Baseline Project Plan Report Essay

1.0Introduction A.Project overview- Project scope: We will contract yearly with university to create wiring network of PCs in laboratory for students with 60 PCs and maintenance it during 5 year. Justification: we want to make the interface between students and staff and between the students themselves more easily and usefully. Recourse requirement: to make this network I need 60 computer, cables and switches, server for the internet tables and chare. Schedules: we must finish this network in 16 days. The problem: the data is difficult to transform between the staff and it is always redundant when it will be use and there is many resources (like printers, faxes †¦..) The environment: the university with student and staff have good experience in PCs and in the network The Constraints: can face us is the lab is so small to fit 60 PCs and the budget is very less than the cost. B.Recommendation- planning process is to buying all thing to make the network and built it in the lab and finally is to test this network and maybe to maintenance it in the future , so I recommend to make a very professional network with 60 high speed computers and with huge hard disk and with speed access to the Internet . 2.0System Description A.Alternatives- to solve the problem I face is to make a wiring network ,wireless network ,or to share the data by emails or easily with flash memory B.System description: wiring network: is network build in lab for university with cables and switches that receive data from any computer and maybe store it or transfer it to another computer, or receive a request for one of the recourses and then do it. 3.0Feasibility Assessment A.Economic Analysis- TANGIBLE BENEFIT WORKSHEET Year 1 through 5 1- Error reduction. 2- Increased speed of activity. 3- Improve the planning and services 4- Cost reduction 5- Other6,500 15,000 4,500 30,000 0 TOTAL tangible benefits56,000 B.Technical Analysis- C.Operational Analysis- This project is save time, make the data transfers faster than before and all features we put it is useful to solve this problem . D.Legal and contractual Analysis-just the related to departure web sites is legal and not all persons can use this lap. E.Political Analysis- there is an agreements between us so each girl must be agree on the work of other girls and there is an agreements between us and the university so must the responsible person for the project happy from our work F.Schedules, Timeline, Resource Analysis- The project finish on time and don’t late and the network ready to use. 4.0Management Issues A.Team Configuration and Management-We are a group of 5 girls one of us is a group leader and two is responsible for communication with the supplier and other for linking and building the network and one for software and all group do the maintenance if something wrong happen in the future B.Communication Plan- we make meeting approximately every 2 days and communicate with email also and some of them go to university also every 2 days to show them the work. C.Project Standard and Procedures- the organization evaluate us depend on our work that must be what the university want , the time of finish the project

