumer 2008). While attitude is the constant position of an individual about a certain object or idea (Bowens, et al 2003). Companies use these concepts to be able to develop brand images based on consumers’ beliefs toward the company. Then try to fit the product to the consumer’s attitude rather than changing it.

Marketing Strategy Panadol

Did you know? ? Some people feel more pain than others. The reason is probably perception. The brain works by association. ? Ibuprofen is analgesic and anti-inflammatory but Paracetamol is just analgesic. ? The ‘dol’ in Panadol is derived from the Latin word ‘dolor’, meaning pain 3 Content ? Objectives ? Panadol Background ? Target Market ? Current Marketing Strategies ? 4 P’s ? Analysis ? Options ? Conclusions ? Next Step 4 Objectives ? Analyse the current marketing strategies of Panadol ? Recommend new strategies for Panadol 5 6 Panadol’s History 1956 Launched Australian market as a prescription edicine 1970 1980 Panadol is marketed for Panadol is first time in the introduced to consumers just Supermarkets. in Pharmacies 1998 2007 New packaging Panadol rapid was introduced was launched 7 Panadol ? It is the most widely available pain reliever in the world, and leader in many. ? It competes in the analgesic market, with generics products and r egistered brands. ? All Australian Panadol products are manufactured in Sydney. 8 9 Target Market ? Panadol has segmented the market into adults and children? s presentations. ? Panadol Children’s: Parents ? Panadol Tab/ Caps : Australians 18+. Panadol Rapid : Younger female. 10 11 Panadol ? It is the most trusted brand of pain reliever in Australia. ? Panadol is a paracetamol, analgesic , effective temporary relief of any kind of pain. = ? It has led the innovation in pain relief, introducing different forms and presentations: tablets, caplets, capsules, suppositories, among others. ? Also Panadol has included line extensions in different markets: Cold & Flu, Osteo and Children’s market. 12 Packaging ? 2 blister package ? Safety seal system ? Friendly design and homogeneous. ? Relevant information for the patient. Introduced the last market leading innovation in design. Panadol Rapid 13 Price Product Price in Price per Price in Pharmacies tablet S/markets Price per ta blet Panadol Tablets 24 2,99 0,12 2,99 0,12 Herron Capsules 24 2,99 0,12 2,56 0,11 Herron Bottle Tab 60 4,69 0,08 Panadol Tablets 50 5,69 0,11 Panadol Tablets 100 8,99 0,09 ? Psychological Pricing tactic. ? Cheaper prices per larger quantities. 14 Distribution 2007 69% 22% 7% 1% 2006 69% 22% 7% 1% 0% 20% 40% Pharmacies / drugstores Convenience Stores 60% 80% 100% Supermarkets / hypermarkets Independent Retailers ? Intensive Distribution Pharmacies are the main distribution channel 15 Position on shelf P. Rapid Panadol Children Panadol Line 1 Panadol Panadol Back & Pain Line 2 Panadol Line 3 Nurofen Line 4 Nurofen Line 5 Paracetamol Coles Ibuprofen Coles Herron other products Advil Line 6 Line 7 Line 8 Line 9 ? Panadol has 43% of the Analgesic shelf. It is located in lines 1,2 and 3. 16 Advertising ? Glaxo is No. 1 in the top 10 of advertiser’s pharmaceuticals companies in Australia ? Glaxo invested $25. 8 million during 2008, with 15 million supporting Panadol, across all me dia. ? Glaxo uses all means of communication to marketPanadol, emphasising the key factors of speed and effectiveness, including its suitability for all ages 17 TV ? Panadol’s target market covers a big portion of the Population, with TV being ideal to reach a wide geographic coverage. ? Panadol has been on TV all year, it is the biggest portion in its budget. ? Panadol commercials try to make an emotional link with the consumer and uses positives reinforcement. 18 Magazines ? This year Panadol has advertised in publications such as Cosmopolitan and NW, the 2 lifestyle magazines most read in Australia. ? Magazines are good strategy for targets that share the ame interest. ? They are also a good alternative for reaching specialized targets such as physicians and pediatricians. 19 Outdoor ? Panadol is using effectively this media, reaching a large percentage of the population with a low cost per exposure ratio. ? Panadol is using this media in different forms such as Buses, Met rolites and Buses stops. 20 Internet ? The Panadol brand does not have a website on the Internet. ? In these sites there isn’t any information related to the other ranges of Panadol, or links to other Panadol sites. 21 22 Analysis †¢Panadol is in the top 10 of the Australian most trusted brands in 2009 It has a long-standing reputation of quality and realibity. †¢Panadol was ranked N. 1 in analgesic market during 2007, but was ranked N. 2 in 2008, proceeded by Neurofen, which is growing faster Analgesic Market Sales Var 0% Var 5% Sales +(000. 000) 60 40 20 Glaxo S. Reckitt B. 2006 2007 Which are the others 23 Analysis ? Panadol has implemented good marketing strategies, achievieng good Top of Mind and maintining sales level. ? It should implement Alternatives and original strategies, in order to recover its leadership. 24 25 First Aid Kit †¢It is indispensable at home †¢Increase brand presence Strategic Alliance with other products or companies †¢Any kind of promotional material. E. g. Frigde frames 26 Internet †¢It is the media, which is going to experience the most growth (10,4%) in coming years †¢It is the second most important media in Australian population. Time spent with media Average Hours per week 60 50 3 2 3 11 12 14 17 13 12 18 20 21 18-24 25-34 35-49 40 30 20 10 0 TV Internet Radio Newspapers Magazines 27 It is my choice! †¢Implement a friendly and effective website †¢Most important to interact with the customers. †¢Special contest â€Å"What have been the best choice in their lives? †. 28Environmentally friendly †¢People more concerned about the enviroment and problems in the future †¢Panadol can contribute with 2 main things: †¢Including a recycable logo in the package †¢Eliminating the plastic protection cover 29 Two more options ? Multi-branding strategy Take advantage of the high brand investment Create an identity for Panadol Brand such as: â€Å" Trusfully P anadol or Gentle with your stomach† ? Raising consumer awarness throughout pharmacies Main distribution channel (69% of sales) Implement a strong promotional campaign Train pharmacists 30 Conclusions ? Panadol is an excellent brand, that still maintain a ood top of mind in the Australian consumers. ? The implemented strategies are being effective, however is losing market share ? It is recommendable to implement alternatives strategies, as the ones suggested in this presentation. 31 Next Step.. ? Check which of the 5 strategies are chosen to be implemented. (Next meeting, 30/09/09) ? Check with financial department the cost of this strategies. ? Check the promotional budget for 2010, and include this value. 32 â€Å"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. † Steve Jobs quotes (American Entrepreneur Apple co-Founder, b. 1955) 33

Santa Supply Chain Problems Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Santa Supply Chain Problems - Term Paper Example The issue of inadequate forecasting and poor communication has also affected the business. The management also faces the problem of too much paper work that gives them a hard time handling. Reports further indicate that the number of toys that are dead on delivery had risen compared to the previous year. The enterprise also faces some serious financial issues as shown in the reports that there is a considerable budget deficit affecting most departments in the enterprise. In addition, the Santa supply chain faces a serious problem due to the constant change in the customer demands. This has created the need to expand the company to meet the growing and changing demands of the market. Customer satisfaction data of 2011 revels that the there was a drop in customer satisfaction as compared to the year 2010. Most complains from children stated that they either got the wrong toy, or they did not get the toys they wanted. Reports indicate a lower customer rating in Europe: especially England, France, and Germany (Dr, Green 2011). The international consultants suggest that the company should apply the supply chain management programme. The programme integrates the procedures from manufacturing, operations, purchasing, transportation, and physical distribution into one program. It also involves integrating the activities of all these departments into a seamless process. Additionally, it links the participation of all the partners in the chain. The program aims at bringing a quality product to the market, and creating customer satisfaction. The benefit of supply chain management concept is obtainable when there is the integration of the entities within the organisation, and with the external partners who include suppliers’, distributor’s, carriers’, customers and the consumers (Zigiaris 3). The idea of supply chain management ensures quick delivery of goods to their destination. These bottlenecks include poor forecasting that has

My experience in the English 105 class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My experience in the English 105 class - Essay Example Discovering what I like writing about has significantly influenced my attitude towards writing. I now engage in the skill as an enjoyable activity instead of viewing it as a task. A major part of writing that has contributed to my progress is research. Studying my environment and researching on previous works have been the main tools of my writing processes. A good example of my experience with my environment is the study of how the manufacturing community functions and how each individual is a participant in the manufacturing community. I discovered that all people have a role to play in the community growth. I recognize that, to become a better writer, I must be able to consult with establish authors as mentors and for inspiration. Consulting with my tutor and instructor is also a significant part of my progress. The process has led me to recognize the various areas where my writing skills are lacking and to make appropriate revision. Due to these consultation sessions, I have lear nt to ask the appropriate questions in writing, to critically analyze ideas while integrating them with the ideas of others as well as how to make logical and strong arguments of my own. The use of various references in my all my written composition depicts my use of existing ideas to develop my own arguments. These three main aspects of writing have evolved through my interactions with my tutor, thus making me more dependent on my own ideas than on already existing ideas. Furthermore, my writing has become more critical and analytical. I am no longer simply writing stories but integrating ideas to formulate a composition that contributes to a certain field of knowledge. My writing has also changed my use of language through the continuous revision of my previous works. My grammar and proper use of vocabulary has improved and my use of language varies depending on the intended reader.

Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Obesity - Essay Example Among Latinos, there was an increase from 12% to 24% in the same period (NHCSL 2010, p.11). This clearly shows that obesity is more prevalent in the minority Latinos as compared to the general American population. In socioeconomically challenged communities living in the United States, public health practitioners have observed an increase in frequency of obesity in latest years unlike in the past. Discussion For an individual to be obese, he or she has to accumulate a lot of fats in his or her body that are not needed hence causing a health problem in his or her life. Obesity can be detected in the early life of a child or an adult because of poor dietary habits. Hence, poor eating habits cause more obesity among children and adults than either genetic factors or physical activity. In the modern era, there is large numbers of people with obesity and even overweight, whereby, people’s eating habits have greatly changed leading to this health problem all over the world. Unlike i n the past where people used to cook at home, nowadays more people are turning to processed foods that they get from restaurants and other eateries. This has mainly been because of changes in lifestyles where parents have become busier with their jobs that they do not find time to cook or prepare meals at home. These processed foods contain more fats and calories than homemade foods thus increase the risk of obesity among children and even the adults who consume it. The eating habits of many children are uncontrolled since their parents are not with them when they are eating. On the other hand, parents are not teaching their children on healthy eating and thus children eat a lot of junk foods that tend to be sweeter or tastier, this also increases the risk of obesity. Obesity in childhood has been a major concern in most developed economies such the US. Despite the fact that children are less at risk of weight-related health problems than adults are, obese children are more likely t o suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart problems in their adulthood. Causes of Obesity Too much calorie intake; with the changing dietary habits, many families have abandoned healthy eating and foods such as fruits and vegetables and instead have turned to unhealthy foods such as red meat and other high calorie foods. Children are also eating uncontrollably, therefore, they end up eating more frequently and more food than the necessary one required by the body to function normally. Moreover, children are not trained on healthy eating habits; hence, they continue to eat indiscriminately, opting for foods that are either sweeter or tastier that also increase the risk of childhood obesity. Lack of physical activity; this has also greatly contributed to obesity among most children and even adults. Today, many children and adults are not doing exercises that burn excess calories in their bodies. Lack of physical activity is related to poor dietary habits since after t aking too much calories, individuals do not burn the excess calories through taking part in physical activity, and instead, they spend more time in doing less strenuous activities. Additionally, most children use cars to move from one place to another, even for short distances, instead of walking which would

Vivid Description of Mother Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vivid Description of Mother - Essay Example Whenever my mother smiles, the white, well-shaped teeth brighten her whole face when she grins. She has a well soft developed body of medium height; her skin is smooth, light brown and splendid. She has four boys and one girl thus we are five siblings; two of the boys are twins, my brother and I are the eldest followed by the other siblings. Her beauty is glimpsing, she is lovely and caring about our personal problems and spiritual arena. She maintains high standards of cleanliness and wishes that all of us to follow the same pursuit. She is a hard-working, determined, goal-oriented woman and raised her family as she carried on with her studies. Despite the fact that her studies were involving, she always had time the family. She is eloquent in talking and persuasive while presenting facts that convinces one to agree wholeheartedly with her without any act of opposition. She is an academically oriented person and rarely does she stay without a plan to pursue her higher education in spite of raising her family. She is a professor in Nuclear Physic, and she attained her PhD from the Surrey University in England. She has managed to go up the ladder and fought through the academic levels to reach the highest. Her primary objective in her studies is obtaining and achieving her self-esteem through the exploration of the opportunities that she faces. The drive towards her education and what has facilitated her pursuit of education from the lowest level to the highest level has been made possible by the well financial base that she had developed in the entire life. However, she had to quit the job at the expense of her studies. She has served many institutions that range from colleges to the universities; the University of California and Harvard University just but to mention a few.  

CONTRACT LAW ASSIGNMENT 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CONTRACT LAW ASSIGNMENT 5 - Essay Example Goods should be of satisfactory quality, fit for the purpose, and should be as description. Goods sold must be 'conform to contract' fit for the quality and satisfactory for the intended use of customer. They should be durable, safe, devoid of minor defects. (Sale of Goods act, 1979, Supply of Goods Act, 1982, The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations, 2002). Under Consumer Protection Act 1987, or under common law, despite there being no contractual relationship between Mary and manufacturer she would be able to pursue the manufacturer for negligence while manufacturing and endangering her life. Also she could pursue the retailer, or breach of contract under SGA. All the guarantees are legally binding and will stand in a Court of Law. But the clause that any further injury or damage caused by their faulty goods would not be entertained by them will not stand in a court of law. They might have written that for their own protection; it need not necessarily be a legal verdict. In this case the alarm has caused extensive damage within a day and Mary can prove that she was not at fault and did not misuse the alarm in any way. Hence, the protection clause the retailer will not protect him because it will be read as unfair contract terms and thus, will have no legal standing. Misrepresen (d) What damages could Mary possibly recover as a result of the incident, if any Misrepresentation Act of 1967 can be used here, along with Trade Description Act 1968. Mary can claim compensation for the damage caused by unsafe goods including shock and personal injury. As she herself has bought the goods, she can claim from either the trader or manufacturer. Mary in all probability has to go to court to get compensation because this is a complex legal area and it is necessary to have legal advice. Mary can to go Citizens Advice Bureau which would be helpful.. (e) If Mary decided to pursue an action to recover damages, in what Court would she start her action and why It should have been the Small Claims Court, if the claim is less than 5,000. (f) Would the position be any different if Jane was Mary's Mother and Jane had served her when she bought the Alarm No. Even if Jane was Mary's mother, she would be part of Square Deal Electrics and a trader while serving a customer, whoever it is. Relationship does not make any difference unless it is a private sale and if it is one, law renders least amount of protection on faulty goods. Mary is entitled to ask for the contract money to be returned. Due to basic faults in goods, there had been extensive damage not only for Mary's property, but also for her friend's gold watch, so this case reaches a different parameter. Under this context, it is not possible to ask for a replacement or repair. Onus is always on the purchaser to prove that goods are faulty beyond doubt and here it is not a problem to prove it. Goods should be 'fit

Advantages and Disadvantages of Servant Leadership Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Servant Leadership - Essay Example   Another important advantage is the possibility of achieving high productivity and capacity among employees. Servant leadership tends to command respect, trust, and loyalty from employees. Therefore, organizations using servant leadership model are able to record more work output because employees feel as an important part of the organization. Indeed, employees who are nurtured to be leaders in different capacities develop a sense of ownership to the organization as opposed to an autocratic, dictatorial, or centralized form of leadership. Servant leadership cultivates high levels of involvement not only in daily operations of the organization but also in decision making. Whereas servant leadership seeks to attend to the needs of employees, the employees, in turn, feel empowered to attend to the needs of the customers and the organization in general. Furthermore, employees working under servant leadership are given the opportunity to make decisions, provide views and opinions, as w ell as air their concerns. This is a great advantage to the organizations as it can be able to tap into the wide variety of ideas from different employees. This is more important as opposed to the one sided ideas found on other centralized forms of leadership.On a different note, servant leadership can be likened to delegation of duties. Therefore, even in situations when a servant leader may be temporarily not in touch with the employees, the employees can actually act as leaders in their own individual capacities.   

