How to Train Your Pet

Have you ever wondered how the animals you see on TV and in movies are trained to perform such amazing tricks? Many of their trainers use a technique based on the teaching methods developed by behavioral psychologists such as BF Skinner. Skinner studied techniques for reinforcing desired behavior in animals. Animals can be taught many sophisticated tricks using Skinner’s technique. If you want your pet to do a trick, you must understand the technique psychologists call â€Å"shaping.† Shaping means reinforcing, or strengthening behaviors that you want to encourage. Begin by making some decisions. First of all, you need to choose your subject. You can pick any household pet, such as a cat, a dog, a hamster, or a bird. Suppose, for example, that you want to teach your dog a trick. The next thing to do is to choose a reward. Food is usually the easiest reward to use. Keep in mind that in order for food to be an effective reward, your dog has to be hungry. Don’t try to teach him a new trick right after he has eaten a big meal. Also, a reward is most effective when it is given at the same time that the dog performs the desired trick. Since you will not be always able to give the dog food as quickly as you would like to, you will need to develop a â€Å"conditional reinforcer.† You can do this by connecting the food to something else, such as a ringing bell. In this case, the sound of the bell makes is the conditioned reinforcer. You are now ready to begin conditioning the dog to respond to the bell. Get out about 40 small dog biscuits. Toss a few of them to your dog, one at a time, at a rate of about one or two biscuits per minute. As soon as the dog starts eating the biscuits, ring the bell and then throw him another biscuit. Wait about 30 seconds and then repeat the steps. When you ring the bell, do not make any other sounds or movements. Give the food only when the dog is standing in the place where he got the food. When your dog reaches the point where he goes to the food place whenever you ring the bell, you are ready to begin teaching him the trick. At this point, you need to choose the trick you want to teach. An easy trick is teaching your dog to roll over. Shape the dog’s behavior by reinforcing anything that resembles the behavior you are trying to teach. Begin by reinforcing any attempt to lie down. Then reinforce any movement of his body when he is lying down. Every time you reinforce any of his behaviors that resembles rolling over, immediately give him a biscuit and ring the bell. In this way, he will begin to associate the sound of the bell with the trick. Continue reinforcing closer approximations of rolling over with the biscuits and the bell. During the teaching session, do not touch the dog, talk to him, or in any way distract him. A normal dog, according to Skinner, will learn the trick within 5 minutes. As you can see, it is really not difficult to train your pet to do a trick. It is only a matter of little time and some effort. Once you have established a conditioned reinforce, you can easily teach your dog a new trick by shaping his behavior. However, if you want to teach your dog another trick, you must eliminate the first behavior by no longer reinforcing it. Eventually, he will stop rolling over and will be ready to learn something new.

Good: Satisfaction Customer Satisfaction

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION â€Å"Customer Satisfaction is a business term of how the products and the services supplied by the company meet or surpass the customer expectation. It is the key performance indicator within the business.† †¦Berlin AsongWHY ORGANIZATIONS FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION? Businesses monitor customer satisfaction in order to determine how to increase their customer base, customer loyalty, revenue, profits, market share and survival. Although greater profit is the primary driver, exemplary businesses focus on the customer and his/her experience with the organization. They work to make their customers happy and see customer satisfaction as the key to survival and profit. Customer satisfaction in turn hinges on the quality and effects of their experiences and the goods or services they receive.NEED OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION The most important asset of any organization is its customers. Satisfied customers pay their bills promptly which greatly improves ca sh flow – the lifeblood of any organization.BUSINESS TECNIQUES OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION One of the key customer satisfaction techniques is the need to provide front line employees with the ability to respond to customer situations quickly without the need to ‘ask for permission’. Innovation drives customers' satisfaction. As customers' needs keep changing, an innovation-driven company is capacitated to exceed customers' expectations. To provide after sale services.Listen actively and carefully. Anticipate that the customer will be asking questions. They may be easy, they be hard. But encourage them anyway. If you cannot provide an answer, promise to find out the answer from someone who can. Be patient, look from the customer's point of view and work from there. This point of view will always give you the best outlook on the situation. Always keep a smile on your face when dealing with customers which can lead to customer satisfaction. This positive attitude can r ub off and turn a potentially negative situation into a positive experience.WHY MEASURE THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION? Customer satisfaction is tied directly to profitability. Well-established research by Bain & Company found that, for many companies, an increase of 5% in customer retention can increase profits by 25% to 95%. The same study found that it costs six to seven times more to gain a new customer than to keep an existing one.CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASUREMENT A basic and effective base line customer satisfaction survey program should focus on measuring customer perceptions of how will the company delivers on the critical success factors and dimensions of the business as defined by  the customers. Organizations need to retain existing customers while targeting non-customers. Measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace.Customer satisfaction is an abstract concept and the ac tual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other factors the customer, such as other products against which the customer can compare the organization's products.FOR EXAMPLE: Service Promptness Courtesy of Staff Responsiveness Understanding the customer problem, etc.The findings of the company performance should be analyzed both with all customers and by key segments of the customer population. The essential starting point for Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CMS) is exploratory research. Since satisfaction is about an organization’s ability. To meet customer requirement one has to start by clarifying with customers exactly what those requirements are. This is done through explora tory research using focus groups or one to one depth interviews. Two main factors determine the accuracy of CMS. The first is the asking the right question and the second is the asking them to the right people sample of customers which accurately reflects the customer base.Three things decide the accuracy of a sample. They are: 1. It must be representative. 2. It must be randomly selected. 3. It must be adequate enough.NEED FOR MEASURING CUSTOMER SATISFACTIONâ€Å"Customers are too good to lose  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Lets keep them happy! â€Å"Customer is the king.† â€Å"Marketing starts with the customer and ends the customer†. †¦Peter Drucker. So no organization, small or big ignores the customers. â€Å"Earth is not the center of universe but revolves around the Sun†. †¦Copernicus. Similarly, we have come to believe that business firm is not the center of economic universe but revolves around the customer.REVIEW OF LITERATUREAbout customer satisfaction Cust omer satisfaction occurs when the experience obtained from transaction match expectation. Customer may forget experience that match expectation although, customers will generally notice and also remember those experience that deviated from expectation.Methodologies The Kano model is a theory of product development and customer satisfaction developed in the 1980s by Professor Noriaki Kano that classifies customer preferences into five categories: Attractive, One-Dimensional, Must-Be, Indifferent, Reverse. The Kano model offers some insight into the product attributes which are perceived to be important to customers. Kano also produced a methodology for mapping consumer responses to questionnaires onto his model.SERVQUAL or RATER is a service-quality framework that has been incorporated into customer-satisfaction surveys (e.g., the revised Norwegian Customer Satisfaction Barometer) to indicate the gap between customer expectations and experience. J.D. Power and Associates provides ano ther measure of customer satisfaction, known for its top-box approach and automotive industry rankings. J.D. Power and Associates' marketing research consists primarily of consumer surveys and is publicly known for the value of its product awards. Other research and consulting firms have customer satisfaction solutions as well.These include A.T. Kearney's Customer  Satisfaction Audit process, which incorporates the Stages of Excellence framework and which helps define a company’s status against eight critically identified dimensions. For Business to Business (B2B) surveys there is the Info Quest box. This has been used internationally since 1989 on more than 110,000 surveys (Nov '09) with an average response rate of 72.74%. The box is targeted at â€Å"the most important† customers and avoids the need for a blanket survey.RESEARCH METHODOLOGYINTRODUCTION Research is an art of scientific investigation through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge. It is a mo ment from known to unknown. Research always starts with a question or a problem.  Its purpose is to find answers to questions through the application of the scientific method. It is a systematic and intensive study directed towards a more complete knowledge of the subject studied.â€Å"My Research based on Descriptive Research.† Descriptive research is also called Statistical Research. The main goal of this type of research is to describe the data and characteristics about what is being studied. The idea behind this type of research is to study frequencies, averages, and other statistical calculations. Although this research is highly accurate, it does not gather the causes behind a situation.Descriptive research is mainly done when a researcher wants to gain a better understanding of a topic for example, a frozen ready meals company learns that there is a growing demand for fresh ready meals but doesn’t know much about the area of fresh food and so has to carry out research in order to gain a better understanding. It is quantitative and uses surveys and panels and also the use of probability sampling.

