Investigation of factors affecting the distribution of Chironomus larvae in Nant Iago

Method: Biotic Data 1. The stream was split into 14 sections and groups of 3 were each assigned to work at different sections of the stream, which began at the beginning, right at the top, and ended further down stream. 2. The method we used for our experiment was Disturbance Sampling. This was accomplished with the aid of a Surber Sampler which we used in one riffle and one pool in our section. The Surber Sampler consisted of a net which had a 1.0mm2 mesh at the end where all the samples were collected and a quadrat which was placed over a part of the riffle or pool and gave us our area of sampling. 3. By laying the quadrat flat on the bed, I disturbed the stream bed and washed any lying organisms into the mesh. I then washed the water through the mesh to collect any samples in the water. 4. Once this was done the invertebrates were identified, counted and recorded Physical Data: 1. To accomplish my physical data, I measured the pH of the water, the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), the dissolved oxygen, the depth and the temperature. 2. All were measured using specialised probes which were placed in the water of the riffles or the pool. The probes gave us readings of whichever piece of data we were trying to achieve after 30 seconds. The readings were then recorded. 3. The amount of detritus was estimated using estimation by eye, recorded and measured using a scale of 1-4: 1. None 2. Little 3. Some 4. Abundant The pool was 4 and the riffles was 2. 4. The substrate was also identified as to what matter was present, i.e. Riffles: gravel's and pebbles. Pools: twigs, soil, leaves, detritus. Null Hypothesis: There will be no difference in the numbers of Chironomus between pools and riffles. Alternative Hypothesis: There will be a significantly higher number of Chironomus in the pools than in the riffles. Which statistical test? I am going to use the chi square test because we do not know the normal distribution of the data and because I only have a small data sample of 14. A chi square test is used to see if observe values are different from expected values. X2 = ? (O-E)2 o = observed E E = expected POOL RIFFLE OBSERVED (o) 285 15 EXPECTED (e) 300 = 150 300 = 15 O – E 285 – 150 = 135 15 – 150 = -135 (O – E) 2 (285- 150)2 = 18,225 (15-150)2 = 18,225 ( O-E)2 E 18225 = 121.5 150 18225 = 121.5 150 ? (O-E)2 E 121.5 + 121.5 = 243 My chi square value from the experiment was 243. The critical value from the table at 95% confidence showed to be 3.84 at 1 degree of freedom. Because my experimental chi- square value is of a much greater value than my calculated value, it leaves me with a result indicating that my Null Hypothesis is incorrect. I am 99.9% confident that it is wrong as the critical value at this point is 10.8 and my calculated critical value is 243 which is an extremely larger figure. Therefore I will in turn accept my alternative hypothesis which states that there will be a significantly larger number of Chironomus in pools than in the riffles. After my statistical analysis, I can see that there was significantly more Chironomus found in the pool. As my density data shows the maximum abundance of Chironomus is 800m2 in the pool, whereas the maximum number of Chironomus found in the riffles is 50m2. Interpretation Our aim was to investigate the distribution of freshwater Macroinvertebrates in two microhabitats in an upland stream. A stream is formed due to gravity causing overland flow in water and there are many individual factors which affect the stream and the abundance of its inhabitants. The two different types of factors are Abiotic and Biotic. Abiotic The Abiotic factors, which would affect the stream and its inhabitants, are: The current in the riffles, which is significantly stronger compared to the current in the pools. It would suggest that there are either not as many organisms living in the riffles or that if there are, then they would be specially adapted organisms. Examples of this would be an organism, which is highly streamlined. This would help it be prevented from being washed off the rock. It is also adapted to living in the riffles with its ‘claws' that help it grip and cling onto the rock to prevent it from being washed away. In comparison, there is evidence to indicate that there is none or very little current in the pools. This will affect the organisms living in the pools, because there is very little chance for them to be washed away, resulting in there being a higher population of organisms in the pools than there is in the riffles. The low ratings of current mean that there is also a lot of small substrate particles. This means that many other different types of organisms will inhabit the pools as there will be more prey for predators, and in turn, those which are the predators, will attract organisms which hunt for them themselves. These new predators will also inhabit the pools to consume their prey. The substratum levels and content of them also affects the stream and its organisms. In the pools, there are mostly high levels of detritus as the current is extremely low and so the sediment is allowed to settle on the streambed and be built up. There are, however, lower numbers of detritus, twigs and leaves in the riffles because there is a high current running here and anything which settles here will get washed away. Therefore, there is a layer of gravel and pebbles. Temperature also affects the distribution of organisms. When there are high temperatures or when the temperatures rise, the respiration of the organism will also rise, affecting where they must live due to the fact that if they are respiring at a higher rate, then there will need to be more oxygen available to them. By living in the pools, this large amount of oxygen is unavailable to them because of the slow flow rate and low dissolved oxygen percentage. If there is a drastic change in the temperature of the water, then the enzymes in most organisms will become denatured and they will die. This is also the case if the temperature becomes too cold. The organisms will not be able to live in those conditions and so will die. The percentage of dissolved oxygen affects the stream and the distribution of its organisms. When there is a low percentage of dissolved oxygen, there will be a high number of organisms, which are specially adapted to living in these kinds of conditions, such as the Chironomus. This organism has haemoglobin in its body to help it survive in such low levels of dissolved oxygen when it is burrowed in the stream bed. Where there are high levels of oxygen, you will find that there are riffles. This means that there will be very little number of organisms present as they will just be washed away. Biotic Biotic factors affecting the distribution and abundance of the stream and its organisms include: * Food Availability –> for example,the prey or food particles of the correct size/type * Predation –>The probability of prey surviving plummets when predator densities increase. * Competition –>Competition from organisms with similar ecological niches * Disease There are 2 microhabitats in the Nant Iago; the pool, and the riffle. I am now going to describe in more detail the differences the characteristics of the two microhabitats and compare them to assist me in describing the factors affecting the distribution of organisms in Nant Iago Nr. Abergevanny, S. Wales. Characteristics Of A Pool To begin, the substrate in the pool mainly consists of small particles such as sand, mud, detritus and twigs. Detritus is dead decaying organic matter. This build up is due to the low flow rate of 0.05m/s in the stream which prevents the substrate from being washed away. The effect is that the substrate settles and is deposited on the streambed as there is not enough force to wash it away and becomes a habitat for many organisms which can be established in the stream. It has made the detritus rating 3.7 which is abundant. The percentage of dissolved oxygen in the stream is 63.6% which is low. This low amount of dissolved oxygen is due to the fact that bacteria feed on the large amounts of settled detritus. These decomposing bacteria are high in numbers and aerobically respire extensively as they feed on the detritus. In order to respire, oxygen is needed; therefore oxygen levels are exceptionally low and plummet in pools due to the mass of bacteria respiring. This leaves a low ventilation of fresh oxygen in water. The low level of fresh oxygen is also due to the substrate on the streambed accumulating and being so condensed, that the water particles are restricted from moving through it. This, together with the low current, means that the oxygen is not able to be replaced and conditions in pool sediments may become anoxic. Characteristics Of A Riffle In a riffle the number of small substrate particles recorded was lower than that of the pool, and this is due to the much faster current flowing through this part of the stream. The flow rate here was 0.431 m/s. This means that it has a considerably higher kinetic energy in comparison to the pool and it results in the diminutive particles and detritus being swept away with ease. This is evidential through the data which I recorded where it demonstrates that the detritus count was 2.4 (little). Organisms which would need to be adapted to these kinds of speeds of water flow. Baetidae is an example. These organisms are extremely streamlined. This assists the organism greatly, as when it hangs onto the rocks, instead of the water taking the Baetidae with its current, the water will instead flow over due to its highly streamlined body. This is also helpful as when the water flows over the organism, the pressure from the flow causes the organism to be pressed against the rock even more, causing greater resistance to the organism being taken away with the current. The Baetidae also has adapted ‘claws' which are situated on the ends of its legs. These claws cling onto the rock to help give extra strength against being taken away with the current. The dissolved percentage of oxygen was read at 64.1%. This however may not entirely be correct as the reading is far too low than expected, which leads me to believe that the reader may have been defected as the value should be closer to 100%. The general trend is superior to that of the pools because there are large gaps between the large substrate particles in the riffles, which in turn results in higher ventilation and faster current/water flow through the sediment. I will now explain how and why Chironomus are found in pools and are able to live in anoxic conditions. As a female adult Midge deposits her eggs in water, the gelatinous mass hatches and each larvae which has hatched, burrows into the detritus on the bed of the pool. Once here, it develops a silken burrow to prevent the detritus from collapsing on it. The only time the detritivore Chironomus vaguely leaves this silken burrow is when it will pop its head out briefly to feed on the surrounding detritus. This benthic invertebrate is adapted to existing in anoxic conditions and has become acquired to them through several ways; psyological adaptations, behavioural adaptations and structural adaptations. * Structural Adaptations –> The Chironomus has diminutive gills at the end of its body which amplifies the large surface area to volume ratio. Therefore oxygen may diffuse in quickly and easily. Its slender cylinder shape means that it can burrow easily in the detritus found on the stream bed. * Behavioural Adaptations –> The Chironomus exists in silken burrows in the sediment. This means that there is a constrained quantity of oxygen obtainable to them. Therefore to make the oxygen accessible, they undulate their bodies to make water flow through the tube. This enables the haemoglobin in their bodies to become saturated with oxygen from the water in this ventilation current. * Psyological Adaptations –> Just like a mammalian, in order for oxygen to be transported around the body, it must combine with haemoglobin first. Chironomus has haemoglobin which is very similar to that of a mammal. It consists of 1 or 2 polypeptide chains of 136 to 151 amino acid length. Each polypeptide is folded into a tertiary structure and has a single haem group. This haemoglobin is, however, not found in cells, but is found in the body cavity in a fluid named haemolymph. The only main difference between the Chironomus haemoglobin and mammalian haemoglobin is that Chironomus haemoglobin has a much higher affinity for oxygen. This signifies that the oxygen will bind to the haem groups at extremely low partial pressures and will be released only when needed. This assists them when burrowing in anoxic conditions, in the sediment on the pool bed, where oxygen is very restricted. The haemoglobin act as an oxygen store and will this can be demonstrated on an oxygen dissociati on graph. As shown, the O2 dissociation curve for the Chironomus haemoglobin is to the left of the mammalian O2 dissociation curve. This means that it has a higher affinity and will bind oxygen at especially low partial pressures. The reason why the Chironomus dissociation curve is straight is due to the fact that it has only two polypeptides so it is extremely easy for the molecules to bind to the haem groups. The mammalian dissociation curve is s-shaped (sigmoid). This is because it has four polypeptides. With the first haem group, it is tough for the O2 molecule to bind to it, but once it has then this makes it easier for the second and third O2 molecule to bind to the haem groups. The reason why the curve lines off is due to the fact that it is harder for oxygen to bind to the fourth haem group. Benefits of living in anoxic sediments: Living in anoxic conditions requires special adaptations which can be found in Chironomus. Examples of why it may be beneficial for the Chironomus to live in anoxic conditions are that it helps them avoid predation from predators such as the stone fly nymphs; Perlodidae. It also helps Chironomus avoid competition such as interspecific competition from other organisms, for example, the shrimp (gammaridae) who are also detritivores. The shrimp will feed on the floating detritus but cannot enter the substrates and feed on any buried detritus as it does not have adaptations for anoxic conditions. The Chironomus, however, will feed on the detritus in the pool bed. It means that the shrimp cannot feed on the lower parts of detritus because of the low amounts of dissolved oxygen, they will not survive. This shows the different niches. Evaluation: Experimental Errors: Limitations in apparatus: The limitations in the apparatus equipment may have had an overall affect on my final results. By discussing the limitations with my apparatus, I can then relate it to the affect it had on my results. The first limitation was with the Surber Sampler we used. In the pools, there is not as much flow as there is originating in the riffles. This can be distinguished on my results table where it illustrates that the mean flow rate for the pools is 0.059m/s in contrast to 0.431m/s found in the riffles. Hence, this signifies that with a low flow rate in the pools, anything disturbed such as Chironomus or other invertebrates which did not get washed into the net could have swum away with ease. In comparison, the riffles had the advantage of having a high flow rate connotating that there was a high chance of invertebrates being washed into the mesh net. This affects the results because it means that there could have been an artificially lower count of Chironomus in the pools. there wasn't and where there should have been a lower, or perhaps a zero count, of Chironomus in the riffles, there were results that showed up to 5 Chironomus being found. The second constraint caused by the Surber Sampler we used was due to the net. The net mesh is 1mm2 and this may have been a problem. Chironomus goes through 8 instar stages where at each stage, they shed their skin and grow bigger. At the first instar stage, the Chironomus is especially minuscule, so when we disturbed the pool or riffle, the small Chironomus will have simply washed straight through the net. This brings us to a conclusion that we could only have possibly trapped Chironomus or other invertebrates exceeding the size of 1mm due to the fact that they would have been rinsed directly through the net if any smaller. This affects the results because it demonstrates that there may have been a significantly higher amount of Chironomus in both pools and riffles although they were not recorded as the net was unsuccessful in detaining them, reason being that their size was too diminutive. Nonetheless, this is not a very significant error as it has an equal effect in both the pool s and the riffles. A third limitation with the Surber Sampler was related to the substrate. More rocks can be found in the riffles, whereas in the pools, more sand and silt can be found. The rocks in the riffles prevented the Surber Sampler from lying flat as the rocks are, all, various sizes. As the Surber Sampler cannot lie flat, Chironomus may have been washed away, underneath the Surber Sampler where it failed to touch the stream bed. The way this has affected the results is obvious. Any Chironomus which failed to wash into the net swam away when disturbed, leaving the Chironomus results lower than they should have been in the riffles. This is an important error as it only effects the riffles. Limitations in method: The method we all took up comprised of each group being assigned to a certain part of the stream. The limitation of this is that when groups further up stepped into the stream; they would have disturbed the streambed. However, samples which they disturbed were not collected. Instead, the invertebrates which were disturbed could have been washed down stream and rinsed into a net belonging to another group downstream. This is called ‘invertebrate drift' and it is caused when a large number of people are sampling all at the same moment. When invertebrate drift takes place, the invertebrates are much more likely to settle in pools as they have a very low flow rate and this causes the Chironomus count to be higher than it should be which is called ‘over sampling'. It influences the results because it means that, theoretically, the Chironomus count which some groups collected is more elevated than supposed to. This is a major error source as its effect is limited to the downstr eam groups and mainly the pool regions. This is linked to the accuracy of our results being affected by the limitations in the method. Another aspect contributing to the accuracy of our results being affected by limitations in the method, is that there was no standard method of disturbing. Individuals, who disturbed for their group, will have done so in a different manner to another individual disturbing the streambed further upstream, or downstream. This affects the results because it means that some groups will have collected more data through unsettling the streambed more thoroughly than other groups. Hence, gives the connotation that more invertebrates and Chironomus were found in their sample, which is evident in the pools results where it shows that group 5 collected 80 Chironomus whereas group 11 only collected 3 Chironomus. This is not a major error source as its effect is likely to be equal in both of the pools and riffles. Anomalous Results: By analyzing my results, I have seen that there are several anomalous results which can be commented on. I will discuss and compare the anomalous results which have arisen in both the pools and riffles; Pools: In my results, by looking at Surber Number's 5 and 9, you can evidently distinguish that the recorded amount of Chironomus established in the pools is '80' and '70'. This is a particularly high amount, even for the pools and it may possibly have been caused by invertebrate drift, as explained above, which would affect the results because it means that the Chironomus was over sampled. This is in contrast to surber sampler's 7 and 8, where a recorded number of zero Chironomus can be recognized. The reason for this may be due to the detritus reading being ‘2' with surber sampler number 7. Chironomus feed and bury themselves underneath this detritus sediment which is possibly why there are no Chironomus found in surber sampler 7. This affects the results here, because it leaves us with a lower recording of Chironomus than we are meant to have. However, this does not explain the findings for surber sampler number 8. The detritus reading here is 4, which may lead us to believe that perhaps the low Chironomus reading is due to predation, being eaten by a fish of some kind preliminary to our sampling. Perhaps also the Chironomus was in its first instar stage, which would mean that they will not have been trapped by the mesh net. Alternatively, the Chironomus might have just developed into an adult midge, and would no longer be found in the water, but in the air. This would affect the results collected because it would leave us the impression that possibly, if we had sampled the stream on an earlier, or later date, then the Chironomus would be at a trappable larva stage. Riffles: Surber sampler's 7, 8 and 12 have high numbers of Chironomus readings despite of the fact that they are not usually found in this area. Possible reasons for this might be due to invertebrate drift from further upstream, or it could be due to the small particles of detritus being found in these riffles. The detritus could have been collected in sheltered areas such as behind large boulders. After being deposited there and this would have developed a micro habitat, with a mini pool being formed in a riffle, which would explain the high number's of Chironomus being found. Another anomalous result which was portrayed in both the riffle and pools results was the dissolved oxygen saturation readings. By observing both of the mean dissolved oxygen percentage saturations, we can see that in the pools it is 63.6% and in the riffles it is 64.1%. This is entirely incorrect due to the fact that in pools, there is supposed to be barely any dissolved oxygen saturated in the water, and in the riffles, there is supposed to be in the vicinity of 100% dissolved oxygen saturated in the water. These erroneous results are down to the oxygen meter being broken. It affected our whole experiment because it meant we were not able to carry out the trial accurately and record correct results which would assist us in our evaluation. Reliability: In my opinion, the 2 central error sources in my experiment were caused by the Surber Sampler and invertebrate drift. Invertebrate drift occurs when large numbers of people are sampling the equivalent lake/stream at the same period in time. It is incurred when someone (upstream) walking through the stream disturbs the streambed, but does not collect the samples with their mesh net, or in other cases it is caused when invertebrates sweep under/ through/ or to the side of the net. Hereafter, any invertebrates disturbed will flow along with the current and settle amid pools (mainly downstream) which affects results because it means that invertebrates and Chironomus have been over sampled. To prevent invertebrate drift, instead of all groups sampling the stream at the same time, we could allow the group furthest downstream (group 14) to do their experiment first, and then work our way upstream, only allowing groups to do their trial once the group further down has finished their experiment. E.g., group 14 will do their experiment initially and once complete, group 13 will do their experiment. Then once group 13 has completed their experiment, group 12 may carry out their experiment and so forth. This method of carrying out the experiments will completely avoid the matter of invertebrate drift which improve the accuracy of results achieved. Another way of shunning invertebrate drift would be to improve apparatus used, which brings me onto the second central error source within the experiment. The Surber Sampler's which we used composed only of a quadrat base and a mesh net attached to the end of the quadrat (see drawing). This basic surber sampler meant that when we positioned the quadrat onto the (riffles) streambed, it would not have been laid flat because of rocks being various contours and masses. This affects the results because it means that with the surber sampler lying at an awkward angle, when disturbing, invertebrates are highly likely to be swept underneath the mesh net, or the side, instead of into it. A way of recuperating this quandary is by utilizing a better surber sampler. One surber sampler which could be used consists of a bottomless box attached to the bottom of the quadrat. This will improve the experiment and results because not only will it avoid invertebrate drift through the way that nothing will be able to escape (because it will enclose everything within the desired sampling area right down to the streambed), but it will also improve accuracy, giving you a set volume of substrate. Another alternative to the surber sampler's which we used is a piece of apparatus called the ‘Eckman Grab'. These ‘grabs' do not have nets attached to the end of them, but instead act as a set of claws. After your sample has been picked up by these ‘grabs', you cleanly drop all of its contents into your tray where after, you can record the results. This will develop the results because one of the core setbacks with surber samplers is that the nets tend to lose samples (through or under), whereas with these ‘grabs' they do not have nets and so keeping all the samples within its hold will assure the results are more accurate and improved. Final Conclusion: As my final conclusion, I will articulate that the trial my group carried out had a quantity of inaccuracies, but not enough for me to completely reject the whole experiment. The results are reasonable as they reflect the way nature works, regardless of the main sources of error. Also, the statistics and chi squared number shows a highly significant difference in the number of Chironomus in the pools and riffles with more found in the pools. The experimental errors are not large enough to cause a 99.9% rejection of the null hypothesis. To determine the whole pattern of invertebrates and Chironomus along the stream, the experiments should have been carried out every month, instead of just one day. By doing the experiments on just one day we are left with results that are only able to give us a general idea and impression of the patterns of the distribution of invertebrates and Chironomus along the stream. I had to reject my null hypothesis, as I was 99.9% confident that there was a difference. In my opinion, if I was to repeat this experiment even with the improvements I have suggested, then the results obtained would still be the same.

