An Analysis of Flexible Leadership Style

An analysis of flexible leadership style Name: Shi Baoyuan Student ID: 20121367 Email: [email  protected] co. nz Word Count: 2029 Executive Summary Flexible leadership style is a vital for leaders to manage the company that a leader needs to possess this model to cope with the changeable company activities. A leader who utilizes the flexible leadership style will provide a suitable working surrounding to his (her) subordinates, and make them working in positive emotion; hence, the subordinates would provide more profits to the company.Additionally, in different situations, the leader needs to change the leadership style to fit the current circumstance. However, the benefits of the situational leadership model are obvious to the leaders; many leaders still avoid adjusting themselves to change. Analyzing this fact, habit and fear of failure are two reasons for this problem. In order to overcome the resistance of changing leadership style in managing a company, the leader should obtai n more education which could assist the leader understanding more and reduce anxiety.Furthermore, the leader can build a new habit, which is depended on the situational leadership model, to cover the old one. Table of Contents Executive Summary2 1. 0 Introduction4 2. 0 Flexible leadership style to a company5 2. 1 Different subordinates need different leadership styles5 2. 2 Different situations need different leadership styles6 2. 3 Variable leadership styles for a company7 3. 0 Resistance of changing leadership style9 3. 1 Habits9 3. 2 Fear10 4. 0 Overcome the resistance of change11 4. 1 More Education11 4. 2 Building New Habituation12 . 0 Conclusion13 6. 0 Recommendation14 References15 1. 0 Introduction Leader plays a vital role in the operation of the company. The leadership style that a leader utilizes in managing is the key to nicely operate the company. According to Hersey and Blacnchard’s situational leadership model, there are four leadership styles in leading an orga nization in different circumstances, which represents that the leader needs to adjust his (her) leadership style to certain situations. The situational leadership model brings plenty of profit to the company.In this report, some evidence will be provided to proof it. However, situational leadership model is a mature and effective model; some leaders still avoid following it. The reasons and solutions of this phenomenon will be mentioned in this report. 2. 0 Flexible leadership style to a company In the management activities, the leader should possess two basic behaviors which are task-oriented behavior and relationship behavior. Both of these two behaviors should be balanced during the company activities, which could assist the company acquiring favorable management model.However, because of the followers and the situations are different, the leader needs to change the leadership styles to handle the variable management activities. 2. 1 Different subordinates need different leadersh ip styles In a company, the subordinates are all different in ability, emotion, and other factors. In order to effectively managing the company, the leader needs to utilize appropriate leadership style to certain subordinates, because the way that the leader treating the followers directly influences the emotion of the followers.According to Graham (1999), â€Å"having a comfortable and stimulating work environment is becoming a crucial factor in getting the job done right. † Individuals working in a comfortable surrounding would reduce the probability of making mistakes. Hence, the leader needs to provide the subordinates comfortable working environments, which could effectively assist the subordinates promoting the working efficiency. Treating different staffs with suitable leadership style would make the subordinates feeling working in a comfortable surroundings, which could assist the followers keeping in active emotion. The leader’s internal, external, and relatio nal context of behavior connects with the followers; own sense of internal motivation† (Banutu & Shandra, 2007, p. 70). It represents that the subordinates can magnify their functions of roles in the company business activities by the influence from the leader. Hence, the correct leadership style choosing in leading certain subordinates is a necessary part in leading activities. Finally, the company will be profited from the result of employees’ duteous works. 2. 2 Different situations need different leadership stylesApart from the factors of the subordinates, the situations of a company always change, which the leader needs to adjust the leadership style to fitting the current circumstance. According to James (2004, p. 296), the leader should change the leadership style â€Å"that is dependent on the situation of which the leader finds him/herself in. † There are two basic elements in leadership, which are task-oriented behavior and relationship behavior. Hence, the leader needs to decide which one is more important in certain situation, the task or the relationship, and provides corresponding leadership style to control and handle the company activities.Facing different situations, the leader needs to alter different leadership styles to match the circumstances. For example, â€Å"in emergency situations, leaders do not have time to seek opinions and suggestions from followers or to use other participative styles† (Robbins & Hunsaker, 2011, p. 224). It represents that the main job of the company in such situation is to immediately complete the assignment they should finish. Hence, the leader needs to just give order to the subordinates finishing their assignments instead of asking for any suggestions and acquiring permission. . 3 Variable leadership styles for a company The operating condition of a company is related with the leadership of the leader. The leadership always occupies the vital position in resolving the result of a co mpany in a crisis; hence, in order to lead the subordinates, the leader needs to amply analyze the choosing of leadership style in certain situation (Steven, Berke, Taylor, & Jose, 2008). It represents that the choice of the leadership in different surroundings and with different subordinates is vital to a company.Once a new assignment coming, the leader needs to consider different factors; and selects a suitable leadership style to handle the assignment. In 1974, House and Mitchell illustrated the Path-Goal situation model that there are four leadership styles in managing activities to fit different situations and subordinates. Utilizing different leadership style can deal with special issue. According to Hammuda and Dulaimi (1997), utilizing different leadership style needs to fit different condition. Table 1 illustrates the Path-Goal situation model (Hammuda & Dulaimi, 1997).From this table, it clearly states that, in different situations, the selection of the suitable leadership style will bring positive effects on the outcome. Table 1: A Path-Goal situation model. 3. 0 Resistance of changing leadership style The situational leadership model is a necessary factor in leading activities; and many leaders have realized it. However, the utilization of this model is not universal. There several reasons in this issue. In this chapter, two reasons of resistance of change will be mentioned which are habits and fear of failure. 3. 1 HabitsThe person who is in the position of leader has experienced much time in managing company, which represents that the leadership style of the leader has become one of his (her) habits. It states that changing the leadership style equals breaking the habit of a person. â€Å"Breaking a habit is difficult because it takes hard work and involves giving up perceived benefits from the habit† (Robbins & Hunsaker, 2011, p. 241). A habit has become a part of individual, which means that it is difficult to change. Individuals have be en accustomed to obtain the benefits from their habits, so it is hard for them to abandon the habits.Here is an example. A man who always wears a watch on his left hand changed wearing the watch on another hand, which will make him feel that it is a heavy burden to his right hand, while he feels nothing wearing on his left hand. It illustrates that individuals dislike the uncomfortable with changing habit. For the reason that people will not prefer to undertake the uncomfortable, as a result, avoiding changing habits is universal. 3. 2 Fear Another reason that leader refuses to change is fear. Leadership style changing represents that the relationships and aims of the company will be different from the past.Before changing, the company could still continue normally working. However, leadership style changing will bring risk to the company because that no one can ensure the new style fitting the company situation. It illustrates that the changing activity might fail, which the leader dislike to suffer the pain from failure. Hence, â€Å"the best way to avoid the pain of failing is not to do anything at all† (Connelly, n. d. ). It is because of this sense; many leaders prefer to maintain the unique leadership style in managing the company in avoiding suffering risk. Furthermore, the fear of losing also makes people avoiding change.According to Robbins & Hunsaker (2011), individuals will feel fear when they are unclear about the coming change, which might make them losing their positions, status, rights or other things are belong to them. It states that people resist changing because of the fear of losing, so facing the unknown change, an involuntary of resistance sprout in individuals’ minds. 4. 0 Overcome the resistance of change Flexible leadership style is a basic element in managing company business. The profits of the flexible leadership style, as it mentioned above, are abundant.Hence, the leader needs to overcome the resistance of change, wh ich could provide positive influences in the management activities. In this chapter, some suggestions will be provided to assist these leaders overcome the resistance of changing leadership styles. 4. 1 More Education As it mentioned, some leaders avoid changing because they dislike undertaking risk; and fear of losing. In order to overcome these uncomfortable senses in changing the leadership style, it â€Å"requires a kind of leap of faith: you decide to move in the direction of the unknown on the promise that something will be better for you† (Schuler, 2003).Leaders need to clearly understand the result of the changing. Additionally, leaders need to be clear about the process of change. An effective method for achieving these purposes is to obtain more education of relative knowledge. According to Robbins and Hunsaker (2011), well-educated will reduce the anxiety of leaders because leaders can understand what will happen, which provide confidence to them to overcome the fe ar of changing. Once leaders know how to control the coming situations by changing their leadership style, and forecast the profit in future; they would not fear to change. . 2 Building New Habituation Leader resists changing the leadership style because he (she) has built it as a habit of his (her) behavior. Changing a habit is a tough work, hence leader can build another habit to modify the leadership skills and even cover the old style. â€Å"Habituation is a decrease in the strength of a naturally elicited behavior that occurs through repeated presentations of the eliciting stimulus. † (Bouton, 2007) It states that an individual can build new habituation by repeating the same action.Hence, leaders who want to own the ability to flexibly change the leadership style need to continually force them to do relative activities. Additionally, it needs â€Å"a signal or event that will make you do the thing that you want to do† (PluginID, 2011). Leader can utilize this meth od to model inflexible leadership as his (her) new habit, but, as it mentioned above, before building the new habit of leadership, leader needs to comprehend the benefit, and makes confidence with the change he (she) is going to do. Finally, a new habit in leadership style controlling will be built. . 0 Conclusion A leader needs to utilize appropriate leadership style to handle the issue with different subordinates in different situations. Hence, the flexible leadership style is necessary in managing the works of a company. The benefits of this model are obvious, so the leader should utilize this model in operating activities of the company. However, there are some resistances to some leaders in altering the leadership styles; these leaders can utilize suitable methods, as it mentioned, to overcome this condition. 6. 0 RecommendationAt present, company management plays an important role in a company development. Leaders need to possess the capability in changing the leadership style to adjust the leading activity to an ideal condition. Acquiring more education and building a new habit are two reasonable selections to assist the leader obtaining the ideal leading ability. However, it is not easy to achieve the purpose; a wonderful leader should overcome these uncomfortable, and nurture the leading ability for the future self-development. References Banutu, M. B. , & Shandra, M. T. B. (2007).Leadership and organizational change in A competitive environment. Business Renaissance Quarterly, 2(2), pp. 69-90. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com Bouton, M. E. (2007). Learning and behavior: A contemporary synthesis. Retrieved from http://www. sinauer. com Connelly, M. (n. d. ). Exposing Fear of Change. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www. change-management-coach. com/fear-of-change. html Graham, A. (1999, May 07). Comfortable space promotes creativity lighting and colour enhance a productive work environment. The Times – Transcript, pp. n/a. R etrieved from http://search. roquest. com Hammuda, I. M. , & Dulaimi, M. F. (1997). The effects of the situational variables on the leadership stylesin construction projects. (King's College, Cambridge, UK). Retrieved from http://buid. academia. edu James, W. (2005). The impact of corporatisation and national competition policy: An exploratory study of organisational change and leadership style. Leadership ; Organization Development Journal, 26(3), pp. 289-309. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com PluginID. (2011). The Simplest Way To Build a Habit. Retrieved from http://www. pluginid. com Robbins, S. P ; Hunsaker, P, L. (2011). Training in interpersonal skills. (6th ed. ). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Schuler, A. J. (2003) Overcoming Resistance to Change: Top Ten Reasons for Change Resistance. (Schuler Solutions, Inc. , Virginia). Retrieved from http://www. schulersolutions. com Steven, H. A. , Berke, J. , Taylor, J. , ; Jose, A. V. (2008). The role of leadership duri ng large scale organizational transitions: Lessons from six empirical studies. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, 13(1), pp. 16-24. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com