Authorship of the book of Ruth Essay Example for Free

Authorship of the book of Ruth Essay The book of Ruth has been historically claimed to be written by the prophet Samuel. It dates back to the 1011 and 931 B. C. It was a message of the love of God directly to the Israelites. With the main theme of sacrifice, it was essential for them at that time to hear such words of love. In the heathen land of Moab, located North of the Dead Sea, Ruth is resides for a period of time and them moves further into the town of Bethlehem, during the era of the judges which occurred directly after the Pentateuch books which are the first five biblical books. Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi and Elimelech, who were an Israelite couple with two sons. Mahlon and Chilion were their names and both married Ruth and Orpah. Sadly, all three men in the family died, firstly Elimelech and then later on his two sons, leaving three widowed women. The actual period is not actually stated. However, most scholars have attributed its authorship to the pre-exilic era; the period after the enslaved Israelites were freed and permitted to return back to their homeland of Israel. As a historical book of the Bible and an excellent piece of literature, it has challenged the conception of the era and the norms of the periods as recording the attitudes and conducts between people. It demonstrated tremendous practicality and dealt with serious relational issues and we can learn a lot from it today. Its authorship is unknown. It clearly begins by alluding to the period of the judges and it is perceived by some to have been written around that time. The prophet Samuel has been given the credit for its authorship by many scholars. In recent times however, there have been speculations as to the real author of this book. It has been recognised as having been written by a female author. According to an ancient Beraithato the Talmudic treatise it stated that the prophet Samuel did write the book of Ruth. As it is does not provide strong evidence concerning the authorship, several authors in recent times have refuted the prophet Samuel as the actual author of this phenomenal book. Does it really matter whether it was written by a male or female author? This has been a question in the minds of many because in its entirety, the content of the book is very positive and has a lot of moral, social and legal coverage, which has provided a lot of insight into the way the Israelites interacted amongst themselves as well as among foreign nations, like the Moabites. In this essay, various perspectives of scholars will be addressed and references to the actual text will also be made to support and refute arguments which have been put forth by various intellectual minds. In a recent book entitled the Widow’s plea, a group of authors cited a number of key points about the book of Ruth. Central to their arguments were factors that provided an insight to the gender identity of the author. Firstly, they referred to a deliberate attempt by the author to strengthen the plight of widowed women in this book, by the avoidance of dealing with the Leveriate marriage, a popular custom that existed during that period. Lawson Younger in made inference to this point by referring to the book ‘Three Shekels’ by H Shanks: The inscription is puzzling. According to the law of levirate marriage, a man must marry his brother’s widow if his brother died childless (see Deuteronomy 25:5–6). Why wasn’t the husband’s brother, who had already received the wheat ? eld in Nacamah, required to do his duty by marrying his brother’s widow? Alas, the ostracon does not tell us(p 32) The laws relating to marriage and redemption were strongly intertwined and since it was not completely applicable in this case because Ruth did not marry her direct next of kin, these scholars have speculated that it might have been authored by a female. Furthermore, H Avolos backed this argument by purporting the deliberate exclusion in this case. (Avolos 616) In an attempt to further prove this point Young referred to various Hebrew texts and phrases used to give a better view point. For instance, the use of the words ‘Amah’ and ‘siphah were used at different times, suggestive of various points regarding the nocturnal influence of Ruth in Chapter 3:9. This is what he noted: Amah seems to be used to emphasize a slave’s feminine qualities (need for protect weakness, sexual attractiveness, etc. ), while siphah seems to be used when the female is viewed as a possession and a laborer. 41 Both terms can be used as self-designations. When it is used this way, amah appears to suggest a female petitioner’s weakness and need for help or protection when presenting a request before a more powerful male, never before another female. When siphah is used as a self-designation of obeisance, it seems to signify the woman’s subservience and readiness to serve or obey instructions. (p127) With the usage of the term amah, despite the fact that she was a labourer or indirectly in servitude, she was still able to realize her feminity even in hardship. It was suggestive of her need for protection and dependency on the one who is stronger than herself, especially when requesting a favour from an influential male figure. This point alludes to the kind of writing by a male author, realizing the need of the woman for protection and a bulwark. The usage of the term siphah suggested the readiness of the woman to adhere to instructions from the male and obey and to do is bidding. In both cases, there is a strong suggestion of a male authorship based on this viewpoint. Further Hebrew terms used indicate more usage of feminine forms of verbs. For instance, the word hyrja, meaning ‘them’ was used to refer to bodies of individuals. Its frequent usage indicated that the author made reference to a wide range of people who were female. Perhaps this could have been suggestive of a male author appreciating the role of the women or in actual fact, a woman who sought to enhance the role of the female in that era? The Feminist Companion of the Bible addressed several points that alluded to an obvious female authorship. (pg 34) It was argued that this book presented various points which gave credence to the importance of women in the Holy Bible. For instance, several women were identified who played excellent roles in biblical event, including Deborah, Dorcas, Esther and Miriam just to mention a few. It was also admitted that there were also major indications to the book of Ruth being authored by a male because of its superscription, just as the case was in other books like the book of Ecclesiastes. An interesting point to note was that there was a chance that although it may not have been written by a woman, the male author certainly had a profound respect for women and valued their contribution to the society. Interestingly, this book under the ‘Unconventional Life Partnership, Women Do Go Unconventional Ways’ heading also referred to the instruction by Naomi to Ruth, to use her natural female charm to win the heart of Boaz. (Athalya 29). This could very well have been a masculine viewpoint, in the sense that Naomi did recognize that Ruth needed a man in her life and hence was giving her advise on how to make Boaz notice her. During that period, it was generally expected that the women realized that they were being prepared for marriage at some stage and it would have been the role of an experienced woman like Naomi to share this with Ruth. This is a very feminine disposition which could have been expressed by the author. In the second chapter of the book of Ruth, she was portrayed as a hardworking lady who went to ‘glean with the reapers’. In Hebrew, the word ‘reapers’ refers to masculinity. Hence, irrespective of this fact, she was able to go and work with the men, gathering enough food supply for herself and for Naomi. As a matter of fact, it was emphasized that she worked through to the period of harvest. By so doing, she was able to gather more than sufficient rations to tend to the needs of a whole family. This was a progressive woman who knew that it was essential that she managed the home front successfully. In other words, she was a traditional homemaker – the major role of the woman. A female author would not have put this point any better. In his comparative study of the book of Ruth, Younger suggested that to a large extent, it seemed that a woman’s economic well-being was directly related to her link with some male. (p 129) From a feminine perspective it could be argued that this exhibited self-reliance and independence of the woman. On the contrary, there is also the aspect of the masculinity portrayed. The head of the reaper, when approached by Boaz who had not yet met Ruth at the time to ask about who she was, the reaper made excuses on her behalf, as she was a foreigner ( a Moabite girl) who did not the customs and modest requirements of the women of Israel. This impled that she was gleaning with the wrong set of people, in other words, the men. Hence, when Boaz eventually spoke to her, he advised her to glean with the girls or young ladies (Chapter 2:8). This was indicative of the male dominance and belief in the distinct and separate roles of the woman and the man. The geneological account in Chapter Four included women in it and this has made people suggest its female authorship. It was uncommon to have women included in the genelogical chronology. Especially in this instant, this geneology led all the way down to David, from whom the expected lineage of the Messiah was from. The character of Boaz was one of a generous and extremely loving individual. He saw the needs of Ruth and Naomi and took the necessary steps to ensure their happiness. By so doing, he tremendously brought a lot of benefits to himself. Eventually, he got married to Ruth. His numerous character traits are worthy of further study. Ruth was described as a virtuous woman. From the beginning of the book, she displayed loyalty and love, even to its end. When Naomi was bereaved of three members of her family including her husband and sons, Ruth did not seek out her own gain but decided to remain with Naomi, always. It took superhuman power to make such a profound statement in Chapter 1:16, entreating Naomi to let her (Ruth) remain with her. There was nothing that Naomi had to offer her. Both her sons were now dead, including the husband of Ruth. As was pointed out by Naomi, she had nothing to offer Ruth. Notwithstanding, Ruth made a selfless commitment to stand by Ruth, through times of sorrow and happiness. Naomi was a wise lady whose experience was of great benefit to Boaz and Ruth. In essence, she took the practical steps to facilitate their union. In all three characters, excellent themes of relational interactions have been displayed. Humility, sacrificial love, generousity and empathy just to mention a few, are required in everyday dealings with people. Regardless of the authorship, these character traits spread across boundaries and are pertinent in dealing with practical real-life matters. Especially today, these attitudes are still required and go along way in boosting human interactions. Works Cited Brenner, A. The feminist companion to the Bible (Second Series) Sheffield Academic Press Avalos, H. Legal and Social Institutions, 616 Malick, D. An Argument of the Book of Ruth from http://www. bible. org/page. php? page_id=952 Shanks, H. (1997). Three Shekels pg 32. Younger, K. L. (1998). Two Comparative Notes on the Book of Ruth. Trinity International University

M&S Case Study Essay Example for Free

MS Case Study Essay Introduction As stated by Andrew (2001), the Porter’s generic strategies framework assist the business to evaluate a competitive atmosphere. The five Porters force mainly deal with entry threat, power of buyers and suppliers, substitute’s threat, and competitive rivalry. The threat of entry According to Porter (1980), entry freedom into a new market is normally considered an indication of the extent of company’s competitiveness. Porter further states that the larger the barriers to entry, the less the threat of new companies moving into the market. Marks and Spencer individually can keep prices low strategically to minimize possible entrants into the market. This is called entry deterring pricing that establishes a barrier to other competitors. As stated by Anthony (1999), these barriers are unique characteristics of an industry that defines it. The barriers decrease the pace at which new firms enter the industry thus maintaining low profits levels for other companies. The power of buyers For Marks and Spencer to root to its customers, it has to emphasis on grassroots acquisition of customers so as to offer an enlarged bargaining power to them. Consumers can improve their bargaining power suppose the services or products of an organization are not affordable or are of low quality. The consumers an also have strong bargaining power suppose they purchase standard, undifferentiated goods from suppliers. The buyers will be weak if producers can over own retailing if the producers are not standardized and the buyer cannot switch to another product (Johnson and Scholes, 2002). The company has tried to minimize such cases for high competitive advantage. The company has also to find new delivery methods that will improve customer satisfaction. Power of suppliers According to Porters (1980), a supplier can have influence suppose the company works within a limited market and there is a degree of substitutability. As asserted by Grant (2005), there are some factors that determine the power of the company to attain all the needed account to meet the relevant profits. There are credible onwards integration threats by suppliers, supplier’s concentration, cost of switching suppliers, and its powerfulness to boycott low quality products (Anthony, 1999). The company has to maintain a chain of suppliers for its products to beat the competition. Threat of Substitutes Porter (1980) describes the threat of substitution as the identification of substitute products that can perform the same function as the product in question. Marks and Spencer experiences some threats from the products of other companies. To an economist, intimidation of competitors take place supposes the product demand is affected by change in price of the competitors. Marks and Spencer’s products demand have been adversely affected by the strategic change in prices of other companies (Coyne, 1996). The new fashions available and the changing dressing mode are creating high competition between Marks and Spencer and other competitive companies. Rivalry Marks and Spencer faces high competition because various companies have emerged producing high quality products at affordable prices. This high concentration shows that the company has many competitors and majority has an important market share. To counter competition, Marks and Spencer has managed to lower prices so as to gain a temporary advantage. It has also strived to improve their product features and qualities during the manufacture (Grant, 2005). References Andrew, H., 2001. Understanding Potters five force analyses in the industries: view in the global world. Macmillan publishers. pp.22-27. Anthony, W., 1999. Strategic comparison of business to consumers’ relationships. Macmillan publishers. Coyne, K., 1996. Bringing obedience to policy. The McKinsey Quarterly. No.4. Grant, R., 2005. Modern policy investigation. The Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford (U.K.). Johnson Scholes, 2002. Strategic Management. 6th ed. Exploring Corporate Strategy Text Cases.

