Graphics Communications Industry Essay Example for Free

Graphics Communications Industry Essay Graphics Communications Industry, according to the College of Technology at the University of Houston, is defined as the processes and industries that create, develop, produce, and disseminate products utilizing or incorporating words or pictorial images to convey information, ideas, and feelings. Its products make possible learning, enjoyment, enthusiasm, and business. These products like books, magazine, maps, invitation, etc. are part of people’s daily life. Graphic Communications includes those market sectors that exploit the technologies of printing, publishing, packaging, electronic imaging, and other associated industries. They are often referred to as the graphic arts, print, or imaging industries. Graphic communication companies are entrepreneurial and innovative. Ideas are created on the computer and carried through different stages that can include the Internet as well as printed forms of several types and variations. Due to the emerging technological advances, companies in the business have expanded services such as creative design, e-commerce, web page design and hosting, mailing, fulfillment, and a multitude of services that provide parallel marketing beyond the major printing activity. (Education Summit for the Graphic Arts 1) The field of Graphic Communications is obviously a technology-based system. It includes the developing technologies of computer-age press, image generation, data repurposing, designing and posting internet web pages, interactive multimedia, digital photography, electronic digital imaging, and desktop publishing. Furthermore, it offers a lot of career opportunities. Thus, it contributes a lot to the economy. It needs millions of people in a range of challenging technical, creative, or professional activities. They vary from small companies with a few workers to large plants with several hundred people on multiple shifts. Almost all companies have acquired modern computerized equipment and stay updated with technology changes taking place in the industry. The top ten leading states in total number of graphic communication employees are California, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Michigan. (Education Summit for the Graphic Arts 1) REFERENCES: â€Å"Graphic Communications Industry. † (2006). College of Technology, University of Houston. 7 April 2009 †¹http://graphics. tech. uh. edu/industry/industry. php†º â€Å"The GraphicCommunication Industry: A Quick Overview. † (April, 2008). Education Summit for the Graphic Arts. 7 April 2009 †¹http://teched. vt. edu/gcc/HTML/CareerInfo/PDFs/GraphicCommunicationOverview. pdf†º

