Dance and Movement Teaspoon of Light Project

â€Å"Keep your eye on the arrow not on the target† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b) Dance is expressive movement with intent, purpose, and form. It exists in many forms and styles and is practised in all cultures, taking place in a range of contexts for various purposes. Drama is the expression of ideas, feelings and human experience through movement, sound, visual image and the realisation of role. Both Drama and Dance is essential in children’s education and has many benefits however also portrays challenges for teachers.In this essay I have explored three learning out comes linked to Drama and Dance that were evident in the ‘Teaspoon of Light’ project coordinated by Dr Peter O’Conner in Christchurch, New Zealand which was aimed to use drama and dance education to support children and teachers during the aftermath of the 2011 major earthquake. I have discussed benefits and challenges that may occur by incorporating the followi ng learning outcomes into the primary school curriculum; Imagining and Creating New Works, Using Skills, Techniques and Processes and Making Aesthetic Choices.The first learning outcome is Imagining and Creative New Works. It is a dimension of drama and dance that focuses on exploring and experimenting with movement to express ideas and feelings (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). It includes discovering and creating movement solutions that emerge from a range of starting points and stimuli. There are benefits and challenges the occur from Imagining and Creating New Works. A benefit to this learning outcome is that through stimuli for guidance, students can interpret their own ideas and this work encourages social sensitivity and group cooperation during collaborative work.The Tasmanian Curriculum (2007), states that the ultimate expression of movement is recognised in performance. During ‘A Teaspoon of Light’, O’Connor told the students of a stimulus; the first line o f a story: â€Å"There was a girl who, when she got out of bed, tripped, and tore her cloth of dreams. † (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). A discussion then emerged about the story. The seven- and eight- year-olds told O’Conner that if you tear a dream cloth, your dreams disappear.The students then solemnly said that it is the saddest thing that can happen to anyone. O’Conner asks the students to show him what the girl from the story might look like when she tore her cloth of dreams. Cornett (2011) states the dance is beneficial to the primary school curriculum as it develops creative problem solving. It is stated that power is put to use to solve problems in every subject matter, including the subject of life (Parrish, 2007 cited in Cornett, 2011).Through the learning outcome of Imagining and Creative New Works the student’s demonstrated key components such as representing ideas and making choices, reinforcing the benefit-stimulus en courages students to explore and experiment with movement to express their personal ideas and feelings. A challenge that Imagining and Creative New Works portrays is the planning component from Drama. This component suggests that the creators of a lesson need to be very immediate- working in the here and now (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). The challenge is for teachers to be flexible in their sessions.Teachers need to know how and when to change direction in a lesson when a new lead appears that is worth proceeding. During ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ the students involved were continuously participating in whole class imaginary worlds, i. e. dream makers, re-creating Sarah’s cloth of dreams, using magic rubbers and shaking the dreams with magic spells (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). O’Conner (2011) believes that the imaginary world that was created during the sessions was â€Å"the joy of the work† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, b).He states that as teachers, the session ended up in different ‘places’ because they were prepared to let it. O’Conner mentions a quote from Dorothy Heathcote related to working on classrooms â€Å"keep your eye on the arrow not the target† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b). Wright (2003) describes this challenge in that teachers must be able to communicate expectations, needs and difficulties in a direct and sensitive manner and be able to accept the same level of directness from the children. The teacher needs to watch, listen and fell what the children need and want to express (Wright, 2003).O’Conner (2011) reflects on his session in ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ as constantly changing. He believed that deciding in the moment was an important challenge for the teachers and directors. The second learning outcome is Using Skills, Techniques and Processes in drama and dance. It is movement based as students mani pulate a medium by reorganising, reinterpreting and assimilating movement and design element in new contexts or for a new purpose. The process involves working collaboratively to experiment with dramatic techniques in constructing, rehearsing and refining the performance (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007).There are benefits and challenges for the teachers and students when exploring this outcome. The Tasmanian Curriculum (2007) states that a benefit for Using Skills, Techniques and Processes is the developing of awareness, relationships and appropriate behaviours in dance and drama, leads to an increase in self-esteem and confidence. During ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ it was shown that the students gained confidence throughout the sessions. Ginny Thorner, a Christchurch artist showed the students a role-play, demonstrating practical dance skills and drama elements.The students observed Thorner’s demonstration first before shortly having the opportunity to create their own re sponse to create a whole class experience of ‘moving dreams’ (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b). O’Conner stated that very few of the students had danced before, but through the use of teacher modelling it enabled them to develop their own short dance phrases, and therefore gaining huge amounts of confidence enhancing their opportunity to learn key concepts such as kinaesthetic awareness, performance skills, interaction and planning.It was evident in the clip that as the development of these skills increased, the students’ self-esteem and confidence increased also, hence being a benefit in the primary school curriculum A challenge that Using Skills, Techniques and Processes may reveal is the call for teacher’s awareness of and sensitivity to other people’s ideas, physical boundaries, background and experience. The Tasmanian Curriculum (2007), states in order to manipulate the medium successfully in the classroom context, th ere are a set of behaviours that should be expected and encouraged during the session, such as respect and empathy.In addition, Cornett (2011) writes that students value the surprising ways peers express ideas through movement; no one body shape or locomotor movement is right or wrong. In ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ activities were used where students created their own dance sequence based on what they felt were expressive movements. The students were also given the task to mirror a partners movement (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). There is evidence of the students working in their personal space, and developing awareness of what their body can do.The clip shows students dancing uniquely to how they felt dreams may be brought to life. Students come to delight in the artistry of fellow classmates as they witness the inventiveness of peers (Cornett, 2011). This is a time where teachers and students must be sensitive to other people’s designs. Oâ₠¬â„¢Conner believed this was a time during the sessions that delivered â€Å"rich, good theatre† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b). While exploring this learning outcome, teacher’s awareness of and sensitivity to other student’s perceptions is critical.The third learning outcome is Making Aesthetic Choices. A sense of aesthetics is deeply personal and students use their knowledge of aesthetic choice to make meaning and to critically appraise the works of others. In drama and dance, aesthetic choices are used to bring out the intention of the performance (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). There are both benefits and challenges that array from this learning outcome. A benefit to Making Aesthetic Choices in drama and dance is to deepen sensory awareness and learn to express themselves through the artistic use of pantomime, dialogue and improvisation (Cornett, 2011).Maslow places aesthetic understandings at the top of his motivation pyramid (Cited in Cornett, 2011). Aesthetic Choices are demonstrated in ‘A Tea Spoon of Light’ when the students wrote a recipe of the things they would use in order to repair the torn cloth of dreams (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). Initially the list consisted of their own wants, needs and likes; bed, to be asleep, pyjamas and lights off. The second list mentioned after some Aesthetic Choices were made, demonstrated a deeper understanding of the purpose.The second list consisted of 1 tsp of light in the darkest tunnel, 10 cups of love, 2 tsp of belief, 1/2 cup of adventure, 3/4 cup of hope. The list created by the students produced the rich Stendhal effect, the â€Å"ah† experience of being touched or moved (Lushington 2003, cited in Cornett, 2011). A challenge for successfully in cooperating Making Aesthetic Choices into the primary school curriculum is to be conscientious planning teachers who are knowledgeable about drama strategies and willing to adapt them for specific student needs (Cornett, 2011).In ‘The Teaspoon of Light’ one occasion demonstrating Aesthetic Choices was the ‘cloud bowl’ activity. The students decided that they needed an imaginary ‘cloud bowl’ to mix all the ingredients together to create the new ‘cloth of dreams’. The students were able to explore and experiment with different types of movement spontaneously and in response to O’Conner’s requests (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). The students chose what, how, who, when and even what colour when they were putting their ingredients into the cloud bowl. O’Conner asked questions to deepen their aesthetic understanding. Is 2 tsp. of belief light or heavy? What colour might it be? † And with each description, the element went into the bowl (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). The lesson was successful, but due to the fact that O’Conner was kno wledgeable enough to create a safety net while guiding the students through the activity. He used strategies that enhance students’ ability to look, discuss, view, review, select, reflect and refine (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). Cornett (2011), states that the dance literacy level needed by teachers is contingent upon what their students are expected to know and do.Reason can answer questions but imagination has to ask them (Albert Einstein, cited in Cornett, 2011). Learning through drama and dance develops the ability to appreciate and value on dramatic works. Drama develops the courage and persistence to ‘have a go’. The ‘Teaspoon of Light’ project coordinated by Dr Peter O’Conner in Christchurch demonstrates the learning outcomes of Imagining and Creating New Works, Using Skills, Techniques and Processes and Making Aesthetic Choices which in turn, have both benefits and challenges whilst being in cooperated into the primary school curriculu m.References Cornett, C. (2011). Integrating dance and creative movement. In Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts (4th ed. ), pp. 255-281. Allyn & Bacon, Boston, USA Faculty of Education, University of Auckland [foedauck]. (2011a, April 14). Earthquake: a teaspoon of light. . Retrieved from http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=jznOhFrSvJY Faculty of Education, University of Auckland [foedauck]. (2011b, September 4). Earthquake: a teaspoon of light (2). .Retrieved from http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ZoMpzIzJrFM The Tasmanian Curriculum. (2007). Dance. Retrieved from https://www. education. tas. gov. au/documentcentre/Documents/Tas-Curriculum-K-10-Arts-Syllabus-and-Support. pdf Wright, S. (2003). Dance. In The Arts, Young Children and Learning. (1st ed. ) pp. -230-255. Boston, USA: Allyn & Bacon. Wright, S. (2012). Dance-moving beyond steps to ideas. In Children meaning-Making in the Arts (2nd ed. ), pp. 85-114. Sydney Australia, Peason Education Australia.

