Does making a knowledge claim carry any particular obligation/responsibility for the knower Essay Example

Does making a knowledge claim carry any particular obligation/responsibility for the knower Paper Anybody who makes a knowledge claim must take responsibility for their claim, particularly if they are parents, teachers or a respected individual in society. Parents are largely responsible for early childhood learning, teachers are responsible for late childhood and adolescent learning, and leaders affect adult attitudes. In growing up, children are greatly influenced by their parents or guardian because they are the first people from what they gain knowledge from. Konrad Lorenzs study with young ducklings suggested a critical learning period in which knowledge is most readily obtained. Many types of knowledge are acquired during childhood, notably ethics and values, which will undoubtedly affect the childs perception and development in the future. Limited knowledge from other types of areas is also acquired during early childhood, and forms the roots of subsequent learning. If a teacher claims that subtraction is the same as addition, then all the students will undoubtedly experience difficulty in future studies. Therefore, any knowledge claim made to a child necessarily has a profound impact on their understanding of the world and those who make the claims must take responsibility. The majority of our learning takes place in educational institutions and our knowledge is acquired from teachers. Teachers are also highly respected and their knowledge claims are therefore highly influential. Though in certain subject areas, knowledge can be attained through logic and reason (such as mathematics), other subject areas can not. We will write a custom essay sample on Does making a knowledge claim carry any particular obligation/responsibility for the knower specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Does making a knowledge claim carry any particular obligation/responsibility for the knower specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Does making a knowledge claim carry any particular obligation/responsibility for the knower specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In history and biology, for example, the student depends on the teachers accountability. Students lack the incentive to verify every knowledge claim and will not question the teachers stance on the polarity of water or the Austrian heir to the throne. A teachers false claim will have serious consequences and teachers should therefore take responsibility for their claims. Education systems today rely heavily on language, as opposed to hands-on or visual demonstrations. Whorf and Sapirs theory of Linguistic Determinism states that knowledge is determined by language. For example, Navajos have precise words for different shape and consequently, they have a stronger sense of shape. Similarly, the diction of a teachers knowledge claim will have serious implications on the students learning. Austen uses their conversation to criticize Mariannes impulsiveness would have a very different impression on students as opposed to Austen hated impulsive people. Therefore, teachers must take responsibility for the diction of their knowledge claims. Learning is generally thought of as limited to educational institutions, but much learning takes place in adulthood as well. Esteemed individuals in society often have the power to influence the general public and any knowledge claims they make will be influential. In Europe, Hitlers numerous claims concerning Germanys superiority aroused millions to support him. The destruction and causality that his knowledge claims directly or indirectly caused in World War II are horrendous and indisputable. In China, Chairman Maos knowledge claims brainwashed millions of young Chinese to join the Red Army. Consequences of Maos knowledge claims during the Cultural Revolution are also apparent. Both Hitler and Mao were highly influential leaders who are responsible for their knowledge claims. Hence, leaders should take precaution in their knowledge claims and statements for they are responsible for their claims. Naturally, knowledge claims of leaders can be beneficial to vast populations, and leaders can treat their responsibility as an opportunity positively influence people rather than a burden. The consequences and implications of knowledge claims are indisputable, and therefore the people whom make knowledge claims should take responsibility for them. Since learning takes place throughout our lives, the people who teach us in all stages should take responsibility for their knowledge claims. Though parents, teachers, and respected individuals are heavily liable for their claims, they are not the only ones who must take the burden. Every person we interact with will influence us, and therefore, all knowledge claims must be taken responsibility for by the knower.

Free Essays on Matin Luther King On God

When it comes to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s conception of God it is not something to be taken as a light matter. Dr. king was a very strong Christian. And he used God as his mentor. Every decision or thought that crossed King’s mind, involved the Lord, in one manner or another. God was not only his mentor but his commander as well. King used God to show him how to deal with the social problems that were haunting the United States of America through out the fifties and the beginning of the sixties. If you have ever read any of Dr. king’s speeches he is constantly referring to either God or scripture. So you can easily see that Dr. King had more then one goal is in his life, but the most important one, was to tell people about God. Not only did he want to teach people about God, but he also wanted to have peace between races. And by being a peaceful man and promoting peace between races he taught people about his personal conception with God. And last but n ot least he did this through his speeches and his sermons. In Dr. King’s I’ve been to the Mountaintop speech, he deeply speaks of his concern for humanity. I personally believe that Dr. King thought it to be a sin if you did not do something to change or help humanity. King knew deep down in his heart that America needed change and they needed it fast. Also in the, I’ve been to the Mountain top speech, King states, â€Å"It’s alright to talk about streets flowing with milk and honey, but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here and his children who can’t eat three square meals a day†. Now if you notice, he uses the word commanded. By using this word King is trying to express his feelings and deep concern for humanity. Also it is obvious by stating this he expresses that he feels it is a sin against humanity not to be doing anything about the social problems that were plaguing the major cities in his day as well as ours. Secondly, in ... Free Essays on Matin Luther King On God Free Essays on Matin Luther King On God When it comes to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s conception of God it is not something to be taken as a light matter. Dr. king was a very strong Christian. And he used God as his mentor. Every decision or thought that crossed King’s mind, involved the Lord, in one manner or another. God was not only his mentor but his commander as well. King used God to show him how to deal with the social problems that were haunting the United States of America through out the fifties and the beginning of the sixties. If you have ever read any of Dr. king’s speeches he is constantly referring to either God or scripture. So you can easily see that Dr. King had more then one goal is in his life, but the most important one, was to tell people about God. Not only did he want to teach people about God, but he also wanted to have peace between races. And by being a peaceful man and promoting peace between races he taught people about his personal conception with God. And last but n ot least he did this through his speeches and his sermons. In Dr. King’s I’ve been to the Mountaintop speech, he deeply speaks of his concern for humanity. I personally believe that Dr. King thought it to be a sin if you did not do something to change or help humanity. King knew deep down in his heart that America needed change and they needed it fast. Also in the, I’ve been to the Mountain top speech, King states, â€Å"It’s alright to talk about streets flowing with milk and honey, but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here and his children who can’t eat three square meals a day†. Now if you notice, he uses the word commanded. By using this word King is trying to express his feelings and deep concern for humanity. Also it is obvious by stating this he expresses that he feels it is a sin against humanity not to be doing anything about the social problems that were plaguing the major cities in his day as well as ours. Secondly, in ...

