Buyers Behavior and Analsis Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Buyers Behavior and Analsis - Literature review Example Several constructs initiate, maintain and prolong the consumer-product relationship. Consumer Brand Relations The relationship between consumers and brands is one of the most influential forces in marketing. This explains the vast literature on the importance, concepts and nature of the consumer brand relationship. This review of literature explains the conceptualization and significance of consumer brand relationship, as envisioned by different authors. According to Patterson and O’Malley (2006), the relationship that exists between brands and consumers emanates from the acceptance of various ideals that brands posses and that are beneficial to the consumers. The concept of consumer relationship with particular brands emanates from the intrinsic satisfaction that consumers’ gain and the fulfillment of self. There is a notable increase in literature on brand-consumer relationship over the past decade as noted by Patterson and O’Malley (2006, p.10). The high numbe r of publications on brand-consumer relationship reiterates the considerable importance of the concept of relationship in branding. In the view of Patterson and O’Malley (2006, p.10), the concept of consumer behavior can well be understood through the exploration of brand consumer relations. Brand management is among the main considerations in promoting relationship marketing that depends on stable consumer relationships. Patterson and O’Malley (2006, p.12) explains the concept of brand relationship to surpass the mere identification of a brand with a producing company but the attachment of trusts, by consumers, to a brand. Regarding the relationship, the role of brand personality is invaluable in developing the trust that consumers have towards a brand. The existence of the relationship is a factor that is dependent on the extent of the growth of the brand, itself, and the increasing level of attractiveness associated with the brand. The concept of the relationship is that it develops overtime through improvement in features that brands bear and their appeal to consumers. There are diverse types and levels of the relationship between brands and consumers, as Patterson and O’Malley (2006, p.12) outlines. They explain the explicit interrelatedness between interpersonal relations and the concept of relationship between brands and loyalty of consumers. Such relations include the characters as love and passion that individuals attach to interpersonal relations and brand loyalty. The expression of self-connection with a brand and the extent of its initiation of satisfaction constitute one of the determinants of strong consumer brand relations, according to Patterson and O’Malley (2006, p.13). Interdependence that consumers perceive to gain from a brand is among the major determinants of strong brand consumer relations. Patterson and O’Malley (2006, p.13) identify intimacy as one of the greatest constructs related to strong consume r brand relations. This refers to the extent of knowledge that consumers have on the functionality of a brand. Another construct of a strong relationship between consumers and brands is the brand partner quality that entails the attribute that consumers attribute to their preferred brands. Brand personality is

Economic Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Economic Growth - Essay Example However, the United States still displays the highest growth rate in this period as shown in the left panel of Figure 2. The rest of the world also displayed increasing growth rate, but at a much slower pace than the seven biggest economies which resulted to a wider gap between the real GDP per person among these countries as shown in the right panel of Figure 2. The rest of Asia, on the other hand, as represented by Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan South Korea, and China also showed tremendous gains in their economies as shown by their real GDP per person growth depicted in Figure 3. China, the world's newest economic superpower, showed an exponential growth in its real GDP. A question, prompted by the above, is what are the underlying causes of economic growth' Furthermore, why is it that some countries grow faster than others' Is trade a major engine of economic growth' Or is it foreign direct investments' A major goal of this paper is to debate the effectiveness foreign direct investments and trade in fostering economic growth, and in the end answer the question on whether 'developing countries are right to increasingly shift resources towards attracting foreign direct investment rather than promoting trade in their objective to achieve economic growth'' Admittedly, these questions must be answered amidst ... The shift in economic policies is often on the reallocation of economic resources to finance activities geared toward attracting foreign direct investments rather than the other needs of those nations. Figure 3 Economic Growth in Asia Source: See Figure 2 Economic theories postulate that, for economic growth to be persistent economies must pursue three activities - these activities generate ongoing economic growth: saving and investment in new capital, investment in human capital, and discovery of new technologies. From these three activities emerged different economic growth theories, however, these theories are not the topic of this reading, but rather foreign direct investments and trade. International trade promotes the development of comparative advantage in the global economy, allows for the trade of similar goods - for example, United States imports automobiles and at the same time exports other types of automobiles, the diversity of taste of people is given an outlet, and economies of scale is enhanced. Trade has a very important role in promoting and sustaining long term economic growth that foreign direct investment doesn't (Kurgman and Obsfeld; Marrewijk, Ottens and Schueller). Nonetheless, the role of foreign direct investment in the development process can not be underscored either. Hence, developing countries had shifted a considerable amount of their resources into attracting foreign direct investments or FDIs. For example, in the Sub-Saharan Africa, governments have shifted policies to attract FDIs. Fiscal holidays and tax holidays are awarded generously to investors. Moreover, investors often require that the country improve its property rights in favor of the FDI and improve

