The chosen organization that shall be analyzed is Thringstone Supermarket Essay Example for Free

The chosen organization that sh completely be analyzed is Thringstone Supermarket EssayThe chosen organization that sh entirely be analyzed is Thringstone Supermarket, a well run, off license/newsagent located in a village called Thringstone, based in Small Heath. The organisation is owned by a married couple named Mr and Mrs Varu who atomic number 18 the sole proprietors. They sell a variety of products and determine that customer selects and wants atomic number 18 met.Thringstone Supermarket has m whatsoever continuous customers, as this is one of the main Supermarkets as you enter in to the village. The supermarket is one of the local stores that are have intercoursed by its entire local people as it offers a great variety of products. Within the Supermarket m some(prenominal) products are sold includingGroceriesConfectionaryNewspapers, MagazinesCardsStationaryAlcoholFoods such as dairy productsFrozen foods alter Teller Machine (ATM)2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE SERVICE CONCE PTThe divine serve up concept is the way in which the customer perceives the organizations services (Johnston and Clark 2001). There are four primaeval elements that form the service concept The Service Experience Customers encounter different experiences which whitethorn vary from time to time when exploitation a particular service. Mr. and Mrs. Varu brook contribute to the service concept by delivering a friendly customer service experience, to make customers feel welcomed, this is what they expect. The customers want to do their shopping in a stress free, friendly environment and this is what Mr and Mrs Varu aim to achieve.Customers also like the noise level to be unplowed to a minimum when shopping so that they are not easily distracted and so that they so-and-so talk amongst themselves. The Service Operation Mr. and Mrs. Varu and the staff have a personalized basis with thither customers, they recognize the majority of at that place customers and are on a first name bas is. There is a trusting relationship between the customers and Mr. and Mrs. Varu and staff, therefore can batten that they can ask for assistance when needed without any negative attitude, therefore Mr. and Mrs. Varu provide assistance when required in a friendly manner to abet deliver the service successfully. The Service Outcome This is the result the customer has received from the service provided. Mr. and Mrs. Varu aim to provide customers requirements by delivering there service and products successfully without any problems i.e. queues, no stock available, therefore customers can tell their friends and family by word of mouth that they received high quality service at Thringstones. The Service quantify Shoppers value the experience and outcome in any organization, therefore the value must be cost effective otherwise customers pass on go elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. Varu need to ensure that there customers are receiving a value for bullion service. Mr. and Mrs. Varu ensure th at no out of date stock is displayed because customers only want to purchase goods that are to date and having out-of-date stock allow give Thringstones a bad reputation which will send customers elsewhere because they are not receiving value for bills products.Also, as they are situated in a village, and its miles to the nearest town centre, there ATM must be working at all generation so customers can access their money easily instead of having to make journeys into town.The de family elements for Thringstone Supermarket is available in appendix 13.0 The ServicescapeAn organizations servicescape describes the physical and informational surroundings of the pitch of the service provided. To secure strategy advantages from the servicescape, the needs of ultimate users and the requirements of various functional units must be incorporated into environmental design decisions. (Bitner 1992).* The physical appearance can determine where all products are kept. This can be identified as the puzzle out layout, where all similar products are put together, i.e. freezer foods are kept in one place.* The physical appearance of Thringstones also creates an impression to the customers. The letterhead is in white lettering with a red background. This makes Thringstones stand out and therefore inviting due(p) to the bright and bold letters.* Customers require baskets to out there shopping in to, which allows the customers to shop comfortably and without difficulty.* Thringstones is located in a small village, which is easily kindly to customers therefore the physical location of Thringstones is ideally suitable for customers.* The layout of the shop can stand by customers, access products easily. The aisles are kept clear and lightheaded at all times in order for customers to gain access to products.* Health and Safety for customers is very important, i.e. if there is a wet floor, a wet floor sign is there for customers. Mr. and Mrs. Varu ensure that security cameras a re placed around and outside the shop.* Mr. and Mrs. Varu use an automated stock control constitution which informs them when stock is low. This can lionise control on the availability of products in stock.3.1 Influencing customer behaviorMr. and Mrs. Varu believe customers behavior can be determined by the servicescape.* The freshness, clarity, and lightness influences customers behavior in the way theyshop at Thringstones . If Thringstones has boxes of goods and baskets around the store this will influence the customer to shop in another place.* Products are neatly presented at Thringstones so that they are attractive to look at. Special displays are rank out for the best presentation. A messy environment will make customers think in two ways about where to shop.* Availability of goods is always there i.e. if customers require a certain product that is not in stock, Mr. and Mrs. Varu can make sure that he orders it in so that it is made available for the customer the next time round.* Long queues will make customers uncomfortable, especially if they are in a hurry.Mr. and Mrs. Varu could loose money due to this.4.0 Process MappingThe service sour map combines the insights of flowcharting the service delivery process with the power of multivariate data analysis techniques (Collier 1991).The design of the service is important because the customer is directly and immediately involved in the delivery transaction. The customer is present and involved and they may even serve themselves. Appendix 2 provides a service process map for Thringstones.4.1 Analysis of Process MapA method for analyzing the process map is by answering a set of questions to derive maximum advantage from it, these questions are obtained from Johnston Clark (2001).* Does the process support the strategic intention?Mr. and Mrs. Varus main objective is to provide a high quality service for there customers. Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Varu must ensure all customers are able to purchase the rele vant stock by firstly checking there stock availability and secondly by ensuring there shelves are fully stocked otherwise delays will be caused by staff having to get the stock from the back office.* Does each employment provide added value?At Thringstones added value activities are existent such as providing baskets, carrier bags and freezer bags. If these were not available customers would have to use there hands to carry their shopping, therefore Mr. and Mrs. Varu would be losing a lot of money due to customers purchasing limited goods.* Who owns and has responsibility for the process?Mr. and Mrs. Varu as well as the customers are responsible for the service process. Without either of them the process would not exist. Appendix 4 identifies the roles and responsibilities for the staff and customers.* How can the process be improved?Mr. and Mrs. Varu must ensure that stock is available at hand for customers, in order to meet there requirements.To maintain that customers can cont inue to shop in a clean and relaxing environmentTo ensure staff are fully trained to provide high quality customer service, and are able to deal with all types of customers in the correct manner i.e. difficult customers.If customers are waiting in long queues then Mr. and Mrs. Varu must realize that a new till may be required so delays will not take place.To provide a service where another member of staff packs the customers goods, this will speed the process up in the queues.* How efficient is the process?The process is very efficient as it aims the meet the organizations objectives. However this can only be achieved by ensuring that there is a continuous customer flow without any delays. Delays cause inefficiencies, which point to dis fulfill customers, therefore Mr. Mrs. Varu are not fulfilling there business objective, which could cause a loss in gain.5.0 The Service Quality Gap ModelThe service quality is the gap between a customers expected service and perceived service. A service quality gap model for Thringstones is available in appendix 3, and appendix 3.1 provides an analysis of the Service Quality Gap Model.6.0 Job DesignMr. Mrs. Varu authorize there staff for them to obtain the initiative to make decisions without consulting them first. Empowerment makes employees feel recognized and motivated as empowerment increases employees morale. Therefore empowering there staff will increase there productivity, reputation and provide a better service encounter.Appendix 4 provides the five dimensions to empowerment for Thringstones7.0 Suggested improvements/recommendationsOverall Mr. and Mrs. Varus Supermarket is an operation, which is customer orientated, like any other business operation he wishes to make as much profit as possible and at the same time keep customers satisfied by meeting their requirements. However, like any other business there is still, room for improvement and with the help of such policies and strategies, productivity and profit ca n be achieved for his business. This can be implemented in three was1. Increasing the number of tills in the shop2. By introducing a Computer Bar cryptogram system3. Staff can be trained to be multi-skilledBy increasing the capacity of tills, by adding in a further till can help in reducing the queuing system. As capacity is linked to time, many customers are not prepared to wait and maybe forced to shop elsewhere, this will lead to a reduction in sale and profit. Therefore by adopting this approach Mr. and Mrs. Varu can result in happier customers, and increase in productivity and even profits maybe achieved.Another area for improvement could be that a barcode system could be implemented, because at present Mr. and Mrs. Varu are running on a manual of arms tilling system whereby they type in the price by hand and this is also another indicator of time wasting, thus leads to frustration for customers. This bar coding system could be implemented by scanning products through a comput er which informs them what stock is in and it can also speed up the process dealing with all the customers without them having to waste time in queues.By using the computer bar code system this can help implement the good In -Time Process. Instead of Mr. and Mrs. Varu going to the cash and carry, he can check on the computer of the goods, which are running low, and have them delivered by the cash and carry, this will result in less money being held in stock and also lead to extra space saved by not having outcaste stock, which can instead be converted into extra shop floor space.Thirdly, staff are to be trained so that they are multi-skilled. This will enable them to carry out a variety of jobs rather than just the ordinary replenishing of stock. For example, if they are till trained then the delivery system will be faster and this will lead to customer satisfaction.Overall, Mr. and Mrs. Varu can have competitive advantage over other newsagents in the area, as they will be using the more traditional approach and therefore by saving storage space, they can convert the back office area into shop floor space, which performer they can sell extra products and will mean that customers are happy with the delivery of the service.BibliographyBooksJohnston, R and Clark, C (2001), Service Operations Management, Financial Times assimilator HallGalloway, L, Rowbotham, F and Azhashemi, M (2000), Operations Management in Context, Butterworth Heinemann OxfordLecture NotesLecture Two Job Design in ServicesLecture tail fin the Design of Service OperationsJournalsBitner, M.J., Servicescapes The impact of physical surroundings on customers and employees, Journal of Marketion, vol.56, April 1992, pp. 57-71.Gurdarshan Mudhar P01070281

