Bats Echolocation Essay Example for Free

Bats Echolocation Essay Echolocation is the art which is utilized by many animals in the detection of their pray and for navigational purposes. These animals are generally not equipped with eyes that are functionally advanced to the extent that makes them a good predator in their habitat. Common examples of such animals are Bats, dolphins, whales etc.   Such animals emit an ultrasonic signal into the environment and sense the signal that returns back after striking from the surroundings. This enables them to appreciate what waits ahead of them, its range, size etc. In short echolocation works exactly like modern day sonar in which the animal makes an estimate of the range of the pray by calculating the time interval between its own emission of the sound and the echoes that return back. Bats use echolocation signals that range in the frequency from   14kHz to 1000khz (Neuweiler 245) .These signals are thus well out of the range of human ear to hear which is capable to decipher audio signals falling between the frequency of 20 Hz -20,000 Hz .. Studies have indicated that bats have a very characteristic pattern of hunting by echolocation that can be divided into four phases namely search phase, approach phase, terminal buzz and the post buzz phase. All these phases differ in their band width and inter pulse duration. When a bat is in flying smoothly in search of it’s pray it is said to be in the search phase which is characterized by pulses which have a comparatively low pulse repetition rate, a higher pulse duration and inter-pulse interval . When the pray is detected the signal is changed to the approach phase in which the interval between the pulses decreases to about 33 ms. Just before the capture of the pray most of the echo locating bats emit a terminal buzz, which has further decreased inter-pulse interval. The terminal buzz phase can also be divided into a Buzz I and Buzz II phase. Irrespective of the fact that a prey capture attempt is successful or not the same pattern of phases is repeated again during the course a bat is flying in search of its pray. To tell more simply the usual signals in the search phase are well separated and have a lesser rate/sec as compared to the signals which are released when the bat has spotted and is just approaching its target.   The pattern of the phases are however different which would be discussed later in the same article. One may be wondering what makes these animals utilize such advanced mechanisms to hunt for their pray. The answer lies in the fact that bats are provided with a highly sensitive inner ear (The part of the ear that detects and transmits hearing impulses to higher centers in the nervous system). In the same way bats have a very advanced auditory cortex in order to interpret these signals (Grinnell 25). Numerous studies have been conducted on the echolocation pattern of the bats; below it the summaries of some selected studies which would enable the readers in a better understanding of the topic. Although it is an extremely vast topic yet every effort is made to provide the summaries of recent five researches 1) Effects of successful capture attempt versus unsuccessful capture attempt on post-buzz period: Adam et al in their study demonstrated the effect of a successful catch over an unsuccessful attempt on the post-Buzz period. Post Buzz period is the interval that follows the terminal buzz till the usual pattern of the pulses, search phase is restarted. According to this study the post-buzz phase was significantly greater after successful attempts as compared to unsuccessful attempts.206 ±112.3ms for successful attempts and 106.2 ± 83.3 ms for unsuccessful attempts. This increase in the post-buzz period has been attributed to time that is required in the handling of the pray. Similar studies have indicated increase in post-buzz time upon the successful capture of the pray (Kalko 225). However the post-buzz time was shorter in this study than that found in that found by Adam et al possibly due to the use of smaller insects. So the pray size is also a determining factor in the duration of post-buzz interval. Similar results were obtained by a study done by Annemarie, Vibeke and Jakob Tougaard from the University of Southern Denmark. In addition to the calculation of post-buzz time for successful and unsuccessful attempts they also calculated the post-buzz periods for touches also, i.e. when a bat is unsuccessful in capturing the prey yet its body parts slightly touch the prey in flight. Similar to the previous studies the post-buzz period was greatest in successful catches 272.2 ms and shortest in unsuccessful attempts, 117.9 ms and almost a middle value in case of touches i.e. 181.2 ms. 2. Effect of the size of prey on the bat’s response time One might think that it makes sense if we say that larger prays are detected from a longer distance as compared to prays of smaller size. But in actual studies this belief has been negated. One of the studies indicated that there was no significant effect of the size of the pray on the reaction time of bats. The mean time from detection till attempted capture was 604 ±141 ms (Britton 1796). Similar results were found by Acharya and Fenton in their study titled â€Å"Echolocation behavior of vespertilionid bats attacking airborne targets including arctiid moths† 3. Echolocation frequency of bat species and its relation with geographical habitat: In a lot number of studies the interesting phemenon of the relationship between specific bat frequencies to their habitat was demonstrated. Gareth Jones and Sofie M. V Parijs demonstrated the presence of both high frequency and low frequency Pipistrelus bats in Britain. The echolocation signals of the low frequency bats were never found to exceed 52 KHz while that of the high frequency bats were usually above 52 KHz (Jones 123). They attributed this frequency difference to their geographical habitats.   In recordings from Scotland the high frequency bats which were found to be 71% clearly dominated the low frequency bats.   Thus it was concluded that in a particular geographical area different phenotypic bats having nearly similar echolocation frequencies of the same specie can exist and the change in frequency is not exhibited by the same phenotype which change its frequency according to ecological conditions. 4) Echolocation studies in Dolphins: Dolphins appear to have a lot more advanced echolocation system as compared to bats. They listen to their pray and then use echolocation signals to get more information about the pray (Harley 62). There is also a possibility that dolphins use echolocation signals for communication purposes as well this was proposed by Brownlee. Conclusion: Keeping in view the diversified studies that have been done on the echolocation patterns of bats one finds himself amazed to see what is known and highly curious about what is yet to be found out. Future works can target coding bat species according to their echolocation frequencies. Although this is not going to be an easy job but it is going to open windows to new dimensions of research. Through this coding an attribution to the geographical location of the bats can also be made.

