Investigate a possible relationship between self-esteem and levels of satisfaction in the undergraduate student population Essay Example

Investigate a possible relationship between self-esteem and levels of satisfaction in the undergraduate student population Essay The present research was carried out in order to investigate a possible relationship between self-esteem and levels of satisfaction in the undergraduate student population. The aim was to identify a possible correlation that may illustrate that people with high self-esteem are generally more satisfied than those with low self-esteem. The survey instrument used as the means to test the hypothesis was a self-complete questionnaire containing both closed and open questions. This was piloted and then administered to an opportunity sample of 21 first year undergraduates at West Suffolk College. The quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS computer package. The results reveal a correlation coefficient of r=.816 indicating a strong positive correlation, which was then statistically tested and shown to be significant at the 0.01 level. The qualitative data was analysed and found to support the quantitative data. The results and findings in both cases support the hypothesis and so it can therefore be concluded that there is a significant correlation between levels of self-esteem and levels of undergraduate satisfaction. This study is interested in self-esteem in relation to satisfaction in the undergraduate student population. It seeks to investigate how high or low self-esteem affects the way a person sees their world. The aim was to identify a possible correlation that may illustrate that people with high self-esteem are generally more satisfied than those with low self-esteem. Self-esteem is one of the most studied aspects of individual difference in personality. Humanist, psychodynamic, social psychological and cognitive theorists have emphasised the importance of self-esteem. The impact on the individual of having either high or low levels of self-esteem may not simply affect their life expectations but also impact at a societal level. There is a belief, supported by Baumeister (1999), that low self-esteem is responsible for a broad assortment of personal and social problems. There is a dearth of evidence that suggests that school programs aimed at raising childrens self-esteem produce a reduct ion in crime, delinquency, drug abuse and underachievement in school. (Baumeister 1999). We will write a custom essay sample on Investigate a possible relationship between self-esteem and levels of satisfaction in the undergraduate student population specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Investigate a possible relationship between self-esteem and levels of satisfaction in the undergraduate student population specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Investigate a possible relationship between self-esteem and levels of satisfaction in the undergraduate student population specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Curry and Johnson (1990) describe high self-esteem as a secure sense of identity and an ability to acknowledge and value ones own efforts and achievements. They stress a connection between high self-esteem, confidence, energy and optimism and argue that these traits have their roots in early years. Baumeister, Rice and Hutton (1989) discuss self-esteem in terms of motivational orientation, with high self-esteem giving a self-enhancing orientation. In other words a person considered to have high self esteem is more likely to seek to capitalise on their good traits and pursue successes even under risky conditions. On the other hand people with low self-esteem have a self-protecting orientation and avoid failures and set backs. (Baumeister 1999). The importance of understanding more about self-esteem in relation to education is clear. A suitable means of doing this is in the guise of a straightforward satisfaction questionnaire the process of which students are quite familiar with. With the focus of self esteem and student satisfaction in mind the following experimental hypothesis has been drawn up. Experimental Hypothesis There is a significant correlation between levels of self-esteem and levels of undergraduate satisfaction Null Hypothesis Any correlation between levels of self-esteem and levels of undergraduate satisfaction is due to chance factors. Method The survey instrument used in this study was a self-complete questionnaire, which was developed for the purpose of identifying levels of satisfaction and self esteem. The self esteem indicators were based on the Rosenberg (1965) self esteem scale (see appendix 5). The main reason for the use of a questionnaire as opposed to semi-structured interview or any other method was for practical reasons and speed. The questionnaire uses a mix of open and closed questions allowing for the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. One of the drawbacks of using this method is that it does not allow for probing, prompting or the collection of additional data. It is however quick to administer, relatively cheap and convenient for respondents. The questionnaire was broken into 3 short sections in an attempt to avoid respondent fatigue. The first section was made up of 3 qualitative questions, which were deliberately positioned at the start in order to capture the students comments while fresh. The second section was made up of a bank of quantitative questions with a 4 point Likart scale. These questions required the respondent to read a statement and then mark whether they strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement. The answers were coded and given a score, ranging from strongly agreed = 4 and strongly disagreed = 1. Finally section 3 called for demographic information and more general questions probing long term goals. (Bryman 2004). A pilot study was performed and the questionnaire re designed accordingly. The resulting questionnaire was then administered. The quantitative data was analysed in order to establish the correlation coefficient, the strength of the correlation, which was then statistically tested for significance. The qualitative data was analysed and findings compared to the quantitative data. An opportunity sample of 21 participants made up of 20 females and 1 male agreed to take part. The group consisted of first year students on degree programs within the West Suffolk College. Eleven of the participants were Humanities degree students and 10 were Behavioural Studies and the ages ranged from 19 41+. Standard forms (appendix 1-3) were produced in order to make replication of the survey possible. These included an information/consent form (appendix 1), a request for further information form (appendix 2) and a self-complete questionnaire (appendix 3). A group of 1st year undergraduate students were approached within designated lecture time and invited to take part in a student satisfaction survey. An ethically approved information/consent form was issued and the students were asked to read through and sign it to give their consent. An additional form was provided to collect the details of those who wanted further information on the survey or a copy of the research findings. The respondents were informed that the whole process would only take about 10 minutes and their responses would remain entirely confidential. The purpose of the survey was explained briefly although no mention was made with regard to the self-esteem aspect of the questions. Participants were also informed of their right to withdraw at any time and asked if they had any questions prior to proceeding. Results Descriptive statistics Table 1 PPT No Course Sex M/F Age Satisfaction Score Self-esteem score Positive word score Long term goal 1 B/S F 19-21 14 11 5 Degree then job 2 H F 32-41 16 16 2 teaching 3 B/S F 42+ 12 12 4 Ed Psych 4 H F 42+ 14 14 4 Gain degree 5 B/S F 19-21 12 10 0 Get a job 6 H F 22-31 13 12 4 teaching 7 H F 22-31 14 13 3 No long term goal 8 B/S F 22-31 11 9 2 Not sure if I will even complete course 9 B/S F 42+ 13 13 5 Open minded 10 B/S F 22-31 13 10 1 unsure 11 B/S F 22-31 16 15 5 MA Psych 12 B/S F 42+ 15 16 5 Teaching primary 13 B/S F 32-41 12 12 3 Ed Psych 14 H F 32-41 15 14 3 Achieve best grade 15 H F 42+ 11 11 4 Teach primary 16 H M 42+ 13 13 2 Teach 17 H F 22-31 16 15 3 1st Class Hons 18 H F 32-41 12 12 4 Teaching 19 H F 19-21 13 14 3 teaching 20 B/S F 32-41 14 12 5 Rewarding career/independance 21 H F 22-31 12 10 2 Teach Not sure if good enough Total 281 264 Mean 13 13 St Dev 1.6 2 Table 1 lists the program of study, age group and gender of the 21 respondents. It also lists the total scores for satisfaction and self-esteem taken from the quantitative part of the questionnaire together with the mean and standard deviations. The table also includes the individual respondents positive word scores, which were derived from the qualitative data collected. The final column details the respondents long-term goal, which was part of the demographic section of the questionnaire and shows that 8 out of the 21 respondents aim to go into teaching, 3 respondents hoped their degree would lead onto a job but did not specify the type of job. 3 respondents said they would like to undertake a Masters degree and/or go into Educational Psychology. 