The Issue Of Underage Drinking Social Work Essay

The Issue Of Underage Drinking Social Work Essay The issue and prevalence of young people (under 18) drinking alcohol in recent years has become a matter of increasing public concern, with current trends amongst the worst in Europe (Gunning et al 2010). Drinking during childhood, particularly heavy drinking is associated with a range of problems including physical and mental health problems, alcohol-related accidents, violence, and anti-social behaviour (Gunning et al 2010). Young bodies are still growing, and alcohol can harm their development; regular drinking can lead to cancer, liver disease, and heart disorders in later life (Bateman 2011). Deaths from liver disease have risen vastly in the 25-34 age groups over the last 10 years; thought to be a consequence of increased drinking starting from an earlier age (Thomson et al 2008). In England in 2007/2008, more than 7600 children under 17 were admitted to hospital as a result of drinking alcohol (Gunning et al 2010). It is believed that young people who start drinking alcohol at an early age, drink more, and drink more often than those who delay the onset of drinking until they are older. They are also more likely to develop alcohol abuse/dependence problems in adolescence and adulthood; dependence is also likely to occur from a much younger age (Gunning et al 2010). A recent survey carried out in 2010 by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to determine the smoking, drinking and drug use of secondary school pupils aged 11 to 15; (7,674 pupils in 247 schools through the use of questionnaires) interestingly found that the proportion of young people who have drunk alcohol had decreased in comparison with earlier findings from 28 per cent in 2001 to 21 per cent in 2006 (DH 2008). However it must be stated that although there had been a marked decrease in the number of young people who had drunk alcohol; many of the 11 to 15 year olds who do drink were described to be consuming larger amounts of alcohol, more often, to deliberately get drunk (Bateman 2011). This study also conveyed that 18% of pupils had drunk alcohol recently, is equivalent to around 540,000 young people (Gunning et al 2010); suggesting that more still needs to be done to reverse these prominent trends, as despite the marked decrease alcohol misuse in young people is sti ll a serious problem that is affecting the health of the youth today and greatly impacting the wider community, in that alcohol misuse carries a financial burden; and has been estimated to cost nearly  £11,000 million each year, in terms of health, social welfare and criminal justice resources (Waller et al 2002). Collecting this type of data can prove difficult, as drug and alcohol misuse are of a sensitive nature and often individuals do not wish to share this information candidly when questioned. It is particularly difficult to obtain from young people (under the age of 18), as this often has to be carried out within a school environment, via questionnaires. The extent to which honest reporting occurs is again complex, as young people will often exaggerate to peers, and conceal from parents (Gunning et al 2010). Honesty is not the only factor affecting accuracy of responses in young people, precision of estimates and the recall of the amount of alcohol drunk can also be problematic, given that pupils patterns of behaviour between the ages of 11 and 15 may be described as experimental and sporadic opposed to habitual and regular (Gunning et al 2010). The National Treatment Agency (NTA) has recently stated that young peoples substance misuse is a relatively new area of academic study and so r esearch on effective treatment interventions are inconsistent (NTA 2010). It is widely acknowledged that alcohol misuse in youth is inextricably linked to a number of factors; including the influence of parents/family, peers, environment, culture and socio-economic status (Templeton et al 2006). According to the Acheson report (1999), dependency upon alcohol is significantly correlated with socio-economic position, suggesting that the problem is one that is beyond the chemical impact of the substance itself (Nacro Youth Crime Section 1999) coinciding with more recent National statistics and research studies that indicate, as well as sex and age, socio-economic status, ethnicity and geographical area of residence are among the factors linked to levels and patterns of harmful alcohol consumption (Waller et al 2002). In order to target the issue of alcohol misuse within young people, these factors needed to be taken into account and have since been the guide by which policies regarding youth and alcohol are implemented (DH 2008); therefore providing alcohol education in schools; beginning in the primary phase, well before patterns of regular drinking become established, designed to educate and advise young people on sensible drinking patterns and the dangerous effects it may have upon them (DH 2008). Parents and carers also have a responsibility for whether their children drink, at all, and if they do, how much and how frequently they drink. However, for parents to feel confident when talking to their children about alcohol and to empower them to set appropriate boundaries they need guidance from the appropriate services (DH 2008). In terms of government strategies, to target the issue of alcohol misuse in young people; the coalitions programme for government published in May 2010, outlines proposals designed to restrict the supply of alcohol to young people, less than 18 years of age, by increasing the control given to councils to close outlets that persistently sell alcohol to children; and to increase the maximum fines for under-age alcohol