Key To Success For Implementation Of IMC

Key To Success For Implementation Of IMC The emergence of integrated marketing communications (IMC) has developed into one of the most significant example of growth and expansion in the marketing discipline (Kitchen, 2003). It has influenced acting and thinking among companies but also state owned companies, authorities and political parties, all facing the realities of rivalry in an open economy (Smith, 1996). Today, integrated communications has developed into an expansive discipline that links marketing to a number of other grounds, including corporate culture, corporate design, corporate communication and public relations (Christensen et al., 2008). IMC has received significant interest in both the practitioner and academic communities, since the beginning. The interest played to IMC is largely a purpose of its strong appeal which makes good sense. Its been more than a decade since the concept was first introduced but however most major businesses have yet to fully apply the ideas contained in the IMC. In fact Schultz, et. al. (1992) state that recognition of IMC has not been as rapid as they thought. The benefits of IMC that Smith et al. (1999) identified are the following: All of the market communications are controlled and managed by the IMC. IMC ensures that brand positioning, personality and messages are conveyed to each part of communication which are delivered from a single reliable strategy. It is said that Relationship Marketing strengthens a bond of devotion with consumers which can also protect them from the competition. It is a great advantage to keep a consumer for life. IMC can increase the sales by extending messages across numerous communication tools to generate more ways for consumers to be aware of the product and to make a purchase. IMC reduces duplication in photography and graphics as they can be shared in advertising and exhibitions. A single agency is used for all communications so the agency fee is reduced or even if many agencies are used, time is as meetings get all the agencies together for strategic planning or briefings. Thus, it decreases workload and stress levels. Successful IMC campaign needs to find the firm a correct mixture of promotional techniques and tools that define their tasks and the level to which they should be used, and manage their use appropriately. IMC helps in making the communications effective and efficient amongst companies through various concepts such as customer focus, customer empowerment, brand resonance, immersive marketing and emotional bonding. If correctly implemented, the IMC plan could collect data and implement response based on the previously gathered data. Marketing communications derived from the consumer need is able to build value into the service or product and divide it from the competition in the customers minds. BARRIERS TO IMC IMPLEMENTATION Marketers appear to be tired when it comes to modifying the change and investment in their approach to marketing communications. The discussion concerning what marketing communications can be predictable to accomplish has been going on for very long ( Ambler, 2000). In the middle of the rising identification that advertising; mostly in the grown markets mainly carries out a reminder purpose focused largely on protecting the existing market-share. Both the agencies and clients have challenges in generating and implementing the efficient communications agenda. All areas of the diverse marketing communication business carry on to face instability among the media, declining audience and the internet (Douglas, 2003). All this are making the companies reconsider the blend of marketing communication tools with consequences for the usual mass media which may not be capable to gather the wants of the 21st century customers and find their market shares wear down despite of the synergies occurr ing from tactical associations in the media business (Davis and Craft, 2000). Another concern is regarding the advertising practitioners where an occurrence of inside-out idea and practice overcomes (Kitchen and de Pelsmacker, 2004). There are various tactical subjects of concern in the broader discussion concerning the development of IMC along with the long term involvement to marketing practice and theory (Gould, 2000). Duncan (2005) advocated the tactical forecasting and examining of brand relationships is who as well said that priority ought to be given to their most important consumers. But, so far, there is very little proof of purchaser value being resolute by any segment of IMC (Garber and Dotson, 2002). In spite of huge investments, the relationship amongst the multiplicity of IMC and customers is not well understood. Though, observed evidence of the effects of mixtures of media, like print advertising and television (Jin, 2004) is rising. According to the consumer driven strategy, IMC is the main organization of all the brand contact points. Different levels exist, where such integration takes place. The different levels would be the following. Level 1 Tactical co-ordination Level 2 Redefining the scope of marketing communication Level 3 