Fashion - customer service can help in build the loyalty of a brand Essay

Fashion - customer service can help in build the loyalty of a brand - Essay Example The paper "fashion - customer service can help in build the loyalty of a brand" talks about how the customer service can help in build the loyalty of a brand. The luxury fashion retailing sector of Hong Kong is exceptionally well developed hence one of the fashion capitals of Asia. The fast growing expenditure from Chinese tourists has turned Hong Kong into a regional distribution hub for popular designer brands around the world, providing a great variety of high-end fashion brands and luxurious products in the market. With the Chinese tourists continuing to pour in, the product demand is high. Many high-end retailers try to provide extra services to retain their customers. Top brands try to find ways to capitalize on the buying interest of their customers and provide quality customer service due to the limited space. Besides globalization, many prestigious retailers are turning their focus to generating a greater profit from their existing customer base by developing brand loyalty. Such ideas are also backed by a number of researchers. Homburg, Koschate & Hoyer (2005) stated that brands were benefited from brand-loyal customers due to repeated patronage and their tendency to pay premium prices for additional services. The findings of Graner and Sterling (2003) further strengthened the incentive for retailers to develop brand loyalty as they found that retaining 5% more customers would boost profits by 25% to 125%. Quality customer services provided by the business are essential.

Whole Life Cycle Costing Application Barriers Construction Essay

Whole Life Cycle Costing Application Barriers Construction Essay Ellingham and Fawcett (2006, p. 18) indicate that the net present value method for evaluating an investment cashflow was first developed about 50 years ago and is widely used in many spheres. In property and construction projects it has acquired a special name: whole-life costing. In fact, whole-life costing is simply the application of net present value analysis to construction projects. Most people will confused about the term of life-cycle costing, whole life costing, and whole life-cycle costing. As stated in Boussabaine and Kirkham study (2004, p. 4), prior to the 1970s, investment decisions made by most clients, developers and professionals was solely on the basis of capital cost. It appear a thought that spending more in capital cost will realize substantial cost savings in long term compared with a cheaper alternative, which we known as terotechnology. This concept was largely ignored because the lack of available data and collection mechanisms, and it shown that investor had no interest in the subsequent operational cost of the building. In the early 1970s, the term cost-in-use appear in the industry. It was recognized the concept of cost in use could apply to building and critical structures as to calculate the expenditure related to the operation of an asset. However, it also failed to consider the necessity for accurate future cost forecasting. It required some kind of technology to facilitate this problem (Boussabaine and Kirkham, 2004, p. 5). Until the mid to late 1970s, life-cycle costing emerged as a solution to this problem. It fostered a wide-ranging approach to cost appraisal, encompassing all perceivable cost from construction through to eventual disposal the whole life. By using a variety of forecasting techniques, the analyst was able to demonstrate how increase capital cost could be offset by long-term cost savings (Boussabaine and Kirkham, 2004, p. 5). As stated by Ashworth (1989), LCC is clearly a technique, which (at least in theory) has a potential for the correct financial evaluation of construction works. In should be noted that the concepts of LCC are not new. The principles are based upon economic theories, which have been used in investment appraisal in many areas of industrial and commercial activity.White and Ostwald (Korpi and Ala-Risku, 2008, p.241) show that LCC was originally designed for procurement purposes in the US Department of Defence and Woodward (Korpi and Ala-Risku, 2008, p.241) indicates that LCC is used most commonly in the military sector as well as in the construction industry. Towards the late 1990s, the concept of whole life costing and whole life-cycle costing emerged. The terms whole life costing and whole life-cycle costing are interchangeable (Boussabaine and Kirkham, 2004, p. 6). Whole life-cycle costing is a relatively new concept to the construction industry. It is essence an evolution of life-cycle costing techniques that are commonly used in many areas of procurement (Boussabaine and Kirkham, 2004, p. 3). Theoretically speaking, there is no different between LCC, WLC and WLCC. Schade (2007, p. 2), in reporting Flanagan and Jewell study, emphasizes that it is just a change of term form cost in use to life cycle costing and further to whole life cycle costing. Problem Statement According to Boussabaine and Kirkham (2004, p. xi), the construction industry has recently experienced a paradigmatic shift in its approach to product deliver and the achievement of customer satisfaction. Where previously the design and construction teams placed a heavy emphasis on delivering buildings at the lowest capital cost, a greater awareness and desire to consider cost over the whole life of the building have prevailed. Clients now want buildings that demonstrate value for money over the long term, and are not interested simply in the design solution which is the least expensive. These changes have lead to and highlighted the important of whole life-cycle costing approaches to the design, construction and operation of buildings. Schade (2007) claims that, production cost is the main cost factor in construction and is often set to the minimum in commonly, which does not necessarily improve the lifetime performance of buildings. Therefore, it is important to show the construction client in the early design phase the relationship between design choices and the resulting lifetime cost. Boussabaine and Kirkham (2004, p. ix) also note that the award of public construction contracts based on simply the lowest capital cost bid is no longer recognized as good practice; best value must be taken into account and thereby WLCC should be fully appraised as part of the decision making process. The research of Swaffield and McDonald (2007, p. 132) identify that contractors quantity surveyors generally did consider LCC when procuring new products/elements for Private Finance Initiative projects, but in certain circumstances, such as during exceptionally busy times or when working within tight construction budgets, LCC were not considered and procurement decisions for some product/elements were made on the basis of lowest capital cost. As Byron A. Ellis (2007, p.1) said, Designers, engineers and constructors are under pressure from owners to minimize total project cost. Unfortunately, many owners do not understand the concept of total project cost. As a result, they seek to minimize acquisition (first) cost. Economists Alchian and Allen (Byron, 2007, p.1) argue that the term cost should never be used by itself; they noted that it should always be identified with total, average, or marginal. According to Fischer et al (Tah and Aouad, 2007), although the significance of LCC has been recognized as early as 1980s, the current implementation has not been very satisfied due to two major barriers: first barrier is the historical data of building operation and maintenance. Second barrier is the complexity of the procedures and algorithms of calculating the LCC. For example, a building concern thousands of elements and construction method and maintenance activities. A simple change in the building material might take long hours of recalculations, it is therefore difficult to assist users to manipulate the large design and LCC analysis. However, even the idea of WLCC analysis is to help the owner to examine a economically alternative, there will always have the possibility of misleading the decision making by the error result of WLCC due to lack of data or unpredictable changes. There have no such as 100% accuracy for WLCC analysis because the limitation of forecast ability of human being are impossible to forecast everything that could be happen in future. This paper addresses the problems above by providing a detail discussion of WLCC for assisting and simplifying the application of the technique based on the WLCC in construction industry. At the same time reveal the popularity of application of WLCC in Malaysian construction industry. Aim To identified the barriers of applying whole life-cycle costing and investigate the popularity of implementation of whole life-cycle costing in Malaysian construction industry Objectives To review the important of usage of whole life-cycle costing in construction industry. To identify the barriers of application of whole-life cycle costing in construction industry. To analyse the factors affecting the accuracy of whole-life cycle costing. To investigate the popularity of application of whole-life cycle costing in Malaysian construction industry. Scope of Study The concept of Whole life-cycle costing (WLCC) can be use as many sector, to narrow the scope of study, the study will only be focus on the construction industries. Besides that, case study would not conduct to the project for the calculation of WLCC because it will be extremely difficult to obtain the large quantity of information across the long term of a building life cycle and data such as the project operation and maintenance cost, replacement cost, disposal cost could be confidential to its owners. Thus, to manually collect this data has to be very costly and time consuming and the missing of any result above will cause inaccurate of result. This study will focus on reviewing the important of application of WLCC into construction industry. The first issue to be study in deep is the discussion on the principles, advantages and purposes of WLCC analysis. The second issue is to identify the error and the difficulties of applying WLCC due to lack of necessary information and unpred ictable changes. The third issue is to do a research on the understanding of WLCC among owners and their frequency of applying WLCC. Research Methodology The methodology should be targeted at a consistent whole life-cycle costing (WLCC) approach and calculations and should not be aimed at reducing costs but at making more informed and consistent economic, financial and environmental decisions. The study was conducting in four stages. The first phase is the literature review. Second phase will be interview pilot study to the issue. Third phase will be constructing questionnaires. The last phase is to writing the research report. First stage: The literature review started with the important of application of WLCC and required data for a WLCC analysis. Searching of article about WLCC and the searching key words would be whole life-cycle costing, whole cycle costing and life-cycle costing. And the information of search will be limited into construction industry to filtered unnecessary information. The main sources for the literature research were databases, such as Emerald, web of science, Google and library of college Tunku Abdul Rahman. Second stage: Data collection will take form of a structured postal questionnaire. However an initial pilot study may be conducted to test the validity of the questionnaire through interviews with relevant parties. Third stage: Questionnaires will be conduct and send to respondent. The main ideas of the questionnaires are to test the owners of understanding about WLCC, and also research on the preferable of low initial cost or low WLCC when owner make decision of choosing alternatives. The questionnaire should be highlighted more prominently, to make it easier for respondents to participate in the final questionnaire survey. Last stage: This stage involves writing up the content of the dissertation and should cover the chapters proposed in the following section. The result of interview and questionnaires will be analysis and conclude. Example of WLCC analysis will provide by searching through media resources and calculate by myself with simple and reality assumption based on the WLCC principles.

