Top of Volcano Blown of in Blast! Essay Example For Students

Top of Volcano Blown of in Blast! Essay Top of Volcano Blown Off In Blast! 18/04/82 60 people were killed today when Mt. St Helens blew its top Mt. St Helens erupted two years ago today in a blast that caused the volcano to be reduced by 451 metres (1313 feet). The volcano is south-western Washington and is part of the Cascade Range. Mt. We will write a custom essay on Top of Volcano Blown of in Blast! specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now St Helens had been dormant since 1859 and has let off its first blast since then today. The volcano killed all life in an area of 180 sq. cm(70 sq. miles) including at least 60 people! The ash and dust spread much farther than this, of course. Today it is continuing to emit to emit dust and ash at intervals. Today a monument has been erected called the National Volcano Monument, in memory of this tragedy. How A Volcano is Formed A volcano is formed in this way: 1)Magma starts off below the crust. 2)Magma collects in chamber. 3) Pressure rises. 4) The pressure rises so high that the magma breaks through the crust and volcano erupts. Often volcanoes are cone shaped. You might ask: How do they get like that? This is the answer: When a volcano erupts many minerals and fragments are blown up, many falling in a circle around the volcano. As lava flows onto this it builds up around the volcano, so the volcano gets higher still. Each time the volcano erupts, more lava, minerals and fragments are emitted. Therefore every time a volcano erupts it erupts it gets taller, and some like Mt. St. Helens have even become tall enough to be classed a mountain. NB: This article originally contained pictures, elongating it and making it better presented. Aron Cohen,1991 Category: History .

Derechos y Deberes de los Americanos Fuera de Estados Unidos

Derechos y Deberes de los Americanos Fuera de Estados Unidos Hay ms de ocho millones de ciudadanos americanos que viven por fuera del territorio nacional. Muchos viajan por oportunidades de trabajo, otros para casarse con ciudadanos de otros paà ­ses y otros por los atractivos costos de vida en otras partes del mundo. La mayorà ­a de ciudadanos americanos viven en cercanà ­as del territorio nacional, con Canad y Mà ©xico como destinos principales, seguido de Europa, India, las Filipinas e Israel. En la actualidad hay una tendencia en la que los pensionados se mudan a paà ­ses de menor costo de vida para poder tener una calidad de vida mucho mejor que la que tendrà ­an en Estados Unidos, esto debido al cambio de dà ³lar a las monedas locales. Independiente de las circunstancias, el paso inicial ms importante cuando se vive en otro lugar es contactar a la embajada o consulado local inmediatamente se llegue al nuevo lugar de residencia. Este ser el lugar donde se tramitarn los pasaportes y documentos legales que requieran una apostilla del gobierno de Estados Unidos. En general, los ciudadanos americanos que viven por fuera de Estados Unidos conservan los siguientes derechos: Los relativos e inherentes a la ciudadanà ­a. Los ciudadanos en el extranjero pueden dirigirse a las embajadas para pedir ayuda si esta requiere de la intervencià ³n del gobierno. En caso de arresto o problemas con la ley, las autoridades locales estn obligadas a contactar a la embajada e informarle de la situacià ³n. Los relativos al votar en las elecciones federales. Actualmente se puede solicitar la planilla de manera electrà ³nica y regresarla por el mismo medio. Cuando se est en el exterior se vota en el à ºltimo estado de EE.UU. en el que se registrà ³. Los relativos a la ciudadanà ­a de los hijos. En el momento del nacimiento de un bebà © en el extranjero, si uno o ambos padres son ciudadanos americanos, hay que contactar a la embajada local para obtener el CRBA (Consular Report of Birth Abroad, reporte consular de nacimiento en el extranjero) para documentar que el nià ±o/a es un ciudadano de los Estados Unidos. Los relativos al pago mensual del Seguro Social para los pensionados y discapacitados. Los relativos al matrimonio/divorcio en el extranjero. Para certificar la validez del matrimonio/divorcio oficiado en otro paà ­s hay que contactar al Fiscal General del estado en el que se residà ­a originalmente dentro de los Estados Unidos. Tenga en cuenta que los ciudadanos con doble nacionalidad (y los de una sola), estn sujetos a las leyes locales y el gobierno de Estados Unidos no tiene jurisdiccià ³n legal si la persona comete algà ºn tipo de delito. Y asà ­ como cuentan con derechos, estos son los deberes de los ciudadanos americanos en el exterior: Rellenar las planillas y enviar los formularios de impuestos federales cada aà ±o. Estar al dà ­a en los impuestos locales que apliquen para cada paà ­s. Abstenerse de viajar a los paà ­ses que el departamento de estado considera no propicios. Inscribirse al servicio selectivo para los ciudadanos hombres. Estar al dà ­a con FACTA, o el tratado por medio del cual las instituciones financieras del extranjero deben informar al IRS acerca de los movimientos financieros de ciudadanos americanos o de empresas americanas. Finalmente, debe entenderse que Medicaid y Medicare no tienen cubrimiento en el extranjero y que podrà ­a haber razones por las que puede perder su nacionalidad. Este es un artà ­culo informativo y no pretende ser asesorà ­a legal.

