Characteristics of Women That Attract Men Essay

2.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2.1 Research Sample We were searching for a characteristics of woman that attract men. After all, we distributed the questionnaire among Labuan Matriculation Colleges’ student (LMC) 2012/13 to get the specific answer. The questions are universal which can be answer by both gender, male and female. All the respondent are majority from Sabah and Sarawak, while some are from Peninsular Malaysia who studying in LMC. In this research, we were only focusing on teenagers, from age 19 to 20 as we believed, most individu starts to get serious in searching a life partner around this age circle. 2.2 Research Instrument Categorical and multiple-choices style of questions had been used in this questionnaire. Categorical style are most commonly use to determine the respondent’s life background, while, in order to prove the objectives, multiple-choices answer are given to help the respondents to answer bunch of questions. 2.3 Research Procedure After finished discussing the research’s topic, we combined all the ideas from the four heads of us to one paper. We justified the questions to be more specific and most important is , the questions must be interesting and easy to be answer. This is because, based on our own experienced, people will easily get bore when answering a question that sounds boring and difficult to answer, especially those question which you have to state a reason for some answer. So, in order to make sure the surveys is in the bag, we try to make it simple and easy as we can. Afterwards, we submitted the softcopy to our subject’s lecturer and wait for her approval. Next, we distributed the questionnaires to all the respondent in LMC during rest hour at cafeteria. There were 90 copies of questionnaire. 45 answered by male students age 19-20 while the rest answered by the opposite sex. It only took about 3minutes for each person to answer. Since both male and female can answer all the questions, we can see, there are a lot of different opinion between these two genders. Finally, making analysis is the hardest step to do when we have to check the answers one-by-one. However, it become easier when each of us showed cooperativity and helping each other.

Dental Amalgam and the Risks Essay

What is amalgam? Amalgam is a combination of metals that has been used in dentistry for more than 100 years. It is still commonly used today. Although it sometimes is called â€Å"silver amalgam,† amalgam actually consists of a combination of metals. These include silver, mercury, tin and copper. Small amounts of zinc, indium or palladium also may be used. How safe is amalgam? Many studies on the safety of amalgam fillings have been done. In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated this research. It found no reason to limit the use of amalgam. The FDA concluded that amalgam fillings are safe for adults and children ages 6 and above. Why is mercury used in amalgam? Mercury is used in amalgam because it helps make the filling material pliable. When it is mixed with an alloy powder, it creates a compound that is soft enough to mix and press into the tooth. But it also hardens quickly and can withstand the forces of biting and chewing. Why the concern about mercury in amalgam? Everyone is exposed to mercury through air, drinking water, soil and food. Concerns have been raised, for instance, about the amount of mercury building up in fish as a result of pollution. Mercury enters the air from industries that burn mercury-containing fuels. Mercury from all sources can build up in body organs. As with most substances, the degree of harm caused by mercury in the body is related to the amount. Very low levels don’t cause any ill effects. At higher levels — for instance, when workers are exposed to mercury through their jobs — mercury can cause several symptoms. These include anxiety, irritability, memory loss, headaches and fatigue. Studies have shown that the amount of mercury you are exposed to from your fillings is less than the amount that most people are exposed to in their daily environment or in the food they eat. Do some people have reactions to amalgam? In rare cases, people have allergic reactions to the mercury in amalgam. The American Dental Association says that fewer than 100 cases of this type of allergy have ever been reported. People allergic to amalgam can receive other filling materials. Should pregnant women be concerned about amalgam feelings? Research has not shown any health effects from amalgam fillings in pregnant women. However, mercury can cross the placenta. In general, dentists advise pregnant women to avoid unnecessary dental care. Women should not get amalgam fillings during pregnancy. Dentists can suggest other materials for any pregnant woman who needs a cavity filled. If amalgam is safe, why does my dentist take precautions when handling it? Because dentists work with mercury almost every day, they must take safety precautions. Without protection, dentists can inhale mercury vapors. Over time, this exposure can produce symptoms of mercury toxicity. How is dental amalgam made? To make dental amalgam, dentists mix liquid mercury with a powder containing silver, tin and other metals. Dentists buy special capsules that contain the powder and the liquid mercury, separated by a membrane. They use special machinery to puncture the membrane and mix the amalgam while it is still in the capsule. Once mixing is complete, the capsule is opened. By the time the amalgam is placed in your tooth, the mercury has formed a compound with the other metals. It is no longer toxic.

Comparative Study on the Origin of Religion Essay

Since the early 1800s, there had been an ample amount of skeptics trying to account for the origin of religion. The basic question on everybody’s mind was where does religion come from? Some believed that people developed religion because they didn’t understand the forces of nature around them. Others believe that religion was created as a way of restrain people. In the 19th century, people were introduced to social science and anthropologists who once studied primitive culture were exposed to several theories on the origin of religion. Edward B Tylor was one of the first who developed a theory on religion. Max Muller was a German professor at Oxford University whose interest included Indian mythology and the study of religion. Another anthropologist was George Frazer who key contributions to religious anthropology was a religious encyclopedia. There are many explanations to the origin of religion, one of the most prominent being Edward B. Tylor’s theory of animism. This theory is considered the foundation of the physical evolution of religion; two other influential religious anthropologists, Max Muller and James Frazer, also based their explanations of the origin of religion on nature. All three religious anthropologists are similar in the sense that they traced the evolution of religion in an attempt to figure out the origin of it but differ in the way they approach the concept of religion. Edward B. Tylor developed the theory of animism to help explain the most rudimentary form of religion. Animism is defined as the belief that attributes souls and spirits to humans, plants, animals and other entities. Animistic religious beliefs are well-known among primitive societies who were â€Å"so low in culture as to have no religious conceptions what so ever† (Tylor). Tylor considered animism as the most primitive phase in the development of religion. He believed that the reflection of dreams and the observation of death caused primitive people to develop the idea of souls and spirits. Tylor thought that primitive people believed that everything in nature had a soul within it. He hypothesized that a belief in animism led to the formation of a more generalized god and, eventually, the creation of monotheism. Animism ultimately led to the evolution of religion in the minds of the people. It led them to take something so simple as nature and use it to explain the natural phenomenon in their environment. A conflicting theory that uses the concept of evolution is that of Max Muller. Another theory of the origin of religion was developed by Max Muller. He believed that people first developed religion from the observation of nature. According to his theory, primitive people became aware of regularity of the seasons, the tides and the phases of the moon. Their response to these forces in nature was to personalize them†(Hopfe and Woodward). They personalized them through linguistics. Muller believed that development of religion was a cause of confusion in language (Goldsmith). There seems to be a divide between Muller and Tylor over the nature of the origin o f religion. Max Muller believed that the answer to the sole origin of religion could be found in the past and a person can trace its origin in the linguistic remnants in the Indo-European languages. Tylor thought that implementing an ethnological approach would be more successful than studying languages for answers of the origin of religion. Evolution of religion is evident in Muller’s theory because â€Å"they personified the forces of nature, created myths to describe their activities, and eventually developed pantheons and religions around them† (Hopfe and Woodward). By developing religions and pantheons from identifying the forces in nature is a clear sign of the evolution of religion in the human mind set. Even though their theories are different, the idea of evolution of religion in the human mind is evident in both Muller and Tylor’s theory. Sir James George Frazer, a fellow religious anthropologist, began developing his own theories on religion. Frazer believed that humans used magic as a way to control nature and the events around them and when that failed, they turned to religion. They used religion to control the events for a while and when religion failed they turned to science. Frazer’s theories were similar to those of Tylor. They both believed that the human mind developed in the same way as that of physical evolution.. Even though Frazer took a similar approach to Tylor in tracing the origin of religion, he modified Tylor’s theory and replaced Tylor’s theory of animism with his idea of magic. A similarity between Frazer and Tylor is that they both believed that religion began from an intentional method of describing and making sense of a strange world. Frazer replaces the idea that religion explains nature by introducing science as a substitute. Frazer’s approach to tracing the origin of religion is similar to that of Tylor and Muller since all three traced the evolution of religion in an attempt to figure out its origin. Both Muller and Frazer’s theory are similar to Tylor’s theory since both trace the origin of religion through the evolution of it but differ in the way they interpret religion. All three of them seemed to miss a vital element of religion which is that no one who practices religion is doing so to explain how the world works. People use religion for several reasons. Some use it to give meaning to their lives while others use it to enforce social order. Maybe all three anthropologists didn’t miss this key component but rather didn’t know about it due to the rapid evolution of religion.

Managing people and organisations - Strategic human resource Essay

Managing people and organisations - Strategic human resource management - Essay Example On the other hand, outsourcing persists in the 21st century because it ensures that non-core functions of an organisation are carried out by external parties and this allows a business to focus on its core commitments (Morgan, 2008 p26). This means that in the conflict between human resource challenges and the role outsourcing will exist into the foreseeable future. This paper examines the elements, features and components of outsourcing in the context of human resource management. It analyses the unexpected costs and competitions that arises from outsourcing. It does examine the failures of outsourcing, challenges of outsourcing in relation to human resource strategy alignments as well as the tangible and intangible consequences of outsourcing. The paper will also touch on other aspects of human capital that is affected by outsourcing like the learning and development of employees in relation to innovation, job security matters as well as contractual issues and matters. 2.0 Alignmen t of HR Strategies and Patterns in Outsourcing Outsourcing intervenes in the overall strategy of an organisation as well as specific departments of organisations. Firms choose to outsource components of their operations because of some cost advantages and/or strategic benefits. The advantages that outsourcing brings to an organisation include; allowing staff to focus on their core areas, attainment of key strategic objectives, lowering and stabilising costs, responsiveness to market conditions and reductions in costs (Kleim, 1999: Quinn, 1999). In spite of these advantages, outsourcing comes with some inherent costs and obvious disadvantages which can affect the overall strategy of an organisation. This include over-dependence on outsiders, hidden costs and contract issues, loss of control and motivational/commitment issues on the part of employees from the external firm (Currie & Willcocks, 1997). The costs and benefits of outsourcing are quite enormous. Although some of them are o bvious, others are hidden. These dynamics have a strong and significant effect on the human resource strategy of an organisation. 2.1 Elements of HR Strategy Human Resource strategy is a component of corporate strategy. It involves three main elements: 1. Long term plans 2. It affects the whole organisation and 3. It involves top level managers (Tribus, 1987). This implies that human resource strategy is determined by senior management of an organisation like directors and other senior HR executives in the organisation. In the practical sense, HR strategy is the concern of the Human Resource Manager and it is determined by the wider views and strategies of the CEO and the Board of Directors. Additionally, the activities of some of the committees of the board of directors affect the components and operation of the human resource unit of a business. Secondly, HR strategy has long term implications. In other words it involves plans and policies that are created for a period of over 7 y ears. This include blueprints on how employee concerns must be identified and resolved. Furthermore, HR strategy affects the entire organisation. The strategic plans and objectives of the HR department are meant to determine the actions of different parts of the organisation including the various employees and management. Human resource management intervenes with organisational strategy,

Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Managment - Essay Example This is where union representation plays its vital role. The right to union representation is called the Weingarten Right. This is the right to request assistance from the representatives from the union during investigatory interviews through a union steward to make sure that the employee is not coerced and forced in any nature or form by the management to make confession of misconduct (www.cueunion.org, Weingarten Rights - the right to union representation). It refers to union representation during the company interrogations through a Union steward. The union steward is tasked to prevent any form of intimidation that the management will do to its employees (www.iatse728.org, Weingarten Rights). In any company, there comes a time that employees will be investigated for any charges of improper acts or behaviour against co-employee or the management. The Weingarten Rights will assure that during this investigation, an employee is free from coercion especially during confession through the presence of union representative or steward to witness the enquiry. The union steward is a very important person in union representation which has bountiful responsibilities to do. A union steward can help the employee investigated explain what really happened when the employee is inarticulate or afraid to answer. He can present justifications and mitigating factors for the employee and can advise the employee to be honest. The steward can also help the employee avoid making fatal admissions. Most importantly, the union steward serves as witness to prevent the management from making inappropriate action such as giving false account of the investigation (www.iatse728.org, Weingarten Rights). Collective Bargaining Collective bargaining is considered to be a legal obligation and... This paper approves that collective bargaining also has a very important impact to managing an effective workforce. Collective bargaining process helps provide element of security and certainty and may establish employee privileges and benefits which would otherwise may not have been provided by an employer dealing individually with employees. Because of this process or negotiation, agreements can be achieved between unions and employers. Through collective bargaining there is a harmonious and productive relationship between employers and employees because there is already agreed rights and responsibilities in the workplace for employment matters such as wages, insurance, working hours and conditions that are legally enforceable. The process of collective bargaining can also help reach an agreement to provide a â€Å"just cause† standard of review that an employer must use when deciding to discipline or discharge any employee in an arbitration process. In addition, collective bargaining is advantageous for both workers and employers. This essay makes a conclusion that labor unions through the process of collective bargaining can negotiate with the employers or management to maintain a healthy, peaceful and effective working relationship. Effective management of workforce can be achieved if there is union representation and collective bargaining which ensure that both the employers and employees are well benefited and given what is â€Å"just† for both of them.

Gender Roles in Much Ado About Nothing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gender Roles in Much Ado About Nothing - Essay Example In the play the majority of characters including Hero, Leonato, Claudio and Benedick are characters who adhere to Renaissance ideals. In contrast, Beatrice stands out as the only character that does not conform to the ideals of the Renaissance period. During the Renaissance, man was superior to woman in all aspects. Women were seen as inferior to men. They were subservient to the men in the family and were expected to obey the men in all aspects of their lives. Men made all decisions and the women were expected to obey them. Women represented virtues such as obedience, piety, chastity, humility and patience. Renaissance society was a patriarchal society. At every point on the social scale, a man was the head of the household. A woman was controlled by her parents throughout her childhood, then, handed over to her husband who would exercise control over her until death. This patriarchal attitude can be seen in the characters of Antonio and Leonato. Antonio advises Hero, â€Å"Well ni ece, I trust you will be ruled by your father† (Act 2 Sc i). A daughter is supposed to obey her father even when it comes to choosing a husband. Leonato reminds Hero how to behave when the prince comes to woo her. Then, when it becomes clear that the prince was on behalf of Claudio and not himself, Leonato accepts the sudden change of son-in-law with no consideration for his daughter’s feelings. He demands that his daughter agree to a marriage whether she approves of it or not. Beatrice suggests that Hero agree with her father only if it pleases her to do so. She says, â€Å"Yes, faith, it is my cousin’s duty to make cursy and say, ‘Father, as it please you.’ But for all that, cousin, let him be a handsome fellow, or make another cursy, and say, ‘Father, as it please me’† (Act 2, Sc i. 52 -56). To this, Leonato says â€Å"Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband† (Act 2, Sc i. 53 -54). In fact, Leonato i s reminding Beatrice that she is a maid, an old unmarried maid, something that is looked upon unfavorably by the Renaissance patriarchal society. In the patriarchal society, a woman’s ultimate goal is to marry and be an obedient wife. Similarly, Leonato displays his adherence to the traditional male role in other sections of the play. Later in the play, following Claudio’s denunciation of Hero, Leonato does not heed to his daughter’s claims that she is innocent and wishes her death rather than live with a tarnished reputation. â€Å"Do not live, Hero, do not ope thine eyes, / For, did I think thou wouldst not quickly die, / Thought I that thy spirits were stronger than thy shames, / Myself would on the rearward of reproaches / Strike at thy life. (Act 4, Sc I 123 – 127). Even when the rest of the household believes in Hero’s innocence and takes her side in the conflict, he is convinced of Hero’s tainted reputation. It is only after Benedick and the friar swear they believe in Hero’s innocence, does he relent. Leonato’s love for his daughter only lasts as she protects his name and honor. Once it appears that she has brought shame, he wants her to die and put an end to the dishonor she has brought. Not only does Hero willingly submit to her father as his obedient daughter, she is also willing to submit to her husband as his wife. She is performing her roles as an obedient daughter and

Apple and samsung Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple and samsung - Essay Example Apple and Samsung companies are doing very well and they have several things in common. The objective of this writing is to compare and evaluate the two major competitor corporations, Apple and Samsung. According to Wagstaff & Kim (2012), it is undeniable that both companies are similar in terms of size though were founded in different periods. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple in 1976 while Samsung was founded in 1938 by a Korean businessperson, Byung-Chull Lee. Even though Samsung started as a vegetable and fruit company, it later started back in 1969 as an electronic company. Apple’s personal computers were amongst the best but later experienced a decrease in sales after the high competition in electronics began. The company then started to produce new product iPod that largely enhanced her revenues. On the other hand, Samsung was developing slowly through introduction of various products in the market prompting it to change her mission statement to keep pace with its growing global operations, changes in the world economy as well as escalation from well-established companies. Moreover, Apple prides herself on innovation and is known for taking 8 years to develop a single product before releasing it to market. Worstall (2013) explains that Apple’s culture is to release products that are not perfect and once released, they make major updates hardly, confident that their original work is the best. This technique ensures a fascinated tech press and awed public, which compels a certain level of security as well as secrecy that segregates the company from attaining valuable market feedback prior to launch. This further raise the stakes of every product launch to the market changing and checking on any of their recent launches such as iPhone 5 and iOS7, it is nearly impossible for Apple live up to the demand for their products. Samsung however, releases a less than perfect product and iterate their way to success, which conforms, to their hi story of releasing new products that are far from perfect. The company does not make massive splash, instead the first generation product is meant to gauge interest and test capabilities since they are content to iterate their way to successful products. It is worth noting that Samsung uses less resources in product launch compared Apple although they are both at the top of the global smartphone market (Worstall, 2013). Although Samsung is a vast industrial conglomerate that manufacturers several things such as refrigerators and semiconductors, most people identifies it with smartphones, which is actually powering her growth. The company’s stunning fourth quarter results saw her profits rising to 87%. It is apparent that the phone division contributed to half of the profit and it does not break out smartphone revenues (Gupta, Kim and Levine, 2013). In 2011, Samsung sold almost 63.5 million in the quarter of which 40 million came from Samsung Galaxy S3 although the market seem to reach saturation in developed countries and the competition is high in developing countries. In the last quarter of 2011, Apple saw a remarkable profit of $13bn, which included 48 million of iPhones outpacing the Samsung Galaxy S3. Apple is even more dependent for profits for profits on smartphones compared to Samsung and Apple still takes a vast share of the mobile phone

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Case Study Essay

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Case Study - Essay Example Customer relationship management (CRM) is an approach to managing a company's interaction with current and potential future customers. It tries to analyze data about customers' history with a company and to improve business relationships with customers, specifically focusing on customer retention and ultimately driving sales growth. This essay approves that overly can link a branch’s revenues with the level of successful CRM achieved by the use of Oracle CRM technology, which can, in turn, be assessed from the customer satisfaction assessment surveys. In this strategy, the branch that has the most satisfied customers gains a larger share in the profit as compared to others. This would motivate the leaders to take the necessary steps to incorporate the Oracle CRM technology in the organizational work setup. No change is effective without a carefully designed change management plan in place. This paper makes a conclusion that the branch managers should conduct meetings with their staff to make them aware of the need and significance of incorporating the Oracle CRM technology in the work setup so that the subordinates understand them and do the needful to make the plan useful and effective. In addition to that, Overly needs to provide the staff at all branches with the training and education required to operate the portal. Providing the staff with an opportunity of maximizing their earnings and gaining training and education for free are some of the most effective ways of quick development of an enterprise-wide CRM mechanism.

