CHILDREN MODELING THEIR PARENTS' PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR Research Paper

CHILDREN MODELING THEIR PARENTS' PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR - Research Paper Example According his first two stages: when the children are between 3 to 6 years old (Stage 1) they cannot distinguish between their own interpretation of the situation and the other person’s point of view clearly. In the next stage (Stage 2, from 5 – 9 years) the children do realize the difference between their own perception and others but they are unable to understand it. This means that from the very early age the moral development of the child starts and the children learn and imitate their adults, with whom they are emotionally attached with, in their own social life (White, Burnam, 1975). Since from the recent years, the tradition of the families to live in isolation is becoming very common, therefore it is evident that most of the children, in the hope to be like them, are imitating their parents consciously or unconsciously (Schulman, & Mekler, 1994). The highest level of learning by a child is through modeled behavior. The chances of adoption will increase if the model is similar to the observer (child) and also share an admired status from him (Zohery, 1994). Children grow and discover best in the scenarios where they are appreciated and protected. Their physical desires are satisfied and they experience psychological security (Preusse, 2008). Keeping this in mind, the children that are exposed to pro- social activities by parents being their models can learn more quickly and adapt those qualities very easily as they are provided with the direction within a security. It has also been seen in the research that the young children who are very much dependent on others, aging from three to five are influenced by the modeling more, as compared to the elder children (Eisenberg, & Mussen, 1989). For this reason, they develop the psyche of the model and unconsciously they behave accordingly. Since in the childhood, the children are mos tly associated with their parents so automatically they develop the habits of their

Marketing of MonoSpace Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing of MonoSpace - Case Study Example Hatala is contemplating the following issues: Political: 90% of Kone's sales come from international markets. This makes it very vulnerable to political stability in its global markets for example Italy is one of the markets of Kone and elevator regulations are governed in Italy by parliament. Thus , to bring MonoSpace i.e. an elevator without a machine room in compliance with standards , it would require an act by the parliament. Economical: The performance of elevator industry is directly proportional to the performance of the construction industry. The construction industry has maximum potential in developing countries rather than the developed countries. The reason for this is that the developed countries have maximized their growth potential whereas the developing countries would require heavy spending on construction to build malls, offices and other infrastructure. Thus, the most economically feasible regions for Kone products would be the less developed Asian and Australian markets as compared to the developed European and EU markets. Social: It can be argued that the MonoSpace elevators are a hard sell since it requires a unanimous decision of people from different backgrounds for e.g. the owner might be affluent and influential wanting perfection in the looks and features of the elevator, the contractor would be worried about the cost benefit analysis and the property developer would be thinking about the cost saving versus the benefit of space saved. Technological: elevator market is a technologically driven market. However, technology that is being applied is at the back office rather than on the consumer side. The consumer is only impressed by the ride comfort and speed of the elevator. The customer i.e. the owner investor or the property developer, contractor etc would be interested in the performance (maintenance cost, Hazards involved), initial investment and the space that is being used by the elevator machine room. This space is rendered useless for the owner since the elevators are using it. The reason behind the margin erosion phenomena is that the features directly impacting the customer (the owner, contractor and property developer) are similar by all the various competitors and there is not much differentiation in the end product. Gearless Traction Gear traction Hydraulic 10% 30% 60% Commercial Buildings High rise Less than 6 floors Low rise Legislative: In France, Kone had received approval only for ten installations. It can be deduced from this that having a machine room less elevator is a benefit provided to the customers however, it has widespread concerns and ambiguities and customers as well as the various governments would like to test the new MonoSpace product first for reliability before letting it be installed all over their regions. Environmental: Unlike the hydraulic elevators, which use two hundred plus liters of oil,

Comparison of Weber and Durkheim

Comparison of Weber and Durkheim Anomie and forced division of labour for Durkheim and rationalization and bureaucracy for Weber summed up the problem of industrial societies. Discuss. Introduction Emile Durkheim Max Weber Conclusion Bibliography Introduction Anomie represents a concept that was introduced by Emile Durkheim (1997, pp. 303-304) in â€Å"The Division of Labor in Society†, which was first printed in 1893. Durkheim (1997, pp. 303-304) utilized the word to describe the deregulation of society whereby the rules representing how people should behave with respect to their interaction with each other was breaking down thus creating confusion as to what in what others expected from one another. In said book, Durkheim (1997, p. 184) advises that that term is where the moral and social norms are not clear, and the removal of behavioural limits represented a path to deviant behaviour. Durkheim is credited with turning sociology into a science as well as its installation as part of the academic curriculum on France, and is considered by many to be the father of sociology (emile-durkheim.com, 2006). Max Weber (cepa.newschool.edu, 2007) is also recognized as one of the founders of sociology. He advises us on many instances that in the world of modernity, that the gods have deserted us (Turner, 1993, pp. 115-117). As Durkheim focused upon a set of social features that represented the subject of sociology, Weber essentially is considered as defining sociology (Marxists Internet Archive, 1999). This exercise shall delve into concepts and terms with respect to how anomie and forced division of labour under Durkheim, and rationalization and bureaucracy for Weber summed up the problem of industrial societies. Durkheim In defining sociology as an academic subject, Durkheim separated sociology from psychology, philosophy as well as economics and other disciplines through stating that sociologists study features of group life (About Sociology, 2007). Durkheim defines solidarity as representing the cohesion of society’s human groupings into social unity, which can consist of mechanical as well as organic (Durkheim, 1997, p. 13-14). Mechanical solidarity represents a condition whereby the individuals within a society are linked via a ‘conscience collective’ (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 61-65). The preceding represents a condition whereby the belief systems and the sentiments that are common in the citizens within the same society (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 31-33). Thus, the individuals within the society are connected, or linked to each other as a result of their common beliefs, thereby belonging to society as opposed to belonging to themselves (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 31-33). A horde is what Durkhei m (1997, pp. 126-127) termed a group or collection of people whereby their cohesiveness is founded in resemblances. Such a group, horde, has no organization or form, and within this group the collective membership look upon each other as kin, whether or not such a relationship exists by blood or union (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 126-127). Within such a group, horde, punishments and responsibility are collective in action and nature and represent the more primitive, or non evolved societal types whereby individual personalities are submerged in the collectivity of the group (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 126-127). As individuals come to rely upon others, outside of themselves for various aspects of life, they have, or are moving towards an organic solidarity (Durkheim, 1997, pp. 69-71). People become and are reliant upon each other whereby individuals have parts to contribute to society as a part of the whole, whereby responsibility to others is a trait as well as moral character (Durkheim, 1997, p. 77). The foregoing is important in understanding the interactions within society that he termed as the moral density (Durkheim, 1997, p. 201). The preceding, moral density is proportionately linked to the division of labor within a society (Turner, 1993, p. 3). Moral density represents an important factor in understanding what causes increased division of labor. Durkheim’s (1993, pp. 113) believes in this revolved around two facets that he thought were responsible for the preceding, material density and social volume. The former, Durkheim states is (Turner, 1993, p. 113): â€Å"Social life is based on a substratum whose size and form alike are determined. It is made up of the mass of individuals that constitute society, the manner of their geographical distribution and the nature and configuration of the whole range of phenomena that affect collective relations. The social substratum varies in relation to the size or density of the population, to whether it is concentrated in towns or scattered in rural areas, to the layout of the towns and houses, to whether the space occupied by the society concerned is large or small, to the kind of frontiers by which it is bounded, to the transport links which run the length and breadth of it, etc, On the other hand, the makeup of this substratum directly or indirectly affects all social phenomena, in the same way as all psychic phenomena are in mediate or immediate relation to the state of the brain. So these are all problems that are patently concerned with sociology and which, as they all refer to the same obj ect, must be part of one science. It is this science we propose to call social morphology.† Social volume, Durkheim states is (Turner, 1993, p. 116): â€Å"†¦as the various elements constituting the group grow more numerous, yet without at the same time ceasing to be closely connected, individuals can only hold their own if they become differentiated, if each chooses a task and a lifestyle of his own in this enlarged battlefield, where the intensity of the struggle grows in keeping with the number of the combatants. The division of labor thus becomes the primary condition of social equilibrium. And indeed, this simultaneous increase in the volume and density of societies is the major new element distinguishing the nations of today from those of former times; this is probably one of the principal factors dominating history as a whole; at any rate, it is the cause which explains the transformations which social solidarity has undergone.† Durkheim (Turner, 1993, pp. 98-99) brings together the facets of anomie, organic solidarity and â€Å"the abnormal forms of the division of labor† through â€Å"distinguished three pathological forms: the anomic, the enforced division of labor, and ‘another abnormal form’, which might be termed lack of internal organizational coordination†. With respect to the foregoing anomie â€Å"is expressed in economic crises, the antagonism between capital and labor, and anarchy in science, arises at times of rapid change, during which new organs and functions develop without a corresponding development of rules of cooperation and therefore of social ties† (Turner, 1993, p. 98). Anomie, represents the rapid as well as radical change in social conditions that presents itself as â€Å"the lack of regulation or deregulation† Turner, 1993, p. 98). Durkheim (Turner, 1993, p. 98) explains that the foregoing does not represent a â€Å"fundamental crisis of the system, but rather a crisis of adaptation, and continuous contact will eventually produce new rules and a new functional equilibrium between the divided functions, thus assuring social integration†. Whereas â€Å"anomie can be eliminated by the gradual development of new rules, in the case of the enforced division of labor it is ‘these very rules themselves which are the cause of the ills† (Turner, 1993, p. 98). The preceding represents when the rules and underpinnings of society are not responsive to the underlying changes in the fabric of society, and thus the established order is retained by force (Turner, 1993, p. 98). This represents the abnormal form of the division of labor that is representative of privileged positions being held by birth and social standing as opposed to abilities and talents Turner, 1993, p. 99). The condition, asserts can be alleviated through the adoption of â€Å"formal equality of opportunity †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as â€Å"†¦ freedom to choose a profession† (Durkheim Turner, 1993, p. 99). Max Weber Breiner (1996, p. 26) advises that the critics of Weber’s approach to social science have issues with his reduction of â€Å"all socially interpreted activity to instrumental rationality†. Those who interpret him in a sympathetic manner see â€Å"his focus on the interpretation of the meaningful conduct of social agents a strong argument in favor of the subservience of explanation to the rules or everyday understandings under which actions are intelligible† (Breiner, 1996, p. 26). Turner (1993, p. 4) advises us to be circumspect with regard to Weber’s approach to modernism and rationalization as â€Å"he remained highly ambiguous about the content and consequences† with regard to the foregoing. The preceding, Turner (1993, p. 5) states that the preceding is a result of â€Å"Weber’s ambiguities over capitalism were also expressed in his ambivalent attitudes to socialism as a rational planning of the market†. He, Weber, argues that â₠¬Å"socialism was another step in the growth of rational management of resources; socialism represented a further development of the second serfdom—to calculation, planning, and instrumental rationalism† (Turner, 1993, p. 5). Turner (1993, p. 5) further informs us that â€Å"main issue in Weber’s political sociology is the absence of any analysis of the processes of democratization, about which Weber remained skeptical, if not dismissive†. He (Turner, 1993, p. 5) supports the preceding in stating that â€Å"In this respect, Weber was significantly influenced by Robert Michels’s theory of ‘the iron law of oligarchy’, which suggested that all mass-party organization would come to depend on an elite†. To further understand Weber’s meaning, before we delve into the preceding further, we must understand vocational politics, which represents a vocation, stating that â€Å"For everything that is striven for through political action, operating with violent means and following an ethic of responsibility, endangers the salvation of the soul† (Breiner, 1996, p. 6). Weber continues: â€Å"If, however, one chases after the ultimate good in a war of beliefs, following a pure ethic of absolute ends, then the goals may be damaged and discredited for generations, because responsibility for the consequences are lacking and those diabolic forces which enter into play remain unknown to the actor. These [forces] are inexorable and produce consequences for his action and even for his inner self, to which he must helplessly submit, unless he perceives them†. His â€Å"ambiguity over whether he is giving an impartial general account of the logic of methodical action or a subjective situation-bound account of the multiple logics that constitute the different terrains of action† along with vocational politics have bearing on his concept of rationalization as it tends to skew his view against democracy â€Å"by appealing to objective standards of feasibility while maintaining that commitment to either form is a matter of personal choice† (Breiner, 1996, p. 10). The foregoing has direct bearing upon Weber’s concept of rationalization (Breiner, 1996, p. 10). The preceding thus permits us to explore Weber’s approach and concepts of modernisation within what Turner (1993, p. 12) calls â€Å"a Weberian conceptualization of modern social change†. Within modernity the social as well as cultural facets of life do not point us towards an orderly life, but instead â€Å"a number of life spheres whose demands are objective and not influenced by the subject† (Breiner, 1996, p. 59). Each of these spheres is represented by â€Å"its own logic of action† (Breiner, 1996, p. 59). Turner (1993, p. 16) advises that â€Å"In bureaucracy, rationalization produced a system of reliable, dependable decision-making for the realization of public goals†. Weber argues that â€Å"Secularization had liberated human beings from the magical world of the ancients†, and that â€Å"the very same processes of rationalization threaten to subordinate imagination and inspiration to the demands of standardized routines and technical procedures† (Turner, 1993, pp. 16-17). Turner (1993, p. 17) continues â€Å"they threaten to produce a new characterology of soulless, machine-like robots†. The preceding is contained in context in Weber’s address of September 1919 (Turner, 1993, p. 17). â€Å"The fate of our age, with its characteristic rationalization and intellectualization and above all the disenchantment of the world is that the ultimate, most sublime values have withdrawn from public life, either into the transcendental realm of mystical life or into the brotherhood of immediate personal relationships between individuals. It is no accident that our greatest art is intimate rather than monumental, nor is it fortuitous that today only in the smallest groups, between individuals, something pulsates in pianissmo which corresponds to the prophetic pneuma which formerly swept through great communities like fire and welded them together† Conclusion The bureaucratic maze sees â€Å"the projects of political actors may collide not only with the maximizing logic of economic actors seeking power over the market but also with the logic or bureaucracy, which undermines this economic logic† (Briener, 1996, pp. 115-116). In order to overcome the preceding, Weber explains that the political actors â€Å"may have to mobilize masses of citizens under party machines† (Briener, 1996, p. 116). Turner (1993, p. 92) explains that under â€Å"patrimonialism, at each stage of the tax-gathering exercise and at each level of the bureaucracy, the tax-yield was progressively creamed-off by the bureaucracy†. The bureaucratic nature of the new state systems utilized bureaucratic level to administer programs that were overseen by inefficient levels of management and response to the public good, thus creating a tax based support system that stood upon the back of its supporters (Turner, 1993, p. 93). The preceding stifled creativity and innovation within the system as those in power seeking to maintain their power acted out of their own self interests and political interest first, as opposed to a view to the future that would have benefited their nation as a whole. This defensive posture of holding onto the popular and or accepted views in face of better approaches is a hallmark of bureaucracy which dehumises the human element in support of its own well being and safekeeping. The bureaucracy nature of industrial societies is still in force today, whereby the conforming to the norm represents the belief systems for the majority of its populations thus making Weber’s â€Å"soulless, machine-like robots† Turner, 1993, p. 17)a reality for the lower and middle classes. An upper class still does exist as defined by educational attainment and or family heritage, and this can be found throughout the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and other industrialized nations whereby the founders of major corporations have the heirs and or appointees installed as the operative heads of these machines of capitalisation. This brings us back to Durkheim’s forced division of labor (Turner, 1993, pp. 98-99)which still exists and is a control factor in modern industrialized societies as indicated by the aforementioned educational and heritage facets. The existence of unions and associations to obtain rights and conditions for workers is proof of the foregoing, for if the machinery of society were in fact skewed to all of its individuals, then the need for these types of organizations would not be necessary. This is brings us to what Durkheim (Turner, 1993, p. 98) stated as a â€Å"fundamental crisis of the system, but rather a crisis of adaptation, and continuous contact will eventually produce new rules and a new functional equilibrium between the divided functions, thus assuring social integration†. Privileged positions are to a large degree still a factor of one’s birth, with specialised higher education and contacts representing a path to the upper echelons. Thus Durkheim and Web er were prophetic in their analysis and understandings on some facets. Bibliography About Sociology (2007) Emile Durkheim. Retrieved o 27 May 2007 from http://www.aboutsociology.com/sociology/Emile_Durkheim Briener, P. (1996) Max Weber Democratic Politics. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, N.Y., United States cepa.newschool.edu (2007) Max Weber, 1864-1920. Retrieved on 27 May 2007 from http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/profiles/weber.htm Durkheim, E. (1997) The Division of Labor in Society. Free Press. New York, United States emile-durkheim.com (2006) Emile Durkheim (1858-1917). Retrieved on 27 May 2007 from http://www.emile-durkheim.com/ Marxists Internet Archive (1999) Max Weber: Definition of Sociology. Retrieved on 27 May 2007 from http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/weber.htm Turner, S. (1993) Emile Durkheim: Sociologist and Moralist. Routledge Publishers, New York, United States Turner, B. (1993) Max Weber: From History to Modernity. Routledge Publications, London, United Kingdom

