Person-job Fit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Person-job Fit - Essay Example I am fit for this job because the Big Five test portrayed that I am careful and an orderly person, hardworking, reliable, can integrate well with the organization (Furnham&Chamoro-Premuzic, 2011, p. 58)and is concerned about the welfare of other people (Chamoro-Premuzic et al. 2011: p. 45). I like challenges and being creative because I persistently look for different ways of approaching the different task and coming up with solutions to for different problems (Angelo, 2010, p. 117).The internship position also requires an individual who can write concisely and accurately, Ifitwell to the position because I can communicate well and cooperate in teamwork. Thisattributemakesme a good team player. This will be effective in assisting the company to expand its business operations and allow effective flow of information (Patton & McMahon, 2006, p. 53-56) among the different management levels to ensure timely information disbursement and feedback (Jones et al, 1991, p. 76).Managementtakesli ttleconsideration in creating a network but takes much attention in planning, guiding, controlling and directing people on how to carry out a given job. Thisincorporatesmyability to create networks with other employees in the business.The Big Five Test reflects well. This test offers a prediction on how will work intellectually, cooperatively, cheerfully and diligently. The personality attributes portrayed by the Big Five test truly affect the manner in which I will approach work at XYZ healthcare company.

The problem of minority prisoners Essay Example for Free

The problem of minority prisoners Essay The problem of minority prisoners has been high on agenda for several decades already. In this paper I will focus my attention on possible measures and remedies aimed at establishing bridges of understanding between minority prisoners and corrections. I have critically examined a significant number of authoritative sources regarding the issue and I’m going to evaluate the problems that exist in current situation with minority representatives in prison and advocate for the necessary policy change. I shall note with regret that escalating tension between minority prisoners and the personnel is jeopardizing the rehabilitation of the convicts. This problem is often but inadequately addressed by prison authorities. Let me bring some examples. In Pakistan, according to Shehar Bano Khan’s article entitled â€Å"’Ordeal’ of Minority Prisoners†, Christian prisoners suffered from the â€Å"bitter ordeal of discrimination†, and the â€Å"prison authorities unbridled highhandedness and discriminatory behaviour has become a major personal safety concern†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.dawn.com/2004/08/29/nat16.htm) I want to start enlisting methods of building bridges of understanding between minority prisoners and corrections by quoting the message of the Scottish Prison Service: â€Å"The Prison Service is absolutely committed to ensuring race equality and delivery of good race relations in all aspects of our work. We will ensure that race issues are addressed in all parts of our business – and promote race equality as a core standard and essential ingredient for running a successful prison.† (www.sps.gov.uk/home/reqs.pdf) All Party Parliamentary Group for Further Education and Lifelong Learning in the report on prison education came to the following conclusion: â€Å"Black and ethnic minority prisoners may have different learning needs and some requirement for different sites and modes of learning. For example there is a need for more culturally sensitive programmes for such prisoners prisoners whose first language is not English will need different learning programmes.† (http://www.natfhe.org.uk/says/pubsfued.html) This should be a very serious concern in the prisons worldwide; this principle should be applied to any interaction between the staff and minority prisoners, let alone the educational process. The staff of the prison should always keep in mind that prisoners from different racial and ethnic background may require using different interaction models. All the minority prisoners must have access to quality interpretation services; this is the first step to build the bridges of understanding in a literal sense. This may sound unrealistic for the moment but prison personnel should work towards the completion of this important goal. Keeping in mind, that minority prisoners may be vulnerable and sensitive about some issues, it would be of great use organizing a special training session for prison staff concerning cultural and religious practices of minority prisoners serving their sentence in a specific institution. The report entitled Implementing Race Equality in Prisons advices â€Å"to ensure effective training incorporating race equality issues†¦is developed and delivered to employees and contracted staff on the basis of learning need.† (www.cre.gov.uk/pdfs/PrisonsFI_action.pdf) Basically, the question of religion is a separate topic. The prison personnel should be very attentive to this issue since religious disrespect may cause tension and confrontation. For centuries prisoners have been deprived of their right to religious practices because it was perceived as an effective way to demoralize them. Let’s remember the controversy over the religious discrimination of the prisoners in Guantanamo. Shehar Bano Khan’s article also informs that in Pakistan, â€Å"discriminatory treatment of Christians and other minorities has become a regular feature†¦Ã¢â‚¬  with â€Å"janitorial work†¦assigned to the Christians only† and with â€Å"no preacher for them.† (www.dawn.com/2004/08/29/nat16.htm) The prison personnel should ensure that every minority prisoners has an opportunity and facilities to practice his/her religion; spiritual literature should be supplied if necessary. The guard shouldn’t subject the convicts to discrimination due to their religious beliefs. The Race Equality Scheme being implemented by Scottish Prison Service states the same: â€Å"Members of all religious groups have the same right to practice their faith. Arrangements should be made to give each group the same opportunities to do so.† (www.sps.gov.uk/home/reqs.pdf) There’s much debate over the question of the religious practices in prisons. It’s widely recognized that â€Å"although prisoners retain the right to free exercise of religion, incarceration places some practical limits on this right,† as Mara Schneider informs in the article entitled â€Å"Splitting Hairs: Why Courts Uphold Prison Grooming Policies and Why They Should Not.† (Michigan Journal of Race Law 2004)   Therefore, the prison personnel should ensure religious freedom unless it’s incompatible with safety concerns. The article by Jennifer Vogel entitled â€Å" White Guard, Black Guard: Racism in Washington Continues† informs that â€Å"more than one third of the more than 14,000 state prison prisoners are of minority descent.† In the article the issue of violence against minority workers and prisoners is scrutinize. The author proposes a highly efficient measure to establish fair treatment of minority prisoners. She especially stresses the fact that â€Å"while 23 percent of prisoners are black, only 6 percent of DOC employees are black.† (www.prisonlegalnews.org/ban.htm) Employing guards from minority background will provide a positive model of non-discrimination. Still, careful workplace control should be initiated. The offences of minority guards are reported and such practices lead to violence towards minority prisoners. This caused, according to Vogel’s article, â€Å"a frightening atmosphere where white guards refer to blacks as â€Å"coons† and worse; where minority prisoners are targeted for beatings; where black guards receive threats†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.prisonlegalnews.org/ban.htm) We live in multiethnic societies. Until there is no equality and fair representation of minorities in staff we can’t speak of establishing efficient communication between the prisoners and the guards. The report entitled Implementing Race Equality advices â€Å"to increase the proportion of staff from minority ethnic groups to achieve a representative workforce†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.cre.gov.uk/pdfs/PrisonsFI_action.pdf) The statistical report entitled Ethnic Minorities: Crime and Criminal Justice states the following: â€Å"Ethnic minorities are under-represented in the police, prison service, lay magistracy and at senior levels in all criminal justice agencies.† (http://www.rouncefield.homestead.com/files/a_soc_dev_35.htm) The guards should never deprive prisoners of the use of any prison facilities. The Scottish Prison Service recommends the following: â€Å"The range of facilities provided and opportunities offered to staff and prisoners, including jobs, should be responsive to the needs of ethnic and racial groups. All staff and prisoners should have equal access to those facilities and opportunities.† (www.sps.gov.uk/home/reqs.pdf) The report entitled Implementing Race Equality in Prisons also supports this view by stating that the following should be proposed to all the prisoners on the equal basis: â€Å"Facility licences enable eligible prisoners the chance to participate in; training, employment, educational and community service or for official purposes such as attending civil court proceedings.† (www.cre.gov.uk/pdfs/PrisonsFI_action.pdf) We must admit that the most efficient way of protecting minority prisoners’ right is launching a formal complaint. Numerous court cases were initiated on this issue. Therefore I would suggest informing both the prisoners and the guards about non-discrimination legal acts and policies as well as practical methods of protecting their rights. All the necessary support should be provided to the prisoners who want to defend their right. Kimmett Edgar and Carol Martin interviewed the ethic minority representatives in the local prisons. Here’re their findings: â€Å"32% said they had not experienced anything that warranted a complaint†¦36% of those who had experienced discrimination said that they had complained.† The reasons for not complaining included that the prisoners â€Å"were frightened of reprisals from staff if they did complain,† or â€Å"believed it would be futile to complain,† or â€Å"they did not know how to complain.† (www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/rdsolr1104.pdf) Ensuring transparency and efficiency of the complaint system should be the primary concern of the prison personnel. An article reviewing The Black and Asian Prisoner s Guidebook and the Law attracts our attention to the fact that the basic rights of every person should be always respected: â€Å"The Civil and Human Rights of ethnic minority prisoners systematically apply by colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion and religious beliefs.† (http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=1095grp=16) Legal Assistance Available to Minority Prisoners in Delaware, the most comprehensive study of possible models of legal assistance, points out a series of problems preventing the prisoners from minority background from receiving qualified legal protection. This list includes poor interpretation services, shortage of paralegal help, shortage of the advocates speaking the languages of ethnic minorities as well as shortage of public defenders and judges. The prison personnel should help the prisoners to overcome all this barriers and to obtained necessary legal help. The report entitled Implementing Race Equality in Prisons stresses the importance of proper monitoring and surveying. This should include 1. Prisoner Ethnic Monitoring data outcomes, 2. Race Relations Management Audit score, 3. Substantiated/unsubstantiated racial incidents (prisoners/visitors), 4. Prisoner survey outcomes,5. Visitor survey outcomes. The report also proposes â€Å"to develop effective systems at national and establishment level to monitor progress on race equality ensuring compliance with†¦[the legislation]†¦and taking remedial action to address difficulties.† (www.cre.gov.uk/pdfs/PrisonsFI_action.pdf) Laura May in her article entitled Action Needed over Race Relations at Jail, Report Finds states the following:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Black and ethnic minority inmates in a prison believe they have been marginalised but inspectors could find no evidence of direct discrimination†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1979788) Proper monitoring should be in place to prevent such common situations. Scottish Prison Service in the annual 2004 report indicated several important initiatives aimed at building bridges between minority prisoners and guards and establishing racial equality. From my point of view, the most interesting of them were â€Å"development of closer links with a number of external organisations in the promotion and development of race equality within our Service,† â€Å"the introduction of a foreign language book rental scheme for prisoners,† â€Å"the continued development of our Race Relations Complaints system and monitoring from our national Race Relations Liaison Monitoring Group,† as well as â€Å"the development of Dietary Guidance in relation to ethnic minority catering throughout the estate.† (http://www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/race_equality_reports/default.asp) To sum up my paper, I would like to stress once more the importance of building bridges of understanding between the minority prisoners and corrections. The rights of the prisoners and non-discrimination should be the key principles in providing proper treatment of minority representatives. There is a variety of measures aimed at ensuring equality in prisons ranging from staff training to monitoring. But I would like to stress that all these measures would work only if applied consistently and simultaneously. References    NATFHE Prison Education Submission to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Further Education and Lifelong Learning,   June 2004 Available: http://www.natfhe.org.uk/says/pubsfued.html Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Shehar Bano Khan, â€Å"Ordeal of Minority Prisoners†, DAWN, 29 August, 2004 Available: www.dawn.com/2004/08/29/nat16.htm Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Jennifer Vogel, White Guard, Black Guard: Racism in Washington Continues, May, 1999 Available: www.prisonlegalnews.org/ban.htm Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Mara R. Schneider, Splitting Hairs: Why Courts Uphold Prison Grooming Policies and Why They Should Not, Michigan Journal of Race Law, Volume 9, Issue 2, Spring 2004 Scottish Prison Service, Race Equality Scheme, 2000 Available: www.sps.gov.uk/home/reqs.pdf Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Kimmett Edgar, Carol Martin, Perceptions of race and conflict: perspectives of minority ethnic prisoners and of prison officers, University of Oxford Centre for Criminological Research, Home Office Online Report 11/04, 2004 Available: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/rdsolr1104.pdf Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Legal Assistance Available to Minority Prisoners in Delaware, 1989 Available: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/edocs/usccr/pdf%20files/Preservation%20Resources%20PDF/cr12as7z.pdf Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Commission for Race Equality, HM Prison Service, Implementing Race Equality in Prisons, December 2003 Available: www.cre.gov.uk/pdfs/PrisonsFI_action.pdf Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Scottish Prison Service, Race Equality Annual Report, 2004 Available: http://www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/race_equality_reports/default.asp Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 The Ethnic Minority Press, The Black and Asian Prisoner s Guidebook and the Law, A review, 19 August 2002 Available: http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=1095grp=16 Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Ethnic Minorities: Crime and Criminal Justice Available: http://www.rouncefield.homestead.com/files/a_soc_dev_35.htm Last Accessed: 3 November 2004 Laura May, Scottman.com, Action Needed over Race Relations at Jail, Report Finds, 25 September 2003 Available: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1979788 Last Accessed: 3 November 2004

