Diamond Water Paradox Essay

Marginalism was very important in the historical development of economics. Up through the 1870s, the marginal idea had not been grasped, which led to â€Å"paradoxes† such as the diamond-water paradox. This paradox was resolved by the introduction of marginal thinking. A modern equivalent of the diamond-water paradox: Why do basketball players get paid so much more than teachers, when teachers are so much more important? Because we have plenty of people who are capable of doing what a teacher has to do (at least at the elementary/middle/high school level), whereas we have very few people who can do what a pro basketball player does. Not all decisions are marginal, however. Some decisions really are all-or-nothing: deciding whether to shut down your business or stay open; deciding whether to offer a new product line; deciding whether to get married; deciding whether to move to New York. For decisions like these, you need to compare the total expected benefit to the total expected cost. 2: As in the diamond water paradox, water is less expensive than diamonds because they are readily available and an additional unit of water adds little value to the individual. On the other hand, diamonds are scarce and every additional unit adds substantial value and this is the reason it costs more than water. The same is the reason for the disparity in salaries between teachers and athletes. While teachers are available in abundance like water, athletes are rare and so they are considered to be a precious commodity like diamonds and this scarcity is the reason they are paid such enormous amounts of money each year.

My Favorite Food Essay

For many people, the history of their most favorite food takes source from their childhood. I am not an exception, and when I think about the most delicious and memorable food, I always remember amazing chocolate cakes with juicy cherries that my grandmother used to cook for me when I was a child. She lived in a small town in Kansas, and together with my mom and sister, we used to visit her several times a year for holidays. And every time our grandma was treating us with those amazing cakes! There is no child who does not like chocolate cakes. I guess, my grandma knew this so well, that is why she was glad to spend a full day in the kitchen cooking those cakes in order to make us happy. It is hard to find the words to express the feelings I was experiencing when I used to receive a plate with those divine brown cakes topped with huge juicy cherries and wrapped in dark-brown chocolate cream. I used to think that I could eat not less than a dozen of them at once! They were so sweet, delicious and amazingly delicate! I am not sure about the way she used to cook them, but I can say that the secret of the cakes was a special chocolate pastry cream. It was enough dense not to flow down from the cakes and tightly wrap the cherries on the top of every cake. But at the same time, this delicious chocolate souse was as soft and creamy as pure hot chocolate, and it was an extreme pleasure to feel its taste in my mouth and on my lips. Many years have passed, but every time I eat chocolate cakes with berries, sweet and blissful memories and feelings from my childhood come back to me. I feel myself like a little child again, waiting for miraculous doors to open and breathtaking smell of my grandma’s cakes make my head go round. Since those times, the taste of chocolate cream remains the sweetest and the most pleasant for me, no matter what kind of desert it is used for. So, whenever I want to travel in the past, â€Å"chocolate gates† become the gateway to my most precious memories. References â€Å"Warm Chocolate Torte with Seasonal Fruit. † (n. d. ). Pastry Wiz. Retrieved November 4, 2008: .

Applied Studies In Professional Nursing Practice Essay

Applied Studies In Professional Nursing Practice - Essay Example In this essay, reflection on the nursing care of an adult patient will be done to meet the goals for the improvement of analytical thinking skills such as being able to identify problems that might arise, being aware to new or different ideas, and anticipating the consequences of one’s actions. 60 year old Mr.X was brought to the out patient department with cough and easy fatiguibility on and off since 6 months, breathlessness since 2 months and worsening of breathlessness since 2 days. He was accompanied by his wife and son. Mr. X, a retired teacher, was a chronic smoker. He was a known patient of hypertension and appeared obese. He used to exercise regularly until 6 months prior to coming to hospital, when he developed exercise induced cough and breathlessness which he thought was due to asthma. Initially, his symptoms responded to inhalers, but later the symptoms continued to persist. He was on amlodipine for hypertension. The problem which has been identified to discuss in this essay is breathlessness. A detailed history was taken in Mr. X to evaluate causes of breathlessness. The history included history of chest pain, edema, giddiness, exertional breathlessness, breathlessness in lying down position, vomiting and epigastric pain. Cough was present through out the day and was productive. Mr. X had only exertional breathlessness. The breathlessness was graded according to the Medical research Council Dyspnea Scale (table-1). On examination, the patient appeared mildly pale. He had no fever. Pulse rate was 100 per minute, respiratory rate 30 per minute, blood pressure 140/90mmHg and saturations were 89 percent in room air and 94 percent with 3 liters of oxygen through rebreatheble mask. Examination of other systems were unremarkable. Electrocardiogram was normal. The initial investigations which were sent were complete blood picture and arterial blood gas analysis. Complete blood picture was normal

Food control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food control - Essay Example In addition, in order to meet the key elements of the food law as requirements to ensure the safety of food, which is mentioned in Article 14 also compliance with obligations towards mentioned responsibilities in article 16-19. According to article 11 of regulation (EU) 178/2002, there are some requirements for food hygiene from importers, which referring to it in article 10 of Regulation (EC) 852/2004. However, in article 2 of regulation EC No 178/ 2002 defines food as is a composite product that foodstuffs intended for human consumption and originates from animal/non-animal origin. There are some of the requirements that must be met to import this food: Regulation (EC) 882/2004 in article 15 permits for the competent authority to apply all official controls and ensure safety of food non- animal origin through food law, which includes all aspects the food such as check all documents and ascertain the identity of randomly. Therefore, has presented by about 300 border inspection posts to ensure that the consignments are safe and completed all the requirements of the European Union (EU Commission, 2007). As the regulation 852/2004 by articles 3 to 5 refers to work on the application of some of the procedures, which meet the requirements of hygiene and scrutiny of food particularly imported from third world countries such as HACCP moreover article 6 refers to the need to register all food business operators with the local authorities. There are certain regulations associated with ensuring the safety of food whether importing or produced locally for example, Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 to determine acceptable levels of some contaminants in food. While Regulation 396 (EC) 396/2005 describes the permissible levels of pesticide residues on plant food and animal food as well as feed. Moreover, there is a Regulation (EC) 733/2008, which terms

Effective Management Of Post-Operative Pain Literature review

Effective Management Of Post-Operative Pain - Literature review Example Effective pain management not only reduces the stay of patients at the hospital but also reduces the cost involved. Pain management is considered as the second most common nursing intervention. It is however still a consistent problem faced and has not been adequately addressed yet. The recurrence and higher probability of pain after surgery indicates the overall significance of the problem faced by the medical professionals. Since last many decades, various studies have critically highlighted the inadequate nature of the post-operative pain management by the physicians as well as by the nurses. These studies not only highlight the inadequate knowledge of the medical professionals but also provide a critical insight into the attitude of nurses and medical professionals towards post-operative pain management. Since it is also the second most common cause of nursing intervention therefore it directly affects the way nurses perform their job. What is critical to note however is the fact that medical professionals including nurses lack the knowledge, education and face other barriers to manage the post-operative pain. This literature review will present a critical review of 10 articles on this topic using Critical Appraisal Skill Programme tool to critically evaluate the articles under study. Methodological Overview of Articles Rajeh et.al (2008) used a qualitative approach to understand and explore the perceptions and experience of nurses regarding post-operative pain management. By using semi-structured interviews from 26 nurses in Iranian educational hospitals, this study utilized constant comparative method to analyze the data. It has been suggested that there are widespread knowledge gaps which need to be addressed in order to effectively tackle post-operative pain management issues. Same approach has been undertaken by Blondal & Halldorsdottir (2009) also where through 20 dialogues with 10 experienced nurses were conducted to understand as to how nurses care patients suffering post-operative pain. This was a phenomenological study with focus on understanding the motivations of nurses in pain management and what actually restricts them to achieve the objective of relieving patient sufferings. A similar type of study was carried out by Subramian et. al (2011) by using semi-structured interviews of 21 nurses working in the critical care of the acute teaching healthcare trusts in UK. This study was qualitative and exploratory in nature and a framework analysis was performed. This study however, highlighted various challenges faced by the nurses in terms of their ability to provide pain management support to patients under critical care. Wilson (2007) aimed at understanding as to whether education actually results into better pain management capabilities of nurses or not. Wilson (2007) focused on understanding the influence of post-registration education and clinical experience could actually result into better management of pain. 100 questi onnaires were circulated by the researcher out of which 86 were returned. However, a sample of 72 was taken out of which 35 nurses were from hospice/oncology and 37 were from district hospitals (general). It has been argued that working environment tend to have relative greater influence on the ability of nurse to administer pain as compared to their knowledge and education suggesting that overall influences on nurses in terms of their ability to manage pain are complex in nature. Richards (2007) conducted a qualitative study to understand the influence of experience on the nurses’ ability to actually manage post-operative p