Reality Television Do More Harm Media Essay

Reality Television Do More Harm Media Essay Although reality television may be popular source of entertainment, it is doing more harm to the society by corrupting its thoughts; and therefore the harms of reality television outweigh its positives. What is Reality Television? Reality television is a television-programming genre that presents purportedly unscripted melodramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded. Arguments The content aired on reality television programs plays a major role in manipulating the viewers thoughts about certain aspects of the society and help create stereotypes in the minds of the people through false representation of facts. Reality television program participants become victims of the edited material aired on TV and their image is hampered. The competition in the shows is extremely intense and brings out the worst in the participants. Reality television occupies a large amount of precious time of the viewers, thus preventing them from performing much more productive activities. KHATRY III Counter Arguments Reality television helps satisfy the needs of the people for juicy or spiced content on the screen, thus attracting large audiences. It acts as a medium of escape for the viewers from their everyday chores. However, the reality TV shows are becoming boring and pointless. Reality television helps provide a platform to bring the common man in the spotlight. But there are allegations of reality TV shows being rigged. Reality television provides an economical form of entertainment, thus proving to be profitable for the television producers since no major celebrities are usually involved. Nevertheless, the production cost averages between $800,000 and $2,000,000 plus per episode. Conclusion- Summarize and restate the arguments and counter arguments and thus, prove that the harms of reality television outweigh its positives. KHATRY 1 Does Reality Television Do More Harm Than Good? According to the American Time Survey 2011 conducted by the Bureau Of Labor Statistics U.S. Department Of Labor, The average American spends 2.4 hours everyday in front of the television screen, this means he spends 16.8 hours a week and 873.6 hours a year watching television. (American) Seven years of our lifetime in front of the idiot box can surely have a great influence on us, especially a negative one. One of the most prominent genres of modern television is the unscripted reality-based television program or commonly called Reality TV by the viewers. So what is reality television? Annette Hill in her article Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television, describes reality television as a television programming genre that presents purportedly unscripted melodramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded. (Reality) Reality TV pro grams like The Bachelor, Fear Factor, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and many more have overtaken the prime television slots and have become an integral part of the American family-couch time. Although reality television may be popular source of entertainment, it is doing more harm to the society by corrupting its thoughts; and therefore the harms of reality television outweigh its positives. First of all the content which is aired on the reality television programs is highly sexual and violent. Social cognitive theory suggests that people can discover meaningful sources of identity in their teens that feel connected to what theyre viewing. (288) According to the reports of attorney of law, Patrick A. Trueman, teens exposed to sexual material on television were more likely to be subject to premature sexual activities. Americas Next Top Model, a model hunt, has been repeatedly criticized for promoting KHATRY 2 poor body image of women resulting in low self-esteem and eating disorders among the young viewers. These shows also play a major role in creating stereotypes in the minds of the audiences. The audiences relate the actions of the participants to the ethnic or regional background they belong to. One such show is Jersey Shore, a reality television series that follows the lives of eight housemates spending their summer in New Jersey; the highly sexual and abusive content aired on the show has created misconceptions in the minds of the people regarding the residents of New Jersey. The show portrays a negative image of the American youth to the world as that of disturbed and unsophisticated. Omarosa Manigault a participant on the show The Apprentice stated, A friend of mine said, The fabric of reality TV is conflict, so make sure that youre either in the fight, breaking the fight up, or starting the fight.' The harms of reality televise are not only subjected to the audience but the participants and the crew in these shows too are pushed to the brink. The crews are made to work under unacceptable working conditions and are paid dimes for it. Three former employees of reality television shows, including American Idol, claim in a lawsuit filed that the producer forced them to work under sweatshop conditions and failed to pay for overtime hours they worked. The employees say the producer, Fremantle North America, forced them, to work up to 20 hours a day, seven days a week, sometimes without meal and rest periods, and that Fremantle falsified payroll records. (7) The participants in the reality television programs often become a victim of the misleading edited material aired on TV, which can go a long way in hampering their image in the real world. The participants in shows such as Big Brother and The Bachelor are subject to no privacy. The editing KHATRY 3 team crop the video footage in order to make it more entertaining, thus not revealing the whole truths. As a result the audience misinterprets their words and thus misconceptions are created in the minds of the viewers regarding the participants. Diana Eng a contestant on Project Runway stated in an interview, One morning the crew scared me so bad I jumped and screamed. They said that wasnt good, so I had to pretend to wake up again. (The Real) The world of reality television has also revealed the ugly face of racism in the Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy. Fellow contestants Jade Goody, Jo OMeara and Danielle Lloyd mocked Shilpa Shettys Indian accent and branded her as The Indian and a dog. (Celebrity) The highly competitive nature of the shows and the hunger to win usually brings out the worst in the participants. Sometimes even a lifetime may seem short enough to earn reputation however a moment of bad judgment is enough to lose it all. In a world where time is money and every single second is precious reality television consumes a large amount of the productive time of the viewers. The viewers spend numerous hours in front of the television watching these shows, time that they can use to perform more productive activities. Also there has been a decline in the outdoor activities of young adults, who would prefer an hour in front of the screen rather than playing ball in the park. Robert Foehr in his article Rideout states, Excessive TV viewing can contribute to poor grades, sleep problems, behavior problems, obesity, and risky behavior. (Rideout) However, we cannot be oblivious to the positive factors of this genre. Despite the numerous harms caused by reality television, the genre has become the most viewed form of television with its television rating soaring higher than ever. KHATRY 4 Realty television is one of the best means of entertainment for the viewers. For the common man it acts as a medium of escape from the arid realities of everyday life since the viewers can relate themselves with the participants on the show. The major reason for the numerous reality television programs being aired nowadays is the audiences thriving appetite for juicy or spiced content on the screen. However, the reality TV shows are soon becoming boring and pointless. Audiences have lost interest in the shows because lack of plot and repetition of themes. The show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo has received criticism globally from viewers according to whom the family is nothing but a laughing-stock. Reality television programs like American Idol and Master Chef help provide a platform for the common man to express his talents and achieve his dreams. Reality television programs are a source of instant fame and recognition for the common herd. The sole purpose of these programs is to focus on the life of ordinary people and bring them in the spotlight rather than the major celebrities. These have given the world phenomenal talents in the form of Kelly Clarkson, season one winner of American Idol, and the extraordinaire chef Jennifer Behm, who won the second season of Master Chef USA, and many others. However there are allegations of reality TV shows being rigged. The contract signed by the contestants on the reality TV shows states that the producers posses the right to determine the winners. Hope Solo, a contestant on Dancing With The Stars, pointed in her journal Solo: A Memoir Of Hope a specific incident behind the scenes that led to her elimination. Although the actual number of votes may not be twisted, producers have other illusive means to manipulate the public opinion. Dian Anderson Minshall stated in her article How Authentic Are Your Favorite  Shows? that Tom Poe a contestant on Americas Got Talent, a talent show, who lied about being injured by a grenade and suffering a brain KHATRY 5 injury while serving in Afghanistan insists the show is rigged and audiences are coached to support predetermined favorites. (How) Not only is reality television entreating but is economical as well. Producers nowadays are willing to invest in new reality TV ventures rather than sitcoms because of the huge difference in costs. Reality television programs fall cheaper to produce since no major celebrity is being paid a hefty fee. Advertisers are willing to pay millions for a 30 second commercials during the ad breaks. Nevertheless, the production cost averages between $800,000 and $2,000,000 plus per episode. Large sums of money are awarded to the winners of these shows. The cost for putting up the grand stages and sets for shows like Survivor and American Idol are exorbitant. As we have known it that there are always two sides of a coin, both the merits and demerits of reality television are present. Like it or not reality TV will remain to be one if the most popular television genre as long as the viewers demand it. Reality television has corrupted the thoughts of the viewers and hampered their perceptions about certain aspects of the society. There is hardly any authenticity to the content aired on the reality television programs; the manufactured drama aired on these shows is not reality. These acknowledged negative factors surpass the mere qualities of reality television. As stated in the above augments, although reality television may be popular source of entertainment, it is doing more harm to the society by corrupting its thoughts; and therefore the harms of reality television outweigh its positives. KHATRY 6

