Swot of Taobao

Business: Taobao online trading platform Strengths: 1. The leading individual trading online platform in Asia provided B2C and C2C e-commerce business model. 2. Create (Lead) a convenient and easy online shopping channel for consumer without using traditional retail channels. 3. Connect with a reliable payment method and online trading & paying system (Alipay ) 4. A well-known brand for online trading platform in business field that can attract businesses to join and be the alliance with Taobao. 5.Gather millions of domestic businesses, personal customers, global businesses and global customers (users) to trade and access to a variety of products and services (in a lower price) without constrains of time and distance. 6. Self-help system is promoted to make users have better personal trading place. 7. Strategies like 7-day/30-day Safety Guarantee for Shopping and Shipping/ Shopping Insurance, in Taobao build up customers’ confidence. 8. Rich human resources to have a better de velopment for the business.Weaknesses: 1. There are many counterfeit and pirated goods appeared in Taobao as the supervision is poor. It damages the confidence of the buyers who have bought the fake one while the sale of sellers who are selling genuine is also affected. 2. Credit evaluation system is not comprehensive with poor management while sellers can easily delete a bad comment or evaluation from users (or they can pay and hire someone to evaluate positive comments). It provides low reference values for users. 3.Without effective control, Thousands of online advertisement increased causes the falsity of the advertising also increased. 4. The trading models of Taobao are easily being copied. For example, the Group buying nowadays in Hong Kong was originally started in Taobao. 5. Businesses might withdraw from Taobao and to have their own trading and shopping platform/ they will distribute their resources in different online trading platform when they expand to a certain busines s scale. Then those businesses will become the competitor of Taobao. . Personal information leak may happen, including names, phone numbers and home addresses when businesses get all these information. 7. Taobao does not provide a natively English version for the platform. It limited its expansion in global market. Opportunities: 1. The increasing usage of the Internet and technology development helps the expansion of Taobao. 2. The smartphone technology increases the efficiency and convenience of online shopping and builds up an efficient network business culture.People are confident and motivated to buy more. 3. Government launched a lot of policies to standardize the operation and development of different industries. It indirectly provides an elastic and loose developing environment for online trading platform. 4. Different banking system corporates with Taobao (alipay) to launch different system to provide more services for online users, such as bills payment, insurance or auto paying expenses. 5. The growing economy in China encourages people’s consumption on online shopping platform.Threats: 1. Different competitors in Asia is following behind Taobao and sometimes that its position is threatened, such as QQ Mall, 360buy, Amazon. cn etc. 2. There are many new online paying platforms appeared to challenge the position of Alipay, such as Tenpay (by Tencent) , Baifubao (by Baidu) as they fail to corporate with some third parties (banks, insurance companies) . 3. The quality of different logistic service providers is uneven. There are many complaints about courier stealing goods/damaging goods from customers at Taobao.It will affect Taobao’s expansion until they build up their own systematic and uniform logistic system. 4. Government policy about e-commerce business model is not fully established. Existing law and regulations always fall behind to define the attribution of the burden of proof. It somehow causes online transaction disputes betwee n buyers and sellers. 5. Traditional shopping platform provide a direct way for customers to look, feel and touch with the product. A big market will still stick with traditional trading platform (like malls, markets or shops in real).