Roles of Industrial Engineers and Supply Chain Managers of Hospitals Essay

Roles of Industrial Engineers and Supply Chain Managers of Hospitals - Essay Example This role is also performed by hospital supply managers. The supply managers also have a particularly significant role in the purchasing of the hospital inventories and manage the inventory of the hospitals. Supply managers are of immense help to hospitals since they can be able to minimize running costs of the hospitals. They also are able to give the hospitals noteworthy inventory management. They help in the stocking of hospitals and all the machinery that is used in therein. They also help in supply of the medicines, the food that the patients use in hospitals, and all the equipment and materials that are used in hospitals. In short, the supply manager is responsible for all the running operations in the hospital. Purpose statement (Thesis) Industrial engineering deals with optimization of the most complex processes and systems in the world today. This industrial engineering is concerned with the job of development, improvement, and implementation. It is also associated with the evaluation of the integrated systems of people, knowledge, the information, the equipment, the energy, the materials, the analysis and synthesis. The concept of industrial engineering overlaps different business oriented departments like the operation management in hospitals; the industrial engineering department takes the emphasis of the mathematical proficiency and the use of the quantitative methods in order to ascertain that the running of operations is done in a good manner (Schlick, 2009). Many hospitals are able to maintain the inventories of thousands of their supplies which range from bandages, syringes, drugs, surgical equipment, medical gadgets, and all forms of medical facilities and equipment. It is crucial when a hospital is well s tocked because from this, noteworthy services are offered to customers, and when this is done, patients become satisfied with the services offered. In average, a hospital will require seven thousand stock keeping units in the in-house inventory every day. The supply costs run up to more than forty percent of the costs that are used to run the hospitals. The supplies expense becomes second after the labor expense in the operation of the hospitals. Industrial engineering is also known as systems engineering or operations management or even manufacturing engineering. These terms are used depending on the motives of the people who use the services of these engineers. In the health care department, industrial engineers are commonly referred to as health management engineers or health systems engineers. On the other hand, the supply chain management is just known by the name of the supplies that they bring to the table. For a hospital to be able to run efficiently and at a remarkably low cost, the hospital management has to look for methods to improve the services of the hospital. Moreover, the hospital management needs to try to keep the costs of offering these services at a remarkably low cost. The hospital management employs the services of the health care systems engineers or the industrial engine

Coporate Governance & Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Coporate Governance & Globalisation - Essay Example The troubles in the entire conglomerate culminated in the sale of this subsidiary. This report analyzes problems leading to the collapse and recommends relevant corporate governance measures, which would have prevented such managerial malpractices. Introduction Daewoo is a South Korean company founded in the late 1960s. It represented pioneering entities in the automobile sector in not only South Korea but also Asia. Kim Woo Choong played a vital role throughout the early years of the corporation. The entity benefited massively from the government’s goodwill. The government enacted policies, which ensured that the entity did not face major competition. Additionally, it offered credit to the entity at friendly rates. This reduced the overall cost the entity incurred. The reduction of cost gave the entity a massive competitive edge over rivals. This shows the impact of government’s goodwill on the entity’s fortunes. The success of the entity did not last long since it encountered major managerial problems. This write-up will analyze problems which this entity encountered culminating in its sale. Furthermore, it will propose corporate governance measures that would have impeded the chaos that emanated and led to its collapse. Daewoo’s history and managerial problems Daewoo is a conglomerate with numerous subsidiaries, which included Daewoo Motors, Daewoo Bus Company, Daewoo Electronics, Daewoo Heavy Industries and Daewoo Securities. This was a huge corporation with several subsidiaries and joint ventures. The sheer size and complexity of this entity made its management challenging. Managers in such an entity encounter countless constrains. The multinational had diversified its operations into several industries. Diversification enabled the entity to sustain its financial stability (Lopez 2000). The collapse of this entity resulted from some diverse factors. The government’s policies were key to the collapse of the entity. The gov ernment enacted protectionist policies. Such policies ensured that the entity got cheap raw materials. This reduced the entity cost allowing the entity to make phenomenal profits. Additionally, the entity got cheap financing from the government. Similarly, this reduced its costs availing more funds for further investment. The government also focused on policies, which favoured one entity. Therefore, the government failed to support emergence of other smaller entities. Therefore, such policies shielded Daewoo from competition, costly raw materials and high cost of credit. This provided a perfect market for the entity to succeed. The government seemed not to have a clear policy to ensure fair trade in its economy either. These policies were friendly to the entity since the entity gave political support in exchange for such skewed governmental strategies, which favoured the entity (Lopez 2000). The expansion of the entity entailed several five-year plans. These plans would outline what the entity should accomplish within the period. Daewoo Motors commenced operations in the early 1980s. Daewoo Group acquired an entity that was failing in the automobile sector owing to competition from Hyundai. Using its massive resources, Daewoo Group turned around the fortunes of this entity and renamed it Daewoo Motors. This acquisition added another subsidiary to the already expanding corporation. The Daewoo conglomerate seemed to be undertaking an expansion strategy. However, such a strategy

Children, Young People and Families Essay Example for Free

Children, Young People and Families Essay Case Study Four (appendix one) describes a family which due to multiple issues including separated parents with mental health needs, siblings living apart, aggressive behaviour and truancy they present an extremely complex case for any social worker. It focuses on the story of Callum and his current status with brief mention of his brother and two sisters. I will explore the legal and policy guidance along with relevant theories and values that would inform and guide social work practice in relation to Callum as the majority of the information relates to him. The Every Child Matters (ECM) Green Paper introduced wide spread policy change and was underpinned by law in the 2004 Children Act. The ECM requires that social workers support the parents and carers instead of removing children to long term care (Hodge, 2004). For example the ECM set out the agenda for the unification of local childrens services such as schools, GPs, social services and so on (Hodge, 2004). The idea of a holistic approach to a persons needs by removing the legislative barriers between inter agency information sharing, directs services to work together towards a mutual aim which is what is best for the child in this case Callum. Another key theme set out in the ECM is early intervention, which means that children should receive the appropriate help then need but when they need it. An important step in reaching this goal is the use of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). For Callum and others the CAF aims to put their needs ahead of the agencies agenda (Gilligan, 2008). The entire process  should be guided by a lead professional whose job it is to lead and follow up actions with all agencies involved while being the primary contact for the child with the extra needs, this helps when a child is working with more than one professional as it can easily become disorientating and counterproductive for the child developmentally to be dealing with multiple professionals (Howarth, 2010). For Callum and his family the CAF would be used by the Local Authority (LA) to assess the needs of the children and the family as under S.47 of the Children Act they have a duty to do so (Calder and Hackett, 2013). Within the assessment three key areas are explored. Firstly Callums developmental needs, parental capacity which although his mother is currently unable to demonstrate capacity to care for Callum the new policy context assures that she will be fully assessed and supported where possible if it is in Callums best interests to have an input in his life. Lastly family and environmental factors (Calder and Hackett, 2013). The three core assessment areas are explored in more detail in the assessment framework triangle. During the assessment the social worker gains information required from individuals involved including family members and all supporting agencies. The plan is to build a complete picture that will allow the social worker to begin to look at different theories and research which may offer insight or explanation for Callums behaviours. Professor Nick Frost (2013) when discussing the lessons learned from a Serious Case Review echoes the findings of the Munro report (2001) stating that the decisions undertaken by social workers on a daily basis, often with very little time, are extremely complex and involve a high degree of uncertainty. This something that the CAF attempts to address as it is to be approached as a partnership between services the young people and their families (Calder and Hackett, 2013). Each of the three sections of the assessment framework triangle are gone into in much more detail and guidance for this is laid out in the CAF guidelines. In order to make use of the information gained a robust foundation of knowledge is required to deliver evidenced based practice. For example When looking at Callums Health are  all his needs being met to enable him to develop physically as he should. He is staying out late and not attending school so we can reasonably assume that he may not be getting sufficient food or rest. The medical model suggests that without regular and nutritious meals and adequate rest Callums physical development will be retarded (Cowie, 2012). This is a rather simplistic example though it effectively demonstrates how research directly informs practice. The new policy also calls for flexibility so that services can be provided parallel to the assessment process meaning that children and their families dont need to wait until after the assessment process to start receiving support (Calder and Hackett, 2013). When Callums physical needs are identified it is possible then without delay to for example refer him to his GP for an examination to assess his physical condition. Further along the childs developmental needs assessment we come to emotional and behavioural development which looks at characteristics like the childs temperament, self control and how they respond to stress. These are all heavily informed by a broad base of research and theories some of which have conflicting views on how certain behaviours can be explained (Calder and Hackett, 2013). Before I look at some theories that would inform practice in relation to the case study I think it is helpful to look at how Beckett (2006) explains how social workers find a solution by first seeking for explanations. This he says is looking at the information gathered from the assessment and trying to find a theory that we think fits and them apply the relevant intervention. He calls these past orientated approaches, in the case of Callum we look at his past to try and find out why things are the way they are (Beckett, 2006). Callum is displaying aggressive behaviour, he resisted foster carers and now that he is back in a childrens home he stays out on occasion with his father. Attachment theory has plenty of empirical evidence and suggests that Callum like us all is hard wired to seek a relationship with his carer, in this case the attachment with his father is still felt by him. Bowlbys (2005) work on attachment suggests that during our formative years we develop an internal working model (IWM) from our initial  attachments, the resulting quality of the IWM is dependent on the quality of the original attachments. In Callums case he quality of this attachment could be questionable. Cassidy (1988, cited in Cowie, 2012, p.49) Bibliography Bowlby, J. 2005. A secure base. London: Routledge. Brayne, H. and Carr, H. 2012. Law for social workers. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Calder, M. and Hackett, S. 2013. Assessment in child care. Lyme Regis, Dorset: Russell House. Cassidy, J. and P. R. Shaver (eds). 1988. Handbook of attachment. New York: Guilford Press, pp.3-20. Quoted in Cowie, H. 2012. From birth to sixteen years. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. pp.49. Cowie, H. 2012. From birth to sixteen years. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Frost, P. 2013. Lessons From a Serious Case Review. Interviewed by Anne Llewellyn [in person] Leeds, 27.11.2013. Gilligan, P. and Manby, M. 2008. The Common Assessment Framework: does the reality match the rhetoric?. Child Family Social Work, 13: 177–187 Green, L. 2010. Understanding the life course. Cambridge: Polity. Hodge, M. 2004. Every child matters. London: DfES Publications. Horwath, J. 2010. The childs world. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

