Managing Diversity in the Workplace Essay

Managing Diversity in the Workplace Essay Managing Diversity in the Workplace Essay Example Managing Diversity in the Workplace Essay Example People differ in many ways according to social classes/status, marital status, gender, age, sexual orientation, and disabilities. These differences can be visible or invisible. Human resource management acknowledges these differences and knows that workforce diversity is a reality in every organization. Different countries have different predominant workforce diversity issues. In the recent past, however, the predominant diversity issue worldwide was gender inequality. Women were viewed and treated as inferior to men. Over time, this issue has been corrected, although there are communities where women are still powerless and undermined. In the current world, other diversity issues have come up, such as religion and race/ethnicity. For example, in China, rural migrants are looked down upon and ill-treated in the workplace by their urban counterparts. The human resource department of every organization must ensure that the positive aspects of diversity in the workplace are appreciated and that nobody is treated as a second-class employee only because they are different from other workers. This paper gives an analysis of various issues surrounding diversity in human resources and proposes management guidelines to promote well-being of everyone in the organization. Increasing Diversity in the Workplace In the modern workplace, major issues concerning civil rights are racial equality and gender equity. However, these are not the only issues that personnel management considers when they come up with diversity initiatives in their organizations. Other factors that need addressing diversity in the workplace include age, disabilities, and workers caring for sick relatives. This has necessitated enactment of various laws to help to cater for these employees’ needs, for example, the Age Discrimination Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act. Other factors that increase diversity in the workplace include cultural, religious, and linguistic differences among employees (Marquis, 2007). Despite increasing diversity in the workplace, the human resource management has the responsibility for fostering a healthy working environment in their organizations. Their task is to make certain that the organization is compliant with the anti-discrimination laws of the state. In addition, they must facilitate the development of an environment where people of different cultures, ages, sex, race, and religion work together harmoniously to achieve the goals of the organization (Beham, Straub, Schwalbach, 2012). Major Issues in Human Resource Diversity Management Some firms with diverse workforce argue that they are diverse in human resources because they have employees, both men and women, of various religions, races, and skin colors. However, in reality, despite the fact that they have diverse workforce, opportunities differ. Such inequality leads to a situation where a certain group is favored when, for example, promotions are given. Moreover, one finds out that in some organizations only a specific group of people can be in top managerial positions due to, maybe, their race, color, or religion. To handle these cases, there must be a law/policy that addresses such biases. The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy protects employees against discrimination in the workplace. It requires that all employees have the same opportunities for recruitment, firing, transfers, wages/salaries, and promotions irrespective of their skin color, sex, race, national origin, or religion. The policy, which was passed into law in the United States in 1964, also states that discrimination in the classification of positions and advertising is illegal. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission handles all issues that arise in this field (Kossek, Lobel, Brown , 2005). Diversity management in human resources seeks to harness differences in the workforce to ensure that individual talents are utilized optimally to meet the goals of the organization. Every company should work with different talents among its stuff to guarantee that organizational goals are met in the most efficient way. This means that, instead of concentrating on discrimination, the human resource department should know the strengths of each employee and where they can work most efficiently so that the aims of the organization are achieved. It would be important to note that diversity management tries to overcome discrimination in the labor market by addressing individual differences that are most likely to bring inequality to the workplace. It also highlights the importance of respecting and taking advantage of those individual differences to maximize the potential of the workers and the organization in general. This vividly shows that diversity management in human resource acts, be yond the EOO policy, only requires a legal compliance (Kossek, Lobel, Brown , 2005). Objectives of Diversity Management Organizations implementing human resource diversity management seek to achieve competitive advantage in the market. Their main objective is to comply with the requirements of EEO policy. This is the basic idea for most companies. However, others go a step further and aim at utilizing diversity management to achieve employee attraction and retention. More probably than not, employees will be willing to work in organizations where their individual differences are respected and not used as a basis for discrimination. Therefore, organizations that promote diversity management have a higher retention rate since their staff is more comfortable working there as compared to other organizations where their differences bring about discrimination (Golembiewski, 1995). In addition to this, an organization can use diversity management to improve marketing capabilities. This plan applies where diverse workers present a good image of the organization to the outside world. Consequently, this acts as a marketing strategy for the company. In fact, research shows that diversity management reduces absenteeism among the staff. Evidently, this happens because people feel motivated and appreciated, hence there is job satisfaction. This is dissimilar to organizations with ‘dominant and ‘less dominant groups. In such companies, job satisfaction levels are quite low of those individuals who come from less dominant groups as compared to those in the dominant ones. Therefore, not allowing and appreciating diversity in human resources affects job satisfaction and hinders the possibility of healthy working relationships among co-workers and managers (Beham, Straub, Schwalbach, 2012). Effective diversity management also aims at promoting greater creativity and innovation. A diverse team allows for more clever ways of solving problems, fostering innovation and creativity in the organization. If the company does not appreciate the diversity of its human resources, then there is a lot of rigidity in the way they operate since they use only one perspective. Involvement of additional perspectives, which involves diversity management, will broaden the scope of thinking among workers and management, enhancing creativity and innovation. This is a great advantage to the organization that will steer its growth and ensure that the goals are attained (Golembiewski, 1995). Common Practices in Human Resource Diversity Management Human resource management has some functions that are aimed at maintaining and directing human resources of the organization. Diversity management can be incorporated along with these functions to produce an effective blend of policies. The discussion below is an analysis of human resource management functions combined with diversity management. Recruitment and Selection of Employees Diversity management in the process of recruiting and selecting employees entails giving everyone an equal chance to enter the organization. This means that, for example, women and other minority groups must be treated fairly. In the modern world, this is an increasing trend after various laws regarding equality in the workplace have been enacted. An organization that appreciates diversity in recruitment of its employees creates a good image, hence winning new customers. From time to time, some countries like South Africa use the Affirmative Action (AA) policy to favor the appointment of black people above better-qualified whites in a bid to address past discriminative policies. These efforts are supposed to provide equal opportunities for both the blacks and whites since initially management positions in the country were reserved for the whites. These efforts have yielded fruit as currently there is a higher percentage of blacks in managerial positions in South Africa (Cartwright, 2 002). Training and Development of Employees Diversity management in training and development of employees demands give a fair chance for every employee to get ahead from an organization. Previously, in the case of South Africa, the blacks were denied opportunities for advancing in their careers since there was a monopoly on skilled labor among the whites. This meant that blacks did not have a chance to learn managerial skills by apprenticeship. The Affirmative Action Programs have solved this issue. Other countries with a strong femininity culture have higher percentages of women in managerial positions as compared to countries where male chauvinism prevails (Kossek, Lobel, Brown , 2005). Despite a worldwide call for diversity in training and development of employees, the rate of women and other minority groups is still quite low. It is likely that the management of organizations where diversity management is not appreciated will promote employees with similar views to a position of a human resource manager. Evidently, fewer women are promoted to managerial positions or given relevant