Program Evaluation Proposal for Schools in Ontario

Learning setting Saint Michael Catholic High School was started in 1989 in Ontario, Canada. It has a capacity of 940 students in total and it shifted to its present location in 2004. Currently, the school provides nearly 170 courses to its students. The courses offered comprise of four key programs in:Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Program Evaluation Proposal for Schools in Ontario specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tourism and hospitality Horticulture Transportation Construction Strategic Goals To stop cyber bullying among the students and the community at large To promote a positive school climate To assist in the improvement of academic performance of students Overview Cyber bullying denotes the self-willed and constant application of computers, mobile phones, or any other electronic communication gadgets to disturb and terrorize others. Some of the methods employed in cyber bullying include Instant me ssaging, electronic mails, and fake messages on web sites. Information technologies came with challenges to those who rely on them to accomplish their chores (McDavid Hawthorn, 2006). Although information technology has sufficient benefits to the learning processes, it poses challenges that would lead to depression and harm to some students (Hunter, 2012). Harassment and depression within a learning institution leads to low performance. Therefore, it is crucial for every learning institution to establish strategies to discourage cyber bullying and curb the threat of failure related to information technology. For these reasons, as a teacher at St Michael High School in Canada and workplace educator, I developed a plan to discourage and curb cyber bullying in the learning institutions. In a bid to fulfill this task, I have used this proposal to present a systematic approach for problem resolution. The proposal displays a strategy involved in resolving the problem. To start with, the students are provided with ways of reporting their concern to the educational institution, and when the staff members of the institution receive the report, they evaluate the information together with the parent or guardian. The evaluation classifies the case in different categories that could be addressed in distinct ways. If the case is not cyber bullying, it is addressed in other ways. When the reported case is determined as cyber bullying, the staff members take a process of investigating by collecting evidences to support the allegation. When the school rules and regulations are violated, further institutional measures are addressed in the case. Performance of educational institutions determines their success (Hunter, 2012). Preventing cyber bullying is one way of sealing the holes that weaken the learning process through distracting the conscience of students.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Proposed Program Logic Model Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact To carry out set activities the following were required To tackle the problem or asset the following will be carry out the following activities Expectedly, once accomplished, the activities will yield the following proof or service delivery Expectedly, if carried out these activities will bring about the following changes in 1-3 then 4-6 years Expectedly, if carried out these activities will bring about the following changes in 7-10 years Statement forms Gathering parents/guardians, students, and teachers to pronounce and clarify the plan in the institution The school will be popular due to the drastic improvements of performance in the school. The individuals involved with the institution will be familiar with the program and aware about the rules enacted to reduce it. Positive school climate Counseling personnel Distribution of the regulation materials The school will admit more students than the previous times. Students will be reluctant to comply with the program direction. Excellence for all Bullying report system Assessing cyber bullying at the initial stages of the program by use of questionnaires The school will be exposed to many achievements in many fields. For instance, improvements could be made in sports. Students who practice cyber bullying will face dire consequences while those affected by the bullying will receive justice and contentment. Overall rejection of digital abuse Regulation implementation documents Reception of cyber bullying reports and provision of the reporting documents The academic performance of the school will appreciate. The performance of the school will improve due to less stresses and depressions associated to cyber bullying activities. Economic growth of a country Inputs Learning institutions must identify substantive strategies to eradicate cyber bullying. Low school performances are associated with depression resulting f rom cyber bullying (Hunter, 2012). People’s conscience works properly when there are no pressures exerted on the mind. However, a stressed mind causes low activity, which results to low performances (McDavid, Hawthorn, 2006). In order to perform well, students must remain within the learning process without distraction of the mind. Therefore, institutions must identify and establish strategies to assist in discouraging and eliminating cyber bullying in the learning institution. When working to achieve this objective, it is crucial to identify the resources required to make the process successful. The following are the identified resources. Statement Form(s) This is an official document to indicate that a student was bullied through modern information technology and it keeps records coupled with approving the bully if the student fails in his or her exams. It could be a form to enter the required information such as the student’s name, his/her age, and the suspected pe rson among other details. The form should comprise of a student’s signature to prove that the student had recorded the information personally. Counseling Personnel In the attempt to facilitate low cases of cyber bullying in the institution, students should be guided about proper behaviors (Trolley Hanel, 2010). They should be aware of the repercussions of failure to obey school guidelines. When they are convinced that the action deteriorates the school and personal performances, they would change their actions against the biased practices. Therefore, we will require counselors to assist us with logistical approaches of mitigating the risk. The counselors will discourage cyber bullying utterly and ensure that a significant number of students change their attitudes on the problem. Bullying Report System Efficient strategies to counter cyber bullying must consider effective reporting system (Kowalski et al., 2008). In some cases, student could be bullied and fear to face the st aff. However, some strategies could involve a confidential approach especially in sexual harassment, which requires the institution to determine the strategies of implementing confidential reporting system.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Program Evaluation Proposal for Schools in Ontario specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, the students can submit the claims through the Internet or submit their filled forms through a confidential mailing box. These ways improve the standards of fighting cyber bullying at a high percentage since it ensure that many people are free to report. Student’s Enlightenment Awareness of the control strategies should be well known to the students. Therefore, it is vital to print materials that contain the procedures of action and the repercussions among other information that may be relevant to students. This document should act as the reference point for the student†™s enlightenment. Therefore, the document should contain rules and impacts of violation. Activities Strategic implementation of the processes that aim at reducing cyber bullying relies on proper arrangement of the activities. When we identify concise activities, we improve the chances of evaluating the constituents without leaving some unattended. Therefore, it is necessary to identify what should be performed to support the system effectively. According to McDavid and Hawthorn (2006), proper organization is the stem of high performance. For this reason, program constituents must be organized to warrant successful results. Identifying and planning the activities are ways of ensuring program organization. Therefore, I will evaluate the program to determine the areas that require the establishment of the following activities. Information Dispersion It is crucial to create awareness and a strong foundation when the program initiates. Otherwise, if the pace of the program seems weak a t the initial stages, students might assume or ignore the seriousness of the issue. The administration must be ready to enforce the program into action. Probably, it can arrange for a meeting with parents/guardians, students, and staff. This meeting could target on enlightening them about the program and warning those who bully others about the impacts of their actions. Materials Distribution The implementation of the program must consider planning how program materials will reach the intended people. One way of distributing the materials is by supplying them during the meeting mentioned in the previous paragraph. In this way, parents/guardians will have copies of the program details.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Students can receive copies of the materials in classes. This activity of distributing the materials will warrant that the entire school is aware of the restriction made by the administration, which will lead to low cases of cyber bullying and high performance in school. Initial Assessment The other activity will involve assessing the level of cyber bullying in the school. It could be done by using questionnaires to assess bullying incidences. The questionnaires can be presented to students during class proceedings. The school management has to evaluate its steps and actions to prevent the emergence of fatal consequences (Andras, 2011). Therefore, it is vital to evaluate its status before handling new cases. Reception and Provision of Materials Once the three steps are performed, materials that will be used to report new cases can be made available to students. The materials could be statement forms that students will fill information of the bullying cases they have experienced. Aft er filling, students will return the forms to a discipline department where appropriate measures will be enacted. Outputs When a program is well established, it should provide allowances to return what was invested during its initiation (McDavid Hawthorn, 2006). I expect a number of outputs that will have advantages to the school proceedings. These outputs will provide the school with opportunities to expand and develop at a fast rate. Evaluating the output is crucial in enlightening the administration about the potential parts of the program. Possibly, the administration will consider enacting the program due to its outputs. Investments that are meant to establish a program should have some returns. In my case, I will identify the long-term outputs of the program by listing the outputs and giving their description. School Popularity Educational institutions that have unique qualities tend to become popular and enroll high numbers of students. If the institution will flourish succe ssfully, it will be an opportunity to expand into higher levels in the education sector. Therefore, the institution might become popular and bring many advantages with it. High Intakes of New Student The number of school admissions can rely on the category and familiarity of the school. When a school is popular, it tends to draw more students for admission. Therefore, I expect higher intakes than in the previous periods. Achievement Low cyber bullying results to significant achievements in the educational institutions (Hunter, 2012). Therefore, many achievements will be made due to the program. For instance, when the number of students increases, there will be facilitation of the sports sector. Some students will have qualities to play games, which will provide human resources during competition with other playing groups or schools. Additionally, sports department will be funded to buy resources since the school will have attained high economies of scale. Desire could be the driving force that will lead this program to achieve prosperity. Percentage Increase in Performance Performance of the students will appreciate, which will establish an incredible foundation for students in their future endeavors. This output will boost confidence of students in the learning institution. In return, the aspect will lead to the school establishment since performance is the root to popularity. Outcomes The goal of establishing a program to fight and reduce cyber bullying was to improve the performance of the institution. The outcomes of initiation and establishment of the program will be positive or negative. The management of a learning institution must evaluate its activities and proceeding to ensure that the student’s education is not affected (Andras, 2011). The administration should check the outcomes of the school proceedings. In my cases, I will evaluate the possible outcomes that could result from program evaluation. Identification of the results will arm the a dministrator into understanding the techniques of handling issue arising due to the program. The following is a list of possible outcomes and their effects in the school environment. Awareness and Familiarity Students, parents/guardians, and teachers will be aware of the program, which will result in holding of meeting with them. Additionally, students and parents will familiarize with the rules and regulations set to regulate the problem, which will lead to further guidance of the problem by the parents. These incidences will thus mark a continuous control for some time. The tradition of cyber bullying will be expected to transform into an action that students cannot practice within the school. When new students join the institution, they will learn the behavior of students who joined earlier and avoid bullying. Reluctance to Comply Hunter (2012) speculates that some individual bully others as a norm. They feel that they cannot change from it. Accepting changes is usually an issue of discussion, which is worse in cases where students are bound to change their strategies drastically. In this case, it could be expected that many student will be caught and punished during the initial stage when they have not adapted to the new program. Repercussions and Justice The students who do not comply with the regulations will face the consequences of their actions. The victims of bullying will report their cases to the authority, and the case will be assessed according to the flowchart and the respective repercussions will be enacted. High Performance The targeted expectation will also be one of the outcomes. I expect the school to have fewer cases of depression. Disrupted minds have low activity and thus lead to low perception. Undisrupted minds have high perception and can lead to high performance (McDavid and Hawthorn, 2006). High performance will cause higher intakes in the school. Impact Students who encountered cyber bullying (the victims as well as the culprits) e xperienced a poorer school climate when compared to the ones who had not been involved in cyber bullying. Students that have been involved in cyber bullying did not enjoy schooling, did not feel secure at school, or did not consider that their teachers were of help to them (Smith et al., 2008). When cyber bullying is stopped and no student is affected, the outcome will be a positive school climate. Excellence for all The possible impact of school transformation to create perfect learning situations and excellent academic results will signify a total renovation of the education structure in affected countries to ensure that students get the chance and capacity to excel to their maximum ability. Overall rejection of digital abuse Providing students with schemes to stop cyber bullying will ultimately assist in curbing any form of digital abuse by all. Everyone will keep off from digital abuse and new media of cyber bullying will be screened as they come up. Economic growth of a country Stopping cyber bullying will initially begin as a process of individual change and progressively involve all the students. Since students will ultimately excel in their studies, they will stand high chances of getting white-collar jobs (Smith et al., 2008). When they are supported in their capability to advance inventiveness and active contribution in their respective societies, the overall impact will be economic growth of a country. Use of Evaluation Results The results of the evaluation will be used in assessing the following. The academic performance of the students since the education against cyber bullying Whether the partnership between the school and the parents was effective or there is need to partner with the government as well as other different schools Whether the students and the school community have received adequate learning on responsible use of Internet (Smith et al., 2008) Whether there is a positive school climate, which stresses on the significance of schooli ng, respect, and decorum Whether there is a reduction incases of cyber bullying If the anti-cyber bullying campaign has spread to other regions and the impact it has Timeline for Evaluation Cycle Complete school change cannot be achieved within a short period and inadequate resources. In this regard, school leaders should set time from other activities and demonstrate their dedication by using their own time after the normal teaching hours as part of the evaluation committee (Smith et al., 2008). This schedule should happen regularly and the first evaluation should take place after a period of 1 to 3 years, the second one after 4 to 6 years, and the third evaluation after 7 to 10 years. Where required, outside resources should be sought to ensure collective effort for success. Conclusion Effective formulation of strategies to fight and eradicate cyber bullying will reach its productive stage after which students will study with mere influences from cyber bullying. Consequently, it will lead to high performances for the 9th grade students, which will lead to flourishing of the institution and attainment of institutional goals. Learning institutions must take the role of reducing cyber bullying at all cost in the institutions. Evaluating the outputs shows the potential capabilities of the program. Therefore, this evaluation will play an incredible role in the establishment of the program. Determining the outcomes was thus a vital step to avoid surprises after initiating the program. Reference List Andras, P. (2011). Research: metrics, quality, and management implications. Research  Evaluation, 14(3), 90-106. Hunter, N. (2012). Cyber bullying. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library. Kowalski, R. M., Limber, S., Agatston, P. W. (2008). Cyber bullying: bullying in the  digital age. Malden, MA. Blackwell Pub. McDavid, J., Hawthorn, L. (2006). Program evaluation performance  measurement: An introduction to practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Smith, P. K., Mahdavi, J ., Carvalho, M., Fisher, S., Russell, S., Tippett, N. (2008). Cyberbullying: Its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(4), 376-385. Trolley, B., Hanel, C. (2010). Cyber kids, cyber bullying, cyber balance. Thousand Oaks,  CA: Corwin Press. This essay on Program Evaluation Proposal for Schools in Ontario was written and submitted by user Silas Richards to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The protection of consumer welfare

