Number 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Number 3 - Essay Example here are some of the world’s most powerful religions that have embodied individual as well as collective eschatology as the part of their teaching such as Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity with some of the fundamental similarities. The goal of this paper is discuss the extent to which Zoroastrianism has influenced some of the claims made by monotheism. The faith in the events after death on this earth has also been confirmed by religion like Zoroastrianism. The faith in the life hereafter developed and turns out to be the basis of the later Zoroastrianism covering almost all the other aspects of religious life. This belief in life hereafter that developed in Zoroastrianism imposed a deep impact on the other religions as well, especially on Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Zoroastrianism has exercised great influence on the development of eschatological aspects in the Second Temple Judaism. Whereas Christianity is considered to be the offshoot of Judaism, it has also developed its eschatological notions from the Apocrypha of Old Testament, which is written by the Jews in the period before the initiation of Christianity. Not all the scholars accepted the idea which considers Persia as the origin of most of the Christian and Jewish eschatological beliefs. The major problem lies with the fact that some of the basic ideas related to th e Zoroastrian eschatology are only known to us in developed form that were extracted from the Pahlavi source, which are more recent than the first Jewish writings and contain some eschatological ideas (Antia). There are several arguments presented by the religious scholars that links the Jewish developments made till date in the field of eschatology with the influence of Zoroastrianism. There is no doctrine of the Jewish eschatology found in Old Testament till the end of the period about the individual or universal judgment. Judaism not till the end presents any idea of heaven, hell or the reconstitution of the

Leadership and Organisational Performance Essay - 1

Leadership and Organisational Performance - Essay Example The modern world is witnessing change as almost a continuous phenomenon – Globalization, Optimization, Transformation, Competitiveness, etc. The dynamics of the global markets & corresponding businesses have caused increased pressures on the modern leaders to sustain & improve organizational performance. Proactiveness, Analytics, Research, Honesty, Out of Box thinking, Continuous Learning, Knowledge Sharing & Management, Directions, Team Motivation, Skill Management & Enhancement, Evolution & Focus on strategic Organizational Goals, Customer Orientation, Sound Governance, Technology Understanding & Leveraging, Automation, etc. are key attributes of a Modern Leader in order to establish the path to success & take the entire organization along with him/her on this path towards well thought of & established goals. All successful leaders are the ones who have been successful to sustain & enhance the performance of the organizations they lead and ensure success & good image among P ublic, Customers, Stake Holders, Government & Employees. To grow, flourish & be successful in the modern Global Competitive markets, the Leadership Team of an organization should structure & manage the internal system to ensure Flexibility, Creativity and Excellence by addressing the following building blocks of success: Result Orientation: The internal system is completely fine-tuned towards achievement of results that delight the customers, stakeholders, the board, the Government and the Employees. Customer: The Internal System is strongly oriented towards customer focus to achieve optimum levels of Customer Satisfaction. Management by data & facts: The technology enablement of the internal system such that adequate data is captured from all the systems and modelled in Business Intelligence Systems such that the exact performance of processes within the organization and their reasons are clearly evident. People involvement: People are involved in strategic decision making such that decisions are taken based on ideas from wider groups within the organization and not just by virtue of the thought process of few individuals sitting on the top. People Development: The skills & capabilities of people are developed in such a way that their consolidated outputs form a large competency model of the organization that supports the Competitive Advantages of the organization in the target markets & businesses. Partnership Development: Developing efficient & competent partners to the business either from within the organization or from the external market Continuous Learning: Developing internal Knowledge Management Framework to capture all explicit knowledge and also to ensure transition of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge Innovations, Technology Enablement & Automation: The success of an organization depends a lot on the underlying IT systems & the corresponding processes that are used to effectively automate the business transactions of the

