Case Assignment - 942 Words

To: Ellen Schall, Commissioner New York City Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) From: Lei Liu, Consultant Subject: Recommendations for a New Mission Statement Date: January 27, 2013 Recommendations To draft the new mission statement, I suggest following the process: * Review the New York City Charter for DJJ The Charter provides the major duties that DJJ must fulfill. Therefore, when creating the new mission statement, reviewing the content of the Charter is necessary. * Clarify the Core Purpose of DJJ The core purpose guides the employees and the organization, and helps the daily decision-making. * Target the Stakeholders and Expectations Stakeholders’ expectations reflect what the DJJ should do. The†¦show more content†¦The internal stakeholders should include the board of directors, top managers, middle managers, and the staff. Their values and opinions towards the core purpose and values of DJJ are indispensable and important. Developing some surveys and organizing the meetings among the staff are helpful ways to learn and exchange ideas and thoughts about DJJ’s mission and values. The surveys may include the degree of staff satisfaction about the current mission statement and, in case if disagreement, include ways to change and improve the statement. Then, targeting the â€Å"customers† that DJJ would mainly serve and focus on is an efficient way to identify the external stakeholders and clarify the core purpose of DJJ. * Review the Historical Ex perience and Current Context Past experience can help DJJ to think about the comparative advantages they had in the area of juvenile delinquents care. Reviewing the past may help DJJ to find out what the staff truly believed in as well. It would also help DJJ to check whether there was some mission drifting or other types of failure on fulfilling the mission. Some mistakes and faults from past may also help DJJ to adjust the mission statement as well. Furthermore, checking current context would assist DJJ to articulate the expectations of the external stakeholders and adjust the mission statement to fit the current social context so that the statement would not be unrealistic or behind the times. * Consider the Desired ResultsShow MoreRelatedBusiness Law Assignment 2 Case Study Essay1147 Words   |  5 PagesBusiness Law Assignment 2 Case Study Analysis Question (a) This case study of John and Dan manifests some legal issues which need a close analysis. The first legal aspect identifiable from this case is incorporating terms by a means of appending a signature on those terms. Secondly, the element of letting the buyer be aware is manifesting itself in this case through incorporation of notice in the terms of a contract. Additionally, any jury involved in this case may be interested in looking to theRead MoreEquals Sign and Expo Class Method Essay984 Words   |  4 Pagesof Selection? 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I am going to use a graph that shows the number of TV’s on the left side and the number of refrigerators on the bottom. Of course this would mean that my x axis is the bottom, andRead MoreAssignment Case2509 Words   |  11 PagesButler amp; Marmaro (1995) 35 Cal.App.4th 620, 630, 41 Cal.Rptr.2d 329, citing Shapiro v. Wells Fargo Realty Advisors (1984) 152 Cal.App.3d 467, 482, 199 Cal.Rptr. 613.) The California Supreme Court recently observed in dictum that most California cases have held that an at-will provision in an express written agreement, signed by the employee, cannot be overcome by proof of an implied contrary understanding. [Citations.] (Guz v. 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Grading : Case Study based assignments : 2 X 15 = 30% Tests /exams : 2 X 20= 40% Final exam : 20% Short Quizzes: 4 X2. 5 = 10% A grade : 93 to 100% ; A- grade : 90 to 92% ; B+ grade : 87-89%; B grade : 83-86%; B- grade : 80-82%;Read MoreDelegation Can Be A Slippery Slope For Any Manager1071 Words   |  5 Pagesnecessary component of many organizational management structures. While it can be an extremely effective management strategy, many times it is approached incorrectly and thus falls short of expected results. This is the case we see presented in the case study for this assignment. It seems that our manager/delegator, Ms. Wilson, is looking to remove some items from her current workload in order to facilitate more time to devote to her expanding supervisory duties that are not able to be delegatedRead MoreThe Process Of Matching Hospitals And Residents1988 Words   |  8 Pagesinterns.†1 This competition lead to hospitals presenting students offers earlier than others could. With offers so early, hospitals could not know the final class standings or grades of the students by the time they finished school.1 In the most extreme cases, hospitals would send offers to students two years preceding the internship.1 In 1926, the Presbyterian Hospital in the City of New York attempted to solve this and delay their appointments of interns until end of their fourth year.1 They hoped other

Women Education in India with Special Reference to...

Women education in India : With special reference to advent of modern education amongst women in Assam Mrs. Anuradha Baruwa Astt. Prof. Dept. Education Jorhat Kendriya Mahavidyalaya Introduction. Education is the only device by which the contemporary society may be moulded to meet the current challenges. With women forming fifty percent of the entire population, it is essential that they match their strides with the male population. Only then can a nation advance. Keeping this in mind, many of the developing nations are allocating a quarter of their national budget to education; some of them even more. (Venkataiah, 2001)A host of problems have however kept these countries from achieving their goal. A major problem faced by most of the†¦show more content†¦During the Muslim period, the purdah system was in vogue. Consequently the girls did not go to the Madrasas like the boys, to receive education. Still, it cannot be maintained that there was total lack of female education during the Muslim period. The example of Nurjahan is testimony of the fact that arrangement for the education of ladies of the royal family was made in the palace. Some of the girls belonging to t he Royal families having an artistic inclination received education through ‘Ustads’, who went to the palace regularly to impart instructions. The daughters of the gentry were also educated individually at home. No separate arrangements were made either by the Government or by the society and hence it had a very limited scope. (Chaube Chaube, 1999). Though education is the most vital and potent instrument for individual and social development and progress, women have been kept away from it in India from the medieval period to advent of missionaries in India. It was only with the coming of the Christian Missionaries that an attempt was made to revive female education in India. By the middle of the nineteenth century, some progressive Indians and Englishmen started working for their reawakening. According to theShow MoreRelatedCulture of India9032 Words   |  37 PagesCulture of India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Bharatanatyam, one of eight designated classical dance forms of India. The culture of India refers to the religions, beliefs, customs, traditions, languages, ceremonies, arts, values and the way of life in India and its people. Indias languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food, and customs differ from place to place within the country. Its culture often labeled as an amalgamation of these diverse sub-culturesRead MoreHistory of Pakistan18783 Words   |  76 PagesKHILAFAT MOVEMENT LECTURE 7- MUSLIM POLITICS IN BRITISH INDIA: 1924-1935 LECTURE 8- ALLAMA IQBAL’S PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS DECEMBER 1930 LECTURE 9- MUSLIM POLITICS AND CHAUDHRY RAHMAT ALI LECTURE 10- THE CONGRESS MINISTRIES-- POLICIES TOWARDS MUSLIMS LECTURE 11- THE LAHORE RESOLUTION, 1940. LECTURE 12- MAJOR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN 1945-46 LECTURE 13- TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE, 1947 LECTURE 14- CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN BRITISH INDIA LECTURE 15- THE PROBLEMS OF THE NEW STATE LECTURERead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagesmarketing management 3.2. The Role of Marketing 3.3. Marketing concepts 3.4. The Marketing Mix (The 4 P s Of Marketing) 3.5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Ethics in Marketing 4. Have you understood type questions 5. Summary 6. Exercises 7. References 1. INTRODUCTION: The apex body in United States of America for the Marketing functions, American Marketing Association (AMA) defines marketing as â€Å"Marketing consists of those activities involved in the flow of goods and services from the point of

