Wednesday, November 27, 2019

7

7 Introduction 7-Eleven is one of the largest companies in the world that operate a chain of convenient stores. Since 1974, the company has been operating under the name 7-Eleven Japan Company Limited (Szymankiewicz, 2007). While viewing the company from a franchising end, 7-Eleven is has the largest licensed franchise in the world with approximately 39,000 outlets worldwide (Szymankiewicz, 2007). Initially, McDonalds Corporation was rated as the largest franchise in the world.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on 7-Eleven in China specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, from the statistics that were taken in the year 2007, 7-Eleven emerged as the largest franchise in the world surpassing McDonalds by over 1000 stores. The company is now operating in 16 countries in the world. Its main markets are found in the US, Japan, Canada and South East Asia. However, the company has been on an expansion spree in the last sever al years. One of the main markets that the company has been target in China. Despite its late entry into the Chinese market, 7-Eleven has grown to be one of the leading retail outlets in the country. It has successfully taken over the traditional Chinese catering industry and offers stiff competition to brands that had been well established in the industry. Development of 7-Eleven 7-Eleven was founded by Joe C. Thompson in Dallas, Texas in 1927 (Doyle and Broadbridge, 2009). Joe was an employee of Southland Ice Company. He began selling bread, milk and eggs. Thompson discovered that it was easier for him to sell convenient items to consumer after realising that the ice he had could be used to preserve these items. This greatly reduced the number of times individuals had to travel to grocery stores in order to purchase these items. As a result of the early success that Thompson enjoyed, he bought Southland Ice Company. He called the new business Southern Corporation. Southern Corpora tion became successful in its early years and expanded into other regions within the Dallas area. During this time, Southern Corporation stores were opened between 7am and 11pm. In 1946, the name of the company was changed to 7-Eleven with regards to reflect its operating hours. By 1952, 7-Eleven had opened its 100th store. In 1962, it commenced a 24-hour operation trial in Austin, Texas that was successful. However, during the early 1980s, the company started to experience recurring financial crisis. However, Ito Yokado managed to save the company from bankruptcy. Eventually, the company was sold in 1987 and by 1991, the company was managed by the Japanese who had a majority share. In 1992, the company was operated under Seven and I Holding Company founded by Ito Yokado who had been one of the largest franchisee of 7-Eleven and commenced a massive expansion activity all over the globe.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! G et your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main target market for 7-Eleven is convenient customers who require fast, high quality, efficient and reliable goods and services. These services should be provided in clean and friendly environments. The locations of 7-Eleven stores are selected in order to be easily accessible to consumers. Furthermore, some of these stores have up to 2,500 different products. In addition, the location, design and operations of these stores are designed in such a way that aims at satisfying the needs of the local people; the target market (Sakata, 2006). 7-eleven stores are well known in the countries in which they operate in for Big Gulp, Big Bite and Slurpee. These are the main food and drinks that are found in almost all of their stores worldwide. In addition to this, 7-Eleven openings also have fresh brewed coffee, sandwiches, burgers and hotdogs and other fast foods. This has made the brand to be a convenient food store since it offers a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. In addition, these openings also offer other services that may meet the needs and requirements of the local market. This includes automated money machines, lottery tickets, phone cards and so on. From its origin in Dallas, Texas 7-Eleven operates and franchises over 7,000 openings in the United States, 6,000 in Canada and over 32,000 outside America. This has made it to be the leading franchise in the world (Doyle and Broadbridge, 2009). Intercompany Collaboration In the retail service that 7-Eleven is involved in, supply chain has always been an essential factor that has contributed to the success that the company is currently enjoying. Supply chain is the process through which different corporations come work together in the process of converting raw materials from the producer to finished products to the retailer (Sakata, 2006). In this process, each company that is part of the supply chain plays a critical role in converting the good into a finished product. Due to the presence of a joint venture, the operating costs and manufacturing costs that are accrued in the process of converting the product are always shared among the members of the supply chain. This has an overall effect of increasing the profitability rates of supply chain members by reducing their operating costs.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on 7-Eleven in China specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In its operations all over the world, 7-Eleven has always embraced the concept of supply chain. As a result, the company has always been involved entered into a number of intercompany collaborations in order to achieve its short term and long-term goals and objectives. For instance, 7-Eleven openings in Japan and China have collaborated with local bread suppliers (Arntzen et al, 2005). Most of the bread and baked products that are found in these openings are not baked in house b ut are supplied by external sources. The franchise has collaborated with local bakeries to supply them with bread and other baked products as per the specifications of the customers. This has been done in order to ensure that the openings are able to satisfy the needs and demands of the market. In Japan, the over 10,000 openings that are present have a computerised integrated system that regulated the production, planning and inventory control of the region (Arntzen et al, 2005). This ensures that bread and other baked products are produced with regards to the exact market demand that is accurate and not with regards to trends or speculation. This has greatly reduced the costs that these stores would have otherwise encountered with regards to the production and supply of the products. The presence of a computerised system to control the quantity of goods available in 7-Eleven openings has played a critical role in ensuring that these stores are able to meet the market demand. In add ition, the use of information technology in its operations has also led to the avoidance of extreme situations in which the supply is too much or too little. This has resulted to the avoidance of the bullwhip effect that normally arises as a result of inefficiencies in the lower part of the supply chain. If such an effect is not checked early enough, it may result to adverse effects as one moves up the chain hence bringing about inefficiencies that may result to lack of cooperation among the members of the supply chain. 7-Eleven has always sought creative and innovative methods to satisfying the needs and requirements of its target market. It is due to this fact that the company has always collaborated with other organizations in order to get reliable chain sources and delivery services for its products (Fernie, 2004). This in turn increases the availability of products in their stores to meet the demand and reduces the risks and inconveniences of poor supply of finished products. T herefore, the management of 7-Eleven has always strived to ensure that at all levels of the supply chain, from the producer to the consumer, goods are available at exact quantities. This has always ensured that the goods are always available at the right places within the time periods that they are required at the right quantities.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Japanese franchise is one of the most profitable 7-Eleven franchises in the world. It is ranked the third most successful food franchise in the world. The main factor that has led to this success is the concept of intercompany integration and inter-store integration. The introduction of combined distribution centres and a central inventory system that check and regulated the quantity of stocks in all the stores have made it easier for products to circulate within the market. This has led to timely delivery services and availability of products to consumers. In addition, from the system, the products that have a low turnover rate can be identified. In most cases, such products are always eliminated from the stores to create more room for those products whose turnover rates are much higher. This has ensured that all the stores have fresh products at a given time, an essential requirement for consumer retention. While expanding its activities in China, 7-Eleven has been using this strategy and it has proved to be quite fruitful. Strategic Global Alliances The level of trade has grown remarkably over the last few decades as a result of the advancements that are being experienced in the field of information, communications and technology (ICT) (Jovanovic, 2011). These advancements have also increased the number of tradable services in the field of IT and ICT that have made the offshoring and outsourcing of services to be much easier. The ease in the tradability of these services coupled with the increased independence of the location has contributed to the offshoring of services by many companies in the west (Kapila, 2009). These advancements have encouraged the development of globalization. 7-Eleven for instance has its origin in USA. However, it has markets in 16 countries worldwide. This is as a result of globalization. Globalization has also influenced the manner in which companies market their products and interact with their customers. They have embraced the use of technology in order to survive the stiff competition in the market. Some of them, for example, have incorporated the use of social networks and brand communities as a communication strategy of reaching and engaging customers. This because social networks and brand communities are the easiest and most efficient ways through which consumers can be reached as a result of technological changes that the world is currently facing. Most organizations and business companies therefore have stopped stop using outdated methods of reaching out to consumers. As a result of globalization, the tastes and preferences of consumers have expanded. In addition, the level of competition among businesses has increased. This has come about as a result of the availability of substitutes and alternatives. Most of the barriers that initially prevented firms from entering into new markets have been eliminated. Thus, for companies have come up with strategic plans in order to be profitable and susta inable in the short run and in the long run. One of the strategies that these companies have adopted and implemented in their operations is through the formation of alliances. Alliances can be formed through partnerships, mergers or acquisitions. In the course of its operations, 7-Eleven has entered into a number of strategic alliances with renowned companies in the globe. While celebrating its 30th anniversary since its entry in Taiwan in the year 2008, 7-Eleven partnered up with Microsoft while on a campaign to strengthen its brand name and reach out to a new target market; the individuals who fall under the bracket of the young consumer group (Doyle and Broadbridge, 2009). The company was also using other media options in this campaign. The main reason why it chose Microsoft to launch this campaign was as a result of the popularity of the Microsoft brand in Taiwan among the individuals of the young age. Thus, by forming a strategic alliance, the young market will identify the 7-E leven brand name with Microsoft. In the electronic age that we are living in, the managers at 7-Eleven identified that it was necessary to market their brand by using IT hence chose Microsoft as their online partner. The main aim of this campaign was: Improving the 7-Eleven brand name Directing traffic towards their website Increasing store revenue Attracting young consumers This campaign was successful as it created a salient image of 7-Eleven on its target market. Their website got over 68 million hits and the sales during the campaign increased. In the year 2006, Shell Singapore and 7-Eleven Singapore entered into a strategic alliance. In this agreement, 7-Eleven was to provide convenient retail services in all the filling stations that Shell owns all across Singapore (Kunitomo, 2007). Consumers will visit these stations will not only enjoy the high quality fuel in courtesy of Shell but they will also enjoy a wide array of goods and services available at the 7-Eleven stores. Th is was a win-win alliance for Shell Singapore, 7-Eleven Singapore and the consumers who visit these stores. From the alliance, the revenue earned by Shell and 7-Eleven increased. In addition, consumers reported higher satisfaction levels from the performance surveys that were conducted by shell (Kunitomo, 2007). Thus, in its early days in the Chinese market, 7-Eleven should form strategic alliances with companies that have a strong brand name and try to achieve a win-win outcome from the collaboration. 7-Eleven in China Since the early 1990s, China has been experiencing a tremendous growth in its economy. In the early 2000s, China was ranked as the country that has the highest economic growth rate in the world. In 2003, the country reported a GDP of 9% (Martins, 2003). As a result, China presents a vibrant emerging market that is the target of many businesses including 7-Eleven. In China, franchising has become one of the business ventures that have a high potential of growth. This is because it incorporates individuals who do not have a lot of capital into already established brands. Initially, the poor frameworks that surrounded franchising in China made it to be a risky venture hence discouraged a lot of foreign investors. However, with the amendment of the law, the securities of the franchiser and the franchisee have been guaranteed (Newman and Atkinson, 2010). 7-Eleven entered the Chinese market in 2004 (Newman and Atkinson, 2010). Despite their late entry, the company has become successful as a result of its efficient marketing and operating strategies. 7-Eleven stores are characterised by offering high quality services and innovation of new ones (such as the salad island). These services have enabled the company to attract a lot of customers and after a few years in the market, 7-Eleven has become the number one competitor of Hwa Food Corporation, Chinas leading food retailer. However, on their entry into the Chinese market, 7-Eleven has mainly concentr ated on the catering industry over the other ventures that it conducts. This is due to the fact that the management view China as a risky market hence they do not want to risk it all at once. In increasing their brand recognition, 7-Eleven has implemented some of the strategies that had proved to be successful while entering into other markets. For instance, the company has implemented the value chain strategy that was used in Japan in the procurement of goods and services. In addition, the company has integrated IT in its operation to assist in operations and inventory control (Newman and Atkinson, 2010). In China, 7-Eleven has formed alliances with FedEx, UPS and some industries in the shipping and ports industry. These factors have made the brand name of the company to be strong within the region. Through its capability of adjusting to market constrains, 7-Eleven has been able to develop a range of kitchen products that meet the needs and requirements of the Chinese market. For i nstance, the introduction of the soymilk and a variety of milk tea production has increased the number of clients that these stores receive especially during breakfast hours. In addition, the quality of service at these restaurants have guaranteed maximum satisfaction of consumers. In the last quarter of 2011 for instance, it was averaged that each store receives approximately 900 clients per day (Newman and Atkinson, 2010). This has resulted to the high profit margins that the company is currently enjoying in China. Conclusion and Recommendations 7-Eleven has grown to be the leading franchise company in the world. Through its effective and efficient operations, the company operates in 16 countries in the world. In its recent quest of expansion, the company ventured into the Chinese market. Despite the fact that this market posses high risks, the rate of growth that 7-Eleven has exhibited is desirable. However, for the company to be sustainable in the short run and in the long run, it should form alliances and partnerships with brands that are already established in the Chinese market. In addition, 7-Eleven should identify the cultural differences of this market and formulate strategies that will enhance the culture of the local people. The company should also introduce products that meet the taste and preferences of the market and finally adjust their selling price to meet the financial requirements of a higher proportion of the population. References Arntzen, B.C., Brown, G.G., Harrison, T.P., and Trafton, L.L. (2005). Global Supply Chain Management at Digital Equipment Corporation. Interfaces, 21 (5), pp.69-93 Doyle, S. and Broadbridge, M. (2009). Strategic Supplier Segmentation: The Next Best Practice in Supply Chain Management. California Management Review, 40 (2), pp.57-60. Fernie, J. (2004). International Comparisons of Supply Chain Management in Grocery Retailing. Service Industries Journal, 15 (4), pp.134-47 Jovanovic, M. (2011). International Handboo k on the Economics of Integration:  Competition, Spatial Location of Economic Activity and Financial Issues.  Sacramento: Edward Elgar Publishing Kapila, U. (2009). Indian Economy since Independence. New Delhi: Academic Foundation Kunitomo, R. (2007). 7-Eleven is Revolutionizing Grocery Distribution in Japan. Long Range Planning, 30 (6), pp.877-89. Martins, D. (2003). Efficient Consumer Response: Enhancing Consumer Value in the Grocery Industry, Food Marketing Institute, Washington, DC. Newman, G and Atkinson, E. (2010). Seven-Eleven Japan Company Ltd. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 2 (1), pp. 19-22 Sakata, S (2006). An Analysis of the Japanese Convenience Store Industry: A Case Study of 7-Eleven Japan Corporation. University of Sterling: Unpublished MSc Thesis Szymankiewicz, R. (2007). How can Service Business Survive and Prosper? Sloan Management Review, 27 (2), pp. 21-32.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Split Personalities essays

