The Desert Island Problem

The ss Minnow was a little cruise ship manned by a small crew and several groups of passengers. It was caught in a tropical cyclone which blew it thousands of miles off course for several days. In the second day of the storm, the radio and all communication means were destroyed after the ship had sent out a distress call, expressing the fear that the ship would go down. Many days later, after the ship had been tossed through the South Pacific, the ship ran aground on an island which the Captain realised was a remote and uncharted and probably undiscovered new volcanic island.The implication of all this is that eventual rescue is remote but cannot be ruled out if they survive long enough: search and rescue would be based on the last plotted position thousands of miles away on the belief that the ship may have sunk at that point; the island is not near any trade route. This is before the days of GPS and satellite tracking. The Hapsburg family (a group of six) has lots of money, gold, j ewellery, and are willing to offer these for anything they want. The Doonesbury clan (all twenty of them) brought their own canned food, which will last them a couple of weeks with careful hoarding.The dozen Klungs have, upon coming aground and realizing their situation, enterprisingly gathered all the coconuts on the very small island, and now hold the monopoly on them. The ten Corleone brothers broke into the ship’s store and grabbed all the ship’s food, which will last them two week if they do not share them. The Rotweilers (husband and wife) have a shotgun between them, which can be used to hunt birds for food but which they are threatening to use to hold up the others if they do not get the lion’s share of the available food.They have enough buckshot for three dozen rounds which means that they can kill many of the others but not even half of them. The Clements are the largest group, equal to everyone else put together, but have nothing. The Captain and his trusty First Mate, Gilligan, have fishing tackle from the ship, which hold the key to long term survival by fishing and some flares which will be crucial for getting attention if a plane or ship comes near.They have hidden these in a spot on the island which only they know about. There is a freshwater spring on the island which is the source of drinking water but food shortage will fast put an end to them unless they are rescued (in which case the flares may be crucial), or they use the Captain’s fishing tackle. If all the current food is put together, they may have enough for one, may be two weeks, with a bleak chance of rescue in that time.If some group manages to buy, extort or steal the bulk of the food, they may last longer, five to six weeks with a far greater chance of being found and rescued. The Captain and Gilligan figure they can use their hidden fishing tackle and flares as leverage, but they must persuade the others to cooperate in a scheme that gives them a bes t chance of survival. What is this scheme, and what reasons would you give for adopting it, if you were the Captain and Gilligan? Is moral appeal at all relevant?

What Does It Mean to Be an Effective Teacher?

What does it mean to be an effective teacher? Introduction There are many factors that contribute to what it means to be an effective teacher. They could be someone who has a deep understanding of what they are teaching and skills to create an ideal environment to encourage positive learning outcomes for students regardless of their background or ability (Victorian Department of Education & Training, 2005). They will have the ability to develop a variety of strategies and practices to support student’s learning through planning, implementing and evaluating their lessons and a positive philosophy on pedagogy. Some other factors that form a successful and effective teacher could include having a professional attitude, a variety of knowledge from a range of areas and exceptional planning and organisational skills. An effective teacher will have the means to successfully manage a classroom, an ongoing commitment to professional development and of course, an ability to relate to children. A philosophy, such as constructivism, reflecting the teacher’s ideals and morals and teaching abilities will also provide structure to an effective teacher. Professionalism A professional teacher encompasses a range of standards such as academic, ethical, legal, personal and cultural (professional standards, is discussed in depth further on) (Whitton, Barker, Nosworthy, Sinclair & Nanlohy, 2010). Academic standards involve attaining formal teaching qualifications and complying with the relevant state teaching authority’s requirements on supplementing qualifications with teaching certifications (Whitton et al, 2010). An effective teacher will have attained the relevant qualifications and looked into their governing body’s standards and requirements to be able to teach. Ethical standards encompass undertaking the right conduct and practice in incorporation with the schools policies and procedures and the teachers own moral ideals and being sensitive to private information and transparent in behaviour (Whitton et al, 2010). Legal standards involve complying with child protection laws and providing relevant documentation clearing the teacher to work with children (Whitton et al, 2010). An effective teacher will provide this documentation upon application in any teaching role. Legally, teachers are also providing a duty of care to students, protecting them from any reasonable foreseeable harm whenever they are involved in a school based activity (Whitton et al, 2010). Personal standards refer to performing the duties of the role employed for in an honest and integral manner (Whitton et al, 2010). An effective teacher will need to appropriately â€Å"dress, act, speak and behave† (Whitton et al, 2010, p. 60). Arriving to school activities in a timely manner will also show a professional attitude (Whitton et al, 2010). Finally, cultural standards refer to respecting and showing tolerance towards students, parents and fellow staff from different race and religion (Whitton et al, 2010). An effective teacher will encourage community cohesion, recognise and value other cultures and promote tolerance (NSW Department of Education & Training, 2005). A teacher with professional standards and ideals will be effective as an educator, co-worker and community leader. Teaching philosophy An effective teacher will have developed a philosophy of teaching that fits within their ideals and provides a positive learning outcome for students. A teacher will need to decide what type of teaching approach they want to use such as an authoritarian approach which demands student compliance; a permissive approach where the teacher is more of a friend than an authority figure or; an authoritative approach where expectations are explained and self-direction is encouraged (Whitton et al, 2010). Setting goals and objectives in line with what type of teacher they intend to be, interpreting the curriculum and understanding students learning needs and abilities will help provide structure and organisation in the classroom environment. A productive way to set out these goals, objectives and teaching philosophy could be by creating a teaching portfolio. A teaching portfolio will allow a teacher to list any personal achievements, what they hope to achieve in the teaching profession and how they hope to achieve it and will continue to change over time as different approaches to teaching are developed and evaluation and reflection on teaching practices are planned and implemented (Haugen, 1998; The University of Adelaide, 2005). Although not mandatory, a teaching philosophy, especially for a graduate teacher, will provide a platform to return to when facing uncertainty, anticipation or fear when teaching for the first time (Beginning Teachers, 2011). A teacher’s philosophy will influence how they teach and show that they are committed to their profession and creating a positive learning environment. An effective and common type of teaching philosophy involves a constructivist approach. Constructivism A constructivist approach to teaching is currently the main type of method used in Australia today (Fetherston, 2007). Constructivism typically involves students taking whatever they learn in the lesson, interpreting it with the assistance of their own view and memories and constructing an individual variant of the lesson (Fetherston, 2007). In most classrooms, this will happen in a group setting, known as social constructivism but can happen individually which is known as psychological constructivism (Fetherston, 2007). A social constructivism approach relies on language and interaction with others and is more effective if the others have a greater understanding of the task (Fetherston, 2007). Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, believed that adults can nurture a child’s approach to learning and development through encouraging them to undertake activities using physical and cognitive tools to further their performance and interpretation of the activity (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). In a classroom, a social constructivist approach will allow children to develop their thinking processes, communication and ability to complete tasks through social interaction then adopt an individual approach to tasks through repetition and personal interpretation (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). A psychological constructivist approach is based on a child’s physical and social environments effect on their cognitive development (Fetherston, 2007). Jean Piaget, a pioneer in child development, implied that people have four stages of development, each with their own characteristics starting from birth through to adulthood (Fetherston, 2007; McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). Piaget found that different cognitive processes take place, influencing a child’s interpretation of a task depending on the development stage they are in (Fetherston, 2007). In a classroom, using this approach would require the teacher to understand the stage of development the child is in and incorporate their abilities whilst in that stage to the presentation of the lesson. Adopting a constructivist approach, whether social or individual, to teaching will allow a teacher to have a range of well researched teaching strategies to incorporate into lessons, creating a positive, nurturing class environment (Fetherston, 2007). Knowledge & planning A teacher’s knowledge is not just about what they have learnt through study, but their knowledge of curriculum and content, issued by the relevant governing body; knowledge of students, including information gathered before meeting the student and information gathered whilst teaching; knowledge of the school environment, such as school history, policies and procedures; knowledge of the community the school is situated in and; self-knowledge of the teachers own teaching style (Whitton et al, 2010). By using their knowledge from all these fields, an effective teacher will be able to plan, implement and evaluate a lesson to attain an ideal learning outcome (Whitton et al, 2010). Planning a lesson will involve taking the required knowledge from the areas above and preparing to deliver it to the class (Whitton et al, 2010). Implementing a lesson will involve using the appropriate planned materials and resources to deliver the curriculum content to the students in the allocated timeframe (Whitton et al, 2010). Evaluation will require the teacher to reflect upon a number of factors including the students understanding of the lesson, the suitability of the lesson content and the teaching strategies used (Whitton et al, 2010). An effective teacher will be organised so students are continually motivated to complete any tasks and participate in the lesson. Motivation Motivating students to participate in learning will require a positive, effective teaching strategy. Motivation can be described as setting students in the right direction and keeping them on track (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). Even though one person is not accountable for the motivation of another, a teacher should make learning attractive by offering incentives and positive reinforcement and encouraging self-motivation (Christophel, 1990). There are two types of motivation to understand, intrinsic motivation, when the student completes a task for no external reward or extrinsic motivation, where they receive an award or avoid punishment for completing a task (Marsh, 2008). Understanding the types of motivation will help the teacher set achievable learning goals for the students and attaining these goals through extrinsic motivation will encourage students to be more confident and in turn use intrinsic motivation to achieve tasks (Marsh, 2008). A motivating teacher will have a lasting effect on a student’s ability to learn. By understanding that student motivation decreases through the school years, an effective teacher will have strategies in place to engage students and keep them focused (Whitton et al, 2010). Some of the most effective motivational strategies include having a relaxed body position, enthusiasm and sensitivity, providing verbal encouragement and offering a simple smile (Christophel, 1990; Marsh, 2008). This will come across as positive to the student who will feel competent and self-efficient. Incorporating motivation into the classroom requires a teacher to have effective management techniques. Classroom management Being an effective teacher means setting in place a classroom management plan that encompasses proactive behaviour management, setting clear expectations and successful lesson planning skills (Queensland College of Teachers, n. d). This will create a positive, safe learning environment that can motivate and ncourage students to be involved in their learning experience. Proactive behaviour management will require the teacher to use effective, appropriate responses to misbehaviour that minimise disruption to the rest of the class (Bennett, 1994). A teacher will need to incorporate skills from a number of areas such as knowledge of curriculum and content, understanding of human development and planning skills to create an effective lesson (Whitton et al, 2010). They will also need to have: access to a variety of resources and materials to assist in presenting the lesson; teaching and learning strategies in place such as what instructional modes will be used to deliver the lesson, how the students will be grouped during the lesson, how much time will be allowed for the lesson, what space will be required to undertake the lesson and how the students will be assessed on their understanding of the lesson; exceptional interpersonal and intrapersonal skills to enhance how the teacher relates to students, co-workers, non-teaching staff and parents and; day to day classroom management and organisation abilities (Whitton et al, 2010). An effective teacher will allow considerable time to prepare lessons and organise the management of the classroom. To continue to develop on these skills, the teacher will need to reflect on their skills and seek further development to enhance their abilities. Professional development & reflection Lastly, an effective teacher will continue to reflect upon their teaching and seek further development to enhance their pedagogical abilities. They will understand that being part of a dynamic profession, there is continual advancement in teaching and learning strategies therefore keeping up to date with any new information could improve their pedagogical skills (Victorian Department of Education, 2005). They will identify and understand any areas of development needed by seeking advice and support from co-workers and other experienced teachers, students and parents and from their own personal reflection (NSW Institute of Teachers, 2010). Failing to participate in further development or not feeling the need to update skills and knowledge, will impact on the students learning outcomes and the class environment. The NSW Institute of Teachers has a policy on continued professional development that lists the mandatory requirements for teachers to participate in authorised further development over 5 year periods (NSW Institute of Teachers, 2008). This could include participating in formal and informal training, conducting research or participating in staff development days (Whitton et al, 2010). The more knowledge a teacher has, the more they will understand their student’s learning abilities and how to create a positive learning environment. This will enhance their effectiveness as a teacher. Conclusion Being an effective teacher means having the ability to manage the classroom, having an understanding of how to relate to children and having a professional attitude and demeanour. They should have a wide knowledge base with a commitment to ongoing professional development and a philosophy on how they teach and why. An effective teacher will encourage students to be engaged and motivated to learn and be able to manage the classroom in a positive way that makes children feel safe and comfortable. If a teacher can encompass all these things they will find that they make themselves effective in their profession. References Bennett, B. (1994). Bump 1: Preventing and responding to misbehaviour through low-key responses. Classroom management: A thinking and caring approach. 10, 187-218 Retrieved from http://edocs. library. curtin. du. au/eres_display. cgi? url=dc60261243. pdf©right=1 Christophel, D. (1990). The relationships among teacher immediacy behaviours, student motivation, and learning. Communication Education, 39. Retrieved from http://professoryates. com/seu/Podcasts/Dissertation%20Research/SteveArticles11. 12C/Christophel90ImmediacyMotivationLearning. p df Department of Education & Training, Victoria, Office of School Education. (2005). Professional learning in effective schools: The seven principles of highly effective professional learning. Retrieved from http://www. eduweb. vic. gov. au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/teacher/ProfLearningInEffectiveSchools. df Fetherston, T. (2007). Becoming an effective teacher. South Melbourne: Cengage Learning. Haugen, L. (1998). Writing a teaching philosophy statement. Retrieved from http://www. celt. iastate. edu/teaching/philosophy. html McDevitt, T. M. , & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Child development and education. (4th ed. ). New Jersey, USA. Pearson Education Inc. NSW Department of Education & Training. (2005). Cultural diversity and community relations policy: Multicultural education in schools. Retrieved from https://www. det. nsw. edu. au/policies/student_serv/equity/comm_rela/PD20050234. shtml? level= NSW Institute of Teachers. (2008). Policies: Professional competence. Retrieved from http://www. nswteachers. nsw. edu. au/Continuing-ProfessionalDevelopment/CPD-Policy/ NSW Institute of Teachers. (2010). Professional teaching standards. Retrieved from http://www. nswteachers. nsw. edu. au/Main-Professional-Teaching-Standards/ Queensland College of Teachers. (n. d). Classroom management: essential skills for classroom management. Retrieved from http://beginningtoteach. qct. edu. au/Teachingandlearning/ClassroomManagement. html The University of Adelaide, Centre for Learning and Professional Development. (2005). Developing your teaching portfolio. Retrieved from http://www. adelaide. edu. au/clpd/teaching/portfolio/t_portfolio. pdf

