The Best Store Design Technologies

Why Loss Prevention Technology Is Necessary For Store Design

Retail shrinkage is the premier profit killer responsible for the demise of most retail businesses. Shrinkage is almost three times the average retailer profit margin consequently it is imperative that the industry employs every tool necessary to minimise the impact of shrinkage. The use of technology has been proven an effective tool against shrinkage.

As shoplifters and dishonest employees get smarter, it is incumbent upon retailers to employ effective control measures. There are two control measures, that when used effectively, can minimise retail shrinkage: the right policies and procedures and loss prevention (lp) technology.

The most effective way of using lp technology to increase profit is by designing the technology into the store design blueprint. Failure to design lp technology into the store design blueprint has been responsible for the ineffectiveness of most retail lp technologies.

The Most Commonly Used Retail Loss Prevention Technologies

There is a wide variety of retail loss prevention technologies available, the most common of which is CCTV. CCTV can be integrated into almost all such technologies to enhance their effectiveness.

The most commonly used retail lp technologies are:

• CCTV
• Point of Sale (POS)
• Exception Based Reporting System (EBR)
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Electronic Articles Surveillance (EAS)

How to Incorporate Loss Prevention Technology in Your Retail Store Design Blueprint:

The use of technology after a retail store has been designed will not produce the desired outcome, technology must be incorporated into the store design blueprint in order to make it effective.

In order to achieve this you will need to do the following:

• Take into account your target market.

• Identify the level of protection required.

• Specify the purpose of the technology.

• Consult lp department.

Steps for Incorporating LP Technology into Your Store Design Blueprint:

Follow the steps below when planning your retail store design blueprint.

1. Decide on your target market: this will enable you to establish the level of security required.

2. Consultant the loss prevention department (if your organisation has one) to solicit their input into the design as they will be aware of the various areas that need protecting

3. Hire the services of a loss prevention consultant (if your organisation does not have a loss prevention department)

4. Determine the functionality of each chosen lp technology prior to investment. Every technology must serve a purpose within your store.

5. Ensure you employ a multi-facetted approach that incorporates a combination of CCTV, Point of Sale (POS), Exceptional Based Reporting System (EBR), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Electronic Articles Surveillance (EAS).

Click on the link below to get instant access to your Free Store Design Blueprint:
http://theprofitexperts.co.uk/The_Retail_Education_Centre/store_design_blueprint/

Romeo Richards is the CEO of The Business Education Center: http://theprofitexperts.co.uk the consultancy division of Richards International Group. The Business Education Center provides the most in-depth and comprehensive business coaching and training to professional entrepreneurs.

Is Personal Technology a Drug?

As many of you know, I have discussed the adverse effects of technology on numerous occasions. Specifically, I am talking about such things as mobile phones, video games, tablets and personal computers, those devices we embrace in the daily affairs of our lives. I have argued there is no documented proof it improves productivity (at least not with the U.S. Department of Labor), and that it affects our socialization skills particularly in the area on interpersonal relations. Such technology may allow us to express our creativity faster, to quickly access information, to communicate with anyone on the planet and share such things as notes and photos, but there is nothing to substantiate it enhances our ability to think. If anything, it diminishes the use of the brain. For example, many people can no longer perform basic math without the assistance of an automated calculator; We cannot communicate except by constant text messaging; We no longer believe we can compose letters or essays without a word processor, etc. It should come as no small wonder to watch an average office come to a complete standstill when the power is cutoff. Studies have also shown that extensive use of such devices actually lowers IQ. As Hicks points out in his book, "The Digital Pandemic," technology has the ability to alter our minds; that it can assume the same robotic mannerisms as the technology we use. This means we are subliminally adjusting our lifestyles to adapt to technology.

