Euthanasia Discussion - 1441 Words

Whose responsibility is it to decide when, where, and under what conditions a person is to die? This question inevitably brings up discussion of spirituality, beliefs, and legislation. Euthanasia is an idea that has been around for decades yet as we progress in technology and medical competency the discussion screams to be addressed formally by passing legislature. Euthanasia must be taken out of the hands of lawmakers and put into the hands of the thousands fatally ill patients trapped in their own bodies and/or minds. It is our responsibility as a society of profound thinking individuals to discuss this difficult and troubling issue that has plagued the lives of families all over the entire world. We must debate on an issue that†¦show more content†¦As of right now there are two countries that have legalized euthanasia, The Netherlands and Belgium, along with Australia’s Northern Territory. In the United States there is only one state that has legalized PAS, which is Oregon. PAS is defined as â€Å"the prescription or supplying of drugs with the explicit intention of enabling the patient to end his or her life by an overdose† (Willems et al. 2000). The debate has multiple angles of support and opposition. The leading support groups for euthanasia center around the fact that it is their lives to control. As Dorothy Rasinski Gregory states, Ask the average physician, attorney, or layperson what kind of death he or she would prefer and a variety of responses might be heard: â€Å"in my sleep; . . . after I’ve had a chance to bring closure to a family problem; . . . with dignity; . . . while still in possession of my faculties; . . . with little or no pain; . . . after I’ve had a chance to say ‘goodbye’; . . . not dependent on anyone or anything; . . . before I become a burden; . . . fast—so I won’t know what’s hit me; . . . only after I’ve made my peaceShow MoreRelatedChristian Teaching and Discussion About Euthanasia Essay1202 Words   |  5 PagesChristian Teaching and Discussion About Euthanasia The word euthanasia comes from two Greek words eu meaning good and thanatos meaning death. Literally it means a good death. Euthanasia is arranging for someone who has an incurable terminal illness to die as quickly and as painlessly as possible. It is the act of purposely aiding someone to die, instead of letting nature take its course. There are four main types of euthanasia these are: Voluntary, InvoluntaryRead MoreEssay on Euthanasia a Topic Surrounded by Controversies780 Words   |  4 Pages Euthanasia is a very controversial subject, due to the fact it’s a way of painless killing of a patient suffering from a debilitating disease that cannot be cured, or the patient is in a coma and has no way of coming out of it. In this case some societies consider it’s a good way of dying, as it is done to relieve pain and suffering. Some, especially most of religious individuals, consider this a form of a murder, which raises a question of morality. In this article, the author is discussing theRead MoreEuthanasia and Assisted Suicide1645 Words   |  7 PagesEuthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are actions at the core of what it means to be human - the moral and ethical actions that make us who we are, or who we ought to be. Euthanasia, a subject known in the twenty-first century, is subject to many discussions about ethical permissibility, which date back t o as far as ancient Greece and Rome. It was not until the Hippocratic School removed the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide from medical practice. Euthanasia in itself raises manyRead More Euthanasia Should Not Be Legal Essay1056 Words   |  5 Pages Euthanasia is a word that comes from ancient Greece and it refers to â€Å"good death†. In the modern societies euthanasia is defined as taking away people’s lives who suffer from an incurable disease. They usually go through this process by painlessness ways to avoid the greatest pains that occurs from the disease. A huge number of countries in the World are against euthanasia and any specific type of it. One of the most important things being discussed nowadays is whether euthanasia should beRead MoreFirst Affirmative Constructive Speech : Euthanasia1177 Words   |  5 PagesFirst Affirmative Constructive Speech: Euthanasia A lady named Brittany Maynard who was twenty-nine years old had stage 4 of Glioblastoma Multiform, which is brain cancer. She had taken a lethal medication, given to her by her doctors in Portland, Oregon. On November 1, 2014 she had chosen to end her life by Euthanasia. surrounded by family and friends, she died peacefully in her bedroom, with her loved ones by her side. she had thought out her choice well enough to go through with it. she was anRead MoreEuthanasia Persuasive Essay1064 Words   |  5 PagesAn Avoidable Loss Death by choice or euthanasia is a very controversial subject that is typically one-sided. The very concept of death alone is somewhat a taboo, but controlling death itself is another monster. Death by choice or â€Å"euthanasia† should not be legalized because it promotes defeatism, may lead to the strict procedures to become more accessible to people with non-fatal illnesses, could legitimize murder, or pressure the elderly. When an unfortunate illness befalls, people have a tendencyRead MoreEuthanasi The Controversial Issue Of Euthanasia1650 Words   |  7 PagesAdelaide students think about legalising voluntary euthanasia in Australia? Introduction The purpose of this research is to seeking and analysing the opinions about legalising voluntary euthanasia within Adelaide students (aged 18-25 years old). With recent changes to legalisation of child euthanasia in Belgium, the controversial issue of euthanasia is currently being re-spotlighted all over the world. Ongoing active discussion on the legalisation of euthanasia mainly debates individual’s choices in endingRead MoreThe Debate About Euthanasia And Euthanasia1631 Words   |  7 PagesThe debates about euthanasia date all the way back to the 12th century. During this time, Christian values increased the public’s opinion against euthanasia. The church taught its followers that euthanasia not only injured individual people and their communities, but also violated God’s authority over life. This idea spread far and wide throughout the public until the 18th century when the renaissance and reformation writers attacked the church and its teachings. However, the public did not pay muchRead MoreEuthanasia Essay1221 Words   |  5 PagesEuthanasia PART A: SUMMARY I would like to begin by defining the issue of the article by Patrick Nowell-Smith. The issue of his article is legalizing euthanasia and giving people a right to decide when and how to die. What is euthanasia and why is it such a complex matter that raises all different kinds of opinions? According to the American Dictionary, euthanasia is defined as the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurableRead MoreEuthanasi Active And Passive Euthanasia1634 Words   |  7 PagesPassive Euthanasia where he argues against the distinction between killing in letting die. He says that the distinction is made on morally irrelevant grounds. He says that the distinction between passive and active euthanasia should not be based on whether or not wanted more morally permissible then the other. To prove his point Rachel uses three dif-ferent examples, which included different circumstance where euthanasia is involved. He looks at each example and argues why active euthanasia would

A Speech On Cornerstone Education - 1008 Words

Cornerstone Education PGS I have received my Associates degree in Business this week, I am thrilled by this accomplishment. I did not plan that I would finish, I thought that I would enjoy each moment of this journey without expectations and I did. The Professional and Graduate Studies program at Cornerstone University has enriched my life with the freedom to write in my worldview, to reflect creatively, and invited a new way of being outside my inner circle that has opened a bigger world. The freedom to write from my worldview is an indispensable gift that I will continue to carry with me. The surprise of writing from my true self with God is a pleasant experience, as opposed to the uncomfortableness of expecting to write in the worldview of the Professor, or the book that I am reading. The core of myself was not struck down by not, â€Å"going with the flow of the presumed expectations†, but, instead my education was open to contemplate and hear how God was speaking to me. I was not pressed to compartmentalize my faith, job, friends and family, or to be careful to protect myself from rejection because of my faith. The literature, English and Art courses were life giving courses. In the Literature course, it was a recreation to read and study the nonfiction stories written by Annie Dillard, Heneri Nouwen, and Christian Wiman, along with the poetry of John Donne and John Milton, and Scott Cairns. A large feast of collective works to ponder and digest, satisfied a cravingShow MoreRelatedA Speech On Cornerstone Education1086 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Æ' Cornerstone Education PGS I have received my Associates degree in Business this week, I am thrilled by this accomplishment. I did not plan that I would finish, I thought that I would enjoy each moment of this journey without expectations and I did. The Professional and Graduate Studies program at Cornerstone University has enriched my life with the freedom to write in my worldview, to reflect creatively, and invited a new way of being outside my inner circle that has opened a bigger world. TheRead MoreVygotsky And A Maori Model1658 Words   |  7 Pages(2010) discuss the importance of culture and interaction, as Vygotsky believed that a child is born into a culture of its own and language development occurs within the cultural context. In terms of the aspect of language, developing private speech or inner speech plays a positive role in children’s development. Mooney (2000) explains how children establish language and comprehend new concepts, as they speak and listen to others. The aspect of language was defined to help build cognitive developmentRead MoreCommunication Analysis Paper Example868 Words   |  4 Pagesstanding at the doors. As we exchanged hugs, I could not help but feel proud of him and the progress he has made since he first arrived at Cornerstone Therapies. Leo has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and has been receiving Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for over a year at Cornerstone Therapies. As a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) at Cornerstone Therapies, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with the Behavior Analyst on Leo’s case. Under the supervision of the Behavior AnalystRead MoreMinimum Wage vs. Slavery1407 Words   |  6 Pagesthe fact that the hardships of slavery far outnumber the hardships of living off minimum wage. The main thing that makes slavery and minimum wage incomparable is the freedom of choice. Education is a prime example of choice. Back in slavery days blacks were not afforded the opportunity to receive an education. In fact, they were not even allowed to learn how to read and write. This is proven by a quote in an article called â€Å"Slavery and the Civil War† where it says: â€Å"In order to maintain controlRead More John F. Kennedy Vs. Lynden B. Essay944 Words   |  4 Pagesevery nation know, whether it wish us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of liberty. This we pledge and more.† Soon Kennedy’s speech would be put to the test. The debate over communism or democracy was still going on. The Cold War had not yet ended. During his presidency Kennedy was determined to lower unemployment by creating more jobs. He expanded the space program and stimulatedRead More Seperation Of Church From State939 Words   |  4 Pageswritten . The first amendment relates to a citizens freedom. This freedom does not only allow this practice speech but on thought as well. It states â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.† (Barton, America: To†¦ p.15). When the constitution was formed society in general belonged to Orthodox Christian. John Quincy Adams, in a speech on July 4,1837 asked the crowd, â€Å"Why is it, that next to the birthday of the Savior of the World, yourRead More Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech Essay1025 Words   |  5 PagesLou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech Throughout the course of American history, there have been copious amounts of famous speeches, spoken by many different people. From political figures to sports players; these people have provided deep thoughts and great insights about who they are and the world we live in today. Being a sports enthusiast, a memorable speech comes to my mind. Lou Gehrig’s â€Å"farewell speech†, given on July 4th, 1939, to more than 62,000 fans at New York City’s Yankee Stadium, hasRead MoreThe Theory Of Developmental Psychology1644 Words   |  7 Pagesprinciples of human development, lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, gains and losses, contextual and historical, and multidisciplinary. There are several fields of developmental psychology like Adolescence, Attachment, Cognitive development, Education, and Parenting that will be address. Developmental psychology also examines the nature and nurture of our human development change, by the studies done. Researchers li ke to see the difference between human personal characteristic. It shows thereRead MoreChoices Regarding The Attendance Of College Essay1182 Words   |  5 Pagesholds that the system of post-secondary education has become derailed from its initial purpose, and that the failure to acquire a B.A. has become wrongfully stigmatized. (235-244). In contrast, many posit that college is the prime opportunity for people to explore their potential and gain the economic and social liberty that comes with increased knowledge. Michelle Obama, author of the 2013 Bowie State Commencement Speech, asserts that a college education creates the opportunity for an individualRead MoreThe Perception Of The Deaf Subculture907 Words   |  4 PagesThe Deaf community has a number of subcultures including the oralism, manualism, and hard of hearing. The oralism subculture emphasizes that the Deaf children use lip-reading and speech skills to communicate. The manualism group uses signs in order to communica te. This group emphasizes less on the lip-reading and speech skills. The hard to hear group members are not totally deaf. They can hear certain frequencies depending on their volume. These people tend to use hearing aids to help them hear better

