Personal study skills Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal study skills - Assignment Example The many teaching opportunities have given me a chance to manage my time effectively. The main challenges I encountered in the pursuit of my targets include lack of adequate time to carry out my activities. In other instances, stress arising from family matters made it impossible for me to manage my many activities. Due to my intolerance towards others, I found that most people neglected me and I spend most of the times alone (Cobb, 2002). I have not been able to achieve some of my set targets, for example, my learning skills due to dyspraxia. Due to this condition, I take more time to understand some things since for me to understand I need to be given a more detailed explanation which may take longer period of time. In terms of keeping fit, I have not been able to manage my weight due to my inability to maintain a healthy lifestyle (Bligham and Drew, 2010). Additionally, my trip to New York has been affected by my parents desire to buy a second home in London. Having not saved enough money to cater for my trip, I have to push it up to 2016. By 2016, I intend to have saved around $2,000 for the trip. In order to keep fit, I will take boxing classes 3 times a week and engage in daily home exercise as well as maintain a healthy â€Å"Dukan Diet†. To improve my learning skills, I will engage into more learning activities and devote more time into learning. In an effort to reset my targets I have tried to identify my own strengths and weaknesses and try to work on them. Additionally, to be able to reset my targets, I need to develop good time management skills (Lee-Davies and Bailey, 2007). During the semester, I have had good moments through the learning process. I have been able to gain many skills and improve my way of approaching life. I have also been able to change my attitude towards others and appreciate working with others to achieve the desired results (Lee-Davies and Bailey, 2007). I have been able to improve my time

The Discussion of Future Career Goals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Discussion of Future Career Goals - Essay Example Firstly, the service that I hope to deliver will be fabricated upon the increasing levels of tourism that my native country has experienced with regards to the number of individuals that are currently traveling abroad for vacation. Although a litany of different travel agencies exists which can facilitate the process of booking tickets and planning hotel stays, a full-service travel industry does not exist. As such, providing cultural integration, analysis of any needed medical examinations or shots prior to going to a country, a crash course in etiquette, and an emphasis upon the specific activities that individual hope to engage in while they are on vacation will serve as new integration with the service industry. Accordingly, the tenure goal of this particular service plan will be to open at least one travel service agency within a population center in excess of 4 million people. I further twenty-year plan will be to expand this industry and have it represented within at least 3 t o 5 different locations around the country; with a 25-year plan of appointing a manager and director to oversee the coordinated efforts that these entities can engage. Further, a specific positioning strategy will be predicated upon the fact that the current level of service offerings that exist within the specific sphere are incapable of meeting the needs or demands of the population in question. Moreover, due to the fact that more and more individuals are traveling each and every year and the projected growth within the tourism industry is set to exceed 30% within the next five years, it only makes logical sense to engage with this market as a means of promoting my own career and servicing the professional needs of individuals within the economy. Further, the Four P’s of marketing, price – promotion – place – and product, can be utilized as a means of marketing this service and increasing the level of engagement by the society or population. Firstly, be fore engaging with an understanding of price, promotion, or product, the place is a definitive portion of the marketing mix that must first be analyzed.  

