Communication Failure

â€Å"Communication is not an easy process. It involves verbal and non-verbal attempts to assist the other person to understand what we are trying to communicate. Yet it often fails. † The communication occurring between two people as discussed in the statement above is known by academics as ‘interpersonal communication’. Interpersonal communication can be defined as a two-way, transactional process in which two people, occupying a shared space, continue to send information to each other and receive information from each simultaneously. DeVito, 2008; Firth, Berry & Irvine, 2010; Hartley, 1999). The above statement refers to the process of interpersonal communication. Three clear assertions regarding the process of interpersonal communication are put forth in the statement above. Firstly, it is declared that the process of interpersonal communication is not simple. Secondly, it is declared that both verbal and non-verbal means are employed to foster the process of interpersonal communication. Lastly, it is declared that the process of interpersonal communication often is unsuccessful.This essay will discuss and analyse the above statement and the three assertions it puts forth in regards to the process of interpersonal communication. The interpersonal communication process is said to be comprised of five basic elements, which are: the sender of the information; the receiver of the information; the encoding of the information by the sender; the decoding of the information by the receiver; and the shared means or channel through which the information is sent (Shannon & Weaver, 1949, as cited Firth et al. , 2010).DeVito (2008) states there are additional elements which also have some part to play in the interpersonal communication process, these being: feedback from the receiver; feedforward by the sender; noise or interference impacting the interpersonal communication process; and the context or setting in which the communication process takes place. The statement above states that the process of interpersonal communication is often unsuccessful. DeVito (2008) suggests that such unsuccessful communication would be attributed to some of the elements of interpersonal communication either being present, absent or employed ineffectively by ender or receiver. Due to the process of interpersonal communication comprising of a number different elements, it can be concluded that the interpersonal communication process does have a certain degree of complexity as declared in the statement above. The statement being discussed also declares that for the process of interpersonal communication to be successful, verbal and non-verbal forms of information are broadcast by both the sender to facilitate understanding.DeVito (2008) states that verbal forms of information are essentially the actual words used by the sender and are chosen to: convey facts and inferences; express the connotation a word is being used in; and express sincerity or criticism. Hartley (1999) adds that the words a sender chooses to employ can communicate assertiveness and social standing. Though verbal communication is important in the interpersonal communication process, non-verbal communication conveys a far greater amount of information to the receiver (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999).DeVito (2008) states non-verbal means of information transfer between sender and receiver include: body movements and gestures such as pointing with a finger; facial expressions and gestures such as smiles and frowns; the amount of and nature of eye contact present such as pupil dilatation and breaking or initiating gaze; the actual physical space between sender and receiver where closer space often indicates a greater level of intimacy between sender and receiver; the presence or absence of touch such as shaking hands or embracing; the use of paralanguage which involves the rate, tone and volume at which the sender speaks or the use of uttera nces; the sender’s view of the importance of time; artifactual communication which involves how one’s physical appearance, clothing, makeup, and material possessions are made known to the sender; and smell such as the presence of perfumes, deodorants, body odour, mouthwashes. Therefore a great amount of information is sent though verbal and non-verbal communication, which is also made up of many elements. As indicated before, a greater number of elements often results to a greater level of complexity, which is declared in the statement discussed. Though many forms of verbal and non-verbal information sent intentionally to the receiver, sometimes additional verbal nd non-verbal information sent to a receiver is sent unknowingly and unintentionally (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Most intentional information sent to a receiver is sent verbally and most unintentional information broadcast by a sender is unwittingly sent through non-verbal means (Firth et al. , 2010). Information that is unintentionally expressed by the sender impacts the message decoded and comprehended by the receiver, often leading to ineffective, unwanted or failed communication (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Therefore, if the amount of unintentional information sent during the process of communication is reduced, the high chance of communication failure, suggested in the statement above, will be lessened to a degree.While encoding and conveying information in the interpersonal communication process, the sender employs a language they deem to be recognisable easily decoded by the receiver in an attempt to foster successful communication (Firth et al. , 2010). A language can be defined as any verbal or non-verbal manner or means employed to transmit information and understanding between groups of people (Firth et al. , 2010). Verbal and non-verbal messages expressed by should ideally have congruency, meaning they complement each other (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Incongruent verbal and non-verbal messages often lead to confusion in the receiver, hindering successful reception and comprehension of the information being communicated and therefore resulting in a failure in the communication process (Devito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010).Hence, congruent verbal and non-verbal messages encoded and communicated by sender will also aid in reducing the likeliness of communication failure. It has been suggested that a failure or breakdown in the interpersonal communication process can be further reduced if both the sender and receiver possess satisfactory levels of what is termed ‘emotional intelligence’ (Goleman, 1998; Lynn, 2002). Emotional intelligence may be defined as a person’s ability to recognise, control and evaluate their own feelings and emotions as well as the feelings and emotions of others (Goleman, 1998). Goleman (1998) states that emotional Intelligence is made up of five lements, these being: self-aw areness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, and the possession of social skills. Self-awareness comprises of: the ability to recognise one’s emotions; awareness of one’s strengths, weaknesses and potential; and one’s ability to maintain a satisfactory sense of self-worth and confidence (Goleman, 1998). Self-regulation involves: one’s desire to maintain honestly; one’s ability to keep distracting emotions at bay; one’s ability to ensure a high level of performance in tasks; and the ability to manage and adapt suit to change (Goleman, 1998). Self-motivation requires one to have: a desire to excel; initiative to grasp given opportunities; and the desire to continue pursing goals whilst barriers are met (Goleman, 1998).Empathy involves one’s ability to: perceive other’s feelings; understand others points of view; and nurture others in developing their abilities (Goleman, 1998). A person with a high level of social skills wi ll be able to: listen openly and effectively send messages; negotiate well with others in times of conflict; inspire, guide others or successfully persuade others; collaborate well with others; bring about change; and effectively deal with change (Goleman, 1998). Therefore, possessing a high level of emotional intelligence involves possessing numerous skills. Lynn (2002) states that possessing emotional intelligence enables one to be aware of their own emotions and abilities, and allows one to hold confidence themselves, enabling the person to communicate confidently and effectively.It can be concluded that someone who possesses emotional intelligence is able to manage how they send, receive, encode and decode information. Elements which are of great importance in the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008). Emotional intelligence in the sender and receiver will also impact the remaining elements of the interpersonal communication process. Feedforward is an element of the interpersonal communication process which enables the sender to attract the attention of the receiver before conveying their full message (DeVito, 2008). Feedforward can indicate to the receiver the nature or the importance of the information which is about to be provided to them by the sender (DeVito 2008).DeVito (2008) states that in the interpersonal communication process, feedforward can: open communication channels; provide a sample of what is about to be conveyed; disclaim the message; and altercast which lets the sender and receiver to assume specific roles during the interpersonal communication process. Feedforward therefore, is a good tactic the sender can employ to gain the attention of the receiver before important messages conveyed, heightening the chance of successful information reception. After conveying their message, the sender can make note of feedback given to them by the receiver (DeVito, 2008). Feedback is an element of interpersonal communication that relates to the information which is continually broadcast either immediately or after short delay by the receiver during the course of the interpersonal communication process (Devito, 2008).Feedback can come in the form of: body language such as hand gestures; eye contact such as breaking or initiating gaze; facial expressions such as smiles; silence which may indicate the receiver is disinterested in the interpersonal communication process; and the variation of distance the which may indicate how involved the receiver wants to be with the sender (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Feedback may be intentional or unintentional just like other forms of information broadcast during the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). By making note of of feedback, the sender can gain and understanding of how the receiver perceives the message (DeVito, 2008). The context associated with communication also affects how messages are encoded and decoded by the sender and re ceiver in the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010).DeVito (2008) makes note of four dimensions communication takes place in: the physical dimension, which is the environment the sender and receiver communicate within and whether or not the environment promotes successful communication; the social-psychological dimension, which deals with the status, class or relationship between sender and receiver and how formal the communication should be; the temporal or time dimension, which deals with whether it is the appropriate time for a sender to convey a message; and the cultural dimension, which refers to beliefs, values, traditions and expectations that exist in the cultures of the sender and receiver whether certain forms of communication are appropriate. The channel or medium through which the information between sender and receiver is relayed has much influence upon successful encoding, decoding and comprehension (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). DeVito (2008) states some channels used in the interpersonal communication process are: verbal; non-verbal; auditory, which relates to sound; olfactory, which relates to smell; and tactile, which relates to touch.Different mediums include: letters; emails; phone calls; mobile phone text messaging; radio; television; the Internet; and print media such as newspapers and magazines (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Proper use of the communication channels ensures that information travels between sender and receiver in a manner that facilitates accurate encoding and decoding (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Therefore, it can be concluded that successful use and management of communication channels would further lessen the significant chance of communication failure that is alleged to exist in the interpersonal communication process by the statement being analysed.Failure in the interpersonal communication process can also be attributed to differing types of noise or interference that work against or and act as a barrier to successful communication (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). DeVito (2008) mentions four categories of noise: physical noise, which includes the noise occurring in the environment around the sender and receiver, along with apparel such as sunglasses which would interfere with eye contact; physiological noise, which includes physical disabilities the sender or receiver may have such as poor eyesight, hearing and tiredness; psychological noise, such as preconceived notions and other mental distractions; and semantic noise, which is where the receiver does not understand the language employed by the sender.It has been shown that the interpersonal communication process comprises of various complex elements which either facilitate or hinder successful communication. Successful communication requires information to be properly encoded by a sender, transferred with all attached meaning through a chan nel to a receiver who must successfully decode and comprehend the information sent to them as intended by the sender. Though there are barriers that obstruct successful communication, the possession of emotional intelligence, communicating effectively and maintaining congruency between non-verbal and verbal messages have been argued to reduce the great likelihood of communication failure, as declared in the statement being discussed.The success of interpersonal communication is decided heavily by the skills possessed by other the sender and receiver. References DeVito, J. A. (2008). The interpersonal communication book (12th ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Firth, G. , Berry, R. , & Irvine, C. (2010). Understanding intensive interaction: Context and concepts for professionals and families. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. Hartley, P. (1999). Interpersonal communication (2nd ed. ) . New York, NY: Routledge. Lynn, A. B. (2002). The emotional intelligence activity book: 50 activities for developing eq at work. New York, NY: American Management Assosication.

