Marketing Plan for BlackBerry

Marketing Plan for BlackBerry Executive Summary The BlackBerry is Smartphone manufactured by RIM. It has been having a large market share, especially in the North American market. However, it is currently facing stiff competition from other products such as the Apple iPhone and Nokia Smartphone among others.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Marketing Plan for BlackBerry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main target for the BlackBerry has been the business users and it has not been able to effectively attract the mainstream consumers. Such Company as Apple has been able to produce products that have been attractive to the majority consumers. However, RIM can still take appropriate measures to avoid losing its market share by coming up with a new series BlackBerry Smartphone to add it to its product line with an intention of increasing its market share in North America as well as in the foreign markets such as China, parts of Africa and Euro pe. The company will have to capitalize on the available opportunities and its strengths and to make the necessary efforts to overcome its weaknesses and threats in order to win the competition. In this marketing plan, the situation of the BlackBerry product has been assessed and analyzed; the available literature concerning the problem of stiff competition and losing the market share by BlackBerry has also been looked at. In addition, a marketing strategy to be employed in introducing the new BlackBerry product to the market has been given and the financial projections and implementation plan has also been given in this marketing plan. Situation Assessment and Analysis According to Gowda, Szabo, Choi, Hauk Salt (2009), â€Å"Research In Motion – RIM, pioneered the development of the Smartphone market in 1998 with the BlackBerry, positioned in government and enterprise target markets† (Gowda, Szabo, Choi, Hauk Salt, 2009, p.3).Advertising Looking for term pap er on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The BlackBerry has gained a competitive edge following its recognition as being an â€Å"all-in-one portable wireless communication device† (Gowda, et al, 2009, p.3). It has a broad portfolio of Smartphone products which include; BlackBerry Tour, Bold, Pearl and Curve series (Gowda, et al, 2009). On the was of this product getting more popularity, it goes without saying that it would be meaningless if the RIM Company depends on the sales of the present existing enterprise in order of ensuring the retaining of the products in the market. Following this realization, a move to introduce the BlackBerry Storm series was taken in 2008 and the main aim for this was to accommodate the majority consumer segments. However, this new series brought about â€Å"low customer satisfaction rates†. Another move was taken in 2009 to bring improvement to this series in wh ich there was launching of the Storm2 series. However, the consumer expectations are ever changing and the competitors are always on the lookout to satisfy the consumer needs. Therefore, it is essential that RIM develops a new BlackBerry series product to add it to its product line in order to win the competition since the competitors in the Smartphone market such as Apple and Nokia are becoming more and more innovative. Research In Motion is a company that became very popular all over the world getting its popularity each day with a high speed. There are more than 14 million people who preferred the Blackberry production and, in total, the users come from different places of the world. Between the year 2005 and 2009, its revenue approached over $11,000 million. Out of this revenue, 92 percent came from outside North America. In 2009 financial year, the revenue increased by 84 percent over the financial year 2008 (Datamonitor, 2009). The company has realized growth â€Å"by expandi ng in to foreign markets where it held 18.7 percent of the global Smartphone market share in 2009† (Datamonitor, 2009, p. 1). Strong financials bring in investors and enable RIM to realize growth with coming up with new products as well as new solutions. However, this company encounters a danger to its global share and revenue as a number of its competitors enter the industry and come up with new products.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Marketing Plan for BlackBerry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The forecasts that were made gave an indication that the Smartphone market would increase by 19 percent all through from the year 2009 to 2011. Even if there was a decrease in the sales of mobile phones by 9 percent at the start of 2009,†the Smartphone movement increased by 13 percent despite the economic crisis† (Datamonitor, 2009, p.3). The consumers of the Smartphone have given an indication tha t they have attached value on the multi-media applications and entertainment in their mobile devices. This tendency offers an opportunity for RIM to expand its product lines by putting much of its focus on the needs of the mainstream consumers. Competition RIM takes up the 20% of the global Smartphone market share. Even if this share is remarkable, the company is facing threats from its competitors and it is constantly fighting to remain on top of the competition. Its competitors in this market include â€Å"High Tech Computer (HTC), Apple, Nokia, Google’s Android, Samsung and Palm† (Gowda, et al, 2009, p. 4). Considering the Apple Company, in the financial year that ended in September 2008, its net sales amounted to $11.8 billion. Basing on the research that was conducted, it was established that the Apple Company was able to take up 13.3 percent of the global market share â€Å"as their 3 GB iPhone is growing in popularity selling for $199 with a service contractâ⠂¬  (Datamonitor, 2009, p.4). In addition, the iPhone offers a competitive advantage, â€Å"as the device is able to run upwards of 85,000 applications providing higher utility for customers† (Datamonitor, 2009, p.5). In a similar manner, Nokia dominates the Smartphone global market share at 40 percent, posing a threat to North America market shares (Abkowitz, 2009). SWOT Analysis Strengths One of the strengths of the BlackBerry product is the brand image. This product has one of the best images for the mobile phones in the current mobile phone market. The diverse business it has possesses various products for its greater range of consumers. The other strength is that it is an innovative product. The software of the BlackBerry is designed very well. This phone is greatly secure it combines well with other platforms. It operates well with various other carriers which make it possible for it to be utilized all over the world. This device is quite easy to manage. It’s ba ttery life is longer than the standard one.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The third strength is the product features. This product has â€Å"a small form-factor with an easy-to-use-keyboard† (Randhawa et al, 2009, p.2). RIM has the patents for the â€Å"thumbwheel and QWERTY keyboard found on the device† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.2). In addition, the device has a â€Å"speedy mobile e-mail provider† and it has coverage in a large number of major nations. The Blackberry Smartphone is very comfortable to use when monitoring the e-mail messages. It is a very convient and portable way of being connected to the Internet as well. The global utilization of this product is one of â€Å"its best known assets† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.2). Weaknesses One of the main weaknesses of the Blackberry is ‘Global Coverage Dependence†. The company’s business model which involves entirely selling through operators implies that it relies on its â€Å"operators when it comes to launch Blackberry’s services† (Randhawa , et al, 2009, p.2). This consumes much time and the expense of launching this â€Å"can be high for small time operators† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.2). The other weakness of the Blackberry is the cost of ownership. This product has a high ownership cost. According to Randhawa, et al (2009), â€Å"Blackberry is known as a high-end product that is very costly for enterprises that want to provide e-mail across large organizations† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.2). The other companies competing with RIM have brought to the market products that are less costly as compared to the Blackberry. The third weakness of the Blackberry is in relation to its features. When it comes to setting up critical applications, the Blackberry does not find it easy but struggles. It does not have â€Å"a very large storage of third-party software†¦.when it comes to most people, its main feature is the e-mail utility† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.2). Opportunities One of the available oppo rtunities is the wide range of offerings for mobile workers. The increasing number of consumers will, in the future, need to be satisfied and the Blackberry will be at their service to ensure the consumers’ needs as are satisfactorily met. RIM will seek to ensure the enlarge of e-mail all across the world towards a market which is divergent and popular at the international level. Consumers have the knowledge about this value but they do not have the willingness of paying a premium. The other opportunity is that RIM â€Å"extends the range of third-party Blackberry devices† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.3). At a time Blackberry engages in licensing its software via â€Å"Blackberry connect and Blackberry programs† it is in a position to increase control against other users who have preference for the platforms of the Blackberry and â€Å"It is easily addressable in global markets and features certain products in markets worldwide† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.3). Threats The biggest threat that the Blackberry faces is the competition. The Blackberry is currently experiencing stiff competition from other products such as the Apple’s iPhone than it has ever experienced. There are various suppliers all over the world which give competition to Blackberry on each and every coming day. Blackberry competes as well with its operators; a large number of them have ensured launching of their own â€Å"branded e-mail service† (Randhawa, et al, 2009, p.3). There is a great competition in gaining popularity at the level of economic marketing within the mobile industry that bases on the competing of Blackberry with the products that are eager to imitate or to overcome this mobile product. Marketing Research (Literature Review) According to Tsirulnik (2010), even though the BlackBerry is the largely used Smartphone in the U.S, with about 43 percent of the market share, there seems that its application strategy has not been a success. In compa ring RIM with the Apple Company, the RIM’s BlackBerry App World is remarkably â€Å"less crowed than Apple’s App store† (Tsirulnik, 2010, para. 2). By the beginning of the year 2010, there were about one hundred and fifty thousand applications in iTunes while the â€Å"BlackBerry App World† did not have more than fifteen thousand applications. Moreover, it is reported that Android was a little higher but in a similar ballpark. â€Å"There is no too much going on in terms of branded BlackBerry applications and it is rather ironical considering its market share† (Tsirulnik, 2010, para 2). It has also been reported that the iPhone/Android platform do have touch functionality that is superior as well as navigation from App store to application to a larger number of the BlackBerry devices (Tsirulnik, 2010). In addition, the Androids and iPhones are preloaded with their app stores but on the other hand, a person using a BlackBerry has to download App Wor ld in case he or she wants to use it (Tsirulnik, 2010, para 22). However, it is pointed out that â€Å"BlackBerry has a great opportunity to win over the enterprise and B2B market, as companies are far more likely to incorporate companywide BlackBerry solutions over the iPhone, which constitutes a significant barrier to entry for the iPhone† (Tsirulnik, 2010, para 22). Tsirulnik poses a question that; â€Å"will BlackBerry App World measure up to the iPhone† (Tsirulnik, 2010, para 10). The iPhone has a large â€Å"installed base of seventy five million iPhone and iPod devices and counting, all feeding on billions of downloads of 150,00-pluc applications† (Tsirulnik, 2010, para 11). The success of the â€Å"iPhone App Store† is attributed to its marketing support which include; â€Å"existing infrastructure of application review sites, blogs and YouTube review sites† (Tsirulnik, 2010, para 12). Research in Motion is supposed to obtain more developer s as well as brands which have interest in the creation of the entertaining and fun applications for the company’s platform ((Tsirulnik, 2010). According to Arthur (2011), RIM has been gradually losing its market share in the course