Managing Emerging Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Emerging Technologies - Essay Example ERP systems data mining options help the research and development ‎department, marketing department, customer relations department and public relations department. ‎This results in high customer satisfaction level but also help to increase the profitability of the ‎organization. But with the introduction of this ERP systems there are number of challenges which ‎come as a curse to the organization. An organization needs to counter all these challenge to get the ‎most out of this technology (Leon, 2007). It is crucial to understand that what is innovative in this ERP ‎system. Is this just a myth or it really works? If an idea is not workable then it is not ‎innovation. Ideas come to mind frequently but making those ideas work for the betterment of ‎organizations is innovation in real sense (Denning, 2004). If an employee find ways to give better customer service but ‎his finding are just a research and not workable in real environment than the idea worth nothing. ‎ There are various things which an organization has to keep in mind in order to generate innovative ‎ideas and let those ideas work for them for a longer period of time. ‎First of all the organization should be aware of all technological enhancements and updates in the ‎industry and relevant environment. In case of ERP system our organization has strategically analyzed different ‎opportunities which can be availed and also the problems which we have to encounter. ‎ The other important thing is focus and persistence. Once the opportunities are identified and they are ‎tested in different environment and situations the organization may stay firm on its decision. ‎Organization needs to focus on their target and avoid all kind of distractions and opposition. Every ‎good idea is opposed initially. Organization must concentrate on implementation of ideas. Once the ‎idea is triggered and start benefiting the people will

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES - Essay Example The KU students’ deviant may also be a product of the social disorganization theory that explains that one’s environment may lure them into making wrong choices such as their university having no follow up on such students (Siegel 188). Williams’ article focuses on adultery of Tiger Woods (1). The article gives scientific evidence to explain the working of the male brain so as to understand Tiger Woods behavior. Tiger Woods behavior can be understood on the grounds of biological, genetical and evolution theory that explains criminal conduct as a product of mental issues, bad brain chemistry as causative agents of crime (Siegel 147). Tiger Wood’s adultery may also be defined through the chromosome theory that emphasizes on Tiger Woods having the Supermale gene (XYY) that leads to his adulterous behavior (Burke 35). The extra Y gene has been said to be found in violent males, especially criminals. Tiger Woods possessed the same