training as compared to men. This inequality creates the ‘glass ceiling effect phenomenon. This is an unacknowledged barrier created for women and colored people in the professional world where they cannot advance beyond; it means they cannot hold top managerial positions in organizations. It is illegal. Many countries and organizations still exhibit this effect, as a result, top managerial positions are reserved for specific groups of people, predominantly men (Marquis, 2007). Compensation: Wages and Salaries There should be equal pay for employees who work at the same level irrespective of their background or individual differences. Pay inequality leads to demotivation and job dissatisfaction among employees. The Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) and Affirmative Actions (AA) programs state that compensation among employees must be fair. However, this has not been effective since some people are paid less just because they are, say, women, or come from minority groups. This trend has necessitated the development of trade unions to solve the problem. Unions advocate for numerous issues that employees face in the workplace, among them, zero-tolerance for discrimination among unionized staff regarding wages (Golembiewski, 1995). Although, there have been reduced earnings disparities between women and men in the workplace, it has not ceased being a global concern. Statistics shows that females earn 20-30% less than their male counterparts. This is a total contrast to the requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) and Affirmative Action programs. Every organization that appreciates diversity in management should smoothen out this disparity to ensure that ladies do not feel less motivated or looked down upon at work (Beham, Straub, Schwalbach, 2012). Performance Appraisals Diversity management in performance appraisal calls for equal promotion opportunities among workers. This means that promotions are issued in accordance with an employees performance irrespective of his/her gender or background. This is an ideal case. More often, it is easier to get a promotion when employees share the background with the managers, which leads to a situation where employees from less dominant groups do not get promoted, or they find it almost impossible to climb the career ladder. Women are victims of these circumstances. This heightens the effect for women who form minority communities. In some organizations, supervisors and managerial staff come from the same location, are of the same age, and they are all men. This is an ultimate sign that diversity management is not appreciated in the organization (Beham, Straub, Schwalbach, 2012). Overall, most companies only comply with the Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) policy regarding the minimum basic legal requirements. However, beyond that, they do not have affirmative action plans to gain the fulfillment of these minimum requirements. An organization that seeks to improve diversity management through human resources can use a variety of techniques. These techniques would involve generating a framework that addresses the strategies necessary for each function of human resource management. If properly utilized, these strategies would deliver great results in diversity management in the workplace. The discussion below analyzes the strategies that can be employed to provide diversity management on every function of human resources in a company (Beham, Straub, Schwalbach, 2012). Recruitment and Selection Human resource managers tend to recruit employees with similar values and cultures as them. To promote diversity in human resources, this should be abolished. In fact, human resource professionals who constitute interview committees ought to be conversant with the ways in which their beliefs, values, and customs influence behaviors of participants during interviews. This will eradicate bias in the selection process, and more diverse groups can contribute to the organization irrespective of individual disparities (Beham, Straub, Schwalbach, 2012). Training and Development An organization can promote diversity in the workforce by providing excellent diversity awareness training to allow for effective integration of diverse staff. This training is essential for building a mutual understanding of diversity as a value. Consequently, social cohesion among workers may be created, which helps to achieve individual and organizational goals. In 1995, some researchers carried out a study to determine the effectiveness of diversity training in an organization. The results were beyond belief. When the training commenced, only 9% of attendants were positive about diversity training in their company. By the end of the program, the figure rose to 75%. Before the training, 68% were skeptical of its effectiveness. However, after the training, a whopping 93% agreed that diversity training programs do work to create cohesion in the workplace (Marquis, 2007). For diversity training to work, it would be essential to provide a top-bottom strategy, whereby staff at top managerial positions are taught first, and then they pass the knowledge to their juniors. This training should be accomplished from different perspectives, depending on the organizations goals and nature of operations. When this diversity training is linked to the strategic goals of the organization, it achieves greater results as compared to situations when it is just a vague general training (Beham, Straub, Schwalbach, 2012). Compensation: Wages and Salaries In order to adopt effective diversity management in an organization, the principle of equal remuneration and a pay system that is based on performance must be applied. The determinants of wages, benefits schemes, and compensation structures ought to be designed on common principles, taking the ability, skills, and knowledge of an individual into consideration at the same time (Marquis, 2007). Performance Appraisals To make the model of diversity management in performance appraisals more effective, fairness is vital. It calls for an inclusion of mon-traditional managers in the performance appraisal committees. These managers should be rational, upholding fairness. Additionally, they must use an objective criterion rather than a subjective one since they must minimize bias in making their decisions on the right candidates for promotions. Moreover, the performance appraisals should use the language that focuses on an individuals performance and not their religion, race, or culture. This attitude will promote effective diversity management in the organization. It is also important to note that when assessing managers’ performance, those who make an effort to hire and promote minority groups and women should be recognized because they show improve of diversity in the organization (Marquis, 2007). Diversity Management and Balancing Work and Family Life Every organization that seeks to have effective diversity management in human resources must adopt measures that help to create awareness of the work environment in order to improve working conditions and stimulate productivity. One of these measures would be to ensure that the organization supports better work-life balance. It could manifest itself in various forms. For example, shorter working hours and childcare leaves. An organization can implement the Childcare Leave Law to guarantee that new parents in the organization are not discriminated against and that they are comfortable at work. The law requires that employees must be given a paid leave of up to 10 days if they return to work within three months after the delivery of their child. A shorter working-hour-program implies that employees with children, who attend third-grade elementary school and lower institution, must be given working hour options and work time patterns that best meet the needs of their individual lifestyl es. This ensures that the welfare of these employees, who would be otherwise stressed in the workplace due to rigid timetables, is considered (Robert John, 2013). Effective human resource diversity management is essential for every organization. It fosters innovation since versatile workforce means a broader base of cultural experiences. This brings in a new perspective, improving the operations of the business in a unique way. Additionally, effective diversity management attracts talent and customers. This happens because customers prefer to purchase products or seek services from diverse companies. In the modern world, if an organization wants to be successful and maintain healthy competition against competitors, it must embrace diversity, not only in the products it is dealing with but also in the human resources employed in the organization. Moreover, stimulation of diversity management in human resources promotes cultural intelligence among employees. This may be explained by the fact that it gives both the customers and the employees an opportunity to learn and appreciate the values of other cultures. Diversity expands the minds of the s taff, fostering national unity in general since the people have been taught to value other cultures irrespective of the differences they have. The benefits of having diverse workforce cannot be understated. They go a long way in bringing fruits at organizational, national, and global levels. If people are taught to give every person an equal chance in everything, this attitude instills in them a strong culture. It reduces circumstances where workers feel discriminated against and receive no satisfaction in their jobs. Otherwise, organizations will have to work with employees that have no job satisfaction and behave like robots. Such conduct will mean that attainment of organizational goals will become too hard or sometimes, the goals become ultimately unattainable. For this reason, it would be in the best interest of every organization to ensure that they diversify their human resources and manage them effectively.