Strategic Planning For An Information Systems Business Essay

Strategic Planning For An Information Systems Business Essay Over the past decade, the growth of information system has been tremendous. However, business organisations need to be cautious in adopting any form of technology so as to reap the benefits. They have to carefully study and decide which one is appropriate for an organisation to use. Thereby, enable any organisation to achieve its goal. Currently information systems are essential in any organisation unlike decades before. There are different types of information systems. Any company should have a clear understanding on the appropriate ones for the specific usage. Thereby, essential to have information technology experts or managers who will advice the company on what systems to use to be able to minimise costs and add value to a business organisation. More so, managers and staff would know how to accept the changes brought about by the information systems positively to enable them to work properly towards achieving the pre determined goals. The article gives an explanation as to what information system entails as pertaining to a business organisation or company and how it should be used hand in hand with the strategic planning to ensure the smooth running of any organisation and its success. It further entails and gives example of two companies and how they operate with regards to information systems and the strategic plans of a business. It is only limited to the technological aspect and the foreseen targets for the operation efficiency of an organisation, it does not incorporate other factors that enhance efficient management. Only two companies found in the UK were used to show case the study at hand. The article entails an evaluatory research of information systems and the strategic planning of two companies; Company A and Company B.Thereby, giving a basis of how the companies should use the two concurrently. It is also descriptive in the sense that it gives a clear picture on the application of eight tenets. The research in the article is interpretative in the sense that it the reader enlightens the reader on what is needed or expected to ensure efficiency on the management of information systems alongside with the strategic plans of the organisation. IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY Strategic planning is a tool used in any business organisation to show where the organisation wants to be or achieve in future. Most strategies are either short term or long term depending on the organisation itself. However, the business world is not as it used to be due to the technological changes and advancements. In some business organisations, departments have been done away with while others have newly emerged due to computerisation. Customers are able to deal with suppliers or producers directly thus eliminating the use intermediaries as was before. Furthermore; the internet has greatly changed the business scene. It is apparent that any organisation has to do modifications so as to keep up with the ever-changing and rising demand for technology. An organisation has to be abreast with its information system so that it can know its existing competitors in the current business situation. Basically, have an overview of the current situational needs and changes of an organisation resulting into identifying the strengths and weaknesses both internally and externally and if need be correct to ensure maximum success. The article clearly emphasizes on the need of both information system and strategic planning for the operational efficiency. It clearly shows the difficulties of managing the former since planning is systematic whilst technology is not. Some companies incorporate the two differently and are still successful while others do not. All this depends on the type, size and location of the business organisation. Much as both information system and strategic planning are instilled, an organisation needs to exploit the opportunities and threats to ensure its survival and success. This study is meant to provide a framework for the use of information systems in an organisation such that it will enhance effectiveness and efficiency. In view of this, good operational efficiency does not only entail strategic planning but also involves other factors like effective management as well, so as to enhance the success of any organisation. Other factors that need to be considered to ensure the smooth running of any organisation include good employer/employee relationship, good communication among staff and so on. DEGREE OF CONTRIBUTION AND ORIGINALITY In the 80s and 90s, as a result of infrastructure development of organizational capabilities there has become a necessity to expand the concept of information systems which have strategic importance in any business organisation. Later, with the expansion of efficacy of any type of computer system led to the strategic planning of information systems to become an important issue. The priorities in a plan of the development of systems need to be identified into specific projects planned for the future. For any company, it is very important to have a business plan in the capacity of a flexible and constant development of organizational capabilities which leads not only to profit and expansion of the company, but also it is one of the foundations of stable competitive advantage. Various authors who have made a big contribution into the development of Strategic Information Systems Planning such as John Ward, Joe Peppard, Martin J., Earl MJ, and George Philip. Moreover, an important contribution in this area has been made by authors or researchers such as Samandra Pant and Cheng Hsu. They presented their work on an international conference, which was a prerequisite for the large development Strategic Information Systems Planning. Consequently, a set of different theoretical and practical researches are seen. If a parallel is drawn between the two researches, most of the fore mentioned authors rely on the theoretical basis. However, among the listed authors only George Philip uses an academic theory in practice. The importance of his work lies in the fact that he is trying to reduce the distance between the theoretical approach to business processes and application to the two companies. George Philip has made research based on related literature on Strategic Information Systems Planning thus on basis of eight tenets by showing an example of two companies in the different areas of development. In analyzing the article it can be said that the level of the research was evaluated to give a clear meaning on the usage of information systems and strategic planning concurrently. The generated work by the author shows that there was summarization of the related sources in the area and created a new direction for any business organisation to forge ahead in the ever-changing technological world. While it is very difficult to describe that the approach is original it still creates a good overview of the information and creates awareness that in information systems more or new research has to be done always to keep up with the changes in business scene to match up with technology. THEORETICAL ARGUMENT As seen 8 tenets were used to show the utilization of both the strategic plans and information systems for the success of any business organisation. The researcher tries to create a perfect model of business development on how any business organisation can be successful by use of the tenets. However, any business organisation can still be successful without following the models. Various methodologies have been put forward towards the rationale of strategic planning and information systems. Thereby, any business organisation can choose any methodology to develop their business based on their capabilities and targets. The use of eight tenets and methodologies used is a clear indication of a grounded theory whereby the underlying belief is that the data holds the clue to the explanation. In this case, the eight tenets and that the explanations are meaningful to those whose actions are being studied. (Denscombe, 2003, pg124). This is not appropriate because little scope is given to other factors that also affect the performance of a business organisation like the economic factors and social factors. RESEARCH METHODS ADOPTED There are two methodologies information systems that is impact and align methodologies (Lee and Gough, 1993; Booth and Philip, 2005). The importance of impact methodology is to achieve competitive advantage through the usage of information technology whilst the main purpose of the align methodologies is to a establish symbiosis relationship between information system strategy and objectives of the business itself. (Reich and Benbasat, 2000). It is apparent that the most prevailing planning methods are the one that take a top-down business-led approach (Premkumar and King 1994), and are designed to bring about contribution between the information systems strategy and the business strategy. Align methodology includes the exploitation strategy, which generally goes through two main stages: Top-down analysis for clarifying business needs and identifying Information System requirements. Bottom-up evaluation of already existing Information System for evaluation their effectiveness. Impact methodology includes the exploration strategy which aims to provide the strategic or competitive advantage for the business. The research analysis used in the article was qualitative method. The method, in contrast to the quantitative method which focuses on the statistical measurements, relied on the understanding, explanation and interpretation of empirical data and the sources of the formation of hypotheses and productive ideas. In simple terms, qualitative method does not respond to the questions of How much? What? How? and why?. Furthermore, in qualitative method, researches widely use projective and enabling techniques. By exposing some facts from the article, it is evident to know the applicability of the method of research used. Various authors used for research case study, questionnaires, scientific articles, text, observation , documents and thereafter, resulted into 8 tenets for information systems planning, this shows that the qualitative research method was mostly used appropriately in the research of information systems. (Orlikowski and Baroudi, 1991; Alavi and Carlson, 1992).In addition the above said confirmed the following expression that: using the case study, as a problem-solving technique, which is seldom undertaken in organisations since case studies dealing with problems similar to the one experienced by a particular organisation of a particular size and in a particular type of setting are difficult to find. More to that, Secaran (2000) suggested that the data collection methods like personal interviews within various groups in the organisation (primary data), examination of companys reports, data, academic and industry reports (secondary data) were used as an example of the qualitative research methods. The basis of research was proposed by the two strategies: exploitation strategy and exploration strategy. In the article we have used primary sources (researches); Text and empirical data for interpretation. (http://wire.rutgers.edu/research_assignments_pri_second.html) and secondary sources (researches)-Research based on the work of others. Literature that interpret or comment upon the primary sources (http://wire.rutgers.edu/research_assignments_pri_second.html). There are always two types of validity which are internal validity and external validity. The former of this was an output made by the author after the study, or the result obtained on the basis of the study. In this article, it is seen on the use of two types of strategies and review of 8 tenets for successful information systems planning. The latter refers to generalization. External validity was seen as a conclusion made by the author after the cross comparison of the case study of the two companies. It is not clear enough whether to talk on the internal and external actions of the case, although the primary and secondary sources of data are available. The article does include any new methods. As seen, that the author used a more qualitative methods, with all its attendant properties. Thereby making the study based on the two strategies and the reviewing of eight tenets. KEY FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS Currently, the world is in the technological era. People and business organisations are using information systems to make life easier. In the article, there are some strategies used to have a very strategic information systems plan and making sure that those companies reach their goal. The discussion based on the study was on the exploitation and exploration strategies. According to the Galliers, (2001) the companys information systems strategy should employ the two strategies. The exploitation strategy, is mainly focused on how to improve the operational efficiency of a company whilst in exploration strategy, it is usually used to make any business organisation have a competitive advantage. (Philip, 2007) The case study emphasized the need for operational efficiency in any business organisation. Operational efficiency is when the company uses the right combination of people and technology to enhance the productivity of the business operation while making sure that they are still in the budget. (Ensynch, 2009) Companies must ensure that they have the right technology and people to be efficient in the effective running of any business organisation. However, companies are facing difficulties in obtaining qualified employees who have technological skills and knowledge. They always need to ascertain whether the employees have the right qualifications. (Ensynch, 2009). It dwelled on the Eight Tenets in having a successful Information system planning in order to be efficient when it comes to the operations of any business organisation. They are as follows: (Philip, 2007) Developing a Business and Information System Strategy concurrently. Using Top-Down and Bottom-Up Listening and Communication Developing a High-Level plan with broad principles, not specific actions. Should have the support of the Top-Management Using Opportunistic Methods. Mandate Proactive Implementation Build in a Frequent Review Process and Contingency Planning Information Technology Leaders are technology scouts and interpreters Developing a business and information system strategy concurrently, is when we ascertain that the business plan and the information system plan go hand in hand. The process involves the entire executive team with the Chief Information Officer. Communication is one factor that makes the plan successful. Taking to the employees would help them in their planning. The company needs to know what the employees think about a certain situation and also, those employees would help them to generate some ideas to make sure that the plan made would be successful. Getting feedback regarding the performance of the systems is also important so the company would know whether the system is doing fine or not and whether it needs improvement or not. Making sure that the plan made is high-level enough; meaning the plan should allow some changes when implementing the program without rewriting the whole plan. By doing this, they could focus on making a solution when they overcome a problem rather than making the plan again. Support from the top management is crucial in having a successful plan. The senior executives must be active and makes sure that they have the correct materials to make the plan. They should also take an immediate action when they faced a problem regarding the plan. The company should make sure that their plan is put into practice proactively in order to maximize the benefits of the plan. They should make sure that the implemented strategy is to be effective to avoid any problems or inconveniences when the plan is implemented. Reviewing the plan is also crucial. Normally, the company reviews their plan at least twice a year and managers and information technology personnel usually review the plan. The reviewing of plan help the Chief Information Officer to know if they are still on budget or not. Also, they would know whether the plan is doing great; whether they are reaching their goal or not. Lastly, the Chief Information Officer should have the knowledge when it comes to the development of the information systems plan. The Chief Information Officer acts like a technology scout in an organization. They should make sure that the technology used incorporates with the mission and vision of the company. The Chief Information Officer should also be aware of the latest technologies in the market. He/she should know the right time of investing a new technology. They should make sure that when they buy a new technology, it still fits within the organisations budget. The Chief Information Officer should know the business language and the technology language for proper interpretation and usage of both technological and business terms. LIMITATIONS Case studies have become extremely widespread in research. When researchers dwell on a case study they look into a set of related ideas and preferences thus when combined give the approach its distinctive character. However they are not unique in the sense that the basis of investing has always been done already. (Denscombe, 2003, pg 31). The article is clearly a case study on use and applicability of information systems and strategic planning for the operational efficiency of any business organisation. Various authors have put forward their opinions whilst theories written for justification purposes. However, no solid generalisations can be made; in the sense that it would depend on ones advantageous view point of the whole scenario and understanding as pertaining to any business organisation. A manager would chose to adopt whatever benefits the company. There is no exact formula or specific way of managing the two concurrently to achieve the organisations pre-determined goals. The other issue is that information represented in the case possibly is not fully reliable and accurate. There is always risk that case can contain errors and inaccuracy. Apparently, the article based the research work on a qualitative approach. However, two methods of approach should have been used, that is the qualitative approach and the quantitative approach, to produce an unbiased end result. In the former, it is always natural for the researcher view not to be eliminated in the process. The other limitation as clearly seen in the article is whereby only two companies from the UK have been used in the research work. This is not adequate. It should have involved more companies since planning and use of information systems is vital to any organisation. There was also a variation in the way he provided and collected the data in that the companies are internationally based but only sited the UK one. However, different approaches or theories may apply differently to different nationalities due to technological factors, cultural barriers, political barriers and so forth. Furthermore, the comparison made on the two articles lacked equality. The dates of the research analysis done were different, In company A it was dated 2003 whilst in Company B it was dated 2004.Since the author rated the performance of each companion on the technological basis, it was not appropriate because how a company performs depends also on other factors like inflation rate, the countrys fiscal year and perhaps the national income for 2003 may not have been the same as for 2004. It is logic for plans and the way information systems are handled to change from time to time in the sense of recent information. Information systems and plans of any article also provide recent information to be used but the research obtained dates back 5 years or 6 years or so. The article did not present how all these statements should change in the fast growing and developing business environments thus no exact description of how all this eight tenets can be effective. More so, the researcher should have used real life current situations to assert his reasoning and conclusions. Other theoretical findings should have been included to give a thorough and more precise understanding of the research at hand. Other limitations in the researchers article included the failure to discuss the possible effects that would happen to both companies given the tenets and that Company A did not follow most of the tenets but still remained successful. SUGGESTIONS In this current technological era, companies are using technology to make work easier and gain competitive advantage in any business world. However, there are some companies who are not using the full capacity of technology in terms of being competitive in the market. Companies are not enthusiastic in employing the Strategic Information Systems Planning due to the fact it is expensive and it will not help in the attainment of long term objectives. In addition, other companies do not use information system and strategic planning due to lack of proper knowledge of the technological factors or others may be due to ignorance. However, to be competitive in the market, Strategic Information System Planning needs to be incorporated to enhance the performance of the business and aid in the normal operations of a company thus ensuring efficiency. Other companies should have been used in the research process. It should not only be based on this two companies when using the eight tenets since every company is different on how they approach activities carried out in any business organisation. The researcher should have explained more on the eight tenets. It is not stated in the article on the effects of the eight tenets and the usefulness of the tenets on any business organisation. The researcher should also have emphasized more on the eight tenets and how it can affect the fast moving and developing companies. Companies should not only use the eight tenets just to make an information systems strategy, but try to look for ways on how to have an efficient operating system. CONCLUSSION Strategic planning and information systems are vital components in any companys goal in achieving operational efficiency and in giving assistance in the companys decision-making activities. However, prudency is needed when incorporating the two for the business to earn maximum benefits. In doing so, the researcher tried to explain on the relevance of information system and strategic planning, in the article, by the introduction of eight tenets acting as guidelines. Thereby, any business organisation would be able to decide the best ways on how to handle the two for operational efficiency of the organizations. Apart from the framework given, further explanations and an exhaustive research should have been brought to attention so as to make clear generalisations thereafter, thus make applicability in any business organisation easier to comprehend and follow. All in all, the message was still passed across by the researcher on the comparisons and differentiation on how different companies, in this case, Company A and Company B, apply the 8 tenets for successful information systems and the strategic planning for operational efficiency. Thereby, enabling an analysis to be done on such a case study.

