The Programme Director Essay Example for Free

The Programme Director Essay I would like to apply for the Nursing Programme in your esteemed university. I firmly believe that my interests in the field of nursing, my confidence and my experience hold me in good stead over my colleagues for this programme. I have had a lot of experience in patient care, laboratory work and clinical examination over the years. I was a Medical Assistant at Bryman College in 1996 January, after which I shifted to Phlebotomy Plus (Walnut Creek) in Nov 1999). From Jan 2000 to Jun 2000, I worked as Front and Back Office Medical Assistant at Pacific Coast Internal Medical Group (San Francisco, CA). I was fortunate to gain a lot of experience while on this job, where I was involved in patient scheduling, completing and recalling medical charts of patients. I recorded vital statistics patients for the physician. I administered injections to adult patients and processed urine samples also. I also used to liase with the local pharmacy in helping patients get their prescriptions filled. This position involved a lot of responsibility and I was successful in carrying out what was expected of me. From July 2002 till Dec 2002 I was at the acute triage unit at the San Francisco General Hospital where I performed phlebotomies. I also performed clinical examination of pediatric patients within the triage unit. I maintained the patient charts, and recorded the vital statistics of patients. It was also my responsibility to ensure sending of samples to the laboratory and getting back the reports. Between Jun 2000 to May 2004, I was also at the Labcorp/Quest Diagnostics as the Phlebotomist and Office Manager in San Francisco. The unit was a busy one and I managed a team of 1-2 phlebotomists in carrying phlebotomies in this high volume unit. I also processed specimen samples, and carried out patient registration. I successfully maintained very high lab standards according to California OSHA standards 3. From Jun 2005 to present, I am currently holding the post of Lab Technician at Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA. Here, I am a part of a research team conducting a study on growth and development of girls between 6-8 years. I conduct phlebotomies, urine collection, and DNA collection. I do the logging of all samples and ensure shipping to CDC. Data entry of patient information is among some of my other responsibilities. In view of the experience I have gained in laboratory and clinical work, which has included research work, I believe I have the requisite qualifications for this programme. My diligence and meticulousness build up my confidence; I believe I will be an asset to any university I attend. I hope my application gets the best attention it deserves. Â  In anticipation of a favourable response

Child Obesity Media And Technology Children And Young People Essay

Child Obesity Media And Technology Children And Young People Essay The topic of this research is looking into child obesity and whether it gives cause to come under child neglect laws. This will be done in a literature review format incorporating interviews to look at fact and opinions on the matter. The results provide a complex over view and debate the topic thoroughly, taking into consideration affecting factors. Yes, child obesity can be neglect if a parents have persistently ignored guidance and failed to seek needed help. It can also be no as not every child obese case gives cause to be considered neglect and it is extremely rare. Obesity is a condition in which weight gain has reached the point of seriously endangering health. While some people are genetically more susceptible than others, the direct cause of obesity in any individual is always an excess of energy intake over energy expenditure (Chambers and Wakely, 2002: X). The issues arisen from criminalising child obesity being under the law of child neglect will be critically discussed in this dissertation. Obesity is a major concern in the UK, proven to potentially shorten lives by up to 9 years, health professionals are starting to express their worries of parents outliving their children as a consequence of the health problems that accompany obesity (Kellow, 2011). Some of the possible health implications of child obesity are: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis (Sullivan, 2004 and Heaton-Harris, 2009). In 2010 20% of boys and 17% of girls aged 11-15 could be described as clinically obese, with 14% and 15% aged between 2-10 being obese. From 1995 child obesity has risen 6% for boys and 3% for girls (reference). This would make nearly 1 in 5 of all children not just overweight, but a t the point of serious health issues (Health Survey for England, 2010). It is already said to be costing the UK  £2 billion annually (Kellow, 2011) and estimated to increase to  £50 billion annually by 2050 if trends continue (Butland et al. 2007). The increase in child obe sity has sparked a moral panic about the concern for childrens health driving the government to do more to protect children from becoming obese. Obesity is defined by BMI which stands for body mass index. BMI is calculated by dividing a persons weight (in kg) by their height (in meters). To be classed as obese a persons BMI would need to be over 30, and to be classed as morbidly obese, which is extreme cases of obesity the BMI would need to be 40 or above (Chambers and Wakely, 2002). This is not what you expect to be talking about when discussing children, as the stereotypical image of a child is healthy and happy, getting plenty of exercise and being fed properly. However, Heaton-Harris (2009:14) provides an opposite portrayal, saying Obese children are less active than the average pensioner. She then goes onto explain that overweight children will get out of breath after 5 minutes due to the additional strain on the heart to pump excessively around the body, which is too large and demanding oxygen rich blood. It is clear from the statement that Heaton-Harris (2009) argues that obese children are very disadvantaged and unfit. Children are vulnerable and dependant on parents and guardians and it is their duty is to make sure their children are healthy and happy. Ford-Martin (2005) says that children learn by example and that as a parent or guardian you are their primary role model. The parents or guardians of children struggling with obesity are therefore failing their children as the child is severely unhealthy and is at risk of severe health problems. It currently can become a child protection issue if children are allowed to eat excessive amounts of food, or have a seriously unbalanced diet (Grady, 2012). In extreme cases children can be removed from parental or guardian care by the court due to the affecting factor, children being obese. The fact that children sometimes need protection from parents if they are obese is interesting and leads onto the discussion whether this should also be a punishable offence. As it stands the definition of child neglect is, a persistent failure to meet a childs basic physical and/or developmental needs. Neglect includes failing to provide for a childs health, education, emotional development, nutrition, clothing, shelter, safety and safe living conditions, and includes exclusion of the child from the home and abandonment. It is different from poverty, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), because it happens when there is failure to provide the resources to meet a childs needs if those resources exist or should be available (Bovarnick online, 2007). This definition explains under current statute what would be classed as child neglect and as you can see this covers a very wide spectrum. Although it does say failing to provide for a childs health (Bovarnick online, 2007).This could allow child obesity to fit into this category. Although generally the main focus of child neglect is failure to provide a child with something not allowing children excessive amounts of something. The question this dissertation sets out to answer is whether or not child obesity presents the scope to be punishable by law under child neglect statute. The aims are to establish how much blame is on the media, technology and parents to establish whether or not it is justifiable to hold them responsible for the obesity state their child/children are in. This question will be looked at through current literature and interviews to see what people think about the issue also. The first chapter discussing the role media and technology play on the obesity state of the youth in the UK. The second chapter puts forward the debate on whether or not parents should take the main responsibility of their childrens obesity state. The third and final chapter deliberates the on-going debate on the issues of child obesity being a form of child neglect taking into consideration both of the discussed issues presented in the previous chapters. The impending investigation takes the format of a literature review, which incorporates interviews also. There is extensive literature on the topic of child obesity in the UK which is taken advantage of in the format being used to answering the question set out. As well as gathering qualitative data from interviews to get opinions and see if they back up the literature found. Chapter 2: Methodology The methods section is the most important aspect of a research paper because it provides the information by which the validity of a study is ultimately judged (Kallet, 2004:1129). 