Web :: Essays Papers

Web How To Start A Web Business One of the most popular Internet myths claim that building an online store is easy: All the customer has to do is point, click, and buy. But in reality, successful e-commerce is far more complex and unlike any other web site project you have tackled in the past. Before that first cyber buck finds it’s way into your bank account, you need to do considerable research and planning. To get started you can begin thinking about all the issues that need to be addressed before you can even put together a successful online business plan. You can now imagine a real company that suddenly decides to regard the â€Å"welcome† announcement of e-commerce. Say you’re working for the Ford Motor Company, the nation’s leading supplier of heavy-duty trucks. Your CEO is catching up on the past several months of business journals and when the spark plugs start firing. Those screaming headlines cannot be ignored: â€Å"Consumer E-Commerce Will Jump To 26 Billion By 2002† and â€Å"U.S. Online Business Trade Will Soar to 1.3 Trillion By 2003†. Most importantly, Chevy has rumored to begin its own e-business plan. So the big wig meets with the board of directors, and after an agonizing long deliberation, you are told that they want www.ford.com open in six weeks. Plenty of time they insist. After all there are millions of schmucks out there building award winning web sites and making a plethora of cash to pay for college. Immediately go register the domain name ford.com for the company and then make your plan. Planning ahead for the unexpected gotchas of e-commerce that can hit you unexpectedly. Planning ahead will not only save you redevelopment time down the road, but it will also help you make educated decisions as you choose the right e-business solution for your company. The Many Choices of Beginning Before your can select the right setup for your e-business, you must determine exactly what you need to be competitive online. Most likely you will need some software to help you manage your products, your promotions, your customers, and their orders. You may also need some additional programs to handle the tax, shipping, and payment processing of your orders. 2 of 3

An Open-Minded University :: Argumentative Culture Diversity Essays

An Open-Minded University Colleges and Universities have long played a role in emphasizing a common past or history, which, we as Americans must certainly all share. Our culture has certainly been dominated by viewpoints of those who have written about it, those in the media, and more specifically, those in power. As a society we are all quite aware of the fact that those in power and, therefore, those who have shaped a large part of our society are made up of a majority of white, male, upper class citizens. Yet, as our society is constantly changing, growing and becoming enriched with a diverse people from all over the world who do not share experiences, culture, skin color or even values, we must ask ourselves how productive we are when we teach the culture of the few to the faces of the majority? I, therefore, feel that not only should it be the responsibility of all colleges and universities to teach a wide variety of diverse cultures that encompass the people who make up our society, but it should also b e their duty. America was made by the people and for the people. "People" is the key word we must remember and take notice of. Who is it that makes up our "people", and how can they be represented in our history, our educational institutions and in our society? By understanding the people that encompass the true America and incorporating a knowledge and respect of all cultures we will be more productive as a society and, more importantly, better able to communicate, relate and build relationships, which will enrich our individual lives. The article by Bell Hooks entitled, "Keeping Close To Home: Class and Education" seemed to touch on the issue of incorporating an education that encompasses a variety of people in a profound way. Recognizing the unique perspectives that can be drawn from a diverse people will, eventually, change the once valued American attitude that we must all assimilate to one voice, one common outlook, one moral and educational perspective. In knowing one's past, by naming it and then taking ownership of the past, and by learning about other people's past from an objective point of view we are expanding our sense of history. More than that, we are actively incorporating all different people into our every day lives. Obviously, a greater sense of cultural awareness is not always as easily attainable as we might hope.

Formal essay Essay

The therapeutic relationship is an important component of nursing. Nurses use their own awareness of self as a valuable tool to build rapport with patients and develop the therapeutic relationship. This essay will demonstrate the importance of self awareness by discussing how it can be developed, the advantages of self awareness, and the consequences of not practising self awareness in nursing contexts. There are a number of ways that a nurse can develop self awareness. Smith and Jones (2012) suggested that self awareness can be developed by †¦ Johns and Harrison (2009) agreed, but also suggested that †¦ would be useful. However, there was some disagreement with these findings. A research study conducted by Marks and Spencer (2010) found that †¦ Although some of these authors disagreed on the methods of developing self awareness, what they did agree on was the advantages for patients if nurses are self aware. When nurses are self aware, benefits for the patient include †¦ The benefit to communication was stated emphatically by Lewis and Carroll (2008) who found that †¦ Similarly, other authors have noted that †¦ (Brown, & Green, 2009; Butcher, & Baker, 2011). There are also benefits for the nurse who is self aware. For example, †¦ Similarly, healthcare organisations can benefit when their staff are more self aware because †¦ The benefits of self awareness have been clearly demonstrated, but consideration must also be given to what might happen to a therapeutic relationship if nurses are not self aware. If a nurse is not self aware, the ramifications for the therapeutic relationship can be severe. Smith and Jones (2012) reported on an instance where a lack of self awareness on the part of a nurse resulted in †¦ They suggested that greater self awareness on the part of the nurse would have †¦ Other possible results of a lack of self awareness on the part of a nurse include †¦ (Brown, & Green, 2009). It is therefore clear that poor self awareness on the part of a nurse can severely influence the development of a therapeutic relationship which can adversely affect the outcomes for the patient. In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated the importance of nurses having good self awareness if they are to develop effective therapeutic relationships with their patients. The main methods for developing self awareness were reviewed, including †¦ When nurses have developed good self awareness, there are benefits for patients, nurses and health organisations, including †¦ However, if nurses do not have good self awareness, possible adverse influences on the therapeutic relationship and on patient outcomes can include †¦ Thus, it is undeniable that self awareness is a significant skill that nurses need to acquire. Reflection (200 words) There has been an enormous change in my perception of the role and function of nurses since I started university. I initially regarded registered nurses as mainly providers of medication who comfort patients in pain. Moreover, I always thought that patients would be cordial to nurses. The idea that nurses could face violent patients was totally new to me. However, I now comprehend that nurses need to employ effective communication strategies to  coordinate the care of patients and also deal with the possible threat of aggressive patients. As a result of this learning, I have realised that I do not know how to deal with aggressive patients, so I will attend a workshop to start developing skills in this area. I was always under the impression that nurses went into hospital wards and directly commenced treatment. On the contrary, from readings that I have done, I understand that it is important to obtain patient permission before commencing treatment. Some patients make decisions about treatments themselves, while others might consult with family members. This could be for cultural reasons, but I have realised that I lack knowledge about other cultures. Therefore, I will try to learn more about the different cultures of the people with whom I work and study. Andre, K., & Heartfield, M. (2011). Nursing and Midwifery Portfolios: Evidence of Continuing Competence. Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier. Bulman, C., & Schutz, S. (2013). Reflective Practice in Nursing. Chichester, UK: WileyBlackwell. Dempsey, J., & Wilson, V. (2009). Thoughtful Practice: Self-awareness and reflection. In J. Dempsey, J. French, S. Hillege, & V. Wilson (Eds.) Fundamentals of Nursing and Midwifery. Broadway, NSW: Wolters Kluwer. Johns, C. (2009). Becoming a Reflective Practitioner. Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. Timmins, F. (2008). Making Sense of Portfolios: A Guide for Nursing Students,Nursing Students. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press. Usher, K., & Holmes, C. (2010). Reflective practice: what, why and how. In J. Daly, S. Speedy, & D. Jackson (Eds.) Contexts of Nursing. Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier

This Holiday Season, Thank a Trucker!ÂÂ

This Holiday Season, Thank a Trucker!   As you sit down to enjoy some much-deserved time off this holiday season, remember there are a few industries, like trucking, that never take a break. While you’re with your family and friends, there’s a whole fleet of long-haul drivers who won’t get the chance to be home for the holidays. Here are three things not to forget:Santa Didn’t Deliver Your Gifts- a Trucker DidIt’s easy to forget where our goods come from and how they get to us. But almost anything you’ve ever bought- food, clothes, toys, electronics- were probably trucked in to your local stores. We’d have very little if it weren’t for truckers.Truckers Can Be Highway AngelsTruckers know how to survive on the road, and they are often seen helping others reach their destinations safely. Whether that means helping to change a tire or pulling off a roadside rescue, truckers frequently put others’ safety first.Truckers  Make Our Lives EasierWe wouldn’t sur vive a minute driving long-hauls, showering in rest stops, and spending so little time at home with our families. It’s not a job for everyone. And while some do truly enjoy being on the road, it’s still a sacrifice they make to keep our economy flowing.This holiday season, be sure to raise a glass to all the men and women who spend their time driving our groceries and gifts around.3 Reasons to Thank a Trucker

25 Lessons From Guest Blogging For The Top Blogs In The World

25 Lessons From Guest Blogging For The Top Blogs In The World During the past few years, I’ve written for some of the most popular marketing blogs in the world. Blogs like Social Media Examiner, MarketingProfs, Copyblogger, Problogger, KISSMetrics, and the list goes on and on. It’s been an honor to guest blog for such amazing publications. And along the way, I’ve learned a thing or two. So, if you’re thinking about guest blogging as a way to market your company, this will help you get started. Or if you’re already guest blogging, then this will help you get even more out of it. When guest blogging, the first thing you need to do is find good blogs to write for. 1. Know what audience you want to target. So before you jump in, there are a few things to consider: Are you looking to write on a blog in your industry? Or are you looking to write on a blog that your customers read? For instance, my company focuses on marketing software for small businesses. I could either write for marketing blogs such as or I can write for small business blogs. 2. Use Google to find relevant blogs. The first and most obvious place to look for a guest blogging opportunity is Google. Once you know  the type of blog that you want to write for, you simply Google the name of your industry and â€Å"write for us†. So if you Google â€Å"small business† and â€Å"write for us†, you’ll see a list of small business blogs that accept guest posts: Pore through them to find the  blogs that are most aligned your goals. 3. Try Twitter to find relevant blogs. If you go to search.twitter.com and click on â€Å"Advanced Search†, you’re brought to the following screen: In the â€Å"All of these words† field, enter the niche that you want to write for. In the â€Å"This exact phrase† field, enter the words â€Å"write for us†. You should see a list of blogs asking for guest posts. 4. Look through the blogs you follow. Look for guest blogging opportunities on the blogs that you currently read. Do all of the authors of the blog work for the company? If they don’t, it’s a good bet that they accept guest posts. 5. Investigate the size of the blog. The truth is, writing a blog post takes a lot of time. And you want to get the most exposure possible. To see how much traffic a blog gets, I do two things: First, I check out their Alexa ranking. Even though it’s only an estimate, it gives me some indication as to how many readers the blog has. After I look at their Alexa ranking, I scroll through the most recent 10–20 posts to see how many social media shares each post gets. These are mostly vanity metrics, but they’ll give you a sense for how many people will interact with your post. 6. Make sure the blog has an engaged audience. If you’re looking to guest blog to get traffic to your site and build your email list, then writing for blogs with a high comment to share ratio is extremely important. For instance, I wrote a post on Boost Blog Traffic: It received a ton of comments relative to the number of social media shares. It’s no accident that during the time this post was written, it was my largest source of referral traffic- even though I had written for much bigger blogs. It’s not always the size of the blog that matters. It’s just as important to have active and engaged readers. When #guestblogging, blog size doesn’t always matter. Active readers do.7. Make sure your target audience reads the blog. One of the most critical factors for guest blogging success is ensuring the audience is a proper fit for you. The biggest blog in the world will do you absolutely no good if your customers don’t read it. Make sure you understand the demographics of the blog’s audience to ensure your customers read it. Ask To Write A Guest Blog Once you find a blog you want to write for, you’ll need to apply to contribute a guest post to that blog. 8. Choose a topic based on what was successful. Read the last three to six months’ worth of blog posts to get a feel for the content the blog publishes and what type of posts the audience likes to read. The posts with the most comments and shares probably get the most traffic, and in the blog editors  mind, are the most successful. Contribute an idea that is similar  to a successful post to increase your chances of it being accepted. So, as a person who is interested in writing for the small business audience, here’s how I would create a topic and headline: One of my favorite small business blogs is called Under30CEO. After doing my research, I find that a lot of the posts that do well are about  increasing your company’s visibility. Now that I know  what works, I would say something like: 5 Practical Ways to Get Your Company in Front of Your Prospects, Even if You Dont Have a Huge Budget 9. Create the guest blog outline. A brief outline will give me a better idea of how the post is going to be constructed, what it will include, and how it will benefit the blog’s readers. You only need to spend 20 minutes on the outline. Just enough time to flesh out your ideas. 10. Write the email to the blog you’ll contribute to. Here’s the email script that I use often  to pitch my guest blogs. Figure Out The Best Post Type For That Blog When you’re guest blogging, there are typically three types of posts that you can write. 11. Long list posts work. A long list post is successful because the sheer numbers blow readers away. That’s why it attracts a lot of attention. The key, though, is to blow your audience away. For instance, I wrote this post on KISSMetrics. And it did amazingly well. And it even got featured on Entrepreneur: This post would have been lost in the Internet if I had simply wrote about seven email marketing tools. The fact that I had compiled such a huge list is what made this post so successful. 12. Analyze other people. Another type of post you can write is to analyze other people. In another guest  post, I analyzed how five different companies deployed psychological triggers in their marketing to get more customers. I backed these tactics with facts that the companies published as well as scientific research. 13. Try personal stories or case studies. This is by far the most powerful post if you want to get your story out there, build your email list, and sell your products and services. When I wrote, â€Å"Why Quitting May Be the Most Profitable Thing You do This Year†, I told the story of how I was absolutely lost as an entrepreneur. I didn’t know where my next customer was going to come from. I let all my emotions go. I can’t tell you how many emails I received from people who have said they knew exactly how I felt. I was able to connect in a very real and personal way. To date, this post has been the single largest contributor to my email list. The day it went live, I had well over 400 people subscribe. Promote Yourself With Guest Blogging Guest blogging can be a brilliant marketing strategy- if you promote yourself correctly. If not, it’ll be a colossal waste of time. 14. Focus on conversions and landing pages. Neil Patel has seen conversions on landing pages increase by 10% simply by personalizing his landing page. Instead of sending people to a generic landing page, send them to a page that has a headline like â€Å"Welcome, Readers.† 15. Provide relevant and useful offers. It’s extremely tough to split test this, but when you’re guest blogging, I find that an offer related to your guest post will get more email subscribers than your general lead magnet. For instance, let’s say I’m writing a guest post titled â€Å"25 Lessons From Guest Blogging For The Top Blogs In The World.† :) I could either send all of my traffic to a generic landing page, or I could create an offer that reveals 30 popular blogs that accept guest posts. The second offer is much more relevant to my post, and should perform a lot better. 16. Grow your following with Twitter. Believe it or not, guest blogging is an effective way to grow your Twitter following. When you guest blog on a popular blog, you can be sure that it will get a lot of tweets and retweets. After your guest post goes live, copy and paste the URL from the post into search.twitter.com. And you will see everyone who has tweeted your post. Follow each person who tweeted your post, and a large majority will follow you back. Remember, they just read an article by you, so they’re clearly interested in the type of content you produce! 17. The funnel is overrated. Some of my most lucrative offers came not because someone gave me their email address on my landing page, but because they read my post and asked me if I wanted to do work for them. In another life, I ran a marketing agency focusing on content marketing. After I wrote a blog post on Copyblogger, I received this email offer to work with Shopify: And that’s not the only time guest blogging helped me land a gig. More often than not, when companies would ask for my writing portfolio, I would simply show them various posts I had written for popular blogs. It was the kind of social proof and validation that many of my competitors didn’t have. 18. Use guest blogging as social proof. If you go to my friend Henneke’s blog, you’ll see that she’s been â€Å"seen on† some large and popular blogs. She is able to put these logos on her site because she’s written guest blogs on each of them. Guest blogging offers a third-party social proof similar to a public relations campaign. When someone sees that you’ve been featured on the popular sites in your industry, they know your ideas have already been validated. This brings you one step closer to making that sale. 19. You must guest blog consistently. Unfortunately, guest blogging is sold as the magic elixir for traffic. How many times have you heard this before: #Guestblogging is a way to build a popular blog. Well, that’s only half true. You have to guest blog consistently. Consistent #guestblogging is a way to build a popular blog. These numbers show traffic from guest blogging over the course of two months: I don’t mean that to scare you because the numbers are not large by any stretch. Like most endeavors, building your blog through guest blogging takes time and commitment. 20. Build your relationships. A few years ago, I was building a blog of my own called â€Å"Sales Leads in 30 Days.† I needed to get traffic to my blog. I had already written guest posts on several popular blogs, including KISSMetrics, which is owned by Neil Patel. He’s a popular Internet marketer with a very large Twitter following. Because I had already written for his blog in the past, I had a small relationship with him. So I â€Å"leveraged† that relationship in order to get some traffic to my new blog. That one single tweet brought 154 pageviews and 142 unique pageviews to that post. Mind you, this doesn’t seem like a huge amount of traffic, but this was the first post to the new blog, and this was only one tweet. 21. Promote case studies and user stories. I’ve used guest blogging to publish case studies and user stories to help bring attention to my services. But right now, no one is doing this as effectively as Noah Kagan from Appsumo. Everywhere you look, you see him promoting his new site Sumome- even on this blog. In this post, Noah gives some really valuable content that you can apply to your blog immediately. However, he also has the innate ability to talk about Sumome and the tool’s effect on getting more traffic to every post. If you can work your product or service into your guest post without it being an outright advertisement, your guest post will be much more effective. Be Prepared For Comments And Feedback The very first time I had ever received a comment on any blog post was the first time I wrote for Copyblogger. To be honest, I never really gave it much thought. However, once you put yourself out there for the world to see, you open yourself up to criticism. 22. Most comments are good. Luckily, most people are going to love your work. That’s because you’ve undergone an editorial standard from the popular blog that prohibits bad posts from coming through. And when you read how great you are from hundreds of people, it makes you feel really freakin’ good about yourself. But there is also the other side of the coin†¦. 23. Some comments suck. I had just spent 25 hours compiling a list of email marketing tools unlike any the Internet has seen. I poured my heart and soul into that guest blog. And one of the first comments I received was a snarky complaint about how my grammar was incorrect: The world is full of critics. Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and smile. Bonus Lessons For Guest Blogging Here are just a few things I picked up that really didn’t fit into any of the categories. 24. Guest blogging requires a big time commitment. I often underestimate how long a post will take. The 67 email tools post I wrote took me 25 hours. The post I wrote on Copyblogger titled â€Å"In Defense of Quitting† took even longer. And if you want to be effective with your guest blogging, then its something you’ll have to do consistently. If there was an opposite to â€Å"get rich quick†, then guest blogging is it. Sure, it can help you sell more products and services. But like all things in the land of entrepreneurship, it’s a grind. 25. Guest blogging isn’t for everyone. Guest blogging is a strategy that allows writers to leverage their strength. Just as a public speaker leverages a stage to promote his ideas, guest blogging gives writers the platform to get their ideas into the world.