The Seeds of Discouragement

The seeds of discouragement in work with young people INTRODUCTION Discouragement by definition is the act of or instance of being discouraged, the state of being discouraged or something that discourages. In other words it is simply the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles. Young people may become defiant or hard if seeds of discouragement are sown into their lives especially during their childhood years. This essay will seek to demonstrate how discouragement can be used positively by a child and youth care worker (CYCW) to try to help the youths they work with develop positively.It will discuss how CYCW behaviors encourage or discourage youths by addressing the four ecological hazards linked to the profiles of discouragement. The 10D’s of deviance will be explained and then it will further explain what the impact of personal theories of behavior can be. This paper will conclude by looking at what the impact on assessment will be if the child or young person feels disc ouraged by his or her interactions with the CYCW. CYCW’s are in daily contact with children and young people and they assume a very large and important role in their lives.Gannon (1990) suggests that they interact, observe and spend a lot of time with them hence they know them and their ways very well. Gannon (1990) further suggest that CYCW’s represent children and youth, share their hopes and aspirations for the future as mature, responsible and independent adults. A CYCW can use discouragement in a positive way so as to try to develop appropriate behaviors and attitudes by discouraging them from engaging in dangerous and negative activities that can affect their growth, development and achievements.This can be achieved by focusing on transitions within their environments instead of concentrating on the negative traits of troubled children. Four ecological hazards which are destructive relationships, climates of futility, learned irresponsibility and loss of purpose can be used to address this. Destructive Relationships Children affected by this hazard are for example those children who are unclaimed or rejected by their families. Their needs are failed to be met by their caretakers.This usually leads children to lose the ability of being able to create meaningful and real attachments with anyone. They feel like outcast and in most instances those in foster homes are moved constantly from one home to another. Stout & Kipling (2003) suggested that those who practiced detachment effectively distanced themselves from the source of hurt, whether by â€Å"shutting down,† not speaking or hearing or joking and laughing about the source of pain. They end up being involved in delinquency such as stealing, drugs use and abuse and even prostitution. Some end up having suicidal thoughts.Ackerman (2012) suggests that one of the elements of reclaiming discouraged youths is by earning their trust therefore the CYCW can discourage this negative behavior by gaining trust and building a meaningful relationship with these children. By this they can be influential in the children’s lives, discourage them from negative activities and behaviors and correct and comment them when their behavior is unacceptable. Climates of Futility This ecological hazard consists of children who fear failure because they feel inadequate. It looks at achievement or mastery.Grose (n. d) suggests that most children like adults can be stung by discouragement and if they receive enough of it, their self-esteem takes a dive and they begin to take fewer risks for fear of being criticized for making mistakes. These children are seen as ignorant and arrogant. A rather negative, cynical and pessimistic approach does not work because negative discouragement by a CYCW can lead to negative futility being breed. Punishing them can also lead these children to be more difficult as boredom may be the main cause of them following destructive paths.They are unmotivat ed, give up easily and avoid risks hence the CYCW should discourage these traits and encourage them to focus on their strengths, be creative, persistent and motivated in what they do. This can be achieved by creating non-threatening environments and having experimental activities that involve social engagement by teaching those concepts and not facts. Mentoring and teaching them accountable cooperative learning can discourage them from engaging in the negative activities they were once involved in or might get involved in as a sense of a future and purpose is created. Learned ResponsibilityThis ecological hazard consists of children who are rebellious and defiant as they try to mask their sense of powerlessness. This in most cases leads these children to join gangs in search of a feeling of belonging. Another reason for these gangs to be created is for these children to look for loop holes and go against authority. This is because their needs are not being met by the existing social structures. This may lead to drug and alcohol abuse, theft, prostitution and even killings. Responsibility cannot be learned because of these negative and destructive ways that would have been learnt.CYCW’s can discourage these children from gangs by teaching them to become independent, self-sufficient, responsible and self-disciplined. This can help these children from refraining themselves from negative and bad ways of living as they would be obedient to authority, respect social responsibility and have self-control by having inner values. Loss of Purpose It is portrayed by self-centered youth in search of meaning in this world that is full of confusing values. Many of these children end up using drugs on the street corners if they are poor or in their mansions if they are rich.Regardless of their different backgrounds and social statuses, these children find it hard to develop a sense of own value if they do not have the opportunity to be of value to others. Instead they become affectionless, selfish, bullies and narcissistic. The CYCW should use discouragement of drugs taking and self-centeredness in order to encourage them to be caring, loyal, sharing, generous, empathetic and supportive. This in turn helps children learn to be responsible, courageous, do things for others and be hooked on helping, create attachments to other people and have empathy for the condition of those who are less fortunate. 0 D’s of Deviance The 10 D’s of deviance on approaches to difficult children help us understand how a problem is viewed by adults and what typical responses that often follows. It shows the link between naming a problem and the typical responses that often follows. There are ten D’s of deviance but only three are going to help explain the link between the naming of the problem and the typical responses that follow. Looking at the educational theory, children are often viewed or the problem is always named as them being disobedient. The typical responses are that the child can be reprimanded, corrected or expelled from school.Argyris (1958) states that studying human behavior in schools as in organizations involves ordering and conceptualizing a buzzing confusion of simultaneous existing, multilevel mutual variables. So it may not be the case that the child is being disobedient but simply looking for attention as there might be things that would be troubling the child and they might not know how to express themselves. This is seen in children who bully other children as they usually come from broken and abusive homes where they might have been or are being abused.Expelling the child will not help anything but instead the best response is to try to get help for the child by counseling and protecting them. Redshaw (2011) suggests that from establishing a caring and nurturing therapeutic environment, focusing on developing their personal strengths, interests and talents, providing intensive support for targeted b ehaviors, to ensuring that day? to? day practices around discipline and corrective guidance are focused on teaching and treating, rather than punishment.The special education theory suggests that children are labeled as being disabled and the following responses are likely to be segregation or remediation of the child. In medieval times disabled children were seen as a curse and were usually killed at birth. Segregating the child will only further damage the child psychologically and emotionally. Instead resources at the adults’ disposal should be used to develop the child based on their needs and condition so that they can become independent. The folk religion states that children are labeled to be possessed by a demonic being.The response that would follow was an exorcism, chastise or the child being banished. Possession might not be the case as the child might be having psychological or behavioral disorders that require a different approach to cure or treat them. At times it is not necessary to label children as being possessed before ruling out every other alternative because the whole exorcism process will traumatize the child especially is it does not work. Positive Personal Theories of Behavior These theories try to explain how behaviors attributed by challenges faced by and the positive traits of the youth affect them leading them to take certain actions.Cognition esteeming labels show positive traits which the youths possess such as being strong, competent and worthy. These positive traits affect the youths positively as they get affection and attraction. They feel wanted and in turn reciprocate the feeling. They most likely get involved in activities that help them grow and develop. They are able to create attachments and hence the chances of them disassociating from the world are low since they have mentors such as the CYCW’s who help shape their character on positive ways. They are nurtured and empowered with positive skills that will help them aspire in life.Empathizing labels make them feel like they are being rejected, discouraged and frustrated. This affects them because they become concerned and they sympathize about being labeled like that. They use this for the positive as they defriend those people who bring negative things in their lines or they may be encouraged to work harder at trying to be better than those people that discourage, frustrate and reject them. We are all different, and a lot of people believe in themselves and use this negativity to their advantage if they are in the care of caring CYCW’s, mentors or guardians who will help them channel it in a positive way.On the other hand the negativity can depress, unmotivated and bring a child down because of its discouraging and frustrating manner. In conclusion assessment will become difficult if a children or a young person feels discouraged by their interactions with a CYCW. This is because discouragement will only encourage the same ol d behaviors to be maintained and therefore the CYCW might not be able to assess the child properly as they will still be blocked out by the child. Assessment requires creating an attachment, opening up to each other and feeling comfortable around each other.Even though assessment is affected negatively if the child feels discouraged by the CYCW, the CYCW can pick up some of the negativity in the child’s behavior and speech or even by how they will be interacting. WORDS (1831) References: Ackerman, R. J. 2012. Developing Resilience and Achievement Skills in High Adolescents: Victory or Violence Conference. Lexington, KY, July 11, 2002. Argyris, C. 1958. Some problems in conceptualizing organizational climate: A case study of bank. Administrative Science Quarterly, 2(4): 501-520. Brandton, L. K. & Brokenleg, M. 2002. Reclaiming Youth at Risk: Our Hope for the Future. Bloomington, Indiana: National Education Service. Gannon, B. 1990. Staying sane as a child care worker. The Chil d Care Worker. 8(4): 10-12 Grose, M. (N. d). How to Help your Child at Sport Without Embarrassing them or yourself: Our Kids. A newsletter for Parents. Redshaw, S. 2008. Meeting the needs of children and young people in care: What is the ethical response? Australian College for Child and Family Protection Practitioners, Stamford Grand, Adelaide. Redshaw, S. 011, theurapeutic Residential Cre Porgram: Model of Practice. Sanders, M. R. 1992. Every parent: A positive approach to children's behaviour. Sydney: Addison? Wesley Publishing Company. Seita, J. R. 2006. Troubled but talented: Finding hidden strengths. Reclaiming Children andYouth, 14(4): 194? 195. Stout, M. D. , & Kipling, G. 2003. Aboriginal people Resilience and the Residential School Legacy. Ottawa, Ontario: Anishinable Printing Walsh, J. , & Aubry, P. 2007. Behavior management through adventure. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 16(1): 336? 339.