The protection of consumer welfare Introduction The protection of consumer welfare is a critical government initiative. There are notable economic challenges associated with low income families. Therefore, policymakers must consider the implementation of workable economic strategies. This is vital in creating price and demand equilibriums (Arnold 2010, pp. 10).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The protection of consumer welfare specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In a typical economy, various consumers depict diverse preferences for various goods. It is vital to comprehend how policies have implications on the prevalent market trends. It is necessary to analyze the consumer behavior and preferences within specific economies. This paper presents a practical approach to policy implication on the purchasing trend within the market. The paper applies a hypothetical approach, with the analysis of the preference trend of goods X and Z. The Household Preferences over the Two Goods with Similar Policy Implications on the Household Items In Terms Of the Utility and Level of Consumption of the Two Goods Convex indifference curves are extensively used in the analysis of economic policies. In this scenario, the assumptions on the hypothetical goods are indicated. Good X is measured along the horizontal axis. On the other hand, good Z is measured along the vertical axis of the convex curve. The two policy options can be analyzed from the convex curve. The concept of â€Å"diminishing marginal utility† dictates the nature of the convex curve to be applied in the analysis (Fakhrul Islam Jabbar 2010, pp. 26). In establishing the appropriate household preference for the two goods, the rule of â€Å"diminishing marginal utility† may be applicable. The first policy advocates for the provision of the household with a voucher. The voucher is exchangeable for a specific quantity of the good X. Observably, the second proposition advocates f or the offering a supplement based on the income. This is to be sufficiently applied in buying the good of similar amount.Advertising Looking for essay on consumer law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A normal household consumption preference is applicable for the realization of equal policy effect (Mceachern 2012, pp. 34). This relates to the utility and level of the consumption of the two goods. Given the two goods, X and Z, the household is able to define its preference. Consequently, the household can arrange these preferences in an order. In this context, the preferences remain complete. The policies provide an equal stance and significance. The graph below indicates the action of normal household preference necessary for the equal action of both policies. (From Gilbert 2004) The Household Preferences over the Two Goods with Potentially Different Policy Implications on the Household Items In Terms Of the Utilit y and Level of Consumption of the Two Goods To achieve this aim, the transitivity preference of the household is applicable. An important assumption can be drawn from this association. The disparity indicates that there is more preference for a particular good (Schotter 2009, PP. 45). Therefore, it can be deduced that if X is preferred to Z, it is true that the household has a spatial preference. The transitivity preference condition is eminent in this association. The disparities on the impact of these two policies emanates from the differences in preference for the two goods, X and Z. When the household depicts a higher level of preference for a particular good, the other is likely to be diminished. Alternatively, the less preferred good may be supplied in fewer quantities in the market. The law of â€Å"diminishing marginal utility† may be applicable in explaining the variances in customer preferences (Feldman Serrano 2006, pp. 46).Advertising We will write a cust om essay sample on The protection of consumer welfare specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consequently, these have a potential impact on policy formulation. Policy makers recognize the importance of engaging public participation processes. There is a potential indication from a positive policy on the utility or consumption level of a specific good. The basic implication is that most consumers prefer to utilize goods that have most preferred qualities. It is assumed that the household may be satisfied with any policy advocating for a particular good or product. The graph below indicates the state of preference in which the consumers are better off. (From Gilbert 2004) Explanation of the Possibility of Occurrence of a Substitute Effect Associated With Either of the Above Policies Most markets are likely to experience a substitute effect. The impacts of substitute effects are always noticed in the demand of various goods. The effects of any trans formation within the price encourage the clients to choose a particular good. These clients are more likely to purchase a specific good. This trend may be due to its reduction in price. A consequent rise or increase in the price of goods is likely to cause a shift in the pattern of purchase (Mceachern 2009, pp. 59). There is bound to be an occurrence of a substitute effect within any market. Therefore, within any typical economy, the consumers are more likely to buy goods that retail at very low prices. The interaction of substitution and income effect may also play an important role in the development of substitution. The income of the household may shift. This is due to eminent economic factors within the entire market.Advertising Looking for essay on consumer law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Basically, substitution effect refers to the transformation on the consumption trend. Substitution effect may entail the alteration in the utilization patterns. This occurs as a result of a change notable within relative prices of goods within the market. This trend can be noticed in the action of various customers or clients. This is always as a result of the eminent trends within the general market. There is an evident possibility of occurrence of a substitute for both of the products under context (Mceachern 2012, pp. 78). This can be due to several factors. There are several factors that might lead to the emergence of this pattern. In the present era, various elements play a significant role in consumer behavior and preference. Therefore, there is a high possibility of occurrence of a substitute effect. An Explanation Whether the Policies May Succeed At Both of the Goals Ideally, it is notable that these two policies are not likely to succeed at both of these goals. The competin g demand and supply are important factors within the general market. Ideally, there are many elements that determine the market equilibrium (Schotter 2009, PP. 71). It is imperative to note that the diverse factors associated with market patterns are critical. The variances observed in the household preference are critical. Particularly, this is in the determination of the success of the two policies. Market conditions within any economy are susceptible to both external and internal factors. These factors interact to alleviate the possibility of existence of a perfect market . Therefore, there is bound to be a state of disparity in the action of these two policies. The customer preferences are more likely to rule the market demand and supply trends. Apart from these, there are other external factors that may lead to the development of notable disparities. These include weather conditions, tastes, and prevailing fashion within a particular economy. Income is an important factor in th e determination of prevailing market trends. Generally, high or increased rate of income raises the demand schedule. Consequently, these have a positive impact on the level of supply. The equilibrium point denotes the critical point within any market. However, even in equilibrium states, customers have the capacity to identify themselves with trendy and valuable products. There are other approaches that might be applied. Introduction of new products with lower market prices is possible. This approach is likely to shift the focus of demand within the market (Mceachern 2012, pp. 112). Apart from this, there is a potential shift in the consumer interests within the general market. The introduction of the third good is likely to help in the shift in the basic centre of interest. The preference includes one of the vital factors that dictate the prevailing market conditions. The graph below indicates the likelihood of occurrence of a substitute effect between the two goods. Consequently, this has significant impact on the policies. (From Gilbert 2004) Calculation of the Firm’s Cost Minimizing Input Combination and the Corresponding Level of Minimum Cost It is supposed that the company is presently experiencing the conditions of a short-run. The firm also has a fixed level of K at 25 units. Therefore, the calculation of the firm’s minimizing input combination and the corresponding level of minimum cost is as follows: Production function = Q = K0.5L0.5 Q = K0.5L0.5  = (8 X 0.5) X (4 X 0.5)  = 2 X 4  = 8 Cost function TC = FC + VC FC = Q FC = K0.5 X L0.5 FC = 8 x 0.5 X 4 x 0.5  = 8 TC 8 + 24  = 32 Cost minimization MC = MR (where MC represent marginal cost and MR represent marginal revenue) MC = change in TC/ change in Q TC = C X Q 25X4X8 = C X Q Q = 800 – C Q = (800 – C) C TC = 800C – C^2 MR = MC 800 – C^2 = 32 800 – 32 = 2C 768/2 = 2C/2 C = 384 (minimum cost) Q = 384 / 8  = 48 units (minimum units) Ca lculation of the Input Combination the Firm Will Use In The Long Run and the Corresponding Level of Minimum Cost Production function = Q = K0.5L0.5 Maximum units = 100 Labour cost =$ 8 Capital cost = $ 4 Total cost = 84 = 32 x 100 units  = $3200 Total produce under the cost function Q = K0.5 X L0.5  = 8 Minimum cost per unit = 3200/8  =$400 An Explanation Whether the Firm Can Experience Economies of Scale In The Long Run The firm may not experience superior economies of scale in the long run. Basically, this is due to the observable differences within the unit cost variations (Schotter 2009, PP. 115). Important lessons can be drawn from the various outcomes of the calculations. As shown, the minimum cost in the short run is $384. On the other hand, it is notable that the long run cost is $400. The obvious variances in these costs depict important lessons. Generally, there is an inferior match between the expenditure and the income. List of References Arnold, A 2010, Economic s, South-Western Cengage Learning, Australia. Fakhrul Islam, M Jabbar, A 2010, Consumer preferences and demand for livestock products in urban Bangladesh, International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya. Feldman, M Serrano, R 2006, Welfare economics and social choice theory, Springer, New York, NY. Gilbert, S 200, Microeconomic Theory, viewed on owlnet.rice.edu/~econ370/gilbert/notes/preferences.pdf Mceachern, A 2009, Microeconomics: a contemporary introduction, Thomson/South-Western, Mason, OH. Mceachern, A 2012, Economics: a contemporary introduction, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason, OH. Schotter, A 2009, Microeconomics: a modern approach, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason, OH.

