Importance of On the Job Training Essay

On the job Training are part of a college curriculum that aims to train and orient students about the work and their future career. OJT is very important not only to teach students their chosen career but to show students the reality about working. On the Job Training is very important and should not be taken for granted, here’s why: Aside from the high evaluation grade that you will receive from the employer, the employer may absorbed or offer you a job after graduation. Your background OJT experience is very important when applying a job. Employers often asked about the OJT experience and how it is related on the job that you are applying for. The OJT experience that you have can land you a great job. Especially in Media related jobs, most employers often asked and require an OJT experience from a media company. For instance, a news writer who is applying in a TV Network has great advantage if he/she has an OJT experience in a Media company like TV, Radio or Publishing. Your superior in the company that you are working for as an OJT may recommend your skills to the company affiliates or to other company that he/she knows. OJT will be your training ground. If you still have no idea on what is meant to be a worker, OJT will give you at least 10% of career realities. The company that you are currently applying in often makes a background check to successful applicants. If you have included your OJT adviser or employer in your character references, the company may contact them to ask information about your skills and knowledge as their student or intern. You can consider your OJT experience as your guide on your first days at work, especially if your OJT and current work are related. You can use your experience and observation as an OJT to your current job if you still have issues on adjustments. Most students have taken their OJT for granted; not realizing the importance it can bring on their future career. Having a good performance during OJT is very important especially now that there’s a tight competition towards job seekers and the high qualification of companies.

Feature article

Anything that's not straight news, editorial or sport. Gives a human dimension to the news Responds to the reader's curiosity while entertaining at the same time Truth and accuracy are still Important Can't tolerated † NOT Inverted pyramid style Sub-stories of the news Skills similar to fiction writers Narrates that keeps the readers absorbed Brings out the drama of people's lives Know which details to highlight Vivid descriptions -Colorful dialogue -Humor Begins with an anecdote -memorable ending A nut graph rather than a lead Feature writing tells the reader a story.It has a beginning (lead), middle and end. It uses quote liberally (It mean generously If you're too lazy to search It up) and allows the reader to see the story through detailed description and vivid writing. Topic-Background inf001nterview0Expert testimony 1) Lead: Most interesting information. Something that will grab the reader's attention and drag them into the story. 2) Nut Graph: A summary of what the story is going to be about. Why the story is important 3) Direct quote: Connects to the nut graph. Use more than one sentence. Direct quotes should show emotion of the story 4)Transition: Next important fact. Use transition words to help the story flow. They can be facts, indirect facts indirect quotes or partial quotes 5) Direct quote: Connects to the nut graph. Use more than one sentence. Direct quotes should show emotion of the story 6) Transition: Next important fact. Use transition words to help the story flow. They can be facts, indirect facts indirect quotes or partial quotes 7) Direct quote: Connects to the nut graph. Use more than one sentence. Direct quotes should show emotion of the story Types of Feature Stories: Concentrate on the business ownerLook for their competitions If there's no info, concentrate on how they started business. Should not be written like an advertisement B) The commemorative story Pegged to the anniversary of an earlier news event Written at the 1st ann iversary Interview people who was involved in the story (e. G anniversary of the death of Kennedy) C) The Explanatory story Very detailed Requires saturation research C) The first-person story Something dramatic happens to the writer Story with I or you is used in a suspenseful event D) The historical story Loosely pegged to a breaking news eventWriters research in the library Show readers how their community would changed E) The Hobbyist story Make sure you're writing about the biggest or the best unusual collection in your area Talk to other collectors F) How-to story Interview with 1 or more experts who advise the reader how to accomplish a tricky task Timeless article but could be pegged to a season G) The invention story Good feature material Inventor will not usually give interviews unless they know their idea is protected Timing is the key. Talk about an invention H) The medical story Medical breakthrough storyThe struggle to overcome illness l) The number story: Interviews w ith experts and a familiar # â€Å"10 ways to deliver baby.. † Or â€Å"10 restaurants in NYC you must go W' J) The odd- occupation story Find a person with a weird Job such like a window washer for skyscrapers Basically a profile but about a weird Job K) Review Book, restaurant You need to be an expert to know this topic L) Trend Silly ban, fashion trends Examines something that is a trend in society Begins with examples M) The service article Provides service to reader Help readers cope with problems in lifeN) The overview story Overview of a problem Statistics with expert, humanistic qualities O) The participatory story First hand knowledge You go and try it yourself and basically â€Å"participate† in it P) The Profile Story Profile any one Pick someone of interest, ask for interview, research Groups, institutions, events, things Q) The Unfamiliar visitor story: Offer unique insight of a problem, culture, or event through a eyes of a person E. G bombing in airport , interview Arab student R) Catalogs List things but not in numerical order but Just in a list S) Interview storySubject be a person of interest Written in 3rd person Includes direct or indirect Feature leads Delayed- withholds essential information for a few paragraphs Descriptive (situation lead or anecdotal lead)- paints a word portrait of a person, group, place or event Direct address- â€Å"you† involves reader Expression lead- use proverbs, mottos First person lead-using â€Å"I† Freak lead- are rare, includes definition, fragments, poetry, puns. Short words. Question lead: Last resort; should be avoided Quotation lead; direct, indirect, or partial quotation. Tied to some sort of description f the person.Relationship lead- most common feature article lead. Describe cause and effect Surprise lead- astonished, punch, or cartridge lead. Shocks the reader and will only be clear after they read the body. Summary lead- sums up in a few sentences How to write the body o f the story Transitionolinkingobridge word Words that connect- e. G. Also, and, another, besides Bridge words- are words that are the identical or synonymous. Sentences that bridge- Sentences has to be moved around so that the passage would make sense. Writing Gremlins Long paragraphs Weak verbs Wordiness Jargon- Feature article Anything that's not straight news, editorial or sport. Gives a human dimension to the news Responds to the reader's curiosity while entertaining at the same time Truth and accuracy are still Important Can't tolerated † NOT Inverted pyramid style Sub-stories of the news Skills similar to fiction writers Narrates that keeps the readers absorbed Brings out the drama of people's lives Know which details to highlight Vivid descriptions -Colorful dialogue -Humor Begins with an anecdote -memorable ending A nut graph rather than a lead Feature writing tells the reader a story.It has a beginning (lead), middle and end. It uses quote liberally (It mean generously If you're too lazy to search It up) and allows the reader to see the story through detailed description and vivid writing. Topic-Background inf001nterview0Expert testimony 1) Lead: Most interesting information. Something that will grab the reader's attention and drag them into the story. 2) Nut Graph: A summary of what the story is going to be about. Why the story is important 3) Direct quote: Connects to the nut graph. Use more than one sentence. Direct quotes should show emotion of the story 4)Transition: Next important fact. Use transition words to help the story flow. They can be facts, indirect facts indirect quotes or partial quotes 5) Direct quote: Connects to the nut graph. Use more than one sentence. Direct quotes should show emotion of the story 6) Transition: Next important fact. Use transition words to help the story flow. They can be facts, indirect facts indirect quotes or partial quotes 7) Direct quote: Connects to the nut graph. Use more than one sentence. Direct quotes should show emotion of the story Types of Feature Stories: Concentrate on the business ownerLook for their competitions If there's no info, concentrate on how they started business. Should not be written like an advertisement B) The commemorative story Pegged to the anniversary of an earlier news event Written at the 1st ann iversary Interview people who was involved in the story (e. G anniversary of the death of Kennedy) C) The Explanatory story Very detailed Requires saturation research C) The first-person story Something dramatic happens to the writer Story with I or you is used in a suspenseful event D) The historical story Loosely pegged to a breaking news eventWriters research in the library Show readers how their community would changed E) The Hobbyist story Make sure you're writing about the biggest or the best unusual collection in your area Talk to other collectors F) How-to story Interview with 1 or more experts who advise the reader how to accomplish a tricky task Timeless article but could be pegged to a season G) The invention story Good feature material Inventor will not usually give interviews unless they know their idea is protected Timing is the key. Talk about an invention H) The medical story Medical breakthrough storyThe struggle to overcome illness l) The number story: Interviews w ith experts and a familiar # â€Å"10 ways to deliver baby.. † Or â€Å"10 restaurants in NYC you must go W' J) The odd- occupation story Find a person with a weird Job such like a window washer for skyscrapers Basically a profile but about a weird Job K) Review Book, restaurant You need to be an expert to know this topic L) Trend Silly ban, fashion trends Examines something that is a trend in society Begins with examples M) The service article Provides service to reader Help readers cope with problems in lifeN) The overview story Overview of a problem Statistics with expert, humanistic qualities O) The participatory story First hand knowledge You go and try it yourself and basically â€Å"participate† in it P) The Profile Story Profile any one Pick someone of interest, ask for interview, research Groups, institutions, events, things Q) The Unfamiliar visitor story: Offer unique insight of a problem, culture, or event through a eyes of a person E. G bombing in airport , interview Arab student R) Catalogs List things but not in numerical order but Just in a list S) Interview storySubject be a person of interest Written in 3rd person Includes direct or indirect Feature leads Delayed- withholds essential information for a few paragraphs Descriptive (situation lead or anecdotal lead)- paints a word portrait of a person, group, place or event Direct address- â€Å"you† involves reader Expression lead- use proverbs, mottos First person lead-using â€Å"I† Freak lead- are rare, includes definition, fragments, poetry, puns. Short words. Question lead: Last resort; should be avoided Quotation lead; direct, indirect, or partial quotation. Tied to some sort of description f the person.Relationship lead- most common feature article lead. Describe cause and effect Surprise lead- astonished, punch, or cartridge lead. Shocks the reader and will only be clear after they read the body. Summary lead- sums up in a few sentences How to write the body o f the story Transitionolinkingobridge word Words that connect- e. G. Also, and, another, besides Bridge words- are words that are the identical or synonymous. Sentences that bridge- Sentences has to be moved around so that the passage would make sense. Writing Gremlins Long paragraphs Weak verbs Wordiness Jargon-