What is the role of the river in The adventures of Huckleberry Finn? :: essays research papers fc

What is the role of the river in The adventures of Huckleberry Finn? The Mississippi river seems to control the form of the story. In Mark Twain’s The adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck’s adventure is affected by the river in three parts; These parts are before the river, on the river and after the river. Huck’s adventure is steered by the river to show that, in any story, the beginning and end are undefined.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before the river, Huck and all of his friends are introduced, and he is in civilization, which Huck despises. Eventually, Huck his to escape. Huck eventually gets to the river, when his real adventure begins. Huck meets Jim on the island where he is hiding for the time being. This is when the river seems to start to influence them. They both decide to go on the raft, and travel down the river, unknowing of what could happen. T.S. Eliot says â€Å"What we call its headwaters is only a selection from among the innumerable sources which flow together to compose it† (154.) This beginning of the story starts in the middle, which reflects the river; One does not see the beginning of the river, only all of its sources moving together. Huck’s story is just like this. The story also develops and progresses while on the river.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Huck and Jim continue on the river as it guides them and forms the story. The river â€Å"cannot tolerate any design, to a story which is its story, that might interfere with its nce. Things must merely happen, here and there, to the people who live along its shores or commit themselves to its current† (154). The river surely seems to do this in Huck’s adventure, casting them into unsuspected adventures, introducing them to odd new people. Huck and Jim also come across problems that they need to figure out on the fly, problems that seemingly come from nowhere. The river also seems a sanctuary to Huck and Jim. These things are undefined especially because they seem random, or unpredictable. Of course, the river has these paths that it steers Huck and Jim on, and they accept them and go with the flow, no pun intended. Huck and Jim also finish the story with something that doesn’t seem to end their story- merely a continuation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A continuation, like the river always displays because â€Å"at the end it merely disappears among its deltas: it is no longer there, but it is still where it was, hundreds of miles to the North† (154).

Ida’s Impairment

1) (1) The U. S. GAAP section 360-10-35-21 states â€Å"A long-lived asset (asset group) shall be tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying amount may not be recoverable†. An example of an event like this is a significant decrease in the market price of a long-lived asset. As stated in the case, one of Ida’s competitors sold its extremely comparable commercial building for an amount significantly less than its asking price.Since these assets are very similar in comparison, this significantly less price for the competitor’s building is an example of a decrease in the market price of Ida’s commercial building. Therefore under the U. S. GAAP, Ida needs to test the U. S. commercial building for recoverability. (2) Under IAS 36. 12, there are certain external factors that lead you to want to test for recovery such as a decline in market value. The sale of the building across the street is an example of one of those external factors.IAS 36. 6 explains impairment and how to record impairment. Under IFRSs IAS 36. 66, the recoverable amount of cash-generating units (CGUs) should be determined for the individual asset. Therefore, a recoverability test must be done. 2) As of U. S. GAAP 360-10-35-17, when reporting to its U. S. based lender as of December 31, 2010, Ida should record $600 for impairment on the U. S. commercial building. Under GAAP, one must compare the fair value to the carrying amount.Since the fair market value is $3,900 and the carrying amount is $4,500, impairment is calculated as the difference $600. *All dollars in thousands (U. S. GAAP 360-10-35-17) 3) Under IAS 36. 6, when reporting to its parent as of December 31, 2010, Ida should record $500 for impairment on the U. S. commercial building. The recoverable amount for the commercial building is $4,000. The carrying amount is $4,500. Since the carrying amount is greater than the recoverable, the impairment is the diffe rence. *All dollars in thousands (IAS 36. 6)

Concept Comparison and Analysis Across Theory Essay

Nursing has evolved into a science. Like other scientific disciplines, the practice of nursing is guided by nursing theories. According to Julia George, â€Å"practice is based on the theories of the discipline that are validated through research† (George, 2011, p. 7). The major shift in theoretical thinking in nursing is said to occur in the 1960s when the focus in nursing shifted from simple problem/need and functional role, to the relationship between nurse and patient (George, 2011, p. 10). The aim of this paper is two-fold: First, I will compare and analyze the concept definition of care (caring) across Dorothea Orem’s self-care theory and Madeleine Leininger’s theory of culture care theory. Second, I will present the concept statement, metaparadigms, philosophies, and conceptual model of Dorothy Orem’s self-care theory and discuss where and how Orem’s self-care theory can be applied to nursing. I will explore the major concepts and assumptions of Dorothea Orem’s self-care theory and Madeleine Leininger’s culture care theory, and compare and analyze the two theories in terms of the similarities and differences. The concept of care (caring) is a core concept common to many nursing theories. Boykin and Schoenhofer in presenting their theory of Nursing as Caring maintain that caring is the moral imperative for nursing (see George, 2011, p. 11). Dorothea Orem’s self-care theory and Madeleine Leininger’s culture care theory both focus on patient care. I can easily identify with both theories. As a practicing nurse, my personal philosophy is that nursing is about caring; this apart, Orem’s and Leininger’s theories are not as abstract as some of the theories. Both theories can therefore be still be used by the nurses who are not in academia to guide and improve their practice. Orem’s theory focuses on the key concept of self-care. According to Orem’s theory, every individual adult has the capacity for self-care. â€Å"Self-care implies that when they are able, individuals care for themselves. When the person is unable to care for himself, the nurse provides the assistance needed. For children nursing care is needed when the parents or guardians are unable to provide the amount and quality of care needed† (George, 2011, p. 114). I find Orem’s theory to be logical. There are certain situations when one is ill and does not require a nurse. For example, most people do not immediately go to the hospital with the common cold. In this case they take care of themselves. When a health problem arises for which â€Å"self-care† is insufficient to take care of the situation, one has to seek the attention of the â€Å"nurse† who compensates for this deficit. According to Orem, a nurse is needed when someone needs nursing care because of inability to care for oneself. The environment is to foster and maintain nurse therapeutic relationship between nurses and patients, to determine when someone needs help or assistance, attention to patient response, giving direct aid to individuals and families and collaboration with other health professionals. The â€Å"nurse† according to Orem can be a parent or another human, family or community, not necessarily a health care nurse. As outlined in her theory, there are three interrelated actions or measures used to provide self-care. The first is the Universal self-care requisites; this is self-care that is holistic and includes the need oxygen, water, food, elimination, activity, and rest, to prevent trauma and other necessities of life. The second type is the developmental self-care requisites; this is self-care that should be undertaken in accordance with human growth and development. The third type is the health deviation self-care requisites; this self-care carried out because of health problem or disease prevention and health promotion (George, 2011, p. 116). Orem’s concept of â€Å"self-care† theory seems to have a universal appeal. In a sense one can say that Orem is not just referring to individuals who are sick. For example, new-born babies need nursing care not necessarily because they are sick but because they are unable to â€Å"self-care† for themselves and the parents typically might not be able to provide the quality of specialized care needed at birth; nursing care is therefore needed for the first couple of days and then the parents can take over the care until the child becomes a self-caring individual. Orem defines nursing as â€Å"the provision of self-care which is therapeutic in sustaining life and health, in recovering from disease or injury, or coping with their effects† http://www.faculty.ucc.edu/nursing-gervase/orem. Madeleine Leininger, like Orem, sees the importance of the element of caring in the profession of nursing. As Leininger puts it, â€Å"care (caring) is essential to curing and healing, for there can be no curing without caring† http://www.Madeleine-leininger.com. The term †transcultural nursing† is used to refer to humanistic and scientific knowledge and practices that focus on assisting individuals, families and communities to maintain or regain health and to deal with disability, dying or other human conditions in a culturally respectful and beneficial manner http://www.Madeleine-leininger.com. Leininger’s theory of transcultural care theory is derived from the disciplines of (cultural) anthropology. Key concepts in this theory include cultural diversity (the differences between and among the various cultures) and cultural universality (the common elements or similarities found in various cultures). While she was working as a nurse, in a child guidance home Leininger observed recurrent behavioral differences and eventually concluded that the differences had a cultural base (George, 2011, p. 405). Leininger’s cultural care theory aims to provide culturally congruent nursing care through â€Å"cognitively based assistive, supportive, facilitative, or enabling acts or decisions that are mostly tailor-made to fit with individual’s, group’s, or institution’s cultural values, beliefs, and lifeways† (Leininger, M. (1995). Transcultural nursing: Concepts, theories, research and Practices. New York: McGraw Hill, Inc., p. 75). Leininger uses the four nursing metaparadigm differently in her theory. For example, she uses the concept to refer to families and groups or communities; health is not limited to nursing. Leininger’s Culture Care Theory views nursing as a transcultural, humanistic and scientific care discipline and profession with the central purpose to serve human beings worldwide. â€Å"Whereas it is important to look at a patient as a whole person from a physiological, psychological, spiritual, and social perspective, it is also important to take a patient’s culture and cultural background into consideration when deciding how to care for that patient. For example there should be no when attending to people from other minority cultures such as gay, lesbians, and trans-gender individuals. Nurses, when using this theory, can recognize and understand cultural similarities and differences to influence the person’s health status. In essence the theory assumes that nurses who understand, value, and practice culturally competent nursing care are more effective and capable of achieving positive outcomes in the healthcare of their patients. The theory assumes that culturally nursing care will occur when the patient’s beliefs and value systems are carefully incorporated the patient’s nursing care plan. From the above outline of Madeleine Leininger’s culture care theory and Dorothea Orem’s self-care theory one can see that both theories see (patient) care as the central focus of nursing. Both theories are very practical; one can even describe them as â€Å"empirical.† The two theories do differ in one very important focus: Leininger focuses on culture to influence health, whereas Orem focuses on the self (self-care) to keep the body healthy and functioning. It is evident that both theories have undergone some significant revisions over time. In this section, I will shift the focus of the discussion of where and how Leininger’s cultural care theory may be best applied to nursing practice. The Transcultural theory considers the component of culture as an important factor that needs to be included when planning the care of the patient. For family assessment, the theory can serve as basis and guide in evaluating the different factors that need to be assessed in the family. In application of transcultural theory in family assessment there are three points that need to be considered. First, the nursing care should incorporate the cultural backgrounds of the family by appropriately doing culture and background interview to the family Second, the family nurse should incorporate the inquiry on health beliefs, heath patterns, and practiced superstitions and beliefs that propose significance to the health condition of the family. Finally, the nurse needs to incorporate the most suited interventions that called for by the clients for care modalities and health care interventions (e.g. hospital, clinician, family, herbalist, etc. The use of transcultural theory in family assessment further enhances the nursing care being administered to the patient http://www.Madeleine-leininger.com. In terms of application, one can see certainly where exercising cultural sensitivity as advocated by the culture care theory would lead to better rendering of healthcare and faster recovery. The theory raises a number of serious questions. For example, how does one handle emergency situations? Giving the current nurse-patient ratios in hospitals and the vast array of cultures that nurses are likely to encounter, especially in a county hospital like the one in which I work? This apart, communication and language is a hallmark of any culture; does Leininger culture care theory implies that nurses should begin to attempt to render service to patients in the patient’s native language? These are questions that we might not have answers for at this point. Here is where philanthropic organizations like Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) and the Joanna Briggs Institute can continue to support further research into nursing theory and health education that would help bridge the gap between nursing research and clinical practice. REFERENCES: Leininger M. (1991). Culture care diversity and universality: A theory of nursing. New York: National League for Nursing Press. George, Julia B. (2011). Nursing theories: The base of professional nursing practice 6th edition. Pearson Education, Inc. Leninger M, McFarland M. Transcultural Nursing: Concepts, Theory, Research, and Practice; 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill Professional; New York, 2002. Websites: http://www.Madeleine-leininger.com. http://www.faculty.ucc.edu/nursing-gervase/orem. http://www.joannabriggs.org http://www.nursingsociety.org http://www.faculty.ucc.edu/nursing-gervase/orem