3 respondents reported that gaining a degree was their long term goal, 1 of whom is aiming for a first class honours degree. The 4 remaining respondents said they were unsure, open-minded or had no long-term goal. Generally satisfaction sc ores tended to be high with a mean score of 13 (the lowest possible score being 4 and the highest 16). Deviation from the mean was minor with a standard deviation of 1.6 for satisfaction and 2 for self-esteem. SPSS was used to calculate the correlation, which is illustrated in the scatter gram in appendix 4. Correlation measures the extent to which the self esteem and satisfaction scores tend to change together or co-vary. Appendix 4 illustrates the strong positive correlation found with the self esteem and satisfaction scores. Regression analysis estimates the best fit of the line through the scatter of related pairs. SPSS generated descriptives showing the scores, mean and standard deviations for both self esteem and satisfaction broken down into age groups can be seen in appendix 17. Fig. 1 Breakdown of Scores by Age Fig 1 Compares the means scores for self-esteem and satisfaction and breaks them down into the separate age groups. See appendix 16 for SPSS generated age, score summary. Self-esteem scores vary from mid to high. The greatest difference in scores can be seen in the 22-31 age group. The scores were also analysed in terms of the program of study in order to see if there was any difference between the responses of the behavioural studies and humanities students (see appendix 7) in which case little difference was found. Inferential statistics In order to determine any significance in the correlation, Pearsons Product Moment parametric test was applied. This test was selected, as it is the most appropriate for use with the interval data generated by the self-esteem and satisfaction scales used in this study. SPSS was used to calculate the level of significance. (See appendix 6) The results displayed in table 2 below, show the correlation to be significant at the 0.01 level thereby confirming that the null hypothesis may be rejected. (Coolican, 1999). Table 2 Sample size (N) Correlation coefficient (r) Hypothesis Significance 21 .816 2 tailed 0.01 Analysis The qualitative data discussed below has been taken from the responses to three questions. In the first, respondents were asked to list 5 words, which they felt best describe the person they are. See appendix 8. The words were then analysed and common themes drawn out. Appendix 9 is a table showing the chosen words in order of most frequently used. The words were broken down into the following categories, positive, negative and neutral, low self-esteem and high self-esteem. Appendix 10 includes a bar chart showing the resulting breakdown. Of the 105 words in total used by the 21 respondents, 51 words were classified as positive and only 4 were classified as negative. The two pie charts in appendix 10, illustrate the breakdown of high self-esteem and low self esteem words used. These findings clearly reflect a high level of positive self-description by respondents and a very low negative self-description. Friendly, confident and content were the most frequently used high self-esteem w ords and self-conscious was the most frequently used low self-esteem word. The comparison between the number of high and low self-esteem words in the bar chart (appendix 11) serves to further illustrate the strength of self-esteem in the respondents. The second question focused on the best and worst things about college. Transcripts of the respondents comments can be seen in appendix 12. Common themes were drawn from the transcript and detailed in the table shown in appendix 13. It was observed that the number of positive comments, which totalled 40, far outweighed the negative comments which totalled 25, thus further supporting the view that students are generally satisfied with their college experience. Two bar charts were created to illustrate the findings. See appendix 14. Finally, the third question was-What do you hope to have achieved on completion of the course? Transcripts may be seen in appendix 15. Respondents comments fell into 2 main categories, that of achievement of the degree course and secondly that of self-fulfilment. Further analysis is required in order to identify any possible meaning behind this. In reviewing the qualitative data sets and comparing them with the individual scores for satisfaction and self-esteem a common theme is revealed. The 4 respondents with the highest scores for self-esteem and satisfaction, (respondents nos. 2,11,12 and 17 highlighted in yellow on table 1), tended to have more specific and ambitious long-term goals. For example, respondent 11s long-term goal is to go on to achieve a Masters in Psychology and respondent 17s goal is to gain a first class honours degree. In contrast the 4 respondents with the lowest scores (nos. 5, 8, 10 and 21 highlighted in green) had much less ambitious and specific long term goals. Respondent 8 who scored the lowest out of all the respondents for self-esteem replied not sure if I will even complete the course. From this it is possible to argue that those with higher esteem tend to be more ambitious and more specific in their goals. This would concur with the findings of Baumeister, Rice and Hutton (1989) in regard to motivational orientation. Discussion The intention of this research was to address the hypothesis that there is a significant correlation between levels of self-esteem and levels of undergraduate satisfaction. Statistical testing has demonstrated a significant correlation between these two variables and this has been further supported by the more descriptive data provided by each respondent. The strengths and weaknesses of the method, sample and application will now be reviewed. The method of accessing the sample was efficient in terms of response rate. The aim was to obtain 20 completed questionnaires. 25 questionnaires were issued thus allowing for up to 5 spoiled or withdrawn question sheets. 21 completed questionnaires were returned along with their corresponding information/consent forms correctly signed. The high rate of respondents may have been affected by an element of conformity pressure. The lecture theatre location and timing were conducive to the high response rate and the fact that the lecturer introduced the researcher and clearly gave her approval further encouraged co-operation. It also meant that all the respondents were subject to the same external conditions. Despite the possible pressure to take part, the respondents may have felt uneasy about writing their answers in the close proximity of their classmates; this could alter the responses given and t hus the reliability of the study. By capturing an audience in this opportunist way, one inevitably ends up with an unrepresentative sample. In this case a group of students from a limited no of courses namely Humanities and Behavioural Studies Degree programmes. They were all first years and all but one, female. These imbalances are bound to bias the results. The program of study a particular student may be studying is likely to have an effect, however little difference in responses could be identified between the Humanities and Behavioural Studies students. It would however be dangerous to assume that this would be the case across all undergraduate subjects. It can argued that Humanities and Behavioural studies subject may attract similar types of students and the views or experiences of an undergraduate engineering group for example, may vary considerably. The focus of the study is concerned very much with general overall satisfaction with college experience. It has deliberately steered away from specifics such as satisfaction with individual modules, methods of delivery and course content. The open ended questions have however highlighted a host of factors affecting satisfaction which have not been fully analysed in this case. The findings have simply been used to indicate general levels of satisfaction. The self esteem aspect of the study has revealed that in this research sample levels of self-esteem scores range from mid to high with no scores indicating low self-esteem. A possible explanation for this may be that few people with low self-esteem would even consider attempting a degree course in the first place. Further investigation may shed more light on this possibility. It has proved useful to have a mix of data in order to gain a more balanced view. There was a tendency for some respondents to tick the same response column to all quantitative questions. This happened in 4 cases. This could mean that the respondent felt that the same answer applied to all questions or they were just arbitrarily ticking the same box with little thought. Bryman (2001) describes this as acquiescence, the tendency for people to consistently agree or disagree. One way to identify if the respondents are really reading the questions and answering accordingly is to include the odd reversed score question. The option to split the order of questions to avoid possible order affects was considered, should the study be taken further this may well be worth consideration. A minor level of deceit was employed in that respondents were not informed about the self-esteem aspect to the study. This was considered to be of minimal ethical consideration and acceptable in order to prevent any affects resulting from the participants knowing that their self-esteem was the subject of the study. This study also notes that 13 respondents completed the further information form requesting a copy of this report. Conclusion and Implications This study has established a relationship between satisfaction and self esteem in that those with higher self-esteem have reported greater satisfaction with their college experience compared to those with lower self-esteem. This has been demonstrated through a significant, strong, positive correlation of the variables supported by qualitative data. It must however be noted that the correlation of these factors does not imply cause and effect. In other words it can not be concluded that one has an effect upon the other. It is also impossible to state with any authority that those with higher self-esteem tend to be more satisfied with their college experience across education as a whole. The sample in this study is too narrow to make that assumption. The possibility that college life only appeals to those with higher self-esteem can not be ignored either. It may be the case that Higher education may not attract those with low self-esteem. It has been established through the literature that self-esteem is a useful trait to possess. Baumeister (1999) suggests that raising self-esteem could bring about dramatic improvements to both the individual and society as a whole. Inclusion and lifelong learning are driving forces throughout education today. Watson and Taylor (1998). Perhaps by attempting raise levels of self esteem from an early age access to higher education may be increased.

