Martin Luther King Memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens Essay

Situated on the corner of 4th St. and Mission St., in downtown San Francisco is Yerba Buena Gardens. Sounds from the hustle and bustle of cars driving and people walking permeate Yerba Buena Gardens, except in one particular location. In one corner of the gardens stands a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. The memorial is breathtakingly beautiful with a fifty foot high and twenty foot wide waterfall that falls over Sierra granite. In the Memorial’s hallway, visitors read quotes from Dr. King himself that are engraved on glass panels and set in granite. The physical beauty of the memorial is undeniable, however many people are not aware of the symbolism lying beneath the memorial’s surface. The memorial’s waterfall symbolizes the realization of Dr. King’s dreams the realization of Dr. King’s dream, the tears shed by millions and of the voices of African Americas The memorial also reminds us of the oppressed African Americans whose voices were drowned out ignored; yet, it is apparent that society was pushed backwards in the race to equality with the mandatory evacuation of thousands of people due to the development of the Yerba Buena Gardens. King Jr. dreamt that all human beings, regardless of skin color, will one day be able to live in a completely free, just, and non-discriminatory society. It was his dream of an equal society that pushed Martin Luther King Jr. to become an advocate for universal suffrage. Even though the United States already had universal suffrage, unfair literacy tests and poll taxes plagued the voting process and disqualified nearly all impoverished African Americans from voting 1. King wanted a colorblind society; a society where all human beings are treated equally and respectfully and given the same personal liberties and political freedom. Martin Luther King argued, in his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, that â€Å"we are not satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream† 2. This quote from Dr. King’s speech is inscribed on the right end wall of the memorial. After reading the final inscribed quote, it is apparent that the purpose of the waterfall is to signify the realization of Martin Luther King’s dream of a just society. Justice , The United States Martin Luther King’s dream of justice in today’s society; a monumental victory of justice over prejudice. It is so easy to forget about what it took for America to become a truly free and nondiscriminatory nation. The mists are a necessary reminder for people in today’s society that personal liberty and political freedom should never be taken for granted. Though Yerba Buena Gardens is situated in downtown San Francisco, a busy city filled with loud noises, the memorial itself is peculiarly quiet and calm. The memorial’s serenity is due to the overpowering, yet surprisingly tranquil sound of the rushing water from the waterfall. The power of the waterfall to drown out all exterior noise is phenomenal. It is impossible to even hear what someone is saying when they are right next to you. Visitors try to overcome the sound of the rushing water by screaming or whistling, but are unsuccessful. Independent from life’s distractions, visitors are given the opportunity to absorb all that the memorial and Dr. King’s words have to offer. Visitors can take this time to self-reflect and to appreciate the efforts of earlier generations fighting for equality during our nation’s infancy. The undeniable strength of the waterfall’s sound to obscure all external noise makes Being incapable of expressing feelings or thou ghts leaves an unfamiliar and dreadful sensation. People living in today’s society are usually ignorant to this unfamiliar, almost claustrophobic feeling of screaming at the top of your lungs without a single person acknowledging your frustrations. During our nation’s history, however, nearly all African Americans struggled with this same frustration. Helpless against the white minority, blacks throughout history struggled to get their concerns addressed and their votes counted. The visitor’s inability to communicate vocally is short-lived and fortunately, only lasts as long as it takes for the person to walk through the memorial. African Americans, however, were plagued with powerlessness for hundreds of years. Martin Luther King Jr. felt obliged to provide a voice for all African Americans stripped of the right to do so on their own. Due to the hard work of Martin Luther King, civil rights leaders and activists, and President Johnson, on August 6, 1965 the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, which banned the use of literacy tests and also required stricter monitoring of the use of poll taxes in state and local elections† 3. Finally, the time had come when African Americans could voice their opinions and have them be heard, and vote for the political constituent whom carried similar beliefs and morals. The development of the Yerba Buena Gardens, as part of the â€Å"Urban Renewal Project† was not always considered to be something positive and beneficial. During the 1950’s, city planners forced thousands of people living in the South of Market area out of their homes, arguing that the area was â€Å"dangerous ‘Skid Row’ ripe for redevelopment, populated by â€Å"bums† and â€Å"transients† whose fate mattered little† 4. City planners left out the important fact that many people who lived in this area were elderly and poor and had â€Å"little defense against the federal bulldozer† 5. The city did try and relocate as many people as possible, but only had 276 units of new housing to replace thousands of demolished units. Thousands were left homeless and kicked out of possibly the only home they have ever known and will ever know, due to lack of job skills needed to find employment. The irony of placing a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, a man who advocated for equality and justice until his assassination, on land where thousands of impoverished people were evicted just a couple years earli er, is almost too horrific to comprehend. The hypocrisy in the decision to place this memorial at the Yerba Buena Gardens is undeniable and unforgiveable. The memorial’s waterfall is a reminder of the relentless adversity that plagued millions of blacks for thousands of years and the tears they shed. The waterfall also symbolizes the realization of Dr. King’s dream. The eviction methods used during the Urban Renewal period to obtain the land where the memorial sits were ethically questionable, however it is still important to visit this monument from time to time. The memorial stands there in the middle of Yerba Buena Gardens, in the middle of downtown San Francisco, as a silent, yet constant reminder to never take anything for granted and to always remember the blood, sweat, and tears shed by millions in order for people today to enjoy and exercise the complete personal liberty and political freedom that we are so fortunately blessed with.

Interracial Marriages Essay

In any marriage relationship, it is usual or rather natural to have some adjustments in its early stage. This is so because there is a high degree of expectations in both parties; and so, because these expectations are mostly â€Å"unrealistic,† to modify or adjust them are somewhat difficult to both sides. It is a fact that when two individuals come into a marriage union, they bring with them two different perspectives in almost all respects, and this is no different with interracial marriages. However, there are more at stake when racial backgrounds or ethnicity is the core issue, as studies reveal. Marriage and the fruit of the union – the family – is the basic unit of society and regarded as one of the most principal institutions of the social order. When marriages fail and families disintegrate, there is without a doubt a â€Å"ripple† effect on the community’s functioning in terms of that community’s solidity, and law and order. Although many facets of the relationship operate as components to the enjoyment and development of the marriage bond, the common and usual fundamental rationale for the union is intimacy. It is this vital ingredient that draws couples from different persuasions, race, or creed together despite the potential drawbacks and heartaches that will soon shake the very foundations of that union. This paper dwells on these potentialities in terms of the advantages and disadvantages of interracial marriages. The author believes that despite the difficulties and at times the impossibilities that complications beset interracial marriages, for as long as both parties or the individuals involved have explored beforehand the complexities, and settled for the facts and realities, their relationship is off to a better start. This paper then offers to describe and explain the polarities that entail in a marriage coming from two different ethnic or racial backgrounds. Definition & demographics In US history, many things that speak of the American way of life are deeply affected and influenced on the issue of race and especially on cross-cultural marriages. Since its â€Å"pioneer† days, being attached with another not your own color, creed, or race is neither new, nor surprising. A study of endogamy’s other extreme, i. e. mixed marriage – then and now – is still quite of interest to many (Rosenfeld, 2007). To tackle the subject matter that this paper endeavors to explore, the author starts by defining the main concepts used throughout the study. Definition Marriage is defined as a â€Å"socially recognized and approved union between individuals† with the idea that both will commit themselves to a lifetime of togetherness in the hope that there will be stability and happiness that the couple will enjoy in their intimate relationship (Microsoft Encarta, 2005). Such relationship has legal, cultural, economic, moral, and psychological dimensions that may impinge on its eventual longevity and permanence. Miscegenation or â€Å"intermarriage between races†, according to Encarta, is defined as â€Å"marriage or cohabitation between people of different races† (2005). Demographics According to a study by Kara Joyner, assistant professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell and co-author of a study on interracial relationships in a recent issue of the American Sociological Review (Vol. 70:4), â€Å"Hispanics had the highest rate of interracial relationships: 45 percent of 18- to 19-year-olds and 33 percent of 24- to 25-year-olds were in interracial relationships in the early 2000s, compared with blacks (20 and 14 percent, respectively) and whites (16 and 12 percent, respectively† (Lang, 2005). Although Asians are comparatively the same with Hispanics in the aspects of interracial union in Joyner’s study, the ethnic group was not included due to lack of research yields when it comes to as when they likely get into their liaisons and when these end. However, in some studies, the case of Asians engaging in interracial marriage, demographics painted a different picture. Whereas in the case of Hispanics, Blacks, and Whites who intermarry, the surveys say that as they age, the tendency of these relationships’ potential to last dwindles, the Asians’ marriages tend to increase and last longer (Lang, 2005). The US Bureau of the Census points out that intermarriage is still â€Å"relatively uncommon† basing on a 2002 survey because only 2. 9 percent of all marriages come from interracial unions (Lang in Joyner study, 2005). Review of Literature – Family Values Every home has its set of beliefs or tradition that they hold in high esteem. This is referred to as family values. Anything that the family believes is important comprises a family values system. This paper attempts to explain what family values are and how people uphold their beliefs and what makes them hold on to those beliefs in a highly individualistic country such as ours. Among the values an individual possesses, the most important I believe is that a person must regard most his/her values about family as the most significant. Many people don’t usually pause and contemplate what their values are. They may not know whether these values they already have are still practical or useful in a modern day world. Moreover, they do not think how their values fit in with their kind of milieu that they evolve in. (â€Å"Values: what are they? †2007). There are families that take time out though to impart to their children what had been passed on to them when they too were yet very young. The values may not be as strong as when were yet children because the person may have adapted to his world and adjusted his values that others may be accommodated. Through the years, a family value system may be a combination of what had been passed on to an individual and the values system of one’s friends or colleagues at work. Why are family values important? The primary reason is that what we hold as important affects how we use time, money and energy or how we interact with people. If a family believes the importance of education then parents try to save for the schooling of their children which includes books among others. Family values influence how we spend our resources and make decisions. Parents then need to communicate what their own family values are, why these are important and the specifics of what are most essential that the children must also adopt or follow. Children also need to respect others who have dissimilar value system as compared to their own. Most likely values will evolve but when parents lead the children and model these beliefs, their children will be able to learn and pass these on to the next generation (â€Å"Values: what are they? †2007). – Social Clock The belief that there are descriptive and prescriptive age norms concerning adults during their developmental shift involves the concept of the social clock. The social clock hinges on its description of society’s expectations where time to get married and have children at the same time attaining more of life’s burdens. For example, the traditional or what has been considered as the perception of women who have not yet entered into matrimony as individuals who are negatively appraised during their middle adulthood stage in contrast to the young adults. Social clock has something to do with an expectation that a person must somehow behave or conduct him/herself according to established developmental milestones or else, risk the consequences that may happen because the individual has allowed it to slip through (Altenbernd, 2004).

