SWOT and PESTEL analysis of StratSim

SWOT and PESTEL analysis of StratSim The StratSim is a growing and wide spread industry around the global among automobile sellers. Notwithstanding the economic and energy instabilities that led to decreased vehicle demand, sales revenues slowly grew as Gross Domestic Products (GDP) increased from period 1- 4, and remained constant in period 5, and inflation rate decreased from 2.5% in period 1 to 1.0% during period 3. However, in some circumstances, sales were increased and/or decreased as firms started making decisions. The 7 competitors were; firm A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Seven vehicle classes include Minivan (M), Family (F), Sports (S), Luxury (L), Utility (U) Economy (E), and Truck (T). Attributes considered were; performance, styling, quality, interior and safety. Furthermore, advertisement plays a significant role especially when firms are striving to create brand image, awareness as well as interests to target customers. Dealerships contributed in generating revenues through sales of a range of vehicles which in turn enabled the firm to increase its market share while maximising shareholders wealth. Firm B has had 3 vehicle classes, namely; Boss -Truck, Boffo Family and Buzzy Economy. 2.0 Strategic Analysis Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through the use of resources and competence aiming to fulfil shareholder expectations (Johnson et al, 2006, p 9). Figure 1, processes by which strategy is described and executed Source:http://www.12manage.com/description-deliberate-strategy.html. In a competitive business environment such as StratSim, analysing firms strategies is vital in order to enhance firm performance and customer satisfaction. 2.1 Strategic Intent Firm Bs mission was to become the leader in automobile industry worldwide by offering highly innovative vehicles to diverse customer segments aiming at consistently satisfying their dynamic needs. 2.2 Basic Strategy Firm B strategy was to provide high quality vehicles at premium price while trying to differentiate its vehicles from incumbents to avoid encouraging price war. By doing so, firm B was the leader twice in economy (Buzzy) car in period 2 and 5. To meet diverse customer tastes and preferences, the firm made minor upgrades to its vehicles during decision making periods, e.g. technology, promotion, advertising, etc. 2.3 External Analysis Scanning the macro-environment is vital since there are several factors that hinder firms performance and growth. In order for managers to come up with effective and suitable strategies that will enable the firm exploit overt and hidden opportunities while overcoming threats, those factors need to be thoroughly tackled before decisions are made. The external analyses considered were; The Michael Porters five forces. PESTEL analysis. Opportunities and Threats (OT) from SWOT analysis, And Critical Success Factors (CSF). 2.3.1 PESTEL PESTEL framework is a useful tool that is applied by organisations to analyse the complexity of macro-environment variables. It also provides a picture on how these key factors may influence firms success or failure of its particular strategies in future in order that managers can find ways of overcoming them. PESTEL refers to; political, economic, social, technology, environment and legal. Figure 2, PESTEL Framework Source: (Johnson et al, 2006. p 68) The Organisation Political Taxation policy Government stability Social welfare policies Foreign trade regulations Legal Health and safety Competition law Product safety Employment law Economic factors Business cycle Inflation Interest rates Unemployment GNP trends Money supply Disposable income Environmental Environmental protection laws Waste disposal Energy consumption Sociocultural factors Population Demographic Socio mobility Consumerism Income Distribution Lifestyle changes Level of Education Attitudes to work and leisure Technological Government spending on research Speed of technology transfer New discoveries/developments Government and industry focus on technological effort Rates of obsolescence Political/Legal Since 1960, laws and government regulations have affected the automobile industry (Highfill et al, November, 2004). Political changes may favour or hinder the firms production because anti-pollution laws and taxes can be imposed, and hence firm B should continuously pay special attention to any rules, codes and regulations that dwell on carbon-dioxide emissions. Economic During simulation, firm B had experienced unstable economic growth. Its variables like inflation, interest rates, gas prices, and material costs were fluctuated. These have affected the firms profitability. Social Due to increased health awareness, people tend to change their lifestyles, while turning to low carbon emission vehicles. Also income distribution and demographic changes both affect vehicle production either positively or negatively. Technology Advanced technology has provided both opportunities and threats to the automobile industry. Those who employ it effectively, it enables them to enhance firms efficiency in producing vehicles that appeal to customers whilst lowering costs. So far, internet and firm websites as part of technology have been used by many buyers as a reference tool before making their purchase decisions. Environmental Environmentalists stress on minimising carbon-dioxide emissions, noise as well as air pollution, in order to keep the environment clean. This move no doubt affects vehicle production as well as firm profitability. 