Introduction Of Heritance Kandalama

Introduction Of Heritance Kandalama Heritance Kandalama is being managed by well known Sri Lankan blue chip company, Aitken Spence PLC. The Hospitality Sector is a one out of four operation of Aitken Spences. Services, logistic solution and strategic investment are theirs other operations. Under Services they operate Destination management which enhances dramatically their hotel operations. Destination management providing the entire facilities under one roof needed for the destination travelers. There are range of hotel brands managing by Aitken Spence such as Heritance in Sri Lanka, Adaaran in Maldives and Aitken Spence Hotels in India and Oman. Same time they provide inbound and outbound travels, airlines agencies, conventions and exhibitions, elevator agency, financial services and insurances through out local and international market under their Service sectors. (See Appendix 01) Heritance is the famous brand of Aitken Spences. The meaning of Heritance is the combination of Heritage and Inheritance. Heritance Hotels Resorts are a collection of resorts that are architecturally unique and blend in with their natural environment Quoted from Aitken Spence official web site. http://www.aitkenspence.com, retrieved on 23 February, 2012 Heritance Kandalama is an example of blend of Sri Lankan heritage, inherits and wild life. It is a luxurious 5 star eco friendly hotel, superiorly architected by world famous Geffory Bava. Heritance Kandalma is the first best Eco conceptual hotel in Sri Lanka and only a few in Asia. Heritance Kandalama facilitating with 152 rooms, 3 restaurants with 295 seating capacity including out door places for dinning and chilling out facilities, one banquet hall, 3 unique pools with 2 bars, business center, in door and out door sports, shopping arcade and a fabulous nature garden over looking the Kandalama lake with numerous flora and fauna. (Appendix 02) Kandalama hotel client base is eco friendly travelers who are looking for mouth watering food extravaganza, serene privacy, luxury and unique experiences. It attracts vast and reputed client tail by providing unique splendid luxury facilities and services. It has a wide European market for the majority with guest also visiting from the rest of the world. Nature lovers, eco friendly business travelers, honeymooners, families with kids, adventures, cultural and leisure tourists are main visitors of them. Heritance Kandalama Marketing Strategies Forming the Marketing Strategies for Heritance Kandalama. Heritance Kandalama Hotel strategies formulated on the Aitken Spences corporate and Hotel sector strategies which mainly based on Marketing concept and Societal concept. Heritance brands strategy and market slogan is Where tradition is alive. Heritance Kandalama hotel is been flagship of Sustainable Green Tourism strategies and CSR strategies practices. Figure 2.1: Porter Generic Strategies for Heritance Kandalama Competitive Advantage Competitive Scope Low Cost Higher Cost Broad NarrowOverall Cost Leadership Differentiation-Heritance Kandalama Cost focus Differentiation Focus Source: Porter As you can see in Figure 2.1 Heritance Kandalama is taking competitive advantage under Differentiation strategies by catering to broad market with higher price compared to other eco friendly resorts in Sri Lanka. As you can see in positioning below they have broader market which they cater to each and every type of markets so they can charge premium price as Heritance is and internationally and locally well reputed brand with their unique location, luxury services and facilities, and well established marketing communication strategies. Heritance Kandalama Hotel and Marketing Strategies Though Heritance Kandalama hotel uses Societal and Marketing concept as their marketing concepts still they use other concepts too. Societal Concept Sustainable tourism, CSR practices, Green Auditing Marketing Concept Nature conscious architecture, Heritance ingenious Food Experience As mother company of Heritance Kandalama, Aitken Spence group has been awarded as one of the top ten best corporate citizen in Sri Lanka consecutively for 6 years by taking consideration of their sustainable business strategies. Heritance brand too recognized as one of the best practice hotel chain on sustainability, responsible tourism and eco friendliness. They are pioneer of Setting Standards for Sri Lankan sustainable and green tourism. (See Appendix 01 ) In order to practice Where Tradition is Alive marketing slogan and against to the competitors, Heritance Kandalama differentiates their location, interior and exterior of hotel, products and service, and Green philosophy practices. Positioning Royal Suites with VIP luxury amenities, Wedding package documentation for foreigners, Balloon Rides, Mountain Cave tracking, Targeting Honeymoon Package, Excursions, Cultural Activities Cultural triangle tours, Green philosophy, CSR concern guest Segmentation Eco Nature Lovers, Adventures, Cultural Tourist, Love Romance Responsible TouristsSegmentation, Targeting and Positioning for Heritance Kandalama Heritance Kandalama cater to Eco friendly, sustainable and nature conscious luxury market segments. Their client tails are wild life and nature lovers, love and romance, cultural tourists, leisure and adventure tourists and responsible tourists, who looking for mouth watering food, serene privacy, luxury and unique experience. Kandalama has differentiate target markets according to their own strong marketing mix, such as culture triangle excursions and involving guest in community service to promote responsible tourism. (Appendix ) Kandalama value proposition is Where Tradition is Alive. They positioned their market for High end customers with royal suites and VIP amenities, Honeymooner and Wedding customers with wedding packages and providing documentation facilities for foreigners, Adventure customers with Balloon rides, Night mount hiking and Eco friendly tourists by practicing green philosophy. All the above services and products have been provided by protecting and promoting the traditional Sri Lankan culture. The Heritance Kandalama has well positioned their product to gain best competitive advantages over their competitors. Luxury -Royal suites, Six sense spa. Culture Excursions to Punaragama village and culture triangle. Adventure Excursions of Night mount hiking, Jungle tracking. Love Romance Wedding Package. Family Eco park, Special children menu, In and out door sports. Business Conference facilities, Six sense spa, Serene environment away from busy city. Sustainable and Nature Green philosophy and CSR practices, Promote and buy community products, Green Architecture. Price More Same LessFigure 1.2: Heritance Kandalam product positioning in market More Same Less Benefits Royal Suite, Six sense spa Honeymoon package Restaurant Buffet Balloon rides Cultural triangle excursions Diamond club loyalty card Horse and pony rides Conference facilities Punaragama village tour Source: Author concept Heritance Kandalama is using different pricing strategies according to their product and service to cater different markets and compete with competitors. More-More : Compared to other eco-luxury hotels HK Royal Suites is far more expensive as their services and facilities are of a higher standard. Same-Same: Cultural triangle excursion package and the price is the same as when comparing to the surrounding hotels. Less-Less: Punaragama package is not expensive; with this package you can explore previous traditional village life of Sri Lanka which competitors dont have such facilities. This is a unique market positioning for them. Growth Strategy and Heritance Kandalama Existing Products New Product 5 star luxury rooms and facilities, Honeymoon package, Cultural Triangle excursion Balloon rides, Helicopter rides, Traditional music and cultural events. Family package with kiddies facilities, Adventure packages for corporate company clients. Punaragama package, Green tourists, Community service Existing Market New Market Heritance Kandalama is doing great market penetration. Even though there are 5 star resorts there, they do larger market penetration compare to competitors, as their unique geographical position and superb nature blend architected. They were developed new market for kids to retain parents by introducing new kids menu, kiddies sports, and kids club by creating adventure holidays for kids such as kiddies camping. There was another new market they created Adventure packages for corporate company clients as there new immerge of adventures out door management training program. Heritance Kandalama developed balloon ride and helicopter ride for existing adventure market. Their diversification or unique products are Punaragama Cultural village, Kandalama Ingà ©nues food experience and Cave dining. 7Ps strategies for Heritance Kandalama Product 152 five star luxuries room with 7 categories, 3 unique restaurants, pool bars and Kandalama style cousins, Six sense spa with all beauty treatments, 3 unique pools in and our door sport facilities, Library and bushiness center, Excursions include cultural triangle, Activities such as bird watching, trekking, boat trip, horse and elephant riding. Price Best Available Rates for Bed and Breakfast with tax Superior USD 180 Panoramic USD 201 Luxury USD 250 Deluxe USD 262 Travel Agent Rates Superior USD Panoramic USD Luxury USD Deluxe USD Promotion (See Appendix ) Advertising in News paper, Official World Wide Website, Magazines, Green Philosophy, CSR Activities, Word of Mouth, Blogs, Social Medias such as facebook and twitter, Direct sales promotions, Catering to the international events and providing facilities for international researchers to gain knowledge about sustainable and green tourism practices, Always been under lime light of every global and local green and sustainable awarding. Place 183km away from Sri Lankan Colombo, Katunayaka Bandaranayaka International airport, Located with in UNESCO World Heritage Site and Sri Lankan Cultural triangle, Over looking of 1200 years old Kandalama river, Sigiri and Dambulla citadels. Hotel reservation system, Aitkent Spence destination management, Official website and other reservation websites such as Agoda, Trip advisor, and other travel agencies working as distributions channels of HK. People Corporate and international customer training programs and other trainings for Staff, Staff evaluation and rewards upon their success in customer services such as employee of the month, Training, develop and encourage lower level for higher managerial positions, through community services and CSR build good relationship between guest, staff and local community. Process Awarded with environmental process certifications, CSR and Green Philosophy practices, 8 Rs practices on resources, Hotel Standard guidance book, SLS certifications Physical Evidence Internationally awarded Geffory Bavas architectural design, Eco and Environment conscious landscaping, interiors and exteriors, energy conservations system, Colors and design blend with nature to do minimal impact on environment. Heritance Kandalama Marketing Communication and Public Relation Strategies Heritance Kandalama is having very effective personal and mass communication structure to create new customer bases and retain the existing customers. Promotion and direct meeting from hotel sales and marketing department and Walking guest or over reception counter selling are the some of personal communications. Some of mass communication methods for HK are websites, paper and magazine advertisements, brochures, cut outs and YouTube. DRIP elements for Heritance Kandalama Differentiate Nature blend land mark architecture Heritance = Heritage + Inheritance of Sri Lanka Sustainable tourism practices Nature conscious Green Philosophy with 8Rs practices Remind Unique 5 star Heritance Kandalama service and products Aitken Spencer website with Kandalama media center, blog spots, social media such as facebook, twitter, blogger After sales follow up and guest data base management Influence Through official web site and other websites International and local trade show and conferences Been Hall of Fame in every tourism awarding body in Sri Lanka and internationally Through unique selling products such Kandalama ingenious cooking and Punaragama cultural village Persuade Marketing Slogan: Where Tradition Alive Display Attractive packages and excursion in their websites with details and same time with online reservation CSR system practices and Green philosophy persuade to buy their products Marketing Communication Strategies for Heritance Kandalama Heritance Kandalama is using different market communication strategies aligned with their corporate strategies, such as 3.2.1 Push Strategies Push strategy is one of main communication strategy used by Heritance Kandalama. As intermediates they use their own sister company Aitken Spence Travel and Tours, other local travel agents and tour operators, international travel agents and tour operators such as Kouni, hotel representative at airport, trade show and other travel and tourism conferences. Heritance Kandalama Hotel Aitkent Spence Travel Tours Customer 3.2.2 Pull Strategies The growing and vast potential communication strategy used by Heritance Kandalama is the pull strategy, as there do not need to allocate intermediary commissions, discount or extra payments. This is very profitable for customers as well as to the HK, however Heritance Kandalm a has to are advertising and communications cost. Heritance Kandalama Booking.com, Central Reservation Customer Promotion Mix 3.2.3 Profile Strategies Their some of profile strategies are Heritance News letter, Promotion between other Aitken Spence staffs and suppliers. Marketing Mix for Heritance Kandalama Direct Selling Aitkent Spence Hotel reservation system Personal Selling Heritance Kandalama Sales and Marketing Department Advertising Magazine and Bill board Sales Promotion Seasonal offers, Marketing campaign Sponsorship Donating to local community schools Exhibitions Trade fairs E-communication Official website, Facebook, Twitter Public Relations(PR) CSR practices Public Relation (PR) and Heritance Kandalama Heritance brand is a well known cultural resort brand among Sri Lankans as well as internationally. Heritance Kandalama is playing a major role among Aitkent Spence hotels as well as Heritance brand hotels. It has a reputations the Pioneer of the sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka as well as a role modeler for the world. It is because of their luxuries hotel practices, procedures and policies they follow in sustainable tourism. Their mammoth well planned PR strategies are not second to any other hotel in Sri Lankan accommodation sector. 3.4.1 Public Relationship Strategies using by Heritance Kandalama Press Agencies : Heritance Kandalama has taken full advantages of the PR facilities of their mother company Aitken Spencer which has press release on Aitken Spence websites, National news paper agencies and other public media to promote in Sri Lanka as well as in foreign markets. Product Publicity : Very detailed information of hotel products and services mentioning in their official website www.heritancekandalama.com Public Affairs : They use Green philosophy and CSR as their main weapon through the PR system. Heritance Kandalama public affair system well functions through the protecting environment, waste recycle system and 8Rs practices and minimum impact of tourism activities to the nature, local community and natural resources. Very good Human Resource practices, Promote and protect the Sri Lankan heritage can be taken as PA. Through all these they are able to create a great public image among Sri Lankans and responsible travelers around the world. Lobbying : Donating and helping government schools. Mainly they set the example to the Sri Lankan government to formulate the law, rules and regulation for the sustainable tourism. Investor Relations : Returning maximum profits to the share holders and delivering transparency financial and annual reports. Development : Community services, using local products for hotel operation, promoting the local crafts and goods to the hotel visitors and setting standards for Green Tourism in Sri Lanka Other PR communication channels. News and speeches by executive to the media Executive review in annual reports Written materials Heritance Kandalama hotel broachers, articles Audio visual materials Youtube, Wesite video clips Corporate identity materials Heritance Kanadalama logo in stationaeries, signs, business cards, heritance uniforms, CSR activities, hotel website and social net works. Any how beginning of the HK hotel was not easy task because of Sri Lankan public and local community was against to building it as hotel construction and operation would badly impact on Kandalama reservoir, Kandalama Lake, natural flora and fauna, wild animals and for local community, so from the beginning Heritance Kandalam was acted on well planed PR activities to avoid all those protests. Heritance Kandalma takes maximum opportunities through building better PR around their Location of cultural triangle and wild life, better service and quality product but through practice of Green Philosophy. 3.4.2 Heritance Kandalama PR practices and Sustainable Tourism From the beginning Heritance Kandalma empathies on sustainability through the construction, operation and disposing. Their operating and marketing strategies too build on sustainability. Setting standard for Sri Lankan eco tourism is one of their main objectives according to 2010/2011 annual report. Figure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ : Sustainability of Heritance Kandalma Hotel Source: http://www.ecotoursportugal.com Social: Heritance Kandalma CSR practices, Community services, Donation for local schools Economic: Best Human Resource practices and Hiring local personal such village flute player, Buying and using local products, developed Kandalama ingenious food experience through local products and Encourage tourist to buy local community products. Environment: Green philosophy practices, Minimum impact on environment through green architecture, 8Rs practices (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Reverence, Respect, Responsibility, Rethink and Repair) Brand Brand Strategies of Heritance Kandalama Heritance Kandalma is a five star luxury resort hotel situated over looking of Kandalma Lake and surround by 5 of UNESCO World Heritage sites. There are hundred of luxury resorts in the world wide and same as in Sri Lanka, but however Heritance Kandalma brand is differtiate from its competitors and deliver brand values to its loyal customers. HK hotel extend their services under Heritance brand mean Heritage and Inheritance and their value proposition Where Tradition Alive Brand Attributes of Heritance Kandalma Image: : Heritance brand name, Location of Hotel Design Style : Geffry Bavas Green Concept architecture engraving to rocks, flora fauna with minimum impact on its natural environment Logo : Brownish antique letters give Cultural feeling to the Heritance Kandalma logo Marketing Campaigns: Through promotion mix Printing Media: HK broachers, leaflets and news letters Web site : Official website www.heritancehotels/kandalama Behaviors : Through guest experiences of hotel products and services Brand strategies and Heritance Kandalma Aitken Spence PLC is using umbrella branding strategies up on their main product and services such as Aitken Spence Hotels, Services, Logistic solutions and Strategic investment. Any how under hotel sector they use Multi Branding strategies such as Heritance, Adaaran and Aitken Spence hotel and resorts. Kandalama hotel is under Heritance which combine characteristics of Heritage and Inheritance of Sri Lanka. Heritance Kandalama contribute to the Heritance brand strategies through giving Sri Lankan cultural, nature and genuine hospitality experience to the guest. Heritance Kandalama brand equity is compound with sustainable and nature friendly luxury brand giving unique experience of Sri Lankan culture, tradition, food and foremost thousand years well known Sri Lankan hospitality. Through their equity they gain larger market share and operational profits, numerous international and local awards. Destination Branding and Heritance Kandalama Figure : Segmentation of Tourist Destination Branding for HK Heritance Kandalama has positioned their brand as experience of Sri Lankan heritage and Inheritance, luxuries eco friendly product and services to contribute to Wonder of Asia national brand strategies. Figure 6.3: Perceptual Map of Destination positioning of Heritance Brand Hotels Wildness Heritance Tea Factory Heritance Kandalama HK HTF Monolithic Culture OR Tranquility Intriguing Accessible Culture OR Adventures HA HAMG Heritance Ahungalla Urban OR Sun/Sand/Sea Heritance Maha Gedara Source: author base on www.imagine.com Heritance Kandalama positioning as highly access to the culture, adventure and wildness when other Heritance brand hotels positioning as sea-sand-sun or tranquility such as Heritance Maha Gedara is a ayurvedic beach resort. Customer Relationship Management practices (CRM) and Heritance Kandalama Tools using by HK for effective and efficient CRM, Guest Relationship Department managing by Guest Service manager to attend on the spot guest quarries and to enhance repeat customers. HK has rapport on their guest cocktails, meeting the guest by management and engage the guest with local community. Data Base Management (DBM): Collecting and keep updating guest information upon registration cards and guest special requests to create memorable service for the guest when every time they visit HK. Using DBM keep in touch with existing customers- Sending greeting card on special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas. Updating the guest about upcoming events, new offers, HK special packages through emails and news letters. The Diamond Club Loyalty Card For each stay in any Aitken Spence Hotels, guest can earn 100 points upon every thousand rupees spent and points for 10% of the total bill value. Free stay, discount on future booking, room upgrade, gift vouchers, special offers and free Aitken Spence hotels news updating are some of benefits customer get through the this loyalty card system. Networking, E-marketing and Heritance Kandalama HK gaining higher customer retention and new customer bases through networking, e-marketing and relationship marketing. Network Marketing of Heritance Kandalama Through Aitken Spence mother company and other sister companies Aitken Spence word process, media release and corporate marketing Aitken Spence Travel and Tours Other Net work marketing Trip adviser, Booking.com and Agoda booking engines HK is gaining high advantage of Network Marketing tools. Aitken Spence travel and tours giving full force selling and marketing for HK, and as part of Aitken Spence Hotel sector HK gain best marketing advantages through Adaaran and other Aitkent Spence hotel and resorts situated in Maldives, Oman and India. With small charges HK get very good net work marketing through other booking engine and websites where guest always surf to find value added services and share their experience with other travelers such as trip adviser and booking.com. Relationship Marketing and Heritance Kandalama Through Data Base Management system and Customer evaluation, Diamond Club loyalty card system, HK having larger group of retention customers. Such a customers experiences you can read through their official media website of Aitken Spence word process. HK unique products and memorable services, well trained skilled staff and long run marketing strategies foaming and continuing great customer relationship. E-Marketing and Heritance Kandalama They have attractive and informative up to date websites, social net work such facebook and twitter, blogs, virtual e-marketing such video clip in you tube, how ever this is one of marketing tool that still they have not taken fully advantage and there are lots of potential they can explore and use in their marketing mix. In 3 area they can use electronic media for retain existing customer and to attract new customers. E-Business HK is using computerized system to communicate through the interdepartmental as well as with Aitken Spence corporate sector. MS office, Data base management system( Fidelio ), e-recruitments and for other communications E-marketing HK providing information of their services and products, packages, online reservation and customer feedback through their official website, social networks, and other marketing websites. E-commerce HK official website is having online reservations and best available rates, and associated with other booking engines they are having massive markets, such as through Last minute booking.com, Agoda and tripadviser. Figure 7.1: Process of Social net work Communication Strategies of HK 5.3.1 Features of Heritance Kandalama official website Web contents and information: Updated reliable and detailed information provide the knowledge of its products and services. Images gallery and animation of front page attract the audience attention quickly User Friendly navigation: Using simple text terms with drop down menus, that easy to understand and find the information. Categories of rooms, dinning, spa, other facilities, wedding, activities, rates, offers with online hotel reservation system Search engine optimization and link building: Appears in search engine such Google, Firefox and Yahoo. Its appear in first six results of google search engine when search under Dambulla hotels in Sri Lanka, and first to appear when search under Kandalama hotels in Sri Lanka. HK website is registered in Sri Lanka web directory. As web release marketing tool: Hot balloon offers, Honeymoon packages, and connect with Diamond Club loyalty car promotion web site. Link with social net works such as facebook, twitter, flicker and blogger Build awareness: Knowledge of Heritance products and services, news and press release, blog spots and forums through the web links of http://aitkenspence.wordpress.com or http://aitkenspencehotels.typepad.com 5.3.2 Online Advertising In present Heritance Kandalama is using their official website, other booking engine websites (agoda.com, lastminute.com), social media links (facebook, twitter, flicker, blogger), online classified (lakpua travels), and rich media (YouTube), however they can emphasis on more on online advertising as mentioned in recommendations. 5.3.3 Guerilla Marketing of Heritance Kandalama Heritance Kandalama displays a local flute player and his story in their official website as part of CSR practices. Here they use CSR practices as guerilla marketing tool in their website. Green philosophy practices, make us guilty if we not choose their product against to other resorts as they are the pioneer of Green philosophy practices in Sri Lanka. Hotel allows taking as sample model of sustainable, green tourism, green and architechture case studies in locally and internationally. Appear HK advertisement on other travel and tourism websites HK is playing the role of Green tourism standard setter for Sri Lanka and for local government. 5.3.4 Viral Marketing of Heritance Kandalama Social Net works HK has started to build social net work through Facebook, Flicker, Blogger, Twitter, Word of mouth Catering the guest with best luxury products and services, HK has built great customer reputation and they spread the positive image and motivating other clients through web base guest feedback such trip adviser, articles in blogs and personally. Diamond Club loyalty point system encouraging using more and more of Aitken Spence products and Heritance Kandalama service. This is the customer loyalty tools using by HK. Always customers feel they get value for money using the HK products and services. Recommendations Recommendations for Marketing Customer Loyalty Hosting Cultural and Sustainable Tourism programs, competitions and events Calculate and award their guests yearly as Least Carbon Foot Print Guest Use voice text bot through web to answer the guest questions and quarries Build up Story Share link through the HK official website, which guest can post their funny, unforgettable travel experience or asking basic questions from the guest to build up travel story for him with photos; video clips that guest can share with social media, printing or any other media. Use technology to track down the travel information seekers through the search engine and let connect nearest person to the guest who had Heritance Kandalama experience to share their experience with new travelers Use technology to track down the travel information seekers through the search engine and let connect nearest person to the guest who had Heritance Kandalama experience to share their experience with new travelers 6.2 Recommendations and justifying marketing communications strategies Directory marketing such in Yahoo Local, Yellow Page and LinkedIn Promote a access word to search website easily and make it search engine sensitive. Such as Eco friendly hotel in Sri Lanka or Cultural experience hotel. HK need to web tracking by gathering statistic information to measure your website success. Sponsor or be host for International and local Survivor, Travelers programs. Virtual Show round, live show

