Friday s With Morrie By Mitch Albom Essay - 1701 Words

Tuesday’s with Morrie by Mitch Albom is a wonderful book that focuses on the struggle life and how to lead through them. Morrie, once a lively professor at Brandeis University, now suffers from ALS. This incurable disease begins to suck the ability to do the things he loves, and soon confines him to the quiet rooms of his house. Mitch, a favorite student of his, comes back upon hearing the news and the two continue to discuss the true meanings of life and how to effectively uphold one’s character. Although Mitch had fallen far from the man he once was while under the compassionate influence of his professor, with time he begins to assess himself and take Morrie’s words to heart, even recording them in hopes of distributing hope and wisdom others. Through class lessons and the book Leadership by Andrew DuBrin, I have found lessons and techniques that were applied within Tuesday’s with Morrie. Each position holds characteristics that were applicable to one or more characters that were with Morrie in his last days. The leadership roles, personality traits, charisma, transformation, and behaviors were more evident as Morrie’s health began to decline. In hard times, Morrie made it his mission to reach other’s with the knowledge of leadership that he had, ion hopes of making the world a little bit brighter. While some acts of leadership described were not as positive, such as the leadership of Morrie’s father Charlie, most were positively influencing others and assisting in

Student Sport and Fitness Free Essays

Table of Contents 1. Introduction3 2. Key literature review3 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Student Sport and Fitness or any similar topic only for you Order Now Methodology5 4. Presentation of findings7 4. 1. Quantitative data7 4. 2. Qualitative data12 5. Data analysis14 5. 1. Perception of NTU’s Master Students towards sport and fitness14 5. 2. Do NTU Master Students maintain their health by participating in sport and physical activities? 15 6. Reflections on the Collection and Utilisation of Data17 6. 1. Reflective Observation18 6. 1. 1. Collection Data18 6. 1. 2. Utilisation of Data19 6. 2. Abstract Conceptualisation20 6. 3. Active Experimentation20 7. Conclusion21 References22 Appendices24 ? 1. Introduction Nowadays, Sport and Fitness is becoming more and more important in life of every people all over the world. According to Euro barometer (2010), it is because people are being aware of the vital of doing sport and physical activity to improving health both in physical and mental. However, due to the lack of information in connection with university student in the UK, this report investigates the perception and action of students towards sport and fitness of students in Nottingham Trent University (NTU). The data which is utilised in this study was acquired through quantitative and qualitative research. Questionnaire and interview are respectively conducted on 50 and 10 NTU’s Management Master Students of September course of the academic year 2011/2012. The respond rate is 100% for both types of researches. 2. Key literature review There are numerous studies of sport and fitness which illustrating vast benefits of sport participant. Sport and PA are constituents of enhancing health and enriching the social interconnection to support a meaningful life to people all over the world (GRANT, 2001; COLLINS and KAY, 2003:28; RENFROW et al, 2011). Nevertheless, International Olympic Committee (2011) emphasised the risk of insufficient sport and physical activities (PA) in adolescents which lead negative affect to health physically and mentally. Laverie (1998) suggests the most significant reasons encourage participants are have fun, learn new skills, make friends, social group. However, despite the recognition of sport’s vitality, not everyone participate in sport and PA, due to the differences of a number of factors. The table following illustrates two main factors which affect sport participation the most: age and gender. There are also some studies about other factors such as availability of green space and family culture. AUTHORSMain StudyAgeGenderOther factors VAN TUYCKOM, et al. (2010)Gender and age differences in regular sport participation across 25 European Countries. The level of participation in regular sporting activities varies among young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults age categories. In general, men participate in regular sporting activities than women. COOMBES (2010)The relationship of PA and overweight which measured by accessibility and utilisation of green spacePeople tend to be more active and participate in sport and PA when being surrounded with more green spaces RENFROW, M. S. , et al (2011)â€Å"The relationship between sports participation and health-related physical fitness in middle school and high school. †Increase in male participant will increase health-related physical fitness, but not females due to the difference in kind of sport chosen. BIRCHWOOD, D. et al. (2008) WHEELER, S. 2012)Family culture has substantial affect to sport participation. Living in the family which parents invest a considerable amount in sport will influence children’s sporting participation in the future. In this research, the word â€Å"sport† is used not only for activities which require specific skills and fixed rules to compete against other individuals or teams in specific areas. It also involves leisured physical act ivities which do not require competition but also result health’s benefit such as going to exercise at gymnasium. In other words, it is called informal activities (L’AOUSTET and GRIFFET, 2001). BOREHAM and RIDDOCH (2001) mention that playing organised sports either formally or informally results healthy body for older children. Furthermore, people now participate in physical activities not only follow sport organisations but also on their own ways in the streets or in a park based on the need in expanding green spaces or downtown park for informal activities (Coombes, 2010, L’AOUSTET and GRIFFET, 2001). It is significant evidence demonstrating the benefit of sport and PA. The whole world understands the important of sport and PA in life and there are an increasing number of organisations with several policies to incite participant in sport and PA to maintain health and fitness such as Sport England. However, the main subject is mostly children, young adult, athletic student and older people. That is the reason to carry out this report. 3. Methodology In this research study, primary research was conducted with the purpose of collecting qualitative and quantitative data through questionnaire and one-to-one interview. Quantitative research was conducted on the sample of 50 management master students of Nottingham Trent University. The questionnaire was developed to examine the perception and action of students for participating in sports. The questionnaires with 14 questions (see more in appendix A) were given out to 50 management master students with the respond rate is 100%. The research attempted to focus on equally gender among respondents, yet the reality is 29 male and 21 female with a variety of age (Table 1) Table 1: Frequency of respondents on the basis of ages FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative Percent Valid1812. 02. 02. 0 2012. 02. 4. 0 2112. 02. 06. 0 22510. 010. 016. 0 23612. 012. 028. 0 241428. 028. 056. 0 251428. 028. 084. 0 2624. 04. 088. 0 2724. 04. 092. 0 3024. 04. 096. 0 3212. 02. 098. 0 3612. 02. 0100. 0 Total50100. 0100. 0 Qualitative research was conducted on 10 students. Each interviewee was asked eight questions within 8 minutes duration in average (see more in Appendi x C). All interviews were recoded under permission of interviewees and consequently were coded in order to be used in this study. Before carrying out the research, questionnaire and interview questions are piloted by all members in group 5-cohort D. 4. Presentation of findings 4. 1. Quantitative data Fortuitously, the ratio of students which place sport in priority position in their daily life is equally with 50% do and another 50% do not. There is an assumption that sport which was ranked as 1st, 2nd or 3rd is considered as important in their daily routine. The result illustrates only 22 respondents (44%) who ranked sport as important in their daily routine. Among those, there are 6 respondents who are female (Table 2). Fourth is the most popular ranking for importance of sport in women’s daily routine with 12 respondents. In any case, respondents completely agree that sport is benefit to maintain physical health. Table 2: The important of sport in daily routine on the basis of gender (1 as the most important, and 6 as the least important) GenderTotalCumulative Total MaleFemale How is important of sport in your daily routine? 1Count5166 % within How is important of sport in your daily routine? 83. 3%16. 7%100. 0% 2Count43713 % within How is important of sport in your daily routine? 57. 1%42. 9%100. 0% 3Count72922 % within How is important of sport in your daily routine? 77. 8%22. 2%100. 0% 4Count5121739 % within How is important of sport in your daily routine? 29. 4%70. 6%100. 0% 5Count62847 % within How is important of sport in your daily routine? 5. 0%25. 0%100. 0% 6Count21350 % within How is important of sport in your daily routine? 66. 7%33. 3%100. 0% TotalCount292150 % within How is important of sport in your daily routine? 58. 0%42. 0%100. 0% According to Figure 1, respondents who considered sport as important in daily life are scattered from age 18th to age 30th. The middle line represe nts the median of the sample which means the middle value of entire age sample; in this case, it is age 24th. The box size represents the distribution of the sample; in this case, the sample mainly distributed among those respondents whose ages are between 24th and 25th. Two little circles on the graph represented two values (18th age and 30th age) which extremely departed from the rest of sample. Figure 1: Box plots of ages among respondents who rated sport as most important. In addition to those 44% of above respondents, in term of sport, mostly they are spending on fees (sport club or gym club fees) (24% in 44%); following is equipment and others with 16% and 4% respectively (Table 3). Table 3: Frequency of respondents on the basis of which is spent most. FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative Percent Valid2856. 056. 056. 0 Equipment816. 016. 072. 0 Fees1224. 24. 096. 0 Others24. 04. 0100. 0 Total50100. 0100. 