Computer Science Terms Essay -- Definitions

Computer Science Terms: Composite structure: the size of a typical software system implies that it must be broken down into manageable pieces of this Composition: the process of building a system using simpler parts or components Abstraction: the process of ignoring details irrelevant to the problem at hand and emphasizing essential ones. To abstract is to disregard certain differentiating details Data: the info the program deals with Functionality: what the program does with the data, the responsibility of the object to do Object: the most abstract description of a basic component of an object oriented system Values: a fundamental piece of info that can be manipulated by the program Types: a set of related values along with the operations that can be preformed with them Object: fundamental abstractions from which systems are built Classes: a set of objects having the same features and properties State of an object: the set of data maintained by an object at any given time Reference values: a value that denotes an object Data descriptions: properties of the object (name, date, etc) Associated value: a property an object has at any given time Variable: a portion of memory reserved to hold a single value Instance variables: a variable that is a permanent part of an object: memory space for the variable is allocated when the object is created Immutable: an object that's state cannot be changed Mutable: and object that's state can be changed *An object is characterized by the features it offers* 1. Query: a request for data 2. Command: a request to change state Float & Double: sets of real rational numbers (i.e. 170000 or 1.4e12) Char: set of values representing Unicode ... ... Chapter 6: *Black box testing = functional testing Test design generally begins with an analysis of  · The functional specifications of the system  · The ways in which the system will be used Test case is defined by:  · A statement of case objectives  · The data set for the case  · The expected results Functional testing: testing to determine that the system as a whole meets the customer's specifications. The system is treated as a "black box" whose behavior can be observed, but whose internal structure is unknown. *white box testing= unit testing Unit testing: incremental testing of classes as they are implemented in order to ensure that they function properly. Testing can be "white box testing" where the tests are developed based on the unit's implementation, or "gray box testing" where tests are developed based solely on a method's specification Computer Science Terms Essay -- Definitions Computer Science Terms: Composite structure: the size of a typical software system implies that it must be broken down into manageable pieces of this Composition: the process of building a system using simpler parts or components Abstraction: the process of ignoring details irrelevant to the problem at hand and emphasizing essential ones. To abstract is to disregard certain differentiating details Data: the info the program deals with Functionality: what the program does with the data, the responsibility of the object to do Object: the most abstract description of a basic component of an object oriented system Values: a fundamental piece of info that can be manipulated by the program Types: a set of related values along with the operations that can be preformed with them Object: fundamental abstractions from which systems are built Classes: a set of objects having the same features and properties State of an object: the set of data maintained by an object at any given time Reference values: a value that denotes an object Data descriptions: properties of the object (name, date, etc) Associated value: a property an object has at any given time Variable: a portion of memory reserved to hold a single value Instance variables: a variable that is a permanent part of an object: memory space for the variable is allocated when the object is created Immutable: an object that's state cannot be changed Mutable: and object that's state can be changed *An object is characterized by the features it offers* 1. Query: a request for data 2. Command: a request to change state Float & Double: sets of real rational numbers (i.e. 170000 or 1.4e12) Char: set of values representing Unicode ... ... Chapter 6: *Black box testing = functional testing Test design generally begins with an analysis of  · The functional specifications of the system  · The ways in which the system will be used Test case is defined by:  · A statement of case objectives  · The data set for the case  · The expected results Functional testing: testing to determine that the system as a whole meets the customer's specifications. The system is treated as a "black box" whose behavior can be observed, but whose internal structure is unknown. *white box testing= unit testing Unit testing: incremental testing of classes as they are implemented in order to ensure that they function properly. Testing can be "white box testing" where the tests are developed based on the unit's implementation, or "gray box testing" where tests are developed based solely on a method's specification

National Debt :: Argumentative Economy Economics Papers

National Debt How large are we going to allow the national debt to become? If we believe that it never comes due then its size is of little concern. However, that belief is like that of the ostrech; bury your head in the sand so you can not see the problem and the problem goes away. The fact is that the size of the debt is nearly five trillion dollars and grows by an average of 620 million dollars every day! The cause is that every year the government spends more than it collects in taxes. The government makes up the difference by borrowing billions of dollars annually, competing against private enterprise for the use of money saved by American citizens. That money should be used for investments to improve our standard of living and create a brighter future. Instead, our savings are being used by the government to pay for todays consumption, for special interests and for the interest on money borrowed in earlier years. At the present rate of growth the interest payment will eventually be greater than the current debt. Can we afford this? Are there enough creditors to support such an enormous burden? What will happen to our future, our childerns future? We are spending it for them now before they have a say about it. Surely this trend of deficit spending is leading us to national bankruptcy. A new policy geared toward a zero deficit must be adopted. This means that we must change the way we view spending on the entitlement programs, defense and domestic discretionary programs. Between 1980 and 1990 the national debt quadrupled from 800 million to 5 trillion. The current trend of spend every cent we can get our hands on and borrow the rest by mortgaging our future must be stopped. The fact that past investment in government bonds was sound and secure does not predict that the future will remain the same. How can

Public vs Private Healthcare

As a first generation Canadian, due to the on-going debate about a possible public-private healthcare interface, I have become very familiar with the meaning of public vs private healthcare. In a socialist type government healthcare services are provided, funded and regulated by the government, which constitutes as a public healthcare system. On the other hand, entrepreneur-run (profit-based) clinics and hospitals that are privately owned would be considered part of a private healthcare sect.As a Canadian I have experienced the benefits of a relatively efficient public healthcare system. When comparing this to our neighbor’s healthcare system, statistics have shown that although the majority of services provided in the U. S. are through the private healthcare sect, the US seems to spend much more on maintaining this system per capita than Canada.Somehow indicating that a government regulated system might be run a little more efficiently. Furthermore, from personal experience I have learned that a public health care system also provides access to everyone.It eliminates discrimination according to an individual’s income and class, when you are a patient you are treated with the same level of care whether you live in a million-dollar condo or in government housing. This in my opinion promotes equality and unification amongst Canadian citizens.I believe that with the government spending at stake the health of Canadians is more closely monitored. For instance, statistics provide that smoking leads to many health issues that in the end cause the government quite a bit of spending, this intern has encouraged many campaigns against smoking.For example, in Australia (another country with a publicly run healthcare system) persons born after a certain year will not be legally allowed to purchase cigarettes. Although in the opinion of some people, this is against human rights, in my personal opinion I think it is for the greater good of the future health of A ustralians. Something that Canadians should consider implementing along with the graphic anti-smoking packaging and very direct television-ads that are currently being used.Although, there are many advantages to public healthcare, we must not ignore  the disadvantages to a completely publicly run health care system. Considering that healthcare spending is dependent on taxes and the allocation of funding is at the mercy of government officials, we are faced with issues such as ‘Cut Backs’.Recently, the Canadian government has decided to reduce healthcare funding to the provinces, this has been reflected in increased wait times (which are already unacceptably long) and increased the number of services not covered by provincial healthcare.This along with the comparison of much lower funding for innovation and cutting edge research that has been apparent in the U. S. due to private sect interest and investment, has been motivation enough to drive some of our striving and driven physicians to move down south to further advance their careers.With the options of private funding and investment, the quality of private clinics can be much higher than what we receive at publicly funded clinic. On the other hand, where funding is not sufficient the quality can be quite low which shows an inconsistent range that cannot be regulated.Despite this irregular pattern, another advantage to having a private healthcare option is provided and allowing those who would rather not wait and pay for their services to do so and keep this spending in Canada. Therefore, with these clear advantages and disadvantages of both a publicly and privately run healthcare system, there is room for debate.I believe that is the reason the Canadian government is considering a public-private healthcare interface to reap the possible benefits of both systems. This of course will bring along with it the problems that have to be considered before a transition is made.

