Critique Nursing

Essay preview The purpose of this assignment is to critique and evaluate the chosen article in terms of strengths and weaknesses, to demonstrate an understanding of the research process. According to Polit and Beck (2004) the aim of critically appraising an article is an attempt to determine its strengths and limitations. Therefore, the research critique should reflect an objective and balanced consideration of the study's validity and significance (Polit and Hungler 1999). The task of critiquing is, according to Lo Biondo-Wood and Harber (2006) a challenging one and can only be effectively achieved through much practice and skill.For the purpose of this critique, the frameworks of Parahoo (1997) and Polit and Hungler (1999) have been used as a guide. This will assist in producing an organised sub-headed piece of work. Title The title of an article is the first part of a study to be encountered and Parahoo (1997) states that a title should draw the reader's attention to the precise a rea of study and make reference to the population from whom the data is collected. Cormack (2000) and Marshall and Kelly (2007) agree, stating a title should be concise and reflect the content of the study.The chosen article is titled ‘Perceived barriers and facilitators to implementing research findings in the Irish practice setting'. This title utilised by Glacken and Chaney is concise, consisting of 13 words in bold print. Rumrill et al (2000) state that a standard length title is 12 – 15 words. However, the title does not reflect the population of the sample group i. e. Registered Nurses. Although the title still provides insight into what the article is trying to accomplish. Author(s) According to Cormack (2000) researchers must be qualified to commence a esearch study. The researchers qualification and credentials in the article are clearly stated and easy to find. They both have initials after their names, one of which has a PHD, which indicate that they have an educational background. A search using Glacken and Chaney using the ProQuest database identifies several published articles by Glacken. According to Lo Biondo-Wood and Harber (2002) this enhances the credibility of a study placing confidence in the findings. The article was submitted for publication on the 1st July 2003 and was accepted on the 9th January 2004.This illustrates that it was still relevantly recent and not dated when published which could have posed questions regarding validity and reliability. â€Å"The Journal of Clinical Nursing† has published the article. This also adds to the credibility of the research study, as all published articles are double bind peer reviewed. Abstract The purpose of the abstract is to provide a short comprehensive synopsis of an article (Rumrill et al 2000). According to Parahoo (1997) it should quickly focus the reader's attention on the main points of the study.Langford (2001) also states that a well-presented abstract should be ac curate, self-contained and readable. This abstract gives a brief summary of the study and within the first few lines identifies what the study is trying to achieve – to ascertain what registered nurses perceive as barriers to the utilisation of research findings and discover what they perceive would facilitate the implementation of these findings. The remainder of the abstract provides a summary of approach (cross-sectional survey), the population (registered nurses) and overall findings.One limitation noted is that the researchers do not give the exact sample size in the abstract. By reading this summary it is believed that the reader would be able to make an informed choice about the relevance of the article for their purpose. The keywords used within the abstract were – barriers, clinical practice, facilitators, Republic of Ireland, utilisation. It is vital that researchers choose appropriate keywords for their articles in order to aid literature searching through d atabases (Webb 2005).The keywords used by Glacken and Chaney are all relevant to the research study. Introduction The purpose of the introductory section is to clearly identify the problem and give a rationale for the study been carried out (Cormack 2000). Poilt and Hungler (1999) agree by stating that the introduction should explain the research problem and why the study is important, worthwhile and relevant. Russell (2004) also states that the introduction should thoroughly describe the background of the research problem so that the need for the study is apparent.The introduction given by Glacken and Chaney builds a cause from existing literature that the problem is of adequate value to justify further research. The author of this critique believes the research problem is in the last sentence of the introduction. It states that there are many difficulties involved in achieving evidence – based practice and many barriers that may impede research utilisation. If this is in fa ct the research problem, the researchers comply with Russell's (2004) recommendation that the research problem should flow directly from the introduction and conclude this section.However one would feel that this introduction deals more with the importance of research rather than explaining that the remainder of the article will focus on the barriers that impede research. According to Cormack (2000) an introduction should also state the study's limitations. This particular introduction does not make the study's limitations explicit to the reader. Literature Review/Background According to Parahoo (1997) a literature review serves to put the current study into the context of what is already known about the subject.Cormack (2000) states that the literature review is a critical review of previous literature relating to the research topic. Therefore this section aims to provide the reader with an understanding of what the current state of evidence is in the selected area of study. This r eview is organised by heading that correspond to the key study concepts, which makes the review easy to follow. The researchers attempt to review previous studies relating to the topic, thus preparing the ground for new research. The studies presented highlight the significance of the problem under investigation.It was difficult to identify the exact research question, as there was no definite question asked. Although Valente (2003) states that sometimes researchers may hide the research question within the purpose of the study. The final statement of the literature review is therefore the purpose of this study – ‘it is timely that perceived barriers†¦ are identified and acknowledged'. Therefore as you read the review it moves from broad to specific relevance with the last section of the review clearly outlining the need for the study. Due to the article been published in 2004, it is expected that the references used will be relevantly recent.From reading the refer ence list, it can be seen that this is the case and only three references before 1994 have been used. There was a need for these older references as the original author who employed the Barriers scale did so in 1991 and the purpose of the 1978 reference was to illustrate that access to research reports has been a problem for many years. Also noted is that the articles included in the reference list are clearly related to the topic under study and include international resources, all nursing – related. http://repository. uwc. ac. a/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10566/308/RoweBlendedLearning2012. pdf? sequence=3 Method According to Polit and Hungler (1999) the heart of the research critique is the analysis of the methodology decisions adopted in addressing the research question. Cormack (2000) suggests the method section should clearly state the research approach to be used and asks whether the method is appropriate to the research problem and whether the strengths and limitations of the approach are stated. Although not written in text it is clearly pointed out that the article is of a quantitative approach.Burns and Groves (1997) describe quantitative research as a method used to gain more information, test relationships and uses numeric data to answer problems. In reviewing the methodology section which is under the subheading â€Å"Methods†, the researchers clearly demonstrate that the design method is a cross – sectional survey using a non – probability sample. According to Polit and Hungler (1999) a cross – sectional design involves the collection of data at one point in time. This descriptive study uses the established 29 – item Barriers 5 point Likert scale, after firstly gaining permission from the main author to employ the instrument – S.Funk. Therefore a strength of this article is related to the measurement tool. The researchers used an already developed measurement device in which the reliability of the tool would have been determined. They reinforce this fact by saying that the scale is recognised to be psychometrically robust. A further quantitative research tool – a questionnaire, was selected as the method to solicit opinions regarding the barriers to research. Cormack (2000) believes that questionnaires are the most widely used method of collecting data.However he recognises that if participants are aware that they are partaking in a study, it is natural that they might alter their response – the Hawthorne Effect (Cormack 2000). The researchers do not state how they minimised this Hawthorne Effect. In addition to the questionnaire, a demographic information sheet was utilised. This is in line with a descriptive design, as the purpose of such is to gain more information about the characteristics of a group (Vitale 2003). The research participants were a convenience sample of registered nurses who enrolled in a nursing focused academic course in Trinity College, Dublin .All who enrolled were invited to participate in the study. However the recruitment process is not described in much detail. It is not until the Findings section that the size of the sample is revealed – 169 participants responded. According to Thompson (1999) the sample size in quantitative research is preferably a large sample. Vitale (2003) states that the general rule regarding sample size is ‘sample error decreases as sample size increases'. It is harder to generalise a sample of this size. It is recognised by the researchers in the Discussion section that the particular mode of sampling employed may introduce bias into the findings.This may result in the findings becoming less reliable. A limitation noted in the method design used by the researchers was the lack of an explicit framework. The researchers did not identify if they used one. When researching the other studies that used the Barriers scale the vast majority used a framework. Ethical Consideration Ethics is an important part of nursing and nursing research. It is about researchers doing what is fair, decent and moral and is underpinned by values and believes of the community (Crookes and Davies 2004).There is no designated section allocated to ethical considerations, however Hek (1996) states that ethical issues may be integrated throughout the article. This article addresses ethical issues in both the abstract and under the method section. The researchers clarify that the ethical issues of a persons right not to be harmed, right of full disclosure, right of self-determination, right of privacy and confidentiality were respected. According to the researcher all participants provided their consent to the study by the returning of the completed questionnaire.Consent is vital as it respects the autonomy of individuals, their right to privacy and their right to choose (Tingle and Cribb 2002). Results Cormack (2000) states that the results should be presented clearly and in enough detai l so that the reader is able to judge how reliable the findings are. Polit and Beck (2004) agree by stating that the most critical element of any study is getting your results across and understood by your readers. Valente (2003) believes that the researchers should repeat the research question before delving into the findings.The researchers in this case presented the data in succinct form with little discussion at the start, but organise their findings under subheadings. According to Russell (2004) researchers frequently organise their findings by research question to facilitate readability. The aim was to quantify the barriers to research implementation. The authors of this article present their findings systematically, utilising a variety of graphs and tables. Figure 1 shows a graph depicting that 38% of the participants consulted journals more than twice a month.Table 1 presents the barriers to research utilisation in descending order of importance. Results were also explained and summarised alongside which according to Clifford (1997) is a form of descriptive statistics. According to Russell (2004) if a descriptive design was used the reader should find descriptive statistics such as mean, mode, median and standard deviation. All these statistics are included within the results section. The target audience (professional nurses) are more than likely to be able to interpret the figures within each table and, thus, judge hoe reliable the results are.It is important that results are presented in such a way that they are clearly understood (Cormack 2000). Parahoo (1997) is an advocate of comparing results with other similar studies. The researchers adopted this style and compared the top 10 barriers with those found in three recent studies (Table 3). The researchers showed their findings to be very similar with the studies undertaken in both Northern Ireland and Australia. Discussion/Conclusion The discussion section should flow from the data results and plac e the study's findings in context with what is already known (Parahoo 1997).Valente (2003) believes that under this section the researchers should summarise their major findings and conclude their application to practice, research, and theory and knowledge development. The researchers state that this section will discuss the findings in comparison with other studies undertaken. Valente (2003) states that author(s) should compare and contrast their results with other studies and interpret the findings. The discussion is unambiguous and supported by the results obtained. Again the researchers used subheadings to ease readability. There are many implications to practice identified by the researchers.According to Valente (2003) implications should describe how the results of the study could be applied to nursing practice. For example the researchers discovered that their study and many other studies identified nurses' perceived lack of authority as the most common barrier to research. T herefore they exposed a need to implement some change into the organisational setting. Also, more support from managers was noted to be the top ranked facilitator of research implementation. The researchers also suggest a further research study, which would explore the reasons why nurses do not access research journals on a regular basis. General ImpressionOverall the article was interesting with clear aims and use of methodology. It was quite simple to interpret and has provided interesting fact regarding this topic. The study contains few flaws and represents a valid example of descriptive quantitative research. The results have addressed the aims of the study and are both informative and descriptive. It is recommended that it should contain a section of ethical consideration however the ethical issues are evident throughout the article. In the introduction the article stresses the importance of research in nursing and health care. This builds a good case for continuing the study. Research is an essential part of every nurse's role. But as this study revealed there are many barriers for nurses to overcome to properly utilise and implement research. This study has brought these barriers to the foreground and identified ways to overcome them. The findings were interesting, although it might become more reliable if the study was replicated using a larger, random sample group. The top ranked barrier to research utilisation was surprising to read, as it was made known to be nurses' perceived lack of authority. The article was very good overall and a lot of interesting facts emerged from the study. References