How to Read and Understand a Difficult Book or Chapter

How to Read and Understand a Difficult Book or Chapter Weve all encountered chapters or books that we just cant get into or we dont understand. There are lots of reasons for this: sometimes were required to read about a topic that is just plain boring, sometimes we try to read material that is written way above our current reading level, and sometimes we find that the writer is just plain bad at explaining things. It happens. If you find yourself reading an entire chapter or book several times without understanding it, try taking the following steps. Be sure to do steps 1 to 3 before you jump in to read the text. Difficulty: Hard Time Required: Differs by length of written material What You Need: A difficult book or passageNote paperPencilSticky note flagsQuiet room How to Do It 1. Read the introduction and reflect.  Any nonfiction article or book will have an introductory section that gives an overview of the main points. Read this first, then stop, think, and soak it in.Reason: All textbooks on a certain topic are not created equal! Every writer has a certain theme or point of view, and that will be introduced in your introduction. Its important to understand this theme or focus  because it will help you to recognize why certain examples or comments appear in your reading. 2. Look at the sub-headings. Most books or chapters will progress in some manner, whether they show a progression of time or an evolution of ideas. Look over the topics and try to find the pattern.Reason: Writers begin the writing process with an outline. The subheadings or subtitles you see in your text show you how the author started when organizing his/her thoughts. Subtitles show the overall subject broken down into smaller segments which are arranged in the most logical progression.   3. Read the summary and reflect.  Right after you read the introduction and subheadings, flip to the back of the chapter and read the summary.Reason: The summary  should re-state the points that were mentioned in the introduction. (If they dont, then this really is a difficult book to understand!) This reiteration of the main points may offer the material in more depth or from a different viewpoint. Read this section, then stop and soak it in. 4. Read the material. Now that youve had time to understand the points the author is trying to convey, youre more apt to recognize them when they come along. When you see a major point, flag it with a sticky note.   5. Take notes. Take notes and, if possible, make a brief outline as you read. Some people like to underline words or points in pencil. Only do this if you own the book. 6. Watch for lists. Always look for code words that tell you a list is coming. If you see a passage that says There were three major effects of this event, and they all impacted the political climate, or something similar, you can be sure there is a list following. The effects will be listed, but they may be separated by many paragraphs, pages, or chapters. Always find them and make note of them. 7. Look up words you dont understand. Dont be in a rush! Stop whenever you see a word that you cant immediately define in your own words.Reason: One word can indicate the entire tone or view of the piece. Dont try to guess the meaning. That can be dangerous! Make sure to look up the definition. 8. Keep on plugging through. If youre following the steps but you still dont seem to be soaking in the material, just keep reading. Youll surprise yourself. 9. Go back and hit the highlighted points. Once you get to the end of the piece, go back and review the notes youve made. Look over the important words, points, and lists.Reason: Repetition is the key to retaining information. 10. Review the introduction and summary. When you do, you may find that youve absorbed more than you realized. Tips Dont be hard on yourself. If this is hard for you, its probably just as hard for other students in your class.Dont try to read in a noisy environment. That might be ok under other circumstances, but its not a good idea when attempting difficult reading.Talk to others who are reading the same material.You can always join the homework forum and ask advice from others.Dont give up!

