Kobe Earthquake Essays - Seismology, Great Hanshin Earthquake

Kobe Earthquake An earthquake is defined as a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin. In the case of the Great Hyogo (Hanshin) earthquake of Kobe, Japan it is tectonic in origin. This devastating earthquake which occurred on the 17th of January at 5:46 a.m measured at a whopping 7 (7.2) on the Richter scale. This was the largest recorded earthquake to ever hit Japan. According to the Japan Meteorological its epicentre was in 34.6? north and 135.0? east in the northern tip of Awaji Island with a focal depth of 14 km. According to the results of the recorded in 24 observation centre, the fracture which triggered the earthquake was happened inside the Nojima Fault. Also investigation in the sea bed by the Ocean observatory Centre shows that the cracks occurred in Nojima Fault. This fault forms a part of a group of faults known as the "Rokko Fault', which extends from Awaji Island through Kobe City to the foot of Mount Rokko. The movement of the fault can be explained by the Tectonic characteristic of west Japan. The main reason for the big earthquakes in west part of Japan are the tectonic activities of the Eurasian, the Pacific, the North America and the Philippine plates. The collision between these plates in the central part of Honshu (Japan main island) is the main source of strain accumulation in the crust of western part of Japan. Casualty figures quickly mounted by the hour and when it was all said and done 5,472 people had lost their lives and 415,000 people were left injured. By the fourth day after the earthquake about 310,000 residents spent the night at 1,077 refugee centres. More than 350 fires broke out wiping out around 100 hectares of densely populated area. Fire fighting was virtually ineffective due to an inadequate water supply and access to fires. Lifeline facilities were severely damaged over a large area and following the earthquake, 900,000 households were left without electricity, 850,000 households were without gas, and water supply cuts affected about 2.5 million people. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corp.'s 160,000 lines out of 800,000 lines were out of order. The damage to major infrastructure, especially to the elevated expressway and shinkansen (bullet train) tracks, shocked engineers, planners and the general public. According to news reports its tracks were damaged at 42 locations. The first Shinkansen train was to run 30 minutes after the time of the earthquake. Had the disaster occurred few hours later, with an average capacity of about 1,600 passengers/train, casualty rate could have been much higher. Sections of elevated Hanshin expressway toppled virtually cutting off major transport lines to the affected areas. A contiguous section supported by eighteen single columns had fallen sideways in Higashi Nada-ku. Modern buildings -- and structures retrofitted with up-to-date engineering techniques -- fared well in the Great Hyogo quake. Much of the damage occurred in traditionally built older homes and in areas near the coast where liquefaction of the soil caused instability in structures. A large number of reinforced concrete structu res were completely devastated. The economic damage estimates vary from around 100 - 150 billion dollars US. The most extensively and severely damaged structures were smaller commercial buildings (often with residences upstairs) constructed with limited engineering design and traditional homes. The smaller commercial and mixed occupancy buildings are typically framed with wood or light steel and have walls of stucco over wood slats. Many of these buildings have a large shop window in the front and lack interior walls, factors which weaken the first floor. Traditional homes, typically those built before the 1970s, have heavy tile roofs with tiles set in a thick clay and mud mortar, few partitions, and are not waterproofed which causes widespread dry rot and water damage. Little nailing is used; wood joinery is more common. Many casualties were found in damaged and collapsed traditional homes. The heavy tile roofs stressed the walls, which cracked, crumbled and often collapsed, triggering fires from broken gas pipes. The Kobe earthquake exposed more modern and engineered buildings to stronger forces than any previous earthquake. The preliminary report indicates more studies are needed to evaluate seismic codes, design practice and construction

Essay on Sexual Addiction part 2Essay Writing Service

Essay on Sexual Addiction part 2Essay Writing Service Essay on Sexual Addiction part 2 Essay on Sexual Addiction part 2Essay on   Sexual Addiction part 1Thus, sexual addiction in men is manifested in an unusually high demand for conventional sexual intercourse. Sometimes sexual addiction turns into the urge for unusual forms of sex, and may interfere with physical and moral safety of others (Giugliano, 2003; Schaeffer, 2009). For example, it leads to violence, incest, homosexual relationships, compulsive masturbation, etc. In general, male addicts fear most to appear in ridiculous situation, look helpless and weak, and usually use sex to assert themselves.In turn, sexual addiction in women is most commonly expressed in promiscuity or sex with strangers. Addicted women most often need sex to get away from the real relationship. They get hooked on sex, escaping from loneliness, as well as to convince themselves that their women charms are still strong. Entering a new sexual relationship, sexually dependent women temporarily raise their self-esteem, substitute the sens e of spiritual emptiness with the sense of power and euphoria of sexual conquests, but in most cases they are left deprived of communication and tenderness (Giugliano, 2003; Schaeffer, 2009).At the same time, addiction always covers a burning desire to avoid the feeling of one’s own worthlessness. Observations also show that addicts are in fact driven by a thirst for intimacy and warmth, but they do not know how to achieve this.Thus, in-depth interviews conducted by Giugliano (2003, p. 278-84) showed that the most common representations of male sexual addicts of themselves are: 1) I am inherently a bad worthless person; 2) no one will love me as much as I do; 3) my needs will never be satisfied if I have to rely on others; 4) sexual satisfaction is my most important need. Female sexual addicts have similar beliefs: 1) I am powerless; 2) I will always be alone or will feel lonely; 3) I will always be abandoned; 4) my body is shameless (vicious), disgusting. These core beliefs, in turn, lead to behavioral norms that define the actions of sexual addicts. For example, the belief that â€Å"No one will love me as much as I do,† leads to the misconception that equates sex to love: Someone can love me, if one feels sexual excitement to me† or â€Å"If someone has sex with me it proves that I can be loved.