Application of IT Level 4 Strategic and Financial Integration Key to success for implementation of IMC IMC is a theory that must be implemented logically and simultaneously at all levels and functions of a corporation. Marketing functions and Public relations are not the only programs that are integrated which makes the company an example of IMC (Low, 2000). The key tip is to be careful of companies with strong marketing cultures, because topics like corporate reputation will take a back seat to the provincialism of brand management (Pettegrew, 2000). Functional and Structural issues must become a critical part of any effective IMC series. Of particular importance is beginning with a communication czar who will become the principles and evangelist of the IMC implementation attempt (Reid, 2005). Any IMC program must be personalized to the unique character of a particular organizational culture. For an IMC program to work successfully, it must reflect the distinctive culture in which it must function well. EXAMPLES: In spite of the demand, the IMC premise fails to take into account the way most companies are structured and functioned. Many corporations that are believed to be examples of IMC; fail to maintain the IMC principles on a company basis. The examples of Nike and Proctor Gamble will disclose that neither of these companies are functionally or structurally integrated public relations and employee communications with their marketing roles. NIKE Nike- the athletic footwear and attire manufacturer, has been cited as an example of IMC excellence and marketing. In a cover story from Fortune, (Hamel, 1997) states: Ask Nike- CEO Phil Knight what he likes to do best, and he does not falter a beat, he likes to break things. then in the 1980s, he turned his booming athletic shoe corporation into a marketing machine, saturating the airwaves with drastic commercials that highlighted emotion rather than the product. Schultz, et. al. (1992) publicized Nikes success in their IMC book: The thinking behind IMC is that every statement logo, price, promotion, label, distribution should be created to help convince the intention of the competitive advantage. Duncan and Caywood (1996) also include Nike among several companies that have been tremendously successful and based on observation, they are doing brilliant jobs of integrating their communication labors. Nikes breaking the marketing rules of the athletic footwear business which has come at a cost paid by its worldwide company reputation. Given these setbacks, one could argue that Phil Knights tactical wisdom for Nike is more alike to original advertising and horizontal integration than true IMC. There is a little proof that Nikes victory was achieved by the tactical management of all messages and media used by an organization to jointly influence its perceived brand value (Keegan, Moriarty Duncan, 1992). There are missteps that suggest Nikes marketing communications which may not be so ideal. For example, in 1997, Nike followed its patently bold and brash in your face marketing formula in an attempt to gain market share in an international soccer (Thurow, 1997). In Spain, an overwhelmingly Catholic nation, Nike introduced a commercial of Satan and his demons playing against a team of Nike endorsers. Spain refused to allow the commercial to air during primetime. Nike also placed an advertisement in Soccer American magazine saying: Europe, Asia and Latin America: Barricade your stadiums. Hide your trophies. Invest in some deodorant, as Asia and Latin America have been crushed. So will Europe. The world has been warned (Thurow, 1997). And finally, Nike ran an ad on British TV featuring a controversial French soccer player who detailed how spitting at a fan and insulting his coach had won him a Nike contract. Far from having an insight into the soccer market from the customers point of v iew and gaining ground against rival Adidas, Nike garnered a scathing editorial in the International Federation of Football Associations newsletter. Another recent evidence that says Nike is hardly the quintessential IMC company. Nike groped and allowed accusations of child-labor sweatshops in Asia that subcontract the manufacturing of Nike shoes to fester. In 1999, a team of journalists went to document the conditions for themselves, but Nike shut the factories. Prior to this series of incidents, widely published news stories detailed incidents in which poor children in the inner-city were robbing, stealing and seriously injuring peers to obtain expensive Nike shoes such as Air Jordans. Publicly Nike ignored these charges for years. Considering these two incidents, there was a genuine public relation crisis where any company engaged in lawful IMC could have anticipated before it became a crisis. Instead, Nike just kept on marketing until crisis overwhelmed it. Nikes power as an IMC example is, at best overstated. Harris (1998) argues: That master marketer of our times, Phil Knight, likes to point out that while an ad page in Sports Illustrated costs $150,000, no amount of money can buy the front cover where swoosh-bearing athletes appear with great frequency. The