Dont Do Due Diligence

Dont Do Due Diligence Don’t Do Due Diligence Don’t Do Due Diligence By Maeve Maddox Not so very long ago, the only people I heard talk about â€Å"due diligence† were realtors. Due diligence is a legal term that refers to the exercise of proper care and attention to avoid committing an offense through ignorance. For example, a realtor must trace previous ownership and make sure that a property is free and clear before selling it to a new owner. In another context, due diligence is the comprehensive appraisal of a business undertaken to evaluate the commercial worth of a business. Due diligence is exercised to investigate such matters as assets and liabilities. Since the 1980s, the expression â€Å"due diligence† has migrated from legal and business use to the general vocabulary, where it has become an inflated synonym for â€Å"comparison shopping.† comparison shopping: comparing the same or similar products or services as offered by different retailers, manufacturers, etc. in order to find the best value at the lowest price. A few users do seem to understand that â€Å"due diligence† is a specialized term in need of explanation: Prudence would dictate that such an important decision [choosing a college] be preceded by a serious period of what on Wall Street is called due diligence. By going through the above information-gathering activities [i.e., researching colleges], you are performing your due diligence in making a final choice.   More commonly, writers use of the expression as if it were simply another way of saying â€Å"research a subject,† â€Å"compare prices,† â€Å"shop around,† or â€Å"think things through†: Always use your due diligence when researching DHT blockers/inhibitor [in shampoos] I never make a decision on ANYTHING without first doing my Yelp due diligence.    Due diligence in the running shoe  arena can make a huge difference between success and failure. A bride that has done her due diligence in her quest to truly find the best wedding dress always asks the question, â€Å"where else can I go to compare this particular dress style?† [Before buying a dog] practice due diligence by researching dog breeds, asking family, friends or neighbours who have dogs, and consulting experts. Using the verb do with â€Å"due diligence† creates a mildly comic effect because of the juxtaposition of the â€Å"do† sounds: Dont Wing It To Strategically Position Yourself, Do Your Due Diligence Do You Do Due Diligence? Who are we to get in the way of mamas who want to do their due diligence and sample lots more of our clothing? â€Å"Do due diligence† echoes the humorous euphemism â€Å"doo-doo.† I even found a headline that deliberately plays on the doo-doo effect: Doo Your Due Diligence when Using a Kennel The story under the headline has nothing to do with doo-doo, but I don’t think that the spelling is a typo. The site is run by a business called ScooperDude; it offers a weekly clean-up service to dog owners who don’t want to pick up after their own dogs. When it comes to â€Å"due diligence,† it’s better to exercise it or practice it than to do it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:8 Writing Tips for BeginnersThe Uses of â€Å"The†

Rock and Roll Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rock and Roll - Essay Example Rock and roll lyrics in the early 60’s were mostly inclined towards love; nevertheless, numerous other themes were addressed either independently from or alongside romance. A noteworthy element of rock and roll in the 60s was that it was markedly inclined towards the musicality and authenticity of ideology unlike other genres such as pop. During this period, several other music varieties emerged bearing a distinctive rock music sub-genre feel such as RnB Folk rock and Jazz fusion among others. The period also saw the development of more specific music types such as progressive rock, this particular genre majored on artistic elements while glam rock could be said to emphasize showmanship as well as the visual technique. Notably, the diverse and enduring major sub-genre that is heavy metal has retained most of its initial attributes also was also introduced around this time, unlike the others it focused on the volume power as well as speed. Fashion In 1999, the metropolitan muse um of Art acknowledged the role played by rock music in fashion in an exhibition running from up to 2000 in which the significant stages in rock and roll fashion were on display (Vogue, n.d). Fashion is one of the most important art forms and so is music as such it was only natural that the two are merged and the impact of the unity of the two was seen in performance of rock and roll from the onset. In its advent, the influence of rock and roll in fashion was seen in the clothes popularized by the early rock stars; Elvis Presley had his blue suede shoes, the Beatles in the British invasion brought with them their hairstyle, which influenced the American hair fashion sense for decades (Gritten, 1994). In addition, Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx and many others then also inspired tattoos that came in vogue around. In the 60’s, musical groups would wear stage uniforms made in expensive materials for stage performances and they would be identified with their particular looks whi ch their fans often copied. In the mid 60’s, the rolling stones showed up and they introduced the tough leather wearing street image and are credited with being the first to cast aside the group fashion mentality. Each of them adopted his own style and they did not have to conform to a specific dress code or uniform, this spawned a myriad of fashion trends and actually brought about a split in the cultural scene where there were two groups, the mods and rocker. The former preferred expensive high end clothing and rockers went for jeans and t-shirts, the rockers clearly won in and even today, the fashion trend which they set in the 60’s is still dominant today among both artists and in the fashion industry. In addition, the late sixties, rockers embraced the hippie fashion, wore jeans, tie, and dye t-shirts, which became totem of the 1960s fashion. In the 70’s, when disco hits became popular the urban styles that were the epitome of fashion took a firm hold on to day’s world and have continued to evolve over the years. Grudge was popularized by bands such as nirvana, which were characterized by a gothic look that is a major part of today’s performance of rock music both on stage and on the digital media. Surprisingly, todays rock stars such as Bon Jovi have not moved too far away from the 70s and 80s fashion and in his videos such â€Å"We weren’t born to follow† there is a distinct similarity between the rock stars in their faded jeans and t-shirts to their forerunners decades ago. In addition, the individuality that sparked off by the rolling stones

QUANTITATIVE NURSING RESEARCH Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

QUANTITATIVE NURSING - Research Paper Example The authors examine various literary sources addressing the subject of empathy within the context of nursing. The literary analysis segment begins with a brief overview of empathy and its importance in the care of patients. This significance of empathy in nursing is accentuated when the authors mention that, empathy is virtually the same with the nursing profession and is also linked to the latter’s inception. The article cites authors who have made an attempt to describe the importance of communication or interaction between nurses and patients, while describing importance of human connection to nursing practices and overall patient health. In essence, the article provides credible information derived from past research, on why empathy is deemed on the most important skills in nursing. After effectively informing the reader about the importance of empathy in nursing, the authors delve deeper into the meaning of empathy, as provided by diverse scholars. For example, the article cites an author who considers empathy to be a cognitive, instead of emotional attribute, which involves nurses’ ability to understand, as opposed to feeling, the perspectives, experiences, and concerns of a patient. This definition also encompasses a nurse’s ability to portray the described understanding. Another definition cited in the article stipulates that, nurses must show the intention to assist patients, in addition to observing the previously mentioned characteristics of understanding. The authors emphasize key terms that give the most conclusive definition of empathy including cognition, understanding, communication and intention to help. By exploring these different definitions, the authors form a credible basis for the analysis of their primary purpose, since the rea der gets adequate comprehension of the concept to be explored. In addition, the definitions provide insight into the vital nature of empathy to

Visiting Hour by Norman MacCaig Essay Example for Free

Visiting Hour by Norman MacCaig Essay I have chosen to write about the poem Visiting Hour by Norman MacCaig. The poem is about a hospital visit to someone close to his heart. The poet believes that the person, who incidentally is his wife, is going to die. From the poem I can sense that Norman MacCaig is speaking through his emotions and by writing the poem he is aiming to release some of his emotional pain. The poem had a profound impact on me. I felt very empathetic towards him because I also feel that when someone close to me is about to die. When both my Gran and Grandpa have been severely ill in hospital, I have feared the worst and saw myself being strong whilst in the company of others, but naturally breaking down into a sob of tears when alone. When reading the poem I could clearly visualise going to visit someone in hospital and I started to cry as I read the poem more. I feel that being strong for someone is very important in this poem and he shows this throughout. The poem was written is six paragraphs of which only two were long. The first four paragraphs are about MacCaig building up to the visit t his wife and what he is thinking. In paragraph three he says, I will not feel, by this he means he doesnt want to show his emotions in front of his wife. I think that the poem was divided into two halves, the shorter first four paragraphs being one half and they longer two paragraphs being the second half. In the second half, MacCaig writes about the visit itself. I think he does this to get an equal balance of importance, too gradually lead us up to his heartache. MacCaig uses a lot of unusual ideas in his poem. When he is describing walking into the hospital he writes this, The hospital smell combs my nostrils, by this he is telling us that the hospital smells so clean, that his nostrils would feel out of place if they hadnt been combed. It seems as if his mind is set on death as he sees someone on a hospital trolley being trundled into a lift and going up words, he writes, What seems a corpse is trundled into am lift and vanishes heavenward, to me this signifies that he is seeing a negative in everything. I was confused by the way he described a nurses movement at first as he says, Nurses walk lightly, swiftly, here and up and down and there, and by this he means that a nurse sets to go somewhere and can end up somewhere completely different because of demanding patients or unexpected urgencies. I admire the poets style of writing because it is very moving. By this I mean I can feel empathy towards him throughout the poem.