Impressions of America :: History

Impressions of America I have been in this country for almost three months now. One of the biggest challenges is getting along peacefully with the native population. To Americans one of the most important things is to make sure that no one gets insulted or hurt and that everyone is heard. Some would go to the extent of not revealing their true opinion, in order to avoid confrontation. In some group discussion decisions, if reached at all, are made after making long, tedious conversation about the topic at hand. While there are some merits to this kind of behavior, other aspects of interpersonal aspects are lost, such as frankness and being open to one another. Sitting among other international students enhances these observations by listening to the so-called â€Å"outsiders† talk amongst themselves. On one occasion a fellow student tried to explain something to his friend from another foreign country that he had different opinions from him on a certain subject, talking and describing the matter and â€Å"beating around the bush† as they say, when all of a sudden the listener said,† Just say what you think – don’t be an American.† I was amazed that someone noticed or thought the same way I did. Being misunderstood is one of the most common feelings I’ve felt since arriving at J.F.K. Airport. People being insulted or puzzled next to me is a pretty common site and a thing I’ve gotten use to, maybe due to my cynicism or the lack of interest in what other people think about me, a thing that is inconceivable by most Americans that I have gotten to meet. Local manners â€Å"state† that if another person did not take a liking to what you said or did then you must take that into consideration and try to avoid saying or doing that again. This is something that is very polite and considerate but steels away our individuality and personality and at times takes away the ability to really know the person next to you in class or at work. The people I encountered here are diverse and intelligent and by majority, opened to new ideas and way of thought. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, â€Å"Are you planning to stay here after school?† Or, â€Å"Do you like it here?† These are questions that show interest in me and my future but at times are also implying a certain fear or distrust of foreigners.

Whip it

Bliss is curious about joining the roller derby team while in Austin, TX for the derby event, but her friend, Pass, is doubtful about her actually trying out for the team. Pass brings up several factors about why Bliss wouldn't try out Including her not having the guts to try out, her not being as tough as the other roller derby girls, and the fact that her mother would disapprove of It. Plus, although Pass TLD exactly mention It, Bliss wasn't the appropriate age to Join the team. She had to be 21 to join the team and she was only 17.I felt like Pass was bringing up all of Bliss' flaws not to put her down, but to make her want to prove her wrong and go for it. As the movie explores the relationship between Bliss and her mother, I feel like nobody's really happy with each other's decisions. Bliss wants to find direction in her life and follow her heart's desire while her mother aspires for her to be a beauty queen like she once was as a teen. Even though they both don't really see eye to eye about their differences, Bliss goes along with her mom's wishes o please her, so in a sense, I suppose her mother is happier in the situation.The things that they have In common are their love for each other even if it's not shown too often throughout the film, and their passion for what they love to do In life: Bliss' roller derby racing and her mother's beauty pageants. How Bliss and her mother view each other Is pretty similar. Her mother sees beauty and Intelligence wealth Bliss, and feels that both can surface by competing in the beauty pageants. Bliss also sees the beauty in her mother, although her mom feels like this has faded away wrought the years.Bliss' mother sees herself as a former beauty queen who has aged and often reflects on the days when she was younger. Bliss sees herself as a girl who just isn't the beauty pageant type, but has other special qualities about her that may not set well with her mother. I view Bliss as a girl who knows that there's courage a nd strength within her and strives to bring them out. From the very beginning of the movie, I felt that she knew there was a certain path she was supposed to be following but was uncertain of what It was.From her dyeing her hair blue and becoming Interested In roller derby at the head shop that day, I think she knew that she was different and was destined to be a free spirit. I view her mother as someone who honestly just wants the best for her daughters, but can be too overprotective of them and unreceptive to what they truly want out of life. She's definitely strong and stands firm in her beliefs, it even showed in her facial expressions that she was a woman of dignity. I got the feeling that she knew how tough life can be and she didn't want her daughters going through any mind of pain if she could help it.I could see her reasons for wanting to protect Bliss from the world, but I feel that she shouldn't have pushed her beauty pageant dreams onto Bliss. With Bliss' participation i n roller derby racing, I feel like it liberated her and helped her confront her mother about what she really wants to do with her life. I also feel that she gave her father a sense of pride which we can see by him putting her Jersey number In the yard at the end of the movie. We could see how her decision affected her family as a whole.What roller derby almost costs her was her almost consumed by her newfound life of roller derby, and she had to really face the good and bad that came with it. Vive experienced this as well with some of my leisurely choices. Vive learned that no matter what you're passionate about, there's always an upside and downside waiting for you Just down the road. The key to not letting the downsides knock you off your axis is to stay focused and to never let friends and family fall to the wayside while pursuing that passion.

Dually-Diagnosed Individuals

Dually-diagnosed individuals refer to a â€Å"group of patients with severe and persistent mental illness and co-existing drug and alcohol problems† (Burns-Lynch, 1997). Patients are more likely to go through physical, psychological, social, and spiritual problems, not only affecting their families and loved ones, but the community as a whole.Some of these include family or intimate relationship, isolation and social withdrawal, financial problems, employment/ school problems, risky behavior while driving, multiple admission for chemical dependency services and for psychiatric care, increased need for health care services, legal problems, and homelessness (Hamilton, n. d. ).More importantly, the condition of the patients could get worse with psychiatric symptoms being masked by alcohol or drug use, alcohol or drug use or withdrawal that can mimic or give the appearance of some psychiatric illness, untreated chemical dependency that can contribute to a reoccurrence of psychiatr ic symptoms, and untreated psychiatric illness that can contribute to an alcohol or drug relapse (â€Å"Dual Diagnosis or Co-Occurring Disorders†, n. d. ).Certain treatments can be done, such as the care/ confrontation methods (choosing between managers who will care for the patients, or allow the client to care for himself), the abstinence-oriented/ abstinence-mandated programs (which depends on the willingness on the patient to remain abstinent, or abstinence will be made a goal), and the recovery and rehabilitation method/ deinstitutionalization (which focuses on restricting the patient in an intensive setting or allowing him to recover in the community) (Burns-Lynch, 1997).The law requires the safety of every member of the community. Dangers can be posed by dually diagnosed individuals. But it also has to be kept in mind that they too are people who need extra care and understanding. Man has a duty to help other men in times of need. Caring for dually-diagnosed individual s will not only bring safety to the patients, but to all members of the community as well.

