Competitive Profiles Matrix of Walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Competitive Profiles Matrix of Walmart - Essay Example However Kmart has emerged as the main competitor to the Retailer (Houston, 2006). Company Strengths Compared to Kmart, Wall Mart operates in more countries and this gives it a larger market space that results to high sales turnover. While Wall Mart is based in 14 countries, Kmart is only based in 5 countries. Shopping in Wal -Mart is convenient, Wal -Mart stores are equipped with almost everything a customer would be searching for under one roof, a customer has the liberty and privilege to shop for everything from one point and during any time of the day. The numbers of products offered by Wal Mart are more varied compared to Kmart’s, this gives it a differential advantage, keeps Wal-Mart ahead of it. Wal -Mart goods are low, this is attained because the Retailer has entered into huge contracts with suppliers like MacDonald’s and Disney enabling it to get substantial discount, more over it buys products in mass attracting quantity discounts. Having a cost advantage over Kmart and other firms in the same industry gives it a higher ranking. This aspect enables families to save on money, some of the items that are sold at a cheaper price compared to other supermarkets are; sugar, fruit, vegetable and soda.

Case Analysis for North American Warehouse Clubs Essay Example for Free

Case Analysis for North American Warehouse Clubs Essay The competitive environment has changed drastically since the BSG case was originally written. The United States (US) continues to decline in the market as opposed to several years ago, but due to certain qualities it continues to remain very competitive in the market. One factor which gives the US a competitive edge is innovation. US companies are highly sophisticated and innovative. For the purposes of this analysis, the focus will be on innovation. Modern technology with information systems and applications with state of the art information and communication technologies are leading factors in the success of businesses today. Many newer businesses use e-technologies as a tool that not only improves efficiency, but gives them the competitive edge against those companies which are still running operations with outdated technology. Companies who have been around for decades are forced to implement new systems depending on their business needs. Changing technology is an initiative that is generally high cost, taking time to implement. There are numerous options available today that if the implementation of a new system is not strategically planned it could ultimately place a business in a financial deficit forcing businesses to reduce operations and sometimes shut down. It is important for businesses to invest in research and development (RD) when deciding to develop new processes to maintain a competitive edge. Looking at the case, it is apparent that Costco was the leader in modern technology compared to the other two competitors. Costco began to grow its business with two websites in 2004 in the US and in Canada. Costco’s e-commerce sales more than tripled over several years, reaching sales of over $1.2B in 2007. BJ’s began upgrading technology in 2007 which was fully implemented in 2009. Although net sales increased from $8,792M to $9,802M during the implementation years, net sales have seized to take an impressive incline with the new system. Net sales only increased $152M from 2009 to 2010. The case did not report on any innovations related to technology for Sam’s Club. Some of the problems Sam’s Club faces compared to the other competitors can be directed at the location of warehouses, their competition with Wal-Mart and their low scale target market. One way to improve would be to focus on their target market by offering upscale merchandise which will target upscale clientele. Sam’s Club could purchase BJ’s which already sells high quality brand merchandise. Merging with this competitor would tighten the market share even more. Focusing on members through this type of merchandising strategy will increase profitability. Another way to improve would be to reduce the amounts of international imports and focus on using American made products. Reducing import/export costs overall will increase revenue growth and financial performance. References World Economic Forum. 2012. The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013. Geneva: World Economic Forum. Available at www3.weforum.org//WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13 Wall Street Journal. Sam’s Club CEO Launches Charge on Rivals, Updated October 31, 2012, 1:44 p.m. ET http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203335504578089131653808580.html By SHELLY BANJO version of this article appeared October 31, 2012, on page B7 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Sams Club CEO Launches Charge on Rivals. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-43940823/sams-clubs-risky-move-into-sma

Mentoring in Practice