sales. Additionally, there will be a ban on the sales of alcohol at below cost price (Gunning et al 2010), and a review of alcohol pricing and taxation, both policies expected to have particular impact on young drinkers (Gunning et al 2010). Whilst these policies are currently weighted towards prevention, and adopting preventative strategies, recent statistics suggest that the majority of young people accessing services and interventions have problems with alcohol (37%) and cannabis (53%) (NTA 2010), thus suggesting that more needs to be done in the preventative stages of alcohol awareness in children; as evidence suggests that the problem is clearly still on-going. The choice and effectiveness of treatment approaches is typically dependent on a range of factors, such as the individual characteristics of the client for example motivation, family life, social circumstances and environment; in addition to the particular drug or drugs that are being used (Crow Reeves 1994). The National Treatment Agency (NTA) defines young peoples treatment as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ care planned medical, psychosocial or specialist harm reduction interventions aimed at alleviating current harm caused by a young persons substance misuse (NTA 2010). Young people with drug related needs are supported by interventions and services within a four-tiered model of drug and alcohol interventions which consists of a General Frontline service delivery for young people and their families (first port of call) (tier 1), open-access services (such as drop in) (tier 2), Drug treatment within the community (Shared care) (tier 3) and residential drug treatment (specialist services) (tier 4) (NTA 2006). Young drug and alcohol users are believed to differ from adults as they will typically not have used drugs for a prolonged period of time, in order to have developed a dependency to a substance; and as a result affecting the type of treatment generally provided to young people (Frontier Economics 2010). Young people are most likely to require psychosocial, harm reduction and family interventions, opposed to treatment for addiction, which most adults but only a small minority of young people require (Frontier Economics 2010). Psychosocial interventions are known as non-pharmacological interventions typically involving structured counselling, motivational enhancement, case management, and care-coordination, psychotherapy, and relapse prevention. The intention is to encourage behavioural and emotional change, with the support of lifestyle adjustments and the enhancement of coping skills (Frontier economics 2011). The most common form of therapy offered for substance misuse is some form of counselling; this may take the form of counselling for the drug problem itself, for example thoughts about using, coping strategies for reducing or counselling concerning the surrounding issues that impact on drug use (Lewis et al 2009). Counselling is a flexible approach and can be used to respond to a wide variety of circumstances surrounding misuse (Rounsaville Carroll 1992). It is possible to identify two general approaches to counselling in use in community drug services, the first being, counselling to tackle the personal problems, underlying drug misuse and the second being that of support and advice to help manage the consequences of drug misuse (Bryant- Jeffries 2001). The vast majority of young people accessing specialist treatment need and receive counselling, sometimes alongside their families to address the underlying causes and consequences of substance misuse. Such psychosocial interventions are the most common form of support accessed by under-18s (Frontier Economics 2011). The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) coincides with the idea of the counselling theory, and has recommended that offering brief, one-to-one advice on the harmful effects of alcohol use, and how to reduce the risks and find sources of support, is an effective approach for tackling harmful drinking amongst children and young people (NICE 2007). The most common counselling approach to drug treatment has been cognitive behavioural approaches. The cognitive behavioural approach relies greatly on getting the user to focus on identifying problems and solutions. Cognitive behavioural counselling can be used to promote abstinence or gradual control of drug use, with an emphasis on teaching cognitive and behavioural techniques to resist drug use and related behaviours. The cognitive element of CBT is concerned with getting users to identify the reasons why they misuse, and in particular getting them to identify maladaptive thought patterns that lead them to engage in destructive behaviour (Jarvis 1995). The behavioural aspect of CBT is about helping people to look at the signs that encourage them to misuse drugs and to help them develop alternative ways of behaving (Jarvis 1995). NICE has recommended cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as an effective intervention for treating young peoples substance misuse (NICE 2007). Providing CBT in a group setting may help young people to role-play and practice coping with high-risk experiences. The group setting allows young people to share similar problems, develop social skills, model, rehearse and gain peer feedback (NICE 2007). NICE also recommends that brief interventions using motivational interview techniques can be used as one-off interventions, or to facilitate engagement with more structured specialist substance misuse treatment (NICE 2007). Implying that individuals with social networks supportive of drinking will benefit especially from a programme that encourages attendance at AA meetings, because it is the most effective means of eliminating