Full case study analysis of a company (Apple) Essay

Locating the company in its environment. This is where you set the scene and so you should Offer a brief overview of the company (from your own research or the case material provided). Put the company in its context, which will be international or global. At this point you will start to use the various analytical tools available to tell me about the environmental opportunities and constraints operating on the company and its industry. PESTEL is the usual device employed. You should also analyze the characteristics of the industry and business in which the company has to compete and here you should employ the 5 Forces of Competition analysis carried out in some analytical depth. Note: You could emerge from this first analysis with a PARTIAL SWOT, which is drawing out the opportunities and threats facing the firm. After having analyzed the company’s environment, the focus moves to the company itself by conducting an internal analysis where the objective is to identify the capabilities and resources developed by the company. This will be carried out through the application of some well tried analytical instruments, such as the value chain, the threshold and distinctive resources and competencies framework and the VRIO framework. Note: You should be able by now to complete the above SWOT analysis by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the company. Finally, you should now be able to define the competitive position of the company in relation to the Generic Strategy chosen. Part two: The selection of strategic options You should emerge from this Phase with an inquiry based view of your company’s level of business success and what it must do to sustain that success and continuously improve. Which are the main options for growth? To answer this question you can refer to the Ansoff Matrix and – if the company is part of a larger diversified corporation – to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix. Somewhere in this phase you will need to appraise the company’s financial state of health using well-established measures of efficiency and profitability. But please take note that we do not cover finance in our twelve weeks together but my expectation is that your studies in corporate finance (Financial Accounting and Management) should equip you to include a commentary on Apple financial predicament. Part three: Your strategic solutions for the company’s ongoing health Now that you have derived a picture of your Company’s state of health, can it be improved—what medicine can you offer? So, phase/part three is about Strategic options for the future. There could be many but which strategic option/s would you recommend and why? Are you happy that your choices are derived from your systematic analysis of the company at Phases one and two? Are they feasible? Can they be resourced? Can they be implemented and sustained?

English Essay

Stepping into Mrs. Kinney’s room was like walking into through the perfume section at Walmart. The smell of plenty of different fragrances was enough to make a persons nose burn. It was the first day of classes, and it being only the second period of the day, which meant that peoples scents were still going strong. The room was bright, though the fluorescent bulbs lined up perfectly along the ceiling had a major part in that, the sun was shinning through the windows on the left side of the room. The chalk boards located at the front of the classroom were as clean as could be and almost looked brand new, if it were not for the scratches. The right and back walls were filled with posters and pictures of previous graduates. The shelves around the room stacked with everything an English room would need from dictionaries and thesauruses to loose-leaf and pencils. The room seemed to have a particular place for everything, right down to the 6 rows of desks that were place in straight lines facing the front of the room. As I was worried about being late, I rushed myself to class forgetting we had an eight minute break. So of course I was one of the first ones in the room. One of the first things I noticed when I came into that room was that there was no seating plan or assigned seats. Now I am the type of person who does not really care where I sit or where anyone else sits for that matter. However, I love seating plans, it gives you a chance to interact with people that you probably never would otherwise talk to. Plus it keeps the talking in the room to a minimum. Which really comes in handy when we are doing individual class work. So I guess this is my way of asking for a seating plan. Also I would like to state that asking a peer a question about an assignment might be helpful but it is a distraction. Now I wasn’t sure if Mrs. Kinney was a â€Å"spitter† like Mr. McIsaac, or a big â€Å"yeller† like some of the other teachers, so I settled into a seat in the third row from the front. The minutes that followed until the bell seemed to drag, but very quickly showed me who my classmates were. When the bell rang to finally begin class, I was ready and pretty excited because I knew almost everyone in the class. From previous encounters with Mrs. Kinney, I knew that we would be able to get along and that she actually knew what she was teaching. Now I had an expectation set that this year was not going to be a sit back and listen to the teacher read year, and that I would have to try hard if I wanted to pass. With marks, they are usually pretty steady and consistent. I try my best to keep the, above 80, kind of sports and kind of my mother being obsessive about them. As far as group work goes, I always say a few is good but anymore than five or six to group can become a problem. I say this because I have come to realize that when the groups are small, the work load can be divided easily. Now in larger groups, I find that people tend to slack off and push all the work onto one person and then split the mark. I do not like this because I am usually the one stuck doing the work. Now I am positive everyone has their own opinions when it comes to homework. Personally though, I do not mind it. To be completely honest, I enjoy doing homework. To me it is kind of a way of double checking or showing myself that I know what I am doing. So please feel free to assign any amount of homework at any time. When it comes to learning, i know that it is hard for you to teach everyone in the way they want to be taught. I also know that you can not please everyone, but you try to switch it up and do different styles of teaching too. My favourite teach style would have to be Mr. McIsaac’s. By that i mean how easy it is to follow and understand because he relates it all to everyday situations and everyday things. With English however, it is different. I find hearing something that is being taught along with taking notes and discussing examples is the best way for me to learn. I do my best work when lots of notice is given on an assignment. Otherwise, i feel rushed and then it is very poorly written. The best thing that a teacher could do for me to learn would have to bed when they give and assignment or task, to explain it thoroughly. I say this because I would much rather lose a few points than to raise my hand and ask a question. I am very shy when it comes to speaking in front of people. I freeze up, my face goes red and i start to stutter and fumble my words. My thoughts on English 112 thus far, are that I probably will not make it out alive. I would legit be surprised if I passed this essay. I say this all because i was terrified when I got our first graded assignment back. The reason I think I did so poorly on that was because you were not able to be there and when I would ask the substitute a question, she just seemed to be answering it with another question, and it confused me greatly. So I suppose one could say I was very close to switching to 113 English. Except after some time to think, I thought it through, and I remembered that i need this course to go on and have a secondary education. This all made me realize that i need to, so to say, â€Å"pull up my socks†, and stop being a procrastinator. I now see that slacking off, going just for a passing mark and just making a sixty wont cut it anymore. What I do now, will determine my life out for me. I feel like if I do not try my hardest now, that I will regret it in the long haul. By saying that I mean, if I keep slacking off, and waiting until the last minute to do everything that later in life, I will be the same way. Only problem in slacking off with a job is, you probably wont have that job much longer. I think that 112 English is a big step for me. I mean that figuratively, because I am not literally taking a step in 112, but I am figuratively taking a step in life. I consider it to be a big step because it is pushing me ahead in life and i feel as if I was not to take it then I really would not have much of a future at all. Unless i wanted to work at McDonald’s or McCain’s for the rest of my life. So for now, I think I would like to try my luck in English 112, at the end of the hall, with Mes. Kinney.