Fundamental Elements of a Story Essay

This essay is going to talk about three different points: What are the types of effect that the writer can leave on his readers by his story? How important is the writer’s style to make his story access into his readers’ minds? What are the possible ways that the writer could use to make his theme noticed in his story? What are the Different Ways a Story’s Format Affects the Reader’s Comprehension? Positive effect The format of the story must be effective for the reader; if the form of the story is well organized the reader’s comprehension will be affected. The writer must organize the story elements and build a connection between all of these elements. Negative effect The format of the story could be not effective for the reader because of unorganized story structure. The way that the writer is telling his point of view doesn’t affect readers properly. In What Ways do the Style and Point of View in a Story Format Effects the Delivery of that Story? The style and the point of view are important because the writer is the story teller. When the writer’s point of view is cleared and detailed his story becomes effective (Story, 2007). How can the Theme be Evident throughout a Story’s Elements? The theme can be evident depending on how the writer includes it in the story elements. For example, according to critics Joseph Conrad in his novel ‘Heart of Darkness’ showed his racist personality and negative attitude towards women (Student Resources, 2008). Conclusion A story acceptance depends on the style of the author; maybe most readers will love it or hate it. The writer could write a story in 2 different ways with one 1 theme; the level of acceptance will not be the same in both cases. References Elements of the Short Story. (2007). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://www. scribblingwomen. org/elements. htm Student Resources. (2008). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://www. josephconradsociety. org/student_resources. htm

Managing People Workbased learning, in public service management Essay

Managing People Workbased learning, in public service management - Essay Example Different organizations employ different human resource practices all aimed at ensuring effectiveness and efficiency. West Yorkshire police is one of the public service sectors whereby human resource is applied during the recruitment and selection process. In this public service sector, the recruitment process begins when an individual applies to join this sector. An individual is eligible to apply for a job in this sector if he or she is 18 years and above with no limit being set for application. This sector usually encourages the older people to apply for jobs in this job especially because to the nature of work carried out in this sector. The normal age of retirement for a serving police officer is sixty years. During the application process, no height restrictions are imposed and the abilities of a person who is applying for the job are considered as being vital. The recruitment process is thorough and detailed unlike in most organizations. This is so because the police sector requires people who are committed and royal. The application for job posts in the west Yorkshire police unlike most org anizations applies for both external and internal candidates. The application form is usually very detailed and incorrect filling of the form may lead to disqualification. While filling the form, relevance is highly recommended with candidates required to give accurate answers to the questions. Applications which are done in the last six months are automatically rejected. Once an individual's application goes through the first stage, the candidate is called in to commence training which is a probation which takes approximately two years under which the candidate is evaluated and his or her fitness assessed to ensure he or she is fit to join the police force (Training & Development Centre, n. d). For application to be termed viable and worth of consideration in the new Yorkshire police department, there are several qualifications which a candidate must have. One of the qualifications is that he or she should have been convicted or even cautioned by the court for serious crimes like rape, murder or even kidnapping. Also, offences which may have resulted into prison sentences and offences which are recordable also make one to be disqualified to join the police force. Tattoos which the west Yorkshire police feels that they undermine the authority and dignity of the constable's office or are numerous, garish or prominent may make an application to be rejected. Tattoos should not lead to provocation or even offend the citizens and other colleagues at workplace. Good health as well as fitness is prerequisites before joining the police force especially because of the nature and kind of work that is carried out by the police. However, this does not disqualify the disabled persons an d necessary adjustments are made to accommodate them if the disability cannot tamper with such an individual's work. Political allegiance can also make a person's application to be rejected by the new Yorkshire police. Individuals belonging to the British national party and other such organizations which may contradict diversity or led to racial inequality are also disqualified and thus their applications are

Performance Management System Improvement Assignment

Performance Management System Improvement - Assignment Example To enhance the performance of the employees over time, it is considered important to evaluate their output to increase the efficiency of the organization (Warner, 2002). In essence, the employees’ output is figured out and ways to improve the performance level formulated. The obtained results after evaluation are used to improve on the organization’s output, effectiveness and efficiency over time. An organization generally constitutes of the two types of environment, namely; the internal environment and the external environment. The external environment could constitute of factors such as technological, political, legal and economic, whereas the internal environment is comprised of structure, organizational culture, mode of exercising power, the leadership style, and available resources. The key factors that constitute the external environment of Ngusama Investment Company are technology, political, economic and legal factors (Rao, 2004). The company has been trying to upgrade its technology so as to cope with evolution of technology that presents. Upgrading of the system also ensures that the company keeps abreast with current issues and trends in the society. With a modified technology, the employees have a platform which they work on to improve the performance of the organization.... For any organization to prevail in a market, it has to ensure that it fulfils the regulations and the policies. Technological factors; productivity is quickly achieved through the use of new technology. The production of new products increases the sales of an organization and consequently leads to an upsurge in the revenue. This therefore is a major indicator of the organization’s performance. The external environment can be viewed in two dimensions; micro-environment and macro-environment. Micro-environment is concerned with the immediate benefactors of the organization’s competitors, suppliers, customers and the public at large. On the other hand, the macro-environment constitutes of the current trends in the society. The organization concentrates on the following factors in assessment of the external environment; competitive environment analysis, analysis of the expectations for interest, the external environment’s development outlook, and analysis of the infl uence of the macro-environment on the organization’s performance. Competitive environment is a key external factor (Sahu, 2007). It is a process in its own that involves analyzing, identifying the major characteristics and the impact of the forces that come about as a result of competition. After the analysis, positioning efforts are made so as to ensure that the competitive advantage of the organization is attained. When conducting the activity there are competitive forces that are experienced and this makes up the environment with the organization inclusive. The industry includes all the organizations that are producing similar products or are offering identical services. The

CHIRAL CHROMATOGRAPY Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CHIRAL CHROMATOGRAPY - Research Paper Example The therapeutic efficacy and safety of an enantiomer is significant in its applications (Sekhon, 1584). The discovery that the S-isomer of thalidomide (R isomer is administered to women to combat morning sickness) resulted in fetal malformations is one example for the need for acquisition of enantiopure compounds. The problem with enantiomers can be a difficulty in separating them into enantiopure compounds (Li and Donald, 450). The purpose of this paper is to discuss chiral chromatography in the separation of enantiomers. The ideal but nonpractical way to obtain enantiopure substances involves enantioselective syntheses processes which could be expensive if not complicated (.Zhang et al., 1). However, there is limited control on which chiral compound is obtained, and this frequently results in racemic mixtures that will necessitate the use of separation techniques. The separation of enantiomers is not a unique process. Gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin layer chromatography, and supercritical fluid chromatography have been developed for chiral separations (Davankov, 1470; Cretu et al., 317). Capillary zone electrophoresis, capillary gel electrophoresis, electrokinetic chromatography and capillary electro chromatography are potential alternatives to chromatographic techniques. Novel methods of chiral separation such as the indirect enantiomeric resolution separation technique involve the conversion of enantiomers with a chiral reagent into diastereomers that a re easily separated (Davankov, 1470). Chiral chromatography has gained prominence as a method in the physical separation of enantiomers and has had significant adaptations. It involves the purification of enantiomer compounds by use of a chiral stationary phase (CSP). Chiral recognition is dependent on the interaction of the selector and the selected. These interactions are expected to be stereo selective leading to the formation of

Business Plan of The Convenient PetStore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7250 words

Business Plan of The Convenient PetStore - Essay Example The pet owners are now treating their pets as family members and are ensuring proper attention is given to the pets so that they remain fit and apt. In order to meet the growing demand of pet owners for preservative free products, The Convenient PetStore will offer a wide range of products to the customers who have a strong bond with their pets and will pay high prices for ensuring the safety of their pet’s health. After the survey of the entire market, it has been decided that the store will start its operations in Seattle in January 2013. The store has completed all pre-requisites so that the customers can avail the best quality products. The management team and personnel required for running the store have been hired and they are being trained so that they can offer a spectacular range of services to the customers. The store’s website is under construction so that the customers can retrieve complete details and information about the store from its site when the stor e starts its operations. The competitive edge that the store will have is providing the pet owners an easily accessible option for buying the organic foods for pets that will enhance the quality of food fed to the animals so that their health gets better in future and they can remain healthy and fit for unlimited time period.