Auto Design- The retro design trend essays

Auto Design- The retro design trend essays Topic: Auto Design- The retro design trend Automobile designers have begun to create a great deal of interest in the consumer market recently with their new, retro look designs. Each year, there seem to be an ever-expanding selection of styling and design concepts, which reminisce that of the classic cars from the 1930s to the late 70s. Many new vehicle designs incorporate parts that bring to mind the appearance of the early hot-rods. There are an abundance of examples of this styling from many of the different manufactures, many of which have created mass demand and consumer appeal. In addition to small hints of the past incorporated into new designs, are whole automobiles created to meet the consumer demand for this type of vehicle. Many of the new automobiles designed share hints of retro styling. These designs bring back memories of earlier cars built in the era of the hot rods and early muscle cars. The new Chevrolet Camaro is a good example of this type of design, featuring a brand new, ram air hood design, having hints of the early 70s and 80s camaro which featured an almost identical shape. The Camaro also has an oval mouth grille in the center, reminding the consumer of the ever so famous 67-69 camaros. Countless everyday cars on the streets show retro details in their body design. New mustangs feature side scoops on its body, rounded rear windows on a Chrysler LHS, or the corrugated lower sidepieces on a Pontiac Grand Am all are designs that were incorporated in the old cars of days gone by. Now their use has been revived and is a very common practice among automakers. In addition to minor styling cues, whole vehicles have been designed as retro styled. The newest introduction probably being the 2002 Ford Thunderbird. It borrows styling cues from the original Thunderbird s well as those made later on. The Thunderbird brings, the cars...

Dialect Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dialect - Research Paper Example The history of Bangladesh is a case that proves the validity of this point. The various dialects that are part of the same language are given different statuses according to the political power that are possessed by the different groups that speak it. Apart from sociolinguistics that all these are a part of, there is also the aspect of a dialect that makes it phonetically and syntactically different from other dialects of the same language that puts linguists in a quandary as to whether to classify a dialect as a dialect or as a language in its own right. There are various dialects that are used in today’s language. English itself has various varieties that we may classify as dialects since they have a lot in common with the standard forms of English, which may be considered to be the American and British varieties. As a result of colonialism, a large number of dialects of English have sprung up in former colonies of England (Mesthrie). They began in some countries as pidgins that were used for purposes of trade and commerce. As the power and prestige that were associated with the language of the coloniser increased among the colonized, the significance of English began to rise. Even after the liberation of these former colonies, the legacy of the coloniser remained in the form of the language of English. This, even today, remains a symbol of one’s class belonging in these countries, where they are associated with colonial attitudes that have refused to fade away. These countries have however, also introduced their own flavors to the English that they have received. Thus, today, there is an Indian English, an Australian English and a lot of other varieties of English that are considered to be official dialects by linguists. With the evolution of the forms of colonialism that are employed by the political powers of the world, the politics of language also underwent changes. Neocolonial attitudes that were fostered by the superiority of the United S tates of America in the political arena ensure that the American dialect is considered to be the superior form of English. This dialect is popularized by American sitcoms and other shows on radio that make it more popular especially among the youth who ape the words and syntax that are used in the media. The dominant dialect leads to what linguists refer to as the death of the indigenous dialects of an area (Crystal). This is usually caused by dialects that are used for official purpose such as for administration. This dialect then turns into the one that the people of a region desire to acquire for the purpose of moving up the social ladder through the acquisition of employment in the government and the private sector. The situation is equally, if not more complicated for those nations that are multilingual. Such nations have to deal with dialects that demand the status of a separate language. This may seem like a tokenistic gesture; however, it leads to a lot of complications such as the demand for a separate state within or in some cases even outside the nation. A separation from the state may result in the diminishing of the status of the state while a separation which is effected while staying with the nation shall lead to administrative difficulties and also sets a precedent for other communities that compromises on the strength of the nation. In a multicultural and multiracial society, a dialect becomes the symbol of a community’

The different views of marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The different views of marriage - Essay Example The sonnets rank among the finest love lyrics in the English language. The subject of the sonnets – love and the beloved, their soft music and the occasional graceful turn of phrase earn them an elevated place in English literature. A bit more about the title of the sonnet collection, Mrs. Browning was not Portugese, but she was a pronounced brunette, which is why her husband referred to her as â€Å"my little Portugese†. When she compiled her love poems in book form, she remembered the nickname and gave them the title â€Å"Sonnets from the Portugese†. One of the sonnets, Sonnet XLIII, often called â€Å"How Do I Love Thee† is hereby reproduced: Mrs. Browning’s Sonnet XLIII has been called the greatest love lyric in English and many readers would agree. The spontaneity and extent to which the persona in the poem experiences the emotion of love is very clear and evident from the beginning. In the poem, she expresses the fact that love encompasses her whole being and her whole life. Looking into her biography, the reader discovers that she led an active child’s life until one day, in trying to saddle her pony, she fell and suffered an injury that made her a partial invalid for years. In 1816, however, she married the poet Robert Browning and went with him to live in Florence, Italy, where her health improved and where their only son was born. Apparently, marriage and a more cheerful outlook towards life agreed with her and did her a lot of good. Line 9 of the poem would attest to this: â€Å"I love with a passion put to use Not all marriages are as perfect and ecstatic as that of the Brownings. In an analysis of short story that ensues, â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, the negative side of marriage is presented. On the outset, however, the reader is kept guessing (Is the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, a happily-married

Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bibliography - Essay Example Investors who are risk-averse and are searching for a recognized periodic payment arrangement usually prefer to invest in bonds. On the other hand, investors who wish to risk more than is the case with bondholders, and are seeking to be included as joint partners in a corporation. Investors who are risk-averse and are searching for a recognized periodic payment arrangement usually prefer to invest in bonds. On the other hand, investors who wish to risk more than is the case with bondholders, and are seeking to be included as joint partners in a corporation. The source describes one disadvantage in investing in stocks being that they do not necessarily guarantee returns. Bonds, however, guarantee returns (Kristof, 17). The source also states that there are greater prospects of high returns with stocks, even though there is also the likelihood of losing money. Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of each? Milevsky, Moshe. Are You a Stock or a Bond?: Identify Your Own H uman Capital for a Secure Financial Future, Updated and Revised. New York: FT Press, 2012. The source describes stocks and bonds as being types of investment that give people the chance to invest their money in a specific business establishments in the hope of accruing handsome profits in future. Though both of these have a number of similarities, they also differ considerably in many ways. Both of these financial tools, in general, allow an individual to be able to invest in private or public companies, in the hope of being a future beneficiary through accrued profits. Stocks, which define the ownership shares in a corporation, are often the most favored by short time investor. One disadvantage in investing in stocks is that they do not necessarily guarantee returns. Bonds, however, guarantee returns. Therefore, there are greater prospects of high returns with stocks, even though there is also the likelihood of losing money. The source asserts that stocks are descriptive of a busin ess’s shares (Milevsky, 84). When a shareholder uses his own money to buy stocks from the company, he is actually acquiring ownership of the business. When the business realizes any profit, a percentage of it is given to the shareholders. In the matter of bonds, when a person invests in them, he is actually lending money to the business in question with the expectation that the firm will reimburse the bonds' amount along with a pre-determined interest rate on a definite time period. According to the source, business establishments may need to raise capital in such ways in order to expand into different localities or new ventures. They also raise capital in order to fund their businesses. Usually, it is the developing businesses that favor issuing stocks to get the necessary finances as this facilitates their growth while helping them to avoid accumulating more debt. The larger corporations are more likely to prefer acquiring capital by availing bonds without giving the chance of ownership to additional shareholders. The Risks involved in making investments in stocks and bonds Bernstein, William. The Ages of the Investor: A Critical Look at Life-cycle Investing. New York: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012. The source states that for the most part, making such investments in a company always has different risks for the shareholder; but can also deliver handsome profits (Bernstein,

Homelessness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Homelessness - Essay Example I have found many people around me who forced to spend their final days of their lives in rescue homes even though they have enormous wealth. An old age couple who was staying near my home forced to transfer their lives to a near rescue home recently since they failed to get enough attention from their parents. These couple had huge wealth, but their children were working abroad. They failed to get enough protection from their children and finally forced to take shelter in a rescue home conducting by a charitable trust. In another case, I have seen a person forced to live in a rented house because of unemployment. The recent recession resulted in this person losing his job. He forced to sell his house in order to repay some of his debts and forced to shift to a small rented house with his wife and two children. Before recession itself, they were struggling to find their livelihood. When we analyze both the cases mentioned above, we can see that the homelessness problem is due to structural reasons rather than the individual reasons. Unemployment, poverty, lack of affordable housing, housing policies etc are some of the structural reasons commonly cited by many sociologists for homelessness (What causes homelessness?). But in the first case given above, we can see that the family set up forced the couple to take shelter in rescue homes. Kendall (2008) mentioned that people like to form groups to meet instrumental and expressive needs. Instrumental or task oriented needs cannot be met by one persona alone, so the group work cooperatively to fulfill the goal. Moreover small groups are better for all the members to acquaint well and to interact simultaneously (Kendall, p.151-152). The first case given above can be analyzed with respect to the above perspective. As per the current trends, people like to live in nuclear families, a family with husband, wife and one or two children. It is difficult for them to accommodate more

Professional Nursing Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Professional Nursing Concepts - Essay Example The profession also entails the advocacy in the care of persons, families, and communities at large, in terms of healthcare services. Â  The nursing profession is one among the most important components of the medical world. This is because; it enables the training of highly qualified personnel who assist individuals to perform activities, which collectively help to improve the healthcare operations, enhance faster recovery of the patients, and facilitate peaceful death when one has to die. Furthermore, the nursing profession plays a pivotal role in nurturing healthcare practitioners who strive to ensure the best quality of lives possible among patients who suffer from diverse ailments or disabilities. The professionals in nursing have a wide range of medical knowledge with which they use to achieve their objectives, which are essential, to prevent illnesses and injuries as well as advocating in healthcare for the entire society. Â  The nursing practitioners, who are qualified and registered healthcare providers, perform medical operations to patients at all stages of human life, right from the new-borns to the elderly. The professionals in this medical field to perform a number of important functions including conducting a well-detailed and focused physical examination to patients; diagnosing and treating common and acute illnesses as well as injuries and providing the appropriate immunizations to the populations. In addition, the Nursing Practitioners have the responsibility to manage various human healthcare complications among them high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and many other health problems that are chronic. (Basford and Slevin 67) Â  

Homelessness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Homelessness - Essay Example I have found many people around me who forced to spend their final days of their lives in rescue homes even though they have enormous wealth. An old age couple who was staying near my home forced to transfer their lives to a near rescue home recently since they failed to get enough attention from their parents. These couple had huge wealth, but their children were working abroad. They failed to get enough protection from their children and finally forced to take shelter in a rescue home conducting by a charitable trust. In another case, I have seen a person forced to live in a rented house because of unemployment. The recent recession resulted in this person losing his job. He forced to sell his house in order to repay some of his debts and forced to shift to a small rented house with his wife and two children. Before recession itself, they were struggling to find their livelihood. When we analyze both the cases mentioned above, we can see that the homelessness problem is due to structural reasons rather than the individual reasons. Unemployment, poverty, lack of affordable housing, housing policies etc are some of the structural reasons commonly cited by many sociologists for homelessness (What causes homelessness?). But in the first case given above, we can see that the family set up forced the couple to take shelter in rescue homes. Kendall (2008) mentioned that people like to form groups to meet instrumental and expressive needs. Instrumental or task oriented needs cannot be met by one persona alone, so the group work cooperatively to fulfill the goal. Moreover small groups are better for all the members to acquaint well and to interact simultaneously (Kendall, p.151-152). The first case given above can be analyzed with respect to the above perspective. As per the current trends, people like to live in nuclear families, a family with husband, wife and one or two children. It is difficult for them to accommodate more

National Correct Coding Initiative Edit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

National Correct Coding Initiative Edit - Essay Example The NCCI Coding Policy Manual for the Medicare Services is usually updated annually by the CMS. This Coding Policy Manual should therefore be used as a general reference tool, which explains the rationale for the NCCI edits, by the FIs and the carriers (â€Å"National Correct Coding Initiative Edits†, n.d.). There are two types of NCCI Edits, which include procedure-to-procedure (PTP), and Medically Unlikely Edits (MUE). The PTP edits defines HCPCS/CPT codes which should not be reported together for various reasons, while MUE defines the maximum units of service which a provider would report on the circumstances of the same beneficiary on a single service date for each HCPCS/CPT code The NCCI edits is aimed at preventing inappropriate or improper payments after reporting of incorrect code combination. It contains two tables of edits, one for the outpatient hospital services and another for the physicians/practitioners. The Correct Coding Edits table for Column 1 – Column 2 has been combined into one table with the Mutually Exclusive Edits table and they include the code pairs, which should not be reported together for several reasons, which are explained in the Coding Policy Manual (â€Å"National Correct Coding Initiative Edits†, n.d.). A Correspondence Language Manual has also been made available. It was written and is maintained for the Medical Contractors utilization in answering routine correspondence enquiries on the MUE edits and NCCI procedure-to-procedure. The rationale for the edits are explained in the paragraphs for the general correspondence language (â€Å"The National Correct Coding Initiative in Medicaid | Medicaid.gov.†, n.d .). These guidelines consist of HCPCS or CPT procedure code-pairs, which must not be reported together. It also consists of MUEs, which determine if the procedure codes are submitted in,