Describe One Non-academic Activity During Your High School Years That

Describe One Non-academic Activity During Your High School Years That Describe One Non My Break Dance Story A breathtaking ‘windmills’ performance by a break dancer during the ‘Putting on the Hitz’ show, held during my sophomore year in high school, inspired me to learn this unique but difficult art form. My school didn’t have a break dance club, so I turned to Internet and online community to collect information, opinion, and videos for help. Since ‘windmills’ requires skill strength and stamina and synchronization of body movements to the beats of music, my initial attempts were clumsy and robotic. Nevertheless taking injury, error, ridicule, and trials in my stride, I kept up hard practice. Within a few months, my ‘windmills’ were strong and impressive. Time came full circle and in 2007, I performed in the same show that had inspired me to take up break dancing. Braving stage fear, I gave both a group and solo performance. Months of hard work paid off as my performance was greeted with cheers and applause. M embers of the audience showered me with greetings and praises after the performance. Our group was adjudged second. The adulation instilled in me the passion to carry on break dancing. A year later, I played an instrumental role in founding the Wootton High School break dancing club. I, along with my team members, took up the responsibilities of organizing the club besides training its thirty members. The training sessions made me reflect upon my evolution from an amateur to an expert. Break dancing, a source of drive, passion and purpose, will always be part and parcel of my life.