The Creation Of Walkable Communities Health And Social Care Essay

Methods – With control over neighbourhood location and want through sample pick, the analysis maps primary informations through observation, and secondary informations of official statistics from the Office of National Statistics, to compare the denseness, design and diverseness of two vicinities in Leeds, England. Consequences – Consistent differences in degrees of walkability were found between the vicinities, the most positive and walkable environment holding the lowest resident fleshiness rates. Conclusion – The consequences of analysis promote the demand of making walkable communities to better wellness and encourage sustainability within local vicinities. Further research at a more personal degree with the occupants is required to place the most effectual path of making a walkable environment, whether it is through service denseness, diverseness or prosaic friendly design.IntroductionThe Foresight Report compiled by the Government Office for Science states the four chief causes for fleshiness as being Biology, Impact of early life and growing forms, Behaviour, and the Living Environment, with the life environment besides playing an influence under the rubric of behavior ( 2007, pp.43-54 ) . With research demoing that ‘by 2050, 60 % of males and 50 % of females could be corpulent ‘ ( Foresight, 2007 ) , there is an immediate demand for alterations in the environment to ‘promote self-generated instead than sports-related or calculated physical activi ty ‘ ( Townshend et al, 2010 ) . Numerous surveies have been carried out researching the relationship between fleshiness, BMI, Physical activity and the built environment, utilizing assorted types of informations and methods of analysis. A big per centum of surveies found positive correlativity between walkable communities and lower degrees of fleshiness and/or rates of BMI ( Saelens et al, 2003 ; Van Dyck et Al, 2009b ; Frank et Al, 2006 ; Frank et Al, 2005 ; Frank et Al, 2007 ; Brian et Al, 2003 ; Heinrich et Al, 2008 ) . A smaller per centum found no direct positive correlativity between walkability and degrees of fleshiness or BMI ( Van Dyck et Al, 2009a ; Giles-Cortia and Donovan, 2002 ) but found positive relationships such as between high degrees of auto usage and the likeliness of fleshiness, ( Frank et al, 2004 ) , and the correlativity between an environments aesthetics and physical activity ( Humpel et al, 2004 ) .MethodsDesignFig. 1Previous research has used varied attacks to specifying and mensurating a neighbourhoods walkability, looking at perceived envrionmental properties ( Humpel et al, .2004 ) , entree to services ( Elkin et al, 1991 cited in Jenks et al,1996, pp.182 ) , safety ( Gomez et al, 2004 ) and entree to green countries ( Nielsen and Bruun, 2007 ) amongst others. This survey will utilize the 3 D ‘s, an analysis of population denseness, prosaic friendly design, and diverseness, as seen in plants by Cervero and Kockelman ( 1997 ) , Cathleen et Al ( 2009 ) and Frank et Al ( 2005 ) . Townshend et Al ( 2010, pp.22 ) besides supports this attack by specifying walkability as ‘the extent to which walking is supported in an country through†¦ well-connected street webs with a assortment of land utilizations and higher densenesss ‘ From the Office of National Statistics I have chosen two Middle Layer Super Output Areas, Leeds 082 and Leeds 053. These datasets cover the Outer City Centre vicinities of Holbeck and Harehills severally. The old ages in which the information was collected scope from 2005 – 2010, with the travel type and distances to work datasets being the exclusion, taken from 2001.SamplePrevious research and statistics highlighted degrees of want ( Heinrich et al, 2008 ; Morland et Al, 2001 ) , distance to the closest metropolis Centre, ethnicity ( Zhang and Wang, 2004 ) , and population turnover as cardinal influences on walkability, all of which are controlled through vicinity pick. Both countries are ranked in the lowest 10 % in the state by the index of multiple want. Fig.1 shows that both countries are within the 5km distance to Leeds City Centre deemed by Barton ( 1995 pp.116 ) as indispensable to promote cycling and usage of public conveyance whilst sing the metropolis. Based on the UK Census 2001, both countries have a varied mix of occupant ethnicities, shown in Table.1. Statisticss from 2001 to 2008 set up that Holbeck and Harehills have average population turnovers per 1000 occupants of -25 and -43 s everally, both demoing a chiefly negative rate over the 7 twelvemonth period. The Office of National Statistics found, in 2003 – 2005, Holbeck ‘s Model Based Estimate for Obesity was 23.9 % , and Harehill ‘s was 19.9 % . With a reasonably important difference in rates of fleshiness, the survey, with the above mentioned controls, gives the analysis and consequences, associating to denseness, diverseness and design, a stronger relationship and influence over the rates of fleshiness.*Data from Office for National Statistics, 2001MeasuresPopulation DensityResidential denseness has been found to hold a strong nexus with the denseness of services available, with higher residential denseness ensuing in higher densenesss of services and comfortss which in bend creates a more walkable environment ( Frank ( 2003, pp.101, cited in Townshend et Al, 2010, pp.22 ; Ewing et Al, 2003 ; Rundle, 2007 ; Pendola and Gen, 2007 ) . Population denseness has been calculated utilizing the resident population in 2009 per hectare of the defined MLSOA boundary. Barton ( 1995 ) supports this step as it has been found ‘people per hectare is the cardinal step of denseness when sing the viability of public conveyance and local services ‘ . Density of services will be analysed utilizing function and observation techniques to analyze spread and entree in concurrence to the countries of residential belongingss.Pedestrian Friendly DesignQuality of waies, connectivity and the presence of prosaic crossings has had mixed consequences when compared to general walkability of an country and its relationship with fleshiness and BMI, both negative ( Rundle, 2007 ) and positive ( saelens et Al, 2003, pp.80-91 cited in Booth et Al, 2005 ; Heinrick, 2008 ) . This survey uses observation and function to turn up characteristics and comparison with location o f installations, services and lodging within the MLSOA boundary.DiversenessThis survey maps the scope of installations available in each defined vicinity in relationship to countries of abode. Diverseness of installations has been shown to hold a strong relationship with engagement in non motorised travel ( Brown et al, 2009 ; Frank et Al, 2004 ; Barton, 1995 ; Rundle, 2007 ) . Research besides been undertaken to analyze rates of fleshiness and/or BMI with relationship to the type of nutrient services that are available ( Zick et al,2009 ) , and manner of travel to work ( Pendola and Gen,2007 ; Cerin et Al, 2007 ) , which this survey will besides analyze.AnalysisDensityPhoto. 1, Own Image, High denseness lodging, HolbeckStatistics show that the Holbeck MLSOA has a resident denseness of 34 individuals per hectare, and Harehills as holding a much higher denseness of 147 individuals per hectare. Due to the larger boundary set by the Holbeck MLSOA, it includes a big country of industry to the North, which has influenced the significantly lower rate than Harehills. Upon looking into the informations provided for the Lower Layer Super Output Area of Leeds 082C, within the Leeds 082 MLSOA, the occupant denseness is 127 people per hectare, of big unsimilarity to the earlier found denseness rate. This is due to the LLSOA boundary incorporating merely the South country of Holbeck, where the services and lodging can chiefly be found. Barton ( 1995 ) gives a usher of 100 people per hectare as a upper limit for vicinities, saying that 100pph will ‘permit a broad assortment of brooding and garden size ‘ every bit good as being a cardinal denseness when ‘considering the viability of public conveyance and of local services ‘ . Any higher than this and it can be assumed that unfastened infinite in the country will be jeopardised which in its ego has been found to be damaging to wellness ( Nielsen,2007 ) . Evidence shows the residential countries of Holb eck and Harehills are over populated, and to make a walkable environment for this degree of denseness at that place needs to be a big mix and Google – Map informations, 2010, Tele Atlas North America, Inc [ online ] Available at & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.google.co.uk & A ; gt ; [ Accessed 22 December 2010 ] denseness of services on offer to prolong the local community.Fig. 2Google – Map informations, 2010, Tele Atlas North America, Inc [ online ] Available at & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.google.co.uk & A ; gt ; [ Accessed 22 December 2010 ]Fig. 3Google – Map informations, 2010, Tele Atlas North America, Inc [ online ] Available at & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.google.co.uk & A ; gt ; [ Accessed 22 December 2010 ]Fig. 4 Fig. 5ig.2 and Fig.3 show the defined MLSOA ‘s of Holbeck and Harehills severally. Highlighted with the ruddy circles are the centre points of the chief lodging groups, the outer ruddy circle rim represents a radius, from the Centre points, of 400 meters, the journey distance at which Barton ( 1995 ) states it is more like occupants will walk or rhythm instead than utilize a auto. Both vicinities clearly show installations are available within this 400m radius, Holbeck ‘s services at a visibly more sporadic and lower denseness than Harehills. The clear additive bunch of services in Harehills is associated with a more encouraging High Street manner walkable environment, offering easiness of entree and the ‘opportunity for multipurpose trips ‘ ( Cervero, 1990 cited in Barton, 1995 ) . Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 – Google – Map informations, 2010, Tele Atlas North America, Inc [ online ] Available at & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.google.co.uk & A ; gt ; [ Accessed 22 December 2010 ] The Department for Communities and Local Government ( 2001 ) provinces in the Planning Policy Guidance 13: Conveyance, that for sustainable conveyance design it is of import to ‘concentrate higher denseness residential developments near public conveyance Centres, or alongside corridors good served by public conveyance ( or with the possible to be served ) and close to local installations ‘ . Fig.5 shows a clear presentation of defined bunchs of assorted services along the additive coach paths. Fig.4 shows how, although Holbecks chief bunchs are non every bit lineated as Harehills, the bulk do fall beside the coach paths and chief prosaic paths. Google – Map informations, 2010, Tele Atlas North America, Inc [ online ] Available at & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.google.co.uk & A ; gt ; [ Accessed 22 December 2010 ] Fig. 6 Google – Map informations, 2010, Tele Atlas North America, Inc [ online ] Available at & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.google.co.uk & A ; gt ; [ Accessed 22 December 2010 ] Fig. 7Pedestrian friendly designPhoto. 2, Own Image, Pedestrian traversing on chief street, HarehillsFig. 6 and Fig. 7 show the function of prosaic friendly design characteristics within the MLSOA ‘s of Holbeck and Harehills severally. Holbeck has a sum of 44 prosaic friendly characteristics, with a higher assortment than Harehills but a surprisingly low sum due to the larger country mapped. Harehills has a sum of 55. Harehills higher denseness and the location of characteristics provide a safer and more significant path through the country, the bulk in the countries of high activity. Holbeck has limited crossings in the countries with higher activity, particularly around the cardinal bunch where the chief route has high volumes of traffic. The lone pronounced rhythm paths from both vicinities were found in Holbeck, supplying entree to the chief shopping bunch in the South. The chief lodging countries within Holbeck is situated good within the cyclist penchant of 5km distance t o the metropolis Centre ( Barton, 1995 ) , as mentioned earlier, nevertheless merely one little rhythm path was found in the North and so small has been done to take advantage of this premier location, likewise with the deficiency of prosaic crossings and safety characteristics along the path.Fig.11Fig.8DiversenessFig.8 to Fig.13, and Fig.14 to Fig. 19 map the concerns and services in the country of Holbeck and Harehills severally. Businesss have been grouped into six classs, each analysed below. On survey of the public services maps ( Fig 8 and Fig.14 ) Harehills has a higher sum of public services and a bigger conurbation making within the chief lodging countries, with Holbeck ‘s public services chiefly in the chief bunch countries. The drama and diversion map ( Fig.9 ) identifies that Holbeck provides countries of diversion for each chief lodging group. Harehill ‘s ( Fig.15 ) merely has one country of diversion within the boundary, which may be detering for many occupants to walk at that place. Fig 10 and Fig.16 highlight specialist stores and vesture stores. Harehills has a broad scope of specializer stores and vesture stores, cut downing the necessity to go elsewhere for most twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours points. Holbeck had important deficiency of specializer stores in figure and assortment. This deficiency in diverseness would promote public and private motorised travel to the nearest shopping countries, with the southernmost residential country holding a wider assortment of stores but is out of the 400m radius of the two other residential countries. Photo. 3, Own Image, hapless rhythm path, HolbeckFig.11 shows there are a important scope of industries and offices throughout Holbeck, with a big sum in close propinquity to the chief residential countries, offering employment chances within walking or cycling distance. Statisticss from the Office of National Statistics shows that in 2001, of 2308 occupants in employment in Holbeck, 458, 19.85 % walked to work, and 45, 1.9 % cycled. Statisticss besides showed that 1624 occupants worked less than 5km ‘s from place. If we take 5km ‘s as the maximal distance people are willing to rhythm ( Barton, 1995, pp.116 ) , we can presume that 45 people out of 1624, 2.8 % , of those within a comfy cycling distance really rhythm to work. This per centum is low, nevertheless there are many factors which could act upon this. Barton ( 2000, pp. 223 ) stated that there are two factors that can deter people from cycling, ‘safety and security ‘ . Pedestrian friendly design plays a big factor, with the found deficiency of cycling paths doing the journey insecure, nevertheless the sample country is likely non to cover everyone ‘s way to work and so may non be a clear representation of this. Multiple want can besides be a big factor, and with Holbeck and Harehills being in the lowest 10 % it is likely that the monetary value of buying a motorcycle and the feeling of the demand to protect against larceny of the motorcycle in the country will besides play a big influence on the statistics. Harehills statistics from 2001 show similar rates of walking and cycling to work, out of 2169 people in employment, 404, 18.6 % walked to work and 31, 1.4 % cycled. Fig.17 shows a significantly smaller sum of industry in Harehills in comparing to Holbeck, this will significantly cut down employment rates in the locality. Interestingly, 1471 work less than 5km ‘s from place, similar findings to those in Holbeck, with the premise of about 2.1 % of those working within 5km ‘s of place cycling to work. It ‘s clear that the hapless quality and sum of rhythm paths and degrees of want have a big consequence over these findings. Photo. 4, Own Image, Example of closed concern, HolbeckFig.12 and Fig.18 show the vacant concerns in the countries. Both vicinities show a tendency of the vacant concerns bing in the chief residential countries, which is common with the current be aftering tendency of centralizing services and installations by replacing little stores, amongst other installations, with fewer larger services and installations in a more centralized place ( Barton, 2000 ) . Fig.13 and Fig.19 map the local nutrient environment. For the intent of the survey, food market stores were defined by their proviso of a broad scope of healthy fresh green goods, so little convenience shops were non included. A big scope of surveies have been carried out in this country, with a little bulk of findings reasoning that the closer occupants are in propinquity to a store selling healthier green goods, the healthier their dietetic consumption or the lower their weight ( Powell et al, 2007 ; Morland et al,2002 ; Morland et Al, 2006, all cited in Lovasia et Al, 2009, pp. 9 ) . A figure of surveies besides linked deprived countries and their likeliness of holding more fast nutrient mercantile establishments, with equal positive ( Cummins et Al, 2005 ) and negative ( Macintyre, 2005 ) findings. Holbeck has a similar sum of fast nutrient mercantile establishments as Harehills, but a significantly lower sum of mercantile establishments supplying healthier fresh green goods. Har ehills has more mercantile establishments selling healthier green goods than fast nutrient, with an even spread throughout the country. It may be assumed that occupants of Harehills eat healthier due to higher entree to healthier nutrients, nevertheless there is still a high rate of fast nutrient mercantile establishments to act upon their pick. With merely a little bulk of surveies associating a healthier nutrient environment to healthier diets and lower weights, it would be difficult to presume it has a big influence over fleshiness rates without farther survey in this country. Decision The analysis of the 3 D ‘s and their consequence upon walkability found more positives with respects to making a walkable environment in the MLSOA of Harehills than that of Holbeck. As discussed earlier in the survey, the built environment and its control of physical activity has a big influence on a individuals likeliness of being corpulent ( Foresight, 2007 ) . This fact combined with the nature of the survey being at vicinity degree, it can be assumed that the analysis demoing that Harehill ‘s is a by and large more walkable community is a factor that effects the 4 % lower rate of fleshiness. Previous surveies of the 3 D ‘s found varied consequences as to which factor was the most influential on rates of fleshiness, BMI and/or physical activity. To reason which is the most influential factor within Harehill ‘s and Holbeck would necessitate farther survey. Participant studies to derive more personal information about the occupants and their activity would be good in reasoning this. The decrease of the usage of private motorised conveyance through making walkable communities necessarily consequences in a decrease of the pollution that these vehicles produce. The constructs behind the creative activity of a walkable country are outstanding in the construct of making a Compact City, a sustainable metropolis design. As outlined by Jenks ( 1996 ) , the two dominant motivations for making a Compact City are ‘global warming†¦ ..and the loss of unfastened countryside to urban usage ‘ . It shows how higher denseness life will cut down the demand for travel which is ‘the fastest turning and least controlled subscriber to planetary heating ‘ . With sustainability at the head of most contrivers, developers and designers work, the building of walkable communities are fast going integrated into the building of new sustainable developments and sustainable regenerations of bing vicinities, whether intended or non. Limits The analysis standard and attack could be applied to other countries, but with certain bounds as set out in this survey. First, consequences may change with respects to try size. The 3 D ‘s signifier of analysis was chosen due to its old usage in similar sized countries. Its analysis and consequences are most conclusive when used at this sample size, therefore a more appropriate signifier of analysis would necessitate to be considered for larger or smaller countries. The control of propinquity to a major metropolis or town Centres and degrees of want were of import as mentioned throughout the survey. Due to the impact fluctuations in this country can hold a upon walkability in a vicinity, the same restraints are encouraged in any farther research documents with the attack taken in this survey.

