Medicinal Marijuana use in the United States Essay

Although many individuals find medical marijuana illegal, and unnecessary, it is a natural herb used to help symptoms caused by chronic illnesses. Over three million Americans use medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is the most widely used drug used to treat chronic illnesses in seventeen states. The use of medical marijuana has been a controversial issue here in the United States. Although, there are healthcare professionals that do believe that the use of medical marijuana can be very beneficial for patients. Just as there are benefits associated with the use of medical marijuana there are also negative effects. Many American are still unfamiliar with Medical Marijuana, so what is medical marijuana? Medical marijuana also known as â€Å"cannabis sativa†(Harold E Dowieko 2009) is a naturally growing plant that produces tetra-hydrocannabinol and cannabidiol.(Harold E Dowieko 2009) These chemicals are both thought to have possible effects on lessening the bad side effects from chronic diseases. Medical marijuana has been used for health reasons for centuries. Marijuana was a legal herb in the United States until 1937 when the United States passed a law making it illegal to sell. (Kring, Davinson, Naele & Johnson 2007) Marijuana was then made legal for medicinal use in 1995. The state of California was the first state in the United States to make marijuana legal for medical purposes. Medicinal marijuana is now legal in seventeen states. These states include; â€Å"Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington state.† (â€Å"Thc.me History†, n.d.) In all of these state a patient can obtain a medical marijuana license, also referred to as a â€Å"green card,† from a licensed physician. Patients must have documentation stating what chronic illnesses they have that may require the need for medicinal marijuana. The physician will then decide if the use of marijuana will be beneficial. Medical marijuana has been proven to benefit patients who have multiple illnesses. The most common uses for medical marijuana are; pain relief, loss of appetite, depression, and diseases such as AIDS and cancer. TCH has been proven to block pain receptors in the brain. The blockage of these pain receptors allows patients dealing with chronic pain to have some relief. Medicinal marijuana also stimulates appetite, and relieves symptoms associated with depression, AIDS and cancer. This enables patients to not have to rely on the use of prescription pain pills such opiods. Meidcal marijuana is also less addictive, and has less physical side effects than other prescription pain relievers. Just as there are positive benefits associated with medical marijuana there are some health risks. First, marijuana is not regulated by the FDA. The FDA is the food and drug administration. They regulate medication and ensure the safety and risk associated with drugs. Without the FDA regulating medical marijuana there is no way for patients to know if they are getting correct information pertaining to the exact marijuana they are smoking, and if there may be additives or chemicals on the marijuana. This can be risky for patients, because marijuana comes in much different strength. The FDA has also found that dosing of medical marijuana is hard due to the effects taking around thirty minutes for patients to feel. The main health risk that medical marijuana has is psychological effects. According to Kring, Davinson, Naele, and Johnson â€Å" rapid shifts of emotion, to dull attention, to fragment thoughts, impair of memory, and sense that time is moving more slowly.† (Chapter 10) Kring, Davinson, Naele, and Johnson also stated â€Å"extremely heavy dosing has been found to induce hallucinations and other effects similar to those of LSD.† (Chapter 10)Another risk associated with medicinal cannabis is the harmful effect done to lungs. There have been many studies done that look at the respiratory risk associated with regular marijuana use. In one study done with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey it concluded that the risk of respiratory illness does rise. Marijuana damages lungs just as smoke cigarettes. The last major health risk associated with medical marijuana is a lowered immune system. This can be very dangerous for patients that are dealing with cancer and AIDS. Since these patients already have very low immune systems because of their disease. Doctors prescribing medicinal marijuana must ensure that the benefits of marijuana use out ways the risks. Although a controversial issue in the United States medical marijuana does have many potential health benefits for patients with chronic illnesses. Statistics now show that eight out of ten Americans support the use of medicinal marijuana. This is because previously I have stated through studies done; the benefits of medical marijuana outweigh the risks associated with medical marijuana use. With already seventeen states in the United States allowing the legalization of medical marijuana. It is fair to say medical marijuana can be very helpful for patients who need it. Currently there are more states in the process of trying to legalize medical marijuana. Some say eventually marijuana as a whole will be a legal substance in the United States. In years to come as Americans we will see how medical marijuana plays a role in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. References Moore, B., Auguston, E., & Moser, r. (2012, October). Respiratory Effects of Marijuana and Tobacco Use in a U.S. Sample Bostwick, M. (2012, February Day). Blurred Boundaries: The Therapeutics and Politics of Medical Marijuana. , p. . dowieko, h. E. (2009). Concepts of medical dependency (7th ed.). : cengage learning. Kring, A. M., Davinson, G. G., Naele, J. M., &Johnson. S. L. (2007). Abnormal Psychology [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. : John Wiley and Sons INC.. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, website. THC.me History. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thc.me

Environmental Factors Influencing Alton Towers Uk Tourism Essay Essay

It was a challenge for me to work on this project, because it is a learning process for me that how, I could tackle this question therefore I collected primary and secondary data for my project and try my best to analyze the whole situation and produce a good Peace of work. I gather information about Theme parks called Alton tower. After getting the brief knowledge about this theme park and their strength and weaknesses, through assess to Alton tower website. With the help of some good secondary data such as different website and books sources. I used some marketing strategies such as segmentation which is used to target different types of consumers and it will help to find out how this theme park can do something new among other competitor further I did a pest analyses , created a good pricing strategies which will help this theme parks to do long term planning and allow them to face different threats and problems in a defendable way . Political factor effect very much because Government changes frequently and every Government makes it own policy, which cancel or postponed the previous policies and new policies are implemented, which start their work from zero point and all the previous work and policies result fruitless. Such as theme park might have problems in pricing strategies , if Taxes increasing , expensive increasing , timing factor etc so due to this it can influence the theme park negatively . On other hand if government policies are in the favor of business sector so might be possible that it will help Alton Tower and they can earn more profit margins ,Such as recently UK government has reduce the VAT value added tax which will increase the demand of costumers coming towards theme parks more so this show that it’s a good step taken by government in favor of business sector. . Government Development When it comes to development so government some time can play a vital role in improving the society standard such as government can give funds to theme parks or provide good facilities for people who comes over there for  enjoyments such built sitting area , emergency help desk , locater and maps of London in theme parks for tourists . Environmental protection and regulation To protect the environment government always force the theme park management to be stick on this issue and aware there costumers to follow the regulation such as left eating items , garbic , should be through in dustbins and whole theme park should be Cover up by dustbins . Cars should be not allowed in theme parks they should have separate parking yard due to pollution which is spoiling the environment . Government should put billboards of Environmental protection and regulation on entrance of theme parks to aware people. Contract enforcing law over costumer’s safety. In this factor government will always try their best to make sure that theme parks are having good safety precaution for costumers and whole theme parks is fully covered by CCTV so that they can defend in good way against any dangerous situation. Economical Inflation In this factor if the price increase over all the UK and there is high amount of inflation in country so this will affect the theme park, because there will be a decrease in public spending due to inflation . further if inflation is rising so there will be increase in cost of theme parks such as expenses will rise up , therefore theme park will have no other option left and they will increase their tickets price also . Economic development If the Alton theme parks does a good business ever year such as many people or tourist love to come to UK for enjoyment and in this case Alton theme  park Is a good example of entertainment and many people would like to visit it due to this it will have a positive impact over economic conditions of UK, such as there will be increase in GDP , Globalization will increase and there will be a big boom in tourist industry . Employment Alton theme park is place which is full of entertainment and in this case many people want to visit it in different seasons such as summer vacations is a good season in which theme parks are fully crowded . To handle that demand of people Alton theme park will need workers in their organization every year . Theme park can play a vital role in seasonal employment which is good for economic growth because unemployment will be reduced. Mac Gee (2004) Pg 415, (themeparks UK, 2008), titley, b.pg 378 (1993). Social Life style changes When we talk about life style so now days different people have different life style . According to people they want something new in life so therefore they decide to have some good vacations or holidays so that they can stay relax for some time in such busy world , so theme park like Alton can play a vital role in changing life style of people this theme park can allow people to stay relax and have peace in their life such as it has good atmosphere , hotel nice fun place for family and couples . Population and age population and growth rate is a very important factor which can influence any business in a positive or negative way and when it comes to theme park like Alton tower , they need costumers so that they can have good business growth and UK has a good population which is helpful to this theme park and in this population theme parks are more attractive towards kids around 10 to 15 or  teen agers so this will help Alton theme parks to do segmentation of people who can be interested in theme parks and then they can target generation X (10-16 ) and Y (16 – 20 ) .more . Living conditions This is factor which Alton theme park should focus more because this theme parks have hotel arrangements for costumers therefore they have to be perfect in keeping good Quaintly standard living conditions so that customers are satisfied in a good way and once costumers are happy form there services this will help to improve theme parks image and good growth in sales what is pest analysis. (2008).