Apple a Day

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away Eating Healthy and exercise are essential to the health and well-being of all people. A healthy diet along with exercise can help you live longer, feel better about better food choices; provide you with more energy, help you stay at a healthy weight, and help you fight stress. Do you want to live longer and be healthier? Then make that first step and maximize the benefits from being active and eating healthier. It is important to make sure and eat fruits and vegetables daily, at least 5 servings.The best way to be healthier is to incorporate into your daily routine eating fresh fruits and vegetables such as: apples, bananas, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, grapes, carrots, potatoes, peas, and broccoli. This list can go on and on and you will find there are plenty of fruit and vegetables that you will enjoy. â€Å"Vegetables and fruits are clearly an important part of a good diet. Almost everyone can benefit from eating more of them, but var iety is as important as quantity. No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy.The key lies in the variety of different vegetables and fruits that you eat† (Willet, 2007, Harvard School of Public Health). Doctors and nutritionists highly promote fruits and vegetables because they offer many benefits to being healthy. They are excellent sources of essential nutrients, such as vitamins and anti-oxidants. People who eat diets rich in fruits and vegetables have a decreased risk of several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. As the saying goes, â€Å"an apple a day keeps the doctor away. A healthy eating plan will protect against many health problems and improve the way our body functions. Annabel Bentley, BUPA assistant medical director, has this advice: â€Å"As one of the leading independent health and care providers in the country, BUPA is pleased to support this campaign. A balanced diet i s one of the best ways to maintain good health and help prevent the onset of some serious diseases. Eating well need not be expensive or complicated and this new campaign is geared to leading people towards the right things to eat. † Eating healthy can help in living a longer and healthier life.It can also strengthen your immune system, which can help in fewer sicknesses. The benefits from eating healthy go on and on and will improve your lifestyle dramatically. Proper eating can even help some have healthy lush looking hair, skin and nails and everyone wants to have beautiful skin, hair and nails. Eating healthy can help in feeling better within oneself. A healthy diet along with exercise will provide the body with more energy and make you feel better about yourself and can help fight stress and depression. Eating unhealthy can cause many health problems.Besides obesity and diabetes, there is high blood pressure, heart problems, breathing difficulty, anemia, and joint problem s all due to extra weight. Healthy eating can help protect people from cancer, heart attacks, diabetes and problems with blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force that pushes the blood from the heart through the arteries in the body. High blood pressure becomes dangerous because is makes the heart work too hard. Even when the pressure is only slightly raised for a long period of time it can damage arteries and cause organ damage.I personally have high blood pressure and the doctors are constantly advising me to eat better, exercise and lose weight and when I apply their council my blood pressure does improve dramatically. † High blood pressure is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. As such, it is a condition that is important to control. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. One of the most convincing associations between diet and blood pressure was found in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study.This trial examined the effect on blood pressure of a diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that restricted the amount of saturated and total fat. The researchers found that people with high blood pressure who followed this diet reduced their systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a blood pressure reading) by about 11 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by almost 6 mm Hg—as much as medications can achieve† (Appel, Moore, Obarzanek,1997, clinical trial).By making sure to eat a balanced diet then the occasional fatty food or takeaway will not hurt, but it will become a problem if you eat fatty foods everyday. It can be easy to fall into the trap of eating takeaway food every night because most people have busy hectic lives and find that they do not have the time or energy to cook something healthy. â€Å"Junk food has become a pillar in modern society. It offers a quick fill, fast service, or you can bring it home to watch a m ovie with. From chips, pop, ice cream it goes on and on.There is no nutritional value in any of it. Even the canned produce should be considered junk food. Preservatives are jamming the tops of these containers of fruits in order for them to remain edible for months and months† (Healthy Eating, 2008, Health benefits of food). While it would be nice to take a pill and wake up 15 lbs lighter, the truth is that weight loss takes time and effort as well as a commitment to eating healthy everyday. The best way to begin to reduce the amount of weight people put on would be to reduce any un-necessary fat intake.Fat intake can be difficult to manage because fat makes food taste so much better. It is so tempting to grab a donut or candy bar when craving a snack, but it can be just as easy to grab an apple or a bag of carrots and your body and your health will reap better benefits from it. â€Å"Most people who work at eating better know that the salad bar can be a terrific way to eat out, eat great food and have a healthy meal. There are a few items that can tip the scales as far as fat and calories are concerned, especially if you are trying to watch your weight.A major offender is salad dressings. † Doctor Gourmet, (2008). Weight is such a sensitive subject for many people, young and old , which is why it+ does need to be addressed, because people today especially children are becoming obese at alarming rates. Many people think that it is just too difficult to eat healthy, or they do not know what to eat. â€Å"What you should eat is actually pretty simple. But you would not know that from news reports on diet studies, whose sole purpose seems to be to confuse people on a daily basis.When it comes down to it, though—when all the evidence is looked at together—the best advice on what to eat is relatively straightforward: Eat a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; choose healthy fats, like olive and canola oil; and red meat and unhealthy fats, like saturated and trans fats, sparingly. Most important of all is keeping calories in check, so you can avoid weight gain, which makes exercise a key partner to a healthy diet† (Willet, 2007, Harvard School of Public Health) As for keeping the weight off, avoid the elevator and take the stairs.If you take the stairs regularly, you will burn more calories. As you do it more often, you will learn that you have more energy. In order to be healthy, we need to learn what it means to eat healthy and to live healthy. The first step is making sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis and avoid unnecessary fats in our diet. The best way to avoid fats is by not eating fast food or junk food on a regular basis. Exercise needs to be a top riority in our lives to keep stress away and to feel energized, even if it is as simple as a walk in the park. When it comes to diet and exercise, you have to ask yourself a very important question. How mu ch do you care about yourself? It is up to all of us to make a commitment to set aside a little time each day for exercise. As far as eating healthy is concerned, just focus on each individual day. Do not go to the extreme, because this is setting you up for failure. Just make small changes throughout the day.At night, simply walk away from that huge slice of chocolate cake. It is all up to you to live a healthy lifestyle. Discipline, control and focus can be hard to maintain when it comes to eating healthy and exercising regularly. It can be hard, especially in the beginning, but it is essential that you be consistent. By being consistent it will get easier and easier to make necessary lifestyle changes. By making these positive lifestyle changes in your life it will go a long way in living a long healthy life for years to come.

Research Methods Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research Methods - Coursework Example Since the alternative is of non-equality, the rejection zones will be in both ends of the distribution. Therefore the test will be two tailed. The p-value is 0.01070 using a significance level of 0.05 The alternative hypothesis is that the true coefficient is positive. So the rejection zone is on the right tail of the distribution and thus the test is right tailed. The computed t-value is 2.598522> 1.682 = the critical one sided 5% t value. Therefore, we reject the null hypothesis at 5% level of significance. Therefore, the test provides evidence of the fact that secondary enrollment has a significant positive impact on the growth of GDP. H0:?7=0 H1:?7>0 using a significance level of 0.1 Similar to the test conducted above, the alternative hypothesis is that the coefficient is positive. Therefore, the test will be right tailed once more. The computed t-value =1.50471< 2.418 = the critical 1% t-value. So, we fail to reject the null hypothesis at the 1% level. This implies there is no evidence of private credit ratio having any observable impact on the dependent variable, growth of GDP. Evidently a contradiction arises between the conclusions obtained in (i) and (ii). In (i), the test fails to reject the null hypothesis that all the coefficients are jointly zero. But in (ii), the null hypothesis that the coefficient on the 1990 percapita GDP is zero is rejected. So, (ii) accepts the hypothesis (null in (ii), alternative in (i)) that is rejected by (i). To reconcile between these contradictions, it should be noted that tests of joint significance may fail to reject the null of joint insignificance if majority of the explanatory variables included are found to be insignificant. Usually, such cases arise if the basic assumptions of OLS are violated. Certainly if the presence of outliers skews the distribution of errors, such contradictions should be anticipated. 3. Primary recommendation for the finance minister on the basis of results From the results of the OLS mo del in part 1, we find that the coefficient on secondary enrolment as well as private credit ratio is positive. The coefficient for secondary enrolment is 0.254 and that for private credit ratio is 0.212. Thus, these are quite close to one another although that for private credit ratio is slightly lower. But critically, it should be noted that only the coefficient of secondary enrolment is statistically significant. So, only secondary enrolment among our variables of interest seems to have any effect on growth of GDP. There is no evidence that private credit has any impact on growth GDP. Thus my recommendation will be to invest the entire sum of $2 Billion on the policy measures that will increase the country’s rate of enrolment in secondary education. 4. Diagnostics This section will evaluate the validity of the standard assumptions of

Academic describe your hometown Dalian, the city of China Essay

Academic describe your hometown Dalian, the city of China - Essay Example However, the region was converted into a small town-center after Sino-Japanese War controlled by both Russian and the Japanese. As such, the town underwent further several developments and became fully operational with modern port facilities in 1984. Since then, Dalian was pronounce a Chinese open city and awarded a provincial level to take up decision-making authority leading to the current Dalian port city. Owing to the strategic location of Dalian, the City is associated with an exemplary prosperity and unique cultural heritage. Firstly, the city is characterized by numerous museums for example Waxwork that has gained tremendous popularity across the world. Secondly, the city of Dalian is also open to the elements of foreign influence such as architectural designs. A typical example is the Zhongshan Square that has been constructed through a combination of varied international cultures. Besides, the town authorities have also been engaged in construction of city squares that are equipped with musical instruments in praise of Dalian culture. Ultimately, the city is emerging as one of the biggest garments manufacturing centers and has a well-developed football champion that have immensely contributed towards the development of Dalian progressive

Police Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Police Culture - Essay Example The activities are aimed for making arrangements for making sure that all the laws and rules are being followed. Policing is a part of almost every civilized country as it is important to enforce the rules and laws with in the countries for establishing peace and living with harmony. In short, it can be said that policing includes all the activities that are being performed by the government body established for enforcement of law and prevention of crime. Policing can be said as a strong and powerful profession. The profession of policing does not only include the organization of police but it also includes other organizations like community police, security guards, custom officers and bouncers and so on. Hence any institute that is aimed to control the social activities for maintaining the peaceful environment come under the category of policing. 1 Policing can be known as the set of activities that are being performed for some objectives. ... Detecting the crime is also the responsibility of policing. After detecting the crime, punishing the criminal or offender is also the role of policing. Protecting the assets and life of the people is also the role of policing. Preserving the public tranquility. Enforcement flaws, rules and policies are one of the major responsibilities of policing. Development of sound relationships between the police and the public. Improving the quality of life. Dealing with every kind of anti social behavior. Protecting the human rights. Promoting the ethical values. The above stated are the few responsibilities of the policing. Although, there are many other objectives but these were the basic aims and objectives of policing. It can be observed that it is not easy to perform the duties of police and achieving all the objectives of policing. It is not easy to enforce the laws over the society and also to deal with criminals and offenders. The policing activities sometimes do involve a lot of risk in it. It is a profession that can give a lot of respect if the responsibilities are being performed sincerely with full dedication. The same profession can lead to disrespect, if wrong means are taken and the duties are not performed with sincerity. The policing activities require that the professional should be strong person who can face every kind of risk and danger. Apart of risk sometimes disrespect and anger for the people has also to be faced y the policing professionals. So, policing is something that can not be taken as a simple job to do instea d it requires strong people for performing the powerful duties. 2 Police Culture There are different aspects, in which the term police culture stands for, in

America and the Great War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

America and the Great War - Essay Example (Stubbs, 2002) The rise of Pan-Slavism, which is a form of ethno-nationalism, in Eastern European countries had also precipitated the war. The strong diplomatic, economic and strategic interests in neighboring countries induced a cascade effect in terms of drawing reluctant participants to the war. The Great War was characterized by the long periods spent by the armed forces in â€Å"trenches†, so much so that the war is often described as trench warfare. This not only indicates the lack of sophistication in the art of war at the time but also the â€Å"stagnant† nature of this type of warfare. The recorded duration of the First war was close to five years, ranging from 1914 to 1919, most of this time was spent in combats that have reached a state of â€Å"stalemate†. (Kiesling, 2005) The First World War, also referred to as the Great War due to its sweeping scale, would shake-up then existing power equations within Europe and set up the region for the Second Wor ld War two decades later. While America's participation in the latter war was more substantial, it nevertheless played a crucial supportive role to its conventional allies in the former too. America’s support to the French cause would prove to be a major factor in the eventual outcome of the war. (Robert Bruce's book titled The Fraternity of Arms: America and France in the Great War traces this alliance and places it in the historical, political, ideological and imperialist contexts.) While Britain was witnessing a period of unprecedented prosperity and power during the beginning of the twentieth century and its connection to the United States goes two centuries further back, it was the alliance with France which was strategically important in the context of the Great War. This assessment goes against the grain of popular history, but nevertheless true. For example, the shared ideological basis of the two countries goes back to the Declaration of Independence on July the four th, 1776. The installation of the Statue of Liberty in Ellis Island, off the banks of New York, as well as the adoption of the democratic ideals of 'Equality, Fraternity and Liberty' into the American constitution are enduring symbols of this shared heritage. (Bruce, 2003) It is for the aforementioned commonalities that American public were in unison with their elected representatives' decision to join the war. At the beginning of the Great War, most of the American public was aloof to events on the other side of the Atlantic. This stands to reason, for there was no direct threat to American sovereignty and vested interests. Also, as the American demography was composed of various European ethnicities, joining ranks with one side might prove costly in domestic politics. But eventually, the shared ideological underpinnings between the United States, France and Britain proved to be an important factor in turning around public opinion in a quick time. (Kiesling, 2005) During the early months of 1918 the amalgamation controversy assumed its peak and it became uncertain whether Britain would receive any American help at all. But the ultimate victory for the Western powers was made possible due to their superior cohesion and coordination – something which their enemies could not achieve. So, despite America's Navy being very weak, its supply of troops to the Western cause was a decisive factor. And their successful integration under British and French