of the last two years to phones that make use of the Google’s Android OS as well as to the Apple’s iPhone, and especially in the U.S market which was once the company’s biggest market. However, this company has been able to gain the market share in other countries in Africa, Europe and Asia, and especially in China. It is reported that the company has been able to gain a bigger market share than that that has been held by the former market leader Nokia for Smartphone sales in parts of Africa and China (Arthur, 2011). However, although the profits of RIM increased in the most recent quarter of the financial year 2011, there was sequential fall in the handset sales, giving an indication that the customers were not renewing contr acts but they were instead purchasing touch-based phones for RIM’s competitors such as Apple, Samsung and HTC (Arthur, 2010). According to Arthur (2011), â€Å"RIM’s customers split roughly 50 -50 between business users and consumers, where the general Smartphone market is split 30-70† (Arthur, 2011, para 11). The consumer market is bigger and following this, problems have been created for RIM in its attempts to expand the customer base â€Å"as the iPhone and Android phones have so far proved more popular with the first wave of consumer Smartphone buyers† (Arthur, 2011, para 11). According to Siebes (2010), following the industry wide competition, there has been increased spending in research and development at RIM and this has in turn led to a decrease in profit margins to a considerable level between the year 2007 and 2010. Moreover, there has been an eight percent increase in the cost of sales during the same period and at the same time, there has bee n a decrease in the average selling price per unit to $311 in 2010 from $371 in 2009 (Peers, 2010). To a great extend, the rise in the cost of sales is attributed to increased level of spending on research and development and at the same time, the decreasing unit selling cost is a result of end-consumer expectations â€Å"in a market where RIM’s BlackBerry is no longer one of just a few alternatives† (Siebes, 2010, para. 4). It is pointed out that the company is not just about to make a loss but it is imperative that to the company’s stakeholders for it to maintain high profit levels (Siebes, 2010). As on one hand it is not realistic to have expectations of the company’s profit margins going back to the previous highest levels any time in the near future, some actions are supposed to be taken to ensure that there is slowing down of the rate at which the profit margins are decreasing in the short time, and to ensure that there is an increase in the profit margins in the long run. Marketing Strategy Marketing Mix Product To this point, RIM has transformed â€Å"mobile phone communication devices with the BlackBerry smartphone† (Gowda, et al, 2009, p.5). The best idea would be to add to the product depth by bringing in a new BlackBerry to the product line by coming up with a multi-media device to meet the consumers’ needs in a better way. Price The setting of the price point will be done by the pricing strategies of the competitors. For the clients who long to have the satellite service, there will be predetermining of the extra charge. Place There will be distribution of the new BlackBerry product through the North American service carriers as well as the Global carriers, retail outlets and also through the â€Å"Black Berry promotional website† (Grewal, 2009, p.9). Promotion The company will engage in communicating the advantages of the new BlackBerry product to the consumers and it will do this through tailored advertisement campaigns, †internet marketing, viral marketing, social media channels and exclusive offers to current and new customers† (Grewal, 2009, p.9). Financial Projections and Analysis It is projected that within the next one year, there will be a gradual increase in the BlackBerry market share and the company’s profits are projected to increase at a rate of 10 percent per year. However, in the long run, after between three and five years, it is expected that the profits will increase by about thirty percent. Target Market The present BlackBerry target market is formed by a population consisting of middle to upper class consumers who fall in the age range between 30 to 55 years in the â€Å"professional, executive, and industrial segments† (Gowda, et al, 2009, p.4). The main target for getting new clients is the mainstream consumer market where the RIM Company will enter this segment by putting the changes in the consume expectations in to considerat ion. The company can bring the Smartphone products in to the market with more multimedia components to go with the interactive lifestyle of the consumers. In order to go on with the long-term growth, â€Å"RIM will target the next generational cohort. Tweets’, who are adept to technology, social media and have considerable influence on their parent’s consumer behavior† (Grewal, 2009, p.20). Strategies, Implementation and Controls The RIM to be able to satisfy the needs of the next generation of consumers and expand its global presence and increase its Smartphone market share, it has to increase its product depth. It has to add a new series to the BlackBerry Smartphone product line. In order to realize this, it needs to take various measures. One of the measures that need to be taken is product development. The current capabilities of the BlackBerry devices will not be sufficient in meeting the ever changing expectations of the consumers in the long run. The comp any can expand its market share both in North America and globally by ensuring addition of a BlackBerry series to the product depth under the mobile communication devices breadth. The new BlackBerry series that the company will have to come up with will have to feature increased multimedia and application capabilities, â€Å"non-scratch recycled metal, a full LED touch screen in combination with Qwerty keypad on the reverse side of the device, and a satellite service option for all customers† (Gowda, et al, p.5). The â€Å"satellite service will give out a higher value and greater utility for consumers who have a desire to use their phone at any place in the world. The advantage of this new BlackBerry product line will generate and give value by ensuring that the ever changing needs of the existing and new consumers are satisfied within the targeted market segments. The new alternative would facilitate sustenance of growth because a new product creates motivation for clients to go on buying BlackBerry products and offer greater utility with the features that have been added. Having a complete product line, this will enable the BlackBerry products to resist the external threats that are posed by the competitors. The new BlackBerry product will stimulate a sales increase as new products bring in a big proportion of revenues and dominate over other products. However, some disadvantage may be brought in case RIM does not succeed in satisfying the changing needs of the expectations of the consumers because this will bring about revenue loss and a reduction in the profits. If there is no demand for the new product, this may in turn reduce the value of the BlackBerry brand; thus discouraging the existing as well as the new customers from purchasing any BlackBerry brand . In addition, the competitors may decide to improve on the concept on which BlackBerry may base on when developing this new product line and bring to the market an improved model to capture th e market share in case this new product does not succeed. But RIM should foresee this and take appropriate measures to avoid such risks. Adequate research should be carried out to ensure the new product does not fail and serve to satisfy the ever changing consumer needs. Precaution should be taken to ensure the product has not weaknesses on which the competitors can capitalize on it and for them to bring in to the market an even more improved product. Another move that needs to be taken by RIM after developing a new product is market penetration. In order for this company to increase the Smartphone market share is the business as well as consumer segments, it can ensure that the brand awareness is increased. It can do this by communicating the superior benefits of the new BlackBerry brand. In order to bring up the level of the brand awareness, and to ensure intensification of the distribution efforts, the company can open BlackBerry stores having specialized BlackBerry service, situ ated in the business centers as well as suburban regions across the globe, and mostly in Asia, Europe and North America regions. One of the Benefits that will accrue from this is that, by bringing improvement in the marketing mix and open the BlackBerry stores in the existing markets, the company will be able to penetrate its markets and increase its market share. Adding to the â€Å"place of market distribution, this will serve as an additional vehicle that will be used to strengthened its communication of its BlackBerry products through customer service quality. Moreover, the company’s BlackBerry â€Å"specialty stores† offer added value to the products, through providing convenience and product knowledge to both the current as well as new customers in the targeted markets. However, there are some disadvantages that the company may encounter following taking this move. For instance, there will be no compensating of the additional marketing costs in case the addition al promotion and distribution places turns out to be fruitless. In such a situation, the company will loose its market shares to its competitors who may offer innovative products with higher perceived value. If RIM does not move fast and delay in launching the new specialty stores, the customers may not be motivated to purchase from the BlackBerry product line. But the most important thing is the company to consider these shortcomings and ensure they are avoided as much as possible. The other move that can be taken by RIM to gain a larger market share and improve its sales and profitability is to develop the market. The company should seek to further penetrate the global markets by collaborating with mobile carrier service sin nations having emerging markets to increase the market share for its Smartphone. An advantage of this is that, in a large number of developing economies, there is an increasing percent of middle-class household who starting to purchase technological devices. T his offers an opportunity for the company to capture market share and bring up the level of the revenue. Going on to collaborate with co-brand with the global mobile service carriers promotes a number of consumer perceptions of the quality of the product and ensures value addition to the BlackBerry products. One of the drawbacks that may be associated with this is that the potential that go on co-branding with the global mobile service carriers may fail on the side of RIM because, it is pointed out, â€Å"global carrier brands are suited to respective geographic regions and demographics in the different cultures, resulting in different customer profiles† (Gowda, et al, 2009, p.8). The global carrier companies may swift the priorities they have making the co-branded products not to be continued. Consequently, customer loyalty as well as customer relationships which are brought about by the co-branded products would actually be lost. Another drawback may be that venturing in to the foreign markets may be obstructed by the regulations put in place by governments in thee countries. References Abkowitz, A. (2009). How BlackBerry Does It. Fortune, 160, (4), pp.92-100.. Arthur, C. (2011). RIM launches three new BlackBerry devices with BB7 OS. The Guardian. Retrieved from, guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/aug/03/rim-blackberry-launch Datamonitor: (July 2009). Research In Motion Limited SWOT Analysis, Research In Motion Limited. 3 (1) pp1-10. Gowda, N., Szabo, C.. Choi, Y., Hauk, C. Salt, G. (2009). Blackberry’s rise in brand power.London: Macmillan and Company. Grewal, D. (200(9). Marketing,. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Peers, M. (April, 2010) RIMs Not-So-Smart BlackBerry Strategy. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052702303960604575157951920376486.htm Randhawa, et al. (2009). Blackberry’s rise in brand power: The dueling marketing strategies of RIM versus Apple. Marketing Case Study. Retrieved from , http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ExMFR-llgx0J:zenportfolios.com/lavreet-randhawa/files/2009/11/Marketing-Case-Study-RIM-vs-Apple.pdf+Blackberry+marketing+strategyhl=engl=ke Siebes, D. (2010). The future of RIM/BlackBerry. MGMT 647. Retrieved from, http://knol.google.com/k/dan-siebes/the-future-of-rim-blackberry/3hp472l8bqpdu/8#_Toc262033563 Tsirulnik, G. (2010). Has RIM’s BlackBerry app strategy failed? Mobile Marketer. Retrieved from, mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/manufacturers/5647.html