Helping Down Syndrome Essay Example For Students

Helping Down Syndrome Essay Have you ever been in a situation where you were confronted by a child who has Down Syndrome and were unsure of how to act around that child? I’m sure many of us have experienced the awkwardness that accompanies such a situation.Many people feel guilt or pity for these children, I believe these reactions result from a lack of knowledge about the condition. Which is why I have chosen this topic. Down Syndrome is a condition that cannot be physically passed on from one person to the next. It is a genetic disorder that is inherited through our parents when something goes wrong during pregnancy. As a result, they have a combination of features typical of Down Syndrome, including some degree of cognitive disability, as well as other developmental delays. One thing we should always keep in mind is that they are children and having Down Syndrome comes second. In 1866 British doctor John Langdon Down defined and described the characteristic symptoms of Down Syndrome but was unsure of the cause. It wasn’t until 1959 that Dr. Lejeunne and his team in Paris showed that people with Down Syndrome have an additional chromosome. We normally have 23 pairs of chromosomes, each made up of genes. The cells of people with Down Syndromeinclude three chromosome #21 instead of two. The extra 21st chromosome causes an extra dose of proteins. These proteins cause the typical features of Down Syndrome. While the fetus with Down Syndrome is developing, its body cells do not reproduce as fast as usual. That is the main reason why these babies are smaller than average after birth and their brain not as big as those of other newborn children. A child who has Down Syndrome will have exclusive individual characteristics which they have inherited from their parents. The child may resemble their father, mother, grandmother, or aunt. This is true not only for their outward appearance but also for their temperament and physical and intellectual abilities. Children with Down Syndrome have different traits, for instance some can be easy-going while other are stubborn, some may like music while others show no interest. Know matter what, each of these children are unique and special in their own way. Children with Down Syndrome have distinct physical characteristics. They are short in stature and have a small, round face with a high flattened forehead and fissured, dry lips and tongue. Another typical feature is a fold of skin, on either side of the bridge of the nose, between the corner of the eyes. The hands are often broad and the fingers short. The feet are compact with a gap between the first and second toe, and their hair is soft and sleek. Such persons are also subject to congenital heart defects, many of which can be corrected surgically. They are also more likely to develop leukemia than other members of the general population. There are three common types of Down Syndrome, the most common one being trisomy 21, which is found in about 95% of people with Down Syndrome. During pregnancy the formation of the egg or sperm, from a woman’s or a man’s pair of chromosomes normally split, so that only one chromosome is in each egg or sperm. In trisomy 21, the 21st chromosome pair does not split and a double-dose goes to the egg or sperm. The second type is known as translocation, found in about 3% to 4% of people with Down Syndrome. With this type an extra part of the 21st chromosome gets â€Å"stuck† onto another chromosome. The third type, mosaicism, is found in about 1% to 2% of people with Down Syndrome. With this type an extra 21st chromosome is found in only some of the cells. There are two tests that can be done to detect if the child you are carrying has any type of Down Syndrome, they are diagnostic and screening tests. A diagnostic test samples fetal cells and gives a definitive diagno sis. This test is usually done between 14 and 18weeks of pregnancy. Although fairly safe, there is a small risk of miscarriage with this test. Screening tests, on the other hand, are relatively simple tests that find most of the fetuses with Down Syndrome, but they also find some without. It is because of this that screening tests must be confirmed by a diagnostic test. In addition to these tests, a maternal blood test can suggest the presence of a fetus with Down Syndrome when levels of alphafetoprotein are lower than usual. .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .postImageUrl , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:hover , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:visited , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:active { border:0!important; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:active , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Andrew carnegie 2 EssayIt is said that one out of every 700 babies will be infected with Down Syndrome. However, these odds may vary depending on the age of the mother. A child born to a woman 25 years of age has approximately a 1 in 1200 chance. A child born to a woman 40 years of age and over has a 1 in 120 chance. Children who are born with this condition can neither be cured with medical treatment nor can they outgrow the condition. Their life expectancy is generally reduced by 10 to 20 years. However, some people with Down Syndrome have been known to live into their 80’s. The effects of Down Syndrome can be modified by providing good medical care, good educatio n, and good parental support, all of which, unlike long ago when these children were called â€Å"mongols† and institutionalized, are provided for most children today with Down Syndrome. In conclusion to my studies I have found Down Syndrome to be a rare, yet present condition that can be found in all parts of the world. Most people might look at the individual infected and tell themselves how lucky they are , not to have to go through what most of them do. But tell me this, how many will actually take the time to better understand the situation and actually see what makes them who they are?It’s human nature to ignore or criticize the unknown, this will always be true to a certain point. Just as the truth will always remain the same, in that these people are beautiful human beings that deserve the same respect and rights as anyone else.

We Should Cherish Our Children’s Freedom to Think free essay sample

Have you ever got interested by the ideas or examples that other people and their own experiences that they shares with public? Well, here is one that I heard and got me interested. I am mostly agreed with the ideas or examples given by Kie Ho in the article â€Å"We Should Cherish Our Children’s Freedom to Think† Fist thing I agree with Ho is the freedom to freely think, write and be creative. I like it when Ho mentions that we might not have the vest education standard but we have the best school for students to share their ideas and opinions. One good example that he mentioned was the differences between his high school and his son’s high school. How he learned Shakespeare in high school and how his son learn in high school. He had to memorize all the major cities but his son only had to write a love note letter to Romeo and Juliet. We will write a custom essay sample on We Should Cherish Our Children’s Freedom to Think or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His son did not have to memorize anything like he did back in his high school time. By knowing the differences of Ho and his son’s high school year, I think Ho do not have any choice to shares his ideas. His son who wrote a love letter to Romeo and Juliet was more independence. He can share his ideas in the letter he wrote to Romeo and Juliet. Another great example was that United States produces the most advance technology. If United States did not have the best education, why would it be one of the most advance countries in the world? I think it is because people in the United States shares their ideas and opinions to everyone unlike Communist China people who only learn what the government wants them to learn and do not have much voice to share their opinions. One example Ho mentioned and I think it is not as strong as other examples is when he talked about the Japanese business men who send their child to private school staffed by Japanese teachers. In my opinion, it does not matter whether the school we are going to is private or public. One is not better than the other one. I also have a second thought that private school might be better if you know someone who is very smart and you hire that one person to educate your child. After all, I think it is mostly depends on your child. If your child is a hard-working person and spends their time wisely studying instead of spending time foolishly, they will learn and are smarter than those who spend their time foolishly. In conclusion, we should cherish our children’s freedom to think instead of giving your own opinions to your children. Let them share their ideas with yours and other people. Sharing ideas will lead our country into an even more advance country than it is now.