Inter Generational Theory Of Abuse Psychology Essay

Inter Generational Theory Of Abuse Psychology Essay The inter-generational theory of abuse is a widely accepted notion by professionals and lay people alike. This theory suggests that children exposed to physical, emotional or sexual abuse will subject their offspring to a one of these forms of maltreatment. However, the evidence that undermines this theory is too large to ignore. The evidence that supports this hypothesis refers to abused children becoming juvenile delinquents and the identification of the child with the abuser. Methodological problems, generalizability issues and low validity of the experiments conducted undermined the plausibility and truth in the hypothesis. Another strong factor is the protective factors and predisposition of abused children, who break the cycle of abuse which is more common than thought. In this essay I will discuss the evidence both for and against the hypothesis. Kaufman and Zigler (1987) found that the papers written on studies of inter-generational abuse assert validity without proper evidence because their primary sources of information are unreliable. These studies rely largely on case studies, agency records, clinical interviews, self-report questionnaires. An example of case studies was those mostly done with parents whose children were in hospital for non-accidental injuries (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). Most of these parents reported histories of abuse, but because there were methodological problems (such as limited control measures) the generalizability of the findings is not possible. Agency records also had many of the same limitations. The representative samples, comparison subjects and formal definitions of abuse differed. The omissions in agency records were rarely recorded. Clinical interviews are valuable for generating hypotheses about inter-generational theory but they lacked comparison groups and definitions were far from legal criteria (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). Self-report questionnaires lacked the exploration of the statistical relationships among determinants of abuse (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). Egeland Jacobvitzs observed that the history of abuse could not be separated from influence of poverty, stress and social isolation on parenting behavior. They also noted that the broader the definition is, the greater the apparent link becomes in the inter-generational hypothesis thus make the validity of the collected data low (Kaufman Zigler, 1987). According to Langeland and Dijkstra (1995) the variations of definitions of abuse cause considerable variation of the rates of transmission. They concur that due to bad methodologies making generalizations from the information is problematic. They also highlight the need to study both mothers and fathers (because they have clinical and theoretical relevance), which isnt always the case. Langeland and Dijkstra (1995) show how many studies only examine one child (e.g. Goodwin et al., 1981; Main Goldwyn, 1984; Altemeier et al., 1986; Egeland et al., 1988; Pianta et al., 1989; Burkett, 1991; Boyer Fine, 1992; Caliso Milner, 1992; Herzog et al. 1992; as cited in Langeland and Dijkstra; 1995) and suggest researchers need to look at wider family context (that is brothers, father, grandparents, aunts and cousins). Widom (1989) highlights that the methodological problems play a role in the misrepresentation and overestimation of the actual statistics related to the inter-generational theory. In Widoms review of the literature, she also emphasizes the over dependence on self-report, inadequate documenting of childhood abuse, and the infrequent use of control groups. According to Widom researchers should make a clearer distinction between abused and neglected children because the differences in consequences are significant the information collected overlaps and distorts the results. Widom thus suggests the need for better rating scales for studies, and the need for a greater methodological awareness and refinement. Protective Factors and Predispositions Kaufman and Zigler (1987) observed that some parents (with a history of abuse) became abusive parents whereas other did not. Hunter and Kilstrom (as cited in Kaufman Zigler, 1987) attributed this to the individuals having: extensive social support (e.g. therapy); fewer undecided feelings about being pregnant, they were openly angry about the abuse they endured, and their babies were healthier. Another study by Egeland and Jacobvitz (as cited in Kaufman Zigler, 1987) found mediating factors to be that one parent/foster parent was loving and caring towards the abused child, the abused had an emotionally supportive spouse, they also had fewer current stressful life events and they had a greater awareness of history of abuse and had come to terms with it. This study provides information on the interrelationships (etiology of abuse and other influences) of the many determinants of a parents behavior. Langeland and Dijkstra (1995) also found that many abused children manage to break the cycle of inter-generational abuse. They emphasize the factors that protect/buffer the transmission. Belsky (1980, as cited in Langeland and Dijkstra, 1995) says there are multiple factors at work that cause abuse such as: the individual (personality of parents); familial (the home/family environment e.g. marital relationship); community (formal informal social structures e.g. neighborhood and other family); cultural (societal expectations and attitudes). However, Belsky (1980, as cited in Langeland and Dijkstra) says the interaction of risk and protective factors are important because they effect likelihood of transmission of abuse between generations. Garbarino Gilliam (1980, as cited in Widom, 1989) reiterates that other life events or the predisposition of the child (e.g. natural abilities, physiological predispositions, and social supports) will protect them from the effects of abuse. Deliquency and Identification Kaufman and Zigler (1987) commented on the many other factors that contribute to abuse. Children may find themselves in similar social or relationship conditions (or have long lasting effects of child abuse) that led their parents to be abusive to them as children and cope in the same way. Quinton and Rutter (1988) reiterate that abuse occurs for many reasons namely: substantial social and environmental hardships and a constellation of psycho-social difficulties. It is noted that children may have the same or similar situations as their parents and cycle continues because of the same outside influences. They found that abuse can lead to: personality disorders, alcoholism, and criminality all of which are associated with abuse. Sir Keith Joseph (1972, as cited in Quinton and Rutter, 1988) said poor parenting is a central mechanism for encouraging inter-generational transmission of family problems (that is children learn from their parents). Men that were imprisoned for violence against children were found to have come from large families where abuse was common (Gibbens Walker, 1956; Scott, 1973, as cited in Quinton and Rutter, 1988) and women accused with child-battering were associated with unhappy, loveless and traumatic childhoods (Lukiarowitz, 1971 as cited in Quinton and Rutter, 1988). Quinton and Rutter (1988) noted that the vulnerabilities deriving from exposure to poor parenting can lead to them being abusive (e.g. depression is known to be associated with abuse). Widom (1989) emphasized that the immediate consequences of child abuse are physical injuries or emotional trauma but that the emotional and developmental scars may persist thus leading to the likelihood of inter-generational transmission of abuse. McCall Shields (1986, as cited in Widom, 1989) highlighted the context of violence in culture. Accordingly the approval of such behaviors legitimizes and reinforces the use of violence (Gil, 1973; Huggius Straus, 1980; Steinmetz, 1977; as cited in Widom, 1989) which in turn instigates the high degree of acceptance of violence in culture (R.A. Stark McEvoy, 1970 as cited in Widom, 1989). It is therefore not too difficult to deduce that learning to become violent through normal childrearing experiences might be transmitted from generation to generation (Goldstein, 1986; as cited in Widom, 1989). The social learning of a child and the witnessing/victims of physical and emotional aggression become a model for the child that violence is appropriate in the home (Bandua, 1973; Feshbach, 1980; as cited in Widom, 1989). Straus et al. (1980, as cited in Widom, 1989) suggest that each generation of abusive parents learns to be violent by being a participant in a violent home. Other evidence suggests that abuse leads to aggressive behavior, depression, withdrawal and self-punishing behavior all of which lead to abusive behavior which would suggest that the cycle of abuse can be and is transmitted. It is also suggested that abuse may lead to becoming an abusive parent, a delinquent, or a violent criminal (Widom, 1989). McCord (1983) did a study on abused, neglected, rejected, and loved boys. She found that 45% of the abused and neglected boys ended up being convicted for serious crimes, becoming alcoholics, suffering a mental illness, and/or died unusually young. Their parents were found to have been similar. Other researchers Rocklin and Lavetts (1987) research has demonstrated that identity formation (process by which a child incorporates aspects of a significant other) adds to inter-generational transmission. This is because they form these identifications as a coping mechanism rather than actual identity. However, the identification can persist and is often seen to be used later in life. Conclusion It is clear that being abused puts people at risk of being abusive towards their offspring but it is not the only factor and the path is not direct. There are many protective factors that buffer the adverse effects of abuse, which often breaks the cycle of abuse. The methodological limitations of most experiments (and lack of control measures) have lead to misleading representations of the statistics, and the inter-generational transmission of false facts (Widom, 1989). However the persistent acceptance of the inter-generational theory seems to have undermined many studies as well. The risk factors and society in which a child learns from seems to cause abuse and the transmission from generation to generation. In conclusion abuse is not necessarily transmitted from generation to generation, because there are many protective factors and the path is not direct. The past and present influence the likelihood of abused children becoming abusive parents, not just the possibility of the int er-generational abuse occurring.