Chemistry chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chemistry chemistry - Essay Example (Frederick, 1979, P.67) Intramolecular forces are much stronger than intermolecular forces hence the generally higher Melting and Boiling points associated with substances that have intramolecular forces. Aluminium, being a metal would be expected to form an ionic bond with Chlorine, which is a gaseous non-metal. This is not the case however due to the very small size of the Aluminium atom, which makes the Aluminium nucleus to exert very high attractive forces on its outer electrons, making it difficult for the atom to loose electrons in order to form ionic bonds. In Aluminium Chloride, the Aluminium atom bonds to three chlorine atoms covalently by having a shared electron with each one of the chlorine atoms. (Frederick, 1979, P.73) Aluminium chloride exists as a dimer (Al2Cl6). The bonding between the two molecules is co-ordinate, using lone pairs on the Chlorine atoms. (Frederick, 1979, P.75) Magnesium has the electronic structu

Impact of Teen Pregnancy on the Support System in the UK Coursework

Impact of Teen Pregnancy on the Support System in the UK - Coursework Example Babies born to teenagers are possible to have poor life outcomes. Most teenage mothers suffer physical, mental and emotional health conditions. All too frequently teenage parent families live in poverty (Field, 2011). There are various bodies that provide support to teenager mother in different ways. Some organizations offer that services support teenage mums to develop the skills and confidence they need to live independently. Mostly teenage mothers need support in areas such as budgeting, cooking, debt, benefits, self-esteem, confidence, assertiveness, and re-housing. Most support bodies are committed to giving them the opportunities in education, training, and employment. Â  Other organizations help these teenage mothers access other specialist services so that they get the full range of help to really make a difference for them, for their babies and for their families. One such body that provides support for teenage mothers is Action for Children's Gabriel Court which oversees the performance and ensures a multi-agency strategic approach to reducing levels of teenage pregnancies in the UK. Â  

Divorce Essay Introduction Essay Example for Free

Divorce Essay Introduction Essay When one spouse does not agree with a decision made by the other spouse, then an argument can occur, and result by one or both parties sharing a feeling of resentment against the other. Lack of communication in all areas of the marriage, can cause strain on the relationship. It is common for many couples to subject themselves to the distractions of everyday life, therefore leaving very little time for communication. This can cause marital problems to be over looked, triggering a range of feelings to explode in the marital relationship, and result in divorce. Another common cause of divorce is money. Many people say, â€Å"Money is the root of all evil,† as in a marriage it can be the root of all problems. When one spouse makes all of the financial decisions, and For the last decade, the issue of divorce and increased divorce rates in modern society have been a focus of public attention and discussions in all mass media. As a serious social problem, divorces cause numerous effects on our social life, especially on modern young generation. Students of high schools and colleges are very often asked to write academic essays on divorce and its effects on children as a great opportunity to research the topic, analyze it and do everything possible to prevent this kind of thing happening in their own life. Undoubtedly, divorces cause a lot of negative effects, some of which are short-term and less harmful, but some can be very lasting and very harmful causing serious health problems, development and behavioral problems in children, leading to a lack of academic or other success, as well as inability to feel happy and pleased with this life. According to the latest statistics, children of divorced parents are less likely to finish schools or graduate from colleges with high grades, find a good job and be satisfied with own career or personal life. Parents’ divorce always causes great impact on children, which can in no sense be positive or  inspiring. Start your work with choosing an appropriate topic of your research. If analyzing the general effects of divorce on children in modern society seems to you too broad or too hard to deal with, you can choose a topic like analyzing divorce rates and tendencies in modern inter-race marriages, or analyze the divorce rates among Americ an families of Hispanic origin, etc. You can study the influences of religious beliefs on divorce rates in various society, or research how such factor as the number of children in the family is linked to divorce rates in modern America society. When working on your academic essay on divorce, it is very important to gather a great deal of statistics in order to support your thesis statement and point of view. A great deal of various data related to the topic of divorce can be found online, but it is necessary to use only the most recent statistics taken from official and reputable online sources. It can be great to show the data in the forms of graphs, diagrams, pictures, or use other visual illustrative materials. For all essays on divorce, operating with current divorce rates statistics (with respect to race, gender, type of marriage, time of occurrence, the place where the family resides, etc. etc.) can be of a great help and support for the writer. There is plenty of factors related to divorce which should be discussed when analyzing the topic of divorce effects on children. They should include financial, economic, social, emotional, psychological, behavioral, academic, and all other issues related to child’s development and growth. When working on your essay on divorce, do not forget to follow usual essay structure: starting your essay with a good introduction with a thesis statement, followed by the body and conclusion. Pay proper attention to referencing and formatting your paper, as well as following the chosen writing style. Proofread and spell check your paper before submitting it to your instructor.

Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child a Show About Time Travel Essay -- planet

What if you could live for a couple thousand years traveling through time and space in a chameleon ship exploring the universe while averting disaster? In addition to that, what if you’re always the smartest person in the room regardless of where you are? If so, then you would be the Doctor, well almost except the Doctor’s chameleon circuit board in his ship is broken so he has to travel around in a small blue police box called a Tardis, but hey no worries, it’s bigger on the inside. This is the setting for one of the world’s most famous sci-fi television series. If you already knew all this, then you are probably a Whovian or at least know one. Doctor Who has been around for 50 years and is now broadcast in 94 countries across 6 continents (Guenigault). Whovians have become as large as, if not larger than Trekkies. Because Doctor Who has been around so long, it has lead to a massive fan base, annual conventions, and many other fan activities. The first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, aired on BBC One November 23rd 1963. (â€Å"WhovianNet†). The show was written about time travel, and focused around a man known only as the Doctor. Born on the planet Gallifrey, the Doctor is an alien Time Lord that is currently around 900 years old because he never dies, but rather regenerates. Not only does the Doctor regenerate, he also takes on a new humanoid body each time. After regenerating, the Doctors characteristics change somewhat, though his core personality of heroism remains intact. He doesn’t really know when this will occur until slightly before. This has allowed for several actors to fill the position of the Doctor without their own personality traits affecting the overall character. This leaves the show with the possibility... ...t time to grow. Works Cited â€Å"BBC News.† Dr Who â€Å"longest-running sci-fi.† News. N. p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. Booth, Paul, and Peter Kelly. â€Å"The Changing Faces of Doctor Who Fandom: New Fans, New Technologies, Old Practices?† Participations Journal of Audience & Reception Studies 10.1 (2013): 56–72. Web. 6 Apr. 2014. â€Å"BroaDWcast.† N. p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Chicago TARDIS.† N. p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. Guenigault, Matt. â€Å"Doctor Who: Guinness World Record for The Day of the Doctor.† BBC Doctor Who News. News. N. p., 24 Nov. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Gallifrey One.† N. p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Guinness World Records.† Longest running science fiction TV series. N. p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Online Oxford Dictionary.† N. p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. â€Å"The Rules of Whovians.† N. p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. â€Å"WhovianNet.† Forum. N. p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Cheating in College Exams Essay

