Global strategy unit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global strategy unit - Essay Example The analysis ends which a brief understanding regarding what measures the company is require to undertake so as to enhance their market presence. Aldi is a global supermarkets chain, with their headquarters located in Essen, Germany. The company has approximately 8000 stores located in different nations of the world. Aldi’s stores were first opened in the year 1990 in the U.K. There are currently 512 Aldi stores located in the U.K. Aldi mainly sells food items and beverages. Majority of the products of the company are the less expensive household items and most of these products are Aldi’s own brand. In order to sustain competition, enhance sales and attract a larger target market, the company incorporates selling a number of branded items. The number or brands sold by Aldi in their electronics and kitchen appliance category have also enhanced in the recent times. The company also provides weekly and seasonal discounts on it more expensive category of products. Such discount items also includes clothes, flowers, toys and stationeries. Internationally the stores of Aldi are subdivided into two groups, Aldi Nord a nd Aldi Sud. The U.K chain of Aldi stores fall in the Aldi Sud Category. Over the years, successful business operation and suitable market strategies have facilitated Aldi into becoming one of the valuable retail chains globally. In the U.K the operations of the company are mainly based upon the limited assortment technique. According to this concept, high quality products are restricted to a small number of brands and categories, to be purchased in bulk and sold at competitive prices. Every business activity of the company is undertaken with the motive of creating savings. Discounts are usually seen to be passed on to the consumers through the end selling prices (Barney, 1991). The current project aims to analyse the corporate and business strategies of Aldi in the U.K and accordingly understand the viability of firm’s

Controlling the Cyber-conduct of Young People Research Paper

Controlling the Cyber-conduct of Young People - Research Paper Example depends on reciprocal expectations concerning what the other agents will do in a situation where a decision whether or not to conform is at stake† (3). â€Å"Gimalda and Sacconi’s model in particular sees compliance as the consequence both of agents’ participation in choosing the norm in a social contract setting under a veil of ignorance and of the existence of expectations about reciprocal willingness to conform† (5). â€Å"Proposed the â€Å"sense of justice† as a solution for the stability problem of a well-ordered society-i.e. a society whose institutions are arranged according to the principles of justice chosen under a veil of ignorance† (8). Statements: Sources two, four and seven work to prove the opposite argument that it is an uncanny proposition to regularly observe and impose restriction on the internet and mobile use of teenagers to control issues like cyber-bullying and sexting. The claims by Bristow and Paton will argue that restrictions on the internet use of children are offering an unrealistic preparation to face the society in which they will have to function independently. The claim will be that as children are encouraged to be self-dependent in the real world, restricting the same opportunity in the cyber-world is a bizarre idea with no visible benefits. However, using sources, I will prove how the activities of children remain under constant observation in the real society though they perceive themselves to be free and how social conformity and family influence the way they behave. The briefing by the American Psychological Association will show that people under the age of 20 do not have a brain that is mature enough to take wise decisions. The work by Cialdini and Goldstein will show how the society influences the behavior of adolescents, and Mahalihali’s work is used to describe how the influence of family members, especially parents, decides a child’s