Female Drill Sergeant Essay Example for Free

Female Drill Sergeant Essay Drill sergeant (DS) refers to the term that is used in United States military by the army, marine corps and air force. Becoming a drill sergeant can be through volunteering or by selection. The minimum status for attaining this state can only be at the rank of staff sergeant. Once a selected candidate, he/she should attend the Drill Sergeant School where he/she undergoes training on various aspects of the drill sergeant position. The historical start up of drill sergeant was in 1962. This followed a directive by the secretary of the army to his secretary who was Stephen Ailes to prompt a survey conduct of the recruiting process of the army corps. This survey took some long time and included surveys from the Air Force, Marine and the Navy training techniques. Various faults were found in the recruitment process and thus led to the position of the drill sergeant. The basic distinguishing feature for the drill sergeants was their hats. (http://www. jackson. army. mil/DSS/headgear. htm) However, since its inception in 1962, the position was not held by a female until 1972 where female drill sergeants were pronounced recruited and even given different hats than those held by their male counterparts. The design of their hat was done by Mildered C. Bailey who was a brigadier general. Beige was the first female drill sergeant hat though it was later replaced with one of dark green in 1983. Between 1984 and 1985, a proposal was made for an official switch by the female drill sergeants in having the same hat to what was owned by the male drill sergeants. On the same point, a larger group of female drill sergeants who were at TRAining and DOctrine Command (TRADOC) unit leveraged great opposition to the proposal. It was reciprocated by the Army Chief of Staff that the female drill sergeants were to continue in wearing the same female drill sergeant hats that they used to wear. The female drill sergeant started in the late of 1971 when the continental army commandant received an official approval as permission from the army chief of staff to propagate inclusion of females in the drill sergeant state program. Starting in the February of 1972, the program saw promotion of six female non-commissioned officers in the program. They underwent thorough training after which they were given the mandate of their positions as female drill sergeants. In the United States, the female drill sergeant refers to a non-commissioned officer within the armed forces. She has the duty of participating in the initiation of the recruitment process of new recruits who enters the military. In the recruitment process the sergeant is supposed to follow the legal provisions and jurisdictions of the practices and customs of the military forces. The inclusion of the female drill sergeants in the army since 1971 was a significance factor that helped in shaping the nature of the army. Equality was signified after breaking the traditions that ignored females in the position of drill sergeants. (http://www. armystudyguide. com/content/Drill_Sergeant_Resources/drill_sergeant_information/female-campaign-hat. shtml) Like the male drill sergeants, a female drill sergeant is usually held responsible in the behavior, military education and warfare of the army recruits assigned to her. She is therefore supposed to provide full support during the initial period of the training process. They are paused with various responsibilities of ensuring physical training, weapons training and the military discipline. Their service delivery and the protocols to follow while at their service delivery is guided by the drill sergeant creed which they should follow. Generally, this is a guiding formula towards their capacities. The three levels of the army, that is the marine, air force and army have different sets of such a creed though their intention is made to serve and secure almost the same set of guidelines for the female drill sergeants. Conceptually, female drill sergeants at the three levels of the military army are also subject to different duties and different training requirements. Due to the different requirements of these military professional levels the training needs and the roles of the female drill sergeant has been different. However, the general role across the board for all levels for these female drill sergeants has been to monitor the training process of the new recruits and guiding of such training needs. (http://www. wood. army. mil/mncoa/dss/history. htm) Since the provision of female drill sergeants in 1971, the position of female drill sergeants have been legally constituted and especially with the growing demand for army professionals. However, the position has always been competitively bided and requires both physical and academic competencies. The number of the current female drill sergeants has been seen to increasingly expand and giving more opportunity for the female participation in the position. The currently changing social structures and need for human security has endorsed a credited place for the female drill sergeant. The current military environment has even mandated her with supervisory and command powers at her capacity for those she is training. Therefore, historical provision that allowed only male drill sergeants was disregarded in 1971 after visualizing the productive capacity that women could play in the military. Elsewhere, the growing demand of equal employment opportunity was significant for this change. Currently, female drill sergeants continue to enjoy equal opportunities like their male colleagues in their position. Reference History of Drill Sergeant. Retrieved on 25th August 2008 from http://www. wood. army. mil/mncoa/dss/history. htm Female Drill Sergeant Campaign Hat. Retrieved on 25th August 2008 from http://www. armystudyguide. com/content/Drill_Sergeant_Resources/drill_sergeant_information/female-campaign-hat. shtml Drill Sergeant School. Retrieved on 25th August 2008 from http://www. jackson. army. mil/DSS/headgear. htm