omnipresent swoosh has a 90 percent-plus awareness among consumers, enabling it to stand alone. Many seasoned public relations professionals are quick to admit that companies that live by extraordinary market exposure can also die by the same token. In a recent effort to distance itself from its public relations problems, Nike first tried to eliminate its swoosh from its marketing campaigns and replace it with a kinder-friendlier marketing approach that emphasizes fair labor practices, the global community and environment. PROCTER GAMBLE Procter Gamble (PG) is considered by academic scholars to be a world-class marketing company and is said to stand 6th in Fortunes Most Admired Companies 2010 list (Wikipedia). Similar to the Nike brand, PG possesses some of the most particular brands in the world like Tide detergent, Duncan Hines cake mix, Jiff peanut butter, Crest toothpaste and Cover Girl cosmetics. It also has dominant market share with many of its leading brands. Even though, PGs marketing command has a record of external internal communication mistakes suggestive of Nike. PG openly misused both the Rely Tampon crisis and allegations that their packaging sign recognized the companys satanic links. It was said that PG lost face openly and separated employees when it was exposed that the company had phone-tapped a few staffs they had assumed of revealing business information. This was followed by a job of dealing with some of the physiological effects of its new replacement, Olestra. Without bearing in mind the public comeback, they allowed their scientists to name the release of Olestra, anal leakage (Henkoff, 1996), raising an additional sign of public controversy. Recently, PG shot itself in the business reputational base again. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) declared to the media that PG anticipated to meet its earnings forecast for the end of the quarter. Few weeks later, new CEO, Durk Jager was forced to declare to the same media that they had incorrectly over-estimated their periodical income and that the business would fall very short of its periodical earnings forecast. Over the following week, the companys stock fell sharply as financial markets and shareholders lost faith in the respected company. The Board of Directors of PG then fired Mr. Jager. New CEO, A.G. Lafley must now try to recover the market share and end the defections of many of the companys finest and brightest to the hi-tech industry. Regardless of Harris (1998) categorization to the opposite, these exemplars explain just how far away PG has been working from the essential IMC state of speaking to all stakeholders with a single voice (Schultz, et. Al., 1992). THE PROBLEM WITH IMPLEMENTING AT THE HIGHER LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT Nike and PG do a wonderful job with the marketing side of IMC without incorporating their employee and public relation functions, their company reputations have suffered. IMC theory has given a short shrift to the organizational barriers that often avoid companies from implementing IMC effectively. BARRIERS BETWEEN THE COMPANIES [NIKE AND PG] I have argued that two companies Nike and Procter Gamble, fall far short of the IMC model. Neither company has effectively integrated its many communication functions seamlessly. Both companies are very strong in terms of marketing, but they remain weak in employee communications, public relations or both. The question is, how do companies like these miss the IMC mark? The answer would be to a great level in their organizational structures. Both- Nike and PG are marketing organizations, organized around product marketing. PG demonstrates a brand management association where both staff and line functions are positioned within a companys various brands or products. While, PGs organizational structure has developed over the years, staff communication functions such as public relations and employee communications are organized around and directly support each brand or group of brands. Brands get the most resources and use huge internal influence. Beginning in June 1999, PG undertook a new organizational proposal that created a unit called Global Business Services providing a centralized staff support service across all of its Global Business Units (GBUs). Prior to this idea, each brand unit had its own communication staff functions with little company-wide centralization and control. While Nike uses another form of organization, its purpose and structure still highlight marketing its products and services. CEO- Phillip Knight is Nikes marketing chief and until its recent reputational woes, exemplified its bold approach to the market (Thurow, 1997). Most of the marketing decisions are made by the heads of these business units without the kind of teamwork and central planning required by IMC. Staff communication functions like investor relations, public affairs and human resources have traditionally played support roles. CONCLUSION The concept of IMC is a good one but it only exists at lower level management and not the higher level management and reasons for it are very clearly stated in the passage above.

