Teenage Internet Dependency Essay Example for Free

Teenage Internet Dependency Essay Teenagers are too Dependent on the Internet As the internet has become very popular among teenagers over the past few years, there have been many social impacts affecting the stakeholders of the issue. Teenagers use the internet for various reasons: to do research for homework or a project, to socialize with friends, and to keep up with the latest movies, music, and video games. The internet allows teens to be receptive to many resources that would not be available to them without the internet. Although some aspects of teens using the internet may be favorable and beneficial, many are causing laziness and under-developed social skills. The other stakeholders of the issue are the parents and teachers of these students. Parents are concerned that their children may be being stalked or predated and feel as if their children are becoming more distant from their family because of the significant amount they are spending on the internet. Teachers also must deal with their students having the resources to cheat by using the internet to give them the answers. The growing teenage dependency on the internet has both a negative and positive impact on the world. Some people may say that teens are not too dependent on the internet. Teenagers use to internet to complete homework, projects, and study for tests because of all the resources available. The internet provides a large collection of online books, newspapers, and magazines, allowing the teenage students to gain more knowledge about their school work and save them time. For example, when a student has an exceptional amount of homework and does not have enough time to complete his reading for that night, the website SparkNotes provides summaries, characterizations, and other important literary devices that allow the student to understand the novel when short of time. Another way that teens are not too dependent on the internet is seen through the social interactions they are able to make via social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. These sites allow teenagers to keep in touch with their fellow classmates and friends in a quick and easy way. They also allow students to share their personal lives with people they otherwise would not interact with, allowing them to make more friends and develop better relationships. For example, a teenager can create a whole new personality through the internet, giving him more confidence and a higher self esteem due to the positive reactions they are receiving through other internet users. The reasons for teens not being too dependent on the internet, allowing them more resources for school and more opportunities to interact socially with friends and peers, are not strong enough to override the reasons as to why teenagers are too dependent on the internet. This is because students have several other facilities that provide them with sufficient information, such as the library, museums, and bookstores. Teens also may be able to more easily communicate with friends through the use of social networking sites and resulting in higher confidence, although, this affects the way teens interact with other people because they can be totally different people via the internet. Teenagers are too dependent on the internet. It allows them to become easily distracted from their work, and lessens their face-to-face social skills. As a student may have the original intention of finishing his homework on the computer, the temptations to log on to MySpace or Facebook are too high, therefore the student visits those sites instead, causing them to deviate from their work. This causes more teens to get behind in school because of their lack of effort due to the internet’s capabilities. For example, a student may tell his parents he is using the computer to work on homework, but rather he is using it to communicate with his friends through a social networking site or online video game; this slows down the student’s work ethic because of the distractions it provides. Another reason that students are too dependent on the internet relates to physical appearance and self-esteem. There are many different sites on the internet that provide teens with information regarding dangerous groups and activities. For example, if a girl has anorexia, she is able to access online forums for anorexics that encourages dangerous behavior that harms the human body. For these two main reasons, teenagers are too dependent on the internet. The stakeholders of the issue, regarding whether or not teenagers are too dependent on the internet, allow one to examine the advantages and disadvantages of increasing internet use. The stakeholders’ reactions are more against teens using the internet so excessively than they are in favor of teens using the internet. Since more teens are becoming more dependent on the internet, they are putting themselves in harm’s way of predators and health/mental issues, they are distancing themselves from their families, and they are becoming more accustomed to communicating with their friends through social networking sites rather than face-to-face contact. The reasons supporting the idea that teens are not too dependent on the internet offer other options to teens using the internet, weakening the argument. Therefore, teenagers are too dependent on the internet.

Competitive and marketing analysis for a Gym

Competitive and marketing analysis for a Gym Optimize gym will be a private business. The reason it will be a private business is because it has benefits. The benefits are that the gym will have limited liabilities and will be separate the business from the owners, which means that if the gym goes bankrupt, creditors cannot go after the owners personal assets. Another reason will be that the gym can have some shareholders which will increase funds. The gym should only have one owner to avoid dispute between multiple owners. Optimize gym will be located in Greenacre because there are no other gyms for both men and women. There will only be about 5 employees (Two inside the main gym area, and the other two to conduct boxing and circuit classes). Funds will be obtained from creditors such as a bank and will need an accountant to handle the funds. Purpose of plan The purpose of a business plan is to guide a business to achieve its goals and to prevent failure. It provides a design and sets targets for a business which enables it to evaluate its progress against identified reference points. A well devised business plan provides a business with clear direction and a path for the future, how the business could perform in the future and the priorities that are set for the business. A business plan outlines: A description of the business (Name, address, organisation and management) The goods