Analyse Role Of Mentor Establishing Learning Opportunities Nursing Essay

Analyse Role Of Mentor Establishing Learning Opportunities Nursing Essay The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse the role of the mentor when establishing learning opportunities with the student that are appropriate for their level. Mentors in a Gynaecological ward are trained and qualified nurses, and often engage in mentorship programmes to help student nurses gain first hand insight and experience of working within a busy and demanding environment. The students vary from first year to third year nursing students and therefore their learning opportunities and abilities differ, and the mentors ability to facilitate any learning opportunities varies accordingly. The essay will consider key terms and concepts and clearly determine what learning opportunities mean both for the mentor and the mentee. The learning opportunities to be discussed in this essay are based on the students needs and requirements as stipulated by their university. These needs are usually the requirements of the pre-registration nursing programmes and are mandatory skill clu sters to help the student meet the Nursing and Midwifery Councils registration requirements. The essay will also critically analyse how a mentor supports and facilitates learning and manages to engage and teach students in a busy environment, ensuring that students are gaining the relevant skills and knowledge appropriate to their level and course expectations. A key facet of being a good mentor is having the ability to set realistic objectives and learning needs having assessed the capacity of the student (Gray and Smith, 2000). Nicklin and Kenworthy (2000) suggest that learning objectives are goals that encourage development of skills that students did not previously have. It is important to have a good supportive learning environment which will essentially provide the basis for many learning opportunities for the student (NMC, 2008a). The first thing to do when mentoring a student is to ensure that they are properly introduced to the ward, the staff and the environment. This helps to eliminate any stress or anxiety the student may have had prior to coming on the placement (Manthorpe and Stanley, 2000). This is especially so when it is the students first time on a placement and clinical environment. Following on from the introduction, the mentor will give the student an explanation of the different surgical procedures that are carried out , followed by a student information pack for further reading. The mentor is also required to explain to the student the requirement of maximum attendance during placement. This is not only stipulated in the university requirement, but also in the ward, and all students are required to have at least 40% attendance at placement as required by the NMC code (2008a). One of the first learning opportunities afforded by the mentor to his/her mentee in a gynaecology ward, is the chance to work in a multidisciplinary team to deliver the best care possible to the patient and his/her carers. By working in a multidisciplinary team, the student can engage with professionals of different levels from physiotherapists, occupational therapists and gynaecologists. In allowing the student to be involved in this environment, the mentor offers the student the opportunity to learn different skills and medical techniques that would perhaps have been less visible, if the student was to only work with the mentor and focus on specific learning needs (Gray and Smith, 2000). In a gynaecology ward, the mentor is able to facilitate such learning opportunities in a multidisciplinary team, by allowing a first year student to prepare a theatre patient and take the patient to theatre before retuning back to perform other tasks. However, there are occasions where a first year student may be more qualified than anticipated as they have been working as Health Care Assistants previously and therefore have acquired the necessary skills to be able to not only prepare and take a patient to theatre, but also return with the patient after the surgery. In this instance, the mentor needs to be aware of the different learning needs and provide the correct learning opportunities tailored to the students level. Contrastingly, the mentor may be given a final year student to teach in which case, the mentor needs to create and identify new learning opportunities for the student. Price (2004) specifies that it is the responsibility of practice staff to develop an environment conducive to learning, and mentors should continually monitor students progress to ensure that they provide appropriate support and experience for learners (Hand, 2006). In a gynaecology ward, the mentor can provide the final year student with the opportunity to not only prepare the patient for thea tre, but then collect the patient after the surgery and take hand over notes from the recovery nurse in order to then continue with the post operation care plan. Nevertheless, all the nursing students are offered the opportunity to work in other gynaecology areas including theatre to learn new processes, work with different professionals, and understand the different instruments and sutures used such as the gowns, gloves, operating table, drapes, skin preparation, swabs used, and the method of checking swabs and instrument numbers (Maxwell, 2004). The mentor can also provide more learning opportunities for their final year student aimed at developing their communication skills, by encouraging them to attend and participate in a hysterectomy meeting with the view of conducting their own meeting. At this meeting, the student will observe and listen to the material, then conduct her own research using the facilities available on the ward and the hospital such as the clinic, the library and other colleagues, to prepare her own presentation. This learning opportunity will give the student confidence in her ability to present to a diverse group of people ensuring that her communication skills are adaptable to all situations. Where the mentor observes that the student has gained a good level of understanding of the basic processes of a gynaecological ward, the mentor can find new learning opportunities for the student to develop his/her skills and competence (NMC, 2008a). Another opportunity which a mentor can afford to their student is providing the chance to perform the removal of a catheter using the aseptic technique. To help the student meet this learning need, the mentor identified several patients over a period of 3 shifts that required removal of a catheter and vaginal pack. The mentor explained to the student what this task was and the reason why it had to be carried out. Once the mentor