Macro Environment External Forces that Affect Bakery Industry Essay

Executive summary Paris Baguette is a French inspired Korean bakery, which started in 1945, and it started off as a small bakery. Paris Baguette is now a highly competitive bakery that has 32 stores worldwide and 4 stores in Singapore. This report is to advice Paris Baguette on matters that are associated with effective marketing for its product, place, promotion and price. This report will talk about things like, what Marco-environment that will affect the bakery  industry as well as what microenvironment that will affect our organization. This report will also be explain what product positioning and perceptual mapping is and with the aid of perceptual mapping it will illustrate the product positioning of Paris Baguette against their competitors. The recommendation for the report is to advertise Paris Baguette on television or the newspaper to increase brand awareness. In addition, to open more branches in Singapore, as four stores is nothing compared to their competitors like Bread Talk. Background Paris Baguette has started in 1945, called as ‘Sang-mi-dang’ in Woongjin, Korea. They had moved Sang-mi-dang to Seoul in 1948. The president of the company, Chang Sung Hur had changed the name of the company as ‘Sam Lip General Food Company in 1968 and entered the franchise market as a general food company. In 1997, they have decided to have product brand called ‘Shany Cake’ hence, the Sam lip and Shany cake shown great impact in the bread industry. In order to strengthen their business, they realized they need bakery brand so they established Paris Croissant in 1986 and they called it as ‘Paris Baguette’, which is a luxury French bakery brand. They have made first store at Gwanghwamun(Korea), one of the place that a lot of people in Korea. They had good success, kept expanding the stores, and had 100 stores in Korea in 1992. They did 1st place in bakery industry in 1997, and they maintained the 1st place all the way. In 2004, they decided to expand the stores overseas and opened first store in Shanghai. As a result, they have around 3,200 stores in Korea alone. Macro Environment external forces that affect bakery industry 2.1Demographic environment The term ‘demography’ refers to the study of human population on the basis of gender, age, race, income level, density, education, family size, occupation, etc. According to the data reports that released by Singapore government, the population of female residents is nearly equal to males. The main target customers of bakery industry are consider as females because they are most likely to have a sweet tooth. It means that there is still some room for improvement to attract potential customers, such as males.  Besides, an aging population and declining birth rate also has impact on bakery industry. The range in age from 5 to 35 is considered as main target customers in bakery industry. With the increase of elderly and decrease of children, consumers of bakery industry will be gradually decrease. In order to attract more potential customers, bakery companies may launch new products that suitable for males and elders, such as salty bread with meat or soft bread, which can be easily chew. 2.2Political Environment As a country, which has been crown the most business-friendly economy all over the world for the previous 7 years, no one will doubt that Singapore government encourage the development of company. Policy support helps with company operation, such as decrease the business income tax- it will increase the profit of company. Singapore government increase the wages tax in order to help poor people, thus, more customers will be able to afford bread. In addition, policies of childbirth encouragement and immigration also help to increase the numbers of consumers. Children are attract by lovely look and sweet taste of desserts, Europeans and Americans prefer bread instead of rice, and they should be regulars of bakeries. However, these policies also benefit other companies in bakery industry, and it will result in increasing of competitions. In order to hold the market share, the company may reduce the price of bread or launch more variety of bread. 2.3Economic Environment Economic factors are consists of inflations, taxation, interest rate, currency exchanges rate, depression, etc. Those factors will influence the purchasing power and spending patterns of customers. If the interest rate increased, people would like to save their money in bank instead of spending them. That will result in decrease of buying power, thus, the profit of company will reduced also. Inflation also causes decrease of buying power. Inflation puts a lot of pressure on people, and they will decrease daily expenses, it may influence the bakery industry. Micro Environment forces that affect Paris Baguette 2.4Competitors In Singapore, Break Talk considered as a competitor of Paris Baguette because both of these two brands are consists of bakery and cafà ©. In comparison, Bread Talk is more famous and familiar than Paris Baguette because it is the local brand and it is plenty of branches. There are only four outlets of Paris Baguette, but more than 25 branches of Bread Talk in Singapore. The advantages of Paris Baguette are ‘delicacy’ and variety of products. Delicate appearances of decorate and products attract many customers. The advantages of Bread Talk are it’s lower price and promotions. To compare these two brands, Paris Baguette is more suitable for yuppies, but Bread Talk is suitable for ordinary family. 2.5Customers The customers positioning of Paris Baguette: children, couples and 15 to 35-year-old females. Products of Paris Baguette are more expensive than other general bakery brands, thus, consumers of Paris Baguette should be well pay. Customers prefer cafà © of Paris Baguette, so they frequented braches in the afternoon, especially during the weekends. Macro environment forces that affect Paris Baguette Two of the Macro environment, which have affect Paris Baguette are the Economic environment and social-cultural environment. The economic environment affected the Paris Baguette franchises, which the production costs increased due to the price of the oil and the grain increased. All the franchises have to pay more in order to purchase the ingredients. Besides, Paris Baguette in the American and China markets have faced some uncertain economic failure. This has cause quite a big impact to Paris Baguette. â€Å"A weak currency is the sign of a weak economy, and a weak economy leads to a weak nation.† (Perot, N.D). In addition, the social-cultural environment, which affect Paris Baguette have to know the different cultural food taste of the chosen country, which mean they have to find out what type of products can increase the interest and Paris Baguette have to cooperate with it by creating the product the people like. Besides, for the aging people and woman will give more attention to their own health and they prefer more on organic food. In order to aim a bigger market, Paris Baguette has to produce more organic and healthy products due to the healthy diet flow. Product Positioning. Product positioning is one of marketing techniques that promote products in the best way to target audiences. The most important thing is to buy the product. It is quite similar with market segmentation as the product positioning is made of creating the message and involves the symbol and manipulation, which conclude display and packaging. In Paris baguette, they used 5methods for the product positioning. They are ‘threat of new entrants (too much capital is not required for joining the bakery franchise market)’, ‘bargaining power of suppliers (the raw material is important for them in bakery industry and the materials like rice and flour)’, ‘threat of substitute products (many other substitute products are exist such as flour based food, instant food, etc. For example, Starbucks is one of cafà © that makes high profit with substitute products)’, ‘bargaining power of customers (They don’t have difficulty to switch purchasing outlets because of standardized bakery products)’ and ‘competitive rivalry within an industry (there is intense competition in the market among other brands because of saturation. There does not have many firms within industry but big brands like Tour les Jour exist. There also have high exit barriers and hard to differentiate the strategic for each firm.)’. Perceptual mapping From the picture above, we can see that Paris Baguettes (PB) and Baker & Cook (B&C) has the high price and high quality compared to Sunshine Bakery (SB). It is because PB and B&C uses very good quality and high cost for the ingredients compared to SB. B&C is selling products slightly higher than PB is because of the company’s regulation. Paris Baguette use the product positioning strategy, which is ‘positioning by price/quality’. This is because they want to make sure their customer satisfy with their products and can consume their product is in high quality in other words mean the taste of the bread, the freshness and the crispiness of the bread. However, in order to produce a high quality product, they have to use high quality raw materials to produce their products such as the flour, butter, grain and other, which mean their products are in high quality and the price is slightly higher. â€Å"The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.† (Kroc, 1984) Marketing research The primary marketing research technique that I would recommend Paris Baguette to use for collecting information related to customer satisfaction is the survey method. The survey method is by far the most popular of all the research method. Survey method is a list of questions that ask individuals about their preferences, attitudes towards our product and buying behaviours. We would need to create the questionnaire that will record the data. Example of the survey question will be: What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you think of Paris baguette? Do you enjoy our selection of bread? Which one of our product do you like best? How can we improve on our product? Are our prices reasonable? Are our staffs friendly? Is our branch location convenient for you? What new product would you like to try? What is your age group? Others- These questions will help Paris Baguette improve on their product and find out what their customers thinks about the organization and what new products they would like to see from Paris baguette. One finding that I have found from the marketing research is that our shops location is inconvenient for people that are rushing. In addition, we open only at 10a.m, which is after the morning peak hour. Paris Baguette can make our stores more convenient for the working class by putting them near the MRT stations and opening our stores before the morning peak hour. By opening our stores during peak hour we can attract people who have not ate their breakfast as they are rushing for work, and by putting our stores near an MRT. It would make it much more convenient for people to come to our stores to buy our product especially those who are rushing. Marketing Mix Strategies of Paris Baguette Marketing mix consists on the 4Ps, which are product, price, promotion and place. We are going to analyse the marketing mix the Paris Baguette bakery. In first place, we can see that the Paris Baguette is a bakery with a high variety of products. The Paris Baguette supplies fresh bakery products in over 3000 locations worldwide. Their products are different for each country depending on the culture and the people of each country. They do not have the same products In United States and In Singapore, for example. This is because people from different countries have different preferences of taste. However, there are some common products in all their branches. For example, the most common products are the types of bread, the pastries and pie, the cakes, desserts and sandwiches and beverages. They also sell other type of products like cups of tea. Talking about the price, the price in the Paris Baguette is equal to the quality of the product and the cost of purchase. The Paris Baguette keeps affordable prices in order to be accessible for more people to attract more customers. Of course they have to analyse the competitors prices and offers before adjust the final price of their products. Also determining the demand of each product and the estimating costs. If a product has a high demand, the cost would increase. For example, a piece of cake would cost around $3.95. Talking about the promotion, the Paris Baguette is a bakery with lots of promotions. They use two different ways of promotion to attract people. The first way is to do advertisements about their products with nice pictures and an apparently family friendly place. The second way is doing sales promotion. For example, buy one dessert and get the second one free, or doing breakfast offers like a cup of coffee and a sandwich for $3.50. They use this two ways for promotion. Finally, the place. The Paris Baguette focuses always in getting branches in the centre of the cities. They are not interested in getting branches in small towns or places with not too much people. This is because they want a high average of people per day and this can achieved just in the centre of the cities and specific places. For example, in Singapore they have a big branch in Orchard, which is the main road in Singapore. Marketing Mix In my opinion, there are a few points that Paris Baguette could implement in  the future. This can be focus on the promotion events. In my opinion, the Paris Baguette could implement quite a lot their customers by doing some cake and bread events. Paris Baguette can attract more customers, while promoting their products. This could be done by doing some events each year rent a place in a shopping mall and set up a stage in a large crowd places . Meanwhile, while promoting their products, Paris Baguette can give out their new products with free of charge . This would be an improvement for their fame. This because as long as it is free, when people try their bakery products and it taste good, people will buy the products. These events will attract people from everywhere, which mean Paris Baguette will have more customers buying their products and it will increase their profit. â€Å"Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast about your project or service, and that bring friends with them.† (Edwards, 1993) Recommendation In Singapore, Bread Talk’s fame surpasses Paris Baguette. Thus, Paris Baguette may advertise on TV or newspaper in order to increases brand awareness. Besides, they also need to expand more branches all around Singapore in every single shopping malls to increase competitive. This is because are only four branches of Paris Baguette, which is far less than numbers of branches of Bread Talk and other bakery companies. Conclusion ‘Sang mi dang’ was a small bakery which began in 1945. After some improvement, Paris Baguette have been start up and their business expand with a rapid speed. Paris Baguette is a mature domestic franchise bakery with a high percentage of share terms and their shops have already franchised to worldwide. Paris Baguette have maintained their high position for a period. This is because they have did their Micro and Macro environmental factors, which will affect their business, and they try to overcome it. Besides, Paris Baguette also did investigation of its competitors, in order to know more about its competitors. After the investigation have done, they try to compare it to their own companies by using a perceptual mapping concept, which can help them to know their own range with its competitors. Moreover, to know how to gain more customers, Paris baguette choose a survey method by asking the random passers and to  know more about, which bakery products do they prefer or like. In addition, Paris baguette known as a bakery which more on product and price, which mean they sell high quality products. Therefore, they will choose a high quality of raw ingredients to produce their products and set up a higher price but reasonable. Nevertheless, Paris Baguette also choose more crowded area to set up their shop to let more people notice their shop and buy their products. Besides, in order to attract customer, Paris Baguette also did some promotions for theirs products such as the special of the day for the products. References Barney, J.B (1995). â€Å"Looking inside for competitive advantage,† Academy of Management Executive, 9(4), 49-61 Cafehopping. (2012-2014). Paris Baguette. Available: http://cafehopping.sg/review-post/paris-baguette-cafe-singapore/. Last accessed 3rd April 2014. Demographics of Singapore. [ONLINE] Available from: [Accessed 20 March 2014] Henry, A (2008), Understanding Strategic Management (1st ed.), Oxford : OUP. Jaeseok Jeong, et. al. (2013). Sucess Factor of Paris Baguette’s Bakery Frachise Business : Industry Competition and Core Competence Analysis. ASIA MARKETING JOURNAL. 15 (2), p1-27. James Manktelow. (1996-2014). The Marketing Mix and 4 Ps. Available: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_94.htm. Last accessed 3rd April 2014. Political Environment. [ONLINE] Available from: [Accessed 27 March 2014] Ray Kroc. (1902-1984). Ray Kroc quotes. Available: last accessed 1st April 2014. Ross Peros, (N.D).Quotes. Available: Last accessed 1st April 2014. S. Jaychandran (2006). Marketing Management: text and cases. New Delhi: Anurag Jain. Singapore is most business-friendly for 7th year straight By Malminderjit Singh The Business Times | Fri, Oct 26, 2012 [ONLINE] Available from: [Accessed 21 March 2014] W. Edwards. (1900-1993). W. Edwards Deming quotes. Available: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/profit_in_business_comes_from_repeat_customers/226671.html. Last accessed 3rd April 2014. What is a macro environment? [ONLINE] Available from: [Accessed 20 March 2014]