Compare and Contrast: Byzantine Empire and the Aztecs Essay

The early civilizations of the byzantine and Aztec empires rose to power using a variety of tactics. They were both very successful and very powerful up to a certain point. The byzantine and Aztec empires both used military strategies and advancements in war. Although while the Byzantine Empire used Christianity to unify its people, the Aztecs made people fear them by using human sacrifices. Also the byzantine was a bureaucracy with an emperor who was thought of to be chosen by the gods to rule over the people, however, the Aztecs had a ruler who was seen as an actual god. The Byzantine and Aztec empires had very strong military tactics which led to expansion and advancement. The Byzantine conquered almost all of the land around it and had many skilled warriors. This is much like the Aztecs who had skilled warriors and even though they didn’t necessarily conquer the land, they took control of the people and made them pay tribute. The Aztecs captured people for human sacrifices many times and this was an adapted technique they used, while the Byzantine used the technique of the â€Å"Greek fire† which was an invention similar to a flamethrower. In the Byzantine Empire there was a main religion and in the Aztec empire hey were highly reliant on human sacrifice to scare people into joining the civilization. The Byzantine empire used the newly found religion of Christianity to unify its population and make them a whole. The Aztecs however, believed in multiple gods and used human sacrifices to make other people fear and respect them. This tactic was also used to get them to join and scared them into paying tribute to the Aztecs or the Aztec gods. There was an emperor in the Byzantine Empire who had much influence because people thought he had been chosen by god; this was similar but not exactly the same as the Aztecs who had a leader that was thought of as an actual deity, or god. Because the Byzantine ruler was thought to be chosen by god, he had power and control over his own civilization and also those that he tried to conquer. The Aztec leader had divine power over his people and since everyone viewed him as a god it would be wrong to defy him. For this reason, he had influence and power over other places, as well as his own.

Graduate Study Challenges

I will explain my personal and professional goals, reasons for pursuing a graduate degree, three challenges I face in meeting my goals, strategies I use to overcome these challenges, milestones that will mark my short-term goal and long-term goal, my strength and weakness to personal communication, and three strategies I will use to improve my communication skills. Personal and professional goals / Reasons for pursing graduate study I want to obtain a graduate degree to accomplish my long-term educational goal that I set for myself when I obtain my undergraduate degree.I want to prove to myself that I can achieve this goal and that anything is possible. Obtaining my graduate degree will also teach my family on how to stay positive and focus and to never be afraid to chase after their dreams if they see me doing it. The career that I have working in the information technology field is a good rewarding career. I then find myself drained out from the hectic work schedule and not enjoyin g what I do. This is why I am pursing my masters' degree so that I can move into a new career field; advance my employment opportunities, and financial status.I know a masters' degree will help me succeed into a position with more leadership, and to provide for my family so that I can help them achieve their goals in the near future in any way that I am able. Short-term goal and Long-Term goal The short-term goal that I have set for myself is to continue working my fulfillment job until I finished my graduate study. My long-term goal is to be the best Health Care Administrator Informatics employee that I can be and re-locate my family to with an agreement that a new change is best and must be done to accomplish the goal to live out our dreams.Three challenges I face in accomplishing my goals/Strategies to overcome it As I am on my Journey to obtain my masters' degree I know that I have road bumps and curves ahead of me that is out of my control. Working a full-time Job, time managem ent, and stress is the challenges. I have put strategies into place for myself that will allow me to achieve my goals. I have Journal that I complete each week to help me stay on track to complete my assignments because I do work a full-time Job. For, time management in my Journal I plan out the time in where I want to spend my ours with my family.I make sure that I leave room to move around activities on another day so no one in my family gets upset if they are not met. To relieve stress I usually walk four days out of a week. I sometimes walk by myself or with family. It relaxes me and gives me time to think to myself on how to stay on target to accomplish goals. Milestones that will mark the achievement of my short and long- term goal The milestone that will make my achievement of my short-term goal is I must learn and become familiar with the new technology for the healthcare industry.If willing I will complete my graduate study by the year 2018 to accomplish my short-term goal. For my long-term goal is that when I complete my graduate study is to obtain a career in the Health Informatics field and be the best employee I can be, and relocate my family to Atlanta, Georgia from Charlotte, North Carolina, to retire. Strength and weakness related to personal communication The weakness in personal communication is that I have a hard time remembering names and I know that is not a good thing. The people I meet will not feel they are important and I do not want them to feel that way.The strength that I have is that I am a good listener. My friends enjoy my conversation because if she needs someone to vent she always call me up. She knows that I am Just there to listen and not give my opinion because sometimes that is what she wants someone Just to hear her out. I think this is very important in the communication skills is to learn how to listen. Three strategies I use to improve my communication The three strategies that I use to improve my communication skills i s listening, numbering names, and not interrupting or talking over someone in a conversation.I listen and pay close attention when other are speaking. When, I meet someone new I will repeat their name a couple of times so that I would not forget it. This will make them feel important the next time we meet and I remember their name. I do not interrupt or talk over someone in a conversation. I think this is very rude, especially if they are in the middle of telling a story, and they lose their train of thought because of the interruption.