Library Ethics

Given the scenario where in the year 2020, the information highway is under total control of the U.S. Government. It is mandatory to filter the information that can be accessed on public libraries. The issue of having the limited access to such information can be very controversial. This can imply other issues that concern the seclusion of information. This is unethical for the following arguments. The suppression of the free access via internet is an act of depriving the freedom of expression is considered this to be unethical and a violation of right. One of our basic rights of expressing our thoughts is protected by the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights, which is Freedom of speech. Speech, as in the text implies, pertains to the visual, verbal, non-verbal and symbolic representation of one's expression (Kilman, 2000). Whenever an issue is raised to be concerning this right, it is subjected to the Court whether it violated the First Amendment. Courts make exceptions to speech which causes substantial harm to the public. If the government has a full control on what can be available on public, then some expression of people can be filtered out. Whenever there is an article or discussion of sensitive issues in the internet, the government has the power to hide this information. The government has a control on what they want to show the people and eliminate important facts that can destroy their reputation. In contrary, the issue of government regulatory on libraries can be ethically correct. The improper use and abuse in the use of internet is main issue why the government wants to implement this policy. Some internet users do not cite their reference which violates the original author's copyright. The idea of the author is exploited and is not credited. Under the United States copyright law, the authors and inventors have the exclusive right for their respective writings or discoveries (RA 1476, 1976). This protects them from the illegal use of their property. Also, to some abusers, it became a medium of violence and sexual exploitation like pornography. There are now several websites that are open to the public which can be very dangerous when exposed to young minds. With the help of implementing filter of accessibility on public libraries as mandatory, the government intends to resolve this issue. This mandatory to Libraries will have positive and negative effects to libraries and patrons. For libraries, strict implementation will be the challenge to them. They should familiar on the new system that the government wants. Patrons will only have limited resource. Although their research will still be adequate, it is a fact that there are things that are not shown to them. On the positive side, parents of young patrons can assure that their children are safe from the exposure of adult materials. To mediate this issue, an effective new way of implementing strict policies on libraries with the use of library computers can help. Appropriate policies set by the libraries must be observed. It is the role of a Library to provide materials of information but visitors must always follow the Library's policies. The library supposed to take responsibility for the information provided on its web site (Shih, 2004). There should always be balance between rights and responsibility. Library computers are open to the public for those who are in need of resources and must be responsible users. We are all given the right to express ourselves freely but not forgetting the message that underlie it. No right can be violated if one is always responsible in his actions. REFERENCES Kilman, J. C., G. (2000). The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation. (1976). Republic Act No. 1476 .94 th Congress. 2nd Session. Shih, Susan. Policy for Public Use of the Internet. 2004 Â  