Dramatic Literature Essay

In the realist drama â€Å"A Doll House†, Ibsen effectively employs dramatic conventions to expose the flawed value system of the bourgeoisie, regarding the institutions of marriage, prejudice gender roles and personal integrity. Moreover, the dramatic tension on the play is heightened through Ibsen’s subversion of the well-made play and the melodramatic denouement at the beginning of each act. In essence, Ibsen satirises the stifling moral climate of the bourgeoisie in conditioning an individual’s identity, in the pursuit for self-determinism. The imposition of prejudice gender roles are brought to life through the doll house metaphor, illuminating the entrapment of the bourgeoisie. Metaphorically, the doll house is a moral safeguard for values of social determinism, which Ibsen exposes the limitations of external forces in conditioning Nora’s existence as a doll. Her internalisation of the pre-determined housewife role and Torvald’s internalisatio n of the patriarch role maintains the illusory deception of the doll house. Nora’s objectification is enforced through Torvald’s gendered language, â€Å"my songbird†, â€Å"lark† and squirrel† and the diction of â€Å"my† connotes Torvald’s ownership of Nora in their superficial marriage. Simultaneously, Torvald’s strict adherence to patriarchal ideologies, limits his capacity to empathise with Nora’s cry for emancipation, evident in the subtext â€Å"give me pennies of my own†. Essentially, Ibsen successfully adopts the doll house metaphor to attack the mores of patriarchy, which forces Nora to compromise her identity and freedom to rigid social ideologies. The superficial institutions of marriage disfigure one’s sense of personal identity, justifying Nora’s cry for liberation from patriarchal ideologies which disempower women of her time. The combination of the stage direction â€Å"wagging his finger† and the patronising tone â€Å"was little Ms Sweet Tooth naughty?† showcases the detriments of social oppression in limiting one’s ability to undergo self-actualisation. The diction â€Å"little† connotes Nora’s submission to Torvald’s internalisation of dominant ideologies, mirroring the dis empowerment of women in the bourgeoisie. Moreover, the symbolic Tarantella dress reflects Torvald’s idealised perception of Nora as his â€Å"pretty little thing†, reiterating Nora’s objectification. The power imbalance within the Helmer marriage justifies Nora’s deceit, evident in the dramatic irony â€Å"I wouldn’t do anything you’d disapprove of†. This notion is juxtaposed with Nora’s statement â€Å"I saved Torvald’s life [by] signing my  father’s name [and] got the money†. Nora’s deception subverts Torvald’s strict adherence to the imposed social ideologies, which Kristine echoes these patriarchal sentiments, â€Å"a wife cannot borrow money without her husband’s permission†. The conflict of gender limitations drives the tragic force of the play in Act 1, ending at a climactic moment to heighten the tension in Act 2. In essence, Ibsen successfully generates a greater degree of empathy for Nora, as he mirrors the d isempowerment of the social and economic limitations of women in the bourgeoisie. Ibsen’s rich exploration of the bourgeoisie, inevitably results in Nora’s detachment from her doll metaphor. Kristine and Krogstad function as catalysts for Nora’s transformation, through illuminating the truth of the Helmer marriage, â€Å"no more lies, tricks†¦ they must understand each other†. While Krogstad initiates the tragic force of the play through his symbolic letter in Act 2. Ibsen establishes the juxtaposition of the authentic relationship of Krogstad and Kristine to the superficiality of the Helmer marriage, compelling Nora to transcend the limitations of the bourgeoisie. Moreover, the parallel of Nora and Krogstad subverts the values of social determinism, as Krogstad elevates himself through the social hierarchy despite being deemed â€Å"morally sick†. Essentially, an unexpected union of the two derives from a compromised understanding, as both characters are criminalised for their acts of personal integrity. Thereby, Ibsen invites the audience to evaluate their personal values, emphasising the importance of self-determinism overriding social confor mity. Ibsen exposes the flawed value system of the bourgeoisie, and forewarns of the detriments of an individual’s life being overridden by social morality. The dramatic irony of the Tarantella dance â€Å"anyone’d think your life depended on this dance† and Nora’s statement â€Å"31 hours to live† foreshadows the impending death of Nora’s doll metaphor. This is further accentuated through Finney’s statement of Nora’s cry for emancipation from the Tarantella dance, evident in â€Å"she returns from her frenzied state, back to the role of a wife and mother, only as a springboard from which to emancipate herself.† Moreover, Nora evolves from a doll identity in Act 1, evident in Rosenburg’s claims â€Å"Ibsen began with a maltreated stuffed Nora doll† to an awakened woman in Act 3. Her transformation demolishes the artificial foundations of the doll house, thus revealing the harsh winter landscape, embodying reality. Therefore, it is  best â€Å"to go out into the real world, and discover the truth for [herself] and [her] values†. Moreover, Ibsen’s subversion of the well-made play is evident in the final scene of the play, where Nora â€Å"slams the door† and leaves the audience with a climactic ending. Ibsen juxtaposes the beginning and final scene of the play to showcase the disparity of Nora’s transition throughout the play. Her first appearance connotes her disempowerment in the bourgeoisie lifestyle, which is then contrasted to the final scene, where she â€Å"puts on the cloak and turns on the lights†. The illumination of the truth compels Nora to extricate herself from the illusory deception of the door house, thus abandoning the false union of her superficial marriage and burden of motherhood. In essence, Nora is virtually unrecognisable by the end of Act 3, as Ibsen courageously abandons the doll metaphor, thus emphasising the importance transcending social limitations to maintain an identity. Mirroring Austen’s social satire â€Å"Pride and Prejudice†, Weldon grapples with the significance of context and questions of values in her didactic epistolary novel â€Å"Letters to Alice†. Moreover, both composers utilise form as a vehicle to socially critique their contemporaries, thus reinforcing the didactic purpose of invoking ideological change. This is achieved through the examination of the institutions of marriage, moral education, Literature, prejudice gender roles and social stratification. Weldon examines Austen’s social satire in exploring the changing facets of marriage, thus reshaping our perception of the connection that links the 18th century marriage customs to that of the modern martial practices. The contextualisation of a Georgian woman emphasises the gender injustices prevalent in the 18th century Regency England. Moreover, marriage was depicted as a social contract for economic survival, evident in Charlotte’s pragmatic char acterisation, who married Mr Collins out of practicality rather than â€Å"general similarity of feelings and taste†. Mrs Bennet also reinforces these sentiments, as the â€Å"business of her life was to get her daughters married†, therefore, Mrs Bennet and Charlotte’s strict adherence to social conventions of marriage reinforces its idealistic prospect of being the â€Å"only honourable provision†. Weldon justifies the Georgian woman’s outlook of marriage through the statistics â€Å"only 30% of women married† and  asserts Alice â€Å"you must understand the world in which Austen was born in†. Thereby, the modern audience is able to grapple with the significance assigned to marriage in Austen’s world, through Weldon’s insight. In essence, Austen satirises the flawed value system regarding the institutions of marriage through her adoption of caricatures and irony. Weldon acts as a facilitator for the modern audience to gain a holistic understanding of â€Å"P+P†, through her examination of the gender injustices prevalent in Austen†™s era. Patriarchy prevailed in the 18th century, meaning life was founded on the basis of marriage, as women were limited to the narrow confines of work, â€Å"women’s trade – millinery, embroidery, prostitution†¦ or you could get married†. Weldon’s satirical comment reveals the prejudice gender roles in disempowerment women in the 18th century, thus asserting â€Å"it was a horrible time to be alive†. This is further accentuated through Charlotte’s pragmatism, who â€Å"does not think highly of men or matrimony† and â€Å"sacrifices every feeling of worldly advantage† to accepting Mr Collin’s marriage proposal for financial security and social elevation. Moreover, Weldon’s satirical comment juxtaposed the perceptions of marriage in the 18th century to that of the modern context, â€Å"the stuff in our women’s magazine, but it was the stuff of their life†. The elevation of gender roles in the modern context emphasises the adversities women faced in Austen’s world, and this is achieved through the contrast of character foils Elizabeth and Charlotte. In essence, Weldon positions the audience to gain an appreciation for the transformation of gender roles in changing contexts, empowering women to become great contributors to society. Weldon’s hybridity employs Aunt Faye as a mouthpiece to examine the institutions of Literature in â€Å"P+P† and â€Å"LTA†. The