Research Topics

International Strategic Marketing

Introduction This paper intends to analyze the case study of Curtis Automotive Hoists. The paper intends to evaluate which among the growth opportunities of European market entry and further U.S. market expansion have merits in terms of commercial and attractiveness. The paper will also discuss what market research/market information the company requires to support its decision over which new growth opportunity to pursue. Furthermore the paper will discuss the implications of a decision to enter European market particularly the advantages and disadvantages of each of the three European market entry options under consideration and what can be the best option to choose. Lastly the paper intends to discuss the relative attractions of the entry method into Europe and the operational implications of the market entry method given a situation wherein direct exporting is used as an alternative to the three market entry options. Summary of the case Mr. Mark Curtis the president of Curtis Automotive Hoist (CAH) asked Mr. Pierre Gagnon the company’s marketing manager to prepare a feasibility report on entering the European market. The said report contained the opportunities in the European Union and the entry options available. Mr. Curtis wants the company to grow more by deciding on whether to expand the United States (U.S.) market or enter the European market.  If the company decides on expanding the U.S. market they can be assured that the said market has unrealized potential and they can gain more profit from it. Additionally the U.S. market was 10 times the size of the Canadian market and through the market the goals of the company can be achieved.  On the other hand if the company decides on entering the European market the company can be assured that more service stations will be used for fixing more cars thus their products will be purchased more by these service stations. The company can also be assured that there is limited competition in Europe and there is no dominant manufacturer that can give them problems. CAH was a company that manufactured and marketed Curtis lift a revolutionary automotive hoist that  was different from other hoist since it has a scissor lift and safety locking mechanism that allowed the hoist to be raised to any level and locked in place. The scissor lift offered easy access for the mechanic to work on the raised vehicle, the hoist was easy to maintain because it had no chains or pulleys and was fully hydraulic. The hoist also had alignment turn plates which mean that mechanics can accurately and easily perform wheel alignment jobs. In less than a day the lift can be installed in the garage or any place the service station wants it to be placed.   Mr. Curtis constantly made improvements to the product and he continuously adds more safety feature to it. Safety was an important factor in the automotive hoist market, if hoist malfunction it may result to serious accident. CAH sells their products to independent service stations and garages specializing in wheel alignment in Quebec and Ontario in Canada. Mr. Gagnon eventually used distributors to sell the hoist to a wider geographic market in Canada. After a few years Mr. Gagnon signed an agreement with large automotive wholesaler to represent CAH in the U.S. market. The hoists are purchased usually by automotive outlet that serviced or repaired cars including new car dealers, used car dealers, specialty shops, chains, and independent garages. These firms that purchased hoists were part of an industry called the automotive aftermarket. This industry was involved in supplying parts and service for new and used cars. The company has sixteen competitors that included 4 Canadian and 12 U.S. firms. The company has two competitors that manufactured scissor lifts namely AHV lifts and Mete lift. Three types of distribution system were used by CAH namely a company direct sales force, Canadian distributors and a U.S. automotive wholesaler. Merits of both opportunities in terms of commercial attractiveness (First Question) The opportunity to expand the U.S. market has merits in terms of commercial attractiveness that include wider and more territories to occupy, more products to sell, more chance to overcome the main competitors and more chances to improve the product. To expand the U.S. market means that the company has a wider territory/ scope to occupy, the company has more places to introduce and sell their products. Since different states of U.S. has different data on the number of vehicles and the number of service centres that will cater to these vehicles needs, the company can have chances to introduce and sell products  to more service centres than their competitors. To expand the U.S. market means that more products can be sold not only in one place but in many territories not occupied by the competitors. Since the U. S. market has a lot of potential to be a strong territory and be a permanent market they can have greater chances of selling the products they have to service centres that needs the products they manufacture and they can counter any competitors that want to invade the territory they are selling in.  To expand the U.S. markets means that the company can have greater chances of overcoming competitors, they can overcome their competitors by putting up permanent or strong territories in uncharted sales territories and gaining more sales. The more strong territories and sales they have the greater their status can increase against competitors. To expand the U.S. markets means that the company can have more chances to improve the company’s product. Within the sales territories the company can ascertain what each territory needs, how the product can be adjusted to the demands of a certain territory, what are the problems/ weakness of the products, and what can be done to improve the product. The more territories the company has more feedback and opinion can be given on the product thus the hoist can be improved more to compete with the company’s rival and sell more. The opportunity to enter the European Market has merits in terms of commercial attractiveness that include newer territories to conquer, lesser competitors, bigger sales output, and employment opportunities for more people. Entering the European market means that the company can occupy newer territories and through this they can establish a strong territory that exclusively caters to the needs of the territories service centre without any threat from competitors. Entering the European market means that there are lesser to no competitors for the company thus they can have a higher sales output in the market. The company can also have no worries of threats from competitors thus the improvement of the product can be the one given focus. Entering the European market means that the company can have bigger sales output since there are no competitors and larger territories. Entering the European market means that more people can be employed by the company, this not only benefits Europe’s economy but it gives the company a positive image to its consumers thus triggering more service centres to purchase their products. Hiring more employees can give the company a chance to find a person that will help the company improve its status and achieve its objectives.  Market research can use to support its decision (Second Question)        Market Research or Primary market research is the only means of answering very specific questions relating to actual and potential customers and/or products. It is very different from secondary market research, which uses mainly data already available to answer whole-market level questions. Market or opinion research firms, such as Market & Opinion Research International, Ltd (MORI), Mar plan, IRN, SGA, NOP Market Research Ltd., Euro monitor, Data monitor or Research Surveys of Great Britain (RGB), charge large sums for the labour-intensive design, sampling, surveying, and statistical analysis necessary for reliable results. Most British firms guarantee standards by membership of the British Market Research Association, whose Quality Charter lays down minimum service standards of the Market Research Quality Standards Association. Most market research is commissioned by a specific client for a specific purpose, the results never likely to be available to anyone else. Market researchers refer to this as the consultancy side of their operations; as opposed to syndicated or multi-client studies which they have themselves initiated. Market Research is work carried out in the course of marketing research, either by a business organization itself or by specialist from an external consultancy, to assess the likely market for a given product or the effects of past or prospective advertising of that product on consumers. Depending on the kind of information required, the research may use either quantitative methodology, with survey research on large numbers of people, or qualitative methodology, with depth interviews of individuals and families and group interviews of 5-10 people in a face-to- face group. The international business of the company is still in its early stages and a correct decision on which growth opportunity to pursue is vital for the company. The market research can help in supporting the decision the company will make. The company to have lesser expenses can just have a market research by themselves. They can use quantitative methodology, with survey research on large numbers of people/companies to identify the marketing trends and problems in the European market. Through the research method the company can identify what service centres in Europe want or desire, what these service centres expect from hoists they will purchase, how these service centres deal with manufacturers, and what problems hoist manufacturers encounter towards service centres. Through surveys CAH can get the ideas of customers on how they want their cars to be handled, what safety feature should a hoist have, and what features of a hoist make them come to a service centre. Through the surveys CAH can get the ideas of vehicle mechanics on how they can be assured of safety while working on the vehicle, how they can have ease and comfort while working on a vehicle, and suggest what innovations can be done to the hoist so that they can reach parts of a vehicle that is hard to reach. The gathered information can not only support the decision on what growth opportunity to pursue but can assist in making relative changes to the hoist. The information gathered can help in knowing the weaknesses of the hoist and why some service centres don’t avail it. Advantages and Disadvantages of the market entry options (Third Question) Assuming CAH decides on European market entry, the three market entry options that can be used include Licensing, Joint venture, and Direct investment. The advantages of licensing includes easier entry of CAH into the new market, CAH can gain an understanding of the prospected market through the other company who wants to enter a licensing agreement, more parts of the European market can be reached.  Licensing agreement helps CAH to have an easier entry to the new market, since the company who wants to avail a licensing agreement has a name in the market it can assist CAH to penetrate the European market with less problems. The company may achieve a satisfying sales output because their product is sold by a known company in that market. Licensing can help CAH gain understanding of the prospected market, they can be given information about the market by the other company or they can observe the trends that the other company experience. Licensing can help CAH reach more parts of the market. The company who acquired license can introduce and sell products to other parts of the market that can’t be easily reached. If more parts of the European market is reached this result to increase of profit for the company. The disadvantages of licensing includes the other company might take advantage; lesser effort might be exerted on selling the product; and problems/complains regarding the product might not be given proper action. Licensing might lead CAH to be taken advantage of by the other company. The other company might seek to control the operation and they might claim all the glory in the product if it is praised. Licensing might make the products be given less focus and effort in selling; since the other companies might be selling other products they may give lesser selling effort and attention to the hoist. Licensing might make problems/complains be given inappropriate action. Since the proper venue to air complains over a certain product cannot be easily reached appropriate solutions to a problem cannot be done. The advantages of Joint venture include both companies can use the strengths of both companies, problems can be solved by more people, and ideas can come from more people. Through joint venture both companies can use each other strengths to reach their goals. CAH can use the other companies experience and knowledge in the European market while the other market can use CAH’s innovative products and introduce and sell it in Europe. Through joint venture the problems they encounter can be solved by more people, adding the experiences and knowledge of more people tends to help in effectively and easily solving the problem. Through joint venture ideas can come from more people. More people can assist in making the product/ both companies better.  The disadvantages of Joint venture include division of profit, more problems might be encountered, and both companies might both loose their identity from consumers. Through joint venture profit will be divided, this might not be good for both companies since their main goal is to acquire profit. Both companies have to divide their profits as part of them joining together, the company who contributed more to the venture can be sometimes the one who benefited less from the deal. Through joint venture more problems might be encountered. In joint profit the problem can come from two companies not just one. Through joint venture the identities of both companies to their respective consumers might be lost. Some consumers might be more familiar with the old identity of the company and not a new identity of joint venture; this may lead to consumers buying to competitors. If this happens both companies lose profits. The advantages of direct investment includes sole acquisition of profit, chance to experience first had the problems that can be encountered on a new market, more focus can be given to selling the product, and the design of the product and the way it is manufactured is according to the standards set by CAH. Direct investment gives the company sole acquisition of the profit. It does not have to share profit, it will not be taken advantage of, and credit for the product can be solely claimed by the company.  Direct investment gives the company a chance to experience the problems on the new market, through this experience changes can be implemented for a better product and company. Direct investment tends to make the product be given more focus and attention; more of the products can be introduced and sold to clients. Direct investment makes sure that the product is designed and made according to the standards set by the company; no specification is added or removed from the product. It also helps prevent safety problems to occur due to wrong manufacturing of the product. The disadvantages of direct investment include the company solely solving a problem, bigger expenses will be made, and difficulty of entry in the new market. If the company engages in direct investment they must solely solve a problem. CAH may not have encountered such problems and may take some time to solve the problem. If the company engages in direct investment they might have to spend more, the company might have a higher rate of expense but if the direct investment is properly run profits will replace all those expenses. If the company engages in direct investment they will have difficulty in entering the new market. The company might not be familiar with the environment and not be initially accepted by the consumers but in a later time they can adjust to the new market.  The option that can greatly benefit the company is the Direct Investment, although more expenditure can be acquired by the company its future result can compensate for it. In direct investment the company has full control over the operations in a foreign market. Problems can be given direct and proper attention and all the glory achieved can be acquired by the company. Exporting to Europe (Fourth Question) A. Relative attractions An alternative to the three entry market option is direct exporting to Europe. Direct exporting can ensure that no specification of the product is tampered thus the consumer is ensured that the hoist is of good standard, CAH can acquire all the profits of the sales in Europe, competitive advantage can be achieved since no other known company is direct exporting their products to Europe, and the number of products that are needed are the only ones that will be made and exported to Europe. B. Operational Implications In direct exporting a separate division has to be made so that production will not be halted, the separate division will focus on creating products to be exported. This means more employees, machinery, site of operation, and other things will be needed. Thus expenses can be made by the company.  A separate group of employees has to be formed to ensure that products are exported well, and no problems occur during and after shipment. If problems occur they must solve it. Speed of operation has to be doubled so that products to be exported will reach Europe in time. Products to be exported will be well accounted and according to the demand in Europe. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