Illegal Immigration in America Essay -- Cons of Illegal Immigration, Im

Illegal Immigration in America America's past is made up of immigrants who have came and formed our country. However illegal immigration has now plagued our economy. What happens when you allow millions into the country, both legally and illegally? Exactly what is happening today? You have tens or hundreds of groups, made up of various nationalities, from various places. Forming themselves into isolated communities, and then trying to get the country to change for them. This paper confirms detailed information on how America is being altered by mass immigration and by uncontrolled illegal immigrants. Americans like to believe that people should have the chance to better themselves. That is why people come to the United States to make things better for themselves. They come here to ha...

Blood Clotting Essay

Coagulation, or thrombogenesis, is the process by which blood clots in an attempt to restrict blood loss from an injury site, and repair the damaged vessel. Most of the time clotting is a good thing, however there are circumstances when a clot can form abnormally, leading to heart attack, stroke, or other serious medical problems. A blood clot forms almost immediately after the bleeding occurs, which is possible through enzymes and other substances in blood that respond to breaks in vessel walls. The clot is a temporary fix preventing further blood loss. There are four major parts of blood clot formation. The first step in clotting is the formation of the platelet plug. Platelets are the smallest of the three major types of blood cells whose primary function is to prevent bleeding. When encountering a damaged blood vessel, the platelets become stimulated and rush to the injury site where they clump together, forming a plug and restricting the bleeding. They also release substances to begin the chemical reaction of the clotting process. These chemical reactions are responsible for growing the blood clot. Dissolved proteins, also referred to as clotting factors, are contained within the blood for the purpose of promoting blood clots. These proteins send signals to each other and enhance each other’s activity exponentially at the site of injury, resulting in a rapid chemical chain reaction which produces fibrin, the main protein forming clots. This blood clot formed with fibrin is tougher and more durable than the platelet plug. Once the blood clot forms, it is important that it not grow and spread to the rest of the body, which can cause serious damage. This is where â€Å"anti-clotting† comes in to play. Proteins such as antithrombin, protein C, and protein S, are known anti-clotting proteins and exist in a natural balance with the clotting factors. These substances work to neutralize excess clotting factors, preventing the clot from going to places it should not. The final part of the process is where the clot is slowly broken down by the body. Once the damaged tissue heals, the body gradually degrades the clot and reabsorbs it. The tough fibrin strands in a blood clot are dissolved by an enzyme called plasmin. Plasmin is activated by other substances working together to help the clot break down. The whole process of blood clotting is whenever the blood is exposed to certain substances. These are known as thrombogenic substances because they promote  the formation of thrombus (clot). Many of these substances, such as tissue factor, collagen, and von Willebrand factor, are located in the skin or in the blood vessel walls, typically separated from flowing blood. If they come into contact with flowing blood, this typically means the blood vessel wall is ruptured and bleeding. A clot may also form when blood is not flowing properly. http://www.hematology.org/patients/blood-disorders/blood-clots/5233.aspx http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/blood-clots

Teens Becoming Parents

Teens Becoming Parents 56% of young women and 73% of young men today have had intercourse by the age of 18, compared to the 35% of young women and 55% of young men in the early 1970’s (Facts. ) Each year, nearly one million teenagers in the United States become pregnant. One third of these pregnancies result in being aborted, 14% miscarry, and 52% bear children (Kids. ) What are the effects of having children at a young age? Education, being unprepared, and a change in responsibility are just a few of the effects of having a child at a young age.Seven out of ten teen mothers complete high school or eventually earn their G. E. D. , but are less likely than women who delay childbearing to go on to college (Sex. ) Having a child in high school makes it more difficult to focus on your studies. Late nights staying awake to feed, change, and care for your baby, can have a huge impact on your ability to focus on school and other tasks you face. As a teenage mother in school, you miss out things such as your prom, sports, and other extracurricular activities.Unpreparedness is another effect of having a child as a teenager. Most teenagers if they work, work minimum wage jobs and have no way of supporting themselves and a child. When a box of diapers for a newborn cost around $32. 50, and last maybe a month, and a can of formula that cost $13, last maybe a week, your priorities of how you spend your money also changes. You no longer are able to go out with the girls for an all-day shopping trip or get your hair and nails done. Every penny you make goes to taking care of that child.The combination of the minimum wage jobs and going to school, allows for very little quality time with their child. Without a good support system, raising a child as a teenager is almost impossible. In 1992, the federal government spent more than $34 billion on welfare for families begun by teenagers, which is $16. 6 billion higher than in 1985 (Babies. ) Prior to becoming a teen parent, most high school students have no concept of what responsibility is. They think that life is theirs to do with as they please.If they want to go out with friends and have good time, they do just that. However, when they become a parent they have minimal time to go out with friends. Their main priority should become their child and taking care of that child. Most teen parents rush out and get married to try and hide that the child was conceived out of wedlock, but most marriages in this form end in divorce somewhere down the line. Having a child as a teenager can really change your life. Most teenagers can’t handle going to school and raising their child, so they drop out of school.Being unprepared for a child, makes it that much harder. Teens should really wait until they are old enough, with their priorities in order, and prepared to take care of a child. Raising a child is a full time job in itself. Works Cited 1) â€Å"Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy,† The A lan Guttmacher Institute, 1996. 2) Kids Having Kids, Robin Hood Foundation, 1996 3) Sex and America’s Teenagers, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1994. 4) â€Å"Babies Born Into Peril,† Chicago Tribune, 22 May 1994

Under the New Constitution essays

Under the New Constitution essays Under the new Constitution, the infant country of America began the long crawl to independence. The country began facing many problems as a new nation and slowly began to wade out from the international troubles that it faced. The 1790s brought on many foreign and domestic affairs for the United States to contend with but the country struggled through each one valiantly under the leadership of George Washington and John Adams. America was faced with the problems of its once former ally, France. The weakened power of France with its own civil war at hand went to war with the European powers in 1792. Washington responded with the Proclamation of Neutrality. This Proclamation stated, United States would pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent powers. However, Washingtons move toward neutrality came too late. The day he signed the proclamation, a French war vessel captured a British ship name Grange in Delaware Bay and sailed it into Philadelphia. Some people strongly felt for the French like the Jeffersonian and felt that America had a debt to pay for the power, which had helped them in their own time of trouble. Citizen Genet dishonored Washingtons policy by trying to encourage popular support in America for the French government. He continued to put American arms and crews aboard American ships and rushed them to sea. Genet even awarded American pirate crews two captured British brigantines and began shipping ammunition to France. Genet embarrassed Washington through his control in foreign matters on the American soil and even after Washingtons refusal to change his position on the issue, he armed Little Sarah after continued warnings against and sent her to sea. Genet caused much trouble for Washington and after Washington wrote an eight-thousand-word report asking Genet be recalled, France replaced Genet with Joseph Baron Fauche...

Creons Dramatic Monologue from Antigone

Creons Dramatic Monologue from Antigone Considering he appears in all three plays of  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Sophocles Oedipus trilogy, Creon is a complex and diverse character. In  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Oedipus the King, he serves as an advisor and moral compass. In Oedipus at Colonus, he tries to negotiate with the blind ex-monarch in hopes of gaining power. Finally  in, Creon has attained the throne after a long civil war between two brothers,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Eteocles, and Polyneices. Oedipus’ son Eteocles died defending the city-state of Thebes. Polyneices, on the other hand, dies trying to usurp power from his brother. Creons Dramatic Monologue In this monologue  placed at the play’s beginning, Creon establishes the conflict. The fallen Etecles is granted a hero’s funeral. However, Creon decrees that the traitorous Polyneices will be left to rot in the wilderness. This royal order will stir up a singular rebellion when the devoted sister of the brothers, Antigone, refuses to abide by Creon’s laws. When Creon punishes her for following the will of the Olympian Immortals and not the rule of the king, he incurs the wrath of the gods. The following excerpt is reprinted from Greek Dramas. Ed. Bernadotte Perrin. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1904 CREON: I now possess the throne and all its powers, by nearness of kinship to the dead. No man can be fully known, in soul and spirit and mind, until he hath been seen versed in rule and law-giving. For if any, being supreme guide of the state, cleaves not to the best counsels, but, through some fear, keeps his lips locked, I hold, and have ever held, him most base; and if any makes a friend of more account than his fatherland, that man hath no place in my regard. For Ibe Zeus my witness, who sees all things alwayswould not be silent if I saw ruin, instead of safety, coming to the citizens; nor would I ever deem the countrys foe a friend to myself; remembering this, that our country is the ship that bears us safe, and that only while she prospers in our voyage can we make true friends. Such are the rules by which I guard this citys greatness. And in accord with them is the edict which I have now published to the folk touching the sons of Oedipus; that Eteocles, who hath fallen fighti ng for our city, in all renown of arms, shall be entombed, and crowned with every rite that follows the noblest dead to their rest. But for his brother, Polyneiceswho came back from exile, and sought to consume utterly with fire the city of his fathers and the shrines of his fathers godssought to taste of kindred blood, and to lead the remnant into slaverytouching this man, it hath been proclaimed to our people that none shall grace him with sepulture or lament, but leave him unburied, a corpse for birds and dogs to eat, a ghastly sight of shame.

