Cultural Diversity – All Clients Who Seek Health Care Services

INTRODUCTION Crime is an act or omission prohibited and punished by law (The Collins Concise Dictionary Plus, Collins London and Glasgow 1990). Crime can be committed against a person, place or company. In this essay 4 types of crimes will be explained, defined and measured, along with prevalence and offender/victim characteristics. How do we define property crimes, violent crimes, white-collar crimes and Internet crimes? †¢ Property crimes are defined and categorised as household and vehicle theft, burglary, arson, theft including shoplifting, pick pocketing, bag snatching, graffiti and vandalism Violent crimes, being homicide, kidnapping/abduction, assault, sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence and child abuse against a person †¢ White-collar crimes defined as crimes or activities that include theft, fraud, deception, embezzlement harmful behaviours, environmental or health and safety hazards †¢ Internet crimes consisting of cyber-crimes, piracy, frauds, identi ty theft, cyber-stalking, computer hacking and hate/harmful speech and obscene imagery. Also read: Essay Snatch TheftWhat are property crimes, violent crimes, white-collar crimes and Internet crimes? Example of property crimes is breaking into a car and the stealing of a mobile phone, trespassing into a property to commit an offence or the setting of fire to property. Unlike Property crimes, violent crimes are committed against a person and as such explained as the indecent assault of a person/s against their will, taking a life with or without intent to kill, taking of a person against their will or threats, force or violence against person. In general there is no agreed definition for white-collar crime. Rather, the term covers a range of criminal activities or breach of regulatory activities undertaken by highly regarded professionals/educated professional in positions of trust such as employer provides inadequate working conditions causing serious personal injury to employees or company director misleads shareholders about its financials and continues to operate reg ardless of its inability to pay debt.Internet crime is explained as the unauthorised access of and taking of financial records or sabotage of a persons computer, illegal downloading of movies or songs and bogus websites set up to entice the unsuspecting person to give access to their personal details and accounts. How do we measure property crimes, violent crimes, white-collar crimes and Internet crimes? We can measure detected and reported property crime via administrative data.Administrative data gives a high level of property crime reporting, mainly because there is less fear or shame from reporting of property crimes and also police reports are often required for insurance reporting requirements. Its limitation is it does not encompass undetected and unreported crime known as the ‘dark figure’ of crime (Coleman & Moynihan, 1996). Detected and reported violent crime can be measured using administrative data. Violent crime can also be measured by victimization and res earcher surveys where victims do not report crime for various reasons such as victims often knowing the offender and/or fear of reprisal.The Australian Bureau of Statistics Administrative data on crime victimisation can be derived from a number of sources including police, hospitals and community service agencies. Internet crimes have considerable lower reporting under administrative data due to the non detection or victims unaware they have been a victim of internet crime. We can measure internet crime by surveys such as victimization surveys or measurement against the ongoing extent of the crime.White-collar crime with the exception of fraud under criminal law is extremely difficult to measure due to the complexity of each crime/activity, some activities are regarded as regulatory and not criminal and the interpretations of a crime/activity can be perceived differently among victims. This type of crime/activity is generally picked up through regulatory audits, routine checks and i nvestigation units such as specialized crime departments, police fraud or relevant regulators. Regardless of the different types of data and surveys available, no one reporting measure gives a true indicative picture of crime.How do we gather data on property crimes, violent crimes, white-collar crimes and Internet crimes? Reported property crime and violent crime data can be gathered by using official crime statistics, police reports, corrective service reports, higher, magistrates’ and children’s courts of Australia, reports and insurance reports. Undetected and unreported data for violent crime data can be gathered via qualitative methods and quantitative surveys. Some examples of such are The National Youth Survey, The Rand Tri-State Inmate Survey, The Liverpool Desistance Study, Snowball sampling, organizational and observational data.Researchers also gather data from past, present and/or incarcerated offenders as well as the general public which provide informati on not only about the prevalence of undetected and unreported crime but why people commit crimes. Gathering data on internet crime is difficult. Surveys such as the 2005 Australian computer crimes and security survey, conducted by AusCERT, Australian High Tech Crime Centre and various state, territory and federal police agencies provide an indicative sample.Researchers gather data from white-collar crimes through administrative data such as criminal fraud reports, victimization surveys, state and territory police agencies as well as the Australian Payments Clearing Association. Apart from fraud, gathering data on white-collar crime is extremely difficult as most victims don’t report. What crime/activities have occurred is gathered via reports from police and security agencies and government reports. Some activities are written off by the victim in the hope that the behaviour/incident is not repeated.What do we know about the typical offenders and victims of property crime, vi olent crime, white-collar crime and Internet crime? There appears to be overwhelming evidence from research that supports the conclusion that age is a factor within property crime characteristics. There is a significantly higher representation that occurs in middle to late adolescence and subsides in early adulthood for property crime. This is thought to be associated with â€Å"adolescent rebelliousness†. An overlooked characteristic of youth is that they are also more likely, statistically, to be victims of crime.The majority of crime victims are male under the age of 25. This is different to the popular belief that would suggest otherwise. It is often perceived that older people have a greater risk however, surveys have identified that older people, and in particular women appear to be more fearful of crime not victims of crime. Violent crime has a gender differentiated nature. Data suggests that approximately 80% of crimes are committed by males and 90% of violent crimes are committed by males. This is supported by convictions and prison populations. To understand the victims, it needs to be broken down to more specific categories of violent crimes.For example, males tend to be victims of murder or attempted murder and assault, female are disproportionately represented as victims of sexual assault, kidnapping/abduction. Although males appear to be highly represented in both offenders and victim categories of violent crime, this does not appear to be the case within categories of white-collar crime such as fraud. The ratio of female offenders to male offenders is higher than that of any other category with ratio of two thirds male to one third female. There also appears to be an unusual relationship between repeat offenders and repeat victims.Many victims are victimised repeatedly. It is suggested that residencies with low occupation rates are often the target of repeat burglaries. Prison populations also suggest a disproportionately higher populatio n of repeat offenders. There appears to be little data that describes the victims or offenders in relation to internet crime. However, it could be hypothesized that a great proportion of male offenders would also be represented within this category. How much property crime, violent crime, white-collar crime and Internet crime is there in our community?Crime statistics for our local community has been drawn from Victorian Police region 4 statistics. Statistics for postcode 3129, within this region for 2008 and 2009 using per 100,000 population suggests property damage, theft of and from motor vehicles and residential burglary had reduced substantially but violent crimes including crimes against the person and assault had increased. Internet crimes and white-collar crimes were not available. Statistics for the state of Victoria indicated property crime such as robbery, burglary and theft or and from motor vehicles was down where as violent crimes such as assault had increased.Is prope rty crime, violent crime, white-collar crime and Internet crime on the rise, is it stable or is it declining? Allowing for variations within reporting methods and survey results, there appears to be stable evidence that recorded crime statistics show property crime declining for recorded break and enter or burglary and other theft including pick pocketing, bag snatching, shoplifting and bicycle theft. There also appears to be an increase in motor vehicle theft between 1996 and 2001 followed by a decline from 2001-2008.Recording rates for other theft in 2008 as with previous years suggests that it remains the most commonly reported property crime. Violent crime statistics indicate assaults as the most recorded since 1996, kidnapping statistics fluctuated from 1996 – 2008, homicide statistics also fluctuated but continued to be the 2nd lowest recorded and although the least recorded, there has been an overall increase on sexual assault since 1996. CONCLUSION There appears to be no uniform measurement system for measuring crime. This leads to inconsistencies within the gathered data and the inability to compare between categories, regions and states.Notwithstanding the inaccuracies within the measurement system, property crime is largest represented category and at this stage internet crime has little representation within the data. Whilst we would love to agree with the typical media characterization of an offender, we cannot due to large variations within the data. However, we can suggest the most likely offender would be a young male adolescent committing a property crime. References Collins London and Glasgow (1990) The Collins Concise Dictionary Plus p. 299 Victoria Police News. My Police Crime Statistics for Your Area. Retrieved from http://www. icpolicenews. com. au/index. php? option=com_statistics&task=search Hennessey Hayes and Tim Prenzler (2009) An Introduction to Crime and Criminology 2nd Edition Pearson Education Australia Australian Institut e of Criminology. Selected Crime Profiles. Retrieved from http://www. aic. gov. au/en/publications/current%20series/facts/1-20/2009/2%20selected%20crime%20profiles. aspx Last modified 18 August 2009 Australian Institute of Criminology. Recorded Crime. Retrieved from http://www. aic. gov. au/publications/current%20series/facts/1-20/2009/1%20recorded%20crime. aspx. Last modified 17 March 2010