Split Personalities essays What exactly are split personalities? Sometimes split personality is referred to a phenomenon that is really instead multiple personalities, where the individual seem to have completely different personalities on different occasions. With a person with split personalities, the person acts as if he or she was two or more separate individuals, but it is supposedly that the personalities do know about each of the other. Another type of split personality is the one that is rather termed disturbed personality, usually of borderline type. That condition is characterized by considerable insecurity and confusion regarding knowledge of self and identity. Most of the people in this case can by themselves or by others to be different individuals on different occasions. Split personalities are not just always only one or two other personalities; in some cases the number of personalities is endless. Split personalities are also known as Dissociation and Dissociative Identity Disorder. Diss ociation is a normal psychological and physiological ability that allows people to protect themselves when faced with trauma. When a person feels harmed or not comfortable and has been diagnosed with Split personalities then one of there identities will come out to protect the individual. Dissociation occurs spontaneously and the individual has not control over the schedule. What most of the studies show is that if a person has multiple identities, it is related most of the time to child abuse, and in that case, because stats show there a high frequency of child abuse, about one person out of 100 has split personality or something close to it. What I think is that a lot of people claim to have split personalities but I believe only a very few are diagnosed with that illness. This is a very serious problem and in a lot of cases can lead to death of that person or someone else, so I think that if you truly do have ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Criminology (crime and justic) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminology (crime and justic) - Assignment Example Body Before a criminal is finally subjected to any form of corrections, he/she has to go through an entire structure of criminal justice system. The very first contact that a probable offender or a suspect makes with the system of criminal justice system is with the law enforcement agencies such as police who are responsible for carrying out an arrest after investigating a particular deviant act.. The law enforcement agencies are divided into different levels and they deal with different levels of crime. For crimes that do not pose immense threat to the security of a nation and are less severe in nature, mostly fall under the jurisdiction of police, while crimes such as international terrorist activities that pose a threat to the national security are handled by federal level law enforcement agencies such as Federal Bureau of Investigation. The law enforcement agencies that fall under the category of policing are even responsible to ensure that harmony within society members is creat ed and maintained (Stojkovic, 2012, p.58). The policing branch of criminal justice system tries to serve the function of deterring crime by arresting suspects and offenders and presenting them in front of the court of law. After passing through the policing system, the criminals and suspects are taken to courts where dispute settlement arises and administration of justice takes place. Several individuals are involved in the process of courts, these includes: prosecutors, judges as well as defence attorneys. The main duty lies with the judge who has to be objective and assign sanctions to criminals and ensure that the sanctions assigned are in compliance with the kind of crime being conducted and the severity of the crime. The courts of the criminal justice system even operate for serving the function of deterring crime. They do so by allocating severe punishments as well as rehabilitation of the offender. In case of severe punishments, criminals may be sentenced for life time in ord er to set an example for other possible offenders to ensure that future offenders may be deterred from indulging in criminal activity as they may see life imprisonment as a higher risk than the advantage of committing a crime. Once the courts assign sanctions to the offenders, the offenders are then transferred to authorities that are responsible to administer the sanctions that have been levied on the offender. Over the years, the correctional settings and the correctional portion of the criminal justice system has evolved with several changes in techniques of punishment. In previous years, lack of resources resulted in sanctions such as exile as well as execution, much modernized ways of punishments include: community work, jail time, as well as incarceration and rehabilitation. The main function served by this portion of the criminal justice system is to alter the behaviour of the criminals while trying to ensure that they are not released from their sanctions until they are read y to be normal and non-deviant members of the society. The main aim of all these measures of punishment have remained the same over the years. The aim has been to deter crime and to ensure that the streets of a particular nation and the citizens of their nation are safe and secure from criminal activities. Conclusion The structure of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Shakespeare's Othello Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shakespeare's Othello - Essay Example Desdemona’s father’s assumption that she will marry a handsome man of his choice proves wring. He never imagined that his daughter is an individual of independent opinions. She tells Brabantio how she loves Othello and gives perfect logic for her action. Desdemona is proud of her beauty and believes that she can influence men easily, and this is an indication that she is not a mature woman. Lovers who are easily won over are also easily lost and as such that type of love is not true love but infatuation. Even though Desdemona is an attractive young woman, she is stubborn when it comes to her own interest and she will cross any loyalty to go by her inclinations. Her talk with her father is intelligently presented, she is respectful to him, she feels obliged to him on many counts, but makes it clear that her loyalties have changed with the time. She understands the reason for her father’s wrath and yet her decision to leave him is final. Reason is enemy number one of love and love will ambush reason at the most unexpected time. When Desdemona’s father was thinking that his daughter is absolutely loyal to him, she had perfected her alternative plans tactfully but boldly. She had fallen for Othello and would not like to lose time in cementing the relationship. In this context she devises a plan in pursuit of love which would not have occurred in a woman’s mind belonging to the 21st century. Desdemona pleads with Othello to find a friend to woo her by telling the stories related to his valor. This means that she was encouraging Othello to court her directly. Iago blows hot and cold into the relationships of her father and Othello. His intentions are not sincere and he wears the mask of a well-wisher and counselor of Desdemona. Just for loving Othello, Desdemona cannot be condemned. In the conventional societal norms of the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Summative assessment Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Summative assessment Case Study - Essay Example ntifies the biological, psychological and sociological perspectives on social interventions in the child development in relation to Connor in the case study. Some of the resilience traits and behaviours exhibited by children can be linked to the family set-up. The early childhood experiences are crucial in the determination childhood behaviour. Bowlbys Attachment Theory explains that the mental health and the challenges facing a person’s behaviour can be attributed to their early childhood behaviour (London, 2011; Heard, Lake and McCluskey, 2009). The theory stipulates that children are born biologically-configured to establish attachments with other people. The attachment behaviours are exemplified as fixed action patterns that share the same pattern. The angry outbursts that Connor exhibits could be biologically linked to his mother, Julie, who has a criminal record. Sarah, the relative who is supposed to take care of the boy, also has a criminal record. Connor’s inefficient speech skills and motor coordination can also be linked to Sarah, who has mild learning difficulties and performed dismally in school. Being placed u nder care of his aunt at the age of three years means that Connor should be made aware of maternal status i.e. should be informed that Sarah is not his biological mother. This may affect him emotionally leading to a negative influence on the motor coordination. The Community can also contribute in the determination of the behaviour of a child (Pereira, 2011). In the early childhood, Connor may emulate some of the behaviours from those around him. This is supported by Bowbly’s theory that asserts that a child behaves in a way that elicits contact to the care giver (Cortina and Marrone, 2004). The causes of resilient can also emanate from the child factors. The factors are primarily concerned with the physical development of the body, including the brain and the body. According to Aldgate (2006), every body development occurs according to a