High Schools Students Essay Example for Free

High Schools Students EssayNo Child Left Behind mandates placed tremendous pressure on naturalises throughout the country to succeed in helping our students achieve. School leaders are spending metre and m maviny to find ways to improve their nurtures. legion(predicate) leaders suck up chosen to restructure their everyday computer programming format. Schools need to explore if this is beneficial or non. The purpose of this canvas is to determine if be quiet programming has an effect on student achievement of juicy school students who are enrolled in block programing classes versus those enrolled in conventional classes. The block format leave consist of four 90- secondment classes. The handed-down format pass on consist of six 50 transactions classes. To examine student achievement, the researcher ordain explore trine critical areas. They are academic achievement, student slump, and student attention. The sample population leave behind consist of students, t eachers and administrators. The students of this population will be students enrolled at a lofty school that uses the block format and students enrolled at a exalted school that uses the traditional format.To examine academic achievement, only students who expect completed their 11th soft touch year and taken the social studies portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test will be employ. To examine discipline and attendance, the teachers, administrators and somewhat students will be randomly selected. The case study will consist of interview questionnaires and data from the students records to determine if there is a difference with block scheduling compared to traditional scheduling.The research will explain and explore if block scheduling versus traditional scheduling is a wise decision for school leaders throughout the country. CHAPTER ace INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Statement of Problem It is no secret that schools in the United States have come under much fire lately for th eir chastening to meet the basic genteelnessal take of students. Globally, students in the United States lag far behind those of some former(a) countries. Education clear up is a catch explicate on the lips of politicians and studyal researchers alike.Dobbs reports that in a global math skills shew, the United States ranked 24th out of 29 wealthy, industrialized countries. Approximately 5500 students in 262 high schools were studied their poor cognitive process suggests a widening gap between US students and their counterparts in Europe and Asia (Dobbs, M. , 2004). In addition an International Math comprehension Study reported the high school seniors were out-performed by 90% of other auditioned nations in math and by 76% in science (Hodges, 2003).In reading, students are equally unprepared. The Alliance for Excellent Education reports that nearly 6 million middle and high school students do not read at grade level. In addition, over half the students entering college s messaged at unacceptable levels on college entrance exams in reading, and these trends seem to cross gender and racial lines (Aratani, 2006). The occurrent debate or so school reform came in response to the report, A Nation at Risk (2004) which made the above statistics and their implications public to the nation.The National delegating on Excellence in Education remarked that if a foreign power had attempted to impose our current education performance on any nation, it would have been deemed an act of war. In a nutshell, schools in America were characterized as failed systems (Finn, 1997). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCBLA) by the current Bush arrangement is one of the most groundbreaking educational reforms in years. Approved by Congress in December 2001 and signed into law on January 8, 2002, this legislation spread out the federal governments role in the operation of public schools and imposed new obligations on all school districts.The NCLBAs basic reform principles feat ure stronger accountability of the schools, administrators and teachers, increased flexibility and local control of funds from the federal government, expanded options for parents in choosing schools, and an increased emphasis on successful instruct methods (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001). Policymakers are also accountable not just for the enhanced consumer satisfaction of the parents who have an active role in school choice, but also for the overall improvement of opportunity and performance for students who have only a need in role in school choice (Leckrone Griffith, 2006).To besiege these downward trends and to provide for the new obligations and standards in the NCLBA, public education reform has turned to a revision of the structure of the school day. This included changing the schedules from a traditional six or seven period day which consisted of 45 to 55 minute classes that met daily for an entire school year to a block schedule. Block schedules take many forms, but b asically, the class quantifys per period doubles to about 90 proceedings each and the number of classes taken is trim from six or seven to four per semester. 1. 2 Statement of PurposeSince the trend toward block scheduling began several years ago, and reports have been mixed as to whether block scheduling has been beneficial or deleterious in solving some of the problems of US high schools. Many ingredients are involved when it comes to student achievement. These include, among other things, school climate, teaching practices, familial support, motivation and resources. This study seeks to determine the effectives of block scheduling on the academic performance of high school students with regard to the discipline, attendance and test rafts. 1. 3 DefinitionsFor the purposes of this study, the following definitions will be used 4 x 4 Block Scheduling Four classes, approximately ninety minutes in length, every day for the first semester. Four completely different classes, again ninety minutes in length, every day for the second semester. distributively class equals one credit (The Change Process and option Scheduling, 1996). A/B Block Scheduling Four classes, approximately ninety minutes in length, contact every other day (A days) for an entire school year. Four completely different classes, again ninety minutes in length, meeting on alternate days (B days) for an entire year.Each class equals one credit (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). Combination Block Schedule A gang of 4 x 4 and A/B block schedules (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). Flexible Schedule A combination of 4 x 4 and A/B block schedules, but class length varies from day to day. One example On tierce out of every quintette days throughout the school year, each class could be 90 minutes in length. On the other two days, designated as Advisement/ imaging Days, each class is 75 minutes in length. An Advisement/Resource Hour is 60 minutes in l ength (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling, 1996). customsal Format six (or to a greater extent) 50-minutes classes per day FMS the Flexible Modular System designed by J. Lloyd Trump which introduced alternative scheduling options and provided for differing times for classes depending on the needs of the student and the content of the particular way of life. GHSGT The Georgia High School Graduation Test which must be passed by all seniors in public high schools in Georgia. Carnegie Unit 120 hours of class or contact time with an instructor over the course of a year at the secondary school level No Child Left Behind Act NCLBA, 2001 legislation which tightened federal control over the standards and processes of American public schools. 1. 4 Assumptions of the Study This study assumes that all schools and students and teachers polled are enrolled or teaching in schools that follow the typical formats discussed above, that they have no previously diagnosed mental dis abilities or learning problems and that the school is not participating in any additional enrichment programs which may distort the results of the study. 1. 5 Significance of the StudyThis study is important for anyone interested in improving education in American high schools. This study is crucial in that it provides to the body of research that determine a) if the block scheduling concept is sensed by teachers and students as efficient and advantageous and b) if the block scheduling concept is actually responsible for improved academic achievement based upon variable factors of attendance, disciplinary records, and achievement test advance. 1. 6 Limitations of the Study This study is limited by the existence of several variables which cannot be tested by these researchers or that cannot be completely controlled.First, the research obtained is limited to those participants who willingly elect to complete the surveys and questionnaires in their entirety. All personal data to be collected is limited by the veracity of the respondents. Because of the small scope of the research, it is severe to statistically proportion the number of respondents from necessary categories such as gender, race, income level, and college plans. It can also not take into account existing problems in the schools unrelated to scheduling such as teacher turnover, violence, etc. 1. 7 SummaryThe problems faced by high schools in the United States are wide-ranging and diverse. No one change will provide an instant cure for all that ails the education system. The NCLBA mandates and the general demise of educational achievement has prompted several new methods of teaching, administrating and funding education in America. The issue of scheduling may hold promise as to improving some aspects of academic performance. CHAPTER TWO REVIEW of the LITERATURE 2. 