heavy drinking friends and acquaintances from the social network (Connors, Tonigan and Miller, 2001). Although NICE states that a group setting is beneficial in helping young people overcome their alcohol abuse it may in fact be criticised, as young people, especially troubled young people may be overwhelmed by group influences, either in treatment among peers who are also recovering from chemical dependence or else after leaving treatment, in the form of familiar drug-using groups (Peele 1987). And so the most successful types of counselling approach used for young people needs to take into account their age, as being amongst adults with alcohol issues would not be beneficial to a young person as adults are often described as dependent requiring more intensive forms of treatment; young people will have often not reached this stage of dependence and so these adult influences may cause further negative impacts on the impressionable young (Geldard 2010). Type of personality needs to be taken into account in order to discover which counselling approach would be most appropriate and succ essful for them as an individual, as some individuals may respond best to a one-to-one approach, being able to fully open up to one person (the counsellor). Whereas some may find it easier to speak within a group setting with peers, learning from others experiences. Counselling is often described as a flexible approach (Rounsaville Carroll, 1992) and therefore can be adopted to meet the needs of individual cases and respond to a wide variety of circumstances surrounding misuse; in addition utilising a flexible approach suggests that it allows for the young person to access this service around other commitments such as school, so as to not jeopardise other important aspects and influences within their sphere of activity, flexibility of counselling will also allow for the involvement of the family, with evidence to suggest that family involvement enhances assessment and intervention and increases motivation in treatment (Kaufman, 1992). As young people are often depicted as not yet i ndependent, family interventions are believed especially important in addressing the basis of their drug and alcohol involvement; (Kaufman, 1992). Also important is helping the family initiate and support the persons involvement in an appropriate treatment program (Kaufman, 1992). Within individual treatment, compared to group therapy it is believed that much more time can be spent on issues that are unique to the individual involved, a trait that needs to be evident when working with young people (Rounsaville Carroll 1992). Motivational interviewing has a number of similarities with cognitive behavioural techniques but has a somewhat different emphasis in that the role of the counsellor is less directive and the responsibility is very much on the client to identify ways of changing (Bryant -Jeffries 2001). It aims, through the counselling relationship, to engage clients in a process of change and assumes that an individuals level of motivation can be influenced by the interaction between the client and the therapist. Motivational interviewing assumes that behaviour is a prospect that can be worked on and developed (Bryant Jeffries 2001). It is concerned essentially with working with clients to address the confluence of factors that drug misusers consistently feel about changing their behaviour and hopefully encouraging them towards reducing or abstaining (Jarvis 1995). The theoretical basis of this approach is Prochaska and Di Clementes transtheoretical model of behaviour change or, as it is most frequently referred to, the stages of change model (Turnbull 2000). The stage of change model is a social cognition model; focusing upon readiness to change a potentially destructive form of health behaviour i.e. drug misuse. The model has been applied to other health behaviours such as eating disorders as well as to substance misuse (Wilson Schlam 2004). It refers to a five or six stage process that people go through in their thoughts about their readiness to change. A study of alcohol users found that the number of clients motivated to change was increased by 77% when motivational interviewing was used (Miller Sanchez 19 99). Motivational interviewing is believed to increases the effectiveness of more extensive psychosocial treatments; often the chosen method of treatment used in young people (NTA 2010). Motivational interviewing although successful, in adult treatment programmes, may not be the best choice of treatment to use when young people are concerned. As previously stated they are unlikely to have used drugs for a prolonged period of time, to develop dependencies (NTA 2010) and so readiness to change, or to contemplate change may not be something they have even thought about and so a pre-occupation with lifelong abstinence in a young population may not only be unnecessary but unrealistic, and may actually encourage regular relapse episodes (Peele 1987). Young people require guidance and cannot often think about the consequences of their actions, or the harm they are causing themselves by heavy drinking (DfES 2004). It is suggested that therapy should encourage the assumption of values toward work, accomplishment, family, and social institutions that facilitate the maturation process (Peele 1987). Harm Reduction is one of the key public health approaches to drug use in recent years (Riley et al 1999). The harm reduction approach attempts to define and discuss drug use in terms of the harm it can be said to cause, and respectively to look at ways of reducing levels of harm (Riley et al 1999). Harm reduction is a term that defines policies, programmes, services and actions that work to reduce the health and social economic