Mentoring in Practice Thembelani Dube Mentoring is described by Kinnell and Hughes(2010) as the transferring of knowledge ,skills and attitudes from health professionals to the students that they are working with. The royal college of nursing states that the role of the mentor is to enable the student to make sense of their practice through the application of theory, assessing, evaluating and giving constructive feedback and facilitating reflection on practice, performance and experiences. the NMC(2008) adds that a mentor is a nurse ,midwife or specialist public health nurse who facilitates learning, supervises and assesses students in a practice setting. The Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC,2006) have set standards for Nursing and Midwifery practice education, the standards to support learning and assessment in practice(SLAIP). The eight standards are a mandatory requirement for both students and mentors. The standards clearly outline the mentor’s responsibility for developing and ensuring the practice competence of students and provide a more defined statement regarding accountability for decisions that lead to entry to the professional register. These domains are going to be discussed individually in depth. Establishing effective working relationships Mentorship is the process that allows transference of knowledge, skills and attitudes from health professionals to the students that they are working with (kinnell and Hughes 2010). Wilson (2014) in his study concluded that mentoring involves modelling nursing practice, selecting learning opportunities for students, articulating one’s own practical and theoretical knowledge and assessing student’s competence in practice. By being role models, mentors provide an observable image of imitation, demonstrating skills and qualities for the student to emulate, Ness (2010). Wilkes(2006) points out that it is important to establish an effective working relationship where a mentor offers support but can also be objective and analytical. The student mentor relationship is crucial to the student’s learning experience particularly because the mentor’s role includes assessment of practice. Gopee (2011) listed some of the qualities of a mentor as nurturing, role modellin g, focusing on the professional development of the student, sustaining a caring relationship over time and functioning as teacher, sponsor, encourager and friend, Beskine (2009) suggests that orientation is the gateway to a successful placement. Starting off well promotes the quality of the placement. To establish an effective working relationship with the student a mentor should start by orientating a student to the placement, this provides an opportunity for the student to express any concerns. However the RCN (2007) recommends that in preparation of the placement a checklist should be discussed on the first day of working and this should include an up to date orientation pack. Walsh (2010) adds that there are two major facets to establishing effective working relationships, managing the student’s first day and week in a productive and welcoming way and mentor’s good use of communication skills and active listening. Gopee (2011) states that skills and techniques of communication are some of the most important tools the person undertaking the mentor’s role has to utilise. Facilitation of learning The major role of the mentor is to assist and encourage students to link theory and practice in a practical setting (Botma et-al,2013) the author adds that the student should be passionate, eager to learn, participate and be committed to make the relationship work. A study done by Jokelainen et-al(2010) identifies that facilitation of learning includes advance planning of training and placement learning , which includes ensuring planning and organising learning opportunities and being aware of details of the student and their training documents. Naming mentors and organising the student’s first day at work and ensuring that the student has the same shifts as the mentor. The NMC(2008) code of practice specifies that the registered nurse must be willing to share skills and experience for the benefit of others and has a duty to facilitate students and others to develop their competence. Wilson (2013) recommends that in order to facilitate learning, nurses should include students in their daily work, teaching clinical skills, giving written and verbal feedback. Aston and Hallam (2011) agrees that facilitation of learning includes planning relevant experiences for students, providing support and assessing clinical performance. However Kinnell and Hughes(2010) argues that finding out how a person learns is the key, this area should not be underestimated as it requires thought, insight and clinical background. The authors confirms that it is worth spending some time to think the student, the level they are at and what the best strategy would be to ensure their learning and development is facilitated appropriately depending on where they are at on their cou rse. Walsh(2010) identifies that there are many different theories and models of learning , but the three major ones are behaviourist, humanistic and cognitive. Gopee(2011) states that the humanistic learning theories have been developed with regards to how learning occurs. Carl Rogers’ student centred approach to learning reveals that a learning environment where a learner feels able to speak their mind and give their views is a healthy one. Thus mentors provides a safe, encouraging environment, guides the student to resources and opportunities and facilitates the student’s exploration of them. Marslow’ s humanistic hierarchy of needs model(1943) identifies that student mentor relationship and the learning environment are important elements of learning as this would ease anxieties and give the student a sense of belonging therefore enabling the student to achieve their learning needs. Malcolm knowles’s andragogy learning theory(1990) highlights that it is important to acknowledge students as adult learners.it describes adult learners as being more self directive, motivated and having a wealth of experience. Therefore it is important how mentors relate to and teach their