Edexcel History Part B Royal Family Essay

Do you agree with the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy? There is evidence to suggest that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy. However there is also a case to argue that increasing media coverage of the royal family had other significant effects. Source 15 supports the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy when it says the slapstick gameshow ‘It’s a Royal Knockout’, which many members of the royal family took part in ‘seriously dented their dignity: the nation was not amused’, which suggests the people of Britain lost respect for the royal family as a result of media coverage. This is supported in source 16 when it says ‘We hope the Windsors and their ad visors are watching the mood on the streets and learning from it’, which implies that the royal family should be careful how they act so they do not lose any further respect from the public. Source 17 also supports the view the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy when it talks about a ‘time of uncertainty’. This suggests that due to the influence of the media, people were uncertain of how to view the royal family, as they were beginning to be portrayed as less high up in society, and therefore commanding less respect. This is supported in source 15, which says ‘their magic began to wane’. This implies that although a certain amount of respect remained for the royal family, they were beginning to be seen as less remarkable to the British public. Events such as ‘It’s a Knockout’ were aattempts at modernising the relationship between the royal family and the people of Britain, but they reduced the mystique of the family and eroded respect. Source 17 contradicts the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family fro m the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy when it says that two programmes about the lives of the monarchy ‘were two of the decade’s biggest televisual events’ suggesting that one significant effect of the increasing media coverage was to increase the interest and awareness of the royal family. Previously, apart from Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, there was little knowledge of the lives of the monarchy, and more media coverage meant that people could find out more about them, and see that they are actually normal people. This would allow some relation between ordinary people and the royal family, perhaps gaining them some popularity. This is supported in source 15 which says ‘they could laugh at themselves’, suggesting the royal family were increasingly being seen as regular, fun-loving people just like everyone else. This is a stark contrast to how they would have been viewed in previous years, as they were viewed by the public as more traditional, conservative and perhaps even dull. Source 16 contradicts the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy when it says that the royal family have ‘grasped the lesson of Diana’s popularityâ€⠄¢, implying that the royal family’s reputation is not being ruined by media coverage and rather that it is increasing their popularity. This is supported in source 17 which says ‘the monarchy was still respected as Britain’s most prestigious institution’ also suggesting that the royal family’s reputation had not been damaged by media coverage, they had just become more popular and maintained their prestigious status in the meantime. From 1981 onwards there was huge media interest in Diana, Princess of Wales. This has a largely negative impact on the royal family, supporting the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy. Not only did it reduce respect for the royal family, making them more into ‘celebrities’ than well-respected figures, it also arguably led to the death of Princess Diana. The Princess of Wales died in a car crash whilst being pursued b ya car full of paparazzi. This tragic event is a perfect example of how the image of the monarch ywas damaged by increased media inter est; they were no longer really seen as real people, let alone respected. Newspaper articles about them were hugely sensationalised and focused on scandals, rather than trying to maintain the high status of the monarchy. For example, telephone scandals amongst the royal family were widely reported. The ‘Camillagate’ and ‘Squidgygate’ stories concerned taped phone conversations that were evidence for extra-marital affairs, and were quite graphic in parts. This led to a dramatic change in how many people saw the Windsor family. It gave people a reason to look down upon them, and people did not think members of the family should engage in such acts when they were supposed to be setting an example to the country. Another prime example of how media influence damaged the image of the royal family was when the Royal Family failed to publically display their grief for the loss of Diana. Previously, this would not have been a problem but such was the extent of the media coverage of the royal family by this time, people were expecting to hear from the Windsors about Diana’s death. When a message of grief did not come, people thought the royal family were uncaring and rather out of touch with the public. In conclusion, I agree that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy. Source 15 argues this case by saying the royal family were beginning ‘to acquire a negative, less tasteful kind of glamour’. This source is from a textbook, so it is likely that the information is accurate and unbiased, and therefore quite useful as a source. However there is also evidence that increasing media coverage of the royal family had other significant effects, such as increasing the popularity of the royal family and interest in their lives. This keeps the royal family relevant to our society as a symbol of Britain, so it is quite important. As well as this more coverage of the private lives of the royal family would have allowed people to relate better to them, and therefore support them more. This is significant because a monarchy is often seen as useless in our current society, so for the royal family to continue existing there needs to be continual public support. This view is discussed in source 17 which says ‘the monarch ywas stil lrespected as Britain’s most prestigious institution’, suggesting media had positive effects on the royal family rather that just damaging their reputation. Source 17 is quite a reliable source as it is from a textbook, and seems to present quite a balanced view of the media’s influence on the royal family. Source 16 on the other hand is less useful to either argument and talks in quite a patronising way about the royal family, saying they hope the Windsors are ‘learning from’ the ‘mood on the streets’. It is an editorial from the Independent newspaper, so may be sensationalised and therefore less accurate.

Men and Women Eating Disorders

Modern society’s inclination to appreciate thin people has led to a significant increase in the incidence of eating disorders. While eating disorders are highly associated with women, the condition is not gender oriented and as such, can inflict both sexes. This paper discusses eating disorders that occur to both men and women. What is an Eating Disorder? Eating disorder is a condition where victims generally make use of food to achieve physical or emotional objective. This means that people with eating disorders may deprive themselves of food so they will become thin, or use starvation as a means to deal with unwanted feelings or emotions. Eating disorder is   popularly associated with   two conditions,   the anorexia nervosa and bulimia, both of which, can be generally defined as the extreme concern to body weight and image although such other conditions as rumination disorder and pica, which primarily occur among infants are also considered as eating disorders. Another form of eating disorder is binge eating which is most common among people who are on a diet. Psychologist Kelly Bemis described anorexia nervosa as â€Å"a complex physical, emotional, and behavioral changes occurring in individuals who starve themselves because of an aversion to food or weight gain† (Lucas, 2004). Those who suffer from anorexia nervosa are characterized by a false perception about their body size. This perception leads to self inflicted starvation or refusal to eat and which consequently results in severe weight loss that has devastating health and mental implications. Other weight loss strategies include vomiting several times in a day, using laxatives and over exercising. People who suffer from bulimia, on the other hand, are also characterized by the same extreme weight and image consciousness but they have a craving for food, which causes them to go for binge eating. Bulimics generally feel guilty when they overeat and to prevent themselves from gaining weight, use risky weight loss strategies similarly employed by anorexics. People  inflicted with bulimia and anorexia are both characterized with feelings of depression and anxiety. Unlike bulimia where victims overeat and purge themselves after by vomiting or using laxatives, people with binge eating conditions eat large amounts of food but do not purge themselves. They do not use laxatives nor vomit habitually but merely abstain themselves from eating or they go on a diet. A recent study conducted in Harvard Medical School showed that binge eating is now more prevalent than anorexia and bulimia (Stein, 2007). Among the symptoms of eating disorders include extreme weight loss; starvation or refusal to eat; frequent vomiting; obsession with exercise; and depression. Eating disorder is both a physiological and psychological condition, victims of which, do not only lose weight but also suffer from other psychological conditions such as depression. Eating Disorder among Women The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) (1995) reported that ninety percent of the people who are inflicted with anorexia and bulimia are women. Eating disorder among women is reported to begin during the teen years, which when left untreated, can persist through adulthood. The onset of eating disorders among some girls are said to follow after traumatic and stressful life experiences such as leaving home or   death of a loved one. In the case of anorexia, women are usually within the range of 90 percent of ideal body weight before they develop the illness (Blinder, 2001). Eating disorders are also most prevalent among teen-age girls. The National Women's Health Report (1995) accounted that   Ã‚  girls who are at risk of developing eating disorders are highly successful individuals who have feelings of insecurity and who may resort to controlling their food intake and weight to make them feel powerful. Eating disorder among women is highly attributed to the society’s preferential treatment to slim women. One distinct symptom of eating disorder among women is the loss of monthly menstrual cycle, which is the result of being extremely undernourished causing impairment of normal bodily functions such as that of the reproductive organs. Eating Disorder among Men The reason why eating disorders have been greatly associated with women is because more women suffer from the disease than men. For this reason, eating disorders, such as anorexia in   men may become under-diagnosed because most people, even anorexics, are generally unaware that eating disorders can occur to both men and women (Blinder. 2001). Eating disorders, however, are not gender biased conditions and as such, there are also cases of men suffering from eating disorders. It is, in fact,   estimated that ten percent of the eight million people in the United States who suffer from eating disorders are men (â€Å"Issues for Men†, 2006). While symptoms, conditions and implications of eating disorder among men and women are generally almost similar, there are aspects that vary between men and women. For example, eating disorders are more likely to occur in girls who are achievers. In men, most likely sufferers are those who come from lower socioeconomic groups; those who feared competition, and those who were not successful in their academics and in their profession (Blinder. 2001). If culture dictates that men should be big and strong, why is it that eating disorders occur in some men? According to Blinder (2001), males with eating disorders experience â€Å"sexual isolation, sexual inactivity and conflicted homosexuality†. Gays, who are also pressured in becoming physically and professionally successful,   are thus most likely victims of eating disorder. As such, eating disorders is prevalent among male homosexuals. This, however, does not mean that heterosexual males do not develop eating disorders because they do. Male runners and jockeys, for example, who are involved in activities that necessitate low weight and who suffer from too much stress and pressure can develop eating disorders (â€Å"Issues for Men†, 2006 ). Unlike women who develop the condition because they perceive themselves  to be fat, most men who develop the disease are actually overweight prior to being inflicted with the condition. Conclusion While eating disorders have always been associated with women, a number of men also suffer from the condition. There are general similarities in eating disorders between men and women, both sexes primarily use food to lose weight and to deal with emotions. There is however some discrepancy in the characteristics of victims; physical perception and weight prior to illness; and symptoms such that girls lose their menstrual cycles as an effect of starvation. Because the condition is highly associated with women, treatment of males with eating disorders has been difficult. Some male bulimics and anorexics do not realize they suffer from eating disorders because they are not aware that the illness can strike both men and women. References Adolescent and Eating Disorders. (1995, Nov. 1). National Women's Health Report, 17, 3. Blinder, B (2001). Anorexia in males. Retrieved March 8, 2007 from http://www.ltspeed.com/bjblinder/anmales.htm Lucas, A. (2004). Demystifying Anorexia Nervosa: An Optimistic Guide to Understanding and Healing. New York: Oxford University Press Stein, R. (2007, Feb 1.). Bingeing Now Seen As Most Common Eating Disorder. Washington Post, A02

D3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

D3 - Assignment Example If these views are put together, a more comprehensive perspective of child development can be obtained. (Berk) The underlying perceptions of these theories are technically different; and even contradicting to some extent. Piaget’s point is that the child’s learning and mental capabilities are fundamentally not inferior to that of the adults. The child’s learning is actually activity and observation based. But Vygotsky’s theory gives more prominence to the psychosocial aspects of child development. The emphasis on cognitive capabilities of a child can also be explained by genetic claims and calls for assistance from a capable teacher to help the child learn. The adult is more knowledgeable, experienced, and physically capable than the child. In the early stages of child development, assistance from the adult can be pivotal. Although self learning and activity based training processes are essential to achieve wholesome development, the importance of guidance by an adult can be considered as the basis of both preschool and Kindergarten levels of education and training. (Berk, 2-3) In the course of maturing the child’s tendencies and attempts toward developing a firmer grip on language (be that the child’s mother tongue or some other language), what the adult can do to help the child has been termed as â€Å"scaffolding† by many experts (e.g. Plumert and Whitehead, 523). Making the child aware of the different aspects of a language not possible unless all the four basic language capabilities are supported, which are writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills. Since developmental psychologists like Vygotsky put emphasis on the cognitive aspects of a child’s mental development, adult-child conversations can be regarded as an excellent tool to develop the child’s language skills during his/her pre-school days. This the primary stage of the child’s education and psychosocial

Nursing case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Nursing - Case Study Example I would ensure that I educate the patient on how to respond to certain occurrences. This would help the patient to overcome serious instances that lead to heart attacks such as shortness of breath. I would also consider assessing the nutrition that the family is providing to the patient. Here, I would ensure that the patient is taking the appropriate diet especially one that would strengthen their body so as to improve blood pumping capabilities. Therapeutic exercises are also important in these cases (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 2014). Therefore, as a professional, I would ensure that Mr. P undertakes exercises on a daily basis to further help in strengthening his body. These may help in eliminating the labored breaths that he experiences frequently. With regard to the despondence that Mr. P has developed, I would begin counseling sessions for him to change his perspectives on life, as this would be paramount to restoring his health. As for a treatment plan, I would recommend a disease management program. This is because currently, there is no known cure that can eliminate cardiomyopathy. However, it can be maintained and the symptoms can be suppressed to help the individual to lead a better life than how the situation would be if no treatment were offered. The disease management program would involve strategies that would help in relieving the existing complicating factors, stop the progression of the disease, and control the symptoms. When these aspects are addressed, the overall health for Mr. P would improve significantly. I would also recommend Mr. P to take specific medications to improve his situation. These include the medication that can reduce the exertion of his heart muscles, ease on the symptoms, and improve the ability for his heart to pump blood (The Johns Hopkins University, 2014). In as much as Mr. P would like to get out of the house, I would advise his wife to use caution with