Graduation Speech: Dedicated to Our Soldier-Parents :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Eighteen years ago 134 young souls breathed life for the first time. We all have come from different places with no way of knowing that one day we would all end up being on the same stage together. Unlike most of the Class of 2012 in the States none of us here went to elementary school together, or middle school, or even all of high school. We come from a very different life experience than most. Most of us have never been the same place for more than a few years. That's only one of the many differences we have with our peers stateside. Another major one of course is the fact that we have spent most our high school lives in Europe. We live in a foreign country with different laws, a different language, and different customs. Many of us have also had the opportunity to travel to numerous countries around Europe and experience those societies as well. In an increasingly globalized world I believe because of our experiences with foreigners that my classmates and I are much better prepar ed to move out into the real world than any other graduating class anywhere in the States. Some of you may think that that is a bold statement and that's because it is, but it's the truth. My classmates and I have walked a path that has never been walked before. We have been forced to deal with a deployment from a deployment. We are all deployed to Europe and then we are forced to live our lives as normal as possible in this foreign land while we have parents deployed again to Iraq and Afghanistan for at least a year at a time. We have to mature faster and take on greater responsibilities than average teenagers. While a parent is deployed we go day to day trying to make it through school, extra-curricular activities, and community involvement, all while knowing that our parent-soldier could be getting shot at in a combat zone and that today—might be the day we find out we will never hear from them again. Tonight we are in the presence of true heroes, men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line; who are willing to suffer through year away from their family, all to help an oppressed society enjoy the very freedoms that we so often take for granted. These heroes also happen to be our parents, the people who have suffered through us the longest and somehow they still find it in their heart to stick around, I don't know how you do it.

Different forms of child abuse Essay

Child abuse is a common term for four types of child maltreatment: sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, and neglect. Children are usually victims of more than one type of abuse. They could be both sexually and emotionally abused or they could also be physically abused and neglected. In some severe cases, children may suffer from more than two forms of abuse. Child abuse was once viewed as a minor social problem that only affected a handful of U.S. children. In recent years the media and law enforcement has paid close attention to the issue. More than 1,000 children died from abuse in 1996, in the U.S. (1). Approximately 231 children are abused each day. That is 10 children every hour, and one child every six minutes. Each day in the United States, more than three children die as a result of child abuse, in the home. More children, age four and younger, die from child abuse and neglect than any other single, leading cause of death for infants and young children (1). The abusers can be family members, parents, caretakers such as babysitters and teachers, and strangers. Abuse occurs among all ethnic, social, and income groups. Most parents don’t hurt or neglect their children intentionally. Many were themselves abused or neglected. Usually the cases that are reported involve poor families with little education. Also common in reports are young mothers, single-parent families, and parental drug or alcohol abuse. The frequency of child abuse is difficult to estimate, due to so many cases going unreported. There are signs, symptoms, and causes to all four types of child abuse. When you have a concern for a child’s well-being, the signs or symptoms may help guide you in the process of reporting. Although, these signs, mentioned later, don’t necessarily indicate that a child is being abused. A professional, who would be able to determine the abuse, should investigate the possibility. Determining the exact cause of child abuse is almost impossible. In general,  the factors that influence whether abuse will happen is grouped into two categories- internal and external. Lack of social support, economic hardship, and chemical dependency are a few external factors. Some internal factors are: biological, emotional, and psychological. Some factors are as common as low intelligence and range to, as rare as, a severe personality disorder such as Schizophrenia. Isolation is a factor contributing to abuse. When families have difficulties, perhaps from unemployment or other social problems, they may respond in a number of ways. The families that respond by isolating themselves, by withdrawing themselves from neighbors and friends, are the most likely to be abusive. Charles F. Johnson defines sexual abuse as † any activity with a child, before the age of legal consent, that is for the sexual gratification of an adult or a significantly older child.† Sexual abuse involves fondling, penetration, persuading a child to expose his or her sexual organs, and allowing a child to view pornography. In most of the reported cases the child knew the abuser, and one in five of the abusers were under age themselves. 12% of the confirmed cases reported in 1996 involved sexual abuse. An estimated 10-15% of males and 20-25% of females reported they were sexually abused by age 18 (2). Most sexually abused children never come to the attention of the authorities. There may be no physical signs of harm, but there is always the intense shame, and secrecy is often maintained, even by the adults who know of the abuse, for fear of destroying a family. There is evidence emerging that as many as one in three incidents of child sexual abuse are not remembered by adults who experience them, and that the younger the child was at the time of the abuse, and the closer the relationship to the abuser, the more likely one is not to remember, claims Linda Williams. Convicted rape and sexual assault offenders serving time in State prisons  report that two-thirds of their victims were under the age 18, and 58% of those (nearly 4 in 10 imprisoned violent sex offenders) said their victims were aged 12 or younger. In 90% of the rapes of children less than 12 years old, the child knew the offender. Sixty percent took place in the victim’s home or at the home of a friend, neighbor, or relative. Two-thirds of sex offenders in state prisons victimized a child. For offenders imprisoned for violent crimes against victims younger than 18 (1994), 15% were convicted of forcible rape, 57% were convicted of other types of sexual assault (lewd acts of forcible sodomy, statutory rape, etc.), about thirty percent reported attacks on more than one child, and more than half the victims were younger than 12. Out of 277 inmate interviews of all prisoners convicted of rape or sexual assault, two-thirds victimized children. Three out of four child victims were female, prisoners convicted of attacking children were mostly male, 97%, and about 22% of the child sex offenders reported having been sexually abused themselves during childhood. Half of the women raped were younger than 18 and 20% were victimized by their father (3). Children often fail to report because of the fear that disclosure will bring consequences even worse than being victimized again. The victim may fear consequences from the family or feel guilty for consequences to the perpetrator. Victims may also have a feeling that â€Å"something is wrong with me,† and that the abused is their fault. The impact of child sexual abuse is tremendous. It is estimated that there are 60 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in America, today. Approximately 31% of women in prison state they have been abused as children and about 95% of teenage prostitutes have been sexually abused. Young girls who are forced to have sex are three times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or abuse alcohol and drugs in adulthood, than girls who are not sexually abused (4). There are two different types of indicators of sexual abuse, physical indicators and behavioral indicators. Some of the physical indicators are: 1)Torn, stained or bloody underclothes. 2)Frequent, unexplained sore throats, yeast or urinary infections. 3) Bruises or bleeding from external genitalia, vagina, or anal region. 4) Sexual transmitted disease. 5) Pregnancy. Some of the behavioral indicators are: 1)The victim’s disclosure of sexual abuse. 2)Disturbed sleeping pattern. 3)Difficulty in walking or sitting. 4)Avoidance of undressing or wearing extra layers of clothes. 5)Sudden decline in school performance. The two prerequisites for this form of maltreatment include sexual arousal to children and the willingness to act on this arousal. Factors that may contribute to the willingness include alcohol or drug abuse, poor impulse control, and a belief that the sexual behaviors are acceptable and not harmful to the child. The chances of abuse are higher if the child is developmentally handicapped or vulnerable in some other way. Often there is no physical evidence of sexual abuse for a doctor to find. In fact, physical examinations of children in cases suspected sexual abuse supply grounds for further suspicion only 15-20% of the time (4). Physical abuse is the nonaccidental infliction of physical injury to a child, such as cut, bruises, welts, and broken bones. The abuser is usually a family member or other caretaker, and is more likely to be male. In 1996,  24% of the confirmed cases of U.S. child abuse involved physical abuse (4). A rare form of physical abuse is Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which a caretaker, most often the mother, seeks attention by making the child sick or appear to be sick. Skulls and other bone fractures are often seen in young abused children, and in fact head injuries are the leading cause of death in abused children. A few physical indicators of physical abuse are: 1)Unexplained welts or bruises on the face, upper arms, throat, thighs or lower back in unusual patterns or shapes which suggest use of an instrument (electric cord, belt buckle) on an infant in various stages of healing that are seen after absences, weekends, or vacations. 2)Rope burns. 3)Bald patches. 4)Refusal to undress for gym. Some of the behavioral indicators of physical abuse are: 1)Behavioral extremes- withdrawal, aggression, depression. 2)Unbelievable or inconsistent explanation for the injury. 3)Fear of physical contact-shrinking back if touched. 4)Fear of medical help or examination. The usual physical abuse scenario involves a parent who loses control and lashes out at a child. The trigger could be a dirty diaper or crying. Unlike nonabusive parent, who may become upset or angry with their children from  time to time but are genuinely loving, abusive parents tend to harbor deep-rooted negative feelings toward their children. Emotional abuse, also known as psychological abuse, according to Richard D. Krugman, â€Å"has been defined as the rejection, ignoring, criticizing, isolation, or terrorizing or children, all of which have the effect of eroding their self-esteem†. Emotional abuse usually expresses itself in verbal attacks involving rejection, belittlement, humiliation, and so forth. Emotional abuse also includes bizarre forms of punishment, such as confinement of a child in a dark closet. Often psychological abuse accompanies other types of abuse and is difficult to prove. It is rarely reported and accounted for only 6% of the confirmed 1996 cases (3). A few physical indicators of emotional abuse are: 1)Eating disorders- obesity or anorexia. 2)Nervous disorders- rashes, facial tics, hives, etc. 3)Speech disorders- stuttering, stammering, etc. 4)Flat or bald spots on head (infants). A few behavioral indicators of psychological abuse are: 1)Age inappropriate behaviors- bedwetting, soiling, etc. 2)Habit disorders- biting, rocking, etc. 3)Cruel behavior- seeming to get pleasure from hurting another child, adult, or animal. 4)Overreaction to mistakes. Emotional abuse can happen in many different settings: at school, at home, on sports teams, and so on. The forth and final forms of child abuse is neglect. Neglect is the failure to satisfy a child’s basic needs and can assume many forms. Emotional neglect is the failure to satisfy a child’s normal emotional needs or behavior that damages a child’s normal psychological and emotional development, physical neglect is the failure to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, or supervision, and educational neglect includes the allowance of chronic truancy, failure to enroll a child of mandatory school age in school, and failure to attend to a special educational need. Failing to see that a child receives proper schooling or medical care is also considered neglect. In 1996, neglect was confirmed in over half of the abuse cases (3). Some physical indicators of neglect include: 1)Poor hygiene- lice, diaper rash, body odor, etc. 2)Lack of immunizations. 3)Untreated injury or illness. 4)Poor state of clothing. A few behavioral indicators of neglect include: 1)Chronic hunger or tiredness. 2)Assuming adult responsibilities. 3)Unusual school attendance. 4)No social relationships. Many cases of neglect occur because the parent experiences strong negative feelings toward the child. At other times, the parent may truly care for the child, but lack the ability to adequately provide for the child’s needs due to being handicapped by drug abuse, depression, mental retardation, or other problems. As a result, their physical, emotional, social, and mental development is hindered. Young children remain at high risk for loss of life. Between 1995 and 1997, 78% of these children were less than five years of age at the time of their death, while 38% were under one year of age. As for cause of death, 44% of deaths resulted from neglect, 51% from physical abuse, and 5% from a combination of neglectful and physically abusive parenting. Approximately 41% of these deaths occurred to children known to child protective service agencies as current or prior clients (5). Abuse investigators are often a group effort involving medical personnel, police officers, social workers, and others. Careful questioning of the parents is crucial, as is interviewing the child. The investigators must ensure, however, that their questioning does not further traumatize the child. A physical examination for signs of abuse or neglect is, always necessary, and may also include blood tests, x-rays, and other procedures. If the child has sisters or brothers, the authorities must determine whether they have been abused as well. Signs of physical abuse are discovered in about 20% of the sisters and brothers of abused children (4). Child abuse can have lifelong consequences. Research shows that abused children and adolescents are more likely, for instance, suffer emotional problems, do poorly in school, abuse drugs and alcohol, and attempt suicide. As adults they have often have trouble establishing intimate relationships. Notification of the appropriate authorities, treatment of the child’s  injuries, and protecting the child from further harm are the immediate priorities in child abuse! Sources All Figures Based Upon The Following: 1.A Nation’s Shame: Fatal Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States. 2.Child Maltreatment 1998: Reports from the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. 3.http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats.htm 4.http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats2.htm 5.Wang, C.T. & Daro, D. (1998). Current Trends in Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities: The results of the 1997 Annual Fifty State Survey.

