The whole towns sleeping The Red Room comparison Essay Example

The whole towns sleeping The Red Room comparison Essay At the beginning of The whole towns sleeping, you are introduced to a very peaceful, tranquil, average American town. It is as though nothing out of the ordinary has ever really happened here. It was a warm summer night in the middle of Illinois country. Whereas in The Red Room, the opening is set in an old dismal castle with three odd contradicting servants. This story instantly starts off creepy while in the whole towns sleeping, it doesnt. The old woman sat staring hard into the fire, her pale eyes wide open. We will write a custom essay sample on The whole towns sleeping The Red Room comparison specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The whole towns sleeping The Red Room comparison specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The whole towns sleeping The Red Room comparison specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The whole towns sleeping is set in an average town in 1950s USA. It is set mainly outdoors with some indoor sections. The Red Room is set in a dank old castle in 19th century England. There are no real similarities in setting. The theme of both stories is straight and simply fear. The authors of the stories wanted to frighten you either by death or ghosts but with the same effect. The two stories are similar in the fact that they build up to a climax, and then end rapidly. The main character in the whole towns sleeping is called Lavinia. She seems fearless, but this is not always the case, as she can become frightened. However, most of the time she would try to hide her fear, or just say something, which makes her look brave. Bosh! She was saying this when her gullible friend was talking about the lonely one, trying to sound fearless, but I expect that she was probably dubious, and she just didnt want to show it. In the Red room, the main character is a 28-year-old man who is very sceptical about many things. Eight-and-twenty years I have lived and never a ghost have I seen as yet. His name is never given, and I feel that this is just to make the story more frightening. If his name is given, it becomes more personal and therefore friendly, which is not frightening. This character doesnt believe in the unnatural, or many things like that. He believes that if he can touch it, it is real. He is also a bit arrogant and fearless much alike to Lavinia in the whole towns sleeping. I do not like either character much as they are both egotistical and this is not a very friendly feature. I feel that they should both be more open-minded. But then the stories would be less scary if the characters were instantly scary. I do not like people who have this characteristic, so I do not like the characters. However, I find them both very realistic, which shows the talents of the authors off well. HG Wells language is quite old fashioned. I.e., he says, eight-and-twenty, rather than twenty-eight as we would say nowadays. He uses very vivid description, which sometimes becomes so much as to sway you away from what is actually happening in the main story line. There are little similes and metaphors in this story. He uses some direct speech at the very beginning and at the very end, but hardly during the main story section in the middle. It is more: I saw this, I touch this and so on. It is told in the first person and this is better so you can see exactly what he is seeing and thinking in an easier and clearer way. Ray Bradburys style is completely different to HG Wells in the fact that it is up to date language and also in the American style. There are quite a lot of similes and metaphors such as Cool as mint ice cream And quite a lot of personification such as: fans whispered. heat was breathing. There is a lot of direct speech which I personally prefer as I find it easier to follow. This story is in the third person and I find that this one is better in third as you can see exactly what they are thinking rather than what one person thinks they are thinking. HG Wells creates suspense by having the candles blow out a lot in the Red Room. The suspense is not particularly good as you are unaware of what will happen if he does get entrapped in the darkness, but then this makes you wonder about what will happen more so. It begins when 1 candle innocently blows out. It ends when the man knocks himself out. Ray Bradbury created suspense by having a long section when Lavinia feels that she is being followed. In this part, Lavinia is counting which adds greatly to the suspense. You are saying to yourself, shes only got 12 to go, 11, 10 and you get immersed into the story. I feel that this suspense section was much more successful than that of the Red Room. In the Red Room, the ending is far too abrupt and there is now imagination. You are told what had happened rather than wondering what will happen. There is almost no imagination here. It would have probably been better to end off with the man fainting and not have the explanation paragraph. In the whole towns sleeping however, the ending is much better, just when you think that all is well and safe, I turns out that is isnt and you are left wondering what will happen to her. (Which is almost certainly death!) I much preferred the whole towns sleeping because of its more modern language; better characters that are easier to relate to; the use of more similes, metaphors and personification; more direct speech; the more exciting suspense section; and the unexpected twist at the end. I fell that the whole image of fear was more greatly achieved in the whole towns sleeping because of the fact that the women all know what are they are to be scared of. And the fact that it was set in a small, innocent town to which you wouldnt think there would be anything like this happening is also more exciting.

Freud and Skinner interpretation of anxiety essays

Freud and Skinner interpretation of anxiety essays Conflict and anxiety are a fundamental part of every human beings life from, it could be argued, a prenatal stage to the inevitable death (Berk, 2004). Conflict can be defined as the emotional predicament people experience when they are placed in situations where difficult choices are to be made (Kosslyn s biological response to anxiety is a state of arousal, which may include symptoms similar to the fight or flight response (Kosslyn Theorists have long debated the cause and purpose for such emotions as conflict and anxiety. Namely, B. F. Skinner and Sigmund Freud who are perhaps the two greatest figures in psychology. Each proposed a grand theory that has had a tremendous impact on the field. With Freud, attempting to infer what goes on within the mind using hypnosis, dream analysis and psychoanalysis and Skinners focus on the study of only directly observable behaviour, the two perspectives appear to be wholly incompatible. While Skinners theories may appear to be complete opposite to a Freudian approach, he explained how his theory of behaviourism could be adapted to theories in different disciplines, including Freuds psychodynamic theory (Monte introspectionistic approaches to the field of psychology and placed the focus the role of the environment as most influential on behaviour. He took an extreme fact-based approach to science and even questioned the need for deep theoretical...