Discourse Community Paper

Analyzing Discourse Communities Then and Now As students grow older in life and in school their written as well as, their oral communication will mature and become more sophisticated. I will be informing you of how my written and spoken communication skills have gotten better throughout my years in high school and how they have improved being in college. I will first do this by talking about how my communication was in high school football and how it compares in college. Secondly, I will focus on my current major of communications and how my public speaking has changed over the years.Lastly, I will talk about the oral and written communication within the real estate profession. Communication in football has to be the most important aspect on the field. If a team desires to be successful they must be great communicators. Players need to communicate effectively with each other to play well as a team. Communication not only means simply talking to each other, but non verbal communicatio n plays a vital part in being a successful team. Being able to direct teammates using hand signals is a very important factor.Using verbal and non verbal communication together can be effective in completing a pass, a tackle, or kicking a game winning field goal. Playing football without communicating is impossible and would make winning extremely difficult. Communication does not only have to do with getting the plays from player to player, it also has to do with motivating the team and being a positive leader on and off the field. If a captain is discouraging or belittling to teammates they are not going to put in the effort for practice or games.I had a lot of trouble with this in high school with teammates putting down other players and it resulted in the same effect. They didn’t want to be at practice and it lead to some of my teammates to quitting. Now that I play at the college level the camaraderie and attitudes have turned a complete 180. As a whole, we have the same mentality and the best intentions by wanting to get better each and every day. Along with spoken and non verbal communication in football, believe it or not, we actually have written communication as well. A football play is nly a bunch of X’s and O’s until written down. Teams may have hundreds of plays and will remember all of these by constantly writing them down. We also have to write in our playbooks the blocking schemes for the week, depending on who the opponent is. Additionally, every player is required to take a class about coaching and football. We write out our own practice schedules and at the end of the year we complete a one page essay describing what we have learned about being in the coaches shoes. As for my major of communications, there is a great deal of writing along with plenty of oral speeches.When writing or preparing a speech in high school I would procrastinate more often than not and wing it at the last minute. I would be extremely nervous whe n talking in front of people. In comparison, now that I am older and have communications as my area of study I have taken it a lot more seriously. I now take the necessary time and pride in planning out what I have to say in an outline and utilize brainstorming sessions. I feel I have grown in both my written and spoken communication as a public speaker from high school to now being in college.Orally when talking about communications that’s mainly all there is, but like I stated before there are outlines and brainstorming ideas that students use. When it comes to public speaking our speech is all about how well we present it. There are many different factors that go into how well students can orally present their speech. Some of which include; confidence when presenting in front of a large crowd and how well a student prepared for this topic. With that said, I have also learned to relax and control how nervous I get by ensuring that I am confident about the material and well prepared for the presentation.Finally I will be talking about written communication in real estate. When my dad first started in real estate it was all done at a kitchen table or at an office desk. Today it can be done virtually. Realtors can check all their email, faxes, contracts and more by using a phone. The industries future is mobile. For example, some agents today use DOC U SIGN and/or Digital Ink which enables Agents and clients both to electronically sign required documents from anywhere in the world. Therefore, written communication is now taking out the human factor in real estate and having o verbally communicate to a client is becoming less and less important. Yes, verbal communication still takes place, but it is becoming not as much of a factor. It now has less to do with your personal appearance because most of everything done today is digital. Clear communication is more essential because real estate agents need to be able to convince possible clients to work with t hem. And when agents don’t have the opportunity to work with clients face to face they need to make a great first impression.With everything that has been said throughout my essay I do agree that spoken communication is a vital part in communicating effectively. However at the same time I feel that written communication in anything today is becoming the new normal. Whether it is in your discourse community of football, the area of study such as communications, or in my future career path of real estate, communication being verbal or written will always be there. It will also determine and be an important factor in how successful you are in life.