Miscarriages of justice helped to change investigating

Miscarriages of justice helped to change investigating Investigative interviewing is of paramount importance in every legal system in the world. The development of Investigative interviewing has led to the hope that positive reaction would be received from witnesses and reliability of evidence would be achieved. However, various cases of miscarriages of justice has occurred causing lack of confidence in the criminal justice system. The purpose of this study is to learn more about how cases of miscarriages of justice have helped to change investigative interviewing practices for the better. It is hoped that information from this study may be useful in identifying the improvements in investigative interviewing as a result of cases of miscarriages of justice. One area of policing that involves considerable face-to-face interaction with members of the public and where expectations of both police and public are likely to be influential and where relations of trust and confidence are vital is when police officers interview witnesses of crime (Roberts, 2010). In the past, police officers lacked confidence in themselves and their abilities, and they constantly assumed that every suspect was guilty therefore failing to extract accurate and reliable evidence, had poor interviewing skills and where unprofessional in the approach in which they carried out their interviews.  In any police inquiry, police officers may be interested in only a proportion of the information that a witness can provide (Robert, 2010).They resorted to violence and verballing during interviews and this resulted in false confessions from suspects. In the past, investigators in both the public sector and the police saw interviews as a means of gaining a confession, rather than gathering accurate information and a full account (Shawyer and Walsh, 2007). Confessions could vary from voluntary confession where there is no existence of external factors, coerced compliant confession such as aggressive questioning and coerced internalized confession where the interviewee beliefs he committed the crime due to pressure and stress put on them during the interviewing process. Vulnerable suspects such as children and people with physical or mental challenges are prone to coerced internalized confession thereby resulting to miscarriages of justice. Miscarriage of justice arose as a result of police malpractice and incompetence, inadequate prosecution processes, problematic trial practices and failure of authorities to protect citizens from known dangers (Adler and Gray, 2010). Fishers inquiry 1977 showed wrongly convictions of three youths who confessed to the murder of Maxwell Confait. His report highlighted that two of the youth were vulnerable suspects and that there were tendencies for the confessions to be achieved by violence, hectoring or bullying. There was no evidence to show that the replies of these suspects were said freely and accurately recorded. Fisher recommended that a Royal commission examine the law and procedure relating to the prosecution of offenders and thus creating a better framework regulating custodial questioning of suspects by the police. The Royal commission on criminal procedure commissioned a series of research studies including one that examined the police role in the investigation of offences (Adler and Gray, 2010). The Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure believed it was essential that the public have confidence in the method of investigation by the police in order to enhance co-operation. In 1975 the Guildford Four were jailed for life for bombing pubs in Guildford. The case was abolished after the four men had spent 15 years in jail. The case against them was found to be flawed and the credibility of the notes of interview was undermined as being not written up immediately. In 1974, The Birmingham Six were also convicted IRA bombers accused of killing 21 people and injuring more than 160. They spent 16 years in jail before being released in 1991 after the forensic evidence which had formed much of the basis for the case was found to be questionable. Further the Maguire Seven (1976) including six members of the same family were imprisoned for handling explosives. The scientific evidence which formed the basis of the case was later discredited and the case overturned in 1991(Green, 2009). All these miscarriages of justice emphasized the flaws in the criminal justice system. This brought about the introduction of Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), 1984. The act pr ovided a Code of Practice which covered various areas such as detention, treatment and questioning by police and tape recording of interviews. The code of practice gave detainees the right to notify someone of their arrest, access to a free legal advice, no change to the rights to remain silent. It also emphasized the improvement in the area of note taking and tape recording, the presence of an appropriate adult when a vulnerable suspect is interviewed, the treatment of the suspect in custody and regulations on which the interview would be based on. It set out the right balance between the power of the police and the freedom and rights of the public. The secrecy of police stations was challenged: officers became used to seeing solicitors, social workers, family members and researchers in custody areas (Dixon, 2010).The purpose was to introduce the use of tape recording during interviews and eradicate the use of violence and verballing to get a confession. However, adequate training was lacked in the use of tape recording by police officers therefore creating grounds for them to continue interviewing without tape recorders hence interrogation took place in an environment which increases the vulnerability of the suspects and maximizes the authority and control of the police (Green, 2009). The court became aware of officers lack of compliance to PACE and increased pressure in order to ensure compliance by making the investigators listen and review their performance. The use of such inappropriate tactics, however, was found to decrease after the introduction of PACE (Irving and Mckenzie, 1989). However, police interviewing was still poor even after the PACE was introduced and this was due to inadequate training in interviewing. Police officers have the mentality that interviewing skills cannot be acquired in class but in practice and therefore tend to act like their mentors who hardly portray the correct skills. Police officers training was more on taking reports rather than gathering information. In the case of Cardiff 3, who were alleged with the murder of Lynette White in 1988 spent four years in prison before it was admitted that they were victims of miscarriage of justice. Although the police officers used tape recording and a solicitor was present during the interview it was observed that the approach taken by the officer was one of hostility and intimidation to the suspect. The development of DNA science and pressure placed by Satish Sekar helped to identify the actual murderer and proved their innocence. In the case of Thomas Henron who was on trial for the murder of a young girl, this was not a miscarriage of justice but rather a failure in investigative approach. The investigation was based on pressurizing the suspect, offering of unreasonable incentive and falsification of the witness evidence. These provided a background of distrust of police and shaken confidence in beliefs about the matchless superiority of English justice (Dixon, 2010). These cases emphasized th e need for improvements in the interrogation of suspects and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) published the first national training for interviewing known as the PEACE approach to investigative interviewing which was introduced in 1992 which was aimed at ensuring that investigators developed adequate skills in order to conduct interview with integrity and ensure interviews conducted are in line with the law. Following a series of miscarriages of justice in the UK where police interviewing methods were severely criticized an ethics-based approach to interviewing was devised that aimed to minimize the risks of unreliable evidence and negative reactions from witnesses (Robert, 2010). An investigative interview is a structured conversation with a party to a crime with the aim of recording that persons account of events (Green, 2009). Investigative interviewing was developed by a group of psychologists and police practitioners (Dixon, 2010). The role of investigative interview is to approach interviews with an open mind and fairness (even if questioning has to be persistent) in order to obtain accurate and reliable information from suspects, witnesses and victims with the aim of discovering the truth and testing the information received against what the officer already knows or has reasonably established and also bearing in mind that vulnerable people, whether victims, witnesses or suspects m ust be treated with particular consideration at all times (National Crime Faculty, 1996, p.18) . PEACE is an acronym for P-Planning and Preparation, E-Engage and Explain, A-Account, C-Closure, and E-Evaluation. PEACE was a five day training organized to improve investigative interviewing. Planning and preparation aids in understanding the essence of the interview and the impact on the investigation. The officer should highlight areas to focus based on points to prove and possible defences. These points should be compared with evidence received. All evidence received in favor of the interviewee should also be highlighted as the investigator has a duty to be open-minded. Adequate knowledge of PACE also helps the officer to be ready prior to the interview. Planning and preparation is essential has it helps the officer prepare and plan for an interview before the commencement hence achieving the aim and objective of the interview. The investigator explains the purpose and expectations of the interview to the suspect thus creating the right atmosphere. During this stage it is essential to create a rapport with the suspect as this makes the suspect comfortable with the investigator. In order to achieve rapport the investigator has to pay adequate attention to the process of social skills cultivates an active listening strategy habit. There are three classes of witnesses, the compliant witness, reluctant witness and the hostile witness. Compliant witnesses are individuals who wish to cooperate fully with the police and are keen to pass information to them. Reluctant witnesses may not wish to interact with the police and may not be forthcoming with information. Hostile witnesses are individuals who may be overtly hostile to the police, may refuse to give information, and may even attempt to disrupt interviews (Robert, 2010). In order to get substantive and quality account an investigator could either use the cognitive interview or the free recall interview but in a situation where the suspect is being difficult the investigator could use conversation management. Free call allows the interviewee to fully articulate their account followed by probing to obtain uncontaminated detail. Conversation management on the other hand is usually with suspects or uncooperative interviewees who require free recall followed by prob ing and challenges where appropriate. Cognitive interview is a full cognitive reinstatement with a compliant interviewee who is willing to cooperate fully (Green, 2009). When closing the interview the investigator ensures that accurate account has been received thereby creating a positive impression to the public and preventing negative emotional reactions such as anger and anxiety. The investigator also has to maintain rapport in order to minimize the witness anxiety and distress and maximizes the disclosure of useful information. Evaluating the quality of the information received performance of the interviewer in terms of self evaluation and identifying other information that would be needed for the interview. Training was organized for all police officers in order to educate them on the PEACE model. The facilitators of the training were majorly inexperienced trainers rather than qualified investigators. The police officers did not embrace the PEACE model at first and this affected the purposed role of the model. Clarke and Milne (2001) conducted a national evaluation of PEACE by examining interviewers investigative skills when conducting interviews with suspects and witnesses. They found a great gap in the interviewing skills of both the trained and untrained officers of the PEACE model. However, improvements were noted in the area of legal requirements, ethical approach and questioning skills rather than the communication aspects of the interview or the structural development of the interviewees account. Instead of the police to focus on the verbal and non- verbal actions of the interviewee and using that as a base for the next question their focus was on statement taking and this therefore caused poor recording of account and interviewing. They also observed poor interviewing skills as officers were using less of cognitive interviewing and less conversation management. This caused officers to be frustrated and allowing them return to the old ways of interviewing. The original PEACE model w as rigid as it assumed that all interviewees would be co-operative with the interviewer and this was not the case in most interviews. Although the PEACE model was generally accepted as it offered an excellent framework for investigative interviews and its principles were sound it was still obvious that a reform was needed (Green, 2009). In the years following the implementation of PEACE certain forces recognized that the one size fits all model was not sufficient to cater for all needs (Griffiths, Milne, 2005). Crimes which were regarded as serious such as murder required a more effective and ethical interview process. Clark and Milne (2001) made 19 recommendations and the focus was on interview guidance, supervision and training. They recommended an interview supervisor policy because they observed that the quality of the interviews where better when supervisors were present. Supervision would enable efficient use of the interview guidance and help assess the skills of the officers thereby indicating areas where improvements are required. These recommendations were taken up by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and further developed into the ACPO Investigative Interviewing Strategy: A national initiative. They also observed that the officers were bombarded with so much to learn when they had not grasped the earlier stage. A five tiered structure approach was introduced to improve the quality of investigative interviewing for various levels of officers. Tier 1 was meant for Foundation for probationers and it focused on basic investigation highlighting the importance of free recall and conversation management in obtaining account when carrying out an interview. Tier 2 focused on uniform investigators and detectives and enhanced cognitive interview was taught in this stage. Tier 3 was meant for specialists. This tier looks into enhanced cognitive interviews in advanced interviewing of suspects and specialist interviews that is, interviewing of vulnerable witnesses. Tier 4 was meant for interview supervisors who do not necessarily have to have the skills of the specialist but must at least be trained up to Tier 2 as these supervisors duty is to identify areas in which trainings are required, ensure ethical approach is used when conducting an interview and standards are maintained (Green, 2009). Tier 5 focuses on interview advisors, managers, coordinator for specialist interviews whose role is to advise senior investigative officers on essential interviewing strategies for serious and complex crime. Thinking of an investigation in this holistic way has brought great benefit to the overall strategy of a major inquiry some of which are highly complex long term investigations requiring intimate knowledge of detail and consistency (Green, 2009). Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) sponsored a program which is aimed at enhancing improvement in the area of professional capability and experience of investigators. This resulted in enhancement in the role of supervisors and interview advisors to ensuring officers conduct investigative interviewing at a professional level. It is clear, therefore that poor investigative interviewing would lead to several cases of miscarriages of justice. The fact that most officers views on interviews where based on aggression and uncertainty rather than acceptance and enthusiasm caused a lot of problems in the legal system. Focusing on getting a confession in order to speedily apprehend an offender rather than obtaining accurate and reliable account from the suspects, victims or witnesses in order to achieve good quality information during an investigative process could be damaging in the sense that suspects, victims and witnesses especially vulnerable suspects would be prone to be apprehended for offenses which they did not commit. In order to minimize miscarriages of justice good questioning skills must be developed by investigators to attain an accurate and reliable account. Improvement in technology and Forensic evidence has helped in reducing cases of miscarriages of justice. For example the use of DNA which could help in determining the actual suspect, CCTV which shows a recording of what happened at a particular venue at a certain time and also the use of lie detectors which could be used to determine if the suspect is lying. Investigators should also tend to be sensitive when interviewing a vulnerable suspect, victims and witnesses as this would go a long way in preventing future miscarriages of justice. Above all, investigative interview as improved over the years through the introduction of different Acts such as The Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure (1978-1981) which brought about wide ranging protections for suspects. Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) focused on the use of tape recorders when interviewing a suspect with the aim of reducing the violence and verballing of suspects. The PEACE approach brought about preparing and planning an interview before commencement, engage and explain to the witness or suspect or victims the aim of the interview, expectations and the proc edure in which the interview would be carried out, the process of account retrieval, maintaining rapport and preventing negative reactions from suspect while bringing the interview to a close and evaluating the product of the interview. Trainings were also organized for investigator in order to enhance questioning skill by using enhanced cognitive interviews, conversation management techniques. Interviewing supervisory policy was also introduced to aid increase in the quality of the information received during the interviews and identifies areas where improvements are required. This study has shown that investigative interviewing is of paramount importance in the legal system and in order to achieve these investigators must constantly improve in their interviewing skills. Improvements in investigative interviewing to be effective and ethical has helped to reduce the cases of miscarriages of justice

Information Management Essay -- essays research papers

Executive Summary The report aims to address the issue of information management within Lanway. Information, may feel is the most important resource any firm has, yet many firms have no appreciation of the cost, value or importance of the information they hold. By first outlining the steps and findings of an information audit carried out within the firm, conclusions are then drawn as to what measures should be taken in order to increase the effectiveness of Lanways information usage. The measures suggested are outlined in detail, with recommendations of both hardware and software. The report also establishes the need for information and for a company information strategy – highlighting the importance of aligning such a strategy with the overall business plan. Background Lanway Corporate Business Systems began trading in 1985 from a small market stall on Burnley market. Selling games only for the Spectrum range of computers (the most popular at that time) it began to build up a regular customer base. The firm continued in this way, until 1991 where the introduction of the personal computer led to a change in product and business activity. With the introduction of both new hardware and software, Lanway was now in a position to manufacture and sell its own PC’s. By moving into its own premises, the firm was now able to make substantial profit margins by building and pre-configuring a small range of machines. Lanway began to trade with other firms in 1994, at which point they were forced to expand both their existing premises and staff. They also began to diversify, moving into new areas such as networking technologies, the internet and more specialised hardware and software. Lanway currently has a turnover of approximately 5 million and over 40 staff, both of which are expected to continue in growth. They manufacture around 200 PC’s per week, each different in model, make and specification. The company classes itself in the batch manufacturing bracket. At present, the firm can be split into 5 departments. Sales, Accounts, Networking, Repairs and finally Production or Workshop. The firm is completely networked using a mixture of Microsoftâ„ ¢ and Novellâ„ ¢ technologies. Individual internet access and email is available to all employees. All hardware and software configuration work is carried out in-house. Because the firm has grown in the manner that it... ...use of the nature of the business and the products sold, it is vital that the information stored within the internal systems is accurate, relevant and accessible by all employees. By implementing the steps outlined above, many of these issues should be addressed. However it is up-to the company as how successfully they are implemented. Employees will need to be made aware how important the new systems and the new policies that have been introduced are. Only then will the firm begin to see benefits. The costs incurred in this project are minimal, simply because all work can be carried out in house and all products purchased at almost cost, although formal training is certainly recommended – something which will need to be outsourced. The new intranet should help to increase the distribution of information and the consistent manner in which employees are able to access the information should in the long term help the new systems to be used effectively. In order to ensure that Lanway obtains the required results, an information audit should be carried out on a yearly basis – thereby identifying any problems that have risen from implementation of were overlooked on previous audits.