Although there are a lot of just and honest students in colleges right now others don’t care about their education. Students continually try to cheat their way trough graduation. But the dilemma comes when they find out that the consequences are more significant that the grade they received. Nowadays there are a lot of uninvolved parents, most of them don’t sit with their child to help them with their homework or talk to them about the importance of school from an early age. All they care about is bringing money and food to the household; because of this children are being raised without morals and since this is the fist education they receive and is one that will impact them for the rest of their life, kids don’t learn that a letter is just a letter and that the important aspect of school is what you get out of the discussions, homework, and exams. The media doesn’t help in any way, constantly coming out with movies like â€Å"Slackers† or â€Å"The Perfect Score† where a group of teenagers decide to break into the Princeton Testing Center, so they can steal the answers to their upcoming SAT tests and all get perfect scores. The main focus of these kinds of movies are people ranging from 9 to 20 years of age and most of these films are rated pg13 so many kids can go in by themselves and get these images of how cool it is to cheat and how easy it is to get away with it. So having this view present in their heads they grow with a sense that there is nothing wrong with cheating as long as you are a reasonably a good person , and a law-abiding good standing citizen. Event ought teachers have in no way fault in the reason why students cheat on their exams professors could make it a little more difficult for students to do it, or at least get more creative with the way they provide exams. Some students here at BCC, including myself have at some pint or another been approach by another student that is going to take the class we’re in right  now, and we have been asked for a copy of the exams or the scantron sheets so that they can cheat and get a good grade the next semester that they enroll in the class we’re in right now. Because a lot of instructors don’t give essay exams, or another type of exams students can easily get a hold of tests from students that were on the class in previews semesters. This problem although rarely occurring, does happen, and if not addressed it will allow student to keep on cheating their way though college. The problem of cheating can be analyzed from a lot of points of view, and there are a lot of solutions that if implemented from early childhood, reinforced while receiving a negative image of this actions (unmoral, and not cool), and also including a little help from the teachers can result in students realizing and finally deciding not to do this because it is wrong to do it and because it is really hard to do it. If students understand that what they don’t learn right now may some day come up in their careers and make them look like a fool, they would not do it and they would not blame anybody for their actions because when cheating the only culpable is yourself.

Automated Daily Time Record

In compliance with the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) rules on personnel management, each agency shall require a daily record of attendance of officers and employees including those serving in the field or on the water; to be kept on the proper form, and whenever possible, registered on the bundy clock (KMD,Solution Fit for e-DTR. 2008. Online November 24, 2013. http://ilocos. net. ph/DTRMANUAL/eDTR%20MANUAL%20basic. pdf). It is important to remember that the time record is a legal document that provides the basis for payment of salary and accrual of leave credits.The time record must contain a certification statement attesting to the accuracy of the record, which must be signed by the employee. The time record must also be certified by the supervisor. The record of attendance must show actual hours worked.This includes all hours worked beyond the basic workweek for both overtime eligible and overtime ineligible employees. Since supervisors are required to certify the actual hours worked by both overtime eligible and overtime ineligible employees, supervisors must monitor the actual hours worked by these employees.Supervisors should ensure that procedures and expectations with respect to additional hours of work have been clearly communicated to employees (John Currier. 2000. Online. 2013 from http://www. brockport. edu/~shra/pef_attend. htm. ).Automated Employee Attendance Daily time record system is a computerized medium of gathering data, this is the time taken to achieve a given daily objective or task. The time will vary with a given task and can range from house related tasks to work related task.It is the method of logging and organizing time information. (http://www. technologyevaluation. com/search/for/data-flow-diagram-of-daily-time-record-system. html). It can be used for work projects, bus schedules, and airplane schedules or at school schedules.Computerized Daily Time Record completely replaces manual time card machines or your hand writte n time and attendance records. It is a computer based time clock and time keeping solutions that record and monitor employees’ log-in/log-out times by means of computer system.According to www. system. webcrawler. com there are several positive factors that DTRS can give, it will give an accurate time control management to the employee, and it can give accurate time computation, decreases the paper works and other equipment expenses.AEADTR plays major rule in the payroll system, thus, it gives computerized and ready to use data instantly. DTRS can make payroll processing easy and it may lead to accurate recording of payroll information.This Automated Employee Attendance Daily Time Record focuses on the need to design a system that will automatically arrange the record and calculate the average attendance of each employee. A well-conceived and implemented automated employee record system can reduce the costs of handling the paperwork associated with record keeping.Manual atten dance record system is not efficient and requires time to arrange record and to calculate the average attendance of each individual employee. Automated employee Attendance Daily Time Record is intended to replace the manual model of attendance record keeping.Merry Child School is using ball pen or log book to record its attendance this system need a computer and the employee will record his/her attendance with a password and the system will arrange the record and calculate the average attendance of the employee.By the programmed database, it will provide job details to the human resources department as the salary period comes. With this programmed database, the accumulation of employee information will be possible and at the same time helps managers to employ simple approach to inspect the employee information for verification of truth.This programmed database will allow the supervisor to establish timetable for each employee including recess times, holidays and whether overtime is needed. Daily Time Software is used by many organizations to assist hold course of employee hours for payroll purposes.Daily Time Software tracks employee time information in a database that helps managers to have simple entry to employee data and to analyze the data for accuracy. The Daily Time Clock packages provide scheduled administration. Daily Time Software innovative structure features fundamental coverage and connections to payroll systems.At the conclusion of the salary time, each employee's hours are automatically reported to the human resources department, reducing paperwork and eliminating errors. Arrival and exit times using a computer time clock. To log in/log away, employees take unusual identifiers, such as cards with magnetic stripe or barcodes, biometric input devices that stop fingerprints or handprints, and iris scanners that are not widely distributed because of privacy concerns. Daily Time Software completely replaces manual time card machines or your hand writ ten time and attendance records.Daily Time Software eliminates the need for you to spend more hours each week compiling your manual Bundy systems into a report to supply to your payroll department. Daily Time Software saves hours of generating automated payroll reports for your employees by simply, printing out the reports and write the checks.Daily Time Software supports weekly. You can put together a real workforce solution through Daily Time Software ( beverly82, august 2011. Online. http://www. studymode. com/essays/Automated-Daily-Time-System-Literature-756653.html. ) It records and provides real time and updated Merry Child School employee time-ins and outs, pass slips (personal or official), leave credits, overtimes and even deviances. The office policies (internal and external) were used as the basis of the automated computations and as the guideline for the implementation of the system. This system attempts to lessen the time spent of the Personnel Unit in manually computin g the leave credits and overtimes; thus making the maintenance of the records of the staffs of MCS easier.It also records the number of hours spent by an employee whenever he/she gets out of the office by virtue of the pass slip or request for a vehicle. Employee’s violations such as tardiness and under-times are likewise recorded. With the automation of the processes, the Personnel Unit are has more time to work on their other deliverables, thus improve their productivity.The proposed system contains attendance record in electronic files containing details of absence or presence of a specific employee registration during a semester. Attendance records have been collected on paper forms and verified with hand written signatures.However, the increasing demand for automated employee attendance daily time record should be implemented as soon as possible in order to reduce the costs of handling the paper works with record keeping. (2013, 11. Daily Time Record. StudyMode. com. Ret rieved 11, 2013, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Daily-Time-Record-1831449. html .This proposed system described in this document should be implemented also in different school and all automated systems must follow the standard procedures. This study will try to organize the current school attendance record system that will be much quicker and will save time.Statement of the ProblemThe proposed â€Å"Automated Employee Attendance daily time record† to the Merry Child School seeks to develop their current system and provides answers to the following problems specifically on payroll processing such as the security issues, inaccurate calculation of working time, total late, total absences, and under time.Manual process can lead to poor service and delayed payroll creation. Damage or loss of the manual process may lead to inaccurate file restoration and it’ll affect the momentum of payroll creation and both the employer and the employee will suffer.ObjectivesThe sol e purpose of this study is to provide quality and genuine service involving the employee’s personal information to create a system that is called the Automated Employee Attendance Daily Time record. It may solve related issues according to the data gathered from the school.This system is designed to create an automated DTR or so called the AEADTR system that will ensure the employee to receive a total security of its data, proper monitoring of reports in each employee, and for rating and prompting the employee for their overall remarks according to their record.It also provides a user friendly environment that would ensure both quality and easy manipulation. This system is developed to provide accurate and safe computation of data being gathered through each employee of Merry Child School, to provide proper time management to the administration, to lessen the expenses of the institution and to properly monitor the attendance of the employees. This is to evaluate if the system has provided the administrator the needs and fill up the missing piece of their business.Scope and LimitationsThe scope of the study focuses on attendance processing that will provide management of the daily time record, computation of total duty hour, absences, overtime and late. The output data of this system will be used as reference in creating a payroll. In addition, the system will provide total security of data, monitoring of the employees reports, and evaluating each employee based on the data shown in their records. For the security, the system is equipped with unique barcode scanning that will scan each identification card of the employee containing the barcode and safely store it to the database that can be used for future references.For monitoring, the system will automatically generate a prompt to the employee if the employee has a good attendance standing. This will allow the admin to instantly monitor each one of the institutions constituents.Significance of the stud yThis system could contribute to the better and brighter way of processing the Daily time record by providing accurate and stable data gathering through its secure and precise processes. Accounting department could benefit this system because of its fast and accurate process and will result to reducing their discomfort of preparing employee salary.Also this system provides reports to each employee that could help the administrator identify which of them acquire excellent or poor status. The administrator can prepare the salary fast with its pay Slip ready through the help of both DTR system and Payroll system working together and this could benefit the employer and the employee. This study will also benefit the next generation of students that will take the degree of any computer studies courses in Capitol University. If approved, then, this will serve as their reference for future research.