1 historic Background of Block Scheduling Students of the 20th century spent nearly all of their high school time in 45 to 55 minute cla ss periods, six or seven classes a day.During the 1960s, some experimental ideas emerged, notable the model of J. Lloyd Trump, who proposed creating classes of varying lengths depending upon the course. Science courses with lab requirements could meet for 100 minutes while lectures could be scheduled for 40 minutes and tutorials for 20 minutes. This system was called the Flexible Modular System (FMS). Later, a similar type of scheduling was dubbed the Copernican Plan which resulted in a reported benefit of improved graduation rates (Carroll, 1995). The plan gives students an extra chance each year to pass a semester class that they may have failed.In 1984, John Goodlad warned education leaders that the traditional school structure spends way too much time on six or seven class changes and does not allow for individualized instruction, for extended laboratory work, or for remediation and enrichment (Queen, 2000). Eventually, the extreme flexibility of time produced discipline issues, scheduling headaches and teacher planning problems, and FMSs popularity began to wane (Dobbs, W. , 1998) Nonetheless, the importance of this system has not been overlooked, and it is generally regarded as the precursor to the modern block scheduling system.Tradition has always played a role in high school scheduling. The Carnegie Unit became a standard for determining a students required yearly course load. Most critics of the traditional system likened the Carnegie Unit to simply amassed seat time (Canady and Rettig, 1995). This point was reiterated in the National Education Commission on Time and schoolings publication of A Prisoner of Time. It states that Learning in America is a prisoner of time. For the past 150 years, American public schools have held time constant and let learning vary.The rule, only rarely voiced, is simple learn what you can in the time we make available. It should surprise no one that some bright, hardworking students do reasonably well. Everyone elsefro m the typical student to the dropoutruns into trouble. Time is learnings warden. (National Education Commission on Time and Learning, 1994, p. 7) The pace is grueling (Irmsher, 1996). A student will spend nearly seven hours a day in seven to nine locations pursuing seven to nine different lessons and activities which produces an impersonal and inefficient come on to instruction.The pace is grueling (Irmsher, 1996). Unfortunately, many administrators, teachers and parents resisted any type of change to the system that they had experienced themselves. This resistance was challenged with the report A Nation At Rise was published in 1983 which revealed the American educational system was not up to par with international systems. Thus, restructuring schools became a focus in improving educational achievement (Queen, 2000). 2. 2 Summary of Current Knowledge and Theory Relevant to Block Scheduling 2. 2. 1 Overview of Perceived Advantages to Block Scheduling Several researchers (Dobbs, W. , 1998 Hurley, 1997 Zepeda, 1999 Staunton, 1997 Staunton and Adams, 1997 Pisapia, and Westfall, 1997 and Eineder and Bishop, 1997) reported the following perceived strengths and advantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling Increased teacher preparation time (in both teams and as individuals). Double the class time for certain core subjects such as language arts and math. Half as many students for teachers per semester Additional elective class choice for 9th grade students more choices for upperclassmen, including options of Advanced spot and other higher level coursework More time for completion of labs, incorporating technology, class trips, and other various applications of learned material Improved school climate and lessen disciplinary referrals More time to do homework and for guided practice under the direction of the teacher Improved academic achievement by students world power of students to accumulate enough credits to graduate early. More one-o n-one time between teachers and students In general, surveyed students liked the block scheduling. They claimed to be getting better grades, to have time for more in-depth study, and got more attention from the teachers.They say their lives were less stressed and they liked having a fresh start each semester. Nearly all students asked said they would not want to return to the traditional schedule. One of the greatest effects of the 4 x 4 schedule is that students report having less homework. Of the 37 students interviewed, 20 said they had less homework, 7 said they had more, and 6 said they had about the same. If you dont like the teacher, you dont have to deal with him all year, or if you dont like the subject. When the semester ends, its like a new school year. Youre not bogged down.Clearly, these students reaped academic benefits from the change to the 4 x 4 schedule. Both college preparatory and general students reported they were learning more and receiving more individual at tention (Hurley, 1997). Surveyed teachers indicated that they enjoyed lecturing less and spending more time one-on-one with students. Teachers teaching in block scheduling used more of a team approach and allowed them to experiment more in the schoolroom (Staunton, 1997 Staunton and Adams, 1997). Teachers also reported that their teaching methods and practices changed as block scheduling was implemented.They used a wider get down of strategies and activities. In one Florida study of over forty high schools on block scheduling, forty percent of the teachers reported less stress at school, terce reported increased common planning time, and 80 percent noted that they preferred the block schedule to their previous schedule (Deuel, 1999). There seem to be several perceived advantages associated with block scheduling. 2. 2. 2 Overview of Perceived Disadvantages to Block Scheduling Several researchers (Dobbs, W., 1998 Hurley, 1997 Zepeda, 1999 Staunton, 1997 Staunton and Adams, 1997 Pis apia, and Westfall, 1997 and Eineder and Bishop, 1997) reported the following perceived weaknesses and disadvantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling Additional costs in hiring teachers. Additional costs in adding space for teachers or the need for teachers to travel which means he has no permanent classroom Difficulty in making up work from absences because missing one day equivalent to missing two classes Some classes clearly benefit from meeting every day (i. e. performing arts classes) Need for teachers to commit to using new teaching methods Ninety minutes is a long time to hold the attention of students Uneven schedules in which the harder classes all end up lumped into one semester making it too difficult and the next semester too easy. The possibility that there will be a long gap in between sequential courses if they are not taken in back-to-back semesters. The primary disadvantage apt(p) by surveyed students is that the classes are too long. Studen ts particularly gave this as a weakness when their teachers lectured for nearly all of the time period.Others noted that notional classes are really bad when they are held for 90 minutes (Hurley, 1997). Surveyed teachers voiced concerns about interruptions of sequential material from one semester to the next and consistency issues with students. However, teacher opinion seemed to be mixed about this issue. Some foreign language teachers feared a sequential break between levels (Scheduling Foreign Languages on the Block, 1998). Other researchers rear that some schools actually showed an increase in foreign language test scores because students could take level I and level II courses in back-to-back semesters (Schoenstein, 1996).Some teachers felt more booming with the lecture approach and had little comfort with experimentation of teaching methods (Staunton, 1997 Staunton and Adams, 1997). 2. 2. 3 Actual Advantages to Block Scheduling via Research Studies. A Temple University stud y found that block scheduling had distinct advantages in academic achievement. Students who made the honor roll at the three schools studied rose from 22% to 31%. sit scores rose by an average of 14 points. In addition, the number of detentions declined while student attendance increased (Evans, Tokarczyk and Rice, 2000).Most recently, a 2006 study indicated a variety of advantages to block scheduling. Five Connecticut high schools were studied to determine what, if any, positive outcomes would result. The researchers used test scores and surveys as a means of data collection from school guidance counselors, teachers, administrators and students. The study found that gains in math rose significantly over a two year period, achievement test score averages rose in a statistically significant manner over three years, and PSAT and SAT scores increased within the first three years but then leveled off.(Wilcox, 2006). This study is one of the few longitudinal studies available. This study also stressed the importance of time as a factor in determining the success of block scheduling. Almost all of the results which indicated significant differences were shown after two or more years (Wilcox, 2006). Clearly some time is necessary in order for students and teachers to become accustomed to the changes. Some of the school studies Wilcox (2006) examined had been operating on a block schedule for as long as ten years.Unfortunately, not all the schools had baseline data for years before the block schedule or had opened with a block schedule. The study but stresses the level of support by the staff can be a determining factor as to the success of any type of block scheduling, which seems to correlate, at least on surface examination of the results, with training procedures and teacher confidence. 2. 2. 4 Actual Disadvantages to Block Scheduling via Research StudiesA University of North Carolina at chapel Hill study studied achievement in reading and mathematics of student s in a high school which ran a tri-schedule. This schedule consisted of a traditional schedule, a 4 x 4 schedule and hybrid schedules which all operated in the same single school. The NC state mandated tests in reading, language and math were used to determine achievement. For reading and language test results, there was no statistically significant difference based on the types of schedules. There was, however, a statistically significant difference in math figuring subtest.The traditional schedule saw slightly higher scores in understanding and retention of mathematical computation for tenth grade students. Thus, this study supports the importance of daily instruction and contact time to student achievement in mathematics as distinct from other academic skills (Veal and Shreiber, 1999). Another study tested students in the Wilmington area of North Carolina. It, too, found that students on traditional schedules scored higher on tests of algebra, English, biology and history than d id students on a block schedule (Lawrence and McPherson, 2000).2. 2. 5 Studies that were Inconclusive in Determining the Efficacy of Block Scheduling in Increasing Academic Achievement. A 3rd North Carolina study, this one undertaken by the Department of Public Instruction, compared End-Of-Course (EOC) test scores in five areas (English I, Algebra I, Biology I, US History, and Economic, Legal and Political Systems (ELP)). It sample scores from schools that operated on block schedules and on traditional schedules for 1993 to 1996.It mentions at the outset that the first schools to adopt block schedules in NC were those that had lower achievement scores to begin with. These schools scores were adjusted for the purpose of this study. The overall results were inconclusive. Some blocked schools showed some improvement in some years but then lower scores in other years. At present, there are essentially no significant differences between groups of blocked and corresponding non-blocked sc hool groups in terms of student performance in state EOC Tests (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 1997).