What to Do With Your Hands During a Job Interview

What to Do With Your Hands During a Job Interview There are ways to appear (and feel) more confident using body language. But not much attention is paid to what we’re supposed to be doing with our hands. Here are some subtle secrets about  what to do with your hands during a job interview. Use Them to Show ConfidenceRather than crossing your arms across your chest- a gesture of insecurity or defensiveness, try folding your hands, one on top of the other, or simply resting them on the arm of your chair. You’ll appear more open, more in control, and more confident. And remember: open fingers are always better than curled fists.Try to Remain CalmFidgeting is bad. Moving around excessively trying to get comfortable will just prove to your interviewer that you aren’t- and it’s probably not the chair’s fault. On the other hand, not moving at all can make you look rigid or unnatural. Think of it like blinking and come up with a balance of natural movement. You’ll come off like a normal human bein g, which is good- especially when you’re nervous.Use Them to CommunicateIf your palms are open and facing up, this conveys a certain honesty, or willingness. You’re listening, inviting trust. Downward facing palms can convey dominance and firmness, which are much better for salary negotiations than interviews. Also remember to keep your shoulders relaxed. If they’re all the way up at your ears with anxiety, your interviewer will take notice.Beware of Cultural DifferencesAll of this applies mostly to the Western business world. Don’t forget that different body signals can convey totally different things around the globe. Make sure to do a bit of research to rejigger your expectations before an interview. Be sensitive. A thumbs-up in America is great, but do it in an Asian country and you’ll probably offend someone without realizing what you’ve done.Practice Gesture ControlYou may talk with your hands, but you should try and restrict this beha vior in the interview. Keep it to a minimum and focus instead on wielding your words with care and concision, lest you distract your interviewer with your arms flapping around. No matter how hilarious you know you are.

