Monday, September 30, 2019

What drives you up the wall? †Strikes on Transport

There are many things that drive me up the wall one of the main things is when there are strikes on transport. There are strikes on transport on important days like Boxing Day when people will want to go to shops for the sales, why do they have strikes? The employees think that they don’t get enough wages when there is beyond enough. Why should they get an increase in wages when there is bad service, bad manners, bad facial expressions towards customers and a lot more bad things I could go on about?! Whenever there is a strike on transport it causes chaos for many people’s lives such as works that have to travel by train or students or other people who have to go somewhere important. This is all just caused because worker s want a raise. Why can’t they just appeal without being oblivious and ruining other people’s lives? However, it is not only bad for us but for the London Transport company as they are losing millions of pounds which is not admirable. Even if strikes were the only way, the negative effect will be listened to better. Workers right should be allowed but not effecting innocent people (the society) as they have done nothing wrong. There have been many strikes around the world one of the latest, Greek strikes caused disruption to places like hospitals. Another reason is that when there is a strike, tourists cannot travel freely, this is harmful for the city or countries reputation and no one wants that. Here is an ultimatum would you rather lose your job and have no money or go to work and have money even though it is not up to your satisfaction? This is what you have to bear in mind. You have to be happy with amount of money you get paid as some workers get paid less than ?10. 00 a week. In addition to this why are they striking when they get paid ?15, 000 just for working 35hours this is more than what many workers get paid, this drives me up the wall insanely, There are many individuals who will actually appreciate the amount they got. However we are lucky that some of the transport drives weren’t stupid enough to go on strike and continue their work and if they didn’t they are probably going to lose their job. As well as that thanks to the people that came to work because then the company would millions of pounds which could be used on cleaning the transport as it is unhygienic. Transport for London is so bad compared to the trains in china as in china they have clean, fast transport and good service. What could be better than that! However in London we sit on dirty seats which are not cleaned on a daily basis, we are sitting on hundred germs. Having strikes will cause financial problems for many transport companies such as Transport for London, in the Greek Economy there has been severe damage caused by the strikes. As well as that in July 2010 the Greek Railway has been trying to raise over ?400million of loans from the public management. On the same day in Athens people walked off the job shutting down the tubes. These are things that cause damage economically. However, strikes are only allowed if asked permission if not it is illegal and they will be punished with fines and sentences. If the strikes don’t work the strikers will have to go to this person who will make negotiations of how much they should be paid and they will definitely loose. In addition to this the Transport Industry is too important to the society to be having a wage negotiation, when there are many well being who have places to go and people to see. I would not mind if there was strikes if transport was clean and the service was impeccable but no there is rubbish service and very bad conditions. The strikers get paid a fair wage but just don’t appreciate it; I’ll bet there are many people who will be dying for this job. In addition to this there have been many accidents caused by the employer’s exhaustion which causes accidents, so the person who got hurt can sue leaving the company to lose a lot of money. Another reason in which I wouldn’t mind if there was a strike if the transport was safe and strikes for reasonable concessions and not ask unfair and unsustainable benefits. Another fact is that strikes are just to put pressure on Government to change policies. Whatever is the end result, the strike harms the nation, the community, the community and the management. Some people think that people who work on transport have freedom to express themselves and yes this true but what is the point of all of it when it will just cause chaos and havoc. I don’t understand why people feel that they express their selves causing trouble and trying to prove a point. In my opinion I think that strikes on transport should be banned as it is chaotic and unfair. I think it is unfair as the amount of money employees get in transport is so much already it will just make employees lose their job and will have no money. As well as that many people have to travel by transport to get to work and they are losing money too by not going to work. However there are different ways to get your word through to without having a strike which is disruptive. I don’t understand why whenever there is a strike Boris Johnson tells us† get on your bikes and cycle help save the environment. † For example if I wanted to go to the city and I live in Stanmore I would have to cycle for about 3 hours and how are elderly supposed to cycle anyways they will just run out of breath. However instead of taking the bus to a short distance we should save the environment instead of ruining it and you could either walk or cycle. As well as this how are we supposed to manage when there is a sudden strike without no notice- this has happened a few times. If we didn’t have strikes we could save money to have internet connection it the tube/trains or wifi despite this there is always strikes on the most important day for example The Royal Wedding- this is a time when the Transport Company can earn a lot of money in just under an hour. The most agitating thing about public transport is when you can stereotypical, rowdy teens come on and shout in there disruptive, loud voice like they own their transport or listening to music so loud that you could hear from out on the streets. As well as that when you get on the bus and the driver gives you creepy looks while groaning under their breath waiting for you to get your oyster out or your money. When the bus driver sees you running they just slam the door shut and drive off making you wait like another half an hour for another bus, has this ever happened to you? Don’t you feel annoyed and angry that you want to get a rock and just throw it at the drivers face? To conclude I think that there should only be strikes if necessary not for things that are unnecessary or unbeneficial and there shouldn’t be a strike on important days which is very silly as the underground have an advantage of earning money. In addition to this whenever we get on a train we have never actually got good service; instead of being cranky when they got a raise in their wages which is so unfair and causing financial problems in the company risking their jobs. In my opinion I think strikes are the most stupid, aggravating thing to do for resolving things. Public Transport is agitating, hectic and contaminated; they should be trying to fix it not making it worse.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Corning Incorporated Essay

Corning Incorporated is an American manufacturer of glass, ceramic, and materials for the industrial and scientific applications. It was known as Corning Glass Works in 1875. Its strong commitment to innovation was known as the company’s roots. The company committed between four to six percent of its sales to Research, Development, and Engineering (RD&E). As of today, Corning has been primarily operating from Asia Pacific and North America in five market segments – Display Technologies, Environmental Technologies, Telecommunications, Life Sciences and Specialty Materials and two joint ventures – Dow Corning and Samsung Corning Precision Glass. The company had a history of science-based innovations following World War II and the strategy by management was research and â€Å"disruptive† and â€Å"on demand† product innovation. They have shown many strengths and weaknesses – strong industry recognition with a track record of successful innovatio n, focus on RD&E, diversified product portfolios and balanced revenue streams – narrowing market with intense competition and environmental regulations. With a strong passion for innovation, Corning has been creating many deep technological products to be used as material for other new application such as heat-resistant glass in 1908. In 1912, this product was being reused to develop the shatterproof lanterns for the railroad. Their products were first used for scientific purposes and later for consumer cook-ware products. By realizing the improvement in optical glassmaking, Corning had started to produce the television tubes project and it made the TV affordable to the consumers’ market during 1970s. However, this project considered a steep loss in profit and productivity because of the competition from Japanese imports. Corning went through many changes including lay-offs, selling or closing many plants in order to rebound. The following years, company made a partial recovery. In the late 1990s (the Telecom bubble), there were the unusual high demand for optical fiber in the market. Seeing it as the huge opportunity, the company expanded its originally developed optical fiber operations significantly, and heavily invested in production capacity. Its revenue jumped from $5 billion in 1999 to more than $7 billion in 2000. However, the  collapse in 2000 of the dot-com market had a major impact on the company. The telecom sales dropped to $1.6 billion from $5 billion within six months since July 2001. Once again, Corning had to go into the reorganization phase to dramatically reduce the costs. Since 1950 to 1980, the company introduced many advanced products from ceramic heating resistant shields and glass windshields for Apollo program to the use of fiber optic in telecommunication. In the late 1990s, the company profits increased tremendously during the dot-com boom. Corning From WWI and WWII, Corning developed many deep technological products such as high quality glass with consistent color which can make glass more viable material for new application.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Advanced pathophysiology Essay