Low-cost Leadership Program Essay

The best way for an organization to implement a low cost leadership-training program is to use a variety of approaches; this will maximize organizations efforts to have well trained employees with a focus on long-term development. In the case of a non-profit organization, the best way to set up a low-cost-leadership-training program would be to set-up a training committee. The committee would be composed of entry-level managers, upper management, and executives. This would allow for entry-level managers to have an input regarding what the employees need training and developing on. Also, with t upper-management and executives being involved and spearheading the committee, it lets employees realize that the organization cares about its employees. Once the training committee has been set up, it can then look into the variety of options they have available to them. It can send committee members to seminars, conferences, and trainings, which in turn would allow them to gather information and then train the organizations employees on the matter at hand. For example, a non-profit that works in family and youth development can send 3 site managers and 1 area director to a BOOST conference, a three-day conference that assists non-profits with ways to fundraise, market, build relationships with school faculty, connecting with members, redirecting negative behavior, etc. The employees that were chosen would then bring back the information they learned and recreate the training for the employees in the organization. Financially, this would be a great way for the organization to save money, while still managing to train employees. The training committee would also set up site visits to other highly productive companies and organizations. By doing so, the committee can send non-committee members as well as committee officials to do site visits to observe the work culture and environment of such company. The committee would have to brief the employees on what the purpose of the visit will be; therefore, allowing the employees to prepare questions that can be tailored to extract information pertinent to their needs. For example, the Boys and Girls Club doing a site visit to the YMCA. Finally, managers can find themselves overwhelmed by the amount of people they oversee and allotting enough time to each employee. Employees have a myriad  of concerns and issues that they might want to address with their supervisors. However, many times these issues are minimal but time consuming. Therefore, in order to minimize distractions and optimize productivity from lone employees and managers, setting up a mentor program within the organization would be a highly effective addition to training and developing program. Long-standing company employees would be mentors to new employees. This would allow for new employees to have a person to resort to in case they have any doubts or questions. The pros of setting up a training committee are low financial costs. It also allows for employees from all categories to interact and join efforts in the overall improvement of the organization. Also, if the organizations overall production increases and the organization sees sufficient growth, this committee can become its own department in the long run. It is important to keep in mind that regardless of the benefits this may provide a company, it undoubtedly will also come its consequences. In order for the company to ensure that the committee is successful, it will have to ensure that the committee members are effective communicators, great planners, and have plenty of public speaking skills. Otherwise, this will be detrimental to the committee but more importantly to the employees who will be receiving training from them. Also, trainings must be composed of material that will be useful to employees, and has to incorporate active learning techniques, case analysis, and hands on interaction in order to involve and stimulate the employees. The mentor program might also face its problems, so when pairing up employees, upper management must ensure that personalities are compatible and that the mentor is qualified to be one.

Personal Learning Lournal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Learning Lournal - Essay Example As Maslow has rightly pointed out in his theory, the motivation of an employee depends on the level of need that they are on. Hence only if the needs at the particular level are met will the employee show some kind of improvement in performance. In the meeting the CEO has been performing miserably, and it is clear from the previous meetings that she lacks leadership skills to a great extent. Although, I have been making efforts to try and contribute to the growth of the company, it is clear that the CEO has completely different ideas. All the meetings in the past have been rushed, last minute and with one or more of the members missing. This shows a clear lack of commitment and also a lack of authority on the CEO’s part. The CEO to a great extent has been assertive and has shown a very poor performance. I have been overloaded with tasks at the end moment, almost three to five hours before the lecture and am asked to complete others pending work. Due to my submissive nature, I have been giving in to all this and have been working although I have completed my part of the work way ahead of time. There is a clear lack of understanding on the side of the CEO that the group members have their personal lives as well which they are required to attend too. The diversity within the group has also been increasing the issues due to cultural differences. There is an obvious teaming up of people from the same country and an understanding only within them. This is very harmful for the group as the secret to the success of this project lies in team work and hard work. The CEO has been working with the intention that the group only requires to be led and has been extremely partial based on the cultural backgrounds of the people. Her style of leadership is mostly an authoritative style, where she has missed out on understanding the group dynamics and has focused on just giving orders to the group members. There has been a clear lack of

Shakespeare's Hamlet- Consider the significance and importance of the Essay

Shakespeare's Hamlet- Consider the significance and importance of the ghost to the play, to the other characters and to the audience, both contemporary and eliz - Essay Example The ghost may be the main reason for Hamlet’s continuing popularity. It is â€Å"the linchpin of Hamlet; remove it and the play falls to pieces† (Wilson 1935). The ghost drives the plot of the play, is a full-blown character in its own right, and it profoundly affects all the characters that encountered it. In addition to this, the ghost attracted the interest of the Elizabethan audience, for which the drama was first performed, and it continues to be the object of many current works of literary criticism. The ghost of Hamlet’s father appears in four scenes of the play. In two of these scenes (Act 1, Scene 1 and Act 1, Scene 4), the ghost appears to people other than Hamlet, specifically Horatio and Marcellus. Barnardo sees the ghost in the first scene, but he is not present in the fourth, or anywhere else in the play. In the other two scenes (Act 1, Scene 5 and Act 3, Scene 4), the ghost appears to Hamlet alone. It is interesting that only Hamlet can see the ghost in the fourth scene of Act 3, even though he is with his mother, in her bedchamber, at the time. Could it be that his contrived â€Å"antic disposition† (Jenkins 1982), the purpose of which was to help him discern the truth of what happened to his father, really did lead to an actual madness? Was he merely imagining the ghost’s presence, or was the ghost really there? It is true enough that at the beginning of the play, the ghost has every appearance of being real. Its presence is even enough to convince Horatio, the scholarly sceptic, that spirits exist. In his own words, â€Å"Before my God, I might not this believe without the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes† (Jenkins 1982). Not only does Horatio believe that it really is a ghost he sees, but he is also convinced that the ghost is the spectre of Hamlet’s late father. He believes this because of the ghost’s costume. â€Å"Such was the very armour he had on when he

My Laptop, the Culprit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Personal statement to apply Msc of Statistics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Tourism - Activity Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

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Foreign Trade and Exchange - International Business - Essay Example The international foreign trade and exchange has developed to constitute free trade policies, guided by reduction of tariffs and quotas in trade and exchange transactions (Justin 425). In other words, the contribution and evolution of the concepts of Mercantilism, Adam Smith, and Ricardo among others have shaped international business today. Apple, Inc. is primary competitive firm globally. It enjoys an absolute advantage in creating product quality and pricing policies that capture the interests of the market in both domestic and global contexts. This follows the idea that Apple manufactures its products at a competitive low production cost relative to rival firms in the industry. Apple’s comparative advantage emanates from its collaboration with other firms like Google in offering its products and services. In other words, Apple understands that it cannot be self-sufficient in business, thus collaborating with other firms in business terms. Comparative advantage in this regard is more important due to the complementarity it provides, through trade and exchange as opposed to being at an advantage that is based on operational costs off trade and exchange in the market (Justin

Quality Education to Students in Monroe College Essay

Quality Education to Students in Monroe College - Essay Example I have always believed that studying at Monroe College would bring many benefits to my life. Education wise, Monroe has received nothing but positive reviews regarding the quality of its curriculum. Given the opportunity to study at Monroe, I am confident that I will grow in leaps and bounds in the field of my interest which is criminal justice. Starting from when I was still a child, I always dreamt of working in the criminal justice department. The interest I have had in this career has led me to expand my knowledge and interests by reading related journals, enabling me to expand my view on the subject. Monroe will certainly provide me with the greatest honour in growing in this career both as a student and as an individual. I still believe that there is more to come because criminal justice is a wide and detailed area of professionalism. Criminal justice entails law enforcement, legal studies, human services, corrections, probation, and parole. In addition to that, it extends to h uman services offered at both the federal and state level. Monroe College will adversely provide me with the opportunity to study and understand the wide range of issues that exist in our society. Currently, my community is ravaged by a mirage of problems, all criminal related. Existing solutions seem to work, but there is a need to provide long-term solutions especially for the complex problems. I believe the knowledge that I will garner at Monroe will provide me with the knowledge and skill to provide lasting solutions to the benefit of the community.

Friedrich Froebels Ideas On the Role of Play In the Early Years Education Essay Example for Free