Diversity Incident Analysis :: essays research papers

Diversity Incident Analysis For this assignment, I chose to analyze the diversity incident that is related to multiculturalism. It’s the first case scenario in the exercises section of chapter 9. The case is related to a Mexican immigrant that has been using his available sick days to take his wife to the doctor, even though she is not ill; they are only going for regularly scheduled physical exams. This case involves multiculturalism, and it shows us how, by employing immigrant workers, an organization can start having all kinds of problems when the right policies and procedures regarding diversity and multicultural environments are not in place. â€Å"One of the difficulties of accommodating multiculturalism is that defining a multicultural society or institution seems to be determined by one's perspective. A commonly held view suggests that being multicultural involves tolerance towards racial and ethnic minorities, mainly in the areas of dress, language, food, religious beliefs, and other cultural manifestations.† Most organizations nowadays have to deal with multiculturalism in one way or another. The globalization phenomenon has reached most of the civilized world, and organizations that don’t understand or don’t realize multicultural workforces are the way of the future are going to be displaced and left behind. This case in particular involves a person using his sick days to take his wife to the doctor, even for just a scheduled check-up. Although company policy states that sick days may only be used for the illness of an employee or the illness of a member of his/her immediate family, this is a case where multiculturalism in the workplace plays a big role. Due to the fact that in the Mexican culture it’s the husband’s responsibility to take care of the well being of his wife and family, the employee sees his behavior as normal or allowed. On the other hand, the employee’s supervisor, a white male, sees the situation as a violation of the company policy and wants to take further action. But, what is the company’s human resources department supposed to do? In my opinion, the company should create a more detailed policy regarding sick days, one that takes into account the many different cultural factors that may affect the organization based on the diversity of the ir workforce. If a better detailed and ‘fair-to-all’ policy is put in place, little problems like this would be less frequent or inexistent. It’s the company’s responsibility to modify, add or create policies that are more inclusive and that can be interpreted in a way that seems fair to all participants, being employees, stakeholders and/orients.