British Identity: A Shared Culture

British Identity: A Shared Culture The concept of identity has both personal and social perspectives but, irrespective of focus, each is concerned with categorisation and assumptions of similarity and difference. Social identity relates to the links that exist between people and places, the ideas and practices that align individuals to one social group as opposed to another and the feeling of acceptance and belonging which comes from such allegiance. Great Britain consists of a group of individual countries: England, Wales and Scotland, each of which joined the union at different points in a turbulent history. Northern Ireland, whilst part of the United Kingdom, is not part of Great Britain despite its population being included in the British political process. In spite of these confusing, apparently all-encompassing titles, each individual nation retains a separate identity in addition to the collective ones conferred by the UK and GB acronyms. Historically, English dominance of the union has been a source of contention and in recent years the individual identities of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have become more officially recognised by the adoption of a partially devolved political process for the former two and a power sharing agreement with the Irish Republic for the latter. The merits or shortcomings of devolution fall outside the scope of this essay, nevertheless, it could be argued that at a time when the very notion of Britishness is up for debate, separating the union, even if only for political purposes, will do nothing to strengthen a collective sense of national identity if, in fact, one ever truly existed. Diversity amongst the individual nations of the United Kingdom is only one part of the story and despite being an island and thus having an easily recognisable border, the reach of Britain extends well beyond geographical limits. Great Britains empire building past has left a web of connections that span the world. The British Empire at its height covered a quarter of the globe, and whilst many former colonies, dependencies and protectorates have since regained independence, the history of a British presence in parts of South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean left a postcolonial legacy of citizenship rights which has contributed to the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society that exists in Britain today. Whether because of commerce or conquest, as an escape from poverty or persecution, Britains population comprises a diverse collection of people, some of whom may have connections to and, therefore, identify with places other than the British Isles. Who we are and who others think we are has a lot to do with where we live and our origins, but it takes much more than territorial borders to define national identity. It is almost impossible to say exactly what British identity is or should be in the 21st century and as a result the very idea of Britishness has been the source of much anxiety, uncertainty and political debate in recent years (Clarke, 2009, P. 210). From politicians to social commentators, newspaper editors to academics, all have suggested ways in which the meaning of Britishness could be constructed and fixed. Amongst other things, Clarke suggests that British national identity may mean having a sense of place, a shared way of life, a common history and a recognised image of race or ethnicity (2009, p. 219), but in light of the diverse nature of Britains population some of his suggestions seem more plausible than others. A sense of place can only come from a feeling of acceptance and belonging, hard to achieve when even after three generations of British citizenship your community is still viewed with suspicion and resentment. The idea of a common history may not sit well with everyone, especially those whose ancestors were the subject of domination, oppression and exploitation. A recognised image of race or ethnicity implies a singular recognition, fine if your skin is the right colour, but at risk from discrimination if it is not, legislation can protect but it cannot change attitudes. Even though a shared way of life seems to be a reasonable suggestion, cultural differences make this eq ually difficult to imagine. Culture, according to Clarke, has at least two meanings (2009, p. 219). The first suggested interpretation is what he calls high culture; this includes art, literature, theatre and music. Writers such as Shakespeare, Austen and Dickens, artists such as Turner and Constable and composers such as Elgar all supposedly provide an apparently shared set of reference points with which all British people can identify (2009, p. 221). However, Clarke also notes that the stressed importance of English names in the list of preferred cultural icons excludes not only those members of British society whose origins, whether real or imagined, lie outside its geographical limits, but those from other parts of the UK too. Raymond Williams (1958, cited in Clarke, 2009, p. 219) calls this a selective tradition. Therefore, to suggest the use of British high culture as a unifying tool is to exclude a large section of society to whom it is probably irrelevant and perhaps even unintelligible. Clarkes suggestion of a shared way of life also falls under the cultural banner. Normal everyday practices of living such as dress, food, customs and religious observance are all important in defining the meaning of culture. Common forms of behaviour, values, morals and ethics are important in a shared way of life but immediately this highlights some problems. Religious and cultural differences, for example, may make behaviour considered acceptable to people in one community completely unacceptable to those of another. Not all diversity is necessarily ethnic or religious, however, and age, gender, social background and political differences can all divide as well as unite. Having established the difficulty in accepting shared culture as a means of defining British identity, the idea of shared values has been suggested by both David Blunkett and Trevor Phillips. Mr. Blunkett, former UK Home Secretary, suggested that Britishness is defined à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ through our shared values, our history of tolerance, of openness (2005, cited in Clarke, 2009, P. 221). Trevor Phillips, former Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, also suggested that Britishness à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ lies in a way of living à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In a diverse society, the shared values are the fundamental glue that holds us together; and the way we behave towards each other is the outward manifestation of our values. (2007, cited in Clarke, 2009, PP. 222-223). Both these statements, whilst obviously well meant, do not stand up to scrutiny. To suggest that the British people are tolerant and open is to deny history. Perhaps Blunkett and Phillips are simply stating how they would like peo ple to think and act, in which case their argument will likely fall on many deaf ears! For Blunkett and Phillips diversity is a positive thing, something to embrace and celebrate. They suggest that only through tolerance and openness to diversity can Britain gain a unifying sense of identity. Their views have been contested, however, and statements denouncing the acceptance and encouragement of diversity have been equally prominent. David Goodhart, a magazine editor, has suggested that increasing diversity in Britain has caused us to become a nation of strangers. He also suggests, As Britain becomes more diverse that common culture is being eroded (2004, cited in Clarke, 2009, pp225-226). Whatever common culture he happens to be referring to; he suggests that its loss is leading to a lack of solidarity and social cohesion. His opinion, unlike that of Blunkett and Phillips, however, does not carry the weight of authority since it is a personal opinion expressed in a magazine article. In complete contrast to Goodhart, Bhikhu Parekh, in a report for the Runnymeade Trust, suggests that diversity and collective national identity need not be mutually exclusive. Whilst acknowledging the risk of social fragmentation and racism, Parekh suggests that if all members of society feel equally valued, have access to equal opportunities, lead fulfilling lives and shoulder the burden of societal responsibility that it may be possible to develop a shared identity and common sense