If available lab results, I would like to see the resulted complete blood count with differential and complete metabolic profile. Possibly supplying the patient with supplemental oxygen if deemed so by her oximetry and perfusion status review. As such the following would be the initial assessment and treatment: Obtain vital signs: blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiratory rate with auscultation, as well as pain scale rating Note her capillary refill time and skin color and turgor, especially around lips for color and for turgor Seeing if she has sunken eyes or dry mucous membranes indicative of dehydration. Place a pulse oximeter on her finger for oxygenation levels. Place EKG monitor for heart rate and rhythm analysis. Place IV for obtaining blood works and order stat CBC, CMP, PT/INR/PTT, ABG, CXR, cardiac and liver enzyme profiles. Perform blood glucose monitoring with glucometer for immediate assessment of her diabetic state, is she hypo or hyperglycemic. Review airway for any obstruction as she is dyspneic. While conscious review pain level, duration and site of pain and medical history-hopeful to review current medications, with attention to evaluate current mental status such as orientation to person, time and place. Note that she is in acute distress with disorientation that is progressing to unresponsiveness (Gerontological nursing, 2010). If unresponsive at the time of arrival, the nurse needs to be vigil in looking for clues to how she is experiencing pain by looking for signs such as moaning, agitation, restlessness and facial grimacing. Assess skin is intact with no abscesses or open wounds or sores. Consider value of inserting a urinary catheter. Tools that will be utilized in the assessment of Mrs. Baker may include: Stethoscope- will be used for listening to heart beat to ascertain dysrhythmia above 90 beats/minutes would be indicative of concern and comparing radial/peripheral pulses with baseline of heart apex rate to ascertain if variance exists , auscultation of lungs for clearness of lung fields and respiratory rate should be 16 per minute if she is over 20 breaths/ minute concern for hyperventilation and oxygen delivery and consumption would arise . Tachypnea and dyspnea are noted, oxygen would be applied. blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer)- The blood pressure cuff will determine if she is normotensive or hypo-hypertensive, expected range is 120/80 mmHg if below 90 mm hg systolic or 70mm hg diastolic is cause for concern. Glucometer-ascertain rapidly, serum blood glucose level range expected 70 – 130 (mg/dL) before meals, and less than 180 mg/dL after meals (as measured by a blood glucose monitor). blood tubes with needle access for blood testing (vacutainers)-to conduct CBC- to monitor white blood cell, red blood cell and platelet counts, CMP- for fluid and electrolyte imbalance, kidney and liver function, ABG-, analysis for acid/base imbalance liver and cardiac enzyme for indication of liver or cardiac impairment as well as blood coagulation profile such as PT/INR/PTT- for elevation in bleeding time . Blood cultures and antibiotic sensitivities for sepsis pulse oximeter-to rapidly measure the oxygenation of her hemoglobin saturation 95 to 99 percent expected. continuous cardiac monitoring via electrocardiogram(EKG)-to examine rhythm and rate-expect normal sinus rhythm and rate 80-100 beats per minute. Thermometer-measure the core temperature which should be 37 c if above 38 c or below 36 c if hypothermic bladder catheterization kit chest x-ray- cardio pulmonary function The benefits of using these tools, as time is critical for an older patient who has multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS), is to have precise and state-of-the-art information to effectively treat the patient. Maintaining and monitoring tissue perfusion would be key goals in her care and I would utilize these tools to evaluate blood pressure and respirations, monitoring pulse and assessing for any cardiac arrhythmias. To evaluate for any underlying respiratory disease, pneumonia, PE, or pulmonary edema a chest x-ray would be advantageous. A bladder catheter would give accurate accounting of urinary output. The patient became unresponsive; her respirations became more labored, so breathing became the main priority while reading the scenario. The patient is unable to verbalize how she is feeling and with her dyspnea it is clear she is in respiratory distress. Evaluating the electrocardiogram would be done to ascertain if there are any dysrhythmias that could be causing the symptoms. I would review the vital signs, is the patient having hypo- hypertension? Review the patient’s pain assessment, is the patient experiencing any pain? I would then review lab results, focusing on abnormal results. The prioritization was done with basis for basic needs first, that of breathing effectively to promote oxygenation then focus of vital sign monitoring that is compatible with sustaining life. I would assess pain in a geriatric patient who is alert by questioning the patient directly, do they have any pain, asking them where the pain is, what is the duration of the pain and when was onset. On a numeric pain scale 0 to 10 what is their level of pain. Are they taking any pain medication at home? In a geriatric patient who is not alert, I would need to assess the patient based on signs such as moaning, agitation, restlessness and facial grimacing. I would manage the pain in a geriatric patient experiencing multisystem failure and showing signs of pain but not alert with caution. The elderly are susceptible to polypharmacy and often have impaired renal function that increases risk or potentiates the medication such as barbiturates. Knowing I have a standing order for acetaminophen and by judgment of the pain with a lot of moaning, restlessness and grimacing, I would elect to give the morphine 0.1mg/kg IM. She cannot take the acetaminophen by mouth as she not responsive, the 0.05 mg/kg Morphine IV will likely obtund the patient with the rapid absorption and likely decrease her blood pressure severely as she is dehydrated. The patient’s pain level would need to be reevaluated approximately 20 minutes after administration for effectiveness and then again in one hour. It is likely with her being unconscious , I would assess by a presence or lack of grimacing, moaning or agitation. I found her to have been relieved of pain when reassessing her I have learned it is very important to recognize the fragility of the elderly related to polypharmacy, agedness of vital organs, key focus on concern of cognitive ability and its role in assessment by nursing. It is likely that the metformin (Glucophage) can have decreased effects when combined with Hydrochlorothiazide (diabetes forum, 2012). The patient recently added lisinopril to her regimen and this in the form of Zestoric has hctz in it as well. It is possible she has had too much hctz and the prescribing physician needs to be alerted. The recommendation for this possible interaction is to monitor blood sugar levels when taking all three of these medications. This is especially important when starting, stopping or changing the dosage of your lisinopril/HCTZ. The collaborative team members pertinent to her care are the emergency room physician for immediate assessment, diagnosis and treatment recommendation, the medical physician involved in her current care, possibly an endocrinologist who is managing her diabetes, a pulmonologist or intensivist who is caring for her current state as a consultant and the radiologist and cardiologist who will review her lab, radiology and EKG results. In the event where her status became unconscious the respiratory therapist and emergency room physician and ER code team responded to facilitate returning her to stable vital signs. It is likely she will need social work involvement and discharge care planning as she will be admitted until the current situation is diagnosed, treated and stabilized. References Gerontological Nursing: Competencies for Care, Second Edition, 2010. http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/type-2-diabetes/48316-lisinopril-hctz-20-12-a.html accessed November 24, 2012.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Chapter Questions From Global health 101 richard skolnik book Essay - 4

Chapter Questions From Global health 101 richard skolnik book - Essay Example Lack of accurate data also caused the disease to be prevalent over a long time. The lack of political influence was also another cause (Skolnik 65). Intellectual property law affects health care negatively; intellectual property law hinders provision of affordable health care due to high pricing of medicine. The laws also discourage development of generic medication, which should be cheaper than the original (Skolnik 75). The most important issues that may arise when research is conducted in developing countries include the standards of care, after trial benefits for the individuals and community and the care given to the participants after the study not related to the study (Skolnik 80). Scare resources allocated to health care can be justified using one or more principles. One of the principles is health maximization, equality, prioritizing the most affected and personal responsibility. These principles can be combined or used individually to justify resource allocation (Skolnik

Thursday, September 26, 2019

A Review of How to Improve E-Commerce Term Paper

A Review of How to Improve E-Commerce - Term Paper Example It has become remarkably easy for people to hack and conduct crimes with the use of technology. Cybercrimes are exceedingly rampant in modern times since everyone is computer savvy and everything is done through the internet. Site security is responsible for making it possible for people, or organizations to conduct business. This paper will review the manner in which it can be made possible. This is through security measures that are put in place to ensure customer data confidentiality. E-commerce is the exchange of goods, services, and products over the internet. This exchange can only be made possible if the internet site that makes this exchange possible is safe (Margherita, 2005). A secure system is ready to make these transactions possible and accomplish them without any side effects. Security is all about the confidentiality, the availability, and integrity of the system (Ghosh, 2001). If these threes aspects are not met, then it is clear that the site security intended to off er security is not dependable. For the audit, helping people understand that people, or organizations value their confidentiality is the most crucial factor. Confidentiality means that whatever happens between the service provider and the clients get whatever they want without having the network oversee what happens between their deals. They cannot, therefore, interfere with the conducting of business. It would be considered a breach of privacy, which is considered a breach in confidentiality (Ghosh, 2001). The other most notable thing is integrity. It is imperative for the sites providing these services to be honest. They are supposed to give the services to clients as they were provided by the service provider. If the services being delivered were to arrive any different from how they were intended, the site’s security would be deemed as incompetent. This means that everyone will be scared of doing business in the way they usually do business. Integrity is the factor that c reates trust among the people or organizations doing online business (Ghosh, 2001). The availability of site security is also something worth noting. It is the availability of security that enables the transactions to be possible. Without them, these transactions would be impossible as crimes would be on the rise. This is since the security systems can be penetrated by anyone with exceptional computer skills and intellect. The site security can impact the conducting of business online with such availability. It can be positive and/or negative. These three aspects are appropriate in the way, and manner that site security can impact the growth and development of e-commerce (Ghosh, 2001). To ensure that the confidential nature of the business is maintained, site security could make some changes to the security systems available. Some of these changes and modifications are aimed at making the clientele feel much safer while conducting some of their businesses. Security features are upgr aded for the complete protection of the customers. These features include; authentication, authorization, and encryption (Smith, 2004). They all lead to the protection of the customers hoping to use the internet to conduct business. Authentication ensures that customers are who they say they are. This is particularly crucial in the site’s security measures to curb the infiltration of customer data. Once this is done, it is extremely easy for customers to access their businesses through the

Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Advertising - Essay Example Goods and services offered to the public can be introduced or promoted. This can help business enterprises to increase sales, maximize profits, inform society, and build the image of goods and services, among many other advantages. Promotion of goods and services through advertisement makes consumers to be aware of specific products or services in the market. Information is important to consumers especially regarding to brand name, price, manufactures, trade mark and any other key details. These enhances making of right choices by consumers when buying a commodity or service. Today’s world is competitive and selling commodities or services is a challenge without effective advertising. The target audience is normally the focus when planning for and advertisement. The effectiveness of an advertisement therefore depends on the method used to reach the target audience. Creativity is very important when designing for an advertisement. Originality, artistic, attractiveness, are some of the attributes a good advertisement should posses. It’s said that what people see or hear captures their psyche and this leads to preferences change. When advertisement is done on a regular basis, higher demand for goods and services is generated which by extension demands for equivalent supply of the goods or services demanded. Demand and supply dynamics should be monitored carefully, so that they remain at equilibrium always. Promotion is found in nearly all places imaginable and where one least expects it.   Some advertisements are very conspicuous and divergent, while others may be faint but the human eye tends to take notice of them. Costs of promoting goods and services are more often than not catered for by sponsors who use various traditional media initially identified such as use of newspapers, magazines, television commercials, radio advertisements, outdoor advertising, direct mail or new media such as blogs,