Analysing a newspaper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysing a newspaper - Essay Example The society was structured in a manner that male dominated over women. Most leaders were male chauvinists hence male supremacy reigned. The legal system did not incorporate ways of dealing with domestic violence. Most women who suffered violence ended up being victimized as part of the problem. The article on The Guardian website gives a review on how domestic violence issue has been handled in the UK. The news value is educative and concern peaceful co-existence in a family or domestic set-up. The news is also bad as it highlights violence in homes. Violence affects relationships and consequently leads to health and psychological problems. The news angle is neutral but rebukes perpetrators of violence. It does not support violence in heterosexual or homosexual relationships. The article has employed a criticism language on the government for laxity in coming up with an appropriate legislation in time. The editorial agenda is to sensitize readers on the need to stop domestic violence in families (Humphreys et al. 2013). The article gives insight on how the fight against domestic violence has come a long way. With no legislations relating to domestic violence, most men took advantage of the situation. However, with the emergence of civil and human rights movements, the vice came to shame. Most citizens became sensitized on the need for peace in the family. Couples had to find better ways to resolve their differences. Women’s Aid was founded in 1970 as a feminist movement and campaign tool. Domestic violence and gender oppression became a priority to deal with for the group. Domestic violence and numerous forms of abuse were decisively dealt with by Women’s Aid among other groups that were founded. In 1979, statistic revealed that two women got killed weekly by their former or current partner. The articles makes cites government statistics and other two sources on domestic violence. The sources add information about the

Progressivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Progressivism - Essay Example The era ensured direct primaries and voting of American seniors. This achievement was vital because it gave the citizens power of their regime. The progressives had a goal of improving education in high school through construction of vital facilities such as playgrounds. This measure was to suppress certain districts and substitute the urban machines (Henretta & David 253). The urban machines were corrupt and inefficient systems of municipality. The era saw the regulation of labor laws hence all people especially women were able to receive minimum wages (Henretta & David 583). Child labor was in restriction and insurance cover for factory workers enhanced. The work of progressives facilitated to the redress of various issues, for example, drugs and operation of the railroad industry (Henretta & David 461). There was firm antitrust laws plus decreased tariffs. The congress ensured control of banking systems hence improving conditions of work. Progressivism featured constitutional changes allowing income tax. The changes in constitution altered the election process leading to gender consideration. The reforms outlawed the sale plus manufacture of alcohol in various regions. The pioneers of progressivism called for restriction of immigrants through control of borders, and changing the nationality of the

CPAP Compliance in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Article

CPAP Compliance in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome - Article Example For instance, most individuals that undergo treatment have trouble with the machine and masks used during treatment, thus many individuals with sleep apnea often want to avoid the treatment, although the first few weeks of the treatment are usually vital. Therefore, this issue is something that must be studied with further analysis. Thus, the researchers state their hypothesis as such: "In this study, we aimed to evaluate, prospectively, the factors affecting adherence to the CPAP treatment and the correlations of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), oxygen desaturation index (OD), arousal index (RI), the lowest oxygen saturation (LO), and the body mass index (BMI) with each other, in patients with OSAS" (Yetkin, Kunter & Gunen, 2008, p. 365). The researchers then proceed with a very clear presentation of their study, discussing the methods in some detail. The article does a fantastic job of defining the size of the sample, discussing inclusion criteria, sample inclusion criteria, comparability, confounding variables, and also mentions how the subjects were assignment to groups. The authors clearly state: "Seventy-one patients were enrolled to this study. Patients were divided into three groups according to CPAP usage. Group I consisted of patients who had never used CPAP, group II consisted of patients who had used CPAP occasionally, and group-III patients had used CPAP treatment regularly. Group-III patients had higher apnea- hypopnea index (AHI) than groups I and II (respectively, Oxygen desaturation index was significantly higher in group-III patients comparing to groups I and II" (Yetkin, Kunter & Gunen, 2008, p. 366). There is also more information provided by the researchers. They state: "After 3 months, the patien ts were asked about how good they had adhered to the CPAP treatment. Then, the patients were divided into three groups according to CPAP usage ratio. Group I consisted of patients who had never used CPAP (n=23), group II consisted of patients who had used CPAP occasionally (n=24), and group-III patients had used CPAP treatment regularly (n=24). By definition, patients who did not use CPAP each and every day of the 3 months period without a valid or acceptable reason (overnight travel, CPAP device dysfunction, etc.) were classified into the group II." (Yetkin, Kunter & Gunen, 2008, p. 366). While this information is presented clearly, there are some issues that are not mentioned in the study. There is no mention of convenience and randomization of the sample, but considering the circumstances of the study, this was probably not necessary. Demographics are also not discussed, but may also not have contributed much to the study since the focus is on a particular disease. Variables are not very clearly defined, however, and this would have added to the clarity of the study. There is also no mention of potential sources of sample bias, or strengths and weaknesses of sample characteristics. This is another flaw in this study that could have contributed, and provided more information about the disease itself. As for assessment design and characteristics, the study does state the outcome to be studied-basically the adherence to CPAP treatment. The length of

Sumatran Tigers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sumatran Tigers - Research Paper Example There are two major factors that have caused the Sumatran tigers to become critically endangered – agricultural growth and increased poaching. Sumatra has undergone extensive deforestation as a result of agricultural growth, especially in the production of palm oil. This has caused the tiger habitats to become limited to the Kerinci Seblat and Gunung Leuser national parks and some unprotected areas. Again, tigers that live in unprotected areas are at increased risk of poaching and killing as they frequently enter nearby villages in search of food. Since the 1990s, Sumatran tigers have been hunted for their bones which are an important ingredient in traditional Asian medicines especially to treat rheumatism. Tiger bones and other products of the tiger are also used in magical practices that are conducted in Sumatra and other parts of Indonesia. These products are used as â€Å"ingredients for prescriptions or as amulets to ward off evil spirits† (Shepherd & Magnus 11). I n fact, Indonesia has been identified as the major supplier of tiger bones and other tiger products from 1975 to 1992 in the South Korean Customs import records (Shepherd & Magnus 37). The skins and bones of Sumatra Tigers are also exported internationally. Tiger teeth and claws are also used to custom design gold pendants to cater to international tourists.Tiger skins and stuffed tigers are also in great demand in the domestic market with policemen, army personnel, government officials and business men as the primary customers.