Entomology essays

Entomology essays Entomology is the study of insects, involving their biology and control in relation to their environment and to man. Entomology also had an independent scientific discipline which had roots in biology. Some entomologists are involved in reducing harmful species of insects that destroy food, housing, plants, and clothing and cause discomfort and disease to humans, livestock and household pets. Others develop ways to increase growth rate and spread the insects that provide food, pollinate crops, assist in destroying harmful insects, or are eaten as food by birds and fish. Entomologists primarily work in areas of research, college instruction, medical entomology, extension entomology, regulatory work, and commercial entomology. They engage in applied research and find new ways to manage pest insects by implementing the discoveries made by basic researchers. More people work in this field of entomology than any other field. The purpose of this research is to find safe and effective means for preventing the loss caused by the many species that harm people, domestic animals, or plants. Scientists integrate a variety of methods including the use of natural control agents like parasites, predators, and microorganisms. Because some synthetic chemicals can harm the environment, they are used rarely to control insect pests. Most entomologists are employed in the fields of college instruction and agriculture. A person who begins with a bachelor's degree can expect to earn from $20, 000 to $24,000 a year. They may work as a lab or research assistant for a private school or business in a university setting. Most scientists go on to earn graduate degrees. The salaries for those people range from $33,000 to $37,000 a year. A full professor at a college or university is paid up to $50,000 a year. I dont really think this type of science would be interesting to me. I'm not really sure what branch of chemistry would intere ...

Analytic Response to Amy Tans short story entitled Two Kinds

Analytic Response to Amy Tans short story entitled Two Kinds â€Å"Two Kinds† by Amy Tan is a short story about a mother and her daughter who have different views on various issues in life. The story is about a young girl’s (named Jing-mei) refusal to her mother’s persistent urge to make her experience the American dream, which is the hope of most immigrants.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Analytic Response to Amy Tans short story entitled Two Kinds specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The mother in the story held the opinion that her daughter was intelligent and thus attempted all means to ensure that the daughter became a music prodigy; however, the daughter turned her efforts down through taking advantage of her deaf music teacher and failed to do enough practice to perfect her skills in music. A literary analysis of the short story reveals that is an excellent work of literature. The story, which is in the genre of conformity and rebellion, is the last of Tan’s loose collection of interrelated stories in his first successful novel The Joy Luck Club. As hinted above, the story illustrates a conflict between two well-articulated positions wherein a rebel, on principle, meets head-on and fights against an established authority. The main theme of the story is about the complicated relationships that exist between mothers and daughters in the contemporary society. Specifically, the author intended to depict the complexities that exist between the Chinese mothers who hold to traditional principles and their American-born daughters who are in a dilemma either to fulfill the dictates of their Chinese tradition or to pursue the supposedly ‘good life’ in the United States. To depict successfully the issue of supremacy and authority on the mother’s side and conformity and toughness on Jing-mei’s part, the author used the tone of rebellion and dissatisfaction.Advertising Looking for critical writing on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The diverse life experiences, diverse approaches towards life, and diverse expectations in the story resulted in the tension between the mother and the daughter in the story; nonetheless, after the mother’s demise, the tone of the story changed to belated insight and remorse when the daughter realized the meaning of her mother’s assertion of â€Å"two kinds of daughters† in her. In the story, the author constructed the mother daughter dynamic with the story’s protagonist, the young girl, having a round character. The protagonist in the story appears to be a complicated character as she has both inner and outside clashed all through the entire story. On the other hand, the mother seems to be a bit controlling since she is the mother, an established center of authority, particularly in matriarchal Chinese society. The author used variou s techniques to depict the setting of the story. The phrase, â€Å"The TV was old and the sound kept shouting out† (Tan, para.12) depicts the economic status of the family. The majority of both temporal and social conditions are illustrated by means of the narration and description for the series of the events in the story such as the mother having come to the United States in 1949 and the use of reference of the names Shirley Temple and The Ed Sullivan Show. Lastly, to increase the attention of the audience on the progress of the story, Tan used the narrator’s point of view. As the story’s main character, Jing Mei is also an omniscient narrator and she gives an account that is totally from her point of view. Even though she does not know what her mother thinks, she gives a compelling portrayal of the dealings of her mother.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Analytic Response to Amy Tans short story entitled Two Kinds specifica lly for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tan, Amy. â€Å"Two Kinds.† Angelfire.com. Angel Fire, n.d. Web. angelfire.lycos.com/

A Letter Concerning the Tuition Fee Increase in the Campus Essay Example for Free

A Letter Concerning the Tuition Fee Increase in the Campus Essay ? This academic year in our school had been very exciting and full of learning for the students. The school had been efficient enough in providing us the quality education that students’ need in preparation of their future careers. However it had been a serious issue in the campus among us, students, the continued increase in our tuition and other fees.   Students see, that in order to escalate further the quality of education in our school, the school has to face strenuous modifications in technology, books, and other school facilities. However, there would always a need for students to be consulted first about the issue, because these matters would always concern us. Along with the increase in the tuition fee is the increase in all other fees. Why? First, if the school would not fight for a greater state subsidy, then the school had to pay for the bills, the salary as well as to the technology and materials it would employed. With this matter, the budget would come from the tuition of the students and everything else would be increased; Internet fee, laboratory fee, school paper, etc. Second, education is supposed to be a right and not just a privilege, but with the continued increase in the tuition fee, along with other miscellaneous fees in the campus, there had been an apparent decline in the enrollment rate compared to the previous years. This only shows that few students were able to access the right to education because of the increase. Hence, there is a significant relationship between tuition fee increase and to the limited access of students to education (Dalton 2006). A similar study from the Rand Corporation in 1995 indicated that for every 10percent increase in the tuition fee of the students, there would be a 1.97 percent in the enrollment of the focus of study. Third, the effect of tuition fee and other fee increases would be felt less by those of the middle class brackets. Most of the burden would be felt by those in the lower class; usually with among black and with ethnic backgrounds. Accordingly, majority of the students in most schools were usually coming from the lower bracket and they were the ones who were greatly affected. The school is the only way for these students to move to the next ladder in the society. The tendencies for these students are to dropout or to transfer to a cheaper school with low educational standards. Needless to say, the educational preparation that they got is not enough to equip them for a high paying job in the future. The tuition fee increase that the school implemented is a subtle permit for the state to less care for the educational welfare of its citizens. Students are wary of the fact, that because of the tuition fee increase, we have to burden ourselves with part time jobs more than double just to compensate for the shortage in budget. Students recognized that tuition fee increase in needed to uplift the educational quality in this school. However, it is too fast and too soon to implement. Students are not prepared yet; emotionally, physically and financially.   There was no consultation in the increase in fees. It had always been our right to know and the responsibility for this school to be transparent. The students carried the baggage of financial hardship just to beautify the school, but the education that we got before then was still the same as now. Except of course in slight innovations in the laboratory facilities and in technology, the same education system we got from the school. If tuition fee increase is really bound to happen, we wanted to be prepared for it. We wanted an apparent positive change in the learning that we got; of course it is not to say that we got no learning from this school, it is just that, the change in learning is just minimal. This school has been our battleground to combat poverty, to uplift our situations and to gain learning. If the school is to increase its tuition fee and other fees, we expect that it would also provide subsidy through scholarship, or other alternative solutions to augment our financial difficulties. As well as it is the responsibility of our parents to finance our education; it is also the responsibility of the state to provide to its people the right to education. But how could we get this if tour very right has now become a mere privilege. The sad fact is, not the privilege of the majority but of the few only.   If we are destined to suffer from the tuition fee and other fee increases, would it be right that we would also demand great changes in everything. Would the payment that we give, be enough for us to pose subordinate command over our instructors and over other employees; anyway, we paid for them. Students believe, that in this school, students of characters should be made and not just a mere passive, technologically dependent ones. We need support to develop our minds, which is the role of this school. But where would we go now if this school would deprive us of that need? We seek to be consulted first, we need data of its great benefits on us, and we need alternatives for the increase that is accessible for everybody and not only for the few. [Name of the Sender] [Position/Occupation] Works Cited Dalton, McGuinty. â€Å"Canandian Federation of students.† 8 March 2006 A Letter Concerning the Tuition Fee Increase in the Campus. (2017, Feb 21).

Implementing & managing change (in tables) Assignment

Implementing & managing change (in tables) - Assignment Example National planning exercises are fundamentally important undertakings for any government. Nevertheless, the plans drafted to be used in the realization of national goals and objectives may be variant from one country to another due to a number of reasons. Basic to the explanation is that countries often differ in visions, resource endowment as well as the stage of economic development. Moreover, planning documents may be different in on the time stipulated for the development process or realization of the set aims. In this understanding, this paper therefore, focuses on comparing national development plan documents for three countries; England, Scotland as well as the Wales. The analysis will focus on the aims as well as objectives outlined in either, the primary focus of development, time frame within which the plan is to be actualized as well as likelihood of its success. This paper therefore, presents a discussion in segments which will be under the above sub-headings.

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 14

Economic - Essay Example In times preceding the period of Renaissance, regions in the European continent were divided in forms of principalities. The Pope of the church was considered to be the representative of God and King of a principality was considered to be the representative of Pope. Common men in the principalities did not have the freedom to undertake decisions regarding any facets of livelihood. After this era of brutality and cruelty on mankind, Europe faced the age of â€Å"rebirth† or Renaissance. Following that, Europe experienced a socialistic economic system for a long period of time. However, from the theory of Karl Marx, it can be stated that towards end of the 18th century, economy of Western Europe had experienced a capitalistic form of market system. The capitalist class in the economy were the merchants, who owned land as well as newly invented and superior state of technology (Hoffman, 2000). The labour resource, at that point of time, was almost utilized a non-living materialis tic resource. The population of the nations of Western Europe were significantly increasing. The economies were subjected to product and food crisis. Land owning farmers started to sell off their lands for establishing new factories. Crisis and scarcity forced economies to become more productive in nature. So, in order to become more productive, economies undertook the process of industrialization in Western Europe in early 19th century. Colonial rule became a common method of territory expansion for these Western European nations as economies required adequate raw agricultural inputs from its conquered colonies, for sustaining the demand for its new industrial sector. Industrialization had initially taken place in the economy of Japan in Asia, in the second-half of 19th century. However, in the latter half of 20th century, industrialization was experienced in other major economies of the Asian Continent, like, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan

Management skill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management skill - Essay Example A part of the preparation process would also include elements such as preparing refreshments, making child care arrangements, ensuring adequate supplies of stationary and water and similar aspects. The third element is the actual meeting Process. This would involve the need to strike a balance between the (a) task dimension, which means what needs to be done in order to go through the necessary business for the meeting and (b) the maintenance dimension, which involves paying attention to the needs of those who will be present at the meeting and the interrelationships between them. The last element is the actual Practical action that is taken and the recording and evaluation of the outcomes of the meeting, through the inclusion of the minutes of meetings. This would also involve evaluating how people feel about the meetings and whether group problems have been identified and solved appropriately by the group. The Johari window of self images is a square containing 4 windows. Out of th e four windows, the one titled â€Å"My secrets† is the area that only the person concerned knows, while the window marked â€Å"my unconscious self† is the area that can be seen by no one, but which nevertheless, influences the individual’s personality. The window marked â€Å"my areas of ignorance† are those which cannot be seen by the person but can only be seen by others. Since this is an area that can only be seen by others, it is important that other people tell us about them in order for us to improve. Since the window marked â€Å"my unconscious self† is not visible to anyone, self disclosure is very important in order to illuminate this area through psychometric testing in order to illuminate what may be present in this window. The Myers Briggs test is the best indicator of personality type and is based upon self assessment that is derived from the inner mental processes. The five major mental processes are perceiving, judging, sensing, fe eling, thinking and intuition. Although all of the mental processes are used, most people tend to use one or the other to a greater or lesser extent and the degree to which the mental processes are used would constitute the kind of personality that the person has. Disclosure is very important in order to arrive at an evaluation and assessment of one’s inner traits and personality and to illuminate those areas which are not easily visible or evident to others. Since these are extremely private areas of one’s personality, it is not easy to extract pertinent information in this regard and people may be especially reluctant to disclose such information to others within a team context. One of the ways in which this process of disclosure can be facilitated is through explaining the relevance and importance of the Johari window testing. Individuals can build trust between themselves through the process of disclosing information about themselves, which would help them to learn more about themselves and build more trusting relationships with each other. The difficulties inherent in self disclosure are that it is difficult for individuals to divulge personal and uncomfortable details about themselves to other people. Disclosure in team settings can be

Heart attacks and stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Heart attacks and stress - Essay Example Medicine Net (2010) has reported that if left unmanaged, stress can lead to emotional, psychological, and even physical problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pains, or irregular heart beats (Medicine Net, 2010). Stress can increase both the blood pressure and the cholesterol level in our body which can lead to heart attacks. This paper focussing mainly on stress related heart attacks. In simple terms Heart attack is the blocking of blood flow to the heart due to some problems. Barrier less flow of blood to and fro heart is essential for the smooth functioning of heart. Heart pumps blood to all over our body through veins and whenever this pumping disrupted, heart functions may cease. â€Å"If the flow of blood isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle becomes damaged from lack of oxygen and begins to die† (What Is a Heart Attack?, 2008) Heart attacks are common both in men and women. Different reasons were cited as the cause of heart attacks, But generally it is accepted that lack of physical workouts and changing life styles are the major reasons behind heart attacks. The current generation is tied with so many commitments to their family, society and to the workplace. It is difficult for a layman to manage all this commitments equally well. The failure in the management of commitments may result in increased level of stresses and stress causes many physical and mental problems and heart attacks are one among them. Friedman and Rosenman were the first to explain why specific behaviours (overt pattern behaviour A" or Type A) could cause heart attacks and contribute to coronary artery disease. Stress can cause accelerated atherosclerosis and coronary occlusion that is associated with elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, and free fatty acids, increased fibrinogen, haptoglobin, plasma seromucoids, platelet aggregation and adhesiveness, polycythemia, and accelerated blood clotting (Stress And Heart

Criminal law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Criminal law - Assignment Example I believe that the wearing of the disguises added more intent to the crime. The use of violence also added necessitated the treatment of the crime as an adult offense. Section 8 of the Theft Act 1968 is primarily the law relevant to this case2. Robbery is considered an aggravated form of theft which involves force or the threat of force on a person. The robbery is further aggravated in this case by the wearing of disguises3. In general, the act of Alura includes the various elements of the crime of robbery, where an individual who steals, immediately before or at the time of stealing, uses force or threat of force, on any person, and uses such force or threat of force in order to steal4. The law is accurately portrayed in the article, as the elements of the crimes constituting robbery are presented in the article. What is downplayed however in the discussion is the age of the offender which is below the age of majority. In taking issue with discernment, the fact that the minor was ab le to plan out the crimes and having the foresight and skills to prepare disguises to conceal his identity indicates adequate discernment which should make him liable as an adult offender, therefore be treated and sentenced as such. 2. Graff Diamonds robber Aman Kassaye jailed for 23 years The issue discussed by the article refers to the crime of robbery, the sentence imposed by the courts, and the different aggravating elements which included the commission of the offense. The conspiracy to rob committed by the other conspirators to the crime was also indicated in the article5. I believe that the article covered the major elements pertinent to the robbery. As was discussed in the earlier article, the use of force or the threat or force or violence aggravates theft into robbery6. Moreover, impunity is added to the robbery with the use of disguises to the commission of the crime, hence the sentence of the offenders is in the higher ranges7. The cases of R v. Harding and R v. Eubank d emonstrate the increase in penalty for offenders carrying out armed robberies, with the use of firearms subject to a separate count. The kidnap of the shop assistant also constitutes another crime, which was also treated separately by the court in terms of sentence imposition8. All these elements of the crime combined led to the higher range of sentence imposed on the criminals. The law is more or less accurately portrayed in the article, especially in terms of the higher penalty imposed for the criminals, and the pertinent aggravating circumstances mentioned in the article. The fact that the crime is committed with firearms, with disguises, and with violence indicates elements which the courts would consider in order to establish the existence of the crime of robbery. The article however does not indicate why the sentences are different for the three offenders when they are all conspirators to the same offense. The article also does not mention the damages which were imposed on the different offenders considering that the property stolen amounts to substantial losses for the victims. 3. Gunmen grab diamonds worth ?32m in three minutes The article details the sophistication and the level of deception used by the offenders in order to perpetuate their offense. The article discusses the robbery itself, the use of automatic weapons, the value of the property stolen, and the use of disguises, including the impersonation of police officers in order to carry out the offense9. These details all contribute to the

Management skill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management skill - Essay Example A part of the preparation process would also include elements such as preparing refreshments, making child care arrangements, ensuring adequate supplies of stationary and water and similar aspects. The third element is the actual meeting Process. This would involve the need to strike a balance between the (a) task dimension, which means what needs to be done in order to go through the necessary business for the meeting and (b) the maintenance dimension, which involves paying attention to the needs of those who will be present at the meeting and the interrelationships between them. The last element is the actual Practical action that is taken and the recording and evaluation of the outcomes of the meeting, through the inclusion of the minutes of meetings. This would also involve evaluating how people feel about the meetings and whether group problems have been identified and solved appropriately by the group. The Johari window of self images is a square containing 4 windows. Out of th e four windows, the one titled â€Å"My secrets† is the area that only the person concerned knows, while the window marked â€Å"my unconscious self† is the area that can be seen by no one, but which nevertheless, influences the individual’s personality. The window marked â€Å"my areas of ignorance† are those which cannot be seen by the person but can only be seen by others. Since this is an area that can only be seen by others, it is important that other people tell us about them in order for us to improve. Since the window marked â€Å"my unconscious self† is not visible to anyone, self disclosure is very important in order to illuminate this area through psychometric testing in order to illuminate what may be present in this window. The Myers Briggs test is the best indicator of personality type and is based upon self assessment that is derived from the inner mental processes. The five major mental processes are perceiving, judging, sensing, fe eling, thinking and intuition. Although all of the mental processes are used, most people tend to use one or the other to a greater or lesser extent and the degree to which the mental processes are used would constitute the kind of personality that the person has. Disclosure is very important in order to arrive at an evaluation and assessment of one’s inner traits and personality and to illuminate those areas which are not easily visible or evident to others. Since these are extremely private areas of one’s personality, it is not easy to extract pertinent information in this regard and people may be especially reluctant to disclose such information to others within a team context. One of the ways in which this process of disclosure can be facilitated is through explaining the relevance and importance of the Johari window testing. Individuals can build trust between themselves through the process of disclosing information about themselves, which would help them to learn more about themselves and build more trusting relationships with each other. The difficulties inherent in self disclosure are that it is difficult for individuals to divulge personal and uncomfortable details about themselves to other people. Disclosure in team settings can be

Criminal law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Criminal law - Assignment Example I believe that the wearing of the disguises added more intent to the crime. The use of violence also added necessitated the treatment of the crime as an adult offense. Section 8 of the Theft Act 1968 is primarily the law relevant to this case2. Robbery is considered an aggravated form of theft which involves force or the threat of force on a person. The robbery is further aggravated in this case by the wearing of disguises3. In general, the act of Alura includes the various elements of the crime of robbery, where an individual who steals, immediately before or at the time of stealing, uses force or threat of force, on any person, and uses such force or threat of force in order to steal4. The law is accurately portrayed in the article, as the elements of the crimes constituting robbery are presented in the article. What is downplayed however in the discussion is the age of the offender which is below the age of majority. In taking issue with discernment, the fact that the minor was ab le to plan out the crimes and having the foresight and skills to prepare disguises to conceal his identity indicates adequate discernment which should make him liable as an adult offender, therefore be treated and sentenced as such. 2. Graff Diamonds robber Aman Kassaye jailed for 23 years The issue discussed by the article refers to the crime of robbery, the sentence imposed by the courts, and the different aggravating elements which included the commission of the offense. The conspiracy to rob committed by the other conspirators to the crime was also indicated in the article5. I believe that the article covered the major elements pertinent to the robbery. As was discussed in the earlier article, the use of force or the threat or force or violence aggravates theft into robbery6. Moreover, impunity is added to the robbery with the use of disguises to the commission of the crime, hence the sentence of the offenders is in the higher ranges7. The cases of R v. Harding and R v. Eubank d emonstrate the increase in penalty for offenders carrying out armed robberies, with the use of firearms subject to a separate count. The kidnap of the shop assistant also constitutes another crime, which was also treated separately by the court in terms of sentence imposition8. All these elements of the crime combined led to the higher range of sentence imposed on the criminals. The law is more or less accurately portrayed in the article, especially in terms of the higher penalty imposed for the criminals, and the pertinent aggravating circumstances mentioned in the article. The fact that the crime is committed with firearms, with disguises, and with violence indicates elements which the courts would consider in order to establish the existence of the crime of robbery. The article however does not indicate why the sentences are different for the three offenders when they are all conspirators to the same offense. The article also does not mention the damages which were imposed on the different offenders considering that the property stolen amounts to substantial losses for the victims. 3. Gunmen grab diamonds worth ?32m in three minutes The article details the sophistication and the level of deception used by the offenders in order to perpetuate their offense. The article discusses the robbery itself, the use of automatic weapons, the value of the property stolen, and the use of disguises, including the impersonation of police officers in order to carry out the offense9. These details all contribute to the

The Effects of War on Afghan Women, Children and Refugees Public Health Essay Example for Free