† In turn, the core belief of a woman that she will always be abandoned generates the setting: â€Å"I will not be abandoned, if I learn to seduce.† In an effort to assert themselves or escape from grief and loneliness, they again enter into a sexual relationship to feel confident and achieve short-term enjoyment of life replacing the concept of love with the concept of sex.Typically, sexual addicts go through the following phases of sexual addiction (basing on reports by Young, 2008; Schaeffer, 2009; Coleman-Kennedy Pendley, 2002):Preoccupation with thoughts on sexual subjects bearing obsessive nature. Constant return to these thou ghts leads to the situation when they occupy an increasing amount of time becoming a favorite topic of reflection. An addict gets some pleasure at this time, the mind begins to set differently, fantasizing about sex is becoming increasingly important. The perception of many things changes. Surrounding people start to be viewed through the prism of preoccupation of thinking and imagination with sexual topics. They are seen primarily as sexual objects. Other activities are considered as necessary but unpleasant, the ones that do not bring joy. This period may vary over time, it may not be accompanied by specific actions, but the emergence of certain preferences and thoughts on how to implement them and fixing them in the mind.Stage of behavior ritualization with the development of schemes that lead to sexual behavior (including thoughts and fantasies), in which one event follows another in sequence. Addiction involves sexual implementation and becomes a daily ritual for the implement of which a special time is reserved. Entry into the cycle of ritual behavior does not tolerate distractions from others. Ritualization of preoccupation with sex is more important than the specific implementation since it is associated with a changed psychological state of consciousness causing psychological relaxation. This process consumes a lot of time and energy. Gradual â€Å"inclusion† of activities related to the preparation to enter this state is possible. All this is often not seen by others as sexual addict seeks to preserve the image of normality in relation to the outside world, showing it the false self, trying to look like a man who does not have an addiction.Stage of compulsive sexual behavior with the phenomenon of loss of control inherent to other addictions. Having entered this phase, an addict cannot control one’s actions, leaving a â€Å"trail† behind, risking to reveal oneself, or inflict psychological or physical damage to oneself. The one i s powerless in preventing the behavior. It is difficult to stop. Control over the various types of sexual activity is lost. After the implementation of compulsive behavior, the understanding of the need to stop emerges bringing the unrealizable promises. This behavior is accompanied by a further intensification of the inferiority complex.Stage of disaster or despair, coming after the troubles caused by certain events, such as punishment or disease. The person feels absolute powerlessness, despair, and hatred to one’s own personality. During this period, negative feelings toward oneself are growing, provoking exacerbation of self-destructive instinct and the emergence of suicidal thoughts.In the end, the consequences of sexual addiction may be organism fraying, venereal and infectious diseases, depression arising due to the constant need to find a new sexual partner, which turns sexual addiction in a socially dangerous disease that requires prevention and treatment, despite th e fact that the sick person usually resists treatment not considering oneself pathologically dependent on sexual addiction.Coping with sexual addiction: therapy optionsIndeed, as Parker and Guest (2003) state, absolute majority of sexually addicted people are confident in their full normality. Therefore, the first and most important step to timely treatment is to convince the person in the presence of psychological problems. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, only a strong shock like the loss of job, family, or serious health problems may cause the patient to understand how sick he or she was (Coleman-Kennedy Pendley, 2002, p.144). Further, patients who faced the reality of their dependency often try to resolve the conflict immediately, â€Å"by force†. In such cases, their actions usually lead to an opposite reaction, and all efforts seem to be in vain. In order to understand how to get rid of sexual addiction, one must admit, above all, that positive progress cannot be reached through one’s individual effort only. As Young (2008) claims, this is the first and most difficult step on the road to recovery. Here, sex-addicts may start from finding Internet communities of people with similar dependence and life experiences. Such communication will help solve some of the problems and find a way out of a state of dependence. However, when a person reaches the solution to make a qualitative change in one’s own life, professional advice and psychological support are absolutely irreplaceable.It should be said here that addictive sexual behavior bears continuous and irresistible character, as soon as it becomes the only condition that decreases anxiety and fear (Matà ©, 2012; Schaeffer, 2009). Addictions are generally difficult to be corrected, but psychoanalytic treatment proves to at least drastically reduce the quantitative aspect. Therefore, one of the main tasks of psychotherapy is to teach a patient to change negative beliefs, generat ing negative neural excitation and let one know that it