emphasis of Literature’s value in society is evident in the hyperbole â€Å"very essence of civilisation†. According to Weldon’s didacticism, Literature should not be deemed as â€Å"just books†, as it embodies complex and dynamic concepts of the human condition. In essence, Weldon refers to Literature with a â€Å"capital L† and books by the sophistication of their characters, whose struggles in their fictional lives resonate to our own. Moreover, the use of imperatives â€Å"you must read Alice, before it is too late† reinforces Weldon’s didactic purpose of Literature catalysing self-actualisation. Compar ably, an accomplished Georgian woman â€Å"has a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing and dancing†. Austen however  satirises this limited perception of â€Å"good education† as it is â€Å"ineffectual† to foster independence and intelligence in women. Lady Catherine’s patronising tone in addressing Elizabeth as an â€Å"unfeeling, selfish girl† demonstrates her lack of moral education despite her aristocratic stature. It is Elizabeth however, who epitomises â€Å"good education† with her wit and independence, thus undergoing self-awakening, â€Å"til this moment I never knew myself†. In contrast, Weldon employs the extended metaphor of the â€Å"City of Invention† to promote connections, where writers can â€Å"cohabit and collaborate† with their â€Å"Houses of Imagination†. Moreover, our â€Å"carvings† on the â€Å"Rock of Eternity† symbolises our shared experiences and values, linking the past, present and future together. Thus, Weldon invites the audience to reach out to posterity, much like Austen through her canonical Literature. The â€Å"City† also enables connections between reader and writer, for us to â€Å"understand ourselves and each other†, thus gaining empathy through Literature. Weldon’s re-examination of â€Å"P+P† showcases the fundamental values predominant in classic texts, thus transcending their era of composition, and emphasising the importance of Literature in catalysing one’s sense of spiritual awakening. The underlying value prevalent in both texts of social stratification is enhanced by the contextualisation of fundamental values in both texts. Austen asserts the stability and order enforced through conformity to rigid social class structures, and family being a primary factor to determining one’s social standing, and consequently one’s chance of marriage. This is evident in Lady Catherine’s caricature, as she forewarns of the detriments of an individual’s subversion of the social class system, â€Å"you’ll be slighted and despised†¦ your alliance will be a disgrace†. Simultaneously, Austen introduces the unorthodox union of Darcy and Elizabeth to challenge the social class system because their relationship is founded on mutual respect and compatibility, thus invoking a positive change in the rigid social structure. Weldon accounts for Darcy’s decision â€Å"to marry where he loved, and not where he ought†, as Elizabeth â€Å"brought neither land nor money – but she brought vigour, intelligence and honesty†. In essence, Austen exposes the superficiality of the institutions of social stratification, and emphasises the importance of personal integrity overriding social morality. Shakespeare’s adaptation of Plutarch’s histories â€Å"Julius Caesar† utilises tragic form to exhibit the subjective nature of conflicting perspectives. Moreover, the linguistic techniques elicited through the power play of orations subvert the audience’s views of personalities, events and situations. Shakespeare presents multitude perspectives to explore the power vacuum and political machinations prevalent in Elizabethan England. In essence, the audience is positioned to accept the ambiguity of conflicting perspectives, through Shakespeare’s exploration of the volatility and temporary nature of power, political imperatives and the validity of truth. Similarly, Buttrose’s feature article â€Å"Et tu Julia† employs â€Å"Julius Caesar† as a historical framework to explore the dynamics of politics and represent the subjectivity of conflicting perspectives. Thereby, Buttrose grapples with the tension between the drive for altruistic and political imperatives, thus leading to the audience’s questioning of Gillard’s legitimacy as PM. Shakespeare’s construction of conflicting portraitures forewarns of the dangers of political machination superseding one’s capacity for objectivity and â€Å"truth†. Mirroring the political machinations of Elizabethan England, Shakespeare explores the dynamics of political imperatives at the expense of Brutus’ honour. Caesar’s deification â€Å"as constant as the northern star† and repetition of third person accentuates his hubris, through the establishment of the artificial distance between himself and his mortality. Through various representations, Shakespeare illuminates the fallacy inherent in Caesar’s noble character, leading to his tragic demise, thus revealing the fragility of power. The audience is able to recognise Caesar’s vulnerability through the act of political machination of Cassius compelling Brutus to conspire against Caesar, â€Å"as crowned, how that might change his nature†. Shakespeare’s juxtaposition of Caesar’s thrasonical assertions opposed to Cassius’ anecdotes of Caesar’s fragility â€Å"help me Cassius, or I sink† generates polarised perspectives of Caesar’s personality. Moreover, the combination of the extended metaphor â€Å"ambition’s ladder’ and the biblical allusion of â€Å"serpent’s egg†¦ if hatch’d would grow mischievous†, leads to the audience’s questioning of Caesar’s ambition. Ultimately, this robs Brutus of his foresight, compelling him to ext ricate the satanic creature to prevent a potentially despotic reign, ironically defying the natural order. Essentially, Shakespeare explores the dynamics of political machinations  overriding one’s noble perspective, thus stimulating conflicting ideologies in questions of â€Å"truth†. Simultaneously, Buttrose’s intertextuality â€Å"Et tu Julia† examines the justification of Gillard’s political machinations and the speculation of her credibility of her political machination. The condition clause â€Å"we have to see whether Julia Caesar is a reforming republican or imperial stooge† historically alludes to Caesar’s assassination, raising questions of ethics in the conspiracy. Buttrose mirrors Shakespeare’s criticism of the conspiracy, evident in the hyperbole â€Å"the political murder of Kevin Rudd† coupled with the violent imagery, â€Å"the coup came, the plotters bludgeoned†. Essentially, the Labour party is represented as despotic and immoral, leading to the audience’s questioning of Rudd’s dismissal and Gillard’s instatement, thus generating a greater degree of empathy for the fallen PM. Moreover, his support for Rudd is further accentuated through the use of idiosyncratic Australian colloquialism â€Å"[Rudd] wanted to buy back the farms from mining interests†, elevating his political stature through emphasising his altruistic imperatives for public good. Mirroring Antony’s assertions of Caesar’s benevolence, Buttrose similarly presents an anecdote of Rudd’s claims to â€Å"improve health services, education and housing†. Comparably, Buttrose represents a polarised perspective of Gillard’s legitimacy for her acts of political machination for the welfare of the Labour party. This is evident in denigrating Rudd’s credibility as PM through the slogan â€Å"Rudd the Dud†¦ not to be trusted† coupled with the polling statistics â€Å"losing electoral appeal† and â€Å"Liberal party lead of 9%†. Essentially reinforcing Gillard’s credibility as leader, the political jargon appeals to the audie nce’s logos, positioning them to accept the act of Rudd’s dismissal as a necessity for the Labour party. In essence, Buttrose represents the subjectivity of conflicting perspectives conditioned in the dynamics of politics. Shakespeare challenges the audience to postulate on the existence of truth through illuminating the power of rhetoric to influence meaning within different representations of perspectives. Political machinations are explored in Brutus and Antony’s orations, epitomising conflicting perspectives to the climax of Caesar’s assassination in Act 3. Brutus’ antithesis â€Å"not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more† appeals to the Plebians’ patriotism, and the disjunction â€Å"but† enables the  audience to recognise Brutus’ moral sacrifice for the betterment of Rome. This is further accentuated through the anacoenosis â€Å"have Caesar live and die all slaves, than Caesar die to live all free men?† coupled with the strong affirmation â€Å"Caesar was ambition, so I slew him†, appealing to the audience’s logos, thus positioning to accept the necessity of Caesar’s assassination. Brutus instils fear of Caesar’s inherent tyranny in the Plebians through the diction of â€Å"slave†. Comparably, Shakespeare presents an alternative perspective of Caesar’s personality through Antony’s oration. Antony exploits the power of rhetoric through the condition clauses, â€Å"if Caesar was ambitious† to question the validity of Brutus’ claims. This is further negated through the recollection of memories â€Å"he thrice refused [the crown]†, leading the audience to question their personal truths in determining the credibility of Brutus’ justification of his political imperatives. Fundamentally, Shakespeare exploits the power of representations through the power of rhetoric to manipulate â€Å"truths†, thus leading to conflicting ideologies.

