Analysis of the Story Doctor in the House Essay Example for Free

Analysis of the Story Doctor in the House Essay The story to be analyzed is entitled â€Å"Doctor in the house† written by Richard Gordon. He also wrote several novels and screenplays dealing with practice of medicine. The extract is about passing oral and written exams on medicine. The author describes the way how the main character passed his examinations. He considered it to be death. A lot of images can be found in the text. They create atmosphere of a contest, a court, musical playing. The author emphasizes the inevitability of meeting Secretary to hear the sentence In 1952, he left medical practice and took up writing full time. He has an uncredited role as an anesthesiologist in the movie Doctor in the House. The early Doctor novels, set in the fictitious St Swithins, a teaching hospital in London, were initially witty and apparently autobiographical; later books included more sexual innuendo and farce. The novels were very successful in Britain in Penguin paperback during the 1960s and 1970s. Richard Gordon also contributed to Punch magazine and has published books on medicine, gardening, fishing and cricket. The film adaptation of Doctor in the House was released in 1954, two years after the book, while Doctor at Sea came out the following year with Brigitte Bardot. Dirk Bogarde starred as Dr. Simon Sparrow in both. The later spin-off TV series were often written by well-known British comic performers. Doctor in the House begins with the lead protagonist getting into a fictional medical college in London, St. Swithins. He collects a handful of faithful friends, including Grimsdyke, whose main aim to remain an eternal student as his aunt has left a large legacy in his name, for the duration of his course (as the funds will cease once he qualifies, he prefers to fail every examination). The book goes through the trials and tribulations of their college lives-sports, studies, spats with teachers and love affairs. Snippets like using a human skull as an ash-tray and trying to weasel out of tight situations in examinations will strike a chord not only in every doctor and medical student, but also in anyone who has ever attempted an examination! In one of my favourite incidents, Simon (the hero) is asked to check a patient’s eyes with an ophthalmoscope. He says ’’I always intended to find out how this thing worked, but never got around to doing it’’ Further, on checking the patient’s eyes, his comment was that ’’it looked like fishes swimming in an aquarium full of murky water.’’ Luckily for him, he was able to wriggle out of the situation by a simple trick, and eventually passed the examination! The book is full of incidents like that, and will keep you laughing page after page. When I finished the book, I felt a vague disappointment that it was over so soon! There is a little flirting, but nothing that even an adolescent reader’s mother would censor. Hindi films are a lot worse!! So if you havent been exposed to Richard Gordon yet, this is a good time to start. This is the original book in the Doctor in the House series and deals with his medical training. The Doctor books were written as memoirs, a fiction continued by the author and main characters name being the same. In reality, Dr. Richard Gordon Dr. Gordon Ostlere, a highly-qualified surgeon and anaethetist and contemporary of my uncle who was a reknowned anaethestist himself but I didnt know that at the time. Humourous stories of young doctors at medical school. A series of films were based on the Doctor books, and a television series as well. This one was first published in 1952. Product Description Richard Gordons acceptance into St Swithans medical school came as no surprise to anyone, least of all him after all, he had been to public school, played first XV rugby, and his father was, lets face it, a St Swithans man. Surely he was set for life. It was rather a shock then to discover that, once there, he would actually have to work, and quite hard. Fortunately for Richard Gordon, life proved not to be all dissection and textbooks after allThis hilarious hospital comedy is perfect reading for anyone whos ever wondered exactly what medical students get up to in their training. Just dont read it on your way to the doctors! About the Author Richard Gordon is best-known for his hilarious Doctor books and the long-running television series they inspired. Himself a qualified doctor, he worked as an anaesthetist, ships surgeon and then as assistant editor of the British Medical Journal before leaving medical practice in 1952 to take up writing full time. Many of his books are based on these experiences in the medical profession and are all told with the rye wit and candid humour that have become his hallmark.

Psychology in Films: Shawshank Redemption Personality Theory

Psychology in Films: Shawshank Redemption Personality Theory Eleanor Rutherford Engler (2013) describes â€Å"personality as an organised and dynamic set of characteristics, that an individual possesses, which influences their cognition,emotions, behaviour, motivations andenvironment. Krauskopf (1999) provides a wider definition in that â€Å"personality† refers to the patterns of thoughts, feelings, behaviours and social adjustments, which are consistently exhibited over time that intensely influences the expectations, self-perceptions, values, and attitudes of the individual. It can also predict an individual’s reactions to problems, stress and other people. There are many theories which aim to understand and explain personality; these include trait, perspective, psychodynamic, humanistic, biological, behaviourist, evolutionary and social learning (Maltby, Day Macaskill, 2010). This essay will examine, using the Five Factor model trait theory (Costa McCrae,1995) and Carl Rogers (1957) humanistic theory, the character of Andy Dufresne in the film† The Shawshank Redemption† (Marvin Darabont, 1994) and evaluate which provides the best account of his behaviour. The Big Five personality traits are the five wide-ranging domains that are used to describe personality. Previously other trait theorist had suggested various numbers of possible traits, these included Allports4,000 personality traits, Cattells 16 personality factors and Eysencks three-factor. However, many viewed Cattells theory as too complex and Eysencks in contrast was too limited. As a result of this, the five-factor theory emerged which describes the basic traits employed as the building blocks of personality. These factors are extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. Each consists of more specific primary factors; for example, extraversion includes warmth, activity, excitement-seeking, positive emotions, gregariousness and assertiveness. The Big Five model accounts for different personality traits without overlapping. Research demonstrates that the Big Five are consistent in observations, interviews and self-descriptions. Additionally, the fiv e-factor structure appears throughout a widespread range of participants of different cultures and age groups (Maltby et al., 2010). Rogers’ theory suggests that people have an actualising propensity, or desire to achieve their full potential, referred to as self-actualisation. Rogers stated that a fully-functioning person is someone who is perpetually striving toward becoming self-actualized. This person has been the recipient of unconditional positive regard from others, places no conditions on their own worth, capably expressing feelings, and is open to the many experiences offered by life. Upon self-actualisation they would become a fully functioning person living what he referred to as the good life. Which means the person would maintain a healthy psychological outlook, trust their feelings and there would be congruence in their lives between experience and self. Rogers believed that people are aware of what is causing the psychological imbalance in their lives and that deep down inside they know which actions are required to fully functioning people. Rogers maintained that humans are born with a desir e to be the best they can. Self-actualisation is the motivating force to achieving their full potential. As infants the main goal towards self-actualisation is to have basic needs met such as being arm and fed (Maltby et al., 2010). The â€Å"Shawshank Redemption† depicts the experiences of Andy Dufresne, who is wrongfully convicted of killing his wife and her illicit lover. He is handed down two life sentences and subsequently incarcerated in the notorious Shawshank Prison. Andy is initially portrayed as extremely quiet with other prisoners describing him as a â€Å"cold fish†. One of the major personality traits identified in the Big Five is Introversion. People who are introverted, that is to say low scoring on the Extraversion continuum, tend to beinward turning, or focused more on internal thoughts. This is demonstrated clearly on Andy’s first day of incarceration where he makes little eye contact, keeps his head down and does not respond to the taunting other prisoners. Viewed from a Rogerian perspective it could be said that Andy’s drive will be focused on the most basic of needs such as water, food sleep and safety (Maltby et al., 2010). A significant change from Andy’s initial introverted state is seen when during work on a rooftop, Andy boldly manages to persuade the toughest guard there to allow him to assist with his taxes. Viewed from the Big Five perspective this would seem to be large swing from one end of the Extraversion scale to the other. Going from barely making eye contact and being compliant to risking being thrown from the prison roof are worlds apart. Given that that traits are assumed to be relatively stable this gives rise to the question of whether Andy truly in introverted or whether the sock of incarceration affected his normally more extrovert self. However, from a Rogerian perspective this would appear to be the beginning of Andy attempting to meet his innate need to self-actualise. As his basic needs are being met in the form of shelter, food etc. the desire to develop his potential appears to grow. Using his numerical skills will allow him to flourish (Maltby et al., 2010). The rooftop incident leads to Andy becoming a trustee in the prison library and returning, outwardly at least, to his more introverted traits. He demonstrates from this point a further Big Five trait of Agreeableness. His compliance in assisting the prison officers with their taxes and personal finances demonstrate this. He also gets involved in building a new library for the benefit of his fellow inmates, a clear act of altruism, another sub category of Agreeableness. This continues until donations of books and records arrive at the prison and Andy discovers a copy of Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro record. In another swing of personality, or perhaps a revalation of his true nature before incarceration, he locks the guard assigned to the wardens office in the toilets and plays the record over the prisons PA system for his own, and his fellow inmates pleasure. Again this seems in opposition to his mainly introverted outward behaviour as it an assertive act of defiance against both the warden and guards. Simultaneously it could be seen as both Agreeable and Extraverted behaviour. Agreeable in that it is an altruistic act of providing pleasure for all of the inmates knowing they will face no punishment and Extraverted in that is both assertive and clearly excitement seeking behaviour. Rogerian theory may account for this episode as an attempt to bring Andy’s real self closer to his conceptual self. Andy clearly finds a great deal of pleasure and fulfilment in listening to music but prison life blocks that from happening. Andy knew there would be a price to pay, in this case solitary confinement, but was driven to do it anyway (Maltby et al., 2010). The true nature of Andy’s character unfolds as detail of his daring escape from prison come to light. The length of time that he had been working on his escape plan and the masterful way in which it was planned and executed demonstrated a high level of the trait Conscientiousness. Andy’s self-discipline was incredible, he not only was able to escape but he managed to acquire the finances required to do so and end the corruption within Shawshank whilst doing so . When viewed longitudinally Andy’s story seems to be a clear path to self-actualisation as theorised by Rogers. Rogers highlights the uniqueness of the individual and that they themselves are capable of working out their own solutions, in this case an escape plan and end to corruption. Additionally, he stated that people have a natural tendency toward self-actualisation and growth, an innate drive to realise their potential (Maltby et al., 2010). Although some of Andy’s basic needs were met within the confines of Shawshank such as water, food and sleep the psychological needs were not. Andy appeared to be reaching to meet these needs by rock carving and building the library but it was clear that he needed more. His entire escape plan seemed to be driven not just by the injustice of being wrongfully imprisoned but by the drive develop his potential and qualities that would make him a worthwhile person. Roger’s theory does appear to provide a good account of people’s behaviour in this case when compared to The Big Five. However although Rogers approach allows for variation it fails to identify enough constant variables in order to be researched accurately. Additionally the assertion the individuals intuitively seek positive goals, does not explain the presence of deviancy or evil within normal, functioning personalities such as Andy’s fellow inmates or the corrupt prison staff Maltby et al., 2010). References: Costa Jr, P. T., McCrae, R. R. (1995). Domains and facets: Hierarchical personality assessment using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory.Journal of personality assessment,64(1), 21-50. Engler, B. (2013).  Personality theories. Cengage Learning. Krauskopf, C. J. (1999). The personality assessment system: A radical hypothesis.Applied and Preventive Psychology,7(4), 235-245. Maltby, J., Day, L., Macaskill, A. (2010).  Personality, individual differences and intelligence. Pearson Education. Marvin, N. (Producer), Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Motion picture]. United States: Castle Rock Entertainment. Rogers, C. R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change.Journal of consulting psychology,21(2), 95. Changes in the Business Environment: Why change management is important Changes in the Business Environment: Why change management is important Introduction Change is an inevitable part of life. Change is also an important part of a business life; it allows a business to adapt to its environment and to improve its market position. Change signifies the willingness of the affected parties to embrace and function in a newly established order and their commitment to effect and implement the changes (Armstrong, 2004). The generic definition of change as defined by Hughes (2006) is any alteration in the status quo. Changes within an organisation may take place for many reasons. It is sometimes done in order to introduce a new more efficient way of working or producing a product. It is sometimes done to re-organise the organizations work force. Organisations will evolve and change within the course of their lives. Change management is referred to as the process of which change is executed and developed within the organization. Change is something that affects all business and therefore all business managers must prepare their personnel and proc esses for change. Theories of Change Management Changes in the business environment are happening all the time and organisations must change the way they operate to compete effectively in their market. In order to change organisations must adopt change theories and approaches however with so many different approaches available an organisation must choose an approach that best suits its needs. Different managers will have different theories as to how change should be implemented and executed. Kurt Lewin is considered the forefather of planned approaches to change. Kurt Lewins Freeze Phases [Source: Higgs Rowland, 2005] Lewins model shows that change involves a move from one static state via a state of activity to another static state. Beers Model Change is more complex than the Lewin model and requires a more in-depth look at the process of change. Beers model focuses on a six-step process to achieve effective change, these steps concentrate on task alignment whereby employees roles, responsibilities, and relationships are seen as the main component to bringing about effective change. The stages are: Mobilise commitment to change through joint diagnosis. Develop a shared vision of how to organise. Foster consensus, competence and commitment to shared vision. Spread the word about the change. Institutionalise the change through formal policies Kotter Model Kotter developed what he believed to be the eight critical steps to the successful implementation of change these steps are: Establish a sense of urgency Examining market and competitive realities and identifying and discussing crises, potential crises and opportunities. Form a powerful, guiding coalition Assembling enough people with the enough power to lead the change. Create a vision Create a vision to help direct the change and develop strategies for achieving the vision Communicate the vision Use every medium possible to communicate the vision and strategies to be implemented Empower others to act on the vision Get rid of obstacles to change and encourage risk taking and non-traditional ideas. Plan and create short term wins Plan for visible performance results and recognise and reward employees who are involved in the improvements Consolidate improvements and produce still more change Hiring, promoting and developing employees who can implement the vision. Institutionalising New Approaches Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession. Impact and Barriers If change is not implemented in the correct manner, the impact upon the business can be devastating. Some of the workforce may decide to leave as they do not agree with what is be implemented and that leaves managers trying to fulfil orders or provide services with half a workforce which puts pressure on the rest of the workforce. Communication is key to help reduce barriers, for any change strategy to achieve its goal every member of staff within the organisation must be constantly communicating with executive managers. If staff members ask, Why do we need to do this? a manager must be able to give them a valid answer. Change normally affects both a businesss internal and external environments. Internally staff may feel that they have been left out of the loop and are just being told that they must accept the change or the reverse may happen the staff may be contributing heavily to the change and helping to direct the new vision. Externally an organisation may make an impact on thei r market by promoting a new service or product. There are a number of barriers to successful change both in terms of actually implementing the change and sustaining it. Employees must be able to flourish within an every changing environment to allow them to contribute to an organisations success. Lisette Howlett, (2009) states the 10 main barriers to successful change these are listed below: Not enough understanding about the change itself Lack of leadership Lack of focus and strong project management of the change No engagement and/or buy-in of key stakeholders No clear process for managing endings and beginnings, and co-ordinating the change process Successes are not recognised, communicated Progress is not measured and the learning is not reviewed Change is very tiring and is often something that requires extra effort people need to see that this effort is paying off and their contribution is valued All of these barriers can be overcome if the correct procedures are put in place and communication is constant throughout the process. Employees need to feel that they are major contributors to a companys success and will sometimes feel undervalued if they are not involved in the process of change this can lead to hostility amongst the workers and feelings of anger towards the management this in turn leads to barriers being erected due to the fear of change. Conclusion Change must be managed, implemented, and executed in such a way that there is always communication between staff and managers. This allows for equilibrium and encourages growth and innovation within a company. Each change management theory has its strengths and weaknesses and each can be adapted to an organisations needs but I believe that managers must invite all staff to offer ideas on a creating a new vision for the company and thus driving the company forward as a whole. References Hughes, M. (2006). Change Management: A Critical Perspective. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. ISBN: 1-84398-070-3. Armstrong, M (2004). Managing Organizational Change in Nigeria Manufacturing Enterprises: Lessons from the Unilever Nigeria Plc. AC Associated Content. Retrieved from http://www.medwelljournals.com/fulltext/?doi=ibm.2009.15.21 Syque. (2007). Lewins Freeze Phases. Changing Minds. Retrieved from Higgs, Malcolm, and John Wren. The Leadership of Change: a Study of Change Leadership within the UK Royal Air Force. Henley-on-Thames: Henley Management College, 2005. Print Howlett, Lisette. 10 Common Barriers to Successful Change. MLH Consulting. 15 Sept. 2009. Web. .