Investment Decision Methods Essay

Financial managers use many different kinds of investment decision methods while making capital investments. The four widely used and major methods are i. Payback ii. Net present value (NPV) iii. Internal rate of Return (IRR) iv. Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR) The payback method tells us the time that is needed to retrieve a projects cost. When we have to select between two projects we will choose the one which has a shorter payback period or which is returning the costs in a shorter time period. Advantages of the payback method are that it is easy to calculate and that it gives a good indication of projects liquidity. But the disadvantages are that it does not consider the time value of money and does not consider those cash flows which occur after the payback period. The Net Present Value method tells us the sum of the present value of the projects cash inflows and cash outflows. When deciding for NPV the first consideration should be whether the two projects are independent or mutually exclusive. For the independent projects accept all projects which have a NPV greater than zero. While for mutually exclusive projects; the project with the highest NPV should be selected. Some advantages of the NPV method are that it gives information if the invest will increase the firm’s value. Moreover it considers three important aspects; the time value of money, all cash flows involved and the risk associated with the future cash flows. While its disadvantages are that it has to approximate the cost of capital for the calculation of NPV and it gives the result in absolute terms rather than percentages. Internal Rate of Return method tells us the discount rate at which the present value of future cash inflows is equal to the cost, the NPV at such a point is zero. In case of IRR method; if the IRR is greater than the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) the project should be accepted while if it is less than WACC it should be rejected. The IRR method and NPV method have many common advantages and disadvantages as discussed while discussing NPV. In case of the IRR method the basic advantage is that it gives the rate of return on the original investment. While the disadvantage is that it can give you conflicting values for the IRR when calculating for mutually exclusive projects. Modified Internal Rate of Return method tells us the discount rate at which the present value of the projects terminal value is equal to the present value of the cost. In this scenario the terminal value is calculated by compounding the future inflows at WACC or any suitable rate chosen by the analyst. When making the accept reject decision the project should be accepted when the MIRR is greater than the NPV and rejected if the case is opposite. The advantages of the MIRR method are almost similar to the IRR method but one added advantage is that it gives only one rate even in case of mutually exclusive projects. The disadvantage is that it assumes a rate while finding the terminal value this assumption can make the whole project doubtful. Deciding which method is the most accurate and reliable is a tricky job sometimes. The payback method and the MIRR method are not considered to be reliable because of their major disadvantages mentioned above. While the NPV and IRR methods are both considered reliable and are the basic tools to judge any investment decision. Both give similar results when deciding independent projects. While deciding mutually exclusive projects the NPV method is considered more reliable and accurate because the IRR method sometimes provides two IRR values, it is rather difficult to calculate and it makes a reinvestment supposition which is very unrealistic. Due to the factors mentioned above NPV is considered the most reliable and accurate investment decision method.

Is poverty of the third world the fault of the first world Essay

Is poverty of the third world the fault of the first world - Essay Example In this paper I argue that the major reasons for poverty in third world countries is the activities of developed countries. Role of developed countries in causing poverty in third world In one world, as in one state, when I am rich because you are poor, and I am poor because you are rich, the transfer of wealth from the rich to the poor is a matter of rights; it is not an appropriate matter for charity.† Such are the angry claims of Julius Nyerere, president of the African nation of Tanzania. His sentiments are echoed by the Third-World revolutionary Frantz Fanon: â€Å"The question which is looming on the horizon is the need for a redistribution of wealth. Humanity must reply to this question, or be shaken to pieces by it (Davis, 2012). Nobody is taking birth in this world as rich or poor. In fact natural resources are equally owned by the people in this world. However, rich people control the majority of the natural wealth in this world, not because of their rights but becau se of their ability to exploit it. Such people have the ability to exploit the natural wealth of even underdeveloped countries. Lack of education, unemployment and poverty, force governments in under developed countries to accept the strict terms and conditions put forward by the developed nations, for granting financial aids. Thus, the debts of poor countries are getting accumulated as time goes on. In short, developing countries are exploiting the weaknesses of poor countries while providing financial aids and hence the poverty in third world is remaining as a answerless problem. Because people in developed nations may have more wealth and resources than those in developing countries, their standard of living is also generally higher† (Poverty at large: A dark spot in humanity, n.d.). Higher living standards force people in developed countries to practice consumerism at the highest level. For example, wealthy people in developed countries have more than one vehicle in their family. When the number of vehicles increases, the consumption of petroleum products also increase. Since oil is a nonrenewable energy source, uncontrolled consumption of petroleum products results in rapid exhausting of energy sources. Shortage of oil sources cause price hike for petroleum products in global market. Price hike of petroleum products in global market increases the living costs in poor countries since petroleum products are necessary for the transportation of goods like food and other commodities. In short, increased consumption of petroleum products in developed countries is indirectly causing poverty in developed countries. Current world is extremely globalized and interconnected. The problems or developments in one part of the world can affect other parts of the world. MNC’s from developed countries are currently investing heavily in third world countries not for helping but for exploiting the natural resources of those countries. It is reported that billion s of tons of food products are getting damaged in the warehouses of developed countries. In a globalized world, it is the duty of the developed countri

US Colonial North American from 1607-1865 Research Paper

US Colonial North American from 1607-1865 - Research Paper Example I oppose his idea of containment. We have seen how the governor implements his ideas. He looks for opportunities such as this to increase taxes and exploit the business community (Billings 90). I oppose that and call for the elimination of Indians. Containment is Governor Berkeley’s avenue to raise taxes. Furthermore, the idea is not viable. Instead, the governor should find a long-lasting solution to the Indian menace. The governor has constantly called for containment, a policy that will result in the creation of fortified defensive systems. The idea is to arm the whites and make them ready for any attack. In case of such attacks, the whites with their weapons will come out and kill the Indians. This proves that we are talking about the same thing, extermination of the Indians. That remains the surest way of dealing with the Indian menace; the natives have systematically raided white homes and killed the people I represent. While we both propose the same idea, I call for a cheaper way of dealing with the problem, one that will not cause the hard working whites any increment in taxes. The governor has corrupted the political system. I oppose his governance because of his corrupt ways. He has cunningly removed the system of public rule by bribing the entire Lower House of the Assembly. He gives massive favors to his friends in the assembly thereby turning noblemen into â€Å"yes men† who cannot oppose the governor (Grizzard and Smith.51). The poor whites that I represent continue to languish in poverty and live in deplorable conditions. I refuse to watch Englishmen suffer while the governor continues to enrich himself. He for example influenced the Burgesses to meet at statehouse where he made it clear to the representatives that they served at his mercy. I oppose such an archaic system of government and propose a society where we will not have to worry out protecting ourselves because of a weak enemy that we

Tata Group Global Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Tata Group Global Business - Assignment Example Since Ratan Tata took leadership of the company, till his retirement in 2012 and the current president, Tata Group of companies has been headed by a common chairman to enable centralization. The Group Corporate Centre (GCC) and Group Executive Office (GEO) have been two crucial bodies involved in decision making of the Tata Group, to direct and define its business endeavours (Goldstein, 2007). It has a board that is chaired by the head of Tata group currently Mr Cyrus Mysty, who took over from Ratan Tata and consist of a CEO and a team of directors. That is just but the top executive of the conglomerate of companies. According to One World Trust, Tata group takes the form of an informal supra- organizational structure; such that it’s distinct high level corporate GEO and GCC has managing directors from Tata group companies, and allow various Tata companies to operate as separate legal entities with their own structures (n.d.).In its hierarchical structure, Tata group has diffe rent enterprises that operate in specific sectors and which also have their affiliate companies, either wholly acquired or merged with other local or foreign companies. For example, Tata Steel Company, Tata Motors, Tata Tele-Services and Tata Power among others.   Each of the companies has their own shareholders and managing director, and an independent board of directors with a chairperson that are held accountable to (tataaia.com, n.d.). Similarly, each of these companies organization structure may be modified with time., depending on the number of mergers and acquisitions. Some of Tata enterprises have very committed committees that address varying issues necessary for the company. For example, departments in an enterprise could depend on audit, remuneration, ethics, and compliance committees to support their function. In 2008, some of Tata enterprises like the TSC and Tata Steel unveiled new organization structure that enhanced company integration. Focusing on the Tata Steel G roup, which consist of Corus group limited and Tata steel, it has a strategy and integration committee headed by the Tata Group of companies chairman (initially Mr Ratan Tata), its hierarchical structure of management begins with the Board, managing director (M.D.), as well