Art History Formal Analysis †Loren Teed (Untitled 1995)

Art History Formal Analysis – Loren Teed (Untitled 1995) Free Online Research Papers Art History Formal Analysis Loren Teed (Untitled 1995) Teed’s brightly coloured abstract painting poses a challenge to any viewer attempting to appropriate it to other abstract still-lifes, for although it is a still- life, it is a still-life in motion. With strong vertical lines, deliberately disjointed horizontals, and mostly organized curves, Teed’s work radiates a feeling of absolute potency that is powerless only to the hands of time. The fascinating spatial and surface arrangement of the piece is what most lends it this untouchable quality. Although there is a centrally located form, the eye is not immediately drawn to it- there exists an odd harmony that forbids the viewer from instantly scrutinizing and mentally highlighting a single form, you are obliged to absorb all the forms as a single solitary body on first impression. The central figures are positioned on a black background. The black does not excessively emphasize the bright forms it encompasses; instead it counterbalances the surrounding mix of vibrant reds, pinks, and verticals. Lack of emphasis on any specific object is imperative to the balance of the entire painting, even though the objects themselves do not appear ‘balanced’. The pink and purple pastel object in the middle, which looks like a coiled-up bunny toy, precariously balances an inconsistent succession of spheres. Two of the spheres are identical in size, but the white on e on the bottom is partially eclipsed by its red counterpart on top. The red sphere demonstrates a technical rarity in Teed’s work; it is the only other obvious case of colour mixing besides the pastel ‘bunny’. The orange highlights accentuate the red ball’s spherical dimensions, giving the three spheres the appearance of mid-air trajectory, as if Teed captured the moment photographically; in motion; but frozen. Despite the lack of formal symmetry and the seemingly arbitrary placement of forms and figures on the canvas, there is still an overall balance to the piece. On the right side of the canvas, a white pedestal supports a blue form that encircles four floating carrot-coloured cube shapes, resembling a wide-mouthed goblet with orange ice-cubes or even a fancy goldfish bowl. Directly below it is an upright tubular shape that resembles a simple vase. So cleanly painted, the vase flawlessly captures the elements of modernist abstraction. Because it partially eclipses the bottom of the white form above it, the vase also adds to the unusual simultaneously atmospheric and linear perspective of the painting. The ‘goblet’ and ‘vase’ on the right side are equally balanced with the tall and thin apparatus form on the far left. The form looks like a chemist’s ring stand, and its back extends all the way to the top, merging with the strong vertical lines of the background behind it in the top left corner. These verticals are balanced by the eclectic melee of black, pink, and red orthogonal lines in the bottom right corner. These endless and seemingly unbounded orthogonal lines and forms are crucial to the painting’s perspective, especially the triangular figure in the top right corner. It appears to be bridging the central black expanse to an object behind it, hidden from the viewer. Teed plays with our assumptions about what ‘line’ implies by carefully keeping patterns entirely away from the black- nowhere in the painting do patterns encounter black, even the body of the red-on-blue splotched triangular bridge form instantly transforms into solid red, and the navy and sky blue stripes in the inside back of the ‘goblet’ object are intercepted by all of its surrounding colours except for black. Teed manipulates the effects of black in a less inconspicuous way by outlining only certain forms By creating only two very strong diagonal lines, Teed successfully forces us to revert our common tendency to register a painting’s middle as its most crucial point. The diagonals radiate from an assumed focal point on the far left that we don’t see- thus, the black surface creates a spotlight-like effect on the forms and objects it accommodates without emphasizing them. With the casual repetition of three green cylinders along the bottom, Teed again adds to the illusory perspective, for although the cylinders are perfectly symmetrical shapes, the cylinder on the far right teeters perilously between coloured precincts, creating more intrigue than interest. Perhaps Teed used the permissive objectivity that indefinite perspective offered his viewers to contrast with the simplicity yet incredible saturation of colours in the painting. The violently clear reds are sobered by the black gravity yet cheered by the arbitrary assembly of varying pinks, oranges, and yellows. A complete lack of shadowing and shading in the piece is remunerated by the strong opposition created between the vertical lines, diagonal lines, and the organic and geometric shapes. In the vertical stripes of the top left, there is a slight disruption in our vision for no apparent reason; the lines tab slightly like the labeling on a folder, but proceed to straighten out once again. The vertical lines also demonstrate Teed’s use of repetition, both obvious and candid, and his exceptional skill in combining them. One of the stripes has a traffic-light repetition of circles. Research Papers on Art History Formal Analysis - Loren Teed (Untitled 1995)The Hockey GameThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsWhere Wild and West MeetHip-Hop is ArtAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionCapital PunishmentMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductBringing Democracy to Africa19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Carolines Real Bread Company SWOT Analysis