Baltimore-City Evaluation Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Baltimore-City Evaluation - Research Paper Example Climate was perfect for agriculture, forest area was large and spacious and the Countryside proved to be very fertile. Baltimore County was first gifted in 1632 by England’s King to George Calvert and the name Baltimore County was adopted in 1639 (City-Data, 2009). The town of Baltimore became established in 1656, primarily due to the booming tobacco industry and the dependence of local economy of tobacco. Baltimore’s has had its share of ups and downs, milling flour and grain, which was affected greatly by the revolutionary war. Being the site of the first public railroad in 1828 Baltimore became connected to the rest of the country, remaining impartial for the most part during the civil war acting as a military depot ;despite Maryland belonging to the Union. The city was able to remain prosperous in World War II as well, being a military supply center and escaped World War I unscathed. Physical Site Baltimore city’s topography is characterized primarily by stre ams and capes, though there are 7 bays, an island, lake, summit and spring (Maryland Hometown Locator, 2012). Baltimore city is actually lies within the coastal plain of the Atlantic and the Piedmont Plateau. Stream valleys run through the almost level uplands (Baltimore Ecosystem Study, 2012). Surrounded nearly completely by the County of Baltimore, waterfront property is available with regional choice property being waterfront and the more distressed property being located further away from the waterfront. Baltimore’s down town area consists of City Center, Inner Harbor, west Side and Camden yards. Inner Harbor allows you easy access to the National Museum and Camden Yards is home to the architecturally acclaimed stadium of the Baltimore Orioles, while the Baltimore Ravens play at M and T Bank Stadium, which is down town with a mile of Inner Harbor. Though not considered downtown Curtis Bay allows the distinct opportunity to experience the feel of historical military sites as Fort Armistead and Battery Irons (Maryland Hometown Locator, 2012). Other recreational opportunities the city provides are multiple shopping venues, fine dining and unique restaurants such as the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, and multiple parks and natural settings are almost always in close distance (City of Baltimore, 2012). Because Baltimore has a variety of unique entertainment opportunities, allows those who enjoy the water easy access in many locations and is home to many historical sites I rated Baltimore’s physical characteristics an 8. This was primarily due to the fact that Baltimore seems heavily focused on Adult with fewer attractions geared towards children. Street Morphology Downtown Baltimore’s streets follow a grid pattern though their development is suited to the organic nature of the surroundings, located around Inner Harbor. Breaks or deviations in the grid are found around the Harbor as well as numerous parks and natural greenery is located surround ing much of the Harbor. Inlets disrupt the grid and Harbor Bridge walk connects these busy areas which contain the Baltimore World Center and the national Aquarium (Visit Baltimore, 2012). The streets attempt at a Baroque pattern is evidenced around Camden Yards Oriole Park and M and T Bank Stadium though their concepts remain grid in nature major streets do intersect around these large

Gay; To Be or Not To Be Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gay; To Be or Not To Be - Essay Example ut existence throughout my life – I knew that I wanted to keep on existing, and suicide was not something that crossed my mind overly much (no more than any other person who has lived through teenage years, probably). For me the question centered on my sexuality. Who am I? I asked myself, and what am I doing? Am I gay? These are questions that troubled me for much of my growth, and I spent a great portion of my development denying who I was. To be gay, or not to be gay, I asked myself, without even realizing that the question in being asked was probably answered. It is not like I was a child of the fifties or sixties, growing up in a time when being gay was the greatest sin one could ever imagine. By the time I had graduated high school it was the late eighties, and gay rights activists were already marching down streets in San Francisco and New York, academics were discussing a new Queer politic that was emerging, and gay people everywhere were being told â€Å"come out, you have nothing to fear.† But the problem is that this conception of being gay and coming out, that you know it internally but choose to hide it from society, is not something that actually happens very often. Before even having the option of â€Å"coming out† to friends and relatives, you have to have a great internal dialogue with yourself, and find out who you are. Doing this alone in your teens is not an easy thing, not by a long shot. I remember the first time I had an inkling that I might not be like everyone else (or at least, how I thought everyone else was – looking back now I’m sure I knew many closeted gay people growing up.) I was just entering the ninth grade, a time when many people are first learning about their sexuality, and I looked across my homeroom classroom at a close friend who was sitting their, wearing spaghetti straps (I had a somewhat lenient school) and cleavage somewhat exposed. Now this was someone who I had known for almost my entire life, and a

M3A1 PART B Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

M3A1 PART B - Essay Example Improve the communication patterns of the company: Communication is one of the fundamental requirements for any company to succeed. Unlike in GM, where the communication channels involved long rigorous procedures that discouraged the employees (Kurtz & Boone, 2011). The communication channels between the employees and the senior management should be open and reliable to enable the employees have a feel that the company acknowledges their views and ideas. Therefore, their productivity would improve as they forward their challenges to the management (Huq, 2010). Enhance teamwork within the company: Teamwork enables the employees have a better understanding of each other and promotes cordial relations within the working environment (Kurtz & Boone, 2011). By so doing, the workers feel comfortable while at work and this enhances their overall productivity due to the existence of good understanding and sharing of ideas. Sharing ideas is important since the workers can come up with an idea that could prove to be the turn-around moment for the company like a new invention (Moorhead & Griffin, 2011). Creating a sense of responsibility among the employees: The management ought to let the employee’s opportunities to demonstrate their levels of responsibility by making them in charge. This may involve letting them have total control over an asset and monitoring its usage from a vantage point (Lashley, 2012). This makes them have the idea that they are trusted in the company hence they form a sense of responsibility and consequently carry out their works diligently. Moreover, they can sum up courage and make viable decisions in the absence of the company managers (Huq, 2010). Involving the employees in the decision making process of the company: When employees get involved in the decision making processes of a company, they are instilled with a sense of belonging and they get a mental set of associating

TUI Travel International Money and Finance Essay

TUI Travel International Money and Finance - Essay Example TUI Travel PLC is a leisure travel company that is leading in the world. The company operates in around 180 countries and has around 31 million customers of its services that reflect the company’s performances in 31 major market areas across the world (TUI Travel PLC, 2012). The company offers the best available holiday tours and services for its customers that include sun and beach, activities and adventures, luxuries, excursions and transfers, accommodations, oceans and rivers, and responsible travels (What we do, 2012).TUI Travel PLC being one of the leading companies in leisure travel services, its operations is spread across 180 countries that include 31 of the major market areas. The major source markets of the company include UK, Sweden, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Switzerland and Canada. â€Å"TUI Travel’s core markets account for  £388bn of global travel spend† with the three largest markets being Germany, France and the UK (Market Overview, 2012). The performance of the company has been in line with the company’s strategies and the company has reflected development in its business operations with the turnover of the company increased by 5 percent that accounts to around 3.5 billion Euros as recorded in the first quarter of the FY2012. The previous year results for the company had recorded 3.3 billion Euros. â€Å"This growth is principally attributable to a higher proportion of differentiated product sales† (Hanover, 2012).† (Hanover, 2012). The major competitors for TUI include Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd,. Thomas Cook Group plc, and Travelport Limited. The top industries for the company are travel agencies and services, transportation services sector, and business services sector (TUI Travel PLC Competition, 2012). Financial Trends of TUI Travel PLC in Last Five Years Time: The financial trends of the company reflect improvement in the performances of the company with the gross margin being recorded at 8.86 percent improving from revenue of  £13.51 billion in the year 2007 to  £14.69 billion in 2011. The net income recorded an improvement from a loss of  £123.00 in 2007 to  £89.00 million in 2011. The net profit margin of the company is 0.43 percent and the operating margin is at 0.97 percent. Increases have also been reflected over the years in the dividends per share and earnings per share of the company. While the dividends per share increased by 2.73 percent on an average over the last five years, the earnings per share reflected an increase of 171.65 percent year on year. This is a remarkable achievement for the company since not many companies in the industry are known to pay dividends (ft.com/marketsdata TUI Travel PLC, 2012). As far as the cash flow of the company is concerned, records reflect a fall in the cash reserves of TUI in 2011 by  £402.00 million. However, on the other hand, TUI gained from its operations  £613.00 million that reflects a cash flow margin of 4.17 percent. It is also of the record that the company has utilized

Experience At Work Speech Essay Example for Free

Experience At Work Speech Essay At McDonalds lines of communication are pretty open especially for the ones still in high school or college. They give whatever hours you request and how many days you want to work. If you need off one of the days just be sure to ask off two weeks in advanced and they will make sure you get the day off. The overall experience at McDonalds after being there for over a year now is outstanding. I know most people think hey its McDonalds, but the benefits they aren’t bad at all. For one they are lenient with their hours and give however many hours you want. Secondly, they allow you to have $6 of free food each time you work, but that is only good of course if you like McDonald’s food. Third, on thanksgiving and Christmas they give bonuses depending on the amount of time you have worked there. For example around Christmas last year Ms. Geneva, the manager, gave me a $100 bill. The pay starts at minimum wage but steadily increases, I am at $7.80 per hour at the moment. Once you get to know the managers and workers everyone becomes intriguing to talk too as they all have unique stories. The customers are the only thing bad about working at McDonalds. Some can be nice and understanding, but then there are always those customers that are rude and impatient. Consequently, they do not understand that sometimes it is difficult to get their order right when they change it 5 different times. And it takes time for the food to be made if we run out for the moment. Other than that the only thing McDonalds has control over that gets me trouble is not being allowed to have any sort of beard. I like having a chin strap so I keep it trimmed, but every now and then they still get onto me†¦ and I don’t even work with food. The thing about McDonalds is you are never bored because there is a constant flow of customers at every hour of the day. At other jobs if you are not busy they send people home, but at McDonalds you are always busy especially in the mornings. That is another perk of McDonalds, if you are not scheduled to work that day and you are available to work you can always go ask if they need anybody and more days than not, they will say yes and you can go get extra hours in. McDonalds will more than likely be my job until I leave for college where I will hope to find a new job based on my engineering skills. I would have probably left McDonalds by now if it were not for the great experience and overall  benefits I get at McDonalds.