Friedrich Froebels Ideas On the Role of Play In the Early Years Education Essay Play is probably the very first thing that comes to our minds when we start thinking about our childhood. Certainly its hard to talk about early years without referring to play, as it is a part of childrens natural behaviour, embedded in their spontaneous day-to-day life. The fact that the play is enjoyable is generally agreed, but the value of play in school, however, has been in the centre of much debate in the past (and it seems like that debate is still going on today). The roots of contemporary understanding of the role of play in early childhood education extend clearly to Friedrich Froebel, a German educator, who organized and systematized the methods of early childhood in accordance with the idea of the spontaneous, self-sustaining nature of children (E. Evans, 1971, p. 43). Froebel believed that every child had within him all he was to be at birth, and that the proper educational environment was to encourage the child to grow and develop in the most favourable manner. Young children are to be regarded and tended essentially like plants. Like these, if they were given the right conditions, they would grow and unfold and flower, by their own law, each according to its individual capacity and destiny. (E. Lawrence, 1969, p. 195) In his study of child-nature one of the most marked characteristics, which attracted Froebels attention, was the childs inborn desire for activity, which reveals itself in play. According to Froebel, play is the freest active manifestation of the childs inner self which springs from the need of that inner living consciousness to realize itself outwardly. (H. Bowen, 1907, p. 116) Froebel made a significant contribution to early childhood education by seeing play as a process in which children bring to realization their inner nature. He recognized that children began to learn as soon as they began to interact with the world, and he reasoned that since the interaction was mostly in the form of play, the way to educate a child was through play, as a means of awakening and developing the active and presentative side of his nature; wherefore none, not even the simplest gifts from a child, should ever be suffered to be neglected. (F. Froebel, 1901, p. 77) Froebels continuous studies of the function of play in a childs life came to fruition in the concept of the Kindergarten ? a place where children instruct and educate themselves and where they develop and integrate all their abilities through play. Froebel believed that play provided the means for a childs intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. Games were not just idle time wasting, but the most important steps in the childs development, and they were to be watched by teachers as clues to how the child is developing. It is through play that the child learns the use of his limbs, of all his bodily organs, and with this use gains health and strength. Through play he comes to know the external world, the physical qualities of the objects which surround him, their motions, action, and reaction upon each other, and the relation of these phenomena to himself, ? a knowledge that forms the basis of that which will be his permanent stock for life. (H. Bowen, 1907, p. 101) However, Froebel didnt think that the play of young children should be unprompted at all times. For him the skill of adults was in knowing how and when to intervene, how to support and extend childrens play to help them to grasp and to try out their learning in concrete ways. (T. Bruce, 1997, p. 23) To stimulate learning through well-directed play Froebel designed a series of instructional materials, which he called gifts and occupations.