Filipino Psychology Essay

Sikolohiyang Pilipino – The History of Philippine Psychology The psychology of, about, and for the Filipinos was born out of the need to establish a discipline which is responsive to the needs of the Filipino people. [pic] Generally, to some extent, it had been considered a given until a few years ago that when one talked about psychology, one meant the psychology of Americans. Asian psychology had been unrecognized, or at least, unacknowledged worldwide. The Zeitgeist in Asian Psychology. Through the years, however, there was an awakening, a realization, by Asian psychologists that western concepts and theories were irrelevant and inapplicable when applied in the Asian context. They began to question the appropriateness of letting western social scientists describe and predict Asian behavior, without consideration for the differences between the Asian and Western cultures. Thus was born the need for an Asian psychology, a psychology arising from one’s own experiences. With it, there was a movement as well by Filipino psychologists of the need to have their own identity. History of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, or the â€Å"Psychology of, about, and for the Filipinos† Psychology as an academic discipline in the Philippines started in the early 1900s when the U. S. colonized the country. Scientifically, it was generally viewed as a continuation of the development of psychology in the West. In the early 1970s, however, there came a turning point in the lives of Filipinos. It was a period marked by a high degree of nationalism, brought about by the declaration of the Martial Law. It was ironic that the father of Philippine Psychology was, at that time, a recent Ph. D. graduate of Northwestern University in the U. S. It was precisely his Western education that made Sikolohiyang Pilipino founder Virgilio Enriquez realize the need to have a psychology based on the experience, ideas, and orientation of the Filipinos. Together with three other colleagues—Prospero Covar (anthropologist), and Zeus Salazar (historian), and Alfredo Lagmay (psychologist)—they helped establish the foundation for a psychology of and for the Filipinos. Enriquez had been a professor of Psychology in the University of the Philippines in Diliman in 1963, but left in 1966 for the U. S. to pursue a Ph. D. in Social Psychology. From there, he watched the disenchantment of young student activists in the Philippines over the deteriorating political and social conditions of the country. When Enriquez returned to the Philippines in 1971, he embarked on a research study with Lagmay into the historical and cultural roots of Philippine Psychology, which included identifying indigenous concepts and approaches. Four years later, he chaired the first national conference on Filipino Psychology. In this conference, the ideas, concepts, and formulations of Sikolohiyang Pilipino were formally articulated. Sikolohiyang Pilipino in the University of the Philippines. When Enriquez returned from the States, he and a few other colleagues translated foreign articles to Filipino. The students were also strongly encouraged to write their papers in this language instead of in English, which had been (and still is) the medium of instruction in the University. Gradually, more and more members of the faculty were convinced to use the Filipino language in teaching Introductory Psychology. The main problems they encountered in the use of Filipino in teaching psychology, especially in its initial years, included the lack of materials written in Filipino and the lack of a technical vocabulary. These challenges were solved by translations, compilations of local materials, and choosing the appropriate words from the local dialect. There were times when the technical term was retained when there was no equivalent in Filipino. This did not work out because Enriquez realized that the translation failed to express a truly Filipino psychology. Other factors were the difficulty of expressing or explaining some Western concepts and theories in Filipino, the negative reactions of students who sometimes felt that their skill in speaking and writing in Filipino was inadequate, and the students’ lack of fluency in the language. However, there were observable benefits as well brought about by the use of Filipino in teaching psychology. Among other things: †¢ It created better rapport between teacher and students †¢ There was a more relaxed atmosphere in the classroom †¢ The students’ confidence grew in expressing their opinions, thoughts, and actual experiences †¢ A different perspective, which was more Filipino, was introduced into the course †¢ Indigenous concepts were discovered; and. †¢ The scope of topics discussed became broader with the addition of information from local materials and experiences. Class discussions also became more concrete in relation to Philippine reality. Psychology became related intimately and significantly to the everyday life of the people. Most importantly, with the birth of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, a psychology with a Filipino orientation was developed. The Status of Sikolohiyang Pilipino Now. Sikolohiyang Pilipino continues to thrive, despite the death of Enriquez in the early 90s. Its proponents continue to advocate for a psychology that is truly responsive and reflective to the needs and the unique situation of the Filipino people. For more information about Sikolohiyang Pilipino, read an SP proponent’s paper on Indigenous Filipino Values. Reference: Enriquez, V. (Ed. ). (1990). Indigenous psychology: A book of readings. Quezon City: Akademya ng Sikolohiyang Pilipino. Copyright Ma. Aleah Taboclaon.

PMS Financial Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PMS Financial Plan - Essay Example The most important factor in our case is the continuous occupancy of the properties. Therefore, there is a need to develop an effective strategy to deliver the services such as repairs and maintenance.The following table details the assumptions that are made .These figures are annual and monthly assumptions that show the consistent growth of the company.Since the operation is on a monthly collection basis, it is assumed that the majority of the collections will be timely and in full.The following chart indicates our financial indicators for the first two years of operation. PMS foresees growth in both in customers who want their property to be managed as well as increase in the growth margin percentage.PMS cash flow depends on the monthly collection from property owners. A 25-day grace period is provided after which unpaid accounts will inhibit our cash flow. However, the monthly basis of cash flow should maintain the steady level of cash flow.The following table and the accompanying chart details the break-even analysis for this project. The projected fixed costs will be $6,000 per month with a variable per-unit cost of $200 which shall be ideally accounted for by 28 properties that is rented at $3,000 per month. The payment scheme of PMS using this rent figure will then be $1500 for the 1st month that the unit is occupied by a tenant or 50% of the rent. A 10% rent management commission or $300 fee starting from the first month until the tenant occupies the unit shall also be collected. To account for the fact that the $1500 will only be paid on the first month and that the break-even analysis is on a per month basis, the total fee collected by the PMS for each month would be $300 plus $ 125 ( $1500 / 12 months). Thus the total fee is $425 per month. The break-even assumes that all rent shall be paid in a timely manner such that the owner of the property can pay PMS also on time. This situation is ideal and as such, it is expected that the initial break-even per unit will likely be higher. Break-even Analysis: Monthly Units Break-even 10 Monthly Revenue Break-even $16,380 Assumptions: Average Per-Unit Revenue $200.00 Average Per-Unit Variable Cost $425.00 Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost $6,000 The projected profit and loss for PMS is shown on the following table. Management fees are increasing from about $624,000 in 2006 to above $701,000 after the second year. The net profit for the first year alone amounts to $160,000. The projected gross margin will be about 69% for the first year. The net profit for the second year is seen to be above 20% The planned projections are included in the attached Profit and Loss Table. Pro Forma Profit and Loss 2006 2007 Professional Fees $624,000 $701,000 Direct Cost of Fees $192,000 $205,000 Other $0 $0 ------------ ------------ Total Cost of Property Managing $192,000 $205,000 Gross Margin $432,000 $496,800 Gross Margin % 69.23% 70.87% Expenses: Payroll $120,000 $135,000 Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $15,600 $16,000 Depreciation $3,815 $6,500 Leased Equipment $15,000 $15,000 Utilities $8,000 $9,000 Insurance $9,000 $10,500 Maintenance $8,500 $9775 Rent $3,000 $4,000 Payroll Taxes $18,000 $19,700 Other $0 $0 --

Compulsory Radar Basics Seminar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compulsory Radar Basics Seminar - Essay Example The new radar technology known as Same Direction Radar or SDR was put into place long AFTER rule 15B was approved and implemented on the roads of Florida. There has been many complaints from traffic enforcers in Florida that have been operating under the old laws and also under the old training techniques. Both of these situations are now inappropriate with the new radar technology. Florida has now purchased new radar speed measuring equipments thereby new radar related speed measuring laws have to be put into place. In the famous State of Florida v. Aquilera in 1979 known widely as the Miami Radar Trial, the local television reporter showed a house had reached 28 mph and a tree reached 86 mph, the radar was less than accurate. This Dade County Court sustained a Motion to Suppress the results of radar units in mover than 79 speeding ticket cases. The court's opined that the reliability of radar speed measuring devices has not been proven reliable beyond reasonable doubt and it did not meet test of reasonable scientific certainty. We will discuss around 20 Florida speed violation cases during the seminar in order to help you in court appearances. We will also discuss the Florida laws on speed limits as the Florida law 3

Africa facing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Africa facing - Essay Example t under developed countries, 37 of them are countries in Africa (Krabacher, Kalipeni & Layachi 3)Indeed Africa is underdeveloped and a majority of its member countries are considered by the outside world as third world counties. This can be attributed to a number of factors. One significant factor that has affected Africa is the presence of poor governance and corruption among government officials in most of its member countries. These leaders steal the country’s wealth running the continent dry. Another factor that has attributed to Africa’s poor economy is pandemics especially HIV/AIDs. HIV/AIDs as killed a lot of people in Africa hence limiting its workforce (Krabacher, Kalipeni & Layachi 3). Governments have used billions of dollars in trying to eradicate the disease. This money could have been used for development. Another factor that has led to the underdevelopment of Africa is wars and conflicts. Countries have fort both internally and with each other with the aim of controlling mineral resources. This has in turn scared investors away hence limiting the growth of Africa’s economy. Poor climate and inappropriate agriculture methods are another key factor that has limited Africa’s growth. This is because most of the African lands are covered with arid and semi-arid areas. Where there is good climate in Africa, people use poor farming methods which encourage soil erosion which renders land unsuitable for cultivation. Small scale farming is also a problem in Africa since most people do not produce food for economic purposes. However, Africa is rising up, and its economy is rising steadily. African countries are taking measures to rid themselves of corruption and poor leadership. They are setting up commissions to investigate corrupt leaders and promote civic education on the choosing of appropriate leaders, governments are also investing a lot on infrastructure which is in turn attracting investors hence increasing its economy. Governments are also

Management and Culture of McDonald's and KFC Assignment

Management and Culture of McDonald's and KFC - Assignment Example The internationalization, for instance, has become a major source for growth and survival of a family business (Kontinen and Ojala, 2010). Internationalization of business is also associated with the international expansion of industry (Leontiades, 1987). In this view, it is important to consider that internationalization of business today covers not just the broad context of the expansion of a nation, but the integral part of it involves the expansion of single or even personal businesses as well.The skills required for international management includes self and cultural awareness and the right interpersonal and communication in managing between national cultures. (Parker, 2005). The good thing about internationalization of business is the thought that a certain business may be able to expand and diversify its activities across different countries. In contrast to internationalization, globalisation tries to look at the world as without border and nationless (Parker, 2005). This mean s that every nationality is integrated and each nation is dependent or relying on each other. This great reliance brings forward the idea or concept that the various cultures in the world can be combined together. Thus, the entire world would be bringing one single culture. However, this concern is just among of the most considered issues in the case of globalization. In the midst of globalization, the issue about whether its entire activity has remarkably been applied remains to be discovered especially in cases of international companies trying to expand into other nationalities or culture. It is also important to find out which of the principles between internationalization and globalization are remarkably currently put into practice. Many companies are claiming the benefits of globalization. However, it is also important to consider what specific principles they are using between internationalization and globalization. Hofstede’s theory of culture Hofstede’s theory of culture is about ideas on people’s behavior and attitude (Callahan et al., 2007).  

Business Skills & Employability Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Business Skills & Employability - Case Study Example The company has been effective in the market as a complete company with diversified products leading to positive rating in the FTSE market. Sainsbury offers online platform for the sale of the various product and services. Its clothing brand is the seventh largest in the TU clothing sector with over 3000 products sold in its stores country wide and internationally (Daugherty, et al., 2009, p. 69). SWOT analysis involves the evaluation of the performance of the company in relation to the prevailing market. The analysis of the strength, opportunities, weakness and threats of the organization will help the manager to establish the position of the company. The understanding of the position of the company ensures that the marketing and communication strategy is developed to improve the performance of the business. For instance, if the competitors have ventured on the elderly population, the company may resort to developing products for the youths thus increasing organization performance. SWOT analysis of the company reveals strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the current and future status of the company (Crawford, 2000, p. 53). For Sainsbury, it is vital to understand the weakness of the business and develop strategies to counter the weaknesses and threats associated with the company. ... it is successful because of the strengths associated with is as a brand which are diverse because of the diverse nature of the company. It has diversified its operation to cover various sectors of the business environment. The strengths of the company are as follows; Diversified investments The company has diversified its operations of the individual business units that are not related. The diversification of the business platform ensures reduced risks. In case of business unit failure, the different sector can support the other area. However, diversification alone cannot minimize risks and thus must be conducted carefully (Hollensen, 2007, p. 56). Over diversification leads to increased capital expenditure leading losses. The organization approach has ensured they invest in areas with the potential of success. The diversification approach has facilitated the development of the different units of the business organization. IT infrastructure The company uses the online platform simila r to the Amazon.com, but the focus of the organization is on sports and other sports related accessory. The competitive edge offered by the company includes offering variety in the sports sector, direct linkage with the manufacturing companies thereby developing brand loyalty (Preston, 2012, p. 12). The reduced focus for specific sport equipment and regime makes the company unique giving it an edge over the all-purpose online services offered by Amazon and other platforms. However, the challenge is on developing a market niche and retention of customers. The major competitive factors in the whole process are dependent on the situation analysis of the organization. The current situation indicates brand visibility, loyalty,

Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example This paper illustrates that there are three CSR theories, which are interdisciplinary; utilitarian, relational, and managerial theories. Utilitarian theories emphasize on a maximization of profit, hence related to theories of competitive advantage. The managerial theory, on the other hand, has the CSR approached internally; meaning that anything exterior to the business is taken into account for the firm’s decision-making. The Relational theory has to do with the complex firm-environment relationships. The implication here is that the firm-environment relationships form the focus of the CRS analysis. In the CRS, business in society comes up as a matter of interplay between the two. Thus, the relational theory is value-based and interdependent between the corporation and mankind. CSR is important to both the agency and the consumers in a number of ways: for companies, it helps them create a better public image since their public image is at the mercy of their social responsibil ity strategies and how their customers are mindful of them. According to Cone Communications, 90% of the consumers would avoid doing business with corporations if there were no social responsibility plan. Studies indicate that firms heavily involved in funds and goods donation to Non-governmental and other non-profit making organizations and schools are likely to increase the likelihood of consumers buying their products. At the same time, a corporation that takes care to ensure that the primal matter used in its products are environmentally secure and the manufacturing process is sustainable is more eye-catching to the society.

