8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors

8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors 8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors 8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors By Ali Hale There is a lot of writing advice out there. Perhaps you’ve signed up to read lots of blogs by email, you’ve bought some great writing-related books, and you still feel like something’s missing. Or maybe your reading time is limited: you can’t very well scroll through blogs while you’re driving to work, for instance. That’s when podcasts come in. Whether you’re looking for encouragement or instruction, podcasts are a great way to get writing advice (often from award-winning and/or bestselling authors) in a way that fits around daily life. Maybe you could listen to a podcast on your commute, or while you’re working out at the gym, or while you’re doing the dishes or other household chores. (A lot of my own podcast listening happens while I tidy up my kids’ toys and craft activities!) If you prefer to read rather than listen, or if you’re looking to quickly glean specific bits of information, then look for podcasts that have a transcript, or at least detailed show notes. Here are eight great ones to try. They’re in no particular order: all of these offer excellent advice, and I’ve tried to indicate which might suit different types of writer. #1: Bestseller, from Reedsy Frequency:  roughly weekly while the season is running Average length: 20 minutes Transcript available: no Best for:  self-publishers, novelists This is a slick, professionally produced podcast from Reedsy, which describes itself as a â€Å"full ecosystem for authors and publishing professionals†: they offer classes, contests, and a marketplace where you can connect with editors, ghostwriters and other professionals. The short first season of their podcast covers the various stages of self-publishing a book, from understanding the writing process to going to market, and features Shaz Kahn talking about her experience of being a first time self-publisher. If you’re thinking of self-publishing, it’s definitely a good one to listen to. There aren’t too many episodes (six, at the time of writing) and they’re short, so you can easily listen to the whole thing. There’s no transcript, though, and only a few words for the show notes †¦ so if you’d rather read than listen, this might not be the best podcast for you. #2: The Creative Penn (Joanna Penn) Frequency: weekly Average length: 60 – 70 minutes Transcript available: yes (for the interview portion of the episode) Best for: fiction-writers; writers who are interested in self-publishing Most weeks, Joanna Penn interviews an author or expert on a particular topic; occasionally, she does a solo episode. Her focus is on self-publishing, but she covers a huge range of topics related to this, and has some episodes that focus on crafting fiction and others that look at topics that are more about the process of living a creative life (e.g. How Play Can Help You Overcome Anxiety And Become More Creative With Charlie Hoehn). Joanna starts each episode by talking about how her own writing and publishing is going, and then covers industry news for the past week, before going into the interview itself, which is the main part of the podcast. The first sections of the podcast aren’t transcribed, but the interview itself is. #3: I Should Be Writing (Mur Lafferty) Frequency: monthly Average length: 20 minutes Transcript available: yes Best for: fiction writers; beginners Way back in 2006, I’d just finished university and was working on a novel. I used to listen to Mur Lafferty’s fun, inspiring podcast, I Should Be Writing. At that point, she was podcasting her first novel, Playing for Keeps, a chapter at a time. Fast forward thirteen years, and Mur is now an award-winning podcaster who’s written a whole bunch of different things. She also has her own Wikipedia page: something that I think many writers aspire to! In her podcast, she talks honestly about her own writing and experiences. If you’re looking for a shot of writing inspiration or just want to virtually hang out with someone who â€Å"gets† what it’s like to be a writer, give it a try. If you’d prefer something more advanced, that deals with specific writing problems, then try Mur’s other podcast Ditch Diggers instead. #4: Helping Writers Become Authors (K.M. Weiland) Frequency: three times a month Average length: 15 – 20 minutes Transcript available: yes (the podcast is a read-aloud version of K.M.’s blog posts) Best for: fiction writers Author K.M. Weiland offers fantastic, detailed advice on the craft of writing fiction on her blog. Her podcast is part of the blog, and each episode has a short introduction then an audio version of a blog post (if you’d rather listen to a blog post than read it, you can find the audio link at the bottom). The posts/episodes cover broad topics about writing/creativity like 6 Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to Protect Creativity and specific ones like Tips for How to Choose the Right Sentences. If you like podcasts that are focused on giving focused, actionable advice, rather than ones that are more like hanging out with writers as they chat, then K.M.’s is a great option for you. Each episode covers a topic in-depth, but doesn’t last longer than 20 minutes. If you prefer to read rather than listen, then simply read the blog post versions of her podcast episodes instead of subscribing to the podcast itself. #5: The Portfolio Life (Jeff Goins) Frequency: weekly Average length: 30 – 40 minutes Transcript available: no Best for: writers looking for inspiration and encouragement Some episodes of this podcast involve Jeff interviewing an author or expert; others are Jeff sharing his own experience and expertise with the audience. The podcast mainly focuses on writing, though there’s also a broader look at creativity in some episodes – e.g. How to Use Time to Be Your Most Creative. Although there isn’t a transcript as such, the episodes have a blog post version too, that’s a shorter, more succinct version of the podcast – so if you prefer to read, stick with the blog posts. In both the podcasts and the posts, Jeff is always both encouraging and realistic about the creative process and life as a writer, and offers a mix of practical advice and reassuring words. #6: Writing Excuses (Multiple Hosts) Frequency: weekly Average length: 15 minutes Transcript available: yes, indexed here Best for: fiction writers This long-running podcast is hosted by several different writers and covers a wide range of writing topics, in short episodes because (according to their tagline) â€Å"fifteen minutes long, because you’re in a hurry, and we’re not that smart†. Sometimes, it’s a discussion on a particular topic between the hosts, and sometimes they have a guest to interview. It’s a very informal, chatty show and some episodes are more focused than others – but if you want something fun to listen to while you’re doing the dishes or folding the laundry, it’s a great choice. Some of the episodes are really specific (e.g. they have one on writing Characters Who Are Smarter Than You Are and they did several on space travel recently), so it’s well worth a dig through their very extensive archives to see if they have something that tackles the exact question you have about your novel-in-progress. #7: The Self Publishing Show (Mark Dawson and James Blatch) Frequency: weekly Average length: 50 minutes Transcript available: yes Best for: self-publishers On this podcast, Mark Dawson – a highly experienced and successful self-publishing novelist – and James talk to various authors and experts about different aspects of self-publishing and marketing. Each episode has both video and audio, and they’re nicely produced: while Mark and James are chatty and friendly, the focus is always on drawing out lots of detailed information from interviewees. The episodes cover a range of different topics, from the nuts and bolts of things like cover design and using Facebook live, to more big-picture ones like The Entrepreneur Mindset. Each episode includes show notes with â€Å"this week’s highlights†, so you can take a look at a few in the archive and decide which ones would be useful to listen to. There are occasional â€Å"Masterclass† episodes, where Mark (interviewed by James) talks about a particular topic in detail: Masterclass: Amazon Ads – What’s Working Right Now is a good example. #8: Writers on Writing (Barbara DeMarco-Barrett) Frequency: weekly Average length: 55 60 minutes Transcript available: no Best for: fiction writers focused on their craft This podcast is a radio show that offers a more literary take on writing, talking to authors about their books, process and craft (rather than covering topics like self-publishing and entreprenurship). They have some impressively big name authors like Liane Moriarty appearing as guests on the show – you can find a list of upcoming guests here. As well as talking to authors, they invite on editors and literary agents: for instance, they had LA agent Betsy Amster on in December. So if you’re looking for help with cover letters or insights into the publishing world, this could be a great podcast for you. There aren’t any transcripts, and the show notes are very brief, but do have a dig through the archives as the show has some consistently interesting, detailed episodes – think of them a bit like attending a talk at a writing festival or conference. Podcasts can be an easy way to learn about specific topics or to virtually hang out with some great writers while you’re getting on with the more mundane tasks in life. Try some of the ones on this list, or share your own favourite writing podcasts with us in the comments. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?Try to vs. Try andHow Verbs Become Adjectives

Chapter7 2014 Essay

Chapter7 2014 Essay Chapter7 2014 Essay ïÆ'Ëœ Critical area for marketing ïÆ'Ëœ Important for any industry ïÆ'Ëœ Always active! But what is new 1  Repositioning Innovations Line Extensions â€Å"Me Too† Products New to World New to Company 2 Markets Existing Existing New Market Penetration Market Development New Product Development (Diversification) Products New 3 Opportunity Identification Design Testing Introduction Life Cycle Management 4 ïÆ'Ëœ Product Design ïÆ'Ëœ Forecasting 5 ïÆ'Ëœ Product design using conjoint analysis ïÆ'Ëœ Forecasting the pattern of new product adoptions (Bass Diffusion Model) 6 Purpose: To incorporate customer preferences into the new product design process. Process: By evaluating how customers make tradeoffs between various product attributes. Output of CA: - A numerical assessment of the relative importance each customers attaches to attributes of a product set. - The value (utility) provided to each customer by each attribute option. 7 Input is overall preferences. Thus, CA links customers’ stated overall preferences to utility values. For example, Memory $1,000 Price $1,500 8 Mb 16 Mb 24 Mb 4 7 9 2 5 8 $2,000 1 3 6 9 = Most preferred 1 = Least preferred 8 Memory $1,000 Price $1,500 8 Mb 16 Mb 24 Mb 4 7 9 2 5 8 1 3 6 20/3 15/3 10/3 = = = 6.7 5.0 3.3 Part-Worth: $2,000 PartWorth 7/3 = 15/3 = 23/3 = 2.3 5.0 7.7 9 Example: Utility of 24 Mb vs 16 Mb = 7.7 – 5.0 = 2.7 units, while Utility of $1,000 vs $1,500 = 6.7 – 5.0 = 1.7 units Thus, 8 Mb is worth more than $500 to this customer. How does this help a manager? If I have a 64 Mb product selling for $1600/-, how should I price a product if I add 8 Mb to it? 10 Another example: Input for Salsa Thickness Spiciness Color Actual Ranking* Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Thick Thick Thick Thick Thick Thick Extra-Thick Extra-Thick Extra-Thick Extra-Thick Extra-Thick Extra-Thick Mild Mild Medium-Hot Medium-Hot Extra-Hot Extra-Hot Mild Mild Medium-Hot Medium-Hot Extra-Hot Extra-Hot Mild Mild Medium-Hot Medium-Hot Extra-Hot Extra-Hot Red Green Red Green Red Green Red Green Red Green Red Green Red Green Red Green Red Green 4 3 10 6 15 16 2 1 8 5 13 11 7 9 14 12 17 18 Ranking as Estimated by Model 4 3 10 8 16 15 2 1 6 5 13 11 7 9 14 12 18 17 * 1 = most preferred, 18 = least preferred. 11 Conjoint Analysis: Graphical Output Thickness Spiciness Color 2 1 0 -1 -2 Regular 0.161 Thick 0.913 Ex-Thick Mild -1.074 1.667 Medium-Hot 0.105 Ex-Hot Red -1.774 -0.161 Green 0.161 Range of utility = {(.913, -1.074), (1.667, -1.774), (-.161, .161)} = {1.987, 3.441, .322} Total = 5.75 Ideal Product Second Best 12 0 20 40 60 Spiciness 100 % 59.8% Thickness Color 80 34.6% 5.6% 13 ïÆ'Ëœ Maximum utility rule ïÆ'Ëœ Share of preference rule ïÆ'Ëœ Logit choice rule 14 Designing new products that enhance consumer utility. Forecasting sales/market share of alternative product concepts. Identifying market segments for which a given concept has high value. Identifying the â€Å"best† concept for a target segment. Pricing products/product bundles. Product line management. Positioning new products to different segments. 15 Stage 1- Designing the conjoint study: Step 1.1: Step 1.2: Step 1.3: Select attributes relevant to the product or service category, Select levels for each attribute, and Develop the product bundles to be evaluated. Stage 2- Obtaining data from a sample of respondents: Step 2.1: Step 2.2: Design a data-collection procedure, and Select a computation method for obtaining part-worth functions. Stage 3- Evaluating product design options: Step 3.1: Step 3.2: Step 3.3: Segment customers based on their part-worth functions, Design market simulations, and Select choice rule. 16 Running Conjoint Analysis: Example: Bicycle design Set Up 17 Model designed to answer the question: When will customers adopt a new product or technology? 18 Total Sales at time ‘t’ = From ‘innovators’+ From

Nantucket Nectars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nantucket Nectars - Essay Example Another source of short term finance is life savings. Tom and Tom with their lifetime savings of $17,000 were able to undertake some expansion. Like Nantucket Nectars, entrepreneurs like Tom and Tom did can borrow funds from local financial institutions or individuals. Short term borrowings may be in form of overdrafts with limits set by banks and interest charged at variable rates set by the banks. Short term loans may also extend up to a period of three years; such sources of cash do not require much collateral, hence easy access. Before short term lending is extended to firms’, factors such as purpose, amount, repayment period, term and security are considered and ascertained (Pride, William, Robert 2011). As a matter of urgency if deemed so, a company may welcome wealthy individuals who pump money into the business at the exchange of a percentage of shareholding. The sales director of Nantucket nectars advises that mike Egan be allowed to bring in $600,000 for the exchange with 50% of the company. Out of the companies profits it can decide to plough back some amount to grow the business in form of retained earnings. Though this means has a direct impact on dividends since it reduces the amount earned by shareholders hence they may complain (Pride, William, Robert 2011). Retained earnings are attractive sources of cashing in since managers think they don’t cost anything, it is at their discretion to make dividend decisions. Also retained earnings as opposed to issuing new shares help the firm to evade issue costs and this method also helps the management avoid change of control. Another factor which facilitates the consideration of retained earnings is the financial and taxation levels of the existing shareholders. If due to taxation, they would receive capital profit realizable only during taxation of shares sold than receive current income then retained earnings is preferred to other methods. Businesses can still cash in

Assess the impact of television and video technology on children's Research Paper

Assess the impact of television and video technology on children's attention spans - Research Paper Example In the modern world there are many temptations for our children. With the development of technology, they received an access to different technological achievements everyone has at home. If in 1980s only radio usually entertained young people, nowadays they have an unlimited access to TVs and computers. Playing computer games is now a favorite occupation for our children. They also like to watch TV very much and many children start their day by switching the TV set on. Computers and television can help develop children’s intellect but the question arises how this habit affects children’s health. Certainly, it is a well-known fact that excessive TV watching is a very bad habit, but it is necessary to define what exactly it affects negatively. Bad eyesight and sedentary life are not all the negative consequences as now scientists have already paid attention to children’s attention span. If a child is developing in normal conditions, its attention span is constantly improving. However, some factors can influence the process of development negatively. These factors are now actively studied by experts. The first factor is anemia that is usually caused by iron deficiency. Anemia is â€Å"a condition in which a lack of iron results in a diminished amount of blood cells that carry oxygen through the blood† (Bruce, 2013). Anemia is frequently met state and if it has a light form, it is not considered as dangerous and can be easily cured. Serious forms of anemia can affect cognitive functions of children and their attention span. The second state that negatively influences the attention span of children is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).... This factor deserves special attention as it was proved that if a little child watch TV or play games very often, it may have problems with attention span in future. The objects move in the screen fast and do not allow a child to concentrate, thus it may lose such ability. The investigation held by Peter Jensen came to the conclusion that: "Extensive exposure to television and video games may promote development of brain systems that scan and shift attention at the expense of those that focus attention" (cited in DeGaetano, 2012) Now when the development of the technology is very fast some parents make a strange decision to send their child to school where the process of study is not connected with the technology. They are afraid that technological achievements can influence their child’s brain negatively (Kessler, 2012). This testifies that many parents do believe that visual media prevents children from normal concentration. According to Dr Jane Healy, "A 'good' brain for le arning develops strong and widespread neural highways that can quickly and efficiently assign different aspects of a task to the most efficient system...Such efficiency is developed only by active practice in thinking and learning which, in turn, builds increasingly stronger connections. A growing suspicion among brain researchers is that excessive television viewing may affect the development of these kinds of connections. It may also induce habits of using the wrong systems for various types of learning" (Healy, 1991). As teachers and parents can trace every day, modern children are really less attentive; they become more hyperactive, impulsive with less ability to concentrate. Such a change in children’s

Definitions of Health and Illness

Definitions of Health and Illness Victorine Diana Goin According to the definition offered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (1948)[1] health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This paper seeks to offer critical analysis on the definitions of health and illness in respect of prominent academics in the field. Furthermore an in-depth discussion will be raised on the ways health can be perceived in a social context with regards to the relationship between negative social factors and health through the use of studies and surveys. To find the definition of health one can refer to Kenworthy (2002) who revealed the apparent links to theories that directly relate to health care. A noticeable theory consists of the biomedical concept. This concentrates on the belief that being healthy is to be without recognisable disease. One can see a direct contradiction of the biomedical concept of health in contrast to the definition offered by WHO (1948). On the other hand the WHO recognises that health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This undoubtedly questions the strength of the biomedical concept in its definition of health. The definition revealed by WHO (1948) has similarities with the holistic concept of health which makes reference to the various dimensions of health each relating to each other and the need for health care professionals to treat the individuals and not just one aspect of their health. Ewles and Simnett (1992) made reference to the individuals physical, mental, emotional spiritual, social, sexual, societal and the environmental aspect of their health. Equally important is the definition of illness. When the elements of the WHO definition are not fulfilled then the individual may be regarded as ill. This is reflected by the definition offered in Mosbys Medical Dictionary (2009)[2]. He defines illness as an abnormal process in which aspects of the social, physical, emotional, or intellectual condition and function of a person are diminished or impaired compared with that persons previous condition. McWhinney (1987)[3] described illness as the subjective perception by a patient of an objectively defined disease. This is an interesting argument as it tells us the extent to which a patient may perceive their own illness. Indeed acknowledging this may be helpful in understanding the definition of illness. However on the other hand it does not allow for a uniform concrete definition as we are made aware that social aspects come to play as well as the individuals own perception. Kenworthy makes an interesting argument when he outlines that health is seen in the context of the distribution of illness, epidemiological patterns and class structures of that society. Helman (1992) builds upon this when he states that the presentation of illness and the way in which an individual responds to it is largely determined by sociological factors. In addition to this he elaborates that these factors influence the perception of which symptoms and signs are abnormal in a given culture. He gives the example of how a child growing in a particular culture learns how to respond to, and express a range of physical or emotional symptoms or social stresses in a culturally patterned way. (Helman 1992) This respect that everyones perception of illness will vary. Abraham Shanley (1992)[4] have adopted a health belief model which raises four key components of a persons belief about their own health. This includes how susceptible we are to the illness in question, the seriousness of the illness, the potential costs and the effectiveness of this action in relation to possible alternatives. The reasons behind the recognition of the socially constructed concept is illustrated by Kenworthy (2002) who points out that nurses for example have become more person centred and individualised whereas prior to this there was a more medical -disease orientated approach. This is emphasised by Corbett (1995) who identifies the recognition of the patient in healthcare as an active participant rather than a passive recipient of care Thus it is arguable that with the changing emphasis of care the study of the sociological aspect of patients has become almost a central feature in the education of nurses and doctors. According to the Poverty Site[5] (2009) poverty and health site the relationship between poverty and health is complex. Various factors are considered such as poor environmental conditions, poor housing, pollution, low education levels and unawareness of needed medical care, financial barriers in accessing health services, and a lack of resources necessary to maintain good health status which may entail poor diets. The Hillingdon Crime Survey 2004[6] is a good representation of the direct effects of crime on health. Although it was carried out five years ago it does offer insights into figures as to the direct and indirect effects of crime on health. The survey was based on a random sample of over 2400 residents on the electoral register of whom 25% responded. Twelve point six percent encountered direct effects of crime including physical injury, disability and death resulting from violent assaults, abuse and accidents, including those caused by dangerous driving. It was discovered that when asked the impact of crime on their health almost seven per cent reported an injury; 6.1% onset or relapse of an eating disorder; 9.4% increased use of alcohol, drugs and/or smoking; nearly 60% increased stress or anxiety, 28.2% depression and about 17% each reported isolation and insomnia. (Hillingdon Crime Survey 2004). On the other hand the indirect effects of crime on the victims health consisted of time off work, financial losses and changes in home circumstances. The findings also disclosed that for some victims, there were long term consequences of higher rates of mental health problems, smoking, alcohol and drug misuse, neglect of their health and risky sexual behaviour'[7]. The Acheson report ()[8] supports this finding as it revealed that fear of crime and violence can affect peoples quality of life and also be a cause of mental distress and social exclusion. The British Medical Association (2003)[9] identifies the important contribution made to health and illness by the standard of accommodation. Undoubtedly the quality of accommodation is strongly related to income, Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that those with a satisfactory or higher income can minimise the adverse effect of poor housing resulting in better health. The report also reveals that social and physical characteristics of the surrounding area are also vital in maintaining good health. Indeed the fact that poor quality accommodation is often situated in impoverished surroundings contributes further to making vulnerable individuals housebound.The report cited the elderly, the very young and those suffering from long-term ill health amongst the vulnerable individuals who are at particular risk. Thus these groups have the greatest exposure to many specific hazards. These studies and surveys highlight the importance of social and economic factors as an adverse effect of poor health. We can see that especially those in poor housing conditions and those habiting in deprived high crime areas are most likely to suffer ill health. However there are encouraging policy and legislation which exists to minimise these social factors on the health of individuals such as the Health and Social Care Act 2008, The Health Act 2006 prohibiting smoking in certain premises and provides a minimum age of persons to whom tobacco may be sold and the Health Bill 2009 that attempts to improve the quality of NHS care and public health[10]. It is apparent that the definition of health and illness endorses not only the individuals objective medical condition but also the impact of social factors. Whereas the biomedical model of health has a more individualistic approach the socio medial approach is more valuable in giving a considered perception of the definitions of health and illness. Indeed one agrees with Helmans analysis (1992) as he reveals that the presentation of illness and the way in which an individual responds to it is largely determined by sociological factors. It is also evident that whilst applying the social medical approaches that the relationship between poverty and health should also be acknowledged. If the individuals perception of health is to improve positively then negative social factors which contribute will need to be addressed further; such as low educational attainment levels, poor housing, and dangerous environments including crime levels. Bibliography Book Kenworthy N, Snowley G, Gilling C, (2002) Common Foundation Studies in Nursing third edition Churchill Livingstone: Philadelphia Mosbys Medical Dictionary (2009), eighth edition Helman 2002 Ewles and Simnett (1992) McWhinney (1987 Abraham Shanley (1992) Corbett (1995) Ebook Shakespeare T, (1998) The Disability Reader :Social Science Perspectives http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3Pnzk9WfiPkCdg=shakespeare+1998+disabilty+readersource=gbs_navlinks_s Denny E, Earle S, (2005) Sociology for Nurses Polity Press http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_MVl26vxeqwCpg=PA1lpg=PA1dg=sociology+for+nurses+denny+earlesource=blots=p59GMnjfw9sig=WYRQ6-mit1nli5-nk049BUZQwDUhl=enei=8Yr5SuPoOsTl4QaEtsytCwsa=Xoi=book_result ct=resultresnum=1ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA #v=onepageq=f=false Journals Lynch, J. W.; Smith, G. D.; Kaplan, G. A.; and House, J. S. (2000). Income Inequality and Mortality: Importance to Health of Individual Income, Psychosocial Environment, or Material Conditions.British Medical Journal320:1200-1204 Marmot, M. (1999). Acting on the Evidence to Reduce Inequalities in Health.Health Affairs18(3):42-44 McWhinney IR (April 1987). Health and disease: problems of definition.CMAJ136(8): 815 Websites An Introduction to Social Policy (2009) http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy/introduction/contentf.htm Accessed on 17/11/2009 Palmer G, The Poverty Site http://www.poverty.org.uk/. Accessed on 17/11/2009 World Health Organisation (WHO)(2003) http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html Accessed on 17/11/2009 NHS The Hillingdon Crime Survey 2004 Chapter 3 Health and Crime http://www.hillingdon.nhs.uk/uploads/aphr04/Annual%20Public%20Health%20Report%202004%20chapter%203.pdf accessed on 14/11/2009 Housing and health: building for the future (2003) http://www.bma.org.uk/health_promotion_ethics/environmental_health/housinghealth.jsp accessed on 14/11/2009 World Health Organisation (WHO)(2003) http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html Accessed on 17/11/2009 Mosbys Medical Dictionary (2009), eighth edition Palmer G, The Poverty Site http://www.poverty.org.uk/. Accessed on 17/11/2009 NHS The Hillingdon Crime Survey 2004 Chapter 3 Health and Crime http://www.hillingdon.nhs.uk/uploads/aphr04/Annual%20Public%20Health%20Report%202004%20chapter%203.pdf accessed on 14/11/2009

Are We Too Dependence on Computers

With the improvement of technology, mobile phones have become an inevitable part of our lives. Because of their convenience and improvements, we now can make a phone call from any spot on our planet Earth. In today’s society our technology is more advanced than ever before. So far advanced is our society, that we can easily use cell phones to speak to anyone, anywhere and at any time. That’s why I am in favor of them. To begin with, they are very useful and parents can always call their children whenever they want and make sure they are fine. For example, we can use cell phones while driving, or speak to someone in another country. We can use them in the business world to conduct meetings or to rely vital information to co-workers or to conduct trade with other businesses. Many scientists consider the mobile phone transmitters to be the greatest danger to public health. I personally use them to call my friends whenever I feel miserable, euphoric, you name it. Making appointments with them is so easy. And not to miss the texting, which I have been using quite a lot recently. I have come to the conclusion that a text can make you much happier than a phone call, when you least expect it. Some may say that requiring children to wear uniforms does not allow the child their individuality. I think pupils at middle schools should wear school uniforms because school uniforms are homogeneous and show no difference concerning the families economic. Another reason why I think middle schools should have school uniforms is that school uniforms help pupils to represent their school and also help to separate themselves from other schools and pupils. Finally I think the idea of wearing school uniforms at middle school is a good way to form a positive school spirit and let pupils feel united and not separated only because of a more or less affluent background. I think that personally, I have nothing against school uniforms. They can be handy – no need to dwell on what the kid would have to wear everyday in school. But to use the argument that it will make schools safer is, I think, not fair. There are other more effective things we can do to ensure school safety. Let us not use school safety as an excuse to do things that we want.

On literature review made by authors Essay

The authors asserted to have found a framework for the examination of customer-focused culture via the literature review made. It may be noted that the study included only a survey of 32 potential best organizations as identified by the reseachers and they may not necessarily represent the broader characteristics of other organizations in New Zealand and even in the world. They have indeed accepted a limitation of their study that benefits would have been gained if the study has extended to a larger international group. The limitation of the samples use is material into the validity of the survey on whether they represent the real value of customer focus culture to the organizations. In discussing the background of the study, Bartley, et al (2007) cited the the strong link between an organization’s culture and its performance which they claimed to have been widely recognised by practitioners where they cited the work of Basch (2002) and academics where they cited the work of Kotter and Heskett (1992). If organizations desire to have enduring relationship and loyal customers, they must be equipped with an effective customer-focused culture which will make it easier for these companies to have successful product and service delivery. To support their statements they cited the works of Macaukay Clark (1998) and Martin (1992). For the authors customer-focused culture was almost as good as survival in the long-term. These findings from literature review prompted the authors and the the 18 organization-members of the NZBC to asks for the componets and charateristics of a good customer-focused culture. For which reason, NZBC was formed by the Massey University’s Centre for Organizational Excellence Research (COER) in partnership witht the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation to achieve the ambitious vision of becoming world-class performers of its members and to adopt excellent business practices within New Zealand. To measure the improvements by club members, they have agreed on a criteria for excellent performance on annual basis. See Figure 1 of their report and is made part of Appendix 1 of this paper. It appears that their agreement on criteria of performance excellence was just not a result of a tests or even a previous study. By merely agreeing and not conducting any test which are the factors there is basis the criteria may be just based on opinions. The results of their literature review resulted to their having identified six characteristics of organizations having performance of good to best practices. Bartley, B. et al. (2007) made use of same six characteristics as an analytical framework. They found the importance of leadership and used the works of Brooks, 1997; Whitely, 1991, Galreath and Rogers, 1999 which found that customers drive organizational direction and actions, to support the characteristic. They also included listening as characteristic where the views of customers are actively sought to have ease of contact/conduct of business where they cited the works of Scheuing (1999) and Plymie (1991). Bartley, B. et al (2007) also included analysis and understanding using the works of Brooks (1997) and Wikstrom (1996) which found that need to understand customer expectations. Further included is integration and deployment where the authors cited the work of Martin (1992) which could the need to act upon customers’ expectations. Still include is is people after citing the work of Kennedy, et al, (2002) which determined that customer-focused culture is understood and integrated in the whole the organization. They also included the need to review and improve where they cite the work of Alam and Perry (2002). The fact their literature review is supported by published works of other researchers on the basis of being mainly taken from academic journals and other published works, will lends some degree of validity of the summary of characteristics made as part of their analytical framework.