Group Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Group Decision Making - Essay Example There are studies which support the concept that groups influence work behavior. A group is composed of individuals working together towards common goals by interacting with one another and utilizing appropriate resources. They need a certain period of time for common interests to be discussed, explained and internalized so that stability and efficiency would ensue. From the cohesiveness that a group develops, certain level of performance is achieved. It is therefore the objective of this paper to proffer issues pertinent to group decision making by focusing on experiences with group decision making in a professional setting. One successful and one unsuccessful experience would be identified. Likewise, the reasons for the group’s good or poor performance, drawing from concepts in the course readings would be identified and discussed, accordingly. A group is composed of individuals working together towards common goals by interacting with one another and utilizing some resources. They need a certain period of time for common interests to be discussed, explained and internalized so that stability and efficiency would ensue. According to Martires & Fule (2000, 109), â€Å"many specific roles can be categorized according to the actual behaviors of the group members. Group-building roles lead the group toward positive member interaction and interpersonal behavior†. Different studies present varying models of a typical decision-making process depending on their perspectives. Some models follow eight steps, others five. For purposes of making intuitive choices, one structurally follows six steps in decision making. The six steps of this natural, intuitive decision-making process, according to Ethics Resource Center (2009) are: â€Å"Step 1: Define the problem; Step 2: Identify available alternative solutions to the problem; Step 3: Evaluate the identified alternatives; Step 4: Make the

People Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

People Management - Assignment Example These other steps are of great importance in the marketing sector, where a good relationship with the customer is the ultimate goal( Armstrong, 37) Human resource is one of the most difficult and challenging resources to manage. Humans have emotions as opposed to machines which can be programed to do various tasks. Skills on management of people who are hard to manage are therefore very necessary. Most of the time the hardest challenges have the simplest solutions. First the managers have to accept that management is cumbersome and stop fighting it. This helps in approaching delicate employees’ issues with positivity. Secondly, they should face those issues head on and solve them promptly. In order to handle the challenges effectively, they should see them both from the managerial and employee perspective. Employees can sometimes be very difficult and stressful to deal with, therefore help from others like a colleague, a mentor or one’ own manager, would be very helpful. Their response about a given employee would be very critical in decision making. Setting up of clear and measurable goals is also an important to ol when evaluating individual employee’s performance. Lastly, they should view employees from the perspective of â€Å"a liability or an asset†. If an employee is an asset, keep him/her but if a liability let go (Richardson, 36). 1. Have a one-on-one discussion with her. Make her free to present her case and listen carefully to her concerns. This will help in coming up with an amicable solution to her problems. Listening to her would save the day because there could just be a mere misunderstanding. 2. Provide her with a crystal clear behavioral feedback. This would involve telling her what she should do differently to regain the trust of the customers. This may entail transferring her to another branch to meet new customers (Neil, 80). 3. Make a list of the mistakes Alexander has

CLUB IT Part Two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CLUB IT Part Two - Essay Example Ruby’s existing website is currently being updated. Ruby’s already has one desktop work station equipped with at 320 GB hard drive and the latest version of Microsoft business software. The club is already equipped with high speed internet access. At the same time, in order to make use of these resources, Ruby’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) must incorporate the acquisition of new hardware, software and human resources. The required upgrades will include: Hardware: One new desktop, with similar specifications as the existing work station. Three new hand-held point-of-sale devices, one wireless internet router, and four additional power points in customer dining areas. Human Resources: Ruby’s will hire one new employee full-time with basic skills in programming and network management. Maintaining the website and in-store network will be this employees primary function, but he or she should also have basic customer services skills and be able to assist and fill in for wait staff and hostesses during IT â€Å"down time.† These resources will allow Ruby’s to expand its online sales as well as to adapt to future IT changes, thus allowing Rub’s to take full advantage of our customer base. First, Ruby’s will expand its online ordering system to include not only advance ticket sales, but also an expanded line of merchandise as well as exclusive online sales of featured artists’ mp3’s and compact discs. Finally, in addition to Ruby’s new schedule of live hip hop, R &B and Latin music and community events, Ruby’s plans to host weekly Tuesday and Thursday â€Å"quiet† happy hours designed to appeal to millennial and net users; students and creative workers who work from home. Customers will be able to access free wireless and numerous power-points throughout Ruby’s customer seating area. Supply Chain and Customers: In addition to failing to take advantage of existing resources and customer base,

Sharpe's Budget Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sharpe's Budget Problem - Essay Example The cash budget should include the all the costs likely to be paid and cash to be received (Crosson, Power, and Needles, 2011). The direct cost are the expenses incurable which are directly associated with the revenue sources, and/or can be directly apportioned to that source of the revenue with a high degree of accuracy. The cash budget should be monitored closely so as to establish how closely the company has adhered to meeting its objectives with respects to its finances (Hilton, Thorne and Lang field-Smith, 2006). In order to achieve this, it is expedient to prepare a variance report. A variance statement will contrasts the expected cash outflow and expenditure. ... It will be imprudent for a company to fail to produce a cash budget. In this case, the sales of the company are increasing and collections are made at a rate of 10% of sales during the month, 60% of the sales during the month presiding the month of sales, and 30% in the second month following the sale. Rent and other expenditures are made each month and do not vary. Tax is paid only in the month of March and June, 2004 at the rate of $ 22,500 during the period under consideration. Workings NOTE 1 cash collections Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sales 90,000 120,000 135,000 240,000 300,000 270,000 225,000 150,000 Cash sales 10% of sales 9,000 12,000 13,500 24,000 30,000 27,000 22,500 15,000 Notes – 2 collections Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug sales 220,000 175,000 90,000 120,000 135,000 240,000 300,000 270,000 225,000 150,000 60% of sales 132,000 105,000 54,000 72,000 81,000 144,000 180,000 162,000 135,000 30% of sales 66,000 52,500 27,000 36,000 40,500 72,000 90,000 8 1,000 Total collections for the month 171,000 106,500 99,000 117,000 184,500 252,000 252,000 216,000 Notes – 3 purchases payments Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug sales 220,000 175,000 90,000 120,000 135,000 240,000 300,000 270,000 225,000 150,000 Purchases 60% 54,000 72,000 81,000 144,000 180,000 162,000 135,000 90,000 - - Payments 54,000 72,000 81,000 144,000 180,000 162,000 135,000 90,000 - Payment of notes payable of $ 200,000 Sharpe requires cash of $ 200,000 to pay notes payable. There are two scenarios in this case, the first case is where the not payable are paid without interest. In this case, the company has ample cash to repay the notes. The following is the cash budget after factoring in the notes payable at the end of July. The assumption that the

Create an argument that explains your point of view Essay

Create an argument that explains your point of view - Essay Example Rolling Stone tries to evaluate his past life and finding reasons why he engaged in the bombing. What factors in his life motivated his actions. It however, is debatable on the question as to whether they are awarding him a celebrity status considering how they went about it. Putting him on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine which is on â€Å"normal† cases braced by celebrities and rap stars, is in a way giving him a celebrity status. The average American citizen or even anywhere else in the world takes what he or she is fed by the media seriously. In a large sense the sets the agenda for the public. They determine, to a big extent, which models will be talked about by the public, which music the public will be excited about and in this case, arguably, who will be the next celebrity. By putting him on the cover, they did just that. It is however risky to give him a celebrity status considering he will develop a following which will turn out to be counterproductive. This shoul d not be mistaken as an outright rejection for the story, it is important that people also understand the â€Å"other† life of suspects like Tsarnaev. However, this should be done very carefully so it doesn’t seem as though the acts they are suspected of are being glorified. Images, for instance the one used on the cover of Rolling Stone seems glorifying. ... The question that people will probably be asking is how this magazine influences on other would be bombers. The article might actually encourage more of attention desperate individuals to engage in such acts. Al-Qaida, a self-confessed terror group indicated in their twitter handle that they were happy of all the media attention they were receiving due to the west gate attack in Kenya. This means that the terrorists value attention, and they do most of what they do to get attention. Now giving them this attention by reporting the acts of bombing, most people think should be enough. Going ahead and featuring them on a celebrity magazine, on the cover of it, is not the best way to deny them the attention. Tsarnaev is now becoming an iconic figure for his followers. Assuming they were more who engaged in one way or another in the bombing, the featuring of Tsarnaev makes them feel as though they can as well do with the attention. The magazine is turning him into some sort of a hero for h e has done. Celebrities are known to be individuals highlighted by the media mostly because of the interest they arouse among the public. Tsarnaev, should not arouse interest and the media should not attempt to paint him as arousing interest. As human beings we all have an evil part. It is said, that all human beings have a potential of being an angel or a beast, how we turn out all depends on which is natured by the society. For balance and stability, our evil parts should be shunned and our good parts honed. The media has a huge responsibility in shaping these. In the social media, due to the anonymity provided by such platforms, people often praise bad and glorify evil. This could be to get attention or to feel up for social gaps at home or in