Theoretical Approaches Of The Elderly Abuse Social Work Essay

Theoretical Approaches Of The Elderly Abuse Social Work Essay 2-1- Introduction In the upcoming chapter, the title will be review of research literature. This chapter considered as the heart of research supervises al the time research stages and is theoretical and performance guidance of research. This chapter consists of three main topics. The first topic titled review of research theoretical literature deals with theoretical approaches of the elderly abuse including definition, forms and associated theories. Outlines and former subject researches about the elderly abuse which have been done by different domestic and international researchers in forms of bachelor, master, doctoral theses or research projects were labeled as review of experimental research literature and forms the second topic of this chapter. And finally, the last topic which will be discussed in this chapter is elective theoretical research frame that we will try to review the former two topics (theoretical and experimental literature) and discuss theories and approaches which will be used reg arding the influential factors on elderly abuse in Malaysia and based on them other stages of research will be followed up in future chapters. Now in this part, firstly theoretical fundamentals of research will be discussed and then the assessment of experimental research literature inside and outside of the country will be covered: 2-2- Review of theoretical literature The following sentences relates to theoretical dimensions and conceptive environment of research topic. In another word, explanations and theoretical approaches about the elderly abuse including definition and effective factors are issues that will be covered and it will be tried that by exploring these topics, thought and mind environments of research will be clarified and we would be able to provide a background for future chapters, particularly results, conclusion, and suggestions. 2-2-1- The Definition of the Abuse of the Elderly Although there is an absence of agreed or standard definitions of abuse, commented on by McCreadie (1996) and others, a number of definitions of elder abuse have emerged. Early attempts at defining mistreatment in the UK context were relatively specific as seen, for example, in the following: A single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person (Action on Elder Abuse, 1995) However, later definitions tend to have been more widely drawn, as in the recent government document, No Secrets, in which the definition is given as: Abuse is a violation of an individuals civil or human rights by any other person or persons (DoH, 2000). Given the lack of consensus concerning definition, which ultimately may not result in any major difficulty (Penhale, 1993), it is at least reassuring to find that most people concerned with the issue agree on the different types of mistreatment that can happen. The usual types of mistreatment included within most definitions are physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, financial abuse (also referring to exploitation and misappropriation of an individuals property and possessions), psychological and emotional abuse. When considering neglect, separate, stand-alone definitions do not usually appear, with neglect often appearing as a sub-type of abuse. Thus in the Social Services Inspectorate (1993) definition, elder abuse is described as: . . . physical, sexual, psychological or financial. It may be intentional or unintentional or the result of neglect (DoH, 1993, para 2.1). More recently, draft guidance issued by the Social Services Inspectorate indicates that abuse may occur: . . . as a result of a failure to undertake action or appropriate care tasks. It may be physical, psychological, or an act of neglect . . . (DoH, 1999, para 2.7). Neglect and acts of omission are then further delineated as: . . . including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating (DoH, 1999, para 2.8). To these may be added such categories as enforced isolation and deprivation of necessary items for daily living (warmth, food or other aspects, such as teeth). In general, however, situations of self-neglect by an older person would not be considered within the UK perspective of mistreatment. Although many practitioners work with older individuals who self-neglect, usually this is not considered within an elder mistreatment or indeed an adult protection framework. Abuse within institutions also encompasses situations that arise because of the regime or system that may operate in the unit in addition to individual acts of abuse that occur. There also may be abusive situations that arise between a resident and a member of care staff, initiated by the older person as protagonist, so there may be dual directionality of abuse, or unidirectional abuse from resident towards staff member (McCreadie, 1996). Neglect within institutions may arguably be more pervasive and insidious, affecting the daily lives of many residents in a myriad of ways, from overt to covert. According to the American Medical Association Council on Scientific Affairs (1987), with elderly abuse has several forms and definition is as follows: any act of commission or omission that results in harm or threatened harm to the health and benefit of an old people. The Select Committee on Aging defined the following categories of abuse: physical abuse, Neglect, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and self-neglect. In its most common usage, elder abuse is an all-inclusive term representing all types of mistreatment or abusive behavior toward older adults. Abusive acts include the following: striking, burning, threatening, abandoning, starving older adults, or taking their property without consent. If an act of violence, such as a slap, occurs only once, by most standards it is probably not considered to be elder abuse. If it happens fairly often or results in the hospitalization of the victim, the action is deemed abuse; likewise, threatening with a gun, sexual assault, or other mark edly violent acts need only occur once (Wolf, 2000).A shocking way for elderly people to spend their final days is in a state of maltreatment known as elder abuse. Although it can occur in institutions, it is most often suffered by frail elderly people living with their spouses or their children (Papalia aIds, 1995). 2-2-2- Forms of Older Adult Abuse There are many types of abuse that affect older adults. According to Gray-Vickrey (2001), the five most common types of abuses are as follows: 1. Neglect, whether intentional or unintentional, accounts for 49% of substantiated elder abuse cases. Neglect generally to happen when a care provider to not do what is excepted for an old people with adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or assistance with activities of daily living. 2. Emotional abuse, the willful infliction of anguish through threats, intimidation, humiliation, and isolation, is involved in 35% of cases. 3. Financial abuse is the misuse of someones property and resources by another person. Financial or material exploitation occurs in 30% of cases. 4. Physical abuse, the use of physical forces that results in pain, impairment or bodily injury, accounts for 25% of substantiated elder abuse cases. Hitting, slapping, restraining, molesting, biting, burning, pushing, or pulling all qualify as physical abuse. 5. Sexual abuse is another extremely devastating form of the abuse of older adults. Sexual abuse can be seen as a type of physical abuse (Arbetter, 1995). However, it is often discussed separately due to the different types of harm inflicted upon older adults. In one study, researchers found that the urogenital injury due to sexual abuse was à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Prevalent among elderly people (Muram, Miller, Culter, 1992). There main sexual abuse behaviors are mentioned frequently in relevant literatures. First activity or activities which are done without any physical contacts. They something are called Hand off behaviors. A common form of hand-off abuse is to make the victim to watch pornographic sceneries, exhibition and voyeuristic activities. The second form of sexual abused is called Hand-on behaviors involving some physical contact with the victim. The third and most dramatic form of sexual abuse is a kind of painful action on victims sexual or rectal region.(Ramsey, Klawsnick, 1999). On the other hand, Pritchard (1999) introduced another category of abuse among older people which are commonly seen by health professionals: History of incest between mother and son. Husband wife sexual abuse. Older gay man abused in the community. Research is mixed concerning the victim-offender relationship in elder sexual abuse cases. Muram et al. (1992) compared the medical record of older sexual assault victims (n=53) to younger sexual assault victims (n=55) and found that older adults were more likely to be assaulted by strangers and to have the assault occur in their home. Johnson (1995) seems to agree, stating, Most sexual assaults of elderly women occur in the victims home by an assailant who is unknown to the victim (p.221). Research by Ramsey-Klawsnick (1991) and Holt (1993) suggested slightly different patterns. Ramsey-Klawsnick (1991) asked twenty adult protective service workers to identify and describe cases of sexual abuse among older adults they have seen in the past. The case workers identified twenty-eight cases of sexual abuse, with eighty one percent of the cases reportedly committed by caregivers. Seventy-eight percent of the abusers were relatives, with sons representing the majority of offenders. Research by Holt (1993), studied seventy-seven elder sexual abuse cases in Great Britain and found that fifty percent of the cases were committed by sons of the victims. None of the sexual assaults in Holts study were committed by strangers. According to NCEA (1998), sexual assault is a problem that is usually not associated with older adults, often accounting for approximately less than 1% of reported elder maltreatment cases. There is other dramatic type of psychological abuse. This kind of abuse can be demonstrated in different forms such as threats, bargaining, seduction, stalking or manipulation ( Marshal, Benton, Brazier, 2000). The most common characteristics of this kinds of abuse is their difficulty to be assessed. Johnson (1995) stated that they psychological abuse are not concrete, so they are hard to be assessed. According to Quirm and Tomita (1997), psychological abuse is an integral part of other types of abuse. Victims often report being threatened with nursing home placement if they protest physical abuse or if they threaten to tell someone outside of the family, or if they refuse to hand over money. According to NCEA (1998), psychological abuse accounted for approximately 35% of the cases of maltreatment reported in 1996. A well known form of abuse can be financial abuse which extremely traumatic in nature. In order to recognize financial abuse, it is suggested to have the following items in mind: Unusual transaction in bank activities. Older persons inability to sign other documents such as power of attorney, will or other bank drafts. Care givers disappear suddenly. D) There is a lack of amenities, when the estate can afford it (Quinn Tomita, 1997). Larue (1992) suggests that financial abuse might have been even more common than reports indicate because it is so difficult to detect. Research that relies on interviews with people in their communities instead of abuse complaints filed with governmental agencies tends to support this view. For example, Canadian researchers who randomly sampled citizens at home showed financial exploitation to be more common than neglect (Podnieks, Pillemer, Nicholson, Shillington, Frizzell, 1990). According to Welfel, Danzinger, and Santoro (2000), the financial exploitation of older adults ometimes experienced through fraudulent telemarketing schemes or through unscrupulous contractors who are strangers are not the primary domains of elder mistreatment laws. Criminal statutes relating to fraud and extortion are probably better suited to deal with such schemes. However, if a person befriends an older person and begins caring for that older adult in order to take money or material goods from him or her, that person would likely be subject to the elder abuse statutes. The most common form of the abuse of older adults is neglect, which involves failure to provide essential physical or mental care for an older person. Physical neglect includes withholding food or water, failing to provide proper hygiene, or neglecting to offer physical aid or safety precautions. Neglect needs not to be intentional; it sometimes occurs when the caregiver is unable to provide the older person with proper care (Lachs Pillemer, 1995). Overall, 49% of the reports of elder maltreatment involve neglect and maltreatment, either intentional or unintentional (NCEA, 1998). Abandonment is a particular form of neglect. The state of Connecticut defines abandonment as the desertion or willful forsaking of an elder by a caretaker or foregoing, withdrawal, or neglect of duties and obligations owned an elder by a caretaker or others (Fulmer, Mc Mahon, Baer-Hines, Forget, 1992, p. 506). According to the American College of Emergency Physicians (1999), scenarios of abandonment include family members dropping off elderly persons, boarding homes or nursing homes dropping off elderly persons, and, in some cases, elderly persons seeking out care in emergency rooms on their own because they are unable to care for themselves. There are times when the neglect older adults suffer results from their own actions or inactions. This problem is referred to as self-neglect. Older adults may self-neglect when they fail to take medications, repeatedly skip meals, use alcohol or other drugs to excess, or fail to attend to personal hygiene. Often, such self-neglect is associated with untreated physical or mental health problems, especially depression (Quinn Tomita, 1997). Tatara (1996) suggested that as many as one third of elder abuse cases involve self-neglect or self-abuse. The NCEA (1997) gathered data about self-neglect and found that self-neglect cases are those that are most often dealt with by protective service employees. Estimates of the extent of self-neglect are likely low because most elderly persons who are neglecting themselves would be unlikely to report their self-neglect to authorities (Hall, 1987). Byers and Lamanna (1993) further note that protective service workers often find these cases the mos t difficult to handle because efforts to stop the self neglect are resisted by the victim. 