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Public Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Public Management - Essay Example But then, by virtue of its composition, its structure and operation, and the purposes it chooses for the polity or system of the government as expressed in the laws it passes, the representative assembly has a far-reaching impact on the character of the polity, and how it develops over time. (Cook 1998) Based from the definitions prominent of public management that generally talks about political strategy and political skill, it could be concluded that this orientation in public management is definitely a short-term goal. (Cook 1998) However, there is a variety of definitions concerning public management. These various ides are too narrow resulting into a weak and undeveloped literature of public management. In particular, Laurence Lynn concluded that "public management is essentially concerned with the performance of the executive function in government at the heart of public management... is a strategic judgment: a choice concerning goals and actions in specific settings that satisfies reasonable criteria" (qtd in Cook 1998) Lynn (1996), at the same time quoted Ott, Hyde, and Shafritz with their definition of public management in order to represent and differentiate the term from public administration for which public management is often confused. "Public management is a major segment of the broader field of public... A few of these techniques and competencies are: position classification systems, recruitment and selection procedures, management by influence, budget analysis and formulation, supervisory skills, long range or strategic planning, program and organizational evaluation, feedback and control mechanisms (typically through management information systems), contract management, project management, and reorganization." (qtd in Lynn 1996) Even highly developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have different public management policies. The people who make up the society of both countries have played an important role in the development of the country's public management strategies. The United States' Public Management The federal government of the United States in 1980s and 1990a were found to have several similarities with the Benchmark Case such that changes were too evident in most areas of public management policy. "Institutional rules and organizational routines in the area of audit and evaluation were affected by the Government Results and Performance Act, the Chief Financial Officers Act, and the National Performance Review's service quality initiative. Change was also evident in the area of procurement, with legislative changes known as "procurement streamlining" and major changes in routines within the General Services Administration. To some degree, change was evident in the area of civil service and labour relations, with rules and routines developed to downsize the federal workforce and to reform the Office of Personnel Management (Barzelay 2001)." The change in the area of organization and methods in the American public

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Wedding Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Wedding Story - Essay Example Significance of the use of Simile in Literature IV. Conclusion V. References The Use of Simile in Julianne Homokay’s The Wedding Story A literary device is a technique that the writer uses for a given literary purpose (Niazi & Gautam, 2010). Literary devices can be any form of method or procedure that the writer/artist uses to express ideas through language, and produce a desired effect on the reader/audience. Examples of common literary devices used are Allegory, Analogy, Climax, Foreshadowing, Hyperbole, Metaphor, and Simile. As in any piece of good literature, Julianne Homokay’s The Wedding Story is also filled with literary devices that make the drama come to life. Homokay used a number of different literary devices to make the drama a comedic take on criticizing the conventional pictures that men and women are pictured as, especially in the confines of marriage. Thus, The Wedding Story may be considered as a farce, because it is a comedy in which the plot took an u nfortunate, almost exaggerated twist. One particular literary device used repeatedly in the drama is Simile. Simile is a literary device known as a figure of speech, which makes a comparison between two dissimilar objects using as, like, or as though (Bertens, 2008). Since similes are essentially a group of descriptive words, they are able to paint a clearer picture in our minds as opposed to when they are left out in a text. Since the actual object used in the text may be an abstract one, using simile to liken it to a more concrete and visually engaging object gives the reader a chance to create a more vivid picture of the scenario in his or her mind. Simile, as a figure of speech, is very similar to metaphor, except that comparisons are made without the use of as, like, or as though. In The Wedding Story, simile was used in the dialogue to emphasize particular points. The narrator, who may be considered as the protagonist in the story, reads from his book and talks of a â€Å"wom an, pretty as a day in June.† This comparison paints the woman in the minds of the reader as someone who is young, fresh, and vibrant, comparable to the vibrance of June’s summer. Of course, the bride and groom (who may be labeled as the antagonists of the drama), clarifies that the bride bears no resemblance to a pretty day in June because she was a middle aged woman who had to get married for convenience. The bride C. How did the use of Simile as a literary device contribute to the drama VI. Significance of the use of Simile in Literature VII. Conclusion VIII. References A prominent literary device used in the drama was

Monday, September 23, 2019

Teacher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Teacher - Essay Example â€Å"Performance is a developmental process that needs to be supported and facilitated.† (Maloy & Seidman, P. 28) However, tradition and qualifications on paper alone does not guarantee success in teaching profession. In the case of tradition, learners of today have different learning styles and come from diverse backgrounds. In addition to this, the integration of technology into the curriculum demands a shift in the teaching styles of teachers since new set of skills must be utilized to impart learning. Traditional method is only focused on intellectual learning and it is teacher –centered. Contrastingly, non traditional styles which promotes cooperative learning lead to increased motivation and academic performance ( Johnson, R. T., and Johnson, D. W.p.25). Similarly, academic qualification alone does not guarantee effective teaching. Other aspects as such as teaching styles and behavior which have been acquired through training and experience is more important than academic qualifications. In a study of teachers style published by Grasha, it was reported that teachers who exhibit medium intellectual excitement and high interpersonal rapport â€Å" are generally excellent for any group of students and teaching situation† ( Grasha P.35 ). It is important therefore that teachers do not only have academic qualifications but a set of skills as well as positive interpersonal behavior to be able to perform his role in the school setting. In the modern school setting, the teacher will not only deal with students but with the whole organization as well; thus, making him responsible to all stakeholders in the learning process. Some basic skills required for becoming a successful teacher are; Pedagogical skill, Interpersonal skill, Organi zational skill, Subject matter (content) & methodology skill , Skill in cooperating with colleagues and Skill in cooperating with the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Cuban Revolution Essay Example for Free

Cuban Revolution Essay My name is Juan Luis Sanchez and had lived well in my country Cuba before this new regime by a tyrant they call Fidel Castro. Although Fulgencio Batista was harsh and corrupt, my life was not very bad. Now it seems that things have changed quite a bit here in Havana. We have become what they call a communist state, and we have no political companion here in the western hemisphere. I was one who was opposed to the corruption I saw in Batista’s government, and though I wanted in some ways to help the peasants raise their standard of living, I was not prepared to have mine lowered in the process. I also was a bit disgruntled at the way the United States had a heavy hand in the politics of my country Cuba, but I am not sure now that Cuba will be in a very good position having incurred the wrath of such a powerful neighbor. This rift has apparently been sealed by a socialist tie we seemed to have developed with the sworn enemies of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Many of my comrades are no longer here in Cuba. I have not been able to find many of my professional friends—my personal attorney, family physician and several of my business partners, I have been told, have fled the country because of the threat that this new regime poses to their livelihood. Many of them now live in Miami, Florida. I am now experiencing what must have been the fears of my comrades that made them flee. My businesses relied heavily on several other business that were funded by U. S. nationals and that have come under attack in this new regime. My business, which was growing in the 1940’s and 1950’s, has been experiencing problems since the heavy U. S. ownership of 35% of the sugar industry has been altered. My business’s strategy seems to have changed greatly. It no longer sends a large portion of its produce to the United States, as relations between Cuba and the U. S. have broken down. This problem seems to be very serious, as I have read about a Bay of Pigs incident in which the United States lent support to some Cuban exiles in an attempt to overthrow Castro’s government. I also hear of a Cold War between the United States and the USSR in which our country has become involved. Recently, the USSR has removed some warheads and missiles from our territory, as the United States had threatened to invade Cuba if those things had remained. Though I have spoken of the business I used to run as â€Å"my business† I no longer seem to be in charge of it. When I showed up at the office, no one acknowledged me and I was not allowed to go in. The few comrades I had left in Cuba reported that their businesses had been taken away from them and were placed under the direction of the government. All the profits go to the government, which then rations out wages to former business owners. Our wages have been capped. All my extended property, I came to find, no longer belongs to me and I have lost my large house. Now I have to live in much smaller quarters and share the premises with other persons with whom I am not acquainted. The Cuban economy seems to be doing well, though I have heard that in the last decade (the 1960’s) it had experienced some trouble. Now, we have been receiving some help from the USSR as our investments and trade have now become heavily tied with this and other communist countries of Europe. Our large sugar industry, though no longer able to serve the United States, is guaranteed a market in these European communist states. Though officially the economy is doing well, I have become aware of a shadow economy that exists here in Cuba. It shades the fact that the U. S. dollar receives a higher value on the black market than it does on the official market. Still, the country does possess wealth, which it pours into governmental policies and the military. Though I should probably be relieved that the country is generating wealth, I am very uncomfortable with the fact that all that I have worked for in the past years has been taken from me. I feel I am entitled to a share in all the wealth that is being generated within the economy, yet I am allowed to share in none of this. I have lost all freedom to enjoy the fruit of my former and current labor. In fact, I find that the freedoms of Cubans have been curtailed to the extent that no voluntary organizations exist, nor is there any real scope for the common educated professional (or any common man) to enter the political arena. I, who once was heavily involved in the political aspects of my community, have now only a few alternatives for membership in organizations. I can become a member of one of two organizations of the Cuban Catholic Bishops known as a Carita, or I may involve myself in one of a few other religious institutions dedicated to Jewish, African, or Masonic religions. I have no dissenting voice when it comes to politics. Though this was largely the case under Batista, it now appears to be even more so. Apart from the friends I learned to have migrated, I have been told in secret that two of them were imprisoned for speaking out against the new regime. Yet, despite all the problems I have found and the freedoms that have been stripped from me, I have also noticed some very strange yet progressive occurrences here in Cuba. These seem to be in favor of those who were once peasants. I remember the days when, especially during sugar’s off-season, many peasants were in danger of starving to death because they were out of work. Even I had no choice but to lay off during that period many who worked for me. Now their lives seem to have improved, as they receive from the state rations that last all year round. Schools have only recently resumed operation here in Havana. I have been told that all the teachers and students had been temporarily sent to rural areas in order to teach the peasants there to read and write. As a result, our nation’s literacy rate has risen rapidly. Almost all the persons here can read and write at this point, and the literacy crash program is said to be almost complete. At this rate, literacy is expected to be at 95% by the 1990’s. The streets are also much cleaner here than they were before I woke up to this reality. We, as citizens, have all been made responsible for the cleanliness of our community. I myself have been placed in a group and am required to participate in sanitation activities. The healthcare appears to have improved the lives of the peasants, whom I had had a desire to help before the revolution took place. Indeed, some of those who worked for me had enjoyed the benefits of being seen by my personal physician. Despite this, I was well aware that many of their children died at early ages and that this fact was represented in a large portion of the population—an overwhelming number that I alone could not possible have hoped to reach. Now it seems that governmental reforms have helped solve this problem, as our infant mortality rate has dropped to about 9. 8 per 1000 live births. This is among the lowest rate in the entire world. We also have a system of health care that ranks as the best in Latin America, and our life expectancy has recently climbed to the levels boasted by the United States. Although my personal physician is no longer available, I find that I too do not have to worry very much about basic healthcare needs, as the Cuban state is now in charge of providing this to all its citizens. This is of great help to me, as I no longer find myself with the resources necessary to pay for these kinds of necessities on my own. Yet, although I am grateful for the help of the government in this area, I cannot help but remember the times when I as an upper-classed business owner could afford to pay for this and so much more. Luis, J. G. (2000). Cuban Revolution Reader: A Document History. Ocean Press.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Effects Of Globalisation On Burger King