The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Lakota Essay Example

The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Lakota Paper What were the four cardinal virtues of the Alaska that Sitting Bull embodied? Why do you think that one fellow tribesman remarked that there was something in Sitting Bull that everyone liked? Describe how this great Sioux leader also represented the three distinct personalities that the jota valued. The the four cardinal virtues of the Alaska that Sitting Bull possessed was bravery, fortitude, generosity, and wisdom. These four virtues are characteristics that most leaders we see today have and past leaders held. Tintinnabulation or Sitting Bull demonstrated these virtues at a very young GE and they were precursors to becoming the chief of the Hunt kappa Alaska Sioux tribe. At the age of fourteen, Sitting Bull had not proven his courage but he was known as Slow for his deliberate and willful ways. But after a war party to find horses and scalps of the enemy tribe, the Crow tribe, Slow became a village hero by striking a fleeing Crow member with a tomahawk and showing his bravery at such a young age. Slow, mounted on a sturdy gray horse his father had given him, his naked body painted yellow from head to foot and hung with colorful strands of beads, shrieked a war cry and eloped in pursuit. The powerful gray swiftly overtook the quarry. Pulling abreast, Slow smashed his adversary with a tomahawk and knocked him from his mount. (Page: 5) At the age of fourteen now, teenagers biggest challenge is just starting high school while Sitting Bull started his list of many military victory. Slow then b ecame Sitting Bull and received his feathered lanced from his mother and a shield with the symbol that he saw in a dream from his father. We will write a custom essay sample on The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Lakota specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Lakota specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Lakota specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The name Sitting Bull was not only a name passed down from his father but also was a name that would still live to this day because of Sitting Bulls leadership and resistance to the whites. As Sitting Bull grew older, he showed the four cardinal virtues of bravery, fortitude, generosity, and wisdom countless times. Sitting Bull also showed his suitability for being a leader by the appreciation the tribe members had for Sitting Bull. There was something in Sitting Bull that everybody liked, children liked him because he was kind, the women because he was kind to the family and liked to settle family troubles. Men liked him because he was brave. Medicine men liked him because they knew he was a man they could consider a leader. (Page: 5-6) This is very crucial to Sitting Bull success because a person who is extremely well-liked can be trusted and the Sioux people trusted him in battle. Sitting Bull was a person that everyone liked because he had confidence in himself and showed it through his bravery. Also, Sitting Bull proved to his villagers and people that they could be comfortable under his leadership. By helping with family problems, Sitting Bull showed effective ways to resolve problems. By being kind to children, Sitting Bull proved that he would protect the children as if they were his own. And by displaying he was a great leader to he medicine men who were highly respected, Sitting Bull showed that he was an appropriate leader of the Alaska. Along with Sitting Bull character development, he always formed three distinct personalities. First, Sitting Bull developed into an exceptional warrior and huntsman. Sitting Bull has numerous examples of his excellent combat and seeking, it is shown with his number of honors by high ranked village members. He was also, boastful for his deeds but a person of his caliber can justify bragging. Sitting Bulls second personality a holy man. Another personality was the holy man suffused with evergreen and mysticism, communing constantly with Weakening, the Great Mysterious, dreaming sacred dreams and carrying out rites and ceremonies the mandated, entreating for the welfare of his people, offering sacrifices ranging from a buffalo carcass to his own flesh. (Page: 6) Being a holy man, people would believe Sitting Bull would lead in the way of their gods. Lastly, Sitting Bulls last distinct personality and the one I think is the most important, Was that he was a good tribesman. Any successful leader have morals and fight for the people he represents. Sitting Bull is described as A man of undines, generosity ¶y, and humility, instantaneous in dress and bearing, composer and singer of songs, a friend of children and old people, peacemaker, sportsman, gentle humorist, wise counselor, and leader. (Page: 6) All of these personalities are integral to Sitting Bulls rise to leadership and eventually to his tragic death. How did Red Cloud and Sitting Bull differ in their reaction to the Fort Laramie Treaty? Which one of them do you think was right and why? Which of the two great Sioux leaders did Crazy Horse support? Red Cloud and Sitting Bull were both two great leaders but had two entirely efferent views about the advancement of the white men on their land. Red Cloud passively gave into the Fort Laramie Treaty that gave Indians the Powder River country and called it Uncured Indian country. But Sitting Bull headstrong never signed the treaty because he wanted no affiliation with whites except the ones who traded guns, goods, and ammunition. But both paths ended badly at the end. Red Cloud represented the people who decided to live in the reservation and accept the government. Sitting Bull was the chief of the Lasts who resisted the government and tried to bring back old life. Sitting Bulls group became known as hostiles to the white people. But Sitting Bull decided to be defensive in protecting his land against the whites. This strategy was shown against the Northern Pacific Railroad. In these troubles against the Alaska and Cheyenne, Sitting Bull showed his fearlessness once more and most memorably. Fighting against Northern Pacific Railroad engineers and cavalry guardians, Sitting Bull walked nonchalantly walked in front of crossing fire and had a smoke party with other terrified Indians. But resisting the creation of the railroad did not work and only gave the government more reason to attack the tribes. The serration and non-reservation Indians had a period of no deliberate assaults but both groups would face an awful punishment. Because the Great Sioux Reservation was located in the Black Hills, it was a desired area because of the mines. Sitting Bull refused to give up the land and it only gave the government one choice, force. So eventually, the land was overtaken. Because of the same end result from Red Clod and Sitting Bull, their decision were almost the same. But Sitting Bull only tried to delay the inevitable by resisting the railroads and white men. By being passive, Red Cloud saved his people from some trouble that burdened them. Sitting Bulls aggressive manner did not help the Sioux in the end because the army could over power the Indians no matter what. It was Sitting Bulls pride of his tribe and people led him to such a high position and ultimately led to his tragic downfall. Maybe if he passively gave into to the government, the government might have gave Indians a little more land or killed less people. Red Cloud made the better decision because he realized his defeat and not live in denial until his death like Sitting Bull. Crazy Horse supported Sitting Bull decision because he urged the Sioux and Cheyenne to attack the Northern Pacific Railroad workers. What hard dilemma did President Grant face after the discovery of gold in the Black Hills? Why did this conflict between miners and Indians result in the Great Sioux War of 1976? What role did Sitting Bull play in the Battle of Little Big Horn? President Grant was faced with a tough challenge when gold was discovered in the mines that the Indians resided in. The Treaty of 1868 rightfully gave the Indians that land without question. But miners still chose to mine the hills and protested for the government to allow an invasion of the reservation Indians. At the time, Sitting Bull and his non-reservation men decided to no longer old an offensive fort but chose to only attack in defense if the white man tried to take land of the Indians. And because of the daunting intimidation Sitting Bull had over the reservation chiefs, they refused to sell the land. The government decided the way to buy the land was stop the resistance of the non-reservation Indians. The government justified its attack on the independent bands by claiming they lived on unscreened land because they did not sign the Treaty of 1868. This was enough for the military to strike the hostiles. This excuse became the foundation of the Great Sioux War. Sitting Bull and his fellow chiefs were unaware of the incoming war and did not want to fight the white military. But the American soldiers ended up invading the Sioux people. Then, on March 17, 1876, cavalry stormed through a village on Powder River, killing two and wounding several others; now the hunting bands knew the Long Knives had declared war. (Page: 1 2) Sitting Bull had a much different role in the Great Sioux War then his past battles and conflicts. Sitting Bull was now 45 and his position was the old man chief and as a holy man. He was still highly respected because everyone till knew of his rich past. Sitting Bulls judgment and counsel guided the policies and decisions of all tribes. Sitting Bull grouped warriors for battle but he would not fight next to them showing his courageousness. Sitting Bull drew the winter camps together for self-defense. As spring gave away to summer, reservation Indians began to make their way westward, to join In defense. By late June his village had swollen 3,000 to 7,000 people, from 800 to 1 ,800 warriors. (Page: 12) But Sitting Bull helped his fellow Indians by giving 100 pieces of his flesh from his arms to give the Sioux victory. He also eased and danced while looking at the sun. Under the sun, Sitting Bull saw the soldiers and horses bearing down on an Indian village, probably wishing to have one more opportunity to battle with his fellow Indians. One voice declared These soldiers do not possess ears. They are to die (Page: 1 2) On June 17, 1876, Sitting Bulls fighters were confronted by three armies led by three different generals. Sitting Bulls warriors opposed General Crooks soldiers and almost overran them but the Crow tribe interference saved the military. Even though the result was relatively good, it was not what Sitting Bull had prophesied. Sitting Bull had the prophecy that Crooks soldiers would fall into the Sioux camp and die but this would happen soon enough. Only a week later, Long Hair Custer, another general, and his army fell into the Sioux camp. This is what Sitting Bull had envisioned in his sun-dance, seeing many soldiers die. The civilized people of America were shocked by the loss at battle and labeled Sitting Bull, the Napoleon of the Sioux (Page: 12) Also, self-acclaimed experts falsely explained how exactly Sitting Bull became so powerful in battle in many different ways. One of them declared hat the framed Jesuit missionary Father Pierre Jean De Seem had taught Sitting Bull to speak and read French; the chief had then studied French histories of the Napoleonic Wars and modeled his generalship after the little Corsican corporal. The Sioux did not win at Killdeer Mountain because of better strategy which the whites wanted to hear, but because they tripled Cussed cavalry and they had more confidence and anger. Sitting Bulls real significance in the battle was as a council man and being an inspiration to his warriors. What is the significance of the Ghost Dance religion and Sitting Bulls tragic death? How do you feel abo ut Tuttle conclusion that Sitting Bull lost, not because of any personal or cultural failings, but because of forces beyond his control? The Ghost Dance was more than just a Religion to the Sioux people. Its origin came in 1 asss when everything was taken from the Sioux, from food to more land. The ghost danced symbolized a new world that was without the whites who took everything from the Sioux and with the beloved buffalo. The whites assumed it was a form of non-violent resistance that could lead to violent resistance. So the military did its best to stop the ghost dance. It was not rover if Sitting Bull truly believed in the Ghost dance but he was positioned as the high priest at the Standing Rock region. But the government chose to move Sitting Bull to a distant military post. Sitting Bull was facing an unavoidable death at this time. Indian policemen stormed Sitting Bulls cabin and arrested him, all while his son watched. The on looking Ghost dancers became energize and crowded his cabin and taunted Sitting Bulls son. This led to gunfire and resistance and both Sitting Bull and Crow Foot died. The irony behind this is that the Ghost Dancers wanted things to go back to their old ways but they could not do it without Sitting Bull, the integral leader of the Sioux. I believe in Outlets conclusion of Sitting Bulls fall because Sitting Bull led flawlessly and stood his ground even when there was no light. Sitting Bull wanted his people to own their own land and he would fight for it. In this struggle, as both lance and shield, his inflexibility served him well. (Page: 14) . But the advancement of technology that the white people, could wipe out any tribe every time. Sitting Bull could not have led his tribe any better but sometimes civilizations are meant to collapse.

buy custom Financial Reporting essay

buy custom Financial Reporting essay Deegan (2009) states that financial reports should represent faithfully the underlying transactions and events and should be neutral and complete. However, the question still remains whether we can really accept that accounting can be 'neutral' or objective. Transparency and compliance is the expectation of many in matters of financial reporting. There is a wide gap of communication in annual reports in matters of disclosure and compliance. In various aspects, it is a troubling report since it comprises information on public relations and results of finance (Ball, 2006). Even with the inclusion of sophisticated standards, the financial report still has traces of inconsistencies. The accountants, analysts and regulators with an understanding of finance complexities have taken an advantage of the situation and have compromised with the set standards. Transparency has thus been compromised in financial reports. Therefore, this essay seeks to state that some financial reports can no long er be regarded as neutral and will in most cases be compromised. Footnotes in financial reports have become too extensive and technically complex for individual investors. The complexity of the documents has made interpretation difficult. Individual investors have been struggling to bring sense out of the high volume of expert information. The footnotes are an inclusion that aims at satisfying the transparency legal form. It has however been used for the wrong reasons. Investors along with their accountants, regulators and analysts seek to use footnotes to provide authentic-world disclosures aimed at establishing direct solutions to simple although very crucial questions to the investor. Such issues include seeking to establish the viability of the investment on long-term basis. Again, it has also been used to establish the capital strength of the investment (Glen, 2005). Such inclusions in the financial report have led to some level of compromise which has interfered with the integrity of the documents (International Accounting Standards Board, 2 007). The main differences in the process of producing financial reports for companies in various countries have led to many problems. These begin right from the process of preparation, consolidation and the interpretation of the published financial reports. The efforts that have been put in place to harmonize the statements of finance in the reports on a global scale have been established by such bodies like IASC, the EU and even the IASB. All the same, they have not produced a significant change in the financial documents. The annual accounts of a company provide information concerning the financial status of the company. Even though the main objective is all the same in different parts of the world, there is a difference in the influences of these financial accounts. Thus, different countries have shown different approaches in coming up with their documents. One of the causes of major flaws in financial reports is the concern about financial provision. Companies have been increasing in scale. Private capital has thus become insufficient to support the company activities. Based on this fact, companies react differently to the increased need for money to finance these activities (Alexander et al. 2007). Some parts of the world like in America and UK saw shareholders as thesource of the needed extra funding. As a result of this, some companies relied more on equity funding. This is where problems begin to emerge. In companies where there is equity funding, the financial statements tend to have an orientation by the investor. The financial statements should make available the relevant information for the investor to come up with the best decision. However, the case is ever different from regions with companies relying on debt funding. The financial statements in this case normally have a creditor orientation. The information is very imperati ve as it tells whether a company will be in a position to pay debts or not. Different legal systems are a major cause of the differences realized in accounting practice. These differences account for the many flaws that are evident in financial documents. In such places like USA and England, there is a common law system. The system is established through case law and cannot provide specific regulations which could be applicable universally. Therefore, rules of accounting are set out by established private bodies in the accounting profession. The rules are not a section of the law. However, Spain, Scotland and France apply a Code Law system that offers a large set of rules that attempt to work for any kind of situation (Alexander et al, 2007). The regulations in accounting are in the hands of the federal government and in most cases set in the company law of the country. In such regions, financial reports have sometimes been reduced to a mere compliance to a set of legal requirements by the law. Well, the authenticity of the financial reports is in a worrying situation. Financial statements have been used in some countries to establish the taxable income of a company. In such a scenario, financial reports can be influenced by tax. This is mainly because a company will seek to cut down the tax imposed on them. This is mostly found in such countries where there is no an explicit approach of the investor in their financial reporting. Norway, Italy and Sweden are such examples where financial reporting relies on taxation (Alexander et al., 2007). Countries like Ireland and the Czech Republic have different accounts for purposes of tax. Therefore, the relationship is not that strong. All these differences highlighted above will have a big effect on accounting and the use of financial reports. Such differences will often lead to confusion in investors and ultimately affect the process of decision making in companies at large. To reduce any suspicion in these documents, harmonizati on is required so that the authenticity in financial reports can be maintained (Elliot and Elliot, 2004). Accounting reports reacts to the environment generally. It is thus logical to assert that various environments have different systems of accounting. On the other hand, similar environments have similar systems of accounting. This has led to the emergence of different standards in accounting. Financial reporting has different characteristics. They could either have shareholder or stakeholder orientation. In such places where shareholders tend to be the main users of reports of finance, high quality information is required. Investors do not really have the internal information needed for them to make important decisions. The lack of high qualiity information at such levels has left a lot of questions amongst investors. The confusion occasioned by the different standards used has compromised the quality of data available in financial reports. The pressure to have a disclosure of the information needed is higher than in such regions where those who offer funding can get access to interna l information. The information quality must really be very good regardless the geographical location. A standardization process is required to eliminate these shortcomings (Zingales, 2000). The representation of the companys financial situation is also a great concern in maintain transparency in the reports. As provided in the common law nations, financial reports must exhibit a just perception of the situation in a company. In code law nations, the focus is on compliance with the set legal requirements. Therefore, many accountants will manipulate data upon the request by the investor to attain compliance. This is usually done through a well planned collusion. The investor is ever ready to pay off the regulators and the analysts. The accounting handling of lease contracts have drawn a major concern. In the UK for instance, lease contracts can be accounted for in the company balance sheet while companies may not really be in possession of assets legally. All the same, a situation in which legal compliance has a greater influence, the lease contracts are usually kept off the balance sheet. This is because there is normally no legal ownership. This difference can have a ve ry big impact on the equity/debt of a particular company (Alexander et al., 2007). The need to harmonize financial reports is apparently obvious because it may possibly affect investors. The investors who look in between geographical locations in order to invest will greatly be influenced by the lethargy seen in financial reporting. Transparency has not really been described on an expanded level in financial reports. The kind of definition needed clearly includes the need to have harmony in the standards of financial reporting as well as the format. This will help investors to find similar sections of the financial report in a similar order from time to time. The lack of harmonization creates loop holes for fraudulent activities. The coherence of financial reports can be made possible with the establishment of a standard compliance procedure. Other changes will also be required in the footnotes. The main purpose of these footnotes was initially to provide support for the numerical information summarized in the financial reports. The lack of a standardized sequence in using the footnotes usually tends to be a difficult condition for the investors (Michael, 2006). Finally, since financial reporting has undergone a variety of changes, the authenticity of the reports needs to be maintained. It is clear that there is a lot of difficult in accepting that accounting can be 'neutral' or objective. There are a number of standards that have been employed in drafting financial reports and have put the entire process in question. It is evident that a standard harmonization procedure is needed to make financial statements easy to analyze. It is no doubt that financial reports have been greatly influence by legal systems of compliance. There is a lot of bias which needs to be addressed. Buy custom Financial Reporting essay