The case for Bainbridge Borough Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The case for Bainbridge Borough - Essay Example First and foremost, this person will undergo intensive labour to deliver the baby. This entitles the person to have some time to rest in order to be able to recover from the pain likely to be experienced during the period of giving birth. Secondly, the mother needs to nurse the newly born baby by suckling her and providing other necessary gentle care. Instead, Carol was offered two consecutive 90-day reasonable purpose leaves which amounted to 6 months of leave. This is a relevant contract provision which states that leaves of absence for a limited period without pay—not to exceed 90 days—shall be granted for any reasonable purpose. What Carol wants is leave to be with her adopted baby so this unpaid leave is just as good as maternity leave. In other words, it can be seen that Carol just wants to be controversial over nothing since she has been given another alternative to maternity leave which is specifically meant for mothers who have given birth naturally. 2. As an attorney for AFSCME Local 10, I think the council’s rejection of Carol’s unpaid maternity leave request violated the collective bargaining agreement. Article X, Section 4.A which deals with issues related to maternity as indicated by the final agreement between Bainbridge Borough and Local 10 state that maternity leaves not to exceed 6 months shall be granted at the request of an employee. As stipulated in this provision, it can be seen that Carole has requested for the leave, therefore she should be granted the opportunity to get it. Maternity leave covers various issues related to child bearing and rearing hence Carol should also be granted this leave since she intends to take care for her newly adopted baby. The baby needs mother care and this is the reason why I believe that Carole should be granted the leave. The refusal by the council to grant Carol this leave can be regarded as discrimination since the law is very clear that this leave can be granted to the

Digital Audio Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Digital Audio - Research Paper Example By 1937, British scientist Alec Reeves invented and patented the Pulse Code Modulation (PCM). The digital revolution has also been pushed forward by the advent of cheap and powerful computational devices. We must also keep in mind the immense contribution of the military in any great leap in technology. The First World War brought in electricity and vacuum tubes. By the Second World War, solid state electronics were invented and this is the first impetus in bringing in the era of miniaturization and power. By 1950s and 1960s, computers were developed and used by the military to build the World Wide Web, which later on in the 1990s were made available to the average consumer. In 1957, Max Matthews of The Bell Laboratory demonstrated how to record sound digitally using computer. The digital recording process consists essentially of an Analogue to Digital conversion. This is achieved by chopping up the signal into small intervals at a rate at least twice the highest perceivable frequenc y. Each part of the sample is then coded using binary numbering system and recorded as pulses. The earlier experiments were done using tape as a storage medium but later discs replaced them. They had a higher density. In chopping up the signal at the rate of 44.1 KHz (in case of ACDs), the amplitude of each part of the waveform sampled is expressed as a binary number containing the equivalent of a combination of 16- zeroes and ones (if 16 Bit quantization is used as in ACDs) or any lower number depending upon the system. This means that the amplitude of this small part of the signal sampled can be expressed in as many as 16 to the power 16 or 65,536 increments. Such a high number of increments to describe a small part of the signal required fast recording density and speed. Therefore video tape recorders were used to record digitally converted audio signal. Discs carrying video frequencies were made to rotate up to 1800 rpm and between 150 and 400 rpm for audio programs. To record a full album digitally, we had to wait until 1976. The first ever 16 bit digital recording was made by Dr. Stockham of Soundstream using a Soundstream Recorder in the U.S. Santa Fe Opera. Sony introduced its flagship D/A converter the PCM 1 in the same year. Now digital recording was in the hands of anyone who can afford the machine and hook it up with an existing VHS VCR to convert it into a digital recorder. In 1979, the first fully digital album was released by Ry Cooder: â€Å"Bop till you Drop†. It was recorded using a 32 track digital multi-track recorder built by 3M. In 1980, Sony and Philips announced the arrival of Audio Compact Disc. The possibility of easy and lossless distribution of high quality digital audio content finally brought in the first waves of the digital boom. In the sphere of studio systems, during 1985, there were only three models of Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) available and only two of them were disk based systems. Audio File from AMS and Dire ct to Disc by NED, were the only two options the third by Denon was the DN 052 ED. But in the years immediately after this, the Digital Audio Workstations were the order of the day for any studios. 3M, Sony, Mitsubishi and Studer introduced their own versions of the DAW. By 1986, the digital consoles started coming in and RDAT was introduced in Japan, making it possible to make digital replicas of recordings easily. If CD was to replace the LP, RDAT was supposed to replace

Assessment and Child Essay Example for Free

Assessment and Child Essay Assessments are very important in determining how to teach our children and where they are in terms of development. There are many types of assessments that can be beneficial in helping determine how to approach the learning style of each child as an individual instead of as a whole group. While each assessment is structurally different, they can produce results which give us insight on where our children are during different stages of their lives. There are both formal and informal assessments that can be used. â€Å"Formal assessments are norm-referenced tests that have standardized, formal procedures for administering, timing and scoring. They have been â€Å"normed† or administered to a representative sample of similar age or grade level students so that final test results can be compared to students of similar characteristics. Test results indicate a person’s relative performance in the group. These standardized tests must be administered as specified in the manual to ensure valid and reliable results†(ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation). There is another type of formal assessment called criterion-referenced test. These type of test measure what the person is able to do and indicate what skills have been mastered. A CRT compares a person’s performance with their past performances. â€Å"In criterion-referenced measurement, the emphasis is on assessing specific and relevant behaviors that have been mastered rather than indicating the relative standing in the group†(ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation). Formal assessments can prove to be beneficial as far as comparing test scores over a period of time and how the child is developing over that same period. While formal assessments are useful they also have flaws in them. Standardized test can make a child feel like pressure and anxiety. In a lot of situations when a child feels like this they will not do their best on any type of assessment. Another problem with these types of tests is that they use the same set of questions for all the children and are not sensitive to the situations that different children endure. Children who live in poor and underdeveloped environments may not be exposed to certain ways of life and may not have the same advantages of acquiring knowledge as the other children they go to school with. This will automatically put them at a disadvantage in school and on test they may take. There is another way to do an assessment that is better suited for the child and does not make them feel so uncomfortable and that is an informal assessment. An informal assessment focuses on play and observation of the child and not a test of sorts. By observing the child in a certain situation you can record how they act and how they respond to different situations and stimuli that are presented to them. You can use check-list and rating scales to record your findings and document them and file them away in a portfolio. Another way to do an informal assessment is by parent interviews. You can find out a lot of valuable information by asking the parents questions about their child. Over the past few years teachers have placed more emphasis informal testing than formal testing. â€Å"Some districts have increased the use of curriculum-based measurements(CBM). Several samples of a student’s performance are collected, using items drawn from the local curriculum, usually in basic skill subjects of reading, math, spelling and written expression. Such brief tests are called â€Å"probes†(ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation). One form of an informal assessment is the Battelle Developmental Inventory. â€Å"The Battelle Developmental Inventory is an assessment for infants and children through age seven. It is a flexible, semi-structured assessment that involves observation of the child, interviews with parents and caregivers, developmental and social history, and interaction with the child using game-like materials, toys, questionnaires, and tasks† (Logsdon). This type of assessment is used to make sure that infants and children are reaching their developmental milestones or showing early signs of learning disabilities or developmental delays. This assessment can also be used through examiner/child and parent/child interaction. Examiners observe the child’s responses and score them based on standardized criteria. The parent caregiver input is also important in the assessment because it is used to gather information about the child’s history and interactions that take place beyond the testing session. When this assessment is used to observe the toddler through preschool development it is mostly done by tasks that involve testing the child with games, toys and tasks. They observe how the child follows directions, interacts with others, and how they perform certain tasks. Parent information is used to assess areas that can’t be observed during the testing session. The performance scores are based on standardized criteria. The Battelle is used to assess five components of development. They are adaptive behavior, personal and social skills, communication including expressive and receptive language, gross and fine motor skills, and finally cognitive skills are included. The results of this assessment can be used to determine if there are delays and how significant they are based on the age group the child is in. Another good assessment tool is play-based assessment. This is simply observing the child in their natural environment. By doing this the observer is able to see interactions between the child and their peers as well as how they speak, the language they use and their motor abilities. It is good to record all this information and keep it in an ongoing portfolio. By keeping a written record of what has been observed and any areas of concern you may suspect, you will have more information to share with the parents and find the proper method of dealing with the problems. I feel there is a major advantage when you use an informal assessment as opposed to a formal one. With formal assessments you can never really tell how smart a child really is. These types of assessments are based on statistics of a large group of children not the children as individuals. Just because children do well on a test does not necessarily make them smarter than others, it simply means they have better test taking skills. There are lots of times that the smartest people do horrible on tests just because they suffer from anxiety and get nervous. You can take the same kids that do poorly on a test and give them an informal assessment where they feel comfortable and you will get different results. Standardized tests are not a reliable means of assessing intelligence based on the fact stated above. These types of tests are often overused in this country and they do not take into account the comfort level or socioeconomic background of the child being tested. These play a more important role in test taking than the test itself. This is the number one reason kids are misdiagnosed for having  learning disabilities and other disorders such as ADHD. I also feel that a good relationship with the parents is essential in determining the educational needs of the child. No one knows their children better than the parents or caregivers. They are the ones who spend the most time with the children and can fill you in on patterns of behavior not seen during a certain test taking session. Parents are the most important resources you can obtain information from when dealing with children. I would strive to keep the parents informed of everything that was going on with their child and how to help them with anything that raised a red flag. The parents should always be informed when an assessment is going to be used. A parent could be upset when their child is going to be tested for a development problem without their consent. If you explain the process and how it can help to determine if the child is developmentally behind it can ease the parent’s mind and make everyone more comfortable. I feel that assessments can be beneficial if they are conducted in the proper manner. Making a child feel more comfortable in their environment is the best way to truly assess them and find out if they are lagging in certain areas of development. It is equally important to always keep the parents involved in all decisions affecting their child and the processes used to assess them. The information used by assessments can help make sure children are developmentally on track, just remember the most important factor is the comfort level of the child. Without assessments a plan of action cannot be implemented or executed if the child is behind in any facet of development. Bibliography Logsdon Ann. Testing for Infant and Toddler Development. About. com Guide. http://learningdisabilities. about. com/od/intelligencetests/p/battelledevelop. htm. Accessed on December 10, 2012. ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation. Assessments for Young Children. 1999. http://www. 1donline. org/article /6040/ Accessed December 10, 2012. Sue C. Wortham (2012). Assessment in Early Childhood Education. 6th ed.