Sustainable Development and Agenda 21 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sustainable Development and Agenda 21 - Essay Example The paper below will focus on the various elements of sustainability that were discussed in Agenda 21 and their application via a country profiling. The global commission on the environment was introduced by the United Nations so as to provide a global agenda for change in terms of sustainable development. It was vital to address this issue as this has significant implications for the future of the world. Prevention of poverty and safeguarding the environment is part of the review. Two concepts can be gathered pertaining to sustainable development. These are the concept of needs and the concept of policymaking regarding the environment’s capacity to address the future and current needs. The needs in question are the needs to comprehend political, social, technological and cultural components of the global system (Sitarz, 2004). Several crucial areas can be picked from the proceedings of the Agenda. An important area that is covered in the Agenda is sustainable human settlement development. This is discussed in chapter seven of the Agenda. It is concerned with ensuring adequate shelter for all despite increasing rate of development. There is also focus on the need for reviving growth so as to cater for food and water, in addition to energy needs, to cater for the increase in human settlement. Another key area that is addressed is the need for improved and sustainable sanitation in terms of pollution minimization and the promotion of environmental infrastructure. Re-orientation of technology is also a paramount issue when it comes to sustainable development. So as to offset all this, there is a need for collaboration between economic and environmental decisions (Sitarz, 2008). The report points out how the future of the world can be secured through sustainable developments in various key fields. The report points out that the world cannot exist without development. However, these developments need to have the elements of sustainability  so as to preserve the integrity of the planet.

Ritual Development (popular culture) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ritual Development (popular culture) - Assignment Example They often emphasize what is important e.g. graduation ceremonies show the importance placed on education. In Islam once one reaches puberty one is obliged to carry out prayers according to Sharia law, because prayer is one of the pillars of Islam.. Some are quite modern as in the American Jewish Bat Mitzvah which was first enacted in 1922. In my own family some are related directly to faith beliefs such as the way in which washing is carried out before prayer. Others are indirectly so, and are more like folk lore, such as eating a particular food to celebrate Eid and making a light hearted wish. We do not believe that these wishes are likely to come true, but this is a family ritual which helps us to be united in a quickly changing world. Such rituals give stability to a family and to the wider society. Something that doesn’t change in a confused world. A ritual I would like to develop in our family is family walks after Sunday lunch. Some would see this as a more hobby, but claiming it as a ritual means it is more likely to be carried out and the family would be regularly sharing in an enjoyable

What was Northern Learning and why did some Korean scholars advocate Coursework

What was Northern Learning and why did some Korean scholars advocate it Why did others oppose it How do you evaluate Northern Learning (and Practical Learning) in the context of economic development - Coursework Example The learning borrowed ideas from the neighboring China, which had a more orderly social, economic, military and political structure as compared to Korea. Some ideas were borrowed from Europe through the Catholic missionaries (Choi, 2006). There was a rapid change in the economic structure in Korea such that large scale farming was being adopted in the rural areas and wholesale and large-scale production was being adopted in the urban areas. As a result of this, many small-scale farmers lost their land in the rural areas to the large-scale farmers, and the small business owners were pushed out of business in the urban areas. There was a wide margin amid the rich and poor creating a wide social gap (Kim, 1981). Some scholars in Korea during that time developed a form of learning that would address these problems in a more practical way in Korea. The Northern learning took into consideration the culture, history, religion and geography of the Korean people alongside with the ideas borrowed from the neighboring countries to develop solutions to the political, social and economic problems they observed in their society (Setton, 1997). This form of learning received direct criticism especially from the ruling class and the wealthy merchants and farmers of the day since it attacked their privileges directly and criticized their methods of thriving and ruling (Kalton, 1975). Northern learning was developed over a period of time after a careful analysis of the challenges facing the people of Korea. It provided more practical solutions to the problems of a young developing nation. This approach is more suitable to most developing countries today since it is not biased to a single culture, but it incorporates ideas from many cultures yet still maintains the culture of the Korean people (Palais,

Children of Older Men at Greater Risk of Mental Illness Article

Children of Older Men at Greater Risk of Mental Illness - Article Example According to research studies, children with older fathers are at risk for a number of psychiatric conditions. These include autistic disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as bipolar disorder. Children suffering from such conditions also report to struggle at their schools, have poor learning abilities and impaired cognitive development. Scientists suggest that the increased risk can be explained by the increased number of genetic mutations that build up in the sperms as the men get older. Children of older fathers also had increased risk of having suicidal behavior and drug abuse. These findings were published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. However, the studies are restricted to comparisons between the siblings and it is difficult to separate the overlapping dimensions of paternal age, children’s age and the order of birth. In many countries, the age of first-time fathers is increasing which is an alarming sign keeping view the current res earchers. The average of men who are first-time fathers in England is 30.8 to 32.6 years which clearly increases the risk of educational, psychiatric and behavioral problems in the children. The article brings to attention a significant aspect of biological science associated with reproduction and conceiving. Being aware of the medical problems our children are at risk is an important aspect for the parents as they are constantly worried about the well-being of their children. The association of increasing age of fathers and the increased risk of psychiatric conditions and behavioral disturbances in children is a resourceful research.  

Cultural Difference between Public and Private Organisations Essay

Cultural Difference between Public and Private Organisations - Essay Example Considerable research in public administration was conducted in the ensuing years, but determination of these differences was largely overlooked by most of the scholars and journalists (Baarspul, 2009, p. 1). Although most of the researchers mutually consent that employee behavior in the public organizations is different from that of employees in the private organizations, yet certain researchers have expressed disagreement as a result of their studies while the compilation of empirical findings is nearly non-existent to date (Baarspul, 2009, p. 1). This paper discusses the differences of organizational cultures between the public and private sector organizations. Study of these differences is important because knowledge of the culture generally prevalent in either of the two types of organizations is a pre-requisite to understand the way these organizations play their role in the society, and to introduce positive changes in them to enhance their productivity and efficiency for the benefit and well-being of the society. Differences in the cultures of the public and the private organizations are caused by differences of the work environment, and dynamics of the workplace that come into play as a result of mutual interaction and integration of a wide array of factors that include but are not limited to the goals, decision making processes, attitudes and behaviors of the organizational personnel, and the patterns of communication. The prime goal of the private sector organizations is to safeguard the interests of the stakeholders that primarily include the owners of the organizations, and the people who have invested in the organization to purchase its shares. On the contrary, â€Å"the most often repeated observations about public organizations are that their goals are particularly vague and intangible compared to those of private business firms and that they more often have multiple conflicting goals† (Rainey, 2009). Decision making processes in the priv ate organizations in general and private for-profit organizations in particular is smoother as compared to those in the public organizations. Chances of occurrence of conflict, turbulence, and interruptions are more in the public organizations owing to the disorganization of the system and issues of decision making. These differences in the processes of decision making can fundamentally be attributed to the difference of roles played by the private and public organizations in the society. The main purpose of the private organizations is to make money for the stakeholders by selling their services and/or products to the consumers. On the other hand, â€Å"The typical general purpose, tax-supported governmental agency, such as a state department of mental health, contracts for services and collects information about the needs of people that call for a public response† (Nutt, 2005, p. 289-290). These differences of roles propose considerably different accountability and expectat ions which impart the conditions for different decision making processes in the private and the public organizations. The attitudes and behaviors of the organizational personnel play a key role in shaping the organizational culture. An organization that operates in the public sector is assumed to

Bounced Check, Return of Unsold Books, Safety at work Places Essay

Bounced Check, Return of Unsold Books, Safety at work Places - Essay Example In respect to this provision, Watson could be presumed to be aware that the check will bounce if one or two conditions occur. The first one is, in case he did not have an account with the drawee during the stated date or the issue time, whichever comes later. The second reason could be, if the check appropriately declined payment for lacking enough funds, when presented within 30 days after the stated date or issue date, either of which comes later, and if the responsibility of Watson, or any other party who may be involved happens not to be set free through payment, not later than ten days following the bouncing date. If Watson successfully satisfies that the two conditions did not arise, then it is hard to place any blame on him, therefore, Wilson can easily prevail against the store’s intentions of reclaiming the computer from him – as it will be presumed that it was legally transferred. 2. Return of unsold books, which are damaged. Both the express and implied condi tions of contract between Press Publishers and Boardwalk Books must be satisfied. Although Press Publishers could not have expressly stated that the unsold books must be returned in good condition, there is an implied responsibility for the Boardwalk Books to exercise due care – in order to avoid damage of books while in the books store. The fact that some pages had been ripped off by customers, while coffee had been spilled over others is a blatant negligence on the part of Boardwalk Books. Press Publishers can refuse to accept the 20 copies that had been destroyed and successfully sue Boardwalk Books for negligence. The law presumes that Boardwalk Books should act professionally and with due care, to avoid any foreseeable danger that could happen in its premises, upon goods stored there but owned by the third parties. On the other hand, Boardwalk Books can raise a defense against some books which were destroyed for merely sitting on the bookshelf. They could argue that Pres s Publishers had supplied books of low quality; hence, they easily get damaged. To prevail against Press Publishers, Boardwalk Books must prove beyond doubt that they exercised due care, and could not have done anything to prevent the books from getting destroyed. Boardwalk Books may want to argue that the problem arose from the fact that the publisher’s goods were selling very slowly, however, such argument many not hold any water since it does not prevent them from taking care of the goods. 3. Safety at work Places All employers are responsible for the health and safety of all their employees. Laws have been enacted to protect employees from hazards at their work places. Examples of such laws are the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), and the Mine Safety and Healthy Act of 1977. Under the OSH act provisions, all employers should provide a workplace free from hazards or accidents that cause, or are likely to cause, death or serious emotion al or physical harm to the workers. The occupational Safety and Health Administration creates standards and regulations that implement the Act. All employers should comply with the OSH regulations and standards (Emerson, 2009). The company Delores was working for failed to provide enough security in the work place, and that is why she was raped in the premises. The company breached the OSH standards and regulations. The Vandalay Company was wrong about the position-risk test. Why did the janitor rape her at the company premises? Was he