Marketing creating hedonistic consumers

Marketing creating hedonistic consumersWithin the academic and the trade world it is recognised that in that location is debate on what role the straighten out of marketing plays in the creation of hedonistic consumers. The most extreme debates come from those who hold opposing chances. This paper will look at some of these pol fig upd adopts and perspectives in regard to consumer behaviour and will turn over that marketing has non framed hedonistic consumers that such a stance does not allow for the complexities of clement behaviour and motivations and does not take account of the dynamic nature of consumer society. We agree there be associations and twins in the development of both consumerism and marketing but there is no evidence to prove cause and effect.According to Armstrong et al (2009, p8), wants atomic number 18 the form hu art object needs take as they be shaped by culture and individual individualisedity. Wants argon shaped by ones society. Therefore, consu mer wants are not shaped solely by marketers. Conversely, Solomon et al (2006, p21) highlight that marketing is oft criticised for usageing techniques that impel consumers that they need many material goods and that they will be unhappy and inferior if they do not have these necessities. Do marketers give people what they want, or do they tell us what we ought to want?Marketing is often assumed to be responsible for our consumer society and its hedonistic approach to consumption, and as a consequence undermines other(a) cultural determine by promoting a materialistic stance. For many commentators it is the dark side of marketing and worthy of review as it diminishes the marketing professions reputation.1.1 DefinitionsBefore delimitate hedonistic consumption, it is useful to define the philosophy of hedonism. This is a school of thought that says the pursuit of entertainment is the most important thing in life, that views man as being motivated by the desire for sensual joyfu lnesss therefore this quest for the good life becomes mans driving force.The hedonistic consumer can be viewed as pleasure loving or self fluffnt person with a high level of consumption, more preoccupied with their own material goals than thinking of the wider view of society. luxuriant consumption is the multi-sensory, fantasy and perceptional aspects of consumers interactions with products. (Soloman, 2006, p39). This element of fantasy is crucial to this theory as it is the imagined pleasure that attracts the consumer. OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy describe this as the everyday agreement that consumer pleasure lies not so much in the physical sense as in the total emotional experience. So the pleasure and happiness is real even though the experience can be imagined in the consumers brain. From a negative point of view Migone, 2006 views it as a highly wasteful and discrimatory pattern of consumption that predominates in current capitalist models.Hedonism and FantasyThe role of fantasy in hedonic consumption is key and whilst academics view it from different perspectives they do agree that it plays a gelid role in pleasure exploreing. Gabriel and Lang (2006) are of the view that Western consumption many agree is a realm of seduction alluring and glamour. As goods lend the world of end product to enter the sphere of display, circulation and consumption, they become objects of fantasy and instruments of pleasure. Whilst Abercrombie reconciles that lives are organised around fantasies and daydreams about consuming they are hedonists, primarily interested in pleasure, and sensual pleasure at that they are individualists, largely pursuing their own ends and un machineing about others.(Abercrombie, 1994, 44).Campbell (1987) in The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism exposit the key aspect in the creation of the hedonistic consumer as being one concerned with the power of the imagination, he highlights the differences between what was rega rded as the traditional view of hedonism and the modern view. He suggested that traditional version was a hedonism of a multitude of pleasures, of the senses whilst modern hedonism seeks pleasure not in sensation but in emotion accompanying all kinds of experiences. The pleasure lies in the meaning of the experience to the individual. This is the form we are dealing with in postmodern culture.Campbell suggested that the consumer as hedonist mustiness be able to derive pleasure from every item they come into contact with and everything must be orientated to that end. That consumers are in a constant show of unsatis itemion, an ongoing state where we are dreaming about something new however this is linked to the other defining factor of modern hedonism that disillusionment comes from the disappointment when the imagined pleasure are always greater than the actual.When anticipate the enjoyment and pleasure that we will gain when we finally purchase and wear the new phone/watch/car w e have been day dreaming about acquire, our pleasure is often not as we imagined and is fleeting. We have moved on to dreaming about the next come apart version and start to have bad about not having it.Consumerism good or bad?Underpinning the debate on whether marketing has created hedonistic consumers is the view on whether consumerism is a positive or negative force. Some celebrate the rise of the consumer, taking the view that consumerism is the essence of the good life, that a consumer society allows us personal freedom, power and happiness through our ability to choose, acquire, use and enjoy our material objects and experiences. Seen as a in advance(p), mature individual who seeks enjoyment in life by making choices and exercising freedom. (Gabriel and Lang, 2006, p8). Others are concerned that consumerism is associated with reduced consumer well being, partly in terms of quality of human race relationships and levels of happiness. That those focused on materialistic va lues have lower personal well being and psychological health. (Kasser,2002).Abela (2006) furthers this argument indicating that hedonistic consumerism shows an association between marketing practice and the harms of consumerism may be greater than it is generally believed to be by marketing academics.3. Claims against MarketingToo much interest in material possessions is the responsibility of marketing?Critics have argued that the marketing organization encourages too much interest in material possessions. people are judged by what they own not who they are. (Armstrong et al, 2009 p.552). Critics dont view this as a natural state of mind but one created by marketing.In answer to this claim many marketers would argue that this alleged ability of marketing to create needs is devouring(prenominal) thinking and is overstating marketings scope. In support of this it follows that marketers are most successful when they appeal to existing wants rather than when they attempt to create ne w ones. Also that people seek information when making important purchases and mostly do not rely on a single source (Gabriel and Lang, 2006).However, todays mania for goods is learnt not instinctive harmonise to Naish, 2002. On a deeper level our wants and values are influenced by many factors including family, peer group, religion, ethnic background and education. If modern society is highly materialistic, these values arise out of socialisation processes that go much deeper than business and mass media could produce alone (Gabriel and Lang, 2006).OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) argue that accumulation of material possessions is a consequence of wealth.Marketers create bionic needs?According to Solomon et al (2006), some conservative traditionalists are of the view that advertising in particular, contributes to the moral breakdown of society by presenting images of hedonistic pleasure. Conversely, leftists argue that they same misleading promises of material pleasure functio n to taint off people who would otherwise be revolutionaries working to change the system.OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) note that wants must be created and that there must be an underlying appetite for the product in the first place.Solomon at al conclude that while marketers do not create artificial needs, they do contribute heavily to the socialization of people in contemporary society and thus to the establishment of the social system of needs. Consequently marketers must take a share of responsibility for the development of society.Marketers promise miracles?Consumers are led to believe that via advertising that products have special(a) properties they will so special things for them that will transform their lives. Soloman et al argues that the manipulative effect of advertising is often overstated, however does concede that there is little doubt that advertising creates and changes patterns of consumption. They offer the view that the main affect may be that the idea that we are defined by our consumer choices is perpetuated by the advertising medium.The impact of fantasy and imagery in influencing buyingOShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) cite Baudrillard (1981) who suggested that due to the new technology of electronic media we now have a world where the distinction between real and images has become blurred and consumers are viewed as non-rational who gravitate to instant gratification. The claim is that the consumer thinks that this is the reality, however according to OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy there is no proof to substantiate the claim.Image saturated environment pressing consumers to buyThe sheer insistence and multiplication of marketing messages is evidence to critics of marketing. The sum of the mass effect on consumers pushes them in a hedonistic direction. However consumers are sophisticated and selective, they take notice of the products that attend to them. (OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy,2002).Consumerism and IdentityMany cult ural forces have been accused of having a role in the creation of hedonistic consumers the marketing of Hollywood and Celebrity culture are named often in the debate.Its is recognised by psychology that our ability to weigh desirability and value is knocked awry if the item is endorsed by a well known face. The part of the brain involved in trust and learning is activated and as a result we feel bid we are their acquaintances and we want to be homogeneous them. (Naish, 2008). We chose carefully who we copy and why and have evolved to emulate the most successful, maybe why many of us feel compelled to keep up materially with celebrities. utilization, is it addictive?Lasch (1991) takes a pessimistic view believing that western consumerism, sustained by mass production and celebrated in the mass media, amounts to a mechanism of addiction.Though Migone (2007) concedes that rather than marketing being at the root of this addiction it is due to technological advances which facilitated large scale production which in turn leads to large scale consumption.Consumerism and loss of CommunityNaish notes that only modern capitalist countries concentrate on material greed. In pre capitalist societies the highest worths was ascribed to things like family, clan, religion, honour not shiny new objects. This he says relates to our most base instincts which are the need to relate to others and feel part of a community.According to Naish, man has lost his moral framework, sense of community and lifes higher meaning, so that now all that remains is our thirst for possessions and pleasure. That being a hedonistic consumer does not misrepresent us happy and has a detrimental effect on our human relationships. Critics have linked this loss to marketings lack of focus on these types of human values.In defence of MarketingConsumerism and WealthThe 80s recognised a triumph for consumerism old moral restraints on consumption (frugality, thrift and guilt) swept aside by an extraordi nary, mention lead consumerist boost (Lee, 1997). Gabriel and Lang recall that greed lost some of its pejorative and puritanical connotations, in reference to the 1980s.Consumption and IdentityIt has been said that consumers take identity element from their possessions. Consumption has expanded to fill the vacuum left by the decline of the work