Aqualisa Quartz Essay

What is the quartz value proposition to the plumbers? To consumers? The value propositions to the plumbers are †¢Due to Quartz easy installation plumber’s work is reduced to 25% of original time. †¢Plumbers find the installation is straightforward and hence they are ready to send their young apprentices †¢Plumbers said it’s just â€Å"Push-fit-connect’’ and it’s not in the wall and it’s very easy to use †¢On an average plumbers can do more jobs thereby increasing their profit The Value propositions to the consumers are †¢One of the major issues for the customer is to get conistent water pressure which is solved in Quartz †¢Customers can have their required temperature by Thermostatic control rather than checking it for the required temperature †¢Before quartz the survey says that 44% of shower needs replacement. By using Quartz there is less chance of breakdown and hence maintenance is much easy for the customer †¢The product had aesthetic look and elegant design †¢It’s good for the home with the children †¢Suitable for all types of water systems †¢One touch control system and ability to control remotely Aqualisa launched the most significant shower innovation in recent British history: the Quartz shower. The shower provides significant improvements in terms of quality, cost, and ease of installation. In product testing, the Quartz shower received rave reviews. However, early sales of the Quartz have been disappointing. The company is faced with some key issues about whether to change the channel strategy, promotional strategy, and the overall positioning of the product (niche or a mainstream product) in the context of their existing product line. This case shows that despite the fact Aqualisa had a great product it doesn’t necessarily mean that this is going to manifest in great sales of the product. Innovation needs managing in an integrated way; it is not enough  just to manage abilities in a technological superior product. Aqualisa had the generation of a technological innovation but lacked the ability to relate this to end users. The challenge for Aqualisa is in effectively communicating to its customers and making them aware of the fact that they have developed such a product, before their competitors catch up. In order, for Aqualisa to succeed they need to synergise the components of their marketing mix through an effective communication, positioning, and distribution strategies. In the case in states that only about 60% of U.K homes, consumers are only probably going to buy at most two showers in their lifetime and because key influencers in the decision making process like plumbers where apprehensive of adopting the new technology it also led to the company’s low sales because the majority of the UK shower market is made of replacement showers and plumbers tend to remain loyal to their selected brand as it is the most comfortable for them in using when installing because of their previous experiences. Quartz Value Proposition – Plumbers What Plumbers wanted †¢ Ease of installation †¢ Quality product with minimal breakdowns †¢ Service free (minimal service requirement) Product Benefits †¢ Flexible location of the controller unit requires minimal remodeling of the bathroom making shower installation simple, cutting the installation time to half a day Value Proposition Quick and easy installation requiring only basic skills (more installations per plumber per day resulting in higher income) Quartz Value Proposition – Customers What Customers wanted †¢ Aesthetic design (great looks) †¢ Good water pressure without temperature fluctuations †¢ Ease of use †¢ Quality product with minimal breakdowns Product Benefits †¢ Controller unit can be concealed in the ceiling or closet; leading to a sleeker look in the shower stall †¢ In-built pump provides more than adequate water pressure †¢ Electronic thermostat allows for easy controls and steady temperatures †¢ One touch control Value Proposition Clean and sleek looking shower which is easy to use and provides efficient and reliable water pressure and temperature Why is Quartz not selling? Sales Plumber’s Influence †¢Plumbers distrust electronic controls / new technical innovations †¢ Plumbers influence over 50% of shower purchases; In 25% of the cases the purchasing decision is at his sole discretion Limited Distribution Channel Product Price †¢ Priced at a premium and hence unappealing to D-I-Y buyers as well as developers which are both price sensitive segments †¢ Trade Shops account for 80% of mixer showers sales †¢ Staff in trade shops not high on product knowledge, driven by market demand †¢ Showrooms have be the best sales potential but Aqualisa is available in only 25% of all showrooms

Oil in the market

The demand for oil will be present a perfect example of this would have to be, the Chinese economy, with a surge in the demand for crude oil in china, their economy has risen tremendously. Since oil is limited. People must look for other alternatives like solar power, hydro power, even alternatives like ethanol where it is used faintly as a source of energy to power vehicles. When it comes to the market speculation there is a lot of investment being poured into the oil trade, due to this surge of investments, fluctuations in the market go from high to low on a daily basis.Risk will be present when it comes to business, but in the case of the investors depending on how the market trends are they may lose profit rather then make profit. When it comes to the supply of oil there are long and short-term factors that affect the international markets. The short-term factors include: -Profit motive -Spare capacity -Stock External shocks Profit making factors rely solely on OPEC operating nat ions. OPEC is put in place as a cartel to regulate price fixtures on crude oil and gas that are supplied by world's oil producers.Ex: Saudi Arabia Oil refinery's have stocks in place to be released in the market when the demand for oil fluctuates, in the case of an oil company in peril with low profits, the effects of production shocks may be devastating to the companies growth, examples of these issues. Taking a longer-term perspective, the long run world oil supply is linked to 1 . Reserves: Depletion of proven oil reserves – the faster that demand grows, the quicker the expected rate of depletion 2.Exploration: Investment spending on exploring, identifying and then exploiting new oil reserves. When oil prices are rising and are expected to stay strong for the foreseeable future, it makes financial sense to invest more resources in exploring for new reserves, even though these may not come on stream for some years. 3. Technology: Technological change in oil extraction (whic h affects the costs of extraction and the profitability of extracting and then refining the oil) Long-term effects include: Reserves Exploration Technology

History of Education Essay

?1. What is empowerment? To give permission or power to do something; in simple words it means to give the confidence to do something Increasing the political, spiritual or economic capacity of individuals in a society 2. Education plays a very important part in improving individual’s well-being and society’s economic and social development 3. It is very important today that both men and women should be educated if we want our society and economy to be prosperous 4. Why is empowering girls through education very important in contemporary Islamic society? Educating girls brings many benefits to society. As educated mother gives importance to education and they invest more in their children’s schooling and this improves society’s development prospect. They strongly believe and practice family planning. They give equal importance to education, health and increase the productivity of future generation. And if they are not educated then the productivity and capacity of future generation will be low. 5. What are some of the benefits of empowering women through education? As female education rises, fertility, population growth, and infant and child mortality fall and family health improves. Increases in girls’ secondary school enrollment are associated with increases in women’s participation in the labor force and their contributions to household and national income. Women’s increased earning capacity, in turn, has a positive effect on child nutrition. Children — especially daughters — of educated mothers are more likely to be enrolled in school and to have higher levels of educational attainment. Educated women are more politically active and better informed about their legal rights and how to exercise them. Thus women’s education should be taken as a serious issue and steps should be taken to bring awareness about importance of education among every woman both in urban and rural area. This way many of the social problems like poverty, begging, child labor, child marriage and child mortality will be controlled up to some extent. 6. Negative attitudes of parents toward educating daughters can also be one of the biggest barriers to a girl’s education. Many parents think educating sons is an investment because the sons will be responsible for caring for aging parents. On the other hand, parents may see the education of daughters a waste of money because the girls are not expected to make economical contribution in the family. They are expected to take care of family and carry out household chores. Promoting girls education therefore involves changing attitude across society merely spending money on girls education will not solve this problem. The attitude can be changed when the gender gap is reduced and when the society is aware that educating women will bring about better consequences. Seminars can be arranged where importance of women empowerment is laid. Other important things that would help in making girl’s empowerment through education a success is the availability of financial resources. One of the biggest barrier to education is poverty there it is very important that such people who cannot afford sending their daughters to school, for them school fee should be abolished. 7. What are some of the challenges of empowering women? Gender gaps in parts of various regions are one of the biggest challenges. It is still thought that educating sons is more important as compared to daughters Many parents are not comfortable in sending their daughters to school It is just not enough to make education available more important is that it should be of good quality. Schools should have well qualified teachers. 8. Both governments and non-government organizations should come forward in empowering women through education. Government and private organizations need to make an extra effort to ensure that education is more accessible to low-income families and rural populations, with special attention to the quality of the education provided and the need for girls to complete school. Richer countries should help and support the not so poor countries by making educational investments by building up private schools and encouraging women education. Investing in female education will accelerate the economic and social development by enhancing human capital, slowing population growth, and alleviating poverty.

Shouldice HospitalA Cut Above Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shouldice HospitalA Cut Above - Assignment Example In order to increase its capacity, Shouldice Hospital can add a total of 30 operations on Saturday. By doing this, the number of operations would be increased from 150 to 180. However, the number of beds staying at 90 would mean that Shouldice Hospital’s available bed days would remain at 630. The decision to include 30 operations on Saturday would increase the number of bed days used in Shouldice Hospital to 540. This means that the bed utilization rate would rise from 71.4% to 85.7%. However, the surgeons in the hospital would perform 2.5 operations per day or a total of 15 operations per week. This means that the total operations per operation room, per week, would increase to 36. Performing 30 more operations on Saturdays increases their utilization rate and their capacity. This will work since the number of hours per surgeon, operation room hours, and available beds are not exceeding with the increase in Shouldice Hospital’s capacity. Below is a table showing the e ffect of adding 30 operations on Saturday; Shouldice Hospital can increase the number of their capacity by increasing the number of beds they have. However, so as to do so, Shouldice Hospital have to invest in capital expenditure so as to expand the facility. Increasing the number of beds by 50% will mean that the number of beds in the hospital will increase from the initial 90 to 135. Increasing the capacity of Shouldice Hospital with exactly 50% means that one room will only have one patient in it. Therefore, Shouldice Hospital may choose to increase the number of beds to 134 instead of 135. Through this increase, Shouldice Hospital would be in a position to perform a total of 45 operations per day or 225 operations per week. The available bed days, 135 days multiplied by 7, would be 945. Therefore, after the increase, Shouldice Hospital would have 945 total

Operating Systems Vendor lock-in Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operating Systems Vendor lock-in - Essay Example By using Microsoft you have standard platform for all users in your office and worldwide. This is the opposite of Linux, which has multiple distributors delivering similar, but not the same products. This is where many concerns originate. Just because something is cheaper doesn’t always mean it has the competitive advantage. Software price is just one factor, as other factors prove to be more significant. Primarily compatability, standardization, ease of use and reliability. Because of these aspects, Microsoft still has the advantage. What the future hold is uncertain, in terms of new Utility, or the ability to change or alter its function over time, is also important. Some applications are used for one purpose, then another is identified. This would also be a requirement of a new solution. In order for the costs associated with installation and implementation to be worthwhile, the application should provide multiple uses and those that we may deem useful in the future of our organization. as troubleshooting for any issues that occur during the changeover process. Some vendors possess more knowledge in this than others. For this issue, we would likely contact current and previous clients to identify any possible areas of concern. We would In regards to my organization, we are most comfortably locked into software packages and our dependency on Microsoft Windows is the most obvious. We are solely a Microsoft Shop, except for a few rogue machines in our organization. The cost of switching operating systems for our organization would be major. Primarily, environmental changes would lead to need for retraining in multiple areas. Foremost, and securely. Regular users would be forced to learn the new operating system including the changes made to software packages running on the new operating system. Valuable time will be spent on training. This would result in a decreased productivity, due

