Strategic Management of Carnival Corporation Coursework

Strategic Management of Carnival Corporation - Coursework Example The clear vision she has nowadays for the company is one that highlights the appeal to people, i.e. the "wow factor", "Wow,' I think that's what today's carnival is all about, the wow effect" (Keefe et al., 2006, p.11). A vision of Carnival's present and future that is also sustained by the company's outlined mission and objectives. As identified by Carnival's management the company mission "is to deliver exceptional vacation experiences through the world's best known cruise-brands that cater to a variety of different lifestyles and budgets, all at an outstanding value unrivaled on land or at sea." (Keefe, 2006, p.8). A statement, which illustrates Carnival's customer- and product -oriented approach with respect to their presence in different markets, where each segment is channeled in a way as to maintain a holistic perspective on the entire company philosophy with respect to future growth and development as shown in the entrepreneurial hue of the message. The company also expresses concern for the way it is viewed by the public in terms of its outstanding positioning amongst other cruising and non-cruising industry competitors. Thus it gives a strong message that it would try and sustain its posi tions as a cruise market leader while simultaneously bolstering and expanding its spot when it comes to the rest of the tourist industry. The cruising indu The cruising industry has been growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1% in North America and 8.4% in Europe for the period 1999-2004(10K, p.4). The number of passengers of Carnival was 6,848,386 which amounted to 48.9% of the total number of cruise passengers worldwide (Keefe et al., 2006, p.2). Carnival's 79 ships operate in all three cruise sectors: contemporary, premium and luxury. The contemporary lines are: the Carnival Cruise Lines, which have 21 ships and passenger capacity of 47,820 people. It operates mainly in North and South America and in 2005 carried an industry record of 3.3 million passengers. P&O is another contemporary brand with a capacity of 8,844 targeting mainly the UK market. Representatives of the premium and destination class lines are Princess (14 ships and 29,152 passenger capacity) and Holland America Line (12 ships and 18,930 passengers), both operating in the North and South American regions, the Caribbean. Carnival's luxury Brands include Seaborn Line with 3 luxury yachts and 624 passengers and Windstar Cruises targeting a demographic of 30-50 year old customers. Other regional lines include: Ocean Village (1 ship) based in UK, which sails the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Swan Hellenic operates discovery cruises in the UK, the Mediterranean, North America, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Far East. Costa Cruises is in Italy and has (10 ships). It sails Europe, South America and the Caribbean. AIDA is in the German market sailing the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the Norwegian Fjords, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean. Of all regions of operations of Carnival the most profitable and the most penetrated market is the North American one with revenues of $6,439, $5,788, and $4,513 in respectively 2005, 2004, 2003 (Note 12,10K, 2006). While the UK is the most developed market in Europe for Carnival with revenues of $1,681, $1,549, $971 respectively for 2005, 2004, 2003, which is still 1/5 of the North American

Sales training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sales training - Essay Example Three different power points will be created for the morning session, after break session and after lunch lecture. The first power point will cover the definition of sales, its goals, roles, direction and the focus of selling. This will be accomplished with a minimum of 25 slides with comprehensive speaker notes at the bottom. A minimum of 5 images must be used to show marketing dialogue, the role of sales and any related topic idea. The second power point will outline and map the sales process and images depicting models of selling will be included. For the last session, the power point presentation will cover, in a minimum of 15 slides a reflection of the video that will be used to induce hands-on experience in selling (Amy 79). All power points will be colorful and animated and questions must be used at each stage to evoke critical thinking from trainees. A laptop, projector and white board will be availed for the purpose of this training session. Video A sales marketing video wil l be obtained from youtube.com and will be availed in the last session. The video will cover field marketing and will present different scenarios that are likely to be experienced during training. Person to person sales and making sales in a conference will be two scenarios that will be captured in the video. The CD will be provided and played through the laptop. Evaluating the Learners After the three lecture sessions, a questionnaire will be handed to the trainees and they will be required to respond to the questions. Questionnaire method is superior in obtaining quick responses from the trainees as all of them respond at the same time. The questionnaire will test on the sales skills that the learner acquired and the possible methods of tackling specific problems in the marketing field. The test will continue a marketing scenario to test the learner abilities to employ effective marketing approaches in different marketing situations. Guidance Session Timing Trainer Guidance Traine e Guidance Lesson 1 1 hour 30 minutes Must emphasize definition, and mechanics of selling. questionss in power points must be asked to