My First Morning At School Free Essays

It was the 17th March 1997. My first day of school. I dragged myself out of bed at 7:30 am. We will write a custom essay sample on My First Morning At School or any similar topic only for you Order Now I went to the toilet to wash my face, where I saw a big red spot on my forehead: that was the first sign of bad luck. I heard my mum coming out of her room:, â€Å"Are you ready for your big day?† â€Å"No†, I moaned anxiously, pretending to be sick. â€Å"You are going to school today, so don’t even try it!†. My mum could see right through me, and knew I wasn’t sick. I was really scared as I stepped through the front gates of what was about to be my new school, counting every step I took. My mum led me to the general office; we were 20 minutes late. I was really scared. I started to shake. My heart started beating twice as fast. I knew all of the children were already inside the classroom. They were going to watch every move I made. We were kept inside the office for about half an hour. Shortly after came a frightening old women with grey hair, who looked remarkably like Cinderella’s step mother. She came in and said to my mother, â€Å"Are you Miss Omar?† â€Å"Yes†, my mum said, sounding like a robot boring and repetitive, a blank expression on her face. â€Å"Come follow me. Right this way,† the women said, very happily. My mum and I followed her as she led us to my new classroom. She opened the door really slowly, causing the old and rotten door to make a terrifying noise. This attracted all the students’ attention. I was really embarrassed as I stood outside of the classroom. She went in and called the leading classroom teacher outside for a moment, to have a word with my mum. I was told to introduce my mother and myself, and teacher introduced herself; her name was Ms.Willis. I went inside the classroom with my teacher. Even though I was taller than most of them I felt as though I was surrounded by giants. Ms. Willis told everyone to sit on a nasty dirty carpet that had chewing gum all over it, which was at the back of the classroom, and told me to introduce myself to introduce myself to everyone. We were told to sit in alphabetical order: I was told to sit next to three girls. I was really nervous because they kept on looking at my forehead. I got really angry, and said, â€Å"Stop it!† in a really deep and angry voice. They were shocked and had puzzled expressions. My teacher came to me with a blank exercise book and a reading book, â€Å"Can you read?† I nodded my head knowing little of what she meant. â€Å"Read this book for me†, Ms. Willis said. I read the book with an awkward accent. She gave me the exercise book and told me to write my name, maths and 5W, because that was my class’s name. It was 12:00 pm. My teacher shouted out, â€Å"Stop what you are doing and line up outside†. I followed everyone as they stopped and lined up outside, and stood at the back of the line. My teacher came out locked the door and led us to this big shiny stairwell. It was so clean and shiny you could see your reflection on the floor. I stepped inside the stairwell: it was reeking of expired food. Every step I took, the smell was getting worse and worse. We finally got inside the dinner hall. It was big: there were 14 long tables inside it. You would have to be quiet to get your lunch but my table was noisy so we didn’t get to go first. We eventually got there I felt humiliated by the food the school was offering. It looked like food that was cooked yesterday. That was the final humiliation of the day. How to cite My First Morning At School, Papers

Marketing and Facebook free essay sample

What are the advantages and disadvantages for the Carmex marketing team in collecting data to narrow the flavor choices from three to two using (a) an online survey of a cross-section of Internet households. The advantages of online surveys are that the cost is relatively minimal and the turnaround time from data collection to report presentation is much quicker than the traditional methods. However, online surveys have serious drawbacks: Some consumers may view email surveys as â€Å"junk† or â€Å"spam† and may either choose not to receive them (if they have a â€Å"spam blocker†) or purposely delete them, unopened. 2. (a) On a Facebook brand page, what are the â€Å"engagement† and â€Å"likes† really measuring? On a Facebook page, the â€Å"engagements† and â€Å"likes† measure the size of the brand’s consumers and audience and how active its audience with the actual page and/or product being advertised. (b) For Camex, which is more and why? Carmex drives â€Å"engagement† with their consumers as an opportunity to their Facebook community. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing and Facebook or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The benefits of this strategy is to narrow the number of flavors to be researched from three to two and then to enhance the connections with the Facebook community. Narrowing the flavor choices reduces the cost of the marketing research substantially. By this, Carmex can both reduce expected costs while simultaneously linking better to consumers on its Facebook page. 3. (a) What evokes consumers’ â€Å"engagement â€Å"on a brand page on Facebook? Consumers â€Å"engagement on a brand page like Facebook is evoked by consumers having the ability to engage with a brand they like and have their opinions count and are heard. b) What attracts consumers to â€Å"like† a brand page on Facebook? Consumers are attracted to â€Å"like† a Facebook page because consumers can comment or share their opinions about different products. Companies can also enter contests set up by the company of the Facebook pages. 4. (a) What are the advantages of using a fixed-alternative poll question on Facebook? The advantages of using a fixed-alternative poll question on Facebook are that consumers need to only click on a flavor to vote for their favorite flavor. This quick and anonymous and will drive more people o vote, where more voted mean more engagement. b) When do you think it would be better to use an open-ended question? It would always be better to use open ended questions when you are trying to minimize or narrow down the number of choices for a particular product, because it gives respondents the opportunity to express opinions, ideas, or behaviors in their own words. It captures the voice of the respon dent. 5. (a) If you had a limited budget and two weeks to decide which two flavors to put into quantitative testing, would you choose a â€Å"poll only† or a â€Å"contest only† strategy? Why? If I had a limited budget and timeline to decide on which two flavors to put in qualitative testing, I would choose the â€Å"poll only† strategy. Using the â€Å"poll only† strategy would require low cost and would return high â€Å"engagement† numbers. (b) If you had a sizable budget and two months to make the same decision, which scenario would you choose? Why? If time and money were more elastic, I would use the poll and contest Facebook strategy because although it cost more, I can run the limited-edition flavor contest to promote new likes, while posting the poll question on its Facebook wall to drive engagement.