We tend to think of drugs as chemicals or substances that are either used for medication or as a stimulant or depressant affecting the central nervous system, thereby causing changes in behavior. Under this paradigm, drugs are absorbed into the bloodstream orally, injected or smoked. In contrast, personal technology is absorbed through our senses particularly sight, sound and touch which, in turn, stimulates and arouses the brain, and provides a convenient venue for escapism. If used in moderation, there is little problem, but when used on a prolonged basis it leads to addiction and can alter moods, perceptions, and thinking patterns which leads to both positive and negative side affects. One obvious positive side effect would be a sense of accomplishment as in winning a game or successfully completing a task. The negative effect though comes from extended use whereby people become dependent on their technology to perform a variety of mental functions, such as math and writing. Further, we become impatient for results; as we grow accustomed to instant information, instant cash, instant photos, instant food, instant everything, and as a result, we become less tolerant of any form of delay which increases stress levels and leads to anger.

I contend our extended use of technology leads to an increase in violent behavior. This is a proposition that is hard to prove as it is difficult to locate reliable data tying technology to violent behavior. Also, such things as road rage, sports rage, work rage, bullying, anger management, animal cruelty are relatively new phenomenons and weren't very prevalent just a few short decades ago. Consequently, finding reliable data over an extended period of time is very limited. The closest thing I could find was data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (its "Arrest Data Analysis Tool") which revealed an increase in assault, sexual abuse, and threatening communications over the last ten years (the period when the use of personal technology soared). However, there is no direct connection to technology being the cause. Because there is no hard data, my premise will remain a theory until sufficient data can be assembled tying the two together.

In terms of addiction, technology exhibits the same type of powers as chemical dependency or, at the very least, gambling which also does not require drugs in the usual sense. Actually, the parallel between technology and gambling addiction is quite remarkable, and can be just as devastating. One interesting report that attests to the power of technology addiction is "The World Unplugged," a global media study led by the International Center for Media and the Public Agenda (ICMPA), University of Maryland. As part of their conclusions, the report comments on how students in the study handled the lack of media (meaning electronic devices):

"Going without media during 'The World Unplugged' study made students more cognizant of the presence of media - both media's benefits and their limitations. And perhaps what students became most cognizant of was their absolute inability to direct their lives without media.

The depths of the 'addiction' that students reported prompted some to confess that they had learned that they needed to curb their media habits. Most students doubted they would have much success, but they acknowledged that their reliance on media was to some degree self-imposed AND actually inhibited their ability to manage their lives as fully as they hoped - to make proactive rather than reactive choices about work and play."

Like anything, if used in moderation, technology holds no ill-effects. However, we have turned it into an 24/7 extension of our lives and can no longer imagine living without these devices. Because it offers instant gratification, it has become a new form of pacifier which we scream for when it is taken away from us.

The "pushers" of this new drug, of course, are the entertainment and electronic industries who keep refining their technology and content, making it even more inticing with each new release. They truly understand the addictiveness of this drug and how to use it for their benefit, as do politicians.

Let me leave you with one last thought; Life doesn't emulate art, it emulates technology. Think about it, are we becoming more robotic in our thinking? Is our imagination and creativity limited by our technology? Can we live 24 hours without such products? The subjects in "The World Unplugged" study had trouble living without them and exhibited genuine signs of withdrawal, and if you are honest with yourself, you're hooked too. So, is technology an extension of us, or have we become an extension of our own technology? Either answer is unsettling.

It may not be a chemical or powder, but make no mistake, personal technology is just as addictive and can alter the human spirit like any other drug.

Keep the Faith!

Tim Bryce is a writer and management consultant located in Palm Harbor, Florida.
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm

He can be contacted at: timb001@phmainstreet.com

Copyright © 2011 Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Books For Teachers: Brian Clegg's Getting Science

Getting Science by Brian Clegg targets an audience of elementary school teachers who feel less than confident about teaching science in their classrooms. While I am not in his target audience, I'm close to it. (I love science and teach in small groups of homeschooled students.) Clegg did some things authors should do. He caught my attention, told me stuff I needed to read or wanted to learn, and kept my attention throughout the book. I learned a bit and further solidified prior knowledge. It's a good book, and after reading this it, I hope many primary school teachers do read it.