Marketing audit of Cambridge Elite Soccer School The WritePass Journal

Marketing audit of Cambridge Elite Soccer School Introduction Marketing audit of Cambridge Elite Soccer School Introduction Cambridge Elite Soccer SchoolCambridge Elite Soccer School’s objectives and mission The External and Competitive EnvironmentCustomers and products  Recommendations  ConclusionReferences Appendix Related Introduction Marketing refers to the process of management through which goods and services move from being a concept on to the consumer, a process which broadly consists of the identification, selection and development of a product, pricing, distribution and its promotion (Gladden 2005). Sport marketing therefore involves the application of these processes in the development of sport products to enhance their consumption on the one hand, and the use of the attraction of sport of an audience to market other varied goods and services (Matthew 2005). Sport marketing is therefore broadly defined as the anticipation of consumer wants and needs, and its management and satisfaction through the application of principles and practices of marketing. This is inclusive of the marketing through sport facet which entails the use of sport as a promotional vehicle, a sponsorship platform for companies marketing consumer or industrial products (Blann 2003). This report is formulated to serve as a marketing audit of the Cambridge Elite Soccer School in which I have recently worked in as an Administration Assistant, doubling up as a Brand assistant for its Brand management team. It seeks to create some understanding of ways in which the School applies marketing concepts in its area of performance and specialty (and generally in the sports sector), its strategies in this endeavor and possible avenues for improvement. The structure of the report entails an introduction to the Cambridge Elite Soccer School and description of its history and achievements in its line of business, its objectives and mission. Further, the report delves into a description of the competitive environment in this sports sector and the factors affecting the organization’s business success broadly categorized under political, economic, social and technological spheres. It also delves into a description of its customers and products covering individual details of members and various other participants, an overview of their involvement. Finally, the report gives recommendations deemed appropriate to the School, developed from the marketing audit. Cambridge Elite Soccer School Located in the Neale-Wade Community College, Wimblington Road, March, Cambridgeshire Elite Soccer School is a growing organization that offers top quality coaching to enthusiastic football players in the under 14/15 (U14/U15) category throughout Cambridgeshire. The School has been developed to give these young, high standard and able players an opportunity to enhance their skills further. This is enabled by its highly qualified coaches with extensive experience in the football sector. The School started out in 2009 with its main aim being to educate this category of players in all aspects of training towards professionalism, providing the right environment so as to maximize their chances of success. It seeks to offer useful advice, good facilities, and appropriate football knowledge along with lots of valuable experience imparted by its resident coaches having many years’ experience in the football sector. These coaches are certified, all qualified to a minimum of FA level 2 and include three coaches and one goalkeeper coach and one among them has a Degree in Sports Science and Coaching. The primary aim of the school is to educate its players in all requisite aspects towards professionalism so as to maximize their chances of future success. Selection for training is done over a four week trial period and those that succeed are then taken through continuous training at the school in a professional development scheme by the excellent and FA qualified coaches. The school is deliberately designed to improve both physical and mental performance, creating the right environment to back such an endeavor. For the players’ success, a favorable environment has been sought and the schools facilities, mostly provided by the Neale Wade Community College include an ‘astro’ training pitch, two classrooms, boarding facilities that enable weekend stays during intensive training, entertainment and dining areas enjoined to a modern kitchen. For major events that the school seeks to engage more in, to enhance its presence and create better awareness, the management has sought the use of the local stadium so as to enable attendance of large crowds. The school also has a van that enables the transportation of students to various locations for training or for events. The school’s marketing orientation consists of a focus on the application of marketing principles including the anticipation, management and satisfaction of consumer’s wants and needs. The school identifies its consumers to include the young football players and their immediate families as its dominant target market and the consumer base is expanded to include their families and the local community in general. Also included in the consumer base though secondary are the spectators in the various events, and finally the major teams that consume the school’s product, the trained professional players. To identify and manage the needs and wants of the various stakeholders requires a well-defined strategic approach is required and especially since the school’s main product entails the offer of services in training and development of young players for the club market. In summary, the marketing program that the school engages in involves the creation of a marketing mix that is focused on the dominant target market (the young boys and their immediate families making the decision to enroll in the school so as to foster professional development, as well as the local loyal fan base that can influence such decisions). Its marketing strategy includes the use of traditional broadcast media of TV and radio carrying paid advertisements, extensive signage locally, and print media (newspapers, magazines and brochures). These tools are used to communicate to consumers and thus create an enhanced awareness of the schools events. The school is also seeking to enhance its online presence to serve as a marketing platform so as to enhance its reach limited by the reach of the various media already employed. The internet has grown faster in recent years than the other forms of electronic technology. It offers a new economic opportunity for business through commerce and trade based on the web (Howard 2000). It provides access to a desirable target market and is not limited by distance as the other promotional campaigns can be and therefore presence online can be justified as an effective tool to reach potential markets. It gives fans and other interested parties an opportunity to access information on the schoo l and its events via the internet (Griffin 1996). Cambridge Elite Soccer School’s objectives and mission Objective  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To train the young, high quality players to professionalism and to enable them to realize their football dreams.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The primary aim of the school is to educate its players in all requisite aspects towards professionalism so as to maximize their chances of future success. Mission  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To be a high class development and training school for the soccer sector with an output of all rounded high capacity junior players. The External and Competitive Environment A marketing audit consists of a review of a companys marketing planning, organizational and control processes and their results, looking at the framework for action as well as its performance and potential (Gladden 2005). This report is a horizontal audit of CESS examining the schools mission, its markets, sustainable competitive advantage, marketing plans, coordination of marketing mix, among other critical factors. It is necessary for an organization to consider its environment continuously as it follows through in its strategic path, and this should feed all aspects of planning (Brian 2000). The School’s marketing environment is made up of three levels; its internal environment which include its members of staff and management, technology and finance; its micro-environment which include the   customers, agents and distributors, suppliers and competitors, etc.; and its macro-environment which includes the political (and legal) forces, economic forces, socio-cultural forces and technological forces (the PEST factors). Several factors influence the strategies adopted by the school in its marketing and overall business approaches. Political factors include the influence of events in the political arena upon the regulation of businesses such as the school, and the spending power of the population that constitute consumers of the schools products. With a stable political environment and favorable government policy that influences laws surrounding business, the school is well placed to benefit from its positive influence. The success of the soccer sector in the UK has been beneficial in bringing about the enhancement of goodwill and appreciation of government of all aspects related to football. The governments policy on the economy including the taxation of clubs and sport schools are indicative of its desire to enable the successful realization of objectives in the sport sector and especially football. Economic factors entail a consideration of the economy of the state regarding both the short term and the long term. These include factors such as interest rates, inflation levels and the long term prospects of the economy (pointers to continued performance) with focus on details such as the Gross Domestic product per capita. The challenging economic recession has been a major factor that has negatively affected the business of the Cambridge Elite Soccer School, with its effect upon the disposable incomes of the families in the region that forms the dominant target market for the school and consumer of its products. Socio-cultural factors include factors such as attitudes, leisure times for consumers, life expectancy of the population, and wealth levels among other factors. The school benefits from positive influences of the socio-cultural factors such as the availability of leisure times for the players and their families over the weekend enables the success of such training endeavors. Overall wealth of the population is beneficial to the schools business success and strategy as it enables availability of enhanced disposable incomes that can be utilized in such ventures as paying for the enrolment in the school. The general attitude of the population towards the game and all its affiliated programs and events is also positive and this enables the school to enjoy goodwill and support from the community in many of its events and activities if they are well planned and inclusive. Technology is vital for competitive advantage and in these modern times of the internet, also serves as a major driver for the enhancement of business processes and efficiency. The internet offers a cheaper advertising platform and a direct communication channel with consumers which also allows for the reception of feedback real-time. Other processes such as ticketing, enrolment, bookings and sale of the schools branded items which were hitherto a challenge to see through have been made easier with the employment of the internet avenues. The effective use of the internet by the school for all the above-mentioned processes has however been limited through a lack of consistency in the integration of these processes to benefit from the overall efficiency. The school mainly uses its online presence for communication with consumers and has recently sought to create content for advertising. There still untapped capacity on this platform and it is evidently an area that can enable greater i mprovement in the marketing potential of the school. Competition for the school features both locally and further afield from similar training clubs and schools. Presently, the school’s management focuses on local competition within Cambridgeshire offered by several football clubs featuring programs for a similar age bracket, and soccer training schools. Among the major competitors are; Wisbech St. Mary Football Club, Stukeley Meadows Youth Football Club, Hampton Football Club, and Tony Russell Soccer School among many others. These clubs and organizations are both direct and indirect competitors in the school’s line of business and the school’s management has endeavored to create strategy to enable its differentiation from its competitors through its offer of unique services and competitive pricing. Its unique services include mid week training sessions and the creation of events that involve the participation of the youth and their families. Opportunities are created for the trained youth to play in trials before pro and semi-pro club scouts and give support to them every step of the way, an offer of a comprehensive training program integrated with other activities while the other business competitors focus on playing league games in their claim to offer training. Its indirect competitors include the in-house training programs of the major league clubs’ pro academies though these have limited and difficult to obtain available spaces and are often the preserve of the intensely talented individuals. The challenge offered by these is therefore minimal as there is a major gap in coaching that can only be offered by academies at the grassroots level. This challenge is therefore not a major factor in CESS’ strategic planning and implementation. Customers and products The products offered at the school include professional soccer training of the under14/15 youth so as to enhance their chances of success in pro football and to enable them to increase their capacity to look for professional opportunities playing for the major league clubs. Also included in its product offerings are minor league games and weekend fixtures that have gained in following to become an appreciable income earner for the club. The club also benefits from sales of merchandise including branded apparel, equipment and souvenirs which are part of recent developments brought up during my time of placement. The school’s customers include the young players enrolled in the training programs of the school, their families, spectators that attend the school’s events and fixtures, and the local population as well as people from further afield who purchase merchandise from the school. To gauge the participation of several of these groups of participants, several hundred participants and stakeholders including spectators, parents and members of the general population were selected and questionnaires were administered to them to gain useful information on the marketing success of the school, the general awareness of the schools activities and the services that it provides, as well as their willingness and desire to participate and to attend the school’s events and fixtures. The survey entailed a self-administered survey with questionnaires distributed through mail to several homes in the locality and email to homes further away. This was attained through stratified sampling to select subjects which divides a population into groups from which random samples are chosen. Instrument used for data collection was a survey questionnaire which sought to detail the identification details of those sampled including their locality, their involvement with the school and its activities, how and when they got to learn about the school, their willingness and desire to participate in future events organized by the school’s management. They were also asked to rate the school’s performance on several fronts including its capacity thus far to create awareness of its activities and capacity. The results (collated) are presented in the appendices section of this report. In the results obtained, 70% of the respondents (a total of 410 respondents) confirmed having participated in the school’s events and activities ranging from being spectators at fixtures and league games, to in-house participatory games and even bringing young family members to enroll at the school. Of these, 45% confirmed having participated for two and a half years of the schools three and a half year existence, which characterizes the school’s success at its marketing endeavors early in its life and a capacity to retain its customer base and clientele over this time. 80% of the respondents were willing to participate in the school’s events going forward and the school generally received a high rating at an average of 6.2 points in a scale of 1 to 10. These results are telling of the school’s high capacity at managing its marketing process and creating a loyal fan base.   Recommendations To further enhance its marketing capacity and reach, the School’s management needs to develop strategies including competitive pricing that would enable greater reach. This would enable the school match up to its competitor offers while offering differentiation in training and development. It is also essential that the school tackles the lack of consistency or integration in its marketing initiatives. There is therefore need to do an extensive and comprehensive audit to inform planning for such an endeavor and creation of a workable and effective strategy towards that end. Appropriate Sponsorship programs should also be sought and developed to benefit both the development and financial standing of the school, as well as individual players in their professional development (Barrand 2005). Sponsorships could come from local companies that would like to affiliate so as to benefit the school as well as gain from the school’s target market and marketing potential. Other sponsors can be sought from the manufacturers of sports apparel and equipment, who can help kit the school and offer its branded merchandise at discounted rates to the school’s growing membership and following. They in turn can gain from the marketing platform and mutually with the school from proceeds from sales. The school should also leverage on its earlier products (the high capacity and successful players who have managed to gain entry into professional football and fame) and their success. These individuals can be engaged in advertisements and the enhancement of awareness of the school’s capacity and ability to bring forth desired success (Fullerton 2007). They can also feature in events of the school providing acknowledgement of the school’s capacity and also to motivate the trainees in camp. The school should focus more of its marketing effort on the enhancement of the online platform and its development for extended usage such as in the communication with its consumers and their feedback, enrolment, advertising, and general trade including sale of tickets for events and the school’s branded promotional items and apparel. This is essentially because the Internet is fast becoming a point of convergence for all media and a platform for socialization on a global scale (Howard 2000).   Conclusion This report consists of a marketing audit that I conducted during my placement at the Cambridge Elite Soccer School as an Administrative assistant and doubling up as a Brand assistant. The report has in summary described Cambridge Elite Soccer School (CESS), its history and achievements in its line of business, its objectives and mission. The report has further described its marketing approach as well as discussed its strategic approach and the various external/environmental factors that have influenced it in its line of business. Added to this, its standing compared to its direct and indirect competitors has been described detailing its relative success at a differentiation strategy. The report then gives the result of a study done through the administration of questionnaires which shows success in the schools marketing in its early life and which serves as impetus to the schools management team to find strategies, ways and means of enhancing its potential in marketing. The report finally gives recommendations on the areas of potential improvement and enhancement. References Barrand, D., 2005. Why brands are banking on sport. Promotions Incentives, 13-14 Blann, F., and K.,   Armstrong, 2003. â€Å"Sport marketing.† In:   J. Parks J. Quarterman (Eds), Contemporary Sport management (2nd edition). Champaign, JL: Human Kinetics. Brian, T., and B., Michael, 2000. The Match-Up Hypothesis: Physical Attractiveness, Expertise, and the Role of Fit on Brand Attitude, Purchase Intent and Brand Beliefs. In: Journal of Advertising 3, pp1 – 13. Fullerton, S., 2007. Sports marketing. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Gladden, J., and W., Sutton, 2005. â€Å"Marketing principles applied to sport management.† In: L. MasteraJexis, C. Barr, M. Huns (Eds), Principles and practice of sport management. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Griffin, J., 1996. The Internets expanding role in building customer loyalty. Direct Marketing, 59(9), 46-50 Howard, D., and R., Burton, 2000. The Internets role in shaping the future of sport. Paper presented at the Third International Sport Management Alliance Conference, Sydney, Australia. Matthew, S., 2005. Sport Marketing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Appendix CESS – Cambridge Elite Soccer School. Results collated from questionnaires administered Number of respondents – 410 (both email and post) 70% (287 respondents) confirmed participation in the school’s events and activities ranging from being spectators at fixtures and league games, to in-house participatory games and even bringing young family members to enroll at the school. 45% of the respondents above (129 respondents) confirmed having participated for two and a half years of the schools three and a half year existence. 80% (328 of the 410 respondents) were willing to participate in the school’s events going forward. The school received a high rating at an average of 6.2 points in a scale of 1 to 10. Most of the respondents were from the locality of Cambridge at 89 %. The rest were spread out in the environs.

