The Farmers Market At The Larger Food Systems Society Essay

The purpose of this report is to explore the Farmers market at Farm to Fork in comparison to the larger food systems society contains. Food is an important aspect in our everyday lives, however, individuals often do not take into consideration the different social relations to food. The Farm to Fork was an interactive public event promoting non- GMO and organic food in order to achieve sustainability within Ontario. In order to describe the importance of this farmers market, Smithers et al (2008), provide a definition of what a farmers market contains in order to compare these elements to the industrial food system. I believe the definition that they provide is an accurate representation of what Farm to Fork wished to achieve. Smithers et al (2008), describe a farmers market as â€Å" a complex an ambiguous space where notions of local, quality, authenticity and legitimacy find expression and transactions around food† (p. 337). This paper seeks to not only understand alterna tive food markets but to also touch upon the activism promoted by various speakers and vendors. An analysis will also be provided on specific characteristics seen at this farmers market in comparison to course articles focusing on farmers market from other experiences. Lastly, exploring the farmers market will allow for a critical engagement on a comparison and contrast to the course concepts as well as raise questions on consumer knowledge and understanding. One of the objectives that this field tripShow MoreRelatedGeography Of Food : Midterm Exam1630 Words   |  7 PagesGEOGRAPHY OF FOOD MIDTERM EXAM Terms to Define (answer 5) Consolidation: any industry consolidates when one of the steps in the commodity chain becomes controlled by a finite number of producers. In the beef industry consolidation would be at the slaughterhouse and meat packing level. One company would consolidate the steps of production into one facility. 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Coach Carter Is The Best Version Of You - 851 Words

When a person is an athlete they have many highs and lows. The movie Coach Carter is a description of how to get through those highs and lows. Basketball is a sport that requires ninety percent thinking and ten percent of ability. The fact that an event that has happened in my life can be captured into a film and shown on a screen is amazing to me. The movie Coach Carter is very familiar to me; it’s a film that taps into the emotion of the player, it also shows a player how to become motivated, and it teaches the lesson of how to become the best version of you. The movie Coach Carter is one of the best performances of how to get a basketball team to abide by rules and create discipline. The movie is centered on a new coach who once was a player for the team back when he was in high school. The coach name is Coach Carter, and this is where the brilliant title for this movie came from. The team has been on a losing streak for the past couple of years and Mr. Carter has come to change this. The process of making this team successful is a hard task. During the process of creating the final teams there are players who come and go. The question that flourishes around this movie asked by the coach with no answer by the players is â€Å"What is your deepest fear?† Coach Carter made the team into winners, and then of course the player’s grades drop in their classes. The one thing that Mr. Carter focused on was education because he felt as if without it, the boys on his basketballShow MoreRelatedGatorade- Marketing Strategies5521 Words   |  23 Pages1967. Part of his marketing campaign for the new sports drink, was a product placement marketing strategy which branded Gatorade as the official sports drink of the NFL. 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Professional HR/marketing essay on Competitive Intelligence Free Essays