2.1: Research design and rationale Child neglect and child obesity are both current issues and can both impose health problems to children. It is an on-going debate whether child obesity should come under child neglect laws which can hold parents or guardians responsible and therefore punish them for the obesity state their child/children are in. These two topics for investigation are strongly linked and consequently showing a need to investigate them together and answer the question whether child obesity should be criminalised. The methodology used to conduct this investigation into child neglect and child obesity is mainly library based research but incorporated into the research investigation is a short interview to compare with the literature based findings. The methodological approach needs to fit the purpose and the question being researched. Therefore justification for the methods used in any research being conducted needs to be established (Kumar, 2011). This is also backed up by Robson (2002), who articulates the data collected by the researcher in any topic is dependent on the particular research question and aims. Winstanley (2009) and Saunders et al., (2007) state there are two categories research can be separated into; primary research and secondary research. According to Sorenson (2010) the difference between the two is how the research is gathered: primary research is collected by the researcher whereas secondary research is carried out using already existing data. Secondary data according to Bryman and Bell (2007) and Zikmund (2003) is when, documents by other researchers are analysed by people most commonly not involved in the collection process. This allows experience and knowledge to be drawn from other academics which may be vital to the subject area being discussed. This paper is at an under-graduate level making expert knowledge and expertise crucial in making the paper of value in the academic world. Zikmund (2003) also draws attention to the lower cost, which is also a main advantage over primary data which can be expensive. Saunders et al. (2007) comment that secondary research allows a wide range of information to be gathered such as: quantitative, qualitative, descriptive and explanatory data. However every form of data collection comes with weaknesses. Secondary data may provide a lot of good quality information but may not link entirely with the given research questions and aims providing no value towards further research; this is something researchers need to consider. In a lot of instances it can be near impossible to find sufficient information (Zikmund, 2003). Also if pre-existing data is relevant, credible and specifically what the researcher needs to discuss time and effort designing and collating new research maybe a waste of the researchers time. Secondary research was the main data collection method chosen as it seemed the best choice to answer the question on whether child obesity should or is criminalised. When talking about a debate that already exists it is paramount to include current literature, especially when this issue is a current governmental and political matter. With an abundance of existing research in this area, secondary data collection was the easiest method and the most appropriate main form of data collection. However the weaknesses pointed out do need to be noted as secondary data can provide such a wide scope of data and most of it may be irrelevant and only relevant data needs to be discussed, this will be discussed in more detail under the inclusion/exclusion of data. The debate on criminalising child obesity is a current one in the academic world however this dissertation took a new direction, by adding interviews as there would have been no point carrying out something that had been done before. The secondary data gathered was in the form of a library based dissertation also known as a literature review. This is the main source of information being used to discuss the issues of child obesity and whether criminalising it is appropriate and considers: journals, newspapers, reports, textbooks, abstracts, media sources both electronically and in hard copy format (Hart, 1998). Hart says that a literature review is The selection of available documents on the topic, which contain ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint to fulfil certain aims or express certain views on the nature of the topic and how it is to be investigated and the effective evaluation of these documents in relation to the research being proposed (1998: 13). Literature reviews are seen as very important and as Aveyard (2010: 6) explains them to be like jigsaw puzzles as you piece each part of the puzzle (piece of literature) together to give the reader the overall picture. Therefore playing an important part allowing all relevant information on a given topic to be in one place at the same time, this brings to light conflicting academic works to be seen together which may have gone unnoticed before. This type of research can also incur new insights to be drawn as a result of re-analysing previous sources. However Aveyard (2010) notices they are useful but in order to be reliable they need rigour and structure. The idea is not to find literature to back up the desired answer but to open-mindedly collate information to reach and answer on a predefined question. This is very important as literature reviews permits the overall picture to be seen and therefore hopefully eliminating bias so the researcher needs to adhere to this and this why it is vital that a systematic approach is taken. Hart (1998) establishes that literature reviews need to present all available documents on the chosen topic not just selected few to give the reader everything to make up their mind. This poses a difficulty as the resources available to an under graduate student will not allow a team of researchers and there are time constraints. This is why a systematic approach will be adhered to but may not reach the exact same criteria a fully funded and resourced literature review will. To present information to allow a reader to reach his/her own conclusions on the predefined question, whether childhood obesity should be criminalised, it will be thoroughly researched selecting only relevant information. The systematic approach used key terms (Appendix 2: 54) to search the library data base at Buckinghamshire New University and the internet. This was systematic do uncover any relevant literature which ensured everything relating to the topic was read and if found useful was then included in the discussion. However this is not the only form of data collection being used as primary research is also being used in the form of interviews which shapes the literature already in circuit to cater directly to the needs of the question and objectives giving and already existing topic area a new direction. The dissertation aims to uncover not only current issues and debates but peoples attitudes and thoughts which are only possible if opting to incorporate primary data also that adds value to the issues being presented. The interview questions were formed around the literary findings, which then allowed the literature and interviews to be compared and discussed. Interviews were conducted as part of the research which is one of the main methods of gathering primary data; permitting data to be brought together that has not been gathered previously. Ghauri et al. (2005) highlights one of the main advantages of using primary research methods is the data is going to be relevant as it is specifically gathered to the specialised research area, this is also backed up by Zikmund (2003). Being able to shape the data being gathered to suit the needs of the study allows consistent information to be provided. Saunders et al. (2007) points out that a main limitation to primary research is interviewee and interviewer bias when using focus groups. The research in this study does not involve focus groups for this exact reason to decrease the chance of bias. However the interviewees and interviewer were criminology students and may present a bias for that reason. Having bias makes it less reliable which affects the validity and also makes it hard to generalis e results, this is something to be taken into consideration for this study. Nevertheless this is a valid point and makes the study less reliable but not an easy issue to overcome given the ethical restrictions and materials available for the study. The library based element and the interview section are both focusing on qualitative data, however there will be some secondary data featured in the form of quantitative statistics jotted throughout. Bryman (2001: Page number) describes qualitative research to be a strategy that usually emphasizes words, feelings, perception, and qualitative research tends to be concerned with words rather than numbers. The point of the dissertation is to look into the perception people have and the way society see child obesity and what they think in regards to it being criminalised. Hoepfl (1997) stated that qualitative research allows data to discover the meaning of events rather quantitative using numbers to establish facts. Qualitative data provides the means to find out what peoples attitudes and intentions are about fundamental topics (Ghauri et al, 2005). This permits researchers to broaden knowledge and insight in their chosen topic. This is very useful and one of the main reasons interviews were picked was to develop an understanding of whether obesity is seen as criminal as it will give an insight to peoples opinions on the issue as well as comparing it to current literature available. Interviews were chosen as they have potential to gain rich and insightful data (Robson, 2011). Sarantakos (1988) highlights the main advantages of interviews are: there flexible and adaptable, they directly ask the questions and can assess non-verbal behaviour, which can sometimes reverse the meaning. Robson (2007) also highlights that direct face to face interviews have advantages as you can measure the seriousness which participants take the exercise and you get a higher response rate as it is harder to say no. Although Sarantakos also points out that there are disadvantages such as biases are hard to rule out and that interviews are very time-consuming considering the time it takes to transcribe interviews. Interviews were picked from this study to gage an understanding of what people thought about childhood obesity as from interviews you can directly ask the questions you need answered. It was tailored to the topic of the dissertation which allowed the discussion of both literatu re and the data found in the interviews. Interviews not only helped to gage an understanding and present data for discussion but as it was done whilst the literature was being gathered it showed areas that were in need for research to cover the topic of child obesity. For example, in one interview the topic of illnesses and diseases that can make you obese was discussed about bringing to light this new area to be included. The interviews will be carried out on two separate days with 5 interviews on one day and 5 on the other. All interviewees were handed a leaflet (Appendix 3:55-56) to inform them that the interview will remain anonymous and that they can stop at any time and this leaflet is then signed by each interviewee to ensure consent is present. Participant numbers will be used when discussing in the main paper and no names will be included within the dissertation to keep identities confidential. There will also be a verbal introduction read out to participants to ensure consistency (Appendix 4: 57). 10 students will be asked the same three questions in the same order. Interviewees will be both genders but all over the age of 18 attending Buckinghamshire New University. They were interviewed in a rentable room in the library of Bucks New University. All interviews were recorded on a Dictaphone and transcribed after all participants had completed the interview. The interviews will be structured a nd based upon four questions (appendix 4: 57). Interviewees were asked to explain their answers in as much detail as they could. A main advantage of the research design is that it incorporated both secondary and primary research by being a library based review including short interviews to compare and possibly back up the literature based findings. The disadvantages of just doing one form of research will be minimised as you will decrease the disadvantages of doing primary or secondary by using both. For example a main disadvantage of using primary research is researcher bias which can still occur but will be compared to other literature on the same topic so this will be minimised, this makes the results found in the dissertation a higher validity. 