Analysis of the Possible Effects of the Caste System

However, there are still countries that seem to lag behind because of their internal problems in regards to inequalities. India with regards to its present global profile is seen to be one of the rising economic powers in the world. In spite of its vast supply of labor especially the skilled workers, this country still remain a low-income one and poverty is still a big issue. This said problem is considered a result of its caste system. The Caste system divides people of India into four groups. This system decides for Indian people what they should do for living for their entire life. The Caste system did help the Indian society to be structured and organized. However, the system in the modern days was only an obstacle for India. It is considered as one of the most dehumanizing systems the world. The caste system is making a big gap between the rich and the poor. The extent of and trends in inequalities and poverty in India affects global trends because of its large population size and majority of its population fall under the poverty line. Due to globalization with the mass improvement of transportation and communication, nations are competing against other nations of the entire world. In a modern society, where time and resource are truly valued, the Caste system has held back India by wasting some incredibly talented individuals of lower caste. This system has made the poor suffer most. They were stripped of an opportunity to learn and be employed on bigger companies. This said situation has further led to the marginalization of the already marginalized people. With the growth of India’s gross national product, still the labor force in agriculture remains too high while those in the manufacturing sector are low. There is no doubt that a striking feature of India’s growth performance in the past years has been the growth of the services sector like IT, software and BPO industries. There is no doubt that India has employed millions of people for this industry but as impressive as the figure seems, it is too small if they are seen against the overall size of the country’s labor force. Employment is the service sector still lags behind. Additionally, employment is only concentrated in a few large cities and very few people from the rural and poor area find jobs in this sector because they lack the required skills. In other countries, the service sector tends to gain a larger share of employment. The rising of globalization has made people move from one place to another easily. Also education has also helped people disregard gender and social inequalities. If India would remain strict on recognizing the caste system, it will pose a threat for them in the future. The world is one, and how a nation deals with its immigrants is really important for the future of the nation. Many people now are intolerant to inequalities and discrimination. Therefore, India may be losing investors or possible capitalists just because of the system. The Caste system cannot make India a stable country anymore, since there is no spot in the system for immigrants to India. India should not lose what it was built for and based on. However, they should be really careful. The caste system may give birth to possible social unrest that may dismay or discourage other people to go to their country. This social blindness can be cured only when there is the realization that all people are created equal and have equal intrinsic value and worth. Analysis of the Possible Effects of the Caste System However, there are still countries that seem to lag behind because of their internal problems in regards to inequalities. India with regards to its present global profile is seen to be one of the rising economic powers in the world. In spite of its vast supply of labor especially the skilled workers, this country still remain a low-income one and poverty is still a big issue. This said problem is considered a result of its caste system. The Caste system divides people of India into four groups. This system decides for Indian people what they should do for living for their entire life. The Caste system did help the Indian society to be structured and organized. However, the system in the modern days was only an obstacle for India. It is considered as one of the most dehumanizing systems the world. The caste system is making a big gap between the rich and the poor. The extent of and trends in inequalities and poverty in India affects global trends because of its large population size and majority of its population fall under the poverty line. Due to globalization with the mass improvement of transportation and communication, nations are competing against other nations of the entire world. In a modern society, where time and resource are truly valued, the Caste system has held back India by wasting some incredibly talented individuals of lower caste. This system has made the poor suffer most. They were stripped of an opportunity to learn and be employed on bigger companies. This said situation has further led to the marginalization of the already marginalized people. With the growth of India’s gross national product, still the labor force in agriculture remains too high while those in the manufacturing sector are low. There is no doubt that a striking feature of India’s growth performance in the past years has been the growth of the services sector like IT, software and BPO industries. There is no doubt that India has employed millions of people for this industry but as impressive as the figure seems, it is too small if they are seen against the overall size of the country’s labor force. Employment is the service sector still lags behind. Additionally, employment is only concentrated in a few large cities and very few people from the rural and poor area find jobs in this sector because they lack the required skills. In other countries, the service sector tends to gain a larger share of employment. The rising of globalization has made people move from one place to another easily. Also education has also helped people disregard gender and social inequalities. If India would remain strict on recognizing the caste system, it will pose a threat for them in the future. The world is one, and how a nation deals with its immigrants is really important for the future of the nation. Many people now are intolerant to inequalities and discrimination. Therefore, India may be losing investors or possible capitalists just because of the system. The Caste system cannot make India a stable country anymore, since there is no spot in the system for immigrants to India. India should not lose what it was built for and based on. However, they should be really careful. The caste system may give birth to possible social unrest that may dismay or discourage other people to go to their country. This social blindness can be cured only when there is the realization that all people are created equal and have equal intrinsic value and worth.

Country project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Country project - Term Paper Example Further, its poor political dynasty with dominant interest groups and shifting policies to cater for the politically dominant interest groups is reflected on investor’s behavior. At microeconomic level, investors portray a pervasive conduct on both exogenous and policy generated economic risks in relation to income and property. The political-economic has multiple structural vulnerabilities and weakness in their governance (Praeg 86). From time immemorial, Ethiopian economy is controlled by elite kings, usually described as slavery in modern world (Clarke 97-101). Private ownership of lands had never been heard of until 1970’s, with inequitable land holdings of the country under the slogan, ‘Land to The Tiller† where the state ended up owning lands itself instead of giving it to the people. Though the state controls land ownership, rural peasants and pastoralists are guaranteed a lifetime of â€Å"holding right†, while urban residents are guaranteed the right to get land for residence for 99 years lease based; these rights gives all rights to the people of Ethiopia except sale and mortgage right. However, from 1974 during the fall of emperor Hailesilassie, land remained public property despite earlier socialist oriented military government to make land property of the people and not the state. At the moment, Ethiopian economic growth is estimated to remain strong in year 2015 under the Growth and Transformation Plan. This plan aims at boosting agriculture as the heart of the country economic growth, promoting industrial development and aiding development of quality infrastructure. However, corruption is a key issue in Ethiopia. Historical background of economic policies reflects centuries of internal conflicts and external threats. Internally, varying customs, religions, and ethnicity served as focal points in the contest for power and control of economic resources (Adejumobi 187). Externally, regardless the fact that the country has

The IMO Future of Nursing Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The IMO Future of Nursing Report - Research Paper Example The IOM report has put forth recommendations with regard to core areas of nursing among which nurses' education command greatest priority. What this vision document has envisaged in the field of nurses' education is the interest area of this paper, the specific recommendations of the IOM report being, 1) increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80% by 2020, 2) double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020, and 3) take steps to ensure that nurses engage in lifelong learning (Hassmiller, 2010, p.7). As far as my career as a nursing professional is concerned, these recommendations have great value just because increasing my level of education will enhance my competence in the job market, where professional autonomy and high level competence are to go hand in hand in the future (Fights, 2012). Keeping myself under a life-long learning regime will also help me fulfill the new and demanding roles that a nurse has to perform in modern health care scenario (Fig hts, 2012). As envisaged by the IOM report, for nurses to become a perfect workforce in terms of quality and quantity, the recommendations on nursing education are of paramount importance. As the nation is facing nurses' shortages, it is a contradiction that nursing schools owing to fund constraints, are rejecting â€Å"thousands of qualified applicants† (Linda, 2011, p.196). ... The practicing nurses are constrained by the difficult-to-practice provisions that require them to have â€Å"additional degrees† in order to get â€Å"faculty or APRN positions† (Linda, 2011, p.196). The ground reality being this, the IOM recommendations to increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80% by 2020, double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020 and make nurses engage in lifelong learning, are integral part of the real reform one is looking ahead of. This is also necessary just because 60% of the nurses in the workforce are now entering the profession with a n associate degree or even less academic qualification (Linda, 2011, p.196). Relaxing of procedures for working nurses to get additional degrees is also a part of the IOM package recommended (Linda, 2011, p.197). The benefits of a better educated nursing work force starts with enhanced â€Å"patient outcomes† and completes with a leadership role for nurses in the heal th care sectors (Linda, 2011, p.197). It is in this context researchers like Linda (2011) has called for the nursing education reform to shift â€Å"entry level nursing education [†¦] entirely to the baccalaureate level† through mobilizing government funds (p.198). Equally important to educational reforms, is the necessity to engage the already employed nurses in a life long learning process (Kuehn, 2010, p.2345). This is not any more a luxury that a few can enjoy but a basic requirement for a health care system where nurses have to be full partners with physicians and take up a leadership role (Kuehn, 2010, p.2345). Nursing is a highly competitive professional environment in which every new recruit has to keep up to the challenging and changing demands of the