Commentary: “Two Hands” Essay

There are various familial relationships that most of us would often take for granted. Jon Stallworthy, for example, highlights that of a father and son in his poem, â€Å"Two Hands†. Throughout his depiction of these two characters, he emphasizes how two people who seem so similar, and are supposed to be intimate or close by default, can be almost alien to each others’ personalities and emotions. Several techniques, such as diction, themes and structure are utilized to portray the contrast between father and son. In â€Å"Two Hands†, there are two main characters present: the son, who also narrates the text, and his father. The reader can depict the father to be a surgeon, or at least have a profession in the field of medicine, because of the use of terms such as â€Å"scalpel† or â€Å"lancet†, as well as expression like â€Å"fingers that have stitched new life†. In contrast, the same ‘two hands’ of the son have been utilized in a rather contrasting way; that of the field of literature. We can deduce this from his â€Å"fingers [that have] some style on paper.† Furthermore, there is no mention of any other characters in this poem, which can portray the significance of his father to the narrator, or even display how much he truly needs a father who is too preoccupied with his career. One of the primary reasons that Stallworthy is able to spark a great deal of emotion from his reader is due to the choice of speaker. In this case, the son’s voice has been used to describe his relationship with his father. I think this has been done because his emotions of abandonment, sorrow and loneliness are very expressive and therefore make readers feel empathy for the son. He depicts himself as a son whose father pays no attention to him, and only to his work; almost as if being a father is an obligatory duty rather than a valued relationship. There are several themes that bring out the emotions felt by the narrator in this text. For example, love is something that is lacking in the relationship between father and son. While it can be said that the son admires his father, which is depicted through the phrase, â€Å"Hand, you may have your chance to stitch a life for fingers that have stitched new life for many.† The narrator is describing his father’s accomplishments by stating that he has saved the lives of many, which shows love and respect for his father. However, there is no portrayal of emotion from the father’s side in the text, which can only show that according to the son, there is no love provided from the father’s side at all. Another vivid theme in the text is that of the conflict between family and career, which can be looked at individually for the son, as well as for the father. This poem clearly implies that the father is married to his career, as he has almost no time to devote to his son. The final line, â€Å"he will be out again† is extremely powerful in showing how often he is out of the house. Furthermore, even when he is at home, he is â€Å"in his study†¦ up late,† because â€Å"he has articles to read.† Overall, we can infer that the father feels like by working hard and supporting the family, he is fulfilling his duties, and therefore the concept of spending time and expressing love to his son are almost redundant, and of no value. On the other hand, you have a son, who feels nothing but love, respect and adoration towards a father who has no regard for such emotions. He also feels that his career is worthless in comparison to that of his father’s. His hands have â€Å"save[d] no one, serve[d] no one, dance[d] with this pencil.† The use of the word ‘dance’ has playful and amateur connotations to it, which shows that his work of literature is meaningless to him. This tone of abandonment informs the readers of the son’s feelings of insecurity and inferiority in front of his father, while all alone he tries only to be close to him. In a poem, the structure and topography play an extremely crucial role in the way a readers depicts the writing. Stallworthy has laid out â€Å"Two hands† in one long stanza, with a great deal of enjambment as well. This implies run-on thoughts, as well as providing a tone of overall reminiscence to the text. The lack of a concise structure gives the effect of thoughts being haphazardly thrown onto paper, in whichever order they may occur. Moreover, this style makes it seem like a story is being told. This is useful in depicting the character of the narrator, as well as provides the impression that he is writing a biography on his father. Once again, the line, â€Å"Hand, you may have your chance to stitch a life for fingers that have stitched new life for many,† reveals the narrator’s intentions. Where ‘stitching a life’ means writing a book to the son, to the father the very same phrase has a more literal meaning; that of saving a life, perhaps in surgery. Over the course of this poem, the use of rhyme or rhythm is extremely subtle, and perhaps is only used in order to emphasize certain points. Stallworthy hasn’t used a specific rhyme scheme in his poem, to demonstrate that no conclusion has been drawn from the thoughts conveyed by the son. There is a great deal of expression of emotion; however he isn’t able to make anything out of it. In contrast, in the few places where slight rhyme has been utilized, there is some logical reasoning involved. For example, â€Å"Down the lancet margin his hand moves rapidly as mine moves slow. A spasm shakes the phone at this elbow.† In these lines, he is claiming that his father’s expertise exceed that of his own in the field of medicine, allowing him to scan the medical journal more rapidly. Overall, it can be reasoned that there are very few decisive or exact points being made, which is why the use of rhyme has been avoided. The way a message is interpreted relies a great deal on the diction in which it has been said; therefore the word choice is another vital factor in â€Å"Two Hands†. Firstly, all the words describing emotions are of negative connotations. For example, â€Å"curse† or â€Å"sob†, imply feelings of frustration and helplessness. There is also no mention of love or family values, directly signifying that there is no evidence of it in their relationship either. In contrast, there are plenty of words to describe the father’s career, such as â€Å"lancet† and â€Å"scalpel†. The use or lack of use, of difference words indicates their existence and importance in the lives of the father and son. This would also explain why there are no emotions linking to the father, but many saddening ones linking to his son. Throughout this text, Stallworthy implicates a very negative atmosphere, relation directly to the bumpy relationship between father and son. A mood of intensity is depicted through the use of phrases such as, â€Å"I curse tonight,†, where the son expresses his frustration over the fact that while his father is at home, with him, he is busy working. Even though they may be physically near, the father’s heart and mind do not stray from work. The tone is also often depressing or gloomy, which is highlighted by the fact that it is set during night time; this is when all fears are at their peak, and when one feels most lonely as well. Finally, the poet’s extensive use of personification helps in illuminating the overall impression he wishes to bring across in the text. For example, â€Å"the pencil nodding stiffly† provides an image of a man working hard into the depths of the night; stern and focused. Furthermore, the personification of the scalpel in the phrase â€Å"led a scalpel an intricate dance† portrays the act of surgery as an art form, requiring a great deal of grace as well as skill. These two models illustrate the father as extremely hard working and skilled in his field of work. In contrast, an expression like â€Å"The phone has sobbed itself to sleep† highlights an extremely striking image of a young boy trying to cry himself to bed. It provides a saddening effect on the reader, and also emphasizes the lack of emotion in the father. It is almost as if the situation is so depressing that even inanimate objects are crying out in sheer desperation. Finally, the son’s confusion and uncertainty is represented through the symbol of his hands, â€Å"whose indecisions keep [him] cursing nightly; fingers with some style on paper, elsewhere none.† He is perplexed by his current situation where his own hands seem so worthless in comparison to that of his fathers’, which leaves him in an unknowing state. In general, Stallworthy utilizes various poetic devices in order to provide the simple of contrast between the father and son. The â€Å"Two Hands† signify that of the sons’, which seem so insignificant relative to his fathers’, who have saved so many lives through what can be called a graceful art. His inferiority, loneliness and helplessness are highlighted throughout the text, through the symbol of the two hands.

Expansion of Diageo Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Expansion of Diageo Paper - Essay Example Introduction Diageo is world’s top-notch quality drinks company. Through its universal vision as well as local promotional concentration, Diageo provides its customers an exceptional collection of beverage brands including the spirits, wine, and beer types. It was established during the year1997 after its merger with â€Å"Grand Metropolitan Public and Guinness†. Diageo operates in almost185 nations all over the globe and it is listed on both New York and London Stock Exchange. Diageo controls eight of the global top twenty high-quality spirits brand names, together with Smirnoff, the top brand â€Å"by volume† (Lopes, 2007, p. 76) as well as Johnnie Walker, the top brand â€Å"by value† (Lopes, 2007, p. 76). In beer, Diageo possesses the single international solid brand name, Guinness, along with a collection of bigger brand names traded mainly within Africa. Diageo’s wine brands are traded largely within North America along with Great Britain â₠¬Å"across a full range of price points† (Lopes, 2007, p. 77). Within the developed countries such as North America as well as Europe, Diageo has made sturdy ways to marketplace. Moreover, Diageo is the top-notch global spirits business within the developing nations such as â€Å"Africa, Latin America and Asia† (Lopes, 2007, p. 80). These swiftly expanding markets currently consist of more or less â€Å"one third of Diageo’s net sales† (Lopes, 2007, p. 76), rise from 25 percent during the year 2008. By means of persistent ‘organic’ development triggered by infrastructure ventures in addition to focused acquisitions, these markets are likely to chip in 65 percent of Diageo’s net sales by the year 2017. Diageo unites the advantages from universal level with local expertise in user inclinations as well as behaviours to bring outstanding advertising drives. For instance, the â€Å"Keep walking campaign on Johnnie Walker† (Diageo, 2006 , p. 192) has been broadcasting worldwide for more than ten years, supported by the global demand of individual growth. The advertising campaign is accurate to this vision even though the local innovative implementations seem changed universally. In the same way, user information updates Diageo’s improvement drives along with pipeline. The â€Å"premiumisation† (Diageo, 2006, p. 193) of scotch to create demand in clients of high-quality brand names along with the expansion of ‘ready to serve cocktails’ since ‘at-home’ usage raises have been mainly successful. Diageo is focused on creating a sustainable business along its value chain. The techniques with which Diageo supports a constructive part for alcohol within society; values the innate sources, societies as well as individuals it depends on; and supports traditions of excellent supremacy and moral values are all significant factors for growth. The business takes pride in the responsible wa y with which its brands are promoted and the constructive part that reasonable utilization of its brands has in the lives of numerous individuals. Diageo attempts to stay on the top of industry attempts to sponsor sensible drinking and do efforts with other shareholders to fight against wrong use of alcohol. From the time its start during the year

ONGC's growth strategy case analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ONGC's growth strategy case analysis - Essay Example OVL on its part, made offshore investments in Russia, Vietnam and Sudan, apart from acquiring project contracts in other countries. During the years 2002 and 2003, ONGC went in for major financial restructuring, pre-paying all the expensive foreign loans, investing in latest technology and acquiring foreign assets. Corporate plans project a production increase of 16% and a net profit margin of 27% by 2003-04. Plans are afoot to enter into insurance, shipping and power production, but the government does not support these ideas. Thus, ONGC’s key concerns for 2003-‘04 are heavy capital investments, regaining growth in production volumes and discovering new reserves. Its top management, headed by Mr. Subir Raha, CMD, is well recognized for strong and proactive management style. Its management structure is organized region-wise in line with its exploration and production operations, and each regional headquarters has freedom of action and accountability – a trait of the management style of its CMD. Oil and gas exploration was a government monopoly till the sector was opened up for private investment in 1998 by a policy called the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP). International companies are now allowed to bid for exploration either alone or in association with local industrial houses, on production sharing basis (with the government). Cairn Energy, Reliance, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation and Videocon are some of the new players in the market, with the first three named having already succeeded in major gas finds and associated oil reserves. Plans are under implementation for nation-wide gas pipeline grids and they pose a direct challenge to ONGC’s gas business, in times to come. Till 1st April 2002, government controlled the prices of petroleum & product after which the administered price mechanism (APM) was dismantled. ONGC with its strong investment

Prepare Exam paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Prepare Exam paper - Assignment Example Moreover, paper free environment, recycling and reusing of supply materials are a few of the measures implemented by organizations to save fixed costs employed every month. Other benefits achieved by organizations for adopting eco friendly practices, is the recognition of awareness towards the society. In other words, organizations’ that attempt to reduce the rate of emissions released by the factories portray the image that they are concerned about the consequences of environmental degradations. Hence, consumers are aware that the organization will restrict itself from using anything that can harm the environment thereby, enhancing the goodwill and customer perceived values towards the betterment of the organization. Furthermore, few countries are providing the benefits of Social Economic Zone (SEZ) certifications to the organizations that are reputed in implementing green practices in their workplace. The SEZ is referred to be such areas where government provides subsidies in terms of property tax, waste management costs and other monetary discounts, that reduce the overall fixed cost incurred by the organizations. Consequentially, with the increasing significance towards environmental protection, organizations are emphasizing increasingly on the benefits of recycling through which the used furnitures and second-hand technology products can be reused by various charitable institutions that are providing free education to the poorer children. In this way the brand is quite likely to enhance its popularity amid the market and simultaneously contributing towards the overall development of the society. Furthermore, health and safety issues are also regarded as two of the significant drivers for executing green practices in workplaces. Setting up of ‘no smoking’ zones, can also benefit passive smokers from the hazardous effect caused by tobaccos in the workplaces. Moreover, staying

Nutri Natural, Herbal, and Vitamin Supplements Research Paper

Nutri Natural, Herbal, and Vitamin Supplements - Research Paper Example The competition is what poses the greatest threat to entrants in the market as they have to consider bridging any gaps between what the consumer wants and what is being provided for them in the market. Unfortunately, more organizations in the market translate to the consumer having more bargaining power, which is never a good thing for the company. The paper seeks to identify the competition that will face Nutri Natural, Herbal, and Vitamin Supplements as it enters the market. It is fair to say that there is no single market that is not prone to competition. Naturally, an investor identifies a consumer need and develops a product that will satisfy the need. Later, the demand for the commodity increases and the company makes increased profits. As other investors note the growing demand, they develop their own version of the products. More investors join the market flooding it and bringing more choices to the consumer. Eventually, only those manufacturers that have a competitive edge r emain in business or make any profit. Nutri’s entry to the market will face stiff competition from popular manufacturers of food supplements and vitamins. These competitors include but are not limited to Bayer, Seven Seas, Bayenica, and Boots (Leah 10). Internet use has become widespread over the past decade. However, not every company has utilized the full potential of using the internet to market its products. The advent of social media has made online marketing more effective as a platform for companies to use to create awareness of the products offered. A company that takes advantage of every opportunity they have to market their goods becomes the best possible way to remain competitive and thus profitable. Nutri is aiming to take full advantage of what technology offers companies and will be using an online platform to sell the supplements.  