harms to the individual, the family, communities or society that are associated with the use of drugs (Newcomb 1992) without necessarily reducing drug consumption (Wodak 2011). A harm reducing approach to illicit drug use focuses on attracting users to services, in the realisation of the fact that many people who have problems with their drug use are not in touch with services (Wodak 2011). Thus, harm reduction policies and programs are offered to those not willing or able to cease their drug use in the short-run; aiming to make services more accessible to drug users as a first step towards treatment; however, this philosophy remains compatible with an eventual goal of abstention (CAHM 2009); Programs requiring abstinence as an immediate goal cannot therefore be considered harm reduction (CAHM 2009). A goal sequence produced by the Aids and Drug Misuse report (ACMD 1988) provides a clear example of a harm reduction approach to drug use; firstly to discourage sharing, encourage the shift from injecting towards oral use, reduce the overall levels of illicit drug use and finally abstinence (ACMD 1988). Harm reduction accepts that some use of mind-altering substances is inevitable and that some level of drug use in society is normal (CAHM 2009), for young people and alcohol use this is most definitely the case, as most individuals have their first experiences of alcohol during their early teenage years (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002). Based on the recent evidence young people would benefit from prevention programmes aimed to reduce the amount of harm experienced by young drinkers this may be seen as a more realistic and effective method for educating individuals about the possible consequences associated with alcohol consumption as opposed to abstinence within this particular age group (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002). This suggests that Harm reduction in this sense is the best approach when looking at young people and alcohol misuse, as abstinence may be described as unlikely within this age group, acknowledging that most adolescents will drink, speaking of the possible harms may be enough to reduce harmful levels of drinking by the young person (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002). The Life Skills Training Program and the Alcohol Misuse Prevention Study (AMPS) in the United States and the School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Project (SHAHRP) in Australia are described as large scale intervention studies that have been systematically designed and evaluated based on a harm reduction philosophy (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002). The life skills training programmes is said to adopt a cognitive behavioural approach to drug abuse prevention; thus providing education on the effects of drugs, teaching skills for resisting social pressure to use drugs, and promoting the development of self-esteem and social skills (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002). Whilst SHAHRP combines a harm reduction philosophy with skills training, alcohol education, and activities designed to encourage positive health behaviour change (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002); Results from a study comparing an intervention group of students who participated in SHAHRP with a control group over a 3-year period, conveyed tha t students in SHAHRP had significantly lower levels of alcohol consumption and alcohol related harms (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002). In conclusion, harm reduction seems the best approach for young people and alcohol use, it must be stated that they are not as advanced as adults who misuse alcohol thus require harm reduction leading to abstinence. Young people will often eventually mature out of harmful drinking behaviour (Marlatt Witkiewitz 2002) and so harm reduction at such a stage should be an appropriate practice in order to highlight the harmful effects to young people enough so that it reduces overall consumption. We need to be able to convince children that life is worth living and that they are capable, not only of avoiding drugs, but of achieving a worthwhile existence (Peele 1987); presenting them with the values of achievement and positive accomplishments; of friendship and community; of health and self-preservation; of fun and adventure; of responsibility for self and contribution to others; of consciousness and intellectual awareness; and of a commitment to life that goes beyond personal protectiveness and fear (Peele 1987).

The Kentucky Fried Chicken Original Writing

There I was, stumbling through the lashing wet, windy weather on my way back from the Kentucky Fried Chicken after purchasing a large bucket of chicken at a great expense. As I passed the local bakery, the delicious smell of freshly baked bread filled my nostrils, which was soon to be replaced by cooking oil from the fish and chips shop next door. My stomach felt sickly with the combined aromas, but lengthy queues in both stores indicated that not everyone had the same opinion as I did about the smell. I noticed a black bag in a spotlight of colourful neon lights on the side of the kerb shuffling around in the breeze like a newborn baby. Unsure of the contents, I panicked. My eyes gazed at the streetlights that glistened like a Christmas tree. They were reflected in the shop windows that displayed mouth-watering cakes, bread, groceries, a variety of continental fruits and vegetables, as well as colourful fashionable clothes. On the corner of the road, there was a brightly lit car showroom full of gleaming new Mercedes, which drew me to the window. As I gazed enviously through the window, I was startled by the deafening wail of