How To Write Cold Emails The Right Way

How To Write Cold Emails The Right Way Cold email marketing became popular in the past few years, the idea being that it was an extension of genuine interest and engagement. You’d let people know you mentioned them in a blog post, or referenced them in some other content, like in an ebook. Or you’d share something you wrote that they might be interested in for their own blog or research. They would most likely share it with their followers. Good times, all around. And it worked. Unfortunately, it has morphed into something else, much like guest blogging was co-opted by spammers and sullied. I wish I could share the tweet with you that set my mind to writing this post, but unfortunately, it has been pulled down. Essentially, with typical Twitter bluntness, the writer of the tweet said this: Online email marketing today is an email from some guy saying, â€Å"I mentioned you in this thing I wrote. Share it with all your people.† I suspect he pulled the tweet down because the language was a bit more colorful than this, no doubt stemming from the sense of frustration as his already burgeoning inbox was bombarded by this careless kind of marketing that is really little more than spam. I’m going to approach this post a bit differently, positing some theories about cold email marketing at the start. If everyone ends up doing it, the effectiveness is lost. Even if it’s a miracle cure, too many people are poorly trained in administering it. Even in perfect form, the sheer amount of emails can overwhelm. You must have patience. People don’t all move at the speed of marketing. The recipient must truly benefit and get value from your request. Cold email  marketing can be done well, just like guest posting still has a place, but too often, in the wrong hands or from marketers who are too busy and have an eye on numbers instead of the hearts of the people. It is something ugly. A Tale Of Frustration True-story time, so that you can learn from my pain. I generally receive a fair amount of emails each day from people who want me to look at their blog post or ebook. They tell me quickly that they’ve mentioned me or something I’ve written in their content, and would I please... Check it out. (Pretty vague, and it doesn’t tell me how I’m going to benefit, only that I’m going to have to give up time to do it.) Review it and see if I agree. (Feels like being baited, but I might bite depending on how they worded the email.) Comment on it. (Again, time consuming and how do I benefit by giving you social proof?) Give them pointers on how to make it better. (I find this confusing; I don’t have time to spot-edit other content. I think this is supposed to be flattery, but I would advise wording this kind of request carefully.) And, most importantly, would I share it with my followers lots and lots of times. Some I respond to, and some I don’t. Because I’m an introvert  and also fairly regimented in what I allow myself to do each day, that would interfere with work and personal time, so I don’t always respond right away. Many of these cold emails are hastily written and don’t offer any genuine reward. So if I don’t respond, I archive it away. Sometimes I’d get a follow-up email, wondering if I’d gotten the previous email, and repeating the original request. Some folks follow up the follow-up many times over, and that’s harassing. One day, I received a typical cold email. It said this: Hey Julie. I love your blog post X. The best part was this: X. Here is a quote I liked: X. We wrote something similar and I’d like you to check it out. I would love your feedback. Sharing it on your blog and social media would be great! :-) I read it, and I thought this: It’s a form email, with blank areas for personalization. They used the quote to prove they read my blog post, but is a large pull quote suggesting they didn’t actually read it. It feels like part of a massive campaign with an attempt at being personal. I don’t know this person. I archived it. Six days later I received this: Hey Julie. Just touching base again. While waiting to hear back from you, I read this wonderful post on your blog about X (same blog post mentioned in the first email). I liked it so much I shared it with my Twitter audience. Here is the tweet: (link to twitter.com, not any specific tweet or profile). Here is something similar: (same blog post they wanted me to check out last time). I hope you enjoy it. Do leave a comment or share it. I archived it. Clearly, a follow-up cold email form with sloppy attention to details. I’m not going to share content from anyone who isn’t careful about details, since the content I share and curate  reflects on me. Recommended Reading from Neil Patel: The 6 Types Of Social Media Content That Will Give You The Greatest Value Two weeks later, I receive an email from the same group. Unfortunately, they mixed up their copy and paste efforts, it seems, and it was for some guy I didn't know, containing an email reply chain. Same email template and wording, same blog post they were pushing. I responded back, letting them know of the mix-up and that their email hadn’t gone to the correct person. I also politely and pleasantly noted I was not interested in these types of cold emails. Ten days later, I received an email starting another round of the same templates for another blog post. I archived it. Ten days after that, someone else from that group made a friend request on some of my social media profiles and promptly sent me a message with a link to their LinkedIn Group. Sixteen days after that, I received a  cold  email announcing beta access to their app. They also asked if I would please sign up and promote their app on social media and on my blog to my friends? Ye gads. This is one example. I have many. I save the emails, because sometimes I can’t believe people are doing it. I want to say this to these folks who are going about cold email marketing in this manner: You keep taking up my time and bandwidth. What do I get out of this? Before you send cold emails, ask yourself: What does the receiver get out of this? #WIIFMWhat To Ask Yourself As You Write Your Cold Emails Assuming you’re not an influencer and that you’re looking to build your audience and get some new attention with the help of someone who has a bit of influence, what do you have to do to make cold email marketing effective again? Frankly, much of these next steps can work for any marketing approach, not just cold emails. 