In the instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In the instructions - Essay Example This practice was sustained and the Babylonians in 1750 BC invented a method where the trader would borrow assets to financially support his cargo of merchandises (Tramposh 1991). He gave the lender an extra amount of cash and in trade for this extra amount, the lender authorized the invalidation of the loan should the cargo be damaged, embezzled, or lost. According to Tramposh (1991), this practice was documented roughly 1750 BC in the Code of Hammurabi. Prior to the early 20th century, worker’s compensation remained absent in the United States. At the moment, most individuals provided labor or services. However, for people who did not, in the initial period of the industrial revolution, when a laborer was harmed in the workplace, the issue had to be pursued through the web of legal courts. Injured laborers usually fail in these cases (Lencsis 1998). Most businesses or organizations were much better prepared or knowledgeable than their injured workers in manipulating the courts. Because of this it became apparent that workers should have some level of security from the trouble of injuries or damages on the job. In Indiana, the current worker’s compensation system is obligatory, implying that companies are obliged to give worker’s compensation insurance for their workers. Complete healthcare benefits are given to workers eligible for worker’s compensation benefits (Schoening 2003). Compensations are given for temporary total disability (TTD) and permanent total disability (PTD) in a sum decided by a fraction of the employee’s earnings. Compensation may be accessible for permanent disfigurement which incapacitates the potential worth of prospects of the worker. Occupational and physical treatment compensations are accessible. Death benefits are allocated to a worker’s living spouse or children, founded on a fraction of the worker’s salaries

Access to Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Access to Care - Essay Example The article indicates that the healthcare reform in Massachusetts has triggered growth of total healthcare employment per capita. However, the growth was primarily based on administrative occupations and patient care support professionals and not amongst physicians and nurses. This is probably because the physicians complained of the administrative burden that the law imposed on them. The program may be costly because of the need to employ more physician and nurses. Increased access to care will have a great impact on physician who may in turn get dissatisfied with their jobs and perhaps quit. The increased access will promote third party payment arrangements, which largely compromises the independence and integrity of the medical profession. Moreover, the physicians will be subjected to increased government regulation as well as oversight and will mostly be dependent on unreliable government reimbursement for medical services thus resulting into tremendous pressure amongst the practitioners. Patient centered health care reform should be adopted that restores doctor patient relationship thus making physicians the key decision makers in the delivery of care as patients become key decision makers in financial care but not the government. Staiger, D. O., Auerbach, D. I., & Buerhaus, Peter R.N. (2011). Health Care Reform and the Health Care Workforce -- The Massachusetts Experience.  The New England Journal of Medicine,  365(12), e24. Retrieved from

Human Diseases Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Diseases - Research Paper Example Bradykinesia or slowly voluntary movement is one of the major symptoms of this disease. Tremors are seen in the hands, fingers, and forearm of the patients when the limb is at rest. Rigidity, poor balance, and Parkinsonian gait are some other common symptoms seen along with this disease (Parkinson’s disease: Hope through research). Currently, physicians suggest levodopa combined with carbipoda for the patients. The patients with advanced PD are given rasagiline along with levodopa. In some case, surgery is necessary if the patient does not respond to drugs. Recently, US Food and Drug Administration has approved a deep brain therapy for this disease. A number of community resources such as National Parkinson Foundation and American Parkinson Disease Association work toward the mitigation of PD related problems. II. Subdural hematoma Subdural hematoma is a condition when blood is accumulated underneath the dura mater which surrounds brain and spinal cord. Usually, severe head in juries cause subdural hematoma and it is called acute subdural hematoma. Sometimes, even minor head injuries may cause subdural hematomas if the injuries go unnoticed for many days to weeks; this condition is called chronic subdural hematomas. Confused speech and difficulty with balance are the major symptoms of this disease.

Learning Theory Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Learning Theory Paper - Assignment Example He focused on how some adults were self-directed in their learning and others were not. He found that 70% of adult learners were self-directed and they did not rely on academic learning as the way that they learned (Tough, 2002). Tough was interesting in examining why there were differences and he wanted to add information about why adult learners felt compelled to improve themselves with or without formal learning (Tough, 2002). The information that Tough presented provided more information on how to assist the adult learner beyond what had been provided in the past. Tough realized that adults were learning in many different ways and they were often discovering learning in nontraditional ways. Adults were learning all the time and it was a part of their everyday life. He found that most adults did not value this outside learning, because they associated learning with formal education (Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner, 2007). In a survey that was done by Patrick Penland, a library school professor, it was found that adult learners were primarily interested in professional development, information that would enhance their family, and those things that would help them move forward in their jobs (Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner, 2007; Tough, 2002). Tough categorized learning into several episodes and asked adult learners to report on projects that were about seven hours (Tough, 1971). He found that adults usually talked about their day in episodes, or spans of time that described a certain event. He also saw that adults were spending about15 hours a week learning, but that this time may be spent on learning many different things at once (Tough, 2002). Tough found that some adult learners (about 10%) were not interested in learning and that they were content with not learning. When the 10% of adults were questioned, Tough found that they had done many things in their lifetime to learn different things, and in their current

BUSN U5IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BUSN U5IP - Research Paper Example Unit –5 Regression Analyses Introduction This assignment conducts three linear regression tests for three pairs of independent and dependent variables. The data used to conduct the tests were obtained from a survey conducted by AIU. The regression tests were conducted using Excel’s built-in function. The following paragraphs present the results and analyses of tests. Results of Tests Table 1 Regression Output of Variables Benefits vs. Intrinsic Job Satisfaction Regression Statistics Multiple R 0.030092219 R – Square 0.000905542 Adjusted R square -0.004408791 Standard Error 0.876576061 Observations 190    Coefficient Y- intercept 4.524522995 Slope 0.151207676 Note: Benefits = X; Intrinsic job satisfaction = Y Figure 1. Regression line Benefits vs. Intrinsic job satisfaction Table 2 Regression Output of Variables Benefits vs. Extrinsic Job Satisfaction Regression Statistics Multiple R 0.026855348 R – Square 0.00072121 Adjusted R square -0.004594103 Standar d Error 1.024951959 Observations 190    Coefficient Y- intercept 5.750215066 Slope -0.157769935 Note: Benefits = X; Extrinsic job satisfaction = Y Figure 2. Regression line Benefits vs. Extrinsic job satisfaction Table 3 Regression Output of Variables Benefits vs. ... nsic job satisfaction 0.15 4.52 Y = 4.52 + 0.15 X 0.000905542 Extrinsic job satisfaction -0.16 5.75 Y = 5.75 – 0.16 X 0.00072121 Overall job satisfaction -0.07 4.96 Y = 4.96 – 0.07 X 0.0001144390 Note: Benefits = X Analysis of Results and Conclusion The assignment conducted three separate linear regression analyses in order to establish a relationship between independent and dependent variables obtained through a survey. The relationship between the two variables, in this case, is expressed through the linear regression equation, y = a + bx. In this equation a is called intercept of Y-axis and b is called slope of the regression line (â€Å"University of New England†, n.d.). The slope indicates how changes in values of independent variable affect changes of dependent variable. The slope b may receive a positive or a negative value. A positive slope defines that the dependent variable increases as the independent increases while the negative implies dependent vari able decreases while the independent variable increases. Table 4 displays one positive and two negative slopes. Thus, Y = 4.52 + 0.15 X defines that both Benefits and Intrinsic job satisfaction move in the same direction, which suggests that the increase of benefits increases intrinsic job satisfaction. However, Y = 5.75 – 0.16 X defines that the variables Benefits and Extrinsic job satisfaction move in different directions. It means an increase of Benefits decreases extrinsic job satisfaction. Regression equations Y = 5.75 – 0.16 X, and Y = 4.96 – 0.07 X demonstrate negative relationships between independent and dependent variables while Y = 4.52 + 0.15 X displays positive relationship between independent and dependent variables. The Excel regression statistics evaluates linear correlation coefficient

Literary analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Literary analysis - Essay Example Henry. This essay analyzes the story from a literary perspective, examining various literary devices the author has employed in the story. The main theme in the story is the triumph of the underdog. The captive also known as the Red Chief and his father are the underdogs in the story, who later emerge triumphant. They are oblivious of the plot by Bill Driscoll and Sam, to kidnap Johnny, also known as Red Chief and get a ransom of $2000 (Bendixen, and James, 25). These petty criminals, who are the masterminds of the kidnapping plot, are the favorites to execute their plan. Things, however, change from good to worse for them and they eventually suffer the loss they hoped to inflict on Red Chief and his father. O. Henry makes use of several literary devices in the story. The three main stylistic devices that standout in the story are humor, irony, and exaggeration. The first element, humor, is very prominent in the story. The whole plot of the short story is humorous. One instance of humor in the story is the description of the two criminals, Bill and Sam, who are portrayed as self educated. They end up using phrases and words that are humorous. The other humorous part of the story is the fact that the Red Chief is oblivious that he has been kidnapped. He enjoys the trip as if it is a camping trip and even feels more at home with his kidnappers that he does among his stern parents. One other instance of humor is when Johnny the Red Chief, confuses his kidnappers with his irritating antics prompting them to releases him back to his father. The use of irony is also very prominent in the story. This refers to the use of words and phrases to imply the exact opposite of their meanings (Bendixen, and James, 56). One example of irony in the story is the phrase ‘Johnny won all the local spelling bees and went to the State contest, only to misspell "train." (Henry, 88) This is ironic because Johnny is supposedly good at spelling, but fails to spell a simple word.