Experience In Giving Oral Care

Experience In Giving Oral Care Reflection is the process of reviewing an experience in order to describe analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice (Reid 1993).This essay will reflect on the importance of; and the experience I gained whilst giving oral care on a student placement simulation using a reflective model. Jamieson et al (2002) believe mouth care is the use of a toothbrush and paste to help patients recover and reduce risk of infections, communicate better, eat more easily and maintain dignity. Yet, it is also a role which too often delegated to health care assistants. I chose this area to highlight its need and the scope of opportunities in learning it has provided in improving my skills in practice. There are different models of reflection one of which is Gibbs (1988). On this occasion, Gibbs model will be used as a framework in guiding me, because it focuses on different aspects of an experience and feelings, and exploiting it fully will be more appreciated. Description I was part of a placement simulation group which went to the multi-skills laboratory to practice mouth wash. I was assigned a colleague to brush his teeth using a toothbrush and paste. I put on gloves so as to prevent contamination with body fluid. Seeking his consent, I undertook a brief  visual assessment of  the health status of his mouth. I then put him in a comfortable position so as to tolerate the wash. Thereafter, I cleaned all-round the mouth, gums and tongue. I finished off with mouthwash. I treated  my partner as though he was physically unable to hold the brush himself  to scrub his own teeth, but he was able to communicate with me and was able to assist me in terms of spitting and gargling with water at the end of the procedure. Feelings My immediate concern was I had not brushed anyones teeth outside of my family before and hence, how my partner will behave (Dowling, 2006). Although alert and dignified, I felt in giving mouth care, both the carer and patient are put into a state of uncertainty, embarrassment, inadequacy and a sense of intrusiveness to their privacy (Lewis, 2006; Sturdy, 2007). I became helpless with his facial expression shown no trust in me. Rungapadiachy (1999) defines trust as being honest, open, sincere, supporting and dependable, genuine, warm and accepting. Our reaction put us on the high score scale of Millon (1994), Hesitating (Reticent) pattern of behaviour. In spite of my concerns, I felt comfortable in completing the task. Evaluation Reflecting on or in action is becoming a great learning tool This experience taught me that, oral care provides any nurse with an ideal opportunity to undertake a thorough physical, emotional and cognitive assessment of a patient (DOH, 2001). I was pleased to find that, no injuries were sustained as I checked mouth prior and after. Also, I was pleased my communication skills improved and the therapeutic relationship built up; and with the knowledge I got from supporting literature formed the foundation of my learning and practice. Burnard (2002) suggests that a learner is a passive recipient of received knowledge, and that learning through activity engages all of our senses. From his feedback, I understood feedback is an important learning tool. One crucial point to come from some recent research (Burke, 2009) is that many students do not know how to use feedback as many have never been taught how to do so. However, the experience highlights the complex problems I have to solve in practice and the provision of care needs to patients for whom I may not have had contact with before. Although this task caused me discomfort and added pressure in the short term, I realise that it was a very significant event in my studies. Analysis WHO (2010) describes a healthy mouth as being free of chronic mouth and facial pain; and helping patients/service users to meet their hygiene needs is a fundamental component of nursing care (Essence of Care, 2003). In 2007, 50% UK adults attended an NHS dentist. Older people in residential homes were at risk of infection, with infection identified in 80% of one study population (Holman et al, 2005). The care of a patients mouth forms an important component of assisting hygiene needs and yet is an aspect of practice which is not always afforded the attention it fully deserves (Evans, 2001).It is now clear that, mouth care is important and that, nurses have a role in assessing and maintaining it (Malkin, 2009). The task identified encouraging people to acknowledge their intuitive capacity helps them to appreciate their strengths and weaknesses (SWOT). Jasper (2003) regards SWOT analysis as getting to know ones self. The understanding of our skills and abilities and the awareness of where our limits lie is seen as crucial to being able to act as a professional practitioner. My confidence grew and got more interested, encouraging him to do as much as he could. Jackson and Mannix (2001) note that amount of interest the nurse shows in the learning needs of the student and the key role he or she plays in their achievement are essential to the students development. Conclusion I feel that the whole process went on smoothly. Caring for a patient requires a relationship and empathy. By developing collaborative relationship with patients, I can provide prompt and focused interventions which can limit illness. Nonetheless, it has raised awareness the effects of others on my practice. Action Plan At the moment, I read more books a day than practice. My aim is to be proactive in the future by promptly opening up through total participation and doing more practices on regular basis. I aim to develop the skill of emotional resilience to be able to deliver and receive any care or learning activity by keeping diaries of events and reflecting on them. Conclusion My belief now is brushing teeth loosens and removes debris trapped in the spaces and prevents the growth of plaque which habours bacteria and that; nurses have a role to play in mouth care. Due to my lack of experience in care and the job title of student nurse, I perceived that most sessions would run in a lecture format. I now believe practical skills development using reflection is as important as lecture tuition although, Quinn (2000) believes most students and many professionals note that learning acquired from placement experience is much more meaningful and relevant than that acquired in the lecture room. The process of learning I went through is more complex than Gibbs suggests. It is not as cyclical as this model implies and I found myself jumping or combining some stages, before coming back. However, it has taken me out of my comfort zone, challenging my thinking.