Micro Cars Ltd of Sri Lanka

Micro Cars Ltd of Sri Lanka 1.0 Introduction Micro Cars Ltd was established in Sri Lanka in 1999 by the guidance of Chairman/CEO of Micro Cars Ltd Dr. Lawrence Perera with the intention of introducing (manufacturing) low cost but high quality vehicles for the county. The intention became reality with the launch of their first car in 2003 which was well recognize and accepted by the society due to lots of hard efforts on Research Development that put-in over many years to make the company dream reality and in the later stages Micro Cars Ltd positioned as National Car Manufacturer where they earned the patent for small city cars too. Further with the aim of growing and expanding the businesses, Micro Cars Ltd came up with different type of attractive vehicles which some are purely manufactured in Sri Lanka and others which are assembled in Sri Lanka with the same intention that they had earlier, which is manufacturing low cost but high quality vehicles for the county. So when looking at the types of the vehicles which Micro introduced Tractors, Trucks, Light Trucks, Buses, MPVs, SUVs and Cars can be considered. Out of those product types the SUV segment was the really attracted segment by the most of the people in Sri Lanka where the Micro Rexton II was a hit product in that SUV segment where it created threat for other average SUVs in the market due to its less price (but high quality) compared with the other SUVs that manufactured by the leading SUV makers in the world like Mitsubishi, Hyundai etc. Further the government of Sri Lanka also gave great support to this company as it is a purely Sri Lankan venture and government in a position to buy more vehicles from Micro Cars Ltd for government needs and it also resulted in increasing the profits of Micro Cars Ltd. As the demand goes up for the Micro Rexton II they increased their production to match with the demand and also with the intention of entering into the Asian markets. For that they expand their workshop areas and recruited more employees and let the employees work on shift basis like one set of people on day and the other set at night. So with the consideration of the previous track record or the milestones of the Micro Cars Ltd, the company it self in a position to consider on expanding their business to Singapore by exporting the Micro Rexton II with the intention of targeting it to the middle-upper class in the Singapore due to many potential factors in relation to the conditions of Singapore and also with the hope of competing with other average SUV in Singapore due to the less price of the Micro Rexton II. Therefore in order to find out the viability of exporting Micro Rexton II to Singapore a marketing audit will be carries out where it helps to get an idea about the different market conditions in the competitive market and its potentials where it give clear view about both positive and negative aspects like whether it will be survive or not. So from there, Micro Cars Ltd can decide whether to expand to Singapore or not. Furthermore it also necessary to conduct Marketing Plan where it support to overcome the negatives that occurred in the marketing audit for the purpose of maximizing profits with the inclusive of some areas like promotional mix, budgets, profit/loss statement and etc. 2.0 The Product Micro Cars Ltd is the only pure Sri Lankan automobile company in Sri Lanka that goes on continues improvement from the day it starts with increasing of its profits while making the public more satisfy by offering certifiable solutions to the traveling needs of majority of middle-upper class Sri Lankans. Along with their success in the Sri Lankan market their next plan is to enter into the Singapore automobile market by offering their most hit product in their history Micro Rexton II. Actually earlier the name Rexton was origin from SsangYong Motors in Korea and later they made strategic alliance with capital investment of Mercedes-Benz AG to support Engine Transmission technologies. When the time goes on Ssang Yong SUV were introduce directly to Sri Lankan from Korea by Ssang Yong Motors as Ssang Yong Rexton which is the older version without any collaboration with a Sri Lankan venture. Anyway the older version was not that much popular and it was failed in Sri Lanka due to some uncontrollable factors such as customer mind set that having on the Korean vehicles. But later Micro Cars Ltd made joint-hands with the Ssang Yong Motors Korea for the introduction of the Rexton II (newly version of Rexton) which was assembled locally in Micro Cars Ltd workshop. In relation to the stage of the product life cycle of the Micro Rexton II, it is in growth stage in Sri Lanka. But when considering on the situation in Singapore the other SUV already in the market are in the maturity stage. So as a result of that this will be a good advantage for Micro Cars Ltd to enter into the Singapore market to change the current stage of PLC. 2.1 Evaluate the product as an innovation as it is perceived by the intended market Basically this is the first time that the Micro Cars Ltd is expanding their businesses out of their boundaries. No matter whether Micro was making huge profits in the local market, but it can get negatively effected in foreign markets as the conditions are not the same as locally which means the competition getting differ from country to country. So it can be risky up-to some extent due to the huge competition that getting to this newly product from major SUV automakers of the world. With regard to the relative advantage of the Micro Rexton II over the other competitors, the SUV users can perceive the same advantages, benefits and features that available in other average SUVs in the Micro Rexton II as well. But all the things are not for high price like other competition brands but at reasonable price which is lower than the competitive SUVs. Also considering on the fuel consumptions with other brands Micro Rexton II is more fuel efficient SUV with Diesel engine. But most of other SUVs are not in much fuel efficient as those are with Petrol engines. (Other competitive SUVs are available in Diesel engines too, but price is even higher than the standard petrol SUV prices.) The unique design will give more prestigious outlook for the vehicle than other brands do. Also its more compatible to the Asians and their beliefs as most of Asians prefer their own country manufactured vehicles or vehicles that manufactures within their region. In relation to the complexity, theres no requirement to have special skills to drive Micro Rexton II as it is the same way of driving other SUVs. Further theres another advantage which is the Micro Rexton II can be purchased with minimum risk as it is recognize and certified SUV in Asia. The observability of this product is high. Because you dont need to educate to feel or experience the benefits of the SUV. One you inside in it, thats all you need and you can feel the difference of smooth driving. 2.2 Major problems and resistances to product acceptance based on the preceding evaluation. Relative advantage Quality and the condition of the Micro Rexton II is in competitive position compared with other competitive SUVs. But the price of it is lower than the other competitive brands. Compatibility Micro Rexton II is really compatible to the Singapore and with Asian atmosphere as the SUV is from the same region. Complexity Actually its the same way that we have to follow to use (drive) the Rexton II and there no any special skills required as it very easy to drive with automatic transmission. Trialability Basically this can be purchases with minimum economic risk in relation to the other brand and also the market value or the used value is at acceptable range. Observability actually you dont have to be educating to feel the features of the Rexton II. Because once you got into it, then you get to feel it automatically. 3.0 The Market 3.1.1 Geographical regions Singapore is one of the best well-developed country in the world as well as in the region with well managed stable economy. It covered by Malaysia from one side and Indonesia from the other side where 50% lands are assumed as urban areas while the remaining part have reserved for plantations and other purposes. The people who live their also experiencing good standard life with majority of acceptable income. 3.1.2 Forms of transportation and communication available in that region Transportation Transportation is one of the main component for each and every country no matter whether it is non-developed, developing or developed country. Because its very important aspect for all countries to move from place to another or to send some stuff from one location to another and it will be mode of easy access to different location where which connects boundaries. Considering the conditions of Singapore in relation to the transportation aspects it is the county that own one of the rich transportation systems in the region. As a result of that, the people from all around the world use Singapore as an easy access place and where they also use Singapore as transit place. The types of transportation that available in Singapore as follows. Road transportation Actually the on-ground transportation or the road transportation is the most common cheapest mode transportation method that available all around the world even in the poor countries as well. But in relation to the situation in Singapore this common method is using in very advance manner where they own some expressways that length 150 Km and other A-class roads. Basically these 3262 Kms are connecting the Singapore from all around. All the busses, cars including taxies and other ground vehicles are got to use this method. Rail Transport Mainly the rail transportation in Singapore can be classified into two segments such as Mass rapid transit (MRT) and Light rail transit (LRT) which totally consist of 138.2 Km. The mass rapid transit (MRT) is currently running as four line transportation system with total length of 118.6 Km with the collection of 70 stations. Further the remaining light rail transit (LRT) is having 14 stations with length of 19.6 Km. Ports and Harbors There are totally 8 ports in Singapore and most of the ports which is 7 ports are handling by the PSA International which earlier names as Port of Singapore Authority. Further Singapore is well knows for worlds busiest port â€Å"Jurong† which handled 1.04 billion tons per year. (Appendix 2) Air Transportation In relation to aviation industry Singapore is assumed as aviation hub by civil aviation authority of Singapore where relatively they names the Singapore â€Å"Changi† airport as the air-hub. Further there are 5 air bases in Singapore and also five airlines are currently operating in Singapore leading by the Singapore Airlines where it connects 70 cities around the world. Especially the â€Å"Changi† airport is consisting with 4 terminals with ability of handling 64 million people each year. Communication As stated before Singapore is a well developed country in most areas and they are very rich in technology wise too. Because most of the technological aspects are born or available in Singapore and all our minds goes to Singapore if we talks about some technological aspect like mobile phone or gaming item. Thats because of the picture that they have buildup in technological perspective over the past years. So due the advancement or richness of the technology they are also armed up with communication aspects too as there are direct linkage between the technology and the communication. Because some times we cannot even have the word communication without the technology. So with regard to the communication methods in Singapore following items can be considered. Telephones Singapore is one of the best telecommunication providers in the world including SingTel and the Singapore Telecom. Currently they are running with1.857 millions fixed lines. Recently their facilitating their services in excellent manner by adding numerous additional options to their services. Payphones (Public phone booths) Basically payphones can be classified into to such a card-operated phones and coin-operated phones. Both local and international call can be taken with the use of card-operated phones but only the local calls can be taken by using the coin operated phones. Mostly these booths are located in busiest public places like railway stations and bus stops. Mobile phones This is the most convenient and common communication method in a country like Singapore due to its technological advancement and richness. Not only in Singapore but also in many countries around the world are use to have it or more comfortable with it because of the regular use of it. Further the mobile phone usage is very rich in Singapore where the mobile phone services such as 3G, mobile internet and etc are handling by SingTel or M1. Internet Internet also same as the mobile phones where it also frequently use by majority of people in developed countries for their different kind of expectations like business needs, entertainment needs , educations needs and etc. Actually Singapore is the most wired location in Asia. As same as mobile service providers, there mainly three internet service providers in Singapore leading by the SingNet. Broadcasting In relation to the broadcasting in Singapore all the media station both Television and Radio are owned by the government. All the 7 television channels and 14 Radio channels are operating by the MediaCorp. In addition to that it also available cable TV and IPTV facility too. Postal Services This can be considered as one of the oldest communication methods of delivering stuffs. The authority for these services in Singapore is Singapore post Pvt Ltd where it handles wide range of postal network, postal agents and stamp vendors. 3.1.3 Consumer buying habits Consumer buying habits is very important factor to be considered in international marketing as the consumer behavior is differing from market to market and also from country to country as well. So identifying different behavior of the different customers will be vital. Because then only the company will be able to deal with them positively in the aim of achieving advantages to the company as the company can come up with different strategies to handle the different people in different manner in a way that satisfy both the customer and the company too. So in relation to the product-use patterns in Singapore it depend on the type of the product like whether its a FMCG (fast moving consumer good) or whether its luxurious product. Normally they are using FMCGs on daily basis for their regular needs while they use their luxurious goods occasionally. But sometimes our product like Micro Rexton II can be use occasionally and for the daily purposes as well due to its reliability factors. With regard to the product features preferences, the FMCG products are prefer by most of the people in Singapore and they tend to buy those in multiple packs. With regard to the luxurious product, majority of them tend to go for new models periodically. So as we are considering on our proposed product the Micro Rexton II, it will be a luxurious product. So the people in Singapore tend to use this or likes to experience it due to its attractive unique design and other considerable factors like fuel efficiency and the price affordability. The shopping habits also may differ according to the location. But in Singapore lots of goods are available under one roof. But a product like automobile wont be able to find in common places. Normally those are located in specialized attracted places like showrooms. So we Micro cars Ltd also located the newly Micro Rexton II in our showroom in Singapore which named as Micro Cars International (Pvt)Ltd a fully owned subsidiary of the mother company in Sri Lanka and also fully coordination by Micro Cars Ltd in Sri Lanka. 