had explained the purpose of the exercise, with the patients consent, the student observed the mentor removing the pack and catheter, carefully explaining each step of the process and the equipment used. After the student had observed this process 3-4 times, with the patients consent, the student was allowed to c arry out the same clinical process explaining to the mentor and the patient each step of her action as the mentor had done to demonstrate her understanding. This was a way for the mentor to assess the students competency and ability to take in large amounts of information (Watson et al, 2000). After the task was completed, documentation in the patients nursing notes was done. The mentors intervention ensured initial exposure to this clinical task was given, however the mentor needs to always be aware of areas for further improvement and building of confidence in the students performance (RCN, 2007a). Morton-Cooper and Palmer (2000) explain that a good mentor/student relationship will allow the sharing of knowledge between two individuals, and Collis-Pellattt (2006) add that mentors are expected to facilitate learning opportunities and tailor teaching to the students individual learning needs. The intervention accomplished both of these points. In a gynaecology ward, it is crucial that students have a sufficient knowledge of the fluid balance sheet. This is knowledge acquired from their university teaching and it is the mentors role to ensure that the student can put their theoretical knowledge in to practice whilst on their placement, by providing relevant learning opportunities designed to explore these practices (Morton-Cooper and Palmer, 2000). In a gynaecology ward, the majority of patients return from theatre with intra venous fluids as well as catheters. This is a prime learning opportunity for the student where the mentor can allow them to monitor the input and output of fluids and document the information accurately and clearly in the fluid balance chart. It is an opportunity for the student to learn how to calculate and measure the fluid output correctly in order to get an accurate figure of the patients medical needs. In doing this effectively, the student learns to detect any risk of retention or dehydration. In providing this earning opportunity, the mentor ensures that the student understands the need to manage risk effectively, reporting risks in order to maintain the safety and well being of the patient and all those concerned in the care of the patient. Due to the pace of a gynaecology ward, it is sometimes necessary for a mentor to allow the student to work independently provided that they have demonstrated the ability and willingness to progress and lead with limited supervision. NMC (2008a) suggest that the student is also responsible for their own learning and must follow the policy for completion of clinical assessments as set out by the clinical placement provider and reflect on and respond constructively to feedback they are given (NMC, 2008a). Often when a mentor is given a third year student to teach, the student will demonstrate a keenness to take on added responsibility on the ward. In this instance, the mentor can entrust the third year student with the management of a small number of patients, ensuring they carry out the necessary care for the patients, all in aid of helping the student develop the skills to prioritise patients care needs. In order to do this effectively, the student would have observed the mentor in th e first instance in his/her management of patient care. The mentor will explain that it is necessary to firstly prepare the theatre patient first before anything else, ensuring that the patient is changed into the correct garments, the theatre bed is made and the patient theatre checklist is completed and accurately documented. Once this is done, other tasks can then be followed in order of urgency. The mentor must also highlight to the student what is construed as urgent in a gynaecology ward, as perceptions differ on what is urgent in terms of prioritising work. Once the student has observed this process several times and the mentor feels that he/she is ready to take on this responsibility, the mentor can assign the student with a small number of patients to look after and with guidance, observe the student in action. The mentor will always ensure that the student is not left alone, and has guidance and supervision at all times (RCN, 2007a). All documentations will be checked and countersigned by the mentor before hand over to the next shift. Where appropriate, the student will also progress to learning bed allocation and the admission and discharge process. Although, some progressive second year students may also be afforded the opportunity to manage the care of patients in this learning environment, the mentor will often only assign one patient to the student and maintain continuous supervision due to the limited theoretical knowledge acquired at university to that point. By doing this, the mentor ensures that the student and the patient are not put at risk. In summary, it has been established that mentoring pre-registered nurses is a vital part of nurse education and has become common practice in the UK. It has been accepted that good mentoring is the result of well-planned learning opportunities and the provision of support and coaching for students, which should also incorporate an appropriate level of supervision (RCN, 2007a). The mentors are also learners in the process and they too require support and guidance from different professionals such as link tutors. Although this assistance is not always available to mentors, they are able to deviate from this problem by having more contact and communication with the students in order to bridge that gap. Duffy (2004) suggests that mentors often feel ill-prepared for their roles and lack the necessary support to carry out their duties as required not only from professional staff, but also from the students education institutions. Experience has shown that there are instances where mentors needed to contact link lecturers to discuss students competence levels but was unable to reach the lecturer and get the matter resolved urgently. What has also been noted as a hindrance to the mentoring process is the lack of quality time spent with the students whilst working on a clinical setting. There were many times when the ward was busy and it was impossible to maintain contact or teach the students during these times. I am of the opinion that clinical settings need to be made more adaptable to students and there needs to be an improvement made on making clinical settings also cater to a learning environment to assist training nurses wanting to progress into the nursing field.