student. Remain interesting, use speaker note to explain Take notes, participate, ask questions Lesson 2 1hr 30 minutes Outlining and mapping of sales covered Refer to Ppt speaker notes Use questions at each point Engage learners Trainees get back to their seating positions. Note taking of crucial points Lesson 3 1hr 30 minutes The teacher will play the video twice, and then use the power point to reflect on the video. Interactive questions. Every trainee presents their opinion on the scenarios depicted in the movie Note the various key skills in marketing The timeline of the lesson will be reviewed after the first lesson. It may be wise to reduce the time for the second session and increase that of the last session as the interactive session is expected to take more time. Formative Revisions Formative revisions help to obtain information to help str eamline the instructional methods (Tuttle 122). During the instruction process, a critical observation of the training session will be engaged. The time taken to deliver the whole content designed for each lesson will be assessed. Also, the participation of the trainees will be engaged and

Influences of Tradition in Field of Counseling Essay

Influences of Tradition in Field of Counseling - Essay Example In both cases, dreams were a factor in the analysis (Neuman, 1954). A method pioneered by psychologist Carl Rogers was a person-centered approach known as humanistic counseling, and B.F. Skinner was interested in what could actually be observed in the outside world, leading at first to therapy as a separate strand from counseling (History: Freud, 2007). Freud believed in psychoanalysis as a field for laypersons, but in the United States lay analysis was not considered legitimate, and is in fact illegal at present. U.S. psychoanalysts are required to be medically qualified. This prejudice against lay therapists led to Roger's adoption of the word "counseling" instead of therapist to describe his method since he was medically trained (Rohan, 2001). The terms "psychotherapy" and "counseling" have now become interchangeable in psychiatry, but Roger's holistic approach to the human side of counseling is unique in the field and has led to hundreds of research agendas. He brought many new ideas into therapy that were resisted at the time they were introduced and continue to be resisted even now (History: Counseling vs. Psychotherapy Divide, 2007). It is the approach to the whole person rather than just analysis of conscious and unconscious thought that makes humanistic counseling a produc... We live in a global community with a mix of cultures and social norms throughout the world. If we look at ourselves as individuals interacting with others and making an effort to determine what factors give us the most satisfaction, we become our own therapists. Humanistic counseling is comprised of self-actualization, creativity, and free choice. John Rowan (2001) describes Rogers' person-centered approach to psychiatric analysis as empathetic, genuine, and non-possessive warmth on the part of the counselor and goes on to discuss the various factors that make this a working form of counseling and analysis. Influences Shaping My Understanding of Counseling Humanistic counseling is somewhere in the middle of the therapeutic system, with Freud and Jung still a major force in the field and family therapy a derivative of humanistic counseling. With the advent of child guidance clinics, family therapy became the recommended treatment in the belief that "a child's symptoms were usually a function of emotional distress in the family" (Family Therapy. par. 8). However, the bottom line is the ability of the individual to understand and accept self, and in that respect humanistic counseling would be the preferred method. The following shows the stages of individual development from the inside out (Rowan, 2001): The first is the importance of self-esteem, trust, and acceptance between client and counselor. Next, it is necessary for the client to gain personal control by being honest with self. The second aspect of humanistic psychology is what is called "self actualization," the whole person: body, feelings, intellect, transpersonal self, and spirit. Neglecting any one of these areas defeats the effort. With so much attention now on the body-diet

ICT and technology for education Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

ICT and technology for education - Thesis Example Several research studies have concluded that the work of teachers is strenuous and time consuming. In order to provide a measure of relief, it is necessary to develop tools that can be used to monitor the activities and progress of their students. At present, there are a few tools that can be employed to obtain the data of students and to monitor their behaviour (Persico, Pozzi, & Sarti, 2010, p. 6). However, considerable research is required in this area; due to the inability of the existing tools to provide incomplete information. Of late, educators are using internet tools, such as wikis and blogs in their classroom teaching. This has had a tremendous impact on the students, who obtain an opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics with other students, across the world. The formality is much less and discussions tend to extend to topics that had not been pre-assigned. Blogging is not traditional writing, and it represents the personal opinions of the author. In most of the online educational blogs, students post according to their own interests. The massive interactions involved in posting on blogs, generates a vast network of interactions (Downes, 2005). This system resembles community practice, as visualised by Wenger. This will definitely have an effect on the personal development of