The Impact of Emerging Technology on the Public Sector Essay -- Techno

The Impact of Emerging Technology on the Public Sector The impact of information technology has been tremendous within the public sector. Over the years, the growth and development of technology has caused the public sector to change. One of the most significant changes in technology has been the evolution of the information systems and how their development has reshaped the way the world uses technology. â€Å"It has been just over fifty years since the worlds first programmable computer became operational. It cost millions of dollars to build and processed an unprecedented 5,000 instructions per second. By 1971, Intel was able to pack 25 times that power into a single, two hundred-dollar chip. Today’s personal computers process 400,000 instructions per second and if current trends continue, desktop-computing power will be at 100,000 million instructions per second by the year 2012.† [i] Although the benefits of technology were first realized in the private sector, the public sector has been able to reap some benefits. In addition they have also incurred some of the challenges it has brought. This research paper will discuss the types of technology that are used by the public sector, cost considerations, security and confidentiality issues, the National Public Review and Government Information Technology initiatives and the challenges of training a computer literate workforce. Public Sector Technology Applications Emerging technology is the application of rising or forthcoming sciences to industrial and commercial objectives. These rising and forthcoming sciences have also been applied to the public sector. Technology has impacted the services the public sector provides as well as the internal systems used to support t... ...al, M., (1998) Technology in Government Vol. 5. No. 10., Public Lines up for Service, New York: Columbia University Press Northrop, A., Kraemer, K., Dunkle, D., and King, J. (1990) Public Administration Review vol 5., Payoffs from Computerization: Lessons Over Time, New York: Columbia University Press Reisner, R and Jones-Shearin, C. (1996) Access America Online Magazine, Improve the Public's Access to Government Services-Less Burden more Service www.accessamerica.gov/docs/public2.html {on-line} Thibodeau, P., (1999) CNN.com, Government: US will need 1.3M new IT workers by 2006, www.cnn.com/ting/9907/02/itwirk,idg/index.html {on-line} (1994) The American Heritage Dictionary 3rd Edition, New York, Dell Publishing Thompson, M., (1999) CNN.com, US Miltary Recruits on the Web, www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9904/27/military.idg/index.html {on-line}

Cultural Differences Essay

Dear Vice President of Production, Mark Jones, a Production Manager, has been transferred from the manufacturing plant in his hometown of Chicago to his company’s overseas manufacturing plant in Osaka, Japan and I am writing to let you know the differences that Mark will experience in managing front-line plant workers in Japan in contrast to in the United States and also address how cultural differences may play a role in individual differences Mark will experience. Three differences that Mark may experience are: * Language Barriers * Technology * Politics In the United States individuals tend to speak loudly and are more assertive or aggressive when addressing workers or giving direction. Individuals in Japan speak softly and are generally more passive. With language barriers making a conscious effort to be considerate of others can aid in effective communication in the business setting. The increase of conduct business with each other is due to globalization. Technology aids people to connect one another much easier, however it may be easy for most but there are individuals that are completely lost when it comes to technology. Another thing to consider is the time zone differences. Yes you may be able to video chat with someone in Japan they are not in the same time zone as you are, so ensuring to conduct whatever form of communication you choose is considerate of the time difference. The way a company conducts business can be affected by political influences. Some cultures pose a strong sense of government pride, and nationalism. Other cultures tend to negotiate with companies that have minimum conflict with their culture. I believe with our help Mark can move overseas with minimum transition problems. I suggest these three things that could stand to aid Mark make the transition as smooth as possible. It is important that Mark researches the Japanese cultural. I recommended this because knowing what to expect can give him a head start so that he can address any possible doubts or concerns that might arise with the font line workers. Mark should be clear and careful in communicating with the workers. Due to the language barrier that already exists Mark has to be extremely careful when communicating to ensure the workers understand what he is asking or telling them to do. Finally Mark should regularly check with his employees to ensure they have what is needed for them to do their job as well as how things are going for them. Mark would also want to aid his employees in the transition as well. Not only doe’s transition problems affect Mark they affect the works as well.