Tramadol Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tramadol - Research Paper Example Similarly, Tramadol is taken to ease some serious agony. Patients who are likely to require medication to ease the pain for several hours over a longer period mainly take its extended-release pills. Prescription The drug can be prescribed for different uses; for example, as depressant or analgesic. Tramadol falls into opiate agonist or analgesic category, and it works by altering how the body experiences pain. This implies that the drug functions in the central nervous parts and serves as morphine in the organs and releases pain, (Gulshan 45). As morphine, it joins some opioid body receptors. In addition, the drug functions as antidepressants in that it inhibits certain brain chemicals reuptake; for instance, serotonin. Various chemicals are crucial to transfer information into the nerves. As the information travels through the nerves, it causes the cell end to secrete serotonin, which consequently enters the gap from one nerve cell to the next. When serotonin reaches the adjacent ce ll of the nerve, the chemical triggers the receptors; thus, the message is transferred to the adjoining nerve cell. Use of Tramadol The drug is taken through the mouth or orally as extended release pill, and regular pill in a span of four to seven hours as prescribed – before or after food. ... Inform the physician of medication prescriptions and other nutritional or food complement one is using. Additionally, inform the doctor about other antifungal medications like monoamine or ketanonazole, anxiety mediations, seizures medications and mental illness medications, you are using. This is because such medications may interact with Ultram and cause adverse effects. The patient has to inform the doctor of other herbal remedies she is using. Moreover, the patient should tell the doctor all the medical conditions or disorders he has ever suffered such as seizures, head injuries, tumor of the brain, heart attack and other high blood pressure conditions and diabetes. This information helps the doctor to prepare individual precaution data of the drug to safeguard the patient against possible severe and fatal effects of the drug. The patient should inform the doctor about her status such as pregnancy, breastfeeding and planning to conceive, and if one becomes pregnant while, under T ramadol medication, she should inform the doctor to help protect the health of the patient. The patient should be aware that the drug might cause drowsiness, fainting and vertigo, therefore; the patient should get out of the lying position slowly to avoid collapsing and falling, (Gulshan 49). People must avoid consumption of alcohol and other illicit drugs because it may lead to adverse reduction in breathing and liver disorders, when consumed during Tramadol administration. Besides, the drug must be taken with caution in people at respiratory depression risk. Dosage People should take Tramadol as prescribed by the nurse or doctor. Additionally, administer the skipped dosage of regular Tramadol tablet immediately once you learn about

History term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History term paper - Essay Example He won his first election in 1881 as a member of the Republican Party to the state assembly of Albany, New York. As a state legislator he won respect for exposing a judge but also earned the ill will of his party members. Mistrusted by both liberals and party leaders, Roosevelt remained unsure of his career in politics. Although he socialized with America’s upper crust, he looked after the interests of the working class Americans. After family mishaps he returned to politics as a Republican reformist in 1989 where he served on the US Civil Service Commission (DesertUSA, 1998). In 1895, he became New York City Police Commissioner, and two years later, he was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Known popularly as the Rough Rider, he resigned navy to join the military. Returning home from the war as a hero in 1898, Roosevelt was elected governor of New York. He then ran as the Republican Party’s vice presidential candidate in 1900 and less than a year later following the assassination of President William McKinley, Roosevelt became the youngest ever President in history. President Roosevelt inherited an empire-in-the-making when he assumed office in 1901. He influenced foreign policy even before he came to power. After the Spanish-American war the empire that America had, comprised of Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba and Hawaii. Roosevelt anted to make America the world power. He wanted to spread the American values and ideals all over the world. His diplomatic maxim was to ‘speak softly and carry a big stick’ (Millercenter, 2006). He maintained that a chief executive must have the quality both to use force and the art of persuasion to be used as the situation demands. He was very active in foreign affairs and attempted to end the relative isolationism, following the footsteps of his predecessor. When

Death, Life and Emily Dickinson Annotated Bibliography

Death, Life and Emily Dickinson - Annotated Bibliography Example While it was something that is feared, Dickinson made it seem appealing. Baker makes it known that the carriage ride taken by the protagonist, the one from the living world to the protagonist’s final resting place, is a comfortable ride since it is done in a carriage rather than in a hearse. Emily Dickinson’s poems are kept together in this anthology. Originally a three-volume set, this book contains all of the poems ever written by Dickinson. Unlike Dickinson and Vendler’s book, which contains commentaries and insights on the poems that were made by Vendler, this book by Dickinson only contains the poems themselves, allowing the reader to comprehend each poem, find their own insights, and come to their own conclusions. This book was a vital source to the research paper as it offered easy access to the poems that were to be analyzed in my paper. â€Å"I Felt a Funeral in My Brain (97)† was the poem taken from this book; while it is one of Dickinson’s more famous poems, it was difficult to find in any other source besides the Internet. I was able to use the source to locate this poem and implement it into my essay about life and death themes in Dickinson’s works. Helen Vendler comments on selected poems of Emily Dickinson, the poems of whom are also included in this book. Vendler has made a career for herself by critically reading and analyzing the poems of many writers, including Dickinson, paying special attention to the style and imaginative elements of each poem. Vendler selected the poems that she did based on how they related to Dickinson’s life, focusing a great amount on what inspired the poet to write what she did. Unlike Dickinson’s anthology of poems, this book provides insight into the selected poems, pointing out facts and characteristics that readers should be aware of. Dickinson and Vendler’s book was useful in two ways for my research paper. The first was to provide me with a copy of

Hitler's non-traditional weapons of Wold War 2. I.E. other than Guns, Term Paper

Hitler's non-traditional weapons of Wold War 2. I.E. other than Guns, Planes, Tanks, Bombs, Gas and rockets - Term Paper Example Most of these were conventional weapons although some were an exaggerated show of might while others were discovered accidentally such as certain nerve gas weapons that had potential to be extremely damaging but never saw use in the war. Others still proved very effective in achieving set objectives of destruction and advancing the war in Germany’s favor. However, it was none of these conventional weapons that caused the most devastation. It was neither of them that made Hitler so feared and loathed in an equal measure. The non-traditional weapons gave Hitler an iron grip on those working under him during his reign (Welsch, 1998). Hitler was a master at using terror to intimidate as well as garner admiration from his followers. On more than one occasion he overruled and even had killed those he viewed as being disloyal to him or being incompetent for tasks assigned. For instance, during the advance of soviet troops toward Berlin, Goring, who tried to assume leadership from Hitler who was besieged in Berlin was ordered arrested and was removed from all positions in government. During the same period, Himmler was trying to negotiate terms of surrender with forces allied to the west. When Hitler discovered this, he had him arrested and had his representative Fegelein shot (Bullock, 1962). Hitlers promise of a more united and integrated society earned his admiration from his followers, but the reality was that he brokered deals with whomever he felt necessary to achieve his goals. Hitler got political mileage from the fact that he disregarded prior treaties and brokered deals that prevented him from achieving his goals (Welsch, 1998). Despite promising a united nation, he felt that other ethnic groups within Germany were enemies and were a stain on a potentially pure German race. His anti-Semitic views fuelled his policies and his hatred for the Jews led to one of World history’s worst mass killing acts to date;

Critically evaluate John Rawls claim in political liberalism to Term Paper

Critically evaluate John Rawls claim in political liberalism to justify Justice as Fairness as a political conception - Term Paper Example In liberalism, the individual, which is the moral and ethical foundation in which it is established, asserts that it is under democracy, â€Å"the whole force of the community, the person and goods of every associate, and by means of which each, uniting with all, nevertheless obeys only himself, and remains as free as before† (Rousseau 1989 bk 1 ch 6). As such, the free, rational, and autonomous individual serves as the main image of human persons. However, these attributes give rise to the question how can liberal strangers be turned into democratic citizens. In other words, how can the free and rational individual (liberal strangers) be political (become democratic citizens)? John Rawls’ political liberalism is one of the several approaches use in determining the connection between the individual and the state while taking into account the reality of pluralism and diversity of worldviews that frames the social life of the individual. In the face of this reality, one c annot maintain the position of indifference towards the state and assert that as â€Å"long as the vast terrain of social relationships and communities existing alongside the individual†¦ the state is not taken into account† (Chaplin, 1994, p. 81). ... nsive views there is the possibility of shared ideals pertaining to justice, which then, enables the formulation of the basic structure of society and the foundation for social-cooperation (Lehning, 1998). In this regard, this paper will undertake a critical evaluation of political liberalism to justify â€Å"justice as fairness† as a political conception. To achieve this, the paper will be divided into eight sections. Each section will be dealing with critical concepts that are essential to clarify the issue being raised in this research. The first section is the introduction wherein the reader is introduced to the subject and structure of the research. This section serves as a guide as to what may be expected from the entire paper. The second part will provide a brief explication of â€Å"justice as fairness†. This helps in knowing Rawls’ conception of justice. Likewise, it serves as a platform in understanding how Rawls’ political liberalism justifies à ¢â‚¬Å"justice as fairness† as a political conception. The third part deals with the notion of comprehensive views. This will look into the private-individual and public divide. This will assist in clarifying the relationship between â€Å"reasonable comprehensive views† and the idea of conception as discussed by Rawls. The fourth segment will take a more thorough look on comprehensive views and the notion of overlapping consensus. These two doctrines are central in understanding the pluralist’s condition that forms the basic concern of Rawls, â€Å"How is it possible for there to exist over time a just and stable society of free and equal citizens, who remain profoundly divided by reasonable religious, philosophical, and moral doctrines† (Rawls, 1993, p xxvii). The fifth segment will deal with the reasonable

Overview of the campaign at the battle of King's Mountain 1780 Essay

Overview of the campaign at the battle of King's Mountain 1780 - Essay Example Ferguson sent a warning to the frontiersmen: if they did not â€Å"desist from their opposition to the British army, and take protection under his standard, he would  march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword†1. The patriots responded by gathering a force of about 1,400 militiamen, with no formal military training, belonging to ten counties. Under the command of Col. William Campbell,  of Washington County, Virginia, the Overmountain Men pursued Ferguson’s forces to King’s Mountain on the afternoon of 7 October. The patriots divided forces into four columns, encircled the mountain and attacked the defensive position of the Loyalist forces on the exposed, rocky ridge. Using their skill in sharpshooting and moving under cover, learned in the frontiers wars, the patriots overwhelmed Fergusons’s forces and decisively won the battle in a little over one hour of combat. Accepted figures give the casualties as 225 Loyalists killed, 163 wounded and 716 captured, while only 28 Patriots were killed, including Colonel James Williams, and 68 wounded.  The Battle of King’s Mountain was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Cornwallis retreated from Charlotte, North Carolina and was forced on the defensive. The patriots gained time to recoup and went on to win the