How The Web change learning over e-learning to Lifelong Learning Essay

How The Web change learning over e-learning to Lifelong Learning - Essay Example With Web 3.0 on the horizon, e-Learning 3.0, with its focus on content, is not very far away. The unprecedented development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) from the early Eighties revolutionized many fields of work and activity, including learning and education which has undergone radical changes. The coming of the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) introduced the concept of â€Å"learning anytime, anywhere and anyhow† [1]. Students and teachers could be geographically dispersed in what is termed a virtual classroom. Distance education was prefixed with ‘online’ to give what is now known as e-Learning. The roots of the present-day web can be traced back to the concept of hypertext and hypermedia which goes back to 1945 when Vannevar Bush introduced the concept of hypertext in a system called ‘memex’. Bush visualized a system in which the documents could be linked in a non-linear manner modeled after the associative nature of the human mind.[33] The same objective was echoed by Ted Nelson in 1987 when he envisaged â€Å"†¦a fast linking electronic repository for the storage and publication of text, graphics and other digital information; permitting promiscuous linkage and windowing among all materials; with special features for alternative versions, historical backtrack and arbitrary collaging†¦Ã¢â‚¬ in his Xanadu system [34], Conklin who spoke of inter-documentary links [35] and Rada [36] who dreamt of connecting text across document boundaries. Hypertext and hypermedia gave the Web its interactivity and navigational manoeuvrability. â€Å"†¦concept of ‘hypertext’ is the base of all the web evolution.†[31] Conventional learning has been restricted to the physical classroom in which the teacher teaches students according to a prescribed course and syllabi. The genesis of e-Learning can be found in the initial web sites that were developed by

Preparing to Participate in Groups Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Preparing to Participate in Groups - Assignment Example When leaders work collaboratively with other team members making them feel responsible and encouraging them to actively participate, I feel that it would result in the team producing better results and the goals would be accomplished on time. With reference to Chapter 8 "Leading Small Groups: Practical Tips", my advice to a prospective member of a problem-solving or decision-making group would be that when they are in the role of a leader, they ensure that there is effective communication between all the members of the team. Based on my previous experience of working in group projects I have realized that communication is the key to effective working and team building in groups. In one particular group project that I was working on, the topic was divided into smaller sections and each member was to present their findings after a few weeks. Unfortunately, due to lack of proper communication, two members of the group spent a lot of time researching the same topic resulting in a signifi cant waste of time and causing resentment among the team members.

Thinking about surveillance in the city Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Thinking about surveillance in the city - Essay Example Closed-circuit cameras have become common in cities and they have become an important aspect of city security. Security teams and personnel form an important aspect of the city surveillance teams. Control of urban space and inaugurated surveillance measures are widely used worldwide. Ethical, legal and even moral questions arise when there is mass surveillance and accumulation of personal data from individuals without their knowledge and consent. The film and movie industry has always illustrated how city surveillance has become crucial and important in the modern age. One of the most iconic films that represents the divergent views on city surveillance is Minority Report (2002). It is vital to study and understand how minority report represents and handles the various views on mass or city surveillance through scholarly analysis2. Minority Report is a movie that was directed by Steven Spielberg based on Philip Dick’s Sci-Fi short story â€Å"The Minority Report† written in 1956. The film is set in 2054 in a modernized Washington DC where crime and murder have been wholly eliminated. Tom cruise takes the character of John Anderton, who is the head of a Pre-crime, a unit under the Justice department that works in the Jurisdiction of Washington D.C. Three psychic human beings called precogs have been harnessed and their power to see future crimes projected on computers. The precogs have the ability to see images of future murders and those who are identified are apprehended before they commit crimes after which they are incarcerated. The pre-crime unit is to face a national vote on its effectiveness and take it from the Washington D.C. jurisdiction to a national level. Anti-pre-crime advocates such as Danny Witwer who oppose the move. Witwer has been sent by the Justice department to access the abi lity and effectiveness of pre-crime. Pre-crime surveillance is 100 percent accurate but while at the labs, John Anderton becomes

