Sources of Demographic Data Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sources of Demographic Data - Case Study Example The demographic analysis may also encompass nationality, religion, education, and ethnicity (Murdock, 2006). All these elements are usually vital for the government for planning on different government developmental issues. Nonetheless, all the demographic data that are used in the analysis of population and its structure are usually obtained through numerous sources including census, administrative records, and surveys.  The population census is a collective process that used to collect, evaluate, analyze, compile, and publish data; otherwise, it is the disseminating demographics, social and economic data within a specific time to all persons in a country or within a well-delimited section or part of a country. Census usually involves the collection of data concerning every person within a set of living quarters in the whole country or part of a country. It usually allows estimates for small population and geographic or subpopulation to be used in the final tally (Murdock, 2006). Census processes are usually vital for their bass population figures that usually used to calculate fundamental rates, especially from the civil registration data. It also supplies sample surveys with sample frames. Additionally, censuses are usually vital for securing legislation requirements, political funding and supports, as well listing and mapping all the households. Therefore, census usually has structured steps including formulation of questionnaires that include all the areas of interest including age, sex, education, ethnicity, nationality, household information, and profession among other areas of interest. It is worth noting that census processes are usually complex and expensive. Moreover, not all information can be gathered using a single census period; thus, the questionnaires of any census period are usually designed differently in light of what the final users of the data are interested in.

Information communication technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information communication technology - Essay Example Thus, it is preceded by an extensive study on the technological needs of a group before deciding on whatever application to be developed to meet the needs. Rothman, Sandberg, & Jacques, (2011) points out that there is a high rate of retention and acceptance of a project that meets the most pressing needs of people in a society. From that point forward, it is important to find out about how to develop the application. This should be in line with the intended use of the application and the people that will utilize. Hence, it will guide the design and the interface to be used while developing it. At the same time, the developer of that particular application should consider the ease with which the application will be put into use (Toyama, 2011). For instance, social applications should be simple to use and straight forward unlike those used in corporations that should incorporate the unique needs of each corporate sector. The training of these people on the use of an application is much easier when they are part of the conception process. The adoption process and the eager to learn about how the application works will be inspired by the level with which the application meets the needs of clients. Education on the use of new technology can be availed to the target people through various means. To begin with, there can be the distribution of printouts on the application and its benefits including the instruction on use. Apart from that media can provide a better platform to spread the technological advancements because it reaches a large number of people within a short period. In addition, one can organize training session at different places so as not to interfere with the day to day activities of people to train them on the use of the application and its benefits. There quite a number of expenses encountered in the process of developing an application. To begin with there is an initial cost of determining the community

Strategic Action Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Action Plan - Essay Example The location of the site is approximately one mile from a residential area and a surface local water withdrawal point. Farmers get irrigation water downstream from the site. Even though the drums are not marked, there is a strong belief that wastes from the industrial activities conducted 60 years ago include chemicals like chromium waste, PCBs, Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and Acryl amide. The first step entails the process of identifying the natural properties of the chemicals present in the waste site, which may cause negative health impacts when exposed to human beings and other living things (Lu, & Kacew, 2002). Water and soil analysis will be conducted to ascertain the natural properties of the four chemicals present in the site and their adverse effects following their exposure. The water will be drawn from the stream near the damp site while soil will be collected from the surrounding farms. This step involves assessment of the significant aspects on quantitative and qualitative reaction to the chemicals present in the waste site. The major aspects considered in the hazard characterization process entail action mechanism, difference in reaction by the species, level and route of exposure (Lu, & Kacew, 2002). This procedure evaluates the numerical link amid exposure to the chemicals and effects. The process entails assessment of the dose at which an injurious effect s from the toxicants takes place. Exposure assessment considers the magnitude, frequency and duration of exposure to the chemicals for the entire populace, individuals or specific subgroups. In this step, a survey of the population leaving near the waste site will be conducted. Data collected via semi-structured questionnaires to ascertain evidence of illnesses, infertility, fetal birth abnormalities and death linked to the chemicals will help in ascertaining the risk of exposure (Acton, 2012). Determination of exposure will be conducted via computer models which, include questionnaires