3.1.4 Distribution of the product Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd is mainly targeting on the end consumers in Singapore that falling under middle-upper class. Basically the business/operations in the Singapore is mostly handle by the mother company Micro Cars Ltd. But due to some factors like less knowledge about ruling, taxing, clearing and other kind of local procedures, we Micro Cars Ltd appoint an agent for Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd to get things done in Singapore such as some tasks like vehicle clearing from the ports, taxation, registration and etc behalf of Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd in Singapore. But all the important work that affect on the operations or the core value of the business of Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd will directly handle by mother company Micro Cars Ltd and with supportiveness of the appointed agent. Considering on the distribution channel Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd is not much engage in distributing it in Singapore as it is not FMCG product but a luxurious p roduct. Because people who needs it will come for an inspection and we are inviting them to come and inspect it in our showroom in Singapore. 3.1.5 Advertising and promotion Advertising and promotion should be there in the action to achieve the customer awareness towards the product. The usage of the different advertising and promotional tools may depend on the type of the product. So as the Micro Rexton II is targeting on the end consumers we directly communicate to the end consumers through our advertisements and other promotional campaigns. With regard to the advertising methods that can be use to market Micro Rexton II we can advertise in some electronic medias like TV and internet. Further with the print media it can be publish on automobile magazines and sports magazines. Also in the promotional methods it can propose to give basic first free service for fist 100 customers. In addition to that we are expecting take part in the trade shows and automotive shows by displaying their newly Micro Rexton II. 3.1.6 Pricing strategy Customary mark-ups The customary mark-ups will be depend on expectation of the company which means will depend on the amount that they want to earn from each unit. So Micro cars Ltd also having different mark-ups depending on the project where it will differ from project to project depending on its nature and the expectations. According to this project of exporting Micro Rexton II Micro Cars Ltd will keep 23.5%. 3.2 Relative competitors to Micro Rexton II in Singapore There will be huge competition for Micro Rexton II in Singapore at the initial stage of their expanding procedure that will come-in from the other average SUV makers in the world such as Mitsubishi, Nissan, Hyundai and Suzuki. The in detail information or the comparison between each mentioned competitors as follows. Competitors products as follows. Make Model Mitsubishi Outlander Nissan X-TRAIL Hyundai SantaFe Suzuki Grand Vitara The features of the all above models can be seen at the appendix 3. Competitors prices are as follows Make Model Price (USD) Mitsubishi Outlander 92000 Nissan X-TRAIL 100000 Hyundai SantaFe 78000 Suzuki Grand Vitara 87000 When we considering about the advertising and promotional methods, all these companies are in the aim of providing luxurious products to the market. So as a result of that majority of the competitors are using general advertising and promotional methods which some advertising methods such as TV advertisements, internet advertisement, bill boards, magazines while using discounting programs and trade show promotions as promotional methods. Further with regard to their distribution channels most of them are doing their businesses through their agents in Singapore where the agents have the full right to handle most of operations within the country. 3.3 Government participation in the marketplace Development or the growth of a any kind of company can be achieve easily up-to some extent, if the government of that specific country is supporting on the operation by giving lots of benefits from the government side. Further especially in the international businesses, basically there will be minimum of two countries engage in that process to get some thing (goods or services) into the country (importing) or giving it out from the country (exporting). So if the both governments are in positive mode to help on these to gain advantages for both countries, then it will be a really good push for a company to operate there businesses in overseas with less obstacles. In addition to that there should be procedure that should follow by each and every company who enters to the Singapore for their ventures. Some of those briefly explained regulations are as follows. Any company will come to a conclusion whether to expand their businesses to overseas or not, by looking at the results that they gain through their different studies that they done in relation to specific industry where they hoping to expand. So by following that procedure Micro Cars Ltd has decided to expand their businesses to Singapore by introducing their unique product Micro Rexton II to the Singapore market through Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd especially to the people in middle-upper class who tend to use average SUVs. So initially they need to register their business (Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd) as a company under the required authority in Singapore which named as â€Å"Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapor (ACRA)†. Then they need to active their custom accounts under the Singapore customs for relevant monitoring and other processes of the customs authority. Further they will be able to get a special license (if required) for their own tax benefits in Singapore after complete understanding and finalizing negotiations between the two governments. Then there will be tax benefits for product (Micro Rexton II) under this project in Singapore and the government of Sri Lanka can offer some reasonable tax releases for Singapore projects in Sri Lanka. In relation to this matter the government of Singapore comes to understanding with the Sri Lankan government to charge 10% of custom tax in Singapore instead of charging 20% while having 2% GST instead of having 7%. Additionally as mentioned in the earlier stages, the government of Sri Lanka is always behind the Micro Cars Ltd and their proposed subsidiary {Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd} by giving them the maximum support and benefits that can offer by the government side due to the nationality atmosphere of the company as the company is fully localize venture where the money will never run out of the county. Especially on that way the government of Sri Lanka will never charge any tax on this project which is exporting the Micro Rexton II to Singapore. So due to the tax benefits that the Micro Cars Ltd getting from the both government for their export they will be able to offer Micro Rexton II at really affordable price to the Singapore market which will be big headache for other SUV competitors in Singapore. PART Two Preliminary Marketing Plan Executive summary The preliminary marketing plan is the main part of this report where it covers major areas of the expansion process such as promotional mix, distribution, price determinations and the budgets. Basically it start with the main objectives that has targeted on specific target market of middle-upper class in the aim of creating brand awareness by fulfilling the stylish traveling needs of the people in Singapore. The usage of promotion mix is in good stands in relation to operations where the company interest in using such media tools like electronic media for TV advertisements, internet advisements and for the electronic bill boards while they tend to use print media like news papers, magazines and billboards. Further it also interest in personnel selling where they specifically targeting on the corporate customers. In addition to that they are focusing in participating for trade shows by displaying their vehicle too. The transportation between two countries will be done by the sea transportation method where it starts from Colombo port to the destination port â€Å"Jurong† in Singapore. There are special document to be shown at the destination port such as Exhaust emission test report, Windscreen test report, Vehicle data card, Vehicle registration documents and Manufactures letter to confirm the date of manufacture as this is an automobile transportation and these document are in addition to the general documents such as bill of lading, dock receipt, commercial invoice and statement of origin. Basically all the important operations handle by the special internal management team which appointed by the mother company and additionally the company has appointed an agent for the purpose of handling localize tasks. Regarding the taxes in Singapore perspective the government of Singapore along with Singapore customs charge 10% custom duties based on the value of the product while they charge 2% GST based on CIF value. Regarding the payment methods, the company focus is to go with consignment method which will be an advantage for Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd. According to the current position of the company they are well establish and strong in their productions, financial, marketing and etc. 4.0 Preliminary Marketing Plan 4.1 Marketing Objectives Most of the SUVs in Singapore are highly expensive and augmented. But demand has not gone down over the past few years even its expensive, therefore presenting extensively edge SUV will create more demand to Micro Rexton II due to its comparably low price, economies of scale and low labor cost. Current social situation and demand for products in Singapore is vastly attached with fashion and new trend and therefore the social demand will fulfill with the latest edge design of the Micro Rexton II. One of the other objectives is to creating a higher amount of customer benefit markup compared to other competitors. Expand the brand awareness through out the world using a country like Singapore will be ideal as it known as a travelers paradise and a business hub. Achieve more benefits from a country like Singapore, where it provides more benefits to private business sector of the country meanwhile they getting their own benefits. Target Market Unlikely in Sri Lanka, gender will not play a big role when buying a vehicle in a country like Singapore due to their westernization cultural influences and the level of educated people. Therefore promoting even a SUV will not limited to males but will reach every extent possible. After undergoing several researchers studies it is decided to promote Micro Rexton II to middle-upper income earners in the Singapore. Main assumption to target specially to that particular group is that, it is expected that to those income earners perceive this product as a value for money product. Because buying diesel consumption SUV is perceived as a very prestigious behavior. Even though target market consists of the customers who are affordable to the product, Micro Cars Ltd thinks on future potential customers as well. Expected sales and profits Basically this will depend on the ability of capturing the market and how its capture the market especially in a country like Singapore where in a situation that a huge competition among SUV makers going on. Also it depend on how the Micro Rexton II will promote itself to the market and how it can exceed the others competitors promoting patterns in order to get more concerns of the people towards Micro Rexton II. Capturing the customers at the very fist stage is not enough but need to keep it continuously. So based on the findings that we made through our studies we expect that there will be 200 units of sales per year and expecting USD 20 millions profit. Market penetration and coverage As Micro Cars International (Pvt) Ltd planning to establish their showroom in the capital city of Singapore, it will be much convenient for them to start and continue the marketing process. As most of the merchandising activities are centralized to the capital city, creating the initial demand and maintaining would be benefited from the location advantage. In order to penetrate the market extensive analysis of existing competitors and their core competencies are highly required. Because capturing the market in a highly competitive environment would be very difficult and competitive. Therefore well planned designs and quality control tools also will play a major role when penetrating the market. 4.2 Product adaptation or modification This is an exclusive product where that the new version of the Rexton which is named as Micro Rexton II was only available in Sri Lanka but no anywhere else. Because the appearance and the other relative stuff of the Rexton II is completely different from the earlier Rexton which is available all around the world. That is because, its totally assembled in Sri Lanka with locally manufactured items where only the engine and the transmission bringing from Korea. So we can assume Rexton II as a unique product that available in Sri Lanka. Basically the main advantage to Micro Cars Ltd is the price advantage that they can gain in Singapore markets as the Micro Rexton II can be offered at fewer prices compared to the other average SUV in the specific range. Also most of the parts of the Micro Rexton II such as body of the vehicle, mirrors, seats, and rubber components including the tires are fully manufactured in Sri Lanka and further they are hoping to add/replace more locally manufactured components to it in order to get more revenue for the country. The features and the specification of the Micro Rexton II can be seen in appendix 4. 4.3 Promotion mix In relation to the exportation of Micro Rexton II to Singapore an extensive promotional campaign will be conduct in order to capture the specific target market in the aim of increasing demand by conveying the benefits of this new Micro Rexton II to the customers. 4.3.1 Advertising The objectives of this advertising campaign will be to create awareness of the people and to make them more attractive by conducting creative methods. Media mix There are many types of advertising methods available in the industry, but all are not relevant to each and every product or service