and/or services the business provides The businesss goals A market analysis Customer needs and size of the market The industry in which the business operates Marketing/production/financial/employment relation strategies. The goals of Optimize gym include: Making a profit (Financial goal, short term) Expanding to a few gyms around NSW (Financial goal, long term) Satisfaction in work self achievement (Personal goal) Long term security Financially (Financial goal, long term) Sponsorship (Social goal) Successful business (Personal goal, long term) Increasing market share (Financial goal) Help people achieve their physical goals (Personal goal) Give men access to a gym since there are no gyms for both men and women in the are (Personal goal) Situation analysis SWOT analysis Strengths Skilled and qualified Workers Experienced managers Great location Good use of technology Great reputation (over 100 members) New and upated equipment Large area inside gym so that equipment isnt squashed 3 rooms (One used for boxing classes, one for circuit classes, and one for main gym area.) Weaknesses High costs for personal service (Personal training) Low amount of staff Average financial position Opportunities To expand A growing market means more people will participate Can attract couples because it is a gym for males and females. Threats Increased rent costs Competitors (fitness first) Competitor Analysis Fitness first Strengths Great reputation Qualified and experienced managers and workers Many workers Trained personal trainers Large amount of equipment Good finance Weaknesses High membership costs Gym could be filled with members at certain times Opportunities Expanding Buying out competitors Threats Competitors (Such as other big gyms World Gym) Market Analysis Customers (Target Market) / Market Research Optimize Gym is located in Greenacre where there is only one other gym. There are also local sporting teams which means that they would want to keep fit if they are going to pursue that sport. Optimize gym will focus mainly on: Men and Women who would like to get the body they always dream of at a low cost. Couples who like to train together. Teenagers The trend recently is for teenagers to go to the gym to keep fit and get good bodies for summer. Groups of friends People would rather go to the gym with friends because it will be less boring and will keep them coming back. Housewives due to them being at an age where it is hard for them to maintain their figure Market Segmentation There are four key business functions which are Operations, Marketing, Accounting and finance, and Employment relations. All of these interrelate, which means that they all rely on eachothers success to be successful. The term operations means the physical production of a good or the provision of a service. Since Optimize is a gym, it means that it is service based. There are many positive qualities for opening a gym which can include: Not being worried about being over stocked Not having to think of ways to innovate products No need to always have stock Being service based also has down sides which can include: If the business is not performing well, you cannot improve on anything other than the service unlike selling products, you can just innovate improve. Replacing broken equipment Marketing is the sector which aims to find out what consumers look for in a product/service and implement them. With Optimize gym, people come to the gym to achieve the bodies that they always dream of and marketing needs to be able to attract customers by creating a good atmosphere and giving them a great experience. Marketing needs to be able to research competitors to find out what is making them good and what is making them bad, also researching the prices of competitors to be able to compete with them. The marketing sector mainly relies on the accounting and finance sector to be able to provide the funds needed to advertise etc. Accounting finance is the sector which provides the financial information needed for decision making by the other sectors. No matter what type of business you are in, you need this sector to be able to keep track of what is being spent and what money you have. This sector is also important because it gives owners information about what is making money in the business and what is losing money which will help them improve on the bad parts of the business. Business use various tools to keep track of the money which include financial records, balance sheets, break-even analysis, budgets etc. Employment relations is the last sector of the four business functions. It is basically the relationship between the employer and the employees. If the relationship is good between them, then the employees will like their job which will motivate them to work hard and not slack off. Having good employment relations will help achieve the business goals by having qualified, trained and skilled employees who are right for the job. Objectives and strategies Objectives are merely goals, but are not like normal goals. They need to be S.M.A.R.T which means that they must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. The objectives of Optimize gym relate to the four key business functions which are Operations, Marketing, Accounting Finance and Employment relations (As mentioned above) Objectives of operations for Optimize gym include: Increasing participation of members in circuit and boxing classes Increasing how much the fitness professionals help the members, that is improving the quality of service from employees. Some strategies to accomplish these objective can be: Offer occasional trial classes to show members how the classes are run and how beneficial they can be. Offer rewards for employees that you see actually approaching members and giving advice and help on nutrition and teaching about how exercises should be done. Training staff Objectives of the Marketing sector for Optimize gym include: An increase in members by 20% within 12 months Some strategies that can be implemented to achieve this objective include: Offering free trials of the gym Offering free circuit/boxing classes Group discounts on starting memberships Discounts for referring friends (friends must become members for the discount to apply) The objectives of the accounting finance sector for Optimize gym include: An increase in profit by 20% within 12 months Becoming insolvent Having liquidity Having a surplus Some strategies that can be implemented to achieve these goals include: Improving stock control Decreasing expenses Tighter credit policies Finding alternative suppliers (Cheaper stock) Accounting finance interrelated with Marketing because if marketing is good then Optimize gym will have more members which means more return and makes it easier to achieve these objectives. Employment Relations also has some