the student. E – Learning is gaining popularity as it is proved to be effective in reflective and collaborative learning. There are some problems inherent in the e-learning process. Moreover, it is also important to d evelop research and practice in the e-learning process, in order to design and develop effective methods and tools to ensure collaborative learning (Persico, Pozzi, & Sarti, 2010, p. 6). Monitoring online learning activity is an important task Thus, there is a need to develop tools for the purpose of monitoring. In the CSCL environment, tutors perform the monitoring activity. The latter are indispensable in supervising the learning process, and they evaluate the performance and academic progress of students, by means of the monitor process (Persico, Pozzi, & Sarti, 2010, p. 6). As such, the monitoring process helps the student to learn in a directed manner, which in turn makes the learning process flawless. Another area of disseminating information is that of podcasting. Thus, websites like that of McMaster broadcast lectures by engineering professors. Furthermore, information regarding education and careers can be downloaded from the Internet. Publishers prepare the content for e-l earning, and students make use of it. Under these circumstances, e-learning systems resemble a blogging tool. It evolves into a personal learning centre and does not constitute an institutional or corporate application. The ELGG is an e – portfolio application that permits students to create and display their work. Such portfolios make it possible for students to collect, organise, interpret, and discuss information. E – portfolios promote professional development and motivate learners to demonstrate the outcome of their learning (Downes, 2005)E – learning has the capacity to improve or impoverish the educational provision. Computer assisted learning, in the initial stages, was merely

The Impact of Culture on Best Practice Production Management Essay

The Impact of Culture on Best Practice Production Management - Essay Example Services industry is the fastest growing segment in the world economy and the biggest challenge is customer satisfaction which depends upon service quality (Bick, Abratt & Moller, 2010). Customer service excellence becomes essential to achieve customer satisfaction which in turn translates into customer loyalty. Organisations are convinced that customer service delivers benefits and hence quality management programmes have been created that relate the service attributes to how customers would evaluate quality (Bolton & Drew, 1991). This implies that people skills are essential for personal and organisational success. Customer service excellence is based on customer insight, segmentation and leadership (CSE, n.d.). Segmentation helps to understand the needs of the customers which differ across cultures. Segmentation is implemented through the process of identifying and differentiating between groups that have similar needs or wants. By focusing on their needs, motivation and choices, the organisation can achieve customer service excellence as they realize that one-size-fit-all approach in not applicable in the service industry. Customer service excellence operates at three distinct levels – as a driver of continuous improvement, as a skills development tool and as an independent validation of achievement. Culture, according to Hofstede, â€Å"is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category from another† (Hope & Muhlemann, 2001). It has also been defined as the â€Å"software of the mind...† and culture is the way that a group of people solve problems and reconcile dilemmas (Lorenzoni & Lewis, 2004). Moreover, customers from different backgrounds also have differing levels of literacy which influences the evaluation of performance standards (Pizam & Eliss, 1999).Cultural difference cause differences in expectations, goals, values and proposed course of action. Cultural differences impact the belongingness, love and esteem needs of individuals and these principles reverse the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. Subtle cultural differences cannot be ignored as the direct impact can be observed in decisions, outcomes and delivery of service (Korac-Kakabadse & Kouzmin, 1999). To achieve service excellence organisations would have to ensure that employees are adequately trained in the different elements of culture that manifest in many ways. Manifestation of cultural differences can be found in language and communication styles, in expression of emotions and body language, in social customs and eating habits. The deepest and the most ingrained manifestation of culture is the cultural assumptions from which stem the norms and values (Lorenzoni & Lewis, 2004). The most visible manifestation of culture is everyday behavioural standards. Hofstede has identified four different dimensions on which culture can be measured. These include the power distance, individualism, unc ertainty avoidance and masculinity. Cultures distinguish people in how they behave, maintain relationships and relate to each other in a variety of ways. It also influences the attitude towards time and the attitude towards the environment. All these factors heighten the importance of ensuring that employees are trained in understanding the nuances of different cultural backgrounds before customer service excellence can be expected. The hospitality industry is diverse in nature and each customer is individual in his/her needs and wants. The same customer may have different needs and demands in different situations (Baum & Nickson, 1998). Cultural differences impact the outcome of business because according to Hofstede different cultures imply different mental programming (Gilbert & Tsao, 2000).