Caroline’s Real Bread Company are a small village bakery who produce and sell a variety of niche breads to cater for specific needs. Emphasis is placed on high-quality, fresh organic products. Their products are sold through their website, farmers markets, food festivals and other outlets. They also provide bread for specialist restaurants and cafe’s. This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current state of the grocery market, and provides recommendations on the possible actions that should be undertaken for Caroline’s Real Bread Company to expend and take advantage of the current state of the industry. Methods of analysis used in this report include PEST analysis which analyses the external factors effecting companies operating within the grocery market, and SWOT analysis which is a method used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a company, and the opportunities and threats that are currently presented to them. This research draws attention to the fact that grocery retailers have changed during the past few years in order to react to customer demand. As a result of technological advantages, the demand for convenience is increasing and all major supermarkets now sell their products online. Further research has shown that the market size for fresh organic bread is increasing, and is forecasted to increase even further in the future. The growth of the market size of their products can be attributed to two things. The increase in health awareness amongst consumers who are slowly becoming more conscious of the foods they eat due to a growth in political campaigns alongside new food labelling laws, and the increase in demand for gluten free bread as a result of a steady increase in the amount of gluten intolerant people in the UK. The store competes in an expanding, competitive niche market. It has steadily grown whilst staying true to the ideologies behind it, resulting in Caroline and her company winning many awards. We recommend that the next step that Caroline’s should take is to expand their production capacity in order to take advantage of their distribution channels already in place. They should also refrain from distributing to large supermarkets who do not share their beliefs in order to keep their unique selling point and maintain their current customer base. Instead, they should aim to increase online orders through increased marketing and promotions. We suggest they should get involved in social media in order to increase awareness of their wide variety of products, and to generate more traffic to their website. Due to their limited budget, Caroline’s Real Bread Company should directly target those with special dietary needs as the niche is expanding and these are the customers most likely to buy their products. This could bring opportunities for them to increase their number of deliveries across the UK. The report also investigates the fact that the research conducted has some limitations. Some of the limitations include the fact that secondary data has been used, and that our recommendations assume that the state of the UK economy will not severely worsen in the near future. 2. Introduction and Aims Caroline’s Real Bread Company is a small bakery in Mid/South Wales since 1992. It has two partners Nigel Devlin and Caroline Frampton. Caroline is the baker and Nigel does the accounts. Their products are sold through farmer’s markets, food festivals, local organic box schemes and other outlets. It also supplies restaurants specialist cafes, outside caterers and one off events. Caroline won the Gold Welsh True Taste Awards in 2005 after expanding her business. They offer over 30 varieties of bread which are wheat-free and yeast free. In recent years they have been trying to expand themselves through technology, through online orders which can be collected from in-store or delivered (Carolinesbreadcompany, 2013). The aims of this report are to outline the Political, Economic, Social and Technological issues that impact the Grocery Market Environment. The Product specific market will be explored through a SWOT analysis. The report will highlight the recommendations to Caroline concerning her company and its current position in the market. 3. The Grocery Market 3. 1 Political The government launched an advertising campaign in early 2013 to promote healthier eating habits in the UK (BBC 2013). The main aim of this campaign is to increase the awareness of â€Å"hidden nasties† such as fat and sugar in popular foods. This campaign is the latest in a long line of government aided movements in order to increase health awareness in the UK, some examples of others being change4life and 5 A Day. This latest movement shows that healthy eating is high on the agenda of the current government. The government are under pressure to introduce new legislation to reduce the salt content in foods. The coalition is currently working with the industry, through the ‘Responsibility Deal’, to improve food content and labelling (Department of Health, 2013); however they are being challenged by labour to scrap this voluntary approach and to introduce tougher regulation and legislation in fighting foods high in fat, salt and sugar. One proposition includes a 30% cap on sugar content in cereals aimed at children. The on-going debates and propositions are increasing public awareness of healthy eating habits which benefit specialist local producers such as Caroline’s Real Bread Company. According to new government rules, the UK’s food industry will be required to include clearer information regarding the ingredients on product packaging from summer 2013 (FSA 2013). The new arrangement is front of pack labelling that combines the food content with the guideline daily amounts, showing consumers the percentage of their daily allowance that they will be consuming with the product. As a result of this, suppliers of foods high in salt, sugar or fat may need to rethink their production process or risk losing customers. This change, combined with the growing healthy eating awareness of the UK will again benefit companies who are producing organic foods with natural ingredients. 3. 2 Economic An increase in interest rates has led to less disposable income which may change their shopping pattern from buying luxury goods to necessities, thus restricting the growth of a company like Caroline’s (Times, 2013) (Keynote, 2012, p. 13). Additionally, a rise in inflation would increase the price of any grocery product, resulting in lack of growth in the overall market (Gurdian, 2012). Adverse weather conditions in Europe had a negative effect on wheat supplies, thus increasing the cost of wheat (Keynote, 2012, p. 11) (Julia Glotz, 2011). Retailers can either let their profits decrease, or raise their prices and risk losing customers, to combat this rise (Keynote, 2012, p. 33). The price of flour has also risen, by ? 75/tonne (Gyton, 2012). In recession, most companies face decreased revenue. As this particular business is more focused on providing good quality products, they charge more than supermarkets would, again resulting in a change in consumer spending habits. It has been noted (Keynote, 2012, p. 16) that people are spending over 30% more on bread but this is solely due to the rising price of bread – consumption is in decline. Corporate taxation has fallen; this provides businesses with a better financial environment in which to expand (PwC, 2011). 3. 3 Social Due to the worsening economy, consumers have increasingly attempted to recreate the restaurant experience in their own homes; thus the sales of speciality breads have increased (Keynote, 2012, p. 10). The market share for specialist breads is currently roughly 30% and it is thought that these breads are acting as replacements for the more expensive premium breads (Keynote, 2012, p. 25). Foreign breads have also increased in popularity, creating a niche (Keynote, 2012, p. 32) which could save craft bakeries that are now at risk due to the growth of the supermarket in-store alternatives (Keynote, 2012, p. 33). White bread sales are beginning to decline as consumers become increasingly health-conscious (Keynote, 2012, p. 32) and switch to brown, wholemeal, and ‘best-of-both’ type breads. These, and foreign breads, are more expensive than conventional loaves leaving retailers with the potential for greater profits. It is expected that part-baked white breads will keep white bread sales from dropping too severely (Keynote, 2012, p. 41). There are three major bakers, Warbutons covers a range of qualities while Associated British Foods and British Bakeries both have a high and a low end bread product (Mother’s Pride, Hovis and Sunblest, Kingsmill respectively). The low end products are targeting people who shop for everyday value. The premium loaves are often purchased by those looking for quality rather than value. Warburtons is the most direct competitor for small village bakeries due to the broadness of budgets it caters for and the range of qualities it produces. Small village bakers tend to hold monopolies as the villages for which they cater are often remote and without other stores. Caroline’s Real Bread Company is located in Merthyr Cynog, a village six miles from the nearest town (Brecon) and stores (Google, 2013). It is over four miles from the village to the nearest bus stop from which there is a mere thrice-daily service (Sirgarfyrddin. gov. uk, 2013), so the village is isolated and the baker has a monopoly. 3. 4 Technological Businesses use ecommerce and social media such as Facebook and Twitter to reach a wider audience. This can be used for advertising and to collect feedback from the customer, for example: Tesco has made a Facebook page where they get connected with bigger audience where they post offers of their products and gain feedback from consumers. They are targeting a wider audience, separating themselves from the norms of company (Tesco, 2013). Development in technology also means the reduction in first hand skills. Skilled workers have been replaced by technology, improving efficiency and productivity. In 2011, British Food Plc was investing millions in upgrading its baking business by installing new equipments. Thus modernising its production pattern, improving efficiency and reducing production costs (Keynote, 2012). Premier Foods has increased automation and thus laid off workers to cut costs (Edwards, 2013) after their profits fell by 48% in 2012 (Edwards, 2013). Hovis used to have the concept of using only British wheat as their unique selling point, due to a plummet in profits they have had to abandon this and redesign their packaging, to survive (Edwards, 2013) showing how challenging the bakery sector is today. 4. Description of Product Specific Market The main competitors for Caroline’s Bread Company are supermarkets, bakeries and in-store bakeries. Bread retailers have faced increasing competition over the past few years due to new entrants in the market who believe they can make a profit. The main competitors are supermarkets and convenience stores who now have in-store bakeries making them a one-stop-shop. They can further their influence by having freshly baked products in their petrol stations, increasing convenience. Supermarkets will invest in their bakeries to provide a quick, easy and fitting shopping experience (SmartCompany, 2012) as a result revenue should rise. The increasing price of wheat and fluctuations in household income due to the economic crisis has caused demand and preferences to change, leading to consumers becoming more aware of the products they buy. The main consumers targeted are a small but expanding segment of the niche market. To combat the growth of competition, more innovative loaves and marketing campaigns are needed to increase brand awareness. Caroline offers courses that cement her brand ethic of fresh organic produce making consumers aware of the health benefits associated with eating wholegrain, rye and gluten free breads. Consumers who prefer quality produce, and are concerned with chemical additives, will benefit from Caroline’s speciality breads. By carefully geographically selecting her location and creating her brand to suit this, Caroline is maximising her brand exposure to the local market encouraging a loyal customer base. The main trend in the market that Caroline specialises in is the emphasis of healthy living. This enhances her opportunity to break into the catering market and supply her products to people for special occasions offered on her website. By displaying her products without packaging she adheres to the attractive product presentation that many customers desire with their organic purchases (SmartCompany, 2012). Consumers would find this appealing as there would be enough different varieties to appeal to various customers, which expands her segmentation and increases her client base. 4. 1 Strengths As a dietary staple and a cemented establishment, bread is a necessity. Caroline’s business is versatile and consumer-centric. Her company suffered losses due to under developed management skills (Guardian, 2006) but the company soon recovered and studied business management elements to become a recognised bread company. Caroline’s company has taken product innovation and expanded this to their benefit. To avoid high salt levels she ensures only organic ingredients are used, keeping salt to a minimum (Caroline’s real bread company, 2013) as 80% of UK bread is processed (LoveFood. com, 2013). Alongside organic, the company specialises in making rye and soda breads as well as gluten free and yeast free products in order to cater to precise dietary needs. These can be delivered freshly door to door via the delivery service. The company also supplies local restaurants and caterers with various breads (Caroline’s real bread company,2013). This efficiency, versatility and product care linked with their customers specific detailing alongside their expanding availability of products enlarges their segment of the bread market from local people to people that may live further away as well as those that may not have considered the purchase of organic foods before but would now as they can buy into the ideals behind organic foods. 4. 2 Weaknesses With the bread market being dominated by branded products such as ‘Hovis’ and ‘Kingsmill’, it is difficult for a business so small to penetrate this market. Many consumers are unwilling to pay extra for organic bread. Competition between craft bakeries, such as Caroline’s, and supermarkets is fierce and harsh to penetrate due to the brand association and prices (Keynote, 2012). Due to the entrenched ideological beliefs that are indoctrinated into Caroline’s real bread company, the company is restricted to a small segment of the bread market. Caroline’s is restricted to those who believe in the organic wellbeing and are willing to pay extra for it. The company produces their bread so that it can be frozen for individuals who purchase in bulk (Caroline’s real bread company, 2013) to avoid waste, however this was not their intention for the businesses they were supplying. Nigel reports â€Å"we started supplying a local specialist food shop; selling the bread at just over cost price it later turned out that the shop was freezing the bread, undermining the whole premise of the bread company† (Guardian, 2006) in turn losing a customer and revenue as an effect. Due to their target market being so limited, their market segmentation is smaller than other brands that produce and promote to all customer types. A downside to bread is the shelf life is short for mass produced bread, and even shorter for freshly baked bread, resulting in 1 million loaves of bread being thrown away (Keynote, 2012). This becomes a further disadvantage for a small business such as Caroline’s real bread company. 4. 3 Opportunities There has been an increasing demand for healthier bread and bakery products in the UK economy due to healthy living becoming a more significant factor in people’s everyday lives. Larger bread companies will already be aware of this and will have targeted products towards this; however Caroline’s company is unique in that all products are completely healthy and have already targeted their products. This company has exclusive principles unlike larger suppliers (eg Hovis) who use bulking agents to increase the shelf life of their products, and are completely against using anything that isn’t natural or fresh. On their website it says ‘our business ­ is about producing products that meet the needs of those small but growing numbers of customers who demand only the finest quality food’ (carolinesrealbreadcompany. co. uk) which shows that the quality of their products is more important than quantity. This is a perfect opportunity for Caroline’s bread company to expand and grow due to the higher demand in the products that they already offer. As there is already an increasing demand for healthier bread products, there are also an increasing number of consumers who are adopting a gluten-free diet which is pushing up the demand for these products. Caroline’s offers over 30 different varieties of bread and already offer wheat-free bread so this is another opportunity for them to break into a new market and expand their customer base. They already offer gluten free and yeast free products so it wouldn’t cost them anything more to produce these products, it would just benefit their company due to a higher demand. 4. 4 Threats The increasing niche for freshly baked produce has created further competition by supermarkets against craft bakeries matching quality for less. Consumer perceptions are stimulated through the sensory system of smell. This could result in a change of brand loyalty once people realise that freshly made products could be purchased in similar quantities for less money. Although the ‘Real Bread Campaign’ has disclosed that only Marks and Spencer out of all big supermarkets actually make their bread from scratch and even then not all of it is freshly made from scratch. These companies use the sensory perception to lure in customers from independent bakeries (LoveFood. com, 2013). According to ‘Keynote’, craft businesses are dying out in favour of in-store bakeries (Keynote, 2012) due to their parallel innovation of fresh products. Part-baked and specialised breads, e. g. half and half, dietary, brown, are now being produced by Tesco (Tesco, 2013) and other supermarkets. ‘Food prices are expected to rise after the second wettest summer on record’ (Guardian) which has resulted in a poor harvest leading to an increasing price of grain hence an increase in food prices. The National Farmers Union (NFU) reported that wheat yields in England are down by almost 15% which has added to already been rising prices caused by a heat wave in Russia that destroyed a large majority of their crops. Richard Dodd of the British Retail Consortium said: â€Å"The most recent figures are that wheat prices are up 29% compared with a year ago† (Guardian 2012). This is a major threat towards Caroline as this rise could result in a fall in profits as it would cost more for them to purchase their supplies. As a small company there will be more of an impact than larger bread companies. However, even ‘Hovis’ (premier foods) are struggling to sell their breads and they are known as the best-selling bread brand (the mirror 2012). They ‘struggled with soaring costs and cut-throat competition’ resulting in them losing its co-op contract to their rival company allied bakeries. 5. Recommendations and Conclusion Our recommendations for ‘Caroline’s Real Bread Company’ are that they should continue to distribute to the grocery market but not to large supermarkets as they do not share her ideological beliefs. As they have enough vans to distribute the products, we recommend that they should expand their production space so they are able to produce more products and try to distribute to places further across the country to establish their brand and attract more customers. In terms of their products there is an increasing demand for speciality breads which supermarkets do not sell many varieties of, so Caroline should see this as a product innovation and her bakery should focus on expanding into this market more. People are now more conscious of healthy lifestyles so we recommend that they should continue to focus on organic, dietary, gluten-free and wheat-free breads to continue to appeal to this expanding niche market. The target consumers for Caroline’s Real Bread Company should continue to be those who favour organic products over products that are not. Her beliefs on organic foods are the foundation of her business ideology and therefore this is unlikely to change. By targeting more directly those with dietary needs, such as gluten and wheat free products as these consumers already pay higher prices in supermarkets than other customers, therefore they may wish to look into Caroline’s company if she promotes these product more vigorously. Promotion can also be carried out by encouraging brand switching, existing consumers to purchase more, raising awareness of the brand and attracting new customers to her brand by trialling new products. This can be carried out by implementing multi-buys and incentives for example free vouchers and gifts. These can be promoted via online social media networks, for example Facebook, Twitter and other forms they will be able to make consumers aware of their brand and ideologies so that they can expand their customer base further. By doing this it can bring opportunities for the company to expand their delivery services to larger regions of the UK. 6. Limitations The majority of the data used was online secondary data. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information obtained. The report evaluates long term performance; looking so far ahead, economic conditions could change affecting the PEST analysis. For instance, our economic condition could for now be described as recovering from a double-dip recession, so in the near future the economy might be at a better or worst stage of recovery and this would affect the company’s target market. The bread market is constantly evolving and is susceptible to massive changes as a result of crop failures, adverse weather conditions, or the general economic climate. While it was argued that people who no longer go to restaurants due to the cost may now be buying more specialist and foreign breads to compromise, it must be noted that the breads in the restaurant were purchased from somewhere, perhaps even from the same wholesale baker, so this may not affect overall bread sales. What is also worth noting is that Caroline’s Real Bread Company operates within a small isolated community and has a monopoly in the grocery market for that village. This means it most likely has a steady flow of repeat customers, though the company also provides a delivery service and supplies commercial clients. Therefore expansion in their wholesale/commercial supply operations might be more beneficial than the suggested expansion in consumer retail operations due to the limited customer base. Another issue is the approach of the company – Caroline’s Real Bread Company pride themselves on being independent and local, if the desired method of expansion was in any way to threaten these attributes then the expansion would be to the detriment of the company. What must also be noted along these lines is that the bread is currently handmade; the company should consider the ultimate savings of automation against the attraction of handmade bread. The former might lose former clients who chose the brand for their traditional bread, yet it might gain customers looking for more inexpensive bread by a local company.