1. Did it jump the shark? Before we proceed too much farther, I’d advise you to learn how to evaluate a marketing technique and decide if it’s jumped the shark. This cold email technique may have, indeed, reached critical mass, if you have influencers and others grumbling about it on social media. It has been proposed by leading marketers as a winning technique for so long now  and has been used by those of us in the trenches, causing it to lose its power. But maybe not. What kind of responses are you  getting back? Perhaps your email method works, perhaps your style is off, or perhaps the technique is alive or dead. You decide. 2. Am I valuing the person? Signs of not  valuing the person you’re about to make a request of: Emails that fill up already crowded and noisy inboxes that are filled with jargon, insincere compliments, overly casual friend-talk from a stranger High request loads (share this, do this, review this) for busy people Constant â€Å"follow-up† And a barrage of simultaneous friend requests on every social network out there the same time you send the email That feels like a war campaign, not a genuine relationship. That feels like you’re checking things off a marketing list according to a schedule, and not seriously inquiring and engaging. You clearly want something from the person without any quid pro quo. Explore how you can bring true value to the influencer before you send #ColdEmail.3. Is my timeline off? Remember, people don’t move at the speed of marketing. Engagement is not a cold email and a follow-up. That’s little more than the digital form of advertising circulars in the mail that have my name on it generated from some database. Real relationships, and real engagement, takes time. You can’t flood the Internet with cold email marketing in hopes of fast returns. In other words, do not spray your emails out to random influencers and strangers, taking the shotgun approach and hoping something sticks. That’s a good way to ruin your reputation and have your email marked as spam, or categorize you as a â€Å"troublesome" emailer. You must focus on specific people with specific communication tailored directly to them personally and genuinely. Their interests. Their concerns. Thoughtful responses. That level of communication necessarily reduces the amount of emails you can send out, and it stretches out the timeline. While it would be nice to think of cold emails as a campaign-based technique that fits a particular timeline centered around a specific set of content, I am suggesting that era has passed. It may have worked that way when the technique first developed, but if my inbox is any indication, getting a flood of emails based around the latest content piece someone is pushing that month and my reaction to it (as well as the now-gone tweet mentioned earlier), it's leaving a bad taste in people’s mouths. 4. Is there any real interest? If you don’t hear back, you didn’t hear back. Don’t follow-up your follow-up your follow-up your follow-up. Don’t send messages on other social network messaging systems, too. If the person isn’t interested, move on. And tell the rest of your team as much. They’re just not that into you. If someone doesn't reply to your #ColdEmail, they're just not that into you. Move on.What You Need To Do If you’ve asked yourself those questions and are legitimately good to go forward, you need to know how to do it right. 1. Pre-engagement engagement. Choose a few influencers or people you’d like to target in the hopes that they will do the same for you. Be creative. Pick a few who aren’t on the top of everyone’s list, perhaps. Look for people who: Are active on social media. Have followers who are active. Have lots of blog comments. Are in the habit of promoting others or doing what you’re ultimately going to ask them to do. Are someone you’ve engaged with legitimately (i.e. not looking to get something from) in the past. Have responded to you in the past. Are doing something unusual, unique, or have a brand or thing going on that is different from everyone else that you are  truly interested  in. Please notice:  You’ve engaged with them in the past without trying to get something from them. And also, please notice: Someone doing something you’re truly interested in. Do you see people as merely a means to an end? Do you target influencers who are merely in your niche or have the fame, or are you actually interested in what they say and do? If you aren’t truly interested, you’re going to have a tough time forming a legitimate relationship and communicating with them on a real level. Do you see people as merely a means to an end? If yes, influencer outreach isn't for you.Remember this, because I’m going to harp on this and allude to it for the rest of the post: Natural conversation stems from true interest. Real relationships stem from caring about someone else. If you’re a well-known person in your niche, and considered an important and relevant influencer, you might be able to get by without some of this. After all, you can’t care about everyone; you’d be exhausted. But most of us aren’t, and you need to lay the groundwork of genuine friendliness first before launching requests. If your first contact as an unknown quantity is market-ese, empty flattery, a form email, and â€Å"do this for me please†, you failed. You did it wrong. 