Characters in Great Expectations Essay

In this first extract there are many hidden connections between the characters and the settings. The first connection is when Pip the narrator describes the graveyard. He describes it as a â€Å"bleak place overgrown with nettles†. The word bleak alone reflects many characters feelings. The word bleak may perhaps represent how Pip feels about the place he has to mourn for his family and how he is in disbelief that a place of death and rebirth could be so uncared for. I think this uncaring for the graveyard is a strong reflection of Pips character, as he himself is uncared for. It could also symbolize Pip’s life so far as being miserable and empty and never having anything to look forward to. However I think the main thing the word bleak is trying to signify is the â€Å"fearful man† Magwitch. This convict’s life will be bleak even he does not go back to prison. This is because he has no option, no friends or family and he is alone in the world. Pip the narrator describes the area surrounding the churchyard as a â€Å"dark flat wilderness†. This quote is another representation of Pip’s life . The word â€Å"dark† indicates Pip’s past and how it is dark and cloudy as he does not know anything about it. The word â€Å"flat† signifies Pip’s life at the moment as being straight forward and plain with nothing changing and the word wilderness representing Magwitch and how Magwitch is going to change Pip’s future from flat and straight forward to wild andchanging. The quote also may represent Pip’s existence as he has always been alone, never knowing any of his family apart from his sister. Furthermore the fact that Pip is alone in this harsh abandoned environment makes the area more scary and dangerous. So when Dickens refers to Pip as a â€Å"small bundle of shivers† it creates an image in the readers mind of Pip curled up all alone in this â€Å"overgrown† â€Å"wilderness† which I think increases the readers sorrow for Pip. Moreover the word â€Å"bundle† emphasises how small Pip is which may increase the readers sorrow for Pip even more. This atmosphere created by Dickens gives a good entrance for the character Magwitch. Magwitch is mirrored through the landscape and the words Dickens uses so that he is not only created through words but from the settings. The words and settings that are used to emphasise Magwitch are mainly employed to dehumanise Magwitch so that he seems more like a monster then a man. Magwitch is first introduced at the graveyard, where he scares Pip not only with his words but with his image. This is shown before Magwitch is even introduced into the play by the narrator. The narrator refers to a wind rushing from a â€Å"savage lair†. I think this wind from the savage lair is Magwitch and how he is being blown ever closer to Pip. I also think that the word â€Å"savage† could be referring to the prison Magwitch was in. As it shows the fact that a prison is a place for savages. This idea increases the reader’s view of Magwitch making him more of a beast then a man. The assumption that Magwicth is a beast is also supported by the fact that Dickens followed â€Å"savage† with the word â€Å"lair† the word lair is mainly used to describe an animal’s home which enhances the idea of Magwitch being an animal. I think Dickens does this to dehumanise Magwitch further and also to create an image in the readers mind just before Magwitch is introduced into the extract. Magwitch is an escaped convict which makes his options â€Å"bleak† that’s why I think he ends up at the graveyard because if your options are â€Å"bleak† you usually only have the worst choices to choose from. The word â€Å"overgrown† suggests how Magwitch is out of control which makes him more like a wild monster. In addition the word â€Å"nettles â€Å"could be representing Magwitch being sharp, painful and dangerous. These quotes show that nature has personified Magwitch into a wild beast. When Magwitch is first described by the narrator, one of the first things that he is described as is â€Å"a man with no hat†. I think this is said because in the times of Great Expectations gentleman usually wore top hats. Dickens is trying to show that Magwitch is no gentleman. At the end of extract one Magwitch asks Pip where his village lies. This I think has a small reference to Mr and Mrs Gargery, as they both are included as the â€Å"village† that Pip points to when Magwicth threatens him in the Graveyard. The village â€Å"lay inshore among the alder trees,†. As a result of this quote we draw together the image of a peaceful village. This quote illustrates the meaning of the word â€Å"lay† as this one word indicates that the village was asleep and unaware of Magwitch’s presence. This extract shows how well the settings of Great Expectations not only contribute to the story but to the characters emotions as well. Extract two takes place in Satis House. This old outdated building creates the feelings and atmosphere for this extract. The extract begins with Pip describing the room he is in and giving us an image of what it looks like. Pip then meets Miss Havisham and refers to her as the â€Å"strangest† thing he has ever seen. Miss Havisham talks to Pip about herself and gives him a brief outline of her past telling Pip how she has never seen the sun since she was left at the alter by her husband. After this Pip meets Miss Havisham’s daughter Estella. Estella and Pip play the card game â€Å"beggar† while they are playing. Estella insults Pip by saying that his hands are all coarse. The extract ends with Pip leaving Satis house and then releasing his hatred towards Estella by kicking a wall while he cries. Extract two on a whole fits into Great Expectations as the Part of the novel that misleads the reader so that the reader thinks that Miss Havisham is the mysterious benefactor who gives Pip money so that he can move to London to become a gentleman. I think Dickens does this to try and remove the character Magwitch from the readers mind so that the reader will not even in the slightest think that Magwitch is Pip’s benefactor and that Magwitch role in Great Expectations has ended. However even though Charles Dickens does this, he still leaves a presence of Magwitch in the novel. This presence comes from the character Estella. Estella just like Magwitch is sprung onto Pip. Magwitch is sprung onto Pip in the literal sense as he just jumps out at Pip scaring him. In comparison Estella is released onto Pip in another way. Pip who finds Estella â€Å"pretty† is just sprung by the insults and â€Å"distain† she shows towards him. The settings in extract two mainly represent the character Miss Havisham showing why she lives her life the way she does and exposing her past to the reader. The character Miss Havisham is not exactly a very believable character as no one in their right mind would live there life the way she does just because they were left at the alter. However even though she is not a very realistic creation from Charles Dickens she is certainly one of the most interesting characters of the novel. Miss Havisham’s whole life is defined by the single catastrophic event of her being left at the alter. From that moment forth, Miss Havisham is determined never to move beyond that day. She stops all the clocks in Satis House at twenty minutes to nine, the moment when she first learned that her future husband was gone. Extract two begins with Pip the narrator describing what the room Pip is in looks like. The room is described as a â€Å"pretty large† room well lit with â€Å"wax candles†. It is also said that the room does not even have a â€Å"glimpse of sunlight. † These quotes create the atmosphere of the room which make it seem mysterious and depressing. In addition these quotes reveal a lot about the character Miss Havisham. The quote a â€Å"glimpse of sunlight† is not only saying that room does not even have a glimpse of sunlight it is also reflecting things about Miss Havisham showing how she herself is the one without a glimpse of sunlight. The fact that Miss Havisham is keeping herself from the sunlight (the sunlight I believe could represent the public) suggests that she is trying to keep her past from the sunlight by staying in the dark. Sunlight is often associated with bliss and happiness. As there is no sunlight in the room it emphasises her life as being unhappy.

Choose To Have An Abortion Essay

Abortion, a word you have all heard or said. It is a word that has been in conversations and debates across the country. There is the pro-life side, and the pro-choice side. Abortion is a choice for women, not the government. Women today have the choice of self-determination, to determine whether or not they want to bear children. Religious leaders are trying to abolish the idea of separation of church and state by influencing the government into making a law that favors their religion. The government should not be influenced by these religions if they want to remain constitutional. How would you feel if you were a woman who has been unexpectedly impregnated and all of a sudden, you would have to drop everything you have done in your life, school, and work? How would your friends and family react to this? What would happen to your social status? This is the dilemma many women face who have had an unwanted pregnancy. Children have been born into homes that were not expecting a baby or unsuitable homes where the parents live in poverty. Children born into unsuitable homes will frequently have social, physical and mental problems. Whether the parents don’t have enough money to support the child, or there is an abusive parent, the child will be damaged and wont have a proper upbringing. â€Å"Unwanted children are [also] more likely to commit crimes.† If the child was expected and was planned, most likely the parents will take the proper precautions in having a baby, such as getting financially situated and having a nice home in a good neighborhood. Abortion can be very necessary in special cases. Consider this: a 12-year-old girl is walking home from her school, and she is raped. After a doctor’s checkup, she finds out that she is pregnant. This is a twelve-year-old girl, should she have to have a child when it wasn’t even her fault? She would have to care for this baby her entire life. But in this day and age, there is the choice of abortion. She and her family could take advantage of modern technology to save their daughter’s life. She could just put it up for adoption, right? Wrong. This poor girl would have to endure labor, and then the child would have to endure growing up without his or her real mother. There are also many problems with adoption. Adopted children will always have emotional issues concerning being adopted and dealing with the fact the parents they thought were their biological parents actually aren’t. Adopted  children frequently grow up to be problem teens and adults. So if adoption is your anti-abortion, then there are more complications than you thought. Abortion doesn’t stop with the legality issues. Abortions will still happen, whether they are legal or not. The problem is that these â€Å"back-alley† abortions are extremely unsafe. In past years, thousands of women have died from illegal abortions. The women who died were simply trying to practice their right to self-determination. The cultural and religious views of abortion continue to be an extremely heated debate. The Roman Catholic Church, Hinduism, and Buddhism teach that the soul enters the body at or before conception. Whereas Judaism, Islam, and–of course–Atheism, say that â€Å"the fetus is not yet a full human being, and thus killing a fetus is not murder.† The Roman Catholic Church is one of the most vocal of the religions. They say abortion is terminating a human life, but the other side disagrees. Now religious leaders, especially those from the Roman Catholic Church, are attempting to make their beliefs into laws for the entire country. They are attempting to abolish the law of separation of church and state, written in the Constitution. They say, that since most of the country believes that abortion is wrong, that means the other religions, that don’t believe that, should believe it anyway. They are disregarding the fact that they aren’t the only religion in the United States. Another idea in the Constitution is the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If women have those constitutional rights, that means they have a right to have a life, and be happy. If being happy means not having a child, then their right is to have a choice of abortion. One other idea that an amendment to the Constitution states is the right of privacy. The fourteenth amendment says that a citizen has a right to privacy, or the right of a woman to terminate her pregnancy. Any law that makes abortion illegal violates the Due Process Clause of the fourteenth amendment, and therefore is unconstitutional. This idea was stated in the  Roe v. Wade decision. In conclusion, abortion should remain legal. Abortion should be a choice. Abortion should not be up to the government or any religious leaders; it should be a choice for the woman. The woman that has an unwanted pregnancy should decide whether she is able to support a baby, and whether she is able to provide a safe environment for a baby. To make abortion illegal, would be taking away a woman’s right to privacy, and her right to life, liberty and happiness. Just think about what you would do in a situation where you had an unwanted pregnancy that directly affected you. Keep thinking about the women out there that would have to raise a child under horrible conditions like poverty and abuse. Think about the children that would grow up in an unsuitable home, who do one thing wrong, and get persecuted by the government that could have saved their life. The government has a choice to make: A choice whether to listen to the religious leaders demanding that abortion is wrong, or to listen to the women and children who would be affected by this law. You decide whether you think abortion is killing a baby–or saving a life.