Management and the Global Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management and the Global Economy - Essay Example Such companies are Ericsson, Honda and Chiquita among others. This paper looks into the above companies and offers light in respect to their strategies that have seen them conquer their respective lines of operation. Significance of Technology/ Ethics/ Culture in International Business Management Facebook is a widely used social site which attracts people who are mostly between 18-30 years. Its strengths include the wide fan base that currently stands at slightly over 600 million. It is partly owned by Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft which bought minority shares worth $240 million in 2007. The company has reformed over time by upgrading its site to suit the changing customer needs as well as to outwit competitors. Fans are able to post and share videos and photos with their friends, send messages, chat online among other unique and new features. It has however been criticized for not regularly updating the fan page. According to Latham (2011) Facebook should take advantage of the onlin e advertisement boom to increase on revenue base and popularity. The company has also faced many legal battles and political interference for example the recent case where classmates of the founder wanted to be cashing more from the company claiming to have co-founded the company. Football or soccer has a peculiar popularity which is part of culture in Europe and United Kingdom to be precise. Manchester United is one club that has a wide following not only in UK but in the whole world. The club has a fan base that comprises of five percent of the global population. Manchester United Plc. has taken advantage of this by expanding its revenues sources to Asia, Africa and Latin America through sales of club’s merchandise like jerseys and magazines as stated by ESPN. The club is currently owned by the Grazer family from United States which controls seventy percent stake. The club’s financial status has not been appealing due to high expenses and less-than-matching revenues. The company takes advantage of their website to sell merchandise. Its Grazer takeover wrangles have attracted attention for a long time coupled with poor financial performance and massive debt. The strong brand name and its multinational approach are its important strengths. Although competition is intense from arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, Manchester has many opportunities to capture a wider market and fan base. Operating within ethical standards by companies draws mixed reactions as this is more of a subjective issue. That which one party may regard as ethical is totally the opposite for another. This is well illustrated by Chiquita Brands Int. where at some point it has been involved in both ethical and unethical practices. Examples of ethical practices include building schools and health facilities for its workers and their families. It also returned land to Central Americans and later funded relief efforts after the 1972 earthquake. Unethical ones include being involved in c orruption with the Costa Rica’s government, assisting CIA to topple Guatemala government, helped in the attack of Cuba in early 1960s and many others as stated in Chiquita Brands Int. Case Study. The company has had a huge influence on the political landscape in South America which has ultimately affected its image negatively acting as its weakness. It has also been good in breaking laws

Modernity and Spaces of Femininity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modernity and Spaces of Femininity - Essay Example The paper "Modernity and Spaces of Femininity" focuses on the article of Griselda Pollock. The article clearly represents Pollock’s feminist views. She is a credible author being a leading cultural theorist. She has done vast research on feminist issues such as those that women encounter while living and working in societies as objects of male satisfaction rather than as important subjects that gives credit to their own abilities as women. Pollock has recommended ways to change future representations of women. She has likewise provided significant insights on voyeuristic art and ties between art and human nature. She has become an activist using a â€Å"Marxist-socialist approach to reveal the key sexual and political biases involved in the formation of the modernist movement". Currently, she is the Director for the Centre for Cultural Analysis, Theory and History at the University of Leeds with a Masters Degree in History of European Art and a PhD degree in the study of appr oaches to modernism. She is considered an academic jewel, having taught History of Art and Film in the Universities of Manchester and Leeds and an author of several books on her expertise on Art, History, Feminism and Modernism. In the article, Pollock refers mostly to paintings of renowned artists in the nineteenth century and how their work affected its viewers. She analyzed T.J. Clark’s accounts of Edoard Manet’s controversial painting, â€Å"Olympia† which shows a nude woman reclined on a bed with her hand covering her crotch., with a black lady, presumably her maid, standing beside the bed and a black cat seated at the foot of her bed. This painting was widely criticized when it was exposed to the public, and its analysis runs from shallow comments about its physical appearance to deeper critiques about societal representations during its time. Clark claims that Manet’s Olympia has been the founding monument of modern art3, embodying a shift in what spectators are accustomed to viewing and was subjected to a wide variety of interpretations. Pollock contends that Clark leans on the class system in analyzing modernist paintings. For him, Olympia’s nakedness in Manet’s ‘modernist’ painting depicted her as a lowly prostitute as opposed to heavily dressed, sophisticated and fashionable women in other paintings ascribed as coming from upper classes of society. Pollock also agrees with Clark that such artwork of women catered to a masculine audience since it provokes sexual titillation which is not expected of decent women viewers. This is what she meant by ‘masculinist myth of modernism’. Male artists reigned over modernism because they are able to express their sexuality through their art, which was not a luxury granted to women artists. Pollock confirms that there was a historical asymmetry in art in the nineteenth century due to social structuration of sexual differences which determined wha t men and women painted4. Clark indexes impressionist paintings to class formations and class identities that emerged in society, giving ‘modernity’ a wider meaning than just being up-to-date. â€Å"Modernity is a matter of representations and major myths- of a new Paris for recreation, leisure and pleasure; of nature to be enjoyed at weekends in suburbia; of the prostitute taking over and of fluidity of class in the popular spaces of entertainment†5 References were pointed to Charles Baudelaire’s essay about the modern artist being a flaneur or â€Å"

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Report - Essay Example One can also use feedback in acting as role model that will eventually help other people follow the same example, thus heading to the right direction. Many people widely recognize feedback as an important part of the learning cycle, as it helps in modeling the children at tender age, hence adopting the rightful behavior that is essential for enhancing their performance. Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 2.0 Background †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 3.0 Evaluations on the use of student feedback †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 3.1 Areas of feedback use †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 3.2 Areas essential for gathering feedback †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 3.3 Characteristics of effective feedback †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 4.0 Potential benefits of student feedback †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 5.0 Potential challenges associated to use of feedback †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 6.0 Findings of preliminary research †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ... †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 1.0 Introduction Feedback refers to any form of response that goes in hand with the student’s work as it serves as an assessment task, performance or product. People that usually have the mandate of giving feedback may include teachers, external assessors, or student peers while it comes in either written or spoken form. Many people widely recognize feedback as an important part of the learning cycle, but to some extent, students and teachers come out into expressing their disappointment and frustrations on the process of conducting feedbacks. Some students cite that feedback on assessment in unhelpful process or unclear, and to some extent demoralizing. Lecturers that oppose the use of feedback also cite that some students do not know how to incorporate feedback advice into fulfilling their subsequent tasks, hence making the process ineffective (Brennan & Williams, 2004). This research paper is going to evalua te on the use of student feedback in the higher education institutions while outline some potential benefits and challenges associated to this strategy. 2.0 Background Providing feedback on a regular basis to the students in regards to the level of performance is the most powerful tool for enhancing teaching process. In simple terms, feedback deals with sharing of information on the student’s performance. Positive feedback intends to sustain appropriate and effective behavior while negative/corrective feedback serves the purpose of changing behavior that the learning institution considers as inappropriate or ineffective. Therefore, it is important to have a mixture of positive and corrective feedback while this feedback should also be specific enough for students to understand with ease, and hence being able to identify the type

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 25

Project Management - Essay Example also provides a set of relevant suggestions that can help the Department to successfully conduct large scale of IT project towards increasing efficiency of the fire service and rescue operations. The report focuses on critically exploring the project management activities of â€Å"The FiReControl project,† which was initiated in the year 2004 and was expected to complete by the month of July 2009. In order to explore each component of the project management activities, the report provides a clear description of the project activities that led it to face failure in the context of fundamental project management theories and justifications. Moreover, the report also focuses on developing a critical evaluation of the project management activities and major factors underpinning the failure of the â€Å"FiReControl project† in the context of relevant theoretical implications and practice guidelines of project management. In addition, the report offers a set of relevant and justified recommendations in respond to the project management activities in the â€Å"FiReControl project† in the context of pertinent theoretical concepts. The recommendations provided in this report also provides a major reflection regarding the project management activities that substantially lowered the possibility of success of the overall project and suggested appropriate set of project management activities that can help the project managers to effectively deal with issues in each stage of the project. The FiReControl project as per the observation in the case is one of the major initiatives with a wide range of valuable insights in the form of streamlining fire rescue operations of the control rooms and offer appropriate services to the community members. According to the observation, the project is aimed to bring progress in the resilience, efficiency as well as technological development in the English Fire and Rescue Service through a replacement of 46 local control rooms along with a wide

Investigating Meaningful Teaching Essay Example for Free

Investigating Meaningful Teaching Essay Investigating Meaningful Teaching Daniel Bowen Grand Canyon University Special Education Foundation and Framework SPE-330 May 26, 2011 Investigating Meaningful Teaching Investigating what meaningful teaching is it is having teachers that are willing to teach to the whole student by having patience, compassion and developing a meaningful relationship with their students. Being a positive influence and having effective classroom management. An effective teacher is a teacher that wears many hats such as a coach, actor, cheerleader and friend. Having the ability to read their moods, body language, when and what may cause them to become frustrated. Also having a deep belief in each and every student has the ability to learn and achieve. In an interview with four teachers, two inclusion teachers and two self contain teachers was conducted. All four teachers were asked the same questions this being a summary of the results of that interview. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) In their opinions, what is necessary for a meaningful and worthwhile teaching and learning experience? All four teachers refer to having respect for each student and students having respect for them and being consistent in enforcing classroom rules. Maintain a set of routines so the students know what is expected of them each day. Know the laws that deal with Special Education. These laws are appt to change at any time. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) How is a meaningful learning experience for students related to the teachers philosophy of education? The teachers all feel in general that a meaningful education is synonymous with their philosophy. A student must be made to feel respected, valued, and to feel safe in the classroom. Discipline is as necessary as the text without it the learning process cannot be achieved. Each teacher believed that having the understanding that each student will learn on deferent levels and different ways. It was part of their philosophy to discover the uniqueness of every student. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) Why did you want to become teachers? Why do you continue teaching? The first part of this question is generic. They all were influence by a teacher or more than one teacher as they were growing up. The second part was a little different with each teacher. In general the challenge they face every day. Having a child all of a sodden come alive. They begin to grasp the math or reading at their level seeing the excitement in their eyes when a door opens for them that once was closed. The small rewards everyday is what kept them in the classroom. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) What are two or three of their most rewarding teaching experiences? Their most challenging? Two of the teachers stated that their most rewarding experience was in having a past student call them up with an invitation to their graduation. These students stating that they would not have made it through school if these two teachers did not believe in them from the start. The others where when they observed there student achieve the understanding of basic math without a calculator and one learning how to write their name for the first time at the age of thirteen. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) What changes would they like to make in teaching? Why? They all agreed that the change they would make would be Standardize testing the F-cat (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test). The teachers have to teach the test and not what the student truly need to be successful in the classroom. They state the biggest problem with this test is that the government is trying to outsmart the student. It is believed that they design the test to make the students to fail. One example was given were a student was a straight â€Å"A† students her whole life all through elementary, middle and high school. She took the F-cat so she could graduate and failed. She could not graduate with her class. They feel the test is not fare to student with or without learning disabilities. The changes they all agreed with was to completely do away with the F-cat and much of the paper work and go back to letting teachers teach. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) The reason I want to become a teacher is the total opposite of the teachers interviewed. I never had a teacher that left a lasting impression on my life. I had no on to mentor me as I chose to become a teacher. I became a teacher because after a few industrial accidents left me unable do anything physical for a very long time. While I was looking for something I could do. A bus driving passion came open. So I became a bus driver. As I was driving the position of a substitute teacher open I became a substitute teacher because it paid two dollars more an hour. That was as a substitute teacher that and working with the student that made me decided to become a teacher full time. Watching students struggle with their work, being able to show them how to do it correctly, and having the opportunity to see the â€Å"ahh† factor. Being able to help students learn and see them as they learned is one of the greatest experiences I had in my life time. The decision to become a Special education teacher came a little later. It was the same as when I decided to become a teacher. It was having that one on one with the student. Being able to teach a class with children that were diagnose with Downs, Autistics, Mental Retardation and the list grows. I feel in love with these children and discovered the real need for teacher in this area. This is the reason I decided to join the ranks of Special Education teachers. Through the interview I discovered an even stronger desire to become a Special Education teacher. Through these teachers interview help to enforce what I already knew. Each student is a unique individual. Having different personalities, weakness, strengths, and learning styles. This becoming one of the greatest challenges is unlocking each student mind helping them to discover knowledge. References Grand Canyon University. Syllabus module 2 (n. d. ). http://angel103. gcu. edu/section/default. asp? id=835810