Reflectivity & appearance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflectivity & appearance - Research Paper Example It comes in two forms. One is the cosmetics approach with is also known as aesthetics. This is the surgery that is based on improving certain body parts and features or changing some parts of the body. This is because we want those parts to look the way we want them to look, (CNN, 1999). It’s for beauty and general outlook. The second kind of plastic surgery is the reconstructive surgery which is done to restore some part of the body that has been damaged, (Soueid, 2012). This might have been occasioned by some occurrences like burns, bone fractures and other complicated problems. The reason why a person would want a damaged part of the body to be repaired is to enhance their looks and productivity, (Hettiaratchy & Griffiths, 2011). Personal appearance and productivity are not strange bedfellows. This is because good looks enhance a confident personality, (CNN, 1999). There are occasions that a deformation becomes extreme enough to destroy the personal confidence or even the s elf image. The main reason for a reconstructive surgery is to repair or even correct the problem of a certain malfunctioning part of the body, (Hettiaratchy & Griffiths, 2011). The aim here is to make the part work normally. This happens so that the normal working conditions of a person can be restored, (Siemionow & Klein, 2010). The personality of a person can be affected when some part of the body are not working normally. This is especially so if part of the body is publicly situated, (Stone, 2006). If the correction of the body leads to an improved self esteem, then it can be argued that it improves the personality and confidence. Personality confidence and improved appearance go hand in hand, (Soueid, 2012). Plastic surgeries are not related or even connected to the use of polymers or plastics or synthetics. When a patient undergoes the plastic surgery procedures, they are likely to have some psychological benefits, (Hettiaratchy & Griffiths, 2011). It must be noted that the is sue of personality is completely mental. It therefore, becomes important to correct it using the perception of within the patients mind, (CNN, 1999). Plastic surgery procedure improves the self confidence and esteem, (Siemionow & Klein, 2010). This is because the new looks give those people confidence which is translated into how they relate with other people. Personal confidence is rarely about how other people view it. This is possibly why some people are strongly against it while others are form it, (Rinzler, 2009). The nature of plastic surgery is that it’s supposed to inspire confidence. It addresses the needs of people with a certain need for which they cannot take medicine or fix it in any other way. The people who go for this procedure obtain the desires they aim at. This leads to more comfort while dealing with others. This then, becomes a social factor that is positive, (Papel, 2009). Correcting mark from the face can cause a person to perform better. This also make s those who go for the plastic surgery procedure happier and more comfortable. Personality and individual productivity go hand in hand, (Hettiaratchy & Griffiths, 2011). Few people plan to undergo a plastic surgery; however it becomes hard to put up with a mulled image in case a misfortune happens, (Gunn, 2010). This is because we have a strong attachment to looks and appearance. Plastic surgery has some side effects. People opt to put up with the side effects rather than a damaged skin or body part. This who

The Potential Contributions of Human Resource Case Study

The Potential Contributions of Human Resource - Case Study Example British Airways also supports other additional jobs through its supply chain, and all this generates annual revenues of approximately 7.8 billion (Whitelegg 2000, BA 2005). British Airways contributes to economic growth in the UK as it is part of a transport infrastructure on which many other parts of the economy depends on. For example, better transport links between cities have expanded markets, allowing for economies of scale, increased specialisation in areas of competitive advantage and stiffer competitive pressures on companies (OEF 1999, Whitelegg 2000). This also means that British Airways supports foreign direct investment into the United Kingdom and this introduces new technology into the country, as well as improves networking to bring on more innovation (OEF 1999). As with any other industry, the key challenge facing British Airways is future growth and development, especially in light of low-cost airlines and climate change. Despite the impressive record of consistently delivering improvements in energy efficiency, British Airways is once again faced with a multitude of environmental and other factors, which could potentially erode its human resource based, which it has created. In order to understand the potential contributions British Airways makes to the human resource function, it is important to conduct environmental and internal analyses. II. PESTLE Analysis II. i. Political This airline industry is heavily subsidized, however the high cost of labour in the UK has made British Airways look at more cost effective ways of creating jobs, such as automated ticket machines and check-in machines. At the same time the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5 exists to meet the rising demand, which puts pressure on the government in terms of planning, and allocating more runway space in other areas of the country. The conflict in the Middle East has also meant increased fees for flying with British Airways to cover the cost of fuel price increases, which could cost the organization dearly. II. ii. Economic The crisis in the Middle East has resulted in reduced passenger numbers for some routes, and whilst it may not affect all of British Airways routes, a reduction in passenger numbers means significant losses in terms of profit. If passenger growth falls at 3.5% per year instead of the predicted 4%, the UK's GDP would be reduced by 2.5% by 2015 or the equivalent of 30 billion (OEF 1999, BA 2005). In 1997 UK travelers abroad spent 13.4 billion and foreign travelers to the UK spent 9.9 billion (OEF 1999), therefore the importance of the economy cannot be downplayed. II. iii. Social There has been an increase in recreational flyers, or the use of private airplanes, since September, 11th and this has affect passenger numbers slightly (BA 2005). This is also due to the rise of disposable income and specialization of leisure pursuits at small air fields and air

Business Challenges in the 20th Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Challenges in the 20th Century - Essay Example Companies are often channel their efforts in taking overcoming the threats while taking advantage of the opportunities present in their environment. Thus, the proper and thorough assessment of the challenges faced by business entities should start with an adequate audit on their environment. This paper will look at three major challenges faced by business organization. It will accomplish this t ask by making a general assessment of the current business landscape. The paragraph that follows will be a glance at the business arena. This will be followed by the specific issues and challenges revealed and how they can be properly addressed. According to Philip Kotler (2005), one of the "megatrends" which is needed to be considered by business organizations is a major economic force called hypercompetition, which is characterized as "a period where the rate of change in the competitive rules of the game are in such flux that only the most adaptive, fleet, and nimble organizations survive (D'Aveni 1994)." It is irrefutable that this trend is one of the most important factor affecting the performance and strategies of business entities. As they operate in a hypercompetitive environment, they need to cope with its various features such as more intense rivalry, higher buyer leverage, and integration of international market. These three major challenges are further examined in the following sections. Challenge 1. More Intense Rivalry As more and more players recognize that potential markets with high profit gains and acquire technologies for an efficient operation, they intensify their efforts to conquer their target markets. It is apparent how business organizations are currently battling head on for higher market shares. More efficient technology in firms' value chains enable them to drive down prices. Aside from price wars, companies also compete on the quality and features of their specific products. As the world is becoming a global village, this situation is even exacerbated by the threat of competition from foreign firms. More in tense rivalry is becoming a major concern among competing industry players. Higher competition forces firms to develop a more efficient business model and strategy. Sometimes, these may even lead to the failure and bankruptcy of a firm. Higher competition tends to shake off inefficient players leaving only those with sustainable competitive strategies. In the face of more intense rivalry, industry players need to focus on crafting a strategy which will mitigate competition with other companies. It is also important that a firm embark on a stronger effort of defining and enhancing its position in the particular market. For example, a hotel company can further realign its strategy with its goal by looking at what it wants to achieve. The company can pursue a differentiation strategy to differentiate itself from its rivals. It is irrefutable that even though two companies offer the same product, customers often perceive huge differences in the way the companies craft their marketing mix. A hotel company can either focus on offering low priced and convenient accommodation or may opt to adopt a strategy of charging prices justified by excellent customer service. It should also be noted that warding

The problems caused by the cereal-cyst nematode (CCN) in many wheat Essay

The problems caused by the cereal-cyst nematode (CCN) in many wheat fields and Saudi Arabias huge amount of loss of underground water due to the attempt of becoming a major agriculture producer of wheat - Essay Example The writers determined the genetic basis of meloidoyne incognita –fusarium exosporium lycopersici disease which affected tomatoes as from the inoculations of progeny F2. The paper demonstrated the role of nematode in the disease interactions through resistance breakdown to F Oxysporum lycopersici in the presence of M. It showed that the cysts have a significant effect in the productivity of the important food crops. This paper evaluates the impact of the H.avenae on the spring wheat yields in Northwest Pacific. The condition had been observed on the fields but had not been quantified. It was motivated by the variation in infestation between the fields in dry land and irrigated fields. Heterodera avenae is widely distributed in the western US. These are the regions where wheat is grown in the non-irrigated winter wheat and summer fallows in the regions of low rainfall. The social and economic pressures have motivated growers to pursue a transition into the summer fallow rotation to the no till annual spring cereals. These cereals are also grown in the irrigated fields. Spring wheat was, therefore, planted without aldicarb in determining the relationship between H.avenae and the yields under the irrigated and dry land in moderately infested lands. From the research, the spring wheat productivity was negatively correlated with the initial H.avenae populations. This research paper aims to present valuable information and figures related to agricultural development plans in Saudi Arabia. This is done despite the unsuitable and harsh climate as well as other conditions for normal production in agriculture. This is because of the limited and deteriorating water availability for agricultural productivity. The paper focuses on the condition of Saudi Arabia in improving and increasing the production of agricultural products. The

Human Resource management in the Hotel Industry Research Paper - 1

Human Resource management in the Hotel Industry - Research Paper Example The baby boomer turnover ratio varies from organization to organization from high to low; particularly in the hospitality industry the ratio is volatile and affects the overall costs for various companies. High baby boomer turnover ratio can extensively increase the financial implications and performance of a company (O’Dell & Hubert, 2011). Unswerving expenses include staffing, selection, and preparation of new recruits. Much time and costs go to these processes. Circumlocutory expenses include such things as added workloads and overtime costs for coworkers, in addition reduced efficiency associated with small employee self-esteem. According to Levin (2008), there are various probable causes for high baby boomer turnover ratio. Area economic background, and employment market conditions shape general turnover tariffs, and sometimes can be complex to manage. Nevertheless, certain causes related to baby boomer turnover ratio in whichever definite hospitality job or company can be managed. These may include such things as non-competitive payments, high nervous tension, poor working environment, repetitiveness, poor management, lack of communication between the employee and the job, inadequate preparation, and lack of effective communication practices in the company or organization. For hotels human resource management to develop a retention plan, numerous steps ought to be taken into account. First, there is need to asses the modern situations, and measure the baby boomers turnover ratio in their organization. The turnover ratio is always calculated by dividing the quantity of yearly terminations by the average quantity of workers in the work force (Klug, 2009). An organization should also measure the expenses involved in the turnover ratio, develop withholding strategies, and arrange for expected turnover ratio volatility, in the dynamic workforce traditions. Employers are obliged to