2-2-3 Factors that Contribute to the elder abuse Everitt, OMalley, and Campion, (1983). (a) Those focusing on the victims dependency: That is, there are a variety of factors that may contribute to older adult abuse and neglect. According to Bennett and Kingston (1993) and Biegel and Blum (1990), several factors predisposing elderly abuse by caresr include    : (1) mental and physical dependence to one family, (2) poor communication or a failure of relationship, (3) considerable change in a caregivers lifestyle,(4) perceptions of caregivers towards dependence of older persons, (5) frequent visits to general practitioners by the informal caregivers to talk about their problems, (6) role reversal, and (7) isolation of the household. Preliminary hypotheses regarding the cause of elder mistreatment that was based on case reports and early studies were reviewed by OMalley on physical and mental impairment of an older adult, (b) Those emphasizing the effect of stress on the caregiver, (c) Those concerned with the influence of families who have learned to solve problems by being violent with one another, (d) Those that focus on the individual problems of the abuser, and (e) Effects of a society, which casts older adults in the role of non-persons through ageism, sexism, and destructive attitudes toward the disabled and toward those who are perce ived to be unattractive. Several researchers have identified various risk factors that can potentially lead to mistreatment or abuse of older adults. According to Anastasio (1981), risk factors that characterize precipitators are inability to provide care, financial needs and inability to maintain ones home. For victims, the risk factors include functional impairment and adverse physiological change. There are a variety of probable causes of the abuse of older adults. Most causes of abuse are committed in residential rather than institutional settings, and the most likely culprits are spouses, children, siblings, relatives, or paid caregivers. In older persons, the most common types of maltreatment are neglect, emotional/psychological abuse, and physical abuse (Marshall, Benton, Brazier, 2000). Other risk factors in abuse are (1) shared living arrangements between the elder person and the abuser, (2) dependence of the abuser on the victim, and (3) social isolation of the elder pers on. The typical victim is an elderly person in poor health that lives with someone. Elderly people living alone, whether widowed, divorced, or never married are at low risk. The abuser is more likely to be a spouse than a child, reflecting the fact that more elderly people live with their spouses than with children; and the risk factor is greater when the caregiver is depressed (Pillemer Finkelhor, 1988: Paveza, et al. 1992). Although many older men are abused, abuse against women inflicts more injuries. Rates of violence are high in families with an elder person suffering from dementia; in these families punching, kicking, and other violent behaviors are high in both directions (Paveza, et. al., 1992). In the United States, the number of reported cases of domestic elder abuse nationwide, calculated by combining state reports and adjusting for differences in definitions and eligibility criteria, has increased steadily from 117,000 in 1986 to 296,000 in 1996 (Tatara, 1995; Tatara, Kuzmeskas, and Duckhom, 1997). 2-2-4Competing theoretical explanations of elder abuse Five major theories have been set forth in an effort to understand the causes of elder mistreatment. These theories include (a) the impairment theory, which advances the idea that elderly persons who have a severe mental impairment are most likely to be abused; (b) the theory of psychopathology of the abuser, contending that personality traits or character disorders cause persons to be abusive; (c) the transgenerational violence theory, which holds that violence is a learned normative behavior in some families; (d) the stressed caregiver theory, which examines the burdens a dependent elder places on the family; and (e) the exchange theory, which evaluates the effect of external influences upon the relationship between victim and abuser (Fulmer, 1998). Lachs fulmer (1993) reported seven leading theories or conceptual frameworks are used to examine the etiology of elder abuse. Of course, in addition to these seven theories, exchange theory has paid attention to the elderly abuse subject from the view of expenses and rewards that will be pointed out in the following of the seven theories. 2-2-4-1- Psychology of the abuser The first is psychology of the abuser, which refers to caregivers who have pre- existing condition that impair their capacity to give appropriate care. For example, a caregiver who has mental retardation or alcohol dependency may not be able to exercise appropriate judgment in care giving of older adults. This can ultimately lead to abuser neglect (Lachs fulmer, 1993). 2-2-4-2 Transgenerational violence The next Theory is related to transgenerational violence. According to this theory, elderly abuse can be a part of the continuing domestic violence that started with child abuse and elderly abuse will end. Little research has been done to obtain empirical evidence to support this theory, but the same number also emphasized on its importance. Another aspect of transgenerational violence relates to adult children that long time lived with their parents and children were abused then grow up and the elderly parents living with them are being abused. (Lachs fulmer, 1993). 2-2-4-3- Learning theory Finally, transgenerational violence has been explained in terms of a learning theory in that a child who observes violence as a coping mechanism may learn it and bring to adult life (Lachs fulmer, 1993). 2-2-4-4- Isolation theory National center on elder abuse and the American public human services association (1998) has reported isolation theory espouses that mistreatment is prompted by a dwindling social network. According to the National Elder Abuse incidence study about 25% of all elderly person live alone and even more interact only with family members and have little social interaction with the outside word. Isolated older adults are at the particular risk because there are no outsiders watching out for them, and they may not be identified by the healthcare system or reporting agencies until it is too late (Lachs fulmer, 1993). According to Godkin, Wolf, and Pillemer (1989), it is difficult to determine whether isolation is the result of mistreatment (family members or caregivers may be trying to hide the abuse from the outside word) or precipitating factor of abuse. 2-2-4-5- Identity Theory Other theories are role and identity theories. A synthesis of role theory and identity theory has provides an explanation of the effects of socially constructed roles and identities for the elderly. It assists in understanding how these socially constructed roles and identities may increase the elders vulnerability to abuse. 2-2-4-6- Role Theory In their classic text on role theory, Biddle and Thomas (1986) noted that one of the key characteristics of social behavior is the fact that human beings behave in ways that are different and predictable depending on their respective social identities and the situation. Key concepts of role theory includes: the identities that actors assume, the expectations for behavior of the actor that is mutually understood and adhered to by the individuals, and the social behaviors that are characteristic of the particular behavior. 2-2-4-7- Social exchange theory Another conceptual model that has been used to explain elder abuse has been derived from social exchange theory. Social exchange theory is based on the idea that social interaction involves the exchange of reward and punishments between at least two people and that all individuals seek to maximize reward and perform instrumental services. In fact, with increasing physical infirmities, the individual begins to require more and more in the form of instrumental services. Therefore, when one is old and infirm, violating the law of distributive justice is relatively easy. In addition, because of the losses associated with aging, the individuals potential to supplement social ties and to extend a personal power base is reduced. As a result, the individual becomes less able to reciprocate rewarding behaviors and less likely to have a choice about continuing unrewarding or punishing social exchanges with those who perform an instrumental service. Figuratively speaking, the elderly individual must begin to live on the credit accumulated over the years because there are few ways to replenish the bank. One outcome of the aging condition that Dowed predicts is that as the imbalance in power increases, the older person is likely to display more passivity and compliance and more withdrawing behaviors in an effort not to alienate the remaining few people who can provide rewards and services. 2-2-4-8- Situational theory Steinmets (1990) have explained situational theory, which is also referred to as caregiver stress. As care burdens multiply, they outweigh the caregivers capacity to meet the needs of the older adult; therefore, caregiver stress can overwhelm the situation. Elder abuse can be outcome. The situational model is the explanatory base that was the earliest devised to explain elder abuse. It also appears to be the most widely accepted at this time. Derived from the theoretical base associated predominately with child abuse and less strongly with other forms of intrafamily violence, this model has considerable intuitive appeal. In addition, among clinicians, this model has popular support, since its basic premise fit easily within an intervention framework. Very simply, the basic premise of the situational model is that as the stress associated with certain situational and/or structural factors increases for the abuser, the likelihood increases of abusive acts directed at a vulnerable individual who is seen as being associated with the stress. The situational variables that have been linked with abuse of the elderly have included 1) elder related factors such as physical and emotional dependency, poor health, impaired mental status, and a difficult personality. 2) Structural factors such as economic strains, social isolation, and environmental problems, and 3) caregiver related factors such as life crisis, burn out or exhaustion with care giving, substance abuse problems, and previous socialization experiences with violence. There is a lot of support to approve the situational model. It is obviofied us that the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ burden of stress to caregivers makes more than overwhelmed and older abuse family members. Moreover, psychological model of child abuse and interfamily violence model which are highly related to structural and situational stress. Bring up the problem of older abuse. If gives a strong approval to use situational model for abuse among older people. Finklhor and Pillemer stated that there are some similarity between child abuse and elder abuse. They found this similarity in vulnerability of abuse victim and frustration in caregivers. Moreover, both child and elder abuse share the social context and are identified by healthcare professionals. They believe that the story is true for spouse abuse, too. Whatever the reason of abuse, it can be prevented. This à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.that shows that situational model is an applicable model for elder abuse. 2-2-4-9 Physical/Mental Dependence (Impairment) This theory is based on the belief that elderly persons who have a severe mental or physical impairment are most vulnerable to becoming abused.   In relationships where one person is dependent and another person is the helper or caregiver, there is always potential for misuse of power by the caregiver. Summary of theoretical explanations To explain the causes of elder abuse, some researchers in developed countries have viewed it as a problem of an overburdened caregiver (situational model), a mentally disturbed abuser (intra-individual dynamics), or a dependent perpetrator and dependent victim (exchange theory). Others have used learned behavior (social learning theory), the imbalance of power within relationships (feminist theory), and the marginalization of elders (political economy theory), or a lack of fit between the organism and the environment (ecological theory). 2-3- Review of experimental literature Phenomenon of the elderly abuse and its forms and causes are subjects that have been explored by sociologists, social psychologists and hygiene experts to find its visible and invisible dimensions. This part of the draft, as is clear from its topic, is discussing subject experimental literature about characteristics of victims. This literature involves all performed studies and researches in the form of governmental reports, organizational researches, bachelor, master, and doctoral theses that are cited according to the year they have been performed. No one explanation for the cause of elder abuse exists. Abuse is a complex problem which is rooted in multiple factors (Wolf, 2000). Caregiver stress and burden was once regarded as a major causative factor of elder abuse. However, Anetzberger (2000) discusses the complexity of elder abuse and the results of prior studies, which suggest that the etiology of elder abuse is multifaceted, and that caregiver stress and burden is not the only dominant risk factor. She stresses that the reality of elder abuse demands the development of new explanatory and intervention models (Anetzberger, 2000). A number of socio-demographic factors have been identified as possible contributors to elder abuse. Levine (2003) lists the following factors: intra-family stressors including separation, divorce and financial strain, ageism, increased life expectancy and medical advances that have prolonged years lived with chronic disease (Levine, 2003). Elders are abused in homes, hospitals, nursing homes and in other institutions (Nelson, 2002). Prevalence or incidence data on elder abuse in institutional settings are lacking despite the vast existing literature on issues of quality of care (Wolf, 2000). Most elder abuse and neglect takes place in the home and is inflicted by family, household members and paid caregivers (Smith, 2002). A survey conducted in one US state reported that 36% of nursing and support staff reported having witnessed at least one incident of physical abuse by another staff member during the prior year and 10% admitted to having committed at least one act of physical abuse themselves (Wolf, 2000). A cross-sectional retrospective chart review of new in- and outpatients conducted by a Montreal General Hospital Division of Geriatric Psychiatry in one calendar year, studied the prevalence and correlates of four types of elder abuse and neglect in a geriatric psychiatry service (Vida, Monks, Des Rosiers, 2002) Although this study was limited by a clinically derived and a relatively small sample size of 126 patients, it was reported that elder abuse and neglect was suspected or confirmed in 16% of patients studied. Living with non-spouse family, friends, or other persons in a non-supervised setting, along with a history of family disruptions by widowhood, divorce, or separation were significantly correlated with abuse, while statistically non-significant yet potentially important identifiers included female gender, alcohol abuse, and low functional status. Elders are most at risk from family members (Nelson, 2002). The perpetrator is a family member in two-thirds of known cases of abuse and neglect and was identified as adult children or spouses (National Center on Elder Abuse, 1998). Despite the popular image of elder abuse occurring in a setting of a dependent victim and an overstressed caregiver, there is accumulating evidence that it is neither ca regiver stress levels nor the dependence level of the victim that are the core factors leading to elder abuse (Wolf, 2000). It is now felt that stress may be a contributing factor in abuse cases but it does not explain the phenomenon (Wolf, 2000). Recent studies on the relationships between caregiver stress, Alzheimers disease, and elder abuse suggest that it is the long-term or pre-abuse nature of the relationships which is the important factor in predicting instances of maltreatment (Wolf, 2000). The mental status of the perpetrator which includes emotional, psychiatric, and substance a buse problems, the dependency of the perpetrator on the victim, and the lack of outside the home external support for the victim continue to emerge as elder abuse risk factors (Wolf, 2000). A cohort of 2,812 community-dwelling adults over the age of 65 from the

