Improving Service Quality in Hotel and Resort

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The first chapter of report will explain the purpose of the report and why this report is important. In chapter 2, the service quality will be identified. There are two parts in this chapter: the first part will discuss concept and principle of the service quality and the following part will note the service quality models. Mainly the SERVQUAL model and the Total Quality Management (TQM) will be examined. Then in chapter 3, implementation, the chosen organisation which is the Club Mediterranean (Club Med) will be applied for the service quality model. The last chapter is conclusion of the report and the Appendices will be stated next to reference list. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦2p Chapter 1: Introduction 1. 1 Purpose of the Report †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4p Chapter 2: Service Quality 2. 1 Principles of Service Quality †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5p 2. 2 Service Quality Models †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6p Chapter 3: Implementation 3. 1 Background of the Club Med †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8p 3. 2 Steps of Implementation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9p Chapter 4: Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12p Reference List †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 13p Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦15p CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1. 1 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT â€Å"Service organizations exist as a function of their customers; service quality then, is the primary survival strategy† (Schneider and Chung, 1993, p. 124). Carey (2003) note that the service quality is a subject that permeates every component of the tourism industry. Especially in hotel and resort, the service quality is integral for long term survival. Therefore each company should take the service quality as serious management philosophy and have to adopt theories and models to identify gap between expectation and perception. CHAPTER 2: SERVICE QUALITY 2. 1 PRINCIPLES OF SERVICE QUALITY Service quality is defined as the degree of excellence intended that meets customer requirements (Wyckoff, 1992). However, Carey (2003) points out the service quality, the result of a comparison between the expectations of a customer and the actual service they received. Therefore, understanding gap between the expectation and the received service can be a key source of the service quality. According to Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons (2001), these expectations are based on several sources, including word of mouth, personal needs, and past experience. Thus, people may have more expectation on the high-rated hotel. Usually, the five-star hotels are more expensive than the lower level so customers may expect to get serviced as much as they pay. In other word, the service quality can be a primary goal for hotels to gain more profits. To put simply, better quality means better profitability and market share and when higher quality and large market share are both present, profitability is nearly guaranteed (Ross, 1993). According to Scheuing and Christopher (1993) the service quality is a powerful force that reshapes attitudes and actions toward creating customer satisfaction and loyalty, and thus, sustainable competitive advantage in an unstable environment of dynamic global competition. Accordingly, the managers who work in hospitality industry need to know not only how to manage the organisation but also how to manage the service quality to provide customer satisfaction continuously. 2. SERVICE QUALITY MODELS Levitt (1972) argues that the theories and concepts of quality and its management have adopted slowly into the service industry from manufacturing. Rather than a paradigm shift taking place, the existing quality theories and models were held in their entirety by parts of the service sector and the paradigm shift occurred when difficulties were occurred in the sector, for example, the use of only qualitative data analysis methods (Williams & Buswell, 2003). There are many service quality theories and concepts have been used such as the Statistical Process Control (SPC), Ten Benchmarks of Total Quality Control, and the 14-step Quality Improvement Programme, However, in following paragraphs will discuss two service quality models which are SERVQUAL and Total Quality Management that is known as TQM. 2. 2. 1 SERVQUAL model SERVQUAL is a survey instrument that measures service quality. According to Saleh and Ryan (1991), it was initially devised for the assessment of services within the financial sector, and consists of a 22-item, seven-point Likert Scale but not all of the issues were directly applicable to a hotel. However Martin (1986) offers a 40-item scale in the assessment of service within restaurants, and from this a number of questions were picked and adapted for hotel and finally therefore, a 33-item and five-point Likert Scale instrument was developed. There are five dimensions of service quality: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles. In the guest survey, the customer will answer the questions which are based on the five dimensions. Fitzsimmons et al (2001) point out the multiple dimensions of service quality are captured in the SERVQUAL instrument, which is an effective tool for surveying customer satisfaction that is based on the service quality gap model. 2. 2. 2 Total Quality Management (TQM) Bardi (2007) states that preparation for adopting TQM is necessary to achieve success goal in hotel. Biech (1994) defined Total Quality Management (TQM) as a customer-focused, quality-centered, fact-based, team-driven, senior-management-led process to achieve an organization’s strategic imperative through continuous process improvement. In its simplest form, the TQM is a management philosophy which states that the whole organisation is working for meeting the customer’s need and expectation (Williams et al, 2003). The TQM has two major proceedings: customer requirements and expectations determination and these requirements and expectations’ deliver organising (Ross, 1993). Ross (1993) points out that the measurement of success is customer satisfaction and the only way to achieve the successive customer satisfaction is through continuous improvement by TQM. CHAPTER 3: IMPLEMENTATION: 3. 1 BACKGROUND OF THE CLUB MED Club Mediterranean (Club Med) is an international hotel chain company operating worldwide resort villages. Club Med was founded in 1950 by Gerard Blitz who is the two time Olympic medalist champion while Blitz stayed at the Olympic Club’s tent village where he had the idea to combine his passion for humanitarian causes with athleticism. The initial concept of the Club Med was to offer people to enjoy sports holidays with reasonable price. The company expanded through the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and during 1980s it continued to diversify and decentralize, becoming ever more international (International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 1994). Today, the Club Med is with over 80 villages across 5 continents at beaches to mountain, ski resort, and even history-rich area and with its G. Os that are members of staff representing around a hundred nationalities speaking over 30 languages and it continues to emphsise its multicultural aspect. Currently the company offers five styles of holiday, so that people can choose the village that best meets their holiday expectations. The Club Med’s aim is to provide its customers with a holiday as close to perfection as possible by creating a unique atmosphere which engenders a sense of wellbeing, as well as by providing top-quality amenities, the company aims for total customer satisfaction (International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 1994). 3. 2 STEPS OF IMPLEMENTATION As the report discussed above, the Club Med can use whether SERVQUAL model or TQM method to improve the company’s service quality. However if both two model used together, it will make synergy effect on the business. First, to adopt SERVQUAL model on the Club Med, quantitative research will be used and the data are from existing the company’s record. Not only the quantitative data but also qualitative research will be used to identify the service quality gaps which brought to inconsistency between the guest expectations and the guest perceptions. The staffs of the Club Med can have in-depth and face-to-face interviews. The interviewees will be included the reception GOs, the sport activity GOs, the bar and restaurant GOs and whoever village GOs to identify the gap. This provided the researcher to recognize which department has the most contact with the GMs (gentle member that known as guest of the Club Med). Next step is for sampling procedures and in the process the reception desk or the front desk will allow information relate guest complaints. It is because of in many hotels, the front desk has high level of contact with guests and also the reception desk will receive the majority of guest complaints (Carey, 2003). The two survey populations will be the GMs and the GOs. In addition for the guests, the guest survey can be asked. For instance, the Likert Scale survey which is asking guests to rate each activity or department in a scale of 1 to 5 can be used. Currently, the Club Med is using customer satisfaction ratings virtually. According to Fitzsimmons et al (2001), the Club Med uses the questionnaire and it is mailed to all guests directly after their departure from a Club Med vacation to assess the quality of their experience in the village. The information from the survey completed by guest is used in several ways. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance (1994) points out that if there is a complaint about one of Club Med’s villages, head office immediately reports back to the village manager. After all the interviewing and surveying, data collection and analysis by coding will be necessary to identify the service gaps. Through the coding analysis, finally the Club Med can find gaps in the service process. Therefore the Club Med an get a broad response and a better understanding of guest expectations and perceptions to improve their service quality. Next, to adopt the Total Quality Management (TQM) on the Club Med, as shown in the appendix 1, there are several steps for implementing TQM. The first step is defining the mission. According to the International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance (1994), the Club Med’s aim is to provide its customers with a holiday as close to perfection as possible. Thus the company’s mission is total customer satisfaction. The second step is for identifying system output and the third is for identifying customers. To use of demographic questionnaire can be useful not only to know the guests but to set a target markets so improve systems as their requirement. Then the next step is for negotiating customers’ requirements. From the bargain, developing a â€Å"supplier specification† that details customer requirements and expectations is the next. Finally, determining the necessary activities required to fulfill those requirements and expectation will be finished the implementing TQM. On the contrary, Dale (1994) notes that number of barriers to achieving TQM that shows in appendix 2. Accordingly, the company should avoid several components as lack of commitment from senior management to service quality so the Club Med’s head office must focus on the service quality improvements continuously. The second component to avoid is fear of the changes to work patterns and processes. Thus the senior management should empower employees. Then lack of resources and no customer focus is following. To improve service quality and to adopt TQM, company has to keep focus on the customers’ requirements. For the last, without correct data collection and analysis, the Club Med can not meet improved service quality. CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION The service quality will be a major component of the future hospitality industry continuously. Therefore hotels need to manage the service quality with various theories and methods. As discussed above, this report has applied SERVQUAL and TQM on the Club Med to identify the service gaps. Accordingly, if the Club Med uses the service quality, they can reduce gap and provide customer satisfaction. The any efforts from hotel’s marketing an not be stand on long term period solely. However, the quality of the interactive service between hotelier and the guest can be possibly long term and this can be why the improving service quality is important to hotel. Both service quality theories and models’ measurement is a customer satisfaction. Thus to improve a hotel or resort’s service quality with customer satisfaction, the whole of departme nts should link and think about the service quality together so the all of employees and the senior mangers generate continuous improvements. REFERENCE LIST Bardi, J. A. , (2007). Hotel Front Office Management (4th ed. ). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Biech, E. (1994). TQM for Training. US: McGraw-Hill. Carey, K. L. (2003). Improving service quality in small communities: the Bahamas as a model. Las Vegas: University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Club Med. (n. d. ). Retrieved September 21, 2007, from http://www. clubmed. com. us Dale, B. G. (1994). Managing Quality (2nd ed. ). Hemel Hempstead: Prentice-Hall. Fitzsimmons, J. A. , & Fitzsimmons, M. J. (2001). Service Management: operations, strategy, and information technology (3rd ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance (1994). Sun, Sea, Sand and Service, 7(4), 18-19. Levitt, T. (1972). Production-line approach to service. Harvard Business Review. In C. Williams, J. Buswell, Service Quality in Leisure and Tourism. London: CABU Publishing. Martin, W. B. (1986). Quality Service, The Restaurant Manager’s Bible. US: Brodock Press. Saleh, F. , & Ryan, C. (1991). Analysing Service Quality in the Hospitality Industry Using the SERVQUAL Model. The Service Industry Journal, 11(3), 324-345. Schneider, B. , & Chung, B. (1993). Creating service climates for service quality. In E. Scheuing, W. Christopher (Eds. ), The Service Quality Handbook. New York: American Management Association. Snow Japan. (n. d. ). Retrieved September 21, 2007, from http://www. snowjapan. com/e/services/club-med. html Ross, J. E. (1993). Total Quality Management: text, cases, and readings. Florida: St. Lucie Press. Williams, C. , & Buswell, J. (2003). Service Quality in Leisure and Tourism. London: CABI Publishing. Wyckoff, D. D. (1992). New tools for achieving service quality. In C. H. Lovelock (Eds. ), Managing Services: marketing, operations and human resources. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice-Hall. APPENDICES [Appendix 1] Implementing TQM by †¢Defining the mission †¢Identifying system output †¢Identifying customers †¢Negotiating customers’ requirements †¢Developing a â€Å"Supplier specification† that details customer requirements and expectations †¢Determining the necessary activities required to fulfill those requirements and expectations. Source: Ross, J. E. (1993). â€Å"Implementing TQM†. Total Quality Management: text, cases, and readings. p. 2. Florida: St. Lucie Press. ) [Appendix 2] Number of barriers to achieving TQM †¢Lack of commitment from senior management to service quality †¢Fear of the changes to work patterns and processes †¢Lack of resources †¢No customer focus †¢Poor data colle ction or analysis (Source: Williams, C. , & Buswell, J. (2003). â€Å"Number of Barriers to Achieving TQM†. Service Quality in Leisure and Tourism. p. 22-23. London: CABI Publishing. )