Friday, November 15, 2019

Linear B Archives and the Mycenaean World

Linear B Archives and the Mycenaean World What contribution do the Linear B archives make to understanding the Mycenaean world in respect of one of the following: social organisation, cult practices, stock breeding and agriculture, warfare, bronze working? The Linear B archives provide us with the earliest primary evidence about Mycenaean palatial civilisations[1] and an unparalleled insight into the nature of Mycenaean warfare. The archives consist of approximately five thousand clay records[2] and contain information on armour, weapons, chariots, naval warfare and subsidiary details about possible troops. The importance of these documents is greatly enhanced by the complete lack of historical accounts[3] from this era, and also the fact that nearly all of the ideograms used in the archives are devoted to armour, weaponry, horses and chariots[4] means that they are of intrinsic value to the understanding of warfare in the Mycenaean world. However, there are limitations with the Linear B archives, particularly in terms of their chronological range, inventory style and perhaps bias representation of the importance of warfare under normal circumstances. It is also important to consider what other discoveries have made vital contributions to our understanding of Mycenaean warfare, such as the palaces themselves, surviving weapons and representations of war or armour in art. Since all of the tablets come from the palatial centres, one of their most important contributions is that they tell us directly about the economies of the palaces and that their main focus’ were ‘military preparedness’[5], defensive strategies and the wealth to support these things. The Linear B archives record information about the production, refurbishment and also the distribution[6] of many different types of military equipment. It is possible to interpret from the archives, that the Mycenaean’s used a very centralised system to gather and organise military equipment and that this was based around the main palatial complex. Evidence for this can be seen in a tablet from Pylos which lists sixteen different places that were responsible for supplying an amount of bronze in the form of heads for arrows and spears[7]. The tablets also directly show the extent that these palaces were concerned with having a fully equipped force[8], this is mainly due to the sheer number of references to armour and weapons throughout the archives. The many tablets depicting armour are especially useful when trying to understand Mycenaean warfare. Tablets at Tiryns[9], Pylos and Knossos all record suits of armour and provide us with evidence for the use of armour across a wider range of palatial centres than archaeological finds would suggest. At Pylos the tablets mention at least twenty suits of armour with the ideograms for a cuirass and a helmet, and at Dendra there are at least one hundred and forty suits recorded in the chariot tablet[10]. The ideograms themselves are of great value because form them you can see the style and type of armour which is very similar to the suit which was discovered at Dendra and those described by Homer[11]. Not only do the archives provide evidence for the use of armour they also give us some indication of the value of the armour itself. In some tablets the ideogram for armour is replaced with one for a bronze ingot[12], this could be interpreted as a representative of the value of the armour or perhaps as an approximate quantity of material used to make the armour itself. A further contribution made by the archives is the existence of an illustration on the reverse of a tablet. The drawing shows a man wearing greaves and drawing his sword, and was probably the work of a scribe while he was waiting to make his recordings[13]. This is particularly interesting as it allows us to see the influence that warfare may have had on a member of Mycenaean society who chose to sketch this scene and its shows the weapon and armour which was associated with a soldier. Weapons are an essential part of warfare and were a major resource recorded in the tablets. The importance of weapons to the Mycenaean’s can be clearly seen in a tablet from Pylos which records a quantity of recycled bronze by the number of arrow or spearheads it would be able to make[14]. The tablets also contribute to our knowledge of which materials were being used to manufacture weapons, for example we can tell that most weapons were being made from bronze because articles of iron were never mentioned in the tablets[15]. The use of ideograms to depict weapons allows us to partly see how the weapons would be used; thrusting spears, throwing javelins, slings and bows are all shown in the tablets[16]. The ideograms are also useful because it is possible to compare types of swords or daggers by looking at what is different between each separate ideogram. In the Linear B archives there have been large numbers of tablets devoted to chariots or their trappings. Many of these regions have rough terrain so this is often seen as particularly surprising. One example is the region around Knossos, which was, and still is, especially mountainous and the only way to use a chariot would be to bring it to the beach or to the plains some distance away[17]. Records relating to chariots include; a tablet from Pylos listing one hundred and fifty one chariot wheels[18], and the Knossos tablets featuring several hundred chariots and spare parts[19] along with individual inventories which record a name, chariot, horses and a suit of armour[20]. However, of particular interest in terms of chariots are a few texts from Knossos and Pylos. The first, from Knossos, records the distribution of defensive armour to each of the chariot crew[21]. The texts from Pylos, which were found in the Northeast Workshop, list leather items that relate to chariots, some examples are reigns, halters, bridals and saddlebags[22]. These groups of tablets provide us with information that not only supports the other Linear B evidence, but also archaeological finds as well. The archives have far more limited information in terms of naval warfare. At Pylos there are some unclear references to over six hundred ‘rowers’[23], and lists of coastal settlements[24], when considered together, these could be interpreted as naval organisation or defensive preparations. A further important addition to our knowledge of naval warfare is the drawing found on the reverse of a tablet in Pylos, its shows an image of a ship. The image is not only comparable to an ideogram used on a tablet from Knossos, but it also resembles the ships used not by the Mycenaeans but the Minoans[25]. One could argue that there were possible overlaps in the style of ships used from the Minoan period into the Mycenaean era. The contributions made by Linear B are undeniable, but on the other hand it is also vital to consider the disadvantages that these archives have. The records themselves were not intended to be long lasting[26] as they were only preserved by chance. They are in a way comparable to the modern post-it note: a disposable, cheap and transportable way of recording data. The survival of the tablets is also completely random[27], which means that we are often left with fragmented topics and it impossible to tell how complete the archives we have are. The archives are also only based on a certain group of palatial centres and so there is a possibility that there were some differences existing between these and others[28]. Thus meaning that using the archives to get a picture of the entire Mycenaean world is not reliable. A further problem with the tablets is the possibility that there are inaccurate. For example, those found in the ‘Room of the Chariot tablets’, have been interpreted, by some, to be scribal exercises and not genuine records, the reason for this interpretation is that they were all written by different hands in the same characteristic style[29]. If this was the case then much of our evidence for chariots would no longer be valid and the argument for their use in mountainous areas would be far weaker. The archives also have huge chronological limitations in terms of their range as they are either limited to the last year or so before the destruction of the palaces, or they are random undated years[30]. The maximum range of the archives has been dated to between fourteen hundred and twelve hundred BC, and each of the documents only refers to the current year[31]. This makes it extremely difficult to ascertain information regarding trends or patterns across the whole of the Mycenaean era. It is also important to take into consideration that these records represent what can only be seen as a period of unrest for the Mycenaean civilisations. The year before the destruction of the palaces would have probably been far more militaristic than ordinary day to day life. In the tablets we see examples of special provisions made for this time of warfare, one such example was Bronze smiths being excused from having to pay tax because they were so busy making weapons[32]. The tablets from Pylos include records of contributions of gold[33] and specific weights of bronze[34] from local officials; it could be possible that this was to finance the war effort. These records may then be giving us unbalanced view of the priorities of the Mycenaeans, and that perhaps under less pressing times there is a much smaller focus on warfare. Since the Linear archives are almost entirely made up of inventories[35], it is exceptionally difficult to understand either how objects were used or the nature of warfare itself in the Mycenaean world. This is particularly significant when you consider that none of the documents record the existence of an actual army[36]. It seems evident that although the archives provide us with a great amount of information, they do have their limitations. In order to fully understand Mycenaean warfare it is also necessary to consider the archaeological evidence that we have available. For example, the palaces themselves show evidence of a need for strong defences. The building works which took place before their destruction are a clear indication of preparation for sieges and attacks; in particular the introduction of water supplies[37] that would allow those inside the walls to survive, even under a long term siege. Furthermore the contributions in terms weaponry from the archives are much more valuable to us when we use it alongside actual surviving weapons and armour. One of the most important discoveries was the Dendra armour, a full bronze corslet and neckpiece[38] which is made from a number of individual sheets of bronze[39]. Armours of this type were recorded in tablets at both Knossos and Pylos[40] and the armour type can be clearly recognised by the ideograms themselves. We can also use comparisons between archaeological evidence and the tablets to trace different types of sword, and by doing so it is possible to see some possible changes in military practices[41]. Since the archives consist mostly of inventories it is useful to see these items as represented by the Mycenaeans, in particular through art, which gives us the opportunity to see depictions of chariots, weapons and armour in use. One such example of this is the ‘Silver Siege Ryhton’ from Shaft Grave four, which depicts an attack on a walled settlement[42]. What is particularly interesting is that this is a seaborne attack and so could link to the tablets listing coastal settlements from Pylos; it also shows an archer[43] which supports information on weaponry. Another vessel which provides useful information is the ‘Warrior Vase’ from Mycenae, this shows six men marching on each side of the vase. The men all wear white spotted, horned helmets, and carry spears and shields. They wear greaves, short fringed skirts and corslets[44]. The theme of marching soldiers is also seen on the ‘Painted Grave Stelae’ from Mycenae[45]. It is possible then to get some idea of how the equipment of a soldier would be put together and to see that warfare had a big influence on Mycenaean art. The use of boars tusk helmets is far more emphasised through art than in the archives, for example; in the fresco from Akrotiri which is dated to approximately sixteen hundred BC[46], and on a carved ivory relief from the house north of the ‘Oil Merchants’ which shows a Mycenaean warrior wearing a boars tusk helmet. These examples are significant because they represent the need to consider the Linear B tablets as just one part of the picture, and not as a sole contributor to our understanding of Mycenaean warfare. [1] Cline 2010:357 [2] Cline 2010:358 [3] Wardle 1997:45 [4] Cline 2010:367 [5] Cline 2010:367 [6] Cline 2010:367 [7] Rawlings 2007:21 [8] Wardle 1997:63 [9] Lodewijckx 1996:483 [10] Wardle 1997:64 [11] King 1970:296 [12] Wardle 1997:64 [13] Wardle 1997:73 [14] Cline 2010:367 [15] Chadwick 1958:116 [16] Rawlings 2007:23 [17] Lodewijckx 1996:493 [18] Cline 2010:367 [19] Rawlings 2007:21 [20] Wardle 1997:71 [21] Drews 1993:111 [22] Lodewijckx 1996:483 [23] Wardle 1997:73 [24] Wachsmann 1998:124 [25] Wachsmann 1998:125 [26] Cline 2010:358 [27] Wardle 1997:47 [28] Wachsmann 1998:123 [29] Chadwick 1976:169 [30] Cline 2010:358 [31] Edwards 1973:610-11 [32] Chadwick 1958:123 [33] Wardle 1997:39 [34] Wardle 1997:45 [35] Rawlings 2007:22 [36] Chadwick 1976:159 [37] Wardle 1997:73 [38] Hood 1960:9 [39] Hood 1960:10 [40] Wardle 1997:64 [41] Wardle 1997:63 [42] Rawlings 2007:23 [43] Tartaron 2013:64 [44] Suter 2008:82 [45] Suter 2008:83 [46] D’Amato 2013:41