International Strategic Marketing

Introduction This paper intends to analyze the case study of Curtis Automotive Hoists. The paper intends to evaluate which among the g...

Philippa Charlotte Middleton

Described as a socialite, Philippa Charlotte Middleton better known as “Pippa” is an English party planner and the sister of Catherine now the Duchess of Cambridge. Her sister was married to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge last April 29, 2011. And she played as the Maid of Honor during her sister’s wedding.             Middleton was born on September 6, 1983. She is the second of the three children. Her parents are Michael Middleton, who was an employer of British airways as flight dispatcher, and Carole Goldsmith a former flight attendant. Her younger brother James Middleton is now a businessman.             “Party Pieces” is the name of their business. It was set up by her mother, Carole. The company’s main operation before was making party bags then went to selling party supplies and decorations through mail orders. By 1995 the company was run both by her parents. It was so successful that it was moved into a range of farm buildings at Ashampstead, Common. And it was said that since then the Middleton parents became millionaires.             She graduated in 2008, following that she worked for a short time for a public relations firm promoting luxury products. She also worked with Table Talk, a company based in London which organized corporate events and parties. She took an event management job in the said company. In the same year Tatler Magazine named her the number 1 Society Singleton. She beaten singer song-writer James Blunt and Princess Eugenie, since then she was described as a Socialite. At this time Pippa Middleton works two days a week for her parent’s company Party Pieces. She was assigned in editing the web of Party Times.             During the Royal Wedding Pippa caught the eye of the press and media. She was praised because of her figure hugging white dress which is made of ivory crape fabric, styled with a cowl at the front and organza-covered buttons at the back. It was created by Sarah Burton.             Because of the wedding Pippa was a hot issue. Some photo scandal of her was being revealed and showed in the public. She admitted that she is a party goer type of woman. Cameras have been following her around every morning when she’s going in the office. She’s a craze after the wedding a radio DJ also called her the Most Wanted Woman in the World today. Even Oprah Winfrey wanted Pippa to be in the states to be at her network. People Magazine honor one of their covers for her. he really has a stunning beauty but she never done an interview. Even Glee has mentioned her name during the last season.             Many people really like Pippa Middleton we just hope that she will start her television career soon. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Philippa Charlotte Middleton

Described as a socialite, Philippa Charlotte Middleton better known as “Pippa” is an English party planner and the sister of ...