Clegg starts his writing with reasons why science can be a little scary. Journal articles and academic writing in general is stuffy and uses inflated words instead of simple-to-understand, everyday language. Science articles weren't always written that way, and they certainly don't need to be written that way, but it is custom and tradition now. It takes a bit of effort to sift through that language, but luckily, you don't need to. You can be an effective and fun science teacher without the stuffy journals. Learn from reading popular books and science shows instead.

Clegg also talks about what science is and should be. Science is an adventure. It should be fun. It should fill you with wonder. Science tries to figure out how the universe works. That doesn't sound so scary, right?

His first chapter talks about how to engage the kids in the lesson. People like people, so he suggests putting the science in context and finding it in real life. What was the scientist who made the discovery like? How did that scientist grow up? What in his or her life led him to think and experiment the way he did in order to make the discovery? In addition to involving the people and a little history, find the science in real life. If you're talking about cell division, you could mention making bread and perhaps bring yeast into the classroom. He suggests sprinkling the discussion with amazing, and gross, facts. Kids like gross. He emphasizes that the kids should do stuff with their hands. Watching a demonstration is better than just hearing about it, but the best bet is to have the kids do the experiment or demonstration themselves. We learn by doing. And mostly, make it fun.

If nothing else, teachers should read the first chapter of the book.

The second chapter talks about why we have labs. People aren't good observers. Many people don't know the difference between causality and correlation. Anecdotes are not data. Disproving is much easier than proving. All of these people facts lead to why we have laboratories. Fortunately, labs are no longer just filled with middle-aged white men in lab coats, and personalities of all different types can be found in scientific laboratories.

Clegg talks about different scientific eras in his third chapter. 500BC to 1500AD is the classical period. During this time, the prevailing "theory" prevailed because it was argued successfully. There really wasn't much science involved. Some of this classical thinking is still around today in the form of astrology and the four elements. The clockwork era of science was from 1500AD (the end of the middle ages) to around 1900AD. This era was filled with scientific discoveries and theories that make sense. Newton said force equals mass times acceleration. That makes sense. Spontaneous generation theories disappeared because people figured out flies deposited eggs on raw meat. Clegg calls the current era counter-intuitive. That is, this era of science doesn't seem to make sense. Just think of the phrases quantum theory, relativity, and light is light but it can act like a wave or a particle.

Chapters 4, 5, and 6 talk about cool things in science and Clegg gives suggestions for learning and teaching the topics. What is life? Why don't humans have fur? How does cloning work what are the five states of matter (Yes, five. It's not just solid, liquid, and gas). How do mirrors work? What's the difference between mass and weight? What are black holes? What are wormholes? His explanations are pretty easy to follow.

Chapter 7 makes a case for making science hands on. Chapter 8 talks about finding and seeing science in the real world and how to make experiments come alive, but not in a Weird Science like way. Chapter 9 talks about science on the web. Which web sites are trustworthy, and how can you tell if a site is trust worthy. He also gives hints on how to search the web. Chapter 10 gives ideas on how to keep up to date in science and Chapter 11 tells you to go inspire the world.

The book was easy to read and didn't take a long time. Even so, it managed to pack a lot of good information in it. Are you a primary or elementary school teacher? If so, go to your library and check out this little treasure.

Gwen Nicodemus is a freelance engineer/writer and a homeschooling mom. Visit her website, Notion Nexus, for unit studies, worksheets, notes, and educational videos

How to Publish Your Own Science Journal?

One of the reasons why mankind is able to enjoy the amenities of modern life is due to constant advancements in science and technology. Through the various developments in science and technology, mankind has learned the ability to understand the universe some extent. If it wasn't for the scientists and researchers who have worked since the time of Aristotle, many of the amenities of modern life such as TV would not have been invented. All of these scientific advancements are documented for future generations through the utilization of scientific journals.