Distillation Essay -- essays papers

Distillation Abstract This report outlines the steps taken to separate a 50:50 by volume ethanol and isopropanol side stream. The resulting separation must contain no more than 3% alcohol impurity in each product. A laboratory column, run at total reflux, was utilized to scale up to a forty foot high by one foot diameter column. The laboratory column allowed the team to determine vapor velocities and HETP values for the 0.24 inch Pro-Pakq packing. HETP is defined as the height of packing divided by the number of theoretical column stages. The column consisted of four main sections: packing, controls, a reboiler, and a condenser. To complete the vapor velocity vs. HETP relationship, the vapor velocity must be found. The vapor velocity was found using a system energy balance. The design vapor velocity was determined to be 4.85 ft/hr. However, this vapor velocity did not result in the column flooding; therefore the scaled-up column is not designed to its full potential. Ideally, distillation columns should be designed at 70-80% of the flooding velocity. The column HETP was found by use of the Fenske equation and was determined to be an average of 4.55 inches. As a result of the design parameters from the experimental column, the following design is proposed: the column will run at a vapor velocity of 4.85 ft/hr and will have a HETP of 4.30 inches. This will result in a packing height of 38.7 feet. The reboiler will have an area of 113.52 ft2 and the area of the condenser will have a value of 45.54 ft2 in which heat exchange will take place. Introduction A chemical plant spends approximately 50 to 90% of capital investment on separation equipment (1,1) Therefore, the ability to utilize a small laboratory column and to scale-up a column is an important skill for a chemical engineer. This report will outline the steps taken to design a packed distillation column. The column needs to separate a 50:50 mixture of ethanol and isopropanol into a distillate stream containing no more than 3 wt% isopropanol and a bottoms stream containing no more than 3 wt% ethanol. The design of the full-scale column was based on a laboratory simulation column. This column allowed the team to determine vapor velocities and HETP values for the 0.24 inch Pro-Pakq packing. Once the simulation vapor velocities are determined, they can ... .../hr)/*(1/0.0154 kmol/L)*(1/(p(.25)2ft2)*(0.0159 kmol/L) (p(1)2(ft)) = 6.857567 kmol/hr MWAVG,D = 46.493 kg/kmol VD = (6.857567 kmol/hr) * (46.493 kg/kmol) VD = 318.82886 kg/hr *Equation of Top Operating Line y = (L/V)x + (1-(L/V))xD = (RACT / RACT +1)x + (1/ RACT +1)(0.97) = 0.912779x + 0.084605 *Distillate Rate R = (V-D)/D = 10.4651 318.82886 (kg/hr) - D = 10.4651D D = 27.808642 (kg/hr) R = L/D = 10.4651 * 27.808642 (kg/hr) = L L = 291.02022 (kg/hr) *Bottoms Flow Rate L/V = R (z -xB) + q (xD - xB) R(z -xB) + q(xD-xB) -(xD-z) z= Feed mole fraction of ethanol q= 1 (feed assumes to be liquid) L/V = 10.4651(0.567-0.03) + 1(0.97-0.03) 10.4651(0.567-0.03) + 1(0.97-0.03) -(0.97-0.567) L/V = 1.05 L/V = (VB + 1)/ VB = 1.05 VB = 20 B = V/ VB = (318.82886 kg/hr)/20 = 15.941443 (kg/hr) *Feed Flow Rate F = D + B = 15.941443 (kg/hr) + 318.82886 (kg/hr) = 334.7703 kg/hr *Bottom Operating Line y = (L/V)x - ((L/V)-1) xB = 1.05x - 0.0015 * Condenser Heat Duty QCOND = V * DHVAP DHVAP = xETOH * DHVAP,ETOH + xISOP * DHVAP,ISOP QCOND =

Facts That Lead To Poverty: Th Essay -- essays research papers

Poverty occurs in most parts of the world. Nevertheless, the more serious and problematical poverty takes part in the third world and the southern parts of the globe. First of all, we have to clearly define the word “poverty';. In a broad sense, it means that people within this “poverty'; region are poor or have a lower average income per capita than other regions. To a deeper approach, we refer “poverty'; as people have low educational backgrounds, lack of food supplies, or people with lower standard of livings, etc. According to the Webster’s New World Dictionary, the word “poverty'; can be defined as: 1) the condition or quality of being poor 2) deficiency; inadequacy 3) scarcity (Webster’s p.461). Generally in this essay, we will examine the facts that lead to the poverty of these third world and southern countries. The first and the most serious problem that causes by poverty are hunger, or preciously, malnutrition. We can find these kinds of problems almost all over Africa and some other underdeveloped countries. These were witnessed by thousands of people through TV, radio, newspaper, journals, etc. “In the early 1980s, the mass media dramatically brought us the picture of hunger from Africa – starving children, skin and bone, with their bloated bellies, too weak to even stand up.'; (Warnock p.1) At the same time, people living in more developed countries or wealthy states are enjoying different kinds of delicious meals and dumping whatever they don’t like. Why would this happen? Can we refer this to the government or economical policies that rise the problems? To further explore the problem of hunger in Africa, we can easily relate this to poverty. In fact, there may be some other problems that cause the hunger. For example, local drought in the African Sahel that damages t he cropping; which in turn shorten the local food supplies. The other factor is the rapid population growth in Africa. Increasing capita means an increase demand of food. People in Africa are rarely taught the knowledge of birth-control. “If you have money you eat well, no matter how fast the population around you is growing and no matter how short the supplies of energy or land or fertilizer.'; (Kent p.77) According to Kent’s view, we shall see that money