PBGC Company Profile Essay Example for Free

PBGC Company Profile Essay PBGC is an abbreviation of a Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The purpose of this federal corporation is to protect American’s pension. Its mission is related to protection: Forty four million American workers retirement income is currently being protected in more than 30000 benefit pension plans of private single-employer and multiemployer. Its formation is the result of an act of 1974 by the name Employee Retirement Income Security Act. It has the following objectives: First It helps private-sector define benefit pension plans to be continued and remain well maintained. Second is to provide pension benefits payment time to time, without any interruption. Its third objective is to keep minimum pension insurance premiums. The defined benefit pension plan gives pension on a monthly basis to the retirees but the pension amount is depended upon the salary and the year of services the retirees have rendered. The corporation does not only give monthly payments to retirees up to the guaranteed maximum but also the multiemployer plans participants and one who have not retired yet get financial assistance from it. General Tax Revenues don’t give any kind of fund to this corporation. Insurance premiums financed the operations of this federal corporation which was being set by Congress. Insurance premium is being paid by the sponsors defined for each benefit plan that are basically employers. The recoveries are being made from the companies which would be responsible for the plans in the past. Earnings come from investments for this corporation. According to the plan ended in 2008, workers will get $4,312. 50 monthly when they will get retire at the age of 65. It serves the range of customer’s e. g. general public, media and so on. Board of directors including the Secretaries of Labor (Chair), Commerce and the Treasury guided the operations of PBGC. The two highest priorities of this administration is to reform the defined benefit pension system and bring improvement in retirement security. It contributed in the development of Pension Protection Act of 2006. Since PBGC has worked over the last 33 years for the protection plan of participant’s interests and also to support private pension system’s growth; millions of American workers can now think about secured retirement along with their families. Both the benefit plan and the guarantee by PBGC have made a difference in the lives of the diligent Americans. Annually about $4 million is being given by this corporation to 44 million Americans. The development of the 2006 act not only improved the status of funding of many defined benefit plans but also pension system is being strengthened. Competitive advantage: The corporation has been very effective throughout in managing change over the past few years,’ pension insurance programs have faced many unexpected challenges. The corporation also won an award of managing its work force superbly in this changing business environment. The executive director said: â€Å"We are pleased to be recognized for having the right people, processes and systems in place to manage a doubling of our customer base with no diminution in the quality of our customer service. † (www. pbgc. gov,2008). It was being a first federal agency which got the full certification for its executive evaluation system. It got plenty of awards presented in magazines. These are as under: General Excellence, Service, Competitive Advantage, Global Outlook, Innovation, Managing Change, Financial Impact, Partnership, Ethical Practice and Vision. Weaknesses of PBGC: Weaknesses of PBGC’s certification and accreditation (CA): This would impact the accuracy and completion of information which would affect the credibility of the corporation. It also affects the capability of the corporation to take and manage risks. It compromises agency’s personnel and assets too. There should be an effective CA system to assure security of assets, personnel and operations and that could assure that the corporation is capable enough to meet its functional requirements. The National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-37, Accreditation of Federal Information Systems and Guide for the Security Certification provides the framework under 2002 act named as the Federal Information Security Management Act, Public Law 107-347, for how CA program of this corporation should be implemented. Inadequate security policy and plan: The security policy and plan of the current information of PBGC are not according to the guidance provided by National Institute of Standards and Technology Special (NIST) under Federal Information Security Management Act. NIST has developed guidance and standards. It also includes minimum requirement to provide sufficient security of information for all agency assets and operations Change in organizational structure: In 2006 the reorganization of the OIT i. e. ffice of information technology had badly affected the Information System Security Officer’s ability to ensure appropriate operational security for PBGC’s information system. It affected the clarity for officer in terms of his responsibilities and accountability. It made it hard for the officer to establish security standards and procedures. Internal control weaknesses: High risk is being involved in the PBGC’s single-employer pension insurance program. The program had an accumulated deficit of $5. 4 billion in 2003 which was the largest one in history of the corporation. Under funding also increased dramatically in private pension system. The deficit was due to the following reasons: bankrupt firm’s under funded pension plans were ceased, there was a drawback in funding rules, stock market and interest rates decline, companies went global and economy is turned into knowledge based economy. The company had taken steps to improve the internal control for premiums. This is being done for two reasons. First Safeguard of assets: controls must be establish to ensure that cost and obligation are according to the law applicable and assets are safeguarded against any loss or related factors. Second reason is Financial Reporting: it is to ensure that proper reporting is being done of all the revenues and expenditures so that documentation and reports can be made and are accurate. Data Quality Weaknesses: Incorrect data entry, adjustments, and system-generated balances generate errors. Because of the data quality issue, the corporation is unable to ensure the accuracy and completeness of premium data by utilizing Past Due Filing Notices and Statements of Account. The 1st one used to notify plans which had not yet submitted premium filings and 2nd one is used to ensure that underpaid/overpaid premiums from a plan sponsor could be sort out effectively. During auditing it was being noticed that these two tools are not being used timely as it requires significant resources before mailing. Due to this, premiums could not be collected and errors could not be detected. Additionally policies and procedures have not been documented, communicated, or implemented throughout PBGC which is related to the premium accounting cycle. www. pbgc. gov,2008). Business Strategy: The new investment strategy is being formulated to balance risk and return and to improve chances of reaching full funding over the long run. According to this strategy diversified set of fixed-income investments and diversified equity investments both will be given 45% of its assets each and 10% will be given to alternative investment. Financial Information: A deficit of $18. 1 billion was being posted by insurance program for single-employer pension plans in fiscal year 2006. Due to the airline relief provisions in the Pension Protection Act, the corporation managed to reduce its probable liabilities. This led to a $4. 7 billion net improvement. It announces maximum insurance benefit for 2009. The amount would be higher for those who retire later and vise versa. The corporation had a peak year in 2000 when they had a surplus of $10 billion almost which was followed by surplus of $8 billion in 2001. The corporation got the calls in order to stop charging premiums. It got around $9 billion claims in 2002. The claims were because of airline and steel industry. (www. soa. org, n. d. ).