Kentucky Fried Chicken and the global fast-food industry

Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Global Fast-food Industry   Introduction: YUM Brands YUM Brands, Inc. formerly known as TRICON Global Restaurants, Inc. is located in Louisville, Kentucky. TRICON Global was formed from Pepsi Company when it was spun off on May 7, 2002 (which included Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC). After the acquisition of Long John Silvers and A & W, on May 7, 2002 TRICON Global Restaurants formerly changed their name to YUM to reflect its expanding portfolio of restaurants and its ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange. Yum Brands is the worldwide leader in multibranding, which offers consumers more choice and convenience at one restaurant location. Today YUM is the world’s largest quick service restaurant (QSR) company based on the number of system units, with nearly 33,000 restaurants in over 100 countries, with 1,975 of them multibranded world wide. YUM is made up of six operating companies, which include: KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers, A & W and YRI (YUM Restaurants International). YUM is organized around five restaurant concepts, which are KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers and A & W. Instead of competing directly with McDonald’s or Chili’s, Yum! Brands’ three different businesses – KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut – target three nonhamburger segments of the restaurant industry. KFC offers its traditional, distinctive-tasting fried chicken recipes, along with its golden rotisserie-cooked chicken and the growing health-conscious segments. Taco Bell seeks to carve out a position in the growing Tex-Mex fast-food segment. Pizza Hut has traditionally competed by offering restaurant-style, sit-down pizza meals (, 2003).   Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) KFC was founded in 1955, by  who developed his secret 11-spice recipe and method of pressure frying chicken. At the year end of 2002, KFC was the leader in the U. S. Chicken QSR segment with a 46 percent market share. At the end of 2002 KFC had 5,472 units in the U.S. and 6,890 units outside the U.S. Approximately 23% of the U.S. restaurants and 22% of the non-U.S. restaurants are owned by YUM. KFC restaurants offer fried chicken under the names Original Recipe, Extra Tasty Crispy. Other entrée items include chicken sandwiches, the Twister, crispy strips, popcorn chicken, chicken pot pies. KFC side items include biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, corn, macaroni, potato wedges, French Fries (outside the U.S.) and deserts ( 2003).   Potential Synergies Synergy according to  and  (1998), aims at achieving the fullest possible fit between firms. It is the policy best suited to optimizing bonding between alliance partners as well as to promoting learning between them. The idea of synergy is that the whole is greater than the sum of its part. The key idea of this policy is that the positive aspects of the various cultures are preserved, combined, and expanded upon to create a new whole (). In the mid-1970s, PepsiCo started buying fast-food chains to leverage its growth and hoping to provide synergies as outlets for its soft drink and snack products. The first acquisition occurred on November 7, 1977, when PepsiCo merged Pizza Hut Inc. into the company’s restaurant subsidiary through the exchange of PepsiCo’s capital shares for each Pizza Hut common share. On June 20, 1978, the company merged Taco bell into a subsidiary through the exchange of 1.43 PepsiCo’s capital shares for each Taco Bell common share. The exchange was valued at about 8 million. PepsiCo continued its restaurant investment by acquiring Kentucky Fried Chicken for approximately 1 million in cash on October 1, 1986 (). After the acquisition of KFC, PepsiCo started selling its products in all KFC restaurants. KFC on the other hand, gained access to PepsiCo’s management expertise. PepsiCo relocated its marketing skills through the repositioning of PepsiCo’s marketing managers to the headquarters of KFC. The products of KFC were advertised alongside with those of PepsiCo’s products.   Added Value that PepsiCo brought to KFC The added value that PepsiCo brought to KFC were its marketing prowess, low-cost source of beverages, shared advertising expenditures, and shared management. The acquisition of KFC by PepsiCo has provided KFC with heavy and sufficient amount of financial back up. Inexpensive advertising is consistent with PepsiCo’s image. Under the management of PepsiCo, KFC experienced a continuous growth both in the domestic and international markets. Among PepsiCo’s core competencies were significant financial resources, celebrity endorsements, ability to create new and innovative product, and ability to build and keep brand equity. Branding and new product innovations are considered as the core competencies of PepsiCo. Branding is important for PepsiCo. Its products are competing in a market where differentiation is hard to achieve without brand differences. PepsiCo uses its brand equity and celebrity endorsements to create value for its customers. KFC products were advertised alongside with Pepsi-Cola products. This strategy resulted in the advertising economies of scale and a better image for KFC.   PepsiCo’s Acquisition of KFC In 1986, KFC was acquired by PepsiCo. PepsiCo at the time was trying to widen its restaurant segment. Before acquiring KFC, PepsiCo has made previous acquisitions – Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. PepsiCo has a consumer product orientation. PepsiCo found out that marketing fast food is similar to the marketing of its products like soft drinks and snack foods. In the late 1970s. PepsiCo, manufacturer of Pepsi Cola and other soft drinks, began considering ways to increase fountain sales for its soft drink line because fountain drinks have a much higher margin than do either grocery sales or vending machine sales. A solution that PepsiCo implemented was to acquire several fast-food outlets –Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC – as a way to ensure exclusivity of its products. Acquiring these new outlets added to Pepsi’s fountain sales. However, it also causes damage to PepsiCo. Several large fast-food chains, including McDonald’s signed exclusive agreements with Coca-Cola, Pepsi’s primary and bitter competitor. These agreements were viewed as responses to Pepsi’s moving downstream in the channel and becoming their competitor. From the compound relationship perspective, PepsiCo started out in a simple supplier relationship with fast-food outlets. When the company bought Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC, it then became a supplier and a competitor of all the fast-food outlets it did not own. As a result, a long-time customer, such as McDonald’s no longer wanted to buy cola from a competitor, so it bought from Coca-Cola. Twenty years later, Pepsi sold its retail fast-food businesses to be in a better position to sell its soft drinks at other restaurants. Adding a new relationship with the fast-food companies led to the loss of a previously important relationship with several of them (. and  2007).   When Yum! Brands was part of PepsiCo, restaurants were just one portion of a larger company that also includes Frito-Lay snacks and its traditional soft drinks. Senior management at PepsiCo were asking themselves how well did their various restaurant businesses fit with their other snack food and soft drink units. PepsiCo’s management faced the additional task of ensuring that the restaurant business work well with its beverage and snack food units. Throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s, the restaurant business was an important part of PepsiCo’s overall strategy. Increasing competitive pressures and slowing down of the restaurant industry’s overall growth rate, however, made it increasingly difficult for PepsiCo to compete effectively in the industry. The strategic benefits that PepsiCo could once bring to the restaurant industry – marketing prowess, low-cost source of beverages, shared advertising expenditures, and shared management – became difficult to sustain when PepsiCo’s beverage business began to lose significant market share to arch rival Coca-Cola, especially in markets in the United States. By the mid to late 1990s, severe competition and declining profit margins on both fronts – beverages and restaurants – made it increasingly difficult for PepsiCo to compete effectively in both businesses simultaneously. Deciding that it needed to sharpen its competitive focus and to raise capital for its beverage business, PepsiCo’s senior management decided to sell its restaurant operations as a way to exit the restaurant business ().   Conclusion PepsiCo acquired Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1986, primarily to expand its quick service restaurant arm and to increase its soft drinks sales. PepsiCo bought restaurants in order to provide synergies as outlets for its soft drink and snack products. PepsiCo brought different added value to KFC through its acquisition. KFC benefited from the management and marketing expertise of PepsiCo. Other added values that PepsiCo brought to KFC were low cost of beverages, shared advertising expenditure, and shared management. In addition, KFC also had a sufficient financial back up from PepsiCo to expand internationally, particularly in China. KFC benefited from PepsiCo’s core competencies such as significant financial resources, celebrity endorsements, ability to create new and innovative product and ability to build and keep brand equity. However, PepsiCo faced many challenges both domestic and international that led the management to give up Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC in 1997. PepsiCo’s acquisition of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell resulted in a competition against McDonald’s –which was a long-time customer for Pepsi Cola.  Increasing competitive pressures and slowing down of the restaurant industry’s overall growth made it difficult for PepsiCo to compete effectively in the industry. The added value that PepsiCo brought to KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell became harder to sustain when PepsiCo started to lose significant market share to its bitter competitor, Coca Cola. PepsiCo decided to sell its restaurant operations because it needed to sharpen its competitive focus and to raise capital for its beverage business. Overall, I can say that the acquisition of KFC by PepsiCo has its advantages and disadvantages. It was successful at first. However, the competition and different challenges made PepsiCo to rethink its strategy. Keeping KFC and other restaurants would damage PepsiCo in the long run. I think that the acquisition was successful but the spin off was the better strategy for both KFC and PepsiCo.             References   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Kentucky Fried Chicken and the global fast-food industry

Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Global Fast-food Industry Introduction: YUM Brands YUM Brands, Inc. formerly known a...

History Writing Assignment: Lessons from African American Civil War

LESSONS FROM AFRICAN AMERICAN CIVIL WAR         The history of African American Civil War during the early battle was indeed one of the most devastating civil war in the history of mankind. The battle began by African American was during the mid 18th century led the assault of the confederate positions using hand to hand combat but basically defeated. The Assault of fort Wagner has become one of the most unforgettable battles of the African American Civil War. The Confederate have suffered tremendous casualties of more than 68,000 people that leads to death of about 37,000 lives of white and black Americans.       Although the black soldiers have risk their lives in the battle but the African American still suffered from discrimination consequently when they are given shorter salary increase and allowance during the war. You may ask why the African Americans have joined such war without the knowledge and principles they upheld in the battle. Actually the Civil war has not been the battle for truth and justice but a battle of power and political motivation of greed. We are not going to trace back the History of War on its absolute manner but the history of people during and after the war and how they lived and why the changes have brought forth a wider history appreciation.       If we are going to look back in the reality Africans would think about having a new life in other land but in vain, they have landed in the hand of Americans due to Trans-Atlantic slavery. The Americans would bring millions of African to their country to become a slave. The life of African American 200 years ago was like of that Animal in the farm, they are the slave because of their color. They are working day and night for white people. They are the ones who worked for on the plantation for food that they could not eat. Most women have been raped and transferred into sex slavery and some children starved to death, they are brutally murdered like chicken into their own homes and anywhere else and this has been their lives for decades, they have suffered long enough without political, social, and cultural deliverance. During the mid 17th century the slavery has become legal       This has been the reason why African American has joined the troop rebels to fight for freedom. The war brought about traumatic political changes and social will in the heart of most African American in quest for freedom. They would rather die fighting than being a worthless Slave of society. They want to end the Slavery they have experienced and they will risk their lives for their children to manifest changes in society. This has been the reason why without a doubt struggled against the civil war. It was Abraham Lincoln who emancipated the proclamation of executive order of liberation during the 1863 but was ridiculed for it was not in their control to take freedom into their hand it took them more years to really uphold the liberation.       It was 1865 after four long years of fighting the end of Civil war brought forth political and social motivation among the African American society. Knowing that they are free inspired by hope and liberty, some of them started to look for work on lowlands and highlands. Some of them came back to their masters and some of them have taken time to school even if it’s hard for them to understand. They have realized the value of changes that they have experienced, that’s why some of them got married to live a normal family life. They have taken the advantage to live and practice their cultural belief without difference, they sought economic freedom to live in modesty and create a little business among themselves.  Although some of them have not been successful to live a worthy life that they expect, most of them have not suffered much about slavery although there is discrimination during those times.       The known tale of Slavery has shaped the lives of many African American until today. The freedom of the United States and their Political, Social and Cultural conformity will remain as long as they upheld the moral values that they have learned in the entire course of history. The death of thousand African American has brought forth noble heroes that will protect the land of the free. Slavery and lawlessness will never be experienced against their land for there will always be men and women who will fight for freedom if there will ever be tyrants who would try to occupy their country.                Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

History Writing Assignment: Lessons from African American Civil War

LESSONS FROM AFRICAN AMERICAN CIVIL WAR The history of African American Civil War during the early battle was indeed one of the mo...

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence Essay

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence Essay

Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

The role of fast food industry in China and Hong Kong

The role of fast food industry in China and Hong Kong

When the fast food chains were first introduced, their prices were relatively high compared to lower end, traditional eating establishment...

HEXWORTHY FINANCIAL RATIO: ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS

You are a financial analyst working for a stockbroking firm. You are required to write a report on the overall performance and prospects of a listed company. Extracts of the companyâ€™s 2005 Annual Report are attached. Your report should deal with the companyâ€™s overall performance in 2006 but should concentrate on the following: profitability working capital utilisation liquidity gearing and capital structure stock market indicators The report should not exceed 1,500 words (excluding appendices) and I mean that. You are to attach a disc or CD to the hard copy of your project. Give the number of words in the text at the foot of page 1. Severe penalties will result from excessive length. Ratios and their calculation should appear in the appendix. You should use a spreadsheet for the computation of ratios and the production of tables of results and charts. The mark awarded will depend upon the quality of analysis and the presentation of your report not merely the calculation of ratios. You are reminded that this report must be entirely your own work. The Universityâ€™s regulations on plagiarism must be read by you and followed. Your report must: be wordprocessed, be double-spaced, state the wordcount and the name of your tutor at the foot of page 1 be stapled at the top left corner to a WBS form CA1 be submitted at the Marylebone Road Assessment Office by Monday 27 November 2006 not be submitted in any kind of folder, binder or anything else include a bibliography attach the file(s) on a disc or CD keep a copy of the coursework files on a disc in your own possession Deadline: Your report must be posted in at the            no later than Monday 27 November 2006. Please ensure you attach to your report, by staple, a completed form CA1 detailing your own name and that of your Accounting seminar tutor and your University Registration Number. These details, together with the wordcount must appear on the reportâ€™s title page. You are to attach a disc or CD with your name and the file name(s) written on the front label. Hexworthy plc Annual report and financial statements (extract) 2006 Background Information Hexworthy is a long established company in the general retailing sector. They obtained a listing on the London Stock Exchange in April 2005. Statement of Directorâ€™s Responsibilities Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company and of the Group as at the end of the financial year, and of the profit or loss for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Directors are required to: â€¢ select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; â€¢ make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; â€¢ state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; â€¢ prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Group will continue in business. The Directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the accounting provisions of the Companies Act 1985. They have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the Group and Company and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities. Corporate governance Sound governance is central to achieving the Directorsâ€™ prime objective of maximising shareholder value. Principally, it comprises the processes by which the Group is directed and managed, risks are identified and controlled and effective accountability is assured. Combined Co Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

HEXWORTHY FINANCIAL RATIO: ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS

You are a financial analyst working for a stockbroking firm. You are required to write a report on the overall performance and prospects o...