Answer sheet Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answer sheet - Assignment Example 27). There is a large pool of unemployment in the market. A contributing factor is the low wages. Reich believes that with correct remuneration, better economy and society are not a farfetched idea. Labor is readily available in the market, but the poor wages discourage workers to apply for the job. People are even trading their jobs for a lesser paying job that matches their remuneration (Reich, pg.35). Stop bankers from creating risky huge bets with the money of other people. If they have to, then they should second the bet with a good proportion of their own capital. They should also be hindered from creating cash off their balances through trade derivatives. In addition, put a requirement they receive their remuneration in warrants, or stock that cannot be can be cashed in no less than 3 years. Place precautionary measures in place preventing a bank from being too big for a fail; Combining the casino with the basic utility made bankers richer and subjected us to risks we had not asked for. If separating investment from commercial banking is not adequate in keeping all banks in check. Anti-trust laws are used to break them up. Pluck out the three major interest conflicts: credit-rating agencies, institutional investors, and regional feds. The same companies having their issues rated should not pay the agencies. Those who use their ratings should be the ones paying them. Institutional investors, for example, a mutual and pension funds should not receive investment advice from the banks that gain from their investment. Presidents elected by regional bankers should head the regional feds. The major say should come from non-bankers, and the senate should have to confirm regional presidents (Reich, pg. 38). One lie states that the rich tax cuts tickle down all the way to everyone else, but taxing the rich highly leads to slow job growth and hurts the

Modern China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Modern China - Essay Example Oftentimes, the economic model of development propagated by China today is described as â€Å"authoritarian capitalism† (Gat, 2007, 33). China has recently taken cautious steps towards the embrace of market-oriented principles and while capitalism and entrepreneurship remain relatively new concepts, these concepts are starting to take hold. How has China developed over the past century? What is the recent history of China and how does this history explain the model of development which it has decided to pursue? How has the Chinese economy grown under globalization and has the ideological underpinnings of socialism in China evolved or simply withered away? These questions, and many more, will be addressed in this exploration of China and its cautious embrace of capitalism and entrepreneurship today. An ancient civilization with an extensive tradition of dynastic and centralized rulers, China was been ruled by the Communist Party of China (CCP) since the successful overthrow of the Nationalist government in 1949. Establishing a socialist form of government through the creation of the People’s Republic of China, the Communist Party of China is avowedly socialist and sought to impart communist teachings throughout this vast country. Accordingly, the communist leaders initially saw capitalism through a skeptic’s lens and implemented profound overhauls of the economic structure of Chinese society. Thus, the implementation of a series of top-down economic initiatives such as a series of Five Year Plans, the Great Leap Forward and the often-times violent Cultural revolution, all paved the way for the establishment of a socialist society in which economic matters were dictated by the state and implemented accordingly. Significantly, socialism provided the ideological impe tus for the Communist Party of China to govern. Thus, while implementing an economic overhaul of the country, the socialist credentials of

Comparing Fordism and Scientific Management (Taylorism) Research Paper

Comparing Fordism and Scientific Management (Taylorism) - Research Paper Example In order to run a successful industry, call for a systematic study of the labor force and productivity. In order to make rational and sound comparisons of these theories, it is crucial to understand their economic sense that informed their designs. Fredrick Taylor is considered the father of scientific theory, as theorized in the late 1880s and 1890s; the theory has significantly impacted positively to economics on labor and production (Neilson and Rossiter 69). Taylor motivation was based on the need to have a new dimension in the production process1. After the era of rule of thumb where employees were subjected to forceful long working hours, Taylor observed that despite the long working hours, there was little reflection on the productivity. Before coming up with scientific theory, he studied employees pattern in jobs such as movement and time wastage. He recognized there was a lot of time wastage and the unskilled approach used was ineffective. Certainly, the theory was founded after systematic identification of production and output mismatch. The analysis paid attention to rationality, work ethics, standardization and removal of wasteful processes in the entire industrial processes. This harsh economic background informed his suggestion on training each employee and selecting them to undertake the best-suited jobs. In addition, the emphasis on efficiency through utilization of relevant skills and knowledge culminated into the scientific model that is relevant to modern economics and management. This theory developed substantially in 1930s following a shift in European economies to the use of machines and equipment in industrial processes (Kluvert 160). According to Charles Maler, the theory developed from its predecessor Taylorism, a suggestion that focused on organizational productivity through enhancing creativity and innovation in each process. As efficiency continued to dominate economists vocabulary, Fordism

Using examples, examine the connections between gender, fear and urban Essay

Using examples, examine the connections between gender, fear and urban space - Essay Example While there are men who have small physical builds in comparison to other men, it is more likely to find a man with a build larger than a woman’s than to find the opposite scenario. Given this difference it is clear that, generally, women face a set of obstacles that most men will not have to ever experience. On the other hand, because of seeming biologically driven needs to defend one’s space, men are often faced with challenges that, similarly, women will unlikely ever have to face. Thus, as distinct as each gender’s biological makeup creates them to be, so too are the vast differences between the obstacles they must face. These differing gender fear invoking issues will be examined within the context of urban space. The urban environment can pose many stress inducing variables for any individual despite gender. Crime, natural disasters, and other such factors create a spectrum of varying fear and anxiety inducing possibilities for both men and women on a daily basis. Needing to be extra careful with personal possessions in public arenas and making sure to be respectful of an individual’s space are added factors that become automatic parts of one’s thought process while living in an urban environment. While both genders must face many similar urban space stressors, the differences begin to come to play when situations become more dependent on a person’s gender versus, for instance, specific environmental weather factors. For women, urban life poses specific problems due to biological factors. Because women are generally smaller and physically weaker than men, women must take this into account when they travel alone or even with other women to specific urban destinations. â€Å"Fear leads women to take precautions which are often spatial, such as avoiding certain parts of the city or not going out after dark† (Koskela, 1999, pp. 111). In other words, the reality

Understanding of Chinese Paintings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Understanding of Chinese Paintings - Essay Example The essay "Understanding of Chinese Paintings" examines he ways that written texts such as poems, inscriptions, or theoretical writings can change our understanding of Chinese paintings. The great monumental landscape Autumn Mountains at Dusk, attributed to Guan Tong, was one such an example. This work was a visual representation on one of the famous Tang poets Li Bai's poem The Road to Shu is Hard. Paintings and written texts are used together to give more meaning and interpretation to the paintings, which could otherwise be interpreted. While considering the poem above, poetry could be considered as a vocal painting while painting could be considered as visual poetry. Viewers could feel about the winding and steepness of the road to Shu. From the poem, readers could get more information. The hard road to Shu is a metaphoric representation of the hardness of engaging in politics and the turbulence faced by the Empire. These indications could not easily be noticed by just looking at the painting. Some paintings were created to take record of important events. For this kind of paintings, there usually were inscription beside to indicate the event. For example, Cranes of Good Omen attributed to Emperor Huizong. This was a handscroll of both painting and inscription on it. This was an event of 20 cranes appeared in the sky. Even two of them standing on the top of the building. Huizong recorded this kind of miracle day by himself using both inscription and painting. Readers could get the information.