Introduction This paper is set in order to demonstrate the research proposal on the subject of the role of line managers in reward in the context of human resource management. The main covered areas will include the presentation of research objectives and rationale, brief critical investigation of the recent studies and research methodology. The ethical issues are going to be demonstrated at the end of the research proposal. We will write a custom essay sample on Professional HR/marketing essay on Competitive Intelligence or any similar topic only for you Order Now Research Objectives and Rationale Recent research demonstrates that the role of line managers in the implementation of reward programs is neglected in most of the cases. This, in turn, negatively affects the general process of reward program integration. For instance, a survey, which has been done on 1300 organizations in 80 countries, has demonstrated that only 30 % of these organizations have reported a successful implementation of reward program (Stark and McMullen, 2008). It has been further presented in the research that HR executives tend to design the reward programs whereas the line managers tend to integrate those. The research, however, fails to provide an in-depth perspective on the subject of the involvement of both line managers and HR executives (Armstrong and Bowen, 1998). Therefore, it is important to provide the extensive perspective on the subject of the role of line managers in the implementation of rewarding programs. This will contribute to the academic body of research in the human resource subj ect area. Additionally, it will allow human resource management to identify the main problems with their reward strategies; thus altering the strategies in order to acquire a success in delivery of reward programs. As a result, given the concept of the study, the main research objectives are: To explore the concept of rewards and general role of HR representatives in it To investigate the level of line managers’ involvement in the rewarding process in the context of HR management To identify and explore the elements of the most successful and effective rewarding strategy Literature Review This section is designed in order to deliver a brief critical investigation of key theoretical concepts on the subject of line managers’ involvement in the development and implementation of reward programs. The main sub-themes will include identification and exploration of human resource function in the development of reward programs, investigation of performance management and identification of the most effective method of reward in the context of line managers’ involvement. Reward and Reward System The reward systems have been integrated within HRM only recently. These have been designed in order to provide the monetary value to those employees who have added value to the organization. This concept is directly interlinked with the development of career and increase in motivation (Thorpe and Homan, 2000). Secord, (2003, p. 403) states that reward management is associated with â€Å"designing, implementing, maintaining and communicating reward processes†. These processes, in turn, shape the level of monetary payment for value-adding activities, performed by employees. HR Role and Function in Reward In general, there is little evidence in HR’s delivery of the actual value to the company. Assessment on 54 organizations, located in the USA, has demonstrated that the majority of companies has not assessed HR department due to the lack of value, delivered by this sector (Ramlall, 2002). It has been further estimated that some companies do not have any specific rating system to measure the performance of HR department (Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich, 2001). One of the key functions of HR is related to the design of reward system. However, this function has been ignored in the recent studies. CIPD (2006) has done a survey in the organizations on the subject of the role of HR representatives in the reward systems. It has been estimated that front-line management plays a much more significant role in the integration of the reward systems, contrary to HR specialists. HR duties are associated with a large number of aspects that should be taken into consideration in order to successfully fulfil the job. This implies that the HRM system should be visible, authoritarian, legitimate and understandable (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). If these factors are not presented in front of employees, the strength of HRM system, as perceived by employees, decreases. HR representatives are important in design of reward system and performance management. Armstrong and Bowen, (1998) outline the personal characteristics of HR executives and their experience, as the important factors that are projected in design of reward and performance management systems. However, there is little contact between HR executives and employees, which develop the obstacles to actual integration of reward systems and performance management. This implies that HR executives are not able to actually see the performance of employees in order to base the decisions (Armstrong and Bowen, 1998). This increases the significance of line managers in relation to this task. Role of Line Managers in Reward Systems The studies suggest that the role of line managers in fulfilment of some of the HR functions has been increased over the time. Along with the transferring of supervisory duties to line managers, their people management duties have been enhanced as well (Hales, 2005). In the light of current line managers’ role in people management, the HR function and role are ignored and diminished. The research suggests that line managers are not qualified enough in order to fulfil these types of duties, namely reward systems integration. However, they are trusted by their subordinates as a result of cooperative work together. This is contrasted by the gap, which is developed on the basis of lack of time, willingness and qualifications in order to actually perform HR-related duties (Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich, 2001). It has been further added that for line managers it is easier to implement reward systems and performance management, since there has been a direct link found between the leadership style and motivation development (CIPD, 2007). This implies that line managers are more knowledgeable about their employees’ traits and level of job’s quality. Furthermore, the line managers are able to influence employee motivation development (CIPD, 2007). Performance Management Performance management is regarded to be crucial in effective management of organizational culture. It aims at the evaluation of employee’s attitude and behavior in relation to the job; thus contributing to the increase of the overall significance of performance management practices, as perceived by employees (Hannah and Iverson, 2004). Other scholars suggest that it is a leadership function, which contributes to the efficiency of performance management (Uhl-Bien et al., 2000). This corresponds to the ability to see the supervisor’s willingness to provide feedback and explain the goals of the organization, as the main factor that contributes to the increase of employee morale and therefore the company’s overall productivity (Smewing, 2001). This suggests that the employees are seen to be taken care of, therefore are more prone to commit to the organization over the long term. HR specialists are the ones that design performance management programs whereas line managers tend to realize those programs. However, the majority of line managers do not have sufficient tools in order to maintain a qualitative performance management (CIPD in ONREC, 2004). Additionally, it has been estimated that the concept of performance management has changed over time. This suggests that initially, this concept was integrated in order to address the issues of pay and the ability to achieve certain organization’s objectives (CIPD in ONREC, 2004). Currently, this concept has evolved into the talent management and the ability to recruit and retain the best employees on the market. Additionally, performance management has evolved into shifting away from the dogma that financial pay may be the only motivating force behind the performance (Armstrong and Baron, 1998). Large attention in the motivation-related research has been attributed to the significance of intrinsic and extr insic motivation. Intrinsic motivation suggest that the employee is motivated by the force of self-motivation. Extrinsic motivation suggests that the employees are motivated by the external factors, like the increase of pay (Speckbacher, 2003). It is stated in the same source that it is a challenging task to channel the intrinsic motivation, however, performance management is shifting to the integration of this dogma. The intrinsic motivation suggests that the employee receives satisfaction from the achievement of certain objectives. Therefore, this motivation eliminates the need to provide additional financial benefits in order to increase employee’s productivity. Additionally, already increased employee morale reduces the need for further integration of the additional practices, aimed at the increase of one’s productivity (Speckbacher, 2003). Research Methodology This section aims at the presentation of the main research methodology and its elements. This section is based on the integration of â€Å"research onion† framework, which implies a shift from presentation of â€Å"research method† to the description of â€Å"primary data instrument† through a variety of stages (Saunders et al., 2009). Research Type Due to the scope and subject of research,mixed research methodology is applied. This methodology suggests that the study will be conducted whilst integrating the elements of quantitative and qualitative research methods (Saunders et al., 2009). This method is regarded to be associated with a high degree of costs, which is suitable, given the scope of the research (Ellin Datta in Greene, 2007). Research Paradigm Research paradigm has been selected to be positivism and interpretivism. Positivism philosophy suggests that the researcher incorporates value- free, objective perspective on the subject of the study. This requires minimum integration of the values and opinions that have been acquired throughout the lifetime (Saunders et al., 2009). Interpretivism on the other hand allows interpretation of the collected information into the narrative format. This is especially applicable to the qualitative interviews. One of the possible disadvantages that may emerge as a result of positivism application, that the researcher may integrate some lifetime values within data collection and analysis processes (Frauendorf, 2006). This might become an obstacle, due to the lack of critical research skills. Research Approach The research approach is proposed to be deductive, in order to benefit from the development of theory on the basis of evaluation of the elements of the acquired data (Thyer, 2010). Deductive research approach exercises the shift from more expanded towards more detailed in line with the subject theory and elements (Thyer, 2010). In other words deductive reasoning employs top down approach, where the conclusions are drawn on the basis of acquired findings. Since this subject is regarded to be multi-dimensional, the analysis of smaller details, associated with the role of line managers in development and integration of reward systems, would be beneficial. Research Nature The research is proposed to be of explanatory character. The main aim of this type of research is to explore the causal relationships between dependent and independent variables. The ultimate purpose of this research is to explain the situation and predict the events (McNabb, 2008). The main question in relation to the explanatory research is attributed to – â€Å" Why this event has happened?