The Guernica Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Guernica - Essay Example It projects a heavy emotion through its dismal, grim nature. The Guernica also shows the morphing of humans and animals - a clear opinion from the artist of how war creates a situation where humans and animals seem to be alike. The Guernica depicts a mood that is most likely to be associated with a house of horrors, full of distorted, morphed characters carrying a heavy, dark mood full of gloom and grim. Picasso's opinion of wars is clearly expressed through the Guernica. The complexity of its content makes it a unique work of art. Thus, I have always believed that a work of art is a reflection of how the artist sees the world. It is the artist's expression of the circumstances that occur around him. It is the artist's creation of something that holds underlying symbolisms and mysteries within it, that each person has their own view and opinions towards it. In my point of view, it is the Guernica that best represents a work of art. Its uniqueness is brought about by the unconventional style of depicting characters, and its symbolism cannot be interpreted in a single angle. It gives room for everyone to have their own interpretations and ideas formed - a true mark of a work of art. For me, that is what is considered to be a work of art; and the Guernica is absolutely one of its kind.

Thalia, Muse Of Comedy Essay Example for Free

Thalia, Muse Of Comedy Essay Venue is defined simply as the appropriate place of trial. In criminal cases, fairness and convenience to the defendants are the underlying policy in determining venue. It has been often ruled that the basic requirement of placing venue in the district wherein the crime has been committed must be determined from the nature of the crime alleged and the location of the act or acts constituting it. However, courts must consider such factors as convenience of and fairness to the defendants and witnesses and the prompt administration of justice in setting venue and considering motions for the change of venue. Questions of venue in criminal cases are not merely matters of formal legal procedure. They raise deep issues of public policy in the light of which legislation must be construed (United States v. Johnson cited in VENUE- Cases). In order to comply with this public policy, courts will allow a change of venue if injustice will result and prejudice so great will exist against the defendant or if the procurement of witnesses will be difficult if no change of venue will be made. The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure allows a change of venue upon three instances, to wit: upon the judges own motion, upon motion of the state prosecution, and upon the defendants own motion (Chapter 31). On the other hand, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure allows change of venue for trial only upon defendants own motion (Rule 21). Curiously, the Federal Rules only allow change of venue for prejudice and for convenience on the part of the defendant alone, and only upon his own motion. On the other hand, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure allows change of venue not only for the convenience and to avoid prejudice against the defendant but also to afford a fair and impartial trial to the State and upon the motion of the judge or of the state prosecution. The inevitable conclusion is that the Federal Rules seek to afford a fair and impartial trial in favor of the accused alone in interpreting the public policy behind the determination of venue in criminal trials, while the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure seeks to afford a fair and impartial trial in favor of both the State and the accused in determining the venue in criminal cases. References Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Retrieved from the world wide web on Nov. 22, 2007. http://www. law. cornell. edu/rules/frcrmp/Rule21. html. Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Retrieved from the world wide web on Nov. 22, 2007. http://tlo2. tlc. state. tx. us/cgi-bin/cqcgi. Zalman, Marvin. Venue-Cases. Retrieved from the world wide web Nov. 22, 2007. http://law. jrank. org/pages/2247/Venue. html.

Airbus Case Essay Example for Free

Airbus Case Essay Individual Assignment Question 1. Why is Airbus interested in building the A3XX? What are its objectives? Airbus is interested in A3XX for a number of reasons. Firstly, Airbus did not have a product to compete with Boeing’s 747 in the VLA (very large aircraft) market. By developing the A3XX it can gain a share in the VLA market. Secondly, as A3XX has more space per seat and wider aisles, it can attract passengers especially on longer routes. Thirdly, by comparing to Boeing 747, Airbus has 35% greater capacity and provide almost 25% more volume for free. Though operating cost per flight for Airbus would be higher, it would need only 323 passengers to break even compared to 290 for Boeing 747. Lastly, from the numver of announced orders (32) of Airbus A3XX, there provides sufficient confidence for Airbus to build A3XX to meet the potential demand of customers. Below are the objectives for Airbus in building the A3XX. Firstly, as from the Airline Monitor suggested, A3XX will eventually replace the 747 as the ‘Queen of Air’, as every top international carrier will feel the need to have it. Secondly, from the fleet composition for the 15 largest Boeing 747 Operators, there’s around 44% of using 747 as a total of the Widebody Fleet. Thus Airbus can gain a significant market share in the Largest Operator segment by building the A3XX. Thirdly, Airbus would have operating margins of 15-20% after delivering the first plane in 2006, and reaching full production capacity in 2008. This will be much higher compared to the operating margin of 5. % in 1999 (896/16700). Lastly, by increased capacity after building the A3XX, Airbus can increase the market share of both Deliveries and Orders segment. From the market share of Deliveries and Orders segment (5 year average from 1995-1999), Boeing has 68. 1% and 56. 5% respectively while Airbus as only 31. 9% and 43. 5% respectively. Since entry by new airlines was unlikely, Airbus believes that capacity increase will lead to increase in market share of this segment.

Comparison of Erikson Kohlbergs Developmental Theories

Comparison of Erikson Kohlbergs Developmental Theories Name the chosen significant developmental aspects and stages of your adult life identify key aspects of each of the two developmental theories Adult development refers to psychological and social changes in an human life. These changes could be fast and gradual. Changes occur at the cellular level and are partially explained by biological theories of adult development and aging. (Hayflick, 1998). These biological changes are often described as theories of human development. Stage theories typically focus on â€Å"age-appropriate† developmental tasks to be achieved at each stage. I have chosen to discuss Eriksons Theory Personality and Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development. The first chosen developmental aspects and stages of my adult life is Erik Eriksons theory based on human development over a life span (Erikson, 1963). Erikson developed 8 stages starting from childhood, adolescence and adulthood, stages shown below. During each stage, one developmental task is dominant, but may be carried forward into later stages as well. According to Erikson, individuals may experience tension when advancing to new stages of development, and seek to establish equilibrium within each stage. (Glassman Hadad, 2009) The second development aspect and stages of my adult life is Lawrence Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development (Kohlberg, 1981). Kohlbergs model is based on moral reasoning and ethical behaviour which involves 6 developmental stages. Each stage is grouped into 3 levels; pre-conventional morality, conventional morality and post-conventional morality as shown below. Kohlberg found that moral development was mainly formed around justice and would continue through human life span. Kohlberg was determined to find out how people justify their actions if they were placed in a predicament where their morals were pushed. Progress through Kohlbergs stages happens as a result of the individuals increasing competence, both psychologically and in balancing conflicting social-value claims. Knowledge and learning contribute to moral development. Specifically important are the individuals view of persons and their social perspective level, each of which becomes more complex and mature with each advancing stage. Analyse the chosen developmental events with reference to two major developmental theories. The first developmental event I have chose is Love: Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood) from Eriksons 8 stage theory. This stage typically occurs ages from 20 to 39 years. At the beginning of this stage the previous stage is ending at Idenitiy vs. Role Confusion, which is the part of young adults lives where they still feel the need and urge to fit in with friends. Young adults want to fit in with their peer group and be accepted. Moving into the next stage of having the feeling of either isolation, which is pulling away from intimacy and relationships. This can be evidenced by being afraid of rejections or being hurt and distancing yourself from any type of love interest because of these negative feelings, or be able to form an intimate relationship. Once people have established their identities, they are ready to make long-term commitments to others. They become capable of forming intimate, reciprocal relationship through marriage or close friendships The second developmental event that I have chosen is Level 2- Conventional from Kohlbergs Model. This consists of Stage 3 Stage 4. This level typically occurs at adolescence and young adulthood. Young adults begin to judge the morality of actions by comparing them to societys views and expectations. This is characterised by an acceptance of societys conventions concerning right and wrong. A young adult will obey rules and follows societys norms even when there are no consequences for obedience or disobedience. During Stage 3 of Level 2, young adults enter the social order and conform to social standards. Stage three reasoning may judge the morality of an action by evaluating its consequences in terms of a persons relationships, which now begin to include things like respect, gratitude and the concept of treating others how you would like to be treated. It is important to be liked and fit in with society. In Stage 4 of Level 2 young adults begin to understand the importance of obeying the laws and social conventions in order to maintain a functional society. Stage 4 provides a sense of justice and the ability to determine what is right and wrong. legal responsibility is evident at this stage. Morality starts to become dictated by outside forces. Reflect on your personal responses and experiences in relation to these significant developmental aspects and stages I believe that within my life I am at the developmental stage of each of Eriksons Theory: Love, Intimacy vs. Isolation and Kohlbergs Model: Conventional- Stages 3 and 4 At this point in my life I believe my romantic relationship is at the Eriksons stage of Intimacy vs. isolation as I am getting to a time in my life where I want a serious relationship however I acknowledge that I am frightened of getting hurt and won’t allow myself to open up, therefore I isolate myself to protect my ego from being bruised. Erikson (1963) states that in this stage our egos cannot bear the pain of rejection such as being turned down or our partners breaking up with us. In regards to Kohlbergs Model I believe I am at the Conventional Level and a mixture of both Stages 3 and 4. In my personal relationships I show and also expect respect from others. I also am aware of kindness and privileges in life and show gratitude -even for the small things. I treat my family, friend and colleagues as I would like to be treated. At this point in my life I have such high morals as evidenced in stage 4, in regards to drugs. I am 25 years old and do not use drugs ,however I have friends around me who use drugs recreationally. I am acutely aware of what is right and wrong, and what is legally and socially acceptable in societal norm. I have an acute sense of moral judgment and do not like getting involved with those that abuse this position. I think how stupid can you be drugs are so dangerous not only can they psychically harm you but mentally as well, apart from being against the law. In conclusion, I feel that a combination of the developmental philosophies as designed by Erikson Kohlberg are relevant to the stage in my life that I am currently in. I believe that psychological development involves physical, sensory, cognitive, social and emotional processes, and the interactions among them. If I focus on where my future lies, it becomes clear that change is inevitable. This will occur through the progression through the different developmental phases. Reference current literature and integrate relevant theory into your essay discussion Erikson, E.H. (1963) Childhood and Society. 2edn. New York: Norton Glassman, W.E. Hadad, M. (2009) Approaches to Psychology . Fifth Edition. London. Mcgraw-Hill Hayflick, L. (1998). How and why we age. Experimental Gerontology, 33, 639-653. Kohlberg, L. (1981) The Meaning and Measurement of Moral Development (Volume 13)

The Disturbing Tone of Rapunzel Essay -- Grimm Rapunzel Essays

The Disturbing Tone of Rapunzel The story of "Rapunzel" has been passed throughout generations in the form of a fairy tale. Typical fairy tales come to a resolution ending ‘happily ever after’. It seems that there is always a villain, always a hero, and some sort of a moral or lesson to be grasped from each story (Rhetoric 102K/L class discussion/lecture, January 18, 2001). Most of the traditional fairy tales involve a ‘damsel in distress’, in which she is happily rescued by a true love. These types of stories leave readers feeling that those who are in pain and anguish will eventually rise above and be granted pure happiness. It is this break in the traditional style that sets the Grimm stories apart from others. Using the formalistic approach allows for the Grimm version of Rapunzel to be analyzed closely. For starters, the way a story begins and the first impression upon the reader are extremely important. The authors creatively set up a situation in which they manipulate the minds of their readers. They have to pave the road they want their readers to follow in order to have a greater impact. The road starts with the title, which is a direct indication of the main character, Rapunzel. While reading the story the authors have already given the reader a previous insight of what is to come. The story begins describing the situation of â€Å"a man and his wife, who had long wished for a child, but in vain†(Grimm 514). This opening line begins to unfold much of the story and reveals the main part of the story, how Rapunzel was the center of their wishes. The names of the characters are insightful for the reader to relate the events and make connections. In th... ...ere no one else can go without permission. They climb a golden ladder to discover beauty. Rapunzel is perceived as innocent and pure. When the witch discovers her sin of connecting to the world and ruining this purity, her beauty is lost. Hence, the loss of her famous trait, her locks of hair. This version of Rapunzel is still a fairy tale. It has the villain, the 'damsel in distress', the hero, and the happy ending. However, the tone of the story is more disturbing. The prince has a genuine affection for Rapunzel despite the loss of her gorgeous hair. The story explains how he seeked finding her originally because her "song had entered his heart"(Grimm 516). The word choice here is very effective. The prince liked her before the display of her beauty. This is a typical fairy tale idea that they are meant to be together through fate.