Care Issues with Informatics application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Care Issues with Informatics application - Essay Example In this case, the 80 year old male patient’s condition has worsened and the key issues those are making the instance a challenging one are: 1. Infrastructural limitations 2. Non availability of specialised medical human resource at the local centre 3. Costs. Although the centerpiece of this case is a medical exigency but the case also highlights the crucial role that the technology is now playing in health care. Ever since the invention of monaural stethoscope in early nineteenth century, technology’s role in assisting clinicians in their noble pursuits has progressively been increasing (Sood, 2006). Telemedicine/telehealth is one such disruptive technology that has the potential to address all the above listed three issues and in many countries it has already started influencing the way ßhealth care services are delivered. Researchers have defined telemedicine as the use of telecommunications technologies to provide medical information and services (Mair & Whitten, 2000). Telemonitoring, mHealth and telesurgery are some of the promising and upcoming applications of telemedicine that aim to address the issues pertaining to the shortage of infrastructural and specialized medical human resources. The present case can also be effectively and efficiently handled with the help of applications like telemonitoring and mHealth. Figure 1. gives an idea about the utility of mHealth, it indicates that mHealth can enable the specialist to monitor the patient’s condition while he/she is at his/ her home or is being transported to the hospital. Telemonitoring systems have already proved to be feasible and acceptable by clinicians. The issues encountered in the context of present case can be easily resolved with the help of commercial telemonitoring systems. Two such commercially available systems are i) TeleMedic Systems’ Vitalink3 (VitalLink, 2009) ii) Nonin’s Onyx II model 9560 (Advancing Telemedicine, 2009). VitalLink enables

Assess the impact by 1939 of Nazi Essay Example for Free

Assess the impact by 1939 of Nazi Essay The National Socialist Party came to power through a series of swift, ruthless and devastating actions which firmly established Germany as a fascist state. The centralisation of power in Germany, known as co-ordination (Gleichschaltung), was initiated on the day of the election and was carried out with such clinical efficiency, that the German state was completely transformed within a matter of months. Hitlers Gleichschaltung was extremely successful in altering the cultural and economic landscape of Germany in the years between 1933 and the commencement of the Second World War in 1939. National Socialism touched every aspect of life; youth culture, the role of women, education, the economy and the effect it had on employment, the working class, as well as religion in the domination of the Christian Church. As this essay will explain, each of these individual developments in German society, which were initiated by the Nazi regime, came together to precipitate a complete cultural transformation for the lives of German people by 1939. Nazi Seduction of the German People The attraction of the Third Reich was compelling for the German people and strong feelings of national pride were instilled in the mass population. Germans were moved by wave after wave of brilliantly staged nationalistic promptings in the form of spectacular public rallies and stirring speeches. The totalitarian state model, which was so important to the Nazi Partys grip on its people, was achieved through a mix of persuasion, motivation and discrimination. Individualism was quickly replaced by a way of life steeped in collective gestures and symbols; mass rallies, uniforms, public commemorations and in particular, the gesture synonymous with the Nazi era the Heil Hitler salute. Although these public messages became tiresome to many Germans, they were a constant theme throughout the Nazi era, and were therefore inescapable. They were successful in convincing the German masses of the power of the Third Reich as an all conquering, superior phenomenon. Youth The mobilisation of German youth was a vital cog in the National Socialist propaganda machine. The drive towards creating a fiercely dependent and loyal German youth was formed on the basis of a rejection of the old bourgeois world in favour idealistic notions of a new and more egalitarian society.The lengths to which the Nazis went, in order to harness the loyalty of the German youth were great and centred on the creation of a rival organisation to the formal education system called the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend). When Hitler came to power in 1933, the Hitler Youth organisation had only 107,956 members. By the end of 1933 however, under the leadership of Baldur von Schirach, most youth movements were under the influence of the Nazis and the few remaining nonconformists such as Catholic organisations were feeling the Nazi influence. Two laws, which came into effect in December 1936 and March 1939 made participation in the Hitler Youth (HJ) mandatory, driving up membership of the organisation to 8,870,000 at the beginning of 1939. The Hitler Youth indoctrinated young Germans with Nazi concepts of race, discipline and obedience. Summer camps were set up, in which political ideological teachings, physical fitness, rifle practice, endurance and team-building games were core activities. The aim was to breed a new type of German, one which was loyal to National Socialism and would thus ensure the future existence and expansion of Germany as a Nazi state. The Family The family was an institution of supreme importance to the Nazis, being regarded as crucial to the future success of The Third Reich. Much was done to raise the popularity of marriage and increase birth-rate, as mothers who stayed at home to bring up large families were put on a pedestal and treated with utmost respect. On 12 August the birthday of Hitlers mother every mother who had given birth to a large number of children was awarded a Mothers Cross. Rewards for raising large families were also financial, as special welfare benefits were awarded to encourage marriage and motherhood.  