Culver City Essay Example for Free

Culver City Essay Because of the changes that have taken place in the nursing home industry throughout the past decade, service area competitor analyses have become an increasingly important aspect of environmental analysis. The process of service area competitor analysis involves first of all an identification of the service category for analysis. It then moves on to include identifying of competitors, determining the strengths and weaknesses of rivals, and anticipating their moves based on the analysis of the data collected. The service area selected for this particular analysis is the Culver City nursing home industry. The market for nursing home care in Culver City, California is changing rapidly and has been considered a buyer’s market for specialty care. The population of Culver City in relation to the number of senior citizens is an important consideration in the decision to enter the nursing home market in this city. The number of persons each nursing home usually takes is in the range of 80 to 85% of its carrying capacity (Pandya, 2001). One must not forget that â€Å"the demand for nursing home care [is] driven by the availability of financing† (Willging, 2003). Also notable is that approximately 36% of seniors have been financing nursing-home care out of pocket (2001). In carrying out a service area competitor analysis upon this city, it is necessary to take a look at such aspects as its financial and economic situation, the demographics, and the trends that might derive from them. It will also be necessary to assess the strategies being pursued by the nursing homes that service the area and the consumer reaction to these policies. According to the analysis of the Culver City finance budget, the city began a period of economic growth in the late 1990’s where the property taxes began reflecting an increase in the value of real estate and overall taxes represented a general increase in per capita income. Over the period the city was able to sustain both low inflation and unemployment rates. Investment grew almost three fold, according to the Dow Jones Industrial, S P 500, and the Nasdaq composite charts (City of Culver City, 485-86). However, economic growth has plateauxed since 2001, and the employment rate that had fallen from 9 to 3. 9 percent, has risen up to approximately six percent (485). Across the United States, the health care industry has had to cope with economic changes resulting from rising medical costs. The Culver City population sustained a growth of 47% between the years 1990 and 2000 (â€Å"City Population,† p. 2). The records of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency reveal that the population of the city is 39,119. On average, there are about 16,826 households represented in the area, and the income for the average household is about $76,013 per annum. The income for the average family household amounts to $90,930. The Culver City trade area extends beyond this. If the area considered extends to a three mile radius beyond the hub of the city, the population increases 305,287 and boasts an average family income of $79,689. Within a five mile radius live about 852,147 people, and the inclusion of this population brings the average household income back up to $87,820. The median age of Culver City is 40, and 84% of all the adults of this city have attained at least a high school education. Thirty five percent of these adults have also attained at least a bachelor’s degree in higher education. The population is distributed mainly among persons of Caucasian, Hispanic, African American and Asian origins. Forty-six percent of the inhabitants are white, 25% are Hispanic, 12% are Asian and another 12% are African American. The remaining 5% are of unknown or â€Å"other† origin (â€Å"Demographics†). In Culver City is a rather prosperous community. Only 2. 96% of the population earns less than $20,000 per year. Those who live on an amount between $20,000 and $50,000 amount to 13. 46% and another 22. 37% live within the next tier level, between $50,000 and $75,000. Seventeen percent live on $75,001 to $100,000, and a third of all the people live on an income higher than $100,000. Approximately 16% of the Culver City residents are over sixty years old (â€Å"Demographics†). For strategic management purposes it is dangerous to consider the over-65 group as a homogeneous one (Willging, 2003). Shifts in demographic and increases in lifespan have changed the make-up and the desires of the aging population (Ginter, et al. 2006, p. 6). The senior citizens and retiree demographic in Culver City has been divided into three groups for the sake of consumer analysis. The retirement group has a median income of approximately $53,000 which is about $11,000 higher than the national average. Non-whites are represent about 43% of this group and approximately 35% of this group has attained a bachelor’s (or higher) degree. This group is likely on average to spend a mid-to-high amount on entertainment, but spends a bit lower on average on health care, presumably because not all retirees are senior citizens (Artsmarket, 2002, p. 12-13). The active senior singles group has a median income of $32,000, which is also higher than the national median. They participate in many health activities and have a medium-to-high likelihood of spending money on health. The portion of none whites in this group is approximately 22%, and 25. 7% percent of the members of the active senior singles group have attained college degrees (Artsmarket, 2002, p. 14-15). The prosperous older couples group has a median income of approximately $67,500, which is an astounding $32,000 higher than the national median. Thirty percent of these have attained bachelor’s degrees (or higher) and people of color make up 29 % of the group. Their likelihood of spending on health care is in the high range (Artsmarket, 2002, p. 16-17). The city’s economic situation presents costs and benefits to any prospective nursing-home business venture. The fixed costs of entering the market would be considerable, but the increased unemployment rate (up from 3. 9 percent) would make the price of labor a little more affordable than in recent years. A favorable thing for businesses is the tax rebate program that has been instituted by the city to encourage new business. This grants them tax relief from either business or utility users’ tax (â€Å"City of Culver City, 489). A new entrant into the nursing home industry in Culver City must consider the quality of care that is to be provided by that business entity. The general problems with funding being experienced by nursing homes across the country has led not just to many law suits and eventual bankruptcy, but to the loss of customers to competitors (Day, 2005). Culver City customers also require not just a variety but quality of service. Variety will be an asset; however, as there is great intensity of rivalry among existing organizations, and the nursing home industry is experiencing rapid growth driven by the demographic and social trends mentioned above. It must be noted, for example, that a good portion of the seniors are educated, and â€Å"educated seniors tend to be more knowledgeable and have higher expectations of a facility† (Willging, 2003). The significant portion of non-whites must also be considered and real attempts made to cater and appeal to them. In addition, it must be noted that a vast majority of these seniors have lived active lives; therefore, facilities which cater to this would be magnetic to their tastes. The competitors in the Culver City nursing home industry, though they provide adequate care and the necessary facilities, can be categorized into four groups that denote they quality of service they offer as well as the level of reimbursement that they require for those services. For this service area nursing home facilities are pursuing four basic strategies: high price with highly specialized services (strategic group 1), low price with few ancillary services (strategic group 2), medium price with some services, (strategic group 3), and high price with many services (strategic group 4). Customers who seek the attributes of one strategic group, such as highly specialized rehabilitation services, are unlikely to be attracted to another strategic group. A good idea for a newcomer in the nursing home market is to choose the group to which it is best able to cater, and possibly to diversify the scope of the service by offering one or two (not many) extra services. Then, concentrate on providing the best service possible in that group. Diversity does exist in the consumer groups, but this information must be acted upon with care. Early retirees, for example, who might need nursing home care, may not yet qualify for state or federal assisted care (Clinton, 1993). Medicare and Medicaid provide full coverage to only about 9% of seniors, and many are forced to pay out of pocket (Day, 2005). The figures have shown that many Culver City seniors can afford this, but paying out of pocket means that the consumers will be even more unlikely to accept less than the best care. This look at the nursing home industry as it exists in Culver City has revealed that, though a â€Å"buyers’ market† exists and the competition is very high, a newcomer in the market might still have a chance to win a significant market share. This must be done by paying attention to the demographic as well as the economic situations that have the power to affect the market. The psychographic and demographic aspects show that a diversity of services must be offered and that any newcomer desiring be successful in such a competitive and demanding market must be willing to (carefully) diversify. References ArtsMarket. (2002). City of Culver City: Acorn Cluster Lifestyles and Local Profiles. Bozeman: Author. www. artmarket. com City of Culver City. (2004). â€Å"Fiscal 2004-05 Adopted City Budget. † Budget and Finance. Author. http://www. culvercity. org/citygov/budgetfinance/depts_budgfinanc. html â€Å"City Population. † (2001). Redistricting Committee. Oregon State Legislature. http://www. leg. state. or. us/comm/redistricting/citypop. pdf Clinton, Bill. (1993). Remarks and a question-and-answer session with the AARP on health care in Culver City, California. Weekly compilation of presidential documents. News and Society. http://www. findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m2889/is_n40_v29/ai_14550594 Day, Thomas. (2005). â€Å"About Nursing Homes. † Guide to long term care planning. National Care Planning Council. http://www. longtermcarelink. net/about_nursing_homes. html â€Å"Demographics. † City of Culver City. http://www. culvercity. org Ginter, P. M. , Swayne, L. E. and Duncan, W. J. (2006). Strategic management of health care organizations. 4th ed. Malden: Blackwell. Pandya, Sheel. â€Å"Nursing Homes. † Policy and research for professionals in aging. AARP. http://www. aarp. org/research/longtermcare/nursinghomes/aresearch-import-669- FS10R. html Redevelopment Agency of Culver City. â€Å"Community Profile. † City of Culver City. Culver City: Government. http://www. culvercity. org/citygov/redevelop/demogr. html Willging, Paul. R. (2003). â€Å"Don’t let demographics fool you. † Nursing Homes. Aug. 2003. http://www. findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m3830/is_8_52/ai_108198554