Drug Treatments and Courts in US Prisons

Drug Treatments and Courts in US Prisons Drugs such as marijuana and cocaine and amphetamines and heroin together with drug-addiction are correlated to crime in a number of ways. Being a criminal offence to use, to be in possession, to produce, or to dispense these drugs, they are categorized as prohibited. The upshots of usage of drugs, including aggression, including robbery to obtain funds to acquire drugs, including aggression against competitor traffickers, affect the society every day and are criminal effects. A number of treatment alternatives are on hand to tackle inmates requirements and conditions in the correctional system. Drug treatment programs in correctional centres most often than not are successful in averting patients going back to unlawful behaviour, but are unsuccessful most often than not if they are not connected to community-centred programs that continue treatment when the patient leaves prison. The most successful drug treatments programs in prison have diminished the re-arrest rate by 25% to 50% ( Belenko 33). The aim of correctional facilities such as prison is twofold; first, it punishes wrongdoers and secondly it rehabilitates criminals and individuals with deviant behaviour. The French philosopher Michel Foucault argued that punishment has changed over a period from instilling discipline in the body to instilling discipline in the soul. The rehabilitation of convicted criminals is an important facet of the contemporary criminal justice system. The criminal justice system nowadays is working to rehabilitate inmates and the prison rehabilitation programs vary in degrees, type, and form from prison to prison. In the past years, rehabilitation was focused straight at reforming the personality of offenders, its aim now is on averting reoffending. Prison program: Drug treatment In a similar fashion, drug Treatment programs in Prison are designed to rehabilitate drug addicts in prison. For instance, the Delaware Model, a continuing examination of wide-ranging treatment methods for prisoners who are addicted to drug abuse illustrates that prison-based treatment programs, work release therapeutic community, community-based aftercare and therapeutic community surroundings included; cuts the chances of re-arrest by 57 percent and cut the odds of relapsing into drugs by 37 percent. One quality essential for successful programs is progressing, wide-ranging aftercare in the society. This decreases the probability that an addict will be detained and found guilty another time (Thomas 16). History of Drug Treatment: Using drug relates to violent crime (statistic) Statistics show that drug addicts are more prone than nonusers to perpetrate crimes, which arrested criminals, are found often to be under the influence at the time they carried out the offence and that drugs breed violence. It is the weighing up the nature and degree of the effects of drugs on criminal activities that necessitate that dependable information about the crime, and the lawbreaker is accessible and meanings of terms be consistent. In the face of challenging data, it is not possible to establish quantitatively the influence of drug addiction on the happening of crime. Drugs are linked to most criminal activities through the outcomes they have on the addicts actions and by breeding violence and other prohibited goings-on associated with drug trafficking. Drug-related crimes and the drug-using way of life play a key part in the U.S. crime issue. More than 50% of arrested criminals in the US test positive for illicit drugs (Thomas 17). According to the same institute, use of and addiction on drug is strongly associated to robbery and assets crime more than it is to violent offences. A majority of addicts carries out crimes to obtain money to purchase drugs. According to the National Institute of Justice, at least 25% of men who carry out acts of domestic violence have drug problems and that drug-addicted women are more prone to suffering abuse (Thomas 18). The 2004 survey of Inmates in State and Federal penitentiaries found out that 32% of State convicts and 26% of Federal prisoners admitted to having committed the crimes they are serving time for under the influence of drugs. In State prisons, drug offenders and property offenders recorded the highest admission rates for being under the drugs influence when committing a crime at 44% and 39% respectively. In Federal penitentiaries, drug offenders (32%) and violent crimes convicts (24%) reported the highest occurrence of being under drugs influence when they committed their crimes. Efforts to prevent drug abuse using retribution systems do not succeed since these attempts do no tackle the multifaceted basis of drug abuse, which start in the milieu of family issues and deviant conduct. Many go to prison. Few reform in prison. Cause Overcrowding in Prison The vicious cycle of arrest, imprisonment, discharge, and re-arrest is very common. As indicated by various nationwide studies, more than half of the prison population test positive for illegal drugs (Taylor et al. 3-4). The U.S. state and federal prisons and jails hold approximately 1.9 million convicts (Beck and Harrison). This means that the major contribution of the high-prison population in the United States is drug abuse. Most of the inmates are finally released from the prisons to go back to the community. However, about six hundred thousand state and federal convicts are nor returning to prison each year. A majority of those returning are drug addicts; therefore, keeping the cycle rolling. Effectively cutting that cycle and related crime is largely dependent on successfully treating drug-abusing criminals. A number of treatment alternatives are on hand to tackle inmates requirements and conditions in the correctional system. One such alternative program is the Drug Courts program. Drug Courts are judicially administered court dockets that deal with cases of nonviolent drug abusing lawbreakers under the juvenile, family, adult, and tribal justice structures. Drug Courts function under a specific mould in which the courts, prosecutors, defence bar, the police, mental health services, community services, and the treatment services work jointly to assist nonviolent lawbreakers find restoration in healing and turn into productive human beings. The essay analyses how the Drugs Courts program can help reduce the number of ex prisoners who are being sent back to prison each year. It also analysis how the program helps reduce the population in the American prisons. The essay su mmarizes the general workings and usefulness of drug courts all over the country and underlines possible concerns and areas where additional study is required. DRUG COURTS In 1989, Florida officials set up the nations pioneer drug court. This unique court was calculated to entrench drug treatment fully into the prison system and the criminal justice system in general. The courts were established for criminals with a past of drug abuse as a measure for their addiction treatment, while concurrently guaranteeing control, and approval when necessary, from the courts. The movement for a different court to rule on drug offenders come about from the swiftly sprouting truth that the nations resolution to tackle drug abuse by employing law enforcement methods would keep on posing considerable problems for the criminal justice system. In 2004, 53% of prisoners incarcerated in state prison were identified as drug addicts or users, but merely 15% were getting professional help (Mumola and Karberg 7). Drug use and addiction linked criminal activities remain an expensive load to the American society, one that most prison drugs treatment programs have failed to halt. In 2001, the bureau of National Drug Control Policy approximated that in 1998 prohibited use of drug cost the exchequer $31.1 billion in criminal justice costs, $30.1 billion in lost output and $2.9 billion in costs connected to property damage and discrimination (Belenko 2). Ever since 1989, drug courts have increased all over the country. Presently, there are more than 1,500 Drug courts functioning in all states. This drug courts are a reflection of the aspiration to change the stress from trying to battle drug crimes by diminishing drugs supply to tackling the demand for drugs by treating drug craving. Drug courts employ the criminal justice system to tackle addiction by the use of an incorporated set of communal and legal services as an alternative to depending on sanctions through imprisonment or probation. In spite of broad signs of drug court efficiency, more than twenty years after the first Drug court a number of questions linger. Since drug courts are planned and ran at the state level, there are deep-seated disparities that make cross-jurisdictional evaluation hard. While the underlying structure