of belonging (2000, cited in Clarke, 2009, pp. 226-227). In a diverse society, therefore, the concept of national identity should be all-inclusive; clearly, this cannot depend on a shared culture. Moreover, simply telling people how to think or behave will not change attitudes nor make them feel united. Ultimately, perhaps economic and social equality will lead to a unified purpose and sense of collective identity or perhaps not, this is clearly a complex question without a single answer. (1500 words) Life stage analysis: Maturity – Old Age Life stage analysis: Maturity – Old Age In 2005, an estimated one in six individuals was over the age of 65, representing 16 percent of the UK population[1]. The National Statistics Office reports that the largest population increase was evidenced in the 85+ age group, growing by more than 64,000 (6 per cent) in 2005, totalling 1.2 million individuals[2]. Many factors are responsible for this the growth rate in the over 65, primarily in the later older adult stage of 85+, as healthcare and technology are improving and leading to increased survival rates, coupled by the post World War One baby boomers reaching their later adult years[3]. Increasingly, nursing and other professional groups are utilizing Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) that uses situations from real life to analyse issues while learning from a nursing perspective with an emphasis on refining capabilities in actual nursing practice[4]. Researchers emphasize the open-ended questioning used for complex problems or scenarios that allow the nurse to seek out new evidence[5]. Using an Enquiry Based Learning scenario, this paper will present the case of special needs family and with an emphasis on life stage analysis of the elderly. Following a brief case presentation, this paper will define the maturity-old age life stage, describing various factors specific to maturity that influence the person’s biological, psychological and social perspectives. Personal and practical nursing experience with mature/older patients is presented followed by what has been learned from the research on how to effectively provide nursing care in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes to older individuals. Case presentation This is the case of a nuclear family. Mr. and Mrs. Smythe’s are adults with two children, a daughter E. who is 14 years old and pregnant and a son who is 4 years old afflicted with Downs Syndrome and suffers with intermittent breathing problems due to the Down’s syndrome. Both children live at home with their parents. Mrs. And Mrs. Smythe are reasonably healthy with no chronic health concerns at this time. Mr. Smythe works full time in a position outside of the home. Mrs. Smythe is a full-time homemaker. Mr. Smythe’s two parents are both alive at 82 years of age and living together in their own dwelling. Both parents are reasonably healthy for their age with no chronic health problems identified at this time. Mrs. Smythe’s father, Mr. Jones, is 86 and a recent widower (of three months). Following the death of her mother, Mrs. Smythe invited her father to live with her family. Mr. Jones is in fair health, although he is depressed and having difficulty adjusting to the new environment at his daughter’s home, the issues with her children and the loss of his wife all occurring within a short time. Assessment Life stage identification This paper will focus on the three individuals in Erikson’s Maturity stage of life, aged 65 to death[6]. This life stage is marked by the psychosocial integrity vs. despair conflict, such that individuals are reflecting back on their lives and either accepts the thought of their death with a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment or a feeling of despair and regret[7]. Smith[8] identifies the 65+ age group as belonging in Levinson’s late adulthood developmental stage. Factors specific to maturity – Physiological/biological As individual ages, many physiological changes take place in virtually all physiological systems, ranging from the endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, skin, hair and nails and nervous system[9]. Globally, there is a reduction in cells and cellular metabolism, as the body gradually becomes less efficient[10]. Skin looses subcutaneous fat, things and there is a reduction of collagen and elastin combined with a 50 percent reduction in cell replacement[11]. Respiratory muscles degenerate and respiratory capacity decreases, alveoli decline in size and the lungs become more rigid as the individual ages.[12] The heart reduces in size and contractile strength and cardiac efficiency is reduced by as much as 30 – 35 percent[13]. There is a general decrease in height, bone mass, muscle mass and collagen with less joint elasticity[14]. Sleep patterns are altered, with regular wakeful periods during the night[15]. The aging body does not readily distinguish between host cells and infection along with a reduced ability to absorb vitamin B12, decreasing hematocrit and hemoglobin levels. Of particular importance is the reduced drug clearance by approximately 50 percent, often leading to increased risk of drug interactions among elderly individuals who are frequently on more than one pharmaceutical agent[16]. Factors specific to maturity – Psychological and Sociological The death of a spouse is the leading cause of disruptive life-event stress and conflict[17] affecting the way an individual understands themselves and their role in society and the family. Rokach and Brock found that loneliness has a strong correlation with self-esteem in the elderly[18]. Marital status and the death of a spouse contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness in the elderly, creating a sense of stigma in the individual, causing emotional distress, feelings of rejection and isolation, especially when care is taken over by others such with the death of a spouse[19]. In particular, men have a difficult time with their own emotions, perceiving their social needs for companionship rather than isolation as a sign of weakness[20]. When older individuals are also faced with a reduction in income and job status, the older individual reportedly has a greater propensity towards solitude, isolation and loneliness[21]. Warner[22] found that those elderly adults who maintained their own independence had less of a need for dependent behaviour because of social cues, whereas those who were dependent, such as Mrs. Smythe’s father, Mr. Jones, reacted with a greater sense of learned dependency and associated social contact seeking behaviours. Practical nursing experience that provides a basis for nursing intervention in this case With the knowledge provided by two factors: research and LEIPAD[23], the three elderly individuals were administered the LEIPAD multidimensional assessment to gain a baseline for intervention[24]. LEIPAD is believed to be a stronger single assessment tool than using a combination of The SF-36, Barthel Index of activities of daily living and the Abbreviated Mental test, even though the Barthel Index is recommended by both the Royal College of Physicians of London and the British Geriatrics Society[25]. Mr. Jones requires the greatest intervention due to losses of his wife, independence and immediate social circle. Additionally, Mr. Jones has daily coping issues with his grandchildren. To date, practical nursing experience has primarily focused on education related to chronic diseases and disease prevention with elderly patients. Inconsistency is noted when relating to patients and relating to older members of one’s family, where greater emphasis is placed on psychological and social wellbeing. What has been learned from using the EBL approach to this case? In addition to the amount of research one can use to prepare and expand one’s horizons with an EBL approach, such as using the LEIPAD assessment rather than the Barthel Index, is the use of open-ended questions that solicit a wealth of information. Most practitioners like to keep answers to questions short or they will cut patients off in mid-sentence. Open-ended questions allow for further probing by active listening and a participatory manner. References Austin, Shari. Oral Health and Older Adults. Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2003. De Leo, Diego, Diekstra, Rene, Lonnqvist, Jouko , Trabucchi, Marco, Cleiren, Marc, Frisoni, Giovanni B., Dello Buono, Marirosa, Haltunen, Aro, Zucchetto, Mauro, Rozzini, Renzo, Grigoletto, Francesco, Sampaio-Faria, Jose. LIEPAD, An Internationally Applicable Instrument to Assess Quality of Life in the Elderly. Behavioral Medicine, 1998. Ginsberg, Gary, Hattis, Dale, Russ, Abel Sonawane, Babasaheb. Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Factors that can Affect Sensitivity to Neurotoxic Sequelae in Elderly Individuals. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2005. Hutchins, Bill. Principles of Enquiry-Based Learning, Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning Resources – University of Manchester, 2006. Kahn, Peter O’Rourke, Karen. Understanding Enquiry-Based Learning. In Barrett, T., McLabhrainn, I. Fallon, H. eds. Handbook of Enquiry Problem Based Learning, Galway: CELT, 2005. Lyons, Ronald Al., Crone, Peter, Monaghan, Stephen, Killalea, Dan Daley, John A. Health Status and Disability Among Elderly People in Three UK Districts. Age and Ageing, 1997. Office for National Statistics; General Register Office for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Population Estimates. 2006 [Online]. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=6 (cited 1 May 2007). Price, Robert. Enquiry-Based Learning: An Introductory Guide. Nursing Standards, 2001. Rokach, Ami Brock, Heather. Loneliness and the Effects of Life Changes. The Journal of Psychology, 1997. Smith, Mark K. Life Span Development and Lifelong Learning. [Online]. Infed. Available from: http://www.infed.org/biblio/lifecourse_development.htm (cited 1 May 2007). Tosey, Paul McDonnell, Juliet, Mapping Enquiry Based Learning: Discourse, Fractals and a Bowl of Cherries. 2006. [Online]. Available from: http://www.com.survey.ac.uk/learningtolearn (cited 30 April 2007). Warner, Dorothy Ann. Empowering the Older Adult through Folklore. Adultspan Journal, 2006. Winters, Angela. Erikson’s Theory of Human Development. [Online]. Ezine Articles. Available from: http://ezinearticles.com/?Ericksons-Theory-of-Human-Developmentid=20117 (cited 1 May 2007). Footnotes [1] Office for National Statistics; General Register Office for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2006. [2] Office for National Statistics, 2006. [3] Office for National Statistics, 2006. [4] R. Price, Enquiry-Based Learning: An Introductory Guide, Nursing Standards, 2001) 18. [5] B. Hutchings, Principles of Enquiry Based Learning, Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning, University of Manchester, 2006 and Kahn O’Rourke, 2005. [6] A. Winters, Erikson’s Theory of Human Development. Ezine articles, 2007. [7] Winters, 2007. [8] M. Smith, Life Span Development and Lifelong Learning, 2005. [9] S. Austin, Oral Health and Older Adults, Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2003) 129. [10] Austin, 2003) 129. [11] Austin, 2003) 129. [12] Austin, 2003) 129. [13] Austin, 2003) 129. [14] Austin, 2003) 130. [15] Austin, 2003) 130. [16] G. Ginsberg et al., Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Factors that can Affect Sensitivity to Neurotoxic Sequelae in Elderly Individuals, Environmental Health Perspectives, 2005) 1249, [17] Tennant and Pogson, 1995 as cited by Smith, 2005. [18] A. Rokach H. Brock, Loneliness and the Effects of Life Change, The Journal of Psychology, 1997) 285. [19] Rokach Brock, 1997) 289. [20] Rokach Brock, 1997) 290. [21] Rokack Brock, 1997) 296. [22] D. A. Warner, Empowering the Older Adult through Folklore, Adultspan Journal, 2006. [23] D. DeLeo et al., LEIPAD, An Internationally Applicable Instrument to Assess Quality of Life in the Elderly, Behavioral Medicine, 1999) 27. The LEIPAD assessment was determined to assess physical, mental, social and occupational status, including self-assessments of health status and perceptions, inclusive of pain, self-esteem, self-confidence, levels of optimism, anxiety and depression, including feelings about friendship, happiness, loneliness, isolation and solitude. [24] DeLeo et al., 1999) 19. [25] R. A. Lyons, et al., Health Status and Disability Among Elderly People in Three UK Districts, Age and Ageing, 1997) 204. Gender issues: Who is the better teacher? Gender issues: Who is the better teacher? Gender has long been the issue in classroom for over decades. The question of who is a better teacher male of female has always been debated for years. Although this issue has dissipates following the issue of sexism and gender equity, it still knocks on the door of every classroom. Does a teachers gender affect student performance in the classroom? Does student performance increases when taught by teacher of the same sex, or is it the opposite? Many researches have been done in trying to answer these questions, but no definite conclusion has been made. Most of the researchers are still trying to figure out what actually constitutes to the students achievement in relation to teachers gender. There are two views when it comes to the influence of teachers gender effect in classroom, one accepts it and another one denies it. The first one says when students are taught by the teacher of the same sex as the students, the students achievement will increase. Some researchers are saying that students will perform better when taught by the same gender, as they feel more engaged and are able to identify themselves with the teacher because of the same gender factor. Gender role model, stereotypes, expectations, and teaching styles are some of the variables that are brought up when it comes to same-gender factor. Still, there are people who believe that teachers gender effect does not have any influence in students academic achievements. They believed that there is no ample evidence to support such notion, and even if there was, it was not sufficient and significant enough to be accepted as a sole reason for such occurrence. Although many researches had been made, there are still loopholes that need to be filled and studied. Inconsistent findings and conclusions given by previous researchers is one reason why further studies are needed. Some shortcomings and limitation from previous research are also need to be rectified. There are several elements that indirectly influence the teachers gender effect in classroom. Factors such as students perception towards teachers performance and effectiveness in class, and teachers level of interaction are some that will be touched in the article review. All of these elements will be reviewed in terms of gender differences. Because the literature on teachers gender issues is so broad, this review of literature begins by examining theories of gender role development and social learning theories. Next, gender role expectations and the stereotypical male and female student will be examined. This information will then be brought together with research specific to the classroom experience involving student and teacher interactions and research specific to teacher training. 2.1 TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS Effective teachers are those who achieve the goals which they set for themselves or which they have set for them by others (e.g ministries of education, legislators and other government officials, school administrators). As a consequence, those who study and attempt to improve teachers effectiveness must be cognizant of the goals imposed on teachers or the goals that teachers establish for themselves, or both. According to Kemp and Hall (1992), the major research finding is that student achievement is related to teacher competence in teaching. Differential teacher effectiveness is a strong determinant of differences in student learning, far outweighing the effects of differences in class size and class heterogeneity (Darling-Hammond, 2000) According to Sanders and Rivers (1996), students who are assigned to one ineffective teacher after another have significantly lower achievement and learning (that is, gains in achievement) than those who are assigned to a sequence of several highly effective teachers. It is important to note however, that the influence of teacher characteristics on teacher effectiveness is not direct; rather it is moderated or mediated by their effect on the way in which teachers organize their classrooms and operate within them. In Blooms (1972) terns, what teachers are influences what teachers do; what teachers do, in turn, influences what and how much students learn. When asked about their most effective teachers, boys and girls were able to identify a solid list of key characteristics reflected in educational research (Hill Rowe, 1996; Martin, 2002). In Ashley Lee (2003) boys tended consistently to identify the following factors as critical in the kinds of teacher they work well for and respect: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Firm, but fair: able to control the class well to inject humour but regain attention quickly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Good subject knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The ability to explain things clearly and with patience Fazio and Roskes (1994), said, attitudes are important to educational psychology because they strongly influence social thought, the way an individual thinks about and process social information. According to Eggen and Kauchak (2001), positive teachers attitudes are fundamental to effective teaching. A teacher must be interesting. Eggen and Kauchak (2001) identified a number of teachers attitudes that will facilitate a caring and supportive classroom environment. They are: enthusiasm, caring, firm, democratic practices to promote students responsibility, use time for lesson effectively, have established efficient routines, and interact freely with students and providing motivation for them. According to Shulman (1987), poor communication can make learning even the most simple and straightforward subject-matter far more difficult. Research findings on teachers attitudes (Brunning et al., 1999), established the following facts: Teachers characteristics such as personal teaching efficacy, modeling and enthusiasm, caring and high expectation promote learners motivation. Male teachers tend to be more authoritative and instrumental whereas female teachers tend to be more supportive and expressive (Meece, 1987; Freeman McElhinny, 1996). Teachers variable are also noted to have effect on students academic performances. These includes, teachers knowledge of subject matter, teaching skills, attitude in the classroom, teachers, qualification and teaching experience. Ehindero and Ajibade (2000) asserted that, students, who are curious stakeholders in educational enterprise, have long suspected and speculated that some of their teachers lack the necessary professional (not academic) qualification (that is, skills, techniques, strategies, temperament et cetera) required to communicate concepts, ideas principles et cetera in a way that would facilitate effective learning. According to Kelley Massoni (2004), students expect male teachers as being more knowledgeable than women, and are assumed to be more objective. 2.2 STUDENTS EXPECTATION Sociologist Robert K. Merton (1948) first coined the term self-fulfilling prophecy. As part of his explanation of the SFP, Merton drew upon the idea: If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences (Thomas, 1928, p. 257). Then, if students really think about their teachers, somehow it will materialized in both of the teacher and students teaching and learning process. SFP research (Good, 1987) explains that teachers form expectations of and assign labels to people based upon such characteristics as body build, gender, race, ethnicity, given name and/or surname, attractiveness, dialect, and socioeconomic level, among others. Once we label a person, it affects how we act and react toward that person. With labels, we dont have to get to know the person. We can just assume what the person is like (Oakes, 1996, p. 11). Although self-fulfilling prophecy usually works based on teachers expectation, students also form their own expectation, and could also have their own self-fulfilling prophecy, working both ways, onto them, and also towards the teachers teaching process. The self-fulfilling prophecy works two ways. Not only do teachers form expectations of students, but students form expectations of teachers using the same characteristics described above (Hunsberger Cavanagh, 1988). 2.3 EVALUATION OF TEACHER Many studies reveal that students tend to rate female faculty members differently than male faculty members (Whitworth, Price Randall. 2002; Basow Silberg, 1987; Goodwin Stevens, 1993; Tartro, 1995). Students may hold biased perceptions of the differences between men and women faculty (Andersen Miller, 1997; Burns-Glover Veith, 1995). It is also possible, however, that students are accurately assessing the difference between teaching styles that is attributable to the gender of the faculty member (Centra Gaubatz, 2000). According to Kelley Massoni (2004), the impact of gender in teaching evaluations often is related to students differing gendered expectations of their women and men teachers. A study by Basow (1995) revealed that students perceived female instructors to be more sensitive and considerate of student ideas whereas male instructors were believed to be more knowledgeable. If students are, even in part, picking up on real differences, understanding the effect of gender on teaching styles is important. 2.4 PERCEPTION Perception may be defined from physical, psychological and physiological perspectives. But for the purpose of this study, it shall be limited to its scope as postulated by Allport (1966), which is the way we judge or evaluate others. That is the way individuals evaluate people with whom they are familiar in everyday life. Eggen and Kauchak (2001) gave cognitive dimension of perception; they see perception as the process by which people attach meaning to experiences. 2.5 GENDER BIAS Teachers are more likely to offer praise and remediation in response to comments by boys but mere acknowledgement in response to comments by girls (AAUW 1992, Sadker and Sadker 1994, Saltzman 1994, Kleinfeld 1998, Lewin 1998, and Sommers 2000). The only significant interaction that emerged was that girls reported a better relationship with female teachers than with male teachers, while boys reported fairly similar relationships (TES, 2005). According to Holmlund and Sund (2005), teachers are the role models for the students. If students identify themselves more with same-sex role models, it is possible that performance will be enhanced when students have a teacher of their own gender. Florian (2008) suggests that there is rich evidence within the psychology literature that girls and boys respond differently to mothers and fathers [e.g. Brown, 1990, Brown et al., 1986], and pick different celebrities and athletes to emulate. Male and female teachers are also potential role models. Harris and Barnes (2009) found that four-year-old boys preferred males to form a relationship and saw the male teacher as the person to be involved in sports and physical games. Teachers gender influences how that teacher interacts and communicates with his or her students (Constantinou, 2008). As Hurt, Scott and McCroskey (1978) have stated it, there is a difference between knowing and teaching, and that difference is communication in the classroom (p. 3). According to Dee (2006), assignment to a same-gender teacher significantly improves the achievement of both girls and boys as well as teacher perceptions of student performance and student engagement with the teachers subject. He also found that, having a teacher of the same sex increased a students score on standardized tests significantly while having a teacher of the opposite sex decreased scores. But Florian (2008) finds that male students performing worse with female instructor, while female performance appear unaffected. According to Dee (2006), in a class taught by a man, girls were more likely to say the subject was not useful for their future and they were less likely to look forward to the class or to ask questions. 2.6 CONCLUSION Teachers may react in a different way depending on the gender of a student, or students may react in a different way depending on the gender of a teacher. Firstly, teachers discriminate, and display bias with respect to how they engage or assess boys and girls in the classroom. The mode teachers behave interacting with boys or girls may rely on whether teachers themselves are male or female. These effects may be conscious or unconscious. Secondly, students may see teachers more as role models if they are of the same sex, and show greater intellectual engagement, manner, and interest. Students may also react to teachers through negative stereotype for example, when female students are reminded about a belief they are not supposed to be good at math when being taught by a male teacher. Another probability is that male and female students respond differently to male and female teaching styles. It is important for teacher to know what he/she is expected from the students. Fulfilling the expectation can make learning process easier for the students and make them more motivated.