The Secret Six, the Men Who Financed John Browns Raid

The Secret Six, the Men Who Financed John Browns Raid The Secret Six was a loosely affiliated group which provided financial backing to John Brown before his raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry in 1859. Money obtained from the northeastern abolitionists of the Secret Six made the raid possible, as it enabled Brown to travel to Maryland, rent a farm to use as a hideout and staging area, and procure weapons for his men. When the raid on Harpers Ferry failed and Brown was captured by federal troops, a carpet bag containing documents was seized. Inside the bag were letters establishing the network behind his actions. Fearing prosecution for conspiracy and treason, some members of the Secret Six fled the United States for a brief period. None of them were ever prosecuted for their involvement with Brown. Members of the Secret Six Gerrit Smith: Born into a wealthy family in upstate New York, Smith was a vigorous supporter of various reform causes, including the American abolition movement.Thomas Wentworth Higginson: A minister and author, Higginson would go on to serve in the Civil War, commanding a regiment of black troops, and would write a classic memoir based on the experience.Theodore Parker: A minister and prominent public speaker on reform topics, Parker had been educated at Harvard and was affiliated with the Transcendentalist movement.Samuel Gridley Howe: A medical doctor and advocate for the blind, Howe was active in the abolition movement. His wife, Julia Ward Howe, would become famous for writing The Battle Hymn of the Republic.Franklin Benjamin Sanborn: A Harvard graduate, Sanborn was connected to the Transcendentalist movement and became involved in anti-slavery politics in the 1850s.George Luther Stearns: A self-made businessman, Stearns was a manufacturer and was able to financially support var ious causes, including the abolitionist cause. Actions of the Secret Six Before John Brown's Raid All the members of the Secret Six were involved in various ways with the Underground Railroad and the abolition movement. A common thread in their lives was that, like many other northerners, they believed the Fugitive Slave Law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850 had made them morally complicit in slavery. Some of the men were active in what was called vigilance committees, which helped protect and hide fugitive slaves who otherwise could have been arrested and taken back to slavery in the South. Discussions in abolitionist circles often seemed to focus on theoretical ideas which would never be implemented, such as plans to have New England states secede from the Union. But when New England activists met up with John Brown in 1857, his account of what he had done to prevent the spread of slavery in what was called Bleeding Kansas made a convincing case that tangible actions had to be taken to end slavery. And those actions could include violence. It is possible that some members of the Secret Six had dealings with Brown going back to when he was active in Kansas. And whatever his history with the men, he found an attentive audience when he began talking about a new plan he had to launch an attack in hopes of bringing an end to slavery. The men of the Secret Six raised money for Brown and contributed funds of their own, and the influx of cash made it possible for Brown to see his plan into reality. The vast slave uprising which Brown hoped to spark never materialized and his raid on Harper Ferry in October 1859 turned into a fiasco. Brown was arrested and put on trial, and as he had never destroyed documents which could implicate his financial backers, the extent of his support quickly became widely known. The Public Furor John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry was, of course, highly controversial, and generated enormous attention in the newspapers. And the fallout over the involvement of New Englanders was also a topic of considerable discussion. Stories circulating naming various members of the Secret Six, and it was alleged that a widespread conspiracy to commit treason went far beyond the small group. Senators known to be opposed to slavery, including William Seward of New York and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts were falsely accused of having been involved in Browns plot. Of the six men implicated, three of them, Sanborn, Howe, and Stearns, fled to Canada for a time. Parker was already in Europe. Gerrit Smith, claiming to suffer a nervous breakdown, admitted himself to a sanitarium in New York State. Higginson remained in Boston, defying the government to arrest him. The idea that Brown did not act alone inflamed the South, and a senator from Virginia, James Mason, convened a committee to investigate Browns financial backers. Two of the Secret Six, Howe and Stearns, testified that they had met Brown but had nothing to do with his plans. The general story among the men is that they did not fully comprehend what Brown was up to. There was considerable confusion about what the men did know, and none of them was ever prosecuted for involvement in Browns plot. And when the slave states began seceding from the Union a year later, any appetite for prosecuting the men faded.

Ethics for toy industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethics for toy industry - Essay Example wever, attractive and large though the business is, there are certain concerns associated with the safety standards used in the manufacture of toys and the health implications for their children. There is added concern for this as today the toys’ manufacturing units are located in far off offshore places with varying manufacturing standards (Becker, 2008). These concerns are based on several researches that have found toxic and harmful substances in popular toys. More recently, an environmental research group has found that in a sample of 15,000 toys taken from various toy stores across the US, 1 in 3 contained large amounts of lead, flame retardants and arsenic (Clifford, 2008). These toys were manufactured in the US, China and other parts of the world and freely available in the US, a fact that indicates that either there is lack of adequate legislation or that there is inadequate monitoring of the standards. There may be a lack of legislation that targets specific harmful s ubstances due to inadequate research or due to low public awareness about the harmful impacts of certain substances. For example, it is only recently that research and public opinion against the use of phthalates in toys has led to the development of laws covering this chemical. However, even in the case that there are not adequate legislation or enough public awareness, the continued use of substances like phthalates and lead cannot be justified by the toy manufacturers on an ethical ground.

Which Research Design I Can Use in My Profession Paper

Which Design I Can Use in My Profession - Research Paper Example Currently, scholars are using the design to measure student s’ performance based on other learning disabilities and language level of understanding (Hattie, 2012). This design is mainly used by educationists in matters of education disparities among people within a given community. One significant factor to put into consideration when describing gaps in education is the level education benchmarks. As stated in the Education Week, several communities have not been able to solve these gaps in education brought because of race of economic status, racial discrimination, teacher’s professional competence, and learners’ intellectual backgrounds (Hattie, 2012). This disparity has been found to exist between children in early childhood schools, secondary schools, and even in the eighth grade in middle schools (Clotfelter, Helen and Jacob, 2009). Some of the recommendations made to reduce the achievement gap between students include reduced class sizes, developing small learning environments that teachers can easily handle, developing comprehensive early childhood programs, taking teachers for in service training and raising academic standards for all students (Johnson, 2002). All these recommendations can only be achieved through use of information obtained using the achievement gap design. It is important to look at information obtained in terms of evaluating studies from the academic literature that can be used to bridge the gap (Hattie, 2012). This is important because it produces information obtained from comprehensive research conducted by education experts. Schools can also use the information obtained to solve problems that generate the achievement gaps within the schools. Finally, the information obtained can be used to evaluate students’ performance. It is through the information that teachers can know how t o handle students in the classroom (Hattie, 2012). This