Promoting products Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Promoting products - Essay Example These six promotional mix factors sometimes run independently yet concurrently, which is fine if that is the intention. In an ideal promotion marketing scenario, all six factors would operate together. Thus, critics admit that traditional ways to promote do not always work: innovation is needed. Consumers and people in general have never been able to discuss their own motivations, because they do not understand them. Nor do they think about them, which is why this part of the mind is referred to as the unconscious. But although consumers do not think about their motives, they do experience them and they do act on them. Advertisers, salespersons, and marketers need to understand motivation to be effective. They especially need to understand the motivation that relates to their (Brock et al 76). In this case, communications uses messages to change both behavior and attitudes, and messages are made up of symbols. Direct marketing is often considered the popular promotional tools aimed t o inform consumers about a product, its benefits and uniqueness. For instance, direct marketing through catalog mailings has long been a workhorse marketing method for department stores such as Montgomery Ward, Spiegel, and Sears. It was a good way to tap into the rural market; these people wanted goods but seldom made it to a city to shop at the big stores. With the advent of two cars in every garage, a general and steady rise in population, and migration to suburbia, many believed direct mail was dead. But we consumers and the postal service know differently (Brock et al 28). Television advertising rates increase steadily every year, along with more channels and more

Fibre Reinforced Plastics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Fibre Reinforced Plastics - Essay Example These set of additions impart a new identity to the composite in terms of heat resistance, strength and stiffness. Individually the mechanical properties of these additives might not be of an appreciable value but on combining to form a composite matrix these properties are magnified. The ultimate mechanical property of the composite of course depends upon the manner in which these fibres are arranged in the matrix and the manufacturing method followed in producing the composite. Both these applications; Aerospace and Formula-1 deal with mechanisms to reduce the weight of the body and increase the aerodynamic profile of the surface. These functions would ultimately define the fuel efficiency and the speed of the aircraft or the Formula-1 car. (Cripps David, 2000) Research currently being undertaken seeks to refine the existing manufacturing processes to reduce the weight of the composite further but at the same time maintaining structural integrity. Advantages of using FRP 1. This of fers a wide range of corrosion resistance over acids, chlorides and other oxidizers. 2. Since its offer no galvanic potential it negates the requirement of sacrificial anodes for cathodic protection. (The composite advantage, 2004) 3. The strength to weight ratio is quite large. 4. It can operate over a wide range of temperatures; from low temperature cryogenic temperature applications to high temperatures in the range of 350 to 400? F. (The composite advantage, 2004) 5. It provides safe working environment as it is fire resistant. 6. The inherent nature of the material and the adaptability of the manufacturing process make it suitable for creating large complex shapes in situ. 7. Both the installation costs and maintenance costs are lower. (The composite advantage, 2004) The Manufacturing Process There are number of manufacturing processes that are used in producing Fibre Reinforced Plastics. These include the 1. Hand Lay-Up process 2. Spray Lay-Up process 3. Vacuum Bagging 4. Fila ment Winding 5. Pultrusion However the manufacturing process that is usually used in the manufacturing of components and structural parts of aircrafts and F1 racing cars include the following (Cripps David, 2000) 1. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) 2. Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM) 3. Prepegs 4. Resin Film Infusion. (RFI) 1. Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) - This is a closed moulding process done under low pressure. The volume of composite produced is somewhere between that generated in a contact moulding process and that of a compression moulding process. The strands of reinforcement that is completely dried out are neatly arranged in the lower part of the mould. Glass reinforcements of various shapes can also be used along with the fiber matrix to ensure that complex mould shapes can be generated. Source: Cripps David, 2000, Reinforced Transfer Moulding The mating part or the upper portion of the mould is then closed onto the bottom half of the bold leaving a cavity whi ch eventually takes the shape of the structure this process is trying to manufacture. The thermosetting resin is then injected into this cavity space. It is necessary to ensure that sufficient amount of this resin is used to avoid the formation of voids, cavities or edge imperfections caused due to low quantity of resin. (Rice Brian and Lee William, n.d ) To assist in this filling process and guarantee that all areas of this cavity are filled, vacuum can be used which draws the resin to all parts of the cavity and ensures a perfect fill. This process is also known as the Vacuum Assisted R

The exhibition entitled Face of our Time Research Paper

The exhibition entitled Face of our Time - Research Paper Example The Swiss photographer, Daniel Schwartz, focused his subjects to the effects of globalization. The photographs were able to portray less exposed subjects such as Bazaar Day. The photographs were a collection of his travel. Though the images offer the audience less feeling of vulnerability, the photographs remain persistent. These pictures spoke that globalization is widespread and a lot of places were very much affected. Poverty and inequality can be seen in the pictures. If some countries have very clean and organized places such as market, a lot of places in central Asia do not have these opportunities and facilities. Thus globalization has its own series of pitfalls. Looking at Schwartz’s collection, he really wanted to convey a message about globalization to the world. Someone’s perfect place can mean to give another one’s place inadequacy. If there are countries that were blessed because of globalization, there are also those suffering because of it. Zanele Muholi’s collection and work gave voice to the visual identity of the marginalized queer black people in South Africa. Her elegant photographs of queer and transgendered women showed a strong message regarding marginalization of this kind of population. The collection spoke of identity and being of the queers. Discrimination especially based on gender has long been an issue not only in South Africa but in the world. The elegant portraits by Muholi showed pride, strength, and identity of the queer blacks. South African queers, with reference to the pictures.