Social Enterprise and Commercial Enterprise

Social Enterprise and Commercial Enterprise INTRODUCTION Social enterprises are businesses driven by a social or environmental mission (social enterprise coalition). They are businesses primarily set out for social purpose. Whose principal objective is to reinvest their surpluses mainly for social purpose in the business or community rather than maximise profit for shareholders and owners (The Cabinet Office. Office of the third sector). Commercial enterprises are business organisations that are set up mainly for profit. Their main objective is to maximise profit for their shareholders and owners. It could be Mobil unlimited or publicly owned companies like commercial banks or limited liability companies. Social enterprise transcends traditional non-profit sector and applies to health, environment, education and social welfare. It also applies to economic development or job creation programmes (Virtue Ventures, 2007). An example is Southampton social council that is geared towards providing quality education for the children in its communi ty. It is also involved in providing quality water for its citizens free from sodium, lead and impurities. It is also very proficient in its waste disposal by maintaining a clean environment. In order to achieve this, it organises a programme called enviro_champs where university staff and their students are involved. University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University are involved in this programme. Differences and Similarities between Social Enterprise and Commercial Enterprise Social enterprises are different from a standard charity because they use a businesslike approach to tackling social problems instead of relying on grants (Virtue Ventures, 2007). Social enterprise are designed to meet social needs and also to achieve commercial viability similar to the private sector (Virtue Ventures, 2007).Business plans and other research tools can be utilised to design social enterprise policy by analysing an organisations internal factors such as core competences, weaknesses and needs of its clients and external factors such as legal and regulatory environments, markets, demand and access to capital. Therefore social enterprise operational models are geared towards market realities, organisational capabilities and social needs (Virtue Ventures, 2007). The Environment Centre (tCE) which is an arm of energy saving trust. Its aim is to encourage and educate people about the benefit of sustainable alternative energy. The objective of tCE is to educate the people about the havoc caused by using fossil fuel for generating energy, and the pollution caused by the emission of carbon dioxide and other toxic gases. This is achieved by helping people to apply for grant from government. In doing this people are encouraged to use solar energy, wind turbines, bio fuels and hydro energy to generate electricity for their homes. Grants are also given for home insulation. This is purely a social service and not for profit (The Environment Centre, 2008). tCE obtain funding from European Union. Social enterprises raise standards for ethical business and corporate social responsibilities (Social Enterprise East Midlands). Social enterprise plays a larger role in delivering public services like provision of leisure services, recycling services health and social care for council(Cabinet Office: Office of the Third Sector) . Unlike social enterprise that are not for profit organisation. Commercial enterprises are not mainly into provision of public services; the few that are in these areas are very expensive, because they are principally for profit maximisation. Commercial enterprises raise their capital from individuals and stock markets while social enterprise raise their capital from non governmental organisations. Social enterprise can also benefit funds from the same sources as commercial enterprises. The only difference is in the range of finances available which may differ depending on the function and form of social enterprise. It could be in the form of grant, debt, equity, social venture capital or philanthropy capital (Anglia Ruskin University, 2009). Business enterprises and social enterprise s read from different bottom line, one purely financial while the other takes into account the social benefits derived from the enterprises operation. With these differences, they also share some similarities as follows, they are both ambitious, they both have the ability to look for resources in most remote places, they are creative in their solution to problems, and they also build something out of nothing (School for Social Entrepreneurs). The enterprise act 2002 which relates to competition law and the legislation for the protection of consumers (Enterprise Act Publication, 2002). The fair trade act 2003 all are legal laws regulating both commercial enterprise and social enterprise. Both commercial and social enterprises need to be legally registered according to the law of United Kingdom or anywhere in the world where they operate before they can start operations officially and legally. Commercial enterprise compete in the market place in order to maximise profit and also for t he share of the market which is geared towards growth while social enterprise only compete to make profit in order to improve their services for their environment and their community. Companies like Primark competes in the market place with organisations like Matalan, Georges, Marks and Spencers for the share of the market. Their main purpose is to maximise profit and for growth in order to be the market leader. They employ business tools and models to gain competitive advantage and to achieve sustainable leading edge. In recent time social enterprise is becoming an integral of commercial enterprise. Commercial enterprises are moving towards philanthropic activities (Porter and Kramer, 2002). They form sister companies which are basically not for profit organisations. These not for profit organisations aim is to give something back to the community where they operate. This is popularly known as corporate social responsibilities. It could be in the health sector by subsidising health bills of the people in the area where they operate. Some organisations focus on a particular area like heart diseases or cancer patients or leukaemia patients. While some are into recreation of the environment. An example is Primark which embarked on beautifying parks around Southampton (Primark Stores Ltd, 2009).Primark supports community projects across the UK and Ireland (Primark Stores Ltd, 2009). All these are in an attempt to gain competitive advantage. Philanthropy is used as a form of public relations or advertising. It is sometimes used to promote companies image or brand, through rigorous marketing or high profile sponsorship (Porter and Kramer, 2002). True strategic giving addresses both social and economic goals simultaneously unlike cause related marketing. They target areas of competitive context, where the company and society both benefit this is because the firm brings unique asset and expertise (Porter and Kramer, 2002). Organisations uses their philanthropic posture to enhance competitive advantage by aligning social and economic goals thereby bringing improvement in a companys long term business prospects. This gives rise to sustainable competitive advantage (Porter and Kramer, 2002). By addressing corporate social responsibility a company is not only giving back to the society but also leveraging its capabilities and relationship in support of charitable organisations. An example is Marks and Spencer start programme th at gives opportunity for work experience to a range of people including the young unemployed, the disabled, the homeless. Parents returning to work. Also for students who are the first in their families are encouraged to aim for higher education (Marks and Spencer CSR). Companies do not operate in isolation from the society around them. Their ability to compete depends on the circumstances of the location where they exist. Improving education is seen as a social issue. The educational level of the local work force greatly affects a companys potential competitiveness. The more a company is involved in corporate social responsibility the better it is positioned for economic benefits. Apple