LAW LLB - FAMILY LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

LAW LLB - FAMILY LAW - Essay Example KH, 2005). This is the universal and perhaps most comprehensive characterization of marriage. Among the most controversial aspects of this is the element of consent. This is encapsulated in the concept of contract. In a contract consent that is not tainted by force or coercion is essential to its validity. Consequently it is also a major of controversy for marriage. This is compounded by the fact that marriages as a social phenomena are diverse and multi faceted. The forces governing present society in the present have imposed significant challenges upon marriage. These adverse forces have given rise to a wide array of problems. Government today struggle tot to protect and uphold family and marriages by finding means to deal with the various problems that undermine them. This also challenges the state to uphold society’s many concepts of marriage while also containing negative elements attributed to it. Furthermore it has to strike the balance between its power to regulate soc iety, society’s right to culture and the welfare of its citizens. This is not a mundane task given the complexity involved and the magnitude of the harms involved society today. Among the malign realities faced by society today are â€Å"forced marriages.† This kind of marriage â€Å"is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of both parties, where duress is a factor. Duress can range from emotional pressure from family members, to threatening behaviour, abduction or imprisonment, and physical violence† (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 2008). In Great Britain alone the â€Å"Government’s Forced Marriage Unit, which handles approximately 5,000 enquiries and 300 cases per year concerning young British nationals at risk of being forced into marriage overseas, believes that forced marriage is another issue that remains vastly under-reported† (House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, 2008). This fact only establishes f urther the gravity of this problem. Not only that but this also significant prove that consent is a highly disputed aspect of marriage. Marriage in the Asian and Islamic cultures is heavily influenced by deeply rooted and long standing traditions. Religion and cultural values are integrated to form the notion of marriage. More importantly these form part of the norms of society. This has entrenched them and ensured their survival to the modern times. Among this practise is forced marriage. Given this socio – historical context forced marriages are not an issue for certain communities and have even proliferated (Muslim Arbitrational Tribunal, n.d.). This provides the socio – cultural roots of forced marriage. Forced marriage proliferates under in certain sectors of society whose cultural beliefs and practices provide the basis for it. It is also in these segments of the community that these are commonly practiced. In these conditions the concept of choice and is subserv ient to the values an traditions of a certain culture. â€Å"The motivations for forced marriages are complex and care must be taken to avoid over-generalisations. However, they do seem to fall broadly into three categories and the category that is perhaps the most common is where young men and women are found to be involved in a liaison which their families disapprove of. Irrespective of

Family in Europe History Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Family in Europe History - Coursework Example legends as women seemed to have enjoyed a certain degree of freedom in deciding their own futures, in owning property and in bringing honor and wealth to the family through marriage and children. This gave her stronger power within her own household as well, including the power to divorce if she so desired. Part of the woman’s value probably stemmed from the great amount of sexual promiscuity that took place during these times. Although it could never be entirely certain that the children of a son were direct blood descendents of a particular line, it was a certainty that children born of a daughter were. The confusion caused by this acceptance of sexual infidelity made for tense households as the children and mothers tended to fight against each other for inheritance rights. To protect the children from their half-siblings and other lovers of their parents, it became common practice to send the children away to be raised by foster parents. It is also probable that lower class es, lived entirely different lives. Women in the lower classes could be sold into slavery, either for sexual favors or for household services, while men in the lower classes were most often pressed into service for wealthier men as shepherds, farmers or in other vocations. However, it also seems clear that education, including literacy, was practiced in most homes and was made available to girls as well as boys. The Germanic Sippe was a form of kinship group that seems to have been very similar to the Irish sept. While the Irish sept was clearly a blending of patrilineal and matrilineal lines, it is more difficult to trace these relations within the Germanic texts. However, there is evidence that the Sippe followed at least the bloodlines of the male. Also unlike the Irish, there seems to have been a closer connection between the Sippe and the land that they settled on. Although family groups seem to have settled the land, they are also like the Irish sept in that they probably

How the Limit-Pricing Model Fit within the Harvard Approach to Assignment

How the Limit-Pricing Model Fit within the Harvard Approach to Industrial Economics - Assignment Example Among these technological causes, one is the diminishing cost structure of the monopolist firm. There are some internal and external economies and diseconomies of scale. If the economies of scale dominate over the diseconomies of scale the firm faces diminishing cost. That's why the cost declines with the expansion of the firm. Higher the amount of production lower would be the average and marginal cost and hence higher would be the capability to charge the lower price. That can be shown with the help of the following diagram. The above case is called the phenomenon of natural monopoly; the new firm's entry gets restricted automatically because of the technological nature of the existing firm. The new firm would not be able to compete with the existing firm. (Kutsoyiannis 1994) 2. There are many barriers that are responsible for the monopoly power that a firm may enjoy. A high level of fixed cost is also a cause behind the emergence of monopoly power. If in an industry, the starting of a new venture is subject to high establishment cost or resource cost it would be difficult for the new entrants to start a new venture in the market. That also contributes to the monopoly power of the firm or firms as the scope of new entry becomes narrower due to the high time and cost required for starting production in the market. (Hoag 2006) 3. Another major cause behind the emergence of monopoly power is the legal barriers to entry. In this situation, the monopolist is protected by the legal system of the country from competition from new firms. The state enforces some laws that would enable a single company to sell any particular good or service. The best example is the case of USPS for delivering the first class mail. No other company is entitled to the right to sale the same commodity. That's why USPS enjoys the monopoly power in the market. Monopoly power is protected by federal law.

E-MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

E-MARKETING - Essay Example It now offers more effective and efficient ways for communicating the messages of the company to the consumers. The report will highlight on the difference between the traditional marketing communication and the E-marketing communication. The report will also highlight marketing tools which are presently being used in amazon.com. Apart from that the assignment will also try to explain on how amazon.com can utilize the diffusion adoption process in the context with its newly released Amazon kindle reader. And at the end the report will try to put some of the benefits of using viral email, interactive advertisement campaigns and E CRM. The key findings of the project are that amazon.com makes use of different kinds of marketing tools for its promotional purposes and increasing the customer experiences. Introduction Amazon.com Inc. is a global electronic commerce company which facilitates online buying of different kinds of products. The company was founded in the year 1994 and is headq uartered at Seattle, Washington, United States of America (Amazon, n.d.). Amazon.com is considered as the biggest online retailer of the planet. The company started its venture as an online book store but later diversified into other business lines. The company serves the customers via its retail websites and mainly focuses on the price and expediency. Apart from being a platform of online buying for the customers it also provides them with the opportunity to sell the product. One of the noticeable aspects is that the company has offered separate retail websites for countries like United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany and Italy among others. This course of action has been mainly undertaken to offer better customer experiences. Recently amazon.com has started developing Kindle e-reader which is gadget used for reading online e-books. The company also offers other services such as various promotional and marketing agreements like co-branded cash cards and different kind of on line advertisements (Yahoo finance, n.d.). E-Marketing vs. Traditional Communication Slowly and steadily many companies started to incorporate the use of modern marketing techniques in order to get the best out of it. One of the most significant ways of marketing communication came forward with E-marketing. Buzzwords such as digital marketing, online marketing and internet marketing are considered as synonymous with E-marketing (Pannu & Tomar, 2010, p.118). In simple words E-marketing or electronic marketing is the application of the principles of marketing and techniques of marketing within the electronic media and to be more specific by making use of internet. Internet marketing or E-marketing includes both direct as well as indirect marketing and a set of different technologies for making effective connection and communication to the customers. The growing importance of E marketing is the reason for its high return on investment from the traditional marketing. The benefits of E- marketing includes its reach to the mass customers, scope of offering a range of products and services, interactivity or interaction, provides immediate effect and targeting different group of customers across the national boundaries of the business. Amazon.com is a company which is based only on E- marketing, and makes use of different kinds of marketing tools to promote its product. The company also feels that their most

Disadvantages of herbal remedies Speech or Presentation

Disadvantages of herbal remedies - Speech or Presentation Example The government does not support any institutions as such that help prepare these herbal remedies so there is no quality control and the user may end up buying a low quality treatment. Also, herbal remedies do not work in serious illnesses and injuries. Herbs cannot replace surgeries, laboratory tests, and operations. Sometimes, herbal treatment negatively interacts with the formal medicines like anti-depressants and thus may hinder with their effect. Since, herbal remedies do not come with an instruction manual or package insert, so this becomes very likely that the user will overdose the remedy. Also, some herbs get poisonous when they are harvested in wild, or some part of the plant gets venomous, so when these are extracted into a remedy, the user will also catch that poison. In short, the use of herbal remedies depends mainly on the user himself because he should know what kind of herb he is using, what he is using it for, and for how long he has to use it.

Rights for the Non-human Animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Rights for the Non-human Animals - Essay Example Many noted theorists such as Tom Regan, Julian Franklin, Evelyn B. Pluhar, Paola Cavalieri, Mark Rowlands and Gary Francione have made critical contributions to the cause of animal rights. The issue of animal rights involve many legal dilemmas about the direction of changes in the law, the degree of animal welfare must be sought, animal suffering-reduction, compulsory animal rights education and the nature of proto-rights for all animals. The purpose of the essay is to look at the possibilities of broadly defining rights theory in order to recognise the rights of nonhuman animals. The Background: Human-Nonhuman Animal Relations and Postmaterial Society Inglehart’s (1977) theoretical elaboration of the concept postmaterialism well captures the changes occurred in the last fifty years, especially with the developed countries. Postmaterialism also involves the changes brought about in the realm of human-nonhuman relations. Postmaterialism mainly deals with the value changes in th e society as result of the profound transformations. Inglehart’s major point is that â€Å"the new â€Å"value-orientations† among people born after World War II yield better empirical purchase in the study of political movements than the â€Å"interests† at issue in the commonly deployed class-based theories. Referring to â€Å"quality of life† rather than to the instrumentally economic rationality typical of modernization, â€Å"Postmaterial values† arose from the conditions that liberated most people in developed countries from spending their lives on basic material demands and that opened new opportunities for self-expression and aesthetic satisfaction† (Franklin, Tranter and White, 2001, p. 129). Scarcity and socialisation are the basic themes which Inglehart follows in defining the attitude change towards animal rights. It is important to note that people can have differing opinions based on the resourcefulness of their background. Ing lehart’s notion of existential security highlights the â€Å"the fundamental difference between growing up with an awareness that survival is precarious, and growing up with the feeling that one’s survival can be taken for granted† (Inglehart, 1997, p. 31). It does not mean that there is no place for materialism in the developed countries; materialism certainly could come to the forefront but postmaterialism is the dominant trend in the lives of the people in the advanced Western countries. Sica (1988) too has forcefully asserted that postmaterilaism is also essentially a product of postmodernisation. No more the societies in the developed world are determined by the forces of materialism either class based or rational-legal. Present world is increasingly characterised by cultural differences in which lifestyles play a prominent role in defining distinct social groups. Human-animal relations too are being completely reconstituted by the postmaterialist values. I t is argued that â€Å"one of the most significant postmaterialist values that emerged on several fronts concerned the extension of civil rights and social inclusiveness, the breaking down of boundaries drawn on the basis of ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, and age.