Study on the A Not B Error

Study on the A Not B Error After being discovered by Jean Piaget in 1954 perseveration tasks became one of the main means of investigation in cognitive development psychology, initially in children and later also in non-human animals. The most known of these is the, so called, A-not-B task, which even after many years of research still elicits debates about its underlying mechanisms. This paper aims to provide a review of existing empirical data in order to answer questions of who and why makes the A-not-B error. The first section of the review will give a theoretical background by describing the classic task used by Piaget, the importance of such experiments. This will provide a clear picture of what the A-not-B error is. The two following parts will focus on the questions of who makes the error and why, by an analysis of a set of classic experiments. Each study will be analyzed in terms of its goals, results, and what the impact of these findings is. The last part will include general conclusions based on st udies analyses from previous parts. In order to answer the questions stated in the review title, what is the A-not-B error, who makes it, and why?, classic data will be analyzed in order to determine what the best candidates for explanation of the mechanisms responsible for the error are (in the classic A-not-B task). The most convincing hypothesis will be chosen based on its explanatory power (can it explain most of the existing data?) and its relation to other approaches (can it incorporate other ideas?). Publication of the book The Construction of Reality in the Child in 1954 marks the beginning of research on perseverative tasks in infants. The author, Jean Piaget, described many hide and seek games, invented in order to investigate the understanding of permanence of objects in infants and its changes in time. One of these games became one of the most widely used to explore infant cognition, the A-not-B task. The classic example of its procedure involved a 9 and a half month old child called Laurent. Piaget placed him on a sofa and presented him with two hiding covers, one on the right, and one on the left. Then, he placed his watch under the cover A, and observed Laurent lift the cover to retrieve the watch. After this hiding and seeking was repeated several times, Piaget hid his watch under the cover B. Laurent watched this action attentively, but when given a choice searched back at the location A. As the author put it, at the moment the watch has disappeared under the garment B, he [Laurent] turns back toward coverlet A, and searches for the object under the screen. From this wrong choice, Piaget concluded that Laurent did not understand the independence of objects from his own actions on them. Since these initial results, the A-not-B error has been continuously studied and proven to be a strong and universal phenomenon in human infancy. However, the underlying mechanisms are still being debated, why the error happens and what it means. What is clearer, are the crucial elements of the task to produce the A-not-B error (Smith, 1999). In the original procedure an infant sits in front of two hiding locations that are highly similar and separated by a small distance. While the infant watches, an attractive object (for example a toy) is hidden in one of the locations, described as A. After a delay (which can vary), the infant is allowed to search for the object by reaching to one of the two hiding locations. This hiding and seeking is repeated several times, af ter which the object is hidden again, but this time in location B. Again, after a delay the infant searches for the object. In this traditional method, 8 to 10 month old infants keep reaching back to the initial location A, thus making the A-not-B error. More recent data suggests that there might be also other important elements of the experiment, including posture of an infant, social context, or who the person interacting with subjects is. Before proceeding to a more detailed analysis of existing A-not-B task data, the significance of such research will be briefly described. Investigations of A-not-B task are important for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it provides a clear paradigm to explore the development of infant cognition, how it changes in time. More specifically, it allows investigation how different processes involved in finding the object interact (such as looking, discriminating locations, posture control, and motor planning). Secondly, it also allows comparative experiments when the task is administered to nonhuman animals. Such research allow comparisons of cognitive abilities of different species and how these abilities might have evolved from common ancestors. However, after many years of research there is still no consensus on what is the meaning of the error and what its developmental importance is. The question of what the A-not-B error is has already been answered. The next question is about who makes the error. An answer to this question will be approached by analyzing a selection of studies on the A-not-B tasks which investigated human infants (Homo sapiens), rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). The predominant group of participants checked on the A-not-B task are human infants of different ages. Diamond and Goldman-Rakic (1989) investigated extensively how the age of infants and the length of delay between observing and searching influences the commitment rate of the error. The experimental procedure was based on the original task, designed by Piaget. However, several differences were also introduced. Instead of sitting freely, infants were held sitting on their parents lap, prevented from turning or looking at the hiding location during the delay. Care was taken to ensure that the infant was observing the whole hiding process. In order to prevent visual fixation on correct hiding location, the infants were distracted by the experimenter calling them and counting aloud. Correct reaches were rewarded by gaining the hidden object (an attractive toy). In a case of an incorrect reach, the experimenter showed the right choice by uncovering the object, but did not allow the infan t to reach for it. Testing for A-not-B began immediately after the infant first uncovered a hidden toy from one of the hiding places. Different lengths of delays between hiding and searching were introduced to the procedure to check what the crucial time to commit the error was. The first introduced delay was a 2 second one. Most infants below 8-8.5 months of age made the A-not-B error at these or smaller delays, whereas only one infant above 11 months did so. The second delay was 5 seconds. By 8.5 months only half of infants made the error at delays of 5 +/- 2 seconds. By 9.5 months half of the infants required delays greater than 5 seconds for the error to appear. The last experimental delay was 10 seconds, where no infant below 8.5 months had passed, whereas by 12 months the average delay needed to be longer than 10 seconds. An interesting observation from this experiment is that infants who maintained visual fixation on the correct hiding location also reached correctly, while t hose who shifted their gaze, failed to do so (performed at chance levels). Another interesting fact is that infants tried to correct themselves when they made the A-not-B error (but not in the youngest ages). To sum up, the A-not-B error occurs in human infants at delays of 2-5 seconds at 7.5-9 months, and at delays greater than 10 seconds after one year. These findings also are consistent with studies conducted by Gratch and Landers (1971) and Fox et al. (1979) which both found that infants of 8 months made the error at a delay of 3 seconds, as well as with a study by Millar and Watson (1979) which showed that infants of 6-8 months could avoid the error when there was no delay, but committed it with delays as brief as 3 seconds. This last finding corresponds closely with Diamond and Goldman-Rakic who found that infants of 8 months will succeed on A-not-B task if there is no delay, but that they will also fail at delays of 3 seconds. Diamond and Goldman-Rakic used the same procedure to investigate ten rhesus monkeys with prefrontal lesions in comparison to monkeys with different brain lesions (parential), and ones with brains intact. Only animals with the prefrontal lesions committed the A-not-B errors at different delay lengths. There was no significant difference in performance between unoperated and parentially lesioned monkeys. Their age ranged from 2 to 6 years. At the delay of 2 seconds, all monkeys with prefrontal lesions committed the error. At the delay level of 5 second results were similar, all monkeys with prefrontal lesions committed the error. At the delay of 10 seconds the performance of prefrontal animals did not meet criteria for the error (such as at least one error in the reversed trial, the error at least once repeated during the same trial), exactly like human infants below 9 months. Behaviour of prefrontally damaged monkeys was noted to be very similar to that of human infants described befo re. The last research analyzed in order to provide an answer to the question of who commits the A-not-B error was conducted by Topà ¡l et al. (2009) on dogs, wolves, and human infants. In a series of experiments a behavioural analogy between human infants and dogs was found. The goal of the research was to investigate the functional nature of dogs sensitivity to communicative cues in a comparative framework, by the use of the A-not-B task. In one of the experiments dogs were shown to be influenced by the communicative context in their perseverative erroneous searches for hidden objects at a previously repeatedly baited (with a toy) location A, even when they observed the object being hidden at a different location (B). Such results are highly similar to those found in human infants. The task involved looking for a hidden object that the dogs saw being hidden behind one of two identical screens. The first phase consisted of the dog being allowed to repeatedly fetch the object (toy) from behind of the screens (location A). In the test phase, the experimenter hid the toy behind the alternative screen B. Dogs managed to fetch the hidden object correctly in all screen A trials. The main result from the test phase is that dogs in the social-communicative trial (the hider attracted the dogs attention) committed the A-not-B error more often than animals in the non-communicative (hiding with experimenters back turned toward the dog) or non-social (experimenter stayed still while the object was moved between screen by another experimenter, not visible to the dog) version. Additionally, animals in the non-social condition were significantly more successful than chance during the test phases. To sum up, the error was eliminated when the hiding events were not accompanied by communicative signals from experimenters. Dogs were shown to be influenced by the communicative context in their perseverative erroneous searches for hidden objects at the previously repeatedly baited loca tion A, even when they observed the object being hidden at a different location B. Such results are highly similar to those found in human infants. Thus, the A-not-B error was proven to also exist in dogs. Naturally this analysis does not exhaust all existing research on perseverative tasks. However, the aim of this review is to focus on A-not-B error only, in its classic version designed by Piaget. Other species, investigated in different variants of perseverative error tasks, included chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), cotton-top tamarin monkeys (Saguinus oedipus) (Hauser, 1999), as well as magpies (Pica pica) (Gà ³mez, 2005). After the data of who makes the A-not-B error was summarized, an analysis of the underlying mechanisms should follow, to answer the question of why the error is made. In literature different hypotheses are present. Principal of these include areas such as object permanence, memory deficits, information bias, immaturity of prefrontal cortex, and action oriented responses (reaching). The first explanation was provided by the author of the A-not-B task himself, based on his initial research on perseverative errors. Piaget attributed this error to a lack of conception of object permanence in human infants. In his view infants commit the error because they do not understand that an object continues to exist even when out of sight. Their reach back to location A is therefore seen as an attempt to bring that object back to existence. This is the first, historical explanation, which has been disproved by various studies. For example, Baillargeon (1987) has shown that some young infants (3.5-4.5 months) might have some understanding of object permanence. When watching possible (a screen rotating and stopping at a box behind it) and impossible events (a screen rotating as though there was no box behind it), infants looked longer at the impossible ones, which can be understood that they were not expecting them to happen. Similar results were also reported by Ahmed and Ruf fman (1998), where infants who made the A-not-B error in search tasks looked significantly longer at impossible events than possible ones in a non-search version of the task. Such behaviours required a comprehension that when objects are out of sight, they continue to exist. Infants did not expect the object to be retrieved from a wrong place and therefore they had to understand in some sense where the object was actually located. Such results call into question Piagets claims about the age at which object permanence