Choosing Technology to Meet a Need Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Choosing Technology to Meet a Need - Essay Example include: a high quality display system to showcase finished design projects, a central unit that is compatible and with modern day design soft wares, command input devices, a safe back up storage system, cooperate display system, image capture and internet connection (Labuz 47). The core i5 processor is provides great graphics and multi-tasking platform because it mechanically speeds up since it has an incorporation of Intel turbo boost technology. The boost and a 4 way multi-tasking processing ability can enable it handle very high memory demanding graphic software without slowing down. The wake fast Intel responsive hard disc wakes up very fast- within seconds- hence the ability to resume to work without delays. The same capability is essential because it minimizes power consumption-since it operates on a ultra-low consumption. Adobe Photoshop and adobe illustrator are graphic design software’s with modern design tools this enables easy, quick manipulation of images and editing with the high quality outcomes in a professional set

MIS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MIS - Research Paper Example An efficient MIS can be costly to incorporate in already existing businesses. However, they improve the coordination of different departments and the flow of the business processes and in so doing enhances productivity while simultaneously cutting down the costs of operation (Laudon & Laudon 2). The diagram below illustrates the 10-step traditional chain of process at a corn mill. There are five departments in this specific corn mill. These are the Procurement department, the Processing department, the storage department, the accounting department and the sales department. The corn is from suppliers who have been sourced by the procurement department. This department ensures that the corn is transported to the mill through the suppliers or procured transporters. The procurement department is responsible for making sure that enough corn is continuously supplied to the mill to avoid instances of shortage. After this, the corn is handed over to the processing department. Before anything is done to the corn, it is first of all graded. During grading, the corn is sorted based on its quality and fitness for consumption. After the corn has been graded, it is taken to the mill. Here it is grinded to cornmeal, processed and packed. The lower quality corn is taken to the animal feed mill where it is processed to animal feed. Waste is then disposed or stored for compost or energy generation. The ground corn is then handed to the storage department. In the storage department, the already packed cornmeal is counted and further packed into storage containers. This is as a quality control measure to avoid storing or selling damaged produce. Excess produce is in silos. The stock taking records are then forwarded to the accounting department. The accounting department ascertains the records provided are accurate. Records are duplicated and stored for future purposes. The accounting

IT Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IT Ethics - Essay Example This is forcing companies to regulate as well as contain company secrets in an enclosed circle of managers as a means of protecting the future of an IT organization. However, the state of the economy has influenced the ideology that ‘every person has a price’. Managers are poached from one firm to another, which implies that individuals can reveal secrets of the firm to competitors (Kelly, 2006). This has made business difficult, especially with the growth of the World Wide Web (www). Social media sites are being banned in organizations to protect company operations and regulate employee activity. In some cases, managers monitor the activities of employees on their computers to ensure that employees follow protocol at work. This has affected privacy in the office; however, it benefits the firm in containing secrets and/or confidential information. In conclusion, IT companies are struggling in containing company secrets. This is attributed to the harsh economic times, as well as corruption in various sectors. This has prompted firms to clampdown on social media sites to preserve the security of information in the firm (Kelly, 2006). Though privacy is fore-gone in companies for employees, the firm will overlook ethical behavior, for information

Gender Socialization Essay Example for Free

Gender Socialization Essay The term, gender, refers to the socially learned expectations and behaviors associated with being male or female. Gender affects socialization in many ways, and begins primarily at birth. Gender affects how parents treat their children, how the work field treats males and females, and how each gender chooses friends. The gender of a child is extremely important to the parent. The gender will guide the parent on how to raise and treat the child. Parents are more likely to be more stern and rough with a baby boy rather than a baby girl. Parents of a girl are likely to be more gentle, soft, and patient with the new baby. This gender socialization example is due to our masculine and feminine culture. The most important and obvious gender socialization example is in the work field. Gender greatly affects the socialization process between males and females. Males are considered to be strong and powerful, while females are thought to be weak and secondary. From the beginning of time, men were to work hard and provide for the family, while females were to take care of the home and children. Today, men are still more likely to be powerful leaders, CEO’s, etc†¦ however; many women are top executives and are very capable of being so. Finally, gender affects the way people choose friends and social activities. Men are more likely to choose other men as friends, and same with women. Humans enjoy spending time with people that are similar to themselves. Men will also engage in masculine activities such as hunting, fishing, and running, while women engage in feminine activities such as shopping, tanning, and reading. Gender subconsciously helps make our daily decisions. I’ve never thought about gender being such an important aspect in our daily lives. Gender affects socialization in so many different ways; parents raising their children, the work environment, and choosing friends. Gender socialization is extremely important in today’s society.

The Things They Carried Essay Example for Free

The Things They Carried Essay Some things in life become part of you. People, places, feelings; you can become so close that you are one. But sometimes, these things can consume you; swallow you whole. In Tim OBriens novel, The Things They Carried, many characters become one with the land of Vietnam. Vietnam consumes characters in different ways, but it always results in a characters unity with the land. Unity is defined as â€Å"the state of being one; oneness†. Kiowa physically becomes part of the land in â€Å"Speaking of Courage†, when he sinks into the shit field, where Jimmy Cross ordered his troops to camp out. In this case, Kiowa is literally swallowed by the land. Mary Anne becomes part of the land differently in â€Å"Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong†. She becomes psychologically attached to the land; it consumes her mind and her life. Vietnam is dangerous and hungry. It will eat you alive. During Norman Bowkers flashback in â€Å"Speaking of Courage†, its learned that Jimmy Cross orders his platoon to camp out in â€Å"a big swampy field beside the river There was a ville nearby fifty meters downstream and right away a dozen old mama-sans ran out and started yelling bout how the field was bad news not a good spot for GIs. † (144, 145). Cross decides to set up camp, regardless, and â€Å"the rain kept getting worse by midnight the field turned into soup. † (145). A soldier soon realizes that â€Å"it was a shit field the village toilet. † (145). The Viet Cong troops attack the platoon, and hell breaks loose. â€Å" he heard somebody screaming It was Kiowa Kiowas wide open eyes settling down into the scum Kiowa was almost completely under There were bubbles where Kiowas should have been Kiowa was gone. † (148, 149). Kiowa gets sucked into the shit, and physically becomes part of Vietnam. Tim OBriens writing emphasizes Vietnam, the land itself, as a character. Vietnam does as it pleases; takes what it wants. It selfishly takes Kiowa away, so that both of them can be in unity until the end of time. However, unlike Kiowa, Mary Anne becomes psychologically one with Vietnam in â€Å"Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong†. Rat Kiley tells a remarkable tale about an American war medic, Mark Fossie, who ships his girlfriend, Mary Anne, over to Vietnam to be with him. â€Å".. the guy sends her the money. Flies her over. This cute blonde just barely out of high school Comes right out to the boonies. † (90). The troops stationed at the medical base take a liking to Mary Anne; she reminds them of the girls back home. Time passes, and Mary Anne begins to evolve. Shes curious about everything, especially Vietnam; the people, the land and the war. â€Å"She was curious about things she liked to roam around asking questions She had a good quick mind The war intrigued her. The land, too, and the mystery. † (95, 96). Soon, Mary Anne hangs around with the elite Green Berets stationed at the medical base. She goes on ambush and patrols the wilderness with them. Mary Anne enters Vietnam as a naive child, but the land changes her into a brutal she-warrior. Vietnam infatuates her; it fills her body and soul with the desire to be free within its mysterious realm. â€Å" everything around it, the entire war, the mountains villages the trails and trees rivers and deep misted-over valleys Sometimes I want to eat this place. Vietnam. I want to swallow the whole country I just want to eat it and have it there inside me you cant feel like that anywhere else. † (111). Mary Anne loses herself to Vietnam. It consumes her, and she embraces it. She is bound to the land in perfect unity, until her dying day. â€Å"She had crossed to the other side. She was part of the land She was dangerous. She was ready for the kill. † (116). Vietnam is ravenous and can never satisfy its vicious hunger. It feeds on the minds, bodies, and souls of its prey by eating them alive. To be consumed by the land is to become one with it; joined in complete unity, both perfect and terrifying. Vietnam is shrouded in mystery and danger. If youre not careful, it may suck you in and never let you go.