objectives which include: Keeping at least 90% of employees after 3 years Strategies that can be implemented to achieve this objective include Motivating employees to work by offering rewards Increase in payment each year to all employees Offering prizes to employee of the month Job Description Qualifications include: Completion of personal training course At least 2 years experience Staffing requirements Rostering is the process of allocating particular staff to complete particular duties. Employees: Jessica Personal trainer (Completed personal fitness course Worked as a personal trainer for 3 years Sert 3, Sert 4 Diploma fitness) Therese (Bachelor of exercise science) John (Level 1, Level 2 strength and conditioning) Bob (Level 1, Level 2 personal trainer) Anthony Ishac (Boss) (Physio therapist) Day Shift (9am-4pm) Area Shift (4pm-10pm) Area Monday Therese Bob Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Jessica John Anthony Ishac Circuit Room Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Tuesday John Jessica Anthony Ishac Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Massage Room Bob Therese Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Wednesday Therese Jessica Main Gym Area Main Gym Area John Bob Anthony Ishac Boxing Class Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Thursday John Bob Anthony Ishac Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Massage Room Therese Jessica Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Friday John Therese Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Jessica Bob Anthony Ishac Circuit Room Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Saturday John Jessica Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Bob (4pm-8pm) Anthony Ishac (4pm-8pm) Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Sunday Bob Therese Main Gym Area Main Gym Area John (4pm-8pm) Jessica(4pm-8pm) Anthony Ishac (4pm-8pm) Boxing Class Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Price / Promotion The prices at Optimize gym is a price in which the gym is willing to make and what the consumers will be willing to pay. Optimize gym will also use competitor prices as a guide to what the prices will be. The gym is going to have promotions that will help attract customers such as free boxing/circuit classes and also free massage sessions with each 3 month membership or longer. Optimize Gym product strategy should be to attract and keep business coming back. The main goal is to try keeping a positive atmosphere and letting members have a great experience that helps them lead a healthy lifestyle. Optimize gym should try to become separate from other gyms and try to become better. Some ways to separate themselves would be by providing exceptional exercise equipment and having professional trainers conducting classes and giving nutrition advice. By having these, Optimize gym will have a high standard compared to other gyms. Some promotions may include: Advertising on billboards Making facebook pages Television Radio Door-to-door visits offering one day free entry Providing 1 month free membership for members who have been with us for 12 months+ 10% discount when you refer 5 friends Membership Fees Casual Visit: $10.00 10 Visit pass: $75.00 1 month membership: $49.95 3 months membership: $119.95 6 months membership: $199.95 12 months membership: $350.00 1 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $70 (Must choose ONE class) 3 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $170 (Must choose ONE class)* 6 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $300 (Must choose ONE class)* 12 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $400 (Must choose ONE class)* *These memberships will include one free massage session. Class Fees (Boxing / Circuit) 1 Class: $10 1 Month: $40 Monthly Recurring: $35 Massage sessions: 1 hour = $40 (includes any part of the body) Product Prices Optimize Shirts: $25 Optimize Singlets: $20 Weight lifting gloves: $30 Weight lifting belt: $40 Supplement Prices (Approximate prices) Protein Jar: $70 Creatine Jar 200g: $30 Weight loss supplement: $40 Weight gaining supplements: $40 Muscle bulk supplements: $60 Product The products that Optimize gym offers are in great condition. The equipment in the gym are all brand new and are from big trademark brands. The gym area is very big so the equipment are all spaced out. The products that will be sold include gym shirts and singlets, weight lifting gloves, weight lifting belt, proteins, weight loss/weight gain supplements and creatine. The gym shirts will have various sizes with Optimize written on the front with a slogan on the back. They will be black in colour with lime green writing. Place Place refers to how a product is distributed. With Optimize gym, the only products that are sold are the Optimize T- shirts and singlets. They are made by the manufacturer then sent a retailer (Optimize gym) then sold to the consumer. The degree of distribution will be exclusive distribution, which means that only one retailer (Optimize gym) will be able to sell them. Description of the product/service The services Optimise gym offer include: In the main gym area, Optimize gym has trained staff members who have completed various courses in training and fitness and also nutrition and are able to provide excellent information and motivation for members. Optimize gym provides exceptional service inside the gym with the state of the art equipment that the gym owns. It also has trained staff to conduct circuit classes and also boxing which help members increase fitness levels and also learn some self defence along the way. Equipment inside the gym Fitness step x 2 $200 Barbell set (10kg 70kg) $2500 Bodyworx Deluxe Mid-width Weight Bench Press x 2 $1000 Seated preacher curl bench x 2 $500 Smith Machine x 2 $10000 Cable equipment (Shoulder press, lat pulldown, chest) 45 degree leg press $1000 Multi station x 2 $10000 45 degree back extension $500 Dip / pull up assist machine $1000 Wall Balls (Medicine balls) x 4 $200 Dumbbells Rowing machines x 3 $2000 Treadmills x 3 $5000 Exercise bikes x 12 $3000 Power racks Weight plates (1.25kg, 2.5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 20kg) x 2 $1000 Rubber floors Boxing bags x 4 $400 Boxing ring $1000 Protective gear Wraps Boxing gloves Focus Pads Personal Trainers Jessica Personal trainer (Completed personal fitness course Worked as a personal trainer for 3 years Sert 3, Sert 4 Diploma fitness) Therese (Bachelor of exercise science) John (Level 1, Level 2 strength and conditioning) Bob (Level 1, Level 2 personal trainer) Classes Boxing Wednesday 7pm-8pm Sunday 7pm-8pm Circuit Monday 5pm-6.30pm Friday 6pm-7.30pm Boxing Class Includes self defence training and sparring Circuit Class Includes pushups, Situps, knee lifts, squats, fitness stepping, skipping, tuck