A science journal is a publication that contains various scientific papers that have been written after proper research. Many scientists and researchers use appropriate science journals to publish their own work in the form of a short scientific paper that consists of 5 to 30 pages. Then, other scientists and researchers who are working in a similar field can also look at that particular scientific paper, in order to see whether the research can be improved. As a result, one advantage of publishing a scientific paper is to trademark your work before anyone else, while the second advantage is to help build upon the knowledge that already exists. This way, new scientists and researchers can also advance their work by utilizing these scientific papers.

Of course, there may come a time, in which you may also decide to create your own science journal or technology journal. Creating a scientific journal is a difficult process, which requires the journal to be designed and made in a systematic way. First of all, a scientific journal should have a good and unbiased editorial board. This is very important, as the editorial board should govern the process of the submission of scientific papers and it should regulate double blind reviews for the submitted scientific papers. In addition, the process of editorial review should be clear to the scientific community in the beginning, when the science journal is first established. Thus, if you are establishing your own science journal, you should approach respected colleagues who can help you to establish your editorial board.

Once you have chosen the editorial board, you should also set the standards that you will accept for a scientific paper. For example, do you require computational simulations in your technology journal or do you just want analytical studies to be published. As another example, do you need to see some experimental proof before you allow the publication of a research paper or will it be enough to have calculations without proof. When you are establishing your own science journal, these criteria should be explored in detail by your editorial board, so that appropriate reviewers can then be chosen to carry out this process.

Naturally, a newly established science journal should have an automated submission system. It is essential to create a system that allows for a paper submission process, which is unbiased, automated and systematic at the same time. Luckily, there are several software that allows you to publish your own science journal online. Naturally, some professional help will be needed to install the journal software. Most of the science journal automation software that is available on the net is an open source software, so it is essential to choose one that has the least number of bugs in it. You might want to try out a couple of science journal submission programs before deciding the most suitable one for your journal.

In addition, a newly published science journal or a technology journal will need an ISSN number, which will be the number that registers the journal internationally as a periodical publication. It is completely free to get an ISSN number and you can get it by applying online from the international ISSN site. Hence, once you have formed your editorial board and once you have received your ISSN number; then with the assistance of your science journal publication software, your science journal will be ready for immediate publication. This way, your newly published journal can also serve as a beacon of knowledge to the scientific community.

Ugur GUVEN is an Aerospace Engineer (Ph.D) and a TV Broadcast Technology Specialist who has worked in the academia as well as in the industry. He has created online science journal solutions such as http://www.scienceassembly.us. If you are looking for establishing your own specialized science journal, then this and other digital publication solutions can be found at http://www.guventechnology.com You can also mail ugurguven@yahoo.com for further information or for free consultation in creating your own scientific journal.

How Does Special Education Advocacy Help You With IEP And 504 Plan?

Advocating best interests in an educational process for your child, who has a disability, can be challenging. Schools are sometimes short on resources, which can make them alter, add or even deny any educational service to your child, often without any prior written notice. Parents have to know what is covered in their rights to demand the best for their child from school districts.

Negotiating the best educational plan often can not be done alone. You need to be aware of constantly modified procedures and guidelines to build a strong case for you. You might need professionals by your side to handle this expertly and deliver you the paramount solution without you having to worry.

What is the difference between an IEP and 504 Plan?

The Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) is a program to ensure that a kid with any disability is provided the required resources as per his or her needs. The student receives specialized education services free of any charges in the public school. IEP is periodically reviewed to ensure the fulfillment of educational objectives.

Under the 504 Plan, students with disabilities receive any required accommodation for continuing with their education successfully. It is not like an IEP which is a requirement for students with special education needs. Students needing a 504 Plan are suffering from an impairment which impacts learning. However, they receive general education and do not need any specially designed instructions.

How does an educational advocacy firm help you?

A special educational advocate represents the family and student and is someone who speaks/writes on their behalf or in their defense. The educational advocate will assist you in obtaining the required accommodations for your child to have a successful educational program. For instance, the child might be allowed some flexibility with their assignments, if, under a 504 Plan.