Aristotle Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aristotle - Term Paper Example Later, he established his own school named ‘Lyceum’ in Athens when Alexander conquered Athens. The great genius is believed to have written more than 150 philosophical theses on wide range of rational problems. The subjects he mastered ranges from biology and physics to morals, aesthetics, and politics. Many of his findings in biology and physics were marvelous which pawed way for extensive research throughout several centuries. For instance, his brilliant observation unveiled several secrets of the anatomy of octopus, cuttlefish, and many other living organisms. He categorized animals into ‘genera’ according to their characteristics, and then distinguished species within genera. His treatise ‘Meteorology’ dealt with earth science through which he tried to answer the phenomena like thunder, lightning, rainbows, meteors, comets, earthquake, and the Milky Way. According to Aristotle’s view, the universe did not originate and hence never end s but only undergoes incessant changes or transforms from one condition to the other. Evidently, Aristotle’s findings on science and philosophy have been widely cherished by scholars of all times especially those of the Middle Ages under the influence of Christianity. The main cause of the acceptance of his theories was that they could be easily reconciled with Christian doctrines in many ways. Art and knowledge is one of areas where Aristotle’s ideas oppose to that of Plato. For instance, Plato argues that the appearance of poetry as a source of knowledge is rather deceptive. The opinion of Plato was contradicted by Aristotle in Poetics through the argument that poetry is capable of conveying the knowledge of universals to people (45). Thus, as McKeon purports, there arise two classes of thought; one that believes in the aesthetic value of art, and one that believes in the cognitive value of art. Aristotle comes up with three types of knowledge; theoretical, practical , and productive. The theoretical knowledge refers to the knowledge about things that are fundamental in nature. An example of this knowledge is the products and processes of nature. Practical knowledge refers to the knowledge that teaches what to do to address certain contingencies. Thirdly, productive knowledge teaches one how to make new things (241). Aristotle’s view of government also differed from Plato’s. Undoubtedly, both the scholars opposed to democracy to a great extent and according to them only members of the intellectual aristocracy constitute acceptable form of government. To be specific, Plato proposed a society that contains three classes based on their innate character. Individuals like farmers, artisans, and merchants constitute the bottom class. People like soldiers with strong wills and spirits form the middle class. Members of the intellectual aristocracy make the uppermost class because of their reasoning abilities. And the absolute control of po litical power is proposed for the intellectual aristocracy. Aristotle opposed monarchy, democracy, and aristocracy alike. Instead, what he proposed was polity’ which according to him was a government that situated between oligarchy and democracy. To illustrate, polity comprised of middle class people and would be a miniature of the population based on its size. However, he believed that the existence of a powerful government was essential for the welfare of the citizens. Aristotle, counts the virtue of

The joy of life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The joy of life - Essay Example The characters in the painting vary from one to the other; the three characters on the foreground were painted using napels yellow-reddish extra colour. There are two obviously female characters in the middle ground, one with a reddish hair and the other a brunette they have a pale skin. On the left side of the paint, there are four characters, one with a yellow skin and the three have an emerald green skin tone. The painting is an elaborate yet brilliant use of an array of different aspects of art, and an intricate application of shadowing; this has the effect of dramatizing the characters in this piece of art. Matisse (1869-1954) is a celebrated and respected artist from Paris who initially began a career in law but eventually transited to art, where he started as an amateur artist and later studied academic painting from various artists in Paris, Australia and London. He also experimented on sculpting, using clay to create certain forms, and printmaking but his most notable contri butions are well known in the art works. Most of his paintings exhibit the character of extravagant and use of bold, bright and vibrant colors, and for this, he was known as â€Å"wild beast†. His bold usage of brilliant colours earned him a place in the list of greatest modern artist of the 20th century. His initial paintings, now mostly in St Petersburg Russia, were mostly inclined to innate subject matter, but his later work bore the inclination of impressionalism. He admired and adored several artists and these included Jean- Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, and he made copies of Chardin’s work. Henri Matisse applied several varied aspects of art in the painting ‘Joy of Life’ to put his message across. One of the most important elements that he applied is the careful use of space, which becomes very evident to the viewer at first glance. He was able to accomplish this through by the different sizes and distances between the subjects in the whole work as some o f the sizes seem entirely inconsistent generating marvelous scene to the viewer as to just how near or far the subjects are in relation to one another. The artist also applies color with creativity by using a very wide range of colors from extremely light to pastel purple with a thin outline of dark blue lines, to deep red landscape, which is in contrast with the pale yellow skin of a woman’s body to create an eye-catching impact on the viewer. Another outstanding element of Matisse’s artwork was the use of line in the whole paining of ‘Joy of Life’ to carefully outline the subjects that are lighter in tone, and to portray a general flow of the painting. The use of smooth, consistent lines in this piece conveyed the creativity of the artist, which greatly influenced the work and was adequately able to capture the exact effect that Matisse intended to show us. Matisse developed this painting out of the impressionists’ movement that was prevalent in t he late 19th century, a derogatory term coined by Louis Leroy in 1972 to refer to a work of art that is unfinished. Matisse’s painting had no sphere or boundary on rules, the painting purely reflected radicalism in light of the growing secularism at that time in France. French political system at that time had an impact on the painting, during that period, French political system was adapting to the secular society, this had an impact on

The Role of Mental Set in Classroom Management Essay - 15

The Role of Mental Set in Classroom Management - Essay Example Mental set helps teachers to cultivate stance in relation to the classroom. Teachers can come up with solutions quickly in a classroom situation. For example, when children disrupt the classroom the teacher acts fast because he or she has experienced a similar problem and had a solution to it. This helps to minimize class disruptions because the students know the teacher is in control (Marzano, R. J., Marzano, J. S., & Pickering, 2003). Every human being has their strong and weak points. It is important for teachers to evaluate themselves in order to know their strengths and weaknesses. It helps a lot in maintaining effective classroom management. As a teacher, my main strength is my ability to maintain a good relationship with the students. Having taught for some years, I have learned the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the students. This helps in improving the students’ performance and also helps in cooperating with them. My ability to accommodate students from different cultural backgrounds is another area I do well. Having taught student from a different culture, I have come to learn the importance of understanding the students (Montgomery, 2001). Different cultures have different practices that if not understood can be misinterpreted. For example, Mexicans expect their children to be obedient, quiet and seek approval before acting. This can be interpreted as been overly dependent on the teacher. As a teacher, I tend to act swiftly in class this is an area I can do better. A case of a situation in class, I tend to act quickly without consulting what had caused the particular incident. Due to the fact, I have encountered similar situations in the classroom. This is an area I can work on in order to be a better classroom manager (Weinstein, Curran, & Tomlinson-Clarke, 2003).

Difference between entering the markets U.S.A and Austria based on Essay

Difference between entering the markets U.S.A and Austria based on hofstedes cultural dimensions - Essay Example The first category, that is; power distance measures less powerful members of asocial set up to the extent of acceptance of inequality. High gets in power distance indicate that a person workers or employers will not be granted advancement according to merit but rather what social set up has dictated for them. In individualism –collectivism high gets reflect strong person’s independence and a responsibility to one’s own actions.in Hofstede’s cultural dimensions; Masculinity-femininity affected very many societies. The values of women were relatively the same; meaning levels of modesty, caring, and sensitivity were relatively similar. Theworld’saverage in this category is 50. An average score implies that there is a balance between feminine and masculine qualities in a country. When it comes to uncertainty avoidance index, the world’s average in this category is 64. Rules and regulations in terms of intricate planning would be more prominent i n higher scoring countries. In his final cultural category; that is long term orientation Hofstede examines the preference for short term and long term goals in different countries. High scorers in this categoryindicate their culture is more persistent and thrifty (Ball et al., 2005). ... ed as the extent to which the less powerful members of the social set upor organizations within a state expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. The fact that disparities exist within a social set up is accepted by the subjects as well as by their leaders. The U.S.A has a low score on this category (40) which implies that the American liberty and justice for all has been underscored. This can be proved by the focus on equal rights in most aspects of the American social set up and government. Hierarchy is established for convenience for all American organizations just as superiors are always accessible and employers rely in a personworkers and teams for their experience. Both employers and workers in the American social set up expect to be consulted and information is shared frequently.at the same time, their communication is straight, casual and participative. Austria on the other hand gets as low as 11 in this category. This means that Austria is characterized by the f ollowing; there is a lot of independence, there is hierarchy for convenience purposesonly, persons have equal rights, superiors are easily accessible, leaders are viewed as coaches, their management facilitates and empowers workers. Power is not centralized and employers count on the participation and experience of their team members. Workers also expect to be consulted. Control on workers is unlikely and attitude towards employers are informal and on first name basis. Communication is express and participative (Hofstede, 2003). Individualism The most important issue addressed by this category is the degree of interdependence a social set up maintains among its members. This includesself-image defined in terms of â€Å"I† or â€Å"we† .individuals in a individualistic societies are