Cooper Industries Case Study Essay Example for Free

Cooper Industries Case Study Essay OVERVIEW: Cooper Industries is a broadly diversified manufacturer of electrical and general industrial products, and energy related machinery and equipment. The company operates in three different business segments with 21 separate profit centers. These segments include electrical and electronic, commercial and industrial, compression, drilling and energy equipment. The product line is consisted of cheap fuses to $3 million compressor tribune sets along with products such as hand tools and light fixtures. The company bid a $21-a-share tender offer to acquire Champion Spark Plug, manufacturer of auto spark plugs, as a counter offer for the Dana Corp. s $17.50-a-share bid. Also, in the mean time, Cooper Industries was considering a $700 million bid for Cameron Iron Works. Even though purchasing either or both companies will give operational and organizational advantages, there were high financial risks involved. Undertaking both acquisitions would result in a 55% to 60% debt to capitalization ratio. ANALYSIS: Cooper Industries acquired more than 60 manufacturing companies over a thirty year span in order to increase the size and the scope of the company. Most of the acquired companies made it possible for Cooper to be independent of the outside environment and giving full control of the manufacturing process concerning their business while avoiding anti-trust allegations. Cooper basically purchased every company that is vital to its energy industry and all the side industries that effect it. From tools to fuses to cables to the drilling equipment was manufactured and distributed by the corporations divisions. Each acquisition is decided from a wish list that was closely examined and studied. At the time of the take over, the Management Development Planning division would implement the corporate strategy in a period of three to five years. This involves diversification and elimination of the products that are poor sellers. In some cases the production plant is relocated and the staff is reorganized for the best efficient set up. In time all these companies are turned into profit centers. RECOMMENDATIONS: One of my first suggestions will be to consider Cameron Iron Works first since all the valves and other natural gas and petroleum products will be more beneficiary. Apparently there is more demand for Camerons products than the Champions. Little adjustments in the production process along with the Cooperization adjustment will have make the company efficient in a short period of time. In contrast, Champion is considered to have 1950s production techniques and only one product line, spark plugs, which will require tremendous changes within the company. The other option may be to purchase both of the companies, regardless of the financial risks involved. By allocating all the departments such as Management Development Planning in the process, Cooper may turn things around. Since the beginning, Coopers way of acquiring companies seem to create success stories in the end. Champion still has brand name recognition in Europe and Asia (personal knowledge) which maybe taken advantage of. Major changes for the American market may take place while the revenues from the overseas sales finance the process. And once the changes are made in here, according to the demand the product line maybe readjusted for those markets. One other option for the Champion acquisition maybe to consider other possible options in the automotive parts industry. There may be other companies requiring less adjustment, and maybe turned into profit centers in less time than Champion. If buying both the companies is not possible at the time, then Cameron seems like a better option giving independence to Cooper in the valve dependence. Utilization of this company seems more of a priority at the time. However Dana may end up buying Champion if Cooper delay the acquisition.