Experiential learning-case study. MSc in HRM Essay

Experiential learning-case study. MSc in HRM - Essay Example Experiential learning therefore directly addresses the needs and desires of the learner, rather than being dictated by the instructor. In the context of organizations, individuals acquire different skills, ideas and concepts by observing what others are doing within the organization itself. Practical solutions to problems and obstacles that confront the learner motivates him to work out solutions to problems by either observing how others do it or innovating a way of doing it that others may later imitate (Rogers & Freiburg, 1994, p 16). Starting a business for instance is usually a response to a certain need that the business is envisaged to meet. Once the business takes off however, it may not survive by sticking strictly to the original plan since other unforeseen needs arise that are met experientially. Many business organizations therefore survive through constant learning brought about by varied experiences (Rogers & Freiburg, 1994, p 17). This case study focuses on the Wegman’s Food Markets. It analyzes how the company has established a reputation, and won awards in the process, as one of the organizations with the best human resource management practices. This has been achieved almost entirely through the practice of experiential learning (Bingham, & Galagan, 2005). Though from the foregoing, experiential learning is a self-motivated process, the concept can be used to initiate and effect interventions in employee training and development by organizations (Rogers & Freiburg, 1994, p 18). One such example is Wegmans Food Markets. It is a huge chain of supermarkets ranking as one of the biggest private companies in the US. In 2005 Fortunes magazine rated it the best in among the top 100 employee friendly companies in the US (Bingham, & Galagan, 2005). The Company has some 35,000 employees in its 69 stores located in New

Personal Statement ( Can be assigned by the writter)

( Can be assigned by the writter) - Personal Statement Example Learning doesn’t stop when you think it already does. This is exactly what motivates me to pursue a bachelor’s degree and further training in Nursing and Health Care. For me, time management is my key to success. I have already set my mind on attaining a bachelor’s degree, and to me, there is absolutely nothing that would hold me back from this dream. What I can do is to instill a sense of priority for the things that I need to do. It would be challenging to juggle work with my studies, but with time management, I would be able to allot a particular time for each responsibility so that I would not end up spreading myself to thin. I have also enlisted the support of my family and close friends, to assist me in everything else that may arise. On a personal note, there are things that need to wait for a while, and I am happy that my family understands that getting a bachelor’s degree is my short term goal for now. They understand as well that a flourishing and successful career in nursing is my long-term goal. My professional journey started in to 2009. As my first job being a Nurse Assistant, it was a baptism of fire of some sorts. Every beginner has a story of hits and misses, but the best thing about the experience is that I have learned so much, enough for me to sustain the job and become eligible for my next one at Victoria Court Assisting Living. Everything I had to learn, I learned during my first two years of work experience. More than the skills, I have learned to become my own lookout; to set standards and carefully work to achieve those standards. I absorbed all information I needed to learn. I took tips from people who have been in the profession way more than me. While everyone was committed to assist me acquire the skills, I knew that at the end of the day, I had to rely on myself to bring out

Best Practices in Teaching Styles to Motivate ESL Students Essay

Best Practices in Teaching Styles to Motivate ESL Students - Essay Example Diverse research studies have been conducted in various fields of endeavor – from human behavioral courses in organizations to educational modules in traditional and ESL learning settings. There have been motivational theories that have evolved through time and aimed to determine which among the motivational factors facilitate or hinder the process of learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). From a review of literature developed on the subject, there were studies that specifically aimed to determine the effectiveness of the motivational strategies in enhancing the academic performance and understanding of ESL students (Guilloteaux & Dornyei, 2008; Chen, Warden, & Chang, 2005; Lamb, 2007). After identifying the most effective factors, from the perspectives of students, the role of educators would be to put into practice these strategies that have been proven to be the most effective in facilitating ESL learning, on the premise that the most contemporary factors influencing the learning environment are taken into consideration. Briefly, the motivational factors that were identified to facilitate ESL learning are teachers’ style or methods, in conjunction with use of praise and acknowledgment (Lamb, 2007); instructional interventions applied by teachers (where 25 observational variables measuring the teachers’ motivational practices include: social chat, group work, effective praise, and tangible reward, among others (Guilloteaux & Dornyei, 2008, pp. 63-64); and group dynamics and group cohesiveness (Chang, 2010); among others. The teacher’s instructional approach is therefore crucial; but the ability of the teacher to gauge the students’ motivating drives must be of paramount concern in order for them to effectively apply motivating factors that facilitate, rather than inhibit, ESL learning. The 25 observational variables noted by Guilloteaux & Dornyei (2008) provides the conceptual framework for the current study, which at tempts to investigate the best teaching practices applied in an ESL course. These variables measuring the teachers’ motivational practice are enumerated below: 1. Social Chat 13. Pair Work 2. Signposting 14. Tangible Reward 3. Stating the Communicative Purpose or 15. Personalization Utility of the Activity 16. Element of Interest, Creativity, 4. Establishing Relevance Fantasy 5. Promoting Integrative Values 17. Intellectual Challenge 6. Promoting Instrumental Values 18. Tangible Task Product 7. Arousing Curiosity or Attention 19. Individual Competition 8. Scaffolding 20. Team Competition 9. Promoting Cooperation 21. Neutral Feedback 10. Promoting Autonomy 22. Process Feedback 11. Referential Questions 23. Elicitation of Self or Peer Correction 12. Group Work 24. Effective Praise 25. Class Applause Source: Guilloteaux & Dornyei, 2008, pp. 63-64 Research Questions The study would therefore be guided by the following research questions: 1. Which among the 25 variables are deemed most effective to motivate ESL students in contemporary settings? 2. What performance measures would significantly gauge the effectiveness of the best teaching strategies and approaches that motivate

Specialty Demos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Specialty Demos - Essay Example The patient information comes from different areas of care including laboratory investigations, diagnosis, pharmaceutical and nursing services. As a result, the data entry in an oncology EHR can be done and accessed by only the medics, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and nurses within a given setting of care. Thus, it is a hospital system that combines multiple systems from different departments making the clinical documentation complex. On the contrary, the NextGen Ambulatory EHR is designed for use in ambulatory settings (www.nextgen.com). It is an ongoing collection of patient medical records of care over an extended period for the disease management and prevention. The patient information is internal to the practice as opposed to the oncology hospital EHR where many people share information. In addition, the NextGen Ambulatory EHR is web-based, does not require accreditation to be adopted and can be accessed anywhere. Despite the differences, some aspects such as privacy and security standards are required for both the HER

Communicating change Essay Example for Free

Communicating change Essay When an organization is undergoing changes, the management must communicate to employees to ensure they support the decision. Changes in an organization may cause conflicts especially when all stakeholders are not aware the new aspects to be adopted. To communicate to employees about the changes when an organization is relocating to another state requires the managers to provide the strategies being adopted to safeguard the interests of employees. The management should consider the welfare of the employees by maintaining the employees while the organization is undergoing change. When an organization relocates its operations from one region to another, the management should support the employees to understand the new systems. Management strategies should be changed to match the current needs of the employees (Burke, 2002). When changes are communicated to employees, they may react to support or reject the new policies. When employees accept change, the management should change its management style by adding more opportunities to improve their morale. When employees reject change, the management should adopt a persuasive strategy where they will influence them to adopt the new policies. Some changes may be compulsory for the management to implement and in such cases, there is no option but to influence employees accept the new strategies. Managers should interact with employees to determine their needs so as to implement acceptable strategies. Teams within the organization should be created to create synergies among the employees during the change process. Team leaders should be elected to support other employees. All members of the organization should hold a general staff meeting to discuss about the new systems to be adopted. The organization should be prepared to provide resources to employees to relocate to the new offices. For example, the costs of carrying out the entire process can be covered by the management (Burke, 2002). Reference Burke, W. W. (2002). Organization change: theory and practice. ISBN 0761914838, Sage.