Film Analysis of The Lady Eve Essay

The Lady Eve is a film, which tells the love tale of unlikely couple who meet each other in one of their trip on a Luxury Liner. The movie was released way back 1941 in the United States, directed by a multi-talented Director â€Å"Preston Sturges† and was written by a great dramatist â€Å"Monckton Hoffe†. In general, the lady eve is a romantic comedy film, filled with different twists and turns, on which gives a picture of an extra ordinary love story of two individuals living in a totally different world. With the depicted differences in the storyline, the plot of the movie is definitely interesting and exciting. (Star Pulse) Although, the movie Lady Eve, by Preston Sturges, did not achieve major success to garner movie awards and honorable recognition in film festival, apart from the nomination for Academy Awards – Best Writing and Original Story. The film still receives a bunch of positive feedback from credible movie critic in different generation, on which the director, artists and the rest of the people responsible for the movie had received positive recognition from the viewers of almost every generation for the film â€Å"The Lady Eve†. (Star Pulse) In the year 1994, the movie Lady Eve was acknowledged as socially, aesthetically and historically significant by the â€Å"United States National Film Registry†, on which the movie was selected for preservation by the â€Å"Library of Congress† for its social and moral importance. Nevertheless, the Lady Eve film was a wonderful work of art, that gives a fair picture of romance and comedy love tale, which mirrors a true to life situation of love and journey. (Star Pulse) Talented actors and actresses, on the other hand, had been pivotal on the outcome of the movie. The cast of the movie is set with bunch of – talented, effective, actors and actresses. Reputable actress, â€Å"Barbara Stanwyck† had played the lead role as Jean Harrington and a multi-talented film and stage actor â€Å"Henry Fonda† portrayed the leading man role as Charles Pike. In the movie, Barbara Stanwyck and and Charles Pike had played great music, on which they complement each other with their role and make the movie more appealing and exciting to watch. Nonetheless, the movie Lady Eve is one of the most humorous film way back the World War II era, on which a survivor of ever changing taste of the movie critics and audiences. (Star Pulse) Moreover, the Lady Eve is a thematic romance and comedy film. It tells the tale of two strangers with different outlook in life, bind together of their fate when they meet at a Luxury Shipping Line in one of their travels. Jean Harrington is a con artist who lives with her father â€Å"Colonel Harrington†, on which she falls in love with a guy she met on her travel. Charles Pike, on the other hand, is a rich and decent man – a philologist, who stayed in Amazon for a long period of time for his study on snakes. The movie takes place in a ship, when Jean Harrington is on a travel with her father heading back to New York, sharing the same luxury ship with the unsophisticated guy Charles Pike, who is on his travel back to the United States after his long stay in Amazon for his studies. In the ship’s dinning, Jean Harrington had saw Charles who is at that time reading a book, entitled â€Å"Are Snakes Necessary†. This scene is really funny, as Jean showed up her attraction to Charles Pike, when she trips Charles on purpose to drive his attention. This scene had been the start of the romance and comedy, on which Jean and Charles had fall to each other. In the story, snakes had been the sexual symbol that is the start of romance scenes between the two lead characters. Truthfully in love as they are, Jean and Charles, had several misunderstanding and broke up with each other. The movie is filled with romance and comedy scenes where it depicts the journey of Jean and Charles as a lover that later on succeeds in pursuit of their love. Nonetheless, this movie is totally a thematic romance and comedy film that tells the difficulties and happiness of an extra ordinary love story. In the end, Jean Harrington and Charles Pike had survived the challenges of love, despite the many differences that threatens their relationship, they managed to surpass and live with each other in-love. After all, the movie has a great opening and ended as one of the superb romantic comedy love tale, the movie industry had. It can be argued that comedy is the true theme of the movie Lady Eve. The movie is amazingly funny, on which almost every scenes is a depiction of comedy acts that is definitely satisfying – it brings me to laughter. No doubt, the Lady Eve is a product of humorous mind that depicts funniest twists and turns in its story. Definitely, most of the scenes in the movie contribute to address properly the theme of the movie. One of those scenes is the opening scenario, on which Jean trips Charles on purpose when she broke her heel to attract the attention of Charles. It possibly funny, due to the fact that Barbara Stanwyck, had turned to be an effective comedy actress in her role in the movie. Another one is the scenes where snake serve as the sexual metaphor. It is many to mention specifically what scene, however, parts in the movie definitely contributes to address the true theme of the movie. The elements of the movie, on the other hand; which are divided into five, are effectively connected with each other to complete the theme. The narrative of the movie is chronological, on which the setting and plot of the film is according to the present time when it was produced. The movie depicts, the same era of the forties and is produced according on the order of time, during the 1940’s in the United States. Artist’s performance on the other hand showcases a superb portrayal of a role that is realistic and effectively funny. Major actors and actresses, mostly Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda had been real with their portrayal of their role, on which they have been effective to be funny mostly in critical scenes in the movie. Nonetheless, the casts of the movie acts accordingly with the progress of the movie. Also, cinematography plays a pivotal role in the whole essence of the movie. It is the defining factor of certain scene, on which proper lighting and appropriate camera angle adds more emotion on the scene. In the movie Lady Eve, the cinematography is amazingly brilliant that supported the emotional aura of every scene in the film. One of my personal choices of cinematography in the movie is the scenes which involves Charles and his snakes. The camera angles are perfect – I admire the detailed angle of the snakes, and the lighting definitely sets the mood of that specific scene. With the aspect of editing, the editors had their job well done, as they apply appropriate transition of every scene that depicts on the movie. Each scene is well expressive, with the help of correct transition of every camera shots, from one angle to another. Nevertheless, the editing of the movie was wonderful, I admire the way the editors used â€Å"fade in, fade out† technique for the appropriate transition of each scene, which particularly interesting of the whole editing of the movie. In the art direction and design are perfect, as the directors and the rest of the crew had used proper – locations, effects, props, costumes and make up in the movie. The locations of every scene are perfect, which make every scenario organized with the actual time. Effects, props and costumes, on the other hand, are effective to make the scenes realistic and effective to imply proper emotions. All the funny and comedy scenes in the movie, however, are the definition of the style and strategy of the director, on which these scenes are definitely filled with humorous mind of director Preston Sturges. I personally like this movie, because of two main reasons. First is â€Å"humor†, I personally like the film on its humorous scripts which every funny scene are depictions of superb humor that brings me to laughter. Secondly, I personally like the movie because of its profound portrayal of comedy, on which every scene is a depiction of humor that at any moment funny thoughts will pop out in the script. After all, the movie Lady Eve is film filled with clear scripts and funniest scenes, which is definitely one of the finest movie in forties. Works Cited Star Pulse (2008),The Lady Eve Review: Retrieved May 8, 2008 from http://www. starpulse. com/movie/The_Lady_Eve/V28051/0/5/

Public Officials And Morals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Officials And Morals - Essay Example Negative talks on differences between people such as on ethnicity, race, gender, and age should be avoided at all costs. This is so because people emulate and take to heart the words of these officials and may even act upon them hence fueling hatred amongst people. An example of this is in the African countries that experience civil wars which are fueled and sometimes caused by their elected public officials. Their hatred talks on other tribes and ethnic groups have been seen to lead to fights amongst the citizens as was the case in the Rwandan genocide. Their behavior when in that elected public post should also be one without blemishes even though they are human and are bound to mistakes. They should try to avoid situations that will not stand well with the public that elected them making them regret their decision, showing bad decision-making ability and embarrassing their family and friends. The most common of these situations to avoid is engaging in extramarital affairs while st ill in office. This is morally wrong as it downplays the value of family, the virtue of faithfulness as well as setting a bad example to the young generation by showing that immorality is not a bad thing. An example of this is in the Clinton Lewinsky sex scandal where Bill Clinton who held the highest public office in the United States where the public had elected him to be showed lack of moral exemplary behavior and judgment by engaging in sexual relations with a white house intern while he had a wife.

My Career Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My Career Plan - Essay Example The managerial position will enable me to gain the confidence needed so that I may be able to sharpen my skills in entrepreneurship and also consultancy. With proper experience and education, I will be able to maintain a successful business career in entrepreneurship which will require the understanding of the changing needs that affect the marketplace. I want to be able to come up with my own ideas on how to serve people better so that my services or goods add value to the customers (Ramsey, 150). The skills that I want to achieve will not only lead to the success of the business, but also to the success of me as an individual. Many people who are successful today have had challenges in one way or another, but they have managed to come on top of the business world by facing their fears and conquer them. Richard Branson and Bill Gates can be called entrepreneurs because they took the initiative to believe in themselves and now their businesses are flourishing globally. That is where I want to be headed as it is a one step in the right direction. They took their objectives, put them in place, managed themselves and ensured that their entrepreneurship skills paid off. Strategy to Achieve My Goals My first step is to get the ultimate satisfaction from my job and this means that I will progress much faster. There are people who complain about their jobs regarding many issues, but one thing they do not know is that it does not give them the lead way to achieving their goals and objectives (Ramsey, 278).... I want to have more responsibility and experience so that I can contribute to the success of the company and my employees. The managerial position will enable me to gain the confidence needed so that I may be able to sharpen my skills of entrepreneurship and also consultancy. With proper experience and education, I will be able to maintain a successful business career in entrepreneurship which will require the understanding of the changing needs that affect the marketplace. I want to be able to come up with my own ideas on how to serve people better so that my services or goods add value to the customers (Ramsey, 150). The skills that I want to achieve will not only lead to the success of the business, but also to the success of me as an individual. Many people who are successful today have had challenges in one way or another, but they have managed to come on top of the business world by facing their fears and conquer them. Richard Branson and Billy Gates can be called entrepreneurs because they took the initiative to believe in themselves and now their businesses are flourishing globally. That is where I want to be headed as it is a one step in the right direction. They took their objectives, put them in place, managed themselves and ensured that their entrepreneurship skills paid off. Strategy to Achieve My Goals My first step is to get the ultimate satisfaction from my job and this means that I will progress much faster. There are people who complain about their jobs regarding many issues, but one thing they do not know is that it does not give them the lead way to achieving their goals and objectives (Ramsey, 278). What I would want to keep in mind is that change is everything,

A review of academic research undertaken in relation to Small and Essay

A review of academic research undertaken in relation to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises - Essay Example In the study, United Kingdom’s SMEs have been observed. It has been identified that SMEs also have a role to play in the economy of the UK. However, there are underlying challenges and problems that the country’s SMEs face which need to be addressed by the government and other stakeholders involved. The paper intends to identify the current academic research into small and medium sized enterprises and the major issues faced by these firms. It also tries to present the role of SMEs in the UK. The paper will try to provide a brief summary of the overall scenario at the end and will provide recommendation based on the challenges that the SMEs in the UK face so that significant improvements in the SMEs can be introduced and better opportunities created. Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Critical Review into Current Academic Research 5 Challenges of SMEs 7 Role played by SMEs in the United Kingdom 8 Conclusion and Recommendation 12 References 14 Introduc tion Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are those firms that do not have any subsidiary and are independent in nature thus employing a certain number of employees. The number of employees may be different in different countries. In European Union, the limit set for employing the employees has been set to 250 for SMEs. However, certain countries lay down the limit of employing 200 employees. The use of the financial assets is also evident in order to define SMEs. A new European definition of SMEs came into existence in the year 2005. The new definition offers increase in the financial upper limits and therefore it states that the turnover of medium-sized enterprises must not be more than EUR 50 millions. Similarly, the turnover of small enterprises must not be more than EUR 10 millions and for the micro firms the turnover must not go above EUR 2 million. Consequently, the balance sheet of the medium enterprises must not surpass EUR 43 millions. The balance sheet of small and m icro enterprises must not go above EUR 10 million and EUR 2 million respectively (OECD, 2005). The SME sector comprises a wide range of firms such as recognized conventional family businesses that utilize nearly hundreds of workers. The SME sector also makes use of â€Å"survivalist† self-employed workers functioning in unorganised micro enterprises (International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2004). The main aim of the paper is to identify the role of the SME in the economy of the United Kingdom. The study will try to focus upon the current academic research on SMEs. Theories on SMEs will be identified and the role of SMEs in an international context as a mechanism for job creation, innovation and long term growth will be studied in detail in the sections below. Critical Review into Current Academic Research Small and medium-sized enterprises can avail innumerable behavioural benefits in comparison to their larger counterparts in the process of innovation. However, it has been identified that they also face certain material disadvantages. The problem they face has been evident in the process of developing suitable network of contacts with outside sources of both mechanical and technological expertise as well as advice (Rothwell & Dodgson, 1991). It is quite difficult to measure the importance of SMEs. However, it is a well known fact that small and medium enterprises are considered as the basis of most of the economies, generally in relation to influences on employment as well as

The history of Arab-Israeli conflict Was the Oslo peace agreement Essay

The history of Arab-Israeli conflict Was the Oslo peace agreement failure Why - Essay Example The 26 years of Israeli occupation were the period, preceding the signed Oslo agreement (usually called Oslo Accord). These 26 years are divided into the two different periods: the first period is called 'easy conquest'1. It was the period, during which Israel kept around 15,000 of military occupiers at the Palestinian territory. This number was drastically increased during the period of Intifada, and according to various estimates, the number of Israeli troops at that time was more than 180,000; but in the period of 1981-83, the new rules of governing Palestinian people were implemented, and the indirect ruling was replaced by the Israeli manpower, which had to govern Palestinians at each level. This was the beginning of perception, that Palestinians didn't feel free and safe on their territory anymore, and thus the need of peaceful resolution was becoming more and more evident. What we see at present - are the consequences of the flawed process of Oslo agreement, which has been bui lt in the wrong direction from the very beginning. We have here to understand, what were the backgrounds of such agreement, and why Palestinians have not accepted it as the means of finding a common solution to their problem, as through the literary sources reviewed, Palestinians are depicted as the victims of the unfair attitudes, stated in Oslo Accord. The consequ The flaws of Oslo Accord and its failure as a means of finding peaceful agreement The consequences - violent confrontation, disproportionally massive Israeli repression and widespread Palestinian rebellion followed by the great loss of life, the majority of which is also Palestinian,2 are the examples of the situations witnessing the final stage of Oslo process failure. This process is stated to be flawed from the very beginning. 'Oslo was designed to segregate the Palestinians in non-contiguous enclaves, surrounded by Israeli-controlled borders, with settlements and settlement roads punctuating and essentially violating the territories' integrity, expropriations and house demolitions proceeding inexorably through the Rabin, Peres, Netanyahu and Barak administrations along with the expansion and multiplication of settlements (200,000 Israeli Jews added to Jerusalem, 200,000 more in Gaza and the West Bank), military occupation continuing, and every tiny step taken toward Palestinian sovereignty -- including agreements to withdraw in minuscule, agreed-upon phases - - stymied, delayed, cancelled at Israel's will'.3 I suppose that Oslo process has displayed a number of serious flaws, each of which has contributed into its failure, and thus is to be considered separately. The first flaw of the Oslo Accord and the peace process in general was in the fact that this very process has presupposed long period of 'mini-withdrawals' of the Israeli military occupiers, but only in exchange of Palestinian 'silence'.4 The core of this flaw is in the suggestion and unreal idea that Palestine would easily give up its attempts to win its territory and thus Israeli would have free opportunity to continue its occupation; but this belief was absolutely unreal. The second flaw was in the fact, that Oslo agreement implied Palestinians had to prove to the Israeli state, that they could be trusted, in exchange for certain small rewards. 5 This idea was stated by Aruri (2000)6 as

Contemporary marketing Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contemporary marketing Assignment - Essay Example With such keen interest in building a strong brand, two issues usually come up. One has to do with the components of a strong brand and the other has to do with ways of developing a strong brand (Farris et al., 2010). While customer loyalty is mainly described by what individuals do, brand loyalty usually is defined by the feelings and impressions of individuals (Dawes, 2009). A number of global brands can boast the kind of loyalty and passion shown by generations of certain companies like Disney. Disney Company is going to be the basis of this paper on which examples will be drawn on how the company has come up with strategies to build a strong brand that leads to increasing customer retention and loyalty. For more than eighty years, the company has experienced and maintained a lasting and comfortable position in the market. There are numerous reasons as to why the company has managed to be as so, but one of the main reasons is because of the creation of a strong brand (JZMcBride an d Associates, 2011). This document will scrutinize various ways through which Disney Company has built a strong brand, which has helped the company retain millions of customers and their loyalty thus increasing profits. The paper will cite specific examples of how the company has managed to do this. There are different ways through which Disney is able to keep its customers happy and loyal. One of the ways through which the company has accomplished this is through the creation of a brand promise. The company has been able to narrow down its promise of brand to a single action, which is using heart to entertain (JZMcBride and Associates, 2011). Studies suggest that loyalty includes some level of pre- dispositional commitment in a brand. Loyalty to a brand is seen as a construct that is multidimensional. Such loyalty is dependent on a number of distinct psychological processes and it involves a number of measurements, the perceived value of customers, trust in brands, satisfaction of customers and commitment are all thought to be key influencing entities of loyalty to a brand (Fournier, 2007). As it follows, the strategy of Disney to use heart or feelings in entertaining the customers fulfils all these requirements and ensures that the company maintains the loyalty of its customers. Another way the company builds its brand and retains customers is by controlling its brand. By being true to its brand in numerous ventures is what differentiates the company from other brands in the market. For instance, the company owns ABC, which broadcasts numerous programs. For instance, ABC broadcasts a show Called Pan Am that is based on the lives of individuals in the 1960s. One thing that one notices is that the show does not include scenes of smoking even though they were increasingly common during this time. This shows that the company wishes to stick to its promise of broadcasting shows that are family friendly (JZMcBride and Associates, 2011). According to a number of st udies, commitment to behaviour of repeated purchase are considered as necessary elements for creating brand loyalty and customer loyalty, followed by satisfaction, perceived value and brand trust. Several scholars claim that enhancing customer

Global cultural exchange Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global cultural exchange - Essay Example Even if the Early Middle Ages (approx. y. 500-800) were times of uncertainty, disorder, invasions and cosmic insecurityi, the period to come, years 800-1500, also known as the High and the Late Middle Ages, was a period of significant cultural development. Therefore, if in the Early Middle Ages we can talk about a sort of cultural indetermination, when people with different beliefs (barbarians, adepts of ancient religions, Christians, the newly emerged Muslims) were thrown in the same pot with no further instructions, then the High and Late Middle Ages bring out the cultural determination, the establishment of linguistic, religious and cultural boundaries and this is when we can observe explicit examples of cultural exchange. Still, I would like to clearly emphasize the fact that cultural interaction wasn’t a goal in itself during this time; it was more of an adjacent process to the phenomenon of medieval travel, which, at its turn, was a result of three major purposes: trade, diplomacy/conquest and missionary. Merchants that engaged in long-travel trade had two main routs available, which linked Europe, Asia and Africa: the silk-road, for luxurious goods and the sea-routes, for more common goods, such as stone, steel and building materials. Major trading cities and ports grew rapidly, becoming a meeting place for foreign merchants, traders, brokers, who ultimately exchanged knowledge, religious ideas, philosophical beliefs, stories, legends and other cultural elements. Missionaries wanted to spread their religious ideas on other territories, an ambition that also became a form of cultural exchange. Diplomatic missions and conquest ambitions appeared as a result of cultural and territorial delimitation, but also implied a cultural interaction between the conquerors and the natives. Thus, in this paper, I would like to analyze the cultural exchange between the Christian world and the Islamic world with an emphasis on the Levant area and the Iberian

ENHANCED ACADEMIC WRITING AND PRACTICE ED2215 (Ass 2) Essay

ENHANCED ACADEMIC WRITING AND PRACTICE ED2215 (Ass 2) - Essay Example The issue for betterment of the school environment is intrinsically related to the social and cultural environment of the state and society. Further, such issues seen from a judicial and moral standpoint needs be addressed while generating social policies related to the educational environment. The policies generated by the social and educational leaders must generate positive outcomes to help the due achievement of such moral and social goals. The educational and social leaders must focus directly on the betterment of the pedagogical and courseware areas of the educational institutions rather than rendering more concentration on changing the organizational structure. Furthermore, the educational and social change must proceed in a spontaneous manner and must not be restricted in bettering up the educational atmosphere of any particular institution. Development brought about in a particular institution without catering to a holistic view disturbs the fragment of social equity in the state or region. In the context of United Kingdom, the Labor Party during the 1997 period took stance of bringing about a large-scale educational and social reform in the country. ... passing on of the first term the labor party failed to confer further more alterations in the educational atmosphere of the region for which the developments brought about started stagnated with the arrival of the second term. The external leadership imparted by political and social leaders to bring about a mass scale alteration of the educational and social sphere of the region fails to make a sustainable stand unless otherwise recognized by the educational institutions themselves. In other words, the educational institutions are required to perform in close cooperation with the social and cultural ideology of the region to judge their aspirations and aims. The external leadership on the other hand must help create an atmosphere that would promote development of the educational and pedagogical procedure of the institutions. Thus, an environment must be created which would help in the implementation of the policies framed at the national and state level in the educational organizatio ns (Hopkins, 2005, p. 4). Promoters of Educational Development Hopkins outlined four major areas that can help in bringing about a stream of reforms that would help in the formation of an ideal educational environment in a region or state. Hopkins states that an educational environment must focus in designing a personalized approach with the student community that would help in the betterment of the educational patterns. Further, the pattern of the teaching imparted by the educational institution must focus on incorporating professional ideas that would help the students to eke out a living in the future. In the process of bringing about a change in the educational environment, the educational organizations must not function in an isolated environment. Rather they must enthusiastically

Death and its effects Essay Example for Free

Death and its effects Essay There is a certain sequence to life. We are born, we die and the part in the middle is called life. Everyone must die and every religion in the world seems to have a belief about what happens after death. We can die at any age be it by accident, illness, disease or old age. Unfortunately accidents and disease are quite common and cause much more distress to loved ones than if someone dies of old age. This is because of the order of death which we expect. Most people believe that Grandparents should die first, followed by Parents then finally Children. However, the world does not always work this way, spawning the phrase a parent should never have to bury their child. Accidents can strike someone down at anytime as can illness. When this happens it is usually a shock and the grief caused by this can be dependent on the age if a younger person dies then the shock can be devastating but if someone dies in their twilight years then the shock is greatly reduced as the family is half expecting it and they have led a full life. When someone dies, people cope with it in different ways. Some people cry and sob while others will quietly sit and contemplate. In other instances, people will go into denial and refuse to believe that their loved one is gone. This type of denial is aided by the fact that we do not have to deal with death directly, more often than not we will arrange for a funeral director to plan and take care off everything. Many people tell their loved ones how they feel everyday, this allows them to be secure in that their loved one will not die without them knowing they love them. People do not like for someone to die if they have not told them all that they should have or have ended their last conversation in an argument. They begin to have that underlying feeling of guilt and foreboding. To know that someone knows what you are going through is a great help to the bereaved, friends can come over and offer their support and allow the person to explain how they feel. The whole idea of talking to someone is the basis of therapy and can offer some relief through sympathy/empathy. Funerals, after they have been arranged are often held within the week of the person dying. This is to offer some finality to the whole process and to let the relatives to decide whether they want an open coffin or closed coffin funeral. Funerals vary from one Christian denomination to another but they all have a glimmer of hope in them for the relatives and friends. The hope of eternal life in the presence of God allows the church to help the bereaved deal with their loss by encouraging them to believe that they will be reunited with them after they die. In a funeral, the coffin is carried from its method of transport to the church (this is usually a hearse, but can be a horse-drawn carriage) by the pall-bearers. These are often the male members of the family who were closest to the deceased. I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26) The above verses from John 11 are often read. These words are used to comfort the bereaved as they speak of eternal life and love. There are also often hymns, prayers for the person who has died and other Bible readings. The priest will then give a short sermon on the Christian beliefs of life after death. Eulogies are also often read out by a member of the family or a close friend. A eulogy is a short speech about the life of the person who has died. It is traditional to wear black clothing at funerals. This is not required however and some families will request that guests do not dress in this way. A Roman Catholic funeral also includes a Requiem Mass. For this, the priest will wear white vestments and the coffin will be covered in a white pall. The coffin is sprinkled with Holy Water and the priest says: In the waters of baptism (name) died with Christ, and rose with him to new life. May s/he now share with him in eternal glory. The coffin is then sprinkled again and later perfumed with incense. After the funeral, many Christians put on a meal for guests to thank them for coming. In the case of Roman Catholics and many Irish Christians, a wake will be put on. A wake is a small, lively party to celebrate the persons passing into Heaven and their life. Of course, the person who all this was held for does not realise. The deceased person is not really there and only an empty shell remains. There are several different, but equally important reasons for holding a funeral. A funeral marks the ending of a human life, as baptism marks the beginning. It also allows the families to go through the various stages of grief. A funeral lets them see that the person is gone forever, but gives them comfort and support from faith. A funeral is used by Christians to be reminded of one of Christianitys main beliefs there is life after death and that God will give us strength to face up to our sorrow. Graves are also often erected. These graves are permanent markers to the person and can last hundreds of years. It is very interesting to walk around a cemetery and see the impact someone has made on another persons life as some graves have monumental tombstones on them. These come at a huge price and it is amazing to see that someone has paid so much money for something the deceased will never see In Christian terms, there are two places after you die, Heaven and Hell. There is much debate about whether Heaven and Hell are actual places. The Literalists believe it is as the bible clearly mentions it in the New Testament. According to older theories, Heaven is a place where those who are sinless go to be with God and everyone is happy. On the other hand, Hell was meant to be a place of fire and brimstone where everyone suffered for their sins. Now here is where the argument comes in. Many people say that Hell cannot exist because it is impossible for such a loving and forgiving God to create a place of suffering. Some Christians also believe that Heaven and Hell are not so much places as states of mind. Heaven is where you are at peace and can be with God and Hell is where you are confined and isolated from the warmth of Gods love. A modern story of the literal differences between Heaven and Hell goes as follows: A man dies and is greeted by St. Peter at the gates of Heaven. The man asks if he can see both Heaven and Hell before he is judged. St. Peter agrees and an angel escorts the man into a room. In the room, there is a long dining table. The man asks where they are and the angel tells him that they are in Hell. He explains that in both Heaven and Hell, you are treated equally and can eat all your favorite foods from the table on one condition: you must eat them with 6 foot long utensils. The man ponders on this for a moment then asks what the difference is between the two. The angel tells him that in Heaven, people are well fed as they feed one another while the people in Hell starve as they only try to feed themselves and fail. In Christian beliefs about resurrection, the idea that the whole body is resurrected, not just the soul is prominent. Jesus was recognised by St. Peter after his resurrection (see Corinthians 15:35-57), this shows us that when we are resurrected, our new bodies will be recognisable to our family and friends. Jewish beliefs about death are not so different from those of Christianity. Instead of Heaven and Hell, Jews believe that all souls go to Sheol, a shadowy underworld. The Jewish faith also has beliefs on resurrection. According to Maimonides, when the Messiah comes, all the dead will be resurrected and judged. In death, every member of the family is affected. Adults know what is going on, but what about the children. What should we tell them? Many parents explain to their children that whoever has died has gone with the angels. This is often the easiest way as children associate angels with happiness. This reasoning is often why people grow up imagining Heaven to be in the clouds above our Earth and full of angels, it is a remnant of our childhood. However, some parents decide to not tell their children anything. It all depends on the individual child and how they will cope with this new information. Some children can cope with the hard evidence someone has died and isnt going to come back, while others cannot grasp the concept of death until they are much older. All religions have theories on life and death. In the New Age religions, many people believe in the Gaia theory. The Gaia theory was developed many hundreds of years ago and can be found in old texts about the meaning of life. The Gaia theory tells us that the Earth on which we live has a spirit and that all living organisms have their spirit given by Gaia (the Earth spirit). These organisms live their respective lives and soak up their experiences to enrich its spirit. When the organism dies, its spirit returns to Gaia and the experiences it had allow Gaia to create new lives. After looking at several different religions, it is apparent that all have one thing in common the belief that after you die a part of you lives on and returns to something, be it Allah, Gaia or God.

Introduction to social work

Introduction to social work Compare, contrast and critically evaluate Crisis Intervention and Task-Centred Practice. Debate what you see as their effectiveness by outlining potential advantages and disadvantages and with reference to research regarding their effectiveness. The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Code of Ethics (2002:1) states that; The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environment. In order to promote such social change and provide high quality professional practice, social workers utilise various theoretical frameworks and apply them appropriately in order to help service users in the best way they can. The intention of this essay is to discus the key features of the task-centred practice and crisis intervention approaches, both of which are widely used methods of social work practice. With reference to research, the effectiveness and limitations of these approaches will be analyzed by outlining potential advantages and disadvantages, and by demonstrating that although these approaches have different origins, they do have some common features. McColgan (2009:60) states that task-centred practice is; a popular method of intervention in social work practice. It does not depend on any complex theory, is down to earth, makes sense and is easy to understand in its application. Coulshed Orme (2006:156) believe that the task-centred approach, also known as brief therapy, short term or contract work is probably one of the most researched and commonly used approaches to problem solving in social work practice. Task-centred practice was developed out of research into effective social work practice by Reid and Shyne in 1969, who found that planned, short term intervention, was equally as or more effective than long term treatment. Task-centred practice originates within social work itself, rather than being borrowed from disciplines outside of social work, such as psychology and sociology. Indeed, Reid (1992) states that; task-centred casework rejects any specific psychological or sociological base for its methods and seeks to be eclectic and integrative (cited in Payne, 1997:97). At the time task-centred practice challenged the long-term psychodynamic theory behind social work which, according to Woods and Hollis (1990, cited in Cree and Myers 2008:90) expected problems to be deep rooted and to require intensive and long-term specialist input to address these difficulties, however Reid and Shyne disputed this approach in favour of proposed time-limited, structured and focused interventions to solve problems, which was a direct challenge to the models that encouraged those with problems to move at their own pace. Reid and Epstein (1972) suggest that the task-centred approach is beneficial for a variety of problems, including interpersonal, social relationship, organisational, role performance, decision making, resource based, emotional and psychological. Doel and Marsh (1992) and Reid and Epstein (1972) suggest that in order to apply effective task-centred practice to such problems, a framework should be adopted, which should firstly look at problem exploration. Doel (2002) states that the first phase should consist of problem scanning and identification in order to establish the services users perspective of the seriousness of the issues. The user should then be guided to prioritise the target problems and clarify their significance and define their desired outcomes or goals. Marsh and Doel (2005:72) suggest that the use of I want or we will is a guarantee of a statement which results in a goal being achieved, rather than using verbs such as need. Epstein and Brown (2002:155) recommend that a maximum of three problems should be worked with at any one time as Doel and Marsh (1992:31) point out too many selected problems will probably lead to confusion and dissipated effort. The selection of targeted problems should be governed by feasibility of achievement and in accordance with the partnership of the worker (Cree and Myers 2008:93). Doel and Marsh (1992) identify that making an agreement and agreeing a goal should be a written statement of what the user wants, based on how to directly alleviate the problem. The benefits of a written agreement could include that it is in the service users own words and can be referred to at a later date. However, Epstein and Brown (2002) argue that whilst this may be more necessary with mandated service users, a verbal agreement may be sufficient. It is important to remember that the communication skills of users must be taken into account, and that appropriate media must be used in accordance with the users abilities and skills. Addit ionally, a verbal agreement may be less frightening for the service user, or they may not be literate, so possibly a tape recording could be used. Healy (2005:121) suggests that the agreement should document the practicalities of the intervention, such as the duration, frequency and location of meetings in order for both the service user and the worker to be held accountable. Cree and Myers (2008:94) state that once the practicalities of the agreement have been established, identification of how to address the problems can begin via agreeing to a series of tasks that will contribute towards achieving the goals set out, that is, alleviation of the problem. Dole and Marsh (2005:36) outline that goals ideally should follow the SMART principle; specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Additionally, goals and tasks should be detailed and clarify who will do what, when, where and how and the service user should have a major influence in deciding on and carrying out the goal s and tasks (Cree and Myers 2008:94). In short, the goal should be the clients goal, agreed after detailed discussion with the worker about why it is desirable, how it can be achieved and how it is evident that it has been reached. The goal should be as clear as possible, within the capacity of the client to achieve and ethically acceptable to the practitioner. (Doel and Marsh, 1992:51) Task implementation addresses the methods for achieving the task(s), which should be negotiated with the service user, and according to Ford and Postle, (2000:55) should be; designed to enhance the problem solving skills of participantsit is important that tasks undertaken by clients involve elements of decision making and self-directionif the work goes well then they will progressively exercise more control over the implementation of tasks, ultimately enhancing their ability to resolve problems independently. According to Doel (2002:195) tasks should be carefully negotiated steps from the present problem to the future goal. Once tasks are set, it is important to review the problems as the intervention progresses in order to reassess that the tasks are still relevant to achieving the goals. Cree and Myers (2008:95) suggest that as circumstances can change, situations may be superseded by new problems. The workers role should be primarily to support the user in order to achieve their tasks and goals which may include providing information and resources, education and role-playing in order to handle difficult situations (ibid:95). The exit stage of the intervention should have been anticipated at the initial phase, in that the contract or agreement will have been explicit about the length of the intervention, and both the service user and worker will be aware of the timescale in which to complete their tasks. A time limit is important as it guards against drift, allows time for a review and encourages accountability. It also acts as an indicator of progress (Adams, Dominelli and Payne, 2002). According to Cree and Myers (2008:96); the last session needs to review what has been achieved; how the tasks have been completed; to what extent the goals have been met; and what the service user has learned from the process that can be usefully taken into their future lives. Wilson et al (2008) suggest that the final phase should involve the service user and the worker revisiting the initial problems and comparing them to how the situation is now, along with what the underlying achievements were, and what has been learnt in the process. Additionally, the service user is encouraged to explore how to use the skills learnt for the future, and how the intervention will now end, for example, possible new contracts for further work or referral to another agency. In contrast, the conceptual origins of crisis intervention come from varied sources, primarily from mental health and have a long history of development (Roberts 2005 cited in Parker 2007:116) Caplan (1961) and Roberts (1990) (cited in Parker 2007:115) state that crisis is; a time limited period of psychological distress resulting from exposure to or interpretation of particular situations or longer term stress that individuals cannot deal with using tried and tested or novel means of coping. The theoretical basis of crisis intervention has developed in sophistication, namely through the work of Gerald Caplan, an American clinician, following Dr Erich Lindemanns study of grief reactions after a night-club fire in Coconut Grove, Boston, USA in 1943 in which almost 500 people died. Lindemann interviewed some survivors and the relatives of those who died and concluded that when faced with sudden crisis, the human capacity to deal with problems faltered. An individuals usual coping mechanisms are no longer adequate to take on board the experiences involved following a crisis and these experiences consequently challenge ones normal equilibrium, or homeostasis. Furthermore, during the Korean war in the early 1950s, it was discovered that psychiatric first-aid given immediately to front-line soldiers, often quickly restored them back to duty, whereas those who were sent home for protracted institutional treatment responded slower to intensive therapy, which could suggest that in stitutionalization confirmed there was a serious underlying problem (Fell 2009). The experience and resolution of crises could be said to be a normal process which is inevitable at some point during a persons life, however, defining exactly which events or situations constitute crises is more troublesome, as they are construed as crises due to individual perception or reaction to an event, not the actual event itself (OHagan 1986, cited in Parker 2007:117). The concept of crisis theory provides workers with a theoretical framework of the adaptation processes of the individual following such events that are seemingly overtly stressful and unmanageable. Crisis intervention takes the concept of this theory and applies it to the understanding of the individuals experience, and suggests certain steps to take in order to help those who are experiencing crisis (Wilson et al 2008:361). Coulshed (1991:68) believes that one of the most significant features of crisis intervention is that crisis does not always indicate an emergency or dramatic event. The crisis instead, may be developmental and the result of a new experience such as starting school, adolescence, leaving home, going to university, getting married, or the anticipated death of a relative or friend, or indeed oneself. Similarly, an existential crisis refers to inner anxieties in relation to ones purpose, responsibility and autonomy, for example, a middle life crisis. In both cases adjustment fails because the situation is new to us, or it has not been anticipated, or a series of events has become too overwhelming (ibid). For many people, these challenges will not constitute a crisis, although they may feel stressful, but it could be recommended that, in practice, the worker remembers the subjective nature of crisis, in order not to dismiss a service users experience, which would suggest that there are sta ndard reactions to events, as Hoff (1990) states; what is a crisis for me may not be a crisis for you. Alternatively, a situational crisis could be said to be an event that happens which is out of ones control, or out of the realms of normal, everyday experience, for example natural disasters, sudden illness or death, sexual assault, abortion, domestic violence, redundancy or relationship breakups (Aguilera 1990). Murgatroyd and Woolfe (1985) however, believe that the threshold level of how an individual deals with such events is not the same for everyone, which leads one to assume that it is how someone comes to terms with the event rather than the event itself, in agreement with OHagans earlier statement. Likewise, an individual may be a particularly resilient person, or has previous experience of such situations, or they may have a strong support network of family and friends. Indeed, given an example such as a terminal illness, preparation work may be underway before the inevitable occurs and therefore not develop into a crisis situation (Wilson et al 2008). Caplan (1964) suggests that crises are time-limited, usually lasting no longer than six weeks, and that an individuals capacity to cope with problems and return to a steady state is based upon a persons internal psychological strengths and weaknesses, the nature of the problem and the help being given. Caplan (1964) also describes the stages of crisis whereby an emotionally hazardous situation presents uncomfortable feelings and signals change in homeostasis, in turn motivating actions to return to normal through employing usual coping mechanisms, which in most cases, are successful in a short period of time. Alternatively, in the case of an emotional crisis, the usual coping strategies are ineffective and the discomfort and unpleasant feelings intensify, cognitive disorganisation increases and novel coping methods and problem-solving techniques are employed to reduce the crisis. The individual then seeks help and support from others and employs an adaptive crisis resolution which de als successfully with affective and cognitive issues and new problem-solving and coping behaviours are developed. Conflicts raised by the crisis are identified and work to resolve them is begun, upset is subsequently reduced and there is a return to the pre-crisis level of functionality. However, maladaptive crisis resolution sees the individual implement novel problem-solving and coping and adequate help is not sought. Underlying issues remain unresolved and sources of help are not fully utilised. Although the disquiet is reduced the individual functions at a less adaptive level than before the crisis. In an adaptive post-crisis resolution, the individual becomes less vulnerable in similar situations due to past resolved conflict, inferring that the novel and adaptive coping skills and problem solving behaviours have been learned and applied. Therefore, individual functioning may have improved, personal growth taken place, and the likelihood of future emotionally hazardous situatio ns of a similar nature developing into a crisis is reduced. Finally, Caplan (1969) describes the maladaptive post-crisis resolution whereby the individual is more vulnerable than before because of a failure to deal effectively with underlying conflicts. The individual has learned maladaptive strategies to cope with emotionally hazardous situations, such as drinking or problem avoidance, and in general their functioning may be less adaptive than in the pre-crisis state, potentially resulting in further emotionally hazardous situations developing into a crisis. In order to implement effective practice for successful crisis intervention Roberts (2000) recommends practitioners should follow a seven stage model beginning with risk assessment, in order to establish if the person needs immediate medical attention, are they considering suicide as a solution, are they likely to injure themselves, if they are a victim of violence, is the perpetrator still present or likely to return, if there are children involved are they at risk, does the victim need transport to a place of safety, has the individual sought emergency treatment of this sort before and if so what was the outcome? It is essential to establish rapport with service users who are experiencing an episode of acute crisis, to include offering of information regarding help and support, and genuine respectfulness and acceptance of the person in line with the anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice, therefore adhering to the GSCC Code of Practice. The worker then needs to establish the nature of the problems that have led to the crisis reaction and encourage an exploration of feelings. Roberts (2000) believes this is a key element of the model, whereby service users should be encouraged to express their feelings in a safe and understanding environment within the context of an empathic therapeutic relationship with the worker. The worker should consider alternative responses to the crisis through active listening and encourage the service user to think about what alternative options there are available and what they feel they can bring to this new situation that they find themselves in. Roberts (2000) concludes that an action plan should be developed and implemented which involves the identification of a particular course of action in order to move beyond the crisis state successfully. The service user needs to establish a full understanding as to what happened, why and what the result was, to understand the cognitive and emotional significance of the event, an d to develop a future plan based on real situations and beliefs rather than irrationality. Finally, a follow-up plan and agreement can be drawn up between both service user and worker if any further help is needed and by whom. It is evident that there are various advantages and limitations as well as some common features between both of these methods of practice. In fact Reid (1992) believes that crisis intervention has been influential to the development of task-centred practice. A major advantage for task-centred practice is that it offers an optimistic approach that moves focus away from the person as the problem, to practical and positive ways of dealing with problems. Coulshed Orme (1998) suggest that task-centred practice does not assume that the problem resides only in the service user and therefore attention is paid to external factors such as housing and welfare and the strengths of individuals and their networks. However, Gambrill (1994 cited in Payne 1997) argues that neither model deals with social change and may not take account of structural oppression such as poverty, poor health, unemployment or racial or gender discrimination or where the problem may not be easy to overcome without politi cal or social change; the failure of political will to respond realistically to deep-seated problems of poverty and social inequality and its effectiveness in dealing with presenting problems may result in society avoiding longer-term and more deeply seated responses to social oppressions (Payne, 1997:113). In addition, Wilson et al (2008) argue that the crisis intervention model does not take into account cultural differences regarding traditions when coping with acute distress and the loss of a loved one for example. The criticism is that crisis intervention theory is based on a very western philosophy, which patches up as quickly as possible. It could be suggested therefore, that if workers carry out a thorough and sensitive assessment before intervention, this should be avoided. On the other hand, Coulshed Orme (1998:55) believes that the task-centred approach is more generic, in that it is considered to be ethnic sensitive and can be applied to many situations with different user groups; the task-centred approach is the one most favoured by those who are trying to devise models for ethnic-centred practice because its method is applicable to people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Therefore in keeping with anti-discriminatory practice which is integral to social work ethic and the GSCC Code of Practice. It could be argued that the success of these two approaches within social work comes from the fact they are brief and time efficient and therefore economical interventions, both for service user and from the care-management perspective. In addition, both approaches involve the service user in examining and defining their own problems and finding ways in which they can work on them using their own resources and strengths. This enables them to regain control of their lives and promote empowerment either by success in problem solving in order to build confidence as in the task centred approach, or helping people become emotionally stronger through learned experience, as with crisis intervention, rather than understanding the origins of present problems in past experience. This in turn helps the service users ability to cope in the near and distant future and become more capable of solving subsequent problems without help (Payne 1997). Equally, the fact that short-term interventions shou ld curtail the service users dependency on the worker, further enhances empowerment. As Ford and Postle (2000:53) state; The dangers of social work effectiveness becoming dependent on the worker/ client relationship, which may or not work out, are minimised in the short-term. The tasks and goals established in task-centred practice are chosen because they are achievable, that is the mutual and specific agreement or contract set up between the service user and the worker ensures that the success of the intervention relies upon the acceptability and participation of the tasks (Wilson et al 2008). As a result of the mutuality of the partnership, anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice and empowerment are at the core of the task-centred approach, all which are key to the GSCC Code of Practice. However, Rojek and Collins (1987:211) point out that as that as task-centred practice is based on contractual intervention, this could set up an unequal power relationship between the worker and the service-user; As long as social workers have access to the economic and legal powers of the state and clients contact social work agencies as isolated individuals with problems, then there is the basis for inequality. Contract work does not get round these points by affecting an open and flexible attitude. Similarly regarding power base, Trevithick (2005) believes that the crisis intervention approach can be a highly intrusive method which is too direct and can raise a number of ethical issues such as making decisions on behalf of the service user if they are too distressed to do so themselves, which in turn may offer potential for oppressive practice on behalf of the worker. However Kessler (1966) believes that during the disequilibrium of crisis, a person has more susceptibility to influence by others than during periods of stable functioning which provides a unique opportunity to effect constructive change. This point could be argued in that the susceptibility to influence others that Kessler describes is in itself oppressive, although Golan (1978); Baldwin (1979); Aguilera and Messick (1990); Olsen (1984) (cited in Parker 2007:116) maintain that this time of disquiet motivates willingness to change, and this is when the practical application of crisis theory is effective. However, it could be suggested that that this is similar to the bargaining stage that Kubler-Ross (1970) describes in the five stages of grief, whereby an individual becomes so desperate to resolve a situation, that they are willing to try anything, even if it means striking a deal with God. Accordingly, Coulshed and Orme (2006 cited in Parker 2007:117) see its value in working with people at points of loss and bereavement, which they believe has resonance with the use of this intervention. This poses the question as to whether crisis intervention is more of a situation specific intervention. However, Poindexter (1997) believes that crisis intervention is suited to individuals who have experienced a hazardous event, have a high level of anxiety or emotional pain, and display evidence of a recent acute breakdown in problem-solving abilities, therefore implying that this approach could be applied to a range of situations or problematic events. Both interventions can be seen as time-limited approaches that superficially fit well with care-management (Ford and Postle, 2000:59) which implies that they are only used because they fit into the routine and schedule driven aspects of care management rather than for their effectiveness. It could therefore be suggested that due to the general pressures of time, the worker may try to fit either intervention around their workload, rather than around the service users needs, which in turn may restrict the development of empowerment within the service user, and ultimately not address any underlying problems. Although this is a rather bureaucratic outlook, it could be said to be a sign of the times that most things are increasingly driven by targets and financial considerations. Whilst both approaches seem to satisfy agency requirements as well as maintaining professional practice, Reid and Epstein (1972) believe that the task-centred approach is more structured compared to crisis interv ention (cited in Payne 1997:97). It could be suggested in which case, that task-centred practice is more beneficial for the less experienced worker as it follows more defined framework. In addition, it could be fair to say that this method of intervention could be useful for reflective practice due to it following such a framework; the worker, as well as the service user, has to be committed to a series of planned work, therefore could be a valuable tool for future guidance in a professional capacity. Further to the constraints of short term interventions Reid and Epstein (1972) suggest that these approaches may not allow sufficient time to attend to all the problems that the service user may want help with and that clients whose achievement was either minimal or partial thought that further help of some kind may be of use in accomplishing their goals. Task-centred practice is an approach which depends on a certain level of cognitive functioning. Doel and Marsh (1992) suggest that the service user must be of rational thought and be capable of cognition in order for the intervention to be effective, therefore may not be suitable for those with on-going psychological difficulties or debilitations; where reasoning in seriously impaired, such as some forms of mental illness, people with considerable learning difficulties or a great degree of confusion, task-centre work is often not possible in direct work with that person. It is evident that both the task-centred and crisis intervention approaches are popular and generally successful models of social work practice and can both be used in a variety of situations.   Both approaches are based on the establishment of a relationship between the worker and the client and can address significant social, emotional and practical difficulties (Coulshed Orme 2006). They are both structured interventions, so action is planned and fits a predetermined pattern. They also use specific contracts between worker and service user and both aim to improve the individuals capacity to deal with their problems in a clear and more focused approach than other long term non directive methods of practice (Payne 1991). Despite their different origins and emphasis, both of these approaches have a place in social work practice through promoting empowerment of the service user and validating their worth. Although there are certain limitations to both of the approaches, they do pro vide important frameworks which social workers can utilise in order to implement best practice. References Coulshed, V. and Orme, J. (2006) Social work practice . 4th ed. Basingstoke, Palgrave. Macmillan. Doel, M. and Marsh, P. (1992). Task-centred Social Work. Aldershot, Ashgate. Healy, K (2005) Social work theories in context : creating frameworks for practice. Basingstoke:Palgrave Poindexter, C. C. (1997) Work in the aftermath: Serial Crisis Intervention for People with HIV Health Social,May, 22, (2), 1-3. Adams, Dominelli and Payne (2002) Social Work: Themes, Issues and Critical Debate   (2nd edn) Palgrave Coulshed, V. (1991) Social Work Practice: An Introduction, Basingstoke: Macmillan/BASW Ford and Postle (2000) Task-centred Practice and Care Management, in Stepney and Ford Social Work Models, Methods and Theories   Russell House Payne, M (1997) Modern Social Work Theory   (2nd edn) Macmillan Reid and Epstein (1972) Task-centred casework   Columbia University Press Reid, W. J. (1992) Task Strategies New York:   Columbia University Press Trevithick, P (2005) 2nd Edition, Social Work Skills: A Practice Handbook, Philadelphia: Open University Press Caplan, G. (1964). Principles of preventative psychiatry. New York: Basic Books Reid, W. J. (1992) Task Strategies: An Empirical Approach to Clinical Social Work, New York: Columbia University Press Reid, W. J. and Shyne, A. (1969) Brief and Extended Casework New York: Columbia University Press Aguilera, D. C.   (1990) Crisis Intervention: Theory and Methodology 6th edition St Louis:   Mosby and Co Parker, J.   (2007) Crisis Intervention: A Practice Model for People who have Dementia and their Carers, Practice 19 (2), 115-126 Marsh, P. and Doel, M. (2005) The Task Centred Book Aldershot:Ashgate Hoff, L. A. (1990) Battered Women as Survivors , London: Routledge Rojek, C and Collins, S. A. (1987) Contract or Con trick? British Journal of Social Work, 17, 199-211 Epstein, L. and Brown, L. (2002) Brief Treatment and a New Look at the Task Centred Approach, Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon Doel, M. (2002) Task-centred work, in R. Adams, L. Dominelli and M. Payne (eds) Social Work: Themes, Issues and Critical Debates (2nd edition), Basingstoke: Palgrave Reid, W. J. and Epstein, L. (1972) Task Centred Casework, New York: Columbia University Press Kubler-Ross, E. (1970) On Death and Dying, London: Tavistock Coulshed, V. and Orme, J. (1998) Social Work Practice: An Introduction, 2nd edition, Basingstoke: Macmillan/BASW Cree, V. and Myers, S. (2008) Social Work: Making a Difference, Bristol: The Policy Press Wilson, K, Ruch, G. Lymbery, M. Cooper, A. (2008), Social Work: An Introduction to Contemporary Practice, Essex: Pearson Education Limited Roberts, A. (2000), Crisis Intervention Handbook: Assessment, Treatment and Research, 2nd edition, Oxford: University Press Murgatroyd, S.J. and Woolfe, R. (1985), Helping Families in Distress: An Introduction to Family Focussed Helping, Michigan: Harper and Row Kessler, J. W. (1966), Psychopathology of Childhood, California: Prentice-Hall Fell, B. (2009) McColgan (2009) BASW (2002)

Sylvia Plaths Words for a Nursery Essays -- Sylvia Plath Words Nurser

Sylvia Plath's Words for a Nursery Sylvia Plath’s â€Å"Words for a Nursery† depicts the embodiment of life through the symbolism of a human hand. Referring to the hand many times throughout various works(â€Å"Mirrors†, â€Å"Tulips†, â€Å"Lady Lazarus†, etc), Plath continually portrays this feature as a bodily tool around which life functions. After becoming pregnant with her first child, Plath’s analysis of the progression of life from birth to death can be seen within such a poem. Like most of her poetry, â€Å"Words for a Nursery† escalates in a positive manner until the end where death is expressed, and a sense of pessimism is briefly felt. As she suggests, life begins with the opening of the hand, the first action which will lead to eventual awareness of the world. Through her analysis of the detailed elements of the hand, and her emphasis on its ability to learn its role, Plath examines the phases of life by expressing a new stage within each stanza. From birth, through life, and finally to old age and death, Plath draws upon a series of images to metaphorically describe human existence in life’s endless cycle. Throughout â€Å"Words for a Nursery†, Plath uses various stylistic devices to relate the human hand to the progression of life. With the whole poem existing as an extended metaphor, the author encourages a reader to interpret and search for meaning. As Plath opens with â€Å"Rosebud, knot of worms†, the beginning of human life is seen. The baby’s crunched fist is a â€Å"rosebud†, it’s fingers a â€Å"knot of worms†. Continuing, we read â€Å"Heir of the first five / Sharpers; I open†. Here, readers infer that with the opening of the child’s five fingers, life begins. Although Plath does not directly state this meaning, her creativ... ...eased comprehension of life and its cycle. Since Plath uses the first person point of view to describe life as an experience, her accepted wisdom creates a natural style. She understands life to be a cycle, where even in death, life of another (in this case the â€Å"thin crows†) continues. Although pessimism toward death is evident, Plath regards life as a progression. The hand opens to allow life to begin, learns its function, and remains active until it reaches old age, where it then becomes weak and eventually dies. Through such a beautifully written metaphor, a reader learns that life is a continual development up to the time of death. From the origin to decease of individual life, the hand, just like the human, experiences growth. From thistle to silk, and rosebud to rose, life is a road of unforeseen events, all paths leading to the progression of existence.

Analysis of Raleghs Nature, that washed her hands in milk Essay

Analysis of Ralegh's "Nature, that washed her hands in milk" Nature, that washed her hands in milk† can be divided structurally into two halves; the first three stanzas constitute the first half, and the last three stanzas make up the second half. Each stanza in the first half corresponds to a stanza in the second half. The first stanza describes the temperament of Nature, who is, above all, creative. This first stanza of the first half corresponds to stanza four, the first stanza in the second half of the poem. Stanza four divulges the nature of Time, who, unlike Nature, is ultimately a destroyer. Time is introduced as the enemy of Nature, and Ralegh points out that not only does Nature â€Å"despise† Time, she has good reason for it (l. 19). Time humiliates her: he â€Å"rudely gives her love the lie,/Makes Hope a fool, and Sorrow wise† (20-21). The parallel between the temperaments of Nature and Time is continued in stanzas two and five. Stanza two describes the mistress that Nature makes for Love. This mistress, who is made of â€Å"snow and silk† instead of earth, has features that are easily broken (3). Each external feature is individually fragile: her eyes are made of light, which cannot even be touched, her breath is as delicate as a violet, and she has â€Å"lips of jelly† (7-8). Her demeanor is unreliable, as well; it is made â€Å"Only of wantonness and wit† (12). It is no surprise that all of the delicate beauty Nature creates in stanza two is destroyed by Time in stanza five. Time â€Å"dims, discolors, and destroys† the creation of Nature, feature by feature (25-26). Stanzas three and six complete the parallel. In the third stanza, the mistress is made, but in her is â€Å"a heart of stone† (15). Ralegh points out that her charm o... ...s known to outlast flesh once a body has died. Time spoils the insides of the mistress, as well; he â€Å"doth dull each lively wit,/And dries all wantonness with it† (29-30). The poet’s preservation of the order of creation and demolition helps to present Time as a methodical destructive force. Time is in no hurry to get rid of the mistress or beauty, but he certainly will perform his task to completion. Careful word choices and syntax aid Ralegh’s depiction of Time, as well. Reading â€Å"Nature, that washed her hands in milk† feels like a lesson and a story at the same time because the syntax is short and to the point. Each stanza ends with a rhyming couplet, giving a self-contained feeling to each phrase, which lends to the aphoristic feel of the poem. Both Ralegh’s plain style and his use of parallel structure serve as vehicles to convey the meaning of his poem.

Production Of Olive Oil Essay -- Foods Process Essays

Production Of Olive Oil INTRODUCTION Olive oil is a pale yellow to greenish oil extracted from the fruit of the European olive tree (Olea europaea L.), which originated in the Mediterranean area. The olive is originally native to the eastern Mediterranean region but the cultivated form is now grown throughout that area and in other parts of the world with Mediterranean-type climates. It hardens at refrigerator temperatures - around 10 degrees F. Today a market certainly exists for olive oil, since the U.S. imports about 35 million gallons each year. Interest in the health aspects of olive oil is expanding and increasing demand each year. Demand has increased over 20% each year for the last 5 years. California produces about 300,000 gallons of oil each year about half of that is sold each year as the gourmet treat classified as extra-virgin and sold from $10 to $40 per half-liter. Among global producers, Spain leads with more than 40% of world production, followed by Italy and Greece. Much of the Spanish crop is exported to Italy, where it is both consumed and repackaged for sale abroad as Italian olive oil. Different Grades Of Olive Oil Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil. Virgin olive oil with an acidity less than 2%, and judged to have a good taste. There can be no refined oil in virgin olive oil. Olive oil is a blend of virgin oil and refined virgin oil, containing at most 1% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor. Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined olive-pomace oil and possibly some virgin oil. It is fit for consumption, but it may not be c... ...etting a person or place apart for special work It is used in the ordination of priests and bishops, in the consecration of altars and churches, and, traditionally, in the anointing of monarchs at their coronation. To this day, Eastern Orthodox Christians use oil lamps in their churches and home prayer corners. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. http://www .wikipedia.org 2. http://www.olivetree.eat- online.net/frameoliveoil.htm 3. http://www.oliflix.com/eng/enviroment.htm 4. http://www.oliveoilsource.com/olive_recipes_.htm 5. Microsoft ® Encarta ® Encyclopedia 2002.  © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. 6. Tous, J. and L. Ferguson. 1996. Mediterranean fruits, Progress in new crops. In: J. Janick (ed.), ASHS Press, Arlington, VA. p. 416-430 7. www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/research/olive.html 8. www.ucm.es/info/improliv/allgem.htm 9. http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/o1/oliveoil.asp

Gun control and the Constitution

The history of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, which guarantees the right of US citizens to â€Å"bear arms† is one of the most complex and controversial of all the developments within constitutional law that have occurred in the last 230 years. In this book Cottrol attempts to bring together most of the major cases on the Second Amendment from the Supreme Court, and also includes various articles on their meaning.One of the most valuable aspects of this book is the fact that Cottrol tackles his subject neither from the perspective of a supporter of the Amendment nor from a gun control advocate. This balance is a rare achievement in a treatment of an aspect of the law that often inspires resonantly partisan scholarship that fails to offer the true complexity and difficulties involved with balancing the various parties involved with the Second Amendment. The book is divided into two main sections. The first gives copies of the two leading Supreme Court c ases, Presser v. Illinois and United States v.Miller, as well as a state case that is now more than a century old but still provides precedence: Aymette v. State of Tennessee. Unlike many other books, Cottrol also provides the full texts of leading laws regarding gun control, such as the Brady Act and the 1986 Farm Owners Protection Act. These enable the reader to compare court cases, with the points of law that are raised within them, as well as the constitutional issues, with the actual laws that are now in place. Over all of them is the simple but actually over-riding language of the Second Amendment.In the second part of the book, Cottrol provides ten law and history scholarly articles which offer a strictly balanced view of the spectrum of views on the Second Amendment. Four out of the ten articles are actually challenging to the idea that the Second Amendment is sacrosanct, while the rest are either historical or pro-Second Amendment in nature. Perhaps the best section of the book is actually the Introduction, an extended contemplation of the various issues involved with gun control from the Revolutionary War on.Cottrol argues that the founding fathers saw that an armed citizenry was a necessity for the defence of political liberty that had only recently been won. However, the idea that America was (and still is) somehow intrinsically different from other countries in its attitude towards gun is merely stated rather than proven. Thus Cottrol argues that â€Å"from the beginning, conditions in colonial America created a very different attitude towards arms and the people† (p. 13).But most European countries had a heavily armed populace in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries compared to today, but have succeeded in developing into modern countries that do not have a generally armed citizenry, with associated much lower crime/murder rates. Cottrol offers an interesting view on a part of the gun control debate that rarely received much attention f rom either side. That is the fact that during the Nineteenth Century fears of insurrection from slaves (and then freed blacks) and Indians meant that there were outright bans on these groups possessing arms.So the Second Amendment has already been suspended in the past for what are now regarded as spurious reasons: should not similar suspensions be considered in the present day? Cottrol does not explicitly state this, but it is implicit within his own scholarship that he briefly outlines within the Introduction to his book. In one of the most important aspects of the book, Cottrol argues that the â€Å"collective rights† argument over whether the Second Amendment merely guarantees the right to bear arms for a small, trained militia (i. e. an army? ) is moot.He says that if both pro and anti- gun control proponents accepted that there is a right to bear arms guaranteed in the Constitution then a genuinely productive conversation and dialogue could occur within society as to se nsible limits to access to that right. Arguing theoretically over whether the â€Å"right† exists or not is a rather futile exercise in sophistry. The more important argument is how the right should be instituted within society: what type of arms should be allowed under the constitution, what limits as to age, criminal history etc, should be placed?The right to bear arms, Cottrol suggests correctly, does not imply the right to bear all arms. For example, fully automatic machine guns have been illegal for ordinary citizens in the United States since the 1930’s. A person cannot but a bazooka, tank or fighter plane and claim that the Second Amendment protects his right to purchase and use it. So the argument, Cottrol suggests, should be on the types of arms that are allowed, not whether they are to be allowed at all. Here Cottrol’s suggestion that Federalist issues be more closely considered is very interesting.He correctly asserts that about 43 states already have laws and/or constitutions that touch in some way or another upon the unfettered right to bear arms. This area of law, full of often contradictory of at least contrasting law, has yet to receive much scholarly attention. Cottrol implies that far more gun control may actually be occurring than those on the national level, arguing over theoretical constitutional matters, seem to understand. State matters may at times conflict with Federal authority, especially considering the existence of state militias versus the federally controlled national guard.Who actually controls national guard units became of great importance during the civil rights movement, when Southern states started to deny the validity of federal laws regarding desegregation. Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson all used federal troops in one way or another to help enforce federal court decisions. Cottrol’s book suggests that the strict constitutional arguments regarding the Second Amendment are in fact a f ulcrum for much larger political, social and cultural dilemmas within society.The scholarly articles which support the idea of gun control, and thus the diminishing of Second Amendment rights , often seem to rely upon essentially pragmatic arguments: gun control would lessen the amount and seriousness of violent crime. They imply that a tragic irony is now occurring in which the constitutional amendment designed to protect the country, and to make the citizens safer, have actually made the United States of America one of the most dangerous advanced industrialized countries in the world.The issue of guns and the Second Amendment seems to be rather tangential to the real problems according to Cottrol. He briefly mentions the country that is the most difficult for gun control advocates to explain: Switzerland. The Swiss keep about 650,000 assault weapons in their private homes, making them by far the most armed/per capita population in the world. Yet Switzerland has virtually no violen t crime. The country also has virtually no poor people and few if any of the social problems that seem to lead to much of the gun violence in the United States.While Cottrol’s one volume edition of what was previously a large three-volume work is by necessity limited in length, it is a pity that these wider issues surrounding the Second Amendment could not be considered. For example, the Brady Law, named after the Reagan official who was paralyzed by the man who nearly assassinated President Reagan, was designed to stop the type of attack which had occurred there, but in fact does not really begin to tackle the problem.A person who wants to assassinate a President (or to shoot his wife) will find access to deadly weapons in any country in the world, whether it has no gun laws or a plentitude of them. The psychological problems associated with spree killers such as the Columbine killers cannot be tackled by gun control laws, nor can the economic hardship and desperation that s eems to lead to much of the black-on-black violence that accounts for a majority of murders. If Cottrol were to write another book on the wider implications of gun control these kinds of matters could be considered.Yet the book might still have a constitutional basis as the US Constitution was not a theoretical document written as some kind of intellectual exercise but rather as a living framework on which a democratic country could grow. The argument over whether the US Constitution should be regarded as a â€Å"living document† that should be adapted to current circumstances and even changed if necessary, or whether its power lies within a strictly â€Å"originalist† interpretation is at the heart of political debate today.One of the reasons that many of the public have an opinion on the constitutional arguments surround the Second Amendment is that they are, supposedly, simple to explain. Either the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms or it does not. Cott rol suggests that this is in fact an irrelevant dichotomy: it is how that right is controlled that is at the heart of the matter. In conclusion, Gun Control and the Constitution: Sources and Explanations of the Second Amendment is an excellent book that raises a number of different perspectives on this important part of the US Constitution.Cottrol’s compendium of cases, opinion and scholarship suggests that a balanced approach to the various arguments should be adopted so that both sides can speak to one another rather than at or passed one another. ____________________________________ Works Cited Cottrol, Robert. Gun Control and the Constitution: Sources and Explanations of the Second Amendment. Routledge, New York: 1994. .