ethic. Bauman (1988) also argues that consumption is the new pioneer frontier in which individuals may successfully assert themselves, with no insecurity and not harming others.Shopping is not merely the acquisition of things it is the buying of identity. (Clammer,1992). This is another view that consumer consumption comes from within. Also the general rise in disrupted families has been linked to new ways of forming identities through goods how negative the effects are depends on the underlying motives.Human NatureNaish believes we are genetically programmed to always want more. In prehistoric times its been discovered that cave dwellers had collections of axe handles, that these were the Jimmy Choos and Ferraris of their time. Important to note that OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy argue that marketing physicalism are interdependent and that marketing helps precipitate materialism and materialism in society advances the development of marketing.According to Bauman, (1999) the major alter factors to hedonistic lifestyle are pervasive insecurity and uncertainty fear of the future and the ecology of the planet danger- threat of terrorism and wars decline of family breakdown of traditional institutes such as family as one of the main cultural reference points.It has been argued that marketing creates hedonism by creating wants. This begs the question can wants be created? According to Moore (1994) materialism and hedonism were not invented by consumer marketing they were there before its advent. Although, it has been widely acknowledged that consumers have latent wants that can be activated, but recognise that they ha ve a great ability to filter information.Marketers often chose hedonistic appeals, but marketing in itself is simply an orientation and a set of tools that are value neutral and can be used to proselytise any perspective. (Cook, 1992).Social commentators have noted that that pursuit of pleasure is mans natural position and it goes against human nature to deprive oneself and that accumulation of material possessions is due to the fact we have the means to indulge our wants.However they agree there is an acknowledged link but no proven cause and effect but this is viewed as marketing being in the role of facilitator not creator.Marketing and EconomyMarketers have accused critics of taking the hyper real world of marketing, advertising and dreams too literally. joust that freedom of choice is better for consumers and is a fundamental underpinning of our economic system.Stimulus-response model of buyer behaviourThis widely accepted model of consumer behaviour illustrates that whilst m arketing stimuli are important so are as are culture, politics, economics and technology. These come merge with consumer psychology and the individual consumer characteristics. These are interlinked and conclude with a final pick of a product. This model is illustrative of the fact that marketing stimulus is only part of the consumer behaviour process. (Please refer to appendix 1).The FutureWestern style consumerism is liner and creating serious threats ecological crisis, climate change, resources shortages and financial uncertainties. There is an increased awareness among academics and consumers of the ecological limits of consumerism and current debate is focused on its sustainability.Consumers are said to order production, they fuel innovation, create new social systems, drive modern politics to have the power to save the environment and protect the future of the planet and hitherto at the same time are seen as weak and malleable creatures, easily manipulated, dependant, pa ssive and foolish. (Gabriel Lang, 2006).It is recognised that there is a need to engage in debate on the containment of the negative aspects of consumerism. At the centre of the debate is the question of social consequences and the role of marketing in creating the consumption culture..If we suspect that marketing is contributing to the harmful effects of consumerism what are the courses of action marketers should review?Abela (2006) cites Csikszentmihalyis (2000) suggestion that greater transparency about the effects of materialism would help. Recommends marketers undertake studies for emerging groups the non consumerist consumer, anti consumerism groups and should monitor general consumer awareness.So if the consumer is more aware of the consequences they might not choose the path of consumption especially if it leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Increased efforts at consumer education maybe able to correct this and lead to changes in consumer behaviour. One possible are a of study is to look at regions not affected yet possibly in eastern cultures.Some believe we are at the point of a fundamental structural change in the nature of consumerism. Others keeping the faith in the market to right itself. Optimists believe technology will provide an answer (cleaner cars, recycling, energy conservation). The outcome will be a complex dynamic between politics, production, international trade, economics cultural and moral values. (Abela, 2006, Gabriel Lang, 2006, Kasser 2002).In summary, the main culprit behind hedonism would be the development of strong value orientation that puts unrestrained freedom to the forefront. Marketing does not invent or creates wants it merely surfaces them. Man has always been, in all societies materialistic. In older days poverty didnt allow him/her to indulge into hedonistic lifestyle. The role of marketing in creation of hedonism, is more of a facilitator than of an inventor. (OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy, 2002).Conclusion This paper has recognised that there is debate on what role the discipline of marketing plays in the creation of hedonistic consumers and outlined the argument that marketing has not created hedonistic consumers, that such a stance does not allow for the complexities of human behaviour and motivations and does not take account of the dynamic nature of consumer society. We agree there are associations and parallels in the development of both consumerism and marketing, but there is no evidence to prove cause and effect. However neither is there evidence to disprove.When deciding what marketing strategy an organisation should follow the primary aim is structure profitable relationships with the target consumer however, the organisation has many choices in guiding their marketing strategy in terms of which philosophy should underpin the strategy. Many of todays large corporations employ the marketing concept by knowing the needs/wants of the target market and delivering satisfaction b etter than the competition. (Armstrong et al,2009).Based on the theory that there is a parallel in the patterns between the rise of the hedonistic consumer and the sophistication and intensity of marketing efforts (Abela, 2006) ethical marketers would be advised to consider a move toward the Societal marketing concept a concept that holds that marketing strategy should deliver value in a way that maintains or improves both the consumer and the societys well-being (Armstrong et al, 2009, p14-15). Executed decent this strategy would provide long term profits and protect both society and the consumer within this framework.sReferencesAbela, A.V. (2006) Marketing and consumerism European ledger of Marketing Vol. 40 image 1/ 2 pp 5-16Abercrombie, N. (1994)The Authority of the Consumer, Routledge, London,UKArmstrong, G et al (2009) Marketing an Introduction, Prentice Hall, UKBaudrillard, J. (1981), The Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign, tr. Levin, C., Telos Press, St Louis, MO in OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2002) marketing, the consumer society and hedonism European journal of Marketing, Vol.36 Number 5/6 pp 524-547Bauman, Z. (1988) Freedom, Open University Press, UKCampbell, C (1987) The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism, Basil Blackwell, UKCsikzentmihalyi, M. (2000) The cost and benefits of consuming, journal of Consumer Research, Vol.27,September, pp 267-272 in Abela, A.V. (2006) Marketing and consumerism European Journal of Marketing Vol. 40 Number 1/ 2 pp 5-16Douglas, M and Isherwood, B. (1979) The World of Goods, Basic Books, USFirat, A.F and Schultz, C.J. (1997) From Segmentation to Fragmentation Markets and Marketing Strategy in the postmodern era, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 31, No 3 /4Hirsch, F. (1977), Social Limits to Growth, Routledge Kegan Paul, London, UKJantzen, C., Ostergaard, P. and Fitchett, J.A. (2004) A History of Mentality based Analysis of Hedonic and Experiential Comsumption, Advances in Cons umer Research, Vol.31 pp 328 340Gabriel, Y. and Lang, T (2006), The Unmanageable Consumer, 2nd Edition, Sage, UKKagan, J. (1999) Three Seductive Ideas, Harvard University Press, USKasser, T. (2002),The High Price of Materialism, MIT Press, Cambridge, USKotler, P and Keller K.L. (2006) Marketing Management 12th Edition, Prentice Hall, UKLasch, C. (1991) The true up and Only Heaven Progress and Its Critics, Norton New YorkLee, M.J. (1997) Consumer Culture Reborn, Routledge, LondonMick, D.G (2008) Degrees of Freedom of will An essential endless question in consumer behaviour, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Vol.18, pp17-21Migone, A. (2006) Hedonistic Consumerism Patterns of Consumption in Contemporary Capitalism, Review of Radical Political Economics, Vol. 39, No 2, pp 173-200Moore, R.L. (1994), Selling God, Oxford University Press, New York, NYNaish, J. (2008) Enough Breaking free from the world of more, Hodder and Stoughton, UKOShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2002) marketing, t he consumer society and hedonism European Journal of Marketing, Vol.36 Number 5/6 pp 524-547OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2007) Reply to criticisms of marketing, the consumer society and hedonism, European Journal of Marketing Vol. 41, Number 1 /2 pp7-16Richins, M.L. and Dawson, S. (1992) A Consumer Values Orientation for Materialism, Journal of Consumer Research, December 1992Salzer-Morling, M. and Strannegard, L. (2007) Aint misbehavin consumption in a moralized brandscape, Marketing Theory, Vol.7(4) pp 408-425Simmons (2008) Marketing to post modern consumers introducing the Internet Chameleon, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 42, No , pp 299-310Solomon, M., Bamossy, G. Askegaard, S. and Hogg, M.K. (2006) Consumer Behaviour A European Perspective, Third Edition, Prentice Hall, UK.Further ReadingArnould, M.J. and Reynolds, K.E (2003), Hedonic Shopping Motivations, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 79Dittmar, H. (2004) Are you what you have? The Psychologist, Vol.17, No 4 pp 206 -210Dholakia (1999) Going Shopping key out determinants of shopping behaviour and motivations, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 27,No 4 pp 154-165Mick, D.G. (1996) Are studies of Dark Side Variables Confounded by Socially Desirable Responding? The typeface of Materialism, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol.23 pp106-119Naish, J (2008) Enough is Enough Learn to want less, http//women.timesonline.co.uk/to/life, Date accessed 04/10/09

Life Cycle Analysis Of Paper Production Environmental Sciences Essay