Biography of Chiang Kai-shek

Biography of Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek (1887 to 1975), also known as Generalissimo, was a Chinese political and military leader who served as head of the Republic of China from 1928 to 1949. After being forced from power and exiled by Chinese Communists after World War II, he continued to serve as president of the Republic of China on Taiwan. Fast Facts: Chiang Kai-shek Also Known As: GeneralissimoKnown For: Chinese military and political leader from 1928 to 1975Born: October 31, 1887 in Xikou, Zhejiang Province, ChinaDied: April 5, 1975 in Taipei, TaiwanParents: Jiang Zhaocong (father) and Wang Caiyu (mother)Education: Baoding Military Academy, Imperial Japanese Army Academy Preparatory SchoolKey Accomplishments: Along with Sun Yat-sen, founded the Kuomintang (KMT) political party. In exile, Director General of the Kuomintang government on TaiwanMajor Awards and Honors: Recognized as one of the Big Four allied victors of WWIISpouses: Mao Fumei, Yao Yecheng, Chen Jieru, Soong Mei-lingChildren: Chiang Ching-kuo (son), Chiang Wei-kuo (adopted son)Notable Quote: â€Å"There are three essential factors in all human activity: spirit, materials, and action.† In 1925, Chiang succeeded Sun Yat-sen as leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party, known as the Kuomintang, or KMT. As head of the KMT, Chiang expelled the communist arm of the party and succeeded in unifying China. Under Chiang, the KMT focused on preventing the spread of Communism in China and fighting increasing Japanese aggression. When the United States declared war on Japan in 1941, Chiang and China swore their allegiance and assistance to the Allies. In 1946, Communist forces led by Mao Zedong, a.k.a. Chairman Mao, overthrew Chiang and created the People’s Republic of China. From 1949 until his death in 1975, the exiled Chiang continued to lead the KMT government in Taiwan, recognized by the United Nations as the legitimate government of China. Early Life: Chinese Revolutionary Chiang Kai-shek was born on October 31, 1887, in Xikou, a town now in the Zhejiang province of the People’s Republic of China, to a well-off family of merchants and farmers. In 1906, at age 19, he began his preparations for a military career at the Paoting Military Academy in North China, later serving in the Japanese army from 1909 to 1911, where he adopted the Spartan ideals of the Japanese Samurai warriors. In Tokyo, Chiang fell in with a group of young revolutionaries plotting to overthrow China’s Qing dynasty ruled over by the Manchu clan. Chinese political and military leader Chiang Kai-shek (1887 - 1975), circa 1910. FPG / Getty Images When the Qing Revolution of 1911 broke out, Chiang returned to China where he took part in fighting that succeeded in overthrowing the Manchus in 1912. With the fall of China’s last dynastic order, Chiang joined with other republican revolutionaries to oppose former Qing dynasty general Yuan Shikai, China’s new president, and eventual emperor. Association With Sun Yat-sen After an attempt to overthrow Yuan Shikai failed in 1913, Chiang helped found the Kuomintang (KMT) party. Largely withdrawing from public life from 1916 to 1917, he lived in Shanghai where he reportedly belonged to an organized financial crime syndicate known as Qing Bang, or Green Gang.  Returning to public life in 1918, Chiang began a close political association with influential KMT leader Sun Yat-sen. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek speaking at meeting of Chinese National Assembly. A picture of the father of Chinese Democracy, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, behind him. The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images / Getty Images Attempting to reorganize the KMT along communist lines, Sun Yat-sen sent Chiang to the Soviet Union in 1923 to study the policies and tactics of its Red Army. After returning to China, he was appointed as commandant of Whampoa Military Academy near Canton. As Soviet military advisers streamed into Canton to teach at Whampoa, Chinese communists were admitted into the KMT for the first time. Anti-Communist Leader of the KMT When Sun Yat-sen died in 1925, Chiang inherited leadership of the KMT and began trying to stem the rapidly growing influence of the Chinese communists within the party without losing the support of the Soviet government and military. He succeeded until 1927, when in a violent coup, he expelled the communists from the KMT and quashed the Chinese labor unions they had created. Hoping his communist purge would please U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, Chiang succeeded in establishing closer relations between China and the U.S. government.   Chiang now continued to reunify China. As supreme commander of the Nationalist revolutionary army, he directed massive attacks against northern tribal warlords in 1926. In 1928, his armies occupied the capital in Beijing and established a new Nationalist central government in Nanking headed by Chiang. The Xian Incident and World War II In 1935, even as the Empire of Japan threatened to occupy Northeast China, Chiang and his KMT continued to focus on fighting Communists within China rather than the external threat of the Japanese. In December 1936, Chiang was seized by two of his own generals and held hostage in China’s Xian Province in an attempt to force the KMT to change its policies regarding Japan. Held captive for two weeks, Chiang was released after agreeing to actively prepare his armies for war with Japan and to form an at least temporary alliance with the Chinese communists to help fight the Japanese invaders. With the horrific Japanese Rape of Nanking massacre in 1937, all-out war between the two countries erupted. Chiang and his armies defended China alone until 1941, when the U.S. and other Allies declared war on Japan. Post-World War II and Taiwan While China held an honored place among the Big Four allied victors of WWII, Chiang’s government began to decay as it resumed its pre-war struggle against internal communists. In 1946, the civil war resumed and by 1949, the communists had taken control of continental China and established the People’s Republic of China. 1943-Cairo, Egypt: President Roosevelt seated outside during the Cairo Conference with Mr. and Mrs. Chiang Kai Shek, and Winston Churchill. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Exiled to the province of Taiwan, Chiang, along with his remaining Nationalist forces established a weak dictatorship on the island. Over the next two decades, Chiang reformed his Nationalist Party, and with ample American aid began Taiwan’s transition to a modern and successful economy. In 1955, the U.S. agreed to defend Chiang’s Nationalist government on Taiwan against future communist threats. However, the pact was weakened in the early 1970s by improving relationships between the U.S and the People’s Republic of China. In 1979, four years after Chiang’s death, the U.S. finally broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in order to establish full relations with the People’s Republic of China. Personal Life Chiang had four wives during his lifetime: Mao Fumei, Yao Yecheng, Chen Jieru, and Soong Mei-ling. Chiang had two sons: Chiang Ching-Kuo with Mao Fumei, and Chiang Wei-Kuo, whom he adopted along with Yao Yecheng. Both sons went on to hold important political and military positions in the Kuomintang government in Taiwan. Born and raised a Buddhist, Chiang converted to Christianity when he married his fourth wife, Soong Mei-ling, popularly called â€Å"Madam Chiang† in 1927. He spent the rest of his life as a devout Methodist. Death Months after suffering a heart attack and pneumonia, Chiang died of cardiac malfunction and renal failure on April 5, 1975, in Taipei at the age of 87. While he was mourned for over a month on Taiwan, Communist state-run newspapers in mainland China briefly noted his death with the simple headline â€Å"Chiang Kai-shek Has Died.† Today, Chiang Kai-shek is buried along with his son Chiang Ching-Kuo at Wuzhi Mountain Military Cemetery in Xizhi, Taipei City. Sources Fenby, Jonathan (2005). Chiang Kai Shek: Chinas Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost. Carroll Graf Publisher. P. 205. ISBN 0-7867-1484-0.Watkins, Thayer. The Guomindang (Kuomintang), the Nationalist Party of China. San Jose State University.Coppa, Frank J. (2006). â€Å"Encyclopedia of modern dictators: from Napoleon to the present.† Peter Lang. ISBN 0-8204-5010-3.Van de Ven, Hans (2003). War and Nationalism in China: 1925-1945. Studies in the Modern History of Asia, London: RoutledgeCurzon, ISBN 978-0415145718.Teon, Aris. The Green Gang, Chiang Kai-shek, and the Republic of China. Greater China Journal (2018).

Marketing Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Marketing Communication - Essay Example esses for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large† (American Marketing Association, n.d.). Proper communication is very important for the success of any marketing strategy. Again proper strategy has to be adopted to communicate all those necessary information regarding the product, price, promotion and place. So it is clear that marketing and communication both are interconnected and success of one is dependent on the other. Marketing communication mix is comprised of different marketing communication elements like advertising, public relation, sales promotion, direct marketing etc. These are needed to be followed to achieve various marketing objectives. In 2012 summer Olympic Games will take place in London from 27 July to 12 August. Then there will be 2012 Paralympic games which would start from 29 August to 9 September. This is the third time that London would be hosting the Olympic Games. 2012 Olympic Games would be taking place in some of the new venues along with historic and existing facilities (London Olympics 2012, n.d.). London Organising Committee would be in charge of running the games. The logo of London Olympic has created lot of controversy in the recent past. Communication would be one of the most important factors for the success of such a mega event. Since it is a sports mega event quite obviously young generation of the world would be the major target of the communication strategies. But it has been found quite difficult to communicate anything to today’s youth. In this essay two major issues regarding this mega event are discussed. One is challenges that are likely to face by the organising committee while communicating to today’s youth and another one appropriate strategies and promotional tools for the communication of this event. Youth represents the main section of world population in the world today. They are the future of this globe. It is

Entrepreneur Interview and Personal Analysis Essay - 1

Entrepreneur Interview and Personal Analysis - Essay Example Establishing a new business venture is often seen as a challenge by many aspiring entrepreneurs hence there is need for outstanding ideas in order to appeal to the interests of the potential customers. Mr Jones said that he carefully scanned the market for any opportunity and he gathered as much information and ideas as possible to come up with an ideal business venture. Therefore, the rationale of the interview questions to the interviewee is to solicit for responses about his preparedness and willingness to accept the risk and uncertainties for the success of the new venture. As noted, entrepreneurship is about building something of recognised value around perceived opportunities which implies that innovation is something the entrepreneur is continually doing (Burke, 2006). Innovation is concerned with finding a unique way of offering a particular service or product to the market while utilising resources in such a way that there are likely risks to be encountered since the targete d customers may not readily accept the offering. ... In deciding the scope of his business, Mr Jones pointed that there were some pull factors that compelled him to try the untested market segment he had realised. Thus, the concept of push factor in business is refers to those influences which can push the individuals towards venturing in a business opportunity that exists in the market which is not fully covered by the other players (Burke, 2007). Therefore, the purpose of the interview was to get a clear understanding of how Mr Jones identified this gap in the market and how he came up with the idea of establishing this business venture. This entrepreneur is proud of his success in the carpet cleaning business which he started a couple of years ago. Evaluation of the entrepreneur A critical evaluation of the attitude of Mr Jones shows that he possesses various entrepreneurial skills which can be attributed to his success. First and foremost, it can be noted that this entrepreneur created his carpet cleaning business enterprise after realising the need in the market for this particular service given that the targeted customers could not employ people to do the job for them on a permanent basis but had to rely on services provided by others ate a substantial cost. As aptly pointed out by Bessant & Tidd (2007), an entrepreneur is always on the lookout for new opportunities, either in existing enterprise or in the creation of a new enterprise. Very often, the consumer does not even realise that he needs the service and this is the strategy that was utilised by Mr Jones where he developed this service and brought it to the attention of the consumers through utilization of different marketing techniques. The approach