Planning, Delivering and Evaluating Teaching Session

Planning, Delivering and Evaluating Teaching Session A portfolio of evidence and in-depth critical reflection on the planning, preparation, delivery and evaluation of a teaching session. Introduction The title of the teaching session chosen was: â€Å"Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment.† I have performed an in-depth critical reflection of the whole process of undertaking the teaching session and the details of this are presented below. I reflected upon factors (personal, interpersonal, contextual) that might have influenced the effectiveness of the teaching and learning utilising support and evidence from the literature. In particular I incorporated theories of teaching and learning including learning styles. The purpose behind this exercise was primarily for me, as a teacher, to become a more effective teacher. An added benefit was the teaching session provided which supplemented nurse education on an important topic which is likely to make a difference to the students (Clark 2005) and one which is incorporated into the process of clinical governance. There are a variety of learning styles and one of these – activist (Honey, 1982) – learns most effectively from actually performing the task. However performance of the task is relevant as a learning exercise for individuals with different learning styles. To improve the benefit gained, to me as a learner, from the teaching episode I have identified the key areas integral to the teaching session and have then reflected upon them. I have read and reflected upon theories of education with particular focus on how adults learn and have utilised some of this theory to enhance the usefulness of my reflection into how the teaching session took place. The portfolio of evidence follows in appendices. These are copies of the actual documents used. These are referenced within the reflective elements of the exercise presented below. The process follows a flexible but focussed teaching plan through the delivery of the teaching episode to feedback culminating in refection on feedback and subsequent plans for improvement in subsequent sessions. Rationale for choice of teaching session The topic was â€Å"Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment.† This was chosen for the following reasons: It is an important area It has a high incidence. In a study in 1991 4.03% of admissions developed pressure sores. In orthopaedic wards 10.3% developed sores (Clark and Watts, 1994). Patients also develop pressure sores in the community; a study by Richardson (1993) found 284 patients out of 1 021 presented with a sore on admission to hospital. Once a pressure ulcer develops it is difficult to treat and care is costly both within medical and surgical specialities (Beckrich and Aronovitch 1999). In the Netherlands the cost of treating pressure sores is third after cancer and cardiovascular disease (Health Council of the Netherlands, 1999). Pressure ulcers are distressing to patients. They adversely influence length of stay which is one of the clinical governance outcome measures Increasing length of stay blocks beds and has the ultimate effect of lengthening waiting times for elective surgical procedures This has financial implications for the Trust Scare NHS resources are diverted away for treating pre-existing diseases The are medico legal effects (Moody, 1997) Pressure sore are largely preventable (Stephen-Haynes). Nursing on pressure relieving mattresses can be effective (Hofman et al, 1994) However treating everyone prophylactically can incur greater financial cost than treating the sores themselves (Touche Ross 1993) We can effectively predict which patients are at high risk although the Waterlow score does not perform well in the community (Edwards M (1996) and there are also concerns about its performance within the hospital setting (Schoonhoven,2006). We can target preventative treatment at those at high risk Prevention measures in the high risk group can make a difference (Cooper and gray, 2002) The risk factors need to be understood by all nursing staff on the ward (Moody et al, 1988). It is important to keep up to date with new ideas in the topic Planning based on a Teaching Plan (Quinn 2000) The purpose of the teaching plan is to be of assistance to the students. It helps to ensure that important information is not omitted. The teaching plan is different from the teacher’s notes. A copy of the teaching plan is presented in appendix 2. The aim of the teaching session was â€Å"to develop an understanding of the principles of pressure ulcer risk assessment.† The learning outcomes were â€Å"At the end of this teaching session students should be able to: Define the term ‘pressure ulcer’ and explain rationales for risk assessment. Understand the importance of clinical governance in relation to pressure ulcer risk assessment. Understand principles of presure ulcer risk assessment tool (Waterlow scale) (Waterlow, 1985, 1988, 2005). The seven learners were student nurses from the first to the third year of study. A written plan was set out as shown in appendix 2. This detailed the sequence and process of the session. Approximate timings were given in the first column. The content column detailed six items for teaching. The two remaining columns detailed teacher and student activity for each of the six items. For the first two items; definition of pressure ulcer and rationale for risk assessment consisted of teacher activity questioning students. The teacher, according to the session plan, explained and read from handouts the relationship between pressure ulcer risk assessment and Clinical Governance. For the Waterlow risk assessment scale the teacher activity planned was questioning the students and clarifying subsections and reading from handouts. In the conclusion the teacher activity according to the plan was summarising. The sequencing of the teaching points loosely corresponded to the Herbatian (Quinn, 2000) principles whereby the simplest concepts are dealt with first and there is progress on to newer more complex material. Preparation of self, subject material, students environment Self I ensured that I had no other commitments at the time of the teaching session and no other commitments in the session immediately before that could overrun. I ensured that my colleagues knew this portion of my time was committed to teaching. I ensured that there would be no interruptions for myself and also that I was not working the night before the teaching session. My advance preparation utilised time management skills. I went over the teaching material the day before the session. I was aware of the policy within the hospital about screening for pressure sore risk and subsequent management so that the contents of the presentation were likely to be appropriate in the day to day working context. Subject material I had thoroughly read up about the subject from a variety of resources including paper backed and electronic journals, National Electronic Library for Health and Internet websites. I had predicted some questions and formulated some draft answers to them. Students I already knew who they were and at what stage in their training they were. In advance of the teaching session I asked a number of them about what they already knew about the topic, what teaching they had already had on it and what they felt their learning needs were. I advertised the teaching session to the students beforehand. I choose a time and location which was convenient for the students as well as for myself. I considered how much preparation the students might do beforehand and I chose not to give out detailed information ahead of the teaching session in case only a proportion of the students would have more detailed knowledge and it would then make the group less homogenous which I thought would be more difficult to teach – some students may not follow what was going on whereas others may be bored. Environment A teaching room was obtained. The chairs were arranged in a semi-circular pattern in order for students and mentor to sit and face the teacher and overhead projector. I ensured that there was a clock an overhead projector and I took acetates and a portable table. I also ensured that there was no telephone in the room which might interrupt the session. I checked the temperature of the room beforehand and the means available of adjusting the temperature in the room during the teaching session. The room seemed overly hot and so I took a portable fan to the session. Delivery the process of undertaking the session The total time allocated for this teaching session was 20 minutes. The delivery of the teaching session was largely interactive although some of the students did not participate in the discussion. I utilised presentation skills (Power presentation info) and was already aware that appearance and body language affect the audience much more that does speech tone which in turn affects an audience more than the particular words spoken. I was already aware that the audience judges a speaker very early on in the presentation. I took account of the attributes of a good teacher (gp-training.net) incorporating the following aspects; Clarity of objectives and priorities Knowledge of the subject Knowledge of educational theory Communication skills Motivation The teaching was interactive because I asked the students questions whilst teaching to assess their knowledge and understandings about the topic. I used my awareness of what constitutes a good questioning style by asking open questions, starting at a more basic level and going onto questions which were reflective and probing. I tried to be clear and succinct in my explanations avoiding repetition. Overall I had in mind to make the session learner-centred. I used cue cards so that I did not need detailed notes. I gave out and used handouts in such a way that the students would not be distracted by looking at them. The process was not a lecture since I spent some time explaining the contents of some of the handouts. Some of the questions were combinations of closed and open questions such as, â€Å"what is †¦..?†, â€Å"can anybody explain or tell me what this†¦.. means please?†, â€Å"what do you understand by the term †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦?† I spent a preponderance of the available time asking questions, explaining and clarifying. Some students responded accurately to most of the questions whilst others just kept quiet or just watched me.Most of the time, they either responded to questions, studying their handouts, whispering or listening. I spent one occasion on one to one interaction with one of the students trying to explain how to calculate the BMI whilst others worked in pairs during this time. I was surprised that only one or two questions were asked by the students. Evaluation decisions relating to the process of evaluation and preparing evaluation materials I prepared beforehand an evaluation form. At the end of the session I gave each student an evaluation form and asked if they would complete it and then put them all together in a pile. I explained to the students that the purpose of the evaluation form was to get feedback from them which would be used to improve future teaching. In doing this I planned to convey my enthusiasm and trust in the process that it is the valued feedback from the students that is a very powerful driver for the continuous improvement in education. In advance I had already considered that it would be important to try and get a completed feedback form from all of the students. If students did not complete and return a form it might be because they did not gain anything from the teaching session and it would be the views of these people that it would be important to obtain. My strategy for achieving 100% return of the forms was to wait until the forms were handed back (I counted them) before giving out the attendance register to sign. I explained to the students that the session would be finished once the feedback forms and attendance register had been dealt with. The summary of the completed forms is shown in the appendix. The forms included an area for free text comments. However I appreciated that the feedback form was just one aspect of the feedback from this session (de Cossart and Fish, 2005). Once the session was drawing to a close and the feedback forms were being completed it was really too late to utilise any feedback from the forms for that session. The students would therefore give their feedback in such a way that they knew that they were not so likely to be taught me again in the near future therefore they could not make specific requests of me. This may lead to their feedback being of a much more general nature and hence less immediately useful for enhancing my own personal teaching style. To try and counteract this I attempted to gain some feedback during the session itself. I observed the body language of the students and also asked them whether they felt what they were learning was relevant and which aspects they would to concentrate on, I then tried to modify someway towards this without detracting too widely from the session plan. Feedback response to evaluation feedback (from learners/students) and self-evaluation Response to feedback from the students Self evaluation I felt that I had performed well in some areas. I felt I was proceeding at a pace that was appropriate for the students. I did feel slightly nervous whilst teaching although I do not think that this affected my tone of voice by making it too high. I felt that my interaction with the students was probably good. I felt that the topic was an appropriate one for most of the students. I had provided the students with a reference list for further reading and although I felt this was a good idea since according to educational theory adult learners need to be given direction and motivation to seek things out for themselves I felt that I had provided the direction but not so much of the motivation. I felt that there were some weak areas which could benefit from further action. I felt that the main disadvantage was that the students might not have achieved their learning outcomes due to the time constraint of the session only being 20 minutes and the small size of the room. I felt relieved at the end of the teaching session because the room was too small, the students were beginning to loose concentration, there was so much needing to be covered on the topic but the time was insufficient. Initially I felt strongly that I need to negotiate for a larger teaching room and more time to achieve better outcomes in the future. However on further reflection I now appreciate that I should not have to negotiate for a bigger teaching room I just need to state what the requirements of the room size are for the students. Certain resources are necessary in order for students to be taught. In retrospect it would have probably been advantageous to include on the evaluation form for the students a section on the teaching environment. Deficiencies in the physical space would probably have been highlighted by the students indicating the need for the location problem to be addressed by the allocater of rooms. More time will not necessarily improve effectiveness of teaching it may be necessary to make the subject matter fit the available time. Feedback from the students The feedback from the students contains combinations of both negatives and positive remarks.I felt overwhelmed about the large response but had mixed feelings about individual feedbacks. In addition the assessor gave me positive feedback after the teaching but was more critical about the whole teaching in private. Reflective practice (Schà ¶n, 1987) consists of two elements: reflection in action, this occurred at the time of the teaching session reflection on action, occurred following the session and involved thinking about what happened, what contributed to it and whether the actions were appropriate and how they might be improved. Action plan for future practice identify key points for future development Learn and utilise techniques for dealing with the students who are quiet (e.g. asking a generalised question). Assess my own learning style and adapt learning episodes to fit in with this. (Honey, 1982). Have a written teaching plan with space for my comments so these can be filled in immediately whilst still fresh in my mind. These notes can then be useful for the reflective process (Quinn, 2001). Have a space on the evaluation form for comments on the environment. Use photographs and pictures. Get the students to actually use the scale. Do less reading of handouts. Find out at the end what they know. According to Knowles (1984) it is a basic principle that adults learn best if they diagnose their own learning needs and this triggers their motivation to learn. Utilising the andragogy (Knowles, 1984) which is defined as the art and science of helping adults learn but now accepted more as guidance than a theory (Kaufman, 2003) adults value learning that integrates with their every day needs and are more interested in a problem centred approach therefore an interactive problem solving approach will be used for the teaching session in future. Consider a practical basis to the session for instance get the students to actually use the risk scoring system by applying it to examples. According to Knowles (1984) it is a basic principle that adult learning is facilitated by encouraging learners to identify resources and ways of using these to fulfil their learning needs. Direct them to how to search the literature for relevant information rather than providing a list of resources. Improving performance includes preparing well in advance, ensure appropriate room bookings, or choose a topic that is not too broad but enough to covered within the timeframe. Use of electronic resources saves on time, photocopying and subsequent student storage. Explore the use of the intranet for this. Conclusion It is now going to be particularly important to repeat the exercise without delay. It would probably be helpful to teach the same group of students for 20 minutes in a larger room on a topic of their choice. I could perhaps invite them to choose from a number of topics that I propose but they could also add suggestions of their own. It is going to be a worthwhile exercise for my own learning experience as a teacher to then perform the same evaluation exercise as done here to plan subsequent improvements since the process of teaching effectively can always be improved. It is going to be valuable to develop some effective means of archiving information with learning points and proposals for change. It would also be helpful to have some aspects of the teaching readily available at all times on a memory stick when an impromptu ten minute presentation could be given for instance if there is a delay in an audit meeting. Such action would add to my teaching experience and probably be much appreciated by the department. In the future evaluation of student feedback might be analysed statistically if it is obtained as a continuous variable for instance on a visual analogue scale which can then be converted to percentages. This would enable some measure of, hopefully, improvement to be readily apparent which will further motivate me as a teacher. Finally this exercise has very clearly demonstrated the cycle of think, plan, do, reflect which is integral to the learning cycle described by Cheek (2005) of a learner centred approach. References Beckrich K Aronovitch SA 1999 Hospital acquired pressure ulcers: a comparison of costs in medical vs. surgical patients. Nurs Econ 17:263-271 Cheek B 2005 The learning cycle in http://www.gp-training.net/training/restrain.htm accessed 10 March 2006 Clark M Watts S 1994 The incidence of pressure sores within a National Health Service Trust hospital during 1991. Journal of Advanced Nursing 1994 20 33-6. Clark M 2005 Enhancing the effectiveness of the teaching and learning of core clinical skills Hilton PA Pollard CL Nurse Education in Practice 5 289-95 Cooper P and Gray D 2002 Best practice statement for the prevention of pressure ulcers. British Journal of Nursing Supplement Vol 11 No 12 S38-48 de Cossart L and Fish D 2005 Cultivating a thinking surgeon. TFM Publishing Shrewsbury Edwards M (1996) Pressure sore risk: validating an assessment tool British Journal of Community Health Nursing Vol 1, No 5 282-8 Health Council of the Netherlands. Pressure ulcers. The Hague: The Health Council of the Netherlands, 1999. (Publication No 1999/23.) Hofman A Geelkerken RH Wille J et al 1994 Pressure sores and pressure-decreasing mattresses: controlled clinical trial Lancet.5;343(8897):568-71. Honey P 1982 The Manual of Learning Styles, Honey and Mumford, Maidenhead Peter Honey Learning. About the learning styles questionnaire. www.peterhoney.com/ls80/ accessed 9 March 2006 Kaufman D 2003 Applying educational theory in practice British Medical Journal 326:213-216 Knowles MS 1984 Andragogy in action: applying modern principles of adult learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Moody BL Finale JE Thompson M et al 1988 Impact of staff education on pressure sore development in elderly hospitalised patients Archives Internal Medicine 148(10) :22412243 Moody M 1997 Fighting against pressure sores and a rise in legal suits British Journal of Health Care Management. 3(1): 41-41. Morrall P 2005 Quality assurance in nurse education- the social context of learning. Nurse education today vol 25 issue 8 620-4 Power presentation info http://www.powerpresentation.info/ accessed 10 March 2006 Quinn, F.N. (2000). Principles and practice of nurse education. 4th Edition. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Richardson B (1993) Hospital versus community-acquired pressure sores. Should prevalence rates be separated? Journal of Tissue Viability 3(1): 13-15 Schà ¶n DA 1987 Educating the reflective practitioner: toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Schoonhoven L Haalboom, JREBousema MT et al 2006 Prospective cohort study of routine use of risk assessment scales for prediction of pressure ulcers BMJ 2002;325:797 Stephen-Haynes J Pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention British Journal of Community Nursing Vol 9, No 12 540-44 The attributes of a good teacher http://www.gp-training.net/training/intending_trainers_course/atttea.htm  Accessed 10 March 2006 Touche Ross 1993 Report to the Department of Health on the cost of  pressure sores to the Health Service. In: Department of Health Guidance Pressure Sores: A Key Quality Indicator. Health Publications Unit, Heywood Lancs Walsh K 2006 Are you a globalist or an analyst? BMJ2006;332:524 Waterlow J (2005) Pressure sores – Symptom (online). Available: http://www.judy-waterlow.co.uk/pressure-sore-symptoms.htm accessed 8 March 2006 Waterlow J (1985) A risk assessment card. Nursing Times 81: 48-55 Waterlow J (1988) Prevention is cheaper than cure. Nursing Times 84: 25

