Holistic Development of a Child

Holistic Development of a Child Understanding how children develop is an important obligation for all those who work in early years practise. Practitioners need to develop an understanding of the implications of childrens developmental processes in order to meet individual needs. The key to this understanding is the development of skills in observing children and of interpreting those observations. Throughout the observations the aim is to compare their abilities to the norms of a child their age and to compare and analyse the results against what child development theorists have understood through relevant reading and understanding gained from experiences, also to explain how the characteristics of the child and features of his/her environment may interact to influence growth and development. A holistic approach to child development seeks to simultaneously address the physical, emotional, relational, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of a childs life. The importance of the Holistic Approach is that it Children learn different things at different stages, e.g. walking, talking, fine motor skills etc. Holistic development is the overall development of all areas of development in children. There are many proven techniques used in observing children. Depending on the reason for the observation some methods will relay the information more clearly, the observation that have been taken have been done in the free description written record method, checklists, web diagram. The free description is observed when a specific task is set, appropriate to the age and stage of development of the child. It is a description of an event unfolding face on, written in the present tense so that the reader can appreciate what has happened. The disadvantages are that may not be able to convey everything you see as it happens and sometimes it is difficult to keep up with what is happening and it may produce an unwieldy amount of information this can be seen in Appendix 1. Checklist or developmental guides are often used for assessing a child on one particular day, but can be used over a long period of time. Checklists often highlight areas of a childs development that have previously gone un noticed. For example in Appendix 5, I was able to concentrate closely on what the children were doing and could observe things as they unfolded as I was looking for them. The advantages of the checklist method are that it is a quick way of presenting a great deal of information. The disadvantages are that care must be taken to maintain objectivity. The role of the childcare and educational practitioner in a home placement stays the same as it would in a school or nursery and we still have to abide by the confidentiality policies. The 1989 United Nations Convention on the rights of the child sets out 54 Articles. The Articles that relate particularly to observing children are: Article 12: Children have the right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinion taken into account. Article 13: Children have the right to receive and to share information, as long as the information is not damaging to them or to others. Article 16: Children have the right to privacy. The law should protect them from attacks against their way of life, their good name, their families and their homes Under the Data protection act 1988 the observations taken will require to comply with the eight data protection principles: to be fairly and lawfully processed, to be processed for limited purposes, to be adequate and relevant and not excessive, to be accurate and finally not kept longer than necessary. The placement setting is in a loving family with both parents present. The mother aged 32 is not working as she is still on maternity leave; the father age 33 works full time Monday to Friday. There are four children in the placement family. Child D the oldest female age 5 attains reception in the school down the road, Child C the middle female child age 3, attains pre-school half a day Monday and Tuesday and stays with a child minder all day Wednesdays. At the end of the placement Child C is attaining pre-school all day Monday and Tuesdays, she also has Hypermobility. The twins Child B and Child A age 6 months on first day of placement. Child B is male and the younger of the twins. Child A is female and also suffers from Hypermobility. The placement is over a period of 4 months in which I shall being observing Child A and Child B. The mothers pregnancy was healthy with no problems. Her first child, Child D she was in labor for 26 hours, the second, Child C it only lasted about 30 minutes, she says I was afraid that I was going to have her down the toilet! The labor for the twins was also very quick only lasting 1 hour. The mother explains that during the beginning of the pregnancy you couldnt even tell I was pregnant and I felt fine but when it came to 28 weeks I got very big and it became very heavy and uncomfortable. She went full term of 39 weeks. Child A weighed 6lbs 10oz and came out head first with no complications. Child B weighed 5lbs 15oz and tried to come out sideways because of the extra round after Child A left, the midwife had to push the baby back and turn it around inside the mothers womb. There was 18 minutes between Child A and Child B. When Child B came out he was black and blue but was breathing but the doctors were unsure whether he would survive because his Apgar score was 3. The very first test given to your newborn, the Apgar score occurs right after your babys birth in the delivery or birthing room. The test was designed to quickly evaluate a newborns physical condition after delivery and to determine any immediate need for extra medical or emergency care. Although the Apgar score was developed in 1952 by an anaesthesiologist named Virginia Apgar, you may have also heard it referred to as an acronym for: Activity, Pulse, Grimace, Appearance, and