Technological Convergence in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Technological Convergence in Business - Essay Example In addition, it can be observed that one of the majority productive benefits that latest technology has provided in interpersonal and e-communication aspects of business department now is definitely the pace of communication among businesses. Since the time required in initiating and getting communication from diverse business units has lessened during the previous few decades. Thus, this thing just confirms that since latest technology progresses, with the pace of the business communication capabilities having great influence on interpersonal communication aspects (Free Articles Directory., 2011). This paper will discuss how key technological events in the last century have changed the way business communication is done by the businesses. Overview During the previous few years, people’s way of communication has altered extremely. Latest technologies which were on the bounds have turned into adamantly a majority. In this e-communication era the development of the internet tech nology has been contrasted with the discovery of the printing-press with respect to its basic affect on how business information is created, utilized and distributed across the world. In addition, this worldwide system and its connected technologies have had an immense influence on business communications, and, next to this, evolutions in the areas of digital imaging technology, digital information processing and storage, and development computerization have expressed again how businesses communicate at every phase of the development (Moukoko, 2011). Moreover, at the moment in this competitive environment every business (regardless of its nature and size) enjoys some type of web based or online existence, offering their clients access to a strong and unlimited client support. Currently, the United Kingdom invests 30 billion yearly on online businesses. In this scenario, e-commerce structures imply that clients are able to buy products and valuable services by clicking a button, and that the company is able to design an impressive performance of client actions. The entire of these technology based evolutions have modernized business communications approximately further than conviction. These capabilities have enhanced interpersonal skills and electric communication in business infrastructure. Furthermore, to improvise business interpersonal skills and e-communication the technology of social networking is possibly the majority modern exhortation within business communications. At the present, companies know that websites similar to Twitter and Facebook are advertising areas they are able use, as well as that they may perhaps as well utilize these websites for networking purposes in addition to clients’ dealings. Thus, due to massive innovations in technology business communications has altered much, and will persist to act as technology develops (Moukoko, 2011). In this era technology looks to be overexcited because of steady developments. Innovative tec hnologies are being introduced continually, as well as the influence this can have upon the field of business communication is immense. Since technology persists to go ahead, it is imperative to appreciate the implication of technology inside the area of business communication. In the business communication technological convergence brought following innovations: (eHow, 2011; McGrath, 2008; Management Study Guide, 2011) Pace Because technology has developed a

I don't care, anything along the lines of engineering. I am doing Annotated Bibliography

I don't care, anything along the lines of engineering. I am doing Industrial engineering if you can find any articles around that - Annotated Bibliography Example I am amazed to see the application of supply chain management in medical and emergency missions, rescue and relief efforts in times of disasters and other societal settings improving the living standards. Thus, I see a great prospect for the supply chain management in the near future. Supply chain management is an important aspect for efficient production because supply chain controls and manages the flow of product. In other terms, supply chain controls the flow of capital in an industrial setting. The title supply chain management encompasses all the activities from planning and control of materials and/or information within different parts of one organization or between different companies. Supply chain management links different portions of industrial activities like manufacturing, purchasing, distribution of commodity and its transportation. Thus, every field of engineering gets integrated with the operation of production efficiency (Reddi and Moon). It is interesting to note that in an industry, important activities like transportation, warehousing, and inventory control, sourcing, procurement and supply management all comes under the single head of supply management. While, outside of the organization, supply chain management includes interactions with suppliers, distributors, carriers, and with customers. Thus, results in increased market share and better competitive advantage. In order to successfully compete in the market company needs two things; first to control the expenditure on the production (i.e., product should be cost effective) and secondly, the product must satisfy the needs or desires of the costumes. In such a way, the company maintains its competitiveness while expanding market share. Pricing, thus, plays an important role in this regard (Zhang, Wang and Li). It’s amazing that the whole world works like a giant supply chain system. Highly developed supply chain necessitates best infrastructures, i.e., roads, railway network,

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Technology Plan & Email Skills - Essay Example It may occur any time and is unpredictable. If the existing system fails due to any reason, student cannot continue his online learning. So to avoid such a circumstance, one has to keep one or two alternative computers. At any situation if the working computer fails then other computer can be used. Try to use all the computers. Otherwise there is a chance for failure in the unused computers also. So check the functionality of the alternative computers occasionally. Keep details of the help desk: - Problems like unable to access the computer or network may occur in any system. It may also affect the online learning. For this type of learning, student always needs successfully operating computer and availability of network. So keep the details like phone number and E-mail ID of the computer servicing centers or persons and make sure of their availability as fast as possible. Student must take care that these persons or centers provide good service and they are efficient in the computer hardware and operating system. Keep the contact details of the classmates and customer service team: - There may be situations when cannot have access to his computer or Internet. In such situation they cannot know about details like assignments and other works give in that session. It will affect his study. To avoid this, keep the contact details of one or more classmates. They can give the updated information about the assignments. So keep a good relationship with classmates. Try to keep details of customer service team. It will help to face difficult situation. Keep the back up regularly: - Student should know the basic operations of the computer. Data kept in the computer may lose due to various reasons like, human error, hark disk failure, virus attack, and large file transfer etc. (Pacchiano, 2006). To avoid the data loss from the computer, student must take care for saving the data in the internal drives. Take the back

Eating disorders -- causes Society's portrayal of woman Research Paper

Eating disorders -- causes Society's portrayal of woman - Research Paper Example Social and genetic factors can produce eating disorder problems. Genetics can be blamed when there are hormonal imbalances and other biological problems. Family factors and culture can shape beliefs and attitudes that make some women and girls prone to eating disorders. Cover Letter Name Address 9 January 2013 Eating disorders are serious problems that have social and cultural implications. Because of the media and other factors, young girls and women are developing body image problems that make them vulnerable to self-esteem and confidence issues, thereby contributing to eating disorder problems. This paper determines the causes of eating disorders, predominantly the role of media and society in shaping body image issues. The main purpose is to educate the public about the causes of eating disorders, so that they can resist the impact of some of these factors on their body image and eating attitudes and practices. To attain this research goal, current studies and reports from valid academic sources are used. This research showed that media is a risk, if not a strong causative, factor that can promote negative body images and body dissatisfaction, thereby promoting disordered eating practices. It uses very thin women who become negative role models to women and can result to women developing body image anxiety and low self-esteem. ... Society, as a whole, must work together in developing the kind of media and civilization that respect and celebrate different body images and promote beauty that is not physical, but inside individuals. Introduction Anorexia and bulimia nervosa are two eating disorders that have serious physical and psychological effects, sometimes even leading to death. These disorders have also increased in prevalence for the past few decades, thereby generating protests from concerned families and organizations about the kind of society that they live in, when very young girls and adult women grow up having negative body images. The media and its portrayal of extremely thin women as the ultimate beauty standard have been blamed as one of the most influential causes of eating disorders (Derenne & Beresin, 2006; Spettigue & Henderson, 2004). By media, this includes fashion and beauty magazines, TV shows, and movies. The toy industry does not help too, when it sells toys with unrealistic body types, such as Barbie and other dolls. Moreover, society promotes definitions of and pressures to beauty that girls grow up to (Makino, Tsuboi, and Dennerstein, 2004). This paper determines the causes of eating disorders, particularly the role of media and society in shaping body image issues. This research showed that media is a risk factor that can promote negative body images and body dissatisfaction, thereby promoting disordered eating practices. Social and genetic factors can produce eating disorder problems. Causes of Eating Disorders The causes of eating disorders are varied and may depend on genetics and family factors. This paper divides the causes into genetic, family, the

Business in India Essay Example for Free

Business in India Essay In order to do business in India, it is necessary ensure that the business is set under the required procedures and regulations of industrial undertaking.   The goods to be manufactured should fall within licensed, relicensed or small scale sector.   A license allows a company to use the property of the licensor.   The properties could either be intangible items like trademarks, patent rights and production techniques. To get the license, one is required to fill an application with the Ministry of Industry. Starting a company in India for the aforesaid involves assessing the commercial opportunity for self, managing business, obtaining legal requirements, money, business premises, obtaining workers and developing the marketing schemes for the products to be produced and the services to be offered. In this case Roger Smith at Prime Pumps has suggested that Maddock Inc and Governor Inc enter the Indian market as a joint venture.   It will be a great idea to take since a joint venture business has the advantage of sharing risks, sharing of technology to increase and improve production and it is possible to conform to government’s regulations.   Also, in a joint venture business internationally, there are quick political connections and distribution channels. Having done business together, it means that the two business associates will experience the converging of their strategic goals while diverging their competitive goal.   In this they will only operate to improve their business by influencing market power and learning from one another while restraining admittance to their personal proprietary skills. Advantages of early entry into a foreign market The company enjoys monopoly since there could be no other companies producing the same products. This increases the profits and hence the company can expand its operations in a very short time limit. A company enjoys reduced labor cost as there are no other firms to compete with in determining wage packages.   The workers will not have options to choose which companies to work for in regard to the pay accorded. Ability to secure a wide market in the absence of other competing companies hence increased sales will be experienced. Disadvantages of early entry into a foreign market Lack of competition could lead to poor production quality of goods or services that a company is dealing with. Poor quality goods could pose a health hazard situation to the consumer and this could also lead to a crisis in the economy A company might not have the power to confront the government when its operating alone in a foreign market pertaining the rights of foreign companies and this could cause oppression on the side of the company for lack of bargaining power. Peter should be careful to consider what the targets are for the business to be set up in India, where to locate the business and the manner in which it should be established.   He should outline how ready is the business to give back to the community in terms of employing the local citizens in India, producing quality services and products.   They should also investigate and learn the interests and requirements of the people of India and provide possible solutions to the same. Peter will have to estimate the potential correctly to avoid underestimation of India’s complexity or overestimation of the probabilities in India. Overestimation or Underestimation may lead to failure and it is necessary to give a due consideration to the factor of the inherent difficulties and uncertainties of operating in the Indian system.   It is worth noting that India is has a large economy in the world and it offers high prospects for development in practically all areas of business. Also the inefficient bureaucracy of the Indian government is moving slowly which calls for reforms. Since Melanie has limited knowledge regarding international law, it will not be appropriate for Peter to share with her what other companions have suggested because she might not even understand.   Lack of knowledge on international law means that Melanie will not have an idea of how to deal with any occurrence in the international field. Conclusion For a business to thrive in a foreign country, the owners should ensure that they comply with federal regulations so that there will be a smooth running of the business without disturbance from the local authorities.   For the joint venture business, the partners should sign up the partnership deed to ensure they conduct themselves as per the requirements. It is important that individual also have a general knowledge of international law and business operations to avoid any inconveniences.