The Physical Soil Properties Environmental Sciences Essay

The Physical Soil Properties Environmental Sciences Essay Soils are composed of five main components mineral particles derived from rocks by weathering; organic materials humus from dead and decaying plant material; soil water in which nutrient elements are dissolved; soil air both carbon dioxide and oxygen; and living organisms including bacteria that help plant decomposition. Soils differ in their fertility levels, because they have different proportions of these components and because the mineral particles have been affected to different degrees by weathering. Age of soil minerals, prevailing temperatures, rainfall, leaching and soil physico-chemistry are the main factors which determine how much a particular soil will weather (Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000). Soil thus, is important to everyone either directly or indirectly. It is the natural bodies on which agricultural products grow and it has fragile ecosystem (Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000). South Africa ranks among the countries with the highest rate of income inequality in the world (Aliber, 2009). Compared to other middle income countries, it has extremely high levels of absolute poverty and food insecurity threat (FAO, 2009). As part of this, a potential contributor to food security might be small-scale agricultural production. Aliber (2009) indicated that input support targeting smallholder farmers could boost production and food security. Utilisation of uncultivated arable lands and subsistence agriculture might be one option to contribute to incomes and/or savings, as well as to encourage food diversification (Altman et al., 2009). Land with high agricultural suitability is considered to have greater long-term security with regards to both agricultural production and development. From a planning perspective, high agricultural flexibility is therefore considered an appropriate measure of high quality agricultural land that is highly productive and fertile. Only a small proportion of worlds soils have a very good level of fertility, most of which have only good to medium fertility and some have very low fertility, and are often referred to as marginal soils (Ashman and Puri, 2002). Well-known fertile soils are deep alluvial soils formed from river mud, organic matter- rich soils on loess material, nutrient rich Vertisols and volcanic soils (Brady and Weil, 2004). Under poor management, soil fertility can be seriously depleted and soils may become useless for agriculture. 2.2. SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMISTRY Soil is a natural medium on which agricultural products grow and it is dependent on several factors such as fertility to be considered productive (Shah et al., 2011). The fertility of the soil is depended on concentration of soil nutrients, organic and inorganic materials and water. These soil physico-chemical properties are classified as being physical, chemical and biological, which greatly influence soil fertility (Ramaru et al., 2000). To manage soil fertility, knowledge and understanding of these properties is required (as discussed below). 2.2.1. Physical soil properties (i) Soil texture Soil texture refers to the relative proportions of the various size groups of individual particles or grains in a soil (Rowell, 1994). It is dependent on the mixture of the different particle sizes present in the soil. Based on these different sizes, soil particles are classified as sand (0.05- 2mm), silt (0.002-0,5mm) and clay ( Clay particles hold larger quantities of water and nutrients, because of their large surface areas (Brady and Weil, 1999). This property causes the swelling and shrinking of clay soils, but only those with smectitic group of clay minerals. The large surface area of clay particles gives nutrients numerous binding sites especially when the surface charge density is high, which is part of the reason that fine textured soils have such high abilities to retain nutrients (Velde, 1995). The pores between clay particles are very small and complex, so movement of both air and water is very slow (Brady and Weil, 1999). Clay particles are negatively charged because of their mineralogical composition. Soils with such particles usually have high CEC and can retain water and plant nutrients; thus such soils are considered to be fertile and good for plant growth (Brady and Weil, 1999). The knowledge of the proportions of different-sized particles in soils is critical to understand soil behavior and their management. Since sand particles are relatively large, so are the voids between them, which promote free drainage of water and entry of air into the soil (Brady and Weil, 2002). The implication of free drainage in sandy soil is that soil nutrients are easily washed down into the soil and become inaccessible for use by plants (Brady and Weil, 2002). Sandy soils are considered non-cohesive and because of their large size, have low specific surface areas and thus have low nutrient retention capacity (Rowell, 1994). Sand particles can hold little water due to low specific surface area and are prone to drought, therefore have a very low CEC and fertility status (Petersen et al., 1996). The pores between silt particles are much smaller than those in sand, so silt retains more water and nutrients (Rowell, 1994). Soils dominated by silt particles therefore have a higher fertility status than sandy soils and provides favorable conditions for plant growth when other growth factors are favorable (Miller and Donahue, 1992). (ii) Soil structure The term soil structure refers to the arrangement of soil particles into aggregates (Six et al., 2000). Soil structure is affected by biological activities, organic matter, and cultivation practices (Rowell, 1994). It influences soil water movement and retention, erosion, nutrient recycling, sealing and crusting of the soil surface, together with aeration and soils structural stability, root penetration and crop yield (Lupwayi et al., 2001). Soil structure can be platy, prismatic, granular, crumbly, columnar and blocky (RCEP, 1996). An ideal soil structure for plant growth is often described as granular or crumb-like, because it provides good movement for air and water through a variety of different pore sizes and it also affects root penetration (RCEP, 1996). An ideal soil structure is also stable and resistant to erosion (Duiker et al., 2003). Organic matter and humification processes improve structural stability, and can rebuild degraded soil structures (Brady and Weil, 1999). Therefore it is vital to return or add organic material to the soil and to maintain its biological activity in order to enhance soil structure for plant growth. Favorable soil structure and high aggregate stability are therefore vital to improving soil fertility, increasing agronomic productivity, enhancing porosity and decreasing erodibility. (iii) Water retention capacity Water holding capacity refers to the quantity of water that the soil is capable of storing for use by plants (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil water is held in, and flows through pore spaces in soils. Soil water can be described into the following stages: gravitational, capillary, and hygroscopic, based upon the energy with which water is held by the soil solids, which in turn governs their behavior and availability to plants (Rowell, 1994). Water holding capacity is an important factor in the choice of plants or crops to be grown and in the design and management of irrigation systems (Brady and Weil, 1999). The total amount of water available to plants growing in field soils is a function of the rooting depth of the plant and sum of the water held between field capacity and wilting percentage in each of the horizons explored by the roots (Brady and Weil, 1999). Field capacity is the amount of soil moisture or water content held in soil after excess water has drained away and the rate of downward movement has materially decreased, which usually takes place within 2-3 days after a rain or irrigation in pervious soils of uniform structure and texture (Govers, 2002). The ability of the soil to provide water for plants is an important fertility characteristic (RCEP, 1996). The capacity for water storage varies, depending on soil properties such as organic matter, soil texture, bulk density, and soil structure (RCEP, 1996). This is explained by the degree of soil compaction, where problems will arise if excessive compaction occurs which would results in increased bulk density, a decrease in porosity and aeration and poor water drainage (Gregory et al., 2006), all resulting in poor plant growth. (iv) Electrical Conductivity (EC) Soil electrical conductivity (EC), is the ability of soil to conduct electrical current (Doerge, 1999). EC is expressed in milliSiemens per meter (mS/m) or cm (cm/m). Traditionally, soil scientists used EC to estimate soil salinity (Doerge, 1999). EC measurements also have the potential for estimating variation in some of the soil physical properties such as soil moisture and porosity, in a field where soil salinity is not a problem (Farahani and Buchleiter, 2004). Soil salinity refers to the presence of major dissolved inorganic solutes in the soil aqueous phase, which consist of soluble and readily dissolvable salts including charged species (e.g., Na+, K+, Mg+2, Ca+2, Clà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, HCO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, NO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, SO4à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2 and CO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2), non-ionic solutes, and ions that combine to form ion pairs (Smith and Doran, 1996). Salt tolerances are usually given in terms of the stage of plant growth over a range of electrical conductivity (EC) levels. EC greater than 4dS/m are considered saline (Munshower, 1994). Salt sensitive plants may be affected by conductivities below 4dS/m and salt tolerant species may not be impacted by concentrations of up to twice this maximum agricultural tolerance limit (Munshower, 1994). Electrical conductivity is the ability of a solution to transmit an electrical current. The conduction of electricity in soil takes place through the moisture-filled pores that occur between individual soil particles. Therefore, the EC of soil is determined by the following soil properties (Doerge, 1999): . Porosity, where the greater soil porosity, the more easily electricity is conducted. Soil with high clay content has higher porosity than sandier soil. Compaction normally increases soil EC. . Water content, dry soil is much lower in conductivity than moist soil. . Salinity level, increasing concentration of electrolytes (salts) in soil water will dramatically increase soil EC. . Cation exchange capacity (CEC), mineral soil containing high levels of organic matter (humus) and/or 2:1 clay minerals such as montmorillonite, illite, or vermiculite have a much higher ability to retain positively charged ions (such as Ca, Mg, K, Na, NH4, or H) than soil lacking these constituents. The presence of these ions in the moisture-filled soil pores will enhance soil EC in the same way that salinity does. . Temperature, as temperature decreases toward the freezing point of water, soil EC decreases slightly. Below freezing, soil pores become increasingly insulated from each other and overall soil EC declines rapidly. Plants are detrimentally affected, both physically and chemically, by excess salts in some soils and by high levels of exchangeable Na in others. Soils with an accumulation of exchangeable Na are often characterized by poor tilth and low permeability and therefore low soil fertility status, making them unfavorable for plant growth (Munshower, 1994). (v) Bulk Density (BD) Soil bulk density is defined as the mass of dry soil (g) per unit volume (cm3) and is routinely used as a measure of soil compaction (Gregory et al., 2006). The total volume includes particle volume, inter-particle void volume and internal pore volume (Gregory et al., 2006). Bulk density takes into account solid space as well as pore space (Greenland, 1998). Thus soils that are porous or well-aggregated (e.g. clay soil) will have lower bulk densities than soils that are not aggregated (sand) (Greenland, 1998). Plant roots cannot penetrate compacted soil as freely as they would in non-compacted soil, which limits their access to water and nutrients present in sub-soil and inhibits their growth (Hagan et al., 2010). Compacted soil requires more frequent applications of irrigation and fertilizer to sustain plant growth, which can increase runoff and nutrient levels in runoff (Gregory et al., 2006). The bulk density of soil depends greatly on the soils mineral make up and the degree of compaction. High bulk density usually indicate a poorer environment for root growth, reduced aeration and undesirable changes in hydrologic function, such as reduced infiltration (Brady and Weil, 1999). The presence of soil organic matter, which is considerably lighter than mineral soil, can help decrease bulk density and thereby enhancing soil fertility (Hagan et al., 2010). 