Anita and Meena in Anita and Me and Piggy and Ralph in Lord of the Flies Essay Example for Free

Anita and Meena in Anita and Me and Piggy and Ralph in Lord of the Flies Essay In both Anita and Me and Lord of the Flies, the characters have very much the same type of friendship. The two people in the friendship are not on the same level when they are together. For example, in Anita and Me, Meena is never seen as more superior to Anita and Piggy is never seen as superior to Ralph. Despite this fact, the reader can obviously tell that both Meena and Piggy are more intellectually superior to Anita and Ralph. These two friendships in both books undergo changes as incidents occur such as the forming of Jacks tribe in Lord of the Flies and when Anitas other friends abandon her. These changes really force both Anita and Ralph, the more superior of the two friendships to rely heavily on the inferior of the friendships, Piggy and Meena for emotional support. If these parts of the two books were looked at in detail, the reader would see that both Ralph and Anita usually feel as if they cannot continue and Meena and Piggy are usually the people who help them through their difficult times and provide support. At the beginning of Anita and Me, Anita is portrayed as quite an attractive young girl and one with the power to have control over people, Anita was the undisputed cock of our yardher foghorn voice, foul mouth indicated she was carrying enough testosterone around to earn the titleshe had the face of a pissed-off cherub, huge green eyes, blonde hair and a curling mouth Here we can see that Anita is described as the undisputed cock of our yard. This illustrates how she is a very powerful girl. The fact that features such as blonde hair, large green eyes and a face of a cherub are resembled in her suggest that she is quite an angelic, good and polite young girl. This, however, is contradicted by her foghorn voice and foul mouth. This shows us how she is not really what she seems and that even though she may look tough and powerful, she really is quite a lonely, sad girl. If we compare Anitas appearance to Meenas, we see a large difference: the winter coat, the scabbed knees, my stubborn nine-year old face not because I was too young or badly dressed, it was something else, something about me so offputting, so unimaginable. Meena describes herself as very unattractive. When compared to Anita, we can see that it is the truth. Anitas description gives her maturity and superiority while Meenas make her seem as if she is a little nine-year old girl who does not possess the same maturity and superiority as Anita. It is very much the same as Lord of the Flies with Piggy and Ralphs friendship. At the beginning, our first impression gained of Ralph is of an athletic and attractive young boy: He was old enough, twelve years and a few months, to have lost the prominent tummy of childhoodyou could see now that he might make a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders went, buy there was a mildness about his mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil Here Ralph is described in an attractive way and he, like Anita, can be described in two different ways: firstly as a boxer which portrays Ralph as a strong, powerful man while the mildness about his mouth and eyes shows that he is still an innocent pleasant young boy. In the same way Anita is friends with Meena in Anita and Me, Ralph is friends with Piggy. Piggy is very similar to Meena. Both Piggy and Meena are not as attractive as Ralph and Anita. In this way, they are seen as insuperior to them: The naked crooks of his knees were plump, caught and scratched by thorns Here Piggys description does not portray him as either very attractive or very interesting. The fact that his knees are scratched by thorns makes Piggy seem quite young as you normally imagine young children to have scratched knees. Ralph is described as almost a man. This is another way in which Piggy is depicted as inferior to Ralph. Another way in which Ralph and Anita are described as greater than Piggy and Meena are when they meet. When Anita talks to Meena for the first time, she assumes that she is more superior to Meena. then snatched the bag off me and began walking away as she ate When Anita meets Meena, she snatches a bag of sweets from her and starts to walk away. She expects Meena to follow and what I find surprising is that Meena seems to think that this is fine and she feels happy to follow her a few paces behind. Meena feels privileged to be in Anitas company. Anita realises this and uses it to her advantage. Anita has got used to realising that she is normally the leader of a group and that she has the ability to exert a lot of power. Ralph also assumes that he is superior when he meets Piggy. When Piggy asks what Ralphs name is, Ralph does not return the gesture: The fat boy waited to be asked his name in turn buy this proffer of acquaintance was not made Here Ralph is portrayed as quite arrogant. We can see that Ralph obviously feels in some way superior to this fat boy and therefore he feels that he is not the same level as him. Throughout the book, Ralph has a certain amount of superiority over Piggy and uses it often. When Jack, Simon and Ralph explore the island for the first time and Piggy asks to come, Ralph embaraces him by refusing to let him come. The same is done in Anita and Me, as Anita is throughout the book more superior to Meena. Both Meena and Piggy do not belong to the groups that are formed in the books. Piggy is far too intellectual and mature for the games played and he is the odd one out of the group, as is Simon. Meena too does not fit in to Anitas group. She describes herself as too young for Anitas consideration and too old for the children. Even when she does join Anitas group, she sometimes feels out of place. Towards the end of both books, both Anita and Ralph find that they need support when their close friends leave them. In Anita and Me, Anita experiences this when her mother leaves: she always seemed older than her peers. But when I spied her sitting alone on the park swings, from a distance, her crumpled face and hunched shoulders turned her momentarily into a little old lady. When Anitas mother and the poet leave her, Anita feels depressed and lonely. Meena, although she is angry with her, feels sorry for Anita and tries to comfort and support her. This shows how Meena, even though she is portrayed as insuperior to Anita, is the more stable of the two girls. Meena has two loving parent who look after her well and a baby brother while Anita lives with her unreliable mother who is hardly there for her and a father who sees her very rarely. Ralph also finds himself in this situation when the boys divide into two groups and Ralph is left only with Simon and Piggy: Piggy Uh? What are we going to do? Piggy looked at the conch. You could- Call an assembly? Ralph laughed sharply as he said the word and Piggy frowned. Here we can see the difference in Ralphs way of talking to Piggy. We can see that Ralph has no idea of what to do now that Jack has made his own tribe. Ralph now finds that he is relying on Piggy to help and support him through his time of need. Ralph also uses the word we instead of I. This shows how Ralph feels that both him and Piggy are now in their own tribe. It also shows how Ralph is letting Piggy be on the same level as him by using we. Another way in, which the friendship of Anita and Meena and the friendship between Ralph and Piggy are similar, is the ending of the friendship. At the end of the book, Meena realises that Anita is not the person she should be a best friend with: I dont give a toss what your sister [Anita] does, Tracey. Yow can tell her that from me. At this point, Meena has realised that Anita has not treated her as well as she should have been treated. Meena learns this from making friends with two other people who treat her well and are true friends. When Meena returns from hospital, she doesnt socialise much and is happy doing things alone. Anita, jealous of her happiness and the love she receives from her parents, sends threatening notes to her in the hope of scaring Meena. At this point we can really see that Meena is superior to Anita as Anita tries to make a desperate attempt at trying to feel more superior and secure by threatening her. The same happens in Lord of the Flies. After Piggy has died, Ralph realises what a great friend Piggy really was to him and how much he needs him when Jacks tribe turn against him: And in the middle of them, with filthy body, unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of mans heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy. Here we can see that Ralphs image of a strong, powerful young man is lost and we see him as a young naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve boy in contrast to Piggy who is described as wise. Before, Piggy was portrayed as a fat, asthmatic boy who was inferior to Ralph but now we see that Piggy is superior to Ralph. Ralph realises this and feels bad in the way he treated Piggy. Towards the end of both books, the characters who were portrayed as superior: Anita and Ralph find it hard to cope when Meena and Piggy leave them. In Anita and Me, when Meena breaks the friendship between herself and Anita, Anita begins to find that she is jealous of Meena and sends her threatening notes. Similarly in Lord of the Flies, when Piggy dies, Ralph finds it hard to cope. He is left all alone and is abandoned by his so-called friends who he preferred to Piggy in the beginning. In both cases we find how much Ralph and Anita depended on Piggy and Meena to make them feel superior. While in actual fact, Meena and Piggy were the superior ones.