Meaning of life - United Kingdom Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life United Kingdom Essay 1. How does Pontiac understand the meaning of freedom? In his notion freedom meant getting rid of the English who had conquered the French and had gained more control over the Indians lands than ever. He believed they had to fight the English and pushed them out of their ancestors lands. As he said â€Å"Although you have conquered the French, you have not yet conquered us! We are not your slaves. These lake, these woods and mountains, were left to us by our ancestors. They are our inheritance; and we will part with them to none. 2. What elements of Indian life does Neolin criticize most strongly? He criticized Pontiac for using European technology, doing fur trade with the Whites, using their cloths and consuming alcohol instead of fighting against the English which he called them â€Å"the dogs who dressed red† and surrendering himself to them. He argued that he (Pontiac) should clothe himself in skins and use the bows and arrows and his tradition to fight back against their enemies. 3. How does this document relate to and inform the related part of the Chapter in the main text? This document discusses on how Pontiac started his journey to meet with Delaware religious prophet Neolin and on how Neolin guided Pontiac on how he should fight back in opposed to the English by getting back to his tradition that he inherited from his ancestors. 4. What impact did the primary source had on your understanding and beliefs? It was very interesting to see how much Indians cared about spiritual beliefs and how strong their viewpoint were when it comes to their traditional faith. Even though, the English had believed they were faithless and savages, but the truth was they were full of spiritual thoughts.

LVMH?s Diversification :: essays research papers

LVMH’s Diversification Strategy into Luxury Goods The problem After the case and readings the problems of LVMH there are several problems such as the declining demand for luxury goods because it is linked to political events, situation and social trends. (After the attacks of 9/11 an impact on luxury goods has dropped and had automatically an impact on LVMH sales) Secondly luxury products are easy to counterfeit, some countries such as china, turkey, and other still have to improve their IPR policies And finally LVMH diversification strategy (Bernard Arnault) is making acquisitions outside the company’s sector. In sector where they don’t have the â€Å"know-how† and don’t match the company Image. The current CEO (Arnault Bernard) is also the major shareholder which makes him easier to make decisions on new acquisitions The swot analysis Strength: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Name recognition which makes them the largest product marketplace †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Their experience during the time †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leading position †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quality provider †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Distribution †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Public Relation Weaknesses †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Their Diversification †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Conflict of interest (fashion vs. wine and spirits) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Forward and backward integration †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luxury goods are easy to imitate. (Perfumes, Louis Vuitton bags†¦) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finance problems: net sales decreased by nearly 6% in 2003 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Declining shares Opportunities †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Merger and acquisition †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consumer trends †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Current increase in wealth †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emerging market †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Improvement of way of selling their large product line (distribution channels) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Expansion to other markets Threats †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Change in consumer taste †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economic recession †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Competitor in smaller markets †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Counterfeit Recommendation Focus on core business To expand the current existing brands geographically. Alliances with new creators Gain access to distribution channels as a different proposition Sell the acquisition which don’t fit the company image Implementation Choose several countries to enter that is suitable for the luxury market and in order to develop the strategy of the company