Emotional Branding Essay -- Marketing

Introduction The notion of branding as we have come to know it has evolved noticeably over the years as transformations within marketplace have opened up doors for innovative branding approaches and contributions,in addition to this one could arguably say that most of these changes can be attributed to a shift within the mindset of the consumer as the emergence of various segments and target markets has brought about a new set of demands and expectations when it comes to effectively creating and sustaining profitable relationships between a brand and its desired consumer . One cannot deny the fact the proceedings leading up to the present decade have played a role in the visible shift from an industrially driven economy to a one where the consumers are placed in the drivers seat. That being said the branding landscape has become increasingly competitive as new brands and products are being launched frequently thus making it difficult for brands to not only connect with consumers but to also distinguish what differentiates them. As a result brands are now left with the task of finding new methods of gaining favour amongst their desired consumers in order to create meaningful connections. â€Å"We are clearly dealing with a completely different set of values today than 5 years ago. Speed has replaced stability; intangible assets have become more valuable than tangible objects. The traditional supply and demand economic models are being completely revaluated.†(Gobà ©, 2001) In aid of this Author Kevin Roberts describes the journey from products to trademarks to consumers to brands a series of steps that have a profound effect on how businesses deal with consumers and how people deal with brands. In his book Lovemarks: The ... ... Bibliography : http://www.mikesaunders.com/2011/02/28/generation-y-in-south-africa-a-short-study/ Cook, G; Erwin, K; Carmody, P; Enslin, C (2010) How healthy is your brand?, in The Encyclopedia of Brands and Branding 2010, (pending publication) Gobe, M. 2001. Emotional branding : The new paradigm for connecting brands to people. New York: Allworth Press Howe, N; & Strauss, W (2007) â€Å"The Next Twenty Years: How Customer and Workforce Attitudes Will Evolve†. Harvard Business Review . July–August ed, p. 41-52. Roberts , K ( 2005 Lovemarks: The future of beyond brands Howe, Neil; Strauss, William 2000. Millennials Rising. New York: Vintage Books. http://thinking-brands.blogspot.com/2009/10/customer-based-brand-equity-model-cbbe.html Cyndi green glass http://www.dmsolutions.com/blog/get-emotional-about-your-branding/ March 14, 2012