emerges. An alternative explanation focused on memory as a factor responsible for the error occurrence. In her research, Diamond (1985) found that different delay lengths between hiding and object searching affected the rate of the error. Thus the conclusion was that the recall memory was causing the A-not-B error. However, such view was challenged by Butterworth (1977), who found that use of transparent covers in hiding locations does not decrease the error rates, which is inconsistent with the recall hypothesis. Seeing an object underneath a cover should create no need of using the recall memory and lead to the error not being committed, which did not happen. This study also can be used to argue against the hypothesis that competition between different kinds of memory is responsible for the error. Harris (1989; after: Ahmed Ruffman, 1998) proposed that infants make the A-not-B error because of two memory traces in combination with poor attention. In this view, information about the object at location A is held in the long-term memory, whereas information about the object at new location B is kept in a weaker short-term memory. However, the fact that infants continue to make the error even when provided with clear cues of the object location (transparent covers), suggests that the underlying cause is not related to memory issues. Another classic explanation placed the difficulty on the encoding of information. Bjork and Cummings (1984) suggested that encoding at new location B requires more processing (is more complex) than encoding repeated location A because B must be distinguished from A. Sophian and Wellman (1983) also referred to information selection, where prior information was mistakenly selected over the new information about location B because infants forgot current information (which relates strongly to the short-term memory limitations) or because infants did not know that current information should take over. These findings again can be debated in light of the transparent covers study by Butterworth (1977) and the violation-of-expectations study by Ahmed and Ruffman (1998). With the use of transparent covers, encoding new information does not pose major cognitive challenge since the desired object is visible all the time. The proposition of infants not knowing which information should precede is enough ambiguous in itself (what know means in this context, do adults know which information from their environment should be the most valid one?) and is additionally contradicted by the findings that infants look longer at unexpected retrieval of objects from old locations. Therefore, they behave as though they know where the object is currently hidden. All of the hitherto presented hypotheses have met their nemesis data. At this point, two major explanations of the A-not-B error will be presented that yielded wider acceptance. One of them, supported by neuropsychological literature, is the importance of the prefrontal cortex, especially its relation with perseveration and inhibition. The prefrontal cortex is an anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain, which is often associated with planning behaviours, decision making, and moderating social behaviour. As Hauser (1999) states it, the act of perseveration (a repeated production of particular action or thought) often represents the consequence of a particular cognitive problem, related to inhibition. In order to prevent perseveration such mechanism is required to reject some alternatives while favouring others, which may involve activation of the prefrontal cortex (Kimberg et al., 1997). Infants, therefore, are highly susceptible to the commitment of the A-not-B error because of their immature prefrontal cortex. The research by Diamond and Goldman-Rakic (1989) provided the first evidence that A-not-B performance depends upon the integrity of the prefrontal cortex and that maturation of this region underlies improvements in the task performance in human infants between 7.5 and 12 months of age. Further support comes from other groups of subjects of this study. Monkeys with lesions in the prefrontal cortex also committed the error, whereas monkeys with brains left intact, managed to choose the correct location B. As the authors noticed, the A-not-B task performance of operated monkeys and 7.5-9 month old human infants was highly comparable (both groups made errors at delays of 2-5 seconds). This significance of the prefrontal cortex can be explained by analyzing two main abilities required for the error to occur, which depend upon the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: temporal separation and inhibition of dominant response (Diamond Goldman-Rakic, 1989). The A-not-B task requires subjects to relate two temporally separate events: hiding cue and searching action. With no delay between hiding and searching even 7.5-9 month old human infants and prefrontally operated monkeys can manage to choose the correct location B. However, even when a brief delay (2-5 seconds) is introduced, they start to fail in object searching. Therefore, the aspect of delay plays a crucial role in committing the A-not-B error. This disadvantage can be overcome when subjects are allowed to maintain visual fixation or body orientation towards the new location during the delay. A similar effect is created by a visible cue which consistently indicates the correct choice (for example a mark on one of the locations). Those two findings indicate a possible involvement of short and long-term memory in the process of committing the error. In the case of fixation on the correct choice, a representation of this choice does not have to be held in short-term memory, and in th e case of learning an association between a landmark and a reward, the long-term memory is activated, guiding reaching behaviour accordingly. This brings back the argument about the role of memory in explaining the A-not-B error. The second ability stemming from the prefrontal cortex, the inhibition of dominant response, is mostly related to the act of reaching for the hidden object. In the A-not-B task subjects are first repeatedly awarded for reaching to location A, which leads to strengthening of this response. However, such conditioned tendency to reach to A must be inhibited in the test trial if the subject is to succeed and reach correctly to new location B. The fact that subjects reach back to location A even when they appear to know where the object is hidden (by looking there) or should know where the object is placed (transparent covers with visible toys), adds validity to the notion that inhibiting the conditioned response is difficult and that memory might not play a maj or role in explaining the error (the problem is not simply forgetting location of an object). Even when the object is hidden, human infants and operated monkeys will often immediately correct themselves if their initial reach was incorrect. It appears therefore that subjects know the object is hidden in location B but still cannot inhibit the initial response of reaching to the previously rewarded location A. However, human infants often look in the direction of the correct hiding place, even when simultaneously reaching to the wrong one. It seems that the act of reaching itself might cause troubles, which relates to the next major explanation of the A-not-B error. Smith et al. (1999) advocated a change in theoretical debates on possible explanations of the A-not-B error. Their explanation focuses on performance and behaviour during the task, which is described as reaching to successive locations in visual space. Errors are made by returning to an original location when the goal location had changed. Reaching to a place consists of a series of ordered steps, beginning with cognition (perceiving the target, forming a goal) and ending with action (selecting a motor pattern, forming a trajectory of the reach). The proposition states that the A-not-B error is mainly a reaching error, emerging from a directional bias to location A created by previous looking and reaching, and because the visual input available to guide the reaching hand is insufficient to overcome the bias (similar covers close to each other, not fully developed reaching skills of 8 to 10 month old infants). Crucial to this hypothesis is the idea of a continuous interaction between looking, reaching, and memory of previous reaches. In other words, it is important that there are two similar potential reaching targets and that infants have a history of repeatedly reaching to one of the locations. Results from experiments by Smith et al. experiments indicated that goal-directed reaches of infants stem from complex interactions of visual input, direction of gaze, posture, and memory (therefore indicating strong context effects). Such a system is inclined towards perseveration since it creates the reach based on current visual input and memories of recent reaches. This bias will prevail whenever the new information input is highly similar to previous reach information or whenever the systems memory of previous reaches is strong. Such an effect could be described as a version of a previously analyzed information bias. These general processes of goal-directed reaching are not specific to a particular moment in development, which suggests that older children and even adults are prone to commit the A-not-B error if placed in the appropriate situation. For example, when no visual cues are given, like in the case of hiding objects in sand (Spencer et al., 1997; after: Smith et al., 1999). However, if these processes are not specific to a certain age, why then a decline in making the error is observed? Authors point to two developmental changes that can contribute to an answer: increasing infants ability to discriminate among visually similar locations, and increasing skill in reaching. Although Smith et al. state that there is no discrepancy between their results and data from investigations of the role of the prefrontal cortex, they do not agree with the explanation placing emphasis on inhibition failure in this region of the brain. In such a view, infants reach successfully to the correct location not because a dominant habit to reach to A was inhibited, but because the current visual information biasing the system in the B direction is stronger than the previously conditioned action towards A. Therefore, direction of the infants reach depends on internal and external dynamics shaping the goal-directed action (outside stimuli and previous experience). The goal of this review was to answer the questions of what the classic A-not-B error is, who makes it, and for what reasons. The answer to the first two is a straightforward one. In order to determine who makes the error, it is enough to administer the original procedure devised by Piaget to various subjects (with slight modifications if used with nonhuman animals). The question of why the error is committed has a more complex nature. A range of proposed explanations have been presented, along with an analysis of how valid these hypotheses are in light of existing empirical data. Due to limitations of space, the review has focused on presenting a summary of the main hypotheses: object permanence, memory deficits, information bias, immaturity of prefrontal cortex, and goal-oriented reaching. The two latter possess the largest explanatory power, as they incorporate or explain elements of other approaches. The most important difference between them is present in the definition of who c an commit the error. In the neuropsychological approach only subjects with immature or a damaged neocortex will make the error, whereas in the reaching approach this error is not so limited. Another main difference concerns the concept of inhibition. Described as a main element of the influence of the neocortex on choosing the right location, it is removed completely from the reaching approach. However, certain similarities are also present, since the neuropsychological hypothesis includes the aspect of programming a goal-oriented reach. Considering these characteristics together, as the best candidate for an explanation of the A-not-B task the immaturity of the neocortex will be chosen. It can provide sufficient explanation for why human infants with immature prefrontal cortex, prefrontally damaged monkeys, and dogs make the error. In the case of the latter, the inhibition process might play the major part. Dogs committed the error mostly in the communicative experimental conditio n, which might suggest that overcoming a bias created that way is too difficult, inhibition in the prefrontal cortex (which is often assumed to organize social behaviour) is too weak. Of possible importance is the domestication process, during which dogs were selected to respond to human communicative signals. In terms of Marrs levels of explanation (Humpreys et at., 1994), the prefrontal cortex could be described as planning behaviours in order to act appropriately in the world (computational level), by the use of inhibition processes (algorithmic level) on the neuronal networks (implementional level). Additional empirical data, obtained in order to validate the prefrontal cortex hypothesis, should include studies on infant rhesus monkeys and other infant species, as well as autistic human children (due to their lack of social skills which could be attributed to malfunctioning prefrontal cortex). A set of such data would allow comparisons with existing findings. Naturally, new rese arch might bring a change of focus in mechanisms underlying the A-not-B error, as the issue of perseverative errors is a complex one and requires further investigation.