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

What is Plagiarism?

Based on the Oxford dictionary plagiarism is the practice of taking someones work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Plagiarism is a crime, just like stealing and fraud. Many universities do not have strong penalties, either a student is expelled or suspended. Plagiarism in the real world is different and you can see up to ten years in prison based on the amount of work is plagiarized. There are four types of Plagiarism. This was stated by Annakay Aitken and I do agrees this her but this is my take on each  Direct plagiarism – not citing some one else workSelf-plagiarism – using a previous assignmentMosaic plagiarism – using some one else work with out quoting the informationAccidental plagiarism – forgetting to give credit where a writer should or not paraphrasing the informationWhy plagiarism is bad?Destroyed Student ReputationThis will cause a student to be expelled or suspended. As a student you do not want this on your record at your college or university.Destroyed Professional ReputationA professional person plagiarism can cost them there career.This may cause you not to be able to get a good job again especially in the public eyes. Politician, writers, journalist have to be very careful when it comes to plagiarism.Legal RepercussionsCoping another person information in a research, publishing or using the information with out cit ation is a crimal offence. Plagiarism can also be considered a felony under certain state and federal laws.For example, if a plagiarist copies and earns more than $2,500 from copyrighted material, he or she may face up to $250,000 in fines and up to ten years in jail. Creutz .C (2010, June 23) How to prevent Plagiarism, Demand Media Inc. (NYSE: DMD) is a leading content and social media company that informs, entertains and connects millions of people every day. Demand Media not only has the highest level of plagiarism detection on the market today, but they have also made a significant investment in new, custom technology that puts their plagiarism detection system well ahead of that used by any other publisher. Creutz. Robert(2011, Jan 27)Seven ways to prevent Plagiarism.ParaphrasingThis is reading the information and writing it you own wordsCitingWhen coping using someone's research information from web sites, books, or articles etc you should refer to the author, website this will allow the reader to know that the information in from that authorReferencingReferencing is citing source that you receive information fromQuotingWhen repeating or coping words or speech either written or spoken by another person it should be quoted.Example â€Å"Most plagiarists, like the drone, have neither taste to select, industry to acquire, nor skill to improve, but impudently pilfer the honey ready prepared, from the hive.† – Walter Colton S ource: FamousQuotesandauthors.comBe informedOne of the most importance way to prevent plagiarism is to information student about what is plagiarism, how to prevent it plagiarism and the penalties plagiarism. Before this topic I was aware of plagiarism but I did not know it was should a serious issues.Do not write blind.When doing a research where you have to quote or use other people information , it is a good idea to make sure all quotes are check before putting in your paper. Do not submit this information with out checking citation and quotes.Use Plagiarism Checkers onlineThere are several plagiarism checkers online, you can use to make sure your work is cited and referenced properly,one of such sites is https://www.aresearchguide.com/plagiarism-checker.htmlReference6 Ways tp Avoid Plagiarism in Research PapersTurnitin, LLC (2017)http://en.writecheck.com/ways-to-avoid-plagiarism/Demand Media Leads Publishing in Plagiarism Detection and Prevention Creutz. Robert (2011, Jan 27)http ://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/bid/52940/Demand-Media-Leads-Publishing-in-Plagiarism-Detection-and-Prevention#.WqI0bujwbIU Plagiarism PunishmentRobert Creutz on Jun 23, 2010 2:37:00 PMhttp://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/bid/52974/Plagiarism-Punishment#.WqEfGXBOmaM 5 Biggest Plagiarism Stories of 2016Jonathan Bailey – January 20, 2016http://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/bid/52974/Plagiarism-Punishment#.WqEfGXBOmaM http://www.ithenticate.com/resources/6-consequences-of-plagiarism Oxford University Press (2018)https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/plagiarism