Free Essays on Yellow Wallpaper

What a Night! It was a beautiful, warm Thursday evening. I was wandering foolishly through the neighbor’s gardens in search of glowing fireflies. I stumbled across a group of three fireflies, all with their lights shining, except for one. As I knelt down to pick up the helpless little creature, I heard a strange and unfamiliar noise. I flung myself to the ground as not to be caught. I clung to the grass for a few minutes, but the sound would not stop. I slowly raised my head to see what could be capable of making this sort of strange noise. A third story window in the house that occupied the property I was trespassing on caught my attention. A dim, yellow light shined in the room. I saw strange shadows on the ceiling, which I made out to be a woman. She looked to be circling the room in a slow manner. In her hands she grasped a large object, something flimsy and lightweight. I crawled to the base of an apple tree and carefully climbed up to the top branch. From there, I could confirm my speculations. I could not believe what my eyes saw; a deranged woman tearing wallpaper off the wall of her room, and flailing it around violently. The tearing of the wallpaper was the unexplainable sound that I had been hearing. Scared, I jumped out of the tree and ran home in fear of my life. Since that night, I have never stepped foot on that property again.... Free Essays on Yellow Wallpaper Free Essays on Yellow Wallpaper â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is an account of a mentally disturbed woman. The woman portrayed in this short story plays the role of a dominated, inferior lady who is not outspoken and willing to take a stand on behalf of her own well being. She does not realize she can have her own ideas and stand up for herself; this is her main problem in the story. By applying all the concepts of style, symbolism and time era Charlotte Perkins Gilman has conceived a well-written story. The time frame has a great importance to the overall story. The account does not just deal with a woman going insane but a woman’s standing in society in the late 1800’s. During the time in which Gilman’s piece was written, women were not often prominent figures in society. Men frequently dominated them, and it was rare to find a very outspoken female willing to stand up for her own well-being. It is a very disturbing look at how a man could have dominated a lady in the time frame in which the story was set. It exemplifies how woman were disregarded at times and treated like frail beings at others. All woman really needed was moral or emotional support to break free of a male dominated society. Throughout the story symbolism is a strong key point. The wallpaper has many symbolic examples in it. The pattern at one point in time start to look like bars and the woman behind them is constantly shaking them at night to escape. The key factor is that the woman is somehow freed from the bars during the day, yet trapped behind them at night. This is symbolic of her husbands not being home during the days, while he is working. During this time she is alone and free to be herself, without anyone’s rules to suppress her emotions. Because of this she does not feel the urgent need to escape. At night however when her husband returns home she is thrown back behind those imaginary bars that symbolize her feelings of control. In the ... Free Essays on Yellow Wallpaper What a Night! It was a beautiful, warm Thursday evening. I was wandering foolishly through the neighbor’s gardens in search of glowing fireflies. I stumbled across a group of three fireflies, all with their lights shining, except for one. As I knelt down to pick up the helpless little creature, I heard a strange and unfamiliar noise. I flung myself to the ground as not to be caught. I clung to the grass for a few minutes, but the sound would not stop. I slowly raised my head to see what could be capable of making this sort of strange noise. A third story window in the house that occupied the property I was trespassing on caught my attention. A dim, yellow light shined in the room. I saw strange shadows on the ceiling, which I made out to be a woman. She looked to be circling the room in a slow manner. In her hands she grasped a large object, something flimsy and lightweight. I crawled to the base of an apple tree and carefully climbed up to the top branch. From there, I could confirm my speculations. I could not believe what my eyes saw; a deranged woman tearing wallpaper off the wall of her room, and flailing it around violently. The tearing of the wallpaper was the unexplainable sound that I had been hearing. Scared, I jumped out of the tree and ran home in fear of my life. Since that night, I have never stepped foot on that property again.... Free Essays on Yellow Wallpaper Take control â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a story based on â€Å"rest cure† treatment, developed after the Civil War by famous physician S. W. Mitchell, which required confining the patient to a remote residence on complete bad rest, increased food intake, supplements and exercise, massage and, at times, electric shock therapy. But the story actually is not a discussion about treatment methods of common mental disorders but about a struggle of personality- about a woman that tying to find independent way of living. The narrator, a young women in her thirties, faces deep identity problems, that lead her to extraordinary ways to express herself. To understand what is really going on with the person, we have to take a look at the environment that surrounds her. The fact that she is not at home but in temporary â€Å"ancestral hall for summer† and moved there just a few weeks ago, to the idea that this is not about her physical environment, but her emotional state we are talkin g here and the problem has not appeared itself just a few weeks ago; rather physical environment only triggered it making it noticeable. As opposite to temporal, that can be changed, her emotional surrounding is constant and this is what we will try to focus on. We believe, that â€Å"nervous breakdown† was result of continuous struggle to find her own personality and be accepted as she is, not the way it convenient for others to see her. The first figure that mention here is her husband John, who is her physician as well, and the reason she does not get batter, from her words. There are many reasons for psychological problems to occur, and one of them is extreme loneliness of narrator and lack of support from others. In this family husband presents a narcissistic, self-loving figure, that confident in self-perfection. He does not take his wife seriously as a partner and friend, keeping her away from his business. He leaving in a morning and come back late, only tell...