jumps and treadmills. Massage Session Must book with Anthony Ishac on the available days (Tuesday and Thursday) Trading Hours Monday Friday: 9am 10pm Saturday Sunday: 9am 8pm *CLOSED ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS* Equipment sold on front counter Beverages Optimize t-shirts Optimize singlets Supplements Weight lifting gloves Weight lifting belt (back support) Power bars Protein shakers Boxing gloves/pads Optimize gym is a great choice compared to its competitors because it provides excellent equipment at a low price also combined with the quality of the service. Offers and Discounts Group discounts Discounts on referring friends Free trials of boxing/circuit classes/Gym membership Discounts on members who have been part of the gym for a long period. Financial Forecasts Optimize Gym Pty Ltd 30 June 2011 Current Assets Cash $6000 Accounts Receivable $50,000 Inventory $50,000 Current Liabilities Overdraft $150,000 Accounts Payable $60,000 Total $106,000 Total Current Liabilities $210,000 Non Current Assets Equipment $1,000,000 Land $500,000 Building/Property $300,000 Non Current Liabilities Mortgage $1,600,000 Total $1,800,000 Total Non Current Liabilities $1,600,000 Other Current Assets Good Will $200,000 Owners Equity Shareholders funds $296,000 Capital $100,000 Retained Profits $100,000 Total Assets $2,106,000 Total Liabilities + Equity $2,306,000 Liquidity = Current Assets . Current Liabilities =$106,000 = 0.5 $210,000 Executive Summary I will be opening a gym called Optimize. Optimize gym is a private business and i will be a sole trader due to various reasons. The major goal of the gym is to create a profit and make members dream bodies reality. Optimize gym offers many services such as nutritional assistance, assistance in exercise, state of the art equipment which are brand new, and will sell various products such as supplements, T-shirts, singlets, training equipment, boxing gloves/pads. Optimize gym conducts boxing and circuit classes to any member, each twice a week and also physical therapy and massage sessions. Optimize gym is located in Greenacre because in that area there is only one other gym which is just for women and all major competitors are located away from this area. The trading days are Monday Sunday. The trading hours are 9am-10pm (Monday Friday) and 9am-8pm (Saturday Sunday). Optimize gym offers a lot of discounts such as group discounts, Referrer discounts and loyalty discounts. The set out of Optimize gym and the services / offers that are available are good for the business at the growth stage because it is able to make enough revenue to pay off debts and have a profit. Critically review the plan and process Over all this assignment was very long. Luckily it asked me to write a plan of approach otherwise i would not have completed all aspects of the report. Overall i worked well in completing each part of the assignment to the date in which it was due, everything was completed as planned. In class i listened to all the tips Mr Fares gave me and also Miss Jones in the past term. I asked the teacher many questions before i went home and completed each part of the plan. I had some strengths and weaknesses. Some strengths were that i knew the content previously which made it easier for me to know what to talk about in the plan, and also had the help of the teacher in areas which i didnt know much in. Some weaknesses were that i was distracted very easily because of the environment i was in (The room i worked in had my Tv, Xbox and stereo) and was also distracted from friends and was thrown off task easily. Overall i met all my deadlines and was happy with the way i completed the plan but the assignment was very long! I think that we needed more lessons in class to learn the content a bit more before starting. Revenue statement for Optimize Gym Pty Ltd for the period ending 30 June 2010 $ Total $ Sales Revenue 200,000 Less Cost of goods sold Opening stock Purchases Closing Stock 40,000 20,000 60,000 50,000 10,000 Gross Profit 190,000 Less Expenses Advertising Bank charges Insurance Interest paid to bank Rent Salaries and wages Superannuation Telephone Accountancy fees 6000 300 6000 5500 10000 80000 10,000 3000 2000 Net Profit (Before Tax) 67,200 Financial Requirements $500,000 To buy equipment, re-stock and pay for damages.

french war :: essays research papers

The French, after World War II wanted to control Indochina by returning the area to a pre-war colonial status, believing they were better suited to bring economic growth to that part of the world. The United States, a country which demanded self rule from England in 1776, plays the hypocrite by supporting France in order to secure Europe from Soviet expansion. How far does one go to stop another’s ideological beliefs? Do countries that practice freedoms of choice have a moral obligation to intervene in another’s affairs, or do they let those who reside there, determine their own future? At the end of World War II, Stalin and the Russian Empire took advantage of the weaken state of the European Theater by installing several puppet regimes in weaken countries, including Germany, Hungary, and Poland. This unchecked spread of communism was of great concern to the rest of Europe and the United States. Two countries with much to lose, Turkey and Greece were in urgent need of aid to assist in their reconstruction after the war. Their survival and resistance to communism were not only critical to Europe, but would hamper Russia’s unrestricted access to the Mediterranean Sea and controlling numerous seaports, including those in the Middle East. The Truman Doctrine not only assured assistance to Turkey and Greece, but created a policy of containment, allowing the communist block countries to exist, but not allow their policies to spread further into Europe. This stalemate between the European countries aligned with the United States and the Soviet Union created an â₠¬Å"Iron Curtain† across Europe, and with Russia’s successful test of an atom bomb an uneasiness across the globe was generated and the start of the â€Å"Cold War†. In order for the security of Europe to take hold, all countries within the European theater had to participate, this included the French. Prior to the start of the Second World War, France had several colonies set up in the Indochina area including Vietnam. As part of their agreement to participate in Europe’s security they wanted to reestablish these ties in Southeast Asia. In as much as the United States didn’t approve of colonization of Indochina, there were several factors that ultimately allowed them to say yes. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The security of Europe had to come first, at this time the issues in Southeast Asia were deemed non-issues. Thus we were willing to accept the French terms.