students most of whom are readily regarded as adult learners. Assessment and accountability Kinnell and Hughes(2010) believes that it is a statutory requirement to assess healthcare students, it is necessary to assess student nurses during their training in order to licence them as competent practitioners and subsequently protect the public. Assessments highlight weaknesses and strengths and provides a baseline for future learning needs Nicklin and Kenworthy(1995).There are many methods of assessment including testimonies, reflective writing or discussions, direct observation and feedback from colleagues. Gopee(2011) points out that there are a number of other essential facets of assessment, this part is going to discuss formative and summative. The primary aim of the formative assessment is to promote learning so that the learner can do the skill safely and effectively and knows the rationale for each step of the intervention. Summative are conducted to determine whether the learner is now competent to work without direct supervision. it is summative that constitute a peri odic record of the student’s achievement of the aims and outcomes of a course or module. The NMC(2008) requires that most assessment of competence are to be undertaken through direct observation in practice and therefore registered nurses have a duty to facilitate students to develop their competence, they are accountable for ensuring that the individual who undertakes the work is able to do so and they are given appropriate support and supervision. Andrews et-al (2010)comments that assessment has become a major element of the mentor’s role. Many take on the role willingly but when faced with the notions of continuing assessment process become overwhelmed by the responsibility. Many nurses have difficulty taking responsibility for the student learning, especially making decisions about competency required while Lauder et-al (2008) argues that while mentors are crucial to developing students ’achievement of fitness to practice, they are hampered by lack of time to undertake the role. Walsh(2010) identifies that because the assessment process is for a whole host of good reasons it must be very robust. lt should accurately enable mentors to make realistic judgements about the students’ level of competence and thus whether to pass them or not. For the student a good assessment process also gives them valuable feedback, it helps them to identify what they need to do and enables them to set realistic future goals. NMC (2008) validity for assessment ensures that assessments measures what it’s designed to measure, there are two important key issues, how to measure and what to measure. The code of conduct points out that as professionals, nurses are personally accountable for their actions and omissions in practice areas and must always be able to justify decisions therefore it is important that weak students are identified early and given the right encouragement and support, and concerns are dealt with in a timely manner. Sharples et-al(2007)points out that it is wrong to assume that all students entering clinical placement will have the knowledge, skills and attitude to be successful. They will always be students who struggle to achieve competence and mentors who fail to evaluate a learner’s unsatisfactory performance accurately are said to be guilty of misleading the learner, and potentially putting the patient care at risk and thus failing in their accountability to the NMC (2006). The Duffy report of (2004) ‘failing to fail’ concluded that there are several reasons why some mentors are failing to fail students like not identifying problems early to the student therefore not giving the student sufficient time to improve, leaving it too late and that mentors may give students the benefit of the doubt when it comes to a final judgement regarding their clinical competence. Failing to fail creates poor standards, it leads to having practitioners entering the profession that are not fit for practice (Wells and McLoughin,2014) Evaluation of learning Mentors have the responsibility of developing the practice learning experience they are providing for students, evaluating how effective or ineffective the practice environment helps to fulfil this role (Aston and Hallam,2011).NMC(2008b)requires that registered nurses participate in self- and peer evaluation to facilitate personal development and contribute towards the development of others. In a mentor’s role the term evaluation is used in the context of the student’s practice learning experience. Evaluation assist in identifying areas that need to be improved as well as what is working well, it enables mentors to improve their mentorship skills and the learning experience for future students. NMC (2010) points out that feedback from students and mentors is used to inform the programme and enhance the practice learning experience. Elcock and Sharpes (2011) adds that just as evaluation is the key for improvement, without it there is a risk of making the same mistake ove r and over again. Aston and Hallam(2011) comments that evaluation is not to be confused with assessing as this is to measure the overall value of the learning experience or how worthwhile the practice learning opportunity has been. The process of evaluation involves obtaining feedback from relevant people, reviewing and discussing the feedback and planning action to implement change, and this can either be formal or informal Price (2006). Kinnell and Hughes states that mentors and students are exposed to a variety of evaluation approaches, from patient care to facilitation of learning. Students