Italy and Greece Essay Example for Free

Italy and Greece Essay Its all fat, but does it make you fat? In this coursework I am going to explain the health implications of eating saturated and hydrogenated fats by investigating individual types of oils and margarines and their affects. My research into different types of fats will explain which fats should be eaten more or less of and the reasons for this. I will also talk about the fats we shouldnt eat, what affects they have on our bodies and why we should avoid eating them. I am then going to form an for and against argument about why hydrogenation in the industry can harm our bodies and then come to a conclusion whether I think we should or shouldnt eat hydrogenated fats. In this part of the task am going to find out and explain what is meant by monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats/oils. Triglyceride Molecule A triglyceride is a molecule that contains one glycerol molecule and three fatty acids, which is mainly constituted in vegetable oils and animal fats. The chemical formula is RCOO-CH2CH (-OOCR) CH2-OOCR, where R, R, and R are longer alkyl chains. The three fatty acids RCOOH, RCOOH and RCOOH can be all different, all the same, or only two the same. This part of my coursework will explain what is meant by Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated and Saturated fats or oils. Monounsaturated Fat Monounsaturated fats or (Monounsaturated fatty acids) are fatty acids that only contain one double bond in the chain and the rest of the remaining carbon atoms in the chain are single bonded. Fatty acids are long chained molecules with a methyl group at one end and a carboxylic acid group at the other. The fluidity of the fatty acids increases with the increasing number of double bonds. Monounsaturated fats have a higher melting temperature than polyunsaturated fats but lower than saturated fats. Monounsaturated fatty acids are liquids at room temperature and semisolid or solid when refrigerated. Monounsaturated fats are found in natural foods such as nuts and avocados and are the main component of tea seed oil and olive oil (Oleic acid). Macadamia nut oil, grapeseed oil, groundnut oil (peanut oil), sesame oil, corn oil, popcorn, whole grain wheat, cereal, oatmeal, safflower oil, sunflower oil, tea-oil Camellia and avocado oil are also sources of monounsaturated fats. Oleic acid is typical monounsaturated fatty acid which has 18 carbon atoms with the first double bond occurring 9 carbon atoms away from the methyl group. Other typical monounsaturated fatty acids include Palmitoleic acid which has 16 carbon atoms with the first double bond occurring 7 carbon atoms away from the methyl group and 9 carbons from the carboxyl end and Vaccenic acid which has 18 carbon atoms. Oleic Acid Polyunsaturated Fat Polyunsaturated fat or (Polyunsaturated fatty acids) are fatty acids which contain more than one double bond within the molecule. It has two or more points on its structure capable of supporting hydrogen atoms that are currently not part of the structure. Depending on the geometry of the double bond the polyunsaturated fatty acids can assume a cis or trans conformation. They can be divided into two categories Omega 3 fats which can be found in fish, seafood, and lean meat, plant foods such as cereal grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables, figs and also in plant oils including soybean, canola, linseed and walnut. Oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, herring and gemfish contains more omega 3 fatty acids than white fish. Omega 6 fats which is the second category are mostly found in nuts, seeds and plant oils such as corn, soy and safflower. There many benefits of omega fats, some of which are lowering blood cholesterol levels and in doing so reduces risk of coronary heart disease. The melting point of the compound is significantly lower because the strength of the intermolecular forces is reduced due to the lack of hydrogen atoms on the molecules surface. Trans fats solidify at a higher temperature than cis fats making them more similar to saturated fats than cis fats. A typical polyunsaturated fat is Linoeic acid; both of the double bonds in Linoeic acid are cis. Linoeic Acid Saturated Fat Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides that only contain saturated fatty acids radicals. There are several natural occurring saturated fatty acids which differ by the number of carbon atoms; they range from 3 carbons (Propionic Acid) to 36 carbons (Hexatriacontanoic Acid). Chains of saturated fatty acids have no double bonds which makes them fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. Foods containing a high proportion of saturated fats include dairy products especially cream and cheese and also butter and ghee. Others foods also include animal fats such as suet, tallow, lard and fatty meat, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, chocolate and some prepared foods. A typical saturated fatty acid is Stearic acid. Stearic Acid Fats that we should eat more of and why? We should eat more non-saturated fats which are Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats, these types of fats and oils have numerous health benefits. It transports fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K throughout the body and also cushions and protects internal organs. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) benefit your heart, metabolism and immune system. Some EFAs are used by the body for structural, hormonal and electrical functions rather than energy. These EFAs increase metabolic rate and increase fat burn off resulting in loss of weight. Fat is a concentrated source of energy. It can also prevent irregular heart beats and reduces inflammation. We should avoid eating Saturated fats as they are bad for health and they clog up arteries causing heart disease and strokes. However health warnings to avoid saturated fat have been misinterpreted which makes people thinks avoid all fat. Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats are actually good for you if eaten sensibly. Diets high in saturated fat have been correlated with an increased incidence of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Saturated fats increase cholesterol levels in your body which increases the risk of heart disease.

