Northern Ireland Essay Example for Free

Northern Ireland Essay Within the results many important factors have arisen. Looking at the map produced using my national competition and local competition I can see that the stores are nearly evenly spread across Northern Ireland. This tells me that there is a large enough market for computer games in the Northern Ireland area as these stores can be sustained. On the other hand this tells me that there is already a lot of established national competition, and the business I am opening is not entering a gap in the market. A large number of the stores (4) are situated in Belfast, which can be easily accessed by Lurgan through the m1. So I would need to treat these Belfast stores as a serious threat, and I would need to keep the local market from buying there games there and also by enticing some of there customer to shop at our Lurgan store. This would mean that I would have to give the customers something that is not offered in the Belfast stores. The local competition consists of three stores in the Craigavon area which, although not in the immediate area, still pose the most serious threat to my business. The stores are already established, and this means that there is a market, although there may not be enough room for another games store. But the advantage I have is that none of these three stores are based in Lurgan town centre, so that would mean there is an untapped market that I can enter into. My covert observation of game shows me a successful business in the Belfast area. I taught me that a computer games store is one in which a lot of people browse and not buy the first time that they are in the store. This would tell me that we would need to tempt customer into buying what they may be interested in. This would require me to hire skilful staff who would have a keen interest in computers and would have a wide scope of knowledge about the games and equipment that would be available. I would hope to be a manager that has a lot say over each aspect of the business I would be able to adopt a McGregor theory Y approach. I would do this, as I would like to delegate to my workers to effectively use their skills to the highest level. It would also help in improving organisation and motivation, and also help in the costs that may be meet in hiring extra managers or staff. However, as I want a lot of control over my business I may have some characteristics of a theory X manager as I would be on the floor as much as I could, and also would try and make all the main decisions to be taken in the business. Analysis of my questionnaire results provides me with various important numeric results. The first important result that I came across was that every one of my respondents owned a computer. This was very significant, as my potential market would have to be persons who already owned a computer, and would be interested in my goods, and so if they did not already own a computer these goods would be useless to the consumers. Briefly this means that this question give me an estimate of how large my potential customers is. However these potential customer may not be interested in games and owning a computer may not mean that they could be persuaded to attend my store. Knowing now if the person owned a computer or not I then needed to find out what type of computer they may own. I found that the majority of respondents owned a PC or a Playstation. This was significant in that the second most popular was the Playstation which is a pure gaming machine, and this would suggest that there is a large number of persons living in the Lurgan area who enjoy computer games and may be interested in my store. Knowing who owns a computer games console I was then interested in knowing how frequently the respondents would buy computer games, to know how often customers would use my store. Over half of the respondents would buy their games over six months apart. This is a negative result as it tell me that there may be spells when the business may not have much custom and periods when it does, making balancing the books an up hill task. I was interested in knowing where my respondents would buy their games to know where most of my competition comes from (locally or nationally), and whether the Lurgan market would attract any of their custom. The results showed me that the majority of the respondents would not buy their games from the Lurgan area and so my national competition would pose a bigger threat than first expected. Lastly I was curious to whether the respondents would use a specialist store if it were available. The majority said that they would mean that a lot of the respondents who do not buy their games in Lurgan might if they had a better quality of service. My second questionnaire done to gain further information showed me a very significant result. Most of the first questionnaire respondents did not purchase games in the Lurgan area, and so I needed to look at where they would then purchase. I found that 3 respondents purchase games in Belfast, 1 in Lisburn and 3 in Portadown. But what was most significant is that the store in Belfast and Lisburn (part of the national market) were specialist store such as the one that I was planning. This could suggest that these specialist stores attract my local market away because of something that only a specialist store offers. When looking at the property values in the Lurgan area I came across various properties, which could be potentially busy locations, where I could attract a wide and large scope of my potential customers. I needed a retail property large enough to accommodate all of my products and their layout, including enough space that would be needed to present each part in a manner that is organised and invite the customer to look at our products. I also needed a property that was not going to push up my fixed costs so high that I could not possibly meet them, and would have problems in the long term in making a profit or be able to break-even. The first property that I had looked at was the most promising of all the properties in the Lurgan area. It was located at 35 William Street Lurgan. At 75000, this was the cheapest property that was currently available in the Lurgan area, and cost is an important factor, as I would wish to keep my possible costs to a minimum. I could attain a mortgage on the property meaning that I would not have to pay out such a large sum on start and not run into financial difficulties from the start. Also banks are always interested in investing in franchises as they are seen as less risky than most other business start-ups. The property is also a size that is feasible enough to hold everything that I require and also leave enough floor space for me to work with. I could use the top floors for offices for myself or to rent out to other firms. However these floors need some additional work done. The property is also located just 100-200 yards from the town centre and is adjacent from a car park meaning that this is a very accessible property. I found very few properties in the Lurgan area, with Century 21 stating most retail properties are sold before a brochure can be made. The other properties that I had found in the Lurgan area where either too small, expensive, or located too far from the town centre.