The Decolonisation Of Ghana History Essay

The Decolonisation Of Ghana History Essay 1. Abstract: This Extended Essay is going to be about the Decolonization of Ghana. I have chosen this Topic due to my Interest in that country and because I spend my holidays there once a year. This essay is supposed to view the decolonization of Ghana and the reasons and thoughts behind it. This Extended Essay is written for the people who are interested into the problems and affairs in the decolonialization of Ghana. This piece of work is should show the recipients the reasons and problems linked with decolonialization and if the people of Ghana received the Independence and its aftermath with enthusiasm and/or neglecting. The essay can be divided up into a theoretical piece, in which I will write about the decolonization, its problems and reasons and a second part, where I will discuss how Nkrumah was able to get support. My research questions are: What are the reasons for decolonization and to what extent was Nkrumah successful in gaining support for Ghana and how? Well we know that reasons for the decolonization was due to the fact that Nationalism and self-rule were things the people of Ghana were aiming for, which without removal of the current situation could not have been realized. The other fact is that Nkrumah was successful in gaining Ghanaian support, with factors being bankruptcy of Britain, hatred for Britain, and thanks to the important constitutions made. What we are unaware of is how these steps were taken in order to counter the problems and to what extent they were able to be successful in removing their problems. 2. Introduction: During World War 2, colonies from around the globe came back to their mother countries in order to help their colonial masters fight against the enemies. While the going to be Prime Ministers, Henrik Verwoerd and B.J. Vorster, of South Africa supported Hitler, the majority of French colonialists remained loyal to its government until 1943. The wartime propaganda from the Germans had a part in this defiance of British rule. Japans conquests in the Far East caused shortages of various products such as minerals etc. Africa was therefore then used to make up for this problem and could greatly profit from this decision. U-Boats monitoring the North-Atlantic Ocean restricted the shipping of raw materials to Europe and so made the industries in Africa come to life. Local industries in turn caused the creation of new towns, and existing towns doubled in size. As urban community and industry grew so did trade unions. In addition to trade unions, urbanization brought about inc reased literacy, which allowed for pro-independence newspapers. By the 1930s, the colonial powers had carefully cultivated a small elite of leaders educated in Western universities and familiar with ideas such as self-determination. These leaders, including some major nationalists such as Kenyatta (Kenya), Nkrumah (Gold Coast, Ghana), Senghor (Senegal), and Houphouet-Boigny (Cà ´te dIvoire) came to lead the struggle for independence. 2. What are the reasons for decolonization? Before discussing this policy in these fields, it would be helpful, perhaps, to give a general picture of the kind of government that ruled at the time. The government could have been described as a mixture of direct rule by the central government and the rule of African institutions. There had been a steady bias towards the latter. Ghana is a classical example of decolonization of an English colony after World War Two. A mix of nationalism, a foundation of self-rule and educated elite, men returning from serving in WW2, strong leadership, and a weakening of Europes hold on colonies because of the devastation of World War Two made Ghana the vanguard of sub-Saharan African independence. There was a disease threatening the cocoa farmers. This disease was damaging cocoa farms at an extremely high rate and despite scientific research the only solution to this was to cut out the infected trees. This didnt please the farmers since at the time the price for cocoa was very high. So following the solution the government was experiencing resistance throughout the land. But the greatest problem was the deprivation. At the same time other disorders had broken out in the business district of Accra. Crowds, dissatisfied with the new prices resulting from the boycott agreement, which had been made, and incited by agitators had began to riot and loot and burn both European and Syrian owned stores. It even came that far that the people broke into the prison and freed prisoners to join in. This kind of turmoil spread to other towns of the Gold Coast./ It was the time for change. 3. How was decolonization achieved? World War II ushered in a massive wave of decolonization struggles, and dozens of new states. The first half of the twentieth century was devastating for European colonial powers. The cumulative cost of World War I, the collapse of control and stability during the Age of Anxiety, and the devastating epic conflict of World War II, all contributed to the erosion of colonial control. Although regions seeking independence still had years of fighting to endure after 1945, countries like Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands were in a losing struggle to hold onto their colonies. Japan, Germany and Italy lost their colonial empires immediately following their defeat. The U.S. also began to relinquish direct colonial control over acquired territories, focusing its energies on building Cold War alliances and influence, In short, colonial empires collapsed all over the world, and out of this turmoil emerged dozens of new countries. World War II had a marked influence on the G old Coast. The changes it brought were found, of course, not only in the Dependency but in all colonial areas. World opinion had become much concerned with the problem of dependent peoples and the United Nations Charter included a section in which the colonial powers agreed to promote the advancement and eventual self-government of these territories.The Country of Ghana had been developing economically and so the focus of government power gradually shifted into the hands of the Ghanaians, instead of staying in those of the Governor and his officials. This had been made possible due to gradual development of a strong spirit of nationalism and which would eventually result in independence. In effect the Gold Coast was ready for an increased measure of self-government for the economic, social, and political development of the inter-war years had contributed to the experience of the Dependencys leaders. The territorial councils had broadened the viewpoint of chiefs hitherto confined to the particular interests of individual states, and service on the legislative council had taught the traditional rulers and the educated classes to work together in general with the view to the national good. Once the movement had begun, events moved rapidly, at a pace that not only surprised the colonial government but also among conservative African elements as well. In the late nineteenth century, an arbitrary political system which placed almost all power into the hands of the governor through his appointment of council members had been thought unacceptable by a number of educated Africans. In the 1890s, a group was formed named, the Aborigines Rights Protection Society, by members of the educated coastal elite. They protested against a land bill that threatened traditional land tenure. In the end this protest helped build a foundation for political action that would ultimately lead to independence. From the African members of the legislative Council, one of them, Joseph E. Casely-Hayford, convened the National Congress of British West Africa, which then sent a delegation, so that the colonial office was urged to consider the principle of elected representation, in 1920. This group represented the first expression of political solidarity between nationalist and intellectuals of the area. Sadly the delegation had not been received, but it had by any means aroused considerable support from the Africans elite back home. Granting their call for elected representation as opposed to a system, in which the governor appointed numbers of the council, the nationalists had insisted that they were loyal to the British crown and that they only would help make an extension to British political and social practices of Africans. They had important leaders, such as Africanus Horton, John Mensah Sarbah, and S.R.B. Attah-Ahoma. These few men gave the nationalist movement a distinctly elitist touch which was going to last. Provincial councils of paramount chiefs had been created by the constitution of 1925. The councils in return elected 6 chiefs as unofficial members of the legislative council. The new constitution was appearing to recognize African sentiments, but Guggisberg, governor and command-in-chief, was mostly concerned with how to keep the British interests protected. For example: Africans only had a limited voice in the central government. By doing this, Guggisberg had spawned a wedge between the chiefs and their educated subjects. The subjects now believed that the chiefs had cheated the by letting the provisional councils fall into British hands, son that the chiefs would be able to receive support from the British. However the chiefs and the intellectuals had begun to reproach each other again, by the mid 1930s. Agitation for more adequate representation continued. So two more unofficial African members had been added to the executive council in 1943, this was gained due to the call for broader representation. The Burns constitution of 1946, named after the governor in charge at the time or just known as the Gold Coast constitution, had been a very bold document. It was bold due to the fact that for the first time they had abandoned the concept of an official majority. 6 Ex-officio, 6 nominated members, and 18 elected members composed the legislative council at this moment. In addition it also admitted representatives from Asante. Although there was a Labour Party Government in power, the British still viewed their colonies as sources of raw materials. These sources were bitterly needed, since the British economy was crippled and they needed to strengthen it. Only after riots and looting did the British decide to make, the placing of real power into African hands, a priority. Ghana now had a decisive majority of elected members. They have reached a Level of maturity in politics unheard of elsewhere in Africa. The government had been unable to bring down high prices, curtail profiteering, a nd ease other economic burdens of the country. The people were disappointed that their representatives in the newly formed legislative council did nothing to help them in this battle. The above statements give us a fairly good indication of the U.G.C.C.s objectives. It is important at this juncture to notice certain characteristics if the organization. The organizations was mainly made up of the à ©lite, it also always put pressure on its aim of fulfilling self government. But it should be achieved by legitimate and constitutional means. These hints make the impression that the U.G.C.C. represented a kind of conservative nationalism in contrast to the later kind that will develop in the near future. But a new phase dawned upon the history of the organization, which they themselves hadnt realized, by the Mr.Kwame Nkrumah becoming its general secretary. Nkrumah was born in a small village of Nzima, in the western section of the colony, in September 1909. He studied at Achimota and later in the United States, where he obtained a bachelor of Divinity degree from Lincoln University and a Masters of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. During his years in America and a later stay in England he had gained considerable experience in leadership by participating in various political organizations and in associations designed to promote Negro advancement or self-government in Africa. The U.G.C.C. hoped to make the best out of his knowledge and experience. Although they were highly mature in what concerned politics, the constitution didnt grant them the freedom of having self-government. The executive power still remained in the hands of the governor, to whom the legislative government was responsible. The constitution faced trouble, although it had been greeted with enthusiasm. Many Gold Coast Veterans upon return, meanwhile WWII had ended, came back to a country in which shortages, inflation and unemployment ruled. So veterans started to form into a group of discontent people who were at the brink of creating disruptive action. Soon they were joined by farmers and many others who expected economic improvements, since the war had ended, but didnt receive any. So the tensions were still increasing since the war had ended. These Riots then resulted in having all of the U.G.C.C. members, including Nkrumah, arrested. Through this these men became known as the Big Six. The big six were the release again upon the arrival of the commission. 4. To what Extent was Nkrumah successful in gaining Support for Ghana and how? Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a political leader and icon throughout Africa. We are able to thank him for liberating the Gold Coast and form it into the Ghana, which we know today. As he watched independence beginning to start in Africa, Nkrumah was anxious during that entire stage, simply due to his thought that imperialist rulers had ingeniously postponed their ultimate demise by granting sovereignty to the colonies, which they had previously done. Our hero had devised many political objectives to fight these imperialists and implemented them at the perfect time. Nkrumah was able to present his political beliefs already at an early stage, already as a graduate student in Great Britain. He had joined a student club and brought his messages through the local newspapers, during his studies at LSE (London School of Economics). Later on Nkrumah then was able to publish a pamphlet which set its focus on showing the downside of the imperialist rule on the African continent. Included were also thoughts, by him, towards colonial freedom and a way in which it could be obtained. This leadership role of his, progressed further, while in the meantime he had been elected to the executive board of the West Africans Student Union, at the college he was attending. The later on as Vice President he continued to criticize outlandish rule. The passion, which turned out to be so strong, towards ending the foreign rule in Africa, that he even considered forming the group named, Circle Union of Socialist African Republics. This confidential group was looking to lib erate Africa from the foreign rule. Nkrumah had officially founded the CPP to aid the liberation of Ghana on the 12th of June 1949. Most members were pulled out from the Committee of Youth Organization. This program looked to be very promising as spread his ideas of self government to farmers, unions, womens unions, and many younger people. In Nkrumahs eyes the only way the citizens of Ghana would be able to take control of their government would be through political unity. Nkrumah argued that cultural and economic independence would follow close behind. The policies and the formation of Nkrumahs CPP brought a positive influence to the people in Ghana and seemed to be destructive to the British Governments chance of maintaining control. Many factors help him gain support from the people some of them were, Propaganda in the form of signs, and he also found that coming up with party songs that give hope to the nation, was effective. All these things were used to make Ghanaian citizens aware and to gain support in the rem oval of the foreign power in charge. Nkrumahs campaigning began the 8th of January in 1952. 5 key ways in which Nkrumah could fight the imperialistic forces where: political education, nationalist aid, propaganda, dipl. Cooperation and by implementing a new policy in which the country of Ghana would not get involved with any form of Imperialist. Every stage was positive from Nkrumahs point of view. He even tried to remove the temporary regional assemblies, which were the safeguards in the constitution which would help the opposition. The Preventive Detention Act was introduced 1957. This act was laws, which allowed the police officers to arrest and possibly detain people that his government thought to be working against them. Another point was that Nkrumah had a feeling in his gut that the only way to maintain an imperialist free country was to become economically independent as well. The best way was to become an industrialized country. 5. Conclusion In my opinion Ghana had reached their goal by gaining Independence from the British, but while doing this they had cut their own flesh. I will have to name the good things first before I come to the bad things. Ghana had decided to deport foreigners who were perceived as threats to Ghana in the Deportation Act of 1957, which I think is a reasonable choice to make since having foreigners in ones parliament might have different effects on people. In addition to that in 1960 Ghana had officially become a republic, namely on the 1st of July. But now to the bad side of things, the Ghanaians now had cut the connection of to the British and by doing this they might have forgotten the fact that they were still slightly dependent on them. With dependent I mean that their economy was dependent from the British. Once they had cut the cord there was no way back and so they lost their biggest trading partner Britain. The consequences followed shortly and it is one that you still can feel today. T he economy had plummeted since the loss. Nkrumah had made almost all the right decisions for his people, but he had forgotten about the economy. He was so concerned with the maltreatment of his country by the white man, which he, instead of considering the actions he was taking, wanted to get rid of them once and for all. Nkrumah didnt consider the advantages they had through the white imperialists, but saw them as a problem to the people of Ghana and other African countries. I myself, in Nkrumahs position of course, would have been upset about the ongoing suppression of the imperialists in the country and would have wanted to send them to the moon with a one way ticket. Things just dont work that way and it would have been a lot smarter to just consider the options and possibilities, of how to get rid of the imperialist, but maintain a stable country at the same time. 7. Books Bourret, F.M.: Ghana-The Road To Independence; Oxford University Press, 1960 Buenor Hadjor, Kofi: Nkrumah and Ghana; Kegan Paul International Limited, 1988 Gocking Roger S.: History of Ghana; Greenwood Press, 2005 Nkrumah Kwame: Consciencism 7.1 Internet sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ghana (26/09/10) http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/independence.php (26/09/10) http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/slave-trade.php (26/09/10) http://www.honolulu.hawaii.edu/distance/hist/decol.htm (26/09/10) http://www.ukessays.com/essays/politics/dr-kwame-nkrumah.php (26/09/10)

The Courage Of Children In Novels English Literature Essay

The Courage Of Children In Novels English Literature Essay You could consider the following questions. What is meant by the courage of children? Does this, in the Set Books, refer to physical or psychological courage, or both? Do the books present gender differences in their portrayal of courage and, if so, are these significant? How do differing authorial techniques, such as narrative voice, focalisation and intertextuality help determine the readers awareness of courage? You could also consider the historical context of both novels as part of your discussion. The critical articles in the Readers, DVD 1 and the DVD-ROM may all provide valuable material for this essay. Kimberley Reynolds suggests, of the nineteenth century, that much fiction was used quite consciously as a form of social control (DVD 1, no. 5). Investigate and determine how representative Little Women and Treasure Island are of this trend. Notes on a possible approach For this option, you might want to explore nineteenth-century ideological viewpoints of concepts such as family, gender, class and religion. It would be valuable to include some brief discussion of other contemporary texts. One possible approach would be to consider the following questions. How do the novels reflect their differing historical contexts? What evidence can be found for authorial intent, and how can differing prose techniques outlined on the DVD-ROM, including narrative voice, intertextuality and focalisation, help us establish authorial intent? You might find it helpful to revise the material in Activity 1.3 in the Study Guide as a starting point. Explore Peter Hollindales claim that Peter Pan retains its magical elasticity and its ongoing modernity (Reader 2, p.  159), with reference to different versions since its original production. Notes on a possible approach You could consider some or all of the following questions. Which aspects of the play can be described as particularly modern? How have these been adapted to suit specific productions since the plays original stage setting? How does Barries script present opportunities for alteration in relation to differing constructions of childhood? Why is Peter Pan often regarded as a pantomime? Compare and contrast the idea of fairyland in Peter Pan and in William Allinghams poem The Fairies. Notes on a possible approach It may be helpful to concentrate on a small number of specific scenes or extracts from Peter Pan for example, 1.1 (from line 315, Peters entrance to the end) or 3.1. You might want to consider the historical and generic context of each of the two texts. Does it matter that one text is a play and the other a poem, in terms of how differently they may have been presented and received? Activity 3.6 in the Study Guide could be a useful starting point when planning your essay. Childrens perceptions of, and perspectives on, the world around them are often represented by childrens writers as inevitably incomplete and therefore flawed. Evaluate this suggestion with reference to any three of the Set Books in Block 4. Notes on a possible approach You could consider some or all of the following questions: How does each author represent the worldview of their child protagonist(s)? How does the structure of each novel, including such aspects as time-scale, narrative voice, dialogue, and a sense of place, help establish this? How do your chosen texts present differing, or similar, approaches to realism and aspects of fantasy? Is there a link between the uses of realism and fantasy, and representations of childrens perceptions and perspectives? Why might it matter if a childs perceptions of, and perspectives on the world around them are represented as flawed? You may find it useful to revise Part 1, Section 1 Telling and Showing, and Section  2 Focalisation, on the DVD-ROM. Discuss David Rudds defence of the work of Enid Blyton (Reader 1, pp.  168-82), in relation to the prestige conferred on two of the Set Books for Block  4, one of which must be either Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone or Northern Lights. Notes on a possible approach You could consider some or all of the following questions: What evidence is there for differing assessments of the popularity and quality of both Enid Blytons work and your two chosen texts? How can the success of a childrens book best be quantified? What differing views on the nature of childhood can be observed in the chosen books, and do these necessarily represent the times in which they were written? How have the criteria for judging the merits of childrens literature changed since the eighteenth century? How does the postmodern picturebook set out to capture both the adult and the child readers interest? Notes on a possible approach You could discuss which characteristics of a picturebook might invite the description of postmodern to be applied to it, drawing on a few examples. You could explore how the elements of a picturebook, including text, images, and paratext, combine to create meaning for both the child and adult reader. Is it possible to identify any elements as seemingly designed to appeal to particular age groups With reference to The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Voices in the Park, explore and evaluate the assertion by William Moebius that the best picturebooks can and do portray the intangible and invisible [], ideas that escape easy definition in pictures or words (Reader 1, p. 314). Notes on a possible approach You could consider, firstly, examples of concepts that might be described as intangible and invisible that are demonstrated in these two books. How do all the elements of these books unite to help create this? How do these help us understand the views of childhood, and of child readers, presented by the authors? You might wish to include a comparison between the historical contexts of the two books and how to situate each one in relation to childrens picturebooks generally Rachel Falconer states that it is important that the books and films [young people] read and watch should address the reality of their lives (Reader 1, p.  375). Is this view borne out by contemporary writing for children? Discuss with particular reference to three of the Set Books in Block 6. Notes on a possible approach You could consider some or all of the following questions. What might the phrase the reality of their lives assume? Can the reality of contemporary life be explored by books set either in the historical past or an imagined future? Do any, or all, of the books you have chosen raise the ideological question of what is suitable for children (Hewings in the Study Guide, p.  259)? Does the provision of a convenient exotic background (Hewings in the Study Guide, p.  265) help child readers to confront difficult concepts, or perhaps hinder them? Peter Hunt argues that while [childrens] books reflect the underlying preoccupations of a culture, the most notable ones also challenge and subvert (Reader 1, p.  72). Discuss this statement, with reference to three of the Set Books in Block 6. Notes on a possible approach You might want to consider the following questions. How, if at all, do your chosen books reflect attitudes to childhood currently observable within society? What underlying preoccupations do you find reflected in them? How, if at all, might these books differ from other childrens books of their time? Can you identify evidence of the authors overt moral intention (Hewings in the Study Guide, p.  260)? How can authorial choices, such as the use of direct or indirect speech, help influence the ways in which readers respond to the text? EMA: the assignment Answer either Option 1 or Option 2. Your assignment should be a maximum of 3000 words in length, excluding your list of references. Option 1 Some idea of a child or childhood motivates writers and determines both the form and content of what they write. Consider how this statement, from Peter Hunts first article in Reader 1 (p.  13), applies to any three of the Set Books. Your essay must draw on materials from at least two blocks of EA300. Option 2 Discuss how the book that has most recently won the UK Carnegie Prize fits into the history and tradition of childrens literature. Your discussion should also refer to at least one of the Set Books