Residential Schools Essay -- Canadian Education, Canadian Government

Case Study: Residential Schools Examining the residential school system in Canada between the 1870s and 1996 exposes numerous human rights and civil liberties violations of individuals by the government. This case study involves both de jure discrimination and de facto discrimination experienced by Aboriginals based on their culture. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms specifically protects Aboriginal rights under section 25 and section 15 declares that, â€Å"Every individual is equal before and under the law† (Sharpe & Roach, 2009, p. 307). Human rights and civil liberties of Aboriginal children and parents were ignored and violated by residential schools which were fuelled by government policy, agendas of church organizations, and a public desire to assimilate the native population into Canadian society. Government Policy Assimilating the aboriginal population into Canadian society was seen as the best solution to eliminating the costs associated with this segment of society receiving funds for being wards of the state. Once the process of shaping students into ideal citizens has been completed, they would be granted full citizenship and automatically enfranchises them. The removal treaty rights and tribe affiliation would mean that the federal government is no longer faced with the financial burden associated with caring for these peoples (Akhtar, 2010, p. 113). Since children have the potential to easily adapt to situations, they are perfect candidates for socialization programs which ease them into society. When the policy of aggressive civilization was supported by the Canadian government, public funding became available for the residential school project which involved stripping aboriginal children of their cultur... ...ess to the issue and recognizing the problems with this policy will help prevent further violations of rights and liberties. Conclusion The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is in place to ensure the citizens of Canada are protected from unreasonable violations by the government. When the assimilation policy was adopted there was no way to determine the far reaching effects that it would have on aboriginal children and their families. Over time societal views change and the policies are directly affected so this kind of human rights violation would be less acceptable. Challenging the status quo can bring about change and bring awareness to a topic that was often overlooked. In a nation which prides it’s self on being a multicultural mosaic, residential schools fuelled by policy, religious organizations and the public should be stricken down permanently.