Cryptography With Biometrics For Secure Key Exchange

Cryptography With Biometrics For Secure Key Exchange Biometrics is the application of biometry techniques to the authentication and automatic identification of people in security systems. The traditional concept of biometry addresses the application of mathematical and statistical techniques to biological sciences. Biometrics on the other hand can be said to be the science of recognizing the identity of a person based on the physical or behavioural attributes of the individual such as face, fingerprints, voice and iris (Jain et al). In Modern society, Biometrics has been important to large scale identity management systems whose functionality relies on the accurate determination of an individuals identity in several different applications context (). Traditional methods of establishing a persons identity includes knowledge based (e.g., passwords) and token based (e.g., ID cards) mechanisms, but these substitute representations of identity can be lost easily, shared, manipulated or stolen thereby compromising the intended security. By using biometrics it is possible to establish an identity based on who you are, rather than by what you possess, such as an ID card, or what you remember, such as a password (Poli et al, 2009). Biometrics is not recommended for every application and user, and in some cases biometric authentication is simply the wrong solution. Defining those environments in which biometrics offers the strongest benefit to individuals and institutions is one of the major challenges facing the biometric industry As time goes by, the increasing success and affordability of biometric technologies has continually broadened the range of applications in which biometrics operate effectively (). Cryptography is the science of writing in secret code and is an ancient art. The goal of cryptography extends beyond merely making data unreadable. In this project it also extends into user authentication. The security of a cryptographic system is dependent relatively on the secrecy of the cryptographic key and not causing inconvenience when it falls in the hand of the enemy. Therefore, the key issue in cryptography is key management (Dong et al, 2008). Biometrics can be used to protect the key in cryptography, while cryptography and data hiding can be used to protect biometric templates (). Combining biometrics and cryptography together will have the potential to offer higher assurance of the legal information holder. Key management is an important issue in cryptographic systems. There are several ways to combine biometrics with a cryptosystem, namely: Biometrics key release Biometrics key generation Biometrics key binding In a key release mode, biometrics plays a predetermined role in a cryptosystem. The key would be released to users only if biometric matching is successful. A key generation mode requires the key of a cryptosystem being derived directly from a biometric template, hence the unique biometrics provides a unique key for the security system based on some transform or feature extraction. In the key binding mode, the system binds a cryptographic key with the users biometrics at the time of enrolment. The key would be retrieved only upon a successful authentication. The key generation/binding modes seem to be more secure than the key release mode because in key release mode, the user authentication and key release are two separate parts (Dong et al, 2008). The conventional cryptography systems do not need any complex pattern recognition strategy as in biometric systems. They almost always depend on an accurate key matching process. That is, it requires that keys are exactly correct and does not tolerate a single bit error. However, as biometric characteristics are known to be variable and noisy and each new biometric sample is always different, only an approximate match under a threshold between the input biometric data to a corresponding stored template would lead the authentication successful. Aim and Objectives Integrating only biometric authentication on systems exposes new problems. This project investigates how to enhance biometrics security using cryptographic encryption and attempts to present an overview of an up to date research in this increasingly important topic by putting biometrics, cryptography and data hiding in the same context of security enhancement. The Objectives in this project are to: Identify the main characteristics of Biometrics. Identify the main security characteristics of Cryptography and Biometrics. Identify threats and attacks towards Biometrics. Propose countermeasures for securing Biometric Templates. Evaluate attack techniques against Crypto-Systems. Research Question The following research questions have been identified after some initial investigation and going through the initial literature review. Will the combination of biometrics and cryptography secure a system from attacks and produce a secured channel to exchange data. Hypotheses The hypotheses below have been created by extensive research into biometric systems, cryptographic encryption and the security. The hypotheses created in this project are the initial reviews and may change throughout the project. The identification of threats and attacks in biometrics and cryptographic systems security. The information collected will be used to create attack scenarios to conduct an experiment on the different threats faced by biometric systems and cryptographic encryption then identify any countermeasures that can be used to secure the system. Rationale Section 2 Methods 2.1. Secondary Research Method (Literature Review) The literature review will give a detailed insight into the combination of biometrics and cryptography for the purpose of securing data exchanges. By looking at the wider topic before the development will allow the study to take a more furnished approach to a useful answer to the research question. The main objectives of the literature review will be to: Identify the main characteristics of Biometrics. Identify the main security characteristics of Cryptography and Biometrics. Identify threats and attacks towards Biometrics. Identify threats and attacks towards Cryptographic Encryption. Countermeasures for securing Biometric Templates. Evaluate attack techniques against Crypto-Systems. Identifying suitable data gathering techniques for the project. Identifying suitable data analyse techniques for the project. 2.1.1 Literature Sources Books Journals Journal of Applied Security Research, 2010 International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, 2009 Information Forensics and Security, 2010 Conferences Science and Technology for Humanity (TIC-STH), 2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference, 2009 Computer Security Applications Conference, 2008 Websites IEEE/IEE Electronic Library (IEL) via IEEE Xplore http://www.ieee.org/ieeexplore ProQuest http://proquest.umi.com Springerlink www.springerlink.com 2.2. Primary Research Method (Experiment) Section 3 Resources and Risks 3.1. Required Resources Throughout this project, many resources are required for carrying out the experiment and the initial literature review. 3.1.1. Literature based resources Access to Glasgow Caledonian University library: To gain access to computers to research literature on the internet, Athens, or access books which have been published by authors that may be relevant to Cryptography and Biometrics. Internet connectivity for any other research such as Google scholar: Home and university based internet connectivity will be needed to further research any literature that may be needed. 3.1.2. Experiment based resources 3.2. Risks Section 4 Project Plan The main tasks which have to be completed during the project, the estimated time to complete and any deliverables that may be available at that time of the project are shown below. A Gantt chart will be produced to show the tasks to be done in parallel rather than in sequence to manage time effectively and avoid delays. 4.1. Project Task

Ugliness and Beauty in Alice Walkers Color Purple Essay -- Color Purp

Ugliness and Beauty in Walker's The Color Purple  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   When I finished The Color Purple, I cried. I was deeply touched by the story and all of the issues that it addressed. One interrelated theme that reiterates throughout the novel is that of ugliness and beauty. Celie represents ugliness, and Shug Avery illustrates beauty. The most prominent way that the struggle between ugliness and beauty presents itself in the novel is through Albert, Celie's forced husband, and Shug's long-time lover.    The characters of Celie and Shug are compared and contrasted throughout the novel, and the reason why Albert, for the majority of the novel, treats the two of them so differently is because of the way they look. Albert not only hates, but beats Celie because she is ugly and she is not Shug. "He beat me [Celie] when you not here, I say. Who do, she [Shug] say, Albert? Mr. _____, I say. . . . What he beat you for? she ast. For being me and not you" (79). Albert loves Shug because she is beautiful. In addition, Alice Walker "views Albert's love of Shug, in spite of her color and his father's protestations, as a sign of psychic health and, more specifically, a sign of self-love" (Winchell 98). However, this "self-love" that Albert supposedly possesses is only extended to Shug, not to Celie. This is because Shug is the epitome of society's patriarchal definition of a feminine woman. She has perfect flawless skin, hair that is never out of place, a voluptuous and sensuous (non-fat) body, a nd the fashionable clothes and accessories of a model. On first meeting Shug Celie describes, "and she dress to kill. She got on a red wool dress and chestful of black beads. A shiny black hat with what look like chickinhawk feathers curve down... ...Louis Gates, Jr. and K. A. Appiah. New York: Amistad Press, Inc., 1993. Johnson, Yvonne. The Voices of African American Women. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 1998. Smith, Pamela A. "Green Lap, Brown Embrace, Blue Body: The Ecospirituality of Alice Walker." April Cross Currents 2000 (1999): 18 p. Online. Internet. 30 Nov. 1999. Available: http://www.aril.org.smith2.htm. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket Books, 1982. Walker, Alice. "A South Without Myths." Sojourners Magazine Online (Dec. 1994 - Jan. 1995): 2 p. Online. Internet. 30 Nov. 1999. Available: http://www.sojourners.com/soj9412/ 941213.html. Waxman, Barbara Frey. "Dancing out of form, dancing into self: genre and metaphor in Marshall, Shange, and Walker." Melus 19.3 (Fall 1994): 1-16. Winchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992.

Comparing Japan And American Food Markets :: essays research papers

Comparing Japan and American Food Markets The Japanese Market has become vital to the U.S. Economy. Japan is the number one export market for the United States. In 1993, Japan accounted for 37.6 percent of the total growth in U.S. value-added exports. U.S. food products, in particular, are a huge market in Japan. American agricultural exports to Japan in 1993 were $8.7 billion. About one-third of Japanese agricultural imports come from the United States. However, there is sometimes a mixed reception in Japan regarding products from the United States. Japanese, on one hand, wish to do things "American" ever since the Second World War. But, on the other hand, U.S. products are perceived as less sophisticated than Japanese and European food products, in product formulation or packaging. Also, U.S. products are considered not as safe as domestics ones, due to the use of pesticides and chemical additives and the partiality of the Japanese consumer to purchase Japanese items. The reason for the large volume of exporting to Japan is due to United State's comparative advantages. Food products are very expensive to produce in Japan. Japan's current labor shortage, combined with import restrictions and domestic price stabilization programs, have driven up domestic production costs. The Japanese food consumption pattern consist of an openness to foreign products and a strong interest in things international. All types of international cuisine can be found in Japan. Many varieties of tropical and imported fruits, such as Florida grapefruit, California cherries, New Zealand kiwifruit, and Hawaiian papayas are readily available in supermarkets and department stores, as are imported alcoholic beverages ranging from Kentucky bourbon and Chinese beer to Russian vodka and California sake. Japanese food consumption is marked by short-term trends. For example, Korean and Mexican food became popular a few years ago and then unpopular. There have also been Italian and Spanish food booms. The Japanese economic recession has shifted the focus of many consumers to the more affordable neighborhood restaurants that feature traditional Japanese dishes. This has made consumers price conscious at grocery counters, which benefits cheaper imported goods. As a result, imported foods account for over half of Japan's average annual caloric intake. Moreover, with Japanese agriculture contracting, Japan's reliance on (and openness toward) imported food products will continue to increase. Conclusion In the future, the United States may no longer be considered to have a comparative advantage for food products in Japan. Countries in the western Pacific are likely to provide stiff competition for the U.S., due to the shorter shipping distances and the ease of conducting long-distance business from with in neighboring time zones. Offshore investment for processing exporting

Case Study 6 Essay

Case study 6 Question 2 You have been hired as a consultant to a small clothing manufacturer who wants to emulate the success of Zara and Benetton. She wants advice on an innovation strategy which takes the key lessons from these successful firms. What would you offer? (Tidd 295) Within the entire business a change needs to be made in order to transition into a more electronically effective business, this can be done by growing Mechanization of operations. By introducing technological improvements such as a mobile app a website or possibly integrating online services not previously offered. Additionally the business can incorporate international trade which is has a huge upside since it saves money and allows the business to not only save money but also to increase its productivity. Another great way for the manufacturer to emulate the success of Zara and Benetton is to produce clothes which combine stylish designs with a strong link to current high-fashion themes with moderate prices (Tidd 294). Zara’s successful growth is not simply a matter of low prizes or of standardization, but rather of innovation that is complimented by providing their customers with variety and product innovation. The small clothing Manufacturer must increase its variety, in a ddition to providing the consumer with product innovation such as that of Zara and Benetton. Conclusion In conclusion it is extremely important for the small clothing manufacturer to incorporate, technology and technologically advanced systems and software, along with product innovation and a larger variety of great choices for customers to pick from. Lastly the business must improve introduce international trade in order to offset the costs of providing a larger variety of clothing. If this can be done successfully the small business could match the success of Zara and Benetton. References Tidd, John Bessant and Joe. Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons, (UK), 04/2011.