Immigration Issues Essay -- Immigration, Psychiatry

The United States has long served as a refuge for people who seek to escape hunger, poverty, torture, and the oppression of the human spirit in their own countries. However, the issue of immigration in the United States has become a political flashpoint since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The sacralization of the tragedy has served to paint all immigrants with the same fear-ladened brush, and has marginalized and stereotyped an already vulnerable population. Today, more than ever, immigrants in the United States face increasing stressors as they try to assimilate in a politically charged post 9/11 world. To be an effective social worker, immigration issues and multicultural awareness is critical. Mary and Mario, a couple who is seeking marital therapy, will serve to illustrate the immigration issues a clinician should consider when assessing a client system in therapy. Mary, a 32-year-old Caucasian woman and her husband, Mario, a 40-year-old Latino man have been married for three years. They have both been married in the past but have no children. They report that since Mary returned to school there have been frequent arguments. Recently the fights have increased in frequency and have become violent. Mary complains that Mario is too possessive and is jealous of all her male friends. She feels physically threatened and wants to leave him. Mario feels that Mary never spends time at home anymore, and is no longer interested in him. While it is imperative not to make assumptions about a client because of their race, it is important to ask questions about their cultural identity, and if they have emigrated from another country. This ipsychosocial detail is significant because a growing body of research attests to neg... ...t, chances are that Mary and Mario will come to honor each other's diverse experiences, and will be able to fully embrace the ethos that is the American dream together. â€Æ' Works Cited Foster, R. P. (2001). When immigration is trauma: Guidelines for the individual and family clinician. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 71(2), 153-170. Kaltman, S., De Mendoza,, A. H., Gonzales, F. A., Serrano, A., & Guarnaccia, P. (2011). Contextualizing the trauma experience of women immigrants from Central America, South America, and Mexico. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 24(6), 635-642. Moreno, C. L., & Guido, M. (2005). Social work practice with Latino Americans. In D. Lum (Ed.), Cultural competence, practice stages, and client systems (pp. 88-106). Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole. Sue, D. W. (2006). Multicultural social work practice. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. â€Æ'