2.3.2 Critical Success Factors (CSF) Johnson et al (2009) defined CSF as those product features that are particularly valued by a group of customers and, therefore, where the organisation must excel to outperform competition. CSF comprises; threshold features and differentiators. Source: Johnson et al (2009) CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS (CSF) THRESHOLD FEATURES DIFFERENTIATORS Threshold features These are features that the customer values mostly, and is not likely to buy a product or service that lacks one of them. Firm B, threshold features were; quality, performance, safety and size for all of its three vehicles; family-Boffo, economy-Buzzy and truck-Boss. Differentiators These are customised/added qualities which some customers may or may not consider before purchasing a service or products. Firm B regarded price, styling and interior as differentiators to its vehicles. Differentiators gave difficult moments when trying to distinguish what was preferred most, as many vehicles were similar to competitors after modifications had been made. Innovations are necessary for firms to meet CSF features and outwit their competitors through customer satisfaction. 2.3.3 Porters Five Forces Model The model was developed by Michael Porter in 1980 (Johnson et al, 2006). Since then, the model is applied by firms as a tool to analyse the profit potential while determining the intensity of competition (threats) of an industry, and finally coming up with the right strategies that will support in exploiting opportunities, neutralise threats and hence grow. Figure 3 Porters Five Competitive Forces Model SUPPLIER POWER Switching costs of firms in the industry Presence of substitute inputs Threat of forward integration Supplier concentration Importance of volume to supplier Impact of inputs on cost or differentiation Differentiation of inputs Cost relative to total purchase in industry BARRIERS TO ENTRY Government Policy Capital requirements Access to distribution Economies of scale Switching costs Proprietary learning curve Access to inputs Expected retaliation Brand identity Absolute cost advantages Proprietary products BUYER POWER Price sensitivity Threat of backward integration Substitutes available Bargaining leverage Buyer concentration vs industry Buyer information Buyer volume Buyers incentives Brand identity Product differentiation www.scribd.com DEGREE OF RIVALRY Brand identity Exit barriers Switching costs Product differences Industry growth Fixed cost/ value added Diversity of rivals Industry concentration Corporate stakes Intermittent overcapacity RIVALRY THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES Buyer inclination to substitute Switching costs Price-performance trade-off of substitutes Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in automobile industry is low, since barriers to enter are very high, such as high start-up capital required. Moreover, adequate experience curve, distribution access, economies of scale, strong research and development (RD) and even brand and customer loyalty all of which the incumbents have. It therefore becomes difficult for new entrants to manage compared to incumbents. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers power in automobile industry is low, since producing a car/vehicle requires a range of inputs (parts) from diverse suppliers. If some inputs are not available in one source, they will be sought from another supplier due to low switching costs. Threat of Substitutes Substitute threats in this industry are likely to be moderate and depend much on customer geographical location. Other customers prefer walking, taking train or riding on a bike. But in Dar es Salaam city for example, people prefer public transport, motorcycles (BAJAJ, known as rickshaw in India) as alternative means to automobile due to increased congestion. Bargaining Power of Buyers In this industry, buyers power is a bit high. Low switching costs from one firm to another seeking for substitutes since most of the customers are price sensitive. For the case of the simulation game we played, most of the products were undifferentiated, so, buyers can easily shift to an alternative producer as well as products when seeking satisfaction. Competitive Rivalry The intensity of competition in automobile industry is high due to lack of strong differentiation strategy and innovation among incumbents, especially in the case of the three vehicle classes, i.e. family, economy and truck, because most of the firms use similar strategies like price; this reduces market growth as well as profitability. 