Can Theories of Management Apply to Media manager, Organisations and, Essay

Can Theories of Management Apply to Media manager, Organisations and, are Such Theoretical Applications Redundant Discuss in Relation to the Film and TV Industries - Essay Example The main objective o media industries are successful customer acquisition and retention start with a focus on creating a positive return on investment to grow businesses through measurable marketing solutions that leverage the convergence of media and the newest technologies. Then why is it that anytime any news about the advertising or video game industry, both of which are massive profitable and pretty much icons of society and culture, they always claim to be struggling Are industries based upon rapid fire information inherently less stable than ones based on selling material goods How to turn creative ideas into a successful business How to adapt conventional business and management skills to the unpredictable market for culture Management theories are applicable in to cut across different industries that includes Film production and distribution Broadcasting, music industry, Publishing, Crafts and design, Computer software, games, animation consultancy and a survival kit for the small creative firms. The media manager in film and media enterprises focuses on the special relationship between creative imagination and strategic management. Efficient management skills cater for profit creative sector at the national and international level, including funding officers, project managers and policy makers. (Sharan & Surar, 15) In Media and TV industries, media manager's collaboration, togetherness, change in thinking cannot happen through annual conferences and conference room presentations. It needs to be a discipline and has to start from the top. There should be a set of management theories, which all media managers adhere to for better performance. The top manager will have to consciously become selfless, understand management theories practiced management skills can genuinely spread this culture in the workplace for this process to be successful. This will also eliminate mutiny in the ranks and help ideas to flourish! Management theories are applicable to all business organisations. Introduction to organisations and management includes: (1) PLANNING: Decision-making, the essence of a manager's job, foundations of planning, strategic management, planning tools and techniques .Media managers must develop own approaches to organisation, strategic planning and marketing develop critical faculties and research skills. Indeed there is a need to look into all aspects of branding and marketing from strategy and tactic development to budget allocations and metric tracking and integrating a variety of traditional and digital tactics. (2) ORGANISING: Organisational structure and design also includes Human resource management, managing change and innovation techniques. Media managers must acquire a critical overview of the commercial, legal and cultural frameworks within which creative and media enterprises operate. (3) LEADING: Leading the industry and the people, understanding groups and teams motivating employees, Leadership, managerial communication and interpersonal skills. Media managers must explore the business opportunities and make decisions in the environment of a rapidly changing media industry. The challenge for media corporations today is to keep pace with new technology and to continuously learn and create knowledge in this fast changing environment. (4)

The dangers that police officers face in rural areas due to the lack Research Paper