Models in Early Childhood Education Essay

6. 1 Introduction The work of human development theorists is important to early childhood education if their concepts are translated into practise and methods. There was a great number of early childhood education programs developed in the 1960s and 1970s when educators and researchers were encouraged to develop alternative approaches for Head Start programs. Most programs were designed to examine different ways of helping children at later academic failure improve their school performance. However, it is helpful to examine how some specific models have taken views of particular theorists and transformed these into program application. In this topic, we will examine several models to illustrate how particular views of child development can be implemented in practice. After completing this topic, you should be able to discuss the models available in early childhood education. Early Childhood Education Models * Montessori Programs * The Bank Street Approach * The Cognitively Oriented Curriculum * The Reggio Emilia Approach * The Bereiter-Engelmann Model Fig. 6. 1 Topic contents 6. 2 Montessori Program Maria Montessori’s program was based on some carefully considered ideas about how young children grow. Montessori devised her program to meet the needs of impoverished children and to help them learn important life skills. It is designed as a three-year sequence for children ages three to six. However, today’s a wide range of Montessori’s program can be found. Some adhere quite rigidly to the original techniques, whereas others follow an approach that has been adapted to better fit the current social context. 6. 3. 1 The Environment * It is aesthetically pleasing, with plants, flowers, and attractive furniture and materials. * There’s a sense of order inherent in the classroom. * Child-sized equipment and materials are clearly organized on shelves that are easily accessible to the children. * Distinct areas are available in the classroom, each containing materials unique to promoting the tasks to be mastered in that area. 6. 3. 2 The Children * Children of different ages involved in individual activities. * Children initiate activities and are free to engage in any projects they choose. * Children are self-directed, working independently or sometimes by two’s. * Younger children maybe learning by observing and imitating their older classmates. 6. 3. 3 The Teachers * Little adult control. * Teacher’s involvement is minimal and quiet. * The teacher may be observing from a distance or demonstrating a child how to use a new material. * Teacher does not reinforce or praise children for their work. * Activities are self-rewarding and intrinsically motivating. 6. 3. 4 The Materials * The materials are didactic (instructive) each designed to teach a specific lesson. * It is self-correcting so the child gets immediate feedback from the material after correctly (incorrectly) completing a task. * It is designed from the simple to the more complex for children to challenge progressively to more difficult concepts. * It is carefully and attractive constructed. * Made of natural materials such as varnished wood. 6. 3. 5 The Curriculum * When children first enter a Montessori program, they are introduced to the daily living component, in which practical activities are emphasized. * The second set of materials and activities are sensorial; helping children develop, organize, broaden and refine sensory perceptions of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. * The third aspect of the program involves conceptual or academic materials. * Montessori programs are reality based rather than promoting fantasy, where there will not be a dramatic play area, a creative art corner, or other activities that invite children to freely use their imagination. 6. 3 The Bank Street Approach This program is concerned with all aspects of children’s development, but also that it places emphasis on interactions, both between the child and environment and between cognitive and affective areas of the child’s development. The program does not aim to teach children a lot of new concepts, but rather to help them understand what they already know in more depth. Children’s own experiences are the base of the Bank Street program and thus, the curriculum must remain open and flexible so each child can build on and expend according to her or his own unique conceptual level. 6. 4. 6 The Environment * The classroom is arranged into conventional interest areas such as music, art, reading, science and dramatic play. * Many of the materials are handmade, by both teachers and children. * Teacher materials are encouraged because they are designed to meet unique and specific needs of the children in the class. * Children made materials may include books as part of the reading centre. 6. 4. 7 The Curriculum * The curriculum and functioning of the classroom is integrated. * To promote learning, curriculum is based on a unifying theme, which serves to help children focus on specific concepts and provides a sense of integration. * Children early experiences are designed to help them understand and master their school environment. * Later learning is extended beyond the classroom to the community. 6. 4. 8 The Teachers. * Teachers must have a keen understanding of children’s development, of each child’s individuality, and of how best to structure an environment that will encourage each child to fulfil his or her potential. * Teacher’s role is to recognize nuances in the children through their sensitivity and make changes as appropriate. * Teachers match the types and variety of materials and experiences they provide to children’s changing needs. 6. 4 The Cognitively Oriented Curriculum The Cognitively-Oriented model is based on the premise that children are active learners who construct their own knowledge from meaningful experiences. It is based on the theoretical precepts of Jean Piaget. 6. 5. 9 The Environment * Is designed to be stimulating but orderly. * Children can independently choose from a wide variety of interesting materials. * Classroom is divided into work areas, each with a specific set of materials. * Accessible, uncluttered storage spaces in each workplace are clearly labelled. * It facilitates clean-up and promoting a sense of order. 6. 5. 10 The Schedule * Children gain a gradual understanding of time. * Based on the plan-do-review cycle. * The day begins with a planning time, where children decide what activities they would like to participate. * Then, children will engage in self selected activities, supported by teachers during work time. * Then, children review their work-time activities during recall time. * Small group time typically includes teacher-planned activities that reinforce cognitive concepts. * Large group or whole group activities are also conducted as appropriate to the length of the program day. 6. 5. 11 The Curriculum * Teachers focus on extending the key experiences, which include a set of eight concepts based on the characteristics and learning capabilities of the preoperational children. * The eight concepts include: active learning, using language, representing experiences and ideas, classification, Seriation, number concepts, spatial relationships and time. 6. 5 Reggio Emilia Approach The Reggio Emilia approach was established in Reggio Emilia, in northern Italy. The publicly supported early childhood programs of this region, under the guidance and vision of Lord’s Malaguzzi, have developed an extraordinary curriculum, based on many theoretical foundations, including Piaget and Vygotsky. 6. 6. 12 The Environment * The physical space is used to promote an inviting, aesthetically pleasing, comfortable environment in which both human relationships and learning are central. * Space is designed to encourage communication and nurture relationships. * Arrangements allow for places where children can work in small groups, a larger group, with a teacher or alone. * Equipment and activities are arranged to encourage exploration, discovery, and problem solving as well as to offer many choices. * A special studio is available where teachers and children have access to a wide variety of resource materials as well as to document children’s work. 6. 6. 13 The Curriculum * Projects are the central concept of the curriculum. * Usually it allows small group of children to explore a concept or topic in depth. * Projects can be short-term or long-term. * Children are b allowed to work at a leisurely pace as there are no set schedule and no time constrains in carrying their projects. * Often the representations of learning in projects are expressed in artwork. 6. 6. 14 The Teachers * Teachers works as co-teachers, which stay with a group of children for three years; from infancy to age three to from three to six. * They are the resource person and learning partners to the children. * Have the support of a team of pedagogical coordinators and a visual arts teacher. * Programs include time for weekly staff meetings and ongoing staff development. 6. 6 The Bereiter-Engelmann Model The Bereiter-Engelmann model was designed primarily to help children from proverty backgrounds to gain some successful experiences that would diminish the likelihood of failure once they started elementary school. The program was founded on the assumption that because disadvantaged children were already behind their middle-class peers, they needed not just enrichment activities but a program that would accelerate their rate of learning. Howeever, such a program could not be designed to meet all of the needs of preschool-aged children. Thus, this program was designed to meet very specific, teacher-determined learning foals rather than to meet the needs of the â€Å"whole child†. 6. 7. 15 The Curriculum * Daily lesson conveyed through a direct instruction approach. * Teacher presents carefully planned lessons, drills, and exercises designed to meet specific goals. * Lessons are designed offered in three academic areas-language, math and reading. * Precise teacher questions, which require specific verbal answers from the children, are presented in a carefully sequenced order. 6. 7. 16 The Environment * Facilities are arranged into small classrooms, where direct teaching activities are carried out, and a large room for less structured, large-group activities. * The floor plan includes three small classrooms-named Arithmetic room, the Reading room and the Language room. * Each room is furnished with five small chairs facing a chalkboard and the teacher. * Rooms are plain, to minimize distraction from the task at hand. * A larger room is furnished with tables, a piano, and a chalkboard, provides a place for snack and music time. * Very few materials are available for the children, mainly ones that will reinforce concepts taught in the lessons. Chalkboard XArithmetic room| Chalkboard X Reading room| Chalkboard X Language room| b oHomeroom X a r Piano d | 6. 7. 17 The Schedule * Daily schedule revolves around three intensive 20 minute lessons in language, math and reading. * Each lesson will involve 5 children and a teacher. * These small groups are interspersed with functional times for eating and toileting and a 15-20 minutes music period. 6. 7. 18 The Teachers * Elementary teachers are more suited to teach in this model than are teachers trained to work with young children.