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Children of Divorce

Statistics show that each year, over 1 million American children suffer the decision made by their parents to end their relationship (Amato, 2001). Divorce may be a solution to a discordant marriage, however, for many children and their parents, tensions continue and the entire divorce process is a long, searing experience (Amato, 2001). Divorce ends the established order of family, friends, finances, work and in some cases health and well being (Amato, 2001). Divorce is the termination of the family unit, and thus, it is often characterized by painful losses. Psychologists rate divorce as one of the most stressful events in life, just below the death of a spouse (Pedro-Carroll & Cowen, 1985). Divorce has been compared to getting in a life boat. The lifeboat may be the chance to escape from the terrible situation, but abandoning the ship holds little appeal because of the enormous uncertainties (Pedro-Carroll & Cowen, 1985). To a child who is unable to envision possible good outcomes this can be very overwhelming. Decisions to end a relationship can be traumatic, chaotic, and filled with contradictory emotions (Amato, 2001). Research shows that children from divorce families are on â€Å"average† somewhat worse off than children who have lived in intact families (Amato, 2001). Children in divorce homes may have more difficulty in school, more behavior problems, more negative self-concepts, more problems with peers and more trouble getting along with their parents (Amato, 2001). With this research there needs to be an examination of what factors in divorcing families contribute to the children having difficulties and what the factors are that contribute to children’s adaptation. Children’s reactions to the decision of their parents dissolution of marriage depends on three factors (Sarrazin & Cyr, 2007). These factors consist of the quality of their relationship with each of their parents before the separation, the intensity and duration of the parental conflict, and the parents’ ability to focus on the needs of the children (Sarrazin & Cyr, 2007). Divorce itself is usually not the first major change in the affected child’s life. Parental conflict before the separation often leads to internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, even in preschoolers (Sarrazin & Cyr, 2007). Children may â€Å"blame themselves for the deterioration in their parent’s relationship† (Downs, Moore, & McFadden, 2009). After the divorce children may feel that their parents have less time for them (Downs, Moore, & McFadden, 2009). Other contributing factors include increased stress, economic loss, and loss of former supports and resources (Downs, et al. , 2009). When risks are reduced or overcome children will fare better. It is important for parents to be able to support their children through divorce. Sanders and Wolchik (2011) have identified the following actions parents can do to enhance a child’s adjustment to divorce: * Prior to the separation, it may be helpful for both parents to discuss the impending divorce at a level appropriate for the child * Be available to answer questions; Read age appropriate books on divorce with your child * Reassure the child divorce is not his or her fault and let the child know that you will both continue to love him. Put child's needs first * Do not argue with other parent in front of child. * Do not expect your child to meet your emotional needs * Be consistent in your parenting; Make visitations regular and predictable Parents who are struggling themselves through the divorce may fail to be aware of these enhancements. The Wisconsin court system, when filing for divorce requires parents to attend a co-parenting class. Wisconsin has seen success in utilizing this requirement for divorcing parents with children, it often assists in the mediation process and serves as a wake-up call to parents who are not fully aware of the effects that divorce has on their children. These co-parenting classes are ways in which parents can develop effect ways to assist their children from having adverse affects from the divorce proceeds and receive supportive information of where they can receive additional help. Parents who lack the ability to support their children through this difficult situation because of their lack of parental competence or poor adjustment to the situation may have to depend on outside interventions for assisting in this process. Given that divorce has negative effects for children, the utilization of effective prevention programs has great significance in changing the outcomes of these children (Sander & Wolchik, 2011). Children of Divorce Intervention Program (CODIP) is an award winning curriculum that has helped thousands of children in the US. Since 1982 CODIP has helped children understand and accept their feelings and perceptions regarding their parents’ separation (Pedro-Carroll & Cowen, 1985). The goals of the program is to minimize the emotional and behavioral problems that divorce children face, increase children’s ability to identify and express their feelings, reduce children’s anxiety, and build confidence (Pedro-Carroll, & Cowen, 1985). Individuals involved in this program have positive, supportive group environments with peers in school settings, a reduced desire to blame themselves, increase their coping skills and ability to solve problems, and have enhanced positive perceptions of themselves (Lowenstein, 2006). School personnel, community members, or parents can refer children to the program. Group leaders trained in this method will conduct group sessions that target different age ranges giving the correct information and skill-building activities (Lowenstein, 2006). Children may also be referred to therapy to help them adjust to divorce. Activities that are creative and play-based can engage children and help them safely express their thoughts and feelings. Therapy can take on the form of child-focused, residential parent-focused, nonresidential parent-focused and combined residential parent and child-focused therapy (Sanders & Wolchik, 2011). Child-focused programs target skills to cope with stressful divorce-related events, emotional expression skills, and interpersonal resources (e. g. parent-child relationship quality) (Sanders & Wolchik, 2011). Parent-focused programs target factors like parent-child relationship quality, discipline, anger management, and the quality and quantity of contact with nonresidential parents (Sanders & Wolchik, 2011). There is no evidence that doing a combination of child-focused programs and parent-focused programs leads to more success than doing one (Sanders & Wolchik, 2011). In order for therapy services to ef fectively treat children of divorce, a number of key issues need to be addressed. Therapy needs to address developing effective coping skills, facilitating the appropriate expression of feelings, clarifying divorce-related misconceptions, expressing anger through appropriate outlets, disengaging from parental conflict, eliminating self blame, and enhancing positive perceptions of self (Lowenstein, 2006). Studies indicate that active coping that includes problem solving and positive thinking enhances resilience among children (Lowenstein, 2006). Interventions that help children identify their unique strengths further acilitate children’s healthy adjustment (Lowenstein, 2006). Helping children express feelings of anger about the divorce through appropriate outlets is another important treatment goal. When parental conflict has been high prior to divorce and continues after divorce an effective intervention needs to involve an integrated family therapy approach (Amato, 2001). This therapy approach will assist children from disengaging from parental conflict. M any therapeutic agencies in Milwaukee are embracing therapy that is more engaging, innovative, and immersed in play to assist children of divorce. The decision to divorce is a decision being made for the children, they have no voice. Parents make the decision and children react. The court system has taken a step in the right direction by requiring parents to take a co-parenting class. Parents struggling through their own issues and fear with this change in their life often times are incapable of supporting their children the way they need. It is important that through the pain or anger parents have over their marriage ending that they see things through their child’s eyes.References Amato, P. (2001) Children of divorce in the 1990s:An update of the Amato and Keith (1991) meta analysis. Journal of Family Psychology, 15, 355-70. Downs, S., Moore, E., & McFadden, E. (2009). Child Welfare and Family Services; Policies and Practice, 8th edition. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Lebow, J. & Rekart, K. (2006) Integrated family therapy for high-conflict divorce with disputes over child custody and visitation. Family Process, 46, 79- 91 Lowenstein, L. (2006). Creative Interventions for Children of Divorce. Toronto: Champion Press. Pedro-Carroll, J.L. & Cowen, E.L. (1985). The Children of Divorce Intervention Program: An investigation of the efficacy of a school-based prevention program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53(5), 603-611. Sander, I. & Wolchik, S. (2011) Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development. Sarrazin, J. & Cyr, F. (2007) Parental conflicts and their damaging effects on children. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 47, 77-93.