is a company that is positioned as an innovative organisation; therefore it develops its professionalism in its work place by developing and training its work force (Apple, 2009). Also by giving them sound health packages and housing benefits. This is because investment in the work force is paramoun t to productivity combined with finance and materials. This gives Apple a sustainable competitive advantage in the market against its competitors. Conclusion In conclusion the long run of social and economic goals are not conflicting, instead they are integrally connected. Competitiveness in recent time depends on how organisations can combine labour, capital and natural resources to produce high quality goods and services. Productivity depends on having workers who are educated, safe, healthy, decently housed and motivated by sense of opportunity (Porter and Kramer, 2002). My placement in Southampton city council as a volunteer has thought me a lot of important things I need to know about active community group. Basically what I have gained is not much because Im still doing a research, on how to know what the community wants from the council, which I believe it will be completed soon. Also, I went for a Conference in Birmingham about community engagement, which was unbelievable, m eeting up with different regions and met the Chief Executive,CDF. Nevertheless it was a tremendous meeting which they talk about several programms like Business case for community engagement, Working with the third sector and Take part etc.It was an excellent conference because everybody had to introduce themselves and their position in city council from different county.I would gain more idea from city council because I might stay with them till end of January 2010. Bibliography Anglian Ruskin University (2009). Creating Social Enterprises.  A guide to Social Enterprise for University Staff. Cambridge and Chelmsford.[online] Available:www.anglia.ac.uk/rdcs[accessed: 22 November 2009] Apple Store (2009). [online] Available : http://store.apple.com/uk?afid=p202%7CGOUKE100801461cid=OAS-EMEA-KWG- UK_General-UK [accessed: 20 November 2009] Cabinet Office, (2006). www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_Sector/Social_Enterprise/action_Plan Enterprise Act (2002). [online] Available: http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/enterprise_act/oft51 8.pd f [accessed: 22 November 2009] Funding For Collaboration( 2009).[online] Available: http://www.adventurecapitalfund.org/[accessed: 23 November 2009] J4b.Fit4funding.The Charities Information Bureau. [online] Available: http://www.j4b.co.uk/[accessed: 22 November 2009] Marks and Spencer-CSR. Social Inclusion and Job Experience. [online] Available: http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublicationP NID= 1 344 [accessed: 24 November 2009] Social Enterprise Collision. Keeping it Legal [online] Available: http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/pages/about-social- enterprise.html[accessed 20 November 2009] Porter, M.E. and M. R. Kramer (2002).The Competitive Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy. Harvard Business Review. Boston: Harvard Business School Corporation. Primark Stores Limited (2009).Corporate Social Responsibility. Local Community Report. [online] Available : http://www.primark.co.uk/aboutus/CSR[ accesses 23 November 2009] The Environment Centre tCE (2008). Sustainable Planning Centre (SISCO) . [online] Available: http://www.environmentcentre.com/[accessed: 25 November 2009] Virtue Ventures (2007 ). [online]Available: http://www.virtueventures.com/setypology/index.php?id=INTROlm=1[access ed: 23 November 2009]

Children of the Forest by Kevin Duffy Essay -- Children Forest Kevin D

"Children of the Forest" by Kevin Duffy "Children of the Forest" is a narrative written by Kevin Duffy. This book is a written testament of an anthropologist's everyday dealings with an African tribe by the name of the Mbuti Pygmies. My purpose in this paper is to inform the reader of Kevin Duffy's findings while in the Ituri rainforest. Kevin Duffy is one of the first and only scientists to have ever been in close contact with the Mbuti. If an Mbuti tribesman does not want to be found, they simply won't be. The forest in which the Mbuti reside in are simply too dense and dangerous for humans not familiar with the area to enter. Without them he would simply be wandering aimlessly in the forest. It was very important for Kevin Duffy to win the respect of the tribe when he arrived. The Mbuti are one of the most fascinating of all the "uncivilized" peoples of the world. This tribe inhabits equatorial Africa near the city of Kisangani in Zaire in the Ituri rainforest. The Mbuti, being the smallest people on earth, live in the most inaccessible place on earth. An Mbuti tribe is almost impossible to find in such a dense forest. The tribe's men and women are only about four and a half foot tall yet they navigate though rich and dense forestry daily in the search for meat and fruit. The Mbuti greatly acknowledge their beloved forest as the supplier of all their worldly needs and possessions. The forest supplies them with food, clothing, shelter, and to them, affection. The Mbuti treat the forest as their parents and see themselves as it's children. They often sing to it in times joy and pray to the forest in times of remorse. Duffy becomes a "fly-on-the-wall" among this particular Mbuti clan. Not by spying on them, but becoming a friend, a very good friend. The Mbuti trusted him like a brother and invited him into their lives to share everything from the birth Mazero's new child to the death of Ndima, one of the tribes' elders. He was even allowed to film the Mbuti's famous elephant hunt. To achieve this kind of trust among an "alien" culture is a phenomenal feat. The elephant hunt was the first story that depicted the actual way that the Mbuti hunted and shared their shared their rewards from a hunt. The entire tribe set out in order to search for an elephant for a feast. All the males of the tribe, regardless of age left ... ...in that respect. Humans seem to always behave like humans no matter where they are in the world or what technologies they possess. The Mbuti are probably better than Americans in another aspect also. They all hunted together, but not only the hunters and their families got to eat. Families of all the surrounding tribes enjoyed a meal. In today's society, people walk the streets hungry while other live lavishly, eating until they are stuffed. If Americans were more like the Mbuti, this country would be a much better place. The Mbuti pygmies of the Ituri rainforest are a fascinating people. They need their forest for food, shelter, and protection from other peoples of the world. How the Mbuti managed to survive the conquests of the Spanish and the English is beyond our knowledge. Their dense, uncharted forest has kept them a secret to many people to this day. The Mbuti probably are the most unchanged people still living on earth. As long as the Mbuti's forest isn't destroyed by the world's greed for money, they will more than likely remain there for decades to come. Works Cited: Duffy, Kevin, "Children of the Forest". Waveland Press, Inc. 1996

Essay --

‘Of Mice and Men’ is based on the experiences of a migrant farmer, set in 1930’s America. The characters are also symbolized as realistic people, but influenced by the issues and circumstances based on the Wall Street crash, the American Dream and being set after WWI. I empathies for these characters for the consequences of these historical events are what to have made ‘Of Mice and Men’ a tragedy in relation to loneliness. Each character had the idea of their own American Dream, whether it was based on money, status, happiness, and so on. Yet unfortunately, only the reader realizes that they will never be fulfilled. George and Lennie’s dream of their own ranch conveyed to me as their own image of Heaven. The opening descriptions of Section One, such as the water was â€Å"twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight† quoted in chapter 1, convey to me on how Lennie and George travel on their journey to hopefully recreate these experiences as their ranch, for the sands were â€Å"a few miles south of Soledad† also stated in chapter 1, a land represented of loneliness and depression, which ...