The Failure of New York State Bill AO 3001

The current New York State administration has proposed a bill, AO 3001, that would give the governor control over scholarships to nursing schools.   On its face, this idea seems to have some merit.   The state faces an overwhelming nursing shortage.   By the year 2010, New York State will have 20% fewer nurses than demanded by the capacity of its health care facilities. This shortage places everyone connected with these facilities at risk, not only patients and their families, but the health care staff as well.   With insufficient nurses available to oversee and to provide adequate care, nurses are forced to work longer shifts or extra shifts during the course of each pay period.   In addition, some care facilities find themselves replacing full-time nursing staff with either part-time or temporary nursing staff, or supplementing the available nursing care provided with nurses’ aides trained to take on lower level nursing tasks. In addition to the lack of available nursing staff, many of those nurses already employed by New York State are nearing retirement age.   With so many of the currently employed nurses and nurse educators nearing the ends of their careers, it is becoming even more imperative to bring new nurses into the system before these men and women leave it.   However, New York State Bill AO 3001 is not the manner in which to bring new nurses into the nursing field. According to its summary, the purpose AO 3001 is to provide scholarship and grant funding to individuals who study to enter the nursing profession.   These funds would be provided based on certain criteria and preferences specified in the bill.   Two of these items are similar to that of other awards, in that they call for evidence of academic merit and for evidence of financial need.   However, among other things, preference is given to individuals who have already obtained experience working in a healthcare setting and the â€Å"highest degree of preference† will be given â€Å"to recipients applying for second or subsequent years of funding† (Title VI, Section 2, subdivision 4-6). While some degree of selectivity must be given when allotting scholarships and grants to students, it is the provision that the Commissioner of Education will select between candidates should the number of candidates exceed the number of awards that causes some concern.   How will these awards be made and to what criteria?   Can we be certain that the criteria being used will be to the best interest of the nursing profession? In addition, the Commissioner can also decide where to assign the nurses who accept this funding.   According to Title VI, Section 2, subdivision 7, these nurses must work in a nursing capacity for 18 months or as nurse educators for three semesters at a minimum if they receive these funds, which is a reasonable requirement; however, the nurses must also agree to work in a facility that serves Medicaid beneficiaries or social services client, as well.   It is reasonable to expect nurses, or any scholarship recipient, to perform certain reasonable tasks to fulfill the requirements of a scholarship or grant.   Some teachers, for example, are forgiven their educational debts if they work in certain areas of the country. However, these teachers choose what areas of the country in which they will teach and with which population of students that they will fulfill the requirements of the agreement.   To limit new nurses to working for facilities in which they may not have access to the equipment and to the funds that will enable them to best use and improve upon the skills that they have attained in their education, particularly when this knowledge is fresh in their minds, will simply hurt their futures in the profession. Bringing new nurses into the profession is indeed a major problem facing New York State, as well as other areas of the country.   The true difficulty, however, lies with retention once these students have graduated.   Nurses face schedules that leave them sleep deprived and at risk for injuries.   Nurses are often asked to perform their jobs with substandard equipment or with insufficient funding. In many facilities, nurses still do not receive the respect that their positions as highly trained and educated members of the health care profession demand.   In addition to all of these things, nurses typically receive inadequate pay for the work that they do, even as they attempt to pay back expensive educational loans.   A far better solution to the nursing shortage would seem to be a two-pronged attack.   First, nurses should be paid at the value of their work to ensure that nurses do not leave the field in search of higher paid work.   Second, instead of restrictive scholarships and grants that send nurses to locations decided upon by the Commissioner, a solution similar to that provided for teachers should be offered.   Both solutions would leave the decision of who should be a nurse and where these nurses should practice in the hands of those best qualified to decide: nurses and other members of the health care profession. Reference New York State Assembly.   (2007).   New York State Bill AO 3001.   Retrieved 12 August 2007 from http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A03001