The Financing Structure Of Unilever Plc Finance Essay

The Financing Structure Of Unilever Plc Finance Essay Unilever Plc (Unilever) operates as a single business entity. It was formerly known as Lever Brothers Limited. Unilever NV and Unilever Plc are the two parent companies of the Unilever Group having separate legal identities and separate stock exchange listings for their shares. Unilever Plc (Unilever) is a leading food and personal care product offering company in the world. The company is engaged in the manufacturing and distributing foods, home care and personal care products. The company along with a strong and well differentiated portfolio of 400 global and regional brands operating across 14 categories operates in 150 countries with around 174,000 employees. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION Unilever operates in four business segments namely, Personal Care; Home Care; Savoury, Dressings Spreads; and Ice Cream Beverages. The company also offers solutions for professional chefs and caterers. It has around 270 manufacturing facilities worldwide. The Personal Care segment includes business in the mass skin care, daily hair care and deodorants product areas. These products are sold under Dove, Lux, Rexona, Sunsilk, Axe and Ponds, Suave, Clear, Lifebuoy, Vaseline, Signal and Close Up. Its Home Care segment includes laundry products such as tablets, powders and liquids for washing of clothes by hand or machine. It also offers soap bars. In this segment, the principal brands are Omo, Surf, Comfort, Radiant, Skip and Snuggle. The household care products include surface cleaners and bleach that are marketed under the Cif, Domestos and Sun/Sunlight brands. The companys new products include Dove pro-age range of products, Dove Summer Glow self-tanning and body lotions, Clear antidandruff shampoo and Small Mighty concentrated liquid laundry detergents. The Savoury, Dressings and Spreads segment includes sauces, soups, salad dressings, bouillons, snacks, mayonnaise, spreads, olive oil, margarines and cooking products like liquid margarines, and frozen foods. These products are sold worldwide under Calve, Knorr, Hellmanns, Becel, Flora, Wish- Bone, Rama, Blue Band, Amora, Ragu and Bertolli brands. The Ice cream and Beverages division includes ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight management products, and nutritionally enhanced products. These products are marketed worldwide under various brand names such as Magnum, Cornetto, Carte dOr and Solero, Walls, Kibon, Ola and Algida, Ben Jerrys, Breyers, Klondike and Popsicle. The tea-based beverages are sold under Lipton, Brooke Bond and PG Tips brands. The weight management products are sold under Slim-Fast, and nutritionally enhanced products are marketed under Annapurna and AdeS/Adez brands. In the the Home Care division, it holds the global number two position in laundry, with a number one position in man developing and emerging markets. The company holds global number one position in mass skin care and deodorants, and the number two position in hair care where as in oral care and household care the companys strategy is focused on strong regional and local leadership positions in selected markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America. In the Foods division, it holds number one position in savory and dressings, spreads, tea-based beverages and ice cream. Unilever is the category leader in margarine and spreads in most European countries and North America. The companys UKs foods division is the number one producer of savory and dressings business. Products and Brands Unilever owns more than 400 brands as a result of acquisitions, however, the company focuses on what are called the billion-dollar brands, 13 brands, each of which achieve annual sales in excess of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 billion. Unilevers top 25 brands account for more than 70% of sales. The brands fall almost entirely into two categories: Food and Beverages, and Home and Personal Care. Unilevers billion$ brands are Axe/Lynx Lipton Blue Band[14] Lux (soap) Dove Omo/Surf (detergent) Flora/Becel Rexona/Sure Heartbrand Sunsilk Hellmans TIGI (haircare) Knorr Products of the company are distributed through distribution centers, group-operated facilities, satellite warehouses, and public storage depots, wholesalers, independent grocery stores, co-operatives, and various food service providers. Unilever invests around EUR 1 billion in research and development activities through five laboratories to develop new products and technologies. Geographic Presence Unilever has geographically diversified operations. It is engaged in manufacturing and distributing foods, home care and personal care products. Its products are sold in more than 150 countries which include Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. During the fiscal year 2008, the company generated 32% revenue from Western Europe, 32% from the Americas and 36% from the Asia, Africa and Central Eastern Europe. It is the category leader in margarine and spreads in most European countries and North America. The companys UKs foods division is the number one producer of savory and dressings business. Thus, wide geographic presence decreases the business risk of the company. This also acts as an easy way for the expansion plans of the company, as wider reach in terms of geography would mean reaping more benefits eventually improving the profit margins, attaining economies of scale and recognition on a worldwide basis. following are the name of some of the countries with Unilevers presences. Ireland Sudan Italy Sweden Japan Switzerland Pakistan Thailand Singapore Tunisia Spain United States Sri lanka United Kingdom Industry Comparison Revenue Growth Rate The companys compounded annual growth rate for revenue was 1.39% during 2005-2009. This was below the SP 500 companies average* of 9.67%. A lower than sector average* revenue CAGR may indicate that the company has underperformed the average sector growth and lost market share over the last years. The companys underperformance could be attributed to a weak competitive position or inferior products and services offering or lack of innovative products and services. Return on Equity The companys return on equity (ROE) was 30.62% for fiscal year 2009. This was above the SP 500 companies average* of 18.69%. A higher than sector average ROE indicate that the company is efficiently using the shareholders money and that it is generating high returns for its shareholders compared to other companies in the sector. Operating Profit Margin The companys operating margin was 12.91% for the fiscal year 2009. This was below the SP 500 companies average* of 18.74%. A lower than sector average* operating margin may indicate inefficient cost management or a weak pricing strategy by the company. Financial Analysis Instead of 2 year analysis of the financial position of the company analysis is performed on a five year data as this will provided with better coverage of the companies performance. Current ratio Current ratio of the company has been on the rising trend since 2005. Current ratio of the company has increased from 0.75 time in 2005 to 0.93 times in 2009. This trend shows that the company is moving toward a stable liquidity position. Whereas, in comparison to the averages of the industry trend and S P 500 companies Unilever is not able to maintain sound current ratio. Currently industry averages at around 1.53 times whereas; SP 500 companies averages around 1.91 times. This is almost as double to where Unilever currently stands. Quick ratio Quick ratio of the company has shown similar rising trend as that of current ratio. Quick ratio of the company has moved to 0.5 times in 2009, which is a rise of approximately 35% during the five year period (2005: 0.37 times). This ratio of the company is quite close to the industry averages (i.e., 0.78 times), whereas, SP 500 companies quick ratio averages to around 1.36 times. Considering the rising trend of the company, it appears that its liquidity position will improve in the near future to meet the industry averages. Gross Profit margin Gross Profit margin of the company has shown a mix trend over the years. During the period from 2005-2009 gross profit margin of the company stood at 48.32%, fall of just 2%. This shows that the company is in a stable position as it is able to stay consistent in maintaining its Gross Profit Margin. On the other hand, Industry average stands at 44.72%. Being on the higher side of the industry shows that the company is able to effectively manage its cost and pricing policies. Net Profit Margin Similar to the Gross profit margin, net profit margin of the company has shown a mix trend. On average the net profit margin of the company has increased by 4% during the 5 year period to 8.46% in 2009. This is higher then what the industry average is (Industry average: 7.25%). On the other hand SP 500 companies average net profit margin to approximately 12.59%, showing that the company is not meeting the SP 500 companies standards. Return on Assets Return on assets of the company has shown an increasing trend during the 5 year period. During the said period, ROA increased to approximately 10% in 2009 from 8.74% in 2005, this is a rise of 14%. In comparison, the industry averages the return on assets at around 7.71% and SP 500 averages assets at around 7.91%. This shows that the company is able to used the employed assets efficiently and effectively then what the normal industry trend depicts. FINANCING STRUCTURE Unilever PLC is a highly un-geared company. Its total debt to total equity ratio stood at only 0.82 in 2009, which is a decline of around 46% during the 5 year period (2005: 1.51). Similar fall in the total debt to total capital ratio was observed, which fell by approximately 25% to 0.45 in 2009. On the other hand a slight increase of just 9% was observed in the Long term debt to total capital of the company during the same five year period. In contrast to the leverage ratios, a significant fall in the payout ratio was observed. Payout ratio of the company fell from 61.37% in 2005 to just 38.54% in 2009. This shows that currently the company is in the phase of financing its activities from its retained earnings instead of taking long or short term financing. In comparison to a competitor Reckitt Benckiser Group, the leverage of this company is similar to the leverage of Unilever PLC. During the year 2009, Total Debt to Total Equity ratio Reckitt Benckiser Group is only 0.82. Payout ratio of the Reckitt Benckiser is 50.28% in 2009, which is higher than that of Unilever PLC, representing the fact that Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc is utilizing higher portion of its retained earnings as compared to Unilever Plc In comparison with the industry trends, average total debt to equity is approximately 1.16 times whereas, as per SP 500 it is around 0.73. In view of these average industry and sector trends, company is performing quite well. On the other hand, companys payout ratio is on the higher side when compared to the industry and SP 500 averages. Average industrys payout is almost is 42% whereas, average payout as per SP 500 is 28.82%. This shows that company is not availing its short term financing options. Taking up these short term financing will release some pressure from the retained earning and can be paid out to the shareholders of the company because as the low payout trend of the industry indicates that the shareholders are prone to short term gains in comparison to long term capital gains. 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Unilever PLC Total Debt/Equity 0.82 1.1 0.77 0.78 1.51 Long Term Debt/Total Capital 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.22 0.32 Total Debt/Total Capital 0.45 0.52 0.44 0.44 0.6 Payout Ratio 38.54% 43.04% 56.62% 83.71% 61.37% Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc Total Debt/Equity 0.03 0.48 0.21 0.53 0.09 Long Term Debt/Total Capital (?) 0 0 0 0 0.04 Total Debt/Total Capital (?) 0.03 0.32 0.17 0.35 0.08 Payout Ratio (?) 50.28% 50.76% 41.93% 48.65% 42.39% WEIGHTED AVERAGE COST OF CAPITAL As discussed in the above section, Unilever PLC has a very low (nominal) gearing of 0.35%. Virtually the company is debt free; hence cost of equity of the company will be its weighted average cost of capital. In order to calculate Cost of Equity of Unilever PLC Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) has been used. Beta for the company has been taken from the Dow Jones Report, which is 0.76 whereas; many technical issues were presents when indentifying risk free rate (Rf) and risk premium (Rm-Rf). Hence, the risk free rate and the market rate (Rm) are assumed to be 8% and 12% respectively for the purpose of this calculation. Cost of Equity = Rf + (Rm-Rf)b Cost of Equity = 8% + (12% 8%) 0.76 Cost of Equity = 11.04% Here, Cost of Equity = = WACC Hence, WACC = 11.04% NEW PROJECT Project Description Company has recently conducted a market survey for deodorant target only toward a young generation. Evaluation of the investment proposal to manufacture product XARI was performed. The product has performed well in test marketing trials conducted recently by the research and marketing department of the company. Key Elements of Project Initial investment cost Evidences for the initial investment cost can be found from various sources, research reports related to the particular industry, information from the companies which have recently invested in the respective sectors can prove quite useful, internal budget preparation etc. Annual revenues / operating costs Evidences of independent annual revenues and operating cost can be also be found from various sources, demand and supply of the particular products and projected by various research houses such as Business Monitor, by analyzing past trends of the company and peer analysis of the companies already operating in the industry/segments Rates of inflation Information related to the past and future rates related to inflation can be found in abundance. In addition to the government bodies, numerous independent research houses provided forecasted/projected inflation rates of different countries. These rates are calculated after critically analyzing and assessing various factors that affect the inflation rates. Report from Economic Intelligence Unit is one of the research houses which provides rates of inflation, both past trends as well as forecasted for different countries. Rates of taxation, and tax reliefs and allowances Best sources for finding information related rates of taxation and tax reliefs and allowance is to go through government regulated bodies. Legal regulations related to tax and updates in the upcoming changes can be found on government operated website and accurate and up to date information related to any legal issue is available there. Risk and Uncertainty After a through research I came to the conclusion that identification of risks is best done by a sequential manner. Firstly brainstorming exercise was done with some colleague of mine in order to evaluate what factors ,both beneficial and adverse, can be faced by the new project that the company was going to undertake. This exercise was purely for the identification of the risk that the project might face during the tenor of its operations. After my initial task of risk identification I assessed the likelihood of the occurrence of that risk and categorized them on the scale of high, medium and low. Then I assessed the consequences of each of risk if they occurred and whether, there occurrence will have a major impact on the operation of the company or its future prospect or not. Risks with low chances of occurrence and low negative impact were ignored and emphasis was placed on the risks that have high chances of occurrence or which could have measurable impact on the companys performance. This risk was than further classified into quantifiable and non-quantifiable risk (uncertainty). The impact of the quantifiable risk, such as rate of inflation, increase in the cost of raw material, fall in demand of the product etc, were incorporated when calculating the Net Present Value of the Project. Uncertainties such as war, political instability, change in government regulation etc, were a bit hard to incorporate. In order to overcome these problems sensitivity analysis was used. Via Sensitivity Analysis result of the project are categorized into three possible outcomes Best Case Scenario, Moderate Case Scenario and Worst Case Scenario. These 3 cases will show the performance of the company in the two most extremes situations that the company might operate. Result should then be interpreted keeping in mind of all the expected scenarios. Net Present Value After the successful test, following information has been prepared by me in order to assess the viability of the project. The research team has prepared the following forecasted demand of the product along with that various other variables such as selling prices and inflation rate are also estimated. These forecasts reflect, along with others, the expected life of the products, change in the economic conditions in the long run etc. Weighted average cost of capital has been calculated as above at 11.04%. The product has no terminal value at the end of four year. NPV of the project with respect to the following data is almost about 348,578 pounds Forecasted Information for Product XARI Initial Investment 2 million Pounds Selling Price (Current Price) 20 pound/unit Expected Inflation in Selling Price 3% per year Variable operating cost 8 pound/unit Fixed Operating Cost 170,000 per yar Tax Rate 30% Year 1 2 3 4 Demand (units) 60,000 70,000 120,000 45,000 Quarterly Report It appears that the company has performed reasonable well when compared to the forecast that the management prepared. Minor variances were witnessed by the company in most aspect of the project. Initial investment of the company exceed by just 100,000 pound. Company just sold 100 less units in first quarter as compared to the forecasted data. The reason for this relate to the factor that market awareness was not created by the company as it incurred less operating cost as anticipated. Company managed to sell units at a selling price 15% more the forecasted price. On the other 13% more cost was incurred on each unit than was projected. The reason for such a change could relate to the fact that the company underestimated the price of it project, and once market started to accept the product its selling price increased