The variables in the survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The variables in the survey - Essay Example Such would be the areas that would need attention in order to beat competition. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 9.69379E-08. 2.222498604 represents the Y intercept and 0.27006447 gives us the independent variable. That means that an increase in bargain sales by 1 unit causes attitude towards the mall to change by 0.27006447. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 0.000648 hence we reject the H0 as this is The Normal Distribution plot for both variable 21 and 25 show points that fit in the normal line. That indicates that the data is normally distributed. The residual plots for both variables also show a random pattern of the points which indicates a fit for a linear model. That shows that there exists a linear relationship between these variables and the attitude formation. On the other hand, the Histograms show a truncated curve, with the peak near the edge. The histograms trail off gently to the left side indicating that part of the distribution has been removed during review. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 0.072269 hence we do not reject the H0 as this is > 0.05. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 0.243316

Internationalization Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Internationalization Theories - Essay Example Due to the generality of the OLI, the theory has been limited to the task of explaining particular types of foreign behaviors or production of specific enterprises, unless there is an application of the framework to a specific predefined context. As opposed to other theories, OLI is specific to particular contexts of application, especially in its configuration that is likely to differ in different regions, firms, countries, industries, or in the value-added practices. On the other hand, the OLI application is most likely to rely on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) motivators (Demos, Fragkiskos and Marina, 2004). The primary assumption of the OLI is that the FDI returns, and thus the entirety of FDI, may be explained using three factors. They include: the firm’s ownership advantage ‘O’, which indicates who produces abroad, as well as other types of international activities; internationalization advantage ‘I’; and the location advantage (L), which gives reasons for   firms   to take part in FDI as opposed to licensing the foreign companies to make use of their proprietary assets (Adner and Kapoor, 2010).For the firm to effectively compete within a foreign location, it must have particular ownership advantages, which are also referred to as monopolistic or competitive advantages, which compensate for the extra costs incurred during the setting up of its operations in the foreign country, which are not faced by the producers from within the country (Desbordes, 2007).

Breakthrough of Electricity-Powered Vehicles and their Potential Essay

Breakthrough of Electricity-Powered Vehicles and their Potential Benefits - Essay Example So it must be the decision of everyone to at least consider partaking in the prevention of increasing consequences of environmental pollution that affects the local, regional, and global environment. It is in this reason that the United States should consider looking for alternatives that will totally eliminate driving fuel-based motor vehicles. Driving electric cars in the future is a good alternative due to the following economic and environmental reasons. Electric cars will decrease America’s dependence on foreign fuel â€Å"Oil is the lifeblood of modern civilization† (Pollack 278). It could not therefore be contested that America’s modern economy rely heavily on foreign fuel. However, one essential advantage in driving electric cars is to minimize the dependence of countries like the United States on countries which can produce substantial amount of oil for global consumption. Unfortunately, the impacts that electric-powered cars have to offer and all of the benefits that are derived from them are not appropriately communicated to the public. The United States is without question highly dependent on oil that has become a major source of worldwide conflict. With the utilization of the electric-powered car, countries like the United States will be able to achieve independence on imported oil. Reaching this ambition appears to be so close yet so far considering â€Å"a real, permanent solution to deal with the economic pain and strategic vulnerability inflicted on every American as a result of the collective foreign oil addiction† (Huffington Post). Purchasing oil is outrageously expensive, and the United States is already in debt with the Middle East leaving vulnerability to manipulation. The United States should not be dependent on any country, let alone the Middle East, especially not for a resource that has ultimately led to war. Electric cars using renewable energy will sort out this mess once and for all. As President Obama s tates in his speech, â€Å"our economic prosperity should not be beholden to the Middle East, or anywhere else† (Huffington Post). This addiction cannot be easily solved by turning to other countries for drilling but can be resolved by the government urging Americans to be in control of the future energy consumption. This could not be possible without the uprising usage of electric vehicles. â€Å"Using domestically-generated electricity rather than relying on foreign oil, we can achieve energy independence and will no longer need to engage in costly wars in the Middle East to secure energy supply† (Papercut Films). Electric cars will decrease emission of green house gases Every fuel-powered car releases massive amount of dangerous gases, rapidly adding to the buildup toxins in the atmosphere. Specifically, the combinations of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Sulfur Oxides, and Hydrocarbons [question: are these words capitalized?] emitted from the exhaust pipe. Besides solid evid ence, these scientific terms hold no significance, unless one is aware of the everlasting affects these gases have on the environment. In the midst of the car’s fumes merging into the air that people breathe, the destruction of the ozone layer is also intensifying, which in turn increases global warming. Inhaling Carbon Monoxide impairs the flow of oxygen to the brain, lung problems including cancer, birth defects, and ultimately can lead up to damaged

Medical law and ethics discussion questions Essay

Medical law and ethics discussion questions - Essay Example Physician’s duty in the medical field is to conduct diagnosis, offer referral services and update patients on their treatment procedures alongside articulation of the intended results. In the society, they have the role of counseling and advising parents, writing medical articles to enlighten the public and providing professional testimony on behalf of victims of torture seeking asylum. Their role has gradually changed from that of a director to that of the controller and health instructor (Stoddard et al 1). In addition to assessment of diseases and injury, healthcare providers treat the patients accordingly, provide care for them and enlighten them on the preventive measures associated with various ailments. Moreover, they run the facilities that offer the healthcare services (Stoddard et al 1). Managed care may affect one’s career through controls on the professional independence. Physician dissatisfaction is bound to arise if managed care infringes upon the physician’s relationships, practice approaches, decision making or controls for income (Stoddard et al 1). MCOs can only manage to offer the required form of care by ensuring the physicians, or medical professionals are satisfied since dissemination of care is upon them (Stoddard et al 1). They can only achieve this by revising the limits imposed on clinical autonomy, boosting patient confidence on physicians and involving physicians work schedule set up processes. Stoddard, Jeffrey, Lee Hargraves, Marie Reed and Alison Vratil. â€Å"Managed care, Proffessional Autonomy, and Income: Effects on Physician Career Satisfaction.† J Gen Intern Med 16.10(2001): 675-684.

Context and Truth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Context and Truth - Essay Example It's also the interconnected circumstances in which something exists or happens. It has a major role to play in the sense that it can be as powerful as completely changing the meaning of the said or written to something totally opposite of what the original had been. Context can be categorized into several demographic classes; be it social or political. The thought is that context influences the means we comprehend the term. The truth in its actual meanings is the level of meaningfulness, fact relation, confirmation and level of sincerity. Wherever the 'truth' comes in, the result is either one will staunchly agree to it and will consider it a sin to question or challenge its credibility. But with the evident of the truth, there is also uproar by those who are doubtful about its existence. Either they completely reject the truth or they begin look for answers which makes them believe in that truth. A lot people argue on the truthfulness of something. What actually they are doing is that they are trying to match their desired answers with the ones they already have. This is merely in pursuit of getting ones' self correct in front of others. After all its human nature that one finds it difficult to accept failure. So to maintain one's self respect, to continue to feed one's ego and to fulfill the urge of being superior to others makes one argue on the truthfulness of something. Thus in this case the truth turns out to be something overloaded with certain facts that might have been related to the topic by someone in such a technical way that it looks as the truth in front of the claims placed by others (Taylor, 1998). This is a good way engineering any sort of communication to benefit ones' self and create a wining situation against the competing claims of anyone else. But during this competing what happens is that either the truth becomes distorted or it completely loses its originality. You can understand it by this that consider the truth to an elephant and you ask seven blind men, to touch and feel the elephant and then describe what an elephant looks like. The result will be that each of the seven blind men will think that only he knows what an elephant looks like and thus, only he knows what the truth is. To justify the existence of truth, another approach may be of finding out the best possible answer(s)! Many people will agree on this point. The fact, that though a lot of people know that what is the truth and are having its full availability and awareness. But still these people are in a constant search of truth, is based on the concept of finding what is best. People are in constant search of truth because knowing the truth about life, this world or this universe can give them satisfaction. It can help them in understanding themselves better. Its can help people become productive. It can help us to solve problems that we face in every phase of our life. Extending on the saying "survival of the fittest", the rule is very much applicable to the "Truth" as well. The truth therefore may be also based on an entity's nature, a certain phenomena or even someone else's experiences. This yields truth to be subjective to different aspects. However, this is not the actual case. The truth of any n' every thing is its correctness which can neither be judged by mere proofs nor can be measured on some scale. It is not the truth that

Imac Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Imac - Assignment Example The system was also not able to fully take the modules of programming that had used other similar Microsoft software packages. The failure of the highly expensive and hard to replace iMac to run Ronny’s software unfortunately effected his confidence level. Ronny’s computer skills were well known because he had created a very interesting geography puzzle for his classmates. He had also been working on the creation of a new video game in secret, which would be designed to increase the mental skills of younger people. He needed to run the program on the latest version of the computer so he could test his many creative ideas using multimedia and fix the mistakes if he found any. The failure of the iMac very much saddened and worried him. The many trips to repair shop also made him lose important time as he wanted to send his video game to the online contest set up by IBM. The creation of video games involves very advanced computers that can run hard computer programs using multimedia. The testing of software is an important part of software creation and a lucky run of each module lifts the confidence of the creator. The failure of iMac to fully accept the program modules that needed other similar Microsoft software turned out to be the biggest problem to Ronny’s wish to join the contest. iMac is supposed to be the most advanced computer that is able to perform huge numbers of tasks at high speeds. The weaknesses in the machine to run the important parts of Ronny’s programs majorly shook his confidence in Apple’s products. Ronny’s father was also not able to buy another computer for him because of the huge amount of money already spent on the first iMac. While iMacs are known for their power and skills, they are also known for their high prices. The father was very proud of his son and knew that an advanced computer like the iMac would make it easier for

How americans learn about politics Research Paper

How americans learn about politics - Research Paper Example rmed at times, because their mind is not really open to receiving any information or knowledge concerned with the politics which is going on within their land. Americans feel disconnected with whatever is happening within their folds and there is solid evidence available which suggests the same ideology. One of the reasons why Americans feel disinterested in their political discourse is because their heritage is not as such. It has been proven with the passage of time that Americans do not have any affinity with politics and hence their family structures have the same ideology for a long period of time now (Alter 2008). They believe that since they have never been a part of the political movements and discussions, it is best for them to remain alienated with such perspectives. The Americans are of the view that if they take part in these movements or angles, they would surely lose out to the professionals who have a much better say and role within the political make-up of the American regions. Another reason is education which encompasses the role of schools and teachers. The schools do not encourage the students to come up with sound reasoning for the sake of becoming leaders. In fact there is absence of leadership within the related realms. The schools are not playing their roles in a manner which is seemingly fit. All they are doing is inculcating the assumptions that the students would not be served in an able manner if they get involved within politics and hence it is a good reason that they should stay away from such undertakings. On such a note, one can safely state that the students would not be encouraged to go out there and find a place for their own selves within the political arenas of today or even tomorrow. Much needs to be done to find true leaders. Another reason lies in the way popular culture has impacted upon the Americans. They are so busy within their lives that they find little or absolutely no time to be a part of the political process.