Finding a New Advertising Agency Essay Example for Free

Finding a New Advertising Agency Essay It started with a pair of certified letters to MINI USA’s Woodcliff Lake headquarters in northern New Jersey in the summer of 2005. One of the letters was addressed to Jim McDowell, vice president and managing director of MINI USA, the U.S. division of BMW’s MINI automobile brand. The other letter was to Trudy Hardy, marketing manager for MINI USA and a direct report to McDowell. Both letters were from Scheid, Roberts, and Reicher (SRR),1 MINI’s advertising agency since 2001, and both arrived at their respective destinations at almost exactly the same time. From her desk, which was not in the immediate proximity of McDowell’s office, Hardy sat back in her chair and opened the letter without the knowledge that McDowell had just received a similar letter. Her thoughts and feelings as she broke the seal of the envelope and read the one-page letter partly confirmed previous suspicions but, nevertheless, included a sense of great disappointment and some hurt feelings. A rare event in the client-advertising agency relationship, SRR’s letter informed Hardy that they would resign the MINI account in order to pursue a larger account with a competing German automobile manufacturer. For Hardy, it was during the next few moments that the gravity of the event began to sink in. SRR had been the ad agency for MINI ever since the months leading up to the U.S. launch of the new MINI Cooper, which was the first new car launched by the MINI brand since its acquisition by BMW several years earlier. In a time when the duration of a client-advertising agency relationship typically lasted for just about two years, the collaboration with SRR had been in her mind a productive one for almost five years. And in the same way that she believed the relationship had been extremely valuable  to MINI, it was also hard for Hardy to believe that the same did not hold true for SRR as well. In 2001, the MINI account stood as one of the first major SRR client wins when it was a start-up agency with fewer than 50 employees. SRR had now grown to more than 300 employees, and the launch of the MINI Cooper was an unquestioned success. In some ways, MINI and SRR had grown up together. 1 Although this case is based on actual events, Scheid, Roberts, and Reicher (SRR) is a fictional name for MINI USA’s advertising agency from 2001 to 2005. For simplicity, hereinafter, MINI is used as opposed to MINI USA. 2 The BMW Group maintained a general rule that each BMW brand have its own advertising agency. For example, SRR could not work for BMW and MINI at the same time. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professor David Godes prepared this case with the assistance of Research Associate Peter Wickersham. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright  © 2007, 2008 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-5457685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. Hardy began to think of the task before her. In one sense, if she were the marketing manager for almost any other product, the selection of a new advertising agency might not have been such a critical task. But the MINI brand, in almost every respect, was unique—from the design of the car itself to the passionate owners of the car who, for example, often named their MINI Cooper as they would a pet or family member. MINI’s advertising since the launch of the Cooper had been highly unconventional, and although she had no immediate ideas of how to proceed in finding a new agency, Hardy knew that  the selection process would need to be just as unique. The BMW Group and MINI Mini History We went round the works, and I drove him at a hell of a speed—I’m sure he was terrified—but then he was so impressed by its road holding. We stopped outside his office. He got out of the car and he said, â€Å"Go ahead and make it.† — Alec Issigonis, head of design for the Morris Mini Minor (a.k.a, the Mini), conversation with Leonard Lord, chairman of British Motor Corporation (BMC), 19583 The twentieth century witnessed the creation of scores of automobiles, but it can be argued that only a handful of these cars transcended the others to become cultural icons. For some car enthusiasts, the short list of such cars might have included the likes of the Ford Model T or Volkswagen Beetle. For those living in the United Kingdom and Europe in the 40 years between 1959 and the end of the century, the Mini Minor and its descendants, including the original Mini Cooper, would almost certainly have been counted among them. The genesis for what was to become the Mini was attributed to Leonard Lord in response to the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egypt in September 1956. Since it was thought this action might disrupt or restrict the shipment of oil from the Middle East, Lord commissioned Alec Issigonis to design a small car intended for those seeking frugal transport. The design requirements were few and simple: the ability to seat four people, use of a BMC engine, and an overall size smaller than that of current BMC cars. Issigonis formed a team of eight designers and engineers. In one of their first meetings together, Issigonis placed four wooden chairs on the workshop floor in two rows of two and asked four of his team members to sit in them. They then shuffled the chairs around on the floor until each could sit comfortably in a minimum of space. The rough dimensions were captured in chalk on the workshop floor; the passenger space required was to be at least 8 feet 9 inches long, Purchased for use on the MSc International Marketing, at Kings College London, Department of Management. Taught by Douglas West, from 12-Jan-2015 to 27-Mar-2015. Order ref F240566. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact [emailprotected] â€Å"Well, I guess they’re off to greener pastures,† he said in a matter-of-fact tone. After talking some more about the resignation, they soon turned their attention to finding a new partner. â€Å"Listen, I have total confidence in you to find our next agency,† McDowell assured Hardy. â€Å"It won’t be easy, but you know our brand better than anyone. The only catch is that we should probably have this nailed down before the end of the year, which means early December. Let’s talk more once you have an idea of where you’d like to take the search.† With those words, McDowell left Hardy’s office. In addition to its small size (and in some cases because of it), the design of the Mini contained several other notable innovations. It was one of the first front-wheel-drive cars, and its engine was mounted transversely so as not to contribute more than two feet to the overall length of the car. The wide spacing of the wheels allowed for more efficient passenger space, and thus more than 80% of the overall dimensions of the Mini were devoted to luggage and occupants. The design of the Mini also had some other unique consequences. First, the Mini’s simple layout made it easy for owners to modify the interior and exterior of the car; as a result, customization of the car became common. Second, its wide wheel spacing and low center of gravity made the Mini suitable for development of a racing variant of the car. An acquaintance of Issigonis, John Cooper, created the Mini Cooper in 1961 to be driven in rally races. The Mini Cooper was quite successful,  winning the prestigious Monte Carlo rally in 1964, 1965, and 1967. In all, around 150,000 Mini Coopers were produced. The mass-produced version of the Mini was a success in terms of unit sales. It also attracted a cult-like following. Each of the four Beatles owned a Mini as did Peter Sellers and many other famous British celebrities of the day. In 1995, the Mini was voted â€Å"Car of the Century† by readers of Autocar, a U.K. car magazine. BMW Acquires Mini Although the Mini was universally considered a success, the same could not be said for the succession of parent companies that owned the brand. In 1968, British Leyland was formed when BMC merged with the Leyland truck company. In 1975, British Leyland went bankrupt, and the company—with classic brands such as Jaguar, Rover, MG, Triumph, and Mini—was bought out by the British government. In 1988, the collection of surviving brands, now referred to as the Rover Group, was sold to British Aerospace, another nationalized company. Along the way, there were notable investments made in the Rover Group by other car manufacturers, including Honda of Japan, which owned approximately 25% of the company at one time. Yet, the greatest investment and perhaps the biggest surprise occurred in 1994 when BMW, the German luxury automaker with 1993 sales of $18 billion, acquired Rover and its brands, including Mini, for $1.2 billion. In the eyes of senior management at the BMW Auto Group (AG), the vision for the purchase of the Rover Group was to take the company into a new international era. Bernd Pischetsrieder, who was named chief executive officer of BMW AG in 1994, explained it this way: â€Å"The key to success is continuously changing your focus over the long term . . . in the ‘80s, we focused on enhancing the engineering process. The  key emphasis for the ‘90s is globalization of the entire business, including financing, product engineering, styling, designing, manufacturing, and sourcing.†4 Similarly, some industry analysts believed that BMW could not afford to compete solely at the luxury end of a maturing world car market. The acquisition of the Mini brand and the decision to develop the new MINI was seen as a solid strategy to offer less expensive cars without jeopardizing the integrity of the BMW brand.5 According to an analyst with Commerzbank, â€Å"By slightly modifying an existing brand, effectively ‘inserting’ a new vehicle into it, it avoids having to pay all the upfront costs associated 4 J. P. Donlon, â€Å"Honk if you are global (interview with BMW CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder),† Chief Executive, October 1, 1994. 5 BMW differentiated the new version of the Mini from the original by capitalizing all four letters when referring to the new model (i.e., MINI). 3 Purchased for use on the MSc International Marketing, at Kings College London, Department of Management. Taught by Douglas West, from 12-Jan-2015 to 27-Mar-2015. Order ref F240566. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact [emailprotected]  feet 2 inches wide, and 4 feet 4 inches high. Ultimately, once the engine and luggage space were added, the Mini was designed to be just 10 feet in length (Exhibit 1). MINI USA: Finding a New Advertising Agency (A)  with developing a new brand. The costs of brand building cannot be underestimated, as anyone at Daewoo would be quick to point out.