Personal Reflection On Practicing A Clinical Skill

Personal Reflection On Practicing A Clinical Skill This essay will discuss a clinical skill in which I have become competent in practicing. I will use a reflective model to discuss how I have achieved the necessary level of competence in my nurse training programme. The reflective model I have chosen to use is Gibbs model (Gibbs 1988). Gibbs model of reflection incorporates the following: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan (Gibbs 1988). The model will be applied to the essay to facilitate critical thought, relating theory to practice where the model allows. Discussion will include the knowledge underpinning practice and the evidence base for the clinical skill. A conclusion to the essay will then be given which will discuss my reflection skills, acknowledge my competence and show my personal and professional development. The clinical skill I have chosen to reflect on within this essay is the administration of Intramuscular (IM) injections. I have chosen this as within my first clinical placement this was a widely used method of drug administration and I became involved in the process of IM injections. I therefore researched the topic of IM injections and my knowledge within this area developed. The first stage of Gibbs (1988) model of reflection requires a description of events. I was asked to administer a drug to a patient via IM injection. I had observed this clinical skill on a variety of occasions and had previously administered an IM injection under supervision. On this occasion I was being observed by two qualified nurses, one of which was my mentor. The drug had been drawn up and was ready to be administered and the patient consented to have a student administer the injection. My mentor was talking me through the procedure step by step and informed me that I should use an alcohol wipe to cleanse the injection site, when the other nurse interrupted and said that this was not necessary. This was in front of the patient, who then requested that the alcohol wipe was omitted as on previous occasions this had caused a stinging sensation. My mentor said that this was acceptable and I continued to administer the injection, omitting the use of the alcohol wipe. On the previou s occasions when I had administered IM injections I had not cleansed the site and had never been instructed to adopt this practice. I am now going to enter into the second stage of Gibbs (1988) model of reflection, which is a discussion about my thoughts and feelings. I was aware of being under the supervision of two qualified nurses and this made me feel very nervous and self conscious. Once my mentor questioned my practice, concerning skin cleansing, I became even more aware of feeling nervous and under pressure. The patient was present and I did not want the patient to feel that I did not know what I was doing. I thought that as I had been observed carrying out this clinical procedure on many other occasions then my practice must have been seen to be correct. I was now feeling very confused about the use of alcohol wipes in the administration of IM injection. I was also concerned that the practice of the qualified nurses was so inconsistent, which led me to evaluate the whole process. Evaluation is the third stage of Gibbs (1988) model of reflection and requires the reflector to with state what was good and bad about the event. I was aware that research by Workman (1999) suggests that the use of skin cleansing wipes is inconsistent and not necessary in IM injections if the patient appears to be physically clean and an aseptic technique is adopted, along with stringent hand washing by the nurse. It has also been noted that the use of cleansing with an alcohol wipe can cause skin hardening (Mallet Dougherty 2000). The trust policy was to follow guidelines published by the Royal Marsden Hospital (Mallet Dougherty 2000). The Royal Marsden (Mallet Dougherty 2000) advocate the use of skin cleansing wipes, however it is stated within their guidelines that they adopt this because their patients are often immunocompromised, and give evidence of previous studies which indicate that skin cleansing is not normally necessary. Therefore my practice was within the trust proto col. This experience made me think about my attitude towards literature and how it is applied in practice. Burnard (2002) suggests that a learner is a passive recipient of received knowledge, and that learning through activity engages all of our senses. The site used in the IM injection was the gluteus maximus, this the most commonly used site for the administration of IM injections (Greenway 2004, Workman 1999). The gluteus maximus area is both thick and fleshy with a good blood supply (Watson 2000). It is located in the hip area and forms the buttock (Watson 2000). It has been noted by Watson (2000) that the gluteus maximus is near the sciatic nerve and Greenway (2004) suggests that this presents a risk of threat of injury in the administration of IM injections. When I administered the IM injection to the patient, I injected into the gluteus maximus muscle, as the evidence stipulates this is best practice. Stage four of Gibbs (1988) is an analysis of the event, where Gibbs encourages the reflector to make sense of the situation. I will do this by exploring the skill and looking at the evidence underpinning it. An IM injection is the administration of medication into the muscle; there are many reasons why drugs are given via the IM route (Workman 1999). These include a rapid absorption rate, the conscious state of the patient, and the drug effect being altered by ingestion (Mallet Dougherty 2000, Workman 1999). Workman (1999) suggests there are four considerations in giving an injection, the site of injection, the technique, the equipment and the route. On my clinical placement, an orthopaedic outpatient centre, IM injections were administered on an almost daily basis. However Hemsworth (2000) comments that IM injections are rarely used in certain specialities and suggests that, in this case, nurses current practice in IM injections may not be up to date with recent research findings. Through evaluation of the event in question I have become more aware of different practices concerning the use of alcohol wipes in skin cleansing. I am aware that both practices have been researched, but as I develop professionally I am developing my own skills and will not cleanse the skin in future unless the trust policy dictates so or the patient requests me to do so. There is no clear evidence in this area but I will use the literature which is available to justify my actions, and therefore give evidence based care. The reason my mentor suggested using the alcohol wipe could be that she has been qualified for a long time, and practices have changed. In this scenario I have learnt from experience and through experience (Burnard 2002). Following this incident in practice I will now be more prepared to challenge the views of others in relation to my clinical practice. In conclusion, stage five of the Gibbs (1988) model, I am aware that all nurses do not use evidence in the same way and may use different methods but as long as my practice is safe and evidence based then I can practice safely. My future practice will depend on the area in which I am working and I aim to find out the trust protocol concerning clinical procedures before I commence any procedure Within my action plan my aim is to research further into the theory of using alcohol wipes in the administration of IM injections. I am also planning to have a discussion with the qualified nurses on the subject of skin cleansing. In conclusion my reflection skills have developed through the production of this essay. Using a model of reflection has helped me to structure my thoughts and feelings appropriately. My level of awareness concerning evidence based practice, and its importance, has been enhanced with the use of critical reflection. My competence, within this clinical skill, has been further developed and I now feel that my personal and professional development is progressing. Using this reflective model has helped me to realise that my learning is something which I must be proactive in. Furthermore as a student nurse I have recognised that reflection is an important learning tool in practice.