Logic, Imagination and Deduction Essays -- Logic Imagination Deductio

Logic, Imagination and Deduction "Quit your day dreaming" "Mr. Gies, are you still with us?" "Hello!" These are some of the common inquisitions I heard while trying my best to pay attention during elementary school classes. It seems that I had some issues with staying on task. Perhaps it was a problem that I would outgrow, or at least be able to control, but as the years went on by I found that time did not change me. What a break! It turns out that using my imagination has helped me numerous times in solving networking issues, writing code, troubleshooting electronic devices, and designing complex systems. So are critical thinking, logic and deduction, and problem solving learned skills? Or are they simply tied to ones ability to imagine. Although genetics may play a role in the degree to which an individual can imagine; I believe imagination can be a skill that is developed and is directly proportional to ones ability to use logic and deduction when solving complicated problems. So who does all this imagining anyway? Bronowski, in his essay, "The Reach of Imagination", states, "To imagine is the characteristic act, not of the poet’s mind, or the painter’s, or the scientist’s, but of the mind of man" (Bronowski 461). It seems that this act of imagining is for all mankind. You’ve probably heard the phrase "right brained people". These are the artsy, imaginative, creative types that seem to dominate media venues such as TV and radio, and because of this visibility it would be easy to assume that’s where all the creative people hang out. I think that assumption is way off track. Plenty of highly imaginative technical experts are discovering great solutions to all kind of problems. Architects designing buildings to... ...ion is controlled by conditioning and experiences. Life and its experiences have far more to do with ones ability to imagine then the physical makeup of your genes. I do, however, believe that problem-solving correlates directly to one’s ability to imagine. As I write the conclusion to this essay I find my self imagining a multitude of other things. I imagine how the essay will look printed, did I get the point across, and will it be received well. A quick reflection back in time and I hear a voice from the past saying "Mr. Zimmerman, are you with us?", "Mr. Zimmerman, stay on task", and only now can I safely say, "No. I think I’m just going to think for awhile". Imagine that. Works Cited Katherine Anne Ackley, Perspectives on Contemporary Issues Bronowski Jacob, The Reach of Imagination Hoffmann Roald, The Chemist Ridley Matt, The Year of the Genome