ACT Test Dates Full Guide to Choosing (2019, 2020)

ACT Test Dates Full Guide to Choosing (2019, 2020) SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for info on the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 ACT test dates? Knowing the most accurate ACT test dates is crucial for a solid test-taking plan. Though you might be tempted to go ahead and register for the next possible test date, what you should really be doing is finding a date that works well for you and your schedule. In this guide, we offer an overview of upcoming ACT test dates, registration deadlines, and score release dates. We also give you tips on how to choose an ACT test date and go over which test dates work best for juniors, seniors, and more. ACT Test Dates and Deadlines for 2019 and 2020 ACT test dates are generally on Saturdays, but you might be able to take the ACT on a different date if you have a religious exemption or are taking a special school administration of the test. Here, we give you all ACT test dates, normal registration deadlines, late registration deadlines, and score release dates for 2019 and 2020. The dates are organized into two tables: one for the 2019-2020 school year test dates and one for the 2020-2021 school year test dates. ACT Test Dates 2019-20 The test dates for the 2019-2020 school year have all been confirmed by ACT, Inc., as have the registration deadlines and score release dates. Test Date Normal Deadline Late Deadline Online Score Release* July 13, 2019** June 14, 2019 June 24, 2019 July 23; August 6, 2019 Sept 14, 2019 Aug 16, 2019 Aug 30, 2019 Sept 24; Oct 8, 2019 Oct 26, 2019 Sept 20, 2019 Oct 4, 2019 Nov 12; Nov 26, 2019 Dec 14, 2019 Nov 8, 2019 Nov 22, 2019 Dec 24, 2019; Jan 7, 2020 Feb 8, 2020 Jan 10, 2020 Jan 17, 2020 Feb 19; Mar 5, 2020 Apr 4, 2020 Feb 28, 2020 Mar 13, 2020 Apr 14; Apr 28, 2020 June 13, 2020 May 8, 2020 May 22, 2020 June 23; July 7, 2020 July 18, 2020** June 19, 2020 June 26, 2020 July 28; August , 2020 *The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out; the second date is when complete scores (with the Writing section) come out.**No test centers scheduled in New York or California on this date. ACT Test Dates 2020-21 While the 2020-21 ACT test dates have been confirmed by ACT, Inc., registration deadlines and score release dates have yet to be confirmed; thus, the ACT deadlines and score release dates below are estimates based on the patterns of previous testing years. Test Date Normal Deadline Late Deadline Online Score Release* Sept 12, 2020 Aug 14, 2020 Aug 28, 2020 Sept 22; Oct 6, 2020 Oct 24, 2020 Sept 18, 2020 Oct 2, 2020 Nov 10; Nov 24, 2020 Dec 12, 2020 Nov 6, 2020 Nov 20, 2020 Dec 22, 2020; Jan 5, 2021 Feb 6, 2021 Jan 8, 2021 Jan 15, 2021 Feb 17; Mar 4, 2021 Apr 3, 2021 Feb 26, 2021 Mar 12, 2021 Apr 13; Apr 27, 2021 June 12, 2021 May 7, 2021 May 21, 2021 June 22; July 6, 2021 July 17, 2021** June 18, 2021 June 25, 2021 July 27; August 10, 2021 *The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out; the second date is when complete scores (with the Writing section) come out.**No test centers scheduled in New York or California on this date. In the tables above, there are two dates in the "Online Score Release" columns. The first date is for multiple-choice scores- your composite ACT score and your individual section scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science. The second date is for complete ACT scores; these are your multiple-choice scores plus your Writing (essay) score. If you take the ACT without Writing, you should generally receive your full ACT score report within two weeks after your test. If you take the ACT with Writing, note that the essay usually takes an additional two weeks for scoring, meaning you won't receive your full ACT score report (with your essay grade) until about four weeks after your test date. Also, be aware that any colleges you put down to get your scores won't have access to your official ACT score report until your essay has been graded as well. ACT Test Dates 2019-20: Visual Calendar and Trends To help you plan your test-taking schedule, we've created a handy visual representation of the 2019-20 ACT dates. This calendar shows us how ACT tests are staggered throughout the year, as well as where the overlapping of score release dates and registration deadlines often occurs: (C) 2019 PrepScholar Inc, Use with Link to PrepScholar.com Allowed You probably noticed right away that ACT test dates are clustered closely together in the fall and more spread out in the spring. This is done to give seniors more chances at attaining their ACT goal scores before college application deadlines (typically in the late fall and early winter). The tests in the spring target juniors and students studying for the test early. Of course, you don't have to be in a certain grade level to take any of the administrations- you're welcome to sign up for whichever ACT dates you want, regardless of where you are in high school. ACT scores generally come out right around the registration deadline for the next test. This can make it tricky to take two back-to-back exams, but you will usually get at least your multiple-choice scores before the late registration deadline, so it's still possible (though not necessarily advisable) to sign up for the next test. In addition, registering for back-to-back ACTs doesn't give you sufficient time to prep for your retake. With such a short amount of time to study in-between tests, you'll likely see only minor (if any) improvement in your scores. Warning: ACT / SAT Test Dates May ChangeSign up to Receive Free Updates // Choosing the Best ACT Test Dates for You: 5 Key Factors Which ACT test dates you choose is ultimately up to you. But whether a test date is the right test date for you depends on five primary factors, which we go over here. #1: When Are Your College Applications Due? One of the most important factors is your college application deadlines. Generally, ACT scores are released 10-14 days after the exam. After that, ACT, Inc. sends score reports in batches to schools as often as schools choose to receive them (usually this is at least once every two weeks). This time frame, however, does not include the processing time for ACT scores, which can vary significantly for each school. So what does all of this mean for you? Basically, you must take the ACT well in advance of your college application deadlines so you can ensure your ACT scores get to your schools in time. I suggest taking the ACT at least four weeks (ideally more) before your applications are due. If you're taking the ACT with Writing, give yourself even more time- at least six weeks. Common deadlines are January 1 for regular decision and November 1 or 15 for early action/early decision. Don't forget: if your scores arrive late or aren't processed until after your school's application deadline has passed, your application could get disqualified. So the earlier, the better! #2: Are You OK With Ordering Priority Reports If Necessary? If the ACT test date you want is extremely close to your college application deadlines and the four free score reports don't cover all of the schools you're applying to, make sure that you're OK with having to fork out extra money for priority reports. With priority ACT reports, your scores should face little difficulty getting to your schools before the deadlines. Priority reports cost $16.50 and deliver ACT scores (once they’re released) within three to four business days after your request has been processed (which takes one to two business days). #3: How Many Times Will You Take the ACT? You should also be thinking about how many times you're willing to take the ACT in order to reach your goal score. Is there a chance you’ll want to retake it? At PrepScholar, we recommend taking the ACT two or three times in total: First, as a junior in your fall semester Second, as a junior in your spring semester Third, as a senior in your fall semester (or the summer before fall semester) If you didn’t take the exam at the beginning of your junior year, try to take it for the first time in February. This way you’ll get your scores in March and will have plenty of time to study and decide whether you’d like to retake the ACT in June, July, or later. Try to avoid registering for back-to-back dates in the fall of your senior year. You likely won't get your scores until the regular registration deadline for the next test has already passed. Furthermore, it'll be a struggle to prep efficiently and with such little time in-between tests; you'll probably be pretty busy with college applications as it is! #4: How Much Time Do You Want to Dedicate to ACT Prep? Another huge factor is time. How many months will you be able to devote entirely to ACT prep? How many points do you need to improve your baseline score by to reach your goal score? (Your baseline score is the score you start with before you begin any prep. You can find yours by taking an official ACT practice test.) Our usual recommendation is to study for the ACT for three to six months. This amount of time should allow you to hone your test-taking skills and strategies without burning you out. However, what's more important than months is the total number of hours you put in. Here are our estimates for the numbers of hours you’ll need to study for the ACT based on how large of a point improvement you want: 0-1 ACT point improvement: 10 hours 1-2 ACT point improvement: 20 hours 2-4 ACT point improvement: 40 hours 4-6 ACT point improvement: 80 hours 6-9 ACT point improvement: 150 hours+ Clearly, the bigger the point improvement, the more hours you’ll need to study. This is why it’s helpful to craft an ACT study plan as soon as possible- ideally, long before your test date! But not everyone has ample free time they can spend studying for the ACT. At a minimum, try to commit to 10 hours of ACT prep. If you only have a month or so before test day, our in-depth guide will show you what steps to take to get the score you want. #5: Do You Have Any Obligations You'll Need to Work Around? Lastly, before choosing an ACT test date, consider how your desired test date fits into your overall schedule. Will you have any obligations on that date or in the time leading up to it? Do you have any commitments that might prevent you from being able to study effectively for the ACT? I suggest using a planner to keep track of major events and tests you have coming up. Include all major school and extracurricular activities, such as school plays, AP exams, school projects, family vacations, weddings, etc. If there are any conflicts with your desired test date, you can then look for an alternate date that'll better fit into your personal schedule. Quick Guide: When Should Juniors Take the ACT? When Should Seniors? We can’t tell you which exact ACT test date will work best for you, but we can give you some advice on which test dates best suit certain situations. Below are four common scenarios with quick tips on the ACT test dates you'll want to prioritize for each. Scenario 1: You’re a Junior Best Dates For 1st Test: September, October, December For 2nd Test: February, April, June There are no risky ACT dates if you’re a junior since all your college applications won't be due until sometime during your senior year. Really, you can take the SAT whenever you want! That said, I recommend taking the test at least twice: once in the fall of junior year and once in the spring. This way you’ll have the entire summer to finalize your college plans and decide whether you want to take the ACT again. If you didn’t take the ACT your fall semester, aim to take it as soon as possible in the spring, ideally in February or April. Either of these dates ensures you'll have June and July to consider for retakes before your senior year. Scenario 2: You’re a Senior Best Dates: July, September, OctoberRiskier Dates: December September and October are popular test dates for seniors because they offer you one final shot at getting the ACT score you want before college applications are due. Incoming seniors also have a July test date, which I strongly recommend opting for if you're worried about carving out time for ACT prep in the fall. December is risky. If you've got deadlines in early January, December ACT scores might not get to your schools in time. (This partly depends on whether you're taking the Writing section.) But if your deadlines are in late January or later, December should be OK. Scenario 3: You’re Applying Early Action/Early Decision Best Dates: June, July, SeptemberRiskier Dates: October Most early action deadlines are November 1 or 15, so it's important to take the ACT as early as possible, preferably in June or July before senior year. Taking the test over the summer ensures you’ll have one final chance to retake it your senior year in September (should you still want to raise your scores). Just don't rely on the October test date. Only if your deadlines are on or after November 30 (as is the case with the University of California system) would I suggest possibly opting for the October test date. But this is playing it extremely close, so stick with September if you can! Scenario 4: Your College Application Deadlines Are in February or Later Most schools require applications to be submitted by November, December, or January. But those whose applications aren’t due until February or later offer seniors more options for ACT dates. Below are various late college application deadlines and their latest recommended ACT test dates and riskier ACT dates. Recommended dates should have little to no trouble in getting your scores to schools in time, whereas riskier dates are less reliable and might fail to get your scores in by the deadline. Choose wisely! College App Deadline Latest Recommended ACT Test Date Riskier ACT Test Date February December - March December February April February - May February April June April - July April June August June July September July - ACT Test Dates: Summary The ACT is offered seven times a year: September October December February April June July Note that the July test date is only be available within the US (though it's not administered in New York, much like the February test date). When choosing an ACT test date, it's important to consider the following factors: When your college application deadlines are Whether you’re taking the Writing section or not How much time you’re willing to dedicate to ACT prep Once you've answered these questions, you'll be on your way to picking out a surefire ACT test date! What's Next? Ready to register for the ACT? Use our in-depth walkthrough to help you sign up for the test, and read our guide to find the best test center for you! Need additional help choosing an ACT test date? See our factors you should think about before setting a test date. It's also important to consider the time you have to study and the advantages of taking the ACT multiple times. Wondering whether to take the SAT or the ACT? Check out our complete guide to which test will be easier for you. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Explain what you understand by the ideas of an 'indigenous people', Essay