a siren which had blue flashing lights rotating rapidly on top of a huge red vehicle that raced past me. Car horns beeped, windscreen wipers swishing back and forth, as cars accelerated above the speed limit; the drivers and their passengers all had the same thought in mind: getting home from this dreadful weather. Traffic built up and ground to a standstill as the traffic lights appeared to have a malfunction, causing major delays. Engines revved with impatience. I witnessed two drivers exchanging furious words over a parking space, while passengers waited patiently for their local bus to take them home. Some pedestrians got splashed with dirty water as thoughtless drivers sped through puddles. Commuters appeared from nowhere as if there had been a riot in the area. I realized as I heard the mournful sound of the train horn coming from the station close to home that this was the reason for this strange mass of people. Some people were running desperately for shelter, as they were inadequately dressed for the inclement weather. An old drunken man, dressed in rough, ragged clothes, staggered along the street. He approached an apprehensive passer-by I had seen earlier on in the vicinity requesting spare change. I did not wait to hear the passer-by's response as my clothes were completely drenched from the rain. The relentless rain pelted down heavily, so I decided to pick up the pace because I could smell the sweet spices of chicken wafting from the chicken bucket I carried, which probably began to get cold. I remembered that my mother was waiting for her meal and I was feeling quite peckish myself. As I approached a narrow, dark alleyway, I was striving through the sharp, cold, icy, wind beating against my face. An enormous clap of thunder quickly followed with a strike of lightning from the heavens. I dropped the bucket of chicken in fear into a pool of mud. A sensation of fear and panic tingled through my body and my heart skipped a beat. I heard a dog barking continuously from a neighbouring garden over a red brick wall. I picked up my bucket, checked to see what state it was in, in discovering that the contents were still in good condition, I continued on my journey. The anxiety and fear I had experienced earlier had disappeared within me and transformed to happiness and warmth, as I drew nearer to my home. I sighed with relief and jingled my keys with delight at the front door to my house. I turned my key in the lock, and the door swung open, revealing my Mother's angry face. I had delayed her dinner!

Executing Strategies in a Global Environment Essay

Abstract This paper will analyze Federal Express’s value creation frontier, and determine which of the four building blocks of competitive advantage the company needs in order to continue their above average profitability. It will also explore the main aspect of product differentiations and capacity control of the company to maintain an edge on their rivals. Furthermore, for this assignment I will attempt examine the efficiency of FedEx’s current business model and recommend a new business level strategy that will give Federal Express a competitive advantage over it rivals. In addition, this paper will also examine the manner in which overall, global competition may influence my recommended business strategy and I will suggest a significant way that Federal Express can confront its global competition. Introduction Federal Express began operating in 1973, under the leadership of Fred Smith Jr. Before Federal Express, a major portion for small packaging airfreight flew on commercial passenger flights. Fred Smith believed that these two services should be treated differently, because the commercial passenger and cargo shipper had different needs. The commercial passenger they wanted the convenience of daytime flights. As for the cargo shippers, they preferred night services, which would afford them late afternoon pickups and next day delivery (Hill,2013). Since small-package airfreight only went out based on the commercial flight scheduling, it was hard for cargo shippers to achieve next day delivery. To remedy the shipping issue cargo shippers had Smith aimed to build a system that could achieve next day delivery of small package airfreight (Hill,2013). Today Federal Express has grown from a express delivery company to a global logistic and supply chain management company (Crane, et al., 2003). Over the years Federal Express was able to grow through acquistions and large investmenst in information technoloy. The company was also able to stand out from the rest best on their business model operate independently, compete collectively. Smith segmented his compnay into 6 different  component – FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services, which allowed each component to focus on their own maket segment. By segmenting of each component it provided Federal express the oppurtunity to focus more on customer. Even though Federal Express 6 different components operated seperatley the competed together under FedEx Corporation. Federal Express’s Value Creation Frontier and Their Four Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage Federal Express profitability depends on three factors: The value a customer places on t heir services, the price Federal Express charges for their services, and the cost Federal Express has to incur to produce the services they provide (Hll & Jones, 2013). The more favorable these factors are the more value is bestowed on Federal Express’s product. To accurately value, a company’s product management must distinguish the difference between utility and price (Hill & Jones, 2013). Utility is the customer’s satisfaction or happiness with using or owning a company’s product or services. Federal