are required by the universities to evaluate their experiences in practice at the end of each placement and this contributes to the university quality assurance process Elcock and Sharples(2011). Students are asked to reflect on their practice placement and comment on the experience that they have gained based on four dimensions, the mentorship process, the available learning resources, their mentor and the qua lity of the practice placement.it will be at this stage that action of plan is developed if there are issues to be addressed. Creating an environment for learning. Walsh (2010) states that this domain entails helping a student identify their learning needs. Students develop their attitudes, competence, interpersonal communication skills, critical thinking and clinical problem solving abilities in the clinical learning environment (Dunn and Hansford,1997)feeling part of the team is the key factor in student’s feeling that they fit in and they are then able to learn. Aston and Hallam (2011) have identified that another way in which mentors can provide consistency in an approach to providing good learning opportunities for students is to identify what experiences you can provide that will enable students to achieve their competencies. A rapidly embraced and welcomed student is one who will be able to take advantage of the learning opportunities early on in their placement, in contrary a student that feels excluded and unwelcomed will likely shy away, withdraw and have raised anxieties regarding their chances of achieving learning outcomes. kinnell and Hughes(2010) points out that mentors need to appreciate the importance of understanding the healthcare students and the potential individual needs that they have as this will influence the student mentor relationship. Nicklin and Kenworthy(1995) identified some issues that characterise a good learning environment and they included a supportive mentor, that is able to identify learning opportunities for the student and is able to respond to differing learning styles of individual students. Finding out what stage the student is at in their training and what their particular needs and interests are aids in creating an environment for learning for the student. Walsh (2010) states that consistency, a patient and understanding mentor, protecting student supernumerary status and giving a student a time to reflect creates a good learning environment. Hand(2006) indicated that factors that are important for the creation of a positive learning environment are said to be a humanistic approach, where all staff are kind, genuine, approachable and promote self-esteem and confidence to students, good team spirits with respect and trust, high standards of care being provided using efficient but flexible approaches as well as teaching students as a key feature. Context of practice and evidence based practice The slaip document cements that mentors need to contribute to the development of an environment in which effective practice is fostered, implemented, evaluated and disseminated. Being a mentor does not only mean direct involvement in facilitation learning and assessment but it also challenges them to consider their own evidence base and standards of practice Elcock and Sharples (2011). Kinnell and Hughes suggests that mentors must therefore remember that the end result of evidence based practice is the ability to offer research- based findings in order to justify aspects of care delivery and rationale experiences encountered by patients throughout their healthcare journey. Walsh (2010) says that by adhering to the local policies and procedures and mandatory training is another way for mentors to achieve their use of evidence based practice. In context of practice, mentors are required by the Nursing and midwifery council to demonstrate their ongoing knowledge, skills and competence and that this should be reviewed and assessed at annual updates and triennial reviews. Duffy (2012) suggests that nurses should have a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate updating and maintenance of competence as a mentor. The aim of annual updating is to ensure that all mentors and practice teachers continue to understand issues relating to supporting students, understand the implications of changes to NMC requirements, have current knowledge of NMC approved programmes and make valid and reliable assessments of competence and fitness for safe and effective practice Elcock and Sharples(2011)and NMC(2008). Leadership Leadership is an integral role that mentors have to undertake. Kinnell and Hughes(2011) identify that the mentor’s role is forever changing as they are expected to be co-ordinaters of patient care, a care manager, an expert in their own clinical field and they are also expected to teach and assess healthcare students within their commitment to mentorship. Gopee(2011) establishes that mentors leadership role is crucial in practice at facilitating student’s learning.One of the NMC(2008) outcomes of leardership domain requires that mentors provide feedback about the effectiveness of learning and assessment in practice. Anderson (2011)adds that helpfull feedback should be based on a recognised model of assessment feedback such as ‘praise sandwich’ and Duffy(2013) confirms that mentors need to provide students with regular feedback on their performance, this is integral to the assessment process. Kinnell and Hughes(2011) identified a number of leadership styles such as autocratic, consultative, democratic and laissez-faire, a mentor should have an insight into different leadership ship styles and evaluate the one that appears to be dominant within their practice placement and how that style could influence the student’s experience. This assignment has highlighted the impotence of the SLAIP domains as a guidance for mentors. It has explored the qualities and the skills that mentors need to fullful their roles in order to capitalize on the student’s learning experience whilst working towards developing a competent practitioner. 2700(words)Page 1