Independent Practice Issues And Independent Midwifery Nursing Essay

Independent Practice Issues And Independent Midwifery Nursing Essay The founder of modern nursing has rightly quoted that nursing is the care which puts the person in the best possible condition for nature to either restore or preserve health or to prevent or cure injury. Nursing has its own entity and ethics which makes it a profession. In response to the rising health needs, the need for independent nursing is the demand of the hour. This concept is readily formulated and implemented in developed countries. This has helped in meeting the consumers demand for health benefits. During the twentieth century, the nursing profession has undergone immense change. Nursing has progressed from an occupation to a fully licensed profession, with members that provide a broad range of services independently, and in a variety of professional relationships with other providers. This evolution has changed how nurses are educated, clinically prepared, and how they perceive their role. Starting with turn-of-the-century debates concerning the appropriateness of professional nursing practice, registered nurses began assessing not only their licensure status, but their roles related to other professionals. In the early years of the nursing profession, it was generally believed that nurses served and cared for their patients by assisting physicians. However, the perception of nursing often varied dramatically from its practiceThe role of the public health nurse, as it developed earlier in this century, was often independent, with nurses working with families of patients with tuberculosis or other highly contagious diseases and providing a broad range of interventions, both health- and socially-focused. Definition of independent nurse practitioner Wikipedia Definition, An independent Nurse Practitioner(INP) is a registered nurse who has completed specific advanced nursing education (generally a masters degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common as well as complex medical conditions to provide a broad range of health care services. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners: An Independent Nurse Practitioner is referred as advanced practice nurse has a masters degree in nursing in the specialized area of her/his interest and licensed to practice in her/his state. The International Council of Nurses defines INP: A registered nurse who has acquired the expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills and clinical competencies for expanded practice. PHILOSOPHY OF INP The core philosophy of INP is to provide individuals care to patients of all ages. Its care focuses on patients conditions as well as the effects of illness on the lives of the patients and their families. INPs make prevention, wellness and patient education priorities. This means fewer prescriptions and less expensive treatment. Informing patients of their health care and encouraging them to participate in decisions central to the care In addition to care, INPs conduct research and are often active in patient advocacy activities. Standards required for practice of midwifery Midwifery care is provided by qualified practitioner, who is registered Midwifery care occurs in a safe environment with in context of family, community and system of health care. Midwifery care supports individual rights and self determination with in boundaries of safety. Midwifery care comprises of knowledge, skills and judgment that foster the delivery of safe, satisfying and culturally competent care. Midwifery care based up to knowledge, skills and judgment which are reflected in written practice guidelines. Midwifery care is documented in format that assessable and component. Midwifery care is evaluated acc. to an established prog. For quality management that include a plan to identify and resolves problem. Midwifery practices may be extended beyond the set competences to incorporate new procedures, that improves care for women and their family. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF INP Nurse practitioners have provided a healthy partnership with their patients for more than 40 years. INP role originated as one strategy to increase access to primary care. The following are brief historical background of INP. The nurse practitioner role had its inception in the mid-1960s in response to a shortage of physicians. The first NP Program was developed as a masters degree curriculum at the University of Colorados School of Nursing in 1965, founded by Loretta C. Ford, a nursing faculty member and Dr. Henry K. Silver, a pediatrician. Programs were developed across the country to provide additional education for experienced nurses to enable them to provide primary health care services to large underserved populations. The first programs were in pediatrics and they soon spread to many other health care specialties. During 1970-1971 Federal Legislation recommended Certificate Programme for nurses to deliver primary health care. Gradually certificate programme shifted to masters degree In response to health care reform in 1990s 3 INPs programmes were developed to meet the demand of primary care services. By 1994, 248 programme centres were developed for INP in US. In 1995, 49000 nurses were employed as INPs. American Academy of Nurse Practitioner in 1993 developed standard and guidelines for practice of INPs which are still followed. Today 200 universities and colleges are offering INP programme all over the world. 70,000 nurses are working as INP in US. Development of Independent nurse practitioner (Independent Nurse Midwifery Practitioner) development in India The Indian Nursing Council (INC), the parent body of the nursing councils in the country, has rolled out an initiative, which is in the early implementation stage, and has been forwarded for approval to the Union Health ministry. Independent nurse practitioners trained in midwifery has been introduced to bring down the high Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in rural areas. The National Population policy 2000 includes reduction of maternal and infant mortality as one of the socio-demographic goals to be achieved by 2010. The single most important way to reduce maternal death in India would be to ensure that a skilledhealth professional is present at every birth. Skilled care during childbirth is important because millions of women and newborns develop serious and hard to predict complications during or immediately after delivery. Skilled health professions such as doctors or nurses who have midwifery skills can recognize these complications and either treat them or refer women to health centers or hospitals immediately if more skilled care is needed. So, in order to ease the impact of the shortage of gynaecologists in community health centres, INC performed a pilot study for the Independent Nurse Practitioner Project in West Bengal at SSKM Hospitals female medical and surgical wards. The project provides an 18 months training in midwifery, besides an additional training in emergency obstetric care to candidates who have completed their BSc in nursing and have two to three years of clinical experience in ob-gyn wards to take care of ANMS in rural sector. These nurses are called independent nurse practitioners as they are trained to prescribe medicines following approved protocols and take decisions independently in absence of gynaecologists. 2 of the 4 trainees have been assigned to a CHC to manage obstetric cases. The results of the pilot study has been submitted to health ministry and the government of India is currently examining the proposal to extend this project all over India. INC is finalising a curriculum with senior obstetrics and gynaecologists for the training of independent nurse practitioner module. Explains T Dileep Kumar, president, INC, In rural areas, though a community health centre should be manned by physician, surgeon, paediatrician and gynaecologist, the community health centre is usually found facing a shortage of gynaecologists. Its in such a scenario, that the role of independent nurse practitioner gains importance, here, Auxiliary midwives are trained. Independent nurse practitioners should be regarded as a part of solution for improving quality, access and cost of care and continuing education. BASIC requirements of Independent nurse midwifery practitioner Becoming Independent nurse midwifery practitioner is one of the important challenges as it needs specialized qualification. The basic requirements are mentioned below: Basic nursing education Registered nurse Advance Nursing Certification (Master Degree in Obstetics and gynaecology nursing) Collaboration with any hospital/agencies for referral and reimbursement Areas of practice Independent nurse midwifery practitioners work in a variety of settings, including: Community Clinics and Health Centres Nurse managed centres private practices (either by themselves or together with a physician), hospitals, nursing homes, birthing centers. Womens Health Clinics Home health care agencies/Home Nursing Schools or colleges based health clinics They often provide care to underserved populations in rural areas or inner-city settings. What Independent nurse midwifery practitioner can do? Midwifery nurse practitioner is a registered professional nurse, with a current license to practice, who is prepared for advanced nursing practice by virtue of knowledge and skills obtained through a post-basic or advanced education program of study acceptable to the State Board of Nurse Examiners. She is prepared to practice in an expanded role to provide primary care to women, to well-woman related to reproductive health, conduct annual gynecological exams, provide education regarding family planning, and provide menopausal care. She provides care in a variety of settings including, but not limited to homes, hospitals, institutions, community agencies, public and private clinics, and private practice. She acts independently and/or in collaboration with other health care professionals to deliver health care services. She conducts comprehensive health assessments aimed at health promotion and disease prevention. She is capable of solo practice with clinically competent skills and are legally approved to provide a defined set of services without assistance or supervision of another professional. Midwifery practitioners are specialists in low-risk pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. They generally strive to help women to have a healthy pregnancy and natural birth experience. They are trained to recognize and deal with deviations from the normal. Midwifery nurse practitioners are uniquely qualified to resolve unmet needs in primary health care by serving as an individuals point of first contact with the health care system. This contact provides a personalized, client-oriented, comprehensive continuum of care and integrates all other aspects of health care over a period of time. Their focus of care is on health surveillance (promotion and maintenance of wellness), but it also provides for management of complications in order to maintain continuity. Midwifery practitioners refer women to general practitioners or obstetricians when a pregnant woman requires care beyond the their area of expertise. They are trained to handle certain more difficult deliveries, including breech births, twin births and births where the baby is in a posterior position, using non-invasive techniques. Nurse-midwives work together with OB/GYN doctors. They either consult with or refer to other health care providers in cases that are outside of their experience (for example, high-risk pregnancies and pregnant women who also have a chronic disease). Many studies over the past 20 30 years have shown that nurse-midwives can manage most perinatal (including prenatal, delivery, and postpartum) care, and most of the family planning and gynecological needs of women of all ages. Nurse-midwifery practitioners have improved primary health care services for women in rural and inner-city areas. SCENARIO OF MIDWIFERY IN USA INDEPENDENT MIDWIFERY PRACTICE It is the position of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) that midwifery practice is the independent management of womens health care, focusing particularly on common primary care issues, family planning and gynecologic needs of women, pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period and care of the newborn. The practice occurs within a health care system that provides for consultation, collaborative management or referral as indicated by the health status of the client. Independent midwifery enables certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) to utilize knowledge, skills, judgment, and authority in the provision of primary womens health services while maintaining accountability for the management of patient care in accordance with ACNM Standards for the Practice of Midwifery. Independent practice is not defined by the place of employment, the employee-employer relationship, requirements for physician co-signature, or the method of reimbursement for services. Nor should independent be interpreted to mean alone, as there are clinical situations when any prudent practitioner would seek the assistance of another qualified practitioner. Collaboration is the process whereby health care professionals jointly manage care. The goal of collaboration is to share authority while providing quality care within each individuals professional scope of practice. Successful collaboration is a way of thinking and relating that requires knowledge, open communication, mutual respect, a commitment to providing quality care, trust and the ability to share responsibility. SCENARIO OF MIDWIFERY IN UNITED KINGDOM Independent Midwives UK represent the majority of independent midwives in the UK. The organisation is committed to improving maternity provision for all women in the UK and is working with other support, service and professional groups, including the Government, to achieve that objective. Independent Midwives UK also provides professional advice and mutual support for independent midwives. The former Independent Midwives Assosiation has recently become Independent Midwives UK, an Industrial and Provident Society. The new organisation is a Social Enterprise and with Government support, Independent Midwives UK is working towards making Independent Midwifery available to all women who are entitled to NHS maternity care. Independent Midwife Independent Midwives are fully qualified midwives who have chosen to work outside the NHS in a self employed capacity. Independent midwives fully support the principals of the NHS and are currently working to ensure that all women can access gold standard of care in the future ( LINK). The role of the midwife encompasses the care of women and babies during pregnancy, birth and the early weeks of motherhood. Qualification and regulation of midwives Midwifery is the most securely regulated profession in the UK. All practising midwives must adhere to the Midwives Rules which are enshrined in the 1902 Midwives Act of Parliament and subsequent amendments. All independent midwives have undertaken full midwifery training and are subject to annual supervisory visits and equipment checks. In line with the requirements of our regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, we are required to ensure that our clinical practice is up to date and that our actions are within our sphere of competence. Role in