The Effects Of Globalisation On Burger King 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Reason for choosing project topic and organisation This Research and Analysis Project is based on topic 5: The effects of globalisation on Burger King Holdings Inc (referred as Burger King, the company or BK from now onwards). Among the reasons for choosing the topic include: Globalisation is neither a very elegant word nor a very clear concept, but the term has been accepted very quickly on a global scale (Wesseling, 2009). Globalisation reflects business orientation based on the belief that the world is becoming more homogeneous and that the distinctions between national markets are not only fading but for some products, will eventually disappear (Czinkota et al., 2004). Its fast growing impact on the world certainly attracts my attention. The ACCA course I am currently pursuing has provided me with some theoretical knowledge of this topic to analyze a real life company. This assignment will certainly allow me to put my theoretical knowledge into practical experience. By conducting research on an organisation, where BK will be my subject of research it will certainly widen my horizon of knowledge on this topic. Taking into account the information gathering analytical skills like computation, extrapolation and communication for the research which will help in my future career as an accountant, I will certainly benefit from my research on this topic. In any research project, ease of obtaining information is of main concern furthermore with most time and budget constraints. BK was chosen because its annual financial report, press release and other relevant information on the company are easily accessible online at its website www.bk.com. Further updates and company activities are also available by just a click away from academic databases and the internet. Another reason for choosing the company because BK is among the most well known fast food restaurants. BK is the second largest fast food hamburger chain in the world. Every day, over 11 million guests visit a BK somewhere in the world (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2010).The tremendous market reach along with various achievements as listed in Appendix 1 as well as the fact that I am a fan of its offerings all compelled me to choose this company. Note: Only financial statement till June 2009 is used in this research as that was the latest annual financial statement published at the point of doing my research. 1.2 Project Objective and Research Question This research project involves the evaluation of the effects of globalisation on an organisation. After much research on this topic, I realised that different people around the people have different views and perception concerning globalisation. From quantitative point of view, globalisation is defined as the intensification of economic, political, social and cultural relations across borders whereas from qualitative point of view, globalisation is defined as a process comprising a number of qualitative transformation, which are represented by technological transformation, the financial transformation, the geographical reallocation of production, the process of commodification, the polarisation of wealth, the subordination of politics to economics and the related decline of the nation state (Talani, 2004). Globalisation process, driven by rapid and largely unrestricted flows of information, ideas, cultural values, capital, goods and services and people lead to a shift towards a more integrated world economy. These processes, promoted by converging market preferences, falling trade barriers, and the integration of national economies is emerging as the norm in a growing range of economic activities, changing economic theory and practices (Jutaliaviciene et al., 2006). Globalisation has resulted in both opportunities and threats in terms of all parties involved such as suppliers, customers and competitors (Burgers et al., 1993; Courtney et al., 2001; Oxelheim et al., 1991). Thus even though there are many ways to examine the effects of globalisation but I believe Michael Porters Five Forces Model ( Barriers to Entry, Supplier Power, Customer Power, Rivalry, and Threat of Substitutes) can give a clearer picture of the industry the company operates in and steps taken by the company to stand out among all the other competitors worldwide. Therefore, the research question can be structured as What is the impact of globalisation on BK in terms of barriers to entry, supplier power, customer power, rivalry, and threat to substitutes using Porters Five Forces Model? 1.3 Overall research approach Porters five forces is a framework for the industry analysis and business strategy development developed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979 (Porter, 1979). It uses a basic five forces framework that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. Attractiveness of a market is based on overall industry profitability whereas an unattractive industry is where overall profitability is driven down by the combination of forces. An industry approaching pure competition would be a very unattractive industry (Porter, 1979; 1980). Porters Five Forces Model consists of 5 fundamental competitive forces: Threat of new entrants contribute to the capacity levels, affect prices and possibly reduce the profitability of existing competitors (Williams et el., 1996). Threat of substitutes exist if there are alternative products with lower prices of better performance parameters for the same purpose (Reklies, 2001). Bargaining power of customer is determined by the size and concentration of customers. Other factors are the extent to which buyers are informed and the concentration or differentiation of the competitors ( Karagiannopoulos, 2005). Bargaining power of supplier attempts to capture pressures that suppliers to the industry can exert on industry profitability. A powerful supplier can raise the companys cost through demanding higher prices for its input or delivering lower quality inputs (Rothaermel, 2008). Rivalry among existing competitors describes how intense could the competition be between existing firm in an industry. Lower returns earned by highly competitive industries due to the higher cost of competition (RapidBI., 2008). Appendix 2 gives more details on the forces and circumstances affecting the strength of each forces. The diagram below should give a better view of how the 5 forces interacts with each other. Rivalry among existing competitor Threat of new entrants Bargaining power of customer Bargaining power of supplier Threat of substitutes Diagram 1: The Five Competitive Forces that shapes strategy (Porter,1979) The effects of globalisation on BK as done with the five forces framework will help me to understand the competitive situation of the company and how competitive advantages might be achieved using the concepts and analytical techniques. As a final note, this model also promotes clear strategic thinking since Porter (1979) argues that business with no clear strategy will have no basis on which to integrate its activities and achieve consistency between its various function and units (The Antidote, 1998). In the end, could lead to reduced profitability and even failure.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Islam in the Ottoman Empire