Friday, November 8, 2019

William Hazlitts On Going a Journey

William Hazlitts On Going a Journey Its fortunate that William Hazlitt enjoyed his own company, for this talented British essayist was not, by his own admission, a very pleasant companion: I am not, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, a good-natured man; that is, many things annoy me besides what interferes with my own ease and interest. I hate a lie; a piece of injustice wounds me to the quick, though nothing but the report of it reach me. Therefore I have made many enemies and few friends; for the public know nothing of well-wishers, and keep a wary eye on those that would reform them.(On Depth and Superficiality, 1826) The Romantic poet William Wordsworth echoed this assessment when he wrote that the miscreant Hazlitt ... is not a proper person to be admitted into respectable society. Yet the version of Hazlitt that emerges from his essays witty, passionate, plain speaking continues to attract devoted readers. As the writer Robert Louis Stevenson observed in his essay Walking Tours, Hazlitts On Going a Journey is so good that there should be a tax levied on all who have not read it. Hazlitts On Going a Journey   originally appeared in the New Monthly Magazine  in 1821 and was published that same year in the first edition of  Table-Talk. On Going a Journey One of the pleasantest things in the world is going a journey, but I like to go by myself. I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, Nature is company enough for me. I am then never less alone than when alone. The fields his study, Nature was his book. I cannot see the wit of walking and talking at the same time. When I am in the country I wish to vegetate like the country. I am not for criticising hedgerows and black cattle. I go out of town in order to forget the town and all that is in it. There are those who for this purpose go to watering-places, and carry the metropolis with them. I like more elbow-room and fewer encumbrances. I like solitude when I give myself up to it for the sake of solitude; nor do I ask for a friend in my retreat,Whom I may whisper solitude is sweet. The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do, just as one pleases. We go a journey chiefly to be free of all impediments and of all inconveniences; to leave ourselves behind much more than to get rid of others. It is because I want a little breathing-space to muse on indifferent matters, where Contemplation May plume her feathers and let grow her wings,That in the various bustle of resortWere all too ruffled, and sometimes impaird, that I absent myself from the town for a while, without feeling at a loss the moment I am left by myself. Instead of a friend in a postchaise or in a tilbury, to exchange good things with, and vary the same stale topics over again, for once let me have a truce with impertinence. Give me the clear blue sky over my head, and the green turf beneath my feet, a winding road before me, and a three hours march to dinnerand then to thinking! It is hard if I cannot start some game on these lone heaths. I laugh, I run, I leap, I sing for joy. From the point of yonder rolling cloud, I plunge into my past being and revel there as the sun-burnt Indian plunges headlong into the wave that wafts him to his native shore. Then long-forgotten things, like sunken wrack and sumless treasuries, burst upon my eager sight, and I begin to feel, think, and be myself again. Instead of an awkward silence, broken by attempts at wit or dull common-places, mine is that undisturbed silence of the heart which alone is perfect eloquence. No one likes puns, alliteration, alliterations, antitheses, argument, and analysis better than I do; but I sometimes had rather be without them. Leave, oh, leave me to my repose! I have just now other business in hand, which would seem idle to you, but is with me the very stuff o the conscience. Is not this wild rose sweet without a comment? Does not this daisy leap to my heart set in its coat of emerald? Yet if I were to explain to you the circumstance that has so endeared it to me you would only smile. Had I not better then keep it to myself, and let it serve me to brood over, from here to yonder craggy point, and from thence onward to the far-distant horizon? I should be but bad company all that way, and therefore prefer being alone. I have heard it said that you may, when the moody fit comes on, walk or ride on by yourself, and indulge your reveries. But this looks like a breach of manners, a neglect of others, and you are thinking all the time that you ought to rejoin your part y. Out upon such half-faced fellowship, say I. I like to be either entirely to myself, or entirely at the disposal of others; to talk or be silent, to walk or sit still, to be sociable or solitary. I was pleased with an observation of Mr. Cobbetts, that he thought it a bad French custom to drink our wine with our meals, and that an Englishman ought to do only one thing at a time. So I cannot talk and think, or indulge in melancholy musing and lively conversation by fits and starts. Let me have a companion of my way, says Sterne, were it but to remark how the shadows lengthen as the sun declines. It is beautifully said: but, in my opinion, this continual comparing of notes interferes with the involuntary impression of things upon the mind, and hurts the sentiment. If you only hint what you feel in a kind of dumb show, it is insipid: if you have to explain it, it is making a toil of a pleasure. You cannot read the book of Nature without being perpetually put to the trouble of translating it for the benefit of others. I am for the synthetical method on a journey in preference to the analytical. I am content to lay in a stock of ideas then and to examine and anatomise them afterward. I want to see my vague notions float like the down of the thistle before the breeze, and not to have them entangled in the briars and thorns of controversy. For once, I like to have it all my own way; and this is impossible unless you are alone, or in such company as I do not covet. I have no objection to  argue  a point with  any one  for twenty miles of measured road, but not for pleasure. If you remark the scent of a bean-field crossing the road, perhaps your fellow-traveller has no smell. If you point to a distant object, perhaps he is short-sighted and has to take out his glass to look at it. There is a feeling in the air, a tone in the  colour  of a cloud, which hits your fancy, but the effect of which you are unable to account for. There is then no sympathy, but an uneasy craving after it, and a dissatisfaction which pursues you on the way, and in the end probably produces ill-humour. Now I never quarrel with  myself and take all my own conclusions for granted till I find it necessary to defend them against objections. It is not merely that you may not be of accord on the objects and circumstances that present themselves before youthey may recall a number of ideas, and lead to associations too delicate and refined to be possibly communicated to others. Yet these I love to cherish, and sometimes still fondly clutch  them when I can escape from the throng to do so. To give way to our feelings before  company seems extravagance or affectation; on the other hand, to have to unravel this mystery of our being at every turn, and to make others take an equal interest in it (otherwise the end is not answered) is a task to which few are competent. We must give it an understanding, but no tongue. My old friend C [Samuel Taylor Coleridge], however, could do both. He could go on in the most delightful explanatory way over hill and dale, a summers day, and convert a landscape into a didactic poem or a Pindaric ode. He talked far above singing. If I could so clothe my ideas in sounding and flowing words, I might perhaps wish to have  someone  with me to admire the swelling theme; or I could be more content, were it possible for me still to bear his echoing voice in the woods of All-Foxden. They had that fine madness in them which our first poets had; and if they could have been caught by some rare instrument, would have breathed such strains as the f ollowing Here be woods as greenAs any, air likewise as fresh and sweetAs when smooth Zephyrus plays on the fleetFace of the curled streams, with flowrs as manyAs the young spring gives, and as choice as any;Here be all new delights, cool streams and wells,Arbours oergrown with woodbines, caves and dells:Choose where thou wilt, whilst I sit by and sing,Or gather rushes to make many a ringFor thy long fingers; tell thee tales of love,How the pale Phoebe, hunting in a grove,First saw the boy Endymion, from whose eyesShe took eternal fire that never dies;How she conveyd him softly in a sleep,His temples bound with poppy, to the steepHead of old Latmos, where she stoops each night,Gilding the mountain with her brothers light,To kiss her sweetest.- Faithful Shepherdess Had I words and images at  command  like these, I would attempt to wake the thoughts that lie slumbering on golden ridges in the evening clouds: but at the sight of Nature my fancy, poor as it  is droops  and closes up its leaves, like flowers at sunset. I can make nothing out on the spot: I must have time to collect myself. In general, a good thing spoils out-of-door prospects: it should be reserved for Table-talk. L [Charles Lamb]  is, for this reason, I take it, the worst company in the world out of doors; because he is the best within. I grant, there is one subject on which it is pleasant to talk on a journey; and that is, what one shall have for supper when we get to our inn at night. The open air improves this sort of conversation or friendly altercation, by setting a keener edge on appetite. Every mile of the road heightens the  flavour  of the viands we expect at the end of it. How fine it is to enter some old town, walled and turreted, just at approach of nightfall, or to come to some straggling village, with the lights streaming through the surrounding gloom; and then, after inquiring for the best entertainment that the place affords, to take ones ease at ones inn! These eventful moments in our lives are in fact too precious, too full of solid,  heart-felt  happiness to be frittered a nd dribbled away in imperfect sympathy. I would have them all to myself, and drain them to the last drop: they will do to talk of or to write about  afterwards. What a delicate speculation it is, after drinking whole goblets of tea, The cups that cheer, but not inebriate and letting the fumes ascend into the brain, to sit considering what we shall have for suppereggs and a rasher, a rabbit smothered in  onions or an excellent veal-cutlet! Sancho in such a situation once fixed on cow heel; and his choice, though he could not help it, is not to be disparaged. Then, in the intervals of pictured scenery and Shandean contemplation, to catch the preparation and the stir in the kitchen  Procul, O  procul  este  profani!  These hours are sacred to silence and to musing, to be treasured up in the memory, and to feed the source of smiling thoughts hereafter. I would not waste them in idle talk; or if I must have the integrity of fancy broken in upon, I would rather it were by a stranger than a friend. A stranger takes his hue and character from the time and place:  his  is a part of the furniture and costume of an inn. If he is a Quaker, or from the West Riding of Yorkshire, so much the better. I do not even try to  sympathise  with him, an d  he breaks no squares. I associate nothing with my  travelling  companion but present objects and passing events. In his ignorance of me and my affairs, I in a manner forget myself. But a friend reminds one of other things, rips up old grievances, and destroys the abstraction of the scene. He comes in ungraciously between us and our imaginary character. Something is dropped in the course of conversation that gives a hint of your profession and pursuits; or from having  someone  with you that knows the less sublime portions of your history, it seems that other people do. You are no longer a citizen of the  world; but  your unhoused free condition is put into circumspection and confine. The  incognito  of an inn is one of its striking privilegeslord  of ones self,  uncumbered  with a name. Oh! it is great to shake off the trammels of the world and of public opinionto lose our importunate, tormenting, ever-lasting personal identity in the elements of nature, and become the creature of the moment, clear of all tiesto hold to the universe only by a dish of  sweet-breads, and to owe nothing but the score of the eveningand no longer seeking for applause and meeting with contempt, to be known by no other title than  the Gentleman in the  parlour! One may take ones choice of all characters in this romantic state of uncertainty as to ones real pretensions, and become indefinitely respectable and negatively right-worshipful. We baffle prejudice and disappoint conjecture; and from being so to others, begin to be objects of curiosity and wonder even to ourselves. We are no more those hackneyed commonplaces that we appear in the world; an inn restores us to the level of Nature, and quits scores with society! I have certainly spent some enviable hours at innssometimes when I have been left entirely to myself and have tried to solve some metaphysical problem, as once at Witham-common, where I found out the proof that likeness is not a case of the association of ideasat other times, when there have been pictures in the room, as at St Neots (I think it was) where I first met with Gribelins engravings of the Cartoons, into which I entered at once; and at a little inn on the borders of Wales, where there happened to be hanging some of Westalls drawings, which I compared triumphantly (for a theory that I had, not for the admired artist) with the figure of a girl who had ferried me over the Severn, standing up in a boat between me and the fading twilightat other times I might mention luxuriating in books, with a peculiar interest in this way, as I remember sitting up half the night to read Paul and Virginia, which I picked up at an inn at Bridgewater, after being drenched in the rain all day; a nd at the same place I got through two volumes of  Madam  DArblays Camilla. It was on the 10th of  April 1798, that I sat down to a volume of the New Eloise, at the inn at Llangollen, over a bottle of sherry and cold chicken. The letter I chose was that in which St. Preux describes his feelings as he first caught a glimpse from the heights of the Jura of the Pays de Vaud, which I had brought with me as a  bon  bouche  to crown the evening with. It was my birthday, and I had for the first time come from a place in the  neighbourhood  to visit this delightful spot. The road to Llangollen turns off between Chirk and Wrexham; and on passing a certain point you come all at once upon the valley, which opens like an amphitheatre, broad, barren hills rising in majestic state on either side, with green upland swells that echo to the bleat of flocks below, and the river Dee babbling over its stony bed in the midst of them. The valley at this time glittered green with sunny showers, and a budding ash-tree dipped its tender branches in the chiding stream. H ow proud, how glad I was to walk along the high road that overlooks the delicious prospect, repeating the lines which I have just quoted from  Mr. Coleridges poems! But besides the prospect which opened beneath my feet, another also opened to my inward sight, a heavenly vision, on which were written, in letters large as Hope could make them, these four words, Liberty, Genius, Love, Virtue; which have since faded in the light of common day, or mock my idle gaze. The Beautiful is vanished, and returns not. Still, I would return some time or other to this enchanted  spot; but  I would return to it alone. What other self could I find to share that influx of thoughts, of regret, and delight, the traces of which I could hardly conjure up myself, so much have they been broken and defaced! I could stand on some tall rock and overlook the precipice of years that separates me from what I then was. I was at that time going shortly to visit the poet whom I have above named. Where is he now? Not only I myself have changed; the world, which was then new to me, has become old and incorrigible. Yet will I turn to thee in thought, O sylvan Dee, as then thou wert, in joy, in youth and gladness; and thou shalt always be to me the river of Paradise, where I will drink the waters of life freely! There is hardly anything that shows the short-sightedness or capriciousness of the imagination more than  travelling  does. With  change  of place we change our ideas; nay, our opinions and feelings. We can by an effort indeed transport ourselves to old and long-forgotten scenes, and then the picture of the mind revives  again; but  we forget those that we have just left. It seems that we can think but of one place at a time. The canvas of the fancy is but of a certain extent, and if we paint one set of objects upon it, they immediately efface every other. We cannot enlarge our conceptions, we only shift our point of view. The landscape bares its bosom to the enraptured eye; we take our fill of  it; and  seem as if we could form no other image of beauty or grandeur. We pass on and think no more of it: the horizon that shuts it from our  sight,  also blots it from our memory like a dream. In  travelling  through a wild, barren country, I can form no idea of a w oody and cultivated one. It appears to me that all the world must be barren, like what I see of it. In the  country, we forget the town and in the  town, we despise the country. Beyond Hyde Park, says Sir Fopling Flutter, all is a desert. All that part of the map which we do not see before  us  is a blank. The world in our conceit of it is not much bigger than a nutshell. It is not one prospect expanded into another,  country  joined to  country, kingdom to kingdom, lands to seas, making an image voluminous and vast; the mind can form  no  larger idea of space than the eye can take in at a single glance. The rest is a name written on a map, a calculation of arithmetic. For instance, what is the true signification of that immense mass of territory and population, known by the name of China to us? An inch of paste-board on a wooden globe, of no more account than a China orange! Things near us are seen of the size of life; things at a distance are diminished to the size of the understanding. We measure the universe by  ourselves and even comprehend the texture of our own being only piece-meal. In this way, however, we remember an infinity of things and places. The mind is like a mechanical instrument that plays a great variety of tunes, but it must play them in succession. One idea recalls another, but it at the same times excludes all others. In trying to renew old recollections, we cannot as it  were unfold  the whole web of our existence; we must pick out the single threads. So in coming to a place where we have formerly lived and with which we have intimate associations,  every one  must have found that the feeling grows more vivid the nearer we approach the spot, from the mere anticipation of the actual impression: we remember circumstances, feelings, persons, faces, names, that we had not thought of for years; but for the time all the rest of the world is forgotten! To return to the question I have quitted above. I have no objection to  go  to see ruins, aqueducts, pictures, in company with a friend or a party, but rather the contrary, for the former reason reversed. They are intelligible  matters and will bear talking about. The sentiment here is not tacit, but communicable and overt. Salisbury Plain is barren of criticism, but Stonehenge will bear a discussion antiquarian, picturesque, and philosophical. In setting out on a party of pleasure, the first consideration always is where we shall go to: in taking a solitary ramble, the question is what we shall meet with by the way. The mind is its own place; nor are we anxious to arrive at the end of our journey. I can myself do the  honours  indifferently well to works of art and curiosity. I once took a party to Oxford with no mean  Ãƒ ©clatshewed  them that seat of the Muses at a distance, With glistening spires and pinnacles adornd descanted on the learned air that breathes from the grassy quadrangles and stone walls of halls and collegeswas at home in the  Bodleian; and  at Blenheim quite superseded the powdered Cicerone that attended us, and that pointed in vain with his wand to commonplace beauties in matchless pictures. As another exception to the above reasoning, I should not feel confident in venturing on a journey in a foreign country without a companion. I should want at intervals to hear the sound of my own language. There is an involuntary antipathy in the mind of an Englishman to foreign manners and notions that  requires  the assistance of social sympathy to carry it off. As the distance from home increases, this relief, which was at first a luxury, becomes a passion and an appetite. A person would almost feel stifled to find himself in the deserts of Arabia without friends and countrymen: there must be allowed to be something in the view of Athens or old Rome that claims the utterance of  speech; and  I own that the Pyramids are too mighty for any single contemplation. In such situations, so opposite to all ones ordinary train of ideas, one seems a species by ones self, a limb torn off from society, unless one can meet with instant fellowship and support. Yet I did not feel this wan t or craving very pressing  once when I first set my foot on the laughing shores of France. Calais was peopled with novelty and delight. The confused, busy murmur of the place was like oil and wine poured into my ears; nor did the  mariners hymn, which was sung from the top of an old crazy vessel in the  harbour, as the sun went down, send an alien sound into my soul. I only breathed the air of general humanity. I walked over the vine-covered hills and gay regions of France, erect and satisfied; for the image of man was not cast down and chained to the foot of arbitrary  thrones: I was at no loss for language, for that of all the great schools of painting was open to me. The whole  is vanished  like a shade. Pictures, heroes, glory, freedom, all are fled: nothing remains but the Bourbons and the French people! There is undoubtedly a sensation in  travelling  into foreign parts that  is  to be had nowhere  else; but  it is more pleasing at the time than lasting. It is too remote from our habitual associations to be a common topic of discourse or refere nce, and, like a dream or another state of existence, does not piece into our daily modes of life. It is an animated but a momentary hallucination. It demands an effort to exchange our actual for our ideal identity; and to feel the pulse of our old transports revive very keenly, we must jump all our present comforts and connections. Our romantic and itinerant character is not to be domesticated, Dr. Johnson remarked how little foreign travel added to the facilities of conversation in those who had been abroad. In fact, the time we have spent there is both delightful and in one sense instructive; but it appears to be cut out of our substantial, downright existence, and never to join kindly on to it. We are not the same, but another, and perhaps more enviable individual, all the time we are out of our own country. We are lost to ourselves, as well as to our friends. So the poet somewhat quaintly sings: Out of my country and myself I go. Those who wish to forget painful thoughts, do well to absent themselves for a while from the ties and objects that recall them; but we can be said only to  fulfil  our destiny in the place that gave us birth. I should on this account like well enough to spend the whole of my life in  travelling  abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend  afterwards  at home!