Optical Computing Essay Example for Free

Optical Computing Essay Jainam Shah Kalol Institute Of Technology, Kalol, Gujarat, India. [emailprotected] Abstract—Optics has been used in computing for a number of years but the main emphasis has been and continues to be to link portions of computers, for communications, or more intrinsically in devices that have some optical application or component (optical pattern recognition, etc). Optical digital computers are still some years away, however a number of devices that can ultimately lead to real optical computers have already been manufactured, including optical logic gates, optical switches, optical interconnections, and optical memory. The most likely near-term optical computer will really be a hybrid composed of traditional architectural design along with some portions that can perform some functional operations in optical mode. Computing applications as a consequence of faster processing speed, as well as better connectivity and higher bandwidth. II. NEED FOR OPTICAL COMPUTING The pressing need for optical technology stems from the fact that today’s computers are limited by the time response of electronic circuits. A solid transmission medium limits both the speed and volume of signals, as well as building up heat that damages components. One of the theoretical limits on how fast a computer can function is given by Einstein’s principle that signal cannot propagate faster than speed of light. So to make computers faster, their components must be smaller and there by decrease the distance between them. This has resulted in the development of very large scale integration (VLSI) technology, with smaller device dimensions and greater complexity. The smallest dimensions of VLSI nowadays are about 0.08mm. Despite the incredible progress in the development and refinement of the basic technologies over the past decade, there is growing concern that these technologies may not be capable of solving the computing problems of even the current millennium. The speed of computers was achieved by miniaturizing electronic components to a very small micron-size scale, but they are limited not only by the speed of electrons in matter but also by the increasing density of interconnections necessary to link the electronic gates on microchips. The optical computer comes as a solution of miniaturization problem. Optical data processing can perform several operations in parallel much faster and easier than electrons. This parallelism helps in staggering computational power. For example a calculation that takes a conventional electronic computer more than 11 years to complete could be performed by an optical computer in a single hour. Any way we can realize that in an optical computer, electrons are rep laced by photons, the subatomic bits of electromagnetic radiation that make up light. I. INTRODUCTION With the growth of computing technology the need of high performance computers (HPC) has significantly increased. Optics has been used in computing for a number of years but the main emphasis has been and continues to be to link portions of computers, for communications, or more intrinsically in devices that have some optical application or component (optical pattern recognition etc.) Optical computing was a hot research area in 1980’s.But the work tapered off due to materials limitations that prevented opt chips from getting small enough and cheap enough beyond laboratory curiosities. Now, optical computers are back with advances in self-assembled conducting organic polymers that promise super-tiny of all optical chips. Optical computing technology is, in general, developing in two directions. One approach is to build computers that have the same architecture as present day computers but using optics that is Electro optical hybrids. Another approach is to generate a completely new kind of computer, which can perform all functional operations in optical mode. In recent years, a number of devices that can ultimately lead us to real optical computers have already been manufactured. These include optical logic gates, optical switches, optical interconnections and optical memory. Current trends in optical computing emphasize communications, for example the use of free space optical interconnects as a potential solution to remove ‘Bottlenecks’ experienced in electronic architectures. Optical technology is one of the most promising, and may eventually lead to new III. SOME KEY OPTICAL COMPONENTS FOR COMPUTING The major breakthroughs on optical computing have been centered on the development of micro-optic devices for data input. A. VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) VCSEL (pronounced ‘vixel’) is a semiconductor vertical cavity surface emitting laser diode that emits light in a cylindrical beam vertically from the surface of a fabricated wafer, and offers significant advantages when compared to the edge-emitting lasers currently used in the majority of fiber optic communications devices. The principle involved in the operation of a VCSEL is very similar to those of regular lasers. Fig. 2. Optical Interconnection Of Circuit Boards Using Vcsel And Photodiode VCSEL convert the electrical signal to optical signal when the light beams are passed through a pair of lenses and micromirrors. Micromirrors are used to direct the light beams and this light rays is passed through a polymer waveguide which serves as the path for transmitting data instead of copper wires in electronic computers. Then these optical beams are again passed through a pair of lenses and sent to a photodiode. This photodiode convert the optical signal back to the electrical signal. B. SLM (Spatial Light Modulators) SLM play an important role in several technical areas where the control of light on a pixel-by-pixel basis is a key element, such as optical processing and displays. 1) SLM For Display Purposes Fig. 1. Two semiconductor materials sandwiching an active layer There are two special semiconductor materials sandwiching an active layer where all the action takes place. But rather than reflective ends, in a VCSEL there are several layers of partially reflective mirrors above and below the active layer. Layers of semiconductors with differing compositions create these mirrors, and each mirror reflects a narrow range of wavelengths back in to the cavity in order to cause light emission at just one wavelength. For display purposes the desire is to have as many pixels as possible in as small and cheap a device as possible. For such purposes designing silicon chips for use as spatial light modulators has been effective. The basic idea is to have a set of memory cells laid out on a regular grid. These cells are electrically connected to metal mirrors, such that the voltage on the mirror depends on the value stored in the memory cell. A layer of optically active liquid crystal is sandwiched between this array of mirrors and a piece of glass with a conductive coating. The voltage between individual mirrors and the front electrode affects the optical activity of liquid crystal in that neighborhood. Hence by being able to individually program the memory locations one can set up a pattern of optical activity in the liquid crystal layer. C. Smart Pixel Technology Smart pixel technology is a relatively new approach to integrating electronic circuitry and optoelectronic devices in a common framework. The purpose is to leverage the advantages of each individual technology and provide improved performance for specific applications. Here, the electronic circuitry provides complex functionality and programmability while the optoelectronic devices provide high-speed switching and compatibility with existing optical media. Arrays of these smart pixels leverage the parallelism of optics for interconnections as well as computation. A smart pixel device, a light emitting diode under the control of a field effect transistor can now be made entirely out of organic materials on the same substrate for the first time. In general, the benefit of organic over conventional semiconductor electronics is that they should lead to cheaper, lighter, circuitry that can be printed rather than etched. D. WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) Wavelength division multipl exing is a method of sending many different wavelengths down the same optical fiber. Using this technology, modern networks in which individual lasers can transmit at 10 gigabits per second through the same fiber at the same time. which interact with light and modulate its properties. Several of the optical components require efficient-nonlinear materials for their operations. What in fact restrains the widespread use of all optical devices is the in efficiency of currently available nonlinear materials, which require large amount of energy for responding or switching. Organic materials have many features that make them desirable for use in optical devices such as 1) High nonlinearities 2) Flexibility of molecular design 3) Damage resistance to optical radiations Some organic materials belonging to the classes of phthalocyanines and polydiacetylenes are promising for optical thin films and wave guides. These compounds exhibit strong electronic transitions in the visible region and have high chemical and thermal stability up to 400 degree Celsius. Polydiacetylenes are among the most widely investigated class of polymers for nonlinear optical applications. Their subpicosecond time response to laser signals makes them candidates for high-speed optoelectronics and information processing. To make thin polymer film for electro-optic applications, NASA scientists dissolve a monomer (the building block of a polymer) in an organic solvent. This solution is then put into a growth cell with a quartz window, shining a laser through the quartz can cause the polymer to deposit in specific pattern. V. ADVANCES IN PHOTONIC SWITCHES Logic gates are the building blocks of any digital system. An optical logic gate is a switch that controls one light beam by another; it is ON when the device transmits light and it is OFF when it blocks the light. Fig. 3. a. Wave length division multiplexing b. A WDM System WDM can transmit up to 32 wavelengths through a single fiber, but cannot meet the bandwidth requirements of the present day communication systems. So nowadays DWDM (Dense wavelength division multiplexing) is used. This can transmit up to 1000 wavelengths through a single fiber. That is by using this we can improve the bandwidth efficiency. IV. ROLE OF NLO IN OPTICAL COMPUTING The role of nonlinear materials in optical computing has become extremely significant. Non-linear materials are those, Fig. 4. Optical AND-logic gate To demonstrate the AND gate in the phthalocyanine film, two focused collinear laser beams are wave guided through a thin film of phthalocyanine. Nanosecond green pulsed Nd:YAG laser was used together with a red continuous wave (cw) He-Ne beam. At the output a narrow band filter was set to block the green beam and allow only the He-Ne beam. Then the transmitted beam was detected on an oscilloscope. It was found that the transmitted He-Ne cw beam was pulsating with a nanosecond duration and in synchronous with the input Nd:YAG nanosecond pulse. This demonstrated the characteristic table of an AND logic gate. A. Optical and Gate In an optical NAND gate the phthalocyanine film is replaced by a hollow fiber filled with polydiacetylene. Nd:YAG green picoseconds laser pulse was sent collinearly with red cw He-Ne laser onto one end of the fiber. At the other end of the fiber a lens was focusing the output on to the narrow slit of a monochromatic with its grating set for the red He-Ne laser. When both He-Ne laser and Nd:YAG laser are present there will be no output at the oscilloscope. If either one or none of the laser beams are present we get the output at the oscilloscope showing NAND function. faster read-out rates. This research is expected to lead to compact, high capacity, rapid-and random-access, and low power and low cost data storage devices necessary for future intelligent spacecraft. The SLMs are used in optical data storage applications. These devices are used to write data into the optical storage medium at high speed. Fig. 6. Optical Disk More conventional approaches to holographic storage use ion doped lithium niobate crystals to store pages of data. For audio recordings ,a 150MBminidisk with a 2.5- in diameter has been developed that uses special compression to shrink a standard CD’s640-MB storage capacity onto the smaller polymer substrate. It is rewritable and uses magnetic field modulation on optical material. The mini disc uses one of the two methods to write information on to an optical disk. With the mini disk a magnetic field placed behind the optical disk is modulated while the intensity of the writing laser is held constant. By switching the polarity of the magnetic field while the laser creates a state of flux in the optical material digital data can be recorded on a single layer. As with all optical storage media a read laser retrieves the data. A. Working The 780nm light emitted from AlGaAs/GaAs laser diodes is collimated by a lens and focused to a diameter of about 1micrometer on the disk. If the re is no pit where the light is incident, it is reflected at the Al mirror of the disk and returns to the lens, the depth of the pit is set at a value such that the difference between the path of the light reflected at a pit and the Fig. 5. Optical NAND-logic gate VI. OPTICAL MEMORY In optical computing two types of memory are discussed. One consists of arrays of one-bit-store elements and other is mass storage, which is implemented by optical disks or by holographic storage systems. This type of memory promises very high capacity and storage density. The primary benefits offered by holographic optical data storage over current storage technologies include significantly higher storage capacities and path of light reflected at a mirror is an integral multiple of halfwavelength consequently, if there is a pit where light is incident, the amount of reflected light decreases tremendously because the reflected lights are almost cancelled by interference. The incident and reflected beams pass through the quarter wave plate and all reflected light is introduced to the photodiode by the beam splitter because of the polarization rotation due to the quarter wave plate. By the photodiode the reflected light, which as a signal whether, a pit is on the disk or not is changed into an electrical signal. VII. APPLICATIONS 1) High speed communications: The rapid growth of internet, expanding at almost 15% per month, demands faster speeds and larger bandwidth than electronic circuits can provide. Terabits speeds are needed to accommodate the growth rate of internet since in optical computers data is transmitted at the speed of light which is of the order of 3.10*8 m/sec hence terabit speeds are attainable. 2) Optical crossbar interconnects are used in asynchronous transfer modes and Shared memory multiprocessor systems. 3) Process satellite data. VIII. MERITS 1) Optical computing is at least 1000 to 100000 times faster than today’s silicon machines. 2) Optical storage will provide an extremely optimized way to store data, with space requirements far lesser than today’s silicon chips. 3) Super fast searches through databases. 4) No short circuits, light beam can cross each other without interfering with each other’s data 5) Light beams can travel in parallel and no limit to number of packets that can travel in the photonic circuits. 6) Optical computer removes the bottleneck in the present day Communication system IX. DRAWBACKS 1) Today’s materials require much high power to work in consumer products, coming up with the right materials may take five years or more. 2) Optical computing using a coherent source is simple to compute and understand, but it has many drawbacks like any imperfections or dust on the optical components will create unwanted interference pattern due to scattering effects. Incoherent processing on the other hand cannot store phase information. X. SOME CURRENT RESEARCH High performance computing has gained momentum in recent years, with efforts to optimize all the resources of electronic computing and researcher brain power in order to increase computing throughput. Optical computing is a topic of current support in many places, with private companies as well as governments in several countries encouraging such research work. A group of researchers from the University of Southern California, jointly with a team from the University of California, los angles, have developed an organic polymer with a switching frequency of 60 GHz. This is three times faster than the current industry standard, lithium niobate crystal based device. Another group at brown university and the IBM, Alma den research center has used ultrafast laser pulses to build ultra fast data storage devices. This group was able to achieve ultra fast switching down to 100 picoseconds. In Japan , NEC has developed a method for interconnecting circuit boards optically using VCSEL arrays .Another researchers at NTT have designed an optical backplane with free-space optical interconnects using tunable beam deflectors and mirrors. The project achieved 1000 interconnections per printed circuit board; with a throughput ranging from 1 to 10 Tb/s. XI. FUTURE TRENDS The Ministry of Information Technology has initiated a photonic development program. Under this program some funded projects are continuing in fiber optic high-speed network systems. Research is going on for developing Fig.7. Use of optical devices in future New laser diodes, photo detectors, and nonlinear material studies for faster switches. Research efforts on an particle thin film or layer studies for display devices are also in progress. At the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, efforts are in progress to generate a white light source from a diode case based fiber amplifier system in order to provide WDM communication channels. XII. CONCLUSION Research in optical computing has opened up new possibilities in several fields related to high performance computing, high-speed communications. To design algorithms that execute applications faster, the specific properties of optics must be considered, such as their ability to exploit massive parallelism, and global interconnections. As optoelectronic and smart pixel devices mature, software development will have a major impact in the future and the ground rules for the computing may have to be rewritten. XIII. REFERENCES [1] [2] See for example: Chemical and Engineering ews, Photonic Crystals. Assembled on Chip, 79(47), 31 (2001). P. Boffi, D. Piccinin, M.C. Ubaldi, (Eds.), Infrared Holography for Optical Communications— echniques,MaterialsandDevices,SpringerTopics in Applied Physics: Vol 86, July 2002. Alain Goulet, Makoto Naruse, and Masatoshi Ishikawa, Simple integration technique to realize parallel optical interconnects: implementation of a pluggable two-dimensional optical data link, Applied Optics 41, 5538 (2002) Tushar Mahapatra, Sanjay Mishra, Oracle Parallel Processing, OReilly Associates, Inc., Sebastopol, California, USA, 2000. S. J. van Enk, J. McKeever, H. J. Kimble, and J. Ye, Cooling of a single atom in an optical trap inside a resonator, Phys. Rev. A 64, 013407 (2001). A. Dodabalapur, Z. Bao, A. Makhija, J. G. Laquindanum, V. R. Raju, Y. Feng, H. E. Katz, and J. Rogers, Organic smart pixels, Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 142 (1998). Henning Sirringhaus, Nir Tessler, and Richard H. Fr iend, Integrated Optoelectronic Devices Based on Conjugated Polymers, Science 280, 1741 (1988).