Life Cycle Analysis Of Paper issue Environmental Sciences EssayDuring the typical carriage of a product, it forget progress through 5 stand forcoachs . At each pointedness there is interaction with the surround. In m any cases the corporal processing and manufacture will number in the same factory. The interaction between the product and the environment dissolve be direct or indirect. For example, the pulping of the forest into publisher will release emissions that ar directly related to the radical. On the other hand, the transport of the melodic theme will have got an environmental impact from the emissions of the vehicle however this emission does not line up directly from the composing. A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) takes these emissions into account as well as other environmental impacts such as the destruction of home ground and can be used to quantify the environmental impact of a product from its original raw materials to its eventual fate (cradle to grave) . The whole life cycle has to be considered, as the environmental impacts of different products will be great at different parts of the cycle. For example, paper will have a big environmental impact during the material extraction and material processing stages than it will for the use stage of its life cycle. as yet, an electrical item such as a washing machine will puzzle most of its environmental impact during its use stage because of its consumption of electricity, the majority of which be generated by the burning of fogy fuels. The life cycle must also consider the electric potential for the product to be recycled, remanufactured and reused. Reusing obviously has the lowest environmental impact as it requires less cipher to convert the useless product into a usable product once again.life cycle.gif figure of speech 1 The product life cycle showing the five phases and the potential to recycle, remanufacture and reuse products (Tarr, c. 2007)Paper is an es displaceial pro duct that the modern world relies upon. It is a highly functional product and is used to fulfil a variety of functions. It can be manufactured into many practical goods, with varying properties. It may be combustible or be made fire-resistant. It may be a carrier wave or a barrier or a filter. It may be tough enough to withstand acid or soft enough for a babys skin (Confederation of Paper Industries, 2010). Paper is a multipurpose commodity that can be used utilized to do anything from being printed on to deliver daily news to the masses, to create bank notes or even to make air and oil filters for cars. The worldwide consumption of paper in 2007 was nearly 300 loiterion metric Tons (PaperOnWeb, c.2007).An LCA is a way of linking the inputs and outputs of any product to the environment and provides an insight into possible solutions to lower the environmental impacts of that product. A typical paper production process and each stages environmental impact atomic number 18 shown i n figure 2 (below).recycling paper.jpgFigure 2 shows the stages in the life cycle of paper the logging of wood in the forest and the environmental impact of this, its conversion to fibres, the processing of the fibres to make paper, the scattering of this paper to the consumers, the collection of waste paper, after which it is either recycled back into paper fibres or it is removed from the cycle and sent to incineration or landfill. Adapted from (Axel Springer, 1998)The paper industry uses a great deal resources and as waste paper is continually removed from the process, the paper industry is only if viable if fresh fibres ar constantly added. This fashion that trees have to be persistently cut down and removed from forests. This could lead to unwanted climate change receivable to their being less trees to absorb the carbonic acid gas and from the emissions from the manufacturing process and from the vehicles that are transporting the raw material. This wood could also have be en used to generate vital force, so removing it to create paper could lead to cleverness depletion. The trees used to asseverate paper should only be purchased from companies that will ensure that the trees are harvested and grown in a sustainable manner, as deforestation of local forests is unacceptable. If the trees were not harvested in a sustainable manner, and the trees were removed and not replaced the soil that would normally be held in place between the trees could be washed away when there is rainfall. During periods of vulnerability to the sun the soil would be dried out and the nutrients would be removed from it. This soil erosion would cause the land to become useless. Non-sustainable management of the forests will cause a disruption of the water cycle reducing the biodiversity of the forest. The paper industry is a very energy intensive one so carrying out an LCA on paper would allow us to see how much damage is being done to the environment by the paper industry. I f the LCA shows that the paper industry is causing a significant environmental impact, it could cause a campaign for conservation.GoalsThe goals of this LCA were to assess environmental impacts of paper produced in Portugal, which is mainly exported and consumed in Germany, in order to discover what processes go the most to the environmental impacts. The environmental impacts being considered are the spherical warming over 100 years, acidification, eutrophication, non-renewable resource depletion and photochemical oxidant formation. The secondary aim of this LCA is to contrast the environmental impacts of paper production, if the market was changed from German market to the Lusitanian market.LimitationsThe LCA is limited by a few factors firstly there is no data on the effectiveness of CO2 sequestration, so it was assumed that the CO2 released from renewable energy sources balanced the CO2 absorbed by forest growth. Secondly, even though fibres are recycled it is not clear how m any times the original fibres can be recycled before they are too short to form a decent product, so it has been assumed that the paper is recycled 4 times at most before being sent to landfill or being incinerated. Thirdly, the materials that were present in less than 1% (in mass) in 1 tonne of paper of 80 g/m2 were ignored. Finally, the construction and maintenance of equipment, machinery and buildings were not included in the LCA.Inventory AnalysisThe first stage of an LCA is to carry out an inventory analysis. Here the overall life cycle of paper and the inputs required to make it are schism up into smaller sections which are then broken down into individualistic processes and outputs which can be analysed. The life cycle was split into forestry, paper production, distribution, final government activity in Germany and final disposal in Portugal. This is shown in figure 3 (below).Input Raw Materials Wood, Water and ChemicalsEnergy Coal, Diesel and ElectricityForestryPaper prod uctionDistributionFinal presidency GermanyLandfilling 17%Incineration 8%recycle 75%Final Disposal PortugalLandfilling 53%Incineration 18%Recycling 25%Composting 4%Output Usable ProductsPaperBy-products e.g. wood for domestic purposesOutput Environmental invasionsAirborne EmissionsWater EffluentsSolid WastesFigure 3 A diagram showing how the life cycle of paper was split into forestry, paper production, distribution, final disposal in Germany and final disposal in Portugal and how the inputs and output interact with each stage.Each stage was now separated into individual processes so that an inventory analysis could be carried out. This is summarised in figure 4 (below), which shows all the materials used and links them to the processes that occur.StagesProcessesForestryE. globulus forestPine forestPaper ProductionPulp productionChemical productionEnergy production in the gridTransport of wood to the pulp mills then to the paper millTransport of chemicalsPaper DistributionTransport of paper to GermanyPaper distribution in GermanyPaper distribution in PortugalFinal Disposal in GermanyLandfillingIncinerationRecyclingEnergy production in the gridTransport of wastepaper from the user to the several disposal alternativesFinal Disposal in PortugalLandfillingIncinerationCompostingRecyclingEnergy production in the gridTransport of wastepaper from the user to the several disposal alternativesFigure 4 A table of the processes involved at each stage of the paper life cycle, adapted from (Dias et al., 2007)To complete the inventory assessment data on the growth and harvesting of forests in Portugal would have to be found. It would also have to be know whether the paper mills in Portugal import trees from Scandinavia, as this would then change the size of the emissions generated from transporting the raw material to the paper mills. However, as the raw material is advent from Scandinavia there is a possibility that the emissions could be lower because the average emissio ns of CO2 from an articulated lorry carrying a load of 40 tonnes is 2.68 kg of CO2 per fifty/km, where as a the emissions from a ship carrying the same step of material would only be 0.4 kg of CO2 per litre/km (Davies, 2003). This means the material brought in by shipping can come from nearly 7 times the distance that it can if it is brought by road and still only have the same amount of overall emissions. A disadvantage of shipping raw material to Portugal is that the trees will still need to be transported from the port to the paper mill. This would not generate a significant amount to a greater extent of emissions if the paper mill was located near a port. However, if the paper mill is located far from the port, the environmental impacts of transport will increase.The amount of pulp produced and the emissions that producing the paper pulp release would also have to be found. If the pulp is bleached to make it whiter, then there will be additional emissions with respect to waste water. The paper making process is a very energy intensive one, so data would have to be found on the energy requirements of the paper making machinery and equipment. If the paper mill used some of its useful by-products to generate its own electricity, this would also have to be taken into account, as it may fall the emissions generated by the plant as it will require less energy from non-renewable sources. However, it could cause an increase in the amount of particulate matter dispersed in the air from the paper mill.The environmental impact from the transport and distribution of the paper would have to be considered. As the paper is distributed in both Portugal and Germany, the environmental impacts of the distances involved in the distribution would have to be accounted for. The average distance for paper distribution in Portugal could be considered to be 200 km, for Germany this could be considered to be 2700 km.The environmental impacts of the final disposal of the paper in b oth Portugal and Germany have to be considered, as the policy for dealing with paper waste varies with country. In Germany, it is deemed that 5.8% of the paper produced is retained as archives. Seventy five percent of the paper that is discarded in Germany is recycled, 17% is landfilled and 8% is incinerated (Dias et al., 2007). In Portugal again it is assumed that 5.8% of the paper produced is retained as archives. Of the paper that is discarded 53% is landfilled, 25% is recycled, 18% is incinerated and 4% is composted (Dias et al., 2007). Using this information the environmental impacts of landfilling, incineration, composting and recycling could be calculated. The environmental impacts of the transport required to transfer the used paper to the recycling facilities would need to be determined in order to gain a more than accurate representation of the environmental impact of the paper making process.Impact AssessmentThe impact assessment gauges the damage that will be done to th e environment by the paper making process. The categories that could be considered are global warming over 100 years (GW), acidification (A), eutrophication (E), non-renewable resource depletion (NRRD), and photochemical oxidant formation (POF) (Dias et al., 2007). Figure 5 (below) shows the impact categories and factors that affect them. The factors that affect the impact categories are non-renewable CO2, CH4, NO2, emissions that are generated from renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, as well as chemical oxygen learn (COD) and adsorbable organic halogens (AOX).impacts of paper.pngFigure 5 A table showing the impact categories and the parameters that affect each category(Dias et al., 2007)Using these weighting factors and the data stash away in Dias et al. (2007), both an inventory analysis and an impact assessment were carried out. Each graph shows the analysis for both the German market and the analysis if the paper was to only be sold to the Portuguese market. Figure 6 (below) shows the results of the inventory analysis. Figure 7 (below) shows the results of the impact assessment. The negative values for various categories and stages of the life cycle radiate the parts of the process which have beneficial environmental impacts.Figure 6 A graph showing the results of the inventory analysis (G = German market, P = Portuguese market). The FU is the functional unit, which in this study is 1 tonne of paper (Dias et al., 2007).Inventory analysis resultsThe area of the paper life cycle that uses the largest amount of renewable energy is the pulp