may be similar from one program to the next (a diversion program for particular types of low-level defendants who have shown a connection between thei r drug abuse or addiction and criminal acts), protocols for arbitration, detailed selection standards, ways of control and revocation measures do vary radically. The localism that is the system of drug court design makes efforts to make out best practices very hard. Nonetheless, we can make out explicit elements from diverse drug courts that are significant elements for the success of the program. WORKING OF DRUG COURTS Several elements determine the running of drug courts, albeit with disparity based on setting of the defendant population, legal questions etc. Below are a few elements universal to every drug court. Legal Framework There are commonly two approaches for drug courts i.e. deferred/delayed prosecution and post-adjudication programs. In a delayed prosecution, defendants who that meet some particular eligibility prerequisites are sidetracked to the drug court system before pleading to a charge. Defendants are not obliged to plead guilty, and those who successfully see through the drug court program are not further prosecuted. However, if one does not complete the program, he or she is prosecuted. On the other hand, in the post-adjudication approach, defendants are obliged to plead guilty to their charges but the ruling of their cases is deferred or left pending as they take part in the drug court program. Successful conclusion of the program earns the former user or addict in a waived sentence and occasionally an obliteration of the crime and the charges. However, if one does not successfully meet the standards of the drug court, for example, a routine return of drug abuse or addiction, they will be taken back to the criminal court to face the ruling on the guilty plea. Eligibility Criteria Eligibility standards differ from court to court. However, usually defendants have to be charged with being in possession of drugs or a nonviolent crime and must have positively tested for drugs or have proved drug abuse trouble during arrest (Fluellen and Trone 5). For drug courts that get federal financial support, there is a prerequisite to rule out persons with a present or previous violent crime record. However, this barring, whether by the state or federal rules, has been questioned as to whether it truly serves the interest of public safety as it is claimed to serve. Particularly, the classification of a violent crime at times may refer to merely being in possession of a weapon when one was arrested, even if it was not held, wielded, or put into use. In addition, individuals who are at present facing charges for a drug crime may be disqualified from admission into the drug court program owing to a past crime that is completely unrelated. Programming and Sanctions Programs characteristically run for a period between half and one year. However, some addicts stay longer in the program. Addicts and users must see through the whole program phase to graduate. Successful completion is dependent upon staying free of drugs and arrests for a specific period. Participants have to go to regular status hearings in front of a judge alongside judicial and medical staff who screen the development of every person. Sanctions including more court proceedings, drug tests and short stints in jails are enforced for participants who do not comply at the courts discretion. ADVANTAGES OF DRUG COURTS As noted earlier in this essay, the majority of adults and juveniles who are under arrest for criminal activities test positive for illicit drugs. As such, much of crime is drug or alcohol linked. However, imprisoned drug offenders do not obtain the handling they require, and will probably use drugs yet again and execute another crime once they are out of prison. That is where drug courts need arise. Drug courts present a valuable option that blends justice and drug management. Drug addicts who are taking part in a drug court program undergo rigorous drug abuse management, individual case management, substance testing, administration, and supervision. The participants report to recurrently programmed status hearings in front of a judge who is skilled in the drug court programs. Drug courts offer psychological well being treatment, disturbance and family psychoanalysis, and work skills instruction, which assist in ensuring a long-lasting healing from drug and alcohol dependence. Drug courts programs surpass all other approaches that have been employed with drug-using offenders. Drug abuse and criminal activities are significantly diminished in cases where offenders are put through a drug court program. Since the drug court programs assess offenders for substance abuse frequently, data concerning substance abuse by offenders in a drug court program is accessible on a continual basis. The use of drugs by offenders is reduced considerably or eliminated altogether by drug programs nationally, and this in turns has lowered recidivism amongst graduates. Adult drug court programs considerably decrease crime rates by cutting down re-arrest and conviction rates amongst graduates of drug courts a long time after the programs conclusion. Individuals who have graduated from drug courts are, according to recent appraisals, less expected to be re-arrested than individuals routed through other prison mechanisms. Results from drug court assessments show that involvement in drug courts upshots, in fewer re-arrests and re-convictions, or more extended periods between arrests or relapses. A breakdown of study findings from 76 drug courts established that there is a 10% decline in re-arrest, with pre-adjudication courts occasioning a 13% drop in re-arrest (Aos, Miller and Drake 4) Drug courts are very cost efficient. Several fresh studies have demonstrated that saved costs vary from $3,000 to $12,000 per offender (Belenko, 2005, 45). According to Fluellen and Trone (1), depending on the magnitude of a drug court program, the cost saved in some states goes beyond $7 million annually. Many courts are using the drug court mould to repeal driving under the influence and driving while intoxicated cases. This is being done either by employing selected driving while intoxicated courts or by accommodating offenders into conventional grown-up drug courts. Driving under the influence courts are holding offenders responsible for their actions at the same time as treating the fundamental drug abuse issues and stimulating behavioural transformation. Drug courts have also been very useful to juvenile offenders. Lastly, the drugs courts, in addition to saving cost, frees up the justice system and enables their departments resourcefully apportion criminal justice funds. Personnel and services, hitherto used up by the minor and less severe but prolonged drug cases which are now taken care by the drug court programs, are presently concentrated to other serious cases and to criminals who pose bigger threats to the society security and well being. The caseloads taken up by the drug court programs allow more docket time for the justice systems judges and are therefore, on hand for other criminal and civil matters in various jurisdictions. Previously, these serious criminal and civil cases were relegated to inferior precedence owing to drug related caseload. The programs have also freed jail space, and it is now being used to accommodate serious and dangerous criminals or to guarantee they serve their times. After more than two decades of drug courts operation, various studies show that many drug courts reduce recidivism and save the taxpayers funds. Figures from many studies carried out in more than ninety-five courts expose that former offenders who have graduated from drug courts program are re-arrested less than other prison program groups (Belenko, 44). The decline in re-arrest rates is the main contributor to cost-savings reported for most drug courts (Belenko, 44). CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS Studies up to date have been consistently reporting that that drug courts are accomplishing significant benefits. However, there practices, though mostly unfamiliar, which cause accomplishment or breakdown of a drug court. Of huge interest is the argument that drug courts might be escalating the quantity of individuals under arrest for drug crimes, rather than decrease, in the long term, the quantity of individuals who go through the criminal justice system. Studies have not yet zeroed in on the establishment of whether individuals who are taken through drug courts would have ended up in the criminal justice system and consequently into the conventional prison programs if not for the drug court. The use of drug courts should be used in a large scale to solve the twin problem of drugs and crime and that of overpopulation in our prison system.