0 However, on the basis of gender, half of male (8 respondents) spend the most on equipment, 6 of the remainder spend on fees. On the other hands, 100% female merely spend on fees (Figure 2). Figure 2: What is the most spent on by male and female? In related to the frequency of sport participation, result signified 17 respondents doing sport 2 or 3 days per week which take 34% which is demonstrated on figure 3. Following right after are weekly and occasionally with 28% (14 respondents) evenly. Figure 3: Frequency of participating in sport and PA Regarding the attitude and action towards doing sport, sport playing in casual way is enjoyed the most according to 34 selections from respondents. The next most enjoyed is gymnastic activities in casual way with 15 selections. Following is doing sport and gymnastic activities in formal way with 13 and 4 selections respectively. Conversely, the most popular way that respondents really do is doing gymnastic activities in formal way with 26 selections. Follow formally work out at gymnasium are doing gymnastic activities in casual way, doing sport casually and doing sport formally with 23, 20, 18 selections correspondingly (figure 4). Figure 4: Differences between attitude and action towards doing sport. Regarding the place students choose the most for doing sport; sport clubs, gymnasium and parks are the priority choices (Figure 5). University ground is the least choice with only 4 selections. Figure 5: Where students choose to do sport the most. Result revealed only 24% (12 respondents) have joined sport clubs with major reasons are keep fit and having fun (included their self and with friends). There is an open format question which asked for reason why people in general joining sport clubs, results indicated involved for healthier, enjoyment and fitness, with the most popular reason is healthier (11 given) (Figure 6). It is noticed that only two-third of total respondents provide reasons. Figure 6: Most popular reasons for students joining sport clubs Laziness was the majority reason (34 selections) for miscarry out sport and PA of master students in NTU. Workload and time constraint respectively followed by with 15 and 13 selections (Figure 7) Figure 7: Most popular reasons for students to fail to participate in sport 4. . Qualitative data Research attained 7 out of 10 respondents have hobby which related to sport and physical activities (Table 4). Only one of them is doing sport formally that is defined as trainings with adequate facilities and coaches. Regardless of some respondents do not have sport hobby, everyone suggested sport is indispensable in life. They find it is healthier compare between before and after doing sport. Table 4: Common hobby which related to sport and physical activities cited by respondents R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10 _Play badminton and tennis or sometime go to gym. Doing sport activities, especially training boxing. Playing basketball with friends. _Playing sport generally. â€Å"Going to gym†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Play football, swimming, badminton†_â€Å"Love swimming and skating† (Note: R is interpreted as Respondent) Despite of the similar sporting hobby, the reason for some respondents to participant in sport and PA is totally different (table 6). It is noticed not every respondents mention this in their answers. Laziness is the reason that every respondents (100%) suggested for unsuccessful in participating in sport and PA. Table 6: Reasons for respondents’ participation in sport and PA R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10 N/ATo get ability to compete in matchesTo have fun with friends. Also it is better for health_N/Aâ€Å"I am not kind of sport person, but want to fit my body†To be healthy_N/A Result discovered the difference in participation in sport and PA of several respondents who are international students (R1, R2 and R3) betwee n in their home country and in the UK (Table 7) Table 7: Different in attitude of respondents R1In India: go to gym twice or thrice per week In the UK: no involvement in any sporting activities R2In India: playing badminton, tennis In the UK: go to gym only R4In Vietnam: swimming, play basketball everyday In the UK: playing basketball, but not very frequency. Regarding the awareness of doing sport whether in formal or informal way, moderately, respondents are aware of so many opportunities to exercise around them, yet, not all of students take that. Conversely, in some cases, students are not aware that they are doing exercise by taking those opportunities. 5. Data analysis 5. 1. Perception of NTU’s Master Students towards sport and fitness The objective of this research question is to clarify there is a tight relationship between sport and fitness regardless formal or informal form. Besides, it also examines the most important issue that students join sport and PA for. At a glance, from both quantitative and qualitative data, NTU students agreed sport and physical activities has a relationship to fitness. In other words, they are helpful to maintain their health not only in physical but also in mental side. Obviously, the result reflected equivalent points with key literature review. Research also realised NTU Master Students neither lean towards informal nor formal sport and PA. The fact is 43 students want benefit from sport and gym in casual way and 44 students want them in formal way (Figure 3). In other words, it can be said quite a lot of students actually do both formal and informal sport and PA. However, doing sport casually is the way they most enjoy. Related to qualitative data, most of respondents (exclude respondent 3) prefer casual way doing sport mainly due to laziness and time constraint. For example, respondent 7 perceived sport in his daily routine completely casually. His exercise mainly are walking on the street or going to gym and exercise on his way. Also according to figure 3, the outcome reflected the difference in students’ attitude towards participating in sports and the action they really do. Indeed, 34 respondents enjoy playing sport casually; however, only 20 students actually do that. Surprisingly, sport clubs where people can do sport formally is still the most popular place for NTU Master Students involving in sport and PA. With respect to which is spent on more in term of supporting participants, sport/gym club fees are spent on the most regardless the gender. Additionally, equipment is spent on predominantly by male. It is easily perceived that, female are more likely to get involve in sport and PA which is provided with convenience such as joining club to get full facilities and assistance from trainer. On the contrary, male students not only invest in fees but also in equipment and others which are able to offer substantial support to participants. Related to other study, findings indicated the most significant reasons which encourage NTU’s students join sport clubs are to be healthier, enjoyment and fitness. By means of that, it clearly proved NTU Master Student are truthfully concerned about their health. In contrast, when asking respondents whose hobby related to sport activities for participating reasons, 3 out of 4 respondents answered not related to health benefit. Competition, have fun with friends and body fit were the answers. Essentially, sport brings so many benefits in general; however, the benefits vary among different students. Whatsoever the benefits students want, health factor always exists. Indeed, doing sport require a large volume of movements including muscle groups used, hence, providing more strength, flexible and endured body and health (BOREHAM and RIDDOCH, 2001) In brief, NTU Master Students believe a relationship between sport and fitness regardless the way of acting neither formally or informally. There is a difference in students’ attitude towards doing sport and their real action. Health is the most concern issue for them to joining sport and PA. 5. 2. Do NTU Master Students maintain their health by participating in sport and physical activities? The objective of this research question is to find out whether students maintain their health by participating in sport and PA; and also expose factors influence students’ participating in sport and PA. From the sections above it is straightforwardly seen that, even though students recognise the important of sport in life and really care about their health, not every of them participating in sport and PA. Only 44% respondents considered sport as important in their daily routine. However, there is not matching with other figure. In fact, up to 50% respondents stated sport is priority in their daily routine. The reason of bias might due to not reflect carefully before ranking the importance of daily activities of some respondents (question 3, see more in Appendix 1). In term of learning the frequency of participating in sport and PA of NTU Master Students, playing sport 2-3 days per week was chosen by more than two third of the sample size. Unpredictably, exercising everyday was the fewest choice with only 2 selections. Both quantitative and qualitative data reflected that laziness is the most considerable reason causing unsuccessful in doing sport and PA of NTU’s student. Through interviews, in addition to laziness, almost agreed they felt on joining in sport and PA because they are busy with their study which can be considered as the combination of workload and time constraint options in quantitative data. It is vital to understand the most considerable factors affect students concerning their involvement in sport. For NTU’s Master Students, gender reflected the significant difference in their attitude towards sport and PA. Indeed, among 44% respondents above, 72% of them are male, only 28% are female. This result reflected the issue about factors which affect people’s participation in sport and PA in Van Tuyckom’s study (2010). However, only partial issue corrected as age tend to not have so much influence on NTU students’ participation (Figure 1). The reason is probably due to the limited on chosen sample which only master students. 24th and 25th are the most popular ages in this research due to the fact that normally, master students’ ages vary mostly between ages 22nd to age 25th. Therefore, it is understandable why respondents in 44% above mainly dispensed in those two ages. Added into the above, qualitative research discovered culture also played important role in term of influence NTU’s student in joining sport and PA. In more details, it is due to the differences in their social life and environment between their home countries and the UK. Respondent 2 expressed after coming to UK for study, she usually does not have so much time to exercise, therefore, going to gym and work out by her way in a short time is her solution for keeping fitness. Besides, respondent 4 who is influence to participate in sport by his friends stated due to lack of friends in the UK, he feel lack of motivation to do sport, therefore, he rather stay at home and play his favourite computer games than involving in sport. Despite participating in sport and PA in clubs, gyms or exercise on one self’s way to keep fit and healthy; there are tons of opportunities to exercise offered everywhere such as not taking a lift to go up but using a stair. Through qualitative research, when being asked for the awareness of opportunities to exercise of people in general, the outcome was moderately balanced. A number of respondents supposed people recognise opportunities to exercise during normal activities in life. Some of others expressed the disagreement. Respondent 4 said: â€Å"Almost my friends like to play computer games; we usually play games, so I don’t think they know what the opportunity to exercise is. † Regarding whether people take opportunities to exercise or not, the results depend on their attitude towards sport and fitness, and the situation is. Respondent 3 answered because he does not really count on fitness; thus, he takes lift when he feels lazy. Some respondents are happy to walk from home to school and vice versa as they enjoy exercising and also enjoy the fresh air. On the other hands, some people do not recognise themselves are exercising through their daily activities. Respondent 6 mentioned for generally female extremely love shopping, and that can be considered as an opportunity to exercise, but not everyone know it. Concisely, NTU Master Students do participating in sport and PA to maintain their health, yet, not everyone does. Research also figured out gender and culture have influence the rate of involvement. Besides, people understand there are so many opportunities to exercise around them; however, not all of them do. 6. Reflections on the Collection and Utilisation of Data Reflection is necessary in learning, which requires look back on what were been done, carefully think about it, learn from it to achieve more effective performance (Moon, 1999). In this section, Kolb’s learning cycle (1984) is used to facilitate the reflection of this report (Figure 7). I might start from reflection point forwards because concrete experience was what I have been doing from the beginning to the end of this report. Figure 7: Kolb’s Learning Cycle (Source: Kolb, 1984: p. 23) 6. 1. Reflective Observation 6. 1. 