User Sampling Methods :: essays research papers

1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sampling Methods When surveying, for any purpose, it is important to recognise that the results are only as representative as the survey subjects (the sample), and as such much academic research has been performed in to techniques for selection, broadly placing them in one of two categories – probability sampling and non-probability sampling. In short, with probability sampling the participants are selected by chance. There are dozens of methods of selecting members, using a variety of mathematical techniques, but the key is that each subject has a random, calculable chance of being selected. There is no human intervention involved in the selection. Method  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Characteristics Simple (random) Sampling  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sample is selected entirely at random Stratified  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The population is first divided in to exclusive subgroups based on some predetermined criteria (e.g. location), then samples are selected at random Proportionate Stratified  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As above, but a smaller group that would otherwise not provide statistically valid results may be oversampled then the results weighted to correct for this. For example, if a particular group is too small to provide a statistically significant sample, more members of that group would be sampled Clustering  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The starting point for the sample is randomised, then assumes that the sample at that point is representative of the region. For example, selecting a street corner, interviewing the first 10 people, and assuming that they are representative of the area Table 2 - Probability Sampling Methods Non-probability samples, however, contain an element of human bias in the sample selection. Again, there are various methods for the selection, the most common of which are: Method  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Characteristics Quota  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Respondents are preselected to ensure that the sample is representative Purposive  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Subjects are selected as they have some specific characteristic, for example, hold a certain position or job type Convenience  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sample is selected by availability Snowballing  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contacts provide information about other potential respondents Self-selection  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Respondents volunteer themselves for selection Judgement  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An â€Å"expert† uses his or her judgement to nominate people for sample Table 3 - Non-probability Sampling Methods Most samples use a combination of sample selection methods. For example, quota sampling is often used to ensure that a random sample is actually representative of the population. 2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Survey types There are three basic surveying techniques that are suitable for consideration in the project: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interview †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Telephone †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Self Administered Survey 2.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interview (face to face) This category includes in-depth interviews, focus groups and projective methods (such as word association tests) which are not suitable for use in this project. There are several distinct advantages to this type of survey, such as: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Response rates tend to be higher than other methods †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ability to reassure the subject about their responses

Foreign Literature Essay

We are committed to a cosmopolitan and multicultural syllabus. As part of this commitment, all our single-subject students take one module in a foreign literature, studied at least partly in the original language. Modules are normally available in modern Arabic, Old Norse, Anglo-Saxon and Latin, as well as French, German, Italian and Spanish literature. A detailed description of the available foreign literature pathways and modules is sent to new entrants in August. If you’re a combined course student, you don’t have to take a foreign literature pathway, though you will be welcome to do so. Pathways We offer two distinct pathways, leading either to a Literature and Language module (in the second year) or to a Foreign Literature module (in the second and third year). You can choose your pathway based on a combination of your own interests and your prior language learning, either improving your skills in a language you already know or learning a new one. Each pathway offers formal teaching in both language and literature in the second year of study, and the Foreign Literature module extends into the third year. Why study foreign literature? Investigating foreign literature will offer you a different sense of the contexts in which English literature has been produced and studied. Although foreign literatures can (and, on occasion, will) be fruitfully studied in translation, there is no substitute for engaging with a text in its original language. You’ll gain a richer understanding of the text and a particular awareness of the politics of translation, and your understanding of grammar, and developing alertness to vocabulary and ambiguity, will be essential critical skills that will inform your study of English as well. Employers look positively on the language skills our students have added to their CVs, and external examiners have praised their cosmopolitan and sophisticated literary sensibilities. The training provided by the department was fantastic and it really is a major feat being able to read foreign literature in its original language. Steve, English.