Tom Sawyer :: essays research papers

Tom Sawyer Tom Sawyer is a boy who is full of adventures. In his world there is an adventure around every corner. Some of his adventures have lead him into some bad situations but with his good heart and bright mind he has gotten out of them. Tom lives with his aunt Polly, his cousin Mary and his bother Sid. One of the first things to happen in the book is a memorable one, the painting of the fence.   Tom's aunt Polly made Tom paint her fence on a Saturday as a punishment.   Tom just hated the idea of having to work on a Saturday while all of the neighborhood could make fun of and harass him.   After Tom tried to trade some of his possessions for a few hours of freedom he had a stroke of genius, instead of him paying people to work for him, he made people pay him to paint.   Tom managed this by telling people that it isn't every day that you get a chance to paint a fence and he thought it was fun.   He had people begging him to paint by the time that he was finished his story. He would have taken every boy in the town's wealth if he had not run out of paint. On June 17th about the hour of midnight, Tom and his best friend Huck were out in the grave yard trying to get rid of warts, when they witnessed a murder by Injun Joe. At the time Muff Potter was drunk and asleep so Injun Joe blamed the murder him (Muff Potter). They knew if crazy Injun Joe found out they knew, he would for sure kill them.   Tom wrote on a   wooden board "Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer swear to keep mum about this and they wish they may drop down dead in their tracks if they ever tell and rot", then in their own blood they signed their initials TS and HF. A few days after that incident Tom, Huck and Joe decided to go and become pirates because no one cared for their company anymore.   They stole some food and supplies and then they stole a raft and paddled to an island in the middle of the Mississippi River.   They stayed and pirated for several days, then they all became so home sick that they could not bear it anymore.   The next day Tom, Huck, and Joe showed up for their own funerals and there was much thanks and praise. The next big event in the town was the trial of Muff Potter for the