Woman To Man :: essays research papers

Woman to Man At first glance, the title seemed to have more than one connotation. "Woman to Man;" is the woman giving something to the man, maybe a gift? "Woman to Man." Maybe the title is trying to compare the two genders? I was slightly confused when I read this poem at first, but it became apparent from the rich metaphors, that it was about the sexual relation between the woman and man. It is also about conception - or rather the potential of creating a child from this sexual act - told from the woman's point of view. Judith Wright was very bold in writing such a poem since it was published in 1949, when such issues weren’t discussed in the public, but as a well regarded poet, she had achieved a good reputation for expressing herself, and therefore could write a subjective poem about this issue. The main idea of this poem, is based upon female sexuality and sensuality, and that sex is symbolic of life, or death if pregnancy fails. The title seems to mean now, "Woman to Man" as if the woman is offering herself to the Man, offering her body to create a child, through the act of sex. It also means that the woman has something to give to the man, not only the pleasure, but through blood and pain, a child. The language compliments the mood of this poem, as it varies from a sad and melancholy cry, to a voice of hope, all in a constant confident feel, and by this, the poet's reflections and contemplation’s are communicated successfully to us, making us feel in the same way she has felt. The first stanza begins with a bold and confident entry describing in a simple way the sexual relation between the man and the woman; or better said; Woman to Man. The ‘seed’ which the woman holds - has the potential of becoming a child. The image of the day of birth as a ‘resurrection day’ is important in this respect for, just as the resurrection of Christ defeated death, so too, does each individual conception and birth. The use of alliteration in this first stanza contributes a crescendo of confidence, which relates to the pain, and stress building up until the conception. This also can be interpreted as the excitement during the sexual act. The relief following is shown in the three remaining stanzas which are quieter, and are more explanatory, and by this the poet has intended to show us the relief emancipated from the mother after the birth, or also, after their sexual act.