†. Therefore, the main question in relation to this research would be – â€Å"Why the role of line managers is so significant and/or so insignificant?†. Hypothetical Question Qualitative Research Question: What is the role of line managers in reward system planning and integration as projected in real life time activities Quantiative Research Hypothesis: Line managers have a direct positive affect on reward system integration Line manager have a direct positive impact on performance management activities Research Design The research design is chosen to be a multiple case study (Yin, 1993). This implies that two case studies will be developed in order to investigate the role of line managers in the development and integration of reward systems. One case will include the line managers; whereas another case will include the employees. This will allow data collection will allow the acquisition of data on the subject of insight on this subject, from line managers and subordinates, which would contribute to the development of the full picture on the subject of study. Multiple case study is known to be associated with the triangulation of data and research methods (Yin, 1993). It has been estimated that case study strategy is well applied to qualitative and quantitative methods, which will result in the achievement of research objectives (Yin, 1993). Research Techniques Along with the integration of mixed research methodology, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews have been selected to be applied as part of the primary data instrument design. Questionnaires will be distributed among employees, namely floor employees in the selected commercial companies. Semi-structured interviews are going to be targeted at the line managers in order to deliver a follow up on the acquired findings, by questionnaires. This will allow demonstration of the perspective of line manager involvement in reward systems integration from both perspectives. Questionnaires are beneficial since these allow collection of the data from a large sample, which is a primary research objective in relation to the employees’ study group (Saunders et al., 2009). Due to the specifics of the study, the questionnaires are going to be distributed via e-mails, in order to enable quick rate of responses. This is also associated with low degree of costs due to the utilization of th e interactive platform for questionnaires distribution (Saunders et al., 2009). Interviews, in turn, aim at the acquisition of an in-depth perspective on the subject. As a result, once the primary data from questionnaires is collected, the line managers will provide clarification of the causal relationships between the perspectives of employees about their involvement and their actual fulfilment of duties. The interviews will be heldon site, in order to ensure comfortable settings during the interview. This would allow access to the opinions and views that are hidden deep inside one’s psychology. There is a large risk of bias opinion emergence due to the depth of the interview process and involvement of qualitative opinions, views and behaviours (Saunders et al., 2009). Additionally, the lack of research skills might result in the possible shift from the main subject; thus the inability to acquire valuable findings that would correspond with the research objectives. Primary data quantitative analysis is proposed to be maintained on the basis of SPSS processes integration and narration. Sampling Strategy Sample is a group of individuals with specific characteristics that have been selected in order to represent the whole population (Saunders et al., 2009). This research will be based on the incorporation of probability sampling strategy. This strategy suggests that all the individuals within the population have equal chances to be selected for the study. The main segmentation variable will be based on the occupation of study respondents (Saunders et al., 2009). This implies that for questionnaires, the sample will consist of floor employees and for interviews the sample will consist of line managers. The sub-sampling strategy is selected to be a stratified random sampling. This implies that all the employees are considered for participating in the study whilst being grouped with regard to their occupation (Saunders et al., 2009). This correlates well with the cross-sectional research design. The sample size is proposed to be 150 floor employees and 10 line managers in one commercial organization, which is geographically limited to the UK. Research Timeframe The cross-sectional timeframe has been chosen to be applied in this study. This implies that the research will be conducted over a short period of time, in contrast to the specifics of longitudinal timeframe. This would ensure relatively quick observation of study participants whilst conducting questionnaires and interviews (Jackson, 2008). This would allow investigation of a sample where the members possess different characteristics. Ethical Issues Due to the incorporation of direct human contact as part of the research design, there are some ethical issues to address. First of all, the study will be based on the integration of confidentiality-related policies. This suggests that all the material, which is acquired as part of primary data collection, will be stored confidentially in order to avoid sharing to any other 3rd party, unless otherwise stated by the primary data owner. In addition to this, the questionnaires and interviews are going to be supplied with the introductory letter. This introductory letter is designed in order to acknowledge the study participants with study’s purpose, aims, terms and conditions. By accepting the terms and conditions of the research, the study participant agrees to participate in the process of research conduct. Both questionnaires and interviews are designed in order to address the race relations and equality of rights. Any study participant will have the opportunity to withdraw from any stage of research conduct process, whereas their data will not be utilized for the purposes of research. The study participants will have a right to stay anonymous, unless otherwise stated. All the expenses, namely research, transportation, communication and stationary are manageable by the researcher. Draft Timetable    123456789 Literature Review Design of Primary Data Instrument Pilot Study and Data collection Data Analysis Analysis and Discussion Chapters Completion Draft review by supervisor Amendments and Final Review Conclusion This paper was designed in order to demonstrate the proposal for the research on the subject of line manager’s involvement in reward systems integration and performance management. It has been estimated as part of the literature review, that line manager role is significant in the integration of both of these processes. It is mainly associated with the fact that they are able to see and engage in the actual performance management; thus being able to produce objective results in relation to reward systems, contrary to the HR department. It has been further estimated that employees tend to develop both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, where intrinsic motivation is much more significant in channeling in order to acquire the benefits in relation to the financial performance of the company. As a result, the main objectives of research is to explore the level of involvement of line managers in the reward systems. This is proposed to be done by the means of mixed research methodo logy integration. The primary data collection instrument consists of interviews and questionnaires that are distributed among 10 line managers and 150 floor employees in the commercial organization in the UK. References Armstrong M, Baron A (1998). Performance Management: The new realities. Institute of Personnel Development: London. Becker, B., Huselid, M., and Ulrich, D. (2001). The HR Scorecard: Linking People, Strategy, and Performance. Boston: Harvard Business School Press Bowen, D.E., Ostroff, C. (2004). Understanding HRM-firm performance linkages: The role of â€Å"Strength† of the HRM system. Academy of Management Review, 29, 203-221 CIPD. (2006). Rewarding Work: Vital Role of Line Managers. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/72035864-98CD-495A-8CB9-96989B96E73C/0/vitalrolmgrca.pdf (Accessed on 10/12/12) Hales, C. (2005). Rooted in supervision, branching into management: continuity and change in the role of first-line manager. Journal of Management Studies, 42: 3, 471–506. Hannah, D. and Iverson, R. (2004). Employment relationships in context: implications for policy and practice, in J. Coyle-Shapiro, L. Shore, S. Taylor and L. Tetrick (eds). The Employment Relationship: Examining Psychological and Contextual Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 332–350. Jackson S. (2008). Research Methods and Statistics: A Critical Thinking Approach. 3rd ed. Cengage: USA McNabb D. (2008). Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management. 2nd ed., Sharpe: USA Ramlall, S. (2002). A Critical Review of the Role of Training Development in Increasing Performance. Journal of Compensation and Benefits, 18, 5, 12-17 Saunders M., Lewis P. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students. 5th ed., Pearson Education: UK. Secord H. (2003). Implementing Best Practices in Human Resources Management. CCH: Canada Speckbacher, G. (2003). The Economics of Performance Management in Nonprofit Organizations. Nonprofit Management Leadership, 13, 3, 267-281. Stark M., MacMullen T. (2008). When considering effective reward-program implementation, too frequently the role of the line manager is neglected. WorldAtWork Journal, 2nd Quarter. Thorpe R and Homan G. (2000). Strategic Reward Systems. London: Pearson Education Limited. Thyer B. (2010). The Handbook of Social Work Research Methods. 2nd ed., p 33, Sage Publications: UK ONREC. (2004). Line managers are key to good performance management. Available from: http://www.onrec.com/news/news-archive/line-managers-are-key-to-good-performance-management (Accessed on 10/12/12) Uhl-Bien, M., Graen, G. and Scandura, L. (2000). Indicators of leader–member exchange (LMX) for strategic human resource management systems. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 18: 137–185. Yin, R., (1994). Case study research: Design and methods. 2nd ed., CA: Sage Publishing. How to cite Professional HR/marketing essay on Competitive Intelligence, Essays