The dangers that police officers face in rural areas due to the lack of back up or riding partners - Research Paper Example The personal safety and security of a rural police officer is a cause of stress to the police fraternity, as they are faced with isolation that poses great danger. The back- up required by an urban police officer is met with, almost instantly. Whenever the need arises, the urban police officer is assured of back-up within minutes. The same is not in the case of their rural counterparts because at most times there is the danger that relief comes when it is too late. In most cases it sometimes takes more than an hour to get help from back-up forces. This leads to stress on the part of the rural police officer even when they have to handle seemingly easy cases of domestic violence or auto crashes. A good example of this was an incident that took place on March 31st 1989, where help did not arrive in time and Maine State Police Detective Giles Landry was shot and killed after he responded to a call regarding a domestic dispute in a secluded spot in a rural area. When inspector Landry arrived at the scene of the crime, the suspects girlfriend made a beeline to the passenger seat of the detective’s patrol car, giving the suspect reason to believe that Detective Landry was indeed her lover because he was in an unmarked police car and moreover alone. The suspect had slowly approached the vehicle from the rear- end and shot at Landry twice through the window at the back, with a Ruger .44 caliber rifle, hitting Detective Giles Landry in the head, putting an end to him instantly. Immediately after this, the suspect shot at his girlfriend killing her on the spot and soon after that committed suicide himself. The detective officer had left behind a wife and their two children. There are countless such cases taking place especially in the rural areas, where unsuspecting police personnel are at the mercy of dangerous criminals. Such a dangerous situation could have been averted had the officer

Should their be mandatory military service in the united states Research Paper

Should their be mandatory military service in the united states - Research Paper Example â€Å"There is a widespread feeling that there is no adequate force available now: that force which might reasonably have been deemed adequate three years ago has been shown by the European war to be inadequate, and from the standpoint of the immensity of the forces loosed upon the outbreak of war† (Ballou). The staffing of military personnel varies significantly transversely countries and above time. Although a number of countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, has relied and persist to rely on all-volunteer forces, the majority European countries follow a strategy of compulsory military service (CMS). â€Å"Voluntary service efforts will go on, whether or not we have compulsory service, because America has always been a charitable and compassionate Nation. Compulsory service programs would be another resource pool† (Does the United States Need Compulsory National Service?). The court upholds the right of the Government to organize and maintain the army. All 18 year old youth are supposed to register with the selective service system as the military service is presently intentional, the civilian agency with a responsibility of conducting a military draft when required by the law. The transformation to a voluntary force has caused many human rights problems. The military conscription is provided by the selective military service act. Enrollment in the armed force is allowed from the age of 17. The US conscription has been established many times specially, during war and also during nominal cold wars. The draft discontinued in 1973 and moved to a volunteer military force. And therefore there is no mandatory conscription at present. During the colonial period, the 13 colonies adopted a military service for defense. After the independence, the United States and other states required able males to enlist in the military service, to undergo training and to se rve for short periods in war

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Communication - Essay Example It did not take long before I spotted one beautiful girl lying prostrate, with a bikini pant and some red scarf tied around her breasts. She was not curvy, and neither did she have long hair nor the height I wanted. She did not suit the description of the girl in my heart. But she was dazzling beautiful! It was a captivating scenario, and I could not resist but peep at her time and again, until I decided it was time I made a move, after all, she was a girl, and a girl I wanted. I approached her and said†¦Hey! But her response was not as good. She just raised her head, looked at me and laid flat again, not even responding. Could she be a different kind of girl, who does not entertain men because she is in love and faithful to her partner? That was the only question I kept asking myself, while still fixated on her model-like figure and without moving an inch even after she ignored me. Suddenly, a different thought hit me; maybe it is because I am Black. But No! I am Black, and Blacks are aggressive and cannot fail in a girls hunting mission, since I have always satisfied my desires for girls with girls. I am also tall, dark and handsome and even more, I am masculine. Which girl does not like that? I have been friends with many girls and I have not even noticed their color in the past. I have never had an issue with girls because I am black but only because I did not endeavor commitment at any one time. If anything, why should she be the first to notice I am black, yet I have previously attended an all-white girl’s party and still felt at home with them? In fact they liked me more that way. The fact that I was good at seducing girls is in no doubt. Just two months ago I was able to establish an intimate relationship with a beautiful, curvy and charming girl I met in the movies within just one hour. I was good at it, and I knew it, but here I was fixated and not doing anything to pester her to engage me in a

Legal Environment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legal Environment - Case Study Example One of these three horses reached to the place where accident took place. The exact reason for this sudden behavior of horses was not established but this kind of behavior is generally found when the animal is frightened due to some reasons. Mr. Cleese, the plaintiff, brought the case against Andrew and Susan Findlay, in the Exeter County Court, claiming that the accident occurred due to their negligence and under section 2 of the Civil Liability for Animals Act 1971; the defendants were totally liable for the accident. The judge, sitting in the Exeter County Court, rejected his both the claims. The Court of Appeal accepted the claim that though it was not defendant's fault, under section 2 of the Civil Liability for Animals Act 1971, they were liable for damage. The appeal of defendants highlighted the complexity and opacity of the Civil Liability for Animals Act 1971, which fixes the liability for damage caused by an animal. Section 2(2) of the act fixes the liability for damage caused when the animal's behaviour in the circumstances was in no way abnormal for an animal of the species in those circumstances. (b) the likelihood of the damage or of its being severe was due to characteristics of the animal which are not normally found in animals of the same species or are not normally so found except at particular times or in particular circumstances; and (c) those characteristics were known to that keeper ..." The non-clear tone of this section, especially subsection (b) has led to different interpretation at different courts of law. Subsection (a) and (c) are clearly understood but subsection (b) present two cases, first one is that the owner of animal is totally liable if "the likelihood of the damage or of its being severe was due to characteristics of the animal which are not normally found in animals of the same species" and the other one is the owner of animal is totally liable if "the likelihood of the damage or of its being severe was due to characteristics of the animal which are not normally so found except at particular times or in particular circumstances". The first case considers the animal where the species of the animal is, in general, docile but the particular animal that caused the damaged was abnormal and the second case considers the animals that are generally docile but the action that caused damage is outcome of their abnormal behaviour found at a particular time or in particular circumstances. 3. Which technique(s) of statutory interpretation do you consider that Lord Nicholls employed in the case Give reasons for your answer. LORD NICHOLLS based his interpretation of act on conventional interpretive techniques and used literal approach to

Production and Market behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Production and Market behaviour - Essay Example se classical scholars continue to influence contemporary scholars as they attempt to discern the major factors influencing productions and market patterns to enhance efficiency and best economic systems. Our study of production and market behavior will therefore be based principally on neoclassical and institutionalism models that have existed since the last century and will explore the new-institutionalism impact on the theme as well as the recent trends in fair trade and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Neoclassical theories supported by Keynesian economics are the dominant approaches prevalent in mainstream economic theories from the mid twentieth century (Clark, 1998). The theory however can be traced to 19th century after the Industrial Revolution as capitalism ignited intellectual ideas among all disciplines. One prominent neoclassical analyst was William Stanley Jevons and his marginal utility theory of value in 1862. Neoclassical theories are mainly based on individual or microeconomics by exploiting utility as explained in the rational choice theory (Ehrenberg, 1997). Neoclassical economist Marshall’s treatise Principles of Economics (1890) described price disparities in terms of the intersection of supply and demand curves. He also introduced diverse ‘market periods’ as follows: Short period – business faculty is specified, the level of yield, service, assets, and value oscillate to link marginal cost and marginal revenue, where returns are maximized. Economic rents only survive for short duration for unchanging aspects, and the velocity of earnings is not contrasted across segments. The neoclassical model has also engendered the First Theorem of Welfare Economics that emphasis that indirect marginal utility for all the market players is similar. This also depicted in a Pareto-efficient condition that states any enhancement in the utility of one user might jeopardize another’s value. The organizations operating in such a scenario do

HCM621-0804A-01 Ethics, Policy, and Law in Health Care Management - Essay - 4

HCM621-0804A-01 Ethics, Policy, and Law in Health Care Management - Phase 3 Discussion Board - Essay Example In case of Arizona v. Maricopa County Medical Society, 457 U.S. 332 (1982), the â€Å"Supreme Court held that these maximum fee schedules represented per se unlawful price-fixing agreements.† (Austen, 2008). The issues involved in limiting both patients’ choices for providers and vice versa would be in terms of a perceived compromise in quality and standards of health care provision since individualized client attention and monitoring would be lower in such cases. This is evident in Government run health care centers where a single provider is assigned to take charge of large group of patients. In such cases the following issues could arise: Apparently, in efforts to control the administration of (new) drugs, the Federal government may issue strictures on the kind of drugs physicians could prescribe and the kind of drug stores which could dispense these drugs. Control of these kinds may actually be detrimental to the interests of both patients and providers since â€Å"they impose one-size prescriptions in an area of science that is marked by variation." Further, it could be said that "...solutions to any of the health care problems that government is trying to mitigate will not rest in Washingtons constraining fixes but with [medical organizations] working with agencies to promote practice standards and safety measures that do not sacrifice medical autonomy and patient choice." (Kaiser, 2007). The Bill or Rights is an important step towards seeking social equality and fairness in medical treatment. Under this it is possible for patients to â€Å"sue for injury resulting from denial of care.† (Hashimoto, 2001). However, much as this bill may appear to professs equality and protect underprivileged class interests, it fails to acquire implementation value since the poorer sectors are not included since it does not cover the poorer sections of society who are covered under Medicaid. Thus it is setting its sights on citizens who seek private medical care. Therefore,