From 1600 †1763

From 1600 – 1763, several European nations vied for control of the North American continent. Why did England win the struggle? Support your answer with details of each nation's successes and failures. From the early 1600’s to the mid 1700’s, several European nations vied to control North America. Spain, Great Britain, and France were all powerhouses trying to colonize the free world and create a massive empire. Out of the three, England won the struggle because of failures made by the Spanish and French in the years before the American Revolution.The Spanish were the most powerful nation before the colonizing of the West Indies began. They had the Spanish Armada who was known for never losing a single battle. They also had all the riches in the world from all of their explorations. Unfortunately, during the early 1600’s, the Spanish began to experience fatigue from overextension with their army. The Spanish had to take care of problems in their Dutch terri tories causing them to leave the West Indian Islands and Jamaica open for grabs.Great Britain would eventually claim it and they began to work with sugar, the rich man’s crop. One difference between the British and Spanish motives for colonizing was that the Spanish based part of their time converting people to Catholic. The British were not concerned with religion, but more concerned with expanding their empire and making a profit. So by now, the British had colonized most of the Atlantic coast from Maryland down to Georgia. Another nation that wanted to have control over North America was the French.The French owned land from Quebec all the way down to the end of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. They basically controlled â€Å"middle† America. The French were in the business of trapping and fur trade. A very profitable business, but not a very sustainable one on its own. The French never really had a chance to control the New World because they were not as power ful as the Spanish or the British. France lost their hopes of having control in North America when they lost the French and Indian War with Great Britain.Great Britain’s victory over the French caused them to give up most of the land that they claimed and now half of the United States was in control of the British. England won the struggle for control of North America because when they saw a chance to pick up more land from another country, they would grab it. They had the army power to go to war with France and the Spanish had too much on their plate which weakened them. The English controlled the east coast of North America and had many profitable industries such as tobacco, sugar, and indigo. England won based on their power and strategy.

Cold War: Cuba and Latin America Essay

Cold War: Cuba and Latin America There were several motivations for United States policy in Latin America during the 1950’s and the 1960’s. Some of these motivations included the applying of the policy of containment in Latin American to stop the spread of communism. Another motivation was to stop the growing alliance between Cuba and the Soviet Union. All of these motivations were set in place to avoid the development of a second Cuba in Latin America. It was urgent for the United States to act since now there was Soviet Union presence in Latin America offering to be an ally. The United States had numerous justifications for the polices that it followed during it’s presence in Latin America. One of them being President John F. Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress. The United States offered Latin America countries that were developing economically aid; this was a method of applying the policy of containment. The United States need to stop communism motivated them to pass the Alliance for Progr ess. The United States justified the policy by arguing that they needed to have a policy in Latin America that went beyond the Roosevelt Corollary. After 1959, the United State was still devoted to ridding Fidel Castro’s presence from Cuba. The United States policy makers saw the alliance between Cuba and Soviet Union as dangerous thing, particularly after the critical Cuban Missile Crisis. In the Dominican Republic, the Johnson Administration justified the assassination of Rafael Trujillo since his dictatorship had become a liability to the United States. Trujillo was at one point a United States ally because he was willing to protect its interests but he was cruel to his own people and the United States feared he would spark a revolution in the Dominican Republic, much like the one that had brought Fidel Castro to power. There were many things that the United States ignored as it followed the polices that they had enacted. One, being the lack of evidence that there was a relationship between Castro and the Soviet Union before 1959. Another being that the Alliance for Progress was modeled on the Marshall Plan for Western Europe but Latin America was not Western Europe (92). There was also the contradiction between the Alliance for Progress, that it was nice than the method that it followed in Latin America during the 1960’s.

Learn Proper French Pronunciation With Liaisons

Learn Proper French Pronunciation With Liaisons Part of the reason that French pronunciation and aural comprehension are so difficult is due to liaisons. A  liaison  is a phenomenon whereby a normally  silent consonant  at the end of a word is pronounced at the beginning of the word that follows it. Examples of Liaisons The sound files below show words such as  vous  (you), which have a silent s at the end, unless they are paired with a word like  avez  (have). When this occurs, the s is pronounced at the beginning of the following word, creating a liaison in French. In each instance, the words on the left contain a silent letter at the end; the words on the right show how the usually silent letter at the end of the word is pronounced at the beginning of the following word, creating a liaison. The word or words are followed by a transliteration to help you pronounce the terms and phrases as you hear them. French Word With a Final Silent Consonant Liaison vous [vu] vous avez [vu za vay] ont [o(n)] ont-ils [o(n) teel] un [uh(n)] un homme [uh(n) nuhm] les [lay] les amis [lay za mee] Pronunciation Key Use this pronunciation key as a guide to help you get the most out of the previous sound files. a   fathere   bedee   meetu   fool(n)   nasal n In addition, consonants in  liaisons  sometimes change the pronunciation. For example, an s is pronounced like a z when it is used in a liaison. Liaison Rules The basic requirement of a  liaison  is a word that ends in a normally silent consonant followed by a word that begins with a vowel or  mute h. This does not mean, however, that all possible liaisons are necessarily pronounced. In fact, the pronunciation (or not) of liaisons is subject to very specific rules, and liaisons are divided into three categories: Required liaisons (Liaisons obligatoires)Forbidden liaisons (Liaisons interdites)Optional liaisons (Liaisons facultatives) If you are a beginner, study just the required  liaisons  and forbidden liaisons, as these are the essential. If youre more advanced, study all three sections. It may be boring, but your pronunciation and ability to communicate at different levels of formality will improve dramatically. Liaison vs.  Enchantment There is a related phenomenon in French called  enchaà ®nement  (linking). The difference between enchaà ®nement and  liaisons  is this:  Liaisons  occur when the final consonant is normally silent but is pronounced due to the vowel that follows it (vous  vs.  vous avez), whereas  enchaà ®nement  occurs when the final consonant is pronounced whether or not a vowel follows it, such as  pour  vs.  pour elle, which translates as for vs. for her. Note that  enchaà ®nement  is simply a phonetic issue, while the pronunciation of  liaisons  is based on linguistic and stylistic factors. Additionally, scan the pronunciation chart below to see how various letters are generally pronounced in French liaisons. Letter Sound D [t] F [v] G [g] N [n] P [p] R [r] S [z] T [t] X [z] Z [z]

The Pathetic Mr. Ripley essays

The Pathetic Mr. Ripley essays The paper will deal with the gay image in the movie The Talented Mr. Ripley. The main aim of the paper is to show that the gays in the characterization of Tom Ripley is portrayed as pathetic and tragic in The Talented Mr. Ripley and this portrayal of gays is not limited to Tom Ripley in the movie. I have chosen to explain my point in several different sections which tie with each other. But before writing about the movie, I feel the need of writing about the queer theory, and the problems of representation of homosexuals on screen. The queer theory, is not only used by homosexuals, or gays, or queers but the name invention belongs to this group. Queer is an adjective in English and its meaning is 1. Being out of the usual course of events in minor respects; singular; odd. 2. Of questionable character; open to suspicion; mysterious. 3. Slang Counterfeit. n. Slang. 1 Counterfeit money... according to the Websters Comprehensive Dictionary. The use of queer attracts attention and the not so flattering meaning of the word is actually shown to public and by this the meaning is trying to be reversed. The queer culture is not limited to homosexual men and women. The word queer is now used to express wide range of images, books, films. Alexander Doty writes that: Certain feminist critics and theorists have also begun using the term queer to describe any non-normative expressions of gender by or about straight women (and, sometimes straight men) in film and popular culture production and representation. The queer theory is a live ground and it produces exiting results. Among the writers in this movement, the most appropriate one to our subject matter is Richard Dyer. Dyer has written many books and articles on gay representation. Some of his articles on gay representation is collected in The Matter of Images: Essays on Representations. From the twelv...