2. Inject tangible value into your communication. Remember, this cold email technique doesn’t work unless you genuinely have something of value to offer the recipient. And by genuine, I don’t mean some sort of empty flattery or suggestions of assumed or forced quid pro quo (â€Å"I share your stuff all the time. You should do the same for me.†) You need to add some value. And you need to show that you value the actual person. Adding value and benefits is easy enough. You know the drill. You offer the recipient access to exclusive information or data, a free copy of your ebook, a guest post, help with something, first use of an infographic- that kind of value and benefit is easy to understand. But how do you show the person that you value them? Simple: You assign time or money to the interaction. In a busy and fast world, time and money carry weight. You could send a postcard. A letter. A Graze box. A holiday card. Treats for their whole team. A hot new book on their Amazon wishlist. If the person constantly gushes about Yo-Yo Ma on their social media feeds, send them a Yo-Yo Ma CD. If they love Star Wars, send them something Star Wars-y. Donate to their favorite charity. Spend months conversing about non-marketing things like you would with a friend. Offer to help them here and there, early on, before popping a request (â€Å"I’d be happy to be a beta tester/bug finder† or â€Å"I can create some graphics for you if you need a little help.†). This isn’t about being a creeper or about breaking some sort of pay-to-play laws. It isn’t a guarantee they will do what you want. It’s merely saying with action that the person matters and you took the time to show it. Talk is cheap, especially online, and when I get something that took time or money to communicate with me, I pay attention. That person was willing to expend something of value to them in order to get my attention. For example, I recently received a letter from a blog reader from Kentucky who had read a post I’d written here on the blog. And by letter, I mean paper, in an envelope, with a stamp. He wanted to thank me for writing on a topic that he hadn’t realized he should learn about, and felt he needed to let me know how much it had helped him. So I wrote back. I responded. If that person asks something of me, I will certainly be paying attention and more likely to at least respond again. I’m going to be bold and say that being personal is the only way to stand out now. Clever or flattering language in an email doesn’t really do it. It’s not enough, anymore, to run the data and find a â€Å"slow email† day so your email doesn’t get lost in the shuffle because, truthfully, there are no slow email days. They’re all pretty heavy, with some days being merely slightly less heavy. Say  with action that the person matters and you took the time to show it. #OutreachIf you simply can’t imagine doing anything more than email, block out the time to send real emails long before you need to make a request. You might: Ask their opinion about something they are interested in (anything other than about a post you just wrote). Ask questions, as if they were a mentor (but no links to your site right away). Sincerely tell them how their writing has helped you. Share some content with them that isn’t yours. Tell them why you thought it might help, or how it fit in with what they have previously talked about. And then wait a bit before repeating. You’re establishing that you’re not just out for what you can get. When thinking of cold contacting an influencer to gain traction for your content, ask yourself these questions: What is too common? What is uncommon? How can I make this happen using something uncommon? You know what happens when you add benefits and show the email recipient they are valuable to you? They see your request  as being more valuable. You took the time to add value to it, therefore, it is a more valuable request. This is a simple equation. 3. Don’t care so much. This one technique, that of cold emails, cannot be the cornerstone of your marketing plan. If it is, you'll care too much. If you care too much, you’re going to chase after it too hard. You’re going to â€Å"follow up† to the death and ruin your chances of future success. I’m not proposing apathy, but patience requires you not to sit and stare at your phone waiting for the email to arrive. Be Picky. The crucial question is this:  What can you do  (not just say) that shows you invested time and/or money into your communication? What have you done that shows you value the person? What can you do (not just say) that shows you invested time/money into your #Outreach?If you have the mindset that the person you’re making the request of is more valuable than your request, you won’t slip into spammy and frustrating behavior, and something, ultimately, will come from your efforts. So, in recap: 1. Pick your request. By deciding that you will add true value (backed by time and money) to your request, you’ll be less sloppy and more casual in the requests you make. Instead of pushing every third blog post, you'll take the time to create some kind of content that truly matters. 2. Pick the person. Use the list and choose your email recipients wisely. A bigger list isn’t always best. Be sure you only take on what you can handle in a personal manner. 3. Pick the method. Choose a creative way to communicate to get the recipient’s attention, but remember to do it early on before you begin to make requests. Be uncommon. If email is the only route you can go, remember that caring about people and communicating that genuinely without wanting something in return is, in and of itself, uncommon.