Supply And Demand And Their Determinants Economics Essay

Supply And Demand And Their Determinants Economics Essay Buyers are called demanders, and Sellers and called suppliers. In this chapter we are particularly interested in using a large number of independent buyers and sellers. The Product Market involves goods and services, and the Factor Market involves the factors of production (land, labor, capital, entrepreneurial ability). DEMAND IS A SCHEDULE that shows the amounts of a product consumers are willing and/or able to buy at each price using a series of possible prices during a specific time frame. The schedule shows how many units buyers (demanders) are willing and able to buy at the possible prices. The market price depends on the intersection of demand and supply. The (General) Law of Demand uses the assumption of ceteris paribus (other things being equal). This implies that as price increases, the corresponding quantity demanded falls. In other words, there is an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded. The ceteris paribus assumption refers to constant prices of related goods, income, tastes, and all other things besides price. We will briefly touch upon the Marginal Rate of Substitution (MRS). This concept is related to the Income Effect and the Substitution Effect. The Income Effect is when a lower price increases the purchasing power of money income enabling one to buy more at a lower price or less at a higher price, when incomes are unchanged. The Substitution Effect is when lower prices give incentive to substitute the lower priced good for now relatively higher priced goods. The Marginal Rate of Substitution is the rate, at the margin, at which a consumer is prepared to substitute one good or service for another and remain equally satisfied (have the same total Utility); and is equal to the slope of an indifference curve (Managerial Economics). The demand curve shows an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded. It has a downward slope indicating a lower quantity at a higher price; or a higher quantity at a lower price. Quantity is on the horizontal axis and price is on the vertical axis. Market demand is the horizontal sum of individual demands. The transition from an individual demand schedule to a market demand schedule is done by summing individual quantities at various price levels. The market curve is the horizontal sum of individual curves. What other things affect demand (other that price)? Note that changes in the determinants of demand shift the location of the demand curve to the right or left. The determinants of demand are referred to as demand shifters. A change in a determinant of demand will change the demand schedule. A shift in the location of the demand curve is called a change in demand. Determinants of Demand 1. Tastes favorable changes increase demand, unfavorable changes decrease demand. 2. Population More buyers increase demand, fewer buyers decrease demand. 3. Income more income increases demand, less income decreases demand for normal goods. (An inferior good is when demand varies inversely with income). 4. Prices of related goods Substitute goods (can be used in place of each other). This implies that the price of the substitute and demand for the other good are directly related, e.g., if the price of Coors beer rises then the demand for Budweiser will also rise. Complementary goods (can be used together, such as tennis balls and rackets, or college tuition and books). When goods are complements, there is an inverse relationship between price of one good and the demand for the other (e.g., if tuition rises, then students take fewer courses such that book demand will be lower). 5. Expectations consumers views about the future prices, product availability, and income can shift the demand curve. A change in the quantity demanded denotes movement from one point to another on a fixed demand curve. That is, it denotes movement from one price-quantity relationship to another. Usually, the cause of a change in quantity demanded is a change in the price of a product under consideration. SUPPLY Quantity Supplied and its relationship to price which is normally referred to as Supply are developed into a SCHEDULE that shows amounts of a product a supplier is willing and able to produce and sell at each specific price in a series of possible prices during a specific time frame. The supply schedule shows those quantities that can be offered at various prices or answers the question, At what price will be required to induce various quantities to be offered? The general Law of Supply means that producers will produce and sell more of their product at a high price than at a low price. There is a direct relationship between price and quantity supplied. Given product costs, a higher price implies greater profits and thus an incentive to increase the quantity supplied. A change in any of the determinants of supply can cause a change in supply, and a shift in the supply curve. These determinants of supply are called supply shifters. An increase in supply involves a rightward shift, where a decrease in supply involves a leftward shift. Note also that any movement along a fixed supply curve is referred to as a Change in Quantity Supplied. Determinants of Supply 1. Resource Prices, i.e., the prices of the Factors of Production a rise in resource prices (of materials, labor, or other inputs) will cause a decrease in supply or a leftward shift in the supply curve; a decrease in resource prices will cause an increase in supply or a rightward shift in the supply curve. 2. Technology a technological improvement means more efficient production and lower costs so an increase in supply or a rightward shift in the supply curve. 3. Taxes Subsidies a business tax is treated as a cost so decreases supply; a subsidy lowers cost of production so increases supply. 4. Prices of other related goods If the price of a substitute goods rise, producers can shift production towards the higher priced good causing a decrease in supply of the original good. If a raw material has a by-product, an increase in supply of one good implies a corresponding increase in supply of the by-product. 5. Expectations Expectations about the future price of a product can cause producers to increase or decrease current supply. Inventories become important, e.g., the supply of gasoline as compared with heating oil. Number of Suppliers Generally the larger the number of suppliers the greater the supply. Weather conditions- Generally favorable conditions increase supply and unfavorable conditions decrease supply. STATIC ANALYSIS Static analysis is a sub-field of positive economic analysis that answers the questions about states of the economies, not about the process of change. One way of looking at economic phenomena is to examine the state of the economy under consideration by comparing one state with another. This is termed comparative statics. By the state of a given economy one would appear to mean its average performance over a fairly long period, short-run fluctuations being canceled out. A static model exhibits an unchanging economy. The static equilibrium model is a methodology that attempts to balance economic forces. In a static economy (in which wants are unchanging and resources are unchanging), the state of equilibrium is where all the individuals or business firms in it are choosing those quantities that they prefer to produce or to consume. Labor and capital (as well as other factors of production) are taken to be constant in a static economy. In other words, static theory can be treated as if it were in equilibrium, i.e., the quantities produced and consumed will be near their equilibrium quantities. By treating economic phenomena in this way, we can gain insights into the structure of the economy. Static equilibrium shows equilibrium at a point in time.

Juvenalian And Horatian Satire :: Satire Comedy LIterary Essays

Juvenalian and Horatian Satire "Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind of reception it meets in the world, and that so very few are offended with it." Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), Anglo-Irish satirist. The Battle of the Books, Preface (written 1697; published 1704). Satire is known as the literary style which makes light of a subject, diminishing its importance by placing it in an amusing or scornful light. Unlike comedy, satire attempts to create humor by deriding its topic, as opposed to a topic that evokes laughter in itself. Satires attempt to give us a more humorous look at attitudes, advances, states of affairs, and in some cases ( as in Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal ) the entire human race. The least offensive form of satire is Horatian satire, the style used by Addison and Steele in their essays. A much more abrasive style is Juvenalian satire, as used by Jonathan Swift in the aforementioned essay A Modest Proposal. To better understand satire as a whole, and Horatian and Juvenalian satire in particular, these essays can provide for further comprehension than a simple definition of the style alone. Horatian satire is noted for its more pleasant and amusing nature. Unlike Juvenalian satire, it serves to make us laugh at human folly as opposed to holding our failures up for needling. In Steele's essay The Spectator's Club, a pub gathering is used to point out the quirks of the fictitious Sir Robert de Coverly and his friends. Roger de Coverly is an absolute character. His failure in an amorous pursuit have left him in the past, which is shown through his manner of dress, along with his somewhat dubious honor of justice of the quorum. This position entails such trying duties as explaining Acts to the commoners. Also present is a lawyer who is more versed in "Aristotle and Cognius" than in "Littleton and Coke"(Norton, 2193), indicative of lawyers more interested in sounding learned than being capable of practicing actual law. Near him, a wealthy merchant whose concerns lie mainly in the wealth of England and himself, and who views the ocean as his marketplace. Captain Sentry is an old military man well practiced in the art of false modesty, a trait he detests in others. Also there is a clergyman who is so frail that he would sooner wait until the Lord sees fit to smite him than get on with the business of leading his life.(Norton, 2192-2195). All of these characters present traits present in all