1. Collection Data At the beginning, we only concentrated to other core modules and underestimated the important of research method module. Therefore, we received almost negative feedback for formative presentation which was the chance for us to demonstrate our understanding of the given topic as well as research questions. After the leading from module tutor, we understood what we must focus on to draw appropriate research questions for our given topic. After our research questions were clear, learned from previous experience, we put a lot of effort to design questionnaire and interview questions from the starting point. Once again, we received a lot of negative feedback due to the lack of experience in designing questions. It was not because the questions did not support our research but the way of asking which were quite ambiguous and direct. As, those kinds of questions might cause difficulties for respondents when trying to answer them (Bryman and Bell, 2003). We learned from negative feedback, and redesigned them till reaching the most appropriate and supportive questions (see more in appendices A and C). Our group included five members had to conduct 50 questionnaires and 10 interviews. Consent form is attached to every single questionnaires and interviews for respondents to read, understand and sign in which could ensure respondents’ confidence. The works were divided equally to each member. Thanks to the support of the university, we could complete our mission within one week. Also, the focused sample was our university fellows who did exactly the same as we had to do. Therefore, they ready helped us to fill in questionnaires as well as were being so enthusiastic to answer our interviews. Despite of that, there were some limitations when collecting data. Firstly, we totally overlooked the gender factor in our sample involved due to our somewhat hasty when sending out questionnaires and delivering interviews which affected the final result. The fact, gender element did not affect so much on questionnaire analysis as luckily the ifferent ratio between female and male (0. 42:0. 5) among questionnaire sample was not significant. However, it did not repeat with interview sample (0. 3:0. 5). Therefore, in final result where related to gender, I could not compare and reflect the outcome between qualitative and quantitative data. Knowing that university created favourable conditions to help us working smoothly, so we tried to collect all quantitative data in only a few hours. That is why we could not control the quality of each form and consequently led to a number of bias data. Therefore, the results were considered as moderately convincing. Even though the questionnaire form was designed and piloted before sending out to respondents, there were a few mistakes which we did not recognise until the collecting and analysing data process had finished. For example, in questionnaire form, still there is a leading question (question 14) which â€Å"appear to lead respondents in a particular direction† (Bryman and Bell, 2003). Moreover, such question did not provide respondents space to express their view completely. Question 5 was quite ambiguous that made few people confused to answer and therefore led to unexpected result. Our questionnaire involved a couple of open questions. Although answers required more time in coding but it also brought wider knowledge to us. Yet, the respond rate could not achieve 100% for those questions because it required greater effort from respondents and normally many of them did not write expansively in questionnaires. Furthermore, question 9 and 10 was likely unhelpful to research questions. 6. 1. 2. Utilisation of Data We agreed to use Microsoft Excel as a first place where quantitative data are put together. Similarly, after interviewing, each member has a duty to write down transcripts of their interviews. Our leader was responsible for putting all data together and would send it to every member with purpose of ensuring same set of data is used. After receiving all data, SPSS and Excel were used at the same time to assist me analyse quantitative data in this report. On the other hands, interview data was coded with purpose of using in qualitative analysis. Two set of data subsequently were compared and contrasted to each other to find differences and similarities. I believe our data are moderately reliable and valid. Firstly, our selected sample was current NTU Master Students therefore; the results are repeatable for those studies with same kind of sample. Even though only 85% quantitative data was used due to some of asking questions did not relevant to research questions; the remaining data was helpful to deliver meaningful information which directly answered our research questions. However, it is undeniable the limitation in utilising data, due to unachievable 100% respond rate in a couple of questions and the lack of designing questions. Indeed, there were too little options for respondents to choose in some questions. For example Question 13 actually had a wide range of answers, yet, we only provided 4 options included â€Å"other options†. 6. 2. Abstract Conceptualisation Bryman and Bell (2003:36) emphasise the vital role of research questions in implementing a research. Therefore, it is necessary and fundamental to draw appropriate research questions clearly from the starting point of a research. Consequently, qualitative and quantitative research must be designed under research questions in order to collect data that helpful in providing meaningful final results. In term of designing questions, sample size and gender ratio must be noticed to enable to gather supportive data. Testing questionnaire on some of our friends before sending out to ensure all questions are useful and enable to avoiding such as leading, ambiguous questions. Besides, put more effort during collecting period to avoid randomly answer from respondents. Throughout the researching period, we experienced not only academic works but also team working. Even though this is not our first time working together, yet the first time working together for such a long time. We understand that effectiveness of the whole group brings huge positive effect to our results. Meeting on time, responsibility and enthusiasm are found as important in order to achieve the most effective result. 6. 3. Active Experimentation If I had to do this report again, I would try out what I have learnt from experiences. Firstly and also the most important thing is I would put highly concentration from the very beginning. I would improve my designing questions skills through reading more books before starting designing. That would save my time as well as increasing the effectiveness of the questions in particular and for whole research in general. When collecting data, I would be more concerned on choosing sample in order to get more reliable and validity data. When analysing data, analyse skills are extremely essential to be able to get the best out of the data. With the purpose of getting better research, I would improve my analyse skills and get better help from computer assisted such as SPSS for quantitative data or NVivo for qualitative data. Last but not least, when working with team, I would make sure that the group would follow three elements above to work as the most effective manner. 7. Conclusion Throughout this research, the research questions raised at the beginning are able to be answered. Regarding sport and fitness topic, research found out the difference between attitude and action of NTU Master Students. Furthermore, differences due to gender, culture are also discovered. In addition to sport, although students are able to recognise opportunities to exercise in their daily life, they are not likely to engage in. A number of reasons were spotted concerning the failure in involving in sport and exercise. In general, it would bring highly effect to several health issues such as obesity which is extremely alert to not only developed countries but also developing countries. References ALAN, B. 1. , and BRYMAN, A. , 1947-, 2003. Business research methods. Oxford: Oxford : Oxford University Press. BIRCHWOOD, D. , ROBERTS, K. and POLLOCK, G. , 2008. Explaining differences in sport participation rates among young adults: Evidence from the South Caucasus. European Physical Education Review, 14 (3), 283-298. BOREHAM, C. , and RIDDOCH, C. , 2001. The physical activity, fitness and health of children. Journal of Sports Sciences, 19 (12), 915-929. COLLINS, M. F. , and KAY, T. , 2003. Sport and social exclusion. Psychology Press. COOMBES, E. , JONES, A. P. and HILLSDON, M. , 2010. The relationship of physical activity and overweight to objectively measured green space accessibility and use. Social Science Medicine, 70 (6), 816-822. EUROBAROMETER, 2010. Sport and Physical Activity [pdf] Available at: http://ec. europa. eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_334_en. pdf [Accessed 11/04/12] GRANT, B. C. , 2001. ‘You’re never too old’: beliefs about physical activity and playing sport in later life. Ageing and Society, 21 (6), 777-798. International Olympic Committee consensus statement on the health and fitness of young people through physical activity and sport. 2011. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45 (11), 839-848. KOLB, D. A. , and KOLB, D. A. 1984. Experiential learning : experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, N. J. ; London: Englewood Cliffs, N. J. ; London : Prentice-Hall. L’AOUSTET, O. , and GRIFFET, J. , 2001. The Experience of Teenagers at Marseilles’ Skate Park: Emergence and Evaluation of an Urban Sports Site. Cities, 18 (6), 413-418. MOON, J. A. , and MOON, J. A. , 1999. Reflection in learning and professional development : theory and practice. London: London : Kogan Page. RENFROW, M. S. , CAPUTO, J. L. , OTTO, S. M. , FARLEY, R. R. and EVELAND-SAYERS, B. , 2011. The Relationship between Sports Participation and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Middle School and High School Students. Physical Educator, 68 (3), 118-123. VAN TUYCKOM, ,CHARLOTTE, SCHEERDER, J. and BRACKE, P. , 2010. Gender and age inequalities in regular sports participation: A cross-national study of 25 European countries. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28 (10), 1077-1084. WHEELER, S. , 2012. The significance of family culture for sports participation. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 47 (2), 235-252. Appendices Appendix A: The questionnaire utilised to collect data STUDENT SPORTS AND FITNESS This questionnaire is designed as part of our research project which relating to Sport and Fitness among NTU Master Students. Please note that your participation is voluntary and that your data are anonymous and confidential. 1)Age: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2)Gender: ? Male ? Female 3)Please rate the following options based on the activities you carry out in your daily routine: (Rank on the scale of 1-6, 1 being more time allocated and 6 being least time allocated). ? Sport or exercise ? University work ? Home ? Job (Part-time/full-time) ? Social life Others If you rank out sports/exercise between 1 to 3 than answer 4th question 4)Which of the followings do you spend more on (in term of sport): ? Fees (club/gym membership) ? Equipment ? Other 5)In what ways and for what reasons you choose to do sport/exercise (Select with v) EnjoyWant Benefits Casual PlaySport Formal Play Casual PlayGym Formal Pl ay 6)How often do you play? ? Everyday ? 2-3 days per week ? Weekly ? Monthly ? Occasionally 7) Does sports/exercise take the priority position in your daily routine? ? Yes? No 8) Where do you usually play sport? ? Sport clubs Parks ? University grounds ? Street ? Gymnastic ? Other options 9)Are you aware of the different sports clubs available in the university? ? Yes? No 10)Have you join a sport club? ? Yes (go to Q11)? No (go to Q12) 11)Why did you join? (Give 1 or 2 reasons) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 12)Why do other students join sport clubs? (Give 1 or 2 reasons) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13)Think of your friends who do not â€Å" do† sport. Why? ? Laziness ? Workload ? Time constraint ? Other reasons 14)Do you think sports are helpful in maintaining physical health? ? Yes? No Thank you for your precious time. We would be glad to have your name and email address if you wish to be interviewed about this phenomenon. Name: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Email address: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Appendix B: Completed questionn aire Appendix C: The interview questions utilised to collect data Question 1: What hobbies/activities you like doing in your spare time? Question 2: How people perceive about sports in their daily routine? Question 3: Do you think there is a relationship between sport and fitness? Question 4: What difference do you feel before and after doing sports? Question 5: Why people engage themselves in sports? Question 6: Do people recognise opportunities to exercise? (Did you take that? Or what reason for not taking that? ) Appendix D: Observation sheet that other group member has performed on my interview Appendix E: Observation sheet that I have performed on my group member’s interview How to cite Student Sport and Fitness, Essay examples