2.2: Data Analysis 2.2.1 Library Based Research A library based search is an analytical overview of literature on a given topic. In order to present the literature found in from the library search it was thoroughly studied and then broken down into the three chapters. They were broken down into chapters to specifically analyse each section of information uncovered giving the direct access to then compare to the interview findings. 2.2.2 Interviews Gibbs (2007) describes coding as the direction you take when analysing your data, where you systematically link together similar theories and descriptions. Robson (2011) explains the importance of thematic coding has to drawing points of interest out of data. Thematic coding was used to analyse the data gathered from the interviews as the reason they were carried out was to gage what people thought about child obesity. The interviews consisted of peoples thoughts and ideas and being able to dissect the meaning of these gives value to the data collected and transforms it to a functional format, this is then used when discussing the issues that arose. Being able to identifying general themes from the interviews was necessary in understanding more about the phenomenon. It was especially useful in pin pointing specific areas in need for discussion as child obesity is a broad topic; this was how the chapters were chosen. There were a lot of advantages to thematic coding such as: flexibility, being easy to pick up, within reach to those with little or no experience and it allowed key features to be summarised which then made it easy to remark on in the chapters. However the main disadvantages these were: being flexible it gave the potential for a broad range of data which could then be confusing to interpret and use and that coding may be limited to description or exploration and not very focused towards interpretation (Robson, 2011). Robson (2011) then goes onto describe the five phases to thematic coding: the first phase is familiarising yourself with data, the second phase generating initial codes, the third identifying themes, the fourth constructing thematic networks and the fifth and final phase integration and interpretation stage. Miles and Huberman (1994) mention that there are more than one stage to coding the first level is attaching labels to groups and the second putting the initial themes into a smaller amount of themes. 2.3: Inclusion/Exclusion of Criteria Research materials included in the research investigation would need to be from the UK and information from other countries or discussing other countries will be excluded as the points will not be as relevant, unless it specifically addresses the UK or is used in a comparative style. Another crucial point is the date period which is something the researcher should be aware of (Zikmund, 2003). If a publication was older than 10 years it is not likely to still be of importance, however in the case of childhood obesity it seems to be a newly mediated topic which can mean that all information is still of relevance. So literature that is older than 10 years will only be included if it seems to still be of significant importance or a pivotal point for discussion. Chapter 3: Child Obesity, media and technology Of course, with the important role comes responsibility, the media must operate in an ethical and responsible way (Browne, J, 2011, online). This chapter looks at the part media and technology play in the child obesity epidemic. The media cannot be punished for neglecting children as they do not owe the same duty of care parents do, establishing how much the media affects the problem of obesity nevertheless will benefit the overall argument. It can be broken down into three categories, firstly the rise in technology, which has increased sedentary activities among youths. Secondly, with the issue of child obesity increasing this has led to an upsurge of media coverage on the issue (Kim and Wills, 2007), the ways in which the issue is portrayed may too affect child obesity. Thirdly studies have shown that advertising of junk foods may be directly linked to the increase of child obesity, and has been a topic of much discussion in recent years. It is important to remember that not only are media there to inform but they aim to educate and entertain and are getting paid so it is important to remember they may have hidden agend as (Melville-Brown, 2007) as well as their aim being to publicise health problems not rectify them. 3.1: Literature Findings 3.1.1 Sedentary lifestyles amongst youths The involvement children have with physical activity has noticeably decreased over the past 20 years. Dr Watkins (cited in Cole and Kmietowicz, 2007:334) stated that free range children have been replaced with battery reared children reared in cyberspace, and thats the reason for the epidemic of childhood obesity. This highlights that the increased participation in sedentary activities, that are more readily available for the children of today, play a huge role in their lives and may impact on the statistical increase of childhood obesity. The changes in lifestyle that causes lack of physical exercise and the consumption of more high in fat foods are thought to be major influences to obesity, even when taking into consideration genetic causes that are coming to light more and more (Warren et al., 2003). What are the pin point changes in society that caused this change in lifestyle? We now live in an instant culture (Heaton-Harris, 2009). Children in todays society spend their time pl aying video games and socialising on the internet rather than meeting face to face. It is these sedentary pursuits that allows children to do little exercise and encourages them to snack more. Ford Martin (2005) found that 92% of children had a home gaming system and the average time a day children spend in front of a media screen is 6 and a half hours. It is no wonder that child obesity is on the rise and physical activity is at an all-time low among young children. It is starting at such a young age as a Kaiser family foundation study (cited in Ford-Martin, 2005) found that a third of all children aged six and younger had their own televisions in their bedrooms. The children of today do not know anything different than sitting down in front of computers and televisons. It is not that sedentary activities are what children are most commonly engaging in.   It is worrying because it is replacing physical exercise of  youth  altogether  (Ofcom, 2004). Ofcom (2004) emphasise that there is a correlation between watching television, poor diet, poor health and obesity with children and adults. Steinbeck (2001) links the decrease in physical activity to the increase of child obesity; Biddle, Gorely and Stensel (2004) believe this to be true also. It would appear to attempt overcoming the child obesity epidemic children need to lessen their time involved in sedentary activities and partake in more physical activities. 3.1.2 Media Coverage Rodgers (2009, online) believes there is currently a panic surrounding child obesity in the UK with this sudden rise of media attention. Marsh and Melville (2011, online) describe moral panics as an exaggerated social reaction to something embraced by the mass media, which is caused by the activities of certain groups and/or individuals. This becomes the source of major public concern that amplifies the panic surrounding such activities. The TV series Jamies school dinners (2005), presented by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, made a huge impact on child obesity, the media coverage on the topic and public perceptions. The Chef uncovered that 97% of school children were getting a totally unbalanced diet on a daily basis and this needed to change for the benefit of childrens health. A nutritionist on the series explained that the current school dinners lacked fruit, veg and vitamin C which are crucial in forming immunity (Jamies School Dinners, 2005). The TV series not only changed the public perception, more importantly led to changes by the government to ensure children had healthier school dinners. The Department for Education (2013), explains the governments current stance that there are strict nutrient-based standards that all schools in England need to comply with. This includes food and drink that can be obtained throughout a school day. The Government clearly state that they take the issue of healthy school dinners seriously, as it can affect childrens willingness to learn, behaviour and eating habits for life. The Schools Food Trust (2007, online) is a document that sets out the compulsory standards the Government insisted on that needed to be in place by September 2009. A 2011 article in the Sunday Observer shows that since the positive change to healthier school dinners that there has been an increase in not only learning as test results show but absences have dropped by 14% (Boffey, 2011). The media therefore has positive effects as well as negative. The media has seen to be useful for informing people about child obesity and helping to overcome the epidemic, as Jamie School Dinners is a prime example. However the media is widely known to provide misconceptions, which could worsen the issue. As it has been discussed child obesity is prominently featured in the media. When an important issue such as a childs health is at stake it is important that the issue is honestly portrayed ensuring it can be dealt with effectively. An argument is that the media portray only the extreme cases of obesity as that would be shocking news stories (Winterman, 2012). This then leads people to think that to be obese you would need to be extremely obese which may be cause for confusion and misunderstanding. As shown when half of parents underestimated the size of an obese child which implies that the media maybe the cause of this dangerous misconception (Winterman, 2012). If parents are misinformed by the media this could have life threatening affects for children who are obese, especially if it encourages the parents to believe that their children are not obese and do not take much needed action. It has also been noted that prime time TV shows about obesity, that dominate popular channels, give the wrong impression about obesity also. Boyce and Inthorn, (2007) studied programmes that were dedicated primarily to obesity, and came to the realisation that the shows directed blame on individuals generally rather than a public health issue. They tended to give the impression that it was down to self-control and discipline of the individual, with weight control being easily attainable as a result. The study also found that the programmes failed to improve levels of knowledge on obesity as it used shame and humiliation to persuade people to lose weight not knowledge. Jones (2006) backs this relaying that lack of correct information is a key problem. Rees et al. (2011) interviewed children about obesity, and they also shared the opinion shared by most TV programmes on obesity and thought if a child was obese they were to blame as it was something the media made out to be controllable . This false idea that obesity is easily controllable is wrong and may cause a lot of bullying in schools. 3.1.3 Advertising Its not just TV programmes that are thought to be affecting the ideas around child obesity; also adverts for unhealthy food are being blamed for the increase in child obesity (Carvel, 2003). It had been established beyond reasonable doubt that advertising of unhealthy products influences what children not only eat and drink but also the brands they prefer. Boyce, (2007) agrees that advertising is widely seen to encourage unhealthy consumption, particularly with children, as food is the most frequently advertised product on childrens TV. Coon and Tucker (2002) conducted a literature review into journal articles and concluded based on their findings that children exposed to advertising were significantly more likely to opt for advertised food products than those not exposed. Ofcom (2004) provided research also to suggest that there is a direct link to childrens food choices and advertisement. The report written by Barclay (2011) expresses clearly the governments stance, which indicates that they strongly agree junk food adverts encourage childrens ill health. From July 2007 such adverts were not restricted but totally banned from childrens TV by Ofcom, in what one would presume