With reference to the Bank of England, explain how monetary policy is implemented

INTRODUCTION First before we tackled on the monetary policy let us view first the background on the Bank of England and know its content. Bank of England, popularly known as the Old Lady of Thread needle Street, its main office stands on the street of that name in London. Bank of England central bank and note- issuing institution of Great Britain. In British Isles, the bank has eight branches all of which are located. Throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland, although Bank of England notes are legal tender, banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland also issue notes that may be either used as currency themselves or exchanged for Bank of England issues. The Bank of England has sole central banking functions in Great Britain, in all matters beside note issue. The affairs of the bank are controlled by a governor, a deputy, and 16 directors. In 1694, it was founded as a commercial bank by William Paterson with a capital of £1.2 million, by which was advanced to the government in return for banking privileges, thus it includes the right to issue notes up to the amount of its capital.   Monetary Policy Monetary stability is one of the Bank of England’s two core purposes. Monetary stability means stable prices-low inflation-and confidence in the currency. Define by the Government’s inflation target, as stable prices which the Bank seeks to meet through the decisions on interest rates taken by the Monetary Policy Committee.  To safeguard the value of the currency in terms of what it will purchase is the principle objective of any central bank. Rising prices-inflation-reduces the value of money. For non-inflationary economic growth, monetary policy is directed to achieving this objective and providing a framework. Mainly through influencing the price of money-the interest, as in most other developed countries, monetary policy operates in the United Kingdom (UK). To meet the Government’s inflation target-currently two (2) percent, in May 1997 the Government gave the bank independence to set monetary policy by deciding the level of interest rates. In itself, low inflation is not an end; it is however an important factor in leading helps to encourage long-term stability in the economy. For achieving a wider economic goal of sustainable growth and development, price stability is a precondition. To the functioning of the economy, high-inflation can be damaging. To foster sustainable long-term economic growth, low inflation can help. Based on the Consumer prices Index (CPI), the inflation target of two percent is expressed in terms of an annual rate of inflation. The remit is not to achieve the lowest possible inflation rate. By more than one percent, if the target is missed on either side, the governor of the bank must write an open letter to the Chancellor explaining the reasons why inflation has increased or fallen to such an extent and what the bank proposes to do to ensure inflation comes back to the target. It doesn’t mean that a target of two percent that inflation will be held at this rate constantly. Well, that would be neither possible nor desirable. And by large amounts, interest rates would be changing all the time, causing unnecessary uncertainty and volatility in the economy. To keep inflation at two percent, even then it would not be possible in each and every month. The functions of the bank are that the main business of it is to take deposits and to lend. Between the rates they charge for loans they make profits from the interest margin and the rate they pay to the depositors. In addition to that to that it thus operates the payments system and, for this purpose, about half of the deposits in the bank are sight deposits that may be withdrawn without notice when the account holder makes a payment.  Banks therefore need liquid assets, to cope with net withdrawals of deposits. At the central bank, excess reserves are the banks’ own deposits and they are liquid because they may be immediately withdrawn. To hold as a minimum percentage of their own short-term deposit liabilities, they are the excess over required reserves which many central banks oblige their commercial banks. However, to minimize their holdings of currency which sometimes called vault cash or till money, the banks have an incentive, thus excess reserves because these assets do not earn interest. Banks hold various short-term paper such as bank bills, treasury bills and CD’s and longer-term paper such as government bonds, other than that banks naturally prefer interest-earning liquid assets. It is these liquid assets that enable banks to pay their depositors, since they may be easily sold in the money-market or used as collateral security for loans from other institutions. At the extreme, monetary policy is a potent force. To pay for government operations, in countries such as the Russian Republic, Poland or Brazil where the printing presses run full tilt, money supply is expanding rapidly and the currency becomes rapidly worthless compared to goods and services it can buy. A very high level of inflation or hyperinflation is the result. At the other extreme, restrictive monetary policy has shown its effectiveness with considerable force. In any event, insights into monetary policy are very important to the investor. The availability of money and credit are key considerations in the pricing of an investment.   Central Bank Money: Demand and Supply Because they are the sole issuers of central bank money, central banks can implement monetary policy. A banknote is the most familiar form of central bank money. To issue banknotes in England and Wales, only the Bank of England is allowed. But Bank of England notes are simply supplied on demand. Held by in particular commercial banks at the central bank, the second form of central bank money consists of balances (current accounts or deposits). To the implementation of monetary policy and to the liquidity of the banking system, these balances are crucial both. The terms on which banks and building societies can manage their accounts at the Bank, the central elements in the Bank’s reform of monetary policy implementation concerns. In the form of deposits, commercial banks and in the United Kingdom, building societies are themselves issuers of money. The sole issuer of sterling central bank money is the bank. Banknotes and balances on the reserves accounts of banks and building societies. By setting an interest rate, the quantity of central bank money and equivalently the size and composition of the Bank’s sterling liabilities, is largely demand-determined, which had given that the bank implements monetary policy. It is important that the Bank provides sterling financing in a transparent and non-discretionary way, because the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee decides the official Bank Rate. Detailed description of the framework   Eligibility to participate in the Bank’s facilities we have criteria for each: reserves scheme membership; access to the standing facilities; and being counterparty in open market operations.  The reserves scheme which they hold reserves on their Real-Time-Gross-Settlement Accounts and Sterling Ordinary Accounts respectively. Standing facilities which they enable participants in the reserves scheme to meet their reserves targets, the Bank requires reserves scheme members to have access to the standing overnight deposit and lending facilities. To have access to the standing facilities, all other banks and building societies that are required to place CRDs at the Bank are also eligible. The Bank believes that all such eligible banks and building societies should sign up to have access to them. Lastly, in open market operations, the bank accepts as counterparties in its open market operations (OMOs): banks and building societies eligible to participate in the reserves scheme; and other banks, building societies and securities dealers authorized under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 that are active intermediaries in the sterling markets, subject to standards of prudence and risk. Transactions with the central bank In this analysis, the transactions that are of most interest are those that cause banks to be more or less indebted to the central bank. By drawing a cheque against his bank deposit, consider a payment of tax, and suppose the individual paying the tax does so. To the government the cheque is passed and it is paid into the government’s account at the central bank. This means the paying bank now owes the amount of the cheque to the central bank. When the government spends, the opposite changes take place. At the central bank, suppose the government draws a cheque against its deposit. Thus it presents the cheque to some individual or firm. This causes the bank’s debt to the central bank to be reduced, when the cheque is deposited into a commercial bank account. The commercial banks generally find that collectively they are in debt to the central bank, as a result of all these transactions involving the central bank. This may be caused by net flows into the government’s accounts at the central bank, greater currency demand, bills maturing in the hands of the central bank, maturing central bank loans to the banks, or changes in the other entries on the central bank’s balance sheet. Money-market shortage is which the net amount of indebtedness of banks to the central bank on any day. To the central bank would be for them to draw on their excess reserve deposits, the simple way for banks to pay their debts.       Bibliography: See J. H. Clapham, The Bank of England: A History (2 vol., 1944; repr. 1966); J. Giuseppi, The Bank of England (1966).     Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

With reference to the Bank of England, explain how monetary policy is implemented

INTRODUCTION First before we tackled on the monetary policy let us view first the background on the Bank of England and ...