Banking and Its Influential Factors in the Economy

Banking is one of the most influential factors on the economies of today†s society. As with everything these days, technology is changing where, when and most of all, how we do things, specifically banking and other related financial transactions and arrangements such as mortgages, etc. Recently, in Toronto, the very city we live in, we were in the midst of two possible bank mergers, which would have changed banking and on a larger scale the entire economy, in many ways. In comparison to the larger banks of the world, Canada†s most major banks are not even close to the size and caliber of international banks like ING Direct, for example. This would not typically be a problem for Canadian banks, however when these international banks move into Canada, which has happened already, and is bound to happen even more as time passes and Canada becomes a more prosperous country, it quickly becomes a very large problem. Banks are an extremely affluent business. Regardless of where you are in the world banks are right at the top of the list when it comes to capital, equity and earnings. Canada fits right in, in comparison to the rest of Canada. But when we compare Canada†s banks to those of other countries, or even better, international banks, they are simply insignificant. For example, hypothetically speaking, if the entire world were opting whether or not to adopt a single currency, most deciding factors would be made by the banks of each individual country. Canada, although it is a major world leader in many other categories, would not be looked upon as a country that knew much about international stature, in terms of banking. In this essay I will try to prove how banking is one of the most influential factors on the economy by using factual cases from recent times. What does better customer relations† mean? Increasingly, customers are demanding more convenient ways to do their banking. An Ernst and Young study (Technology in Banking Report) concluded, â€Å"nothing changes in the banking world if customers cannot get financial services when and where they wish†¦this means anywhere, at any time. † Statistics show that ATM†s telephone banking, and home banking account for over fifty percent of all banking transactions today, and total non-branch activity is growing at fifteen percent a year. In one survey (Web-Tech, Inc., May 17, 1995), eighty-two percent of 18- to 34-year olds polled preferred banks with 24-hour service. Customers are also demanding a more sophisticated mix of products tailored specifically to their financial needs, and non-bank competitors are better fulfilling these needs. Banks today hold only 20% of household financial assets, versus 34% twenty years ago; they have 30% of business deposits, versus 42% only seven years ago. Non-bank credit card providers have gained inroads against banks, holding a 25% market share versus 5% in 1986 (WebTech, Inc., May 17, 1995). Internet banking offers an attractive solution to this redesigned products and services. Customers have 24-hour graphical-interface access to their accounts and appreciate that their bank is doing something to make banking easier for them. A country, like a business or a person, is constantly doing anything in its power to better itself. A business, like a society, is either growing or declining; the competitive world allows no other options. Human nature will allow no state of rest. Economics is the study of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of goods and services (Ammer, pg. 186), all of which, if stopped, would cause a business or a country to grind to a halt. From these statements we realize that change is an integral part of the world of economics. Not necessarily a change in what we create, rather the way we do it. Technology, that is, the development of new materials, products, machinery, and processes can create new products and concepts as well as improve production and efficiency for existing products a few key factors that determine economic growth. As a result, new jobs are created, existing ones are made easier and more efficient, and the in the end there is a greater profit margin (Thurow, pg. 69, 304). To understand this topic I will look at the effects of technology on economic growth compared to those of the other four factors, There are five factors, which affect a country's economic growth, Each factor has its own effect on economic growth, however together they produce a greater overall effect. Picture a bank without any branches. No tellers. No rows of desks. No racks of brochures, no automated teller machines outside. Picture, in fact, a virtual bank, one that for the customer exists only in his or her office or home, as images on a computer screen. US financial institutions are moving towards â€Å"virtual banking.† This strategy is about making bank products and services available to customers any time and any place they want them. As virtual banking becomes more popular, it is very likely that more customer service will be seen while the number of traditional teller-staffed branches will decline. Bank customers will move away from traditional banking and will become more dependent on electronic transactions using ATMs or PCs (Britt, Savings&Community Banker, February 1995, p.9). Thanks to this â€Å"technical revolution†, financial institutions are using software programs, online services, and even the Internet to allow customers to check balances, pay bills, and transfer funds among accounts. Bankers promise that, in the near future, we will also be able to more easily buy certificates of deposit, mutual funds, and other investments, and even apply for loans electronically. For most people, today's best option may be plug into their bank through one of three leading home-budgeting software programs, these programs are: By charging $5 to $20 a month for such services, banks are sure to cash in on the high-tech superhighway. This would make everything much easier for customers. All that is required is a personal computer, software and a modem, all of which the majority of people in today†s society have. On-screen instructions, filled with colorful graphics and pictures, explain how to select and work on various tasks. The system automatically calculates and updates account balances and keeps records of bills. A handful of banks have already set up home pages on the Internet to provide information to their existing and potential customers about upcoming services. They started their transactions. Internet banking differs from the traditional PC banking model in several ways. In most home banking ventures, the bank sends an application software program to the customer which runs on the customer's PC. The customer then dials into the bank with their modem, downloads data, and runs the programs that are resident on their computer, perhaps sending back a batch of requests such as transfers between accounts. It demands more and more space and speed from the customer's computer. With Internet banking, on the other hand, there are potential customers who already have all the software they need to do their banking, since all they need is a browser. The actual banking software resides on the bank's server in the form of their home page. This software can be updated at any moment with new information, such as new prices or products, without having to send anything to the customer; it can also continue to expand and become more sophisticated without becoming cumbersome for the customer to operate. Banking with a browser, on the other hand, involves a continuous, interactive session, initiated by a local telephone call to a local access provider or online service. By developing internal expertise today, banks can prepare themselves to react quickly and efficiently to competitive moves and consumer trends as the financial services industry changes. Employees at Bank of America, Chemical, Wells Fargo, and other large U.S. banks use them to buy lunch and snacks. Smart cards-plastic cards with computer chips-are starting to be used for prepayment, debit, and credit purchases all over the world. In the U.S., smart cards can be only used at a contained group of machines, or for one purpose. â€Å"They are part of the broader shift to electronic delivery, to making ATMs more functional, to using PCs and the Internet to do home banking.† says Edgar Brown, senior vice-president of alternative delivery products at First Union, Charlotte, N.C. One of the advantages of using chips on cards with or instead of magnetic stripes is better security. Microprocessor chips are very difficult to alter or forge. Chips can carry more information than magnetic stripes can. A microprocessor chip can store up to eight kilobytes of data. Smart cards make cheaper and faster payments possible. Money can be deducted from a chip without on-line authorization. This makes for a two-second transaction versus an up-to-two-minutes one, and telecommunications costs are saved (Lunt, P., ABA Banking Journal, September 1995, p.46). We can plainly see that there are many factors having great importance, when dealing with the economy. There are many things we must take into consideration in order to make any kind of an informed economic decision.

Jasper Jones †to what extent is the novel quintessentially Australian Essay

To what extent is the novel quintessentially Australian? Jasper Jones is an Australian novel by Craig Silvey that explores issues prominent in the author’s 1960s context. Set in the fictional mining town of Corrigan, the novel is a bildungsroman following Charlie Bucktin as he is awakened to the harsh reality of human nature. The novel addresses the main themes of morality, justice and trust, but these universal human issues are coloured by an Australian setting, reflective of Silvey’s contemporary context. The issues of morality and ethics have always been fundamental to the human struggle, but Silvey explores these themes through uniquely Australian concerns, namely the plight of the outcasts, in the treatment of indigenous Australians and immigrants. The setting of the novel, a small town where people are ignorant and bigoted, is representative of the same issues in the wider Australian context. It is made clear to Jasper that â€Å"This town, they think I’m a bloody animal.† due to his half-Aboriginal heritage. The animal metaphor and emotive language highlights Corrigan’s non-tolerance towards racial differences, while the first person perspective depicts the damaging effect this has upon an outcast individual. This is reinforced by the treatment of other characters such as the An family – â€Å"Go back to Hanoi, rats.† The repetition of derogatory animal metaphor and the aggressive tone reveals the prevalent racism. Charlie himself is also bullied for using words that are â€Å"too clever†. Silvey’s portrayal of Corrigan is representative of the morality of his own society. In this racist and anti-intellectual Australian context, outcasts are isolated and beaten down. The theme of justice is closely linked to that of morality; in a town with corrupted values, can justice ever be impartial? Charlie’s moral conflict over whether or not to report Laura Wishart’s body explores the idea of moral relativity. He is aware that â€Å"All that matters is the fact of this girl’s death and the town’s imagination†. The collective town is characterised as an anthropomorphic entity with skewed values; forcing innocent boys to act as if guilty. â€Å"I feel I am caught in a rip, being dragged out further and deeper against my will.† The use of the simile  conveys the boys’ helplessness to enact justice in the face of the â€Å"town’s imagination†. The body itself is a symbol of the novel’s underlying moral dilemmas. In disposing of Laura’s body, Charlie explicitly says that â€Å"I’m committing a crime.† He knows that helping Jasper is the right thing to do, but the use of the word crime, and all it connotes, illustrates how morality can be contrary to traditional justice. The issues of morality and justice explored are unquestionably universal in nature, but the novel’s particular setting and situation renders it a striking commentary on quintessentially Australian concerns. The value of trust and loyalty is also one that is common to all human experience, and it is this that defines Charlie and Jasper’s relationship; which is forged at the beginning of the novel by the crisis of finding Laura’s body. â€Å"Trust me. You got to trust me. Like I trust you.† Jasper’s pleading tone and the repetition of the highly emotive word â€Å"trust†, begging Charlie to help him escape the injustice of being wrongfully persecuted, cements trust as a key value in the novel. With this trust, Charlie is able to look beyond Jasper’s race and form a bond with him, despite the town’s negative stereotyping. He states that â€Å"I am the ally of Jasper Jones†, and helps him despite his conflicted morals. The word â€Å"ally† suggests that despite not knowing Jasper very well, they share a mutual trust and dependence. The relationship between the boys is reminiscent of the loyalty and comradeship between soldiers, bonded by trial. Against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, these values were highly important to the Australian cultural identity in Silvey’s context. Through Charlie’s coming of age, Silvey’s Jasper Jones presents a compelling insight into the duality of morality and the human values of loyalty and justice. Though these are undeniably universal in nature, Silvey explores these issues through the lens of his own Australian context, to give a novel which is quintessentially Australian and yet fundamentally human.