Romeo and Juliet: Fate or Free Will? Essay -- Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet: Fate or Free Will? The play Romeo and Juliet was one of the most famous love tragedies ever written. This love story unfortunately had a fatal ending. Many people argue over why the lovers had died, was it over Free Will or Fate? The death of Romeo and Juliet was partially because of free will. The fact that Romeo and Juliet got married knowing that there was a bitter feud between their families, the Montague and Capulet’s. This feud brought on many problems, such as the murder of Tybalt by Romeo. Juliet knew that this might be a problem for Her and Romeo. Juliet had said: â€Å"What’s in a name†? Which explains her ill fate of being a Capulet and Romeo being a Montague. When Romeo tells his servant â€Å" Ay, mine own fortune in my misery†. This illustrates that he does not...

Common Sense Essay example -- essays research papers

In Common Sense, by Thomas Paine writes that America cannot recon ciliate with Great Britain. Paine gives many examples in this document of why America cannot reconsolidates with Great Britain. One of them is there is no advantages to being connected to Great Britain; only disadvantages can come out of the connection and the second idea is British government must sooner or later end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first point about the connection with the British, Paine states that America can benefit much more if it was not connected to the British for many reasons. One of them is trade with other European countries will decline or even go to ruins because if Europe breaks out into a war other countries will not trade with America because of the connection with the British. Second is the fact that the British does not protect us unless its in there interest or benefit to do so. Paine states that when the British fought off Spain and France, it was to protect Great Britain’s interest not Americas. He states this because if America was not benefiting Great Britain with trade and money or anything else; the British would not protect America. Paine’s third point is the fact that Britain is a monster. In this point he states that England brings tyranny to America because of the persecutions of emigrants that came to America in the first place and that Britain still pursues the descendants of the first emigrants.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Thomas ...

Rousseau’s Theory about Education

â€Å"The neglected education of my fellow-creatures is the grand source of the misery I deplore.†-Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women. Rousseau and Wollstonecraft believed that children should be allowed to grow freely and learn to use their education practically. Children would then grow up to be free thinking adults that would keep soceity from becoming materialistic and oppressing. Nonetheless, they vehemently disagreed on who should receive such an education. Rousseau thought that only males, because they are stronger should receive such and education. Wollstonecraft believed everyone, no matter what sex, should be able to be educated to reform and better society as a whole. Though both their works were considered extreme, they are both apparent in the public education system of today. Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) and Rousseau (1712-1778) both agreed that society oppressed human kind, but Wollstonecraft felt that men were oppressing women. They both believed that education should mean letting children grow freely and placing little restrictions. They should protect them from immediate dangers and provide food and shelter. They should not, however, force books and controlled learning upon the children. He thought that children should also develop common sense and each child would choose whatever interests him to study in greater detail. He thought that this method of education would produce a well balanced, free thinking child. Therefore this would lead to a natural society rather than a materialistic one. Rousseau†s theory of natural education was not intended for all children. He felt that girls should be limited motherhood, and how to be a wife. To Rousseau, women exist in order to serve man, because they are weaker. Wollstonecraft stated that women should be taught medicine in order to take care of parents, infants, and husbands properly. She endorsed equal education for all children no matter what the sex. They should not only be taught the same things, but should be taught together, to learn social interaction they would encounter as adults. Girls and boys would attend day school together and then boys would be sent to their apprenticeships and girls would learn how to sew and other skills. Wollstonecraft tried to prove that by denying a woman†s education you are denying her the ability to raise children adequately. Therefore it would benefit both sexes if women were properly educated. Rousseau was applauded for advocating human rights and natural education but when it concerned women he broke no new ground. He actually promoted women†s role as a wife and mother present to serve her husband. He stated that because women were weaker physically that their minds were as well. Wollstonecraft upheld his philosophy of natural education to encourage individual freedom to benefit society. However, she detested his treatment of women. She advised that women and men should both be educated, and educated together. Both of Emile and The Vindication of the Right†s of Women were considered radical, they were both revolutionaries. Emile impacted practical applications, and the exploration of natural curiosity in education. Wollstonecraft†s radical idea of educating boys and girls equally, and together are applied on public education today.

Indian River and Its Tributeries Essay

The Lohit River has derived its name because of its vigorous nature and thus it is also called the river of blood. The lateritic soil of the river forms its surrounding demography. The river flows through the Mishmi Hills, to meet the Siang at the head of the Brahmaputra valley. The Burhidihing River is one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra River. The River Burhidihing flowing at the speed of 103. 58m at Khowang. The waters fall from an elevation of 102. 11m. This river is highly prone to floods and the previous highest flood level was measured to be 103. 92m in1988. Damodar River-The Damodar River originates in the Palamau district of Jharkhand near Chandwa village. The origin of Damodar River is in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region of India. The river flows through the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal for nearly five hundred and ninety two kilometers and then merges with the Hooghly River, which is in the south west of Kolkata. The Damodar River has a number of tributaries and distributaries. They are Barakar, Konar, Guaia,Jamania, Usri, Bokaro, Haharo, Khadia and Bhera. The Barakar is the most important and the only tributary of the Damodar River. This River arises near Padma in Hazaribagh district, flows through Jharkhand,and meets the Damodar River in Dishergarh in West Bengal. The river used to flow through Bengal in yesteryears, from west to east course and then it joined the Hooghly River at a spot near Kalna. Gradually, the river has changed its course and now most of the water in its lower reaches falls into the Mundeswari River. The Mundeswari River combines with other rivers and ultimately most of the water of the Damodar River flows into the Rupnarayan River. The residual water flows through the Damodar into the Hooghly, located at the south of Kolkata. Earlier the Damodar River was referred to as River of Sorrow in Bengal as it used to flood the Bardhaman, Hooghly, Howrah and Medinipur districts of West Bengal, which led to huge destruction of life and property. Even today the floods sometimes distress the lower Damodar Valley but the chaos it brought about in earlier years. However, after building the dams this flood factor has become a matter of history. Pollution of Damodar River is one of the grave concerns of the Bengal authorities. The Damodar is the most polluted river in India today due the several industries that have sprouted on its mineral-rich banks. There are too many coal-based industries that are been build the Damodar valley. Other industries are mostly government-owned coal washeries, coke oven plants, which are the country`s major iron and steel plants and thermal power plants. Zinc, glass and cement plants also cover wide areas along the riverbanks. The overburden of mine effluents, fly ash, oil, toxic metals and coal dust caused the pollution. Defective mining practices, outdated processing practices and lack of proper maintenance were compounded by corruption, inadequate pollution control and a state pollution control board that did nothing. The people living in the basin are slowly being poisoned because the Damodar and its tributaries is the only source of drinking water for most people living in the area. However, the governmental measures have brought significant changes in the status of the river for the past years. The geology of Damodar River indicate heavy metal concentrations at various zones of the river. At two sites in near mining areas, the coarser particles show similar or even higher heavy metal concentrations than the finer ones. Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is based on the Tenesse Valley Authority of the United States of America. This project benefits the states of West Bengal and Bihar. An important feature of this project is the 692 metres long and 11. 6 metres high barrage constructed across the Damodar at Durgapur. Panchet dam, Farakka Barrage, Tilaiya Dam and Konar Dam are the dams at River Damodar. The tributary of Damodar River is one of the most ferocious and voluminous rivers of Eastern India – River Barakar, which begins near Padma in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand and flows for 225 km across the northern part of the Chota Nagpur plateau. GANGA– The Ganges River is held sacred by Hindus and is worshipped in its personified formas the Goddess Ganga. The Ganga and its tributaries drain a large and fertile basin with an area of about one million square kilometres. The Ganges has a number of tributaries which are mentioned below: Yamuna River Yamuna River, also known as the Jumna, is a major river of the northern India. Yamuna River has a total length of about 1,376 km (855 mi). The Yamuna`s source is at the Yamunotri glacier near Banderpoonch peaks, in the Mussourie range of the lower Himalayas at an elevation of about 6387 meters above sea level in district Uttarakashi. This river, flows in a southerly direction through the Himalayan foothills, onto the northern Indian plain, and a series of valleys for about 200Kms, along the Uttar Pradesh-Haryana state border. At this point, the Eastern and Western Yamuna canals are fed from the river. Son River One of the largest southern tributaries of the Ganges is the Son River of central India. The Son River originates in the state of Chhattisgarh in the east direction of the origin of Narmada River. It then flows in the north-northwest direction through Madhya Pradesh before turning in the east direction where it meets the Kaimur range. The river starts flowing in the parallel direction of the Kaimur range in the east-northeast direction through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and joins the Ganges just above Patna, the capital of Bihar. Mahananda River The Mahananda River is a major confluent of the Ganges in eastern part of India. The river originates from the extreme north of West Bengal from thehills of Darjeeling. It then flows southwards through the fertile agricultural area I in Bihar and enters West Bengal. The river then flows in the southeast direction I in to Bangladesh. I Kosi River I Kosi River one of the main rivers in Bihar and a prominent tributary of the Ganges, originates in the Himalayas. Along with its tributaries, the Kosi River traverses along parts of Tibet, including the Mount Everest region and also one third of the eastern part of Nepal. The river has shifted its course from east to west about 120 kilometres in the last two hundred years. Gandak River Gandak is also known as the Kali Gandaki River and Narayani after the confluence with Trisuli in Nepal. Gandak River is a tributary of the Ganga or Ganges River. It is one of the major rivers in Nepal and India. It is a north bank tributary of the Ganga in India. It rises at 7620 m in Tibet near the Nepal border and overlooks the Dhaulagiri. It is distinguished for the deep gorge across which it flows and for a large hydroelectric facility in Nepal. This river also provides water for a major Irrigation cum Hydroelectric power facility at the Indo-Nepal border at Valmikinagar. The river has a total catchment area of 46,300 sqkm out of which 7620 sqkm is located in India. The Gandaki River is mentioned in the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. Ghaghara River Ghaghara River, also called the Gogra or Ghagra, Nepali Kauriala or Manchu or the Karnali, literally means `holy water from the sacred mountain`. The term Karnali also means â€Å"Turquoise River† and is a trans-boundary perennial river that originates on the Tibetan plateau. The Karnali is called K`ung-ch`iao Ho in Chinese. This river near Manasarowar cuts through the Himalayas in Nepal on its way to the convergence with the Sarda River at Brahmaghat in India where it forms the Ghaghara River. The Ghaghara River is a major left bank tributary of the Ganges. It is the longest and largest river in Nepal with a length of around 507 km and one of the largest affluent of the Ganges. Mahakali River River Mahakali flows between the border of Nepal and India. This river forms the western international border between Nepal and India and it originates from the Greater Himalayas at Kalapaani. The river flows down from a height of 3600 m, in the Pithoragarh District of Uttarakhand. Eventually, it joins with the Gori Ganga at Jauljibi area. This river again joins the Saryu River at Pancheshwar. The vicinity