Marketing audit of Cambridge Elite Soccer School The WritePass Journal

Marketing audit of Cambridge Elite Soccer School Introduction Marketing audit of Cambridge Elite Soccer School Introduction Cambridge Elite Soccer SchoolCambridge Elite Soccer School’s objectives and mission The External and Competitive EnvironmentCustomers and products  Recommendations  ConclusionReferences Appendix Related Introduction Marketing refers to the process of management through which goods and services move from being a concept on to the consumer, a process which broadly consists of the identification, selection and development of a product, pricing, distribution and its promotion (Gladden 2005). Sport marketing therefore involves the application of these processes in the development of sport products to enhance their consumption on the one hand, and the use of the attraction of sport of an audience to market other varied goods and services (Matthew 2005). Sport marketing is therefore broadly defined as the anticipation of consumer wants and needs, and its management and satisfaction through the application of principles and practices of marketing. This is inclusive of the marketing through sport facet which entails the use of sport as a promotional vehicle, a sponsorship platform for companies marketing consumer or industrial products (Blann 2003). This report is formulated to serve as a marketing audit of the Cambridge Elite Soccer School in which I have recently worked in as an Administration Assistant, doubling up as a Brand assistant for its Brand management team. It seeks to create some understanding of ways in which the School applies marketing concepts in its area of performance and specialty (and generally in the sports sector), its strategies in this endeavor and possible avenues for improvement. The structure of the report entails an introduction to the Cambridge Elite Soccer School and description of its history and achievements in its line of business, its objectives and mission. Further, the report delves into a description of the competitive environment in this sports sector and the factors affecting the organization’s business success broadly categorized under political, economic, social and technological spheres. It also delves into a description of its customers and products covering individual details of members and various other participants, an overview of their involvement. Finally, the report gives recommendations deemed appropriate to the School, developed from the marketing audit. Cambridge Elite Soccer School Located in the Neale-Wade Community College, Wimblington Road, March, Cambridgeshire Elite Soccer School is a growing organization that offers top quality coaching to enthusiastic football players in the under 14/15 (U14/U15) category throughout Cambridgeshire. The School has been developed to give these young, high standard and able players an opportunity to enhance their skills further. This is enabled by its highly qualified coaches with extensive experience in the football sector. The School started out in 2009 with its main aim being to educate this category of players in all aspects of training towards professionalism, providing the right environment so as to maximize their chances of success. It seeks to offer useful advice, good facilities, and appropriate football knowledge along with lots of valuable experience imparted by its resident coaches having many years’ experience in the football sector. These coaches are certified, all qualified to a minimum of FA level 2 and include three coaches and one goalkeeper coach and one among them has a Degree in Sports Science and Coaching. The primary aim of the school is to educate its players in all requisite aspects towards professionalism so as to maximize their chances of future success. Selection for training is done over a four week trial period and those that succeed are then taken through continuous training at the school in a professional development scheme by the excellent and FA qualified coaches. The school is deliberately designed to improve both physical and mental performance, creating the right environment to back such an endeavor. For the players’ success, a favorable environment has been sought and the schools facilities, mostly provided by the Neale Wade Community College include an ‘astro’ training pitch, two classrooms, boarding facilities that enable weekend stays during intensive training, entertainment and dining areas enjoined to a modern kitchen. For major events that the school seeks to engage more in, to enhance its presence and create better awareness, the management has sought the use of the local stadium so as to enable attendance of large crowds. The school also has a van that enables the transportation of students to various locations for training or for events. The school’s marketing orientation consists of a focus on the application of marketing principles including the anticipation, management and satisfaction of consumer’s wants and needs. The school identifies its consumers to include the young football players and their immediate families as its dominant target market and the consumer base is expanded to include their families and the local community in general. Also included in the consumer base though secondary are the spectators in the various events, and finally the major teams that consume the school’s product, the trained professional players. To identify and manage the needs and wants of the various stakeholders requires a well-defined strategic approach is required and especially since the school’s main product entails the offer of services in training and development of young players for the club market. In summary, the marketing program that the school engages in involves the creation of a marketing mix that is focused on the dominant target market (the young boys and their immediate families making the decision to enroll in the school so as to foster professional development, as well as the local loyal fan base that can influence such decisions). Its marketing strategy includes the use of traditional broadcast media of TV and radio carrying paid advertisements, extensive signage locally, and print media (newspapers, magazines and brochures). These tools are used to communicate to consumers and thus create an enhanced awareness of the schools events. The school is also seeking to enhance its online presence to serve as a marketing platform so as to enhance its reach limited by the reach of the various media already employed. The internet has grown faster in recent years than the other forms of electronic technology. It offers a new economic opportunity for business through commerce and trade based on the web (Howard 2000). It provides access to a desirable target market and is not limited by distance as the other promotional campaigns can be and therefore presence online can be justified as an effective tool to reach potential markets. It gives fans and other interested parties an opportunity to access information on the schoo l and its events via the internet (Griffin 1996). Cambridge Elite Soccer School’s objectives and mission Objective  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To train the young, high quality players to professionalism and to enable them to realize their football dreams.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The primary aim of the school is to educate its players in all requisite aspects towards professionalism so as to maximize their chances of future success. Mission  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To be a high class development and training school for the soccer sector with an output of all rounded high capacity junior players. The External and Competitive Environment A marketing audit consists of a review of a companys marketing planning, organizational and control processes and their results, looking at the framework for action as well as its performance and potential (Gladden 2005). This report is a horizontal audit of CESS examining the schools mission, its markets, sustainable competitive advantage, marketing plans, coordination of marketing mix, among other critical factors. It is necessary for an organization to consider its environment continuously as it follows through in its strategic path, and this should feed all aspects of planning (Brian 2000). The School’s marketing environment is made up of three levels; its internal environment which include its members of staff and management, technology and finance; its micro-environment which include the   customers, agents and distributors, suppliers and competitors, etc.; and its macro-environment which includes the political (and legal) forces, economic forces, socio-cultural forces and technological forces (the PEST factors). Several factors influence the strategies adopted by the school in its marketing and overall business approaches. Political factors include the influence of events in the political arena upon the regulation of businesses such as the school, and the spending power of the population that constitute consumers of the schools products. With a stable political environment and favorable government policy that influences laws surrounding business, the school is well placed to benefit from its positive influence. The success of the soccer sector in the UK has been beneficial in bringing about the enhancement of goodwill and appreciation of government of all aspects related to football. The governments policy on the economy including the taxation of clubs and sport schools are indicative of its desire to enable the successful realization of objectives in the sport sector and especially football. Economic factors entail a consideration of the economy of the state regarding both the short term and the long term. These include factors such as interest rates, inflation levels and the long term prospects of the economy (pointers to continued performance) with focus on details such as the Gross Domestic product per capita. The challenging economic recession has been a major factor that has negatively affected the business of the Cambridge Elite Soccer School, with its effect upon the disposable incomes of the families in the region that forms the dominant target market for the school and consumer of its products. Socio-cultural factors include factors such as attitudes, leisure times for consumers, life expectancy of the population, and wealth levels among other factors. The school benefits from positive influences of the socio-cultural factors such as the availability of leisure times for the players and their families over the weekend enables the success of such training endeavors. Overall wealth of the population is beneficial to the schools business success and strategy as it enables availability of enhanced disposable incomes that can be utilized in such ventures as paying for the enrolment in the school. The general attitude of the population towards the game and all its affiliated programs and events is also positive and this enables the school to enjoy goodwill and support from the community in many of its events and activities if they are well planned and inclusive. Technology is vital for competitive advantage and in these modern times