Concept of Individualised Care: Geriatric Case Study

Concept of Individualised Care: Geriatric Case Study Explain what is meant by the term individualised care. Discuss, using examples from a second practice placement, how one individual patients /clients needs were met using this approach. An essay Introduction The traditional way of trying to assess if a particular treatment or the clinical condition of a patient has changed, is by running blood tests, clinical evaluation, and other laboratory tests. While these measures undeniably give us certain levels of information about a patient, they tell us virtually nothing about the disease process from a personal and social context. (Higginson et al 2001). No illness exists in a vacuum. This essay is a discussion of the concept of individualised care with particular reference to my recent placement on a geriatric ward. I am going to discuss the case of Mrs.J., a 83 yr. old lady. Mrs J has been on the ward for two weeks. She was originally admitted with a chest infection. She was very ill at the time of admission and it was not easy to get a history from her. We could only establish that she lived on her own and had been found by a neighbour who had called her General Practitioner who had then arranged her admission. Her chest infection was treated and she responded reasonably quickly. As she became more lucid, it became obvious that Mrs.J. had had a mild stroke leaving her with an expressive dysphasia. It was not possible to ascertain whether these changes had been present for a long time or had just come on, as she had not seen the General Practitioner for nine months prior to this admission. We also discovered that Mrs.J. had developed a mild form of Type II diabetes mellitus as she was putting out small but constant levels of sugar in her urine and her blood sugar levels were mildly elevated. In brief, her care plan called for her to mobilise with the physiotherapist, to receive speech therapy for her dysphasia, to see the dietician for advice regarding her dietary control of her Type II diabetes mellitus and to see the social work team for assessment for discharge as it was considered unlikely that she would actually be sufficiently self-caring to be able to discharge to her home. The nursing profession, almost by definition, is a very personal and interactive profession. (Yura et al 1998) In order to provide good individualised care there must be a number of interactions in place. The nurse must have a good understanding of the medical elements of the case and also have a good knowledge of the patient both as a person and of all their circumstances. (Meleis 1991) This helps to allow the formulation of good individualised care without making any inappropriate decisions that may be based on an incomplete understanding of the situation.(Holzemer et al. 1994) The case of Mrs.J. is complicated because of her expressive dysphasia. In a nursing context the â€Å"interpersonal processes† that are necessary to establish rapport and empathy were made very much more difficult. (Platt et al 1999). The verbal and motor cues that are a vital part of this essential process were not there by virtue of her cerebro-vascular accident, and it made proper and meaningful conversation very much more difficult. (Carpenito 1997). It was not helped by the fact that she did not appear to have any close relative that we could use to get information. It was not simply a matter therefore of deciding what was medically the best for her, but in order to try to engage with her on the level of empowerment and education, we had to try very hard to understand her feelings and situation in order to provide individualised care. (Woolhead et al 2004) If we try to apply the Roper Logan Tierney model of nursing care (Roper et al 1983) to Mrs.J.’s situation of needing dietary advice for her newly diagnosed Type II diabetes mellitus, the aim would be to try to provide individualised care and to take into account the degree to which the problems of her inability to communicate actually interferes with the other activities of daily living. (Howe et al. 2003). It is in this respect that the concept of individualised care becomes clearly apparent. For the average patient., it may simply be appropriate to fill out a dietetic referral slip and let the dietetic department do the rest. If we wish to fully implement the concept of individualised care, then we would need to establish that Mrs.J. needed and understood why she needed dietetic advice, that she could adequately understand what was being said, (Kuhse et al. 2001), and also make sure that the dieticians were fully aware of all aspects of the situation when they were able to visit her and give advice. (Newell et al 1992) This approach allows us to make an assessment of both the positive and negative aspects of the decision. We can also make an assessment of whether Mrs.J. would eventually be in a position to take responsibility for her own diabetic (or dietary) care in the long run. (Marks-Moran et al 1996) In individualised care, it is important to be as empathetic as possible to the patients needs. One must appreciate the fact that, in this particular case, the imposition of a diet may be seen by the patient as yet another (iatrogenic) restriction imposed upon an already severely restricted lifestyle. Generally speaking, concordance and explanation are better than dogma and enforced compliance (Marinker 1997). Another important aspect of individualised care, is the process of reflection (Gibbs 1998). It is generally comparatively easy to make clinical decisions, but the key to ensuring that they are actually the correct decisions for that individual patient, is to reflect upon them and consider all of the aspects of that particular patient’s case, which may not have actually been impinging upon the original decision making process. (Taylor 2000). For example, it is almost certainly the correct decision to invoke the help of the dietician to assist Mrs.J. in managing her Type II diabetes mellitus. It is however, possible that, upon reflection, Mrs.J. might not be able to adequately manage her diet because her motor problems now preclude her from going independently to the shops, and the person who buys her food for her may have absolutely no idea of the basic concepts behind the maintenance of a regular and restricted sugar intake. Conclusions and Discussion Mrs.J. ‘s case fortunately did have a comparatively happy ending. She accepted the dietician’s advice and proved to be remarkably adept at both managing and manipulating her dietary needs.(Carr et al 2001). It became apparent that part of her confusional state and her dysphasia, was actually due to her hyperglycaemia. As her hyperglycaemia improved and her blood sugar levels returned to more normal levels she rapidly became more communicative. The interpersonal interactions that we referred to earlier, then became both easier and certainly more meaningful. (Stowers et al. 1999). Mrs.J. improved to the point where she was well enough to allow discharge to warden assisted accommodation. Her warden came onto the ward to learn how to help manage the dietary considerations and was able to speak at length to the dietitian. I would like to think that the warden left the hospital as empowered and educated as Mrs.J. was. References Carpenito LJ. 1997 Nursing diagnosis. Application to clinical practice. 7th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Company, 1997. Carr AJ, Higginson IJ. 2001 Are quality of life measures patient centred? BMJ Vol18 Issue 42 2001 Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to Teaching and Learning methods EMU Oxford Brookes University, Oxford. 1988 Higginson and Carr 2001 Measuring quality of life: Using quality of life measures in the clinical setting BMJ, May 2001; 322: 1297 1300. Holzemer W, Tallberg M, et al, editors. 1994 Informatics: the infrastructure for quality assessment improvement in nursing. Proceedings of the 5th international nursing informatics symposium post-conference; 1994 June 24–25; Austin, Texas. San Francisco: UC Nursing Press, 1994. Howe and Anderson 2003 Involving patients in medical education BMJ, Aug 2003; 327: 326 328. Kuhse Singer 2001 A companion to bioethics ISBN: 063123019X Pub Date 05 July 2001 Marinker M.1997 From compliance to concordance: achieving shared goals in medicine taking. BMJ 1997;314:747–8. Marks-Moran Rose 1996 Reconstructing Nursing: Beyond Art and Science London: Balliere Tindall October, 1996 Meleis A. 1991 Theoretical thinking: development and progress. 2nd edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Company, 1991. Newell and Simon. 1992 Human Problem Solving. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs: 1992. Platt, FW Gordon GH 1999 Field Guide to the Difficult Patient Interview 1999 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, pp 250 ISBN 0 7817 2044 3 London: Macmillian Press 1999 Roper Logan Tierney 1983 Using a model for nursing Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Stowers K, Hughes RA, Carr AJ.1999 Information exchange between patients and health professionals: consultation styles of rheumatologists and nurse practitioners. Arthritis Rheum 1999; 42(suppl): 388S. Taylor. B. J (2000) Reflective Practice: A Guide for Nurses and Midwives. Buckingham: Open University Press. Buckingham 2000 Woolhead G, Calnan M, Dieppe P, et al. 2004 Dignity in older age: what do older people in the United Kingdom think? Age Ageing 2004;33:165–70. Yura H, Walsh M. 1998 The nursing process. Assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating. 5th edition. Norwalk, CT: Appleton Lange, 1998. PDG Word count 1,562 Muhammad Rafiq Azam Architect: Case Study Muhammad Rafiq Azam Architect: Case Study Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Analysis Climatic condition Architectural theory Clients Culture Materials Discussion Conclusion References Book resources Internet resources Introduction: The purpose of indicting this particular essay is to understand architecture via language especially in term of vocabulary, grammatical structure; both physical and intellectual. Through certain arrangement, it carries message and communicates meanings. Rafiq Azam had been chosen as the target of analysis of self and architecture. Muhammad Rafiq Azam is an award-winning architect. He is also a globally acclaimed architect of vernacular architecture from Bangladesh. Shatotto is an architectural studio led by Rafiq Azam, which specialized in architectural aesthetics inspired by lush, riverine landscape of Bengal delta, and ancient architecture heritage of particular region. South Water Garden is a project by Shatotto which was being executed by Shatotto under the lead of Rafiq Azam. It was an apartment building project which located at United Nations Road, Baridhara diplomatic zone, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a region not much an exception in term of green. A lake and a narrow strip of green patch on the west of the plot is a fortune. The built area of particular project is about 33600 square feet and had been cost about 576000 US dollar. The particular project was owned by South Breeze Housing and had been completed in 2007. Analysis: In analyzing and theorizing the south water garden imbued architecture quality in term of climatic condition, architecture theory and factors of client, culture and material as well, the analysis depicted that: In term of climatic condition: Apparently, Dhaka undergoes a drastically scorching climate, which characterized as wet, hot and humid climate as it has been categorized under koppen climate classification. Dhaka has been determined as it possess of tropical savanna climate as well. Furthermore, the particular city also has a distinct monsoonal season. In order to design a responsive building, Rafiq Azam had to take account into Dhaka’s climatic conditions as premise. First and foremost, the orientation of building sun screening faà §ade in response to climatic condition of Dhaka is necessarily required in order to reach the standard thermal comfort level in accord to human comfort. Via the analyzing of South water Garden buildings’ plan orientation and building configuration as well, it was obviously to identified and figured out that Rafiq Azam’s intention on creating a parallel configuration. Via the particular array and permutations, the parallel respective building’s blocks tend to act as protective screen in against to direct exposure to summer solstice and winter solstice during the noon. Conclusively, the southern block aids to shade the northern block during the winter solstice, in contrary, the northern block aids to shelter southern block during summer solstice. The incorporation of two hundred square feet of green patch in front of the building on the east road and utilization of large tree and lake on the west as cooling device for the apartment buildings create a balanced interrelation with building configuration in opposing the unstable climatic conditions of Dhaka. Simple interior is connected to beautiful lake and large trees on the west, enabling the south east summer breeze flowing via the entire house. Apart from that, the intention of respective parallel blocks also enables itself to achieve optimal light density for residents’ daily activities. Therefore, sun path effects had been considered as primarily factor as it contributed much i nfluences on building’s comfortability to live. Tactics of Orifice consideration in response to prevailing wind and summer breeze is also a mean to achieve optimal cross ventilation in order to fulfill the human comfort level. The south east and east prevailing wind flow through the house, simultaneously drifting away the heat that gained inside the apartment aid to create a cozy atmosphere inside the apartment buildings. In term of architectural theory: South Water Garden is designed based on phenomenological architecture. Preliminary, looking deep into Dhaka geographical situation as the land characterized with tropical vegetation and moist soils in the primarily was currently being destructed as these all were replaced by construction of multi-storeys building and other real estate developments. Traffic congestion and industrial waste has drastically resulted the deteriorating of air and water pollution. Hence, the regional biodiversity was being demolished. The opposing current aspect of philosophy create trend of creating green in order to preserving extinction of it stimulates local architects to take step into phenomenological architecture especially Rafiq Azam. In response to the particular environment’s situation, an intention of retention among the green and originality of Dhaka’s elemental human experiences, natural features were incorporating into the South Water Garden design in order to create a building design which is concretely defined as â€Å"the place† Dhaka, as well as the South Water Garden residents’ experiences among Dhaka’s originality coincidentally take place in the building. In ground floor plan, Rafiq Azam arranged interior spaces in a simple functional way in order to emphasize on the connectivity between building interior and exterior. By achieving this, he’s skillfully utilizing natural elements such as lake and large trees on the west as transition space that gradually emanating to the surrounding. In contrary, this condition facilitated particular permutation and arrangements of design maneuvering away from abstractions of science and its neutral objectivity as well. In the orizing Rafiq’s architecture via analyzing of South Water Garden roof plan, the imbued intention of connectivity between roof and ground is being emphasized through the two roof tops design of South Water Garden. Incorporation of green living at roof tops is to respond natural elements of rear plot. The continuity of roof tops green to west ground natural features enhances the interrelation of both which then established a strong connectivity among them. Apart from that, the both roof tops of the apartment buildings were created in a way that evidently displays the quality of human experiences of green living as the community green of roof tops which encompassing lawns and bushes subtlety embracing the residents into a sense of Mother Nature. A small pavilion was located poetically at the midst of green community which formed a strong desire toward the nature. This scheme then transformed into a subtropical architectural vocabulary which addressing Rafiq Aza’s concern on shortage of green space in Dhaka. In term of clients Rafiq Azam had been assigned to work with an area of seven thousand five hundred square feet plot. This was a project that formed through the deal between landowner and developer. They both agreed to divide the land in an equal two pieces respectively to construct two six storied buildings of two thousand eight hundred square feet floor area each in order to share equally each. In looking deep into this particular condition, Rafiq Azam’s consideration on requirement that insisted by the clients also influenced much of the design. The clients insisted to put the design into a challenge in terms of creating open green space. In respond to client’s requirement, Rafiq Azam suggested to take forty square feet over seven thousand five hundred square feet from the plot impartially which placing along with eight feet gap of two building respectively, five feet road set back as per rule in order to create a two hundred square feet of green patch in front of the building on the e ast road. This is quite emphasizing of direct residents’ experience toward the buildings as well as the intimacy of natural elements with the users was being created. In term of culture: The richest heritage is formed in neighboring region and lesser developed civilization, as South Water Garden which is located at United Nations Road, Baridhara diplomatic zone. In response to this condition, the arrangement of South Water Garden with no boundary wall notion delivers a more friendly approach toward the local residents. Little pews are placed which delivered a token of respect for pedestrians and community living around. The creation of small pavilion on the roof tops enables gatherings and roof party to be occurred among the neighborhood, which cordially implement the building language co-relation to achieve a hormonal atmosphere amidst the environment. In term of materials: Major buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh had used brick and concrete as construction materials as these are the most responsive materials to Dhaka’s subtropical climate. In response to surrounding context, exposed brick and concrete are majorly being utilized as construction materials in South Water Garden Apartment. Moreover, the utilization of exposed as cast structural beam and column exterior with terracotta brick in fill is also an approach to subtropical climate of Dhaka that being intended by Rafiq Azam. The selection of materials is quite responsive to human comfort level. Discussion: Rafiq Azam architecture is quite based on experience of space and sensory properties of building materials. This might due to his childhood experiences. By acknowledging that most of the architectural production in Dhaka are dominated on quantitative which driven by profitable motives, he realized that most architect’s keen of sensibility towards a social, ecological and conceptual content is minimized. Growing up in a city which is excessively illustrates segregation of individual architecture as a singular building in a schmooze of materials such as glass, metal, and concrete, there are probably no initiative in thinking much, especially ways of creating an urban which ensemble of various kinds of spaces, which from private to communal, and from hard to green conditions. It was no hard to imagine that with all types of buildings and spatial arrangements coming out of a calculus of market dynamics and borrowed style of architecture. This strictly constricted the architects un til only left with the privilege of addressing buildings with windows. Additionally, Bangladesh has a unique relationship with water, and their sensibilities to its bounty and destruction are a tangible part of the national psyche. The Bangla axiom paanir opor naam jion (water is another life) aptly demonstrate this psychological architecture and the determinative influences of the more than fifty trans-boundary rivers between India and Myanmar, with all their hydrological, social, economic, and political ramifications. With Azams strong impression towards all the impact in his childhood, little wonder then that water bodies are a constant architectural features for Rafiq Azam which is giving out the unrestricted and exposure kind of mood towards the whole city. And his desire to revitalize nostalgia is as ubiquitous in his designs as the water itself in Bangladesh. In his architectural theory, his building is not compendious as the locality, in contrary; it ought to be encompassing of local concretely characteristics or atmosphere which being illustrated via the use of material substances, shape, texture, and color. For instances, the use of cast structural beam and column exterior with terracotta brick in fill is simple way of approach toward subtropical climate of Dhaka as well as the materiality of intimate locality experiences. The consideration of human sensory experiences of building materials is obviously demonstrated through the human comfort responses’ design. In the means of creating spaces, Rafiq Azam allows certain spaces with identical functions to embody a different architectural quality in accord with the local unique characteristics in term of culture and environment conditions. For instances, the local gathering culture was being incorporated into South Water Garden’s roof tops design as the roof pavilion was being created for roof top party. Rafiq Azam attempts to implement his architecture return to things, somehow maneuvering away from abstractions of science and its neutral objectivity. By achieving this, he tries to make things priory happens to be conveys it unique conversations with its place the relevant topic. His design then becomes settlement of different scales in contrasting with surrounding other components. The paths between these subsequently create the Rafiq’s design become secondary defining characteristics of place. The distinction between these conditions offers him the step toward the phenomenological approach. For instances, the emphasis of connectivity inside and outside by Rafiq has been vividly proved via the South Water Garden’s design. Both of the roof tops were created as community green which forms a connection between roof and ground. Conclusion References Book resources Rosa M.F., Kazi K.A. Philip Goad. (2013). Rafiq Azam – Architecture for Green Living. Italy: Skira editore S.p.A. Internet Resources http://www.architecturenewsplus.com/projects/2218 http://archpresspk.com/new-version/Rafiq-azam-book.html http://www.worldarchitecture.org/main/winners.asp?winarchive=11thcyclecyc=11 http://archpresspk.com/new-version/architect-rafiq-azam-interview.html

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Stem Cell Research Philosophy Essay

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Stem Cell Research Philosophy Essay Stem cell research. Straightforward words that mean a lot more than a newfound field in the scientific field. Stem cells have the chance to change everything that we know in the medical field as well as the potential to heal wounds and damaged organs. Yet using stem cells for research causes much debate and anger from those opposed to stem cell research but they are only focusing on the process and not the results of it.  Many oppose embryonic stem cell research because it kills a living human embryo in the process, which Pro Life advocates see as murder. There is an unending conflict between those who see as the potential to save lives, and those who see it as murder. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are cells that are created when a blastocyst is created after sperm enter the female egg. These stem cells are cells that havent been given a specific task yet, allowing scientists to extract them and use them for therapy. The cells, which are derived from several-day-old embryos, can theoretically differentiate into virtually any type of human cell, from blood cells to skin cells. Scientists hope to find ways of using them to repair damaged tissue. The potential use for these stem cells includes curing/treating a myriad of diseases, conditions, and disabilities including Parkinsons disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury, HIV, burns, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis (AAAS). There are multiple types of stem cells, which include adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have the widest range of treatment because they can be differentiated into any type of cell, while adult stem cells can only be made into a few types of specific cells (Stem Cell Science). There are two main positions on embryonic stem cell research. The main reason the topic is controversial is because Pro life advocates, Christians, and many republicans see the destruction of the human embryo as murder or the ending of a potential human life. Critics argue that this destruction of human life is not worth the benefits because life is destroyed to potentially save another. The argument comes down to the same one as abortion, but at an even smaller scale. Blastocysts, which are destroyed in embryonic stem cell research are only made of 200 cells (there are 50 trillion in a human body) (Stem Cell Science). Pro life advocates argue that any destruction of potential human life is wrong, which creates tension between the scientific community and critics (Religious Tolerance). The Pro life argument targets those with strong religious backgrounds, and actively advertises that embryonic stem cell research is unethical. Opponents of hESC research believe that human life begins as soon as an egg is fertilized; and they consider a human embryo to be a human being. They therefore consider any research that necessitates the destruction of a human embryo to be morally abhorrent. Many critics of embryonic stem cell research, or ESCr, suggest that adult stem cell research is a better alternative because it does not destroy human embryos. Adult stem cells cannot be made into as many different types of cells that hESC can, which leads to disagreements. The pro life argument takes a strong ethical standpoint on science and medicine, which is a powerful and effective technique for making sure research is halted (NIH) (AAAS). The other side of the argument is the scientific viewpoint. Medical professionals and scientists hold that of stem cells have the potential to cure everything from Parkinsons to HIV. (NIH) The scientific community sees ESCr and its potential as a major breakthrough in medicine and science. The reason for outrage in the scientific community is that there is a large potential for life saving through ESCr, and that funding and public support is being threatened or ended because of the opposing side. Many scientists agree that ESCr has huge possibilities to cure Parkinsons and other infamous and deadly diseases. The main reason that scientists talk about the probability and potential of hESC is because due to opposition, much research hasnt been allowed to occur (Popular Issues) (PBS). Taking sides over embryonic stem cell research has its drawbacks. Scientists and politicians who take the pro-research side get attacked by people that are against it. Politicians especially come under fire due to the large support of anti-research that comes from many ethical foundations like the church. These foundations then lobby other politicians to fight funding for this research. This creates a conflict between the two opposing sides. Embryonic stem cell research is a topic that is contested by many, and would not be considered work safe due to the deep positions people take on the topic. The embryonic stem cell debate is a national argument, being more accepted in other countries than in America. There has been infamous legislation banning the funding for it by George W. Bush, and then the restoration of funding by President Barack Obama. Each party has their own view on the topic, with Republicans being generally more against ESCr, and democrats more for it. The Republican Party uses religious ethics to justify their standpoint on the topic, which is a very effective technique in America. Many people are very religious and so they immediately decide to be against ESCr (PBS) (Religious Tolerance) (Pros and Cons). A part of the controversy is over the use of adult stem cells. Many religious figures and politicians give adult stem cells as an all around better alternative to ESCr. This is contested by the scientific community due to the fact that adult stem cells can only be differentiated into less than half the cells that embryonic ones can. (NIH) Some opponents of ESCr also argue that research on stem cells obtained from adults is just as promising and makes research unnecessary. Most scientists, however, contest this claim citing great potential in the field of adult stem cells but several downsides with embryonic stem cells. Proponents of ESCr research advocate funding for both fields. Embryonic stem cells can be made into any type of cell in the human body. This allows hESC to be used to help with diseases like AIDS, Parkinsons, Alzheimers, brain cancer, and injuries such as spinal cord damage. Adult stem cells are a very popular alternative, but many scientists believe that cures lie in the study and research of all types of stem cells, not just adult ones. Lately, a new way to harvest stem cells has been proven effective; to take human skin cells and trick them into becoming stem cells (NIH). However, this is not an end to the moral issue, but instead may prove to make acquiring new types of stem cells harder, because Pro Lifers will say this is a way to avoid killing an embryo, even if it is already given up for science. A few major problems with the cells, is that they are simply not tough enough to undergo reproduction to create the new organ or cell type necessary. Also, the cells simply are physically older, and therefore cannot produce as well as embryonic stem cells, and are unsuitable for many operations. (Popular Issues) Though it is important to study this new kind of stem cell group, the use of embryonic stem cells cannot be discounted; as they are the most studied and have been established to be the most useful. Politicians and Lobbyists have put a stop to the growth of stem cell research, which can mean millions to those who are rightful to the treatments, while the research gained by the government is open to the public, which allows scientists to search for more cures. Former president Bill Clinton, under demands from the general population and elected officials, permitted stem cell research to be slowed down with the Dickey Amendment. This put a stop on all federal funding for stem cell research. While Clinton was still in office in, an ambiguity was found in the law that allowed for the embryo to be destroyed with non-governmental funds, and then experimented on with funding from the government. During this time, there was an increase in stem cell research, and numerous types of stem cells were discovered (AAAS) (PBS). President Obama passed legislation that allows funding for ESCr, which is a major step forward for research. Each political party opposes one another on this topic, so it is important for politicians to tell their followers which side theyve taken. The national community in the United States is divided on the topic of ESCr. Many are concerned about the ethical concerns of destroying embryos, but they also see the unbelievable benefits it could reap. Many are also faithful followers of the church, which mandates that no human life be destroyed. Pro Life advocates tell their followers that this is murder, which leads to opposition to ESCr. These attitudes reflect the Christian principles that America was founded upon. It also shows that a large amount of American politics and policies are affected enormously by religion (Religious Tolerance) (Popular Issues). I believe that the government should fund embryonic stem cell research and allow scientists to investigate the unbelievable potential in this field. Scientists have decided that they wont create embryos to destroy to get the stem cells for research, but use the many left over ones from in vitro fertilization, a technique of creating many human embryos to fertilize a woman, which often ends in many extra embryos being created. In-vitro leftovers allow embryos that would already be frozen and later destroyed to be put forward for a higher cause. People against ESCr argue that the use of leftover in-vitro embryos will lead to more abortions and embryos being destroyed (Religious Tolerance) (Science Daily). Much has been proven for the abilities of stem cells; one of the most recent is the creation of a hESC entirely from stem cells (PBS).This creates tension because people have always been against human cloning, as it poses the ethical difficulty of whether or not we can play God. Another problem with the stem cells is that if they are studied by mixing them with another organism, the new organism could become more humanlike and that is another moral problem that afflicts many people. These are very important ethical questions, but they should not be quarreled over by Congress, by politicians serving their citizens, who ironically consist of lobbyists; they should instead be debated and rules set by the scientific community, to protect the veracity of science, and prevent chaos through misunderstanding. Although there are many issues with the system, there is a large necessity to discover more types of stem cells. Without new stem cell lines we could otherwise see this type of scientif ic examination become purely theoretical in nature, which is like counting the number of how many angels you can fit on a pin. Stem cells are gifts to mankind, and are able to save untold amounts of people. We cannot allow an issue of religion and political partiality to discourage us from saving the people who need these stem cells the most. Stem cell research may be an ethical problem for some, but the prospects of growth and of treatment for the ill, far overshadows any hypothetical moral debate, as the lives of those who hurt, certainly should have treatments examined to provide a happy, and healthy life for them. The government should fund stem cell research, to provide the next person who needs help the treatment they ought to have.

bay of pigs :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the administration of United States President John F. Kennedy, the Cold War reached its most dangerous state, when the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came to the brink of nuclear war in what was known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States and Russia were already engaged in the Cold War, and both countries were now in a race to build up their armed forces. The Arms Race was a competition between both countries to scare each other by creating bigger, more powerful missiles and bombs. Usually, the United States was more advanced than the Soviet Union in technology and the Soviets tried to catch up as quickly as possible and neither stopped. The American people thought that the Russians had more, and better missiles than the United States had because of Soviet Premier Khrushchev boasting over his country’s status. Eventually, American officials show this to be false. As the Cold War continued, the fear of a nuclear holocaust grew and proposals for arms reduction began, but the fear still remained. In 1961, the United States formed the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, which dealt with the government policy concerning nuclear testing and arms control. In May of 1972, the firs t Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT 1) came to an end and a treaty had been signed by the United States and the Soviet Union to limit the production of anti-ballistic missile systems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the Cold War people feared nuclear war, but the world was never closer to one then during the Cuban Missile Crisis. There would be no winner in a nuclear war, only destruction would remain. For fourteen days in October of 1962, American and Soviet troops were prepared to attack one another and were ready to use nuclear weapons. This was the highest peak of tensions during the Cold War.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cuban Missile Crisis began with the growing tensions between the United States and Cuba following the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The revolution ousted Cuba’s dictator, Fulgencio Batista and brought to power a government headed by Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Before the revolution, the United States had a significant influence in Cuba’s economic and political affairs, but the Castro government refused to be influenced by the United States. Castro caused concern in the United States when he confiscated property belonging to wealthy Cubans and foreigners in an attempt to implement policies to improve conditions for poor and working-class Cubans. bay of pigs :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the administration of United States President John F. Kennedy, the Cold War reached its most dangerous state, when the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came to the brink of nuclear war in what was known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States and Russia were already engaged in the Cold War, and both countries were now in a race to build up their armed forces. The Arms Race was a competition between both countries to scare each other by creating bigger, more powerful missiles and bombs. Usually, the United States was more advanced than the Soviet Union in technology and the Soviets tried to catch up as quickly as possible and neither stopped. The American people thought that the Russians had more, and better missiles than the United States had because of Soviet Premier Khrushchev boasting over his country’s status. Eventually, American officials show this to be false. As the Cold War continued, the fear of a nuclear holocaust grew and proposals for arms reduction began, but the fear still remained. In 1961, the United States formed the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, which dealt with the government policy concerning nuclear testing and arms control. In May of 1972, the firs t Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT 1) came to an end and a treaty had been signed by the United States and the Soviet Union to limit the production of anti-ballistic missile systems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the Cold War people feared nuclear war, but the world was never closer to one then during the Cuban Missile Crisis. There would be no winner in a nuclear war, only destruction would remain. For fourteen days in October of 1962, American and Soviet troops were prepared to attack one another and were ready to use nuclear weapons. This was the highest peak of tensions during the Cold War.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cuban Missile Crisis began with the growing tensions between the United States and Cuba following the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The revolution ousted Cuba’s dictator, Fulgencio Batista and brought to power a government headed by Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Before the revolution, the United States had a significant influence in Cuba’s economic and political affairs, but the Castro government refused to be influenced by the United States. Castro caused concern in the United States when he confiscated property belonging to wealthy Cubans and foreigners in an attempt to implement policies to improve conditions for poor and working-class Cubans.

Software Patent/Copyright Issues in Peru :: Technology Computers Essays

Software Patent/Copyright Issues in Peru Software Patent/Copyright issues are a global concern. Information Technology developments in the last ten years have brought innovation in both Software and Hardware. The rise of the Internet and its users around the world is stretching the frontiers. But these advances in Information Technology came with the easy way to copy software illegally. My research will be focused on the laws that protect the intellectual property in Peru and their effect globally. I will analyze the issue from an ethical perspective in how these laws are right or wrong and my personal opinion for a solution of the problem from different approaches. Peru and the Globalization I left my country five years ago. When I came here I got my first computer. I didn’t buy one in Peru because I was scared that someone could steal it from my house. My cousin’s PC was stolen twice (each time a new PC) from her house. By 1992, after terrorism, the delinquency increased considerable in Lima, capital of Peru. A third world country faces different kinds of problems, but the top one is economical. The resources are limited and one of the most important tools for a country as for a private company is its investment in Research and Development to grow. Software Patent/Copyright laws in Peru INDECOPI Peru has a government institute, the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI). The following laws are exclusive for software: Jurisprudence / Features Features upon the use of computer programs (software) 1.It is allowed to use software brought from another country with the corresponding license, but cannot be commercialized without the authorization of the holder of the right of author. The allowed user has the right to install the program on the hard disk for its effective use. Every reproduction or utilization of software without having the corresponding license granted by the holder of the right of author or his representative is considered illicit and passive for sanction administrative and/or judicial. The computers that sell itself with the software incorporated have to be delivered with the manual, respective licenses of use and backups containing the program. The software cannot be utilized in a greater number of computers that the authorized in the respective license. In the case of networks it is required to count the licenses for all the machines that utilize the software. It is illicit to rent software without the authorization of the holder of the right of author.

Rural-Urban Linkages, Their Role in Sustainable Development

Although policy makers and the development community have widely used the phrase â€Å"rural development. The concept of rural development has changed significantly during the last 3 decades. Until the 1970s, rural development was synonymous with agricultural development and, hence, focused on increasing agricultural production. This focus seems to have been driven primarily by the interests of industrialization to extract surpluses from the agriculture sector to reinforce industrialization. With the focus on increasing agricultural production, the stated objective of most countries was to promote smallholder agriculture. Over time, this smallholder agriculture-centric concept of rural development underwent changes. By the early 1980s, according to Harris, the World Bank defined it as â€Å"†¦a strategy designed to improve the economic and social life of a specific group of people—the rural poor. Four major factors appear to have influenced the change: increased concerns about the persistent and deepening of rural poverty; changing views on the meaning of the concept of development itself; emergence of a more diversified rural economy in which rural non-farm enterprises play an increasingly important role; and increased recognition of the importance of reducing the non-income dimensions of poverty to achieve sustainable improvements in the socio economic well-being of the poor. The establishment of the Millennium Development Goals has significantly reinforce d the concerns about non income poverty. With the paradigm shifts in economic development from growth to broadly defined â€Å"development,† the concept of rural development has begun to be used in a broader sense. It is also more specific, as Harris noted â€Å"in the sense that it focuses (in its rhetoric and in principle) particularly on poverty and inequality. † In more recent years, increased concerns on the environmental aspects of economic growth have also influenced the changes. Today’s concept of rural development is fundamentally different from that used about 3 or 4 decades ago. The concept now encompasses â€Å"concerns that go well beyond improvements in growth, income, and output. The concerns include an assessment of changes in the quality of life, broadly defined to include improvement in health and nutrition, education, environmentally safe living conditions, and reduction in gender and income inequalities. â€Å"Today there seems to be a universal consensus that the ultimate objective of rural development is to improve the quality of life of rural people. As the concept of rural development changed so has the focus and approach to tackling and planning for rural development also change. Thus as already explained, today rural development is an integrated concept that that requires an integrated approach to development . thus the focus now is on sustainable development; hence an integrated sustainable rural development strategy is used to plan for rural development. However in order to successively design a strategy for integrated sustainable rural development, one must take into consideration rural-urban linkages because of the significant role it plays in sustainable rural development. Before proceeding with a discussion about the role that rural-urban linkages play in integrated rural sustainable development strategy, it may be necessary to define rural-urban linkages. In general, â€Å"rural-urban linkages† refers to the flow of (public and private) capital, people (migration, commuting) and goods and services (trade) between rural and urban areas. It is important to add to these three economic flows, the flow of ideas, innovation and information. These rural urban linkages could be expanded as; * The movement of people between rural and urban households many of which are of circular nature. These include temporary migration(as in seasonal moves ) and labour migration including weekly commuting; * The more permanent migration of people from rural to urban areas and vice versa. * The movement of people operating from a single rural urban household as in daily commuting or school trips, shopping and short term visits. * The movement of resources such as money and remittances, commodities and services. * There is also the more permanent type of linkages found mostly in infrastructure such as roads railway lines water and electricity telecommunication etc. Over the past few years, interest in the linkages between urban and rural areas has increased considerably. This is clear, for instance, from the activities of the United Nations. The Habitat Agenda, adopted at the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul in 1996, states that â€Å"policies and programmes for the sustainable development of rural areas that integrate rural regions into the national economy require strong local and national institutions for the lanning and management of human settlements that place emphasis on rural-urban linkages and treat villages and cities as two ends of a human settlements continuum. † (UNCHS, 1997: 93-94). however, Studies of rural urban linkages indicate that the nature of the linkages differs from one place to another and differs for different sectors in the same place. It is equally necessary to identify successful practices that promote local rural and urban development and alleviate poverty, using rural-urban linkages, and to build the capacity of rural and urban local governments to review, adapt and replicate such practices. The growing understanding and the pool of good practices should form the basis for capacity building of local governments. Among the above linkages the ,focus would be on the point 1 and 4 that’s the migration and the economic exchange of goods and services and their implication on rural development . this is because they are among the important rural urban linkages necessary for integrated sustainable rural development. These would be dis cussed shortly. To begin with the economic exchange between urban and rural areas can be beneficial or detrimental to either or both areas . hus with economic links between rural and urban areas, the extent to which economic development in the one area benefits or obstructs economic development in the other area. For instance an exclusive focus on rural areas would result in an under-investment in urban areas and this would limit the growth of the urban sector and its ability to absorb the rural labour surplus. Likewise an exclusive focus on urban development would produce similar results, because it would accelerate rural-urban migration and reduce food production per capita (Richardson, 1987: 210). Reardon (n. d. : 8-9) distinguishes three stages in the development of rural non-farm sector and of rural-urban linkages: †¢ During the first stage, rural non-farm activity tends to have a production or expenditure linkage with agriculture while farming directly employs a large share of the rural population. Rural non-farm activity tends to centre on the countryside itself, with little dependence on rural-urban links. Rural non-farm activities are mainly home-based and small-scale production of goods, mainly sold locally. During the first stage, agriculture tends to depend on local supplies of farm inputs and services and on local processing and distribution of farm products, usually carried out by small to medium-scale firms. †¢ A greater mix of situations characterizes the second stage. The mix includes activities based on linkages with agriculture as well as on other, separate activities (e. g. tourism, mining and services), although the latter did grow out of a historical rural non-farm sector based on linkages with agriculture. The share of rural population dependent on farming is lower than during the first phase. Rural-urban links as the basis for rural non-farm employment have a greater weight than in first stage with nascent sub-contracting of rural companies by urban or foreign businesses and a rapid rise in the labour force commuting between the countryside and rural towns and intermediate cities. †¢ The third stage shows an intensification of the characteristics that differentiate the second stage from the first stage. There is a greater weight of urban-rural links manifested by the greater importance of more advanced forms of business linkages, such as subcontracting arrangements and labour commuting. A number of other tendencies also characterize this stage: the expansion of subcontracting beyond light durables to medium durables. The great heterogeneity of the non-farm sector in rural areas implies that there is little scope for general, broad, policy prescriptions. This observation may well provide an important lesson for our thinking about the process of policy formulation. A wide variety of interventions may be required to promote the non-farm sector, each tailored to specific local conditions. Decentralized decision-making may be necessary: mechanisms should be devised whereby local information flows upwards so that the localized bottlenecks are relieved and specific niches can be exploited (Lanjouw, 1999: 9). From the above it can be realised that, rural-urban linkages can play an important role in economic development and poverty alleviation in urban and rural areas. However,it is important to recognize that the nature of the rural-urban linkages differs from one place to another and from one function to another. As Douglas (1998) has pointed out, a particular urban centre may play a crucial economic role for the surrounding rural areas in one respect, while the rural area may completely bypass that same urban centre and link directly to more distant urban centres and cities in other respects. It is, therefore, dangerous to generalize about the nature of rural-urban linkages and to base policy interventions on such generalizations. What is necessary is the recognition of (a) the existence a regional economy as a reality, rrespective of administrative boundaries, and (b) the need to develop knowledge about such regional (i. e. sub-national) economies (World Bank, 2000). The development of this knowledge should be demand-driven, as urban and rural local governments come to recognize their shared interests and constraints. The political impetus for this process of knowledge development may be t decentralization. In order to distribute economic and social opportunities equitably, the Government s hould strengthen grassroots economies that can provide sustainable incomes for the rural population. The Government should establish economic clusters that link rural and urban areas, and the cluster-based economic development should be consistent with the economic potentials, preferences and functions of each area. Another important rural urban linkage that has immense implication for today’s rural development is the rural urban migration. Thus the movement of people between rural and urban households . these include temporary migration and labour migration. Rural-urban migration reduces population pressure in the rural areas and, thereby, should improve economic conditions and reduce rural poverty. However, disparities between urban and rural areas in terms of income and employment and the availability of basic infrastructure and services persist. Urban areas offer more and better opportunities for socio-economic mobility of the poor and rural-urban migration, therefore, will continue. Labour migration could result in shortage of labour force for productivity in the rural areas which would intend result in low productivity and underdevelopment in the rural areas. Whereas the urban areas may not also be able to absorb the all the labour from the rural areas ,resulting in unemployment and increase in sanitation costs and government expenditure. it also increase population pressure in urban areas resulting in pressure on the few social amenities in urban centres. in this case, rural urban migration has more adverse effect on rural development. In addition to the above, Circular and temporary migration is already a common pattern in many countries, but working and housing conditions in the urban areas may not always be conducive to this form of migration. Housing is often an acute problem for temporary migrants who prefer to rent rather than to own housing, because they feel that their home is in the rural areas. Temporary migrants are sometimes not entitled to urban services and this makes their life in the urban areas more difficult than necessary. Local governments and private employers in the urban areas should accept temporary rural-urban migration as inevitable and perhaps even as desirable, and they may consider measures to facilitate such forms of rural-urban migration. For instance, Remittances are a crucial component of rural households’ incomes and a key element of the continued links between migrants and their home areas across all wealth groups. In northern Mali, migrants’ remittances have become probably the most important source of family cash, and are used for consumption and for the purchase of consumer goods such as radios and bicycles, but also for the purchase of agricultural inputs or for investment in livestock. In southeast Nigeria, it would be socially unacceptable for migrants not to send remittances and gifts: financial support to their parental households has greatly contributed to making young women’s migration socially acceptable. Most importantly, remittances and gifts ensure that migrants can maintain a foothold in the home area, and that they will be welcome upon their return. Gaile (1992: 134) argues that the problem is not urbanization as such, because the urban areas need to absorb the additional rural labour. The problem is that migrants have only a limited choice when migrating, because most local economic development occurs in one or a few large cities. He points out that the problem is really â€Å"under-urbanization†, i. e. the underdevelopment of the urban system. The major impediment to the working of the general market and the consequent development of a labour market is the undersupply of centres of sufficient minimal size to provide sites for market development. The above implies that in developing a strategy for sustainable rural development projects that encourages the bridging of gab between rural and urban areas should be considered. This would help reduce rural urban migration. Besides, major effort is required to ensure that the urban areas can absorb the growing urban population and that urbanization will not result in an urbanization of poverty. Small and medium-sized towns can play an important role in the urbanization process by absorbing rural-urban migrants. For instance Economic development in small towns can have a positive impact on the economy of the surrounding rural areas, if the increase in purchasing power results in the purchase of agricultural and non-agricultural products from the surrounding rural areas. This will obviously depend on the types of products produced, their quality and cost and their competitiveness compared to products from other parts of the country (and elsewhere). The development of the local urban economy may also lead to a reduction in rural-urban migration to the larger urban centres and the city and redirect migration flows to smaller urban centres. This in the long run led to sustainable development in both the rural and urban areas. Conclusion and Recommendations From the above discusions, it can be observe that there is growing interdependence of urban and rural areas that reduces the significance of the rural-urban distinction. The flow of people, capital, goods, services and ideas between urban and rural areas, made possible by improvements and cost reductions in communication and transport, is reinforcing the existing rural-urban linkages and more than ever conditions and developments in the urban areas have an impact on the rural areas and vice versa. Rural residents adopt urban lifestyles and occupations; small settlements require urban infrastructure and services; residents of rural areas commute between rural and urban areas; industries move to rural areas; urban waste pollutes natural resources in the rural areas; and agriculture in urban areas is becoming important for both economic and environmental reasons. It is, therefore, an anachronism that governments still design policies and programmes that are focused either on urban or on rural areas, but rarely on both. Rural and urban communities need to have an interest in each other’s conditions, and policy-makers need to consider these when formulating policies and programmes for sustainable rural development. Coordination of decision-making and cooperation between authorities of urban areas and their surrounding rural areas are critical to ensure that the development of urban areas and rural areas support each other. However, the continuing integration of rural and urban areas requires more than simply coordination and cooperation, it requires planning that incorporates rural and urban development. Such regional planning should not be an urban-centred exercise as it often has been in the past. Rural and urban areas need each other and each can benefit when the other’s needs are met. Backward linkages and forward linkages between agricultural production and industry and services can foster positive rural-urban interactions and a virtuous circle of development. However, policies that encourage such mutually reinforcing linkages need to overcome the traditional separation between rural and urban planners. They also need to avoid generalizations and be grounded in the specifics of the regional context (Tacoli, 1998: 13).