Stress Essay -- essays research papers

Stress Introduction You come home from work feeling as though you have been run through the spin cycle of your washing machine. You can't wait to take off your shoes and pour yourself a (stiff ) cool drink. Stress! Everybody knows what stress is. Stress is an integral part of our urban lifestyle. It has become a normal part of life, although it is generally known that stress is bad for health. But, doesn't stress also have advantages? Is stress the same as burden? What is stress? First of all we want to make clear what exactly stress is. The body's adaptive response to abnormal circumstances (like threats or demands) from a new or changing situation is called stress. The term "stress" refers both to certain heightened mental and body states and to the causes of such states. Nowadays the symptoms of stress are well known. When the human body is under stress (whether it is real or imaginary) Adrenaline is poured into the bloodstream. As a result of that the pulse quickens, the blood pressure raises and the muscle tension increases. Furthermore you may feel more criticised by others, become more pessimistic, cynical, or resentful than usual. Things you normally look forward to may seem like a burden. A lot of people are not aware of being under stress. Some are frequently under so much stress that they assume the feeling is normal. Pros By hearing the word "stress" most people think of something unpleasant and bad. But that is only conditionally tr...

Essay --

Theodore Roosevelt National Park INTRODUCTION Do you want to hear about the first national park that is the first and only dedicated to a president? Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1947. The Mountains are over 55 million years old. The badlands of Theodore Roosevelt national park is dry with occasional monsoon showers. The park is located in Medora, North Dakota, and is home to some amazing animals including wild horses, reptiles and mammals. GEOLOGY The Little Missouri River eroding the mountain range is the reason that the park is as it looks today. The park is believed to be

Emotional Intelligence and Effective Managerial Leadership

Emotional Intelligence is the study of emotions and their impact upon the work environment. This definition must allow for external factors. Hughes writes an effective leader will have impact upon their team and this is â€Å"apparent in the growing interest over the past decade in topics like the leader's genuineness, authenticity, credibility and trustworthiness† (3). A leader's reflection of these attributes is found in their level of connectedness with employees. As a result leaders are more interested in mentoring and training their team rather than focusing on output of numbers or turn around time. These qualities are a good indicator for selecting a potential manager. This development in team building allows for â€Å"providing people opportunities to learn from their work rather than taking them away from their work to learn† (Hughes 4). Emotional Intelligence relies upon the fact the leader will be able to have a competent level of interaction with the employee. It reflects successful leadership by allowing for complex relationships for team members by recognizing relationship building, capacity of visions and personal development. Emotional Intelligence for a leader means being able to read people, be read and allow for open dialogue. A corporation wants to hire someone emotionally intelligent because they have an understanding of the harmony between personal and professional personalities. To provide effective managerial leadership, one must display a certain level of Emotional Intelligence. It has been found â€Å"today business leaders rank Emotional Intelligence capabilities as critical to the success of today's leaders† (Business Executives 1). Employees look up to management for guidance. By displaying Emotional Intelligence, the leader defines the boundaries for the team and creates an atmosphere for building relationships. This in turn creates stronger teams. In today's company, the role of management also involves leadership within a team structure. A leader with a high level of Emotional Intelligence knows outside factors play a role in professional demeanor and have found a way to balance such behaviors. Also they are challenged by this balance and have a competitive edge. It is resilience, Hughes explains â€Å"that allows individuals to take difficult experiences in their lives and use them as opportunities to learn† (12). There is a level of change involved with studying Emotional Intelligence. The leader comprehends change as a constant everyday factor. The leader's role is to sell the idea of change, commitment and expectations. A leader must also display curiosity, have guts and be a dominant force. Bennis reflects, there are two kinds of people â€Å"those who are paralyzed by fear, and those who are afraid but go ahead away. Life is not about limitation but options† (185). By understanding emotions, one can improve their own filtering of surroundings and enjoy greater success through relationships. Finally, competition is brutal and the global market continues to shrink due to communication technologies. It is important in leadership to embrace change and stick to a vision. By having Emotional Intelligence one can â€Å"recognize the physical and mental signs of our feelings/emotions before we can act on them meaningfully and constructively† (Eby Ruin par 20).

Sexual Harrassement vs. Public Relations

Public Relations vs. Sexual Harassment Eric Reidenbach CGD 318 Professor LaKisha Bryant August 12, 2010 Public Relations vs. Sexual Harassment Sexual Harassment can be a huge distraction and could destroy a businesses work environment. The effects are damaging to an organization and do not only affect the individual being harassed but also fellow employees, the harasser, and the organization. Sexual harassment is when someone uses sexual behavior to control a person, whether it is behavioral or physical in nature, which makes you feel uncomfortable.This paper on this issue will include what exactly sexual harassment is, the effects on the sexual harassment has on the person, employees, and workplace, and the different procedures and processes to prevent such cases. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sexual harassment is define as: â€Å"Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexu al harassment when (1) submission to such conduct is made either emplicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individuals employment: (2) submission to, or rejection of, uch conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual: or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment (Paludi, Michele A. , Barickman, Richard B. , page 3). † Some of the most common forms of sexual harassment charges come because a person feels they are being harassed or singled out when they lose their job, benefits or privileges or more commonly when they are fired because they reject a sexual advance from a superior.This form of sexual harassment is the most common in that a superior often times will promise a person job security if they do sexual favors for them. However, if that person refuses the advances the boss or supervisor wills often times fire that person figuring that they do not want that person telling others what happened and by firing them they have control of the situation. Most times sexual harassment is a sense of power for the accused and they feel that with the power they have that they can sway the judgments of others, and often times do so until someone stands up to them.The second type of sexual harassment is when the harassment interferes with an employee’s ability to perform his/her job duties and it creates an intimidating work atmosphere. Often times this is caused by fellow employees, supervisors, or outside vendors or business people. This type of harassment usually involves flirting, physical contact, whistling, sexual pictures or jokes, and so on. As stated previously, there are two types of sexual harassment that may occur in the workplace. Sexual harassment can occur in any number of circumstances. For example, the victim as well as the harasser may b e a woman or a man.The victim does not necessarily have to be of the opposite sex either. In addition, the victim does not necessarily have to be the one being harassed, but could be anyone that is offended by a persons conduct, and the harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome. While the conduct of the harasser must be unwelcome, it must also be undesirable. The harasser’s intent and behavior are based on the perception of the victim. Many times the one being accused of harassment may not even know he did anything wrong if he was just telling a joke to a friend and a fellow co-worker was near by and overheard the joke and took offense to it.In addition the harasser’s intent or joke may not be sexual in nature at all, but their actions may be taken as sexually suggestive or uncomfortable by others. Therefore, we turn to how sexual harassment affects the person being harassed. In general, most people would assume that women are the ones in this economy to be sexually harassed then that of men, and you would be right. However, More then 200 men file sexual harassment charges each year with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, that’s about one-tenth of the number of cases filed by women.But more men will experience sexual harassment over the coming years as women assume more positions of power in corporate America. In addition to this stat The American Psychological Association estimates that 71 percent of working women will be subjected to sexual harassment during their careers. These stats alone show how sexual harassment is typically known as just being a problem for females, but as times change and women become more valuable and highly regarded in the workplace, that sexual harassment is now becoming more of a problem for men as well.The effect on an individual who is being harassed is crippling and can affect them in many ways. When being sexually harassed the victim’s job performance, life, and family and social relat ionships could be negatively affected. A person’s job performance will almost definitely be affected as they may be afraid to say anything to anyone there as they may feel that no one will ever believe them and that they are just trying to damage their supervisor’s reputation. Not only will they be hesitant about saying anything, but they will also be weary of all that they do as not to lead on the person dealing the harassment.The effects of sexual harassment will not end there as when the victim goes home they may feel as if they are cheating on their spouse by not saying anything or taking action against the harasser and it may make them irritable and ruin their relationship at home. Even in the case were the person does report the harasser they may still deal with issues outside the workplace in the case that the supervisor is well respected among the community and no one may believe the victim and think they are just making up stories to get ahead in life.It is be cause of these perceptions of sexual harassment that many people keep sexual advances and harassment to themselves and do not say anything. In many cases as well, the victim may choose not to say anything as they will be afraid of how the workplace will take the accusations and how the news would affect the company. For this reason it shows how the person is not the only person impacted by a sexual harassment accusation but how the workplace is affected as a whole as well.When a case of sexual harassment arises everyone is affected including fellow employees, supervisors, and managers as they will all be questioned and asked if they have ever noticed anything going on before. This is what you call a hostile work environment and no one ever wants to work in that type of a workplace. When this happens the productivity almost always diminishes, integrity and trust is tarnished as a whole, it becomes difficult to manage, and the public’s image of the company is at risk.For these reasons this is why many companies when faced with sexual harassment charges choose to deal with the case outside of court and make a settlement that way. If the company chooses to fight the charges then they risk them losing the case and ultimately losing valuable respect within the publics image in the situation that they lose the case. I guess you could call this way of settling a fail-safe as the company does not want to give up but they also do not want to lose the case and in return lose customers and business and go bankrupt or close.By settling behind closed doors and out of court the company ends up saving possibly millions of dollars and being able to move on without having the whole world knowing about what happened. Once this is dealt with it is then up to that company to deal with the problem inside its doors and getting the companies employees moral back up and back to working. So, in the case that you are being sexually harassed you should simply start by asking the p erson that you feel is harassing you to stop what they are doing and if they do not that you will be forced to take action and file a complaint.Many times this simple act can save a lot of trouble for both parties and the work force. However, if the problem does not end there then you will be forced to report the issue to higher authorities and have them investigate the situation and take care of it. This is why it is very important that every job addresses their employees on how to deal with harassment in the workplace, because harassment charges adversely affects all components of the organization. Everyone in the organization should understand what harassment is, the danger, and how it can be prevented.Prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace, and the employers should take all the necessary steps in order to prevent sexual harassment from occurring. There are a few steps that can be instituted by organizations to prevent sexual harassment from o ccurring. The first step is to develop a written sexual harassment policy prohibiting harassing conduct, action, and behavior. The policy should be distributed to all the employees and state how they have the right to work in an environment free from harassment.It should also inform them how when they report harassment that they are also safe from retaliation from reporting a person and that any type of retaliation is a violation of state and federal law. The second step is to communicate these policies to all the employees in the workplace. This can be done in many ways and the most common form is by providing training seminars annually to keep these policies fresh in everyone’s minds so that they know what can happen to them if they choose not to listen.Other ways to communicate these policies to the employees is by having it in the employees handbooks, and by having the policies posted and many different places throughout the companies buildings and workplace. The third an d fourth steps are to have a procedure that all the employees know on how to file a complaint. In addition to that step then the employer then should take appropriate remedial actions to investigate an employees complaint or allegation.By the human resource department and employer taking action they show the other employees that they do care about their employees and decrease the likelihood that something like this will happen again in the future. In conclusion I felt that a case study would best describe a lot of what I have just talked about and in this case the book from the ebrary called Internal Affairs: The Abuse of Power, Sexual Harassment and Hypocrisy in the Workplace. In this book they talked about a case in which a 28 year old woman filed a sexual harassment case against her manager and stated: My personal relationships suffered so much that I can’t really talk about it. I know that I am having trouble trusting people, certainly men. I hope I will be able to go to work for someone again, someday, but I just don’t know. I’ve lost my passion for work, I guess. Within a year, I have been sexually harassed, lost my job, my health insurance, and my credit rating, and was faced with great debt and a long climb back to where I was, careerwise. I won $113,000, in the end. How much did it all cost me? In my heart, it cost me everything I was, everything I had, and everything I hoped to be someday.You tell me how you can convert that into money. You Can’t. No one can (p. 197). † Maggie’s situation is one many women and men are faced with after a sexual harassment case in which even if they win they are stuck with many bills and many other difficulties in wondering if they are less superior then others. Many times when someone is faced with the question on whether or not to file a case they will look at a case like this and figure that it may be best to just keep quite and ride it out. No one ever wants to lose their pe rsonal relationships, job, or respect for just being honest and open about someone else victimizing them.Unfortunately, our world is cruel sometimes and we have people that are just in it to protect themselves no matter how much it hurts others. To every case however, there is another side of the story so I found it very interesting to see how Maggie’s work superiors responded to her case. The owner of the business responded and said: â€Å"My legal fees are averaging five figures a month. Our public relations agency has added to our needs a crisis plan with a $200,000 budget attached to it. I’m in for a million dollars, at the very least, and Shawna’s t her desk, figuring out on her calculator how much she can keep after after taxes. The other employees are split on how they feel about her, Frank can’t manager her anymore, so she’s free to do whatever she wants. other employees resent that she’s not doing her share of the work. We havenâ⠂¬â„¢t had decent numbers come out of that office since the claim was filed (p. 198). † The companies response to the claim being filed against their manager, Frank, shocked me as it seemed as though they were only focused on the money they were losing and the work not happening because of the case.It seemed as though they were forgetting the issue at hand and just looking for ways to rebuild there name and keep the business alive. I understand as a growing company you need to do all you can to keep the respect of your business to protect your name for your publics, but at some point I think you need to address the issue and the harasser as well. In the end, Maggie won less then a third of what she was looking for and lost her sense of who she was and many of her friendships, she was no longer comfortable working.On the other side the company lost it’s credibility and many of the employees resented their job and did not feel like they were being treated fairly with Magg ie just sitting around not doing much of anything. In addition to the millions of dollars for attorneys and human resource people, the company also had to budget $200,000 for a crisis management with public relations. This is why many times you see companies just settle outside of court so that they save all that extra money and are not forced to budget in all those additional legal fees.It does not say how the company made out after this case but I would assume that they lost the respect of their other employees and the respect of many of their clients in knowing that there was a sexual harassment case going on inside the workplace. Overall, sexual harassment is a crippling subject for workplaces and no penny should be left unspent in educating the employees on the varying forms of sexual harassment and what could happen if you do not take heed to the warnings.There is ultimately no end to sexual harassment ever coming in my mind and the only way to ever tackle this problem is to j ust keep on telling the employees about the problems with it and what may come of it if they choose to not listen to the warnings. Maybe more articles about the harassers in sexual harassment cases and how it affected them and how no place would hire them because of their past, maybe that will put a scare into people and keep them from sexually harassing others.Books talking about cases such as Maggie’s and telling us how her life is no good anymore is not helping people want to report sexual harassment cases and are only helping the harassers feel like they can get away with it. Bibliography Barickman, Richard B. , and Michele A. Paludi. Academic and Workplace Sexual Harassment: A Resource Manual. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press, 1991. Cameron, G. T. , Wilcox, D. L. , Reber, B. H. , & Shin, J. Public Relations Today: Managing Competition and Conflict. Boston, MA: Pearson Edu. Inc, 2008. Hearn, Jeff R. , and Pauline Wendy Parkin. Gender, Sexuality and Vio lence in Organizations: The Unspoken Forces of Organizational Violations. 1 ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications ltd, 2002. Neville, Kathleen. Internal Affairs: The Abuse of Power Sexual Harassment and Hypocricy in the Workplace. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999. Saguy, Abigail C. What is Sexual Harassment? : From Capitol Hill to the Sorbonne. California: University of California Press, 2003. Taylor, Joan. Sexual Harassment: A Non-Adversarial Approach. NYU Press, 2001.