Retail Management Strategic Approach

Question:. Discuss about the Retail Management for Strategic Approach. Answer: Introduction: Keys Real estate Private Limited is one of the most reputed, emerging real estate organizations located in Australia. The organization was first developed in the year of 1950, with property development as its chief focus. We are one of the leading property developers present in Australia (Keys Real Estate 2016). Headquartered in Fitzoy, the very reason we have been able to gain such swift recognition, is that we offer you the fastest service and our consumers have to hardly wait before we help you buy or sell your property, or assist you in taking property management decisions. Our employees believe in efficiency and integrity, and so you will no longer require hanging up on us, for getting our service. The moment, our client establishes contact with us, we assist them in every possible way, and we just do not let them know our opinions, or suggestions. Ours is the best organization when you want to reach a well-researched decision. We ensure that your buying or selling experience is absolutely free from any kind of hassles, and you no longer need to feel worried about the stress involved in the process. Our excellent customer care service assists you in every step, in your decision-making process (Bermans and Evans 2013). Media Release: Key Real Estate is All Geared up to Help People Enjoy Exciting Offers on Holiday Homes By Luisa Keys 8th September, 2016 The much recognized real estate organization of Australia, Key Real Estates Private Limited is all set to launch its first website and online booking system, to help the consumers enjoy their holiday amidst the beauty and remote charm of the William Island (Gant 2016). The current director of the organization, Luisa Keys claimed that real estate business was started way too back in the year of 1950, by her father Gerald keys, and since the organization has indeed come a long way, in evolving itself to become one of the most reputed real estate organizations of Australia. According to Luisa, she and her brother during their childhood days had often visited the William Island with their father, and hence after growing up, both of them thought of helping other people also avail the fun and bliss of the island (Deane 2015). With seventy properties available to be rented out for holiday purpose, the William Island, is one of the most beautiful holiday spots in Australia, claims Luisa Keys. According to her, if one is willing to enjoy the beauty of the grass-covered hillside, this is the suitable place. The holiday homes, provided by Keys Real Estate Private Limited, helps one to enjoy the beauty of nature, beside getting access to the swimming pool, three bedrooms, with ice furnishings, keeping in mind the need of comfort of the visitors. Elegance, loads of space, comfort and a great holiday time comes in an affordable package. Luisa maintains that each of the staffs working in the organization is professionally trained, so that they can meet the demands and the expectations of the consumers. Right from the booking procedure, till the completion of the vacancy, Luisa says, the consumers will be able to enjoy the warm, homely feeling. Reference List: Abratt, R., Higgs, N. and Nel, D., 2015. Ethical Perceptions of Retail Managers in Australia, Singapore, South Africa and Zimbabwe. InProceedings of the 1993 World Marketing Congress(pp. 516-520). Springer International Publishing. Berman, B.R. and Evans, J.R., 2013.Retail management: a strategic approach. Pearson Higher Ed. Deane, N., 2015. IPAN-for a peaceful and independent Australia.Green Left Weekly, (1056), p.7. Gant, A.C., 2016. Holiday Rentals: The New Gentrification Battlefront.Sociological Research Online,21(3), p.10. Keys Real Estate, 2016.Keys Real Estate :: About Us. [online] Keysrealestate.com.au. Available at: https://www.keysrealestate.com.au/about-us [Accessed 8 Sep. 2016]. Marcouiller, D.W., Gartner, W.F. and Chraca, A., 2013.Recreational Homes and Planning in Gateway Communities: A Literature Review. Working Paper. www. urpl. wisc. edu/people/marcouiller/publications/13rechomerevised. pdf. Reyhle, N. and Prescott, J., 2014.Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business. McGraw Hill Professional. Rosenberg, A.N. and Sills, J.A., Clear Demand, Inc., 2014.System and method for determining retail-business-rule coefficients from current prices. U.S. Patent Application 14/219,795.

Legislations free essay sample

This is to find out if there are any educational needs. * Code of practice for the identification and assessment of children with special educational needs (1994 revised 2001) – Designed to help make efficient decisions for children with educational needs. * Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations (RIDDOR) (1995) By law certain incidents/accidents have to be reported to the appropriate people. * Food safety amp; general food hygiene regulation (1995) – Knowledge of basic hygiene within food preparation and daily chores. Family law act (1996) – ensures the safety and best interest of the child. * Disability discrimination act (1995) – Ensures that the rights of those with disabilities. * Code of practice for first aid (1997) – Standard practice for trained first aiders. * Protection of children act (1998) – Anyone who works with children is required to undertake a crb check. This is to ensure the safety of childr en. * Children act (2004) – Ensures the development of children in their own home and of the carer. We will write a custom essay sample on Legislations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It identifies 5 outcomes, Staying safe, Being healthy, Enjoying and achieving, Making a positive contribution, Achieving economic well being. * Safeguarding the welfare of children (2013) – To protect children from abuse of neglect to ensure they can grow and achieve. Name: Kelly Rogers Centre Number: 1201. 000 Cache Pin: Cypop5 Understand how to set up a home based childcare setting Task 1 Produce an information sheet which outlines the following; Current legislation for home based childcare The role of the regulatory bodies * Equality act (2010) – This act was brought in to protect against discrimination. It is used to set out different ways in which you cannot treat another. * The convention on the rights of the child (UNCRC) (1989) – This legislation gives children over 40 major rights namely that their opinion or thoughts matter and they have the right to be included in or can make certain decisions. Name: Kelly Rogers Centre number: 1201. 000 Cache Pin: Cypop5 Understand how to set up a home based childcare setting. Task 1 produce an information sheet which outlines the following; Current legislation for home based childcare The role of the regulatory bodies The role of the regulatory body is to ensure that all children receive the best possible care when that child is in any other setting other than their own home. All childcare providers are required to register with the regulatory body, in England this is Ofsted. Any complaints or concerns can be made to Ofsted and if they feel it is necessary they will investigate and if needs be they will take action against any individual if the needs of the child is not being met. There are 2 different registers that childminders can register on 1 – the early years register 2 – the child care register. The early years register will require a visit from ofsted to assess your suitability as a childminder and that you are able to deliver all requirements of the early years foundation. They will determine how you will be able to help the child make progress with their learning and development. Ofsted will also assess how you will meet safeguarding and welfare requirements. Ofsted will also regulate numbers for the early years register to ensure that every childs needs are met. For the childcare register ofsted will not usually visit unless there is reason to do so. The childcare register is for those who care for more than 1 child following their 5th birthday.