Dancing at Lughnasa

In the time ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ was set Gerry and Chris’s relationship would have been extremely unorthodox and would have circulated a lot of town gossip. Having a child out of wedlock was extremely shocking and making the decision to then keep Michael even more so. In 1936 women had very few rights and with the shock of Michael being born only the towns respect for their brother, a missionary, kept them from being societal lepers. Friel presents the relationship between Gerry and Chris by using stage directions to show the true feelings between them and how their relationship is sustained.Having Gerry and Chris talking in the garden while the four other sisters are inside listening intently shows how little privacy the two have in their relationship. When Gerry first arrives Chris appears extremely cold and offhand in front of him using one word answers ‘Chris: Hello, Gerry†¦ yes†¦yes. ’ All of this gives the impression that she has very little time for him and doesn’t particularly care about him. However Friel’s staging shows the audience that she really does care because we see her reaction before Gerry comes on stage.Friel portrays her as standing stock still in shock then, when coming to her senses, rushing around panicking, ‘adroitly adjusts her hair and clothes. ’ It is the panic before the extract that shows her much Chris truly does care about Gerry and also about how little the sisters have in their lives due to the their scramble to make themselves presentable.This highlights how Gerry is a key romantic figure in the play because even though all the while the sisters are saying ‘Kate: He won’t stay the night here’ and ‘Rose: I hate him!’ they still all end up crowding around the window to listen in and watch, suggesting that though disapproving they still half wish to be in Chris’s shoes. The social constraints of the situation lead them t o wanting Gerry out of the families lives, but still the desire is there through the constant comments. These comments are key to the suggestion of an invasion of privacy, ‘Maggie: you should see the way she’s looking at him†¦Kate: they’re not still talking are they?’Friel is trying to show how hard it must be for Gerry and Chris to live in such an enclosed area where everyone knows everyone’s business, thus exploring a theme of romance, or lack of romance. This is continued throughout the extract, the fact that Gerry never visits ‘Chris: 13 months’ making the relationship seem very one sided – Chris remembering the last visit to the day while Gerry can’t remember the month. Gerry proposes to Chris at the very end of the extract and this gives a sign that maybe he does care about her.Even though Chris turns him down there is still the slight remembrance of this moment throughout the rest of the play, leading to the au diences opinion that maybe Gerry does truly care for Chris despite leaving her alone with child. However through Michael’s narrative closer to the end of the play in the second act we find out that Gerry already had ‘a wife and three grown children’, Friel choosing to leave this revelation till the end to produce a far more dramatic climax to their relationship. It is then that the audience realises that Gerry never intended to marry Chris and only offered in the knowledge that she would refuse.This all gives the impression that there is never any real closeness or intimacy for the two of them and the whole summer of happiness before, ‘suddenly he takes her in his arms and dance. ’ was a lie. A large influence on Friel when writing ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ was the changing role of women in society. Thatcher had just been Prime Minister and women’s rights were becoming much more accepted in the 1990’s, perhaps why Friel chose t o make this such a large part of the play. Set in 1936 the Mundy sisters would not have been at all accepted by society with Chris having Michael out of wedlock and then deciding to keep him.Changing attitudes within society would have influenced Friel’s interpretation of Chris and Gerry’s relationship. Friel depicted this family as an example of what is yet to come, the sisters supported Chris throughout and after her pregnancy even though it went against societies beliefs, thus inflicting Chris’s embarrassment upon themselves as well yet still sticking together as a family. Friel emphasizes that women should have the right to do as they please through the disruption of outside influences.At the beginning of the play the sisters are happy in their little bubble making jokes about the outside world ‘Maggie: steady on girl, today its lipstick; tomorrow it’s the gin bottle’ although never participating in it. It’s when they begin to allo w others into their circle that things begin to go down hill for them. Before Gerry’s arrival they were all dancing and laughing but his arrival marked a change for them all, Friel perhaps suggesting that women don’t need the influences of men and all they bring with them is destruction.Danny Bradley and Rose are another example of this, the death of Rose’s defenceless white rooster is symbolic of mans predatory nature and the violence of this act implies violence between Rose and Bradley. Therefore Friel is portraying women as stronger without the male interference, Chris and Gerry’s relationship is used to highlight this as it is obvious to the audience that Chris would have been better off without Gerry in the first place but it is this continued procrastinating relationship that truly destroys her.The audience views Chris and Gerry’s relationship with trepidation throughout the play due to Friel’s depiction of him as a stereotypical woma niser. Kate calls him a ‘Loafer! Wastrel! ’ but conveniently neglects to mention the obvious charisma he has. In a short few minutes of conversation he has turned Chris from cold and unwelcoming ‘Chris: Thirteen months. ’ To one who is warm and laughing and allows Gerry to ‘dance her lightly, elegantly across the garden. ’ The audience views this exchange with surprise having heard only very negative things about Gerry from the sisters; the easy acceptance from Chris confuses them.The audience’s mistrust of Gerry’s character increases after the small discussion of Agnes between the two. Having already seen Agnes’s rigid, almost forced disinterest in Gerry, and then to have Gerry asking specifically after her Friel creates a slight unease for the audience, suggesting that something may have between the two of them. This leads to the audience beginning to see the cracks in the family’s foundations with Gerry seemingly at the centre of this. Friel enforces this idea of him being a womaniser later in act 2 when he begins to flirt with Agnes ‘Gerry: Dance with me Agnes.’ and then kisses her forehead, all of this watched by Chris.The audience begins to really mistrust Gerry at this point as it is obvious that he is the cause of conflict between the family they have come to love. The audience is seeing men in a bad light which relates to the feelings at the time it was being performed when the term ‘glass ceiling’ was coming into existence, women in the workplace being oppressed by men and now, in the play, them to being oppressed in relationships. There is the feeling that men can get away with any sort of misdemeanour by just walking away, leaving, whereas women i.e.Chris, are always left with the result – a baby. Gerry’s carrying on represents this stereotypical male so that when the audience discovers that Gerry in fact has ‘a wife and three grown chil dren’ it comes as no surprise. In conclusion, Friel presents Gerry and Chris’s relationship as something parallel to that of a pre 1990’s relationship. He wants to suggest to the audience that women no need longer depend on men by showing how much better off the Mundy sisters were before the arrival of Gerry and the conflict he brought within the family.Although the influences on Friel were all about the empowerment of women, he presents Gerry and Chris’s relationship with Gerry as the dominant figure, putting the play in the context of its setting and to show how the male dominance was a cause of the family breaking down. Through his presentation of the relationship he is evoking the idea that there are more possibilities available to an empowered women rather than a dominated one.