What qualities does it take to be a successful emergency room nurse? Be specific to the job function

Nursing Practice Introduction The nursing practice has its own standards in taking the responsibility. From the nursing education that provided by the medical professionals, the future of nurses in medical practice can be forged. The role of nurses is visible in the health care community. With the help of the collaboration of nursing programs and current health care issues, there is an assurance that all of the nursing practices are delivered with quality. However, what qualities does it take to be a successful emergency room nurse to be effective in the roles and functions that they play within the health care settings? The Nursing Practice An emergency room nurses are expected to be master in their practice and medical environment. Professionalism is always the driving force for them to wear their composure and attitude. The responsibility in taking care of the patients can be mirrored in their oath and practiced core values. The continuous promotion of quality lifestyle and well-being remains as a strategy in the early recovery of the patients. On the other hand, the examinations of the physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual factors are also emphasized. Part of their job is performing well in assessing, diagnosis, and technological skill, and at the same time attends to the needs of the patients to provide medication, comfort and counseling.             Nurses are considered as the most flexible worker in the field of medicine. Nurses are the assistant of the doctors and when the doctor is out, the nurses are in-charge to do the unfinished duty. The clinical judgments are part of their practices, values and ethics. The touch of technology also reached their domain to make an additional knowledge. The nurses have a broad knowledge in determining the difference between a disease and illness. Knowing the distinction can formulate a good foundation in the healing purposes and if possible, as part of the nursing education in the near future. The essence of the existence of the nurses doesn’t focuses only for the people but also in the environment. Clinical Skills Oral Medications An emergency nurse practitioner administers the oral medications for the patients which are done by taking a medicine through the mouth. Some oral medications are administered through the use of tubes if the patient is not capable in ingesting the medicine. The use of tubes is in the purpose of keeping the patient take his food or medicine if he cannot chew and swallow it literally. The caring procedure of the nurses in their kind of work is very much far from the improvised household procedures and ensures safety and cleanliness. Administering Intramuscular/Subcutaneous Injection This kind of medical practice is very critical because the medicines are intended to take in the use of syringe. The liquid medicine is stored inside the injection and the nurse needs to study first the composition of the patient before performing such tasks. The type of the medicine depends on how the patient can carries it through his bloodstream. After the determination of the right medicine, the measure of it must also be considered. The nurse should then next to identify the right muscle tissue where the syringe is intended to be inserted. Another factor to be considered is the rules for safety and clean syringe. The nurse must be first confirmed the right selection of the right size of the needles. After the medical performance, the proper disposing of the materials should be done. The proper way to dispose it is very essential so that the possible infection cannot be scattered and the development of the future viruses can be avoided. Wound Management The most common incidence of patient’s cases in emergency is the involvement of wounds or serious cases like hernia. The large and deep cuts seen from a patient’s skin is part of the responsibility of an emergency nurse practitioner. Since the nurse noticed the sudden change in the patient, he must start to work in it. It is very obvious that the wound had a minimal chance of infection and before it scattered and become too late, he must assess the past learning that he had. It Includes: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%"> reduction or elimination of causative factors (pressure, shear, friction, moisture, circulatory impairment, and/or neuropathy), </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%"> providing systemic support for healing (blood, oxygen, fluid, nutrition, and/or antibiotics), and </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%"> applying the appropriate topical therapy (remove necrotic tissue or foreign body, eliminate infection, obliterate dead space, absorb exudate, maintain moist environment, protect from trauma and bacterial invasion, and provide thermal insulation). </li> </ul>   Conclusion Through the use of the evidence-based practice like the case studies, the role and function of nurses can be improved. The nurses accompanied the doctors and other physicians but they should also create medical decisions in case that the doctors are attending other patients that are mostly with critical situations. References: Keast, D., & Orsted, H., (2003) The Basic Principles of Wound Healing [Online] Available at: http://www.pilonidal.org/pdfs/Principles-of-Wound-Healing.pdf [Accessed 02 September 2010]. Shah, D.K., & Sagar, J., (2007) Massive Penoscrotal Haematoma Following Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Case Report, Journal of Medical Case Reports [Online] Available at: http://www.brooksidepress.org/Products/Administer_IM_SQ_and_ID_Injections/lesson_2_Section_1.htm [Accessed 02 September 2010]. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

What qualities does it take to be a successful emergency room nurse? Be specific to the job function

Nursing Practice Introduction The nursing practice has its own standards in taking the responsibility. From the nursing education that ...