2.2.2. Soil Chemical properties Soil chemical properties which include the concentrations of nutrients, cations, anions, ion exchange reactions and redox properties, but for the purpose of this study focus will be based on properties that have an implication on soil fertility including: (i) Soil pH Soil pH is an important soil property that affects several soil reactions and processes and is defined as a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil (Bohn, 2001). It has considerable effect on soil processes including ion exchange reactions and nutrient availability (Rowell, 1994). Soil pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, where a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral, readings higher than 7.0 are alkaline, and readings lower than 7.0 are considered acidic (McGuiness, 1993). Most plants are tolerant of a pH range of 5.5-6.5 which is near neutral pH range (Bohn, 2001). Soil pH is one of the most important characteristics of soil fertility, because it has a direct impact on nutrient availability and plant growth. Most nutrients are more soluble in acid soils than in neutral or slightly alkaline soils (Bohn, 2001). In strongly acidic soils the availability of macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K, P, N and S) as well as molybdenum and boron is reduced. In contrast, availability of micronutrient cations (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Al) is increased by low soil pH, even to the extent of toxicity of higher plants and microorganisms (Bohn, 2001). The pH of a soil is also reported to affect so many other soil properties (Brady and Weil, 1999), including nutrient availability, effects on soil organisms, fungi thrive in acidic soils, CEC and plant preferences of either acidic or alkaline soils. Most plants prefer alkaline soils, but there are a few which need acidic soils and will die if placed in an alkaline environment (Brady and Weil, 1999). (ii) Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) Cation exchange capacity is defined as the sum of the total of the exchangeable cations that a soil can hold or adsorb (Brady and Weil, 1999). A cation is a positively charged ion and most nutrients cations are: Ca2+, Mg2+, K +, NH4+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+. These cations are in the soil solution and are in dynamic equilibrium with the cations adsorbed on the surface of clay and organic matter (Brady and Weil, 1999). Clay and organic matter are the main sources of CEC (Peinemann et al., 2002). The more clay and organic matter (humus) a soil contains, the higher its CEC and the greater the potential fertility of that soil. CEC varies according to the type of clay. It is highest in montmorillonite clay, lowest in heavily weathered kaolinite clay and slightly higher in the less weathered illite clay (Peinemann et al., 2002). Sand particles have no capacity to exchange cations because it has no electrical charge (Brady and Weil, 1999). CEC is used as a measure of soil nutrient retention capacity, and the capacity to protect groundwater from cation contamination (Brady and Weil, 1999). It buffers fluctuations in nutrient availability and soil pH (Bergaya and Vayer, 1997). Plants obtain many of their nutrients from soil by an electrochemical process called cation exchange. This process is the key to understanding soil fertility (Rowell, 1994). Nutrients that are held by charges on a soil are termed exchangeable as they become readily available to plants (Rowell, 1994).The higher the CEC of a soil, the more nutrients it is likely to hold and the higher will be its fertility level (Fullen and Catt, 2004). Factors affecting cation exchange capacity The factors affecting cation exchange capacity include the following (Brady and Weil 1999), soil texture, soil humus content, nature of clay and soil reaction. Soil texture influences the CEC of soils in a way that it increases when soils percentage of clay increases i.e. the finer the soil texture, the higher the CEC as indicated in Table 2. CEC depends on the nature of clay minerals present, since each mineral has its own capacity to exchange and hold cations e.g. the CEC of a soil dominated by vermiculite is much higher than the CEC of another soil dominated by kaolinite, as vermiculite is high activity clay unlike kaolinte which is low activity clay. When the pH of soil increases, more H+ ions dissociate from the clay minerals especially kaolinite, thus the CEC of soil dominated by kaolinite also increases. CEC varies according to the type of soil. Humus, the end product of decomposed organic matter, has the highest CEC value because organic matter colloids have large quantities of negative charges. Humus has a CEC two to five times greater than montmorillonite clay and up to 30 times greater than kaolinite clay, so is very important in improving soil fertility. Table 2.1: CEC values for different soil textures (Brady and Weil, 1999) Soil texture CEC range (meq/100g soil) Sand 2-4 Sandy loam 2-12 Loam 7-16 Silt loam 9-26 Clay, clay loam 4-60 (iii) Organic Matter The importance of soil organic matter in relation to soil fertility and physical condition is widely recognized in agriculture. However, organic matter contributes to the fertility or productivity of the soil through its positive effects on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil (Rowell, 1994), as follows: physical stabilizes soil structure, improves water holding characteristics, lowers bulk density, dark color may alter thermal properties; chemical higher CEC, acts as a pH buffer, ties up metals, interacts with biological supplies energy and body-building constituents for soil organisms, increases microbial populations and their activities, source and sink for nutrients, ecosystem resilience, affects soil enzymes. Soil organic matter consists of a wide range of organic substances, including living organisms, carboneous remains of organisms which once occupied the soil, and organic compounds produced by current and past metabolism of the soil (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil organic matter plays a critical role in soil processes and is a key element of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) (Brady and Weil, 2004). Organic matter is widely considered to be the single most important indicator of soil fertility and productivity (Rowell, 1994). It consists primarily of decayed or decaying plant and animal residues and is a very important soil component. Benefits of Organic matter in soil according to Ashman and Puri, (2002) include: increasing the soils cation exchange capacity and acting as food for soil organisms from bacteria to worms and is an important component in the nutrient and carbon cycles. Organic matter, like clay, has a high surface area and is negatively charged with a high CEC, making it an excellent supplier of nutrients to plants. In addition, as organic matter decomposes, it releases nutrients such as N, P and S that are bound in the organic matters structure, essentially imitating a slow release fertilizer (Myers, 1995). Organic matter can also hold large amounts of water, which helps nutrients move from soil to plant roots (Mikkuta, 2004). An important characteristic of organic matter in soil fertility is C: N ratio. The C: N ratio in organic matter of arable surface horizons commonly ranges from 8:1 to 15:1, the median being near 12:1 (Brady and Weil, 1999). The C:N ratio in organic residues applied to soils is important for two reasons: intense competition among the micro-organisms for available soil nitrogen which occurs when residues having a high C:N ratio are added to soils and it also helps determine their rate of decay and the rate at which nitrogen is made available to plants (Brady and Weil, 1999). (iv) Plant Nutrients Plants require 13 plant nutrients (Table 2.2) (micro and macro nutrients) for their growth. Each is equally important to the plant, yet each is required in vastly different amounts (Ronen, 2007). Essential elements are chemical elements that plants need in order to complete their normal life cycle (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). The functions of these elements in the plant cannot be fulfilled by another, thus making each element essential for plant growth and development (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). Essential nutrients are divided into macro and micronutrients as illustrated in Table 3. Macronutrients are those that are required in relatively high quantities for plant growth and can be distinguish into two sub groups, primary and secondary ones, (Uchida and Silva, 2000). The primary macro-elements are most frequently required for plant growth and also needed in the greatest total quantity by plants. For most crops, secondary macro nutrients are needed in lesser amounts than the primary nutrients. The second group of plant nutrients which are micronutrients are needed only in trace amounts (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). These micronutrients are required in very small amounts, but they are just as important to plant development and profitable crop production as the major nutrients (Ronen, 2007). Classification Element Function in plant growth Source Deficiency symptoms and toxicities Macro nutrients Primary Nitrogen (N) Chlorophyll and Protein formation Air/Soil, applied fertilisers Slow growth, stunted plants, chlorosis, low protein content Phosphorus (P) Photosynthesis, Stimulates early growth and root formation, hastens maturity Soil and applied fertilisers Slow growth, delayed crop maturity, purplish green coloration of leaves Potassium (K) Photosynthesis and nzyme activity, starch and sugar formation, root growth Soil and applied fertilisers Slow growth, Reduced disease or pest resistance, development of white and yellow spots on leaves Macro nutrients secondary Calcium (Ca) Cell growth and component of cell wall Soil Weakened stems, death of plants growing points, abnormal dark green appearance on foliage Magnesium (Mg) Enzyme activation, photosynthesis and influence Nitrogen metabolism Soil Interveinal chlorosis in older leaves, curling of leaves, stunted growth, Sulfur (S) Amino acids, proteins and nodule formation Soil and animal manure Interveinal chlorosis on corn leaves, retarded growth, delayed maturity and light green to yellowish color in young leaves Micronutrients essential Iron (Fe) Photosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, constituent of various enzymes and proteins Soil Interveinal chlorosis, yellowing of leaves between veins, twig dieback, death of entire limp or plants Manganese (Mn) Enzyme activation, metabolism of nitrogen and organic acids, formation of vitamins and breakdown of carbohydrates Soil Interveinal chlorosis of young leaves, gradation of pale green coloration with darker color next to veins Zinc (Zn) Enzymes and auxins component, protein synthesis, used in formation of growth hormones Soil Mottled leaves, dieback twigs, decrease in stem length Copper (Cu) Enzyme activation, catalyst for respiration Soil Stunted growth, poor pigmentation, wilting of leaves Boron (B) Reproduction Soil Thickened, curled, wilted and chlorotic leaves; reduced flowering Molybdenum (Mo) Nitrogen fixation; nitrate reduction and plant growth Soil Stunting and lack of vigor (induced by nitrogen deficiency), scorching, cupping or rolling of leaves Chlorine (Cl) Root growth, photosynthetic reactions Soil Wilting followed by chlorosis, excessive branching of lateral roots, bronzing of leaves Additional nutrients Carbon (C) Constituent of carbohydrates and photosynthesis Air/ Organic matter Hydrogen (H) Maintains osmotic balance and constituent of carbohydrates Water/Organic matter Oxygen (O) Constituent of carbohydrates and necessary for respiration Air/Water/ Organic matter Table 2.2: Essential plant elements, their sources and role in plants (Ronen,2007) Deficiency of any of these essential nutrients will retard plant development (Brady and Weil, 2004). Deficiencies and toxicities of nutrients in soil present unfavorable conditions for plant growth, such as: poor growth, yellowing of the leaves and possibly the death of the plant as illustrated in Table 3 (Ahmed et al., 1997). Therefore proper nutrient management is required to achieve maximum plant growth, maximum economic and growth response by the crop, and also for minimum environmental impact. In addition to the nutrients listed above, plants require carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which are extracted from air and water to make up the bulk of plant weight (Brady and Weil, 1999). Achieving balance between the nutrient requirements of plants and the nutrient reserves in soils is essential for maintaining soil fertility and high yields, preventing environmental contamination and degradation, and sustaining agricultural production over the long term. 2.2.3. Soil Biological properties (i) Soil organisms Soil organisms include mostly microscopic living organisms such as bacteria and fungi which are the foundation of a healthy soil because they are the primary decomposer of organic matter (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil organisms are grouped into two namely soil microorganisms and soil macro organisms (Table 2.3). Table 2.3: Soil Macro and microorganisms and their role in plant and soil (Brady and Weil, 1999) Classification Organisms Function in plant and/or soil Source Microorganisms Bacteria Decomposition of organic matter Soil surface and humus particles Actinomycetes Source of protein and enhance soil fertility Surface layers of grass lands Fungi Fix atmospheric nitrogen and enhance soil fertility Soil (without organic matter) Algae Add organic matter to soil, improve aeration of swamp soils, and fix atmospheric nitrogen Moist soils Macro-organisms Nematodes They can be applied to crops in large quantities as a biological insecticide Soil and plant roots Earthworms Enhance soil fertility and structural stability Aerated soils Ants and termites Soil development Dominant in tropical soils Soil can contain millions of organisms that feed off decaying material such as old plant material, mulch unprocessed compost (Ashman and Puri, 2002), Microorganisms constitute Soil organic matter is the main food and energy source of soil microorganisms (Ashman and Puri, 2002). Through decomposition of organic matter, microorganisms take up their food elements. Organic matter also serves as a source of energy for both macro and micro organisms and helps in performing various beneficial functions in soil, resulting in highly productive soil (Mikutta et al., 2004). Macro-organisms such as insects, other arthropods, earthworms and nematodes live in the soil and have an important influence on soil fertility (Amezketa, 1999). They ingest soil material and relocate plant material and form burrows. The effects of these activities are variable. Macro-organisms improve aeration, porosity, infiltration, aggregate stability, litter mixing, improved N and C stabilization, C turnover and carbonate reduction and N mineralization, nutrient availability and metal mobility (Amezketa, 1999; Winsome and McColl, 1998 and Brown et al., 2000). The various groups of soil organisms do not live independently of each other, but form an interlocked system more or less in equilibrium with the environment (Brady and Weil, 1999). Their activity in soil depend on moisture content, temperature, soil enzymes, dissolution of soil minerals and breakdown of toxic chemicals. All have a tremendous role in the development of soil fertility (Alam, 2001). Their actions involve the formation of structural systems of the soils which help in the increase of agricultural productivity (Alam, 2001). 2.3. SOIL CLAY MINERALOGY The clay fraction of soil is dominated by clay minerals which control important soil chemical properties including sorption characteristics of soils (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic compounds, with defined chemical and physical properties (Velde, 1995). Minerals that are formed in the depths of a volcano are called primary minerals (Pal et al., 2000). Feldspar, biotite, quartz and hornblende are examples of primary minerals. These minerals and the rocks made from them are often not stable when exposed to the weathering agents at the surface of the earth (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). These rocks are broken down (weathered) continuously into small pieces by exposure to physical and chemical weathering processes (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). Some of the elements that are released during weathering, reform and crystallise in a different structure forming secondary minerals (Melo et al., 2002). Secondary minerals tend to be much smaller in particle size than primary minerals, and are most commonly found in the clay fraction of soils (Guggenheim and Martin, 1995). Soil clay fractions often contain a wide range of secondary minerals such as kaolinite, montmorillonite and aluminum hydrous oxides, whereas the sand or silt particles of soils are dominated by relatively inert primary minerals. The clay fraction is usually dominated by secondary minerals which are more chemically active and contribute the most to soil fertility (Melo et al., 2002). Two major secondary mineral groups, clay minerals and hydrous