Low Voter Turnout in the United States Essay

Throughout American history, there has been a steady decline in voter turnout. Not only has this been â€Å"humiliating† for the United States, low voter turnout has been and always will be a threat to American Democracy. The concept of democracy is dependent on citizens actively participating in elections and voting to select representatives for public office. The government cannot be representative of the people, unless the people elect its representatives. Voter turnout is a major indicator of how citizens view their electoral system, and whether or not they believe that the system is working. There are numerous factors that impede voter turnout, including: citizens’ political attitudes, demographic factors, and the structure of the electoral system. The established registration process is one of the main causes of low voter turnout in the United States. Unlike many democracies, â€Å"the United States places the burden of registration on the individual† (Vanishing Voter, 7). There are no penalties for citizens that do not register or vote in American elections. Some propose that requiring citizens to vote and imposing penalties on those who fail to do so will increase voter turnout. The dilemma with this proposal is that it is fundamentally undemocratic. Citizens of democratic societies are promised the right to vote. In guaranteeing the right to vote, citizens are guaranteed the right not to vote as well. There are better solutions to the problem of low voter turnout in the United States than enacting compulsory voting laws. America has not established a national system of automatic registration; procedures for voter registration differ from state to state. A universal system of voter registration would make it much more simple for people to vote. The problem with this solution is that automatically registering people to vote does not imply that they will actually go out and vote. Six states have enacted a good solution, same day registration, which has been proven to increase voter turnout anywhere from 10 to 17 percent (Donovan, 182). Same day voter registration allows qualified citizens to register to vote on the day that elections are held. Because many states do not allow same day registration, many Americans do not take the time and effort to register in the first place; same day registration helps to solve this  problem. The registration process and electoral system also creates a problem of convenience. Not only is the registration process inconvenient, Election Day itself is problematic. Election day is held on a Tuesday, impeding the majority of the population from voting due to work-related duties and responsibilities. The solution for this problem is to make Election Day a national holiday. If citizens did not have the responsibility to be at work, they would be much more likely to find time and take the effort to go out and vote. Other solutions have been offered, including: extending the voting period, enacting absentee ballot systems, and voting by mail. While all of these other solutions have made it easier, cheaper and more convenient for citizens to vote, the costs do not fully outweigh the benefits. In any kind of early voting solution, the biggest concern is that early voters vote without knowing all of the significant information needed to make a well-informed vote. Many occurrences and revelations come at the end of the campaigns and can no longer influence voters that have already voted and cannot change their selection. A voter’s political attitude is the biggest indicator of whether or not he or she will vote. â€Å"Interest in the election, concern over outcome, feelings of civic pride, and political efficacy [all] affect how people vote† (Wayne, 83). Throughout American history, there has been a decline in partisan identification. Party allegiance is a stimulus for voting. Since citizens are not as loyal to partisanship as they were in the past, they have less incentive to actually go out and vote in elections. â€Å"As a group, independents are 12 percent less likely to vote than are strong partisans† (Wayne, 83). Along with the decline in party identification, interest in political campaigns has been declining steadily overtime as well. In today’s society, politics is forced to compete with so many other things in the media or at home for people’s attention. Media audiences are more interested in human-interest and celebrity stories than they are in politics. Because of this, election coverage in the media has greatly declined. The media’s coverage of the election is dominated by the use of  negative advertising and attack journalism. The frequent use of negative advertising in the media has played a role in America’s declining voter turnout. These negative advertisements repel potential voters; causing them to lose interest in the political campaign. Along with negative advertising, the lack of competition between candidates has also decreased political interests and led to low voter turnout. Low political efficacy has greatly reduced voter turnout in the United States. Voter efficacy is the belief that one’s vote counts and that voters can change the way government works or public officials behave (Wayne, 83). There are many factors affecting voter efficacy, including education and income. Income plays a major role in voter turnout. With the expansion of poverty in the United States, the gap between the rich and the poor is steadily growing. Citizens of lower income typically have lower voter efficacy. They are also less concerned with the outcome of the election than citizens of higher income levels, therefore, many of these people simply choose not to vote because they feel that they will not be affected by the outcome of the election. Income, education, and likelihood to vote are all positively correlated; more educated citizens have higher income levels and are much more likely to vote. Education is the greatest influence on voting behavior. â€Å"It provides people with the skills for processing and evaluating information; for perceiving differences among the parties, candidates, and issues; and for relating these differences to personal values and behavior† (Wayne, 83). The more educated a citizen is, the more interested they are in the election and the more concerned they are with the outcome. Educated citizens also have a great sense of civic pride and higher voter efficacy. All of these factors combined lead to a much higher likelihood of a person to actually turnout and vote. To increase political education, some propose conducting citizen education campaigns. The goal of these campaigns is to educate the people on the benefits and responsibility involved with voting. The main problem with this solution is that it is easier said than done. It is very hard to persuade  nonvoters to take the time and make the effort to educate themselves on the reasons why they should vote. A better way to increase education and voter turnout is to encourage grassroots campaigns. These â€Å"get-out-the-vote† campaigns help motivate interest in elections with nonvoters and can influence them to vote, increasing voter turnout. Neither conducting citizen education campaigns nor encouraging grassroots campaigns can promise an increase in voter turnout, but both can help influencing citizens to vote and possibly lead to higher voter turnout in the United States. Low voter turnout is a big problem in the United States. According to Wayne, â€Å"Low turnout suggests that people may be alienated, lack faith in the candidate and parties, think that the government is and will remain unresponsive to their needs and interests, and believe that they cannot achieve change through the electoral process† (Wayne, 85). The voter turnout problem is very hard to solve because low voter turnout itself leads to less voting. The numerous factors that impede voter turnout include: citizens’ political attitudes, demographic factors, and the structure of the electoral system. Some of the impediments are structural, but the most influential impediments are caused by other factors, such as the media, political campaigns, and the American citizens. Overall, the benefits of increasing voter turnout greatly outweigh the costs of doing so. While some proposed solutions may work better than others, it is most important to change voter’s attitudes about politics and make it more convenient for American’s to both register and vote. Higher voter turnout will reverse the relentless cycle of low voter turnout and help lead to a more representative democracy. Bibliography 1. The Road to the White House 2008. 8th edition. Stephen J. Wayne. 20082. Reforming the Republic: Democratic Institutions for the New America. Todd Donowan and Shaun Bowler. 2004