Concept Models for Sports Development

Concept Models for Sports Development Part One Introduction There are many methods which one can rely on in order to undertake policy research. Often we will see policy makers undertaking primary research by way of observations and experimentation, resulting in a first-hand account of the effectiveness of a certain policy in a given context. However, such primary research is not always available or easily accessible, and often persons need to rely on secondary accounts of information to base their decision making processes on. It is this reliance upon secondary information that can lead to problems as to quality and reliability, which may contribute to the lack of effectiveness of a certain implemented policy. The purpose of this essay is to explore the principle of concept models and their effectiveness in relation to the formulation of policy as regards sports development. In doing so, it will attempt to identify what concept models actually are, what sports development is defined as, how the two areas interrelate, and finally the advantages and limitations of relying on concept models as a form of research. It is important to note at the outset that relying on secondary research is arguably fraught with danger in any case, however this essay also recognises the fact that primary sources or material may not always be available, and will consider whether concept models make a valuable alternative form of research. What are ‘Concept Models’? Concept models are a logical form of data collection, which researchers and academics often use to gauge and measure certain aspects of a sample of a population, so as they can form general conclusions based on the results. Often a concept model is the result of laborious analysis and experimentation, which uses scientific data collection methods to formulate and test hypotheses, so as a person studying a particular area can gain knowledge and intuition in a logical manner. Clearly there is a significant difference between the application of a reasoned hypothesis to a particular set of circumstances, as opposed to the application of theoretical principles, and this is perhaps where the conflict arises between these two methods of research in particular areas of study. It is important to understand the fact that there may be times where a concept model is perhaps the most appropriate method of research in a particular matter. However, other situations will require a more theory-based approach. This is the difficult issue that the study of society and culture presents to the academic and researcher: society and social values are often not accountable to rhyme or reason. They cannot be justified by the application of facts and figures, but rather one must attempt to understand the underlying rationale of a social context so as to have an idea as to what conclusions can be drawn about that particularly sample’s behaviour. The purpose of this essay is to highlight the tension which concept models bring to a social issue such as sports development. What is ‘Sports Development’? Sports development cannot be defined by one singular term. It can have a variety of meanings depending upon the context it is used. Perhaps the most succinct definition, but by no means definitive, is the following: Sport development deals with the opportunities available for people to progress to their potential in sport, from taking part for fun and health to competition and also encompasses the provision of opportunities for addressing the social issues of the day through participation in sport.[1] Furthermore, it is important to note that: As a profession sport development needs to justify the claims made for it by politicians and practitioners alike by providing an evidence base for the claims made for its value as a legitimate social service.[2] Therefore, sports development is regarded as having a role in society in general, and is not limited just solely to participation in sport itself. It can relate to health, in the sense that participation in sport and physical activity can lead to a reduction in obesity levels and cases of coronary heart disease and the like. It can link to crime, in the sense that sport can be used as a method of implementing structure and rigidity into a person’s life, with the theory being that a person is less likely to offend as a result. It can even delve as deep as other social issues such as gender equality, in relation to the access to top competition sporting events and activities being geared more towards men than women. All these different concepts are important, and all need to be understood in order to truly grasp the overall concept of sports development. But how does one teach this to others? How does one understand the relationship between these very different entities, in a us er-friendly way? How are Concept Models used in Sports Development? Concept models can be a useful tool in sports development, and in fact have been in discussion and policy research since the 1970s. Since first being coined as a term in the 1960 Wolfenden report,[3] sports development has undergone somewhat of a development in itself. New concepts have arisen, that need to be explained to scholars, researchers and laypeople alike. This is where concept maps may serve a valid purpose. They visually represent how various aspects of areas interrelate and flow on from one another. For example, the area of sports development has traditionally been associated with the ‘pyramid model’,[4] whereby a person begins at the bottom of the pyramid with many others at the foundation level, and gradually moves up the pyramid to the excellence level, which is only reached by much fewer people. This brief pyramid concept basically tells the reader in a visual way the overall principle of sports development, and what its ultimate goal is. However, this do es promote limitations. Firstly, it implies that the only way a participant in sport can move is up, and does not allow for the frequent occurrence of participants having to drop down one ‘level’ and attempt to climb up again. Secondly, it also imposes a quite rigid framework, and does not allow for the individual or unique nature of each and every participant. These issues will be discussed in further detail in due course. Concept models are also useful in the sense that sports development is an area which has been identified as severely lacking in empirical and scientific data to justify any other major form of modelling.[5] Riddoch also goes on to say that, as a result of this lack of ‘hard evidence’, we must rely more so on â€Å"theory, common sense, observation and expert opinion as on hard evidence†.[6] This essentially proves the usefulness of concept models in the context of sports development; however it also signifies the need that we need to begin developing a ‘bank’ of hard evidence so as to support the faith the government shows in this area. Essentially then, concept models are useful as an introductory tool, however one should seek to qualify these concepts with rigid empirical data. What are the Advantages of using Concept Models? The overwhelming benefit that concept models play in relation to the design, planning and delivery of the sports development process is that fact that is essentially simplifies the concepts and the relationships between various aspects of sports development and the wider community. It can essentially explain otherwise complicated topics quite clearly and reasonably, while also guiding the policy development process as a whole, given that it can highlight specific target ideas and values that a policy may wish to address. An excellent example of a concept model for sports development can be found in the PAT 10 report entitled ‘Sport and Social Exclusion’ (1999) at page 10 thereof, which attempts to represent the relationship between sport (or physical activity generally) and the wider economic benefits to the community as a whole.[7] On the basis of this concept model, one can trace the path of consequences that a specific activity or outcome can carry. For example, an in creased time in sprints can lead to an increase in sports injuries, and then an increase in costs to the NHS. However, the same outcome could also result in an increased achievement in sporting activities, then an increase in one’s health, and accordingly a decrease in costs to the NHS. This diagram maps out this particular issue quite well, although it is still quite ambiguous, in the sense that it does not indicate which path is more likely than the other to occur, and implies an even chance of either (or even both) occurring. What are the Disadvantages of using Concept Models? The above discussion in relation to the advantages of concept models also perhaps highlighted what some of the disadvantages are. A person who seeks to rely on a concept model in developing sports policy may be making a decision based on misleading information. This is primarily due to the fact that concept models can imply ambiguity in the data they represent. As mentioned above, the example in relation to the PAT 10’s concept model does not give any indication as to what event is more likely to occur than the other, meaning that the policy makers cannot accurately measure their issues as against the consequences due to the lack of empirical data in support. Therefore, it is important for policy makers to make their own enquiries into the reliability of the information, and they also should seek to support it with some ‘hard’ evidence before drawing a conclusion and formulating policy to guide the sport development process. Also, a pre-existing concept model may not cater for the policy maker’s particular circumstances, and therefore it would be important to have further information available to tailor the concepts to fit the situation. Concept models may also only prescribe one manner of ‘moving’ through the various concepts, which does not cater for all eventualities, and therefore one must exercise caution when relying on them, and perhaps only rely on concept models which might allow a certain amount of flexibility in their guidance. Conclusion On the basis of the above discussion, it would be reasonable to conclude that concept models can be a valuable tool in guiding the design, planning and delivery of sports development policy, however they should be relied upon with caution, and the policy maker should make an effort to familiarise himself with other ‘hard’ evidence so as he can make policy in the best interests of achieving the objectives he has set for the policy. It is the unique objectives of the policy that should come first, and it is the role of the policy maker to design and implement policy which will achieve these goals otherwise it will be of no benefit. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the policy maker to make all reasonable enquiries so as to ensure that they are making their decision based upon reliable and sound evidence. While concept models are valuable resources, they are certainly not definitive, and should not be viewed as such by those who seek to rely on them. Part Two Childhood obesity is becoming an ever increasing problem in todays modern society. So often do we see advertisements for fast food, junk food and other unhealthy habits and lifestyles, such as video games, on the television which are predominantly aimed at a younger audience. This places significant pressure on the sports industry as a whole, as children who become disillusioned with sport may suffer consequences not only to their own health, but the heath of the industry overall. After all, children are the future of our society, and it is in the interests of sport into the future to promote its values to the younger generation. The purpose of this case study is to highlight ways that sport is used at a younger level, such as school age and the like, in order to promote the positive message of health and fitness to children. This is often achieved through the implementation of social policy and activities which promote physical activity and are generally catered to the fitness and s kill levels of younger children. It is difficult to rebut the proposition that obesity in general, let alone childhood obesity, it reaching epidemic proportions around the world, specifically in the United States. The purpose of this brief therefore is to identify the objects of school-based activity programs, and rationale which underpin these programs, the design and implementation of these programs as well as their implications for management. Specifically, given the writers residence in Australia, it will tend to focus more on Australian-based research based on the writers experience in after-school childhood sport programmes. There is substantial evidence and policy in existence which supports the proposition that sport can promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke at a later stage in life. In particular, the PAT 10 report Arts and Sport (Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1999) includes health as an area in which sport can contribute to neighbourhood renewal. The Value of Sport (Sport England, 1999) suggests that sport can make a contribution to the new policy agenda by assisting in the improvement of fitness and health the reduction of risk of coronary heart disease, obesity and osteoporosis; psychological benefits (eg reduction of depression) and a range of more specific health benefits.