Discovering the Occupations of Your Ancestors

Discovering the Occupations of Your Ancestors Do you know what your ancestors did for a living? Researching ancestral jobs and occupations can teach you a great deal about the people who make up your family tree, and what life was like for them. An individuals occupation may give insight into their social status or to their place of origin. Occupations can also be used to distinguish between two individuals of the same name, often an essential requirement in genealogy research. Certain skilled occupations or trades may have been passed down from father to son, providing indirect evidence of a family relationship. Its even possible that your surname derives from the occupation of a distant ancestor. Finding An Ancestors Occupation When researching your family tree, it is usually fairly easy to discover what your ancestors did for a living, as work has often been something used to define the individual. As such, occupation is an often listed entry in birth, marriage and death records, as well as census records, voter lists, tax records, obituaries and many other types of records. Sources for information on your ancestors occupations include: Census Records - A good first stop for information on your ancestors job history, census records in many countries- including the U.S. census, British census, Canadian census, and even French census- list the primary occupation of at least the head of household. Since censuses are usually taken every 5-10 years, depending upon the location, they may also reveal changes in working status over time. If youre U.S. ancestor was a farmer, the U.S. agricultural census schedules will tell you what crops he grew, what livestock and tools he owned, and what his farm  produced.   City Directories - If your ancestors lived in an urban location or larger community, city directories are a possible source for occupational information. Copies of many older  city directories can be found online on subscription-based  websites such as Ancestry.com and  Fold3.com. Some free sources of digitized historical books such as  Internet Archive also may have copies online. Those that cant be found online may be  available on microfilm or through libraries in the area of interest. Tombstone, Obituary and other Death Records  - Since many people define themselves by what they do for a living, obituaries generally mention the individuals former occupation and, sometimes, where they worked. Obituaries may also indicate membership in occupational or fraternal organizations. Tombstone inscriptions, while more brief, may also include clues to occupation or fraternal memberships.   Social Security Administration - SS-5 Application RecordsIn the United States, the Social Security Administration keeps track of employers and employment status, and this information can generally be found in the SS-5 application form that your ancestor filled out when applying for a Social Security Number. This is a good source for the employers name and address of a deceased ancestor. U.S. Military Draft RecordsAll males in the United States  between the ages of 18  and 45  were required by law to register for the World War One draft throughout 1917 and 1918, making WWI draft records a rich source of  information on millions of American males born between about 1872 and 1900, including occupation and employment information. Occupation and employer can also be found in World War II draft registration records, completed by millions of men living in America between 1940 and 1943. Wills and  probate records, military pension records, such as Civil War union pension records, and death certificates are other good sources for occupational information.   What is an Aurifaber? Occupation Terminology Once you find a record of your ancestors occupation, you may be puzzled by the terminology used to describe it. Headswoman and hewer, for instance, are not occupations you commonly come across today. When you run across an unfamiliar term, look it up in the Glossary of Old Occupations Trades. Keep in mind, that some terms may be associated with more than one occupation, depending upon the country. Oh, and in case you are wondering, an aurifaber is an old term for goldsmith.   What Made My Ancestor Choose This Occupation? Now that youve determined what your ancestor did for a living, learning more about that occupation may provide you with additional insight into your ancestors life. Begin by trying to determine what might have influenced your ancestors choice of occupation. Historical events and immigration often shaped the occupational choices of our ancestors. My great-grandfather, along with many other unskilled European immigrants looking to leave behind a life of poverty with no promise of upward mobility, immigrated to western Pennsylvania from Poland in the early 20th century, and found employment in the steel mills and, later, the coal mines.   What Was Work Like for My Ancestors? Finally, to learn more about your ancestors day-to-day work life, you have a variety of resources available to you: Search the Web by occupation name and location. You may find other genealogists or historians who have created engaging Web pages full of facts, pictures, stories and other information on that particular occupation. Old newspapers may include stories, ads, and other information of interest. If your ancestor was a teacher you may find descriptions of the school or reports from the school board. If your ancestor was a coal miner, you may find descriptions of the mining town, pictures of the mines and miners, etc. Thousands of different historical newspapers  from around the world can be accessed online. Fairs, festivals, and museums often afford the opportunity to watch history in action through historical reenactments. Watch a lady churn butter, a blacksmith shoe a horse, or a soldier recreate a military skirmish. Take a tour of a coal mine or a ride a historic railroad and experience the life of your ancestor first hand. How to Learn Your Ancestors Occupation Visit your ancestors hometown. Especially in cases where a lot of residents of a town held the same job (a coal mining town, for example), a visit to the town can offer the chance to interview older residents and learn some great stories about day-to-day life. Follow up with the local historical or genealogical society for even more information, and look for local museums and displays. I learned much about what life was probably like for my great-grandfather through a visit to the Frank Sylvia Pasquerilla Heritage Discover Center in Johnstown, PA, which re-creates what life was like for the Eastern European immigrants who settled the area between 1880 and 1914. Look for professional membership societies, unions, or other trade organizations related to your ancestors occupation. Current members can be a great source of historical information, and they may also maintain records on the occupation, and even past members.

What can the study of the history of learning tell us about learning Essay

What can the study of the history of learning tell us about learning today - Essay Example While in the beginning, learning was considered to be an end to itself, in the course of the progression of technology learning became the means to an end, which made the purpose of learning deviate from its origins (Carmack, n.d.). It is important to find out how such changes happened, as well as why these occurred since in order to find out how to adjust learning methods effectively, it is vital that learning methods of the past must also be studied because these information will give valuable insights on how to make learning purposeful and effective for students, based on the current perspectives of contemporary society. In order to present the importance of understanding the relevance of how learning operated in the past, examples of contrasting elements between ancient learning such as in the times of the Greco-Roman cultures and the modern progressive learning methods that most contemporary society now experiences today will be used. Three possible differences that can be obser ved are: 1) the reasons for learning; 2) the lessons to be learned by the students; and 3) how these methods are implemented in schools. These three differences are relevant to the explanations since the evolution of learning was affected by mostly societal and cultural changes, especially during the Industrial Revolution, and beyond (Power, 1991). Thus it would be easier to correlate the importance of learning in any kind of society as well as the changes that occur in the process of passing on knowledge on each succession of generations. It can be said that the shifting priorities of the society, from having strong relations with the past and traditions, to looking forward to new possibilities in the future were able to usher such changes, which not only made learning a widely-accepted idea, but also essential to everyday living (Lawrence, 1970). In the past, greater focus is given to the artistic side of living, which can explain why in ancient learning there has been a bigger em phasis on the rhetoric, grammar, styles, as well as oratorical prowess of students, with particular mention of the upper and middle classes, while skills related to craftsmanship are passed down to the working classes. Based on the premises, education can either be an end, or a means to an end, depending on the societal ranking of the learners. Also, there is a prominent idea that students must adjust to the lessons, as well as having to learn general subjects without having to put too much focus on narrowed-down careers, thus leaving no room for the development of individuality. On the other hand, due to the development of various fields, not only do students have greater choices in careers, they are also given other options in what to learn, which is very different from the concept of learning during ancient times. In modern learning there has been greater focus both on the individual aspect as well as the specificities of lessons, depending on what end is needed to be achieved (C armack, n.d.). At present, students are not forced to learn pure rhetoric, and are actually encouraged to choose lessons that interest them or would make good careers in the future. Thus, with regards to the difference between ancient and modern learning, the former gives greater importance on passing classical knowledge of arts to the next generation, while in the latter there is greater importance on learning various aspects of how society operates in preparation for jobs or careers in the future. In relation to the reasons for learning, the kinds of lessons that students must learn also differ between modern and ancient times due to the influence of changes in societal needs and trends. For example, ancient learning focuses more

Analysis of Argentina Economic Recovery Research Paper

Analysis of Argentina Economic Recovery - Research Paper Example Resent observation made by IMF indicates that Argentina has been able to recovery from financial recession. This essay analyses Argentina’s managed floating exchange rate regime from the recovery of economic crisis to the Present. Economists have mentioned many factors that contributed to Argentina financial turmoil. Some economists have cited Argentina economic policies as a factor that contributed to financial recession (Hornbeck). Analysts have claimed that IMF had questionable policy advice and lending to Argentina because it overlooked risks that Argentina was likely to face (Saxton). It is apparent that numerous lending programs that international community gave to Argentina during the recession aggravated the problem. Economists believe that fiscal policies of Argentina plunged it into the financial crisis. Research indicates that Argentina had been using fiscal largesse to counter economic problems. In this case, Argentina printed currency to cover its monetary shortfa lls or applied other creative methods to expand its money supply. This policy led to indebtedness and high inflation. Argentina adopted convertibility fiscal policy, which controlled exchange rate against the American dollar. Research indicates that the policy worked well until 1995 when Argentina economic policies could not protect the country from economic depression (Akkerman & Teunissen). Analysts have argued that convertibility fiscal policy failed because the plan lacked thresholds required to contain convertibility plan at national and provision levels. Research indicates that Argentina’s debts grew from 30% to 60% (Saxton). The debt figures show records collected from 1995 to 2001. These changes led to overvaluation of Argentina’s currency, which affected Argentina’s competiveness in the world market due to reduction in its ability to export, which further plunged public revenue. With a strengthening dollar fiscal balances of Argentina deteriorated givin g room for regional trading countries a trading opportunity over Argentina. Commodity prices fell accelerating a fall in public revue. It is apparent that a fall in domestic trade triggers an increase in inflation level. Research indicates that Argentine fiscal deficit in 1993-2001 had an average of 1.3 percent of the country’s GDP (Weisbrot, et.al). Increase in fiscal deficit took place in 1998 when Argentina adopted joint action on recession, which focused on higher interest rates and revenues. Recovery plan from the financial turmoil meant that Argentina had to change to fiscal policies in order to meet challenges in the dynamic market. Argentina debt restructuring began in 2002 when Argentina negotiated with investors and IMF to cut down some of their debts (Akkerman & Teunissen). Negotiation did not yield much because IMF did not provide solution, which could leverage on Argentina’s economic turmoil. Argentina refuted its agreement with IMF and entered into one te rm agreement with SEC to settle debts of private creditors. The commitment made by Argentina to recover from debts that it had incurred got a backup from Argentine legislative move, which restricted Argentina from incurring more debts on better terms. Argentine government developed policies, which improved import substitution as a move to improve trade in the country. The central bank moved in to control

Cloud computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Cloud computing - Research Paper Example These clouds are often considered as private, hybrid or public. Research question or thesis statement of the study is – â€Å"what is the working style of cloud computing in group and personal uses and ways in which it can replace physical storage comprising of its advantages and disadvantages†. The entire study would be based on secondary research to identify the probable benefits and loophole of the mechanism. This study would even reveal the ease which is provided by cloud computing in context of group use as well as personal use. Cloud computing is a network that enables resource, information and capability sharing which makes work simpler and quicker. â€Å"Cloud computing is all about resource sharing in order to achieve economies of scale and coherence that is almost similar to utility across network† this was stated by Jon Brodkin. This statement highlights the fact that cloud computing deals with information sharing or forming a network. The foundation of the concept states it to be a broader approach of shared services and converged infrastructure. Cloud computing majorly focuses on maximizing the overall efficiency of different shared resources. The cloud resources are not only associated with sharing across multiple users but on demand are even dynamically reallocated. Some of the proponents stated that â€Å"cloud computing enables a firm to eliminate upfront infrastructure costs and be aligned towards projects which would help in differentiating their firm from competitors (Brodkin 10).â₠¬  There are two essential components of cloud computing which is known as front end and back end. Internet is the medium through which these two parts connect with each other. A sample architecture of cloud computing is given in figure1. The front end is that part which is viewed by customer or client and the back end represents the system’s cloud section. Front end encompasses the computer network and applications essential to access cloud