The Effects of War on Afghan Women, Children and Refugees Public Health Essay INTRODUCTION Armed conflicts have been major causes of disease, suffering and death for much of human history. The fatalities, injuries and disabilities suffered on the battlefield are obviously direct effects of conflict. But there are also health consequences from the breakdown of services and from population movements. The diverting of human and financial resources away from public health and other social goods contributes to the spread of disease. These indirect consequences of war may remain for many years after a conflict ends. Both the experience of conflict itself and the impact of conflict on access to health care determine the physical health and the psychological well-being of women and girls in very particular ways. Women are not only victims of the general violence and lack of health care they also face issues specific to their biology and to their social status. To add to the complexity of the picture, women also carry the burden of caring for others, including those who are sick, injured, elderly or traumatized. This in itself is stressful and often contributes to illness. Defining Terms Gender: The term gender includes both masculinity and femininity, not just one or the other. Across continents and cultures, established gender norms and values mean that women typically control less power and fewer resources than men. Not surprisingly, this often gives men an advantage in the economic, political, and educational arenas, but also with regard to health and health care. Certainly, there are instances where gender differences hurt mens health as, for example, when greater risk-taking among young men leads to higher accident rates, or higher levels of violence between men leads to greater death and disability . But, by and large, many health professionals believe that gender inequalities have led to a systematic devaluing and neglect of womens health. Children: are those who are still under the care of their parents. Who is below the legal age. After more than two decades of war, the health of Afghanistans people is ranked among the worst in the world. More than 800 children die every day, largely from preventable diseases. Nearly 1 in 4 Afghan children will not reach his or her fifth birthday, and their mothers do not fare much better. An Afghan woman is 100 times more likely to die of pregnancy-related problems than her American counterpart. These deaths are preventable. Since the fall of the Taliban, the Afghanistan Ministry of Health has been working steadily to improve access to basic health services specifically focusing on reaching women and children. Since early 2002, with funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Management Sciences for Health has been working with the Ministry of Health to establish a foundation upon which a national health care system can be built and health services can be delivered within Afghanistan. The Effects of War on Afghan Children and Women Public Health War is one of the most destructive human activity. It destroys not only the physical side of a person but it degrades the human dignity. These happens to Afghanistan. Today it has one of the world’s poorest human development. Among the population of 24 million roughly 10.7 million are children under the age of 18 and half of the remaining population is women. The crisis of more than 23 years has left devastating effects on the health and well being of millions of women and children. It has killed over 1.5 million people, including more than 300,000 children. An extensive review of   social, physical, and mental health of Afghan children with an aim to depict the severity and complexity of the situation induced by war of more than a decade. Child Vulnerability Indicators in Afghanistan Series of wars and drought for more than three years have threatened the survival and existence of tens and thousands of women and children. According to a survey 60 % of Afghan children have lost their family member, and 39 percent have lost their home. The burden of poverty falls heaviest on the children, who frequently abandon education in order to contribute to family income. They work on farms, collect water and firewood and scavenge the garbage cans for food scraps. In Kabul alone, more than 50,000 children work as shoe polisher, selling fruits or newspaper or begging on the streets. More than five million people with a huge proportion of children are internally displaced. More than 6 million displaced Afghans represent the largest single group of refugees world-wide. Alone in Pakistan approximately three million Afghans have taken refuge in the last few years. Children comprise 20 % of the total number. Poverty prevails, with 80% of people living below the poverty level. Adult life expectancy is 45 years for men and 47 for women. According to the UNICEFs estimations more than 5 million people-70 percent of them women and children rely on humanitarian aid to survive. 75% of the population living in rural areas have no access to any kind of health facilities. According to the UNICEF, 2001 the total number of under five population in Afghanistan is 728049. War induced displacement and famine have forced large populations to move towards big cities in search of food and shelter. Among the internally displaced populations majority is under five, approximately 429567 in Kabul, 80930 in Logar, 126000 in Wardak, 49700 in South Parwan and 41852 are in Kapisa. Displaced populations are exposed to an unprecedented scale of disease, deaths and disabilities. Reports show that one in every four children dies before his or her fifth birthday and one in five children is born in a refugee camp. Infant mortality is 165 (per 1000 live births), under five child mortality 257 (per 1000 live births) and prospects for improving child health are still dimmer. Maternal morality is one of the highest in the world, i.e., 1700 per 100,000. Poor obstetric care and illiteracy have been proved to have a direct relation to the infant mortality. The deteriorating child health has been out of focus for decades. Repeated wars, political turmoil and disasters have left grave effects on the physical and mental health of children. Post traumatic disorders, widespread infectious diseases, malnutrition have increased the sufferings of Afghan children to an unacceptably higher level. The situation of internally as well as externally displaced Afghan children is grim. The trend of childhood mortality in Afghanistan from 1955 to 1990 has remained almost static and has shown very little improvement change so far. Neighboring countries like China and Iran, both have achieved considerable decline in the under five mortality ranging from 225 to 38 and 239 to 45 respectively while infant mortality in Afghanistan is still 165 (per 1000 live births) and childhood mortality 257 (under five per 1000 births)11. Nutritional Crisis and War injuries among children According to UN agency around 120,000 Afghan children currently face famine. Iodine and vitamin A deficiency is largely noticed. Report from Terre Des Hommes determined that chronic malnutrition remained high, with 53.7% of children between 6–59 months stunted, including 27.3% severely stunted making children more vulnerable to disease. An estimated 7.5 million children and adults are currently at risk of hunger and malnutrition. Rights of children were seriously and widely violated. Girls’ right to education and sports is still overtly denied. Socio-cultural norms put additional restrictions on women and girls. Because of the current crisis it is predicted that about 20–40 000 children could die and around 10 million people will be forced to live on US$1 a day. It certainly impacts access to health services, health allocations by the governments, access to drugs against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, and child health. There are currently estimated 5.3 million vulnerable people inside Afghanistan. Country’s health system performance is paralyzed and extensively damaged during the war on terrorism. None of the children growing up today in Afghanistan has ever known peace. It is estimated that over 2 million Afghans suffered from mental health problems. UNICEF-supported study in 1997 found that the majority of children under 16 years in Kabul suffer from psychosocial war trauma. Ninety-seven per cent had witnessed violence and 65 per cent had experienced the death of a close family relative. Experts say that approximately 30%–50% of a population undergoing violent conflict develops some level of mental distress. There are estimated 10 million land mines, the equivalent of roughly one for every child. Reported by Save the Children survey, 85% of all unexploded ordnance (UXO) victims were children in Kabul, during the years 1990-94. Alone 3,000 injuries from landmines and UXO in 1999 have been reported. More than 130,000 Afghans under the age of 18 have been killed by land mines so far. Disease Profile Measles, cholera, tuberculosis, malaria, meningitis, hepatitis, typhoid, childhood respiratory infections, and diarrhea are the major killer diseases. Diarrhea alone causes the death of 85,000 under five children per year. Two to three million malaria cases with 6% P. falciparum were notified to the health authorities in the last few years. Similarly leis mania affects seriously women and children in Afghanistan. Immunization coverage is profoundly low. Lastly noticed overall mortality due to measles and related complications was 10.8% in Kabul. In South Asia, over 40 percent of the total confirmed cases of polio occurred in Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2000. The mass migration of Afghans to Pakistan and to other neighboring countries has posed serious threat to the global polio eradication program. Moreover a tuberculin survey in Pakistan revealed that the prevalence of tuberculosis infection was 13.8% (May 1985) in a sample of 4108 Afghan children (average age of 8 years). Thirty-three percent had not received their BCG vaccination. A survey during the 1990–94 on cancer reported 22 % prevalence of 1655 children. 69% were males, 31% females Afghan refugees referred to the cancer hospital in Northern Pakistan. The Afghan Women In recent years more and more societies all over the world have begun to recognize the vital contributions of women to commerce, their communities, and civic life. Whether it be Afghan women voting in a presidential election or women starting micro-businesses in Ethiopia, the worldwide trend toward greater equality is clear. Yet the denial of womens basic human rights is persistent and widespread, as a 2005 United Nations Population Fund statement put it. ON DECEMBER 13, 2003, 502 members of Afghanistans constitutional Grand Council, or loya jirga, met in the capital, Kabul, to begin writing the document that would henceforth shape governance of an Islamic, representative democracy. Three weeks later, after at least two rocket attacks near the councils meeting place and even more explosive politicking among the councils members, the council emerged with a new constitution. Among those who watched the process with attention were Afghan women and their activist partisans in other parts of the world, who wanted the new constitution explicitly to reflect the rights and needs of women. They had particular reason to worry that the assembly gathered in Kabul would be hijacked by conservative extremists who would interpret womens rights narrowly using religion as an excuse, or who might eliminate mentions of womens human rights altogether. The Grand Council met just two years after the United States toppled the Taliban, the extremist party that had been in control of Afghanistans capital since 1996. The American objective was to destabilize a regime that had given refuge to Osama bin Laden and the leaders of Al Qaeda, whose bases were in Afghanistan. At that time, the United States linked its military agenda in Afghanistan with the need to liberate Afghan women from oppression. As First Lady Laura Bush put the matter in a national radio address in November 2001, The brutal oppression of women is a central goal of the terrorists. Long before the current war began; the Taliban and its terrorist allies were making the lives of children and women in Afghanistan miserable. The first lady went on to assert that the removal of the Taliban from power would mean the liberation of Afghan women. For the next year, Afghan women were big news: There were books and reports, and pictures on the front pages of newspapers showing formerly illiterate women learning to read. Women began the work of reconstructing their lives by returning to the streets, to school, to work. Then the war in Iraq began, and Afghan women, and Afghanistans reconstruction, became old news. By the beginning of 2003, warlords in provinces who had been allies of the United States when it went to war against the Taliban were instituting measures themselves that were reminiscent of the Taliban era. Human Rights Watch reported in January 2003 that in the Western province of Herat, girls and boys would no longer be permitted to go to school together. Because most teachers are men, the ruling effectively shut girls and women out of an education. Other restrictions against interactions between the sexes were imposed; girls or women seen in public with a male might be taken against their will to a hospital to check for their chastity. These alarming trends coincided with a sharp drop in international scrutiny, although Afghan women themselves continued to seek access to good health, higher education, and equal pay for their work. Their experience in the last two years has made it clear that simply removing a dictatorial regime and installing a democracy does not automatically guarantee womens rights. Indeed, the challenges facing womens effort to make sure their rights are legally enforceable in the future highlight broad conflicts in Afghanistan between conservative and liberalizing factions of the future government and between forces competing to control interpretations of Islam in the public sphere. Islam is the prism through which human rights are articulated in Afghanistan, and it is it is therefore crucial for women that their rights to education, work, and freely chosen marriages be articulated in its terms. The importance of the relationship between Islam and rights is one supported by women. Indeed, Ninety-nine percent of Afghan women are Muslims, and their faith is extremely important to them. Most feel their rights are available to them through Islam, says Masuda Sultan, the spokesperson for Women for Afghan Women (WAW), a New York City-based grassroots organization of Afghan women and their supporters. Sultan explains that the number of women who frame their rights in secular terms is much smaller. Womens rights doctrine that would take Islam into account was in evidence in the making of the Womens Bill of Rights, authored in September 2003 by a representative group of 45 women who found ways to interpret relevant Islamic edicts in ways that amplified their human rights. The bill of rights was the achievement of a unique conference on women and the constitution sponsored by WAW. Organized with the help of the Afghan Womens Network and Afghans for Civil Society, the Kandahar conference brought women together to deliberate over how their rights could best be reflected in the constitution. Kandahar, unlike the more liberal capital, is one of Afghanistans most conservative provinces, and it was unclear until the day of the conference whether it would be secure enough for the gathering to take place. It was, but only under heavily armed guard. The conference participants comprised elite female decision-makers as well as largely illiterate everyday women from all over the country. For some, simply completing the trip, whether alone or in the company of a male relative, was itself a triumph. Over the course of three days, these women reviewed the 1964 constitution on which the 2003 draft was based and began composing the 16-point bill of rights, framed by the demand that the rights be not simply secured in the constitution but implemented. Some of the demands are basics on the menu of modern human rights: women require mandatory education, equal pay for equal work, freedom of speech, and the freedom to vote and run for office and to be represented equally in Parliament and the judiciary. But other points are specific to the situation of Afghan Muslim women and responsive to the recent forms of deprivation imposed by the Taliban and long-standing excesses based on tribal convention. There is, for example, the demand that women and children be protected against sexual abuse, domestic violence, and bad-blood price when one family compensates a second for a crime by giving them one of the familys women. There is a request for the provision of up-to-date heath services for women with special attention to reproductive rights. Under the Taliban women were denied healthcare by male doctors, who were not allowed to touch the bodies of women to whom they were not related, and severe restrictions on womens movements made it difficult for female doctors to supply healthcare. Women made it clear they wanted the right to marry and divorce according to Islamic law. At the end of the conference, the document was presented publicly to President Hamed Karzai, and women were promised that their rights would be incorporated explicitly into the new constitution. However, when the draft constitution was released in November 2003, there was no explicit mention of womens rights. Instead, the constitution granted rights to all Afghan citizens. As Ritu Sharma, the co-founder and executive director of the Womens Edge Coalition and Afifa Azim, the director of the Afghan Womens Network, argued in a joint editorial on the eve of the councils meeting, lumping together men and women in the text of the constitution, rather than clearly designating rights for women as well as men is an important distinction because Afghan women are not issued the identification cards given to men. Therefore, some men argue, women are not citizens and entitled to equality. A crucial question at the Grand Council was whether women would be identified separately from men in the final constitution. It was a triumph when the constitution that was released contained an article stating that The citizens of