Free Essays on School Diversity

Advantages of Diversity in the Classroom Until recent years, diversity wasn’t fully recognized as a necessary component of education. In years past, the United States has been thought of as a country whose people were mainly of two races, black and white. The truth is, America is a nation whose citizens come from every nation of the world, and practice every known religion. It’s important to have diversity in the classroom because our society has become so diverse itself. While many people consider diversity to be a combination of different races, there are actually many different classifications of diversity, all having significance in a classroom. Some types of diversity include national origin, ethnicity, different languages spoken, religion, and even gender. It’s important as an educator not only to teach some of the cultural differences of diversity, but also to show the similarities of all people from different backgrounds, and how we all fit into society as people. Classrooms are becoming increasingly filled with students who were born in a foreign country. These students bring such a great advantage to students born in the United States. These foreign-born students have not only a perspective as an American, but also one from their home country in their own experiences and through their parents, who likely lived a good part of their life there. It’s one thing to teach foreign culture from a text, but it’s quite another to be able to have someone with firsthand knowledge. Saying this, it’s important not only to bring the child’s experience into the classroom, but also to make the child feel comfortable in his/her surroundings. Although younger children typically don’t display intolerance, it’s important to teach in an inclusive manner and make the other students aware that no matter of national origin, we’re all people and we all have to live together. Having students of different ethnicities ... Free Essays on School Diversity Free Essays on School Diversity Advantages of Diversity in the Classroom Until recent years, diversity wasn’t fully recognized as a necessary component of education. In years past, the United States has been thought of as a country whose people were mainly of two races, black and white. The truth is, America is a nation whose citizens come from every nation of the world, and practice every known religion. It’s important to have diversity in the classroom because our society has become so diverse itself. While many people consider diversity to be a combination of different races, there are actually many different classifications of diversity, all having significance in a classroom. Some types of diversity include national origin, ethnicity, different languages spoken, religion, and even gender. It’s important as an educator not only to teach some of the cultural differences of diversity, but also to show the similarities of all people from different backgrounds, and how we all fit into society as people. Classrooms are becoming increasingly filled with students who were born in a foreign country. These students bring such a great advantage to students born in the United States. These foreign-born students have not only a perspective as an American, but also one from their home country in their own experiences and through their parents, who likely lived a good part of their life there. It’s one thing to teach foreign culture from a text, but it’s quite another to be able to have someone with firsthand knowledge. Saying this, it’s important not only to bring the child’s experience into the classroom, but also to make the child feel comfortable in his/her surroundings. Although younger children typically don’t display intolerance, it’s important to teach in an inclusive manner and make the other students aware that no matter of national origin, we’re all people and we all have to live together. Having students of different ethnicities ...

Mobil and the American Automobile Association Research Paper

Mobil and the American Automobile Association - Research Paper Example Vallen and Vallen (2001) observe that ratings and audits for hotels can be a subjective business. He points out that in some countries where the rating systems are handled by the government, there is a great possibility that bribery, politics, and trade association bickering will affect the rating of an establishment. The Star Rating system RACV endorses is handled, not by the government, but by a private enterprise – the AAA Tourism group. This is much akin to the system adopted by the Americans – who use ratings from enterprises such as the American Automobile Association and Mobil. This has the effect of avoiding the political influence of a governmental rating system. The auditing for AAA Tourism’s ratings is done by local assessors. Vallen and Vallen further note that local assessors have a tendency to be subjective in their ratings. They observed that these assessors usually award full points for the mere presence of amenities and not the quality of such. I n comparison, the guidelines stipulated by the AAAT have a rigid point system that relies heavily on the quality of existing amenities. From observation, it may be said that these guidelines serve to mitigate such biases. One point in the assessment process of AAAT that raises questions is the fact that assessors are required by the system to make their visits announced (AAAT 2003). Other rating firms will conduct their assessments anonymously. This is, presumably, to capture the natural atmosphere and typical quality a hotel offers on any given day. The question with planned visits is that hotel management is given the opportunity to prepare what may be considered as a contrived sense of quality.

Dietary Quality and Eating Competence Term Paper

Dietary Quality and Eating Competence - Term Paper Example The supposition is that people will deliberately choose foods that add to their long-term physical well-being by decreasing their threat of chronic disease. There is a slight doubt that a diet well-suited to human biological requirements is necessary to the existence of the species (Clifford, & Keeler, 2002). Satter is a model developed by Ellyn Satter, and that is based on her clinical observations of how people do well with eating. Essentially, eating competence explains how normal people eat. It is descriptive in that sense, and rigid only for that group who are not comfortable with their current eating or who are concerned about their diet and health, and seek to make a dietary transformation. Still, Weight Watchers, which a lot of people hype as the finest of the diet centers because of its dependence on real, unmarked food and flexible menu options, does not help people in understanding and knowledge about the inner competence on eating. This comes down to the issue of trust against control, according to the nutritionist Ellyn Satter†¦who takes care of ‘dieting casualties’ in her practice. She trusts that people require learning to believe that they will get filled, even on the food they think as highly desirable, and recognize that they can reliably control their own food intake, instead of depending on exterior rules to control those choices. â€Å"Weight Watchers is good at easing up food choices, teaching people how to eat carefully, and encouraging them to add to the diversity of food in their diet,† states Satter. â€Å"But it is still essentially a control stance they apply† (Satte, 2007, p. 56). When people rely on exterior rules, ranges, and diet cops to control their eating, their association with food remains delicate.

Global warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global warming - Research Paper Example This phenomenon can be perceived as an increase in the average temperature on earth’s surface, which is caused by the emission of various gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc due the burning of fossil fuels. In the modern world, technological developments have added pace and diversity to the process of industrialization, which causes the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere. The adverse effects of technology can be seen in urbanization also, which entails deforestation and the consequent negative impact on the environment. Besides, the increasing number of vehicles also contributes to aggravate the problem as it results in massive emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Evidence suggests that â€Å"about three-fourths of the carbon dioxide added to the air comes from burning fossil fuels such as oil and coal,† which are primarily used in industries and transportation (Kowalski 2004 pg 12). Similarly, deforestation, which occurs mainly a s a result of urbanization, also causes voluminous release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Thus, it becomes apparent that human actions, to a great extent, contribute to major changes in the climate of earth. Global warming, in simple terms, can be defined as the â€Å"continuing increase in Earth’s overall temperature† (Farrar 2008 pg 7). ... This remains a major concern in the modern world as it has far reaching negative repercussions on the environment, which, in turn, will adversely affect the life on earth. Therefore, this research mainly focuses on three research questions as under: - i) What causes the occurrence of the condition known as Global Warming? ii) What are the effects of Global Warming? iii) What can the humans do to effectively resolve the problem? The researcher has attempted to address these questions through the following literature review, which takes into consideration the available evidence in published books, internet articles etc. Review of Literature (Definition of the Problem): Global Warming, as stated earlier, is an increase in the surface temperature of the earth. Research studies indicate that on an average, the surface temperature of planet earth has increased by nearly â€Å"1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.76 degrees C) in the last 150 years (Farrar 2008 pg 7). However, the same study also cla ims that some places have registered the rise in temperature as high as 5 degrees Fahrenheit or 2.8 degrees C. While almost 99% of earth’s atmosphere comprises of nitrogen and oxygen, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone constitute the remaining 1%. The problem arises from the fact that these greenhouse gases retain the heat in the atmosphere, which is essential for humans and other living beings on earth to stay warm and to escape from freezing cold. However, when fossil fuels such as oil and coal are burnt, large volumes of gases get released into earth’s atmosphere. The presence of such emissions will mean increased capacity of air to store heat, which will enhance the heat in the atmosphere.