An Analysis of the Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

An Analysis of the Kite Runner Essay An analysis of The Kite Runner â€Å"For you, a thousand times over† Made by Hasnen Ali Introduction The Kite Runner is an extraordinary book, which reminds us how long the Afghani people have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence. Because of the books strong story, we get an insight in how people might have experienced the crisis in Kabul, even though it’s been shown through a book. The author Khaled Hosseini was a practicing physician until after the book’s release. This was also his first novel, which was released in 2003 and turned out to be an international bestseller. Even though the story of The Kite Runner is fictional, it’s based on a true story and also on Hosseini’s memories of growing up in Kabul. This also means that the genre of the book is not a fictional novel (many look at it that way), but an historical novel. According to an article in USA Today, The Kite Runner has sold over 1. 4 million copies, which is a phenomenal sale for a first time author. The story tells of a friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Even though they were raised in the same household, Amir and Hassan are from two â€Å"different worlds†. While Amir is the son of a wealthy and respected man (Baba), Hassan is the son of the family servant (Ali). The most important factor in the story is the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Their intertwined lives and fate, shows that throughout the story even though, when their relationship was inseparable in the start. They still manage to become separated through jealousy. Five years later, during the Soviet occupation, Amir and Baba are forced to flee. They spend their new lives in California, and Amir starts a career as an author. Even though Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. He still cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him. Setting The story uses two main settings. One is Afghanistan and the other is California. We could also say that the story is divided into three sections: the memories of pre-conflict Afghanistan, adjusting to life in America, and returning to Taliban controlled Afghanistan. There is big difference between these places. While Afghanistan used to be a safe and peaceful nation, their reputation completely changed after Taliban started controlling the country. The country is also portrayed as a demolished and deserted place, while California is shown as a way to escape their problems in Afghanistan. California will always be a much safer place to live, for both Amir and Baba, but Baba still misses Afghanistan, since he used to be wealthy and respected. He misses Kabul because in California, he is completely the opposite. He works at a gas station for many hours, and through the book we can feel that he misses almost everything about his previous home. It’s important to understand their struggle to adapt to their new home, because it shows how different Afghanistan is from California, and we also get a better understanding of the story. Structure and characters The Kite Runner starts with a nameless narrator, talking about his past and how it’s been affecting him for the last twenty-six years. The narrator also gives us clues to what might happen, and the troubles that will arise. After going through a few chapters, we get to know the main characters better and their problems. The characters that we first meet are Amir and Hassan. Amir is the narrator and the main character throughout the story. He is an Afghan man with a special childhood. Through most of his life Amir tries to redeem his reputation in the eyes of his father as he felt he was responsible for his mother’s death. He also wants to prove to his father that he isn’t a weakling, and want to become more like Hassan. Hassan is Amir’s best friend during his childhood and he is also his servant. Hassan is known for his loyalty and strong attachment to Amir. Later in the story, it’s revealed that Hassan is Amir’s brother. This means that Amir’s father had an affair with Ali’s wife, and that Hassan is actually his son. Hassan was also known for begin the best kite runner in Kabul. Baba is a wealthy and respected man, but becomes poor after he flees to America. His relationship with Amir is very turbulent, and he wants Amir to become like Hassan, strong and brave. Ali is Hassan’s father and Baba’s best friend. He is a Hazara, but he got the same characteristics as his son. Ali grew up together with Baba, just as Hassan and Amir did. He got a handicap as well; even though it doesn’t stop him from begin a loyal servant. Rahim Khan is Baba’s closest friend and one of the few people who know that Hassan is Amir’s brother. He is the one that calls Amir to go back to Afghanistan. Assef is a bully and is responsible for the rape of Hassan. This guy is also a fan of Hitler, which clearly makes him a sociopath. When he becomes an adult, he also joins the Taliban. He also has hatred towards the Hazara people, and likes to discriminate them. Soraya is Amir’s wife and has troublesome past. She also takes care of Baba, when he is sick and adopts Shorab without doubts. Sohrab is Hassan’s son. He also plays a major part in the book. Assef enslaves him after he is taken from the orphanage. Since Amir is the main character in the book, he also develops most of all the characters. We notice first that he slowly turns against Hassan, his anger and jealousy grows in one direction, even though Hassan doesn’t do anything wrong. The rape of Hassan is really an event that further separates their relationship. Since there is so much drama in this book, it doesn’t end yet. When the Soviet invades Afghanistan, Amir’s family flees to another country, unaware that they lose most of their wealth. For the first time they get a taste of how it is to be poor. Later in the book Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan and returns to Afghanistan. He finds out about Hassan’s son Sohrab, and is determined to bring him back home to America. Before he could save Sohrab, he had to face Assef. Getting beaten by Assef and saving Sohrab could be seen as a final way to redeem himself. This also made his guilt disappear. Themes and tones In this story, there are a lot of different themes we could discuss like example: bullying, friendship, guilt, betrayal, kite, honor, redemption, father and son relationship, man’s inhumanity to man, discrimination and loyalty. There is a lot of ethnic discrimination in Afghanistan and especially the conflict between the Pashtuns and the Hazara. The relationship between Pashtuns and Hazaras has never been stable; because Pashtuns are mostly Sunni Muslims and the Hazara are Shia Muslim. The Hazara has been discriminated mostly because of their faith, language and facial appearance. In the book Ali is loyal to Baba, because Baba’s father adopted Ali after his parents died. Since then Baba has always followed his father’s example and always been kind to the Hazara people. Guilt is also another theme that is brought up. After the rape of Hassan, Amir cannot bear to be around Hassan, because it reminds him of that day. He even lies to Ali, and says that nothing happened. The problem with Hassan is that he takes the blame for everything and he doesn’t want to hurt Amir. Even when Amir tells Hassan to hit him with the pomegranate, he refuses. When Hassan smashes the pomegranate on his own forehead, Amir’s guilt becomes even worse. In the end Amir makes Hassan and his father leave, and Hassan still considers Amir his best friend. The story is written in a way that it still affects you after your done reading. Even though it’s a dark story with a lot of hopelessness for the people in Afghanistan, there still is some hope and happiness. Honor is expressed in many different ways, but the quote â€Å"for you, a thousand times over† is a great example of how they express theirself. Conclusion The kite is a theme in the book that represents freedom, even though you’re not in fully in control of the kite’s fate. I think the theme describes the fate of Amir and how he develops throughout the book To me the story as said earlier is a historical novel, and not a fictional novel. This is because it’s based on a true story and experiences Hosseini had when he was growing up in Kabul. I as writer of this analysis is a Hazara, and I know what kind of suffering the Hazara people have went through. Sometimes I think that Hosseini might be Amir, but they sure do have some similarities. Links: * http://www. usatoday. com/life/books/news/2005-04-18-kite-runner_x. htm * http://www. gradesaver. com/the-kite-runner/study-guide/ * http://www. wikisummaries. org/The_Kite_Runner * http://polsci167. blogspot. com/2011/09/kite-runner-redemption-within-tentative. html