Old Spice verses Axe - Which is More Effective Research Paper

Old Spice verses Axe - Which is More Effective - Research Paper Example Some of the respondents answered that sexuality is natural and therefore it is alright to use axe for these experiences while other respondents felt annoyed that these aspects must not be used for commercial advertising. Axe incorporates much higher tendency of sexuality in its commercials while old spice keeps it moderate. Perhaps due to this reason, the effectiveness and popularity of old spice is way higher than axe till date. Brand Extension is defined as that marketing strategy of a company in which the company uses the same brand name for different products. An example of Dove can be taken in this regard. The company uses the same brand name that is ‘Dove’ for all its products which include bar soap, face wash, hand wash, body wash, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, moisturizers, hair color etc. The original brand name is Dove which is used for the entire product range of the company. Line Extension is that marketing strategy where the company uses the same brand name for launching new variants of the existing products. In this case, the company can introduce new flavors, colors, sizes, forms, packaging, added ingredients etc. An example of ‘Maggi’ can be taken in this case. The company uses the same brand name for all the new variants it launch be it noodles, soups, flavorings anything. Private Brand is those products which are produced, marketed, distributed and controlled by retailers. There is the famous example of Private Brand in U.K. the most popular examples are ASDA, Sainsbury, Tesco which produce, control and market products by their own names. There is a number of products produced and marketed by these famous stores.

The Prevalence of Plastic Surgery Among South Korean Women and its Essay

The Prevalence of Plastic Surgery Among South Korean Women and its Relation to Pop Culture - Essay Example For instance, the male-dominated society has deemed that a woman may be considered feminine if her body type is a certain way, and the feminine ideal changes through time. At the time of Lorber's writing, the fashion was for women to be small-breasted, slim-hipped and bordering on emaciated. Because that was the ideal, many women starved themselves to fit this aesthetic. The aesthetic has also popularized magazines that promised to show women how to become thinner, with such titles as â€Å"Help Stamp Out Cellulite† and â€Å"Fat-Burning Exercise Guide.† Furthermore, there are informal edicts that women must follow in order to be considered feminine. For instance, Lorber talks about how women take up much less personal space then men. When women are on a train, they make themselves as small as possible – legs pressed together, arms at their sides. Meanwhile, men splay their arms and legs as far as possible. Women also need to have supple skin that shows no signs of age, and must be kept up with expensive cremes and electrolysis. Makeup is almost required. All of this is to make the woman more attractive to men, and women feel bad when they fail to conform to the prescribed beauty ideal (Lorber, 1993). Moreover, the feminine ideal has evolved over the years towards an image of ever-unattainable perfection. The past 50 or 60 years has been marked by a changing standard of ideal beauty in society. According to Calabrese et al., the ideal has changed towards a thinner female body type, one that is unattainable by most women. This is seen in Playboy Magazine centerfold models, Miss America pageant winners and fashion models. As stated above, these ideals are... What it means to be feminine in society is often equated with an impossibly thin, tall woman with Western features. This is true even in some Asian countries, such as Taiwan and Singapore. South Korea also emphasizes the Western ideal, as it uses Western models to promote glamorous items such as lingerie, and Asian models are used to promote house-cleaning items. The message is that, to attain an ideal, you must look a certain way, and Korean women are increasingly falling into the trap. No longer content to have broad noses, full lips, broad faces and small eyes, Korean women are increasingly getting their noses and eyes Westernized. In the process, they are perpetuating oppression and patriarchy by giving into the feminine ideal set forth by the male-dominated society in which they live, for it is the men who demand the rigid standard of beauty. The Westernized Korean women are also giving up a part of themselves, their identity and the parts of themselves which makes them unique. Korean women are spending an increasing amount of money trying to attain the Western ideal. This money is not well-spent, for it perpetuates the patriarchy and oppression and causes the woman to become inauthentic and other women to feel inferior. Everybody should celebrate themselves, however they were created, and not pay attention to the images in the media, for this kind of perfection is not attainable, nor should it be.

Dynamic of Machines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dynamic of Machines - Essay Example Racing car drivers require as quick a shift as possible. Not only is there a change in characteristics of the modern race engine, there is also an increasing awareness of the importance of transmission in a racing car. In order to make Formula 1 Racing more environmental friendly, transmission firms Torotrak and Xtrac are developing a highly efficient transmission system capable of capturing, storing and reusing kinetic energy from racing cars. The new technology with the help of a flywheel, will recover and store kinetic energy during deceleration that can then be used for acceleration; thus providing highly efficient kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) for motorsport. â€Å"Torotrak’s patented Toroidal Traction Drive Variator provides a continuous and variable ratio connection between the flywheel and the vehicle driveline via the gearbox† (PE 2007, p.14). Mechanical efficiency greater than 90% is obtained by advanced construction of the flywheel. The system not only optimizes performance, but also cuts carbon-dioxide emissions. According to Griffo & Lauria (2005), increasing stability-related aspects is essential for achieving improved generation and transmission structures. For improving the dynamic behaviour of electrical power systems, transmission-line reclosure is an efficient structural action. The new technique for computing the optimal reclosure time of a transmission line is based on optimal control strategies for switched dynamic systems. This method allows the use of high-order modelling, including control-system and relay action. Numerical simulations substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy which increases system stability and improves damping oscillations. In applications where elevated transmission ratios are required, especially in the automobile field, continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) have developed significantly. Their advantages are high in terms of car handling and

Managment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managment - Case Study Example All the meetings had a detailed agenda given to each member before the meeting (Nick at some point even jokes that he had not been given an agenda beforehand), the meeting would normally begin and end at the precise time (pg 20) they had been planned to end, and members of the executive at Decision Tech felt there was simply no enough time for engaging in meaningful debates as the time available was not enough (pg 47). Some of the behavioral norms established at Decision Tech by the executive team before Kathryn took over include: dependence, self-consciousness, superficiality, ignoring disagreements, not talking about misgivings, avoiding the consideration of what is considered a disturbing idea, feeling invulnerable, rationalizing threats away, discrediting of disconfirming information etc. Kathryn had noted that the meetings at decision Tech were characterized by silence, no member of the executive tem argued, and there was an undeniable tension during the meetings (pg 19). Silence in the meetings was not good. This is because it meant that members of the team preferred to keep silent and instead of engaging in meaningful arguments and developing conflicts that are highly valuable to the company’s management decisions. The executive team at Decision Tech experienced the four stages of team development. The core purpose of the forming stage is essentially to enable members of the team to become acquainted with one another and start seeing themselves as one integrated and cohesive unit. During the first off-site meeting Kathryn requested each member of the team to give personal histories. This meant that each would answer five nonintrusive personal questions that were related to their backgrounds (pg 52). After the brief personal history giving session by the members of the team, it was evident that the team was more at ease with each other than any time during the previous year. The goals of the Norming stage are to make

Dynamic of Machines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dynamic of Machines - Essay Example Racing car drivers require as quick a shift as possible. Not only is there a change in characteristics of the modern race engine, there is also an increasing awareness of the importance of transmission in a racing car. In order to make Formula 1 Racing more environmental friendly, transmission firms Torotrak and Xtrac are developing a highly efficient transmission system capable of capturing, storing and reusing kinetic energy from racing cars. The new technology with the help of a flywheel, will recover and store kinetic energy during deceleration that can then be used for acceleration; thus providing highly efficient kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) for motorsport. â€Å"Torotrak’s patented Toroidal Traction Drive Variator provides a continuous and variable ratio connection between the flywheel and the vehicle driveline via the gearbox† (PE 2007, p.14). Mechanical efficiency greater than 90% is obtained by advanced construction of the flywheel. The system not only optimizes performance, but also cuts carbon-dioxide emissions. According to Griffo & Lauria (2005), increasing stability-related aspects is essential for achieving improved generation and transmission structures. For improving the dynamic behaviour of electrical power systems, transmission-line reclosure is an efficient structural action. The new technique for computing the optimal reclosure time of a transmission line is based on optimal control strategies for switched dynamic systems. This method allows the use of high-order modelling, including control-system and relay action. Numerical simulations substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy which increases system stability and improves damping oscillations. In applications where elevated transmission ratios are required, especially in the automobile field, continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) have developed significantly. Their advantages are high in terms of car handling and

How To Create Assessment Opportunities Essay Example for Free

How To Create Assessment Opportunities Essay Explain how to create assessment opportunities that meet the needs of learners – ‘Assessment is the term given to checking that learning has occurred. It may happen at any stage during the learner’s progress through their qualification’, page 112, Practical Teaching, a guide to DTTLS PTTLS, Wilson. ‘Assessment can be carried out before recruitment (at interview), at commencement (diagnostic and initial assessment), during and at the end of the lesson and at the end of the module, unit or programme.’ Page 268, Practical Teaching, a guide to DTTLS PTTLS, Wilson. Arrange lessons around frameworks, so teaching the subject to learners. Teachers will have to assess learning has occurred, regardless of whatever form of learning has taken place. By being consistent, ensuring that all assessments are completed to a level standard, and irrespective of when the learners are assessed the outcomes are constant. By making sure all learners have access to assessment, and it follows the criteria of equality and inclusion By ensuring learners have had the opportunity to have all areas of the subject covered, so no part has been missed By allowing the learners understand the purpose and meaning of the assessment Making all learners know how the assessment will take place Assessment isn’t something that takes place at the end of the module or at the end of the year, it can take place at the end of the lesson by asking the learners if they have understood what was covered in the lesson.