Business Essays Entrepreneur Education Natural

Business Essays Entrepreneur Education Natural Entrepreneur Education Natural Introduction The intention of this paper is to discuss whether entrepreneurs are born, that is, they have inherent, natural in-born endowments to become and succeed as entrepreneurs or they are the products of the art and the science of entrepreneurship that they have been taught in schools and colleges. This, of course, is not a new controversy; it has been debated for a long time and by different people from different backgrounds. Some aspects of this debate are discussed below in the review of the literature on the subject. It is tempting, no doubt, to follow in this matter of the debate too, Alexander Pope’s advice on the forms of government and get on with a discussion and analysis of the concept and implications of entrepreneurship without tarrying to find an answer to the query whether entrepreneurship is a god-given attribute or a man-made artefact. However, it is found prudent and even somewhat necessary in the matter of discussing the topic of this essay, to follow the sage dictum attributed to the amiable character, Sir Roger de Coverly of Addison’s Essays, that â€Å"much may be said on both sides of the question† . Much indeed can be said about the qualities of entrepreneurship being implanted in a person by Nature herself as in the case of Sir Alan Sugar in UK or Ophrah Winfry in USA. And much also can be said to counter this view with many examples of outstanding ‘entrepreneurial’ achievement by college-educated ‘entrepreneurs’. In a few paragraphs below we verify these points of view with some select appropriate examples. Entrepreneurs by natural endowments The US is a land of entrepreneurs. ‘From Benjamin Franklin to Ben Jerry, William Penn to Bill Gates, Eli Whitney to Oprah Winfrey, famous entrepreneurs, both historical and contemporary, offer insight and inspiration through their stories’. The discoverers of the American continent themselves were ‘entrepreneurs’ of a high calibre. It is not necessary to take any stand on a dispute whether it was Christopher Columbus or Amerigo Vespucci who discovered America, for both of them were in-born entrepreneurs. The hall-mark of an entrepreneur commonly accepted by ‘economist writers’ on the subject is the propensity of the person to start and manage an enterprise, with great risk and uncertainty being constant, in-built companions as it were, of the enterprise from the very moment of its commencement and later all throughout its journey towards achievement – a kind of risk incorporating within itself the possibility of losing one’s name, reputation, may be one’s entire wealth and friends, and even life itself. Cassen remarks that: â€Å"According to Cantillon the entrepreneur is a specialist in taking on risk. He insures workers by buying their products (their labor services) for resale before consumers have indicated how much they are willing to pay for them. The workers receive an assured income, while the entrepreneur bears the risk caused by price fluctuations in consumer markets. This idea was refined by the U.S. economist Frank H. Knight, who distinguished between risk, which is insurable, and uncertainty, which is not. Risk relates to recurring events whose relative frequency is known from past experience, while uncertainty relates to unique events whose probability can only be subjectively estimated† (Casson). Knight is said to have postulated that while the entrepreneurs can lay off risks much like insurance companies do (with their ‘law of large numbers’), they have to bear the uncertainties themselves. They are prepared to do this because the profit of the enterprise compensates them for the psychological costs involved. Casson goes on to say that Joseph Schumpeter took a different approach, emphasizing the role of innovation. â€Å"According to Schumpeter, the entrepreneur is someone who carries out new combinations by such things as introducing new products or processes, identifying new export markets or sources of supply, or creating new types of organization. Schumpeter presented a heroic vision of the entrepreneur as someone motivated by the dream and the will to found a private kingdom; the will to conquer: the impulse to fight, to prove oneself superior to others; and the joy of creating.(Casson) This ‘dream and vision’ attribute of a Schumpeterian entrepreneur to found a ‘private kingdom’ all his own seems to be a latter day echo of Marx-Engel’s version of the entrepreneur (‘the bourgeois’), ‘who cannot exist without constantly revolutionizing the instruments of production and creating such an abundance of wealth, to get rid of which â€Å"he is in search for new markets by conquest and/or by the more thorough exploitation of the old ones†. â€Å"The need of a constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over the whole surface of the globe. It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections everywhere† (Marx Engels). The burden of the argument in this paragraph has been that an entrepreneur is a person who takes the risks of failure of an enterprise and by analogy enjoys the benefits from its success. The proclivity to take risk and accept its consequences either for good or bad is largely a natural inclination, and not come by from pouring over voluminous pages of treatises on management. That entrepreneurship is inborn is exemplified by the life history of the famous Sir Alan Sugar. As the story of his life well known, it does not merit repetition here. But what does merit mention here is the overwhelming substantiation of the proposition that entrepreneurial talents are inborn and not induced by school or college learning in a survey conducted by the Northeastern Universitys School of Technological Entrepreneurship. Leslie Taylor reports that according to the survey conducted by the School, â€Å"nearly two-thirds of entrepreneurs claim they were inspired to start their own companies by their innate desire and determination, rather than by their education or work experience. Only 1 percent of more than 200 U.S. entrepreneurs surveyed cited higher education as a significant motivator toward starting their own venture, while 61 percent cited their innate drive. Other motivators cited were work experience (21 percent) and success of entrepreneurial peers within their industry (16 percent). Thirty-three percent of respondents launched their first venture between the ages of  18 and 30; 13 percent between 30 and 40; and only 12 percent started their first business after the age of 40† (Taylor). The Survey also shed some light on the psychological trait of ‘risk’ on which a heavy weight has been laid in the context of entrepreneurship. The survey found that â€Å"that the majority of entrepreneurs were confident about the success of their first venture. Thirty-two percent said they had no fear that their venture would not succeed, while 42 percent had some fear but characterized themselves as confident. Only 14 percent said they experienced significant fear that their first venture would fail, while 12 percent said fear of failure delayed their leap into entrepreneurship† (Taylor). The survey findings are significant in so far as they indicate that the innate desire to become an entrepreneur cannot generally be taught; however, what may be called ‘the entrepreneurship skills’ can be taught, to a consideration of which I turn now. Skills required for an entrepreneur It has been mentioned above the entrepreneurship requires certain skills. In this section I propose to discuss some of the skills usually considered as being necessary for one to become a successful entrepreneur. It is a truism to say that getting a business off the ground successfully requires a combination of a sound business concept, skill, effort, and timing. Apart from the purely idiosyncratically individualistic factors that may motivate one to launch oneself as an entrepreneur, it has been noted that successful entrepreneurs normally have a number of similar skills and characteristics. Colette Henry et al citing Hisrich and Peters (1998) categorize the various skills required by entrepreneurs as follows. â€Å"Technical skills: includes written and oral communication, technical management and organizing skills. Business management skills: includes planning, decision-making, marketing and accounting skills. Personal entrepreneurial skills: includes inner control, innovation, risk taking and innovation. In addition, Hisrich and Peters (1998) stress that the development of particular skills, namely inner control, risk taking, innovativeness, being change oriented, persistence and visionary leadership, differentiates an entrepreneur from a manager† (Henry 2005). Specifically these skills include, first the â€Å"Product/expertise†, that is to say, in order to start, survive and flourish, all businesses need a product that is in demand. The would-be entrepreneur needs to have the know-how and industry-specific knowledge of product or service he or she is proposing to provide. He/she should examine what is unique about them, about their product or service, and the experience they have gained throughout their career; and how they can present all these to potential clients so that they see the value of what the entrepreneurs have to offer. Strong motivation to achieve is an essential â€Å"skill† for an entrepreneur. Working for oneself requires a great amount of dedication, discipline and drive. One must be able to get to work every morning without the support frame-work of a demanding boss or hustling co-workers to keep one going. Another skill requirement is that of marketing and sales. However much one is competent technically, one will have to market and sell oneself. This requires a large measure of self-confidence not just in one’s technical skills but in one’s ability to find and land assignments as well. It will be necessary to get potential clients to believe that one is the best person for this task even before one will get a chance to show off one’s technical competence. It is essential for one to have the confidence that he or she is the person who can deliver the special product that meets their customers needs. ‘Integrity and follow-through’ is another skill that is indispensable for an entrepreneur to succeed. The commitments and promises made to the consumers should be fulfilled honestly and promptly at or before the time when they have been promised to be done and according to the promised quality specifications. Any deviation from such promises should be made known to the client well in advance, in any case before the deadline arrives. This skill is an important key in building a successful business practice because a happy and satisfied class of customers help to build and enlarge the domain of one’s business. Another skill required is communication skills. Oral and written communication skills are required for networking, marketing, sales presentations, project proposals, project/client management and documentation of the finished product. If one is unable to convey thoughts clearly and concisely in conversation and in writing, it is apt to reduce one’s effectiveness as a professional. Associated with the communication skills that a would-be-entrepreneur is expected to have, are the interpersonal skills that he/she should posses. The ability to work with people at all levels of authority and status and all types of persons within one’s company is considered a critical requirement for success in getting projects and doing them in a timely manner. Another required skill is professionalism. The dictum that first impressions are important is to be taken as a statement of fact, because first impressions do really count. It will do a lot of good to the company if the entrepreneur’s appearance and behaviour make a terrific statement about the high quality of work they can expect from the company. An entrepreneur’s appearance is part of his or her marketing package. They should avoid giving people reasons to complain or think less of them. That an entrepreneur should have a healthy relationship with money sounds like ‘carrying coal to Newcastle’ because the popular perception is that he or she is out there to make money. It need not be so, because the ‘attitude to money’ is a ‘skill’ that has to be inculcated. Money is one of the means for living well; it should not be the â€Å"be-all-and-end-all† of business. ‘If youve started your business just for the money, you may at some point find yourself hating what you do and feeling trapped’ is a verifiable statement. Prudence would dictate that a business person should treat the money that flows through his or her business with respect or hire someone reliable who will do this for them. Planning skills is yet another skill expected of an entrepreneur. Apart from planning out how to tackle the technical problems of the project, the entrepreneur will need to provide time-estimates for pricing quotes to get business and plan his or her days and weeks effectively to meet the delivery schedule they have committed to. A skill that is important for an entrepreneur is the ‘problem solving skill’. An entrepreneur has to tackle many problems in different shapes and sizes. Right from the classical days of Cantillon, the capacity for judgement has been reckoned as a necessary skill for an entrepreneur. If one furrows the business area as a ‘lone wolf’, one may not have a colleague around to bounce ideas off or a buddy in the next cubicle for quick answers. One has to handle the challenges on one’s own with the resources available, and with the skills that one has been naturally endowed with and also with the skills acquired from one’s years of learning of the art and science of entrepreneurship from schools and colleges (4D Consulting Center). The presumption here is that the skills of an entrepreneur listed in this paragraph can be taught in schools and imbibed by discerning students. This aspect of the matter, that is, whether these skills and qualities can really be taught is examined in the section immediately following this. In the subsequent sections detailed analysis and discussion of the different programmes and content of entrepreneurial education and training are proposed to be made. In the course of discussion of these aspects of education and training, it is also proposed to incorporate a review of the literature pertaining to the specific topic of discussion in that section. Can entrepreneurship really be taught? Can entrepreneurship really be taught is a question that is still debated among some academicians and also practitioners of the ‘profession’. But disregarding the debate, entrepreneurship education has been offered by educational institutions and been a sought-after course of study by many people over the last couple of decades (Sexton et al., 1997). Some countries have developed courses in â€Å"what can be broadly termed the field of enterprise and entrepreneurship education in schools and colleges† (Gibb 1993b). In the UK, for instance, specific kinds of programmes regarding the â€Å"concept of enterprise† sponsored by both the public and private sectors were developed in the 1980s (Gibb 1993b). At the university level, under the Enterprise in Higher Education Initiative, courses were hammered out for training in â€Å"interpersonal† and â€Å"enterprising† skills. It was realised that general skills, on their own, were probably not sufficient for developing entrepreneurial traits. Gibb has pointed out that, in order to avoid confusion, it is particularly important â€Å"to clarify notions of the relationship between enterprise, entrepreneurship, business skills and personal transferable skills in developing an approach to entrepreneurship education† (Gibb, 2000). In one of his previous works Gibb has differentiated