Women In Work Place: Challenges And Achievements

Women In Work Place: Challenges And Achievements When managing diversity is said, we may think of ethnicity, origin of race, and may be gender or other factors; however, diversity meanings are much broader than that. Diversity is generally defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status (Esty, et al., 1995). Diversity at workplace has taken wide range of consideration, discussion, and implemented rules. Here, Im going to tackle specifically the issues of women at work place. Women on their path of struggle to maintain equality have gone through hurdle ways as well they have created milestones. ( Marquez. J ,2008) As of today, we commemorate Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to run for US. vice president on a major party ticket. She passed away on (26/March/2011). She was a symbol of women successes. The pursuant of equal opportun ity requires hard work at different levels; by understanding of women needs, legislatures, reformations of out dated rules, and redefining social norms if we take UK as an example we will find women still suffering from unequal pay and, increasingly(Traynor, I. 2010), Womens workforce in historical perspective Historically, Britains women have been deprived of equal opportunities at workplace. Even though, the picture of gender equality at workplace seems to be complicated, but for many factors women have to have equal access to work, pay, promotion, and for other incentives. (Hudson. P, 2008 ) In the past women rights have been belittled for the argument of their limited role in public life at large. Women main responsibilities could hardly be seen outside of their traditional family chores. In addition to that factor, there are other cultural and social factors that hindered women from achieving higher standards at workplace.( Goffinet.F, 2009) In 1842, the parliament passed a law to ban women from working in mines and factories for long hours. However as people argue that the Victorian era was a time of change, women were restricted to specific jobs such as nursing and midwifery however, this era saw the rise of Florence Nightingale , who eased the way for women to pursue the career of nursing and to be more confident and effective in the society. Worman D. 2005), The domestic service of all kinds had the major interest of female employments (close to 50% in specific areas such as the capital: London), then the textile and the clothing sector has ranked almost in second rank. Also, they were having a good participation degree in metal wares, pottery and in other simple jobs like laundry work, cleaning, confectionery, brewing and retailing, without forgetting that they were largely concentrated in particular industries based in the regions of the country. For example, the cotton and woollen industries of south Lancashire and west Yorkshire. ( BBC ,2011) After the Victorian era, in the period between 1930-1950 women were having a prominent role in the textiles, pottery and clothing sectors. In addition to that, women provided cheap and adaptive workforce. Result in, many new technologies began to adapted with the idea of contracting with the opposite sex workforce rather than relying solely on male workforce. In fact, because they were novices working in new sectors, they were all trying proving themselves in the face of skeptics and opponents through providing their hard effort which led to achieve high level of productivity. Unfortunately, employers were occupying a large part of opponents and skeptics and they had many justifications that help them to avoid hiring women, like degree of absenteeism, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and other personal problems holidays as well. However, the number of those opponents and skeptics has decreased and women started to hold more respectable in the workplace society after that significant increasing in the number of women graduating high school, this was in the period between 1950s and late 1970s. ( BBC ,2011) The beginning of the evolution The first World War could be considered to be the turning point in the history of women`s struggle in the workplace. During the war, millions of men were recruited to fight abroad and this has created a considerable gap in the job market. The state felt that there was a need to fill this gap and women were the perfect solution.( Fitzgerald. M ,2010) Recruiting agencies and the media played a major role in facilitating this approach by the government of that time. Women also proved that they were competent at the work place and managed to work under intense condition and contribute to the overall growth of the country. However after the war ended, women were quite liberalized from the Victorian era stereotype of women, they had more confidence and they managed to prove their skeptics and opponents wrong and made it clear that once they are out an working , it will be difficult for them to go back. (Traynor. I, 2010), Ten years after the first World War, the Representation of People Act was passed by the parliament in 1928, which gave full rights to women, including the right to vote and work etc. this was a result of several campaigns led by women rights activists over the years like Millicent Fawcett and Emmiline Pankhurst of the UK women`s suffragettes movement. They managed to succeed in giving women their full rights by public demonstration, propaganda and violent protests, however by the passing of this law women became more liberalized, but they still face the different kinds of discrimination in the work place until this day.( Fitzgerald M 2010), After the Second World War and towards the end of 1970s, the world witnessed an incredible change. The number of womens workforce increased due to more awareness and the proportion of educated women became higher, which made the participation of women in the work place the basics for the family and society and even economies.( BBC news 2006), In todays life, women are seen as successful figures on all walks of life. Women are politicians, nurses, scientists, and the list goes on. There is no valid argument which could be legitimate on putting women on a degraded position. Women have achieved high standards in contributing to the wellbeing of humankind. United Nations Charters have granted equality for women at workplace. Discrimination against women has been out lawed in many civil societies But the claim that women still face gender discrimination is valid. There is a still subtle discrimination women face at workplace. This includes sexual, racial and religious discrimination. The number of cases of sexual harassment has doubled in the recent years, with more women leaving their jobs after reporting incidence of sexual harassment or due to pregnancy and maternity leave.( BBC, 2006) Because of their biological nature, women deserve to have special considerations. Women go through different changes, pregnancy, parenting, and menopause. Within those times, women physical and emotional capacities are deterred. They all should be granted fair consideration during maternity and family based duties. There are mounting concerns regarding women of color at workplace. At society at large women of color, immigrants as an example, are struggling to achieve as others)) Sexual harassment against women at workplace is an imminent threat It is estimated that in UK 50% of women in employment are, or have been, subject to sexual harassment of some form or other ( Hudson P. 2009). Sexual Harassment According to the Equal Opportunities Commission EOC, half of women in the workplace have complained of some form of sexual harassment. The sexual harassment in the workplace is receiving increasing attention recently, particularly when participation rate of women in the labour force is rising. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNDFW) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome or unwanted verbal, non-verbal, physical or visual conduct based on sex or of a sexual nature; the acceptance or rejection of which affects an individuals employment. There are many types of sexual harassment; the most famous are;.(Susan .M, 2009) Serial Harassment: In this case, harassers plan their approaches very carefully, and then attack in private. Stalking: the harasser follows the victim home to his/her home to threaten them and gain control Power-player: if the harasser has more power than the victim they will ask for a sexual favour if the victim does not cooperate then they will be pressurized Situational Harassment: Some harassers that maybe in a stressful situation think that sex will eliminate their frame of mind. Great Gallant: Usually, it comes as a verbal harassment. It focuses on personal appearances. (Susan .M 2009) The UNIFEM 2006 report states that between 40 and 50 percent of women in the European Union have reported some form of sexual harassment or unacceptable sexual behaviour in the workplace (included verbal, physical or sexual). All forms of sexual harassment is covered by the Sex discrimination Act 1975 which protects women from discrimination on the grounds of sex or marriage , under the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations also, it makes it a criminal offence for a person to pursue a course of conduct (including speech) that amounts to harassment of another as was this case I was forced to quit my job because of constant harassment from my boss, says Reena (name changed), a young woman working for an international organization. Reena decided to quit her stable job after her employer started sexually harassing her. He touched me unnecessarily, asked me to accompany him to dinners and made me feel uncomfortable, she complains. This is the plight of many women who join the workforce, not only in one place but the world over.