Autism Assignment Essay Instructions

4th Assignment The severe end of the autistic spectrum is described as predominantly linked to severe learning difficulties. How might a teacher and therapist team work together to assess, differentiate and realize the intellectual and communicative potential of an autistic child. Choose an age group relevant to your interest or experience.     Introduction Communication and linguistic development of autistic children   The lack of social communication and self-activity are the basic symptoms of autism. The autistic child’s ability to communicate is limited and some times does not even exist. The autistic child seems to be indifferent to the natural human environment and retires in an emotional isolation.   (1) He usually turns to himself; he is indifferent to activation, creation, success and his future at all. He lives in his own lonely world and his main interest is the personal activity. He is uninterested in the reactions that are provoked by his behavior to the family or to the general environment ( 1995). In general, the autistic child avoids communication with his peers and adults too, but some times he may have a peculiar communication with other people only through playing. Many times he becomes aggressive, hits people around him and creates destruction. His desire for anything permanent and unchangeable derives by the fear of change and prevents his communication and his ability’s expansion to adapt to new situations. The child lives usually under intense and overwhelming stress any time he is called upon to face changes in his environment i.e. to change his seat in the classroom, his schedule, the position of his toys etc (, 1992).    (2) When we talk about linguistic development we mean the child’s progress who has the aim to gain the language ability during the first years of his life. As  (1996) referred the child’s linguistic development includes two allocated processes.  (3) (4) The first process is the child’s innate effort to gain the system of the language: phonology, grammar-syntax, morphology, vocabulary, meaning. This process is normally completed during the end of the preschool age. The second process is the child’s fight to be efficient in linguistic expression and communication as well. Autistic children present a disorder in their linguistic expression as well as in their speech. The lingual weaknesses are usually expressed in phonetics and syntax. Their speech is many times characterized by voices without any meaning and by syllables which are often repeated. The speech is also monotonous, usually without rhythm lacking normal phonetic melody and many times characterized by telegraph type. Apart from these, we may also distinguish weakness in the content and use of language or phenomena of echolalia. That is to say, we may observe a repetition of words or phrases without meaning that children hear from people of their environment ( 1991).  (5–6)   Appropriate educational environment adapted to children’s needs. (7)   Let us take as example a group of preschool autistic children being at the severe end of the autistic spectrum, aged between three and five years old. First of all the tidying up of the classroom and the rest of the educational areas is a very important factor which contributes to these children’s needs. An emphasis must be given to auditory or visional external stimuli that distract their attention. Speech exercises (8), for example, demand the children’s and therapists’ absolute concentration in order for articulation or syntax mistakes to be avoided, otherwise the children’s progress will be delayed. The usage of educational material which includes familiar objects from the child’s environment, especially in the beginning of the therapy, it is also important. In the age between three and five years old children cannot easily be adapted to something unknown. Thus, a familiar object of their personal environment would help them to assimilate information easily and incorporate themselves in their new educational environment ( 1995). Perhaps it would be helpful if the objects that are not involved in the educational process and distract children’s attention to be taken away from the educational area.   In this preschool class, teachers and specialized therapists may gradually introduce every autistic child to an everyday routine school and help him to associate with other children in order to be prepared for school education.   (9)   One of the autistic child’s characteristics is that he does not use the commonly used ways of communication, meaning glances, smiles and simulated movements. He is careless and indifferent about his speech and the sound world, having peculiar reactions too, such as being indifferent to the conversations or frightened and surprised when he hears a whistle or an unusual noise. He seems to be alienated; he does not hear, gives echolaliatic answers and some times covers his ears as if he wants to protect himself from a danger (1984). Teachers must be ready to face such problems and problems of aggressive or self-destructive behavior, in the same way they are ready to teach children studying and writing. One of the teaching methods is the cycle of the systematic teaching (discrete-trial teaching) which according to  (1996) is the predominant educational method when we start to teach autistic children. This method includes five steps: -         the child’s concentration -         the distinctive stimulant presentation by the teacher-therapist -         the child’s reaction towards the distinctive stimulant -         the positive or negative offers from the educators (reward or correction) in relation to the child’s reaction and -         the span of time which is among the efforts of the systematic teaching. (10-11)     Ways of teaching Speech disorders (12) in autism mainly depend on the lack of the natural innate need for communication of these children with other people. Communication problems may not be faced just by teaching children how to talk even if it is possible. The problem for the group of children we refer to is that this speech is based on a parrot-learning vocabulary. Perhaps, the most appropriate way for the teachers to encourage the communicative usage of speech is to offer children as many social and other experiences as they can. If for example there are videotapes from festivities they ca be used in order to attract the children’s attention. Children’s photos are very useful too because they show a unique moment in time. Usual life events such as trips or celebrations may also help education very much. Apart from these, it is very important to encourage these children to communicate in any way they can and it is useful to pronounce again what a child expresses when he corresponds to the stimuli that are given by people around him. ( 1991) (13)   In the group we refer to, there are also some children that do not have speech at all or their speech is extremely limited. We must encourage these children to use signs, to try to use sign language using their hands or by touch in order to communicate. The point is that we have to take advantage of any chance of communication.  (14)                                                                                                We must always keep in mind that these children’s attention span is very easily disrupted. While they concentrate on something, they may listen to a noise and then their attention will automatically be disrupted. (15) They also think in a very specific way and they understand the literal sense of speech. But on the other hand these children may have many hidden abilities, or understand and observe details that we may never pay attention to. Thus, may be we should try to use other methods of education such as visual ones. (16) Many of the autistic children are excellent in activities i.e. the connection of pieces in a puzzle and the construction with the usage of cubes. They may also be easily occupied in tests that are involved in space, perception, but are usually weaker in oral tests where understanding and language expression is demanded ( 1979).                         (17)    (1971) referred to a vision-hearing method where every word includes letters especially drawn to seem as the meaning that we understand when we hear the specific word. For example the word “fall” presents letters that fall and the word “run” presents letters that are like runners. A similar way may also help some children to learn sounds of talking. For example, the learning of sounds would be easier if there was a picture of a train for the sound -try- and a picture of a cat for the sound -c-. Some autistic children may easily memorize words that are involved with pictures.  (1992) mentions that if a child looks at pictures in a book, this will help him to learn the meanings of the words, especially if these pictures show the accurate meaning of words in a realistic way. Words may easily be learned too if there are written signs on some objects in the classroom. In order for a child to remember a word, he plays again in his fantasy the “video” of the object or the sign. Activities such as playing with water, coins or keys may be very useful.(1987) support the theory that it is wrong to try to remove a child’s obsessions. It is better to replace them with others. As an example, they use a child who was obsessed by taking the keys from people around him. So, his teacher decided to allow the child to play with keys only two hours a day. The rest of the time the child was not allowed to touch them. Meantime, the teacher tried to use his obsession in a positive way. Using keys she started to teach him maths. As a result, the child considering it as a game he gradually started to count and understand the basic arithmetic.   Children with autism usually have greater progress to visual-kinetic activities development than speech skillfulness and mainly to the understanding and usage of complex and abstract speech. In general the pragmatic intelligence quotient of children with autism is higher than the linguistic one ( 1974). The teacher-therapist has to correct the child’s mistakes without scolding him or getting angry with him. He must also be careful about the sound of his voice which must be firm and not enthusiastic when he talks to the child. (18)     Ways to develop motivations for learning                                                                                                   (19) a) when a child has lack of interest for learning, then the reinforcement of his every effort and not only of his successful reactions is necessary( 1987). b) teachers or therapists may offer more chances to autistic children to choose the material and the activities that are going to get involved in.  (1987) refer that the social reaction of the autistic children is impressively improved when they are given chances to choose their activities. c) the effects of newly presented stimuli contribute to the increase of interest and the faster learning progress. The frequent changes of material are necessary because these children usually are indifferent to learning and lose their interest for the teaching targets (1980). d) short term targets are necessary because the child is able to achieve them. In this way the child’s and teacher’s efforts are reinforced. On the contrary both of them are tired of very ambitious targets. For example the naming of objects through pictures may not be efficient for a child which has not learned yet how to name three dimensional objects. So, gradual teaching helps very much (1980).   Reinforcement programmes   If continual reinforcement programmes are very important for children, they are even more important for autistic children. Reinforcement programmes that happen in certain time intervals are these where the time which is between the number of reactions and reinforcement is firm. Reinforcement programmes with changeable periods of time are these where the time which is between the child’s reactions and reinforcement is not firm. For example, if a child finishes a written page in ten minutes then he may be allowed to play for some seconds with his favorite toy and then continue on again what he was doing before. Apart from these het is necessary for teachers-therapists to take into consideration the child’s personality, his favorite preferences and the meaning of his targets and his initiatives. The teacher-therapist should never forget to encourage the autistic child for his efforts. (1971).   Criteria for the appropriate psychological-educational function                                                                                                           (20) -teaching should be based on a certain and specific programme which must be strictly followed. Repetition and firmness on what is taught determinatively contribute to the progress of autistic children  (21) -every educational programme should be organized in details before its application so as to be coherent and consistent to the steps and the method that is followed -teaching and therapy should be accompanied by teacher’s positive mood -the child’s frequent communication with their school-mates and adults is a priority -the child’s limited progress must be taken into consideration immediately in order for the programme to be changed (,1993).   