Knight in Medieval Times

A knight in medieval times is normally recognized as an equipped combatant at the service of the lord or king. Knight was considered a symbol of chivalry and an epitome of bravery in the medieval times. He was regarded as the most skilled person in the art of fighting who worked under the lord and was subjected to his orders and instructions in every affair of life. His leisure time activities were also chivalrous in nature and he remained involved in chivalrous games like duels. He used to possess best Arabian breed of horses that had no match in Europe.â€Å"The close association of the knight and his horse is clearly shown by the titles by which we was known throughout Europe; in France he was a Chevalier, in Italy a Cavalier, in Spain a Caballero, and in Germany a Ritter, from the word meaning to ride. Even the name for the code by which the knight was later bound, Chivalry, derives from the French Cheval. † (The Origins of The Knight) Knight was the production of a practi cal necessity of keeping men of valor and strength to keep the territories and states safe against internal and external threats.That armed knights later became a part of nobility due to the growth and extension of military power and their importance in the affairs of the states. Over a period of five hundreds years, in addition to knights’ military duties and obligations, their socio-political importance led to three other important changes regarding their status in the socio-cultural set-up. This was the steady advancement of knights as a fortunate and advantaged, inherited group.Secondly, a code of chivalry developed naturally that customized and legitimized their code of conducts and elaborated and elevated them to an exclusive social position as a martial privileged class that developed itself into an nobility. The Knights was bound by socio-cultural convention to follow a code of chivalry. This chivalrous was a counter-effective to manifestation of his violent nature du ring battles and wars. Code of chivalry used to be no document system of conduct but it was customary set of rules based on morality and cultural compulsions.Chivalric qualities of an ideal knight during the middle ages under this code are best described in Song of Roland. It reflects that a Knight should be God fearing who could serve his lord in every thick and thin. He must defend the feeble and frail and must abstain himself from giving unnecessary offense to others. He must not fight for his own financial or social gains but for the wellbeing of all.Song of Roland says in this regard: â€Å"A knight should have such valour,/ Who bears arms and sits astride a good horse./ In battle he should be strong and fierce,/ Or else he is not worth four pence. / He ought rather to be a monk in one of those monasteries/ And pray all day long for our sins! † (Song of Roland, laisse 141)Duke of Burgundy recognizes some important characteristics and personality traits of a chivalrous kn ight. â€Å"The words he chose to use to describe the virtues that should be exhibited in the Knights Code of Chivalry were as follows: Faith, Charity, Justice, Sagacity, Prudence, Temperance, Resolution, Truth, Liberality, Diligence, Hope, Valour†.(The Middle Ages Website) So these characteristics of knight were manifestations societal expectations about the code of conduct of knight. Beside all these chivalrous qualities, he was expected to be brave and skillful enough to shows his valor and strength at the battlefield. Another manifestation of chivalrous characteristics was brotherhood at arms. â€Å"Among the gentler features of chivalry may be reckoned the beautiful institution of brotherhood in arms, by which two knights vowed faith to each other.The brothers in arms wore the same arms and clothes, mingled their blood in one vessel, and received the Sacrament together. They engaged to support each other in battle and in all quarrels, and to have the same friends and en emies. † (Knights in Middle Ages) This not only unified the knights of one state but their vows to each other used to augment their strength and confidence. Courtly love was another important development that was directly associated with knight and knighthood. It was one of the most celebrated activities of Knights that is romanticized to a great extent by the medieval literature.Courtly love was eulogized and was considered a noble passion. This form of romantic passion is depicted differently by Chaucer. In his era, the medieval era, relationship between lady and a knight took the form of ‘courtly love’ and was labeled as a noble passion coupled with chivalry and gallantry. In renaissance, love was also considered an ennobling phenomenon but we see concept of romantic and exalted love that has nothing to do with knightly and chivalrous qualities. Chaucer writes about one of the most important activities for a Knight was;To love my lady, whom I love and serve/ d evere shal, til that myn herte sterve. (The Knight’s Tale) Courtly love is not depicted an immodest and lustful phenomenon by Chaucer but it is praised occasionally. Chaucer further shows certain other fine qualities of the contemporary culture pertaining to courtly love. For example, in Knight’s Tale male lover were never usurpers. Following the tradition of courtly love, both knights, Palamon and Arcite disclosed their love for the lady and requested her hand.Both are â€Å"broken al day for love in ech degree. † (The Knight’s Tale)This clearly manifests that culture and value of time pertaining to courtly love strongly prohibited forced love. Furthermore, it shows the individual integrity and honesty within the community. It was knights’ integrity and honesty that did not let them to deceive their lady-love and adopt a proper way to court the lady. This indirectly depicts the rationality level of the people in general and nobility in particular. Loyalty and equality were other ingredients of the courtly love that portrays the values and traditions of the society as a whole. Although Middle Ages’ literature highly romanticize the characteristics of a knight and elevated their characters but many knights were unable to live upto these standards. Chaucer depicts in Canterbury Tales (Wife of Bath’s) the story of knight who raped a lady. This was highly against chivalrous code. As Chaucer’s tales are considered as the mirror image of his contemporary era, so this story was a reflection of the prevailing socio-cultural situations.In another medieval story, Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, we also find some knights who are coward and are not as good as knight Gawain. So it is obvious that not all knights were chivalrous. Above-mentioned arguments and supported evidence clearly manifest that medieval knight were well-mannered, gracious and towering personalities. Their indulgence in courtly love was not a lustf ul affair but it was a based on mutual attraction and admiration was purely a refined and passionate activity that was accepted and sanctioned by social norms.Works CitedChaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. New York: Penguin Classics. 1996.Goldin, Frederick. The Song of Roland. New York: Norton, 1978.Gravett, Christopher. The World of the Medieval Knight. Peter Bedrick Books. New York. 1996.Medieval Spell. Knights in Middle Ages. 12 November 2008 .The Middle Ages Website. Knights Code of Chivalry. 12 November 2008 .The Origins of The Knight. 12 November 2008 .