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 43

Business Law - Essay Example Loss of jobs does not go hand in hand with employment law that states that employees should not be terminated without a reasonable cause. When people lose their jobs, it means that they will live below the poverty line. The government therefore will not have attained its objective of poverty reduction because as others earn more, others lose. Another reason why the minimum wage should not be raised is that low wage workers will lack the incentive to educate themselves further. When workers are paid more, they will lack the motivation to enroll in colleges and further their education. It therefore means that workers will gets stuck in their jobs for longer periods instead of moving to other rewarding jobs. The overall effect will be that the country’s education level will be low. Finally, minimum wage should not be raised because raising minimum wage means that more money will be pocketed by the poor people at the expense of the employer. In order to cater for the increase in income, it means that the employer will find ways increasing income through ways such as increasing taxes. If taxes are increased, then the welfare of the people will not be catered

The Barriers For Nurses In Managing Post-Operative Pain Literature review

The Barriers For Nurses In Managing Post-Operative Pain - Literature review Example The studies recommend improvements in the knowledge and experience of nurses in pain management as well as future studies on effective pain management covering a larger population. These studies would help improve the evidence base on the subject matter. Review of Related Literature: This chapter shall provide a review of relevant literature. First, it will present a rationale to the literature review and then establish the questions that this review will answer. The aims and objectives of this review shall also be established. Background/Rationale to Literature Review Pain is one of the most disturbing symptoms which any person can feel. Regardless of its intensity, duration, or location, it can impact on an individual’s psychological and physical well-being (Yildirim, et.al., 2008). During the post-operative period, pain is a common complaint or symptom for patients. Such pain can further increase the impact of the surgery and can sometimes delay the patient’s physical and emotional recovery (Van Hulle, 2005). Nurses have the unenviable task of ensuring the consistent and effective management of post-operative pain. Their role during this time involves the assessment of pain levels, the administration of pain medicati ons, and providing emotional support for the patients (Textor and Porock, 2006). As nurses, they also have the duty of notifying the doctors about significant changes in the patient’s condition, mostly in relation to unrelieved pain or pain which manifests with other symptoms including fever, decreased or increased heart rate, unrelieved severe and continuous pain, as well as bleeding at the incision site (Plaisance and Logan, 2006). Based on these significant considerations, pain management is a crucial element in ensuring effective post-operative care. The nurses administering skills therefore have to have the right skills, interventions, and knowledge to ensure effective post-operative care (Ferrell and McCaffery, 2008). This topic was chosen because there is a need to study gaps in the nursing management of post-operative care, including new and possibly more effective means of pain management (Lui, et.al., 2008). This topic was chosen now because nurses have become more and more involved in the management of post-operative care patients and there is a need to evaluate and improve their efficacy in pain management (Matthews and Malcolm, 2007). I am personally interested in this area because I consider this an area which is highly specialized and any skills I can learn through evidence-based practice can also help me improve my practice. It relates to my practice because I work in the post-operative care unit and I have personally encountered an instance when the patient manifested severe pain after surgery and I reached a point when I became doubtful of the efficacy of my skills as a nurse in managing the patient’s symptom. This literature review can help me establish evidence-based practice on effective post-operative management of pain (McCaffery, 2002). It can also help improve the nursing practice, most especially post-operative nursing care. The delivery of pain relief to patients is also an important benefit for this literature review a s it ensures that the pain relief measures would refer to patient-centered and evidence-based care (Joint Commission Resources, 2010). Research Question: This literature review will help to answer the question: What are the barriers for nurses in managing post-operative pain? Aim This review will review studies discussing the barriers encountered by nurses in post-operative pai

Directing a scene from A View From The Bridge Essay Example for Free

Directing a scene from A View From The Bridge Essay A view from the bridge is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1955. Arthur Miller was born in New York in 1915 and has written over 18 well known plays, some of which have won various awards. A view from the bridge was one of his first plays. This play is based in America in the 1950s when immigrants were coming into America from Italy by the big ships on the water-front. Immigration was illegal so immigration officers set up posts to try and find the immigrants, therefore immigrants had to stay low to avoid being caught and often had to stay at relatives houses. I will be directing the scene from page 55-58 when Eddie teaches Rodolpho how to box. I have chosen this scene because it is the first scene Eddie gets physical with Rodolpho. I feel this is a very important scene because the relationship between Eddie and Rodolpho has not been good throughout the play, this scene also creates a lot of tension as the audience want to see if the fight develops and how Rodolpho will react to Eddie boxing with him. Before this scene the relationship between Eddie and Rodolpho has been very rocky. Eddie does not think very much of him because he can sing and dance, from the very first time he met Rodolpho he didnt like his singing and became a bit jealous as Catherine instantly took a shine to Rodolpho. Catherine was very kind to Rodolpho from the very first time she saw him. P. 29Come here, sit down, Ill get you some soup. She is being very kind considering Marco and Rodolpho are strangers, where as Eddie is a bit more apprehensive towards them both, especially Rodolpho. An example of this is on page 32 when Rodolpho starts to sing Paper Doll. Everyone is enjoying his singing apart from Eddie. Hey, kid-hey, wait a minute- Eddie jumps in to stop him. After the boxing scene the relationship deteriates between Eddie and Rodolpho and Marco. This scene is important because it is the turning point as Marco shows his strength through lifting a chair with one hand, yet Eddie (up till now) has been the character in control but can not lift the chair unlike Rodolpho. I think this scene sets the tone for the rest of the play because Eddie changes from Mr. Cool. To someone who is no longer in control of everything. He is now suddenly no longer in full control of Catherine which is someone he loves wants to control. At the start of the scene I am going to direct there is a lot of tension in the room between Eddie, Beatrice and Catherine as Catherine asks Rodolpho to dance. I would show the shock of Eddie as his Catherine is dancing with someone else by getting him to freeze on the spot and look over casually (but obviously so the audience can see and understand his shock) to Beatrice and Marco to see what they think, and to see if they are also shocked. As Beatrice says Go ahead, dance, Rodolpho. Eddie would put his drink of whisky in his hand, swill it around and sit down watching Rodolphos every move. As Beatrice tries to make conversation I would get her to say it once or twice to make it look as if Eddie is so involved in watching Rodolpho. He would then say a sharp and quick Yes! to convey he is not interested in what she is saying but only in their dance. I would use white lighting to light up the dance and a dull light would fill the rest of the room. When Marco talks about Rodolpho being a cook as well a red light to show anger would then shine brightly on Eddie as he stands up and then talks loudly and says, Hes a cook too! The red light would then fade as Eddie cools down to show the audience his anger is fading. In Rodolphos defense Catherine will quickly reply They get some high pay them guys. The head chefs in all the big hotels are men. You read about them. They will carry on dancing, Rodolpho showing a bit of anxiety by looking at Marco in a confused way. Eddie then stands up and starts to talk about how the dock is no place for Rodolpho. Beatrice looks away as if she is ashamed Eddie is saying this. Catherine and Rodolpho stop dancing and start to listen to Eddie, Catherine giving looks of worry towards Beatrice. The main spotlight shines on Eddie so the audience can see this is an important part for Eddie. When Eddie gets near to the end of his speech because he is trying to make Rodolpho see he should levee he starts to swill his glass too much and then spills bits of it. Realizing Eddie is making a bit of a fool of himself he freezes, sits down and offers to take Rodolpho to a boxing match. Catherine who is somewhat shocked by Eddies quick change of heart, she shows this to the audience by to Beatrice then offering to make coffee. As he asks Rodolpho if he has ever done any boxing before he puts his cigar and whisky down as this will make the audience aware he is going to get up. The audience are now aware of Eddie and his explosive anger and know he does not like Rodolpho, the audience are aware he is going to try something funny. As he asks Rodolpho to box Beatrice will try to cool Eddie off and try to get him to sit back down, in reply to this Eddie says Beatrice step aside, let the man learn how to box if that is what he wishes, you are a real man right? This line puts pressure onto Rodolpho as he wants to be seen as a man and especially by Eddie, so he accepts the offer. Beatrice then backs off and lets Eddie teach Rodolpho how to box. Rodolpho is a bit embarrassed, as he doesnt know what to do. Eddie teaches him slowly, then Rodolpho begins to get the hang of it and they go at a faster pace. Eddie encourages Rodolpho as if he actually wants Rodolpho to hit him. Beatrice sees no harm and comments on how well Rodolpho is doing. Tension is starting to be created in the audience and there is also some dramatic irony because the audience know Eddie is going to do something. Eddie is now practically telling Rodolpho to hit him. Catherine enters the room and she is shocked at what she sees so rushes off to Beatrice and demands to know what is going on. Eddie then says youve had a good crack at me, now let me have a go at you! Rodolpho is just about to say something when Eddie hits him lightly around the cheeks and warns Rodolpho to be ready at all times, he then throws a second quick punch and connects it to Rodolphos face. Rodolpho is pushed back by the shock but just mildly hurt. At the time of the punch Marco is blocking the audiences view of Rodolpho and Eddie actually hits Rodolphos hand, it will still make the same sort of sound but the audience will not know Rodolpho wasnt really hit. The audience is stunned. Catherine runs over to Rodolpho to see if he is alright. Eddie quickly says Your alright, you couldnt be hurt by a blow like that could you? Again this puts pressure on Rodolpho to answer no, he replies No, Im fine, honestly. He staggers over to a chair with Catherine comforting him. Beatrice then calls over Eddie, she scolds him as if he was a small child and warns him not to do anything like that again. Beatrice and Eddie break the silence by once again telling Rodolpho how well he did. Marco stands and calls over to Eddie Eddie, How strong are you? Fairly strong, why? Eddie replies, interested. Think you can lift this here chair? Eddie is confused so he goes over to Marco. Catherine and Rodolpho start to dance to Paper Doll. Once again. Marco says Watch me. He then gets down onto one knee and strains but manages to lift the chair with one hand. He stands up with the chair and looks directly into Eddies eyes as if challenging his power and strength. Eddie all most laughs as Marco asks him to lift the chair up. Everyone has stopped what they are doing and are now watching Eddie. Eddie clutches the chair and strains but cannot lift the chair. Eddies face turns from smiling to disbelieve. Eddie stands and says Oh eerr never new that about a chair, good party trick that Marco. Marco then replies Yes it is but only if you can do it. Marco says this deadly seriously as if he is teasing Eddie because he couldnt do it. Everyone on set freezes and curtain falls.