Respiration. The Apgar test is usually given to your baby twice: once at 1 minute after birth, and again at 5 minutes after birth. Rarely, if there are concerns about the babys condition and the first two scores are low, the test may be scored for a third time at 10 minutes after birth. Five factors are used to evaluate the babys condition and each factor is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score: activity and muscle tone pulse (heart rate) grimace response (medically known as reflex irritability) appearance (skin coloration) respiration (breathing rate and effort) Doctors, midwives, or nurses add these five factors together to calculate the Apgar score. Scores obtainable are between 10 and 0, with 10 being the highest possible score. (www.kidshealth.org/parent/newborn/first_days/apgar.html). Children that have a score under 6 rarely survive. The mother believes in a constant routine and that her children behave the way they are because she does not smother them and entertain them when they cry, she encourages them to play by themselves as to establish independence from an early age. She says let the babies cry for a bit and they will sort themselves out. But obviously if the child has hurt themselves or really needs attention she will give them love and care. There are not many socio-economic factors within the family as the children were all planned, although the mother obviously didnt predict twins, she explain thatthey are lucky to be in a position to be able to give their children a happy and healthy lifestyle. During the placement the father got a new job in which he is going to be earning more. The mother explained that they were considering her going back to work but she they want to give stay out of work until the twins are in school. Also during the placement the parents made a very important decision that effects there life forever, they had decided that the father was going to get a vasectomy. They made that decision that they have had the number of children that they want for their family. The mother also gets allot of help from the family as both parent have parent walking distance from the house and the house is always full of family members. Physical development: The different areas of development that the observations will be focused on are- physical development, this is divided into gross motor development, and how children grow and acquire physical skills, from gaining head control to full agility. Fine motor development linked with vision and hand-eye coordination. (Frankel, Hobart, 2004) A childs physical development depends just as much on nurture as it does on nature. On the one hand a child is born with a genetic map that will guide such matters as height and general muscle development but on the other the childs environment will influence overall health and activity levels which contribute to physical development. (http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk/EncourageChildsPhysicalDevelopment.html) The developmental norm for a baby aged between Birth to 9 months are: Birth gross motor reflexes rooting, sucking and swallowing reflex. Grasp reflex. Walking reflex. Moro reflex Birth fine motor reflexes pupils reacting to light, open eyes when held upright, blinks or opens eyes wide to sudden sound, startle reaction to sudden sound, closing eyes to sudden bright light. 1 month gross motor reflexes In prone, lifts chine. In supine, head moves from side to side. Arm and leg extended on face side. Begins to flex upper and lower limbs. 1 month fine motor reflexes Hands fisted. Eyes move to dangling objects. 3 months gross motor reflexes Held sitting, head straight, back and neck firm. Lower back still weak. When lying, pelvis is flat. 3 month fine motor reflexes Grasps an object when placed in hand. Turns head right round to look at objects. Eye contact firmly established. 6 month gross motor reflexes In supine, can lift head and shoulders. In prone, can rise up on hands. Sits with support. Kicks strongly. May roll over. When held, enjoys standing and jumping. 6 month fine motor reflexes Has learned to grasp objects and passes toys from hand to hand. Visual sense well established. (Frankel, Hobart, 2004 p.178-179). From Appendix 5 we can see that Child A has developed slower in the physical development area. She is able to do all the norms for a baby aged6 months but after 6 months her brother starts to develop quicker and we can see that may be crawling before she does. When observing Child A it seems that she doesnt seem to understand where her feet are, is could be because of the Hypermobility is when Connective tissue proteins such as collagen give the body its intrinsic toughness. When they are differently formed, the results are mainly felt in the moving parts the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments which are laxer and more fragile than is the case for most people. The result is joint laxity with hypermobility and with it comes vulnerability to the effects of injury. These may cause troublesome and persistent problems, but do not affect the vital organs and thus do not pose a serious threat to life. (http://www.hypermobility.org/whatishms.php). Child B is developing physically at a norm al rate. Looking at appendix 5 we can see that he is eager to crawl and is progressing well. If I was to return to the placement family in a couple of months I predict that Child B will be crawling and able to sit unaided. One of the many main theorist that surround child development is Jean Piaget he believed that, knowledge comes from personal experiences, he recognised four individual stages. The first two years of a childs life the sensorimotor stage when babies and toddlers knowledge and understanding are chiefly drawn from physical action and their senses sight sound taste touch and smell. He suggested that throughout this stage children remain egocentric but become aware