Developing effective communication in health and social care Essay

To make my communication interactions with the service user’s in one-to one interaction and group interactions effective I did not use any slang or jargon with the service user’s because we were having a formal interaction therefore the use or jargon or slang was not suitable there. I had to use good communication skills to get my point across clearly and effectively just to make sure that each of them understood what I was talking about. I feel that there should always be a care worker-service user relationship between people in day care centre’s. Effective communications with the service users is related to positive outcomes. Tone of voice is a type of verbal communication. I had to have an appropriate tone of voice as this would enable the service user to feel comfortable with me while the task was proceeding. I used a clear and calm tone of voice as this helps create a positive atmosphere and assists the service user’s to ask each other or me any questions they have and it helps them to understand what to do, whereas if my tone of voice was loud and aggressive then the service user’s would not felt comfortable with me and they would got scared of me, this may well have led them to getting upset and having to leave the interaction as soon as possible. My tone of voice was normal because I could not speak quietly and slow because the service users would not have got the message but it was not loud either. My tone of voice was very clear and the students who participated in the interaction heard my voice clearly. This tone of voice enabled the interaction between me and the three other service user’s to flow nicely and the message that I was trying to put across was interpreted by the service users in a positive way. I knew that they had received the message of what to do as they began to paint straight after my instruction before they had started the task. I was also being very talkative as when the service users would stop I would just talk to them during each stage of their painting and ask them how they are doing whether or not they are finding the task difficult, I was also making it fun and enjoyable for them to do because I was complementing their hard work and effort which they put in their paintings. Therefore their confidence would have increased enabling them in join in the interaction. If they were having any problems I would help them solve them. If I had not done that then questions may have not been invited, some of the service user’s may not be able to interpret the information and some may not have heard or understood the messages clearly. I encouraged the students to use more eye-contact because when some of the students were talking, they were looking at other distractions like their peers playing or talking. The messages that I gave to the service users in my group were all given objectively and they were factual and informative. I used signs such as thumbs up (meaning good) and open palm (meaning stop) during the interaction, as signs can often promote effective communication and reduce barriers to interactions. One-to-one communication- Reading a book with a service user With the one-to one and communication interaction that I had with Nicky out chairs were put opposite one another so that we were able to see and hear each other clearly. This enabled myself and Nicky to feel comfortable around each other has we had didn’t no each other well enough. If we were to close to one another we may have felt uncomfortable or shy with each other which then would have led to Nicky having a negative experience with me. I used verbal communication when I explained to Nicky what he had to do for the task. There should also be a little proximity between us because if there was not much space between each other, then the atmosphere might have become too hot and unbearable which might have caused Nicky to get bored and tired easily with the reading. Leaving enough proximity, between the both of us allowed us to sit and feel comfortable; this led us to talk properly to each other without anyone interrupting or distracting our conversation as we our personal space. I used good facial expressions and body language with Nicky so that he thinks I am a friendly person and so he becomes more comfortable with me. Most of the time, Each time he read correctly I would complement him on well he was doing and I also would put my thumb put and say â€Å"excellent† to boost his confidence a little more. This helped create more of a positive atmosphere to be in. his tone on voice when he was reading showed me that he was trying his best and was really enjoying it. I used a lot of eye contact which actually showed Nicky that I was listening to him and that I understood what he was reading to me. I used appropriate eye-contact to enable him to listen and understand me properly. Eye-contact help a lot in a one-to-one basis because when listening to someone expressing their point of view, eye-contact is very essential and shows that the listener is listening and understanding what person actually speaking is saying. At the end of the reading session I spoke to Nicky about the level of reading ability he is on and I also asked him to speak to me about any difficulties and anything he is uncertain about in the book, this helped me to him more confidence to speak up loud and it also empowered him. I had to use interpersonal skills when I was telling Nicky he had made a few mistakes during his reading time which is why it lead to him ignoring that and getting embarrassed and wrong -footed. Interpersonal skills are people interacting with each other. Interpersonal skills involve the ability to work with others around.