Walmart-success story in india

Walmart-success story in india Executive Summary The retail sector had driven a major economic boom in various parts of the world. The impact of the booming retail was most visible in Developed and Developing countries of the world. The Asian regions were also witnessing an economic boost backed by the retail sector. By 2005, retailing was worth US $7 trillion. Walmart was the worlds largest retailer when it extricated oil giant Exxon Mobil as the worlds largest company by posting US $219 billion in sales for fiscal 2001. Walmarts success had been the result of its ability to leverage size, market clout, and efficiency. Walmart topped Fortune magazines list of top 500 companies in the world, successively for three years till 2004. In the early 1990s, Walmart announced that it planned to go global. It wanted to look for international markets for many reasons like; the competition from domestic market was becoming stiff. Although Walmart had the scope of expansion in the domestic market, it was becoming difficult to maintain double digit growth as it was suffering from soft sales and rising inventories. During the first five years, Walmart concentrated on Mexico, Canada, Argentina and Brazil which were close to its domestic market geographically. Walmart expanded its international operations through acquisitions, joint ventures, Greenfield operations and wholly owned subsidiaries. The liberalization of the Indian economy in 1991 had opened up the market for consumer goods. Soon, new retailing formats emerged to complement the traditional Kirana (mom and pop) stores. Rising incomes coupled with infrastructure improvements were increasing consumer markets and accelerated consumer tastes and preferences. Economic Researches has highlighted that half of the Indian population as low income group in the year of 1994-95. By 2006 -07 it was estimated that less than 20% of the overall Indian population will be below the low income group Internet revolution has helped the consumers in India to know more about multinational or international products and services. It is estimated that by 2015 more than half of the India population will be between the age group of 20-25. All this estimates makes India as one of the most attractive place to invest in retails sector. After years of controversy and opposition from local retailers and political parties Walmart was successful in opening business in India. Their success is keenly watched and observed by retail giants to make the move in India, which is a highly potential market for retail. The purpose of this study is to understand the barriers of entries that are faced by a multinational giant like Walmart and how this company overcomes such barriers to establish their first wholesale shop in India. The business entry by Walmart will be the first reference for any other multinationals who are trying to penetrate into Indian market. Introduction In the year 2009, Walmart opened its first outlet in Amritsar. As a first step, Walmart is involved in selling of vegetable to vendors, hospitals, restaurants and other companies. Over the next 2 years the company has planned to open 10 more big outlets in the potential Cities of India. One of the interesting facts to notice is that the Walmart outlet doesnt carry the traditional â€Å"Walmart† logo. Instead it is known as â€Å"Best Price†. This strategy is purely to avoid political protest against multinational retailers entering into market. Main focus of the study is to understand the barriers of entry that are faced by the Multinational retailers while inflowing into Indian retail market. How the political and legal conditions in India favor such an entry and also how the sentiments and social behavior of the people are influenced are the key part of the study This Bharti-Walmart joint venture would enhance the ongoing retail industry revolution and also will elevate Indian shoppers experience. Thats not all, how the small Kirana stores will oppose such kind of threat or competition is worth observing. There could either be more resistance from local traders or could this be the end of local traders existence and beginning of franchised local shops. Not clear at this moment. India a land of Opportunity Traditionally, the whole fragmented retail industry consisted of 15 million entities which were considered as the largest in the world. There were various attempts made to scale up the size of the industry. The models which were successful in west were adopted. Majority of the players found it difficult to size up except because of the huge investment in infrastructure. Key domestic major players like Pantaloon Retail (India) and the Food World Supermarkets Limited were successful in adapting the scale up process. By 2006, Not only considering India having the largest population of ‘under 25 years in the world and a 400-million middle and upper middle classes, India became one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Its gross domestic product (GDP) reached 8.1 per cent in 2005-06. The retails sector will be the next big thing in India as predicted by analyst .The firms Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index (FDICI) indicated that India and China are the worlds most favored destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI). Increase in shopping malls reflected the boom in retail industry, leading to a new kind of shopping called â€Å"Shoppertainment† (A blend of shopping and entertainment). Evolution of Indian retail Walmarts Dilemma- Challenges For retailing industry its a long way to travel. India has all the right compositions for retail growth; it had been treated as a protected industry. The government did not allow FDI in retail sector, the Protectionism nature of Indian government is very visible through the control of FDI. In case of companies who dealt in single brand, the government in February 2006 allowed 51% of equity partnership through a joint venture with a domestic player. Various controls that are imposed by government have reserved the rights of well organized multinational retailers. Infrastructure has been one of the key concerns and also various levels of taxation by the government have created barriers of entry for the retail industry. Government of India is trying their best to remove such kind of obstacles, but some of the key issues still remain open. Experts opined that the developed and developing countries experiences had proved that performance of organized retail was strongly linked to the performance of the economy as a whole. This was mainly on account of the reach and penetration of this business and its scientific approach in dealing with customers and their needs. The RD division of Walmart had good Global commerce knowledge about different markets. This could be one of the reason why Walmart one of the largest retailer opted India, which is the second largest populous country and the fourth largest retail market in the world. Legal and political Challenges Despite India being an attractive market, the predicament Walmart faced was Indias complex Foreign Direct Investment regulations which is currently the biggest obstacle for global retailers from inflowing into the Indian market. Many international retailers had set up their shops in India either through franchising deals with local partners or joint-venture partnerships with Indian companies. Experts had opined that Walmart would attempt to bypass the rules on FDI by opening a cash-and-carry outlet either in Bangalore or Haryana state as foreign-owned such stores are permitted in India. In August 2005, Walmart had requested permission from the Indian government to open two experimental stores in Kolkata. Under the proposals, Walmart would buy locally produced food and general merchandise and transport it for sale in its outlets. But Walmart was not allowed to go ahead as the Indian government did not open the retail sector. Certain political parties in India believe that entry of Walmart would destroy rather than create employment.† This was against what Walmart has projected. They believe that FDI in Indian retail sector would lead to job losses as big retailers like Walmart, backed by huge finances, would pursue a predatory strategy and eliminate their immediate competition, eventually increasing unemployment. Another reason of opposition against Walmart includes the abandonment of trade unions by the giant retailer. It is opined that Walmarts business strategy entails a â€Å"trade union free company† and dismissing employees who try to form trade unions. Besides, cutting costs to offer products to consumers with lowest prices is believed to be a part of strategy. However, Walmart is alleged of pursuing cost cuts in the form of employee wages and therefore is estimated to harm the interests of the workers. By referring to the above points, it is not sure whether Walmart has studied properly the Political and Legal Environment aspects of India. Its been quite obvious that the government policy and political parties are not in favor of multinational retail giants entering to India. To avoid such kind of protest and consequence the company should have taken a more â€Å"friendly† approach towards entry into Indian market. May be by projecting more social and economical benefit to the country by way of supply chain retailing would have made the entry much more peaceful. On the other side, it was a good publicity for the people of India to know about Walmart giant and their entry into India. Religious and Language Barriers Even though the Walmart hasnt had an impact on the religious sentiments of India compared to the food service corporations of the world Like McDonalds. For Example; before setting up the first restaurant in India McDonalds has spend eight years in studying Indian culture and adaptation strategies. The theory of Degree of Adaptation has been taken care of by Walmart RD Division. India being a multi religious country religious sentiment should be kept in mind while designing and promoting the Company. We had enough and more studies related to religious sentiments and barriers in India and the same has been very well utilized to make sure such barriers of entry are mitigated. After starting the Operation in India Bharti and Walmart venture, so far has not faced any religious barrier in their operation, which means it should not be taken lightly or ignored because hurting religious sentiments can completely dismantle the operations of the company. There was no Language barrier faced by Wal-Mart, but the interesting fact to note is that, the entry of the Multinational giant is opposed by people of different language and religion. It was a mix of culture and emotion that fought against the entry of Walmart to India. If we separate language and Religion out of this mixture then there is hardly any significance about their resistance. It looks like Walmart has taken care of Ethical and Social Responsibility in a much more serious way, due to which I believe there was no stand alone fight from a religious or linguistic section of the society. Recommendations and Conclusions Despite India being an attractive market, the dilemma faced is Indias complex FDI and retail regulations which is currently stopping international retail companies from directly entering the Indian market. Many international retailers had set up their operations in India through franchising deals with local partners or entered in as a joint-venture partnerships with Indian companies Walmart sourcing strategies encompass building direct relationship with farmers and manufacturers and encouraging them to develop products of international standards, plan production schedules and predict their demands with the help of high-end technology that would be provided by Wal-Mart. Whether the Bharti-Walmart venture would be successful in India and whether Walmart would be able to bring a second revolution of retail in India remain to be seen. Walmart India President and Bharti Walmart managing director CEO Raj Jain say â€Å"it is still early days to discuss performance†. But a clear strategy of the company has started emerging; and Walmart is ready to take the early advantage of the market segment related to prices, supply chain, real estate and human resource.

The Luminescence Of Black Light :: essays research papers

The Luminescence of Black Light Black Light. What is it? It is a portion of the Ultra-Violet Spectrum that is invisible to our eyes. We can not distinguish it. However, when this radiation impinges on certain materials visible light is emitted and this is known as "fluorescence." Fluorescence is visible to the human eye, in that it makes an object appear to "glow in the dark." There are several sources of ultra-violet light. These sources are: the sun, carbon arcs, mercury arcs, and black lights. In most cases, the production of ultra-violet light creates a reasonable amount of heat. Many materials exhibit the peculiar characteristic of giving off light or radiant energy when ultra-violet light is allowed to fall upon them. This is called luminescence. In most cases, the wave length of the light radiated is longer than that of the ultra-violet excitation but a few exceptions have been found. The quantum theory attempts to explain this property by contending that a certain outside excitation causes an electron to jump from one orbit to another. It is then in an unstable environment causing it to fall back into its original orbit. This process releases energy, and if it is in the visible part of the spectrum, we have a transient light phenomenon. Ultra-violet light is an exciting agent which causes luminescence to occur. There are many materials which exhibit fluorescent characteristics. Many of which are even organic. Teeth, eyes, some portions of the skin, and even blood exhibit fluorescent qualities. Naturally occurring minerals such as: agate, calcite, chalcedony, curtisite, fluorite, gypsum, hackmanite, halite, opal scheelite, and willemite, also have similar characteristics. These materials can be used in industries. The radiance of ultraviolet light is measured in units called "Angstrom." The intensity of ultraviolet fluorescence is the greatest between the 5000 and 6000 range. This being the range between the green and yellow hues. Ultra violet light is not readily visible. It is not visible because certain materials reflect it. Ultra-violet light is made visible due to the fact that it causes a reaction at the atomic level. When it strikes the atom, some of the electrons are sent into other orbits.

Social psychology seems to have many origins; critically discuss the hi

There are many explanations for the origins of modern social psychology. It is therefore important to consider that social psychology cannot be traced back to one single source of origin (Burr, 2003). Hence, this is the reason why there are debates of what social psychology is. Allport (1985) described social psychology as â€Å"the study of people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours which are influenced by the actual, imagines, or implied presence of others†. As seen from this definition there is a direct link between social science and the individual psychology (Sewel, 1989). Social psychology cannot be seen as a linear phenomenon. This is because social psychology has derived from combination of influences. The development of social psychology can be discussed in two different ways. Firstly, social psychology is argued to be found upon political movements and social philosophies in the United Stated of America (US). Secondary, it can be argued that social psychology developed due to the response of social and political needs. 3. There have been debates regarding whether social psychology should be dealt as a natural science or not. The ideology of natural science is very important as it affects the way the social psychologist deal with situations. For example, if there are specific scientific objectives then the study is laboratory based and uses experimental procedures in order to gain knowledge. Psychologists who use this positivistic method are classified as experimental social psychologists. On the other hand, critical-social psychology has competed with experimental-social psychologists. The strength of the critical-social psychologists is that they use a range of different methods in research, and are not limited to scienti... ...ocial psychology now has a great impact on social cognitive approach. Social cognition includes attribution, stereotypes, autism, (Striano & Reid, 2008). The European roots of social psychology have led to social constructionism and social representation. The modern social psychology is now constructed with the American and European doctrines. However, due to the political events and developing researches in social psychology, the disciple has only been able to contain within America (Cartwright, 1979). On the other hand, Gergen (1973) argued that social psychology cannot be interpreted as a science because social psychology is historically and culturally specific, which is the reason why the discipline is continuously changing. Critically speaking, there is an advantage of different approaches to social psychology, as it views dilemmas in different perspectives.