Poem Explication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poem Explication - Essay Example The poem is patterned in three stanzas structure, having an identical rhyme scheme (ababab cdcdcd efefef). The same basic meter (iambic tetrameter) is maintained throughout the poem. The division of stanza in the poem corresponds to the poem’s meaning in internal structure, within the three stages of his acquaintance with the advancing lady, first from a distance, then next to him and finally, after the encounter. The point of relationship between the author and the subject lady are expressed by the prepositions â€Å"which†, corresponding to the distance between the author and the lady. Then â€Å"how†, expressing the lady’s closeness to him, and finally, â€Å"whose†, conforming to time after the encounter. The lady the writer notices in stanza one possesses beauty and displays it as she walks along. The timing is in a cloudless night, which gives him the chance to observe the lady without being noticed. Probably, he was imagining on how the ladyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s beauty matched with the starry skies. Even in the darkness, the author imagined the lady to appear bright and was mesmerized by the brightness of her eyes. Perhaps, the dressing of the lady adorned her by its glittering. The poem is all about beauty which possessed the lady of the night. Moreover, the author imagined that the lady was surrounded by beauty like an aura. The Lady was not only beautiful physically, but the stanza introduces the inner beauty of the lady as she was tender. The second stanza introduces some contrast in darkness and in the light, and that the lady was fair in the dark, but not so fair in the light. The author expresses his sentiments by use of words to claim that her graceful and beauty were nameless, which could be implying that he could not quite point out what made her so graceful. â€Å"Every raven tress† could be something to do with her beautiful hair, which â€Å"lightens her face†. The woman’s facial expression reveale d the sweet serenity of her thoughts. The speaker is deep in imagination that the sweet expression of the lady reflected her state of mind â€Å"dwelling place†. The contrast of the inner thoughts and outer expression is developed over and over as â€Å"sweetness† and â€Å"pure†, which all summed up as valuable and precious â€Å"dear†. The smiles and tints (blushes) that â€Å"glow† on the lady’s cheek and brow (poetic term for fore head) are calm and serene. This could imply that the woman was quite and elegant, yet her smiles and blushes were eloquent. The writer was strongly attracted by the expressive smiles and blushes. Byron seams to suggest that the smiles expressed all the time that the lady spent on doing good acts. Because the lady was not just pretty faced, but was equally kind and good, she managed to appear notably â€Å"calm† with serenity around other people (â€Å"all below†). Finally the love of the lady was innocent, which could mean that she had not fallen in love as yet. It could as well mean that she was in a platonic love. The writer of the poem utilized plenty of figurative speech to express the theme of romance. The title of the poem is presents some figurative as the term â€Å"walks† could imply advancement both in space and in time. In other words, the beauty evidenced in the lady was not just for the particular period that the writer noticed her, but it could mean that beauty possessed her. Similarly, by introducing the aspect of light and