Nursing Issues in healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing Issues in healthcare - Essay Example Patricia has served various leadership roles at Scripps Health, Presbyterian Intercommunity and Southwest Healthcare. In addition to leadership skills, she has a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s in nursing leadership. As a leader, Patricia is charged with making sure that the hospital meets its patient care, clinical and staffing standards. She also advises senior management on the best nursing practices and patient care. She is also responsible for managing nursing budgets, establishing nursing policies and procedures. Patricia also plans patient services and participates in cross-departmental decision making with other top managers. In addition, Patricia is responsible for all the nursing departments in the hospital. The discussion regarding generational considerations in nursing was very helpful because the leader provided a lot of light and information on the issue. Recently, much attention has focused on the generational cohorts that define the current society. The generational groups include the veterans, baby boomers, generation x, generation Y and the home landers (Stanley, 2010). The groups have difference defining characteristics and pose different challenges for nurse leaders. As such, it is important for nurse leaders to possess awareness of the generational differences and the accompanying varying communication styles for the different groups. Understanding the groups has implication in nursing from two perspectives. Firstly, it facilitates communication between the nurse and the patients or families. Secondly, it enhances communication among nurses and other health professional working together. The traditionalists are an old generation with members who follow the rules, value authority and chain of command. They are likely to respond to formal communication than casual or a direct approach. The baby boomers grew in a time of prosperity that formed the basis for their

French Revolution Essay Example for Free

French Revolution Essay The French Revolution marked a period that was characterized by fundamental social and political disturbances in France. The French society was initially under an absolute monarchy prior to the Revolution which occurred in the late 18th century. The French society went through ambitious transformations whereby feudalism, aristocracy and religious privileges sublimed due to spirited attacks from the political activists and the masses. There was a call to shift from the old hierarchical system and adopt the enlightenment tenets of nationality and absolute rights. The Revolution in France is said to have begun in 1789 and it was marked by various stages with the various revolutionary groups executing the much needed transformations. This paper shall explore how the various groups executed their revolutionary activities that eventually contributed towards the political changes witnessed during the time. The French Revolution The revolution was initiated by the Third Estates-General who demanded that the king undertake practical reforms in the government. The ‘constituent’ forcefully ensured that France had undergone reformations that brought in the constitutional monarch while abolishing feudal advantages and also creating a representative electorate though not a democracy. The constituent had a well elaborated law that was referred to as the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens’ which can be compared to the bill of Rights in the American constitution . Between the years 1791 and 1792, the Legislative Assembly was introduced and the King was supposed to govern hand in hand with this entity. In August of 1792, the king was forced to flee and take cover in the Legislative Assembly during the Parisian march that happened near the royal residence. The king became de facto as the Assembly took control. From 1792 to 1795, France witnessed the First Republic and grand terror in its history . This is a time when the revolution reached its peak. Terror was established as a means of dealing with the opponents of the regime and France was pronounced to be a republic in the year 1792. The somehow liberal constitution that observed some democratic tenets was introduced in 1793 but was to be shelved by the revolutionary government. France was under the rule of the Committee of Public Safety which comprised of a dozen members whose first leader was Danton . Following the execution of Danton, Robespierre took over. In the year 1794, the Revolutionary activities were intensified and it begun executing those who were in opposition to its activities. This led to the execution of its own leader, Robespierre in July of 1794 . After the execution of Robespierre, there arose what was referred to as the ‘Thermidorian Reaction’ which led to the creation of a new constitution. The reaction was in opposition to the terror and paved way for the final stage of the Revolution . In the years 1795 to 1799, the Directory regime was established in which case the executive authority was shared among five directors. The regime was unpopular but it used any means possible to cling to power. There were numerous attempts to overthrow the Directory which culminated in the final disposal of the regime in 1799 by Bonaparte. Napoleon Bonaparte’s coup led to the installation of the Consulate before Bonaparte established his dictatorial regime.  He later proclaimed himself as emperor which ended the republican chapter of the revolution. Conclusion The French Revolution was a period characterized by upheavals in the political arena in France towards the late 18th century. However the Revolution played a crucial part in European politics. The revolution ensured that sovereignty was observed as absolutism was discarded which led to the replacement of monarchy with nationhood. The French Revolution therefore marked a major turning point in human history especially in regard to the political orientation of the western society of the 18th century and the world in general.