Early Marriage in South Asia Essay

Early marriage affects millions of children through the world. It is widely practiced in the countries of South Asia where every year millions of girls-preteens and teens- become the wives of older men. Young girls are married when they are still children and as a result are denied fundamental human rights. Early marriage compromises their development and often results in early pregnancy and social isolation, with little education and poor vocational training reinforcing the gendered nature of poverty. Required to perform heavy amounts of domestic work, under pressure to demonstrate fertility, married girls and child mothers face constrained decision-making and reduced life choices. Both boys and girls are affected by child marriage but the issue impacts girls in far larger numbers, with more intensity—and is wide ranging.[1] Early marriage, better known as child marriage, is defined as marriage carried below the age of 18 years, â€Å"before the girl is physically, physiologically and psychologically ready to shoulder the responsibilities of marriage and child bearing†[2]. Many factors interact to place a child at risk of marriage. Parents encourage the marriage of their daughters while they are still children in hopes that the marriage will benefit them both financially and socially, while also relieving financial burdens on the family. Strong correlations between a woman’s age at marriage and the level of education she achieves, the age at which she gives birth to her first child and the age of her husband have been well documented. Early marriage means also the individual becomes sexually active early, raising children while children themselves. The marriage of a young girl affects not only her life but that of the children she will bear. Early marriage is by no means a new phenomenon.[3] It is a socially established practice that has been carried on from generation to generation. This is despite the existence of international and regional instruments that all the States in South Asia have ratified. Governments in the region also settled upon 18 as the minimum legal age at marriage. However, they are often either unable to enforce existing laws, or rectify discrepancies between national laws and customary and religious laws. Most often, child marriage is considered as a family matter and governed by religion and culture, which ensure its continuity. It remains therefore a widely ignored violation of the rights of girls and women and exposes them to multiple risks, including to sexual abuse and exploitation. Compiled from a study undertaken by Mira, B. AGHI, this paper examines early marriage in the region in order to offer information for analysis and discussion. The Prevalence Of Early Marriage In South Asia It is very difficult to get accurate data on the true extent of early marriages. This is because most marriages are not officially registered, and many parents resort to falsifying girls’ ages. Such acts are made easier in rural areas where birth certificates are often non-existent or not properly recorded. There is also very little data on girls married before the age of 15. Available data are often outdated and fail to provide adequate information. Although early marriage is said to be declining in many parts of the world, the total number of girls at risk or affected is very significant and cannot be ignored. It is estimated there are worldwide more than 51 million adolescent girls aged 15–19 who are married and bearing the burden of domestic responsibility and the risks associated with early sexual activity, including pregnancy.[4] In South Asia in 2005, 48% (nearly 10 million) of young women were married before the age of 18[5]. Figure 1 Child marriage, 1987 – 2006. (% of women 20-24 years of age that were married or in union before they were 18 years old) [pic] Despite a shift towards later marriages in many parts of the world, in the countries of South Asia a majority of girls still marry before age 18 (65% in Bangladesh, 57% in Nepal, 54% in Afghanistan, and almost 50% in India). One problem in assessing the prevalence of early marriages is that many are unregistered and unofficial and hence, are not a part of any data collection system. Very little data exists on marriages of children under the age of 10, even less on those below that age[6]. Some countries do have data. According to Bangladesh’s demographic and health survey of 1996-1997, there are 28 million adolescents in Bangladesh, 13.7% of these are girls, and the survey reported that more than half the girls below 19 were married and 5% of 10-14 year old girls were married. Another survey of women 25-29 years old reported that in Bangladesh 81% were married before the age of 18[8]. The lowest age at marriage is to be found in the western and southern parts of Bangladesh – specifically those adjoining India. In India, more than 57 per cent of girls are reported to get married before they turn 18. According to the Reproductive and Child Health District Level Household Survey, 28% girls overall, with 34.5% in rural and 13% in urban areas, are being married before they turned 18. According to a Rapid Household survey conducted across the country, 58.9% women in Bihar were married before the age of 18, 55.8% in Rajasthan, 54.9% in West Bengal, 53.8 % in Utter Pradesh, and 53.2% in Madhya Pradesh. National Family Health Survey data suggests that the median age for marriage in India is 16.4 years. This survey also found that 65% of the girls are married by the time they are 18.[9] There are additional surveys like one in 1993 which reported that in the Indian state of Rajasthan, on 5,000 women 56% had married before age 15, and of these, 17% were married before they were 10.[10] Another report indicated that nearly 14% of the girls in India’s largest state (Uttar Pradesh) are married between the ages of 10-14 years, whereas in the central province of Madhya Pradesh, 11% of urban and 16.4% of rural girls are married between the ages of 10-14 years.[11] In Nepal, the law has helped in increasing the age at marriage. However, the data which included female marriages at all ages showed that ethnicity is the major factor of age at marriage in Nepal. The ethnic groups are mostly concentrated in the Terai region, which borders India, and where the cultural norms and practices are highly influenced by the culture of north India. In contrast to other groups, especially in the mountain region, women belonging to the Terai groups are generally confined to farming; they exercise comparatively less control over the economic resources and decision-making. The most notable data from Nepal is 83.1% of girls of some ethnic groups marry before they are 15 years old. 79.6% Muslim girls marry before they are 15 years old. 69.7% girls in the mountainous and hilly regions marry at the age of 15 whereas 55.7% in rural Nepal marry before they turn 15.[12] Early marriage is more common in Surkhet district of mid-western Nepal.[13] One of the findings of the study is that higher caste girls do not feel the pressure to marry at a very young age and while they are in primary school. But when they reach 13 years, pressure is put on them especially if they fail their school exams. If they are doing well their parents will often let them continue with their studies. Lower caste girls have much higher pressure and less choice.[14] A survey of adults 25-29 years old revealed that in Pakistan 37% of the girls were married before the legal age, which at the time was16.[15] In Pakistan, as in other countries of South Asia, early marriage is more common in rural areas. Also people living in rural areas observe traditions more closely than those who live in urban areas. Causes Of Early Marriage Many reasons are given by parents and guardians to justify child marriage. Economic reasons often underpin these decisions which are directly linked to poverty and the lack of economic opportunities for girls in rural areas. Girls are either seen as an economic burden or valued as capital for their exchange value in terms of goods, money or livestock. A combination of cultural, traditional and religious arguments also justifies child marriage. The fear and stigma attached to premarital sex and bearing children outside marriage, and the associated family honor, are often seen as valid reasons for the actions that families take. Finally, many parents tend to curtail the education of their girls and marry them off, due to fear of exposure to sexual violence and abuse encountered. Early marriage as a strategy for economic reasons Poverty is one of the major factors underpinning early marriage. In many of the cases, the families are in poverty and one less daughter is one less mouth to feed. Poor families may regard young girls as an economic burden and the practice of early marriage, as an act of unburdening and a coping strategy. When poverty is acute, a young girl’s presence in the house is felt as unbearable and her marriage to a much older or even elderly man who can pay a very high price may be seen in her interest. Child marriage is valued as an economic coping strategy which reduces the costs of raising daughters. In this sense, poverty becomes a primary reason for child marriage because of perceived benefits to the family and the daughter. |Ethnicity/culture has emerged as the most complex reason for girls’ early | |marriages. In fact at some places like the Terai region in Nepal, where | |the cultural norms and practices are highly influenced by the culture of | |north India, it has emerged even stronger than the socio-economic | |factors.[16] It has been observed that ethnicity affects not only the age | |of marriage but the timing of family formation and entry into motherhood. | Marriage arrangements and requirements, such as dowry payments in parts of South Asia where parents of the young woman are obliged to give gifts to the spouse and his family, perpetuate child marriages. This is because the dowry requirement often increases with the age and the education level of the girl. Additionally, poor families tend to marry off girls at the same time to help reduce the burden of high marriage ceremony expenses[17]. However, child brides are often more likely to experience domestic violence and least likely to take action against this abuse. The majority of affected girls become condemned to a life of financial and social insecurity. This is a real paradox for many parents, given that they marry off their daughters at a young age in the belief that this will enhance the girl’s and the family’s security. Poverty ultimately fuels child marriage, which in turn perpetuates the feminization of poverty. In many villages that practice child marriage in Tamil Nadu State in India for example, girls are married off before they attain puberty because of the social stigma the community attaches to marriage after puberty. Many such marriages end in divorce. In case there is a large age’s difference, the girls become widows at a young age. Custom forbids divorced or widowed women to remarry, further impoverishing them. Entrenched community norms and myths clearly help to perpetuate the practice of child marriage and related poverty. Son preference is very strong in many communities in South Asia, which may not be unrelated to the expenses involved when marrying off a daughter. The rising costs of marriage ceremonies force many families to marry their daughters at the same time to reduce costs. Boys forced into marriage early may also suffer financially. Economic responsibilities can place heavy burdens on them and curtail their education sooner than they might want. However, while boys can leave their wives at their parents’ homes and seek employment opportunities elsewhere, this option is not available to the majority of young wives[18]. Marriage alliances and traditions Often marriage arrangements are made between families for dynastic, business, property or conflict resolutions. In Pakistan, India and Nepal, children may be betrothed or even married while toddlers or well below the age of 10. This custom is a means of consolidating powerful relations between families, making deals over land or other property, or settling disputes in the way routinely conducted between royal houses and aristocratic families throughout history. It may be a way of maintaining or fostering business ties with them. It may also be arranged as apart of the deal to settle a feud between two families.[19] Early marriage as a way to ensure the protection of girls Early marriage is also one way to ensure that a wife is â€Å"protected† or placed firmly under male control; that she is submissive to her husband and works hard for her in-laws’ household; that the children she bears are ‘legitimate’ and that bonds of affection between couples do not undermine the family unit.[20] It has been observed that in child marriages there is invariably a large gap between married women and their husbands—between 7-9 years.[21] The customary age difference helps to preserve the traditional cultural pattern of an older husband dominating a much younger wife. Social pressure appears to play a significant role in the girl getting married early. If girls remain unmarried by 15, neighbors, villagers and relatives begin to doubt her chastity and health. Parents are under huge pressure not to give a chance to the society to pass any aspersion on their girls. Early marriage is often a way of ensuring that the daughter is not at risk of losing her virginity in an irregular sexual encounter.[22] For many communities, the loss of virginity in girls before marriage is the worst shame that can be brought upon a family. The desire to protect a girl’s virginity drives many parents to force their daughters into marriage at an extremely young age. For this reason and to control girl’s sexuality, girls are married to prevent pre-marital sex or pregnancy. Once it is known in the village that a girl had pre-marital sexual relationship, it could be quite difficult to find a suitable boy who will be willing to marry her. Therefore parents willingly/unwillingly arrange early marriages to avoid such unpleasant situations. In rural communities, fetching water and firewood are usually chores undertaken by young girls. There is frequently a serious fear of their being raped.[23] The rape will be devastating with enormous implications for the girl. In many communities the rape is not considered to be a crime against a girl but against her father, husband, or brothers. Situations of insecurity and acute poverty, particularly during disasters such as war, famine or the HIV and AIDS epidemic, can prompt parents to resort to child marriage as a protective mechanism or survival strategy. Among some populations which have been disrupted by war (Afghanistan), marrying a young daughter to a warlord or someone who can look after her may be a strategy for physical security or family support. In the worst cases, girls are abducted or kidnapped by armed militia or rebels and forced into temporary marriages which amount to â€Å"a combination of child prostitution and pure slavery.† Displaced populations living in refugee camps may feel unable to protect their daughters from rape, and so marriage to a warlord or other authority figure may provide improved protection.[24] Consequences Of Early Marriage The consequences of child marriage are often far wider than just their impact on the individual children affected. The marriage of children has negative effects on families and communities. The practice thrives on poverty and impacts adversely on a country’s health and education sector. Young girls are forced to marry men they have never met before and who may be many years older than they are. Once married, they are responsible for looking after their husbands, the house, and the children they give birth to while still children themselves. This is one of the reasons that offspring born too early in their mothers’ lives are at increased risk of illness and death. These girls often have little knowledge about the responsibilities of being a wife and no information about sex and childbirth.[25] Early forced sex as a violation of rights where a girl is married has not been recognized as a form of sexual abuse except where warlords or traffickers have recruited girls as sexual slaves.[26] Early marriage is associated with a number of poor social and physical outcomes for young women and their offspring.[27] They attain lower schooling, lower social status in their husbands’ families, have less reproductive control, and suffer higher rates of maternal mortality and domestic violence. They are often forced out of school without an education, their health is affected because their bodies are too immature to give birth. |Child marriage impedes the Millennium Development Goals | |(agreed by governments and the international community in | |September 2000). | | | |Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. | |Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education. | |Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women. | |Goal 4: Reduce child mortality. | |Goal 5: Improve maternal health. | |Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. | Health and related outcomes The younger the boy or the girl is at the time of marriage, the worse is the abuse of child and human rights, both on grounds of lack of consent and on grounds of forced early sex. However, the implications for the females are much more severe. The younger the girl at the time of her first sexual relations – with early sex much more frequent and less likely to be consensual within marriage than outside marriage – the greater the chance of severe pain, physical damage, and of birthing complications and injury. Pregnancy and childbirth It is common sense to assume that girls who marry before 18 will usually have more children. Early child-bearing has long been seen as a risk to maternity, contributing significantly to large families. Since girls who are married young have a large number of child bearing years, they are more prone to miscarriage, infant death, malnutrition, cervical cancer, sterility, and maternal death. Even when girls are closer to the age of 18 but not yet that age, the risk remains. Girls between age 15 and 19 are twice as likely to die of pregnancy-related reasons as women between age 20 and 24. Child marriage is the leading cause of young women between the ages of 15 and 24 dying during pregnancy. Figure 4 Percentage of women age 15- 19 who have begun childbearing Selected countries in South Asia, 2004-2006 [pic] Not only the mothers but offspring born too early in their mothers’ lives are at increased risk of illness and death. The babies of child brides are sicker, weaker and many do not survive childhood. Evidence shows that infant mortality among children of very young mothers is almost two times higher than among those of older peers. The health problems linked to early marriage not only affect the pregnant mother but also continue after child birth. Complications are more likely during pregnancy and birth purely because of the mother’s young age. A large proportion of reproductive and sexual health concerns of adolescent girls and women root from early marriage and early pregnancy. In the context of reproductive health girl spouses face well-acknowledged risks. These include the problem of giving birth when the pelvis and birth canal are still under-developed which leads to an increased risk of complications during delivery including protracted labor.[28] Mothers aged less than 15 are especially vulnerable to fistulae – relentless pressure from baby’s skull can damage the birth canal causing breakages in the wall. A girl or a woman with this condition ─ irreversible without surgery ─ is not only in constant pain but will be socially ostracized and may well be divorced because of this.[29] The perils of child marriage are not limited to only health complications during pregnancy and delivery period but in many cases during post-natal period as well. Because of the prolapsed uterus, they suffer from backaches, experience difficulties while walking, working and sitting for a long time. At times they had to give birth even after prolapsed uterus and this made the situation worse for them. [30] Child brides cannot negotiate the terms of sex with husbands who are usually older and have had previous sexual partners.[31] They cannot insist on fidelity or condom use.[32] Research in India (Calcutta) revealed that almost half of the women patients in the hospital interviewed had been married at or below the age of 15 with the youngest being married at 7 years. This age group has one of the highest rates of vulnerability to sexual violence in marriage, second only to those whose dowry had not been paid. The women had forced sexual intercourse before menstruation had started. The sex was early and painful and many still continued to be forced into sexual activity by their husbands. Although young girls had made their husbands aware of their unwillingness to have sex or of pain during sex, in 80% of these cases, the rapes continued.[33] Increased risks of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and HIV Early marriage threatens girls’ health and the health of their children and thwarts efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. Of substantial consequences, yet largely ignored, is the fact that the majority of the sexually active girls aged 15-19 in South Asia are married and these adolescent girls tend to have higher rates of HIV infection than their sexually active unmarried peers. Early sexual activity within marriage is even more likely to expose young people to sexually transmitted infections than sex outside marriage.[34] Crossing the threshold into marriage greatly intensifies sexual exposure via unprotected sex, often with an older partner, who by virtue of his age has an elevated risk of being HIV positive. This dramatic rise in the frequency of unprotected sex is driven by not only the implication of infidelity or distrust associated with certain forms of contraception such as condoms, but often also by a strong desire to become pregnant. Demographic and health survey data reveals that on an average 80% of unprotected sex encounters among adolescent girls occurred within marriage. Not only are married adolescents girls often isolated within their new households and from external public and private support but their needs have not been prioritized or sometimes even considered in current reproductive health initiatives. Moreover many of the most common HIV/AIDS policies and messages are not appropriate for them.[35] Denial of education It is believed that investment in a girl’s education is wasted when she simply going to be married and work in another household.[36] Girls reported that even if married girls are allowed to pursue their education, they cannot continue for too long because of the varied burdens imposed on her by early childbearing and the chores in the house. An important reason why girls in South Asia do not go to school or are withdrawn at puberty is for the assumption of domestic duties and confinement at home as prelude to marriage. Lack of exposure outside the immediate home environment means lower self-esteem, less sense of identity as an independent person with an independent mind, reduced socialization with peers and non-family adults, and considerably less knowledge of what early marriage entails.[37] There is a clear connection between early marriage and low educational attainment. Early marriage puts the young girl at a disadvantage by the loss of educational opportunity. Often girls are not allowed to go to school which diminishes her opportunity to acquire critical life skills. Children benefit as much as their families, since a school-going child has been observed to be an agent of change in rural societies.[38] A girl who is educated will most likely educate her daughter and thus establishes an inter-generational trend of educating girls. Besides, the correlation between the number of years of a girl’s schooling and the postponement of marriage is shown to be firmly established by demographic and fertility studies36. A one year postponement of marriage increases schooling by 0.32 years and literacy by 5-10%.[39]