Explain what you understand by the ideas of an 'indigenous people', first people, or an 'indigene'. What do you consider to be the advantages and disadvantages of these terms - Essay Example Governments have noted the importance of these territories and have even sought to protect them in their natural setting rather than move them to different areas where they may lose what they have sought to protect over the decades (Merlan 105). Others have already been assimilated into the western culture or the American way of life and have lost their identity as members of their original community. As such, they seek to spread the spirit of cosmopolitanism everywhere. This may be seen in the way the Europeans assimilated African societies and later the Africans chose to adopt almost everything that is western (Baaz and Palmberg 29). Others have imitated the western culture to some extent but retained their traditions when it comes to certain rituals that favor traditional points of view. The current globalization has made it difficult for many cultures to maintain their traditions and this has strained many relations. Those who live in rural areas are seen to be the greatest adherents of traditions and customs in many societies. However, the migration that has led many to leave the rural areas to the urban areas in search of greener pastures has come with its constraints (Howard 80). Many have abandoned their cultures and even forgotten about their traditional roots. They have been assimilated into other cultures that have come as a result of the different people that inhabit many of these urban centers. The media has also played a considerable role in eroding many beliefs that people held years ago in the name of civilization (Merlan 105). However, there are others who are termed as the indigenous people. These are groups of people who are said to have stuck to their traditional roots and continue to practice their cultures based on their historical ties that are said to have existed before colonization. These people maintain their cultures despite the big divide between theirs and the mainstream culture as well as political systems (WGIP 2). They have

Oedipus rex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oedipus rex - Essay Example When Oedipus understands that, he is the murderer of Laios , he insults the oracle and mocks him of his psychic power In rage of revealing the truth, the oracle is threatened to be overthrown from the kingdom. During the same encounter, the Oedipus history of killing his father and marrying his mother is revealed which was part of his history. Here we can see the anxiety of a person in knowing his past and the trauma and trouble it brings into the life of self and others. It is an ardent fact that our life is predestined, even though free will is working, God understands our choices and our fate is written far ahead of time. If we are ignorant or knowledgeable, what is destined will happen no matter how we resist it.Oedipus did the mistake of approaching the Oracle to know his past which completely destroyed his peace and mental balance. When it is the matter of argument between Creon and Oedipus , it started due to the conspiracy accusation of latter on former. Creon being a gentle man rationally explained to Oedipus about his disinterest in being a king and how he handed over the crown to Oedipus with full heartedness and kindness. Creon’s major points are that Oedipus’s kingdom is his granting and he explains that he is less interested in power and wealth as he already possesses them being his wife’s brother. The points seem rational as it explains that Creon has no hand in corrupting the throne of Oedipus. Here Jocasta sang a song to Oedipus about her first born son and his death on order to convince him that he is not the murderer of Laius. Oedipus in the play relates his life story to that of Jocasta in order to counter check whether the person he has killed is his own father. The story of Oedipus made Jocasta think that indeed Oedipus i her son as he mentioned he was called bastard by a drunk man in the kingdom of Corinth. The effect of the story on Oedipus was

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

International business - Essay Example FCPA has played a major role in discouraging corruption in international business. Transparency International index also reveals countries that have been involved in corrupt international deals. Scandinavian countries have been listed as the countries which are mostly corrupt in terms of international business. US is listed 19th in that list from the data released in 2013. However, this does not mean that American Companies do not engage in this malpractice. Currently WalMart is under investigation for bribing Mexican officials with over $ 30 million to open their stores in that country. It is no wonder WalMart has gained roots in Mexico. Wal-Mart has extended its operations to Mexico therefore posing so much threat to Comercil a Mexican retail chain shop. Wal-Mart has been a strong competitor especially since NAFTA’s lifted its tariffs which were posing a significant threat to WalMart operations. Mexico joined GATT which has liberalized the trade space allowing free entry and exit of businesses. FCPA aims at training and employing more officials in order t o avert this malpractice. This will only be possible if the FCPA works together with the department of

Charles Manson and his family murdered several people in California, Essay

Charles Manson and his family murdered several people in California, including pregnant young movie star Sharon Tate. Sinc - Essay Example Sharon Tate’s family has done everything in their power to keep the individuals convicted in the Manson murders behind bars. Their efforts have paid off, even after their deaths. Patti created the Tate Foundation after her mother’s death. After Pattie died, Debra Tate continued the Tate Foundation. Although this group has made major changes in California laws concerning victims’ rights, Mason and his followers still seem to be a more popular story. Charles Manson, Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins, and Charles ‘Tex’ Watson were all sentenced to death row. However, when the death penalty was struck down all death sentences were commuted to life. Manson and his followers were given life sentences with the possibility of parole. When Van Houten came up for parole first, Doris Tate was incensed. She petitioned the California legislators to allow victim impact statements. Before this law was passed, victims’ families could not sp eak during a parole heahring. This law that Doris lobbied for gave the victims’ families an opportunity to relate how the crimes impacted their families. While alive, Doris attended every parole hearing for Charles Manson, Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins, and Charles ‘Tex’ Watson. As a result all of them are still in jail with the exception of Susan Atkins. Susan Atkins died of cancer.

Digital Media Content Development - Ted-Ed.com Speech or Presentation

Digital Media Content Development - Ted-Ed.com - Speech or Presentation Example 9). It covers endless topics, and as the more educators add their lectures, Ted-ed.com will become more resourceful. There are several reasons for selecting digital content. First, digital content can be transported conveniently. For example, rather than carrying a load of reading material and other necessary documentation from place to place, all the data can be viewed in a digital space. Teachers can carry single gadget to access all their teaching material through Ted-ed.com. Second, there can be additional contact with reading materials. With this digital content, links to websites, video streaming, and other multimedia can be inserted for a better and interactive reading experience (Hedberg, p. 8). Teachers can connect with the content in a way that is best for them, whether they want to do some reading, listen to music watch the audio-visual material. Third, it is a lot more convenient to modify digital content as compared to printed content. For example, earlier people have to buy a complete book eve if they want to read only a specific section. This was expensive as well as unproductive. Although there is an alternative of custom publishing, but it also has some related expenses and restrictions (McHenry et al, p. 734). With digital content, publishers can provide readers with the choice of different materials to collect modified content without difficulty and at a much lesser cost. Moreover, changes can be done to a text promptly and latest versions can be released instantly. Fourth, the digital content has a negligible carbon footprint as compared to published material. For example, the effect that printing has on trees and the effect that transportation physical goods has on atmosphere. Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Content Advantages One can fine a number of educational videos on TED-Ed video library and many of these are the result of teamwork between capable teachers selected through the TED-Ed platform. Looking for the precise topic â⠂¬Å"is a breeze† (Hsiung & Juo-Lien, p. 85) with digital content when compared with going through many pages of a book and reading every word to find the relevant material or topic. Educators can design personalized lectures in accordance with the interests and preferences of their students instead of being compelled to teach from one or two books only. They can further include multimedia files in their lessons to make the learning experience more productive. Storage of digital content is a lot easier as compared to the storage of traditional printed books, cassettes, etc. TED-Ed platform further allows teachers to get any helpful instructive video and conveniently prepare a modified lesson around the video. Teachers can then share these lessons and also check their effect on the while class or on an individual student. Disadvantages Educational material in the digital shape involves the utilization of additional technology to â€Å"access, read and modify† (Nicholas et al, p. 199). This technology may not be commonly obtainable because of several limitations, and even if obtainable, may not be utilized by everybody due to lack of training as well as accessibility. The legitimacy of academic material can be put to question except that there is an infallible method to recognize the sources and ascertain their authenticity. Data is just as important as its source, and when this source is suspicious, the data can be considered as insignificant. Therefore, except that the data