History Of Ultrasound Physics - Myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss the concept of ultrasound. Answer: The concept of ultrasound came with the evolvement of physics of sound. Sound is a mechanical wave which requires a medium to travel from one place to another. The sound which we are capable of hearing is of range 16 Hz and 20 kHz. Anything which is above or below this range of frequency is inaudible to human ear. But this is only limited to human ear, when it comes to other species, they can. The waves of frequency above 20 kHz can be heard by bat, dolphins, sea lions, cats, dogs, whale etc. and these waves are called as Ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic sounds which are generally used for communication with these species are in the range of 20-100 kHz. However, certain higher frequencies can also be achieved and are being used in the medical application. These ultrasonic sounds are produced by Ultrasonic transducer and can produce in the range of 1-20 MHz. Ultrasound have found great application in the medical field such as measuring the distant of the internal organs, their structure and the speed at which it is moving. The point at which the ultrasonic physics have reached today is only possible just because of the researchers who are working for the last 2 decades for the advancement of it. This paper will be discussing about all such efforts put by them to bring the technology to this level. History of Ultrasound physics It is assumed that the evolvement of ultrasound may have been done by any of the medical professional. However, the real story is quite different. The scientists from different profession who are not at all connected to medical profession were the one to do so. It was only after the advancement of science and technology, the medical sector realized the potential of ultrasonic waves in treatment, diagnosis and detection (Baker, 2008). The root of ultrasound is considered to be traced from the period of ancient Greeks. The inventor of the Pythagoras theorem, Pythagoras was the first person to invent the sonomter and study the sound of the music (Tsung, 2012). In the year 1794, Italian physiologist observed the phenomena of echolocation used by the bat to guide them to move. Echolocation is a property of making ultrasonic sound such that it hit the object and bounce back from the object; this echo formation helps the bat in knowing the size, location and structure of any object in their way. In the second half of 1826, Jean Daniel who is a French scientist found out that sound travel faster in water when compared to air by submerging a church bell. Later in the year 1880, Piezo-electric effect was discovered by the Curies (Jacques Curie and Pierre Curie), according to which if mechanical stress is applied on certain prepared crystals then surface charges is developed. Finally in the year 1915, there came a great rev olution in the field of ultrasonic physics (Wouter, 2014). As a result of sinking of Titanic in the year 1912, the researchers and the scientists were forced to find out some safety resolution so that these things can be avoided. Paul Langevin, a French scientist invented the first transducer named as hydrophone which can recognize the icebergs and later in the First World War, for recognize the enemy submarines. For the next 27 years the development of the basic technology carried on and then in the year 1942, Karl Dussik, an Australian Psychiatrist and Neurologist started using the ultrasonic technology for the treatment of brain tumor. Since then, year by year ultrasonic technology have advanced and broadened the area in medical field which includes detection of gallstones in the year 1942, incorporation of ultrasound in GYN/OB in 1958, imaging blood flow in layers of heart in 1966, development of Doppler instruments in 1970s, 3D image capturing of fetus in 1989 and then to 4D imaging in the 1990s (Verweij, 2015). The biological imaging which we see today, the major of it was developed in the 80s. We see a color image nowadays using an ultrasonic tool which was not at all possible in the 70s. It was only in the year 1983 that real time color imaging was conceptualized by Quantum Medical System during the meeting held at American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. However, this was only a concept until three people from Japan namely Ryozo Omoto, Koroku Namekawa and Chihiro Kasai in the year 1985 realized that it could actually be brought into practice. It took almost 3 years to bring the first commercial 3D scanner in to the market which could be used for the imaging of the cardiac structures and was named as Combison 330. After the development of the scanner the majority of the pioneer of Ultrasonic physics started working to enhance the imaging property of the technique. It was in the year 1994 that the duo of Olaf Von and Stephen William developed the state-of-the-art Medical Ultrasound Imaging integrated circuit which was capable of providing multiple real time images at a single go. Presently, the ultrasound technology is even evolving further as does the other personal communication devices. Nowadays, the IPhone comes with a tele sonography and further NASA have developed virtual guidance program to perform ultrasound in space. Capabilities of Transducers Of all the development in ultrasound technologies, the biggest revolution was the development of transducers. Lets point out some of the capabilities of the transducers: Wind direction and speed can be measured Relative distance between two objects can be identified Speed of the particles in the air or water can be determined Fuel or water level can be identified When it comes to medical field, there are huge numbers of capabilities which can be discussed. In short the evolvement of the transducer was a great boon for the medical sector and because of which several diagnosis came into lime light and achieved success. References Baker, J. (2008). Joan Baker delivers the McLaughlin Lecture at the 2008 SDMS Conference. Retrieved 25 Sep, 2016, from https://www.radiologytoday.net/archive/rt_120108p28.shtml Tsung, J. (2012). History of Ultrasound and Technological Advances, Retrieved on 25 Sep, 2016, from https://www.wcume.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tsung.pdf Wouter, J. (2014).Silicon photonic micro-ring resonators to sense strain and ultrasound(Ph.D.). Delft University of Technology. Verweij, M. (2015). "A sensitive optical micro-machined ultrasound sensor (OMUS) based on a silicon photonic ring resonator on an acoustical membrane".Scientific Reports, 12, 7-10.

Correlation between Multiple Pregnancies and Postpartum Depression/Psychosis

Table of Contents Introduction Postpartum Depression Risk factors for PPD Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Currently, there is an ever increasing incidence of multiple births especially in the developed nations and this is mainly attributed to increase in assisted reproductive technologies. Such multiple pregnancies have well known risks on the infants as well as risks on the mother, more so related to premature births. Although there is a broad understanding of the risks that present with multiple births, there is paucity of knowledge on how multiple births are related to the well-being of the mother, particularly her mental wellbeing.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Correlation between Multiple Pregnancies and Postpartum Depression/Psychosis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is need to examine the mental well-being of mothers with multiple birth since such parents are exposed to various ris ks which exacerbate the likelihood of developing postpartum depression (PPD). Such risks include the stress of bearing and looking after multiple infants, the possibility of having high-risk pregnancy, social isolation, factors such as premature birth, cesarean delivery as well as risks related to assisted reproduction techniques. It is for these reasons that this paper examines the available knowledge on possible association between multiple pregnancies and postpartum depression as well as postpartum psychosis. In recognition of the paucity of information on the relationship between multiple pregnancies and postpartum depression, the paper reviews the likely relationship by understanding the two variables, multiple pregnancies and postpartum depression, in terms of their characteristics. Possible correlations are then suggested relating the adverse effects of multiple pregnancies and the possible links with various causes of postpartum depression. This paper therefore starts with d efining postpartum depression, characteristic symptoms of the condition and the various possible causes which are then related with characteristics and circumstances surrounding multiple pregnancies. Postpartum Depression Postpartum depression is a depression condition that is experienced by women within a month to a period of three months postpartum. It is therefore evident that postpartum depression differs from other forms of depression generally due to the time when the depression occurs. Postpartum depression is usually misdiagnosed with other mental disorders such as peuperal psychosis as well as normal mental and behavioral changes that may occur after birth. Differential diagnosis for PPD should therefore include baby blues, bipolar disorder as well as postnatal psychosis. The main characteristics of PPD include lowered self confidence, increased fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbance, panic, alcohol abuse and anxiety among others (Blicksten and Keith, p. 740). The likelih ood of developing postpartum depression is higher in women who have had postpartum blues with the prevalence of postpartum depression standing at about 6 percent. The prevalence of PPD is reported to be between 10 and 15 percent in Western nations (Oppo et al, p. 239) with either major or minor depression within one year postpartum being between 6.5 and 12.9 percent.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to note that postpartum depression mainly occurs one to three months postpartum and an individual with a history of depression is at even a higher risk of developing postpartum depression. Some other risk factors that elevate the probability of getting PPD include deprived social support, failure to breastfeed, and previous pregnancy loss among others. Postpartum depression is mainly characterized by symptoms such as reduced sexual drive, lack of good sleep, feelin gs of guilt, and poor mother-child bond (Feldman Christensen, p. 115). Differentiating postpartum depression from postpartum psychosis is an important thing while discussing the relationship between multiple pregnancies and PPD. Postpartum psychosis presents in form of serious depressed moods, hallucinations, disorganized thought system as well as psychotic thoughts and it usually starts close to delivery (O’hara, p. 1259). Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric disorder which is associated with postpartum depression at its severe stages. It is common with women who have ever had other forms of mental illnesses and thus women who have had multiple births and had postpartum depression have a high likelihood of developing postpartum psychosis. Risk factors for PPD According to Oppo et al (p. 40), the most common risk factors for postpartum depression include presence of anxious thoughts during pregnancy, severe life stressors, and inadequate or absence of social support. The con tribution of obstetric factors is significant but the effect size is small. From the association of the above factors and PPD, it is possible to hypothesize that any eventuality that introduces or exacerbates any of the risk factors among mothers of multiple births would lead to PPD. The relationship between multiple pregnancies and postpartum depression can therefore be deduced from the risk factors since most women with multiple pregnancies become more vulnerable to the risk factors. Blicksten and Keith (p. 741) indicate that there is an increased incidence of psychiatric disorders among women who have had multiple births and that such disorders mainly occurr during postpartum period. Mothers of twins are particularly vulnerable to psychological disorders – postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis – during the first three months postpartum.