Fires Of Jubilee book review essays

Fires Of Jubilee book review essays Biographer Stephen B. Oates is an award winning Civil War era expert. The Fires of Jubilee is just one of sixteen books that he has written. As a History professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Oates wrote this biography of Nat Turner and his infamous insurrection. Nat Turner was convinced that he was a "chosen" man of the Lord. Ironically, the name Nathaniel is Hebrew for "the gift of God". Nat felt, deep in his heart, that he was special and important in the fight for the freedom of all slaves. As a child he was something of a spectacul. His mother and father would brag to the other slaves of how Nat had congenital bumps and scars on his head and chest, which in African tradition meant that he was destined to be a leader. Also, Nat was naturally a highly intelligent person. As a child he was able to learn to read and write at ease on his own. This astonished many of the the slaves, as well as his master Ben Turner. Nat also astonished his mother by telling of an even t that happened prior to his birth, that he had no way of knowing. When she asked how he knew of the incident he said that somehow he just knew. Many of the whites and other slave also made Nat feel "different" than the other slave by saying that he "would never be of any service to anyone as a slave." A comment that, at a young age, gave Nat the impression that he might one day be freed. Nat knew he was different. Even though it was considered disgraceful for slaves to not get drunk on holidays, Nat never drank, much less got drunk. The most convincing sign, to Nat, that he was "chosen" was that he had visions, that he claimed were from the Lord. Visions that would eventually be his motivation for insurrection. Until the age of 8, Nat was owner by Ben Turner, who was considered to be a fair and kind master. However, at the age of 9 Sam Turner, Ben's son, became Nat's new master. Sam was definetely a harsher master than his father, which was a blow to ...

Process of How Trees Absorb and Evaporate Water

Process of How Trees Absorb and Evaporate Water Water mostly enters a tree through the roots by osmosis and any dissolved mineral nutrients will travel with it upward through the inner barks xylem (using capillary action) and into the leaves. These traveling nutrients then feed the tree through the process of leaf photosynthesis. This  is a process that converts light energy, usually from the Sun, into chemical energy that can be later released to fuel an organisms activities including growth.   Trees supply leaves with water because of a decrease in hydrostatic or water pressure into upper, leaf-bearing parts called crowns or canopies. This hydrostatic pressure difference lifts the water to the leaves. Ninety percent of the  trees water is eventually dispersed and released from leaf stomata. This stoma is an  opening or pore that is used for gas exchange. They are mostly found on the under-surface of plant leaves. Air also enters the plant through these openings. The carbon dioxide in the air entering the stoma is used in photosynthesis. Some of the oxygen produced is used in respiration through evaporation, into the atmosphere. That beneficial loss of water from plants is called transpiration. Amounts of Water Trees Use A fully grown tree may lose several hundred gallons of water through its leaves on a hot, dry day. The same tree will lose nearly no water on wet, cold, winter days, so water loss is directly related to temperature and humidity. Another way to say this is that almost all water that enters a trees roots is lost to the atmosphere but the 10% that remains keeps the living tree system healthy and maintains growth. Evaporation of water from the upper parts of trees  especially leaves but also stems, flowers and roots can add to a trees water loss. Certain tree species are more efficient in managing their rate of water loss and are normally found naturally on drier sites. Volumes of Water Trees Use An average maturing tree under optimal conditions can transport up to 10,000 gallons of water only to capture about 1,000 usable gallons for the production of food and adding to its biomass. This is called the transpiration ratio, the ratio of the mass of water transpired to the mass of dry matter produced. Depending on the efficiency of the plant or tree species, it may take as little as 200 pounds (24 gallons) of water to 1,000 pounds (120 gallons) to make a pound of dry matter. A single acre of forest land, during the course of a growing season, can add 4 tons of biomass but uses 4,000 tons of water to do so. Osmosis and Hydrostatic Pressure Roots take advantage of pressures when water and its solutions are unequal. The key to remember about osmosis is that water flows from the solution with the lower solute concentration (the soil) into the solution with higher solute concentration (the root). Water tends to move to regions of negative hydrostatic pressure gradients. Water uptake by plant root osmosis creates a more negative hydrostatic pressure potential near the root surface. Tree roots sense water (less negative water potential) and growth is directed towards water (hydrotropism). Transpiration Runs the Show Transpiration is the evaporation of water from trees out and into the Earths atmosphere. Leaf transpiration occurs through pores called stomata, and at a necessary cost, displaces of much of its valuable water into the atmosphere. These stomata are designed to allow the carbon dioxide gas to exchange from air to assist in photosynthesis  that then creates the fuel for growth. We need to remember that transpiration cools trees and every organism around it. Transpiration also helps to cause that massive flow of mineral nutrients and water from roots to shoots which is caused by a decrease in hydrostatic (water) pressure. This loss of pressure is caused by water evaporating from the stomata into the atmosphere and the beat goes on.

The Natural History of the Galapagos Islands

The Natural History of the Galapagos Islands The Natural History of the Galapagos Islands: The Galpagos Islands are a wonder of nature. Located off the coast of Ecuador, these remote islands have been called â€Å"evolution’s laboratory† because their remoteness, isolation from one another and different ecological zones have allowed plant and animal species to adapt and evolve undisturbed. The Galapagos Islands have a long and interesting natural history. The Birth of the Islands: The Galapagos Islands were created by volcanic activity deep in the Earths crust under the ocean. Like Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands were formed by what geologists call a hot spot. Basically, a hot spot is a place in the Earths core which is much hotter than usual. As the plates making up the Earths crust move over the hot spot, it essentially burns a hole in them, creating volcanoes. These volcanoes rise up out of the sea, forming islands: the lava stone they produce shapes the topography of the islands. The Galapagos Hot Spot: In Galapagos, the Earth’s crust is moving from west to east over the hot spot. Therefore, the islands that are furthest to the east, such as San Cristà ³bal, are the oldest: they were formed many thousands of years ago. Because these older islands are no longer over the hot spot, they are no longer volcanically active. Meanwhile, islands in the western part of the archipelago, such as Isabela and Fernandina, were created only recently, geologically speaking. They are still over the hot spot and still very active volcanically. As the islands move away from the hot spot, they tend to wear down and become smaller. Animals Arrive to Galapagos: The islands are home to many species of birds and reptiles but relatively few native insects and mammals. The reason for this is simple: it’s not easy for most animals to get there. Birds, of course, can fly there. Other Galapagos animals were washed there on vegetation rafts. For example, an iguana might fall into a river, cling to a fallen branch and get swept out to sea, arriving to the islands after days or weeks. Surviving at sea for such a long time is easier for a reptile than it is for a mammal. For this reason, the large herbivores on the islands are reptiles like tortoises and iguanas, not mammals like goats and horses. Animals Evolve: Over the course of thousands of years, animals will change to fit their environment and adapt to any existing â€Å"vacancy† in a particular ecological zone. Take the famous Darwin’s finches of Galapagos. Long ago, a single finch found its way to Galapagos, where it laid eggs which would eventually hatch into a small finch colony. Over the years, fourteen different sub-species of finch have evolved there. Some of them hop on the ground and eat seeds, some stay in trees and eat insects. The finches changed to fit in where there was not already some other animal or bird eating the available food or using the available nesting sites. Arrival of Humans: The arrival of humans to the Galapagos Islands shattered the delicate ecological balance that had reigned there for ages. The islands were first discovered in 1535 but for a long time they were ignored. In the 1800s, the Ecuadorian government began settling the islands. When Charles Darwin made his famous visit to Galapagos in 1835, there was already a penal colony there. Humans were very destructive in Galapagos, mostly because of predation of Galapagos species and introduction of new species. During the nineteenth century, whaling ships and pirates took tortoises for food, wiping out the Floreana Island subspecies completely and pushing others to the brink of extinction. Introduced Species: The worst damage done by humans was the introduction of new species into Galapagos. Some animals, such as goats, were released intentionally onto the islands. Others, such as rats, were brought by man unknowingly. Dozens of animal species previously unknown in the islands were suddenly turned loose there with disastrous results. Cats and dogs eat birds, iguanas and baby tortoises. Goats can strip an area clean of vegetation, leaving no food for other animals. Plants brought for food, such as the blackberry, muscled out native species. Introduced species constitute one of the gravest dangers for the Galapagos ecosystems. Other Human Problems: Introducing animals was not the only damage humans have done to Galapagos. Boats, cars and homes cause pollution, further damaging the environment. Fishing is supposedly controlled in the islands, but many make their living by illicitly fishing for sharks, sea cucumbers and lobsters out of season or beyond catch limits: this illegal activity had a great negative impact on the marine ecosystem. Roads, boats and airplanes disturb mating grounds. Solving Galapagos’ Natural Problems: The park rangers and staff of the Charles Darwin Research Station have been working for years to reverse the effects of human impact on Galapagos, and they’ve been seeing results. Feral goats, once a major problem, have been eliminated from several islands. The numbers of wild cats, dogs and pigs are also declining. The National Park has taken on the ambitious goal of eradicating introduced rats from the islands. Although activities like tourism and fishing are still taking their toll on the islands, optimists feel that the islands are in better shape than they have been for years. Source: Jackson, Michael H. Galapagos: a Natural History. Calgary: the Universityof Calgary Press, 1993.