Use and develop systems that promote communication Essay Example for Free

Use and develop systems that promote communication Essay Review the range of groups and individuals whose communication needs must be addressed in your own work job role. As an early years practitioner communication within the role is an essential skill required in any setting and is the foundation in which we are able to find out information needed for different purposes. Having an excellent communication scheme allows for a great team and a successful setting, there are many different means to communicate with others, some of these are: Verbal Body language/Non-verbal Sign Pictorial Written Assisted Personal Organisational Formal Informal Public Communication affects everyone within a nursery setting and therefore is a crucial part of managing a nursery. There are many groups of people that we interact with while carrying out our day-to-day duties. All members of staff such directors, managers, teachers, teaching assistants, cleaning staff rely on many different forms of communication to assist with their individual job roles. All job roles come with different responsibilities and without clear and constant communication between them; tasks and team moral will be affected. As a manager there are many techniques and approaches we can apply to ensure that all members of staff are involved and communicated with in the appropriate manner. For example; 5-minute communication meetings each morning, weekly meetings with line managers, team building days, email accounts etc. Children within the nursery, are an essential part of our daily routine and communication with them is of an equal value, however involves a different approach. Read more:  Essay on Use Communication Systems to Promote Partnership Working There are many important factors to be taken into consideration when communicating with children; firstly, it should always be age appropriate, taking into account the language we chose and the  level of the class. Secondly, what are we trying to achieve from our lesson, and finally, how do we respond to the children trying to communicate to us. These factors or techniques should always be considered throughout our day with the children, with some key examples being; circle time, stories, singing, role-play, messy play etc. Parents of children who com to the nursery, play a huge part within a nursery setting and clear communication with them is vital at all times to development a good partnership. Different techniques and approaches within a nursery setting should be applied to ensure that all parents gain clear and concise communication in the correct way. When dealing with parents on a day to day basis, communicate allows teachers and management to build a good relationship between the children’s nursery and home life, therefore allowing us to put them at ease and help them to understand and be apart of the nursery’s vision and ethos. It is very important to understand that communication does not just involve talking to someone, but about making them feel comfortable to approach a member of staff with any questions, queries or complaints. As management within a nursery it is a requirement to discuss and work closely with all members of staff, parents and children. Therefore it is crucial to have excellent communication skill in order to deal with situations that may involve individuals from outside your nursery. This will assist with the day-to-day running of the nursery, allowing everyone to keep up the high standards. There are many different external personnel groups that a setting will interact with and as a manager ensuring strong communication with them is key. There are various ways of communicating with these groups and again finding the correct approach is paramount. For example; contacting them by telephone, e-mails, setting up meetings within the nursery or at their organisations, reports, recording books etc. 1.2 Explain how to support effective communication within your own job role. While managing a nursery, it is essential that the management build good positive working relationships with everyone they communicate with, having the ability to be able to talk openly, honestly and clearly, creating an atmosphere of trust and respecting the needs of others while interacting with them. Within a nursery the management will take on a vast amount of roles and responsibilities throughout their daily routine, and so should  adjust their approach to communicate in different circumstances if and when needed. Changing communication approaches when developing these relationships with others should help deliver the message effectively. Here are some examples of roles which management will undertake: advising, instructing, welcoming, observing, informing etc. Management use a variety of different communication methods (shown above in 1.1) to help with the multiple roles they contend with on a daily basis. There are many reasons to be an effective communicator within a nursery, as this will allow the manager to delegate tasks to others, conduct meetings, deliver presentations, supervise, manage appraisals, report, build a team, negotiate and interview etc. Bearing in mind that being a good and effective communicator is being able to adapt their style to the situation and being able to respond in sensitive and empathetic ways to those who they are communicating with. As well as supporting others to become an effective communicator, they should role model effectively and reflect daily on their own communication skills. 1.3 Analyse the barriers and challenges to communication within own job role. Effective communication is paramount to running a successful nursery and the management team should always build strong and positive relationships with the people they may communicate with. If these relationships are not built, communication may become limited and will not be communicated on a meaning full level with the group or individual delivering or receiving the message, which may begin to create conflict between them. It is vital that the group or individual shows respect for one another while being communicated to as this will help keep in the effectiveness of communication. There are several barriers, which may affect clear and effective communication between a group and an individual making communicate ineffective. Ensuring these barriers are solved the management need to find the correct approach to overcome them. Some of the barriers that a nursery may be faced with are listed below. Firstly, the difference in culture, values and language is a major barrier within applying effective communication as this could block any important information getting through to the appropriate person, and therefore affecting the purpose involved. Communicating with the correct language Being aware and knowing the importance of respecting the cultural  differences could help the manager, group or individual deliver or receive highly effective communication. ‘By developing a respectful curiosity about the beliefs and practices within all service users’ lives, we are able to communicate in more meaningful ways.’ (Miller 2006). Secondly, negative feeling towards others has a big impact on the way communication is delivered or received. As a human being, liking and getting along with everyone is not expected and during a working nursery environment interacting with this barrier is incredibly common. Part of negative feelings can also be affected by body language when communicating with others, as it can be shown easily through actions without speaking. ‘Non-verbal communication can have up to five times the impact on a person’s understanding compared to words. (Argyle 1978). For example, the attitude, appearance and behaviour of the individual show clear signs of negativity. However, working alongside others is a top priority of the managers daily roles and keeping things professional is a major plus when dealing with different situations and is vital to ensure that speech and body language match in order to deliver the message. Finally, a barrier that could challenge effective communication is an inappropriate environment that is being used, could lead to others not understanding the message. Occasionally, the message could be distorted when the environment is too noisy, to hot or cold and crowded etc. Distractions could have another giant impact in the environment as some people may be easily unfocused on the communication given and so could present to the manager poor work. Therefore, ensuring that the nature of environment is appropriate for the communication being delivered or received is an essential part of effective communicate and a successful nursery. For example, staff meetings are in a large enough area for the number of staff with appropriate seating, temperatures in the area are correct, mobile phones turned off in meetings, quiet area to ensure effective communication etc. 1.4 Implement a strategy to overcome communication barriers. Evaluating and reflecting on previous communication with others supports the management to improve and change their communication strategies if needed, allowing them to identify and take adequate action. For example, within my class, I communicated with a teaching assistant (who is of a different  culture) explaining prep work I will need for the following week. She did not understand the content of the things I was asking and so I changed my communication method, writing and drawings examples on paper. In respect to cultural, values and language barriers, (an external barrier) staff training should be given, specifically on all types of communication and different strategies they could use in regards to different situations. Some examples that we use in my nursery are; staff training on using home-school communication books with parents, using their nursery e-mail accounts and checking them daily, having parent teacher meetings, using there teaching assistants effectively- having a meeting with them weekly and communicating with them using written communication if verbal has not been successful. Also training to raise awareness of cultural and religious differences within a nursery. The internal barrier is the body language used when communicating with others; here managers need to be aware of how they present themselves to parents, other members of staff and external services. Reflecting on this each time they are in different situations will allow room to improve in the following situation. ‘Through the development of your self-awareness you can resolve past and current issues and, by doing so, you can improve on your skills in the role of manager’. (Geldard and Geldard 2003). A technique to improve body language as a manager is through ‘SOLER’ (Egan). Use different means of communication to meet different needs. There are a vast amount of communication methods, which need to meet many individual needs, a range of these are verbal, non-verbal, sign, pictorial, written, electronic, assisted, personal, organisational, formal, informal and public. Some of these methods are listed in more detail below. Verbal Communication- During nursery routines verbal communication is used daily, as most staff discover important information this way. However, this is sometimes not enough as verbal communication can also become complicated due to the meaning of words used and how they are perceived between cultures, leading to a possible ineffective form of communication. ‘The words we use alter depending on the situation and the people involved and, because of this, we can never be sure that a word has the same meaning for two people’. (Porritt, 1990). The words managers use are very important and are as equally important as the tone of voice, pitch, volume, rhythm and timing that are included within the conversation as it can affect the way the message is delivered. For example, talking to an adult like they were a child and receiving tuts and sighing back, shows signs that the individual does not feel comfortable with the way they are being spoken to. This is called paralinguistic communication, which allows us to see signs through the individuals sounds that they may reply, for example, sighing, coughing, tutting, yawning etc. Non-Verbal Communication- This form of communication uses different factors that we can see without using any kind of speech or sounds. Below is a table containing examples of the different factors individuals may come across  when using non-verbal communication. Facial Expression Our facial expression communicates emotions unless we train ourselves to mask our feelings. Burnard (1996) argues that it is important to be congruent- if you say you are angry while smiling, it gives a confusing mixed message. Eye contact and gaze The way we look into another person’s eyes during conversation is what is known as eye contact. If somebody can hold eye contact through a conversation, it can communicate a level of confidence and willingness to communicate fully. Some of the people we communicate with will have a very low level of eye contact, which might communicate a lack of ease with the conversation or a lack of confidence. It is a good idea to reduce the level of our eye contact to reflect theirs, otherwise it can feel threatening. The appropriateness of maintaining eye contact differs according to culture. Gestures Gestures are movements of your arms and hands that accompany speech. Gestures can help communication, for example, pointing at the direction a person needs to go in can add emphasis to the communication. However too much gesturing can be distracting. Body position, posture and movement. The body position of a client can tell you a lot about how they are feeling- if they are hunched over, with arms and legs crossed, they are probably feeling quite anxious. Rogers (1980) recommends that we relax and it is important not to appear too formal and distant. However if we are too laid back in pour posture, we could appear disinterested. Sitting with our arms and legs can appear closed off and defensive. However, in some circumstances, it may be a good idea to mirror the body posture of the person we are with. Personal space and proximity Two to three feet distance between the chairs is about right for me; however I have noticed that some client’s push their chairs back as soon as they sit down in the prearranged chairs. I assume that space does not feel comfortable to them. People seem to have their own invisible boundaries  which change according to who they are interacting with and how comfortable they feel. Porritt (1990) calls it a bubble that surrounds us. Clothes The clothes we choose to wear say a lot about us. Dressing too informally and too formally can alienate us from our clients. Therapeutic touch  Touch can be a contentious subject. On the one hand there is evidence of touch having therapeutic benefits; on the other it can be misinterpreted and seen as an invasion of a person’s personal space. Bonham (2004) suggests it may be appropriate and supportive for staff to touch when clients are distressed as it may validate the degree of their suffering. He suggests that appropriate places to touch in this situation are hands, forearms, upper arms and shoulders. (Tina Tilmouth, T. et al., 2011). Sign- Using this form of communication is key to those who have hearing impairments and is made up of many gestures, using mainly hands and arms in different signals to communicate. There are different methods of using sign for communicating these are British sign language (BSL), makaton, which helps support speech and baby sign language, which helps communicate with babies and toddlers who have not yet developed their language skills. Pictorial- With this method, communication is primarily through pictures and drawings to communicate effective messages to others. Pictures and drawings are easy to understand and remember, which is why children are shown them from an early age allowing them to understand different instructions. Written- Within a nursery setting, written communication is used a numerous amount of times throughout daily routines. These can be written reports, notes, and e-mails etc. Written communication allows us to be accurate and keep information up to date, while maintaining clear and effective communication. ‘Written communication should be accurate, in detail, up-to-date non-judgemental and legible so that others are able to read it. We also need to comply with confidentiality guidelines and, as such, all forms of written communication must be kept safely.’ (Donnelly and Neville 2008). Electronic- Several methods of electronic communication that could be used within a nursery setting bearing in mind confidentiality are e-mails, telephone calls, text messaging, web pages, social networking sites, forums and video chats. Some explanations of these methods placed  below. 1. E-mails are the most quick and convenient method of electronic communication within a setting as messages can be sent to an address immediately, alerting the receiver that they have a new message waiting. The receiver can then reply as soon as possible therefore a shorter amount of time for response is predicted. Adding attachments and links may also be included in the mail, showing various images, videos, notices, letters etc. As e-mails are passed back and forth to individuals or groups the conversation between them will preferably be saved, therefore information needed in the future can always be received as long as it has not been eased. 2. Telephone calls and text messages are another electronic communication method and can are used vastly within a setting. Telephone calls along with e-mails are one of the biggest communication methods used in any organisation, and can be used both formally and informally. Telephone calls can have disadvantages, however others could be overheard, also the individuals cannot pick up on non-verbal signs shown by the other person. Text messages are easy and informal and can immediately be delivered to one phone or a group of mobile phones, they can also be quicker than a telephone call. A text message could be used instead of a telephone call as it can stop a conversation being overheard. 3. Within a nursery setting, promoting high standards is essential and creating a website could help communicate how excellent the setting is to others. Therefore, another electronic communication method is web pages. Creating a web page for a nursery can help provide others seek information needed about the setting. Web pages can contain different information allowing others to view, for example, text, multi-media files including images, sounds, games etc. Web pages can store this information for a good period of time. 4. Social networking sites have become a main electronic communication method over the last 10 years and are a very popular way to communicate with others. A social networking site is made up of individuals that create a profile and build connections with others by a particular type of interest, such as, ideas, values, trades, fashion etc. A nursery setting may become  part of an online social networking site creating a page about the nursery to maintain effective communication with parents, bearing in mind confidentiality at all times. 4.1 Explain the legal and ethical tensions between maintaining confidentiality and information sharing. Confidentiality and sharing information is information shared from one individual to another or even to a small group, this information is not to be shared with others and is of the up most importance when dealing with staff, parents and children within a nursery setting. Confidentiality permits parents to have a sense of trust in members of the nursery staff. Polices are set out for staff to respect and obey daily throughout there routines however, staff only have the right to know relevant information not all, and if this is breeched serious action could be taken. To ensure all staff members understand the policy on confidentiality, training and appropriate guidance and support should be given when needed. (Beauchamp and Childress 1994), defined ‘Confidentiality as ‘keeping secret’ information given to a person by another. Infringement occurs when that information is disclosed to someone else without the giver’s consent’. Within a nursery setting, all confidential files are kept within a locked cabinet and staff are obliged to keep parent and child information confidential at all times, however confidentiality can be broken when a crime has been committed or when the member of staff believes it is about to, malpractice has occurred, child abuse is suspected, to help prevent suicide, or misconduct has occurred, and only sharing the information to the professionals who need to know. If by law, confidentiality is breeched, then the manager has the right to take disciplinary and/or legal action.