Effectiveness of Different Coaching Styles in Sport

Effectiveness of Different Coaching Styles in Sport Sports Coaching CONTENTS (JUMP TO) Principles and best practice in coaching The effectiveness of different styles of coaching in different contexts How models of coaching can help practitioners References Principles and best practice in coaching The ideal of sport has changed markedly in the past fifteen to twenty years (Polley, 1998)[1]. What was once seen as leisure and/or a recreational activity is now viewed primarily as a vehicle through which one can instigate deep-seated cultural and societal change. This is especially true in the UK which has a particularly insipid connection to sport with a variety of games considered endemic in British society; indeed, many of the most popular sports in the world were played first in Britain and their governing bodies still reside within British state borders. As a result, as Dawn Penney (2000:59) declares, sport, society and equity are interlinked to a degree that has only very recently been acknowledged by academic, specifically sociological, study. â€Å"Physical education and sport are part of our social and cultural worlds. The relationship is dynamic, with the policies and practices of physical education reflecting, but also clearly shaping (reproducing and/or challenging), the values and interests of broader society.†[2] It is for this reason that the concept of ‘best practice’ has attained a new level of significance in recent years relating specifically to the adoption of the finest possible academic, psychological and ethical procedures especially with regards to children and young people so as to prepare them mentally and physically for the multiple demands of adult life whether this be in a sporting or non‑sporting context. ‘Best practice’ utilises research conducted primarily between the years 1950 to 1980 with the implementation of these strategies taking place over the past thirty years. It is a wholly recent phenomenon and, as such, is lacking in some areas of research compared to other fields of sociological study. However, in the twenty first century the amount of attention devoted to the subject is likely to increase with the dual spectre of globalisation and commercialisation making sports a highly lucrative hub of activity. The principles governing the concept of ‘best practice’ are centred upon the twin aims of forging a common sense of unity and teamwork within a group of players and at the same time to nurture individual skill and flair on a one-to-one basis so that the more gifted players’ skills are honed without neglecting the primacy of the team as the over-riding ethos of ‘best practice’. This essential dualism which resides at the epicentre of ‘best practice’ coaching concepts is inherently affected by the evolution of sports players as they grow up. For instance, young players (aged six to ten years old) are much more inclined to gravitate towards the individual element of sports and competition with the group dynamic coming at a later age (developing primarily between the ages of twelve and sixteen). For this reason, there is no ‘best way’ to ‘best practice’; no right or wrong. Rather, there is a great exchange of fluidit y between concepts, principles and practices that should be implemented on an individual basis. This is as true of coaching adults (clients) as it is of coaching youngsters where Jennifer Rogers (2007:7-10)[3] has outlined six core principles that ‘define’ the role of the coach in the modern era. These are: The client is resourceful (the coach’s sole aim is to work with the client to achieve all of their potential – as defined by the client). The coach’s role is to spring loose the client’s resourcefulness. Coaching addressing the whole person: past, present and future. The client sets the agenda. The coach and the client are equals. Coaching is about change and action. The common denominator outlined by Rogers is that coaching is always triggered by change – be it a change in age, in circumstance, in style or technique. Furthermore, because change is the currency in which the coach does business, there is bound to be wildly fluctuating styles of coaching that fit wildly different social and cultural contexts and it is towards these different styles and contexts that attention must now be turned. The effectiveness of different styles of coaching in different contexts It has been shown that the evolution of young people greatly affects the implementation of coaching methods pertaining to the precarious balance between coaching the individual and the group dynamic. This is necessarily dependent on the kind of sport being coached: team sports such as football require a dedication to the team ethic while sports such as tennis and golf stress the individual element of competition. Sports such as cricket combine the team ethic with a heavy emphasis upon individual ability, certainly with regards to batting, which is a very solitary skill that requires intensive levels of concentration and individualism (Palmer, 1999)[4]. Thus, in the first instance, effective coaching requires the practitioner to tailor his or her coaching style to the sport in question and then to further tailor these coaching techniques to the age group of the team or individual being coached. This inherent diversity in coaching styles is also true of the economic context of coaching adults. Certain sports require greater levels of economic participation than others. Golf, for example, is an expensive sport that demands that the participant is well funded so as to purchase the necessary equipment such as clubs, bags, clothing and, most importantly, membership to a golf club. The same can be said of tennis and cricket where the equipment is a vital part of the ultimate success or failure of the technique of the client in question. Economic context is also important with regards to the psychological element of coaching with the social, cultural and political problems of urban poverty playing an important part in the types of coaching techniques which are likely to yield the best results from any given demographic. There can be no doubt that a coaching style employed for a group of middle class practitioners with free access to capital, time and resources is going to be marke dly different from the kind of coaching style deployed for children and adults who do not have access to the same luxuries and who therefore are going to respond to different coaching techniques. Economic context, demographic context and age context are further compounded by the increasingly common problem of multiculturalism and, specifically, globalisation, which has obvious consequences for teachers, mentors and coaches operating at all levels of society throughout the UK. When one thinks, for instance, of the impact of language upon coaching (relaying tactics, pointing out areas of strength and weakness, and, most significantly, attempting to instil a team ethic) one can see the extent to which the role of the coach is inexorably intertwined with the fate of mass movement of peoples across the planet in the twenty first century. As Jones (1997:27) declares, â€Å"there is no more important task within the wider coaching process than that of communication.†[5] Bains and Patel (1994) have long pointed out the blatant under‑representation of Asians playing professional football in England despite some areas in the Midlands and the North-West of England having u rban areas with a higher than 50% ratio of ethnic communities. â€Å"Recent Sport England national statistics confirmed that people of South Asian origin have markedly lower participation rates than other minorities or the indigenous population.† (Collins, 2003:75)[6] This anomaly with regards to the high numbers of Asians living in modern Britain and the disproportionately small number of Asians playing football, it has been argued, is due to coaches indulging in outmoded stereotyping when it comes to coaching players from the Asian community. Asians are still seen as primarily academic achievers over sports players and where they are perceived as sports players they are still pigeon‑holed in typical Asian images of cricket players; rarely are they ever seen as potential professional footballers. Likewise black players are still seen as primarily quick, powerful players; rarely, the tactical brains or the spiritual heartbeat of the side. This cultural element to sports coaching is exacerbated by the historical gender divide between males and females in a sporting context. Here, just as with ethnic people, stereotypes remain the dominant coaching paradigm. Girls and women are expected to play traditionally female sports such as netball, hockey, lacrosse, swimming and tennis. This, however, is in direct opposition to the growing numbers of women playing traditionally male‑dominated sports such as rugby, cricket and football with the latter in particular experiencing a veritable boom in female interest since the beginning of the 1990s. â€Å"A generation ago, sport was a core, patriarchal institution in a larger, contested gender order. Now, with the dramatic growth of girls’ and women’s athletics participation, sport no longer simply or unambiguously plays this reactionary role in gender relations. Sport is now more internally contested.† (2002 introduction xxii)[7] It is, in the final analysis, up to the sports coach to take each of these mitigating factors and contexts into account so that the practitioner is able to coach skills and techniques that are relevant to the contemporary era as opposed to perpetuating anachronistic stereotypes that do little to advance civilised society in both a sporting and non‑sporting context. How models of coaching can help practitioners Studying different models of coaching represents the scientific element of sports mentoring whereby the student and practitioner can attempt to explain the essence and purpose of coaching via the development of models (Fairs, 1987:17-19)[8]. It can be separated into two distinct camps: the ‘of’ coaching camp and the ‘for’ coaching camp. Models ‘of’ coaching are based upon empirical research investigating best practice while the ‘for’ coaching models are idealistic representations that arise from attempts to identify a concrete set of assumptions about the coaching process. The majority of practitioners tend to employ a symbiosis of the two models incorporating an ‘of’ and ‘for’ model of best practice. In this way, empirical data can be used in