World’s tallest building

On 4th of January,2010, Dubai, where there was merely wind-blown litter a coevals ago, witnessed the gap ceremonial of the universe ‘s tallest edifice, † Burj Khalifa † . A superb work of art with hard structural jobs took 1,325 yearss to completion since the start of the digging work in January,2004. â€Å" Burj Khalifa † has returned the name of the â€Å" World ‘s Tallest Structure † back to the Middle-Eastern constructions where the Great Pyramid of Giza claimed that award for 1000000s of old ages before the building of Lincoln Cathedral in England in 1311. It is astonishing to cognize that the triple-lobed pes print is inspired from the desert flower â€Å" Hymenocallis † which is common in Dubai. Bing located in Dubai, UAE, the tower was influenced by Islamic and middle-eastern architecture.This influence resulted in the tri-axial geometry of Burj Khalifa. The tower consists of three wings arranged around the a cardinal nucleus in the form of Y.As the tower rises from the level desert land, reverses occur through the 26 coiling degrees diminishing the cross-section of the tower as it spirals skywards. The Y-shape program is ideal for residential and hotel use maximising outwards position and inward natural light.Plus, it allows maximal position of the Arabic Gulf. As a super-tall construction, there were many hard structural problems.To guarantee safety and effectivity of the selected design, a theoretical account of the edifice was subjected to extended equal plan. Interior designers used the â€Å" buttressed nucleus † in â€Å" Burj Khalifa † consisting of a hexangular hub buttressed by three wings poising each other organizing the Y-shape. Not merely poising each other but moving as a tripod base which is more stable than a four-cornered base. The corridor walls of the wings widening from the cardinal nucleus to the terminal of each air current terminate in a thickened cock caput walls. The chief intent of the Y-shape is to cut down the air current effects every bit good as maintaining the construction simple, safe and surrogate constructability. The consequence is a stiff tower that can back up itself laterally and overcomes writhing. Reverses in each grade occur in a coiling stepping form up the edifice. These reverses confuse the air current as the air current whirls ne'er get organized because at each tier the edifice has different form. The hexangular nucleus provides the indispensable torsional opposition like a closed tubing.The flying walls and hammer caput walls behave as webs and rims of a beam defying air current shears and minutes. Specific strength of concrete walls ranges from C60 to C80 regular hexahedron strength utilizing Portland cement and fly ash. The C80 concrete used in the lower part of the edifice has a specified Young ‘s Elastic Modulus ( E ) of 43,800 N/mm2 after 90 yearss. Wall and column sizes were determined utilizing Virtual work/LaGrange multiplier methodological analysis which consequences in really efficient construction. Wall thickness and column sizes are adjusted to cut down the consequence of concrete weirdo and shrinking. To cut down the consequence of differential column shortening between margin columns and interior walls, the size of margin columns were adjusted such that the self-weight gravitation emphasis moving on it is equal to that emphasis on the interior walls. As shrinking in concrete occurs faster in dilutant elements, the margin columns had the same thickness of interior corridor walls ( 600 millimeter ) to guarantee that both columns and walls will shorten by the same rate due to concrete shrinking. That super-structure had foundations dwelling of a strengthened concrete raft of thickness 3.7 metres supported by 194 hemorrhoids. Pouring the raft was divided into four separate pours. Self consolidated concrete ( SCC ) of C50 regular hexahedron strength was used. Each heap is 1.5 metres diameter ; 43 metre long buried more than 50 metres deep. Hemorrhoids were designed to back up 3,000 dozenss each and while burden trials, they supported over 6,000 dozenss. Unfortunately, the tower ‘s infrastructure is constructed in a groundwater holding chloride and sulphate concentrations higher than those in sea H2O! Having these aggressive conditions, a rigorous plan of steps was required to guarantee the lastingness of the foundations.Measures applied specialised waterproof screens, increasing concrete thickness, add-on of corrosion inhibitors to the concrete mix and a cathodic protection system utilizing Ti mesh. To acquire higher strength and lower permeable concrete screen to the steel bars, a controlled permeableness formwork was used. Besides, a particular concrete mix was designed to defy the onslaught from the groundwater. The concrete mix for hemorrhoids holding 25 % fly ash,7 % silicon oxide smoke and a H2O to cement ratio of 0.32, was designed to be to the full self consolidating concrete holding slack of 675 ±75 millimeters to avoid defects during building. For that unprecedented tallness of the edifice, it was indispensable to calculate air current forces and ensuing gestures in the upper degrees as they became dominant factors in the structural design. Wind tunnel trials were undertaken under the way of Rowan Williams Davies and Irwin Inc ‘ . The air current tunnel plan included rigid-model force balance trial, a full multi-degree of freedom aeroelastic theoretical account surveies, measurings of localised force per unit areas, prosaic air current environment surveies and climatic surveies. Models used was of scale 1:500. The air current tunnel informations was so combined with the dynamic belongings of the tower to acquire the full tower ‘s dynamic response to weave and the overall effectual air current force distributions. The tower has six of import air current waies. The chief three wind waies are when the air current is blowing into the olfactory organ of each of the three wings. The other three waies when the air current is blowing between the wings. The orientation and reverses of the tower were selected comparative to the most frequent strong air current way for Dubai. A several unit of ammunition of air current tunnel trials were undertaken during the building of the tower. After each unit of ammunition of trials, the geometry of the tower every bit good as the figure and spacing of reverses changed to minimise the consequence of the air current forces on the tower by confounding the air current. As the design reached its terminal, a more accurate aeroelastic theoretical account was made. The aeroelastic theoretical account is every bit elastic as the edifice. The consequences of proving the aeroelastic theoretical account showed that the predicted tower ‘s gesture was within the ISO criterion recommended values without the demand of any subsidiary damping. At the tallest point of the tower, it sways a sum of 1.5 metres. Particular concrete mix design holding compressive strength of 10 MPa at 10 hours for the perpendicular elements to allow the continuity of building rhythm and a design strength/modulus of 80 MPa/44GPa. The concrete trials indicated that the compressive strength of used concrete used was much higher than the needed 1. One of the most hard issues in concrete design is to guarantee pumpability of concrete to make universe record highs particularly in high summer temperatures. Four basic separate mixes were developed to enable decreased force per unit area pumpability when the edifice gets higher. A horizontal pumping test was conducted in February 2005 holding the same force per unit area losingss equivalent to height of 600 metres to find the pumpability of these mixes.The concrete mix used contained 13 % fly ash and 10 % silica smoke with maximal aggregative size of 20 millimeter. The mix is virtually self consolidating concrete holding slack of 600 millimeter and used for pumping force per unit area transcending 200 bars. After the degree 127, a less strength concrete is required ( 60 MPa compressive strength ) holding maximal aggregative size of 10 millimeter. High quality control was required to guarantee pumpability to the highest concrete floor sing the terrible conditions of conditions which vary from a really cool winter to a really hot summer with temperature transcending 50 & A ; deg ; degree Celsiuss. Pumping concrete was executed utilizing Putzmeister pumps which are capable to pump concrete up to 350 bars through high force per unit area 150 mm grapevine. To change over the dream of Burj Khalifa to world, the latest promotions in building techniques and material engineering were used. The walls ‘ signifiers were made utilizing Doka ‘s SKE 100 automatic self-climbing formwork system. Steel signifiers were used in the round olfactory organ. Columns and the floor slabs are poured on MevaDec formwork. The building sequence for the construction began with the cardinal nucleus and slabs being cast in the three subdivisions, followed by the wings walls and slabs and so the nose columns and slabs. To guarantee the verticalness of the construction, a particular GPS monitoring system was developed to supervise the verticalness of the edifice as it gets higher. This was due to the limited convential appraising techniques in the site. When completed, Burj Khalifa has become the universe ‘s tallest construction. Bing a brilliant accomplishment in utilizing the latest engineerings and stuffs, able to incorporate the architectural design construct with the structural design, Burj Khalifa will ever be a particular instance to analyze. N.B: Highlighted sentences are from ( Engineering the World ‘s Tallest – Burj Dubai )