Germany’s Inclusion as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council: Breaking Free from its Historic Subservience :: Essays Papers

Germany’s Inclusion as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council: Breaking Free from its Historic Subservience The Federal Republic of Germany, once a menacing dictatorship on a path of world domination, is currently the leading nation in the European Union and the third-leading contributor to the United Nations. Germany has come a long way since its reunification in 1990. It is now fully committed to a foreign policy based around peace, stability, and development, Germany is entirely committed to protecting the future of the global community. Germany maintains that the accomplishment of these goals resides in the strengthening of international organizations, specifically the United Nations, and for a more active participation by the German Republic. Germany’s active role in the United Nations can be reflected in its participation amongst the UN’s various arms, specifically the Security Council. Currently on its fourth term as a non-permanent member of the Council, Germany, with a majority of support from the General Assembly of the UN, has declared its willingness for a seat as a permanent member of the Security Council. In an effort to change its bloodied past, Germany hopes its inclusion as a permanent member would allow them to facilitate further peacekeeping missions with greater ease. Additionally, Germany hopes to increase the scope of international developmental projects undertaken by the UN. The idea of a unified federation of the world’s nations was first spawned by German philosopher Immanuel Kant in the late 18th century. Kant believed that this federation of nations would be founded on a platform of â€Å"Universal Hospitality,† in which no person â€Å"had more right than another to a particular part of the earth† (Kant). He also expressed that no country should interfere with the government of another. In addition, larger, more powerful countries shall not use smaller countries for their own gain. Such a federation would perform as a collective security against aggressors. With the conception of the League of Nations, Kant’s doctrine became a reality in the early 20th century after World War I. The League of Nations lasted from 1920 to 1946 with 63 different countries represented (Encarta). Though it lacked the backing of superpowers, such as the United States, and did not sustain its goal of preventing another world war, the League of Nations provided a model for the United Nations in 1941. Germany’s Inclusion as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council: Breaking Free from its Historic Subservience :: Essays Papers Germany’s Inclusion as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council: Breaking Free from its Historic Subservience The Federal Republic of Germany, once a menacing dictatorship on a path of world domination, is currently the leading nation in the European Union and the third-leading contributor to the United Nations. Germany has come a long way since its reunification in 1990. It is now fully committed to a foreign policy based around peace, stability, and development, Germany is entirely committed to protecting the future of the global community. Germany maintains that the accomplishment of these goals resides in the strengthening of international organizations, specifically the United Nations, and for a more active participation by the German Republic. Germany’s active role in the United Nations can be reflected in its participation amongst the UN’s various arms, specifically the Security Council. Currently on its fourth term as a non-permanent member of the Council, Germany, with a majority of support from the General Assembly of the UN, has declared its willingness for a seat as a permanent member of the Security Council. In an effort to change its bloodied past, Germany hopes its inclusion as a permanent member would allow them to facilitate further peacekeeping missions with greater ease. Additionally, Germany hopes to increase the scope of international developmental projects undertaken by the UN. The idea of a unified federation of the world’s nations was first spawned by German philosopher Immanuel Kant in the late 18th century. Kant believed that this federation of nations would be founded on a platform of â€Å"Universal Hospitality,† in which no person â€Å"had more right than another to a particular part of the earth† (Kant). He also expressed that no country should interfere with the government of another. In addition, larger, more powerful countries shall not use smaller countries for their own gain. Such a federation would perform as a collective security against aggressors. With the conception of the League of Nations, Kant’s doctrine became a reality in the early 20th century after World War I. The League of Nations lasted from 1920 to 1946 with 63 different countries represented (Encarta). Though it lacked the backing of superpowers, such as the United States, and did not sustain its goal of preventing another world war, the League of Nations provided a model for the United Nations in 1941.