Competition in the coffee industry

Competition in the coffee industry INTRODUCTION Today we stand witness to a new coffee era, one made up of Caffe Lattes, Espresso Macchiatos, Cappuccinos and Frappuccinos. Specialty Coffee is here to stay and no one will be more eager to tell you that than Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, the worlds largest specialty coffee bar. The study of Starbucks Corporation leads one on a multifaceted journey through an organizations insinuation into a culture, its dominance of a market and its creation of a brand synonymous with loyalty, integrity and longevity. Ever since it first spread through the Moslem world in the sixteenth century, coffee has played a pivotal role in society by providing meeting places for intellectuals from all sides of life to converge. As coffee was slowly introduced to the European world it was recognized for both its sociability and its taste. Soon Coffee houses were prevalent throughout Europe and were the natural locations for political, literary and societal debate. It crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the mid-seventeenth century and replaced beer as New York Citys favorite morning drink. Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington, United States. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 16,635 stores in 49 countries, including 11,068 (6,764 Company Owned, 4,304 Franchised) in the United States, followed by nearly 1,000 in Canada and more than 800 in Japan. Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, snacks, and items such as mugs and coffee beans. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of the companys products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores. Michael E. Porter provided a framework that models an industry as being influenced by five forces. The strategic business manager seeking to develop an edge over rival firms can use this model to better understand the industry context in which the firm operates. Porters Five Forces of Competitive Position: Industry Rivalry The dynamics of the industry rivalry within the specialty coffee industry has changed dramatically since 1987. Unlike the early days of the specialty coffee industry when Starbucks competed primarily against other small-scale specialty coffee retailers they now compete against companies of varying sizes and different exposures to specialty coffee. Starbucks competes with a variety of smaller scale specialty coffee shops, mostly concentrated in different regions of the country. All of these specialty coffee chains are differentiated from Starbucks in one way or another. Coffee Bean competes with Starbucks. They are similar to Starbucks in their attempt to create a third-place but distinguish themselves by creating an entirely different atmosphere. Where Starbucks strives to create an upscale European atmosphere, Coffee Bean tries to implement a more American feel to their coffee houses. Often they will use knotty pine cabinetry, numerous fireplaces and soft seating. Also they offer a barrage of magazines and newspapers as well as the guarantee of speedy service and free refills. In addition, they offer free WiFi, drive through accessibility and meeting rooms for rent. Through their subsidiary VKI technologies, they have become the world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of coffee making equipment and related products. In addition to these smaller scale specialty coffee companies, Starbucks must now compete against two of the largest companies in the fast food industry who have recently entered the specialty coffee segment. The first of these competitors is Dunkin Donuts, who claims to be the worlds largest coffee and baked goods chain. Currently, Dunkin Donuts operates about 5,500 franchises around the United States, 80 stores in Canada and 1,850 throughout the rest of the world. In the past couple years the franchise has put enormous emphasis on their coffee beverages. They serve coffee beverages in an assortment of types and styles including espresso, cappuccino and latte. They also serve their coffee in an assortment of flavors including French Vanilla, hazelnut, cinnamon and numerous others. The largest industry rival currently facing Starbucks is the McDonalds restaurant fast food chain. McDonalds originated from a single San Bernardino, California hamburger stand, which opened in 1948, and has turned into what is now the worlds largest restaurant chain with over 14,000 restaurants in the United States alone. The key to McDonalds success has been the consistent quality standards they achieve for their food, coupled with their quick service and low prices. 10 years ago Starbucks and McDonalds were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum in the restaurant industry. However, McDonalds, encouraged by the success of its upgraded drip coffee, began testing numerous drinks sold under the name McCafe. Starbucks meanwhile, with its rapid expansion, was adding drive-through windows and numerous breakfast sandwiches, similar to the Egg McMuffins served at McDonalds, to their stores. These measures have drawn the two companies closer together as competitors due to an encroachment into the demographic consumer base made by each company. In summary, the current impact of the industry rivalry force created by the competition between specialty coffee retailers is very high, especially as contrasted to what it was at the time of Starbucks rapid expansion twenty years ago. The growth of the industry has slowed while the number of competitors within the industry has increased. Both of these factors, in addition to Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds high strategic stakes in the specialty coffee industry, have caused this change from weak to strong industry rivalry. Potential for New Entrants Another of the five forces in Porters model, which has changed significantly since the late 80s when we analyze the current environment in which Starbucks competes, is the potential for new entrants. As stated earlier, the primary deterrents to entry in the specialty coffee industry are the various barriers to entry. The economies of scale within the specialty coffee industry have increased as the size of the top players has increased. Companies such as Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds have national distribution channels through which they can transport their specialty coffee at a relatively low cost compared to potential new entrants who have no such developed distribution systems. These larger companies are also able to economize on their accounting operations and marketing budgets by facilitating their specialty coffee operations from the same department as for all segments of their businesses. Finally, these larger corporations are also able to reap economies of scale through their purchasing by negotiating long term contracts with coffee farmers and purchasing coffee beans in bulk quantities at discount prices. There is numerous cost disadvantages imposed on new entrants that are independent of the economies of scale considerations. As the industry matures, the ability to access distribution channels and select from the highest quality coffee beans has becoming increasingly difficult. Most of the favorable store locations within the larger metropolitan areas have already been occupied by current competitors within the specialty coffee industry. Additionally, many companies now have proprietary product technology involved in the production of their specialty coffee as well as lower per unit costs due to an experience curve. Product differentiation within the specialty coffee industry has moved away from the purely objective and defined traits such as the taste of the coffee, convenience of the stores and prices charged. The industry has progressed toward more subjective traits such as the ambience of the store, the social responsibility of the company and brand identification. Many companies have gained very loyal customer bases stemming from their past advertisements, customer service, objective product differentiations and early entry into the industry. All of this makes it more difficult for new entrants to gain a solid customer base. From the analysis above, it can be ascertained that the barriers to entry in the specialty coffee industry have increased substantially. As a consequence, the potential threat of new entrants has gone down. Since, the industry does not have large capital requirements, smaller specialty coffee shops are still prevalent throughout the United States and the potential for more of them to enter the industry is still present. However, these new entrants can be disregarded given the unlikely nature of their concerted expansion and the inconsequential effects they have singly on the overall demand in the consumer market. Substitute Products The force created by substitute products in the specialty coffee industry has decreased. Many companies that presented the specialty coffee industry with a threat in the form of substitute products have actually entered the industry and now compete directly by offering their own premium coffee selections. The primary substitute products still posing a threat to the specialty coffee industry are the caffeinated soft drinks offered by Pepsi and Coca-Cola. However, even these substitute products pose little threat to the premium coffee industry. In the past five years, studies done on the percentage of meals or snacks that included a carbonated soft drink as opposed to coffee have shown a reversal in consumer preference. Coffee has