Afghanistanwhether man or womanhave equal rights and duties before the law. At the same time, other challenges remain. The introduction of womens rights to the national political agenda cannot itself be taken for granted while control of the country is still in question. Although it is true that on paper, the government of Afghanistan is headed by President Karzai and moving toward democracy along well established lines such as the creation of a constitution, the actual situation in many parts of the country do not reflect this shift in power. The Taliban have reasserted power in Southern and Eastern parts of the country. Indeed, in the few days leading up to the meeting of the constitutional Grand Council, coalition forces waged their largest attacks to date on Taliban members who threatened violence against the proceedings. As a recent Amnesty International report also noted, Northern Alliance commanders who committed human rights abuses under the Taliban government now hold government positions themselves (the October 2003 report, Afghanistan: No one listens to us and no one treats us as human beings. Where these commanders govern, womens movements remain as restricted, or nearly as restricted, as they did before they were liberated. So, one of the threats to womens rights is related to the ongoing danger to the entire nations stability as well as to the ability of the most conservative or militant actors in Afghanistan to influence the political process. Extremists exploit claims to Islam to intimidate women. This means that although women themselves frame their rights in terms of Islam, they can also be intimidated into making claims for interpretations that dont serve their needs at all. Sultan explains: Security is still a huge issue, and regional warlords and extremists are around. A woman who doesnt speak in terms that acknowledge Islam will face trouble. The affirmation of being Muslim is important because otherwise theyll be called infidels or be threatened or seen as secular or non-Muslim. in the view of Sultan and others who work closely with Afghan women, is to promote the education of women in Islamic law and history so that they can express their own rights as well as refute interpretations that do not serve them. As the legal system begins to hammer out laws that confirm the bases of the constitution, such knowledge will be increasingly important. Jurists are qualified in Afghanistan through higher education or training in Islamic law. As Sultan notes, these qualifications leave open the door for those trained informally by radical Islamist clerics to shape law. Womens education in the language, tradition, and law through which they understand their rights and themselves is a practical and necessary step in this context. This may appear counterintuitive to onlookers in the United States and Europe, whose recent revolutions in rights have often taken place in social and political contexts that opposed democracy to religion. Enhancing the rights of women by encouraging their access to religious education may also seem counterintuitive in the present media environment, which is saturated by the idea that Islam is inherently undemocratic. But women working for their rights in Afghanistan make it clear that both Islam and democracy are evolving practices that permit competing interpretations. It is their right to shape both in ways that confirm their identities as women, Afghan citizens, and Muslims. The needs of women and children; Refugees in Iran Since at least the 1970s Afghans have been coming to Iran, some in search of work, others to seek protection. The political dominance by the Taliban since 1995 has been a significant factor in the acceleration in the flow of refugees. Refugees who came in the 1980s were given green cards’ which entitle them to live and work in Iran, and to benefit from schooling and health care. In the early 1990s the government’s policy towards refugees changed in the face of the worsening domestic economic situation. After 1992 the authorities stopped issuing refugee cards. The vast majority of Afghans who arrived in Iran since 1992 are considered illegal and have no right to asylum. Furthermore, between 1992 and 1994 many thousands of refugees lost their legal status in a systematic campaign of confiscations of green cards from Afghans living in Khorassan province (bordering Herat). It is not uncommon to find families who repatriated under the UN-sponsored programmed in 1996 and 1997, who have returned to Iran because of hardship or fear of persecution. These families had to give up their refugee cards when they repatriated and now live as illegal’ refugees who risk being arrested if found. In such a situation it is extremely difficult to keep accurate figures on the number of refugees in Iran. According to recent official figures, there are about 1.4m Afghans in Iran at present, of which only 22,000 (1.7 per cent) are living in camps. The vast majority of Afghans live integrated into Iranian society scattered around the country, mostly in cities where they can get jobs but also in villages and settlements in rural areas. The refugees areas are Kerman, Shiraz, Sistan- Baluchistan, Mashad, Teheran and Shahriyar (Teheran province). The area in which refugees face the most difficulties (in the south- eastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan), and highlighted the neglected issue of child labor. The most common types of work done by women and children and the income they earn. Work done at home includes shelling pistachios, cleaning wool, making brooms, cleaning saffron, making chains and carpet weaving. Children usually start work at an early age (sometimes as young as five years old). Once they reach school age, those who can get into school study about four hours a day at school and work between four and ten hours every day. Many Afghan children attend schools not formally recognized by the Ministry of Education and run by the Afghans themselves. There are at least 10 informal Afghan schools in Mashad and about 24 in Teheran, serving from 50 to 500 children each. NGOs such as Ockenden Venture and Global Partners have been supporting such schools for over a year now with their own funds and some funding from UNICEF. They have provided books and teaching materials, and have conducted eye tests for children and provided spectacles. Ockenden Venture has also organised some teacher training. MSF France has been carrying out a school health project in Mashad, and a local Afghan NGO (Relief Committee for Destitute Afghan Refugee Families) is helping to identify Afghan schools in Teheran and distribute books. Many questions remain unanswered as to why some children attend these schools and others do not. Aspirations versus reality The aspirations of Afghan women and children contrast heavily with the reality of the back-breaking, repetitive and poorly-paid jobs. The reasons for taking poorly paid and low-skilled work are illiteracy, being undocumented, having children to look after, and opposition from the husband or his family. The work has to be part-time, home-based and not requiring a green card’. One obstacle which the women identified also suggested its own solution. They said that their lack of familiarity with Iran, and particularly with job opportunities, means that they tend to take on the same jobs that other Afghan women are already doing. It was suggested that a job-search service would enable them to access information on other job opportunities. Education: the top priority Having seen the poverty of many refugee families at first hand, Afghan women needs to put income-earning opportunities as their top priority. In fact the top priority identified by almost all the groups was education: for the Hazaras it was education in general, but especially literacy; for the Pashtun women it was skills- training. They all believed that they could improve their own lives if they had some education. Solutions The impact of previous conflicts and recent war on children’s social, physical and mental health is enormous and needs a great deal of attention and commitment from the Government. While the debate of reconstructing Afghanistan is currently in progress, saving the future of nation and child health development must be a top priority. Joining these efforts, international assistance is direly needed to handle the deteriorating child health situation. Improving child health in Afghanistan is certainly a daunting task and will require committed and holistic efforts over period of years. Every aspect of child health needs to be dealt with an appropriate strategy. As evident from the facts that infectious diseases and war induced injuries contribute heavily to the current burden of disease, deaths and disabilities in Afghanistan. Therefore WHO’s strategies need to be universally adopted in the country. The strategy of integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) addresses five major killer diseases with a simple and cost effective manner. War has left tens and thousands of orphans. Fewer than five children currently make a large proportion of Afghan’s population and immediate attention. In the prolonged period of war tuberculosis control program was severely disrupted. Tuberculosis control network need to be immediately restored, drugs provided with the Directly Observed treatment; short course (DOTS) strategy among internally displaced and non-adhered patients. All interventions need to focus equally on providing rehabilitation and treatment for mental illnesses, robustly expand and include program for massive immunization in their essential package of services. All legal measures need to be taken to protect children’s rights and specially that of girls to education, health and social choices at all fronts. For Refugees Using focus group discussions in the context of understanding the problems and aspirations of urban Afghan refugees has given us a great deal of information to which we did not previously have access. In particular, the fact that the refugees were able to participate in drawing up recommendations regarding the future work of NGOs was a very positive experience. It encourages the beneficiaries themselves to think about their situation and to come up with solutions. It also gives the organisations working with refugees a much clearer picture of the hopes and fears of a refugee community. Past experience at ICRI has shown us that involving the refugees themselves in decision making improves the implementation process, bringing about better results. This does not mean that one method should replace the other, but rather that the methods should be regarded as complementary. We know that the single most important factor which determines the living conditions of refugees in Iran is their legal status. In Afghanistan Samar   bring to the forefront the health and human rights challenges that face Afghan women and children. A leading authority on these issues in her country, Samar founded the Shuhada Organization in 1989 to implement innovative programs in health, education, construction, and income generation that improve the lives of women and children in Afghanistan and those living as refugees in Pakistan. The Shuhada Organization has grown to become the largest female-led non-government organization in Afghanistan and operates an extensive network of hospitals, clinics, schools and shelters as well as numerous other programs and services for women and children. â€Å"Boston University is honored to host Dr. Samar as a visiting scholar,† said Gerald T. Keusch, M.D., associate dean of Global Health, BU School of Public Health, and director of the Global Health Initiative. â€Å"Her work to improve the lives and healthcare for Afghan women and children under extraordinarily difficult conditions has made her an icon in global health and her efforts will ideally lead to new policies that will advance the country’s medical and education infrastructure.† The recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the 2004 Jonathan Mann Award for Health and Human Rights, Samar is an international symbol of the steadfast courage required to demand basic human rights for women and children in Afghanistan. In addition to directing the Shuhada Organization, Samar served as the country’s first Minister of Womens Affairs during the interim government, leading the effort to restore economic, political, legal and social rights to women. In her current role as Chair of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, she oversees the conduct of human rights education programs across the country, implementation of a nationwide women’s rights education program, and monitoring and investigation of human rights abuses. The Global Health Initiative at Boston University was established to promote multi-disciplinary research, education, outreach and policy studies across and beyond the Boston University community, and to contribute to reducing disparities in health through the generation of new knowledge, the education of students as â€Å"global citizens,† and the development of partnerships with global health leaders, scholars, and practitioners around the world. In Afghanistans villages, provincial centers, and Ministry of Public Health; in clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies; in classrooms, workshops, and training centers—REACH is empowering the Afghan people to rebuild a health system damaged and neglected during more than two decades of war. A community health worker teaches a mother in a rural Afghan village how to care for her sick child. A young woman improves her literacy level to qualify her for midwifery training. An Afghan midwife attends refresher training about safe motherhood. A provincial health team develops an immunization campaign to protect children against common diseases. The Afghan Ministry of Public Health develops management systems and standards to improve service delivery. Over seven million men, women, and children have access to primary healthcare services. Increasing access to Afghan health services thru (REACH) Through a performance-based grants program and technical support for training and education, REACH has enabled expansion of Afghanistans child health, maternal health, basic obstetric care, and family planning services now accessible to 7.1 million people. REACH grantees have trained over 5,000 community health workers who are working in 14 of Afghanistans 34 provinces. Providing health education in Afghanistan REACH promotes health education and behavioral change that is improving the ability of individuals, families and communities to protect their health. REACH also provides health-based accelerated literacy training to qualify young women to enter nursing and midwifery schools. Strengthening health systems Working with the Afghan Ministry of Public Health to develop and implement national health policies, standards, and management and information systems, REACH is helping Afghanistan shape its healthcare system for the future. Through close collaboration with counterparts in Afghanistan and with the international donor and nongovernmental community, REACH is addressing immediate needs while ensuring that current activities are consistent with long-term development objectives. References: Armstrong, J., Ager, A. (2005, March). Perspectives on disability in Afghanistan and their implications for rehabilitation services. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 28, 87-92. Cultural Orientation Project. (2002). Afghanstheir history and culture. Retrieved October 20, 2004, from http://www.culturalorientation.net/afghan/atoc.html Cummins, C. (2002). The front linenursing refugees. Journal for Community Nurses, 7(1), 7. Daly, C. M. (1999). The paarda expression of hejaab among Afghan women in a non-Muslim comunity. In L. Arthur (ed.). Religion, Dress and the body, Oxford: Berg. Disability World. (n.d.) Epilepsy in the Afghan Village. Retrieved October 11, 2006, from http://www.disabilityworld.org/01-03_02/arts/afghan.shtml. Farella, C. (2002). Far and away: RNs give safety, solace to Afghan refugees. Nursing Spectrum, 6(9), 36-7. Gerritsen, A. A. M., et al. (2006). Physical and mental health of Afghan, Iranian, and Somali asylum seekers and refugees living in the Netherlands. Social Psychiatry and Physchiatric Epidemiology, 41(1), 18-26. Ghatrifi, D., Ghatrifi, R., Eivazkhani, S., Ghatrifi, M. (2006). Research on sexual and reproductive health and rights beliefs and traditions among Afghan refugees. Journal of Sex Research, 43(1), 18. Giger, N. J., Davidhizar, R. (2002). Culturally competent care: Emphasis on understanding the people of Afghanistani Americans, and Islamic culture and religion. International Nursing Review, 49(2), 79-86. Grima, B. (n.d.) Women, culture, and health in rural Afghanistan. Expedition, 44(3), 34-39. Halimi, K. M. (2002, February). Afghan refugees: The ugly truth. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 39(2), 200-2. Kemp, C., Rasbridge, L. (2004). Afghanistan. In C. Kemp and L. Rasbridge (Eds.), Refugee and immigrant health: A handbook for health professionals (pp.83-90). New York: Cambridge. Lindgren, T., Lipson, J. G. (2004, April). Finding a way: Afghan womens experience in community participation. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 15(2), 122-130. Lipson, J. G. (1993). Afghan refugees in California: Mental health issues. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 14(4), 411. Lipson, J. G., Hosseni, T., et al. (1995). Health issues among Afghan women in California. Health Care for Women International, 16(4), 279-286. Lipson, J. G., Miller, S. (1994). Changing roles of Afghan refugee women in the United States. Health Care for Women International, 15(3), 171-180. Lipson, J. G., Omidan, P. A. (1996). Ethnic coalitions and public health: Delights and dilemmas with the Afghan Health Education Project in northern California. Human Organization, 55(3), 355-361. Lipson, J. G., Omidian, P. (1992). Health issues of Afghan refugees in California. The Western Journal of Medicine, 157(3), 271-286. Lindgren, T., Lipson, J. G. (2004). Finding a way: Afghan womens experience in community participation. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 15, 122-130. McCaw, B. R., DeLay, P. (1985, August). Demographics and disease prevalence of two new refugee groups in San Francisco: The Ethiopian and Afghan refugees. Western Journal of Medicine, 143(2), 271-275.