†6 Not included in the deal to divest the Rover division, notably, was the MINI  brand as well as the manufacturing facility near Oxford, England. â€Å"We knew we had a winner there. Much to the chagrin of the British, we held onto it,† McDowell would say later. Educational material supplied by The Case Centre Copyright encoded A76HM-JUJ9K-PJMN9I Order reference F240566 Designing a New MINI The design and development of the new MINI in the mid-1990s was to some at BMW the embodiment of the larger struggle to integrate the cultures of Rover and BMW. Between 1994 and 1999, there existed two separate MINI design teams—one British and one German. The British-based Rover designers and engineers for much of that time envisioned a revolutionary design of the new MINI. One such MINI concept was unlike, the previous Mini in almost every way but was seen as a contemporary interpretation of Issigonis’ vision of building a small car with maximum passenger space (Exhibit 3). BMW’s designers took a more evolutionary approach in terms of design combined with BMW’s reputation for delivering high-performance, driver-oriented cars. On one night in 1998 at his home in Munich, Frank Stephenson, a BMW designer originally from the U.S., cast himself into the role of Issigonis, who was known for doodling designs of cars on the back of napkins. On a kitchen towel, Stephenson sketched a series of updated versions of the original Mini to reflect modern trends in design and new technology; see Exhibit 3 for a sample sketch.7 In the end, it was Stephenson’s design that would form the basis of the new MINI. The official launch of the MINI was held at the Paris auto show in 2000. During the show, senior BMW AG executives and Stephenson unveiled the new MINI to a rousing ovation. In explaining its design, Stephenson said, â€Å"The MINI Cooper is not a retro design car, but an evolution of the original. It has the genes and many of the characteristics of its predecessor, but is larger, more powerful, more muscular and more exciting than its predecessor.†8 Two production models were to be launched in the U.K. (its historical home) in July 2001: a base model called the MINI One and a more upscale MINI Cooper. A sportier MINI Cooper S was to be launched soon thereafter in the U.K., and both the MINI Cooper and MINI  Cooper S were scheduled for launch in the U.S. as well as other parts of the world in early 2002. Even though the first MINI Coopers were not scheduled to arrive until early 2002, work was well underway in 2000 to establish an organization to support  the launch of the MINI in the United States. MINI USA was established as a division of BMW of North America LLC and would share the same headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, as its parent organization. Jack Pitney was named general manager of MINI USA, a unique distinction for someone with a marketing background as opposed to automotive engineering, manufacturing, finance, or sales. Kerri Martin was appointed MINI’s marketing communications manager. Trudy Hardy was also recruited in 2001 as brand communications manager of MINI, reporting to Martin. The MINI USA headquarters organization was designed to be small (fewer than 25 employees), nimble, and highly creative. From the start, the credo of the organization appeared to be, â€Å"If another car company might take the same approach, MINI ought not.† Martin, for instance, was commonly called by the title â€Å"keeper of brand soul† instead of marketing manager. Work proceeded quickly. By the end of 2000, www.miniusa.com was live and already receiving hits. As with the MINI USA headquarters organization, the existing BMW infrastructure was utilized to create a network of U.S. MINI dealerships. Nevertheless, in a similar fashion, great lengths were taken to establish MINI as its own brand. Approximately 70 dealerships in 31 cities were renovated to add an exclusive MINI showroom under a separate marquee. In total, across all U.S. dealerships, first-year MINI sales objectives were expected to be 20,000 units, an amount Pitney viewed as aggressive but within reach. Base retail sticker prices for the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S models were set at about $18,000 and $21,000, respectively, including dealer shipment fees. Additionally, leveraging the history of customizations to the original Mini, each model carried an extensive list of optional equipment and exterior color schemes. For instance, the car roof alone could be painted at the factory with one of more than 10 color schemes, including a black-and-white checkerboard pattern as well as an image of either the Union Jack or American flag. Early expectations were that the MINI Cooper S would capture approximately 80% of sales due to its larger engine and better acceleration. Depending on the amount of optional equipment selected, the total price of a MINI Cooper S could exceed $25,000. Given its design and price range, plans were to position the MINI Cooper as a premium small car—something that MINI saw as a new market niche. This was especially true because the MINI Cooper was smaller and more expensive than some of the better-established compact cars made by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Initial MINI marketing materials and media reports from auto shows portrayed the MINI Cooper as a â€Å"fashionable accessory to an affluent, urban-hipster lifestyle.†9 However, early market research also indicated that the target market for the MINI was not limited to a specific demographic group or socioeconomic class but rather was more of a lifestyle choice or mind-set. For example, in surveys conducted before launch, potential MINI buyers in the U.S. described themselves as â€Å"young at heart† or â€Å"free spirited,† a finding that was consistent among both young as well as older age groups. Moreover, the potential MINI buyer appeared to be less concerned by the opinions of others and was independent minded. MINI and BMW AG drew a number of conclusions from this initial research. First, it was decided that further research should closely examine the psychographic factors associated with the purchase of a MINI, since the most fervent of potential MINI buyers seemed to have a common mind-set about the car, which was something that Pitney and others hoped to explore in greater detail. Second, the research confirmed to them that, unlike the original Mini, the new MINI should not be marketed as a car for the masses but instead to a particular segment of car buyers. Third, although it created 9 Suzanne Vranica, â€Å"Cool Mini Cooper Prepares for Relaunch,† The Wall Street Journal, February 14, 2001. Pitney and Martin thus recognized the importance of selecting an advertising agency with experience in nontraditional advertising such as promotional events, online advertising, and direct marketing. None of the large advertising agencies known for television advertising were invited to pitch the account, a decision that many industry observers viewed as bold and against the grain. DaimlerChrysler’s Chrysler Group unit, for example, had recently consolidated its $1.5 billion ad account at Omnicom Group. MINI also decided to base part of the compensation of the ad agency on the collective opinions of its dealers, something that was unique in advertising. Following a fourmonth review, SRR was selected as MINI’s agency of record. A separate firm, Circle.com, was selected to handle their online technology strategy and customer relationship management (CRM) duties. Although MINI would not disclose it publicly, the MINI account was valued at about $25 million per year in term s of total marketing spend, a relatively modest size for an automotive client. Let’s Motor: The U.S. Launch of the MINI The U.S. Launch Campaign (2001–2002) By July 2001, in the eyes of Pitney, Martin, Hardy, and the rest of the MINI team, both the marketing strategy and the creative focus of MINI’s U.S. launch (scheduled for March 2002) were taking shape. Moreover, they felt that the desire to do things differently at MINI had been taken to a whole new level. Most significantly, the marketing team had decided not to use any television or radio advertising as part of MINI’s launch, an industry first for what was essentially an entirely new automobile brand in the U.S. market (it had been almost 40 years since the original Mini was sold in the U.S.). Instead, a phased approach using print and nontraditional marketing techniques was developed. During August and September 2001, MINI’s focus was  to build brand awareness primarily through print advertising in magazines. The tagline for the ads was â€Å"Let’s Motor,† a theme developed by SRR and that would be carried throughout the launch campaign in 2002. The use of the word â€Å"Let’s† at the beginning of each ad was intended to create a feeling of inclusiveness, and the tone of the ads was intended to be friendly and funny. For example, one ad read: â€Å"Let’s not use the size of our vehicle to compensate for other shortcomings. Let’s Motor.† Another began, â€Å"Let’s put away the middle finger.† In addition to initial print advertising in magazines such as Autoweek, SRR developed The Book of Motoring, a 5-inch by 5-inch glossy booklet designed to convey exactly what it meant to be a motorer. â€Å"How is motoring different from driving?† it posed to the reader. â€Å"Physically, they’re the same process . . . the difference is in the mind of the operator . . . when you drive, you go from A to B . . . when you motor you go from A to Z . . . it’s all about living . . . nobody can tell you when you’re motoring . . . you just know.† The book also suggested that motorers pay the toll for the car behind them or feed parking meters if they see a meter maid coming. â€Å"Motorers look out for one another,† the book said. The Book of Motoring could be obtained through BMW dealers or the MINI USA website. In October 2001, in addition to continued print advertising, the SRR and the MINI marketing team designed a series of promotional events and publicity stunts to create additional buzz for the brand. Purchased for use on the MSc International Marketing, at Kings College London, Department of Management. Taught by Douglas West, from 12-Jan-2015 to 27-Mar-2015. Order ref F240566. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact [emailprotected]  challenges for the manufacturing team in Oxford, England, it was clear that the target market would likely seek to make their MINI unique by adding optional features and color schemes. Finally, it also became apparent that limiting their advertising to traditional media such as television and radio would not be cost effective, since the MINI itself was not a mass-market car  and since its potential buyers seemed less interested in being part of the mainstream. In one example, for a Formula 1 car race in Indianapolis, MINIs were secured to the top of three fullsize sport-utility vehicles and were driven to the city from other parts of the U.S. carrying signs that read, â€Å"What are you doing for fun this weekend?