production. However, the negative contribution is larger for Germany as more of the waste paper is recycled in Germany than in Portugal. This shows that the production of paper from recycled fibres consumes much less energy than the production of paper from fresh fibres. The majority of the non-renewable energy is consumed by the paper making process. The amount of non-renewable energy consumed by paper distr ibution is also greater for Germany than it is for Portugal due to the fact that the paper mills are located in Portugal so the paper has a large distance to travel before it is distributed end-to-end Germany. The non-renewable CO2 emissions are in similar proportions to the non-renewable energy consumption meaning that the paper production is the major endorser to non-renewable CO2 emissions. The paper production and distribution are the main sources of NOx emissions due to the energy used from the national grid and the transportation of the paper. The SO2 emissions are mainly caused by the paper production stage of the life cycle, due to the energy production. On-site energy production provides a small negative contribution for NOx and SO2 emissions in Germany. The pulp production of the paper making process causes the largest contribution to COD emissions however by recycling paper the final disposal stage can provide a push aside negative contribution. Due to the chemicals us ed in the bleaching process of the pulping stage the AOX emissions are mainly created from the pulp production. Again from recycling the paper the final disposal stage can provide a negative input.Figure 7 A graph showing the results of the impact assessment (G = German market, P = Portuguese market) (Dias et al., 2007)Impact AssessmentThe most significant contributor to global warming in Germany is the paper production due to the high non-renewable energy usage and CO2 emissions. However in Portugal it is the final disposal that has the largest impact on global warming, as most of the paper waste goes to landfill which produces a lot of methane.As the paper production requires energy which produces high SO2 emissions, it is this part of the process that contributes most to acidification. The high COD and NOx emissions mean that the pulp production stage is the greatest contributor to eutrophication. A large portion of the eutrophication potential is down to the NOx emissions releas ed due to the paper production stage. The electricity used during the paper production stage is the main contributor to the non-renewable resource depletion. Recycling the paper provides a positive impact to acidification and eutrophication, due to less material being sent to landfill and so fewer trees have to be removed from the forests.The amount of acidification, eutrophication and non-renewable resource depletion is greater for paper distribution in Germany due to the fact that the paper mills are located in Portugal so the paper has further to travel before it is distributed throughout Germany.The disposal of paper into landfill causes the release of CH4 which is a major contributor to photochemical oxidant formation. As Portugal sends more if its waste to landfill the impact of POF is greater.ConclusionsThe inventory analysis shows that Portugal consumes a larger amount of renewable energy and has higher emissions of SO2, COD, and AOX than Germany, this is due to the larger a mount of paper sent to landfill. Therefore to change from the German market to the Portuguese market is less environmentally beneficial. However, the impact assessment shows that the acidification, eutrophication and NRRD are smaller for the Portuguese market due to the reduced transport required to distribute the paper. The pulp and paper production stages are major contributors to all the categories and environmental impacts due to the large energy requirements that are satisfied by both on-site energy production and consumption of electricity from the grid. From carrying out this LCA it has become apparent that the forestry stage does not provide any significant environmental impacts. Paper consumption in Germany is more damaging environmentally in categories in which the paper distribution stage has a long input due to the large distance that has to be covered in order to distribute the paper. However, due to the smaller amount of recycling that occurs in Portugal, the global w arming potential and photochemical oxidant formation are greater. This LCA has shown that the best area of the life cycle of paper to approach in order to reduce the environmental impact of paper manufacture is the pulp and paper production stages. The environmental impact could be reduced by more efficient give-and-take of flue gases and liquid effluents.

Changes In Global Trade And Financial Flows Economics Essay

Changes In world(prenominal) Trade And Financial Flows Economics Essay ball-shapedization is the increasing take of economic integration among countries lede to the surfacing of a new market place. Globalisation has resulted in a reduction in quite a little protection. This is because of the change magnitude interaction between countries has led to the possibility to purchase goods with similar quality to those developed locally, but for a cheaper price. Financial flows throughout the global economy forecasttain immensely increased due to more interaction. In the early 1970s industrial development took place in ontogenesis countries, so companies moved output signal oversees, allowing for dishonor ware costs mainly due to cheap labour. In 1983 the monetary system was de-regulated and the exchange rate was floated. This means that the harbor of the Australian sawhorse is determined by the supply and take aim of the currency. This led to greater accessibility of Austral ian firms to world capital markets and reduced exporting costs. But this increased the mental unsoundness of the exchange rate. In the late 1980s Australian manufacturers were persuaded to export to the international market through tariffs, subsidies, local content schemes and quotas. This was in order for them to survive in the large international market. in that location have been major changes in dispense patterns that reflect changes in the global economy. An exercise is the growth of China being today related to the demand of raw materials.The increased volume of mint between countries rotter also be attributed to advances in technologies and new transaction agreements such(prenominal) as the Australia United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). Trade growth is also due to the increase in demand of the resources that Australia has high amounts of. The constantly growing Asian economies demand raw materials that Australian companies extract from the land support growth in certain industries. An example of this is the tidy sum between Australia and China. China is in demand of resource commodities in order to expand their infrastructure and support the 8% growth rate.Explain why globalisation has resulted in a reduction of trade protectionTrade protection is a spurt of regularisation that is imposed by a government in order to protect certain industries from cheaper oversees alternatives. Globalisation has resulted in a reduction of trade protection. This is because of increased production possibilities in growth countries that have lower wage rates than developing countries, leading to lower costs and greater net. The removal of trade barriers can occur because a certain region can Produce a good not operable in another country Produce a good for a cheaper price than goods produced locally Produce a good more efficiently, allowing another country to focus on goods that they can produce efficiently Produce a good that is of better quality b ecause of development of technical skills.However, there are trade protection rules in place in order to protect certain industries and to reduce effects of off shoring on domestic markets. Reasons for protection embarrass Infant Industries These are industries that are at the beginning of the product lifecycle and have yet to establish themselves in the market. Therefore they have not yet experienced economies of de plateful (have not produced enough so that the cost of producing is lower in bulk). Because of this it is very difficult for them to compete with large foreign competitors, who take advantage of economies of scale and offer their products at lower prices, domestically. Although this is a reason for protection, if it is not removed at the correct time the assiduity may become reliant on government protection and never mature. Therefore a balance must be found between protection and allowing domestic industries to mature. Dumping This refers to the selling of goods in export markets for a cheaper price than the cost of production. This creates revenue for the exporters that are dumping, but obliterates the market for the importing company as they cannot compete with the cheap prices. Dumping is forbid because of its potential to destroy industries quickly. Dumping may occur because a company wishes to Gain market share, to reduce excess stock or to deliberately destroy competitive, domestic producers. Dumping also affects employment levels, because consumers will purchase the cheaper good, as the law of demand states the lower the price, the more demand there will be. domestic help Employment Cheap imports reduce the market share of producers because of consumers purchasing cheaper products. As a result of this unemployment may occur in a certain industry because they may not compete. There may be structural change in the domestic economy because of this inability to compete. An example of this is in the United States in the 1980s where consu mers preferred cheaper Japanese alternatives, therefore employment in the car industry decreased rapidly and the structure of the domestic economy changed to specialisation in the computer industry.Explain how trading blocs have impacted on protection levelsTrading blocs are intergovernmental, multilateral agreements between countries within an area that decrease regulation on each others exports. Trading blocs have impacted on levels of protection. Since trading blocs are intergovernmental agreements, there must be deregulation in order to gain maximum trade efficiency. An increase in the amounts of trading blocs internationally has led to a decrease in protection levels between countries in the trading blocs. An example of a trading bloc that has eliminated all trade barriers between the members is the European Union. This was established in 1993 and, although there is minimum regulation, there remains a putting green tariff between the members. The reasons that countries would want to join a trading bloc are Improved growth, increased efficiency through importing cheaper goods and services, increased competition, economies of scale (larger markets due to free trade, investment in production due to increased trade and increased technology.Explain the consequences of deregulation on pecuniary marketsDeregulation of financial markets is where the banks have regulations removed from them. Between the years of 1983 and 1985 the financial system was deregulated by The cessation of interest rate constraints on banks. This allowed banks to, more efficiently, fight for business (in the form of deposits and loans). Floating the Australian dollar This is where the foster of the currency is determined by the supply and demand of that certain currency. This changes the cost to import from or export to Australia, because the value of the dollar fluctuates. There is an inverse relation between the value of the dollar and the cost to import/export from/to Australia. Gr anting 40 foreign exchange licenses This allowed foreign banks to enter the Australian financial system, and was done in order to boost competitiveness in the financial sector. In order to make the Australian banks more competitive, the procedure to set up domestic institutions was made more simple.The consequences of de-regulation are to do with the effects of speculation on appreciation and depreciation of the currency. When there is speculation that the value of the Australian dollar will stand up, more people will purchase when it is still low. This increased demand will then cause the dollar to rise because of the floating exchange rate (as shown