Why Do Small Businesses Fail Analysing the Reasons for their High Rate Essay

Why Do Small Businesses Fail Analysing the Reasons for their High Rate of Failure in the UK - Essay Example Studies show that by the third year of starting up, at least half of them close down. While there are external factors such as inadequate funding that leads to this, part of the reason is also internal - such as the work culture, the marketing being poor, the location not being right, the product being ahead or behind its times, and so on. Therefore, for an entrepreneur to succeed, it is essential that they come with not only a product/service plan but also its business plan and a back up in case the first one does not work. In the first place, there is a lot of concern that not many innovative ideas find the light of the day in the UK. According to a study commissioned by NESTA, an early stage investor in innovative and creative businesses, 80% of innovative ideas do not see the light of the day as knowledge of how to go about it, lack of funds and lack of time. However, the biggest concern was the fear of failure - what if the venture failed According to a Cambridge University's Centre for Business Research study (Fielding2, 2006) based on three surveys of more than 1,000 SMEs conducted in 1991, 1997 and 2004, SME survival rates fell from 59% to 54% over the same period. Between 1991 and 1997, 28% of the companies in the survey failed; between 1997 and 2004, that proportion rose to 32%. Among its more worrying findings, the research reveals a significant decline since 1997 in the proportion of SMEs carrying out research and development activities - from 52% to 38% - even though R&D investment is considered vital to this sector of the UK economy. Such statistics would clearly deter anyone from venturing into setting up a new business. Supporting this is the CBR finding that, since 1997, research and development activities of the small and medium enterprises fell from 52% to 38% despite it being considered important by the UK government. According to Finfacts Ireland3 website: The decline in the UK's early stage entrepreneurship rate, from 6.2 per cent to 5.8 per cent, was partly attributed to the growth in jobs in the financial services sector, where the lure of high wages was attracting many would-be entrepreneurs. According to a press release on the Small Business Service4 website: In 2005, there were 177,900 registrations and 152,900 de-registrations, resulting in an increase of 25,000 (1.4 per cent) in the stock of VAT-registered enterprises during 2005. Chapter 2 Why Start-Up The industry is already filled with businesses - large, medium and small - offering products and services right from a safety pin to aeroplane. Then why another company Is it merely the entrepreneurial spirit or is there truly something new on offer Unless the entrepreneur can truly answer this question, there may really be no point in starting a new business. For, several times, it may be the same idea in an old bottle. For instance, an idea may be approached from

Article Critique Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Critique - Article Example Questionnaires were also administered to both groups. The focus of the questions is the kind of stress and the coping strategies suggested by mothers. The results of the study reveal that depending on the extent of the stress, the influence of the mothers’ suggested coping strategies may be adapted by the youth. Furthermore, the research shows that the youth would react positively to stress if their mothers offer some tips on how to deal with peer stress. clinical psychology, psychology graduate students, a post baccalaureate-level research assistant, or advanced undergraduate students†. They were trained extensively for the job that they were supposed to do. The qualifications of the interviewers add credence to the results of the study. Another strength of the study is that the conclusions are validated by the correlation analysis applied to the data gathered. The interpretation and discussion of the results are clearly disseminated in the report. One weakness of the study is that only mothers were included in the research. It is important to note that parenting does not only involve mothers. Fathers play an important role too in the development of the child. The study assumes that it is only the mothers who offer suggestions on coping with peer stress. With regards to the participants of the study, there is no mention how they were chosen and what was the basis in selecting them. An important part of the study is the definition of the terms that are used in the research. It is appreciated that the terms â€Å"engagement† and â€Å"disengagement† responses are clearly defined at the beginning of the article. The listing down and description of the four categories of the responses to stress gives a more meaningful understanding of the results of the questionnaires and interviews. This research is very significant in enhancing the relationship between mothers and their adolescent child. Since the research showed

Herbert Mullin Criminal Profile Essay Example for Free

Herbert Mullin Criminal Profile Essay Mullin Herbert Mullin was born in Salina California which happens to be the anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake as well as Einstein’s death. He was the youngest between him and his sibling, Patricia. He was raised by both parents Jean and Bill Mullin. He didn’t have any problems in school he was popular and physically attractive. He had a good childhood but through his life span he made a lot of wrong decisions that includes drug abuse which aggravated schizophrenia. In high school he had a lot of friends and was quite popular. He played football and had a steady relationship and was voted most likely to succeed. At the age of eighteen he attended Cabrillo College to study engineering. In the summer of 1967 he graduated with a two year degree in road engineering and enrolled at San Jose State College change his major to philosophy and took on the hippie lifestyle. At the age of twenty-one In June 1965 people began to think that his sanity was deteriorating due to the fact that he built a shrine in his bedroom to Dean, his friend that was killed in a car accident the summer after graduation. At the age of nineteen he first experienced LSD which lead him to experimenting more with marijuana and LSD. At the age of twenty one he was arrested for possession of marijuana. At the age of 21 at a family dinner he started showing signs of schizophrenia which was aggravated by drug abuse. At the age of twenty two Herbert Mullin began treatment as a resident of the community drug abuse prevention center in Santa Cruz. Later that year Herbert Mullin was committed to the psychiatric ward of San Luis Obispo County General Hospital because with is mental disorder he was a danger to others, himself and gravely disabled. A month later he was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. He was not one that cared to take his medication. In the summer of 1970 he was diagnosed as a schizo-affective schizophrenia. In 1970 he began blaming his parents for his illness and in result took them out of his will. Herbert killed people believing that if he started to kill people it will lessen the chances of another hurricane happening in his area. He did this by only killing random Caucasians from the age of 4 to 72. He bought his materials to the crime scene such as a gun, knife, and baseball bat. He was a psychotic visionary. Mullin had no developmental problems according to Erikson. He went through all the stages where he experience love and finding out what personality he wants to embrace. This is the point and time when he realizes that he is a bisexual. The motivation behind it seems to be the fact that he was born the day that Albert Einstein died and the anniversary of San Francisco Earthquake. Freud would have said that he is anticathexis because he gives off the sense that his ego is blocking the socially unacceptable needs of id. Mullin for example when he found out that his target moved he went after him and killed him as planned. Afterwards he couldn’t resist the urge to go back and kill the messenger who could have been a witness in the killing incident that happened before her and her family. Bibliography * Watts, Vernetta. Californian Guilty in 10 Murder Cases. (1973, August 20). New York Times, P. 10. Mullin, Herbert. N. P. , n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. * Santa Cruz Serial Killer, Herbert Mullin, Denied Parole Central Coast News KION/KCBA. Santa Cruz Serial Killer, Herbert Mullin, Denied Parole Central Coast News KION/KCBA. 13 May 2013 * Freudian  Theory. About. com Psychology. N. P. , n. d. Web. 16 May 2013.