can buy off th... ...ization.'; (Jackson p.440) Dependency theory actually suggests that LDCs should not follow the Western route to development. It also suggests that forcing the undeveloped countries to compete globally will only increase the gap between Third World countries and developed states. In other word, it increases poverty in those Third World countries. The existence of these Third World countries is only to provide cheap labors for the benefit of richer states. In the above case (Indonesia), government growed crops that are for sale on the world market for cheap prices rather than to provide food for the poor. This is a good example of benefiting the Western states while giving up the whole interest of domestic people. We can see that Third World and southern countries like Africa and Indonesia are still facing the problem of poverty. In order to work their way out, the governments should apply some appropriate policies and economic applications to overcome the problem. On the other hand, the richer states or more developed countries should provide the necessary financial aid to those poorer countries. They should work hand-to-hand in order to strengthen the global benefit and interest.

Cognitive Consequences of Pediatric Sports-Related Concussions Essay

Results: The results of this research review provide the most current information in regards to pediatric concussion and neurological and cognitive consequences. These results support the working hypothesis that the cognitive consequences of pediatric sports-related concussions do not outweigh the benefits associated with childhood sports participation. In a cohort study (total n=200), investigators looked at return to cognitive baseline after concussion in younger versus older athletes. Participants were divided into two groups, a 13-16 year old group (n=100), and 18-22 year old group (n = 100). Each participant completed baseline and post concussion neurocognitive testing using the immediate Post-Concussion assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) test battery. Results showed that athletes 13-16 years old take longer to return to neurocognitive and symptom baselines than athletes 18-22 years old (22). In a prospective design study, 18 children with mTBI and 18 matched healthy controls (8-16 years of age) were used to compare sensitivity to simple and complex visual stimuli and to determine the evolution of visuo-perceptual performance over time. At 1, 4 and 12 weeks sensitivity to static and dynamic forms of simple (first order), complex (second order), orientation and direction identification thresholds, and radial optic flow stimuli were assessed. The results of this study demonstrate that all complex stimuli were significantly affected for the mTBI children, including at the 12 week interval. There was also no difference between groups across all testing conditions for simple, first order information (2). An observational study from 2008 looked at high school athletes and recovery patterns after concussion. Out o... ...lity following traumatic brain injury in childhood: impact of injury severity and age at injury. Pediatr Neurosurg.2000;32 :282– 290. http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/docview/224152197?accountid=14667 29. McCrory, P, AM Collie, V Anderson, and G Davis. "Can We Manage Sport Related Concussion in Children the Same as in Adults?." British Journal of Sports Medicine. 38.5 (2004): 516-519. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2004.014811 30. McCrory P, Meeuwisse W, Aubry M, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport - the third international conference on concussion in sport held in Zurich, November 2012. Phys Sportsmed. 2013; 47:250–258 . doi:10.1136/bjsports-2013-092313 31. Purcell, Lisa. "What are the most appropriate return-to-play guidelines for concussed child athletes?" British Journal of Sports Medicine. 43.1 (2009): i51-i55. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2009.058214

The Importance of Securing equipmen Essay

The ability to be accountable of army equipment is a task given to all Service members. It starts when we first enter basic training. We receive our first issued items from CIF in order to complete all of our task during basic training. We are responsible to inventory and maintain our gear until we are finished with basic training. It is expected that we turn in item that were received in a clean and serviceable condition. After Basic training we move on to AIT and later to our first Unit. As we progress with our military career we become responsible for more gear. Our Platoon leaders and commanders entrust us with more sensitive as we sign not just for our personal gear. We sign for radios, vehicle, Blue Force Trackers and many other items that cannot fall into the hands of the enemy. The loss of any equipment is costly, not only does it cost money but it take time away from the mission while you are waiting for much needed gear. The inability to maintain your equipment potential causes a mission failure or missing a movement. The best method to keep equipment secure is to always have it on your person. The problem with this method is it’s not always possible. Caring around everything would be a very tedious and inefficient process. The next best method is to keep your equipment under lock and key. Keeping that in mind the equipment should be left in a place where security is in place to guard those items. Of course some item will need different levels of security such as weapons. The loss of any equipment can lead to a loss in operational security. You don’t want information much less equipment to fall into enemy hands. This could potentially lead to a loss of life.