Brita Marketing

Contents Introduction1 Background1 Situational Analysis1 P. E. S. T. L. E Analysis2 S. W. O. T Analysis3 Porter Five Forces Analysis3 STP Analysis4 Possible Options Available5 Do nothing5 Manage decline5 Develop and implement a marketing strategy for growth5 Short term – Expand existing market5 Long term – Increase Market Share6 Conclusion6 Introduction This document represents The i-Fusions Consultant’s Report on BRITA. The company’s current business situation is analysed and various options for action considered.The report aims to identify a clear marketing strategy for Brita in order to address the current issues facing the company the associated falling sales. The report is broadly comprised of three main sections: 1. Background 2. Situational Analysis 3. Options open to Brita 4. Recommended Strategy Background Brita, after an extended period of success and dominance in the filtered water market is facing increasing competition, new market entrants and falling sales. After various failed initiatives to reverse the resultant decline, the company is seeking a new strategy that will restore double-digit growth.History In terms of product history, Brita has been very successful with 2 key water filtration products, Pitchers and Faucet Mounted filters. On launching the filtration pitchers, initial efforts to build awareness and create a market were successful, teaching consumers the benefits of filtered water and creating awareness. Subsequent efforts to develop and broaden the market based on taste were also successful (Tap water Transformed campaign). Brita was the market leader for many years and defended that market share successfully for some time.However, the market is now made up of more than 70 competitors and more recent strategies are failing to deliver growth and profits and Brita sales are now actually falling. Situational Analysis The documentation provided can assist in identifying various problems. The key business issu es identified by i-Fusions are: * Brita failed to recognise and correctly identify the competitive market they are in * Brita were too slow to innovate and more agile competitors have entered the market and taken share * The company reaction has been overly product-focused Brita has considered and/or launched various reactive advertising campaigns based on competitor action, rather than considering a holistic marketing strategy built on market analysis. * Brita’s organisational structure is top-heavy with multiple reporting lines and no clear chain of responsibility. The result is a lack of clarity as everyone is responsible yet nobody is responsible. * The net result of all of the above is that Brita sales are falling. P. E. S. T. L. E Analysis Political: There are no significant external political issues affecting Brita’s business.Economical: The Economy during 1980s & 1990s showed no indications of recession and the emergence of the Internet and the evolution of the global economy generated unprecedented economic prosperity in the United States that lifted consumer purchasing power to better standards. The mid-2000’s marked the end of this boom cycle and the economy is starting to contract. Social: The primary social trends in the late 1980s and 1990s, as faced by Brita were: * People shifting towards a more healthy lifestyle * Workers working longer hours to gain more salary Shift of workforce from Agriculture to Industry & IT Sectors Technology: The beginning of the 1990’s marked the beginning of the Internet revolution and this has affected people’s lives and lifestyles significantly. The impact on business is that communications are faster and customer expectations are for a more personalised approach (e,g, Emails, Mobile Phones etc). Legal: During 1980s & 1990s, Public Water Hygiene laws & regulations were not enforced effectively to prevent water-borne diseases outbreaks that occurred during that period of time.Durin g the 12 year period (1991 – 2002), Public Water contamination outbreaks came from community & non-community water supply (78%) compared to 22% from private/individual water supply systems as report by the â€Å"Journal of Water and Health† published in 2006 Environmental: During the late 1980s and 1990’s, Environment Friendly organisations & NGOs (such as Greenpeace) were not creating an influential awareness of drinking water health issues. As a result, people were not possessing self-awareness of dangers contributing to drinking impure & contaminated water. Porter Five Forces AnalysisRivalry: The market is very competitive and the threat of competition is high. Many companies are present and they are more successful than Brita. It seems to appear a rivalry both in terms of product and location Barriers to Entry: The entry barriers in the market are relatively low, making it easy to access. However, as the market is saturated it could be unlikely for new compa nies to decide to start new enterprises in this field. Threat of substitutes: This represents one of the main threats for Brita. Both tap water and soft drinks are potential substitutes for the product that Brita offers.Supplier power: The suppliers do not play a major role for Brita growth. The product offered is relatively simple and its components are easy to procure. Buyer power: The consumers have a high decision power which can drastically affect the performances of Brita. Depending what type of drink they decide to consume (filtered water, tap water or soft drinks), the sales will increase or decrease. The Five Forces analysis tool highlights that Brita has to focus its attention on what consumers want in order to achieve success (appendix A ).The product is neither significantly unique nor essential to ensure success on its own and taken in the context of a large number of substitutes, consumers therefore hold significant purchasing power. Simultaneously, Brita has to take i n consideration the highly competitive nature of the market. If Brita does not update its product benefits, and then position themselves in such a way that they offers customers a unique benefit vis-a-vis competitors, it is likely further lose market share. Therefore, customers and matching their lifestyle choices should be the focal point of Brita strategy if double growth has to be gained.S. W. O. T Analysis STP Analysis Segmentation Using Behavioural Segmentation, i-Fusions have considered 6 predominant market segments. See Appendix B and C Tap Traditionalists: Slow to change, like the convenience and cheapness of tap water. Weary Tap Users: Low involvement in their water drinking decisions. Like tap water and unlikely to change. They are also the lowest consumers of total water per day. Principled Filter Fans: High involvement in their water consumption decisions and believe filtered water is more healthy.Affluent Fridge Fans: Highly involved in their water consumption decisions and associate water with health and weight control. Assertive Self Improvers: Highly involved in their water consumption decisions and drinks a lot of water for health. This group has the highest overall daily intake of water and drinks most of their water at home. Bottled Water Indulgers: Highly involved in their water consumption decisions and use bottled water as a reward for effort. They are highly attached to bottled water. Of the 6 categories of consumers, 3 have been pointed as the target market – PFF, ASI and AFF.Target Market Analysis In terms of water consumption patterns, tap water is still the most utilised (35. 4%) with filtered water also popular (33. 3%). Bottled water is increasingly popular and currently holds 21. 7% of the market. See Appendix D The main perceived issues customers have with Tap Water are Quality and Portability. Most consumers believe that using water filters improves the taste of the water  and using fridge filters makes it more convenie nt to consume filtered water. Out of a total of 59. 6% people owning the Pitcher Filter system, 50. % own the Brita product standing higher in comparison to the PuR Product. Brita faces some perception challenges as the Faucet Mount and Pitcher do not currently have any stand out features for customers and the Filtering Pitcher is seen as time-consuming and less simple when compared to Bottled water. In terms of good flavour of the water, 77% consumers support BW whereas only 32% support Pitchers. In terms of pureness, 63% consumers support BW and 44% consumers support Pitchers. Positioning Analysis Brita has strong brand recognition and is currently viewed in the key segments as a healthy water option.There is a loyal customer base dedicated to filtered water which represents a growth opportunity if Brita can meet the changing consumer needs. i-Fusions would therefore recommend that Brita builds on this brand strength with a marketing strategy that highlights health and wellness an d sustainability and believes that Brita has strong advantages over its competition to fulfil these targets. Possible Options Available Brita faces a difficult market and there are three broad business options they can consider. 1. Do nothing 2. Manage decline 3.Develop and implement a marketing strategy for growth Do nothing i-Fusions recognise that occasionally it may be acceptable for firms to take a â€Å"wait and see† approach† to their business but we do not recommend this as a course of action to Brita. The risk of inaction is too great in a market with such high competition and falling market share. Brita’s cautious approach to date is reflected in their current situation. Manage decline Brita could continue with their current emphasis on pitchers and faucets and manage decline – cutting costs aggressively as sales fall.It is the view of i-Fusions that, given the high number of competing brands, there is a risk that adopting any low cost/low price strategy would merely lead to a race to the bottom. In any case, Brita is unlikely to be able to undercut its smaller, more nimble rivals due to its size and structure. Additionally, this strategy does not fit with the stated requirement for double-digit growth. However, the current product mix and their current specification are in the mature stage of the product life-cycle so Brita needs to seek ways to add value to maintain current sales and to consider new products to drive growth.Our recommendations are therefore predicated on the value that the brand has in the eyes of its customers and to leverage the reputation for quality that the company has built up. Develop and implement a marketing strategy for growth The advice of i-Fusions is for Brita to follow a growth strategy, focused on meeting the needs of key identified market segments with clear product offers, consistent messaging, via the optimal distribution channels and at the appropriate price. Short term – Expand existing marketProduct: Existing users – Brita should aggressively target existing filtered water users (Principled Filter Fans and Assertive Self Improvers) with Pitchers and Faucets with improved ability to remove impurities and taste. Brita should therefore focus R&D effort on improving the purity capability of its filters, reinforcing the key brand messages of health and purity. Price: Maintain existing pricing strategy Place: Brita should continue with the mass distribution strategy as changes in the past have quickly translated in lost sales.Promotion: Find new uses – Brita can create new uses of existing products through promotion of additional activites such as using filtered water for cooking, an activity that is important to key segments Strong single brand messaging around Health/Purity/Sustainability using a mix of targeted TV and radio, social media, lifestyle magazines (home, food, well-being), demonstrations and tasting instore and at gyms/yoga-chains et c Brita is in a position to add complementary messaging around its green/sustainable credentials, which fits with target segment values and has the additional benefit of reaching other segments in the water consumption market. Long term – Increase Market Share Product: Change product mix in the longer term. Brita should look at expanding its product mix to better meet the behaviour patterns of its identified segments.For example, developing a filter for fridge water dispensers is highly advisable. Form alliances: i-Fusions strongly recommend that Brita forms strategic alliances with quality white goods manufacturers in order to jointly develop a product that meets the needs of the key market segments identified. It is recommended that quality brands are identified and targeted in order to maintain Brita’s brand image and support the growth strategy. Additional alliances with yoga-chains/gyms for joint marketing opportunities should also be explored. Finally, alliances with home-builders/plumbing providers was considered as an option but i-Fusions do not recommend this for Brita as it is effectively a new and very different market.Price: Reduce costs: Information on reducing overall capital costs is scarce but spend on R&D is likely to increase in the short/medium term. In terms of Fixed Costs, Brita should review its organisational structure, both to clarify reporting lines and reduce management overhead. Finally, it would make sense for Brita to have a single brand, with clear associated brand messages, managing their product lines within that brand. Promotion: New users – Brita should aggressively target consumers in the Affluent Fridge Followers category, given the high consumption of water at home and their fit with the key Brita health messages. Maintain green credentials with targeted messaging.Place: Brita should continue with the mass distribution strategy as changes in the past have quickly translated in lost sales. People: Brita should implement clearer communication channels with clearly identified lines of authority. Conclusion On analysing the information available i-Fusions believe that Brita needs to refocus its attention on the market, using short and long term strategies that target appropriate segments with specific products, messaging and distribution channels to best meet their requirements, aspirations and life-styles. We believe that the marketing strategy recommended will assist in driving double-digit top line growth.