Organizational Structure Of Engro Foods Marketing Essay

Organizational Structure Of Engro Foods Marketing Essay Now companies are improving their production by adopting different strategies in which backward integration is one of them. Backward Integration is a type of vertical integration in which a company gets control over its suppliers to improve the efficiency and save the cost which improves its profit margins and make the firm more competitive. Backward integration occurs through acquiring input suppliers, establishing long-term contracts with existing suppliers or investing in new input production capacity through internal corporate growth. The main advantages of backward integration regardless of the industry are decreased marketing expenses, the stability of operations, the certainty of supplies of materials, much control on the distribution of products, tighter quality control, the on time review of fabrication and allocation policies, more control over inventory, and additional profit margins or the ability to charge lower prices on final products. These advantages must be weighed against the disadvantages which normally are disparities among productive capacities at a range of stages of manufacturing, governmental pressure, lack in interest of specialty, the firmness of operations, the extension of the management team and lack of direct competitive influence on the costs of transitional products. Background: This report highlights the comparison of two companies from Pakistan Food Industry the ENGRO FOODS and NESTLE PAKISTAN, which are applying backward integration to enhance their production capability. In Pakistan these are the top most companies which are playing a vital role in the food industry through their dairy and beverage products. Nestle is a subsidiary of Swiss origin company which headquarter is located in vevey, Switzerland. Nestle Pakistan started its operations in 1988 with the collaboration of Milk Pak Ltd in Pakistan which is further took over total control in 1992. In Pakistan, its head quarter is located in Lahore and the company currently operating four production facilities. Two of its factories are located in sheikhupura and Kabirwala while one in Islamabad and one in Karachi. It has also the biggest milk collection operation in Pakistan through which they collects milk from an estimated 190,000 farmers and from their dairy farms located in different areas of Pakistan. Nestle Pakistan is currently the leading food beverage company of Pakistan. While Engro food is another biggest and fastest growing company in Pakistan. In 2005 Engro Foods limited was established and it is 100% owned by Engro Corporation. Engro Foods limited began their operations in 2006 and within 5 years they make realization to their competitor by increasing their market share gradually. At the end of 2010 Engro Foods Limited took control in the market of Ultra High Temperature by launching new products including ice cream, juices, powder milk and flavoured milk which contain great potential to compete in future. The Company is also entering into global markets. Its first mission is that to administer a Halal food business in North America known as Al-Safa, which was recently acquired by Engro Corporation at a total cost of 6.3 mn dollars. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW Recently a seminar Current Status of Foods Industry in Pakistan: Threats and Challenges was held at Lahore on September 07, 2012 in which different analysts of PCSIR and Federal Minister of Science and Technology addresses that food industry in Pakistan has become the second largest industry by participating with 17% share in GDP and in Pakistan it is now become most consuming industry because people spent 42% of their earnings in foods products. And at the end of the session some analysts point out weak point of the food industry that the in appropriate management of food products and the large harvest losses in vegetables, fruits and grain create a food shortage in market. There are several sectors of food industry while some are given below which are related to the project report, we will mainly focus on these. These sectors are as follows: Dairy Juices Ice creams 2.1 Dairy Dairy sector is one of the most important sectors of Pakistan which affects more than 10 mn families. There are a lot of companies in Pakistan who are purchasing milk from farmers for their satisfaction. The dairy industry is providing packed milk to its consumers in the shape of UHT, Pasteurized, Tea Whitener and Flavored milk. The industry is also producing Ice Cream, Yoghurt, Cheese, Butter and miscellaneous food items for childrens.   Milk is the most consumable food item having a life of 4 hours under at a certain temperature level of room. Pakistan is 3rd leading milk producing country in the world with more than 47 billion litters production and 11.30% contribution in GDP and a milk economy that in value terms is 27.7% of the total agriculture sector. According to analysts the milk production is expected to grow at 2% annually, however the processed industry is only 7% of operated milk. The milk, remaining wastages and farmer preservation is 20.7 bn liters of which 1.4 bn goes into processing and the rest is sold as a commodity in retail outlets and through door to door Gawala system. So, there is an immense prospect and +prospective to grow the processed milk business. The processed milk has segmented into three categories namely: Ambient UHT Powder 2.1.1 Ambient UHT As of 2010, Ambient UHT constitutes only 4% of the total Tradable Milk segment. Industry volumes have grown 10% from 2006-2010 and the market size was 790 million liters as of December 2010. 2.1.2 Powder Currently, the size of the branded powder market is approximately 57,000 tons, which uses approximately 540 mn liters of milk and 3% of tradable milk. Powder market size has grown 17% from 2006 to 2010 and it is expected to grow 14% in the next five years due to economy that powder offers as well as its specialize use as growing up and infant nutrition source. Nestle Pakistan is the market leader in this segment. 2.2 Juices The Juices, Nectars and Still drinks market are of 507 Million Liters which has total market value of PKR 31 Billion. This market is subdivided into Juice and Nectar and Value added Still Drinks. Juices contain 100% fruit substance, Nectar contain 25% to 99% fruit substance while still drinks contain 0 to 24 % fruit substance value added still drinks have innovative packaging or addition of pulp etc. Nestle Pakistan is the market leader in this segment. 2.3 Ice Cream The Ice Cream sector of Pakistan has growing constantly and registers a volume growth of 20% in 2010 as compare to 2009. The overall volume of ice cream sold in 2010 was 71 Million liters while the total market value was PKR 8.8 billion. The industry volumes have grown 11% over the last four years. However, it is expected that growth will be higher in next five years on the back of significant investment by the industrys key players. Walls are the market leader in this industry which is followed by Omore. COMPANIES PROFILE 3.1 Engro Foods Engro Corporation Limited initially introduced with Engro Chemical Pakistan which rapidly built their growth in chemical industry and after few years Engro Chemical become Engro Corporation Limited by making diversified investment in different sector like Foods, Energy, Fertilizer and Business solutions. It started operations in 1957 as an Esso/Mobil joint venture which discovered the Mari Gas field near Daharki. Engro food is now becoming the biggest and fastest growing company in Pakistan. From the beginning till date Engro Foods Limited 100% owned supplementary company of Engro Corporation. Engro Foods Limited operations began in the year of 2006 and within 5 years company started to climb the ladder of growth rapidly. It has manage to be the market leaders in Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Industry at the end of 2010 and has launched multiple new products including Ice Cream, Flavoured Milk, Fruit Juices and Milk Powders, that show great potential for future. In order to back these products and to achieve high quality standards Engro Foods Limited made backward integration strategy in which they heavily invested in milk processing and collection infrastructure. The Company has innovated by venturing out of the dairy sector and stepping in the Beverage Industry by launching Olfrute and ice cream industry by launching Omore. The Company is also entering into the global markets. Its first mission is to manage a Halal food business in North America known as Al-Safa, which was recently acquired by Engro Corporation at a total outlay of 6.3 mn dollars. PRODUCTION FACILITIES Dairy Plants Engro Foods has two UHT processing plants which are located in Sukkur and Sahiwal with total filling capacity of 1.1 million liter per day. Sukkur Plant capacity is 400,000 liter per day whereas Sahiwal plant facility is 700,000 liter per day. Engro Foods also has a powder plant at Sukkur with a capacity of 24 tons per day. Covered area of freehold land of Sukkur is 27 acres and Sahiwal production facility is 33 acres freehold land. These production sites are equipped with plant and machinery of European origin. Sukkur Production site started its operation in Feb 2006, whereas Sahiwal plant started its operation in December 2007. Ice Cream Plant The ice cream plant was set up in the same facility as the Dairy Plant. The total manufacturing capability of Sahiwal is 33 acres of free holding land. This provides deliberate advantage to the Company in terms of the supply of raw material, the utilities, and manpower and warehousing. The ice cream plant has total capacity of 22 million liters per annum. Organizational Structure of Engro Foods: President/CEO Secretary Secretary Vice President Manufacturing Vice President Marketing Manager Public Affair Manager Internal Audit Special Projects Vice President HR Vice President HR Compensation Benefits Sales Production Accounting Recruitment Planning development Maintenance Treasury Training development Technical Services Process Engineering Industrial Trade Instrumental/Fleet Purchasing Administration Legal Brands of Engro Foods: The product portfolio of Engro Foods comprises some of the countrys biggest and best selling brands which include: Olpers Olpers Lite Olfrute Omore Omung Omung Lassi Tarang. 3.2 Nestle Pakistan Nestle is basically a Swiss company and their head office is situated in Vevey, Switzerland. And Nestle Pakistan is one of it supplementary company. Since 1988 Nestle Pakistan is working with the alliance of Milk Pak Ltd and within short time period Nestle Pakistan took over Milk Pak Ltd. It is also listed in Karachi and Lahore Stock Exchange. Nestle Pakistan is one of the most prominent company which ensures it place among top 25 companies who are registered at Karachi stock exchange for last couple of years. The Headquarter of Nestle is located in Lahore and the Company operates four fabrication facilities. In which the factories located in Sheikhupura and Kabirwala are producing different products under same umbrella. The other factory is present in Islamabad and one in Karachi produce packed water. Nestle Pakistan now operates the biggest milk collection process in Pakistan. At present, Nestle Pakistan gathers milk from a projected 190,000 farmers. At present Nestle is market leader in dairy and beverage industry of Pakistan because they are very keenly focusing on Nutrition and health by covering almost at all locations throughout Pakistan to serve the consumers. Nestle Pakistan distinct feature is that they are the leaders in Nutrition. PRODUCTION FACILITIES Sheikhupura Factory The factory located at sheikhpura produces many most popular products s of Nestle Pakistan such as  Milkpak UHT milk, Nevista  products,  Nestle pure water,  Cerelac and yogurt. The factory starts operation as part of Milkpak Ltd in 1981. Formerly it produced only UHT milk but in 1988 it had expanded to produce butter, cream, ghee and fruit drinks as well. But with the passage of time Nido powder milk also started to produce in this factory. Kabirwala Factory Milk Pak took over this factory which is located in Khanewal district of the Punjab in 1990. In 1997 Nestle Pakistan got 100% share of that unit.  After acquiring it Nestle upgraded its capacity and in 1992 they added Maggi Noodle  plant to the factory. Over the years past the Kabirwala factory was constantly enhanced as Everyday  tea whitening powder was introduced in 2002 . Islamabad Factory In Islamabad Nestle purchased the AVA water plant in year 2001. And in 2003 Nestle fully owned that unit. Gradually Nestle upgraded and introduced machineries to become more efficient in production through which they was able to provide differentiated products to their consumer with good packaging. Organizational Structure of Nestle Pakistan: Chief Executive Water Group Corporate Affairs Human Resource Supply Chain Milk Collection Agriculture Services Nestle Business Excellence Technical Operations Finance Control Unit Marketing and Sales Division National Sales Management Legal Affairs Technical Purchasing Financial Accounting Corporate purchase Treasury National Brand Management Budget Control Information System Taxation Brands of Nestle Pakistan: Nestle Pakistan has a lot of top most brands of Pakistan which added a lot of value to Nestle Pakistan over a last couple of years like: Milkpak Nevista Nido Everyday Milkpak Cream Nestle Desert cream Nestle yogurt Nestle fruit vitals Nestle Zeera Raita Actiplus Yogurt Nestle Rawaiti Maza Nestle Milo Nestle Nescafe 4. FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATIONS (BACKWARD INTEGRATION) Nestle Pakistan and Engro Foods are currently doing backward integration to enhance their production efficiency by creating their own dairy farms and taking control of transportation. Currently they are focusing of creating their own farms to get control over their suppliers. Both the companies are also now directly approaching to the farmers and collecting milk form them as the old concept of middle man and gawala system has start perishing. The main advantage of creating own farms is that both the companies get on time delivery of their material, which help them to enhance their production and deliver their product on time to the end consumers. The details of Engro Foods and Nestle Pakistan farms are given below: 4.1 Engro Foods Dairy Farm Engro Food has selected the Nara Canal due to the presence of its outstanding water, farming land availability and suitable weather for its Dairy Farm. The company has launched a comprehensive vaccination programme with the provision of clean water and balanced nutrition to have infection free, strong and happy animals at all times. The Companys Nara Dairy Farm continued to remain a rich and nutritious source of raw material for its dairy section. The Nara Farm formed over 5.8 mn liters of milk in 2011 with a total herd size of over 3,000 animals. But in 2012, Dairy Farm produced 26,979 liters of milk per day. At March 31, 2012 Dairy Farm herd increased to 3,204 animals. Through it the profit after tax stood at Rs. 5 million versus loss of Rs. 19 million in March 2011, primarily due to higher yield and production. 