Martin Luther King jr Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Martin Luther King jr - Essay Example grew up in a society where there was a lot of segregation but he rose up against the social injustices in various ways that even saw him to be recognized as a Nobel Prize winner in the year 1964. This essay will discuss the major inspirations imparted by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his career and other activities that aimed at terminating social injustices in the U.S. To start with, Martin Luther King Jr. started reformation towards social justice at early stages in his life, something not very common to many people. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in a family of religious leaders, who advocated for social justice and fairness in the society. As a result, the young Martin Luther King Jr., initially named as Michael King was exposed to social issues that affected American populations. According to the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, the activism of his father against racial discrimination as well as the depression period in the country made Martin Luther King Jr. to be acquainted with the social injustices and economic inequalities in the country (1). Therefore, the nature of the early life of Martin Luther King Jr. made him to develop agitation for fairness to people in the society. What inspires most in this story is that Martin Luther King Jr. did not stop at that but took an initiative against the prevailing injustices . The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute points out that following the inspiration from his father as well as other religious leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. took an initiative of being ordained as a church leader and started his political activism by writing letters to editors of national newspapers while still at Morehouse College (1). This is quite inspiring because very few students can take such a bold step at their tender ages as in the case of Martin Luther King Jr. Of more significance, Martin Luther King Jr. was confident to criticize any issue that seemed not right in the

William's Willson Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

William's Willson Argument - Essay Example Quality of life is not a simple identifier, nor is it necessarily easy to determine what the term actually means as some people identify the quality of their lives based on different metrics. For some, quality is about health and family. For others, it centers upon money or position. There is another group of people who define quality of life in terms of personal or professional fulfillment. To guide the analysis here, it will be useful to review Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to find a baseline for a life that has quality. In their review of what motivates humans, Stacey & DeMartino (1958) note the arrangement of human needs, as presented by Maslow, to be five levels, each building upon the other, i.e., physiological needs, then safety needs, love needs, followed by esteem needs, and concluded with the need for self-actualization (p. 2). The logic of this hierarchy is straightforward in that a person who is hungry or in danger is not going to be concentrating on whether they are being actualized or fulfilled. At that moment, quality of life means food or safety. This is where the question of what quality of life means to an individual comes into play. For example, there are many who equate higher quality of life with financial means or the higher social status money brings to an individual. Yet, a child born to the richest person in the world who has terminal cancer would likely not be identified as having a high quality of life. The ability of the disease, which no amount of money or social class can cure, obviates what most would describe as a high-quality life. The poor minority family with healthy children could arguable be sustaining a higher quality of life. For the purposes of this paper, however, the assumption will be that quality of life includes the premise that sufficient physiological health and safety are assured, and the qualities of love, self-esteem, and fulfillment are the variable

Imigration Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Imigration Policy - Essay Example Yet, their policies towards immigration are surprisingly similar. Both candidates have shifted their policies from the polarizing liberal and conservative stance to a middle of the road approach in hopes of gaining a national consensus. One of the initial problems that needs to be addressed in the immigration issue is how to secure the border. There are additional questions of costs and departmental responsibilities for stopping the flow of illegal entry. Both candidates voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which calls for the construction of 700 miles of fence along the Mexican border (Carter et al.). While both candidates profess securing the border as a priority, McCain is more detailed in his planning. McCain has said that securing the border is the "first and foremost priority" (qtd. in Carter et al.). He has called for the Governors of border states to be the responsible party for certifying that the border is secure (McCain). However, the republican candidate makes no mention of how this would be enforced or what federal legislation would enact this requirement. Both candidates call for increasing the viability of the existing infrastructure as a means to enforce border security. McCain states that he will divert funding to US Attorney's offices, implement Homeland Security software and infrastructure, and deploy unmanned aerial drones to patrol the border (McCain). Obama's policy would "support additional personnel, infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry" (Obama and Biden 2). Obama and Biden additionally believe that we require "additional Customs and Border Protection agents equipped with better technology and real-time intelligence" (Obama and Biden 2). Neither candidate tells the public the cost of their programs nor how they would be funded. Public policy debates often become polarized on either right wing or left wing interests. In fact, conservatives have been critical of the traditional liberal policy positions on immigration. Newt Gingrich has stated, "The elites on the left oppose border control, oppose English as the official government language, want to find a way to allow everyone here illegally to stay, all while prohibiting illegal immigration in the future". Yet, these remarks made in January 2008 may only be indicative of how far the right has moved towards the center on immigration during this election year. The very positions that Gingrich criticizes are very similar to both the Obama and the McCain stances on these issues. McCain "Supports a path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes learning English and paying fines" (qtd. in Carter et al.). Obama's policy states that he will "support a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens" (Obama). Both candidates "Co-Sponsored the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2007, which would allow states to give illegal immigrants in-state tuition for higher education and let the homeland security secretary confer legal resident status on some illegal immigrant students" (Carter et al.).Both policies are nearly identical and are in some agreement and some opposition to what Gingrich criti

William's Willson Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

William's Willson Argument - Essay Example Quality of life is not a simple identifier, nor is it necessarily easy to determine what the term actually means as some people identify the quality of their lives based on different metrics. For some, quality is about health and family. For others, it centers upon money or position. There is another group of people who define quality of life in terms of personal or professional fulfillment. To guide the analysis here, it will be useful to review Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to find a baseline for a life that has quality. In their review of what motivates humans, Stacey & DeMartino (1958) note the arrangement of human needs, as presented by Maslow, to be five levels, each building upon the other, i.e., physiological needs, then safety needs, love needs, followed by esteem needs, and concluded with the need for self-actualization (p. 2). The logic of this hierarchy is straightforward in that a person who is hungry or in danger is not going to be concentrating on whether they are being actualized or fulfilled. At that moment, quality of life means food or safety. This is where the question of what quality of life means to an individual comes into play. For example, there are many who equate higher quality of life with financial means or the higher social status money brings to an individual. Yet, a child born to the richest person in the world who has terminal cancer would likely not be identified as having a high quality of life. The ability of the disease, which no amount of money or social class can cure, obviates what most would describe as a high-quality life. The poor minority family with healthy children could arguable be sustaining a higher quality of life. For the purposes of this paper, however, the assumption will be that quality of life includes the premise that sufficient physiological health and safety are assured, and the qualities of love, self-esteem, and fulfillment are the variable

SFAS 116 and SFAS 117 Essay Example for Free

SFAS 116 and SFAS 117 Essay SFAS 116 and SFAS 117 were created to improve accountability among not-for-profit and government entities. These improvements should simplify the structure of financial statements by making them understandable to both the financial and non-financial audience. SFAS 116 establishes the accounting standards for contributions made and received. All entities that make or receive contributions are required to report the contributions received at fair market value as revenue in the period in which they were received. Likewise, any contributions made must be recognized at fair market value but as expenses in the period in which they were made. It further requires that not-for-profit organizations classify contributions that increase net assets as either permanently restricted, temporarily restricted, or unrestricted (FASB, 1993). SFAS 117 concentrates on the external financial statements for not-for-profit organizations. The purpose is to enhance the relevance, understandability, and comparability of financial statements issued by those organizations (FASB, 1993) and requires that all not-for-profit organizations provide a statement of financial position, statement of activities, and statement of cash flows (FASB, 1993). NFPs are required to report net assets broken down as permanently restricted, temporarily restricted, or unrestricted in the statement of financial position. The amounts of change for each classification also must be broken down in the statement of activities. The statement of cash flows must also now contain donor-restricted cash that is used for long-term purposes as being derived from financing activities. Any welfare and voluntary health organizations must report on the statement of functional expenses the function and natural classifications of those expenses (FASB, 1993). All not-for-profit and government organizations must follow these statements. While the individual accounting processes may be complicated, they will help to promote financial accountability and  transparency within those organizations. References FASB. (1993, June). Statement of financial accounting standards no. 116. Retrieved from http://www.fasb.org/cs/BlobServer?blobkey=idblobwhere=1175820922799blobheader=application%2Fpdfblobcol=urldatablobtable=MungoBlobs FASB. (1993, June). Statement of financial accounting standards no. 117. Retrieved from http://www.fasb.org/cs/BlobServer?blobkey=idblobwhere=1175820923228blobheader=application%2Fpdfblobcol=urldatablobtable=MungoBlobs CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I certify that the attached paper is my original work. I am familiar with, and acknowledge my responsibilities which are part of, the University of Phoenix Student Code of Academic Integrity. I affirm that any section of the paper which has been submitted previously is attributed and cited as such, and that this paper has not been submitted by anyone else. I have identified the sources of all information whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased, all images, and all quotations with citations and reference listings. Along with citations and reference listings, I have used quotation marks to identify quotations of fewer than 40 words and have used block indentation for quotations of 40 or more words. Nothing in this assignment violates copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property laws. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have, the same validity as my handwritten signature.