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Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy is a good example of the general mindset during the Cold War. Kissinger explains the nuclear dilemma and how much the nuclear age differs from past war problems. He also goes into depths about the problems with American foreign policy and offers several opinions on how it can be changed. At certain times, the book begins to read more as a Kissinger manual on how to fix foreign policy and becomes less of an analysis of nuclear weapons and foreign policy. This is most likely attributed to his positions as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. His central thesis was that the threat of nuclear annihilation was nearly useless as an instrument of foreign policy because it lacked credibility. Instead, he offers that the United States focuses on improving its ability to fight limited wars, and accept that total victory in said wars were not crucial. He spends a great deal of time arguing the benefits of limited warfare, the problems nuclear weap ons bring into military operations, and the politics surrounding both. All said points were analyzed by Kissinger very well; however he fails to address the problem of arms control and the arms race in general. The main argument Kissinger addresses is that limited war was the only avenue of escape from nuclear stalemate with the Soviet Union. He argues that the United States tradition of absolute victory in war had led them into a dead end of massive retaliation and the threat of all out nuclear war was used to block every move by the Soviets. According to Kissinger, nuclear weapons coincided with the concept of total war. This leads to situations where the will to fight is crippled. He advocates a return to limited warfare similar to that of the Nap... ...ome above the military’s quickness to respond. During war militaries do not have the ability to define the difference between tactical victories and political goals. In a limited nuclear war, it is the political element which decides the length and breath of the military effort. Such was the nature of the task Henry Kissinger undertook during the heyday of the Cold War. Overall Henry Kissinger offered explanation to the problems foreign policy faced because of nuclear weapons during the Cold War. He believed that deterrence and limited warfare was the best solution to these problems. Today it would not seem like as big of deal, but at the time this was a very controversial viewpoint. I argue that Kissinger could have touched more on the arms race and other threatening regions, such as China. All in all, I enjoyed his viewpoint on a very conflicted time in history.