The Review of the Movie The Pianist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Review of the Movie The Pianist - Essay Example d film â€Å"The Pianist† (2002) has masterfully dealt with the theme of universal human longing for a peaceful existence, where there would not be any bloodshed and brutal exposure of dominating tendency of the powerful against their weaker counterparts; the entire situation of equality, would finally receive a perfect fulfillment with free interaction of artistry and creative aesthetics. Polanski has represented this theme of the film through use of realistic narration of the prevailing situation during the World War II and contrasting it with symbolic connotation of what an artistic mind actually aspires for. Final part of the film shows restoration of peace and efforts of indomitable human spirit to forget the ravages of the devastation; but at the same time, the director has provided his audience with the scope of ponder over the aspect whether all the losses can be compensated, whether it is important to keep memories of those losses alive in our hearts so that we never forget what we have done to us and recurrence of the same incidents can be stopped. The director has used Warsaw, Poland and plight of the resident Jews in the hands of Nazi force during the World War II as its backdrop. Wladysaw Szpilman, is a famous Polish pianist, played by Adrian Brody is protagonist of the film. The situation of prevailing brutality in Warsaw during the Second World War has been represented to the audience through the character, â€Å"Szpilman’s eye is like a camera, recording events with very little emotional involvement† (Bartov 142). The state of emotional faculty of an artistic heart becomes poignant, as he encounters the devastation and brutality around, through his music, â€Å"His one means of expression is the piano’s keyboard, and when that keyboard is missing, he can only report his journey – from the radio studio into a man made hell and back into the studio – as an accurately and as dryly as possible† (Bartov 142). The contrast to the man made hell, the

Creative writing skills used by Silvia Plath in her work Essay

Creative writing skills used by Silvia Plath in her work - Essay Example From then, she exuded creativity that she blended with her writing skills, a rare gift she maximizes that gave forth the coveted write-ups that still flood the literary arena to date. However, her early and entire life is blanketed by sorrow and misery. A psychological problem eventually compels her to commit suicide. This essay will tackle some of the skills she managed to use as a writer in the process of doing her work. The bell- jar, one of Plath’s novel to a large extent is autobiographical. The tribulations that Plath goes through in life are chronologies reflected in this novel. By tactfully changing the identity of the characters and places in the novel, she skillfully takes care of the message she wanted to pass across as it unfolded. Her creativity and Witt comes out very clearly in the manner in which she uses Ester, the protagonist in the story to speak about herself indirectly (Karen 130). In her story, Ester becomes mentally ill after going through a thorny life. This compelled her to commit suicide when she sees no hope a head of her. .We are not surprised later, when Plath commits suicide because of the twin reasons that are similar to those that pushed Ester to cut short her life. We therefore conclude that, Plath wrote her life in the novel and she was able to lead her readers to knowing the reasons she finally took her life. In addition, the novel contains many people and events in Plaths’ real life all being a product of her fiction. ... She writes this poem as the only way of â€Å"vomiting† the bad past encounters her life had just gone through. She used a third party narration to distance herself to avoid being associated to the circumstance that had unfolded (Rebecca79). Plath portrays herself as strong-hearted and ready to bury the bygones of her life and move on. She uses poetry as the only mouthpiece to pour her personal issues without the slightest fear and in the process, alleviate her emotions. The tone she used in this poem is reminiscent of her depressive episodes and indeed, Plath takes her audience in her poem through her the painful wounds in life. The aggressive tone she used in the short stanzas of her the poem â€Å"Mystic† leaves the readers with feelings of physical pain as they read her poem â€Å"Mystic†, which is climaxed by the wise use of imagery, like hooks that are sharp and a stinging kiss makes the readers traumatized. Plaths’ selective use of rhetorical questi ons, â€Å"Where is remedy† is intentional, as she inwardly knows the answer is death (Edward 116). Plath also uses satire in her poem to mirror the rot in the society. Plath’s poem â€Å"The applicant,† which is a complete satire surrounding marriage and domestic- related issues. She carefully uses dramatic monologue and third person narration as a powerful tool in manipulating language and in this regard, critically exposes events bedeviling women in the society. Plath’s two poems â€Å"Ariel† and â€Å"Daddy† are autobiography in nature. She intentionally used details of her everyday life as a raw material for her art. She skillfully twisted real references and images within her footsteps in writing her poems. This created an avenue for her fans to

Introduction To The United States Beer Industry

Introduction To The United States Beer Industry Beer in the United States has had a long and profitable history. Today it is the largest segment of Alcoholic beverages and accounts for millions of dollars in sales every year. Although there have been periods of less demand, the popularity and wealth of the industry has grown significantly. The industry has had to address many challenges and adapt to continuously changing environments which translated into many consolidations and the reduced number of regional brewers. Todays market is heavily controlled by three main players, In Bev Anheuser-Busch, Miller Coors. In the late 19th century, most beer was being brewed by groups or individuals in their respective homes, however with the industrial revolution and the advancements of new technologies in automation, commercial brewers began to enter the market and transform the way beer is made, sold, and marketed as it never had been before. Some of these large national brewers were Anheuser-Busch and Miller as mentioned before. Other large domestic brewers include Pabst, and Schlitz. All of these companies have played a part in shaping the growth, structure and development of the industry over time. Due in part to these large commercial entities, the United States now has the largest number of breweries in the world. Although it is necessary to grasp the industries performance as a whole, it is even more vital that the performance and structure of the industries particular segments. At one point, two types of beers controlled the majority of the market; popular beer which was made and sold inexpensively, and Premium beers which were produced for a similar price yet sold at a higher cost solely for their brand recognition and popularity. Throughout history, as the brewing industry matured, the