Preparing and Writing Essay

A basic key to producing good essays is to start early and work steadily over an extended period. Build in time for distractions and problems (e.g. illness or disk failure), and allow for deadline bunching. Plan to complete well before the deadline to allow yourself some leeway. As a rough guide, you might allow three weeks for work on a course essay. The deadline is intended to help you with time management – make sure you adhere to it. Reflect on the feedback obtained on your previous essays. What strengths and weaknesses were identified? Think about how best to overcome the weaknesses. For example, if your essays have been criticised for limited knowledge of the literature or lack of depth, this may indicate that you need to devote more preparation time and increase or change the breadth and depth of your reading; if criticised for poor structure or limited relevance, you are likely to benefit from spending more time on careful planning and editing/reorganising the final draft. Using course essays to work on your weaknesses can help you produce a better essay as well as help to improve your general writing skills. Look more:  how to write a process paper Do some preliminary reading to help you choose an essay topic. The reading lists for the essays provide guidance on sources of preliminary reading. Generally it is useful to choose reading that is relatively recent, this is likely to include a summary of earlier work, some of which you may explore in more detail later. It can also be helpful at an early stage to make use of EconLit and the Library catalogue to check on the availability and nature of supplementary reading on a topic. As should be obvious, you should try to choose a topic that you find interesting. This will help motivate you to work on the essay and is also likely to make the end product more interesting for the reader/marker. Note that interest tends to increase as you work on a topic, providing you don’t leave it all to the last minute. Once you have chosen a topic (or even to help you choose from a short-list of topics), use your initial reading to produce a draft outline plan of your essay. The general advice on what makes a good essay, set out below, should help you to produce an effective plan. A basic plan would typically divide the essay/dissertation into a series of logically ordered sections. This skeleton structure can then be filled out by fitting ideas, relevant references, work and information required, into the planned sections (making use of references from preliminary reading, EconLit etc.) Taking time to construct an effective annotated outline plan should help you to: †¢ Produce a well-structured and coherent essay. †¢ Organise the subsequent work on your essay/dissertation and plan your study time more effectively. †¢ Read actively and more effectively – making you think about how further reading fits into your plan and, possibly, adapting your plan in response to new information or ideas. Although the ingredients of a good essay can vary between courses and topics, the following broad guidelines are generally applicable. Structure: †¢ Ensure that your essay/dissertation has a clear logical structure. †¢ Use the introduction to motivate the topic, set it in perspective and outline the structure of the body of your essay to help the reader follow the argument. †¢ Use the conclusions to draw together the argument, provide an overall assessment and, possibly, indicate areas that might be developed further if space allowed. General content: †¢ The primary focus should be on analysis, not description or presentation of information. †¢ Make it clear that you have a good understanding of the relevant basic literature. But avoid devoting too much space to repeating standard textbook material. Generally you can make clear that you understand the basics in the context of presenting a more advanced or deeper analysis. †¢ Be innovative – think of an interesting and different angle on the topic; draw on ideas from other courses (including non-economics courses) or general reading; go beyond the standard literature by making good use of EconLit or other reference sources; be prepared to challenge standard approaches. This is likely to make the essay more interesting for you and the reader/marker. †¢ Remember it is your essay, it should reflect your informed thought and judgements on the topic, not simply reiterate or paraphrase the views of others. Analysis and models: †¢ The appropriate mode of analysis can vary between courses and topics. In the vast majority of cases economics essays will involve the use of an explicit model or models. Formal models help to provide a clear logical structure, which is a major reason for their use in economics. †¢ When presenting a model, you need to make clear that you understand the model. This involves more than simply copying a set of equations from an article or book. To signal your understanding you might for example: provide an intuitive explanation of the overall model or key steps in solving the model; work out some steps in a model’s solution explicitly, when (as is often the case) this is not done explicitly in the original source; develop and work through a variation of the model not developed explicitly in the reading; compare and contrast the model with other related models; assess the assumptions used and the limitations they pose; apply the model judiciously to a particular situation. Presentation and style: †¢ Grammar and spelling matter. Leave plenty of time for editing the final draft to improve grammar. Use a spellchecker, but remember that spell checkers do not pick up all mistakes. Incorrect spelling of names and jargon can be particularly irritating. †¢ Be precise and concise. Conciseness allows you to include more within the word limit. †¢ Think about how to present data or information effectively. Tables or figures can be useful presentational tools. †¢ References should be presented accurately and consistently. See the lists of preliminary readings for a suggested standard style. Citations and plagiarism: †¢ Quotations should be used judiciously, if at all, to support or illustrate an argument. The source of any quotation should be clearly stated, including the page reference. †¢ Data sources should be clearly cited. †¢ When summarising or describing someone’s work the source or sources should be clearly stated. †¢ The University of Edinburgh’s Undergraduate Assessment Regulations state: â€Å"Plagiarism is the act of copying or including in one’s own work, without adequate acknowledgement, intentionally or unintentionally, the work of another. It is academically fraudulent and an offence against University discipline.† (http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/UG_AssessmentRegulations.PDF, para. 14.2) †¢ The University of Edinburgh’s Guidance on the Avoidance of Plagiarism for Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Students states: â€Å"Plagiarism is the act of including in one’s own work the work of another person, without adequate acknowledgement of having done so, either deliberately or unintentionally.† (http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Discipline/StudentGuidanceUGPGT.pdf ) †¢ The Undergraduate Assessment Regulations add â€Å"The innocent misuse or citation of material without formal and proper acknowledgement can constitute plagiarism, even when there is no deliberate intent to cheat. Work may be plagiarised if it consists of close paraphrasing or unacknowledged summary of a source, as well as word-for-word transcription. Any failure adequately to acknowledge or properly reference other sources in submitted work could lead to lower marks and to disciplinary action being taken.† (http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Regulations/UG_AssessmentRegulations.PDF , para. 14.2) †¢ The three preceding bullet points avoid plagiarism, by properly acknowledging sources (but would not, on their own, constitute a good essay or dissertation). Most study skills books contain further advice on essay writing. The Main Library Reading Room has an extensive collection of study skills books, which contain advice on essay writing. Several books are devoted specifically to writing skills, for example:

Literature: China Essay

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest known literary works. This Babylonian epic poem arises from stories in the Sumerian language. Although the Sumerian stories are older (probably dating to at least 2100 B.C.), it was probably composed around 1900 BC. The epic deals with themes of heroism, friendship, loss, and the quest for eternal life. Different historical periods are reflected in literature. National and tribal sagas, accounts of the origin of the world and of customs, and myths which sometimes carry moral or spiritual messages predominate in the preurban eras. The epics of Homer, dating from the early to middle Iron age, and the great Indian epics of a slightly later period, have more evidence of deliberate literary authorship, surviving like the older myths through oral tradition for long periods before being written down. As a more urban culture developed, academies provided a means of transmission for speculative and philosophical literature in early civilizations, r esulting in the prevalence of literature in Ancient China, Ancient India, Persia and Ancient Greece and Rome. Many works of earlier periods, even in narrative form, had a covert moral or didactic purpose, such as the Sanskrit Panchatantra or the Metamorphoses of Ovid. Drama and satire also developed as urban culture provided a larger public audience, and later readership, for literary production. Lyric poetry (as opposed to epic poetry) was often the speciality of courts and aristocratic circles, particularly in East Asia where songs were collected by the Chinese aristocracy as poems, the most notable being the Shijing or Book of Songs. Over a long period, the poetry of popular pre-literate balladry and song interpenetrated and eventually influenced poetry in the literary medium. In ancient China, early literature was primarily focused on philosophy, historiography, military science, agriculture, and poetry. China, the origin of modern paper making and woodblock printing, produced one of the world’s first print cultures.[1] Much of Chinese literature originates with the Hundred Schools of Thought period that occurred during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (769-269 BCE). The most important of these include the Classics of Confucianism, of Daoism, o f Mohism, of Legalism, as well as works of military science (e.g. Sun Tzu’s The Art of War) and Chinese history (e.g. Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian). Ancient Chinese literature had a heavy emphasis on historiography, with often very detailed court records. An exemplary piece of narrative history of ancient China was  the Zuo Zhuan, which was compiled no later than 389 BCE, and attributed to the blind 5th century BCE historian Zuo Qiuming. In ancient India, literature originated from stories that were originally orally transmitted. Early genres included drama, fables, sutras and epic poetry. Sanskrit literature begins with the Vedas, dating back to 1500–1000 BCE, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India. The Vedas are among the oldest sacred texts. The Samhitas (vedic collections) date to roughly 1500–1000 BCE, and the â€Å"circum-Vedic† texts, as well as the redaction of the Samhitas, date to c. 1000-500 BCE, resulting in a Vedic period, spanning the mid 2nd to mid 1st millennium BCE, or the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age.[2] The period between approximately the 6th to 1st centuries BC saw the composition and redaction of the two most influential Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, with subsequent redaction progressing down to the 4th century AD. In ancient Greece, the epics of Homer, who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey, and Hesiod, who wrote Works and Days and Theogony, are some of the earliest, and most influential, of Ancient Greek literature. Classical Greek genres included philosophy, poetry, historiography, comedies and dramas. Plato and Aristotle authored philosophical texts that are the foundation of Western philosophy, Sappho and Pindar were influential lyrical poets, and Herodotus and Thucydides were early Greek historians. Although drama was popular in Ancient Greece, of the hundreds of tragedies written and performed during the classical age, only a limited number of plays by three authors still exist: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. The plays of Aristophanes provide the only real examples of a genre of comic drama known as Old Comedy, the earliest form of Greek Comedy, and are in fact used to define the genre.[3] Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer and author of the Faust books Roman histories and biographies anticipated the extensive mediaeval literature of lives of saints and miraculous chronicles, but the most characteristic form of the Middle Ages was the romance, an adventurous and sometimes magical narrative with strong popular appeal. Controversial, religious, political and instructional literature proliferated during the Renaissance as a result of the invention of printing, while the mediaeval romance developed into a more character-based and psychological form of narrative, the novel, of  which early and important examples are the Chinese Monkey and the German Faust books. In the Age of Reason philosophical tracts and speculations on history and human nature integrated literature with social and political developments. The inevitable reaction was the explosion of Romanticism in the later 18th century which reclaimed the imaginative and fantastical bias of old romances and folk-literature and asserted the primacy of individual experience and emotion. But as the 19th-century went on, European fiction evolved towards realism and naturalism, the meticulous documentation of real life and social trends. Much of the output of naturalism was implicitly polemical, and influenced social and political change, but 20th century fiction and drama moved back towards the subjective, emphasising unconscious motivations and social and environmental pressures on the individual. Writers such as Proust, Eliot, Joyce, Kafka and Pirandello exemplify the trend of documenting internal rather than external realities. Genre fiction also showed it could question reality in its 20th century forms, in spite of its fixed formulas, through the enquiries of the skeptical detective and the alternative realities of science fiction. The separation of â€Å"mainstream† and â€Å"genre† forms (including journalism) continued to blur during the period up to our own times. William Burroughs, in his early works, and Hunter S. Thompson expanded documentary reporting into strong subjective statements after the second World War, and post-modern critics have disparaged the idea of objective realism in general.