Axe Spray Commercial Essay

I chose the â€Å"Axe  Effect – Women – Billions† (Axe Spray) video advertisement because it draws its male audience into the commercial because of all the gorgeous women in it. its a brand of male grooming products, owned by the British/Dutch company Unilever and marketed towards young males. This company has been selling this product since 1983. Unilever is a British–Dutch multinational consumer goods company. Its products include foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. Unilever were unable to use the name Axe in the United Kingdom and Ireland due to trademark problems so it was launched as Lynx (called Axe in America). The commercial is 58 seconds long and the setting of the commercial is like a Caribbean terrain look. Trees, forest, mountains, and clear blue beaches. The advertisement is successful at capturing and holding the viewers attention because of what they used in the commercial. The commercial consist of these overly attractive women in two piece bikinis that are symbolized as warriors. They’re running/fighting going through all types of obstacles such as, running down mountains/valleys, swimming across the ocean, running through forest pushing each other just to get to one thing. That one thing is a man on this beach by himself spraying two bottles of axe on his body. It looks like he knows what the outcome will be at the end, and he has a big smile on his face while spinning slowly in circles. The music is that intense opera music in all action movies during the climax. There are 3 types of girls in bikinis. If you pay close attention the brunettes are the girls in the red bikinis. The blondes are the girls in the green bikinis, and the blue/black bikinis are a mix of both brunettes and blondes. The commercial speaks for itself. It is intended for males to believe that, if you spray this product on your body, it makes a the ladies want you. This advertisement creates a seduction type sexual feeling. The target audience for this product is pushed towards young adult males, by getting more females and also smelling better. The text at the end of the commercial is â€Å"Spray More. Get More. † meaning spray more axe, get more girls. I feel this advertisement is not being honest and truthful about the product because the smell of Axe spray will not have girls fighting and trying to get to you. On the other hand, I don’t know how all girls are, maybe some dig that kind’ of smell on guys. I feel it depends on what girl likes what, not all are the same.

Business Marketing Management Capstone Written Project Essay

A. Executive Summary The business plan is written for the Step Ahead Learning Center serving the children of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. The center educates young students in reading, writing, and math to meet or exceed the Common Core Standards for Washington State. The center will increase children’s literacy and comprehension of reading, writing, and math through practices such as one-on-one tutoring and small group sessions instructed by trained and certified personnel. The center will teach understanding and mastery of concepts over the memorization of concepts, testing comprehension by requiring practical, real life application of knowledge to prepare children for college, work, and life. The center will have a venue available for professional private events which include work presentations, public speaking, educational classes, etc. The revenue from the outside use of this venue will help fund operations of the Center. Step Ahead Learning Center is formally asking for $20,000 to complete a fifth fully functional computer lab, and asks for on-going contributions to further assist with the advancement of technology incorporation, helping to achieve or exceed the Common Core Standards as set forth by the Washington Education Association (WEA). Ginsburg, Leinward, and Decker (2005) stated that the mathematics concepts in U.S. textbooks are often weak, thus presentation is becoming more mechanical than ever. A.1 Business Identification Step Ahead Learning Center 1000 W. 4th Ave. Kennewick, WA 99336 (509)555-9876 stepahead.kennewick@gmail.com stepaheadlearningcenter.com A.2 Mission, Goals and Objectives The center’s mission is to integrate technology into teaching and learning, reinforcing consistent expectations in learning for all students across all grade levels consistent with school board expectations, teaching comprehension and mastery over memorization of concepts, and emphasizing critical topics children will need to possess to succeed in school and after graduation. This mission helps the Learning Center achieve the vision of a culture that promotes high educational standards, high expectations, individual learning, collaborative learning, and excellent communication skills. The partnership between the Learning Center and the local school board will increase the amount of highly educated children into the community, raising the community welfare and individual well-being. The primary purposes of the Learning Center are: 1. To reinforce consistent expectations in learning for all students across all grade levels, in partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school boards. 2. To teach comprehension of concepts over the memorization of concepts, instilling a high personal standard of learning. a. Consistently test to ensure a high level of retention by requiring a practical, real life application of knowledge to prepare students for life beyond school 3. To introduce or reinforce critical topics students will need to succeed in the classroom and in the future. 4. To provide a venue for professional based private events, helping offset operation costs of the Learning Center The primary objectives of the Learning Center are: 1. To increase overall average Measurement of Student Progress (MSP) test scores to â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts by the end of the 2015-2016 school year. 2. To increase Common Core Standards comprehension levels in reading, writing, math, and technology to â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts by the end of the 2015-2016 school year. 3. To decrease crime and substance abuse among children, teens, and young adults in the community by providing a safe and inviting Learning Center where children can learn and grow as individuals and as a member of the community. 4. To advocate collaboration among young children, increase comprehension in reading, writing, math, and technology, increase communication skills, broaden cultural views, increase moral reasoning, and foster growth of cognitive abilities. 5. To increase the level of personal responsibility of children in the community. A.3 Three Keys to Success The Learning Center anticipates success of goals and objectives through three key functions: hiring staff members that are the right fit, empowering staff to create devotion and a passion for excellence, and strong collaboration with various clientele. Hiring exceptional staff members: Step Ahead Learning Center is an equal opportunity employer. The right employees will embrace the center’s mission, hold a degree in a field of study related to education, and embody strong communication skills with peers and young children. Empowerment: This creates a high level of devotion and passion to strive for excellence. Every interaction with a child and every lesson presented, taught, or pursued by a staff member will be done with the  highest goal in mind: integrating technology into a safe and inviting learning environment to increase comprehension of reading, writing, math, and technology concepts. Collaborating and communicating with others: Staff will interact with a variety of clientele including by not limited to children, parents, school board members, funders, benefactors, and other partners or agencies providing support and opportunities for the Learning Center. Every interaction with a person inside or outside the Learning Center will help the center to meet its objectives. B. Company Summary B.1 Industry History The area in which the center will be providing educational services is well developed with current educational services. The relationship between Step Ahead Learning Center and the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts is unprecedented. Each of the three school districts strongly recommend and encourage struggling (and none struggling) students to the services offered at the center based on staff credentials and comprehension standards. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted to â€Å"ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards.† This act has increased the relationship between the three school districts and the Learning Center because schools are required to improve their performance to meet or exceed State standards. The Learning Center is providing extra assistance to students who need it in order for the schools to meet the expectation set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act. The primary purpose of the center is to ensure high-quality student comprehension of key concepts in Reading, Writing, and Math, aligning concepts with State academic standards so that progress against common core standards can be measured. There are several smaller businesses which strive to achieve the same vision, but one competitor has market share. For this competitor, one disadvantage is that Step Ahead Learning Center has a direct  relationship with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts, they do not. An advantage this competitor has over Step Ahead is that they have built a reputation, having been in business for more than 30 years. This is the only other Learning Center in the area that meets an identical scope of the Step Ahead Learning Center. The secondary purpose of the center is to provide a rental revenue for professional or semi-professional events. There is a history of professional venues available at most large hotel chains. Several venues in the area meet the Center’s scope of a rental venue. B.2 Legal Form of Ownership Step Ahead Learning Center is incorporated in the state of Washington. The company is established as a 501(c) (3), which facilitates contributions from donors. A large majority of financing is raised internally or from charitable donations. Step Ahead Learning Center is governed by a board of twelve trustees. Independent contractors, if any, working for Step Ahead Learning Center will be held fully responsible for their own legal requirements, taxes, and expenses. A website, â€Å"stepaheadlearningcenter.com,† has been obtained by the company. This website is used as a marketing tool for the company and a source of information for parents/young adult children. B.3 Location and Facilities Step Ahead Tutoring Center is located in Kennewick, WA serving students in Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco school districts. The company will conduct business in a 10,500 square-foot space dedicated entirely to the operations of the business. Business licensure has been obtained from the City of Kennewick and fulfills any and all requirements to operate such a business. No legal issues or regulations in the city or state will now, or in the future, lessen the ability to operate in Kennewick or to conduct business from the named location. The building is equipped with general business equipment, including a high-tech computer system with Wi-Fi Internet connection, a cell phone for each staff member, Skype teleconferencing technology, and a company vehicle.  