Chemically Impaired Nurses - 1052 Words

Chemically- Impaired Nurses Jaime Littles Christina Mazzeo Sociology 101 Research Paper When deciding to enter the stressful and demanding field of nursing, I asked myself how will I physically, mentally, and emotionally deal with the demands of the profession? It takes a lot of long hours, knowledge of procedures and practices, and devotion to patients and their families. So how do nurses deal with the demands of their job? It has surprised me that in researching the profession that ten to twenty percent of practicing nurses have substance abuse problems. Substance abuse is defined as using excessive amounts of drugs or alcohol beyond their specified purpose. I chose to research this particular social problem†¦show more content†¦In comparing the different sociological perspectives, I believe it is important to use both micro and macro analysis to investigate this social problem. Micro analysis can be used to analyze individual problems in the nursing profession that cause many nurses to turn to drugs and alcohol. Macro analysis will look at the profession as a whole to see what can be done to improve conditions for nurses and to rehabilitate nurses who are in recovery. I personally would choose both methods because it is important to use different points of views to solve problems in our communities. When looking back 50 years, I believe that chemically impaired nursing was as much a problem then as it is today. There was less documentation back then to account for lost medication. I believe there was an assumption that nurses are respected, trusted, and would never put the patients life in danger. With all of the technology today, I believe it is a lot harder to get away with stealing medication. When administering drugs, there is a lot more documentation and security in the hospitals. Medications are secured in lock boxes which must be accessed by more than one nurse. If I were a sociologist given a grant to investigate chemically impaired nurses, I would go around to hospitals and have a group discussio n. I would ask the nurses to voice their concerns about their workShow MoreRelatedNurse Impairment And Its Effects On The Health Care Organizations837 Words   |  4 Pagesthe most critical problem, such as chemically impaired nursing practice, on a daily basis. All areas of the nursing profession are affected by a chemical dependency and the cost associated with this problem is a great concern for the health care organizations. According to Church (2000), â€Å"nurse impairment affects the safety of the public, the nurse’s well being and the profession as a whole† (p. 2). The delivery of care provided by the chemically impaired nurse lowers the standards and the prestigeRead MoreSubstance Abuse Among Nurses Essay920 Words   |  4 Pagesover the age of 18 where substance dependent (Epstein, Burns, Conlon, 2010). Many of these individuals being affected are nurses. Ponech (2000) stated that approximately 10% of the nursing population has alcohol or drug abuse pr oblems, and 6% has problems serious enough to interfere with their ability to practice (as cited in Talbert, 2009, p.17). Studies show that nurses have a 50% higher rate of substance abuse compared to the rest of the public (Epstein et al., 2010). Among the many factorsRead MoreLeadership And Issues Of Nursing1138 Words   |  5 Pages Being a nurse comes with many different duties and responsibilities. Every nursing job title plays a vital role in how a hospital runs. Nurses work together as a team to work efficiently with each other and to provide the best possible care to every patient. Nurses depend on each other to get their work done and for support along the way. Nursing students rely on current healthcare workers to teach them and show them how to function being a nurse. For example, an experienced nurse will showRead MoreSubstance Abuse and Chemical Dependency1703 Words   |  7 PagesBoard of Nursing within the next ten years for a drug related incidence. This state ment was disturbing and I decided that this topic was worthy of research, and possibly even vital to me as a future entry-level registered nurse. Among health care professionals such as physicians, nurses, dentists and veterinarians prescription medication abuse and dependence (=addiction) not uncommonly commences almost by accident as the stressed, distressed, tired, and often depressed clinician takes a dose of painRead MoreAn Intervention On Substance Use Disorder1098 Words   |  5 Pageshesitance to reporting CRNAs with substance use disorder, depending on the state, individuals may have certain legal responsibilities to report an impaired colleague. According to the AANA, â€Å"States may hold colleagues responsible for harm to patients if they fail to report a coworker in whom substance use disorder is suspected† (2016). A chemically impaired provider might give inappropriate doses in an effort to divert some of the narcotic resulting in inadequate analgesia for the patient (Luck andRead MoreNursing Shortage in the United States1680 Words   |  7 PagesStates is currently experiencing a shortage of nurses . à ¢â‚¬Å"The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics ( 2009 ) estimated that more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2018 to meet the increased demands of the health care workforce† (). The stressful conditions under which nurses work, due in part to the nursing shortage, are among the risk factors that contribute to nurses’ abuse of illicit drugs and alcohol. Nurses are unique in that they work in an environmentRead MoreEthical Issues in Nursing1321 Words   |  6 PagesEthical Issues for Nurses Alexis Bushay HCA 322 Health Care Ethics amp; Medical Law Instructor: Jennine Kinsey August 18, 2012 Ethical Issues for Nurses Ethical issues have always affected the role of the professional nurse. Efforts to enact this standard may cause conflict in health care settings in which the traditional roles of the nurse are delineated within a bureaucratic structure. Nurses have more direct contact with patients than one can even imagine, which plays a huge role in protectingRead MoreAccountability of Nursing Professionals When Implementing Evidence Based Practice1272 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Nursing Association (ANA) states in its code that the nurse will assume accountability for individual nursing judgments and actions. Professional nurses are accountable in several areas including accountability to the public, client, profession, employer, and self (Hood, 2010, p. 307). All professional nurses have the responsibility to work within their scope of practice to provide the best possible care to patients. Nurses’ should have a thorough knowledge about their accountability inRead MoreEthical Issues Of Nurses With Substance Abuse Disorder2444 Words   |  10 PagesEthical Issues that the Nurse, Employer, and society encounter when dealing with a nurse that is an addict Diane Jennette University of West Florida Abstract The responsibility of regulating nursing practice that ensures public safety, health and welfare and accountability to the public for proper governance falls on the State Boards of Nursing (BONs). Substance abuse is the most common disease that affects healthcare workers (Darbro, 2009). The disease of substance abuse disorderRead MoreEvidence-Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research Essay2938 Words   |  12 PagesUniversity Evidence-Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research Article critique Sayre, M.M., McNeese-Smith, D., Leach, L.S., Phillips, L.R. (2012). An educational intervention to increase â€Å"speaking-up† behaviors in nurses and improve patient safety. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 27(2), 154-160. AREA|METHOD OF REPORT (HOW IT WAS ADDRESSED)| 1. Background information2. Review of the literature3. Discussion of methodology4. Specific data analysis5. Conclusion |Ø

Why Should College Shouldn t Be Free - 1375 Words

Universities used to be a privilege for most academic students to attend and it was very affordable, but currently the price per year to attend college has drastically increased. For instance, in the â€Å"1970’s the average cost was 10,000 dollars a year and today the average cost is 30,000 dollars a year† (CQ Researcher). This is a triple increase in the price per year to attend college. Allowing this increase on college tuition has impacted the student’s attendance rate. This is a significant financial burden for college students and their family. Some believe that college shouldn’t be free because we are risking the value of college education, while others think it should be free because we are trying to avoid having our upcoming generation†¦show more content†¦If college tuition diminished then perhaps fewer students wouldn’t be in debt. According to Rick Staisloff, â€Å"lower cost education would require fewer degree programs, appro priately larger class sizes, less research at non research institutions and more streamlined and efficient administrative services† (CQ Researcher). In other words even if college tuition does lower, it would decrease student’s options toward majors and class space. Not only is the cost of college education increasing, but also financial assistant is decreasing, which is more money out of student’s pockets. Many situations like this are why students tend to work full time, while they are in school. Many students try to avoid being in college debt by working full time in addition to being a full time student. This is not a bad idea, but it is a rough battle because they are trying to make a certain amount of money per week to pay their bills and still in need of time to study. This works out for some students, but not for all. Some students that take part in this role end up with a low GPA or even dropping out of college. The states have noticed the increase of college students in debt after graduating. Therefore, to avoid this they’ve created a work-study program. The work-study program consists of students working part-time while they attend school. The money that they are making is going towards their college loans, or the tuition itself as aShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Stephen Chbosky s The Catcher Rye And F. Scott Fitzgerald And Tennessee Williams1460 Words   |  6 Pagesalso wrote a summary on why Stephen s book states that, â€Å" Chbosky only wrote one book th at was shunned from public schools†(Banned 8). After reading Erin s banned book summary she stated why she felt the book should be banned. She believed that Stephen s use of sex was unnecessarily for children to read, but she did believe that high school student should be allowed to read the book in school. She also stated â€Å" I believe that the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower should be banned in schools suchRead MoreMaking The Law Fair While Saving Lives1740 Words   |  7 PagesMaking the Law Fair While Saving Lives Ninety percent of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinking (McCardell). Lowering the drinking age is a big topic among younger adults and concerned college parents. Being 18 people serve in the military and they are known as adults. People 18-20 have to hide when they are drinking which makes them thrive to drink and party more but it s dangerous. This is called binge drinking which is landing themRead MorePublic And Private Universities Should Be Free For All Students978 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom him, as if it had assaulted him. I knew at that moment I wasn’t going to my dream college. â€Å"Maybe I can just put college off for a year?† I asked timidly. â€Å"No†, my father said firmly. â€Å"You need to go to college. Having a degree makes life easier, so you need to do it.† As I finished my first year at my second choice college, that statement my dad made bothered me. If college is so mand atory for success, why is it so difficult for middle and lower class individuals to receive this tool for successRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?971 Words   |  4 Pages College is about getting an education and creating a better future for yourself, not about making money. Nowadays some college athletes think they re all that and should be paid for the sport they play. It seem to be that there forgetting that they already get to go to college for a discounted price or in some cases for free. College athletes think they should get paid for all there services they provide to the school and the revenue they bring in. First, how are colleges going to pay theRead MoreShould College Be Free College?1614 Words   |  7 Pagescandidates because of his belief that tuition and cost of living at public colleges and universities should be free. Free college has become one of the most talked about policy proposals on the campaign trail, but questions surround the policy, such as how it would work, how much it would cost and how it would affect students (Rhatican). Most colleges bundle their prices in terms of tuition and fees. In 1995, tuition for private colleges was around 14k, for Public out of state it was around 7k and for publicRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1241 Words   |  5 Pagesin 5 of the past 10 Final Fours. College Basketball has gained what sports analyst over at ESPN, Stephen A. Smith has described as a â€Å"Cult Following†. Every year you see high school Phenom’s like: Ben Simmons (76ers - Pro), Jaylen Hands (UCLA – Collegiate), Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers - Pro), and Jahlil Okafor (76ers – Pro) attend these institutions; play a season of college basketball and then go straight to the Pro’s. So, why are these athletes attending college? Why spend 9 months at an institutionRead MoreWhy College Athletes Should Get Paid1309 Words   |  6 PagesEbeling 1 Austin Ebeling English 115 Why College Athletes Should Get Paid And Why They Shouldn’t November 18, 2014 Ebeling 2 Intro: How much harder would athletes work if they were paid for their performance on the field, track, or court? College athletes are put to the test each and everyday, they risk their health to entertain millions day in and day out. College athletes deserve part of the money due to the revenue they bring in for their schools and for the NCAA, they deserve theRead MorePursuing The American Dream Of Graduating College Essay1241 Words   |  5 PagesPursuing the American dream of graduating college can be the best feel ever but it can also cost a price. College tuition is increasing more and more every year due to the fact of the rising economy. With student want to be successful in life they will need an education to a degree, which will land you a decent job in life. The problem is when the cost of gaining that degree outweighs the financial advantage to the career. Many of people are not able to pay for college out of their pocket. The result ofRead MoreShould We Put Guns On Our Campuses ?954 Words   |  4 Pagesteachers the principal and the school psychologist. The shooter age twenty is responsible for this massacre. This has every school in America asking the question, should we put guns on our campuses? No, you shouldn t though it sounds like a great idea now you must think about the future impact in would have on the student population. College campuses are having an especially hard with this considering the age group in which their student body lies. If this law was passed campuses around America wouldRead MoreThe Pro Life Supporters Believe Abortions1602 Words   |  7 Pagesgot older and realized I wanted to become a doctor, my views changed on this topic because I now knew I wouldn t be able to tell someone what they could or could not do with their body. I also knew even if abortions are morally wrong in my eyes, it does not mean that they are wrong for everyone because we all have a different life growing up, different beliefs and views, and this is wh y we argue, or debate over issues and come to a compromise. The pro-life supporters believe abortions is wrong because