Of Mice And Men - Review Essay Example for Free

Of Mice And Men Review Essay The novel Of Mice And Men is set in the early 1930s, in the American state of California. America at this time was suffering from the effects of the depression, which followed the Wall Street Crash. This had caused many businesses to go bankrupt. Also, in this period of time America had great problems on the agricultural side of its economy. Large areas of farmland had been lashed by hurricane winds, and this had caused much of the topsoil to been blown away, leaving vast areas of land unable to grow any kind of crops. Logically this meant that less workers were needed to tend the land, so many were laid off, and as mentioned earlier many businesses had gone bankrupt following the Wall Street Crash, the combined effect of these two events led to vast numbers of people being left jobless. This gave rise to a new group of society drifters; people who would travel from place to place doing manual labour, or working in the fields. This worked to the advantage of the business owners who managed to survive the crisis, (many of these were in California, a rich state which had not been hit as badly by the depression) because it meant that there were lots of workers for few jobs. Employers could make working conditions awful, knowing that if anyone complained they could fire them and there would be five people eager to fill the place. We do not know if John Steinbecks story is based on true characters or not, but we do know that he gives a very accurate depiction of what life was like at the time, as he himself was a drifter for a period of time. One thing that becomes evident during the story is that most of the characters suffer from loneliness. One of the ways in which they coped with the loneliness was by holding onto a belief in the American dream, the dream that every man can better himself through his own efforts, and live a long and happy life. The first two characters that we meet are George and Lennie, two drifters. George comes across as the leader of the two; his job is to keep Lennie out of trouble. He shows great patience in dealing with Lennie whose mental age is the equivalent of a small child. During the book we do see George lose his temper with Lennie because it appears that he is always messing things up for George. For example when they are on their way to the new ranch Lennie produces a dead mouse from his pocket and George gets angry, You crazy fool, You gonna give me that mouse or do I have to sock you? and Blubberin like a baby? Jesus Christ! A big guy like you. George claims he only keeps Lennie around because he made a promise to his Aunt Clara that he would. Even if this is true she is now dead, and so George has no real reason to keep looking after Lennie, especially as Lennie seems to mess up everything that goes right for George. However, George still puts up with Lennie and this, it would seem, is mainly to avoid the loneliness that is caused by all the travelling. While Lennie may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, he is still someone to converse with on long lonely walks. We learn from early on in the book that George and Lennie also share the American dream, they dream of one day having, a little house and a couple of acres an a cow and some pigs.This ambition highlights one big difference between George and Lennies grasp on reality, whilst George says he dreams of this, he must know deep down inside of him that they will never fulfil the dream. Lennie on the other hand is completely different he believes so deeply in the dream that at one point George actually threatens to not let Lennie tend the rabbits when they achieve their dream. The dream that these two share leads us to meet the next character that also suffers great loneliness. We first meet Candy when Lennie and George arrive at the ranch. He is the first person they meet. He is also the one who takes them to see the boss. Candy only has one arm and we find out later that he lost his arm in a machinery accident in the fields. However, the ranch still employs him and he was given compensation for his injury. Due to the loss of his arm he cannot work in the fields, instead he has to stay behind and sweep up. This causes him great loneliness because he has no one to talk to, his best friend is his dog, but tragically later in the story the other workers convince Candy to shoot him because he is old and useless. While the other workers can go into town at the end of the month, giving them the opportunity go out and have a good time, Candy cannot join them because he is too old to be out drinking until late in the night. His circumstances cause him to suffer from great loneliness, so it is not surprising that when he over hears Lennie and George talking about their dream, he tries to buy in to it. With the money that Candy got in compensation for his arm, it begins to look as though the dream may become a reality more quickly than George or Lennie imagined. The next character that we meet is Crooks the stable buck. He suffers from loneliness because he is black. This means he has to sleep in his own dorm and is not allowed to stay in the same dorm as the other workers. He is lonely purely because he is alone all the time and has no one to talk to. Crooks is also a cripple as a horse kicked him when he was working, leaving him with a crooked back, this prevents him from joining in many activities. He pretends, when Lennie goes into his dorm to be really angry, I aint wanted in the bunk-house, and you aint wanted in my room. But as time goes on he begins to warm to Lennie, Come on in and set a while, Long as you wont get out and leave me alone you might as well sit down. I think this is mainly because he was just glad to have someone to talk to, after being on his own for so long. Even after this though he could not resist getting revenge on the white folk, he teases Lennie asking him, Spose George dont come back no more. And he persists and begins to scare Lennie until finally Lennie gets so scared he decides to go and check if George was back yet. But Crooks quickly apologises at the thought of being left all alone again. A few minutes later Candy turns up and although Crooks acts as though he is resentful he still invites him in. The next character to appear at Crooks door is Curleys wife. She is the only woman on the ranch, and the guys refuse to talk to her because of Curley. He is very protective and jealous of her and will try and beat up anyone who he thinks might be making a move on her. When the guys in Crooks dorm seem to shut her out she begins to insult them, Standin here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an a dum-dum and a lousy ol sheep. Showing a spiteful side to her character. She only married Curley to spite her mother in the first place. One night in a bar she met a man who claimed he could make her a great star actress. We are not told how the man took advantage of her. He said that he would send a letter to her, but she never received it and blamed her mother, accusing her of destroying the letter, then to spite her she ran off and married Curley. The story has a tragic ending, all the way through the story George had warned Lennie about getting to close to Curleys wife. But this turned out to be the downfall of their dream, which had seemed so much more likely since the addition of Candy to the plot. Lennie is in the barn when she appears and starts talking to him. They start sharing stories, and she asks him why he is so obsessed with rabbits. He tells her about his obsession with stroking nice things, and she allows him to stroke her hair. She starts to complain that he will, muss it up, but when she pulls away Lennies grip tightens and she begins to scream. He puts his hand over her mouth and begs her not to because George will get angry. Her body, flopped like a fish, Lennie had broken her neck. The first people to find the body were Candy and George. They new it had to be Lennie. It is at that point that the dream is thrown into real jeopardy. Candy recognising this, immediately tries to convince George that they can still achieve their hopes, You an me can get that little place, cant we, George? Cant we? But Candy already knew the answer. George knows that Lennie was such a big part of the dream, it could not continue without him, it would almost be disloyal. George knows that the other workers, especially Curley would not allow Lennie to live after this. George goes off to find the other workers. Candy is now alone with the body of Curleys wife in the barn, he blames her for destroying the dreams of three men, himself, George and Lennie. He actually begins to shout at her, You god damn tramp. spose youre glad. George follows the other workers into the barn. He acts as though it is the first time he has seen the body. The other workers assure him that they think he had nothing to do with it, and they set off in search of Lennie. The story ends with George and Carson, one of the ranch hands, standing over Lennie. George has the gun to the back off Lennies head. He and Lennie have been talking about the dream, before Lennie knows it George pulls the trigger and Lennie is dead. The last thing we see is George going to the highway with Carson, Curley and Slim. He and Slim walk away to get a drink, George knowing that its all over. The dreams that he and Candy have shared, and that have kept them going have been destroyed.