Vocabulary On Writing In EFL Learners

Vocabulary On Writing In EFL Learners Vocabulary knowledge has been considered as basic principles of learning English and it also has a determinant impact on EFL Witting skills. Writing is one of the important ways to learn English language that involves students ideas into the written text. Vocabulary mastery is one of knowledge that important to learn writing, listening, reading, and speaking A good writer has to know a set of vital items to enrich his writing such as grammar punctuation, capitalization rules; figurative language; rhyme; rhythm; and vocabulary. One item that can power up writing is a strong vocabulary. Spoken and written words are used to communicate ideas, thoughts, and emotions and they are so common among EFL learners, sometimes communicating will be successful and sometimes its quite reverse. To write an article, essay or even a composition which is written at school by students, good vocabulary is an essential object. Knowing synonyms and using strong vocabularies, give readers a good sense of meaning and information will make the writing more influential. In Santos, 1988; Astika,1993 study(cited in Lee,2003) has shown that lack of vocabulary contributes to writing difficulty for foreign language learners and that vocabulary is one of the most important features that determine writing quality The current article focused on the impact of vocabulary on writing in EFL learners. Importance of Vocabulary in Writing Vocabulary is defined as knowledge of words which is considered vital for language development and acquisition and is recognized as an essential factor in writing. It can also describe as the ability to use words in the generation and understanding of sentences. Beck, McCaslin, McKeown, 1980 study(cited in Yonek,2008)There is a substantial body of evidence demonstrating a link between vocabularies and students ability to read and comprehend passages. Researchers have also explored the role of vocabulary in three main aspects of students writing performance: (a) shaping teachers perceptions of writing quality; (b) predicting students overall writing performance, and (c) enhancing the quality of students written compositions( Papadopoulou, 2007,p.35). Papadopoulou,2007 said that there is a positive relationship between mature vocabulary (assessed by lexical choice) and high quality ratings. Particularly, when Neilsen and Piche (1981) compared the effects of syntactic complexity versus lexical choice on the ratings of writing quality, they reported high quality ratings for passages with mature vocabulary regardless of the passages syntactic complexity. Similarly, according to Papadopoulou,2007 examined the role of vocabulary in formatting teachers judgments of college freshmens written arguments:. It was reported that the appropriateness of words used, rather than the simple production of words, was more important in influencing teachers judgments of writing quality. The number of diction or word-choice errors per 100 words written was found to be a particularly strong predictor of writing quality. (Papadopoulou,2007,p.102) Vocabulary is also considered as a strong predictor of students overall writing performance when vocabulary scores are compared to more elaborated criterion measures of written expression such as the Test of Written Language (Towel;Hammill Larsen, 1978), the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT; Madden, Gardner,Rudman, Karlsen, Merwin, 1978), and the Developmental Sentence Scoring System (Lee Canter, 1971). Significant research has been conducted on the effects of vocabulary instruction on reading performance but studies investigating vocabulary instruction and writing are few (Duin Graves, 1987). It also illustrates the effects of vocabulary instruction on the quality of students written products. (Yonek,2008,p.68) Despite the correlations between verbal ability and writing, the nature of the relationship between the two is less certain. A rich vocabulary allows writer to get a richness of thought onto paper. However, the writers real pleasure comes not from using an exotic word but from using the right word. In other research, effective writing has also been shown to be reliant upon verbal working memory . Those students who have considerable difficulty in producing well written compositions suffer from underdeveloped oral proficiency levels. According to Bereiter Scardamalia, 1987 study,(cited in Lee,2003)Further research shows that verbal memory limitations impact both quantity and quality of writing . In writing, using correct verbs, propositions and grammatical point is so important. Vocabulary and writing: Finding the right words In some ways, the ability to write effectively hinges upon having an adequate vocabulary even more than does the ability to read. Once students have learned to decode words, they may be able to read and pronounce many words that are unfamiliar to them. They may even be able to determine accurate meanings of unfamiliar words simply by examining the context in which those words are used. During the writing process, however, a student does not have the luxury of examining the context in which a word is used; he or she is creating the context. Therefore, the writer must be able to spontaneously recall words that are known not only by sight, but that are understood well enough to use correctly. Writing is dependent upon the ability to draw upon words to describe an event. The breadth and depth of a students vocabulary will have a direct influence upon the descriptiveness, accuracy, and quality of his or her writing. Yonek( 2008) notes, variety in selecting words to convey accurate meanings is necessary in speaking and writing, the outgoes of the language arts and at any level, written communication is more effective when a depth of vocabulary and command of language is (p. 25-26). Principles of vocabulary development Since words are the writers most important tools, vocabulary development must be an important and ongoing part of classroom learning. In Laflamme (1997) study( cited in yonek 2008) offers several key principles that should guide the creation and implementation of a comprehensive vocabulary development program. 1. Teachers must offer direct instruction of techniques or procedures for developing a broad and varied vocabulary. This instruction can be provided both formally through the language arts program, and informally through various classroom interactions-such as story time-with students. 2. New vocabulary terms must be connected to students previous knowledge and experiences. If students are unable to contextualize new words by attaching them to words and concepts they already understand, the words will likely have little meaning to them, and if meaning is lacking, the chances are pupils will memorize terms and concepts for testing purposes only or largely. 3. Students should be able to contextualize the vocabulary terms they have learned and use them in society. In order for students to do this successfully, they must first learn to become comfortable using these words in the classroom. Students should be required or encouraged to incorporate new vocabulary terms into their oral and written reports and presentations. 4. Practice and repetition are important methods by which students can become familiar with new words and under- stand how they may be used correctly .Students should be frequently exposed to the same words through practice exercises, classroom use, and testing. 5. Teachers should model an enthusiasm for and curiosity about new words through their own behaviors and attitudes. Teachers who are enthusiastic about vocabulary development will automatically look for teachable moments throughout the day, pointing out interesting words as they crop up in texts, stories, or conversation; asking students to explore alternative ways of expressing concepts; and helping identify colorful, descriptive ways of speaking and writing. 6. Schools, teachers, and students must be committed to vocabulary development over the long term. The teaching of vocabulary must be an interdisciplinary project, integrated into the curriculum at every level. Effects of vocabulary Instruction on writing and using vocabulary to improve writing skills Efforts to improve writing performance through vocabulary instruction have been limited making generalizations about the role of vocabulary instruction unwarranted. However, a few studies examining the effects of vocabulary instruction on writing reveal some promising findings between the two. While improved vocabulary can enhance students writing skills, there is no guarantee that it will do so automatically. Improvement in vocabulary will result in improved writing skills only if the teacher is able to create a classroom that takes writing seriously. In Corona, Spangenberger 1998 study (cited in lee 2003) in such a classroom, process and environment are closely intertwined and interdependent. The process does not come alive unless the environment is conducive to it. The following are techniques teachers can use to create a writing-centered classroom. 1. Sharing vocabulary-rich literature by reading books, poems, and stories that contain interesting vocabulary, teachers can both introduce new words and provide a forum for discussing them. It helps the students become better writers, 2. Helping students to look for interesting words. There are many different forms this can take. For example, students could pair up and look through books for words that catch their attention, then write down common words that the author could have used instead. 3. Offering a variety of writing opportunities. A writer-centered classroom emphasizes using written expression to communicate ideas. Writing is an important part of all areas of the curriculum. The authors go on to note that students have a greater investment in their writing when they are given choices about their assignments. Such choices may include journal or diary entries, weekly logs summarizing journal entries, book reports, outlines, poetry, autobiographies, short stories, or any number of variations on the above. 4. Providing sample time for students to fully experience the writing process . The teaching of writing should be approached as a process that must be studied in depth, and substantial blocks of time should be devoted to writing. 5. Allowing students to conference with teachers and fellow students. When writing topics are chosen, students should meet with their teacher to discuss ideas and answer questions. The teachers role is to encourage, build on existing strengths, and help the student expand his or her abilities. Conferencing with fellow students gives the budding writer the opportunity to share ideas, brainstorm, and rework his or her project. Research (Henry, Scott Wells, 1999;cited in Yonek 2008) has shown Teachers who are following principles relating to vocabulary development: valuing words is critical to student learning, wide reading and direct instruction are critical components to vocabulary learning, and modeling word consciousness with a focus on language use encouraged students to pay attention to words Conclusion: In Scott 2004, study (cited in Lee 2003) research shows that having a large and sophisticated vocabulary helps a writer produce quality text by limiting the cognitive demands during a writing task. Though research connecting effective vocabulary instruction and writing is limited, some studies suggest that rich vocabulary instruction and developing word consciousness can positively influence writing. Principles identified from the research relating to generalized effects in comprehension as a result of vocabulary instruction may serve as the basis for effective instructional methods designed to increase word knowledge to a degree that can affect writing.

Essay --

Mobile Distributed Information System Fundamentals and Architecture of Mobile Distributed Information System Q1. What is a mobile distributed information system? Answer. In today's mobile society, access to relevant information and to context-specific services "anytime, anywhere" is becoming increasingly important. This is the environment for our research, development and consulting activities in selected current topics of Mobile Distributed Information Systems. Mobile users are often particularly interested in information about and services in their immediate vicinity, thus Mobile Distributed Information Systems must address location-dependent distribution of and access to services and information from mobile devices. The user's topological and geographical location becomes relevant for the semantics of communication, and such communication has to remain seamless even in foreign environments, with little or no need for manual reconfiguration. Frequently, in addition to his locat ion, the user's current situation determines his information and service requirements. With mobile devices becoming more and more powerful, mobile users themselves may offer information and services to peers in an improvised manner. As a result, the long-established distinction between clients and servers is blurred, which calls for an extension of the architecture prototype towards peer and/or alternating roles. (Reference from http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/0-7923-9697-9) Recent years have witnessed a rapid proliferation of mobile information devices. Cellular phones have become not only a basic means of communication for many people, but have also developed from simple telephones suitable only for voice communications into computing devices capable of t... .../Preference Profiles (CC/PP) profile can be used to provide a description of mobile device. Different MSS are in different heterogeneous network and these MSS need to cooperate and communicate with each other for exchanging data. A standard interface is needed between MSS. Java technologies or a middleware like CORBA can be used to solve the heterogeneous problems. (Reference from www.idi.ntnu.no/emner/dif8914/essays/hien-essay2001.pdf ) References http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/0-7923-9697-9 www.autospaces.com/people/fsommers/mobile_transactions.pdf www.idi.ntnu.no/emner/dif8914/essays/hien-essay2001.pdf George Coulouris, Jean Dollimore, Tim Kindberg Distributed Systems: Concepts and Design. M. Tamer Ozsu, Patrick Valduriez Principles of Distributed Database Systems Prentice Hall 1999. George H. Forman, John Zahorjan The Challenges of Mobile Computing.

The Intersection of External Time and Internal Time in Mrs Dalloway by

In Mrs Dalloway, the modernist writer Virginia Woolf undermines the usual conventions of prior prose fiction by adopting an innovative approach to time. She contrasts the objective external time and subjective internal time that structure the plot of the one-day novel. In fact, the story takes place on a single day in June and, by the use of two important techniques, namely the stream of consciousness mode of narration and the interior monologue, the reader is constantly flowing from the present to the past or the future. Moreover, Woolf blurs the distinctions between dream and reality but emphasizes the importance of the present moment. Finally, both representations of time have a great influence on characters' life and relations between each other. Firstly, time itself, which, in fact, measures and divides, becomes fluid, elastic and mobile the interaction of memories and thoughts. As Showalter points out in the introduction of Mrs Dalloway, "In Time and Free Will (1888) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Bergson" speaks about "'psychological time, which is internal, subjective, and measured by the relative intensity of the moment'" (qtd. in Woolf xx). Internal time is one of the new characteristics that Woolf introduces in her novel. In other words, she describes a subjective reality through the stream of consciousness. By this new mode of narration, Woolf gives to the reader the impression of entering the consciousness of the characters. It describes the unorganised flow of thoughts, sensations, and memories that is the time in the mind (or internal time). Characters' memories introduce the element of time. Furthermore, one of the techniques for represen... ...clusion, I would say that Woolf also found her own voice in Mrs Dalloway. Indeed, in this novel, she has radically broken with the traditional way of representing time. The intersection between external and internal time structures very well the novel despite his disordered and discontinued nature. In fact, Woolf has succeeded in keeping unity throughout the story despite the constant moves between the consciousnesses of every character. Moreover, by the use of the new modern techniques, i.e. the stream of consciousness and the interior monologues, she makes the novel seem more truthful. Therefore, through this subjective approach to reality, the reader is closer to the characters and s/he is easier absorbed in the new world of fiction. Bibliography Woolf, Virginia. Mrs Dalloway. London: Penguin Classics, 2000.