above). This in turn will have a negative effect on exports from Australia because the currency is worth more in comparison to others. An example is if the USA are importing goods from Australia with the Australian dollar buying 40 US cents. There will be more exports from Australia at this exchange rate in comparison to when 1 Austr alian dollar will by 1 US Dollar.Outline the role of the WTO, IMF and the World trust in the global EconomyThe World Trade Organisation is a global establishment that supervises and implements rules controlling global trade. It is at the middle of decreasingtrade protection and barriers. The trade policies that are determined by the WTO and multilateral agreements have expanded world trade therefore it is seen as a symbol of globalisation. The acquisition of the WTO in decreasing obstructions to trade and encouraging globalisation can be attributed to a reduction in mainly tariffs and quotas. This is done by Enforcing international agreements and trade rules Controlling trade disputes Observing trade policies Supervise trade negotiationsWhile many countries have based their development on export and support globalisation entirely, there are many opponents to globalisation that have hindered the WTOs protection reduction scheme through protesting. This is known as the anti-globalis ation process and is undertaken by numerous individuals/organisations because they are opposed to transnational corporations having un-regulated power and specifically because of profit maximisation leading to reducing costs which may lead to a more dangerous naturalize place. The success of the WTO is measured by world trade figures. The amount of merchandise trade exports in 1990 was 14 times bigger than in 1950.The International fiscal fund is an establishment that has been set up with the intention to help countries finance trade and assist with balance of payments. Its prime intention is to guarantee steadiness of the oecumenical financial structure, the system of exchange rates and worldwide payments that allows countries and its people to purchase goods and services from each other. In short it promotes globalisation. This is completed by loaning monetary resource to nations in crisis to aid them in paying debts, imports and stabilising currencies. Examples of nations nee ding financial aid are Russia in 1998, many countries in Asia in 1998 and Argentina in 2003. The countries that puzzle help from the IMF usually have conditions imposed on them. The types of conditions that the IMF imposes include An increase in taxes Decreasing financial assistance on food and fuel Requiring members to reveal monetary and fiscal policiesSince these reduce the living conditions of the impoverished, the IMF is frequently perceived as supporting global capital at the expense of the poor. It is, in addition, criticised for pushing nations at the beginning of the economic life cycle to open their economies, float their currencies, and reduce manufacturing and trade barriers. Since there are lags, it takes a while for the income levels to rise and demonstrate the benefits of these actions undertaken by the IMF.The World Bank is built as an organisation for financially supporting long standing expansion scheme for developing nations. The loans that are made towards thes e developing nations have a very low interest rate and are commonly referred to as soft loans. It not only lends money cheaply to developing nations, but also enforces procedures in order to endorse trade, boost exports and deregulation. An example of this is where some farmers in certain impoverished nations are persuaded to harvest produce for global demand, rather than for neighbouring areas. This may be done in order to boost profits from exports for the entire country. Although this may have a negative impact on local areas because rather than having those supplies used for the locals, they are used, instead for use in exports.Analyse how the global reference book crisis has changed global trade and financial flowsThe global realisation crisis has affected global trade and financial flows within the economy greatly. The following trade statistics show the trade numbers between the years 2005-08.YearImportsExports20049.510.5200566.520066.58.52007262008-121.5The trend of the da ta can be analysed in the following graph.Results taken from World Trade Organisation website http//www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/its2010_e/its10_toc_e.htmFrom the results above it can be seen that between the years 2004 and 2008 there was a drastic decrease in the export and import numbers internationally from 10.5% to -12%. This was due to the effects of the Global Credit Crisis. This will be shown belowThe global credit crisis began having major impacts in 2007, and still has major impacts on most economies in 2010. The global credit crisis began in the 1980s, where gigantic companies produced mechanical goods. At the end of the decade these firms identified that much more money could be made by investing into the financial industry. An example of a company that took part in this exercise was GE, who by the 90s, was making 10 times more money in investment, than in the production of goods. Due to the amount of cheap loans available, they borrowed much and became in debt. Thi s money was then used to invest in financial bubbles. At first hefty profits were made, and many companies followed suit and by 2005 there was 14 so much money invested in speculation, that in value it equalled 14 times the value of the American economy. Debt began being offered to low income earners to in order to make more money and they could not pay it off. This had an incredible impact on the rest of the world, showing the speculation that when America sneezes, everybody catches a cold. Australia was one of the less affected countries due to its link with China.The global credit crisis had a large effect on global trade and financial flows. They include Less demand for goods and services Since there was far less demand, the price of elastic goods and service will go down, translating into less production, leading to greater unemployment. From this unemployment, there will be less household income therefore less goods and services will be bought. It was like a never cultivatio n circle. Less availability of credit After the banks had gone bankrupt, there was no body to lend money to consumers, meaning spending was minimal. Rapidly decreasing realise Domestic Product-Australia has developed a foreign debt of almost $A500 billion from borrowing money in order to fix the extended account deficit. There have been major changes in trade patterns that reflect the changes in the global economy. The rapid growth of China and the export of their manufactured goods, have led to a massive increase of raw materials demanded of certain countries like Australia. Results show that in 2003 the exports from Australia to China were triple what they were in 1990. This ever growing link between Asia and Australia has such a large importance that one of the objectives of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) is to have Australia join so that free trade can occur between them. In conclusion it can be said that the structure and target of Australian trade is greatly affected by the trends of the global economy.

The Character of Gertrude in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- GCSE Course

The Character of Gertrude in Shakespeares Hamlet The Gertrude in Shakespeares tragic drama Hamlet is controversial in the sense that slightly critics uphold her deterrent exampleity and some deny it. Lets consider this question and others related to this character. Gertrude has many good qualities in the play she is non criminal through and through. Rebecca Smith in Scheming Adulteress or Loving Mother presents an image of the queen in Shakespeares Hamlet that is perhaps not consistent with that presented by the ghost Although she may have been partially answerable for Claudius monstrous act of fratricide and although her marriage to Claudius may have been indirectly responsible for making a monster of Hamlet, Gertrude is never seen in the play inducing anyone to do anything at all monstrous. . . . When one closely examines Gertrudes actual legal transfer and actions in an attempt to understand the character, one finds little that hints at hypocrisy, suppression, or unc ontrolled passion and their implied complexity. . . . She speaks plainly, directly and chastely when she does speak. . . .(81-82) Gunnar Bokland in Hamlet describes Gertrudes moral descent during the course of Shakespeares Hamlet With Queen Gertrude and finally also Laertes deeply involved in a situation of increasing ugliness, it becomes clear that, although Claudius and those who come to with him are not the incarnations of evil that Hamlet sees in them, they are corrupt enough from any balanced point of view, a condition that is also intimated by the heavy-headed revel that distinguishes life at the Danish court. (123) Gertrudes contamination does indeed affect the hero. Courtney Lehmann and Lisa S. Starks in Making Mother Matter ... ...//ds.dial.pipex.com/thomas_larque/ham1-col.htm Jorgensen, Paul A. Hamlet. William Shakespeare the Tragedies. Boston Twayne Publ., 1985. N. pag. http//www.freehomepages.com/ village/other/jorg-hamlet.html Lehmann, Courtney and Lisa S. Starks. Mak ing Mother Matter Repression, Revision, and the Stakes of Reading Psychoanalysis Into Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet. Early Modern Literary Studies 6.1 (May, 2000) 2.1-24 <URL http//purl.oclc.org/emls/06-1/lehmhaml.htm>. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http//www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos. Smith, Rebecca. Gertrude Scheming Adulteress or Loving Mother? Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of Hamlet A Users Guide. New York Limelight Editions, 1996.

The Missouri Compromise :: American America History

The Missouri CompromiseA compromise is when two or more parties in disagreement reach an agreement that does not give all sides exactly what they want, but enough of what they want so that they can be happy. Compromise is the best possible solution to a conflict however it does not always work. One needs only to look at situations such as the Bosnia-Herzegovina to see that. During the events forward to the American Civil War, many different compromises were made in an attempt to impede the growing disagreements. However this merely prolonged the inevitable. The differences amidst North and southeastern were far to great and compromise did not stand a chance at preventing the impending conflict. This was most clearly shown in the ways in which the collar main compromises, the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, failed.In 1820 Missouri wanted to join the Union as a slave state. As this would ruin the balance amidst Slave states and Free state s in the Senate, Henry Clay proposed the Missouri compromise. This arranged it that while Missouri was admitted as a Slave state, Maine was also admitted as a free state. It also created an imaginary line along the 36o latitude, where slavery was allowed below it but prevented above it. However they limited themselves by only applying the Compromise to lands gained in the Louisiana purchase. This led to conflict after the Mexican war in which America gained new territories in the West. This doomed the Missouri Compromise, which was probably the most vivid of the three. Had the Compromise been applied to all American lands then perhaps it could have succeeded. Instead the Missouri Compromise failed and only led to further conflict between north and south in the future.In 1849 once again the Union was facing the same crises it had faced in 1820. California now wanted to be admitted as a free state. Once again Henry Clay came up with a compromise to resolve this conflict. California w ould indeed be admitted as free while the rest of the Southwest territories would decide the slavery issue by popular sovereignty. It would also abolish slavery altogether in capital of the United States DC and initiate a stronger fugitive slave law to appease the South. This last concession angered people in the North however. Free blacks were pertain as now a Southerner could accuse any black person as being a runaway slave.