Margaret Atwood; Cat’s Eye Analysis- Refraction and Self Essay

â€Å"Our commonsense explanations of the world and ourselves are problematised by Atwood through her novel. Nothing is quite as it seems, when we look at anything (in a mirror, in the past, at others) it is refracted as if through water.† Discuss the ideas and issues in the novel in relation to this statement, paying particular attention to the techniques and narrative elements used to show this. Our commonsense explanations of the world are based on the absolutes in our lives. Ways of seeing have been socially constructed embedded with values and attitudes that influence our behaviour and view of the world and ourselves. Reality cannot be captured and is interpreted differently by every individual as if refracted through water. Cat’s Eye is a work of influential English by author Margaret Atwood. The novel’s central area of exploration is of different versions of reality, and the accuracy and truthfulness of our own visions of how we see the world and ourselves. These visions are problematised by Atwood, as she uses various techniques that allow her to discretely proffer her idea of ‘nothing is quite as it seems’ to position the audience. This results in our own endorsement of these beliefs, and leads us to question our own lives as just a version of reality, with a sense of disillusionment. Our world and our own lives are challenged by Atwood’s novel, as in questioning the idea of no absolutes and constants in our lives, we also begin to question the other constants in our society such as religion being just another version of reality and not an absolute. This distresses many people and problematises our lives. Measurable, knowable, constant, and absolute qualities of life provide security in our beliefs and understanding of the world and our place within it. Absolutes help us make sense of the world, and provide a connection to the world and our own inner selves generating a sense of belonging. Atwood challenges the concept of absolutes, fixed/knowable identities, and common truths through various techniques. She uses narrative elements to proffer her ideas, such as autobiographical writing to encourage us to question the one and only version of reality that is being told (through Elaine and her life). Imagery/symbolism and intertextuality are recurring techniques, for example her repetitive use reflective surfaces such a glass, water and mirrors are all symbols used to question reflection, and how we see  ourselves; is what we see what we get? These techniques are used in order to provoke self-doubt and insecurity, to unsettle and complicate the way we see ourselves and our world, through the provocative questions that it asks of us. Cat’s eye challenges the naturalized and socially constructed views and encourages the reader to question the dominant views of the world and themselves. Refraction is the distortment of light, as it travels, it’s broken-up as it changes and moves through different mediums. Atwood uses refraction as a symbol representing the key belief that our vision of life and ourselves is refracted, broken up, distorted, and that as a result our perceptions aren’t always accurate. Atwood uses Elaine’s second encounter at the bridge to imply that our views, especially on other people are refracted, and not necessarily as they seem to be. Cordelia is seen to effect Elaine the most significantly, and it is not until the end of the book, when Elaine is finally coming back to herself (the bridge) that Elaine realises that Cordelia was not what she seemed to be. â€Å"There is the same shame, the sick feeling in my body, the same knowledge of my own wrongness, awkwardness, weakness; the same wish to be loved; the same loneliness; the same fear. But these are not my own emotions anymore. They are Cordelia’s; as they always were.†It is only at the end of Elaine’s life when she realizes that her emotions that traumatized her childhood (and adult life) were in fact Cordelia’s, who in order to escape them and cope transferred them to Elaine. Elaine feels stronger with this knowledge and finally releases Cordelia, as the Virgin Mary once released her â€Å"Its ok, you can go home now.