between entrepreneurship, enterprising behaviour and small business management (Gibb 1987a). He defined the entrepreneur in terms of attributes, and the small business manager in terms of tasks. In the US, entrepreneurship education is provided not only by the universities, but also by private consultants and trade associations (Sexton et al 1997); and their contribution in the area of entrepreneurship education has been on the increase in recent times. In addition, research in the area is growing (Gibb 2000). Research has been particularly on the increase at empirical levels in the areas of educational process and structure (Gorman et al 1997). Gorman and colleagues also report that their findings indicate that entrepreneurship can be taught, or if not taught, at least developed by entrepreneurship education. This is in conformity with the findings of a survey in which US University professors were of an overwhelmingly consensus view that entrepreneurship can be taught (Vespers 1982). The same view was found to prevail among a group of 408 entrepreneurship students in Ontario, Canada, who believed that the majority of entrepreneurial traits and abilities can be taught, with abilities seen as being more teachable than traits (Kantor 1988). An important opinion that has been expressed is that entrepreneurship being both a ‘science and an art’, it is possible to teach the ‘science’ part of it because it involves skills of the business management job amenable to be taught through the conventional pedagogical approach, while the ‘art’ part, which relates to the inherent and innovative attributes of entrepreneurship, does not appear to be teachable in the same way (Jack and Anderson 1998). A similar view is expressed by others, Saee (1996) for instance, who suggest that some individuals are naturally talented, whilst others must work hard to achieve the same kind of objectives. Saee is of the view that a curriculum cannot create an entrepreneur, rather it can only demonstrate the process necessary for being successful. The individual will always be responsible for their own success (Saee (1996). This distinction between the ‘science’ and ‘art’ of entrepreneurship seems to have stood in the way of developing a holistic programme of entrepreneurship education. Collette Henry et al say that these critics see â€Å"science as something that is selective, analytical, sequential and fixed while they describe art as generative, provocative, jumping and without constraint. While they do not suggest that the essence or art of entrepreneurship is completely unteachable, they propose that this area has been largely neglected by those involved in delivering entrepreneurship and business courses† (Henry, Colette et al). It is incumbent on schools and colleges to develop ‘teachable modules’ of entrepreneurial attributes, incorporating in them the ‘science’ and the teachable part of the ‘art’ of the profession. â€Å"The challenge for entrepreneurship teachers and trainers†, say Henry et al, â€Å"is to find innovative learning methods that coincide with the requirements of potential entrepreneurs† (Henry et al). Training and instruction in entrepreneurship, either in its ‘science’ component or its ‘arts’ component, or in both need not be confined to schools and colleges. They can be done through ‘on-the-job methods’ as has been demonstrated by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M). The 3M Company is 106 years old as of 2008, but is still leading the list of world’s top-ranking ‘innovative’ companies. Innovation, as explained above is a distinguishing mark of entrepreneurship. If a metaphor can be used here: ‘innovation is in the blood of the 3M company’. The first tenet of the company is that from the chief executive on down, the company must be committed to innovation. It is acknowledged that in the present age innovation is impossible without a broad base of technology. 3M claims to have leading know-how in 42 diverse technologies. That allows researchers to take an idea from one realm and apply it to another (Arndt). In earlier times 3M’s innovation success relied on long-term, individually directed exploratory research projects. Now it is usually the result of team work. One such team work project is called the Lead User System, which has reliably produced profitable new products, services and strategies for 3M. â€Å"It does this at a rate that beats the natural odds. Lead User Teams are made up of four to six individuals with a diverse set of skills from both technical and marketing areas. Depending on its focus, a team may have members from procurement, manufacturing or any other functional area. All team members are taught techniques for creating profitable solutions to unarticulated customer needs, well in advance of the competition. Lead User Teams are told to welcome ambiguity and uncertainty. They are taught to set their sights on exploring the areas where the possibilities for discovery are greatest because the pre-existing knowledge is most slim. The teams must learn to recognize these gaps in understanding as prime locations for generating new products and concepts. The teams are shown how to seek, value and protect ideas that don’t reflect business as usual, be it new technologies, applications, strategic relationships, channel partnerships, or service offerings. Team members start by getting acquainted with what we don’t know; they then work to increase their knowledge base at a greatly accelerated pace, primarily through their contacts with ‘Lead Users’ and ‘Lead User Experts.’ The Lead User System achieves success by approaching innovation in a disciplined way. The teams go through a set of phases, retrieving information from specific sources and then collaborating with these sources to create new products, services and strategies† (Shor, Rita). From the discussion in this section, it is clear that that it is possible to teach the skills, the ‘scientific’ nuances and even aspects of the ‘art’ of entrepreneurship, and that it can be done in schools and colleges and also outside them. Teaching Entrepreneurial Skills Colette Henry and colleagues specify at least four circumstances that have compelled, so to say, entrepreneurs and even others who have something to do with business and the economy to familiarise themselves with the tenets of ‘entrepreneurial/business’ theory. They say: â€Å"At the global level, the reduction of trade barriers and the reality of the Euro currency, together with the advancements in telecommunications, technology and transportation, all combine to provide more opportunities, as well as more uncertainty in the world. At the societal level, privatisation, deregulation, new forms of governance, mounting environmental concerns and the growing recognition of the rights of minority groups are all presenting society with greater complexity and uncertainty. At the organisational level, decentralisation, downsizing, re-engineering, strategic alliances, mergers and the growing demand for flexibility in the workforce, all contribute to an uncertain climate. Finally, at the individual level, the individual is now faced with a wider variety of employment options, the probability of ending up with a portfolio of jobs, more responsibility at work and more stress. Given the above, it is apparent that, at all levels, there will be a greater need for people to have entrepreneurial skills and abilities to enable them to deal with lifes current challenges and an uncertain future. Furthermore, whatever their career choice or personal situation, individuals, will be able to benefit from learning an innovative approach to problem solving; adapting more readily to change; becoming more self-reliant and developing their creativity through the study of entrepreneurship. There is no doubt that in any economic climate such learning could have far reaching benefits for society. It could be argued, therefore, that the need for entrepreneurship education and training has never been greater than now† (Henry, Colette et al). The consensus arrived at on â€Å"the need for entrepreneurship education and training has never been greater† has not percolated to the particulars of organising this kind of education and training. For instance, for Gorman et al (1997) the ‘educational objectives, subject matter and pedagogical approach might be expected to vary depending on the nature of the target audience’, while for others such as McMullan and Long (1987), Monroy (1995), OGorman and Cunningham (1997) and others the training needs of an individual will vary according to the particular stage of development of the enterprise such as awareness, pre- start-up, start-up, growth and maturity. A three-category framework for organising entrepreneurship education has been put forward by Jamieson (1984). His categorisation is in terms of â€Å"education about enterprise, education for enterprise and education in enterprise†. The role that education has to play in threes three categories is different. In the first category, education about enterprise, education has to deal mostly with awareness creation, provide information on the various aspects of setting up and running a business mostly from a theoretical perspective. The business and related modules in this category at all levels of collegiate education seek â€Å"to foster skills, attitudes and values appropriate to starting, owning, managing or working in a successful business enterprise† (Jamieson, 1984). Jamieson’s second category, education for enterprise, is concerned with providing the would-be entrepreneurs for a self-employment career, with the intellectual tools specific to setting up and run their own business. ‘Participants are taught the practical skills required for small business set-up and management, and the courses are often geared towards the preparation of a business plan.’ The third category, education in enterprise, is designed for imparting management training to established entrepreneurs and focuses on ensuring the growth and future development of the business. Management development and growth training programmes, and also specific product development and marketing courses, are in this category. Training in this category also provides skills and knowledge for people to create their own futures and solve their own problems (Jamieson, 1984,). Garavan and OCinneide (1994) emphasise more on the education and training for small business entrepreneurs, classifying the type of training that they might receive into three categories, which relate specifically to the particular stage of development. The first of these is termed small ‘business awareness education’ and is normally found in secondary school syllabi. The objective of this type of training is to encourage people to consider small business as a career option. The second category describes education and training for owners of small business, its aim being to provide practical help to those seeking to change over to self-employment. The content of training here would include instruction on raising finance, marketing the product and matters of legal issues. The third kind of education and training in respect of small business is meant to enable people to enhance and update their skills. The content of entrepreneurship programmes Entrepreneurship educators have identified that there are two objectives of entrepreneurship education programmes, which are 1) to increase the awareness and understanding of the process involved in starting and, 2) managing a new business, as well as to increase students awareness of small business ownership as a serious career option. At the initial stage of entrepreneurial development the need is to inculcate, as far as it is feasible, a sense of readiness and capability to venture into the realm of entrepreneurship. Instruction at this stage, therefore, should provide opportunities to act in an ‘entrepreneurial’ manner, as well as an exposure to several real-life entrepreneurs (Cox 1996). Life-history of truly successful entrepreneurs might serve as a ‘guiding-star’ in the students’ journey towards reaping the benefits of entrepreneurship. The song of the poet that â€Å"Lives of great men remind us/ We can make our lives sublime/.And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time† (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882) should be made to resound in their mind frequently. The main focus of training at the start-up stage should be to intensify students resolve to become entrepreneurs. Accordingly instructional emphasis should be on the development of a viable business plan which should be supported by individualised assistance in the form of financing, networking, or counselling. It is advisable to assist the students in developing their personal characteristics of leadership; promoting and strengthening their willingness to invest a significant portion of their savings or net worth to get their business started; inculcating and hardening their confidence in themselves and their abilities to sustain themselves in business, if or when things get tough; prodding them to make their own decisions; advising them to adjust their standard of living at a lower level, if necessary, until their business is firmly established; to acquire the traits of a team-player and be willing to commit themselves to long hours of work to make their business work. Hisrich and Peters (1998) examined entrepreneurship programmes from the students perspective. The students were found to be keen to have in the course content the essentials of marketing, finance, operations planning, organisation planning and venture launch planning. They also wished to include as an essential part of the Course all information concerned with obtaining resources. To find out topics considered to be most important by prospective students, Le Roux and Nieuwenhuizen (1996) conducted a survey of 220 aspiring entrepreneurs. Their survey revealed that the main areas of interest were practically the same as those mentioned by Hisrich and Peters (1998) and included marketing, entrepreneurship, business planning, management and financial management. From the discussion in this section, it is apparent that the content of the a course on entrepreneurship need to include topics considered as being relevant to the ‘science’ part of the discipline as also those that would serve to enhance the ‘art’ component of the discipline. In the following section, I propose to discuss the methods of teaching entrepreneurship. Methods of teaching entrepreneurship The literature on the learning methods employed in entrepreneurship education and training programmes mentions a variety of methods, including lectures, video presentations and handouts, case study-based learning, seminars, group discussion and role-plays. Additionally, mention is also made about both traditional and non-traditional approaches to learning. Traditional methods are said to focus mainly on theory and a didactic approach and some writers are critical of their adoption as a teaching method, because in their view they are ‘inappropriate’ in the teaching of entrepreneurship (Davies and Gibb 1991). This view is endorsed by others, Young (1997) for example, who say that a theoretical approach is not relevant to teach a subject which deals almost exclusively with activity, implying that the experience and practical skills for entrepreneurs are not something that can be acquired through conventional teaching methods. Against the contention of these writers, others like Shepherd and Douglas (1996) criticise the use of the less traditional methods like ‘role play, simulation and problem solving’, arguing that, in the classroom guidelines are to be provided to promote creative entrepreneurial thinking, but the ‘modern’ methods of teaching encourage only logical thinking which is inappropria