Future Trends In Wireless Sensor Networks Information Technology Essay

Future Trends In Wireless Sensor Networks Information Technology Essay With the advances in the technology of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), developments in wireless communications and WSNs have also emerged. WSNs have become the one of the most interesting areas of research in the past few years. Here, we look into the recent advances and future trends in WSNs. WSNs are usually composed of small, low-cost devices that communicate wirelessly and have the capabilities of processing, sensing and storing. The development of WSNs was motivated by military applications such as battlefield surveillance. WSN are being used in many industrial and civilian application areas, including industrial process monitoring and control [1, 2], machine health monitoring [3], environment and habitat monitoring, healthcare applications, home automation, and traffic control [1, 4]. A WSN generally consists of a base-station (also called as gateway sometimes) that can communicate with a number of wireless sensors via a radio link. Wireless sensor nodes collect the data, compress it, and transmit it to the gateway directly or indirectly with the help of other nodes. The transmitted data is then presented to the system by the gateway connection. This paper discusses the recent advances in WSNs that enable a wide range of applications and future development in applications like underwater acoustic sensor systems; sensing based cyber-physical systems, time-critical applications, cognitive sensing and spectrum management, and security and privacy management. Rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 describes the recent advances in WSNs. We discuss future trends in WSN in Section 3. Section 4 describes the research challenges for WSN. Finally Section 5 presents the conclusion. RECENT ADVANCES Recent advances in wireless and electronic technologies have enabled a wide range of applications of WSNs in military sensing, traffic surveillance, target tracking, environment monitoring, healthcare monitoring, and so on. Here we describe such type advances in WSN and their applications in various fields. Sensor Localization and Location-Aware Services Smart Home/Smart Office Smart home environments can provide custom behaviors for a given individual. Considerable amount of research has been devoted to this topic. The research on smart homes is now starting to make its way into the market. It takes a considerable amount of work and planning to create a smart home. There are many examples of products currently on the market which can perform individual functions that are considered to be part of a smart home. Several useful applications which take advantage of information collected by WSN are presented in [5]. Military New and emerging technologies, such as networks, support military operations by delivering critical information rapidly and dependably to the right individual or organization at the right time. This improves the efficiency of combat operations. The new technologies must be integrated quickly into a comprehensive architecture to meet the requirements of present time. Improvement in situation awareness [6] is must requirement. Other important application is detection of enemy units movements on land/sea, sensing intruders on bases, chemical/biological threats and offering logistics in urban warfare [7]. Command, control, communications, computing, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting systems are well described in [8]. Industrial Commercial Since the long time wireless transmission of data is being done in industrial applications, but recently it has gained importance. Successful use of wireless sensors in systems such as supervisory control and data acquisition has proved that these devices could effectively address the needs of industrial applications. The critical process applications of WSNs in industry are monitoring temperature, flow-level, and pressure parameters. With the rapidly increasing technological advances in wireless technology and its subsequently decreasing prices, numerous wireless applications are being developed in industry. WSN in manufacturing industries can monitor and optimize quality control. Traffic Management and Monitoring Every big city is suffering from traffic congestion around the world. A sincere effort is being made to solve the traffic congestion. Congestion can be alleviated by planning managing traffic. A real-time automatic traffic data collection must be employed for efficient management of rush-hour traffic. Research on this topic is considered as part of the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) research community. ITS is the application of the computers, communications, and sensor technology to surface transportation [9]. The vehicle tracking application is to locate a specific vehicle or moving object and monitor its movement. This work also describes design of WSN for vehicular monitoring. As the power source (battery) is limited, it is important that a design of sensor node is power efficient. Structural Healthcare Structures are inspected at regular time intervals, and repairing or replacing based on the time of use, rather than on their working conditions. Sensors embedded into structures enable condition-based maintenance of these assets [10]. Wireless sensing will allow assets to be inspected when the sensors indicate that there may be a problem. This will reduce the cost of maintenance and preventing harmful failure. These applications include sensors mounted on heavy duty bridges, within concrete and composite materials [11], and big buildings. Agriculture Agriculture can also be benefited by the deployment of WSN to get the information regarding soil degradation and water scarcity [12]. With help of WSNs we can check the clean water consumed in irrigation and manage it. Topology and Coverage Control Topology control is one of the fundamental problems in WSNs. It has great importance for prolong lifetime, reducing radio interference, increasing the efficiency of media access control protocols and routing protocols. It also ensures the quality of connectivity coverage and increase in the network service as well. A significant progress in research can be seen in WSNs topology control. Many topology control algorithms have been developed till date, but problems such as lack of definite and practical algorithm, lack of efficient measurement of network performance and idealness of mathematical model still exist. Several graph models used in topology control, the present hot spots and the future trends on the research of topology control are presented in [13]. Quality of Service (QoS) Provision QoS support is challenging due to severe energy and computational resource constrains of wireless sensors. Various service properties such as the delay, reliability, network lifetime, and quality of data may conflict; for example, multi-path routing can improve the reliability, however it can increase the energy consumption and delay due to duplicate transmissions. Modeling such relationships, measuring the provided quality, and providing means to control the balance is essential for QoS support. There are various research opportunities in enhancing the QoS of WSNs. One of the researches is the project described in [14] that analyzes and enhances the performance of a WSN by deploying a simple max-min fairness bandwidth allocation technique. Mobility management Mobility is one of the most important issues in next generation networks. As WSNs are becoming the next elements of the future Internet, it is crucial to study new models that also support mobility of these nodes. WSNs are applicable in variety of cases that make it difficult to produce a standard mobility scenario. Following are some cases where the mobile support is necessary [15]. Intra-WSN device movement is probably the most common scenario in WSNs architectures, where each sensor node has the ability to change from its local position at run time without losing the connectivity with the sensor router (SR). In the case of inter-WSN device movement, sensor nodes move between different sensor networks, each one with its SR responsible to configure and manage all the aggregated devices. A research project of IETF working group NEMO [16] is an example of WSN movement. Sensor network deployed in a moving bus is a real scenario of this type. It is possible to have a scenario where a sensor network can use another sensor network in order to be connected through Internet. MANEMO [17] project is also an example. Security and Privacy Concern The field that paid less attention is the privacy concern on information being collected, transmitted, and analyzed in a WSN. Such private information of concern may include payload data collected by sensors and transmitted through the network to a centralized data processing server. The location of a sensor initiating data communication, and other such context information, may also be the focus of privacy concerns. In real world applications of WSNs, effective countermeasures against the disclosure of both data and context-oriented private information are indispensable prerequisites. Privacy protection in various fields related to WSNs, such as wired and wireless networking, databases and data mining, has been extensively studied in [18]. Effective privacy-preserving techniques are needed for the unique challenges of WSN security. Biomedical/Medical The uses of WSNs in biomedical and medical are in growing phase. Biomedical wireless sensor networks (BWSNs) show the future opportunities for supporting mobility while monitoring vital body functions in hospital and home care. There is a requirement for BWSN to develop in order to cover security handling, improved signal integration and visualization. They can also be used to achieve extended mobility outside the surgery room, monitoring of several patients/persons at the same time, and further adaptations to medical experts needs for information. As the Internet usage has become popular among people, e-services for the healthcare which is commonly known as e-Health, have recently attracted significant attention within both the research society and industry. Followings are several ongoing projects for healthcare using WSN: CodeBlue [19] an architecture proposed for tracking and monitoring of patients. ALARM-NET [20] a WSN built for assisted-living and residential monitoring. AMON [21] a Wireless Body Area Sensor Network System GlucoWatch G2 [22] use WSN to research wearable personal health system that will monitor and evaluate human vital signs. FUTURE TRENDS The future developments in sensor nodes must produce very powerful and cost-effective devices, so that they may be used in applications like underwater acoustic sensor systems, sensing based cyber-physical systems, time-critical applications, cognitive sensing and spectrum management, and security and privacy management. In this section we will look into all possibilities of further development in WSN applications. Cognitive Sensing Cognitive sensor networks are used for acquiring localized and situated information of the sensing environment by the deploying a large number of sensors intelligently and autonomically. Managing a large number of wireless sensors is a complex task. A significant research interest can be seen in bio-inspired sensing [23] and networking. Two well known examples of cognitive sensing are swarm intelligence and quorum sensing: Swarm intelligence is developed in artificial intelligence for studying the collective behavior of decentralized, self-organized systems. Quorum sensing is an example of bio-inspired sensing and networking. Quorum sensing is the ability of bacteria to communicate and coordinate behavior via signaling molecules. Spectrum Management As application of low-power wireless protocols is increasing, we can envision a future in which wireless devices, such as wireless keyboards, power-point presenters, cell phone headsets, and health monitoring sensors will be ubiquitous. But the pervasiveness of these devices leads to increased interference and congestion within as well as between networks, because of overlapping physical frequencies. Cognitive radios and multi-frequency MACs are some approaches that have been developed to utilize multiple frequencies for parallel communication. A generic solution is provided by SAS [24]: a Self-Adaptive Spectrum Management middleware for WSNs, which can be easily integrated with an existing single frequency. The inherent nature of WSNs makes them deployable in a variety of circumstances. They have the potential to be everywhere, on roads, in our homes and offices, forests, battlefields, disaster struck areas, and even underwater in oceans. This paper surveys the application areas where WSNs have been deployed such as military sensing, traffic surveillance, target tracking, environment monitoring, and healthcare monitoring as summarized in Table 2. The paper also surveys the various fields where WSNs may be deployed in the near future as underwater acoustic sensor systems, sensing based cyber-physical systems, time-critical applications, cognitive sensing and spectrum management, and security and privacy management. These application areas are being researched extensively by various people across the industry and academician [7, 9, 22, 24, 28].