Special education advocates will make sure the child has all the educational facilities required. For a child's specific needs, they will suggest you suitable special education programs or services. Advocates assist parents in getting proper accommodations for the child so he can adequately take part in school activities and educational programs.

You can get a free initial consultation from an educational advocacy firm. The firm will need documentation in the form of report cards, assessment reports and any psycho-educational report. It will help you present your case in IEP meeting at school and place any requests.

Together the parents and special education consultants can create an education program meant to truly unlock the child's potentials.

As we know this is the age of competition you should train and educate your child objectively, for the sake of it educational advocacy [http://areteplus.com/] may help but a professional sort of educational advocate [http://areteplus.com/] is needed.

The Value of Higher Education

Have you ever thought about why saving for their children's college education is such an important part of every parent's financial plans? Why do so many of them take heavy loans just to put their kids through college?

It's understandable that parents do it because they have the best interests of their children at heart. They want to see their children succeed in life, and consider a college education fundamental to that success.

But why does our government give out so much money every year in financial aid for college students? How do they possibly benefit from spending billions of dollars in grants, scholarships, and loans, for something that seems to contribute just to an individual's personal development?

It's because the value of higher education goes far beyond personal benefits. In addition to contributing to a person's individual development, higher education also helps in nation building.

According to a study conducted by College Board in 2004 on trends in higher education, college has both individual and societal benefits. Unfortunately, not enough effort has been made to spread awareness about the value of higher education to the society at large.

Benefits of Higher Education: Individual and Societal

The debate about the value of higher education is probably as old as college itself. We have all had animated living-room and classroom discussions about the benefits of higher education to us as individuals. So, in addition to the personal benefits that college has for individuals, it's important to also focus on the societal benefits of higher education.

For an individual, college education has the potential to impact her personal, professional, financial, and social well-being. Study after study has been conducted to demonstrate that higher education can lead to higher earnings.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), in its 2010 survey, established that professionals with some sort of college education have higher weekly earnings as compared to those who have no post-secondary education. In fact, the higher an individuals level of education, the higher his income. Naturally,

professional or graduate degree programs have higher earning potential as compared to bachelor's or associate's programs.

In terms of employment opportunities, college graduates also generally fare much better than their high school counterparts. The DOL survey showed an inverse relationship between higher education and unemployment rates. The rate of unemployment among high school graduates was 10.3 percent in 2010, as compared to just 5.4 percent among those who held a bachelor's degree, and 4 percent among those who had completed graduate degree programs. (1)

Not just the

number of employment opportunities, but even the nature of jobs available to individuals improves with college education. A number of white-collar jobs, even entry-level ones, are available to college graduates only. Those with no post-secondary education, on the other hand, may get stuck in an endless cycle of minimum wage and low-skill jobs.

On a personal level, college education can build self-confidence and enhance an individual's position in her community. Plus, some of the bonds formed in college can last a lifetime and can contribute to a person's overall happiness quotient.

As for the societal benefits of higher education, some of the facts revealed by the College Board study may actually come as a surprise.

• Because college education can lead to lower levels of unemployment and poverty, it can result in higher tax revenues and lower dependence on social benefits.
• Those who go to college are believed to be better members of society, which is demonstrated by their contributions to their community through volunteer work, blood donation, voting in elections, etc.
• College graduates are also less likely to be perpetrators of crime and have lower incarceration rates as compared to those who have never been to college.
• And finally, believe it or not, college education leads to lower smoking rates. That may be because college grads have a higher sense of personal health and well-being.

Sources: 1. bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm

Independence University (IU) has been delivering career-focused distance learning programs for over 30 years. IU gives you the opportunity to advance your career 24/7, offering associate's, bachelor's, and graduate degree programs in a variety of educational fields. Independence University is a branch of the Stevens-Henager College, Ogden/West Haven main campus.