Bloodchild: Oppression in Science Fiction Essay -- Butler Bloodchild E

Bloodchild: Oppression in Science Fiction Throughout American literary history, nearly every form of literature has covered the topic of slavery and black oppression in America. From William Lloyd Garrison’s abolitionist papers to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s controversial Uncle Tom’s Cabin to Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, the exploration of the black position in America has been a theme that engrossed generations. In the past century, as science fiction has established its place in the literary genre, authors such as Octavia Butler have become increasingly popular. In her short story "Bloodchild", Butler extends the discussion of oppression in America into the science fiction genre. In this manner her story, "†¦like almost all science fiction, though it seems to concern itself with human beings and worlds of the far distance and future, it also concerns itself with the here and now" (Asimov 110). Within the first few passages of "Bloodchild", Butler establishes that the Tlic clan has oppressed the Terran clan in the past. Though this history of superiority and oppression exists between the two species, T’Gatoi, a Tlic, is still a friend of this Terran family. "Only she [T’Gatoi] and her political faction stood between us and the hordes who did not understand why there was a Preserve†¦or†¦did not care" (Butler 1036). Gan and his family are forced to live on a preserve, keeping the Tlic from entering in and enslaving his family further. Already, one can see the similarity to the United States of America’s relations with the African-American people. Butler substitutes the race issue with a difference of species, creating an obvious physical incongruity between the oppressed and oppressors. This physical difference was often r... ...d its treatment of those who differ physically from the majority of the population. Through science fiction, Butler has reached another section of the literary audience, and challenged them to open their minds and to change their world. Bibliography Primary Source Butler, Olivia. "Bloodchild." The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Ed. Garyn G. Roberts. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall Inc., 2001.1035-1049. Secondary Sources Asimov, Isaac. "Science Fiction and Society". Asimov on Science Fiction. American Medical Association. 103-111 Du Bois, W.E.B. The Souls of Black Fold. New York: Fawcett World Library, 1903. Litwak, Leon. Trouble in Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow. New York: Knopf, 1998. Rundblad, Georganne and Peter Kivisto. Multiculturalism in the United States. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press, 2000.

Sunfeast Yippee

Message Health was chosen as the platform, along with asupporting claim for taste. People who were healthyand energetic were concerned about the long-termprospects of  their health. Thus ? Health? ? is related to maintenance of good health ? is applicable to all members of the family ? is characterized by lively energetic people, andgrowing children's. ? Thus the message and  (positioning): ? its hot and wet. Media Primary media: Television ad 30  seconds. Print ad, shop adsProject at schools ,and 2tier cities.Just noticeable difference. Supermarket and big bazar. Measurement ? Within 6 months, SunfeastYippee became thelargest growing noodles in Fmcgsector. ? Redefined the category and expanded the ITC Fmcgsegment from 2. 71% to 23% in 6 months. ? Now the largest  selling ITC Fmcgbrand holds 6% of  branded noodle market. ? Greatest  achievement ? in one month Yippeepenetrated 50% of noodle market. Sunfeast Yippee Noodles| Parent Company| ITC| Category| Food Products| Sect or| Food Products| Tagline/ Slogan| The better noodles; Spread the smile|USP| Instant noodles with different tastes| STP| Segment| People looking for a healthy snack when hungry| Target Group| Young people and children from upper and middle class| Positioning| Sunfeast Yippee noodles do not lump even 30 minutes after cooking| SWOT Analysis| Strength| 1. Good advertising and visibility2. Good product distribution and availability3. Lots of flavors and varieties available| Weakness| 1. Media generated news about health issues2. Brand loyalty of Maggi is tremendous| Opportunity| 1.Untapped rural markets2. DINKS, single professionals3. Newer tastes| Threats| 1. Price wars with other noodle brands| Competition| Competitors| 1. Maggi| http://www. afaqs. com/advertising/storyboard/index. html? id=3387 A kid is standing in one corner of the room holding his ears (as a form of punishment). | His mother is getting ready to prepare noodles. | Seeing his mother prepare noodles, he asks his dad who is sitting nearby â€Å"Usually achi cheeze round hoti hain na? â€Å"| The dad doesn’t really agree to this. The kid starts giving examples, saying that if car tyres weren’t round then would the car work? , the sun, moon and the world are all round as well. | The father sticking to his point says â€Å"Lekin yeh room to square hai†. | The son confidently says â€Å"round hota to†, when suddenly the mother interrupts and says, then a naughty boy like him wouldn't be punished in a corner †¦ | †¦ and that if his Sunfeast yippee wasn't round then he wouldn’t be able to eat long noodles| VO: Naya Sunfeast yippee. Sabse alag round shape main. So no breaking aur mile really long noodles. |

Racial Profiling Essay

Racial profiling is one of the most accurate problems going on in modern society. Racial profiling is caused when there are arrests, frisks, or others based only by the race of the suspect instead of any suspicion of their behavior. Quite a few police officers and people in power feel that racial profiling is a smart choice and continue to do so. Having safety and knowing police officers are arresting criminals is a great thing. However, police officers are only targeting people with dark skin the most. Dan White argues that since Blacks and Hispanics are the two top races shown in arrest statistics and targeting them is a smart business move. Whites assertion that racial profiling is a smart thing to do is unacceptable because some Hispanics and Blacks are being frisked and arrested when they are innocent people, they get judged by their skin color, and police have no right to keep a better watch on these two races than any other race. Racial profiling is wrong because Hispanics and Blacks are getting frisked and arrested when some are innocent and didn’t do anything wrong. According to Ayres, â€Å"†¦They were 42.3% less likely to be found with a weapon after they were frisked† (1). African Americans who have been frisked are less likely to have a weapon. Police officers are doing a poor job by only targeting Blacks because of their skin color. Therefore, police officers are proving that they only frisking innocent people because they have darker skin. Police officers are pulling over Hispanics and Blacks because they are judging them by their skin color. Bob Herbert stated, â€Å"No people of color are safe from this treatment anywhere, regardless of their obedience to the law, their age, they type of care they drive, or their situation in life† (2). People who are dark skinned have no way out of suspicion to police officers no matter if they look wealthy, young, or old. Police would atomically think a Black or Hispanic person will intend to commit a crime instead of a Caucasian person. It’s a shame how this goes on because it’s not right that they have to be judged to be the bad person because they are darker. Racial profiling is violating human rights. Everyone has their basic rights and need to be treated equal, but officers who are racist don’t let that happen. John Kifner mentioned, â€Å"It is so commonplace for Black men to be pulled over in their vehicles that this practice has acquired its own acronym: D.W.B. (Driving While Black)† (2). Black people get pulled over constantly it has its own descriptor as D.W.B. This is ridiculous how it has its own word form. Skin color has become evidence ability to commit crime. Police use this â€Å"evidence† against minority drivers on the road all the time. Police should not be allowed to only keep a good eye out on Hispanics and Blacks. Ayres asserted, â€Å"Stopped Blacks are 76% more likely to be searched, and stopped Latinos are 32% more likely to be searched than stopped whites† (1). African Americans and Latinos are more likely to be searched than white people. Officers are only looking for these two ethnic groups because to them they are officially the â€Å"bad guys†. In their eyes they are the criminals and are asking for trouble. As a result, people with power have proven that they want racial profiling to continue happening. Racial profiling should be unsupportable because these two ethnic groups get frisked and arrested when they are above suspicion, they are getting judged by their skin color, and police shouldn’t only watch them more carefully than any other race. It’s not right for a Black or Hispanic person to get blamed in a serious situation of something they might not been involved with in the first place. Everyone should be treated the same, no one has the right to think lower of a person because they have darker skin. Race and location are the foremost characteristic authorities look at when they are engaging this type of profiling. Police officers need to do their job appropriately and lookout for the people that are actually committing a crime or disobeying a law. Racial profiling has been going on for such a long time and it will always be wrong. People with power could deny the reality of racial profiling but they know that they are being racist and keep on doing it. They could be missing out on genuinely catching a criminal from another race because sadly they have their attention on a Hispanic or Black people.

American Immigrants

In the past, America has been a destination for foreign Immigrants especially the employees who are looking for job opportunities. Highly skilled young people trained in management, technology, medicine have all been flocking to U. S. in search of jobs. The U. S. government had also openly scoured the Northern and West central Mexico to get workers during the World War I. There was a program ‘bracero’ which means ‘strong arm’ which brought about 400,000 workers in every year in U. S. from 1942-1965. (Stout R. J. 2).However there have been factors that have prompted the large number of U. S. foreigners to go back home to their native land and settle back there.. This paper focuses on some of the reasons as to why U. S. immigrants are going back home and settling there and possible solution that could reduce problem of going back. The problem of accessing permanent visa to the immigrants has played a major role in encouraging U. S. immigrants go back to their countries. Some people have been waiting for their visas for more than 10 years.Many people have become impatient with waiting of the Permanent Visa. Their have also been a great number of people especially the Chinese and Indians who have been going back home from America because of availability of job opportunities related to their professional careers. This has mostly applied to those who have chances of bringing innovations and growth in their home countries. This makes it easy for to afford purchase more commodities compared to U. S. and hence have a better quality life.There have also been a demand for skills on those who are going back home from the U. S. The technological companies for instance in India have been performing well and most of the top management jobs are given to their citizens. As much as the U. S immigrants get jobs in America, they don’t get the top managerial jobs as compared to when they are in their own countries. This fact makes it more reasonable for them to go back to their country and take these more prestigious positions.Economic recession has also contributed to resettling of U. S immigrants to go back home to their countries. So many job cuts have been made so that the company’s and the country can recover from the recession. High cost of living in America forces many to leave the country and go back home with their savings which has more purchasing power in their own country. The comfort of being near your family and friends, better career prospects and better quality life has made most of the U. S. skilled foreigners are deciding to go back home .However, the culmination of this is population pressure, competition for lands and jobs in their home countries. Many of those who have returned are also reported to be sick and more inclined to committing crimes compared to when they left. The money they have also brought back in their home countries has caused a challenge in that they forced an increase in local lan d prices. (LaGumina S. J. 549) To reduce the problem settlement instability in one country, the U. S government need to reduce the duration for waiting for permanent visa. Develop a policy that could encourage both U.S. citizens and immigrants be employed and promoted in top managerial positions so that they can find good reason for settling there than keeping migrating. Economic policy which focuses mostly on U. S government reducing spending especially on war needs to be emphasized and implemented. This would reduce the economic recession that has been witnessed in the past which forces major job cuts in big companies leading to immigration. Work cited LaGumina S. J. , Italian American experience, Taylor and Francis, 2000. Stout R. J. Why immigrants come to America. Green World, 2008.