Newly married couples were offered a 1,000 mark loan, repayable at three per cent interest, which was reduced by 25 per cent after the birth of each child. This loan effectively turned into a free gift from the state following the birth of four healthy children. Women The role of women in Nazi Germany was clearly defined, encouraging them to embrace their natural role as mothers. As already mentioned, women were the focus of the Nazi drive to boost birth rate, and were ushered away from the idea of a full-time career in favour of starting or extending a family. Furthermore, within education, girls would be directed away from developing their academic ability and independence, in favour of training for future maternal roles through compulsory courses in domestic science and biology. Upon reaching adulthood, the indoctrination of Nazi ideals continued through membership of three womens organisations, all created by the Nazi party the German Womans Enterprise, the National Socialist Womanhood and the Reich Mothers Service. By March 1939, over 1.7 million German women had attended one of these Nazi organised courses. The Working Class In its crusade to win over the working class, the Nazis offered a vast array of publicly funded leisure activities. The Nazi Kraft durch Freude (KdF) (Strength through Joy) organisation was officially founded to promote the physical prowess of the individual, although in reality its essential purpose was to educate and socialise the German population into National Socialism. The Nazi leisure policy was initiated with the hidden intention of rallying the German people towards active voluntary participation in National Socialist Germany. An active, thriving leisure movement it was believed would contribute to the thrust of National Socialism as a whole, enhancing the vitality and all round commitment to the German cause. The Economy The economic success of the Nazi regime is remembered most for its remarkable success in reducing unemployment. The cornerstone of this recovery was the implementation of the many work programmes, which created jobs for the phenomenal number of unemployed Germans at the beginning of Hitlers reign. German economists had recognised that the abandonment of narrow fiscalism in favour of counter-cyclical strategies based upon investment in the infrastructure and public housing was essential in order to reduce levels of unemployment. Job creation schemes, such as the construction of the Autobahn the major motorway network and house building schemes resulted in a fall in unemployment from 34% in January 1933 to 13.5% in July 1934. Religion Upon coming to power, Hitler embarked on a crusade to eradicate Christianity, as he believed it to be a product of Jewish culture a religion he perceived as a corrosive influence on the German population. The process of gradually reducing the influence and presence of the church in Nazi Germany was achieved in a number of ways. The establishment of the Reich Church, the German Christians organisation and the German Faith movement introduced a new Christian religion based on the core ideals and beliefs of National Socialism. This was yet another example of the iron grip with which the Nazis sought to control the German population. Conclusion Nazi economic and social policy had a phenomenal effect on the German mass population by 1939. The levels of propaganda used to capture the loyalty of the German people were deeply influential, effectively brainwashing the population. The focus on the future strength and solidarity of The Third Reich as a totalitarian state saw key aspects of the German lifestyle subjected to significant changes between 1933 and 1939. The effect that Nazi social and economic policies had were seen most significantly in their effect on women, youth, education, the economy with regards to employment, the motivation of the working class, and religion. Nazi propaganda went further than this in its influence on the German way of life, as the press,  industry, art and culture, and all forms of entertainment were transformed into mere puppets of the Nazi regime. The gradual erosion of individualism and devotion to The Third Reich amongst German people could not have been achieved without the changes imple mented in these fundamental aspects of daily life.

Madame Tussauds Tourism Analysis

Madame Tussauds Tourism Analysis Leisure and recreation are as old as human beings and were present in the lives of our Stone Age ancestors. Man is always busy in work for its survival but there is a growing desire to get a good work balance with leisure time. With the blessing of latest technology we are in the era that has variety of leisure attractions to relax. Madame Tussauds situated in London is among the most popular leisure attraction. It is a museum of different kind that entertain its visitors with wax models of their choice from history and from present which they have ever dreamt to meet. In this piece of work I have discussed the history of the museum and its establishment in London including its unique characteristics. The possible key challenges faced by the attraction in coming future and the ways to combat these challenges by giving proposed management including range of aspects Different ways of managing visitors because customer satisfaction is the key point in business. Various ways of targeting market specially by using SWOT Analysis. Making market strategy after analysing customers demands. Making human resource department more effective to fulfil the wishes of consumers DEFINITION OF LEISURE: Different authors and researchers define leisure; some of the definitions for the Leisure are as follow: Time that an individual sets aside for activities, such as sleeping (Collins 1997) From Leisure and Tourism, Barker, By Collins 1997 Time that is free from work, when you can do what you like (Oxford Dictionary