Child Abuse Must End :: A Child Called It

Do you know anyone who has been abused by someone they love or even you who has been abused? If you have or know someone who has its not okay. It happens every single day to millions of children everywhere. Child abuse is something not to be taken easily. It has seen to become a major social problem and causes of children’s unhappiness and health. Not all child abuse is reported but should be. It’s not just young aged children it is also teenagers who get abused. So take a moment and think do you know anyone who has gotten abused or is being abused? Child abuse is a serious topic in today’s society. It goes way back into time. As time goes on more & more people are aware of what the dangers of child abuse can cause. If it wasn’t a important issue to be talked about and be taken care of child abuse would continue. If no one took the time to help these children what would happen to them. They would end up suffering for the rest of their lives or even end up dead. Child abuse can not go on unseen. Its happening around us all the time. What is more important then helping someone who is getting abused? Who is taking care of child abuse? Who is taking the children out of homes to protect them? Who is giving them a second chance at life? It’s definitely not the people who are abusing them. It’s people who love them and care for them. The state government is the there to help through the whole process. When child abuse is reported to child protective services it is now in the hands of them. Children protective services (cps) determine if it meets criteria for investigation. The CPS and police can work together on the case but also work separately. CPS conducts the family assessments and the police will conduct criminal investigations. After the investigations have been conducted and abuse has been found a police officer will put the child into protective custody. Protective custody is when custody is handed over a family member or the child is put into foster care. But by law a child is not allowed more then 72 hours of protective custody.

The Traits of Heathclif in Wuthering Heights Essay -- essays research

In Emily Brontà «'s book, Wuthering Heights, we, the reader, are introduced to a group of interesting characters. The antiheroic main character, Heathcliff, is a complex character with many distinguishing traits. Heathcliff acts upon his feelings and creates quite a reputation for himself. Heathcliff is full of vengeance, nonetheless, he is very loving. Heathcliff's vengeance is shown and proven throughout the book. Even as a child Heathcliff would say things such as, "I'm trying to settle how I shall pay-back. I don't care how long I wait, if I can only do it, at last. I hope he will not die before I do?No, God won?t have the satisfaction that I shall?I only wish I knew the best way! Let me alone, and I?ll plan it out: while I?m thinking?? (Brontà « 55-56) This, as we, the reader, later see come to pass. After being rejected by the love of his life, Catherine, Heathcliff has no choice but to find another partner. Heathcliff is not mad at Catherine for marrying someone else, but instead her motive why. Catherine tells Nelly Dean, the housekeeper, that it would be disgraceful to herself if she was to marry Heathcliff. Catherine says it would be shameful because Heathcliff is more poverty-stricken and deprived of many this she wants. (Brontà « 75) Heathcliff runs away after hearing this, only to return months later more gentlema n-like. Catherine?s sister-in-law, Isabella, falls in love with Heathcliff after his return and Heathcliff realizes this. Heathcliff is an opportunist, so he marries Isabella intentionally, knowing Catherine would become jealous. This is the one of the first greatest example of revenge. A second example of how Heathcliff sought revenge on others, has to do with his stepbrother, Hindley. Heathcliff wan... ...ion of tears. ?Come in! Come in!? he sobbed. ?Cathy, do come in. Oh,-- once more! Oh! my heart?s darling, hear me this time-- Catherine, at last.?? (Brontà « 25) Although, Heathcliff has a son, was married, and twenty years have passed after her death Heathcliff is still passionate about his love for Catherine. This shows that Heathcliff is truly loving because even after twenty years, he is still true to Catherine and still wants a chance to show her his sincere love for her. Even though Heathcliff has his negative sides which got the best of him very often, he was also very devoted and caring. The different aspects of Heathcliff make his a truly unique, complex, and interesting character. Heathcliff?s contradictory traits make him an individual who?s is worth the time to look at. Both sides of Heathcliff are shown throughout the book, and make him who he is.

Essay examples --

Edwin Blanco Eng 112 03/14/14 Oliver character analysis The novel Oliver Twist is about an orphan on the look for his true identity. During this search for selfhood Oliver comes into contact with the corruptive side of reality, eventually challenging his innocent character as a whole and leaving us to ask how does he remain pure and innocent in a cruel and corrupted place? In Charles Dickens’s novel, Oliver Twist the main theme is for to see if Oliver will maintain his innocence in a corrupt location like London. This idea of childhood represents children, such as Oliver Twist, as being innocent, but vulnerable to moral and criminal corruptions. The novel focuses on this idea by describing Oliver as a young, naà ¯ve, innocent child. Throughout the progression of the novel, Oliver is forced to deal with the gang of criminals like Fagin and the artful dodger. Oliver has to interpret their physical actions as being that of right or wrong. In this novel, Dickens wrote the character of Oliver Twist as a model of innocence. Olive r is a representation of a good person who people like Fagin and Bill Sikes try to corrupt but Oliver overcomes over their corruption of evil. Oliver is an important character in the novel because throughout his life he was treated horrible as if he was a criminal he has never seen what reality is like because he is being controlled. Oliver’s innocence is always being tested over and over, especially when he is introduced to the life of the criminal upon his arrival in London. In being raised as an orphan, Oliver did not have the opportunity to choose any aspect of his own life, but rather lived in a systematized environment where he was told what to do and when to do it and was given what he need in o... ...iver immediately recognizes it as an evil act. Oliver’s innocent and simple personality guarded him from these occurrences of wrongdoing. At first Oliver Twist is not aware of himself or of what is happening, but then is noticing what is happening is bad. Oliver’s innocence works to protect him from being affected by the criminal corruption seen and experienced through the criminal gang. Oliver is a character who is depicted as a naà ¯ve and innocent child. These personalities defend him from being fully aware of his surroundings. Throughout the entire novel Oliver encounters bad experiences with these criminals but he doesn’t change he still remains innocent and naà ¯ve. Oliver does not see the criminals the same way in which other people sees them, and it is this that allows Oliver to remain pure and innocent even with corruptive evils surrounding him.