Islam in the Ottoman Empire THE ISLAMIC CHARACTER OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE â€Å"In what ways was the Ottoman Empire Islamic?† ________________________________________________________________________ Part I: Introduction: This paper seeks to make an analysis of the ways in which the Ottoman Empire was Islamic. It seeks to establish the relationship between the Ottoman Empire and Islam, the religion on which it was founded. Part II: Summary: At the core of this narration is the fact that the nature of enforcement of Islamic tenets in the length and breadth of the Empire kept shifting with time. Although Islam and the Ottoman Empire were inseparable, since the very foundation of the Empire was Islamic, the actual manner in which Islam was enforced in the Empire varied in relation to time and geographical space. The pattern in which Islam was enforced altered from that of a brutal version at the beginning of the Empire to one that moderated greatly as the decades and centuries progressed. In other words, the dispensation shifted from Jihad to Dhimma. [1] The nature and reasons for this metamorphosis forms the heart of the paper. Moreover, Islam in its unadulterated form could not be enforced in a monolithic, homogeneous fashion in all the centuries of Ottoman rule, because the territories they governed were vast and disparate. In view of this complex scenario, this paper, due to the severe constraint of space, tak es up only two important aspects of Islam that were more or less a constant in the Empire as it grew –the treatment of non-Muslim subjects, and of women. In these, an overwhelmingly large part is devoted to the former, because administration enjoyed greater primacy, while the latter is referred to in passing. On account of this dearth of space, a unique element of the Ottoman Islamic military, the Janissaries, is left out. Part III: Discussion: The ascendancy to power of the Ottomans took place in the backdrop of the waning of authority of the Seljuk dynasty, the dominant power of Asia Minor until then.[2] In the given situation, since the political situation was very volatile, and opportunity was afforded to building an empire to one who succeeded in this unstable milieu, what was needed was brute force to achieve these ends. The period saw a novelty –the formation of a band of savage and predatory men calling themselves the Ghazis. Fanatically dedicated to Islam, these warriors derived their authority from the Islamic notion of Jihad –Holy War. The earliest Ottomans were typical examples of Ghazis. This concept enabled the Ottomans, who till then had been an insignificant vassal of the Seljuk dynasty, to now establish their authority in the region. This is how the establishment of the Ottoman Empire was based entirely on a primitive interpretation of and resort to militant Islam. (Turnbull, 2003, p. 10) From these beginnings, over the years, the Ottomans displayed towards non-Muslim subjects a sense of tolerance that would put Europe to shame. During the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, when events such as the Inquisitions were becoming milestones in Europe’s history[3], the Jews found refuge in the Ottoman Empire. This was the predominant destination to which the persecuted Jews milled, and were able to practice their way of life without any hindrance. A Hapsburg ambassador in the court of Suleiman the Magnificent had this to say about the Ottoman Sultan’s attitude towards his empire’s non-Muslim subjects: It is by merit that men rise in the service, a system which insures that posts should be assigned to the competent . . . . They do not believe that high qualities are either natural or hereditary . . . , but that they are partly the gift of God, and partly the result of good training, great industry, and . . . zeal . . . . Honors, high posts and judgeships are the rewards of great ability and good service. This is the reason that they are successful in their undertakings. (Levy, 1992, p. 15) Reasons for the change in attitude: Some major reasons can be attributed for this benign treatment of these subjects. As inheritors of the pristine tenets of Islam, these rulers considered Christian and Jewish people their theological predecessors; on account of this, although the Koran was considered the final and purest revelation, the same Koran, the ultimate fountainhead of wisdom to the Muslims, also placed upon Muslim rulers an obligation to protect their non-Muslim subjects, under the covenant of the Dhimma. (Levy, 1992, pp. 15, 16) For this protection, these subjects had to pay a tax, and were required to live under some restrictions, such as acceptance of Muslim superiority, being banned from riding animals that Muslims rode, and being made to wear distinguishing dresses or badges. (Lewis, 1982, p. 5) Other restrictions included being obliged to build houses lower than those of Muslims, being proscribed from residing in the neighbourhood of a mosque, and allocation of the pl ace of dispute resolution between minorities.[4] (Gà ¶Ãƒ §ek , 1996, p. 35) However, essentially, as pointed out by Lewis (1982), during the course of their history, the Ottoman Turks outgrew their initial tendency to maraud and slaughter at will, and were predisposed towards building an empire through a well-knit system of administration that derived from the Koran; over the years, they graduated to retaining their warm relationship with non-Muslims out of practical considerations. (Lewis, 1982, p. 5) For example, in most of the lands the Ottomans ruled, Christians and Jews had lived for centuries. Where conversion of these people, especially the numerically superior Christians was impossible, forcing conversion would almost certainly have invited revolt; because of this, most Ottoman rulers decided that it was wiser to leave these minorities to their own religion. In addition, allowing them to practise their own religion also gave the administration much needed taxes. In this sense, the presence of the minorities was actually an advantage to some Ottoman s ultans. These minority religious groups usually were classified under a system of local administration called the millet. Literally translating to nation, these units were helpful in keeping the Sultan informed about the state of affairs of the minorities. (McCarthy, 1997, pp. 127, 128) As a result, although there were some infrequent tensions in the form of humiliation and derision, by and large, the relationship between the Muslims and non-Muslims in the entire length and breadth of the Ottoman Empire, almost throughout the six centuries of its existence, was characterised mostly by goodwill, making the Empire a medley of various religions and cultures. This contrasted starkly with the ghettos and exile of the Jews in Europe. The occasional strains that arose were more for economic and social reasons rather than purely religious. (Lewis, 1982, pp. 5-7) Women in the Ottoman Empire: When it came to their treatment of women, the Ottomans derived from the various traditions they inherited, and Islam was one of them. While the lineage was patriarchal, their regional and tribal inheritance showed up in various aspects of their relationship with women, as precisely described here: â€Å"the Ottomans did make rational choices and draw upon a number of traditions in establishing the imperial household. The legacy of acquiring women through â€Å"raids† most likely came directly from a central Asian tradition; the employment of polygyny, that is multiple wives, probably derived from Islamic sources; the Ottomans may have learned of concubinage from the Persians; and they may have adapted from the Byzantines the idea of securing alliance and treaty through marriages.† (Goffman, 2002, p. 40) Part IV: Conclusion: Islam was the soul of the Ottoman system of governance; yet, this was by no means a repressive regime. Contrary to the treatment of non-Muslims in most parts of the world that came under Muslim rule[5], the Ottoman Empire, the largest Islamic empire in history, (Karsh, 2003, p. 25) displayed a fair degree of tolerance towards its non- Muslim subjects. Whatever may have motivated this, the fact is that this speaks of the completeness of their evolution from the days of the Ghazi to that of a rule that had a generally salutary effect on the minorities of the empire. Overall, the Ottomans turned out to be a relatively far more tolerant empire than the Christian regimes of Europe of the same period. This perhaps was to lay the foundations of the modern Turkey as we know it today. References Goffman, D., (2002), The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England. Gà ¶Ãƒ §ek , F. M., (1996), Rise of the Bourgeoisie, Demise of Empire: Ottoman Westernization and Social Change, Oxford University Press, New York. Karsh, E., (2003), Rethinking the Middle East, Frank Cass, London. Levy, A., (1992), The Sephardim in the Ottoman Empire, Darwin Press, Princeton, NJ. Lewis, B., (1982), Introduction, in Christians and Jews in the Ottoman Empire: The Functioning of a Plural Society, Braude, B. Lewis, B. (Eds.) (pp. 1-32), Homes Meier Publishers, New York. McCarthy, J., (1997), The Ottoman Turks: An Introductory History to 1923, Longman, London. Turnbull, S., (2003), The Ottoman Empire, 1326-1699, Routledge, New York. ZeEvi, D., (1994), â€Å"The Sufi Connection: Jerusalem Notables in the Seventeenth Century† in Papers from CIEPO IX, Jerusalem Papers from CIEPO IX, Jerusalem, Singer, A. Cohen, A. (Eds.) (pp. 126-142), Hebrew University, Jerusalem. 1 [1] This blend of militarism and religious doctrines is best illustrated by Marshal Hodgson, in whose words the basic feature of the Ottoman Empire was that it was â€Å"a military- sharÄ «a alliance† (ZeEvi, 1994, p. 136) [2] Information on the early history and the structure of governance of the Ottoman Empire is neatly summed up in the following link: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/OTTOMAN/ORIGIN.HTM Although this site cannot be treated as a great scholarly work, it is a good account that can be used as a kind of concise guide to this aspect of the power vacuum in the founding of the Empire, and the relationship of the state and its structure with Islam. [3] The following link is an excellent source for a detailed account of the blood-soaked history of the Inquisitions: http://www.sundayschoolcourses.com/inq/inqcont.htm [4] On the subject of jurisdiction of dispute settlement between members of the minority communities, this author offers an interesting recorded instance, in which there is no contradiction about a situation such as this: â€Å"if Zeyd the Jew goes from Istanbul-proper to Galata to conduct business and if Amr the Christian, claiming (Zeyd the Jew) needs to settle a transaction, takes him to the Islamic court of Galata, would Zeyd the Jew have the right to state that he wants the case heard instead by the Islamic court in the neighborhood of Galata-proper.†(Gà ¶Ãƒ §ek, 1996, p.35) [5] An interesting case for the study of treatment of non-Muslim subjects in a state ruled by Muslims is that of India. The Muslims were the dominant ruling class for about 10 centuries, but this reign was far from even. Islamic kings’ treatment of the majority Hindus saw no uniformity, and is a matter of heated and emotive debate to this day in the country.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The School of Athens and Raphael’s Portrayal of: Diogenes, Heraclitus,

Raphael was born on April 6, 1483 in Urbino in the Marche region. In 1491 when Raphael was eight, his mother died. Bette Talvacchia, author of Raphael cites that not much is known about Raphael’s personal life because he kept to himself about many things, but many historians believe that his personal life is portrayed through his paintings (8). Richard Cocke, author of The Complete Paintings of Raphael states that at the age of seventeen Raphael began to gain popularity as an artist and was, at that time, first commissioned as an artist (Cocke 83). Raphael was known for his historical paintings, such as The School of Athens, the way he painted the nude, and his amazing ability to make colors look vivid using oil paint (Cocke 5). Historical paintings are a type of painting genera that focuses on the story line rather that one specific moment, as in a portrait. Also, when painting with oil paint, it is difficult to make colors bright, so Raphael excelled at that. One of Raphael’s styles that he used was idealization rather than realism. Richard Cocke notes that â€Å"Raphael himself wrote to his friend Castiglione in 1514 about the problem of painting a beautiful woman: â€Å"I use a certain idea, which comes into my mind.† (5) Also, many of Raphael’s self-portraits show him dressed up as an elegant man rather than an artist, leading some to believe that he did not want to be viewed as an artist (Talvacchia 8). Raphael has an amazing ability to keep his artwork well balanced and organized (Talvacchia 8). Bette Talvacchia discusses: One of Raphael’s primary contributions to painting was to perfect the unison of classicizing technique with the tenets of naturalism. When composing a figure, for example, he referred to the visual evi... ... century. It is a constant invitation to think, reflect, and grow in knowledge. Works Cited Bell, Daniel O. "New Identifications in Raphael's School of Athens." The Art Bulletin 77.4 Dec. (1995): 643. Google Scholar . Web. 24 Apr. 2012. Cocke, Richard. The Complete Paintings of Raphael. N.p.: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1966. 5-102. Print. Hall, Marcia, ed. Raphael's School of Athens. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. 42. Print. Kahn, Charles H. The Art and Thought of Heraclitus. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979. 2. Google Scholar . Web. 17 May 2012. Matthews, Roy T., F D. Platt, and F X. Noble. The Western Humanities. 7th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. 346-55. Print. Sandbach, F H. The Stoics. 2nd ed. Bedminister: The Bristol Press, 1989. 14. Print. Talvacchia, Bette. Raphael. New York: Phaidon Press Limited, 2007. 8-90. Print.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Rage of Hamlet in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay example -- essays res