An Analysis Into The Uk Food Retail Industry Marketing Essay

An Analysis Into The Uk Food Retail Industry Marketing Essay The analysis will begin with a presentation of the food retail industry and a highlight of its significant features. Furthermore, to assess the remote environment of the industry a PEST analysis will be conducted, analysing the political, economical, social and technological factors that affect the industry. Furthermore, a Porters 5 forces analysis will be used to evaluate the operating environment and the nature of competition. Moreover the major competitors and their competition strategies will be identified. Additionally, the effect of the remote and operating environment on the players of the industry will be highlighted. Also, a critical analysis of the industrys strength and its future will be presented. Finally, a critical evaluation on the used business analysis techniques will be illustrated. 2 .Industry profile The UK food retail industry is an established sector of the UK economy. During the last thirty years the food retail corporations expanded their activities to serve various consumer needs. The products that are provided to the public include food and its sub-products, but also alcohol, tobacco, health and beauty products, clothing, electrical products, homeware, fuel and financial services. However, according to the Mintel report 2009, more than half of the total sales in 2008 were assigned to food. Furthermore, concerning the size of the industry an increasing trend of sales can be observed of about 4% per year from 2004 to 2008 and a total amount of 108.1 billion pounds in 2008 (National Statistics Mintel report 2009). The food retail industry is mainly controlled by large supermarket chains that possess the overwhelming majority of the industrys market share, as it will be analysed further in the report. Concerning the size diversification of the retail stores, the majority are large units like hypermarkets, supermarkets and discounters with a percentage of 62% of the total number of stores. Furthermore, small units as convenience stores and gas stations represent the 21.2% and food and drink specialists the 11.3%. The minority are drug stores, warehouses and cash and carry stores (Datamonitor 2009). 3. PEST analysis Macro-environment To analyse the macro-environment or otherwise known remote environment of the food retail industry, a PEST analysis will be used to specify how Political and legal, Economical, Social and Technological issues affect the industry. 3.1 Political There are many political and legal factors that affect the food retail industry. Future political decisions concerning taxation or the retail industry legislation will definitely have an impact in the industry competitors policies and strategies. The current legislation and regulation concern competition, employment, environmental, food and grocery safety, financial services and health issues. Specifically, the UK food retailers are obliged to follow food hygiene legislation set by the Food Standards Agency and the equivalent European Union regulation such as the General Food Law Regulation. In the UK the food safety act of 1990 was enacted to set the food safety requirements for food intended for human consumption. The Food Standards Agency was created in 2000 after the food standards act of 1999, which was enacted to further secure the public health related to food safety (Office of Public Sector Information, 1999). The UK food retailers are obliged to follow the above regulations in conjunction with the General Food Regulations 2004 that set the rules about the transportation, distribution, quality, hygiene, maintenance, advertising and selling of food and its substances. Especially for the food hygiene and maintenance the rules and requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations of 2006 and the internationally recognised Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) must be followed (Food Standards Agency, 2010). Therefore, possible disobedience of the above regulations by the supermarkets will cause legal problems and the enforcement of fines, harming their budget and social image. The competition in the UK is observed and controlled by two government bodies, the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading. The two government bodies ensure that the companies in the UK comply with the competition law and practices. Therefore, they observe and interface the market to avoid monopoly, oligopoly and cartel phenomena. Their role beyond the control of competition between the competitors within the industry is to ensure the fair trade between the supermarkets and their supplies. According to recent press publications the fair trade is currently the most important issue (Haurant S., 2009). In 2001 the Office of Fair Trading enacted the Supermarkets Code of Practice to regulate and assure the trade between supermarkets and suppliers, who include amongst others, farmers and breeders (Office of Fair Trading, 2001). Additionally, the major supermarket chains had been often accused for anticompetitive, unfair practices and failure to meet the necessary requirements . For example, in April 2010 the Office of Fair Trading fined nine retailers for anticompetitive practices at their tobacco pricing between 2001 and 2003 (Mintel report, 2009). For this reason the Competition Commission planned to change the existing Supermarkets Code of Practice to a new Grocery Supply Code of Practice (Haurant S., 2009). The new code of practice added intensive pressure to the Grocery retailers because they were forced to comply with stricter regulation and to cover the costs of the observation body. This new regulation led to greater competition which toughed the operations of the supermarkets but reduced slightly the prices to benefit the consumers. Another important group of regulations are those concerning the planning and environmental law. The grocery retail companies need to comply with the planning law to be able to expand their activities in new places. During the past years, the grocery retailers tended to expand their stores in places away from town centres. The reason was primary the reduced property prices and the ability to construct large supermarket units, maximising their profits. However this trend provoked a series of issues such as the increased pollution from the consumers transportation leading the government to change the legislation, demanding the presence of town centre stores at first. Therefore, the reaction of the supermarket chains was to increase the number of mid-size and small stores who complied with legislation and increased the supermarkets points of presence (Tescopoly; Butler S., 2006). Furthermore, the grocery retail corporations need to comply with environmental law and regulations concerning goods transportation pollution, aesthetics, proper disposal and recycling. For example the supermarkets were forced by new legislation to charge their customers a certain cost for each provided plastic bag (Brogan B., 2008). There is a significant percentage of the workforce that is employed in the food retail industry. Therefore, the food retail companies are obliged to comply with the UK and EU employment legislation exactly as the rest of the employers. Labour law such as the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Employment Act 2002 specify the workers rights including wages, working conditions, work hours and job security Also, during the past thirty years, a series of anti-discrimination laws were enacted to establish equality and diversity in the workforce (Businesspme.com, 2008; direct.gov.uk, 2010). Also, the food retail corporations are obliged to comply with health and safety standards in the workplace in operations like the use of machinery, electrical equipment, transportation of goods, violence etc (Shropshire, 2010). These regulations are mainly set by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Workplace regulations of 1992. Therefore, any political decision leading to more complex employm ent legislation can increase the labour costs in the industry and reduce the profitability. Additionally, non compliance with the labour regulations can lead to long term litigations with former or employees or the government. During the last years the large supermarket chains expanded their activities to provide financial services such as credit cards, loans and deposits. Therefore the supermarkets are obliged to comply with the legislation and regulations enacted by the Financial Services Authority (Financial Services Authority, 2010). Therefore, a possible change in financial services taxation or regulation will affect their profitability. Furthermore, the supermarkets are obliged to pay the equivalent corporate tax at the HM Revenue and Customs. 3.2 Economical The economic factors, incidents and situations that affect the food retail industry can be concentrated in the following categories: Consumer spending and disposable income, inflation, taxation, interest rates, unemployment, monetary issues, and the recent financial crisis. The recent financial crisis has definitely brought many important changes in the food retail sector as well as to the majority of the industries. However, the effect of the financial crisis did not affect negatively the consumer demand. On the contrary the consumer spending in the food retail industry increased from 2007 to 2008 especially in the food products and continues to increase at an approximately rate of 5% (National Statistics; Mintel report, 2009). The main implication for this trend was that because of the recession, the consumers cut their eating out expenses and started to consume food at home as it is much cheaper. Furthermore the sales of organic food, specialised products such as television and sound systems and expensive products declined (Mintel report, 2009).On the contrary, the sales of own brand products and hard discounters chains increased indicating the consumers turn in low cost products. The price competition and the importance of food increased the consumer demand and expenditure; however it is doubtful if it will continue to rise mainly because of the general economic uncertainty and the higher upcoming personal income taxation. In macroeconomic terms, the GDP after a massive decline in its change rate started to increase after the mid 2009 to reach a positive 0.5% in early 2010. Also, the inflation after a decline during the recession increased in late 2009 which probably led to an increasing trend at groceries prices (National Statistics, 2010). However, the Bank of England continues to maintain the interest rates at a low level (0.5%), to protect the fragile economy (BBC, 2010). This low interest rate will lead to increased consumption because consumers will favour to spend than to save their funds and the food retailers will be able to borrow funds at a low costs to cover their liabilities. This fact will act as compensation to the increased inflation and will probably maintain the prices. Concerning the monetary issues, during the last three years the sterling faced a significant decline of approximately (-26%) towards the euro and approximately (-25%) towards the dollar which increased the cost of imported goods in the UK (Yahoo Finance, 2010). Therefore, this situation might force the UK food retailers to construct food manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and prefer UK suppliers. Thus, the grocery retailers will be able to have a stable pricing policy and larger price margins. From 2009 to 2010 the exchange rates fluctuated causing uncertainty and maintaining the food prices high One of the most important parts of the economic factors that affect the food retail industry is taxation. This is divided to personal income tax for the consumers and to corporation tax for the supermarkets. After May 2010 elections a coalition government between the Conservatives party and the Liberal Democrats party formed and changes are expected in taxation. Concerning income tax an increase in tax contributions is expected in 2010/2011 which will lead to a decline in consumption possibly affecting the more expensive goods and food retailers. On the other hand the corporate tax will be probably reduced during 2010 to boost economy and development. (Vincent, 2010) Therefore, the food retail corporations will be able to afford larger margins to price competition. The above facts will possibly lead the supermarkets to a trend of decreasing prices in basic goods and making offers to maintain consumer spending levels. For example there is a trend at supermarkets to offer products in r ounded prices ( £1,  £2) creating an offer impression (Felsted A., 2010). 3.3 Social The next sector of the PEST analysis is consisted by the social factors that affect the industry such as the demographics, lifestyle, culture and population trends. It is well known that Europes population is getting older and as years are passing this phenomenon will be more intense. In the United Kingdom (Mintel report, 2009) the average age and the percentage of retired people are rising. This trend has many implications to the food retail industry. First of all, elder people tend to consume less than younger people. This happens because their income which mainly comes from pensions is lower. Secondly, elder people tend to shop from the cheaper discounter retailers. Therefore, the market share of the discounter chains will increase against the rest of the competitors in the industry (Mintel oxygen, 2009). Also, the additional needs of this age group leads to an increasing trend of online and distance shopping which increase the home grocery deliveries. Thus, the operational costs of the supermarkets increase due to increased expenses for vehicles and personnel. Another implication coming from the ageing population will be the need for new product lines designed for people with various chronic ailments which are common amongst elder people. An important issue that concerns the society is obesity. According to the Health Survey for England, there is an increasing trend of obesity especially in children (NHS, 2009). The health problems and their consequences led the government and various organisations to promote a healthier lifestyle in Britain. Therefore, the consumers health awareness increased and they turned their interest to healthier foods and to more fruit and vegetables. Thus, it can be supposed that the food retail corporations will continue to adapt to the consumers demand enhancing their existing product lines with new healthier products such as organic foods, low fat and low sugar products and healthy food campaigns. Also, it will be possible to appear products for specific social groups such as people suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and allergies. Therefore, by targeting these consumer groups the food retail corporations will increase their income and improve their corporate social image. Furthermore, the increasing trend of more women entering the workforce, led to the need for ready meals at the supermarkets because women had less time to prepare food after work (International Labour Organisation, 2008). As this trend continues the supermarkets will expand their ready meals variety and create new categories depending into cost, calories and taste covering different needs. Also, the presence of different people from different background and culture in the UK changed the structure of the society. According to the UK National Statistics approximately the 10% of the UK population is non-British (UK National Statistics, 2001). Different cultures mean different habits and different food preferences. Therefore, the food retailers often provide goods from all over the world to serve those needs. 3.4 Technological The final element of the PEST analysis concerns the technological factors that are related to the food retail industry. The technological development affected and changed the industry in different categories including consumers, environment, cost, distribution, and logistics. During the last decade, the supermarkets in the United Kingdom took advantage of the internet and they are offering online shopping to the consumers. Through this innovative feature the supermarkets offer their entire catalogue of products to the consumers and the ability to compare prices, search for a product, pay and order for their groceries. Therefore, the food retailers reduce their personnel costs while they are able to advertise almost free and make consumers aware of their offers. Also it is not unusual that many products cannot be found inside the stores and are available only through e-commerce (Tesco annual report 2009). This is another example of minimising operating costs while increasing sales. Furthermore, the food retail corporations used the information technology to organise their operations and maximise the organisations efficiency and profitability. Specifically, the management of each organisations functions is assigned to specialised software and digitalisation of processes. Through the use of innovative technology the cost and the paperwork is reduced and time is saved. Also, the logistics department increases its efficiency because the supply chain is more efficient controlled and the stock management provides a real and immediate view (Sainsburys annual report 2009). The implementation of technology can be beneficial for both retailer and consumer. The self-checkout machines reduce the labour costs of the company because they usually require one person per five machines to observe. Also, in that way the consumers save time and control their groceries shopping. The introduction of point earning cards offers discounts and rewards to the consumer while it provides valuable information to the supermarket company about the preferences and habits of each individual. The analysis of this information assists to the companys advertising planning and strategy while it offers the ability of targeted marketing (Moody, 1997). The effective application of technology in the distribution and transportation process through energy efficient vehicles protects the environment as it reduces the vehicles carbon emissions. Furthermore, the food retail company improves its corporate social responsibility and reduces the goods transportation cost. Finally, the Universal Product Code or in other words bar-code was an innovation that brought a revolution in the industry. Each product could have its specific bar-code, simplifying the pricing and check-out while saving time and establishing accuracy. Also, the use of wireless technology and the attachment of electronic chips on the products can prevent theft and measure the product availability on shelves. Therefore, the inventory is the supply process becomes faster and the food retail corporations avoid unexpected losses that due to their volume can have a significant cost for the organisation (Food Marketing Institute, 2010). 4. Porters five forces analysis Operating Environment To analyse the operating environment of the food retail industry and evaluate its competitive nature, a Porters Five Forces Analysis, created by E.M Porter professor at Harvard University Business School, will be used. According to Porter the five forces are: the industry competitors rivalry, the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers and the threat of substitutes products or services (Porter, 2004). 4.1 The industry competitors rivalry. The competition in the food retail industry is intense. The named big4 supermarkets which are: Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons own the 73.3% market share, fact that makes the industry an oligopoly (Mintel report 2009). Below are the identified the major competitors in the industry and their competitive strategies. 4.1.1 Tesco Tesco is the market leader with a market share of 31%, and a total number of outlets 2,282, is traded in the London Stock Exchange and had  £41,520m sales and  £2,381m profit in 2009. Beyond food products it sells electrical equipment, health products, petrol, clothing, homeware, telecommunications through a joint venture with O2, and financial services through Tesco Bank (Datamonitor, 2009). Also, Tesco is expanding to land telecommunications, construction and youth clothing (Parker; Felsted; Poulter; Minton, 2010) Tescos expansion plans target to the development of the small Tesco Express who satisfy the legal size requirement of Sunday trading act to operate on Sunday (DEFRA, 2006). The objectives of Tescos strategy are concentrated in five areas: to be a successful international retailer, to grow the core UK business, to be as strong in non-food as in food, to develop retailing services such as Tesco Personal Finance, Telecoms and tesco.com and to put community at the heart of what we do (Tesco Annual report 2009). 4.1.2 Sainsburys Sainsburys is a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom with a market share of 15.4%, and a total number of outlets 792, is traded in the London Stock Exchange and had sales  £18,911m and  £466m profit in 2009. Sainsburys sells food products, home and garden products, electrical appliances, clothing, health products, sports and leisure products, petrol and offers financial and insurance services. Also, Sainsburys is expanding to Electricity and Gas, broadband and digital TV. Furthermore, Sainsburys collaborates with convenience store chains Bells Stores, Jacksons Stores, and JB Beaumont Stores in a strategic alliance move to increase its market share in the convenience stores battle. Sainsburys concentrate its corporate objectives in five areas: Great food at fair prices, Expansion in non-food products and services, Reaching more consumers through alternative distribution channels (online shopping), growing supermarket space and active property management of existing stores (Datamonitor, 2009; Rigby and Killgren, 2008; Sainsburys annual report, 2009). 4.1.3. Asda Asda is a supermarket chain owned by Walmart a United States of America supermarket corporation. Asda operates in the United Kingdom with a market share of 15.1% and a total number of outlets 356 and had sales  £18,573m and  £520m profit in 2009. Asda sells food products, health and beauty products, household products and petrol. Also it offers telecommunication services through its own mobile network Asda mobile and clothing through the George stores. Asdas competitive strategy is to differentiate from the competition emphasises in the fresh food, including bakers and butchers in its stores. Also, Asda operates a discount store Asda Essentials with own brand products competing directly with the discounters Lidl and Aldi. In a generic view, Asda targets in price competition boasting better prices and offers. (Datamonitor 2009; Corporatewatch.org.uk, 2004) 4.1.4. Morrisons Wm Morrison supermarkets or otherwise Morrisons is the fourth supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. Morrisons have a market share of 11.8% and a total number of outlets 420. Morrisons sells groceries, household products, petrol and dry cleaning and photo services. Morrisons operates through its own stores and its subsidiaries with Safeway among others. Morrisons target is to become the Food Specialist for Everyone as it owns 13 manufacturing plants and a fresh food factory. Morrisons concentrates its strategy around three brand values: Fresh, Value and Service. This means that Morrisons targets to offer fresh food in competitive prices in a premium consumer service. Generally, Morrisons is an emerging power in the industry and tries to gain competitive advantage by connecting the gap between value and high quality products. (Datamonitor, 2009; Wm Morrison annual report, 2009) Examining the nature of competition and the competitive rivalry it can be observed that the market share of mid-size and local grocery retailers is too small and the increasing appearance of big4 convenience stores and the large fixed costs. This leads to the implication that the competition in the industry is mainly concentrated among the major competitors. The major competitors are operating in a mature market, which pushes them to fiercely compete for market share through price, range and service (DEFRA 2006). In a mature market with a stable population like in the UK the consumption cannot be increased significantly. Thus, the main objective is to acquire a bigger percentage of the market share pie. Therefore, this situation has driven the grocery retailers to compete in a price war to maintain their customers and if possible to attract more to increase their revenues (Felsted, 2010). For this reason the grocery retailers aim to innovate and minimise the cost to be able to allow larger price margins. Also, taking into account the recent financial crisis and the recession it can be observed that the consumers were cutting their expenses and turned to hard discounters chains such as Lidl and Aldi. (Mintel report, 2009) This situation strengthens the price competition from sophisticated to basic products such as milk, poultry and bread. Also, the major competitors adopted aggressive advertising policy comparing often their prices with competition (Leroux, 2009). Furthermore, to increase their competitiveness supermarkets expand their activities and increase their product range. For example they offer in their stores non-food products like electrical equipment, homeware, pharmacy, financial services etc. This action widened their competitive arena, as they compete with a large portion of the retail sector such as electrical equipment, clothing, DoItYourself, furniture and health and beauty stores. The existence of petrol stations at the supermarkets competes directly with the petroleum providers e.g. BP and SHELL. Also, the supermarkets expansion to financial services e.g. Tesco Bank, place supermarkets to compete with retail banks. It can be suggested that the supermarkets because of the mature food market aim to provide a total package of products and services to their customers covering all their consuming needs; thus increasing the food retail industrys sales and profits. 4.2 The threat of new entrants. The entrance of new competitors in the food retail industry faces several difficulties. The creation of a new supermarket chain requires large capital investment, funds for corporate planning, advertising and trading capital. Furthermore, the majority of the industrys market share is acquired by the established big4 chain supermarkets and the margins for expansion are very limited. Also, the acquisitions are very difficult to realise because of the high value of the existing chains. However possible mergers or strategic alliances might take place. Other barriers to entry in the industry are the large fixed costs and the developed supply chains. Also, the existing dominants of the market benefit from the economies of scale which gives them the ability to adopt an aggressive pricing strategy. Therefore, it is very hard for the smaller retailers to compete and survive in that environment. According to the Competition Commission (2008) there are three different factors that lift entry barriers to the industry: a) cost advantages that large grocery retailers have b) the planning regime for grocery retailing and c) the control of land of large grocery retailers. The Competition Commission report divides the large grocery retailers cost advantages in two categories: distribution costs and purchasing costs. The large grocery retailers gain benefits from reduced distributions costs occurring by economies of scale and economies of density. The economies of density benefit the supermarkets because they operate satellite distribution centres that serve groups of stores. This process reduces the distribution costs because the distribution centres supply only the short and medium distance branches saving time distance and transportation costs. The economy of scale impact is that the supermarket chains use technology to control the products availability, to maintain the sensitive groceries such as meat and vegetables. Also, the supermarket maximise the efficiency of the distribution from and to suppliers, supermarket stores and consumers. Therefore this acts as another barrier to entry because the large supermarket chains have established channels of distribution and a cost effective distribution network supported by their own distribution fleet which covers the majority of the British territory (Competition Commission, 2008). The purchasing costs act as a barrier to entry to the food retail industry. The large supermarket chains because of their high volume purchases are able to deal better prices with their suppliers. Therefore, they are able to offer their products at a lower price in contrast with the smaller retailers who are obliged to purchase at a higher price (Competition Commission, 2008). Also, the big4 chains have already a competitive advantage because they possess knowledge and information about the suppliers. The volume of their sales gives them the ability to make large orders of supplies in lower prices. Another barrier to entry in the industry is the current planning regime for grocery retailing. The planning regulation sets limitations to the ability of new and existing competitors to open new stores in the positions they want. The reasons for this include environmental, competition and town planning issues. Also, the continuous development of supermarket outside towns led the UK government to demand the town centre development since 1996 (Competition Commission, 2008). Additionally the large supermarket chains already control the suitable land and the best locations, which make the rest of the sites expensive and difficult to find. All the barriers to entry in the industry are beneficial to the oligopolistic big4 supermarket chains and allow them to increase their profitability through the reduced costs and by controlling the goods prices. 4.3 The bargaining power of suppliers. According to the Datamonitor report (2009) the suppliers in the grocery retail industry include: food manufacturers, food processors, farmers, and agricultural co-operatives. The most powerful suppliers are the food manufacturers and the food processors because their number is smaller and in some cases they are irreplaceable. The bargaining power of the suppliers is high when they supply the supermarkets with branded goods that are highly demanded by the consumers. The supermarkets cannot apply big pressure to secure low prices and the suppliers can negotiate better prices. Therefore the supermarket chains make long term contracts with certain suppliers while maintaining their deals with a variety of suppliers to keep the switching costs low. Furthermore, the presence of the supermarkets own brands weakens the position of the suppliers and reduces their bargaining power. For example the supermarket chain Sainsburys includes in their product line their own branded Sainsburys ham and the Danepak ham and the consumers prefer them because they are usually sold at lower prices (Ali, 2009). The implication is that the supermarkets gain bargaining power because they are able to change suppliers or to make big orders. However when the food retailers choose to cooperate with only a few suppliers they give bargaining power to suppliers. For example big food manufacturer like Nestle have loyal consumers who give high value to the brand. Therefore, the supermarkets are obliged to bargain with different terms with the big suppliers and make concessions to their profits (Hill, 2007). During the last years the big4 competitors demanding for lower prices, were often accused for price wars with the suppliers. Unfair competition practices like late p