of object permanence. (Pound, 2005, p.37) Piagets first stage of development (Sensorimotor stage) is only relevant to these observations as it is aimed at children aged from birth to 2 years old. This is the stage where a child does not know that physical objects remain in existence even when out of sight. (http://www.funderstanding.com/content/piaget) Early on, children are only able to perceive things that are right in front of them, but as they mature, they understand that if a ball rolls under a chair and they can no longer see it, it still exists, under the chair. This is an especially important understanding for children, helping them to have an increased sense of safety and security since they can now grasp the fact that when mum leaves the room, she hasnt disappeared, but will soon return. (http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk/EncourageChildsPhysicalDevelopment.html) Both children seem to understand that when the toy is put behind mums back its not there, but they still try and reach for it as they know that mum is hiding it. But when the toys are packed away they understand that its gone. At the beginning of the placement Child B would cry when mum left the round and he continuously looked around for her, towards the end of the placement he stopped doing this. The same thing happened when they were in the buggy, Child A and Child B should start to cry as they were unable to see mum but they both could hear here. Later this stopped. Their ability to grasp objects is still developing and they are doing a lot of physical movement. They find comfort in playing with objects around them. Child A and Child B are developing an awareness of space from rolling from side to side and distance as they both reach for things. There is one toy that will engage both childrens interest and they seem to be comforted by this particular toy. The childrens mobility is developing as they are aware that reaching and moving will get them what they want and the satisfaction when this is achieved shows on their faces. Child B is able to handle and grasp object while Child A is struggling. The children become rigid, throw their limbs in the air when something has upset them, when they want to be picked up they reach out for the person. Child A and Child B have been making eye contact with their peers giving them confidence, physical, psychological and emotional comfort. The children observed enjoy the company of others and like to copy facial expressions and sounds that those around them make. Cognitive and Language development: Language development, which is from the first cry, through the growth of verbal communication skills, to true speech and understanding. Also Intellectual/cognitive development, the development of childrens ability to think and learn through interacting with their senses and experiences (Frankel, Hobart, 2004) The developmental norm for a baby aged between Birth to 9 months are: At birth Cries vigorously with some variation in pitch and duration. 1 month Cries become more differentiated to indicate needs. Stops and attends to voice, rattle and bell. 3 months Regards hands with intense interest. Beginning to vocalize. 6 months Finds feet interesting. Vocalises tunefully. Laughs in play. Screams with annoyance. Understands purpose of rattle. (Frankel, Hobart, 2004 p.178-179). From Appendix 2 we can see that Child A is developing more in the communication area as she is chatting all the time and has already said da da several times. This is encouraged by the family. Child B is not developing as fast in the language norm as his sister as he is only communicating his feelings through crying and giggling, while Child A is able to chat and sing and is now developing coping noises. Child B likes attention, looking at Appendix 2 we can see that he uses his crying language to gain attention and to be picked up. Burrhus Skinner worked on the Behaviourist theory, which humans act to avoid punishment and gain reward. Skinner emphasised reward. He believed that punishment was counter-productive. Skinner also applied behaviourism to language. He believed that all language was learned by reward. How Children Learn, Linda Pound 2005. So Child B understands that his crying will eventually lead to reward of being picked up which is what he wants. The mother in the placement is trying to stop this as she believes that children should be left to entertain themselves. Chomsky was so opposed to Skinners views that he developed a theory, based on the idea of language development as an innate process. He hypothesised that we are born with a language acquisition device which gives us an inbuilt understanding of language structure. Noam Chomsky proposed that all humans have a LAD, (language acquisition device). The LAD contains knowledge of grammatical rules common to all languages. The LADÃÆ'‚Â  also allows children to understand the rules of whatever language they are listening to. Chomsky also developed the concepts of transformational grammar, surface structure, and deep structure. -www.languagedevelopment.tripod.com Noam Chomskys theory that humans are born with a special biological brain mechanism, called a Language Acquisition Device (LAD). His theory supposes that the ability to learn language is inborn, that nature is more important than nurture and that experience using language is only necessary in order to activate the LAD. (Fifty Major Thinkers on Education from Confucius to Dewey, Joy. A. Palmer). So therefore Child A and B are already aware to what is being said around them and have some understanding of language, they would definitely sense tone of voice and both children can recognise their mothers voice as a comfort noise. Appendix 3 also shows cognitive development in that both children are use to their bath time routine and like the experience. The children make sounds in social interaction. Their interaction with Child C (older