Strategic Management Target Marketing Essay Example

Strategic Management: Target Marketing Essay Executive Summary Target Corporation operates general merchandise stores in the United States and has Just begun opening stores in Canada. The company offers a wide variety of goods ranging from household essentials and furnishings to hardliner comprising of various forms of personal entertainment and apparel and accessories. Target has opened more than 20 of its 124 locations already and has received mixed feedback from Canadian shoppers. Retail pricing is on average at least 10% higher in comparison to US prices which compromises Targets mission of Expect More. Pay Less. While the retail industry is less competitive in Canada, it does not guarantee success for Target despite their recognizable brand image. This report coves a comprehensive analysis of Target, Corp.. s position and performance in Canada, thus far, relative to the United States. Several market and demographic factors (internal and external) were taken into account and closely evaluated to present a clear picture of this new environment and its current state of performance and competition. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: Target Marketing specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: Target Marketing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: Target Marketing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Evaluations of demographics and population statistics from the most recent Canadian census show that Targets ideal customer in America is well presented in Canada, too. Marketing strategies would need to still be primarily focused on women in their ass to see optimal results but, there are segments not yet captured that can easily be marketed to in our proposed strategy. These untapped segments include men in age groups 18-35 as well as 65+ whose interests fall in line with mainstream Canadian sports and culture. A consumer profile has been generated around these similar yet unique groups to define this focus. Based on our Tailings, we nave please a multiple collecting strategies Adult around a cultural staple of Canada. Our primary intent is to increase overall brand awareness in the Canadian market by showing that while Target may be from the US, they still strive to assimilate into Canadian culture through introduction of a previously unrepresented product assortment of general hockey goods and equipment. We want to convey an understanding and appreciation of the intricacies of a new market place and an overall commitment to becoming a staple in Canadian consumers shopping habits through genuine interactions and understanding the importance of Canadian brands and lifestyles. The inclusion off hockey equipment product line and some officially sensed NIL products is aimed at creating additional value to the customer who is already familiar with Target with the overall goal of increasing total basket count(s) of those shopping in store. The strategies we outline in this report have been devised to meet specific objectives to improve Targets position in the Canadian retail scene. This marketing strategy aims to accomplish the following. We believe through our strategies and recommendations laid out in this report, that Target will see noticeable positive results in regards to consumer behaviors in stores as well as brand recognition throughout the country. We have set into place several monitors and controls to help measure the success of the programs throughout the projected completion time in case results do not meet forecasted expectations. The goods primarily affected include various household items and furniture as well as select groceries. Prices over the last decade have been higher on average in Canada compared to the US and as a result, many Canadian consumers drive over the border for US prices and brands. According to Julian Filtrates article, summarizing the Canadian Federal Budget hearing in 2013, from The Canadian Press, The Canadian government is graduating 72 countries previously classified as developing to full developed status for the purpose of tariffs (Belgrade, Julian). The resulting price increases from this reclassification will, in effect, negate the savings from the price drop created from eliminating tariffs on hockey equipment and baby clothes. A less likely but looming threat to a significant portion of Targets success in Canada relies on the political and social status of Quebec. Quebec is the only territory in Canada that is predominantly French speaking. Separatist parties have attempted to pass reforms that would allow Quebec to secede from the rest of Canada and become an independent country on more than one occasion since 1970 (2013 Canadian Retail Outlook). Target is scheduled to open 24 of their 124 Canadian locations in Quebec and if they were to secede and establish their own government, Target could face heavy restrictions or bans due to their outsider status. Economic The discount department store industry as a whole is in the mature stage of its life cycle but sales remain relatively high for slowing growth. Canadas retail environment is less competitive than the U. S. With lower per capita square footage, but there are still many Canadian based options for shoppers to choose from as well as rival American competitors. Canadian economists predict a growth of 2. % for the retail industry in Canadian Retail Outlook). Sales are expected to be low at the beginning of the year but pick up fast towards the end of the year. Experts and government officials have also advised consumers to be cautious when buying on credit and to avoid when possible due to a relatively slow economic time that normally follows the holiday seasons. Social Res t TTS Trot Canadas last census In people with the average age being about 41 years old and slightly more than 50% of the population is female. Of the roughly 9. 4 million census families (2 people min. , married), around 3. Million have children (Canada Census Bureau). These statistics fall favorably in line with Targets ideal customer profile of a woman in her forties with at least one child. Canadas population is heavily concentrated in multiple Census Metropolitan Areas most of which are within 100 miles of the US border (Canada Census Bureau). It is important for Target to avoid placing US and Canadian actions too close to the border in order to prevent possible centralization. With the impending increase in tariffs for imported goods, Canadians will be even more willing to drive across the border to obtain cheaper US prices. This may not hurt Target, Corp.. As a whole but could severely impact the success of Target Canada and its initiatives. Technological Targets cost structure and subsequent pricing structure in Canada will be different than its American stores due primarily to the tariffs mentioned previously as well as the significantly reduced economies of scale resulting from the highly supervised yet concentrated population of Canada. Several American retailers have faced the same problems upon entering the Canadian market and have struggled as a result. Target will not be able to compete directly with IDLE (Every Day Low Price) strategies used by competitors. Canadian consumers are less likely to use coupons and more likely to seek out already discounted prices and lower costs (Belgrade, Julian). The growing usage of the Internet among Canadian consumers for purchases and the online retail market as a whole provides a segment worth dedicating more attention and effort to. Target can reduce overhead costs for themselves allowing prices to be lowered and these savings passed along to the consumer. While it may impact the sales of the physical locations, it may be a necessary sacrifice in order to minimize cross-border shopping until Target is able to establish a stronger foothold in the Canadian market and brand loyalty among new consumers. Competition The competitive rivalry among discount department stores is a lot less competitive in Canada than it is in the United States, but it is still competitive enough to sway consumer decisions. Wall-Mart, Sears, Canadian Tire, and Lobar would be the key players in Targets expansion into Canada (Freeman, Sunny). Currently, Wall-Mart is the leading retailer in the industry due to their ability to offer the lowest prices and are preparing for Targets movement into the country by lower prices even more. Sears is also a main player within the industry because seventy percent of their merchandise overlaps with that of Targets. Sears plans on renovating current locations and slashing prices as well. Although Canadian Tire is an automotive based retail store, they also offer a wide variety of household items. Some of their sales in house ware, apparel, and seasonal merchandise should see a decline due to Targets entrance. Despite Lobar being a supermarket, they have made their way into the industry with the unveiling of their new clothing line, Joe Fresh (Freeman, Sunny). They are looking to compete with Target in the discount chic clothing space. The competitive landscape in this Canadian industry is very unique in comparison to the United States, but the most unique thing about each and every one of the players Walton ten Ministry Is Tanat teeny are all looking to Tina a online to Transliterate themselves. Wall-Mart strives to provide the lowest prices possible and that is how they are preparing for Targets movement. They plan on cutting prices even more. Target should not be affected by their transition because Wall-Marts brand image in not viewed as having the same quality. Target strives more on adding value to the customer by adding an exceptional shopping experience instead of offering a low price tactic. Although Sears is looking to restructure their image in Canada with renovations and price cuts, they are more focused on helping rebuild their stores coated in the United States. With that being said, Sears is going to be putting more effort in the U. S. Rather than in Canada. Canadian Tire is currently working on a new differentiation strategy which will feature an automotive-centric store format to improve customer experience. Automotive care is not in Targets current strategy and would probably not be in their best interest due to the fact that Canadian Tire has a very loyal customer base. Lastly, despite Lobar being a supermarket, they are looking to fulfill a niche strategy based on a new clothing line called Joe Fresh. With al that being stated, the industry is capitalizing on a differentiation strategy, which is why we recommend Target do the same thing. We suggest Target capitalize on taping into the hearts of Canadians through Hockey. This strategic group map shows the relative position of Target in comparison to some of the major competitors in the Canadian discount department store industry. Target is scheduled to open 124 stores, the fewest of the large retailers shown. Canadian Tire, boasts close to 500 locations throughout Canada but is still unable to match the economies AT scale created Dye Wall-Mart argue wall need to utilize Its Drain equity to try and create a level of loyalty among Canadian consumers in order to compete in this new market. Sears provides a primary example of an American company diving head on into a relatively misunderstood market with the expectations of immediate success. Sears has been unable to capture the necessary market share to operate a high volume of locations and has begun to reduce their efforts in Canada to shift focus back to their now failing American stores. Targets biggest competitor stands to be Wall-Mart as it is in the US due to Canadian Tires relatively high pricing. However if Target is unable to overcompensate their pricing to consumers with the quality and selection of brands they carry, they may not be able to convince the consumers to abandon Canadian Tire. Customers As unique as Target stores are, their customers are Just a unique. These guests have a median age of 46 which ranks them as attracting the youngest among major retailers (Targets Unique Guests). Forty-three percent of Target guests have a college degree and have a median household income of $55,000. Over half of these guests are employed in professional or managerial positions (Targets Unique Guests ). This shows that Targets brand image among department store shoppers is seen in higher regard than their competitors. Another interesting fact about Target and their customers is that eighty to ninety percent of them are women, with thirty-eight percent of them having children (Targets Unique Guests). We believe this is a very valuable statistic when determining our strategic recommendation. Price sensitivity is another important aspect of Targets guests. With the competitive nature of the discount department store industry, customers have the purchasing power. They are able to hold off on purchases in search of a better price, but these customers understand the difference between price and value. Making best of their time and money is essential to these customers. It is important to have a variety of options for their customers because they like having options. Target does a very good Job of offering a wide variety of options at competitive prices. Guests also like incentive programs, such as that of the Target Redcap. Knowing that they can donate one percent of their in-store or online purchase to organizations in need might influence purchasing. We believe adding Canadian Youth Hockey Leagues to the list of organizations would be a great way to appeal to the hearts of Canadians. There are currently over 500,000 children who play youth hockey in Canada, and another 500,000 cant play because of funding (Lund). As far as sports go, it doesnt get much more expensive that hockey. Being able to donate money to hockey leagues could help lower this number. Another key aspect of Target guests is that they value community outreach. Target currently gives back five percent of their revenue back to the community, equating to 3 million dollars each week (Corporate Responsibility). Despite the recent expansion across Canadian boarders, ninety-two percent of Canadians were already aware of the Target brand (The Globe and Mail). A significant number of them were willing to cross the border to shop in the U. S. Target stores. It goes to snow now Company Drain loyal canals are. Ranked as the second leading discount department store behind Wall-Mart, Target offers a wide variety of products at competitive prices (Target Corporation Company Profile). Target currently has 1,778 stores in the United States and will have 124 stores in Canada by the end of the year (Target Corporation Form 10-K). The company brought in $73. 