( Khushbu .A 2010) Mothers and other colours discrimination Job discrimination against mothers resembles other forms of race and gender discrimination in that mothers experience different employment terms than other workers and many must endure workplace comments and behaviors that are openly hostile and unwelcoming. Even without words, Sarah Clarke (real name withheld) got her employers message loud and clear. Working in the male-dominated field of finance, Clarke recalls, When I went on maternity leave, I said I wanted to work from home [during my leave]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[but] they wouldnt allow me to call into meetings. And when I came back to work, I didnt have a desk. Kimberly. T,2008) A review carried out by the Equal opportunities Commission suggested that women with young children face more discrimination in the workplace than disabled people or those from ethnic minorities. A partnered mother with a child aged under 11 is 45% less likely to be in work than a partnered man. The review also showed 7% of working women were either dismissed, made redundant or left their jobs due to pregnancy discrimination (Dyer ,C. 2008) Also A survey of 122 recruitment agencies that revealed more than 70% of them had been asked by clients to avoid hiring pregnant women or those of childbearing age According to the EOC study, most of the women working in the retail and consumer services sectors were likely to have been dismissed or made redundant due to pregnancy-related discrimination. Others areas where women are more likely to have experienced discrimination include management and sales sectors ( Francoise, G, 2009) Women who had been working for their employer for less than a year when pregnant; and women working in establishments with fewer than 10 staff were also have been victims of discrimination . As was in the case of Ms Jones made redundant by an engineering company while on her maternity leave and she made a claim for sex discrimination.( Laurie, S.2011) There was also some indication that women who were treated badly during pregnancy were less likely to return to work. However, according to the study, only a small percentage of those who experienced discrimination took any steps to resolve it. The law in this section has long been established on the ground of pregnancy women it is less favourable treatment on the form of sex discrimination. (BBC, 2007) Nevertheless, in 2005, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 was (Amendment) to make this protection clear and to confirms that discrimination will arise if a woman suffers less favourable treatment either on her pregnancy or because she wants to exercise her right. the Case law has established that an employer who refused a woman on her time off work or return from maternity leave is probably to be in break of law and the provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act1975.( Laurie S.2011) It was the perception in the 60s and early 70s that there were believed to be in industry, mens jobs and women jobs. This was old fashioned and it failed to take account of the ability of both sexes and was discriminatory. The Act sought to prevent this happening. There were many examples of cases where employers would say women cant do this particular job because it is too strenuous or too difficult etc.( Angla .S 2010). Section 47C of the Employment Rights Act 1996 also protects a woman from suffering a detriment on the grounds of her pregnancy. This can be , resign Insensitive remarks Unfair selection for redundancy.( Hudson P. 2009). On the other hand, other colour women have the same problem. Trevor Philips in the Equalities Review (2007) says that in the United Kingdom 30% of Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are less likely to be in work than white women of similar ages and qualification and this could be related to racial and religious discrimination in the workplace. Whereas , there are legislations in the work place to ensure the fair treatment of employees regardless of their religion or race . These are created by EU recommendation and adopted by the UK government this Regulations cover all religions and beliefs .Race Relations Act 1976. Also the UK legislations state that the racial hatred against a group of persons in UK defined by reference to colour, race, nationality or ethnic origins by the Public Order Act 1986 Section (BBC,2007) The Race Relations Act 1976 applies to discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, nationality and ethnic and national origins. It applies in Great Britain but not in Northern Ireland. Religious discrimination is not explicitly covered in Britain but separate legislation covers this in Northern Ireland. Ethnic origin, however, has been interpreted broadly to cover groups with a common or presumed common identity such as Jews or Sikhs. There are important exceptions to the legislation which, for example, allow discrimination on grounds of nationality to preserve immigration controls. Both direct and indirect discrimination are covered by the legislation which applies to all stages of employment: arrangements made for deciding who is offered a job. (Eurofound 2009 ) Is governed by section 21 of the Public Order Act 1986 which states that it will be an offence for a person to publish any material which is abusive or insulting. (University of Bradford 2009) The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000This places public authorities under a general duty to promote race equality of opportunity, reduce unlawful discrimination and good relations between people of different racial groups Discrimination against women can have a devastating effect on the economy as it results in a big loss of talent and capable individuals, who are able to contribute to the overall economy of the country by paying taxes etc. The Inequalities report the shows that the unemployment of women costs the country about  £28bn a year compared to the under-employment of disabled people about  £9bn. This shows how significant is discrimination against women along with its other form can contribute to the stagnation of the economy.(BBC,2007) Womens workforce: at the present time Because of globalization, mass immigration and the digital age, women have been relocated in different places. They face workplace environment with additional challenge to ensure that they require additional consideration. Workplace should be able to understand and satisfy women needs based on their different cultures, religions, and other beliefs Worman D. 2005), It is true that women are now entering the workforce in equal numbers of men, but they havent compared enough and still now there are many outstanding issues such as: gender discrimination, Pay gap, mothers discrimination, other color women and Sexual stalking/harassment. Women at the present time still are faced with numerous difficulties. According to many changing factors in the workplace, women have to adapt new strategy to face the change happened to them in the case of inequality. (Fassinger. R,2008) Other challenges: Religion Culture The world is rapidly changing. This constitutes that workplace should be a healthy place for women to be gender biased free environment. New trends among women have created new challenges. Women alone cannot fight centuries old of inherited discrimination. Government, employers, and employees should enforce laws at workplace to safeguard women rights and liberties. Civil societies should rise up to the rights of women at workplace. Since the backbone of the family is the woman, we all should contribute to safer, equal opportunity at workplace.( Daniels 2008), It is widely believed that the religion and culture is one of the main threats to womens work, and this point of view must be respected because it is supported by contemporary and strong evidences could not be denied, for example in south Asian communities in the UK, most women find it difficult to pursue careers that somehow contradicts the belief or the culture of their own community. For example, south Asian women will find it hard to work in the army or the police, because culturally it seen as a male job and few women choose to pursue it as a career. Women will be faced with much scepticism from their families and within their communities. Some people will also argue that their religion and beliefs prohibits women from working in specific settings or not being able to work at all. In the case of Islam, the holy Quran states that women have the right to work and seek knowledge side by side with men; it also shows evidence of women who were able to work and pursue careers and succ eeds. However religious leaders argue and their interpretations differ, the more fundamentalists will have a more strict view in regarding the rights of women to work. But the mainstream scholars will have an opposite view and supported by strong evidence.( Hudson P. 2009), 6. Supporters of the Issue: There are a many international organisations that support womens rights around the world and seek to achieve the most basic rights of women in workplace, home and community as whole. perhaps the most prominent example of this is the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) which has many achievements in the defence of the rights of women in throughout the world, in Egypt for instance, because Egyptian women sometimes found themselves in the face of gender discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace or violence at home; so the organisation provided special treatment for them, they can bring their complaint to the National Womens Complaints Office and There is a network of good lawyers, trained by UNIFEM on womens human rights. ( UN Women 2010) Conclusion: Throughout history, women fought for their rights in the workplace. In the past, they were denied their simple rights including their right to work and believed that their ultimate place to be at home taking care of the family. In the later ages, there was turning points,, which enabled women to break the shell and surpass their limitations and achieve their presence in the workplace. As I stated earlier, the first world War and the representation of people`s act was the main reason behind the liberalisation of women. After the second world war , women started to achieve more and became more effective within the societies as people became more aware of women`s right. all previous evidence tell us that the women in the current era enjoy of wider range of personal freedom, and it has become normal to see women ascend the top positions in the most sensitive and important areas in all around the world, Even in areas that are not considered a democracy, we find that there are a notable development in women situation whether in work or society as a whole, despite being a bit slow for advanced countries. This does not mean the end of challenges that women face, there are still many outstanding issues that need to cooperation of everyone to solve them, whether by increasing the pressure on decision-makers in the world to issue the appropriate decisions to reduce the rate of these problems, and also by awareness of the unconscious peoples to develop their way of thinking and make them think in a positive way. In fact, women still have a long way to enhance their situation in workplace more and more, therefore, clearly change doesnt happen overnight but it needs hard work from all parties; governments, peoples, social institutions, media institutions and private organisations. The world dynamics are changing at uncatchable speed. Thus, it remains more urgent the focus we need to direct to all new difficulties and mainly discrimination, which should have no place in our work place.