Powers of a Monopolistic Anarchy Essay example -- Essays Papers

Powers of a Monopolistic Anarchy While the Microsoft Empire maintains its status as a vast company of large-scale production, readily contributing to the national GDP, and yielding high interest and profits to its associates, criticism and controversial accusations keep mounting. The thought of a monopoly as the economic device for good business seems almost mind-boggling to Microsoft’s competing corporations, as well as the entire economic community, legal and commercial. Why is monopoly such an undesirable practice? Why does the Microsoft Monopoly, in particular, violate the antitrust laws, and how far ought the government go in its efforts to regulate and fight such monopoly. What are the economic crimes that Microsoft is guilty of? Is it, in fact, true when the critics argue that, â€Å"Microsoft gained its dominance over 20 years... [which ended] with a virtual barrier to entry for rival operating system software marketsâ€Å" (The Making of a Monopoly). Is it true that Microsoft has eliminated all of its concurrent competition, and stabilized its power to the extent of a complete monopoly. Or is there perhaps a validation for Microsoft’s practices in the saying that everything is fair in business. Two Theories of Monopoly Before mentioning the strength of Microsoft’s influence on domestic, as well as the foreign economy, it is crucial to examine the significance of a monopoly, and how it relates to a country’s fiscal structure. According to Webster’s dictionary, a monopoly is â€Å"the exclusive ownership and control of a commodity or service in a given market† (Webster’s Dictionary 337). Predictably, thought, there are degrees of control, and thus degrees of monopoly. The economic theory separates the idea of a mono... ...ectly affecting the consumers. Perhaps the best solution to Microsoft’s authority would include structural remedies, such as the divestiture remedy, which may be less subject to gaming, but pose the risk of substantial costs. However, other sources suggest that the most effective remedy may be that the government’s victory eases the way for plaintiffs in private antitrust suits to collect monetary damages, which could be sufficient to deter future anticompetitive conduct (Journal of Economic Perspectives). Whatever the approach to resolving this issue may be, it is certain that the Microsoft monopoly can no longer enjoy its precedent benefits. Nonetheless, there remains a grand possibility that Microsoft will be able to maintain its power to at least some extent, due to the fact that their products are needed, and their competition remains inadequate.

Stephen Leacocks Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich :: Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich Essays

Stephen Leacock's Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich    Jonathan Swift has suggested that "Satire is a sort of Glass, wherein Beholders do generally discover every body's Face their own; which is the chief reason...that so few are offended with it."   Richard Garnett suggests that, "Without humour, satire is invictive; without literary form, [and] it is mere clownish jeering." (Encyclopaedia Britannica 14th ed. vol. 20 p. 5). Whereas Swift's statement suggests that people are not offended by satire because readers identify the character's faults with their own faults; Garnett suggests that humour is the key element that does not make satire offensive. With any satire someone is bound to be offended, but the technique the author uses can change something offensive into something embarrassing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stephen Leacock's Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich is a nonthreatening, humorous, and revealing satire of the moral faults of upper class society. The satire acts as a moral instrument to expose the effect money can have on religion, government, and anything within its touch. Writing about such topics is hard to do without offending people. Leacock's technique combines money with humour, and accompanies his moral message with ironic characters; their exaggerated actions, and a constant comical tone to prevent readers from being offended.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leacock's utopian world is filled with humorous labels that represent the "Plutonian's" personalities. "Ourselves Monthly"; a magazine for the modern self-centered, is a Plutonian favourite. To fill their idle days, the Plutonian women are in an endless search for trends in literature and religion. Without the distractions of club luncheons and trying to achieve the "Higher Indifference", the women would have to do something productive. Readers that identify themselves with the class of people the Plutonians represent would be embarrassed rather than offended by Leacock's satirical portrayal of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "The Yahi-Bahi Oriental Society" exaggerates the stupidity of the Plutonians to a point where the reader laughs at the character's misfortunes. The con men give ridiculous prophecies such as "Many things are yet to happen before others begin." (Leacock 87), and eventually take their money and jewelry. The exaggeration increases the humour while the moral message is displayed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The characters of the novel are ironic in the sence that they percieve themselves as being the pinicle of society, yet Leacock makes the look like fools. For someone who prides themself on being an expert on just about everything, Mr. Lucullus Fyshe's (as slimmy and cold as his name represents) perceptions are proven false. Mr. Fyshe makes hypocratic statments about ruling class tyranny, while barking down the neck of a poor waiter for serving cold asparagus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leacock exposes the whole Plutonian buisness world to be

Away

The play away by Michael Gow is a story of three Australian families going on holidays. It is set in the summer of 1967-68 during Christmas and the New Year. There are many sub-themes in away such as death/loss, change, moving on with life, and forgiveness. The theme of death/ loss is displayed when we find out about Roy and Corals son who was killed in Vietnam. Coral constantly brings up the theme when she says, â€Å"I’ll be silent on all controversial topics. Will that do? I wont bring up anything worrying. Death, war, loss-.† This theme is carried over to Tom when we find out about his terminal illness when he has a conversation with Meg and says, â€Å" So how bout it? Help me. I’m going to get sick again and I wont get better. Your parents won’t find out.† Even when Harry is talking to Jim death reveals itself throughout the duration of the conversation. The actual title has a hidden message of death. Away: passing away. The theme of moving on with life is best shown in the final scene where tom is back at school and is living and waiting to die but is getting on with life when miss Latrobe says to Tom â€Å" Tom, your our own Chips Raferty why don’t you go on reading?† It also relates to Roy and Coral near the end of the play coral is still grieving and their relationship is on the rocks and the Coral decides to move on and get on with her life when she participates in the play with Tom and she says, â€Å" I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking†. This scene between tom and coral also shows change or transition. In away there is a sense of forgiveness at the end of the play where Gwen gets back from her walk with Vic and has a conversation with Jim where she apologizes. Jim doesn’t mind what she does but is concerned with her health. There is also a feeling of forgiveness when Gwen’s family is back together and no fighting is happening and everything is peaceful. These themes evoke different emotions throughout the play like when we first find out about Roy and Corals son who was killed in Vietnam. The reader/viewer feels sorry for there loss and even sad because he died at a young age. Again when we find out about Tom and his illness we feel sad because he is only 17/18 years old and he doesn’t have long to live and enjoy all of life’s pleasures. Evan the theme of forgiveness stir’s up the emotions of relief. When Gwen’s family stops arguing and is kind to each other the reader/viewer feels freedom from the anxiety and knows that every thing will be aright with the family. Away by Michael Gow is a play that not only relates to Australian families by families all over the world, because of the use of problems that occur in all most every household in the world.