Organizational Buying Behaviour Essay

These are marketing intermediaries such as wholesalers and retailers who buy finished goods for resale at a profit. ? Government markets This comprises of national and local governments, seeking to provide the public with education, water, energy, national defense, road systems and health care. ? Institutional markets o Organizations that seek to achieve charitable, educational, community or other non-business goals make up institutional markets. o They include churches, hospitals, museums, libraries, universities and charitable organizations. 2. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL AND PERSONAL BUYING. These can be compared on the unique characteristics of organizational buying. a) Business markets have fewer buyers than consumer markets. b) In business markets, there are a few large buyers c) There is close supplier-customer relationship in business market due to o Smaller customer base o Contracts go to suppliers who co-operate with the buyers on technical specifications and delivery requirements o Suppliers are expected to attend special seminars organized by buyers so as to be familiar with the buyers’ quality specifications. d) Geographically concentrated buyers ) Derived demand The demand for business goods is ultimately delivered from the demand for consumer goods f) Inelastic demand The total demands for industrial goods are not much affected by the changes in the environment. g) Fluctuating demand Demand for organizational goods tend to be more volatile than the demand for consumer products. o This is especially true for the demand of new plant and equipment o A giv en percentage increase in consumer demand can lead to a larger percentage increase in the demand for plant and equipment necessary for additional output. h) Professional purchasing Business goods are purchased by trained purchasing agents, who must follow the organizations, o Purchasing policies o Constraints o Requirements. i) Several buying influences o More people typically influence business buying decisions than in consumer buying decisions. o Buying committees consisting of technical experts and even senior managers are common in the purchase of major goods. j) Direct purchasing Business buyers often buy from manufacturers rather through intermediaries, especially those items that are technically complex and/or expensive. k) Reciprocity Business buyers normally buy from suppliers who buy from them. ) Leasing. o Many industrial buyers lease their equipment instead of buying it. o Advantages – Conserves capital – Gets sellers latest products – Receives better services – Gains some tax advantages. 3. BUYING SITUATIONS OR TYPES OF BUYING DECISIONS. Three types of buying situations have been identified; a) Straight Rebuy ? The purchasing department orders on a routine basis e. g. office suppliers. ? The buyer chooses from the suppliers on its approved list, giving weight to past satisfaction with the various suppliers. b) Modified Rebuy The buyer wants to modify the: – Product specification, Prices, – Delivery requirements and – Other terms This usually involves additional discussions and more participants on both the buyer and the seller’s side. c) New task Rebuy ? A product is being bought for the first time. ? The greater the cost and/or risks, the lager will be the number of decision participants and the greater their information gathering. The time take to make a decision also increases. ? This situation offers the marketer the greatest opportunity and challenge. ? The marketer tries to reach as many key buying influencers as possible and provides helpful information and assistance. Because of the complicated nature of selling, many companies are usi ng missionary sales force consisting of their best sales people. 4. BUYING ROLES/PARTICIPANTS IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL BUYING. I. e. the decision making unit (DMU) or buying centre. a) What is the buying center? It is composed of all those individuals and groups who participate in the purchase-decision process. It includes members of the organizations who play any of the following roles in the purchase-decision process. b) Buying roles i) Initiators – Those who suggest that an item be purchased – They may be users or other organizations. i) Users – Those who will use the product. – In most cases, they initiate the buying, write proposals and help define product specifications/requirements. iii) Influencers – Are persons who influence the buying decisions – They help define product specifications and provide information for evaluating alternatives. – Technical personnel are important as influencers. iv) Deciders Are the persons who have t he power to decide on product requirements and/or suppliers. v) Approvers Are the persons who must authorize the proposed actions of deciders or buyers. vi) Buyers Are persons with formal authority for selecting the supplier and arranging terms of purchase. vii) Gate-keepers Are persons who have the power to prevent information from reaching members of the buying center e. g. – Purchasing agents – Receptionists and – Telephone operators. They may prevent sales persons from talking to users or deciders. 5. BUYING DECISION PROCESS Eight stages in the buying decision process have been identified by marketers. These are described as:- i) Problem recognition The buying decision process starts when someone in the company recognizes a problem or need. This may arise from, ? Internal stimuli e. g. o The company decides to develop a new product and needs new equipment o There may be a machine break-down which may require replacement or new parts o Purchased material may turn out to be unsatisfactory and the company needs another supplier. ? External stimuli e. g. o New ideas from trade shows. ii) General need description ? Buyer determines the general characteristics and quality of the needed item. ? He may not be aware of different product characteristics ? The marketer should help the company to define its needs. iii) Product specifications At this stage, item’s technical specifications are developed. The decision makers may use of product value analysis. They may ask such questions as; o Does the use of the item contribute value? o Is its cost proportionate to its usefulness? o Can it be found elsewhere? iv) Supplier search Sources of suppliers may include ? Trade directories ? Business directories ? Word of mouth ? Experience. v) Proposal solicitation In this stage, the buyer invites qualified suppliers to submit proposals. vi) Supplier selection In selecting suppliers, decision makers, may use of vendor analysis. The following attributes, may be used; Delivery capability; Quality ; Price;Repair service;Technical capability;Performance history;Reputation;Financial position. vii) Order routine specification Buyer now writes final order with the chosen suppliers, listing – Technical specification – Quantity needed – Expected time of delivery – Return policies, e. t. c. viii) Performance review Buyer reviews performance of a particular supplier(s) The buyer can contact end users and ask for their evaluation and then rate suppliers on several criteria. The review may lead the buyer to; Continue, – Modify or – Drop the supplier. 6. FACTORS INFLUENCING ORGANIZATIONAL BUYING DECISIONS. a) Environmental factors E. g. – Level of primary demand – Cost of money – Technology – Political/legal forces – Competitive developments – Organizational factors: Objectives, Policies, Procedures – Organization structure, e. t. c. b) Interpersonal factors Participants in their buying center have different statuses, authority, persuasiveness, e. t. c. c) Individual factors Each individual in the buying centre has; Personal motivators; Perceptions; Education; Personality, e. t. c.