gradually gained preference over carbonated soft drinks. This is mostly attributed to the health concerns associated with carbonated soft drinks and the new evidence showing coffee as a relatively healthy alternative. Supplier Bargaining Power With the extensive growth in the specialty coffee industry, supplier bargaining power has changed in numerous ways. In 1987, when the first Starbucks was conceived, the farmers from whom Starbucks purchased its premium coffee beans were numerous, small and unconnected to one another. Currently, many of the farmers who sell to Starbucks and other premium coffee chains are united by an initiative known as fair trade certified coffee, which was organized by TransFair USA. Under this initiative, companies such as Starbucks are given the opportunity to advertise their coffee as being fair trade certified if they purchase from coffee suppliers that are democratically owned cooperatives. This initiative was designed to ensure that the coffee farmers would be compensated fairly for their crops. Their increased unity under this initiative worked as a positive externality by increasing their ability to exert bargaining power over their buyers. The fair trade coffee certification is looked at by consumers in their decision of where to purchase their premium coffee. Thus, although the farmers are still numerous and small they are now connected through the initiative launched by TransFair USA and act in some respects like one large entity. Although the farmers of premium Arabica beans are still in constant competition with the substitute Robusta coffee bean growers, their bargaining power is not significantly diminished by this threat due to the unlikelihood of a big premium coffee retailer adopting the substitution. When Starbucks first began purchasing premium Arabica coffee beans in the late 1980s, they executed purchases incrementally throughout the year. Currently, they lock their coffee suppliers into long-term contracts to dilute potential price volatility. These contracts have stipulations within them which place a financial burden on the coffee suppliers if they choose to supply a different company. By creating these switching costs for the premium coffee suppliers, Starbucks has diminished their ability to play one buyer against another, which decreases their bargaining power. A last component to the analysis of supplier bargaining power within the current specialty coffee industry environment is the threat of forward integration. Technically, the farmers can forward integrate by setting up smaller coffee shops and brewing their own batches. This is, however, extremely unlikely and has yet to occur. When comparing the bargaining power of suppliers today in the specialty coffee industry to the bargaining power of suppliers during the late 1980s, it is apparent that suppliers are more powerful today. The increased unity among the coffee farmers, decreased significance of specialty coffee retailers purchases as a proportion of premium coffee bean sales and increased importance placed on high quality coffee beans by the purchasers have all acted to increase the bargaining power of the supplier group. Although Starbucks has locked some of the coffee suppliers into long-term contracts not all suppliers are affected; thus, the supplier bargaining power is only ma rginally diminished by that tactic. Bargaining Power of Buyers The last component of Michael Porters five forces analysis to be applied to the modern specialty coffee industry is the force created by the bargaining power of buyers. The primary buyers in the specialty coffee industry remain individual consumers, who neither engage in concerted behavior nor individually purchase in large volumes relative to the total sales of a corporation such as Starbucks. Unlike the late 1980s, however, there are a few buyers who purchase in large volumes. These large buyers are typically other multinational corporations who choose to serve Starbucks brewed coffee in their offices. However, the effects of losing one of these buyers to a competitor would not be detrimental to a company with a large sales volume such as Starbucks. Neither the individual consumers nor the multinational corporations who purchase specialty coffee commit a significant fraction of their resources to these purchases. This makes the buyers less sensitive to price fluctuations and gives the players within the specialty coffee industry more control over pricing. This acts to decrease the bargaining power of both the buyer groups. The expansion of the specialty coffee industry created a wider array of competitors who offered high quality specialty coffee. This made it much harder for the players in the specialty coffee industry to differentiate themselves through quality and turned quality into the industry standard. In addition to the increasing quality standardization which specialty coffee has undergone, the buyers face no switching costs and have an enormous selection of retailers from whom they can buy. The buyers of specialty coffee do pose a credible threat of backward integration. This threat can be carried out if a buyer chooses to start a mom and pop specialty coffee store in close proximity to an established specialty coffee store. Same-store sales are roughly 20% lower in Starbucks stores located within a two block vicinity of mom-and-pop specialty coffee stores. The ability of buyers to backward integrate is enhanced by the availability of all information regarding the demand, market pricing, and supplier costs in the specialty coffee industry through sources such as the World Wide Web. With full information, the buyer is in a better position to ensure that they pay a favorable price and receive an appropriate level of quality from the product. The amount of bargaining power that can be exerted by the buyers within the specialty coffee industry has increased as a result of the availability of information regarding market variables. This along with the other previously discussed changes to the dynamics of buyer bargaining power has increased its overall magnitude from the level it was at in the late 1980s. Limitations of Porters Five Force Model Porters model is a effective tool used to identify whether new products, services or businesses have the potential to be profitable. However it can also be very illuminating when used to understand the balance of power in other situations. Porter argues that five forces determine the profitability of an industry. At the heart of industry are rivals and their competitive strategies linked to, for example, pricing or advertising; but, he contends, it is important to look beyond ones immediate competitors as there are other determines of profitability. Specifically, there might be competition from substitutes products or services. These alternatives may be perceived as substitutes by buyers even though they are part of a different industry. An example would be plastic bottles, cans and glass bottle for packaging coffee for Starbucks. There may also be potential threat of new entrants, although some competitors will see this as an opportunity to strengthen their position in the market by ensuring, as far as they can, customer loyalty. Finally, it is important to appreciate that Starbucks purchase from suppliers and sell to buyers. If they are powerful they are in a position to bargain profits away through reduced margins, by forcing either cost increases or price decreases. This relates to the strategic option of vertical integration, when Starbucks acquires, or mergers with, a supplier or customer and thereby gains greater control over the chain of activities which leads from basic materials through to final consumption. It is important to be aware that this model has further limitations in todays market environment; as it assumes relatively static market structures. Based originally on the economic situation in the eighties with its strong competition and relatively stable market structures, it is not able to take into account new business models and the dynamism of the industries, such as technological innovations and dynamic market entrants from start-ups that will completely change business models within short times. For instance, coffee and soft drinks is often considered as being highly competitive. The industry structure is constantly being revolutionized by innovation that indicates Five Forces model being of limited value since it represents no more than snapshots of a moving picture. Therefore, it is not advisable to develop a strategy solely on the basis of Porters models Haberberg and Rieple, but to examine it in addition to other strategic frameworks of SWOT and PEST analysis. Nevertheless, that does not mean that Porters theories became invalid. What needs to be done is to adopt the model with the knowledge of their limitations and to use them as a part of a larger framework of management tools, techniques and theories. This approach, however, is advisable for the application of every business model. CONCLUSION Any company must seek to understand the nature of its competitive environment if it is to be successful in achieving its objectives and in establishing appropriate strategies. If a company fully understands the nature of the Porters five forces, and particularly appreciates which one is the most important, it will be in a stronger position to defend itself against any threats and to influence the forces with its strategy. The situation is fluid, and the nature and relative power of the forces will change. Consequently, the need to monitor and stay aware is continuous. Some issues during the implementation of these Five Forces are crucially important for organizations to build long-term business strategy and sustaining competitive advantages rather than simply list the forces. Successful use of the Porter Model Analysis includes identifying the sources of competition, the strength and likelihood of that competition existing, and strategic recommendations for the action a company should take to in order to develop barriers to competition. Having applied Michael Porters five forces model to the specialty coffee environment which confronted Starbucks in 2007, a conclusion can be logically derived regarding how the proportional effects of each force on the competition within the specialty coffee industry has changed since 1987. Specifically, the force created by industry rivalry has gone from one grounded in strategies of differentiation and focus while discouraging price wars to an extremely competitive environment where differentiation is increasingly difficult and price wars are looming. The strength of the force imposed by the potential for new entrants has decreased as a result of more formidable barriers to entry. The bargaining power of both suppliers and buyers has increased as a result of increased unity among the suppliers and the accessibility of information to the buyers. The threat of substitutes is still insignificant given the continued declining sales of carbonated soft drinks compared to coffee and speci fically specialty coffee.