Nonprofit Management to Online MBA Essays

Nonprofit Management to Online MBA Essays Nonprofit Management to Online MBA Essay Nonprofit Management to Online MBA Essay My daughter did not have the typical college experience; she had my granddaughter when she was only nineteen years old and, while she had started her college classes, she wasn’t able to finish out the year, let alone earn her degree. Her subsequent marriage didn’t last and before long she and her daughter were living back at home with us – the entire family pitching in to try to make things work. She found a great job with a nonprofit organization and time marched on – all of us caught in the whirlwind that comes with having small children and working adults in a household. I was so proud of everything my daughter had accomplished on her own but I knew that she had things she still wanted to do and before long she found a way to go after them. She told me that she was glad that she had gotten this job in nonprofit because while it may have just been a way to pay the bills at first it was quickly revealed to her as something about which she was passionate. In fact, she told me, she wanted to pursue nonprofit management as her long term career and she had found a way to earn her degree – online. With an online nonprofit management degree program she could continue to work full time and care for her daughter, while doing all of her schoolwork at night or on the weekends when we could help with the baby. Everything was done online – on her computer – and it was the most convenient and best way possible of earning her degree. She earned that nonprofit management degree – and we were all so proud. But she didn’t stop there! It seems she really caught the bug after earning her undergraduate degree and so she’s quickly moving on to get her online MBA. Nothing can stop her now!