The strategies of McDonalds expanding internationally three MacDonald

The strategies of McDonalds expanding internationally three MacDonald 9.3.1 Introduction The biggest challenge for an multinational is to maintain its global strategy in the stint of diversity as they hit different foreign lands. The same was the biggest challenge for McDonalds when they launched into India. They faced severe Public relation crisis and it was a very difficult to come up with a solution in such a country. Some of the key variables in this relation were the suppliers, customers, government and the Global Brand image of the company itself. McDonald Corporation was created in the year 1955, when Ray Kroc opened his first restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. He soon realized this success could be duplicated across the United States and beyond, if consistency and quality could be maintained. In 1957, the company adopted Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value as its motto. Over the decades, McDonalds corporation has grown to a $ 25 billion company and is the worlds leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 restau ­rants in 119 countries serving 27 million customers each day. With such high customer base and the industry they cater too, it becomes very challenging to maintain the Public Relation standards as per each country norms. This industry strives on the type of public relation one creates with the customers and various stakeholders. The globalization, WTO, the facilitates that many governments offered for foreign organizations to enter to its markets, the availability of many suppliers worldwide for many goods and services, all these factors and other factors in behind encouraged many organization to expand globally, this wide expansion made the responsibilities of the operation management more comprehensive and complicated, operation management means design, execution and control the organization operation through convert the resources into desired goods or services with aim to implement it based on the business strategy (Business Dictionary). 9.3.2 Background When McDonalds started their operations in 1948 the menu consisted of cheese burgers and hamburgers, pie, potato chips and beverages like milk, soft drinks, coffee. The cost of hamburger at that time was mere 15 cents. Now it is the largest food chain all over the world. By 1965 McDonalds had 700 restaurants. McDonalds all over the worlds are aligned by Global strategy of plan to win. This strategy focuses on price, people, customer experience, promotion and place. It is a publicly traded company and around 80% of the McDonalds restaurants all over the world are operating on franchisee basis. It competitors consist of Sub Way, burger king, Wendys and YUM which run some of the very famous brands like KFC, AW, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. McDonalds is the industry leader in terms of sales, market cap, employees, gross and net margins. The main cited reason of McDonalds success is the quality standards they have been able to maintain all over the world despite having location constraints at some of the places. They have consistently developed new menu items thereby always attracting new sets of customer and giving enough reasons to old customer to be attached. With this challenging cut throat competition, public relations are becoming very critical for quick restaurant industry. A psychological competition right now in US is the criticism these industry is facing from large obese population. This is especially true for the concept of value meals which provide extra large portion of unhealthy foods. The nutritional value of the quick restaurant segment has sparked many a campaigns and few legal actions. According to New York City department of Health a law was passed in 2008 making it mandatory for quick restaurant to post all the calorie related information against the food item on the menu boards. One of the biggest outcries has been the promotion of this food habits among the socio economic classes and the direct correlation of the obesity among the people. In response McDonalds introduced new and healthier item in the menu and shifted its marketing. With this background McDonalds entered into Singapore as a very famous brand to cater. 9.3.3 McDonald Profile The roots of McDonalds go back to the early 1940s when the McDonald brothers Dick and Mac opened their first restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Ray Kroc, a salesman with a flair for marketing, was so impressed by the speed at which they served people that he became their national franchise agent. McDonald Corporation was created in the year 1955, when Ray Kroc opened his first restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. He soon realized this success could be duplicated across the United States and beyond, if consistency and quality could be maintained. In 1957, the company adopted Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value as its motto. Over the decades, McDonalds corporation has grown to a $ 25 billion company and is the worlds leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 restau ­rants in 119 countries serving 27 million customers each day. In January 2003, McDonalds announced its first ever-quarterly loss of $343.8 million since it became a public company in 1965. This led McDonalds to embark upon on a new strategic course, reflecting upon a fundamental change in its approach to growing business. While it initially aimed at adding new restaurants, it now shifted its emphasis to building sales at existing restaurants. In February 2004, McDonalds Corporation announced that System wide sales for McDonalds restaurants had increased by 22.6%, or 14.8% as compared to the previous year. Comparable sales for McDonalds restaurants worldwide had increased by 13.9%. Macdonald is known as fast food company worldwide, it has over 32,000 restaurants worldwide, approximately 75% of MacDonalds restaurants operated via franchise, therefore the nature of MacDonald business guided its performance to pay attention to the quality objective with aim to reduce the costs, as long as it exist in several countries and each country different from each other in terms of taxes row materials, suppliers etc, pay attentions to the speed objective which is the core of its business, pay attention to the flexibility objective, the exist in different nations strongly required to able to change and flexible based on the host country culture and custom. 9.3.4 Strategic Objectives Quality is the mirror of any organization, customers could judge about the organization based on the level of the organization quality, therefore the first step to attract customers is through quality objective which is in somehow is to guarantee that customers will return back again, in this part MacDonald provided high quality products and services though standardize all its branches, and therefore MacDonald obtained customers satisfaction additional to made the operation more easy for the staff, for example MacDonald deal with over 20 bakeries to standardize the products in all the united states in terms of color, flavor etc (Gale/Online), the target of standardization is not only to aim to standardize the food in all restaurants but also to reduce the possibility of mistakes and therefore reduce costs too, another part of the quality objective that MacDonald provided which consider as rare in front of many restaurants is providing customers with nutrition information, thus custom ers can select the meal that applicable to their health (POM Report Macdonald/Online). Speed is the core of MacDonald objectives, to achieve speed objective MacDonald provide set of order channels such as drive-thru, home delivery etc, according to MacDonald CEO McDonalds that put the fast in fast food, and its speed continues to be a major factor in the iconic restaurant chains profits (Restaurant news/Online). Flexibility which consider the secret of MacDonald Success in front of its traditional competitors, MacDonald almost managed to be flexible in all the markets its entered, the flexibility of MacDonald made kind of loyalty among customers and MacDonald due to the changes that MacDonald made it based on the customers cultures and taste, additional to the flexibility to supply from local suppliers of the host country, for example MacDonald added corn soup to the food menu in China, adopted slaughter by Islamic method in GCC countries etc, flexibility to reflect positively insid e the operation through the readiness to response to any increase in the demands. Macdonald is one of the rare organization that succeed to balance between its operation strategic and customer demands, MacDonald combined order-winning and qualifying factors, in terms of order-winning which refer to the customer as key reason of purchasing the product or service (Slack, Chambers Johnston, pp 69), MacDonald as we clarified previously its ability to be flexible for any changes based on the host county culture, in terms of the qualifying factors which refer to that operation performance has to be above a particular level just to be consider by the customer (Slack, Chambers Johnston, pp 69), MacDonald paid attention to the quality aspect, and strive to make all its brunches standardized, therefore MacDonald built hamburger university to teach the franchisers how to be on the standard. Therefore MacDonald operation process aligned with the strategic objectives successfully. 9.3.5 Operation Process Due to the importance of the quality, speed, and cost MacDonald adopted decentralization methodology in its supply network, for example MacDonald in China deal with over 50 suppliers which covers 95% of the raw materials, another example show the (Chain Daily/Online) methodology of MacDonald supply network is MacDonald in United Kingdom, where MacDonald rely on the local market for its supply for almost 60% of the raw materials (Benfield /Online). Although MacDonald rely on outsource for most of its supplies but it maintained the quality part with aim to standardize the meal in all its branch locally and globally, thus MacDonald spent millions to found hamburger university, additional to the close training to the franchisers (AMI info/Online) with aim to ensure that its franchisers will provide the oriented level of quality additional to the closely monitoring and supervision (Slide share/Online). In terms of location of capacity MacDonald deal with Egypt Bakery Stores to supply part of African countries additional to Saudi market, Egypt Bakery Stores has selected by MacDonald due to the strong capacity, Egypt Bakery Stores has over 180 stores regionally (Egypt Bakery Stores/Online), in terms of MacDonald in China, MacDonald selected to start its business in China market particularly in Shenzhen the economic zone of China due to the facilitates that Shenzhen offered to the foreign firms such as cheap power, freedom to hire and fire, cheap manpower, low taxes etc (Paul, pp 478). In terms of the layout MacDonald aimed to have layout that meet its competitive needs, additional to utilize the space as possible as it can in professional and safety way (Operation management/Online). 9.3.6 Utilizing Technology As we mentioned previously how MacDonald paid high attention to the standard and quality parts in several Dimensions, for example in Australia in terms of the documentation work such as issuing and archiving documents, every branch of MacDonald required in quarterly basis to do archive for high volume of documents such as architects, surveyors, interior decorators and designers, and these documents include restaurant layouts, design guidelines, operating procedures, style guides for internal imagery, high resolution photographs and graphics libraries, to store all these documents MacDonald used to save it in CDs, MacDonald observed that this method in somehow expensive and difficult to control, therefore MacDonald deal with Aconex, Aconex offer high technology which allow all MacDonald branch to upload all the documents in one resource (website), thus with this technology MacDonald succeed to reduce costs and time, additional to facilitate a way to find the any documents easily. (Aco nex/Online) 9.3.7 Launch in Asia (Test Market-India) The biggest problem McDonald faced was during the launch of its product in India was the public image it was carrying as an International food chain and not matching Indian standards. There were concerns raised about how the burgers are made in McDonalds. Offering the cheapest burger in the world was not easy 11. In India, McDonalds chose to offer a menu that had no beef or pork items and special product formu ­lations to accommodate the Indian culture and palate. This included developing special sauces with the use of local spices, which once again, contained no beef or pork or any of their derivatives or flavorings. Furthermore, all the vegetarian products, including the mayonnaise in vegetable burg ­ers, were egg-less and 100% vegetarian. Additions to the menu have been a regular feature of McDonalds in India. The product devel ­opment team works on innovations in products. These are based on consumer insights and feedback obtained through extensive research. McDonalds in India conducts regular qualitative and quantitative studies, tracking the target consumer lifestyle across India, a practice that is followed internationally as well. All the new products are test-launched and following customer approval and feedback, the product is taken forward after making the necessary changes. The number of changes in the product offering is the greatest in India. To date, McDonalds has introduced 12 products to suit the Indian tastes. When you perceive the product range as Nothing but the best, providing quality to the customer requires extensive and meticulous quality control. This is a particularly difficult task in a land where a substantial amount of food produce is wasted every year due to lack of proper infrastructure and storage facilities. It was under these circumstances that McDonalds India went about creating the cold chain infrastructure for its restaurants in the country. As McDonalds considers the quality of its products to be of absolute importance, it sets stand ­ards for suppliers that are amongst the highest in the food industry. World over, McDonalds be ­lieves in developing close relationships with suppliers and this is precisely what it has done in India. 