Why I Live at the P.O. Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eudora Welty

Why I live at the P.O. was written by Eudora Welty in 1941. Sister, the first person narrator, who is a flat character in the story, causes external conflicts within her family as a result of her inner-conflicts. Such as lack of self-confidence and a demanding need to be the center of attention. Due to the conflicts she deals with inside herself, she is driven to move out of her family’s home and into the post office. In the beginning of the story the reader has sympathy for Sister due to the conflicts that are going on, but later on in the story we start to see that these conflicts were perpetuated by Sister herself. As this occurs the story takes on a comedic aspect from the view of the reader, and we lose our sympathy for Sister. Sister lives in China Grove, Mississippi presumably a very small town with only a few occupants. She lives with her mother, grandfather and uncle in their home, being the center of attention for the duration of the time until her younger sister, Stella-Rondo returns home. The return of Stella-Rondo sparks a conflict with Sister immediately because Sister is obviously envious of her and has been even before she came back to China Grove. The reader gets clear evidence of Sister’s jealousy toward Stella-Rondo when Sister says â€Å"She’s always had anything in the world she wanted and then she’d throw it away.†(594). Clearly Sister has a predisposition toward Stella-Rondo returning for many reasons, and this is the beginning of the conflict that she begins to have with herself. Stella-Rondo returns to the house with a child during the middle of dinner, and Sister is feeling greatly offended by this and shows us her arrogance and dismay that she’s losing the center of attention when she says â€Å"There I was o... ...ly marking the time, in hopes that a member of her family will come to the post office and beg for her return as she states in, â€Å"And if Stella-Rondo should come to me this minute, on bended knees, and attempt to explain the incidents of her life†¦I’d simply put my fingers in both my ears and refuse to listen.†(602). It is clear to the reader that Sister is hoping that Stella-Rondo will come for her in hopes giving her the attention she is longing for. Throughout the story, it has been Sister who has tried to persuade the reader to take her side in the debacle with her family. The truth is that it was Sister who caused the entire dispute that is going on with her obsession to compete with her sister that goes back to her childhood where she feels that Stella-Rondo is spoiled and continues to be spoiled up to the end following Sister’s desperate need for attention. Why I Live at the P.O. Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eudora Welty Why I live at the P.O. was written by Eudora Welty in 1941. Sister, the first person narrator, who is a flat character in the story, causes external conflicts within her family as a result of her inner-conflicts. Such as lack of self-confidence and a demanding need to be the center of attention. Due to the conflicts she deals with inside herself, she is driven to move out of her family’s home and into the post office. In the beginning of the story the reader has sympathy for Sister due to the conflicts that are going on, but later on in the story we start to see that these conflicts were perpetuated by Sister herself. As this occurs the story takes on a comedic aspect from the view of the reader, and we lose our sympathy for Sister. Sister lives in China Grove, Mississippi presumably a very small town with only a few occupants. She lives with her mother, grandfather and uncle in their home, being the center of attention for the duration of the time until her younger sister, Stella-Rondo returns home. The return of Stella-Rondo sparks a conflict with Sister immediately because Sister is obviously envious of her and has been even before she came back to China Grove. The reader gets clear evidence of Sister’s jealousy toward Stella-Rondo when Sister says â€Å"She’s always had anything in the world she wanted and then she’d throw it away.†(594). Clearly Sister has a predisposition toward Stella-Rondo returning for many reasons, and this is the beginning of the conflict that she begins to have with herself. Stella-Rondo returns to the house with a child during the middle of dinner, and Sister is feeling greatly offended by this and shows us her arrogance and dismay that she’s losing the center of attention when she says â€Å"There I was o... ...ly marking the time, in hopes that a member of her family will come to the post office and beg for her return as she states in, â€Å"And if Stella-Rondo should come to me this minute, on bended knees, and attempt to explain the incidents of her life†¦I’d simply put my fingers in both my ears and refuse to listen.†(602). It is clear to the reader that Sister is hoping that Stella-Rondo will come for her in hopes giving her the attention she is longing for. Throughout the story, it has been Sister who has tried to persuade the reader to take her side in the debacle with her family. The truth is that it was Sister who caused the entire dispute that is going on with her obsession to compete with her sister that goes back to her childhood where she feels that Stella-Rondo is spoiled and continues to be spoiled up to the end following Sister’s desperate need for attention. Why I Live at the P.O. Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eudora Welty Why I live at the P.O. was written by Eudora Welty in 1941. Sister, the first person narrator, who is a flat character in the story, causes external conflicts within her family as a result of her inner-conflicts. Such as lack of self-confidence and a demanding need to be the center of attention. Due to the conflicts she deals with inside herself, she is driven to move out of her family’s home and into the post office. In the beginning of the story the reader has sympathy for Sister due to the conflicts that are going on, but later on in the story we start to see that these conflicts were perpetuated by Sister herself. As this occurs the story takes on a comedic aspect from the view of the reader, and we lose our sympathy for Sister. Sister lives in China Grove, Mississippi presumably a very small town with only a few occupants. She lives with her mother, grandfather and uncle in their home, being the center of attention for the duration of the time until her younger sister, Stella-Rondo returns home. The return of Stella-Rondo sparks a conflict with Sister immediately because Sister is obviously envious of her and has been even before she came back to China Grove. The reader gets clear evidence of Sister’s jealousy toward Stella-Rondo when Sister says â€Å"She’s always had anything in the world she wanted and then she’d throw it away.†(594). Clearly Sister has a predisposition toward Stella-Rondo returning for many reasons, and this is the beginning of the conflict that she begins to have with herself. Stella-Rondo returns to the house with a child during the middle of dinner, and Sister is feeling greatly offended by this and shows us her arrogance and dismay that she’s losing the center of attention when she says â€Å"There I was o... ...ly marking the time, in hopes that a member of her family will come to the post office and beg for her return as she states in, â€Å"And if Stella-Rondo should come to me this minute, on bended knees, and attempt to explain the incidents of her life†¦I’d simply put my fingers in both my ears and refuse to listen.†(602). It is clear to the reader that Sister is hoping that Stella-Rondo will come for her in hopes giving her the attention she is longing for. Throughout the story, it has been Sister who has tried to persuade the reader to take her side in the debacle with her family. The truth is that it was Sister who caused the entire dispute that is going on with her obsession to compete with her sister that goes back to her childhood where she feels that Stella-Rondo is spoiled and continues to be spoiled up to the end following Sister’s desperate need for attention.