How Does Paid Employment Affect The Identity Essay - 4

How Does Paid Employment Affect The Identity - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in order to have paid employment exert friendly influences on one’s identity, it consequently becomes highly important to learn all the critical ways to thrive in a career in a very positive and professional manner. This remains a reality that employment heavily interferes with one’s identity, self-esteem, and psychological satisfaction either in a positive or negative way. Also, there definitely exists a direct relationship between a worker’s identity and the amount of salary on which he or she is employed in any organization. Workers getting high salaries tend to be more satisfied with their identities and enjoy high self-esteem in comparison to low-profile workers who get paid poorly and who also consequently, tend to face the pressures of low self-esteem and poor social identities. Maintaining the nature of work identity also holds huge importance once a worker enters the workplace and the type of management pr acticed in that workplace also shares a relationship with whether a worker would be able to maintain his or her identity or not. Much research has been done on workers’ identities, which has effectively changed the way relationship with organizations is perceived presently by the workers. More and more managers these days are seen increasingly focus on the concept of organizational culture and trying developing familiarity with the organizational culture and the nature of culture-oriented issues helps in proper maintenance of identity. It is mentioned by Grey that a highly professional and concerned approach is required in every organizational setup for addressing various critically important factors like workers’ skills and identity issues. The concept of organizational culture is heavily related to the potential to reformulate the concept of workforce identity, as mentioned in the work compiled by Grey. It is discussed by the author in the book that cultural concept got introduced in the American management system earlier in the 1980s. Actually, the cultural idea proposes that the organizational practices should be designed in such a way that they would promote the shared values because the establishment of shared values ultimately leads to solidifying the workers’ identities, as already discussed. For stable cultural management, it is critically important that the staff should have a firm belief in values instead of going along with the orders of the managers like feeling fewer automatons. There should remain no distance between individuals’ purposes and those of the organization in which they are employed. According to the theoretical approach introduced by Willmott, culture management has the serious potential to reformulate identity in harmony with the managerial doctrine. This theoretical approach professes that culture management should actually be perceived as a powerful tool through which internal world of an organization can be reshaped in terms of the identity of people at work. With the help of a historical approach, Grey discusses how Japanese managers laid greater emphasis on motivating the employees in order to commit them to working on united goals during the 1970s and 1980s, so that company output could be enhanced along with customer service.  

Jesus and Mohammed paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Jesus and Mohammed paper - Essay Example a number of different ways such as their respective lives, the impact of each other’s death on their own religion, how each individual was worshipped, and the way in which their messages are being displayed throughout the world today. Jesus was a Jew and was born approximately two-thousand years ago in a town called Bethlehem. At that time, the Romans had occupation of the lands of Israel. As such, the Jews were expecting a savior to come along and defeat the Romans. Before Jesus was born, a prophecy was given that he would be the Messiah: â€Å"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel† (Isaiah 7:14 New International Version). However, what the Jews considered the Messiah to be was not how Jesus lived. The woman who gave birth to Jesus was a virgin called Mary. At that time, Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph. Because of this, Mary faced many calls of being an adulterer. During Jesus’ childhood, he was taught how to be a carpenter because this was his father’s profession. Once Jesus had reached the age of thirty, he left his hometown and set out on his ministry around the lands of Israel. In con trast to Jesus, Mohammad was born in 570 A.D. and was called Muhummad Ibn Adullah (Slick). (There are a number of variations in the spelling of Mohammad’s name, but for consistency, I will refer to him as Mohammad from here on.) Mohammad grew up in Mecca, the cultural religious center in what is now known as Saudi Arabia. In the early part of his life, Mohammad experienced tragedy as his father died before he was even born and his mother passed away when he was only six years old. Because of this, his uncle Abu Talib took the responsibility of raising him. Later on in life, Mohammad had developed the habit of going up to Mt. Hira to meditate (Slick). During one of his trips, Mohammad claimed that the angel Gabriel appeared to him. This angel instructed him to write the

Nano Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nano - Assignment Example Tompkins has been titled the CEO because his background closely fits the position. He is likely to be doing more work than the other founders. Since he is doing more work he deserves a different salary and equity level. The other founders are fair with the equity but not fair about the salary that Tompkins receives. The decisions made regarding split equity and compensation is unfair and leaves no room to share equity amongst other employees. Without being able to share equity amongst other employees, the new employees may not be as driven to get the company where it needs to be. The founders are the creators of the company and share in ownership. All though they may share in ownership it does not mean that they should share equity and compensation if there job duties are not the same. A change is equity and compensation needs to be made to create a real fairness and ability to offer equity to other employees. The size of the founding team is five men that are all from the same company. Don Rupert is the head of AMSL. He is a co founder of NanoGene. Will Tompkins is a bio chemist and founder along with three other scientist and biologist. Mark Masterson and Ravi Rhoota were former AMSL scientist and an important asset to NanoGene. Gary Garfield who was also important to NanoGene is a doctor in biology. Each founder is vital to NanoGene in a way that the type of development for NanoGene requires each founder to make it work. Having five founders starting up a company can cause problems early as well as later on in the company life. Having five founders requires the need to receive acceptance from each of the five founders each time an issue arises. It is unlikely that all five founders will agree on each issue. When issues come up of importance it is likely that a vote will need to take place. Being a founder of a company is an important role. Founders are the

Ku Klux Klan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ku Klux Klan - Research Paper Example The original name of the club was from the Greek word Kuklos meaning ‘for circle and cycle are formed’. The confederates later modified the word to Kuklux adding the word clan at the end since all the founders were of Scottish descent. Kuklux Clan became the name of the organization, later it was divided into three words and a ‘K’ used for each word. The name therefore changed to Ku Klux Klan. There are other suggestions about the origin of the name. Romine states that members of the Klan could have become familiar with the mythology of the ‘God of Light’ who was called Cukulcan since many volunteer troops went to the Mexican War from Tennessee and members of the early Klan sometimes called themselves the sons of light(Quarles 32). Another story told that the name did not come from a Greek word meaning circle but from the two phased cocking sound of a shotgun. Many different stories have been told and written creating mystery about the organizat ion which later came to be known as the ‘Invisible Empire’. The six former confederate members met in the law office of Judge Thomas M. Jones located eighty miles south of Nashville in Pulaski, south central Tennessee. One of the town’s prewar buildings has a plaque marking the occasion. The Klan is an American institution though it has been exported to other lands by racists. The formation of the club was not a major historical event; the group was informally constituted during the first meeting. Directing and planning of the Klan activities began later as further meetings developed goals and objectives, leadership titles were chosen and organizational rules instituted (Quarles 30). All evidence supports the fact that the founding of the Klan was innocent with no ulterior motive or effect. Many scholars also believe that the beginning was innocent; this is because of the tricks that the early Klansmen performed. The first noted activity of the Klan was that it was a brotherly association. Some members used childish methods of pursuing victims. The original purpose of the young confederate veterans was to scare black adults and cause trouble as an amusing way of passing time in a southern society that was altered and a destroyed economy. Klansmen dressed in white sheets and covered their horsemen in the same way. The Ku Klux Klan members believed that racial integration and racial equality of society was a threat and could destroy the white race. The Klan opposed public policies that promote social and political equality for historically disadvantaged groups like the blacks through antidiscrimination laws and affirmative action. Their beliefs were that the nature of mankind is unequal therefore hierarchical. Ku Klux Klan members described themselves as white Protestant Christians. Their primary objection was initially against blacks’ freedom and extension of rights to include blacks. This was after slavery in the United States was brought to an end. In terms of their strength in the political history of th e United States, the Klan has had three specific periods. The first Klan blossomed in the South in

The International Business Entry Strategy, Aussie Fresh in Vietnam Essay

The International Business Entry Strategy, Aussie Fresh in Vietnam - Essay Example In addition, Vietnam is in a transformation process as the country is moving fast towards implementation of capitalist principles against its traditional planned economy. In fact, the country now also exports its Vegetables and Fruits products to over 50 nations worldwide because of its free market mechanism. Nevertheless, the domestic fruits/vegetables demand is not completely met from domestic agricultural produce; hence, these products are also imported in Vietnam (Vietnomics Update, 2009) & (CIA Fact Book – V, 2009). It is, therefore, recommended to Aussie Trade to commence operations in Vietnamese market through proper branding and packaging of agri-products. The company should adopt Joint Venture strategy because the currency risk is relatively high, mainly attributable to current account deficit of Vietnam. The imports, therefore, become expensive that may negatively impact the growth of Aussie Trade if forms its own subsidiary in Vietnam. It is feasible to minimize such risks by partnering with locals (who have knowledge in this sector) and establishing distribution networks for sales of Fruits and Vegetables (CIA Fact Book – V, 2009). The world today is viewed as a global village because recent technological developments have helped reducing communication barriers and borders among nations worldwide. The creation of information/communication networks and transportation routes has significantly contributed to increase trade volume and business activities. Not only developed countries like USA, France, UK< Germany, Japan, etc are beneficiaries of these advancements but also the developing nations have joined international arena as they have to focus on international integration, economic prosperity and sustainable development. Australia is viewed as a small, yet rich economy because of high purchasing power. It's per capita income was estimated to be $39,000 in 2009 and  the country was ranked 21st in the list of high-income nations.  