Teacher Learning Through The Lens Of Activity Theory Education Essay

During unsanded-fashi unmatch qualifiedd hoary(a) ages, t all(prenominal)er larning has gained lots attending of principals and domesticate leading. In many a(prenominal) instances civilises leading effort has been to tot an purlieu in which the t for each angiotensin-converting enzymeers feel supported and then reveal efficaciously in their categories. engorged and Unwin ( 2006 ) have categorized checks nurture surrounds, as every regulatory or lofty in respect to their character of societal interactions. Concentrating on the impressions introduced by laden and Unwin ( 2006 ) , in this paper I analyze these most(prenominal) attainment surrounds in an Persian multilingual take aim, in which Persian and English atomic number 18 the media of direction, by dint of the electron lens of exertion opening. Kutti ( 1996 ) defines act possibility as a philosophical and bollocks-disciplinary case for analyzing unlike figures of human practicers as take aimment procedures, around(prenominal) angiotensin-converting enzyme and societal degrees interlinked at the resembling clip ( p. 23 ) . Sing this definition, utilizing drill surmise in analysing the Persian instill purlieu, I manifest how this sit and its pasture of contradiction in terms in terms in termss weed be relied on to steer research in larning environment and educational engine room. Furthermore, this rate provides an discernment into re impudentals in the instructors achievement at study when a radical technological utensil be complys portion of prepares activities and communicating.Keywords grand encyclopaedism environment, constrictive science environment, globe encyclopedism, familiar acquirement, practise theory, instructor larning, e-learning1. Introduction1.1 Introduce the Problem instructs atomic number 18 non scarce places where pupils learn save similarly atomic number 18 they topographic points for instructors sc holarship. Nowadays, school leading around the universe ar quest to determine a nicety in which science for both pupils and instructors blow overs in the roughly legal trend. Since school principals have realized that instructors cognition and emotional provinces may stupor pupils larning, which is the ultimate end of schools, they try to leave an environment in which instructors upgrade their accomplishments and find their emotional battles related to their belongplace. only, it is of import to notice what counts as workplace larning for instructors. Marsick and Watkins ( 1990 ) defined this as chances for achievement, both those that argon more formalised and knowing and those characterized as minor expense. The central point of this sketch is on instructors scholarship and larning environment characterized as restrictive or expansive. Furthermore, analysing a instance by dint of the lens of operation theory by concentrating on contradictions in fount the bodily function ashess provides an reliable exercise of both restrictive and expansive encyclopaedism environments. The main(prenominal) intent of this spate, until now, is to establish how the action mechanism theory flush toilet be reusable in analysing instructors encyclopaedism in diametrical acquisition environments. This wad is organized in four sub programe sections. The following(a) sub incision provides an overview on the take a leaks related to instructors workplace acquisition and the action at law theory model, by reexamining rough redbird literatures. The method subdivision describes the types and design of this sketch. The wake subdivision intents at deuce diverse larning environments in an Persian school and an e-learning syllabus through the lens of the action mechanism theory and the last subdivision, which is treatment and decision portion, wraps up the treatment with deductions and suggestions.1.2 Describe Relevant informationIn t his subdivision few surveies be reviewed in state to lucubrate more or less of the cardinal constructs in the survey such(prenominal)(prenominal) as, restrictive and expansive larning environment, formal and cozy acquisition, and the occupation theory.1.2.1 Restrictive and elevated erudition surroundingss go this survey is grounded in the fend forground of an Persian school in which two varied larning environments were experienced, I remember on that point is a take away to acknowledge the features of each environment. The popular opinion of restrictive and expansive acquisition environment comes from the surveies of chuck-full and Unwin ( 2006 ) on bookman acquisition in four distinct companies. During their surveies Fuller and Unwin developed a abstract model in spite of appearance which to do backb whiz of chances and barriers in learner acquisition. Pulling on the suasions of Lave and Wanger s community of signifier hypothetical score and Engestro m they classified larning environments as either expansive or restrictive. The following tabular array sympathizes an altered model for instructor acquisition environment.Table 1. Expansive and restrictive acquisition environments for instructors. Beginning Evans, Hodkinson, Rainbird, & A Unwin, ( 2006, p. 53, suppose 3.1 )Expansive acquisition environmentRestrivtive acquisition environmentNear cooperative functionals with co-workersOut-of-school educational chances, including chances to job and believe former(a)wiseExplicit focal point on instructor acquisition as a dimension of normal on the job patternsupport chances for personal development traveling beyond school or authorities precedencesColleagues are reciprocally appurtenant in incr slackening instructor acquisitionOpprtunities to engage with works sort outs at heart and external of schoolOpportunities to break professional individuality through boundry-crossing into separate sections, school activities, an d schoolsSupport for fluctuations in shipway of working and acquisition, for variant instructors and sectionsteachers use a broad place setting of larning attacksIsolated, integrity workingNo out-of-school clip to point of view back. Merely narrow, short provision programmesNo expressed focal point on instructor larning except to run into crises or obligate enterprisesTeacher acquisition predominate by authorities and school docketsColleagues deflect or do non back up each differents s acquisition bailiwick restricted to home departmental squads within schoolThe lone chance to boundry cross associated with major registration of occupationStandarised attacks to learning and teacher larning are prescribed and imposedTeachers use a narrow com rid of of larning attacks1.2.2 Formal and Informal attainmentSince one of the specialization points amid two different larning environments, viz. , expansive and restrictive, is on preparation support for fluctuations on acquisition, it is of import to make headway to cognize different types of acquisition. Marsick and Watkins ( 2001 ) qualify formal acquisition in contrast with informal acquisition as institutionally sponsored, classroom-based, and passing structured ( p. 25 ) . For them informal acquisition is incidental and non classroom-based and extremely structured, and the control of acquisition is chiefly in the custodies of the scholar ( p. 25 ) . To clear up the impression they defined incidental as a byproduct of around(prenominal)what different body process, such as undertaking achievement, interpersonal interaction, feeling the organisational civilization, trial and error experimentation, or scour formal acquisition ( p. 25 ) . As say by Eraut ( 2004 ) informal larning suggests more flexibleness or freedom for scholars. He believed that informal larning takes topographic point in a broader scope of scenes than formal culture. This informal acquisition peck take the signifiers of conversations in the corridors or when overlap lifts with co-workers to the workplace spy instructors ordaining their functions around a school and co-participating in normative patterns ( Fox, Deaney, and Wilson, 2009, p. 219 ) . Eraut ( 2004 ) believed that nevertheless in informal acquisition, larning from different throng is recognized as socially of import, barely single bureau is more coarse than socialisation. He declared that informal acquisition plays a important function in professional development. Eraut declared that that in many scenes scholars experience both formal and non-formal acquisition. Although near bookmans acknowledge the significance of informal acquisition in professional development ( e.g. Eraut, 2004 Marsick, 2009 ) , Fuller and Unwin ( 2006 ) pointed to Solomon s concern about the recent accent on informal larning to assure that this accent has a negative side in that it may be sabotaging the demand to supply employees with chances to prosec ute in finish up-the-job preparation as well ( p. 29 ) . Fuller and Unwin added that harmonizing to Solomon s position supplying few off-the-job chances gives employees less opportunity to stand back and reflect overcritically on their pattern ( p. 29 ) .1.2.3 body process Theory as a Theorietical ModelAs I mentioned before the instance of the Persian school under the focal point of this survey will be analyzed through the lens of employment theory. Indeed both larning environments, experienced at the school, will be scrutinized utilizing legal action theory, in battle array to demo how each environment works for instructors in footings of acquisition and effectivity.Activity theory has had an germinating revisal from its development by Lev Vygotsky in 1920s. The rootage generation of this theory, centered on Vygotsky s suggestion, introduced the view of mediation ( Engestrom, 2001 ) . Vygotsky s melodic theme of cultural mediation of actions is expressed as the three of topic, goal, and interceding artifact ( Engestrom, 2001. P. 134 ) . This coevals of Activity Theory, nevertheless, is located on the degree of the person s actions and does non exemplify how cognitive alteration happens within a corporate background ( Hardman, 2005, p. 2 ) .Vygotsky s co-worker Alexei Leontev in 1981 clarified the differentiation amongst single action and corporate action at law ( Engestrom, 2001 ) . The second coevals of practise theory arose so out of Leontev s three-level notional account of activity with its footing in the differentiation mingled with action, operation and activity ( Engestrom, 1987 ) . However, this theoretical account failed to develop Vygotsky s theoretical account into one of corporate activity ( Hardman, 2005. p. 3 ) . Engestrom in 1987 developed Vygtsky s views and introduced the 3rd coevals of activity theory ( Figure 1 ) Figure 1. Components of the activity form ( Engestrom, 1987 )Engestrom ( 2001 ) asserted the 3rd coev als of activity theory needs to develop conceptual cocksuckers to understand duologue, multiple positions, and webs of interacting activity clays ( p. 135 ) .Kutti ( 1996 ) defines activity theory as a philosophical and cross-disciplinary model for analyzing different signifiers of human patterns as development procedures, both single and societal degrees interlinked at the same clip ( p. 23 ) . As you curb in the figure 2, activity theory is consisted of seven elementsSubject the histrions engaged in the activityObject natural hurtle or job infinite at which the activity is foc utilise ( Engestrom, 1993 ) .Tools instruments facilitate the end of activityCommunity the topics of an activity dodging with a common end glass division of labor horizontal and perpendicular division of undertakings and functions, power and position among members of the communityRules denotive and inexplicit norms that control actions and interactions within the agreement ( Engestrom, 1993 )Re sult vicissitude of the objects the overall rank of the activity dodge ( Jonassen, 2002 )Engestrom ( 2001 ) uttered quintet convenings that warmheartednessmarise his attack to the modern-day activity theory. In the first rule, he set the activity system as the chief unit of analysis. In the 2nd rule he emphasized multi-voicedness of activity systems he argued that activity systems are communities of multiple points of position, traditions and involvements. In the 3rd rule Engestrom ( 2001 ) pointed to historicity of systems by stating that activity systems take form and acquire alter over drawn-out periods of clip ( p. 136 ) . In the 4th rule he try to demo the significance of contradictions by presenting them as beginnings of alterations and development. For him contradictions can ensue in tensenesss unless excessively transmutation in activity systems. In specifying contradiction Kuutti ( 1996 ) stated contradiction is a misfit within elements, in the midst of the m, between different activities, or between different developmental stages of a individual activity ( p. 34 ) . In the last rule he talked about expansive regular recurrence by adverting that activity systems move through comparatively long rhythms of qualitative transmutations ( p. 137 ) .2. MethodBecause this survey seeks to understand how activity theory can be a utile model for analysing larning environments, it adopts an ex course of studyatory instance survey design. This is a survey on an Persian bilingualist school in which both restrictive and expansive acquisition environments were experienced. In order to supply a collapse snap of the context, the research worker uses her observations and perceptual experiences as one of the instructors in the school upon which the survey is built. In each acquisition environment, either restrictive or expansive, by concentrating on contradictions as dynamic forces of alteration, we can verbalise how we can track transmutation and rectify understand these transmutations within an activity system. In fact, contradictions can either authorise larning to come on, or they can curtail it, depending on whether or non they are acknowledged and unconquerable ( Nelson, 2002 ) .3. Consequences3.1 Restrictive Learning EnvironmentFrom