emergency conditions There are very few genuine emergencies during childbirth; this is why research has shown that for most women homebirth is at least as safe if not safer than hospital birth. As the experts in childbirth, midwives are trained to recognise any early warning signs that things may not be progressing normally and to take appropriate action. If the unexpected should happen, all midwives are trained in emergency resuscitation of both mothers and babies Independent Midwives carry all the necessary emergency drugs and equipment and these are checked on a yearly basis by a supervisor of midwives. Emergency equipments Independent Midwives carry all the necessary emergency equipment to ensure that if a baby is born needing resuscitation, this can be performed. For example: oxygen, suction, bag and mask. All midwives are trained in emergency resuscitation. Independent Midwives also carry emergency drugs in case a woman is bleeding heavily. They update ourselves on a yearly basis in emergency neonatal resuscitation and many of us have attended emergency skills workshops tailored for independent midwives attending homebirths. It is a requirement that our equipment is checked on a yearly basis by a supervisor of midwives. As Independent Midwives, often working alone and mainly facilitating homebirth, we are very conscious that we need to be completely up to date with all the necessary skills should an emergency occur. Charges for services As Independent Midwives are all self-employed they are all able to choose what they charge. Independent Midwives have to cover all their own costs such as training, equipment and travel. Rates may vary in different areas of the UK; currently a complete package of care will cost you between  £2000 and  £4500 (approx). Most Iindependent Midwives will want to receive payment in full by the time you are 36 weeks pregnant but if you have genuine difficulties in paying please discuss it with your Independent Midwife as most can offer flexible payment plans. Credentials to become a midwife Becoming an independent midwife can seem a daunting challenge but many midwives have taken the leap and few regret doing so. Once a midwife has completed an approved programme of education and is registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC) she/he may practice where ever she/he chooses to in accordance with NMC rules. In the UK that could be in the NHS, the private sector, with an agency  or as an independent self employed midwife. If a midwife chooses to be self employed she is regulated by the NMC midwives rules and standards, and must adhere to the same statutory obligations as an employed midwife. SCENARIO OF MIDWIFERY IN AUSTRALIA Midwives in Private Practice (MIPP) For centuries midwives have worked among their communities providing care to women. Historically midwives have held a philosophy of care based on the belief that pregnancy is, basically, a healthy process and a normal part of life, growth and development. It is this belief that guides the way in which midwives in private practice work. Midwives choosing to work privately, rather than being employed by hospitals and other institutions, do so because it allows them to be flexible about the care they provide. That is, the care offered will be in partnership, directed primarily by the wishes of the women and their families. The private practitioner midwife is able to provide continuity of care to the families who have chosen to use her services. During the pregnancy, the woman and her family develop a friendly supportive relationship with their midwife (in some cases eg homebirth, the care is shared by two midwives). On the day the baby is born the midwife remains with the woman throughout the entire labour. There are no shift changes that require the midwife to leave. During the first week of the babys life the same midwife visits each day until the baby has settled into a feeding pattern and the parents feel confident in caring for their new baby. Some midwives in private practice choose to work in specific areas. For example, some may offer postnatal care, or advice with difficult breastfeeding problems (Lactation Consultants) or Maternal and Child Health (MCHN). In addition, some midwives are skilled and have qualifications in complementary areas such as acupuncture, counselling, naturopathy, chiropractic, massage or homeopathy. The range of services provided: Pre-pregnancy advice Advice about birth options Childbirth education classes Sibling preparation classes Continuous midwifery care during pregnancy Preparation for and attendance at births in an appropriate environment of the parents choice Postnatal care following birth at home, birth centre or hospital Separate postnatal care for women who want private midwifery care for this period only or who are discharged home early from hospital Lactation consultancy Acupuncture and Chiropractic Referral to and advice about other health professionals such as medical and natural health practitioners, eg obstetricians, paediatricians, GPs, chiropractors, osteopaths, naturopaths, homeopaths Some midwives have a special interest and expertise in supporting women in special areas such as vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC), breech births, water births and postnatal depression. SCENARIO OF MIDWIFERY IN INDIA Prof. Uma Handa (ex Consultant Midwife, UNICEF) has a BS and an MSc in Nursing with specialization in obstetrics and gynecology. She has worked in the field of nursing since 1974, in nursing educational institutions in both the conventional and distance system, as well as in national and international health agencies. Countries in which she has worked include Sri Lanka, UK, Bangladesh and South Africa (University of Namibia-UNAM). She has received many special awards throughout her career. Umas present goal is to promote independent midwifery practice in India to encourage mothers to go through natural childbirth and so that unnecessary medical and surgical interventions can be prevented. Organizations she is member of: Nursing Research Society of India (Founder), Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), White Ribbon Alliance India (WRAI), Society of Midwives, and Executive Committee member Birth India. Issues in independent nurse practice Nursing has been thought to be a part of the medical team where all professionals provide input to build the best care of the patient but now times have changed nurses have developed themselves as independent professionals with a unique body of knowledge. The nurses could not document that they hold a patients medications based on nursing judgment. Such an instance might be when a patient had hypotension from pain medication and thus the morning anti-hypertensive is held. Instead, they need an order from a physician to hold such medication. Further, something like Tylenol on a patients medication record ordered for fever could not be administered by the nurse for a headache if the patient requested it because that would be practicing medicine without a license.   A nurse cannot order a social services consult, flush a urinary catheter should it become clogged, refer a patient for diabetes education, etc., etc., without an order from the supervising physician. Although they were trained to recognize these things, they carried an independent license, sat for an examination to obtain that license, and had years of education. Perhaps nurses really could not do any of these things without a supervising physician to tell them? Physicians, are critical components of the health care team there is no doubt, but why send a nurse to school and give him/her an independent license, scope of practice, and make them answerable to a board of nursing but then limit their usefulness. In the early years of the nursing profession, it was generally believed that nurses served and cared for their patients by assisting physicians. However, the perception of nursing often varied dramatically from its practice. During wars and times of crises, nurses worked with and beside physicians conducting surgical procedures, diagnosing care, and prescribing treatments and drugs. The role of the public health nurse, as it developed earlier in this century, was often independent, with nurses working with families of patients with tuberculosis or other highly contagious diseases and providing a broad range of interventions, both health- and socially-focused. During the twentieth century, the nursing profession has undergone immense change. Nurses have developed themselves as independent professionals with a unique body of knowledge. Nursing has progressed from an occupation to a fully licensed profession, with members that provide a broad range of services independently, and in a variety of professional relationships with other providers. This evolution has changed how nurses are educated, clinically prepared, and how they perceive their role. But, there are certain issues in independent practice: Curriculum for independent nurse practitioner development: Early nurse practitioner training involved nondegree, certificate programs of one year or less. Today the nursing community strongly supports masters degree preparation for entry-level practice. Although the level of education is higher, the focus has remained the same: Nurse practitioner programs emphasize primary care, preventive medicine and patient education. However, physicians offer a different service to patients. With five years of medical education and three years of residency training, their depth of understanding of complex medical problems cannot be equaled by lesser-trained professionals. Prescriptive authority. Nurse practitioners have the authority to prescribe and can write prescriptions (including ones for controlled substances) without any physician involvement. However, some believe that there should be collaborative prescribing agreement between nurse practitioners and physicians. Public view of nursing: Many articles in nursing as early as 1928, speak to the concerns about nurses. Nice girls, dont do nursing!. If you have a strong back and weak mind, be a nurse The publics images of nurses has not essentially changed since nursings inception. In public opinion, nurses are identified as a means for decreasing the cost of health care. She is considered as a highly trained professional who is providing an alternative to the expensive primary care physician. They wonder that can she do anything that a primary care physician can do. They are reluctant to recognize nurse practitioners as primary care providers. Areas of practice: Nonphysician providers have historically thrived in settings where physicians were unavailable places they were unable or unwilling to go, It remains to be seen if independent nurse practitioners will be economically viable in areas of physician oversupply. Quality of care: Many studies show that patients have a high or very high level of satisfaction with NP Services. Regarding measurement of diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes, several studies indicate that the quality of care provided by NPs is equal to that of physicians. Cost effective care: Nurse practitioners provide a cost effective care. One study compared the costs of care for two primary care problems and found that the cost of care given by NPs was 20% less than the cost of care given by physicians. At the same time, some argue that, without ready access to supervising physicians, nurse practitioners are likely to order more tests and consultations and be quicker to admit patients to the hospital, thereby driving up health care costs. Insufficient evidence-based practice and nursing research There is a need of promotion of evidence-based practice and nursing research so that with a sound knowledge base, the nurses will be able to function more independently. Establishment of policies on the use of evidence in practice is required. Nurses with a Masters degree should be encouraged to provide evidence, read nursing research and use evidence to improve or change nursing practices. An academic atmosphere should be created in the workplace. An information system and library should be provided. Multidisciplinary research should be encouraged. At the hospital, there should be a person who is responsible for nursing research activity including fund seeking for research and building of research network. Nurse educators should develop a short-course training on evidence-base and research or to supervise research activity. Resources such as journals and books can be shared. Joint research between nurse educators and clinical staff should be encouraged to strengthen the capacity of both groups and improve education and practice. The INC can be a part of nursing research development. The INC should set nursing research priorities in collaboration with nursing and non-nursing organizations to provide research funds and promote nursing activities for policy formulation. Establishment of a nursing research information system is encouraged to monitor research work, areas of research and researchers. Dissemination of nursing research and models for best practices should be established. Need for establishment of a continuing nursing education system Continuing education is an informal study or activity to gain knowledge and learn about new technology. Lifelong education is essential for self-development, knowledge-building and learning. Continuing education stimulates nurses to keep up with new knowledge and technology, to increase their skills and competency, and to be able to contribute to the health care team. The existing continuing nursing education programmes should be strengthened or new units established. The appointment of responsible persons for continuing education activity is needed. Continuing education programmes should get approval from the INC so that nurses can develop increased competency to work independently. Need to establish a quality assurance system for the nursing service A quality assurance system comprises vision, mission, objectives, strategic and operational plans, nursing service activity, nursing manpower management, roles and responsibilities, nursing standards, nursing indicators, nursing research, nursing administration and management, resource allocation and financial support. The objective of this system will be to ensure quality care and nursing outcomes as expected by clients (less suffering, shorter duration of hospital stay, and reduction of health care costs, infection, complications and mortality), and according to professional standards. It also indicates the commitment of the care provider towards providing the best care to consumers. Successful development and implementation of the system depends on the commitment of nursing leaders, hospital administrators, mutual goal-setting, participation of all personnel in the process, continuous quality improvement and good communication. The role of the INC in regulating nursing practice should be strengthened by amending the Nursing Act to include maintaining of registration of qualified nurses, renewal of licence, and setting up a nursing service and nursing education accrediting system. If possible, a hospital QA system should have nursing as an integral part and involves nurses in a surveyor team. Thus, this will help ensure the quality of services provided by independent practitioners Lack of involvement of nurses in health and nursing policy formulation and planning There is insufficient involvement of nurses in healt

Kellogg company is a strong market leader

Kellogg company is a strong market leader Kellogg Company is a strong market leader in the production of cereal and convenience foods. With 2009 reported earnings of $1.3 billion. The company maintains a leading position in the production of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and veggie foods. The Companys brands include Kelloggs, Keebler, Pop tarts, Eggo,Cheez-it,Nutri-Grain,Rice Krispies,BearNaked,Morningstar Farms,Famous Amos,Special K,All-Brain,Frosted Mini-Wheats,Club and kasha. Kellogg products are manufactured in 18 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries around the world. Its global headquarters are in Battle Creek,Michigan,USA. Kellogg trades under the ticker symbol NYSE.K This marketing plan is aimed at extending Special K product line, one of the many Kellogg Company brands. Special K Brand under Kelloggs parent company cereal has recorded huge amount of sales since lunch, hence the extension, to maintain the product at a Growth cycle. The Analysis of this report was presented in a SOSTAC framework developed by PR Smith, which detailed why, how, when and where, the product line was to be extended with the view to expand market share and compete favorably in the UK convenience food industry. 2.0 Situational Analysis: Market Summary The value of the UK cereals market is around  £1.1 billion per year. Kellogg has a 42% market share of the value of the UKs breakfast cereal market. Reported earnings for full year 2009 were $1.2 billion, or $3.16 per diluted share, an increase of 6 percent from full-year 2008 of $1.1 billion. The company has developed a range of products for the segments within this market, targeted at all age groups over three years old. As a market leader, it maintains a distinct premium position within the market. This means that it has confidence of its consumers and a large market share. Special K, under the shape management market segment, was introduced in UK, October 1999, it is marketed primarily as a diet aid that can be eaten to help one lose weight and stay fit. It frequently has give-away offers for various health and fitness products and contains dieting information on the back of the box. In the UK, Special K currently comes in ten varieties: Special K Special K Red Berries Special K Purple Berries Special K Peaches Apricots Special K Bliss Creamy Berry Crunch Special K Bliss Strawberry Chocolate Special K Oats Honey Special K Yoghurt Special K Sustain Special K Medley Special K has been a successful Product brand of Kellogg. Applying the product life cycle, it is possible visualize the different stages of the Special K brand. The product life cycle demonstrates the change of product sales over time. Customer Analysis: Special K cereal and bars is for everyone and is being consumed by customers aged 3 and above. The increasing varied customers demands lead to the successful line extensions of the brand. Further to this, are the need for shape management products and the need for these products to address the weight and healthy living issue in UK. Being that Kelloggs company enjoys brand loyalty and economics of scale, Special K No Added Sugar will be added to buying options of existing brand and prospective customers, as a healthy product positioned to satisfy this Shape Managementemerging market segment. It is strategically targeted at the weight conscious consumers. This includes the Obese, overweight, diabetic, athletes and generally for everyone as an aid to keep fit. Competitor Analysis: Kelloggs is the market leader and enjoys a strong position. However, Special K has as its major competitors-ALpen, a product brand of Weetamix Company and Weight Watchers, on the shape management and healthy living cereal and bars market. Applying the porters five forces model, it is possible to analyze Special Ks competitive position EXISTING RIVALRY: Alpen No Added Sugar cereal a product of Weetamix Company Weight Waters no sugar cereal Nestle Whole grain-low fat General Mills Green Giant-no added sugar. New product development Marketing prowess THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS: All existing cereal manufacturers or companies Start up costs Cost advantages Access to distribution channels THREAT OF SUBSTITUES: Low switching costs Available substitutes Product differentiation Industry profits SUPPLIERS: Supplier monopoly High switching costs Unique product Importance of supplier to buyer Forward integration threat CUSTOMERS: Price sensitivity Advanced knowledge and independence of choice Drives demand Own profit potential Associated savings Backward integration threat Marketing Environment: Applying a PESTLE analysis, main points are the socio-cultural, environmental and technological factors. Socio-Cultural Factors: Consumer Orientation/perception: There exists the perception that cereal products and meals are for kids and younger children. This perception has been historically erupted by a social culture that associates babies with cereals. Life Style: The rushed and busy lifestyle of consumers in the Uk, would impact on the consumption of Special K no added sugar cereal. People, especially the students and working class, hardly eat at home, but settle for On-the-go junks foods, coffee and fatty drinks. Shifts to behavior Population demographics Environmental Factors: The need for Environmentally Sustainable business processes from start to finish, which to some extent has cost implication to organizations Green Issues. Technological Environmental Factors: Emergence of new communication channels to reach customers Improved production processes Automation Internal Market Environment Audit: STRENTHS Strong brand/Awareness Market Leader Economics of scale Brand presence and acceptability Premium product Capital Customer loyalty Derived learning curve effect -competitive advantage Product differentiation Quality processes and procedures WEAKNESS Sales driven by promo and pricing OPPORTUNITY Emergent shape management product customer needs. Special K brand, achieved awareness as an advantage Opportunity to re-enforce the growth life cycle of the Special K brand New customers/markets THREATS Competitors Price war with competitors New innovative products 3.0 Objectives: SMART Simple Extending and expanding of Kellogg Special K product line, with the introduction of Special K No Added Sugar Cereal in UK. Measurable To increase market share by 10%, compete favorably in the fast moving cereal and convenient food industry, and ultimately add value to customers and stakeholders. Currently the demand for no sugar added products are on the increase and competition have already launched into this concept. To lunch Special K into the UK market, which is currently Europes largest Kellogg consuming country. Achievable- (Mission) To Lunch Special K No added Sugar cereal in July 2010, in a projected one year period. Realistic The Extending of the Special K line is a realizable goal, owing to the fact that the Product Brand has been very successful since introduction and following the up surge trendy consumption of healthy low calorie, low fat and No sugar food items. This extension is also an innovative plan, in line with Kelloggs corporate company vision and mission of sustainable growth. Targeted Customers: Consumers aged 5 and above. These include individuals-families, Students, Professionals. Especially, dieticians, diabetic, Obese, athletes and young mothers. The Special K No Added Sugar line is a response to emerging customer demand. 3.1 Vision and mission Kellogg Companys Vision and Mission statements define their focus upon sustainable growth, our broadened definition of social responsibility and the true strength of our company our people and our brands. Vision_Mission_Full 4.0 Strategy: The first strategy in line with the product extension is to create customer awareness to this product offer and then develop more customer base. Market Penetration strategy: To penetrate the existing market and gain greater market share, increased brand awareness and boost the Special K product life cycle. Market Development Strategy: To develop the shape management market segment, using the product extension to attract new customer base. E.g customers who do not, consume sugar. Product Development strategy: By the improved recipe,flavor,taste. (No sugar flavor or taste) STP: Segmentation: shape management segments Consumers who want healthy, low fat, sugar free cereals. The value proposition here is the healthy meal offer. Targeting: we are targeting all healthy meal seeking consumers, but with special focus to shape management segments. Positioning: Healthy and Good Healthy and tasty 5.0. TACTICS: The marketing mix exists as a set of controllable tactical tools used to implement the strategy. The 7 Ps marketing mix catalyses the implementation of our strategy. Product: Our extension of Special K range and the addition of the No Sugar flavor is a tactical strategy in line with our mission to capture more markets segments and consolidate our consumer networks. New package will be introduced. Place: We will continue with existing value supply and distribution networks to make this product available to our cherished customers. Special offers will be given the stores that record large distribution. This will further motivate our value channels to get Special k no added Sugar at the market place. Supermarkets, retail stores, convenience stores and Online. Price: Market penetration pricing will be deployed to gain rapid market share, this is because there exists an extensive competition in the market. And the cereal market place is a sensitive one. Promotion: These promotional methods will be adopted to communicate effectively to the consumers- Advertising,sales promotions,direct marketing,ditital marketing and personal selling People: The knowledge marketing team, the IT and Software team, RD team are all involved in co-creating this product. Every member of the organization is a part of this mission in different perspective. They have been updated with product knowledge to impact the customers. ACTIONS PLAN: TASKS Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY STEP 1: PRE LAUNCH  £22,000 Research  £40,000 Research Team Select Advert Agency  £30,000 Marketing Dept Brief Web Designer  £30,000 IT Dept Set Up Database  £50,000 Software Dev. STEP 2: LAUNCH TV Advertising  £300,000 Marketing Dept Billboards  £100,000 Marketing Dept Magazine Inserts  £50,000 Marketing Dept PR/Sales Promotion  £200,000 Marketing Dept Digital Marketing  £250,000 Marketing Dept Step 2 Control: Balance Score Card. The Balanced Scorecard is a strategic planning and management system, used to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications and monitor organizational performance against strategic goals. 7.1 KPIs-Key Performance Indicators: Quality control Financial results Marker research Managing information system Sales analysis Service levels Market share analysis Financial results CRM-New customers acquired, retained Product awareness Competitor performance Benchmarking Profitability ROI Performance appraisal of employees Financial Analysis: Contingency Planning:  £50,000 set aside as financial reserve. Productive capacity reserve Safety measures in place should there be any disaster at promotion sites Etc Critical Reflective Writing: Learning Outcome: The truth is, I never had an idea of the enormous tasks or amount of work involved in marketing planning, from start to finish. Haven worked in banking operations for 4 years; I never saw marketing departmental roles as a challenging one. I will usually think they pretend to be busy when they are actually not, while the operations staffs are the only value adding workforce. The module marketing planning and its matrix, of which I am excited to be able to produce a marketing plan, have not only opened my eyes and mind to wider conceptual, theoretical and practical aspects of marketing. I now appreciate the essence of the existence of different roles and departments in an organization, marketing planning and why it is essential in business-to effectively identify customer needs, create products/market offerings accordingly, in order to maximize revenue, profit, ROI and minimize costs. Marketing planning I now understand, is a multi faceted, cross-functional activity that touches every aspect of the organizational life. I have gained an understanding of how the marketing- mix interact, to facilitate a rational business decision and reduce the complexity of business operations which ultimately adds a dimension of realism to a companys hopes for the future. I will go back into work, with an understanding of the real significance of a strategic planning. I will evidence learning, and make valued revolutionary impacts as a manager and maybe A marketing Manager It will never be business as usual.

The Great Gatsby :: The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Great Gatsby" is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald which takes place in the early 1900's. This book consists of five main characters, Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan, Jay Gatsby and Jordan Baker. When I completed this novel, I came to a conclusion that this is a well - written book. The two main reasons that makes this novel so superior is that Fitzgerald writes from his personal experience and makes good use of his literary elements. Throughout this novel, Fitzgerald's life plays a major part in the scenes and in the story. For example, the conflict in this novel is that Gatsby is trying to get Daisy from Tom, after Daisy turned him down because he wasn't wealthy. Similarly, Fitzgerald and Zelda liked each other, but before they could get married, Fitzgerald needed to earn some money. Obviously, his money came from writing great novels. Another example that portrays Fitzgerald's life in this novel is the vast use of alcohol. In the novel, alcohol is mentioned so often that it changes character's lives. Firstly, Dan Cody, Gatsby's mentor was an alcoholic who died from alcoholism. And secondly, during Gatsby's parties, people were getting drunk (the man in the library saying the books are real!). In Fitzgerald's life, partying and getting drunk was a frequent routine. Coincidentally, Fitzgerald was also an alcoholic who suffered from alcoholism. Not only does Fitzgerald write from his personal experience to enhance his writing, but he also uses good literary elements. Fitzgerald's use of irony and foreshadowing makes his writing so highly - rated. One scene when foreshadowing kicks is when Fitzgerald describes the scene outside the room where Gatsby and Daisy are sitting together. Fitzgerald describes, "Outside the wind was loud and there was a faint flow of thunder along the sound." Thunder is added on purpose; to foreshadow the unstable relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. He uses irony in describing his characters. For example, when Nick goes to Tom's house for the first time and Daisy describes her husband, Tom as being smart and profound. Later on in this novel, we find out how unintelligent Tom is and it takes him great amount of time to figure out that Gatsby and Daisy have something going on.

Clockwork Orange :: essays papers

Clockwork Orange The freedom of choice and the rehabilitating form of corrections encase the realm of A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. It produces the question about man's free will and the ability to choose one's destiny, good or evil. "If he can only perform good or only perform evil, then he is a clockwork orange-meaning that he has the appearance of an organism lovely with colour and juice but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil or State". Burgess expresses the idea that man can not be completely good or evil and must have both in order to create a moral choice. The book deals upon reforming a criminal with only good morals and conditioning an automated response to "evil." Burgess enforces the idea of the medical model of corrections, in terms of rehabilitating an offender, which is up to the individual. That one should determine the cause and then find an exclusive treatment to resolve that individual's case, then apply it. This is the case with the character Alex, a juvenile delinquent introduced into prisonization then conditioned by governmental moral standards. This lack of personal moral choice imposed upon Alex creates conflicting situations in which he has no control over. This is apparent when trying to readjust into society. As conflicts arise within the spectrum of criminal justice the main focus is revolved around the corrections aspect of reforming the criminal element. Within the confines of the seventies Londoner. The character, Alex is created as the ultimate juvenile delinquent leading a small gang. Living within his own world the use of old Londoner language and attire reflect the non-conformity with society. Let loose within a large metropolitan, Alex is engulfed in the affairs of several criminal practices, from rape to aggravated assault. As a juvenile delinquent, Alex is finally caught and seen as an adult offender. Like all offenders he promotes his innocence and sets blame upon his companions. "Where are the others? Where are my stinking traitorous droogs? One of my cursed grahzny bratties chained me on the glazzies. Get them before they get away. It was their idea, brothers. They like forced me to do it". Betrayed by his cohorts Alex is beaten by local officials and confesses to all the crimes. As a point to retribution a sergeant states, "Violence makes violence" and proceeds to through Alex back into the cell.

Macbeth vs. Holden Caulfield Essay

The longest journey, is the journey of self discovery. To discover ones self, a person must confront things they would rather not and be truthful to themselves. Both characters, Macbeth from William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, and Holden from J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, embarked on a inward journey of self discovery.Through being emotionally unstable, having contradicting morals, and discovering who they truly are, it is evident that though two different outcomes, they both had a journey of self discovery. Unlike Holden, Macbeth was very emotionally stable at the beginning. He was respected, a devoted husband and a loyal subject to his king. Despite the fact he was so stable at the beginning, Macbeth quickly lost control of his emotions when the three witches confronted him with the three prophecies, which ultimately let the emotions of greed and guilt come over him from the immoral actions he committed In comparison, Holden’s emotional stability was very flaky during the beginning of the novel, but gradually improved during his journey. Holden was very depressed because of the loneliness and isolation he felt, which was ultimately is own fault. From his journey, he slowly started to gain control of his emotions and accepted the truth of his mental illness. He transformed himself completely, and ultimately gained control of himself by finally reaching out for professional help. Holden went from being very angry and upset to accepting his faults and changing his life around. Holden and Macbeth both had morals, but where Holden’s stayed genuine and true, Macbeth’s fell apart. At the beginning, Macbeth was repulsed by the thought of killing the King, but by the end, he was murdering everyone his way. It was LM who first triggered Macbeth’s moral down fall, but Macbeth was the one to completely diregard them. Macbeth had control of his morals but ultimately c hose to go against them to get what he wanted, power. His disregard is clear when he made the decision to kill Banquo because he didn’t want to lose his power to Banquo’s descendants and he was starting to become suspicious. Unlike MB Holden’s morals were challenged multiple times but he over came the  obstacles. Yet the driving force behind much of his decision making is a sense of morals that is at times twisted but is always present. One of Holden’s main concerns is the fact that the world around him appears to be losing its morality and the people are all phony, all incapable of following the moral code that Holden insists on placing on those around him. He is worried about even the smallest things like the foul language scrawled on the walls at the museum. The title of the book reflects his desire to be the catcher in the rye, to prevent children from running over the edge of the field and hurting themselves. So despite his inability to recognize morality in others, like Mr. Antolini, somewhere inside Holden there is a deep sense of morals and a strong desire not just to follow them but to have others follow them as well. Macbeth and Holden both embarked on a journey of self discovery, where they discovered who they truly were. Macbeth discovered the horror of the crimes he comitted and that the power he was once thought was everything, actually meant nothing.Macbeth started off with an abundance of friends, however, he ended with a whole bunch of enemies. Though he only came to realize it at the end of the play, his actions destroyed his respect and honour and led to his death bed. Before he was killed, Macbeth had reflected on his life, and he started to understand the full extent of what he did and the consequences his actions were going to have.Unlike Macbeth, Holden’s journey lead to a positive ending where he accepted himself and started on the road to recovery. Throughout the entire novel, it was evident that Holden was very depressed. He had no hope for his future, as he expressed to his history teaher Mr. Spencer, and he believed he was headed no where in life. Holden was kicked out of numerous schools and it was not until after his New York adventure that he went on an unitentional road of self-discovery. Holden was clearly in pain over his brothers death, pain that he was yet to deal with. As the book progressed, Holden gradually matured into a strong and indepent individual. He developed stronger relationships with Phoebe, his brother DB and a few others like Jane, and he finally allowed himself to accept his faults and accept the reality that no one is perfect. His breakdown turned  into a major breakthrough, which changed his life in a positive way. Macbeth and Holden both discovered who they truly were, one greedy and power seeking, and the other a strong and indepent person who had to deal with a great loss. Both The Tradgey of Macbeth and The Catcher in the Rye tell a story of great self discovery. Macbeth from good to evil, and Holden bad to good. Through their emoitional stability, contradicting their moral values, and discovering who they truly are, shows the way Holden and Macbeth changed through both the novels.

Ethical Issues in International Business

Ethical refers to the approved right or wrong in doing and especially in making a decision for the business. Businesses focus on profit maximization drops ethical practices in their daily doing mostly for the long term effect. Ethical involved in business are like, bribery and corruption, environment regulations and human rights.The use of ethical minimizes legal problems to business. Business which avoids law compliance to its operation incurs huge loses when caught in erroneous. This may results to sanctions, high legal fee charges or heavy fines. Due to public awareness and publicity the business damages its reputation which highly affects it than fees and fines. Business that maintains ethical, experiences conducive environment and has no law suit challenges (Wolf, R., & Issa, T. (2015). Ethical creates high morale to the employee by good and respectful treatment. This is passed through to the customers by employees, bringing in repeat business. These good morals improve market share. A business that observes ethical has high chance of winning a competitive advantage in a client. Any shareholder feels satisfied in investing in such business structure where their shares are not at risk of unethical activities.The business objective is a better world, this can be achieved ethically .Promoting strong public image. A business observing ethical is advantaged to growth, earning customer royalty, conducive working environments thus building an organization of high value to all stakeholders. Such a business observes the environmental and contributes towards community projects. This ethical enhances growth of business and moreover betterment of the world class. Ethical in business can be achieved and improve both profit and world betterment. ReferencesIn Wolf, R., & In Issa, T. (2015). International business ethics and growth opportunities.Rothlin, S., & McCann, D. (2016). International Business Ethics: Focus on China. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg