Health and social unit

In my report I will show my understanding and knowledge of the importance of communication skills in care settings and about values involved in care practices. I have chosen to do my report on educational settings and I will focus on how individuals with specific needs communicate In both group Interactions and one-to- one interactions. I will do this by working in a class on both Thursday and Friday mornings where the pupils have specific needs.I will observe the communication with the teacher and students and also the communication between the students and myself when I take on the role of the teacher. Also, I will take into account the barriers that effect communication such as; cultural differences, Language differences, difficulty In understanding accents and physical tattletales such as hearing problems or speech difficulties. I have chosen to focus on Individuals with specific needs as I am interested in how people with specific needs communicate.For example, a woman named Hel en Keller who was born in 1880, was oaf, dumb and blind and learned to communicate through feeling the vibrations of a person's face when they spoke. I also would like to see how practitioners react and respond to Individuals with specific needs; how they adapt their voice and body language to slut the student. For example, how they change the tone, pitch and pace of their voice to get the student's attention or how they change their facial expressions to show they're unhappy with the students.I also want to see how they follow the care value base to ensure they are treating all of the students correctly ND providing quality service. Know that communication is very important, especially in health and social care settings, as effective communication skills help the practitioner develop an appropriate relationship with the service user, the service practitioner is likely to have regular interactions with service users and the family and friends of the service user. Interactions occur for a variety of reasons in care settings, such as when people give and receive information.The communication cycle is very important as interpersonal interactions in care settings involve two-way communication. I will change the names of the students, teachers and the school throughout my report to maintain confidentiality and their privacy. By doing so, I am following the care value base. Setting the scene: I did my two interactions at Round Hill Secondary School with a class of year 7 students who all had specific needs. Most of the students have reading levels below average and have certain needs that must be met in order for them to learn effectively.The school is a local authority school in statutory services, education is compulsory and provided by law. The school has around 1000 students all aged 11-18 years old. It is the only secondary school in the town and the town has a population of approximately 14,750 people. Many people are unemployed and Working class' and many stu dents are on pupil premium which means that the school is provided with additional funds for disadvantaged students so they are given the same opportunities as other students.The classroom in which the students are taught in is bright and colorful with posters on the walls and some of the student's work on the walls. There are three tables of 6 and a table of 4 pointing towards the whiteboard and teachers desk. There are around 14 students in the lass I am helping in. The students in the year 7 class (EGG) are all aged 11-12. Williams KS sub level is b which is above average; however his attitude to learning is a 3.Ethane's KS sub level is a AAA which is below average and his attitude to learning is a 1. Grace's KS sub level is c which is also above average and her attitude to learning is a 4. The Care Value Base The care value base is a set of values which give guidelines on how the practitioner should treat the service user. It also outlines the rights service users have and what they should expect from health care services. The care value base is very important for anyone working in or using health care services.It is important for clients as it helps them promote their rights by outlining what they should expect from practitioners so they can identify when they are being treated unfairly or incorrectly. Many laws are against discrimination. For example, the equal opportunities legislation prohibits discrimination; the sex discrimination act, the race relations act and the Disability Discrimination act. All care workers must treat all service users without unfair discrimination as this could affect a person's self- incept and lead to loss of self-worth.The care value base helps practitioners to ensure they treat all their clients correctly and equally and ensures that practitioners meet the needs of all service users. For example, It is important for practitioners to avoid any stereotyping or prejudice behavior and ensure that they treat every client as an individual, taking into account the clients personal beliefs, likes and dislikes, and background to provide quality care. Any violation of the care value base made my practitioners can lead to dismissal. It is therefore very important The Care value base transmissions:Promoting anti-discriminatory practice Maintaining confidentiality of information Promoting and supporting an individual's right to dignity, independence, health and safety Acknowledging an individual's personal beliefs and identity Protecting individual's from abuse Promoting effective communication and relationships Providing individualized care AI Types of communication: There are many different types of communication that practitioners will need to use to provide good quality service which meets the needs of each individual service user such as; Non-verbal communication, Written communication, Verbal immunization, Electronic communication and Communication for individuals with specific needs. These are all ways in which the practitioner uses to meet and respond to the service user's physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs.They will need to use these ways of communicating to: Give information, Understand information, express thoughts and feelings and exchange information so that the person they're communicating with can fully understand what they're saying. Verbal communication involves using the mouth and sound to communicate ideas and thoughts for example through words, sounds, speaking, and language. Strong and clear verbal communication gives us the ability to explain our ideas through spoken words and also allows us to listen to other people's ideas and understand them. When communicating verbally, the person must be able to actively listen to the other person's message that they're sending, paraphrase, clarify and respond.An example of verbal communication I observed in EGG was when a student asked the teacher what they had to do through speaking, and the teacher answered by r epeating her instructions and explaining each part of the task. Non-verbal communication is communication that doesn't involve sound or language. For example, this can be body language, facial expressions and gestures such as sign language. An example of non- verbal communication that I observed was when the teacher asked the students if they understood the task before she moved on to the next one, she asked them to show her a thumbs up if they were confident and understood the subject, and to show a thumbs down if they needed a bit more help.This gesture is a simple way for the teacher to find out how her students feel about the topic so that she can make sure she is meeting all of the student's individual needs. Written communication s when ideas are written down for somebody else to see and understand. For example, written communication can be reports, worksheets and letters. An example of written communication that I saw was when the teacher asked the students to draw an arrow i n their book at the end of their work and put a smiley face on the arrow where they think they are, the face being far to the right meaning fully communication that I witnessed, this allows the teacher to see how each individual student feels about their work to Judge their understanding when marking it.The teacher explores ways in which the students can express themselves and get their linings about the topic across to her in simple ways such as these which help her provide the students with the quality care, teaching and learning that they have a right to. Another example of written communication is when the teacher wrote out the whole task on the whiteboard so that the students knew what they had to do. Formal and Informal Communication The language register (the degree of formality or informality) changes depending on the situation a person is in. Formal communication is most likely to be used when a person communicates in an ‘official' way, such as when a care worker is p resenting their care organization. For example, answering the telephone and saying â€Å"Good morning, Round Hill Secondary School, How may I help you? † Can make the person feel respected and valued.Whereas If the care worker answered the phone in an informal way such as â€Å"hello, what's up? † it could be perceived by the person the care worker is communicating with as being disrespectful or even rude. However, informal language might put a service user at ease and make them feel more comfortable. (Promoting effective communication and relationships) Another issue with informal communication is ‘speech communities'. People from different localities or ethnic groups, for example, may use different phrases or words which might not be understood by others and could lead service users to feel excluded and uncomfortable. However, using formal language could lead to the same problem.For example, a person who doesn't work in a hospital isn't likely to understand the technical terminology that the nurses use, such as ‘Myocardial Infarction', but would understand the term ‘heart attack. Using technical terminology might create barriers for people who are not part of that ‘speech community and it is wherefore important to communicate with appropriate language to suit the individual service user. In EGG, the teacher asked a student to ‘multiply 100 by 4' the student didn't understand the question as he didn't understand the terminology used. By using the term ‘multiply instead of times' the teacher confused the student. This shows that terminology can act as a barrier to good communication. The conversation Sandwich Conversations have a beginning, a middle and an end.At the beginning of a conversation a person has to create the right atmosphere and at the end of a conversation a person should leave the right feelings behind. For example, I created the right atmosphere when starting a conversation with a student by sho wing them that I was relaxed. I did this by keeping my muscles relaxed and avoiding tension. My tone of voice also showed I was relaxed as I used a calm voice with varying tone which also showed that I was being friendly. I left the right emotions behind after the conversation took place by smiling. Open and closed questions: While working in EGG, I took into account the questions I was asking the students.I used mainly open questions to encourage the students to speak to me and lead to silences which can make people feel awkward. By using open questions, I encouraged the students to discuss their thoughts and feelings with me. Open questions are likely to encourage the person you are communicating with to give a longer answer. In some situations it is important to use open questions as the person who you're communicating with is more likely to give a better response which can give opportunities to carry on the conversation smoothly and comfortably. I used open questions to develop conversations with the students that can be quiet or shy and encourage them to talk to me. For example, I asked one of the students, â€Å"What were you doing last lesson?Which required an answer other than yes' or ‘no? However, In some situations, such as a Job interview, Closed questions are more likely to be used as they are quick and easy to answer and usually give the questioner the facts they require, for example â€Å"Are you happy? † is a closed question, it only requires a yes' or ‘no' answer. The questioner also usually keeps control of the conversation. Closed questions are more likely to be used in formal situations. I also used probes and prompts to encourage the students to carry on speaking. For example, when a student told me they did not enjoy History, I said, Why not? O encourage them to tell me why they didn't enjoy it.Closed Questions I could have used: Open questions I used to encourage the students to communicate with me: Do you not like mat h's? Why don't you like math's? Did you have breakfast today? What did you have for breakfast today? Do you like school? What do you like about school? Proximity and Personal Space: The space between people during a face-to-face conversation can sometimes determine how friendly the conversation is. In different cultures, people have different views of how close people should be when they're talking. If a care worker eats too close and enters a service user's personal or intimate space without permission they could be seen as being aggressive. Edward T Hall described four levels of proximity: Intimate distance which suggests a closer relationship between individuals if their intimate space is entered, For example, Hugging. Personal distance which usually occurs between people who are family members or close friends. Social distance which is usually between people who know each other well, such as a co- worker. Public distance, Physical distance at this level is often used in public s peaking situations. Talking in front of a class full of students or giving a presentation at work are good examples of such situations. In EGG I witnessed a student who was in trouble being reprimanded by a teacher, who obviously felt that their personal space was being invaded.I know this as Firstly, they turned their face away, then they took a step back and put their hands in their pockets (a defensive action) and lastly the student walked away. In order for strong communication to take place, the communication cycle has to be used effectively. The communication cycle is the process of us thinking of an idea e want to communicate, for example thinking about a task we want to do. Deciding how we're going to communicate the idea, e. G. Speaking about the task. Sending the message. (speaking) The other person then receives the message for example through hearing it, decodes the message, and if the message is understood by the person, they will give you feedback and send a message ba ck.This process is repeated again and again throughout conversations. An example of the communication cycle being used badly was when I observed during a group interaction using verbal communication with three students, myself ND the teacher, The teacher sent a message verbally to the three students explaining the task she expected the students to complete- To work in a group, roll two dice and then multiply the number on the first dice by the number on the second dice and write it down. Some of the students in the group I was working with didn't understand what they had to do as the noise in the classroom from other students served as a barrier which meant that they could not hear the entire message.However, one student in the group, Ethan, listened to the message, decoded the message and understood what he had to do and was able to repeat the message to he other two students, as well as showing them what they had to do successfully as they both listened and understood what he was saying. I then asked the two students what they had to do and they both explained the task correctly, showing that the communication cycle was used correctly between the students and understood. Another example of the communication cycle being misunderstood was one I came across whilst helping in the specific needs class in a one-to-one situation with a student named Adam and myself.There was music playing in a different room and it distracted Adam which served as a barrier to effective communication as the music as a distraction which made hearing the complete message I was sending difficult. Adam couldn't concentrate to listen fully what I was asking him to do and I could see by his blank facial expression and how he started fidgeting by not sitting still that he didn't understand what I had said, I had to repeat what I said and I could see he still didn't understand me as he frowned and looked down at his work and nodded. This is an example of the communication cycle not being en coded correctly as the message I was sending wasn't received and understood and Adam couldn't return the message and he tried to hide the fact he didn't understand. If I hadn't â€Å"read† his facial expression and body language I wouldn't have known this.Examples of the care value base principles being used in the classroom: A principle of the care value base is that all service users have the right to be respected. Another is promoting anti discriminatory practice. I noticed that the students raised their hand when they wanted to ask a question or answer something and waited patiently until the teacher asked them to speak. By doing this, all of the students would be able to speak without being interrupted and all get a turn to answer, getting their point across. If a student interrupted another student when they were speaking, I noticed that the teacher did this, she raised her voice slightly and quickened the pace of her voice to show that the student had done something wr ong.She also changed her body language to show that the student had done something wrong by widening her eyes slightly and also crossing her arms. This way of taking turns to speak promotes equality and respect and encourages the students to treat everybody fairly in later life, regardless of who they are. Another principle of the care value base is maintaining confidentiality of information. An example of this being used effectively that I noticed whilst in the lesson was that if the teacher was away from her laptop during the lesson or had to leave her laptop for any reason, she would always lock it and close it so that none of the students or anybody except herself could access the student's records or any other file on it.She would also keep any information about the students on paper in a locked drawer so nobody except herself could access them. Another example of respecting the student's confidentiality and privacy, when the teacher is speaking to an individual student one-on- one she talks quietly so that what he is saying cannot be heard by others. For example, The teacher was telling one of the students what she had done wrong in her work and explaining that she had to set it out differently to make it easier. When she did this, she lowered her voice so only the student she was speaking to could hear and she also bent down so she was at eye level with the student.This made the student more relaxed and comfortable and didn't give any messages to make the student thinks he had done something wrong. An example where the teacher showed respect while seeking to ensure that a student named Sam didn't cause harm to himself or others around him was in situation where Sam lost his temper and showed aggressive behavior due to another student being disrespectful toward him. Sam was about to approach the student to physically harm him, I know this as he had fixed eye contact with the boy and his muscles were tense. When the teacher noticed what was happening, she quickly raised her voice and told Sam to stop what he was doing and calm down.When she did this, she stretched her arm out in front of Sam with her palm out to show that he must stop what he was doing and she also looked over his shoulder when she was doing it so she didn't look directly at him as that could be seen as aggression. She asked the two boys to leave the classroom and followed them out so that they didn't disrupt the rest of the students in the class any more than they already had. This is an example of both verbal and non-verbal communication as the teacher used spoken language to tell Sam to stop and also body language to effectively send the message to him. Comparing the teacher's quick pace and raised voice in this situation to the calm, slow voice with varying tone when she uses giving instructions, this shows how changing your voice can convey different meanings and effectively get your message across to others.AAA My interactions with the clients/Students: While w orking in a one to one situation with a student named Grace, I had to be aware of the body language and voice I was using as these can send different messages to the student. I made sure I had open body language by moving my chair outwards so that I could sit on an angle facing her instead of sitting straight forward as this could make me seem more approachable. I also kept my arms open and feeling intimidated. I kept my facial expression friendly by smiling slightly. I also had to be aware of proximity and kept out of her personal space as entering this could aka the student feel uncomfortable, awkward or even intimidated.To help the students practice their spelling in a fun way after they had a spelling test, they were allowed to use plasticize to shape letters and then place them on a board to spell words. I noticed that Grace asked me to shape a lot of the letters even though she could do them herself. I asked her why she wasn't doing them herself but made sure to smile slightly and raise the pitch of my voice a little bit so that she didn't think I was angry with her. She said she couldn't do them although I knew that she could as I had seen her do it before. I encouraged her to shape the letters by asking her to try and telling her that if she couldn't I would help her and then praising her when she did.I noticed that when she was praised this encouraged her to do more letters quickly and correctly. I noticed that praising the students made them want to complete tasks correctly. I also followed the care value base by promoting independence as I encouraged Grace to try before I would help her shape the letters. I also followed the care value base as I tried to interact with each student for an equal amount of time each lesson and I encouraged them to interact with me by ending them positive body language. I also promoted effective communication and relationships, for example, I assigned two students a task such as to hand out plastic wallets to each stude nt in the class.AAA: In order for me to be able to deepen and widen my understanding of how communication is used within health and social care settings and not Just what I observed in educational settings (EGG), I used a range of sources such as text books, websites and videos to understand the factors that affect good communication and also the values involved in care. The sources helped me understand why the teacher communicates in the way that she does, such as using appropriate language and body language to suit the students to get her message across to them and they also helped me understand why the Care Value Base is used. Barriers to communication: The term ‘barriers' refers to when communication becomes blocked so that good communication cannot take place. This can be through a person not being able to see, hear or receive the message such as when a person has visual disabilities or hearing disabilities.For example, a student named William who had visual capabilities could not see the white board to check his spellings which lead to him getting out of his seat and moving closer to the board each time he wanted to check a spelling. This situation have disrupted other students and also prevented William from completing his work in time. This situation could have been easily prevented by the teacher taking the time to read Williams SEEN plan which would make her aware of his visual disabilities and allow her to plan a way for William to be less affected by them, such as planning to seat him in closer proximity to the board or giving him the peelings on a sheet of paper. Communication can also become blocked when a person can't understand the message or misunderstands the message.There are many different barriers that can prevent effective communication from occurring ‘norms' which may be confusing or hard to understand for somebody outside of that religion. For example, it might be normal for a Muslim woman to cover her body with loose fittin g clothes as the Islamic religion requires her to cover her body except from her hands and face. A person from outside of that religion may be confused or even offended by this dress code. Environmental barriers. Such as space and noise. Language barriers. For example, a student from another town may have a different accent which might be hard to understand for other students. Emotional barriers. For example, Fear can stop a person from doing something they want or need to do. Disabilities.Such as physical disabilities for example being in a wheel chair. However, people can overcome barriers by learning more about them, finding different ways to communicate and being calm and patient. I noticed that there were simple rules that the teacher had set for the students in her lassoer which made the lesson run more smoothly with less interruptions. For example, when the students were to get their math's folders, they had to get them one by one in the order of the register. This way there would be no crowding around the folders and chance for the students to get distracted by other students or any barriers which could get in the way of the lesson.Whereas if all the students had to get their folders from a cupboard all at the same time, it would take more time and could unsettle the class. Comparing this to the way students get their folders in the ordinary year seven class, where one person from each table gets the folders for everyone on their table, the ‘ground rules' or ‘norms' that the teacher had set for the students in EGG help to overcome barriers and ensure that the lesson is used effectively and no time is wasted. (Promoting and supporting an individual's right to dignity, independence, health and safety) AAA: Conclusions. From my time in EGG I have come to the conclusion that a number of things can effect communication; Body language, Proximity, Appropriate language use, barriers, the type of voice used.I know that Communication is not Just spea king and listening and a person must take into account all of the possible things that can affect A person must think about what message their body language is sending to the person they're communicating with and whether it's appropriate to convey their feelings, such as whether they could be seen as aggressive or assertive. For example, open and closed body language can determine whether or not a person feels comfortable speaking to you. They must think about how the tone, pitch and pace of their voice can portray their feelings such as when I was angry or annoyed at student I would raise the pitch of my voice and quicken the pace of my voice. Think that one of my strengths when communicating is body language.I think I use the correct body language to suit my feelings and the situation I am in and I am aware of the messages that I am sending through my body language. However, I think I could improve my facial expressions when communicating with the students as they sometimes send t he wrong impression. For example, in one situation when I was angry with a student I smiled slightly which confused the student as she didn't think I was being serious. I should have kept my lips pressed together and widened my eyes that I was angry with the student. I understand that throughout all communication in health care service the care value base must be used correctly and appropriately in order for quality service and strong communication to be provided.The values involved in care help both the practitioners and service users develop a strong relationship through communicating effectively as the care value base outlines what to expect for both practitioners and clients. The main conclusion that I have drawn from my research for this report is that good use of communication is n essential tool for anybody working in care services and in everyday life. Strong communication skills are essential for a teacher, as I observed in EGG, to enable learning and provide quality teachi ng to the students. It is also essential that practitioners, such as teachers, follow the care value base rules to improve the client's quality of life by meeting their physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs.The teacher empowered her students by promoting the seven values; Promoting anti-discriminatory practice, Maintaining confidentiality of information, feet, Acknowledging an individual's personal beliefs and identity, Protecting individual's from abuse, Promoting effective communication and relationships and Providing individualized care. Observing policies are essential in order to protect the students from harm or abuse (protecting individuals from abuse) and to build appropriate professional relationships with clients and co-workers (Promoting effective communication and relationships). Teachers should always be trying to improve the quality of their teaching and find ways to provide quality education for each individual student. (Providing individualized care).

Costco Value Chain Analysis Essay

Introduction The aim of the SSP is to identify a firm in a competitive industry, and propose solutions to the problems it faces.   The paper covers corporate strategic thinking, complexity analysis, systems thinking, and sustainability analysis. The major problem addressed in the paper is Costco’s ability to develop a suitable value chain, which can increases profitability and maximize shareholder’s value.   Costco is one of the leading global retailers, specialized in selling a wide range of merchandise, ranging from local to international brands. The tools presented in this paper provides Costco with an opportunity for transforming its business activities relative to the industry rivals, with the aim of creating profits and raising the company’s value. Executive Summary The paper has two major parts. The first part applies traditional strategic thinking, which includes applying the complexity analysis of key issues affecting Costco and a sustainability analysis. These tools address the challenges surrounding Costco’s business operations and profitability.   The first part includes stakeholder identification and value analysis, general forces analysis, value chain analysis, SWOT analysis, key factors to success analysis and Porter’s five forces analysis. The second part is a complexity analysis of Costco, which includes industry evolution modeling, action plan analysis, Boid analysis, Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainable Framework Analysis. Analyzing the Company Strategy Type Action Plan Analysis Costco’s current strategy originates from its mission and vision. The company pursues three of the four generic strategies, which are low cost leadership, customer relationship and differentiation. These three exposes the company’s strategic intent thinking to achieve global leadership.   A keen Alignment and Goals analysis shows that employees at Costco support the company’s strategy. However, the employees have the required skills to make the strategy work, and on top of this, they are well paid and motivated. Costco’s action plan analysis can increase profit margin to 18 percent and operating profit margin to 10 percent by 2017 (Farfan, 2010). Boid Analysis Industry Evolution Modeling The Boid analysis reveals three major rules governing the retail industry, which Costco values. The first one is to have a customer driven focus through adding value to the product mix. The second one is to maintain a flexible pricing strategy, and offering promotion services to customers. The third one is to adopt global cultural changes through adapting to clients preferences changes. This means delivering specific services and products to a particular culture or country. The Industry Evolution Modeling analysis reveals Costco’s determination to advance and match with the new ways of doing business. The company can improve its industrial positioning by coming up with premier membership requirement. It is clear that Costco forgo short-term profits for long-term stability and viability and increasing shareholders’ wealth.   In addition to this, Costco slowly adopts new technology that draws customer attention and can expand development initiatives and research (Bloomberg, 2011). Life Cycle Assessment Sustainable Value Framework Analysis The Life Cycle Assessment for Costco shows that Costco understands the environmental risks which originate from warehouse operations.   Costco tries to mitigate the risks associated with the environment such as loss of reputation caused by not obeying environmental rules. Costco monitors the reports on four major greenhouse gases which are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydro fluorocarbons and methane. The Sustainable Value Framework provides an internal and external focus for what is happening today and what might happen tomorrow. This roadmaps a given strategy and drives success and is associated with a given payoff. Costco’s internal sustainability for today is to prevent pollution, minimize material consumption, and reduce waste. The payoff is reducing business costs and risks. For tomorrow, Costco’s internal strategy must reduce carbon footprint, create a cleaner technology, and avoid environmental disruption. The payoffs for this are competitive repositioning and further innovation (McKinsey, 2012). The external sustainable for today focuses on transparency, connectivity and drawing attention of the civil society. The pay offs are social legitimacy and increased brand reputation. For tomorrow, the external strategy ought to address depletion of resources, poverty and climate change, and the payoffs would be trajectory for permanent growth. Detailed Analysis of All Quadrants The information presented above reveals that Costco can improve its profitability by focusing on the four quadrants. To achieve permanent growth, the company must participate in campaigns that are aimed at preventing resource depletion and climate change. This way, Costco’s brand image will become popular among the members of the public, which can increase its customer base and hence profitability. Table 2: Sustainable Value Framework    Today Future External Strategy: Sustainability Vision- Costco’s code of Ethics, Community relations, Greenhouse Gas Elimination Programmes. Payoff: Sustainability in long-term growth. Strategy: Product Stewardship- Costco’s sustainable Packaging and Reducing materials Payoff: Increased reputation, and Brand Legitimacy. Internal Strategy: Clean Technology- building Construction mission, and Silver LEED Certification Payoff: Strengthening positioning and innovative buildings for future viability. Strategy: Preventing Pollution- Costco Energy programme. Payoff: Low costs associated with warehouse facilities.    Conclusions Costco tries to operate in accordance with its mission and vision in order to meet performance goals. The company strives for sustainable future. It does this by coming up with programs that can cut costs and reduce pollution. Costco’s expansion to global markets seems limited. In addition the company has a strict Code of ethics when establishing partnerships. Costco continuously offer discount services to its buyers. From the above analysis, it is clear that Costco aims at long-term growth other than short-term profitability. This explains why it short-term profits margins are smaller compared to that of its competitors, Wal-Mart and Target Corporation. References Bloomberg Business Daily (2011, November 24).  Costco Wholesale Corp.  Retrieved from http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/ratios.asp?ticker=COST Farfan, B. (2010, September 10). 2012 Retail Store Closings Roundup: U.S. Retailers Closing or Liquidating Stores: Complete list of U.S. Retail Chains Downsizing or Going out of Business in 2012.  About.com. Retrieved from http://retailindustry.about.com/od/storeclosingsandopenings/a/2012-Store-Closings-US-Retail-Industry-Liquidations-Roundup-Chains-Going-Out-Business.htm McKinsey & Company. (2012). The value proposition in multichannel retailing. Retrieved from https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/The_value_proposition_in_multichannel_retailing_2800      

My personal Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

My personal Philosophy of Education - Essay Example Angels exist and thus form one of the fundamental beliefs. The angels have the mandate to worship God and God alone. The angels are also powerful but tend to obey the almighty and act only to his command. The most famous angel is angel Gabriel, who is the messenger God sent to bring the Quran to Prophet Muhammad. There are books that God gave to his messengers. The books tend to be a proof of the existence of god and the blueprint that guides the behavior of humankind. One of the books is the Quran that is the most vital book in the religion of Islam. There is a provision that God demands the Quran be kept away from destruction through corruption and distortion. Consequently, Muslims are of the perspective that all prophets were human beings with no supernatural abilities. The only difference is that they found favor in the eyes of Allah. The term refers to a divine destiny that is a belief by the Muslims. The belief in the divine destiny does not restrict human beings from exploding their freewill. Correspondingly, Muslims are of the belief that god gave human beings the freedom to freewill. Therefore, the making of choices, whether good or bad, belongs solely to human beings and God does not intervene in the process. In addition, the divine destiny has various composite beliefs (Hamid, August 2003). There is the belief in that God is omniscient. There is also the belief of keeping records of all happenings and the belief in that the will of God always takes part. Moreover, there is the belief that the Almighty is the maker of all creatures plus everything that is in the universe. Values shape up the character of an individual. The main origin of the values is as put forward by Islam. The Islam religion requires that every Muslim should worship the only true God, Allah. Every Muslim should always be kind and humble as well as be honorable to his or her parents. No one should engage in killings that have the label of mercy killings

Professional Learning Communities Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Professional Learning Communities - Assignment Example he school all work towards ensuring their students gain the essential skills required in the utilisation of these resources and enhance the learning attribute. This remains closely related to the culture of the PLC in which collaboration remains a fundamental element in ensuring students learning becomes comprehensive. The school culture however does not fully align to the PLC tenet because of the imminent challenges faced in the implementation of the various aspects which define a PLC. The teachers are evaluated based on the capability for students to achieve definite targets but there is a limitation in the approach utilised by teachers in enhancing learning. Teachers can implement different approaches which they consider effective in achievement of impressive results. An authentic alignment of the processes to those of the PLC would be achieved through increased sharing between the teachers regarding the approaches which they utilise to enhance learning. This can result in the adoption of a single approach in seeking to implement a uniform approach for enhancing student learning capabilities. In achieving this authentic alignment, the school would face numerous challenges regarding the present organisational culture. Among the challenges which the organisation must overcome include the following The teachers within the school have fundamental beliefs in the students’ capabilities to learn, following the application of different teaching approaches. Many of the teachers commonly try to utilise different approaches in seeking to ensure that there is success in the teaching of the teaching elements. The aspect of trying out different approaches remains an indication of belief that the students are capable of learning. During the staff meetings, planned to undertake reviews of the teaching within the school, teachers commonly have different proposals aimed at ensuring the capability of students to learn. These proposals serve as fundamental aspects for

The Management of Change in the Pharmaceutical Industry Research Paper

The Management of Change in the Pharmaceutical Industry - Research Paper Example According to Lerer and Piper (2003, 201) ‘digital technologies have offered new opportunities to pharmaceutical firms’; it is further explained that using these technologies pharmaceutical firms have been able to cooperate more effectively with patients and physicians. Moreover, Bakeev (2010) notes that the continuous improvement of knowledge management in the pharmaceutical industry would allow the industry’s firms to become more effective in supporting patients and healthcare professionals. Online tools have a series of advantages, including the increased potentials of firms involved in managing knowledge. At the same time, the costs of representatives in the pharmaceutical industry are quite high; a research developed in 2007 showed that ‘in 2006 the pharmaceutical firms spent approximately $150,000 for each representative in primary care and $330,000 for each representative in specialty drug’ (Bak and Stair 2011, p.137). The use of online tools wo uld help pharmaceutical firms to resolve a series of operational problems and to decrease the costs of representatives, a practice followed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., as explained below. 1.2 Diagnosis of change The implementation of change in pharmaceutical firms is unavoidable, in the context described earlier. ... scribed as follows: a) to check the level at which online tools are used in the pharmaceutical industry, b) to identify the benefits and weaknesses of these tools, as reported by the industry’s firms, c) to check the effects of online tools on the operations of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., d) to identify the strategies used by the above organization for implementing change, as related to these tools, and to evaluate these strategies’ requirements, implications and risks, and e) to identify the potential long-term benefits and consequences of online tools in the pharmaceutical industry. 1.3 Implementation of change Under the pressures of the rapid development of technology globally, especially in regard to the involvement of the WWW in organizational activities, the pharmaceutical industry had to face the following dilemma: should its operations be transformed meeting the global trends in regard to the use of online tools in prescribing and informing customers on the d rugs’ use and implications? This issue is made clear in the case of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In 2010 the firm launched Prescribe Responsibly, ‘an online system for supporting appropriate treatment of pain’ (Johnson & Johnson 2011). In August of 2011, the firm updated the specific system adding new tools and features so that the support provided to health care professionals to be increased (Johnson & Johnson 2011). This initiative has resulted because of the failures and the delays that the company had to face in regard to the support provided to the physicians for handling pain. 2. Literature review The efforts of continuous improvement of operations are often related to the appearance of Taylorism, a trend that changed the manufacturing processes in the automotive industry in the USA.

Supply Chain Visual Representation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Supply Chain Visual Representation - Essay Example This informed the decision by the company to relocate the warehouses closer to customers and retailers. Riordan Manufacturing is a worldwide plastic manufacturer owed by the Riordan Manufacturing industries. The Riordan Manufacturing Company has its headquarters in San Jose and this is where the development and research activities of the company are conducted (Baihaqi, 2009). This paper presents a visual representation of the operations of Riordan Manufacturing Company and relates its operations to the knowledge of supply chain operations. Notably, this company has focus in operations is through research, development and the patenting of plastic potentials. The main function of the company is to supply plastic products to various manufacturing companies such as beverage bottlers, aircraft manufacturers, and automotive manufacturers among others (Baihaqi, 2009). The function of Riordan is to provide plastic supply to the manufacturers that depend on this company for raw materials According to Fawcett et al (2007), a good business involves a positive interaction between the customer and the supplier. For Riordan manufacturers they have managed to maintain a long-term relationship with clients as they always provide quality goods since they have a system that has embraced technology and innovation (Baihaqi, 2009). For efficiency of these processes of supplying other manufacturers with raw materials a beneficial relationship must exists between the supplier and the clients (Fawcett, 2007)The maintenance of a supply chain that is beneficial to cost efficiency has enables the company to maintain a good relation with clients With the main headquarters at San Jose, this company has also other operational branches at Hang Zhou China, Georgia, and Michigan (Baihaqi, 2009). These plants add efficiency to the supply chain to clients over the world by reducing the supply cost by cutting on the

Should HPV Vaccination Be Mandatory Research Paper

Should HPV Vaccination Be Mandatory - Research Paper Example Researchers indicate that cervical cancer is more prevalent in women at a younger age. However, mandatory vaccination for cervical cancer can cause a series of consequences. This paper will discuss why young girls should not be given mandatory vaccination for preventing cervical cancer. The HPV vaccination was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration recently in 2006 and therefore its long term effects are still unknown to the world. Ashton reveals that the effects of HPV vaccination can lead to fatal motor accidents and suicides. According to the US Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System, a number of adverse side effects including pancreatitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and spinal cord inflammation have been reported since the approval of the vaccine. â€Å"Although these adverse reactions may be rare, they are not worth the risk since the vaccine only protects against two of the 15 strains of HPV that may cause cancer of the cervix† (â€Å"Should any vaccines be required for children?.†). There are also some doubts about the effectiveness of this vaccine because it was tested only on 1,100 girls; and this number is insufficient to get a clear picture of the vaccine’s ‘functionability’. Researchers have identified that aroun d 15 types of genital HPV out of 30 are likely to lead to cervical cancer. However, the Gardasil provides coverage against only two of the 15 and therefore it cannot be considered as an effective vaccine to HPV. Hence, this vaccine provides coverage against only some limited viral strains. Evidently, the US government has not done adequate researches to explore the long term impacts of such a mandate. Since its long term implications still remain to be unknown, the mandatory vaccination is more likely to lead to additional health issues. In other words, the US government risks the public backlash through the mandatory HPV vaccination. Obviously, the HPV vaccination must not be mandated before its long term side effects are clearly identified. Ethically, parents have the ultimate right to make health decisions for their children and therefore the government should not intervene in those decisions. According to a survey conducted by the University of Michigan, 31% of parents do not su pport mandatory school entry vaccinations (â€Å"Should any vaccines be required for children?.†). They hold the view that they must have the authority to refuse such vaccinations. Many of the US parents hold the view that the process of vaccination is religiously wrong. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees citizens to freely exercise their religious belief. Hence, the forcible vaccination would violate the first Amendment. Similarly, this mandatory vaccination policy gives exception to boys and hence it can be considered as the direct violation of constitutional principles of equity. Forcible enforcement of mandatory HPV vaccination would result in public backlash and this situation may adversely affect childhood vaccine programs for other diseases. Many people strongly argue in favor of the proposal by pointing to other mandatory vaccinations against measles and smallpox. They ask why it is necessary to give exception to mandatory HPV vaccination while practicing mandatory vaccination against several other diseases. Here, it must be noted that the HPV is not airborne and sexual contact is the major cause of cervical cancer. The government has a potential motive to protect its people from a deadly airborne virus because

Henderson radio Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Henderson radio - Case Study Example These elements weigh vigorously in choosing if there is sufficient value in a venture money bargain. Thomas Hendersons ideas on this discernment propose that in the event that it was his choice he might have utilized 10 percent value and 90 percent obligation to back organization venture. From the expectation we understand that when 90 percent of obligation is utilized to back the organization extend this may prompt chapter 11 since the more terrific the implied liquidation expense or likelihood of insolvency in the working money streams of the firm, the less obligation the firm can bear to utilize. Taking his contention to the way that financing blend was acknowledged excessively radical and that he felt the organization could securely expand its obligation extent to 30 percent, which he thought was the upper reach of the business normal is not a legitimate proclamation. This is on the grounds that the mix of these manifestations of financing and their expense make up the expense of money to the firm or task. Assessing the capital structure of a venture is muddled, however basically put; the capital structure is the extent of value in the aggregate financing

FEDERAL CONTRACTING ISSUES Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FEDERAL CONTRACTING ISSUES - Term Paper Example CCR is the official free on-line registrant database for the US Federal Government that collects, validates, stores and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition agency acquisition and award missions (BPN, 2011). After training and being registered, one can start soliciting for opportunities to do business with the federal government. In some instances, businesses offering similar products or services team up to solicit the federal contract opportunities. The law requires the large prime contractors to come up with opportunities of subcontracting with small business ventures. For this assignment, our company, Global IT & Office Solutions Ltd that specializes in computer solutions and office machine repair and maintenance services would like to offer these type services to the government agencies. This type of business falls under category NAICS 811212 (SIC 7978, FSC/ PSC code 74) which comprises of establishments primarily engaged in repairing and maintaining computers and office machines without retailing new computers and office machines (NAICS, 2011). To register the following information was provided: Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number provided by Dun and Bradstreet; Tax Identification Number (TIN) and Tax Payer name used in federal tax matters; statistical information about the business; and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) information for payment of invoices (BPN, 2011). Global IT & Office Solutions Ltd is based in Erie, PA and was founded in 1997 to offer computer and office equipments repair and maintenance services to our esteemed customers who range from individuals, institutions, government agencies and multinational corporations. We service all models and makes of computers and office equipments. Our strength is based on keeping up-to-date with technological advancements; highly trained, experienced and

Dancers, Costumes and Movement Content Essay Example for Free

Dancers, Costumes and Movement Content Essay Costume: The costume throughout Flesh and Blood is a very important attribute to the piece. All seven of the female dancers wear the same costume in each of the five sections therefore this shows that the costume that Lea Anderson chose was relevant to the themes within the piece all the way through. The costumes are of a medieval style, we know this from the design of the dress as they have square necks and tight fitting wrist length sleeves much like the dresses that were worn in that time period. The dresses reach ankle length on each of the dances and have a fitted torso with a dropped v-waist which then falls into a slightly gathered, loose material lower half which flows down from the waist to the ankle. In this piece I believe it is important for the dresses to be fitted on the arms and torso area as these are the main areas of which are used in the contact work such as lifts- and it then makes it easier to perform these moves as dancers can get a better grip on each other. There are also many intricate arm and hand movements where dancers have to intertwine with each other- therefore the tight fitting arms ensure that the moves can be performed with clarity and precision. The material of the dresses is particularly specific to the underlying storyline of Joan of Arc, as it is a metallic and shiny stretchy silver fabric. This infers the idea of the dresses symbolising armour, which is relevant to the battles that Joan of Arc had to fight. The masculine armour like fabric then contrasts against the feminine style of dress, again backing up the important theme of Joan of Arc throughout the piece. The shiny material also shimmers in the light and emphasises movements and enhances angles that the dancers perform, whether they are big or small moves which then makes developing motifs clearer to see. The dancers have bare feet in each section of the dance, I believe this adds a sense of vulnerability to the hard faced characters and shows that no matter how determined Joan of Arc was she, and also the characters within this dance all have a weak spot. The dresses that the dancers wear also have calf length, fitted grey leggings underneath which we see in section two- and also work to highlight and emphasize movement. I also believe it was important for the dancers to wear leggings as section two has a lot of floor  work involved so it is practical to have these underneath the dresses. Make-up and hair are also important aspects of the costume within this piece and they highlight areas of intricate movement. This is shown in the Cathedral in section 2 of the dance where small eye movements upwards, then to the left are used. This move is simple but is an important reoccurring motif which could symbolise looking up to god- and therefore needs to stand out, which is done through the use of dark eye makeup that contrasts against the dancers pale faces. The red lipstick worn throughout shows the dancers are still feminine even though they have to wear a masculine army colour, and have a short style of hair which is what Joan of Arc had to do in order to disguise herself. The red lipstick symbolises danger and passion and also shows that even though they are pretending to be males- they are still strong female characters for sticking up for what they believe in. Dancers: All of the dancers look on average between the ages of 25 to 35 and are all female. I believe this shows a strong sense of unity within the piece to symbolise the fact that they are part of an army and also makes them all equal to each other. This is important as it shows that the piece is thematic- rather than narrative with main characters. Due to the style of the dance, I believe the dancers will of had to have had training in ballet and contemporary and be able to perform in confined spaces such as the black box theatre setting which is used and be adaptable for the site specific places that they had to perform. Another key aspect of the performance is that the dancers are very precise in the unison sections. This is effective as it heightens smaller movements such as the tapping of the feet in the cathedral setting in section 2. A way that the dancers could have done this is through using specific counts in the music and keeping to a rhythm. Due to their being a lot of minimal eye movement in unison within the routine- also shown in the black box studio in section 5 when the dancers look up as if to heaven, it is important that the dancers were aware of their focus points so that their movements were precise and equal to each other, which is something that is important throughout this piece. Movements: Section 1: The movement in section one is very contained and small. It is a duet between two of the dancers and involves using a lot or inticate armwork where they have to weavein and out of each other. This could symbolise that the battle Joan of Arc had to face was a constant struggle. This concept is also shown and the first female dancer in this section looks as though she is being dominated and controlled by the second femal character who is stood behind her throughout- almost overlooking all of her actions and having imput into what she does. This is shown as a movement when dancer two pushes dancer one down to the floor to continue her movements on a lower level. This makes dancer two look more superior and therefore gives off the impression she is symbolic of the males telling Joan of Arc she wasn’t allowed to fight. Section 2: Section two involves all 7 of the female dancers and is set in a black box studio. The floor work in this section such as the repeat motif which is shown also in section five where the dancers lay on their back with their feet flat to the floor and their knees bent on and angle with their arms by their side as they push their legs straight out to move backwards gives off an impression that they are symbolising beetles and other insects. Thesharp and angled movements give off imagery as if they are symbolising being bugs- which links to the heaven and hell paintings by the artist Bosch. Because much of this section is on the floor it is symbolic of Hell being present- and is where most people believed Joan of Arc went after her burning at the stake. The calf length leggings and bare feet that the dancers are wearing can also be seen in this scuttling back movement and highlight the angles of the legs- as is also done with the tight fitting sleeves on the arms. Section 3: This section is set inside of a Cathedral and shows 3 of the dancer standing in the alter and the other 4 laid in the knave. This symbolises the communication that Joan of Arc is said to have had with God who told her to  battle with the men, this is shown through intricate eye movement from the dancers standing in the alter as the first thing they do it look upward to heaven, to the left as if to purgatory and then downwards as if to hell. Use of a head tilt to the right when looking to the left is also used which could symbolise shock in hearing or seeing something. The dancers laid on the floor are symbolic of the dreams that Joan of Arc is said to of had and repeat motifs such as the rolling of the fingers that tap onto the floor suggest that her nightmares and dreams were reoccurring and made her react immediately- even before she woke up and decided that she wanted to go into battle. The dynamics in this section are a lot slower then any other andthe dancers are all individuals which suggests that when Joan of Arc visited the church she was distanced from everyone else and felt more alone and vulnerable. Section 4: Section 4 is set outside of the cathedral and is an adapted version of section 1, as it has 2 unison duets- one further forward than the other. This section is also very contact based and manipulative which gives an indication of the relationship that the dancers have with each other. The ‘crusifix’ arm movement is a repeat motif throughout and is shown is section 2 when the dancers sit up from the floor, as if god is helping them progress and become better people. It is also shown in section 4 when the dancers are lifted by the dominating dancers, and their feet are left loosely flailing beneath them while their arms lower so their palms are flat facing downwards. This motif could symbolise that god is now taking Joan of Arcs soul to Heaven as she is burnt at the stake. The shaking of the feet indicates that many people believed she would go to Hell- which is why the arms are lowered from the crucifix movement as this is less holy and God wouldn’t have wanted tha t for the female who stood up for herself.

Analysis of Gun Shot Residue using Electron Microscopy (EM)