Promoting Wellness and Resilience Essay

This paper deals with promoting wellness and resilience for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). First, a model of wellness and resiliency is presented. Then, recommended intervention activities that promote resilience and wellness are discussed. Lastly, prevention and education activities are proposed. Wellness and Resiliency Model Studies on wellness and resilience models among individuals with IDD appear non-existent and very few have been written about counseling methodology. Most focus on a cognitive-behavioral approach to psychotherapy (CBT). Therefore, a paradigm must be created that combines CBT and an evidence-based model of wellness. Myers, Sweeney, and Witmer (2000) define wellness as â€Å"a way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being, in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live life more fully within the human and natural community. Ideally, it is the optimum state of health and well-being that each individual is capable of achieving† (p. 252). â€Å"Resilience refers to positive adaptation, or the ability to maintain or regain mental health, despite experiencing adversity† (Herrman, Stewart, Diaz-Granados, Berger, Jackson, Yuan, 2011, p. 259). Myers and Sweeney (2005) created a model of wellness called The Indivisible Self which is based on A dlerian principles. This model delineates five areas of wellness: physical, essential, social, coping, and creative. Physical well-being is further divided into two areas: exercise and nutrition. Essential wellness is broken down into four components: spirituality, self-care, gender identity, and cultural identity. Social felicity is divided into two parts: friendship and love. Coping is divided into four aspects: realistic beliefs, stress management, self-worth, and leisure. Creative fitness is broken down into five elements: thinking, emotion, control, positive humor, and work (Myers and Sweeney, 2005). Recommended Intervention Activities That Promote Resilience and Wellness As  the IDD population tends to be of lower socioeconomic status (as adults), placed in residential facilities, and highly medicated, physical health is a vital component of overall wellness. Physical fitness can be maintained through exercise programs. A community-based program described by Lante, Walkley, Gamble, and Vassos (2011) provided health and psychosocial benefits to participants. In the area of essential wellness , spirituality plays an important part in the lives of most. IDD individuals should be allowed to attend worship services or participate in other activities cultivating the spiritual nature. Watts (2011) proposes utilization of Special Religious Education for People with a Developmental Disability (SPRED), defined as â€Å"†¦symbolic catechesis where formal instruction is supplemented or completely replaced by visual, aural, sensory, and physical stimuli (p. 237). In the area of self-care, individuals can be taught tasks to their fullest level of independence. Gender identity can be explored through modified sex-education curriculums exemplified by The Facts of Life†¦and More by Walker-Hirsch (lesliewalker-hirsch.com, 2014). Social well-being is a necessary component of wellness among those with IDD. Friendship and love are very possible and should be encouraged. Community groups, such as The Gathering Place and Pathfinders, provide a venue and activities for the population (welcometowesley.com, 2014; gracenc.org, 2014). Dating sites such as Special Bridge provide access for individuals with IDD a chance to meet and date others with IDD (specialbridge.com). CBT can be utilized to help disabled individuals in the area of coping. Irrational beliefs can be explored and replaced with more realistic views. Stress management techniques can be taught. Self-worth can be explored and improved (Lee, 2004). Leisure skills and interests can be explored and improved upon through systematic testing and development (Kreiner and Flexer, 2009). Creative fitness can be cultivated through activities that involve thinking, particularly critical thinking. Handling emotions and controlling behavior can be taught via dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) (Rizvi, Steffel, and Carson-Wong, 2013). Work needs can be met through sheltered, supported, and/or competitive employment. In North Carolina, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation provides services and referrals to service providers (ncdhhs.gov/dvrs, 2014). Proposed Prevention and Education Activities Education and prevention can focus on training individuals, families, caretakers, and facility staff. If those who are in contact with the population everyday can be educated as much as possible, the level of wellness and resilience in persons with IDD should increase. IDD clients can learn about healthy eating and exercise through objective plans adjusted for functioning level. For instance, individuals with autism can read a social story (The Gray Center, 2014). Individuals, families and staff can be trained on proper nutrition by registered dietitians who can develop meal plans (American Dietetic Association, 2009). The importance of gender and sex education, spirituality, and cultural identity can be taught to those working with people with IDD. Gender and cultural identity and sex education can be taught to individuals with IDD through modified curriculums or incidental learning. Social skills, coping mechanisms, and creative pursuits can be taught to individuals. Families and facilities can learn what coping mechanisms are effective for clientele. Identified Strategies to Promote Community Resources Families in particular can be directed to community resources. Many resources exist for individuals with IDD. Brochures, information about service providers, and government resources can be given to families and higher-functioning individuals. Providing links to websites for organizations such as The Arc and managed care organizations such as Coastal Care can be a good starting place (thearc.org, 2014; coastalcarenc.org, 2014). References Beange, H., & Lennox, N. (1999). Health targets for people with an intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 24(4), 283. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=2731367&site=ehost-live&scope=site The gathering place. (2014). Retrieved May 18, 2014, Retrieved from http://welcometowesley.com/connect/special-needs/ The gray center: What are social stories. (2014). Retrieved May 18, 2014, Retrieved from

America s First Serial Killer - 1347 Words

H.H. Holmes, born in 1861 as Herman Webster Mudgett, was an extremely notable con man, fraud and murderer. More popularly known as America’s first serial killer, Holmes had a vast and varying criminal record. For instance, his criminal record ranged from forging checks and life insurance claims, to killing off entire families in his â€Å"murder† hotel. The one most identifiable pattern to his offenses resides in his economic struggle. As seen in a documentary directed by John Borowski, most of the individuals that Holmes killed were sold off, illegally, as cadavers to his former medical school (Borowski, H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer). In addition, most of his other scams also revolved around obtaining more money. Such as his life†¦show more content†¦Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer). Holmes decided to invest in a small barbershop in which he could later build above and design his own hotel. Holmes designed this hotel with one goal in mind, killing his guests. According to Darcia Helle, in her blog titled The Monstrous H.H. Holmes and His Murder Castle Inc., throughout the construction of his hotel, Holmes formed a relationship with the carpenter, Benjamin Pitezel. Together, Pitezel and Holmes came up with an interesting life insurance scam. While it seemed to work out, Holmes eventually turned on his partner and killed Benjamin Pitezel. Following his criminal pattern, he took out a life insurance policy on Pitezel prior to his death. Due to the insurance companies increased suspicion, a detective was hired to look up who had taken out the insurance money, and this is where Holmes is first found and caught. At first, Holmes was only charged with life insurance fraud. The police did not yet know the extent of his criminal record. However, according to the online article by the National Museum of Crime Punishment, when Holmes was arrested he appeared as if he was ready to flee the country, which furthermore increased the suspicion of police (H.H. Holmes, 2015). This increased suspicion led to the search of Holmes’ Chicago home and the realization that Holmes was more than just an insurance fraud. Historical Background: For a serial murderer with upwards of