The center has two computer labs, each with 25 computers and a projector. Each computer has high speed Internet connection, Microsoft Office Home and Student, and several different purchased educational programs. The venue available for professional and semi-professional events is equipped with two computers and a projector. Each employee has a designated office with their own computer. The main teaching floor (lecture hall), each of the 5 computer labs, and each of the 3 private tutoring rooms have a projector. B.4 Management Structure Xxxxxx Xxxxx will perform Presidential duties and perform all management positions including, but not limited to, Business Development Manager, Communications/Public Relations Manager, and Project Manager. He is a certified teacher in the state of Washington with a BA Degree in Business Management / Marketing from the accredited online school Washington Governor’s University (WGU). He will handle marketing the benefits of the company’s education services to customers, human resource duties, and overseeing day to day operations. The one-on-one and group tutoring sessions will be the responsibility of four highly qualified and trained teachers. These employees are salaried and will receive a raise increase of 1% over the prior year’s pay (starting at $18,000 the first year). They will follow the company’s high standard of excellence in education that represents the local school districts and State’s required common core standard. Currently, the compan y has hired four teachers. Additional teachers can be added as deemed necessary by additional workload, meaning the company is growing. This organizational structure will meet the short-terms needs of the center, but long-term needs will require at least one receptionist and a general manager. The center plans to hire these two positions after the first 6 months of operation to reduce the work load of the teachers having to check-in students (or requiring parents to self-check-in) and the president having to oversee day-to-day operations. B.5 Products and Services The Common Core Standards in Washington state at the highest levels ever. Step Ahead Tutoring Center will use technology and hands-on methods to educate children ranging from Kindergarten to high school seniors. Students will be given additional tools and resources aligned with established school district procedures to help them succeed in school and in the future. The following services are offered by the Step Ahead Tutoring Center: Reading Tutoring: Academy of Reading, a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12 (EPS Literacy and Intervention, 2014), will be used by a designated reading teacher. Sessions will be one hour in length in a group setting of no more than 10 students per one teacher. Students will log in to their account and begin working in the program. Teachers will introduce a lesson, review basic concepts, monitor progress, and view reports on each student daily to ensure progression. If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Writing Tutoring: Writing Skills (2nd Edition), a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12, will be used by a designed writing teacher. Writing Book A is for grades 2-4, Writing Book 1 is for grad es 5-6, Writing Book 2 is for grades 7-8, and Writing Book 3 is for grades 9-12. Students will be expected to complete one lesson every two sessions (with each session being one hour long with no more than 10 students in a group). If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Math Tutoring: Academy of Math, a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12, will be used by a designated math teacher. Sessions will be one hour in length in a group setting of no more than 10 students per one teacher. Students will log in to their account and begin working in the program. Teachers will introduce a lesson, review basic concepts, monitor progress, and view reports on each student daily to ensure progression. If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. One-on-one Services: An individualized one-on-one session can be scheduled with any of our four highly trained teachers in reading, writing, and/or math to ensure children are getting the help that  they need. Parents can enroll their child directly into a one-on-one session with a teacher for one session, or on a continual basis. A teacher may recognize that a student is struggling in a group atmosphere, making the recommendation that the child work in a one-on-one session until he/she shows signs of academic improvement. A one-on-one teacher will provide the student with assistance on their homework upon request. Venue Rental: Step Ahead Tutoring Center has a venue available for rent by outside parties for professional and semi-professional events such as guest speaking, presentations, meetings, etc. C. Market Analysis C.1 Target Market Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s primary target audience consists of mothers/fathers or grandparents of children enrolled in the Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland School Districts in grades 2-12. The primary target for the message is the parents/grandparents of students who are at or below State Common Core Standards in Reading, Writing, and Math. The secondary target for the message is the parents/grandparents of students who are at or above State Common Core Standards. Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s secondary audience consists of businesses and professionals, traveling and stationary, who require a venue to hold a professional or semi-professional meeting or event. The goal behind providing a venue for such meetings is to (1) gain exposure for the Tutoring Center, and (2) generate additional revenue for the operating expenses of the Tutoring Center. C.2 Industry Analysis Future trends that may affect the center’s efforts to educate students’ grades 2-12 in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts include: Basic education and Common Core Standards goals are met. An average of 85% of students in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts meet these standards. As the economy changes, the need for more highly educated and skilled workers will increase. The education and Common Core Standards goal and philosophy should be continually updated to reflect cultural and  economic needs. Expansion of Common Core Standards. A higher level of standards for students will mean updated training and certifications for staff, higher levels of work for students, and an increase in the number of students not meeting these standards, requiring extra attention. Mission, Goals, and Objectives creep. As the center gains momentum, other established or start-up business may use a similarly formatted mission statement for their company. It w ill be important for Step Ahead Tutoring Center to ensure the impact of the mission is not lessened by another groups’ participation in similar missions, goals, and objectives. Down time. The school year for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts in from late August to the middle of June. During the summer months, summer school sessions take place around the area at various different school locations. There will be a significant decrease in the amount of students attending at the Tutoring Center during this time. The venue for rent by outside professional or semi-professional groups will help to offset costs during this time. Cash flow. During this down time during the summer months (middle of June to late August) there will be a decrease in revenues, resulting in the temporary release of two employees, or utilizing other rooms in the center for other uses, such as additional rental space. C.3 Competitive Analysis Competition for education services comes from several sources, the biggest competition being Sylvan Learning Center. According to the Sylvan Learning website, Sylvan offers tutoring in all levels for Math and Reading; they assess students’ needs and create a personal education development plan targeting select math and reading concepts; they offer their own technology for an engaging experience on the iPad; they also offer flexible schedules that fit any busy family schedule. To compete with Sylvan, Step Ahead will heavily market the availability of highly trained staff in each subject area, the inclusion of Writing concepts into the curriculum, the inclusion of technology in the administration of each subject to improve the child’s overall competence, and the partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts to ensure focus on helping students achieve proficient or advanced levels according to the State’s Common Core Standards. A second competitor is