Brass heat treatment

Copper in pure form has found its significant use only in electrical applications. But with the continued study of copper, the addition of other metals called alloys was developed which enhanced its various properties. Now, different Copper-based alloys were widely used in different aspects of engineering and manufacturing. One of the best known and is widely used is the Copper-Zinc Alloy or Brass. (De Garmo, Black, Kohser, 1997) Brasses according to Yu Lakhtin (1979) are â€Å"binary and multiple-component alloys based on copper with which the main component is zinc.† Below is the phase diagram of Copper-Zinc Alloy at different Cu-Zi percentage and temperature. The commercial value of Brass is in its ? and ? +? ’ phases. At these two different phases, different characteristics were distinct. Their distinction according to Lukhtin (1979) depended on Zinc content from 48% to 50%. The single-phase or ? -brasses were characterized by Lukhtin (1979) as â€Å"can be readily worked in both the hot and cold conditions† while the two-phase ? +? ’ brasses are â€Å"hot-worked at temperatures corresponding to the regions of the ? ’ or ?+? ’ phases. † He also described ? +? ’ brasses as â€Å"having higher strength and wear resistance but less ductility. According to him, â€Å"? +? ’ brasses were often alloyed with Al, Fe, Ni, Sn, Mn, Pb and other elements. † And â€Å"the addition of these alloying elements, except Ni, reduces Zi solubility in Cu and promotes the formation of ? -phase. † Further he wrote, â€Å"the addition of alloying elements, except Lead, raised the strength and hardness of brass but reduced its ductility. Lead improved the machinability and antrification properties of brasses.† According to De Garmo, et. al, â€Å"Copper-based alloys are commonly identified through a system of numbers standardized by the Copper Development Association (CDA) which was adopted later by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and the US government. † Brasses were classified into wrought and casting brasses. According to Lakhtin (1979), â€Å"wrought brasses are used to make sheets, band stock, tubing, wire and other semi-fabricated products; and casting brasses for making foundry castings.† Owen Ellis (1948) further classified Brasses casting alloys into Red Brass, Leaded Red Brass, Semi-Red Brass, Leaded Semi-Red Brass, Yellow Brass, Leaded Yellow Brass, High-Strength Yellow Brass (Manganese Bronze), Leaded High-Strength Yellow Brass (Leaded Manganese Bronze), Silicon Brass, Tin Brass, Tin-Nickel Brass, Nickel Brass (Nickel Silver) and Leaded Nickel Brass (Leaded Nickel Silver). In his classification, Red Brasses consisted 2%-8% zinc, less 0.5% lead, and with tin less than the zinc; the same amount consisted the Leaded Red Brass except that lead is over 0. 5%; Semi-Red Brass consisted 8%-17% zin c, less than 6% tin, and less than 0. 5% lead; the same amount consisted the Leaded Semi-Red Brass except that lead is over 0. 5%; Yellow Brass consisted over 17% zinc, less than 6% tin, under 2% total of aluminum, manganese, nickel, iron, or silicon, and with less than 0. 5% lead; the same constitutes for Leaded Yellow Brass except for lead which is over 0.5%; High-Strength Yellow Brass consisted of over 17% zinc, over 2% total of aluminum, manganese, tin, nickel and iron, under 0. 5% silicon, under 0. 5% lead and less than 6% tin; Leaded High-Strength Yellow Brass has the same constituents except that lead is over 0. 5%; Silicon Brass has over 0. 5% silicon and over 5% zinc; Tin-Nickel Brass has over 6% tin, over 4% nickel and with zinc more than tin; Nickel Brass has over 10% zinc, with nickel in amount sufficient enough to give white color, and with lead under 0.5%; and Leaded Nickel Brass has the same but with lead over 0. 5%. From these differed composition of Copper-Zinc Allo ys different properties were possessed which gave them different uses. Ellis (1948) also wrote that tThe different required properties of Brass such as conductivity and hardness can be secured through heat treatment,† Below is a table of the different compositions, properties and uses of common Copper-Zinc Alloys. Works Cited De Garmo, P. , Black, J., Kohser, R. (1997). Materials and processes in manufacturing. (8th Ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall International, Inc. Ellis, O. (1948). Copper and copper alloys. Cleveland, Ohio: American Society for Metals. Lakhtin, Y. (1979). Engineering physical metallurgy and heat treatment. (Weinstein, N. , Trans. ). Moscow: MIR Publishers. Mayers, J. Visual library. Retrieved Jan. 29, 2007 from http://www. sv. vt. edu/classes/MSE2094_NoteBook/96ClassProj/pics/Cu_Zn1. gif.