How Material Things Contribute Towards Differences on a Street Essay

Taking into consideration that ‘difference is not the same as inequality’ (Blakeley et al., 2009, p. 24), this essay intends to look at KÃâ€" and outline how the material things contribute towards differences with reference to City Road; deriving from the premise that the material assets of a street can generate either an inclusive or exclusive interaction, favouring some and not others. Kà ¶nigsalle, known by its nickname, â€Å"Kà ¶, is the most beloved upscale commercial street in Germany (Welt online, 2010). On one side of the street we have stores from the most expensive brands in the world and on the other, a mix of baroque buildings which host a different number of businesses. Being seen walking along or visiting its stores is denotative of a unique social status. Everything along the Kà ¶ is designed to be in accordance to and promote an upscale social lifestyle. The material things on City Road, while performing a more literal function, also contribute to tangible objective differences when favouring, for example, pedestrians over drivers (e.g. the red tarmac offers pedestrians an extra safety measure when crossing, while taking away space from the drivers); parking is also a critical matter, generating therefore, economic consequences for the local shops (‘Material Lives’, 2009, scene 1). Another relevant point is the fact that, City Road social appearance, along with its material assets usage, changes considerably throughout the day, making it almost a different street by nightfall (e.g. from a busy commercial street during the day to a ‘party haven’ at night, when it is taken over by young adults) (‘Making social lives on City Road’, 2009, Scene 8). Such an absolute change does not occur on the Kà ¶. On the Kà ¶, the very same material things, should not only perform the most frugal of the functions, but also be in accordance to what the street stands for, thus, being an active part of the process of creating objective tangible differences -like in City Road, as well as, subjective ones. Kà ¶ supports its image by providing the necessary visible and invisible infrastructure to sustain a busy, high-octane upscale atmosphere: The street signage is visible; there are several crossing points; clearly marked sidewalks, tarmacs and lanes favour the mobility of handicapped individuals as well as bicycles and pedestrians without deterring traffic; it is well lit; the buildings and facades are well taken care of; litter bins are everywhere and one will, for example, find plenty of parking possibilities, which as a result, allows the individual to visit the stores and restaurants and feel safe. Altogether, the material things are in perfect apparent symbiosis with its users. Separately, each material asset on the Kà ¶ objectively indicates them as being part of a regular commercial street just like City Road. When looking at them altogether, the ensemble creates a striking subjective difference. To better illustrate how the material things on both streets subjectively enforces a certain type of behaviour and attitude, take the example of an individual walking down the street wearing shorts, tank-top and flip-flops. On City Road, this individual would most likely not even be noticed. The same individual walking down the Kà ¶, would be regarded as conspicuous. The same can be applied to the type of cars circulating on the Kà ¶ or City Road, a Ferrari on the Kà ¶ would be taken for granted while on City Road it would probably stand out. Another example to consider is parking. Though there are many parking slots and options, the prices around the Kà ¶ are up to 80% more expensive than other streets in Dà ¼sseldorf (RP Online, 2011), hence, favouring the visit of the more affluent layer of the community over the lesser one. There is no sign on the Kà ¶ telling who is welcomed or not; objectively speaking everyone is welcomed, but its material things are invested with such a subjective meaning, that they set the pace and shape of the local social life, creating therefore, an alluring environment which itself dictates a whole gamut of social patterns that are absorbed and followed by the local community, consequently contributing towards differences. While City Road reveals a more inclusive image, Kà ¶ conversely manifests a more exclusive one. As we can see, each street is similar in various aspects and are designed and structured to cater and favour a specific type of person, business or activity and its material things corroborate such a process by subjectively or objectively embedding certain social patterns which will then be adopted by their users.