sibling) creating interest and they enjoy interacting with her. Sound levels are intriguing when there is a sudden noise. Lev Vygotsky is also another important child development theorist he emphasised the importance of families, communities and other childrens influences on children. Vygotsky believed that language and thinking were key; talking about everyday experiences would help children learn more about communication. The zone of proximal development is what a child can do alone and what they can do with someone more skilled or experienced. The social context for learning is when child learn through interaction with others. How Children Learn, Linda Pound 2005. Social and Emotional development: Emotional development, from initial total dependence to full independence and autonomy. Social development, from close bonding to full and rich relationships with a complex network of children and adults. (Frankel, Hobart, 2004) The developmental norm for a baby aged between Birth to 9 months are: At Birth Bonding/attachment. 1 month Watches mothers face with increasing alert facial expression. Fleeting smile may be wind. 3 months Reacts with pleasure to familiar situations/routines. 6 months Takes everything to mouth. Responds to different emotional tones to chief caregiver. (Frankel, Hobart, 2004 p.178-179). Erik Erikson, whose influences mainly came from Anna Freud, Sigmund Freuds daughter, was largely concerned with how personality and behaviour is influenced after birth, not before birth, and especially during childhood. In the nature v nurture (genes v experience) debate, Erikson was firmly focused on nurture and experience. His theory of eight stages of psychosocial development basically asserts that people experience eight psychosocial crisis stages which significantly affect each persons development and personality. -www.businessballs.com. Erikson created a wider and more educationally relevant theory of psychodynamics by integrating social and cultural factors into his writing. His work also stimulated interest in self-identity and adolescence. (Pound 2005) Erikson explained that things that happen when we are children affect us when we grow up. For example, we know that orphans who werent held or stroked as infants have an extremely hard time connecting with others when they bec ome adults and have even died from lack of human contact. During the first year of life, a baby forms their first feelings about the world and whether or not it is a safe place based on the level of consistent care provided by the primary caregivers. When trust develops successfully, the child gains a sense of security but if this sense is not developed, a fear and inner mistrust of the world is formed. Anxiety and insecurity are indicative of an unsuccessful beginning. (http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk/EriksonsPsychosocialDevelopmentTheory.html) Babies like putting everything into their mouths, and their senses of taste, are the primary sensory organs until about the age of 8 months. And even afterwards its still a first stop in terms of exploring things (touch is a very important first sense, too).Mouths are useful for exploring the texture of things, too. As we can see from Appendix 2 and Appendix 6. Child A and Child B both like to explore objects by putting them into their mouths. While Bronfenbrenners theory, in line with the social constructionist theories of Vygotsky, Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) developed the ecological systems theory to explain how everything in a child and the childs environment affects how a child grows and develops. He labelled different aspects or levels of the environment that influence childrens development, including the Microsystems, the mesosystem, the exosystem, and the macrosystem. (http://www.mentalhelp.net/) Child A and Child B are beginning to understand their environment as the family have a routine, which we can see from Appendix 4, that the children are aware of the routine and that putting them down on the carpet means time to move about. Jay Belsky believed in high-quality child care, he produced an evaluation of the Sure Start programme and a report published in 2005 inform that in Sure Start areas the most underprivileged groups had managed rather worse that similar groups in non-Sure Start areas. The next report issued in 2008 showed much greater improvements. Belsky reported that the risks are that more hours in any kind of childcare across the first four-and-a-half years of life and, independently, the more time in childcare centres, the higher the levels of problem behaviour(and) that children who spend more time in non-maternal care through their infancy, toddler and pre-school years experience somewhat less harmonious mother-child relationships through their first three years. They start school being somewhat more aggressive and disobedient than children with less non-maternal experience. How Children Learn 3, Linda Pound 2005. Appendix 4 shows that Child C attained a child minder on Wednesdays. The placemen t mother has spoken about her believes in making her children more independent which is why her first two children have gone to a child minder one day a week and she is going to take the twins to a child minder to. As she thinks it is good for the children to be able to interact with other people not just mummy, it helps them build confidence. There is a definite attachment with the mother and the children but there is also an attachment with the older siblings and the grandmother, who visits a lot. John Bowlby developed the Attachment Theory, when children show preferences for closeness to a small number of adults and these attachments are a normal and universal part of human development. We need that attachment from birth as babies seek out such attachment with the aim of being fed and protected as it brings the feeling of being safe. The attachments we have at childhood may determine our relationships as adults. How children Learn, Linda Pound 2005. From comparing the observations to the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) Child A and Child B are developing an understanding of themselves and what they are capable of doing. This is recognisable during observing them in all types of situation such as carpet time, bath time and feeding. Recommendation are to let the children continue to stretch and grab things on the carpet, maybe using different material such as shining objects, crinkly objects, light, soft and heavy objects, to encourage the children to be confident and explore new objects. Babies need to develop some sense of self-identity in order to develop self-confidence and self-esteem. A starting point in this journey is to find ways of helping babies recognise themselves. (Practical EYFS Handbook, Penny Tassoni). Child B is finding it harder to gain confidence in playing solely so the mothers approach to encouraging him to do so is an ongoing process, babies cry fact but Child B needs to learn that he cant be cuddled all the time. Letting children touch things to work out for themselves what it is and letting them choose what they want and not giving in to their cry if they cant reach as they might if you give them time. Playing games with the Child A such as touching the parts of the body as you say them will help them to develop a greater understanding of where their body parts are and helps to create a happy game to play. Also playing feet moving games and moving her legs around helps stimulate her limbs. Being physical and close to your children and making eye contact with them and having conversations with them about anything provide ideal opportunities to develop language skills, especially with Child B. Using key words helps babies to develop language and singing songs and rhyming. Child B is also call another nick name which is endearing but may confuse him in developing recognition of his name. Through this observations they have lead me to believe that the children are at a normal level of development, Child A is less able to grasp an hold object and her physical development is less than Child B, as Child A has Hyper mobility which means that she will develop physical ability such as standing, crawling and sitting up straight slower than her brother (Child B). But she is communicating and talking more than her brother which could indicate that she is developing quicker in the language and communication area. There is nothing to worry about with the childrens development rate although one is developing quicker at something then the other could be because of the fact that one has hypermobility so she will definitely take longer to develop physically but also because one is female and the other male may also be a factor. The role of the practitioner is crucial in observing and reflecting on childrens spontaneous play, building on this by planning and resourcing a challenging environment which supports children and extends specific areas of learning and extends and develops childrens language and communication in their play in a safe environment. The observations taken have helped explain why the children carry out certain behaviour and have leaded me to understand more about child development theory. The most success full observation was the checklist type as it gave me direct answer, the free disruption was effective but I felt that I was missing things as they happened as I was still writing when they happened. Throughout the placement I have enjoyed the experience and I have gained experience with babies and have found that they are not as fragile as I first thought and that I do understand what their noises mean and I can distinguish between a hungry cry and Im sad I need attention, cry. I have also learned that it is healthy for babies not to be seen to straight away when they first start to cry, that they can indeed sort themselves out and ignoring and leaving the children to cry helps them to become more independent.

Sundays :: Personal Narrative Child Abuse Essays

Sundays My mother has always lived her life helping others. That is why it came as no surprise when she set out on a one woman quest to turn her children into avid-volunteers and general bidders of good will. Around the age of ten, she decided that it was time for me to step out and do my part to start saving the world. At the time, being an every day hero was the last thing on my mind, and in my eyes it was much more of a chore than an opportunity. As time went on however, it began to open my eyes to my own life and the lives of others. â€Å"It’s good for you; it will keep you out of trouble;† those were her famous words. So on life went, as I spent year after year testing the rough waters of one service project after another. I had no choice in the matter. It was her belief that I was to always be busy. A life spent wasting my time away having FUN was just not acceptable. She even went so far as to sign me up to serve my time in the local small-town library in Sandy Pond, New York, while we were there on vacation. I knew I was doomed. As I got bored with one project, I would move on to the next endeavor. In four years, I had become a registered volunteer in three libraries, a hospital, the Special Olympics, the New Times 10K, Grand Canyon State Games, a homeless shelter, and the Race for the Cure. In each new challenge, I was there more to please my mother than to please myself. Lost in the jumble of good deeds and service hours, I eventually stumbled upon a small organization called the Child Crisis Center. Just like all the others, it started off with the same famous phrase. â€Å"It’s good for you; it will keep you out of trouble.† I can still remember my first day. I passed through the endless security doors, and my nose scrunched in horror from a stench that was a mix between a hospital and a playpen.

Rrl of Marketing Information System

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A marketing information system (MIS) is a set of procedures and methods designed to generate, analyze, disseminate, and store anticipated marketing decision information on a regular, continuous basis. An information system can be used operationally, managerially, and strategically for several aspects of marketing. A marketing information system can be used operationally, managerially, and strategically for several aspects of marketing.The first definition of marketing information systems was presented by Cox and Good (1967) who referred to them as a group of procedures and methods for the planned analysis and the presentation of information to be used in marketing decision making. Later, this definition was extended by several authors such as Brien and Stafford (1968), Proctor (1991), Talvinen (1995), Burns and Bush (1995), and Kotler (1991, 2003), among others.Thus, Proctor (1991) defined the MKIS as a system that examines and collects data from the envi ronment; that uses data for the operations and transactions within the company, and that filters, organizes, and selects data to present them for business purposes. According to Kotler (2003) and Bums and Bush (1995) defined the MKIS as a consistent system of people, equipment, and procedures to gather, classify, analyze, evaluate, and distribute the necessary, timely, and precise information needed for decision making.For Talvinen (1995), the marketing information systems are a fundamental part of the company information systems portfolio that aids the direction of the managerial process, especially the marketing process. Jobber (2007) defines it as a â€Å"system in which marketing data is formally gathered, stored, analyzed and distributed to managers in accordance with their informational needs on a regular basis. † Kotler, et al. (2006) define it more broadly as â€Å"people, equipment, and procedures to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate, and distribute needed, timely, an d accurate information to marketing decision makers. A formal MkIS can be of great benefit to any organization whether profit making or nonprofit making, no matter what its size or the level of managerial finesse. It is true today that in many organization an MkIS is integrated as part of a computerized system. To manage a business well is to manage its future and this means that management of information, in the form of a companywide â€Å"Management Information System† (MUS) of which the MkIS is an integral part, is an indispensable resource to be carefully managed just like any other resource that the organization may have e. . human resources, productive resources, transport resources and financial resources. Marketing information systems (MKIS) must play a different role from the roles they traditionally performed; that is, they need roles that may guide and support the decisions made at the corporate, functional, and operational levels. Previous research on the applicat ion of the MKIS shows that they have been applied mainly to the routine function of marketing rather than the strategic function (Xianzhong, 1999).Frequently, organizations have utilized these information systems to support the competitive analysis that they themselves conduct and to find out the market conditions, however, they have not developed research that may support the formulation of strategies, or such development has been nonexistent (Main & Marone, 2002). According Zabriskie and Huellmantel (1994) have pointed out that providing competitive information to formulate strategies is the responsibility of the marketing director, with the support of the marketing research department.However, conceptual and empirical research on marketing information systems has given little attention to the type of information that those in charge of making decisions may consider useful for the performance of their marketing tasks (Ashill & Jobber, 2002). According to Proctor (1991), there is a lot of information, but not of the correct type, and much error; that is, such information is more focused on the operational rather than on the strategic function.Nevertheless, it is necessary to take into account that the utilization of the MKIS is crucial for the success of an organization and should be an integral part of the strategic planning process (Amaravadi, 1995) since the marketing data base is a vital element for the strategic planning of many companies and often presents challenges in terms of management, marketing and sales (Stone & Shaw, 1987). In the latter half of the 20th century, several authors such as Cox and Good (1967), Kotler (1991, 2003), Proctor (1991), and Talvinen (1995), among others, have presented models for marketing information systems.Bums and Bush (1995) presented a classification of the marketing information systems similar to that of Kotler's (2003) through a model in which there is an interrelationship between the environment and the MKIS and among these and the managing directors. Talvinen (1995) classified the models presented in two groups determined by the managerial position and the operational-tactical function of those who make the decisions.In the first group, the basic classifying models of all the authors are presented, and the users are likely to be the senior executives, business strategy units, directors, marketing analysts, and experts. In the