Renal Disease and its Aspects-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Please Explain why Hypertension causing Kidney Disease. Compare two Options for treatment. Answer: This essay focuses on the pathophysiology, clinical symptoms and treatment procedures of end stage renal disease with respect to the medical reports of a patient. Relationship between pathophysiology and clinical symptoms- The patient is suffering from end stage kidney disease in which the kidneys barely function. In case of end stage renal failure, the rennin-angiotensisn-aldosterone-system (RAAS) gets abnormally upregulated. The enzyme rennin cleaves angiotensinogen to angiotensin I, which is converted to angiotensin II. Upregualtion of RAAS leads to increase in the production of angiotemsin II. There is an increase in intra-glomerular pressure. Hypertension, glomerulonephritis and diabetes are the most common cause of this condition (Jha et al., 2013). Increase in blood pressure leads to thickening of the vasculature (Coresh et al., 2014). The protein metabolism products begin to accumulate in the blood when the kidney stops functioning. This leads to waste buildup. With decline in kidney function, urea begins to accumulate and leads to a condition uremia. Accumulation of fluids in the body leads to edema (swelling of tissues) (Tomino, 2014 ). The other most common symptoms are increase in blood pressure (more than 120/80 mmHg), elevation of potassium levels in blood (greater than 5.0 mmol/L), hyperphosphatemia (reduction in phosphate excretion), hypocalcemia, higher creatinine volume due to low glomerular filtrate, calcification of vascular tissues. Failure to excrete excess amounts of potassium leads to an increase in its levels. This condition is called hyperkalemia. This increased level manifests itself in the form of numbness, weakness, nausea and slow pulse. Excess potassium levels make a patient more prone to cardiac arrest. Decrease in urine output (720 mL/ day compared to 800-2000 mL/day) is another major symptom. Abnormally elevated levels of serum creatinine (825 compared to 135 micromol/L) is a direct consequence of low glomerular filtration rate. Obesity is a major risk factor in case of chronic kidney disease. It is also associated with a high heart rate (HR- more than 80 bpm), crackels in the lungs (Gans evoort et al., 2013). Chronic kidney disease also causes muscle fatigue and makes a patient feel exhausted. This is due to failure in proper oxygen circulation in the body. Signs of depression are extremely common in such patients. Several studies have established links between depression and uremia. The patient has normal sodium levels in the blood. However, a sodium rich diet will increase complications in the body. This disease is also associated with uremic pruritus. The patients suffer from itching syndrome. The normal hemoglobin count ranges from 130-180 g/L. However, a renal patient suffers from anemia (low red blood cell count). Certain psychiatric issues like agitation, palpitation, malaise and somnolence may also develop in case of extreme renal failure. Therefore, the symptoms and biochemical test reports of the patient in this case study are manifestations of kidney failure. Relationship between medical history and renal condition- The patient has a medical history of hypertension, depression and seasonal rhinitis. Hypertension is a leading cause of end stage renal failure. The blood vessels in the body are damaged due to high blood pressure (Hall et al., 2014). The arteries become narrow and hard. Therefore, there occurs a reduction in blood supply to the kidneys. The nephrons do not get nutrients and oxygen in adequate amounts and the balance of salts, acids and hormones in the blood gets disturbed. Kidney failure often leads to development of allergic symptoms like runny nose, which resemble rhinitis conditions. Seasonal rhinitis is a nasal tract inflammation that occurs during specific periods of the year. It is caused due to hypersensitive reactions to pollens, weeds, spores or grasses. There is a close relationship between chronic kidney failure and symptoms of depression. The possible cause for this association might lie in the fact that depressio n leads to inflammation in the body and such inflammations accelerate the progress of kidney failure (Tomino, 2014). A study suggests that depression is more prevalent in patients who are on the fifth stage of chronic kidney failure (end stage kidney disease). The patient also shows a history of alcoholism and smoking. Prolonged smoking reacts with drugs used to treat hypertension and reduces the flow of blood to the kidneys. It also increases the risks of cardiac attacks in people suffering from hypertension. This worsens their condition. The patient also reports consuming 6 stubbies of heavy beer every week. Excess consumption of alcohol interferes with the kidneys ability to filter blood. It also disturbs the balance of fluids and electrolytes in the body. It leads to hepatorenal failure and liver cirrhosis. It also increases blood pressure, which is again associated with chronic kidney damage. Therefore, it can be stated that the patients medical and social history have aggravat ed his renal failure. Management of end stage renal failure- Several treatment options are available, which help in reversing the function of damaging kidneys and purifying the blood. Most patients with end stage renal disease are treated with hemodialysis and renal transplantation (Liyanage et al., 2015). In hemodialysis, an artificial kidney machine or dialyzer is used to restore the balance of electrolytes and to purify the blood. The walls of the dialyzer are made up of cellulose (semi-permeable membrane) and contain pores of different sizes. Solute diffusion across the semi-permeable membrane is its basic mechanism. This membrane separates the two compartments inside the machine (one for washing the fluids, the dialysate compartment and other for blood purification). The concentration gradient across this membrane is maintained by counter-current mechanism (Robinson et al., 2016). Alteraton of hydrostatic pressure inside the dialysate compartment leads to ultrafiltration. Blood from the patient is se nt to the machine by a synthetic graft or an arteriovenous fistula in one arm. The purified blood is returned to the person through the same arm. Hemodialysis is of different types depending on the severity of the disease. Patients can opt for in-centre hemodialysis, daily home hemodialysis or nocturnal home hemodialysis. Certain complications and risks are associated with this procedure. The hand with the arteriovenous fistula can experience some numbness, which can lead to a condition called steal syndrome (Coresh et al., 2014). Other complications like formation of aneurysm, narrowing or clotting of the vessel may also occur. Infection and bleeding are prevalent risks. It creates some adverse mental effects like fatigue, anxiety, depression and increased vulnerability to suicide on the patient as well. Renal transplantation is another effective treatment option. Its success depends on the medical conditions of the kidney donor (Liyanage et al., 2015). A functional kidney is inser ted in the lower portion of the abdomen and connected with the urinary bladder and blood vessels (Muzaale et al., 2014). Several immunosuppressants are prescribed to the patient, which will prevent the immune system from rejecting the donated kidney. Transplantation is considered more effective than hemodialysis and shows better survival chances. Its major complications are abscesses in the walls of the abdomen, abdominal hernia, urinary fistulae and rejection by immune system. Cognitive behavioral changes and depression are associated with this method. Therefore, it can be concluded from the essay that there are several factors which increase the risk of end stage renal disease. The electrolyte balance in the body gets disturbed and the person has to opt for rigorous treatment procedures. References Coresh, J., Turin, T. C., Matsushita, K., Sang, Y., Ballew, S. H., Appel, L. J., ... Green, J. A. (2014). Decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate and subsequent risk of end-stage renal disease and mortality.Jama,311(24), 2518-2531. Gansevoort, R. T., Correa-Rotter, R., Hemmelgarn, B. R., Jafar, T. H., Heerspink, H. J. L., Mann, J. F., ... Wen, C. P. (2013). Chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular risk: epidemiology, mechanisms, and prevention.The Lancet,382(9889), 339-352. Hall, M. E., do Carmo, J. M., da Silva, A. A., Juncos, L. A., Wang, Z., Hall, J. E. (2014). Obesity, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.International journal of nephrology and renovascular disease,7, 75. Jha, V., Garcia-Garcia, G., Iseki, K., Li, Z., Naicker, S., Plattner, B., ... Yang, C. W. (2013). Chronic kidney disease: global dimension and perspectives.The Lancet,382(9888), 260-272. Liyanage, T., Ninomiya, T., Jha, V., Neal, B., Patrice, H. M., Okpechi, I., ... Rodgers, A. (2015). Worldwide access to treatment for end-stage kidney disease: a systematic review.The Lancet,385(9981), 1975-1982. Muzaale, A. D., Massie, A. B., Wang, M. C., Montgomery, R. A., McBride, M. A., Wainright, J. L., Segev, D. L. (2014). Risk of end-stage renal disease following live kidney donation.Jama,311(6), 579-586. Robinson, B. M., Akizawa, T., Jager, K. J., Kerr, P. G., Saran, R., Pisoni, R. L. (2016). Factors affecting outcomes in patients reaching end-stage kidney disease worldwide: differences in access to renal replacement therapy, modality use, and haemodialysis practices.The Lancet,388(10041), 294-306. Tomino, Y. (2014). Pathogenesis and treatment of chronic kidney disease: a review of our recent basic and clinical data.Kidney and Blood Pressure Research,39(5), 450-489.