The role of case management and risk assessment in probation and parole By Christopher Ratliff essay

The role of case management and risk assessment in probation and parole By Christopher Ratliff essay The role of case management and risk assessment in probation and parole By Christopher Ratliff essay The role of case management and risk assessment in probation and parole By Christopher Ratliff essayToday due to the implementation of integration of risk assessment practices with effective intervention strategies as the foundation of case management system, it is possible to develop effective training patterns to work with offenders. The major correctional practices require the use of case management framework as the effective â€Å"use of authority, anti-criminal modeling, and reinforcement, problem solving, the use of community resources, and quality of interpersonal relationships between staff and client† (Rudes et al, 2013, p. 41). Undoubtedly, these factors should be included in training of correctional officers. The statistical data of the American Criminal Justice System says that â€Å"over four million American adults and over 500,000 juveniles are under probation supervision, while over 840,000 adults are under parole supervision (Rudes et al., 2013). Probation an d parole are two significant procedures that require effective case management practices. Parole stands for the conditional release of an offender. Parole â€Å"differs from probation in that offenders on parole have served prison terms and have been released under supervision† (Rudes et al., 2013, p.13). Today’s case management models developed within the criminal justice system are based on the social service models of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which link offenders to their community settings with effective â€Å"drug treatment programs, mental health services, and social service agencies prior to their release† (Healey, 2009, p. 2). The major goal of this paper is to discuss case management and risk assessment and their role in probation and parole. Special attention should be paid to the discussion of evidence based practices in the field of corrections.The role of case management in probation and paroleCase management systems are used to enhance the w ork of employee in the field of probation and parole. There are many case management systems that are designed to â€Å"focus the supervision effort of probation officers on client problems, which are identified using the standardized assessment of probationer risks and needs† (Clear et al., 2012, p. 204). One of the models of case management systems has five basic components, which include â€Å"statistical risk assessment, systematic needs assessment, contact supervision standards, case planning and workload accounting† (Clear et al., 2012, p. 205). Each of these components helps to increase the effectiveness of probation supervision practices.As jurisdictions across the United States have developed and adopted effective case management techniques aimed at combating recidivism, violence, abuse, homelessness, and joblessness, the significance of case management system has been increased (Healey, 2009).   In fact, â€Å"case management is being used for arrestees, p robationers, and parolees who need services such as batterer intervention, drug treatment, mental health treatment, or to provide help for mentally retarded offenders† (Healey, 2009, p. 2). It has been found that the case management of offenders should be supervised by well-trained probation/ parole officers (Healey, 2009).Generally speaking, case management models in probation and parole services are designed to link the criminal justice system to treatment interventions.   Many offenders have to return to prison because they violate the established probation and parole requirements. As a matter of fact, the monitoring components of case management services are designed to perform the required supervisory functions of probation and parole.The role of risk assessment in probation and parole  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The role of risk assessment is crucial to effective probation and parole practices. The term â€Å"risk† is used to define certain condi tions of uncertainty regarding the occurrence of some damage, loss, destruction, or harm (Kemshall, 2007). According to researchers, â€Å"risk is now becoming the core business of the probation service†(Kemshall, 2007, p. 245). Actually, the identification and assessment of risk in probation and parole services have become the key issue of many criminal justice agencies. The need for effective risk assessment has led to the use of specific technologies. Although risk is considered to be a negative phenomenon in the criminal justice system, it requires the proper management practices (Kemshall, 2007). Probation and parole risk assessment helps to avoid many difficulties through â€Å"monitoring and assessment of risky behavior over time and combining the use of traditional indicators with knowledge and observation of behavioral traits, personality characteristics and situational factors† (Kemshall, 2007, p. 238). Risk should be properly managed. Various risk assessment tools can be viewed as powerful forces that have a strong impact on probation and parole, suitable for accomplishing the mission of the institution and improving its effectiveness (Kemshall, 2007; Raynor et al., 2000).Evidence based practices in the field of correctionsToday correctional officers use the systems of case management and risk assessment. Evidence-based practices which involve case management and risk assessment tools are very effective in the criminal justice system as they provide much important information on the issue. According to recent research, risk of recidivism in the field of corrections can be predicted (Raynor et al., 2000). The assessment of risk and needs of the offender requires measuring some changes in various factors over a certain period of time (Raynor et al., 2000).   For example, the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) assessment tool developed in Canada helps to obtain the required record of factors that should be reviewed prior to case classification. This risk assessment tool assists in the allocation of the proper resources both within and among criminal justice system offices (Raynor et al., 2000). The Assessment, Case Management and Evaluation (ACE) tool developed in the UK enables probation/parole officers to â€Å"assess the criminogenic needs of offenders in a comprehensive and consistent way† (Raynor et al., 2000). This risk assessment tool helps to effectively plan supervision, achieve the appropriate needs, and to apply repeated risk assessments in order to identify the progress in services and measure the effectiveness of supervision in addressing the required needs (Raynor et al., 2000). Risk assessment tools are reliable for the use within probation and parole.Besides, recent evidence based practices in the field of corrections demonstrate effectiveness of case management services for juvenile offenders who need specific treatment â€Å"based on the established patterns of need and risk ascer tained by valid risk prediction tools† (Onifadea et al., 2008). These evidence based practices help to determine the role of the profiles of offenders. It has been found that risk profile may be used as an effective risk assessment tool of categorizing offenders and defining their needs (Onifadea et al., 2008).A growing body of research is focused on discussion of the strengths of case management models appropriate for probation and parole (Prendergast Cartier, 2008).   Researchers define several effective case management models, including Transitional Case Management Model. This model helps to provide successful transition of offenders from prison treatment to community treatment. There are three major stages in this model, based on the recent research (Prendergast Cartier, 2008). First, two months prior to release, the offender should set the major post-release goals in order to utilize the proper resources. Second, case conference is needed to provide the offenderâ€⠄¢s transition to community, occurring a month prior to release. Third, regular meetings are necessary to support the offender when he/she reenters the community (Prendergast Cartier, 2008).Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that case management and risk assessment systems play an important role in probation and parole. Due to the use of evidence based practices in the field of corrections, it is possible to better understand the significance of these systems in achievement of the established goals. While offenders are under the supervision of probation/ parole officers, there is an opportunity to improve the offender’s lifestyle through reduction of future criminal behavior. Case management in probation and parole services allows to link offenders to the specific services and counseling practices. In fact, case management services help to enhance collaboration between the elements of the criminal justice system, social s ervices and health care services in order to improve transition from the correction institution to the community setting. Recent researches show that development and implementation of effective methods for risk assessment in parole and probation guarantee success in these services through incorporation of the dynamic supervision progress techniques provided by probation and parole officers. In general, Probation and parole officers effectively use risk assessment in order to assign the intensity of intervention and identify the required criminogenic needs.