[8] Therefore, sports development serves a vast social purpose from a health perspective, in the sense that encourages its participants to increase their physical activity in order to improve their health and not face as many potential health problems down the track. In the Australian context, where the writer is based, there is clear evidence of a policy shift towards enforcing compulsory school-level sport within the curriculum for all primary school age students. In the state of Western Australia, this was recently introduced and, according to Education Minister Mark McGowan, what I dont want to see is us reach the obesity levels of the United States and acknowledged that governments cant take all the responsibility here. Two hours a week in a school curriculum in which were loading up literacy and numeracy as well is a good outcome. What we need is after school and on weekends, parents to play their bit as well.[9] A Western Australian school principal remarked about the policy It is certainly very popular with the students. The teachers like the fact that we can now program it rather than it just being an add-on to the curriculum and it seems a very good way for us to resource the problem that were facing.[10] What this demonstrates is the f act that the government only has a limited role in the decrease of the epidemic of childhood obesity. Its hands are effectively tied, in the sense that much of the encouragement and enforcement needs to come from the parents of the children rather than the government. Essentially, the government only has control of children for about six hours per day, whereas parents are responsible for their children after school and on weekends, so there is a need for this value of childhood health and fitness to spread as a social value, rather than simply becoming an imposition by government. Perhaps most relevant to the after-school programs that the writer was involved in was the key points in relation to health which were made by Coulter in his research report entitled Realising the Value of Cultural Services: the case for sport (2001), and the following seven conclusions on this report can be drawn: Much of the research evidence relates to the health benefits of physical activity, rather than sports per se†¦ There is a need to focus on behaviour change rather than formal activity, promoting facility use and uptake of classes and sessions. Among sports participants, the frequency of activity is often less than that required to achieve and sustain health benefits. Qualitative evidence suggests that the greatest gains from involvement in activity relate to psychological health and increased feelings of well-being. It is important that such experiences are complemented by a recognition of the unique physiological benefits of exercise. Factors underpinning the success of activity provision have included appropriate and convenient local facilities; recognising the importance of participants friendship groups in getting involved and staying involved; providing reassurance that people just like us are able to participate; acknowledging, particularly to older people, that some physical activity will be better than none; and recognising that if the activity has some intrinsic value (good fun, enjoyable, a change of environment etc), it may be more appealing and ensure adherence. There is a widespread absence of robust monitoring information on the health benefits of participation and little long-term monitoring of adherence to activity programmes. This reflects the short-term nature of many initiatives, the lack of funding for such monitoring and the lack of expertise to undertake such work.[11] The above points perhaps best capture the underlying rationale behind after-school sports programs. There is no need for a child to participate in sports per se, but rather in activities which result in an increase in physical activity. While the definition between sports and physical activity can appear clouded on occasions it is clear that, for the purposes of Coulters report, they are two entirely different concepts. One of the key programs that the writer was involved in, in order to be able to comment upon this issue first-hand, is known as the ‘Active After-School Communities’ program, which is operated under funding provided by the Australian federal government. A documented case study has been undertaken in regards to the effectiveness of this program in encouraging younger children to participate in physical activity. Parents acknowledged the concerns in the current social environment in relation to obesity and later health problems, however sought to support the program where they were able to, having regard for barriers such as travel and distance, as well as time constraints in relation to parents being able to pick up and drop off children in line with their work commitments.[12] However, in an attempt to promote maximum attendance and participation, it was important for the deliverer of the program at each venue to follow certain policies in relation to the activities that they organise. First and foremost, it needed to be an activity that the children would enjoy. This meant that it needed to cater to the wants of the children, rather than the deliverer simply imposing a certain program upon the group. The deliverer therefore needed to be flexible in terms of ideas and planning of activities, however needed to remain firm enough to impose a sense of order, control and structure to the activities, in order to ensure that the overall objectives of the program were still being met. Another key feature of the Active After School Communities program is the ‘non-exclusion’ policy behind all of its activities. In essence, this means that no child should be excluded from the activities, and activities which provide for a person being ‘out’ should provide another physical role for that child as part of the activity. For example, in a game of dodge ball, a person who is hit by a ball (in a safe manner) would ordinarily be out, howeve r a good program deliverer could find an alternate role for these participants while they are waiting for a new game to start, such as throwing balls in from the sidelines as part of the game, which still keeps them involved and active. This often meant that the deliverer had to create unique games or activities within ‘their own rules’ in order to implement the policies laid down by the program. This required special training on the part of program deliverers, and thus all deliverers were required to complete accreditation in the delivery of the program before being able to conduct the program unsupervised. Of course, the design and implementation of the program is not without its impact upon the management of the program. It is important for the Federal Government to have regard for the fact that many parents are somewhat unable to pay large amounts for this program, and hence the participants of the focus group expressed a desire for the program to be heavily, if not fully, subsidised by the government.[13] This creates an issue, in the sense that the funding of the program is a significant concern given the associated expenses of program delivery. This is particularly due to the need to pay the deliverers for their services, but also that the program takes place outside of school hours. This means that supervision of the program often falls outside of the scope of a teacher’s ordinary duties, and thus often a casual employee (or a number of them) needs to be engaged in order to fill this role. Magnifying this issue is the need for a large number of sites to exist, especially i n rural areas, in order to maximise participation by minimising the distance and travel factors. Additionally, the case study also highlights the lack of suitably qualified staff to fill these roles in any event.[14] This means that the management need to outlay a substantial amount of funding to initially reach the required training and staffing standards that the policies of the program demand. Therefore, the management need to be mindful of the concerns raised by the parents of the children of the program, as they are reluctant to absorb any major costs associated with the program. As a result, the management need to ensure that the appropriate budgets and costings are obtained so as to meet the objectives of the program, and it is clear that these policies perhaps impose a great deal of pressure and responsibility upon the management. In summary, it would appear that the Active After School Communities program which the writer was associated with serves a valid purpose. It recognises the need for children to become physically active, in a society which promotes generally unhealthy lifestyles and habits. The responsibility for this negative social shift would have to be shared between the government, parents and corporations; however the responsibility to fix the problem ironically sits with the same people. For example, the AASC program relies heavily upon funding from Nike, which provides clothing and equipment so the program can run efficiently. The government needs to put the framework in place, but ultimately it is the role of the parents to encourage their child to attend the program, and to ensure continued participation, so as the child can receive the full benefit of the program. Bibliography Books Houlihan, B., and White, A., The Politics of Sports Development (2002), London: Routledge Hylton, K., Bramham, P., Jackson, D., and Nesti, M., Sports Development: Policy, Process and Practice (2007, 2nd ed), London: Routledge Reports Coulter, F., Realising the Value of Cultural Services: the case for sport (2001) LGA, London PAT 10, ‘Research Report: Sport and Social Exclusion’ (1999) Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy, Loughborough University Riddoch, C., ‘Relationships between physical activity and physical health in young people’ in Young and Active? Young people and health enhancing physical activity – evidence and implications’ (1998) Ruiz, J., ‘A Literature Review Of The Evidence Base For Culture, The Arts And Sport Policy’ (2004), Scottish Executive, Edinburgh The General Council of Physical Recreation, ‘Sport and the Community’ (1960), CCPR, London. Internet Sources ABC News, Compulsory sport to tackle childhood obesity (2007), http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1924710.htm> at 2 August 2008 Colmar Brunton Social Research, ‘Evaluation of AASC Program: Community Case Study – Vasse Community’ (2008), Australian Sports Commission, http://www.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/0004/200389/Evaluation_of_AASC_program_-_Community_Case_Study_-_Vasse.doc> at 2 August 2008 Sports Development, www.sportsdevelopment.org.uk> at 2 August 2008 [1] Sports Development UK, ‘Sports Development’ (2008) http://www.sportsdevelopment.org.uk> at 2 August 2008. [2] Ibid. [3] See The General Council of Physical Recreation, ‘Sport and the Community’ (1960), CCPR, London. [4] See Casey (1988). [5] Janet Ruiz, ‘A Literature Review of the Evidence Base for Culture, The Arts And Sport Policy’ (2004), Scottish Executive, Edinburgh, 15; see also Chris Riddoch, ‘Relationships between physical activity and physical health in young people’ in Young and Active? Young people and health enhancing physical activity – evidence and implications’ (1998). [6] Ibid. [7] PAT 10, ‘Research Report: Sport and Social Exclusion’ (1999) Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy, Loughborough University, 10. [8] F. Coulter, Realising the Value of Cultural Services: the case for sport (2001) LGA, London, 15. [9] ABC News, Compulsory sport to tackle childhood obesity (2007), http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1924710.htm> at 2 August 2008. [10] Ibid. [11] These points are drawn from sportdevelopment.org.uk at http://www.sportdevelopment.org.uk/html/rg_health.html> at 2 August 2008. [12] Colmar Brunton Social Research, ‘Evaluation of AASC Program: Community Case Study – Vasse Community’ (2008), Australian Sports Commission, http://www.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/0004/200389/Evaluation_of_AASC_program_-_Community_Case_Study_-_Vasse.doc> at 2 August 2008. [13] Ibid. [14] Ibid.