2.3.4 SWOT- Opportunities and Threats Opportunities: Advanced technology Firms can use it more efficiently in enhancing product features that can appeal to the eyes of customers. Also use e-commerce to advertise and sell globally. Bargaining power of suppliers. Low supplier power is an advantage to automobile firms since they can set input prices, and hence be able to enjoy cost advantages while offering good quality products that will satisfy customers. European Union (EU) Automobile manufacturers can use the EU to sell their products. Diversification Diversification can be done to widen the market to other untapped segments like high income earners or go internationally and also locate the firms near raw materials sources where they can enjoy location economies. Differentiation strategy In order to sustain customers, after satisfaction has been met, differentiation strategy can be used as a weapon in delivering a range of added values that surpass those of competitors, since most of the firms use similar strategies. Threats: Bargaining power of buyers Strong bargaining power of buyers associated with low switching costs to alternative products, force suppliers to face an increased competition in order to provide the best that will satisfy their customers. Increased gas prices Gas being one of the operating energy, increased price will affect firms production as well as profitability e.g. in simulation that we played, period 1 $/gal was 3.15 rise to 3.50 in period 5. New laws New rules and regulations on carbon-dioxide emissions in environmental protection hinder production of cars that use petrol engines. World economic recession Recession discourages consumption of luxury goods, and streamlines production while people turn to public transports. High competition Initially, all firms in the StratSim industry were in similar position e.g. financially and other resources; however, this proved difficult when making decisions on how to create demand in order to enhance market shares as well as profits. Each firm was competing. Inflation Inflation started to increase in period 4 from 2.0% to 2.5%, this rise affected consumer prices. Fuel price instability. Rapid change in technology This poses a threat to vehicle production since other substitutes to vehicles may be produced. 2.4 Internal Analysis 2.4.1 Resources and Capabilities These are those which will create a strategic fit in order for the firm to survive and prosper even in a competitive business environment. Lucino Noto, (2007, p 125) Analyzing resources and capabilities: The interface between strategy and the firm THE FIRM Resources and Capabilities Goals and Values Structure and System STRATEGY THE INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT Customers Competitors suppliers The firm-Strategy Interface The Environment-Strategy Interface Resources Organisation resources are divided into two categories (Johnson et al (2009); Tangible Resources These are firms physical assets. Firm B tangible resources were; Three vehicle classes, each of these represents a unique configuration while targeting different customer segments like value seekers, families, singles, high income and enterprisers (the StratSim Case, 2010). Financial resources, at period 0, each firm were given sales amounted to $ 15.5 billions (the StratSim case, 2010). Manpower, firm B had 4 competent human resources who made diverse valuable decisions and hence became twice the leader of economy car (Buzzy). Intangible Resources. These are non-physical resources such as; information, reputation and knowledge i.e. intellectual capital. (Johnson et al, 2008). Firm B holds a number of unique competences over its rivals. Firm B capabilities were; Quality. Safety. Performance. Style. Interior. 2.4.2 V.R.I.O Are criteria that are used to assess the sustainability of an organisations resources and capability that will enable the firm to achieve durable competitive advantage. V.R.I.O stands for Value, Rarity, Inimitability and Organisation. (Johnson et al, 2008). Value As the game started, firm B had enough resources and capabilities i.e. unique brand name that facilitated it in formulating and implementing different strategies to meet customer needs. But due to increased market demand, demand exceeded production throughout the periods as the firm lacked efficiency. Rareness At the beginning, all firms had a similar starting point which led them to have a low degree of rarity. This positioning by StratSim, made firm B to create more appealing strategies like vehicle enhancements and improvements in terms of its attributes which allowed it to come up with things which turned out to be less common among the firms. Inimitability During simulation game, product imitation was very high since previous results and almost all modifications and other statistics were openly published for other firms to see. This means that competitors could possibly copy other firms techniques. Organisation In StratSim industry, there were 7 firms producing identical vehicles, because they used similar strategies that lacked differentiation. Due to these, it therefore became easy for customers to switch from one firm to another if satisfactions were not yet met. 2.4.3 SWOT- SW SW is a tool that is used in identifying or analysing firms internal strengths and weaknesses and enables it to use the available strengths to minimise or turned those weaknesses to strengths. SW means Strengths and weaknesses. Strengths: Unique brand name Best Motor Works. Unique product names like Buzzy, Boffo, and Boss. Twice leader of Buzzy-Economy car, period 2 and 5. Reliable dealerships. Innovation, almost every decision period, firm B upgraded its vehicle attributes to meet emerging customer needs. Weaknesses: Weak financial position. Unstable growth of market shares. Limited product lines, this means that firm B did not exploit the available opportunities of unsatisfied and potential new customers to launch any new vehicle that would satisfy their needs. 