Echinoderm Facts and Information

Echinoderm Facts and Information Echinoderms, or members of the phylum Echinodermata, are some of the most easily-recognized marine invertebrates. This phylum includes sea stars (starfish), sand dollars, and urchins, and they are identified by their radial body structure, often featuring five arms.  You can often see echinoderm species in a tidal pool or in the touch tank at your local aquarium. Most echinoderms are small, with an adult size of about 4 inches, but some can grow to as much as 6.5 feet in length. Different species may be found in a variety of bright colors, including purples, reds, and yellows.   Classes of Echinoderms The phylum Echinodermata contains five classes of marine life:  Asteroidea  (sea stars),  Ophiuroidea  (brittle stars and basket stars), Echinoidea (sea urchins and sand dollars), Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers), and Crinoidea (sea lilies and feather stars). They are a diverse group of organisms, containing about 7,000 species. The phylum is regarded as one of the oldest of all animal groups, thought to have appeared at the start of the Cambrian era, about 500 million years ago.   Etymology The word echinoderm means  comes from the Greek word ekhinos, meaning hedgehog or sea urchin, and the word  derma, meaning skin. Thus, they are spiny-skinned animals. The spines on some echinoderms are more obvious than others. They are very pronounced in  sea urchins, for example. If you run your finger over a sea star, youll likely feel small spines. The spines on sand dollars, on the other hand, are less pronounced.   Basic Body Plan Echinoderms have a unique body design. Many echinoderms exhibit  radial symmetry, which means that their components are arranged around a central axis in a symmetrical manner. This means that an echinoderm has no obvious left and right half, only a top side, and a bottom side. Many echinoderms exhibit pentaradial symmetry- a type of radial symmetry in which the body can be divided into five equally-sized slices organized around a central disk. Although echinoderms can be very diverse, they all have some similarities. These similarities can be found in their circulatory and reproductive systems. Water Vascular System Instead of blood, echinoderms have a water vascular system, which is used for movement and predation. The echinoderm pumps sea water into its body through a sieve plate or madreporite, and this water fills the echinoderms tube feet. The echinoderm moves about the sea floor or across rocks or reefs by filling its tube feet with water to extend them  and then using muscles within the tube feet to retract them. The tube feet also allows echinoderms to hold on to rocks and other substrates and to grip prey by suction. Sea stars have very strong suction in their tube feet that even allows them to pry open the two shells of a bivalve. Echinoderm Reproduction Most echinoderms reproduce sexually, although males and females are virtually indistinguishable from one another when viewed externally. During sexual reproduction, echinoderms release eggs or sperm into the water, which are fertilized in the water column by the male. The fertilized eggs hatch into free-swimming larvae that eventually settle to the ocean bottom. Echinoderms can also reproduce asexually by regenerating body parts, such as arms and spines. Sea stars are well-known for their ability to regenerate arms that are lost. In fact, even if the sea star has only a small part of its central disk left, it can grow an entirely new sea star.   Feeding Behavior Many echinoderms are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of living and dead plant and marine life. They serve an important function in digesting dead plant material on the ocean floor and thereby keeping waters clean. Plentiful echinoderm populations are essential to healthy coral reefs. The digestive system of echinoderms is relatively simple and primitive compared to other marine life; some species ingest and expel waste through the same orifice. Some species simply ingest sediments and filter out the organic material, while other species are capable of catching prey, usually plankton and small fish, with their arms.   Impact on Humans While not an important source of food for humans, some forms of sea urchin are regarded as a delicacy in some parts of the world, where they are used in soups. Some echinoderms produce a toxin which is fatal to fish, but which can be used to make a medicine used to treat human cancers.   Echinoderms are generally beneficial to ocean ecology, with a few exceptions. Starfish, which prey on oysters and other mollusks, have devastated some commercial enterprises. Off the coast of California, sea urchins have caused problems for commercial seaweed farms by eating young plants before they can become established.

The Yellow Christ by Paul Gauguin Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Yellow Christ by Paul Gauguin - Assignment Example The essay "The Yellow Christ by Paul Gauguin" explores the artwork by Paul Gauguin called "The Yellow Christ". This painting conveys starkness of the Breton scenery despite gay colors. Women in this painting portray a peasant potency. The outline of image the Christ in the painting and bold shading of women represents Gaugin’s emblematic style. Paul Gauguin uses oil with color pigments forming emulsions for application onto a canvas surface by cloisonnism. The applicator is a paintbrush that spreads the emulsion evenly on a canvas surface. Color pigments are miscible in oil and take a comparatively long period to dry. Shades of colors produced are clear and last for long periods with no risks of fading. Oil and canvas form basic materials for painting since time immemorial. Lines in the â€Å"The Yellow Christ† spread all over its frame. Vertical, horizontal, straight, curvilinear, and contour lines mingle in this painting bringing about diversity. Contour lines represe nt the landscape while straight lines outline the crucifix. The painting is a rectangular frame with dimensions of 92 Ãâ€" 73cm. Shapes of women and Jesus are elliptical and merge with smooth outlines of landscape. â€Å"The Yellow Christ† painting portrays a mixture of primary and secondary colors signifying various features. Yellow color in the painting merges Jesus with the scenery. Shades of blue and black on women in the painting depict contrast between bright and deep colors. Contrast of colors form a balancing relationship in the painting.

Occupational Segregation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Occupational Segregation - Essay Example As the paper outlines occupational segregation exists, then, when women and men are distributed across occupations so as to be out of proportion with their overall participation in the labour force. In the United Kingdom, most occupations are comprised of predominantly male or predominantly female workers and many are identified as men’s or women’s work. This essay covers different theories explaining facts and figures of occupational segregation as described by researchers, its measurement and existence, gender, occupations, its consequences and explanations have been covered. This study declares that levels of aggregation affect the index of segregation in two ways. First, occupational segregation increases with the decrease in the level of aggregation of the data. For instance, women hold 74.5 of all teaching positions in 1995 but 89.5 of all elementary school positions. Gender segregation increases still more when one considers job-level segregation within firms. Second, the variability of occupational categories between years or between organizations can cause misleading comparisons. Some English scholars cite more fundamental problems with the index of dissimilarity. Watts claims that it is faulty because it fails to replace those workers who move to other occupations, resulting in a distribution that does not resemble the previous occupational structure. To overcome this problem, Watts proposes the use of the Karmel-MacLachlan index, which factors in the replacement workers. Blackburn, Jarman, and Siltanen conclude that the index of dissimilarity is seriously flawed by the fluctuation in sex and occupational composition.