Customer relationship management Essay

Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to provide insights into the development and management of a customer community, informing product innovation and engaging customers in co-creation of a consumption experience. Design/methodology/approach – A review of the state of current knowledge about co-production, co-creation and customer communities is followed by discussion of the case study methodology. The case history of a leading player in the UK and international â€Å"sportkiting† market focuses on product innovation and customer-community development. Discussion re? ects in more detail on the lessons from the case for application of the principles in practice. Findings – The case company’s innovative product development strategy provides the catalyst for co-creation of a customer experience. Its marketing actions extend beyond product development and innovation to actively co-creating experiences with customers, fostering a sense of community among users, facilitating communication within that community, acting on the feedback, and continuously developing and maintaining the community relationship. Research limitations/implications – The company’s marketing strategy can be summed up as â€Å"customer community leadership†. This paradigm proposes a new role for businesses in sectors where there is a potential to develop and engage communities. It provides a context for the effective facilitation of customer knowledge management, within which marketing intelligence plays a signi? cant role. The ? ndings offer scope for further research into the nature of this phenomenon and its relevance to co-creation in other industry sectors, and into numerous aspects of the processes and impacts associated with customer communities. Originality/value – The case contributes to the literature of co-creation, demonstrating how it has been achieved through a marketing strategy and marketing mix in a particular customer community. Keywords Customer relations, Innovation, Relationship marketing, Leadership Paper type Case study Marketing Intelligence & Planning Vol. 25 No. 2, 2007 pp. 136-146 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0263-4503 DOI 10. 1108/02634500710737924 Introduction. The increased complexity, globalization and knowledge-intensity of marketplaces require all businesses to make better use of their technological, organizational and marketing competences in order to survive. Contemporary organizations in highly competitive and highly innovative markets must be able to build market share quickly, by delivering fast, high quality, innovative solutions. The changing organisational environment has driven interest in organisational learning and knowledge management (Drucker, 1993; Prusak, 1997). Many studies have con? rmed customer knowledge as one of the most important knowledge bases for an organisation (Bennett and Gabriel, 1999; Chase, 1997), and there is a considerable interest in the potential of â€Å"co-production† and â€Å"co-creation† either individually or in community contexts, to enhance innovation and business performance (Gibbert et al. , 2002). Focus on the engagement of customers in organizational learning, innovation and knowledge processes heralds the dawn of a new paradigm of marketing intelligence in  which data and information are not simply gathered into databases and distilled to inform management decision making, but rather marketing intelligence is embedded in dynamic co-creation processes that involve customers as partners rather than subjects. Through a case study analysis and critique of a leading manufacturer of kiteboarding equipment, this paper seeks to provide insights into the engagement and management of a customer community, to inform product innovation and to engage customers in co-creation of a sporting experience. The case contributes to the literature of co-creation and speci?cally to the way in which communities can be enlisted in the co-creation of experiences. It begins with a literature review, outlining the state of current knowledge on co-production and co-creation and on customer communities, followed by a description of the case study methodology. A pro? le of the company, with particular reference to its product development and community development follows leads to re? ection in detail on the contribution from this case. Finally, conclusions and recommendations provide a summary of the issues. The concept of â€Å"customer community leadership† is proposed, and agendas for further research identi? ed. Literature review This section draws together current knowledge on two key themes: co-creation, or co-production, and customer communities. Research on both of these themes ? ts broadly within the paradigm or philosophy of relationship marketing. As the main plank of a marketing strategy, relationship marketing aims to build long term, mutually satisfying relations with customers, suppliers and distributors with the key objective of earning and retaining their long-term preference, loyalty and business (Foss and Stone, 2001; Peck et al., 1999; Buttle, 1996; Massey et al. , 2001). In discussing the absence of a consensus on the term relationship marketing, and on the appropriateness of the term, other authors have suggested that a focus on interactions and networks of interactions between businesses and their customers might be more meaningful (Healy et al. , 2001; Zoliewski, 2004). The concepts of co-production and customer communities both focus on interactions. Communities, in particular, involve networks of interactions. The theme of interaction between customers and organizations in product and service innovation is developed in the literature on co-production. Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2000) suggest that companies have to recognise that the customer is becoming a partner in creating value, and need to learn how to harness customer competences. One aspect of this will be the engagement of customers in co-creating personal experiences. The body of work on co-creation and co-production has grown in recent years. Kristensson et al. (2004) have examined the bene? Ts of involving users in suggesting new product ideas, ? nding that ordinary users created signi? cantly more original and valuable ideas than professional developers, whilst professional developers and advanced users created more easily reliable ideas. At a more modest level of customer engagement, Salomo et al. (2003) found that customer orientation in innovation projects (not necessarily, in this case, customer engagement) had a positive in? uence on NPD success and that the impact increased with the degree of product innovativeness. Similarly, Hsieh and Chen (2005) showed that new product development performance can be enhanced by interacting with users, and capitalising on user-knowledge management competences. Matthing et al. (2004) suggest that the Customer community and co-creation 137 MIP 25,2 138 value of customer involvement in new service development resides in the opportunity to facilitate proactive learning about the customer, and to understand and anticipate latent customer needs. Lilien et al. (2002) suggest that user contribution to the idea generation process is optimised through the careful selection of â€Å"lead users† to participate in the process. Dahlsten (2004) discusses customer involvement in the case of a product development project at Volvo Cars, which allowed the project management team to acquire an understanding of the customer through â€Å"customer presence†. A study comparing the sources of product and process innovation in large and small technology-based ? rms found that product developers in SMEs valued customers, co-workers, marketing and journals more highly, whilst suppliers were particularly valued by large ? rms (Bommer and Jalajas, 2004). Co-creation might be viewed as an aspect of customer-knowledge competence, the processes that generate knowledge about speci? c customers (Campbell, 2003). Gibbert et al. (2002, p. 460) describe customer knowledge management as a process in which organisations seek to â€Å"know what their customers know† and de? ne it as: . . . the strategic process by which cutting-edge companies emancipate their customers from passive recipients of products and services, to empowerment as knowledge partners. CKM is about gaining, sharing, and expanding the knowledge residing in customers, to both customer and corporate bene? It is thus concerned with an understanding of how to elicit and leverage knowledge from customers. Their emphasis on interacting with customers and co-production, extending to co-learning, lifts the focus from collecting data and information in order to learn about customers to learn with customers. They discuss ? ve different styles of customer knowledge management, including â€Å"prosumerism† where the customer acts as co-producer, and â€Å"communities of creation† in which groups of people work together, have shared interests, and want to jointly create and share knowledge. The focus of co-production research is often on product innovation and new product development, with some contributions relating to service development (Matthing et al. , 2004). However, Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2003), suggest a future in which the locus of innovation and co-production will shift from products and services to â€Å"experience environments†. This suggestion aligns with other proposals that the â€Å"experience marketing† era is on the horizon, and that it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to respond to the needs of the experience consumer (Li and Wei, 2004). Co-creation may take place in the context of customer communities. There is a considerable literature on customer clubs (Butscher, 2002; Gustafsson et al. , 2004; Stauss et al. , 2001) and loyalty schemes (Bolton et al. , 2000; Mauri, 2003; Passingham, 1998; Worthington, 2000). Only a small sub-group of such clubs and schemes can properly be described as customer communities, however, which should at the very least exhibit C2C interaction. To convincingly justify the use of â€Å"community† they should furthermore share a culture with norms, values and identity, and mutual interests and objectives. Fan clubs, interest clubs, and software user groups may constitute customer communities. Butscher (2002) identi? es the Kawasaki Riders Club, The Volkswagen Club, and Swatch The Club as examples which might be described as customer communities. On the other hand, loyalty schemes such as Tesco Clubcard, American Express, Airmiles, and Marriot Rewards are focussed on the B2C dimension of relationship marketing, and do little to cultivate or in? uence C2C interactions. Therefore, whilst they may be able to identify a relatively stable group of users, they have not created a community. One context in which there has been more discussion of customer communities is the virtual environment (Armstrong and Hagel, 1996). Some loyalty schemes use this channel to support C2C interaction. Virtual customer communities enable organizations to establish distributed innovation models that involve varied customer roles in new product development (Nambisan, 2002; Pitta and Fowler, 2005). Nambisan (2002) suggests that the design of virtual customer environments needs to consider interaction patterns, knowledge creation, customer motivation, and integration of the virtual customer community with the new product development team. Dholakia et al. (2004) explore the impact of group norms and social identity on participation in consumer communities. The wider literature on virtual communities and their role in learning and knowledge creation is also substantial, and may have perspectives to offer on the role of virtual communities in innovation (Hall and Graham, 2004; Davenport and Hall, 2002; Wenger, 2000). In conclusion, the themes of co-creation and customer communities have been identi? ed as important in the literature, but there remains a scope for considerable further work, speci?  cally relating to: . co-creation of experiences; Customer communities that exist in both physical and virtual space; and . the mechanisms and processes through which organizations can engage customer communities, as opposed to individual members of those communities, in co-creation. Methodology Case studies are a valuable way of looking at the world around us, and asking how or why questions (Yin, 1994). The case study design adopted in this paper may be described as a holistic single case design. Typically, single case designs are appropriate when the exercise has something special to reveal that might act as a point of departure for challenging received wisdom, prior theoretical perspectives and untested assumptions. A specialist in sporting kite technology was chosen as the basis for the case analysis in this paper for four reasons in particular, as follows: (1) The stated mission of Flexifoil International is to: â€Å"provide our customers with the ultimate Kitesports experience† (www.? exifoil. com/company). (2) Flexifoil has been consistently committed to product innovation. (3) Flexifoil works with customers and proactively builds customer communities to support customer engagement in co-creation of the kiting experience. (4) The active and extensive participation of one of the authors in the kiting community formed the basis for an in-depth understanding of the community building and co-creation processes observed. Company pro? le: Flexifoil International Through product innovation, the company seeks to design and develop the highest performance products, with new designs and products that support new kite-based Customer community and co-creation 139 MIP. 25,2 sporting experiences and events. Flexifoil build both their own customer community and the kite boarding community in general through customer service, distribution networks, sponsorship and promotion of the sports for which their products are used. They provide opportunities for the kite sporting community to interact, online and in other ways. Their community is thus built through B2B, C2B and C2C relationships and channels. 