3.0 Decisions 3.1 Technology Firm B upgraded its technology capabilities during decision periods considering dynamic business environment and customer tastes and preferences, while special attention was given to economy (Buzzy) and family (Boffo) cars. Investment in technology facilitated firm B in enhancing its production capacity as well as vehicle attributes that appealed to target customers and hence satisfying their emerging needs (see appendix 2.1) 3.2 Marketing Firm Bs marketing mix was to create leverage with customers and build strong brand loyalty which would enable customers purchase our products even in intense competition as in StratSim industry. Firm Bs unique selling price USP was quality. Quality being the key in our vehicle while charging premium price that enabled Buzzy (economy) car to become the leader in period 2 and 5. Despite this success, it was hard for firm B to survive in just a success of one car brand and become the market leader. Though the marketing mix was thoroughly applied by adding or reducing the number of dealers in each area, increasing dealer discounts and product promotions to attract customers, firm Bs market share was increased and decreased during decisions due to overspending and other factors. (For more marketing and distribution details for period 5, see appendix 2.2 2.3) 3.3 Finance During simulation, firm Bs financial performance was somehow weak despite a slight increase in sales ($). Net income was negative during period 2 and 5 results. It was discovered that one of the problems could possibly have been overspending, however, unit market share increased and total debts continued to decrease (Firm B financial and performance summary period 5, see appendix 3.0). 3.4 Production Throughout all the decision periods, production was increased as well as vehicle attributes to meet customer demand. Though Boss (truck) and Buzzy (economy) vehicles were upgraded in period 4, there were some shortages with regard to Boss vehicle model; this means that if the firm was given a chance to continue making decisions, it could probably increase production to meet the demand (see appendix 4.0). 4.0 Conclusion Firm Bs mission was to become the leader in automobile industry worldwide by offering highly innovative vehicles to diverse customer segments aiming at consistently satisfying their dynamic needs. Unfortunately, firm B did not meet its expectations. Though it became the leader twice in Buzzy (economy) car, this means that its strategies fit in the economy car brand market, having had success in one vehicle does not guarantee survival, and this is why firm Bs income and market share fluctuated. The firm was not yet pretty sure of what contributed to the unstable financial performance, though the firm speculated that overspending was one of the major problems. 4.1 What I Have Learned I learned that, in practical business, taking risks is only way to achieve success. In StratSim industry, for each time period, market research had identified some potential new customers whose needs were not yet satisfied by current vehicle (the StratSim case, 2010). But firm B overlooked this market potential to timely take advantage of launching new vehicle models in order to exploit these opportunities and hence increase its turnover and profit margins. 5.0 Reference and Bibliography: Johnson G, Scholes K, and Whittington R, (2006), Exploring Corporate Strategy, 7th Edition, Prentice Hall. Johnson G, Scholes K, and Whittington R, (2009), Exploring Corporate Strategy, Prentice Hall. Highfill D, Baki M, Copus S, Green M, Smith J and Whineland M, (November, 2004). Automotive Industry Analysis-GM, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, Ford, Honda, overview of industry analysis, available at http://www.academicmind.com/unpublishedpapers/business/management/2004-11-000aaa-automotive-industry-analysis.html. Accessed on 19/11/1010. The StratSim Case (2010), Automobile industry. Lucino Noto, (2007), Analysing resources and capabilities: the interface between strategy and the firm, available at. http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/grant/files/CSAC05.pdf . Figure , Porters Five Forces Available at www.scribd.com/doc/16998313/Diagram-of-Porters. Accessed on 20/11/2010. 