Production Context of Bye Bye Blues :: Anne Wheeler Bye Bye Blues Essays

Production Context of Bye Bye Blues In his essay on the historical fiction film, Leger Grindon writes: "History is no more than a useful device to speak of the present time. The historical film indulges its contact with the immediate and generally refuses the past its distinct and foreign character" (Grindon 189). It is exactly this distinct character, however, that director Anne Wheeler hoped to capture in her 1989 film Bye Bye Blues. In an interview taken during the film’s production, Wheeler explained: "I’m trying to present history as it was, not as we hope it was" (Hays 9). With Bye Bye Blues, Wheeler has created more than simply what Grindon purports the historical fiction to be; her film captures much of the detail of life on the Canadian home-front during the Second World War. Wheeler does, however, weave into the film a deeper message about the role of the woman in society, which, ultimately, speaks directly to the audience of the 1990’s. While Bye Bye Blues is factual, the film does not d epict history entirely as it happened. This is not to say that Wheeler has overtly classified the forties as a period of triumph for feminists the world over, for she has not. Much of Bye Bye Blues is indeed authentic. "Wheeler has said time and again in interviews that stylistically, she likes to keep things as realistic as possible" (Hays 9). This is evidenced by the manner in which Wheeler tackles her subject; the film treats the events of the past with subtlety. "The overall impression left by accounts of life on the home-front is of ... boredom and ... deprivation punctuated by moments of terror" (Klein 10). Had the director exaggerated the events of the war, even on the home-front, she would have sacrificed some of the film’s realism. Instead of glorifying the war and over-dramatizing events like the return of Daisy’s husband, the story is presented in a straight-forward and unsentimental manner. Wheeler presents problems that are true-to-life, such as Daisy being unable to afford new shoes for her son . And certainly the events the film addresses are historically accurate: Japan did invade Singapore at the end of 1940, taking enemy soldiers hostage as prisoners of war (Snyder 267). During the war, women were left to fend for themselves and their children, without knowing whether their husbands were dead or alive, let alone where they could write to them (Vickers 25).

Massacre At Mystic

English Puritans assembled an alliance. They all had one goal; eradicate the most powerful tribe in southern New England, The Opaque Tribe. They began conflicting over property, warfare, division of labor and nature. The English thought the Puritan men were lazy because the women did all the cooking and gardening. The alliance made a deal to not harm women or children. On that night, the group, led by John Mason, snuck to the Opaque village, with the Intent to kill the men.The Opaque forces were too strong. The puritans then decided to burn the village, with the Bouquets Inside. Hundreds of Bouquets were killed, as well as some Englishmen, others were sold Into slavery. This, In turn, harmed the elderly, men, women, and children. The massacre was a tragic event that had forever changed America for the natives. The English believed that the only way of life, was their way of life. Their goal was western expansion. The Natives, unfortunately for the English, controlled all of the weste rn land. Puritans manipulated native enemies into killing one another.A systematic idea of killing all Bouquets began only a few weeks later. As a result, the Opaque tribe was considered extinct, even though little remained. The English hoped the few remaining would forget their ways. The Narragansett Tribe, approximately eighty years later, was destroyed in the King Philips War. The final Bouquets reemerged in Connecticut on a reservation appointed by the government. The land was difficult for survival due to insufficient soil and many other factors. Their reservation became smaller and smaller as the English began to take the land for arsenal use or for money.The Puritans goal of wiping out the Opaque Tribe was almost a success. Nearly three hundred years later, only three Opaque remained. They were all elderly women, living alone on the reservation. The women intended to restore the native tribe. Eventually, the land was returned to the Opaque group. The reservation was considere d a separate country from the United States. No taxes were enforced, in fact, none were created at all. There was a government and police force established. Enhancement Opaque Museum is a museum that tells of all the vents the occurred in the history of the tribe.The Pesto's main source of prosperity was the casino they built. It Is still, to this day, the largest casino In the United States. Nevertheless the Opaque Tribe still engages In the same rituals and old traditions practiced before the massacre. They still condemned mistrust and suspicion since the massacre. As of today the Opaque Tribe Is still considered nonexistent. Although some do not consider the Opaque as an active tribe, It Is notorious for their great recovery of the ancient ways and legends of the group.The Puritans we not effected by their expedition because they were under the Impression they were doing good. The tragic event eventually caused prosperity although many lives were taken. If the Puritans had not do ne this though, America would be a completely different place. The incident did, in fact, change American history and America today. BY Ian-11234 On May 26th, 1637, a group of Narragansett and Monica Native Americans along led by John Mason, snuck to the Opaque village, with the intent to kill the men. The the Bouquets inside.Hundreds of Bouquets were killed, as well as some Englishmen, others were sold into slavery. This, in turn, harmed the elderly, men, women, and prosperity was the casino they built. It is still, to this day, the largest casino in the United States. Nevertheless the Opaque Tribe still engages in the same rituals and suspicion since the massacre. As of today the Opaque Tribe is still considered nonexistent. Although some do not consider the Opaque as an active tribe, it is Puritans we not effected by their expedition because they were under the impression

Evangelism Paper Essay

Over the last few months one has to mention an undeniable fact: the church of tomorrow must be reached different than the church of yesterday. Through readings, lectures, and field trips, it has become evident that something different must begin to take place if the church is going to be able to reach the present and future generations. We must become creative in our evangelism if we wish to reach this culture. It is essential to be up to date technologically and even socially. A pastor who falls behind in the social atmosphere around him will lose touch with his or her people. If we are to reach these people as individuals, the pastor cannot be expected to â€Å"do all the work.† â€Å"A clerical ministry will not penetrate this age, but the priesthood of all believers can† (Maddix). That is, we must teach the laity of the church to reach out spiritually and socially to their neighbors, friends, and especially each other. According to Bonhoeffer, the meaning of the statement â€Å"Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this†¦we belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ† is threefold: â€Å"first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ†¦second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ†¦third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity† (21). The transformation of members into ministers will spark great growth within the church. In the midst of this, it is essential to remain biblical. The Scripture must always be taken seriously, never downplayed, in an effort to reach someone. We must recognize that we are a body of believers and that, according to Wesley, there is no such thing as solitary religion. Whether Christ is the first thing out of our mouth or not, we must be passionate about Christ before we will be able to reach these generations. We can become passionate by focusing on Christ and focusing on those who are not yet followers of Christ. A passion for the lost is essential in evangelism. Two of my closest friends had not been saved, and my heart felt great pain and anguish knowing that if everything ended right then, I would be without them for eternity, and more importantly, they without God. We must also focus on sin, not avoiding it so as to attract people. A seeker sensitive church will die if sin in not recognized. Evangelistic decisions are the most powerful catalyst for change and growth in a church and pastor. As such, we should know our purpose as a church and embrace it. I will focus on st paul’s lutheran church. In tandem with many other churches, St. Paul’s indeed has an official membership list that includes many people who have left the congregation. However, around 75 adults have attended or made a contribution to some extent to St. Paul’s over the past year, along with 12 children and 3 teenagers. Pastor Nadine’s yearly salary is $15,500. If we are to create a church, we must begin with a strong foundation. According to Rick Warren, â€Å"If you want to build a healthy, strong, and growing church you must spend time laying a solid foundation. This done by clarifying in the minds of everyone involved exactly why the church exists and what it is supposed to do† (86). First, a clear purpose builds