The Awakening :: essays research papers

The Awakening The Awakening by Kate Chopin was considered very shocking when it was first published because of the "sexual awakening" of the main character, Edna Pontellier, and her unconventional behavior. Chopin moved to New Orleans after her marriage and lived there for twelve years until the death of her husband. She returned to St. Louis where she began writing. She used her knowledge of Louisiana and Creole culture to create wonderful descriptions of local color, and she incorporated French phrases used by the Creoles. The Awakening begins at Grade Isle, a vacation spot of wealthy Creoles from New Orleans. Edna is there with her two sons and her husband Leonce who comes and goes because of business. Edna is not Creole, but her husband is. She has never felt like she fits in with their lifestyle. Edna has always done what is expected of a woman, including marrying a man she did not love. He regards her as a possession rather than an individual. While on vacation, Edna falls in love with Robert Lebrun. She often goes to the beach with him. She begins to realize for the first time, at age 28, that she is an individual. Edna feels like one who awakens gradually from a dream to the reality of life. After this discovery, Edna changes. She disregards her husband's wishes and often ignores her children. She learns to swim which also makes her begin to feel more independent. Edna befriends two women, Mademoiselle Reisz, a pianist, and Madame Ratignolle, a motherly lady. Distressed when Robert leaves for Mexico, Edna often visits Mademoiseel Reisz to whom Robert often writes. Edna continues to disregard the customs of society. Her husband becomes Lowe 2 very upset and insists that they must observe less convenance if they want to keep up with society. He tries to get her to attend her sister's wedding, but she refuses. Leonce goes to New York on business, but Edna refuses to go with him. The children are with their grandparents so Edna enjoys her time alone. She starts an affair with Alcee Arobin. He introduces her to the importance of sex, which she did not enjoy with her husband. She closes up her house and moves to a smaller one. Upset, her husband puts a notice in the newspaper, which says that their house is being remodeled. He tries to hide Edna's strange behavior from his friends.

Child Abuse Prevention Programs Essays -- Child Development

Introduction Child maltreatment is a pervasive problem in the United States, as well as other countries. Child maltreatment touches everyone, from the child to the nurse that cares for the child to the entire community. I have chosen to research this problem because of its far reaching effects on the community and its preventable nature. Research on prevention Research on the prevention of child maltreatment focuses on home visitation programs, abusive head trauma prevention programs, and parent training programs (Krugman, Lane, & Walsh, 2007). Mikton and Butchart (2009) also concluded that there are four promising intervention, which include: home visitation, parent education, abusive head trauma education, and programs that have multi-components. Krugman, Lane, and Walsh (2007) note that it has been hard to test the effectiveness of these programs because many programs have not integrated robust program evaluation or meticulous research methodology. Interestingly, laws banning corporal punishment have been looked at as a prevention technique. Sweden was the first country to ban corporal punishment of child by any caregiver and research found that there was a reduction of infant mortality from child abuse (Krugman, Lane, & Walsh, 2007). However, Roberts states that it was not the ban but the change in the attitude towards corporal punishment that caused the reduction in child abuse (as cited in Mikton & Butchart, 2009). Parent education programs, community child abuse prevention programs, abusive head trauma programs are all promising, however, they have not been studied well. It has been shown that these all decrease the risk factors for child abuse; nonetheless, there is insufficient evidence that these programs ... ... Care Professionals. Pediatrics, 127(4), 962-969. Hien, D., Cohen, L. R., Caldeira, N. A., Flom, P., & Wasserman, G. (2010). Depression and anger as risk factors underlying the relationship between maternal substance involvement and child abuse potential. Child Abuse and Neglect, 34, 105-113. Krugman, S. D., Lane, W. G., & Walsh, C. M. (2007). Update on child abuse prevention. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 19, 711-718. Leventhal, J. M., Martin, K. D., & Gaither, J. R. (2012). Using US Data to Estimate the Incidence of Serious Physical Abuse in Children . Pediatrics, 129, 458-464. Mikton, C., & Butchart, A. (2009). Child maltreatment prevention: a systematic review or reviews. Bulletin of World Health Organization, 87, 353-361. Newton, A. W., & Vandeven, A. M. (2010). Child abuse and neglect: a worldwide concern. Cerrent Opinion Pediatrics, 22, 226-233.

Life Is So Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman Essay examples --

Life Is So Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman Good Afternoon Ms. McCafferty, I made this appointment because I passionately believe that the book, Life is so good written by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman should be on the Carey booklist for Year 9 students. Life is so good is a magnificent part biography, part autobiography of a 103 year old black man named George Dawson who went to school to learn to read and write when he was 98 years old. George Dawson may be 103 but he can still walk without a cane and can remember his life with an uncanny ability. That is why there is so much detail in this book. Life is so good tells of his hard life from when he was only 6 years old and living on a farm in the outer region of a town called Marshall in Southern Texas. In an early c...