6.0 APPENDIXES: 1. DECISION SUMMARY FIRM B, FOR PERIOD 5 Product Development Dev Ctr Project Class Status Size HP Int Sty Saf Qua Curr Exp 1 Buzzy Economy upgr: launch Now 10 120 2 2 2 2 $275 2 Boss Truck upgr: launch Now 70 200 3 3 2 2 $275 3 (unused) Total (mill.) $551 Consumer Marketing Budget (mill.) Regional Corp. Adv. $48 Direct Mail $6 Public Relations $12 Total $66 Direct Mail Targets: Value Seekers(1), Families(2), High Income(4), Enterprisers(5) Product Marketing Vehicle Platform MSRP Dealer Disc. Adv. (mill.) Adv. Theme Promo. (mill.) Boffo No Change $20,400 15.0% $34 Safety $29 Boss Upgraded $20,499 13.0% $28 Perform $15 Buzzy Upgraded $11,550 12.0% $33 Quality $20 Total $95 $64 Plant Capacity Current Capacity (000s) 1,350 Capacity Change (000s) 0 Vehicle Production Vehicle Previous Sales (000s) Current Inventory (000s) Scheduled Production (000s) Flexible Production Retooling Costs (mill.) Boffo 646 25 671 X $0 Boss 200 *13 213 X $80 Buzzy 298 *109 345 X $123 Total 1,144 147 1,229 $203 *Vehicle being upgraded: this inventory will be written off. Be sure to produce enough to match forecast. Dealerships North South East West Total Dealer Inc./Dec. 10 9 11 12 42 Training and Support (mill.) $34 Financing Amount ($ mill.) Bonds Issued $0 Stock Issued $0 Dividends Paid $100 StratSim Ind:ind1 Firm:b Period 4 2. RESULTS FOR PERIOD 5 2.1 Technology Capabilities Period 5 Firm Ratings (1=low capability) Dev. Centers Interior Styling Safety Quality Max. Feasible 5 11 12 11 12 Firm A 3 4 6 4 7 Firm B 3 4 6 5 7 Firm C 2 4 7 6 6 Firm D 2 4 6 5 6 Firm E 2 6 8 6 8 Firm F 2 4 6 4 6 Firm G 3 5 8 7 9 Tech Dim Considerations Interior flexibility of cargo space Styling general curb appeal, styling, handling, finish Safety structural design, braking system, safety features Quality overall reliability, durability, consistency of products StratSim Ind:ind1 Firm:b Period 5 2.2 Marketing Detail Period 5 Consumer Budget (mill.) Company Owned /Fleet Budget (mill.) Regional Corp. Adv. $48 Direct Sales Force $0 Direct Mail $6 Direct Mail $0 Public Relations $12 Total $66 Total $0 Vehicle Val Mkt Share MSRP Dealer Disc. Avg Sell Price Adv. (mill.) Adv. Theme Promo. (mill.) Days Inv. Buzzy 2.4% $11,550 12.0% $10,572 $33 Quality $20 18 Boffo 9.4% $20,400 15.0% $18,749 $34 Safety $29 0 Boss 3.2% $20,499 13.0% $19,859 $28 Perform $15 0 Total $95 $64 StratSim Ind:ind1 Firm:b Period 5 2.3 Distribution Detail Period 5 North South East West Total Full Coverage 200 250 150 200 800 Established Dealers 137 137 133 133 540 Coverage 69% 55% 89% 67% 68% Planned Openings 10 9 11 12 42 Support/Dealer (000s) $150.6 $150.6 $153.2 $153.2 $151.9 Units/Dealer 2,187 2,284 2,389 2,756 2,401 Sales/Dealer (mill.) $36.9 $38.9 $40.2 $46.3 $40.5 Service/Dealer (mill.) $1.4 $1.5 $1.6 $1.7 $1.5 Gross/Dealer (mill.) $3.3 $3.6 $3.6 $4.1 $3.7 Dealer Rating 59 60 60 61 60 StratSim Ind:ind1 Firm:b Period 5 2.4 Product Contribution Period 5 Firm B Product Contribution Vehicle Units (000s) Dealer Sales (mill.) Direct Sales (mill.) COGS (mill.) Gross Margin (mill.) Adv Promo (mills.) After Mkting (mill.) Boffo 734 $12721 $0 $9797 $2924 $63 $2861 Boss 234 $4179 $0

Rate of reaction between Hydrochloric Acid and Calcium Carbonate Essay

Rate of reaction between Hydrochloric Acid and Calcium Carbonate Calcium carbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid to form carbon dioxide gas. One way of following the rate of reaction at which it reacts is to measure the volume of carbon dioxide produced at certain time intervals during the reaction. CaCO + 2HCl CaCl + H O + CO =========================== Calcium Carbonate + Hydrochloric Acid Calcium Chloride + Water + Carbon Dioxide Equipment --------- Delivery tube Conical flask Hydrochloric acid Calcium carbonate chips Burette Beaker Electric scales Measuring cylinder Tub Water Electric timer Goggles Retort stand The different factors that can affect my experiment are the temperature, the concentration of my reactants and the surface area, also adding a catalyst. We have decided to test different concentrations of hydrochloric acid for our experiment because it will give us sufficient results to make our evidence reliable. RATE OF REACTION BETWEEN HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND CALCIUM CARBONATE LOW CONCENTRATION HIGH CONCENTRATION I think that during our experiment, the higher the molarity of acid the quicker the rate of reaction will be, I think this because of the collision theory. If the solution is made more concentrated, there will be more particles in the solution. This makes collisions between important molecules more likely and will collide more often. At the beginning of the reaction, there are lots of reactants particles (and no products). This means a lot of productive collisions between reactants. As time goes on these reactants will become less and less (because reactants have been turned into products), therefore less collisions, so the rate of reaction will slow down. If the molarity of the acid concentratio... ...act same size we could use 2 chips in one experiment and get 1g then we could use 4 chips in another experiment and still get 1g. This meant that the surface area for the hydrochloric acid changed in each experiment for it to react and collide with. I could have stopped this by sieving so I would get chips that are of the same or close enough the same surface area. Overall my results are fairly reliable, yet could be subjective to change if better methods were available. If I was to do my experiment again I would make sure I would do it all on the same day and maybe change the limits of the products so that the results we got could be more accurate and we would have less anomalous results like the 2.5 molar experiment. However, if I did this experiment again I would expect the same results and patterns that I have got apart from the 2.5 molar and 3 molar experiments.