Overcoming Terrorist Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Overcoming Terrorist Issues - Essay Example Thousands of people could have been affected and even killed if the terrorists had carried out their plan. The terrorists do not plan on only using physical weapons in public places. They have also decided to use biological terrorism by sending viruses into public areas. An example comes from the office of Tom Daschle, when the noted Anthrax virus was sent out in the mail. While nobody at the office was affected by this, it does help to underline the fear of a biological agent being released into society. Biological agents have been a known means of warfare and have been in existence for some time. For example, when the Cold War was in effect, both the United States and the Soviet Union had developed means of biological warfare. One that is currently largely feared to be used by the terrorists is the concept of botulism. Botulism, which is a very harsh form of food poisoning, could be spread among the agriculture of the United States and could thus cause widespread sickness and panic in the country (Medicine, n.d.). The terrorists could easily use both large scale and small scale concepts to spread this disease if they choose to. It has been widely admitted by the United States and many doctors that work in America that the country is not prepared for any large scale attack of biological warfare (Yungher, 2008). ... Since botulism is such an ardent fear and such a horrible disease, the only way to overcome it and to avoid a widespread panic would be to develop vaccinations against it (Center for Disease Control, n.d.). Furthermore, the vaccinations would have to be readily available and inexpensive for individuals to afford. Therefore, the government will have to put up its own money in order to invest in the wellness of its people. This will be important for assisting and protecting the Americans against any kind of biological attack, or biological warfare. Botulism is one of the most marked fears when it comes to biological terrorism, but other diseases are also causes for concern. Therefore, the government should fund a program that will focus on finding remedies for agents that might be used in a case of biological warfare. This department should also make sure that enough medicine is available if a wide crisis does ensue. Preparation for this kind of panic is one of the best ways to counter -act it. If the United States does not begin to prepare, it could have a very severe issue on its hands, and its population could be easily decimated and destroyed by sickness. 2. From a Jihad perspective, justify the choice of joining the cause. Explain your reasoning for supporting it. Why would one who was a Muslim wish to join the Jihad on America What would be the reasons for joining the cause There are several reasons why this concept is attractive to many people in Islamic countries. First, the concept of Jihad fits into the perspective of the Islamic religion. While most sects of Islam that take Jihad in its full seriousness are considered radicals, it can be

Digital Media Content Development - Ted-Ed.com Speech or Presentation

Digital Media Content Development - Ted-Ed.com - Speech or Presentation Example 9). It covers endless topics, and as the more educators add their lectures, Ted-ed.com will become more resourceful. There are several reasons for selecting digital content. First, digital content can be transported conveniently. For example, rather than carrying a load of reading material and other necessary documentation from place to place, all the data can be viewed in a digital space. Teachers can carry single gadget to access all their teaching material through Ted-ed.com. Second, there can be additional contact with reading materials. With this digital content, links to websites, video streaming, and other multimedia can be inserted for a better and interactive reading experience (Hedberg, p. 8). Teachers can connect with the content in a way that is best for them, whether they want to do some reading, listen to music watch the audio-visual material. Third, it is a lot more convenient to modify digital content as compared to printed content. For example, earlier people have to buy a complete book eve if they want to read only a specific section. This was expensive as well as unproductive. Although there is an alternative of custom publishing, but it also has some related expenses and restrictions (McHenry et al, p. 734). With digital content, publishers can provide readers with the choice of different materials to collect modified content without difficulty and at a much lesser cost. Moreover, changes can be done to a text promptly and latest versions can be released instantly. Fourth, the digital content has a negligible carbon footprint as compared to published material. For example, the effect that printing has on trees and the effect that transportation physical goods has on atmosphere. Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Content Advantages One can fine a number of educational videos on TED-Ed video library and many of these are the result of teamwork between capable teachers selected through the TED-Ed platform. Looking for the precise topic â⠂¬Å"is a breeze† (Hsiung & Juo-Lien, p. 85) with digital content when compared with going through many pages of a book and reading every word to find the relevant material or topic. Educators can design personalized lectures in accordance with the interests and preferences of their students instead of being compelled to teach from one or two books only. They can further include multimedia files in their lessons to make the learning experience more productive. Storage of digital content is a lot easier as compared to the storage of traditional printed books, cassettes, etc. TED-Ed platform further allows teachers to get any helpful instructive video and conveniently prepare a modified lesson around the video. Teachers can then share these lessons and also check their effect on the while class or on an individual student. Disadvantages Educational material in the digital shape involves the utilization of additional technology to â€Å"access, read and modify† (Nicholas et al, p. 199). This technology may not be commonly obtainable because of several limitations, and even if obtainable, may not be utilized by everybody due to lack of training as well as accessibility. The legitimacy of academic material can be put to question except that there is an infallible method to recognize the sources and ascertain their authenticity. Data is just as important as its source, and when this source is suspicious, the data can be considered as insignificant. Therefore, except that the data

Information Systems Development Philosophies and Methodologies, and Essay

Information Systems Development Philosophies and Methodologies, and System Analysis - Essay Example The data is then made accessible to the doctors and the nurses and then they have the power to sort the system at the will or in accordance to the hospitals guidelines or according to emergency disasters (Lakha and Moore, 34; Turegano and Perez-Diaz, 441). The updated information is what is fed back into the original triage and made available for patients to watch on a live monitor. As more patients get into the hospital and are registered, many more will tend to have more severe cases and thus, depending on the mode of selection by the doctors to determine who should be served first, there are patients who will feel neglected. This will tend to resume the past squabbles as outlined by the previous system. The system development process is thus fairer in that the problems trying to be rooted out are partly done. To avert the problem noted in the profile, it is essential that assessment that is more practical be done in terms of the CATWOE checklist. According to Checkland and Scholes (23), in their soft systems methodology, they propose solutions, advising on CATWOE to problems that have no definitive approach. Using the analysis, it will hence be possible to tell out the possible remedies to the problems and proposed solutions. According to Wilson (1) proper judgments will depend on the