The Person-Centered Approach

The Person-Centered Approach Free Online Research Papers Over the past 50 years, counselors have begun to accept different approaches to the therapeutic process then those used previously. It was because of the initial thoughts put forth by a man named Carl Rogers, and his belief that there is more to the therapy process then the authoritarian approach that was being used at the time. Over the course of 4 phases in Roger’s development came about the concept of the Person-Centered approach. Adopted by counselors in the 60’s and 70’s as a part of the â€Å"Third Force†, along with existential and gestalt therapy, as an alternative to psychoanalytic and behavioral approaches (Corey, 2005). Person-Centered Therapy was never presented as a completed work, rather one of which Rogers hoped other would merely use as principles willing to be evolved. These principles were looked at by Rogers as required to gain a good therapist – client relationship which was a prime determinant of the outcome of the therapeutic process. These principles best outlined by Roger’s (1956) as, Two person’s in psychological contact. The first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable, or anxious. The second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship. The therapist experience unconditional positive regard for the client. The therapist experiences an empathetic understanding of the client’s internal frame of reference and endeavors to communicate this experience to the client. The future has brought about much need for the evolution of this theory, but this paper is meant to focus on these principles set forth by Rogers. Overtime the clients and problems may have changed, but by keeping these principles in mind, the approach is still the same. It was with a humanistic philosophy that Rogers created the person – centered approach, and with his principles rooted deeply in humanistic values, it is necessary to have a good understanding of how they came to be. The humanistic philosophy is similar yet much different from that of existentialism, of which takes the position that we are faced with the anxiety of choosing to create an identity in a world that lacks intrinsic meaning (Corey, 2005). The humanistic philosophy takes a somewhat less anxiety evoking position that each of us has a natural potential that we can actualize and through which we can find meaning (Corey, 2005). It was within this concept that Rogers developed his theory over the years. At the time there was only an authoritarian approach to counseling, of which Roger’s disagreed with, which started his theory of a non directive climate in the 1940’s. It was within this approach that Roger’s looked to stop the amount of input a therapist contributed to the counseling process; instead therapists concentrated on the clients verbal and non verbal communications. This approach over time evolved into a form of therapy referred to as client – centered. With this form Roger’s led away from the focus on the non directive approach and started focusing primarily on the client. With the client in mind, the next period of evolution that Roger’s encountered is where he defined his principles of which he wrote about in his paper, â€Å"The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change.† It is in this paper that Roger’s presented his theory of psychotherapy as a set of therapist â€Å"Core Attitudes† (Prouty, 1994). It is with these â€Å"Core Attitudes† that Roger’s defined the aim of the therapeutic process, â€Å"the aim of therapy is not merely to solve problems, rather; it is to assist clients in their growth process, so that the y can better cope with the problems they are now facing and with future problems.† (Corey, 2005). It was in the principles of; congruence, unconditional positive regard, and accurate empathetic understanding, that we find a way to promote a growth producing climate. Congruence Congruence or genuineness, involves letting the other person know â€Å"where you are† emotionally (Rogers, 1980). This can be either positive or negative, and the therapist must express their feelings to be as genuine as possible. The reason that the therapist must express all feelings toward their client is to avoid the temptations to present a faà §ade or hide behind a mask of professionalism or to assume a confessional professional attitude (Germain, 1993). The reason that it is so important for the therapist to become congruent with their client is to create a trusting relationship of which the client can let the therapist into their lives. Rogers gradually came to look at the therapist’s congruence as a crucial factor in establishing trust, and came to emphasize the idea of acceptance and empathy only being effective when they are perceived as genuine (Germain, 1993). In the views of Rogers it is essential to be living together in a climate of realness (Rog ers, 1980). This realness can only be assumed when the therapist can be completely open with their client as to how they feel about their presenting problem as well as the client’s way of life as a whole. This action of being completely open does not always have to be viewed in a good light by the client, but as long as the client knows that the therapist is being completely open with them, then the process can continue. This way of being is described here by Rogers in 1961, â€Å"The term ‘congruent’ is one I have used to describe the way I would like to be. By this I mean that whatever I am feeling or attitude I am experiencing would be matched by my awareness of that attitude.† It is within this self awareness that makes acceptance possible because there can be no openness to the clients experience if there is no openness to one’s own experience (Germain, 1993). Unconditional Positive Regard Once congruence between the therapist and the client is achieved, it is time to move on to the next principle that Rogers distinguished. Unconditional positive regard is exactly that, no matter what the client is feeling, the therapist must show a positive approval of how they are feeling. This is due to the true importance of unconditional positive regard and its power to build up or restore the client’s unconditional positive self regard (Iberg, 1996). It is Rogers’s theory that most of the clients that a therapist will see, have merely been looked over and never really made feel like they are accepted or cared for. It is within this principal that Rogers attempts to show an acceptance and unconditional caring for the client as â€Å"who they are† rather then who they are expected to be or as Rogers states it as â€Å"a caring for the client, but not in a possessive way or in such a way as simply to satisfy the therapists own needs† (Rogers, 1992). The therapist must make the client feel that they are able to convey their thoughts without fear of rejection or loss of acceptance by the therapist. It is the therapist job to make sure that their basis for caring for their client is not because of their need to be accepted themselves. This might hinder the experience that the client needs to go through as much as if the therapist had no respect or a dislike of their client. That is why congruence needs to be developed before the therapeutic process can begin, without a genuine approach to caring for the client the whole process will not be successful. Accurate Empathetic Understanding After the first two steps of Rogers’s theory have been completed then the therapist can continue on to an accurate empathetic understanding. This principle is based off the idea of empathy as Rogers defines â€Å"to sense the clients private world as if it were your own, but without ever losing the â€Å"as if† quality† (Rogers, 1992). That is the key to being an empathetic therapist, to never lose the â€Å"as if† mentality, to sense the clients feelings without ever getting caught up in them as if they were your own. The Merriam Webster Dictionary states that Empathy â€Å"is the action of understanding, being aware of, or being sensitive to.† This is exactly what Rogers meant by putting it into the principles of what a good therapist needs to do during therapy, to be able to understand and accurately be aware of the problems that the client is conveying. This is indicated in research done by Fieldler in which items such as the following pla ced high in the description of a relationship created by an experienced therapist. The therapist is well able to understand the patient’s feelings; the therapist is never in any doubt about what the patient means; the therapist’s remarks fit in just right with the patients mood and content; the therapists tone of voice conveys the complete ability to share the patients feelings. (Rogers, 1992) With all of these principals working together to create a valuable client-therapist relationship, an accurate empathetic understanding is one of the most important. The client must first be able to trust the therapist, and then feel that the therapist actually cares about what is being said, but without an accurate understanding of what is being said then the client would not feel as though the therapist is actually listening. Summary It was my intent with this paper to explain the principals of the person centered approach created by Carl Rogers. The reason that I feel that this approach is meaningful is that I have always felt that anyone has the ability to figure out their own problems. In life it is easy for people to get knocked off their horse, in a matter of speaking, but it is how we get back on that horse and continue to live is how living life is possible. Sometimes I feel as though it is hard to get up off the ground by yourself but the ability is still inside of you. That is why when I first heard about the person-centered approach, I was so intrigued by the elements that made up this theory. These principles that Rogers has developed, help to create an environment at which clients are able to hash out their problems in a self directed way. The therapist is merely a listener, there to make the client feel that what they are feeling is ordinary. Even though they may long for an authoritarian â⠂¬Å"answer†, the therapist does not give one yet just responds with points that the client has already made. Even though Rogers created this theory in a different time and age, when, if presented with some of the problems that therapist face today, it may have been harder to meet the criteria for his principles. I still feel as though these principals can be effective in any therapeutic situation. Today many person-centered therapists are focused on the family, however it has been found to be effective in many areas of therapy. I personally can see it being very effective in cases of depression, where a client is so low in positive self regard that they need to feel that someone else can actually care for them enough to listen. In research done by Greenberg and Watson (1998), of which compared client centered therapy and an experimental treatment using the principals of client centered therapy and its effect on depression, found that both had an effect on the therapy’s outcome. It was the experimental conditional along with the principals based of Rogers’s theory that ha d superior effects on the overall levels of self esteem and reduction of interpersonal problems. This research shows that although alone, these principals may not always be the exact answer, paired with other ideas it can have an impact on the client’s life. This paper is to show that these principals are in fact pillars or fundamentals of any and all problems that may be presented to a therapist. These are just attitudes that if followed correctly can bring about an atmosphere for change in a clients life. As Rogers states it, â€Å"people are essentially trustworthy, that they have a vast potential for understanding themselves and resolving their own problems without direct intervention on the therapists part, and that they are capable of self directed growth if they are involved in a specific kind of therapeutic relationship† (Corey, 2005). Corey, Gerald. (2005) Theory and Practice of Counseling Psychotherapy. Thomson Books; Belmont, CA. Greenberg L., Watson J, (1998) Experiential Therapy of Depression: Differential Effects of Client-Centered Relationship Conditions and Process Experiential Interventions. The Journal for Psychotherapy Research. Vol. 8, Number 2, pp. 210- 224 Iberg, J.R. (1996) Finding the body’s next step: Ingredients and hindrances. The Journal for focusing and experiential therapy, vol 15, 13-42. Lietaer, Germain (1993), Beyond Carl Rogers, Constable, London Prouty, Gary, (1994) Theoretical evolutions in person-centered/ experiential therapy. Applications to schizophrenic and retarded psychosis. Praeger Publishers, Westport, CT Rogers, Carl (1980) A way of being. Rogers, Carl (1992) The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Dec 1992, vol. 60, No. 6 pp. 827-832. Research Papers on The Person-Centered ApproachThree Concepts of PsychodynamicThe Project Managment Office SystemOpen Architechture a white paperIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalGenetic EngineeringEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