† The same MINI-toting SUVs then toured some 24 U.S. cities (Exhibit 4). When curious onlookers asked about the car, representatives were instructed to give them a card that said â€Å"Coming to America† and directed them to the MINI USA website. Sporting events were also used as venues to promote the car. For instance, a MINI was placed in the stands of an Oakland A’s baseball game and in the Superdome for a Monday Night Football game (Exhibit 5). As part of this promotion, during the game, the announcer did a series of â€Å"callouts† that drew the attention of the fans in attendance to the MINI. As one example, he announced: â€Å"To the gentleman in Section 101, you’ve left your lights on.â €  When the in-stadium camera focused on the MINI in Section 101, its lights flashed and then shut off. This particular promotion also played a role in the firm’s attempts to anthropomorphize the MINI. When the official launch of the MINI Cooper began in March 2002, MINI and SRR continued their grass-roots marketing efforts and print advertising in combination with outdoor advertising using, most notably, billboards, which they felt were underutilized by other car brands. In all 45 markets where the new MINI was to be sold, teaser billboards were posted on the day that showrooms were opened. Instead of displaying the car or its logo, the billboards only included the company’s website, miniusa.com, and a single line of text. One billboard read, â€Å"XXL XL L M S Mini.† Another read, â€Å"The SUV backlash officially starts now.† Then, in April, a new series of  billboards were rolled out that included a photo of a MINI, the MINI logo, and the â€Å"Let’s Motor† tagline. Slogans included, â€Å"Let’s Sip Not Guzzle,† referring to its above-average fuel economy. The outdoor advertising was taken to the extreme in cities like New York, where a skyscraper was wrapped to represent the car’s two-tone paint job and a 29-foot-by-125-foot billboard was erected in Times Square. Though typically considered a traditional medium, print advertising was used by MINI as nontraditionally as possible. In late 2001, for instance, executives from 35 magazines were invited to MINI’s headquarters to brainstorm unique ways to market the new MINI in print. One noteworthy outcome of this session was a proposal to use the margins around news stories to hold advertisements. At launch, the â€Å"cornering ads,† as they were called, were run in six magazines, including Rolling Stone and Motor Trend. The ads said, â€Å"Nothing corners like a MINI† and contained a photo of the Mini Cooper S cornering the one-inch margin of the magazine page. Other aspects of the launch campaign included the following (Exhibit 6): †¢ More than 6 million magazine inserts of an abridged version of The Book of Motoring †¢ A series of MINI-inspired cartoons featured in The New Yorker magazine †¢ Other magazine inserts including an unscented MINI-shaped air freshener and a pullout car game. Another insert allowed readers to customize the car using peel-off stickers; accessories such as wheel covers, blowers, and racks could be placed on a photo of a MINI in the ad. In total, more than 30 million magazine inserts were published in magazines ranging from Car and Driver to Vanity Fair. The MINI organization was very  happy with the creative output of SRR. â€Å"Conceptually, just about every one of their ideas was spot on,† Hardy said. â€Å"Besides the fact that they really ‘got’ the brand, they also made sure that the ideas they showed us were fleshed out and developed. This extra effort on their part really made it easier for us to react to the ideas and to give them meaningful feedback so we could work together to make them come to life.† MINI and SRR planned to explore other advertising media as 2002 wore on, just not television. Rather than use TV advertising, for example, MINI opted to sign a deal with National Cinema Network, a movie theater network, to show 30- and 45-second advertisements on roughly 2,000 screens in five cities. 7 Purchased for use on the MSc International Marketing, at Kings College London, Department of Management. Taught by Douglas West, from 12-Jan-2015 to 27-Mar-2015. Order ref F240566. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact [emailprotected] By the close of 2002, there were several reasons for MINI and SRR to celebrate. Most obvious were the year-end MINI sales figures, which indicated that 24,590 units had been sold in a little over nine months. At that pace, first-year sales were projected to total over 30,000 units. In addition to the strong sales figures, a consumer survey indicated that brand awareness for the MINI among the carbuying public was 25%. A survey indicated that 75% of MINI buyers had read or heard about the MINI through  public relations and Internet exposure before the official launch advertising actually began in March 2002. The launch campaign also earned both MINI and SRR a significant number of awards, including Adweek magazine’s 2002 Guerilla Marketer of the Year and 2003 Media Plan of the Year honors, the 2002 Kelly Awards Grand Prize for Outstanding Magazine Advertising, and two 2002 Cannes Media Lion prizes. SRR also won the Best of Show Award and an award for innovation in marketing at the annual One Show awards, a prestigious event sponsored by the One Club for Art and Copy in New York. At the same awards ceremony, MINI USA received the Advertiser of the Year Award. Pitney was named one of two Automotive News Marketers of the Year (the other was awarded to Jim McDowell, vice president of marketing for BMW of North America). In January 2003, the MINI was selected as the North American Car of the Year by the same publication. The MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S were selected as finalists for the Motor Trend Car of the Year as well. The Creative Work Continues (2003–2005) By all accounts, the relationship between MINI and SRR was felt by both sides in 2003 to have been a highly productive collaboration to that point. â€Å"Each day we came to the office thinking that we had one of the best jobs in the world. In a sense, SRR was just part of the family. We’d interact and debate ideas on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis,† Hardy described. â€Å"It was a close working relationship.† Over the next two years, MINI’s strategy of using primarily nontraditional advertising in combination with print and outdoor advertising continued, as did SRR’s ability to develop unique creative material in support of this strategy. One magazine campaign featured punch-out, assembleable versions of the MINI Cooper built on a 1:56 scale. About 4.4 million inserts were created, featuring two cars with different combinations of accessories, and came complete with assembly instructions; both cars became collectors’ items. In another campaign, consumers could pull out MINI cartoon-character decals from magazines. The stickers came eight per sheet and were designed to drive buyers into dealerships for a ninth sticker. Approaches like this one were well received by dealers, including Wayne Youngblood, general  manager of Motor City Mini near Detroit. â€Å"I’m thrilled with it; MINI marketing is quirky, fun, and it delivers customers that match the vehicle perfectly,† he said. â€Å"In my 30 years in the business, there has been no other product that commands as much excitement or attention as MINI.†10 Sales of the MINI Cooper continued to climb (Exhibit 7). In 2004, a MINI Cooper convertible was added to the model lineup. Changes would soon be underway, however. In March 2005, Martin announced that she was leaving MINI to become director of market development for Volkswagen of America, a company known for spending about $500 million annually in North American advertising. Around the same time, Pitney and McDowell made the unique decision to switch jobs as general manager of MINI USA and vice president of marketing for BMW of North America. But the ultimate surprise was SRR’s resignation of the MINI account in order to become the agency of record Purchased for use on the MSc International Marketing, at Kings College London, Department of Management. Taught by Douglas West, from 12-Jan-2015 to 27-Mar-2015. Order ref F240566. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact [emailprotected] for Volkswagen. By then, Hardy had assumed Martin’s duties as head of marketing, and one of her first challenges was starting over and finding a new advertising agency, which would not be easy given the unique relationship that MINI enjoyed with SRR. Advertising Agencies With each passing year of technological advancements, it was apparent to MINI and others that the foundations of any advertising firm—creativity and the ability to deliver creative content in a variety of media—were becoming less and less the exclusive domain of bigger advertising firms with extensive production staffs. Consequently, it was possible for a one- or two-person shop to perform the same creative services as a large, multinational advertising conglomerate with billions in revenues such as Omnicom, WPP, Interpublic Group (IPG), and Publicis. Advertising firms in 2005 could be categorized into either of these two groups, but a third group also existed. The â€Å"independents,† as they were called, were privately owned firms with anywhere from about 10 to 300 employees. As was the case with SRR, oftentimes these firms were started by young, entrepreneurial advertising professionals looking for creative freedom or autonomy following stints at one or more o f the publicly held multinational firms. Seen by some to be a competitive response to the growth of the independents, consolidation was a significant theme in the advertising industry during much of the 1990s and early twenty-first century. Over this period, the major holding companies appeared intent on expanding market share in order to gain economies of scale, diversifying their revenue streams, and serving clients as a one-stop shop while growing into large, multinational players. In 1993, for example, the top three agency holding companies captured a 36% share of the market. By 2003, this figure had increased to 50%.11 The increase in market share was largely achieved through acquisitions of independents and smaller holding companies, with the bulk of these acquisitions occurring from 1996–2001. One holding company, IPG, acquired 240 companies during that period. Another significant industry theme was the shift in agency compensation over the past decade from commissions to fee-based compensation. Traditionally, advertising organizations had been paid at a set percentage of an advertising budget for the creative work on an account; this percentage was  typically in the 12%–15% range but could be as high as 20%. A major criticism of this compensation system was that it did not align the agency’s pay with the success of a particular campaign or with the amount of work required to create the campaign. The fee-based system (or FTE model) charged production fees and employee hours along with a standard profit margin (e.g., 20%) for the advertising firm. In 2005, it was estimated that 80% of all advertising clients had moved away from commission-based compensation structures to enter fixed fees or a combination of fee and incentive compensation.