Constructivist Theory of Development

Constructivist Theory of Development To believe a child is an empty vessel would mean believing that children are unable to think or respond to the world around them. The term empty vessel suggests that babies minds contain nothing and that helping them to develop means simply filling the space with facts. Theorists and scientists have spent many years researching and developing ideas that suggest that even an unborn child is capable of developing sensitivity towards its environment and therefore that human development begins long before the outside world has impressed its influence on a child (Muir Slater 2000, pg.68). However, this essay will explore the theories of how children learn and develop from birth, with emphasis placed on the constructivist learning theory in relation to the development of children from infancy and towards adulthood. Mukherji Odea, (2000, pg.80) describe how soon after birth babies begin trying to make sense of the world around them. They are able to identify sounds, in particular voices, and then subsequently begin to interpret images and the responses of adults. Their ability to read facial expressions develops (Louw, 2002, pg.208) and they use this knowledge to modify their behaviour. This development begins the pattern of constructivist learning that theorists have researched and discussed for many years. The constructivist learning theory essentially means being actively involved in acquiring new knowledge and skills, interacting with ones social and cultural environment and building on or adapting existing knowledge and experiences (Boghossian, 2006). The theory was documented by Piaget who studied his own children in order to increase his understanding of the developmental phases that children move through when learning. Piaget (cited in Slavin, 1994, pg.31) identified four specific age-related stages in a childs development and described how children foster new ideas by using patterns of behaviour or schemes and relating these schemes to the environment around them. Some psychologists questioned Piagets theories regarding the four stages and discovered the language used by Piaget during his studies to be too complex to provide an accurate representation of a childs abilities at any given time (Slavin, 1994, pg.44). One theorist who challenged Piagets theories was Lev Vygotsky, (Oa kley, 2004, pg.42) who suggested that rather than waiting for children to master one level of development before moving onto the next, learning takes place when children are challenged and presented with problems just beyond their current level of understanding. Vygotsky also placed far more emphasis on the role of adults (Gopnik, et al. 2001, pg.18), an idea further developed by Bruner, who proposed that adults were tools that can assist learning by scaffolding the development of language (Bruner, 1983, pp 64-66). Along with many others, by combining elements from all three theorists views of child development, the outcome is the constructivist theory of learning, a theory where prior knowledge is the basis and language, challenge and social interaction, the tools. Sharp, et al. (2009, pg. 51) place much emphasis on prior knowledge being the fundamental basis in the teaching of science. Learning and understanding in science is no longer considered the rote learning of facts and technical vocabulary, but instead means embracing inquisitiveness and the development of enquiry skills that aid the learner in making sense of the world around them (Loxley, et al. 2010, pg. 45). Scientific knowledge and understanding stems from intrinsic curiosity (Sharp, et al. 2009, pg.2). The infant, who continuously touches the objects surrounding him, is investigating the textures of materials and developing his own responses to them. When he then repeatedly returns to the soft toy he demonstrates that his enquiry has formulated knowledge of texture and subsequent actions are based on his initial investigations. The parent who then moves the toy further from the infant and smiles when he finally reaches and nuzzles his prize has provided challenge and social interaction as a means of developing the infants skills further. Rather than an empty vessel that the parent has begun to fill, the infant has demonstrated that he is a constructivist learner who is interacting with his environment and building on his experience. This example demonstrates that both the constructivist learning theory and the development of scientific enquiry apply to even the youngest children and so should be nurtured and developed when teaching science to primary and secondary pupils. Scientific enquiry allows existing ideas to be challenged and knowledge and understanding to be achieved (Loxley, et al. 2010). However, the constructivist theory in the classroom cannot be implemented unless prior knowledge is ascertained. Although the national curriculum (DfEE, 1999) details the legal requirements for the teaching of science, attainment targets are divided into key stages allowing for differentiation based on childrens level of understanding at any particular point in time. Teachers need to identify pupils current levels before they can begin to plan for future learning (OfSTED, cited in Kyriacou, 2007) and work towards these attainment targets. The elicitation of prior knowledge can be achieved in many ways. With language playing such an important role in the development of knowledge (Bruner, op.cit), discussion and careful questioning can be effective ways of allowing children to clarify their own ideas while giving the teacher an opportunity to identify misconceptions in their understanding (Littledyke, 1998, pg.22). Stimulus for the discussion can range from a big question as described by Longuski (2006), the presentation of a Concept cartoon [Appendix A] or through debating a PMI statement [Appendix B]. Card sorting activities allow children to share their ideas and recording responses by using KWL grids [Appendix C] or by asking pupils to draw diagrams or pictures provides concrete evidence of current levels of understanding. Loxley, et al. (2010, pg. 10) explain that children will engage in learning when it is presented in contexts which are familiar. I investigated this theory during a recent science lesson [Appendix D], where I used a story to present a scientific concept. The strategy proved to be particularly effective in eliciting pupils ideas and misconceptions and captured the interest of all children involved. Pupils connected with the lesson due to the presentation of a stimulus in the form of visual and auditory media (Naylor Keogh, 2007). The lesson was filled with discussion with all abilities participating in sharing ideas. The adults role in the lesson was to encourage discussion, clarify responses, assist lower ability pupils in recording their ideas and to offer questions that would promote critical thinking. Childrens responses showed that they were using their personal experiences to form ideas about the scientific problems presented by the cartoon [Appendix E]. Curiosity surrounding o ther aspects of light exploration was stimulated by the lesson, with several children asking questions that they would like to investigate in the future [Appendix F]. The main purpose of this lesson was, however, not only to ascertain prior knowledge but to identify misconceptions that would inform the class teachers planning of the class next unit of work. Misconceptions can originate from a variety of sources. Children can sometimes form incorrect ideas based on their own experiences or interpretation of language, as demonstrated by the common misconception about the term plant food. In response to a natural desire to form relationships with known ideas (Allen, 2010, pg.3), children can also draw inaccurate conclusions to newly encountered concepts (McGraw-Hill, 2011), an example of which is a child who, having observed the sun appearing to move across the horizon, concludes that the sun must actually move around the Earth. Occasionally educational staff can, due to their own misconceptions or lack of subject knowledge, provide information that is not accurate which highlights the need, as outlined by Professional Standard 22, (TDA. 2008) for teachers to be secure in their understanding of the scientific concepts taught to pupils (TDA. 2008, Standard 14) and, through reflection and evaluation, to identify when they need to further the ir own scientific understanding (TDA. 2008, Professional Standard 7a). The transcript of the discussion, [Appendix G] coupled with childrens written recordings of their ideas [Appendix H, I J] highlights the common misconceptions [Appendix K] that the group held about their understanding of the Earth, sun and moon unit of work, studied previously, and their impending studies of light. Misconceptions regarding concepts already taught, in this instance the Earth, sun and moon misunderstandings, provide an example of assessment of learning, or summative assessment, and can be used to judge a childs learning and level of scientific understanding. The misconceptions surrounding the theory of light act as formative assessment as they can be used when considering implications for future progress and to inform planning for the new topic to be covered, as described by Littledyke (1998, pg.21). They also enable the teacher to consider ways of challenging pupils misunderstandings without simply giving them the correct responses, as this could damage their self esteem or lead to them refusing to accept alternative explanations (The National Strategies, 2009). Instead, Miller, et al. (cited in Ansberry Morgan, 2007) explain that children should be provided with opportunities to investigate their own theories, for example through practical investigations or even the use of picture books (Ansberry and Morgan, ibid), while considering those of others. This will enable them to use the experiences on which the misunderstandings were based (assimilation) and then to adapt their original ideas in response to their investigations (accommodat ion) (Allen, 2010, pg.12). Any strategy adopted must address errors in a childs understanding, as failure to do so could prevent further progress (The National Strategies, ibid:3). Formative assessment (TDA. 2008, Standard 12) isnt, however, a tool to be used exclusively to elicit pre-conceptions about a topic to be covered. Yeomans and Arnold (2006) describe it is an essential part of planning and preparation that should be carried out continuously to enable teachers to evaluate the impact of their teaching (TDA. 2008, Standard 29), modify their approaches and assess how well children are progressing. It enables teachers to compare childrens levels of understanding with age appropriate objectives and those listed in the National Curriculum for Science. Analysis of an elicitation activity will also enable the teacher to plan differentiated activities to address individual pupils strengths or areas of weakness. Together with consideration for differences in learning styles and factors that may be affecting learning, this analysis will ensure that the needs of individuals are met and that all children achieve their potential (TDA. 2008, Standard 10). However, this type of personalisation of learning is not straightforward and requires commitment to an ethos, where every learner matters and every learners learning needs should, if possible, be accommodated (Keeley-Browne, 2007, pg.133). Although there are links, there are also differences between differentiated and personalised learning. Differentiation is a more traditional approach to teaching with pupils often grouped by ability and with tasks that match that ability (Kendall-Seater, 2005, pg.24). Personalised learning is a progressive approach where the childs experiences are the focus and results are judged by outcome or by the extent of resources supplied (Kendall-Seater, ibid). Both approaches benefit from consideration for childrens previous knowledge and experiences, on which they can build new ideas. Despite agreeing with this principle, experts have identified difficulties that could occur by implementing the constructivist teaching and learning theories. Keogh Naylor (1996) have questioned the plausibility of considering the prior knowledge of every pupil, and Skidmore Gallagher (2005) acknowledged the difficulties that a change in approach might present to teachers. In her research report, Chin (2006) discusses difficulties between balancing the responsibility of teachers as providers of accurate scientific facts with them being facilitators of child-initiated learning. Considering each of these experts reservations means viewing constructivist teaching and learning in science as a challenging process where the acquisition of scientific knowledge is the main goal that can be achieved through the amalgamation of an understanding of childrens developmental processes and the commitment from teachers to providing opportunities for personal enquiry with sound subject knowledge. In summary, teachers need to first recognize that children are not empty vessels but that they have a valuable wealth of scientific knowledge and experience on which to construct and adapt new ideas. Teachers should embrace and nurture curiosity, promote critical thinking and provide creative learning environments that facilitate purposeful exploration and social interaction. Careful consideration has to be given towards the National Curriculum for Science objectives; however, as is often the case with preparation for statutory testing (POST, 2003), it should not be seen as a constraint that restricts creativity or that initiates a return to the meaningless rote learning strategies (Stones, 1984, pg.64) of the past. Assessment opportunities should be explored, and the results used effectively to inform and enable an inclusive, personalised curriculum that allows children to become active participants with ownership of their own learning.

Tess Being a Victim of Fate in Tess of the DUrbervilles Essay

Tess Being a Victim of Fate in Tess of the D'Urbervilles â€Å"The president of the Immortals had done his sport with Tess† In his novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles Thomas Hardy expresses his dissatisfaction, weariness, and an overwhelming sense of injustice at the cruelty of ‘our’ universal fate disappointment and disillusionment. Hardy puts out an argument that the hopes and desires of Men are cruelly saddened by a strong combination of fate, unwanted accidents, mistakes and many sad flaws. Although Tess is strong willed and is clearly educated emotionally and mentally she soon becomes a victim of ‘fate’. Many people would say that Tess was just unlucky, â€Å"Had a stroke of bad luck,† others would prefer to differ and argue that she has fallen into fates hands. In order to decide whether her story is one of bad luck or bad judgement we need to look into closer detail at her account. Tess is introduced to the readers as a pure and innocent young lady dressed all in white, which symbolizes virginity and purity, whilst her physical appearance suggests a form of innocence and naivety. Hardy proposes that maybe her innocence and purity comes from her lack of experience with people, love and danger. This can be seen when she is exposed to new and different environments and forces. Hardy also introduces class and status very early on, Tess comes from a lower class yet she can make herself seem in a higher status due to her education. Tess’s first encounter of bad luck is when she kills the family horse, Prince. Tess is with her brother Abraham in their wagon whilst discussing about the stars and how they are worlds just like Earth. Tess continues with saying that, â€Å"Most of them splendid and sound-a few bligh... ...e may feel that the choice has been taken away from her and it is a case of survival. Hardy has a strong sense of accidental, coincidental, fate and bad luck. However it is trying to decipher which events are what. For example there are hints that Tess preordained to be murderess, and early in the story, when Prince dies, â€Å"Her face was dry and pale, as though she regarded herself in the light of a murderess.† I believe that many actions that took place in her life were not always bad luck were not always fate but just the path that she led. However her constant bad luck caused her to make bad judgements which then caused us the readers to believe it is fate. To conclude Tess’s innocent and beauty proved to do her no good and she was also unaware of her sexuality. Her lack of common knowledge and wanting from her also made her susceptible to other men.

European Imperialism of China and Japan :: essays research papers

European Imperialism of China and Japan Imperialism is the practice by which powerful nations or peoples seek to extend and maintain control or influence over weaker nations or peoples. By the 1800’s, the Western powers had advantages in this process. They led the world in technological advances, giving them a dominance when conquering other countries. The European Imperialists made attempts to conquer China and Japan. In this process, they succeeded by influencing Japan greatly. However, they were not as successful with China.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the end of the eighteenth century, China’s goods were much desired by Britain. However, the Chinese saw Europeans as savages and did not want to trade with them. During trade, there was an imbalance in China’s favor, because the Europeans were forced to buy Chinese goods using silver. The Western Imperialists began to grow opium poppies from in India, and then smuggle them into China. China soon became addicted to the drug and spent most of it’s money on the purchase of it from the Europeans and Americans. This shifted the balance of power to be in Europe’s favor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the early 1800’s, Japan had blocked off all trade from other countries. Foreign whaling ships could not even reload or repair their ships in Japan territory. This offended many other countries. In 1852, Matthew Perry was sent to Japan to negotiate open trade. Japan felt threatened by the United States, and gave in to their demands. Japan was frightened by their stipulations, and immediately began to reform. They developed a new education system that was similar to America and Europe’s. They also developed a Western style judiciary system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Japan and China reacted differently to the reforms of Imperialism. When put under pressure, Japan succumbed to the power of Western Imperialist ideas. Conversely, China, resisted for a long time. As a result, Japan had more technology, while China was unenlightened of the new advances. Japan also gained more respect from other countries, that China did not have.