Taronga Zoo Essay Example For Students

Taronga Zoo Essay University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Business Pricing and Revenue Management Assignment By Gary Anderson (10543546), Robert Baker (10630426), Angela Chan (11080456), Fred Duarte (10796086), Mary Levy (10803928) Prepared for Dr Christine Ebling Due Date: 27th May 2010 CASE REPORT FOR TARONGA ZOO By Anderson Baker Chan Duarte Levy Associates (ABCDL) Contents 1. Taronga’s Zoo’s Strategy1 1. 1Strategic Approach Price Position1 2. Current Analysis of Taronga Zoo’s Market2 2. 1Willingness to pay2 2. 2Consumer Behaviour and Current Pricing2 3. Pricing Decision and Future Pricing Recommendations4 3. 1Pricing for Families4 3. Pricing for Couples4 3. 3Increasing Repeat Visitation4 3. 4Managing Flow of Visitors5 4. Implementation and 4P’s6 5. References7 6. Appendices8 Taronga’s Zoo’s Strategy Our vision is to inspire Australians and our visitors to discover, explore, delight in and protect our natural world† Taronga Zoo Vision Statement (C lements 2009, pg4) 1. 2 Strategic Approach Price Position Secondary research was used to establish Taronga Zoos competitors (Appendix 1), and their pricing versus Taronga Zoo, this provided an initial indication of Taronga Zoo’s price positioning in the market as a premium priced visitor attraction (Appendix 2). We will write a custom essay on Taronga Zoo specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This was confirmed through primary research, in the form of an online questionnaire (Appendix 3 4). Refer to (Appendix 5) for key conclusions from this research. The design of Taronga Zoo’s marketing mix also reflects a premium position: 1. Outstanding product with extensive service and offerings. Although they have not made many changes with the animal exhibits they have innovated with items such as the twilight walk and roar and snore (Appendix 6). 2. Taronga Zoo’s price is constantly high versus their competitors and they generally have minimal special offers. 3. Exclusive Distribution: Only two locations, Mosman/Dubbo; limited ticket distribution channels, the website (via Ticketek), Taronga Zoo, Circular Quay Ferries and Captain Cook Cruises. 4. Heavy investment in their communication strategy with a targeted media selection. Taronga Zoo spent $88 million in 2009 on media covering a combination of television (82%), print (17%) and radio (1%) (Appendix 7). A SWOT analysis of the current price positions raised the following key points (Appendix 8): * Strengths: Established premium price positioning; strong price segmentation; and an on-line pre-pay option. Weaknesses: Lack of repeat visitation; lack of yield management; and lack of value communication; lack of price discrimination. * Opportunities: Repeat visitation pricing incentives; price bundling; and off-peak pricing. * Threats: Competitor pricing; and competitor discounts. Current Analysis of Taronga Zoo’s Market 1. 2 Willingness to pay Actual willingness to pay (WTP) may be diff erent to the hypothetical WTP when customers visit the Zoo with their families. A price premium is a privilege given to products that are capable of providing useful benefits for consumers. When consumers find those benefits valuable, the level of their acceptance of the price for the product becomes higher (Shirai 2010, pg 184). This holds true for Taronga Zoo as primary research shows they have a premium price and hold a high perceived value which forms a competitive advantage. Consumer Behaviour and Current Pricing Target segments have been based on the origin of visitors taken from the 2009 Annual Report (Appendix 9). When considering price perception it is important to separate these segments. Sydney Residents (51%) Cain and Meritt Jr. oted that surveys for metropolitan Zoos and Aquariums, showed that families with children were the most likely to visit Zoos (2006, p. 7. ). Taronga’s local marketing and primary research, supports that families and visitors with children form a core target segment with 50% of respondents visiting the Zoo with children aged from under 4-17. Primary research indicates that price is an important factor in the purchase decision, coming above the needs of entertainment for kids, implying the need to provide value for families (Appendix 10). It also suggests that admission prices are considered high during the pre-purchase phase, with respondents selecting a lower price for each of the admission levels (Appendix11). However Taronga Zoo reports that overall satisfaction with price was high during the purchase/post purchase stage (Appendix 12). Motivational drivers coupled with the potential emotional ramifications of disappointing their family or partner may affect these reference prices resulting in a new adaptation level due to this immediate focal stimuli. Reference prices can be made up of several components: the price most frequently charged; the price which the consumer last paid; the price of the service the consumer usually buys; the average price of similar services; the perceived quality of the service (Coalter 2004, pg 74). This may explain these lower pre-purchase reference price, as Taronga Zoos competitors charge less and primary research indicates this is an infrequent purchase. Taronga offers full price adult and child admissions plus a separate family rate, which is advertised under discount admissions (Appendix 2). Prospect theory suggests that the family pricing would be more effective if the gains were highlighted by promoting the saving, as all transactions involve some form of risk and can be seen as a balance of losses and gains (Schiffman et al 2008, pg162). Prospect theory also suggests that discounts should be applied to most consumers, yet none is available for families of one child and two adults. Domestic Visitors Intra and Interstate (21%) Tourism Australia in their report on Nature Tourism, identified domestic overnight visitors as adult couples 31% and families 31% (2009, p. . ). This corresponds with Tourism NSW data that showed in 2009 only 18% of visitors to Sydney were family groups (2010, p. 1. ). Yet Taronga Zoo offers no discounts to couples and marketing is focused on families, though there are a number of new programs that would cater for the couples market such as the twilight walks. Primary research has not provided sufficient information to draw further conclusions ab out domestic tourists see (Appendix 13) for further recommendations. International Visitors (28%) Tourism data indicates that there will be a shift in international visitor demographics over the next 8 years (Appendix 14). Primary research has not provided sufficient information to draw conclusions about how this change in the origin of international tourists would impact pricing expectations see (Appendix 13) for further recommendations. Repeat Visitation Secondary research indicates there is a lack of repeat visitation (Appendix 15), yet this should form an important revenue stream for Taronga Zoo. Repeat visitors not only represent a stable source of revenue, they also act as informally networks linking friends, relatives, and other potential visitors (Reid Reid 1993, pxx). Currently the only discount available for repeat visits is as a Zoo Friends member, which offers unlimited free entry into both Taronga and Western Plains Zoo for 12 months (Appendix 16). The annual report indicates that Zoo Friends only contributed 4% of Admissions Revenue (Clements 2009). Primary research also indicates hat the Zoo Friends program is not well known among target segments, with less than 2% of respondents replying that they were members of the Zoo and 4% of non-members responding they weren’t aware you could become a member (Appendix 17). Pricing Decision and Future Pricing Recommendations ABCDL’s research indicates that Taronga Zoo appear to be targeting the correct segments, however there are a number of areas they should consider developing more pricing tactics. 1. 2 Prici ng for Families Current advertising for family admission fails to highlight the gains of the discount. Pricing should also be reviewed as the current discount is less than the price of one admission, ABCDL propose that the new price should be equivalent to one free child admission and that this should be highlighted a gain. In addition, a second level of family pricing should be introduced to accommodate families with one child, and to match competitor-pricing tactics. Price Bundling tactics can also be used to create a gain as this will also fit with the current premium price position by not devaluing the current product pricing. Currently bundling only includes ferry transport, ABCDL propose this should be extended to offers that are more enticing to local families many of whom will be travelling by car. Options may include * Family Ticket Bundling that includes Parking * Family Ticket Bundling that include Food Offers, such as 2 kids meals * Family Ticket Bundling with the Wild Aussies Children Shows 1. 2 Pricing for Couples There are no incentives for couples wishing to visit the Zoo at present yet they represent a key demographic among interstate visitors to Sydney. .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 , .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .postImageUrl , .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 , .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54:hover , .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54:visited , .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54:active { border:0!important; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54:active , .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54 .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u641f8e9cdcdd8ab453c46b067366bf54:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Progressive Era EssayABCDL propose that price bundling be introduced for adult couples, such as partnering with another venue or Taronga product: * Purchase two adult tickets and receive a 10% discount on the Twilight Walk. * Introduce a Zoo Supper – purchase two adult tickets for day pass bundled with evening dinner. This could be good for couples who visit zoo in the afternoon. 1. 3 Increasing Repeat Visitation Research indicates repeat visitation needs increasing and that the current membership program is not well advertised or considered an option by many. ABCDL propose that more promotion be developed around the existing membership program to raise awareness. Secondly, that alternative loyalty programs be introduced for those unwilling to pay upfront for an annual pass. * Club card – spend more than $260. 00 on admissions and Zoo merchandise and receive a free family pass (two adults with two children). * Discount vouchers – 5% off your next purchase * Purchase ten adult tickets and receive the eleventh ticket free 1. 4 Managing Flow of Visitors Temporal Pricing The Zoo like many venues is affect by daily fluctuations in visitor numbers with weekdays having less visitors than weekends, and late afternoon see less new entrants to the Zoo. ABCDL propose that the Zoo consider introducing temporal pricing, whereby weekday admissions are lower than weekend and that admission after 3. 30pm is half price. Yield Management Taronga Zoo opens almost everyday of the year, and visitation is seasonally dependent. As indicated in the primary research weather is a key component of the decision process to visit the Zoo, yet no seasonal price differentiation is offered. In addition, many exhibits are shut for renovation in quieter periods of the year. To encourage visitors in the off peak season of late autumn through to early spring, ABCDL proposes Taronga Zoo introduce Yield management pricing. Namely, that they offer lower admission prices in the cooler months, this price would be competitive against other indoor attractions, while maintaining its premium positioning. Pay What You Want Trial Secondary Research has shown that Taronga Zoo visitation is both seasonally and affected by school holidays. Regardless of this fluctuation, the Zoo has sunk costs it needs to recover. ABCDL propose a Pay-What-You-Want (PWYW) trial in an off-peak period. PWYW is a participative pricing model in which a buyer’s control over the price setting is at a maximum level; the buyer can set any price above or equal to zero, and the seller cannot reject it. The benefits to the Zoo can be; (1) attracting new customers, (2) accounting for customer heterogeneity and providing differentiated pricing and (3) providing useful information on customer willingness-to-pay. Kim, Natter Spann, 2009). 1. Implementation and 3P’s ABCDL recommends the implementation of the remaining 3 P’s of marketing to complement the pricing recommendations above, a detailed outline is included in (Appendix 18) with a summary provided below: Product * New family ticket for 2 adults and 1 child * Introduction of Zoo Supper * New loyalty programs * More product bundling as outlined in recommendations Place * Dev elopment of the Zoos own e-commerce site for ticket sales Promotion In line with its premium price position, the Zoo should plan a new media campaign to communication these additional price offers to its target markets. This should include selected print media, such as Sydney’s Child, The Australian, Sydney Herald and Sydney Telegraph. Supported by selective use of radio advertising and targeted TV PR, through programs such as: Sydney Weekender; Getaway; and Better Homes and Gardens. Additional promotional activity should include: * Communicating offers through park signage advertising the new pricing offers * Communication through marketing collateral such as admission ickets, additional posters, take home pack for targeting families with children, loyalty cards * Promotion of Free child admission with family pass (2 adults + 2 Child) * Off peak advertising messages – â€Å"Avoid the Crowds† * Direct marketing to Zoo database of bundles, loyalty offers etc * More emphasis on unique features such as zoo- petting and flight shows * More promotion of other Zoo programs and price bundles such as Twilight Walk * Clear communication of gains and savings on current price list communications * Emphasis on value in communications â€Å"Full day at the Zoo† References ABS 2008, 3235. 