Press) A From Concise Oxford School Dictionary, By Oxford University Press Leisure is the opportunity available to an individual after completing the immediate necessities of life, when he or she has the freedom to choose and engage in an experience that is expected to be personally satisfying From Edexcel Leisure and Recreation Course Specification The term leisure is an ever changing concept that reflects the current social and economic conditions and aspirations, adapting in response to consumer demand and expectations The idea of leisure being described as a state of mind originated with Aristotle. He believed that leisure was a form of self-indulgence and self-improvement. Leisure is seen as a mans greatest possession because it is essential for self development. It forces us to step back from the constant pressures of daily life in order for us to see what really important (Aristotle internet website). IMPORTANCE OF LEISURE: Each person has their own opinion of what leisure means to them and there is no set definition of the word as it covers a wide range of things. leisure time and how it is spent is an individuals choice and the way in which they spend it whether it be home based, active or passive. As long as the individual gets satisfaction from this leisure time then it has been used to its potential. Leisure is important because everyone needs a little bit of relaxation in their life. Having leisure helps a person relieve stress, have time to themselves, and just to recharge their body and mind. Leisure is very important for ones mental and physical health. It provides an opportunity to spend time as you want away from regular work stress with family and friends. It is very important for an individual to take time out for itself as it bring about a positive flow of energy in an individual. Leisure as a function has changed enormously over the last 100 years. With the arrival of new technology some forms of leisure have increased their range of activities hugely. 100 years ago art was considered to be drama, stage shows, architecture and so on. Now it include many different forms. Broadcasting, Film Production and Video were all aspects of the Art Council that received funding in the last year. These have only been considered arts in the last century. The Government, private companies and investors have also discovered the commercial side of leisure. From this information it can be concluded that over the last 100 years leisure has evolved from something that is the opposite of work to something that is vital in our everyday lives. Madame tussauds is among the popular leisure attraction of the present time, it is standing at its place from last 200 years but getting more popular with time for the kind of unique entertainment it is providing to its visitors. Celebrities wax images draw visitors towards itself. IT is a kind of place which has all kind of attraction in it from past to present both for history lovers and for modern young youth. It helps to make visitors dreams come true when they want to touch or meet the personality they like ,which otherwise my not be possible for them because either it has become history or is very big celebrity of modern time ,whom one cant meet. Is it real or is it wax? Sometimes its hard to tell the difference when youre at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum . This unique museum of its own kind has entertained about 500 million visitors since it first opened. The Target Market for Madame Tussauds is to attract all types of consumers, from all social classes. As well as Domestic and O verseas visitors. According to Pamela Pilbeam, there may be a simple reason for the enduring popularity of Madame Tussauds: There is nothing so fascinating for a human being as others of the species. Since the arrival of the waxworks in London in the 1830s, visitors have had the opportunity to gawk at, rub shoulders with and even touch some of the most famous and infamous others royalty and revolutionaries, murderers and media stars. London is a cosmopolitan city having people all around the world with different cultures. The management of Madame tussauds when targeting marketing has taken advantage of this feature of the city and has kept different types of wax sculptures which visitors want to see for example to attract Asian visitors there are various political, sports, and entertainment figures in the museum. According to the student pack of Madame Tussauds, it identifies their Current Market as Demographics Segmentation according to social class. Kotler (1994) believes marketing a product/service, includes potential customers for using this specific product/service. Therefore, organisations will effectively market their product/service according to the Segment of market. This has been known as Target Market. Additionally to Lancaster Reynololds (1999), indicate that, in order to acquire target segment, the organisations has to break down the amount of the total market into different sub-groups / segments, according to their needs and wants, in-order to make the product/service attract consumers within that market segment. Madame Tussauds used segmentation and target marketing, because it provides many returns to their organisation, such as: It allows the exhibition to identify their customer groups with different requirements and wants The exhibition objective can be achieved easily. For example; profit maximisation and long term growth When there are market gaps in a market, it is assessed and then satisfied, this can be done by using unique product / promotional offerings By handling marketing mix, in order for competence recognise the target needs. This will lead to an increase customers satisfactioN HISTORY: The holy Roman Emperor the doges of venices ,the dukes of burnswick and other rulers met the same end.A full size wax model of Henry 111 of England was made for his funeral in 1272.The custom grew for models to be kept after the funeral service at the relevant Royal tomb in West minister. In the seventeenth century it became common for wax models to be included in funeral processions of notable non -royal citizens. Marie Grosholtz the future Madam Tussauds (1761-1850) was trained by Curtius and she worked as his assistant. Madam Tussaud was born in Strasbourg on Dec,1761,her father Joseph Grosholtz who fought as a soldier for seven years at war died before her birth.After Maries birth her mother got a job as house keeper at Dr.Phillip Cutius house in Berne.Mr . Curtius was a skilled physician who takes help of wax models while demonstrating anatomy.Marie was always treated warmly by Curtius, who transferred his great art of wax modelling to Marie.Marie was always greatful and reffered him as his uncle. In 1765 ,Curtius moved to Paris followed by Ann and Marie, where he was able to organise his first exhibition of wax models in 1770 and by 1776 due to the fame of exhibition,it moved to Royal palace.During this time Marie was in the tutionage of Curtius and started modelling her own wax works. Her first wax figure was of Francois Volatire and then she made models of Benjamin Franklin and Jean Jacques.After the fame of her work she was appointed as a art tutor for Elizabeth ,king Louis XVIS sister. It was the time when France saw its revolution and Marie Tussauds was imprisoned and was forced to make death masks of the aristocrats as to show her allegiance to feudal nobles. During French revolution she modelled many prominent victms of the revolution. After the death of Mr .curtius in 1794,Marie inherited his vast collection of wax models.In 1800 Marie got married to Francois Tussauds,who was an engineer.She had two sons Joseph and Francois.To flourish her business,Marie decided to took her wax work on exhibition.Along with Joseph she brought her exhibition to London and Ireland which included wax models and death masks. That tour lasted for about 33 years.Finally Madam Tussauds decided to settle on Baker Street in London. Visitors paid six pence so that they can get a chance to meet famous names of the day. The Most important characterstic of the gallery was The Chamber of Horrors which exhibits wax models of the people victimised during French Revolution and some newly created models of other murderers and criminals. With time wax models of different prominent personalities were added to the museum.The museum in the beginning had 400 different wax models. Some of the models of the exhibition were damaged twice firstly by fire in 1925 and secondly by the bombardment of German army. Madam Du Barry is the oldest wax model of the museum. In the year 1842 Madam Tussaud added her own model which has been displayed at the entrance of the museum. Madam died on 15th April 1856. Bridge kate in her book A Life In A Wax praises Madam Tussauds as Cultural Innovator .The architect behind the first and fore most enduring world wide branch to be identified simply by reference to its founders name. BRANCHES Millions of people visit Madam Tussauds every year but it is still popular as it was ever.It has now become one the most popular visitor attraction in London. Due to its popularity it branches has been and will be expanded to other parts of the world. Its branches are opened in Hong Kong, New york, Las vegas ,Berlin, Shanghai, Washington DC and Amsterdam for the tourists, they also contain the wax models of prominent figures in them. DIFFERENT ATTRACTIONS IN THE MADAM TUSSAUDS Party Room Figures such as Samuel L Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Leo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman David and Victoria Beckham and Robert Pattinson are kept here. It is designed to feel like you have stepped into a celebrity party, with wax figures dotted around the room. High School Musical Hannah Montana Launched in 2008, this room has a figure of Zac Efron as the character of Troy Bolton from the High School Musical franchise. This zone also includes Miley Cyruss wax figure. There is also a karaoke facility, in which a person can sing Mileys songs. Movie Room (Premiere night) Hollywood famous figures live here including Steven Spielberg, Jim Carrey and Audrey Hepburn,Brad Pitt,Angelina Jollie,Jim Carry,Nicole Kidman and many more.Bollywood stars who are modelled are Salman Khan,Amitabh Bachan and Aishwarya rai. Besides there is Shrek, Spiderman, along with the smallest figure ever made of Tinker Bellabout five and a half inches in length Sports Zone It is another exciting zone for sports lovers specially for those who want to see their sports icons face to face. It has wax models of Mohammed Ali.One can also get a chance to ride bike with Lance Armstrong.Wax model of David Bekham and many other famous players are added there to increase the excitement. The Royalty In the Royals visitors get a chance to stand next to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William of Wales and Prince Henry of Wales. Cultural Figures This area has numerous cultural personalities including Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Pablo Picasso and Charles Darwin. Stars From The Music Industry Music icons include Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, Amy Winehouse, Tom Jones, Bob Marley, Justin Timberlake and Freddie Mercury. The Beatles in this area appear on the album cover of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Leaders From The World of Politics Here visitors can get a chance to meet Barak Obama, Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, Nicolas Sarkozy, Ronald Reagan, Tony Blair, Benazir Bhutto, Martin Luther King, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Gandhi, the controversial figures of Hitler ,Sadam husein and Robert Mugabe. Chamber of Horrors and Scream This attraction is not suitable for pregnant women and children under 12 years of age. contains the models of killers and criminals from the time of French Revolution .It also contains the death masks made by Madam Tussauds. Area Showing the Secenes and History of Madame Tussauds This area shows the history of exhibition. How was a wax modle made by Madam Tussaud. London ride Here visitors sit in taxi rides and are taken through the history of London which starts from Tudor and ends at 1980s. Top of Form Bottom of Form Warhols Women