The Inner Conflict essays

The Inner Conflict essays After the colonists in America decided that they were going to attempt a move towards freedom from British rule, they found them selves in a little bit of a crisis. One of the more serious problems was that the British might try to invade, and stomp out such a revolution. This was no there only problem. The other on had to do with inner conflict with federalists and anti-federalists. The decision to scrape out the old Articles and bring in new ones was risky. The direct order from congress was to revise the Articles not throw them out and create new ones. The continental congress felt they needed to draw up a document that would provide legal framework with the Union, and would be enforceable by the law of New England. A debate exists over whether or not the United States was really in a crisis or not. Opposing views from anti-federalists and federalists, peoples representation in the articles of confederation, and the likely hood of Americas survival under the Articles will de termine the true need for a drastic change in the framework of the new American government. The views of anti-federalists and federalists were very different from one another. Anti-federalists consisted of: the states rights devotees, the backcountry dwellers, the one-horse farmers, the work soiled artisans, the ill educated and illiterate which are all basically part of the poorer class. They opposed the new Articles because they felt that it would make them pay their war debts and taxes, which they were unable to do. They also felt it would deprive them of their equality to others. The anti-federalists wanted equality with all others instead of being considered the poorer class. The Federalists had a different view. They felt that they needed a much stronger type of government and this might have been there one and only chance to make it. They felt that they had more right ...

Training Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Training Plan - Essay Example The training will involve a variety of instructional materials. To be specific, training manuals in form of booklets will be used, alongside visual aids which will be used during the presentations. In the booklet will be contained organized list of all the required items. This will range from technical terminologies involved during the construction, safety equipment that will be used during construction, and necessary procedures and processes that count much in the venture. The arrangement of these items is done alphabetically to ensure for easy access by each worker. It also ensures that there is a quick reference guide that would readily assist in addressing the unavoidable cultural diversity amongst the taskforce (CTRE, 2005). The taskforce and issues accruing- This is a component that must be incorporated in order to assist the supervisor to understand the play ground that will be involved during the construction process. This gives a systemized structure that will ensure every member within the company structure fits in their place and work effectively. The basic issues that amount to the task force revolve around three main items, thus; creation of awareness, building of individual skills and planning in order to take action (CTRE, 2005). Creation of Awareness- This is the phase that aims at enlightening all the participants that would be involved in the task force of building and construction all the processes. It cuts across the hierarchy divides, starting from the supervisor all the way down to other workers. The workers must also know such risks that will be involved like falling objects, chemical mixtures, man holes, poisonous gases and fumes, and in exchange observe individual safety measure. Alongside the aforementioned, the supervisor must be aware of the cultural diversification at the work place and come up with amicable measures in addressing it; alongside the help that

Slope mining coal Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Slope mining coal - Research Proposal Example However, with surface depletion of coal and the receding of the levels at which coal strata are found to deeper underground, slope mines are more commonly being used (ThinkQuest, 2006). Slope mining of coal is the process by which coal is tapped from the coal bed or coal seam lying deep under a mountain or ground surface, through an inclined opening on the mountain side. From the opening, a slanting tunnel that is bored through the rock strata present over the coal, down to the coal seam, is used for mining the coal. If the stratum of coal is inclined and exposed to the surface of mountain side or ground, the slope mine may be created along the coal layer (MSN Encarta, 2008). If the gradation of the slope is steeply inclined, transportation of the coal out of the slope mine is carried out by an electrically operated belt conveyor system or an electric hoist and steel rope. If the slope has a gradual incline, coal transportation is undertaken by using a trolley locomotive running on tracks (MSN Encarta, 2008). In Figure 1. above, the mine shaft slanting down to the coal bed is seen. Through the slope tunnel, conveyors transport the coal out of the mine. In cases where there are two shafts as seen in the above diagram, special commuting devices are used for transporting the men in and out of the mine through one shaft; while the coal is taken out through the other (ThinkQuest, 2006). Transportation of the mined coal to markets or ports are mainly by railroad, road, shipping, slurry pipelines, and long distance conveyor systems which though useful, can accommodate only limited tonnage of coal and run from one source to only one destination. â€Å"As the overland distance to the coal deposits increases, the costs become greater and the coal becomes less competitive† (Clark: 28). According to world reserve statistics, coal is the second most abundant fossil found in nature. The cost of coal mining depends on mine characteristics,