addition of different kinds of beer multiplied. Today, the types of beer which account for the majority of sales are classified as Light, Domestic Premium, and Imports. This paper will be divided into three parts. In the first section I will take an in-depth look at the Beer Industry as a whole through the use of Porters Five Forces analysis. In the second part I will be focusing on Molson-Coors and its relationship to the industry, its segments, and opportunities for growth and continued success. I will wrap up my paper by comparing and contrasting Molson-Coors position and strategy in the Beer industry to Harley-Davidson in the recreational vehicle industry. Socio-Economic When addressing any industry, it is important to analyze the various external macro-environmental factors which contribute to a companys operations. Through a PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) Analysis, one can better understand the risks associated with growth and decline, as well as its industry position currently and in the future. Politically, the beer industry is dependent on the decisions and regulations of the US Government. One of the most obvious examples of the governments role came in the form of prohibition during the early 20th century. Today, the beer industry is still heavily monitored by the government. One of the most noteworthy controls is that the system requires a middle-man. This limits the power of large corporations to control every aspect of the business chain, and reduces the risk of a monopoly. When it comes to the retail of alcohol, state and municipality governments decide on the type of off-premise vendors that are allowed to sell the alcohol, and how they go about selling in order to raise funds for fighting the abuse and addiction of the product. Currently the state of the United States economy is not helping to provide increased wealth to the industry. With the economic downturn and lower discretionary spending, consumers are spending less on alcohol, beer included. Socially, there are signs within the industry that suggest an increasing demand for alcoholic beverages besides beer. However, within the beer industry itself, Light brands are experiencing increasing popularity due to the heightened importance of consuming fewer calories as well as the risks/consequences of drunk driving. The level of technology change in this industry is low. That said, there are a variety of technological advancements in the industry which are affecting operations. Many of these innovations are changes within the brewing of the beer itself. As efficiency in production was the drive post World-War 2, technological changes which improve quality, lower health risks, and increase the use of sustainable energy are beginning to gain more significance. Porters 5 Forces Threat of New Entrants In the early days of this industry, an individual or family could start up their own brewery with relative ease in comparison to todays standards. The increase in production techniques, beginning post World-War 2 played a large part in creating a high barrier to entry as the working capital requirements increased from several billion to hundreds of millions of dollars. Even greater barriers to entry are created through large brewers control of distribution channels as well as the different state governments regulations and laws attributed to those channels. As production innovation created a barrier to entry in the mid 20th century, marketing and advertising expenditures from large companies in this industry have increased brand loyalty and recognition, creating another high barrier to entry. Amongst these barriers, there exists the possibility of new entrants achieving economies of scale, for example, the Boston Beer Company has taken a relatively foreign approach to the industry as they have focused their attention on its recipes while outsourcing the majority of the other business activities. Although larger companies have also achieved economies of scale and have the ability to increase revenues without increasing input, the emergence of companies such as the Boston Beer Company and trends pointing to consumers trading-up to higher quality products, these barriers could begin to change down the road. Suppliers Suppliers in the brewing industry play a significant role. Starting with the production of the good, suppliers from agricultural industries such as corn, barley, and yeast are key in the production and pricing of the end product. Other suppliers include the glass industry and paper labeling industry. Because of the low concentration in production suppliers, more power is given to the industries main players who are able to strike larger supply contracts for a better price. Most of the key inputs of brewing are highly regulated thus keeping bulk prices steady and allow firms to purchase ingredients over a year in advance. Some differentiation exists in the inputs when it comes to the higher quality ingredients that are used in some premium beers. The effects of substitutes in this industry are dependent on industries such as the performance of wine and spirits as well as imported brands of beer. These are significant substitutes and have been experiencing a steady growth in recent yea rs. Although the brewing industry requires a substantial amount of inputs from suppliers, they do not control those industries as well. Suppliers from the corn/wheat producing industries as well as from the sugar processing industry are not dependent on the beer industry and exist in other markets. As mentioned, the brewing industry is highly regulated and runs in a three tier system which takes away the threat of vertical integration and the possibility of one player gaining the majority power. Looking at the current major players Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors, opportunities to grow exist in marketing and brand awareness, with recent struggles in the economy, access to capital is more difficult but also comes at a lower price with lower interest rates. The industry gained $3.6 billion in 2009 which is significantly better than many industries and will favor them as they seek opportunities to finance growth opportunities. The industry requires skilled workers mostly in the areas of marketing and has usually refrained from unionizing. Overall the power of suppliers is very limited among large firms and the brewing industry is not an attractive industry at this time. Buyers Wholesalers, Super markets, liquor stores, and bars/night clubs account for some of the major buyers in this industry. These buyers can be broken down into two segments, off-premise and on-premise. On-premise locations include bars and off-premise locations include warehouses and liquor stores. These industries are grateful for the position of the brewing industry however on-premise buyers are experiencing a decline in growth as disposable income decreases among consumers. Off-premise wholesalers although protected from being protected from being taken over by large breweries have experienced a loss in power due in part to the rapid consolidation of the brewing industry as well as the increase in popularity of smaller breweries. However, due to factors such as being in the mature phase of its business cycle, these industries are in a good position to grow. Beer will continue to be sold and consumed; buyers will contend with the changing environment and gain more power through diversi fying their product offerings. This may not be the case in on-premise sites as they are more easily influenced by the impact of a down economy. Overall, the power of the buyers is low as they are at this point very dependent on the fluctuations of the brewing industry. Substitute Products As mentioned previously, substitutes to the domestic brewing industry are the wine and spirits industry, as well as imported beers. In the case of this industry, the substitutes play a main role in determining current position and future growth. When looking at the main players in the US market, they may need to shift some of their focus to niches which microbreweries have begun to make popular as well as deal with the constant threat of imports and their growing popularity in the United States. As large brewing companies work to meet the needs of their enormous market, the industry is attractive to smaller breweries seeking a smaller market. Rivalry The US brewing industry has consolidated to be controlled primarily by two main players, the largest being Anheuser-Busch, and the other being MillerCoors. This represents a high concentration which boosts rivalry. In this particular competition, price is not the determining factor, rather massive marketing campaigns to increase brand value. Although there exists two main companies, they are not very balanced as Anheuser-Busch controls the majority of the market share. The diversity among competitors is greatest amongst the craft-beer breweries which focus on recipe rather than brand image. Among the major players there is little product differentiation as they sell primarily the same types of beers. Although there exists a large brand awareness in loyalty to these players, foreign competition such as Heineken have penetrated US markets and have experienced large sales. This industry is very dependent on the segment of selling alcoholic beverages, although segments within the types o f beer can fluctuate, firms focus primarily on the selling of their product. The barriers for exiting this market are high as there are specific markets, and technologies which have been produced specifically for this industry, the best chance for converting to another product would be into the firm of a non-alcoholic malt beverage. Conclusion After looking in-depth into the brewing industry, a number of key success factors stick out. One of the most important that stood out to me is its ability to keep up with trends in domestic markets as well as increasing brand awareness through quality of beer rather than price. Another important factor for success in this industry is the ability to control debt and deal with fluctuations in the economy. Many people questioned how Budweiser could remain Americas beer by being owned by a Belgium company. Furthermore, it is necessary for these large firms to find areas of increasing beer consumption and market their product in an attractive way. Through my analysis of the brewing industry, it seems clear that although the industry has recently experienced slower growth and lower demand, companies have remained profitable and the emergence of new players (Microbreweries) prove to be a good sign for the future growth and stability of this industry. Part 2: Firm Analysis Adolph Coors based out of Golden, Colorado has been in the brewing industry since the late 19th century. It thrived on its focused market in the Western United States as well as the early brand recognition that its premium beer gained with celebrities and athletes. It also was able to differentiate itself from other competitors by focusing on being a self-sustainable company which attempted to provide as much of its own inputs as possible. In 2005 due to increased pressures to consolidate, Adolph Coors merged with Canadian brewer Molson. With this merger, Molson Coors became the fifth largest brewer. In 2008 in an effort to keep up with Anheuser-Buschs recent merger with InBev, Molson Coors merged another time with SAB Miller to form Miller Coors LLC. This merger, is expected to decrease production and distribution costs which will enable the company to remain profitable and able to increase its market share. This however goes hand in hand with the challenge of maintaining its market for smaller brands with more specific niches. External Environment In order to analyze Coors position in the industry it is important to look at the external environment which will affect the way Coors does business. As stated previously there are a number of different factors which are influencing the brew industry at this time. One of the major external threats to Coors and the industry as a whole is in the form of Government regulation. With a variety of different state laws effecting the sales and distributions of beer, this poses as a threat as it could consume an unnecessary amount of time in daily operations and market analysis. With more focus on broader, international markets, the increasing trend of regional microbreweries are also a threat on the domestic market as they could better handle the state laws and their performance within those standards. Technologically, Coors has the opportunity to become an industry leader in this category. Although technologies primarily are focusing on the quality of the beer, Coors could look to expand it s technologies with respect to environmental awareness. Presently, Coors is being most affected by the rivalry within its industry. Once an industry with hundreds of breweries, the US market has consolidated down to two main players. This is forcing Coors into becoming a hybrid international/domestic company at a rapid pace. I think one of the biggest threats that could affect Coors is the difference of the current market in comparison to the original focus and market of their beers. Internal Environment For many years, Coors was a family run business; this was extremely positive for its initial growth and sustained spot as one of the top players in the brewing industry. Another key strength of Coors is its ownership in its own machinery and its obsessed nature on remaining a company which is homegrown. Coors has throughout its history maintained an ability to adapt to current markets and trends as well as foreseeing areas of growth an opportunity. Early on, a weakness of Coors was its inability to attract minority markets and by some cases, they still struggle at this. Another weakness that could affect Coors performance is its history of avoiding debt spending. I believe this to be a weakness even though it could just as easily be a strength of the firm. Coors limits itself in research development as well as other possible market risks by not opening itself up to debt-spending. Another weakness of Coors, in line with the previous idea of debt-spending is that its a company which i s slower to find niche markets and better products in comparison to Goliath InBev/Anheuser-Busch. Marketing In comparison to Anheuser-Busch, Coors has presently and throughout history, struggled at finding a niche market and in turn has had to give up substantial ground to its main competitor in the form of Domestic Sales as well as having strong brand recognition. Anheuser-Busch in its merger with InBev is focusing its advertisement on marketing its large brands such as Budweiser. Coors has experienced a positive trend in its sales of Blue Moon which has been a hit, especially among fans of smaller, quality beers. It has outperformed a similar beer by Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light Lime. Coors, although struggling in some sense to gain market share back from Anheuser-Busch has a better positioning in terms of its distribution and production systems which are the one of the key strengths and highlights of its company, and one of its main areas of focus. Operations/Production Coors has a history of innovation and capital expenditures which have proved equitable to its operations and overall production efficiency. Coors has focused product innovation in the form of technologies which inhibit freshness and quality in its product. To this extent, it seems as though the two competitors are beginning to shift focuses, as InBev tries to beef up product, brand awareness, and market share, while Coors is insistent on being the industry leader for the best beer in America. As Coors focuses its attention on operations domestically, they are able to create a cost advantage between themselves and other main competitors, they will have better control over what they produce and how they go about producing it which in the long run may open up many areas of growth. Finance In the merger of MillerCoors, the company experienced a rapid decline in growth and sales. The positive side of this down-sizing is that they will have better control of their finances and although they still control thousands of employees, the ability to focus on cost cuts will in turn maximize shareholder wealth. In focusing on the quality and production of its beers, Coors has begun to outsource many of its financing and accounting to third party sources. In the upcoming years due to its merger, Coors will be refinancing its debt and looking to use cash from its operations as a way of approaching other strategic investments. It also hopes that refinancing its debt will lead to pension plans for its employees as well as better return to it its owners. Critical Success Factors It is imperative for Coors to become the leader in premium beers produced in the United States. With Anheuser-Busch selling out to Belgium, a great opportunity for Coors to utilize its domestic brewing facilities and resources exists and should be approached. Another factor that is necessary for Coors is to become an industry leader in innovation and social/environmental responsibility. They need to diversify their products to attract a wide variety of people and work hard not to segregate their marketing to specific niches which leave minorities out of the picture. Strategic Problem Management has failed to ensure the long-term survival of Coors because it expanded too quickly and had too ambitious of hopes in competing on a global scale with Anheuser-Busch. With that in mind, Coors with its merger with Miller has the opportunity to regain the domestic strength that it once prided itself on. My recommendation for Coors would be to continue its pursuit of quality within the domestic United States market. It can work to regain capital to spend on future strategic investments such as popular microbreweries with a high-quality, popular taste. The United States although a major player in the production of beers, still lacks the reputation for having a quality product which is globally recognized. Some could argue that Budweiser is this, however others would say that Budweiser lived in the realm of being an inexpensive beer too long before committing itself to the more trendy Lager. Implementation Coors can implement this strategy easily if it can regain its focus on its core mission from its history, the emphasis of self-sustainability as well as product quality. By outsourcing parts of its business to other parties, Coors has removed responsibilities which could have weighed the company down in making strategic and financial decisions. Part 3 Firm-Firm While working on the analysis for this case-study, thoughts of Harley-Davidson continuously entered my mind. Harley-Davidson is a company that thrives itself on its proud history as well as its quality and brand recognition, very much of what Coors itself does. One area in which Coors could mimic HD in terms of its business model is its focus on being the best US American brand available. HD faces similar competition and rivalry as Coors does; only HDs exists in the form of mostly Japanese and Korean companies while Coors deals with primarily European competition. Coors and HD also face similar problems in terms of attracting niche markets. For HD, they have primarily been seen as a white, male, tough-guy brand, while losing out on markets which include women and younger riders. In a similar way Coors needs to be able to attract consumers who prefer a high quality local brew in the United States rather than a watered down beverage from an aluminum can. In closing, Adolph Coors has existed through an array of market changes, downturns, and booms. In a mature industry, they represent the epitome of maturity and market knowledge. If Coors can maintain its mission of becoming US Americas best beer maker, it will have many profitable years to come in the future.

Pre-operative assessment Essay

Pre-operative assessment (POA) and planning, carried out prior to treatment, ensures that the patient is fully informed about the procedure and the post operative recovery, is in optimum health and has made arrangements for admission, discharge and post operative care at home. POA and planning is an essential part of the planned care pathway which enhances the quality of care in a number of ways. * If a patient is fully informed, they will be less stressed and recover more quickly * A health check ensures good medical health before anaesthesia and surgery * Planning admission and discharge individually ensures that patient and carers know what to expect facilitating earlier post operative care at home * Cancellations due to patient ill health or DNAs are reduced * Admission on the day of surgery and early discharge are more likely By improving the planned admission process, you also enhance the patient experience and the clinical process, as well as the efficiency and productivity of the trust. POA and planning should form a natural part of the process for all planned surgery. You may wish to match the intensity of the process to the patient’s level of fitness and complexity of the procedure. The key areas covered in the National Good Practice Guidance on Pre-operative Assessment for Inpatient and Day Case Surgery include: * The objectives of pre-operative assessment  * Who should undergo pre-operative assessment * When and where pre-operative assessment should take place * Who should perform pre-operative assessment * The risks, benefits and informed consent * What should happen after pre-operative assessment * What information should be given to patients * How records should be kept * How the pre-operative assessment service should be audited * Training in pre-operative assessment * Examples of effective practice