The Ill-Posed Executive Essays -- Economy Economics Business Essays

The Ill-Posed Executive "The nineteenth-century legal scholar Schultes described public trust rights as 'unalienable.' He explained that 'things which relate to the public good cannot be given, sold, or transferred by the King to another person'" (Cronin and Kennedy 142). More specifically, the "things" Schultes refers to are property common to all citizens of the world including, but by no means limited to, the air, the land, and the water. While the vast majority of humankind would agree in principle with Schultes's concerns, regulations on the use of particular natural bodies understood as public property are no longer strongly enforced. Upholding such rules is simply no longer a conscious priority among busy people. Most of us are concerned with our immediate self-interest both economically and politically, and we tend to ignore long-term environmental injustices unless those infringements affect us directly. Although we are quick to identify and criticize irresponsibility on the parts of violators, our concern rarely compels us to retaliate against wrongdoers and correct the wrongs. Our neglect is being made apparent to us in essays regarding environmental issues. Nearly every author has an opinion on the environmental malpractice of corporations and their representatives, but even these critics fail to offer a strategy for curbing the negligence of business firms. This failure encourages an attitude of hopelessness among the environmentally concerned members of society and reminds us that a long overdue effort to uncover answers is in order. We need go no further than the source of the problem to find a workable solution: Corporations must hold themselves responsible to the public trust. Regardless of the greater p... ...ublic trust will be violated. Works Cited Cronin, John and Robert Kennedy. "King John to General Electric." The Riverkeepers. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Friedman, Milton. "The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits." Cases and Readings in Markets, Ethics and Law. Ed. Bruce S. Buchanan, Robert Boyd Lamb, and Roy C. Smith. Needham Heights: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Hoy, Pat C. "Leadership." Sewanee Review. Vol. C, Num. 3. Summer 1992. Machiavelli, Niccolo. "The Qualities of a Prince." A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford, 1998. Reich, Robert B. "A Shareholder, And a Citizen." The New York Times. 5 November 1999. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "Wal-Mart Reports Record Sales and Earnings for Quarter and Year." 15 February 2000 <http:// www.walmartstores.com/newsstand/ archive/prf_000215_1999_4thqtr. shtml>. The Ill-Posed Executive Essays -- Economy Economics Business Essays The Ill-Posed Executive "The nineteenth-century legal scholar Schultes described public trust rights as 'unalienable.' He explained that 'things which relate to the public good cannot be given, sold, or transferred by the King to another person'" (Cronin and Kennedy 142). More specifically, the "things" Schultes refers to are property common to all citizens of the world including, but by no means limited to, the air, the land, and the water. While the vast majority of humankind would agree in principle with Schultes's concerns, regulations on the use of particular natural bodies understood as public property are no longer strongly enforced. Upholding such rules is simply no longer a conscious priority among busy people. Most of us are concerned with our immediate self-interest both economically and politically, and we tend to ignore long-term environmental injustices unless those infringements affect us directly. Although we are quick to identify and criticize irresponsibility on the parts of violators, our concern rarely compels us to retaliate against wrongdoers and correct the wrongs. Our neglect is being made apparent to us in essays regarding environmental issues. Nearly every author has an opinion on the environmental malpractice of corporations and their representatives, but even these critics fail to offer a strategy for curbing the negligence of business firms. This failure encourages an attitude of hopelessness among the environmentally concerned members of society and reminds us that a long overdue effort to uncover answers is in order. We need go no further than the source of the problem to find a workable solution: Corporations must hold themselves responsible to the public trust. Regardless of the greater p... ...ublic trust will be violated. Works Cited Cronin, John and Robert Kennedy. "King John to General Electric." The Riverkeepers. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Friedman, Milton. "The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits." Cases and Readings in Markets, Ethics and Law. Ed. Bruce S. Buchanan, Robert Boyd Lamb, and Roy C. Smith. Needham Heights: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Hoy, Pat C. "Leadership." Sewanee Review. Vol. C, Num. 3. Summer 1992. Machiavelli, Niccolo. "The Qualities of a Prince." A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford, 1998. Reich, Robert B. "A Shareholder, And a Citizen." The New York Times. 5 November 1999. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "Wal-Mart Reports Record Sales and Earnings for Quarter and Year." 15 February 2000 <http:// www.walmartstores.com/newsstand/ archive/prf_000215_1999_4thqtr. shtml>.