Political Economy of the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political Economy of the European Union - Essay Example It has build up a role inforeign policy, and represents its members in theWorld Trade Organization, atG8summits and at theUnited Nations. Twenty-one EU nations are part ofNATO. It has also taken up a responsibility in justice and home affairs, which includes the elimination of passport control between many member nations under theSchengen Agreement. (Alan, 2007) The EU functions through a hybrid mechanism ofintergovernmentalismandsupranationalism. In particular areas it relies on agreement among the member states. However, it also possesses supranational bodies, thus is competent to make judgments without agreement between each and every national governments. Among the prominent institutions and bodies of the EU are theEuropean Commission, theEuropean Parliament, theCouncil of the European Union, theEuropean Council, theEuropean Court of Justice,and theEuropean Central Bank. In every five years, the Parliament is elected by the EU citizens. Origins of the EU go back to the formation of theEuropean Coal and Steel Community,formed among six countries in 1951 and theTreaty of Romein 1957. Thereafter the EU has expanded in size via accession of new associate states, and in authority by adding new policy areas to its remit. (Richard, 2006) Subsequent to theSecond World War, efforts made towards European integration were viewed as a get away approach from the intense forms of nationalism, which had ravaged the continent.Theformation of the European Coal and Steel Community was among one such attempt to bring together Europeans. While having the unassuming aim of federal control of the formerly national coal and steel industries of its member nations, it was stated to be "a first step in the federation of Europe".The founding members of the Community wereBelgium,France,Italy,Luxembourg, theNetherlandsandWest Germany. Thereafter the history of Europe saw the establishment of European Economic Community(EEC) ascertaining acustoms unionand theEuropean Atomic Energy Community(Euratom) for cooperation in developingnuclear energy. In 1967, the Merger Treaty provided for the amalgamation of these communities collectively referred to as European Communities, which popularly were termed as European Community. (Ben, 2000) In 1973 incorporation of Denmark,Irelandand theUnited Kingdom enlarged the communities. In 1979, thefirst autonomous electionsto the European Parliament were held. The 80s saw the incorporation of Greece,SpainandPortugal. In 1990, the previousEast Germanyembodied the Community under newly united Germany. The European Union was officially instituted when theMaastricht Treatywas enacted upon on 1 November 1993. Presently, the European Union comprises 27independentsovereignnationsknown as member states: Austria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Cyprus, theCzech Republic,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Greece, Hungary,Ireland,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Malta, theNetherlands,Poland,Portugal,Romania, Slovakia,Slovenia,Spain,Sweden, and theUnited Kingdom. (Alan, 2007) The EU is habitually portrayed as being separated into three divisions of responsibility, calledpillars. The original European Community principles form the first pillar, while the second beingCommon

The International Business Entry Strategy, Aussie Fresh in Vietnam Essay

The International Business Entry Strategy, Aussie Fresh in Vietnam - Essay Example In addition, Vietnam is in a transformation process as the country is moving fast towards implementation of capitalist principles against its traditional planned economy. In fact, the country now also exports its Vegetables and Fruits products to over 50 nations worldwide because of its free market mechanism. Nevertheless, the domestic fruits/vegetables demand is not completely met from domestic agricultural produce; hence, these products are also imported in Vietnam (Vietnomics Update, 2009) & (CIA Fact Book – V, 2009). It is, therefore, recommended to Aussie Trade to commence operations in Vietnamese market through proper branding and packaging of agri-products. The company should adopt Joint Venture strategy because the currency risk is relatively high, mainly attributable to current account deficit of Vietnam. The imports, therefore, become expensive that may negatively impact the growth of Aussie Trade if forms its own subsidiary in Vietnam. It is feasible to minimize such risks by partnering with locals (who have knowledge in this sector) and establishing distribution networks for sales of Fruits and Vegetables (CIA Fact Book – V, 2009). The world today is viewed as a global village because recent technological developments have helped reducing communication barriers and borders among nations worldwide. The creation of information/communication networks and transportation routes has significantly contributed to increase trade volume and business activities. Not only developed countries like USA, France, UK< Germany, Japan, etc are beneficiaries of these advancements but also the developing nations have joined international arena as they have to focus on international integration, economic prosperity and sustainable development. Australia is viewed as a small, yet rich economy because of high purchasing power. It's per capita income was estimated to be $39,000 in 2009 and  the country was ranked 21st in the list of high-income nations.  

Stirling Sports Essay Example for Free

Stirling Sports Essay Stirling Sports opened their first Store on Dominion Road in Auckland in 1964. The first Stirling Sports franchises were awarded in 1983 after Stirling Sports had invested almost 20 years in developing the best sports retail stores in New Zealand. Stirling Sports Dunedin’s mission statements asserts, ‘The Dunedin community speaks positively about their Stirling Sport experience’. Their logo is ‘We love our sport’, an apt summary of the passion held by management and staff for their products, service and the specialist knowledge they provide. Stirling Sports is the one of the New Zealand leading retailers of sporting goods. Stirling Sports has a huge range of sports clothing and mens and womens shoes, supporter gear and more. In 2004, Russell and Sue became aware of an opportunity to purchase the Stirling Sports Dunedin area franchise and made the decision to buy within a week. Since they originated from the Otago region, this was an opportunity ‘to come home’. After some negotiation they successfully acquired the franchise and began to determine how best to manage the two operations. After some deliberation, the  decision was made that Sue would move to Dunedin and manage that store, while Russell continued to manage the Kapiti store. Russell and Sue decided to buy the franchise with the existing staff at the Dunedin store. The store had to become profitable, so changes needed to be made. However, the change in structure and process did not suit everyone and staff left. Previously, the store had been managed from Auckland, so some having the manager on-site was very different from the previous management style. Stirling Sports adopts marketing strategies based on the seasonal nature of  various sports, student population migration during semester and holiday periods, public holidays and festive seasons Christmas is one of the biggest financial periods with equipment, clothing and shoes being in demand for Christmas gifts. In-store specials, glossy flyers, and newspaper and radio advertising are all useful means of marketing their products to all of their customer segments. The March/April period is the second-largest cash-flow period with the beginning of winter sports, such as rugby, soccer, netball, volleyball and basketball, traditionally boosting sales. September/October is also a peak period, with the focus particularly on fitness and getting ‘back into shape’ after the ravages of winter lifestyle choices. Sports such as cricket, tennis and softball also begin which may require the purchase of new equipment, uniforms and speciality footwear. Many sports are now played all year round, which is beneficial in maintaining an acceptable level of monthly sales in addition to seasonal cash-flow peaks. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://STIRLINGSPORTS. CO. NZ Rebel Sport is a well known brand name throughout New Zealand and Australia. Until 2006, Rebel had no big-box sports competitor, prompting the use of the well-known slogan No ones got more sports gear. However, Lane Walker Rudkin, owners of sports franchise Stirling Sports, have announced plans to launch several large format stores across the country, beginning with a store in Christchurch, which opened in mid-2006. This followed the collapse of a deal between Briscoe Group and LWR a year earlier, which would have seen Briscoe buyout the Stirling franchise. Since Stirlings big box launch, Rebel has dropped their original slogan, which has been replaced with Lets Play, backed by a new  marketing campaign which targets a wider audience from the traditional club-orientated team sport audience. The company is also continuing their aggressive expansion programme, launching several smaller-format stores such as Napier and Taupo to allow branches to reach further into provincial areas. Briscoe Group. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 15, 2014 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Briscoe_Group The latest retail customer satisfaction report for New Zealand from research organisation Roy Morgan Research reveals that Rebel Sport has emerged as the  sports store with the highest percentage of satisfied customers. Rebel came in at at 82. 0 percent for the 12 months to December 2009 (up 4. 4 percent points from the 12 months to December ‘08). Stirling Sports was third with 77. 5 percent (down 2. 9 percent from the same period). â€Å"The category as a whole has performed below the average for all non-food stores. It seems all sports stores need to close the gap in improving their levels of satisfaction. † Sports Link. Sporting Goods Outdoor Retailing. (May 17, 2010). Retrieved from http://www. mysportslink. net/rebel-sport-leads-the-way-cms-837.