3 billion dollars in 2012 and has roughly 361,000 employees (Target Corporation Form 10-K). Target is known for its high quality stores that emphasize design, creativity, and great customer service. Target sells a wide variety of products such as household items, entertainment products, apparel and accessories, food and pet supplies, and home furnishings and d ©core (Target Corporation Form 10-K). Giving back to the community has been a cornerstone of their business and has contributed to their current position within the industry. They currently give back five percent of heir revenue to the community, which ultimately equates to around 3 million dollars each week (Corporate Responsibility). On top of giving money back to those in need, Target also offers volunteer opportunities for employees. Target believes that donating time, talent, and resources is equally important as the income that they give. This is not only a great way for Target to show appreciation to those that have built the company to who they are today, it also is a way to market themselves. Knowing that their customers value community outreach, having volunteers go out onto the community representing Target will go a long way with customers. On top of giving back to the community in the form of funding, Target really strives to better the community in regards to the environment. They center their commitment around sustainable living, sustainable products, smart development, and efficient operations. Target puts a lot of pride into using resources responsibly, eliminating waste and minimizing their carbon footprint. With their renovations of Sellers in Canada, they are looking to seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LED) ratification for each of its 124 stores (Bam). Currently, Target Canada has a social media presence consisting of Backbone, Twitter, and Youth (Target Corporation). These channels have been used to advertise up and coming product lines as well as promotional campaigns. An example of this would be a picture of a hand holding a Struck coffee cup and the other hand pushing a Target shopping cart telling customers to Practice the one- handed cart push (Target Corporation).. Here they are sending a message to guests that their Target stores will feature Struck coffee shops inside. Target also has a Youth account designated specifically for the Canadian demographic. Commercials were made before Targets actually movement into the country to create a buzz about the brand in unfamiliar territories. This tactic worked out very well because Target sent a message that they love Canada and that they are happy to be their New Neighbor (Target Corporation).. Target is also working closely with Canaan retailers Tanat nave est. II D sneak themselves as popular Dramas among ten community. Canadians are very loyal to their country and offering Canadian based reduces will entice more shoppers. Ottawa gave Target the green light to open stores after the chain promised to sell Canadian books and other cultural items (Shaw). Target is proving their dedication to the Canadian culture while trying to tap into the hearts of the locals. SOOT In order to effectively evaluate Target Corporation, an analysis of the company externally and internally was conducted to find out what makes the company so successful and what the company could possibly capitalize on. This analysis revealed some opportunities Target can take advantage of that they currently are not urging. In this analysis two frameworks were utilized, SOOT analysis and Porters Five Forces. Starting out with SOOT analysis, an analysis of Target as a company, internally and externally, can be revealed. Target has many strengths as a company, which include high customer loyalty and brand awareness. Including in this are their logo and colors that are easily identified and heavily known. Consumers know a target employee by how they are dressed and can easily pick out a target commercial based on its colors and modern look. When a consumer see the logo, there is no confusion as to its meaning. Target also places their stores in numerous cities that are in favorable locations. Their stores provide customers with a one stop shopping experience where the customers can buy a large variety of products. Targets merchandise and store layout is always consistent at each location which makes it easier for customers to find what they are looking for. Most importantly, Target already has Canadian shoppers that cross the border in order to shop at Target stores. If consumers are already willing to cross the border, then clearly Target has a strong and favorable position when locating in Canada. Unfortunately, with strengths also come weaknesses. Targets employee turnover rate has been high the past couple of years due to wage rates and the amount of part-time employees they hire. When a company hires mostly part-time employees, they will experience a high employee turnover rate. Another weakness is their price compared to Wall-Mart, their biggest competitor. Target is priced slightly higher than Wall-Mart and this does lead to some loss of sales, especially in tough economic times. Lastly, their more specialized segments do not have the brand awareness that their main products do. Specifically, their grocery, pharmacy, and cosmetic segments, which do not receive as much awareness as their counterparts do. Some consumers did not even know Target had a pharmacy or a grocery section in Target (Shaw). The company as a whole does not advertise these segments enough to get the attention they deserve. As strengths and weaknesses are internal to the company, opportunities and threats are external. Target has an abundance of opportunities they could be reaching for, however, there are threats that get in the way. Some of their biggest opportunities lie within private labels. If Target expanded their private label across al departments they could reach a far larger customer base. Target also needs to cap tattle on new store layouts Ana concepts Not every larger store Is a super larger where consumers can get fresh groceries and products. If Target really wants to compete as a one-stop shop, they need to introduce grocery sections into all stores. They should also target new trends and markets that they are currently not pursuing. A huge market would be the Green Programs initiated in Canada. This is a huge segment Target has not tapped into yet, and it is a very profitable segment if approached correctly. Target also has huge opportunities with expanding internationally since the company has only be located in the United States until this Moving into Canada does come with large threats though. Costs being higher in Canada could lead to increases in prices to make up for the cost differences in labor, taxes, and operating costs. This would then make American stores more appealing and could lead to consumers crossing borders to shop at American Target stores instead. Other threats to Target are the intense competition within the industry they are in. Every company has competition within its industry but Target is competing tit the largest retailer in the nation, Wall-Mart. Any move Wall-Mart makes to differentiate themselves in the market is a threat to Target. One last threat that Target could face is switching costs due to low customer income due to a downward turn in the economy. If customers have low disposable income then they will spend less in general. This may also cause customers to switch to even lower priced retailers like Wall-Mart, thus effecting Targets sales. Porters Five Forces The second tool used, Porters Five Forces, looks at the external environment in the industry as a whole. This tool determines whether or not the industry is attractive. In the analysis it was discovered that for those competitors already in the industry it is attractive, but for those who are trying to enter it is unattractive. One force, Competitive Rivalry is considered very high. There are many competitors in the industry, which offer a similar array of products and services. Companies in the discount department store industry have to compete within their general category as well as with specialty stores and super centers. There are countless retailers, which sell similar products that Target sells. Due to this intense competition Target has had to really capitalize on their value rather than their price. Their strong position lies in their ability to communicate value to their customers through positive customer service and a quality assortment of goods. A second force, threat of new entrants, is considered low. Some of the factors that contribute to this low threat are the large amount of capital needed to enter, high startup costs, and few favorable locations available. If a company cannot obtain the capital needed and the funds needed to cover startup costs, they will not be able to succeed or be profitable in the industry. More importantly, location is key when deciding where to place a store. In general, there are not a lot of convenient, easily accessible locations available. Competition then ensues in trying to find suitable locations to construct stores. Third, the threat of substitute products is considered high in this category. This tenure Is null Decease AT ten large amount AT products Tanat tense stores sell. Having a wide variety of products allows you to have a bigger market share but also makes you susceptible to more competition. Stores like Kohls, Best Buy, and Pales are noninsured specialty stores and discount retailers so they have products that Target sells. Any customer could go to these stores over Target in order to purchase products. Wall-Mart and Cost are considered Targets two largest competitors within regards to a super store. They offer almost everything that Target does and again customers could choose these stores over Target. The fourth force, power of suppliers, is considered low, as target does not allow any one supplier to provide majority of the products. Target also sells their own private label brands, which are very successful and provide a large number of sales. These two strategies make sure no one supplier can control the price of the goods that are purchased. There are also a large number of suppliers that are competing for Targets business so it gives them little room to haggle for price since Target could easily pick another supplier. Target also purchases large quantities of products, which is another reason suppliers are competing to get Targets business. Lastly, the power of buyers is also low. Consumer spending is strongly correlated with disposable income so depending on the amount consumers have to spend they can either shop for luxuries or necessities. Target covers both of these areas and allows the consumers to be able to spend more when they can afford luxuries and less when they can only buy necessities. Target also offers store brand and name brand so customers have their preference when it comes to tastes and disposable income. When the economy is bad, consumers can buy cheaper store brands and when the economy is better the customers can buy more expensive name brands. Buyers also have low power considering most purchases are small compared to the companys sales as a whole. There will always be a large supply of potential buyers, which makes purchasing power small for them. Target has taken great advantage of this making sure to market to a variety of consumers. Survey Results To better understand the Canadian audience, a survey was created and submitted to current Canadian residents to complete (see exhibit G). Thirteen questions were asked to gather information about demographics, geographies, shopping habits, knowledge about Target, and their opinions on hockey. Sixty consumers responded to the survey. The respondents were predominantly male, making up 90% of the total. Their age ranged between 17 and 44, with the majority falling between 18-24 and 25-34 year olds. The respondents largely live in the province of Ontario, in the cities of Toronto and Ottawa. Almost all of the respondents have heard of Target, with a single person having not heard of the store. This is attributed to word of mouth and visits, advertising on American channels in Canada, and visits to the United States. However, because Target has not been in Canada up to this year, only about half have ever actually been in a store. Most have shopped at an American retail store. The most popular American chain was Wall-Mart, which presents a problem as they are Targets biggest competition. When asked about their preferred brands, most

Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance

Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance Freedom of speech is the liberty granted to individuals to express themselves freely without any censorship. However, the very rights are subjected to certain limitations such as slander, libel, incitement, obscenity and an intention to commit crime. The discussion on Phoenix pastor who is wishing that President Obama would be dead provides a concise example on the practicality of religious tolerance and freedom of speech.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is profound to underscore the fact that both the Phoenix pastor and President Obama have express right to freedom of expression as stipulated in Universal Declaration of Human Rights in article 19. Therefore, the pastor has the right to freely express himself and he should not be censored on the same ground. As stipulated in Article 19 of the Universal Human Rights Declaration, th e pastor has the right to share ideas and information of all kinds regardless of the periphery involved and in this case, he should not be criticized on the basis that he made the remark against the president of United States of America. On the other hand, the pastor had no right to censor Obama bearing in mind that every individual has the right to exercise his or her freedom of expression. However, due to the fact that the pastor used discriminatory remarks that could result into incitement and hate speech, it can be argued that he was not justified at all by wishing for the death of Obama. As a matter of fact, even though freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed to all individual, it may not be good taste to openly make such remarks in public both from religious and political points of view. Furthermore, it is prudent to observe that no single religious code of ethics or principles would permit such utterances at any given time largely due to the fact that it does not promo te peaceful co-existence among people, the latter being a core value in religion. Therefore, the Phoenix pastor is unjustified. We can also argue that to some extent, he abused the freedom of religion, freedom of speech and religious tolerance as laid down in the United States constitution (Ontario consultants on religious tolerance par. 1). In a more critical analysis, the pastor is wrong because there should be a sensible balance when exercising freedom of speech, freedom of religion bearing in mind that religious tolerance should be firmly in place regardless of faith one professes to. In addition, religious freedom of an individual has no impact on the freedom of speech of another person. Therefore, even though the pastor has the right to exercise his religious freedom, he has no right to interfere with the freedom of Obama in any way. The pastor had no authority or constitutional right to incite his congregation against the United States President even though the latter had com mented and apparently gave a nod to contentious debate surrounding abortion.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, there is need to censor speech on religious issues because individuals have different faiths and hold varying views on certain religious aspects. As a result, the comment made by the pastor was wrong on the basis that he did not merge his religious difference with that of Obama in a tolerant manner but instead tried to suppress the discourse of the speaker. Hence, it was erroneous for him to condemn Obama and wish for his death because he too has the right to speech and religious freedom (Anon par 4). In a more vivid way, it is also prudent to mention that the very constitution protects the rights of every individual regardless of their political or economic backgrounds. As a president, Obama is also protected by the very constitution irrespective o f his religious affiliation or personal take on some matters. If such level of condemnation is permitted in our society and especially at the level of religion, then it may be a real recipe for religious conflicts. The former United States President, Bill Clinton, once asserted that the best way to practice religious freedom is to use legal mechanisms to protect individuals against hate crimes and discriminations. Hence, on this basis, the pastor was wrong even though he has the right to exercise both freedom of speech and religion, he has failed to observe religious tolerance by spreading hate crimes against Obama and other individuals who may want to express themselves freely. Furthermore, the pastor did not observe the freedom of religion when he criticized and wished Obama’s death since he abused the anti-defamation policy. Moreover, his criticism was merely as a result of discrimination on the basis that he believed certain religious group support abortion and for Obama, it was not an exception. Worse still, the pastor failed to put into consideration that religious freedom is the founding principle in United States of America. Hence, he was wrong to remark that president Obama was abusing Christian faith and therefore deserve death. He further failed to honor religious tolerance in the United States of America when he made his speech (Ontario consultants on religious tolerance par 7). Consequently, the pastor failed to use religion accordingly when he criticized Obama publicly. Religious freedom and freedom of speech should be used for purposes of uniting a nation, securing basic human rights and cultivating prosperity. In addition, the pastor demonstrated his authoritative regime by repressing the members of his congregation and their general ideas in the pretext of creating an environment that will deny them the freedom of speech and religion. Additionally, his arbitrary and coercive interference in peaceful Christian religion could possibly res ult into Christians or specifically members of his congregation becoming more resistant towards Obama’s government. His remarks could possibly result into insurgency and separatism of certain religions from the state.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom of speech, religion and religious tolerance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Furthermore, his remark could highly likely result into negative worsening international relations because he linked extremism with certain religious groups. His remark against Obama was a clear indication that he was trying to widen up the existing divide among religious organizations or groups. Moreover, his speech failed to put into consideration the importance of building common concerns and shared values of religious faith to establish foundations of everlasting peace instead of spreading hate speech against certain individuals. In summing up, it is vital to reiterate that ev ery individual has the right to speech and no religion should be constitutionally supersede the others. The fact that President Obama did not use his belief system and freedom of speech to cross into immorality by justifying hatred and intolerance, the pastor had no right or moral standing to spread hate speech against him since anyone who supports religious intolerance becomes a minor among the believers and clergymen. The protests against the Phoenix pastor are a clear indication that he was indeed wrong in his assertion. Anon. Phoenix Pastor Draws Protests after Telling Church He Prays for Obamas Death. 2009. Web. Ontario consultants on religious tolerance. Religious tolerance: Abortions access all sides of the issue. 15 May, 2010. 24 Aug, 2011. Web religioustolerance.org/abortion.htm

Corporate social responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Corporate social responsibility - Essay Example As per discussion on the telephone, I am writing this letter to you to point out the positive aspects of implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) at your organization and its impact on marketing for your organization. CSR refers to the "commitment to improving community well-being through discretionary business practices and contributions of corporate resources." CSR is no longer a trend or an obligation which companies set aside to show civil societies of their participation in the community. In fact today, CSR has a greater impact on corporate image, credibility, and involvement in the society which it serves. The basic premise is that corporations should give back to the community which makes the corporation what it is through acceptance, purchase of its products and appreciation.On the other hand, CSR from a corporate perspective can be seen as social marketing and corporate relations with its community. The focus of the practice, in fact, today is on developing strateg ies which reflect the corporate responsibility towards its community. It is the company's philanthropy through its business activities as well as public relations which are considered as CSR. This usually results in a positive image, public approval, indirect branding, and credibility for the organization. The result is increased profits, sustained profitability, and relations with the community. These aspects lead me to suggest that your organization shall benefit from implementing CSR in your business strategy.

TVR chapter 5 and 6 journal entries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TVR chapter 5 and 6 journal entries - Essay Example as young as 2 years old, like, for instance, The Triplets: Christmas Special, as well as for a much more mature audience, as the movie About Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson as an aging man approaching retirement and coming to terms with his life. The movie medium is now taking over most of the entertainment industry medium, with books being sidelined as a secondary source of entertainment, and every book, in a way, claiming to be a movie in the making. Additionally, more and more individuals are taking up movie making, as they perceive it to be a medium through which they would be able to express their true selves and emit their ideas to other individuals. In a day and age where each not only has a story to tell, but wants to share it with as large an audience as possible, it is only logical that such individuals will reach out to the movie industry, an industry that reaches the maximum number of audience. Professional movies, with a director, producer, and cinematographer, try to be as creative as possible and tell a story, but, with the use of a camcorder and a connection to the Internet, individuals like Chris Crocker on YouTube expressing his views about Britney Spears aim to present themselves as their true selves. This use of the medium can have both positive and negative effects on its audience, as the way a situation is perceived varies from individual to individual. Moreover, such platforms for â€Å"movie making†, so to speak, normally end up not serving the audience, but causing them to be frustrated. Notwithstanding the movie platform is a great source of entertainment to the public as well as a platform to raise social issues, it can be used to merely document the mundane routine of one’s life, as is often seen on YouTube. YouTube, in my personal experience, can be, and often is, used for uploading mundane videos about people who have no clue what they are talking about, simply wanting their voices to be heard, or wanting to get noticed.

Rewrite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rewrite - Essay Example If projects are mismanaged, they may result in high rates of turnover, ineffectiveness, poor productivity and low morale. A project is a process with different phases that are collectively referred to as the project life cycle. Different from business activities such as maintenance and operations, projects involve uncertainty and risk because of their unique nature, their complexity, cost and time constraints, as well as limited resources. This paper seeks to discuss the various phases of project management and its importance for organizations. Phases of Project Life Cycle The project life cycle can be defined as a logical sequence of events meant to achieve the goals and objectives of the project. Despite the complexity or scope of any project, it goes via a series of phases in its lifetime. The first phase is known as the initiation phase, followed by the planning phase, then the execution phase, and finally the closure phase. 1. Initiation Phase In this phase, the project’s phase is defined, as well as the approach that will be taken in order to deliver on the desired output (Keller & Field, 2012). The project manager is elected in this phase, after which he selects other team members taking into consideration their experience and skill. In this phase, the most common methodologies used are project charter, project framework, business plan, justification of the business case, and review of the milestones. The needs and objectives of the project are identified in this phase, and an appropriate response to this is documented with recommended options as solutions in the business case (Keller & Field, 2012). A feasibility study is carried out in order to investigate if every option addresses the objectives of the project, with a final solution being recommended. Issues of justification and feasibility are addressed in this phase. On approval of the recommended solution, the project is initiated in order to deliver on the solutions that have been approved. The major deliverables, as well as the participating work teams, are identified. At this stage, the team begins to shape up, and the project manager then seeks approval to start on the planning phase. 2. Planning Phase Project management’s second phase is also the planning phase where the solution for the project is developed further while focusing on detail. The necessary steps needed to complete the objective set out by the project are then set out (Keller & Field, 2012). During this step, the team members identify all the activities, which should be executed. There is also identification of tasks within the project and the strategy to be used in their fulfillment. This process is synonymously known as scope management. A plan for the project is drawn up including the timeframes, dependencies, tasks and activities. A project manager is tasked with coordinating the budget via the provision of cost estimates for materials and labor. The budget that is drawn up is used contro l and monitor cost expenditures during the execution phase. On identifying the work, preparing the schedule and making an estimate of the cost, then the fundamental components of this phase are complete. This phase acts as the excellent time for identification and dealing with threats to