Character of Hamlet in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare Hamle

Character of Hamlet in Shakespeare's Hamlet Hamlet is a man of many discoveries. The tragic hero in Shakespeare's Hamlet undergoes many changes throughout the play. His mindset is set deep and far away from the physical world that both helps him and hinders him in his plight for revenge against his uncle, Claudius, and his mother. When Hamlet is first introduced in Act I, Scene II, the reader is shown the depths of his sorrow. The King asks Hamlet "How is it that the clouds still hang on you" and the Queen tells him to "Cast thy nighted color off." By these comments one can envision Hamlet as someone who appears and radiates out his sorrow over his father's death. Hamlet lets the reader know that his sorrow runs much deeper than his clothes and sorrow filled eyes, saying about them that "These indeed seem, for they are actions that a man might play. But I have that within which passes show; These but the trappings and the suits of woe." In this statement Hamlet pours out that his sorrows courses through every part of him. This sadness plays a huge part in Hamlet's overall mindset, his sorrow over his father's death has left him empty and without the will to live and prosper in this world. "O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His cannon `gainst self- slaughter!" Hamlet is contemplating suicide here, but understands that he has no chances for a peaceful after life if he takes his own life. He needs to find peace in the afterlife because his thoughts about this world are this: "How weary stale, flat and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! `Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed." Hamlet finds n... ...s of Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He returns secretly to Denmark and is prepared to and does carry out the Commandment. Throughout Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet finds the strength and drive to carry out the wishes of the Ghost of his father. His weakness laid in his sorrow over the death and in his fascination with the divine and eternal, where he found his strength was not from within himself but in other's abilities to devote themselves emotionally or with their lives to someone else's battle. Sources Consulted Greenblatt, Stephen. Shakespearean Negotiations: Inside the Mind of Hamlet. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998.   Nevo, Ruth. Comic Transformations in Shakespeare. London: Methuen & Co., 1980. Shakespeare, William. The New Cambridge Shakespeare: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Philip Edwards. Cambridge: Cambridge U P, 1985.

career goal :: essays research papers

It has been my craving in every aspect of life to do things differently, chart my own path and tread in to uncharted territory. Nine years back, this what made me join a course in bachelor of marine engineering at MERI, the only institute in India exclusively offering such a course. Idea of venturing in to high sees, braving the storms with only handful of resources and almost completely cut off from out side world made adrenaline pumping in to my veins. All this along with opportunity to get exposure to highly sophisticated systems on board ships, which was fodder for my technical bent of mind seemed perfect for my adventure seeking personality. Through out my career progression I have made such decisions like joining LNG shipping pool of my company and seeking extra professional qualification of eligibility to sail on diesel engine driven as well as turbine driven ships Looking back after nine years, I could not feel more assured that at that time, I made the right choice. My unusual combination of experiences sets me worlds apart from not only a normal engineer but also from a marine engineer at similar position. Working for a big shipping company, exclusively on international assignments in high tech, capital intensive and rising LNG industry is the kind of job I had envisioned at the time of finishing my graduation. I could not have come here without that choice I made back then. As suited to my challenge seeking nature I foresee my own career moving in the direction of handling higher responsibilities in the core business, initially from an advisory perspective (i.e. consulting) and ultimately from a leadership role within a manufacturing entity, preferably a start-up venture. With Asia, especially India rising on global corporate battlefield I want to be where global language and intercultural/personal skills make the difference, where technological know-how supports innovative ideas. This is where I can make my best contribution. In short, I want to be where the action and the challenges are. Thus the reasons why I want to go back to university and do a MBA to get myself a thorough business background to understand not only my career experiences but other students as well and put them in to business context and have a holistic view of the organization. The knowledge I will gain should help facilitate a career change. After extensive work in high tech LNG shipping industry, I want to transfer to shore based industry.