Immortality And Mortality In The Economic Sciences :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites Roberto Calvo Macias, a young author and thinker from Spain, once wrote to me that it is impossible to design a coherent philosophy of Economy without accounting for the (sad?) fact that we are mortals. This insight is intriguing. It is not that we refrain from Death in dealing with matters economic. What are estate laws, annuities, life insurance policies - but ways to cope with the Great Harvester? But this, admittedly, only scratch the non-profound surface of the question. The industrial revolution taught us that humans were dispensable. The process of production was reduced to minute functional units that people could learn in minutes. Only the most basic skills were required to successfully endure this learning curve. Thus, for as long as humans bred, the supply was inexhaustible. Humans became entirely replaceable, interchangeable (and alienated, in the process). Motion pictures of the period (â€Å"Metropolis†, â€Å"Modern Times†) portray the industrial worker as a nut in a machine, driven to the verge of insanity by the repetitiveness of his work. Yet, this view of human resources is fast becoming extinct in the rich Western countries. Training periods have lengthened, expert knowledge has taken over, the main value added is information. Humans represent a sizeable investment in education. They are no longer an inexpensive resource .With this realization, there came about a revolution in economic relations. Absurdly, inhuman totalitarian regimes (especially Fascism and Communism) were the first to emphasize the importance of the human factor in the total set of means of production. The concept of scarcity was extended (by virtually all the economic systems today) to apply to human resources. All resources are scarce. Economy is the science of trading off : giving up one resource in order to get more of another. The concept of â€Å"opportunity cost† is the first that students of economy encounter. The classic approach included natural endowments in the group of scarce resources. The human element was barely perceived as yet another natural resource. Now it is. The size of the population, its life expectancy, its quality of life, health, education, income – are all important. Economy is the branch of psychology which deals with behaviour patterns and with mental processes which relate to material wealth, with the opportunities to obtain it (=access to it) and with the processes and mechanisms underlying its attainment. Because material wealth can be expressed quantitatively, this specific branch acquired a â€Å"mathematical† nature, a twist not present in other branches of the human

The Libyan Head of State, Muammar al Qaddafi :: Biography Biographies Essays

The Libyan Head of State, Muammar al Qaddafi Muammar al Qaddafi is a very dangerous man. He promotes terrorism, and radical causes. He is committed against the U.S, and will help almost anyone who is also against the U.S. He is very intelligent and crafty. In 1969 he led a coup against the Libyan government. He succeeded, and became head of state. He is a devoted Muslim. Qaddafi is a person to be read about and learned about. As I mentioned above, one of his greatest successes was leading a bloodless coup against the Libyan monarchy. He became head of state. Another success is that fact that most Libyans lead good lives. All Libyans have a house or an apartment, a car, and most have televisions, phones, and recording equipment. The young people are well dressed and fed. He has survived many coup attempts against him. His face and picture are in most buildings in Libya. He always was devoted to school as a kid. He would take a long hike from the desert to school. He would come home only every Thursday, the beginning of the Muslim weekend. Then he would go back to school. He was the first in his family to be well educated. One of his first goals when he was a child was to join the Libyan army. He slowly moved up in rank. It was surprising they even let him in the army; he had a long police record. He eventually joined the King's police. This was when the idea of a coup attempt came. He did succeed. Qaddafi was born in a tent in the desert 20 miles south of the sea. This is a desolate place- burning hot in the summer, and freezing cold in the winter. Most people would consider this place to be uninhabitable. His father was at the bottom of social level in this very poor country. The name of tribe Qaddadfa means in Arabic, " Spitter or vomiter of blood." In Qaddafi's early years, in the 1940's there were tank battles in the desert and thousands of bombing raids by Germans in Libya. Besides this, in the 1920's the Italians under Mussolini had conquered Libya for the second time and had killed large numbers of women, children and old people. They trampled on copies of the Koran, threw men out of airplanes and raped and disembowelled women. So the Libyans of Qaddafi generation grew up full of

Mr. Bus

4. In March 2006, Tesco announced that it would enter the United States. This represents a departure from its historic strategy of focusing on developing nations. Why do you think Tesco made this decision? How is the U. S. market different from others Tesco has entered? What are the risks here? How do you think Tesco will do? In our opinion, Tesco had done a lot of research before they decide to open in United States market. Tesco believes that each market is unique and requires a different approach. Tesco experience In the United Kingdom has demonstrated that no single format can entirely penetrate a market. That is why the company has developed a range of formats from convenience stores to hypermarkets that it deploys to meet the needs and opportunities it encounters in each country. One of the reasons Tesco enters the United States market is because they want to build a brand for Tesco. Tesco believe brands are the building blocks of lasting relationships with consumers. Tesco want to develop capabilities. A critical part of Tesco’s culture is an intense focus on learning, developing skills, processes and systems, and then sharing them across international markets to increase the chances of success. United State market is different from others Tesco has entered. Accounting for almost 30% of world GDP, the United State is the world’s largest and most demanding market for almost everything from oil to microprocessors to premium coffee. Companies around the world aspire to do business in the United State or at least with United State companies in their home markets. By doing so, they learn much about the latest management practices, they can be closer to the cutting edge of innovation, and they can boost their reputations by supplying well known United States firms. The risk for Tesco decide to open a market in United States is, Tesco moved too fast and made too many wrong assumptions about the United States Market. If the concept was working, an established and well financed retailer like Tesco would be using the economic downturn to drive out weaker United States players. It will be some risk to Tesco if they open a new market in United States, because they will compete with Wal-Mart their biggest competitor in United States. Wal-Mart is the biggest retailer in United States and since Wal-Mart has bought ASDA, Tesco will be struggling to compete with Wal-Mart in United States market. In our opinion Tesco will fail or struggle in the beginning because they have to compete with their biggest competitor Wal-Mart. Most of the customers in United States used to go to Wal-Mart, since that Tesco will be struggle in a beginning. And from our research we found that none of British retailer has succeeded in United States market. But maybe after few months or few years Tesco will be back stronger in United States market and Tesco maybe will be more succeed than Wal-Mart.