Great Sales People Born or Bred Essay

Great Sales People: Born or Bred Introduction                   Having a well-oiled sales team that can sell a company’s services, reputation, and the brand is the desire of any employer. Asales team is a crucial element that determines customer loyalty to use a company’s product and services over and over. Sales team also plays a role deterring the customers’ choice of which firm to get their money in retune for a satisfying service. It would be erroneous to argue that you cannot improve the personality through training and also illogical to argue that knowledge and skills are inborn that no training or study can enhance it. The controversy on sales success is confined in the falsity that a greater personality can be nourished to make it even better (Forsyth, 2010). Similarly, employers encounter a tough experience training freshmen of the firm’s product and services, to increase their understanding. Such ability to learn about the product relates to the capacity to analyze and learn the minds of clients and improve the power to capture their attention to the products offered by the firm. Sales sector is one critical unit that is directly traceable to the gross output of a firm considering the entire value chain efforts imposed on products and the ultimate user being the customer.                   Just like any other value in the world, the question of personality is a formless, indescribable, insubstantial, and inexpressible ambiguous attribute a sales person could have, but a constructive and definite character of an individual capable of further improvement and through theoretical and practical methods. It is often absurd to stick to the belief that sales persons are entirely gifted insinuating the attributes cannot be acquired by any other means. As Quick (1992) puts it, the idea of purely acquiring the sales skills and knowledge through training is equally dangerous as the â€Å"gift† belief. The history of world achievement by outstanding individuals disapproves these arguments as other have significantly achieved beyond others’ previous achievements by learning new ways of doing things. Sales field is not an exemption especially in today’s dynamic economy where inventions and customized brands are the order of business (Forsyth).                   However, learning about sales is quite expensive and many willing individuals find themselves at the end of the rope before the entire in-service training is finished. Learning by experience is much better than just using past experiences that teaches less or nothing at all. Using personal past experiences is better than using others past experience that makes an individual lag behind by trying to profit from a virtual experience (Johnson, 2000) . It is important to mention that as much as some would learn from experience of others, such a method demands a scientific scrutiny by using facts and figures. Therefore, employers and sale leaders have a duty to spot top sales talents with a strong and commendable background in sales and marketing. Most HR managers possess the view that perfect sales people are born: a person can be trained to perfect the sales skills but the basic drive for success has to exist in a person’s inner being. They have to be aggressive, competitive, and able to handle the hard knocks that come with sales; celebrating and enjoying the passion of the roller-coaster, sales are not exceptional in this field. It is remarkably evident the best sales people have something to prove their achievement: either their career, financially, family or others’ success. A sales professional called Daryl (2013) provides a thought of both aspects of born and bred sale people: in her successful career in financial technology and outsourcing industry, Daryl argues that certain personalities provides themselves to being great sales persons and they only require training to finesse the skills.                   The best known sales people are generally confident do well in dealing with people they meet for the first time, good in team building, dealing with tenacious characters and maintaining acquisitive relationships. These natural abilities when combined with a little training and experience refine their character building great sales persons. Employers are obliged to nature these natural skills, mentoring them and guiding to allow a profitable utilization of the skills in the environment. Those considered as born sellers succeed, but eventually fail for not utilizing the other aspect of breeding. At this level it is right to point that successive selling is achieved by utilizing born sellers’ attributes like confidence, tenacity and passion for promoting a firm’s products and services. Failure is experienced in a case where born attributes have not been bred to dig into customers mind by asking questions to enable them fully understand the kin d of products or service they can derive from a seller. Without training, a customer may perceive the seller as having not fully developed a solid foundation of empathy and trust upon which a client feels should be presented on products and service provision. A sense of equality is offered through questioning a customer about their wants and needs: a feeling of privilege is built upon the process of enquiry creating a mutual satisfaction (Hession, 2001).                   Sellers considered as â€Å"born† have often succeed in their career due to their desire to create a mutual coexistence with their customers, openness, and asking insightful questions aiming to get to the bottom of the matter before the deal is terminated. Therefore, more friendly sellers reassure the customer that their interest are catered for building their trust and understanding driving the customer to even purchase more from the same firm. On the other hand, bred sellers stand a better position to sell or closing the sale due to lack of pushy or selling concern, a different case with â€Å"born† sellers.                   For a person with a desire to excel in sales, they need to top making excuses based on their personality, but start from where they are now. Achieving full potential in this field calls for a positive mindset of learning and progressive development of skills and â€Å"born† attributes that makes greater sales professional. These attributes are only learnt by bold person with the gut to risk their social reputation as they practice it. According to Harvard Business Review (2011), an estimate of 70% of successful sales team has inborn natural instincts that greatly determine their sales career path and success. On the other hand, a 30 percent and below is a group of self made sales persons implying that they learnt from the selling environment without the benefits of natural attributes. More so, the analysis presented a 40 percent of people who enter the sales field without these natural instincts, but later fail or quit. Another 40 percent will per form at an average rate, with the remaining portion performing above the average. It is important to point out that the figures above vary by the type of industry and the nature of products or services sold.                   Based on past studies, the question of discussion should lie on what determines the fate of sales persons without natural traits. It might be simple to mention the obvious factors that lead to success of a sales team like hard work, passion, persistence, empathy, intelligence and integrity, but another set of key factors worth listing are greed, language specialization, modeling the experience, political insight and language power. The most important distinguishing element in the success of a self-made sales person is the language power. More often than not, sales person recite the features and benefits they offer, but finds it had to hold an intelligent conversation about the firm’s daily operations (Bird, 2012). It is paramount that business firms develop their own language to deal with technical issues relating to the daily operation in order to facilitate a mutual comprehensive understanding of meaning of words and terminologies used. A techni cal consist of abbreviations and acronyms used on their products.                   According to Bird (2012), the ability of a sales person to analyze comparable experiences and similar data into expected molds is referred to as modeling of experience. Sales activities involve a continuous consolidation and accumulation of like information from customer interactions and sales calls. From these activities, sales person are able to predict future happenings under similar situations and plan for the right responsive actions. Self- made and successful people stand a better chance of storing, and retrieval of all information that occur during sale cycles and calls. This experience is a better way of learning from experience, by ensuring past mistakes are avoided in future sales activities. A political acumen is another important element in ensuring openness and diverse approach to selling and dealing with customers. Sales is a practice that take s a human nature where, the outcome is determined by people and politics breeding successful sale s team should prioritize on political acumen to effectively determine customers’ motivation and influence to their decision. Greed applies in sales on a different dimension from the normal association with a corrupt character: the term is applied in reference to the desire of a better pay for one’s time. Time is a factor that determines how much a sales person gets at the end of the deals made, and therefore effort should focus on winning as many deals as possible within a limited time. It is the greed that motivates sales person to push hard for a better gain (Bird, 2012). Therefore, a lesser sales person does not possess this trait that act as an inward drive to settle as many deals as they can. Conclusion                   The above variations presents a better opportunity for sales leaders to train their â€Å"born† sellers (considered successful in their own right), by analyzing what a successful and efficient sales force feels, interacts and sounds like considering the strengths and weakness of both types of sellers. According to this analysis, the role of a sales leader includes developing the existing sales team to offer different types of services. Similarly, when recruiting, a leader should identify the candidates with a desire to be nurtured and molded to fit in the effective sales team. A seller needs to be ‘all rounded’, and not only a tradition â€Å"born† seller termed as successful without fully realizing their potential. Many self-made and successive sales persons have learnt to apply their acquired experience a profit5able manner to build their intuition. It is important to understand what counts and spend time on it while navigati ng to powerful decision makers to find a chance to convince them buy from your firm References Bird, T. (2012). Brilliant selling: What the Best Sales People Know, Do and Say. Harlow: Prentice Hall Busines. Forsyth, P. (2010). 100 Great Sales Ideas(New ed) From Leading Companies Around the World. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish. Hession, R. (2001). Drive a Great Sales team for Sales Managers Who Want Results. Oxford: How To Books. Johnson, T. (2000). Effective Sales Management,Hhow to Build a Winning Sales Team. Los Altos, Calif: Crisp. Quick, L. T. (1992). Making Your Sales Team #1. New York: AMACOM, American Management. Source document