Express has stepped up to the plate by making shipping easier and convenient for their customer. Today we can find drop off boxes in front of office buildings and small neighborhood shipping stores. Having drop off boxes offers the customer anytime drop offs and no waiting time. Federal Express has also invested heavily in innovation to add to the customer’s experience (Crane, et al., 2003). The option of wireless technology and the ability to track deliveries and schedule picks on the company’s website provides the customer shipping right at their fingertips. For their global customer Federal Express can offer shipping option to more than two hundred companies. The prices Federal Express set for their services are higher than many of their competitors. Federal Express pricing is considered a premium, which reflects the high quality level of service FedEx provides (Crane, et al., 2003). Based on FedEx stance, their premium pricing is worth it, but they fail to realize their very price sensitive customer who may go with a more cheaper option for certain services (UPS). In this case it make it difficult for Fedex to standout based on branding and the amenties they offer. They may have to think of a different way to differeinate themselves from the competitior. Since Federal Express’s growth and customer, satisfaction comes with a high price tag. Their return on invested capital (ROIC) is very low compared to its biggest competitor UPS. In 2011, FedEx ROIC was 7.41% and UPS was 19.39%  (Hill, 2013). Some say in time the money FedEx spent to build up their company, technology infrastructure, and customer satisfaction may soon pay off. The other positive side is that FedEx spending and acquisition expenses have made it hard for new companies to enter and compete in the packaging industry Along with value creation, a company must excel in the four building block of competitive advantage – efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. How well a company performs in these four areas will determine their profitability and competitive advantage over the competitor. These four generic building blocks are a product of a company’s distinctive competencies, which will allow a company to differentiate its product and lower its cost structure (Hill & Jones, 2013). In turn, sustain a competitive advantage and better profitability outcomes over their competitor. When determining a company’s efficiency we can look at what it takes (inputs) to produce a product or services (outputs). According to Hill and Jones, the more efficient a company is the fewer inputs it required to produce a particular output. The most common way to measure a company’s efficiency is through employee productivity – the out pout produced per employee (Hill & Jones, 2013). When examining FedEx efficiency they were the first packaging company to invest in technology that enabled their employees to access company information wireless 24 hours a day. This wireless feature also allows the employee to collect packaging data, which allows employees to quickly enter packages into the company’s package tracking system, which reduces the possibility of error (Crane, et al., 2003). As for FedEx service, they can be review by its features, performance, durability, reliability, style, and design (Hill & Jones, 2013). These features are used by customers to determine the quality level of the services that are offered by FedEx. Based on FedEx’s history, spending to build its infrastructure, and premium pricing FedEx is committed to providing a service of high quality standings. FedEx has also invested heavily in new technologies, which will improve their services, make it more reliable, and valuable to its customers (Amsler, Cullen, & Erdmenger, 2010). An example that show FedEx is all about quality is their technology efforts such as tracking deliveries on their website, and offering convenient shipping at the customer’s fingertips. As mentioned before FedEx is all about innovation. They are into creating new services  and processes to make shipping easy and convenient for their customers. One of their major investments is the joint venture with University of Memphis. University of Memphis and FedEx have joined and formed the FedEx Institute of Technology. This investment will ensure that FedEx will not be let in dark when it comes to new technology (Crane, et al., 2003). When it comes to customer satisfaction FedEx tries to identify their customer needs. FedEx heard the customers demanded for a more convenient way of shipping. FedEx has extended drop off times by three hours, offer drop off boxes, and the ability for customer to schedule pickups on FedEx’s website. The only dissatisfaction is the premium pricing set on their services. FedEx fail to adhere to the demands of their cost sensitive customers. These are the customers who only care about inexpensive delivery services. This group of people may use FedEx as a last resort for their shipping needs. Product Differentiation The idea behind product differentiation is creating a product that satisfies the customers’ needs (Hill & Jones, 2013). In order for a company to obtain a competitive advantage they must offer a product that better satistfies the customer’s need than its rival. When a company creates a stratergy that involves innovation, execellence, quality, and customer responsiveness they are offering custumers differentiation product. When the a company’s stratergy is about finding ways to increase efficiency and reliablity to reduce cost they are offering the customer low priced product (Hill & Jones,2013). In the case of Federal Express their stratergy is not about offering a low priced product, but offering a product that is innovative, meets a high standard