0 Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia 2008, Australian Bureau of Statistics Canberra, viewed 1 May 2010, http://www. abs. gov. au/ausstats/[emailprotected] nsf/Products/3235. 0~2008~Main+Features~New+South+Wales? OpenDocument Cain, L. P. and Meritt, D. A. 2006, The Demand for Zoos and Aquariums, Cambridge University Press, New York Clements, Z. M. R. a. D. 2009, Taronga Zoo Conservation Society Board 2009 Annual Report, Sydney. Coalter, F. 2004, Reference Pricing: Changing Perceptions of Entrance Charges for Sport and Recreation, Journal of Managing Leisure, Vol 9, pp. 3-86 Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (2010), Key Facts – Tourism, DRET, Canberra Kim, J. Y. , Natter, M. , Spann, M. 2009, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 73, no. 1, pp. 44-58 Reid Reid Schiffman, L. , OCass, A. , Paladino, A. , Ward, S. , Kanuk, L. 2008. Consumer Behaviour 4th Ed. , Pearson Education, Sydney Shirai, M. 2010, Analyzing Price Premiums for Foods in Jap an: Measuring Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Quality-Related Attributes, Journal of Food Products Marketing, Vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 184-198. Tourism NSW 2010, International Travel to NSW Year End December 2009, TNSW, Sydney Tourism NSW 2010, Travel to Sydney Year End December 2009, TNSW, Sydney Tourism Research Australia 2009, Nature Tourism in Australia 2008 Snapshot, TRA, Canberra Appendices Appendix 1: Direct and indirect competitor set9 Appendix 3: Value of attractions9 Appendix 5: Key conclusions from primary research10 Appendix: Characteristics of marketing mix in a premium price positioning11 Appendix: List of innovative products11 Appendix 8: Media Coverage12 Appendix 9: SWOT Analysis13 Appendix 10: Origin of visitors to Taronga Zoo14 Appendix 11: The top five most important reasons for visiting zoos:14 Appendix 12: Reference Pricing14 Appendix 13: Visitor Customer Satisfaction Levels – 12 month average:15 Appendix 14: Limitations and Further Research Requirements15 Appendix 15: International visitors16 Appendix 16: Taronga Zoo Visitor Numbers17 Appendix 17: Zoo Friends Pricing19 Appendix 18: Membership and Awareness of Zoo Friends Program19 Appendix 19 – Detail 3P’s Implementation20 Appendix 1: Direct and indirect competitor set Source: ABCDL Desk Research, 2010 Appendix 2: Competitor Pricing as of 30th April 2010 Source: www. taronga. org. au, www. myfun. com. au, and www. featherdale. com. au. Appendix 3: Value of attractions How would you rank the value the following attractions for value 1 being the worst value and 10 being the best value? | Answer Options| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7| 8| 9| 10| Rating Average| Taronga Zoo| 3| 4| 8| 11| 44| 29| 30| 24| 12| 8| 6. 14| Sydney Bridge climb| 10| 15| 16| 18| 28| 20| 18| 22| 5| 21| 5. 65| Powerhouse Museum| 8| 6| 17| 11| 47| 24| 26| 21| 8| 5| 5. 58| Sydney Aquarium| 8| 8| 14| 12| 60| 21| 22| 18| 5| 5| 5. 39| Maritime Museum| 7| 11| 19| 19| 59| 20| 16| 11| 2| 9| 5. 12| Featherdale Wildlife Park| 10| 18| 13| 14| 53| 19| 24| 15| 5| 2| 5. 5| Luna Park| 10| 14| 23| 27| 38| 20| 22| 13| 2| 4| 4. 86| Ocean world Manly| 7| 12| 21| 17| 72| 18| 15| 7| 2| 2| 4. 79| Sydney Wildlife World| 6| 21| 17| 19| 64| 17| 16| 5| 3| 5| 4. 77| Sydney Tower| 9| 15| 29| 18| 52| 15| 15| 12| 5| 3| 4. 76| Source: Taronga Zoo Consumer Survey (ABCDL 2010) Appendix 4: Value Map Source: Taronga Zoo Consumer Survey (ABCDL 2010) Note: In developing the value map we utilis ed average price of adult, child and family (2 adult ; 2 child); only direct competitors used. Appendix 5: Key conclusions from primary research 1. Featherdale Wildlife Park, Ocean World and Sydney Tower have a value advantage position as they have higher perceived value than perceived price; 2. Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife World are within the value equivalent line indicating they are in an optimum price position; 3. Taronga Zoo is in a premium position with high perceived value and perceived price. Source: Taronga Zoo Consumer Survey (ABCDL 2010) Appendix 6: List of innovative products * Australian Walkabout * Boral Youth @ the Zoo * Family friendly NYE events * Fearless at Taronga * Roar and Snore * School holiday programs – Zoo Adventures Short Courses – Animal Training and Photography * Sunset Walks * Twilight Concerts * Twilight Safari * VIP Aussie Gold * Wild Aussies Children’s Shows * Wild Australia * Zoorise * Zooper Birthday Parties * Zoosnooz Source: Taronga Zoo website Appendix 7: Media Coverage Source: Taronga Zoo 2009 Annual Report (Clements 2009) Appendix 8: SWOT Analysis Appendix 9: O rigin of visitors to Taronga Zoo Source: Taronga Conservation Society Australia 08-09 Annual Report (Clements 2009, p. 16. ) Appendix 10: The top five most important reasons for visiting zoos: 1. Fun 2. Opportunity to see/learn about/photography animals 3. Nice Weather 4. .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 , .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .postImageUrl , .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 , .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96:hover , .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96:visited , .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96:active { border:0!important; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96:active , .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96 .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u54f7e26cfd46ecc4e61dac047f395b96:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Huckleberry Finn - Conflict Between Society And Th EssayPrice 5. Entertainment for the kids Source: Taronga Zoo Consumer Survey (ABCDL 2010) Appendix 11: Reference Pricing What price would you pay? Admission Type| Mode Response| Actual Price| Adult| $26-32| $41| Children (4-15)| $19-25| $20| Family (2 Adults ; 1 Child)| $54-60| n/a| Family (2 Adults ; 2 Child)| $68-74| $104| Student| $19-25| $25| Senior| $19-25| $25| Source: Taronga Zoo Consumer Survey (ABCDL 2010) Appendix 12: Visitor Customer Satisfaction Levels – 12 month average: Source: Taronga Conservation Society Australia 08-09 Annual Report (Clemenents 2009, Pg. 16. ) Appendix 13: Limitations and Further Re search Requirements The market research into Taronga Zoo was subject to limitations. Time and money were limited which affected the scope of the survey. As a result sample size was unrepresentative of the number of annual visitors at 0. 0125%, and biased toward unmarried, NSW residents without children. In addition, 35% of respondents had not visited Taronga Zoo in the past 5 years and only 5% of respondents were international residents. The market research also did not provide adequate data on international visitors or detailed information on intra/interstate adult couples both of whom represent a key target segments. Further research is recommended for both these key segments to establish both perceptions on price and value, and pricing preferences. The experience of the researchers can affect the quality of the initial research design and subsequent questionnaire so it is important to note that the researchers in this instance are relatively inexperienced. In addition, it was not possible to organise a focus group during the exploratory stage, which would have aided the project, and potentially highlighted other areas for research. Appendix 14: International visitors In 2009, the origin of the top 4 tourism segments to Australia and Sydney were the UK, China, New Zealand and the US. Chinese tourism grew by 28. 5% Origin of international visitors to Sydney 2009 Source: Travel to Sydney Year Ended December 2009, (Tourism NSW 2010, p. 2. ) Inbound travel to Australia, top 10 markets, 2009 Source: Key Facts – Tourism (Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism 2010, p1)) Future forecasts predict China will grow to the largest segment by 2018. Tourism from India is also predicted to increase while Middle Eastern tourists will enter the top 10. This will represent a significant change to Taronga Zoo’s current target segments, and impact consumer needs, concepts of value and reference pricing. Australia’s top 10 inbound markets, ranked by value, 2018 Source:Key Facts – Tourism (Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism 2010, p2) Appendix 15: Taronga Zoo Visitor Numbers Taronga Zoo noted in their 2009 Annual Report, that domestic travel remained buoyant in comparison to international tourism, which lead to greater competition for the domestic market among Sydney attractions (Clements 2009). However according to Tourism NSW, overall travel to Sydney in 2009 was down for both the domestic and international segment (2010 p1 ;2) Domestic Overnight Visitors Source: Travel to Sydney Year End December 2009 (Tourism NSW 2010, p1) International Overnight Visitors Source: Travel to Sydney Year End December 2009 (Tourism NSW 2010, p2) As can be seen visitation to Taronga Zoo (including Western Plains) has remained fairly stagnant since 2002/2003 around the 1. 5-1. 6 million mark. Source: Taronga Conservation Society Australia 08-09 Annual Report (Clemenets 2009, Pg. 6. ) Tourism levels for Sydney have fluctuated in this period while the population of NSW has risen. According to the ABS, since 30 June 2008 the population of NSW has increased by 311,600 people or 4. 7 %,(ABS 2009). This correlates to the small growth seen in visitation numbers from 02/03 to 08/09, which averages at 2% and suggests that any slight changes in visitor numbers to Taronga Zoo have been related to populat ion and tourism changes rather than an increase in repeat visitation or successfully attracting new target segments. Appendix 16: Zoo Friends Pricing Appendix 17: Membership and Awareness of Zoo Friends Program Members| 2%| Non-Members| 98%| Main reasons for becoming a member were: Had a child| 40. 0%| To enjoy the animals| 40. 0%| To support the zoo| 20. 0%| Main reasons for not becoming a member were: Don’t frequent enough| 52. 5%| Not interested| 36. 1%| Other – Didn’t know existed| 4%| Source: Taronga Zoo Consumer Survey (ABCDL 2010) Appendix 18 – Detail 3P’s Implementation Product A new product â€Å"family ticket with 2 adults and 1 child† should be included as part of the product range Taronga Zoo should consider creating unique experiences like ‘Zoo Supper’, A loyalty card scheme with a printed ‘Club card’ and ‘zoo stamps’ needs to be developed to promote repeat visitation. Additional value driven ‘Food stamp’ and ‘next purchase’ discount vouchers will also need to be printed. Place Currently, Taronga distribute via direct sales on-site at the Zoo and over the Internet through ticketek. com. au. Consideration should be given to developing an e-commerce site within the existing Taronga Zoo website to capitalise on sales from their web traffic. Website visitors could be rewarded with controlled temporal pricing reductions. Promotion ABCDL recommend that Taronga Zoo recommendation additional communication of price offers through park signage such as: Free parking with family ticket; 2 x Free kids meals with a family ticket; and (4) 10% discount on the Twilight Walk etc. ABCDL recommend that Taronga Zoo promote these price changes by developing designs on all printed tickets to advertise the new value bundled pricing options. Additional posters, flyers and signage will need to be developed nd displayed around the zoo, particularly the entrance and exit points. Consideration of a take home pack may need to be considered, targeting children. ABCDL recommend communication of the gain of a â€Å"free child† when purchasing a family ticket, collateral, signage and website and should be communicated through other channels including ticketek. To assist in managing the quiet periods at the zoo, advertising material could be de veloped to promote the benefits, including the ‘lack of crowds’ during the off-peak seasons. This messaging may appeal to families wanting to avoid the foot traffic during peak season. The Zoo should be gathering consumer information in order to build a database and communicate via direct mail techniques various offers and bundles as well as the temporal pricing in order to entice repeat visitation. More emphasis should be placed on the Zoo’s unique features such as Zoo-petting activities, and flight shows. The zoo should implement a new communication strategy that bundles and quantify the clear number of product offerings such as Twilight Walks and roar ; snore. Taronga Zoo’s price lists need to change at the zoo and on ticketek. om. au to reflect the new pricing structure. The Zoo should communicate its new prices and clearly communicate the percentage of savings that consumer has made when they purchase pricing at the various display points to encourage a positive gain/loss experience. E. g. Purchase a family ticket (2 adult and 2 child) and you will save the value of one child. The communication messages should promote ‘a FULL day at the zoo ’, emphasising that Taronga Zoo is a much longer experience than its competitors, therefore offering value for money.