Who Am I as a Learner

SECTION  ± A1. Who am I as a Learner? I am passionate to learn new things in an interesting way. I am a quick learner of theories andconcepts if it is delivered through visuals and demonstrations. I would prefer to learn in a practical way rather than reading books, articles and journals. However, I am a good survivor in nature. S o, if in case I would have to learn through books and articles I could do thateffectively. I believe in learning through a mix of theory and practice. S ometimes I may get bored if I am only into theories and not in practice. I am interested in learning complexthings, simple things may make me bored.I believe in learning through group discussion, as Icould share the knowledge easily and in a communal way. I am very analytical and creativein nature. I feel writing is a good learning practice. W riting refines the learned materials. My strengths in learning are, I am always eager to solve difficult problems and learnsomething new from those problems. I feel making assignments is a better practice rather than exams. However, I am good in tackling exams as well. W hen I do assignments, Iexperience a lot of questions rising and it makes me interesting to find answers for thosequestions.I would prefer to find the answers through a podcast or a video file rather than books. I like to read learn through visuals. I am good in relating things, when I learn anyfundamentals I could use it properly in a difficult situation. I am always eager to knowsomething new and interested in keeping me updated in the area where I ¶m interested in. Icould quickly understand when someone explains about hard theories. I always try to learnsomething from people I meet. My weak points are, sometime I may get bored in reading books, articles and journals. However, some articles are interested in reading but not all.S ometimes I cannot concentrateon things which I am not interested in. But, if I am forced to do that I will probably makemyself concentrating in to that. S ometimes, I don ¶t understand difficult concepts by reading books; I may need lectures or visual explanations. V ARK learning style test: Multimodal study strategy A ccording to VA RK results I am into multimodal study strategy, VA RK result says that,? Multimodal study strategy people have 3 to 4 mode of preferences, in which they use theone according to the people around them. They could easily match or align their mode to the thers around them.But if they want to annoy other people then they could stand in adifferent mode and make others do in an alternate way?. W hen I am looking into the VA RK report, it exactly resembles my mode of learning. I have 4modes of learning one is V isual, Oral, Reading and W riting. However, I would prefer to usevisual mode most of the time. But if the circumstance made me to use another mode I wouldreadily adopt other mode without wasting the time. VA RK says that people who havemultimodal preferences have told that it is often essential for them to use more than onestrategy to learn better and communicate better.People with multi modal strategy feelinsecure if they have only one mode of learning. Mental muscle test Briggs type Indicator states about my personality type as ENFJ that is I am a kind of personwho always seek to build up and encourage growth in my friends and family. I may have aintellect potential about them that may broaden away from how they see themselves. I alsotry to find out the potential within relationships or the team. But, I never push the people sohard that ends up creating conflicts, because maintaining the harmony is very important for me.I agree with the Briggs type indicators report. I always believe in relationships andfriendships that make everything easy. I never try to get into any conflict that spoils therelationship as relationship is more important for me. It also states that my dominant functionis feelings and very extraverted, I don ¶t agree with the above statement completel y. S ometimes I may be feelings oriented person but sometimes I am just material minded. Itdepends upon the situation where I am in. If I am working in a company I won ¶t be feelingoriented, rather I will be a professional. Leadership style MM DI report says that I am primarily a participative leader. S uch leaders accomplish through people, through collective involvement, through teamwork in the tasks. This kind of leadership involves constructing communal ownership and promise within the group. Theseleaders create people feel valuable as an essential part of the team so, everyone accomplishesthe goals through relationships and teamwork. I agree with the above statement as I always been a part of the team and I am good in motivating people towards the goal of the companyas a colleague. I believe I can be a good leader in future.It also shows that the chance for meto grow in ministry is higher than the senior position. The personality radar shows that my preferences match more lik ely towards the area of Organization, action, information, innovation, change and values kind of jobs. Even Theanalysis position is a more like to be my best area of preference and it matches my profile. Roles that suite my personal nature Belbin ¶s Report states that in a role of a plant I am creative, unorthodox, and imaginative andsolves difficult problem. A s discuses in the previous areas I am creative and imaginative innature.I could solve difficult problems. However, I have some weakness which I allowable but I need to improve it that is ignoring incidentals. It states that I am very much pre-occupied with my own beliefs to communicate easily. That ¶s correct, whenever I want todiscuss something important I won ¶t act pre-occupied. However, in normal cases, I amalways pre-occupied. This is a barrier for me to learn something from people whom I am notmuch interested in. In the role of resource investigator I am extrovert, communicative, enthusiastic and developgood conta ct.But I am a bit more positive, and I lose interest on a particular thing once theinitial enthusiasm has passed. A fter that I need something new. S o, I would prefer to go for avery dynamic job that keeps me enthusiastic always. A s a coordinator I behave morematured, confident, I do clarify goals, and take other people jointly to encourage teamdiscussions. I am a thoughtful and analytical person. It offers me a extraordinary advantage inthe position of an adviser. It helps me advice to others or as evaluator of outside assets.Iwould anticipate being well aware about things that happening and I would like to work in aclear picture. But not so greatly to the particular technological capability as to my wideinterest in all that is happening. W hen it comes to operating at a less senior level or in dealing with everyday issues I mayfind it more difficult to achieve job satisfaction. The work may not be mentally stimulatingenough. A nother danger is that I may find myself operating in too confined a space thatdenies me the chance to prove myself. I could find myself criticised for not doing enough ona practical front.That will depend partly on the expectations of the person to whom I report. Much depends on whether I am in a job that is cast with suitably broad terms of reference. If not, I will need to take action to change the frontiers of my job or even to seek a moresuitable position My ultimate functioning role is an examiner. In professional terms, it gets close to a role of detective. My questioning mind can be strength for improvement. S o, any job I may prefer, Iwant to be a energy for getting better what exist there. 2. Implication of career choice I have chosen my career in travel and tourism industry. A it is an interesting field and myfamily background is in the same industry itself. I have a vision to grow up in the ladder toreach an executive position. I am planning to enhance my leadership skills, managing skillsand personal abilities to become a chief executive of a multinational company in travel andtourism industry. S o, based on that plan I have chosen my graduation in travel and tourism. Ialready have work experience in the same industry. W hile I was working in my previouscompany I felt that I am lacking of some managerial personality. S o I decided to learn thosemanagerial tactics through this course.I have chosen travel and tourism as my key subject asthis degree is going to help me in the future career development. Life-long learning plan In have a mixed set of learning plan in the future. First of all I am planning to learn some of the major international languages such as S panish, Italian, Chinese and German. A s traveland tourism has world wide scope and learning international languages may enrich my C V and increase my job opportunities in this field. I would like to learn about various culturesand behaviour of different people from different backgrounds.That may enable me tounderstand various people in the wo rk place as well as in personal life. A fter completing my graduation I am planning to work for 2 years to gain more experience in package tours. Then I am planning to do masters in travel and tourism that may enhance mycareer opportunity in a senior level. The mix of practical experience and academics willenrich my knowledge in the travel and tourism sector. I am also planning to do some researchin people behaviour and tourism to gain more in-depth knowledge about the field. Transferable skillsI am going to take the academic theories and concepts that I have studies in this course into practice. A ccording to Honey and Mumford (1992) report I am a pragmatist ¶s person who isalways keen on trying out ideas, techniques and theories to see if they work in practice. I can positively search ideas and I could take the initiative to experiment with applications. People like me are enthusiastic management students brimming with new ideas to implement and seethe effects in practice. I lik e to take practical decisions and solving problems. I really think that there is always a better way and if it works then its good.S o, I could promise that I will take the theories and concepts to the real world and experimentit to identify the effectiveness of the concepts. S pecifically in the strategic planning subject Igained the confidence that I could evaluate a company ¶s strategy and I could develop newstrategic choices that the company could pursue in future. I learnt to use appropriate toolswherever required. S o, I can say that I will use these managerial tactics in real business. Career choice Travel and Tourism is my passion and I would like to choose my career path in the sameindustry.I have previous experience in this industry and I feel I really enjoy the job. I justneed to polish my skills and abilities in making strategic decisions and day to daymanagement activities. I feel this course helped me a lot in gaining knowledge about themanagerial aspects and decisio n making. I would like to raise my qualification to a senior level executive in future. I will build my personal and academic skills to suit that position. A sI am a multimodal learner and a participating leader, I could easily mingle with people andmotivate others towards teamwork. I hope my career will flourish through the path I havechosen