Benefits of Online Social Networking Essay

While there are risks inherent in online social networking, there are also many potential benefits. Social networking can provide opportunities for new relationships as well as strengthening existing relationships, whether your kids’ friends are close to home or across the world. It’s important to be vigilant when your kids are getting involved in online social networking, but it’s also good to encourage positive relationships through various avenues, including the Internet. Real-Life Benefits of Online Social Networking Kids can gain social confidence from interacting with other people online, which may help them feel more secure in new situations, such as going to college, joining a sports team, and meeting new friends. Because social networking—like everything else online—is constantly evolving, kids can become more familiar with new and emerging technologies, as well as increase their media literacy through exposure to many different types of online media that are shared by their friends. Many kids find support in online communities; this is especially true for kids who have unique interests or feel isolated. Encourage your child to find other kids who are interested in the same thing or may be dealing with similar issues. Online communities can be very diverse and expose your child to many new viewpoints, ideas, and opinions that she may not be familiar with. Kids tend to use social networking to augment—not replace—their real-world relationships, helping them learn to communicate in many different ways. Social networking is becoming an increasingly important method of communicating in schools and the workplace, so it’s good for your child to be prepared to communicate through sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Keeping in touch with family members that live far away can become much easier through the use of online social networking. By sharing updates, photos, videos, and messages, family members can stay connected even if the live across the country—or the world. Social Networking in Schools Social networking is becoming increasingly important in schools—Facebook, Moodle, SecondLife, Digg, and other sites are often used by teachers to communicate with students or for out-of-classroom discussions. Youth can further explore topics that they’re interested in through online social networking. By making connections with other people who have the same interest, kids can learn and exchange knowledge with others they may not have had the opportunity to interact with. Teachers often take advantage of students’ social networking abilities to create class blogs, discussion forums, videos, and more. By collaborating with other students and teachers through online social networking, children are able to build stronger school communitie

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The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien - 1301 Words

Austin Criswell Kathryn Ingram-Wilson LI 256-779 May 7, 2015 The Things They Carried In â€Å"The Things They Carried,† Tim O’Brien made note to the Vietnam War that was mixed with physical, mental and emotional that pressured the soldier’s carried. The overall method of display of this story integrated many different ways on the things the soldiers carried. In addition to the current, Tim showed North American nation the various reasons why and the way the troopers possessed these items one by one and together and the way they were associated directly and indirectly. The robust historical content in The Things They Carried helped emphasize the main focus of the story and establish a clearer understanding of details within the narrative†¦show more content†¦Shortly after that, he went into his writing career in 1973. The time period is around the late 1950’s to the early 1970’s. During this time period or nation is at war over in Vietnam, we are helping South Vietnam fight against North Vietnam an d its allies. It was the longest war in American history, over 2 million Americans served during the war and 1/3 was drafted while the other 2/3 volunteered. Out of these 2 million, 11 thousand of them was woman alone, and majority of the army were white, only 12.5% was African American. One in ten men was either killed or injured which totaled to 58,214 American deaths. The average World War II infantry man saw 240 days of combat in 4 year, were as a Vietnam infantry man saw 240 days of combat in a year. The soldiers only given 5 days of leave during the whole year, which lead to them having more combats days. While our army was fighting, it was not easy being back home either. Many people were against the draft as well as going to war in Vietnam, there was many protest against the war and draft itself. They would turn on the news to see young Americans being flown home in body bags, the average age was only 19 years old. As more Americans became impatience with the war and just wanted it to end, president Nixon signed a ceasefire in 1973 which ended the United States involvement in the war itself. The narrator of the story is Tim O’Brien who dealing with his deployment in Vietnam

Piaget s Impact On Education - 862 Words