4.2 Nestle Dairy Farms Nestle Pakistan manages the project under its Agricultural Division. Over 75 professionals are currently associated with these services; intend to help in  increasing the sustainability of the dairy segment in Pakistan. They give the farmers with free technical assistance and veterinary services to build the skills of the farmers in best farming practices and improved livestock management and link them to small businesses and to the dairy market. For this purpose,Nestle has built two demonstrations and teaching  farms, one of which is still under process. The main training facility is the Sarsabz Demonstration and Training  Farm  which  is located on Multan Road, near Okara. The  second training Sukeki Farm,  is under in building process near Lahore. At the farm, there are more than 250 cows, animal huts,  milking machinery, a teaching centre, and hostel for  the farmers, management office and necessary farm equipment and highly qualified instructors  who train farmers on high quality dairy farming and livestock management. Nestle Pakistan has established this training facility over 103 acres of leased land as an investment for the development of  the dairy sector and to  work towards  sustainable farming and an improved rural economy. 5. LITERATURE REVIEW The concept of vertical integration is very old and we saw a lot of academic and legal debates over the costs and benefits of vertical integration. McGee, Bassett and Williamson (1975, 1985, 1989) said that vertical integration is a mean of reducing transactions costs, assuring supply, reducing risk and alleviating the efficiency losses. But on the other side, economists see vertical integration as a means for firms to reduce competition or extract market rents (Scherer, Perry 1978, 1989).Perry, Hart and Tirole (1978), said that most discussions have focused on the effects of forward integration into a competitive product market and little work exists on the effects of backward integration into a competitive input market. However, Knoeber and Thurman (1996) further said that backward integration is of growing importance in many agricultural and natural resource industries. According to Azzam (1996), backward integration occurs through acquiring input suppliers, establishing long-term contracts with existing suppliers or investing in new input production capacity through internal company growth. In some businesses, there is growing concern about the effects of such integration on remaining un- integrated input suppliers. First he said that backward-integrated dominant firm benefits from production efficiency gains. Second he further adds that backward-integrated dominant firm may benefit from a lower acquisition price for externally supplied raw inputs. As per Blois (1972), the biggest advantages of backward integration are to lower down transportation and marketing expense, production or operation stability, timely supplier services, high quality control, necessary revisions in production and execution policies, maintained inventory control, and high profit margin able produces to charge lower prices on finished products. While Williamson (1971) do not consider supply dependability as a necessary advantage and point out the interests harmonization and efficient utilization in process of decision making as the core advantages of backward integration. As per Williamson (1971), backward integration allows management to easily harmonized interest as possible differences can be resigned. As per Lambertini and Rossini (2008), backward vertical integration is indirectly proportional to producers and suppliers. As compare to forward vertical integration, backward vertical integration provides large incentives in investment to the manufacturer. The biggest disadvantage of backward integration for trader is that it discourages them for innovation, on the other hand forward integration discourages producers to innovate. This theory is not parallel to transaction cost theory which does not consider forward and backward integration as a separate concept. Many researchers like Armour, Teece, Langlois, Robertson, Gopala Krishnan, Bierly (1980, 1989, 1992, 1996, and 2001) have stated that vertical integration facilitates the development and implementation of systemic innovations. Further, Armour and Teece (1980) argue that if the innovation at one stage involves adaptation in a preceding or a consequent stage, then the usual ownership of the various stages i.e. vertical integration enables the necessary adaptations and adjustments to be made in a timely and efficient fashion. Similarly Langlois, Robertson (1989) and Langlois (1992) propose that vertical integration is the most appropriate organizational structure for integrative systemic process innovations because the necessary learning and experience proceed faster between functions in a vertically integrated environment. Furthermore, Teece (1996) explains that vertical integration enables the successful development and implementation of systemic innovations by facilitating information flows and coordination and removing institutional barriers such as cost and benefit allocation. Similarly, Gopal krishnan and Bierly (2001) point out that open exchange of information is easier and safer in house than between different organizations because each firm wants to gain more from the innovation and therefore unwilling to share information freely. Teece (1996) however adds that while systemic innovations favour vertically integrated structures from the coordination point of view and some relevant technological or other capabilities needed in the development and implementation of the innovation may exist outside of the vertically integrated firm. Therefore, larger firms may still have an advantage by using their scale to create sufficient momentum and attract smaller firms to get involved with the innovation or simply by being able to secure minority investment positions in smaller firms that have the necessary capabilities needed in the innovation. 6. ANAYSIS 6.1Swot Analysis Strengths Of Engro Foods Strengths of Nestle Pakistan Brand Association: Engro being a renowned and well established brand in fertilizers, infrastructure and IT solutions, it creates a great brand association and consumers can relate to Olpers as a high quality and premium product. This is evidence that Engro Food in its first year crossed 1.4 billion sales figure. Financial Backing: Engro being renowned brand and can attract foreign investors, which enable them to compete with global brands like Nestle. They can afford high costs for research and developments for their current products and in introducing new products. Strategic Relationship: Engro has been creating business relationship with farmers who supply milk to them which enables them to secure the supply and to solve shortage issues. Engro also has created long-term business relationship with distributors this help them to ensure smooth distribution through better channels to make sure that there are no shortages for their product. Research and Development: Engro for Olpers precisely has done strong consumer and product research before launching the product and are continuing this practice post launch. This has helped them to emerge as a strong brand in food industry. To further development and new products, they have engaged various global research partners Mindshare, AC Nielsen, JWT Asiatic and MARS marketing and advertising agency. State of the Art plants: Only Engro Foods has the 3rd generation UHT milk plant in the country. It is the only plant that uses Bactofuge technology to virtually eliminate bacteria and ensure premium quality and hygiene. Parent Company: Nestle has a global presence and is recognized as a huge name worldwide. Nestle Pakistan has a strong support from its parent company, which is the worlds leading processed food and beverage company. Company Image: Nestle has been doing business since many years. It has created an excellent image and reputation in consumers mind all around the world. This helps them to retain market even in unfavorable conditions. High Quality Products: Nestle always ensure to produce good quality products. Nestle being worldwide renowned company creates high quality product to retain that image and to attain consumer loyalty. It cannot compromise on quality as consumers nowadays are more quality conscious. Market Share: Nestle has the highest market share almost in every SBUs line, like as in Milk pack Nestle pure life. Brand strength: Nestle Pakistan has created some very strong brands like Nescafe, Milpak , Everyday, Nestle water and most of these brands have become generic to their product category. When a brand becomes generic it creates a strong presence in minds of consumer. Research Development Team: Research and development is a continuous process at Nestle. It gives updated info on consumer behaviors, changing trends and consumer demands; this helps Nestle to adapt to changing trends. Weakness of Engro Foods Weakness of Nestle Pakistan Packaging: Engro Food is dependent on Tetra Pak for packaging of its entire dairy products. It is the only option for them as Tetra pack has monopoly in packaging sector. This cause higher production costs. Distribution cost: About 85% milk collection centers of Engro Foods are located in Punjab, and its processing facility is in Sind. This huge distance increase distribution cost and increasing overall cost of production. Also it increases the chances of milk getting spoiled due to long travelling time. Narrow Product Line: Since the launch of its first dairy product, Engro Foods has only extended to very few products, where as its competitors like Nestle has diversified and extensive product lines. Owning Red Color: Engro Food like its competitors has not owned colors that identify its products. Colors represent products, like green represents Milkpak. There is no color connection attached to Olpers which creates problems for consumers in remembering the product. Less Proactive: Nestle being a huge company is very less proactive to the demands. Unless competitors initiate a campaign or come up with new strategy, Nestle does not bring changes. Limited Distribution Channel: A major weakness of Nestle is their limited distribution channel as compared to their competitors. Nestle distribute their products to whole sellers in their own factory vehicles. Stock outs: Due to their in-efficient distribution channels, Nestle has experienced stock outs on regular basis. This had adverse effect on companys image and consumer base. It also gives opportunity for competitor to penetrate into market and capture large market share.   Premium Brand: Common men generally perceive Nestle as a premium brand, and have perception that all Nestle products would be highly expensive. Opportunities for Engro Food Opportunities for Nestle Pakistan Government Funding: Government has provided increased funds to farmers. This has allowed farmers to invest in better storage facilities to save milk for longer period of time and to cope bad weather conditions. Awareness: Extensive awareness programs for health and hygiene has created awareness among consumers for the benefits of processed milk. More and more consumers are shifting from loose milk to processed milk. This will create higher demands and consumption of processed milk. This is a great opportunity for growth and to gain more market. Fifth Largest producer of milk: Pakistan is the 5th largest milk production country in the world, the country is blessed four seasons and high quality crop, good species of buffaloes and cows and largest canal system. However it is only obtaining 2500ltr of milk per annum from an animal in comparison with 18000ltr per animal in developed countries. This is a good opportunity to increase production significantly by adopting best practices and modern techniques. Support from Foreign Investors; Government is supporting overseas outlay in Pakistan which is a great opportunity for Nestle to expand its business in Pakistan and to cater large markets. Enhance Distribution Channel: Nestle should work on its distribution channel to make it efficient in order to maintain supply of their products. This will not allow consumer to shift to competitors brand in case of stock outs. Changing Social Trend: Consumers, especially younger generation are hugely influenced by western societies. This has changed the trends for packed ready to use products. This changing social trend has created large demand and opportunity to increase market share. Best Practices and Assistance; Nestle should invest in educating the farmers for best practices and providing them resources and assistance to create greater value and to ensure high capitalization and quality. Threats for Engro Food Threats for Nestle Pakistan Competition: Engro foods biggest competitors like Nestle has been in market since very long. For its brands it might be difficult to penetrate in the market where these brands have created loyalties and presence in mind of consumers. Perceptions and Price Differentials: Consumer preferences and perceptions plays very important role in success of a brand. It is very important for Engro to understand and come up with ways to meet consumer expectations and provide quality that a brand promises. Price factor is also a very important factor, as still consumers prefer loose milk as it is cheaper than processed milk. Economy: Higher inflation rates is eroding buying power of consumers, making products more expensive to use. No Entry Barrier: Industry is growing at rapid rate,  very low entry barriers making it attractive for new competitors. Dependency: Nestle is dependent on whole sellers and super market shelves which can be influenced by the competitors. Loss of Market Share: When the market drenches the loss of the market share of Nestle products is the major threat to them. Differentiated products: Consumers are indifferent to buying Engro products or Nestle. It is a threat to Nestle that consumers can easily shift to Engro products in case of any unfavorable condition. 6.2 Pest Analysis PEST analysis is used to determine and understand external factors such as Political, Economical, Social and technological, and their effect on business. For understanding Nestle and Engro foods position in market, we will carry out PEST analysis to understand the external forces. 6.2.1 Political, Legal Economic Factors Pakistan current fiscal year inflation rate has been grown to 7.7% which decreases the purchasing power of consumers as a whole and which also create higher impact on those products which transform from another products like packed milk powder milk because these is