Is the Life-Span Approach Essential to Human Development

Human development has been a subject of interest among modern researchers. The most prominent theory in human development is the life-span approach which is made up of various concepts. This essay aims to show the importance of the life-span approach by analysing some of the concepts that make up this approach, such as multi-directionality historical location and contexualism among others. This essay will critically analyse some of the assumptions of the life-span approach.It will also examine arguments against the lifespan approach as well as other theories of human development such as Freud’s psychoanalytic theory with the aim of showing that this approach is essential for understanding human development. One of the major assumptions of the life-span approach as suggested by Baites, (1987) is that development is a ‘life-long process’ by this he meant that developmental changes occur throughout a person’s life, from the point of conception till death (Suga rman, 1986). Baltes, (1987) went on to state that development as a life-long process assumes that, no point in a person’s developmental life is more important than the other, every period of a person’s life is equally important weather it is childhood or aging, they are all important periods of development though this assumption is in direct contradiction to other theorists of human development such as Freud who believed that development ends at childhood and that adulthood is an extended version of childhood and that aging is more of â€Å"loss in adaptive capacity† hence does not qualify to be put in the paradigms of development .This has constituted the gain and loss argument (Baltes, 1987). Research on intelligence has shown that other forms of intelligence which involving reviewing of one’s life and wisdom emerge in old age and these forms of intelligence are not ‘genetically wired from birth† as suggested by Freud and (Baltes, 1987). Thi s goes to show that development is not restricted to certain periods of a person’s life but happens up until death; hence the life-span approach is essential in understanding human development.With the desire to proove the importance of the life-span approach in human development This essay will look at another assumption put forward by life-span theorists which state that development is malti-directional, (Baltes, 1987). This means that human development has different forms and differs in the routes that it takes thoughout the developmental process for example the presents of degenerative and growth abilities in a person (Stenberg, Bornstein, Yandell, & Rook, 011). It has also been noted by Li & Freund, (2005) that development as viewed by the life-span theory is not a one way procces of accumulation but that some developmental aspect increase while others decline (Li & Freund, 2005). Research by (cattel and horn, 1982 ) shows that a person consits of two types of intelligan ce mamely fluid and crystalized intelligance.According to this research fluid intelligance showed a declining function as compared to cristalized which showed accumulation tendancies (Baltes, 1987) This evidence shows that development is not a one way procces but takes different directions and that includes both childhood development and aiging, reafirming the point made above that aiging also qualifies to be considered as being part of development.Also in southafrica it has been noted that due to the inaccesibility of adiquate health care by children during the apartheid some children were born with birth defects while others suffered from malnutrition and became disabled showing the different varyng trajectories that human development can take (Youth hearings, 1997). Therefore the presence of malti-directionality as a life-span concept helps us to understand the various dimentions and directions taken by development throghout a person’s life hence it earns its importance in understanding human development.The life-span approach again plays a very important role in understanding human development when looking at the assumption that ‘development is historically embeded’ (Elder, 1998). This concept cannot be separated from the concept of contexualism hence Elder, (1998)’s work is to be viewed in light of the two concepts. According to Baites, (1987) the idea behind this assumption is that the historical location of a person together with the socio, economic and caltural experiences the individual encounter during that time has an impact on how he developes.He went on to say that this assumption brings in history as an important factor that facilitates one’s nature of deverlopment To support this assumption it was discovered that children who faced economic hardships during the time of the great depression looked far much older than their normal age but tended to recover when the conditions got better showing again that developm ent is a continous procces (Elder, 1998). To further support this line of thinking it must be clarified that Elder, (1998) is stressing the fact that there is continous interplay between factors such as history, timing of life transitions such as early pregnancy, shared elationships and a person’s unique ability to execise agency which has been defined by Baites, (1987) as plasticity These factors greatly influence the developmental trajectories of a person (Sugarman, 1986). To support this he turns his attention to the oakland and berkely studies done on children who experiences the second world war, the great depression and the korean war. As shown by this research children born during the economic meltdown of the great depression probably laked proper