Jean Piaget was one of the most influential researchers in the area of developmental psychology during the twentieth century. Piaget’s theory has impacted education and a focuses on developmentally appropriate education. Because of Piaget’s impact on education, curriculum, instruction and materials have been developed and are used by students in accordance with the student’s physical and cognitive abilities, along with their emotional and social needs (Ojose, 2008). Piaget was the first psychologist to make a systematic study of cognitive development; before his work, it was assumed that children were just less competent at thinking than adults. Piaget disproved this assumption and found that children think differently when compared to adults. Piaget’s Cognitive Theory Piaget’s theory differs from others in several ways. It is focused on children and not all learners, it focuses on development and not learning of information or specific behaviors, and it marks stages of development that have clear boundaries rather than a gradual increase in the number and level of difficulty in the behavior or concept (McLeod, 2009). The goal of the theory is to explain the mechanisms and processes by which the infant, and then the child develops into an individual who can reason and think using hypotheses (McLeod, 2009, p. 1). There are three basic components to Piaget’s theory; schemas, adaptation and stages of development. Piaget called schemas the basic building block ofShow MoreRelatedTheories Of Development : Piagets Theory Of Cognitive Development1363 Words   |  6 Pagesbehavior. Psychologist and philosopher Jean Piaget empirically verified, moving towards the cognitive development theory to provide the new perspective to the individual i n getting awareness about the developmental stages of the children. Just like Freud, Piaget thought that human development could only be described in stages. On the other hand, Piaget did not believe the learning and growth are linked with the repressed sexuality that Freud empathized. Piaget has given the cognitive developmental theoryRead MoreEducational Methods Influenced By Jean Piaget And Lev Vygotsky800 Words   |  4 Pagesresearch of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Both of these men provided influential theories, which had a significant impact on evaluating children’s learning styles and abilities. After years of research and observation, Piaget determined that intellectual development is the result of the interaction of individual and environmental factors. He felt that as a child develops and always interacts with the world around him, knowledge was established. Through his observations of his children, Piaget developedRead MoreSociocultural Approaches And The Constr uction Of Knowledge1650 Words   |  7 Pagesare based on the concept that human activities take place in cultural texts,are mediated by language and other symbol systems,and can be best understood when investigated in their historical development.†(John-Steiner,V and Mahn,H 1996).While Jean Piaget was the towering figure in the science of cognitive development throughout much of the 20th century.His work had two complementary thrusts:constructivism and stage theory.†(Carey,Zaitchik and Bascandziev 2015) There are 6 elements that lead toRead MoreTheories Of Cognitive Development And Comment On Impact On Education1381 Words   |  6 Pagescognitive development and comment on the impact they have had on education. This essay will describe and evaluate two of the main three theories concerning cognitive development and comment on how they have impacted education. Cognitive development is the mental process in which we think and how we remember, problem solving and decision making. There are three main theorists that have a theory on cognitive development, Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner. Piaget and Vygotsky are the two main theorist whoseRead MoreJerome Seymour Bruner Essay1350 Words   |  6 PagesJerome Seymour Bruner is an American psychologist who made signification contributions to educational, cognitive and developmental psychology. This paper will focus on who Bruner is, his main theories explained, plus a comparison between Bruner and Piaget and the effectiveness of Bruners theories in the classroom. Bruner was born and raised in New York City, Bruner graduated high school in 1933 and went on to major in psychology at Duke University; earning an AB degree in 1937. Subsequently, BrunerRead MoreThe Importance Of Play For Early Childhood Education Programs1699 Words   |  7 Pagesthe relevance of the main discourses of play for early childhood education programs This essay introduces the definition of play, its importance in early years. It also makes us understand the different contributions made by theorists in enhancing our understanding the value of play. It also examines the implications of play on children and early childhood services. We also discuss the origin and role of child-initiated play in a child?s early years. Play is defined as universal language and a powerfulRead MoreThe Strengths And Weaknesses Of Piaget s Cognitive Development Theory1356 Words   |  6 PagesJean Piaget is a key figure for development, focusing on cognitive constructivism – that being that we must learn from experience and development, building on knowledge that has already been developed. The strengths and weaknesses of Piaget s cognitive development theory