second group, the model of Moriarty and Swartz (1989) is found, and its users are likely to be the mid-level executives and sales operations personnel. According to Ansoff, Declerck, and Hayes (1990), the strategic level of a company is in continuous contact with the organizational environment; for Mintzberg and Quinn (1993), strategy is defined in terms of the four p's: plan, pattern, position, and perspective.Finally, according to Thompson, Strickland, and Gamble (2005), the strategy consists of business competitive movements and approaches that the directing manage rs employ in order to attract and please clients, compete successfully, make the business grow, conduct operations, and reach set goals. At the turn of the 21st century, researchers paid increased interest in the marketing information systems that are required by those in charge of making decisions (Amaravadi, 1995; Ashill & Jobber, 2002; Talvinen, 1995).However, little has been studied regarding the marketing information systems and the formulation of strategies at different levels. Research studies have centered upon general aspects of the formulation process and strategy implementation (Ashill, Frederikson, & Davies, 2003; McCarthy & Leavy, 2000; Varadarajan & Jayachandran, 1999; White, Conant, & Echambadi, 2003) rather than on specific aspects such as the information systems that the organizations require in order to formulate strategies (Proctor, 1991).However, it is necessary to consider that organizations operate at three levels (corporate, business unit, and functional or op erational) and reflect, at the same time, three strategy levels (corporate, business unit, and functional or operational). The MKIS range from the strategic to the operational level and require a different type of information on marketing at each level.This distinction of levels has prompted some authors to study the MKIS and strategy levels (Hair, Bush, & Ortinau, 2003; Talvinen, 1995), as well as the MKIS required at each strategy level (Talvinen, 1995), but the type of marketing information required at each strategy level and for each MKIS has not been studied. Like the application of the marketing activities, the application of the MKIS has also concentrated on the area of productivity and sales administration more than on the strategic area (Hewson & Hewson, 1994; Wilson & McDonald, 1994).Even though some businesses have used these systems at the strategic level, their use still concentrates on the marketing functions related to the client, such as, for example, direct sales (X ianzhong, 1999). In the face of the existing gap in the literature, and, above all, because there is no classification of the MKIS by strategy level, the information that the managing directors require at each level was classified for each MKIS taking into account the definitions that these systems present (Burns & Bush, 1995; Kotler, 2003; Talvinen, 1995).

The Obesity Epidemic Essay - 2302 Words

Recently, obesity has become an epidemic in many parts of the world. The condition has accelerated in the past thirty to fifty years, and its health effects are devastating. Obesity is a leading contributor of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and countless other health concerns. Obesity is also the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Currently, around one in three Americans are obese. Now more than ever, obesity prevention in the health field is a primary concern. However, many cases of obese children are related to parents or relatives who are overweight or obese themselves. With this predicament, obesity is a trend that must be stopped before it continues to worsen. Since†¦show more content†¦It is also important to note that, â€Å"not all body fat, such as intra-abdominal and intramuscular fat, is accessible to the calipers, and the distribution of subcutaneous fat can vary significantly throughout the human bodyâ €  (14). While skinfold and BMI tests are easily attainable, they do not provide the accuracy needed to determine definite overweight or obesity. They are, however, a relatively good indicator of whether or not an individual should lose weight, and are still used in doctors’ offices around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 66 percent of Americans over the age of 20 are overweight or obese, and three out of ten are obese. The CDC began gathering data on obesity in 1960, and at that point, thirteen percent of Americans were obese. Obesity slowly began to increase until the 1980’s when it began to rise rapidly. Now, the number of obese people has nearly tripled since then (Stern, Kazaks 15). These trends continue to increase, and now, more than ever, organizations and institutions are pushing to create a healthier America. The problem with obesity is that is preventable, but difficult to overcome due to certain circumsta nces. Many factors play a role in determining the likelihood of an individual becoming obese. These circumstances include poor diets, poor energy balance, culture and family history, and environment among other things. Many people in theShow MoreRelatedThe Epidemic Of The Obesity Epidemic Essay1488 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as the excessive accumulation of fat that puts the person’s health at risk (Lenzi et al., 2015). The prevalence of obesity has increased worldwide over the past three decades. According to Holtz (2016), obese people have outnumbered the