Map Skills Thematic Unit Plan for First Grade

Map Skills Thematic Unit Plan for First Grade The theme of this unit is map skills. The unit is based on this theme and will focus on cardinal directions and a variety of maps. After each activity, you will find how you can assess the students learning. Materials Concept webCardinal directionsStudent JournalPlace-mat of neighborhoodMe on the Map by Joan SweenyClayFranklins Neighborhood by Paulette BourgeoisTown map worksheetArt suppliesSalt mapsTreasure box Objective Throughout this unit, the students will partake in whole group, small group, and individual activities. Each student will participate in varied activities that incorporate language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science. The students will also keep a journal where they will write with creative spelling, draw, and answer questions. Activity One: Introduction to Unit Time: 30 min. As an introduction to this unit, have the whole class participate in filling in a concept web about maps. While the students are filling in the web, show them examples of different kinds of maps. Then introduce them to cardinal directions. Have an N, S, E, and W placed appropriately on the walls of the classroom. To make sure all of the students comprehend correctly have the students stand up and face north, south, and so on. Once they understand, then have students identify an object in the classroom by using a series of directional clues to aid the students to identify a mystery object. Next, divide the students into pairs and have one child guide their partner to an object using the directional clues. For example, take four giant steps east, now take three tiny steps north. (Social Studies/Geography, Body-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal) Assessment - Have students draw where the north, south, east, and west locations are in their journal. Activity Two: Cardinal Directions Time: 25 min. To reinforce cardinal directions, have the students play Simon Says using the terms north, south, east, and west (which is labeled on the classroom walls). Then, hand each student a laminated placemat of a neighborhood. Use cardinal directions to direct the students to find a particular spot on the map. (Social Studies/Geography, Body-Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal) Assessment/Homework: - Have students map out the route they traveled to and from school. Encourage them to look for landmarks and say if they made a right turn and went east or west. Activity Three: Map Key Time: 30-40 min. Read the story Franklins Neighborhood by Paulette Bourgeois. Discuss the places Franklin went to and the map key and symbols on the map. Then hand out a map of a town worksheet where students must circle important landmarks. For example, circle the police station in blue, the fire station in red, and the school in green. Review cardinal directions and have students tell you where specific things are located on the map. (Social Studies/Geography, Mathematics, Literature, Logical-Mathematical, Interpersonal, Visual-Spatial) Assessment - Groups students together and have them share their maps by asking Find ____ on my map. Then have students draw a picture of their favorite place from the book in their journal. Activity Four: Mapping my World Time: 30 min. Read the story Me on the Map by Joan Sweeny. Then give each student a ball of clay. Have students roll one small ball which will represent themselves. Then have them add to that ball, which will represent their bedroom. Have them continue adding clay so each piece will represent something in their world. For example, the first ball represents me, then my room, my home, my neighborhood, my community, my state and finally my world. When the students are finished, have them cut the ball of clay in half so they can see how they are just a small piece in the world. Social Studies/Geography, Art, Literature, Visual-Spatial, Interpersonal) Activity Five: Body Maps Time 30 min. For this activity, the students will make body maps. To get started, divide students into groups of two. Have them take turns tracing one anothers bodies. When they are finished, have each student label their body map with N, S, E, and W. When they have finished labeling, they can color in their bodies and draw their facial features. (Social Studies/Geography, Art, Visual-Spatial, Body-Kinesthetic) Assessment - You will be able to assess students by determining if they labeled their body map correctly. Activity Six: Salt Maps Time:30-40 min. Students will make a salt map of their state. First, have students try to identify their state on the United States map. Next, have students create a salt map of their home state. (Social Studies/Geography, Art, Visual-Spatial, Body-Kinesthetic) Assessment - Place four laminated cards shaped like different states in the learning center. The students job is to choose which shaped card is their state. Culminating Activity: Treasure Hunt Time: 20 min. Have students put their map skills to use! Hide a treasure box somewhere in the classroom. Divide students into small groups and give each group a different treasure map that leads to the hidden box. When all of the groups have arrived at the treasure, open the box and distribute the treasure inside. Social Studies/Geography, Body-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal) Assessment - After the treasure hunt, gather the students together and discuss how each group used their map to get to the treasure.

Catalase on Hydrogen Peroxide

The aim of this study was to test the rate of reactivity of the enzyme catalase on hydrogen peroxide while subject to different concentrations of an inhibitor. The hypothesis was that hydrogen peroxide will be broken down by catalase into hydrogen and oxygen, where a higher concentration of inhibitor will yield less oxygen, resultant of a lower rate of reaction. Crushed potato samples of equal weight were placed in hydrogen peroxide solutions of various temperatures. The results showed that less gas was produced as the concentration of the inhibitor rose. This Is because more enzymes were inhibited, and so less active sites were available for reaction. Reasearch and rationale Hypothesis: Catalase will break down hydrogen peroxide in water and hydrogen. A higher concentration of inhibitor will yield a slower rate of reaction, thus yielding less oxygen in a given time. Null hypothesis: Catalase will break down hydrogen peroxide in water and hydrogen. The concentration of the inhibitor will have no effect on the rate of this reaction. Supporting knowledge: Enzymes function as biological catalysts, increasing the rate of reactions that take place within organisms. Catalase is an enzyme found in the vast majority of organisms that are exposed to oxygen, making it very common. It catalyses the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is a molecule that can attack sulphur atoms and metal ions in protein molecules, and with the aid of iron ions is potentionally mutagenic. Catalase is an extremely effective enzyme, and can break down millions of hydrogen peroxide molecules in a single second. As such, it can be seen how important and effective catalase is to oxygen-exposed organisms. As with the majority of enzymes, it has an optimum pH of approximately 7, though the optimum can vary by species. Haliotis discus discus, a type of shellfish, for example, has catalase which works at an optimum pH of 10. 5. There are a number of factors which affect the rate of reaction of catalase. As stated, pH is one. Concentration of both catalase and hydrogen peroxide, concentration of co-enzymes (Fe3+ in human catalase) and temperature are all variables that affect the rate of reaction. These can all be regarded as limiting factors, as they can only affect the rate of reaction to a certain point when alone. That is to say, the reaction will not work as best it can if all factors are not at an optimum standard. The poison cyanide acts as a competitive inhibitor, it strongly binds to the haem of catalase, stopping an enzyme-substrate complex from forming. Heavy metal ions, such as copper ions in copper (II) sulphate, act as non-competitive inhibitors on catalase. Competitive inhibitors act by binding to the actual active site of the enzyme, thus stopping an enzyme substrate complex from forming. Competitive inhibition, this can be reversed by increasing the concentration of the substrate. Non-competitive inhibitors bind to a site other than the active site, known as the allosteric site. As such, it is able to bind even to an enzyme-substrate complex. These inhibitors are usually reversible, but are not affected by concentration of the substrate in the way that competitive inhibitors are. Copper acts as a non-competitive inhibitor of catalase. Copper, as a heavy metal, reacts strongly with sulphydryl groups in proteins. This can cause the protein to precipitate, and thus change the shape of the active site. This type of inhibition is irreversible, as the protein becomes covalently modified. Inhibition affects the rate of enzymatic reactions differently than extremes of pH and temperature, which both affect the protein in a non-specific way. These factors reduce the rate of reaction by a process called irreversible enzyme inactivation. This is where the whole protein structure is destroyed, or denatured. Non-competitive inhibitors work by specifically altering the struc ture of the enzymes active site. Due to the decrease in available active sites, the rate of reaction will decrease. In this sense, it is similar to reducing the concentration of enzymes, as there are less active sites available. Planning I will be studying the rate of catalase activity on hydrogen peroxide while varying the amount of inhibition, which should influence the rate of the reaction, and thus the amount of oxygen, observed in a given time. The concentration of the inhibitor will therefore be the independent variable, while the amount of oxygen will be the dependent variable. There should a smaller volume of oxygen observed as the concentration of the enzyme increases. As I am comparing two variables to each other, it would be wise to calculate the correlation of the two variables. To calculate the correlation, I should use Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. To find a suitable correlation, I should use at least 8 samples. After plotting a scattergraph, I will proceed to find out the correlation if the correlation looks reasonable enough. Variables Temperature: Temperature is an extremely important variable to consider, as it can affect the rate of reaction in a number of ways. If the temperature of a system is increased, more molecules will reach the activation energy and the rate of reaction will increase. The number of collisions will also increase. As enzymes must collide with substrates, an increase in temperature and thus kinetic energy will result in more collisions occurring in a given time. Increasing the temperature will also increase the heat of the molecules. This will in turn increase the molecules’ internal energy. If the energy increase is too great, the weaker hydrogen bonds that determine the tertiary structure of the protein may break. This may change the structure of the active site, stopping any reaction between enzyme and substrate. Therefore beyond a certain temperature, the rate of reaction will decrease. To control the temperature, each system must be heated to the same temperature. For this experiment, I have chosen to keep each system at 30oC. This is because room temperature can vary in a lab, as some days can be warmer than others, and the room’s ventilation can also affect the temperature of the system. This is also to allow the reactions to happen at an efficient enough rates to collect results. pH: Any change in pH affects the ionic and hydrogen bonding in an enzyme and so alters it shape. Each enzyme has an optimum pH at which its active site best fits the substrate. Variation either side of this pH results in denaturation of the enzyme and a slower rate of reaction. The optimum pH for catalase in potatoes is generally 7, but can differ depending on the acidity of the soil it was grown in. In this experiment a pH 7 buffer was used. This is because the optimum pH of most types of catalase is 7, and so that the systems can all be kept constant. Concentration of solutions: the concentration both the enzyme and substrate have to be taken into consideration. The concentration of substrate for example will affect the rate of reaction in a positive way until all the active sites are occupied. The same applies to the concentration of the enzyme. An excess of either will not negatively affect the rate of reaction. Both concentrations will be kept constant for each experiment. I will ensure this by using catalase and hydrogen peroxide from the same batch in each experiment. Potato: Obtaining catalase from potato involves crushing the substance. This can be standardised by first cutting the potato into small cubes, then crushing. This can ensure that there are as little lumps of potato left as possible. If multiple potatoes are used, there is a risk of using catalase of different concentrations. This can be remedied by using a large enough potato. As each sample of potato is 5g, and twelve samples are taken 3 times each, then 180g worth of crushed potato are required. A large potato can easily weigh around 500g, so the problem then comes with different concentrations of catalase distributed within the potato. This can be controlled by evenly mixing the crushed potato. It is then safe to assume the catalase is randomly distributed throughout the potato. Lab air exposure: As the crushed potato would be left exposed to the air during the duration of the experiment, this could affect the enzymes ability to catalyse the reaction, and would yield misleading results. As such, any potato that is not in use should be covered in cling film to prevent exposure as much as possible, although not entirely. Preliminary Method My preliminary experiment involved testing only 5 different concentrations of inhibitor, to see whether the results show any reasonable difference. By this, I mean that the results should show a correlation above the critical level where p = 0. 05, n = 6. By doing a trial experiment, I can make sure my experiment will run safely and successfully, as well as determine any factors of my experiment I should change. Apparatus: -Potato -6% Hydrogen Peroxide solution 5cm -Copper (II) Sulphate solution (2%, 1%, 0. 75%, 0. 25%, 0. 1%) 10cm -Deionised water -Measuring cylinders -Weighing boat -Mass balance -Peeler -Scalpel -Pestle and mortar -Cling film -Test tubes -Test tube rack -Water bath -Thermometer -Bunsen burner Tripod -Gauze -Metal tongs -Delivery tube with bung attached -Gas syringe -Clamp stands, boss and clamp -Stopclock Method Peel and dice the potato in roughly 3x3cm cubes and mash them. Cover the crushed potato when not being used. Set up a gas syringe horizontally supported with stands and clamps, high enough to reach test tubes in a water bath. Attach a delivery tube to the syringe. Prepare a water bath of 30oC. Measure out 5cm3 of Hydrogen Peroxide into 6 test tubes. Add 10cm3 of the 2% Copper (II) Sulphate solution. Heat the solution to 30oC using a water bath. While heating, prepare a weighing boat with 5g of potato. When 30oC, place the potato in the solution, quickly attaching it to the delivery tube and starting the stopclock (a helper is advised here). Allow the catalase to react for 3 minutes, and note the gas collected. Repeat the same process for each concentration. Add 10cm3 of deionised water to the final test tube as a control. Health and Safety Pureed potato may irritate some people’s skin. Wash any potato splashes off skin immediately. Hydrogen peroxide is an irritant, and a powerful oxidising agent and bleach.