Business Plan Template: The Laundry Room Essay

The Laundry Room is a full-service, including wash, dry, fold, dry cleaning, repairs and alterations, pick-up and delivery, coin operated laundry service dedicated to consistent customer satisfaction and loyalty by providing reliable machines and furnishing a regularly maintained clean, attractive atmosphere at a competitive price and value. The Laundry Room offers its customers the opportunity to utilize or enjoy the output of the most superior, state of the art laundry machines the industry has to offer. Additionally, The Laundry Room will provide on-site retail cleaning and laundry products for one-time and household use. The Laundry Room will focus on two target consumers: Type A: Middle to Lower Class Individual(s) without the resources of an adequate laundry facility. Generally this customer will occupy apartment complexes, government housing or condominium type housing. It will include home owners, families and individuals with inadequate laundry facilities without the financial resources to upgrade or replace faulty equipment immediately. These consumers will also include low-disposable income, physically capable senior citizens in community housing and students residing in dorms or rental properties. The Laundry Room will penetrate this market by offering self-service, coin and card operated, state of the art laundry machines in a clean, safe, customer service oriented environment. Coupons, loyalty discounts/cards and daily promotions will appeal to this financially moderate and conscious market. Type B: Middle to Upper Class Individual(s) who possesses more money than time, an advanced taste and high demand for exceptional customer service but no time to complete routine laundry tasks. This will include home owners, families and individuals who have high disposable income and require laundering assistance but fail to allocate the time commitment in busy work, family or life schedules. This unique and routine consumer will continue visiting The Laundry Room because of it’s high quality output and impeccable customer service and become a devoted return customer. The Laundry Room  will penetrate this market by offering professional laundry services, pick up and drop off work order delivery options and corporate discounts. The Laundry Room’s financial layout is quite reassuring. Since it is practicing a cash business with no receivables, however the introductory is generally more than majority of start-ups. The procedure is labor demanding with many services available in one location and The Laundry Room identifies that skilled talent and modern, state of the art buildings and equipment are a necessity. The financial and time investment in its labourers, locations and equipment will be the differentiating factor between The Laundry Room and it’s competitors. For the purpose of this business plan template, the investments of equipment and locations are financed. There will be minimal product inventory kept on hand to take advantage of limited space and price drops in supplies and to discover consumer trends. The Laundry Room projects the original sequence of investments and long term financing of $325,000.00 to abolish the need for additional debt or equity investing beyond the acquisition of equipment or locations. This will translate into slower expansion than what would otherwise the possible but based on consumer demands and product requests will allow more consistent and solid financial growth. OBJECTIVES The Laundry Room has generated three solidified objective it desires to accomplish in the next three years of business. 1. Three full-service laundry facilities in the Western Manitoba region. 2. Establish sustainable business by the end of the fourth quarter of the first year. 3. Product net profits. 4. To establish a beneficial brand to customers and gain brand loyalty within the first three months of operation by functioning socially and ethically responsibly. MISSION Our Mission Statement: The Laundry Room makes decisions that value our  customers and employees. We are dedicated to providing unmatched customer satisfaction at every level of our operation with through our focused commitment to Leadership, Respect, Innovation and Technology, resulting in a profitable business and a satisfied consumer. Corporate activities are conducted with the highest standard of professionalism and ethics. Core Values: People: We treat all people (customers, employees and vendors) with respect. Integrity: We manage our operations, finances and services with professionalism, honesty, efficiency and reliability. Service: Our customers are the heart of everything we do. Innovation: We stay current and innovative with the systems, services and technologies that improve the way we operate our business and live our lives. Responsibility: We promote a safe, eco-friendly and clean environment for our customers, employees and vendors. Loyalty: We earn and maintain the respect and confidence in our customers, employees and vendors routinely, in everything we do. Our Motto: Professional, efficient, reliable service at a competitive price. KEYS TO SUCCESS There are four basic keys to success in this company, three are congruent with any service driven industry but our quality customer service (including interaction with customers, pick-up and delivery service and customer loyalty programs) and clean, modern environment (free Wi-Fi, state of the art machines, cash free machine options, gaming arcade) will give us an additional advantage in the consumer eye. Convenient Location- visible, high-traffic pattern, efficiently accessible to consumer. The Best Products- state of the art machines, consistently clean, safe environment, eco-friendly laundry and cleaning products. The Friendliest, well-trained Staff- cheerful, professional, hygienic, articulate, highly skilled company representatives. Finest Reputation- Word of mouth advertising through impeccable customer service, community involvement and valuable customer referral program. COMPANY SUMMARY The Laundry Room is a full-service, including wash, dry, fold, dry cleaning, repairs and alterations, pick-up and delivery, coin operated laundry service dedicated to consistent customer satisfaction and loyalty by providing reliable machines and furnishing a regularly maintained clean, attractive atmosphere at a competitive price and value COMPANY OWNERSHIP The Laundry Room is a Limited Liability Company. All membership shares in the present day are owned by Brooke Ward and Joel McPhail with the future intent of using an excerpt of these shares to increase capital. The projected plan requires the sale of 100 membership interests in the company to family, friends and informal investors. Each company membership interest is set to $4250.00 with a minimum of five entities per stock certificate or minimum of $21,250.00 per shareholder. If and when all funds are collected, Brooke Ward and Joel McPhail will preserve ownership of 51% of the company. START UP SUMMARY COMPANY LOCATIONS AND FACILITIES The Laundry Room will open its first location in Brandon, Manitoba on the corner of Victoria Avenue and 34th Street, a location formerly occupied by Brandon Turbo. An additional two locations will be designed and distributed in Southern Manitoba over the preceding three years including locations in Virden, Manitoba and Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The location in Brandon, Manitoba will remain company headquarters and occupy the offices of our executives. The demographic and physical requirement for The Laundry Room locations: High traffic and easily accessible on either side. Visible from roadway. Established retail shops or business locations in the general vicinity. A combination of apartment complexes and residential areas in the general vicinity. PRODUCTS The Laundry Room offers its customers the opportunity to utilize or enjoy the output of the most superior, state of the art laundry machines the industry has to offer. Additionally, The Laundry Room will provide on-site retail cleaning and laundry products for one-time and household use. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION CUSTOMER USE: Coin Laundry: The Laundry Room utilizes 20 IPSO Washers and 16 IPSO Dryers with capacities ranging from 14lbs-75lbs. The attractive stainless steel exterior is complimentary to the heavy duty motors, eco-friendly water-preserving emissions and a seal system to enhance cylinder stability considered to be the best-crafted in the world. In keeping with todays growth of modern technology, The Laundry Room will offer a series of machines equipped with a card system as an alternative to coin fuelled machines. The card system will accept all forms of payment including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Debit and an internal, reusable and refillable customer card. PROFESSIONAL USE: Commercial Laundry: For it’s professional cleaning services, The Laundry Room will utilize a series of industrial sized IPSO Washers and Dryers with capacities ranging from 12lbs to 165lbs. These laundry machines will be used exclusively by fully trained company representatives and utilize the same technology as the Coin Laundry appliances in a much larger size and without the option of payment. Folders and Feeders: The Laundry Room will also possess one IPSO Folder (folds clothing) and one IPSO Flatwork Ironer (irons clothing) to minimize costs allocated to labor and energy. Operating using technologically advanced, professional, attractive, eco-friendly, easy to use IPSO equipment will ensure the highest quality output and efficient production levels. PRODUCTS: The Laundry Room will provide on-site retail cleaning and laundry products for one-time and household use. The Laundry Room plans to capitalize on the ongoing consumer trend of purchasing eco-friendly products free of harsh chemicals and dyes. A strategic alliance with Progressive Sanitation, developed through a long-standing personal relationship with both companies’ Owner/Operator(s), will allow each to capitalize on product sales. An agreement that Progressive Sanitation will be the exclusive supplier of one-time and household products for re-sale at all The Laundry Room locations and all product labels must display BOTH company names. Products available on site in one-time use format include: Eco-Max Lavender Laundry Wash (Liquid), Eco-Max Dryer Sheets, Eco-Max Laundry Detergent (Powder) and Eco-Max Fabric Softener. Products available in household use format include: {LAUNDRY} Eco-Max Lavender Laundry Wash (Liquid), Eco-Max Dryer Sheets, Eco-Max Laundry Detergent (Powder) and Eco-Max Fabric Softener {KITCHEN} Eco-Max Liquid Dish Detergent and Eco-Max Dishwasher Soap {BATHROOM} Eco-Max Ultra Bathroom Cleaner, Eco-Max Ultra Odour Neutralizer {GENERAL} Eco-Max All Purpose Cleaner, Eco-Max Glass Cleaner Bottle. COMPETITIVE COMPARISON The Laundry Room acknowledges itself as a competitive contributor in the laundry and cleaning industry. Contrarily, it also recognizes that rivalry for its products range from dry cleaning service to general wash/dry service to repairs and alterations to cleaning products. The Laundry Rooms main competitors will come in four forms: Locally Owned Dry Cleaning Facilities. National brand Dry Cleaning Facilities. Locally Owned Laundromats. On-site Apartment/Condominium Complex Coin-Operated Laundry Facilities. The Laundry Rooms secondary competitors will come in three forms: Locally Owned/Operated Tailors. Department Stores offering cleaning products. Locally Owned General Stores offering cleaning products. Characteristics that set apart The Laundry Room from is competitors are: Impeccable customer service Free on-site Wi-FI. State of the art equipment. Clean, inviting atmosphere. One-time-use and household products available for purchase. Customer loyalty cards, senior, student and corporate discounts. 48 hour guarantee. Pick-up and Delivery service. (provided free for any work orders equivalent to or exceeding 20lbs) Full-service facility including wash, dry, fold, press, dry cleaning and repairs/alterations. SOURCING The Laundry Room purchases it’s IPSO equipment and all machine fulfillment equipment exclusively from Coinamatic Commercial Laundry, a subsidiary of WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems. Retail products and fulfillment products are purchased from Progressive Sanitation. The Laundry Rooms technological equipment (POS system) and â€Å"free to the customer† internet connectivity is provided by Westman Communications Group. The Laundry Room’s state of the art, user and eco-friendly is reliant on technology and proper maintenance. Ron’s Appliance Service has been  contracted to upkeep all machines for the entirety of the first year of business to ensure customer satisfaction. The Laundry Room will be equipped with 24 hour surveillance video monitored by Allen Leigh Security and Communications. TECHNOLOGY The Laundry Room projects to obtain a competitive advantage, improve operations and capitalize on the growing consumer trend of technology. The Laundry Room will offer a series of machines equipped with a card system as an alternative to coin fuelled machines. The card system will accept all forms of payment including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Debit and an internal, reusable and refillable customer card. This will create a safer environment for customers and employees, allows the balance of the customer card to travel with the cardholder to various The Laundry Room locations, creates customer loyalty and permits the business to add bonus dollars or a â€Å"kick back† when a customer adds more cash. This innovative customer card technology is beneficial internally by tracking total sales, times and dates of each individual machine; minimizing the coins to collect and process decreasing labor costs; providing electronic accountability and eliminates the chance of theft or vandalism. The Laundry Room will also offer self-use laundromat customers the access to free Wi-Fi while utilizing the facility, anticipating the conclusion of their laundry session. FUTURE PRODUCTS Seasonally, The Laundry Room will offer products, services and discounts that will increase sales and also meet consumer demands. Offering discounts in the summer months on utilizing dryers (as more customers will opt to hang dry) and to students in the Fall to build brand loyalty and gain market share. Subsidizing holiday themed scented products with florals and beach inspired scents during the summer months and offering seasonal dependent products when in demand including automobile detailing packages when weather  permits. The Laundry Room’s central focus will be to utilize customer feedback and trends to cater to the product and service demands of the consumer and provide it accordingly. In addition, once basic operational kinks have been subsidized and revenue is steady, The Laundry Room will maximize their profits by providing customers with access to multiple services to utilize our buildings space to its fullest potential. The future possibility of offering food and beverage vending machines, renting mailboxes and game arcades demand little increase to overhead as all property and rent expenses are already paid for. Our customers and their experience will benefit and enjoy capitalizing on several services located in one convenient building. To provide community camaraderie, build customer base and fulfil it’s social responsibility The Laundry Room projects to host quarterly, season tailored charitable events including music concerts, hot chocolate giveaways and BBQ following the first year of business. A portion of proceeds from events will be donated to a local charity, making strides to improve the community. MARKET ANALYSIS SUMMARY Type A: Middle to Lower Class Individual(s) without the resources of an adequate laundry facility. Generally this customer will occupy apartment complexes, government housing or condominium type housing. It will include home owners, families and individuals with inadequate laundry facilities without the financial resources to upgrade or replace faulty equipment immediately. These consumers will also include low-disposable income, physically capable senior citizens in community housing and students residing in dorms or rental properties. Type B: Middle to Upper Class Individual(s) who possesses more money than time, an advanced taste and high demand for exceptional customer service but no time to complete routine laundry tasks. This will include home owners, families and individuals who have high disposable income and require laundering assistance but fail to allocate the time commitment in busy work, family or life schedules. MARKET SEGMENTATION The Laundry Room will target two separate segments: Lower to Middle Class Individual(s) without the resources of an adequate laundry facility and Middle to Upper Class Individual(s) possessing more money than time. The Laundry Room has designed two distinct delivery plans to penetrate these markets. For the Lower to Middle Class, we offer a clean, affordable, conveniently located and well maintained state of the art self-service laundry facility and for the Middle to Upper Class, a professional laundry service with convenient pick up and delivery option. The Laundry Room will penetrate the Lower to Middle Class market by offering self-service, coin and card operated, state of the art laundry machines in a clean, safe, customer service oriented environment. Coupons, loyalty discounts/cards and daily promotions will appeal to this financially moderate and conscious market. This unique and routine Middle to Upper Class market will continue visiting The Laundry Room because of it’s high quality output and impeccable customer service and become a devoted return customer. The Laundry Room will penetrate this market by offering professional laundry services, pick up and drop off work order delivery options and corporate discounts. MARKET TRENDS Laundromats have been established for over 50 years and generally occupy retail space on long-term leases of approximately 10-25 years and product consistent cash flow over the duration of the lease. Laundromats thrive in periods of inflation and recession. During recession, when home ownership decreases, the coin operated laundry market expands as more individuals are unable to repair, replace or purchase new washers and dryers or as they relocate to apartment housing with less than adequate or non existent laundry facilities or services. During inflation when the market size grows in proportion to the increase of population. Like food and shelter, clean clothing is a necessity of life and laundromats provide a basic health service for millions of Canadians every year. MARKET GROWTH According to available consumer statistics, the demand for professional and self-service laundromats is on the rise. Industry and market growth is based on the demographics os population density, population mix and population income. The more concentrated the population in the environment, the greater the demand for profession and self-service laundry facilities. Self-service laundry facilities are primarily used by household renters, the fastest growing segment in the country. As of the 2011 Canadian Census, 24.4% of Brandon, Manitoba’s 21,950 households were renter occupied with an 11% population increase from the 2006 Canadian Census. Professional laundry services for residential individuals generally tailor toward wealthy one-income families or affluent two-income families. Compared to provincial averages, Brandon, MB has a $2,500 (2.54%) higher after-tax family income as of 2005 proving that Brandon has the market for a company offering professional services at affordable prices. MARKET NEEDS The market for our selection of self-use coin operated machines is derived of individuals without the resources of an adequate laundry facility and possess a limited disposable income. The demand for laundry services without the financial resources of outsourcing work, purchasing, repairing or replacing machines gives The Laundry Room’s self-service facilities, a budget savvy solution, the opportunity to fulfill this market need. The market for our selection of professional services is derived of individuals who have limited time, demand exceptional customer service and who possess high disposable income. The opportunity to devote valuable time to mundane tasks such as laundry is far and few between, but the demand for quality service and the necessity of practicing good personal hygiene remains active in their overloaded schedules. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS As the population of Canada grows with it’s economy, the number of renters, a significant contributor to our revenue, is likely to grow as well. Other social phenomena, like the commonness of double income families, suggest that convenient services offered by The Laundry Room will continue to increase in popularity as working households have less time to attend to essential tasks like laundry. It is even becoming more common for individuals with washers and dryers located at home to utilize self-service or professional full-service laundromats for the sake of convenience. With the regular capacity, generally smaller washing equipment used in homes, it can extend time allocated to laundry. Basically, although the majority of laundromat self-service customers are low to middle income class renters, an increasing number of facilities are tapping into high-income markets by offering convenience; full-service laundering and large, multiple machines. DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS The North American delivery process of laundry and coin-operated services reflects laundromats in the past. The consumer enters a mediocrely designed, well maintained and organized environment, engulfed in fresh, clean aromas concealing an elementary â€Å"turn-key† business plan model offering products and services at a competitive price. The Laundry Room will mirror some of these aspects however based on our previously outlined Core Values, the customers positive experience is most essential. Not only greeted by clean, well organized, public Wi-Fi capable, state of the art equipment and modern atmosphere but also a well-trained company representative offering any form of assistance as requested and required. The Laundry Room will offer a pick up and delivery service (provided free for any work orders equivalent to or exceeding 20lbs) and a professional guarantee of all work orders, no matter the size, will be completed and ready within 48 hours of drop off. COMPETITION AND BUYING PATTERNS There are four basic opponents for The Laundry Room’s customer segment. Locally owned dry cleaning facilities, like Brandon Cleaners Ltd. and Brandon Extreme Clean, national brand dry cleaning facilities, like Perth’s Service, locally owned laundromats, Glacier Wash and Wheat City Laundry and on-site apartment/condominium coin-operated laundry facilities. Strengths Multitude of services offered in one conveniently located, well monitored and maintained modern facility. Well thought out and designed business plan. Superior well-trained and filtered staff with impeccable customer service. Professional grade equipment with quality output. Weaknesses Less experience than already established competitors. Debt is required to commence business plan. Opportunities Contribution and capitalization on a steadily growing industry. Maple Leaf providing job opportunities to individuals immigrating to Canada residing in rental housing without proper laundry facilities. Multitude of services attracts every target market (Upper, middle and lower class) Proper hygiene is a necessity to life providing a constant demand for products and services. Threats Possibility of a large franchised business opening and mirroring business model. MAIN COMPETITORS When contrasting direct business opponents, we have discovered that there are no other businesses offering the same services and products collectively in the Brandon community. The Laundry Room will be the premiere full-service, including wash, dry, fold, dry cleaning, repairs and alterations, pick-up and delivery, coin operated laundry service in the Westman area. On the contrary, there is still competition from similar laundry service and retail product distributors. Locally Owned Dry Cleaning Facilities: Brandon Cleaners Ltd., Brandon Extreme Clean, Richmond Dry Cleaners & Laundromat The Laundry Room has a competitive advantage over these companies due to the following benefits: We are open Monday to Saturday 7am-10pm. Sundays 9am-6pm. 48 hour work order guarantee. Clean, safe, well designed and maintained facilities. Various services and products available conveniently in one location. Surveillance cameras to insure customer and employee safety. Loyalty card and referral program. Eco-friendly products for purchase on-site. Pick-up and delivery options. National brand Dry Cleaning Facilities. Perth’s Services The Laundry Room has a competitive advantage over these companies due to the following benefits: We are open Monday to Saturday 7am-10pm. Sundays 9am-6pm. 48 hour work order guarantee. Ability to have control and creativity without the consent of â€Å"head office.† Revenues from transactions remain within the community. Surveillance cameras to insure customer and employee safety. Loyalty card and referral program. Eco-friendly products for purchase on-site. Pick-up and delivery options. Locally Owned Laundromats. Glacier Wash, Wheat City Laundry, Rosser Laundromat, Princess Laundromat The Laundry Room has a competitive advantage over these companies due to the following benefits: We are open Monday to Saturday 7am-10pm. Sundays 9am-6pm. 48 hour work order guarantee. Clean, safe, well designed, and maintained facilities. Various services and products available conveniently in one location. Surveillance cameras to insure customer and employee safety. Coin-less machine option. Loyalty card and referral program. Eco-friendly products for purchase on-site. Pick up and delivery options. On-site Apartment/Condominium Complex Coin-Operated Laundry Facilities. The Laundry Room has a competitive advantage over these facilities due to the following benefits: Clean, safe, well designed, and maintained facilities. Surveillance cameras to insure customer and employee safety. Coin-less machine option. Loyalty card and referral program. Eco-friendly products for purchase on-site. Utilizing multiple machines for multiple loads is encouraged and lowers laundry time. The Laundry Room will consistently appraise its equipment, procedures, building layouts, company representatives and consumer products to remain a dominant commander in the laundry service industry. STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY STRATEGY PYRAMID The Laundry Room’s basic strategy is to convey to the community that they are dedicated to consistent customer satisfaction and loyalty by providing reliable machines and furnishing a regularly maintained clean, attractive atmosphere at a competitive price and value. To implement this strategy, The Laundry Room location will be easily accessible, visible and recognizable. All products and services will be priced accordingly to stay comparable with competitors and enforcing a professional training program for all production and customer service representatives to ensure The Laundry Room employees are the most accommodating in the industry. Through coupons, print advertisements, word of mouth and cleverly and ethically maintained social media, The Laundry Room will promote the series of products and services offered and communicate openly with current and potential customers about new promotions, discount programs, events,  products and services available. By implementing this strategy, The Laundry Room has: Offered the consumer a superior product at a competitive, comparable price. Offered the consumer a convenient, time-efficient method for acquiring their requested service or product. Displayed how The Laundry Room acknowledges and value consumer loyalty by offering discounts to return customers and referral programs. VALUE PROPOSITION The Laundry Room will over products and services in the most efficient and convenient methods available, either through their convenient, spacious, highly-visible locations, multiple coin-less or coin-operated, state of the art machines or convenient pick up and delivery services. This value proposition sets The Laundry Room apart from business opponents allowing patrons to avoid: Parking lot overload. Long wait times. Limited machine availability. Cluttered, unkept, poorly designed machine layout. This value proposition sets The Laundry Room apart from business opponents allowing patrons to capitalize on: A safe, well monitored atmosphere. Extra time provided by pick up and delivery service. Money saved by utilizing customer loyalty programs and discounts. The Laundry Room is also spotlighting on offering a compelling asset to the community by distributing locally produced eco-friendly one-time-use and household cleaning products for purchase on-site. COMPETITIVE EDGE The Laundry Room’s competitive edge is basic, we offer a superior output through state of the art self-service machines, expert laundry services and professional grade eco-friendly products at a competitive price in a modern, conveniently located atmosphere that efficiently saves valuable consumer time and money. MARKETING STRATEGY In its introductory months, The Laundry Room will conveniently locate its premiere location in an area of high traffic and visibility that is easily accessible. Victoria Avenue and 34th Street (former location of Brandon Turbo) is the area of choice, located in highly visible, commuter courses and in close proximity to established businesses, upper and middle class residential housing, university dorms, senior citizen housing centres, two of Brandon’s most profitable hotels and a series of apartment complexes. The Laundry Room locations will be unique and easily identifiable, establishing a creative branding and marketing feature. The Laundry Room will be executing a low cost marketing strategy and take advantage of low cost methods of advertisements including good will, word of mouth, social media including Facebook and Twitter and community message boards such as eBrandon. It’s been shown that the best method of advertising is through word-of-mouth. No major newspaper ad campaign is forecasted. However, we will run weekly specials. In addition, we shall have an incentive program for referrals. The customer who encouraged the new customer to utilize our services rewarded with a FREE service of their choice or 50% off a retail product, and the referee will receive an introductory gift of a FREE wash. In addition, we will ensure a clean environment, reliable machines, and friendly, prompt services. We will include loyalty programs and discounts including a BUY 5 GET ONE FREE card to reward routine customers with a lower price. This will benefit our company by building long term customers and maximizing lifetime revenue of our consumers. Several drawbacks of the loyalty card include, the constant return to ground zero with no built up financial incentive to return, only price sensitive consumers will carry it loyally and present during each purchase, it segments locals and newcomers and it’s a volume discount for items purchased over time and not all at once. Which is why we will not only  offer the physical cards but also the option of utilizing the FREE online application that replaces physical cards called â€Å"Punch crowd† to entice technologically, eco-friendly consumers. The Laundry Room will also offer 10% Student and Senior discounts as well as FREE pick up and delivery for any laundry services meeting or exceeding 20lbs. PROMOTION STRATEGY The long term goal is to achieve enough market leverage and consumer brand loyalty to the company to expand into other regions and attract attention from possible angel investors. To ensure this, The Laundry Room requires: A commitment to Public Relation services of $1250.00 per fiscal quarter for the first year of business to establish community awareness and create and design product and service information print advertisement mail-outs. It is projected that the grand opening, high traffic, highly visible location, utilization of free advertising methods such as social media and community message boards and word-of-mouth promotion will generate a significant amount of positive exposure and possibly diminish or abolish the requirements for a Public Relation Professional internal employment opportunity. To provide community camaraderie, build customer base and fulfil it’s social responsibility The Laundry Room projects to host quarterly, season tailored charitable events including music concerts, hot chocolate giveaways and BBQ following the first year of business. A portion of proceeds from events will be donated to a local charity, making strides to improve the community. This is projected to commence following the first fiscal year of business, re-evaluation of profits/losses and customer traffic may expedite these community events. MARKETING PROGRAMS HIGHLY VISIBLE, RECOGNIZABLE BUILDING: The Laundry Room is using retro inspired, modern buildings for it’s on-site locations equipt with state of the art, stainless steel equipment. We have worked closely with our contractor, Geoff Gregoire of Contractor’s Corner, to develop a recognizable structure that is fully functional and conveniently located for consumers. RECOGNIZABLE DELIVERY VEHICLE: The pick up and delivery vehicle is a crucial marketing tool. Similar to the on-site locations, the delivery vehicle will be easy to recognize and with an unmistakably similar design. The Laundry Room will schedule routine pick up (AM hours) and delivery (PM hours) with basic consumers and predetermined alliances including hospitals, retirement homes, businesses, schools and community event planners. We will utilize an eco-friendly hybrid Ford Escape creatively and tastefully sporting The Laundry Room company logo, location and contact information. ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION: In the introductory year, The Laundry Room has allocated a moderate advertising and promotion allowance beginning in the first month of operations following the Grand Opening. As a company, we understand that a portion of graphic design, publicity and promotion is best left to professionals, so majority of advertising budgets will be spent on an external company, Direct Marketing to creatively and effectively design websites, brochures, logos and other print advertising. In the first fiscal year of business the word-of mouth-advertising in conjunction with our customer loyalty/referral program and utilization of free technological advertising like social media and community message boards will be strong consumer motivators. POSITIONING STATEMENT PRICING STRATEGY The Laundry Room product and service pricing will be competitive and comparable with similar industry national brand companies and locally owned businesses. SALES STRATEGY A series of sales strategies will be implemented including advertising daily and weekly specials on high-profit and high-return products and services on site. The highly qualified customer representatives will also distribute coupons, loyalty cards, product samples and discounts to customers who purchase products and services as a â€Å"kick-back.† The Laundry Room personnel will also use the practice of suggestive sales techniques suggesting services to improve quality of life and save time or products tailored towards customer needs. SALES FORECAST SALES PROGRAMS LOYALTY PROGRAM: REFILLABLE COMPANY PAYMENT CARDS: COUPONS: CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: For the purpose of selling the products and services and for active community contribution purposes, The Laundry Room will become an active member of the local Chamber of Commerce. The partnership and publicity the organization offers is exceptional along with the business contacts and probability of generating strategic alliances through constant communication with members at Chamber of Commerce hosted events. STRATEGIC ALLIANCES MILESTONES Acting as a financial budget would, the milestone projection outlines pivotal dates in the company timeline. This timeline includes the introduction of the first and subsequent drive-thrus and the mobile cafes. TDG’s milestone table also identifies the break-even month and other key events that will determine our ongoing company success. MANAGEMENT SUMMARY In the introductory months of business, there is zero intention to operate The Laundry Room utilizing a top-heavy organizational structure that diminishes profits and complicates internal communication. TDG will operate under a significantly flat organizational chart. Overhead for management personnel will be modest and all senior managers will act as production employees. PERSONNEL PLAN There will be one Production Worker on duty at all times during all operating hours acting as a Professional Laundry Service Provider who’s employee responsibilities will include but are not limited to washing, drying, dry cleaning, folding, and pressing incoming work orders and all repairs and alterations. The current salary for the two existing full-time (40 hr/wk) personnel is $910 and part-time (25 hr/wk) personnel is $568.75. With added duties, longevity of job position and increased traffic re-evaluation to increase salaries is reasonable. There will be one Customer Service Representative on duty during all operating hours acting as an Attendant/Cashier/Retailer whose employee responsibilities will include but are not limited to store and basic machine maintenance, all customer interaction internally and externally and daily business transactions. They will assist the laundromat production worker with completing work orders including washing, drying, folding and pressing as time and work load permits. The current salary for the two existing full-time (40 hr/wk) personnel is $820 (40 hours X 2 weeks = 80 hours X $10.25/hr) bi-weekly and part time (25 hr/wk) personnel is $512.50 (25 hours X 2 weeks X $10.25/hr). With added duties, longevity of job position and increased traffic re-evaluation to increase salaries is reasonable. As for mechanical machine maintenance, this will be outsourced to Ron’s Appliance Service as an on-call, locally owned repair service. Ron’s Appliance Service is known in the Westman area for their quick and reliable output. Generally, they service within the day. It is estimated to cost approximately _____ per month per maintenance. FINANCIAL PLAN AND PROJECTIONS The Laundry Room’s financial layout is quite reassuring. Since it is practicing a cash business with no receivables, however the introductory is generally more than majority of start-ups. The procedure is labor demanding with many services available in one location and The Laundry Room identifies that skilled talent and modern, state of the art buildings and equipment are a necessity. The financial and time investment in its labourers, locations and equipment will be the differentiating factor between The Laundry Room and it’s competitors. For the purpose of this business plan template, the investments of equipment and locations are financed. There will be minimal product inventory kept on hand to take advantage of limited space and price drops in supplies and to discover consumer trends.