its nature in 2002 up to its work on 2006, the school had a restrictive acquisition environment in which instructors did non back up each rude(a)(prenominal)s acquisition. there were some Teacher Training Courses ( TTC ) for the instructors, every one epoch in a piece, to order and order some instruction schemes and criterions later the instructors had to learn precisely harmonizing to what they had been told. Teachers had to work separately and in that location was no civilization of collaborative acquisition. However some informal acquisition happened inside the schoolroom for the instructors, they did non dungeon the opportunity of mouth to the newfound(prenominal) instruc tors in order to checker more informal acquisition. Despite some efforts of the supervisors on the manner of supplying chances for instructor acquisition such as class observation and supplying feedback to the instructors, teacher preparation classs, and supplying some text books for the instructors, teacher larning was non admitted explicitly as a critical issue of the school. In such an environment emerging contradictions seemed inevitable. Figure 2 shows the activity system theatrical performance of such a restrictive acquisition environment by presenting elements of the system.Figure 2. An activity system histrionics of restrictive school environment3.1.1 Contradictions in Restrictive School EnvironmentSchool leaders belief was grounded on the thought that individualist acquisition is more effectual for instructors, so the instructors were encouraged to analyze separately. This thought nevertheless, was non in line with the human nature which has disposition toward communi cating with new(prenominal)s. The instructors were restricted to pass on with each other and this was in contradiction with their completed patterns in the society. In the communities out of this school all of the instructors had chances to turn to with other people and to larn from them so outgrowth of a contradiction between the topics particularly the instructors with the object was obvious ( subordinate/object contradiction ) . On the other manus the regulations of the school were in a manner that do the instructors stay off from each other. Harmonizing to the regulations, the instructors had to pass their java prisonbreak clip in their categories and there was no chance provided for them to pass on with each other ( proceeds/rule contradiction ) . The school supervisors were supposed to supply such a acquisition environment in which the instructors acquisition happened in the most effectual manner in this manner, nevertheless, they were non supportive pile. For illus tration, one of the undertakings of the supervisors in each school is detecting the instructors categories and supplying feedbacks to them. In this school nevertheless, the supervisors discovered each category merely one time in a twelvemonth, and this did non shake off any added value for the instructors acquisition. In this manner the instructors had to oversee their ain actions and to go supervisors of themselves ( division of labour contradiction ) .Harmonizing to the 5th rule of the activity theory as the contradictions of an activity system are aggravated, some single participants begin to inquiry and pervert from its establish norms. In some instances, this escalates into collaborative fancy and a calculated corporate alteration attempt ( Engestrom, 2001, p.137 ) . The contradictions inside this activity system were assumed as barriers in do the school effectiveness so as a consequence of facing these contradictions, the school initiated alterations in the system in order to decide the contradictions for the interest of fracture results. In this respect, a sort of expansive transmutation happened in the system. As Engestrom ( 2001 ) express an expansive transmutation is accomplished when the object and penury of the activity are reconceptualized to encompass a radically wider skyline of possibilities than in the old manner of the activity ( p. 137 ) . In this sense, the object of the system changed to expansive acquisition undertakings and thence the tools changed in order to advance the object to run into the result of the system.3.2 Expansive Learning EnvironmentHarmonizing to Engestrom ( 2001 ) activity systems take signifier and acquire changed over long periods of clip. He adds that jobs and potencies of an activity system can merely be understood against it ain history. In this instance, the school environment as an activity system changed from existence restrictive to being expansive in order to be more effectual in making the end of the system. This means that the instructors were encouraged to range a close collaborative working relationship with the other instructors. Anchoring on this thought a new e-learning architectural figure was introduced to the instructors as a manner of communicating with the other instructors of their ain school and the instructors of another school in Malaysia. The chief end of this object was assisting instructors to pass on their jobs with each other and with their supervisors and to upgrade their cognition. In contrast with the old manner of the system, instructors acquisition was accepted explicitly as a cardinal construct in the school and it was considered as a chief factor in the school effectivity.The e-learning proposal was an on-line forge in which the instructors could entree online classs held by teachers from Malaysia. In gear to this formal larning some informal acquisition chances were besides provided the instructors could be complicated in voice and pi cture confabs online with each other and with the other instructors from the Malayan school. They could besides ask inquiries and discourse around a subject in a treatment forum. Figure 3 shows the activity system representation of such an expansive acquisition environment.Barb, Evans, and Baek ( 2004 ) believe that as one moves toward seeking to plan community, particularly one in which the members are expected to prosecute in new patterns that challenge their current civilization, many contradictions emerge. In this activity system presenting a new engineering and new patterns ca apply some contradictions in the activity system.Figure 3. An activity system representation of expansive school environment3.2.1 Contradictions in Expansive School EnvironmentHarmonizing to Engestrom ( 2001 ) one of the rules of activity theory is the multi-voicedness of activity systems ( p. 136 ) . This means that an activity system is a community of different points of position, histories, and invo lvements. This multi-voicedness as said by Engestrom may do some problems and contradictions. In our instance, after presenting e-program as a manner of communicating and coaction some of the instructors protested engagement in the plan and some other were actively involved in the plan. This was largely because of their involvements and backgrounds. Some of the instructors were old instructors who had got used to individualist acquisition and treated such plans as a manner of wasting away clip . Some others nevertheless, had found it a bully manner of join forcesing with the others and work outing their ain jobs and the jobs of the other instructors. While in an expansive environment instructors are supposed to be reciprocally supportive in heightening their acquisition ( Evans et al, 2006 ) , in this instance the older instructors were non supportive plenty because of their background and involvements and this caused a contradiction between the divisions of labor of the system . On the other manus, as all of the instructors were non active scholars and some of them were nonoperational scholars a contradiction emerged between the topics ( topics contradiction ) . Furthermore, as mentioned before, in the instance that some of the older instructors preferred individualist acquisition and resisted affecting in expansive patterns we see a contradiction between topics and object which was expansive acquisition undertakings and patterns ( subject/object contradiction ) . iodin of the grounds for the instructors who resist engagement in the new undertakings was their neediness of cognition in utilizing technological turn such as computing works or lucre ( subject/tool contradiction ) . In such a system a contradiction besides emerged between tool and division of labor. The debut of the e-learning plan and computer/profit as a tool required a new division of labor ascribable in portion to the freshness of the tool but besides due to the fact that the superv isors were non able to help all instructors with the computer/internet undertakings. Consequently some instructors who had a better technological cognition became supervisors of the other instructors with the deficiency of cognition in utilizing new devices.One of the patterns in which the instructors were involved was go toing online classs held by Malayan teachers. Since the Persian school was a bilingual school, the teachers had some suggestions for pupils linguistic talk acquisition betterment. For illustration, they suggested that doing larning groups from the pupils and inquiring them to be involved in some reliable role-playing could better their linguistic communication proficiency. But they emphasized the thought that in each group both genders should be involved. This suggestion nevertheless seemed to be effectual, but was non applicable for an Persian school, because Persian schools are non co-education systems and male and pistillate pupils, because of the Islamic re gulations, can non be in a same system. There were besides some other suggestions which were incompatible with the school regulations ( tool/rule contradiction ) . This joint exclusiveness of the instructions with school regulations made the instructors uninterested in the instructions because they thought that those instructions were non utile in their instruction systems ( subject/tool contradiction ) . There were some besides some other issues in the system which caused emerging some contradictions between the elements. One of these issues was low cyberspace velocity in Iran which de-motivated the instructors from utilizing e-program as a manner of communicating ( subject/tool contradiction ) .Harmonizing to Nelson ( 2002 ) contradictions can either ease acquisition to come on, or they can impede it, depending on whether or non they are acknowledged and refractory. Introducing a new plan to the instructors, as we saw, caused some contradictions. When the school system had a res trictive environment, the school leaders tried to decide the emergent contradictions due to the deficiency of communicating. When they decided to present the e-learning plan they believed that this plan could entertain been a good manner for the instructors to pass on with the other instructors inside the school and outside of it. By presenting a new engineering, nevertheless, some other contradictions emerged that the school leaders had non anticipated. So or else of deciding the new contradictions they decided to eliminate the beginning of them which was the e-learning plan. Despite the huge sum of budget and clip devoted to presenting the new plan, the school leaders stopped the plan because they believed that the plan did non hold much added value to the instructors acquisition.4. DecisionThis article began with the purpose of look intoing contradictions in different acquisition environments through the lens of activity theory. In order to show contradictions happening in dif ferent acquisition environments the article introduced a instance survey in an Persian school. However, as said by Hardman ( 2005 ) although a instance survey does non allow one to do prevalent statements about how something might be used in different state of affairss , it does supply a deep description of the procedures rudimentary the object of the survey.Analyzing restrictive acquisition environment at the school under see showed that most of the instructors were inclined to pass on with the other instructors for the interest of more acquisition. As one of the elements of expansive larning environment as said by Evans et Al ( 2006, is chances to prosecute with working groups inside or outside of school ( p. 53 ) , the e-learning plan could hold provided such an chance for the instructors. When the object and thence the tools of the system changed and a new engineering was introduced to the instructors, some contradictions emerged.The lens of activity theory, as we saw, c ould supply insight into alterations in the instructors acquisition at workplace when a new technological tool became portion of their activities and communicating. In this instance some of the older instructors had some jobs with the new engineering or even with the new object ( expansive acquisition patterns such as communicating with the other instructors ) . If the school leaders and instructors tried to happen the contradictions and to decide them, the activity system could hold gone one measure in front to its end. For illustration, if merely a few Sessionss were devoted to learn computing machine and cyberspace accomplishments to the instructors, some of the contradictions could hold been resolved but when confronting with jobs caused by contradictions the school leaders eliminated the beginning of contradictions ( e-learning plan ) alternatively of look intoing the beginning of the jobs ( contradictions ) and deciding them. As a affair of fact, presenting a new plan or eng ineering to any puting shifts participants established patterns to the new patterns, which causes some contradictions. It is of import that school leaders can place contradictions in their scenes and see how these influence school civilization and how to equilibrate them.RecognitionsI would wish to thank Dr. Alison Taylor, the teacher of my Workplace and Learning class at University of Alberta, who guided me through this survey.