Open Theism vs. Closed Theism :: Essays Papers

Open Theism vs. Closed Theism This topic is one that has had my curiosity piqued for the last few years and is one I have made a point of discussing with many people over the course of that time. I have heard many different viewpoints, some who have been adamant for God's omniscience and knowledge of the future and others who have presented compelling arguments for free will. Most, however are of a third category who have come to grips with the fact that our mere brains cannot understand the workings of God and are content to wait for an answer until they are able to ask them themselves if/when they get to Heaven. I myself hold this latter idea to be a good fallback, but am restless in my pursuit for an answer. For neither the deterministic nor the liberalist perspective seem to have me convinced for it seems to me like both of these beliefs leave you in a dire catch-22: if you insist on complete freedom, you limit God's knowledge; but if you insist on God's knowledge, then you limit humanity's freedom; neither o f which leave my mind at rest in who I know God to be and what His scripture has revealed to us in His creation of humanity. So I am left with an unsettled feeling that there must exist a third alternative--one that encompasses both God's complete omniscience and humanity's unleashed freedom. The closest established belief I would at this point categorize myself with believing would be that of St. Thomas Aquinas and Anselm, which you site on pg. 119 of your text. The pitfall I see in the libertarians' viewpoint is their assumption that foreknowledge implies cause. For instance, by their understanding of foreknowledge, if Chris were to somehow know beforehand what the outcome of a football game would be, but were nothing more than a spectator in the stands, Chris, by this knowledge, somehow CAUSED the outcome of the game to end the way it did. This does not hold up in common sense. Just because Chris somehow were able to KNOW what would happen does not mean that he, by the same token, CAUSED it to happen. And such is the case with God. Just because God KNOWS what will happen in the future of the world does not mean that he literally entered the 'game' and caused it to happen.

House of a Loving Friend Essay -- Observation Essay, Descriptive Essay

House of a Loving Friend My eyes were half shut as drool brimmed on my lips about to escape any minute and drip onto the desk. Mr. Johnson didn't seem to notice, and lectured on in his steady monotone voice. A piece of paper landed on my desk, which snapped me back to reality causing me to slurp up the excess liquid on my lips. The paper was a note from Keli. That seemed to be all we ever did in Philosophy, write notes. I opened it and peered down at her neat, smooth handwriting. "What's wrong?" was what I found staring back at me. I frowned at the question asking myself the same thing. The day had been terrible, and for what reason I was unsure. I was unhappy and wanted to get away. I wanted to go somewhere where happiness overflowed and would surround me in its warmth. Then, at that moment, I knew what I needed to do. I needed to go see Ella. As I stepped from my car, the icy wind rustled my hair and stung my face. I shut my car door and turned around to see Ella's house. A small cream colored one-story house, sitting underneath a brown metal roof, met my gaze. Eye-like windows peered at me with a cheerful light saying that everything was going to be al-right. Crawford Reservoir lingered in the background, making it look like the picture perfect house. Pine trees were sporadically placed around, and Ella's old, blue car sat in the carport giving it a homey atmosphere. I smiled and rushed to the door not wanting another minute to be spent in the cold air. I pulled back the old storm door, twisting the brass handle of the white wood door at the same time; I just wanted to get inside. The second I was in the house, warmth flooded my heart and soul. I stood there drinking it in; it was the feeling I had wished for all day... ...xist, and I grimaced at the idea. These pale white walls would be empty indeed when that day came. Not wanting to entertain the thought, I drove it from my mind, smiled and decided to enjoy every second with her I had today! As I sat there listening to Ella, I realized there wasn't anything special about the house. It was Ella. She made the house seem alive with love and joy. I had never known a day when I walked through her door and didn't feel my heart swell with the love inside these walls. As I got up to leave the look of, "Please don't leave me!" appeared in Ella's eyes, and I wanted to cry. I promised to return next week and live the wonderful moment over again. I stepped outside, and again, the wind tried to grab me with its icy fingers, but it couldn't. Happiness was overflowing in my heart, and the warmth of Ella's love surrounded me like a warm blanket.