of execellence, high quality, and basing the product on the customer’s need. Federal Express understood the importance of differentiation. Since their strategy is not based on offering a low costing product Federal Express had to focus on information technology. Today customers are interested in monitoring their shipments, estimating arrival times, price and cost of shipments. These elements are important to most businesses and consumers as well as the safety of their delivery (Crane, et al., 2003). To satisfy the needs of their customers and to stand out from their competitor FedEx has  invested heavily in the technology infrastructure, which provides options for customers to track and validate shipments at their personal computer. Federal Express works hard to create a high quality level of service that is difficult for their rival to match (Crane, et al., 2003). Over the years, FedEx has been known as an innovator in the shipping sector, and providing a high level of quality services. Due to FedEx’s higher prices the level of service they provide may become unnoticed. To differentiate their standard of quality from their competitor FedEx lets their customers know that if they are willing to pay more it will be worth it (Crane, et al., 2003). Capacity Control With technology, forecasting, and planning strategies Federal Express is able to handle the fluctuating demand in shipping. With General Information Science (GIS) Federal Express is able to build routes for the driver, guide sorting activities of inbound freight, estimate and record delivery times. This information is stored on a cloud, which is use for future planning and test the durability of a route to accommodate package volume fluctuation (Conger, Dezemplen, Haas, & McLeod, 2010). Efficiency of Federal Express’s Current Business Model Federal Express’s current business model is to â€Å"operate independently, compete collectively.† Currently Federal Express is under the leadership of FedEx Corporation. FedEx Corporations provides strategic direction and financial reporting for the following operating companies that compete collectively, but operate separately worldwide: FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services (Amsler, Cullen, & Erdmenger, 2010). The idea behind â€Å"Operate independently, compete collectively† is that each company will operate independently, compete collectively and manage collaboratively. By operating independently, each of the organizational components (FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services) can focus solely on their market segment. Also by segmenting off each component by its own market segment has provided FedEx the competitive advantage in customer responsiveness and has limited wasted time and resources on problem that are not associated with each market (Amsler,  Cullen, & Erdmenger, 2010). The benefit of all the organizational component competing collectively is carrying and competing under a well know name – FedEx, which is one of the most recognized names in the industry (Smith, 2005). Even though â€Å"operate independently, compete collectively† has worked for Federal Express thus far, but keep in mind it only provided FedEx with a competitive edge in specific customer focus. To gain a stronger competitive advantage FedEx should add cost leadership to their business level strategy. Cost leadership is a business model strategy that works towards lowering a company’s cost structure so they can make and sell their products at a lower price than its competitors (Hill & Jones, 2013). This has been difficult for FedEx, because of their constant expenditures in their infrastructure (Amsler, Cullen, & Erdmenger, 2010). Due to FedEx costly expenditures, they are unable to compete with their biggest rival, UPS in setting prices. Global Competition and the Impact on Suggested Business Strategy Based on the international shipping demand among integrated global corporations and manufactures it will be FedEx’s as well as its competitors best interest to enter into the global shipping industry. Global manufactures are interested in keeping their inventory at a minimum and have just in time delivery option. This way global manufactures can keep cost down, fine-tune their production, and meet delivery deadlines (Hill, 2013) . As for global corporation their shipping need are different. They are in need of fast and a safe way to ship document that are to confidential for internet transmisson or require a real signiture. These global coroporation are seeking for the same shipping services the receive in the U.S for their global operations (Hill, 2013). According to Case 7: â€Å"The Evolution of the Small Package Express Delivery Industry, 1973 -2010† the trend for global shipping need is forcasted to grow approxiamently 18% annually from 1996 to 2016. This means there is a big demand for air cargo operators to build global shipping networks that will allow them to provide shipping services across the globe with in a 48 hour time frame. Through acquistion Federal Express was able to build a global shipping network to meet the demand among intergrated global corporations and manufactures. The acquisition expenses, international start cost, customs regulation cost , labor issue associated with global shipping, and the barries to attaining landing right in many markets prevented FedEx to  include cost leadership in their global busines stratergy. Eventhough FedEx does not have the competitive edge when it come to pricing they are t more visible in the global shipping industry than their competitors. They can offer services and shipping time frames their rivals can not offer. FedEx also has shipping hubs all over the world, which include 600 or so air crafts , which