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Correlation between Multiple Pregnancies and Postpartum De pression/Psychosis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Cassels and Barclay (para 2), there is a noted increase in the risk of postpartum depression among mothers with multiple births. It is specifically identified that the risk of getting postpartum depression increased by 43 percent if a woman had more than one birth compared to women who had only one birth. Cassels and Barclay (para 1) further report that a study conducted using data from the ECLSBC (Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Control Cohort) for children born in 2001 indicated an adjusted ratio of 1.43 in development of severe postpartum depression among mother with multiple birth relative to mothers of singletons. On trying to identify the reason behind women with multiple births having a higher record of postpartum depression, it is identified that having multiple births is mainly considered as a highly stressful life event in most cases. This is because p arenting multiple births presents with unique demands which leave the mother stressed, exhausted and in most cases socially isolated thus predisposing her to postpartum depression/psychosis. Blackstein and Keith (p. 725) indicate that mothers of multiples go through a hard time during breastfeeding and not many of them are able to handle exclusive breastfeeding which is usually emphasized during the first six months of the infant’s life. In specific, these authors report that the process of breastfeeding multiple infants calls for most women to stay awake as breastfeeding two infants during their first three months takes at least 45 minutes and this is done after every 3 to 4 hours. This leaves the mother stressed and predisposes her to mental illness and particularly postpartum depression. Blickstein and Keith (p. 729) emphasize that breastfeeding multiples calls for the mother to meet specific nutritional needs to ensure that there is enough volume and nutritional requireme nts in the milk and this, coupled with lack of sleep, presents as a stressful situation. Issues of time management and hardships in the mode (including positions) of breastfeeding multiples may be a tough experience, especially for inexperienced mothers, that may subject the woman into stress. It is this and other forms of stress that spill over to the development of postpartum depression. It should be noted that multiple pregnancies are characterized by delivery via caesarian section in most cases and this may have deleterious effects on the mother’s health, more so the pain and discomfort that may occur during breastfeeding. Premature births are also common in multiple births with Keirse, Hanssens and Devlieger (p. 523) indicating that rates of preterm births in multiple pregnancies range from 44.2 percent to 68.4 percent in Europe.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This high rate of preterm births in multiple pregnancies implies that the mother undergoes through a stressful moment which requires a lot of support for successful progression from this stage. Lack of social support and the whole experience of delivering preterm infants are enough stressors to subject the mother into the path of postpartum depression. As noted earlier, taking care of multiple births is a tasking and stressing situation that places a woman at the risk of developing postpartum depression. The mother is likely to start feeling guilty when she thinks her ability to take care of the multiples and any other child that they may be having. It often becomes hard for the mother to give attention to all the children and makes the woman worried and guilty thus paving way for PPD. Another challenge that may make the mother of multiple pregnancies become more anxious and depressed is the high likelihood of requiring intensive care for multiple infants who are born prematurely. A ccording to Spath (p 242), the likelihood of requiring intensive care among multiple premature twins is 16 times higher than in singletons. Moreover, the infants have an elevated risk of up to 10 times of developing celebral palsy. Chances of the multiples dying are also high (3 – 4 times higher than in singletons). Such circumstances predispose the mother to anxiety, which may further be increased by existence of financial constraints of dealing with the circumstances. Overall, the mother of multiple births becomes more prone to postpartum depression. The fact that premature babies have to be under neonatal care, thus away from the mother may create anxiety in the mother or even make her depressed and eventually welcome postpartum depression. The vulnerability of multiple pregnancy mothers to postpartum depression is elevated by the fact that most multiple pregnancies result from an already stressful procedure, in vitro fertilization. The stress associated with assisted repr oduction and even the circumstances that lead a woman to seek assisted reproduction are enough to cause stress which later presents as PPD. Postpartum depression is even likely to be more probable after a woman bears multiple infants compared to bearing single infants severally. This is because handling multiple infants is obviously more tasking than handling a single infant. The presence of postpartum depression has also been said to be about five times common among multiple infants mothers compared to mothers with singletons thus making one conclude that the likelihood of having PPD among mothers of multiples is higher than among mothers of singletons. The reporting that up to 76 percent of mothers of twins experience constant exhaustion relative to only 8 percent of mothers to singletons is a good indicator that multiple pregnancies are more prone to PPD (Haddon, para 2). Assisted reproductive technologies play a great role in the incidence of multiple births as reported by Barke hall-Thomas, Woodward and Wallace (p. 222). In a study conducted by the authors in Australia on the outcomes of triplet births, it was found that up to 59 percent of the triplets were due to assisted reproductive technologies. The incidence of preterm births was found to be high with the median gestation period being 32.5 weeks with a significant 43 percent of the infants being born prior to 32 weeks of gestation. Other than the high prevalence of preterm births in multiple pregnancies, several complications that have the capacity to cause depression in mothers were identified. For instance it was noted that cases of preterm labor as well as rapture of membrane before term were reported. Moreover, almost all the women (93%) gave birth through caesarean section with some suffering complications during the procedure. From this study, it is evident that multiple pregnancies are accompanied by a myriad of problems and circumstances that predispose the mother to the risk of developing po stpartum depression. There is also a high prevalence of prenatal complications that accompany multiple pregnancies and these can have an effect on the development of postpartum depression. Some of these complications include antepartum hemorrhage, cervical incompetence and pre-eclampsia (Barkehall-Thomas, Woodward Wallace, p. 224). Elsewhere, it is reported that mothers of multiple pregnancy often experience hypertension as a main complication. It is important to note that hypertension is also related to stress and therefore it is possible that multiple pregnancies are related to postpartum depression by way of increased incidences of hypertension. The combination of these complications cannot be underestimated in the development of postpartum depression since they are events that leave the mother anxious or stressed (Rosello-Soberon, Fuentes-Chaparro Casanueva, p. 297). Conclusion Postpartum depression is a well acknowledged mental condition among women and it occurs within one m onth to three months after delivery. On the other hand, multiple pregnancies have been on the rise more so with the advancement and penetration of assisted reproduction technologies. A well understood phenomenon associated with multiple pregnancies is the occurrence of several complications among them being preterm birth. Despite this knowledge, the above review of literature identifies that there is paucity of information and research focusing on the relationship between postpartum depression and multiple pregnancy. It is however notable that the available information indicates that postpartum depression cases are higher among mothers of multiple infants compared to mothers of singletons. In addition, it is also evident from this review that there are several factors related to the observation that postpartum depression is more common among mothers of multiple pregnancies. The circumstances surrounding multiple pregnancies and multiple births are found to be sufficient enough to ca use stress and anxiety among multiple pregnancy mothers. As such, these stressful and anxious events give way to the development of postpartum depression. Among the main stressful conditions that have been identified in this research include problems associated with assisted reproduction (such as preterm births, caesarean section and other health conditions), the stress of taking care of the multiple infants more so in breastfeeding the baby, the trauma of caesarian section and possible complications as well as lack of social support. Despite a relationship being identified that postpartum depression is related to multiple pregnancies, the direction of causality as well as the explanations on how the two happen has not been thoroughly explained in literature. It is therefore pertinent that more research is conducted on this topic to shed more light on this relationship and eliminate dependence on speculations. It is however notable that the identification that multiple pregnancies a re related to more instances of postpartum depression can be useful in heightening assessment for PPD among this group of women. This would help in early diagnosis and treatment of PPD before these women are overwhelmed by the condition. Works Cited Barkehall-Thomas Andrea, Woodward, Louise and Wallace Euan M. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in 54 triplet pregnancies managed in an Australian tertiary centre. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 44; (2004): 222–227. Blickstein, Isaac and Keith Louis G. Multiple pregnancy: epidemiology, gestation perinatal outcome. Second edition. Boca Raton, FL: Taylor Francis, 2006. Cassels Caroline and Barclay Laurie. Multiple birth increases postpartum depression risk. 2009. Mediscape Medical News. Retrieved from https://www.medscape.com/ Feldman, Mitchell D. and Christensen John F. Behavioral medicine: a guide for clinical practice. Third edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2007. Haddon, Lynda P. Postpartum depression and mothers of multiples. N.d. Multiple Births: Prenatal Education. Web. O’hara, Michael W. Postpartum depression: What we know. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65.12; (2009): 1258–1269. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20644 Oppo, A., Mauri, M., Ramacciotti, D., Camilleri, V. and Banti, S. et al. Risk factors for postpartum depression: the role of the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R). Arch Womens Mental Health 12; (2009):239–249 DOI 10.1007/s00737-009-0071-8 Rosello-Soberon, Maria E., Fuentes-Chaparro Laiza and Casanueva Eshter. Twin pregnancies: Eating for three? Maternal nutrition update. Nutrition Reviews, 63. 9; (2005): 295–302. Spath, Dona Berarelli. The problem of multiple pregnancies. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 41.2; 2007:242-245. This research paper on Correlation between Multiple Pregnancies and Postpartum Depression/Psychosis was written and submitted by user Shannon A. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Why Many Americans Fail to Vote in Elections