140 Product development Until the early 1970s, a kite had for hundreds of years been a piece of fabric controlled with one or two lines, designed to be hand-?own in windy conditions. What is now Flexifoil International started when two English university students effectively â€Å"invented† the two-line power kite by producing the ? rst to be sold commercially. Two larger kites with the evocative names â€Å"Pro Team 8† and â€Å"Super 10† established Flexifoil’s market position, and enabled the company to enter upon a period of innovation and experimentation that explored a range of different potential applications for power kites. Some of their innovations were successful, others less so, such as three-wheeled buggies designed to be pulled by a power kite or traction kite. The successful developments in materials and design technology by Flexifoil and its followers allowed this basic product to support today such diverse activities as kite boarding (water-based), snow kiting, kite land boarding, buggying, recreational power kiting, and sportkiting (â€Å"traditional† kiting). The company’s own product range now comprises: power kites, recreational kites, traction kites, and water re-launchable kites; buggies and boards; lines and control gear; and miscellaneous accessories such as clothing. Following the launch of a web site, with associated forums in which enthusiasts could meet and exchange ideas, Flexifoil’s sales increased by around 25 per cent each year between 1999 and 2004. Innovation continued, with the development of water-based kiting or kitesur? ng, and later kites for land boarding and snow kiting. Over the last thirty years, the company had thus effectively created a market, and maintained leadership in its particular niche, by means not only of product innovation but also engagement with and cultivation of a power-boarding community. Community development Distribution. The community development process begins with the company’s distribution network of authorised retail outlets. Initially, those were mainly windsur? ng and sur? ng shops, but more recently specialised kiting shops have entered the market. Signi? cantly for Flexifoil, some of those have developed into â€Å"kitesports centres† where customers can â€Å"? y before they buy†. At three Premier Kite Sports Centres, the most comprehensive Flexifoil range is available for trial in an environment characterised by knowledgeable staff and extensive facilities in a good location; activity training is also on offer. A smaller range of Flexifoil kites is sold through high street shops. The company also moves the product to market through training schools, academies and university kite clubs, to whom equipment is available at discounted rates or even free of charge if the outlet becomes an of? cial Flexifoil training centre. In addition to these bricks-and-mortar outlets, the company transacts a signi? cant proportion of its retail sales through internet distributors. It also sells spare parts,  branded clothing and a selection of promotional merchandise via Flexifoildirect. com, but restricts distribution of core products to distributors who can offer a full after-sales service. The objective of the company’s distribution strategy is to build, support and maintain an effective customer community. Promotion and marketing communication. The main platform of Flexifoil’s promotional programme is to communicate their commitment to after-sales support, and their ambition to maintain good relationships with both customers and dealer outlets. This strategy, in turn, generates positive word-of-mouth communication, and often act as a channel for customer feedback that can inform future product innovation and development. In pursuit of that objective, Flexifoil make extensive use of specialised advertising media, including every kite magazine in circulation, often running double-page spreads. A branded display stand for Flexifoil product catalogues is distributed to every dealer. To keep the brand at the centre of the kitesporting world, the company sponsors a team of kite boarders who compete around the world. The promotional mix thus embraces advertising, publicity, sales promotion and point-of-sale. Flexifoil furthermore use their web site and its forums proactively to develop the UK kiting community, especially pre-launch. Previews of new kites provoke discussion in the forums, and a level of interest that builds up over months of anticipation and typically generates high sales volumes immediately on the release of the product. This online communication channel brings customers together to exchange experiences, and sell equipment to each other. The company lays claim to the largest online kiting community, of nearly 7,000 members. The variety of forums available to its members specialise in the full range of sportkiting activities. The clear aim of the marketing communications strategy is, like the distribution strategy, to create a community of interest rather than one based simply on transaction. Discussion This discussion will draw out two themes from the case study analysis: co-creation, and customer communities. The study contributes a perspective on the co-creation of experiences, which  is a central element in the emerging paradigm of experience marketing. By continuing engagement with their customer community, the subject company has been able not only to gather feedback on the experiences associated with the use of its products, but also to add to them by offering opportunities, in both the real and virtual environments for customer to enjoy interactions with others who share their interests. It monitors and enhances the experience through the same channels. Whilst product innovation is stepwise, the dialogue and interaction with customers on which that innovation is based is continuous. This is not â€Å"co-production† in the sense that the term is used in new product development contexts, but rather in the service context, where the term refers to the fact that customers have a hand in the development of their own service experience. Nevertheless, experience â€Å"co-creation† in this case, embeds product innovation. The impact of this approach to co-creation is dif? cult to disentangle from the impact of other business and marketing actions. The signi? cant increase in sales in the years since the launch of the web site could be taken as one indicator, but it  Customer community and co-creation 141 MIP 25,2 142 is important to acknowledge the spiral nature of the community creation process. This increase in sales will have expanded the community, and probably also have intensi? ed customers’ engagement with the experiences that community members co-create with the company. The case also contributes some insights on the nature of customer communities. Though the company does ask customers to register their product and thereby collects personal contact details, it does not operate a customer community, club or loyalty scheme. Rather, the innovative and interesting products act as a catalyst for community creation through the medium of the â€Å"experiences† they deliver. The customer community comprises those who have participated in those experiences, enjoyed them, and wish to develop the interaction. Customers work in partnership with the company to build excitement and develop skill, and by sharing the experiences with others, add to the totality of the customer community. The company has taken a number of actions to facilitate this process, including working with distributors, sponsorship, engagement in events, training courses, and an interactive web site. Speci? cally, their approach to communication with their customers is sophisticated. The common view of marketing communications as a one-way transmission is replaced by a marketing communications strategy designed to build and reinforce the company’s position as a leader of a community. Traditional channels such as advertising, sponsorship, and even brand building are only elements in a complex web or network of marketing communications activities, involving C2C and B2B as well as B2C relationships. The company communicates directly with its customers, but also provides contexts which encourage them to â€Å"talk† among themselves. In addition, the marketing communications effort is â€Å"pushed† through distributors, not just in terms of the traditional advertising and branding, but also through the selection of distributors that can offer appropriate support and advice. These actors in the system have a role in welcoming new members into the community. They are supported in doing so by the existing on-line community, and various company-sponsored events at which members are encouraged to gather. The customer community has built gradually as the business has grown. As new products have been added to the product range to support new sports, new sub-communities have formed around them. The process of community development goes hand in hand with product development. Conclusions and recommendations The entrepreneurs behind Flexifoil International have simultaneously created a sport, and an associated sporting community. The company is clear that its mission as not simply to develop and distribute the best products but rather to deliver the most exciting kiting experience. This case study has demonstrates that the entire marketing mix is focussed not on transactions, or even relationship building, but rather on community creation. That community includes both consumers and dealers. Product innovation, distribution and promotion are tightly coupled with community creation. Community building is not just about increasing membership, or even about the engagement of members with the community, but focuses on the creation of a level of mutuality in which there is ongoing dialogue between community members and the company. Flexifoil has neither annexed an existing community, nor do they â€Å"own† one, although they do manage a virtual space through which the community can interact. Rather, their product innovation and the experiences that their product range provides have the potential to act as the catalyst for the community, whilst sponsorship, engagement in events, and the virtual space all facilitate the enhancement of the experience for community members. Other companies compete with Flexifoil for leadership of the power kiting community, both rival manufacturers and others keen to enhance the sportkiting experience. Many of these have web sites through which they seek to capture an online community. For example, one casts itself as â€Å"the kite ? yer’s portal to the internet† offering links to kite manufacturers and kite stores in the USA and Canada, to other power kiting web sites, to other kite ? yer sites, kite teams and clubs, and to magazines and newsgroups. Another claims to be â€Å"the online community that brings ? yers together† and a third promotes itself as â€Å"the internet magazine for kiters†. All offer different services and bene? ts to their customers, but for some, their engagement with the sport kiting community will be restricted to virtual space. Though Flexifoil has a strong brand presence as a manufacturer, it needs to encourage members to participate with it in â€Å"co-creation† if it is to deliver on its mission of providing customers with the ultimate kite sports experience. The approach to marketing strategy described in this case study can aptly be described as customer community leadership. By leading the sport kiting community, but not owning it, Flexifoil has created a community that will buy their products, co-create kiting experiences, provide insights that can inform innovation in the product, the experience and the community innovation, look forward to the next product release, and mutually enhance community members’ experiences of the company’s products and services. Embedded in this approach to community leadership are a number of more traditional marketing actions, such as new product development, advertising, and commitment to after-sales support. The distribution channels are designed to offer the support and training that is likely to enhance sport kiting experiences, but also to build relationships with dealers, and to bring sports kiters together. This is supplemented by opportunities for interaction in virtual space. Community development is achieved through a network of relationship-building actions, at the heart of which are enjoyable and shareable sports kiting experiences. Through community leadership, the company has created a context in which customers are thus from being passive recipients of products and services, and empowered as knowledge partners (Gibbert et al., 2002). In other words, it has thereby created a context that facilitates the processes of customer knowledge management. This is an approach to marketing intelligence and decision making embedded in dynamic co-creation processes that involve customers as partners. It is worth noting that the term â€Å"customer community leadership† can have two different meanings in practice. First, it may mean leadership of a community, in the sense of making it work, setting its direction, and participating in the shaping of experiences of community members. In this context, the focus is on factors such as member engagement, culture, norms, identity and community viability, in terms of the value delivered to all parties. Second, it can describe an avenue to market leadership, in which the business performance of an organisation over the longer term is de? ned and determined by the extent to which its leadership of a community of potential customers, or its power and capacity to lead, is greater than that of its competitors. Customer community and co-creation 143 MIP 25,2 144 In taking the development of the concept of customer community leadership forward, it will be important to explore the different styles and approaches that are and can be adopted by different ? rms and organizations. Given that another essential of successful leadership is followers, an important phenomenon for further study is the nature of â€Å"followership† in this context. This case study has focussed on the actions and strategies adopted by one business to build and bene? t from a customer community and to engage customers in the co-creation of an experience. In addition, it has demonstrated how both online and real-world communities can be enlisted to contribute to building the experience. There is a scope for considerable further study of the processes associated with the co-creation of the experience, and the details of how communities operate. Such research needs both to cover a wider range of organizations and business sectors, and to examine in more detail aspects of communities, co-creation and customer knowledge management. Some potential areas of investigation are: . Perceptions and views of different stakeholders as to the impact of the community and the contributions of different parties in the co-creation of the experience. . The pro? le of such customer communities in terms of loyalty, retention and customer lifetime value, including comparisons between online and real-world communities. . Community processes, including models of key processes of in? uence, knowledge and learning, identi? cation and role of â€Å"node† members, and the role of celebrity voices and endorsement. . The marketing actions that contribute to the cultivation of effective co-creation communities. References Armstrong, A. G. and Hagel, J. (1996), â€Å"The real value of online communities†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 74, pp. 134-40. Bennett, R. and Gabriel, H. I. (1999), â€Å"Organisational factors and knowledge management within large marketing departments: an empirical study†, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 212-25. Bolton, R. N. , Kannan, P. K. and Bramlett, M. D. (2000), â€Å"Implications of loyalty program membership and services experience for customer retention and value†, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 95-108. Bommer, M. and Jalajas, D. S. (2004), â€Å"Innovation sources of large and small technology-based ? rms†, IEEE Transactions of Engineering Management, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 13-18. Butscher, S. A. (2002), Customer Loyalty Programmes and Clubs, 2nd ed. , Gower, Aldershot. Buttle, F. (1996), Relationship Marketing: Theory and Practice, Paul Chapman, London. Campbell, A. J. (2003), â€Å"Creating customer knowledge competence: managing customer relationship management programs strategically†, Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 375-83. Chase, R. L. (1997), â€Å"The knowledge-based organization: an international survey†, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 38-49. Dahlsten, F. (2004), â€Å"Hollywood wives revisited: a study of customer involvement in the XC90 project at Volvo Cars†, European Journal of Management, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 141-9. Davenport, E. and Hall, H. (2002), â€Å"Organizational knowledge and communities of practice†, Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, Vol. 36, pp. 171-227. Dholakia, U. M. , Bagozzi, R. P. and Pearo, L. K. (2004), â€Å"A social in? uence model of consumer participation in network- and small-group-based virtual communities†, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol. 21, pp.241-63. Drucker, P. F. (1993), Post-capitalist Society, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. Foss, B. and Stone, M. (2001), Successful Customer Relationship Marketing, Kogan Page, London. Gibbert, M. , Leibold, M. and Probst, G. (2002), â€Å"Five styles of customer knowledge management, and how smart companies use them to create value†, European Management Journal, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 459-69. Gustafsson, A. , Roos, I. and Edvardsson, B. (2004), â€Å"Customer clubs in a relationship perspective: a telecom case†, Managing Service Quality, Vol. 14 Nos 2/3, pp. 157-68. Hall, H. and Graham, D.(2004), â€Å"Creation and recreation: motivating collaboration to generate knowledge capital in online communities†, International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 24, pp. 235-46. Healy, M. , Hastings, K. , Brown, L. and Gardiner, M. (2001), â€Å"The old, the new and the complicated – a trilogy of marketing relationships†, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 35 Nos 1/2, pp. 182-93. Hsieh, L. F. and Chen, S. K. (2005), â€Å"Incorporating voice of the consumer: does it really work? †, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 105 Nos 5/6, pp. 769-85. Kristensson, P. , Gustafsson, A. and Archer, T. (2004), â€Å"Harnessing the creative.