The Effects of Catholicism on the Education of Women in Renaissance Ita

The Effects of Catholicism on the Education of Women in Renaissance Italy According to Paul Grendler, the conservative, clerical pedagogical theorist Silvio Antoniano (1540-1603) reflected on women’s educational status in Renaissance Italy in one of his written works, claiming that â€Å"†¦a girl (should not) learn ‘pleading and writing poetry’; the vain sex must not reach too high†¦A girl should attend to sewing, cooking, and other female activities, leaving to men what was theirs†. Apparently, this was the common-held view concerning women’s education during that time. Although women were actually encouraged to literacy, their subservient social role as wives and mothers could not allow them to learn as much as men did (Grendler, 1989).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women could not have possibly been employed or held a public office. Any attainable employment did not involve independent thought; matters concerning the ruling and well-being of society were left to men (Grendler, 1995). Therefore, they were encouraged to receive the kind of education that would prove useful for their primarily domestic role. It was not enough, therefore, for them to learn how to read and write; they had to hammer their knowledge into a matrix of virtue and piety. The development and praise of literacy, the advances in printing and consequently the widespread introduction of books to the public and finally the Counter-Reformation, were factors that influenced the development of female education (Grendler, 1989). What I would like to argue in my paper is that Catholicism acted as a medium for the development of the literacy of women in Renaissance Italy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within the Catholic church arose the need to draw people back to conservative Catholic traditions. This was, on a certain level, a response to the Protestant Reformation and to less conservative Humanist ideals that were spreading throughout Italy. After the Council of Trent, a lot of emphasis was placed on the development of Christian virtues within individuals. What better way to achieve this than indoctrination? The knowledge of religious texts and rituals as well as the adoption of monastic virtues began to be seen as imperative. Women were granted educational privileges, primarily so that they could read religious texts. Convent education for young girls became popular amidst upper and middle class families (Strocchia, 1999). The Schools of ... ...) could have was provided by the Schols of the Christian Doctrine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thus, we see that Catholicism provided women of Renaissance Italy great opportunities for learning. Even if such an education could take them only up to a point, since they had to learn within a religious, moral framework, it is still remarkable in that it provided early foundation for the development of female education in Europe. References: Robert Black, â€Å"The Curriculum of Italian Elementary and Grammar Schools, 1350-1500† in The Shapes of Knowledge from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, edited by Donald R. Kelley and Richard H. Popkin, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands, 1991 Paul F. Gehl, â€Å"A Moral Art: Grammar, Society and Culture in Trecento Florence†, Cornell University Press, New York, 1993 Paul F. Grendler, â€Å"Books and Schools in the Italian Renaissance†, Ashgate Publishing Limited, Great Britain, 1995 Paul F. Grendler, â€Å"Schooling in Renaissance Italy†, John Hopkins University Press, U.S.A., 1989 Sharon T. Strocchia, â€Å"Learning the Virtues: Convent Schools and Female Culture in Renaissance Florence† in Women’s Education in Early Modern Europe (1500-1800), New York and London, 1999