Analysis of Gun Shot Residue using Electron Microscopy (EM) Nathan Dean Thompson Review of the composition of gunshot residue (GSR) in coherence with its characteristics when analysed using electron microscopy (EM) and energy dispersive electron techniques. The key piece of evidence residing at incidents involving firearms is the gunshot residue (GSR) that is created when a gun is fired. Gunshot residue (GSR) can also be labelled as cartridge discharge residue (CDR) or firearms discharge residue (FDS) produced from firing a firearm. Gunshot residue contains a multitude of burned particles (potassium nitrite) however not all of the particles are burned and some particles remained unburned (Bailey et al, 2013), the discharge of a firearm initially produces a plume of airborne particulates; this plume contains a diverse mixture of vapours and particles that originates due to the upsurge of the cartridge from the firearm. Due to the organic disposition of the propellant, it has been proven that it can be difficult to analyse the GSR’s organic make-up from the propellants residue, although various techniques have been reported leading to promising analyses. Forensic analysts therefore typically use the inorganic components originating mainly from the primer to detect GSR particles on items in relation to the incident. The particular particulate of importance is composed of lead (Pb), barium (Ba) and antimony (Sb), each in varying quantities. The combusted material escapes the weapon through the openings as vapours and solidifies as particulate that varies in shape and size from submicron to over 100 microns (ÃŽ ¼m) when exposed to the rapid temperature change between the vapour and the particulate. The three major components in the primers compound play important roles in the formation and identification of GSR; the initiator component consists of lead styphnate, the oxidizer component consists of barium nitrate and the fuel component consisting of antimony sulphide (Schwoeble and Exline, 2000). Available to GSR analysis are a vast array of techniques that can be used individually or coupled together for analysis of GSR particulates. Electron Microscopy (EM) is microscopic technique uses a particle beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen to produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have an increased resolving power than a standard light microscope as of their ability to achieve magnification levels of up to 2 million times, whereas ordinary light microscopes are limited to useful magnifications below 2 thousand times. The electron microscope uses electro-charged and electromagnetic lenses to control the magnitude and intensity of the electron beam before focussing it to form an image. In conveyance, the electron beam first gets diffracted by the specimen, and then the lenses re-focus the beam into a Fourier-transformed image of the diffracted pattern for the investigation of the targeted area of the sample. Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (SEM-EDX) has developed to become the technique of choice for GSR analysis due to it being widely available, spatially judicious and non-destructive. SEM looks at identifying different particles that have a light molecular weight, while the heavier elements rely on a technique known as x-ray diffraction (XDF). The electrons interact with the samples atoms that get detected through the detector, stored and produce signals containing information about the samples surface topography, composition and other elemental properties like conductivity. Throughout the interactions of primary electrons secondary particles; these electrons arise due to inelastic collisions between primary electrons (the beam) and loosely bound electrons of the conduction band (more probable) or tightly bound valence electrons. The energy transferred is sufficient enough to break the bond that binds them to the solid and are ejected. The interaction ejects electrons typically have ≈ 5 50 eV. 50 eV is an arbitrary cut-off point at which anything below this value is deemed to be secondary electrons. In SEM-EDX the spectra produced through the analyses of the backscattered electrons provides qualitative information of the particles present due to the high proportion of the numerous scattering effects. However the backscattered particles produced by the ionic beam customarily undertakes a single scattering event; this single event also encourages for the quantitative understanding of the particles energy levels and through being stored electronically and then gets presented on a spectra. The particle spectrum (EBS) allows for the calculation of the total charge being deposited against the dissimilarity of the charges present within the matrix’s signal as a function of depth; this allows the X-ray absorption to be calculated accurately thus further enabling the quantitative analysis of the constituent elements. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is also a non-destructive method of analysis but lacks spatial resolution and also suffers from quantification problems. While SEM coupled with Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (SEM-WDX) utilize a micro calorimeter detector which offers a greater enhanced sensitivity to detect minute trace elements compared with SEM-EDX but is incapable of providing quantitative information for the type of element present (Molina et al., 2007). Micro Particle Induced X-ray Emission (ÃŽ ¼-PIXE) uses an ionic beam consists of protons with energy values between 2 and 3 MeV to produce the same intensity of X-ray emissions as the SEM-EDX technique (Romolo et al, 2013), however ÃŽ ¼-PIXE detects elements at the value of mg kgÃâ€" ¾1 due to the lesser primary bremsstrahlung background of decelerated charged particulates produced by protons. Previous preliminary work has shown that ÃŽ ¼-PIXEs sensitivity levels are far greater than those of SEM/EDX to the trace elements in GSR particles (Christopher et al, 2013). Furthermore similar studies have recently demonstrated that ÃŽ ¼-PIXE coupled together with Particle Induced Gamma Emission (PIGE) technique is capable of providing an unprecedented characterization of the GSR particles that arise from primers not containing lead. Multivariate analysis confirms the validity of the approximations used in order to streamline the method, thus increasing the validation of the analytical procedures used. This procedure has the ability to provide reproducible and quantitative measurements of a population of GSR particles. A quantitative and discriminative protocol for populations of GSR’s is unprecedented, thus the grouping behavior of the particles from three cartridge designs from one manufacturer can be shown. The method was shown to be non-destructive even under unrealistically prolonged analysis times. Relocation of the particles from SEM technique was demonstrated down to diameters of 1 ÃŽ ¼m, and new developments in the technology could lower this limit in the near future (Dockery and Goode., 2003). The reproducibility of the method for reanalysis of the same set of particles showed variations in the measured concentrations for most elements of around 10% and to those that reflect the spatial inhomogeneity in the particles as well as the precision of the protocol. Two populations of particles from the hands of the shooter of the same make of cartridge could not be discriminated under the same protocol, however the discrimination between the three different makes of ammunition was obtained with a significant separation value with above 99% confidence rating after analysis of the shooters hands. This is particularly interesting in forensic science because we have studied three makes all containing lead, antimony and barium in the primer. Correspondingly, particles produced by one make of cartridge and compared with different firearms were not discriminated (Christopher et al., 2013) (Romolo et al., 2013). SEM-EDX is not a technique which should be dependent on upon the determination of firearm discharge by an individual, nor is it a reliable technique to determine self-inflicted sustained wounds or not self-inflicted. Moreover a positive GSR result may be of use, while a negative result produced is not helpful as the result may indicate that a person discharged the firearm post to death or whether the firearm was discharged prior to death. When the different types of cartridge shells or cases, belonging to a multitude of different firearms are recovered from the crime scene, the GSR particles are thoroughly compared and analysed, with a known ‘control’ source compared against the samples obtained from the suspect can lead to the inconclusive match between the particles morphology and characteristics and the discussion of the evidence in court. This is because of the sensitivity of the technique utilized to analyse trace elements and its inability to offer quantitative information from single particles having much lesser sensitivity levels to analyse light and heavy metals. Therefor this creates a requirement of a technique that retains its non-destructive nature with the enhanced sensitivity to analyse both light and heavy metal particles more efficiently (French and Morgan, 2015), yet it has a much greater proficiency than SEM-EDX to collect chemical information from singular GSR particles and quantify th is information allowing for greater judgement between multiple sources. The effectiveness of sample sizes is significant at low particle numbers. However their evidential value might still be added even at their low number of particles by excluding possible sources for a GSR sample. However there are still implications to be measured that arise from forensic investigation and the observation of analysis to be considered, including the need to prevent contamination of the sample through primary, secondary and possibly tertiary transfer during the collection phase, as well as the importance of acknowledging the potential risk of contamination that will result in the loss of integrity and the evidential value in court that might arise through firearm incidents reconstruction for further evidential analysis is also stressed. Through the means of experimental studies, present techniques can be advanced to further improve the dynamic understanding of GSR dynamics of transfer, depositing and assisting in forensic reconstruction of firearm incidents. References Christopher, M, E., Warmenhaeven, J, W., Romolo, F, S., Daghi, M., Webb, R., Jeynes, C., Ward, N, I., Kirkby, K, J., Bailey, M, J., (2013). A new quantitative method for gunshot residue analysis by ion beam analysis. Analyst. 138, (16), 4649-4655 Molina, D, K., Martinez, M., Garcia, J., Daimio, V, J., (2007). Gunshot residue testing in suicides: part1: analysis by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray. Journal of Forensic Medical Pathology. (3), 187-190 Schwoeble, A, J and Exline, D, L., (2000). Current methods in Forensic Gunshot residue analysis. 1st ed. New York: CRC press Romolo, F, S., Christopher, M, E., Donghi, M., Ripani, L., Jeynes, C., Webb, R, P., Ward, N, I., Kirkby, K, J., Bailey, M, J., (2013). Integrated Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) in Gunshot Residue (GSR) characterisation. Forensic Science International. 231, (1-3), 219-228 Rosenberg, M, B and Dockery, C, R., (2008).Determining the lifetime of detectable amounts of gunshot residue in the hands of a shooter using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Applied Spectroscopy. 62, (11), 1238-1241 Dockery, C, R and Goode, S, R., (2003). Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for gunshot residue on the hands of a shooter. Applied Optics. 42, (30), 6153-6158 French, J and Morgan, R., (2015). An experimental investigation of the indirect transfer and deposition of gunshot residue: further studies carried out with SEM-EDX analysis. Forensic Science International. 247, 14-17 Weblearn, [online] accessed 27th April 2015, available from https://bblearn.londonmet.ac.uk/webapps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tab_tab_group_id=_1_1>