In William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark†, though the protagonist Hamlet pretends to be mad as he seeks revenge for the murder of his father, he is suffering from depression and a barely contained rage towards the people closest to him as revealed in his treatment of Gertrude and Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and Polonius and Claudius. The barely concealed rage he feels towards his mother, lover, friends and uncle leads to their death and his own. This bitterness towards everyone makes his conversations with other characters seem to be very cold, especially towards his mother, Gertrude, and Ophelia. Hamlet’s behavior towards Ophelia and Gertrude shows his contempt and distrust of women. Though Hamlet loves his mother, â€Å"O heart, lose not thy nature† (1363), he is wounded and flabbergasted by her hasty marriage. He says, â€Å"Frailty, thy name is woman†, meaning that he views women as morally weak creatures (1316). His inference of innate womanly weakness is exemplified in Ophelia. When she follows her father’s instructions to not â€Å"give words...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Sex Industry and Prostitution

PATTS COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS| Prostitution| Advantage and Disadvantage| | Brian Angelo A. Ong Lo| 07-Mar-13| A business or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute or sex worker. | Prostitution is the business or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute or sex worker, and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms.Prostitution is one of the branches of the sex industry. The legal status of prostitution varies from country to country, from being permissible but unregulated, to a punishable crime or to a regulated profession. Estimates place the annual revenue generated from the global prostitution industry to be over $100 billion. Prostitution is sometimes referred to as â€Å"the world's oldest profession†. Prostitution occurs in a variety of forms. Brothels are establishments specifically dedicated to prostitution.In escort prostitution, the act may take place at the customer's residence or hotel room (referred to as out-call), or at the escort's residence or in a hotel room rented for the occasion by the escort (called in-call). Another form is street prostitution. Sex tourism refers to travelling, typically from developed to underdeveloped nations, to engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. Etymology and terminology â€Å"Prostitute† is derived from the Latin prostituta. Some sources cite the verb as a composition of â€Å"pro† meaning â€Å"up front† or â€Å"forward† and â€Å"situere†, defined as â€Å"to offer up for sale†.Another explanation is that â€Å"prostituta† is a composition of pro and statuere (to cause to stand, to station, place erect). A literal translation therefore is: â€Å"to put up front for sale† or â€Å"to place forw ard†. The online Etymology Dictionary states, â€Å"The notion of ‘sex for hire' is not inherent in the etymology, which rather suggests one ‘exposed to lust' or sex â€Å"indiscriminately offered. † The word â€Å"prostitute† was then carried down through various languages to the present-day Western society.Most sex worker activists groups reject the word â€Å"prostitute† and since the late 1970s have used the term â€Å"sex worker† instead. However, a â€Å"sex worker† can also mean anyone who works within the sex industry or whose work is of a sexual nature and is not limited solely to prostitutes. Other meanings The word â€Å"prostitution† can also be used metaphorically to mean debasing oneself or working towards an unworthy cause or â€Å"selling out†. [9] In this sense, â€Å"prostituting oneself† or â€Å"whoring oneself† the services or acts performed are typically not sexual.History of pros titution The history of prostitution extends to all ancient and modern cultures. It has been described as â€Å"the world's oldest profession†. Advantage Well, it pays vastly more than other jobs that requires no formal qualifications, skills or previous work experience. Disadvantage Some of the disadvantages of prostitution are that it is dangerous. Disease can be transmitted this way. Some participants are taken advantage. Advantages of prostitution would be the ability for those involved in this activity to make money.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Online Business And Internet Strategies Essay

Internet presence for a business is a powerful communication and advertisement tool. Using a website to sell a physical product, a service or an intellectual property, becomes an incredibly cost-efficient business tool. Online businesses are environmentally friendly and a sign of professionalism today. Business through Internet can help to increase the projected revenues for any product that can be conceived. Marketing over the internet also means that there would not be any worries about the attrition of employees or inventory liability. Potential buyers are better expected to find a website of your business than about you or your country.   Choice of Business Focusing on a business sector like the providers of corrugated-paper boxes to large businesses, would be great idea to start. With its uniqueness, this type of online business venture will also ensure that online competition is minimal. Of course they are many prospects that are untapped in this field. The target market for placing online orders of paper boxes would be: Large fast-food chains that are expanding their businesses in newly liberalized economies of Eastern Europe. (UNCTAD, 2005) Small and large courier companies that rely on huge quantities of paper boxes for every kind of shipment. Businesses and shops of any scale and any location would require efficient packaging material. Other online businesses that require to ship physical products to their customers like online art auctions, gift sellers and gadget showcases, may require fluctuating quantities of paper boxes. Since they cannot stock such an item as packaging material, the best option would be to purchase the required quantity online. Capital and Infrastructure The main advantage of setting up this online business would require minimal investment at the onset just as in any other online venture. Another positive is that the customers usually pay upfront in online businesses, so the cash conversion cycle would always keep the business with cash-in-hand. Major chunk of initial investment would be towards: purchasing a suitable domain name that either resembles â€Å"paper box† or the region where the potential customers are located. For instance if McDonald’s from USA is planning to set-up new outlets in Eastern Europe, then the domain name could be www.boxesineurope.com (this domain is available) purchasing a suitable website hosting service provider (hosting company for website space and website design) by checking that company’s website. One should be thorough about a web-hosting provider’s integrity and background as many of them stoop to blackmail their clients if they see a profit-making business. So, it is imperative for the safety and security of my business as well potential clients. cost of â€Å"search engine optimization† of websites should be taken care of at the design stage itself. Websites that are better optimized for search engines, appear at a higher rank than other when a search of a particular â€Å"term† is run on the popular search engines like Google. Most importantly, all the results with the term â€Å"paper box providers in Eastern Europe†, apart from my website, would be my competitors. So I would be pro-active in spending some amount getting a better ranking on search engines. there would be random costs involved that include the cost of getting a high speed internet connection, setting up communication network with local manufacturers of paper boxes, office equipment etc; of course my own basement will serve as office. Strategic Alliances The most important business partners could be located online and the best way to check their authenticity, quality and service would be to set up meeting with them, if they are geographically approachable. Otherwise, even through good business proposition email, any business would like to expand and extend their network. (NFIB, 2002) Most important allies for my website www.boxesineurope.com would be quality manufacturers of boxes. Again, their website, portfolio and background would be a good measure of their reliability.   Marketing My Online Business Website: Promoting a website means to increase the number of visitors reaching the webpages. Larger the number of visitors, higher would be the probability that their visits would convert into potential business or purchase. So increasing website â€Å"traffic† would be the main aim of any online business; including mine. Here are few options that I would explore to improve the visibility and accessibility of www.boxesineurope.com: In order to get the most of search engines, I would keep the website search engine optimized and updated. A part of revenue will be diverted to professaional optimizers. For instance Google recenlty annouced that more than 5 billion searches took place on their search engine in a month of 2005; even a conversion rate of 5% can give huge returns on the amount of money spend on search engine optimization. To put it simply, even if 5 out 100 visitors on my website, turn into actual customers, then cost accrued in bringing those 100 visitors bears huge profits. (Gonsalves, 2006) I would use online advertizements, banners and sponsored links on the websites that my potential customers are likely to visit. Since, the target market is widely distributed, sales professionals or procurement personnel of my potential customers are likely to search for few specific terms. (NCC Ltd   2007) Websites that are non-competitors for my business but show on such search results, became an ideal business partners for exchanging website links. As people who likely to be their customers may reach my website and potential buyers of paper boxes may reach their website. Sponsored links through search engines can help me to generate revenue even if I do not sell the product showcased on my website. So, it’s an alternative tool to generate capital that could be invested in online advertizements. To keep customers coming back the focus would to upgrade/update the website frequently. I would keep changing product picture and text design without compromising on the sober looks of the webpages. Posting periodic newsletter on the site would be a good idea to to provide something new to read for the visitors. Once the website popularity improves, I would focus on building a database of my consumers or those who simply enquired about the products. Such a database will provde invaluable and dividing visitors into segments will be very useful for launching targeted marketing campaigns. There are also advanced software to help in refining online marketing to different sets of customers. (Business Link, 2007) Email: Since the online business marketing is for the net users, emails would provide useful for building relationships and keeping my acquaintances aware about my business. Periodic emails, popularly known as newsletters can assist to update the customers about offers. Email is a less intrusive mode than telephone marketing. I would be searching the liason offices and business personnel of potential customer and send them personalized emails. Hiring a third party for doing email marketing may prove illegal in case they try to spam. (Prodesk, 1999) Short Messaging Service: Marketing via text messaging is a viable option as almost everybody carries a mobile phone these days. However, I would be careful to not to invade privacy by sending unsolicited and unexpected messages to unknown people. Though equipped technically and planned well ahead of time, even an online business would require certain ethics that I would never violate. I would ensure that customers get exactly what they order and in the promised time. website visitors will always be secure regarding their personal information and banking credentials like credit cards, debit cards or any other mode of transaction. there would be strict filtering for spam, viruses and any other security threats for the website visitors and customers alike. investment would be timely to keep the technology and the content of the website updated to real time ie an outdated or irrelevant information would never be displayed. With these marketing strategies and plan for online business, I am confident of setting up a viable internet business enterprise. REFERENCES    United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2005) Report : â€Å"Eastern Europe remains top FDI destination†. Available on: http://www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/eastern-europe-remains-top-fdi-destination/article-143913 National Federation of Independent Business. (2002). â€Å"Benefits of Online Services to Independent Business†: NFIB. Available on: http://www.nfib.com/object/1583715.html Gonsalves, Antone. (2006). â€Å"Google Grabs Half Of Booming Web Search Market†: TechWeb News National Computing Centre. (2007) Available on: http://www.nccmembership.co.uk/ Business Link. (2007). â€Å"Practical advice for business† Available on: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/ Prodesk. (1999). â€Å"Email Marketing Strategies Revealed†: www.prodesk.com BIBLIOGRAPHY Woodhead, Robert. (2007) www.selfpromotion.com 2007 Simpson, Gemma. (2006).†UK small businesses set to boost IT budgets†: ZDNet.co.uk Available on: http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,39285382,00.htm