Regent Hotel: Case Study on Pricing and Weaknesses

Regent Hotel: Case Study on Pricing and Weaknesses The Regent Hotel Case Study 1. Pricing Strategy Review – Key Issues There are several key issues which must be considered when determining the pricing strategy for a hotel. The main variables that affect hotel room pricing in general will include transient demand at the location, for example during festivals, conferences or major tourist occasions, and also whether it is currently high, low, or ‘shoulder’ season. Weekly arrival or departure patterns can also affect occupancy: there may, for example be many spare rooms on a Thursday night, or even worse, excessive demand on one night of the week, due to overlap from arriving and departing guests, which means that rooms may end up being empty on the surrounding days. For example, if guests staying from Monday to Friday choose to also stay Friday night, it may make the rooms unsuitable for people who want to stay over the weekend, thus leaving a shortage of rooms on Saturdays. Equally, the ratio of guest rooms to meeting, or conference, rooms can dictate pricing strategy, as if the hotel has plenty of guest rooms, but little conference space, it may have to offer excessive discounts to attract conference guests, but in the opposing scenario, it may be able to charge a premium. In a similar vein, a hotel with a successful history of holding meetings or conferences, and thus a good reputation in corporate circles can also command a premium for business functions. The potential for incremental revenue from the restaurant and bar areas should also impact on pricing, both for the rooms and the facilities themselves. Should a hotel have a high proportion of guests using its additional facilities, then it can use these revenues to subsidise the cost of the rooms, thus enabling it to lower prices and thus attract more guests, who will ideally also use the facilities. However, should the facilities be of poor quality, or too expensive, then the price of the rooms m ay have to be raised to compensate for the shortfall. A final factor to consider is the potential for risk to the hotel, such as the likelihood of cancellations or damages, which can be mitigated to some extent by including cancellation and attrition clauses in the terms and conditions, provided these are made clear to guests at the time of booking. Pricing strategies at major brand hotels also tend to fluctuate more with the market, because of their size and power. Serlen (2004) reported that many of the major brands lowered rates dramatically during the recent period of difficulty for the industry, but these rates were unprofitable, and thus the hotels couldn’t maintain those rates and be profitable. As such, most hotels chose to keep rates more stable, sacrificing some revenue during that period, but meaning that they wont be the same pressure of profitability once demand has returned. However, a Datamonitor Company Profile (2005) of the market in which the Hyatt and other premium hotels, such as the Regent, operate; has shown that pricing power within the market is currently heavily influenced by the hotels’ capacities, and also the pricing decisions of competitors. The downturn in the travel industry has led to a competitive environment where supply currently outstrips demand. Therefore the market as whole, ra nging from low costs leisure up to the premium end in which the Regent operates, is currently dictated by the pricing strategies of competitors. Competitors’ actions generally within the current climate could cause supply growth to outstrip demand growth, which could be disastrous for the Regent, and thus attention should be paid to these considerations. Specifically for the Regent, the refurbishing of the conference rooms has enabled it to offer high quality corporate facilities, which should enable it to charge a premium for conferences, over and above what other hotels in the region can charge. However, the opening of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre could lead to problems for the hotel, as it appears of offer far superior facilities to that which the Regent, or indeed any hotel, could possibly offer. Therefore whilst the Regent can still hope to gain significant conference revenue, especially during high season when the EICC will be in great demand, it may not be able to rely on conference revenue as a key stream. However, given that delegates who use the EICC still need to be accommodated, the Regent could potentially attempt to negotiate with the Edinburgh Convention Bureau to become the hotel of choice for conferences using the Centre, and this would enable it to charge the desired premium. With regards to the additional facilities, such as the bar and restaurant, given that there is currently not a high proportion of guests using these facilities, it is difficult to justify using them in the pricing strategies of the rooms, as reducing the price of rooms to attract more guests will not necessarily greatly affect the revenue generated by the facilities. However, it is important to review the pricing strategy of the bar and restaurant, to ensure that these are not priced so high as to drive away guests, and possibly including some meals in the price of the room could be a good way to increase demand for the rooms and the additional facilities, whilst potentially also slightly increasing the price. Finally, it is important to determine whether the customer dissatisfaction is being caused by pricing at all, and also whether other hotels in the city are pursuing aggressive pricing strategies which are taking demand away from the Regent. If this is the case, then it may be necessary to accept some short term losses in order to fight back and prevent the Regent Hotel losing so much business that it has a stigma attached to it, and is unable to attract any guests back, however this is likely to be a drawn out and costly process. 2. Front Office Operation – Key Issues There are several other key issues concerning the hotel that it is vital to assess if the brand is going to be developed and revitalised in the eyes of the public. Using the SWOT analysis (Appendix One) Firstly, it is important to determine which of the first three identified weaknesses are causing the decline in customer satisfaction, and ensure that remedying this is given highest priority in the coming refurbishment. However, regardless of which of the identified weaknesses are most responsible for the sharp decline in customer satisfaction, it is vital that all weaknesses are addressed as part of the refurbishment and handover process in general. Firstly, the outdated financial and reporting systems need to be replaced with an integrated solution, which connects all the different departments, and facilitates the transfer of information between the various heads of the departments. This system should enable food and beverage staff to input orders directly into the cash registers in the bars and restaurants, and these orders should then be transferred directly onto the relevant customer’s bill, perhaps using the customer’s signature, or their room key, as proof of their identity and room number. A similar system should also be put in place for the mini bars, enabling housekeeping to update the charges on the mini bar bills as they replenish the bars every day. An improvement to the reporting system would also enable staff to check the usual and predicted levels of occupancy when taking group bookings, thus enabling them to charge the relevant amounts for each period. This would help avoid the potential for offering groups too great a discount during busy periods, and would also help let staff know to when offer larger discounts, such as during quiet periods. Equally, sales and financial data and targets for Front Office, Sales and Food and Beverage could be shared across the three departments, so that each department knows what other departments are doing, and also what all three departments are aiming for. This would enable each department to maximise its own contribution to the hotel’s revenue, without adversely affecting the performance of the other relevant departments, for example Sales would know not to offer a cheaper meal option to large groups if the Restaurant is likely to be very busy for that period. The question of modernising and replacing the linen appears to be the main reason for the refurbishment, and Andrew Brennan should have this well in hand. However, no mention has been made of plans to refit or expand the laundry facilities, which is a key consideration, as not only does it appear to be affecting guest satisfaction, but it is also resulting in insurance claims, which drive up costs, and thus put a drain on the hotel’s profits. The whole laundry operation should be reviewed, and its capacity should be increased so that, not only can it handle the demands placed on it by the normal running of the hotel, but also to ensure that it has sufficient spare capacity to complete all laundry requests to a high standard and on time. The threats arising from the slow tourist industry, and the loss of bookings from Milton Hotels could be problematic, however provided the customer satisfaction issues can be resolved, word of mouth, together with a successful refurbishment and re-launch of the hotel should be sufficient to attract customers back, and the number of bookings appear to be picking up, as can be seen from the trendline on the room occupancy graph in Appendix Two. However, the final main issue to be addressed is that of revenue maximisation. As can be seen from the financial analysis (Appendix Two), only in the highest season does the hotel come close to completely using all its rooms, and occupancy often drops below the 60% mark. Equally, even in the busy months of June, July and August, total revenue realised is less that half that if all the rooms were charged at their full rate. As such, it is vital to reassess the marketing and advertising used to attract people during high season, as not only should rooms be as fully occupied as possible, but they should also attract as high a price per room as possible, and currently this is not the case. References Serlen, B. (2004) Hotel Programs Grow. Business Travel News; Vol. 21, Issue 15, p. 1. Datamonitor Company Profiles (2005) Global Hyatt Corporation SWOT Analysis. Appendix One: SWOT Analysis Strengths Beautiful Victorian architecture Excellent location with fine views. Modern food and beverage areas Prestigious banqueting and conference areas. Weaknesses Outdated financial and reporting systems. High need for modernisation of rooms and replacement of linen. Inadequate laundry facilities. Lack of revenue maximisation across all departments. Opportunities Potential to house EICC guests. Growing importance of Edinburgh. Chance to completely refurbish and re-launch hotel. Threats Declining customer satisfaction. Slow tourist industry. Loss of bookings from Milton Hotels. Lack of customers using dining facilities. Appendix Two: Financial Analysis

Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Alzheimers Disease Essays

Alzheimer's Disease is a condition that affects 50% of the population over the age of eighty five, which equals four million Americans each year. It is becoming an important and high-profile issue in today's society for everyone. There are rapid advancements being made in the fight against this disease now more than ever, and the purpose of this essay is to educate the public on the background as well as the new discoveries. There are many new drugs that are being tested and studied every day which slow down, and may even halt the progress of the disease. In explaining this debilitating disease, it seems there are certain major areas that need to be addressed such as the history of the disease, the symptoms and diagnosis, as well as the emotional and physical cost to the patient and to the family. The definition of the illness seems to be unclear for many because the disease is so unpredictable. Until recently a precise definition of the disease was unavailable due to the difficulty in diagnosis. It is fairly complex, and despite many new breakthroughs it still remains impossible to diagnose a patient with certainty. A great deal of this is because the only exact diagnosis made is after a post-mortem brain examination. Alzheimer's Disease is the most overdiagnosed and misdiagnosed mental disorder in older adults because it is often decided only by ruling out all other possibilities such as dementias caused by medications, strokes, depression and other neurological disorders. However with new research in detection and prevention, a clear explication is now attainable for the public. Alzheimer's Disease is defined as "A dementing disorder marked by certain brain changes, regardless of the age of onset, that leads to the loss... ...eases-and-Disorders/Nervous-System-Diseases/ Central-Nervous-System-Diseases/Brain-Diseases/Alzheimer's Disease.html 11. http://moe.csa.com/alzintro.html    Sources:    Text    Advances In Alzheimer's Research Spring 2004, Vol.1, Number 1 Hager, Mary and Peyser, Marc, "Battling Alzheimer's", Newsweek, March 24, 2004, p.66 Websites    1. http://www.kcc.com.msu.edu/CAI/Pathology/Degen_F/Degen_2a.html Date visited: March 28, 2009 2. gopher://gopher.nimh.hih.gov/00/documents/nimh/other/alzh Date visited: March 25, 2009 3. http://www.cais.com/adear/nianews11.html Date visited: March 28, 2009 4. tornado.einet.net:8000/galaxy/medicine/Diseases-and- Disorders/Nervous-System-Diseases/Central-Nervous-System-Diseases/Brain-Diseases/Alzheimer's Disease.html Date visited: March 28. 2009 5. http://moe.csa.com/alzintro.html Date visited: April 30, 2009

Hitlers Rise To Power :: essays research papers fc

Hitler’s Rise To Power   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Who or what was responsible for Hitler’s rise to power? Many believe that there was only one factor for his rise to power. Some state that Hitler could not have risen to power in any other than Germany, implying that he was nothing more than a product of German culture. Others say that Hitler made himself dictator by means of his political genius. And yet still others claim that it was the weak democratic government of the Weimar Republic or Germany’s social and economic scene in the 1930’s that made the people restless and ready for a dictator to come to power. There was no sole cause for Hitler’s rise to power. There were two. The political and economic chaos of the 1920’s and the 1930’s joined forces with German culture that enabled Hitler to rise to power. Both play an equal part. Together, both reasons fit together like pieces of a puzzle, to create a unique situation for Hitler’s rise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hitler was in part a product of German culture. German culture stands out as particularly aggressive and racist. The values and ideas found in this culture’s history inspired Hitler to do many things that he did and can explain in part why he felt the way he did on certain issues (Stern).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stevens 2 Hundreds of years before Hitler emerged, German philosophers and artist preached an almost religious worship of the state. They discussed the idea of the master race, and created a mythology of German heroism that encouraged loyalty to the group and glorified death for the country. Hitler and many Germans like him, was an enthusiastic student of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel who argued that the State â€Å"has the supreme right against the individual, whose supreme duty is to be a member of the State.† Hegel foresaw in the early 1800’s that â€Å"Germany’s hour† would come and that the country’s mission would be to redevelop the world. A German hero would complete this mission (Landry). Like Hegel, another German philosopher more directly portrayed the conventionality and obedience necessary for a secure State. Heinrich von Treitschke espoused that it was of no consequence what you thought about anything, just as long as you obeyed German law. Germany’s tradition also produced Friedrich Nietzsche who preached the coming of a master race and the superman who would conquer, impose a glorified state, and purify the master race.