9.3.8 Variables Commitment Provided by McDonalds in India-building Suppliers within India In keeping with commitment of sourcing almost all the products from local country suppliers, McDonalds tried to identify Indian business which shared the level of commitment and dedication in supplying its customers with the highest quality products. In the process, McDonalds actually en ­couraged entrepreneurship, by introducing the local suppliers to its global suppliers. This associa ­tion involved transferring in latest food processing technology, thereby leading to an improvement in quality standards and helping create world class manufacturing facilities in India. This was the first step towards creating the unique cold chain. McDonalds suppliers of cheese, Dynamix Dairy, too, recognizing the needs of quality milk for making quality cheese, did set up a quality program for in house milk procurement. McDonalds local supply networks through Radhakrishna Foodland (P) Ltd, which operates distribution centers (DC) for McDonalds restaurants in Delhi Mumbai. The increase in the number of restaurants, investments in multi temperature trucks and systems, which enable the tracking of demand and supply, have helped control inventories. On its part, McDonalds constantly pushes its suppliers and DCs to bring costs down. Suppliers have to hence, necessarily find ways of improving efficiencies, reducing time and cutting costs. The Indian Value Proposition Business decisions in the company are based on emerging trends in the informal eating out industry as well as the marketplace dynamics. In the present economic environment, reviewing the external environment, macro economic factors and consumer-spending patterns is extremely important and this is reviewed along with qualitative studies. As providing value to the customer is the key, price sensitivity studies are conducted before de ­termining the pricing. The rate of inflation is also reviewed. A penetrative pricing strategy has been adopted for most of the products to sustain long-term growth. McDonalds definition of value was far broader than of most of the restaurants in its competition. With this objective, McDonalds India has launched a variety of options grouped under the umbrella of Value Meal. The a la carte items (Burgers, Wraps and McCurry Pan) can be purchased with either a small drink small fries to make up a small value meal or with a medium drink and medium fries for a medium value meal. For Rs. 10/- (net) more, the medium value meal can be upsized to a large Value Meal. This offers the customer a larger selection, and also provides value to the customers (up to Rs. 12/- on every Value Meal) with these combinations. The Happy Price Menu is a move to demonstrate to the customers that McDonalds is affordable. It aims to connect the customer with the branding, the proposition not with the price or the product alone. Under this offering, the McAloo Tikki, Chicken McGrill, Pizza McPuff and the Soft Serve Small [Hot Fudge Strawberry] are offered at Rs. 20. The En deavour is to offer good food, more convenient hours, enhanced service and great value. With the new Happy Meal which has been recently launched, the company aims at addressing the issue of value, choice and flexibility. The starting price point is Rs.55 [net] across the country and offers a wide range of burgers to choose from, viz. in addition to McAloo Tikki, Chicken McGrill and Pizza McPuff earlier, now customers can also choose from McVeggie, McChicken and Filet-O ­-Fish as part of their Happy Meal. The customer is also given the option of substituting the aerated beverage for a small McShake for Rs.8.00 more. The People and the Training-Critical to Public Relations Service is the key element of McDonalds operations. Every employee strived in providing 100 % customer satisfaction for every customer in every visit. This included friendly and attentive service, along with accuracy in order taking and anticipation of customers needs. When the Indian joint venture was formalized, the MTs were given extensive job training in Indonesia. MTs in human resources, real estate and buildings were hired and global directors worked with them to train them in the necessary areas. At McDonalds, training is combination of on-floor along with classroom training, provided by the Learning and Development department, with exposure in various aspects of business. The projected sales of each restaurant determine its staffing requirements. On an average, every restau ­rant has a staff of 40-60 people, including managers. Induction training is conducted at the time of an employees joining the organization. This was done through interactions as well as through exposure with the customer through operation training within the restaurants for a fixed period of time. The organization also provides ample opportunities of overseas training to those displaying po ­tential. Restaurant Managers are sent to the Restaurant Leadership Program held at the prestigious Hamburger University. Similarly, employees of other departments are sent abroad for various rel ­evant training programs. The Location Being located in the right place is always critical in retail. McDonalds prefers to be located at a place convenient to the people. Various parameters termed as generators by the company are studied to gauge the kind of business that could be generated from the location. Some of the generators are residences, shopping areas, offices, entertainment, education institutions along with transit points like stations or bus depots. Feasibility studies are done and once the location is finalized, the premises may either be bought or taken on a long-term lease. The joint venture company makes a majority of the investments. An in- ­house team aided by architects, interior designers and legal agencies then work on creating the restaurant. The People and the Training When the Indian joint venture was formalized, the MTs were given extensive job training in Indonesia. MTs in human resources, real estate and buildings were hired and global directors worked with them to train them in the necessary areas. At McDonalds, training is combined with on-floor along with classroom training, provided by the Learning and Development department, along with the exposure towards various aspects of business. The projected sales of each restaurant determine its staffing requirements. On an average, every restau ­rant has a staff of 40-60 people, including managers. Induction training is conducted at the time of an employees joining the organization. This was done through interactions as well as through exposure with the customer through operation training within the restaurants for a fixed period of time. The organization also provides ample opportunities of overseas training to those displaying po ­tential. Developing the Supply Chain When you perceive the product range as Nothing but the best, providing quality to the customer requires extensive and meticulous quality control. This is a particularly difficult task in a land where a substantial amount of food produce is wasted every year due to lack of proper infrastructure and storage facilities. It was under these circumstances that McDonalds India went about creating the cold chain infrastructure for its restaurants in the country. McDonalds considers quality of its products of absolute importance; it is known for setting stand ­ards for suppliers amongst the highest in food industry. World over, McDonalds be ­lieved in development of close relationships with suppliers and this is precisely what it has done in India. In the process, McDonalds actually en ­couraged entrepreneurship, by introducing the local suppliers to its global suppliers. This associa ­tion involved transfer of state-of-the-art food processing technology, thereby leading to an improvement in quality standards and helping create world class manufacturing facilities in India. This was the first step towards creating the unique cold chain. Building the Brand Once the infrastructure was ready, the build-up towards the opening of the first McDonalds restau ­rant in India began. A 3600 approach was taken, wherein the marketing, advertising and the public relations support were garnered before the launch. When McDonalds launched its first restaurants in India, the advertising done was largely local in nature. Teaser campaigns in local newspapers and extensive PR were used. Ronald McDonald parades also helped create excitement in the first few months of the launch. Mc Donalds had posi ­tioned its restaurant as a family restaurant and barred smoking and serving of alcohol on its premises. In the first two years of its launch in India, the advertising worked on increasing footfalls at its restaurants. Economy pricing of products like the ice cream cone at Rs. 7, bounce back coupons with every cone and Economeals at Rs. 29, 39 and 49 played a major role in getting customers into the restaurants. The results were apparent and resulted in a 48% increase in footfalls along with 30 % hike in the sales. From the onset, McDonalds had positioned itself as a family restaurant and barred smoking and serving of alcohol on its premises. From the year 2000, McDonalds focused on creating a dis ­tinct image of the brand in the mind of the consumer and launched its McDonalds main hai kuch baat campaign. It was the first Quick Service Restaurant [QSR] brand in the country to start adver ­tising on television. The first commercial Stage fright brought out the emotional bond between a father and child. In the same year, the company aired its 1V commercial for the Rs. 7/- soft serve cone cam ­paign, thereby establishing its value proposition. However, research also indicated that people were unaware of the food served by McDonalds. This led to the creation of an advertising campaign which focused on familiarizing customers with the food served at McDonalds. The film showed peo ­ple dreaming of the food served at McDonalds, thus depicting the range of products it offered. Sub ­sequently, in 2002, the company moved to a new tagline To Aaj McDonalds Ho Jaye, which indicated that now McDonalds is a part of your daily life. Consumer research also pointed out that a larger mix of offering was required in its vegetarian menu and McDonalds consciously addressed this need. The company also became aware that eating out, though gaining in frequency, was still largely a family affair. Hence, it was relegated mainly to evenings and the weekends. Another significant finding of the research was that the father, the decision-maker in the family, did not find the food served relevant to him. It wasnt filling enough or to his taste. Taking these nuggets of information, the company worked on extending its range of products and added the Wrap [2002] and the McCurry Pan [2003] to the menu, thereby providing choice and variety as well as addressing the willingness issue that the father faced. The Happy Price Menu came close on the heels of the marketing initiative im lovin it which was launched in September 2003. It has been designed with the purpose of connecting McDonalds with its customers in highly relevant and culturally significant ways around the world. The commu ­nication about this new offering is funky and funny and tells you that McDonalds is a great place at a great price restricted not only to the product, but also extending to the experience. The new television commercials show that any excuse, however small, is a good enough reason to come to McDonalds. The marketing proposition, What your bahana is? speaks to the customer in his lan ­guage, with research once again providing insights for the communication. In an effort to bring the Golden Arches closer to the consumer, The company plans a phased roll out in the region once the operations are established. The key objective for starting de ­liveries is to increase convenience for the customers, so as to enable them to enjoy McDonalds prod ­ucts in the comfort of their homes. At the same time, it aims to make the service hassle-free and easy to use. The concept per se, is not new, as the delivery business has been running successfully in coun ­tries like Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia and Singapore. It is also in line with the international strategy of growing its customer base instead of increasing the number of restaurants. Furthermore, the deliv ­ery model is based on the companys own international standards and is therefore, different in some ways than other local chains. McDonalds is the first in India to have a single toll-free number which customers call to place their order. The call centre determines as to which restaurant the order should be directed. According to Mr. Amit Jatia, Joint Venture Partner Managing Director, McDonalds [Western India], Research conducted by McDonalds has shown that people were ready to try something new and convenient, which would also be value for money. This encouraged the company to launch kiosks in Mumbai in 2004. Kiosks are a point of sales with a limited menu and have been introduced to offer a convenient option for customers who wish to purchase only desserts. Currently, there are 7 kiosks which are op ­erational. These kiosks offer a unique new range of desserts and cold beverages, which are 100% vegetarian. The menu comprises of aerated beverages, non-aerated beverages such as iced tea and cold coffee, soft serves and floats. The strategy is To build brand presence by increasing points of distribution and providing variety to the customers. These are cold kiosks and they serve frozen desserts only. The kiosks are in close proximity of the existing McDonalds outlets only. Serving the Society In keeping with its international policy of serving the society, McDonalds India has also partici ­pated in and supported heath initiatives like the Pulse Polio Immunization program since 1998. In the same year, McDonalds also started Spotlight, an annual inter-school performing arts compe ­tition to provide the students with an atmosphere for healthy competition. Last year, more than 300 schools participated in the event. Other initiatives include its association with the Nehru Science Centre in the year 2000, to bring to the schools of Mumbai, a science quiz, and partnering with the Nalanda Foundation, in the year 2002, for its Blue dot Education Initiative for the under-privileged girl-child. In the near future, the company aims to focus on core markets, get the scale there and then look at further expansion. It plans to add 10 -15 restaurants each year [2004 2005] and estimates a total revenue growth of 40-45% over 2003, of which deliveries will contribute 15- Serving the Society-Assurance In keeping with its international policy of serving the society, McDonalds India has also partici ­pated in and supported heath initiatives like the Pulse Polio Immunization programme since 1998. In the same year, McDonalds also started Spotlight, an annual inter-school performing arts compe ­tition to provide the students with an atmosphere for healthy competition. Last year, more than 300 schools participated in the event. Other initiatives include its association with the Nehru Science Centre in the year 2000, to bring to the schools of Mumbai, a science quiz, and partnering with the Nalanda Foundation, in the year 2002, for its Blue dot Education Initiative for the under-privileged girl-child. Relationship among Variables The key reason behind the success of McDonalds has been the integration of all key objectives and variables under one roof, and then aligning global strategy in the local format. They have used their extensive Public relations capability to build up a strong bonding among the variables. It has bought all the stakeholders at the same platform and assured success and benefit for each one of them. This in turned assured that all of them strive to achieve what McDonalds was set out to achieve when it came to India.