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Protection of Vulnerable People: Safeguarding those with Mental Illness

Introduction Individuals with mental health conditions may suffer from neglect and abuse as a result of their condition (Taylor, 2006). Hence, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK places emphasis on safeguarding these individuals and recognising them as a ‘vulnerable’ group. The Department of Health (2000) states that the act of ‘safeguarding’ is synonymous with protecting those who are more exposed to abuse and neglect. The main aim of this essay is to discuss safeguarding patients suffering from mental illness. The first part of this essay discusses vulnerability in this group. Factors that influence vulnerability and how these impact the health and wellbeing of these individuals will also be explored. The second part discusses multidisciplinary and multiagency interventions to protect and safeguard those with mental health conditions. The third part examines the safeguarding laws and policies that support and inform the work of a multi-disciplinary team. This w ill then be followed by a reflection of the findings of this essay and how these influence practice of a student nurse. Finally, a conclusion that summarises the key points raised in this essay will be done. Vulnerability of patients with mental health conditions Watkins (2008) observes that the limited ability individuals with mental health conditions to express themselves increase the risk of abuse. For example, patients might express their fears and anxiety through aggressive behaviour (RCN, 2008). When patients are placed in a new environment, such as a hospital setting, they might be unable to articulate their feelings and become anxious. This is aggravated when they could not see their family members or when nurses take over their families in providing for their care (RCN, 2008). McDonnell (2011) explains that is not uncommon for these patients to become defensive and aggressive when surrounded with ‘strangers’. Second, patients with mental illness often suffer from stigmatisation, discrimination and isolation (Lubkin and Larsen, 2011; Moran et al., 2013; Mestdagh and Hansen, 2014). Moran et al. (2013) states that isolation could aggravate the patient’s mental health condition since loss of social support increases risk of depression. Stigmatisation, on the other hand, increases vulnerability since patients might not access appropriate healthcare services due to negative perceptions of patients with mental illness (Mestdagh and Hansen, 2014). Individuals with a history of mental illness could also experience discrimination at work or when applying for employment (Lubkin and Larsen, 2011). All these factors influence the health and wellbeing of those with mental health condition. Lack of social support and inability of an individual to find an employment increase the risk of depression (Lubkin and Larsen, 2011). It is widely established (Cocker et al., 2014; Lubkin and Larsen, 2011) th at chronic depression is strongly associated with poor health outcomes such as development of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and other chronic conditions. Importantly, depression has been associated with poor adherence to medications or a care plan (Grenard et al., 2011). Hence, vulnerable individuals such as those with mental health conditions could suffer poorer health as a result of discrimination, stigmatisation and isolation. Multi-disciplinary and multiagency interventions to protect and safeguard those with mental health conditions A blended approach in caring for vulnerable individuals with mental health conditions has been promoted in the NHS (Transition Pathway, 2005). Different groups of healthcare professionals are involved in safeguarding those with mental health conditions. For instance, occupational therapists help patients engage in occupations that help restore meaning in their lives. On the other hand, therapists provide different types of counseling to assist individuals cope with their condition. For example, these therapists offer cognitive behavioural counseling or family therapy to help patients with their thought process or engage family members in the support and management of the individual (Gehart, 2012). Drawing from different literature, mental health nurses could also use current evidence to help inform care plans that are specific for the needs of a vulnerable individual. Meanwhile, a focus is made on patient-centred care (Transition Pathway, 2005) This means that vulnerable individuals participate in healthcare decisions regarding their health. Health and social care team members provide the needed support as they help students arrive at an informed decision. Today, there are many types of therapies and interventions for individuals with mental health condition. Watkins (2008) observes that each individual is unique and hence, blended approach and choices are necessary to create a healthcare plan specific for the individual. The chronic nature of mental health conditions also requires prolonged support and care from different healthcare team members. Similarly, multiple agencies have to coordinate care for each person. Many vulnerable individuals with mental health condition have to transition from supported care to independent living. Further, transition from adolescence to adulthood for vulnerable individuals could be a specially challenging time. The Department of Health (2011a) has provided the Pathways to getting a Life white paper to help health and social care practitioners coordinate care for those with mental health condition transition to independent living. One of the challenges when providing multidisciplinary and multi-agency care for vulnerable individuals is allowing patients to exercise autonomy while maintaining their safety. The Nursing and Midwifery Councils’ (NMC, 2008) code of conduct stresses the importance of respecting patient autonomy when making healthcare decisions. However, patient autonomy might be difficult to observe especially if choices of the patients could lead to poor health outcomes. On the other hand, patients are also encouraged to participate in healthcare decisions. While this is considered as best practice, some patients might be reluctant to participate in healthcare decisions (De Las Cuevas and Penate, 2014; Goggins et al., 2014; Hajizadeh et al., 2014). This might be due to poor levels of knowledge regarding their condition (Goggins et al., 2014) or inability to participate in healthcare decisions (De Las Cuevas and Penate, 2014). The former could be addressed through patient education while the latter through representation of a family member. Meanwhile, social care has an integral role in helping vulnerable individuals not only transition to independent living but also in assisting them find suitable employment. The partnership between health and social care ensures that individuals receive sufficient support when they return to their communities. Hence, empowering patients to take care of their own needs and to manage their condition prevents exacerbation of the condition or development of complications. Safeguarding laws and policies The policy ‘No Health without Mental Health’ (Department of Health, 2011b) acts as a guide for different healthcare professionals, social care workers and other stakeholders when providing care for individuals with mental health conditions. Specifically, this policy states that equitable treatment should be provided for vulnerable groups. This suggests that treatment and services should not only be patient-centred but also responsive to the immediate and long-term needs of the vulnerable individual. However, equitable mental health treatment for different groups of patients still remains a challenge in the NHS. For instance, Nzira and Williams (2008) argue that all individuals, regardless of their race or ethnicity, should enjoy equality in choice of their care providers and process. However, analysis of recent literature (Cantor-Graae and Selten, 2005; Kirkbride et al., 2008; Marmot, 2010) suggest that individuals from the black and minority ethnic groups do not enjoy the same ‘equality’ promoted in the Department of Health’s (2011b) policy. Incidence of mental health conditions is still higher in the black and minority ethnic group compared to the general white population in the UK. Further, this group also experiences social exclusion as a result of poor housing opportunities. There is evidence that poor housing and homelessness have been associated with poorer mental health (Pattereson et al., 2013). Hence, individuals with mental health conditions who happen to belong to the black and minority ethnic groups tend to have poorer health outcomes compared to their white counterparts (Kirkbride et al., 2008). Apart from evaluating the impact of the ‘No Health without Mental Health’ policy on vulnerable groups, it is also essential to investigate current legislations that safeguard those with mental health conditions. The Equality Act (UK Legislation, 2010) and the Mental Health Act 2007 (UK Legislation, 2007) both promote the rights of mental health patients. The first Act supports equality in the workplace. For instance, the Act states that employers are generally not allowed to ask about the disability of an individual before a job is offered. Although this does not exempt employers from asking questions on the health and background of future employees when absolutely necessary, this shows that equality is observed in the workplace. Meanwhile, the Mental Health Act 2007 (UK Legislation, 2007) introduces changes to the previous Mental Health Act 1983 (UK Legislation, 1983). This time, definition for mental health professionals is broadened to include different healthcare pro fessionals who are involved in the care of patients even without their consent. It should be noted that patients who pose a significant threat to others and to their own selves are admitted, detained and treated in hospital settings under this Act. Refection On reflection, this essay helped me realised the importance of increasing my knowledge on the needs of vulnerable patients with mental health conditions and the factors that promote their vulnerability. Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, serve in the forefront of care. As leaders of care, I will facilitate the care and management of vulnerable patients in the future. This is only possible if I am aware on how cultural differences, stigmatisation, discrimination and isolation influence the trajectory of their condition. I realised that all these factors are crucial in promoting inequalities in healthcare. If I fail to address these factors, I will not be able to provide quality care to my patients. This essay also helps me appreciate the value of working in multidisciplinary teams and being aware of the roles of each team member. Since mental health conditions are complex, a blended approach is necessary to address individual needs. Vulnerability of an individual is increased when team members fail to consider and address the holistic needs of a patient. In my current and future practice, I should be aware of how I could contribute to effective team collaboration in order to reduce patient vulnerability. There is also a need to be aware of different safeguarding laws and policies for mental health patients. This will help me use these laws and policies to lobby for the rights of my patients. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008) stresses the importance of patient safety and providing only quality care. Patient safety is observed when policies and laws on safeguarding are used to the fullest. On reflection, I should continue to become acquainted with different policies and legislations on safeguarding to ensure that the rights of my patients are protected. Specifically, this will help me find appropriate programmes or care pathways for my patients. On reflection, I should provide patient education to help patients make informed decisions regarding their care. This will not only empower my patients but also help them self-manage their own conditions. Conclusion This essay explores the concept of vulnerability and focuses on patients with mental health condition as a representative of the vulnerable group. These patients have additional challenges since mental illness is still strongly associated with discrimination, isolation and stigmatisation. Ethnic background also plays a role in their access to appropriate health and social care services. Those belonging to the black and minority ethnic groups have higher incidence of mental illness and less access to healthcare services compared to their white counterparts. The care pathway for vulnerable groups is supported by different health and social care agencies. Multidisciplinary and multi-agency team working are necessary to provide support to vulnerable groups. This essay demonstrates the importance of coordinating care and using a blended approach. Patient-centred care is highly promoted in the NHS since it is essential to design a care plan specific to the healthcare needs of an individual . Finally, this essay shows the importance of becoming acquainted with different policies and legislations on safeguarding. Knowledge on these policies and laws will help nurses exercise patient safety and quality care. Nurses will be able to identify appropriate health and social care services for each mental health service user. References: Cantor-Graae, E. & Selten, J. (2005) ‘Schizophrenia and migration: a meta-analysis and review’, American Journal of Psychiatry, 162, pp. 12-24. Cocker, F., Nicholson, J., Graves, N., Oldenburg, B., Palmer, A., Martin, A., Scott, J., Venn, A. & Sanderson, K. (2014) ‘Depression in working adults: comparing the costs and health outcomes of working when il’, PLoS One, 9(9): e105430 [Online]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25181469 (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). De Las Cuevas, C. & Penate, W. (2014) ‘To what extent psychiatric patients feel involved in decision making about their mental health careRelationships with socio-demographic, clinical, and psychological variables’, Acta Neuropsychiatrica [Online]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25288200 (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). Department of Health (2000) No secrets: Guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse. London: Department of Health. Department of Health (2011a) Pathways to getting a life [Online]. Available from http://www.ndti.org.uk/uploads/files/2011-Pathways-to-getting-a-life.pdf (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). Department of Health (2011b) No Health Without Mental Health: A Cross-Government Mental Health Outcomes Strategy for People of All Ages, London: Department of Health. Gehart, D. (2012) ‘The mental health recovery movement and family therapy, part 1: consumer-led reform of services to persons diagnosed with severe mental illness’, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38(3), pp. 429-442. Goggins, K., Wallston, K., Nwosu, S., Schildcrout, J., Castel, L. & Kripalani, S. (2014) ‘Health literacy, numeracy, and other characteristics associated with hospitalized patients’ preferences for involvement in decision making’, Journal of Health Communication, 19(2), pp. 29-43. Grenard, J., Munjas, B., Adams, J., Suttorp, M., Maglione, M., McGlynn, E. & Gellad, W. (2011) ‘Depression and medication adherence int eh treatment of chronic diseases in the United States: a meta-analsyis’, Journal of Internal Medicine, 26(10), pp. 1175-1182. Hajizadeh, N., Uhler, L. & Perez Figueroa, R. (2014) ‘Understanding patients’ and doctors’ attitudes about shared decision making for advance care planning’, Health Expectations [Online]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25336141 (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). Kirkbride, J., Barker, D., Cowden, F., Stamps, R., Yang, M., Jones, P. & Coid, J. (2008) ‘Psychoses, ethnicity and socio-economic status’, British Journal of Psychiatry, 193(1), pp. 18-24. Lubkin, I. & Larsen, P. (2011) Chronic illness: impact and intervention, London: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Marmot, M. (2010) Fair Society, Healthy Lives: Strategic Review of health inequalities in England post-2010 [Online]. Available at: www.marmotreview.org (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). McDonnell, A. (2011) Managing aggressive behaviour in care settings: Understanding and applying Low Arousal Approaches. Australia: John Wiley & Sons. Mestdagh, A. & Hansen, B. (2014) ‘Stigma in patients with schizophrenia receiving community mental health care: a review of qualitative studies’, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 49(1), pp. 79-87. Moran, G., Russinova, S, Gidugu, V. & Gagne, C. (2013) ‘Challenges experienced by paid peer providers in mental health recovery: a qualitative study’, Community Mental Health Nursing, 49(3), pp. 281-291. Patterson, M., Rezansoff, S., Currie, L. & Somers, J. (2013) ‘Trajectories of recovery among homeless adults with mental illness who participated in a randomised controlled trial of housing first: A longitudinal, narrative analysis’, British Medical Journal Open, 3(9):e003442. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003442. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2008). Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Conduct [Online]. Available from: http://www.nmc-uk.org/templates/pages/Search?q=spiritual%20care (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). Royal College of Nursing (RCN) (2008) â€Å"Let’s talk about restraint† Rights, risks and responsibility. London: RCN. Taylor, D. (2006) Schizophrenia in focus. London: Pharmaceutical Press. Transition Pathway (2005) Person Centred Transition pathway is here: How did it happen[Online]. Available from: http://www.transitionpathway.co.uk/index.html (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). UK Legislation (1983) Mental Health Act 1983. Available from: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/20/contents [Accessed: 3 November, 2014]. UK Legislation (2007) Mental Health Act 2007 [Online]. Available from: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/12/contents (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). UK Legislation (2010) Equality Act 2010 [Online]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/when-mental-health-condition-becomes-disability (Accessed: 3 November, 2014). Watkins, P. (2008) Mental health practice: A guide to compassionate care. London: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Quasi-experimental research designs Essay