Describe an epidemic disease and how it may change the preparation of Essay

Describe an epidemic disease and how it may change the preparation of the bodies for funeral services - Essay Example In 1990 once again a similar type of virus was spotted among monkeys in Reston, Virginia which were imported from the Philippines. The strain was named Ebola Reston (EBO Reston). The epidemic continued to emerge in the region in different countries such as in Zaire in 1995 and 2003, Gabon in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and Uganda in the year 2000. In 1994 a subtype of Ebola virus was spotted in the Ivory Coast and was identified as Ebola-CI. So far there have been 1500 identified cases of Ebola virus in the world out of which two third have died. King (2003) further states that the virus is one of the 18 least known viruses that have the capability of causing viral hemorrhage fever syndrome. The virus belongs to the family of flaviviridae. There are four subtypes of Ebola Virus. They are Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Ivory Coast and Ebola Reston. Its outbreak is in the form of an epidemic that is capable of causing 88% deaths in the patients suffering from it. Ebola Zaire is considered to be the deadliest one with greatest number of deaths attributed to it. However no deaths were reported from the four cases of Ebola Reston. The virus is quickly replicated in human and non human tissues spreading the infection rapidly. The replication is followed by severe focal necrosis. The severest form of necrosis occurs in the liver where councilman like bodies are formed like the ones formed in the yellow fever. The tissues and blood of the near death patients suffering from Ebola virus are highly infectious. King (2003) states that in 1996 members of the National Institute of Virology of South Africa carried out a research in Zaire to find out the infectivity of the virus in different species of plants, vertebrates and invertebrates. It was observed that the serum and feces of the insectivorous bats (Tadarida pumila) and fruit bats (Epomophorus wahlbergi) were found to help the virus multiply rapidly without dying. No definite source has been identified

Managing the human resource environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managing the human resource environment - Essay Example Human resource management takes the consideration that the workforce is the most important asset that an organization holds and hence it must be given priority for the organization a competitive edge. Human resource management stipulates that having a skilled and well catered for workforce can help an organization to have a competitive advantage that may be difficult for other organization to replicate. Hence human resource department works to develop the workforce of the organization. (David, 1998) Human resource department is bestowed with many responsibilities as far as the development and training of the work force is concerned. First it is given the role of recruitment. It determines the labour need of an organization and carries out recruitment to ensure that it gives the best labour to the organization. Second it is also given the role of staff development and training. Human resource management is given the duty of training and developing the staff. It conducts continuous study of the staff and in work training in order to give the organization a competence work force. Third human resource is given the duty of looking at the welfare of the employees in their work. As such it works for the employees to address various issues that pertains them. Human resource also worked with other department in the organization in order to ensure optimal performance of the employees. Human resource managers must have some basic skills in order to carry out their duties. They must have the necessary organization skills that will help them in coordinating the work of the human resource department. They must understand the workforce very well and understand the difference kinds of people constituting the workforce. As such, they should have an understanding of theories of personality and the psychology of the work force. They must also be skilled counsellors since they will be handling various cases regarding the workforce and even settling disputes between the workforces. In its operation the human resource management is faced with many challenges. The management of the workforce is faced by many constrains. The integral of the function of the human resource department with other department is one of the areas posing greater challenge. This is due to many areas of conflict concerning the function of the departments. Handling of employees is another challenging area in the department. Many of the employees who feel patronage in the organization sometimes fails to recognize the authority of the department in carrying out its functions. Acting as s mediator between the organization employees and the administration, the department is faced with the challenge of harmonizing the needs of both parties. Sometimes it finds it difficulty to lean on one side of to take side on the issue so as not to appear as partisan. (Dudik, 2000) But strategic human resource management has and other human resource management strategy has been applied in a creative way in order to address some of these challenges. The organization has been able to come up with at strategic resource management place the addressed the need of the employees and at the same time address the need of the organization. Strategic human res