20 Analytical Essay Topics Environmental Economics Terms to Build Your Essay on

20 Analytical Essay Topics Environmental Economics Terms to Build Your Essay on If you are tasked with writing an analytical essay on environmental economics, you might be wondering where you should begin. Of course, selecting your topic is the first place to go, but it can be a difficult challenge to find the ideal topic suitable to the page length required of you. It is for this reason that you will find 20 topics on environmental economics below which might be of use to you when you sit down to write your next analytical piece. Remember that not all of these are perfectly suited to your particular writing assignment, and for this reason you should review the instructions your teacher has provided before you start writing on one of them. If you have questions, never hesitate to ask your teacher if a topic is appropriate before you begin: What Factors Influence Perfect Competition for Environmental Economic Market Structures Which Buyers and Sellers Influence Environmental Economic Markets How Environmental Economic Monopolies are Created The Impact of Environmental Economic Market Oligopolies on the Economics of Your Country Perfect Competition among Environmental Economic Markets Price Discrimination in Environmental Economic Markets Peak and Off-Peak Pricing’s Impact on Environmental Economic Markets Single Price Monopolies and Environmental Economic Markets Price Discrimination Monopolies and Environmental Economic Markets CD Piracy Manufacturing and the Impact on Environmental Economic Markets Distinguishing Factors between Monopoly Environmental Economic Market Structures and Perfect Competition Externalities in Your Current Home Country Environmental Economic Market How Governments Address the Existence of Negative Externalities in Environmental Economic Markets How Deadweight Loss Results from Externalities in Environmental Economic Markets Options for Handling Negative Externalities in an Environmental Economic Market Monetary Gains Associated with Environmental Policy Compliance Profitability Associated with Emissions Caps Job Market Gains Associated with Environmental Policy Compliance Job Market Gains Associated with Environmental Research Profitability Associated with Environmental Policy Research Below is a sample essay written about one of the topics above, so that you have a better understanding of what you have to do for your next assignment writing on environmental economics. Sample Analytical Essay on CD Piracy Manufacturing and Its Impact on Environmental Economic Markets Today the environment has led to technological innovations, which have impacted the economy. The creation of new technologies which are in high demand has led to the exploitation of natural resources around the world, resources which have been taken from countries in need without a long term plan for the environmental damage that follows such moves. Legislation is slow to keep pace with the   manufacturing of CD’s for all music and software purposes has taken advantage of this gap in the race. By not having legislation or red tape to which they must adhere, companies have been allowed the freedom to explore and excavate all natural resources necessary for their technological development. That said, the impact this is having on the environment has been influenced heavily by the ebb and flow of the marketplace. Positive externalities are benefits which are infeasible to charge to provide while negative externalities are costs which are infeasible to charge to not provide. High CD’s production rates for music and software have led to a mass excavation of minerals and natural resources. With CD’s continuing to be in use, mass produced and sold for all manner of music and software, the environmental damages are ever increasing. Gasoline consumption, emissions from vehicles moving products around, electricity used to make the products, and natural resources taken from forests are all problems associated with the production of CD’s, not to mention disposal. Disposal is problematic given that CD’s are a mixture of many materials, some of which include metals and petroleum, as well as dyes, lacquers, and plastics. If these items are just thrown away they can pollute the groundwater and bring about negative health issues. The CD cases contain higher than normal rates of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which cause cancer. When they are incinerated they release harmful chemicals and sadly, incineration is the most popular disposal method of these items because they cannot be recycled and most countries lack proper disposal facilities. While the government does not control the industry, lawsuits from the recording industry have been allowed against citizens for illegally selling pirated content and technology. During these cases, the government has stood behind the music industries in allowing them to install tracking codes, allowing them to release warrants for people overseas. Of course, without things such as extradition, or compliance with local governments in foreign countries, no legal action is really being taken against those who engage in such environmentally damaging pursuits. There is also nothing being done by local governments to stop the development and mass production of legal music and electronics which also rely heavily on excavated natural minerals and resources overseas. That said, better laws in place to limit the excavation of natural resources, to reduce illegal piracy and manufacturing, would help to encourage mindful resource consumption. Overall, the environment has led to technological innovations whose impact has reached well into the economy of nations around the world. Creating new technologies and products like the mass distributed CD’s and electronics have led to the exploitation of natural resources around the world, resources which have been taken from countries in need without a long term plan for the environmental damage that follows such moves. Legislation has been slow in creation, which has allowed a time gap during which companies have been allowed the freedom to explore and excavate all natural resources necessary for their technological development. That being said, the impact this is having on the environment has been influenced heavily by the marketplace and the introduction of piracy for CD’s. With the newest regulations, it seems the environmental economic impact will be slowed at least for the time being but there remains a great deal that the governments of all countries can do. References: Berck, Peter, and Gloria E Helfand.  The Economics of the Environment. Boston: Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2011. Print. Field, Barry C.  Environmental Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994. Print. Hackett, Steven C.  Environmental and Natural Resources Economics. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 1998. Print. Kolstad, Charles D.  Environmental Economics. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print. Mäler, Karl-Göran, and Jeffrey R Vincent.  Environmental Degradation and Institutional Responses. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2003. Print. Mankiw, N. Gregory.  Principles of Microeconomics. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western, 2004. Print. Tietenberg, Thomas H.  Economics and Environmental Policy. Aldershot Hants [England]: E. Elgar, 1994. Print.