Ethics Case Study Essay

What are Ethics? Ethics are standards of behavior, developed as a result of ones concept of right and wrong (Judson & Harrison, 2010). Code of ethics is a list of principles that is intended to influence the actions of healthcare professionals within an organization. Ethical principles help guide the decision-making process among healthcare workers in complicated situations. This paper will review the assigned case study and provide the reader with the ethical issues and principles. The case study discussed an 8-month old child brought into the emergency department by the mother due to inconsolable crying. It was reported that the child had been crying since picked up at daycare. The nurse found that the child’s vital signs were slightly elevated and child’s thighs were edematous and warm to the touch. The assessment was then presented to the physician; concern was expressed that the child may have been injured. An x-ray was ordered revealing fractures to both femurs. The mother was informed of the findings by the physician; after speaking with the mother the physician decided it was not child abuse and therefore, the situation did not need to be reported. The ethical issues involved in this case study are the nurse and physician’s responsibility to report suspected child abuse. Social services should have been consulted to assist in the process of reporting the situation to Child Protective Services (CPS). Hardy and Armitage state â€Å"In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration† (2002, p. 109). In this case, the primary consideration was not in the best interest of the child. According to Judson and Harrison the physician has the responsibility to understand the tools for diagnosing and treating abuse and to be familiar with the available resources (2010). The nurse in this case has the ethical duty to report the physician for not having concern regarding a possible child abuse situation. Healthcare professionals have an ethical duty to expose unethical behaviors by other members of the healthcare field. Nursing has progressed over the years into a respected and honorable profession. Insaf Altun (2008) states it best by saying, â€Å"The six key roles  of nursing are: advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy, in patient and health systems management, and education† (p. 839). The two key roles the nurse in this case study failed to provide for the patient are advocacy and promotion of a safe environment. If the nurse was using good moral and professional judgment, he or she would have reported the situation immediately for the wellbeing of the child. Three of the ethical principles that are discussed are nonmaleficence, veracity and paternalism. The first ethical principle is nonmaleficence, meaning first do no harm (Judson and Harrison, 2010). A question asked by Milton and Cody (2001 p.290) was, â€Å"How can one keep from doing harm if one acts without knowing what the reality of the lived experience is for the person?† In the case study, neither the nurse nor physician knows what happened to the child or the reality of the circumstances that led to fractured femurs. The healthcare professional would have upheld this ethical principle and the law by reporting the suspected abuse, thus doing no harm and protecting the child from further harm. Another ethical principle that the physician could have used is veracity. The ethical principle of veracity deals with the truth or truth telling (Henry, 2005). The physician in this case should have discussed the health status of the child with the mother, made a â€Å"good† moral judgment, and told the mother the incident must be reported to CPS; the case could have been presented to the mother in a non-accusatory manner. The physician should have been reported for assuming the incident did not need to be reported. Furthermore, the nurse should have stepped forward and reported the incident, thereby promoting veracity on behalf of the case at hand. The third ethical principle in the case study to discuss is paternalism. At times paternalism viewed as a negative act because it allows healthcare providers to make decisions for the patients (Andre & Velasquez, 2008).The facts in the case study provide for an excellent example of when paternalism should be exercised. The nurse or physician in the case study could have used paternalism as a guiding ethical principle to do what was right for the  safety of the child by reporting the incident. The child has no voice to defend or protect him or herself and in this situation, the nurse should have advocated for the patient. The three ethical principles mentioned above are valued in my personal and professional life as a mother, nurse and student. The first ethical principle discussed nonmaleficence has been a personal value of mine throughout my life, used in all aspects of my life. The second ethical principle, veracity is maintained most of the time. I believe there are situations where telling the person the whole truth would not have an optimal outcome. The third ethical principle mentioned paternalism is used at times in my professional life as a nurse and in my personal life as a mother. The outcome of the case study could have been optimal for all involved the child, mother, nurse, and physician if the situation occurred at a children’s hospital. The likelihood of staff in a children’s hospital to have the proper training on signs of, diagnosing, treating, and reporting suspected abuse is much higher than an adult focused medical center. The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses incorporates ethical principles in the respect of advancement of care, education, and research to promote the best outcomes for patients’ with heart failure. One ethical principle used by the association is beneficence; this principle is used by providing evidence-based research, treatment, and education for patients and healthcare professionals. Using evidence-based medicine the association is giving optimal care for this patient population. Using ethical principles healthcare professionals can ensure they are making good moral decisions regarding care and treatment of patients. The ethical principles do not have to be a value of the healthcare professional, but must be upheld for the best interest of the patient. References Altun, I. (2008). Innovation in behavior patterns that characterize nurses. Nursing Ethics, 15(6), 838-840. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from EBSCOHost database. Andre C. & Velasquez M. (2008). For your own good. Retrieved April 21, 2009, fromhttp://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v4n2/owngood.htmlHardy, M., & Armitage, G. (2002). The child’s right to consent to x-ray and imaging investigations: issues of restraint and immobilization from a multidisciplinary perspective. Journal of Child Health Care, 6(2), 107-119. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from SAGE database. Henry, L. (2005). Disclosure of medical errors: Ethical considerations for the development of a facility policy and organizational culture change. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 6(2), 127-134. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from SAGE database. Judson, K. & Harrison, C. (2010). Law and ethics for medical careers (5th ed). New York,NY: McGraw-Hill. Milton, C. & Cody, W. (2001). The ethics of bearing witness in healthcare: A beginning exploration. Nursing Science Quarterly, 14(4), 288-296. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from SAGE database.