Africanisation of south African Ratiling Essay

The internationalisation of retail businesses has become a global phenomenon as retailers around the world expand their operations beyond national borders. This phenomenon has attracted some academic attention. In Africa, South Africa appears to be more advanced in this regard, with Shoprite at the forefront of the Africanisation of South African retailers. A review of Shoprite’s expansion into the continent results in two propositions and some challenges that affect this process. The wider significance of the propositions is further examined by a study of other South African retailers expanding into Africa. The review finds that although there are opportunities for retailers in African countries, there are also significant challenges that can negate the opportunities. Most importantly, the chosen mode of entry into African countries plays a significant role in the overall internationalisation process and should be a primary concern of management teams considering making such a move, and it is established that the mode of entry comprises at least five areas of critical decision making. Key words: Africanisation, retailing, international retailing, South African retailing, African markets, mode of entry, ICTs, international business. INTRODUCTION Since 1994, South Africa has moved to become part of  the African continent, even to the point that it developed  1  and championed an African agenda . This move opened  up opportunities for South African businesses within the  continent. In this regard, leading South African retailers  (including Shoprite, Woolworths, Massmart, Truworths)  have already invested in, and now operate in diverse  African countries. In the past decade, the continent has  also seen shopping centres and malls built in most  African cities, some of which are also South African  investments (Miller, 2006). There is still huge potential for all kinds of South African businesses to expand within the  continent, and there are benefits for all concerned. Already the six primary sectors of the South African  economy: mining, retail, construction and manufacturing,  financial services, telecommunications, and leisure and  *Corresponding author. E-mail: naadakora@gmail.com. 1 African agenda in this case refers to former president Mbeki’ s vision of an African renaissance, and the establishment of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). tourism, are in one way or another investing in the  continent (Daniel et al., 2003). Furthermore, the  completion of the SEACOM’s East African submarine  cable and the up coming West African cable system that  will provide fibre optic connection from Africa to the rest  of the world will open more business opportunities on the  continent. It is, therefore, not surprising to see an  increasing number of South African retail companies  expanding into the rest of the continent to seek growth  and explore new strategic opportunities.  The Shoprite Group operates its own stores in 15  African countries outside South Africa, including Angola,  Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius,  Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania,  Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Shoprite, 2008). The  group’s operations have been generally successful in  most of these countries and in some cases income has  exceeded their projections and expectation s. This  performance has triggered numerous growth and  expansion plans for most of the countries listed above.  For example, with the opening of one supermarket in  Accra, Ghana (in November, 2007), the group  immediately started investigating the possibility of  opening five more stores around the Accra area  (Shoprite, 2008). This report also indicates that their  Dakora et al. African operations have produced higher turnover growth than their South African counterparts. However, this is not the case with their operation in India where foreign retail ownership is forbidden by government regulations. Shoprite had to operate by means of franchising in Mumbai (Shoprite, 2008). Revenues do not match those achieved in Africa, highlighting the mode of entry as a key factor in the successful achievement of retail internationalisation. Yet, even in Africa, it has not all been easy. Due to lack of suitable acquisition targets and alliance partners, and given the informal nature of the retail sector in most African countries, they are obliged to open their own stores (Games, 2008). The Shoprite annual report (Shoprite, 2008) indicates that they are currently facing competition from other South African retailers who are also moving into Africa. For example Massmart, also expanding into Africa, will give Shoprite a run for its money in markets for hard goods. Also, as a consequence of their go-it-alone approach to Africanisation, Shoprite often does not gather enough market knowledge and contacts before entering and establishing a foothold in these new markets, which in itself becomes a problem (Games, 2008). There are also reports of supply issues haunting the company in its Africa operations. Nigeria is reported to have government-imposed import restrictions on some products. This is in a bid to protect the local economy and suppliers. Miller (2008) points out that the issue concerning local suppliers is politically controversial for South African companies operating in foreign African countries. Although South Africa has moved to be part of the continent and has championed an African agenda (as noted at the start of this paper), there are concerns that this commercial activity might become another form of colonisation. As a result, these companies have to demonstrate their support and participation in local development in those foreign countries or risk being accused of â€Å"exporting Apartheid† into Africa (Miller, 2008). Of course, the circumstances of each country might vary: Miller found that the Shoprite Group entered Zambia under favourable conditions that did not attempt to protect local producers and suppliers. Despite the increase in retail internationalisation in Africa led by the South African retailers, little research has been done in this area. This paper is a review based on a study of annual reports and other publicly available sources; it seeks to develop a foundation for more detailed case study work on the phenomenon. The paper discusses how the Shoprite Group’s expansion into Africa has been achieved, and how it secured its position as the largest food retailer on the continent. Two propositions concerning challenges affecting the decision of entry mode are established, based on the Shoprite study. The issues that inform these propositions are, however, limited to the results of the Shoprite’s review, and, therefore, preclude other issues that might be relevant to 749 the phenomenon but not obvious in this study. The propositions are further examined by looking at a range of other cases of South African retailers’ expansion into Africa. GENERAL PERSPECTIVE INTERNATIONALISATION ON RETAIL In recent years, the world of retailing has seen a dramatic increase in international activities by retailers around the world (Park and Sternquist, 2008; Myers and Alexander, 2007; Dawson and Mukoyama, 2006). The phenomenon of retail internationalisation has become an important feature of global business. As consumer products and services become global, and around the whole world consumers’ styles of consumption and attitudes increasingly become similar, retailers are prompted to respond to this trend. This results in the emergence of international (and in some cases global) retail companies (Federzoli, 2006). As Jack Shewmaker, director of Wal-Mart points out; â€Å"it is absolutely clear the biggest opportunity facing retailers [today] is internationalisation† (McGarriagle, 2008:12). In exploiting this window of opportunity, the world has seen retail businesses grow into multinational corporations contributing to economies on a worldwide basis. The rising levels of internationalisation among retail businesses can be attributed to three factors: growth in size, growth in technological sophistication and the need to respond to the changing demands and behaviours of customers (Myers and Alexander, 2007). However, retailing is geographically tied, and international companies must have a physical presence in the foreign countries concerned in order to conduct their business (Sternquist, 2007). According to Dawson and Mukoyama (2006), the internationalisation of retailing is evident in many ways including: the sourcing of products for resale, the operation of stores in foreign countries, the use of foreign labour, the adoption of foreign ideas and the use of foreign capital. There has been an increase in all these aspects in terms of volume and spatial reach, Dawson and Mukoyama indicate. This increase in retail expansion has continued across the world, characterised by large retail chains, mainly from the most developed countries, moving into less developed ones, and this has attracted some academic attention. However, most research in the area of retail internationalisation has focused on the developed world with little attention being paid to developing economies, especially those in Africa. Zhang and Dodgson (2007:336) observe that most research in the field of international business and entrepreneurship concentrates on â€Å"early internationalisation of firms based in developed countries, especially Europe and United States†. Where Africa is studied, little attention is paid to retailing, as 750 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. most previous research has always focused on manufacturing and pure service industries despite the recent increase in retail internationalisation (Park and Sternquist, 2008). METHODOLOGY The review takes into consideration South African retail companies that have expanded their operations beyond their home region, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in a significant way. Pure service retailing is beyond the scope of this paper. Shoprite is the largest food retailer in Africa, and also the pioneering retailer to embark on a continent wide expansion strategy. A review of Shoprite’s Africanisation process is carried out with the view of gaining some understanding of the phenomenon. Therefore, the propositions and challenges around the issue of modality are limited to what is obvious in the Shoprite study. The significance of these propositions and the relationships between them are further examined by the study of other cases of purposively selected South Africa companies moving into Africa. Since the intention is to understand the phenomenon under study, purposive sampling enhances the potential of understanding (Devers and Frankel, 2000). As indicated earlier, the study has largely been based on annual reports and other publicly available sources, and, therefore, the review took a content analysis approach. Due to its ability to assess the effects of environmental variables like regulation, socio-economic issues, and location characteristics such as market attractiveness, credibility and likability (Kolbe and Burnett, 1991) in the internationalisation process, content analysis techniques was useful in this study. A REVIEW AFRICA OF SHOPRITE’S EXPANSION INTO The Shoprite Group of companies came into existence with the acquisition of a supermarket chain in the Western Cape, in 1979 (Shoprite, 2009a). This expansion strategy has continued and has helped the expansiondriven company to show its presence across the country, and the group now comprises Shoprite, Checkers, Checkers Hyper, Usave, OK Furniture, OK House and Home, OK Power Express and OK Franchise Division (with a number of stores and brands under it). The national growth and expansion strategy of Shoprite, as observed, has been through mergers and acquisitions, but it modified and extended this strategy when moving abroad. It achieved international expansion by opening its own stores in the foreign countries in which it operates, so that in 2008, out of a total of 984 stores, 100 supermarkets were being operated in 16 countries outside South Africa (Shoprite, 2008). The company claims that the international stores operate with the same standards of sophistication as in the home country, South Africa. Hence, Shoprite now confidently proclaims its name as the largest food retailer in Africa. The expansion into African was a bold decision that has continued to influence the future of the Shoprite Group to the present day. However, this could not have been possible without clear vision, strategy and the appropriate choice of mode of working. The following points highlight some of the key factors that contributed to Shoprite’s success in Africa: Suitability of business model Most of Africa’s populated cities are home to middle to high income earners who yearn for quality of life, and Shoprite’s provision of a world class shopping environment and a wide range of products at arguably affordable prices meets their dreams of a better life. The opening of shopping centres and malls has been a feature of the Shoprite business model, as expressed by the Chairman of the group, C H Wiese in their annual report (Shoprite, 2008:8), â€Å"we have brought a developed country’s shopping experience to millions of people who have never been exposed to trading of this nature†. In essence, this goes beyond the activities of retailing; it is actually development, as the bright shopping outlets and malls have become part of a new urban development and modernity (Miller, 2006). Mode of working Shoprite’s choice of mode for its expansion programme has largely been by opening up its â€Å"own stores† in the countries where it operates. This strategy allows the company to have absolute control over all its operations, both local and foreign, and managing them from its head office in Cape Town. Park and Sternquist (2008) found that retail companies embarking on global strategies prefer opening branches or establishing wholly-owned subsidiaries for their international operations, although franchising has been widely used in this regard. This is because the wholly-owned entry mode allows for more control and involvement in the operations of the new establishment. Opening their own stores also offers potentially greater returns in terms of profit (Park and Sternquist, 2008). However, wholly-owned subsidiaries or own stores are seen as the most expensive mode of internationalisation for any particular company as it requires more resource commitment, including management time and finance (Doole and Lowe, 2004). Doole and Lowe contend that this mode is used when a retail company is certain that its products and services will do well in the long-run, in a foreign market of a politically stable country, since it allows the internationalising company to have full ownership and the control necessary to meet its strategic objectives. Whatever ever the situation, the choice of entry mode is one of the most critical and strategic decisions the company has to make before attempting to internationalise (Venter et al., 2007). Empowerment, jobs and training Despite Shoprite’s approach of opening its own stores and shopping centres, it also invested and continues to Dakora et al. invest in the human capital of the foreign countries where it operates. The group employs more than 8 000 local people in its stores outside South Africa, some of whom have been trained to become managers (Shoprite, 2008). Further, local small scale farmers are being supported to upgrade their production standards so as to supply the Shoprite stores. It has also been reported that the Shoprite Zambian operation is already self-sufficient in vegetable supplies, thanks to the engagement with local farmers. Supply chain efficiency Selling fresh foods in multiple countries through whollyowned stores could pose a logistical nightmare. But, thanks to Shoprite’s sophisticated supply chain network and strategically located distribution centres this has been possible and it has been a success (Shoprite, 2008). Another important element here is their ability to develop the necessary skills, backed by advanced information systems, to enable them to source and deliver products to all their stores from anywhere in the world, says their 2008 annual report. This element summarises the whole essence of retailing – delivering the right products and/or services to the right customers, at the right place, in the right condition or form, and certainly at the right price. As indicated by Dawson and Mukoyama (2006) the most important function of retailers is to make a range of products available to consumers for potential purchase. Information systems and technology Information systems and technologies not only support supply chain management, but also management processes. For the Shoprite Group to manage all its stores and operations from one head office, it has to have reliable information systems and technology in place. They have invested in the most sophisticated information technology and systems available to the retail industry, and employ talented people to manage them, according to the Chairman’s report (Shoprite, 2008). With this advancement in information technology, their systems are able to place up to 490 000 orders per month to reorder products automatically from their existing suppliers, the report indicates. In his report Whitey Basson (Chief Executive Officer) indicates that their investment in