Divorce and Its Impact on the Family

Introduction A significant and often heated debate has been in progress for years regarding the effect of divorce on the family, and more specifically, on children of different ages. On the one side, there are writers, theorists and scholars who argue that divorce does not affect the children over the long term and on the other side are those who argue that divorce has a negative effect on the children for all their lives. It is indeed impossible to make a clear and definitive conclusion based on the research studies that have been conducted over the years. Each investigator argues strongly for their own conclusions, providing statistical evidence to support those conclusions. Does divorce have a negative impact on children, regardless of age when the divorce occurs? Does divorce have more impact on specific age ranges of children? If divorce has a negative impact on children, then, how long does that impact last? Do adult children of divorced parents find it easier to blame all their failures and pitfalls on their parents' divorce instead of taking responsibility for their own actions through the years? These are the only some of the questions that underlie the problem: What impact does divorce have on the children. Very few definitions are needed regarding this investigation: †¢Children means the children of the parents who get divorced, regardless of age. Thus, â€Å"children† refers to adolescents as well as younger children. When a specific age range is meant, that will be clarified in the text. †¢Divorce means that the couple has gone through the legal process of divorce and are, thus, no longer legally married. †¢Absent father refers to those fathers who do not keep in contact with their children subsequent to a divorce. Also, the absent father does not contribute to the children's support. †¢Custodial parent refers to the parent who has legal primary custody of the children. First a brief overview of what marriage and divorce was throughout history, and what would happen to those children after the divorce was finalized Marriage and Divorce in History The roots of marriage can be traced back to time of the Romans and Greeks. For the Greeks and Romans marriage wasn’t really something of a choice. It was more of a family obligation and a way to help the family gain higher status. Marriage in Roman times was often not at all romantic. Rather, it was an agreement between families. Men would usually marry in their mid-twenties, while women married while they were still in their early teens. As they reached these ages, their parents would consult with friends to find suitable partners that could improve the family’s wealth or class. †(PBS) Women really didn’t have a choice in who they married, they were chosen by their fathers. And even for the men, love wasn’t taken into account because it was up to the parents who they married. The actual marriage in Roman times was very simple. The couple would just have to declare their desire to live with each other in front of both families. Divorce in this time was just as easy as marriage. â€Å"Just as marriage was only a declaration of intent to live together, divorce was just a declaration of a couple’s intent not to live together. All that the law required was that they declare their wish to divorce before seven witnesses. † (PBS) Divorce was a very common thing for the Romans. The only condition was the woman would get her dowry back, and she would move back in with her father. If the wife was divorced because of adultery only half of her dowry was given back. The laws did not mention anything about husbands as they could not be divorced because of an adulterous they have committed. It is assumed that children were left with the father as men were the law in Roman times. Not much is known on what happened to the children after a divorce, whether they are allowed to see their mother or not, if the mothers were allowed to keep the children, or if the child’s best interests were ever a factor for who got to keep them after the divorce. Marriage in African countries was relatively similar to the Greeks and Romans, but with a few changes. Marriage signified a union between two families. â€Å"The death of a husband did not terminate the union of families. Upon a husband’s death a relative would assume his role. † (Simon and Altstein) Marriage was more of a binding contract than anything else. The woman being married didn’t really matter in the long run either as if she died or was unable to bare children, a younger sister would take over her role as the wife â€Å"But the wife wasn’t fully excepted until she gave birth to her first child. (Simon and Altstein) The actual marriage didn’t really require that much, just consent from both parties and their guardians, as well as some form of payment from the husband’s family to the wife’s. This would most likely be cattle. There wasn’t really any ceremony like today; it was more of a series of rituals. Divorce was a simple thing for Africans. Grounds for divorce were; adultery, desertion, insanity for at least seven years, and being imprisoned for more than five years. The children would normally have been given to the father, but in more recent times the child would go with whichever parent was more able to take care of them. If a child was old enough to make up their own mind the court would consider who they wished to live with, but that didn’t always mean the child’s pick would be the one he/she would be given to. In the 1500’s after the Reformation, a change in how marriages and divorces were performed occurred. The peasants were allowed to marry whomever they choose, but the nobles still kept with the arranged marriages to keep their line pure and to improve their power, this would go for royalty as well. Marriage then became a public affair, and it was considered part of the earthly kingdom instead of the heavenly kingdom. This meant that vows would be made in public before the church consummated the marriage. Prior to this the Church was in charge of marriage and divorce but they lost that power with the coming of the Reformation. â€Å"Marital disputes would be tried before a civil court, not a Church court. The Church did not have legal authority over marriage. †(Simon and Altstein) Also laws that prohibited the marriage of clerics, monks, and nuns were also rejected. Divorces were allowed as long as there was just cause. Cause included impotence, sexual incompatibility, abuse and acts of incest. † (Simon and Altstein) The average length of a marriage was only fifteen years at the time, but this was caused more by death, than by divorce. In more recent times a decision was made by the courts of the United Kingdom that they will not longer decide which parent the child should custody of. The parents were to make the decision together and stick with it, only if they can not agree will the court make one, this decision can not be argued. In the United States of America, arriage is â€Å"the legal union of a man and a woman as husband and wife, and a spouse is a husband or wife of the opposite sex. † (Simon and Altstein) Only men and women are allowed to be married to each other, in some states though same-sex civil unions are allowed. The church is where the marriage is held but the state must approve the marriage for it to be final. The laws of marriage vary from state to state. In the