is possible to cope with anxiety and stress in some other ways, not only through sex, using different internal forces of the body (Parker Guest 2003; Young 2008). First of all, a dependent person must learn to socialize properly, because the ability to communicate inside real social environment helps to get rid of loneliness, successfully create new relationships or restore old ones. Therapy should also typically focused on the identification and treatment of comorbid psychiatric and personality disorders and related dependencies, such as alcohol and drug addictions.To achieve these goals, different programs and psychotherapeutic techniques are currently applied, including hypno-suggestive psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, cognitive techniques and dialectical behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and positive psychology, along with art and/or music therapy, intensive psycho-educational programs, gener al life style instruction and spiritual counseling (Parker Guest, 2003; Young, 2008; Giugliano, 2003). According to Young (2008, p. 32), the best results in the treatment of sex addiction are demonstrated by group therapy courses, especially if such groups involve people close to the patient. In particular, psychotherapists do not consider sexual addiction a sufficient ground for divorce and call friends and relatives to support the desire of the patient to undergo treatment. Participating in the family programs, family members get more information about the disease as such and their role in the process of treatment. Eventually, family members sometimes decide to begin the treatment themselves in order to solve their own dysfunctional behavior patterns and get rid of the pain (Parker Guest 2003; Young, 2008).In severe cases, psychiatrists sometimes prescribe medicines for the treatment of sexual addiction through controlling behavior, and those mainly include antidepressants, seda tives, and hormones of serotonin and progesterone (Parker Guest, 2003, p.19). It should be noted, however, that the impact of medicines is known to be very limited (Young, 2008, p. 33). To achieve considerable results, medication should be combined with psychological treatment as well as a set of measures to restore correct biorhythms. Thus, in addition to psychiatric examinations and tests on dependences, an important step of treatment is to conduct biochemical testing, the evaluation of lifestyle and nutrition, as well as the full medical examination. Based on the results of laboratory tests, a nutritionist can create a special nutrition program, complemented by the use of food additives. In addition to optimizing physical health, detoxication programs and optimal diet are also directed at restoring the biochemistry of patient’s brain and normalization of neurotransmitters that reduce cravings for compulsive sexual behavior (Young, 2008, p. 34-35, Matà ©, 2012, p. 61). Tr eatment may also include amino acid therapy and herbal medicine.Overall, it is quite easy to put an end to compulsive sexual behavior in the clinical setting. Meanwhile, after the discharge from treatment centers, a significant portion in patients often re-experience anxiety, depression, insomnia and/or craving for previously observed behavior patterns, and part of them experience absolute failure to adapt changes and return to â€Å"self-treatment† of stress (Parker Guest, 2003, p.15). Therefore, the next crucial step in coping with progressing lust should be the total displacement of obsessive feelings of patient’s life. This involves getting rid of all things related to sexual obsession: video with sexual content, computer games of erotic nature, erotic newspapers and magazines, setting filters that block sex web addresses and spam mail, as well as all other items that are related to sex or remind of it (Young, 2008, p.35). This advice not only helps to control sex ual addiction, but also relieves from the fear that these things will be detected by an outsider. Generally, as Parker and Guest (2003, p. 18) reasonably marks, coping with sexual addiction, patients face a vital necessity to rethink their habits, as soon as the latter may either lead to the dependence or be a part of it.On the way to finding internal control, sexually addicted individuals could also be advised to introduce training programs in the gym and outdoors into their daily regime, devote themselves to meditation and yoga lessons, and indulge in other techniques promoting relaxation, such as massage, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and reflexology. Moreover, at the stage of rehabilitation, addicts may still be accompanied by a mentor or therapist, maintaining their patients in building new relationships with family, colleagues, friends and society, and adapt their lifestyle to the recovery program principles. Post-treatment support may last from several days to several years. At the same time, it is important to understand that unlike the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, gambling and other heavy dependency, in this case, doctors do not require the patient completely â€Å"sing off† sexual life, and that’s a major point encouraging for healing success.ConclusionSexual addiction should be understood as a compulsive sexual behavior that is subconsciously used to achieve psychological comfort and pleasure, and is characterized by the loss of control over sexual impulses and continuous increase in their frequency, the emergence of the negative consequences of uncontrolled behavior and disregard of them, as well as withdrawal syndrome after prolonged abstinence. The presence of these signs should serve as an impetus for a person to find a solution to get rid of excessive sexual addiction.Just as in cases of other addictions, sexual addiction is always a way to escape from reality, from one own self and one’s own feelings. Individuals with this type of addiction show to experience numerous emotional difficulties: tendency to low mood, impulsivity, low self-esteem, feelings of guilt and shame, inner emptiness, a habit to hide their problems from the loved ones, inability to experience pleasure from other sources, and combination with other addictions. Despite the external search for