will be discussed. Piaget suggests that development in children occurs in four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. During the Sensorimotor stage (between birth and the age of two)Read MoreJean Piaget And Marie Montessori1124 Words   |  5 Pagesbiography of Jean Piaget and Marie Montessori. In addition to a biography it compares and contrast the two educators. One was more focused on the development of children, while the other specialized in the way children learn. They both were crucial components in the development of how teachers and professors educate their students regardless of their age. There are many people that have made a great impact on education throughout history. Two of the more prominent educators are Jean Piaget and Marie MontessoriRead MoreInfluential Theorist And Child Development : Who Are Capable Of Inventing New Things? 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One of the key theoretical concepts developed by Piaget is adaptation ‘adapting to the world through assimilation and accommodation (Atherton

Why gun control is worse in the US than other countries free essay sample

America has become better known for Its massive amounts of firearm violence, including murder, suicide, and mass shootings. In 2011 there were 467,321 people victim to crimes committed with firearms. An average of 30,000 people are killed by guns each year, and more than 30 people per day are murdered, along with the 268 people shot per day. Half of these deaths are people ages ranging from 1 8 to 35, and a third are ages 20 and below; making homicide the second leading cause of death within the ages 15 to 24. However, I believe that the reasoning behind these statistics Is the easy access to guns as well as how the media displays the violence to be a commonality. Guns can be purchased in a variety of locations such as Wallmart, K- Mart, or even online auction sites; which make it effortless to obtain a firearm for any rationale. This kind of easy access establishes a lack of control throughout the United States in relation to guns. We will write a custom essay sample on Why gun control is worse in the US than other countries or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are 283 million guns in civilian hands which greatly outweighs the 897,000 guns possessed by police. These firearms are acquired sold. Along with this tremendous amount of firearms being sold, there Is not an adequate background check to evaluate the buyer. If guns are bought through private sales, the consumer is not required to pass a background check, this includes criminals, felons and people with mental disorders. Not only is there easy access of guns to adults, there is also an extreme accessibility given to children. There are guns specifically created for kids, so that its easier for them to use. There was an Incident In May of 2013 where a five year old boy shot and killed his two year old ister In Kentucky using a rifle he had found In their living room. This rifle was the boys first rifle bought for him by his parents; which was a firearm particularly designed for children. While the majority of adolescent shootings are accidental, every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult. (l) The isolation of firearms to children and lack of protection is greatly inadequate evidenced by the law that declares only 9 states In America to use trigger locks, which are better known as a gun safety because they make a firearm more difficult to shoot ithout undoing the trigger lock. Therefore, If the accessibility of firearms Is essentially absent when it comes to kids, there should be some way to educate them in order to prevent accidental shootings committed by adolescents. Directly following the tragedy of September 1 lth, Wallmarts gun sales increased by 70%. This is due in part by the access to firearms but more by the panic spiraling throughout America, which Is further provoked by media coverage. Even during times of decreased crime, the televised reportage Increased by 600%, leading to an Increase of fear. The media gives an impression of an increasing crime rate, along with the idea that crime is more common that it truly is. They also insinuate that the most common victims of gun violence are elderly, women and white people. However, while the media delivers a TearTul Image 0T murderers ana vlctlms, tney portray tne pollce to De more potent than they are; excluding any criticism toward them due to the fact that 90% of media covered crime is solved. (2) Along with the praise given to police, the media is greatly focused on the United States military which honors people who have encountered heavy combat and severely violent situations. While watching the news, young boys and girls see someone on television that they want to be, which leads them to play with fake weapons and engage in artificial combat games. Even though they would be playing with dummy guns, it creates a real life simulation which they become accustomed to and as they get older they dont realize the severity of these firearms. Then, when they come into contact with a real gun at a young age they dont understand the onsequences that follow with the use of a weapon. Even with the substantial amount of gun violence, the media manages to exaggerate it in the United States.