Will Rogers Essay -- essays research papers

Will Rogers Not many people remember Will Rogers, but in the 1930's he was the most well known man in America -- more popular than Shirley Temple. He was a simple cowpoke who entertained people with his rope tricks and sly political observations. He also wrote a widely-read newspaper column and appeared on the raido every week. I supose he is alot like Bill Cosby is today: beloved for his down-to-earth style of humor. But that "aww, shucks" attitude hid a brilliant mind. Furthermore, Will Rogers was more than just a comedian; he was a man of character. Throughout his life, he exhibited the qualities of humility, fairness, generosity, and loyalty witch make him a real American hero. Will was born in Oklahoma and proud of it. The son of a rancher, he was a one quarter Cherokee and never missed an opportunity to brag about his Native American heritage. "My ancestors didn't come on the Mayflower," he used to joke, "but they met the boat." Will stayed true to his Cherokee roots; he went to an Indian school and had many Indian friends. Later he became active in Native-American issues and was a major spokesman for Native-American rights in the U.S. Above all,though, Will was a "regular guy." His shy grin, easy manner, and total absence of sham endeared to Americans of all backgrounds. He had no pretensions, and his pleasures were simple: he liked to ride horses, rope cattle, and read the papers. In fact he often said, "I only know wha...

Netflix and Consumer Behavior Trends Essay

Netflix, Inc. is a subscription-based movie and television show rental service that offers media to it’s subscribers through on-demand internet streaming and DVD-by-mail service. Since its start in 1997, Netflix has taken the movie rental world by storm, becoming the world’s largest online movie rental service. As of January 2013 Netflix had a total of 29. 4 million streaming customers worldwide (Cohan). Netflix can attribute much of its success to its decisions to follow trends in consumer behavior, while its major competitors, namely blockbuster, sealed their fate by ignoring them. In the following paper I will tell you how Netflix was able to stay afloat while other movie rental companies failed, and gained success by following trends in consumer behavior. Background Netflix was founded in 1997 by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings. Hastings had the idea for the DVD-by-mail service when he was forced to pay $40 in late fees after returning an overdue video. The company began its operation in April of 1998, with its core business being DVD-by-mail rental service. Besides being one of the first companies to rent DVDs by mail, Netflix also planned to capitalize on the fact that major brick and mortar video stores, such as Blockbuster, did not carry a wide selection of DVD rentals at the time. Netflix experienced much success with DVD-by-mail rentals, hitting the one million subscribers mark in February of 2003, and shipping over 1,000,000 DVDs by mail per day by 2005. In 2007 Netflix introduced it’s Video on Demand Service. This service was extremely successful, eventually making Netflix the number one online video streaming service in the world. Netflix, Inc. History) Consumer Behavior Trends Towards Entertainment There are several key trends in consumer behavior towards entertainment that Netflix was able to capitalize on. The first consumer behavior trend is convenience. The fast paced world that we live in has the average consumer seeking out anything that will save them the smallest amount of time or effort. Therefore, consumers expect entertainment fast, and at their fingertips. The next trend in consumer behavior is to limit spending. Due to the financial hardships our country has been experiencing in recent years consumers are looking to cut cost in whatever way possible. Before making a purchase decision, consumers are looking for a much higher cost/value ratio than they were in the past. The third consumer behavior trend Netflix was able to pick up on is the Smartphone/ tablet trend. According to Business Insider, â€Å"there are at least 165 million active Android and Apple iOS devices in the U. S. and that they are used by 78% of the adult population (Blodget). Today’s consumers are hardwired to participate from anywhere at any time; they use their smartphones for everything they can and expect to be able to do almost anything on it. Having the ability to stream media straight to their smartphones was almost expected by consumers. How Netflix Followed Consumer Behavior Trends Netflix was able to satisfy the consumers need for convenience at first by shipping unlimited DVDs through the mail for a month ly membership fee, instead of making consumers visit a brick and mortar location (Kang). Since then, Netflix has furthered adhered to the consumers need for convenience by introducing Video on Demand streaming in 2007. Through Video on Demand Netflix subscribers have their choice of thousand of new and old TV shows and movies to watch at just the click of the mouse. Customers can stream videos from netflix using a multitude of devices such as Xbox, PlayStation 3, Wii, Roku, their smartphone or tablet, or their computer, making Netflix easily accessible to almost all consumers. Netflix’s decision to incorporate Video on Demand into its service offerings was brought on by two factors- the decline in DVD sales starting in 2006, and the increase in the amount of consumers who were viewing video content digitally through websites like YouTube. These two factors demonstrated a fundamental shift in the way people consume entertainment that Netflix was quick to catch on to (Kang). Netflixs main competitor at the time, Blockbuster, chose to ignore these trends in consumer behavior, leading to its ultimate demise; â€Å"Netflix almost single- handedly wiped out the retail video rental business. Blockbuster went bankrupt last fall (Kang)†. The article â€Å"Why Blockbuster Went Bust While Netflix Flourished† found on Dailyfinance online states â€Å"Netflix’s corporate mindset has been key to its ability to adapt as people started gravitating toward online video streaming. It’s method is to put new technology at the service of customers while keeping a close eye on changing delivery costs and the competition (Cohan, 2010)† Netflix’s strategy of appealing to the consumers need for fast, convenient at home entertainment has proved to be successful. In the fourth quarter of 2012, Netflix reported customer growth of 2. 05 million customers in the United States, bringing its total US customer base to 27. 15 million. According to Brian Stelter in an article written for The New York Times â€Å"Netflix’s fourth-quarter success was a convenient reminder to the entertainment and technology industries that consumers increasingly want on-demand access to television shows and movies. Streaming services by Amazon, Hulu and Redbox are all competing on the same playing field, but for now Netflix remains the biggest such service, and thus a pioneer for all the others. Stelter)† The state of the US economy has caused consumers to seek out ways to cut corners with spending as much as possible. In terms of entertainment, this has lead to more people staying in and watching movies instead of going out as a way to save money (Crutchfield). From the beginning Netflix offered consumers an affordable means to entertainment by charging users a reasonable flat fee to have DVDs mailed to them as often as they want, without any late fees (Cohan). Today, Netflix’s more prominent service, instant streaming video, offers consumers the same affordability as its DVD by mail service. The company provides consumers with a very affordable subscription plan- unlimited streaming movie rentals for $7. 99 a month. CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings believes that at this price â€Å"people who use it once or twice a month will still find value and come back and those who use it once or twice a week will rave about it to friends (Kim). Due to the rise in smartphones and tablets, and the amount of things consumers use theses devices for Netflix made the decisions to expand their service offerings to smartphones and tablets. In May of 2011 Netflix released a free application consumers can download on their smartphone or tablet that allows them to instantly stream movies and television shows to their smartphone anywhere there is WiFi, as long as they have a subscription (Brown). Consumers were very impressed with the quality of the video streaming Netflix was able to provide via smartphone or tablet, â€Å"Over WiFi viewing is superb– as though you were looking at a DVD not a video streamed off the internet (Brown). † Netflix’s integration with the smartphone and tablet market has proved to be wildly successful, â€Å"The company said revenue of $945 million, up from $875 million in the quarter in 2011, was driven in part by holiday sales of new tablets (Stelter). † The Netflix app Conclusion In conclusion, much of Netflix’s success can be accredited to the actions taken by the company to stay on top of and follow trends in consumer behavior. If the fate of Blockbuster is any indication, the level of attention companies pay to changing consumer behavior trends and the actions they take to be the first to satisfy the needs of those customers has the ability to make or break the company. Despite Blockbuster’s household brand name, Netflix, a relatively unknown company at the time, was able to win its customers by offering them the things they felt of value that Blockbuster did not.

A critical appraisal of the 2011 E.coli outbreak of food poisoning in Germany Essay