Generational Difference

Generational difference Sometimes, I sit and wonder why living habits, trends and living standards never change. I live in a world where there is more technology and freedom than my parents had during their young adulthood. I have always wondered what people are thinking when they do things they know are wrong such as killing someone or stealing something. Sometimes it is very hard to see things from other people’s point of view. The differences in our minds, ages, and personalities, When I look at my parents I see someone I look up to someone I admire. My grandparents are a whole other story.I was sitting in my grandparent’s living room having dinner; my grandmother was walking around not eating seeing if she could get anything for anyone. She did everything for us. Especially my papaw she does everything for him fixes his dinner, his drink, lays out his clothes, it’s like she’s his servant. Do not misunderstand me. When I marry I will do everything for m y husband. But I expect a certain amount of respect in return the bible says in Colossians 3:19â€Å"Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them†. My papaw does respect my grandmother but not enough in my opinion.So as you can see this is due to our generational gap. When my grandma was a young woman she was expected to marry have children and care for the home. This day in age it doesn’t matter, more and more women would rather stay single then cook and clean for her husband. They would prefer to â€Å"play the field† and that’s fine so long as you are rooted and grounded in the word of God. The bible says in Hebrew 13:4 â€Å"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. † In other word keep yourself pure for your husband or wife!

Tobacco Industry Analytic

The barriers to entry in the tobacco industry are initially low and it is easy for small local and regional companies to enter into the market, but the barriers to enter the market nationally are very high. The economies at scale in manufacturing, distribution costs, and marketing at the national level make it very difficult for start-up companies to enter into the national market. There are substantial costs in raising the capital needed to build manufacturing facilities that can mass-produce tobacco products at the national level. Also, the costs of packaging goods such as cigarettes, at a mass level can generate high costs. Brand identity can also pose a barrier to entry for new entrants. Advertising restrictions imposed on electronic media by the U. S. government make it hard for any new entrant to gain brand awareness and also make it difficult for current top players in the market to increase their brand awareness. While many companies once relied on brand incentives in order to increase customer loyalty, they agreed to no longer use these incentives in the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) in 1998. Also with many already established brands such as Altria’s Marlboro Cigarettes brand already have a huge stake in the market place. They have generated a lot of brand loyalty and awareness making it difficult for a new company to generate enough brand awareness to enter the market. Suppliers In the tobacco industry farmers supply the tobacco to dealers and manufacturers. Many of the tobacco farmers in the U. S. are located in the Southeastern states such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Farmers usually sell their tobacco at public auctions to the highest bidders. A federal program that started with the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 once protected tobacco farmer’s prices. The tobacco growers were guaranteed minimum prices in exchange for limiting their production through allotments and quotas. U. S. grown tobacco is generally more expensive than non-U. S. grown tobacco because of the U. S. governments price-support system. Then in 2004 the government allowed for buyouts of the quotas, thus eliminating the price support system. However, in recent news many tobacco farmers are protesting for the entire buyout of their quotas and equipment. They say that the U. S. tobacco growing industry is on the verge of disappearing and they blame the high taxes on cigarettes and cheap tobacco imports. Thus illustrating that the farmers have little bargaining power due to the government interaction. Buyers Buyers in the tobacco industry are greatly affected by the economy and the level of their disposable income. Whenever a buyer’s disposable income declines, they are more likely to purchase cheaper brands of tobacco, and if a buyer’s disposable income increases, then they are more likely to buy more expensive brands. Buyer power was displayed in 1993 whenever Phillip Morris USA Inc. slashed their prices on leading brands such as Marlboro by 20% to raise their share of the market, thus leading many other leading companies to also reduce the prices of their popular brands. After many companies lowered their prices, discount cigarette brands saw a drop in their percentage of the market. However, in 2003 premium cigarette brands raised prices, then allowing discount cigarette brands to gain more of a share in the market, but the discount brands share in the market has been declining ever since. Consumers in the United States are now increasingly becoming more concerned with health issues. Consumer health awareness has hurt the market for tobacco sellers and has also led to the increase for government regulation. Many companies are now going international to focus on the increasing demand for tobacco products abroad. They are focusing on developing countries where the population is increasing much faster than in the United States and many of these countries have less government regulation, which can help with advertising and prices. Countries that have less taxation on tobacco sales can lead to higher revenues and sales of tobacco products because the costs involved are less. Industry Competitors/Intensity of Rivalry Within the tobacco industry there are three main competitors that control 90% of the domestic market. These three main players are: Altria Group, Inc. (Domestically known as Phillip Morris USA); Reynolds American; and Carolina Group. Phillip Morris USA, the United State’s largest tobacco company since 1983, controlled 50. 3% of the market share in the year 2006. Phillip Morris USA’s leading brand Marlboro had a 40. 5% share of the market in 2006; thus, displaying the importance of brand identity in the tobacco industry. Phillip Morris USA also offers different brands such as their premium brands Virginia Slims and Parliament, while also targeting the discount market with its brand Basic. The United States second largest tobacco company is Reynolds American, which offers premium brands such as Kool, Winston, Salem, and Camel; and two different discount brands, Doral and Capri. Reynolds American controlled 29. % of the market in 2006 and is also the second largest moist smokeless tobacco producer in the United States. The third largest company in the United State is Carolina Group with their premium menthol brand cigarette Newport that controlled 9. 7% of the market in 2006. For the cigarette industry unit volumes have declined and the price of cigarettes has increased,thus creating higher net revenue for companies. Many companies are u sing cost efficient strategies and are merging to help gain profits in the industry. For example, R. J. Reynolds and Brown & Williamson Tobacco merged and now have a higher share of the market. Tobacco consumption declined a lot from 1994 to 2004 and the decline has started to slow down in the past couple of years, the growth rate is still not what it once was. [pic] Figure 1 : Market share holders in 2006 Rivalry in the menthol sector of the tobacco industry has been a strong focus of the leading companies in recent years. Menthol cigarettes offer a chance for domestic growth opportunities and premium pricing in the tobacco industry. Carolina Group controls this sector with its leading brand Newport, while Reynolds American offers two brands, Kool and Salem, which have been in the market for a long time. With the potential growth in the menthol sector, the leading tobacco company Marlboro introduced their menthol brand with strong promotions to compete with already existing brands. Other potential areas of domestic growth in the tobacco industry include cigars, which are on the rise again; and snuff or smokeless, which is one the rise due to smoking restrictions in public places. By using the Porter’s Five Forces Framework I was able to discuss the five basic competitive forces within the tobacco industry. The level of difficulty for new entrants; the lack of bargaining power of suppliers; the bargaining power of buyers between different brands; the high level of potential substitutes; and the competition rivalry, as well as domestic growth areas; were all analyzed within the tobacco industry using the Porter’s Five Forces Framework. Dominant forces such as government regulation and health awareness influence change in the tobacco industry. The potential impact that theses forces could play on the tobacco industry could be harsh if companies don’t adjust and change with them. Strengths: Altria and R. J. Reynolds both display much strength within the tobacco industry. Both companies display high levels of brand identity and brand awareness with many different well-known brands. Altria has dominant control of the market with their diversified Marlboro brands of cigarettes that dominate the market, contributing a 40. 