Personalized programmes with systematic application   Every child develops according to his abilities. Psychological-educational programmes that do not correspond to the child’s abilities they either restrict his progress or disappoint him emotionally if they overwhelm his strengths (1996). The grouping of autistic children during therapy on one side makes the therapy more difficult and on the other it cannot be done easily because children do not face homogeneous difficulties. Let us take as an example two cases of children of the same age:   a)John’s case John is a six-year-old autistic child. He has very good mimic abilities in kinetics but his speech is limited because he mimics phonemes and monosyllabic words. He is able to coincide and categorize objects and pictures that belong to the same category and he can understand the oral speech only if he is given simple orders. He has developed preschool activities such as recognition of colors and shapes, but he has ellipsis in learning. Finally, he has some difficulties in kinetics. In specific, he runs and jumps in an odd way and he cannot manage to mimic exercises that demand co-ordination of hands and legs. As far as his behavior is concerned he cannot concentrate for a long time. But in general, he is cooperative and does not show serious problems such as outbursts of anger and aggressiveness.   b)Sofia’s case Sofia is a five-year-old autistic child too. She has a delay in conception and speaking. Her attention is very easily disrupted; she often makes vicious movements and expresses outbreaks of anger when stronger efforts are demanded of her. She has not yet developed basic abilities such as mimicking movements or speech, congruence of objects, understanding of simple orders, recognition of the members of the body, abilities in writing and some other delicate hand movements such as the usage of scissors.   Even though both of the children are autistic, they show a different clinical picture. John has developed many more abilities from Sofia and needs more exercise that will help his progress. But Sofia’s needs firstly demand an organized programme for the development of basic abilities and then for more complicated ones. (22)   Conclusion   All people that often associate with autistic children ought to play the teacher’s –therapist’s role. If all of them do not behave towards the child in the same way, then the child is led to confusion or gets nervous and at the same time his progress is prevented. If the therapist, for instance, demands from the child to talk in clear articulation and his parents let the child talk without correcting him, then he will never learn the appropriate articulation. The main aim has to be how to help the autistic child giving an emphasis on his abilities and anything he may offer (1999).  (23) In order to achieve the best therapeutic results, the role of the family is a necessary presupposition, but it is a need for the family to have professional support and constant education ( 1995). Teachers, therapists and parents must constantly be aware of new methods and to evaluate the methods’ results with no prejudice. Parent’s education helps them to be able to participate positively in their child’s therapeutic programme, something which is very important for the child because it boosts his educational and behavioral progress ( 1991). The family’s participation to the therapy is not only useful for the child but also strengthens the family, because they usually feel sad feelings due to their autistic child ( 1985). It would also be useful for all the people such as the grandmother or the grandfather who spend time with the autistic child, to learn how to communicate with him in a very efficient way. Parents also may attend seminars and constantly be aware of the activities, the behaviour and their child’s every day reactions ( 1992).   It is a fact that the autistic child’s education may be overwhelming for parents and teachers-therapists and that is why they should anticipate in the child’s emotional and physical tiredness, because if they do not, then they can not be useful to the child’s needs.   Conclusively, we may say that in order for the teachers and therapists to conceive the autistic child’s communicative and cognitional abilities, there must first be firmness in the way the educational programme works. Firmness should also be used in the educational and pedagogic method and if there are needs for changing the educational programme, these must be done in a systematic way. Finally, the family should always be aware of their child’s education programme in order to be homogeneity to the way parents and therapists behave to the child ( 1996).  (24-25)          COMMENTS ON 4TH ASSIGNMENT   You include some interesting and practical suggestions within this assignment, which have been thought through. However, it has been difficult to get a sense of coherence and meaning from the text, mainly due to its organization and lack of reference to the title.   You need to think clearly about what the title of this assignment is asking for.   Introduction: give an overview of what your assignment will include- see point 6.   Theoretical background: discuss the first part of the title –autistic spectrum, the severe end- the characteristics of these children – reference to a theoretical model e.g. triad of impairments- particular reference to cognition/ learning/ style and communication skills.   Middle section: ·        Assessing intellectual and communication skills –how may this be done? Tasks? Observation? Any tests? Formally/informally? Emphasize the teacher and therapist working together. ·        Differentiate and realize –how do teaching methods need to vary for this group of children who (as you say) are very individual in their presenting characteristics. What approaches are relevant? Here put all your ideas, but under headings so they are organized (see point 29, but also include some of your own from pages 6,7 and 8). Include a section on the importance of everyone being consistent –and the involvement of parents (from your conclusion). Refer back to your theoretical underpinning in the background section. Make continual reference to teacher and therapists working together.   Conclusion: pull out the main points that you have made in a summary –emphasizing consistency as you do in the initial and final parts of your existing conclusion.   I think you nearly have enough information –you have clearly read widely and should be able to add to the theoretical section (which is currently your ‘introduction’). Better organization and clearer explanation of some of your ideas and approaches would greatly improve this work.   Where you have included examples from your experience, this enhances the work and shows your understanding. Relate them specifically to a theoretical back ground and understanding of austism.   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> I think right at the outset you need to be very clear about which group of children you are talking about. The title suggests children at the severe end of the Autistic spectrum 0 and you have to make this explicit too. Otherwise your first statement is confusing. ‘The autistic child’ could be a child with high functioning autism. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Although you reference this first paragraph at the end, you need to show where these thoughts come from earlier. Is the author talking about all autistic children? Again, making it clear that you are talking about children at the severe end of the autistic spectrum would be helpful. This comment is relevant throughout this introduction where you refer to the ‘autistic child’. A brief explanation showing your understanding of autistic spectrum would also be useful. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> What about the triad of impairments?(cognition-learning style-communication skills) </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Useful to relate your characteristics to the triad </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Is this true? Only these elements? –It’s also the content and use of language which is disrupted- your reference to meaning demonstrates this </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> I do not consider this to be an introduction to your assignment. You have launched straight into a discussion about the communication skills of autistic children. Your introduction should give the reader an outline of the assignment you are going to write e.g. ‘I will fist briefly overview… and then go to describe…’ etc. Have you left a section out? This would give your assignment an organization, which at this point it lacks. The reader does not see where the assignment is going. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> I am still unclear by this point how you are going to address the title of this assignment –which asks you to consider how a teacher and SLT can work together to assess, differentiate and realize the educational potential. You seem to be launching straight into the realizing section…. You need some sort of introduction to this next section – ‘I shall now consider how teachers and therapists can work together to meet the needs of children in the severe end of the autistic spectrum’. Be clear to the reader where you are going with your writing. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Not sure what you mean by this – speech exercises? You need  to reference this to show where it has come from </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Please reference your comments –who says this? Where have you read it? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> So how can teachers and SLTs work together to create an environment where autistic children and develop more appropriate and useful communication skills? –you address this a little more appropriately in point 13 </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> You have not described this in enough detail to give the reader a sense of your understanding of this approach </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Should you call these ‘speech disorders’- when you are talking about communication </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Good and you have given some useful examples of how this may be done </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Yes, but please reference this –otherwise it looks like an idea that you have just thought up. Where have you read about this –make sure you demonstrate your reading and do not make too many unsubstantiated comments </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Linking this to your understanding of the nature of Autism would be useful here. Explain why they attend to peripheral noises- central coherence etc. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Explain how visual methods can be helpful –will they do not also attend to peripheral detail within visual material? Tell us how would use visual material </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> They can be, but not always –especially this group of children at the severe end of the autistic spectrum. I think you need to be careful in making statements about all autistic children, use words like ‘can’, ‘may’ </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> This section on ‘ways of teaching’ contains many useful, practical ideas. However, it is poorly organized and so we start reading about one aspects, flit to another and then give some more information later about the earlier point. It would be very helpful for you, and the reader, to use headings under which you could group your ideas. For example: ‘Communicative opportunities’, ‘The use of written language’, ‘visual support’- just a few ideas. As mentioned in the notes above, try also to support what you are saying with what you have read- having a more comprehensive initial theoretical section would have been useful to refer back to. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Why have you used these note-forms? Could this not be a paragraph –or at least introduce your lists to begin with. Your assignment needs to be a narrative and not a list of points </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Again, this is very list-like and does not have to be –you have enough content here to write text instead of a list of points. Please at least give an introduction before starting these points, so that the reader knows why you are reporting them. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Reference- who says this? Where have you read it? Show your reading to support your comments </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> In order to address the third party of the title question ‘differentiation’ it would have been useful to discuss how it may be possible to meet the needs of both of these children within a classroom- but the use of individualized programmes. Good to have emphasized the very different nature of the two children with autism, this would also have been useful earlier </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> They will find it difficult to learn and then generalize </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> This needed to be stressed more clearly within the body of your assignment. Yew, this is important- to work with the child’s interests and follow their lead </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> The involvement of the child’s family is an important factor and should have been included in an earlier section. Your conclusion should be about drawing together the main points that you have made during the assignment, not about introducing more points </li>   Grade 45% Fail                                                                                                        Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

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