Specific Therapeutic Technique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Specific Therapeutic Technique - Essay Example Manipulative and Body-Based Practices - Here force in controlled conditions is used to regain health specifically in relation to painful joints and muscles. These are basically massage and stretching techniques. The specific therapeutic technique being discussed is Acupuncture- this is falls under 'Whole Medicine' classification of National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture can be defined as the technique of inserting needles at the acupuncture points in the body to restore the health of the body by getting rid of disease and pain. Loss of balance between yin and yang energies is believed to be the cause of diseases. Treatment involves applying pressure on the 12 "meridians" or the primary pathways. There are other secondary pathways which are also used to treat the patient depending upon the severity as elaborated later. This technique is believed to have originated in China in ancient times, stray evidence of its practice even found in stone age though it seemed to become more prevalent from 1st millennium BCE more from the time of Hang Dynasty, though like all ancient practices it is difficult to pin point exact date or country of origin as similar techniques seem to have been used by the Koreans and Japanese. Conventionally however it is associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). ... in ancient times, stray evidence of its practice even found in stone age though it seemed to become more prevalent from 1st millennium BCE more from the time of Hang Dynasty, though like all ancient practices it is difficult to pin point exact date or country of origin as similar techniques seem to have been used by the Koreans and Japanese. Conventionally however it is associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). During the early days of Chinese Revolution it was dismissed as superstitious and backward, driving it underground for fear of reprisal. It was much later that Mao decided to revive it as he considered ancient Chinese medicine as a cultural treasure and started efforts to improve and modernize it. In the US its early users were Chinese railroad workers who had learnt it from the elders using it as self medication in their families. The theory of acupuncture is explained as certain points on the bodies which loosely correspond to the organs of the body though some points may not have one to one relationship with any organ. It is believed that disease occurs if there is an imbalance between yin and yang energies of the body and treatment involves modifying the activity of body subsystems by applying pressure or heat at pressure points. These points are now conventionally known as acupuncture points. These are present along layers of 12 primary pathway meridians, 8 extraordinary pathways located throughout the body. Un associated points are also believed to be present known as tender points which are used to treat of localized discomfort. Each of the 12 pathways is associated with one of the twelve zang fu organs, 6 are yin and 6 are yang pathways. 3 yin and 3 yang are believed to be present on the arms and 3 each on the legs. Life force or "qi" is

Citizens Have to a Guaranteed Minimum Income in a Democratic Society Essay Example for Free

Citizens Have to a Guaranteed Minimum Income in a Democratic Society Essay Although abuse of the system are inevitable, social welfare payments are essential to protect the rights citizens have to a guaranteed minimum income in a democratic society Discuss. Social welfare is an essential element of an advanced society. Good systems are always abused, but that does not mean they are faulty. In my opinion, the two main reasons why welfare payments are necessary are as follows: First of all, critics forget that there are many forms of welfare besides payments to the unemployed. Their negative opinions harm those who are not capable of earning a wage, such as single-parent mothers, the disabled, and the sick. Moreover, the unemployed have the right to an income, too. They are not always at fault for not having a job, and in most cases the tax they have paid in the past entitles them to assistance. The second reason is that crime increases when people have no means of support. The desperately poor inevitably turn to crime, which is not only dangerous but costly. Policing the streets is more expensive than providing welfare. A policemans wage is four or five times higher than a dole payment. Certain members of society believe that people should look after themselves. They point out that welfare increases dependency on others and destroys dignity. This may be true, but in the case of the unemployed, the relief payments are usually temporary. It is surely the fault of the government if there are long-term unemployed. Welfare critics also believe that it is the responsibility of a victims family to provide financial assistance. However, it is too expensive to provide complete help for a severely disabled person. To conclude, it is vital to understand the need for welfare in a modern democratic society. Without welfare payments the poor are destined to become poorer. The first duty of a government is to provide a financial safety net for all disadvantaged persons, and that includes those without work.

Environmental Kuznets Curve definition and usage

Environmental Kuznets Curve definition and usage The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) is a pragmatically, relationship that is assumed to trace the pollution path followed by countries as their per capita gross domestic product (GDP) grows and describes the relationship between per capita income and indicators of environmental degradation (Unruth and Moomaw, 1998). In the infant stages of development, the levels of some pollutants climb with increases in per capita income, while at advanced levels of development, environmental degradation follows a downward trend as income per capita is moving upwards. These results give rise to a bell shaped curve relating economic growth to environmental degradation, redolent of the relationship hypothesized by Kuznets (1995) between economic and income inequality (Nahman and Antrobus, 2005). The concept of EKC came out in the early 1990s with Grossman and Kruegers (1991) path-breaking study of the potential impacts of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). Origins of the EKC The environmental Kuznets curve is a hypothesized relationship between different indicators of environmental degradation and income per capita. At first stages of economic growth degradation and pollution increase, but further than some level of income per capita, the movement reverses, so that at high-income levels economic growth leads to environmental improvement. This means that the impact of environmental indicator is an inverted U-shaped function of income per capita (David, 2003) In other words, the distribution of income becomes more asymmetrical in early stage of income growth and then the distribution moves towards greater equality as economic growth continues (Kuznets, 1955). This liaison between income per capita and income inequality can be represented by a bell-shaped curve. This is viewed as an empirical phenomenon known as the Kuznets Curve (Dinda, 2004). The link between per capita income and income inequality is shown on Figure 1(refer to appendix) Criticism and drawbacks of the Kuznets Curve The Kuznets Curve has helped in studying the relationship between environmental pollutants and GDP of countries but it does have drawbacks too. Even Kuznet (1955) himself indicated that the Kuznets Curve Theory is not a perfect one and the relationship between income inequality and economic development cannot be assumed. He also declared that lot information in the paper has been speculated and thus further research work must be carried out. The reason behind the development of the Environmental Kuznets Curve Since the last decades, the increasing threat of global warming and climate change has been of major continuing concern. Organisations such as the United Nations have been trying to diminish the unfavourable impacts of global warming through intergovernmental and binding accords. After immense negotiations, the agreement namely the Kyoto protocol was signed in 1997. This protocol has the objective of reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) that cause climate change. The Kyoto protocol recognises limitations to environmental pollutants and necessitates a timetable for realisation of the emission reductions for the developed countries. During 2008 2012 periods the demands reduction of the GHG emissions to 5.2 % lower than the 1990 level. In 2005 it came into force: 178 states have signed and approved the protocol since April 2008 (Halicoglu, 2008). Greenhouse gas emissions particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, are considered to be the core causes of global warming. Consequently, to pre vent global warming a number of countries have signed the Kyoto Protocol and agreed to diminish their emission levels. Galeotti and Lanza (1999) indicated that some developing states refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol based on the argument that the industrialisation and development process should be subject to no constraints, particularly for energy production and consumption. One probable foundation for this position is the belief that while pollution increases with growth in GDP, it happens a point where pollution goes down. This view calls for a careful analysis of the relationship between economic growth and pollution. This relationship is obviously very complex as it depends on numerous different factors such as: The countrys size, The sectoral structure, including the composition of the demand for energy, The vintage of the technology, The demand for environmental quality, The level and quality of environmental protection expenditures. Shafik (1994) reports that the relationship between economic growth and environmental quality has been a source of great disagreement for a lengthy period of time. On one side it has been observed that greater economic activity unavoidably leads to environmental degradation and finally to possible economic and ecological collapse. At the other side is the view that those environmental nuisances worth solving will be tackled more or less automatically as a consequence of economic growth. Previous to 1970, there was a conviction that the raw materials consumptions, energy and natural resources were growing at the same pace as economy grows. In the early 1970s, the Club of Romes Limits of Growth view (Meadows et al., 1972) was brazen about the concern for the accessibility of natural resource of the Earth. They argued that the finiteness of ecological resources would prevent economic growth and advocated for a solid state economy with zero growth to avoid striking ecological circumstances in the future. This view has been criticised on both hypothetical and empirical grounds. Experimental works shows that the ratio of consumption of some metals to income was falling in developed countries during the 1970s, which brings divergence with the predictions set out in the Limits to Growth view (Maleness, 1978). Natural environment not only provide natural resources important for economic development but also execute the vital function of supporting life, if man persist to exp loit environment recklessly, then it would not be able to sustain life any longer. Environmental Kuznets Curve definition and graphical illustration The EKC follows the name of Nobel Laureate Simon Kuznets who had remarkably hypothesized an inverted U income-inequality relationship (Kuznets, 1955). In the 1990s economists detected this relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. Since then this relationship is known as Environmental Kuznets Curve. According to the EKC theory as a country develops, the pollution increases, but after reaching a specific level of economic progress (Y*) pollution begin to decrease as in figure 2. The EKC hypothesis suggests that environmental degradation is something unavoidable at the first stage of economic growth, so a developing country is forced to tolerate this degradation in order to develop. The x-axis symbolize the economic growth which is measured by GDP per capita and the y-axis represents the environmental degradation which is measured by many different pollution indicators such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, deforestation etc. The shapes of the Environmental Kuznets Curves. The relation between income and environmental pressure can be sketched in a several ways; firstly one can distinguish monotonic and non-monotonic curves. Monotonic curves may show either mounting pollution with rising incomes, as in the case of municipal waste per capita or decreasing. But, non-monotonic patterns may be more probable in other cases and two types have been recommended, namely inverted-U and N-shaped curves. The pattern discovered in experiential research depend on the types of pollutants scrutinised and the models that have been used for inference. Four speculative opinions are presented in favour of an inverted-U curve for (local) air pollutants, which can be listed as: Positive income elasticitys for environmental quality, Structural changes in production and consumption, Rising information on environmental consequences of economic activities as income rises and More international trade and more open political systems with increasing levels of income (Selden and Song 1994). Others, for example Pezzey (1989) and Opschoor (1990), have argued that such inverted-U relationships may not hold in the long run. They anticipated a so-called N-shaped curve which demonstrates the same pattern as the inverted-U curve initially, but beyond a certain income level the relationship between environmental pressure and income is positive again. Delinking is thus considered a temporary phenomenon. Opschoor (1990), for example, argues that once technological efficiency enhancements in resource use or abatement opportunities have been exhausted or have become too expensive, further income growth will result in net environmental degradation. Despite these considerations empirical evidence so far has been largely in favour of the inverted-U instead of the N shaped relationship (de Bruyn et al., 1998). The shortcomings of EKC analysis A number of critical studies of the EKC literature have been published (e.g. Ansuategi et al., 1998; Arrow et al., 1995; Ekins, 1997; Pearson, 1994; Stern et al., 1996; Stern, 1998). Theoretical critique This section discusses the criticisms that were raised against the EKC on theoretical (rather than methodological) grounds. One of the main criticisms of the EKC models is the assumption that environment and growth are not interrelated. In simple words the EKC hypothesis assumes no feedback between income and the pollution of environment. Fare et al., (2001) refer that due to the non-availability of actual data on environmental quality is the major restriction of all EKC studies. Environmental quality is something that is not measured accurately. Therefore, a guide of environmental quality, which could be a better measurement, should be developed and used to examine the EKC hypothesis. According to Ekins (2000), consideration in assessing the strength of the estimation is the reliability of the data used. However, there is little sign that the data problems are serious enough to shed doubt on the basic environment-income link for any particular environmental indicator, but the results in fact imply that this might be the case. Stern (2004) draws his attention to the mean median problem. He underlines that early EKC studies showed that a number of indicators: 2 SO emissions, x NO, and deforestation, peak at income levels around the current world mean per capita income. A hasty glimpse at the available econometric estimates might have lead one to believe that, given likely future levels of mean income per capita, environmental degradation should turn down from the present onward. Income is not yet, normally distributed but very skewed, with much larger numbers of people below mean income per capita than above it. Hence, this shows a median rather than mean income that is the relevant variable. Another problem related with the EKC studies is the little attention that has been paid to the statistical properties of time series. Very few studies in the past investigated the presence of unit root in time series of variables used to investigate the validity of the EKC. 2) Econometric critique Stern (2004) in a survey argues that the econometric criticisms of the EKC fall into four main categories: heteroscedasticity, simultaneity, omitted variables bias, and cointegration issues. Perman and Stern (2003) investigate the data and models for unit roots and cointegration respectively. Panel unit root tests designate that all three series log sulfur emissions per capita, log GDP capita, and its square have stochastic trends. Results for cointegration are less definite. About half the individual country EKC regressions cointegrate but many of these have limitations with incorrect signs. Some panel cointegration tests point out cointegration in all countries and some accept the non-cointegration hypothesis. However, even when cointegration is found, the form of the EKC relationship varies radically across countries with many countries having U-shaped EKCs. In case there is a common cointegrating vector in all countries it will be strongly rejected. Coondoo and Dinda (2002) carried out an analysis for Granger Causality between CO2 emissions and income in various individual countries and regions. In general model that emerges is that causality runs from income to emissions or that there is no significant relationship in developing countries, while in developed countries causality runs from emissions to income. Still, in every case the relationship is positive so that there is no EKC type effect. Data and Time Series Properties To study the relationship between the GDP of Mauritius and the C02 emission in Mauritius the annual data that are being used are; total C02 emission from 1976 to 2008, the real GDP from 1976 to 2008, and the population of Mauritius from 1976 to 2008. From these sets of data it can be clearly seen that while population and C02 emission has been increasing, during these years the real GDP has been fluctuating a bit. In mid 1970s after the independence there has been a lot of development and transformation in our country. Our economy was diversified and more jobs were created. Furthermore we received more foreign aid. By the late 1970s our economy deteriorated a bit mainly due to the increase in petroleum price in the world market and this lead to less government subsidies and devaluation of our Mauritian Rupees. Then by late 1980s the economy experience steady growth and also a high level of employment, declining inflation and more domestic savings. This period was also marked by the boom in the sugar industry. Though the development slowed down in the 1990s there was a gradual development of the local financial institutions and at the same time our domestic information telecommunication industry boomed. By the start of the 21st ce ntury there our financial services sector became a very important pillar of the economy with an increasing number of offshore enterprises. Finally our economy developed a lot due to the seafood processing and export during the last 10 years.