Introduction             A quasi experiment is the kind of experiment that seeks to evaluate conditions in non-profit making organizations. Examples of non-profit making organizations include the Red Cross, YMCA, and The Hospice, among many others (Thyer, 2012).  A hospice is a special hospital, mostly sponsored by the government of a country, where the practical, emotional, and medical needs of dying patients are met. A hospice is the kind of organization where emergency is the norm and is the least among other non-profit making organizations. A number of questions would be viable in this case. For instance, what are the working conditions? Does the station operate 24 hours in a day? But the kind of question that would give more and better information according to research would be; how many (dying) people are ministered to in a month? Such a question would give the research party broader perspective in the whole process compared to the others. The kind of data that I would gather would most likely dwell on such factors as, employee number, whether all the employees are professionally trained and the budget range. The three nuggets would be the primary areas of data collection considering the depth and width of information they would gather (Thyer, 2012). In the data collection process, it would be prudent to employ the services offered by employees. Therefore, I would use an employee of high proficiency in getting down to the process. This would, most likely promote the quality and quantity of the final findings, having in mind the experience of the employee. According to Thyer (2012), limitation would be inevitable, especially in this kind of process. Some of the limitations likely to be faced by employees in the field would involve: the time of emergency (uncertainty on when to send an employee), lack of total co-operation from the management and inadequate capital. There are a number of challenges but the above mentioned would be the most likely. Reference Thyer, B. A. (2012).  Quasi-experimental research designs. New York: Oxford University Press. Source document

Friday, September 13, 2019

Learning styles - the Theory of Multiple Intelligences Research Paper

Learning styles - the Theory of Multiple Intelligences - Research Paper Example In the modern education setting, students are aware of what they are expected to learn in a particular unit of study. Learning styles also determine the learning assessment system used in measuring whether a student has learnt what is expected of him or her after a certain period. Based on the learning styles, assessment of students involves comparing a student’s performance with set standards and communication of results and learning outcomes to the parents and students. There exists numerous learning styles that encompass various approaches of explaining how students learn (Reza and Reza, 2010). In order to understand learning styles, this paper will Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences as a learning style. Howard Gardner originally developed the theory of multiple intelligences in the year 1983. Gardner viewed intelligence as the ability and capacity in solving problems and fashioning products that are valued in cultural setting(s). He believed that there was n eed for paradigm shift in learning (Gardner and Seana, 2006). According to him, intelligence of a human being should not be equated with linguistic intelligence or logical-mathematical only. Gardner’s theory emerged from recent studies and research that have found out that students possessed different minds and therefore have the ability of learning, performing, comprehending, and remembering in different ways (Gardner, 1999). Gardner developed a list of intelligences that all individuals are able to know. The list argues that individuals differ in the strength of these intelligences, as well as in ways through which such intelligences are combined and invoked in solving different problems, carrying out diverse tasks and progressing in different domains. He argues that this new paradigm challenges the conventional educational system which makes an assumption that all individuals have the ability of learning the same materials in the same way and that a uniform, universal meas ure suffices while testing students’ learning (Gardner and Seana, 2006). The theory of multiple intelligences as developed by Gardner further postulates that the educational system is biased towards linguistic and logical-quantitative modes of instruction and assessment (Gardner, 1999). Based on this background, Gardner developed a set of intelligences that are more likely to be effective in learning and education in general. The first one is Visual-spatial intelligence; it involves thinking in terms of physical space. Learners who possess this intelligence are very aware of their environments and they like drawing and reading maps. Sailors and architects are example of people possessing this intelligence (Gardner and Moran, 2006). The second one is Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, which involves effective use of the body. It has been found out that individuals possessing this intelligence have immense sense of body awareness and are very comfortable with movements. Dancers a nd athletes are examples of people possessing this intelligence. The third intelligence is musical intelligence which largely relates to sensitivity to rhythm and sound. Learners who possess this intelligence are sensitive to sounds in their environment and love music. They mostly use tools such as stereo, musical instruments, multimedia and CD-ROM (Reza and Reza, 2010). In addition, Gardner identifies Linguistic intelligence that involves ability of effectively using words.