Evaluation of the Tourist View on Museum

Evaluation of the Tourist View on Museum Critical Evaluation from the visitor/tourist point of view. The NMI: Arts and History Collins Barracks This discursive essay is based on a field trip under took by myself as part of the Heritage Studies Year 3 class at GMIT. This field trip consisted of travelling to Dublin to visit two of Irelands museum attractions the Chester Beatty Library and the National Museum of Ireland: Decorative Arts and History Museum at Collins Barracks. The Decorative Arts and History Museum is the museum that I chose to write the essay on. The essay is intended to be a critical evaluation of the heritage product provided at this museum and also assess its performance at doing this task. The essay shall also examine a number of issues for this museum like best international practice for museums of this type, its Management Philosophy and analyse the visitor experience offered at this site. The essay will begin by looking briefly at some of the heritage of the building and the site that is Collins Barracks, the former barracks that now houses the Decorative Arts and History museum. Collins Barracks itself presents its own unique history and heritage. Collins Barracks is one of the oldest inhabited barracks in Europe and was once one of the largest. It was built originally as an Army barracks for the British armed forces and it was called The Royal Barracks. The building was erected in 1702 and designed by architect Col. Thomas Burgh (1670 1730) in an early Neo-classical style. The building itself appears to be well maintained by the OPW and it is in a good state of repair. A visitor here cannot ignore the magnificence of this structure and the surrounding site and they will hopefully experience the years of history that this place offers. The central square at Collins Barracks, which at one time would have held six entire regiments, is surrounded by arcaded colonnades and blocks linked by walking bridges. In 1922 the barracks was taken over by the Irish Free State and later renamed Collins Barracks after the former leader of the first Irish Provincial Governme nt Michael Collins. In 1988 it was decided to close the barracks and in 1997 it was opened as part of the National Museum of Ireland, specialising in Decorative Arts History exhibits. The original structure was redeveloped to house this museum and in keeping with its previous military history it houses, in addition to its Decorative Arts History exhibits, galleries dedicated to Irelands military history. Nature of the heritage product available at Collins Barracks. Our visit to the Decorative Arts and History museum was much too short. Due to the extensive nature of the building and the time constraints we were under, it was difficult to spend enough time examining all the exhibits that were on display. There are nearly 30 different exhibition galleries spread between four floors and a building beside Collins Barracks houses the Asgard and its exhibition. The many different displays within the galleries ranged from fine examples of silver, ceramics, glassware, furniture, clothing, jewellery, folklife, coins, metals and weaponry. This museum endeavours to offer an overview of Irelands social, economic and military history over the last millennium. I began my visit to the museum by viewing the Asgard and its exhibition. It is a great achievement to have had this iconic yacht restored to its former glory. As one walks around the Asgard one is forced to reflect on those who would have sailed her and the part she and her navigators played in Irelands history. As well as informative information boards on the Asgard and Irelands struggle for Home Rule, there are also a number of interesting artefacts from this period including a number of the Mauser rifles that were part of the 1914 Howth gunrunning. It is quite fitting to have these rifles here as they complement the story of the Asgard. Unfortunately there are no audiovisual displays here and the information blurbs are only written in Irish and English. From the Asgrad exhibition it is a short walk across a paved path to the well signposted reception area of the museum. Here a visitor can pick up a museum floor plan, which is in a number of languages, and this gives a brief description of the different exhibition galleries on the four floors while also showing the services available within the museum. The receptionist here was pleasant and helpful. he military section it is well documented and some of the displays are artistically presented. The history linking the Irish to the wars in Europe, and the rest of the World like the Boar War and US Civil War is very intriguing. The displays and information boards here are easy to follow for even the casual visitor. A downside is the placingto this excellent condition was that information boards and present in the narrow corridors. as was that dealing specifically with Irelands struggle for Home Rule and Independence. The various clothes, weapons of war and even the poor soldier eating his dry bread while on patrol in the hills add to this bringing alive of the past and of course the somewhat startling skeleton of Dickie Bird, a horse that fought in the Crimean War in 1854 with the 5th Dragoon Guards. One doesnt expect to be faced with a standing live skeleton from 1854 whose bones were found by archaeologists in 2008 at Clancy Barracks in Dublin. The Understanding 1916 exhibition, which chronicles Irelands 1916 Easter Rising, is helpful in trying to understand the background to the 1916   Rising. It is clearly presented but perhaps some audio/visual presentation would reduce the tedium of standing and reading all the details. Visceral memorabilia, such as first-hand accounts of the violence of the Black Tans and post-Rising hunger strikes, the handwritten death certificates of the republican prisoners and their postcards from Holloway prison, bring to life this poignant period of Irish history. On the ground floor is a chain of thematically interconnected galleries, Soldiers and Chiefs, devoted to almost five hundred years of Irish military history. Apart from an array of helmets and weaponry, theres the impressive Stokes tapestry which was created by a British soldier who devoted his spare time to the depiction of contemporary garrison life. Disappointingly the interactive panel that went into detail about the tapestry was blurred and not working. Other exhibits trace the Irish involvement in the US Civil War and one of personal fascination was the information board that listed all the names of the Irish that fought and died with General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. World War I with later examples of tanks and a de Havilland Vampire fighter plane while, contrastingly, theres the 200-year-old Bantry Boat, captured from the French frigate La Rà ©solue during the abortive invasion of 1796. Decorative arts is a tough thing to get right, especially if you want to offer a broad appeal, but the well-designed displays, interactive multimedia and a dizzying array of disparate artefacts make for an interesting and valiant effort. On the 1st floor is the museums Irish silver collection, one of the largest collections of silver in the world; on the 2nd floor youll find Irish period furniture and scientific instruments, while the 3rd floor has simple and sturdy Irish country furniture. Modern-furniture-and-design lovers will enjoy the exhibition on iconic Irish designer Eileen Gray (1878-1976), one of the museums highlights. One of the most influential designers of the 20th century, Grays life and work are documented in the exhibit, which shows examples of her most famous pieces. The fascinating Way We Wore exhibit displays Irish clothing and jewellery from the past 250 years. An intriguing socio-cultural study, it highlights the symbolism jewellery and clothing had in bestowing messages of mourning, love and identity. Some of the best pieces are gathered in the Curators Choice exhibition, which is a collection of 25 objects hand-picked by different curators, and displayed alongside an account of why they were chosen. The various exhibition galleries are absolutely amazing. There is a very rich collection in each of the categories. One could easily spend a whole morning on any one of them. Coming from one of these, Harry Clarkes The Unhappy Judas provided a startling contrast. The majority of exhibits have clearly written explanations, written in both English and Irish, but some are difficult to read due to the surrounding low light. Unfortunately there did not appear to be any translated into other languages which must make it difficult for some foreign non-English-speaking visitors to understand. It would have been more helpful had they had audio explanations, particularly for those who are visually impaired. I found this most interesting but for the person who wants to linger, browse and read the numerous pieces, it would have been helpful to have sitting down benches, as in the foyer. Speaking to a member of staff afterwards, he explained that the exhibition areas are narrow so that when there are large groups, benches could be an unsafe obstruction. Best international practice for institutions of this type: Edinburgh Museum NMS. Edinburgh is an amalgamation of Royal Scottish Museum and the National Museum of antiquities. It has exhibitions of various types which are similar to Collins Barracks.: see www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum -of-scotland. Collins Barracks website gives very informative overview of its exhibits, so that a visit can be planned in advance. This is also true of Edinburgh Museum. Management Philosophy Refer to Mission Statement on the website Quoting from website..Our philosophy is to uphold the values of : Authenticity: Working in partnership with staff. Excellence in all our activities. Investing in people. In achieving this philosophy, it is dependent on ongoing commitment of all stakeholders, including, in particular, staff of the museum, Dept. of Arts, Sports Tourism, and the O.P.W. if Phase 2 of the development of Collins Barracks is to be completed. The development of the Central storage area requires a lot of money and commitment. Cf. Strategic Plan.   Cf statement of chairman J. OMahony July 2008. Heritage Product, Visitor Facilities and Marketing. Visitor facilities: Restaurant, good and reasonable in price. Toilets, clean and bright. Shop, ok. There is a need for more seating in all areas, to make it a more relaxing as well as an educational   experience. There is a need to be more aware of people with specific needs, eg. Website said thatthere were objects that could be touched, for visually impaired people. On enquiring, the staff member did not know anything about this. As previously mentioned, the need for audio aids for visually impaired people. Marketing: Collins Barracks is a wonderful place with so much to see, but I have passed it so many times in the Luas as well as walking past but never knew that there were so many treasures there. Is this due to poor marketing? Visitor experience: Cf. Trip Advisor, Facebook Twitter Great museum, so many interesting exhibitions. Asgard, great. I would be very happy to go there again. Entrance from Luas stop, with all the ascending steps could be a problem for older people. There is a need for clearer marking of alternative entrance via car park. Heritage product: My favourite was the Eileen Gray furniture exhibition but I would have been happy spending more time on any of the other exhibitions, had time permitted. I intend going there soon again. Visitor profile; Speaking to a staff member, he told me that during the summer they have many foreign visitors and visitors with Irish ancestry. They see people of all age groups. Approx.. 60,000 a month during the summer holiday months. In October 2013, they had 20,164 visitors. They get many families when they have special events on. It is also popular for school groups. There are often book launches etc held at the museum. Listen to interview with Pat Wallace on Marian Finucane on RTE radio 1 on Sunday November 2nd. Well worth listening to, on the lack of funding to the museums. Overall impression? The site is being well run and cared for with helpful friendly staff on every level. The cafà © could be improved on. Fewer and better meals on offer and better ventilation in the kitchen to prevent the pervasive smell of cooking oil wafting through to the dining area. The shop offered a wide range of souvenirs and goods produced in Ireland. Service was again friendly and helpful. As an observer the visitor profile varied from school groups, to guests from the U.S. Africa and China to one day city trippers. A place well worth a return visit and one to watch for exhibitions, events as shown on their website. West of Smithfield on Benburb Street is the National Museums Decorative Arts Collection,. Unquestionably, the best of these is Curators Choice, on the first floor of the west block, which is selected by museum curators from all over Ireland. Among its draws are a medieval oak carving of St Molaise; the extravagant cabinet presented by Oliver Cromwell to his daughter Bridget in 1652; and the remarkable fourteenth-century Chinese porcelain Fonthill Vase. The Out of Storage section is another highlight, bringing together everything from decorative glassware to a seventeenth-century suit of Samurai armour, while others focus on Celtic art, coinage, silverware, period furniture, costumes and scientific instruments, and there are usually plenty of temporary exhibits. Read more: http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/ireland/dublin/collins-barracks/#ixzz3KJp4qIAX All of these displayed with imagination in innovative and contemporary galleries, which entice you to go further, look harder and examine more closely. In the Curators Choice exhibition there is amongst other treasures, an ancient Japanese ceremonial bell, which dates back over 2000 years. Explore the histories of soldiers and their families in Soldiers Chiefs: The Irish at War at Home and Abroad since 1550. Examine the decade of disturbance between 1913 and 1923, from the Dublin Lockout, through the Easter Rising to the end of the Civil War in The Easter Rising: Understanding 1916. Included are artefacts such as Etruscan vases, gauntlets worn by King William at Battle of the Boyne, a life belt and oar salvaged from the wreck of the RMS Lusitania and a pocket book carried by Wolfe Tone whilst imprisoned in the Barracks. Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland/dublin/sights/museums-galleries/national-museum-ireland-decorative-arts-history#ixzz3KJfM23cI Museums and galleries are vital to the educational and cultural health of society. This, however, is not always either seen or understood, and as long as this is the case, the continued existence of museums will be tenuous. Lang, Caroline, Reeve, John, and Woollard, Vicky, eds. Responsive Museum : Working with Audiences in the Twenty-First Century. Abingdon, Oxon, GBR: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2006. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 24 November 2014.