Internet mini case Essay

Williams-Sonoma (WSM) was a specialty retailer of products for the home. The company’s products were sold through two channels: the retail channel and the direct-to-customer channel. The retail segment comprised four retail concepts: Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and Hold Everything. The direct-to-customer segment sold though eight retail catalogs: Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Bed + Bath, PB Teen, Hold Everything, West Elm, and Williams-Sonoma Home (which incorporated elements from the previously separate Chambers) as well as through four e-commerce sites. The catalogs reached customers throughout the United States, and the four retail businesses operated 522 stores in 42 states and Washington, DC. The retail segment accounted for 58.9% of total sales; the direct-to-customer segment accounted for 41.1% in fiscal 2003. Charles E. Williams, Director Emeritus of the company in 2003, founded Williams-Sonoma in 1956 to offer high-end culinary and serving equipment in an upscale retail environment. The company entered the direct-to-customer channel in 1972, with the introduction of its flagship catalog, â€Å"A Catalog for Cooks,† which marketed the Williams-Sonoma brand. In 1983, the company internally developed the Hold Everything catalog to offer innovative and stylish storage solutions for home and home office. The success of the catalog led to the opening of the first Hold Everything retail store in 1985. In 1986, the company acquired Pottery Barn, at that time a marginally successful retailer and direct-to-customer merchant featuring a large assortment of casual home furnishings and accessories including furniture, lamps and lighting fixtures, rugs, window treatments, linens, dinnerware, and glassware. In 1989, Williams-Sonoma created Chambers, a direct-to-customer merchandiser of high-quality, premium-priced linens, towels, robes, soaps, and accessories for bed and bath. This case was prepared by Professor Maryanne M. Rouse, MBA, CPA, University of South Florida. Copyright  © 2005 by Professor Maryanne M. Rouse. This case cannot be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder, Maryanne M. Rouse. Reprint permission is solely granted to the publisher, Prentice Hall, for the books, Strategic Management and Business Policy – 10th and 11th Editions (and the International version of this book) and Cases in Strategic Management and Business Policy – 10th Edition by the copyright holder, Maryanne M. Rouse. This case was edited for SMBP and Cases in SMBP – 10th Edition. The copyright holder is solely responsible for case content. Any other publication of the case (translation, any form of electronics or other media) or sold (any form of partnership) to another publisher will be in violation of copyright law, unless Maryanne M. Rouse has granted an additional written reprint permission. In early 1999, the company launched both its Williams-Sonoma Internet wedding and gift registry web site and its Williams-Sonoma e-commerce site. Later that year, the company launched a separate Pottery Barn Kids catalog to offer well-made, stylish children’s furniture and decorative accessories. (Pottery Barn Kids was one of the first concepts to market in what is expected to be a major growth segment during the next decade, as birthrates in the United States. are expected to surpass rates achieved at any time in the past 30 years. Birthrates among older women are soaring, and older moms tend to be wealthier and more willing to splurge on their children.) Pottery Barn Kids stores were opened adjacent to Pottery Barn stores across the United States, and by September 2004, there were 78 stores. Edward Mueller, Williams-Sonoma CEO, expected Pottery Barn Kids to be the primary growth vehicle for the company over the next several years. Williams-Sonoma launched its Pottery Barn web site and created a separate Pottery Barn Bed + Bath catalog in 2000. In 2001, the company added a Pottery Barn Kids web site, and a Pottery Barn online gift and bridal registry, and it opened five new retail stores in Toronto, Ontario. In line with its related diversification growth strategy, Williams-Sonoma tested a new catalog in summer 2002, under the West Elm brand. This new brand targeted young, design-conscious customers seeking to furnish first homes/apartments/lofts with quality furniture and accessories at affordable price points. West Elm product categories included furniture, decorative accessories, and an extensive textiles collection. In 2003, Williams-Sonoma expanded its catalog mailings for West Elm, added a web site, and opened its first retail store. Williams-Sonoma launched PB Teen with a catalog and web site in late April 2003. PB Teen was intended to fill the market space between Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids with hip, exclusively designed furniture, rugs, lighting, bedding, and accessories promoted with its catalog, interactive web site, special sales campaigns, and contests. The company’s newest concept, Williams-Sonoma Home, was introduced in third quarter 2004 to tap into what company Chairman William H. Lester noted had been an empty space between the Pottery Barn demographic and designer home furnishings. Lester hoped to position this brand extension as an upscale furniture concept that would be more classic and less fashion-forward than Pottery Barn. Dave DeMattei, Williams-Sonoma’s President of Emerging Brands, noted that the look of casual elegance was â€Å"aspirational,† using an industry term for a product that helps a consumer trade up without necessarily spending top dollar. This new home collection, put together by Steven Brady, former President for Home Design at Ralph Lauren Home, featured down-plumped sofas ranging from $2,200 to $5,800 and $3,000 leather headboards as well as crystal lamps, cashmere throws, and the upscale linens formerly featured in the company’s Chambers catalog. (The company planned to fold the Chambers catalog into the Williams-Sonoma Home catalog.) Although some industry watchers questioned whether consumers would be willing to buy somewhat pricey furnishing sight-unseen, the company’s alliances with decorators, who would get trade discounts, were expected to help overcome initial resistance. The first Williams-Sonoma Home retail stores were expected to open early in 2 005. Retail Stores As of September 2004, Williams-Sonoma operated a total of 522 retail stores located in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario: 242 Williams-Sonoma, 176 Pottery Barn, 82 Pottery Barn Kids, 7 Hold Everything, 1 West Elm, and 14 outlet stores. The company leased rather than owned its retail space. As of September 2004, the company’s gross leased square feet totaled 4,292,000, with 2,705,000 â€Å"selling† square feet. Lease terms ranged from 3 to 23 years. The average square feet per retail location increased from 7,660 in 2002 to 8,200 by August 2004, as the company replaced older, smaller Pottery Barn stores with larger stores carrying a wider variety of merchandise, including furniture. Direct-to-Customer Operations The direct-to-customer segment sold a variety of products through eight catalogs and e-commerce web sites. The company sent its catalogs to addresses from its proprietary customer lists as well as to names it received in exchange (or purchases) from other mail-order merchandisers, magazines, and other companies. The direct-to-customer business complemented the retail business by building customer awareness of the brand and acting as an effective promotional vehicle. Williams-Sonoma also used its catalogs and e-commerce sites as a cost-efficient means of testing market acceptance of new products. As of 2004, of the eight merchandising concepts, the Pottery Barn brand and its extensions had been the major source of sales growth in this segment for the previous several years. A good deal of Pottery Barn’s success was attributed to its ability to create a â€Å"lifestyle brand.† A brand gained â€Å"lifestyle† status via style, innovation, and appeal to customers who wanted to lead a particular style of life; in short, it allowed the company to reach a higher level in terms of the connection it made with the customer. Facilities/Locations Williams-Sonoma leased centralized distribution facilities in Olive Branch, Mississippi (2,152,000 square feet), and Memphis, Tennessee (1,515,000 square feet), and call centers in Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and Camp Hill, Pennsylvania (approximately 36,000 square feet in each location). Distribution centers served both the company’s retail locations and fulfillment operations. The company also leased office, warehouse, design/photo studio, and data center space in California, New York, and Florida. In February, Williams-Sonoma purchased headquarters offices in San Francisco. Suppliers The company’s sourcing strategy included relationships with manufacturers in over 40 countries. Approximately 58% of merchandise purchases were from non-U.S. vendors, most of which were located in Europe and Asia. Substantially all of the company’s foreign purchases of merchandise were negotiated and paid for in U.S. dollars. Any event causing a sudden disruption or delay of imports from foreign vendors, including the imposition of additional import restrictions, restrictions on the transfer of funds and/or increased tariffs or quotas, or both, against home-centered items could increase the cost or reduce merchandise availability. No supplier accounted for more than 4% of Williams-Sonoma’s total purchases. Finance In fiscal 2003 (fiscal year ended February 1, 2004), Williams-Sonoma reported a 16.7% increase in net revenues over the prior year, the highest pretax operating margin and earnings per share in the company’s history and an increasing return on assets. Williams-Sonoma’s profit for the quarter ended August 1, 2004, jumped 55% as sales surged at the company’s Pottery Barn and outlet stores. Revenue for second quarter 2004 increased 19%, to $689.6 million, with direct-to-customer sales up an impressive 27%. Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids drove second quarter retail growth with same-store sales increases of 10.2%; however, same-store sales at the company’s Williams-Sonoma stores slid 1.6%. The closing price for Williams-Sonoma stock on October 14, 2004, was $36.33. (Note: Williams-Sonoma’s annual and quarterly reports and SEC filings are available via the company’s web site, www.williams-sonomainc.com, and www.wsj.com ) The Industry The specialty retail business was highly competitive and characterized by a number of challenges, including: Anticipating and quickly responding to changing consumer demands Maintaining favorable brand recognition and effectively marketing products to consumers in diverse market segments Developing innovative, high-quality products in colors and styles that appealed to consumers of varying age groups and tastes Competitively pricing products and achieving customer perception of value Providing strong and effective marketing support Specialty retail exhibited the low entry barriers characteristic of fragmented industries, barriers that may be all but eliminated with the increased popularity of the Internet. Favored products for online shopping included computers, books, CDs, electronics, toys, and housewares. Over time, industry analysts expected catalog retailing to merge with e-tailing as web sites become electronic catalogs. For successful companies with strong brand names, the combination of stores and web sites would be a powerful one; however, expenditures for e-commerce sites would hurt profitability in the short run. Competitors Williams-Sonoma’s specialty retail stores, mail-order catalogs, and Internet web sites competed with other retail stores, other mail-order catalogs, and other e-commerce web sites that marketed similar lines of merchandise. The company competed with national, regional, and local businesses as well as traditional furniture stores, department stores and specialty stores. The substantial sales growth in the direct-to-customer industry within the past decade had encouraged both the entry of new competitors and an increase in competition from established companies. Direct competitors included such national companies as Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Pier 1 Imports, and Bombay Company, as well as regional companies such as the Door Store, Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium, Home Elements, and Expressions. Crate & Barrel A counterculture story of the 1960s, Crate & Barrel opened its first store in Chicago’s Old Town in 1962 and mailed its first catalog in 1967. Privately held Crate & Barrel prided itself on designing beautiful store displays that were difficult to copy and worked diligently to find products from smaller, out-of-the way factories that made beautiful products that consumers could afford. Although the company had significantly fewer brick-and-mortar locations (84 retail and outlet stores) than the Williams-Sonoma retail concepts with which it competed, Crate & Barrel marketed nationwide via its catalogs and web site. Restoration Hardware Restoration Hardware grew from just 20 stores in 1997 to 104 at the end of 2001, barely 37 behind Pottery Barn in brick-and-mortar locations; however, the company had had a difficult time managing growth. Its aggressive expansion between 1998 and 2000 cost it two years of profits and sank the value of its stock to as low as $.50 a share in December 2000, from $37 a share in 1998, the year it went public. The closing price for its stock on May 19, 2002, was $10.19. Both Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn sold high-dollar, vintage-style furniture and home furnishings and had many other characteristics in common, including significant growth in direct-to-customer sales. Industry observers estimated that while Pottery Barn targeted the wealthiest 20% of Americans, Restoration Hardware targeted the wealthiest 10%. Whimsical nostalgia had been a big seller for Restoration Hardware for several years, with such items as retro tools, steamer chairs that could have come straight from the set of Titanic, shot glasses decorated with optometrists’ eye charts, and down-filled â€Å"foot duvets† proving hugely popular with shoppers. Restoration Hardware’s not-so-secret weapon in the battle for upscale customers could well have been Gary Friedman. In spring 2001, Friedman, who managed Pottery Barn’s explosive growth in the 1990s, was named CEO of Restoration Hardware after having been passed over for the top job at Williams-Sonoma. Pier 1 Imports Pier 1 Imports comprised three chains of retail stores operating under the names Pier 1 Imports, The Pier, and Cargo. Products offered included a wide variety of furniture, decorative home furnishings, dining and kitchen goods, bath and bedding, and other specialty items for the home. During the fiscal year ended February 28, 2004 (fiscal 2003), it operated 1,015 Pier 1 stores in the United States and 68 Pier 1 stores in Canada, and it also supported 8 franchised stores in the United States. In addition, it operated 29 stores located in the United Kingdom under the name The Pier and 40 Cargokids stores located in the United States. Pier 1 also supplied merchandise, and it licensed the Pier 1 Imports name to Sears Mexico and Sears Puerto Rico, which sold Pier 1 merchandise in a store-within-a-store format in 20 Sears Mexico stores and in 7 Sears Puerto Rico stores. The Bombay Company The Bombay Company’s retail stores and catalog emphasized classic traditional furniture, wall decor, and accessories. Furniture included both wood and metal ready-to-assemble furniture designed for the bedroom, living room, dining room, and home office. Functional and decorative accessories included lamps, jewelry, baskets, candles, scents, ceramics, frames, and desktop items. Wall decor included prints and mirrors. On January 31, 2004, the company operated 415 stores in 42 states and 56 stores in 9 Canadian provinces, as well as 46 outlet stores. The company viewed the outlets as an opportunity to increase sales to a different customer base, to assist in the orderly clearance of merchandise, and to further capitalize on its strength in designing and sourcing proprietary products. Accessories, the broadest category offered by the company, accounted for 43% of sales in 2003, while large furniture accounted for 31%, and ready-to-assemble products 14%, with wall decor accounting for the remaining 12%. Door Store The privately held Door Store operated nine retail locations in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Its products included contemporary and traditional case goods and upholstered furniture; it competed with both Pottery Barn and Hold Everything. The company’s product strategy was to anticipate trends in furniture and to make quality furniture available to style-conscious customers at â€Å"prices almost too good to be true.† The Door Store also marketed via its web site and shipped nationwide. Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium This privately held franchise kitchen and housewares concept, with headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, had store locations in regional and upscale malls in Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. In addition to retail sales, the company marketed nationwide via catalogs and its web site. The Rolling Pin competed with Williams-Sonoma. Other Competitors Other competitors across retail concepts included local and regional furniture and specialty stores, department stores, and direct-ship manufacturers. Williams-Sonoma’s expansion from the kitchen into the rest of the home with its flagship brand via the new Williams-Sonoma Home concept was expected to reorder a landscape dominated by traditional retailers such as Ethan Allen and Room & Board and by â€Å"tastemakers† such as Martha Stewart for Bernhardt and Ralph Lauren Home.