Implications of the Study Essay Example for Free

Implications of the Study Essay The study of Willard and Luker actually notes the factor that contributes to the capabilities of the health institutions and their staff in handling the preferences of their patients especially that of the issues regarding EOL or the End of Life situations. People are usually concerned on their preferences with which they are to entrust their health with either for medication or simply for therapy. The issues that were particularly dealt with in the journal presented by Willard and Luker were pointing to the capabilities of the nurses and other medical staff officers present in the hospitals to make their patients feel the assurance that they are to be given the best service and care that they are due as clients of the medical industries. From this particular article, it could be noted that the role of nurses as caregivers in the medical institutions play a great role in the process of keeping up with the reputation of the medical industries. Their skills and their natural want of serving the values of their patients the best way that they can involves not only their willingness of becoming the best in the filed but also the aim of becoming a great help to the society that they are particularly serving. Implications of the Study What the article points out as part of the study is that the nurses have a great part in understanding the needs of their patients. This particularly coincides with the ideal practices of nursing as per noted through the writings and philosophies of Faye Abdelah. â€Å"A nurse is a person who nourishes, fosters, and protects—a person who is prepared to care for the sick, injured, and aged. †(Nursing in Today’s World—Challenges, Issues, and Trends, 2) UNSELFISHNESS, though essential, is not enough to make a proficient nurse. Good nurses also need extensive training and a breadth of experience. One essential requirement is from one to four years or more of study and practical training. But what qualities make a good nurse? Faye Glenn Abdellah’s book on â€Å"Patient-Centered Approach to Nursing† (1960) answers those queries basing from real life experiences and practical application of the said nursing theory. As reported in a survey made by the Awake magazine regarding the real qualities making up a good nurse, many answered almost the same ideas about the issue. Carmen Gilmartin, of Spain puts it this way: â€Å"The doctor heals, but the nurse cares for the patient. This often requires building up patients that have been damaged both inside and outside when, for example, they are informed that they have a chronic disease or will face imminent death. You have to be a mother to the sick person. † It is really true that aside from Abdellah , many nurses around the world believes that being able to empathize with the patients that the nurses are caring for. How is this so? The theory’s or the idealism of Abdellah’s scope includes the nurses working with children and other older patients dealing with either patients’ slightly affected with illnesses or those who are already dealing with terminal cases. The whole idea of the theory lies on how nurse- patient relationship should always be given attention to. Not only because it’s a protocol by the hospital or whosoever but also because it should be an innate character of a nurse to feel what the patient feels. Its content includes the process and application of the nurses’ empathizing with their patients to be able to give them not only the kind of medication or cure they need as said by the doctor but also the kind of cure they want. Application of the Theory on the Article Reviewed: Significance: The said approach on patient-centered service in and out of the hospital services is much significant especially to those patients who are usually ill or to those who have terminal diseases who at times need to stay in the hospitals for long times. It is very true that the patient-nurse relationship must be mutual and peaceful to be able to gain best results for both parties. Internal Consistency: This approach has been amazingly working well for the hospitals and health organizations that apply it. Doctors and nurses who are able to coordinate well with each other and thus able to attend to their patient’s needs and wants are the ones who usually gets the best result. One encyclopedia defines nursing as â€Å"the process by which a patient is helped by a nurse to recover from an illness or injury, or to regain as much independence as possible. †(Encarta) Of course, much is involved in that process. It is more than just the performance of routine tests, such as checking the pulse and the blood pressure. The nurse plays an integral role in the patient’s recovery. According to The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, â€Å"the nurse is more concerned with the patient’s overall reaction to the disorder than with the disorder itself, and is devoted to the control of physical pain, the relief of mental suffering, and, when possible, the avoidance of complications. † In addition, the nurse offers â€Å"understanding care, which involves listening with patience to anxieties and fears, and providing emotional support and comfort. † And when a patient is dying, this source notes, the nurse’s role is â€Å"to help the patient meet death with as little distress and as much dignity as possible. †(145) Parsimony: This approach doesn’t require much of the funds. Instead, investing on the nurse’s desirable traits has been the key to reaching the goals of giving the patients an A+ service during their recovery. Testability: This approach has been widely tested by different hospitals and health organizations. Some had even made extra steps to achieve perfection in application. Some went to the homes of possible patients to take not of their medical preferences with regards to their religious and cultural beliefs. It also included health statistics of the patients in order to modify their medical records. These steps had been proven effective and stress reducing for the nurses when the time comes when they already need to attend to the said patients. Empirical Adequacy: Every organization and hospital who tries to apply this approach to patients would agree that everything is perfect with it. It relieves both the pain of the patient and gives the nurses a better work environment, as they are able to meet the expectations of both their patients and the doctors they assist. Pragmatic Adequacy: Record shows that actual results from the application of this approach are rather desirable and convincing to be successful. It made everything and everyone workable with and every patient satisfied with the medications they receive. As with other jobs, considerable education and training are required to be a good nurse. It also takes courage, and a real desire to help fellow humans. Keeping physically fit, too, is important, due to one’s being exposed to communicable diseases. But a good nurse will especially have sympathy for patients, and give of herself to furnish their needs. Abdellah’s book on Patient-Centered approach has been truly proven by herself by being a nurse and an aid to many that suffer from different illness. Making it more practical and approval worthy that this approach to patients is indeed effective. However it may be, nurses are always reminded to continue having a good heart for their patients as it always works. PART B: †¢ Problem Definition The study of Willard and Luker places a certain implication on the ways by which the nurses intend to perform their tasks as healthcare professionals. Their enthusiasm in making it possible for the clients[ the patients] to receive the best possible service that they deserve naturally, especially considering the fact that they are in need of care. IT is mostly undeniable that the nurses are expected to handle their profession in a more careful way considering their patients needs and demands all the time. As their clients, patients have the right to demands service from the nurses, this is especially when they are needing special care because of their exceptional health situation. People who are in their EOL stages are usually demanding, trying to get the attention of others for the sake of attending to their needs. Passion always pays in this particular situation. Most likely, the patients who are in need of special care when they are undergoing the EOL stage are also most appreciative of the people staying up with them. From the study that has been presented by Willard and Luker, it could be observed that attending to these particular needs actually increase the level of considerable reputation for the medical industries. †¢ Literature Review It could be observed that the literatures used by the researchers as basis of their primary claims about the issue were indeed authoritative, thus giving the research a stronger voice in being valid for actual application in the future. Most likely, the ability of the researchers to find the right research materials to cite within the paper made the research even more powerful in terms of being constantly aligned with what is theoretically right and what is actually practiced by the hospital staffs in real life. †¢ Research Design With the utilization of grounded theory, the researchers of this particular study were able to make a greater use for such controlled details that were given to them through observable informations in actual situations that are concerned with nursing and the issue that is being tackled within the said study. Applying it to actual nursing practice requires deeper comprehension of the issue. To develop the science of the nursing field and its general application in the health service of the society, further research and development are needed. In this aspect of nursing research, different new approaches and concepts are discover and can be incorporated in the general field of healthcare application thus, promoting the quality of the said service. Because of this, the said two concepts namely the aspect of research and its application are indeed important for the field of nursing service. †¢ Sampling Protocol The researchers particularly utilized the best sample population available to strengthen their study. The said samples include three nurse practitioners, two research nurses, eleven specific CNS’s, nine palliative care CNS’s, and four CNS with combined tumor-specific and palliative care roles. These samples helped the researchers in understanding the field of nursing in a much deeper sense of responsibility scale measurement. The samples and their experiential background on the issue actually helped the researchers see the situation in an certain actualized level of understanding. †¢ Data collection Strategies Aside from the literary based researches, the interview based observations made it easier for the researchers to create opinionated claims thereby making the research more acquainted with the literature review that the researchers themselves previously presented in their paper. The integration of the research together with the survey results made it possible for the researchers to measure both the possibilities and the limitations that their topic has upon application in the actual field of medical health assistance among hospitals. †¢ Data Analysis Strategies To analyze the data, a qualitative process of understanding the gathered informations could be noted to have a huge implication on the success of the research. With the measurement of validity and reality based understanding of the matter, the research of Luker and Willard made it easier for the readers to understand the yielded information from the literature as well as the survey based analysis. The analysis of the data that the researchers used actually helped the outside readers who have no idea of the topic to have a better understanding of the connection of the study with the actual application of nursing practices. Most likely, it is undeniable that the people involved in understanding the research naturally made a clear opinionated view with regards the presentations of the researchers with regards the actuality of the study and how far the efficiency of the research applies well in the efficiency of the healthcare institutions’ performance for their clients, the patients. †¢ Findings, Conclusion and Recommendation Maintaining and promoting the healthcare quality of the people is one of the most important concerns of the society. People indeed like to live healthy away from any ailment and disease and stay in this state for the longest possible lifestyle. Because of this, significant efforts and resources are invested in the healthcare nursing field to promote the stability of the said healthcare practice and its continuous development. One of this concept evidentiary manifestation is the field’s research aspect. The value of nursing is significant for the society as this greatly involve their health promotion and assistance to their medical needs thus, this field’s development through research must be established as one of the primary concern. Without this field, society’s healthcare needs will certainly not be addressed. However, without the continuous innovative development of this field, the aspect of healthcare nursing will also not be able to properly cater to the contemporary needs of the society alongside its newly discovered diseases and others. To cope up with these modern concerns, the nursing society together with the concerned citizens and the health practitioner field devote their time, efforts, knowledge and resources to further develop the nursing field through research to maintain the relevance of the value of nursing for the society themselves. As a vital part also of the general field of nursing healthcare, the research also demonstrate the importance of practitioners of the nursing field in an independent concern from the multidisciplinary team. Research through experimentation procedure will explore the significance of the nursing role in each medical procedures and in the healthcare service itself. In addition, most researches are also solely focused on developing the healthcare practice alone as this as this is viewed to be more related in the aspect of caring for the patients. †¢ Ethical Values and Concerns The ethical values in this case would naturally be involved in the process of gaining the results from the target samples. The results are to be derived not only upon observation but upon question and answer process of evaluation of the job that the staff are undergoing. It could not be denied that gaining these results meant that the sample population must be met in personal by the researchers. Through the considerable thought that the researchers placed upon the fact that the target sample are working and have responsibilities towards their patients, the said individuals were given their own choice on when or where they are to answer the survey. Through this, the researchers were the once who adjusted to the convenience of the sample population. It Is undeniable that through this process, the researchers were able to take control of the ethical measures that they are expected to carry on throughout the process. Part C: Conclusion Healthcare is concerned and mainly focused on the betterment and the preservation of the life of an individual who has a certain medical condition or ailment preventing him or her from being healthy. Because it is concern with humanity and life, most of the aspects in healthcare are greatly attributed to ethics and morality thus rendering this field to be very controversial and debatable. Many aspects of healthcare, especially its field of administration for people who have damaging illnesses, are greatly regarded as a question of morality. This idea is mainly because of certain cases where the healthcare decision regarding the condition of the patient becomes contradictory to the patient’s will and/or the medical decision of the physician involved. Thus, the medical procedures often become morally questionable because of the conflicting desires and the substantiality of the consent of the people concerned in the situation. This is primarily the reason why the study analyzed herein could be noted beneficial for the actual nursing practice application. The study of Willard and Luker clearly points out that nurse-patient relationship could be enhanced through the behavioral adjustments that are to be taken into consideration by the nurses themselves. It is undeniable that the nurse’s importance to the medical industry places a strong implication on the basic practices of ethical healthcare provisions. Patients in their EOL stages need to realize that they are being cared for. Not only that, it should also be noted that aside from EOL patients, nurses have to attend to a wide variety of patients who have different health issues that they need to deal with. Moat often than not, it is the realization of the nurses with regards their primary responsibility that holds the capability of the medical industries to cater to the needs of their clients, their patients. Reference: Carole Willard and Karen Luker. (2006). Challenge to End OF Life Care in the Acute Hospital Setting. University of Manchester.