Strategic Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Strategic Management Accounting - Essay Example Organisational diagnosis involves the thorough evaluation of the processes and issues in an organisation in order to identify the issues that are causing the organisation to fail in its quest to achieve all its major goals and objectives (Van Tonder & Roodt, 2013). Organisational diagnosis is necessary to provide the scientific basis for a structured change in an organisation (Harrison & Shirom, 2011). It therefore uses tools to identify the main processes and change that are relevant to a given organisation and deduces issues with the business process and how there could be changes and adjustments in the processes of doing things in an organisation (Harsh, 2014). From the facts of the scenario relating to US Postal Services, there is a central issue that is identified with the organisational structure and philosophy of the management and authorities behind the entity. The public-sector worldview stands in the way of the achievement of results for US Postal Services. Therefore, there is the need to examine this central issue which is steeped in the capital structure of the company and how it influences the management and competitive position of US Postal Services. It is through a thorough organisational diagnosis that the main issues of US Postal Services can be identified and proper solutions can be recommended. The capital composition of US Postal Services is one that fundamentally puts the company into a situation where they will have to focus on stakeholder interests as opposed to shareholder interests. This is because it is a public sector entity and will need to meet the objectives of the government by providing the cheapest form of postal services to all Americans. This implies that US Postal Services will have to focus on metrics and measures that do not include financial measures and standards like profitability and return on investment. The implication is that they will have to use the resources available to provide the best