Hitlers Statement Before His Suicide

Hitler's Statement Before His Suicide On April 29, 1945, in his underground bunker, Adolf Hitler readied himself for death. Instead of surrendering to the Allies, Hitler had decided to end his own life. Early in the morning, after he had already written his Last Will, Hitler wrote his Political Statement. The Political Statement is made up of two sections. In the first section, Hitler lays all blame on International Jewry and urges all Germans to continue fighting. In the second section, Hitler expels Hermann Gà ¶ring and Heinrich Himmler and appoints their successors. The following afternoon, Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide. Part 1 of Hitlers Political Statement More than thirty years have now passed since I in 1914 made my modest contribution as a volunteer in the first world war that was forced upon the Reich. In these three decades I have been actuated solely by love and loyalty to my people in all my thoughts, acts, and life. They gave me the strength to make the most difficult decisions which have ever confronted mortal man. I have spent my time, my working strength, and my health in these three decades. It is untrue that I or anyone else in Germany wanted the war in 1939. It was desired and instigated exclusively by those international statesmen who were either of Jewish descent or worked for Jewish interests. I have made too many offers for the control and limitation of armaments, which posterity will not for all time be able to disregard for the responsibility for the outbreak of this war to be laid on me. I have further never wished that after the first fatal world war a second against England, or even against America, should break out. Centuries will pass away, but out of the ruins of our towns and monuments the hatred against those finally responsible whom we have to thank for everything, International Jewry and its helpers, will grow. Three days before the outbreak of the German-Polish war I again proposed to the British ambassador in Berlin a solution to the German-Polish problem - similar to that in the case of the Saar district, under international control. This offer also cannot be denied. It was only rejected because the leading circles in English politics wanted the war, partly on account of the business hoped for and partly under influence of propaganda organized by International Jewry. I have also made it quite plain that, if the nations of Europe are again to be regarded as mere shares to be bought and sold by these international conspirators in money and finance, then that race, Jewry, which is the real criminal of this murderous struggle, will be saddled with the responsibility. I further left no one in doubt that this time not only would millions of children of Europes Aryan people die of hunger, not only would millions of grown men suffer death, and not only hundreds of thousands of women and children be burnt and bombed to death in the towns, without the real criminal having to atone for this guilt, even if by more humane means. After six years of war, which in spite of all setbacks, will go down one day in history as the most glorious and valiant demonstration of a nations life purpose, I cannot forsake the city which is the capital of this Reich. As the forces are too small to make any further stand against the enemy attack at this place and our resistance is gradually being weakened by men who are as deluded as they are lacking in initiative, I should like, by remaining in this town, to share my fate with those, the millions of others, who have also taken upon themselves to do so. Moreover I do not wish to fall into the hands of an enemy who requires a new spectacle organized by the Jews for the amusement of their hysterical masses. I have decided therefore to remain in Berlin and there of my own free will to choose death at the moment when I believe the position of the Fà ¼hrer and Chancellor itself can no longer be held. I die with a happy heart, aware of the immeasurable deeds and achievements of our soldiers at the front, our women at home, the achievements of our farmers and workers and the work, unique in history, of our youth who bear my name. That from the bottom of my heart I express my thanks to you all, is just as self-evident as my wish that you should, because of that, on no account give up the struggle, but rather continue it against the enemies of the Fatherland, no matter where, true to the creed of a great Clausewitz. From the sacrifice of our soldiers and from my own unity with them unto death, will in any case spring up in the history of Germany, the seed of a radiant renaissance of the National Socialist movement and thus of the realization of a true community of nations. Many of the most courageous men and women have decided to unite their lives with mine until the very last. I have begged and finally ordered them not to do this, but to take part in the further battle of the Nation. I beg the heads of the Armies, the Navy and the Air Force to strengthen by all possible means the spirit of resistance of our soldiers in the National Socialist sense, with special reference to the fact that also I myself, as founder and creator of this movement, have preferred death to cowardly abdication or even capitulation. May it, at some future time, become part of the code of honor of the German officer - as is already the case in our Navy - that the surrender of a district or of a town is impossible, and that above all the leaders here must march ahead as shining examples, faithfully fulfilling their duty unto death. Part 2 of Hitlers Political Statement Before my death I expel the former Reichsmarschall Hermann Gà ¶ring from the party and deprive him of all rights which he may enjoy by virtue of the decree of June 29th, 1941; and also by virtue of my statement in the Reichstag on September 1st, 1939, I appoint in his place Grossadmiral Dà ¶nitz, President of the Reich and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Before my death I expel the former Reichsfà ¼hrer-SS and Minister of the Interior Heinrich Himmler, from the party and from all offices of State. In his stead I appoint Gauleiter Karl Hanke as Reichsfà ¼hrer-SS and Chief of the German Police, and Gauleiter Paul Giesler as Reich Minister of the Interior. Gà ¶ring and Himmler, quite apart from their disloyalty to my person, have done immeasurable harm to the country and the whole nation by secret negotiations with the enemy, which they have conducted without my knowledge and against my wishes, and by illegally attempting to seize power in the State for themselves. . . . Although a number of men, such as Martin Bormann, Dr. Goebbels, etc., together with their wives, have joined me of their own free will and did not wish to leave the capital of the Reich under any circumstances, but were willing to perish with me here, I must nevertheless ask them to obey my request, and in this case set the interests of the nation above their own feelings. By their work and loyalty as comrades they will be just as close to me after death, as I hope that my spirit will linger among them and always go with them. Let them be hard but never unjust, but above all let them never allow fear to influence their actions, and set the honor of the nation above everything in the world. Finally, let them be conscious of the fact that our task, that of continuing the building of a National Socialist State, represents the work of the coming centuries, which places every single person under an obligation always to serve the common interest and to subordinate his own advantage to this end. I demand of all Germans, all National Socialists, men, women and all the men of the Armed Forces, that they be faithful and obedient unto death to the new government and its President. Above all I charge the leaders of the nation and those under them to scrupulous observance of the laws of race and to merciless opposition to the universal poisoner of all peoples, International Jewry. Given in Berlin, this 29th day of April 1945, 4:00 A.M. Adolf Hitler [Witnesses]Dr. Joseph GoebbelsWilhelm BurgdorfMartin BormannHans Krebs * Translated in the Office of United States Chief of Counsel for the Prosecution of Axis Criminality, Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1946-1948, vol. VI, pg. 260-263.