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Hypothetical Case Study Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Social Work Essay Example

Hypothetical Case Study Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Social Work Essay Example Hypothetical Case Study Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Social Work Essay Hypothetical Case Study Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Social Work Essay Covering with a instance of kid sexual maltreatments such as Melissas, demands a batch of attempt. There is a enticement to react to the kid with compassion. However, to turn to the issue of sexual maltreatment, one must make something more than attention deeply. Before one can sufficiently measure or handle a sexually abused kid, it is critical to hold a solid cognition of how sexual maltreatment and how it happens, the inauspicious impacts of the maltreatment on the kid, relationship and behavioural jobs of the kid caused by the maltreatment. In this instance it is of import to study development of childhood in a normal manner, and see how it differs from development jobs seen in the kids who have undergone child maltreatment. Prior to originating a program of intervention, it is critical to hold cognition of why sexual maltreatment occurred in a peculiar scenario. Discussion Trauma appraisal should besides be done before intervention. Trauma appraisal is an attack used to grok the effects of sexual maltreatment on the kid and to look into the extent of injury. It helps one step the kid s positions of the the past and current effects of the maltreatment. However, Trauma appraisal does non seek to unclutter up jobs, but instead to cognize the impact of maltreatment on the kid, comprehend the harm, and think of the intervention needed. Assessment is a route map for intervention. Because of its insouciant format, it will assist to construct common apprehension with the kid as one collects of import information. It is critical to see the undermentioned issues while taking the appraisal, as these will hold an influence the intervention determinations: What is the connexion of the victim to the maltreater? What is the degree of stableness in the household that the kid comes from? What are the hazard factors involved, Should the kid still remain with the household or move? , what function is the tribunal playing in the instance? Finally, to come up with the applicable intervention program, the appraisal must analyze all developmental issues, measure societal countries and measure behaviour in conformity with what is at that place in normal development. Therapy based on this rating will turn to the kid s demands one at a clip. Treatment is the processs of helping the kid learn to distinguish between her healthy and destructive header ability ( Flaherty et al, 2006 ) . Choosing the manner of intervention will depend on the ends for the kid developed from the assessment study, the coordination between the aim and service being thought of, and the kid s penchant and likeliness of taking portion in and net income from the intervention that is offered. In rule, effectual intervention will cut down the badness of symptoms and protect against suspended start of emotional upsets. Osmond and co-workers, explain intervention ends as affecting: Leting safe release of the feelings, Get the better ofing negative and suicidal behaviour, Helping the kid to understand the portion of her thought that has been affected by maltreatment and besides assisting her correct those deformations, helping the kid to get the better of self-blame and hatred, Helping the kid to construct in herself sense of trust and have a hereafter that is positive. Guaranting the kid achieve a sense of position about the maltreatment and to hold the emotional infinite necessary to maintain the torment from aching her in the hereafter Intervention program Therapy of child sexual maltreatment is an luxuriant process. Emotionally, it stimulates you to stay indifferent the center of a extremely charged instance. Intellectually, it requires that you have the cognition of the impacts of maltreatment on both the kid and the household, and besides the beginnings of the job. Practically, it demands that one collaborates with assorted professionals in the attempts to make what s best for the sexually abused kid In Melissa s instance the most appropriate program of intercession would utilize is trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy. Trauma focused cognitive therapy is grounded on the theory where it is explained that traumatic events conveying out stuffs that are hard for the kid to group, kind out and put it into their prevalent strategy ( English et Al, 2004 ) . On cases when the kid may non wholly understand a traumatic event, the emotions which are normally strong that come from the traumatic event are unprocessed. When the kid tries to treat that information ; facts are either distorted to suit in the kingdom of what is already known or understood or may falsify the beliefs to associate together the unrefined stuff into their prevalent strategy. Both are bad since they lead to guilt and dishonor and besides self incrimination. To counter act this, the kid should be shown how to work on confounding emotions and hence correct maladaptive beliefs. Proof is demoing that trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy is a successful intervention for kids who are sexually abused, and besides those who have got experiences of multiple traumatic events of other signifiers. Most of the enquiries that have examined TF-CBT have been designed decently. This intervention theoretical account stands for a combination of trauma intercessions and established cognitive behavioural therapy guidelines. The Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy was brought in by groups of research workers who jointly in the recent yesteryear worked together to administrate multisite, treatment-outcome scrutinies for the sexually abused, traumatized kids. The intervention was initiated to give replies to posttraumatic emphasis upset, depressive and besides anxiousness symptoms. It was besides to cover with cardinal distorted positions on faulting oneself, security and trusting of other people. The therapy is besides utile in covering with sexual maltreatment and other traumatic cases into a wider context of kids s lives so that their individuality is non like that of a victim. Core elements of TF-CBT are ; Psycho instruction about child sexual maltreatment, here the victim is learns the effects of the injury as a whole physically, sexually, and emotionally and the common childhood neutralization to mistreat.for illustration in the instance of Melissa whereby her sense of ego may be altered. Feelingss, the invasive and besides the intrusive temperament of the sexual activity affect the kid s self-esteem negatively.The impact is both in the physical, whereby kids have a deformed sense of their organic structures, and psychologically, kid sees herself as variably different from her equals The undertaking here is let Melissa understand that it is normal to experience that manner after maltreatment but besides to do her feel whole and good about herself once more. The 2nd constituent of TF-CBT is the trauma narrative and gradual exposure technique whereby the kid explains the traumatic event in my instance Melissa. This improves bit by bit until Melissa is able to comfortably talk about the event in inside informations. This desensitizes the event and rubs off the stigma that is so normally linked with child maltreatment. The terminal end is for the Melissa to be in a place to discourse the straitening experience with no negative feelings. In that consequence she is desensitized to the event. This will be accomplished by allowing Melissa work her ain manner into the full revelation easy and methodically. At the terminal of therapy the purpose is to enable Melissa to speak comfortably about her maltreatment. The following constituent is cognitive reframing whereby Melissa should speak out the inaccurate feelings of the distressful event and she should be taught why those feelings are inaccurate for illustration ego incrimination whereby Melissa may be faulting herself for holding spoken out and hence experiencing guilty, and distorted sense of ego and low self-pride because of the sexual maltreatment, and frights and anxiousness. Melissa needs to be helped to understand intellectually and accept emotionally that she was non responsible. Her female parent s male child friend Tony sexually abused her ; she did non sexually abuse him. It was his occupation non hers to forestall the maltreatment. This is done by learning the connexion between ideas, feelings and the manner a kid behaves. Melissa will be taught how feelings and the behaviour connect and how she can command or wholly change those ideas and feelings to her advantage. The 4th constituent is the stress direction technique whereby Melissa will be taught different emphasis direction technique, such as the capacity to command her ideas. The kid will larn that she is capable of commanding her automatic physical reaction. This will assist cut down her torment. The other constituent is that of safety preparation whereby Melissa will be taught how to avoid victimization. She will larn how to cognize ruddy flags that indicate a bad state of affairs. The kid will besides be taught who to turn to if she finds herself in a slippery state of affairs. The kid will be taught to distinguish between decent and indecent touch and what to make in instance of an inappropriate touch. Parental engagement is the last constituent whereby Melissa s female parent Asher will take part in analogue or concurrence with her kid s therapy. A few parent-child articulation Sessionss are conducted in order to suit communicating in the household on issues like sexual maltreatment. Therapy of interfamilial maltreatment that ends in successful reunion of members of the household is based on the female parent s relationship with the kid. This may turn out to be a hard relationship particularly at the clip of revelation merely like when Asher. The wrongdoer in this instance Tony may hold got in uses that have separated the female parent and Melissa from one another. Melissa developed behaviours that were debatable because of the maltreatment, which damaged her relationship with the female parent. The mother-victim relationship will be enhanced by helping the Asher to develop empathy for the Melissa ; by easing their communicating ; Initial work will be done in personal therapy with the female parent, and so subsequently with both the female parent and kid. Enhancing the female parent and kid relationship is by and large an of import issue in assisting the female parent to protect her girl in future. Intervention to do the Asher as the female parent more protective can be implemented in different ways. When the female parent has a good relationship with her girl, she will be inclined to forestall the kid from any injury. Treatment to heighten the mother-child relationship and will make the chance that the kid will speak out to the female parent. Furthermore kid and the female parent relationship is to promote communicating freely specifically about the kid s safety. Mothers must besides cover with assorted issues connected to the present operation and past experiences in intervention. A common issue sing present operation is low self-esteem. Other issues to be addressed are experiences of force, dependence, and emotional jobs, in order to help the female parent in taking attention of her girl. In past injury country the common issue is holding been sexually abused themselves. Such an experience has effects in the manner a female parent s trades with her ain kid s sexual maltreatment ( De Bellis A ; Thomas, 2003 ) . The female parent may be so affected by her of her ain maltreatment and non be in a place to cover with her kid s. In such cases like the instance of Asher, her ain maltreatment has to be sorted out foremost. Her being a victim hinders her ability to spot hazardous state of affairss, and besides her picks of spouses ; hence she plays a function in her taking a spouse who goes sexual her kid. With increased rates of divorce, more kids are acquiring at greater hazard.Mothers, in their tests to happen a spouse, may unwittingly be puting their kids at hazard of sexual maltreatment from the work forces they day of the month merely like the instance of Melissa and Asher. When the female parent remarries or moves in with her spouse, harmonizing to a research done by Russell, the stepdaughters are more than eight times higher in hazard of being abused sexually by their stepfathers who stay with them than are girls who are taken attention of by their existent male parents. Harmonizing to Finkelhor ( 1986 ) , Some research workers have already started to theorize, that it could be a instance that more stepfathers are progressively going smart pedophiles In that they marry individual adult females with households as a method of acquiring near to the childrenaa‚Â ¬A? ( pg34 ) . Decision In decision the issue of child sexual maltreatment is really critical in our society today and needs to be addressed keenly.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Analyzing Plato's and David Hume's View of Death Essay