information technology and infrastructure has improved efficiencies at all levels of the business, and no doubt the capacity to handle increased supply chain activity in an international context (Shoprite, 2008). DISCUSSION It has come to light from the Shoprite review that both political issues and company-level issues affect South 751 African retailers in their quest to tap into the African market in a fulsome way. In an interview with the Classic FM business programme on 18 February 2009 (Shoprite, 2009b), Basson said: South Africa has not woken up to the fact that they are part of that big global village, and there are a lot of laws that need to be changed to make African traders work better with each other, in and out, it’s a hell of a job to actually get through the red tape and make trading easier. So I feel very strongly about it that they should look at that and say listen, as SA become part of the African continent and a leading role player, we should actually form some committee†¦that makes the trading easy; get [taxes] structured properly†¦, [so that] a truck can go to and be cleared within an hour going from one border to the next and not stand and wait for four or five days in between borders†¦ I think we [are] just lagging in that process. Moreover, in her research into the conditions of Shoprite workers in Lusaka (Zambia) and Maputo (Mozambique), Miller (2006:36) found that â€Å"across the categories of age, gender, skill and permanent or casual status, workers felt misused and mistreated by Shoprite management†. Miller’s research reveals that workers complain about wages, working conditions, hours, and overtime pay. Due to high costs of living, the wages earned could not support their basic needs, although Shoprite’s pay bettered the legislated minimum wage at the time. In general, the expansion of the Shoprite Group into the rest of Africa has shown that modality is important; and the issue of mode is much more than opening wholly owned stores, franchising and others, as it also concerns the relationship with local producers, suppliers and workers and other stakeholders. Speaking to Fin24 (Shoprite, 2009c), Basson had this to say about going into Africa: We can double our African business if we can get rid of all the red tape and all problems of just getting stores and merchandise out there. So it’s really still very, very tough and there is very little help from anybody, be they manufacturers or government from both sides to make the African continent a global trading area like you have in Europe or the Americas. The review of the Shoprite story, and its African expansion strategies, demonstrate that the mode of entry into African markets is of strategic importance. While it is evident that there are still more opportunities for expansion into African countries, there are significant challenges, and these challenges revolve around the choice of entry mode. Therefore the concept of mode and mode differences are important as businesses have to 752 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. take some important decisions about mode. These observations from the Shoprite study suggest the following propositions: Proposition #1: It is not easy getting into African markets; there are significant mode differences which present various challenges. Proposition #2: Components of the modal issues and the nature of the challenges include: a. Support for local economies, producers and suppliers, and labour is critical; b. Efficient supply chain management, and good information systems help; c. Movement of goods across borders can pose logistical problems; d. Competition emerges as many South African retailers expand into the continent; e. Government interventions are needed to open up the continent for trade. The mode is therefore a mix of how these challenges are handled, and this is indicative of the mode choices. Moreover, the challenges regarding support for local producers and labour, and supply chain management are particularly important. South African retailers have come under scrutiny in recent years for dumping South African products in African markets, little support for local labour and pushing local companies out of business (Games, 2008); an issue Shoprite is said to be working hard on (Shoprite, 2008). Also, although most of the newly economically empowered populations of Africa want to spend their money in shopping mall, there are those people who are driven to be concerned about climate change because of the globalisation of the issues of climate change and the significance of carbon footprint management in running a business. This raises the importance of merchandise range management, as some consumers might prefer locally produced organic products. Therefore, there might be a need for the re-ranging of product lines of South African retailers in their African operations. The wider significance of the propositions established, and the relationships and interdependencies between them can be investigated by a review of other South African retail businesses moving in the same direction. OTHER SOUTH AFRICAN RETAILERS EXPANDING INTO THE REST OF AFRICA that the company now operates 12 Game stores in 10 sub-Saharan African countries outside of South Africa including: Botswana, Ghana, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia; most of the stores are said to perform better (in terms of sales) than their South African counterparts (Massmart, 2008). Other format stores are located elsewhere. The report also indicates that the company buys from local suppliers and also import from different countries including South Africa. According to the annual report, the excellent performance of stores in Africa caught management’s attention, and â€Å"this prompted us to revise our earlier policy to limit our African footprint to one store per country (with exception of Botswana and Namibia)†. As a result there are new stores under development for Malawi, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, and others, as reported. However, in an interview with fin24 the Massmart CEO, Grant Pattison indicated just how difficult it is to operate in African markets outside of South Africa, especially when it comes to acquiring property (Massmart, 2009). He said â€Å"we can work on a property for ten years† and explained how that can hamper their expansion process. Having said that, he also indicated that â€Å"the more difficult it is to operate, the more opportunity there is for a good operator† and in the final analysis they do not consider it particularly difficult to operate in foreign African countries (Massmart, 2009). Truworths Truworths is one of the leading South African apparel retailers, selling multiple brands of women’s, men’s, teenager’s and children’s fashions and related products (Truworth, 2008). Truworths is an investment holding company with subsidiaries. Like other South African retailers, the group is expanding into the continent, and currently operates 25 franchised stores in both foreign African countries and in the Middle East (Truworths, 2009). Unlike the Shoprite and Massmart Groups, however, Truworth’s strategy for expansion has been through franchising. The group has a presence in the following African countries beyond the borders of South Africa: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho and Tanzania under its multiple brand labels. However, reports of how well those franchised stores perform are not indicated. Massmart group Woolworths Massmart is a wholesaler and retailer of general merchandise and other streams of goods. Since 1994 the company has expanded its business operation beyond the borders of South Africa to tap markets in the rest of the continent. In its 2008 annual report, it is explained Woolworths, like Truworths, is one of the major fashion and accessories retailers in South Africa; the company also operates a supermarket chain and pharmacies. It operates nationwide and also offers franchise opportunities, both in the local market and foreign African Dakora et al. countries (Woolworths, 2008). As reported, the company operates franchise stores in foreign African countries, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The performance of the franchised foreign operations is, however, not indicated (Woolworths, 2009). RETAIL MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA Retail opportunities in Africa are extensive, as some African countries are experiencing strong economic growth and are benefiting from political reforms. The â€Å"doing business† report of the World Bank (2008) indicates an increasing trend of countries implementing reforms to facilitate cross-border trade globally, and shows that Africa is at the forefront of this trend. The report observes that Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda and Tanzania have all reformed in recent years, and that African countries such as Botswana, Mozambique and Rwanda and Ghana have been able to create positive and stable governments. The resultant boost in their economies has been noticed, and the opportunities are clearly visible (Mahajan and Gunther, 2009). As well as economic expansion, it is worth noting that the combined population of African countries is also growing rapidly. With Africa still showing the highest birth rate, its population is projected to reach two billion by 2050, despite average life expectancy remaining low (Venter et al., 2007). Within African countries there is a growing highly-educated labour force, that can make a contribution to companies expanding into the continent; there is also a growing proportion of middle-income earners who seek to enjoy the services of these companies. In talking about the continent’s market size, potential and opportunities, Mahajan and Gunther (2009:3) help to put things in perspective: Africa has more than 900 million consumers. Despite the challenges, every day they need to eat. They need clean water. They need shelter, clothing, and medicine. They want cell phones, bicycles, computers, automobiles, and education for their children. Businesses are already seizing these opportunities in building markets across Africa. As we have noted, prominent among the companies seizing opportunities in Africa are South African retailers, and this is evident in the rising shopping malls and South African retail stores in cities across the Continent (Miller, 2006; Mahajan and Gunther, 2009). Moreover, the increased communications connectivity and usage in African countries also opens up a lot of opportunities. The information economy report hailed this technology 753 expansion as the source of the strong wave of innovation that changed the face of the global economy during the th last quarter of the 20 century† (United Nations, 2007). With the launch of the East African Submarine Internet cable, that connects Eastern and Southern African countries to the rest of the world in cheaper and faster ways, ICTs will continue to be a positive factor. However, Mahajan and Gunther indicate that most emerging markets have serious problems that cannot be ignored by businesses operating within them, and Africa has its own unique situation; this issue is discussed under the next heading. DIFFICULTIES PROCESS IN THE INTERNATIONALISATION Infrastructure (including transport, electricity, water, sanitation, medicine, and technology) has always been at the forefront of challenges faced by companies operating in Africa, but these challenges actually present opportunities to businesses that can meet them (Mahajan and Gunther, 2009). All the same, it is still difficult and costly to move goods from one country to another when there are poor rail and road networks (Economist Newspaper, 2008). This poses logistical difficulties for retailers who need to move perishable or fast-moving consumer goods from warehouses to stores, in geographically far-flung locations within the continent, as indicated earlier in the discussion of Shoprite. Additionally, cross-border trade is affected by road blocks, red tape and slow custom clearances at most borders. As explained in his interview with Fin24 (Massmart, 2009), the CEO of Massmart said â€Å"[When] we supply goods into Lagos, it might take 12 weeks on the water, [but it can take] 14 weeks to clear†. Obviously, this precludes any consideration of the supply of fresh products. Conclusion As international retailing becomes a reality in Africa, the complexities of the phenomenon, coupled with the unique African situation, need academic attention to help demystify the process. South African retailers have moved into the continent quite cautiously, and most are achieving growth, in some cases even more than within their home operations. This generally positive experience merits more study so that it can be understood and used to accelerate the benefits for all, especially the African consumer. This paper has focused on the mode of internationalisation as an important issue that demands the attention of retail managements considering moving into Africa. For example, it is interesting that Shoprite and general merchandise retailer, Massmart have opened 754 Afr. J. Bus. Manage. their own stores, whereas clothing retailers, Truworths and Woolworths operate via franchising. As a result, while Shoprite and Massmart have full ownership and control over their operations in foreign African countries, they nevertheless have to shoulder the challenges in those markets as discussed. In the case of their franchised counterparts, this has been avoided, at the cost of ownership and some control. It is already evident that there are many variations on these simple themes that all need to be studied and understood. REFERENCES Daniel J, Naidoo V, Naidu S (2003). Post-Apartheid South Africa’s corporate expansion into Africa. Traders. .Afr. Bus. J. AugustNovember, issue: 15. Dawson J, Mukoyama M (2006). The increase in international activities by retailers. In: Dawson J, Lark R, Mukoyama M (eds). Strategic issues in international retailing. London: Routledge. Devers KJ, Frankel RM (2000). Study design in qualitative research – 2: Sampling and data collection strategies. Education for health. 13(2): 263-271. Doole I, Lowe R (2004). International marketing strategy: analysis, development and implementation. 4th ed. London: Thomson. Economist Newspaper Ltd, 2008. Network effects; logistics in Africa. The economist, 389(8602), October, 18. Federzoli D (2006). Concept and test of a comprehensive mode of international strategy for retail companies. Int. Rev. retail, Distribution Consum. Res. 16(4): 415-431. Games D (2008). South African retail sector in Africa. In Grobbelaar N, Basada H (eds). Unlocking Africa’s Potential: the role of corporate South Africa in strengthening Africa’s private sector. Johannesburg: SAIIA. Kolbe RH, Burnett MS (1991). Content-analysis research: an examination of applications and directives for improving reliability objectivity. J. Consum. Res. 18(2): 243-250. Mahajan V, Gunther RE (2009). Africa rising: how 900 million African consumers offer more than you think. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. Massmart (2009). Fin24 interview with Massmart CEO. www.massmart.co.za. [23 July 2009]. Massmart (2008). Annual report, www.massmart.co.za. [23 July 2009]. McGarriagle I (2008). The only way is up. Retail world. April. Miller D (2008). ‘Retail renaissance’ or company rhetoric: the failed partnership of South African Corporation and local suppliers in Zambia. Labour, capital and society. 41(1): 34-55. Miller D (2006). Spaces of resistance: African workers at Shoprite in Maputo and Lusaka. Afr. Dev. 31(1): 27-49. Myers H, Alexander N (2007). The role of retail internationalisation in the establishment of a European retail structure. Int J. Retail Distribution Manage. 35(1): 6-19. Park Y, Sternquist B (2008). The global retailer’s strategic proposition and choice of entry mode. Int. Retail Distribution Manage. 36(4): 281299. Shoprite (2009a). Website. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 Jully 2009]. Shoprite (2009b). Classic FM business’s interview with Shoprite CEO. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 July 2009]’ Shoprite (2009c). Fin24 interview with Shoprite CEO. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Shpoprite (2008). Annual report. www.shoprite.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Sternquist B (2007). International retailing. 2nd ed. New York: Fairchild. Truworths (2009). Website. www.truworths.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Truworths (2008). Annual report. www.truworths.co.za. [20 July 2009]. United Nations. UNCTAD Secretariat (2007). The information economy report 2007-2008: science and technology for development: the new paradigm of ICT. http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/sdteecb20071_en.pdf. Venter D, Erwee R, De Lange R (2007). Economic and social development initiatives for South Africa and Africa. In: Hough J, Neuland E (eds). Global business environment and strategies: managing for global competitive advantage. 3rd ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. Woolworths (2009). Website. www.woolworths.co.za. [20 July 2009]. Woolworths (2008). Annual report. www.woolworth.co.za. [20 July 2009]. World Bank (2008). Doing business 2009. www.doingbusiness.org [24 July 2009]. Zhang M, Dodgson M (2007). â€Å"A roasted duck can still fly away†: A case study of technology, nationality, culture and the rapid and early internationalisation of the firm. J. World Bus. 42: 336-349.