Integrated Marketing Communication of Dove company

Integrated Marketing Communication of Dove company In the early 40s Dove shaped the formula for the future Dove bar, the brands first mild soap. It is then refined into the Dove Beauty Bar. In 1957, the product is launched onto the market. The latter meets a quick success and is rapidly recommended by skin specialist. Thanks to its inner qualities, the soap sales helped Dove to become a leading brand on the cosmetics market. In 1990, Dove launches its Beauty Wash Cream. Since then, Dove has not stopped in extending the range of its products, including for men. Traditional Target Market: Broadly target segment is women between 16 and 50 years old. Core target is working women between 25 and 40 years old. They generally come from middle and upper-class. What is very important is that they should be from all shapes and sizes. We will go through this point further in this document (cf. Real Beauty Campaign). Competition: Although Dove is a leader on its niche market, the brand faces direct (Olay, Palmolive, Safeguard, Garnier, Belo, Likas, Silka) and indirect competition (Body wash, 3 in 1 soaps and so on). A very important strength related to Dove is that the brand benefits from Unilever huge distribution network. Dove outsells all other skin care bars. For instance, over one billion showers are taken using Dove products in the US each year. As a consequence, Dove has become number one in beauty soap niche. Main Channels of Communication: Website Video (You Tube, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) TV commercials Social networks (Facebook, Twitter) Billboards Dove Global Strategy Evolution: An Overview Before: Worlds largest producer but no unified global identity Brands managed in a decentralized fashion Years of slow performance Lack of sound corporate strategy Numerous low-volume brands Small global presence compared to competition Mediocre performance in emerging markets NOW FUTURE PLANS: Reduce portfolio to 400 core brands Path to Growth initiative Concentrate on product innovation to fuel internal growth An initiative to create an overall umbrella across all Unilevers brands Path to Growth Initiative: a five-year strategic program Go from 1600 to 400 brands Select Masterbrands, mandated to serve as umbrella identities over a range of product forms Develop a global brand unit for each Masterbrand. Simply put, marketing strategys main objective is based on the following: Bring top of mind awareness through every adapted channel. In a world of hype and stereotypes, Dove provides a refreshingly real alternative for women who recognise that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes .UNILEVER website Marketing Strategy Plans: A focus Continuously evolving the campaign Effective advertising Cross-selling possibilities Strong emotional touch Unconventional communication strategy Risks In The Future: A brand for fat girls Undermining the aspiration of consumers The objectification of women and the risk of being rejected by feminists Copy by the competitors Sustainability of campaigns in the long term Risk of exposure in social medias ******************************************************** DOVE Brand Positioning, Brand Concept Brand Extension Dove Soap Brand Positioning Soft, caring mild soap Brand Concept Makes women realize the beauty in themselves Brand/ Line and Category Extension Brand Extension in multiple categories like Shampoos, Deodorants, lotions etc Dove Shampoo Brand Positioning A mild shampoo which repairs hair damage Brand Concept Focus on Repairing damage hair Brand/ Line and Category Extension No brand extension; though various variants available Dove Body Wash Brand Positioning A Body Wash that makes you feel hydrated and fresh after a bath Brand Concept A Moisturizing Body wash to avoid the dryness of skin occurring due to use of conventional soaps Brand/ Line and Category Extension None Dove Anti-Perspiring Deodorant Brand Positioning Deodorant for women to help skin recover from underarm shaving Brand Concept Mild Deodorant having good fragrance and good for skin Brand/ Line and Category Extension No Brand extensions, though variants available in Market Dove Body Lotion Brand Positioning Body Lotion for dry skin Brand Concept Moisturizing body lotion Brand/ Line and Category Extension No Brand extensions, though variants available in Market ******************************************************** KEY MARKETING ISSUES PERSONAL CARE CATEGORY Multiple categories too many products: As mentioned earlier, personal care category itself is divided into multiple sub categories. It is increasingly getting difficult for the customers to choose the right product due to too many options available in the market. It has been observed during the testing stage (Consumers are given the samples to use and give feedback) that the consumers do not even able to make out by using the product if they are using hair conditioner or skin conditioner (Source: Lecture delivered by an HUL business head in IIM C). Intense competition: Personal care category has grown at a very rapid rate in the past few years with increasing competition. Major players consist of HUL, PG, JJ, Emami, Gillette, Fiama Di wills, LOreal, Revlon, Benckiser, Avon, Amway, Oriflame, Cavinkare and so on. A category that has such a large number of players operating at the same market place makes it difficult for the brands to sustain in the market and in the minds of the customers. Complex product composition: Product composition is getting complex and complex with every other product innovation. Customers in this category are very sensitive towards the fact if the product is good for their body or not, if it is made of natural ingredients or harmful chemicals. They are also not able to decide as to which product fits for which requirement. Companies are facing a challenge as to how can they best educate the customers about the product and its usage. Word of Mouth effect: Products recommended by friends and family members (word of mouth advertisement) has great impact on the consumption pattern of the consumers. They find it easy and trouble-free to switch from one product/brand to other if someone has used it earlier and is suggesting the same for them. Shift in the target group: Personal care category is divided into two segments Premium segment Popular segment. Premium segment caters to the need of mainly the urban target group whereas Popular segment mainly addresses the need of the rural target group. Till 2002-2003, Personal care products, except those in oral care category, were regarded as luxury items, and attracted a high excise duty of 120%. But the taxation reforms in India after 1991 have lowered the excise duty rates that make these products more affordable. The impact of this is that there has been a drastic shift in the consumption pattern in personal care category with a major shift from urban to rural markets. One more reason that strengthens the above stated fact is that the research shows that the urban markets for personal care products is getting saturated and all the future opportunities lies in the rural markets only. Wide price range: Price range in this category is too wide and so it causes the problem of Value for Money for the customers. It becomes more crucial for the companies to position its brand carefully so that the perceived value of the brand matches the customers (targeted) willingness to spend the stated money. Distribution problems: With competition shifting from urban markets (reachable) to rural markets, companies having better distribution system have an advantage over its competitors. BRAND DOVE Any brand in the personal care category would face the above stated marketing issues but may be to a different extent depending on the fact whether it lies in the premium or the popular segment (explained above). Some of the major marketing issues faced by the brand DOVE are mentioned here as: Threat of Brand Erosion: With lot of sales promotions happening with the brand like 1+1 free, there is a possibility of brand value erosion. With the brand now priced at Rs 28 (Lower end), the price has somewhat become reasonable. This might erode the premium nature of the brand and might obscure Doves brand positioning as well. Dove/Axe Case: Brand conflict arising due to portrayal of women differently for its two brands by Unilever had created some doubts in the minds of the customers. Axes portrayal of women as thin, young and often suggestively dressed, along with its use of text and slogans utilizing sexual innuendo, made Doves real beauty message seem untrue. Value for Money problem (Indian context): It has been observed that Indian customers take into consideration the notion of value for money even while purchasing the premium products. Dove (soaps mainly) has been seen as the least lasting soap amongst all the soap varieties available in the market. As such it usually does not last enough (partly because of typical Indian bathroom habits). All this has reduced the value proposition for the brand. Multiple products under one Umbrella Brand: Originally Dove was launched in the soap category and later the brand covered a variety of other products including hair care, skin care, deodorants etc. Dove might find it difficult in the long run to adhere to its brand promise for all the products. Any one product under the umbrella brand Dove if goes wrong in the market, might greatly affect the overall brand image as well. ******************************************************** ANALYSIS OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION Doves  Campaign for Real Beauty  has been one of the most talked about campaigns, earning praise from people in the advertising world, as well as from real consumers for representing something different to the typical fashion advertising. The  Dove Campaign for Real Beauty  is a worldwide  marketing campaign  launched in 2004 that includes advertisements, video, workshops, sleepover events and even the publication of a book and the production of a play. The principle behind the campaign is to celebrate the natural physical variation embodied by all women and inspire them to have the confidence to be comfortable with them. This campaign featured regular women (non-models) who were beautiful in their own way and did not fit in with the idealized images of models, super-models, and celebrities. Dove is a classic case of consistency especially in a country like India where people have come of age in terms of affluence. The campaign, also, focused on highlighting the functional benefit of the product. The process is two-pronged, comprising conviction and proof. Thus, the campaigns showed the performance of the product on the face, which was quickly followed up by testimonials from real people. CFRB was a multi-faceted campaign that sought to challenge the stereotypes set by the beauty industry. The CFRB is currently focused on how girls are today bombarded with unrealistic, unattainable messages and images of beauty that impact their self-esteem. The campaign launched in September 2004 with a much talked about ad campaign featuring real women whose appearances are outside the stereotypical norms of beauty. The ads asked viewers to judge the womens looks. The second phase kicked off in June 2005, with a advertisement featuring six real women with real bodies and real curves (thats what the ad mentioned). Continuing its ongoing commitment to widen the narrow definition of beauty, Dove launched the third phase in February 2007. The campaign Beauty Comes of Age celebrates the essence of women 50+ wrinkles, age spots, grey hair and all. The campaign returned $3 for every $1 spent. Advertisements: The early part of the campaign was mainly driven by TV ads, and billboard ads.  All the TV commercials resonated with the brand message that Real beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colours. The Dove ads  are creative and get the consumers attention.   It uses a softer communication style. Its tells women that its time to be comfortable in your own skin. It has even been running roadblocks across channels like Star and Zee, where it bought out all the commercial advertising time on an exclusive basis.   The soaps advertisements are very timely. The Real Beauty models have also received their share of the spotlight appearing on numerous television programs including Oprah, The Today Show, The View and CNN.   Videos/Films: Dove started the Dove Self-Esteem Fund that claims to change the Western concept of beauty from ultra-thin models with perfect features to making every girl (and woman) feel positive about her looks, no matter what they are. In an effort to promote the Fund, Dove ordered a series of highly-successful online-based short films promoting the self-esteem concept, which to date includes  Daughters  (which also aired as a 75-second television spot during the  Super Bowl XL),  Evolution  (which went on to win a number of honours, including two  Cannes Lions  Grand Prix awards),  Onslaught, and  Amy. For e.g. Onslaught is a new viral film that depicts the constant barrage of beauty images that girl absorb every day. Both visually and emotionally powerful, the film is a wake-up call for anyone concerned about the factors that impact self -esteem in young girls. Workshops: Dove conducted a series of self esteem workshops and provided new online self esteem tools for mom and girls. This was done to help girls, moms and mentors realize what they see in movies and magazines represent an unrealistic standard of beauty, not an everyday achievable look. Internet Media: The CFRB site, www.Campaignforrealbeauty.ca, houses a variety of tools for improving self-esteem in girls. Visitors can access new self-esteem building tools, take part in interactive self-esteem activities and join self-esteem discussion boards. They can also learn how to lead in self-esteem workshops and read articles by leading self-esteem experts. Since the websites launch, nearly 4 million people have logged onto the website. Dove is getting smart about social media, using it to drive even more interest online in the central theme behind the entire campaign.   One of the most popular videos on YouTube right now is Doves Evolution of Beauty, a video also posted on their website.  About 12,077,157 have watched this ad on YouTube till date. This is the new wave of advertising one where ad agencies maintain their niche for developing creative video advertising, but media buying groups are the ones left out.      Sales Promotion: Doves initial price was around Rs50 that put off even the premium customers. With lot of sales promotions happening with  the brand like 1+1 free , the price has somewhat become reasonable. ******************************************************** CRITICISM OF THE MARKETING COMMUNICATION No doubt the Dove campaign has been one of the most successful one in recent times. However, lot of criticism does surround the campaign. As part of this campaign, in 2006, the campaign has been criticized on the grounds that Unilever also produces Fair and Lovely, a skin-lightening product marketed at dark-skinned women in several countries. It should be noted that Fair and Lovelys advertising campaign would seemingly contradict the sentiment of the Campaign for Real Beauty. Another argument can be made concerning the models themselves. While Dove chose to stay away from professional models, they also clearly chose models that  are still pretty. If one looks closely at all of these women, their hair is perfect, their teeth are white and they have relatively flawless skin (no visible scars, bruises, pimples, etc). These women are as over-processed as any other model, in fact many belief that they are subject to digital retouching and airbrushing in order for them appear this way. Their advertising campaign fails because they are not being direct, clear and concise with their message. While sales promotions are necessary to increase sales, there is a possibility of brand value erosion. The critics state that the brand does not fit into the value for money proposition for the Indian consumer. It is a truth that Indian consumer looks for Value even in premium products. Dove has a negative point in that the soap usually does not last enough (partly because of our bathroom habits). This has reduced the value proposition for this brand. The campaign had created a Self Esteem Fund and was showcasing real beauty as opposed to airbrushed images, but still they are selling firming cream in some of the ads using the same brand name (brand extension). They are now playing on the insecurities of the target group. This was not what the brand initially believed into. Hence, this portrays a negative image of the brand and creates a perception that Dove is now not commitment to Real Beauty cause. ******************************************************** DOVE: Brand Perception Connect with the Market Brand perception gives what a consumer feels and expects from a brand. The perception of a brand by a customer can be understood as the positioning that product has in the consumers mind. The positioning that Dove has is that of being mild on the skin. It basically protects your skin and hair. To understand the brand perception, primary and secondary data were used to derive the positioning of Dove with respect to its competitors. This has been done for 4 major categories of products of Dove: Shampoos, Soaps, Deodorants and Body Lotion. Shampoos: The positioning of Dove with respect to competitors on features of Protection offered to the hair and Style Quotient of the product was mapped. Here we can see that Dove is clearly positioned as a safe shampoo for hair care. The mildness of the shampoo is given more stress than the style quotient. This also matches with the concept of Real Beauty that they pursue. It is more important to have a natural look stylish at the cost of health of hair. Soaps: The positioning of Dove with respect to competitors on features of mildness of the product on skin and Style Quotient of the product were mapped. Even with soaps the image of Dove is persistent as being very mild and hence good for the skin. The moisturising nature of the soap is given more emphasis than the cleansing or glamour property of the soap. Deodorants: In the category of deodorants, Dove has been compared to the other brands on Fragrance and Price. A feature not discussed is the moisturising effect of the deodorant, which is one of the differentiating features for Dove. Here we can see that Dove doesnt have that clear a positioning with respect to other competition brands in terms of Fragrance and Price. But Dove uses a positioning similar to that of the category soap in deodorants too. The moisturising aspect of the Dove deodorant is the differentiating feature that Dove offers. This again is in line with the overall perception of Dove being mild on the skin. Body Lotion: The positioning of Dove with respect to competitors on features of moisturising effect and price were mapped. The consistent image and characteristic which Dove maintains in other categories, naturally held on in this category. Dove Body Lotion is perceived as a brand with very good moisturising effect. It is also perceived to be on the higher price side compared to a competitor who provides similar quality of product. The overall brand perception which Dove maintains in all its categories is that of a mild and gentle product which keeps you naturally clean and fresh. ******************************************************** DOVE: A Comparison with Its Competitors SHAMPOO DOVE Garnier LOreal Paris Positioning Strategy Lifestyle product mainly targeted at teenagers and young girls- middle and upper socio economic class- nature based innovative personal care Focused towards young working women who earn their own money Entered with hair dresser industry- rely more on International campaigns Brand Image Long and Strong hair- 5 Times stronger Hair which takes care of the hair Total repair therapy- Premium brand Brand/ Line and category extension Garnier hair color shampoo- for middle aged women (Daughter advising her mom to use it), Garnier Shampoo + Oil blend LOreal kids shampoo SOAP DOVE Johnsons Baby Soap Camay Handmade soaps- Like Lush PositioningStrategy Focused Baby, and then also included small kids. Recently to kids mothers as well Positioned as white, pure soap for women initially. Later moved from just beauty to beautiful complexion at every age. Latest: Camay Bar- face wash in a bar Positioned as healthy and environmental friendly soaps. Use sensory marketing strategy along with funky names to create the buzz Brand Image Medically tested soap for young skin Rich creamy affordable soap Natural and relaxing but highly expensive Brand/ Line and category extension Various variants available Chocolate, glitter and menthol variants Into various other products in skin and hair care BODY WASH DOVE Lux Palmolive Neutrogena Positioning Strategy Focuses on silky soft skin Focus on giving Natural Spa like experience Focuses on refreshing and gentle formula to fight breakouts in your skin BrandImage Nice fragrance and smooth body wash in an affordable range Scented and refreshing body wash- for upper socio economic segment Alternative to medicated prescriptions; works for minor acnes as well Brand/ Line and category extension 7 Variants available; recently Friday night Fever Natural moisturizing, thermal Spa, Aroma Deep clean sport body wash; Men body wash BODY LOTION DOVE Nivea Vaseline Ponds Positioning Strategy Focused as body lotion present to suit different needs for different weather Initially focused as lotion for rough skin during winters with natural oils- now positioned as one for each season lotion Positioned as deep moisturizing winter lotion Brand Image Long lasting moisturizer lotion Natural glowing and moisturizing lotion An affordable non greasy lotion Brand/ Line and category extension Sun kissed firming lotion, body lotion for men Aloe Vera and healthy white Ponds dream flower lotion ANTI PERSPIRANTS DOVE Nike Fa Rexona Positioning Strategy Sporty deodorant for both the sexes Towards young women- Feel good freshness First anti Per spirant to be launched; Round the clock protection; Indian values with International feel- positioned at both the sexes. Brand Image Highly premium brand: more of a style icon Dry and clear ; Mild but efficient deo giving 24 hour protection Deodorant for controlling excessive perspiration Brand/ Line and category extension Various variants available FaXtreme for men From contact Stick to aerosol sprays; 5 variants for women and 2 for men ******************************************************** Recommendations for Brand DOVE Brand Re-vitalising The brand positioning of Dove clearly pits it at a target group of 25 to 40 years old, and thus, over the past sometime, and thus old.oning of Dove clearly pits it at a rag1919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919191919has been perceived more and more as a brand for the older women. Brand Dove should start expanding its target age group and aim at younger women in the category of late teenagers, college-goers, and young professionals. The strategy should be aimed such that it signifies a story of parents passing on a caring secret onto their daughters, and should maintain the core idea of the positioning that of playing on the consumers idea of real beauty and making them secure and confident. This positioning fits in line with the strategy of increasing the target demographic because such insecurities of real beauty and skin-deep beauty are all the more relevant in that age group. The caveat with this is that the communication campaign should not be perceived as an expansion of the target group from older women to women of all ages. Instead it should be such that Dove is perceived as revitalising itself into a more youthful, edgier and playful brand while retaining its sophistication and elegance, to become a brand that makes older women feel young again. Digital Space Considering the wider target group, Dove would need to change its communication strategy as well. The fact that Dove should be looking to tap into the urban and youthful segment a segment extremely active on the digital media (especially the social media) the entire digital campaign gains centre stage. This becomes all the more important as even the housewives are becoming increasingly internet friendly. With this in mind, and the new youthful edginess of the brand, the website would need to be redesigned and the brands entire communication online would need to be made more youthful by incorporating online tests (which can help women identify their body type, or hair type, or better still, with customised suggestions based on the answers provided) and tips for women (in the various stages of their lifecycle).Coming up with a forum with the theme of Real women, to express Real problems where women can get together and discuss their issues bodily issues (acne problems, hair fall etc .), with professional tips coming in at times as well. Women, especially in India, would be reluctant to talk openly about most cosmetic issues. This forum would act as a support group, where they could post anonymously if they chose to, and give and receive help from other women. This would boost Doves image as a trusted brand that genuinely cares for the everyday concerns of real women. Packaging Currently, the packaging of Dove is such that the different variants of the brand be it in the category of shampoos or soaps, but notably less so in the category of anti-perspirants are not very clearly distinguishable. This means that a Dove Crà ©me is hardly distinguishable from Dove Fresh Moisture and it, in turn, seems hardly different from Dove Gentle Exfoliating. The uniformity in colour a large portion with cream background, under a subtle Greyish or Light Blueish logo and text makes the different variants hardly attract the eye. Changing the packaging by changing the colour or the shape, would further add to the change in positioning from mild to one of elegant and edgy youthfulness. Also, in a retail store, the plain colours of Dove easily camouflage with the background and whenever it does catch the eye, it looks like a product fit more at a chemists store. To change this, Dove can make the bottles transparent or, as is the case internationally, choose colours which ar e visible yet elegant like Royal Blue or feminine Lavender. ******************************************************** REFERENCESà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Primary Research: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/412900/Brand-Image http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptual_mapping Chapter 6 Consumer Perception from Avinash Kumar http://marketingpractice.blogspot.com/2006/07/dove-mildest-one.html http://www.docstoc.com/docs/22818236/Dove-and-Axe-Examples-of-Hypocrisy-or-Good-Marketing http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/4211506-1.html How sincere is  Dove? Univelvers and Doves official website http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1731400614466797113# http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/weblog/2006/10/doves_evolution.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dove_Campaign_for_Real_Beauty http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/ http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teachable_moments/campaignrealbeauty.cfm Le journal du Net Marketing Magazine http://www.hul.co.in/brands/personalcarebrands/ http://marketingpractice.blogspot.com/2006/07/dove-mildest-one.html