Alligators Essay -- Animals, Environment, Hunters

The American alligator scientific name is Alligator mississippiensis. The Chinese alligator is the only other alligator in the alligator family and its scientific name is alligator sinensis. The American alligator is in the kingdom Animalia because it is an animal. The phylum is chordate because it has vertebrae. The American alligator is in the class reptilia because it is cold blooded, lays shelled eggs, scaly skin and breaths air. Alligators are in the order crocodilian because it is a large animal that appeared during the Cambrian stage. The American alligator is in the family alligator idea because it has larger, broader snouts, and can withstand colder temperatures. The genus is alligator and the species is Mississippiensis (Florida nature,2006). The American alligators have many physical characteristics. Their size ranges from six to twelve feet. A full grown male can weigh up to one thousand and two hundred pounds. The American alligator has a long round snout with nostrils at the end. An alligator has two eyes towards the top of its head. Also alligators have a long thin body that has four legs and a long tail (EDIS, 2009) The American alligator lives in wetlands in southeastern United States from North Carolina to Texas. Wetlands are areas of standing water such as bogs, swamps, ponds, and marshes. Alligators mostly live in fresh water wetlands, but sometimes alligators live in brackish water. Brackish water is water that has more saline or salt water than fresh water. Alligators can’t live in salt water because they do not have an effective salt gland. American alligators live in temperate climate with cold winters and warm summers. The average temperature is 50 degree Fahrenheit a year and 40 to 60 inches of rainfall... ...and food. Their skin is used to make high quality leather. In 1950, American alligators were seriously endangered because humans were over hunting alligators. Then in 1967, the endangered species preservation act stopped the hunting of alligators and the number of alligators quickly rose. Now there are millions of alligators and people are allowed to hunt alligators again. Alligators are losing their habitat because wetlands are being filled to create land for houses, farms, and industries. Alligators are very dangerous animals to humans. Alligator attacks occur around seven times a year, but few are lethal. When people feed them, alligators learn not to be afraid of humans. This causes more alligator attacks and alligators to become more aggressive with humans. Ninety percent of all alligator attacks are caused from people feeding alligators. (langly,2005)