Kate Chopins The Awakening Essay -- Chopin Awakening Essays

Kate Chopin's The Awakening In Kate Chopin's, The Awakening, Edna Pontellier came in contact with many different people during a summer at Grand Isle. Some had little influence on her life while others had everything to do with the way she lived the rest of her life. The influences and actions of Robert Lebrun on Edna led to her realization that she could never get what she wanted, which in turn caused her to take her own life. In the Creole culture, outward affection and expression were a common thing. Edna, being brought up in Kentucky, "was at first a little confused. . .by the Creole's gentle caress. She was not accustomed to an outward and spoken expression of affection, either in herself or in others," (Chopin 22). Robert knew that Edna was not of Creole background and that she might not take his flirting as simply that. Yet, he still continued to playfully pursue Edna like the women which he had been devoting himself to each summer for the past eleven years. He did not understand that what he was doing was wrong in the culture that Edna had been brought up with. Once, when Robert laid his head against Edna's arm, she brushed him off. He then did it again and Edna "could not but believe it to be thoughtlessness on his part; yet that was no reason she submit to it," (15). Edna was at first disturbed by Robert's actions. Because she did not know about the Creole culture, she allowed Robert to f lirt with her and she actually took him seriously. The flirting resulted in her starting to have feelings for him and to wonder about her place in life. Another thing was that Robert was not blind to the whole situation and that Edna would not understand his flirting. When Madame Ratignolle was walking back to the house with Robert, she flat out warned him about what he was doing. "Let Mrs. Pontellier alone. . .she is not one of us; she is not like us. She might make the unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously," (27). Robert argues that there is no possibility of Edna taking him seriously. That whole conversation only reiterates that Robert does not understand what he is getting Edna and himself into. Robert finally realized what was happening between Edna and him. He started to have feelings for her that he could not control. When he told everyone that he was going to Mexico for business, it was actually to get away from ... ...ike almost everyone else, Leonce also did not think that anything would come out of Robert's flirting with Edna. Leonce did not realize that Edna was not brought up in the Creole culture and would not know how to deal with the way that Robert acted. He allowed Robert and Edna to go out together without even thinking twice. He did not see anything wrong with the two of them doing everything together. Even though it was common in the Creole culture for people to openly show their feelings, Leonce should have realized that Edna, because of her different upbringings, would not know how to deal with Robert's actions. In one way or another he was the one that helped start their feeling towards each other. Although there are a few more small examples about how Leonce might have caused Edna to take her life, the influence that Robert had over her is even more overpowering. Because of Robert, Edna realized that she was not happy with who or where she was and decided to drastically change everything that she was accustomed to. If Edna Pontellier had never met Robert Lebrun, she may never have realized how unhappy she was, and, in turn, may never have chosen to end her life.