Business Model of Nike Essay

Introduction Nike Inc. was founded in 1962 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight as a partnership under the name, Blue Ribbon Sports. Nike’s main products are sports shoes, sportswear, sports goods. In this paper, we will talk about ‘The Challenge of Entrepreneurship’ ‘Competitive Business Model’ ‘Solid Strategic Plan’ ‘Feasibility Analysis’ and ‘Business Plan’. All of these topics are very important when we study the ‘EOE and SBM’, and in each topic have more than one point. We got ‘The Benefits of Entrepreneurship’ ‘Competition’ of ‘The Challenge of Entrepreneurship ’; ‘Core Competencies’ ‘Innovations’ ‘Sustainable Competitive Advantage’ ‘Key Success Factor’ of ‘CBM’; ‘Vision and Mission’ ‘Objectives and Goals’ ‘SWOT’ ‘Competitor’ ‘Business strategy’ of ‘Solid Strategic Plan’; ‘Industry and Market Feasibility’ ‘Product or Service Feasibility’ ‘Financial Feasibility’ and ‘5Forces Model’ of ‘Feasibility Analysis’. Now, we are going to show you the detail. The Challenge of Entrepreneurship The Benefits of Entrepreneurship Surveys show that owners of small businesses believe they work harder, earn more money, and are more satisfied than if they worked for someone else. (Via Dr. Josà © A. Torres Essentials of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Powerpoint) Opportunity to Create Your Own Destiny. Nike, originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS), was founded by University of Oregon track athlete Philip Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman in January 1964. The company initially operated as a distributor for Japanese shoe maker Onitsuka Tiger(now ASICS), making most sales at track meets out of Knight’s automobile. According to Otis Davis, a student athlete whom Bower man coached at the University of Oregon, who later went on to win two gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics, Bower man made the first pair of Nike shoes for him, contradicting a claim that they were made for Phil Knight. Says Davis, â€Å"I told Tom Brokaw that I was the first. I don’t care what all the billionaires say. Bill Bower man made the first pair of shoes for me. People don’t believe me. In fact, I didn’t like the way they felt on my feet. There was no support and they were too tight. But I saw Bower man make  them from the waffle iron, and they were mine.† (Via HTTP://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc.) Opportunity to Make a Difference. In 1979, Nike Air cushion technology â€Å"Air†, by the inventor of the m. Frank Rudy patented, first applied on the Tailwind running shoes, the gas film in running shoes soles for the protection of the cushion. And Nike has created many print and television advertisements with Wieden+ Kennedy, Wieden+ Kennedy remains Nike’s primary ad agency. It was agency co-founder Dan Wieden who coined the now-famous slogan â€Å"Just Do It† for a 1988 Nike ad campaign, which was chosen by Advertising Age as one of the top five ad slogans of the 20th century and enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution. Walt Stack was featured in Nike’s first â€Å"Just Do It† advertisement, which debuted on July 1, 1988. Wieden credits the inspiration for the slogan to â€Å"Let’s do it†, the last words spoken by Gary Gilmore before he was executed. Throughout the 1980s, Nike expanded its product line to encompass many sports and regions throughout the world.[16] In 1990, Nike moved into its eight-building World Headquarters campus in Beaverton, Oregon. (Via HTTP://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc.) Opportunity to Real Improve profits. In 2005, Nike â€Å"Air Jordan 20 generations†. Nike Free series, also in protecting the foot, like barefoot training is provided for the wearer. Nike as of May 31, total annual profits had 13.7 billion dollars, a 12% growth in the past fiscal year. On December 19, 2013, Nike Inc’s quarterly profit rose as a result of global orders for merchandise for delivery by April increased 13 percent. Future orders of shoes or clothes for delivery between December and April, rose to $10.4 billion. Nike shares (NKE) rose 0.6 percent to $78.75 in extended trading. (Via HTTP://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc.) Opportunity to Contribute to Society and Be Recognized for Your Efforts. NIKE Charity Organization, is a Non-Governmental Organization Headquartered in PORT HARCOURT RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA. It is autonomous and submissive to the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They are determined to achieve our dreams and purpose of giving hope to the less privilege and to discharge our duties as members of non-profit organization in accordance to our core  values at National, State and Local Government levels. We are prepared to harness, strengthen and efficiently direct our efforts as much as we are out to join hands with other organizations, and individuals in the fight against the Girl Child Abuse. (Via HTTP://saccharinity.com/about_us.php) Competition NIKE is a consumer products company and the relative popularity of various sports and fitness activities and changing design trends affect the demand for our products. The athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment industry is highly competitive in the United States and on a worldwide basis. We compete internationally with a significant number of athletic and leisure footwear companies, athletic and leisure apparel companies, sports equipment companies, and large companies having diversified lines of athletic and leisure footwear, apparel, and equipment. We also compete with other companies for the production capacity of independent manufacturers that produce our products and for import quota capacity. Our competitors’ product offerings, technologies, marketing expenditures (including expenditures for advertising and endorsements), pricing, costs of production, and customer service are areas of intense competition. This, in addition to rapid changes in technology and consumer preferences in the markets for athletic and leisure footwear and apparel, and athletic equipment, constitute significant risk factors in our operations. If we do not adequately and timely anticipate and respond to our competitors, our costs may increase or the consumer demand for our products may decline significantly. (Via Nike-2013-form-10K) Designing a Competitive Business Model Core Competencies Nike’s quality , technology and brand is famous . Nike’s Air cushion technology is almost using in every basketball shoes ,it’s good for athlete’s foot . the Nike having its own core competence due to organization’s own skills and core competence it has taken a competitive advantage and now is taking a large market share. The core competence of Nike is to specialize in athlete’s foot wear and other sports items. As we know every organization has its R & D department .The R &D department of Nike is playing a vital role because of its innovations in foot wear how the  consumers can feel comfort by wearing their shoes and the quality that’s the most important factor to be given in shoes and they have different categories of shoes which is running shoes nick shocks, Jordan, and other types that is targeting different type of consumers having different perceptions. But most important thing of Nike is they don’t make shoes they design and then give their design to the production companies in Korea and china or Vietnam. Due to which they are more specialized in their innovation and in this way they have made their core competence in making innovative design of athlete shoes. Innovations Nike believe his research and development efforts are a key factor in nis success .NIKE strives to produce products that help to reduce injury , enhance athletic performance and maximize comfort success . (Via Nike 2013 Annual Report) Nike also find many expert in chemistry, exercise physiology, engineering, industrial design, sustainability and related fields ask they advices to fixed Nike’s shoes and clothing . Nike’s air cushion shock absorption technology is famous in the basketball shoes area .Nike’s Brand shoes like LBJ , Kobe and KD has many color and types . Sustainable Competitive Advantage External Analysis : Nike’s brand awareness is famous all over the world ,everyone buying shoes first chose is Nike . Nike sponsored the top athletes and gained valuable coverage. , like Jordan , LeBron James , .From the Nike’s 2013 annual report will find that Nike growing up every years . Nike has many competitors , like Adidas , Puma , Reebok and so on , but Nike’s market share is more than any other . Internal Analysis :As we know ,Nike’s product is quality , Nike’s has own R&D center to creative new technology ,like air cushion shock absorber technology ,environmental technology and so on .It’s basic technology to Nike’s product .Nike always find many creative thing to put in Nike’s product ,like knitting technology in his shoes .That’s awesome . Nike has employed creative marketing and advertisement platforms in building brand awareness and equity of its diversified products. For instance, the company uses Tiger Wood s a skilled golfer to build its line of golf products. It further employs professionals in various departments that include distribution, marketing, finance,  product management, research and design, information technology, and product development so as to sensitize the market of its diversified products Nike also operates an internship program every summer lasting for three months giving students an insight on the diverse brands. Other avenues Nike accomplishes diversification strategy is through mergers, joint ventures, takeovers, and acquisitions. The company also has an R&D unit called the innovation kitchen located in the main parent company in Oregon, to enable it to continue producing unique products such as the cushioning system in shoes. Key Success Factor Jordan Brand : Jordan brand is a big part of the Nike. Jordan’s shoes is popular in all over the world .Jordan shoes occupy the USA 10.8% market share in 2009 .Jordan shoes sales almost two times of Adidas . (Via :http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2009-09-12/16084584096.shtml)So Jordan brand is a key success factors of Nike .) Jordan brand is popular in young people , every young people want a Jordan’s shoes it’s beautiful and comfortable .Especially Jordan’s air cushion technology , using in every basketball shoes . Technology :In addition to Nike’s own staff of specialists in the areas of biomechanics ,chemistry , exercise physiology, engineering , industrial design, sustainability ,and related fields , we also utilize research committees and advisory boards made up of athletes , coaches, trainers , equipment managers , orthopedists , Podiatrists , and other experts who consult with us and review designs , Materials , concepts for product and manufactur ing process improvements and compliance with product safety regulations around the world . (Nike Annual Report ) Advertisement : Advertisements play a significant role in the athletic apparel industry, as consumers rely on catalogues and online advertisements . Nike has many endorsers ,like Jordan ,James ,Durant and so on. These guys bring many customers .Nike has online store ,you can buy many things in this store ,before new product star sales ,you’ll get an e-mail about this product .Nike’s advertisement not only online but also in everywhere .It’s very amazing! Adidas :Adidas is a very famous company ,it’s very popular in world too .But in these years, Adidas’s market in decrease very fast .Because Adidas’s endorsers did not famous than Nike’s endorses .Adidas’s endorses including Yao Ming ,A.I ,D.Rose and so on .But they hurt or retied .Adidas’s  quality and technology is also well known .But Adidas lost because the endorses . New Balance :New Balance (I will call New Balance as NB for short ) is known as a most comfortable shoes .They has many new technology ,such as BIOSHIELD ,ABZORB EX ,REVAX ,ENCAP ,and so on .And NB is popular in young people ,you will find many youn g people wear NB in the street .IT’s a huge market to NB. Building a Solid Strategic Plan It’s a significant part of a successful business. It keeps the company to where they oriented, to meet their mission, goals and objectives, and lead it on the right way. A Strategy plan is to build a competitive advantage. It involved Vision and Mission Statement, also Objectives and Goals, SWOT Analysis, Competition Analysis and Formulate Strategies. We are going to find out what does Nike different from others, why it is unique, and what it has that others don’t. I am about to use Five Forces Model to analyze the competitive advantages for Nike. Vision, Mission, Goal and Objective Nike’s vision is â€Å"To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.† The legendary University of Oregon track and field coach, and Nike co-founder, Bill Bowerman said, â€Å"If you have a body, you are an athlete.†. It’s their mission. (Via http://help-en-us.nike.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/113/p/3897) Their goal is to become and keep the number one sportswear brand all over the world. Their objective is keep down the manufacturing cost and keep their price down then they can occupied the market in some less developed countries who can become the economically dependent in the industry. (Via http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_objectives_of_Nike_company) SWOT Analysis. Strengths As one of the ‘Fortune 500’ company, Nike has numerous strengths. It is positioned at being the number one sportswear brand globally, it Offers their products worldwide, it has a very strong marketing campaign that increases brand familiarity, and it has no factories, it uses OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to get the work done. It has contracts with above 700 shops globally in about 45 different countries. it also has offices in these different countries. It has chains of retail stores like  Niketown so that it can sell there. Its famous ‘Swoosh’ is instantly recognizable, and Phil Knight even has it tattooed on his ankle. Weaknesses The organization does have a diversified range of sports products. However, the income of the business is still heavily dependent upon its share of the footwear market. This may leave it vulnerable if for any reason its market share erodes. The retail sector is very price sensitive. Nike does have its own reta iler in Nike Town. However, most of its income is derived from selling into retailers. Retailers tend to offer a very similar experience to the consumer. Can you tell one sports retailer from another? So margins tend to get squeezed as retailers try to pass some of the low price competition pressure onto Nike. Opportunities Product development offers Nike many opportunities. The brand is fiercely defended by its owners whom truly believe that Nike is not a fashion brand. However, like it or not, consumers that wear Nike product do not always buy it to participate in sport. Some would argue that in youth culture especially, Nike is a fashion brand. This creates its own opportunities, since product could become unfashionable before it wears out i.e. consumers need to replace shoes. There is also the opportunity to develop products such as sport wear, sunglasses and jewelry. Such high value items do tend to have associated with them, high profits. The business could also be developed internationally, building upon its strong global brand recognition. There are many markets that have the disposable income to spend on high value sports goods. For example, emerging markets such as China and India have a new richer generation of consumers. There are also global marketing events that can be utilized to support the brand such as the World Cup (soccer) and The Olympics. Threats Nike is exposed to the international nature of trade. It buys and sells in different currencies and so costs and margins are not stable over long periods of time. Such an exposure could mean that Nike may be manufacturing and/or selling at a loss. This is an issue that faces all global brands. The market for sports shoes and garments is very competitive. The model developed by Phil Knight in his Stamford Business School days (high value branded product manufactured at a low cost) is now commonly used and to an extent is no longer a basis for sustainable competitive advantage. Competitors are developing alternative brands to take away Nike’s market share. As discussed above in weaknesses, the retail sector is becoming price competitive. This  ultimately means that consumers are shopping around for a better deal. So if one store charges a price for a pair of sports shoes, the consumer could go to the store along the street to compare prices for the exactly the same item, and buy the cheaper of the two. Such consumer price sensitivity is a potential external threat to Nike. (Via Nike 2013 Annual Report, http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/swot-analysis-nike.html, http://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/account-management-provides-special-treatment-in-marketing-administration-marketing-essay.php http://www.marketingteacher.com/swot/nike-swot.html) Analyze the Competition. Nike has some competitive Direct competitors- Adidas, New Balance and Li Ning. They offer the product that Nike does, and all of these companies have different key success factors. Adidas, is the most competitor od Nike with do doubt, they compete with Nike for No.1 sportswear branding for over 40 years But in these years, Adidas’s market in decrease very fast .Because Adidas’s endorsers did not famous than Nike’s endorses .Adidas’s endorses including Yao Ming ,A.I ,Derrick Rose and so on .But they hurt or retied .Adidas’s quality and technology is also well known .But Adidas lost because the endorses; New Balance is known as a most comfortable shoes .They has many new technology ,such as BIOSHIELD ,ABZORB EX ,REVAX ,ENCAP ,and so on .And New Balance is popular in young people ,you will find many young people wear New Balance in the street . IT’s a huge market to New Balance; Some Significant competitors like Under Armour and Skechers, they offer similar products like apparel or footwear, they compete with Nike in some fields. Some Indirect competitors like The North Face or Columbia, both of them are the most of the famous outdoor brand, they offer windbreaker or accessories that Nike does. They have impacts to Nike in some mutual markets. Conclusion: Nike does perfectly in quality and endorsement, they almost signed all significant players and teams all over the world. Adidas has no most strength but all factors are averaged. New Balance does best in technology, it can makes sneakers more comfortable. (New Balance has never signed any endorsers since it founded, so its score is little bit lower) Cost leadership. Nike uses Business Simulation Strategy. It has no factories, it uses OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to get the work done, and it doesn’t has stores mostly. It offers products to Franchised retailers, and let them sell the products. It saved money from factories and rent, so its overhead is low. No shop, no labors,. quantity of materials, low too. If a supplier increases costs, Nike can easily change a new one with lower cost, Nike can do this because of its ability. Nike definitely has low cost access to factors of production. The enormity of Nike in respect to their suppliers gives them a huge advantage in production negotiations. Due to their high volumes for products, the cut-throat low cost nature of selecting a manufacturer, and coupled with the fact that Nike’s suppliers depend so heavily on them for their own success that they have little to no bargaining room toward raising prices, allows Nike to continuously enjoy low costs of production. Nike’s hardware and software technology implementations of using the not only using the best materials but creating them in a vertical fashion and housing an innovation culture from the top down, allow Nike a first move advantage into cost savings. However most of these advances only bring definite savings for a short time due to competitive parity within the industry, their creative nature definitely does benefit over the long run. Nike reduced costs by cutting some of its endorsements. Company research suggested the endorsement by the Italian soccer team, was not achieving the desired result. Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and a few other endorsers were retained while some other like Italian soccer team, were eliminated, to saving over $100 million. Nike does incredible in cost control. (Nike 2013 Annual Report) Differentiation. Differentiation strategy by Nike is used to gain market share advantage in the broad foot ware market. Aside from foot wear, the company boasts of products such as clothing, equipment, and even accessories. The strategy is achieved by producing consumer goods and services that customers perceive to be of high quality or have added unique features. This has been achieved by the company innovating state of the art athletic shoes that are publicized through dramatic â€Å"guerrilla† marketing. Marketing of the different products is designed to coerce customers that Nike’s shoes are not only superior but also a high fashion statement which is a necessary part of a lifestyle based  on athletic or sporting interests. The company has also differentiated itself by using highflyers that are best used in distinguishing sporting disciplines hence enabling the company reach its target market, for instance, the Brazilian national soccer team or even Michael Jordan. Also, Nike is different from others in their Ads. They show not only their technology but also leading endorsers like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Cristiano Ronaldo in their Ads of new products. At the same time, their Ads are also very creative and with imagination, make people who watched them unforgettable. (Via Nike 2013 Annual Report) Focus.