Strategic Position Review of Michael Hill Jewelers in New Zealand

Michael Hill Jewellers (MHJ) is one of the most recognizable names in the New Zealand retail jewellery industry. In 1979, Michael Hill opened his first store in Whangerei. Until then, jewellery stores had been run primarily by craftsmen jewellers. Michael Hill changed this with the philosophy â€Å"to make jewellery buying less intimidating and more accessible to the public.† In order for any company to succeed, it has to take a look at the environment in which it operates. This is why an external environmental analysis is so important. This involves a continuous process of scanning, monitoring, forecasting, and assessing the external environment. Doing so will illuminate any opportunities to be exploited or threats to minimize. The first step in the analysis is environmental scanning which is identifies any trends or changes which are occurring or have recently occurred in the environment. Once identified, the company can then strategise and react in order to exploit the phen omenon. Three useful tools in an environmental analysis are a PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and Strategic Grouping. Utilising these tools, an environmental scan of the jewellery industry will be performed. PESTEL AnalysisPoliticalMany of the raw materials for the jewellery industry can originate in countries that have political instability. Of the top five diamond producing countries, Canada is the most politically stable, with minimal probability of any mining disruption due to war. The other four are a different situation. Russia is still in a state of internal turmoil regarding Chechnya and other breakaway nations, while Botswana, Angola and Congo are all in a constant risk of war both from within and from neighbouring war-torn countries. A war in any of the above countries would cause a considerable loss in production and have a significant impact on the jewellery industry worldwide.EconomicThe entire jewellery industry relies on commodities such as gold, platinu m and silver in order to manufacture their product. This can create a problem as the prices of commodities can fluctuate drastically. For example, from 1982 to 2005 gold prices remained relatively stable. From 2005 to 2011 it nearly quadrupled in value. This price increase for the raw material will  be passed on to the consumer causing a price increase in the end product. Conversely, if the price of the commodity drops it would be expected that the price of the finished product would reflect this.SocialIn recent years, it has become more important to consumers to purchase products that have been produced ethically. In the jewellery industry, one of the most prominent ethical issues is the use of blood or conflict diamonds. These diamonds are mined and sold by African rebel forces in order to finance their wars in Angola and Sierra Leone. There has been a certification system instituted that lets the consumer know the origin of the diamond that they are looking at purchasing. Consu mers can now ask the jeweller to see the certificate of origin for their diamond. Jewellers must now be aware of this and ensure that they buy only ethically obtained diamonds in order to fulfil this request.TechnologicalThe internet allows consumers to select and purchase any piece of jewellery they desire online. A large number of jewellers have online stores or use websites such as amazon.com and ebay.com to reach their customers. It is important for the jewellers to recognise that their clientele are no longer limited geographically and can easily find and in some cases import items that may not be readily available in that region.EnvironmentalBusinesses are starting to become more aware of the impact that their own production processes have on the environment and are looking for ways to reduce this. The gold mined to produce jewellery is not always extracted with the most environmentally sound methods. Up to 15% of the world’s gold is produced using artisanal and small s cale gold mining, the single largest demand sector for mercury. Virtually all of this mercury is dumped directly back into the environment causing havoc on the surrounding ecosystems. The jewellery industry needs to ensure that they purchase raw materials from only environmentally sustainable mining companies.Legal Due to the size of some of the companies in the jewellery industry along with the large sums of money and power that accompanies it, there are strict  antitrust laws in place. The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international organisation set up to oversee and protect the jewellery industry from various practices. This council has set up antitrust policies in order to protect its members. Industry Environment Analysis – Porter’s Five ForcesPorter’s Five Forces model is used to evaluate the degree of rivalry between competitors in a given industry through assessing the four forces that lead to this outcome. These forces are the threat of new entr ants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, and the threat of substitute products.Threat of New EntrantsIs the ease in which a new company can start into the retail jewellery industry. It is not difficult to start a jewellery store as the only requirements are start up capital and a premises. There are many small sole trader jewellery shops in New Zealand to attest to this. Therefore, the threat of new entrants is: HIGH Bargaining Power of SuppliersIs the control that suppliers have over the pricing and distribution of their products across the jewellery industry. Once the wholesalers have sold their products to the retailers, the retailers can sell for any price they deem appropriate. There are many wholesalers in the industry, many based in Asia, giving the retailer alternative suppliers if the price is not right. Therefore the bargaining power of suppliers is: LOW Bargaining Power of BuyersIs the power belonging to the customer to choose to shop at a store. As there are many jewellery stores to choose from, many of which seem to have sales on every week, the customer can decide not only to shop elsewhere, but even try to haggle for a discount. Therefore the bargaining power of buyers is: HIGHThreat of SubstitutesIs the probability that a consumer will purchase something else. Since jewellery is a luxury item and not a necessity, consumers will choose to spend their income on many thing before jewellery even makes the list. Not only do necessities come first, but other luxury items may be higher on the list of things to purchase like golf clubs or bicycles. Therefore the threat of substitutes is: HIGH Degree of RivalryIs the level of competition within the industry. Even though only three out of the four forces were identified as high, the retail jewellery industry is still extremely competitive. The one anomaly was the power of suppliers and the only reason that was low is because the suppliers operate in such a competitive stat e as well, giving more bargaining power to their customers, the retailers. Therefore the degree of rivalry is: HIGH Strategic GroupingA competitor analysis compares a company against each direct competitor. It relies on four key areas for comparison. These are future objectives, current strategy, assumptions, and capabilities. By looking at these concepts a response can be formulated and the company can create a strategy. The closest competitor of Michael Hill is Pascoes. They have similar strategy with pricing and target market. Walker and Hall aims at a higher level with more designer items and craftsmen in store. Partridge Jewellers is a contrast to Michael Hill with only the best brands and handmade jewellery in their stores in only four select high end shopping districts in New Zealand.ConclusionThrough a PESTEL analysis, an industry environmental analysis and a strategic grouping map, the retail jewellery industry can be evaluated. The PESTEL analysis showed various trends tha t may have an effect on the industry while the industry environmental analysis showed that the competitive rivalry in the industry is quite high. The strategic grouping map illustrated that the company itself shares a target market with few other large companies but does not display the hundreds of other smaller independent firms that offer similar services.What has been learned in this assessment is that Michael Hill has cornered the jewellery retailing industry in New Zealand and has bucked the financial trend by being one of the companies on the NZX to make large gains during the recession. Through low prices, Friedman Group staff training, and a good understanding of their industry environment, they have  become one of the leading retailers in New Zealand.