As below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

As below - Essay Example been provided under Article 81(3), however these four exceptions to the rule are so broad based and uncertain in their legal application that they do not provide any effective guidance to undertakings on what will and will not be construed to be a restrictive practice under EU law. Moreover, the provisions of this section of Article 81 also face difficulties in their legal application, because they must be enforced by national Courts and there are no effective or clear guidelines that are available to local Courts in judicial interpretation of these exemptions. One option open to local Courts in the event of ambiguity in interpretation is to seek a reference under Article 234, in order that Community decisions are not accepted or rejected in an ad hoc manner by a national Court2. The recent moved by the EU to introduce clear guidelines on the criteria under which block exemptions have been provided to certain groups of undertakings may also be helpful in resolving the uncertainties that both undertakings and judicial authorities have faced in applying the provisions of Article 81(3). Article 81 (3) lays out some exceptions to the provisions of Article 81, where the criterion of anti-competitive practice will not apply. These four conditions that can be applied to undertakings whose activities3 - The European Commission has provided some guidelines for the implementation of the provisions of Article 81(3)4. According to these guidelines, the assessment on application of Article 81(3) is to be carried out in two parts. The first step is to assess whether such an agreement between two or more undertakings is likely to restrict competition. It may be noted that where small undertakings are concerned, the potential for their scope of activity adversely affecting trade between member states is limited. Therefore, according to the objectives of Article 81, the activity would not qualify as incompatible with community law. Hence this should be the first step any

Outline a basic model of interpersonal communication Essay

Outline a basic model of interpersonal communication - Essay Example [4] First and foremost are the verbal communication skills. There are five communication skills in human beings that determine the ability (to communicate).Two for sending; writing and speaking and two receiving skills; reading and listening. The fifth skill namely reasoning, affects all the above mentioned skills and is important to both sending and receiving. [1] The second factor is that of Knowledge or more precisely the level of knowledge about the subject in focus during communication (of either the sender or receiver). Take for example an electrical engineer talking to a doctor on medical issues might be ill at ease and vice versa since the knowledge domains of the two are entirely different. AT the same time, however both might be quite comfortable in discussing the current political situation. [1] The position of the sender and the receiver in their respective social systems is also one factor that affects the nature of communication. The position can be looked at from different dimensions such as those of age, gender, religion or other demographic factors as well as social status, income level e.t.c. one can either be in a similar, higher, or lower position in their respective social systems.

Smoking Cessation Therapy during Pregnancy Article

Smoking Cessation Therapy during Pregnancy - Article Example The contemporary NRT during pregnancy mitigates the delivery of toxins despite the fact that nicotine intake is profound during pregnancy. Such therapy is effective as it gradually eliminates withdrawal symptoms; hence, aids in the smoking cessation process (Cressman, et al., 1). The study indicates that behavioral counseling is suitable for pregnant women smoking less than five cigarettes per day because their nicotine intake is high (Cressman, et al., 2). Bupropion and Varenicline are among the contemporary NRT measures. The research conducted by Cressman, et al., convincingly argues that NRT enhances smoking cessation among pregnant women. It is prudent to concur with the research. However, the research fails to end the ambiguity inherent in the fact that the external environment that the women are exposed to has a significant influence on the process. As such, cessation may not be entirely attributed to NRT. The external environment presents psychological stressors that may contradict with the smoking cessation process. In addition, the gestation period lasts for nine months among human beings. Therefore, the period of subjecting the pregnant women to NRT is undefined. The research fails to indicate the negative effects of NRT on pregnancy. Bupropion and Varenicline are foreign to the body and may have negative effects on the pregnancy despite their efforts to mitigate smoking among the women. The research topic â€Å"smoking cessation therapy during pregnancy† encompasses the study of life. With much interest focused towards such a study, the article acts as a stepping stone towards providing insight into the onset of life as required in Biology. The conventional functions of the body during pregnancy are quite delicate, and women ought to create an environment conducive to the development of the baby.

Role of ECOWAS union in the socio-economic development of West Africa Essay

Role of ECOWAS union in the socio-economic development of West Africa - Essay Example f the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has helped or hindered the economic progress of the countries in West Africa, with particular focus on the socio-economic conditions of the populations in those countries. In West Africa, ECOWAS has the following member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. This structure was set up to promote â€Å"cooperation and integration† leading to an economic union in West Africa â€Å"in order to raise the living standards of its peoples† (ECOWAS website, 2011). A Pan-African slant is also evident in that the intention to promote progress and development on the whole continent is explicitly stated. For a common market to occur; regional economic reform would have to take place; integration particularly in food, agriculture and natural resources was seen as vital. Furthermore the establishment of a common market through liberalization of trade among West African States was envisioned. An important aspect of the ECOWAS initiative is also to ensure a common external tariff and trade policy with regard to third countries, outside this initiative. Additionally, a stated intention in the ECOWAS revised treaty is to promote â€Å"balanced development† and a focus on the â€Å"special problems of each Member State particularly those of land-locked and small island Member States† (ECOWAS website, 2011).Thus the intention is to improve standards of living, improve Gross Domestic Product (GDP), improve Per-Capita Income (PCI) and generally improve West Africa’s trading position in a global economy for the citizens of this entire region (ECOWAS website, 2011). This has not happened. The elites – both within... This essay presents a modern thorough analysis of the state of economies of West Africa countries, that participate in the ECOWAS union, their political stances, and their trade policies. The world economy and West Africa’s part in it will be examined in this paper. In West Africa, ECOWAS has the following member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cà ´te d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. This structure was set up to promote cooperation and integration leading to an economic union in West Africa . A Pan-African slant is also evident in that the intention to promote progress and development on the whole continent is stated. The establishment of a common market through liberalization of trade among West African States was envisioned. An important aspect of the ECOWAS initiative is also to ensure a common external tariff and trade policy with regard to third countries, outside this initiative Economic and political power on a global stage continues to be centered in Europe and North America. There has been no real change in the international economic power relations after the Colonial Era, despite the growth of Asian economies. The relationship between West Africa and the central economic powers is highly influenced by history, and also by current political conditions in the countries of the region. Despite free trade agreements between the countries of West Africa, prosperity is not immediately, or perhaps even in the long term achievable.