Analyzing Plato's and David Hume's View of Death - Essay Example The following will break down his argument concerning ‘prior knowledge’ or ‘recollection’. In turn, the philosophy of David Hume will be presented. Concerning death, Hume was famously a non-believer in any type of an afterlife, and famously, when his good friend Adam Smith visited him when he was dying, he just joked about it with him and was quite cheerful [Norton 23]. For Hume, all that exists, is within the 'perceptable' world. Where Plato maintained that we have prior knowledge, Hume argues that any notion of 'continuity' or 'sameness' through time, is a notion not that we are born with, but have been conditioned to have. What might appear to come from beyond the senses, is just the product of conditioning that begins in perception and the perceivable world. To state or argue that we have a priori knowledge, is to necessarily posit this as succinct from the senses. In other words, this is a form of knowledge which can be understood as ‘interactingà ¢â‚¬â„¢ with the senses or perception, but it is also a form of knowledge which is distinct as well. Toward establishing this important distinction, Plato raises the problem with respect to the notion of â€Å"equals† and unequal's. However, he arrives at these abstractions through an argument which claims that â€Å"learning is recollection† [Plato 73B]. ... However, this process of learning necessarily involves ‘recollection’, and second, we are capable of making abstractions concerning this process of learning. For example, from the notion of similarity and difference, we can arrive at more abstract notions such as ‘equal’ and ‘unequal’. Further, we can abstract these notions from the sensible or perceivable objects which there are often predicated of: â€Å"what of the equals themselves† [Plato 74C]. The â€Å"knowledge of the nature of the equal itself† [Plato 75B], is a problem which leads Plato to distinguish â€Å"prior knowledge† [Plato 74E] from â€Å"perception† [Plato 75B]. This is an important argument in relation to Plato’s notion of a â€Å"dualism between reality and appearance† [Russell 134], and moreover, it is an important problem with respect to the ontological difference between ‘continuity’ and ‘change’ which wa s raised in the introduction of the present analysis. In a sense, the â€Å"nature of the equal itself†, is given a different ontological status than things which are ‘unequal’. For example, in the world of ‘perception’, all things are different or unequal. In other words, there is change, decay, growth, death, corruption, generation, and so forth. As mentioned in the previous section, all of nature is marked by a process of â€Å"becoming† [Plato 71E]. Thus, if everything which we perceive is different and changing, and yet we are capable of abstracting notions such as ‘equality’ – that is, we have â€Å"knowledge of the nature of the equal itself†, then, where does this knowledge come from? We could not have acquired this knowledge through

Friday, November 1, 2019

Intermediate Accounting Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Intermediate Accounting - Research Paper Example The following illustration provides a simplified view of the business model followed by Groupon: Comparison of this business model of Groupon with Wal-Mart reveals some fundamental differences in the approach followed by the two businesses. First of all, as mentioned earlier, the virtual operating style of Groupon through internet is a primary factor which distinguishes the extent to which both companies can target their respective customers. Based on the differences identified in the business model for Groupon in comparison with the approach followed by Wal-Mart, it is possible to determine how these differences influence the risks identified by Groupon in its financial statements under management discussion and analysis and also the translation of these risks into financial reporting of the company. Before initiating a discussion as to how risks faced by Groupon would influence its business model, it is pertinent to understand that the success of the business model of the company l argely rests on the revenue generating ability of the company through acquiring new subscribers to purchase coupons offered by the company. Since the company has only one product to offer, i.e. coupons, therefore any unfavourable changes in the circumstances may eventually lead to the disruption of whole business model. First of all, the company has expressly stated in its Form S - 1 that, â€Å"We may not maintain the revenue growth that we have experienced since inception.† (Groupon Incorporation 11). Although, the company would take measures to ensure that such a risk may not materialize in future; however, if such a situation is faced by the company where revenue growth becomes difficult, the business model may be affected severely, as there is no contingency plan for the company due to lack of its diversity in operations. Realizing the significance of influence this risk may have on the business model of the company, it has been mentioned that, â€Å"If we fail to retai n our existing subscribers or acquire new subscribers, our revenue and business will be harmed.† (Groupon Incorporation 12). In addition to this, it is also important to note that apart from growth in subscribers to the business, the retention and growth of merchants for the business is also a risk factor. The company has expressly stated that if it fails to retain or grow the number of merchant it deals with, the revenues may shrink considerably in the future and therefore place impact on the whole business (Groupon Incorporation 13). Apart from this, it is also pertinent to understand that Groupon is not alone in its market; in fact there are other competitors who are improving their customer base and market standing. The company, in this regard, states that it operates in a highly competitive environment where competitors may pose a significant threat to the operations and growth opportunities for Groupon in the future (Groupon Incorporation 13). Issues regarding Revenue Re cognition for Groupon The table presented as follows include information pertaining to revenues, cost of sales, other operating expenses and net profit / loss of the company for the financial years 2009 and 2010. Under each year, both gross and net based revenue recognition by the company has been presented so as to make the comparison possible between