Examination of Clinical Psychology Essay

Clinical psychology is a broad science that involves psychologists ensuring the mental well-being of a patient. Its focus is diagnosing, treating, and if possible, averting psychological disorders. The field of clinical psychology applies to every demographic from young children to the elderly, families or individuals, and one’s socioeconomic status is not a factor in whether he or she should receive treatment. Clinical psychology deals with a broad range of specialties, including individuals who have been diagnosed with disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder or those who are coping with personal issues, such as being fired from his or her place of employment or going through a divorce. Psychologists in this field offer patients the opportunity to voice his or her frustrations while helping the patient to understand and manage their situations in a healthy manner. Clinical psychologists are skilled in using numerous methods intended to help patients, all depending on his or her area of expertise. History of Clinical Psychology Although established as a legitimate field in the late 1800s, the study of psychology has been dated back as far as 2500 B. C. In those days, approaches to examining mental health included the supernatural, holistic, religious and medical perspectives. Greek physician Hippocrates, also known as the father of ancient medicine, played a considerable role in the development of psychology. Hippocrates developed the theory of humors, which states that four humors, or bodily fluids, are the key to good health. These fluids were black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood (Plante, 2010). Too much phlegm in the body will make an individual tired and lethargic; too much blood in the body would cause irritability; too much black bile causes melancholy, and too much yellow bile causes anxiety. Not unlike present-day doctors, Hippocrates believed a healthy diet and exercise could aid in preventing or treating these symptoms but he was also a promoter of blood-letting, which essentially meant the patient would be bled dry with the intention of returning the four humors to their natural state. Greek philosopher Plato strongly believed that the soul has free will and the body will perform as the soul wills it to. He felt that mental illness is caused by something malfunctioning in the part of the soul that controls reason and an individual’s lack of self-awareness were the cause of the symptoms. Aristotle maintained a scientific emphasis and felt that certain distinct emotional states including joy, anger, fear, and courage impacted the functioning of the human body (Plante, 2010). Another Greek physician, Galen, took all of these perspectives and created one of the most influential medical programs in the history of psychology. Galen shared the same beliefs as his predecessors concerning the theory of humors and blood-letting, and although some of his ideas were imperfect, he was able to make great strides in medicine with his rationalizations of poor health and its origins. With the Middle Ages came a different type of explanation of mental illness. During this time, many people thought the reasoning behind abnormal behavior had more to do with supernatural forces rather than the body or soul. There were some, however, such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and Bishop Nicholas Oresme, who did not believe that mental illness had anything to do with supernatural forces and correctly speculated that these afflictions were caused by physical or mental abnormalities. In the 16th century, Swiss physician Paracelsus went as far as to reveal that he believed the movements of the stars had an effect on one’s mood and developed more civilized treatments for the mentally ill. Subsequent to Paracelsus, Juan Luis Vives and Johann Weyer switched the focus of what causes mental illnesses from the soul and supernatural forces to behavior, and like Paracelsus, advocated for humane treatment of patients. The Renaissance era and the 19th century brought along with them the re-emergence of medical treatments, leaving supernatural and religious approaches behind. It was during this time psychologists learned that affected organs in the body could cause illness and possibly lead to death. Ultimately, the discovery of such scientific findings would usher in a new era of clinical psychology and render Greek ideologies a thing of the past. Psychology officially became a valid field in 1879 when German physician Wilhelm Wundt opened his laboratory of psychology at the University of Leipzig in Germany. Wundt conducted many experiments in his laboratory, with a focus on human reaction. His intent was to study behavior in order to acquire a better understanding of the mind and its workings by using scientific methods. Four years later, Lightner Witmer opened the first sychological clinic in Pennsylvania (Plante, 2010). During this time, many professionals in the field were more interested in experimental psychology and were against the idea of human behavior being applied to clinical situations. Despite misgivings concerning the new field, clinical psychology was able to flourish and has come a long way since earlier opposition. Evolving Nature of Clinical Psychology The evolution of methods of diagnosis and treatment in medicine has been characterized by the gradual accumulation over many centuries of a large body of objectively recorded observations (Routh, 2000). With technology ever-changing to fit the modern standards of today, so too does the field of clinical psychology. New scientific breakthroughs are made constantly in regard to human behavior, the brain and how they relate to one another. To correspond with these new empirical-based findings, clinical psychology evolves its methods as well. A key factor in this evolution is the immense effort put into attempting to understand the human mind, its abnormalities, and where they originate from. Modern clinical psychology is the epitome of scientific progression as it improves its methods of learning as much as possible about the evolving human mind. Research and Statistics in Clinical Psychology Research and statistics are an essential element to clinical psychology. Research is used to verify or refute a theory, while statistics are used to prove the validity and reliability of a theory. The collected empirical results aid researchers in creating helpful approaches to advanced treatments for those who need it. With these findings, psychologists are able to help individuals with a broad spectrum of issues, from relationship problems to more serious matters, such as depression or the death of a loved one. Statistics are applied to determine how essential the gathered data is to the research conducted. The two disciplines combined assist researchers in developing more useful approaches in the treatment of patients. Differences between Clinical Psychology and Other Mental Health Professions Some of the differences between clinical psychology and other disciplines are education requirements, work duties and salary. Individuals who desire to become clinical psychologists must obtain either a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph. D. ) or a Doctorate of Psychology (Psy. D. ). Those who choose the Ph. D. are focused on the research of psychology and those who choose the Psy. D. are more interested in working in a clinical setting. The work duties of a clinical psychologist include assessing an individual’s mental health and trying to find the most appropriate treatment for him or her by analyzing the patient’s surroundings and interpersonal relationships. Regarding salary, psychologists can earn anywhere from $45,000-150,000 annually, depending on how long he or she has been in practice and how successful that practice is (Grohol, 2011). To become a social worker, one must obtain a Master’s degree (MSW) to work in a school or mental health environment. Social workers help individuals or families to deal with issues such as domestic strife, social problems, or child abuse just to name a few. Depending on the subfield, the salary of a social worker varies. Psychiatry is a field that is often confused with psychology. Though there is not much of a difference between the two, psychiatry deals with the treatment of the mind while psychology deals with the science of the mind. To become a psychiatrist, one must obtain a medical degree followed by an additional four years of training in a medical facility. The one huge difference between psychiatrists and psychologists is psychiatrists have the authority to prescribe medication to his patients as well as psychotherapy. Psychiatrists may earn between $66,000-180,000 annually (Healthcare Salary Online, 2010). Like clinical psychologists, school psychologists must also obtain a four-year undergraduate degree. As the title suggests, school psychologists typically work in school settings evaluating students and creating school plans to fit the student’s needs. However, school psychologists are not only limited to working inside schools. They may also work in private practice, providing consultations for education-based companies. The salary for this field differs, depending on the area. The average annual salary for a 190-day contract ranges from $47,880. 00 to $67,070. 00, while top salaries can exceed $100,000 (National Association of School Psychologists, n. d. ). Conclusion To sum up, the field of psychology has come a long way since its roots in 2500 B. C. Thanks to physicians like Hippocrates, Plato, Wundt, and many others who were able to pave the way for psychologists of today, many people are able to reap the benefits and receive the help that is needed. Technology is ever changing, and with it comes the evolution of high-tech approaches to analyzing and treating the human psyche. Although all of the disciplines under psychology may differ somewhat, they all have the same goal, which is to assist in complying with the necessities of the human mind to impart a continuing aptitude to survive.