physiological pleasure, addicts are in fact driven by a thirst for intimacy and internal warmth, but they do not know how to achieve this. Such people wants to be loved, but simply cannot create the model of relations, which would provide the normal and strong relationships with the opposite sex. The reasons for the development of pathology are often found in infantile trauma, causing the disorder of sexual structure of personality: for example, childhood rape, unsuccessful first sexual experience, parents’ sexual misconduct, wrong set of priorities they established, hyperstimulating sexualized relationship with father, demonstr ative exception of a child from parental love relationships, as well as general lack of love, care, and attention from parents.Meanwhile, sexual addiction should be viewed as a psychological and social problem that requires correction. Otherwise, the growing number of people becomes not only doomed to constant loneliness, but also experiences the sense of insecurity, shame, remorse, and depression. In addition, the risk to human health carried by a frequent change of sexual partners also needs to be considered.Being the disorder of the body, mind and spirit, sexual addiction should be treated through a multi-dimensional approach, involving psychological therapy, detoxication and relaxation programs, nutrition and lifestyle adjustment. Thus, therapeutic techniques may include hypno-suggestive psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, cognitive techniques and dialectical behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and positive psychology, art and music therapy, intensive p sycho-educational programs, general life style instruction and spiritual counseling, healthy dieting, physical training, massage, meditation and yoga courses. The main task of therapy lies in eliminating the root causes that led to the emergence of addiction, as well as teaching addicts to re-adapt to the social environment.

MIS COMPARISON Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MIS COMPARISON - Coursework Example The need and demand of the Management Information System (MIS) for Human Resource in Tesco is increased due to the increasing focus of management on Human Resource (HR) in the multinational organizations. The functionality of Management Information System (MIS) for Human Resource provides services in a layered form. Initially, the core and basic activities of Human Recourse Management (HRM) are covered under the services given by Management Information System for Human Resource include as the automated attendance system, and maintenance of employee’s record in Tesco. The tools, procedures and software’s are provided by MIS system. MIS is minimizes some issues of traditional management work of Human Resource. Tripathi (2011) stated that function of sales and marketing was a significant part of growth for national as well as multinational organizations. Therefore, use of Management Information System (MIS) for Sales and marketing obviously results positively for the manag ement of sales processes at Apple Inc. According to Zhang and Zhang (2007) MIS used for sales reduced the stages involved in sales process as compared to a traditional method of sales contained. The MIS includes features like sales analysis, decision predictions, effective for sales managers to handle sales, and online e- marketing and e-sales. The system covers the financial activities regarding the sales management. The system provides ease to e-clients and the labor cost of sales. The Management Information System (MIS) for Human Resource in Tesco totally depends upon the information systems. The information system is used to manage the internal operations and also helps in decision making process in the organization regarding the management activities of Human Resource. The information system is a collection of hardware, software, network, internet and specific tools or software’s working to facilitate the user (Tripathi,

Law of the Costitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Law of the Costitution - Essay Example ental principles of Britain’s unwritten Constitution, and the role of judges within the context of those principles by stating that the indivisibility of Parliamentary power requires that all exercise of Governmental power must be authorized by Parliament, since it is the source of all valid authority.1 As a result, the British power of judicial review by the Courts would not include the power to invalidate Acts of Parliament, rather the Courts may only use their powers to constrain any abuse of powers by the other arms of Government, such as the legislative and executive branches2. This political and legal view is based upon the absolute and indivisible sovereignty of the British Parliament3. As stated by Dicey: (a) â€Å"Parliament has the right to make or unmake any law whatever†4 and (b) no person or body may be recognized as having the legal authority to set aside or invalidate the acts of Parliament, except Parliament itself.5 Thus, the indivisibility of Parliamentary power sets it out as the source of all valid authority.6 As a result, the British power of judicial review would not include the power to invalidate Acts of Parliament, rather the Courts may only use their powers to constrain any abuse of powers by the other arms of Government.7 Jennings has opposed Dicey’s theory by arguing for limiting of Parliamentary power by the manner and form of the process of procedural entrapment8. A piece of legislation would be deeply entrenced if amendment requires unanimous support within the Houses of Parliament. Jennings defines legal sovereignty by specifying that Parliament has power to make laws for the time being, but not to bind future Parliament. The power of Parliament to make laws is also subject to the rule of recognition that is to be recognized by the Courts, â€Å"including a rule which alters this law itself.†9 Hence law making will be conditioned by the rule of recognition, which should limit the powers of Parliament to bind successors in an era