Affective Filter And Second Language Acquisition

Affective Filter And Second Language Acquisition As the number of ELL students increases on campuses across the nation, there is a growing need for educators to somehow increase their awareness about the process of second language acquisition, and different ways to promote students learning and acquisition of a new language. ELL students usually experience stress and anxiety as they are very much aware of their lack of proficiency in English. This often interferes with their learning and acquisition of a new language. In recent years the importance of affective filter has become a matter of debate and extensive research among language teachers, linguists and researchers. The major purpose of this paper is therefore, to address the implications and importance that affective filter has on the language acquisition of especially English Language Learners (ELLs). Overview of Krashens Theory of Language Acquisition Krashens theory of second language acquisition has had a great impact in the field of education, especially that of acquiring and learning a new language. Based on internal psychological factors, his theory holds that humans have an innate ability to learn language (Krashen, 1982). According to Krashen, a second language is most successfully acquired when the conditions are similar to those present in first language acquisition: that is, when the focus of instruction is on meaning rather than on form; when the language input is at or just above the proficiency of the learner; and when there is sufficient opportunity to engage in meaningful use of that language in a relatively anxiety-free environment. He emphasized the importance of providing learners with comprehensible input in a risk-free environment. Krashen also maintained that low stress situations provide the greatest opportunity for learners to improve their language competency. AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Krashens theory of second language acquisition consists of five interrelated hypotheses which reflect an understanding of both linguistics and of psychology: The Acquisition-Learning hypothesis, the Monitor hypothesis, the Natural Order hypothesis, the Input Hypothesis, and the Affective Filter Hypothesis. Despite of the significance of all of these hypotheses in language learning and acquisition, this paper prioritizes the last, but also one of the most important hypotheses in the process of language learning and acquisition, the Affective Filter Hypothesis. Rosenthal (1996) found that although Duley and Burt were among the first to refer to the relationship between the affective delimiters and L2 acquisition, it was Krashen who championed the connection. In Krashens work, the affective filter hypothesis explains the role of affective factors in the process of language acquisition (2003). It suggests that emotional variables can hinder comprehensible input from reaching the part of the brain responsible for acquiring language. Krashen (1981) postulated that an affective filter exists that can increase or decrease the intake of the comprehensible input. He found that a high level of stress and anxiety creates a filter that impedes learning, blocks the intake, and reduces L2 acquisition. When the filter is up, input cant reach those parts of the brain where acquisition occurs. Many language learners realize that the reason they have trouble is because they are nervous or embarrassed and simply cant concentrate. In other words, the input is filtered out. Krashen also concluded that a low affective filter on the other side facilitates learning and promotes second language acquisition. The Affective Filter hypothesis embodies Krashens view that a number of affective variables play a facilitative, but non-causal, role in second language acquisition (2003). These AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION variables include: motivation, self-confidence and anxiety. According to him, it is easier for a learner to acquire a language when he/she is not tense, angry, anxious, and bored. Krashen claimed that learners with high motivation, self-confidence, a good self-image, and a low level of anxiety are better equipped for success in second language acquisition. Low motivation, low self-esteem, and debilitating anxiety can combine to raise the affective filter and form a mental block that prevents comprehensible input from being used for acquisition. In other words, when the filter is up it impedes language acquisition. On the other hand, positive affect is necessary, but not sufficient on its own, for acquisition to take place. Therefore, educators need to provide an environment that reduces stress and anxiety and also increases the ELL students motivation and self-esteem. This, according to Krashen, provides opportunities for language acquisition to occur more efficiently and quickly amo ng the learners (2003). The Motivation Variable A number of studies conducted in the field of ESL learning show that motivation is crucial to successful ESL learning (Andres, 2003). Within a school system the amount of motivation that children bring into the classroom with them is highly variable. It depends both on age and on family background factors. In-school factors also influence motivation. Crookes and Schmidt (1991) argued that intrinsic motivation, the one that stems from the interest in the activity itself independent from extrinsic reward, should be favored in the classroom. According to them, teachers can foster intrinsic motivation by posing reasonable challenging tasks to students, basing them on the perceptions of learners needs and providing for plenty of variety in classroom activities. AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Conversely, Fontana (1988) argued that there are occasions when students intrinsic motivation is insufficient and recourse has to be made to motivation of an extrinsic tangible nature. Thus, it seems that balance should be kept between both stances, understanding that extrinsic motivation may be valid, useful and even necessary, but if overused, in the long run it can be detrimental to students autonomy. Teachers own behaviour can either positively or negatively influence the learners desire and willingness to learn and continue learning the language. Based on his instructional design model for motivation, Keller (1979) suggested four different ways to help teachers increase the motivation of all students, especially of ELL learners: stimulating interest in the topic; creating relevance to students lives; developing an expectancy of success, and producing satisfaction in the outcome through intrinsic/extrinsic rewards. Clearly defined tasks, which are both interesting and sufficiently challenging, are also of the utmost importance. Furthermore, concerning curriculum and instruction, the importance of authentic, communicative tasks and assignments cannot be emphasized enough. Research by Oxford and Shearin (1996) also supports the critical role of educators in enhancing the motivation of ELL students. According to them, teachers can help shape students beliefs about success and failure in L2 learning. They found that teachers can help students improve motivation by showing that L2 learning can be an exciting mental challenge, a career enhancer, a vehicle to cultural awareness and friendship, and a key to world peace. In addition, teachers can make the L2 classroom a welcoming, positive place where psychological needs are met and where language anxiety is kept to a minimum. Most importantly, educators can urge AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION students to develop their own intrinsic rewards through positive self-talk, guided self-evaluation, and mastery of specific goals, rather than comparison with other students. Teachers can thus promote a sense of greater self-efficacy, increasing motivation to continue learning a new language and master the academic content as well. In the ELL classroom is vitally important that the curriculum and instructional strategies used are comprehensible. If language learners cannot comprehend the language input they receive, often they will become frustrated and check-out, no longer putting effort into the language learning process. This frustration, if not addressed early on, becomes overwhelming and discouraging to students and, as Duff (2001) reports, frustration and failure may lead to higher than average drop-out rates among immigrant students in high school, especially those whose home-country education or L1 literacy skills are limited (p.105). Therefore, teachers must make a concerted effort during instruction to assure that language input is comprehensible to ELLs. This certainly increases their motivation to learn the new language and also the academic content. Helpful suggestions for making input comprehensible include pre-teaching vocabulary, providing study guides, and graphic organizers etc. With these too ls, teachers provide students with the scaffolding necessary to motivate, and challenge students, but not frustrate them to the point of overwhelming or discouraging. In addition to providing students with comprehensible input, teachers must provide students with opportunities to experience success. In order for students to be motivated in continuing the language learning process, they must have enough self-efficacy, or confidence, to know that they are capable. One way to help meet this affective need in students through AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION curriculum and instruction is by planning activities in which students can experience success. As students effectively use learning strategies; there is a close association with the individuals self-efficacy (Zimmerman, 1990). Although these activities may not be necessarily easy, they must be tasks that students have tools and resources to complete with a sense of accomplishment. In addition to these types of tasks, students also experience success when they have choices over texts, activities, small grouping, topics, etc (Townsend and Fu, 2001). As students experience academic success and connections to their own knowledge and abilities, their self-efficacy and motivation to learn increases. With this affective need met, students are validated and more willing to take on new challenges in the language learning process. Ellis (1994) acknowledged McNamaras views that communication itself is also an important motivation learners acquire motivation from the need to express themselves and from the pleasure that they feel when they achieve this (p.516). Consequently, classes that provide opportunities for communication are going to have a more positive effect than those that do not. Interest increases as the learners are made responsible for their learning activities especially during interactive, flexible cooperative activities. Research supports two important claims regarding cooperative group work, particularly in the ELL classroom. First, minority students academic achievement increases with the use of cooperative learning activities (Aronson Gonzalez, 1998). Second, regarding the social and emotional needs of the learner, cooperative learning increases self-esteem and student motivation Slavin, 1985) and helps them develop empathy (Aronson Bridgemen, 1979). Cummins (1986) and Holt (1993) also emphasized the role of cooperative learning in maximizing the acquisition of English, its comprehensible input, and empowering students to use the language, hear it, and AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION model it for each other in a non-threatening environment. According to Stewart (2010), positive feedback, praise, and a sense of belonging can also be empowering for students who lack confidence in the subject matter. By giving them such feedback, ELL students may be motivated to put forth more effort, which will produce a higher quality of work, greater self-confidence, greater learning and then even more deserved positive feedback in a continuous loop. Last but not least, another factor that triggers the motivation of ELL students is the aspect of fun. Lin (2008) demonstrates the importance of fun in the classroom to lower the affective filter in her study with Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language students. She describes these activities as joyful and motivation-stirring and relaxing pedagogies (p. 126). Perhaps one of the most effective ways to lower the affective filter is to embrace the fun that I believe is inherent in second language learning. The Self-confidence variable The affective and emotional needs of students are deeply personal and influence language learning and academic achievement. The second variable that affects the affective filter and influences the process of language acquisition is self-confidence. Without some belief in oneself and ones abilities, it is easy to become anxious, frustrated, and discouraged. Work by Brown (1977) and Krashen (1981) reveals that traits related to self-confidence such as lack of anxiety, outgoing personality, and self-esteem are predictive of second language learning. The more confidence a student has about his abilities, the easier it is to participate in language learning activities, eventually leading to further language learning success. Conversely, when students lack self-confidence they tend to become overly anxious. This can have detrimental affects on language learning success as described by Gopaul-McNicol and Thomas-Presswood (1998): AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION A high anxiety level interferes with learning a second language because it not only impairs memory but it also decreases the learners willingness to take risks and practice the new language (p. 68). In addition, as anxiety increases frustration tolerance decreases; this causes students to become much more susceptible to giving up or quitting. It is very critical that students have a positive attitude towards themselves in the form of self-confidence/esteem, as previously discussed. This is an important affective need for all students, but particularly so for ELLs whose cultural identity is changing (Canadian Teachers Federation, 1989). While ELLs themselves need to have positive attitudes toward themselves, their culture, and second language, they also need to experience a positive social environment, which promotes acceptance, a sense of belonging, and community. According to Kristmanson (2003), it is very important for teachers to encourage and support students at all times, but especially when they are struggling or lacking confidence in certain areas, such as speaking a new language. For example, demonstrating interest and involvement in the children, getting to know them, their lives, their families, and capitalizing on the rich cultural knowledge and experiences their students bring to classroom increases their overall self-esteem and makes learning more meaningful. Finally, creating an atmosphere in which students are not afraid to make mistakes and are encouraged to take risks promotes their self-confidence. Lastly, praise also helps teachers build students confidence. Anxiety Variable Krashen (1981) states that low anxiety relates to success in second language acquisition (p. 56). ELL students are often very nervous about their first class in English. Everything is new to them the language, the building, the classroom, the culture of the classroom. Therefore, AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION it is very important to establish a welcoming classroom environment and thoroughly explain procedures and assignments to lower students anxiety levels. Avoiding tension-causing strategies such as surprise quizzes, overly competitive activities, putting students in front of their peers with no warning or chance for preparation, and correcting errors in a negative, accusatory fashion reduces the tension, nervousness, and affective filter of ELL students. Anxiety should be of a low level, and should be attached to the need to communicate, rather than to personality factors, or the fear of appearing ridiculous. Error correction must also be constructive and tailored to students individual needs. Examples of ways to gently and effectively correct students errors include reflecting their statements back to them, extending, and elaborating on statements. It is also important that error correction focus on mistakes that impede communication (global errors), rather than more minor grammatical errors (local errors). Recognizing the ELL students language proficiencies, differentiating instruction, materials, and assessment tools to meet their diverse needs certainly promotes language acquisition in a positive low- affective filter classroom. In conclusion, Krashens insistence on the importance of providing ELL learners with comprehensible input in a risk-free environment sends an important message to all teachers. As educators, we can make a significant difference in motivation, in anxiety levels and in the self image of our students. It is indeed our responsibility to establish a classroom environment that promotes camaraderie, makes every member feel welcome, wanted, validated and most importantly promotes their chances of acquiring and learning a new language in a positive, low-stress environment. This particular type of environment will certainly reduce our students affective filter, inspire them to learn the new language, and be successful in school. AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Handmaids Tale - Conventional Relationships and Love Essay -- Margare