Introduction to 21st Fashion

Student name: Peiji Zhou Student number: 10344206 Content page: Lookbook and range building——————-P 3 Shop report———————————–P 7 Luxury brand———————————P 9 Ethical Fashion——————————–P 11 Footwear————————————-P 13 NEXT—————————————-P 16 Marks & Spencer——————————P 18 Jeffery West———————————- P 21 Tannery visit—————————— -P 23 References————————————P 25 Lookbook and range building:A lookbook is a collection of photographs to show a style, a model or a clothing line. It usually exists in fashion website and fashion bloggers. lookbook is like a fashion portfolio or fashion diaries, Fashion bloggers update their fashion look constantly online. It can be a record for blogger’s own fashion look and also a record for other people’s looks such as a celebrity, politician or socialite, it can be described as ‘artist portfolio’. Nowadays, lookbook is common for stores and clothing designers to use it to show off products. They include photos of multiple types of clothes, shoes and other accessories from a season or line.Examples of lookbook: LOOKBOOK. nu known as ‘LB’— the largest online community which established in 2008 dedicated to showcasing member-uploaded â€Å"street sty le† photography. Members post photos on LOOKBOOK. nu to document their evolving style or a collective gallery from other ‘lookbolggers’. Non-members can also draw their daily fashion style on LOOKBOOK. nu. The most popular looks will be displayed on the ‘Hot’ page. â€Å"LOOKBOOK. nu was created to bring together creative, interesting, and openminded fashion enthusiasts, and to democratically recognize the talents of real people around the world. (lookbook. nu 2011). In a sense, LOOKBOOK. nu is the world's first, truly editorless fashion magazine. Some lookbooks from fashion brand website: (LOVE. COM) (H;M. COM) Range building is usually mentioned with clothing line planning. They are important commercial functions in the fashion industry. The functions include making a good range, taking into account customers, competitors, price points, fabrics, core items and seasonal specials. They are also a key function of fashion merchandiser who may consult w ith designers and buyers depending on the business operating structure of a company.The first step of range building is to determine what clothes to manufacture. Ascertain if there is a market for your proposed product, and then be able to define your specialty, both in line and price category. The market for clothes is as varied as the demographic segmentation of the population, it focuses on gender (girls, boys, woman, men. ) and age (baby clothes, granny clothes). Also, consider creating clothes for infants, large women and pregnant woman. Further, design clothes for a specific niche market such as for sports enthusiasts and athletes. (Golfing apparel, tennis outfits or swimwear).Shop report: Shop report is one kind of report that introduces, describe and present stores and shopping opportunities in specific area. Firstly, a shop report should include a brief description of the area of choice and information about the local demographic. Provide detailed address, contact informati on and website, give direction that reader can find the shop. Secondly, it should explain what products the shop is selling. Identify whether it is handbags, leather goods or shoes. For example, write a detailed description of the goods in terms of colour, design, themes.Further, outlining the prices of products for the shop is necessary, but it is not a list of every items. Give an approximation like shoes in this shop vary between $99~$500. These three steps are the base of shop report. A detailed shop report also provides a comparison of shops analyzed. Compare their selection of brands, designers, quality of garments, styles, prices and overall customer base. For example, while one shop may have a larger selection of clothing compared to other shops, the quality may be better in the stores with smaller selections.If possible, make a table of contents at the beginning of the report let reader find information quickly. This is a shop report of Kaight which is a fashion boutique in New York. It gives detailed information about the designers and introduction of the products. Another website which is GLLTN. COM has a few detailed shop reports about London stores. Luxury brand: Luxury can be described as the great comfort and extravagant living or ‘an inessential’, desirable item that is expensive or difficult to obtain. It is a specific tier of offer in almost any product or service category.Luxury products are always being classical, special, fashionable, value. Being luxury products are usually due to their design, quality, branding exclusivity, durability or performance. Luxury goods plays a role of status symbols as it tend to signify the power of purchase of people who can obtain them. In other words, luxury products are displaying wealth or income of their owners. These kinds of goods are objects of conspicuous consumption include handbags, shoes, cosmetics, jewelry, clothing, vehicle, perfume, watch, holiday, large residences.The recent glob al sales of luxury goods: leather goods (33%), watch;jewlry (30%), perfume;other (27%), apparel (10%). Luxury brand is a heritage global brand that is focused on exclusive fashion and luxury goods which is expensive and coveted by consumers. It is another market characteristic of luxury goods which is high profit margins as well as prices, and very tightly controlled brands. For example, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) is the largest luxury good producer in the world with over 50 brands. In 2003, it made a profit of â‚ ¬2 billion on the sales of â‚ ¬12 billion.A few of luxury brands are classified as designer brand which is an established or rising major designer whose signature personality and associated with fashion. Such as Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Versace. There are some star designers like John Galliano who was head designer of French haute couture houses Givenchy in 1996 and Christian Dior now, and also his own self-titled fashion house. K arl Lagerfeld is a German fashion designer, artist and photographer. He is most notably as head designer and creative director for Chanel.John Paul Gaultier is a French haute couture fashion designer and the creative director of Hermes. Marc Jacobs who is an American fashion designer has been the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton since 1997. He won a number of awards and has his own brand called Marc Jacobs as well. Top 10 luxury markets are Japan, North American, London, France, China, Italy, Taiwan, German, Spain, Switzerland, and Brazil. Ethical Fashion: Ethical in business is usually defined as doing no harm, take an active role in poverty reduction, sustainable livelihood creation and counteracting environmental concerns.Ethical Fashion is an umbrella term to describe ethical fashion design, production, retail, and purchasing. It covers a range of issues such as working conditions, exploitation, fair trade, sustainable production, the environment, and a nimal welfare. According to EFF. COM (2010), ethical fashion is an approach to the design, sourcing and manufacture of clothing which maximizes benefits to people while minimizing impact on the environment. The triple bottom lines of sustainability are social, environmental and commercial. A business or initiative is not ethical and sustainable unless the triple bottom line is integrated.Social: â€Å"Increasing the capacity and wellbeing of the people and communities behind fashion. Any fashion business depends on the people behind it. In a broader context, poverty and exploitation of the human workforce behind fashion affects the stability of the industry itself. † (EFF 2010) Environmental: play some action to reducing the environmental impact of all business operations. Such as awareness raising , investment in and support of environmental initiatives. Commercial: without a strong financial business structure, none of the above can be achieved and good intentions can backf ire.Furthermore, a sustainable approach includes quality products or services that meet customers’ needs and are fairly marketed. The Ethical Fashion Forum has created a set of 10 criteria for ethical fashion: 1. Countering fast, cheap fashion and damaging patterns of fashion consumption 2. Defending fair wages, working conditions and workers’ rights 3. Supporting sustainable livelihoods 4. Addressing toxic pesticide and chemical use 5. Using and /or developing eco- friendly fabrics and components 6. Minimizing water use. 7. Recycling and addressing energy efficiency and waste 8. Developing or promoting sustainability standards for fashion 9.Resources, training and/ or awareness raising initiatives 10. Animal rights Case about ethical fashion: In Germany, a boom in sustainable fashion is expected these years. Although the market is still small, it is growing steadily. More than 200 fashion labels and 30concept stores are now dedicated to sustainability. Ethical fashion events are attracting an increasing number of visitors to Germany. Also, in October 2011, Universities in Germany opened first master degree course called â€Å"Sustainability in fashion†. Footwear: Footwear is included in garments, it is apparel worn on the feet. Footwear is a key element of fashion and adornment.It has been designed to meet people’s real and perceived needs-protection, support, comfort, sturdiness, and stylishness. According to Drummond (2000), From over 15,000 years ago, there were some draws which made by Spanish cave show humans with animals skin or furs wrapped around their feet. So, shoes in some form or another have been existed for a long time. From the sandal to modern athletic shoes, the evolution of footwear is marvels of engineering. Even today, footwear industries continue to developing and find new materials to cover our feet. Materials of footwear: Leather PlasticRubber Textiles Wood Jute, Metal The Anatomy of a Shoe (footwearhistory. com): Breast: the front of the heel under the arch. Cap: the toecap. Counter: overlaid piece at the back of the upper. Feather: the part of the last and the shoe where the upper edge meets the sole. Insole: a piece of leather or other material between the sole and the foot. Puff: a light reinforcing inside the upper which gives the toe its shape and support. Quarter: the part of the back of the upper, which covers the heel. Seat: the concave part of the heel that fits into the shoe and into which the heel of the foot sits.Shank: a piece of metal inserted between the sole and the insole lying against the arch of the foot. Sole: the piece of leather or other material that comes in contact with the ground. Stiffener: the inside stiffening of the upper, covering the heel and giving the back of the shoe support. Throat: the front of the vamp. Top Piece: the part of the heel that comes in contact with the ground. Topline: the top edge of the upper. Upper: the piece of the shoe that covers the foot. Vamp: the part of the upper that covers the front of the foot as far as the back as the joint of the big toe.Waist: the part of the last and the shoe that corresponds to the arch and instep of the foot. Famous brands of footwear: NEXT: The NEXT was founded in 1982 by J Hepworth. Their first store was selling women fashion garments which include clothes, shoes and accessories. Nowadays, NEXT is the UK leading brand and owns more than 500 stores in the UK and 200 stores in oversea countries. Recent years, NEXT opened a few larger format fashion and home stores across the UK. The first combined fashion, home and garden store has been opened at Shoreham-by-sea in August 2011. It also means the product range of NEXT is wider than before.Its product range includes apparel of woman, men and children, homeware, electrical, grader accessories now. NEXT launched products for men in 1984, after 4 months there are 52 menswear stores. The home interiors was established in 1985 and chi ldrenswear was added in 1987. Thus NEXT became a full-line lifestyle brand in a short time. The NEXT directory which is a new standard home shopping was launched in 1988. It is a seasonal catalogues of their products with fantastic photography. In 1999, NEXT became pioneer of online shopping as it created online version at www. Next. co. uk.Since 2011, NEXT’s standard of delivery has became next day on most home shopping orders, about 80% customers is trading online. In 2001, NEXT flowers which is selling plants, flowers, gift cards, wine;champagne. In 2008, NEXT acquires the younger women’s fashion brand which is Lipsy. Recently, NEXT has been appointed as official clothing and homewear supplier to the London 2012 Olympic Games. NEXT will supplies uniforms for 4,500 technical officials and suits for reception staff and also home textiles for the athlete’s village. John Barton has become the chairman of the board of NEXT Plc since 2006.He became a member of the board in 2002 and was appointed deputy chairman in 2004. Other board members are Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise (Chief Executive), Christos Angelides (Group Product Director), David Keens (Group Finance Director), Andrew Varley (Group Property Director). Independent non-executive directors are Jonathan Dawson, Steve Barber, Christine Cross, Francis Salway. NEXT still continues to improve their customer service. In addition, NEXT has preparing has operations in Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and India and the UK engaged in the design, sourcing, buying, merchandising and quality control of NEXT products.Marks ; Spencer: Marks ; Spencer is also known as M;S which is a British leading retailer. M;S started from a market stall in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds. Now, its retailer headquartered in the city of Westminster, London. M;S owns over 700 stores in the UK and over 300 stores across more than 40 countries, over 78,000 people employed by M;S in the UK and abroad. M;S offer hi gh quality fashion clothing and home products, as well as luxury food products. When Michael Marks came to England from Slonim, he opened his first penny bazaar in Leeds.Michael wanted to look for a partner to help his growing business. He reminded of Isaac Jowitt Dewhirst who lent money to Michael towards his start up costs. Isaac rejected Michael’s request, but he recommended his cashier who was Tom Spencer. After Tom’s agreement, Marks ; Spencer was born on 28 September. In the next few years, Michael Marks and Tom Spencer opened market stalls in many locations around the North West of England and moved the original Leeds penny bazaar to Manchester. In 1901, Marks ; Spencer built a warehouse at Derby Street, Manchester.It is the first property and company’s first registered address and it was also ready for having 145 stores by 1915. In 1920s, underwear first appeared in Marks ; Spencer, bra has become M;S most iconic product. Flagship store was opened at Lon don, Records and electrical household goods were started selling in 1930s. Further, a food department was introduced selling produce and canned foods in 1931. Cafe bar was introduced in 1935. In 1940s, M;S created utility clothing, which could be brightly pattered but was very simple in design.The food technology department was established to collaborate with supplier and by 1942 it had created 82 Cafe bars in store. In 1950s, â€Å"We were not complaining when glamour came bouncing back. It was a time for looking forward†. (M;S) Fashion finally had the chance to rebel against the harsh conditions of the war years. A new style of dress was created base on the ‘Corolle’ collection by Christian Dior. It also improved the fit of clothing, such as nylon stockings. In 1956, M;S became the first retailer to introduce No Smoking rules in their stores.During 1960s, M;S created a number of modern new items. Tights were introduced to M;S for the first time in 1962. New pro ducts made from the man-made fabric terylene which is a type of polyester, it was very popular because it was so practical and hardwearing. In order to sell fresh products to customers, M;S invented the â€Å"cold-chain† process, to keep meat chilled and fresh. Therefore, M;S was the first major British retailer to offer fresh, chilled chicken. .In the early 1970s, frozen food became more and more popular.M;S developed our nation cuisine because it was the first major retailer selling Indian and Chinese meals. On the other hand, â€Å"From the mid-1970s suppliers slowly became more involved in design. †(M;S), the products were designed by Brian Godbold, and it leaded the fashion trends. First range of furniture was introduced in 1986. M;S launched an online shopping service in 1999. The limited collection for woman was launched in 2003. M;S announced the opening of the world's largest M&S shop at Dubai Festival City in 2007. M&S opened its first mainland China shop in Shanghai in 2008.More than 125 years, Marks & Spencer never change their five key principles Quality, Value, Service, Innovation and Trust. As well as, the five key principles is reflected by â€Å"plan A† that target climate change, waste, sustainable raw materials, fair partnerships and health. Jeffery West: Jeffery West is a British shoes brand which created by Mark Jeffery and Guy West. Jeffery West began in 1983 when Mark Jeffery and Guy West decided to selling second-hand shoes which were reject products and samples from the shoe factory of Mark’s father. In 1987, the first Jeffery West shoe was designed.They were designing and selling their own shoes at markets in Northamptonshire and London, although they were just 16 years old. Jeffery West has earned a loyal following by unique, innovative designs and superior quality. Jeffery West produces men’s shoes and men’s accessories are suitable for the modern gentleman. â€Å"Jeffery West shoes and Jef fery West boots merge both classic rich designs with modern sophistication and elegance† (Mr-shoes. co. uk 2010) â€Å"Jeffery West uses laborious techniques such as hand burnished uppers and Goodyear welted soles, to create edgy, luxurious shoes for the true modern dandy. (asos. co. uk. 2012) The company’s aim is to produce passionate designs consistently and high attention to detail and commitment to originality that make sure each shoe is special. While many footwear manufactures are cutting corners with mass production and produce the same trite designs, Jeffery West remains committed to hand-making, artful adornment and exclusive style. Jeffery West in Northampton. Tannery visit: Tannery is the term for place where to tanning. Tanning is the process of treating skins of animals and produce durable leather. Traditionally, Tanning used an acidic chemical compound called tannin.Coloring may occur during tanning. In addition, â€Å"A tannery may be associated with a grindery, originally a whetstone facility for sharpening knives and other sharp tools, but later could carry shoemakers' tools and materials for sale. † (Possehl, Gregory L. 1996) Before tanning, the skins should be â€Å"defresh† that include unhaired, degreased, desalted and soaked in water about 6 hours to 48 hours. Tanning can be performed with either vegetable or mineral methods. Except drying, the steps of preparation are often more complex than the process of tanning and production of leather.Curing is the most first step of tanning. Preparing skins begins by curing them with salt, curing removes superfluous water from hides in a different osmotic pressure and usually done by preserving the hides at an extreme low temperature. Beamhouse operations are known as the steps in the production of leather between curing and tanning, which include soaking, liming, unhairing and scudding, deliming, bating, drenching, and picking. Vegetable tanning is a traditional method that uses tannin (an acidic chemical compound). Tannin is collected from bark and leaves of many plants. Tannins bind to the collagen proteins in the hide and coat them causing them to become less water-soluble, and more resistant to bacterial attack. †(Fao. org 2005) Vegetable tanning causes the hide become more flexible so that vegetable tanned hide is used for luggage and furniture. The process of vegetable tanning takes a long time and it can take up to 60 days. Today, the process has been speeded up with chrome tanning (mineral tanning). Chrome tanning usually only taking up to 1 day and produces stretchable leather which is great for use in handbags and clothes. But chrome tanning is very bad for the environment.References: Lookbook. com. (2011). lookbook. nu help. Available: http://lookbook. nu/help. Last accessed 5th May 2012 Fulbright J. (2012). Starting a Clothing Line Business . Available: http://www. powerhomebiz. com/vol66/clothing. htm. Last accessed 5th May 2012 . Glltn. com. (2006). LONDON SHOP REPORT. Available: http://glltn. com/london-shop-report/. Last accessed 5th May 2012 Heine K. (2011). The Concept of Luxury Brands . Available: http://www. conceptofluxurybrands. com/. Last accessed 5th May 2012. Ethicalfashionforum. com. (2010). What is Ethical Fashion?. Available: http://www. ethicalfashionforum. om/the-issues/ethical-fashion. Last accessed 5th Freitag A. (2012). Germany's ‘green' fashion market . Available: http://source. ethicalfashionforum. com/article/germanys-green-fashion-market-. Last accessed 5th May 2012. Apma. org. (2012). Footwear. Available: http://www. apma. org/MainMenu/Foot-Health/Brochures/Learn-About-Your-Feet/Footwear. aspx. Last accessed 5th May 2012. Footwearhistory. com. (2002). History of footwear. Available: http://www. footwearhistory. com/index. shtml. Last accessed 5th May 2012. ShoeGuide. Org . (2006). a footwear encyclopedia. Available: http://www. shoeguide. rg/. Last accessed 5th May 2012 Nextpl c. co. uk. (2012). Business overview. Available: http://www. nextplc. co. uk/about-next/business-overview. aspx. Last accessed 5th May 2012 Marksandspencer. com. (2012). M&S historytimeline. Available: http://www. marksintime. marksandspencer. com/ms-history/timeline/. Last accessed 5th May 2012. Marksandspencer. com. (2012). Company overview. Available: http://corporate. marksandspencer. com/aboutus/company_overview. Last accessed 5th May 2012. Adams G. (2012). About Jeffery West. Available: http://www. jeffery-west. co. uk/jefferywest/about. sp. Last accessed 5th May 2012 freewebs. com. (2006). Tannery . Available: http://www. freewebs. com/whitwellhall/tanneryhistory. htm. Last accessed 5th May 2012 fao. org. (2010). TANNERIES. Available: http://www. fao. org/WAIRDOCS/LEAD/X6114E/x6114e05. htm#TopOfPage. Last accessed 5th May 2012 squidoo. com. (2011). Chrome VS Vegetable Tanned Leather . Available: http://www. squidoo. com/chrome-versus-vegetable-tanned-leather. Last accessed 5t h May 2012 Possehl, Gregory L. (1996). Mehrgarh in Oxford Companion to Archaeology, edited by Brian Fagan. Oxford University Press Images from:

American Women

Human sexuality can be seen as the way human beings experience their sexuality and express it. This results from their individual awareness as indicated by their biological sex and how they respond to erotic experiences. Human sexuality has however appeared as a thorny issue with many societies either ignoring to talk about it or shying away of the whole topic of sexuality. Due to the negative impacts that have resulted from this behavior, governments have come up with policies that are aimed at addressing human sexuality related problems.The increase in the number of HIV/AIDS victims in the world has triggered the discussion amount human sexuality. Research indicates that women are mo vulnerable to contracting venereal diseases including HIV/AIDS. Efforts to minimize the spread of the diseases have not actually succeeded as expected. The most neglected groups of people in matters of human sexuality in America includes single women and women in cohabiting relationships. The fear to c ontract to avoid unexpected pregnancies has led to masturbation with others engaging in homosexuality.This paper examines single motherhood, cohabitation, STD’s, masturbation and sexual preferences among American women. According to a research carried out by Lindberg L. D and Singh S, single American women exceed eighteen million in number. Statistics further reveal that in the age bracket of women between 19 and 45 are single. Ninety percent of these single ladies â€Å"are sexually experienced†. Shockingly, 22 percent of the single women and 2 percent of the married engage in sex with more than one partners.Over 50% of single American women get pregnant unintentionally. For those single women, getting health insurance is more difficulty for them as compared to the married. This indicates that single American women greatly indulge in sex. Despite all these findings â€Å"reproductive health care needs† of American women has not been upgraded to cater for the in creased needs. Furthermore, the American society lacks appropriate counseling services. The government effort to discourage single women to abstain and wait until the time they get married has proved to be futile.It has therefore been realized that proper policies to address the issue are yet to be put in place. Single women have been ignored in matters of sexual behaviors and the needs for quality reproductive health care. As a result these single women are at risk of contracting STD’s and AIDS, having unplanned pregnancies and births (Knox & Schacht 2009, pg. 279). Impermanence of marriage has made cohabiting to be one of the marriage alternatives. Research indicates that over nine percent of those women cohabiting have more than one sex partners.This is very shocking because the same women who are cohabiting rarely get health insurance in America. They are however better of as compared to the single women since in terms of accessibility to important services. This is howev er a short term alternative since soon or later, the cohabiting couples will separate and once again lead a single life. It is therefore important to note that cohabiting American women become single at different periods of their life.Increase in the number of single women has led to rise in cohabitation. This has been triggered by impermanence of unions that include marriage and cohabitation. Kail and Cavanaugh 2008, pg. 408 argue out that cohabitation has increased over ten times over the last 30 years. Statistics show that in 1970, only 523,000 people cohabited as compared to the year 2000 when a whooping five and a half million American were reported to cohabit. Most of them cohabited to facilitate sexual convenience and at the same time sharing expenses.Such couples have no intention of establishing a long lasting relationship and their goal is not marrying. The others engage in cohabitation to try whether marriage can work for them. The other group of cohabitors purely uses co habitation as a substitute to marriage. This has been highly reported in older women and men as compared to the other two previously mentioned which are highly practiced by young adults (Kail and Cavanaugh 2008, pg. 408). One of the major problems affecting women in America is the issue of STD’s including HIV.Women reproductive health has been given adequate attention in America however single women have been side looked. The danger of ignoring reproductive health services to single women has been reflected by the increase in the number of unplanned births and sexually transmitted diseases that include HIV. This is because their sexual relationships are unstable. According to O'Leary and Jemmott 1995, pg. 14, most of the women who live to the south of United States contract HIV through heterosexual transmission. This has been high among minority groups.In a report printed in the Jet magazine April 2008, pg, 53 indicated that over 50% of African American teenage women were suf fering from a sexually transmitted disease as compared to the white and teenage girls of Mexican origin with less than 20% of them who have at least one STD. The report indicated that there was poor communication between the teenage girls and the other members of the society on sexuality issues. Education on STDs was identified as one of the best methods of reversing the trend of STD infection.Early testing was also said to reduce the risk of spreading these diseases. Research indicates that most of the American women underestimate the risk for contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. This was confirmed by the research carried out by American medical women’s association in 1994 which indicated that 73% of all American women aged between 16 and 60 years strongly believe that they are safe from sexually transmitted diseases. This research further indicated that 67% of American women have no idea of other STDs apart from AIDS.33% of them have no idea about AIDS. Over 67% of the total engages in unsafe sex and less than 33% of them believe monogamy can reduce the risk of spreading HIV/AIDS ( O'Leary & Jemmott 1995, pg. 14). Greenberg, Bruess, and Conklin 2010, pg 475-477 found out that 40% of American women masturbate. This includes 45% of American married women. This was found to be directly proportional to the practice of vaginal sex, oral sex and anal sex among American women implying that those women who widely engage in virginal sex, oral sex and anal sex are great funs of masturbation.Wingood and DiClemente 2002, pg. 55 identified two main reasons why women masturbate. In their research, 63% of American women admitted that masturbation was a way of relieving sexual tension while 42% did it to acquire physical pleasure (Wingood and DiClemente pg. 55). Researchers have confirmed that masturbation does not cause any disease, infertility or dysfunction and this has encouraged many people to practice it as an alternative to sex. This practi ce has been influenced by a change in American culture in which sex was believed to be for procreation only, not for pleasure.Majority of then engage in sex for pleasure and whenever a partner is not readily available, women prefer to masturbate. This has led to a drastic increase in the demand for abortion among American women. It is a clear indication that sex is not only for procreation but largely for pleasure. This practice is mostly common among those people who are not deeply entrenched in religious practices as most of American religions view masturbation as unreligious practice. Though masturbation has not been associated with major physical problems many women have been reported to suffer from Psychological problems as a result of masturbation.Littleton & Engebretson 2002, pg. 339 pointed out that the media has largely influenced American women on the way they view their sexuality. This has been directly translated to their mode of dressing and their use of grooming produc ts. Sexual preference among American women can be viewed in three perspectives; sexual identity, sexual behaviors and sexual desires. Peplau and Garnets, 2002, pg. 333 are of the opinion that American women have a high erotic plasticity. In their argument, they pointed out that women have diverse forms of attraction with each other.They also noted that women sexual preference is highly affected by culture and social forces. This is because social identities and social institutions are provided and shaped by the society. All newly introduced practices may be accepted or rejected and either way, the women are mostly affected. Homosexuality was not exposed in American society. This has however changed with more women and men coming in the open to declare their sexual orientation as either being lesbians or homosexuals.Majority of American women are heterosexuals however â€Å"statistics indicate that heterosexual women face greater danger than heterosexual men in casual sex†. St atistics indicate that the number of lesbians in America is on the rise and this has raised many questions in regard to gay and lesbian marriages. Religious groups especially the majority Christian groups in America have expressed their concern about this trend however research indicates that homosexuality is slowly being accepted in American society. With the rise in the number of lesbians, bisexuality is also spreading its roots in America.Sexual preference has however faced a great challenge due to the increase in sexual dysfunction among American women. It is very important to realize that Sexual dysfunction is posing a great threat to sexuality has been highly reported among American women. The main causes have been cited as; depression, long term stress, negative attitude towards pregnancy especially for single women, increased demand to be a new mother, problems associated with women’s negative body image, culture and religious inclination and emotional distress. Other causes include physical conditions and hormonal causes.Conclusion Single mothers should be involved in policy formulations and implementation especially on matters that involve human sexuality. Neglecting them will create a gap that will impact negatively on their lives and the lives of entire American society. Cohabiting couples should be educated on the dangers of engaging in such relationship. This trend , if not checked may destroy the family which is the basic social institution. Sexual preferences should not be used to justify discrimination especially when it comes to heath care services and health care insurance covers.Masturbation should not only be viewed in terms of how safe it is. The focus should be directed to its negative psychological effects. Since most women issues have been ignore and the issue of human sexuality has been ignore for a long time, a thorough research should be conducted to establish the impact of single motherhood and cohabitation on sexual prefere nces. Scientific and psychological evidence concerning masturbation should be established in order to establish whether masturbation can be used to fight HIV/AIDS without negatively affecting the those who practice it.References Jet magazine; Apr 2008; Why African-American Teenage Girls Are Infected With STDs At higher rates 14 – Page 53, Vol. 113, Johnson Publishing Company Jerrold S. Greenberg, Clint E. Bruess, Sarah C. Conklin. (2010). Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality Jones & Bartlett Learning Knox, D. , Schacht, C. (2009). Choices in Relationships: An Introduction to Marriage and the Family. Cengage Learning Littleton, L. Y. , Engebretson, J. (2002). Maternal, neonatal, and women's health nursing. Cengage LearningNEW YORK MAGAZINE. What are the risks to heterosexuals? 23 Mar 1987, Vol. 20, No. 12 New York Media, LLC. O'Leary, A. , Jemmott, L. S. , (1995). Women at risk: issues in the primary prevention of AIDS Springer Peplau,L. A. , Garnets, L. D. (2002). Wome n's Sexualities: New Perspectives on Sexual Orientation and Gender. Wiley-Blackwell Robert V. Kail, John C. Cavanaugh. (2008). Human Development: A Life-Span View. Cengage Learning Wingood, G. M. , DiClemente, R. J. , (2002). Handbook of women's sexual and reproductive health. Springer