Case Study on Psalm 121 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study on Psalm 121 - Term Paper Example These psalms could also have been written during the days of Hezekiah when the Assyrians were threatening the security of Judea and Jerusalem3. The Psalms of Ascent are called the hymns of the stairs because they were said to have been sung while the pilgrim was going up and down the stairs of the Temple of Jerusalem4. The reason for this is that either the One of these psalms is Psalm 121, or â€Å"a song of ascents†6 which contains metaphors describing Divine intervention at the time of threats in our lives. During the post-exilic period, a new identity of Judaism was emerging and brewing at the Temple in Jerusalem. In Psalm 121, the first-person narrator is the ancient pilgrim who has experienced various human problems and who is now on his way to Jerusalem7. This pilgrim longs for Jerusalem itself8. Psalm 121 employs particular poetic devices that further reveal the message of assurance of God’s protection. The use of the statements, â€Å"He will not let your foot slip,†9 and â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep†10 are metaphors that reveal the assurance of God. The first one – â€Å"He will not let your foot slip† – is about God not allowing a human being to put himself in danger. Oftentimes, people do things that put them in trouble and sometimes tend to make choices that would eventually harm them. However, God assures, through Psalm 121, that He will not allow this to happen. This also implies that although God has granted man free will, it does not mean that He would allow man to make choices that will put him in danger. Moreover, the line â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber. Moreover, the line which says â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber not sleep† – implies that God sees everything and that He does not blink at all so that He would some small detail escape His sight and scrutiny, and He does this to assure the pilgrim that he is always watched over, guarded and

Smoking Cessation Therapy during Pregnancy Article

Smoking Cessation Therapy during Pregnancy - Article Example The contemporary NRT during pregnancy mitigates the delivery of toxins despite the fact that nicotine intake is profound during pregnancy. Such therapy is effective as it gradually eliminates withdrawal symptoms; hence, aids in the smoking cessation process (Cressman, et al., 1). The study indicates that behavioral counseling is suitable for pregnant women smoking less than five cigarettes per day because their nicotine intake is high (Cressman, et al., 2). Bupropion and Varenicline are among the contemporary NRT measures. The research conducted by Cressman, et al., convincingly argues that NRT enhances smoking cessation among pregnant women. It is prudent to concur with the research. However, the research fails to end the ambiguity inherent in the fact that the external environment that the women are exposed to has a significant influence on the process. As such, cessation may not be entirely attributed to NRT. The external environment presents psychological stressors that may contradict with the smoking cessation process. In addition, the gestation period lasts for nine months among human beings. Therefore, the period of subjecting the pregnant women to NRT is undefined. The research fails to indicate the negative effects of NRT on pregnancy. Bupropion and Varenicline are foreign to the body and may have negative effects on the pregnancy despite their efforts to mitigate smoking among the women. The research topic â€Å"smoking cessation therapy during pregnancy† encompasses the study of life. With much interest focused towards such a study, the article acts as a stepping stone towards providing insight into the onset of life as required in Biology. The conventional functions of the body during pregnancy are quite delicate, and women ought to create an environment conducive to the development of the baby.

Case Study on Psalm 121 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study on Psalm 121 - Term Paper Example These psalms could also have been written during the days of Hezekiah when the Assyrians were threatening the security of Judea and Jerusalem3. The Psalms of Ascent are called the hymns of the stairs because they were said to have been sung while the pilgrim was going up and down the stairs of the Temple of Jerusalem4. The reason for this is that either the One of these psalms is Psalm 121, or â€Å"a song of ascents†6 which contains metaphors describing Divine intervention at the time of threats in our lives. During the post-exilic period, a new identity of Judaism was emerging and brewing at the Temple in Jerusalem. In Psalm 121, the first-person narrator is the ancient pilgrim who has experienced various human problems and who is now on his way to Jerusalem7. This pilgrim longs for Jerusalem itself8. Psalm 121 employs particular poetic devices that further reveal the message of assurance of God’s protection. The use of the statements, â€Å"He will not let your foot slip,†9 and â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep†10 are metaphors that reveal the assurance of God. The first one – â€Å"He will not let your foot slip† – is about God not allowing a human being to put himself in danger. Oftentimes, people do things that put them in trouble and sometimes tend to make choices that would eventually harm them. However, God assures, through Psalm 121, that He will not allow this to happen. This also implies that although God has granted man free will, it does not mean that He would allow man to make choices that will put him in danger. Moreover, the line â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber. Moreover, the line which says â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber not sleep† – implies that God sees everything and that He does not blink at all so that He would some small detail escape His sight and scrutiny, and He does this to assure the pilgrim that he is always watched over, guarded and

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Essay Example for Free

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Essay This paper examines the diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as demonstrated by David Pelzer in his autobiographies A Child Called It and The Lost Boy, with a focus on the latter book. Dave is the son of alcoholic parents whose mother severely abused him while his father turned the other cheek. Dave has been subjected to torturous mind games, starvation, and physical abuse so horrendous that he is left scarred, bruised, and nearly dead. The staff at his elementary school eventually takes action and David is removed from his parents’ custody. From there, he spends his teenage years in various foster homes while he struggles with the emotional scars left by the trauma he endured. His search for answers to why he was treated this way and effort to understand the frightening nightmares and emotions he experiences becomes a long journey toward self-love and forgiveness. David meets the criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder firstly because he has been exposed to a traumatic event in which he both experienced events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of himself and his response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror. After being caught by his mother begging for food on the way to school because she was starving him, David’s mother decides to punish him by forcing him to swallow a spoonful of ammonia. David says that, â€Å"I could feel the force of my pounding fists weaken The colors seemed to run together. I began to feel myself drift away. I knew I was going to die† (Pelzer, A 75). In addition to beating David on a regular basis and â€Å"accidentally† stabbing him, his mother would order him to clean the bathroom with a mixture of Clorox and ammonia, after which he says he â€Å"coughed up blood for over an hour† (Pelzer, A 109). David has illustrated a markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities at school, including difficulty concentrating, by the time he is removed from his home. As David is taken into protective custody, he exhibits symptoms of increased arousal through an exaggerated startle response. When the officer reaches out to touch David’s hand in a reassuring way, David flinches by reflex (Pelzer, T 27). Furthermore, once David enters his first Foster home with Aunt Mary, his behavior is uncontrollable. He runs from room to room, jumps on mattresses, and nearly knocks over a lamp. He explains, â€Å"By reflex, Aunt Mary grabbed my arm. She was about to scold me until she looked down at me. I covered my face, and my knees began to shake† (Pelzer, T 43). At ight, David has recurrent distressing dreams of the event, including a nightmare about â€Å"The Mother† marching toward him with a knife. He can feel her rancid breath on his neck and he hears her chanting that there is no escape and that she will never let him go. He becomes fearful of sleeping because he doesn’t want to fall into the nightmare again. For many nights he stays awake while the other children sleep; holding on to his knees while rocking back and forth and humming to himself (Pelzer, T 45). This is also another example of a persistent symptom of increased arousal because he has difficulty falling or staying asleep. David exhibits persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness in his efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma. When David gets his first visit from a Child Protective Service worker, Ms. Gold, he feels as if he does not deserve her kindness and is too scared to have her touch him and hold his hand. She slowly gains his trust and becomes his friend. During their long talks, David says, â€Å"At times I was too scared to talk and long moments of silence followed. Other times, for no apparent reason and not understanding why, I’d burst into tears† (Pelzer, T 46). David’s mother comes to drop off some clothes for him at his foster home. While Aunt Mary is in the other room, his mother tells him she’s going to â€Å"get him back† for telling the family secret of abuse (Pelzer, T 53). This very direct exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event causes David intense psychological distress. The next day Ms. Gold tells David that they are going to court in two days and that she needs to ask him a few questions to clarify their case. However, David is consumed with fear because of his mother’s threat and proceeds to retract as many statements he could; claiming that he had lied about everything, had beaten himself, and that everything was his fault (Pelzer, T 55). In doing so, he is making an effort to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma. David illustrates another symptom of increased arousal through his irritability and outbursts of anger. After another of his mother’s visits, David has a breakdown. He cries as he rants and raves to Mrs. Catanze about his mother, asking why she treated him so viciously. He proceeds to tell his foster mother some of the horrendous abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother (Pelzer, T 100-103). After his revelation to his foster mother, she sends him to a therapist. While in the therapist’s office, David starts to feel as if one of the traumatic events were recurring and has a sense of reliving the experience of when his mother held him over the gas stove. He explains, â€Å"I lost track of the doctor’s voice. My right arm began to itch. I scratched it before I glanced down. When I did, I saw that my right forearm was engulfed in flames. I nearly jumped out of my seat as I shook my arm, trying to put out the fire† (Pelzer, T 130). Lastly, David shows that he has a feeling of detachment or estrangement from others when, after being â€Å"set up† to get caught shoplifting, he says to himself, â€Å"I should have known better†¦I knew they couldn’t have liked me for just being another kid† (Pelzer, T 156). While David wants to avoid his mother, he does not make really make an effort to avoid activities, places, or other people that arouse recollections of the trauma. In fact, he continues to keep hope that his father will visit him. He is also able to have loving feelings toward his social worker and certain foster parents. The duration of the disturbances is much more than 1 month and has caused David clinically significant distress or impairment in social and other important areas of functioning. Treatment considerations for David should involve individual therapy including a goal that involves getting his nightmares and flashbacks to stop. David should be gradually exposed to more stressful stimuli in exposure therapy and be taught relaxation techniques to set free all negative consequences and to achieve extinction. He should be offered support and empathy in therapy and be encouraged to express his feelings and to let things out. Also, cognitive restructuring in the form of Rational Emotive Therapy is recommended to help David think rationally and clearly about the abuse and neglect he suffered and about his present situation. It is expected that this form of therapy will also improve his self-esteem, destructive thought patterns, and help him to sleep better. The use of medication does not appear to be necessary.