In today’s society, a ‘conventional’ relationship between a man and a woman is easily defined. It is one based on freedom of choice by both partners, equality of gender, and emotional attachment. It is acceptable to say that in Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, none of these are permitted. This book shows a society completely unlike our own, one that has been constructed on the Old Testament, where women are seen as ‘biological vessels’ and are obsequious to men, and there is no place for ‘romantic love’. The setting of The Handmaid’s Tale – known as Gilead – is a totalitarian government, originally based on Old Testament patriarchy. This structure forbids rival loyalties or parties, so all loyalty must be for the group of men that govern the State. Such a structure means that women are assigned ‘roles’ according to their biological ‘usefulness’. These ‘roles’ are divided into six legitimate categories of Wives, Daughters, Aunts, Handmaids, Marthas and Econowives. Each category of women is required to perform their task properly, whilst obeying the rules set down for them by the patriarchal government. To illustrate, each group has different functions in the society, but still no one woman is able to act as an individual. The handmaids, for example, have been reduced to the ability to create another life, their fertility – â€Å"We are for breeding purposes†¦There is supposed to be nothing entertaining about us, no room is to be permitted for the flowering of secret lusts†¦We are two-legged wombs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg.) With each rule that governs their lives comes a punishment for disobeying it. Though being unable to express any sort of individuality is difficult for the women of Gilead, the thought of being hung at a ‘Salvaging’ or t... ...t†¦Maybe he even likes it. We are not each other’s, anymore. Instead, I am his.† (pg 191) This doubt is overtaken by her love for him, as it should in all sturdy relationships. So when it comes to asking Luke about her thoughts – â€Å"†¦I was afraid to. I couldn’t afford to lose you.† (pg 192) Her need to be loved by him had taken over her idea that he enjoyed the power, she couldn’t live with out his love. The ritual relationships of the regime leave the contenders feeling powerless and trapped within the rules of their roles. Despite this imposed ‘role-playing’ true relationships still exist – in secret – since it is in the nature of the human condition to form emotional attachments and to love. In the end, Atwood makes it clear that it is our ability to love that makes us human and this cannot be denied. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaids Tale.

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carroway proceeds through two stages of development as the novel unfolds. Beginning with tolerance of the other characters' actions; ending with full moral responsibility dealing with their conflicts, Nick Carroway found that immoral decisions lead to harmful situations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning, Nick Carroway was very tolerant of the numerous affairs happening within his circle of friends and acquaintances. Shortly after Nick was first introduced to Daisy's husband Tom, he learned of an affair happening between he and another woman from New York. Nick seemed surprised to hear this, yet he kept quiet about it. Nick was also introduced later to the woman Tom had been having an affair with, Myrtle Wilson, the gas station attendant's wife. Nick did not speak to Tom of his infidelity he instead remained tolerant of it. And later when Tom and Nick met her in town, he still kept his thoughts to himself, rather than becoming involved in the conflict. Also, with Daisy and Gatsby's relationship Nick remained tolerant of the scandal. For example, when he set up the reunion of Daisy and Gatsby within his own home. He was aware of the sin, but he did not actually come forward with his opinion on the matter. Daisy would often go to Gatsby's house in t he afternoons, and still Nick would remain tolerant of the immoral acts performed by his cousin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towards the end of the novel as things became more involved Nick realized the error of his ways, and became a more moral character. He did not involve himself in either of the affairs any longer. In one enlightening evening, when Gatsby proclaimed Daisy's love for him, and Tom admitted to his own disloyalty, Nick made a decision to be moralistic. When Tom, Nick, and Jordan had arrived back at Tom and Daisy's home, Nick parted ways. When he drove away from the house, he spotted Gatsby. Who had decided to watch over things, and make sure Daisy would be alright that evening. Instead of trying to help Gatsby in any way, Nick drove home, and stayed out of his business. Making the decision that pursuing any further with the conflict was a bad idea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through all the friction Nick Carroway learned that playing a part in others' personal matters led to even more conflict than the beginning matter. Throughout all the deceit and unfaithfulness, friendships were broken and lives were taken. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carroway proceeds through two stages of development as the novel unfolds. Beginning with tolerance of the other characters' actions; ending with full moral responsibility dealing with their conflicts, Nick Carroway found that immoral decisions lead to harmful situations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning, Nick Carroway was very tolerant of the numerous affairs happening within his circle of friends and acquaintances. Shortly after Nick was first introduced to Daisy's husband Tom, he learned of an affair happening between he and another woman from New York. Nick seemed surprised to hear this, yet he kept quiet about it. Nick was also introduced later to the woman Tom had been having an affair with, Myrtle Wilson, the gas station attendant's wife. Nick did not speak to Tom of his infidelity he instead remained tolerant of it. And later when Tom and Nick met her in town, he still kept his thoughts to himself, rather than becoming involved in the conflict. Also, with Daisy and Gatsby's relationship Nick remained tolerant of the scandal. For example, when he set up the reunion of Daisy and Gatsby within his own home. He was aware of the sin, but he did not actually come forward with his opinion on the matter. Daisy would often go to Gatsby's house in t he afternoons, and still Nick would remain tolerant of the immoral acts performed by his cousin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towards the end of the novel as things became more involved Nick realized the error of his ways, and became a more moral character. He did not involve himself in either of the affairs any longer. In one enlightening evening, when Gatsby proclaimed Daisy's love for him, and Tom admitted to his own disloyalty, Nick made a decision to be moralistic. When Tom, Nick, and Jordan had arrived back at Tom and Daisy's home, Nick parted ways. When he drove away from the house, he spotted Gatsby. Who had decided to watch over things, and make sure Daisy would be alright that evening. Instead of trying to help Gatsby in any way, Nick drove home, and stayed out of his business. Making the decision that pursuing any further with the conflict was a bad idea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through all the friction Nick Carroway learned that playing a part in others' personal matters led to even more conflict than the beginning matter. Throughout all the deceit and unfaithfulness, friendships were broken and lives were taken.