NFL Concussions

On the other hand, the nature football is very aggressive ND hazardous. There are many fans think there should be little to no regulations or changes because football is meant to be an aggressive sport. Football is considered to be a holy sport for most people in America. Thousands of fans watch each game and revolve their schedule around the NFG. The NFG has started trying to prevent concussions; in 2010 the NFG made a new rule that a player cannot tackle another player in head to head contact. As the fans and players started rioting against this rule, it helped in preventing concussions.There are often many injuries involved in the sport of oddball, but most injuries consist of concussions and other head traumas. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that shakes the brain inside the skull. Although there may be cuts or bruises on the head or face, there may be no other visible signs of a brain injury . The NFG needs to start implementing strict rules and harder punishments for people who play dirty or try to hurt others. Many players have been hit so hard to the extent that the injuries end their careers.Players often have long term effects from most injuries involved n football. These players being injured with a concussion is a serious matter because there is no physical signs of the injury. Although it is obvious that the NFG needs to protect its players better, many people still believe otherwise. Those people believe that football is football, it is meant for being aggressive and hitting hard. They also say that players are being penalized for something that happened accidental. Although this may be true sometimes, without the rules players can take advantage and play dirty. (WV.NFG. Com) The NFG data shows an average of one reported concussion every other game. About 120 to 130 concussions occur per regular season. Every year that NFG rules get stricter, the number of conc ussions decreases. These rules need to become more strict because concussions are a serious thing to have and most people usually don't know when they one. A reporter from USA Today explains how coaches should approach this matter. He said, â€Å"Signs and symptoms of concussions may be delayed, and therefore it may be prudent to remove an athlete from play, but when in doubt, take a timeout† (Bell).NFG isn't really doing much in dealing with the concussions. In the past year more than 160 players went down with a head injury. In response, the NFG fines players for their bad judgment on the field, which means nothing to them. Steve Inspire reported a New England defensive back stating, â€Å"Fines never mattered to me, being suspend for hitting a player helmet to helmet caught my attention. Because fines don't matter to a millionaire. † Also, people might say these rules about players not being able to tackle the way they want will cause them to not play as well and so ften them up.Sports reporter Tom Goldman said â€Å"its football, big hits are and always will be a part of the sport. † (Goldman). However, as professionals they should know how to change their name and adapt to the newer and safer rules of the NFG. They are allowed to hit as hard as they want but it's where they are hitting that is the problem. In the NFG if a defensive player hits a quarter back helmet to helmet he is penalized. Also, if a defensive player hits a quarter back after the play he is penalized. NFG has to try harder in protecting their players.In the past there where barely any rules, players didn't even wear metal helmets. They wore leather Ones which didn't protect them at all. Players in the past were twice more likely to get a concussion then players are now. The NFG rules on incursions are now stricter, but the amount of concussions this year is still too high. In the future, players should wear better helmets and have more gear on. There should be a medi cal staff on the sidelines in case of emergencies. Also, they should have operating rooms if injuries are too severe.After a big hit the player shouldn't come back to game unless a doctor agrees. Reporter says â€Å"If a certified athletic trainer were to see the hit again slow motion from a replay, he might say wait a minute we need to check him out. (McCann) Reporter Garret Bell explains â€Å"Quarterback Colt McCoy was allowed to continue playing after suffering a concussion, Macy's hand was checked out, but was never tested for a concussion because the medical staff didn't see the replay and missed the head get hit. † After all the rules NFG has changed this year it still didn't fix the problem.This year three major quarterbacks where injured from concussions which is an example of how the NFG still hasn't done enough to protect its players. Jay Cutler from the Chicago Bears, Alex Smith from the San Francisco errs, and Michael Vicki from the Philadelphia Eagles has been injured this year with concussions. Jay Cutler and the Bears didn't make it to the playoffs because of his injury. They started their season 7-1 , and when Jay Cutler got injured they finished the season 9-6. Michael Vicki missed the football season. Alex Smith lost his starting possession after he was injured.All these players and their teams were affected because one person wasn't careful enough to control himself. NFG hasn't done enough as shown by each of those Quarterbacks. Because the NFG has started to make a lot Of changes towards injuries this year retired football players feel that they should have gotten this treatment when they were playing. That's why many football veterans are suing the NFG today. A reporter from USA TODAY says ‘The NFG is a target of federal lawsuits by more than 3,700 former players who allege that for decades the league failed to protect from concussions and their long-term effects.Today Boston will release a report that includes the cases of 33 former NFG players diagnosed after their deaths with brain damage linked to repeated concussions. † (Misses) Another reporter states â€Å"There is a disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy which is often associated with concussions. Studies show that this can be incipient in people as young as 18. (Bell) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease that results in behaviors similar to Alchemist's disease. However, according to researchers, it has a clear environmental cause of repeated brain trauma rather than a genetic cause.This disease is most often known from ex-boxers, so it as if players are being punched in the head. Though this disease doesn't show up right away it often shows up later in their life. So players are not only being affected during their time playing football, but even after 20, 30, or even 40 years after they retire. â€Å"With all the steps the NFG has to improve layer safety, against all the backdrops of the hundreds o f ex- players suing the NFG for not revealing more knowledge about head injuries† said reporter Garret Bell.There are hundreds of parents that don't allow their children to play football from how easily things can wrong, even after knowing youth football players do drills aimed at reducing their risks of concussions. Football is a beautiful sport and a great exercise. If the NFG doesn't start making changes soon to improve their players' safety it may be stopped as a professional sport in America, especially if players keep receiving concussions ND diseases from the sport. Players, teams, and cities have been affected by these concussions.The NFG ended up realizing this problem 3 years ago in 201 0 and still hasn't fixed it. It is reported â€Å"In 201 0 through 6 weeks of the season it was reported that 35 players have been on injury lists, unable to play because of head injuries. (Goldman) If everyone were to watch football they would see what players go through every game. Players that are hurt the most are the ones that don't see it coming. They are most often hit on their blind side. Many people know the NFG-L needs to change, but very few people are trying to change it.Journalist Gary Misses explains, â€Å"The NFG is stressing a change in culture when it comes to a head injury. † (USA TODAY) In the NFG, football players should learn drills on how to tackle properly to reduce concussions. They should also, be put in simulations and scrimmages to learn how to avoid this harmful injury. Furthermore, players should be tested before football season to see how fragile their bodies are. That way teams can determine the amount of padding a player needs. All in all, it is obvious that the NFG needs to change its rules and regulations for the sake of the players and for the sake of the game. NFL Concussions On the other hand, the nature football is very aggressive ND hazardous. There are many fans think there should be little to no regulations or changes because football is meant to be an aggressive sport. Football is considered to be a holy sport for most people in America. Thousands of fans watch each game and revolve their schedule around the NFG. The NFG has started trying to prevent concussions; in 2010 the NFG made a new rule that a player cannot tackle another player in head to head contact. As the fans and players started rioting against this rule, it helped in preventing concussions.There are often many injuries involved in the sport of oddball, but most injuries consist of concussions and other head traumas. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that shakes the brain inside the skull. Although there may be cuts or bruises on the head or face, there may be no other visible signs of a brain injury . The NFG needs to start implementing strict rules and harder punishments for people who play dirty or try to hurt others. Many players have been hit so hard to the extent that the injuries end their careers.Players often have long term effects from most injuries involved n football. These players being injured with a concussion is a serious matter because there is no physical signs of the injury. Although it is obvious that the NFG needs to protect its players better, many people still believe otherwise. Those people believe that football is football, it is meant for being aggressive and hitting hard. They also say that players are being penalized for something that happened accidental. Although this may be true sometimes, without the rules players can take advantage and play dirty. (WV.NFG. Com) The NFG data shows an average of one reported concussion every other game. About 120 to 130 concussions occur per regular season. Every year that NFG rules get stricter, the number of conc ussions decreases. These rules need to become more strict because concussions are a serious thing to have and most people usually don't know when they one. A reporter from USA Today explains how coaches should approach this matter. He said, â€Å"Signs and symptoms of concussions may be delayed, and therefore it may be prudent to remove an athlete from play, but when in doubt, take a timeout† (Bell).NFG isn't really doing much in dealing with the concussions. In the past year more than 160 players went down with a head injury. In response, the NFG fines players for their bad judgment on the field, which means nothing to them. Steve Inspire reported a New England defensive back stating, â€Å"Fines never mattered to me, being suspend for hitting a player helmet to helmet caught my attention. Because fines don't matter to a millionaire. † Also, people might say these rules about players not being able to tackle the way they want will cause them to not play as well and so ften them up.Sports reporter Tom Goldman said â€Å"its football, big hits are and always will be a part of the sport. † (Goldman). However, as professionals they should know how to change their name and adapt to the newer and safer rules of the NFG. They are allowed to hit as hard as they want but it's where they are hitting that is the problem. In the NFG if a defensive player hits a quarter back helmet to helmet he is penalized. Also, if a defensive player hits a quarter back after the play he is penalized. NFG has to try harder in protecting their players.In the past there where barely any rules, players didn't even wear metal helmets. They wore leather Ones which didn't protect them at all. Players in the past were twice more likely to get a concussion then players are now. The NFG rules on incursions are now stricter, but the amount of concussions this year is still too high. In the future, players should wear better helmets and have more gear on. There should be a medi cal staff on the sidelines in case of emergencies. Also, they should have operating rooms if injuries are too severe.After a big hit the player shouldn't come back to game unless a doctor agrees. Reporter says â€Å"If a certified athletic trainer were to see the hit again slow motion from a replay, he might say wait a minute we need to check him out. (McCann) Reporter Garret Bell explains â€Å"Quarterback Colt McCoy was allowed to continue playing after suffering a concussion, Macy's hand was checked out, but was never tested for a concussion because the medical staff didn't see the replay and missed the head get hit. † After all the rules NFG has changed this year it still didn't fix the problem.This year three major quarterbacks where injured from concussions which is an example of how the NFG still hasn't done enough to protect its players. Jay Cutler from the Chicago Bears, Alex Smith from the San Francisco errs, and Michael Vicki from the Philadelphia Eagles has been injured this year with concussions. Jay Cutler and the Bears didn't make it to the playoffs because of his injury. They started their season 7-1 , and when Jay Cutler got injured they finished the season 9-6. Michael Vicki missed the football season. Alex Smith lost his starting possession after he was injured.All these players and their teams were affected because one person wasn't careful enough to control himself. NFG hasn't done enough as shown by each of those Quarterbacks. Because the NFG has started to make a lot Of changes towards injuries this year retired football players feel that they should have gotten this treatment when they were playing. That's why many football veterans are suing the NFG today. A reporter from USA TODAY says ‘The NFG is a target of federal lawsuits by more than 3,700 former players who allege that for decades the league failed to protect from concussions and their long-term effects.Today Boston will release a report that includes the cases of 33 former NFG players diagnosed after their deaths with brain damage linked to repeated concussions. † (Misses) Another reporter states â€Å"There is a disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy which is often associated with concussions. Studies show that this can be incipient in people as young as 18. (Bell) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease that results in behaviors similar to Alchemist's disease. However, according to researchers, it has a clear environmental cause of repeated brain trauma rather than a genetic cause.This disease is most often known from ex-boxers, so it as if players are being punched in the head. Though this disease doesn't show up right away it often shows up later in their life. So players are not only being affected during their time playing football, but even after 20, 30, or even 40 years after they retire. â€Å"With all the steps the NFG has to improve layer safety, against all the backdrops of the hundreds o f ex- players suing the NFG for not revealing more knowledge about head injuries† said reporter Garret Bell.There are hundreds of parents that don't allow their children to play football from how easily things can wrong, even after knowing youth football players do drills aimed at reducing their risks of concussions. Football is a beautiful sport and a great exercise. If the NFG doesn't start making changes soon to improve their players' safety it may be stopped as a professional sport in America, especially if players keep receiving concussions ND diseases from the sport. Players, teams, and cities have been affected by these concussions.The NFG ended up realizing this problem 3 years ago in 201 0 and still hasn't fixed it. It is reported â€Å"In 201 0 through 6 weeks of the season it was reported that 35 players have been on injury lists, unable to play because of head injuries. (Goldman) If everyone were to watch football they would see what players go through every game. Players that are hurt the most are the ones that don't see it coming. They are most often hit on their blind side. Many people know the NFG-L needs to change, but very few people are trying to change it.Journalist Gary Misses explains, â€Å"The NFG is stressing a change in culture when it comes to a head injury. † (USA TODAY) In the NFG, football players should learn drills on how to tackle properly to reduce concussions. They should also, be put in simulations and scrimmages to learn how to avoid this harmful injury. Furthermore, players should be tested before football season to see how fragile their bodies are. That way teams can determine the amount of padding a player needs. All in all, it is obvious that the NFG needs to change its rules and regulations for the sake of the players and for the sake of the game.