Manpower Planning in the Hospitality Industry

Manpower Planning in the Hospitality Industry Manpower Planning Manpower planning can be defined as the development of plan to meet the supply of worker to the availability of job at an organisation. Manpower planning involves reviewing the current manpower resource, and forecasting the future requirement of manpower. the main objective of manpower planning is to making sure the requirement of supply of individuals and skill to meets demand. This is a responsibility of the Human Resource Manager to make sure the organisation meets with the demand of manpower. Human Resource Manager when conducting a interview with the candidate has to make sure that candidate should meet the requirement of the job, like his education and qualification, Training and Experience, Personal Attributes. Source :- Buzzle.com Need of Manpower Planning Marriott gives a lot of importance to manpower planning, as they have to decide for next couple of years how many employees do they require as a plan for expansion, right for the entry level to managerial position. This will help the organisation to expand their business. Employer can plan their Labour cost and work according to it. By Recruiting new candidates will the help the organisation with new and unique ideas which will help the company to gain more market share. IT helps in internal growth of the employee within the organisation. Manpower planning helps the company to have right number employees to meet their demand. Labour Market Strategy:- The labour Market for Marriott is fluctuating, it keeps on changing as per the customer trend, but manpower strategy helps Marriott to work on a plan to calculate how many staff they require during busy time. There are four external factors which influence on the supply and quality of labour in an organisation. It is called as PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technology) PEST Analysis is a useful tool in understanding for companies development and its position in market, it also helps to understand the prospective direction for the business, The pest analysis is a contraction of political, Economic , Social, Technology , Legal, Environment. www.businessballs.com Political :- The Changes in the government policy may affect the organisation in many ways, in early this year the government changed in Value Added Service to 17.5%, changes in national minimum wage Marriott has a organisation will have to re-plan their strategies for labour cost, changes in government policies and taxation will hamper expansion plans Marriott Economic:- Due to the Global Economic crisis , most of organisation including Marriott had to made severe changes in their development plan and labour strategies. Due to recession organisations are controlling the labour cost as the demand as gone down. Most of the organisation are facing problem of excess labour, there is more supply labour available than the demand, More than 2 million people are jobless in Britain. Social :- Marriott has to be updated with the current customer trend, Organisation has to be aware of demographic changes such as:- age, population, region. To make any changes in their policies, Marriott has introduced Graduate Programme Development Opportunities for meeting the demand for manpower. Technology: Marriott is been innovative and is spending good amount from the profit towards technology or alternative ways of service for e.g.:- online booking, self check in and checkout. Such innovation needs skilled workers and there is a tremendous opportunity for skilled workers. Marriot by Using of new technology helps proper utilization of manpower of the organisation.   [Google docs slide manpower planning Maria P]   Factors to be Considered in by Marriott to estimate the demand for manpower Organization expansion- The organization looks for expansion of business in future to meet the expectation of customer. The future plan of Marriott is look to accommodate the tourist customer in their hotel for Olympic as these can create the future demand for labour. When the expansion of the organization is more then supply and demand needs to balance. The expansion is major factor for demand for labour in future. Internal demand- The internal demand can be promotion and dismal can be the factor for organization to create the demand and supply for labour. The top management and human resource also plays the major part for demanding the labour, such as recruitment of staff requirement to met the expansion their growth. Economic factor- The economic factor plays the important role in demanding the future labour. The economic growth can create the average spending power of the customer. The business can be expand as hospitality industry has invested more during the recession as the land rate has been drop and labour cost also. The strong economic of every country can create demand for labour Salary and Benefits: The Salary and benefits can be one of the factors that can demand the manpower for future. The marriot are providing with better and higher pay with benefit were most of the employee are attracted towards Marriott. They are providing better benefit then their competitor so that they can create a demand for manpower in future with this policies and plan of salary and benefit. Labour Turnover -Number of employee leave the firm through dismissal or resignation during a period to the number of employee on the payroll during the same period. dictionary.reference.com Calculating labour turnover Number of staff leaving in a year Average number employed in the same period x 100 This method of calculating turnover helps the organisation, to calculate manpower requirement for the future. Calculating labour turnover for Marriott for the year 2009, in various department Department No of employee left the organisation New Employee Turnover % Kitchen 8 19 42.10526316 Front Office 22 35 62.85714286 Food Beverage 166 207 80.19323671 House keeping 110 150 73.33333333 Employee turnover has a crucial consequence on the supply of the labour to an organisation, the turnover can classified into two category (1). Voluntary turnover ( 2). Compulsory turnover Voluntary Turnover :- Employee leaving job as he or she has found a new job Employee leaving the job due geographical mobility Leaving the job due to pregnancy. Employee leaving the job due to ill-related problems Retirement Changes in immigration law Working conditions Compulsory Turnover :- Release for misconduct. Made redundant due to recession. Release due to medical condition. John Stredwick Effects on organisation due to labour turnover:- There is a direct expenditure involved in replacement process by the organisation for Recruiting, Hiring and Training. At times organisation have staffs which are under-performing, if the under-performing staff decides to resign, it is beneficial for the organisation as they can hire somebody who is more productive and more skilful then the under-performing staff. 2008/09 in the U.K due to recession most of the skilled/Unskilled workers were made redundant more than 2 million were unemployed during this period, As major event approaching in 2012, the hospitality industry has to invest a lot direct cost in recruitments to match with the demand. Retention of an Employee:- Means trying to stop the employee from leaving the organisation. Marriott can offer rise in salary/wages to retain the employee, depending on his skills and experience. Offer the employee an opportunities for in house training programme, which will help his development within the organisation. If the Employee is planning to resign due to the long working hours, the organisation can offer him flexible working hours. If the Employee is not keen on continuing with a particular department for example Food and Beverage(Service), and wants to explore his skills in Front Office. Marriott as a organisation do have policy in place for inter department transfer. Marriott conducts a Exit Interview before the employee leaves the organisation, It helps Marriott to understand what they need to practice or make changes in their work culture, which will help to control employee turnover. John Stredwick Forecasting for Manpower Planning Forecasting is a important action in setting up the business plan, forecasting can be from 1,2, or 5 years depending on for whom the plan is to be presented, Marriott needs consider the upcoming event in count as well. Share-holder Bank Principal of Demand and Supply of Labour Demand and Supply Demand High Supply High Demand Low Supply Low Training Development Selection Changes Organisation Policies Labour cost control Internal Placement Forecasting Redundant Recruitment Demotion Table above helps Marriott to forecast manpower demand and supply, if there is a rise in demand, and supply is high then the Human Resource Manager should recruit staff member and Manager should promote internal staff member to meet the requirement of the company, If demand and supply is low than the manager should focus on forecast and training, if demand low and supply is high then the organisation has to control labour cost. Or may go to extend redundant some of the members of the staff. In Hospitality industry Demand and Supply of labour keeps on varying depending on the Events, Market trends, and Global crisis. There are few events which can be considered by human resource manager to predict the manpower demand. members.tripod.com Major Event in United Kingdom in next 5 years 2010- Women Rugby World Cup 2011- Ryder Cup. 2012- Olympics. 2012- ICC Twenty 20 World Cup. 2015- Men Rugby World Cup. http://www.code13.co.uk Working Arrangement for Marriott as Recommended Full -Time Employee :- As a Full Time employee they are entitled to work 40 hours a week, Marriott has a ratio of 60 to 40 i.e 60% of their employee are full time, and 40% are part time employee. Full time are flexible when its comes to working hours. Part-Time Employee:- As a Part Time employee they are entitled to work 20 hours a week, Part timers do get all the benefit as an employee, As they are students in United Kingdom they can only work for 20 hrs work Agency :- Marriot should outsource labour through agency, When Marriott has event planned they can contact the agency and outsource staff for the event. Marriott can practice this format of hiring outsource staff for a event as cost would be minimal then hiring a full time staff or a part- time staff. Contract:- Marriott should employ, staff on contract. Employee on contract is beneficial for Marriott, as per the contract the employee can be associated with Marriott only last for 6 months. Contract employee would be getting the same benefit as a full time or part time staff of Marriott. Causal :- Marriott can appoint causal staff which is beneficial for the organisation, as they dont have to give contract hours, they can use these causal staff depending upon the business of Marriott. Job Sharing:- One job is Shared by two people, in this case the benefit is which organisation provides is also shared. It is beneficial to the employer. Internship :- Marriott Should hire students who are on internship through their college, this not only help their manpower planning, but also fill in the requirement of the organisation, Internship programme student get the same benefit as a full time employee. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Stredwick, J. (2005)  Human resource management.  Second edition, UK, Elsevier Buttersworth-Heinemann 55-58. Marchington m and Wilkinson(2008) A Human Resource Management at work, People Management and development Fourth Edition. INTERNET http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-12-2004-59200.asp Last Assessed on 17th January 2010 http://www.businessballs.com/pestanalysisfreetemplate.htm last Assessed on 9th January 2010 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/employee%20turnover Last Assessed on 25th January 2010 www.members.tripod.com Last Assessed on January 5th 2010 http://www.code13.co.uk/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=141:2010-the-golden-decade-of-sport-beginscatid=39:blogsItemid=2 Last Assessed on January 29th 2010 JOURNAL Evening Standard 24/01/2010. Page 1 Marriott Handbook Legislation for an Organisation Avinash Nayak 767689 Task 2 Legislation for an organisation Recruitment and Employment :- Is a process of hiring in the right candidate for the job to met the requirement of staffing. Working Time Regulation :- This Law was brought into practice from October 1998, This law applies all the business and to all workers. Marriot has to comply with law, this law include :- Maximum Working hours should not exceed more than 48hrs a week. Employee is entitled for daily break as per the contract. Employee is entitled for weekly break. For example:- if he is working 6 days a week, he is entitled for 1 day off. Employee is entitled for Annual holidays. The law is in place for different age groups:- 16-17 and 18 16-17 They are entitled to work 40 hrs a week,(8 hrs a day) They are entitled for a 30 mins break if the shift last more than 4.5 hrs They are entitled for 2 days weekly off 18 They are entitled to work 48 hrs a week, not more than 6 days a week. They are entitle for a 20 mins break if their shift last more than 6 hrs. They are entitled for 1 day off a week. www.businesslink.com Implication:- Employer should make sure working hours and breaks regulation are mentioned in the contract. Employee are entitled to take their break after 6 hrs, at least for 20 mins. Employer should make sure they give enough rest time between two shifts i.e 11 hrs rest time every 24 hrs. Application:- A Line Manager should be appointed to monitor the daily clock in and clock out through, Muster Book, latest software where an employee can clock in and out as well his breaks. Line Manager should make sure working hours of an employee should not exceed the contract hours All Employees should be sign a copy of contract and understand the importance of complying with law, as it is beneficial for both the employee and employer. Statutory Provisions:- Health and Safety Act 1974:- This Act was brought into practice 1974 to make sure employer are providing a safe place for their employees to work. Implication :- To make sure the working environment is safe for the employees of Marriot. Training Should be conducted on all the employees, so that they are aware what do they need to do in an event of accident. Equipment in use should be safe for use, in case of accidents should be reported. Fire Exit should be free from any obstacles. Application :- Have a Health and Safety committee, conduct the meeting on periodically bases, Risk assessment should be completed on all employees. Training files should be updated on monthly basis, as well Re-Fresher course should be conducted on all the employees every 3 to 4 months. Health and Safety information should be displayed as well the contact details in case of emergency. www.direct.gov.uk Codes of Practice :- Disciplinary :- Employer use this method to tell the employee that their act or their conduct is not up to the standards as likely. Needs to be improved.It is a 4 step process-1.Verbal Warning 2.Written Warning 3. Inform the employee about the decision 4. Appeal if the employee wants to make a appeal against the decision. Implication :- Marriott can conduct the disciplinary with an employee only when there is a violation of organisation policies or in the case of employee is under performing. Marriott should have enough evidence to take disciplinary action against the employee. Application:- Marriott should follow disciplinary procedure in a formal method, everything should be recorded for reference. Proper investigation needs to be done by the employer before coming to a decision. Employee will get a opportunity appeal against the decision. Employee has the right to demand explanation for the employer, on the decision. Employer may suspend the employee during the disciplinary process is going on. www.acas.org.uk Organisation :- National Minimum WageAct:- This Act was brought into practice in 1998, the objective behind this law was to a minimum wage that the employer(Marriott) needs to pay his employee. National Minimum wage differs depending on the employee age 5.73 to 5.80 an hour for aged 22 and over. 4.77 to 4.83 an hour for aged 18 to 21 years. 3.53 to 3.57 an hour for aged 16 to 17 years. Implication :- Labour cost of Marriott would be soaring, has they will have to give out a major portion from their income towards wages. Marriott will have to cut working hours of the employee to keep a control on labour cost. Marriott may layoff few of their employees, which will lead to unemployment. Application :- Marriott should re -plan their strategy Marriott may have to increase their room charges or menu price as they have to cover the rise in employee wages. Latest changes in the wages needs to be communicated to all departments and effective date as well. During the Peak time of the business, Marriott will have to hire temporary workers to meet the demand. www.direct.gov.uk

The Role of Marketing Research at Nike :: Business Management Studies

The Role of Marketing Research at Nike This essay answers the following six questions concerning Nike. Q1.) Should Nike switch from a focus on celebrities to a focus on its products in its advertising? Discuss the role of marketing research in helping the Nike management to make this decision. What kind of research should be undertaken? Q2.) Discuss the buying behavior of consumer with respect to athletic footwear. Q3.) What is the management decision problem as it attempts to retain its leadership position? Q4.) Discuss marketing research problem facing Nike, given the management decision problem you have identified? Q5.) Develop two suitable research questions and formulate two hypotheses for each. Q6.) How can internet be used to help Nike in conducting marketing research and in marketing its product. Q1.) Should Nike switch from a focus on celebrities to a focus on its products in its advertising? Discuss the role of marketing research in helping the Nike management to make this decision. What kind of research should be undertaken? Answer:- Yes, it should change its focus from celebrities to its product as we can see that the Nike Shox was a run away success in U.K and U.S. Marketing research will help Nike management to find out eh effectiveness of celebrities focused adds to product feature adds. Descriptive research should be undertaken as it gives a conclusive result. Q2.) Discuss the buying behavior of consumer with respect to athletic footwear. Answer: - People buy things for obvious and hidden reasons. The importance of the product determines the amount of thought and effort into the purchase. For instance buying behavior of athletic footwear will be different for serious sports athletics and different for other consumers. Athletic footwear can be categorized into 3 types: Athleisure = Casual athletic styles, canvas, suede, etc. Recreational Boots = Hunting, Fishing. Waterboot etc. Sports based = Golf, Basketball, Soccer etc. There are essential factors that consumers take into consideration before purchasing a new pair of Athleisure shoes. Stability?the shoes should have a balanced and secure feel throughout range of motion. Flexibility?the shoes should allow for a good degree of give at the base of the toes, providing smooth motion. Comfort?walking shoes should comprise contours and padding conformed closely to the feet, providing a snug fit at the heel and midfoot, with ample room in the forefoot. There are essential factors that Athletics take into consideration before purchasing a new pair of Sports based shoes. Heelcounter?the area of the shoe that holds the back of the heel, just