Why Many Americans Fail to Vote in Elections Why dont more people  vote? Lets ask them. The California Voter Foundation (CVF) has released the results of a statewide survey on the attitudes of infrequent voters and citizens eligible to vote but not registered. The first-of-its-kind survey sheds new light on the incentives and barriers to voting, along with the sources of information that influence people when they do vote. Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Since the 1980s voter turnout has been decreasing steadily in the United States, as well as most other democratic countries worldwide. Political scientists generally attribute falling voter turnout to a combination of disillusionment, indifference, or a sense of futility – the feeling that an individual’s vote will not make a difference.   â€Å"For election officials and others working to maximize voter participation, these survey results provide clear direction on the messages most likely to get infrequent voters to participate in the upcoming election, and on the messages that will motivate more nonvoters to register,† stated the CVF, noting that there are 6.4 million Californians who are eligible but unregistered to vote. It Just Takes Too Long â€Å"Too long† is in the eye of the  waiter. Some people will stand in line for two days to buy the latest, greatest cell phone or concert tickets. But many of the same people will not wait 10 minutes to exercise their right to choose their government leaders. Besides, a 2014 GAO report suggests it doesn’t really take â€Å"too long† to vote. Just Too Busy The survey found that 28% of infrequent voters and 23% of those unregistered said they do not vote or do not register to vote because they are too busy. â€Å"This tells us that many Californians may benefit from more information about the time-saving advantages of early voting and voting by absentee ballot,† the CVF  said. Voter registration forms are available in post offices, libraries and the  Department of Motor Vehicle  offices in most states. The CVF said the survey’s findings might also benefit those campaigns trying to reach infrequent and new voters in advance of the election. The perception that politicians are controlled by special interests is widely shared among two-thirds of the survey’s respondents and represents a significant barrier to voter participation. A feeling that candidates don’t really speak to them was cited as the second leading reason why infrequent voters and nonvoters do not vote. Even Non-Voters Say Voting is Important Still, 93% of infrequent voters agreed that voting is an important part of being a good citizen and 81% of nonvoters agreed it is an important way to voice their opinions on issues that affect their families and communities. â€Å"Civic duty and self-expression provide strong incentives to get potential voters to the polls, despite pervasive cynicism about the influence of special interests,† said the organization. Family and Friends Encourage Others to Vote The survey found that family and friends influence how infrequent voters decide to vote as much as daily newspapers and TV news. Among infrequent voters, 65 percent said conversations with their families and local newspapers were influential sources of information when it comes to making voting decisions. Network TV news rated as influential among 64%, followed by cable TV news at 60%, and conversations with friends at 59%. For more than half of the infrequent voters surveyed, phone calls and door-to-door contact by political campaigns are not influential sources of information when deciding how to vote. The survey also found that family upbringing plays a strong role in determining voting habits as adults. 51% of nonvoters surveyed said they grew up in families that did not often discuss political issues and candidates. Who are the Non-Voters? The survey found that nonvoters are disproportionately young, single, less educated and more likely to be of an ethnic minority than infrequent and frequent voters. 40% of nonvoters are under 30 years old, compared to 29% of infrequent voters and 14% of frequent voters. Infrequent voters are much more likely to be married than nonvoters, with 50% of infrequent voters married compared to only 34% of nonvoters. 76% of nonvoters have less than a college degree, compared to 61% of infrequent voters and 50% of frequent voters. Among nonvoters, 54% are white or Caucasian compared to 60% of infrequent voters and 70% of frequent voters. Voter Turnout in 2018 Soared   On a positive note, voter turnout in November 2018 reached the highest level of any midterm election in over a century. According to the non-partisan, non-profit United States Elections Project, 49.3% of all eligible voters cast more than 116 million ballots nationwide. It was the best turnout since 1914 when 50.4% voted and surpassed the previous high turnout of 48.7% in 1966.   Better yet, 2018 reversed a troubling downward turnout trend. Turnout in the 2010 midterms was 41.8% before dropping to a miserable 36.7% in 2014- the lowest since 1942.   Of course, voter turnout in midterm elections will always lag far behind that of presidential election years. For example, in 2012, when President Obama was elected to his second term, the turnout was 58.6%. Turnout then jumped to 60.1% in 2016, when Republican Donald Trump defied the polls to be elected president over Democrat Hillary Clinton after an especially contentious campaign.

Abercrombie and Fitch report Essay Example for Free

Abercrombie and Fitch report Essay ? Abercrombie & Fitch was established in 1892, and originally was a retailer of outdoor and sporting goods. In 1976, it went bankrupted and was acquired by Limited Brands in 1988. Michael Jeffries was nominated to become CEO in 1992, and he dramatically improved the status of A&F to be a global fashion retailer. Now the symbol of American style and beloved brand by many customers worldwide, Abercrombie and Fitch produces mainly apparel, fragrance and lifestyle goods targeting at consumers aged from 18 to 25. There are 4 sub-brands in A&F which are Abercrombie and Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister and Gilly Hicks. Each sub-brand has its own characteristics and its positioning in the fashion market is slightly different. Abercrombie & Fitch is rooted in East Coast traditions and Ivy League heritage, it is the essence of privilege and casual luxury (Abercrombie and Fitch Co. 2012, P. 3). Abercrombie Kids is for the kids who want to be like their older brothers or sisters and the core concept of it is casual and preppy looks. Hollister’s heritage stems from Southern California and was designed to represent cool beach style. Gilly Hicks is the newest and smallest brand in A&F made only for the girls’ clothes or underwear. With the opening of a flagship store in Canada in 2005, A&F started to enter the global market. Now it has 139 stores outside of the US, and it recently opened stores in Seoul, South Korea and in Shanghai, China to expand into the Asian market. We chose Abercrombie and Fitch since we would like to see how successful this multinational apparel company can be by insisting its All-American style in different cultures. We wanted to explore its unique retail strategy and brand positioning as this brand is sought after a lot of young adult. Several controversial issues of A&F were the deciding factor in our choice of company. Work Oriented Culture Of all the methods which exist for explaining cultural differences, â€Å"the dimensional approach is more influential† (Peng & Meyer, 2011). Geert  Hostede, a Dutch professor, established the overarching theory consisting of five cultural dimensions. The first is power distance which outlines the expectation and acceptance of the unequal distribution of power by the less powerful members of a country (Peng & Meyer, 2011). Individualism vs. collectivism is the cultural dimension characterized by whether the  citizens view themselves as distinctly different or dependent upon group involvement. The third cultural dimension is masculinity vs. femininity which refers to the values, traditional male or female, which are held in the highest regard. Determining the extent to which an individual will embrace uncertain circumstances is the uncertainty avoidance dimension. Finally, long-term orientation deals with the emphasis the citizens place upon â€Å"perseverance and savings for future betterment† (Peng & Meyer, 2011). The US is the home country of Abercrombie and Fitch. Scoring a 40 caused the US to be in the lower half of the countries for power distance. Hierarchy is â€Å"established for convenience† (Geert-hofstede.com, 2014) as superiors are easily accessible and communicate informally. Information is free flowing as managers take input form their subordinates. The US received the highest individuality score of 91. Citizens are considered â€Å"the best joiners in the world† (Geert-hofstede.com, 2014). It is not extreme for Americans to work with people with whom they are not familiar as deep friendships are not commonly formed. What an individual is capable of doing or has already done will determine their value of being  hired or promoted. Ranking 15th on the masculinity scale with a score of 62 indicates a masculine nation. US firms create a culture of â€Å"live to work† (Geert-hofstede.com, 2014) where higher status and financial rewards are key driving factors. Leaders which are forceful and decisive are highly valu ed. Employees who are less visible and indecisive are not able to attain success With a score of 46, the US is shown to have a below average uncertainty avoidance. Innovation is extremely valued as new ideas are quickly accepted. As compared to firms in higher uncertainty avoidance countries, US firms will quickly go after new, emerging, and risky opportunities. The US is seventh from the bottom of the list for long-term orientation with a score of 29. While future planning is involved in US firms’ decision making process, quarterly reports are incredibly significant and limit the time firms can look ahead. Employees’ savings rates in countries such as the US are much lower than those in long-term oriented nations. Home Region Oriented Firm Rugman and Verbeke in 2004 established a triad of economic power consisting of Asia, the EU, and North America. Analysis of 380 firms determined how many were home-region oriented, bi-regional, host-region oriented, or global (Rugman & Verbeke, 2004). A home-region oriented firm has â€Å"at least 50% of their sales in their home region of the triad† (Rugman & Verbeke, 2004). To be a bi-regional company, at least 20% of all sales must take place in two regions, but the company cannot have more than 50% in the region where the company is based. If a firm has more than 50% of its sales in a region different than its home region then the firm is considered host region oriented. In order to be global, a firm must have â€Å"at least 20% of their sales in all three regions of the triad, but less than 50% in any one region† (Rugman & Verbeke, 2004). A&F is considered a home region oriented company based upon the released date from 2013. Of the $4,116.9 million in sales, 64.59% or $2,659.09 million is generated in the home region, North America. $1,116.78 million or 27.13% of all their sales take place in the EU region. Asia is far behind as the remaining 8.28% of sales, 341.03 thousand dollars, is dispersed across the  rest of the world. No calculations were needed as the sales figures and percentages were given. (Csimarket.com, 2014). The industry for which A&F operates can explain their sales distribution. As the company is in the fashion and retail industry, its’ sales are incredibly dependent upon the affinity of the customers for specific brands and styles. Since the company is based in North America, the firm is much more familiar with the prevalent style which would need to be present to increase sales. A&F also established itself in their home country before expanding. These factors could explain the firmâ€℠¢s international orientation. Ownership Advantages First, one