5% share in the market. R. J. Reynolds also has many well-known diversified brands such as Kool, Winston, Salem, and Camel that help to control 29. 8% of the market. Both companies can use their strong brand awareness to build customer value with existing and new products. B oth companies are aligned with their mission statements to provide for their customers and maintain levels of responsibility and integrity for their operations. Altria, for instance offers a wide array of information concerning health issues, tobacco laws, cigarette ingredients, and youth smoking prevention on their website. While R. J. Reynolds offers information to the public on legal and regulatory issues, maintaining responsible marketing, and also health issues related to their products that consumers can access on their website. Also, both companies produce mass amounts of tobacco products and in order to be the top two producers in the United State they must both have strong manufacturing infrastructures. Weaknesses: Both companies face the weakness of selling dangerous products to consumers. Tobacco products obviously involve a great deal of health risks and consumers have been made well aware of the risks involved in tobacco use. Both companies face liability issues and litigation for the sale of such a dangerous product, which can cost the companies a lot of money. These companies must place a great deal of concentration on defending themselves in numerous lawsuits that come about frequently due to the health liability issues. Recent cases involving the â€Å"light† cigarettes have been brought against Altria, these cigarettes have lighter amounts of nicotine and tar but still can be just as harmful as regular cigarettes. Also a lot of blame for such high health care costs in the United States is placed on these companies as well. Another weakness that Altria and R. J. Reynolds suffer from is their dependencies to rely solely on the sale of tobacco products in order for them to remain such profitable companies in the market place. Sales from 2000 to 2005 declined at around an average rate of 4% a year and a decline of about 1% in 2006. If sales continue to decline every year, this could lead to substantial effects on profits. With the cigarette consumption declining, companies such as Altria and R. J. Reynolds have began to look towards international markets with growth opportunities. With so much concentration on tobacco sales both companies also have the weakness of being so heavily invested in the success of the tobacco industry. These companies could face a great deal of losses if the tobacco industry keeps declining. Opportunities: Both Altria and R. J. Reynolds have the opportunity to expand the ir companies internationally to target new customers in areas that provide potential for growth in sales. With the help of countries with rising personal incomes, high per capita cigarette consumption, and less government regulation in foreign countries Altria is taking action to expand their horizons abroad. An article from Wall Street Journal by Vanessa O’Connell describes how Altria is using spin off, Phillip Morris International to focus on international markets such as Pakistan, where smoking consumption is up 42% since 2001; Ukraine, where smoking consumption is up 36%; and Argentina, where smoking consumption is up 18%. She also explains how China offers 50 million more tobacco buyers than in the United States, thus showing that China offers great potential market opportunities. R. J. Reynolds is also focusing on the global market with creation of R. J. Reynolds Global Products. R. J. Reynolds is participating in joint ventures in European countries and Japan, collaborating with other companies to produce American-like brand cigarettes in foreign markets. They have also been establishing a business presence in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean and are supplying cigarettes to the U. S. military outlets and U. S. Duty Free sectors. R. J. Reynolds also manufactures cigarettes to be sold by other companies in foreign countries. Both companies are taking advantage of the potential growth in international markets. Another opportunity that both companies are focusing on is the opportunities of marketing new tobacco products to consumers. With more consumers looking for alternatives to smoking Altria has been f ocusing on developing its smokeless tobacco product line. With snuff being providing potential growth in the market, Altria is exploring the moist snuff or chew market as well as a new product called Snus. Altria is currently test marketing its Marlboro Snus products and its Marlboro moist smokeless tobacco in certain areas of the United States. They are also using the strong brand identity of Marlboro to help their new products enter into the market. R. J. Reynolds is also developing new products that have potential market opportunities. Reynolds is developing new exotic brands of Camel cigarettes and also trying to capitalize on smokeless tobacco opportunities with their brand of Camel Snus. Both brands are using their already existent brand awareness to help romote new products in the market. Threats: Companies in the tobacco industry such as Altria and R. J. Reynolds have a negative public perception because of providing such dangerous products and must deal with this perception accordingly in order to remain in the market. With the threat of being seen so negatively in the public eye companies must provide support in educating consumers about the dangerous health risks involved wi th smoking. Government regulation also poses a threat to both companies. In the 1998, the Master Settlement Agreement between tobacco companies and the government came to an agreement that tobacco companies would have to pay $250 billion over a 25 year span to help reimburse healthcare systems for to higher costs due to many patients with tobacco use related illnesses. The threat of government regulation poses high cost threats dealing with litigation and taxes. Both companies have been affected by the high taxes placed on the sale of tobacco products, thus causing them to have to raise prices, which could have a negative effect on sales. Also the threat of changes in the legal atmosphere pose a problem on companies. As new laws are adopted both companies must adapt to stay profitable, such as the new public smoking laws that threatens both these companies that rely on cigarette sales. The threat of Altria’s and R. J. Reynolds’ consumer base growing old and dying off from tobacco related illness and America’s new focus on healthy living styles display how these companies are affected by the benefits of substitutes for smoking and quitting smoking. There has also been a huge decline in the number of smokers in the United State over the past 40 years, which has cut the consumer base in half. With the number of smokers in the domestic market declining both companies also face the threat of marketing restrictions in the United States. Tobacco products cannot easily be marketed to consumer in the United States, which threatens the growth of tobacco products. Both Altria and R. J. Reynolds are aware of the threats that they face and that can explain why they are developing new products and moving towards international markets. The SWOT Analysis displayed how strengths such as brand identity have played a huge role in the success of both Altria and R. J. Reynolds. Altria leads the market with its well-known brand Marlboro and is taking on opportunities with new products and international markets. While R. J. Reynolds has a smaller share in the market they are also trying to grow by focusing on the same opportunities. Both companies also face many of the same weaknesses and threats, that being in the tobacco industry pose, such as government regulation and health awareness. They are taking action to deal with them by exploring new opportunities.