Incredible Years Series theoretical based intervention programme

Incredible Years Series theoretical based intervention programme A promising intervention programme should be theoretical and evidence-based. The Incredible Years programme, a well-designed and comprehensive intervention package, has strong theoretical grounds (Webster-Stratton et al., 2001). It was originally invented to treat early onset conduct problems among young children (Webster-Stratton, 2000), then was revised to prevent conduct problems by promoting social competence universally (Webster-Stratton, Reid Stoolmiller, 2008). Children who display high rates of anti-social behavior or aggression are at risk of developing conduct problems (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009b). It is found that these children experience more peer rejection and non-supportive comments from teachers (Carr, Taylor Robinson, 1991; Webster-Stratton Reid, 2002), and as a result, they dislike going to school and may display more negative emotions and behaviors (Birch Ladd, 1997). This is a vicious cycle which The Incredible Years Series are aiming to bring it to an end. The Incredible Years programme is not only targeting on children, but also the factors that contribute to the cause of such conduct problems. Webster-Stratton (2005) suggested that a disorganized home environment, ineffective parenting and teachers lack of instrumental classroom management skills were all provocative. Although it is believed that parental influence on childrens social development is the most prominent (Webster-Stratton et al., 2001), past research showed that parent training might not be effective enough, as the children only made short-term improvement at home, but not at school (Gresham, 1998; Taylor Biglan, 1998). Therefore, a multi-faceted intervention project that includes trainings for parents, teachers and children is designed (Webster-Stratton, Reid Hammond, 2004). The Incredible Years Series was compared and evaluated against single or paired training programmes; longitudinal results indicated that the childrens improvement in the integrated training serie s were longer-lasting and could sustain beyond the training setting (Webster-Stratton Hammond, 1997; Webster-Stratton, Reid Hammond, 2001; Webster-Stratton, Reid Stoolmiller, 2008). The Incredible Years Series that address multi-levelled risk factors are strongly supported by a number of theories. In the following, I shall briefly introduce the underlying theories, following by an extensive discussion on how these theoretical underpinnings are applied to the training programmes and the method of delivery. Theoretical underpinnings Behaviorism According to the theory of operant conditioning, human beings behavior is contingent upon the consequences (Butterworth Harris, 1994). Behavior is likely to be reproduced if reinforcement follows (Baer, Wolf Risely, 1968). The presentation of reinforcement not only serves the informative function to indicate the appropriateness of certain actions (Bandura, 1977), but also serves the motivational functioning that increases the probability of future production (Bolles, 1979). Childrens development is closely linked to their experiences of reinforcement. It was found that children whose parents who did not reinforce their social skills were weaker in establishing friendly relationships (Patterson Dishion, 1985). In classroom setting, appropriate use of praise and reward improves childrens classroom behavior (Pfiffner, Rosen, OLeary, 1985) and a consistent punishment system is also effective in reducing undesirable behaviors (Pfiffner OLeary, 1987). The behavioral approach explains aggression as a result of external reinforcement. Bandura (1973) proposes that by acting aggressively, some children may gain approval, power, or enhancement in self-image that reinforces them to continue. Social learning theory In agreement with the behaviorists, social learning theorists also believe in the importance of environmental stimuli (e.g. reinforcement), but it is proposed that personal determinants cannot be ignored (Bandura, 1977). Human behaviors are seen as an outcome of the reciprocal interactions between the persons and their surroundings (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009b). Bandura (1977) believes that learning can occur without personally experiencing the action and its consequences. He suggests that most children learn to use aggression through modeling. The sources can be very diverse, ranging from the mass media, peers in schools, to parents aggressive punishment. It was discovered that children with parents who had bad marital relationship had higher probability of developing conduct disorders (Webster-Stratton, 1996). The social learning theory provides a justified reason: when parents are openly criticizing each other, displaying hostility, or producing aggressive behaviors, children observe and learn to use these coercive tactics to solve conflicts (Patterson, Reid, Jones Conger, 1975). Bandura (1989) also proposed the idea of self-efficacy. It is defined as the personal evaluation of ones ability to accomplish a certain task (Harter, 1993, Kanfer Zeiss, 1983). It is believed that human beings have an innate tendency to strive for social self-efficacy with the parents, and would be discouraged if not successful (Heydenberk Heydenberk, 2007). Perceived self-efficacy influences peoples actions and beliefs, and also ones persistence in difficult times (Bandura Adams, 1977). For people who have high self-efficacy in social aspects, they expect success in forming and maintaining positive relationship with the others. For people who have low social self-efficacy, they might have experienced failures in interpersonal aspects before (Webster-Stratton Lindsay, 1999). They judge themselves as socially incompetent and put less effort in forming social relationships. Self-efficacy stems from successful experiences, vicarious learning and verbal persuasion (Bandura Adams, 1977). Ones own expectation of the probability to get contingent reinforcement (Kanfer Zeiss, 1983) and also the significant others expectations is crucial for the development of self-efficacy (Cooley, 1902). Children understand what their parents or teachers are expecting from them through verbal or non-verbal means (Webster-Stratton, 2006). If they then act according to what others expect from them, they will be contingent to the others expectations, it is called the self-filling prophecy (e.g. (Lee Bishop, 2008; Strassberg, 1995). The lower the teachers expectations on their students, the less motivation the students have (e.g. Chung Westwood, 2001; Jussim, 1989; Wigfield Harold, 1992). But it is hopeful that children can benefit a lot too when the teachers increase their support and expectations on them (Webster-Stratton, Reid Hammond, 2004). Theory of the coercive process The coercive hypothesis generated by Patterson (1982) can be regarded as an extension and integration of behaviorism and social learning theory. It starts with a social interactional perspective and considers childrens aggressive behavior as a product of repeated coercive interactions between a dyad that are created and maintained by the positive and negative reinforcement (Mesman, et al., 2008). Both members of the dyad should be responsible for the undesirable outcome (Webster-Stratton, 2000). The coercive model sees the importance of parents and teachers interactions with the children. Continuous negative reinforcement and modeling escalates both the childrens and the parents/ teachers coercive attitudes and behaviors (Patterson, Reid, Jones Conger, 1975). A reinforcement trap occurs when one member of the conflicting pair gives up during the coercive interaction (Webster-Stratton, 2005). From the viewpoint of the member who insists, this can be seen as a negative reinforcement and would encourage him/her to use such coercive tactics again (Webster-Stratton Hancock, 1998). The other member also learns by observation and modelling to escalate their aversive behaviors to avoid further failures. So, the intensity of aggression increases and accumulates after every conflict (Patterson Dishion, 1985). And children may generalize such pattern of conflict managements to other contexts. Parents fall into the reinforcement trap because of their non-contingent parenting skills and ineffective disciplinary strategies to deal with coercive behaviors (Patterson Dishion, 1985). To decrease aggression, one must change the coercive process by stopping the negative reinforcement. Parents and teachers can be taught using more effective and positive discipline methods and no longer triggers childrens aggressive behaviors, and change theirs by modeling. Attachment theory Bowlbys (1997) attachment theory emphasizes the importance of a positive parent-child relationship. It is found that children who have a loving and trusting relationship with a major caregiver are more socially competent (Lee, 1990), while children who experience hostile contacts from parents lack emotional regulatory and conflict-management strategies (Webster-Stratton, 2005). By using the strange situation, four types of attachment styles can be identified, namely secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-ambivalent and insecure-disorganized (Van Ijzendoorn, Bakermans-Kranenburg Sagi-Schwartz, 2006). The attachment pattern highly affects how one thinks and feels (Cummings-Robeau, Lopez Rice, 2009) and has enormous influence on interpersonal functioning (Collins, 1996). Insecure attachment may develop when the parents are being inconsistent, rejecting and insensitive to childrens needs (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009b). Children with this type of attachment may have higher level of aggression and greater difficulty expressing their feelings and trusting the others (Fagot, 1997). In contrast, securely attached children possess greater social skills (e.g. Schneider, Atkinson Tardif, 2001; Weinfield, Scoufe, Egeland Carlson, 1999) and feel safe to explore the world as they trust their parents (Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg van IJzendoorn, 2008b). better social co mpetence (e.g. Schneider, Atkinson Tardif, 2001; Weinfield, Scoufe, Egeland Carlson, 1999). As the kind of attachment formed is closely linked to the parenting skills and parental sensitivity (Bakermans-Kranenburg et al., 2008), Incredible Years aims to improve those elements so as to alter the attachment pattern. Moreover, the attachment theory can also be applied to the teacher-child relationship, as children also have a lot of contact with teachers (Birch Ladd, 1997). The Incredible Years Programme Based on the above theories, Webster-Stratton (1981) developed three interlocking programmes, targeting at the parents, teachers and children to promote social competence. Parent training The parent series is the most important one (Webster-Stratton et al., 2001), with four sub-sections designed for promoting different skills and accommodating children of different age groups. One of the heaviest elements in this series is the training of parenting skills. In line with the underlying behavioral theory, parents are taught the effective use of reinforcement and punishment. In order to encourage childrens exhibition of prosocial behaviors, parents make good use of reinforcers. They are guided to create a hierarchy of reinforcement that is tailor-made for their own children. Examples of powerful reinforcers are social rewards like attention, smiles and hug and social activities like going to beach together (Neville, Beak King, 1995). The way parents administer the reinforcements is very crucial they have to make sure that the reward is immediate and contingent to specific favorable behaviors; and also, children should receive the rewards together with labeled praise. Moreover, parents are reminded that materialistic rewards like money and toys may apparently seem to be incredible reinforcers, but their effectiveness may not be very long-lasting. This kind of tangible rewards is better used at times when children achieve a particular goal that is clearly defined beforehand (Webster-Stratton Herbert, 1994). Conversely, to reduce childrens aversive behaviors, parents are trained to use a wide range of methods depending on the intensity and type of misbehaviors. Examples are removing existing reinforcements like ignoring and timeout, and rewarding alternative positive behaviors (Neville, Beak King, 1995). Parents are taught not to argue and shout with the children during conflicts, as those naggings are also reinforcing, as they are parental attention. Yet, using ignoring is not easy, as parents have to be consistent and determined to neglect the child until the unwanted behavior vanishes (Webster-Stratton, 2006). Or else, parents would have been fallen into the reinforcement trap, as suggested by Pattersons (1982) coercive model. Timeout is another good strategy if used probably as it gives both the parents and the children a cooling period. Children are kept isolated for a while, and are deprived of any possible reinforcement, including parents attention (Webster-Stratton Herbert, 199 4). Using these methods can reduce childrens coerciveness, model children the peaceful way of managing conflicts and still to remain a trusting parent-child relationship. No matter it is the administration of rewards or punishments, one rule that parents must follow is to be consistent. Previous research studies show that unpredictable parenting style seriously affects the parent-child bonding