Collegiate Athletes Have A Different College Experience Essay -- Athle

Collegiate Athletes Have A Different College Experience Everyone has his or her own ideas of what the ‘college experience’ should include and be like. Some thoughts on the subject include going out a lot, meeting lots of new people, and dating many different people. Other people consider it the education, and finding someone to settle down with. â€Å"The college experience means your academic and social experiences you have during your time in college. They are the friends you meet, and hang out with. The classmates you meet and work with, and also the professors you deal with in your years at school,† said Tyler Grogan, a senior football player. Are athletes in college getting the same experience as the non-athlete students, or do practices and other sport related events take up too much time? Do all of the practices, games, weight lifting, and time spent in the training room interfere with their learning, or more with their social life? For the majority of the varsity athletes at Northeastern, their commitment to their team leaves little time to be involved in much else. The transition from high school to college can be a difficult one. Young people must deal with making new friends, learning how to manage time and their newfound freedom, and getting used to being away from home. In coming to college there is more responsibility put on oneself. Students no longer have teachers taking attendance every day, and reminding them about all of their assignments. If the student does not go to class in high school, their parents are notified; in college there are no checkups. If students choose to not go to class, then they usually end up failing. Because of the involvement with athletics, is it easier for athletes coming in to c... ...et by, and to get a degree, and not worry about their GPA. For most female athletes the chance to play their sport professionally is very slim, so they tend to put more stock into their class work and school. The two teams with the highest GPA here at Northeastern University are the women’s volleyball team and the women’s hockey team. The five-year program here at Northeastern offers the student-athlete to simply be a student for a year. Tyler Grogan found that once his eligibility for football was over, he had a lot more time. With his extra time he has been able to meet a few more people, and has more time to spend with them because he no longer has football to take up the majority of his time. In general student-athletes just have less time to spend doing anything besides their sport. The college experience is different for them, but not necessarily better. Collegiate Athletes Have A Different College Experience Essay -- Athle Collegiate Athletes Have A Different College Experience Everyone has his or her own ideas of what the ‘college experience’ should include and be like. Some thoughts on the subject include going out a lot, meeting lots of new people, and dating many different people. Other people consider it the education, and finding someone to settle down with. â€Å"The college experience means your academic and social experiences you have during your time in college. They are the friends you meet, and hang out with. The classmates you meet and work with, and also the professors you deal with in your years at school,† said Tyler Grogan, a senior football player. Are athletes in college getting the same experience as the non-athlete students, or do practices and other sport related events take up too much time? Do all of the practices, games, weight lifting, and time spent in the training room interfere with their learning, or more with their social life? For the majority of the varsity athletes at Northeastern, their commitment to their team leaves little time to be involved in much else. The transition from high school to college can be a difficult one. Young people must deal with making new friends, learning how to manage time and their newfound freedom, and getting used to being away from home. In coming to college there is more responsibility put on oneself. Students no longer have teachers taking attendance every day, and reminding them about all of their assignments. If the student does not go to class in high school, their parents are notified; in college there are no checkups. If students choose to not go to class, then they usually end up failing. Because of the involvement with athletics, is it easier for athletes coming in to c... ...et by, and to get a degree, and not worry about their GPA. For most female athletes the chance to play their sport professionally is very slim, so they tend to put more stock into their class work and school. The two teams with the highest GPA here at Northeastern University are the women’s volleyball team and the women’s hockey team. The five-year program here at Northeastern offers the student-athlete to simply be a student for a year. Tyler Grogan found that once his eligibility for football was over, he had a lot more time. With his extra time he has been able to meet a few more people, and has more time to spend with them because he no longer has football to take up the majority of his time. In general student-athletes just have less time to spend doing anything besides their sport. The college experience is different for them, but not necessarily better.

The Spinx :: essays papers

The Spinx In a depression to the south of Chephren's pyramid sits a creature with a human head and a lion's body. The name 'sphinx' which means 'strangler' was first given by the Greeks to a fabulous creature which had the head of a woman and the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. The sphinx appears to have started in Egypt in the form of a sun god. The Egyptian sphinx is usually a head of a king wearing his headdress and the body of a lion . There are, however, sphinxes with ram heads that are associated with the god Amun. The Great Sphinx is to the northeast of Chephren's Valley Temple. Where it sits was once a quarry. Chephren's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago. The sphinx faces the rising sun with a temple to the front, which resembles the sun temples which were built later by the kings of the 5th Dynasty. The figure was buried for most of its life in the sand. King Thutmose IV (1425 - 1417 BC) placed a stela between the front paws of the figure. It describes when Thutmose, while still a prince, had gone hunting and fell asleep in the shade of the sphinx. During a dream, the sphinx spoke to Thutmose and told him to clear away the sand because it was choking the sphinx. The sphinx told him that if he did this, he would be rewarded with a kingship. Thutmose carried out this request and the sphinx held up his end of the deal. The sphinx is built of soft sandstone and would have disappeared long ago had it not been buried for so long. The body is 200 feet in length and 65 feet tall. The face of the sphinx is 13 feet wide and its eyes are 6 feet high. Part of the uraeus (sacred cobra), the nose and the ritual beard are now missing. The beard from the sphinx is displayed in the British Museum. The statue is crumbling today because of the wind, humidity and the smog from Cairo. Attempts to restore it have often caused more harm than good. No one can be certain who the figure is to personify. It is possible that it is Chephren. If that is so, it would then be the oldest known royal portrait in such large scale.

How Does the Phonology of a One Year Old Differ

How does the phonology of a one year old differ from that of a two-three year old? Describe the main changes to be expected over the first year of word use. A child between one and three years undergoes considerable development in their phonological ability (Ingram, 1986). They adopt specific phonological processes and it will be explored when and how children use these to attain accurate pronunciations and how individual differences affect phonological development. Grunwell (1981) suggests that the first six months of productive language development (0. 9-1. years) is word-based, because of the limited phonetic variants and progressive changes in pronunciation. However, he suggests 1. 6-2. 0 years is the end of the first stage of speech development, which is co-occurrent with the achievement of an active vocabulary of 50 words. Menn & Vihman (2011) suggest that these early words parallel babbling, in that they are characterised by unmarked elements and structures, such as plosives, nasals and glides; simple vowels and CV structures. This stage of development in a child’s inventory may be characterised as a ‘proto-system’, as the child-forms do not resemble adult words (Grunwell, 1981).However, the child’s early phonetic inventory (table 1) suggests that the child has a basic contrastive system and indicates that their phonological system has commenced, which will see an increase in new words and the emergence of two-word utterances (Grunwell, 1981). m| n| p b| t d| w| | Table 1: A phonetic inventory of a child 1. 6-2. 0 years (Grunwell, 1981). Grunwell (1981) presents a ‘chronology of phonological processes’ (p175) which reflects a child’s phonological development in terms of the disappearance of simplifying processes between 2. 0-4. years. These processes are summarised in table 2 and show that reduplication and consonant harmony are the only structural simplification processes outgrown by age two, which agree wi th the findings of Vihman & Greenlee (1987). Structural simplification is generally typical of the earlier stage of phonological development (Vihman, 2004). However, phonological processes; final consonant deletion, cluster reduction, fronting, gliding and stopping are regularly used by children until nearly age three, with less consistent use thereafter (Vihman et al, 1986).Vihman (2004) states that half of her three-year-old subjects used gliding and palatal fronting, but the substitution of inter-dental fricatives were regularly used by all subjects and are associated with the highest frequency of errors. Table 2 suggests that velar fronting in particular is the first systemic simplification to be outgrown, at 2. 6 years. Despite this, it shows that obstruents do not occur in a child’s inventory until age three, and that these must be mastered before obstruent and liquid clusters can be produced correctly (Vihman, 2004).Vihman & Greenlee (1987) show that the specific phone tic tendencies found at age one seem to be unrelated to the phonological errors at age three and suggest that phonetic preferences change over time. Vihman (2004) suggests that children with an exploratory approach to phonological development explore a wide range of sounds at age one and were more likely to delete consonants at age three, whereas children with a systematic approach constrain their word selection patterns at age one and are less likely to use whole-word processes at age three (Vihman, 2004).However, Vihman & Greenlee (1987) show that 73% of children’s utterances at age three were judged intelligible, which correlates with lower phonological error scores. In conclusion, individual differences are a significant in ones phonological system and problematic in generalising ‘normal’ developments. However, a three year old child will have overall relative phonological advance (Vihman & Greenlee, 1987) and the majority of simplifying phonological processe s used at age one will no longer apply regularly (Vihman, 2004). References Grunwell, P. 1981) The development of Phonology: A Desciptive Profile. First Language. 2: 161-191 Ingram, D (1986) Ch10: Phonological Development: Production. In Fletcher, P & Garman, M. Language acquisition pp223-239 CUP: UK 2nd Edition Menn, L. & Vihman, M. M. (2011) Part V: Features in Phonological development: Features in Child Phonology: Inherent, Emergent, or Artefacts of Analysis? In Clements, N. G & Ridouane, R (Ed) Where do Phonological Features Come From? Cognitive, Physical and developmental bases of distinctive speech categories. John Benjamins Publishing Company. p259-303 Vihman, M. M (2004) Ch3: Later Phonological Development. In Bernthal, J. E & Bankson, N. W, Articulation and Phonological Disorders, pp105-138. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 5th Edition. Vihman, M. M. , Ferguson, A. & Elbert, M (1986) Phonological development from babbling to speech: common tendencies and individual diff erences. Applied Pyscholinguistics, 7: 3-40 Vihman, M. M. & Greenlee, M. (1987) Individual Differences in Phonological Development: Ages one and three years Journal of speech and hearing research. 30: 503-521