Imagery in Sports

Athletes are always on the look out for techniques that will allow them to get better at their game. Whether it is a golfer who is looking to break his best score or a hockey goalie who is trying to get a shutout in the next game he plays, amateur and professional athletes are constantly trying to find ways of improving their performance. One performance enhancing technique that has been the subject of many empirical studies and theoretical speculation is the practice of imagery. Defined in its most general sense, imagery is â€Å"an experience that mimics real experience. We can be aware of ‘seeing' an image, feeling movements as an image, or experiencing an image of smell, tastes, or sounds without actually experiencing the real thing†¦ it differs from dreams in that we are awake and conscious when we form an image. † (Munroe-Chandler & Hall, 2011, p. 370) Applied to the basic problem of improving athletic performance, imagery exercises might consist of visualizing a hole in one for a golfer, or imagining what it feels like to play the net in the next game for a goalie. Imagery is connected to but distinct from the technique known as ‘mental practice,' where an athlete rehearses his or her strategy in competition. There are many various kinds of imagery techniques that exist, but the question of whether imagery really helps athletes to improve is still a matter of some debate, as is the question of how imagery works. The following paper will look at the research that exists on imagery as a technique athletes can use to program their minds. It will conclude, on the basis of this research, that imagery can indeed help people's athletic performance, but that it should be considered as a complement rather than a substitute for practice and training. In order to rigorously understand the various ways that imagery can interact with and potentially improve athletic performance, some kind of standard benchmark is required. It was for this reason that the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ) was designed. The SIQ is an analytic tool that allows sports psychologists to make fine distinctions between the various functions of imagery as it is employed by athletes (i. . motivation versus concentration) and the levels at which imagery works (i. e. specific versus general). (Hall, Mack, Paivio, & Hausenblas, 1998, p. 74) This analytical framework is used by many other researchers in the field to quantify and make predictive claims about the effects of various kinds of imagery on athletic performance. Weinberg (2008) defines imagery as â€Å"using all the senses (or at least all the senses that are appropriate) to create or re-create an experience in the mind. (p. 2) Weinberg is careful to distinguish between earlier techniques of ‘mental practice’ that involved the review of particular strategies and thinking about performance and current techniques of mental imagery, writing that â€Å"it is very different, for example, if a tennis player simply went over his strategy for how he would like to play an upcoming opponent versus actually imagining himself performing certain skills and strategies against a specific opponent. † (Weinberg, p. ) In essence, mental practice is a ‘3rd person’ technique in which an athlete verbally rehearses to himself how he is going to perform and what he is going to do if his opponent does a particular action, while imagery is a ‘1st person’ technique where an athlete lets go of words and tries instead to place himself in the performance situation mentally. Needless to say, the hard and fast division between the two is difficult to observe or even practice in reality. Most people in their daily thoughts entertain both images and talk in their minds, and the same applies to athletes using various imagery or mental practice techniques. Using mental practice, an athlete ‘talks himself through’ a performance scenario, proposing various courses of action based on an opponents previous history. Using imagery, an athlete rehearses the various body movements that are to be used in successfully performing the sport they are training for in their minds eye. A tennis player using mental imagery might imagine how the court will feel under his feet and how the ball will bounce. He will envision himself running up to or away from the net to return the various volleys of his opponent. Both mental practice and imagery, according to Weinberg, did in fact prove successful for athletes in improving their performance, but many of the gains that athletes experienced were solely anecdotal; in other words, their performance was not subject to detailed empirical scrutiny, nor was the technique of mental practice developed to a very great degree. As Weinberg notes, â€Å"the effectiveness of imagery, per se, is†¦ difficult to tease out, because the meta-analyses typically combined effects from studies that used various forms of mental practice to arrive at one overall effect size. † (p. 2-3) Weinberg also notes that the field of mental imagery in sports has become more rigorous in the past decade or so, noting that â€Å"current imagery research (as well as the practice of imagery in the field) often involves detailed scripts that focus on achieving particular outcomes†¦ arlier mental practice research was generally not this rigorous in this regard or simply was not interested in this type of mental preparation. † (Weinberg, 2008, p. 3) Post, Wrisberg, and Mullins (2010) describe the results of a study on imagery where basketball players on a girls’ highschool team were asked to participate in a guided imagery exercise before half of the games the girls played during their season. The authors collected data on both the victories that the girls’ team had won and also the number of made versus missed free throw shots. Subjecting the data to a 2 by 2 chi-square analysis, these authors concluded that the imagery technique used by the girls before their games significantly improved their chances of winning and improved their chances of making free throw shots. With respect to their results, Post, Wrisburg, & Mullins (2010) write that â€Å"imagery alone or in combination with other psychological skills (e. g. , relaxation) can enhance the competition-related thoughts and emotions of athletes. The documented effects of imagery include improved self-confidence, increased motivation, improved selective attention, and reduced or more effectively managed pre-competitive anxiety. † (p. 2) Why this is the case is still a matter of much controversy, with explanations of the effects of mental imagery on athletic performance ranging from imagery as a rehearsal that prepares the body to imagery as a kind of attention focusing tool that makes athletes concentrate better. In the study these authors describe, 16 female varsity basketball players were asked to run through an imagery script created by the coach (Mullins). The script was based on several recommendations from sports psychology literature, beginning â€Å"with a brief centering phase that involved deep breathing†¦ followed by a stimulus proposition phase where players were instructed to re-create possible game situations surrounding the free throw shot and a response proposition phase that consisted of the actions of the entire shot from the time the player began her pre-shot routine until she saw and heard the ball swish through the net. † (p. 6) Results reported by Callow and Hardy (2001) come to a similar conclusion with respect to the efficacy of mental imagery in improving athletic performance. In their study, they apply Martin, Moritz, and Hall’s (1999) model to a sample of 123 female netball players in Wales. In their analysis of the positive results they found in using imagery in netball, Callow and Hardy distinguish between two kinds of confidence: sport confidence and self-efficacy. The first â€Å"refers to the belief that an athlete possesses about his or her ability to be successful in sport in general† whereas the second â€Å"refers to an individual’s belief in his or her capabilities to be successful in executing specific tasks and skills in specific situations†¦ (Callow & Hardy, 2001, p. 2) They propose that the mechanism by which imagery works to improve performance is directly related to the increase in the feeling of self-efficacy that athletes achieve through using directed imagery exercises. Using the SIQ framework designed by Hall et al. (1998), Callow & Hardy (2001) distinguish between five kinds of imagery: Cognitive General (CG; e. g. , I imagine executing entire plays/programs sections just the way I want them to happen in an event/game), Cognitive Specific (CS; e. g. I can easilty change an image of a skill), Motivational General-Mastery (MG-M; e. g. , I imagine myself working successfully through tough situations), Motivational General-Arousal (MG-A; e. g. , I imagine the excitement associated with competing), and Motivational Specific (MS; e. g. , I imagine myself winning a medal). (p. 2-3) These five types of imagery correspond to those employed by the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ) that Callow and Hardy used to monitor the effectiveness of imagery exer cises amongst the study’s sample of female netball players. The authors found not only that the use of different kinds of imagery contributed to greater athletic success, but also that different types of imagery were used by players of differing skills; in other words, lower skilled netballers tended to employ MG-M and CG more often than MG-A, while higher skilled netballers used MS. This indicates that different kinds of imagery possess differing levels of â€Å"pertinence† to an athlete. (p. 12) For instance, a higher skilled netball player will have been in a situation where they are close to winning a championship or medal, so this kind of imagery is something they can easily access. Novice netballers, on the other hand, will be more concerned with the execution of basic moves and strategies, and will focus their mental resources on this aspect of the game. Similar findings of the positive effect of imagery on athletic performance are reported by MacIntyre & Moran (2007), who define the process of mental imagery as â€Å"a cognitive performance-enhancement technique that is used extensively by athletes, coaches and psychologists to facilitate skill learning and performance. (p. 1) The authors go on to state that imagery techniques in enhancing athletic performance have become so prevalent that they are now considered to be a â€Å"central pillar† of psychology in sports. (MacIntyre & Moran, 2007, p. 1) They divide the history of imagery research into two ‘waves,' one wave consisting of empirical research into the success of ‘mental practice,' defined as â€Å"the systematic use of mental imagery in order to rehearse physical actions. † (p. ) While this first wave went far in demonstrating a connection between using mental practice and athletic success, it was weakened by the fact that it had no theory to guide its findings. In response to this lack of theory, the second wave MacIntyre and Moran describe attempts to connect the success of mental practice with a larger model or taxonomy that categorizes different types of imagery and different imagery methods. Despite this new trend in sports psychology research, findings in imagery studies continue to suffer from some significant drawbacks that undermine their conclusiveness. One drawback MacIntyre and Moran (2007) point out is that most of the imagery studies that exist have used beginner athletes rather than professional or ‘elite' athletes. This is a problem because it is difficult to generalize about the success of mental imagery in creating better performance in athletes in general from only a particular set. Beginning athletes, simply by virtue of their novice status, might demonstrate significant athletic performance gains with or without imagery. Another weakness of most studies these authors point out is that they do not take into account beliefs athlete's have about their own imagery processes. In other words, many imagery studies do not take into account the ‘meta-imagery' that athletes might engage in concerning how successful their imagery techniques will be in improving their performance. This is clearly a drawback with respect to drawing conclusions about the ultimate efficacy of imagery, because it might not be the activity of imagery per se that helps an athlete succeed, but rather their belief that their imagery techniques will help them. Findings presented in Kim and Giacobbi (2009) suggest that beliefs about the efficacy of imagery as a technique are just as, if not more important in predicted better athletic success than the technique itself. 16 middle-aged participants between 35 and 65 were asked specific questions about the use of imagery in connection with exercise. Questions concerned â€Å"where, when, what (content), and why (function)†¦ [participants used] exercise imagery. † (Kim & Giacobbi, 2009, p. 5) In addition to these questions about imagery content, participants were also asked about their own feelings concerning the impact imagery had on their exercise routines. On the whole, imagery was believed to be an activity that improved participants' concentration and performance. (p. 18) The foregoing studies suggest a number of conclusions about the use and effectiveness of imagery for athletes who are looking for techniques to improve their game. One of the most obvious conclusions is that imagery does appear to enhance athletic performance, but the degree to which it does so depends in large part upon the pre-existing skill level of the person being considered. For beginners or novices at a particular sport, imagery can have a dramatic effect on performance, while for athletes who are more advanced and at a higher skill level, the effects of imagery in performance are less pronounced. A second conclusion concerning the use of imagery in sports is that the effect imagery has on performance depends to a large degree upon the beliefs of the individual with regard to the technique's effectiveness – a person who believes that imaging a performance will help them creates, in a sense, a self-fulfilling prophecy of their own success. This is somewhat equivalent to the ‘placebo effect' that is common in the use of drugs. Third, various studies have shown that different kinds of imagery are used by athletes at different skill levels. Beginning athletes will use imagery to create scenes of successfully blocking a shot, or making a basket, whereas advanced athletes image instead the winning of a competition or event. One aspect of imagery in sports psychology that remains an issue of contention is the precise mechanism by which imagery is able to assist athletes perform better. As discussed above, different studies have proposed different ways in which imagery is effective, but none of these proposed mechanisms have been demonstrated unequivocally as being the only correct one. Most likely, the mechanism by which imagery operates is a complex one that involves not only the inner rehearsal of actions, thereby amounting to a kind of ‘practice without practice,' but also involves the heightening of concentration for the athlete. Regardless of its mechanism of action, it is clear that imagery is a technique (or rather, family of techniques) that promises much for athletes' performance. Needless to say, imagery cannot ever be used as a full substitute for physical training and practice. Imagine how a football team would perform if, instead of practicing, they merely ‘imagined' practicing for the week before their big game! However, used in conjunction with rigourous training programs, imagery is an excellent psychological complement that can help athletes improve.