and makes children feel insecure and frustrated (Lee, 1990). To manage discipline, both reinforcements and punishments may be needed (Pfiffner OLeary, 1987). The latter one should be used as last resort (Neville, Beak King, 1995), as punishments may trigger childrens anger, create tension and model unwanted, aggressive behaviors to them. Moreover, punishing for a bad behavior does not give children ideas what an appropriate behavior is. To prevent using punishments, one of the best ways is to set limits. Parents can set clear, realistic and positive goals with the children (Webster-Stratton, 2005). With limit setting, coercive process of aggression can be prevented, and childrens experience of reaching goals or keeping within the limits reinforces them, and enhances their social self-efficacy (Webser-Stratton Reid, 2007). According to the expectancy theory, when children recognize that parents have high but reasonable expectations on them, their self-confidence is enhanced and self-fulfilling prophecy predicts that they will try hard to act accordingly. To enhance childrens self-esteem, the support from parents is essential (Harter, 1993). According to Bandura (1977), ones self-efficacy can be improved by verbal persuasion. Parents should view their children in a positive way, accept their weakness and encourage them to think positively about themselves (Webster-Stratton, 2006). For elder kids, parents can try to involve them more in family meetings, limit settings, or any other activities can require collaborative decisions (Coopersmith, 1967), so that children have more opportunities to express themselves and they might feel confident as becoming a contributor in the family (Webster-Stratton, 2000). The ADVANCE parent training programme focuses on the parents interpersonal skills. It is found that parents who have poor communicate skills and anger management strategies are more likely to have children who suffer from conduct problem (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009b). This is due to the fact children can observe and may have modeled their parents behaviors (Webster-Stratton, 1996). In this training series, parents are empowered to act as a good role-model of their children. And by modeling, parents can foster social skills and desirable learning habits to them (Webster-Stratton, 2005). Teacher training The teacher training series focuses on skills and tactics to manage a large of children (Webster-Stratton et al., 2001), mainly by using reinforcement, managing misbehavior, fostering a warm and safe environment, building positive relationships, teaching social and problem-solving skills (Webster-Stratton, 2004). Although the target is different, the major concepts used in the teacher training are similar to that of the parent one (Webser-Stratton Reid, 2007). To promote positive behaviors, reward again is very important. Besides praising children specifically and enthusiastically, teachers, persons that are familiar with childrens learning progress, should praise children for their improvement instead of the scores they achieve. A consistent rewarding system can enhance childrens self-efficacy and social competence (Webser-Stratton Reid, 2007). Another special component of the teacher training series is the effort of teachers to collaborate with the childrens family (Webster-Stratton, 1999). It is desirable for teachers to visit their students family, so that they can better understand the students home environment and background, and thus to be more sensitive in catering the students special needs. It is equally valuable for parents to visit their childrens schools. Teachers in the Incredible Years programme are equipped with techniques to communicate and cooperate effectively with the parents (Webser-Stratton Reid, 2007). Children Training The children training series emphasizes enhancing childrens emotional literacy, social skills, conflict management and problem-solving skills (Webster-Stratton, 2004). Emotional literacy is the ability to recognize, understand, handle and appropriately express emotions (Sharp, 2001: 1). This is one of the most fundamental communication skills that children acquire in the Incredible Years student series. Children with conduct problems usually have worse emotional literacy and ability to identity and understand facial cues (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2003). The ability to convey emotional messages are closely linked to ones emotional and social health (Morrison and Matthews, 2006; Nyland, 1999). It was found that enriching emotional literacy can lead to a reduction and delinquency and aggression (Carnwell Baker, 2007); and children with higher emotional literacy have comparatively better social outcomes like having more friends (Hubbard Coie, 1994; Miller et al., 2005). Olson (1992) explained that for children who were not equipped with enough vocabularies to communicate their emotions, it was likely for them to use their bodies to express themselves. This is often quite undesirable, as for example, if the child was angry at the moment, and because he did not know how to verbalize it, he transformed his anger to physical responses and hit his classmates. Research evidence did show that the lack of emotional vocabulary and emotion understanding were correlated with aggressive behaviors (Bohnert, Crnic Lim, 2003) and ineffective conflict management (Heydenberk Heydenberk, 2005). After building up a list of emotional vocabularies and learning the usage of strategic communications skills like I messages (e.g. I want toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, I feelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, I hopeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, etc.), children displays significantly less anti-social behaviors (Heydenberk Heydenberk, 2007). It is easier for them to regulate their emotions (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2 009) Methods of Delivery In the Incredible Years Programme, most of the sessions involve group discussion and practice, while one-fourth of them are administered through videotape modelling (Webster-Stratton and Herbert, 1994). Group Discussion One of the goals of the Incredible Years is to provide a cost-effective intervention program. This is achieved through the use of group-based delivery (Webster-Stratton, 2000). There are around 12 to 14 participants per group, with one group leader to assist in administrative issues and encourage discussions. Besides the economical value, the group setting allows parents or teachers to share and normalizes their experiences (Webster-Stratton, 1981), to provide support for each other, and to facilitate modeling (Webster-Stratton, 2004). When parents or teachers know that there are so many other people that are encountering the same difficulties as they do, they feel more relieved and confident with their parenting or teaching skills. Video Modelling and live modeling Video Modelling is a cost-effective training method that has been extensively used in the programme (Brestan Eyberg, 1998). This method is based on Banduras (1989) theory of observational learning. It was proposed that participants would model the positive behaviors by observing the interactions shown in the videotapes (Webster-Stratton, 2005). The study done by Singer and Singer (1983) showed that children who watched a television programs that promote prosocial behaviors really exhibited significantly greater desirable behaviors upon watching. Parents are mainly shown about parent-child interactions at home during dinner, play, etc.; teachers are shown the teacher-child interactions in classroom during circle, work time and play, etc. (Webser-Stratton Reid, 2007). Some of scenes are positive, while some are negative, so the adults understand there is no perfect teaching or parenting (Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg van IJzendoorn, 2008a), and this may raise their self-efficacy. Seeing the adult-child relationships give them an idea how to increases childrens prosocial behaviors and reduces aggressive or aversive behaviors (Webster-Stratton, 2004). Previous research, in line with the hypothesis, indicated that children video which showed some positive peer interactions were effective in enhancing childrens politeness and friendliness and in decreasing childrens noncompliant and negative behaviors (Webster-Stratton, 1982). Unlike, one-to-one interventions, video modeling makes it possible to show different kinds of people interacting in different contexts, which creates greater generalization and participants may find it easier to apply the skills learnt in daily lives (Webster-Stratton, 2000). There are some important points to note when using modeling. First, video-makers have to ensure that the participants have affirmative feelings about the model, and they can identify with the model to some extent. One way to achieve this is to explicitly tell the participants that those models are not actors, but real parents like them. Secondly, the video must have scenes showing the model getting reward upon doing some favorable (Webster-Stratton, 1981). For example, the childrens cooperation is a kind of intangible reinforcement for the adults. Thirdly, group leaders should ensure that participants are paying attention, and not being disturbed by some external distracters. Lastly, there should be chance for the participants to practice the new skills and gain the reward as shown. In the Children Training Series, the leader and a puppet named Wally act as a live model (Webster-Stratton, 2000). The group leader uses the puppet to role-play and model a positive interpersonal interaction, so that children can learn the appropriate behaviors through vicarious experience (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009). Behavioral research (Homework and practice) Homework and exercises are given to participants to try out the newly learnt skills and to apply the knowledge to real life context (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2007; Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009). The role-playing exercises allow participants to understand the concepts and skill more thoroughly and clearly (Webster-Stratton, 2000). And through this, they know how it feels to use appropriate strategies in interactions. Experiences of success is very important for participants to be motivated in using such skills and real achievements can boost their self-esteem (Emler, 2001). Child-directed play Child-directed play is a useful tool in enhancing attachment and positive relationship between adults and children (Axline, 1969; Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009). This kind of play can also enhance childrens social competence and self-efficacy (Lee, 1990). There are a number of techniques that aid child-directed play. First, the adults should give minimal comments, not to judge or question during the play. Adults reinforce and encourage the childrens effort, concentration, creativity and all the other positive behaviors. This can help promoting the childrens perceived competence and self-worth (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009). Second, adults try to follow the childrens thoughts and allow children to have independent thinking (Webster-Stratton, 2006). There are six different child-directed play skills that can help teaching children academic and social skills, and building a positive adult-child relationship (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009). First, the adults use descriptive commenting to show that they are paying attention to the children, and at the same time, to teach children important vocabularies. The joint attention reinforces children to continue playing. Second, adults can use academic coaching to teach children academic skills like counting and names of objects. Third, when children are encountered with challenges in the play, adults try to promote persistence in playing (Schunk, 1981). As suggested by Bandura (1989), the longer one stays in the difficult problems, the stronger confidence one has about his abilities. Adults use persistence coaching to encourage children by commenting on their cognitive condition. Being praised and knowing oneself as persisting, children feel reinforced and contented. Fourth, emotion coachi ng can be used to teach children feeling words. The last two are one-on-one and peer social coaching that allow children to practice playing with children, so that they can model the interaction techniques and experience real success (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009). Conclusion The Incredible Years Series is a theoretical-based intervention programme that is found to be effective in treating or preventing childrens conduct problems in many previous research studies (e.g. Webster-Stratton, 1994; Webster-Stratton et al., 2001; Webster-Stratton Reid, 2009; Webster-Stratton, Reid Stoolmiller, 2008). A lot of developmental or educational psychologists from different countries have been trying to revise and adopt the programme to their culture, reflecting the effectiveness and popularity of the programme. All the three training modules (parents, teachers and children) place great emphasis in promoting childrens positive behaviors by reinforcement, reducing misbehaviors using sensible skills and learning effective social skills through observational learning. Overall, this is a well-planned intervention programme and it is hopeful that Incredible Years can really helping creating incredible lives for the next generation.