of the internet, also serves as a major driver for the enhancement of business processes and efficiency. The internet offers a cheaper advertising platform and a direct communication channel with consumers which also allows for the reception of feedback real-time. Other processes such as ticketing, enrolment, bookings and sale of the schools branded items which were hitherto a challenge to see through have been made easier with the employment of the internet avenues. The effective use of the internet by the school for all the above-mentioned processes has however been limited through a lack of consistency in the integration of these processes to benefit from the overall efficiency. The school mainly uses its online presence for communication with consumers and has recently sought to create content for advertising. There still untapped capacity on this platform and it is evidently an area that can enable greater i mprovement in the marketing potential of the school. Competition for the school features both locally and further afield from similar training clubs and schools. Presently, the school’s management focuses on local competition within Cambridgeshire offered by several football clubs featuring programs for a similar age bracket, and soccer training schools. Among the major competitors are; Wisbech St. Mary Football Club, Stukeley Meadows Youth Football Club, Hampton Football Club, and Tony Russell Soccer School among many others. These clubs and organizations are both direct and indirect competitors in the school’s line of business and the school’s management has endeavored to create strategy to enable its differentiation from its competitors through its offer of unique services and competitive pricing. Its unique services include mid week training sessions and the creation of events that involve the participation of the youth and their families. Opportunities are created for the trained youth to play in trials before pro and semi-pro club scouts and give support to them every step of the way, an offer of a comprehensive training program integrated with other activities while the other business competitors focus on playing league games in their claim to offer training. Its indirect competitors include the in-house training programs of the major league clubs’ pro academies though these have limited and difficult to obtain available spaces and are often the preserve of the intensely talented individuals. The challenge offered by these is therefore minimal as there is a major gap in coaching that can only be offered by academies at the grassroots level. This challenge is therefore not a major factor in CESS’ strategic planning and implementation. Customers and products The products offered at the school include professional soccer training of the under14/15 youth so as to enhance their chances of success in pro football and to enable them to increase their capacity to look for professional opportunities playing for the major league clubs. Also included in its product offerings are minor league games and weekend fixtures that have gained in following to become an appreciable income earner for the club. The club also benefits from sales of merchandise including branded apparel, equipment and souvenirs which are part of recent developments brought up during my time of placement. The school’s customers include the young players enrolled in the training programs of the school, their families, spectators that attend the school’s events and fixtures, and the local population as well as people from further afield who purchase merchandise from the school. To gauge the participation of several of these groups of participants, several hundred participants and stakeholders including spectators, parents and members of the general population were selected and questionnaires were administered to them to gain useful information on the marketing success of the school, the general awareness of the schools activities and the services that it provides, as well as their willingness and desire to participate and to attend the school’s events and fixtures. The survey entailed a self-administered survey with questionnaires distributed through mail to several homes in the locality and email to homes further away. This was attained through stratified sampling to select subjects which divides a population into groups from which random samples are chosen. Instrument used for data collection was a survey questionnaire which sought to detail the identification details of those sampled including their locality, their involvement with the school and its activities, how and when they got to learn about the school, their willingness and desire to participate in future events organized by the school’s management. They were also asked to rate the school’s performance on several fronts including its capacity thus far to create awareness of its activities and capacity. The results (collated) are presented in the appendices section of this report. In the results obtained, 70% of the respondents (a total of 410 respondents) confirmed having participated in the school’s events and activities ranging from being spectators at fixtures and league games, to in-house participatory games and even bringing young family members to enroll at the school. Of these, 45% confirmed having participated for two and a half years of the schools three and a half year existence, which characterizes the school’s success at its marketing endeavors early in its life and a capacity to retain its customer base and clientele over this time. 80% of the respondents were willing to participate in the school’s events going forward and the school generally received a high rating at an average of 6.2 points in a scale of 1 to 10. These results are telling of the school’s high capacity at managing its marketing process and creating a loyal fan base.   Recommendations To further enhance its marketing capacity and reach, the School’s management needs to develop strategies including competitive pricing that would enable greater reach. This would enable the school match up to its competitor offers while offering differentiation in training and development. It is also essential that the school tackles the lack of consistency or integration in its marketing initiatives. There is therefore need to do an extensive and comprehensive audit to inform planning for such an endeavor and creation of a workable and effective strategy towards that end. Appropriate Sponsorship programs should also be sought and developed to benefit both the development and financial standing of the school, as well as individual players in their professional development (Barrand 2005). Sponsorships could come from local companies that would like to affiliate so as to benefit the school as well as gain from the school’s target market and marketing potential. Other sponsors can be sought from the manufacturers of sports apparel and equipment, who can help kit the school and offer its branded merchandise at discounted rates to the school’s growing membership and following. They in turn can gain from the marketing platform and mutually with the school from proceeds from sales. The school should also leverage on its earlier products (the high capacity and successful players who have managed to gain entry into professional football and fame) and their success. These individuals can be engaged in advertisements and the enhancement of awareness of the school’s capacity and ability to bring forth desired success (Fullerton 2007). They can also feature in events of the school providing acknowledgement of the school’s capacity and also to motivate the trainees in camp. The school should focus more of its marketing effort on the enhancement of the online platform and its development for extended usage such as in the communication with its consumers and their feedback, enrolment, advertising, and general trade including sale of tickets for events and the school’s branded promotional items and apparel. This is essentially because the Internet is fast becoming a point of convergence for all media and a platform for socialization on a global scale (Howard 2000).   Conclusion This report consists of a marketing audit that I conducted during my placement at the Cambridge Elite Soccer School as an Administrative assistant and doubling up as a Brand assistant. The report has in summary described Cambridge Elite Soccer School (CESS), its history and achievements in its line of business, its objectives and mission. The report has further described its marketing approach as well as discussed its strategic approach and the various external/environmental factors that have influenced it in its line of business. Added to this, its standing compared to its direct and indirect competitors has been described detailing its relative success at a differentiation strategy. The report then gives the result of a study done through the administration of questionnaires which shows success in the schools marketing in its early life and which serves as impetus to the schools management team to find strategies, ways and means of enhancing its potential in marketing. The report finally gives recommendations on the areas of potential improvement and enhancement. References Barrand, D., 2005. Why brands are banking on sport. Promotions Incentives, 13-14 Blann, F., and K.,   Armstrong, 2003. â€Å"Sport marketing.† In:   J. Parks J. Quarterman (Eds), Contemporary Sport management (2nd edition). Champaign, JL: Human Kinetics. Brian, T., and B., Michael, 2000. The Match-Up Hypothesis: Physical Attractiveness, Expertise, and the Role of Fit on Brand Attitude, Purchase Intent and Brand Beliefs. In: Journal of Advertising 3, pp1 – 13. Fullerton, S., 2007. Sports marketing. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Gladden, J., and W., Sutton, 2005. â€Å"Marketing principles applied to sport management.† In: L. MasteraJexis, C. Barr, M. Huns (Eds), Principles and practice of sport management. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Griffin, J., 1996. The Internets expanding role in building customer loyalty. Direct Marketing, 59(9), 46-50 Howard, D., and R., Burton, 2000. The Internets role in shaping the future of sport. Paper presented at the Third International Sport Management Alliance Conference, Sydney, Australia. Matthew, S., 2005. Sport Marketing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Appendix CESS – Cambridge Elite Soccer School. Results collated from questionnaires administered Number of respondents – 410 (both email and post) 70% (287 respondents) confirmed participation in the school’s events and activities ranging from being spectators at fixtures and league games, to in-house participatory games and even bringing young family members to enroll at the school. 45% of the respondents above (129 respondents) confirmed having participated for two and a half years of the schools three and a half year existence. 80% (328 of the 410 respondents) were willing to participate in the school’s events going forward. The school received a high rating at an average of 6.2 points in a scale of 1 to 10. Most of the respondents were from the locality of Cambridge at 89 %. The rest were spread out in the environs.