actually the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Select schools are offering after school programs focused directly on helping students understand the material being taught in the class room. This program is free of charge to students who need the additional attention. This is not a requirement of the school nor is it being offered at every school for every grade level, primarily because the school board cannot fund these programs. While the teachers at Step Ahead can assist with solving homework problems, the focus is on administering Math, Reading, and Writing programs to provide additional concepts that will further the students comprehension in the subject. Another competitor is after school clubs such as the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club of America. These programs are great for children who are succeeding in school and do not require additional attention to meet the State’s Common Core Standards. They provide children with the opportunity to play and interact with other children their own age while being supervised in a safe environment. At Step Ahead, students are being supervised in a safe environment, but they are also learning and growing their minds. A marketing approach to be taken by Step Ahead is that children who require additional help should be enrolled in an â€Å"afterschool program† such as Step Ahead where they will spend time immersed in educational programs. Competition from hotels or reception buildings that host weddings, receptions, and other private events are not considered. In general, the rental of the venue at Step Ahead is not the primary objective, thus marketing the venue against competition is not pursued. While Word of Mouth marketing will be the primary marketing strategy for the venue, the goal is that the income generated by rental of the venue will help cover operating costs of the center. Many people in the area see the need for private and semi-private educational assistant with all grade levels in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The main trigger for this realization is the lack of students meeting the States Common Core Standards. With awareness of this issue increasing, there is a positive and a negative for Step Ahead. The  positive is that more children will be enrolled into private and semi-private educational services, which means a possible increase in enrollment for Step Ahead, resulting in increased revenue and possible future growth of the business. The negative is that more schools, groups, or qualified individuals will begin to offer more private and semi-private educational services, which means an increase in competition for Step Ahead. D. Market Strategy D.1 The 4 P’s Pricing: The pricing strategy used to determine a price for the services provided by Step Ahead was a variation of Penetration Pricing and Predatory Pricing. Penetration Pricing is when a company sets their prices low to attract customers and gain market share, and then raises the prices once they have a large market share. Step Ahead used the first half of this strategy, which is setting prices low to attract customers and gain market share. Predatory Pricing is known as an aggressive strategy, intended to drive competitors from the market. Step Ahead is not interested in becoming market leader and running other companies out of business. The goal is simply to educate children and raise comprehension to the State Common Core Standard level, while covering expenses. In regard to the mission of the center, profitability is not the number one goal. Profitability, however, is still required in order to continue and expand the business, increasing efforts in providing higher levels of ed ucational services to children. The venue rental prices were set depending on cost of utilities used during these times, the cost of having a Step Ahead staff member on the premises during the event, and generating revenue for covering operating costs of the center. Product: As described previously, the service provided by Step Ahead Learning Center is additional education services. A profound need for higher levels of comprehension and Common Core concept teaching is found in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Because of this need, the center will offer tutoring sessions at different times throughout the day Monday thru Saturday. Highly trained and qualified teachers will teach one-on-one and semi-private groups (no more than 10 students) on concepts aligning with the State’s Common Core Standards in Reading, Writing, and  Math. Academy of Math, Academy of Reading, and Writing Skills (2nd Edition) are programs distributed through EPS for use by teachers to improve struggling students com prehension in the concepts of Reading, Writing, and Math. The teachers at Step Ahead are trained on these programs and will monitor students’ use of these programs to ensure the highest quality comprehension and learning. A one-on-one teacher will assist a student with their homework upon request, a Reading teacher, Writing teacher, or Math teacher will not provide assistance with homework. Promotion: Promoting education services to mothers, fathers, and grandparents (even college age students with younger brothers or sisters) has been primarily easy. A quality education is easy to market, and if a parent or relative sees that a child is struggling with their education, the first option to consider is additional education services. Methods for promoting the services offered at Step Ahead Tutoring Center include radio advertisements, television commercials, flyers, word-of-mouth, direct mail, Facebook, and blogs. The primary channel for promoting the center is the partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Secretaries, and Principals can promote Step Ahead through word-of-mouth marketing. Flyers posted at each of the schools on a main bulletin board at the front office, or an informational pamphlet sent home with a student’s report card can promote Step Ahead. The biggest promotion for the center to date is the planned grand opening scheduled for August 2014. This event is geared to be a celebration of education and it will include students, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, principals, donors, and any member of the community devoted to the success of children in their education. Promotion for the event will include television and radio advertisements, flyers, and direct mail to all households in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. A promotional tool to be used will be brochures. These informational  brochures will be given at every consultation, will be available at the front desk, and will be sent to every school is the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The information in this brochure will cover the mission, goals, and objectives of the center, the location of the center with hours of operation, contact information, and session times, a breakdown of cost compared to competitors, and information regarding the highly trained and certified teacher staff. Another promotional tool is a fully functional website for the center. It will include all the information placed in the brochure, plus much more. A staff directory will be included along with links to different online educational tools (learning games, Common Core Standard guides, school board information, school websites, etc.). The website URL is: stepaheadlearningcenter.com. Place (Distribution): Points of distribution for information about the services provided by the Step Ahead Learning Center are found (1) on site in each computer lab, at the front desk, and in the venue, (2) on the website (stepaheadlearningcenter.com), and (3) by phone call or direct mail. All promotional efforts for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center are targeted geographically to reach households in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. While select publications will reach locations outside the intended geographic area, a requirement to enroll in the learning center is enrollment in either the Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland school district. Any enrollment requests received for a student residing outside of these school district boundaries will be referred to a learning center (or equivalent) in their area. D.2 Price List The following prices are for services offered at Step Ahead Tutoring Center. Prices listed are per session. The following prices are for rental of the venue for professional and semi-professional events at the Step Ahead Tutoring Center. D.3 Selling Strategy There are many strengths of the center including: the location in the center of the three school districts which provides easier access for the families living in the area, highly trained and certified teacher staff, and a true focus in further educating students to help achieve the goals listed in the Common Core Standards set forth by the State of Washington. More companies and small business are requiring their employees, vested and entry level, to have a degree or some form of education beyond high school. The center’s mission is to increase the level of education in the area, increasing the number of educated young adults entering the work force. Goal: Further the education in children to assist with increasing the percentage of students testing â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† as defined by Washington State Common Core Standards to 65% by 2016, 70% by 2018, 75% by 2020, 80% by 2021, and 85% by 2022 (and to continually maintain an average of 85% or better). A milestone for this goal, set in 2001 after the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† was initiated, was achieved in 2011: 50% of students within the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts will test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† in 10 years. Goal: Record, edit, and publish four videos to be posted on the Step Ahead Learning Center website. The videos will show how the teacher staff at the center teaches private and semi-private groups the concepts of Reading, Writing, and Math using technology to administer helpful programs. An HD recorded and latest editing software will be used to capture and edit the videos. The videos will be uploaded to the website by January 2015. Goal: Produce the Information Brochure mentioned earlier to be distributed to Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts and to be sent out by direct mail to households within the school district boundaries. 