† Elaine’s mourning is over and she is free of Cordelia, she can see clearly now- â€Å"The snow in my eyes withdraws like smoke† and is starting to make sense of her past. Atwood also uses Elaine’s misconception of Cordelia to exemplify how our ‘refracted’ view of others substantially affects our view of ourselves and the world; our experience of the present is coloured by our past events. Elaine realises that all these years, she still did not ‘know’ Cordelia, supporting Atwood’s dispute of the notion that there can really be a ‘fixed’ and ‘knowable’ identity. Atwood employs this metaphor in order to position the reader to be receptive to the idea  that our views on others, the world, and ourselves are not absolute but equivocal. In Cat’s Eye the first person limited narration is unreliable in the sense that Elaine cannot ‘see’ enough – either because of her own maturation and desires and the forces conditioning them, or of the consequences of her choices. The novel questions whether ‘lives’, ‘stories’ or autobiographical narratives can ever be accurate. A novel that presents a straightforward linear narrative that moves through events sequentially and constructs a complete set of ideas about life that seem unproblematic. It accepts that our experience of life, our thoughts and feeling, motivations, movement through time – our very representation in a literary text, can be captured accurately. It implies order, coherence, unity and stability; a rational basis for our actions and thoughts thus presenting a conservative worldview. The structure of Cat’s Eye serves as a critique of this unproblematic view of the world. The novel constantly shifts between past and present and her narration as a young Elaine and an old Elaine. This shifting represents Elaine’s life, as she feels it is barley comprehensible. Because the story is written in first person, its only presents one version of reality- Elaine’s version. This leads us to question Elaine’s version and its accuracy. Atwood’s purpose behind this is to bring to light the complexity of character in Elaine, and highlight her struggle in coming to terms with her own identity. This challenge on the common qualities of autobiographical narratives even leads the reader to question Cat’s Eye as just another version of reality that is presented to us in life. Atwood questions the belief that the individual is knowable and that appearance corresponds with fixed reality; she critiques the notion that reality can be ‘captured’. This is shown through her questioning of autobiographical writing, and is perpetuated through the use of Elaine’s paintings at her gallery Sub-versions. Cordelia subjected Elaine to subtle, psychological bullying as a child, and destroyed her self-confidence, which lasts well into her adult life. Her art is a way of expressing these bottled-up emotions and a means of dealing with her trauma; her art presents a different version of reality of her life, one that she is unable to  confront in her everyday life. â€Å"I can no longer control these paintings, or tell them what to mean. Whatever energy they have came out of me. I’m what’s left over.†Through her art she exerts a power that she did have in her childhood, taking revenge on Mrs. Smeath and confronting other issues such as her bullying in the painting Cat’s Eye, where Elaine appropriates the idea of the pier glass reflecting figures outside the frames of the main picture. This glass hangs behind a self-portrait that shows only half of Elaine’s head and incorporates signs of aging. In her childhood the three girls watch her from behind yet the young Elaine in the picture is turned around, facing her tormentors. The painting symbolises the claiming and relinquishing of control. The child, Elaine looks back at the three girls, the adult Elaine looks back at the outside viewer. The back of the head is crucial: a mirror that shows only the ruined half of your face. Elaine’s art reflects the psychological state she is in and has faced in her childhood. This is symbolic of Elaine looking back on her life and seeing her childhood in a different light-‘Nothing is what it really seems.’ The gallery is appropriately named, contributing to Atwood’s hypothesis; Life is a series of different and conflicting versions of reality, identity and reality are not fixed and the concept of ‘exact truth’ can never be captured. Atwood’s novel Cat’s Eye shapes the reality by which we view the world and ourselves. Our lives operate around security (especially of ourselves) and we generate and understanding and connect ourselves to the world through various versions of reality that we reinforce to become believed ‘absolutes’ upon which we base our lives Without the ‘fixed reality’ we create for ourselves and the absolutes that structure our lives, our sense of purpose, and meaning diminishes. Distress is brought upon us through Cat’s Eye because Atwood critiques our quest for identity as she suggests that we will never ‘know ourselves’ and will never have a fixed identity. It is therefore the reader’s choice on weather to comprehend the notions Atwood is proffering. Atwood uses varied techniques and narrative elements such as imagery, symbolism, and the narrative point of view to allude her beliefs. Through the particular employment of these techniques Atwood strengthens her case to the reader and positions them to support her indited criticisms of a knowable identity, and a fixed reality and truth. Cats Eye challenges the  measurable, and the way we qualify things as knowable and existing and a truth. Bibliography: Atwood, Margaret, Cat’s Eye, Penguin, Montreal 1968