Competitor Analysis Master Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Competitor Analysis Master - Assignment Example Dolan, 1991). This will help the company n making the necessary modifications either to its product or its marketing strategy or both as & how the situation demands. Such an effective definition of the marketing strategy & the assessment of the degree of competition with the market may also be applied to the tourism industry as well. The present essay is an attempt on the same line to determine in brief about the various strategies & competitive policies that need to be worked out by any tourism sector to be able to offer healthy & stiff competition using many popular marketing models. Strategies are the long term goals that are set up by any business entity for the purpose of achieving the desired objectives in addition to the fulfillment of the needs & tastes of the customers. The concept of marketing is no exception to this fact and as such, any marketing activity should be effectively planned & implemented according to a well-defined strategy. A strategy is different from a tactic wherein the latter is mainly concerned with addressing the short term goals of the organization with regards to the a particular product or a specific market situation. As opposed to this, a strategy is usually devised for a long period that sometimes runs into months or even years for satisfying a major objective such as an expansion of the organization into new sectors, popularizing a new product that is proposed to be introduced into the market etc.In general, there are two major parts under strategic marketing: Assessing the competition in the market. Implementing the strategic action plan as part of the usual operations. The present markets are extremely competitive in nature. Therefore, there needs to be a consistent strategy in order to provide for a way to outclass other products that provide competition through effective marketing strategies. But, in addition to having a well-defined strategy that aims to take care of long term goals & ambitions, one also needs to have an action plan in place for everyday activities. In addition, one also needs to make sure that there are adequate resources for the purpose of being able to fulfill the desired objectives.The decision of the overall strategy & its planning are hugely influenced by the market condition & the organization's objectives. These considerations can be briefly classified as shown below (Coskun Samli, 1998): If the market is favourable & the organization occupies the best position, then the best option is to mobilize the best resources towards achieving organizational goals. If the market situation is favourable but the organization's place is a bit weaker in comparison to other industry players, then the goal of the strategists should be aimed at making the best offer towards improving & consolidating the place of the company in the market. In case the market is not favourable, but the organization is better placed in comparison to its competitors, then strategic marketing policies will ultimately work towards generating short-term profits. If both the market and the organization's situation are not satisfactory, then strategic marketing should be undertaken if & only if it is felt that the proposed initiative would be beneficial at least towards a part of the business entity.

Pensions and Redundancy Pay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pensions and Redundancy Pay - Essay Example The agenda of these consultations will include ways of avoiding redundancies or reducing the numbers affected, as well as disclosure of "the reasons for the redundanciesthe numbers and descriptions of those affectedthe proposed method of selecting those to be made redundanthow any redundancy payments better than the legal minimum will be worked out" (Trades Union Congress). Note that because in the first phase of redundancies 100 or more employees are likely to be made redundant over a period of 90 days or less, consultation must last at least 90 days. In the second phase of redundancies, if "20 to 99 employees to be made redundant over a period of 90 days or less, consultation must last at least 30 days" (Trades Union Congress). Concerning the company pension plan, the company will maintain pension plan commitments as previously defined. This is important for staff being made redundant and also for staff who remain with the company who see their pension rights being maintained. To achieve new lower staff levels, any staff over retirement age will be asked to retire. The company should however be aware of recommendations to "give a right to employees to request postponing retirement beyond 65 and a duty for the employer to consider these requests" (Confederation of British Industry). The company will propose that for redundancy pay the legal minimum is the preferred solution because it allows remaining jobs to be preserved. Also and for the reasons already mentioned, a "last-in, first-out" policy will be applied. Besides being consistent with the loyalty demonstrated by long-serving employees, the financial impact to the company will be minimised if redundancies are made to employees who joined the company more recently and who are typically younger. In particular, notice periods will be shorter and any negative effects on remaining staff minimised. Redundancy pay will be calculated to take account of length of service and current rate of pay and according to the legal minimum. This will be done with the financial department. The legal minimum for an employee who is made redundant will depend on the length of service, age and current pay of the employee concerned. The calculation is as follows: for employees over 41, for each complete year of employment after their 41st birthday, but before the age of 65, one and a half week's pay for employees aged 22-40, for each complete year of employment after their 22nd birthday, but before the age of 41, one week's pay for employees aged 18-21: for each complete year of employment while they were either 18, 19, 20 or 21, half a week's pay. These rules apply for employees with over two years of service with the company within a maximum of 20 years of service and pay levels up to a current weekly limit of 310 (Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform - BERR). The company should note that some organisations choose to offer more redundancy pay (World Bank) and should be prepared to justify its position in this case. Employees should note that no income tax is payable on a statutory redundancy payment. Pensions maintained with the company as deferrable pensions will be paid as an annuity rather than as a lump sum

Social Order Essay Example for Free

Social Order Essay Discuss the role of primary and secondary groups in the maintenance of social order and the emergence of deviance in Caribbean societies. Through the evolution of sociology as a discipline, several ‘big questions’ have dominated discourse in the subject. Such questions surround how social order is obtained and maintained in society as well as the factors that account for a movement away from the social order and engage in behaviour thought to be deviant. This discussion will seek to give an account of the treatment various sociologists have given to the issue of social order in society; and the role primary and secondary groups play in the maintenance of order. In the wake of such major revolutions as the French Revolution of 1789 as well as the Industrial Revolution that was also in progress in Europe, society as was conceived at the time experienced massive transformations. Questions arose that needed to be answered. â€Å"The types of questions these nineteenth-century thinkers sought to answer – what is human nature? Why is society structured like it is? How and why do societies change? – are the same questions sociologists try to answer today† (Giddens 1997). This statement further elucidates the central notion of this essay; that the problem of social order has always been at the forefront of the minds of sociologists. O’Donnell (1997) describes social order simply as â€Å"†¦a state in which social life – actions and interactions – can be conducted without major interruptions†. While there are breaches of the social order by and large collective life is able to happen without chaos. It is this relative uniformity in social action, on a macro level, that has pre-occupied the minds of sociologists for some time. A defining fact of human social life is that people will gravitate to each other in various ways. Macionis and Plummer (2008) defines a social group as â€Å"†¦two or more people who identify and interact with one another.† Social Groups range from married couples to friendship groups, to gangs, to churches, to multi- national corporations. Macionis Plummer (2008) go on to define a primary group as â€Å"†¦a small group whose members share personal and enduring relationships.† They argue that â€Å"†¦individuals in primary groups typically spend a great deal of time together, engage in a wide range of common activities and feel they know one another well.† Essentially, primary groups are small and – due to their size – they are able to allow members a considerable measure of familiarity. The opposite is true of secondary groups. These may be defined as â€Å"†¦large and impersonal social group[s] whose members pursue a specific interest or activity†¦Secondary relationships usually involve weak emotional ties and little personal knowledge of one another† (Macionis Plummer, 2008). Weaker social ties allow secondary groups to facilitate a much larger membership that would obtain in a primary group setting. By this token, we are able understand that membership in primary and secondary groups, serves to facilitate different needs. They achieve different ends in completely different ways. In primary groups, members define themselves in relation to who they are, while in secondary groups persons are defined in relation to what they offer and what the others receive in return. Before we can understand sources of deviance, we must understand order. Order becomes manifest when people conform to social norms and values. The social order is maintained through the presence and implementation of sanctions. A sanction is â€Å"†¦any response to a behaviour that serves to reinforce the norms of a society or social group.† Sanctions may be positive or negative. Positive sanctions or rewards, are implemented to encourage a desired behaviour, whereas negative sanctions are implemented to deter or discourage undesired behaviour. Social order is maintained by the work of the agents of social control. These include such social institutions as the family and the peer group, as well as the education system, religious institutions, the mass media as well as such institutions as the security forces and the justice system. As we become exposed to these institutions, we become aware of what our social group expects of us. We gradually learn what appropriate behaviour is and get an idea of the consequences of each. In this regard, we can better understand the practical framework within which properly ordered collective order happens. This question of how it is that humans are able to cooperate and engaged in structured behaviour is taken by this writer to be central to sociology, largely due to the fact that it manifests itself in the work of such writers as Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, Karl Marx, Max Weber and even W.E.B. Dubois. Emile Durkheim postulated that the basis of social order was, in fact, wide scale agreement and shared morality. Bilton et al (1981) states that Durkheim and fellow functionalist, Talcott Parsons, were talking about the same idea when they used the terms â€Å"collective conscience† and â€Å"value consensus† respectively. Essentially they were both suggesting that human beings submit to a set of social rules because they believe in their validity to a greater or lesser extent. The difference between them was that â€Å"†¦in Durkheim the source of this belief was society itself but in†¦Parsons, society is described as a social system† (Bilton et al, 19 81). Haralambos et al (2002) states that â€Å"†¦Durkheim assumes that society has certain functional prerequisites, the most important of which is the need for social order.† Haralmbos et al (2002) go on to further explain that, â€Å"without this consensus or agreement on fundamental moral issues, social solidarity would be impossible and individuals could not be bound together to form a social unit.† Parsons’ treatment of society as a social system has been seen as foundational to his other ideas, but the fact importance he placed on society as a social system was crucial to his broader understanding of social order and cannot be understated. This treatment of social order became central to functionalist writing, since common values produce common goals. This is largely because writers in the functionalist school posit that since society is a system of interrelated parts, there is a need for there to a certain amount of agreement in society in order to make the system work. Thus, from a functionalist perspective, social groups and institutions are effective in shaping social order by virtue of the ways in which they ensure conformity to the consensus on values that exists in society. The challenge with this functionalist analysis of order is that it presents a very idealistic and almost utopic picture of how society works. It suggests that we all come together because we happily agree upon a certain set of values there is no element of coercion or exploitation involved. Another perspective that gives a different treatment to the issue is that of the Marist school of thought. The work of Karl Marx presents a sharply contrasting picture of the order problem in society. Rather than seeing social order as the result of collective agreement and harmony in society, Marxist sociology presents a radical alternative to this view. Jessop (1999) highlights the importance of seeing Marx in a material determinist framework. He did not see society and its institutions as emerging from the wide scale on a set of values, beliefs and ideas. Rather, he saw the society as emerging from economic forces. Primacy was given to the economic system of society rather than the value system. A major argument postulated by Marx is that conflict emerges in society with the emergence of private ownership (Jessop 1998). For Marx, the bottom line behaviour of man is the pursuit of subsistence. Thus, in order to survive one must engage in some form of work. By working, we engage in different types of relationships with each other. Marx highlights two basic states of being; owners of the means of their production and owners of their labour. Essentially there are the haves and the have nots, the bourgeoisie and the proletariats. These, according to him, are the two basic classes of society. Marx postulates that it is the bourgeoisie who – by virtue of having control of the means of production – have ideological control over the society. They can therefore exert their idea of values, norms, etc on the wider society, seeing that the superstructure of society is biased in their favour. Although there is conflict in society, the effect of that conflict is sublimated as a result of ruling class dominance. Charon (1999) summarizes Marx’s take on the issue as suggesting that social order is maintained through force and manipulation of a subordinate class of people. From this perspective, we see that in society, it is possible for social groups to work to conspire to hold masses of people in check. The agents of social control represent the ruling class agenda and ideology. In this regard, some persons fall into deviance, because the ruling class agenda, which dictates what is acceptable or not, conspires against them. As such, it is the capitalist system that creates deviants, rather than the deviants themselves. Thus far, the writers examined have subscribed to a macro or structuralist approach to society and the individuals in it. They postulate ideas that suggest that the society creates the individuals and therefore emphasis is placed on understanding the work of social structures in maintaining social order. However, a large body of sociological work subscribes to a micro or interpretive approach. They suggest that the structuralist stance underestimates the abilities of the individual and treats them as less than autonomous beings. Conversely, interpretive theorists seek to understand structured, relatively uniform behaviour against the backdrop of humans being purposeful and rational beings. They do not merely seek to know that a behaviour has been committed, but more so, the interpretations of the meanings behind the behaviours in question. Max Weber, though influenced by Marx, was highly critical of his approach to understanding society. He did not subscribe to the one-sided idealism of functionalism, but at the same time, rejected the one-sided materialism of Marx. For him, both of these forces worked in tandem and were crucial in shaping social cohesion and change (Jessop 1998). He drew his analysis from his research into The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism† (1904) which explored the ways in which religious beliefs shaped the development of capitalist system while, at the same time emphasizing that the capitalist system could shape the course of religious beliefs. In rejecting the more structuralist approach, Weber presents the idea that society and the social order does not exist in isolation of the purposeful actions of the individuals in it. He suggests that it is individuals in interaction who give rise to a social structure. The social action approach to understanding behaviour relies heavily on the concept of rationality. He identified different types of rationality, namely: traditional, affective and value-free rationality and emphasized that societies progressed towards deeper more rational behaviour with development. According to Jessop, Weber saw social change as the rationalization of social life. This rationalization became culminated in the creation the bureaucracy in modern society. Thus far, the perspectives that have presented have been colour-blind in the examination of society. They have either presented a vision of society that is either too harmonious to fathom any idea of conflict and division or examined a conflict that emphasizes wealth-based conflict so far that it understates the presence of any other form of conflict that might be abundant in society. It can be argued no perspective best explains the dynamics of Caribbean social order on its own. As such, a more Caribbean perspective must be sought. M.G. Smith, in his seminal work, The Plural Society in the West Indies advanced the argument that the Caribbean societies are several cultures co-existing without blending to form one. Smith (1955) begins his analysis with the basic functionalist premise that society begins with shared values and common social institutions. As a functionalist, he sought to apply this basic principle to a diverse Caribbean cultural landscape with slaves, mulattoes and whites living alongside each-other. When Smith (1955) examined such social institutions as Family, Religion, Education and Economy, he concluded that there is no single collective value system among the three major cultural groups. Rather, he argued that each group had a value system of its own and that the Colonial system was responsible for holding the societies together. This idea of ‘cultural pluralism’ as he described it was quite popular in Caribbean thought for some time, as it helped to explain the divided and divisive of Caribbean social relations. Hence, through the work of M.G. Smith, we are better able to see how social order is in the Caribbean is achieved. On the other hand, other Caribbean writers in the structural functionalist tradition have disagreed with Smith. Edward Braithwaite (in Barrow and Reddock, 2002) argues that the Caribbean does indeed have a common value system. He posits that there has emerged in the region a common ascriptive base, upon which values are built. For instance, he believes that over time, blacks came to accept white dominance, as did the whites and, hence, the argument that there were absolutely no common values does not hold. He suggests that, while stark differences exist in the way cultural institutions are practiced by different sections of the society, it cannot be denied that underlying commonalities abound. Hence, from this perspective, we are again able to appreciate, another perspective of Caribbean order. Yet another Caribbean sociologist worth examining is Edward Kamau Brathwaite (1971). In his work, Creolisation in Jamaica, Brathwaite advances the argument that the cultures which were flung together and helped to shape Caribbean culture have indeed mixed, blended and fused to form one. In providing a working definition, Edward Kamau Brathwaite in, Creolisation in Jamaica (1971) states that creolisation is â€Å"†¦a cultural action – material, psychological, and spiritual – based upon the stimulus/response of individuals within the society to their environment and – as white/black †¦to each other.† As such, creolisation theory posits that when the Africans were thrown together in social arrangement with the Europeans, there was a cultural fusion and this fusion of cultural elements came to form something new. The assumption is that the two cultures were flung together but one was the ‘dominant’ culture (Europe) and the other was subo rdinate (Africa). Simple exposure to linguistics will explain that a ‘creole’ is a fusion of two or more languages to form a new one. In this way, the new language – though influenced by both – is neither of the pre-existent languages. For example, Haitian creole is heavily influenced by French, but is by no means understood by a native French speaker living in France. The point is that, when the process of creolisation takes place, a new social order is formed. Ken Pryce in Barrow Reddock (2004) questions whether or not ‘mainstream approaches’ to understanding order and deviance be readily applied to the Caribbean. As post-plantation societies, the Caribbean region has been shaped by the complex dynamics of its cultural experience. In his piece entitled, Towards a Caribbean Criminology he posits that Caribbean experience is complicated and hence, scholars must examine the peculiarities of the region and the ways in which social groups contribute to deviance in the culture. Pryce (in Barrow Reddock 2004) suggests that more attention must be placed on the lumpen proletariat class (as described by Karl Marx) and the ways in which they’ve been exploited by the capitalist class; resulting in a certain level of deviance. He also discusses the ways in which modernization of Caribbean societies has contributed to the modernization of deviance and crime in the locality. For his part, Anthony Harriot (in Barrow Reddock, 2004) critically analyzes the changing trends of crime and deviance in Jamaica. He highlights the trending down of property related crimes which have happened alongside a rise in violent crime. He also notes that the gun has increased in prominence in violent crimes over the last three decades. Harriot (in Barrow Reddock, 2004) focuses attention at two major sources of violent crime in Jamaica. These are ‘domestic violence’ and ‘gang violence’. These two categories have accounted for the overwhelming majority of violent crimes (particularly murders) in Jamaica. What this reveals is that, membership in primary groups, in which persons are familiar with each other, does not exclude one from perpetuating and being the victims of violence. Domestic violence takes place among persons who share familial bonds. Couples and wider family members are often the perpetrators as well as the victims of deviant activity. Similarly, gang violence in has been cited in annual statistics are the largest contributor to violent crime statistics. In the final analysis, it is beyond doubt that groups – both small and large – are fundamental to human social experience. We turn to them for a sense of collective identity and belonging. Because of this reality, social groups help to promote social cohesion, solidarity and facilitate social order. However, while group life is instrumental in preserving order in society, it is also a fact that social groups do contribute to deviant behaviour in societies everywhere. References †¢ †¢ Barrow, C. and Reddock, R. Caribbean Sociology  © 2002 Bilton, T., Bonnet, K.,Jones, P., Stanworth, M., Introduction to Sociology,  © 1981 Macmillan Publishers, Londin †¢ †¢ †¢ Coser, Lewis, Key Sociological Thinkers,  © 1977 Chevannes, B. Rastafari: Roots and Ideology,  © 1995 Giddens, Anthony, Sociology (3rd Ed.)  © 1999 Blackwell Publishers, Cambridge †¢ Giddens, Anthony, What is Sociology? A Definition and Some Preliminary Considerations,  © 1986 Macmillan Publishers, London. †¢ Haralambos, M. and Holborn, M. Sociology: Themes and Perspectives  © 2004. †¢ Macionis, J. and Plummer, K., Sociology: A Global Introduction,  © 2008 Prentice Hall.

Gene-the Character Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Gene-The Character Analysis Gene, one of the main characters in the book, has a complex personality with lots of conflicts and a struggle to find himself or, in other words, his own identity. Throughout the book, we come across acts and thoughts of Gene envying Phineas. Although he mentions that he’s glad having a boy like Phineas as a roommate and best friend in several places among the book, it’s clear that he has a feeling in himself against Phineas even he can’t describe himself. At the beginning and the first chapters of the book, Gene shows a very weak character accepting everything that’s offered to him by Phineas, not considering any other facts like his studies or anything he’s responsible of doing like the night he spent with Phineas in the Ocean when he couldn’t study for his trigonometry exam and almost missed it. Gene lacks self control until the last chapters of the book unlike Phineas who has a total control of himself and is pleased with the way he lives his life. Gene complains about the way of his life with Phineas and sometimes thinks Phineas is affecting his life in a bad way consciously whereas it’s his own fault not wording his thoughts to Phineas. Gene is never sure himself in many occasions and what his own properties are. He always thinks Phineas is good at everything and doesn’t give a second thought to what he is himself, a very successful student with a fine ability in sports. He becomes aware of his academic abilities when Phineas tells him s...