United States of America divorce rates are very close or over fifty percent. Divorce varies on the state as well but some form is permitted by every state. Thirty-four states have adopted no-fault divorce in addition to traditional grounds for divorce. † (Simon and Altstein) As for the children, their wishes are considered by all but four states. The effects in which those children concur will be explained later. Literature Review The literature regarding the impact of di vorce on children is voluminous. It is also highly contradictory and heated in terms of debate. Anyone investigating this topic can find research studies to support their own opinions no matter what that opinion is. We begin by offering some data regarding divorce. In the United States, one out of every two marriages will end in divorce (Marano, 2000). Despite this devastating statistic, 90 percent of Americans will marry (Marano, 2000). Of those individuals who divorce their first spouse, 75 percent will remarry, even though their first marriage ended (Marano, 2000). Given that so many divorced individuals simply live with other persons or combine the homes with others without the sanction of legal marriage, the figure for â€Å"remarriages† escalates significantly when these people are included (Marano, 2000). Out of all second marriages, 60 percent end in divorce (Marano, 2000). It is not just in the U. S. that a large proportion of marriages fail. The BBC reported that one in seven marriages (16. 4 percent) end in divorce in the United Kingdom (2000). The divorce rate differs dramatically by location in the UK, for example, in Biggleswade, only 6 percent of marriages end in divorce but in Skelmersdale in Lancashire, 32. 4 percent of marriages end in divorce (BBC, 2000). The divorce rates have risen in most European countries, as well (Bjornberg, nd). The highest rates are found in Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and the United Kingdom (Bjornberg, nd). In the year 2000, there were 45,500 divorces, a new high (Victorian State Conference of Teams, 2001). Anyone who has kept up with public mass media also knows that the divorce rate in China has escalated to as much as 25 percent in recent years. It has become such an issue that the government began debating about a new law that would make adultery a crime and that would put further restrictions on divorce in that country. Most of the research regarding the impact of divorce on children has been conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom. Two of the primary and most discussed studies contradict each other, which has come to be known as the â€Å"Hetherington-Wallerstein debate–a battle of superstars† (Corliss, 2002, p. 40). Hetherington argues that â€Å"75% to 80% of children of divorce function well, with little long-term harm to their adult lives† and Wallerstein argues that â€Å"the damaging effects of divorce on children are cumulative, and the major impact comes in adulthood† (Corliss, 2002, p. 0). Wallerstein first published her findings in a book in 1971; this was then updated in another book entitled The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: A 25 Year Landmark Study in 2000 (Corliss, 2002). In the most recent book, Wallerstein concluded that divorce leads to depression, juvenile delinquency, poor grades, among other things and that the divorce affects people wel l into adulthood (Corliss, 2002). Hetherington published her findings in a co-authored book (with John Kelly) entitled For Better or For Worse: Divorce Reconsidered (Corliss, 2002). In this book, Hetherington and Kelly argue â€Å"that 75% to 80% of children of divorce are functioning well, with little long-term damage† (Corliss, 2002, p. 40). Hetherington and Kelly tracked nearly 1,400 families and more than 2,500 children, some for three decades and concluded: Within two years of their parents' divorce, the vast majority of children are beginning to function reasonably well again (Corliss, 2002, p. 40). 70 percent of divorced parents are living happier lives than they did before divorce (Corliss, 2002, p. 0). Some women and girls turned out to be more competent, able people than if they had stayed in unhappy family situations (Corliss, 2002, p. 40). In Hetherington's study, 25 percent of the children from divorced families had serious emotional, psychological or social problems (Corliss, 2002). This compares to 10 percent of children from families that remain intact (Corliss, 2002). Still, it is a much smaller proportion than many other studies, includi ng Wallerstein's. Cudina and Obradovic summarized a great deal of the research, most of which concludes that children from divorced families are â€Å"more aggressive and depressive†; â€Å"more prone to anxiety†; and â€Å"of a generally poorer adjustment than children living in intact families† (2001, p. 247). The instability of the marriage also affects boys and girls differently, for instance, â€Å"boys are more often found to be more vulnerable† and â€Å"more aggressive and displayed more behavioural problems than girls† (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001, p. 247). It should be pointed out, however, that the gender differences found have not been consistent. Another finding is that the reaction of children seem to differ according to age when the divorce occurs (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). For instance, the research suggests that â€Å"emotional response being more intense for children younger than 6, and for those in early adolescence at the time of parental divorce† (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001, p. 247). There is also a substantial amount of research that concludes that â€Å"prolonged parental marital distress could be even more damaging to the child's emotional and social development than parental divorce† (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001, p. 47). Fighting, conflict, violence all combine to make the child feel insecure and unstable as well as fearful (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). Mitigating factors that affect the impact of divorce on children have been identified as the availability of the noncustodial parent, the relationship between the parents after the divorce, the quality of the parent-child relationships with both par ents, and the degree of economic hardship and stress the child experiences after the divorce (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). Because the overwhelming majority of research has been conduced in English-speaking countries, Cudina and Obradovic studied the impact of divorce on children in Croatia, a society that is very different in many ways from the United States and other English-speaking nations (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). Croatia is smaller, has a relatively low GNP and in most ways can be considered a developing nation (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). The divorce rate in Croatia has increased over the last 30 years, rising from 13. 