Athena in the Odyssey vs. Virgil in the Inferno Essay

Two of the greatest works ever written, The Odyssey by Homer and The Inferno by Dante, are detailed, multi-sectioned poems about the journey’s of two men. In each story, the main character is given some sort of guidance by another character in order to aid them in their travels. In The Odyssey, Athena is portrayed as the protector to Odysseus on his journey back home from the Trojan War to his family in Ithaca. In The Inferno, Virgil is requested to lead Dante through the depths of Hell in order to save his soul. Many similarities can be seen between the two characters as they both served as advice givers, protectors, and guides for the main character. While the two guides seem very alike in the way’s they help, it turns out that many differences can be observed between their ways. Athena and Virgil can both be perceived as escorts in the main characters’ journey, but they both are leading their pupils towards different endings and these endings can be representa tive of a much larger purpose that describes the two authors’ views on life at the time each poem was written. In Greek mythology, Athena is regarded as the goddess of Wisdom. She uses her wisdom to aid Odysseus on his journey back home to his family, through various trials and tribulations. Athena’s guidance can be seen when Odysseus is finally being allowed to leave Calypso’s island, which outraged Poseidon. Poseidon sends a great wave to wreck Odysseus’s ship and possibly drown him in the vast ocean but instead Athena helps him survive. â€Å"But Zeus’s daughter Athena countered him at once./ The rest of the winds she stopped right in their tracks,/commanding them all to hush now, go to sleep./ All but the boisterous North-she whipped him up/ and the goddess beat the breakers flat before Odysseus,/ dear to Zeus, so he could reach the Phaeacians,/ mingle with men who love their long oars/ and escape his death at last.† (Ody. 5. 421-427). Another example of Athena protecting Odysseus is during the great battle in the hall when Odysseus finally confronts his wife’s suitors. Athena appears to Odysseus in the form of Mentor and tries to motivate Odysseus to kill all the suitors off with threats and accusations. She even commands the suitors to through their spears at Odysseus all at once. â€Å"At his command,/ concentrating their shots, all six hurled as one/ but Athena sent to whole salvo wide of the mark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ody. 22. 267-269). Odysseus sees that all of his men are untouched by the suitor’s spears, and this action propels him to take charge and lead an attack on the suitors. Each time Athena guides or protects Odysseus, it’s in order to save his life. She desperately wants Odysseus to get home because Odysseus is a war hero and a King, very much deserving of a safe return home. Athena thinks very highly of Odysseus because he is such a great warrior and she feels he exemplifies the virtue of excellence. It’s easy to see how the ideals of society on life and death in Homer’s 7th Century BC times are portrayed through Athena’s help. The people of this time were most concerned on how you lived your life during the time you had. For them there was no glorious afterlife, so there was no need to try and save your soul to reap the prize of a great time after death. Homer uses Athena as Odysseus’s guide to get back home and live out the rest of his life the way he pleases. He’s spent his time as a warrior and won his most important battles before the beginning of the poem, so now he deserves to live out the rest of his l ife in peace with those he loves the most. Once he arrives home and fights off his wife’s suitors (with the help of Athena of course) he will finally be free in a sense to enjoy his life. In Dante’s The Inferno, Virgil serves as a guide for Dante through the depths of Hell. Virgil is widely considered an allegory for human reason. Reason is needed in a Christian worldview in order to control emotion and desire from taking control allowing for acts of sin. Reason is God’s gift to mankind, a way of staying on the right path and avoiding the dark side of life, if it is used properly. Virgil was requested to help a lost Dante save his soul by Dante’s departed love, Beatrice, who represents God’s grace. Virgil leads Dante through Hell in order for him to learn the descriptions of sins and their consequences. Virgil is with Dante through out his entire journey, unlike Athena who only appears to Odysseus in The Odyssey every once in a while. One example of how Virgil is always there to lead Dante is when Dante faints before entering the First Circle of Hell. Dante faints at the shine of a bright light and awakens already in the next circle. â€Å"With rested eyes, I stood/ and looked about me, then fixed my gaze/ to make out where I was./ I found myself upon the brink/ of an abyss of suffering/ filled with the roar of endless woe.† (Inf. 4. 4-9). This type of situation occurs many times throughout the poem, as Dante proves many times too weak to carry on, and Virgil takes care of him, protects him, and moves them along on their journey. Another situation is when Dante and Virgil arrive at the center of Circle 9 of Hell. They come to the great body of Lucifer, and Virgil throws Dante on his back to continue their upward climb out of Hell. â€Å"At his request I clasped him round the neck./ When the wings had opened wide enough/ he chose the proper time and place/ and took a handhold on those hairy flanks./ Then from hank to hank he clambered down between the thick pelt and the crusted ice.† (Inf. 34. 70-75). While Virgil leads Dante physically in many ways, he also serves as a voice of reason and leads through his words. An example of this is back as they are entering the First Circle. Dante says, â€Å"My master (Virgil) began: ‘You do not ask about/ the souls you see? I want you to know,/ before you venture farther,/ ‘they did not sin. Though they have merit,/ that is not enough, for they were unbaptized,/ denied the gateway to the faith that you profess./ ‘And if they lived before the Christians lived,/ they did not worship God aright./ And among these I am one.† (Inf. 4. 31-39). In this situation, Virgil not only instructs Dante on what he needs to do, but also reveals a little more information about himself as well. Although Virgil seems to guide Dante in almost the exact same way Athena guides Odysseus, Virgil is working towards an all-together different purpose. In Dante’s 14th century AD Christian society, it was imperative to ensure that you lived a good life on earth and repented for all your sins so that you would be in God’s presence in the after-life. Dante uses Virgil as a way for his audience to see that the most important thing is to save one’s soul, even if a little guidance is required to do so. Dante needed to travel through the depths of Hell to be able to wake up and realize how reason should control emotions and desires so that life can be lived in God’s name allowing for a magnificent afterlife. By showing Dante the different circles of Hell, Dante learns the nature of sin and it’s consequences. Virgil teaches Dante a most important lesson; when reason is not in control, it is more likely to commit harsh sins, sins worthy of an afterlife in Hell and not in God’s good grace. Virgil steers Dante toward the light of God once again, saving him from his impending doom, had he not been able to save his wandering soul. Athena and Virgil are considered to be a form of guidance to their poem’s main characters. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Athena helps to ensure Odysseus’s safe return home, but also allows him to live out the rest of his wonderful life on earth by saving him from various dangers including Poseidon and his wife’s suitors. In Dante’s The Inferno, Virgil serves as Dante’s escort through the circles of Hell, but also pilots Dante back into God’s grace by saving his soul. Each can be seen as not only a physical chaperon but also a spiritual one that illustrates society’s point of view on life or afterlife at the time each poem was written. Works Cited Alighieri, Dante. Inferno. Trans. Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander. New York: Anchor, 2002. Print. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1997. Print.

Types of Diabetes

DESCRIPTIONDiabetes pertains to a metabolic disorder that is associated with the lack or absence of insulin, a protein that transports glucose into the cells of the body.   Glucose, also simply known as sugars, is considered as the first source of energy for the daily activities performed by the human body, such as walking and standing.   In addition, glucose also serves as the main resource for the energy that is required to fuel cellular processes within the body, including that of growth and repair of cells and tissues.   The food items consumed by an individual generally contain glucose and thus the presence of insulin is important for the transport of this macromolecule to the appropriate regions of the body.Insulin is mainly produced by the pancreas, which is a digestive organ that is strategically located next to the small intestines, where digestion commonly occurs.   Once the process of digestion has been completed in the intestines, the glucose molecules transported into cells through the help of insulin.   In normal individuals, the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas is enough to transport the glucose that is present in the meal consumed.   On the other hand, individuals with diabetes show a lack or absence of insulin secreted by the pancreas, thus preventing the transport of the glucose molecules into the cells.   Glucose is therefore left outside the cells and these remain circulating in the blood.   The continuous accumulation of glucose further extends from the blood to the urine, which in turn are samples employed for the diagnostics of diabetes.CAUSES OF DIABETESDiabetes is generally caused by a number of factors, depending on the type of diabetes that has been positively diagnosed in an individual.   Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), pertains to an autoimmune condition that involves the incapacity of the body to combat infections (NIH, 2010a).   In this case, the immune syst em of an individual causes the destruction of the cells of the pancreas, thus decreasing and possibly preventing the production of insulin for glucose transport.   The actual mechanism that triggers the destruction of the pancreatic cells by the immune system is still unknown and there are active efforts in the field of biomedical research that are attempting to elucidate this reaction.Type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), pertains to an increase in the level of glucose in the body due to aging, obesity or genetic inheritance of the condition (NIH, 2010b).   Type 2 diabetes is therefore more commonly observed among elderly individuals, as their metabolic rate generally slows down as they age.   Obese individuals tend to develop diabetes because their food choices are often different from the recommended daily diet, thus increasing the likelihood that sugar-rich foods would be consumed on a regular basis.Gestational diabetes pertains to the increase in the blood glucose level of a female during pregnancy.   This occurrence is usually linked to the gain in the total body weight of a woman during pregnancy, as well as the decrease in the physical activity of the woman as she progresses through the entire gestational period of 36 weeks or 9 months.   Unlike types 1 and 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes often disappears once the woman has given birth.   The disappearance of the features of diabetes are possibly linked to the loss in the total body weight after birth, as well as the increase in the physical activity of the woman after delivery.EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DIABETESType 1 diabetes generally affects both males and females, yet there are certain characteristics that strongly associated with this metabolic disease.   According to the World Health Organization, type 1 diabetes is more common among whites and is considered as a rare disease among non-white populations of Africa and Asia.   Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is commonly diagnosed in elderly individuals.Moreover, elderly individuals who are overweight are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes because these individuals tend to be less active in physical activities.   Certain populations are thus associated with type 2 diabetes, including those of African and Asian ethnicities.   In the United States alone, there are 24 million individuals with the age of 20 years old and above that have been diagnosed with diabetes (NIDDK, 2007).   On the other hand, there are 12 million elderly individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes in the United States.TREATMENT OF DIABETESType 1 diabetes is generally treated with the administration of insulin on a daily basis.   Patient are therefore taught how to inject insulin everyday, in order to maintain a normal level of insulin in their blood.   Type 2 diabetes is usually treated with medications that assist in the digestion of glucose from the food items consumed.   This med ication is given on a daily basis using a tablet or capsule format.   In addition to medications, a healthy diet is highly recommended to diabetic patients.   This includes food items that are low in sugar content, such as green, leafy vegetables and fiber-rich fruits and grains.Exercise is also recommended for diabetic patients, as this assists in increasing the metabolic rate of the body.   Diabetic patients are also educated on the condition of hypoglycemia, which is the extreme lowering of the blood glucose level of the body, resulting in fainting and a decrease in the arterial blood pressure.   A dietician therefore plays an important role in the design of the dietary regimen of diabetic patients.   A regular check-up should also be performed every 3 to 6 months, wherein the fasting blood sugar levels are determined, in order to evaluate the progress of the patient with the current dietary regimen.REFERENCESNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disea ses.   (2007).   National Diabetes Statistics, 2007.   Downloaded from http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/DM_Statistics.pdf on July 8, 2010.National Institutes of Health.   (2010a).   Type 1 diabetes: Thirty years of progress.   Downloaded from http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/Type1Diabetes.pdf on July 8, 2010.National Institutes of Health.   (2010b).   Type 2 diabetes: Thirty years of progress.   Downloaded from http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/Type2Diabetes.pdf on July 8, 2010.