2015 2016 Full Review of All SAT Test Dates

2015 2016 Full Review of All SAT Test Dates SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We go through exact SAT test dates for 2015 and 2016 for freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and tell you the advantage ofeach testing date. I’ll break it down date-by-date and class-by-class so you can easily figure out the best time for you to take the test. Fall 2015 October 3rd, 2015 Freshmen and Sophomores It’s probably not worth it for you to take the test on this date, especially because the new SAT comes out in 2016, and taking this SAT is only going to provide partially relevant practice. Juniors We recommend that you take the SAT for the first time your junior fall, and this is the ideal date to do it. This date is also the first one after the summer, so it’s a good time to take the test and see whether your summer studying has paid off. Seniors This is an ideal date for seniors as well,especially if you’re applying early decision to colleges.Also, you’ll find out your results on October 22nd, which gives you enough time to study for the test date in December if you’re still unsatisfied and are applying regular decision. Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? QAS If you don’t know what these are, they're services the College Board offers for you to review your scores on the SAT more thoroughly (read more about them here).Some test dates offer the QAS and some offer the SAS. The QAS is more in-depth, so I will list which service is offered for each date in case some of you want to pick a date that allows you to order the QAS. November 7th, 2015 Freshmen and Sophomores Don’t take the test on this date. You’ll be taking the new SAT in 2016, and the old SAT will only provide partially relevant practice. Juniors This is one of your last chances to take the old SAT, so it’s a good date for you.You will still have the January test date to take the old SAT again if you don’t do well (you’re not going to have much time to react in between getting your scores back and the December test date). Seniors On the whole,you shouldn’t bother with this test date. You won’t get your scores for November back in time to study much for the December test, so you should just wait and take that one. You might take the November SAT as a senior if you’re really intent on getting better scores on different sections for superscoring, and you’re going to take the December test regardless of your November scores (great!).You might also take it if you didn’t take the SAT in October and are applying Early Decision to colleges.November test scores are the latest scores that most schools accept from Early Decision applicants. Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? SAS December 5th, 2015 Freshmen and Sophomores Again, you probably don’t want to take the test on this date because it’s still going to be the old SAT. Juniors You might be better off waiting for the January test date so you’ll have more time to study in between taking the SAT for the first time in the fall and your next attempt.The January test date is still offering the old SAT. Seniors This is a prime test date for seniors.It's probably your last chance to take the SAT and submit your scores to colleges.Many schools (including Stanford) don’t accept scores from test dates later than December. Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? SAS This is the perfect time to coerce your friends and family into bringing you lots of cookies because you're studying so hard. Winter and Spring 2016 January 23rd, 2016 Freshmen and Sophomores It’s still going to be the old SAT, so the advice for the dates before this stands. Your time will come, young ones. Juniors This is your last chance to take the old SAT, so it’s a good date for you!It will also be after your holiday break, so you will have had a nice chunk of time to devote to studying. Seniors This could be a fallback test date for seniors.Make sure the colleges you’re applying to accept scores from test dates this late before you decide to take the SAT. Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? QAS March 5th, 2016 Look out world, the new SAT is HERE! Freshmen and Sophomores Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived.You would be smart to take the test on this date to get familiar with the new format. After you take it, you’ll have the whole summer to review your scores and study in an informed way. Juniors Don’t necessarily aim for this test date.You can take the new SAT in March if you want, but it might be better to hold off until later so you'll have more time to study and better study materials are available. Seniors Not applicable! Woo! Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? SAS May 7th, 2016 Freshmen and Sophomores Just like with the March date, it could be a good idea for you to take the new SAT here to get a feel for what it’s like. Juniors Again, you should probably hold off.Since the new SAT is so, well, â€Å"new†, most test prep resources are not up to speed on what you need to know. Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? QAS June 4th, 2016 Freshmen and Sophomores This could also be a good date for you to check out the new SAT. You should probably go for a date earlier in the spring though because you don’t want to be taking the SAT at the same time as finals for your regular classes. Juniors You still might want to wait until the fall to take the new SAT.A lot of test prep materials for the new SAT will come out in the summer of 2016, so you'll have better resources to prepare if you wait it out. Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? SAS Special Sneak Peek: October 2016 All Years This will be a good test date for everyone!By this time, lots of great prep materials for the new SAT will have come out, and you will have had the whole summer to study them.Go forth and conquer this new frontier. Fulfill your maniTEST destiny. Question and Answer Service or Student Answer Service? QAS What's Next? Find out which exact dates you want to choose with our Table of 2015-2016 SAT Test Dates. Know which SAT test date you're going to pick? Get your studying started with these plans for sophomores and juniors, seniors, and a complete plan for everyone. You should also figure out your target SAT score and decide how long you'll need to study for the test. Check out our tips for getting high scores on every section of the SAT so you can make the most of your studying! Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. 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Critically evaluate the effectiveness of crisis intervention in social Essay