5 percent in 1962 to 17. percent in 1996 (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). The Croatian family reflects a myriad of both traditional and modern values (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). Nonetheless, there is still a stigma attached to divorced individuals in Croatia (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). Cudina and Obradovic found that Croatian children respond in much the same way as children in other countries – children of divorced parents are more emotionally unstable and more depress ive than children from intact families (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). The study did not support the premise that children suffer equally negative effects from living in a home where the parents are in conflict as do the children from divorced parents (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). They study also confirmed that the degree of impact is related to age – younger children showed more emotional distress than did older children (Cudina and Obradovic, 2001). Hyatt reported that the adjustment of the children is primarily dependent on the parents and how they behave after the divorce (1999). Hyatt was reporting a study conducted at Iowa State University and reported in the Journal of Marriage and the Family. Simons, who led the research investigation team, said that â€Å"Even though divorce more than doubles the risk for emotional and behavioral problems in both boys and girls, the good news is that the vast majority of children from divorced families do just fine. . . . What is essential for kids is that they be parented well. If mom and dad continue to persevere in their parenting, are warm and supportive, monitor the kids and are consistent in discipline, the risk for conduct problems is no greater than in two-parent families. This is a more optimistic scenario than is often assert† (Hyatt, 1999). This was also a longitudinal study that involves 600 families and is ongoing (Hyatt, 1999). Theoretical Foundations Attachment theory would seem to be the most appropriate theory to discuss in terms of the effects of divorce on children. Beginning in infancy, the child develops an attachment to the parent through interactions with the parent. According to Bowlby, an interruption or disruption of the attachment relationship can result in psychopathology (Garelli, 1997). Research indicates that the formation of attachments in infancy and childhood contribute to healthy adulthood (Galston, 1996; Fields, 1996). Research also indicates that when the attachment is disrupted, the child may well suffer both emotional and physical traumas affecting their ability to function today and in their future life (Galston, 1996; Fields, 1996). Divorce is an event that disrupts attachments. Attachment theory asserts that children do develop attachment feelings to people, places and objects. Research concludes that attachments are essential for good mental health. One study in Israel concluded that â€Å"Attachment between parent and child plays a crucial role in the healthy development of the child. Accordingly disturbances in parental bonding will be linked with the development of mental disorders later in life† (Canetti et al, 1997, p. 381). Note that the need for attachment is for all children. Divorce does not necessarily mean that the child's attachment to the noncustodial parent would be eliminated by the divorce. Discussion, Summary and Conclusions As can be seen from the few research studies presented, there is a heated debate and strong controversy regarding the effects of divorce on the family. There is equally strong evidence to support either side of the debate. That leaves the reader with a strong question as to how much divorce actually does affect the future development and adult life of the divorced family. There is no perfect study, which means that every study has its limitations. More studies suggest that children face significant effects when their parents divorce. It does seem, however, that the impact of a divorce on a child would be dependent upon the circumstances and the subsequent behaviors of the parents involved. More studies in recent years are pointing to this premise. If the parents both continue parenting and they parent well, a far smaller proportion of children will experience significant negative effects than what has been said in the past. If the parents continue their fighting and place the child in the middle of that fighting, then, common sense would tell us that the child will have any number of psychological and emotional problems as a result. It is important to note the studies that have compared children of divorced parents to children of parents who stayed married but whose relationship was so unstable. Certainly, living with verbal conflict and loud fighting between the parents has a devastating effect on the child. Living with parents where spousal abuse is prevalent would have tragic effects on the child, worse effects than would a divorce. Even the researchers who conclude that a small percentage of children experience serious problems after a divorce, clearly state that they are no promoting divorce and that children will develop more securely and more positively if the family is kept intact – except when violence and abuse is present. The conclusions, in other words, do not support divorce; they are simply saying the outlook for these children is not as bleak as has been publicized. There is another issue that one must also look at. These kinds of studies rely a great deal on interviews with the survivors of divorce. It is very convenient for many of these adults or older adolescents to blame all the problems in their lives on their parents' divorce. Scapegoating is very prevalent in today's society – people simply do not want to take responsibility for their own lives. The conclusion of this paper must be that: 1. Divorce will have an effect on children – to think otherwise is naive. 2. Children of divorced families do not automatically develop serious emotional and psychological problems. 3. The full effect of divorce on children will depend on how the parents behave after the divorce, the degree of attachment that was in existence prior to the divorce and the child's own mental state/stability at the time of the divorce. REFERENCES BBC. (2000, November 15). The capital of happy ever after. Retrieved April 05, 2007, BBC Web Site: http://news. bbc. co. uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1024000/1024963. stm Bjornberg, Dr. Ull. (nd). Children and their Families/Children and Society. 2002, Retrieved April 05, 2007, Council of EuropeConseil de l'Europe Web Site: http://eurochild. gla. ac. uk/Documents/CoE/Reports/estud/Estud_2. htm Canetti, Laura, Bachar, Eytan, Weisstub, Esti Galili, De-Nour, Atara Kaplan & Shalev, Arieh Y. (1997, Summer). Parental Bonding And Mental Health In Adolescence. Adolescence 32(126), 381 – 395. Corliss, Richard. (2002, January 28). Does Divorce Hurt Kids? Time 159(4), 40 Cudina, Mira & Obradovic, Josip. (2001, Spring). Child's Emotional Well-being and Parental Marriage Stability in Croatia. Journal of Comparative Family Studies 32(2), 247. Field, Tiffany. (1996, Annual). Attachment And Separation In Young Children. Annual Review of Psychology 47, 541-562. Galston, William A. (1996, June). Divorce American style. The Public Interest, 12 – 27. Garelli, Juan Carlos. (1997). Controversial Aspects Of Bowlby's Attachment Theory. Bowlby's Theory of Attachment. Retrieved April 03, 2007, Attachment Research Center at St. John's University Web Site: http://rdz. stjohns. edu/lists/bowlby-l/ Hyatt, Kay. (1999, November 19). Children's Adjustment to Divorce Largely in Hands of Parents. 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