Learning at Universities Essay

Learning at University: The International Student Experience1 Meeri Hellsten Macquarie University, School of Education meerihellsten@mq. edu. au Anne Prescott Macquarie University, School of Education anne. prescott@aces. mq. edu. au This paper reports on research that explores internationalisation of the University’s curriculum offerings and how this affects international students. The central focus of this paper is to highlight some of the student commentary on communication between teachers and students exemplifying the way it subsequently affects the quality of student learning. The paper concludes by raising some questions concerning how we may best meet the needs of international students by drawing on inclusive teaching philosophies. Inclusivity and diversity, international students, internationalisation and sustainability, transition experience INTRODUCTION The internationalisation of curriculum in Australian universities has increased significantly in recent years. International students (IS) are now an integral part of university teaching classes. The rapid increase in international student numbers is also reflected in current research. However, relatively little research has focused on the student perspective (Ballard and Clanchy, 1991; Jones, Robertson, and Line, 1999; Ramburuth, 2001; Reid, 2002). This paper is a contribution to this area of higher education research. The accommodation of IS is an important goal in the Australian higher education sector that is reflected in the commitment to quality education and teaching expertise. The benefits of the integration of IS into the Australian academic cultures are highly esteemed by university leadership. The diversity of our university populations is enhanced by IS and further research may be found by exploring how diversity may add value to the transition experience as a whole (McInnes, 2001). However, reports on students’ experiences provide a somewhat contrary understanding of that experience. For example, Reid (2002) conducted a comprehensive study, which surveyed over 300 postgraduate IS at Macquarie University. Contrary to common beliefs, about students from Asian backgrounds in particular, IS students were reported to value the interactive mode (i. e. discussion based learning) of unit delivery over a sometimes assumed teacher centred mode. Another example is the common stereotypical belief that students from Asian backgrounds prefer rote-learning styles and tend to be passive in classroom interaction. It seems then, at least rhetorically, that ideas about what constitutes high quality teaching and learning differ between international students and academic personnel. 1 This paper is adapted from one presented at Celebrating Teaching at Macquarie 28-29 November 2002 (Hellsten and Prescott, 2002). Hellsten and Prescott 345 If the practices that characterise quality are perceived and acted out differently by members of Western and Eastern cultural groups it assumes a questioning of the very meaning of concepts such as ‘quality’ and ‘teaching’. These can account for deeply contrasting expectations of educational practice. International students’ cultural traits have been blamed for subsequent teaching and learning problems (for example, Burns, 1991; Jones et al. , 1999; Leask, 1999; McInnes, 2001; Ryan, 2000). Some problems include poor English language and critical thinking skills, failure to participate in the collaborative learning mode (for example, group discussions), differences in cultural communication, academic literacy styles, and expectations of rote learning resulting in lack of independent learning initiatives. Where does this occur? Some researchers have refuted these claims. Biggs (1999) provides a broad review of research findings that reveal institutional stereotyping of students from Asian backgrounds. He argues that such students continue to rank in the top levels of university courses, which testifies to their ability to adjust well into the Western learning cultures. The issues and problems are no different from those generally raised by researchers in the field of the first year experience of mainstream students undergoing the transition to an academic university culture (Levy, Osborn, and Plunkett, 2003; McInnes, 2001). Biggs (1999) reports on results showing that at least for some, the mainstream transition experience is fraught with uncertainties about fitting in to disciplinary cultures in terms of academic writing genres (for example, Krause, 2001). Anecdotal evidence suggests that students quickly develop the ability to work out their position within disciplinary cultures, with beginning students being able to guess at what is important as sanctioned disciplinary practice within three weeks of commencing their studies in a major discipline area. Therefore, research is needed into the acquisition of disciplinary know-how that seems readily accessible by students in universities; a skill that would not in such cases be acknowledged by the academic community. What seems to be at the core of the debate is the notion of communication between IS and university staff (Hellsten, 2002). There seems to be a need to increase cultural understanding that is reflected in the ways in which pedagogy and practice are mediated between IS and academics. There also seems to be a need to establish opportunities for discussion between IS and staff about the communicative differences that constitute pedagogy, and the way in which these are reflected in the university teaching settings. In order to examine the relationship between cultural practices and pedagogy among incoming students we conducted one-hour, semi-structured sessions with volunteer IS in their first year in Australia. The 48 participants (undergraduate and postgraduate) were enrolled in many different discipline areas of the University, as shown in Table 1, and came from a range of countries around the world, presented in Table 2. Table 1. Participants’ course of study Accounting Actuarial Commerce Economics Translation TESOL Linguistics Languages Education Anthropology Computing Exchange Total Undergraduate 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 4 18 Postgraduate 1 2 13 3 6 3 2 30 Total 4 3 3 1 14 3 7 1 3 2 1 6 48 346 Learning at University: The International Student Experience Table 2. Participants’ country of origin (N=48) Country China South Korea USA Japan Germany Vietnam Thailand Taiwan No. 16 13 5 2 1 1 1 1 Country Sweden Sri Lanka Spain Singapore Malaysia Kenya Indonesia Hong Kong No. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Of central interest was the first six-month time period following overseas students’ arrival that constituted their transition period between the old and new learning environments. The questions centred on the students’ encounters with Australian communities, learning environments and the academic disciplines. We were also interested in the students’ overall sense of experience as reflected in subsequent word-of-mouth referrals to fellow students in their home country. We found important impressions inherent in such descriptions. They provided insight into aspects that might otherwise have been hidden due to discursive politeness and courtesy constraints of the interview. Below are some features of their commentary. COMMUNICATING IN CLASS One of the common assumptions made about IS from Asian cultures is that they find it difficult to contribute in class and to participate in classroom discussions. There are many substantial explanations for this, the most salient being that IS feel self-conscious if conversational flow does not come easily in the English language. This shows in their reluctance in attempting to pronounce English words for fear of failure in front of the evaluative eye of other native speakers. Yes†¦. Um†¦ they [teachers] think it’s a job. They ask something. We say nothing†¦ ‘cause we wanna say but †¦ (inaudible) shy. And I’m afraid sometimes I’ll make a mistake, so I don’t want to like that †¦ I think, my friends, sometimes they stay in one course for two †¦ months. Because their character very shy. They don’t want to say, you know, anything even though they know everything. They know everything. So teachers didn’t know that. It’s just hard and difficult. I don’t know the feeling, the nuance, I don’t know those in English so.. I†¦ I’m not a good English speaker at all. It’s very uncomfortable when I talk with somebody. So I think I†¦ When I speak with Australians I feel they treats me as a children, you know. And they think of me as a just a†¦[indicates height of a child with hand] that language level person. Like a ten year old kid. In conversation with native speakers the student in the third example feels she is being spoken to in the diminutive voice. The perception that others speak to her ‘as a child’ must be damaging to her self-esteem as an academically successful individual. The perpetuation of this perception may in turn result in a reluctance to speak in public, thereby accentuating a difficulty in the learning process. COMMUNICATION ISSUES A common communicative feature is for speakers to adjust their conversational style to suit each other in terms of genre and register. Australian lecturers of IS are perceived to lower their level of language use in the hope of making their teaching more effective and beneficial for low level language speakers ( Jones, 2001). Hellsten and Prescott 347 The consensus was that the mode of delivery was easier than that expected of mainstream students. The necessary feedback may not have reached the lecturers due to culture-specific constraints for politeness in discourses. For example, students from some cultural backgrounds did not feel comfortable offering criticism of their teachers as a gesture of respect: The one thing is they (lecturers) try to speak easier (laughter) because sometimes we misunderstood. And lecturer say to student but nobody nodded. So he try to explain again. So I think most of the Australian lecturer try to give lecture (in an) easier way. Delivering lectures using lower level language registers can be perceived as contrary to IS expectations of improving English proficiency as part of their student experience in an English speaking country. Before I came here I think uh, if I got to Australia I will improve my English skills really very fast. But it’s just a dream. I must do everything. Every day I practise, practise, practise for this. Within this commentary is the realisation that achievement in the learning experience hinges solely on personal investment of time and practice. The interpretation here is the refusal of the lecturer to provide the necessary skills to which the student aspires. It is also a reaction to the realisation that the low level of language provided by the classroom interaction would not provide him with advanced level linguistic ability – a rather troublesome side effect of an overseas university experience in an English-speaking country. It seems, based on our student commentary, that the slowing down of English language learning results, at least in some cases, is a lack of challenging classroom opportunities. So adjusting to a conversational style may not be useful and may be interpreted by IS as a gesture that further marginalises them from mainstream students. Leaving the social comfort of home country for study in a foreign country, language and culture can be a harrowing experience, especially for younger international students. The mentoring programs in place within universities go some way toward meeting the basic transition needs. However, the interviews revealed that IS consign the responsibility of teaching to lecturers rather than the institution. On this theme, one feature of the discussion is the student perception of a lack of support by the teaching staff. For example: So, I want teacher to encourage that, and like mum or dad†¦ yes, to take care of them (other IS) a lot because they are really shy and they sometimes they don’t understand†¦. Just to say ‘OK’. I want our teachers to know that. So there is a consultant. He consult with me. But he is really busy. I can’t contact easily. Just the one (consultant) and a lot of students here. So, and he only work†¦ I think, twice maybe three days a week. So I can’t meet. †(Is this a reference to a teacher or a student counsellor? ) I visit many times this office. When I need their help I am looking for someone but I can’t. Commentary about the unavailability of consultation opportunities is extensive among newly arrived international students in our study. We suggest that this lack of resources is partly a biproduct of the current global economic rationalisation in the higher education sector; the effect of which is compounded for IS who often have greater needs than local students. There is a perception that special efforts should be made by academic staff to accommodate incoming students’ needs. This is attributed to the need for care and emotional support, and in a familial sense as tantamount to so-called ‘parenting’. This is especially voiced in talk about the younger IS groups. The ethic of care is an expectation of the teaching practices by the students interviewed. 348 Learning at University: The International Student Experience The unavailability of part-time staff poses a further problem for international students due to the pressures imposed by their timed candidature. There is a sense of urgency about the study program and waiting to see staff who are not available is interpreted as obstructing progress toward the completion of the degree. Such concerns are directly linked with the marketing of education in the new global knowledge economy (Rizvi, 2000). Certainly, international competition for student places and resources is of central interest to Australia as one of the Western English speaking countries with extensively developed international education targets. Australia is competing against other English speaking countries for IS numbers. The competition and urgency of this new global dynamic is then reflected in the responses of IS and may result in the experiences perceived as less desirable as in the above commentary. The commitment to internationalising the curriculum needs to seek critical and innovative solutions to a re-evaluation of existing curriculum content, enhanced capacity and mode of program delivery. To this end, Bellis and Clarke (2001) found a course online bulletin board to be extremely useful for students interacting with other students and staff. Students were encouraged to discuss difficulties among themselves, with academics only participating when necessary. While Bellis and Clarke recognise that not all students participated, for IS whose first language is not English, a bulletin board allowed students to think about and compose their response without the pressure of the discussion progressing past the point where they wanted to participate. SOME IMPLICATIONS There is a widespread call for implementation of various bridging programs to prepare IS better in their transition to the Australian study environment (Jones et al., 1999;Leask, 1999; Ryan, 2000). Successful mentoring programs are in place in many universities (Austin, Covalea, and Weal, 2002). These go a long way toward the creation of important links between IS and Australian communities and may decrease feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Implications can be considered in terms of enhancing culturally sensitive curriculum delivery and communication, and by enhancing a reflective and inclusive teaching culture throughout the university. Implications for teaching and learning. Some useful resources for the critical examination of our teaching modes and practices may be found in a number of professional-development initiatives. Inclusive teaching practices are particularly pertinent. While inclusive teaching philosophies are part of effective teaching policies, whether in schools or universities, there seems to be some uncertainty about their applicability to the teaching setting. Making the curriculum and its discourses explicit is a starting point discussed by Leask (1999) and Garcia (1991). Provision of obvious and workable program and assessment guidelines that are sensitive to individual variation and diversity are also listed among their recommendations. One implication that emerged from the current study involves the need to provide opportunities for staff to communicate and reflect upon their practices in teaching IS. One cost-effective way is the formation of focus groups that contain impartial representatives of the international student body (such as representatives of the National Liaison Student group) who convey the views of students to academic and other staff. Awareness of cultural open-mindedness and responsibility towards IS is an issue that could be explored. Information sessions may address the examination of religious and other culturally divergent traditions, as well as culture specific discourses. Rizvi (2000) calls for the internationalisation of curriculum to ensure the promotion of cultural change, that would become part of both the mainstream and other groupings. The culturally sensitive curriculum would then move away from the stereotypical thinking that claims internationalisation as a responsibility that belongs to someone else other than oneself (Leask, 1999). Hellsten and Prescott 349 The underlying premise of Leask’s (1999) statement of shared responsibility for the internationalisation of the Australian higher education curriculum prescribes that strategies are put into practice to enable the meeting of individual IS needs for communication. Where this relates to increasing staff availability, further resources may be needed. Clearly, the conditions of IS academic experience rest on adherence to time management and other restrictions as dictated by temporary visa requirements. Such constraints necessitate mediation with academic and other university staff for increased accountability and loyalty to consultations and other scheduled commitments. One suggestion for implementation is to make a point of contact facility available that is staffed by academics and experienced IS mentors. We found that many of the questions of incoming IS are of a general nature and can be answered by individuals within the university system. Such a facility (for example, an information booth, linked to an on-line service) meets the deeper need for social and emotional support that is currently felt by new students to be lacking. Garcia (1991, p. 3) points out that classroom teachers who were thought by others to be â€Å"highly committed to the educational success of their students† perceived themselves as being â€Å"instructional innovators utilising new learning theories and instructional philosophies to guide their practice†. Professional development activities were also considered to be important. They had high educational expectations for their students. Some students in our study thought their lecturers were off-hand about their students’ success or failure. It would appear, therefore, that good teaching is recognisable, no matter what the venue. Implications for practice Educational practices are largely related to everyday conduct, held values and attributive actions. To this effect, we benefit from recommendations for teaching methods that draw on reflective and inclusive teaching philosophies. However, it is our experience that these philosophies are not entirely understood by the academic community. There needs to be some recognition of inclusivity as a dynamic negotiation, as opposed to the domination of one over another. This reasoning makes the notion of flexibility and change everyday requirements for the accommodation of diversity in our teaching and learning settings. There still exists a great need among academics in Australia to reflect upon their cultural affiliations, to explore their ethnicities and acknowledge that these are not only traits we identify in others but also in ourselves. This reflection should then allow for inclusive practice to begin by asking, what can I do to meet the particular cultural and discursive needs of international students. This may in itself, and without further extended effort, transfer into the duty of care for the IS in particular classroom settings. However, there are some recommendations that provide examples to implement culturally inclusive practices into the teaching of IS. An initial issue is to consider a needs analysis of the students and how their needs can be met within the constraints of the teaching program. A second issue is, to allow for flexibility in understanding some of the cultural discourses and genres that may be encountered in communicative exchanges with IS. Knowledge of the background of students acknowledges an acceptance and interest in their cultural backgrounds. There are many publications describing cultural practices of particular nationalities. For example, an exploration of different religious and cultural traditions may provide stimulating introductory material particularly if this is carried out with sensitivity and without marginalising individual students in the group. Another effective introductory session may investigate communication conventions of different cultural groups. Allowing students to explore culturally specific behaviours such as the use of voice, tone, affect, body language and body contact in communicating with different members of the community may also open up channels of communication between staff and students. This may also act as effective preparation for later identification of unexpected features of communicative conduct. 350 Learning at University: The International Student Experience CONCLUDING COMMENTS The internationalisation of Australian higher education is still in its infancy inviting greater collaborative effort from university communities. Although many generalisations exist, we now widely acknowledge the possibly erroneous perception of quantity underwriting quality. There is a discernment that increased numbers of IS have not reflected in the capacities of learning institutions in terms of the provision of quality and  expertise – at least when it comes to inclusive practices and culturally sensitive communication styles. The implications addressed here go some way towards meeting these needs. Further investigation is clearly necessary especially in comparing student commentary with staff perceptions and experiences. The assurance of quality teaching and the provision of culturally amenable learning opportunities for international students may be achieved by means of cultural change and critical evaluation of current academic discourses and practices. Acknowledgements. Many thanks to our interview participants who so willingly gave their time and Louise Warton for so cheerfully transcribing the interviews. 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