A Passengers Concern: How Safe Are Airport Security Measures? :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

A Passenger's Concern: How Safe Are Airport Security Measures? Air travel is a fast and convenient way to reach a destination. Even if many passengers may complain of missed flights, delays during the holidays, and the number of carry-ons they are allowed to bring onto the plane, air travel is an important part of quick transportation. One essential part of the airport system is security. Today, security is a major priority that airports must administer strictly. Due to the recent terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, airports along with airlines want their customers to feel safe. An interest in airport security took me to the Tallahassee Regional Airport. Except for the holiday rush, the facility is not a busy place. I arrive there on a Saturday afternoon about one week after the terrorist attacks. Housed in a large rectangular building, there is not a lot of activity taking place outside of the airport. One or two people meander out of the airport walking towards the parking lot and yellow taxi cabs line one side of the building. No curbside parking is allowed and there are police officers posted in front of the building to make sure that travelers abide by this rule. I enter the airport and seat myself in front of the ticket counters. I expect the employees to be thorough while asking the usual security questions. Has your luggage been in your possession at all times? Has anyone given you anything or asked you to carry on or check any items for them? These are very important questions to ask, because a tactic used by terrorists is to hide a bomb inside an unsuspecting person's luggage. Another tactic is to give something, maybe a toy or stuffed animal to someone who is about to board a plane. That innocent-seeming object may actually be a bomb or some other harmful device (How Airport Security Works, 1-2). With police officers roaming throughout the airport I do not want to look conspicuous. I try to resemble others who are patiently waiting for friends or family. I theorize that if people know you are observing them they put on a faà §ade. By not involving myself, I am capable of watching the passengers interact with the security measures without altering their routine with my presence. As I sit in the uncomfortable chairs, I notice that there are not many passengers checking in. The ticket counters have only one or two people working.

A Noble Cause :: Short Stories Violence Crime Essays

A Noble Cause The three young punks had been walking down a street in their neighborhood looking for whatever they could get their hands on and generally up to no good, when they stumbled upon an old man lying on the curb. "Hey, check the old dude down on the curb. Let's see what the ol' guy's got!" gibed one of the three ruffians. "Yeahhh!" agreed another, grinning from ear to ear like a hyena at the sight of fresh meat. "Hold it!" said Rick, the leader of the pack. "He might be Five-O! Net, go over there and turn him around. Let's see what he looks like." Ernesto, or Net or Neto, as he was known by his close friends, did as he was told and using his leg as a lever, cautiously turned the man over, and immediately the man started convulsing and coughing violently, taking Net by surprise and causing him to stumble back. The man continued his violent coughing for a while, and then muttered something incoherently. He opened his eyes and looked around dazed and confused, but the glare from the sun was too bright, so he used his hands to shield himself with. Then he started coughing again, but this time the coughing turned into full-blown retching, making the three young punks turn away in disgust. After the man finished, Net, who was closest to the man, gave him a quick, hard kick to the groin. The man yelled out in pain, grabbing his crotch and writhing on the ground -then he began to vomit all over again. "Damn, Net, what did you do that for?" asked Rick. "Sucker pissed me off! Now it smells like crap around here!" "Yeah, well you just made him vomit again, DICKHEAD!! Don't mess with him again, understand?!" Rick said angrily, as he approached the man for a closer look. The man appeared to be genuinely drunk, but police undercover cops were good at disguising themselves and going through elaborate charades in order to make street arrests. "Come on, Rick, man, let's see what he's got," said the middle of the ruffians, Johnny, itching to get his hands on the man, and eyeing the man's gold diamond ring with special interest. "Wait! I've got to be sure this dude's not 5-0!" "Rick, man, he just vomited all his crap out! He ain't no 5-0! Look at him, he's just a drunk ol' dude!"

Tartuffe by Jean-Baptiste Polquelin Moliere :: Papers

Tartuffe by Jean-Baptiste Polquelin Moliere In the neoclassical comedy Tartuffe, written by Jean-Baptiste Polquelin Moliere, Tartuffe is illustrated as a disreputable character who has posed as a religious ascetic. Orgon, the master of the house, is convinced Tartuffe is a humble and pious man despite the rest of his families claims. Yet, in Act IV, scene seven the impostor Tartuffe is finally exposed for the fraud he really is. ACT IV Scene 7 Tartuffe, Elmire, Orgon TARTUFFE [Not seeing ORGON] Madam, all things have worked out to perfection; I’ve given the neighboring rooms a full inspection; No one’s about: and now I may at last... ORGON [Intercepting him] Hold on, my passionate fellow, not so fast! I should advise a little more restraint. Well, so you thought you’d fool me, my dear saint! How soon you wearied of the saintly life- Wedding my daughter, and coveting my wife! I’ve long suspected you, and had a feeling That soon I’d catch you at your double dealing. Just now, you’ve given me evidence galore; It’s quite enough; I have no wish for more. ELMIRE [to TARTUFFE] I’m sorry to have treated you so slyly, but circumstances forced me to be wily. TARTUFFE Brother, you can’t think... ORGON No more talk from you; Just leave this household, without more ado. TARTUFFE What I intended... ORGON That seems fairly clear. Spare me your falsehoods and get out of here. TARTUFFE No, I’m the master, and you’re the one to go! This house belongs to me, I’ll have you know, And I shall show you that you can’t hurt me By this contemptible conspiracy, That those who cross me know not what they do, And that I’ve means to expose and punish you, Avenge offended Heaven, and make you grieve That ever you dared order me to leave. Scene seven of ACT IV represents the climax and drastic turn of events, where Tartuffe is unmasked then once again gains the upperhand as the new master of the house. In previous scenes, Tartuffe had been acquitted by Orgon of being anything short of a Saint. The family had grown tired of Orgon’s blindness and Elmire had prepared for the

Different types of farming Essay

Farming has contributed to communities by being a source of income and food. As stated in the Oxford Dictionary â€Å"farming is the activity or business of growing crops and raising livestock.† Different communities use different types of farming to suit their way of living. They either use commercial or subsistence farming. Commercial farming is farming that is done by companies and raising of crops and livestock for sale in outside markets. Subsistence farming is self-sufficiency farming which means farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. Farming has been depended on to sustain a good economy in many societies. The term economy is defined as â€Å"the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services,† in the Oxford Dictionary. There are three types of economies planned economy, mixed economy and free economy, and in The Bahamas the mixed economy is practiced. A mixed economy is an economic system that includes a mixture of capitalism and socialism. This type of economic system that includes a combination of private economic freedom and centralized economic planning and government regulation. The Bahamas is heavily dependent on the tourism, banking and construction industries. The Bahamas is mainly dependent on tourism but the tourism rates have and are declining. Tourism is the practice of traveling for recreation for business and leisure purposes. There are many different jobs that are in the tourism industry. Some are construction workers, hotel managers and other positions that are available and taxi drivers. Since the recession is global less people have travelled and visitor arrivals have fallen. This has forced businesses to close and as a result people have lost their jobs. The tourism industry has provided work for half of the Bahamian workforce. With contributions from other industries such as farming the effects of this recession can be minimized. Contribution means the act of giving in common with others for a common purpose. If the farming industry is used then less jobs will be lost and more jobs will be provided, and decrease our dependence on imported foods. One contribution that farming can make is creating jabs. Jobs in the country are important because it provides the necessary items for families. A Job is â€Å"to carry on public business for private gain,† according to the Webster dictionary. Jobs provide money to circulate around the country to improve the country and to help with the welfare of families in the country.