It has models of Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe in the classic pose where her skirt is blown upward, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Jerry Hall and Jackie O. Top of Form Bottom of Form KEY CHALLENGES TO BE FACED BY THE EXHIBITION Swar brooke(2002) states without visitor attractions there would be no need for other tourism services and tourism as such would not exist without them. Different attractions provide their customers with services that are available with in the attraction for example some give their visitors a day out, others give educational services, some give their customers ancillary operations but Madme tussauds is one that entertain its visitors with combination of all above mentioned services due to which it is important that this work is put into place to deal with consumers content health and safety and to make sure of their repeat visits. To maintain this standard of excellence the tussauds organisation may possibly face some challenges in future specially in the following: Marketing and competition Customer care Human resource management SWOT ANALYSIS: This can be used in order for the organisation to achieve their objectives. This procedure is an effective method of identifying businesses Strengths and Weaknesses, and to examine the Opportunities and Threats they face. Often carrying out an analysis using the SWOT framework that will be enough to reveal changes, which can be usefully made. Swift (2000) According to Hannagan (1992) he defined SWOT analysis as: A SWOT analysis helps to focus attention on the key areas in an organisation that need to be taken into account in producing a marketing planà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. A SWOT analysis is a summary of the marketing audit. It highlights internal differential strengths and weaknesses form the customers point of view as they relate to external opportunities and threats. SWOT are mainly consists of the two factors that are internal and external in which Strengths and weaknesses are internal while opportunities and threats are from external competitors and environment. Madame Tussauds attraction is the main factor and strength which makes their position stronger than other competitors. By using SWOT analysis business can make future prediction and make possible changes in order to grow and compete in the future. MARKETING AND COMPETITION : In todays world of business and economics markets have become very competitive therefore understanding consumer is no longer enough .Organisations must start giving attention to their competitors , if want to have share in the market. (kotler 2003). As it is stated before, Madame Tussauds it is a large organisation within the travel and tourism industry, therefore it face high standard of challenger not only in London but all around UK,which can become stronger in the future. that is why more effective marketing is required to survive in the competition However, it uses circulation channel for more knowledge of their product national and international. They mainly deliver the awareness of their product/service through the Internet, as it is global. However, other sources of promoting and awareness of their product is mainly done through Media, in the form of posters at tube stations and bus sides which is mainly and to communicate the brand to a wider audience, public relations, portraits, business development and Banqueting Co-operate Entertaining, The prime objective of the organisation is to stay London top paying attraction, therefore a marketing strategy should be in terms of its target, current and potential market study and their process of promotion in order to attract their product to their customer by distribution. However, the aim of promotional planning in the long run is not just to inform, but to promote customers to purchase products/services or, to adopt ideas. Therefore, effective promotion is usually attained by well researched for tracking sales levels and attitude patterns toward consumers needs, this means objective must link to the target aimed. This can be achieved by updating, convincing and highlighting the organisation current and potential target market. CUSTOMER CARE: Ensuring that customers are provided with quality services every time is a key in organisational success. Like other tourist attractions Madame tussauds may also face the challenge of delivering quality customer care. The organisation should note that words of mouths from satisfied customers is a free advertising and improved reputation and above all an increased revenue. Tussauds organisation should maintain a high standard of customer care training with in the exhibition to achieve goals like Increase sales Gain a competitive advantage Maintain consumer loyalty Attract new consumers Gain customer satisfaction Enhance the visitor attraction image For achieving high standard of customer care the organisation must improve Their queuing process in term of not making consumer to wait for a long period to enter the exhibition Signs around the exhibition for direction (such as direction for facilities for disabilities segment) Having more staff speaking different languages Having effective management that can handle crowd HUMAN RESOURCES Human resource management can also be a challenge as selection and recruitment costs will be much more due to the high presence of staff at visitor attractions. Competition in the service sector offering permanent employment can detract suitable applicants from applying for positions within visitor attractions. With the high staff turnover consistency will be difficult to maintain within visitor attractions, which inevitably will have a negative effect on the quality of service delivered to customers. This is due to the fact that to be able to deliver quality services to consumers requires skilled and well-trained employees. As many employees of visitor attractions are employed on short-term contracts, operators may be less willing to invest in training and development for seasonal staff. In Scotland the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions encourages its members to invest in training and development for all staff, whether full or part time, seasonal or permanent. Many operato rs of attractions dislike spending money on training and development for seasonal employees as there is the possibility of the employees not returning the following year. Operators are being encouraged to invest in training and development as this has proven to lead to a stronger more motivated workforce. If employees are enable and empowered to deliver a quality service, employee turnover should reduce, and employees affected by seasonality would be easier retained for the next season to come. They mainly deliver the awareness of their product/service through the Internet, as it is global. However, other sources of promoting and awareness of their product is mainly done through Media, in the form of posters at tube stations and bus sides which is mainly and to communicate the brand to a wider audience, public relations, portraits, business development and Banqueting Co-operate Entertaining, The prime objective of the organisation is to stay London top paying attraction, therefore a marketing strategy should be in terms of its target,current and potential market study and their process of promotion in order to attract their product to their customer by distribution. However, the aim of promotional planning in the long run is not just to inform, but to promote customers to purchase products/services or, to adopt ideas. Therefore, effective promotion is usually attained by well researched for tracking sales levels and attitude patterns toward consumers needs, this means objective must link to the target aimed. This can be achieved by updating, convincing and highlighting the organisation current and potential target market. At the same time one of their target is to carry out a promotional action plan to target market, attract all types of consumers both domestic and overseas CONCLUSION: Operators in todays business environment face many challenges as we have seen in bring quality services to visitors of their attractions. By putting in place suitable measures and processes, and ensuring their employees are capable of knowledge about efficient customer care training, confidence and motivations in which to perform at their best, operators can gain an competitive edge in their market, and deliver customer satisfaction each an Kotler, P., Marketing Management, Prentice Hall International, United States of America, 1994 Hannagan, T. J., Marketing for the non-profit sector, Macmillan, Great Britain, 1992Swift, I., Marketing, Hodder and Stoughton, Great Britain 2000,Swarbrooke J, The Development and Management of Visitor Attractions, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002 Berridge Kate A life in a wax Pamela Pilbean The History of Wax work by Pamela Pilbean 2003,,, From Leisure and Tourism, Barker, By Collins 1997, Lancaster, G. and Reynolds, P, Introduction to Marketing, Kogan Page, Great Britain by Biddles Ltd, 1999,(Oxford Dictionary Press) A From Concise Oxford School Dictionary, By Oxford University Press

Adoption of a reflective approach and reflective thinking

Adoption of a reflective approach and reflective thinking Basically, the basis of reflective approach suggests that the assessment of teacher quality should be achieved through reflection (Vieira and Marques: 2002). It is noteworthy therefore, that many writers in the field of teacher education such as, (Loughram: 1996; Richards: 1995; Cruickshan and Applegate: 1981; Dewy: 1910) have sought to define this word. A according to Richards (1995:1) the concept of reflection or critical reflection indicates to an activity or process in which an experience is recalled, considered and evaluated, usually in relation to broader purpose. It is a response to past experience and involves conscious recall and examination of the experience as a basis for evaluation and decision-making and as a source for planning and action. It is defined also by Cruickshan and Applegate (1981:553) as helping teacher to think about what happened, why it happened and what else they could have done to reach their goal. Furthermore, reflection is considered the deliberate and purposeful act of thinking which centres on ways of responding to problem situations (Loughram: 1996). Accordingly, it is noted that they agree that reflective teachers employ cognitive processes in order to solve the problems which might face them in their daily professional practice. On the other hand, the notion of reflective thinking traced back to Dewey (1910) which refers to problem framing, identifying alternative solutions and choosing from options according to the outcome we want and the situation at hand (Dewey: 1910 cited in Roberts: 1998). The main reasons for the adoption of reflective approach and reflective thinking: There are many reasons for the adoption of reflective approach and reflective thinking in teacher development programs which I think they are considered positive aspects. One of these aspects is that reflection approach provides a solution for teachers to shift from the routinised and automatic acts in their classroom situations and enables them to possess awareness about the kinds of decisions which they might make in their teaching and choosing the consequences of their instructional decisions. This can be achieved through reflecting on ones teaching as a step towards change in their teaching way (Richards: 1995).Because, according to (ibid: 1995) teachers who utilised reflective analysis in their own teaching admitted that it is a valuable element for professional growth and self evaluation. Another positive aspect is that the adoption of reflective thinking in teacher education can be considered a beneficial factor because, as Posner (1989) points out, when students teachers have the reflective thinking they will have new teaching ways instead of being tradition and have the possibility to interpret new experiences derived from their fresh ideas as a result of reflective thinking. Further more, reflective thinking will enable teachers to possess a philosophical approach to teach