a realistic setting that takes into account the age, skills and other contexts that affect the coaching process. However, these two models of coaching underline the e xtent to which academia and intellectual analysis has come to dominate the empirical study of sports performance when in fact the first hand experience of established practitioners ought to form the basis of all models of coaching sports. The difference, essentially, comes down to one of theory and practice with the concept of ‘expertise’ necessarily clouded by the arguments of the academics and the professionals respectively. Once again, though, the individual element of the coaching process must be highlighted so as to reflect the inherent complexity that takes place within the field of sports with vastly differing levels of skill and ability being matched by the vastly different psychological reactions to slumps in form and technique. It is, ultimately, up to the national governing sports bodies to ensure that the primacy of holistic coaching practice does not become relegated at the expense of literature, theory and academia (Lyle, 1999:1-24).[9] For this reason, organisations such as Sport England have been established by the central government in a bid to impose a centralise model for sports development on regionalised sports bodies so as to directly influence and aid practitioners. The primary model deployed by Sport England is the â€Å"traditional sports development continuum† – a pyramid which locates foundation as the core, base value followed in hierarchical terms by participation, performance and, finally, excellence (Bramhan et al, 1999:3). This generic model is dovetailed by more advanced models for practitioners to use with athletes at a professional or elite stage in their sports. As is so often the case it is the Australians who represent the pinnacle of academic research into the coaching process with the revolutionary ‘Old Way, New Way’ technique correction model offering an intensive ‘one session’ approach to the problem of proven performers suffering seemingly inexplicable dips in form and technique with the case of Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie standing tall as the most prominent example of therapeutic success achieved via sports practitioners embracing new means of solving old problems. ‘Old Way, New Way’ is consequently a manifestation of the much sought after collaboration between academic researchers and sports practitioners which works on a psychological as well as a physical level in a bid to continue the sportsperson’s quest for skill development and continuous technical improvement. References Bramhan, P., Hylton, K., Jackson, D. and Nesti, M. (1999) Introduction, in, Bramhan, P., Hylton, K., Jackson, D. and Nesti, M (Eds.) Sport Development: Policy, Process and Practice London and New York: Routledge Collins, M.F. (2003), Social Exclusion from Sport and Leisure, quoted in, Houlihan, B. (Ed.) Sport and Society: a Student Introduction London: SAGE Fairs, J. (1987) The Coaching Process: The Essence of Coaching, in, Sports Coach Journal, Volume 11, Number 1 Jones, R.L. (1997) Effective Instructional Coaching Behaviour: A Review of Literature, in, International Journal of Physical Education, Volume, 24, Number 1 Lyle, J.W.B. (1999) The Coaching Process: Principles and Practice, in, Cross, N. and Lyle, J.W.B. (Eds.) The Coaching Process: Principles and Practice for Sport Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann Messner, M.A. (2002), Taking the Field: Women, Men and Sports Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press Palmer, G.V. (1999) Cricket Coachmaster: Batting Mechanics London: Gary Palmer Penney, D. (2000) Physical Education: In what and who’s Interests? , in, Jones, R.L. and Armour, K.M. (Eds.) Sociology of Sport: Theory and Practice London and New York: Longman Polley, M. (1998) Moving the Goalposts: A History of Sport and Society since 1945 London and New York: Routledge Rogers, J. (2007) Coaching Skills Buckingham: Open University Press 1 Footnotes [1] Polley, M. (1998) Moving the Goalposts: A History of Sport and Society since 1945 London and New York: Routledge [2] Penney, D. (2000) Physical Education: In what and who’s Interests? , in, Jones, R.L. and Armour, K.M. (Eds.) Sociology of Sport: Theory and Practice London and New York: Longman [3] Rogers, J. (2007) Coaching Skills Buckingham: Open University Press [4] Palmer, G.V. (1999) Cricket Coachmaster: Batting Mechanics London: Gary Palmer [5] Jones, R.L. (1997) Effective Instructional Coaching Behaviour: A Review of Literature, in, International Journal of Physical Education, Volume, 24, Number 1 [6] Collins, M.F. (2003), Social Exclusion from Sport and Leisure, quoted in, Houlihan, B. (Ed.) Sport and Society: a Student Introduction London: SAGE [7] Messner, M.A. (2002), Taking the Field: Women, Men and Sports Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press [8] Fairs, J. (1987) The Coaching Process: The Essence of Coaching, in, Sports Coach Journal, Volume 11, Number 1 [9] Lyle, J.W.B. (1999) The Coaching Process: Principles and Practice, in, Cross, N. and Lyle, J.W.B. (Eds.) The Coaching Process: Principles and Practice for Sport Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann