Classroom observation Essay

I have been observing several elementary teachers during the past eight weeks. All instructors bring into the classroom their individual teaching styles. Within that style there are various and assorted behaviors and actions they performed in their instruction. Most of the teachers observed presented the topic they were teaching. The instructors used teaching aids such as overhead and PowerPoint slides. It helped to keep students on track in the presentation of information. Teachers encouraged class participation in the subject to be taught by asking questions related to the topic. The students connected easily with the material when they could relate it to prior knowledge. Teachers were very organize and interested in communicate with their students. They periodically asked question and made sure students were understanding the concept presented. Students seem to be enjoying the instructional time with their teachers. They seem relaxed, attentive, on task, and actively participating in the subject. I could see that there were hardly any behavioral problems. When students were beginning to lose track of subject, there was one teacher that use humor to bring them back. I run into one exemption when observing a 1st grade teacher. His classroom was not well organized. You could see stacks of papers on different tables. Wall signs were falling down, trash on the floor. Students were the same way. Their desks were full of trash. Their books and supplies under their desk were all over the place. The instructor asked the students to take their language art book out and wrote the page number where they were going to start reading. He had another student controlling the a CD player to star reading along with the CD. It was chotic in that classroom I believe that instructor was not prepare enough to teach this subject and he needs classroom management.

Film “The Black Balloon” Essay

The film â€Å"The Black Balloon†, is a 2008 Australian AFI award-winning dramatic feature film that stars Toni Collette, Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Erik Thomson, Gemma Ward; as well as a cast of newcomers. It is directed by first-time feature film director, Elissa Down, Despite being set in the early 1990’s, the movie, â€Å"The Black Balloon† still contains relevant messages for audiences in the modern age. These messages involve the discrimination the Mollison family is subjected to, the characters that Down has incorporated into her story and the coming of age by her one of her main characters Thomas. Discrimination is a major theme in the movie, â€Å"The Black Balloon†. This theme was shown throughout the movie when the residents of the town and the school displayed discrimination toward Charlie and the family. The most poignant example of discrimination is when Charlie has a breakdown/tantrum at the supermarket when his father, Simon, has to put gro ceries back. Charlie feels that his order has been interrupted and he doesn’t cope with the change. Not one of the community members or staff members who were seen to witness the tantrum offered to help or even offered an encouraging smile. Through Down’s use of close-up camera shots on the observers, the viewer is able to see the judgment and horror that the community is displaying towards the autistic Charlie. Discrimination is also show financially. Although it isn’t shown in the film, financing Charlie’s medication plus his routine doctor and specialist check-ups wouldn’t be easy and again, the community is not forthcoming with offering assistance. These judgments from community members still occur in modern day society and parents of autistic children are still subjected to judgmental looks when their child doesn’t cope in an â€Å"appropriate† way in a social setting. The director Elissa Down has designed her story with simple characters, these individuals are coursed with issues and are reluctant to overcome them. the characters rema rked in this story show a great amount of emotions throughout their journey in the film, Thomas Mollison hitting his highest points at life when he meets Jackie and meeting his all-time lows releasing his anger out on his autistic brother Charlie is a massive point in the film. The characters in the film have a sense of belonging to their family this is resembled by the Mollisons sticking strong as a group and overcoming challenges throughout the film. Romance is also another big remark for the characters, the romance contributed by both  Jackie and Thomas really hit hard in the film. Individuals in the film also need to overcome challenges and that’s more than certainly shown in the film. Overcoming issues like the dinner table scene and the big fight. The characters in this film really resemble to modern day audience due to actions the characters conduct to, the sense of family and belonging are still a massive emotion throughout a modern families relationship. The sense of romance hits a huge message throughout the lives of young teenagers everywhere, modern social settings have a diverse amount of young teenagers who conduct themselves with the messages that The Black Balloon shows. The coming of age shown by one of our main two characters Thomas Mollison has been touched on perfectly by director Elissa Down, she investigates that harsh times throughout Thomas’s early life and evaluates him to where he concludes at the end of the film. Coming of age is the transition from adolescence to adulthood. During this time Thomas faces many challenges and changes. In the course throughout the film Thomas is sequenced with hardship and faced with strong issues, two main issues are outlined including the embarrassment of Charlies actions with conducting a relationship with Jackie and the sorrow moments where Thomas is known to be pushed aside of Charlie. Thomas plays the part of ‘A coming of age story’ perfectly, growing up throughout the film and overcoming those issues in his life at that time. Thomas concluded at the end of the film with emotions such as pleasure and happiness, this is shown with close up shots of Thomas’s face during the scen e where he dances in Charlie’s performance. This resembles a message of growing up and that message conducts greatly in modern society, the facts of teenagers going through harsh times in many senses including home life, school life and life overall. Thomas played a part of every young adults life, showing the emotions of his tears in the bathroom scene when his mother addresses him and the joyful moments at the end of the movie. Highs and lows are registered throughout anyone’s life and Thomas has shown that through emotion and his actions in The Black Balloon. In conclusion the movie The Black Balloon outlines a variety of strong coursed messages, these messages relate to modern audiences in a course of factors. Discrimination of families and characters was a high remarked message for contemporary viewers to relate to, the taste of judgement reached out to the viewers and were widely in sighted of the social setting that they are in. The  characters were evolved throughout the film as they showed high courses of emotion and heavy scenes of action. Observers showed relevance to the characters of the film as they saw the rich lust of romance and family belonging. The coming of age of Thomas Mollison reached out to modern audience and distinguished the hardship of issues grieved throughout a young teen’s life. Thomas showed emotions of happiness and sadness while overcoming issues and representing himself as a strong young adult. Viewers receive the message of overcoming issues and relate to these by the actions Thomas did in the film, these messages show that The Black Balloon does hold modern views on society today.

Genetically modified food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Genetically modified food - Essay Example As per the current scientific situation, most foods that are as a result of genetic modifications come from plants, but as time goes by, attempts are being made in order to come with foods from plants or animals that contain microbial genes and improved characteristics (Kim, 2009). Most of the genetically modified food crops are produced so as maximize on their yield while at the same time allowing for introduction of resistance genes that help in surviving during infection with diseases. Other genes may also be introduced so as to increase tolerance of the plant to herbicides while at the same time having high yields. It is prospected that this genetic modification at some point will be aimed at making changes on the nutrient content of the genetically altered foods and at least minimizing the potential of some foods to cause allergic reactions. It is however important to perform assessments of all genetically modified foods before they are brought into the market for human consumption since any mistakes done during the process of generating the GMOs may have a fatal effect on huge numbers of people (Kawata, Murakami & Ishikawa, 2009). The first step in the process of manufacture of genetically modified foods involves isolation of the specific genes of interest from heir well-known sources. It is therefore essential that prior knowledge on the structure, role and positional location of the particular gene required for the unique traits is available. Such a trait or genetic characteristic for example may be the trait of drought resistance or resistance to attack by insects. This step is followed by insertion of the isolated gene of interest into a selected vector and in most cases the vector used is the bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The gene insert that contains the gene of interest is inserted into the plasmid of the vector by use of an alternative in the various

Plan for Your Professional Development Assignment

Plan for Your Professional Development - Assignment Example It should be noted here that education is a constantly evolving field and one needs to be aware of the recent trends and changes in order to educate effectively and efficiently. Here I would like to discuss two courses that had a profound impact on me and I believe that through the knowledge and skills I have acquired while studying them it will benefit me tremendously when I apply the techniques, knowledge, methodologies to my future educational environment. The two courses belong to the Teacher Leadership program. This program helps mentors to develop critical skills, plan, prepare curriculums, motivate, educate and assist staff members, respond to recent technologies, staff and student management. Hence the two courses are EDU 568 Seminar in Teacher Leadership which I took in summer quarter 2013 and the other is EDU 562 Leadership in Global Education which I took in spring quarter 2013. Teachers are basically mentors who not only educate the masses but have positive impact on the wellbeing of the students. Their role is not only to teach and leave the classroom vicinity but to implement the teachings, have an appealing personality, to understand the needs and requirements of the child, to communicate effectively so that an active mechanism is generated which allows student and teacher interaction. Most of the times teachers forget their duties or get too busy with making money that they forget the purpose and divinity of this job. The role of seminar in teaching leadership thus arises. It is said that â€Å"This is the approach taken by teachers who lead diverse students to great academic achievements." (Farr, 2010). Teachers need to be equipped in leadership education in order to bridge the achievement gap and to relate to new techniques which can pave their way to better techniques, methods and teaching styles. Seminar in Teacher leadership aids you in various respects and provides knowledge about how to deploy leadership in diverse areas of education tha t is bringing about positive reforms in educational environment, plan out and develop curriculum, design innovative methods for assessment, finance and budget out events and educational needs, teach classroom management, teamwork, collaborate and work together for better results, integrate with recent technologies and researches and work positively for individual and collective development in all aspects. Thus by learning about all these aspects will not only benefit me as a teacher but will also help me to act as a leader and bring out positive reforms in my work environment. Leadership is very important as it helps to rejuvenate the forces and provide solution, manage and respond to any issue that might strike the productivity level. This course will not only make a better teacher but will also make me an effective trainer in various respects. My other choice of course which is somehow related to my previous course is Leadership in Global education. Global education is a very impo rtant subject having its own defined significance and importance. Global education acts like a bond which unites various races, cultures, casts and creed on a single platform showing interdependence of the human society. It not only helps to develop understanding of

Change Management of an Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Change Management of an Organization - Essay Example So the above mentioned lines are indicating one more interesting technique to reach organizational goals, that is changing the people's attitude, their way of working, and behavior towards work so that organization can reach its objectives through change which is probably the only way for it to reach its goals as modernization automatically changes the surroundings, behaviors of buyers, the variety of competition and so on. The business doesn't get changed itself, nor does it require it self to change with out any need as the profitability (growth) or survival is the core objective of any business, but when it comes to change, only external factors make an organization or business change primarily, afterwards the firm changes it self may be in internal manners. The External change drivers that can be seen commonly in this modern world or from the time the changing took place include Mega Environment1, it further includes Technological Element, in which the modern technology that is used outside the firm, perhaps around the world and by the competitors tends to change the organization, the failure to use such technology can result in loss of values, customers, and most importantly long-term profits. The next external change is brought by Economic Element, of course the change in the country's wealth distribution, it's financial debt and the inflation can create unbalance in an organization or any business, such as the decrease in the price of a certain commodity or product can have some negative impact on the firms profitability, specially if the country in which the organization is operated is a socialist economy in which the government owns a lot than the individuals. The next one is Legal-Political Element, these are somewhat the governm ental forces that affect the business or organization from outside, such as passing a new taxation rule, or a new policy which implementation can also make an organization to change its norms and policies, in such cases the organizations are forced to follow such rules, or they can be penalized. The Socio-cultural Elements is another external change driver, here the attitudes, norms, traditions, behaviors etc. that the people of the country in which the organization is operated follow, a good example is that if a food business is being operated and Muslims somehow enter into that area demanding the cautionary meat, the organization would have to change and would have to start making the demanded meat. The last of Mega environments is International Element, these are general norms followed by the organizations being operated around the globe, for instance, the McDonald's in every country has to follow somewhat the same standards that parent company is following, other wise it can be penalized. Now lets discuss an other sort of External Change driver, it is called Task Environment2, it includes Customer and Clients, of course they are the only ones because of whom change is adopted, the customers

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 15

History - Essay Example One can hardly deny that there was some influence, but whether the Enlightenment was the primary reason for the French Revolution, or even significantly influenced it, is under question, though there can be no doubt that Enlightenment ideals and thoughts were put into practice during the French Revolution. With careful consideration, one might draw the conclusion that the French Revolution and the Enlightenment created a mutual influence that resulted in the central ideals and visions that fed the Revolution, perpetuated it, and gave it thoughts that were put into practice. Ultimately, this caused a new type of society in France, even as the Enlightenment created a new type of philosophical basis for scientific thinking. According to the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (2010), the Enlightenment involved revolutions not only in scientific thought, but also in the directions of philosophy, religion, society, and politics. In these areas, centuries-old ways of life were swept away and gave way to reason, logic, and a sense of equality among human beings. For example, one of the basic tenets of the Enlightenment, the fact that all men are entitled to basic human rights, was brought into practice even before the actual French Revolution began. It was expounded on in The Declaration of the Rights of Man and The Citizen, published in the French National Assembly in 1789 (â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man and The Citizen†). This document was the first document to set out these ideals and concepts with regards to the country of France itself; concepts which, above all, included freedom, liberty, and equality, founded upon the principles of human reason. It is but one example of how Enlighten ment ideals were put into practice in regards to the French Revolution, as the people of France were, in effect, finally stating that enough was enough, and demanding what they felt were their basic human rights (â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man and The

The Easiest Teacher-Researcher Data Collection Strategies Essay

The Easiest Teacher-Researcher Data Collection Strategies - Essay Example The focus groups are another strategy that will I would incorporate into my teaching as it an effective way of enhancing peers to learn from each other while assessing themselves. This increases the awareness of the different areas the students have difficulties in thereby prompting them to help each other better. The hardest teacher-researcher data collection strategies to incorporate into my teaching would be digital pictures, weblogs, and videos. As much as these instructions strategies are very effective in breaking the monotony of the classroom thereby rejuvenating the students’ concentration, they also have an equal effect of diverting the attention of the students from the intended purpose. For instance, when a teacher uses a video or the digital pictures teach something, there is a high tendency of more than 60% of the students to remain glued on the video or the pictures long after the teacher has finished using them. This shows that they did not concentrate on the concept taught but rather they were concentrating on the bar picture or the video. I would be comfortable with my colleague taking notes for me while teaching as this is a very important form of feedback that can help me improve my teaching. The notes will also give me a personal reflection of how to prepare my action plan in the future. However, I would appreciate some if some ground rules are followed for this practice in order to avoid conflict. My colleague should not take this opportunity as a chance for her/him to teach me how to teach my lessons or how to improve my practice. The notes alone will give me the feedback I need to improve my practice and teach better. The principle or the university supervisor can support my efforts to collect data by creating an environment that is conducive for learning and the children and their parents can put educational activities before any other activity around the school. This forms healthy school environment where the learning activities produce a lot of data needed to make effective learning decisions.  Ã‚  

Managing Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Projects - Essay Example The organizational structure for the new building is going to be exactly like the existing one, which comprises of: 1 Project Manager (myself); 1 Assistant Project Manager; 2 Administration Staff; 4 Sales staff; 3 Warehouse Staff; the transportation to and from the building will be contracted to an outside company. The recruitment of the staff will be conducted in a way that only serious and experienced professionals/employees will be finally accepted to become the member of the Computer Section’s team. The essence of this is to prevent a situation of redundancy often caused by unqualified personnel (Levine, 2002). Hence, hiring and coordinating with the appropriately qualified employees would make this project stay within budget and also make it to be successfully executed within any specified time frame. The life cycle of this business, that is, procuring and selling computers by Jones Ltd will be carried out within a year; and with the hope that the expenses on recruiting, management and employees’ motivation would not exceed the allotted budget for the project by the Chief Executive Officer of Jones Ltd. In order to achieve this, the following processes must be carefully executed. (a) Market Research: This is the very first step in all the procedures—it is essential to investigate the kinds of computers that are currently selling well in the markets (Morris & Pinto, 2007). It is also helpful to determine the cost of each computing unit, its functionalities, how useful is it in the market, and how many prospective buyers will be interested in a particular brand that Jones Ltd wishes to market? Or should the company concentrate on all the brands of computers. What sales strategy will be appropriate, and how could the employees be motivated to contribute their best in the project? All these issues will be seriously considered during the research process (Morris & Pinto, 2007). The market research will shed more light on

Rewrite lecture review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rewrite lecture review - Assignment Example The suggestion that were made to contact people and groups were really amazing because they would rarely cross one’s mind. The suggestions included the social media group page for Star Trek fan conference or rare car owners club. Twitter is the main social media site that is being used by the police to instantly communicate with the public. However, a few of police officers make use of other social media platforms such as Google+ to ensure efficient and service to the neighbourhoods they are offering security. Other than using social media as a tool for communication, police are also monitoring it for criminal of offensive activity. In my view, social media can be a very effective tool in law enforcement if not misused by the police workers. The administrators of law enforcement must establish proper controls over the use of social media to increase the benefits and reduce incidents of misuse by their staff. In doing so, the potential of social media in police force may fully be realized. Toin Pijnenburg works as a manager for change also coaches a number social media sites such as Prezi. Mr. Pijnenburg is the owner of Toin XXL. He is always startled by change and constantly seeks it mainly through putting himself in situations that are inconvenient and assisting others in overcoming change. He made an introduction on the media in the past few decades and its shift to the internet in class. According to him, the present day objectives are changing in their aims. In the past they had to be relevant and achievable, but today, these qualities have been taken for granted. While lecturing, he suggested that the pace of modern society can be reflected better by ambitious and revolutionary. He used Wikipedia as an example on how the audience can assist in creating and developing a web site. Wikipedia unlike other mediums or emails that may require extra services

Popular Culture and Contemporary Communication Essay

Popular Culture and Contemporary Communication - Essay Example It also brings the idea of culture development among fans as a result of their beliefs and views of their celebrities. The question is whether these artists and designers or rather celebrities afford not to understand the productive nature fan culture in their societies and careers or not. This essay will look into the lucid analysis of the essay question with reference to various available literary sources. To begin with, the term celebrity comes from the French word, ‘celebre’ with a meaning of well known in the public arena. In English terms, it is a synonym or related to words such as being thronged or fame. Fandom, which refers to a collection of fans, plays a significant role in the link between celebrity and the public. There are reasons behind the connection between celebrities and their fans. Duchesne Scott interprets the convergence of celebrity and fan at fantasy and fiction conventions in various ways. He interprets it as a 21st century spiritual pilgrimage, nerd tourism in its unique form, or simply an amalgam or, a combination of the three. He goes ahead to state that synergy is the fundamental or the basis of the relationship between fans and celebrities at events like that. Synergy originates from the Greek word, â€Å"Sunergia† meaning cooperation or â€Å"Sunergos† meaning working together1. ... In addition, the convention also represents corporate synergy. This happens when celebrity and fans interact as sellers and buyers negotiating revenues and costs to attain a mutually satisfactory economic profit. Henry Jenkins’ book â€Å"Convergence Culture†, tells more about fan culture. Henry argues that the current mass media and technology has taken a step and moved to a more practical and participatory convergence culture where the traditional or the default flow from producer to consumer has been interfered with. He argues that currently the consumer has become the producer and created the media which he or she wants and likes most. Convergence culture gives small communities around the world opportunities to gather concentrate on particular topics and as well as ensure the production of media and information among several things on this particular topic. Fans do take primary objects and texts and resources to develop on, build and have fun with. They do not simp ly consume the texts. They instead reread them as well as produce new culture from them. Typical popular examples of fan culture are Dr. Who and Star Trek. Henry goes ahead to state that fan culture has some five common and definite features: first, an individual who does appropriate a particular work, texts and practice related to fan objects2. Usually, these fan objects are reinterpreted in the lives of these individuals. The second characteristic is participation. There is always an openness of different people to participate at certain levels within the community. Normally, they get seriously inspired by it, thus they create events and write music about it. The third feature that Henry illustrate in the book is that of emotional

Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’ Essay Example for Free

Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’ Essay â€Å"Maybe reflective practices offer us a way of trying to make sense of the uncertainty in our workplaces and the courage to work competently and ethically at the edge of order and chaos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ghaye, 2000, p.7) Reflective practice has burgeoned over the last few decades throughout various fields of professional practice and education. In some professions it has become one of the defining features of competence, even if on occasion it has been adopted mistakenly and unreflectively to rationalise existing practice. The allure of the ‘reflection bandwagon’ lies in the fact that it ‘rings true’ (Loughran, 2000). Within different disciplines and intellectual traditions, however, what is understood by ‘reflective practice’ varies considerably (Fook et al, 2006). Multiple and contradictory understandings of reflective practice can even be found within the same discipline. Despite this, some consensus has been achieved amid the profusion of definitions. In general, reflective practice is understood as the process of learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and/or practice (Boud et al 1985; Boyd and Fales, 1983; Mezirow, 1981, Jarvis, 1992). This often involves examining assumptions of everyday practice. It also tends to involve the individual practitioner in being self-aware and critically evaluating their own responses to practice situations. The point is to recapture practice experiences and mull them over critically in order to gain new understandings and so improve future practice. This is understood as part of the process of life-long learning. Beyond these broad areas of agreement, however, contention and difficulty reign. There is debate about the extent to which practitioners should focus on themselves as individuals rather than the larger social context. There are questions about how, when, where and why reflection should take place. For busy professionals short on time, reflective practice is all too easily applied in bland, mechanical, unthinking ways, Would-be practitioners may also find it testing to stand back from painful experiences and seek to be analytical about them. In this tangle of understandings, misunderstandings and difficulties, exactly how to apply and teach reflective practice effectively has become something of a conundrum. This paper explores current ideas and debates relating to reflective practice. In the first two sections, I review key definitions and models of reflection commonly used in professional practice. Then, in the reflective spirit myself, I critically examine the actual practice of the concept, highlighting ethical, professional, pedagogic and conceptual concerns. I put forward the case that reflective practice is both complex and situated and that it cannot work if applied mechanically or simplistically. On this basis, I conclude with some tentative suggestions for how educators might nurture an effective reflective practice involving critical reflection. Defining reflective practice †¦reflection can mean all things to all people†¦it is used as a kind of umbrella or canopy term to signify something that is good or desirable†¦everybody has his or her own (usually undisclosed) interpretation of what reflection means, and this interpretation is used as the basis for trumpeting the virtues of reflection in a way that makes it sound as virtuous as motherhood. Smyth (1992, p.285) The term ‘reflective practice’ carries multiple meanings that range from the idea of professionals engaging in solitary introspection to that of engaging in critical dialogue with others. Practitioners may embrace it occasionally in formal, explicit ways or use it more fluidly in ongoing, tacit ways. For some, reflective practice simply refers to adopting a thinking approach to practice. Others see it as self-indulgent navel gazing. For others still, it  involves carefully structured and crafted approaches towards being reflective about one’s experiences in practice. For example, with reference to teacher education, Larrivee argues that: â€Å"Unless teachers develop the practice of critical reflection, they stay trapped in unexamined judgments, interpretations, assumptions, and expectations. Approaching teaching as a reflective practitioner involves fusing personal beliefs and values into a professional identity† (Larrivee, 2000, p.293). In practice, reflective practice is often seen as the bedrock of professional identity. â€Å"Reflecting on performance and acting on refection†, as McKay (2008, Forthcoming) notes, â€Å"is a professional imperative.† Indeed, it has been included in official benchmark standards laid down for professional registration and practice (see table 1 in Appendix 1). One example is in the way it has been included, explicitly and implicitly, in all Project 2000 curricula for Nursing Diplomas, while reflection is highlighted as a pivotal skill to achieve required Standards of Proficiencies in nursing and other health professional education (NMC, 2004; HPC, 2004). It has also become a key strand of approaches to the broader field of continuing professional development, work-based learning and lifelong learning (Eby, 2000; HPC, 2006). Given its growing emphasis in professional practice and education, it would seem important to explore the concept of reflective practice in some detail. To this end, this section distinguishes between different types of reflective practice and looks at the sister concepts of reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity. Reflection ‘in’ and ‘on’ practice Dewey (1933) was among the first to identify reflection as a specialised form of thinking. He considered reflection to stem from doubt, hesitation or perplexity related to a directly experienced situation. For him, this prompted purposeful inquiry and problem resolution (Sinclair, 1998). Dewey also argued that reflective thinking moved people away from routine thinking/action (guided by tradition or external authority) towards  reflective action (involving careful, critical consideration of taken-for-granted knowledge). This way of conceptualising reflection crucially starts with experience and stresses how we learn from ‘doing’, i.e. practice. Specifically Dewey argued that we ‘think the problem out’ towards formulating hypotheses in trial and error reflective situations and then use these to plan action, testing out our ideas. Dewey’s ideas provided a basis for the concept of ‘reflective practice’ which gained influence with the arrival of Schon’s (1983) ‘The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action’. In this seminal work, Schon identified ways in which professionals could become aware of their implicit knowledge and learn from their experience. His main concern was to facilitate the development of reflective practitioners rather than describe the process of reflection per se. However, one of his most important and enduring contributions was to identify two types of reflection: reflection-on-action (after-the-event thinking) and reflection-in-action (thinking while doing). In the case of reflection-on-action, professionals are understood consciously to review, describe, analyse and evaluate their past practice with a view to gaining insight to improve future practice. With reflection-in-action, professionals are seen as examining their experiences and responses as they occur. In both types of reflection, professionals aim to connect with their feelings and attend to relevant theory. They seek to build new understandings to shape their action in the unfolding situation. In Schon’s words: The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour. He carries out an experiment which serves to generate both a new understanding of the phenomenon and a change in the situation. (Schon, 1983, p. 68) For Schon, reflection-in-action was the core of ‘professional artistry’ – a concept he contrasted with the ‘technical-rationality’ demanded by the (still dominant) positivist paradigm whereby problems are solvable through the rigorous application of science. A contemporary example of this paradigm is the evidence-based practice movement, which favours quantitative studies  over qualitative ones, and established protocols over intuitive practice. In Schon’s view, technical-rationality failed to resolve the dilemma of ‘rigour versus relevance’ confronting professionals. Schon’s argument, since taken up by others (e.g. Fish and Coles,1998), was as follows: Professional practice is complex, unpredictable and messy. In order to cope, professionals have to be able to do more  than follow set procedures. They draw on both practical experience and theory as they think on their feet and improvise. They act both intuitively and cr eatively. Both reflection-in and on -action allows them to revise, modify and refine their expertise. Schon believed that as professionals become more expert in their practice, they developed the skill of being able to monitor and adapt their practice simultaneously, perhaps even intuitively. In contrast, novice practitioners, lacking knowing-in-action (tacit knowledge), tended to cling to rules and procedures, which they are inclined to apply mechanically. Schon argued that novices needed to step back and, from a distance, take time to think through situations. Whether expert or novice, all professionals should reflect on practice – both in general and with regard to specific situations. Schon’s work has been hugely influential some would say ‘canonical’ – in the way it has been applied to practice and professional training and education. For example, in the health care field, Atkins and Murphy (1993) identify three stages of the reflective process. The first stage, triggered by the professional becoming aware of uncomfortable feelings and thoughts, is akin to Schon’s ‘experience of surprise’ (what Boyd and Fales, 1983, identify as ‘a sense of inner discomfort’ or ‘unfinished business’). The second stage involves a critical analysis of feelings and knowledge. The final stage of reflection involves the development of a new perspective. Atkins and Murphy argue that both cognitive and affective skills are prerequisites for reflection and that these combine in the processes of self-awareness, critical analysis, synthesis and evaluation (see Appendix 2). In the education field, Grushka, Hinde-McLeod and Reynolds (2005) distinguish between ‘reflection for action’, ‘reflection in action’ and ‘reflection on action’ (see Appendix 3). They offer a series of technical, practical and critical questions for teachers to engage with. For example, under reflection for action teachers are advised to consider their resources and how long the lesson will take (technical); how to make the resources relevant to different learning styles (practical); and to question why they are teaching this particular topic (critical). Zeichner and Liston (1996) differentiate between five different levels at which reflection can take place during teaching: 1. Rapid reflection immediate, ongoing and automatic action by the teacher. 2. Repair – in which a thoughtful teacher makes decisions to alter their behaviour in response to students’ cues. 3. Review – when a teacher thinks about, discusses or writes about some element of their teaching. 4. Research – when a teacher engages in more systematic and sustained thinking over time, perhaps by collecting data or reading research. 5. Retheorizing and reformulating – the process by which a teacher critically examines their own practice and theories in the light of academic theories. While Schon’s work has inspired many such models of reflection and categories of reflective practice, it has also drawn criticism. Eraut (2004) faults the work for its lack of precision and clarity. Boud and Walker (1998) argue that Schon’s analysis ignores critical features of the context of reflection. Usher et al (1997) find Schon’s account and methodology unreflexive, while Smyth (1989) deplores the atheoretical and apolitical quality of his conceptions. Greenwood (1993), meanwhile, targets Schon for downplaying the importance of reflection-before-action. Moon (1999) regards Schon’s pivotal concept of reflection-in-action as unachievable, while Ekebergh (2006) draws on  phenomenological philosophy to argue that it is not possible to distance oneself from the lived situation to reflect in the moment. To achieve real self-reflection, she asserts, one needs to step out of the situation and reflect retrospectively (van Manen, 1990). Given this level of criticism, questions have to raised about the wide adoption of Schon’s work and the way  it has been applied in professional practice and education (Usher et al, 1997). There have been calls for a m ore critical, reflexive exploration of the nature of reflective practice. Reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity Contemporary writing on reflective practice invites professionals to engage in both personal reflection and broader social critique. For example, work within the Open University’s Health and Social Care faculty has put forward a model whereby reflective practice is seen as a synthesis of reflection, self-awareness and critical thinking (Eby, 2000) (see figure 1). In this model, the philosophical roots of reflective practice are identified in phenomenology (with its focus on lived experience and personal consciousness) and also in critical theory (which fosters the development of a critical consciousness towards emancipation and resisting oppression ). Self-awareness Roots: phenomenology The cognitive ability to think, feel, sense and know through intuition To evaluate the knowledge derived through self-awareness to develop understanding Reflection Roots: existential phenomenology and critical theory -interpretive and critical theory tool for promoting self- and social awareness and social action improving self-expression, learning and co-operation links theory and practice Reflective Practice Critical thinking Roots: scepticism and critical theory identifying and challenging assumptions challenging the importance of context to imagine and explore alternatives which leads to reflective scepticism Figure 1 Skills underpinning the concept of reflective practice. Other authors argue for the concept of critical reflection, which is seen as offering a more thorough-going form of reflection through the use of critical theory (Brookfield, 1995). For adherents of critical reflection, reflection on its own tends to â€Å"remain at the level of relatively undisruptive changes in techniques or superficial thinking† (Fook, White and Gardner, 2006, p.9). In contrast, critical reflection involves attending to discourse and social and political analysis; it seeks to enable transformative social action and change. For Fook (2006), critical reflection  Ã¢â‚¬Å"enables an understanding of the way (socially dominant) assumptions may be socially restrictive, and thus enables new, more empowering ideas and practices. Critical reflection thus enables social change beginning at individual levels. Once individuals become aware of the hidden power of ideas they have absorbed unwittingly from their social contexts, they are then freed to make choices on their own terms.† Fook and Askeland argue that the focus of critical reflection should be on connecting individual identity and social context:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Part of the power of critical reflection in opening up new perspectives and  choices about practice may only be realized if the connections between individual thinking and identity, and dominant social beliefs are articulated and realized.† (Fook and Askeland, 2006, p.53). For Reynolds (1998), four characteristics distinguish critical reflection from other versions of reflection : (1) its concern to question assumptions; (2) its social rather than individual focus; (3) the particular attention it pays to the analysis of power relations; and (4) its pursuit of emancipation (Reynolds, 1998). By way of example, Reynolds argues that when managers critically reflect (rather than just reflect) they become aware of the wider environment in which they operate. They begin to grasp the social power exercised by their organisation through its networks and relationships. : In the field of teaching, Brookfield (1995) characterises critical reflection as ‘stance and dance’. The critically reflective teacher’s stance toward teaching is one of inquiry and being open to further investigation. The dance involves experimentation and risk towards modifying practice while moving to fluctuating, and possibly contradictory, rhythms (Larrivee, 2000). A key concept giving momentum to the idea of reflective practice involving both personal reflection and social critique is reflexivity. Reflexive practitioners engage in critical self-reflection: reflecting critically on the impact of their own background, assumptions, positioning, feelings, behaviour while also attending to the impact of the wider organisational, discursive, ideological and political context. The terms reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity are often confused and wrongly assumed to be interchangeable. Finlay and Gough (2003, p. ix) find it helpful to think of these concepts forming a continuum. At one end stands reflection, defined simply as ‘thinking about’ something after the event. At the other end stands reflexivity: a more immediate and dynamic process which involves continuing self-awareness. Critical reflection lies somewhere in between. Previously, I’ve proposed five overlapping variants of reflexivity with critical selfreflection at the core: introspection; intersubjective reflection; mutual collaboration; social critique and ironic deconstruction (Finlay, 2002, 2003). These variants can similarly be applied to  distinguishing between the types of reflection practitioners could engage in when reflecting on practice. Reflective practice as introspection involves the practitioner in solitary self-dialogue in which they probe personal meanings and  emotions. Intersubjective reflection makes the practitioner focus on the relational context, on the emergent, negotiated nature of practice encounters. With mutual collaboration, a participatory, dialogical approach to reflective practice is sought what Ghaye (2000) calls a ‘reflective conversation’. Here, for example, a mentor and student, or members of a team, seek to solve problems collaboratively. Reflective practice as social critique focuses attention on the wider discursive, social and political context. For instance, the practitioner may think about coercive institutional practices or seek to manage the power imbalances inherent in education/practice contexts. Finally, reflective practice as ironic deconstruction would cue into postmodern and poststructural imperatives to deconstruct discursive practices and represent something of the ambiguity and multiplicity of meanings in particular organisational and social contexts. At the very least, a critical and possibly satirical gaze could be turned to challenging the ubiquitously unreflexive rhetoric of reflective practice. In practice, introspection is the dominant mode of reflective practice. Sometimes presented as merely a promising personal attribute (Loughran , 2006), it is a predominantly individualistic and personal exercise (Reynolds and Vince, 2004) in which practitioners tend to focus on their own thoughts, feelings, behaviours and evaluations. This passes as legitimate ‘reflective practice’ which professionals then can use to advance their cause to fit formal requirements for continuing professional development. While such reflective practice may take place in dialogical contexts such as supervision sessions, the onus stays on the individual practitioner to reflect upon and evaluate their own practice. What is lacking is any mutual, reciprocal, shared process. Institutional structures and quality assurance  systems encourage, perhaps even require, this individual focus. It starts early on during professional education and training where learners engage professional socialisation and are taught how to reflect, using structured models of reflection. One of the consequences of the lack of consensus and clarity about the concept of reflective practice is the proliferation of different versions and models to operationalise reflective practice.

the importance of water in plant growth

the importance of water in plant growth Water is a vital component to the survival of every plant in the world as it is aids in the way that they obtain their food (through the process of photosynthesis), grow (cell division, mitosis), respire (cellular respiration) and how they keep their formation (rigidity). Water helps plants maintain their formation by transporting dissolved nutrients, amino acids and sugars from the soil to areas where it is of high demand. It flows through cell membranes from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration (osmosis) (A Sanders, 2010). Water allows plants to survive by being one of the vital reactants in the chemical reaction of photosynthesis. Every molecule of water contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom which are tightly held together by covalent bonds. This molecule contains 10 protons, 10 electrons and 8 neutrons (refer to fig 6) (Answers Cooperation, 2010). Water has a boiling point of 100Â °C and a freezing point of 0Â °C. In our world water is found in three different states; ice, liquid and as steam or water vapour. Due to cohesive forces, the molecules of water are strongly attracted to each other and therefore the surface tension (the charge of the water molecules attract eachother to form a skin across the surface of the water) that is created is vital to the survival of many animals (e.g. pond skater). Water molecules have dipoles due to the electrons being shared from both hydrogen atoms to the oxygen atom (refer to fig 6). This means that the electrons spend more time near the oxygen atom then near the hydrogen atoms resulting in a slight negative charge on the side of the molecule which contains t he oxygen atom and a slight positive charge on the side of the molecule which contains both hydrogen atoms (A Capri, 2010) (Chemistry, MJones, GJones, DAcaster). Fig 6: Basic Water Molecule. Fig 7: Root Structure of a Plant. The main area of plants which absorb water from their surrounding environment is the root hair zone. Inside the zone, are the roots hairs of the plants which are found growing parallel to the roots. The root hairs (refer to fig 7) of the plants have fragile like characteristics so they are replaced every day at an average rate of 100 million. The root hairs are slender and are present in hefty sizes so they are able to cover enormous amount of surface area therefore absorbing maximum water (containing nutrients, amino acids and sugars from the soil. From the roots hairs, the water (and what contained in the water) travel through the tissues found within the roots, stems and leaves of plants called xylem and phloem. (B Dery, 2009) (TutorVista.com, 2010) (R Bailey, 2010). Fig8: Xylem and Phloem Structures. The transport system of vascular plants is made up of the xylem tissue and the phloem tissue, two different tissues which run through the roots, stem and leaves of plants (refer to fig 8) (Andrew Rader Studios, 2010) (SlideShare Inc, 2008). These two tissues are shaped like tubes and due to this characteristic, are easily able to transport water from the soil to the areas of the plants where it is needed most. There are three main differences between the two tissues with the first one being that the tubes of xylem transport water and dissolved nutrients throughout the plant whilst the tubes of the phloem transports amino acids and sugars (N Neezal, 2010). Secondly the cells within the xylem tubes are dead whilst the cells within the phloem tubes are living and thirdly the xylem tissue only allows a one-way flow whilst the phloem tissue allows a two-way flow (refer to fig 10). Fig 10: Characteristics of Xylem and Phloem Vessels. The xylem tubes are long and thick and are made of vessels and tracheids (Harun Yahya International, 2004). The tubes are attached from end to end allowing the water to reach maximum speed throughout its journey of the plant (Andrew Rader Studios, 2010). The phloem tubes are made up of sieve and companion cells which run parallel to each other. They are long and thin also joined from end to end. Located on the end walls of the tubes are large pores which allow amino acids and sugars to enter and flow out of the tubes throughout the plant to areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration (Tiscali UK Limited, No Date). Fig 9: The Transpiration Process of Plants. From the xylem and phloem tissues, water, dissolved nutrients, amino acids and sugars are transported up through the plant due to a process called transpiration. Transpiration (refer to fig 9) is the evaporation of water generally from the leaves of plants (Refer to reference 12, 13). The process of transpiration allows all the dissolved nutrients contained in the water molecules to move from the roots to the leaves, allowing them to be rehydrated due to the water loss experienced from transpiration. The process of transpiration is a continuous cycle allowing the leaves of plants to transpire yet still allowing them to rehydrate from the nutrients, amino acids and sugar contained in the water molecules. Fig 12: Evenly Transferred Molecular Motion of Kettles/Stoves. Water is water; fresh, boiled, heated, cooled, frozen, its all the same or so it is thought. The way in which water is heated and/or boiled by common household appliances for example a kettle or a microwave, may change the function and the way of which water molecules are designed to work. By boiling water in a kettle (or on a stove), water is heated evenly (refer to fig 12) due to the continuous cycle that occurs in this particular way of heating. The warmer water molecules rise and the cooler water molecules descend until they are warm therefore resulting in evenly heated water. The process of how water heats up in a microwave is completely different to how it heats up in a kettle. In a microwave, random parts of the water are chosen from the various angles within the microwave, therefore heating up minimal surface area compared to a kettle which heats up the complete area (refer to fig 11). This is the reason why sometimes when heating food up in a microwave some areas are hot whilst others are cold (Wimpy, 2010). Fig 11: Random Microwave Waves. The aim of this extended experimental investigation is to investigate what effect, if there is an effect, water that has been heated up in a microwave has on Petunia x hybrida and Tagetes patula plants. What effect will water heated up in a microwave have on the growth and development of Petunia x hybrida and Tagetes patula plants? It was hypothesized that water that is heated up in a microwave will somehow (due to the components of the microwave) be unable to pick up essential nutrients such as amino acids and sugar from the soil. By the hypothesis stated, it is evident to see that the reason for investigating and performing this experiment is to discover whether or not plants are still able to grow and develop to their full potential using water that has been heated up in a microwave.

Strategic management and business policy module

Strategic management and business policy module 1 There were a number of concurrent changes in the VSM Group in the period 1997-2003, is the VSM Group still the same company? No the company has changed a lot with the arrival of the new CEO, new things has been introduced as: More people were involved in strategic sessions New mission statement Companion strategy High involvement of employees on different level Purchase of competitors added production capacity to the firm Processes have been directed towards strengthening the linkages between functional areas in the value chain. The physical relocation of the RD and marketing departments to the same building New programs for educating the retailers and customers on sewing and using the machines. Integrating technology (mainly on line) with the innovation of the new machines. 2 How would you describe the strategic capability of Viking Sewing Machines in 1997? In 2003? In 1997: The Company brought their managers of their major national sales companies as well as the marketing vice president into the top management; also there were changes in their operating systems New mission and documents brought different level together which added a broader sight Bringing the technical expertise and marketers together to come up with new innovations that meet customers needs. In 2003: New and exclusive dealers had been added. Two strong brands, Pfaff as a high quality brand, and Husqvarna as the family and innovative brand. Brno added add capacity of production to the company, which was cost efficient and added capacity to the production. They have expertise in the product development of the sewing machines industry 3 Are the core competences in 2003 more robust than in 1997? Definitely yes; there were more focus in the strategy and direction in 2003 They have better product development capabilities. Two strong brands. An IT company to develop their own technology work, thus controlling the embroidery market. Building linkages within the value chain. 4 What are the important factors in the macro-environment that influence VSM and its industry? Political The political situation might be influenced by the trade agreement between the States and the European origin products. Also, manufacturing in the Far East might have some regulations and extra taxations since these markets are flooding the world with lower priced products. Economic The economic situation is affected by the difference in currency of the different origin or production and consumer markets. To raise quality they might need to shift the factors from Far East to another location with higher pays. Also, Sales of low priced simple machines have increased, while more advanced machines showed steady sales. Social Clothes became cheaper so no need for sewing at home. More social activities emerged and resulted in less time afforded to sewing hobbies Technological This had the major contribution here due to: The high development of the internet usages and its spread; The power and reach of the new software. Enhancement of the senses and computerized motors to give better functionality to the machines. People (Customers) are more technologically driven and are up to date with innovations thus request the new and complicated models. Environmental Natural crisis as Tsunamis are threatening the Far East which might result in a cut of production and disturbance to the manufacturing flow. Legal It will depend on new regulation for this industry or in the industrial market as a whole 5 What are the forces of competition in the sewing machine industry? Five Forces analysis Competitive rivalry Moderate since there are moderate product innovation, and no real competition in the market through prices and addressing resellers. Low number of competitors covering the same segment There are some product differentiations in the complete products that depend on innovation Entry barrier Low, with some concern regarding the reach to the distribution channels that work exclusively with the other companies. There are some capital investment and know-how but its not a major one. Buyer power Buyers have high bargaining power due to low switching costs between brands since the industry is mature and there arent a lot of product differentiations for the general products. Supplier Power There arent any concentration in the supplier side , and the raw material are mainly general materials and the production and the RD at the VMS are covering the other parts , thus we see this as weak Substitutes Mostly this market have good quality machines and a lower cost ones from east Asia , thus they differ in price and quality , and switching cost is low , thus it will increase the threats for the normal machines , while complex computerized machines are limited in the market. From the above we dont see the market as attractive for new entrant since people tent more to buy cloths outside and have very attractive and affordable prices of clothes rather than creating their own. 6 What are the next strategic issues Viking will have to address? What strategic options might be considered? They need to maintain their technical leadership and managing the value chain. Also they need to manage their brands and their recent acquisitions. As for their next steps it should be to protect and build on their current successful position. They should work on increasing their customer orientation, RD, production, marketing, distribution in all parts of their value chain. Where the retailers have a major role in reaching their customer, which needs concentration and follow up on their training and supporting them , this will also place a good part of the attention on marketing and customers relationship management and VSM has transformed with the help of the new CEO from a product orientated company to a market oriented one. They also started to focus on selected customer segment to cover their needs; this is shown with the different targeting technique from their VMS and Pfaff line of machines, were they need to work on the innovation of products and services. The company has good attention to the acquisition of Emnet and software engineers computing companies. Where they need to build on their traditional strength and benefit from their product development, and the use of the new technology to add an edge for them in this industry m where the production have to be met with an aggressive and smart sales force . 7 How does the strategy of the VSM Group match its strategic capability with its environment? How did it change from 1997 to 2003? They need to concentrate on their existing resource positions and building on their new resources to capture a position on their selected market. VSM had many important recourses and competences that help them with their initial strategy building on their RD process and innovative production which have highlighted their brand , here they missed the importance of marketing and its power to play with the environmental factors to bring more success to the firm . And since the market was declining the way to survive was to concentrate on differentiation products that are high computerized. And mainly focus differentiation and top of the line models ,which needed to reach the customer with exclusive retailers and at prime locations , and took keep the flow of the experience they had trained the retailers to a level that represent them and keep a good relationship with the customers . Here they also created training programs for their end users of the machines and train them on professional ways and patterns of using these machines. Problem with their earlier value chain and not being able to have the benefit reach their clients due to the lack of the marketing control over retailers thus the new strategy was to fix this cut in the link in the value chain, another issue they were facing is the lack of communication between their RN and their marketing department, which the new CEO brought these department physical near each other to enhance this channels. Their new acquisition of their competitor Pfaff added new resources and a strong high end brand to the group, the thing now is how to manage their two brands since they compete in the same markets knowing that the perceived value and prices are not the sole player in the market, here they benefited from their technological edge and their high quality products in a clear market communication process to reach their desired customers segments each one by its own without affecting the flow and the strategy of the other brand. 8 The case starts with the arrival of the new CEO. What role did Mr. Runnquist play in the transformation of the company? How important is he for the future of the company? The New CEO defiantly added a lot to the organization and did a paradigm shift to their working culture, such as collaboration of a bigger audience in major decisions of the organization, educating employees, retailers and end users . He was under press since the company was newly sold to a new owner that expected revenues to jump , which made him shift the organization from production oriented to market oriented one to capture all aspects and react on them . Here the need for a new mission, vision and strategic document of the organization emerged , where he have going the forces from different departments to participate and build them , this of course included different levels of the organization to jump in these activity which have added some sense of commitment and ownership among all levels . Another major issue he worked on is the harmony and good level of communication in their value chain, working from the RD, production, marketing, Sales, retailer to the end customers. This helped in having all these level at the same level of professionalism and updated knowledge to better understand the products to be able to sell or buy them. He is very important for the continuity and the future challenges that will face VMS, he need to continually have an eye open for new channels and treats and benefit from this firms resources and capabilities building on their experiences to capture opportunity and turn around weakness and treats to bring more success to the firm, this of course implies that he might have another paradigm shift if it is needed. 9 At two points in time, the CEO of the VSM Group opens up a broad discussion on the strategic issues. What issues are discussed and why does he involve a larger group of the management on these issues? The first one was in 1997, when he joined the organization and need all level to be part of the new paradigm shift and mind set of the firm and be a part in creating their new mission. The second one was in 2000, after the acquisition of other firms team from outside the higher management was brought again to discuss the future of the firm and to gain legitimacy for the strategy ahead. The importance of this part was also to set all minds to a focused set of actions to deal with the two competing rand so as not to confuse the market and employees so and not to lose their corporate identity. It is important to participate a good audience to create commitment to the new strategic moves and create some sense of ownership among different level in the firm and push hard for the future and targets.

parenting Essay -- essays research papers

There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance is involved in feeling that children are more a satisfaction than a nuisance. Why do people bother with parenting? It is time consuming, exhausting, strains otherwise pleasurable and tranquil relationships to their limits. Still, humanity keeps at it: breeding. It is the easiest to resort to Nature. After all, all living species breed and most of them parent. We are, all taken into consideration, animals and, therefore, subject to the same instinctive behaviour patterns. There is no point in looking for a reason: survival itself (whether of the gene pool or, on a higher level, of the species) is at stake. Breeding is a transport mechanism: handing the precious cargo of genetics down generations of "organic containers". But this is a reductionist view, which both ignores epistemological and emotional realities – and is tautological, thereby explaining something in terms of itself. Calling something by a different name or describing the mechanisms involved in minute detail does not an explanation make. First hypothesis: we bring children to the world in order to "circumvent" death. We attain immortality (genetically and psychologically – though in both cases it is imaginary) by propagating our genetic material through the medium of our offspring. This is a highly dubious claim. Any analysis, however shallow, will reveal its weaknesses. Our genetic material gets diluted beyond reconstruction with time. It constitutes 50% of the first generation, 25% of the second and so on. If this were the paramount concern – incest should have been the norm, being a behaviour better able to preserve a specific set of genes (especially today, when genetic screening can effectively guard against the birth of defective babies). Moreover, progeny is a dubious way of perpetuating one's self. No one remembers one's great great grandfathers. One's memory is better preserved by intellectual feats or architectural monuments. The latter are much better conduits than children and grandchildren. Still, this indoctrinated misconception is so strong that a baby boom characterizes post war periods. Having been existentially threatened, people multiply in the vain belief that they thus best protect their genetic heritage and fixate their memory. In the better-educated, higher income, low infant mort... ...en, he develops a circle of admirers, cronies and friends which he "nurtures and cultivates" in order to obtain Narcissistic Supply from them. He overvalues them (they are the brightest, the most loyal, with the biggest chances to climb the corporate ladder and other superlatives). But following some anti-narcissistic behaviours on their part (a critical remark, a disagreement, a refusal, however polite, all constitute such behaviours) – the narcissist devalues all these previously over-valued individuals. Now they are stupid, lack ambition, skills and talents, common (the worst expletive in the narcissist's vocabulary), with an unspectacular career ahead of them. The narcissist feels that he is misallocating his resources (for instance, his time). He feels besieged and suffocated. He rebels and erupts in a serious of self-defeating and self-destructive behaviours, which lead to the disintegration of his life. Doomed to build and ruin, attach and detach, appreciate and depreciate, the narcissist is predictable in his Death Wish. What sets him apart from other suicidal types is that his wish is granted to him in small, tormenting doses throughout his anguished life.

Explication of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Essay -- Papers Robe

Explication of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost When reading â€Å"The Road Not Taken,† by Robert Frost, I found that it was personal, especially to the author. The fact that it was written in first person form helped me to conclude that it was probably about the author. I think the reasoning behind his writing of this poem was because in life, you have many obstacles to overcome and many choices and decisions to make, which opens a path that leads the way to your future. Since those things relate to Frost, I think it motivated him to write this poem on a personal basis, like a short autobiography on his life. It motivated him because he could then tell others about his life and give advice and guidance to the people that read his poetry. â€Å"The Road Not Taken† basically talks about the many obstacles in life, the choices and decisions that you have to make, and how the things you choose affects everything in your life and in your future. Frost also tells how he chose a path or a road, that even though was odd or different from everyone else’s, he went on with his instincts and decided that it was the right choice. He tells how one single decision in life can make huge or drastic differences being either good or bad. This was expressed when he said â€Å"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.† I found that throughout this poem there was much symbolism within it. Identifying that it was written in first person form showed that this poem relates to the author on a personal basis, and that it was probably written to symbolize his life. But when talking about people’s lives, you can conclude that people’s lives are generally and individually very diffe... ...om, a split road. Never really knowing the correct road to take the person chooses one path or road after analyzing the other. He is sure and goes on from gut instincts and picks a path moving on with a strong will and a lot confidence, leaving the other road behind untouched. This poem relates to me in many ways because in my life, I was offered many options to choose from and many roads to take. Since it’s my life and my decisions to make, I never regretted a decision I made, I just look at it as, that’s the way it was meant to be. Sure, the decisions weren’t always easy to make, but when you put your mind to it, think, brainstorm, and analyze a little the correct path or road usually will light up and give you guidance. I’m not saying that all my decisions were correct, they where not at all. I’m just saying that when you tried your best it never hurts.

Roger and Me Essay -- Documentaries Michael Moore Economy Essays

Roger And Me Roger And Me is a documentary that carries a considerable economic significance by presenting a modern version of capitalism, and by depicting an interesting example of Gunnar Myrdal’s theory of the circular and cumulative causation. Flint, the hometown of the filmmaker Michael Moore, has been built around the factories of one of the largest auto corporations in the world – General Motors. For decades on end the company has been prosperous, making high profits and keeping its workers loyal and content with their jobs and payment. Everyone in Moore’s family has worked for General Motors; the Flint residents have become not only economically but also spiritually and culturally connected with and influenced by the company – a fact that additionally explains the devastating effect of the closure of the eleven GM factories. That is where and when the tragedy begins, that is the push that sets Myrdal’s dynamics cycle in motion. General Motors close 11 of their factories in Flint, Michigan, laying off more than 30 000 workers. For people involved in capitalist economic processes that presents a disaster, since except for GM â€Å"there’s nothing out there [workers] can depend on†, says one of them – people are suddenly left with no employer to sell their labor to. The decision of GM to close down the factories is met with frustration and lack of understanding on the part of the workers, since the company is not closing down factories because of economic or financial difficulties, but because they want to realize more and more profits than they already have (and they have realized record high profits already - $5 billion in 1989). One way to satisfy the greed for higher profits is to set up production in Mexico, where GM wou... ...c processes taking place in Flint. Therefore, tourism is not, as it appears at first, the way out of the crises and out of Myrdal’s cycle. Unemployment, poverty, desolate houses, crimes, even more poverty†¦ - the circle remains closed. To a great extent, it is kept closed due to the polarization between the managers and the workers, due to the inequality gap that remains between the better and the worse off. The wealth and the greed have modified the minds of managers and directors; the lack of money has had a similar effect on the unemployed and the poor. Somewhere in this interaction between economic and cultural influences one may seek the explanation and the reason why â€Å"rich get richer, poor get poorer† – the closing line of Moore, which very clearly implies Myrdal’s theory and its perfect application with respect to the economic processes in Flint, Michigan.

Abortion as an illegal act and an act of murder through the scientific and biblical view of life Essay

Introduction Two handfuls of flour go flying into the empty mixing bowl on the freshly washed counter.   Three eggs crack against the lip of the bowl, the yoke flowing out.   A pinch of salt lands on the freshly cracked eggs as olive oil oozes out of the bottle.   The bowl is placed under the running fossett for a few seconds to complete the mixture.   Strong hands knead the ingredients into a moist dough ball.   After a few hours, the dough is taken out of the refrigerator, ready to be turned into macaroni (pasta).   The dough is put through the hand crank dough roller to be flattened.   Then, it is formed into long strings and laid to dry on the comforter in the spare bedroom.   I have witnessed my grandma carry out this process of making delicious, fresh homemade pasta many of times to prepare for Sunday dinner.   This simple but important ritual has been passed down through my family starting from my great grandma to my sisters and myself. One of the groups I am part of is Italian Americans, or more specifically 4th generation millennial Italian Americans.   While there is a vast amount of research on the ethnic identity of Italian Americans who immigrated to the United States during the early to 1900s, the research regarding the ethnic identity of 4th generation Italian Americans is scarce.   Ethnic identity is different from personal identity because it focuses on the way a member of an ethnic group is influenced by that ethnic group.   For Italian Americans, food plays a significant role in their ethnic identity.   Many Italian Americans that grew up in the early to mid-1900s never went to restaurants to eat, so the only food they knew was Italian food (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).   Today, as a 4th generation Italian American that is fully assimilated to the American society, homemade Italian food is still a significant part of my life.   Lorraine Caputo (2011) describes how he r daughter went to Japan, but when she came back, she asked Caputo to make her some of her favorite Italian dishes (p. 194).   This embodies the Italian Americans after being fully assimilated to the American society.   I love the American culture, but I always come back to my Italian roots. The Italian Americans who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s lived in communities dominated by Italian Americans.   These communities became very close and were a dominant element in the Italian American culture.   The tight-knit Italian community along with the importance of Italian food played major roles in the ethnic identity of the 1st and 2nd generation Italian Americans that immigrated to the Unites States in the early 1900s.   However, Michael Buonanno (2011) believes that the identity of Italian Americans today is still evolving, but instead of focusing on the â€Å"old times† we should be focusing on the ways in which Italian Americans are creating their ethnic identities today (p. 9).   Andrea Dottolo (2015) and Lorraine Caputo (2011) have written autoethnographies about Italian Americans and how they themselves retain their ethnic identity after being fully assimilated to the American society. However, these authors are significantly older t han I am.   There have not been any autoethnographies about how 4th generation millennials retain their ethnic identity in the American society.   In this autoethnography, I myself am a 4th generation millennial Italian American, and I can shed some light on how we foster our ethnic identities.   I foster my own ethnic identity through my close-knit family that allows me to have a strong foundation.   Additionally, Italian food has given me the opportunity to not only embrace my culture, but also to experience a part of my ancestor’s lives.   Lastly, telling the stories of my ancestors has become a substantial piece of my ethnic identity because it allows my family to keep our history alive. Literature Review    Food Food has always been a significant part of the ethnic identities of Italian Americans.   Andrea Dottolo (2015) analyzes how food represents â€Å"family, morality, culture and home† to Italian American women (p. 373).   Additionally, as Caputo (2011) says, â€Å"Italian Americans are either revered for the sensual art they have made of food or objectified as the Hollywood gangster† (p. 182).   Both Dottolo and Caputo are focused only on how the aspect of food affects women.   However, Italian food has played a significant role in my life as well as the women in my family.   In the past, women have usually done more of the cooking than males.   However, in today’s society, women work in the workplace just as much if not more than men do.   The stereotype that only women do the cooking is dying and would be considered a sexist comment today.   I usually help my mom make dinner and have learned the recipes that have been passed down in our family for generations such as making homemade pizza. Community Italian Americans who emigrated from Italy to the United States in the early 1900s usually in communities like Boston’s North End that were comprised of almost 100% Italians (Smajda & Gerteis 2012 p. 626).   Many of the Italians who came over, like my great grandma, did not speak English and it was hard for them to make friends outside of the community (Litwin).   Because many of the Italians could not relate to anyone outside the community, the community became a very strong in-group.   But, Allport (1954) says that every in group also must have an out-group (p. 40).   The out-group for the Italian Americans was the immigrants who had come before them, primarily the Irish.   My grandma told me that when her parents came over from Italy, the Irish looked down upon the Italians and made them take the dirty, grimy jobs such as working in the coal mines (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).   The well-paying jobs were hard to come by for the Italians in part due to the discrimination they faced mainly by the Irish.   Part of this discrimination may have come from the stereotype that Italian Americans were gangsters.   Cavallero (2004) examines how the American media in the 1900s created the stereotype of the Italian mobster (p. 50-63).   Additionally, Cavallero (2004) says that the 1930s were a time of constant â€Å"denigration† for the Italian Americans (p. 52).   This discrimination further bonded Italian communities together. In Smajda and Gerteis’s (2012 p. 3-9) article â€Å"Ethnic Community and Ethnic Boundaries in a ‘Sauce-Scented Neighborhood’†, the ethnic communities essentially prevented assimilation because the people in the communities were so closely knit socially.   These communities came to be known as â€Å"Little Italies†.   The â€Å"Little Italies† were densely populated and vibrant communities.   However, as time progressed, many of the Italian A mericans began to move to the suburbs and the â€Å"Little Italies† began to shrink.   Buonanno (2011) says that the â€Å"Little Italies† that exist today are nowhere near as lively and upbeat as the ones that existed 50 years ago (p. 9).   Today, few of these communities still exist and the ones that do are much smaller than the ones that existed in the early 1900s.   I live about 30 minutes outside of Baltimore, where there is still a â€Å"Little Italy† today.   Although it is still a lively community with many authentic Italian restaurants and shops, it is nothing like the â€Å"Little Italies† of the past.   The close-knit community that was at the heart of the old â€Å"Little Italies† has disappeared from the â€Å"Little Italy† in Baltimore and many of the residents are not Italian. Effects of Assimilation The diaspora of the Italian Americans has significantly changed the dynamic of what Italian Americans consider their ethnic identity.   Growing up in America in a community that was not dominated by Italians, meant that my only exposure to my Italian heritage came through my family.   The schools I attended and the friends I made were mostly non-Italian.   For this reason, instead of thinking of myself as Italian first, as my ancestors once did, I think of myself as American first and Italian second.   An â€Å"American Italian† you might say.   This is due to the assimilation of the Italian Americans that took place as they moved out of their tightly-knit communities that prevented assimilation.   So the strong sense of community that the Italian Americans felt had slowly disappeared.   This caused Italian Americans to hold onto their ethnic culture in different ways.   As the dynamics of a group change, the group adapts, but still holds onto its roots.   As Allport (1954) says in-groups can evolve and adapt in order to reflect the values of the members of the in-group (p. 37).   In-groups are not static because the beliefs and values of the people in those in-groups are not static.   In the case of 4th generation millennial Italian Americans, we are assimilated to the American society and have never been part of the communities that were once so pivotal to our ancestors.   Instead, we hold onto our ethnic roots through the closeness of family, family traditions, food, and the memories of the â€Å"old days† passed down from our grandparents. Autoethnography Christine Walley (2013) says that autoethnographies take a look into family member’s lives while in the context of a larger conversation and attempt to apply their lives to society as a whole (p.15).   Autoethnographies attempt to fill a gap in the research that has been done on a particular in-group through the use of scholarly research but also personal experience in that in-group.   Gordon Allport (1954) defines an in-group as a group of people who use the term â€Å"we† to signify the same thing (p. 31).   My most prominent in-group is Italian Americans, or more specifically 4th generation Italian Americans.   Many autoethnographies would split this section into multiple sub sections, however, I feel that family, food, tradition, and memories are too intertwined for me to split them up. In my family and many other Italian families, family comes first.   Whether it’s missing a party with my friends to go to family dinner at my grandma’s house or taking an hour out of my busy schedule to sit down and have dinner with my family every night or going to see my cousin’s play, family always comes first.   At least once every month, my immediate family, my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my grandparents would all gather together at one of our houses (usually my grandma’s) to celebrate basically anything that we could.   Sometimes we would just get together for no reason if we hadn’t seen everyone in a couple weeks.   These celebrations have given me some of my fondest memories of my childhood, but also shaped the person I have become.   Having such a close family has given me a self-confidence that I could not have achieved without my family.   I know that I have a strong foundation and that I can always count on my family.   Thi s has helped me to be confident in myself and take challenges head on.   For example, I would never have been able to achieve a 4.0 in high school all four years without my family supporting me.   However, having a family as close as mine does have some drawbacks.   For example, my social life was significantly affected.   While most of my friends were hanging out on a Friday or Saturday night, I was with my family.   Additionally, your privacy is essentially non-existent when you have such a close family.   Whenever something happened in our family, large or small, it would spread through the family rapidly whether you wanted it to or not.   For example, when I got a new girlfriend, I got calls from all of my relatives within a couple hours of telling just one of my family members.   However, one of the best things from when we do get together was that we always have extremely excessive amounts of food no matter what the occasion.   I remember one time at my grand ma’s house where it was just my immediate family and my grandparents.   My grandma made enough pasta and gravy (that’s what pasta sauce is called in my family) to feed about 20 people.   Many non-Italians have never heard of pasta sauce being called gravy before, but in Italian families, especially in the â€Å"old times†, it is always called gravy.   My grandma grew up in an Italian community in Bayonne, New Jersey.   Both of her parents were first generation Italian Americans who met in the United States (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).   In the community that they lived in, as well as in the majority of Italian American communities, pasta and red sauce or meat sauce was always called macaroni and gravy (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).   This tradition has been passed down in my family for generations and I will pass it down to my children as well.   As you can see, all self-respecting 4th generation Italian Americans such as myself will call the sauce you put on your pasta (or macaroni as my grandma calls it) gravy. Another tradition that my family has is that we host the Christmas party every year.   The preparation for the party starts about a week before Christmas.   The first couple days are spent cleaning up the house and setting everything up for the party.   The rest of the time is spent cooking.   The house smells of freshly made bread, gravy simmering on the stove, the ham cooking in the oven, and much more.   We usually have to make enough food to feed about 100 people because we invite all of my extended family including 2nd cousins and family friends.   On Christmas day, my grandparents are always the first ones to show up.   My sisters and I help them bring in a carful of homemade food ranging from my grandma’s famous brownies, chocolate chip cookies, a couple cakes, biscotti (an Italian cookie), meatballs, my grandfather’s homemade rolls, and a couple bowls of fresh fruit.   Loraine Caputo (2011) describes how cooking became a way for her grandmothers and her to embrace their ethnic heritage.   She says that she spends hours in the kitchen preparing meals and perfecting her dishes (p. 194).   Both of my grandmother’s along with my mom have also chosen to spend so much time cooking because they feel it is part of their ethnic identity.   Caputo’s daughter says it best when she tells her mom that â€Å"We are Italian† when Caputo complains about spending so much time in the kitchen (2011 p. 194).   However, I have learned to cook the traditional Italian meals in addition to just my sisters as it was when my grandma grew up.   Learning to cook my family’s meals has allowed me to share in a substantial part of my ancestor’s lives, something that I would never have without Italian food. As time passes, the house fills up, making it hard to move through the rooms.   The upstairs is filled with laughter, conversation, and of course story-telling.   My grandfather will retell the stories growing up in a row house with little money.   His father fixed shoes for a living in an Italian community much like in the North End.   As Smajda and Gerteis (2012 p. 628) say, â€Å"You used to be able to have your shoes fixed here but that’s not so easy anymore†.   Next, he’ll talk about how he started his own paper route when he was 12 years old to help his parents pay the bills.   These stories remind us of our roots and keep the family history alive.   My grandma will tell us the stories about her parents that just like me, she had heard hundreds of times (M. Litwin, personal communication, November 10, 2015).   I will pass these same stories down to my kids along with my own stories.   Additionally, these stories have taught me that you nev er can tell when you are in the â€Å"good old days† (or the memories that you remember for the rest of your life) until you leave them.   This has had a significant impact on my life because I try to make the most of every day, whether that means getting up early to work out instead of sleeping in or making sure that I do my absolute best on a paper. â€Å"Dinner!!!!† My dad calls down in the basement and all of the kids rush up the stairs to get in line.   The aroma coming from the kitchen is floating throughout the house and everyone gets in line to taste the delicious food that my mom, along with our help, has been preparing for days.   My mom’s chicken parmesan is front and center next to my dad’s delicious mash potatoes.   There’s pasta and meatballs, sausage and onion, pork and sourcrout, ham, mac and cheese, corn, my grandpa’s homemade rolls, lasagna, bread from Chef Palino’s (a small mom and pop Italian restaurant), and much more.   Many people make the mistake of filling up too much on dinner because there’s so much food.   Their mistake always proves costly when they see the dessert table.   We usually have more dessert than we do food for dinner.   There’s my grandma’s brownies, chocolate chip cookies, candy cane cookies, biscotti, three or fo ur cakes, tandy cakes (a thin vanilla cake topped with a layer of peanut butter and a layer of chocolate), thumbprints (a tradition of my grandma’s), fresh fruit, and any other desserts that our guests bring.   Sitting around the table for dinner and dessert embodies my ethnic identity as an Italian American.   All of my family is there laughing, telling stories of the â€Å"old days†, continuing our family traditions, and making new memories that we can add to the wealth of memories that my family already has. Conclusion 4th generation millennial Italian Americans today still embrace their ethnic identities, but the ways in which they do so have evolved.   The ethnic communities that existed in the time of our great grandparents and grandparents are almost non-existent today.   The assimilation that took place after the Italian Americans left the â€Å"Little Italies†, transformed the way that Italian Americans look at their ethnic identities.   There was no longer a strong community to fall back on, but instead a tight family to fall back on.   Today, close family, Italian food, traditions, and the memories of their ancestors allow Italian Americans like myself to embrace their roots, but also to keep adding to the history of Italian Americans.   How will my kids and my kids’ kids embrace their ethnic identity?   I don’t know for sure.   I hope they will continue to love Italian food like I do, raise their families to be as close as mine is today, and continue to t ell the stories of our family.   Most likely, they will evolve my definition of what I believe to be my ethnic identity into their own version.    References Allport, G. W. (1954). Formation of In-Groups. The Nature of Prejudice (pp. 29-47). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Buonanno, M. (2011, fall). Ethnicity, Nostalgia, Affirmation: The Rhetoric of Italian American Identity. Voices, 37(3/4), 3-9. Caputo, L. (2011, July 1). Gender, Food, and Loss. Studies in Gender and Sexuality, 12(3), 179-195. Cavallero, J. J. (2004, summer). Gangsters, Fessos, Tricksters, AND Sopranos: The Historical Roots of Italian American Stereotype Anxiety. Journal of Popular Film & Television, 32(2), 50-63. Dottolo, A. L. (2015 August 31). Slicing White Bre(a)d: Racial Identities, Recipes, and Italian-American Women. Women & Therapy, 38(3-4), 356-376. Gerteis, J. & Smaja J. (2012, September). Ethnic Community and Ethnic Boundaries in a â€Å"Sauce-Scented Neighborhood†. Sociological Forum, 27(3), 617-640.   

Phillips Food: King Crab

Phillips Foods, Inc. – Introducing King Crab to the Trade Executive Summary: The Phillips Foods, Inc. , case discusses target marketing for specialty seafood. Phillips Foods, Inc. was founded in 1914 by Augustus Phillips on Hoopers Island, Maryland. Phillips had developed a reputation for fresh seafood caught and sold locally. By 2006, Phillips Foods had three business units that were generating profits and became one of the largest seafood businesses in the United States. The restaurant division operates 8 full-service restaurants as well as fast food restaurants, mainly in airports.The food service division services restaurants and foodservice institutions. The retail products division services grocers and retail food merchants. The three division generated $160M in revenue in 2006. Brand image and production were keys in building the Phillips brand name. Phillips was renowned for its close associations to Maryland. Production was also a key in reinforcing the Phillips image and brand. The company decided early on to own and operate its own plants, this was important for preserve quality and safety.The Phillips brand was able to expand its production and keep its image as a local brand. By 2006, Phillips operated 13 plants overseas and 1 plant in Baltimore. Analysis of Problem: As the case opens two key decision makers are having a dialog regarding the success of the first phase of marketing and potential plans for phase two. Cherry Stockworth, vice-president of marketing, and Ron Birch, product manager of a new king crab product are discussing Ron’s use of the remaining budget for the king crab product line.Ron has successfully launched phase one of king crab in foodservice trade magazines and as 2007 approached the opportunity of participating in a tradeshow had become available. The International Boston Seafood Show (IBSS) presented the opportunity for Ron to market to a grocery stores and retail food merchants. IBSS was one of the largest se afood shows in the country and the attendees were generally serious merchandisers and industry heavy weights. Phillips king crab products were revolutionary in the seafood industry and were also consistent with consumer demands.The target market was evolving from food service institutions to inclusiveness of retail establishments. Phillips had discovered and perfected a process by which blue king crab (large Alaskan/Russian crab) could be fished, gutted, pasteurized, and packaged for immediate consumption through their production facilities. The product could be stored for up to 18 months as a result of effective pasteurization. The king crab introduction couldn’t come at a more opportune time for Phillips Foods as consumers purchasing habits were changing to more health conscious products.Consumers were averse to purchasing seafood from the market because of their inability to cook the products effectively, and the amount of time it took to clean and prepare the product. Kin g crab was a healthy ready to eat product, and Ron’s task was to get king crab into the prime real estate of grocery store refrigerators. Cherry Stockworth was convinced that the tradeshow would capitalize on the effects of removing king crab from the commodity seafood counters. Phillips had good success with its phase one marketing and was going to have the opportunity to attend IBSS for phase two.In her excitement Cherry offers to cover half the cost of the trade show if Ron were to agree on attending and using the balance of his marketing budget on the campaign. Ron was happy with the results of the first phase, but was not closed to the idea of attending the tradeshow. He would have to crunch some numbers and asses the return on investing in the tradeshow. Recommendations: My recommendation for Phillips Foods is for them to take the king crab product to the IBSS. In doing some analysis with the provided numbers in this case, I have concluded the feasibility of the trade s how to be high.Ron has spent roughly $80K (half) of his budget on the first phase of marketing King crab through trade publications. Ron can easily spend phase two on the same publications or he can take up Cherry on her offer. Appendix A, shows that Ron will need approximately 19 people to effectively manage the tradeshow and its volume. Based on this headcount, it will cost Phillips $164,700, of which Ron will be responsible for $82,350. Ron and Cherry are both understand the importance of spreading the word of their brand, since they have made progress in the food service industry.The tastes of consumers and purchasing habits in grocery stores is changing it would be a great opportunity to display their product. According to the case, tradeshows are an avenue to display products, set up tastings, and catch the eye of potential retailers and grocery store merchandisers. Appendix A further analyses the potential draw at the IBSS show and affirms that 8% capture will provide signifi cant traction in acquiring the attention of a new audience that actually shows interest and is looking for new products for their chain.Continuing to advertise in trade publications seems to have been effective in only two of the three advertisements that Ron has chosen thus far. The problem that seems to be existent in this strategy is that it limits the audience that Phillips is going to be able to attract. Unless the foodservice institutions began to advertise Phillips Foods direct to consumers it doesn’t seem plausible that consumers can be targeted through this avenue. The restaurant division is not going to be a good source of advertising to new consumers either. Restaurants are a great way to maintain the brand name and maintain the high quality food standards.Conclusion: According to my calculations in Appendix A, the tradeshow is a great value with the offer from Cherry on the board to cover half the cost. Management support seems to be in the tradeshow as well, and this will be part of Ron’s decision as he must please the organization. At this point Ron needs to make a decision that will have an immediate impact on the king crab product line. He stands to lose a lot more if he misses out on the tradeshow and places advertisements with only a decent response. In addition, Ron is looking to reach a new audience and doesn’t seem to have a plan set for reaching the retail and grocery customers.The tradeshow provides visibility in both target markets and is in line with the changing customer preferences. Phillips Foods, Inc. has placed itself in a position to succeed with its pasteurization process and its branding strategy. The king crab product line is a perfect complement to the Phillips Foods product portfolio by way of high quality and high margin. Moving a commodity into retail ready-to-eat space has created a value added product and the potential to help seafood consumers find quick, safe, and healthy cooking solutions at the s eafood counter. Appendix A