allows them to provide shipping option most of their comepitives can not offer. Based on history this was very difficult for other companies to establish this task. Since very few competitor have the same golobal infrastructure as FedEx global companies relay more FedEx for the international shipping needs (Crane, et al., 2003) Conclusion In conclusion, Federal Express’s competitive advantage is not based on cost, but on its technology infrastructure. Over the years, Federal Express has spent heavily on technology and in acquisitions in order to offer delivery options and services their competitor cannot. The spending was geared towards satisfying the needs of the customer, innovation, offering a quality product and excellence services. The only negative side on spending heavily is that the cost was passed on to the customer, but Federal express stance is that they offer premium services and products. Federal Express can offer their international customers shorter delivery time, because of the major acquisition transactions Federal Express was involved in over the years. As for their domestic business, it may be a little difficult to stand out from their competitor. Currently the competitor (UPS) can offer similar services and convenient shipping options at a lower cost. References Amsler, M., Cullen, J., & Erdmenger, J. C. (2010). Strategic Report for FedEx Corporation. Vector Strategy Group. Conger, R., Dezemplen, R., Haas, J., & McLeod, J. (2010). Using GIS Strategic Planning and Execution at FedEx Express. Crane, B., Landthorn, B., Miri, B., Relph, J., Sanchez, C., & Vernerova, A. (2003). FedEx Corpration: Strategic Management Project. Hill, C. L. (2013). Case 7: The Evolution of the Samll Package Express Delivery Industry, 1973-2010. In C. L. Hill, & G. R. Jones, Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach (pp. C83-C96). Independence: Cengage. Hill, C. L., & Jones, G. R. (2013). Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach (10th ed.). Independence: Cengage. Smith, F. W. (2005). FedEx. Retrieved from FedEx corporation annual report: http://www.fedex.com/us/investorrelations/financialinfo/2005annualreport/online/msg_chair.html

Diphthongs The Sliding Vowels

A  diphthong occurs when there are two separate vowel sounds within the same syllable. Indeed, the word, diphthong comes from the Greek word  diphthongos,  which means  two sounds or two tones. It is also known as a gliding vowel, because the one sound literally glides into another. The words boy, because, raw, and even out are examples of words that contain diphthongs. Diphthongs can be composed of one or two vowels. Read on to learn a bit more about what diphthongs are, why theyre important in the English language, and even how to recognize them. The Primary Diphthongs There are eight primary diphthongs  in the English language, according to  TutorEd  and  Stack Exchange. They are: /eÉ ª/  as in  day, pay, say, lay/aÉ ª/  as in  sky, buy, cry, tie/É”É ª/  as in  boy, toy, coy  or the first syllable of  soya/É ªÃ‰â„¢/  as in  beer,  pier,  hear/eÉ™/  as in  bear,  pair, and  hair/ÊŠÉ™/  as in  tour, poor  or the first syllable of  tourist/əʊ/  as in  oh, no, so,  or  phone/aÊŠ/  as in all the words of How now brown cow! The opening letters (between the slash marks at the front) are dictionary symbols used by lexicographers. They are meant to serve as pronunciation guides, but you really only need to know them if you are looking up one of the words in a dictionary and wonder what these strange markings mean. The sound symbols can give you a simple way to distinguish between the eight diphthongs. A much simpler way to understand the basic pronunciations of the diphthongs, though, is to look at the example words in each of the eight diphthongs. Diphthongs in Sentences If youre teaching students about diphthongs, it might be helpful to provide sentences to illustrate. Doing so in the order the diphthongs  are listed in the previous section in a short, funny story can make the concept clearer for young learners. So, you might have:   After I get paid, today, I say Ill lay the money down on the table (eÉ ª). After I looked up in the sky,  I did cry after I bought a tie (aÉ ª). The boy with the toy proved to be rather coy (É”É ª). I hear that they drink lots of beer at the pier (É ªÃ‰â„¢).   The pair of bears I encountered in the woods made my hair stand on end (eÉ™). The tour provided a glimpse of the poor conditions in the country—but what did I know: I was just a tourist. (ÊŠÉ™). Oh, no!! Its so boring to talk on the phone (əʊ). Wow, now theres a very brown cow (aÊŠ).   You might also give students a  list of words with diphthongs  and have them make up their own sentences.   Diphthongsvs.Triphthongs There are blended sounds in English where vowels make three distinct sounds in a single syllable, called triphthongs. Some examples provided by  English EFL  include: /eÉ ªÃ‰â„¢/ as in layer, player/aÉ ªÃ‰â„¢/ as in lire, fire/É”É ªÃ‰â„¢/ as in loyal, royal/É™uÉ™/ as in lower, mower/auÉ™/ as in power, hour That extra, or third, symbol that indicates that these are triphthongs, É™, is a  phoneme  called a schwa and is roughly pronounced uh. For some added pronunciation practice, give your students a few sentences containing triphthongs, such as: The player had a great game for his team (eÉ ªÃ‰â„¢), but when he got home his house was on fire (aÉ ªÃ‰â„¢). Since he had been loyal to the royal court (É”É ªÃ‰â„¢), the king gave him a lower price for the new mower (É™uÉ™). Within an hour, he had the machine working at full power. Of course, you dont have to use sentences that rhyme, but often expressing new concepts in songs, rhymes and funny sentences can focus students attention and help them learn the concept.