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly - The purpose of the inspectors Visit :: English Literature

Help the audience understand The purpose of the inspectors Visit. Show how a production of â€Å"An Inspector Calls† could Help the audience understand The purpose of the inspectors Visit. The play â€Å"An Inspector Calls† written by J.B Priestley is set in 1912. There are a few things that support this, that are heard in the first part of the play. â€Å"The titanic-she sails next week† â€Å"All these capital versus Labour† â€Å"These silly little war scores† All of these events happened just before 1912 and so we know that the play is set just before 1912. The Birlings are an upper class family with a high social position which can be seen by the fact that Mrs Birling doesn’t have to work and they have servants and maids to do house work for them. There high social position can also be seen because Mr Birling being a magistrate and is still on the bench. At this time the Birlings are in a great, and very happy mood. They are all looking forward to the wedding of their daughter and Gerald. They are all drinking port and are celebrating a special occasion with a large meal that has been set out for them by the maids. This is also another indication that the Birlings are a well off family. The inspector’s arrival changes the atmosphere a lot and turns the room into a hostile place. Mr Birling is very surprised to see an inspector and thinks that it is something to do with Mr Birling being a magistrate. The inspector interrupts Mr Birling taking to Gerald and Eric. Mr Birling is telling the two men how to look after themselves, and that’s the most important thing. Mr Birling gets this point across when he says â€Å"A man has to make his own way-has to look after himself† â€Å"That a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own† From these quotes that Mr Birlings says you can see that he only thinks about him and preaches that. The inspector arrives at this time and this is very significant, because this is what the inspector has come to prove wrong. The lighting is described as â€Å"pink and intimate† until the inspector arrives and then I think that the lighting should be â€Å"brighter and harder†. The lighting is as pink and intimate before the inspector comes as it gives the impression of the family relaxing and having fun. When the inspector comes it shows that the family are more on edge. The brighter light is there to show all corners and all secrets of the family. The inspector should stand at the head of the table to symbolise his

Sons And Lovers :: essays research papers

D.H. Lawrence: Son and Lover â€Å"Bildungsroman, a form of fiction which allows the novelist to recreate through the maturing of his protagonist some of his own remembered intensity of experience† (Nivin, Alastair; pg. 34)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  D.H. Lawrence re-created his own life experience through the writing of Son’s and Lovers, an intensely realistic novel set in a small English mining town, much akin to the town in which he was raised. The son of a miner, Lawrence grew up with a father much like the character of Mr. Morel in Son’s and Lovers. Morel (as the father is called) is an ill tempered, uneducated, and rather crude man. A man with little ability to express his feelings to his wife and family, who love him dearly despite the fact that he was seldom cordial to any of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Lydia (Lawrence’s mother) was high-minded and pious. She had been a schoolteacher and had written poetry. She hated dirt and drink and poverty.† (Segar, Keith; pg.11)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lydia met her husband Arthur at a family function and they married only a year later. â€Å"It was an attraction of opposites which could not last. Arthur was irresponsible and poor.† (pg.11) While the two loved each other dearly, their differences caused many of the problems that arose later on in Lawrence’s life. In the novel the Mother and Father also met at a dance, where Mr. Morel’s ability to dance was â€Å"natural and joyous†, he possessed â€Å"a certain subtle exultation like glamour in his movement.† These features attracted Mrs. Morel immediately, just as Mr. Morel was attracted to her because she was â€Å"perfectly intact, deeply religious, and full of beautiful candor.† (Lawrence, D.H.; pg. 44)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Morels, once married moved to an end house on â€Å"hell row† in the â€Å"Bottoms†, just on the outskirts of the mine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The bottoms consisted of six blocks of miners’ dwellings, two rows of three, like the dots on a blank-six domino, and twelve houses in a block. This double row of dwellings sat at the foot of the rather sharp slope from Bestwood, and looked out, from the valley towards Selby.† (pg.36)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Bottoms as described by Lawrence in the novel Sons and Lovers, was, I’m sure much alike his home town, which consisted mainly of â€Å"ugly mid- Victorian shops† (Segar, Keith; pg.9) and the poor dwellings of the towns miners. The Town’s name was Edgewood, and it was not perhaps as rundown or dilapidated as the town he created for the novel, yet it was by no means advanced as a city like London was.

Alfred Adler Essays -- BIOGRAPHY Alfred Adler

Alfred Adler was born outside of Vienna, Austria on February 7, 1870. He was the third child (second son) of what would eventually be seven total children. As a child, Alfred developed rickets, which kept him from walking until he was four years old. At five, he nearly died of pneumonia. At one point, Adler heard the doctor tell his father that â€Å"Alfred is lost†. It was around this time that Adler decided to become a physician. (Corey 2005) Due to frequent illness, Adler was pampered by his mother throughout most of the first few years of his life. This ended, however, with the arrival of a third son, a younger brother, who â€Å"dethroned† him. This left Adler in the middle, so to speak, due to being â€Å"dethroned† by the newly arrived sibling while still being overshadowed by his older brother Sigmund. The difficulty in his relationship with Sigmund was not short-lived. In fact, it lasted throughout his childhood and into adolescence. The relationship with his parents also showed contrast. While he maintained a trusting relationship with his father, the relationship with his mother was extremely flawed. Adler did not feel close to her, and that could have stemmed from the jealousy produced by the subsequent children and the relation lack of attention he received. During his school years, Adler was an average student. Despite his illnesses and physical limitations, he preferred activities outdoors to remaining indoors for his education. However, with his schoolwork, his primary goal at times was competing and possibly surpassing his brother Sigmund. In 1895, at the age of 25, he received a medical degree from the University of Vienna. During his college years he became attached to a group of socialist students. It was there that he found his future wife, Raissa Timofeyewna Epstein. She was a social activist who had immigrated to Austria from Russia for higher education. They married in 1897 and eventually had four children, two of whom became psychiatrists. (Boeree 1997) His medical career began far from the world of mental health. His first post in the medical field came as an ophthalmologist, but he soon switched to general practice, and established his office in a lower-class part of Vienna. His clients included, among others, the performers who worked with the nearby circus and it has been suggested that the extraordinary abilities of the performers le... ...ment, and therapy concepts that could be nothing but beneficial to anyone seeking counseling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’ve yet to fully understand how much true training in the Adlerian model is available for graduate school, but I can only hope it’s an available option because it seems to be the best route for me, personally, to take. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Psi Cafà ©: A Psychology Resource Site (2001). Alfred Adler. Retrieved April 19, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Adler.htm#About Boeree, Dr. C. George (1997). Personality Theories: Alfred Adler. Retrieved April 21, 2005, from the Shippensburg University Website: http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/adler.html The Alfred Adler Institute of New York (2004). About Alfred Adler. Retrieved April 22, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.alfredadler-ny.org/alfred_adler.htm Minnesota State University-Moorhead â€Å"MSUM† (2005). Adlerian Overview of Birth Order Characteristics. Retrieved April 16, 2005, from the MSU-M Website: http://www.mnstate.edu/kausar/psyc202/Birth%20order%20Characteristics.htm Corey, G. (2005). Theory and Practice Of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, California: Thomson Learning Alfred Adler Essays -- BIOGRAPHY Alfred Adler Alfred Adler was born outside of Vienna, Austria on February 7, 1870. He was the third child (second son) of what would eventually be seven total children. As a child, Alfred developed rickets, which kept him from walking until he was four years old. At five, he nearly died of pneumonia. At one point, Adler heard the doctor tell his father that â€Å"Alfred is lost†. It was around this time that Adler decided to become a physician. (Corey 2005) Due to frequent illness, Adler was pampered by his mother throughout most of the first few years of his life. This ended, however, with the arrival of a third son, a younger brother, who â€Å"dethroned† him. This left Adler in the middle, so to speak, due to being â€Å"dethroned† by the newly arrived sibling while still being overshadowed by his older brother Sigmund. The difficulty in his relationship with Sigmund was not short-lived. In fact, it lasted throughout his childhood and into adolescence. The relationship with his parents also showed contrast. While he maintained a trusting relationship with his father, the relationship with his mother was extremely flawed. Adler did not feel close to her, and that could have stemmed from the jealousy produced by the subsequent children and the relation lack of attention he received. During his school years, Adler was an average student. Despite his illnesses and physical limitations, he preferred activities outdoors to remaining indoors for his education. However, with his schoolwork, his primary goal at times was competing and possibly surpassing his brother Sigmund. In 1895, at the age of 25, he received a medical degree from the University of Vienna. During his college years he became attached to a group of socialist students. It was there that he found his future wife, Raissa Timofeyewna Epstein. She was a social activist who had immigrated to Austria from Russia for higher education. They married in 1897 and eventually had four children, two of whom became psychiatrists. (Boeree 1997) His medical career began far from the world of mental health. His first post in the medical field came as an ophthalmologist, but he soon switched to general practice, and established his office in a lower-class part of Vienna. His clients included, among others, the performers who worked with the nearby circus and it has been suggested that the extraordinary abilities of the performers le... ...ment, and therapy concepts that could be nothing but beneficial to anyone seeking counseling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’ve yet to fully understand how much true training in the Adlerian model is available for graduate school, but I can only hope it’s an available option because it seems to be the best route for me, personally, to take. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Psi Cafà ©: A Psychology Resource Site (2001). Alfred Adler. Retrieved April 19, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Adler.htm#About Boeree, Dr. C. George (1997). Personality Theories: Alfred Adler. Retrieved April 21, 2005, from the Shippensburg University Website: http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/adler.html The Alfred Adler Institute of New York (2004). About Alfred Adler. Retrieved April 22, 2005, from the World Wide Web: http://www.alfredadler-ny.org/alfred_adler.htm Minnesota State University-Moorhead â€Å"MSUM† (2005). Adlerian Overview of Birth Order Characteristics. Retrieved April 16, 2005, from the MSU-M Website: http://www.mnstate.edu/kausar/psyc202/Birth%20order%20Characteristics.htm Corey, G. (2005). Theory and Practice Of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, California: Thomson Learning