undernourished, with the World Health Organization estimating that 1.9 billion adults are overweight, out of which about 600 million are obese. Given the recent trends, it is estimated that 1.12 billionRead MoreObesity : The Obesity Epidemic1509 Words   |  7 PagesThe Obesity Epidemic What is obesity? According to the Health Reference Center Academic, â€Å"Obesity is a clinical condition characterized by an excess of body fat†. Obesity causes serious and life-threatening diseases. Obesity can be calculated using the BMI or Body mass index. The higher the BMI the more obese a person is considered. More than 1 third of the population in the US is obese. Medical costs for treating obesity were estimated at $147 billion in 2008. Non-Hispanic black and Mexican AmericanRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic Of Obesity1133 Words   |  5 PagesObesity has always been a topic that many have had due to the increase attention it has received. Across America, there has been a lot of attention on the obesity epidemic. In America and the inner cities, more people are eating meals away from home in addition to consuming larger portions from fast food restaurants. At this rate, gaining weight is the likely outcome. High energy dense food has become convenient and affordable. Fas t food is almost everywhere in America and, contributes to the growingRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic Of Obesity967 Words   |  4 Pagesthe issue. There has been substantial encouragement, which has pressured governments and politicians to implement restrictions on the publicising of unhealthy foods, particularly those targeting children. (Jolly, R. 2011) Researchers of the epidemic of obesity are inclined to emphasise environmental aspects, including the convenience of high-calorie appetising junk foods in conjunction with the influence of television programming, video games, computers and tablets that discourage exercise. TheoreticallyRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Obesity And Obesity1319 Words   |  6 Pages There’s an appalling epidemic in today’s society sweeping across not only the United States, but all across the globe. This horrible epidemic isn’t the bird flu, or any type of sickness, rather obesity. Today, obesity rates are at an all time high in America. This disease, obesity, is being passed down the family both genetically, and by the terrible eating habits developing in the US. Kids growing up in this generation are facing frightening issues such as increased risk of heart disease, diabetesRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic Of Obesity2517 Words   |  11 Pagesof obesity in children is on the rise in America. One in three children in America is obese (Kelly). Anyone can recognize there is a problem with the growing numbers of children overweight, however, no one has come up with a way to stop the obesity epidemic. This epidemic in children has been caused by numerous factors now numerous solutions can stop this if they are put in use. Children are weighing more than they ever have. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, â€Å"Obesity hasRead MoreObesity : The Obesity Epidemic2984 Words   |  12 PagesThe Obesity Epidemic What is obesity? A condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body; obesity is when someone is so overweight that it is a threat to their health (â€Å"What is Obesity?†). Obesity is an increasing global health problem. Corpulence is an important matter because of the astounding magnitudes that this disease has reached in the past 30 years (â€Å"Health and Aging†). Obesity is the reason for nearly 10 percent of the national medical budget, whichRead MoreObesity : The Obesity Epidemic Essay1321 Words   |  6 Pagesevidence that Americans are among the most overweight across the globe, this issue is constantly ignored. We hear about obesity being one of the most prevalent issues in America yet through the years this issue seems to worsen. Although Obesity may not be taken seriously by many, it is one of the leading health issues in America today. Many don’t understand the causes of this obesity epidemic, but being educated on this topic is the best way to prevent and control this issue. A recent study from the NationRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic : Obesity Essay1696 Words   |  7 PagesThe obesity epidemic proves to be an issue in America and continues to grow with time. In simple terms, obesity is a disorder where the subject has increasing amounts of fat, leading to health problems in the future. This epidemic has steadily increased in American bodies for decades and researchers have tried to find the root causes of this problem. Though there is controversy as to what is the primary cause of this rising epidemic, it is clear that there are many factors that contribute to theRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic Of Obesity1540 Words   |  7 PagesThe Obesity Epidemic is a topic widely studied and mentioned in several contexts’ both medical and social. Obesity is described by Boero (2012) to have exploded in meaning Post- World War II to be more than a â€Å"physical flaw.† Weight concern became an idea that debuted in magazines mainly targeting women and emphasizing â€Å"natural thinness.† The disappearance of the normally worn â€Å"corset† and popularization of the typical 1920’s â€Å"boy catching† flapper, increased the production of diet products and the