Business Plan for Mobile Phone Shop

Business Plan for Mobile Phone Shop The purpose for this business plan to study the feasibility to establish a mobile phone showroom in Abu Dhabi City, the capital of United Arab Emirates. The showroom will offer Nokia mobile phones as main product. Along with that we will offer a wide range of accessories and relevant spare parts. MyPhone provides both mobile phones products and services to make them useful to private users. We are especially focused on providing customer satisfaction to our esteemed customers. The products include both hand held mobile telephone sets and servicing the products after sales along with giving the necessary training and support. The only way we can hope to differentiate well is to define the vision of the company to be a technology ally to our clients. We will not be able to compete in any effective way with the chains using boxes or products as appliances. We need to offer a real alliance. The benefits we sell include many intangibles: confidence, reliability, knowing that somebody will be there to answer questions and help at the important times. The definitive worldwide standard for wireless communications has just broken through the 200 million-customer barriers. However, the GSM industry is one of the most impressive success stories of the 1990s and currently generates more than $100 Billion a year in subscriber revenues alone. We have some major mobile phone distributors in the city, such like Emirates Computers, Juma Al-Majed and Jumbo Electronics. If our strategy works, we will have differentiated ourselves sufficiently to not have to compete against these stores. Our strategy hinges on providing excellent service and support. This is critical. We need to differentiate on service and support, and to therefore deliver as well. Our business is a retail store. The ideal place for the prospected Showroom will be at the new constructed shopping center in Tourist Club Area at East Side of Abu Dhabi City. In order to hold costs down as much as possible, we concentrate our purchasing with Nokia Regional Office in Jabel Ali at Dubai. We are going to have four major employees: Manger, Sales Lady, Technician and accountant. There are some factors that will affect severely on the growing of our proposed business, such like: Customer is looking into factory guarantee for replacement the defected sets. Nokia corporation will grant us immediately this kind of warranty. Usually customers are insisting in buying only the original spare parts and accessories. Therefore we are going to offer only original spare parts and accessories to gain the customer satisfaction. 1.1 Vision Statement: MyPhone is such a vendor. It serves its clients as a trusted ally, providing them with the loyalty of a business partner and the economics of an outside vendor. We make sure that our clients have what they need to run their private and business life as well as possible, with maximum efficiency and reliability. Our ambitious is mission critical, so we give our clients the assurance that we will be there when they need us. 1.2 Products: MyPhone provides both mobile phones products and services to make them useful to private users. We are especially focused on providing customer satisfaction to our esteemed customers. The products include both hand held mobile telephone sets and servicing the products after sales along with giving the necessary training and support. In mobile phones, we support three main lines: The less feature mobile telephone set, which is our smallest and least expensive line, initially positioned by its manufacturer as low-income users. We use it mainly as a cheap mobile phone for workers and non- professional people. The Power User is our main up-scale line. It is our most important mobile telephone set for high-end individual as classified for medium range of income, because of they are the majority of the users, and they are requiring sets with more features and large capacity batteries. However, we will offer a luxury type of mobile telephone set with extreme fancy looking and elegant design, for the upper class of the society and manly for the Ladies who are impressed for such model as part of their prestige in the society. In service and support, we offer a range of walk-in service and guarantees through our well capable workshop and professional technician. 1.3 Key Features of Products: The only way we can hope to differentiate well is to define the vision of the company to be a technology ally to our clients. We will not be able to compete in any effective way with the chains using boxes or products as appliances. We need to offer a real alliance. The benefits we sell include many intangibles: confidence, reliability, knowing that somebody will be there to answer questions and help at the important times. These are complex products, products that require serious knowledge and experience to use, and our competitors sell only the products themselves. Unfortunately, we cannot sell the products at a higher price just because we offer services; the market has shown that it will not support that concept. We have to also sell the service and charge for it separately. 1.4 Production of Product: As we are attending to be as a distributor only for one of the major brand of Mobile Phone in the market Nokia. Therefore we will import or stock directly, and it will not be any kind of production in our firm. Moreover, our business will depend on retailing and not on production. 2) Company Industry: 2.1 Overview of the Industry Community: The Industry: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications): The definitive worldwide standard for wireless communications has just broken through the 200 million-customer barriers. Achieving this milestone of 200 million subscribers to GSM services is the powerful result of the continuing need for people to communicate and access information on the move. With four new customers every second, the latest figures exceed, yet again, all industry predictions and demonstrate the persistently dramatic growth of GSM throughout the world. As at the end of 1997, there were more than 200 million mobile phone subscribers worldwide and the global sales volume was over 100 million units, an increase of about 50% from the previous year. By the end of the year 2001, it is believed that the global subscriber base will have grown to approximately 600 million. Coupled with the subscriber increase, the mobile phone sales volumes are growing due to the rise of the replacement market. GSM has established itself as the worlds leading digital wireless standard, and it is believed that the current growth rates will continue for the foreseeable future. At present levels, it is confident in the predictions that by the year 2005, it will have achieved between 700 million and One Billion GSM customers worldwide. The GSM industry is one of the most impressive success stories of the 1990s and currently generates more than $100 Billion a year in subscriber revenues alone. Its impressive growth rates are once again attributed to soaring global markets and the sustained penetration of new emerging markets. In all the markets it has been starting to see a widespread take-up of a host of GSM value added services, beyond voice usage, including data and text applications. This demonstrates how GSM is an evolving technology that offers exciting new services and opportunities for subscribers. The future is even more exciting, as the development path for the GSM standard is clearly mapped out and presents an exciting era of applications and services that will stretch the bounds of the imagination. It is moving closer and closer to the delivery of third generation services, which will see multi-media applications, internet access and access to real-time video, via GSM-based networks and handsets. This will ensure that GSM continues to be the standard of choice and heralds continued massive customer growth in the years to come. The Emirates Telecommunication Corporation Etisalat: The UAE has a prominent status in the field of telecommunications as its achievements are reaching the quality and standards of the developed countries. The demands for telecommunications facilities in the UAE are growing at a phenomenal rate. The local Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (ETISALAT) which is 60% state-owned controls this sector and 40% owned by private UAE investors. Since its creation in 1976, Etisalat has increased the number of telephone lines from 50,000 to over 850,000 and plans to raise switching capacity by an annual rate of 100,000. In the UAE, demand for new lines is growing at about 12% per year. Etisalat, motivated by the realization that attractive infrastructure would encourage many businesses to locate in the UAE, has become one of the most profitable telecommunications organizations in the Gulf region and has joined in a number of projects, ranging from a 19,000 kilometers fiber-optic cable to link Europe with South-East Asia. The first stage of the cable link is to lay the so-called Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG), which will use the most modern submarine technology and provide the UAE with links capable of carrying around 120,000 voice channels at any one time. Etisalat is the name that spells reliable communications in the UAE with global connectivity. Etisalat provides services on a par with the best in the world and has an advanced communications network, which is virtually fault free. All switching systems are digital, common channel signaling system number 7 (SS7) has been introduced, and an analog mobile radio network has been operating successfully for several years. Some of the state of the art services being offered by Etisalat: Telephone Service: This is done through public call offices, pay phones, smart card and credit card operated pay phones, smart card operated pay phones, and others. A report by the Etisalats director general showed that the direct telephone switchboard lines increased by (10 %) lines yearly and totaling 850,000 at the end of 1999. Telephone lines percentage also increased from 29 to 31 for each 100 people which places the UAE in the lead of the Gulf region. The report also indicated an increase of 27.9% in public phones with an amount of 20,000 at the end of 1999 compared to 12,078 in 1995. As far as mobile phones are concerned, the number of subscriptions reached 1.2 million in end of 1999 compared to 128,495 in 1995. As it is roughly one-in-two of the population and 30,000 to 40,000 new phones were being sold each month. Thus Etisalat maintained its leading position among the countries of the region by realizing the highest growth rates of mobile phones at 50 phones for every 100 people. The Global System for Mobile GSM Communication The digital mobile system which gives a new dimension to mobile communications has been in growing demand because of its satisfactory requirements for national mobile radio networks. These are high performance, international compatibility, fully digital operation, and encrypted air-interface. The UAE is one of the first countries in the Gulf region to introduce this service to serve the social and economic developments in the country. One of the main benefits of the GSM, is the ability to use the GSM service on most of the GSM networks around the world, Charges: GSM service connection Dhs 200 once only GSM service subscription Dhs 90 per quarter SIM card Dhs 30 Call charges (Normal Rate) Dhs 0.39/min. 7:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00pm to 12:00am, (For all days of the week) Call charges (Cheap Rate) Dhs 0.21/min. 