10,000 brochures should be produced and distributed by the end of September 2014 after the first Washington State Assessment test is administered to every student in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. D.4 Sales Forecast Step Ahead operates under a fiscal calendar year of August 1 to July 31. Following figures are based on expected market conditions. The two year totals are: Fundraising $27,000, Learning Center Sales Revenue $359,000, Venue Rental Revenue $53,400, and Funding from Donors $126,000. It is estimated that fundraising will continue at its current momentum of $5,000 for year one, and increase to $6,000 per month for year two. It is estimated that the center’s sales revenues will increase as the goals and objectives of the center become better known by the residents of the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The forecasted two year revenue for Step Ahead Tutoring Center is $565,400. E. Implementation Strategy E.1 Overall Strategy The center will benefit from its location in the city. It is easily accessible by everyone in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland School District Boundaries. The grand opening will be the official launch of the business, set to take place this year in late summer, early fall (2014). During the event, there will be an open house where anyone from the community can take self-tours of the building, viewing all computer labs, reception area, and rental venue. Demonstration tutoring sessions will be taking place during the duration of the event with 10 children who were asked to simulate an actual classroom environment. There will alo be a registration at the reception area for those families that feel their student will benefit from tutoring sessions at the center and wants to sign up immediately. Fundraising will be taking place each month, with the money going to different projects or needs of the center. The fundraiser during August 2014 will be â€Å"First Day Back School Supplies.† Many different businesses from the area have donated back-to-school supplies to the center with the intent that the center would sell these items to raise money for the center. Every Monday thru Saturday in August, back-to-school supplies will be for sale at the center, with registration taking place at the same time. The items that will be on sale for the fundraiser include: Ruled/Unruled Notebook Paper (100 sheets): $1.00 Three-Ring Spiral Notebook (75 sheets): $1.50 Composition Notebook (100 sheets): $2.00 Pencils (package of 10): $2.00 Pens (package of 10): $2.00 Erasers (package of 4): $2.50 Pencil Pouch: $5.00 Three-Ring Binder (1†): $3.00 Backpack: $20.00 Evaluating the success of the center will be determined by two factors: did the business meet the financial goal to be considered a financial success, and did the percentage of students in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† meet the set goal. E.2 Implementation Grand opening date for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center: August 1, 2014. The following is a list of items to be completed and a date that they must be completed by. Scheduled Item Target Completion Date Hire staff Math Teacher Reading Teacher Writing Teacher Private Tutor Teacher Complete Invitation list for grand opening Prepared Invites sent out July 1, 2014 Purchase EPS programs Install programs on each computer Ensure full functionality July 5, 2014 Create 10,000 brochures Deliver adequate amounts to each school in the districts Mail to cover school district boundaries July 10, 2014 Teacher Schedules Create Publish July 15,2014 August 2014 Fundraiser Obtain donated materials from local businesses Send out announcements Ensure staffing plan July 20, 2014 Grand Opening Event August 1, 2014 E.3 Control Plan The overall success of the Step Ahead Tutoring Center will be measured by: (1) the business’ ability to sustain its own operations through Sales, Venue Rental, Fundraising, and Donor Contributions, and (2) the percentage of students who test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† according the Washington State Common Core Standards is at goal. The following is a table representing student enrollment and the percentage of students â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† from 2001 to 2013. From 2014 to 2022 is a projection of expected student enrollment and how many students will have to test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† to meet the goal. The milestones set by Washington State are listed in bold. Enrollment Students At/Above Grade Level Year # of Students # of Students % of Students (Actual) % of Students (Goal) 2001 36,540 11,345 31% 50% 2002 35,400 10,456 30% 50% 2003 36,480 11,597 32% 50% 2004 37,919 12,679 33% 50% 2005 39,010 14,044 36% 50% 2006 41,111 15,622 38% 50% 2007 39,524 16,995 43% 50% 2008 38,125 16,775 44% 50% 2009 39,867 18,737 47% 50% 2010 42,985 21,063 49% 50% 2011 43,798 21,899 50% 50% 2012 40,288 22,561 56% 55% 2013 40,210 24,930 62% 60% 2014 41,014 25,429 62% 62% 2015 42,224 26,601 63% 63% 2016 45,914 29,844 65% 65% 2017 39,174 26,638 68% 68% 2018 38,765 27,136 70% 70% 2019 40,255 29,386 73% 73% 2020 39,782 29,837 75% 75% 2021 38,579 30,863 80% 80% 2022 43,814 37,242 85% 85% The first milestone, achieving a 50% pass rate by 2011 as determined by the Washington State Common Core Standards, was set in 2001 following the initation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This milestone was achieved. The second milestone will occur when a 65% pass rate has been achieved. Annual tracking (using a table such as this) will allow measurement of progress so marketing can be adjusted to the needs of the students in the area. There are several benefits of the center, including the monthly contributions from donors in the area who share the same dedication in seeing children succeed in education. Successful fundraising will raise $52,000 in the first two years to cover the daily operations of the center, including utilities and salaries. Rental fees are determined by the cost of utilities and salary during the reservation of the venue for a professional or semi-professional event. F. Financial Statement and Projections F.1 Revenue and Cost Estimate The following is a projection for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s first year in business: F.2 Forecasted Profit and Loss Statement The following is a projection for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s first year in business. Sales Revenues include Fundraising, Venue Rental, Sales, and Donor Contributions. Expenses include Utilities, Software, and Salaries (four teachers and owner), starting in August 2014. F.3 Forecasted Balance Sheet The following reports the Projected Balance Sheet for Step Ahead Tutoring Center after their first year of business: G. Financial Report G.1 Financial Projections The assumptions made in estimating the projected revenues in the prior section was based on expert judgement from past fundraising experience, anticipated demand for venue rental (based on community interest), and the cost of each private and semi-private tutoring session. Outside donor contributions are consistent each month during the first year and second year of operations. Projections for fixed expenses (Utilities) came from estimates provided by the building architect. G.1a Breakeven Point The following shows that the Step Ahead Tutoring Center will achieve a breakeven point in the fifth month of the first year. G.1b Financial Position After analyzing the estimated revenues and expenses for the first year, the company will be in a good financial position at the conclusion of operations on July 31, 2015. During the first year, the center will have $50,900 in revenue. The center would not be self-sustaining without the contributions from donors and the fundraising efforts. Sales are in line for the needs of the center during the first year. After successfully launching a website for the center and continual marketing efforts throughout the year, great awareness and a strong reputation will be build by the end of the firsr year. During the second year, further sales growth is planned with the addition of two staff members and the need to purchase replacement utilities along with additional software programs. The center will be self-sustaining without the requirement of donor contributions and fundraising efforts during the second year. G.1c Capital/Investment Needs The company will receive a $10,000 Capital Investment from Xxxxxx Xxxxx to assist with marketing the launch of the center. Step Ahead Learning Center’s website and email program have been developed prior to company planning by the owner. Using â€Å"in-house† resources to develop a product is much less  expensive then contracting the work through an outside vendor. The center is seeking a total of $20,000 to complete a fifth fully functioning computer lab (computers, projector, chairs, desks) plus on-going contributions to further assist with the incorporation of advancing technology. Donors should be prideful in knowing they helped create a better community through the higher education of children in the area, helping thousands of children to have a better future, allowing them to enter the work force better educated with high, attainable goals. References Ginsburg, Leinward, and Decker. (n.d.). Office of superintendent of public instruction. Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/CoreStandards/Mathematics U.S. department of education. (2010). Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html EPS literacy and intervention. (2014). Retrieved from https://eps.schoolspecialty.com/ Sylvan learning. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.sylvanlearning.com/