coherently because, by developing this kind of thinking they have the ability to integrate various types of knowledge which could be received during their teacher development program. On the other hand, it is important to note that reflection which is the basic component in reflection approach and reflective thinking has many advantages which can not be ignored. One of these advantages is that we can achieve the personal growth through reflection, because it makes us free from single views of situations which might hinder our thinking in defining problems and finding solutions. Moreover, problems which might face teachers can be reframed in different ways by reflection. Thus, providing a wide range of possible ideas then, helping teachers to have a wide range of possible solutions (Dewey: 1910 cited in Roberts: 1998). Additionally, when teachers use reflection they will have the ability to think about educational aspects of their work and a raise awareness of important ethical and moral questions (Van Manen: 1977). However, it is worth noted to mention the importance of critical reflection as Richards (1998) indicates that it enables teacher to have comprehension knowledge about themselves as teachers as a result, they can be prepared well to have a decision about their own teaching. This view can be supported by Dewey in 1904 when he pointed out preparing teachers to be critically reflective about their practice may be more important in long term than focussing on mastery of the techniques and skills (Dewey: 1904 cited in Richards: 1998:152). On the other hand, reflective teachers characterise by positive features according to the finding of a longitudinal study conducted by Korthagen and Wubbels (1995) regarded to teacher education program in Utrecht. These features include: First, reflective teacher have the ability to structure situations and problems. Second, they can evaluate their experience by using questioning approach for example, asking questions such as, why and how this happened in their own teaching. Third, they possess strong feeling of personal security and self efficacy and able to analyze and describe experience and interaction perfectly. Fourth, they are independent learners because they have clear understanding about what they need to learn. Hence, from what discussed above, we can see that reflective approach and reflective thinking play an important role which can not be ignored in teacher development programs. The underlying principles of reflective approach: Since reflection is considered an important element in reflective approach, writers such as (Dewey: 1910, 1933; Schà ¶n: 1983; Wallace: 1991) gave a great deal of discussion based on it. I am going to analyse the principles of reflective approach based on their discussions as follows: The principles based on Deweys account: According to Dewey (1910:1933) reflective thinking is the basis of deliberative thought. In his perspective disciplined deliberative thinking is seen as a basis for citizenship and personal progress (Roberts: 1998). Moreover, in order to reflect effectively, teachers should develop particular skills, for instance, observation and reasoning and should possess some sort of qualities such as, responsibility, open minded and wholeheartedness ( Griffiths:2000). But, it is noted that there is a shortcoming with this account in that his idea of teaching as routine action is unjustified because as Furlong and Maynard (1995:45) considered it is an over-simplification and does not capture the multi-facetedness ,unpredictability and sheer complexity of teaching (Furlong and Maynard:1995 cited in Griffiths:2000). The principles based on Schà ¶ns account: Wallaces reflective model: The principles of reflective approach in Wallaces reflective model emphasis that there are two important types of knowledge which should be included in teacher education courses comprised: First, received knowledge and second, experiential knowledge. The first refers to all concepts, skills and theories that trainees received through their academic study or from other sources such as, reading books. The second refers to the knowledge based on trainees past experience in their teaching practice (Wallace: 1991). Wallaces model, however, is separated into three stages as follows: The pr- training stage. The professional education/development stage. The professional competence stage. It is demonstrated in figure (4.1) below. To put it more simple, in the first stage there is believe that teachers trainees who engaged in professional education do not come with blank minds. In other words, they have already the idea of good and bad teacher that is to say, what Wallace refers to trainees existing conceptual schemata or mental constructs (Wallace: 49:1991). In the second stage, the professional development is achieved by theory and practice that is what he refers to as a cyclical process. In other words, the received knowledge and the experiential knowledge are integrated together. To illustrate, once students teachers engaged into classroom environment, they have the ability to discover a real framework of teaching and have awareness of the differences of classroom situations. Accordingly, their performance will be recalled during their teaching practice. For example, they will ask questions such as, how could some experienced teachers tackle with those situations and how they themselves can deal with them. Thus, they can evaluate their professional performance by reflecting upon their classroom activities. As a result, the positive and negative sides of their teaching strategy will be discovered. Hence, they will be professional educators and have the professional competence which is the aim of the third stage (ibid). Although, Wallaces reflective model can be applied in both pre-service and in-service education, yet from the principles drew above. It is noted that there are some limitations, because there is an important question should be asked here, is the experience shared among teachers because it seems to be private. Another limitation lies in participants school culture might not encourage reflection.