Fine Print: Life and Works of a Poet Essay

The world and imagery created through words written with the pen and paper are always made not only to bring about entertainment but also to capture the hearts of those who are able to read it. But to be able to evoke such strong emotions, most writers tend to take into consideration their lives and first-hand experiences. Such was in the case of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe has been a fortress in writing, regarded with high praises, and the one from whom the most valuable thriller and detective stories originated. His is a passion that had started since his early years. Without doubt, Poe’s life had mostly been about writing, writing, and writing. One of his teachers in Richmond, right about when he was around five, said â€Å"While the other boys wrote mere mechanical verses, Poe wrote genuine poetry; the boy was a born poet,† commenting on his natural gifts. Indeed this passion is so strong that it is reflected in a selection of his works, especially in The Raven in which he said, â€Å"With me poetry has been not a purpose, but a passion; and the passions should be held in reverence: they must not – they cannot at will be excited, with an eye to the paltry compensations, or the more paltry commendations, of mankind. † (http://www. readprint. com/author-67/Edgar-Allan-Poe) But not only was his passion for writing translated to his works but also his devotion and love for his wife Virginia. While Virginia was his cousin and fairly young compared to him when they were married their relationship had been true and very deep. Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee is a writing that presented his utter devotion to Virginia. Kevin J. Hayes even cites in his book, â€Å"Annabel Lee exemplifies several traits of Poe’s feminine ideal, especially that of being wholly subsumed by the male. Her unnaturally young age for marriage (she and the narrator are each described as a â€Å"child†) is of course evocative of Poe’s own child-bride, his thirteen-year-old cousin Virginia. † (152) His wife’s illness and ultimately her death is something that profoundly struck Poe, the thoughts consuming several of his works and showing how he tried to break free of the loneliness and agony he felt with her loss. Hayes says: Eleonora epitomizes Poe’s ideal: young, unlearned, impressionable and completely dedicated to her love for him†¦ She is exceptionally frail and beautifully sick, â€Å"slender even to fragility† with an â€Å"exceeding delicacy† of frame†¦After plumbing the depths of the â€Å"fervor of her love† for the narrator, her main concern at death is whether the narrator will remain true to her memory or will marry another.. These scenes are reminiscent of Ligeia’s â€Å"idolatrous love† and the narrator’s subsequent remarriage in the tale. They are also prescient of Poe’s own experience with Virginia’s youthful death and his subsequent years spent with her mother, â€Å"Muddy. † (154) Indeed, after Virginia’s death, Poe’s vices build up, especially his alcoholism; his outlook becoming gloomier each passing day. A friend of his explained the reason as to why, â€Å"The loss of his wife was a blow to him. He did not seem to care, after she was gone, whether he lived an hour, a day, a week, or a year; she was his all. (Meyers 207) A writer’s life and his experiences undeniably take a big slice in how he writes his stories and how his characters develop their behaviors. And in Poe’s case, it really stands out. Works Cited Hayes, Kevin J. The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Cambridge UP, 2002 Meyers, Jeffrey. Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy. New York: Cooper Square Press, 1992. â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe. † Read Print. 2009. Read Print. 19 April 2009.

Giordano’s current positioning strategy Essay

Giordano’s current positioning strategy is value for money or quality merchandise at affordable prices. That’s differentiating their products compare to other rivals. Moreover they put their service different with high level of service provided to customer, their sales staff is dedicated, ever smiling, well mannered and helpful. Those positioning strategies were success due to filling a gap in the market for trendy, yet reasonably priced unisex apparel, reinforcing the positioning with the appropriate marketing communications and the delivery of quality service. Giordano reposition itself against its competitors in its current and new markets: The possibility of changing current positioning in the light of developments in the industry, particularly with respect to consumers’ desire for trendier fashion, as well as the increase in the number and strength of competitors should also be discussed. For instance, students could critique the firm’s interpretation of these trends and its subsequent decision to upgrade its image and capture the up-scale segment. Obviously, this move may cause problems with its current core target segments. This was apparent from the failure of its Giordano Ladies’ venture, because the positioning strategy failed to differentiate the up-scale segment from the value-conscious segment. Giordano has fought hard to establish its brand name for its value-for-money proposition, but it is also because of its established branding that Giordano cannot easily change its positioning. However, it can be seen that Giordano took measures to avoid the problems of brand dilution, and to overcome its apparent difficulty in moving consumers’ perception of Giordano towards a high-end positioning. For instance, it established a new product line, Bluestar Exchange, to cater to the needs of its existing value-for-money segment and revamped the core brand with extensive marketing communications and gave its stores a new look. Giordano initially tried to acquire Theme International in November 1999 to carry its line of up-market ladies apparel, but its take-over bid was rejected by Theme’s management and stockholders. Instead of giving up entering the up-market segment, it re-launched Giordano Ladies and Giordano Junior to carry a trendier line of apparel, with encouraging results. We may conclude that, Giordano should not lose its focus on customer services as one of its core differentiating factors. Should it have different positioning strategies for different markets? There are possible problems with having different positioning strategies in different markets. For instance, the recent slight shift towards a higher end from the current low-end value-for-money positioning in Hong Kong was not fully executed in its other markets. Customers in these markets may become confused as to what Giordano stands for, and this inconsistency makes effective service strategy implementation difficult, particularly as consumers are becoming increasingly mobile and travel more frequently between Giordano’s core markets. In addition, economies of scale in apparel purchase, design and market communications may be diluted, if different strategies are followed across markets. If this trend persisted, Giordano may dilute its brand name and possibly might weaken its competitive advantage in other areas as well. Probably, Giordano would do better to keep a consistent positioning, keep its management focused on its core strengths, and send a clear message to all its staff and customers. Giordano are slowly and gradually moved its positioning upwards to meet the rising affluence, and hence the resulting desire for high end apparel, of its core target segment. As Giordano enters into new markets and face strong and similarly positioned competitors in these markets (The Gap in the US, Japan and most European markets), the pressure to adopt a slightly different position that suits the unique market situation of a particular country may increase. In this case, students could suggest that Giordano acquire another existing brand or start-up a new business entity under a different brand, with its own positioning strategy. In fact, this is illustrated by Giordano’s recent venture, Bluestar Exchange, which catered to amore price-conscious, mass-market segment. However, this strategy is extremely risky due to the costs involved in building a new marketing strategy and brand, and students may come to the conclusion that having a consistent positioning may be the etter option even if it means competing head-on with established brands. In conclusion, a potential strategy for Giordano could be to maintain its positioning in Hong Kong and over time slowly and gradually shift its position in its other markets slightly more up-market to follow its Hong Kong positioning. This strategy would have the added advantage that it would move upwards together with its core target segments, which is also developing upwards in terms of education and increasing disposable income due to most of Giordano’s Asian markets are developing fast. We believe that in the balance, it would be better for Giordano to maintain a consistent positioning across all markets, even when Giordano decides to enter countries with entrenched competitors with similar positioning. Should these competitors be too strong, we feel that it would be better not to enter this market rather than try to establish a new brand and strategy. The main reason is that this would be expensive and high risk as less of Giordano’s core strengths could be transferred to this new market, and benefits from economies of scale could not fully be reaped like in terms of manufacturing volumes, marketing and training.