Critically evaluate the effectiveness of crisis intervention in social work - Essay Example The social worker should aim at generating this partnership from the beginning, hoping to carry this relationship through until the situation is resolved. This can be done by allowing the service user to identify the issues they face and try to come up with alternate solutions to that of the crisis situation. Social workers are free to suggest an alternative route however they should be careful to try not to impose their thoughts on the service user as they must be free to use their own judgment and consider the best solution for their situation. Some theorists and social workers suggest that crisis intervention does not focus on anti-oppressive or anti discriminatory practice because the nature of the intervention work is to alleviate the presenting crisis situation and not the underlying problems that may precipitate the event. Although models of crisis intervention are intended to be brief, to the point, focusing on the surface issues, social workers can integrate anti oppressive and anti discriminatory practices by working with the service users and including any environmental issues or structural oppression to the action plan. The action taken can either be a recommendation to another agency or by putting into practice another theory to their upcoming work. The definitions of crisis pinpoint a crisis as being a hazardous event. Crisis is described as time-limited periods of psychological distress that people need to overcome, but cannot do so by using tried and tested methods of coping (Caplan, 1964, p.73). The approach of crisis intervention originates from the mental health work and stresses on the prevention and not disease treatment. The formulation of this concept was done by Erich Lindemann and Gerald Caplan from 1940’s and 1950’s, where they researched on how people responded to situations that are psychologically dangerous. It is imperative to take into account that crisis in this case does not mean an urgent situation or disaster,

Operation management of Tom Pulling Toys, a toy manufacturing company Essay

Operation management of Tom Pulling Toys, a toy manufacturing company - Essay Example The firm observed in the study is Tom Pulling Toys, an English toy manufacturing firm based in China. For a long time, it enjoyed positive market response maintaining the mantle of being at the helm of market leadership. However, as China develops and more toy manufacturing firms get set up, there appears to be a problem. The company’s performance has hit a snag in the recent past. This negative market response is attributed to the quality of the products that the firm produces. There is a great likelihood that the company has not been producing poor quality toys and this is evident in the high number of toys that clients return to the company with quality related defects. The fact that clients return defective toys to the shops was a clear indication of the fact that the company had been producing low quality toys. The problem under investigation, therefore, is to determine whether the speculation, that the production of poor quality toys is responsible for the poor performan ce of the company recently, is true. This is based on the fact that clients have been returning semi standard goods made by the company. In an attempt to determine this, the company is employing a quality regulating tool that is new to the firm and the market. This has been christened the statistical process control. To effectively carry out the test on the quality of the products from the company, the research used random sampling of the toys and one aspect of the quality that was put under tight scrutiny was the colour of the toys. For a period of thirty days, the research was run on the colour defective toys with each day having a total of two hundred toys being collected. For the very thirty days, three toys were randomly collected and their heights measured and recorded in centimetres. The study carried out on colour revealed major colour defects on the toys with lots of clients returning to the firm defective toys. Colour is an important aspect of marketing; the marketing depa rtment ought to have put into consideration the effects defective colours would have had on the company’s product. Below is a table showing fifteen days and an average of 3% of returned toys on the basis of colour alone. Sample Number Number Of Defectives Units Inspected Percentage Of Deformities 1 3 200 1.5 2 6 200 3 3 7 200 3.5 4 6 200 3 5 6 200 3 6 9 200 4.5 7 2 200 1 8 2 200 1 9 7 200 3.5 10 8 200 4 11 9 200 4.5 12 11 200 5.5 13 3 200 1.5 14 5 200 2.5 15 6 200 3 Discussion and Recommendations Quality plays an important role in determining the market position that a firm holds. In the past, Tom Pulling Toys was known as the quality leader in the market which meant greater revenue collection. However, competition is an aspect of business and as it increases so should a company find leverages over competitors which for Tom pulling company would have been the quality of their products. Unfortunately, the firm was reluctant in checking into this and the result was the declinin g financial returns. The study revealed that, in deed, the firm was not taking into account the