Parent Child Relationship Essay

Abstract This paper is about showing your children that you love them by promoting boundaries. It will explain what kids really want their parents know and understand. This paper also gets down to the basics of how to be a beacon of hope in this dark world. Show how to help our children maneuver through troubling situations by giving them positive values to fall back on. Love is the common thread which binds us together and without love, boundaries and discipline would not succeed the way it is meant to. This paper looks at different ways to be active at home, how to have a joy-filled home, and how to show the ones who mean the most to you how you feel. It also shows how emotions can affect how we parent. It takes us on a journey through our childhood, so many of our parenting tactics come from how we were parented whether it was good or bad it is what we based our parenting on. How Parents can Better Love & Understand Their Kids In this paper we will be discussing different techniques and methods practiced to make home the safe haven it is supposed to be. Some tips are given on how to bring fun and understanding into the home. Family White (1998) states, â€Å"if your family are the most important people in your life†¦show them, make your family your priority—strip away the non important things that take away time from them (p. 5). Kids just want to be loved and cherished. They need to feel like they belong somewhere and are special. Parents need to slow down and spend time with their children. We need to be good role models for our own kids. We need to have fun households to show the kids there is more to their music and TV, they can have a good time with the family (p. 37-41). Talk about goal setting as a family, â€Å"everyone has an opinion so everyone is included in pitching ideas of they would like to see the family accomplish, positive comments only. Then you need to clarify and organize your agreed-upon goals, and write down ways to accomplish each goal. You should designate a specific time to reflect and reevaluate your efforts as a family† (White, 1998, p. 41-42). White (1998) teaches a listening technique which was taught to him. â€Å"You begin by telling the person you are going to ask three questions and you will repeat them several times, but they need to give a different response each time. The goal is to get them to discover the solution and work toward applying it (p. 60-61). We need to be mindful of how we perceive things each person has his or her own view, and it may not match your personal view but we need to realize there is more than one way to do a task. Also, White (1998) speaks to us about time and how we cherish the moments with our loved ones, making sure our kids are confident & secure in who they are will help them be able to say no to certain things. We need to build up the kids by focusing on the positive and by letting them know they are loved (pp. 85-93). Not only is it our responsibility to build up our children, but we need to help them dream†¦have vision, and help them get to their dreams†¦don’t be a dream crusher. We may not believe what they do but we need to be supportive. How to be Positive â€Å"Your thinking directly affects your performance get rid of negative thinking. â€Å"You are what you are, and where you are because of what has gone into your mind† (Ziglar, 1989, pp. 18-20). Ziglar says, â€Å"When you change the input you change the output. We need to stop being so negative –if a task is too hard we say we can’t do it, we need to encourage our kids and ourselves to push through the tough times† (p. 24). â€Å"A successful life starts with having a loving and stable relationship with our family. Your attitude affects your outlook on life; qualities to strive for to have success in life are: dependability, friendliness, honesty and a sense of humor† (Ziglar, 1998, pp.41-42). Ziglar also said, â€Å"A solid foundation for children involves a solid moral base† meaning†¦you need to practice what you preach. â€Å"You need to look for and expect good from your children, stop looking at the bad and negative things and look for the good and positive in them and they will bloom† (Ziglar, 1998, p. 51). Be specific when you find something good in your child, tell them what it is exactly and continue to lift them up. Being Available as an Emotion Coach According to Gottman (1997), We need to help our kids deal with their emotions by being their emotion coaches and we do that with five steps 1) by being aware of their emotion, 2) recognize the emotion as a time for intimacy and teaching, 3) listen to them and validate their feelings, 4) help label the emotion with words and 5) set limits while finding ways to solve the problem (p.24). In step one, the focus is on recognizing when you are feeling an emotion, you can identify the feelings, and you are able to be sensitive to emotions in others (p. 76). Step two, when parents can use a negative experience to bring forth bonding with their children it builds intimacy and it teaches them how to deal with their feelings (p.93). During step three, two things take place, listening empathetically and validating the child’s feelings. Gottman suggests that this may be the most important step in emotion coaching! Not only are you listening with your ears, but you are using your eyes to look for physical confirmation of the child’s emotions. Parents also use their imagination to see things from the child’s perspective. They repeat back what they hear to help the child put words to his or her emotions. Lastly, they use their most precious gift of heart to feel what their child is feeling (p. 94). Step four is putting words to their emotions. Studies have shown that labeling emotions has a soothing effect on the nervous system, aiding the child to bounce back quicker from upsetting incidents (pp. 99-100). The final step is setting limits and problem solving. This step entails empathizing with the child’s feelings as well as discussing what is right and wrong behavior, and then coming up with alternative ways to handle their emotions (p. 101). Generally speaking, according to Gottman (1997), Children who have parents that practice â€Å"emotion coaching† have better physical health and score higher in academics. They seem to get along better with others and have fewer behavioral problems. Also noted, these children are less prone to act violently and seem to experience fewer negative feelings and more positive ones, and are considered to be healthier on an emotional level (p. 25). â€Å"There are results that show when parents use emotion coaching with their kids; there are buffering effects on children whose families are having difficulty and/or divorce. Another find from research shows that fathers who incorporate emotion coaching in parenting have an extremely positive impact on their children’s emotional development† (Gottman, 1997, p. 26). There are four types of parenting styles; depending on your style as a parent the effects can be detrimental to the child’s well-being. The styles are being dismissive, disapproving, laissez-faire, and the emotion coach. In the dismissive style, the child’s feelings are thought of as not important or trivial. The effect on the child is that he or she learns that their feelings are wrong or not valid. They feel that something is wrong with them as a person because of how they feel (p. 50). The disapproving style, judges and criticizes the child’s emotional expression as well as view emotions as weakness. The effect on the child is that he or she learns that their feelings are wrong or not valid. They feel that something is wrong with them as a person because of how they feel (p. 51). The laissez-faire style, does not teach the child about emotions, and offers little guidance on behavior. The effect on the child is he or she does not learn how to regulate their emotions and they have trouble making friends and getting along with others (pp. 51-52). The emotion coach style, does not feel that they have to fix every problem for the child and they respect the child’s emotions. The effect on the child is he or she can trust their feelings, solve problems, and get along well with others (p. 52). Parents need to take their time with their children, get to know them and understand their point of view. By learning to be empathetic listeners, parents can help their children learn to problem solve for themselves, enable their child to soothe themselves and become more well-rounded individuals. Showing empathy is like showing your child your heart. If you can let them know that you understand how they feel, they won’t feel down and they will feel confident that their parents care about them at the core of their emotions. How Love Heals In understanding the dynamic of parent and child Hendrix & Hunt (1997) use a metaphor describing the relationship as â€Å"a tapestry of life, meaning they are woven together by the threads and stitches of their interactions with one another† (p. 7). They use this to describe the delicate bond between the parent and child. If not careful you can tear and damage that bond. â€Å"These tears happen when you are not paying attention to the moment, or when you are experiencing emotional pain yourself† (Hendrix & Hunt, 1997, p. 8). The focus of the message given by Hendrix & Hunt (1997) is on being conscious in your parenting. This means â€Å"you are to meet the needs of your child by providing safety, support and structure as your child moves through each stage of development† (p. 38). Hendrix & Hunt (1997) mentioned â€Å"most parents are unconscious, but they are still good, kind, caring and committed people. They have been wounded and just have not healed into a greater self-awareness and self-acceptance† (p.45). According to Hendrix & Hunt (1997) there are five characteristics to unconscious parenting, â€Å"it cuts, it cuts the connection between parent and child. It is an inheritance, parents are parenting from their fears and wounds. It is unaware, these parents don’t realize what they do to their kids, and they felt cheated so the cycle continues. It causes exaggerated reactions, parents over or under react to what their child says or does. Lastly, it is ignorance, the parent doesn’t realize he or she is overreacting to the child’s normal behavior† (pp. 48-51). When a parent is ready to become a more conscious parent they need to learn how to listen and talk to their children. Hendrix & Hunt (1997) calls this â€Å"intentional dialogue; this includes mirroring, validating, and empathizing† (p. 106). According to Hendrix & Hunt, mirroring is when you have listened and repeat back what you believe you heard back to the person. Validating is when you let the speaker know that what they are saying makes sense. Empathizing is shown by recognizing the feelings of others as they explain their point of view (1997, p. 107-108). There needs to be a commitment on the part of the parent to be open to conscious parenting. Conscious parenting offers safety, support, and structure. The parent needs to create an environment that 1) is physically safe, 2) is emotionally supportive to the child’s growth, and 3) is structured to limits and boundaries (Hendrix & Hunt, 1997, pp.141-142). According to Hendrix & Hunt (1997), physical safety is the primary requirement of every living thing. The most important way to support a child is by validating how he or she feels. A conscious parent provides clear boundaries and sets limits to reinforce the child’s sense of safety and support (pp. 142-143, 153). No One Gets Me Dr Sachs is corresponding with one of his patients via letters being mailed to one another in, When no One Understands. This book was his response to what his patient wrote to him. This young lady was troubled and had tried a suicide attempt which is how they met. During their sessions she remained quiet she did not like to communicate by talking and because Dr. Sachs knew she was creative and a good writer so he decided to offer an alternative to the typical session. This brought her out of her shell a little to where she would talk to him in some sessions but the bulk of the treatment came through their letters. She did grow to trust him more and opened up to him regarding some things she felt her parents just were not â€Å"getting†. Encouragement and Self Discovery In, Taste Berries for Teens book series, is chock full of very touching letters from different teens going through different emotional trials. Youngs & Youngs do a great job at reaching out to the youth and giving them an outlet to share their feelings. â€Å"The purpose of this series is focused on â€Å"liking† yourself. A chance for getting to know and understand yourself on a deeper level. It tells of change and how one changes from year to year† (Youngs & Youngs, 2000, p.3). Boundaries Cloud & Townsend (1998) brings honest thought to mind when they discuss what kind of future is being created for your child if they are wild and reckless? We are preparing our children for the future (p. 14). There are three roles to being a parent, 1) guardian, 2) manager and 3) source. The guardian is legally responsible for the child and is his or her protector. The manager makes sure things get done and goals are reached, this role is a disciplinarian one. The source, the parent is the source of all good things (Cloud & Townsend, 1998, pp. 19-21). According to Clod & Townsend (1998) parents need to teach reality principle, which introduces true reality consequences such as not going to a movie because the room was not cleaned; it does not include negative relational consequences such as nagging or fussing. The child needs to â€Å"feel† the consequences not the parent (pp. 58-61). Setting Limitations Clinton & Sibcy talk about overprotecting, overindulging and over controlling your kids and how these can harm the child. Parents need to exercise balance we are to protect our children but when we over protect we damage their spirit and deter them from becoming the strong, independent adult they should be. Over controlling parents mean well, they want their child to succeed, but they push them to perfectionism and these children are afraid to fail. The over indulging parent may suffer from feelings of guilt but children need structure and in this case the child can become insecure, irritable and bored (p. 9-13). There is a healthy balance and it is the parent’s job to find it. Honestly it begins with love and respect, some have to learn that but it is give and take. If you don’t show the children these qualities, they cannot give it back to you. Conclusion I would just like to conclude by saying that I enjoyed this research and this topic were fun to delve into and I hope to use some of these techniques in my own home to help improve my relationship with my family communication is so important but the most important thing that I emphasize is that it all must be done in love and with love to work. You can bark orders and commands all day long but you and your children will suffer from the lack of love and respect. References Clinton, T., & Sibcy, G. (2006). Loving your child too much: Staying close to your kids without overprotecting, overindulging, or overcontrolling. Nashville, TN: Integrity Publishers. Cloud, H. & Townsend, J. (2001). Boundaries with kids. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Gottman, J; (1997). The heart of parenting. New York, NY; Simon & Schuster Hendrix, H; Hunt, H; (1997). Giving the love that heals a guide for parents. New York, NY; Pocket Books. Sachs, B; (2007). When no one understands. Boston, MA; Trumpeter Books. Youngs, B; Youngs, J; (1995). Taste berries for teens #3. Deerfield Beach, FL; Health Communications, Inc. White, J; (1998). What kids wish parents knew about parenting. West Monroe, LA; Howard Publishing Co, Inc. Ziglar, Z; (1989). Raising positive kids in a negative world. New York, NY, Ballentine Books.