moral. The moral of a church will be much higher if they know why they exist. Second, a clear purpose reduces much frustration. We are helped to put aside the petty things and recognize what we are not seeking to do. A clear purpose within a church allows for concentration. The more focus a church has, the higher impact it will have on the people around it. If focus is lost, therefore, the impact of the church will be negligible. It is also vital not to flood the church calendar. The goal of the church is not to overwhelm its people, but to quench them. Tradition should never stand above excellence within the church. If an event or tradition is now failing, it should probably be removed. Chances are that new traditions could be started that could have a much great impact on both the church and the people in the neighboring areas. Programs should never be started if they do not run in line with the purpose of the church. So, just because a program may seem to be well-intentioned and may even have well affects on the church, that doesn’t mean those affects are furthering the purpose of the church. Serious setbacks could occur in this manner. When beginning new ministries within the church, the pastor or initiator of the idea must not stand alone in developing it. At this point delegations need to be made to people who are trustworthy and effective. They must know their duties or the ministry will fail. A clear purpose also attracts cooperation. We must make sure members understand the purpose of the church so they can be comfortable with what is being taught and what ministries are taking place. Someone who is out of touch with the purpose of the church may begin to feel excluded and angry that things are not going as they â€Å"should.† Some people may transfer to a church with a set purpose and have their own ideas about ways things should be done based on their past experiences. These people must not be part of the decision making processes of the church in terms of its purpose. As the rest of the congregation has already committed to the purpose, changing it now would be quite unhealthy for the church. Finally, having a clear purpose for the church makes it easier to evaluate the growth and success of the church. With clear goals having been set, it is easy to look and see what has and has not been accomplished (Maddix,). Once these purposes are established, it is important to organize around them. In doing so, there are five basic purpose-driven church types as outlined in lecture. First is the Soul Winning Church. The pastor is the evangelist and the primary goal is reaching the lost. Second is the Experiencing God Church. This church focuses on experiencing the presence and power of God in worship. The third type is the Family Reunion Church. The primary focus here is fellowship. The pastor is usually very relational, loving and spending time with his people. The next type is the Classroom Church. Here the pastor is primarily a teacher. The sermons will almost always include taking notes. I would place most of the Nazarene churches I have attended in this category primarily. The final type is the Social Conscience Church. The pastor is seen as a prophet or reformer. The church is primarily concerned with changing society- â€Å"doers of the Word.† With all of these available, it becomes essential to produce a good balance. These purposes must still be applied further. We should work to constantly be working to assimilate newcomers if we wish to keep them as a part of the church. To do this the church must be prepared for newcomers with its Greeter/Usher ministry as well as its care ministries team. A follow-up on newcomers almost always lets them know that they were noticed and are cared about. At least a few contacts should be made in the first week whether from the pastor directly or from care team members. The programs within the church must be relevant to the purpose of the church, as stated before. Programs should be servants to the purpose. Also reiterated, is that the people must be educated as to the purpose of the church. If people know the purpose, they will begin to live according to the purpose as evangelists, worshipers, disciples and ministers. Small groups have become on the most successful ways of reaching out to the present generations. These groups can be seeker groups which meet away from the church in a home or for an activity. The purpose of seeker groups is develop relationship with the lost. Disciple/Growth groups are great for Christians of all maturity levels, but especially for the new Christian. Support groups such as prison ministries, divorce, alcohol and drug recovery groups are widely accepted and appreciated by the community, helping others and their families. If at all possible, staff should be built around people from within the church. Anyone brought in must be extremely likable and hold a similar missional view for the church. There should be mission teams, music teams, membership teams, maturity team, and ministry teams as part of the church. With each owning a specific purpose within the church, no single one is being emphasize, and no one is being left out. The pastor should preach according to the purpose of the church. This should be how the church grows to accept and believe in its purpose. The priorities of a church are easily seen through its budget and calendar. The budget should be scheduled wisely and in ways that directly impact the purposes of the church. The purposes of the church must also show up on the calendar. If they are not there, they will not succeed. Finally we should evaluate our church purposefully. Our standards should be set on how well we achieve our purposes. It is also quite important to recognize the significance of vision for the church. Vision is defined as â€Å"my understanding of what God wants done in the place where he has placed me.† If the vision of the pastor is not accepted by the majority of the congregation, it should probably be reevaluated. In some cases the church itself may be quite ill and not really understand what it needs. A slow movement in the direction is the only way to help such churches turn themselves around. Without a vision, the church has nothing to aspire to. As Proverbs 29:18 says, â€Å"Where there is no vision the people perish.† A can be worn down over time if it lacks vision. Specific goals set for the church keep members active in their faith and daily activities. Vision, like purpose, must be passed on to the congregation through passionate messages from the pastor. Such vision must also inspire the pastor to live accordingly as an example for his congregation. If the people don’t know or understand the vision of the church and the pastor, then the pastor isn’t doing a well enough job communicating it. Vision must not attempt to go beyond the reasonable means of the church. The gifts and talents of the pastor and the congregation limit the vision of a church. This factor of vision is just the first of nine factors that are nearly always present in growing churches. The second factor is evangelism. Because God intends his church to grow, all members of the church body are to be evangelists. Congregation must acknowledge that they have to go outside to evangelize, not sit comfortably within the walls of the church. Thirdly is the maturation factor. The church must develop leaders through the maturing of their faith. Fourth is the worship factor. People must know that worship is key to our faith, for we were created to worship God. Sjogren’s Power Principle #7 states that your style is not the key to success, so although your church will be identified by your worship style, God comes into your midst, not because of worship style, but because hearts are hungry for the presence of God. Fifth is the preaching factor. Preaching must be done in a way that leads the congregation to understand the faith of the pastor. Television and computers have changed the way people expect to be informed at church. According to Rainer, the unchurched want a pastor who is â€Å"real† and is a person of conviction; they want a good communicator and a good leader. Furthermore, they want to hear preaching that teaches the Bible and applies to their own individual lives.† Leadership, giving, mission, and the birthing of new ideas finish of the list of factors for church growth. Leaders must be strong and confident, giving must be done sacrificially, and people must have a world view of missions. Turning attendees in members into ministers is the encompassing purpose in a church’s discipleship program. If members can be made who possess a serious passion for the lost, then a church is well-on its way to long-term success. In our recent trip to the Seattle area, we experienced several churches which had great outreach success. Mars Hill church was by far the most successful. It was obvious because of the size of the church (running c.500), as well as the specific focus and outreach. With hundreds of small groups and a target audience of 16-35, Mars Hill represents a successful outreaching church. Other churches showed their weaknesses within pastoral staff and mixed traditions as compared to the vision and purpose of the church. Bibliography Hunter, George G. III. The Celtic Way of Evagelism. 2000, Abington Press, Nashville, Maddix, Mark. Class Lectures, Spring 2005. Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, McLaren, Brian D. More Ready Than You Realize. 2002, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, . Warren, Rick. Purpose Driven Church. 1995, Nelson Books, Nashville, TN.