Design Thinking and Decision Analysis

Design Thinking and Decision Analysis Topic: How can decision analysis support the decision making process in design thinking in selecting the most promising properties during the transition fromdivergent toconvergent thinking phases? Executive Summary Table of Content Executive Summary List of Figures List of Tables Index of Abbreviations 1.Introduction 2.Overview of Design Thinking and Decision Analysis 2.1.A New Approach to Problem Solving 2.1.1.What is a Design Thinker? 2.1.2.The Iterative Steps of Design Thinking 2.2.Decision Analysis 2.2.1.Decision Analysis Process 2.2.2.Multi Attribute Decision Making 3.Application Based on a Case Study 3.1.The Design Challenge 3.2.The Static Model 3.2.1.The Alternatives 3.2.2.Objectives and Measures of Effectiveness 3.2.3.Multi Attribute Decision Making 3.2.4.Sensitivity Analysis of the SAW Method 3.3.The Case Study’s solution 4.Conclusion List of Literature Statutory Declaration Appendix List of Figures Figure 1: The IDEO process a five step method (Kelley and Littman, 2004: 6-7) Figure 2: Figure 3: The HPI process a six step model (Plattner et al., 2009) Figure 3: Fundamentals of Decision Analysis (Ralph L. Keeney, 1982) Figure 4: Schematic form of a decision tree (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993) Figure 5: A choice problem between two lotteries (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993) Figure 6: MADM Decision Matrix Figure 7: The tree main idea clusters Figure 8: Decision Making Matrix Figure 9: Decision Maker Matrix for the Design Challenge List of Tables Table 1: Different ways of describing design thinking (Lucy Kimbell, 2011) Table 2: Realization of attributes in alternatives scale Index of Abbreviations DADecision Analysis DCDesign Challenge DM Decision Maker DTDesign Thinking HPIHasso-Plattner-Institute HMWHow Might We IWITMI Wonder If That Means MADMMulti Attribute Decision Making MCDMMulti Criteria Decision Making SAWSimple Additive Weighting 1. Introduction Everyone is in the need to make decisions every day. Those decisions may be shaped by an outstanding problem which just needs to be solved or it may just be the question whether to buy a new pair of shoes or not. Moreover, the problem may easily be solvable by a simple equation or there might be the necessity to formulate the problem in the first place since the difficulty is too diffuse to be absorbed. Due to the huge variety of different problems our society faces every day and with all divergent needs for a solution process, there is a constant need to draft and identify methods that support everyone in making decision. Undoubtedly, there are many methodologies and approaches out there that support the decision making process for daily small decisions that need to be made to life changing decisions. Decision analysis (DA), which is one of the formal methods and design thinking (DT), which is one of the innovative methodologies out there, are two instances of problem solving method s. Both methods have been applied in similar fields, such as business, technology, and personal life but with divergent intentions. On the on hand, there is DT which is one of the more recent methodologies that helps to get from a problem to a solution with the support from a finite number of iterative steps that the design thinker will follow. Brown, who is the CEO of IDEO, describes DT as a method that is so powerful and implicit that can be used from teams broadly across the globe to create impactful innovative ideas that can be realized by the society or companies (Brown, 2010: 3). On the other hand, there is DA which is an approach that includes a variety of procedures that helps to find a formal solution to an identified problem and creates a more structured solution procedure. Howard was the person who shaped the term DA in 1964 and has been irreplaceable for the development of DA (Roebuck, 2011: 99). This paper will combine DA and DT to investigate whether DA can leverage the DT process in order to find the most viable solution to a problem. Moreover, this paper will find out whether or not those two approaches can profit from each other. Selected procedures of DA will be integrated in the DT process by reference to a case study. Over and above, the solution generated by the DA technique will be compared with the chosen alternative in the case study that followed the regular DT process. Comparing those two outcomes, this paper will work out whether or not DA can support the DT process. The second chapter is descriptive of the fundamentals of DA and DT. After the outline of the foundations, the third chapter will apply chosen DA procedures into the DT process on the basis of a case study. Moreover, the chosen alternative by the design thinking team in the case study will be analysed. In the final chapter, the major finding will be summarized and evaluated. 2. Overview of Design Thinking and Decision Analysis 2.1. A New Approach to Problem Solving Design Thinking is an iterative and innovative approach to solve problems of all kinds that the society is facing. Moreover, it is a human-centred and at the same time investigatory process that puts its emphasis on collaboration, prototyping, and field research (Lockwood, 2010: xi). It is a set of fundamentals than can be applied by different people and to a huge range of problems (Brown, 2010: 7). DT is not a linear, but an iterative process in which the designers are constantly learning from mistakes and improving their ideas. Designers hope to find a linear model that will help them to understand the logic behind a design process; therefore, it is a constant search for decision making protocols that would support the designers’ processes (Buchanan, 1992). In sum, DT is a user-centred approach to solve a variety of problems with the aim to integrate people from various fields; ranging from consumers and business people to designers. There are a variety of ways to describe DT, as illustrated in Table 1. According to Brown, DT is an organisational resource with the goal to create innovation. Cross describes the method as a cognitive style with the purpose of problem solving. Another famous definition concludes that â€Å"Design Thinking means thinking like a designer would† (Roger, 2009). However, the purpose and aim of DT is in its core identical, whether one is applying the processes modified by Cross or Brown (Plattner et al., 2009: 113). Table 1: Different ways of describing design thinking (Lucy Kimbell, 2011) Over the last five years, the term DT has become very present in our society. On top of that, DT is a new term in design and management circles, which shows the demand for creative and innovative methods across various sectors (Kimbell, 2011). Nevertheless, this method is still underdeveloped when it comes to applying design methods at the management level (Dunne and Roger, 2006). But why is the interest in design growing and the term has become ubiquitous? The society is facing a lot of challenges; from educational problems to global warming and economic crisis. Brown sees DT as a powerful approach that can be applied to a huge variety of problems and as a consequence creates impactful solutions to these challenges. On top of that he argues that design has become nothing short of a tactic of viability (Brown, 2010: 3). The method is not limited to the creation and design of a physical product, but it can also result in the conception of a process, tools to communicate, or a service (Brown, 2010: 7). Therefore, it is a method that helps to learn from mistakes and to find impactful and sustainable solutions. 2.1.1. What is a Design Thinker? Many individuals have their own personal picture of what a designer is and mostly, would not associate themselves with such a term. Nevertheless, the expression designer is not only limited to creative graphic designers that are working in agencies. There are many professionals who would fall under the term designer, from people that are working in corporations and are trying to implement a new innovative way of thinking to people who are creating a new customer experience (Porcini, 2009). Mauro Porcini puts a lot of emphasis on the fact that describing design is a huge challenge, since design can be anything from recognizing impactful solutions to the personal experience that the answers will originate (Porcini, 2009). According to Brown design thinkers have four characteristics in common (Brown, 2008): Empathy Design thinkers have the ability to walk in the shoes of someone else; they view situations from the perspective of other people. This talent allows them to see a lot of thing that others are not able to observe which leads to solutions that are especially tailor-made for the users. Integrative thinking Integrative thinking allows the design thinker to go beyond simple solutions by seeing and assembling all the noticeable coalitions to a solution. The ability to not confide on the processes that are characterized by an A or B choice, allows them to involve even antithetic solutions. Optimism and Experimentalism Design thinkers are individuals who are confident that to each existing solution there is another one which is more impactful and feasible for the corresponding stakeholders. By experimenting with new information and the existing circumstances and moreover, by asking the most powerful questions, design thinkers are able to ascertain long-lasting innovations. Collaboration Another key aspect of the design thinking process is the ability to collaborate with experts from a variety of fields. This talent allows to not only integrating the designers and producers, but also the end user. Moreover, a design thinker him/herself has experience in many different fields and is not only an expert in DT. 2.1.2. The Iterative Steps of Design Thinking As already mentioned above, there are many ways to describe DT. On top of that, the process may sometimes be described in three, five or six steps in literature. For example, at IDEO, which is one of the leading design consultancies in the world, the designers are working with a five step model (Kelley and Littman, 2004: 6-7). Figure 1: The IDEO process a five step method (Kelley and Littman, 2004: 6-7) However, at the Hasso-Plattner-Institute in Potsdam, the process consists of six steps. The two processes consisting of a different amount of steps only differ in their emphasis on the overall process and a different description but not in their principles (Plattner et al., 2009: 113). In