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 12:00am to 7:00am, (on all days of the week) International Calls Normal IDD rates apply Emirates Internet: The UAEs window to the world offering connectivity to an unlimited number of network, computers, and users worldwide. The Emirates Internet was established in June 1995. The number of Internet subscribed reached over 25,000 by the end of November 1997. Fax Plus: A new fax plus state-of-the-art service with a host of advanced facilities which lets the person operate even without owning a fax machine. Paging Service: This radio paging service enables people on the move to be in touch in an easy and economical way almost anywhere in the UAE. According to Al Ittihad Newspaper, the UAE is ranked 7th worldwide, with 10% of the population using this service. Voice Mail Service: This includes videoconference service, consultation services, and interactive information service. ATM Service: The Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a new service launched recently in order to speed up connections to customers. This is a broadband communications technology, which provides a way of transporting data from a wide range of applications using one seamless network. This service is being introduced to cater for the growing needs of education and business in the UAE and as part of Etisalats planning for the future. Satellite A new satellite company called Al-Thurayya Satellite Communications Organization was launched in January 1997. Its capital is worth $25 million and owned 26% by Etisalat, 20% by the Abu Dhabi Investments Company, 10% by the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat), and 10% by Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco), and 44% is owned by other Arab government. The company was set up to own and operates the Thurayya satellite system, which will serve the rapidly expanding mobile phone sector. It will cover the Arab states and part of Europe and the Indian sub-continent. The Community: Abu Dhabi City: Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Its population was estimated 850,000 on 1998, with 70% males. The Gross National Product was estimated on the same fiscal year at Dhs. 65,850 per Capita which equivalent to U.S.$ 17,870. The Gross National Private Local Consumer was Dhs 25,040 per capita. The Gross National Government Consuming was Dhs 10,582 per capita. The Gross National Expenditure was Dhs 48,926 per capita. Which can be lead to be one of the highest per capita in the world. Abu Dhabi is very Modern City. Most of its constructions are less than 15 years old. Since it is the U.A.E. capital, it is containing all the headquarters of the Federal Ministries and other government departments and authorities, beside all the oil and gas companies headquarters, more than 63 local and international banks and many regional offices of the multinational companies. In addition to that, Abu Dhabi has One public women university Zayed University, two campuses of Higher Colleges of Technologies and several colleges branches. 2.2 Major Competitors: a) Major Distributors: We have some major mobile phone distributors in the city, such like Emirates Computers, Juma Al-Majed and Jumbo Electronics. If our strategy works, we will have differentiated ourselves sufficiently to not have to compete against these stores. Strengths: national image, high volume, aggressive pricing, and economies of scale. Weaknesses: lack of product, service and support knowledge, lack of personal attention. b) Other Local Stores: There are more than one hundred retail mobile phone Stores in Abu Dhabi city. These tend to be small businesses, owned by people who started them because they liked mobile phones. They are under-capitalized and under-managed. Margins are squeezed as they compete against the major distributors and against each other in an attempt to match prices. The competition based on price more than on service and support. When asked, the owners will complain that the major distributors squeeze margins and customers buy on price only. They say they tried offering services and that buyers didnt care, instead preferring lower prices. We think the problem is also that they didnt really offer good service, and also that they didnt differentiate from the major distributors. Moreover they are depending in the gray market. 2.3 Comparative Advantages: The marketing of mobile services to business users, and more recently to consumers, has resulted in spectacular growth in the number of subscribers in Gulf Area. Operators now face the challenges of rising customer quantity, the prospect of declining revenue per subscriber, and the scrutiny of performance by investors. Achieving success in these new market conditions calls for a change in strategy from mobile operators a fresh approach to marketing, distribution and customer service to attract more new customers whilst retaining existing customers and protecting future revenue. The buyers understand the concept of service and support, and are much more likely to pay for it when the offering is clearly stated. There is no doubt that we compete much more against all the box pushers than against other service providers. We need to effectively compete against the idea that businesses should buy mobile phones as easy and friendly appliances that dont need ongoing service, support, and training. Our focus group sessions indicated that our target professional users think about price but would buy based on quality service if the offering were properly presented. They think about price because thats all they ever see. We have very good indications that many would rather pay 10-20% more for a relationship with a long-term vendor providing back up and quality service and support; they end up in the box-pusher channels because they arent aware of the alternatives. Availability of the stock is also very important. The buyers tend to want immediate, local solutions to problems. However, our value proposition has to be different from the standard retail shops. We offer our target customer, who is service seeking and not self reliant, a vendor who acts as a strategic ally, at a premium price that reflects the value of reassurance that sets will work. Moreover, our competitive edge is our positioning as strategic ally with our clients, who are clients more than customers. By building a business based on long-standing relationships with satisfied clients, we simultaneously build defenses against competition. The longer the relationship stands, the more we help our clients understand what we offer them and why they need it. Service and Support Our strategy hinges on providing excellent service and support. This is critical. We need to differentiate on service and support, and to therefore deliver as well. 2.4 Future Products Services: We must remain on top of the new technologies, because this is our bread and butter. For telephone sets, we need to provide better knowledge of cross GSS and WAP technologies. Also, we are under pressure to improve our understanding of direct-connect Internet and related communications. Finally, although we have a good command of accessories, we are concerned about getting better at the integration of technologies that creates fax, WAP, E-mail, and voice mail as part of the mobile Telephone set. 3) Operations: 3.1 Location Premises: Our business is a retail store. Therefore in this type of business the customer will come to it, not the sales person has to go to the customer. It is kind of pulling sales strategy not pushing sales strategy. Thus, the physical location will be the key to success or failure to this business. However, the ideal place for the prospected Showroom, after taking in consideration the locations for the others competitors, will be at the new constructed shopping center in Tourist Club Area at East Side of Abu Dhabi City. As in new shopping center, we will enjoy the being in the summit reputation beside the advantage of parking lot availability, which has become a great problem in the city in these days. The shop will be at the ground floor. To grantee that all the visitors of this particular Shopping Center will have the chance to see the place and they will be aware that a new mobile showroom will be available for them. Furthermore, we can utilize the front of the showroom to demonstrating the products in front of the shoppers, They will see and know what kind of products we are offering before they have even entered to the showroom. The area for the place is suggested to be not less than 100 square meters that can be distributed as the following: Lounge with area of 50 square meter. Two small offices one for the showroom manager and the other for the accountant with area of 6 square meters for each of them. Store with an area of 5 square meters, for the products with necessary cabinets. Service Area of 20 square meters furnituing with necessary tables, counter and cabinets. 3.2 Purchase: Our costs are part of the margin squeeze. As competition on price increases, the squeeze between manufacturers price into channels and end-users ultimate buying price continues. With the mobile phone sets, our margins are declining steadily. It is being squeezed to more like 13-15% at present. In the main-line accessories a similar trend shows, with prices declining steadily. In order to hold costs down as much as possible, we concentrate our purchasing with Nokia Regional Office in Jabel Ali, which offers 30-day net terms and overnight shipping from the warehouse at Jabel Ali in Dubai. We need to concentrate on making sure our volume gives us negotiating strength. Moreover, In accessories and add-on we can still get decent margins, 25% to 40%. 3.3 Resources: a) We are going to have four major employees: Employee Responsibilities Manger Supervising and Purchasing affairs Sales Lady Sales Affairs Technician Workshop Affairs Accountant Accounts and Bookkeeping We are in need for very little equipment to run the project; this equipment will be bought. As no trend in United Arab Emirates to rent such equipment. 4) Management: The management in the our firm believes very strongly that relationships should be forthright, work should be structured with enough room for creativity, and pay should be commensurate with the amount and quality of work completed. 4.1 Management Structure: Owner Manager Accountant Sales Lady Technician 4.2 Professional Services Employee Training: A) Legal Affairs: Especially in the beginning, therefore we have already negotiated with a very respectful Advocate office in Abu Dhabi City, who is having a good experience in the commercial and civil affairs. He will take care for all the Legal Affairs, including Renting Contract, Maintenance Contract, and Labor/Employee Contracts, Revising the purchasing and banking agreements, etc. B) Accounting Procedures: The financial information is too essential for an well-organized business firm. Therefore a bookkeeping system has to be maintained to include all the account procedures. Moreover, all the payments to be made preferably by checks, and not by cash. The daily sales to be deposited in the bank next working day. However to organize the purchasing of the goods, They would be imported by the banks letter of credit (L.C.) only. C) Insurance Expenses: Our mobile phone showroom should insure the business along with its stock. As our business requires insurance for such robbery crimes or thefts. Further, we will insure our staff. We can estimate the insurance premium at Dhs. 6,000 for the First year. As revenue increases in the second and third year of Business. D) Banking Affairs: As the purchasing of the main product will be from Jabel Ali warehouse of regional company of Nokia, therefore the financing of such deals should be on Letter of Credit (LC). We will intend to open two current accounts with two different banks, which will give us more flexibility in the finance procedures. Employee Training: We will have only four staff. These staff will hire them, with sufficient experience in the relative field. Therefore, no training is mainly required at the beginning. However, the regional office of Nokia in Jabel Ali Free Zone, they are organizing such training session, whenever new product is introduce to the market. Therefore we are planning to send our technician to these training session whenever they will be made available. 4.3 Risks Plans to Minimize: There are some factors that will affect severely on the growing of our proposed business, such like: Customer is looking into factory guarantee for replacement the defected sets. Since we are purchasing directly from the regional office in Jabel Ali free zone. Therefore, Nokia corporation will grant us immediately this kind of warranty. However some other retail shops are buying their product from the gray market in Dubai. In this case, they can not offer any kind of grantee in their products. Moreover, we are attending to put this information on all of our advertising campaigns and sale brochures. Usually customers are insisting in buying only the original spare parts and accessories (which are coming from same manufacture). Therefore we are going to offer only original spare parts and accessories to gain the customer satisfaction. 4.4 Implementation Schedule: Activity Deadline Required Time Start Date Renting The Space Jan 31,2001 One month Jan 2, 2001 Decoration Mar. 31, 2001 Two Months Feb 1, 2001 Hiring the Staff Mar. 31, 2001 One month Mar. 1, 2001 Furnishing April 30, 2001 One month April 1, 2001 Importing the goods April 30, 2001 Two Months Mar. 1, 2001 Grand Opening May 1, 2001