A critical appraisal of the 2011 E.coli outbreak of food poisoning in Germany Introduction            E. coli is an abbreviation that stands for Escherichia coli which is a rod shaped, facultative, Gram negative bacterium. This bacterium is very common in the lower intestines of warm blooded animals. Although not all types E.coli bacterium are harmful, there are some stains that are known to cause serious food poisoning in human beings. The harmless E.coli strains are components of normal flora and produce vitamin k2. Moreover, they are important to humans because they inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines (Bill & Clark 2012:74). The gut flora is made up of 0.1% of E.coli and other related bacteria and is mainly transmitted through fecal-oral means. Many of E.coli cells can only survive for a short time outside the body making them good indicator organisms for testing environmental samples of fecal infection. However, recent research has discovered some strains of the E.coli bacteria that can survive for long periods of time outside the body.            The first case of E.coli outbreak in Germany was reported between May and June in 2011 and was largely concentrated in the northern parts of the country. According to German health officials, the foodborne illness was caused by a new strain of the E.coli bacteria known as O104:H4. The disease was mainly characterized by a number of complications like hemolytic-uremic syndrome  (HUS) and bloody diarrhea (Lan & Reeves 2002:84). The high number of deaths was mainly caused by hemolytic-uremic syndromes which require quick treatment. Initially, the outbreak was believed to have been caused by a strain of E.coli known as enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) but future research found that the outbreak was in fact caused by enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). Moreover, this strain of E.coli was found to have the ability to produce Shiga toxins. Initial epidemiological research had suggested that vegetables were the main source of infection. More specifically, the German agricultural m inisters identified one organic farm in Bienenbà ¼ttel as the most likely source of the infection. As a means of controlling the outbreak, the German government ordered for its immediate closure. Despite the fact that laboratories in Bienenbà ¼ttel did not detect the E.coli bacteria in produce, one laboratory in North Rhine-Westphalia later established that the outbreak strain was in fact present in packaged sprouts from the suspected farm. On June 30th 2011, fenugreek seed imported from Egypt were announced as the most likely source of the outbreak by the German  Bundesinstitut fà ¼r Risikobewertung (BfR)  (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Todar 2012: 29). The German E.coli outbreak affected 3,950 people in total and caused 51 deaths in the country alone. Other countries that were affected by the outbreak include the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland and Canada (Bill & Clark 2012: 93). At the beginning of the E.coli outbre ak, the German authorities claimed that the bacterium was most likely to have originated from Spain. Without carrying out any tests, the German health officials claimed that the O104 E.coli strain was most likely to have originated from cucumbers imported from Spain. However, future tests revealed that Spanish greenhouses were not the source of the E.coli strain responsible for the outbreak. This claim by the German officials provoked protests by the Spanish government because it made the country lose about 200 million USD per week in agricultural exports.            The 2011 E.coli outbreak in Germany was the worst ever recorded case of shiga toxin producing Escherichia Coli outbreak in the world. The outbreak started on May 8th and was declared over by the German health officials on July 4th the same year. The outbreak could have been more serious if the government did not alert the public to avoid consuming foods from areas suspected to be the likely source of the bacteria. In 2011, Germany encountered the biggest episode of Stec cases ever recorded: what added up to 3,842 cases were accounted for, incorporating 2,987 instances of research facility affirmed E. coli gastroenteritis with 18 passings and 855 instances of hemolytic uremic syndrome (Hus) that prompted 35 lethal conclusions (Lan & Reeves 2002:93). The episode began on May 8, topped on May 22, and was proclaimed fulfilled by July 4. One could contend that open health measures halted the pandemic by alarming individuals to maintain a strategic distance from the util ization of debased sustenance, yet it is likewise conceivable that the plague ceased on the grounds that polluted sustenances were no more present in the business sectors. The procedure has been openly scrutinized for being too moderate and for beginning false press advertisements joining cucumbers and not sprouts to the episode. Reflectively, this feedback must be seen with some control. In the beginning of the episode, the average reporting times for Hus cases were 8 days to analysis, in the ballpark of 10 days to illuminate the nearby health section, and around the range of 12 days for showing up for the Robert Koch Institute (Rki) (3). In a U.S. study on E. coli O157 contaminations, a normal reporting time of 7 days was attained. There are two purposes behind the slower reporting process in Germany (Ihssen et al 2010:83) Germany has a less-brought together open health framework, and these cases introduced with an abnormal profile, facing medical practitioners with another clinic al substance. An early epidemiological examination comprised of a case-control study including 26 mature people hospitalized with Hus. Univariate dissection connected just the utilization of sprouts with sickness. Notwithstanding, no sprout cautioning was issued at the start of the episode, since stand out quarter of the patients recalled having depleted sprouts. Next was an accomplice investigation of 177 subjects who had consumed at a solitary restaurant, prompting 33 instances of affirmed Stec the runs. As per the restaurant formula, every one of the 31 cases that could be questioned had depleted uncooked sprouts. An arrangement of natural and follow back and follow send examinations by the German assignment gathering recognized an assembly of Swedish guests who had depleted a sprout mixture. This finding indicated a sprout maker in easier Saxony, Germany, where in May one-third of the workers fell sick, with some of them contaminated with the pestilence strain O104:h4 (Lan & Ree ves 2002:102). The following pieces in this perplex were the wholesalers served by this grow maker, joining further groups to sprouts. Strikingly, the German sprout maker had a seed supplier that could be joined to 15 instances of O104:h4 contaminations in Bordeaux, France. These cases were clearly additionally connected with sprout utilization. The beat field gel electrophoresis example of the French disconnects was indistinguishable to that from the German flare-up however unique in relation to those of preoutbreak reference O104 strains, prescribing a solitary source clonal episode, predictable with the epidemiological confirmation. On 10 June, sprouts of fenugreek seeds foreign made from Egypt were declared by the German powers as the offender wellspring of sullying in this episode. On the other hand, none of the sprout mixtures (seeds) tried positive for O104:h4.            The force of the study of disease transmission contrasted and a microbiological methodology was highlighted by the failure to develop the scourge strain from any of the examined sprouts or from the sprout seeds which were taken from the handling chain. Growth of the strain was just conceivable in a couple of situations where back defilement was quite likely, for example, an opened bundle of sprouts from a family unit with illness. Because of the practically all around utilized society based identification routines for plagues, this disappointment speaks to an observation issue for health and sustenance security dominant voices as a rule. The issue could be brought on by the low irresistible measurements of the pathogen, its rot in nourishment at the minute of examination, or a particular physiological state of microbes characterized as suitable however nonculturable (VBNC). Numerous diverse bacterial species, incorporating E. coli, enter this Vbnc state as a reacti on to distressing ecological conditions (Ihssen et al 2010:125). Microbes in the Vbnc state don’t develop on microbiological media however recapture cultivability when revived after stretch alleviation. In fact, O104:h4 entered this Vbnc state when presented to supplement poor conditions, poisonous amassings of copper particles, or faucet water. Soothing the anxiety by copper particle chelating encouraged the revival of O104:h4. Be that as it may, these trials ought to be translated with forethought, since there is so far no immediate confirm that E.coli O104:h4 is found in the VBNC state in nature.            The epidemiological investigation of first fundamentally sustenance borne tainting gets to be much more troublesome when the starting pathogen transmission by means of the evolved way of life is traded by human-to-human transmission. Human-to-human transmission is known to happen in the ballpark of 20% of families with an O157:h7 essential patient. Optional family transmission from mature person patients was likewise prescribed for O104:h4 contaminations in France and The Netherlands, fundamentally dependent upon the perception of deferred onset contrasted with the brooding time of 7 to 9 days for O104:h4 contaminations. Optional transmissions were additionally reported in Hessen, Germany, which is arranged outside of the primary plague center in northern Germany (Todar 2012:38). The study recorded transmission in families, the healing facility, and the microbiological research center.            Health officials in Germany faced a lot of difficulties in isolating the causative organism mainly due to its versatile nature. Based on the investigations carried out during the German epidemic, there are two major distinct pathotypes of the E.coli bacteria namely enteroaggregative E.coli (EAEC and enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) E.coli. It becomes even more difficult to control the E.coli bacteria if the virulence genes are located in the mobile elements of the DNA. Based on this, E. coli outbreaks in Germany, Oregon and Michigan are not the last. This calls for the microbiological community to carryout more research and ensure that the E.coli strains are sequenced on time and in an open way (Peter et al 2011:84). In Germany, the annotation of the E.coli strain responsible for the outbreak was carried out in a community-wide approach through the use of the internet. It brought together bioinformaticians from all corners of the world working day and night to sequence the genomes. Some of the international health organizations that were involved in handling the outbreak were the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the world health organization (WHO). The main role of a UK Local Authority based Environmental Health Practitioner would have been control the spread of the bacteria by isolating all infected animals and farm produce. Lessons from the 2011 E.coli outbreak in Germany            There are a number of lessons that can be learnt from the 2011 E. coli outbreak in Germany. To begin with, there is need to come up with more safe ways of growing foods especially fruits and vegetables. The investigations into the cause of the 2011 E. coli outbreak established the presence of certain strains of the bacteria in a number of vegetables and not on sprouts alone. This raised the question of E. coli prevalence in the European fresh produce (Russo 2003:4). The second lesson that can be learnt from the 2011 E. coli outbreak in Germany is the need for better communication incase any harmful bacteria are found in foods. After the E. coli outbreak, the German government came under a lot of criticism for taking too long to announce the outbreak. The government took too long before it took the report to the Roberth Koch Institute (RKI) (Todar 2012:83). Many of the infections and deaths that resulted from the outbreak could have been avoided had the government w arned the people on time. Based on this, it is important for governments all over the world to have an efficient E.coli surveillance and warning system. The final lesson that can be learnt from the E.coli epidemic in Germany is the need to ensure food safety both nationally and internationally. Despite the fact that the 2011 epidemic was concentrated in one area, it had global impacts. According to investigations, the sprout seeds found in the implicated farm were found to have originated from Asia, southern Europe and Germany. It is important for countries to raise food safety standards mostly in free markets like the European Union. References Benzer S 1961, ‘On the Topography of the Genetic Fine Structure’,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A Bill Marler & Marler Clark 2012,’German E. coli O104:H4 Outbreak – $2.84 Billion in Human Damage’  : Food Poison Journal Connolly, Allison 2008)’  Ã¢â‚¬ËœE. Coli Outbreak Kills One More Patient as Source Eludes Investigators’, Bloomberg Ihssen J, Kowarik M, Dilettoso S, Tanner C, Wacker M, Thà ¶ny-Meyer L. 2010,’Production of glycoprotein vaccines in Escherichia coli’, Microbial Cell Factories Lawrence JG, Ochman H, 1998, ‘Molecular archaeology of the Escherichia coli genome’.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. Lan R, Reeves PR 2002, ‘Escherichia coli in disguise: molecular origins of Shigella’,  Microbes Infect. Lee SY 1996, ‘High cell-density culture of Escherichia coli’,  Trends BiotechnolPeter Walker, Adam Gabbatt and agencies 2011,’E coli: European commissioner suggests  £135m payout for farmers | World news’,  The Guardian Russo E 2003,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe birth of biotechnology’,  Nature Todar, K.2012,’Pathogenic  E. coli’.  Online Textbook of Bacteriology. University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Bacteriology Source document