downstream ownership advantage of A&F is the possession of a specific brand image which is not easily imitable. The firm operates under different brands – Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister, and Gill Hicks – for slightly different targets. Each sub-brand represents a different brand image but they eventually add up to one big image, â€Å"American Cool†. To the fashion retailers, the most important ownership advantage is their own irreplaceable brand image. In this context, A&F has its distinct position in the fashion market and is using their brand image successfully to attract the customers (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, P. 3). Second, the other ownership advantage of A&F is its’ in-store experience. A&F stimulates the customers’ senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch by utilizing handsome male models, music, fragrances, rich fabrics and interior design. Customers (mainly females) can get a chance to take a photo with the models, and this became a representative in-store experience of A&F. In addition to this, A&F uses certain perfume to attract customers and to make them remember A&F for a longer time than just seeing, which is called â€Å"scent marketing†. Also, the stores always play the video of the American beach to emphasize its â€Å"cool† brand image. A&F only sets up the flagship stores and controls them through the managers who are trained in the US and sent to the international flagship stores to monitor the whole operation. This system makes it possible to transfer this in-store experience to the newly established flagship stores very well. Therefore, all A&F stores, even those  overseas, are committing the standardized in-store experience by offering customers the same experience (Abercrombie and Fitch Co. 2012, p. 4). Uppsala Model & Network Internationalization Model – Differences â€Å"The Uppsala model views that market knowledge is gained only by operating directly in a market; thus the model focuses on experimental knowledge† (Childs & Jin 2013, p. 38). According to the Uppsala model, will increase their market commitment gradually based upon their experience in the market and based on the knowledge they gain in the market. On the other hand, according to the Network internationalization model, firms can start their internationalization before they enter the market by settling network relationship in advance. Therefore, firms do not have to follow the stages of the Uppsala model but â€Å"building a number of such relationships constitutes a large and important investment, and once established, a nd organizational or ownership advantage† (Vahlne & Johanson 2013, p. 195). Uppsala Model & Network Internationalization Model – Similarities Both models consider the network as important knowledge that firms should gain. The network facilitates information and experience by building up the trust in a relationship and also by learning from other market players. Within the Uppsala model, the core concept of the gradual extension of a company’s internationalization into a market, which gains the company valuable experience, should be based on the interplay with customers, suppliers, and other competitors. As the company’s network broadens, it can get more knowledge and at the same time its degree of internationalization will become higher. In this context, we can find similarity between the two models. International Trajectory In 2005, A&F first opened its’ flagship store in Canada. Starting from this, A&F entered the European market with opening flagship stores in major cities of the European countries, such as London, Milan, Paris, and Amsterdam. On December 15, 2009, A&F opened its first Asian flagship store in Tokyo as a starting point to enter the Asian market. Currently, A&F owns 19 flagship stores in Canada, 110 in Europe, and 11 in Asia. Among those stores, 39 are sales subsidiaries. In Canada, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong, A&F has wholly-owned subsidiaries because there are DCs in those countries, meaning that they are the most important countries in each continent (Abercrombie &  Fitch Co. 2012, PP. 19, 101102). Firms who have a strong brand image and possess asset specificity (a unique product or a unique way of doing business) are more likely to internationalize quickly (Childs & Jin, 2013). A&F is a good example of this case, so it could skip the lower stages of the Uppsala model, s uch as sporadic exports or exports through sales agents, and could set up the subsidiaries directly overseas, which only takes 7-9  years. Consequently, now we can assume that the company is already in a quite higher stage of the Uppsala-based stages model with its sales subsidiaries and wholly-owned subsidiaries. Degree and Nature of International Sourcing Abercrombie and Fitch does not own factories producing the products and it has not sourced more than 10% of its merchandise from any single member of its approximately 155 vendors in 20 countries, including the United States, China, Vietnam and Guatemala (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, p. 4). In particular, more than 90% of its suppliers are in Asia (Google.com, 2011). The company has established supplier product quality standards to ensure the high quality of fabrics and other materials used in the company’s products (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, p. 5). Abercrombie and Fitch has two distribution centers (â€Å"DCs†) in New Albany, Ohio. The two DCs were initially responsible for the distribution of merchandise to the stores and direct-toconsumer customers, both regionally and internationally. Since 2009, A&F has offshored its DCs by using a third-party DC (TNT Fashion) in Roosendaal, the Netherlands for the distribution of merchandise to stores and direct-to-consumer c ustomers located in Europe and a third-party DC in Hong Kong since 2011 for the distribution of merchandise to stores located in Asia. Its two DCs in New Albany, Ohio currently only support its North American stores, and direct-to-consumer customers outside of Europe (Abercrombie & Fitch Co. 2012, p. 5). The nature of offshoring the DCs is to broaden the direct-toconsumer business worldwide and facilitate the international expansion of Abercrombie and Fitch stores in Europe and Asia. Furthermore, Abercrombie and Fitch has a strong, cooperative and long-term relationship with its vendor factories. When the CEO Mike Jeffries was asked about the cost pressures from raw materials and labor costs, he emphasized  that a strong relationship with vendors has been key since they had assisted A&F and been fair in terms of cotton prices and other increases. He also added that A&F and vendors have been there for each other for the long term (Barrie, 2010). Strategic Advantages and Drawbacks of International Sourcing and Offshoring The first advantage of international sourcing is that A&F can hedge against the supplier risks. Since A&F has relationships with over 100 vendors in 20 countries, it can flexibly switch from one source to another when necessary. A&F has the ability to increase its total supply capacity. Even if there are a sudden wave of demand for certain products, having a strong relationship with over 100 vendors will ensure A&F a certain supply of products and therefore the supply chain will be more stable (Inboundlogistics.com, 2011). However, such global sourcing strategy also brings some disadvantages. The source of production activity is too dispersed; it is a challenge to find qualified executives who know the local business environment and understand the corporation’s inner workings especially in the Asia Pacific region (Inboundlogistics.com, 2011). We would advise Abercrombie and Fitch to send executives from the US to those countries and hire local managers simultaneously to ensure the production activity smooth. The primary advantage of offshoring is to reduce costs. Offshoring its distribution centers in Europe and Asia can save distribution and transportation costs of merchandise to stores in Europe and Asia. However, if the third-party distribution center in the Netherlands or Hong Kong shuts down suddenly, the distribution of merchandise in Europe and Asia will be totally disrupted. Therefore, A&F should leverage the risk by running an additional distribution center in some low-cost countries, such as Vietnam. This move will also support A&F’s future expansion. Opportunities and Threats in Vietnam Opportunities Labor cost in Vietnam are absolutely lower than that of China (JETRO, 2011) (NWPC, 2014). See Appendix 1 for figure 1. Government policy to attract FDI (Kim, Lee & Cheong, 2011). See AppendixThreats 2.  TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) – Cost reduction, lead time reduction, and tax benefit. See Appendix 3 for table 1. Currently only 16% of A&F clothes are produced in Vietnam (Google.com, 2011). See Appendix 4 for figure 2. Vietnam has a better status for lead times, infrastructure, and working circumstances than other developing countries (Kim, Lee & Cheong, 2011). As A&F doesn’t operate their own manufacturing facilities but uses vendors, it can be intense competition among the companies who want to attract vendors in Vietnam. Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka which have lower labor cost than Vietnam are trying to develop their infrastructure and manufacturing conditions to attract vendors. In the future, those undeveloped countries can be a threat to the Vietnam market. Minimum wage in Vietnam is increasing by 15% in 2013, and 17% in 2014 (Vettoretti & Huyen, 2013). Suggestions for the Emerging Market We suggest establishing a distribution center (DC) in Vietnam as a strategy to create synergy with the new manufacturing facilities in Vietnam. Currently, many global fashion retailers are trying to generate vertical integration in the emerging markets because they can control the demand fluctuation easily and simplify procurement and administrative procedures eliminating the need to deal with a wide variety of suppliers and distributors. If TPP is concluded, the degree of tariffs will decrease, so it would be better to concentrate on upstream investment in Vietnam. Because emerging markets are not wellorganized and there is more lack of conditions than the developed market, owning a DC will be more stable and protective. Eventually, a DC in Vietnam will create good access to the Asian market. In  overseas developed markets, A&F doesn’t own the distribution centers but uses third-party DCs in the Netherlands and Hong Kong. However in Vietnam, we assume that A&F would set up a distribution center as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The third-party logistics in outsourcing the whole distribution to a specialized company would reduce the cost. Now A&F has only third-party DCs in overseas and there is a threat to be shut down. In order to prevent this situation in advance, owning at least one wholly-owned DC is practical. Because a wholly-owned DC totally controlled by the company, the company can adjust to the demand fluctuation better than a third-party DC. Therefore wholly-owned DC will function as a safety net in a case there is an uncontrollable problem in a third-party DC. Strategic Objectives of Entering China With regard to market seeking, â€Å"China will represent the biggest market potential for our brands,† said Craig Brommers, senior vice president of marketing for A&F (Fashionunited.com, 2014). Undoubtedly, China is a huge and growing market with a population of approximately 1.4 billion. Therefore, A&F has been trying to locate its potential customers by opening the first flagship store in Shanghai and 8 Hollister stores in different cities since 2012. The company plans to open over 100 new stores under its Hollister and A&F’s label in China over the next ten years (Fashionunited.com, 2014). With regard to efficiency seeking, there are an abundant suppliers and a low-cost labor force. Specifically, over 60% of its vendors were located in China in 2011 (Google.com, 2011). Also, there has been a distribution center in Hong Kong since 2011. Therefore, A&F can achieve lower transportation costs since the delivery is closer to its target markets. Past Foreign Entry Modes Abercrombie and Fitch started its international