parenting and this affected maturation.He went on to mention that children who lived during the second world war and the korean war had different experienes as compared to the oakland study and their developmental gains and l osses were different. In southafrica research shows that black children who lived during the apatheid era ended up in sqatter camps without any aducation, with poor sanitation no recreation facilities and high health risks, this forced some to join ganges.Removal from their land also caused identity confusion which is a very important developmental task according to Erikson. showng that historcal context brings with it a unique experience that individuals are exposed to and this has a great impact on one’s developmet reafirming the claim tht the life-span approach is important in understanding human development. It has also been brought to attention that the research methods used by life-span researchers are to some extent unreliable and may produce inaccurate information.As critics of this approach have noted life-span researchers mainly use introspection, questioning and obsarvation for example Elder, (1998) on his study of children of the great depression admits that they would ask the subjects on how they thought the great depression influenced their lives, Havighurst also used the same technique in his study of developmental tasks and this is problematic since subjects are most likely unware of their developmental tasks and deficits (Sugarman, 1986).He went on to say researcher bias is also a broblem for example theorists like Erikson may have been influenced to research by their background and the results they produce may bear similarities to what they personaly feel, not the actual facts on the ground. Pllasticity is another life-span concept that t can help us understand human development. Though it has been mentioned above we now look at it in more detail. According to (Li & Freund, 2005) it is the campacity of the individual to influence his own developmen meaning a person may counciously or uconciously influence heir own developme. Biological research on cortical plasticity across the life-span by (Li & Freund, 2005) has shown that the brain of adults can change its stractural and functional organisation due to its developmental history. The research also showed the reorganisation of functions of the cortex in old age such as the use of both hemspheres to compansate for decline and this shows the importance of pasticity in human develoment.The last charecteristic of the life-span approach to be discussed is the fact that human development is multi-disciplinary meaning that it encompasses other fields such as bbiology, sociology and anthropology (Baltes, 1987). This assumption is further supported by Huvighurst (1972) who also suggest that developmental tasks arise from ‘physical maturation, caltural presure and individual aspirations (Sugarman, 1986).He gives the example that learning to read may be as a result caltural influence, one’s willingness to read and your mental or cognitive capability hence these three fields may simaltenously influence development. Though this essay aims to assert the importants of the life-span approach to development we cannot turn a blind eye on some of the weaknesses and critisisms brought forward agains this approach therefore we will start with the last concept which stated that human development is is malti-desciplinary.Schoolars like Sugarman, (1986) have argued that much of the work presented to support the assumption remains in doupt since research done in german society may not be applicable on a Southafrican context and therefore this particular concept does not fully expain human development of all people across the world since developmental tasks such as choosing a job are calture specific (Havighurst, 1972).Another critisism of the life-span approach is that it that some of its ideas are incontradiction with its principles for example Sugarman, (1986) notes that life-span developmental theorists offer a road map of development, Erikson’s eight stages and Havighurst’s assumption that failare to overcome a particular stage would result in unhappyness. This is in direct contradiction to the notion that development is malti-directional and does not follow a particular pattern of developmen which bergs the question as to weather this approach is really essential in understanding human development.After closely examining the assumptions of the life-span approach and the arguments presented against it, it is evident that the approach has a lot of inconsistancies and that the research methods used to some extend are inconclusive. After aknowledging these facts it is however iumportant to note that not all of the life-span approach’s research is obtained by quationable means and that it is the only theory of human development which better explains human development in Southafrica.The life-span approach is also to be credited for being the only thery of human development which is malti-disciplinary and it is also not deterministc in that there is always hope to overcome life;s challenges Also its methods are easily applicable therefore in conclusion it remains beyond reasonable doupt that development is a life-long procces and that the life-span approach is vital in understanding human development. ? References Baites, P. B. (1987). Theoretical propositions of life-span developmental psychology: On the dynamics between growth and decline.Developmental Psychology, 611-623. Boyd, D. , & Bee, H. (2006). Life span development (4th ed. ). Boston: MA Pearson Education. Elder, G. H. (1998). 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