What Are The Defining Elements Of Democracy Politics Essay

What Are The Defining Elements Of Democracy Politics Essay There is no universally accepted definition of democracy, and Arblaster says, Democracy is a concept before it is a fact, and because it is a concept it has no single precise and agreed meaning. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 3) Essentially democracy has three main ideals: Popular Sovereignty, the belief that the legitimacy of the state is created by the will or consent of its people, who are the source of every political power; Political Equality; and Individual Autonomy. Abraham Lincoln summed up democracy well in saying it is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and so, in the case of liberal western democracies it is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. For Aristotle the underlying principle of democracy is freedom, since only in a democracy the citizens can have a share in freedom. In essence, he argues that this is what every democracy sho uld make its aim. There are two main aspects of freedom: being ruled and ruling in turn, since everyone is equal according to number, not merit, and to be able to live as one pleases. Democracy is indeed a set of ideas and principles about freedom, but it also consists of a set of practices and procedures that have taken a very long time to develop. In short, democracy is the institutionalisation of freedom. For this reason, it is possible to identify the fundamentals of constitutional government that any society must possess to be properly called democratic: human rights, and equality before the law. Therefore two principles that any definition of democracy incorporates are, namely that all citizens in a state are equal before the law, and they have equal access to power. A third common principle is that all citizens are promised certain legitimised freedoms and liberties, which are generally protected by a constitution or set of legally prescribed democratic practices. This essay will explore these defining elements of a democratic society as well as considering some of the problems faced by democratic institutions in trying to realise and sustain them. One of the most essential elements in defining democracy is self-rule. The word democracy originally came from the Greek demos and kratos, meaning that the people (demos) rule. The only possible object of rule is the people who form the state or political system being considered, hence, the rulers in a democracy, the people, are also the ruled. (HARRISON, 1993) Therefore democracy can be described as people ruling themselves. If one takes the meaning of democracy literally it is essentially the rule of the many. In its original context in the city state of ancient Greece, this rule was exercised directly by the citizens, also called direct democracy. The size and scale of modern states mean this method of rule is often considered impractical. In order to reach an appropriate balance between adequate participation and adequate efficiency and practicability, peoples rule is exercised indirectly through elected political leaders that represent peoples interests (representative democracy ). However, the idea that democratic institutions could accurately represent the people has been debated thoroughly. Some political thinkers, such as Rousseau and Mill, have suggested that some degree of socio-economic equality is needed to guarantee a reasonable level of political equality and therefore indispensable for a stable democracy. Held argued that it is extreme material poverty amongst the masses that renders genuine democracy impractical. On the other hand, Dahl noted that not just absolute poverty but also relative poverty poses a stumbling block for the realisation of political equality and therefore democracy. (SORENSEN, 1993) Rousseau believed that no one could be truly free who did not govern themselves. In his Du Contrat Social, he made fun of the English form of government by claiming that the English people, is free only during the election of Members of Parliament; as soon as the Members are elected, the people is enslaved. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 59), and for him sov ereignty belonged inalienably to the people, the problem was to decide how they could retain it and exercise it. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 60) On the other hand, the English philosopher John Locke defends representative democracy as be believes that men in civil society should enter a contract with their government and that citizens are bound to obey the law, while the government has the right to make laws and to defend the commonwealth from foreign injury all for the public good. (Holden Online) This leads to another defining element of democracy; the fundamental concept which secures the rights of people is the consent of the governed. In a democracy the people are sovereign and are therefore the highest form of political authority. This means the decisions made by the government ultimately have to be accepted by the people. For example, during elections, all the candidates have to campaign freely in order to educate people on their policies and allow them to scrutinise each candidates ideas. Lewis believes Consent is an essential element of democratic theory, but not a distinguishing element. The important test is not whether a major portion of the adult population accepts or approves a government or its policies, but the manner in which this consent is secured (LEWIS, 1940) Hence it is important that elected representatives at a national and local level should listen to the people and respond to their needs and suggestions. However, Hobbes mentions in his book Leviathan t hat in exchange for security, individuals give away their rights to an all powerful ruler (Hobbes, 1651). In the modern day, it is hard for governments to be truly democratic as, due to scale, it is unlikely that all the citizens will agree with all decisions made by the government. The active participation of people as citizens in political and civil life is also important when defining democracy. Active participation of the people is one of the basic requirements for a state to be democratic, and thus it is essential in defining democracy. The main role for citizens in a democracy is for them to participate in public life, hence the right to vote increases participation amongst citizens. Schumpter puts forward a minimalist interpretation of participation in arguing that democracy should only be a mechanism for choosing political leaders. Therefore participation would be limited to voting (SORENSEN, 1993). On the other hand the concept of democratic autonomy can be regarded as an important means of participation which calls for peoples direct involvement at a local level through community institutions. (HELD, 1996) In this sense, participation would incorporate the ability of citizens to directly influence decisions that affect their lives. Therefore, citizens should essentially attempt to gain an understanding of relevant public issues, and be willing to listen to these issues and the views of the government. Education is vital in democracy because, in order for people to fully participate, they have to be informed on the relevant topical issues of their state. It can be argued that democracy relies heavily on collective participation as democracy is stronger as a whole when people actively participate. Rousseau analysed the concept of collective participation when he spoke about the idea of the general will, the result when citizens make political decisions considering the good of society as a whole rather than the particular interests of individuals and groups. (Rousseau, 1762) The active participation of citizens in political and civil spheres of society is a vital element of democracy as, Individuals must be allowed a share in political control because to command obedience without free participation in control is to deny the right of all to self-development through responsibility for their own acts is to reduce men to the degrading irresponsibility of slaves or mules. (LEWIS, 1940) However, personal autonomy must be taken into account when defining democracy. This is because for a society to be democratic people should have the freedom to choose whether to participate in the political process or hand over the decision making to a person or group more qualified to make well informed political decisions, like an elected government. Furthermore, one of the most important defining elements of democracy is that the underlying right of the people is to have rights and more specifically the right of choice. The freedoms to take pleasure in ones own culture, without such minorities being scrutinized; the freedom to express opinions and decide what to do. The European Union believes that democracy and human rights are universal values that should be vigorously promoted around the world. They are integral to effective work on poverty alleviation and conflict prevention and resolution. (http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/human-rights/index_en.htm) Demonstrations against government policies and decisions are also fine in true democracy, as long as the rights of others are taken into account, hence protests should be non-violent. There is now a general acceptance among the international community about the centrality of human rights and their importance to democracy, and Ghandi gave a useful definition of democracy when h e said, My notion of democracy is that under it the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest. The greatest protection of human rights emanates from a democratic framework grounded in the rule of law. The principle that all power ultimately rests with the people and must be exercised with their consent lies at the heart of democracy. Democracy is premised on the recognition and protection of peoples right to have a say in all decision making processes which is itself based on the central principle of equality of all human beings. The exercise of this fundamental political right requires a guarantee of crucial freedoms; to express ones thoughts and opinion without fear, to seek and receive information, to form associations and to assemble in a peaceful manner to discuss public affairs amongst others. Accommodation of the views of minorities is essential to prevent democracy from degenerating into despotism by the majority. The purpose of democracy like that of human r ights protection is to uphold the dignity of every individual and to ensure that the voices of the weakest are also heard. Its core values; freedom, equality, fraternity, accommodation of diversity and the assurance of justice underpin the norms of human rights as well. This leads on to another key element of democracy is majority rule and it is often described as a characteristic feature of democracy. The web definition of majority rule is, a decision rule that selects one of two alternatives, based on which has more than half the votes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority_rule) An essential process in representative democracies is competitive elections, that are fair both substantively and procedurally. Furthermore, freedom of political expression, freedom of speech and freedom of the press are essential so that citizens are informed and able to vote in their personal interests. The election process of modern liberal democracies sees the party with the majority of votes leading the government and representing the people on a national scale. This is crucial when exploring democracy because, even though only a proportion of the population are in agreement with the government, it is the largest so the greatest number possible will be satisfied. Ho wever, without responsible government or constitutional protections of individual liberties from democratic power it is possible for dissenting individuals to be oppressed by the tyranny of the majority. So, therefore, a key element of any democracy is to ensure that minorities have the right to promote their representatives for election to government against the majority view. In conclusion, Winston Churchill once said, It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried. Democracy is by no means a perfect system of government but many of its defining elements explored in this essay are vital. Indeed, as Arblaster tells us, democracy is still an unfinished business on the agenda of modern politics. (ARBLASTER, 2002: 10) and there much ground to be covered before we develop a fully democratic system. The original direct system of democracy from ancient Athens was possible down to the fact that the scale, in comparison to the present day, was far smaller. Therefore, it seems that presently, the closest we can get to proper democracy is a representative system with elected representatives making decisions and carrying out policies for the people. The nature of democracy has changed over time but the essential elements that make up its definition remain the same. To summarise, the three main elements of de mocracy are essentially participation, competition and liberties and perhaps what is most important to note is that the ideas behind democracy are based on, the hypothesis that power and the right to exercise power belongs to the people (Goodwin, 2007, p.288). The pillars of any modern day western liberal democracies are as follows; sovereignty of the people, government based upon consent of the governed, majority rule, minority rights, guarantee of basic human rights, free and fair elections, equality before the law and constitutional limits on government. A democratic society must incorporate these values as democracy is more than a set of constitutional rules and procedures that determine how a government functions. In a democracy, government is only one element coexisting in a social fabric of many and varied institutions, political parties, organisations, and associations.

Essay on The Awakening as Romantic, Realistic, and Local Color Writing

The Awakening as an Example of   Romantic, Realistic, and Local Color Writing A fair woman slowly, but surely, makes her way into the water.   It is obvious that she is slightly afraid, but not to the point where she is willing to stop progressing into the gradually deepening water.   She believes that after she lets the water grab her life, everything will be fine.   Sounds appealing?   I did not think so.   However, Edna Pontellier thinks that this is the best option for her.   Drowning seems to be the only way out.   The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, describes Edna Pontellier's battle against society, and how she decides to handle this battle.   This novel was considered an immoral piece of literature during the early 1900's.   Its descriptions of a strong woman who goes against a grim and strict Creole society shocked critics and readers alike.   Edna's strong will and determination cause changes that were not welcome at the time.   Despite the fact that The Awakening was unwelcome in the early 1900's, it is a widely read novel that most consider to be an extraordinary piece of literature.   The Awakening is a great novel because of its unique combination of Romantic, Realistic, and local color writing.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Awakening demonstrates Romanticism in many ways.   The accentuation of the imagination, freedom, emotion, nature, and nobility of the common man characterize Romanticism.   The Awakening demonstrates this in many ways.   For example, a mockingbird and a parrot are shown to describe the role of women of that time; they had the potential to be successful and respectful citizens, but society kept them caged in.   This demonstrates the "natural world" aspect of Romanticism.   In addition to this, constant references are ma... ...nd city names in her writing adds a lot to the feeling behind the novel.   Using the name "Grand Isle" has a larger effect on the reader than if she were to say "beach", or even "summer getaway".   Through the utilization of local color, the reader actually feels that he or she is a part of the novel, walking alongside the characters and feeling all their pain and suffering.   He or she can form visual images of life during the time of the Creoles.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through her inclusion of Romantic, Realistic, and local color writing, Kate Chopin makes The Awakening a truly extraordinary piece of literature.   Reading this novel makes the reader feel that he or she is living during the society of that time.   This is a unique writing that demonstrates one-of-a-kind combinations of literary elements.   Every person should read this novel and appreciate it for the talent.

With Life Comes Problems :: psu

With Life Comes Problems 1 In today's world there is nobody who can honestly say that they have absolutely no problems or worries in their life. Everyone has something to deal with and things to get over in their life--that's why it's called life. As long as you're alive, you will constantly have to battle the burdens of life that all people encounter. Some are destroyed by the harships [Hostage 50] and others overcome them. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" she gives a glimpse at the life of one woman who, for a brief time, felt she would have no more problems, but then is shocked in to [into] death by realizing that her problems were not yet gone. The theme of the story is that you are never really free from the troubles of life until you are dead. 2 The conflicts in the story are ones that we all encounter and deal with until the day we die. In the story there is conflict between Louise (woman) and her husband (man). It said that sometimes she loved her husband, but often she did not (par. 14). This says to me that they did not have a good relationship together, and and were probably constantly battling. [Evidence from the story?] Another conflict would be Mrs. Mallard's life vs. Mr. Mallard's death. [?] Because of Mr. Mallard's suppossed [Hostage 50] death, Louise would now live her life happier and for herself (par. 13). Then, when Mr. Mallard came home, Louise was faced with the conflict of choosing between the freedom she would have had or the repression she would now suffer, from her husband, for the rest of her life if she would stay alive. At the end she, in a way, chooses death over repression. The only true way for her to be free was to die. 3 The symbols in "The Story of an Hour" give a look at the good life and rebirth Louise would have had if Mr. Mallard would have actually been dead. The actual word "mallard" refer to a wild duck. [SV -1] The meaning of "duck," other than the animal, is to avoid a blow. Mrs. Mallard was constantly ducking wildly from her husband's blows, whether mental or physical. [Evidence?] The calm after her storm of grief (par.

North American Slavery vs. Latin American Slavery: A Comparative Look a

North American Slavery vs. Latin American Slavery: A Comparative Look at Frederick Douglass and Juan Francisco Manzano When we assess the evils of slavery, we typically think of the North American slaves plight. We think of the beatings, murders, hangings and mistreatment of the Southern slave. But what about the slaves of Latin America? Who hears their cries of woe because of their evil slave masters? Is their treatment the same of their brethren under slave rule in North America? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to look into the lives of both North and Latin American slaves. For our purposes, we will utilize two slave narratives. One account will come from the North American slave, Frederick Douglass, and his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. The other account will come from the narrative Autobiography of a Slave by the Cuban slave Juan Francisco Manzano. In analyzing these two slave narratives, we will compare the childhood, slave communities, slave/master relations, and literature of both Douglass and Manzano. By taking a comparative look at Frederick Douglass and Ju an Francisco Manzano we will be able to hear the voices of the slaves and understand their plight. Childhood Childhood is a period of maturation when our personalities begin to develop into the type of individuals we will eventually become. This is a crucial time where our identities are forming based upon how we are treated by those around us. +If a child is often handled as a burden that individual will take on a negative persona. In the case of children living under the dark hands of slavery, it was impossible to have a normal childhood. A slave's parents were always off conducting laborious tasks, or they were sold away... ...at to the Slave of the Fourth of July?", thus positioning himself as an activist and a spokesperson. Douglass went on to publish two more narratives, My Bondage and My Freedom in 1855, and The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass in 1881. In between the time when he was writing his other autobiographies, Douglass worked for the New National Era, a weekly newspaper in Washington D.C. Aside from his writing accomplishments, Douglass became a key figure in the abolitionist and the equal rights movements. He was revered as a speaker, author and statesman. Works Cited Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. New York: Penguin Group, 1987. Manzano, Juan Francisco. Autobiography of a Slave. Detroit: Wayn State University Press, 1996. Wilson, Ruth. "Latin America Speaks." http://130.132.143.21/ynhti/curriculum/units/1990/1/90.01.04.x.html

All About My Mother & Pan’s Labyrinth

How far do the narratives of the films you have studied rely on dramatic moments of confrontation and how far on a more subtle change over time? The two very different Spanish films All about my Mother (AAMM) and Pan’s Labyrinth use complex narratives and character representations to explore gender ideologies. I would suggest that both films rely in part on dramatic moments of confrontation but also demonstrate a more subtle change over time; in this essay I will explain this view. AAMM is a powerful melodrama, exhibiting many of Almodovar’s signature traits and exemplifying his exhuberant, challenging post-Franco style. As a melodrama, it is hardly surprising that there are many dramatic moments within the narrative and throughout the film we see various confrontational moments between the characters. For example, as Manuela enters Barcelona in a taxi there is a violently shocking scene which introduces us to Agrado as she is assaulted by a client. She is defiant in her response and in this way Almodovar sets his agenda: this is a film which challenges traditional gender roles and our perceptions of what is and what ‘should be’. The scene is perhaps all the more shocking because up until this point, in Madrid, there has been high drama in the sudden death of Manuela’s son but her reaction to it is subtly presented and gender representations are far more traditional and in line with the hegemonic view. As Manuela’s somewhat passive quest to find Lola continues, the narrative is punctuated by various melodramatic moments of confrontation but Almodovar’s intention is clearly not merely to present a set of over-exaggerated characters in improbable scenarios and it is perhaps his subtlety that allows the film to communicate its real meaning. Although Manuela is the main character and it is her actions which move the narrative along initially, it is perhaps through all of his characters and their intertwined experiences that Almodovar more fully explores gender and sexuality and questions hegemonic values. Each of his characters goes on a journey and whilst the overtly melodramatic narrative is what keeps the audience entertained (if somewhat disbelievingly) it is perhaps the more subtle undertones of change which we can only appreciate once the film is finished that contain its true message. Manuela, the eternal mother, has a chance to be so to an infant again; Agrado has found acceptance and purpose which does not rely on the sale of her body; Huma is free of the destructive and toxic Nina; Rosa’s mother, who represents perhaps more than any other character the hegemonic values of Spanish society that Almodovar is challenging, is shown to be uncaring in the worst way by rejecting her grandchild and thereby loses her right to have access to him. Rosa, of course, is dead but before her death she had seamlessly morphed from nun to earthly mother. I would argue that all of these changes are subtle and not reliant on moments of dramatic confrontation, and that actually it is these changes – these people – which are the film’s narrative. Although the dramatic moments are entertaining, they are the bass line and the subtler changes are the melody. In terms of narrative, Pan’s Labyrinth is of course quite different from AAMM but I would argue that in terms of the importance of dramatic moments of confrontation versus subtler changes, there are some similarities. As a gothic fairytale/fantasy film set during the Spanish civil war, we would expect dramatic confrontations as binary oppositions are a key convention of the genre and confrontations a symptom of conflict; and indeed, we are not disappointed. The villain of the tale, Captain Vidal, is at the heart of most of the dramatic confrontations within the film, with the Doctor, Ofelia, Carmen, the rebels and eventually, the ultimate confrontation with Mercedes which results in his death. As in AAMM, these moments are certainly key to the development of the narrative and serve to highlight del Toro’s representation of Franco’s hegemonic masculinity as violent, controlling and confrontational. But when we look at the female characters in the film, as indeed we must, there is a recognisably subtler and more sensitive approach both in their representation and in their roles and functions within the narrative. Mercedes, as the ‘helper’, grows in strength and courage as the film progresses, moving gradually from a somewhat sidelined observer of Vidal’s terror to a heroic central player and successful challenger, killing the villain and saving the rebels (who happen to be men). Ofelia of course, undergoes enormous change throughout the tale, losing her mother and confronting various creatures as well as Vidal as she goes but perhaps more significantly, failing to confront her own fear of growing up and instead opting to stay a child forever. Carmen is represented as weak and conforming to the hegemonic ideology that women should be subservient to their husbands and she dies during childbirth, perhaps to demonstrate that this view is outdated. In this film, the necessity for women to be mothers is thus challenged through both mother and daughter, as Carmen dies for it and Ofelia openly rejects it. One conclusion which could be drawn is that although there are many moments of dramatic confrontation in Pan’s narrative, they perhaps merely mask the subtler changes happening beneath them. Or that del Toro has intentionally constructed these confrontations within the world of the men and within Ofelia’s fantasy world to allow us to observe that subtler changes which they promote in our heroine and her helper. The eventual result, of course, being that the situation in Vidal’s ‘family’ mirrors that of the war with the rebels: he fails to recognise the subtle changes occurring around him and pays for it dearly. Because in actuality, it is the female characters who are in control and their experiences being explored. As I said, Vidal and the dramatic moments of confrontation that he is so frequently part of, are the cause and the subtler changes within the female characters the effect. In conclusion, I would say that as with most narratives, dramatic moments of confrontation help to move things along in both of these films but are by no means completely relied upon to create meaning and communicate with the audience. Both films, in different ways, are about women and their experiences and subtlely is also required to communicate these experiences with the poignancy and genuine feeling that they do.