order to describe the process which will later be applied to a case study, the thesis will focus on the six steps process described by Plattner et. al. (Plattner et al., 2009: 114). Figure 2: Figure 3: The HPI process a six step model (Plattner et al., 2009) Understand The iterative DT process starts with a phase called understanding, which includes defining the problem and explaining the scope. Defining the so called Design Challenge (DC) is crucial for the success of the method since the whole team working on the challenge needs to have the same understanding of the problem to be solved. Moreover, the target group needs to be identified by the team in order to be able to move to the next phase. In the first phase, the emphasis is put on obtaining the knowledge that is required to solve the formulated DC. Observe The aim of the second phase is to become an expert. The DT team observes all the existing solutions to the identified problem and challenges them; more specifically the team tries to improve their understanding why there has not been an adequate solution up to that point. The team tries to get a 360 ° degree view on the problem, integrating all participants and people affected. One of the main activities in this phase is the direct contact with the future users or clients of the product/service for the intended solution. It is crucial to involve the future users since those people are building the target group and know what their wishes, requirements, way of behaviour and needs are. In addition, the team needs to examine carefully the processes and ways of behaviour. In order to do so the team needs to walk in the shoes of the end users. In sum, the second phase emphasises the need to reproduce the end user’s ways of behaviour while being able to fully understand the end use r’s perspective. Point of View The third phase, called point of view, is the stage where all the findings from the previous phases are interpreted and evaluated. Since in most cases the team has branched out in the second phase, this phase brings everyone together in order to exchange findings. The team will segregate the relevant facts from the dispensable information. This separation helps to define the point of view more precisely which will lighten the fourth phase for the whole team. A method which is often used at this stage is the creation of a persona. A persona is a fictive and ideal-typical end user of the product or service. During this exercise the whole team deploys their findings from the second stage, the observing phase, with the aim to find the right viewing angle on the DC. For the purpose of finding the right perspective, it is important to question and realign the problem from a huge variety of different viewing angles. Recapitulatory, during the third phase the team assembles the key aspects f rom the end users in order to be able to start finding ideas in the next phase. Ideate The ideation phase is characterized by the reorientation of the team’s thinking process from divergent to convergent thinking. In the beginning of the phase, the team is still in a divergent thought process the group of people is generating as many ideas for a solution as possible. All these concepts should contain a potential solution to the DC and should not be debated by the team in the beginning. It is a phase during which the team experiments with a variety of ideas and invests in the creative thinking process by leaving as much room as possible for everyone to generate constructive ideas. In contrast to the first half of the ideation phase, the second half is shaped by the convergent method. During the convergent thought process, the team’s goal is to identify the one solution or the best solutions to the DC. This process consists of logical steps towards the exploration of solution/s. There are some creative techniques on how to narrow down the ideas in the ideation phase, for example (Center for Care Innovation, 2013-2014): Sticky note voting: Every team member gets three stickers and places those next to the ideas that are most viable and feasible to him/her. The ideas with the most stickers will be prototyped in the next phase. Idea morphing: Each idea will be presented in front of the whole team. After each presentation the team is looking out for synergies to merge some ideas or mixing some elements. In sum, during this phase the team generates ideas for the exploration of solutions with the help of the information gathered during the last three phases. Prototype This phase appears for many people to be really different to what they have been used to during solution oriented processes. The aim of this phase is to visualize the ideas for the users; thereby, the users are able to give feedback more easily and may also be able test the idea. The prototype should not be the perfect visible idea, but the preproduction model should be able to transfer the message, show the strengths and weaknesses of the idea, and moreover, it should help the team to improve the idea even further. It is a visualization of the idea with the use of, for example, modelling clay, paper, Lego figures, and any material that might be within reach. If the solution is a service function, the prototype might be a theatrical performance. Moreover, some teams create a virtual prototype if the idea that cannot be visualized in a real model. All in all, the intention of the phase is to make an idea come alive and visible to the users. Test During the testing phase the idea will be tried out with the user. The most important part of this step is that the idea will be tested with the end users and not only within the DT team itself. The testing phase is about identifying the idea’s strengths and weaknesses together with the end user. It is about identifying mistakes because only from these misconceptions the team can learn and further improve the idea, since it is all about the user who will be making use of the idea. Therefore, the team has to put a lot of emphasis on learning from that experience. 2.2. Decision Analysis Every human being constantly takes decisions throughout the day. On the one hand, there are many minor decisions from the preference of food each day, the question if one should stay in bed or not, to the colour of clothes someone wants to wear. On the other hand, people face situations where they have to choose whether to take a job or not or which car they would like to purchase. Some decisions have a larger and more significant impact than others; therefore, it is important to understand the consequences of the decisions that are being made (Gregory, 1988: 2). Decision Analysis is designed to help when dealing with difficult decisions by offering more structure and guidance (Clemen, 1996: 4). DA supports the decision making process: it helps to better and fully understand the obstacles that are connected with having to make a decision and, on top of that, helps to make better choices (Clemen, 1996: 3). Moreover, DA permits the operator to make any decisions in a more effective and consistent way (Clemen, 1996: 4). In consequence, DA is a framework as well as a tool kit for approaching various decisions. Nevertheless, the judgement of each DM differs from person to person. One DM may have a preference which manifests itself in the chosen attributes and alternatives. Another DM may not have a preference and, on top of that, the judgement skills may vary from DM to DM as well (Hwang and Yoon, 1981: 8). According to Keeney, the DA approach concentrates on five fundamental issues that are elementary for all decisions (Keeney, 1982): Figure 3: Fundamentals of Decision Analysis (Ralph L. Keeney, 1982) In order to be able to address multidisciplinary problems, the decision problem is divided into several parts which are analysed and integrated during the DA process (Keeney, 1982). Over the last years, various approaches have been identified, such as the shaped DA process by Keeney or the Multi Attribute Decision Making (MADM) method. The later one supports the decision making when a finite number of alternatives have been identified with various, mostly conflicting attributes. 2.2.1. Decision Analysis Process Over the last decades, many analysts have been working on modifying and improving the DA steps included in the process; therefore, there are many procedures out there with a common purpose: Choosing the best alternative. Keeney describes the DA process in five major steps (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993: 5-6): Preanalysis During the first phase the focus is on gathering the alternatives and clarifying the objectives. The decision maker (DM) faces a situation where there is indecisiveness about any steps that are relevant in order to solve the problem. At this stage the problem is already at hand. Structural analysis At this stage the DM is confronted with structuring the problem. There are several questions that the DM will need to answer; for example, what call can be made? What are the decisions that can be delayed? Is there specific information that supports the choices that could be made? Figure 4 shows a decision tree in which the abovementioned questions are systematically put into place. The decision nodes which are displayed as 1 and 3 (squared) are the nodes that are controlled by the DM and the chance nodes, shown as 2 and 4 (circled), are the nodes which are not fully controlled by the DM. Figure 4: Schematic form of a decision tree (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993) Uncertainty Analysis The third phase, called the Uncertainty Analysis, starts with assigning the probabilities to each path that is branching off from the chance nodes (in Figure 4, these are the paths left and right from points 2 and 4). The assignment of the probabilities to the branches of the decision tree is a subjective procedure (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993: 6; Gregory, 1988: 172). Nevertheless, the DM makes the assignments by using a variety of techniques based on experimental data. These assignments will be checked for conformity. Utility or Value Analysis The objective of the fourth step is the assignment of so called utility values to each path of the decision tree, whereas these represent the consequences connected to that path. The decision path that is shown in Figure 4 represents only one plausible path. In a real problem, many factors will be associated with the path; such as economical costs, psychological costs as well as benefits that the DM considers r

Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill’s The Astrakhan Cloak Essay -- Astrakhan Cloak

Nuala NÃ ­ Dhomhnaill’s The Astrakhan Cloak The Astrakhan Cloak, published in 1992, is a collection of poems by Nuala NÃ ­ Dhomhnaill. Several aspects of the book deserve notice from the reader, including structural and thematic elements that work to develop an overall sense of mystery, wonder, and loss. A significant theme of the poems in the collection is the dichotomy of the supernatural and civilized worlds, and the sense that there are forces in the world just beyond our perception and understanding. In general the poems presented are short, but the final inclusion is a longer poem divided into sections, each somewhat able stand on its own. Read as a whole the final poem underscores the central themes presented in the book. NÃ ­ Dhomhnaill wrote the collection in Irish, but translations are provided on the facing pages. It is important to consider why the book was published in both languages. At the simplest level, the poet wanted people to read her work, and the market for poetry in English is larger than that in Irish. However, there are other considerations to keep in mind. First, the decision to print poems in both Irish and English brings to the mind of the reader some of the mystery inherent in other languages, especially the supernatural connotations of Celtic language. Viewing the poems in Irish reinforces the idea that some things are outside the realm of human understanding. Reading a translation is not the same as reading an original work; the reader cannot help but wonder what meaning the foreign words might carry that is lost in translation. That constant reminder throughout the collection enhances the sense of there being something just beyond perception that is beautiful and mysterious. Many of the poem... ...section of The Voyage, Two Men, tells of an encounter with the "Isle of Enchantment", Hy-Breasil. When the sailors in the poem encounter the island, they are caught up in "the relative merits of coal or clod", symbolizing the obsession with the everyday world, while "the island itself was covered by a blanket of cloud/and completely disappeared from view." (103) Finally, the island, and all the supernatural wonder it represents is lost, outside the reach of humanity. Â   Works Cited Ellmann, Richard and O'Clair, Robert, ed. The Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry, Second Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1988. NÃ ­ Dhomhnaill, Nuala. The Astrakhan Cloak. Trans. Paul Muldoon. Loughcrew: The Gallery Press, 1992 "astrakhan." Encyclopedia Britanicca Online Dictionary [Accessed 11 November 2004].