Techniques to Generate Ideas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Techniques to Generate Ideas - Essay Example Fundamentally, concept development techniques enable an organization to nurture an idea into a business adventure that an entity can pursue profitably. However, prior to the realization of an idea, it is imperative to appraise it critically (Bluemner). Diverse concept development procedures exist nonetheless, the applicability of the techniques relies on the prevailing circumstances. Consequently, identifying a concept generation methodology for Chocoberry (CB) requires prior knowledge of the entity and its industry. Additionally, prior awareness of the entity’s aspirations is critical. Chocoberry operates in the cuisine industry, which changes rapidly depending on the market trends. Accordingly, research would be an appropriate technique for concept development. Research would enable the management to make a decision based on credible facts that have culminated from studies. Particularly, Chocoberry lacks a diversified product portfolio. Therefore, poor decision-making would terminate in catastrophic results. Research presents a credible procedure to develop concepts (Gorchels 72). Transforming ideas into concept would require research. This would establish the monetary repercussions of the ideas. Additionally, it would ensure the establishment of other facts pertaining to the ideas. The facts would facilitate transformation of the ideas into concepts. The conversion of ideas into concepts follows brainstorming. The management would undertake brainstorming since they bear relevant knowledge on how to expand Chocoberry’s ventures (Bluemner). Research requires expertise hence, individuals vested with the above task ought to bear proficiency in that field. For effective study, Chocoberry would need to outsource the above service. Outsourcing is a viable option since it allows the entity to hire experts that Chocoberry may lack. Additionally, outsourcing would ensure that objectivity in the undertaking of research. Conversely, if Chocoberry’s staff undertakes the research on the concepts it would culminate in skewed findings since the employees would manipulate the study to suit their departments or career objectives. Overall, the research would demand expertise due to technicality and objectivity of the procedure. Though scholars have availed methods to evaluate business opening, it is imperative to concede that the majority of the ideas appraise the financial aspect only. The detail below exemplifies an opposite criterion of evaluating business ideas. Initially, the evaluators should establish the relevance of an idea to Chocoberry’s objectives. Secondly, the evaluator would analyze the financial implication of an idea. Chocoberry aims at boosting its profitability. Subsequently, ideas with negative financial returns are infeasible. Evaluation of the financial implication would adopt methods such as Net present value (NPV). Visibly, managements fail to analyze the operation repercussions of an idea. This aspect would reveal modalities relating to the personnel requirements of implementing the proposed idea. Additionally, it would reveal an idea’s implications on the entity’s efficiency. The three criteria would provide a procedure that analyzes an idea in multifaceted manner. Essentially, this would facilitate grading of the proposals (Allen 32). It is vital to rank ideas since it helps the management to effect well thought out ideas.

Techniques to Increase Student Enrolment

Techniques to Increase Student Enrolment International Student Recruitment at University of Wales (Positioning, Target Market, Services  and Advantages) ABSTRACT: The higher education market globally is becoming increasingly dynamic and competitive. Options for students have increased at a dramatic rate. The education industry is regarded no less then any other business, prospecting and attracting students from around the world. Consequently, we can say with utmost confidence that it is misleading to separate the word marketing from education industry. Students have been over loaded with information due to globalization, and realize that to survive in this competitive market, they need to equip themselves with the best knowledge. INTRODUCTION: The university once established can serve as an efficient self recruitment tool for students. Universities have been spending so much on recruitment activities but not on the right track. It is essential for universities to help, identify and clarify what their name in particular means and how it is different from other alternatives.  The role of a university is to widen horizons and challenge existing paradigms. This university will pursue these goals in their more traditional sense. However, the uniqueness of the institution means that special focus will be placed upon widening the horizons of its students and raising their own confidence to achieve their full potential.   The title of the University underscores our commitment to the region within which its campuses are located whilst reaffirming its responsibility, as a university, to the wider academic and international community. Mazarrol (1998) suggested that higher education is a considerable marketable service and it possess all the necessary characteristics of services identified earlier by Zeithaml et al (1985). Among the characteristics, difficulty in marketing intangibility of services prevails more in education industry as it is difficult to define (Mazzarol, 1998). Marketing of educational institutions in UK started in 1980’s (Brown and Oplatka, 2006) and due to increasing competitive environment, nationally and internationally, universities are sensing the need to market themselves aggressively and after careful situational analysis, they carefully need to adapt strategies to effectively position their in the mind of students (Ivy, 2001). Higher education has become a positional good in the sense that students, parents and employers view some institutions as offering better social life and future prospects and vice versa, institutes seek for the best students (Hirsch, 1976; Maringe, 2006).   University of Wales is already enormously diverse on any number of dimensions, including ethnicity and nationality. The University celebrates this diversity and looks further to widen its international reputation and appeal. Any firm, no matter which business they are in, works in vacuum. You need to observe actively which environment you are working in, considering all the external factors which might influence your business. Competitors, especially, have a massive impact on company’s profitability. Rivalry among existing competitors takes the familiar form of jockeying for a better position, pushing companies to adapt tactics such as price cuts, product innovation etc in order to have competitive advantage. All these devices one way or the other, affect the overall profitability of the firm. BACKGROUND: University of Wales is s a confederal  Pontypridd. It also accredits courses abroad and has over 100,000 students. The Chancellor of the University of Wales is  Archbishop of Wales, Dr. Barry Morgan. The Vice-Chancellor is Professor Marc Clement The University was composed of  Privy Council  to change its name to the University of Wales, Newpo Cardiff University and the University Of Wales College Of Medicine (UWCM) merged on  2005  to study other subjects are awarded Cardiff University degrees The University has a clear mission as a regional institution which aims to extend opportunity and widen participation in further and higher education and, to that end, commits itself primarily to teaching and learning rather than research. It is a relatively large institution, with some 31,000 registered students in 1996 97, of whom 65 per cent were studying part-time, 64 per cent were women and 59 per cent were aged over 25. 48 per cent of students described themselves as non-white. 11 per cent of students were from non-UK EU countries, and 22 per cent were from countries outside the EU. An important feature of the University is that some 22 per cent of its students are seeking further education qualifications, for which the University is not the awarding body, and for which it bears no formal responsibility for the standards of the awards. Similarly, many of the vocationally-based undergraduate and postgraduate programmed are accredited by professional or statutory bodies, whose standards and quality criteria the University is obliged to meet. In some of these cases, however, the University itself has been accredited by the awarding body (for BTEC courses, for example) and thus has effective sole control of quality and standards. A further important feature of the University is the strength of commitment of its staff to the institutional mission. We were constantly struck by the way in which this permeated many of our meetings with staff at all levels, from the Vice-Chancellor to the most junior support staff. The mission is ambitious: given the remarkable variety of the student body, the University has set itself a very demanding objective in seeking to provide higher and further educational opportunities which are comparable in standard of outcome, as well as quality of experience, with the generality of higher education institutions in the UK. It is a tribute to the Universitys staff that its mission remains a source of inspiration despite the difficulties that many of them have experienced in recent years. Briefs of Aims and Objectives: Research Aim: University of Wales  was established long time back providing services to facilitate students in attaining better education at different levels. It is facing fierce competition from other universities in London. Preliminary research has indicated that students fail to make associations about the positioning about key benefits of the University over its competitors and cannot identify a unified identity. Therefore, the University clearly needs to position itself against competitors in order to remain attractive in the domestic and international market. Research Objectives: In order to satisfy the aim for which this research is being undertaken, following objectives need to be accomplished which will lead to provide us the clear view of current position of  University of Wales. To systematically collect data from current students about perception of University in relation to their competitors. To identify the needs and expectations of students from the University. To identify the current positioning of  University of Wales. To critically analyze the findings about current positioning. Depending on the analysis, to reinforce the current image of its brand. OR, to re-position the  University of Wales  image. Finding developments necessary for university to make in order to meet gaps in provision. Key Words:  Positioning; Target Market, Service; Higher Education; Research Question: Q1) what are the perceptions of students about the  University of Wales  in relation to competitors? Q2) what is the current positioning of the  University of Wales? Hypothesis Perception HO1:  University of Wales  has no effect on perception of students. H11:  University of Wales  has positive effect on student’s perception. Positioning H02:  University of Wales  has no effect on to attracting students. H12:  University of Wales  has positive effects on attracting students. Research Methodology: In order to accomplish the end objectives for which this research is being conducted, both qualitative and quantitative techniques will be used, which are discussed further. Data collection, both primary and secondary has been divided into two phases. Phase 1 constitutes exploratory research aiming to look for secondary data from different sources as well as qualitative method of conducting focus groups in order to gather primary data necessary for the next step. Phase 2 accompanies quantitative techniques in the form of survey to gather finalized results to be analyzed. Data Collection (Phase 1): Exploratory research is investigation informal studies to provide background information. It is not intended to provide conclusive evidence from which to follow a concrete direction, rather it provides a basis that subsequent research will be a requirement to achieve final results. The basic purpose behind exploratory research is to exhaust inexpensive readily available data which may help to prevent mistakes like rushing into expensive detailed surveys (Zikmund, 1997). Exploratory research can be conducted using various techniques. For our research objectives, and considering the mind in limitations, the most suitable are secondary data and focus groups. Secondary Data:  Also termed as holistic data previously collected for some project other than the one at hand. It is relatively inexpensive and readily available, but we need to make sure it is consistent with the problem definition as they are not designed for the purpose to serve research needs (Zikmund, 1997). External sources where we can gather secondary data for this research includes Libraries (Huge source of information including databases, books and periodicals, journal articles) British Library,  University of Wales  library , EBSCO database, Emerald Management full text database, Athens DA Resources etc. The Internet (Provides secondary data, authenticity is a bit doubtful but in many cases huge information can be acquired). Focus Groups:  The second step of phase 1 is conducting focus group which is a qualitative method of data gathering. It is an unstructured, free flowing interview with a small group of people. Focus groups are not rigidly structured; rather they are of a flexible discussion format. The moderator introduces the topic to the participants who in turn carry out the discussion and as this discussion progresses, new topics emerge. It freely allows the participants to truly reflect their feelings and emotions in their own words (Zikmund, 1997). The role of the moderator is to ensure that all members participate in the session and none dominates it. Though focus groups are the least expensive ways of gathering information; it should be kept in mind that data gathered from focus groups only provide qualitative information. Another limitation to them is that since the members are not selected scientifically, they may not truly reflect the opinions of the whole population at large. However, t he exploratory information collected through focus groups can be a basis for further scientific research. We will be conducting two focus groups of 6 students each. One group will contain a random sample from the international students and other from the domestic students. The objective of the focus groups is to generate further insights about students and the factors they might feel important to them in their ultimate decision of selecting a University. We may or may not come up with factors other than discussed earlier. There is no scientific method to analyze qualitative data. Therefore recording of the whole focus group discussion will be carried out which will help to reduce any risk of biases. Face expressions is a short coming, and it solely based on moderators interpretation. Data Collection (Phase 2): The second phase of collecting data is by gathering quantitative data by asking respondents to fill in the finalized self administered questionnaire. We have selected a sample size of 200 students purely based on judgment and keeping in mind the limitations of the study. However, if further we might feel that the sample size is not justified; further alterations may be carried out. Non probability sampling technique is one in which sample is selected on personal judgment or experience and the probability of any member from the population is not known and within that framework, we will be using Quota Sampling (Zikmund, 1997). Quota sampling is a procedure which ensures that all the sub groups present in the population will represent the sample to the extent on the desire of investigator. A logical drawback of quota sample is it tends to select people which are easily available therefore careful supervision is required in order to gather a true representative sample of the population. Obviously, the logic for using quota sampling for questionnaires is that we want student representing  University of Wales  from different geographical backgrounds and level of education to be part of the sample. Quota allocation is explained below: Total Sample = 200 100 International Students 100 Domestic Students 50 Post Graduate Students 50 Graduate Students 50 Post Graduate Students 50 Graduate Students 10 Students from each geographic division America’s Asia Europe Australia Africa’s 10 Students from each geographic division America’s Asia Europe Australia Africa’s Data Analysis: The number of questions in the final questionnaire is not known as yet since they will depend on the findings from the primary data from focus groups. However, a few sample questions are listed below (not necessarily the part of final questionnaire): Q: The achievements of the institution for you? Q: The  University of Wales  avenues for religious practices? Q: Stable political economy of the host country is important? The most appropriate technique for measuring the attitude of students’ for this research is through Likert scale which is a type on an ordinal scale. It is a bipolar attitude measurement technique most widely used which allows respondents to rate how strongly they agree or disagree with these carefully constructed statement. Therefore, for our research we will construct a 5 point Likert Scale ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree and weights are assigned to answers accordingly. An example is shown below: Q: The achievements of the institution for you? Each dimension as mentioned will contain certain questions which will reflect the attitude towards the overall dimension. Therefore in order to achieve this, we will use the method of cross-tabulation. It is a technique for organizing data by groups, categories or classes facilitating comparison between them). For individual question, calculation of confidence interval will be conducted using the t distribution. This will help us in finding out attitude of students that how many respond favorably or unfavorably to a certain question. The results will be measured and analyzed with the help of most extensively used statistical software called SPSS. Once data is input, immediate reports are generated and there is no probability of human calculation error. Conclusion: The aspect of positioning university brands in students mind is an increasingly growing phenomenon and now a pre requisite for institutions to effectively compete in domestic and international markets. Options for students have proliferated at a progressive rate. Globalization and competitive employment environment at the same time have lead students to treat education as a return on investment in order to safeguard their careers. The research will help the  University of Wales  establish a unique position in relation to its competitor which is favorable to students. By doing so, it can develop an enhanced image and also attract more students for a higher market share. Also, as mentioned before there are not many studies providing positioning dimensions for universities. Therefore, our exploratory research might lead us to come up with additional dimensions which can be helpful for universities in future to use as a base for positioning strategy. Once a positioning strategy has been identified and adopted by  University of Wales  based on this research, future research may be conducted about its validity and may serve as a case study for future work. References: Aaker, D. A. Shansby, G. J (1982), ‘Positioning Your Product’  Business Horizon, May/Jun, 56-62. Blankson, C. and Kalafatis S. (1999), ‘Issues and challenges in the positioning of service brands: a review’,  Journal of Product and Brand Management, Vol. 8, No 2, p 106 -118 Brown, J., Oplatka, I., (2006) ‘Universities in a competitive global marketplace: A systematic review of the literature on higher education marketing’, International Journal of Public Sector Management,  Vol. 19/4, 316-338 Cowell. D., (1989), ‘The Marketing of Services’, Heinemann, London. Gray. J, Fam. S, Llanes. A, (2003), ‘Branding Universities in Asian Markets’,  Journal of Product and Brand Management’, Vol. 12, No 2, p 108-120. Hirsch, R. (1976), ‘Social Limits to Growth, Harvard University Press’, Cambridge, MA Hooley, G.; Broderick, A.; Moller, K. (1998),  Ã¢â‚¬ËœCompetitive positioning and the resource-based view of the firm’,  Journal of Strategic Marketing, June, Vol. 6 Issue 2, p97-115 Ivy, J. (2001), â€Å"Higher education institution image: a correspondence analysis approach†,  International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 15 No. 6, pp. 276-82 James, R., Baldwin, G. and McInnis. C, (1999), ‘Which University? The Factors Influencing Choices of Prospective  Undergraduates’, Evaluation and Investigations Programme, Higher Education Division, Australia. Kalafatis S., Tsogas M., and Blankson C., (2000), ‘Positioning Strategies in Business Markets’,  Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, Vol. 5, No 6, p 416-437. Kotler, P. (2000), ‘Marketing management’, 10th ed., London: Prentice Hall Levitt T., (1981), ‘Marketing Intangible Products and Products Intangible’,  Harvard Business Review, May-June, p 94- 102 Maringe. F, (2006), ‘University and course choice Implications for positioning, recruitment and Marketing’,  International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 20, No. 6, pp. 466-479 Mazzarol T., (1998), ‘Critical success factors for international education Marketing’,  International Journal of Educational Management, 12/4, 163–175 Naude P., and Ivy J., (1999) ‘The Marketing Strategies of Universities of in the United Kingdom’,  The International Journal of Educational Management, 13/3, p 126-134 Nguyen N. and Leblanc G. (2001), ‘Image and reputation of higher education institutions in students’ retention decisions’,  International Journal of Educational Management,  Volume 15, Issue 6, p 303 – 311 Porter, M. E. (1996), ‘What is Strategy?’  Harvard Business Review,  Nov-Dec, p61-78 Ries, A., Trout, J. (1986), ‘The Battle for your Mind’,  McGraw-Hill, Singapore Sekaran, U. (2003), ‘Research Methods for Business: A skill building approach’, John Wiley Sons, USA. 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Servant Leadership Benefits Both Organizationas and Employees Essay

In the traditional view of leadership, service is the job of the follower. However, servant leadership puts the leader at service. In servant leadership, the leader focuses on servicing their followers; they empathize, nurture, and provide attention so that the followers can develop their full personal capacities (Northouse, 2013). Spears (2002) identified 10 servant leader characteristics: Listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, and commitment to the growth of people. Listening involves the interactive process of communication between leaders and followers (Northouse, 2013). In the traditional world of leadership, we think of leaders as instructing, ordering, or ruling. In servant leadership, leaders listen first to understand and acknowledge their followers. Empathy is the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s position and see where they are coming from. This makes the follower feel unique and validated (Northouse, 2013).Healing does not involve mystical powers, however it does involve offering support to followers by overcoming their personal problems and caring about their well-being (Northouse, 2013). Awareness is similar to emotional intelligence in that it includes the understanding of oneself and the impact one has on others through being attune and receptive to one’s physical, social, and political environments (Northouse, 2013). Persuasion, not coercion, is a servant leadership quality. Persuasion involves the use of gentle non judgmental argument, not force-like coercion (Northouse, 2013). Conceptualization and foresight are similar in that they both require a looking into the future. Conceptualization is visualization to help prepare for complex organiza... ...eir followers can result in ethical and efficient leadership.â€Å"When individuals engage in servant leadership, it is likely to improve outcomes at the individual, organizational, and societal levels (PSU, 2014)†.The servant leadership actions of Charlie Kim and Bob Chapman depict how the proper use of servant leadership creates trust, and inspires productivity; benefiting their organization, their employees, and those around them. References Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. PSU WC. (2014). PSYCH 485: Lesson 11, Servant leadership. Retrieved November 8th, https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa14/psych485/001/toc.html Sinek, Simon. (2014, March). Why good leaders make you feel safe [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_why_good_leaders_make_you_feel_ safe#t-627531