Critique Nursing

Essay preview The purpose of this assignment is to critique and evaluate the chosen article in terms of strengths and weaknesses, to demonstrate an understanding of the research process. According to Polit and Beck (2004) the aim of critically appraising an article is an attempt to determine its strengths and limitations. Therefore, the research critique should reflect an objective and balanced consideration of the study's validity and significance (Polit and Hungler 1999). The task of critiquing is, according to Lo Biondo-Wood and Harber (2006) a challenging one and can only be effectively achieved through much practice and skill.For the purpose of this critique, the frameworks of Parahoo (1997) and Polit and Hungler (1999) have been used as a guide. This will assist in producing an organised sub-headed piece of work. Title The title of an article is the first part of a study to be encountered and Parahoo (1997) states that a title should draw the reader's attention to the precise a rea of study and make reference to the population from whom the data is collected. Cormack (2000) and Marshall and Kelly (2007) agree, stating a title should be concise and reflect the content of the study.The chosen article is titled ‘Perceived barriers and facilitators to implementing research findings in the Irish practice setting'. This title utilised by Glacken and Chaney is concise, consisting of 13 words in bold print. Rumrill et al (2000) state that a standard length title is 12 – 15 words. However, the title does not reflect the population of the sample group i. e. Registered Nurses. Although the title still provides insight into what the article is trying to accomplish. Author(s) According to Cormack (2000) researchers must be qualified to commence a esearch study. The researchers qualification and credentials in the article are clearly stated and easy to find. They both have initials after their names, one of which has a PHD, which indicate that they have an educational background. A search using Glacken and Chaney using the ProQuest database identifies several published articles by Glacken. According to Lo Biondo-Wood and Harber (2002) this enhances the credibility of a study placing confidence in the findings. The article was submitted for publication on the 1st July 2003 and was accepted on the 9th January 2004.This illustrates that it was still relevantly recent and not dated when published which could have posed questions regarding validity and reliability. â€Å"The Journal of Clinical Nursing† has published the article. This also adds to the credibility of the research study, as all published articles are double bind peer reviewed. Abstract The purpose of the abstract is to provide a short comprehensive synopsis of an article (Rumrill et al 2000). According to Parahoo (1997) it should quickly focus the reader's attention on the main points of the study.Langford (2001) also states that a well-presented abstract should be ac curate, self-contained and readable. This abstract gives a brief summary of the study and within the first few lines identifies what the study is trying to achieve – to ascertain what registered nurses perceive as barriers to the utilisation of research findings and discover what they perceive would facilitate the implementation of these findings. The remainder of the abstract provides a summary of approach (cross-sectional survey), the population (registered nurses) and overall findings.One limitation noted is that the researchers do not give the exact sample size in the abstract. By reading this summary it is believed that the reader would be able to make an informed choice about the relevance of the article for their purpose. The keywords used within the abstract were – barriers, clinical practice, facilitators, Republic of Ireland, utilisation. It is vital that researchers choose appropriate keywords for their articles in order to aid literature searching through d atabases (Webb 2005).The keywords used by Glacken and Chaney are all relevant to the research study. Introduction The purpose of the introductory section is to clearly identify the problem and give a rationale for the study been carried out (Cormack 2000). Poilt and Hungler (1999) agree by stating that the introduction should explain the research problem and why the study is important, worthwhile and relevant. Russell (2004) also states that the introduction should thoroughly describe the background of the research problem so that the need for the study is apparent.The introduction given by Glacken and Chaney builds a cause from existing literature that the problem is of adequate value to justify further research. The author of this critique believes the research problem is in the last sentence of the introduction. It states that there are many difficulties involved in achieving evidence – based practice and many barriers that may impede research utilisation. If this is in fa ct the research problem, the researchers comply with Russell's (2004) recommendation that the research problem should flow directly from the introduction and conclude this section.However one would feel that this introduction deals more with the importance of research rather than explaining that the remainder of the article will focus on the barriers that impede research. According to Cormack (2000) an introduction should also state the study's limitations. This particular introduction does not make the study's limitations explicit to the reader. Literature Review/Background According to Parahoo (1997) a literature review serves to put the current study into the context of what is already known about the subject.Cormack (2000) states that the literature review is a critical review of previous literature relating to the research topic. Therefore this section aims to provide the reader with an understanding of what the current state of evidence is in the selected area of study. This r eview is organised by heading that correspond to the key study concepts, which makes the review easy to follow. The researchers attempt to review previous studies relating to the topic, thus preparing the ground for new research. The studies presented highlight the significance of the problem under investigation.It was difficult to identify the exact research question, as there was no definite question asked. Although Valente (2003) states that sometimes researchers may hide the research question within the purpose of the study. The final statement of the literature review is therefore the purpose of this study – ‘it is timely that perceived barriers†¦ are identified and acknowledged'. Therefore as you read the review it moves from broad to specific relevance with the last section of the review clearly outlining the need for the study. Due to the article been published in 2004, it is expected that the references used will be relevantly recent.From reading the refer ence list, it can be seen that this is the case and only three references before 1994 have been used. There was a need for these older references as the original author who employed the Barriers scale did so in 1991 and the purpose of the 1978 reference was to illustrate that access to research reports has been a problem for many years. Also noted is that the articles included in the reference list are clearly related to the topic under study and include international resources, all nursing – related. http://repository. uwc. ac. a/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10566/308/RoweBlendedLearning2012. pdf? sequence=3 Method According to Polit and Hungler (1999) the heart of the research critique is the analysis of the methodology decisions adopted in addressing the research question. Cormack (2000) suggests the method section should clearly state the research approach to be used and asks whether the method is appropriate to the research problem and whether the strengths and limitations of the approach are stated. Although not written in text it is clearly pointed out that the article is of a quantitative approach.Burns and Groves (1997) describe quantitative research as a method used to gain more information, test relationships and uses numeric data to answer problems. In reviewing the methodology section which is under the subheading â€Å"Methods†, the researchers clearly demonstrate that the design method is a cross – sectional survey using a non – probability sample. According to Polit and Hungler (1999) a cross – sectional design involves the collection of data at one point in time. This descriptive study uses the established 29 – item Barriers 5 point Likert scale, after firstly gaining permission from the main author to employ the instrument – S.Funk. Therefore a strength of this article is related to the measurement tool. The researchers used an already developed measurement device in which the reliability of the tool would have been determined. They reinforce this fact by saying that the scale is recognised to be psychometrically robust. A further quantitative research tool – a questionnaire, was selected as the method to solicit opinions regarding the barriers to research. Cormack (2000) believes that questionnaires are the most widely used method of collecting data.However he recognises that if participants are aware that they are partaking in a study, it is natural that they might alter their response – the Hawthorne Effect (Cormack 2000). The researchers do not state how they minimised this Hawthorne Effect. In addition to the questionnaire, a demographic information sheet was utilised. This is in line with a descriptive design, as the purpose of such is to gain more information about the characteristics of a group (Vitale 2003). The research participants were a convenience sample of registered nurses who enrolled in a nursing focused academic course in Trinity College, Dublin .All who enrolled were invited to participate in the study. However the recruitment process is not described in much detail. It is not until the Findings section that the size of the sample is revealed – 169 participants responded. According to Thompson (1999) the sample size in quantitative research is preferably a large sample. Vitale (2003) states that the general rule regarding sample size is ‘sample error decreases as sample size increases'. It is harder to generalise a sample of this size. It is recognised by the researchers in the Discussion section that the particular mode of sampling employed may introduce bias into the findings.This may result in the findings becoming less reliable. A limitation noted in the method design used by the researchers was the lack of an explicit framework. The researchers did not identify if they used one. When researching the other studies that used the Barriers scale the vast majority used a framework. Ethical Consideration Ethics is an important part of nursing and nursing research. It is about researchers doing what is fair, decent and moral and is underpinned by values and believes of the community (Crookes and Davies 2004).There is no designated section allocated to ethical considerations, however Hek (1996) states that ethical issues may be integrated throughout the article. This article addresses ethical issues in both the abstract and under the method section. The researchers clarify that the ethical issues of a persons right not to be harmed, right of full disclosure, right of self-determination, right of privacy and confidentiality were respected. According to the researcher all participants provided their consent to the study by the returning of the completed questionnaire.Consent is vital as it respects the autonomy of individuals, their right to privacy and their right to choose (Tingle and Cribb 2002). Results Cormack (2000) states that the results should be presented clearly and in enough detai l so that the reader is able to judge how reliable the findings are. Polit and Beck (2004) agree by stating that the most critical element of any study is getting your results across and understood by your readers. Valente (2003) believes that the researchers should repeat the research question before delving into the findings.The researchers in this case presented the data in succinct form with little discussion at the start, but organise their findings under subheadings. According to Russell (2004) researchers frequently organise their findings by research question to facilitate readability. The aim was to quantify the barriers to research implementation. The authors of this article present their findings systematically, utilising a variety of graphs and tables. Figure 1 shows a graph depicting that 38% of the participants consulted journals more than twice a month.Table 1 presents the barriers to research utilisation in descending order of importance. Results were also explained and summarised alongside which according to Clifford (1997) is a form of descriptive statistics. According to Russell (2004) if a descriptive design was used the reader should find descriptive statistics such as mean, mode, median and standard deviation. All these statistics are included within the results section. The target audience (professional nurses) are more than likely to be able to interpret the figures within each table and, thus, judge hoe reliable the results are.It is important that results are presented in such a way that they are clearly understood (Cormack 2000). Parahoo (1997) is an advocate of comparing results with other similar studies. The researchers adopted this style and compared the top 10 barriers with those found in three recent studies (Table 3). The researchers showed their findings to be very similar with the studies undertaken in both Northern Ireland and Australia. Discussion/Conclusion The discussion section should flow from the data results and plac e the study's findings in context with what is already known (Parahoo 1997).Valente (2003) believes that under this section the researchers should summarise their major findings and conclude their application to practice, research, and theory and knowledge development. The researchers state that this section will discuss the findings in comparison with other studies undertaken. Valente (2003) states that author(s) should compare and contrast their results with other studies and interpret the findings. The discussion is unambiguous and supported by the results obtained. Again the researchers used subheadings to ease readability. There are many implications to practice identified by the researchers.According to Valente (2003) implications should describe how the results of the study could be applied to nursing practice. For example the researchers discovered that their study and many other studies identified nurses' perceived lack of authority as the most common barrier to research. T herefore they exposed a need to implement some change into the organisational setting. Also, more support from managers was noted to be the top ranked facilitator of research implementation. The researchers also suggest a further research study, which would explore the reasons why nurses do not access research journals on a regular basis. General ImpressionOverall the article was interesting with clear aims and use of methodology. It was quite simple to interpret and has provided interesting fact regarding this topic. The study contains few flaws and represents a valid example of descriptive quantitative research. The results have addressed the aims of the study and are both informative and descriptive. It is recommended that it should contain a section of ethical consideration however the ethical issues are evident throughout the article. In the introduction the article stresses the importance of research in nursing and health care. This builds a good case for continuing the study. Research is an essential part of every nurse's role. But as this study revealed there are many barriers for nurses to overcome to properly utilise and implement research. This study has brought these barriers to the foreground and identified ways to overcome them. The findings were interesting, although it might become more reliable if the study was replicated using a larger, random sample group. The top ranked barrier to research utilisation was surprising to read, as it was made known to be nurses' perceived lack of authority. The article was very good overall and a lot of interesting facts emerged from the study. References