Good medicine essays

Good medicine essays Some time ago, I read an authoritative WHO publication with a guide to the Five-Star Doctor ...improves quality of care by responding to the patients total health needs with integrated preventive, curative and rehabilitative services while considering the patient as an integral part of a family and community..(Boelen, 1992). That paragraph lodged itself firmly in my mind though I did not totally comprehend it. To me, physical ailments had merely physiological origins, and good medicine or doctoring simply meant tending to them, thus caring for society. By the start of Society and Health, I had come to realise that there is widespread acknowledgement that medical practice is currently undergoing substantial upheaval. The lustre of the medical edifice and the esteem of its practitioners seem to be dulling in an anti-scientific environment. Too often doctors are seen as supercilious and lacking a human touch. Advent of technology and globalisation has allowed the dissemination of information with astounding ease and rapidity. Doctors are hard-pressed to communicate better with a more educated and discerning population that demands the best and latest, and are only too keen to complain or sue for perceived deficiencies or malpractice. Starting this course, I was bombarded by a host of outlooks I previously gave little consideration, becoming conscious of the fact that people are often aided in their recovery or empowered to cope with illness by the manner in which they are treated. Too mired in the mindset that attaining knowledge and skill were all that mattered, it had not formerly registered that other factors - life events, communication, environment and the interaction of the person with all these aspects - play a role in the vulnerability of the person and hence a part in good medicine. Ability to recognize factors influencing health and disease: Videos ...

Accounting for Charitable Contributions

A look at the financial structure of charity organizations and to what extent these are effective in supporting intended objectives. This paper takes a look at the financial structure of charity organizations and at what extent these are effective in supporting intended objectives. The author argues that often charities spend donations not in connection to their stated mission, and in many cases the money goes not where it is most needed. Americans are a very generous people, reaching into their pockets again and again to provide their personal and corporate dollars to support what they believe to be worthy causes they may not have the time to personally volunteer, but most are willing, at least occasionally, to write a check to support those that do.The U.S. has 1.4 million tax-exempt organizations. Its probably a safe bet that most are well-intentioned and honest. But a lot of them are simply inefficient they spend donations meant to help people in need on staff salaries or direct-mail marketing. Some do not even put donations to use toward their stated mission (Forbes, 1999).

The 5 events that most contributed to the outbreak of the civil war in Essay

The 5 events that most contributed to the outbreak of the civil war in 1861 - Essay Example There are myriad reasons behind the secession and breaking out of the historic â€Å"Civil War† but this has been systematically culminated and mentioned in the book, â€Å"The American Journey† by David Goldfield, Carl. E. Abbot, Virginia Dijon Anderson, Jo Ann E. Argersinger, Peter .H. Argersinger, William Barney and Robert Weir. The five most important reasons behind the break out of civil war that are considered in the book include the end of the Mexican War in 1848, Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, release of Uncle Tom’s cabin, the shock of the Northerner’s at the sight of bleeding Kansas and the attack of the Charles Summer by Preston on the floor of the Senate. All these factors agitated the movement very systematically and chronologically that led to the outbreak of the great Civil War in America. The Mexican War ended in the year of 1848 and consequently America was declared as the ceded region and it paved the way for the initiation of another problem. The new concern was regarding the admission of the states as states and determination of their status as Free States or Slave States. To conclude such dilemma Congress came out with an amicable solution and passed the treaty of â€Å"Compromise of 1850†. Thus, it was decided that California would be made free and the states were allowed to pick up freely between Utah and New Mexico. At an actual plane, this decision to choose freely between the regime of the Free State and the Slave State. This decision to allow the states to choose freely provided a base for the heated up discontentment amid the myriad factions of the society in these states itself and founded the base for the agitation. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was declared as a consequence to the Act of Compromise of 1848. This Act was forcibly enacted on any federal official who were unable to get hold of a runaway slave and were forcibly entitled to pay fine.