Quality of Care Essay

STANDARD 1. Safeguarding and Child Protection Children are safeguarded through systems and practices that are consistent with the Regional Child Protection Policies and Procedures. Safeguarding children is afforded the highest priority. To meet Standard1 : â€Å"A designated child protection officer must be available at all times during the hours of service provision for contact and consultation with staff and to offer instruction, advice and support to staff and this officer’s details should be available to parents and carers. As I will be stepping up to a leaders post, I need to avail of this training asap. Section 2 – Quality of Staffing, Management and Leadership The quality of staffing, management and leadership impacts directly and indirectly on children’s care. Strong, competent and effective management means efficient running of a setting and high standards set for others. Staff who are happy in their role, secure in the knowledge of their responsibiliti es and well-trained to deal with all aspects of their job provide an environment where children can thrive. A culture of professional, reflective practice and a willingness to challenge practice is vital. A whole-team approach and ownership of the setting is key to ensuring a safe, high-quality service for children, parents and families. STANDARD 10. Management and Monitoring Arrangements There are effective and efficient management and monitoring arrangements in the setting to support the work of staff and the care of children. To meet Standard 10: A record of the name and telephone numbers of the registered person is maintained and a contact point is made available for parents. The manager/person in charge provides monitoring reports to the Registered person at least quarterly to facilitate the regular review of the quality of the service. Not all settings will have a management committee, but where they are in place, members’ and Trustees’ roles and responsibilities must be made explicit in writing and audited to ensure adherence to expected standards.