Gender in student access and teacher attention in classroom Essay

The school is one of the many social institutions which seek to promote human welfare. Students and teachers alike are both a part of the larger scheme of the academic institution aimed at expanding the knowledge of mankind from a wide range of themes. Despite of the existing and previous efforts in fully achieving and realizing these goals, several factors have â€Å"hindered academic institutions from meeting such ends (Kane, p. 419)†. Gender is one of the factors which â€Å"pose a limit in maximizing the acquisition of knowledge (McIntyre, p.80)†, both practical and theoretical, in the academic institutions such as schools. More particularly, gender plays a difference in student access and teacher attention in the classroom. It does not only limit the interaction from among students and teachers, it also limits the attention teachers give and students receive. This research is specifically aimed at identifying and analyzing the ways gender demarcates student access and teacher attention in the classroom setup through a critical appraisal of the various elements that contribute to it. Gender is considered to be â€Å"the femaleness or maleness of individuals (Pearson, p. 328)†, and these individuals include both students and teachers. On the other hand, classrooms are primarily the basic unit of the academic institution in terms of the aggregate of the students and teachers operating within the academic setup. This setup initially consists of learners or students, and facilitators of learning such as the teachers. What precisely are the ways in which gender plays a difference in student access and teacher attention within the classroom setup? In order to arrive at the probable ways and the related explanations behind these ways, it is imperative to consider several societal forces which contribute to these differences as well as the several other institutional forces commonly existing in schools. The role of forces in the society The setup of the society starting from earlier times has been observed to be dominated by males. In this sense, the society in earlier times is thought to be as a â€Å"patriarchal one where male dominance sets the general structure as well as the particularities in the society† (Kane, p.421). It can be noted that this previous setup of the society has had a profound impact in the present generation. And the profound impacts are quite observable in many ways. For instance, there are â€Å"occupations wherein males are more preferred over females for several reasons (Lopata and Thorne, p. 718)† which may include physical capabilities. These and other preferences based on certain factors will be further considered in the latter part of the paper. What is important to consider for now is the fact that preferences based on gender have been a result of the patriarchal domination especially in the past, and that this societal setup, whether or not it still exists today, has resulted to certain effects in contemporary times. Having an earlier patriarchal society resulted to an imbalance in gender roles (McCallops, p. 408). Males may have been given more roles and active participation whereas females may have shared a lesser fraction of participation. As a result, a disruption in the roles has paved the way for an imbalance in gender roles. However, it should be noted that the focus of the research is not to expound on the historical events that created this imbalance but rather to use this observation as the basis for the more contemporary gender differences in student access and teacher attention in the classroom. Apparently, more modern waves of changes have transpired. Feminist theories have countered the persistence of male dominance and have given more weight on the role of women. In this sense, it can be presumed that male and female students and teachers have been affected by these shifts in the society. A male student may have the consciousness that â€Å"male dominance has existed in the past (Lopata and Thorne, p. 720)† and is being challenged today. On the other hand, a female teacher may all the more break away from the patriarchal tradition by giving an equal share of participation between male and female students within the classroom. Nevertheless, whether or not the patriarchal setup of the society has been eradicated or gradually broken down, it remains a fact that there are gender delineations spread across classrooms in many parts of the world (Acker, p. 565). For instance, physical education activities have manifested the separation of roles between male and female students in the classroom. Physically daunting tasks such as lifting heavy objects designed to improve the body are more challenging among males than females precisely because males are given more of the ‘weight’ of the challenges. This is especially true in countries where tradition declares that â€Å"males should do more of the physical laboring (Kane and Macaulay, p. 5)†. This in turn results to differences in student access in the classroom in the sense that males appear to acquire more space in participating in physically challenging tasks in the classroom although females also share a part in this. It may be an all too simple occurrence with presumably a minimal significance, but the fact is that it reinforces the gender differences even more. Female students, on the other hand, share more of the classroom activities with limited physical requirements such as designing or planning activities although males also share a part in these activities. This is not to say that either male or female students are simply confined within the prescribed roles they are encouraged or even forced to perform. What is being shown is the fact that there are gender preferences in the classroom roles male and female students are engaged into which spell the difference in student access. Homosexuality is another issue that has a relevance to the issue of differences in student access. There are societies which have a â€Å"strong inclination to condemn homosexuality† (McCallops, p.409) such as those in Iran although there, too, are countries which have an open acceptance of homosexuality such as the Netherlands. This also has an impact on the student access in classrooms depending upon where the school is to be found. More specifically, religious schools which have a strict compliance with conservative religious dogma might have a â€Å"negative stance towards students who are homosexuals (Martin and Little, p. 1428)†. This may lead to limited access for students who are either gays or lesbians in terms of participation in classroom activities. The opposite may be true of schools which are liberal, learning institutions which do not discriminate in terms of gender and gender preference. In contrast to conservative schools, it may lead to a much broader participation for homosexuals in the classroom which heightens their access within the learning environment. Institutional factors It is a fact that there are aspects in the â€Å"learning institutions where gender demarcations are clearly exhibited (Blee, p. 163)†. These demarcations arise out of necessity simply because without these gender demarcations certain disorders may manifest. One of these demarcations among numerous institutions is comfort room. How is this related to student access and teacher attention in the classroom? The answer to this question rests on the basic premise that one small thing leads to another. To put it more precisely, the necessity of putting up separate comfort rooms for males and females, specifically among students, reinforces the consciousness of gender separation. Although the need to separate comfort rooms is perhaps an accepted need, it nevertheless â€Å"reinforces the belief in the male-female demarcation (Kane and Macaulay, p. 21)†. Even school uniforms contribute in a way to the clear gender demarcation. It should be reminded that this research does not contend the removal of these necessities but rather this research proposes the use of these gender demarcations as part of the number of hindrances in student access and teacher attention in the classroom. With these necessities, the classroom access of male and female students is hindered in terms of the reinforced belief in gender separation. And because of the individual performances of each student, the accessibility is either hindered or promoted all the more. For instance, a passive male student is more prompted to keep away from the attention of the teacher and to minimize interaction with other students because there is no compelling reason or stimulus that will prompt him to do otherwise. The â€Å"separation of genders out of necessity further reinforces this consciousness (Ackers, p.568)† as the passive male student becomes more and more absorbed into the thought of these demarcations which separate him not only from the rest of the male students but also from the female students. As mentioned earlier, subjects that need much physical exertion of force such physical education subjects give â€Å"more emphasis to the male capacity to perform the related physical tasks in the subject (Blee, p. 165)†, allowing for a limited participation from amongst female students. On the other hand, in cases where females have higher physical fitness to engage in physically challenging activities, the same may also be true. Moreover, gender preference in choosing teachers also contributes to the role of gender in teacher attention in the classroom. There are â€Å"certain curriculum subjects wherein female teachers are more preferred over males (Martin and Little, p. 1430)† such as subjects with the content of feminist studies, female reproductive system or the anatomy of females, and psychology of women just to name a few. On the other hand, there are also curriculum subjects wherein male teachers are more preferred over females. For instance, male instructors teaching the subject of male psychology may either have more attention towards male students in order to assess the knowledge or learning of these males with respect to the scope of the subject, or have more attention towards female students in order to assess the reactions and the absorbed knowledge of these students learned throughout the course of the subject. Moreover, it may also be the case that female students tend to be â€Å"more responsive in terms of the interaction of female students (Tobach and Carlin, p. 1595)† as they are able to relate more with one another in terms of gender. The opposite may also be true of male teachers and male students although there may also be cases wherein the reverse is true. Nevertheless, this only shows that gender plays a difference in teacher attention as well as student access in the classroom setup. Conclusion The school is one of the many social institutions intended to broaden the knowledge of students within the classroom and beyond, and gender is one of the numerous factors that share a role in student accessibility and teacher attention. Gender demarcations may arise out of necessity or out of artificial arrangements. But whatever the case may be, gender plays a role in student accessibility and teacher attention within the classroom. References Acker, Joan. â€Å"From Sex Roles to Gendered Institutions. † Contemporary Sociology 21. 5 (1992): 565-69. Blee, Kathleen M. â€Å"Teaching a Theory-Based Sociology of Gender Course. † Teaching Sociology 14. 3 (1986): 162-67. Kane, Emily W. â€Å"Racial and Ethnic Variations in Gender-Related Attitudes. † Annual Review of Sociology 26 (2000): 419-39. Kane, Emily W. , and Laura J. Macaulay. â€Å"Interviewer Gender and Gender Attitudes. † The Public Opinion Quarterly 57. 1 (1993): 1-28. Lopata, Helena Z., and Barrie Thorne. â€Å"On the Term â€Å"Sex Roles†. † Signs 3. 3 (1978): 718-21. Martin, Carol Lynn, and Jane K. Little. â€Å"The Relation of Gender Understanding to Children’s Sex-Typed Preferences and Gender Stereotypes. † Child Development 61. 5 (1990): 1427-39. McCallops, James S. â€Å"Gender as a Teaching Tool: An American Example. † The History Teacher 31. 3 (1998): 408-09. McIntyre, Connie. â€Å"Writing About Nontraditional Roles. † The English Journal 84. 3 (1995): 80. Pearson, G. A. â€Å"Of Sex Gender. † Science 274. 5286 (1996): 328. Tobach, Ethel, and Norman F. Carlin. â€Å"Sex and Gender. † Science 274. 5293 (1996): 1595-96.

Starbucks Summary

This is to recommend that Struck to increasing the power of expand the international markets especially the countries that Struck has not been launched yet in order to gain more global market share thus generate more sales. Struck also need to reduce the power of expand domestic markets since the market in the US is approaching saturation and the marketing- warming expansion techniques has caused cannibalize existing store sales.Based on my analyzes on the case Planet Struck (A), Struck Coffee remains a leader in the coffee business in the world for a long time because the perceived premium product's cachet that they are offering customer something so far superior than customers' expectations and their ubiquitous positioning strategy that providing ready access to customer foot traffic. These are the biggest strengths of Struck. Based on its existing successful del, Struck has indicated continuing increased gross operating income and operating income. See Appendix#l ) This huge succe ss offers Struck more resources to expand its international market such as capital, existing business model, successful previous experiences and expert management team. At present, it is the great time for Struck to expand its international market, since the domestic market is approaching saturation. Even the marketing-swarming expansion techniques prevented competitor entry to the rake and helped Struck built strong brand awareness and recognition, it leads to downward trend in sales per store.As an illustration, between 1 995 and 1 998, Struck had averaged $0. 69 million sales per store per year but until 2002, the sales has been decreased to $0. 559 million per store. This data reflected the domestic market has approached the saturation. However there is still an opportunity to increasing the globally market share, since in year 2002, there are total of 4574 domestic stores but the total number of international stores are only 131 2, which is only quarter of the number of domesti c stores. See Appendix #4) Therefore, expanding international markets would lead to increasing the globally market share thus generate more sales and also will help the company to achieving its objective which is establish Struck as the most recognized and respected brand in the world. Struck has a pretty strong brand image to many of its customers as a â€Å"third place† where is a place between work and home that people can escape, reflect, read, chat and listen.This niche positioning strategy has differentiated Struck from its competitors and this strategy has also become to Struck strongest competitive advantage that provided customers an atmosphere of both warmth and comfort. In conclusion, the main plan of action right now should be to focus on expanding international market instead of domestic markets. Thus the global market share will be increased if the marketing strategy is executed correctly and cooperated with right partner.