Education Beyond the Classroom

The assignment is going to outline how ‘Eureka! A Museum for Children’ plays a part in learning outside the classroom environment. The museum will be examined to see how it plays a role in life-long learning. We define learning outside the classroom as: â€Å"The use of places other than the classroom for teaching and learning. † Every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.Learning is a process of active engagement with experience. It is what people do when they want to make sense of the world. It may involve the development or deepening of skills, knowledge, understanding, awareness, values, ideas and feelings, or an increase in the capacity to reflect. Effective learning leads to change, development and the desire to learn more. (DfEE 2000) Learning outside the classroom is about raising achievement through an organised, powerful approa ch to learning in which direct experience is of prime importance.This is not only about what we learn but importantly how and where we learn. (Learning Outside the Classroom (2006)) †¦ museums and galleries †¦, in themselves, understood as educational establishment. They were set up to enable people to educate themselves†¦ Museums were one opportunity among many of acquiring knowledge. (Hooper-Greenhill 1994, p. 1) Museums are still very much thought of as educational establishments but the audience for whom they cater for varies very much from one museum to another.Formal and informal educations are two terms that are used to describe the type of education that a person receives. Formal is the set ‘curriculum’ that is taught in the traditional school setting. Whereas informal education is the curriculum taught in museums or other institutes that are outside of the schools. (Hein 1998, p. 7) Children’s museums are not museums in the traditional sen se. They are different in their missions, in their approach and in their specifically targeted age-group. (Pearce 1998, p. 19) Eureka! s a museum that has been specially designed for a specific age group, and is the UK’s first and foremost museum for children. Historical context of Eureka! Eureka was first opened in July 1992 by HRHThe Prince of Wales, as an educational charity, the idea for Eureka was modelled on the North American concept of a Children’s Museum and remains to be the only museum of its type and scale. The basis of children’s museums is in interactivity, learning by doing, learning through fun, learning through play. (Pearce 1998, p. 6) Since it has opened it has enjoyed unrivalled success, proving popular with children, parents and teachers alike. At Eureka! there are over 400 hands on, must touch exhibits, each teaching children more about themselves and reflecting the world in which they are growing up in, it is achieved by a fun approach to learning and development. Eureka! meets National Curriculum requirements, it has six themed galleries and a full programme of interactive workshops covering an imaginative range of curriculum themes to support Foundation, KS1 and KS2 learning.The education service aims to take the hassle out of school visits by providing fully structured itineraries, picnic and storage facilities, staff support, teaching resources and work sheets. Museums are the world of ‘infotainment’ and ‘edutainment’ where people have fun but also learn something. (Pearce 1998, p. 80) Learning Experiences Teachers are provided with an education resource pack which includes detailed notes on how to get the best from each of the museum’s section and indicates links to the National Curriculum. There are also special workshops which may be booked for school classes. (Pearce 1998, p. 7) The museum also provides special designed packages for the school holidays and Science activities, also sleepovers that have to be pre-booked.‘Me and My Body’ encourages children to find out more about themselves by using the exhibits to discover how the body and the five different senses work, also it enables visitors to use various aids to experience what it is like to have a disability. ‘Living and Working Together’ that recreates an environment where visitors can discover the mysteries of daily life and try out the jobs people do in the many buildings on a high street and in the house.. Our Global Garden’ helps children the familiar ‘backyard' to amazing gardens that exist in the world. It is themed around seven different ‘gardens'; each telling their own unique story, whilst emphasising the inter-relationships between them, finding out what makes them precious and how best to look after them. ‘SoundSpace’ provides children with a unique experience, enabling them to explore and understand sound, music and performance t hrough state-of-the-art technology, by exploring the physics of sound by seeing and feeling vibrations and creating their very own musical sequences.Throughout the experience, Sound Space aims to enhance the understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) by exploring the unique relationships that exist between music and creativity, science, technology and the arts in a fun and accessible way. Over the past three years Eureka! has been the lead partner for Creative Minds, a ? 3. 8 million pound regional initiative to encourage children’s interest and learning in STEM; to help in the creation of a future workforce. The ‘Creative Minds' project is to provide young people with learning opportunities in STEM from 2003 to 2006.Over 15,000 learning opportunities have been delivered to both young people, their teachers and those who work in the sector. (Publication Material, Creative Minds (2005)) ‘SoundGarden and Desert Discovery’, these galler ies aim to extend opportunities in the museum for babies and young children to develop their senses and stretch their imaginations. These galleries support early education principles of learning through play, reflecting the intentions of the Birth to Three Matters framework and the Foundation Stage curriculum.It is expected that the lifespan of exhibits vary from 5-7 years and that the cost of devising, designing, fabricating and installing new exhibits in the future will need to be raised from various sources including charitable foundations and corporate sponsorships. (Pearce 1998, p. 67) The latest two galleries opened in 2004 and respectively in 2005. The museum needs to keep abreast of changes in school education; for example, the National Curriculum, that now emphasises on practical experience. (McLean 2003, p. 113)Meticulous care is taken when devising and developing new exhibits for a children’s museum, to ensure that they will engage the target audience and enable th em to learn as well as have fun. Exhibits are tested and modified in the light of children’s reaction and views. There are opportunities for comments and suggestions. As child-centred organisations the museums concentrate their resources on ensuring that they serve the needs of the children. (Pearce 1998, p. 113) The learning experiences found in Eureka! helps the child to make sense of the world around them by making links between feelings and learning.This is part of life-long learning as these feelings stay with the child into adulthood and affect their behaviour, lifestyle and work. It influences their values and the decisions made. It allows the child to transfer learning experienced outside to the classroom and vice versa. A commitment to life-long learning can demonstrate a positive social role for a museum and can also meet the demands from funding bodies for demonstrating public benefit and greater public accountability. (American Association of Museums 1993 cited in McLean 2003, p. 114) InclusitivityEureka! is a registered Educational Charitable Trust, in 1987 with the support of the museum’s patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, business sponsorship, government grants and the local council, it found its town centre site in Halifax, it later opened in 1992. The museum is situated five minutes from the motorway in Halifax town centre, next to the railway station on a 12. 5 acre site. It is a two storey, visible steel, stone and glass exposed structure. The whole site is accessible to wheelchair users and there is level access with a lift between floors.The convenience of location and ease of access is an important dominant of usage, the access includes physical access for those who are physically disabled. A limited number of wheelchairs are available on loan and also has special parking for them. It has not debarred the disabled and has attempted to provide for their needs. (McLean 2003, p. 134) For anyone with visual or hearing impairments, there is a full range of multi-sensory, highly stimulating exhibits available. Programmes can be adapted for particular needs as long as the museum is informed beforehand for school groups.Museum information is available in large print and houses a ‘Talking map’ that talks in four different languages. It is ideal for partially sighted individuals but it does not include any Braille for the blind people, so in this case it is a disadvantage for this certain group. Throughout the entire museum there is no inclusion for the blind, even though the galleries and the museum are designed so that these consumers are still able to visit, but it can not be done alone, they need someone to accompany them but the essential carers are admitted free.The talking map also caters for people whose first language is not English. The site is well lit, with colourful lighting that attracts and engages the children into wanting to explore. The signage for directions are appropriate for the audience for whom it caters for, the children mostly, they are all big and colourful with pictures as well as writing. The gallery signage and information is at average eyelevel for all aged grouped children and legible. The toilets for both the able and disabled toilets are clearly marked and changing facilities are also available.The museum was established as an educational charity and not for profit organisation, therefore Eureka! receives no government funding and must rely upon admission fees. These admission fees combined with transport costs mean that individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds or in areas of deprivation are missing out on the experiences that are offered. The prices are debarring a group of individuals from using the museums. These independent museums depend on visitors, it is consumer oriented, and has to be user-friendly, so it has an instinct and a need to reach out and serve their public. Sekers cited in McLean 2003, p. 30) The museum has offers for educa tional visits and large groups in order to reduce the cost of the visits to the museum, but on an individual family outing the prices are fixed. (Eureka! Publication Material, Appendix I) Health & Safety The building has its own risk assessment form that must be filled out before a group of children are allowed to visit for educational school visits. The building and exhibits are designed to minimise risk of injury from slips, trips, falls and finger traps.All elements of the museum are constantly monitored and modified to meet current safety standards. All the signage is marked and the dangers indicated. The museum has a lost children procedure is in place with the staff having the appropriate confirmed by national qualifications. The museum has qualified First Aiders on duty every day and the staffs are checked for relevant criminal history. The maintenance activities are carried out in accordance with HSWA 1974 and MHSW Regulations 1999 by trained technicians.Electrical and porta ble appliance testing is carried out annually in accordance with 16th Edition Regulations. Also, the fire evacuations and training are carried out in accordance with Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Certificates. Group leaders are advised to carry out their own risk assessment in accordance with their organisations aims. (Appendix II) The museum provides the teachers with information sheets for each area of the museum. The risk assessments are available for operations and activities as appropriate with again all the signage clearly marked.As the museum is designed for ‘hands-on’ the risk assessment on all the equipment and facilities are checked daily and regularly to ensure they comply with safety regulations. Eureka! is covered by public liability and Employers liability insurances and has written accident and emergency procedures in place. Eureka! is licensed by local authority regulations for all safety, fire, plant and lifting equipment and appropriate certificates ar e held. ConclusionThere can be no absolute blue print for children’s museums beyond the key characteristics mentioned previously. Otherwise each group or organisation will have its own emphasis and idea of what makes their museum special and important to its area. Diversity is one of the strengths of the movement. The emphasis is always on learning, exploring, on discovery. For that reason, in developing a British model it may be appropriate to adapt the term children’s discovery centre or children’s discovery museum for future use.