expansion in London by opening the first overseas flagship store in 2007, and it almost adopted a single foreign entry mode in the last 7 years. A&F established a wholly-owned subsidiary when entering a new market, such as the Netherlands, UK, Hong  Kong, Singapore and Japan. However, A&F opened its first Hollister store in Dubai in 2013 through a joint venture with Majid Al Futtaim Ventures and an A&F flagship store is expected to open in Dubai in 2014 the same way (Majid Al Futtaim Ventures, 2014). For Abercrombie and Fitch, establishing wholly-owned subsidiaries is a better entry mode for international expansion. A&F can enjoy full control of the international stores since it pursues an intensely American retail and marketing strategy (Marx, 2010). Therefore, establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary enables A&F to integrate the operation of its subsidiaries tightly with itself and to control what the subsidiary should follow. In addition, it takes a lot of efforts to establish an effective relationship in a joint venture and the cultures of the companies may be incompatible. Financially, The parent company can consolidate the results of its wholly-owned subsidiaries into one financial statement (Basu, 2014).Considering that A&F is opening more international stores worldwide, the financial reporting would be too complicated if it engages in joint ventures in many different countries. Multinational Strategy – Home Replication Stage The multinational strategy of Abercrombie and Fitch closely resembles the home replication strategy. There are several evidences from practice. First of all, the local responsiveness of A&F’s international stores is very low. The staff greets shoppers in English, rather than the local language of the foreign countries. This results in foreign customer alienation since some customers will be forced to surface their rusty English during the transaction (Marx, 2010). A&F replicates its home country-based competencies such as brand positioning. Sex appeal is a big part of the brand’s charm in the United States; A&F also puts this masculine ideal into practice of its international stores. Particularly, many of the male staff members are half-naked in the stores (Marx, 2010). Finally, the implementation of its marketing strategy and operation is easier. The store design and the interior are the same worldwide along with extremely dim lightings, a strong smell of cologne and p erfume and the staff singing or dancing with the  pounding American songs. ‘Real-life’ Social and Environmental Dilemmas A ‘real life’ social dilemma has adversely impacted A&F in recent years surrounding its CEO. The official website of the company states the company strives to be â€Å"an inclusive environment that values the differences of its associates and customers† (Anfcareers.com, 2014). While this is the official statement, an interview with the CEO, Mike Jeffries, brought a contrasting view to light. Jeffries identified his target market by claiming, â€Å"a lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes]†¦Are we exclusionary? Absolutely† (Walker, 2014). A&F has since released an apology, but boycotts, negative celebrity statements, and petitions were enacted. This issue is an ethical dilemma to the firm because of their strategic place in the clothing market. In order to stay popular, an essence of exclusivity has been built around the brand, since the more exclusive the brand appears, the more interest the brand receives. This has been A&F’s approac h, but this strategy is not inclusive. The firm had to determine whether to increase their size options or continue with the current productive model. The most important stakeholders for this dilemma are the CEO and those who hold a large portion of A&F’s stock. If A&F is not able to effectively remedy the situation then the company’s profits will continue to suffer. A&F is a public company so their performance directly affects their stock. If the dilemma is not resolved quickly, it could trigger a chain reaction of a loss in profits which leads to lower stock causing several holders of the stock to drop it effectively dropping the value of the stock. The effects of this dilemma could have extremely long lasting repercussions. An environmental issue which has become a dilemma for A&F is the implementation of harmful chemicals in their signature fragrances. Within the fragrance Fierce, â€Å"11 secret chemicals that are not listed on the label† (Henricks, Malkan, & Shils, 2014) were found that heighten allergic reactions. This particular fragrance caused reactions from various activist groups such as Physicians for Social Responsibility, MomsRising, and others which total over 1.5 million people (Henricks, Malkan, & Shils, 2014). Utilizing harmful chemicals is an ethical environmental dilemma for A&F  because the current formula has generated incredible revenue. The official website of the company addresses large environmental impact areas such as limiting their carbon emissions, but nothing addresses something  which impacts the environmental on this particular scale. If A&F is able to hide these chemicals and still gain their desired sales results then it has little motivation to stop acting in this manner. The most important stakeholders surrounding this dilemma are not only the executives and upper management of the company, but also the lowest store employees. A loss in serious sales will affect most employees in a company, but this situation would directly affect individual store employees.Customers may stay away from the stores in order to avoid the negative side effects resulting in a loss of profit and jobs for store employees. Developing a Globally Standardized Strategy Currently, Abercrombie and Fitch already has an established a globally standardized strategy to cope with the selected dilemmas. The strategy is laid out on a website by the company which was created specifically for displaying the considerate side of A&F. Covering everything from the sustainability to collaborations to specific policies, A&F clearly display their globally standardized strategy to â€Å"ensure that the highest values of human rights are being upheld at our headquarters, in our stores and within our supply chain† (anfcares.org, 2014). A&F should have a globally standardized strategy. Even if ethical imperialism is not wise, the specific industry operations call for a globalized solution. Several ethical viewpoints are almost universal for garment manufacturing. Several unethical decisions such as environmental negligence and the use of harmful chemicals have resulted in scandals and dilemmas because of the accessibility of information. For example, the infamous interview with the CEO was conducted years before it gained notoriety. By having a globally standardized strategy, A&F could mitigate potential situations before they arise. The selected dilemmas have global relevance. Inclusion, the principle dealt with in the social dilemma, is incredibly important to a multitude of  cultures across the world. A store in the Netherlands which openly admitted to not wanting homosexual customers would experience a similar backlash. The environment issues also reaches across borders. Asthma, one of the problems which are heightened by the fragrances, is prevalent in â€Å"an estimated 300 million people† (Aaaai.org, 2014). Abercrombie and Fitchs’ Actions Compared to Unilever The actual solutions by A&F are not similar to the solutions practiced by Unilever. Both A&F and Unilever have explicit codes of conduct and plans to deal with ethical dilemmas which arise. Even though these plans exist, A&F has demonstrated that its actions do not always align with their official stance. Unilever’s approach to social impact such as gender equality has been greatly documented, and one of their main goals by 2020 is to â€Å"help more than 1 billion people improve their health & well-being† (Vis, 2014). The implementation of this policy is seen as Unilever has helped generate around â€Å"65,000 microentrepreneurs† (Vis, 2014). A stark contrast exists between Unilever’s actions and those of A&F. Unlike Unilever, the ultimate actions of A&F and their refusal to stock larger size clothing proves the company is dedicated to portraying a positive image without actually helping to make a positive change in society. A&F’s actions toward their environmental impact align almost with their actions for social justice. Although its’ official stance is to reduce its environmental footprint, the company has taken no action in light of the protests by environmental groups driven â€Å"to get rid toxic chemicals from the environment† (Lutz, 2013) which are the result of their colognes. Unilever’s approach towards economic longevity has been greatly noted as â€Å"75% sites [send] zero waste to landfill† (Vis, 2014). Unilever’s approach is much more preferable to A&F’s approach. From a social standpoint, Unilever’s actions have actively made a beneficial social change as Unilever continues to fulfill their promises. A&F continues to ignore their customer’s plight even though the company claims to truly care. From a corporate standpoint, Unilever’s approach is better because many news outlets have cited the company as making a positive c hange, while A&F continues to have controversies resulting in a sales drop of 10%. Overall, Unilever has a much better strategy than A&F. Figure 1: Average Monthly Wage of Asian Countries (Nwpc.dole.gov.ph, 2014) Appendix 2 Improvement of the Vietnam Government Policy on FDI (Kim, Lee and Cheong, 2011) The Vietnam government policy for FDI was dramatically improved by registering into WTO (World Trade Organization) and preparing for PNTR (Permanent Normal Trade Relations). Besides, the government adopted global standards, abolished discrimination of foreigners, and opened the service part such as finance or communication. As a result, FDI into Vietnam broadened to various areas, for example, fabrics, mining, energy, finance, logistic and so on. Especially concluding PNTR between the US made it possible to participating into WTO and encouraged foreing investors to enter into the Vietnam market. Another important change in the policy is related to the modification of legal restrictions or rules. On 1st of July, 2006, the government changed the original law for FDI which had been adapted only to the local people into the newly modified law for FDI which is commonly adapted to the both parts of foreigners a nd local people. This was the effort of the government to create more competitive investment conditions which are changing subject of application, and abolishing double price and repatriation tax. Also the government has been modifying the original business law, investment law, land law, and corporate taxation. References 1) Aaaai.org 2014, Asthma Statistics | AAAAI. [online] Available at:http://www.aaaai.org/about-the aaaai/newsroom/asthma-statistics.aspx [Accessed 14 May. 2014]. 2) Abercrombie and Fitch 2012, Annual report 2012, Abercrombie and Fitch Co., New Albany, Ohio. 3) Anfcareers.com 2014, Abercrombie & Fitch Careers. [online] Available at:http://www.anfcareers.com/page/Diversity [Accessed 15 May. 2014]. 4) Anfcares.org 2014, A&F Cares Our Strategy. [online] Available at:http://www.anfcares.org/sustainability/environment/strategy.jsp [Accessed 16 May. 2014]. 5) Barrie, L. 2010, Abercrombie & Fitch sees opportunities in higher costs. [online] Just-style.com. Available at: http://www.just-style.com/analysis/abercrombie-fitch-sees-opportunities-in-highercosts_id109585.aspx [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 6) Basu, C. 2014, The Advantages & Disadvantages of a Wholly Owned Subsidiary. [online] eHow. Available at: http://www.ehow.com/info_8627934_advantages-disadvantages-wholly-ownedsubsidiary.html [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. 7) Childs, M. and Jin, B 2014, Is Uppsala model valid to fashion retailers? An analysis from internationalisation patterns of fast fashion retailers. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 18(1), pp.36 – 51. 8) Csimarket.com 2014, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) Jan. 31, 2014 Sales per Country and Region, Annual Report – CSIMarket. 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