Battle of Chantilly - Civil War Battle of Chantilly

Battle of Chantilly - Civil War Battle of Chantilly Battle of Chantilly - Conflict Date: The Battle of Chantilly was fought September 1, 1862, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders Union Major General Philip KearnyMajor General Isaac Stevensapprox. 6,000 Confederate Major General Thomas Stonewall JacksonMajor General J.E.B. Stuartapprox. 15,000 Battle of Chantilly - Background: Defeated at the Second Battle of Manassas, Major General John Popes Army of Virginia retreated east and re-concentrated around Centreville, VA. Weary from the fighting, General Robert E. Lee did not immediately pursue the retreating Federals. This pause allowed Pope to be reinforced by troops arriving from Major General George B. McClellans failed Peninsula Campaign. Despite possessing fresh troops, Popes nerve was failing and he decided to continue falling back towards the Washington defenses. This movement was soon checked by Union General-in-Chief Henry Halleck who ordered him to attack Lee. As a result of pressure from Halleck, Pope issued orders for an advance against Lees position at Manassas on August 31. That same day, Lee directed Major General Thomas Stonewall Jackson to take his Left Wing, Army of Northern Virginia in a flanking march to the northeast with the goal of circling Popes army and cutting off its line of retreat by capturing the vital crossroads of Jermantown, VA. Moving out, Jacksons men marched up Gum Springs Road before turning east on Little River Turnpike and camping for the night at Pleasant Valley. For much of the night, Pope was unaware that his flank was in peril (Map). Battle of Chantilly - The Union Response: During the night, Pope learned that Major General J.E.B. Stuarts Confederate cavalry had shelled the Jermantown crossroads. While this report was initially dismissed a subsequent one detailing a large mass of infantry on the turnpike elicited a response. Realizing the danger, Pope cancelled the attack on Lee and began shifting men to ensure that his line of retreat to Washington was protected. Among these moves was ordering Major General Joseph Hooker to reinforce Jermantown. On the road since 7:00 AM, Jackson halted at Ox Hill, near Chantilly, upon learning of Hookers presence. Still unsure of Jacksons intentions, Pope dispatched Brigadier General Isaac Stevens division (IX Corps) north to establish a defensive line across Little River Turnpike, approximately two miles west of Jermantown. On the road by 1:00 PM, it was soon followed by Major General Jesse Renos division (IX Corps). Around 4:00 PM, Jackson was alerted to the approach of Union forces from the south. To counter this, he ordered Major General A.P. Hill to take two brigades to investigate. Holding his men in trees along the northern edge of the Reid Farm, he pushed skirmishers across the field to the south. Battle of Chantilly - Battle is Joined: Arriving south of the farm, Stevens also sent skirmishers forward driving back the Confederates. As Stevens division arrived on the scene, Jackson began deploying additional troops to the east. Forming his division to attack, Stevens was soon joined by Reno who brought up Colonel Edward Ferreros brigade. Ill, Reno assigned Ferreros men to cover the Union right but left tactical control of the fighting to Stevens, who sent an aide to seek additional men. As Stevens prepared to advance, what had been a steady rain increased to a heavy downpour damaging cartridges on both sides. Pushing across open terrain and a cornfield, the Union troops found the going hard as the rain turned the ground into mud. Engaging Confederate forces, Stevens sought to press his attack. Taking the colors of the 79th New York State Infantry, he led his men forward into the woods. Mounting a fence, he was struck in the head and killed. Surging into the woods, the Union troops began a furious fight with the enemy. With Stevens death, command devolved to Colonel Benjamin Christ. After nearly an hour of fighting, the Union forces began to run low on ammunition. With two regiments shattered, Christ ordered his men to fall back across the fields. As they did so, Union reinforcements began to reach the field. Stevens aide had encountered Major General Philip Kearny who began rushing his division to the scene. Arriving around 5:15 PM with Brigadier General David Birneys brigade, Kearny began preparing for an assault on the Confederate position. Consulting with Reno, he received assurances that the remnants of Stevens division would support the attack. Taking advantage of the lull in the fighting, Jackson adjusted his lines to meet the threat and moved fresh troops forward. Advancing, Birney quickly realized that his right was not being supported. While he requested Colonel Orlando Poes brigade to come up to support him, Kearny began seeking immediate aid. Racing across the field, he ordered the 21st Massachusetts from Ferreros brigade to Birneys right. Annoyed by the regiments slow advance, Kearny rode forward to scout the cornfield himself. In doing so, he ventured too close to the enemy lines and was killed. After Kearnys death, the fighting continued until 6:30 PM with little result. With darkness setting in and little usable ammunition, both sides broke off the action. Aftermath of the Battle of Chantilly: Having failed in his goal to cut off Popes army, Jackson began falling back from Ox Hill around 11:00 that night leaving the Union forces in control of the field. Union troops departed around 2:30 AM on September 2 with orders to rejoin the retreat towards Washington. In the fighting at Chantilly, Union forces suffered around 1,300 casualties, including both Stevens and Kearny, while Confederate losses numbered around 800. The Battle of Chantilly effectively concluded the Northern Virginia Campaign. With Pope no longer a threat, Lee turned west to begin his invasion of Maryland which would culminate over two weeks later at the Battle of Antietam. Selected Sources CWPT: Battle of ChantillyHistory of War: Battle of Chantilly CWSAC: Battle of Chantilly

International Finance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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