Auto Insurance Essay

They can serve to insulate you from economic upheaval in the case your car is destroyed or stolen or even from bankruptcy in the event you are sued for damages someone sustained in an accident involving your car. The author guides the reader through several key criteria which should be considered in an analysis of their own policy. A 12 page overview of the world of automobile insurance. Choosing adequate automobile insurance can be one of the most cost effective things an individual can do in this modern age. Not only can automobile insurance This 6 page paper provides an overview of the basic management strategies of the USAA insurance company. This paper considers the management perspective and strategy, as well as the operational function of the company and the increasing importance of restructuring principles for the company. premiums whittle away a sizable chunk from an individual’s take-home pay, they can serve to insulate you from economic upheaval in the case your car is destroyed or stolen or even from bankruptcy in the event you are sued for damages someone sustained in an accident involving your car. The author guides the reader through several key criteria which should be considered in an analysis of their own policy. 6 pages. The BMW M3 has been the subject of many articles and consumer report studies recently. Rating cars is not only just an annual task for automotive journalists but it is also a subject which auto enthusiasts look forward to eagerly each season. Did their favorite car make it to the top? What did the critics have to say about it? And do these opinions agree with those who actually own these cars? This paper focuses on the BMW M3 in the sports car class. For those who own the BMW M3 it is likely they will claim that hands down it is the best sports car they have ever driven. Although not all of the auto magazines rated the BMW M3 as number one, most owners will disagree. The BMW M3 has everything a driver wants in a sporty car. By looking at several magazine articles and talking to drivers of these well-made and handsome cars, it is easy to conduct our own survey. Bibliography lists 12 sources.

Social Work Law

This assignment involves a case study where Ralph, a fourteen year old boy, is currently in foster care because his mother; Kerry, felt she was unable to control him due to his behaviour. However, Kerry has now expressed that she is unhappy with this foster placement and has requested that her son be returned to live with her and his two younger brothers. The scenario becomes more complex owing to the fact that Ralph has disclosed that his mother had regularly hit him with a walking stick. In this essay I will seek to consider the main practice issues raised by the scenario of the case study. Using the materials provided within the course along with my own professional experience, I will outline relevant legislation whilst demonstrating the significance it has on the assessment and any subsequent intervention that may be required in the given situation Section 1 of the Children Act 1989 clearly states; ‘When a court determines any question with respect to – (a) the upbringing or a child; or (b) the administration of a child’s property or the application of any income arising from it, the child’s welfare shall be the court’s paramount consideration. s. 1(1)] This reflects the social work professional’s prime concern. Bearing this in mind, as the social worker involved in this case study, I would initially want to identify whether any of the children involved were at imminent risk of significant harm. The support and protection of children cannot be achieved by a single agency. †¦ Every service has to play its part. All staff mu st have placed upon them the clear expectation that there primary responsibility is to the child and his or her family. (DH and Home Office, 2003, paras 17. 92-17. 93) The Children Act 2004 obliges all agencies that come into contact working with children must share information and work together to safeguard the welfare of children. My primary task would be to arrange a safeguarding strategy meeting. This would facilitate the sharing of information between professionals whilst also determining the most appropriate course of action to take next. Those attending the meeting would include; the area Child Protection Officer, an education professional (such as the appointed Child Protection teacher), the police, a health professional (such as the school nurse) and the social worker. Other agencies may also be asked to attend such as the youth offending team or CAMHS (Children and adolescent mental health service). At the meeting, the professionals will discuss the best response to the allegations and the extent of risk that is posed towards the three children involved. There are several different options that can be decided. After careful consideration and agreement, it might be the general consensus that no further action is needed and the case will be subsequently dropped. However with this case study there is an allegation of physical abuse which would suggest the family would be in need of some kind of assistance, thus Ralph may be recognised as a child in need. Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 states a child is in need if he/she is unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development. [s. 17 (a)]. Ralph has not been attending school regularly. Subsequently this will lead to him falling behind and not developing educationally. Ralph has also started to drink alcohol and has also taken to staying out late, on one occasion not returning home until the following day. This behaviour obviously poses a risk to his health; nevertheless, it could also lead to a risk of significant harm. The threshold to identify when a need becomes a risk can vary depending on the professional making that assessment. Choosing to bring professionals together to a strategy meeting will ensure that the threshold is one that is safe and appropriate. The allegation from Ralph about his mother hitting him with a stick which was hard enough to cause severe bruising is without doubt a concerning factor. The strategy meeting would need to assess whether Ralph and/or his siblings were children in need (s 17) or whether there were rounds for a child protection enquiry. The Children Act 1989, section 47 states that the Local Authority must investigate if it has ‘reasonable cause‘ to suspect that a child is suffering significant harm. This is also known as a section 47 enquiry. Ralph says he has been the victim of physical abuse and that this was a reoccurring act. As a social worker I would have to investigate this further. The questions I would want to find answers to would include; Are Ralph’s siblings at risk from experiencing similar physical abuse? Is Ralph at risk of suffering from physical abuse if he returns home to his mother? I would also want to look further into the causes behind Ralph’s truancy and why he has started to engage in anti-social behaviour. Could this be a result of a breakdown in his relationship with his mother? Or are there problems with the home environment? When Ralph disclosed that his mother hit him with a stick, he said that he did not want anyone else to know. With this we encounter a conflict of what Ralph wishes and the professional duty of the worker. When working with young people it is important to make sure that they are aware of and understand the agency’s confidentiality policy. As a social worker I would explain to Ralph, within his level of understanding, that I will have to record some of the information he shares with me. However if he shares information that suggests that himself or someone else could be at risk of harm then this information will have to be shared appropriately and if required acted upon. As the social worker involved with this case, I would want to carry out an assessment before Ralph returns home to his Mother. However, Ralph is in foster care voluntarily which means that his mother can return him home as she wishes. Under section 20 of the Children Act 1989, any person who has parental responsibility for a child may at any time remove the child from accommodation provided by or on behalf of the Local Authority under this section [s. 20 (8) ]. Nonetheless, section 20 would be the most desirable option as it would be the least oppressive way to accommodate the young person while the assessment takes place. This would require cooperation from Kerry, Ralph’s mother. I would visit Kerry and try to explain the situation and the concerns that I and the other professionals had. This is likely to have a evastating impact on Kerry so this must be done in a sensitive way. The local authority is under obligation to work in partnership with the families of children in need or at risk. Sections 22 and 61 of the Children Act 1989 require local authorities and voluntary organisations to consult, where reasonably possible, with the child and the parents before making any decision in relation to the child (Block 3, p103). Before considering keeping Ralph in foster care, I would want to explore other options of residence. The case study does not mention Ralph’s birth father or whether he currently has a relationship with him. This would need to be investigated. There may also be other relatives who might be in a position to look after Ralph, for example; the possibility of living with Grandparent’s, Aunt’s and Uncle’s would be worth exploring. It may also be necessary to accommodate George and Dan while the assessment takes place. However, unlike Ralph, they appear to have a relationship with their father, Sam. Sam will have joint parental responsibility for George and Dan but as he is not the birth father for Ralph, he will not automatically have parental responsibility for him. However, he may obtain parental responsibility by obtaining an order from the court, or through a formal parental responsibility agreement with Kerry. Alternatively, Sam could apply for a residence order which settles the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom a child lives. There are two categories of applicant, those who can apply ‘as of right’ and those who require ‘leave of court’ (CA 1989, s. 8). As Ralph lived with his mother and Sam for six years, Sam could apply as of right. With all this said, a further initial assessment would need to be done on Sam prior to Ralph taking up residence with his step-father. Furthermore, it is very unlikely that Ralph would want to live with Sam, given his feelings that are stated in the case study. As with the parents being included in decision making in relation to the child, so must the child himself. As previously mentioned, the less oppressive option would be for Ralph to stay with a family member or to keep Ralph in his foster placement voluntarily. This would need to be with agreement from Kerry. However, in the event of Kerry not agreeing, there are other less favourable options to consider. The local authority may apply to the court for a section 31 or section 38 orders under the Children Act 1989. A section 31 court order can be given on the grounds that the child involved is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm due to the care being given to him, or likely to be given to him, or the child being beyond parental control [s. 31(2)]. In Ralph’s case I feel if a court order was required to accommodate him, a Section 38 would be more appropriate. An Interim care order (S. 38) granted by the court will give the local authority a period of time, for up to eight weeks, to investigate the child’s circumstances [s. 8(4) and (5)]. This would allow time to carry out an assessment on the needs of the family to identify if it is safe for Ralph to return home and to assess if there are any services that the family require to assist with the breakdown of the relationship. Before issuing a section 31 or 38 court order, the court must take into account some facto rs. Taking the child’s welfare as the paramount consideration, there should be a presumption that there is no order unless making one would be better for the child. This is also known as the ‘no order principle’. Both of these court orders also require a welfare checklist. The welfare checklist considers a range of factors before discharging an order including: The wishes of the child; any physical, emotional and educational needs; age, sex and any other characteristics that may be relevant; any harm suffered or at risk of suffering and the capability of the parents at meeting the child’s needs [ACA 2002, s1 (40)]. As a social worker I will be striving to achieve the best possible outcomes for the children I work with. The white paper, Every Child Matters identifies five areas of outcome: be health; stay safe; enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic wellbeing. (DfES, 2004) To summarise my hypothetical involvement with this case study, as a social work professional working within social work legislation I would firstly take the welfare of the child or children as my primary consideration. When assessing the circumstances of the family and intervening in such a case, I would do so in a way that was anti-oppressive, which would mean using the least intrusive means of power available. It would require me to be non-judgemental, treating each individual with respect in line with article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights. I would ensure to work in a professional manner at all times, abiding by the GSCC code of practice (Codes of Practice, 2002). I would work closely with professionals, sharing information to those who need to know only. I would strive to achieve the best possible of the five outcomes for children and young people I would always adhere to lawful policies whilst continually reflecting and evaluating my own practice.