Change management situation in a Police organisation

Change management situation in a Police organisation This essay will analyse a change management situation in a Police organisation, comparing approaches to leadership, analysing the efficiency of interpersonal skills for a Leader and analysing the role of a Leader within the Police environment, taking cognisance of the principles, theories and approaches to Leadership. Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realise your own leadership potential. The Police service in Scotland has under gone many Change Management Situations over the years. In 1975 the Local Government reorganisation brought about the amalgamation of the Burgh and City police forces into the eight territorial forces that we recognise today. At the present Strathclyde Police are undergoing a significant change management situation, the result of which is the implementation of Variable Shift Agreement (VSA) across the force at operational level. EVALUATE APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP The introduction of the VSA saw the force revise its traditional four group system for core uniform coverage into a five group system. The demands of the new arrangement meant that the leader (Chief Constable) was tasked with altering the resource management for each of Strathclydes territorial divisions considering factors such as: Length of Service and age Specialities i.e. Public Order , Firearms Gender These factors were all considered to provide an equal share of skills and experience across a Division as possible. This could prove the cause of friction between the management and subordinates, as well formed; productive shifts could be fragmented and divided up across a division. Kotter (1990, cited in Leadership 2009) observed that managers and leaders have three main tasks that they accomplish in different ways: Deciding what needs to be done Shift pattern must change to give better work life balance, better service to the public and more efficient use of resources. Creating networks of people and relationships that can accomplish the agenda Setting up of a review and implementation team, looking at best use of resources. Trying to ensure that people actually do the job monitoring the results of the newly formed shifts through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as cases submitted, stop searches undertaken and absence management. In the implementation of the VSA shift pattern the leader involved, more or less followed the three tasks as observed by Kotter, however depending on the leaders rank within the hierarchy, their approach to the same task will differ. Remembering that there is a difference between leaders and managers Kotters approach allows Leaders to concentrate on the creation of strategies and visions for the future, communicating and committing to achievement of these visions and motivating others despite obstacles to change. During this change management situation the Leader was more concerned with focusing on the implementation of the VSA rather than focusing on the needs of the employees. Lewin et al (1939, cited in Leadership 2009) identified a leadership approach, sometimes referred to as the behavioural approach: Autocratic (or authoritarian) style where the leader concentrates on getting the job done; the leader takes responsibility for everything that is done e.g. making decisions , allocating work, setting targets and ensures , through the use of rewards and punishments that team members obey. Democratic (or participation) style where the leader concentrates on the needs of the group or team; leadership is shared with team members who have a greater say in the decision making; how tasks are allocated and so on. Laissez Faire (or delegative) style as its name suggests this is where the leader deliberately allows the team to decide what has to be done and how to do it; the leader is available for help and advice if needed but does not interfere. According to Lewin et al the leader utilised an autocratic style of leadership when implementing the VSA, controlling decision making and task setting. Shown with the formation of the VSA implementation team. They had the set task of rolling out the shift plan to each division in turn, with target dates set for this roll out. Furthermore, the Chief Constable regularly chaired a strategic tasking and co-ordinating group, receiving feedback from the implementation team and Divisional Commanders, whilst making all the decisions regarding the implementation, without handing any of these decisions down to subordinates to undertake, showing that in this case he was taking responsibility for everything that was done. A different approach to leadership is that of Hersey and Blanchard (1988, cited in Leadership 2009) theory known as situational leadership, they make use of observing members willingness to perform a task and from this select a suitable leadership style. The four stages of readiness are described as: R1 unable and unwilling R2 unable and willing R3 able but unwilling R4 able and willing Most personnel which would be affected fell into: R2 New Probationers who do not yet have the necessary skills and had not experience any other shift pattern. And R3 More experienced officers who could foresee that the shift pattern was not as favourable as the current one, some possibly resistant to change. But others able to argue that there would be problems with child care, longer working days and frequent cancellation of rest days with the VSA. The leadership styles suggested are: S1 telling or directing requires state of readiness R1 S2 selling or coaching requires state of readiness R2 S3 participating or supporting requires state of readiness R3 S4 delegating requires state of readiness R4 From this theory the leader should have adopted a combination of S2 and S3 styles to communicate and sell the VSA and support those who require it. However in choosing to implement S1 (similar to the autocratic approach) with telling and directing the VSA implementation, does not follow Hersey and Blanchards theory and could create more friction by choosing the wrong leadership style. This is shown in the table below. This table shows that different readiness levels require differing styles of leadership, leaders should consider their relations with others, and the structure of the task before determining what style of leadership to adopt, evolving their leadership style as readiness levels change, as with many things one size does not fit all. ANALYSE THE EFFECT OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS ON LEADERSHIP When a leader decides upon a particular leadership approach to their given task, they must then interact with others and consider their own interpersonal skills. A successful and effective leader requires a range of interpersonal skills such as listening, asking questions, giving feedback, being assertive and so on. This section will analyse two particular aspects of interpersonal skills: Influencing trying to get someone to do, or to think, something that they might not otherwise have done. Managing Conflict coping with disagreements between people(in broad terms) Using interpersonal skills is not just a matter of knowing what they are, but about being aware when they are suitable and knowing how to use them effectively. According to French and Raven (1959, cited in Leadership 2009) power comes from five sources: Reward Power Coercive Power Referent Power Legitimate Power Expert power Power is an abstract concept and is difficult to define; basically A has the ability to make B behave in a certain way. The types of power demonstrated by the leader, throughout the organisational change was a mixture of coercive and legitimate power. The leader had the authority to influence behaviour through their rank within a disciplined hierarchal organisation, the force were presented with the VSA or an alternative of an even older shift pattern without consultation. Influencing Leaders are likely to adopt a particular style or approach when trying to influence someone, the balance of power between both parties will possibly determine the strategy, these may include: Reason using reason and logical argument. Assertion making a direct request with no argument to support the request. Exchange negotiating to arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome. Courting Favors friendship and positive behavior to encourage others to behave in the required manner. Coercion using or threatening to use some form of sanction. Partnership gathering support from both sides to build a coalition. And also the style used, Manning and Robertson (2004, cited in Leadership 2009) suggest six possible influencing styles: Strategist this is where the influencer is clear in what they what to achieve and has considered it before hand .A strategist style tends to favour reason, assertion and partnership styles of influence. Opportunist this style involves responding opportunistically to the situation facing the influencer. An opportunist style tends to use courting favour and exchange strategies. An opportunist is unlikely to prepare much beforehand but will attempt to grasp chances that come their way. Collaborator this style as its name suggests, involves collaboration with others for the overall good. A collaborator style concentrates on partnership, reason, exchange and courting favour strategies. Leaders who favour consensus are an example of collaborator style. Battler this is where the influencer concentrates on what they want and the sanction that they will use if they do not achieve this. A battler style tends to make use of coercion and assertion styles. A battler style is associated with people who want to get their own way and are reluctant to take no for an answer. Shotgun this strategy involves attempting to influence on a frequent basis and by use of a number of different strategies. Bystander those who adopt this style tend to engage in relatively few influencing attempts and make use of a restricted use of strategies. For the VSA to be implemented the leader combined their influencing strategy and style, using assertion and coercion. By making a direct request to Divisional Commanders to introduce the VSA to their respective divisions, through the VSA implementation teams, underpinning this with their legitimate power by virtue of their position within the force. The leader wanted to get their own way, however reluctant to take no for an answer from their Divisional Commanders. This resulted in conflict, which may have been avoided had the leader utilised a partnership or reason approach, justifying the reason behind their requests. Managing Conflict On some occasions leaders can use the previously discussed influencing strategies and power levels to assist them in managing conflict. Robbins (1996, cited in Leadership 2009) describes conflict as a process that begins when one party perceives that another has negatively effected, or is about to negatively effect, something that the first party cares about . Buchanan and Huczynski (2004) argue that conflict is a state of mind . Some will argue that conflict is a necessary part of organisational growth and development, where some will claim that an absence of conflict could be seen as an indication of complacency. However conflict has functional or potential benefits such as: Enabling opposing parties to gain a better understanding of each others views. An essential part of the process by which a team becomes effective. Leads alternative suggestions being made. Helps to implement a change successfully. Leads to an agreement that establishes a framework for future working. It is not always straight forward to manage conflict; some measures can be used to contribute to reducing the conflict at an organisational level reminding those involved of the rules and procedures, but also of remits, targets and goals of the organisation, however sometimes it is these that are the root causes of the conflict. Leaders will all handle conflict differently depending on the type of conflict faced; Thomas (1976, cited in Leadership 2009) suggests five styles for managing conflict: Avoiding this means doing nothing to tackle the conflict, this can be used when the issues are trivial and there is no chance of resolving the conflict. Accommodating this means accepting the existence of the conflict, this can be used to maintain harmony and allow people to learn from their mistakes. Compromising this involves some form of bargaining or negotiation; this can be used when getting a solution is important and both parties have equal power. Competing the opposite of accommodating and pursuing the interests of one party at the expense of the other, this can be used in an emergency and a quick solution is necessary. Collaborating working out a solution that is acceptable to both parties and meets all their concerns, used when it is important to gain long term commitment and issues are to important to compromise. Successful influencing and conflict management was certainly required with the initial introduction of the VSA. Firstly the leaders had to influence the core shifts and federation into accepting that it would provide a better quality of service and greater work life balance. The conflict arose through others unwilling to accept the terms of the VSA; however the leaders in managing this conflict firstly adopted an avoiding strategy during the initial pilot stage of the VSA. At the conclusion of the pilot and in preparation for roll out the leader, still facing resistance changed into competing. The leader believed the shift plan would work force wide and therefore would be implemented, with no consultation and no argument to justify the reasons for implementation. Either that or resort backwards to an older shift pattern. In implementing the VSA the Chief Constable has made effective use of their interpersonal skills, in their own distinct approach to this particular change management situation. However a more beneficial approach may have been a mix of accommodation, accepting that there were flaws in the VSA, and the existence of conflict with its implementation, collaborating with subordinates to work out a better solution for the long term strategy of the VSA. ANALYSE THE ROLE OF LEADERS IN ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE Organisational change is about closing the gap between where the organisation is at the moment and where it wants to be. It is the leaders role to close this gap. Senior (2002, cited in Leadership 2009) has identified four levels of change in which some, if not all would be involved in, Fine tuning Incremental adjustment Modular transformation Corporate transformation According to Senior the level of change that the VSA posed to the force was that of a modular transformation, as a significant number of the force, but not all, would be affected by its implementation. Kurt Lewin (cited in Leadership 2009) suggests that there are three main stages of change, unfreezing, change and refreezing. For the change to happen, the Leader firstly recognized the need for change, with a new shift pattern, following this with proprietary planning with the implementation team before the unfreezing stage. At this point resistance to the change should have been addressed, but the leader chose to avoid the conflict. The change period was overseen by the leader through chairing tasking meetings and monitoring its progress. During the refreezing period the VSA became an everyday part of life, the change was institutionalized, to give no chance of reverting back to previous shift patterns. Within these three stages people will play different roles in this organisational change; Kanter (1992, cited in Leadership 2009) distinguishes between three different types of people; Change strategists or initiators who initiate change and set the direction for it. Change implementers who co-ordinate and carry out the change. Change recipients who are effected by the change e.g. officers on the street. Change strategists are normally leaders the Chief Constable, change implementers are normally managers Divisional Commanders and the VSA implementation team, and subordinates are the recipients of change Officers on the core shifts. Force field analysis is a technique for analysing the internal and external drivers that can influence any organisational change; some of these driving factors for this organisational change can be identified as PESTEL factors, such as: Political MPs and councilors demanding more police presence on the streets. Economic overtime cost, reduced budget and the new Chief Constables promise to cut costs. Social-cultural alcohol induced anti social behavior. Nearly all forms of change will be met with some resistance, the VSA being no different. Strebel (1996, cited in Leadership 2009) argues that employees resist change because it disrupts the personal contract between employees and the organisation. Resisters to this organisational change can fall into different categories, Parochial self interest those employees resistant to change, they think that their position will be threatened and will make them worse off, the same employees that fall into Hersey and Blanchards R3 state of readiness. Misunderstanding and lack of trust employees misinterpreting the reasons behind the change, due to a lack of communication, viewing this change as just one of many For this organisational change to be successful the leader had to reduce resistors and increase drivers for change in an attempt to reach equilibrium. To do this they communicated the benefits of change, through more days off and a better work life balance; however there was an element of manipulation used to show employees that they would have more weekends off. Under the current shift pattern officers received one weekend off in every four, the VSA would allow two weekends off in every five. Look back at the current shift pattern over five weeks, officers were already receiving two weekends off in every five. The leader used this information selectively thus attempting to paint a rosy picture of the benefits of the VSA. A better way may have included an element of participation helping to build commitment to the change and negotiation, which could avoid some resistance from the employees affected by the change. CONCLUSION Drawing a conclusion for this essay, firstly considering the approach to leadership undertaken by the Chief Constable during this, change management situation. In their autocratic (or authoritarian) approach they concentrated in getting the job done and took responsibility for all the decisions made. Had the Chief Constable approached the organisational change according to Hersey and Blanchards situational leadership, identified their officers level of readiness and adopted the suggested leadership style, they may have been faced with less friction or resistance by the officers that would be affected by the VSA implementation. Secondly, in analysing the interpersonal skills and its effect on the organisational change, the Chief constable utilised their legitimate power to achieve the implementation, in adopting an assertion style of influencing with no argument to their request, coupling this with the conflict management style, by firstly avoiding and then competing. Had they followed an alternative style suggested by Thomas (1976) such as accommodating and accepting the existence of conflict or resistance to the VSA, they may have been able to negotiate better with the federation and the officers affected by the change to find out the root causes of conflict and address them at an early stage. Thirdly, considering the Chief Constables role within this organisational change was that of a change strategist, they initiated the VSA and set its direction, posing, as Senior (2002) identifies as a modular transformation to the force. With some officers resisting due to a parochial self interest, whilst others through misunderstanding and lack of trust in this change, the Chief Constable had to reset the balance by education and manipulation, driving his vision forward. One thing certain from this is the Chief Constable requires managers with the skill, knowledge and experience of organisational change, enabling them to have the ability to change and adapt their leadership style to suit each given change management situation. These managers may not be able to ease all of the resistance to change, but should be able to reduce it considerably to implement future changes that are required.