In rehearsing and performing Essay

When I performed my character I put on a bad back as in the 17th century middle aged women were getting on a bit and would have had injuries. Mrs Putnam behaves in shock and panic because she cannot believe what is going on around her. First of all Abigail states † She makes me drink blood†. So Mrs Putnam just hopes in fear that it isn’t her baby’s blood, â€Å"My babies blood†. Then Goody Osbourn is accused of being with the Devil. Goody Osbourn has been midwife for Mrs Putnam 3 times. Mrs Putnam reacts with shock that someone so close to her has been behind peoples back and been with the Devil. When our group was acting out a scene from act 1, we had Betty lying down asleep in the middle of the stage. The effect of this is that everyone keeps on coming back to the plot, which is McCarthyism. With Betty in the middle of the stage nobody forgets why the characters is there, they all want to find out what is going on and who must be punished, this helps the audience understand the play and keeps them involved. With Betty in the middle of the stage it improved our performance because it gave us a centrepiece to work around and kept us in a huddle portraying that we were all in fear. The language of the scene is a mix between old English and Native American. The language is part Native American because in the 17th century the English had just settled in the US and the only people there before them were the Native Americans so they took over the old English and then picked up some Native American language. There is also a regional dialect in the writing † I be innocent†. This is because Salem would have been in a rural area isolated from any other towns or villages, so they had their own style of language. The themes run through the scene are fear, shock and nervousness. Fear runs through the scene when talk of people has been with the Devil get mentioned. † I saw, Martha Bellows with the Devil. † When the characters hear this they react with fear † The Marshall, I call the Marshall. † Shock runs through the scene when something out of the ordinary is said, † Oh, how many times he bid me kill you, Mr Parris. † † Kill me! † Also nervousness runs through the scene for example when Tituba rambles, † He say Mr Parris must be kill! Mr Parris no goodly man, Mr Parris means man and no gentle man†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. And look- and there was Goody Good. † When she says this all of this it sound like she is making it up because she is nervous. When we performed the play we wanted to show that it wasn’t from our culture but from another one. So we decided in rehearsals if we wanted to convey this we had to put on an accent from that era and part of the world, this worked well. We wanted the audience to feel the fear and the shock of the scene when we performed it. This is because you can’t get into the scene if you don’t fell both of these, as they are what the scene is about. So if they did feel the fear and the shock they would of understood and enjoyed the scene more than if they didn’t feel them. Also we wanted the audience to go away and see what can happen to a small community if something like the Salem witch trials went on and what devastating consequences it can make. Leigh O’Brien Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

What Is Rotaract

Rotaract clubs are part of a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world. This effort starts at the community level but knows no limits in its outreach. Rotaractors have access to the many resources of Rotary International (RI) and The Rotary Foundation. Rotary International provides the administrative support that helps Rotaract clubs thrive. History Rotaract has evolved quickly in its short but dynamic history. In the early 1960s, Rotary clubs around the world began to sponsor university youth groups as community service projects. The 1967-68 RI president, Luther H. Hodges, and the RI Board of Directors considered this club activity to have international relevance, and Rotaract was approved in 1968 as an official program for Rotary clubs. The first club chartered was the Rotaract Club of North Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, on 13 March 1968. Several decades later, the Rotaract program has grown into a strong, international network of 7,300 clubs in more than 150 countries and geographical areas. Rotaract’s 145,000 members are young men and women (ages 18 to 30) who serve the needs of their communities, widen their personal and professional contacts, and increase their understanding of the world. Goals Rotaract has the following goals: ? To develop professional and leadership skills ? To emphasize respect for the rights of others, based on recognition of the worth of each individual ? To recognize the dignity and value of all useful occupations as opportunities to serve ? To recognize, practice, and promote ethical standards as leadership qualities and vocational responsibilities ? To develop knowledge and understanding of the needs, problems, and opportunities in the community and worldwide To provide opportunities for personal and group activities to serve the community and promote international understanding and goodwill toward all people How does Rotaract fit into the Rotary family? Rotary International is a worldwide service organization for leading business and professional men and women, with more than 1. 2 million members in over 31,000 Rotary clubs. Each Rotaract club is sponsored by a local Rotary club. This sponsorship is a result of Rotary’s belief that you ng people, or New Generations, should take an active interest in community life and have the opportunity for professional development. Organizing a Rotaract club is one of the most rewarding activities a Rotary club can undertake in its community. The Rotaract program gives Rotarians the opportunity to mentor dynamic young women and men interested in providing service to their own communities as well as the global community. In turn, a Rotaract club can bring new energy to a Rotary club, inspire fresh ideas for service, increase support for projects, and help develop future Rotary club members. Rotaract clubs are self-governed and largely self-financedat the local level. Working in cooperation with their sponsoring Rotary clubs as partners in service, Rotaractors are an importantpart of Rotary’s extended family. What does a Rotaract club do? Rotaract clubs organize a variety of projects and activities, depending primarily on the interests of the club members. However, within the Rotaract program, all clubs undertake three types of activities in varying degrees: professional development, leadership development, and service projects. Together, these three areas ensure a balanced club program and provide important experience and opportunities for the personal development of each Rotaractor. Professional Development A club’s professional development activities should expand the members’ understanding of the work environment and business opportunities within their community. These activities should highlight the Rotaractor’s role in the community’s economic development and illustrate how skills developed through service activities can help in resolving problems in the workplace. Each Rotaract club should provide professional development opportunities to its members through activities such as: ? Professional and vocational forums Business technology updates ? Management and marketing seminars ? Conferences on business and professional ethics ? Presentations on finance and credit options for business start-up Sponsoring Rotarians can enhance the professional development of Rotaractors by providing practical advice on entering the business world and tackling business, vocational, and professional challenges. Making the club’s professional d evelopment projects into joint Rotaract-Rotary projects can also help Rotaractors get better acquainted with sponsoring Rotarians. Leadership Development A club’s leadership development activities aim not only to make members more effective leaders in their personal lives, but also to teach them how to develop and sustain strong clubs with relevant projects. Important topics to address in training club leaders include: ? Improving public speaking skills ? Developing techniques for marketing the Rotaract program to potential members ? Building consensus among members ? Delegating project responsibilities and ensuring necessary follow-up ? Identifying channels for project publicity and promotion ? Finding financial resources for strengthening club development ? Assessing project success Service Projects Service Above Self is Rotary’s foremost guiding principle. A Rotaract club’s service projects are designed to improve the quality of life at home and abroad. These projects often address today’s most critical issues, such as violence, drug abuse, AIDS, hunger, the environment, and illiteracy. Each Rotaract club is required to complete at least two major service projects annually, one to serve the community and the other to promote international understanding. Each should involve all or most of the members of the club.

Mangement and Leadership

Management and Leadership Cortnie Edwards MGT/330 December 19, 2011 Alecia Cummings Management and Leadership Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller. The couple had a dream of following their Christian lifestyle and helping others in need. They wanted to help families living in poverty and build new homes. The idea was they would build housed with no profit and charge no interest. â€Å"The concept that grew into Habitat for Humanity International was born at Koinonia Farm, a small, interracial, Christian farming community founded in 1942 outside of Americus, Ga. , by farmer and biblical scholar Clarence Jordan.Building would be financed by a revolving Fund for Humanity. The fund's money would come from the new homeowners' house payments, donations and no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fund-raising activities. The monies in the Fund for Humanity would be used to build more houses† (â€Å"Thrivent Builds With Habitat For Humanity â€Å",  2011). The organization took off with unbelievable results. The Fullers took their organization internationally and have now since built over 400,000 homes. Leading and managing an organization such as Habitat for Humanity involves a multitude of diverse ideas, visions, and people. What is the difference between management and leadership? It is a question that has been asked more than once and also answered in different ways. The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate the people who work or follow them, and this sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do† (â€Å"Leadership Vs. Management†,  2002-2011). Habitat for Humanity starts with the board of directors. Habitat for Humanity International board members oversee the direction of Habitat’s activities worldwide as the organization works to eradicate substandard housing.Directors are elected to two-year terms that may be renewed four times. They r eceive no compensation for their voluntary service. The board of directors is responsible for affiliate policies and procedures, program development, financial stewardship, supervision of volunteer staff, fundraising, public relations, and legal matters. There are global directors that â€Å"represent the Asia-Pacific region in the global Habitat communications team in the creation and implementation of worldwide brand building, marketing and advocacy initiatives and campaigns.This includes devising Asia-Pacific roll-out strategies; liaising and sharing with peers in other Habitat regions; and coordinating and collaborating with the HQ communications team on global strategies and initiatives† (â€Å"Alertnet†,  2011). The organization is made up mostly of volunteers and describes different levels among the organization as committees. The development, site selection, and public relations committees are just a few of the different leadership levels Habitat for Humanity has. The development committee is responsible for raising funds and for introducing people to our work.This committee is also responsible for special events and outreach to businesses. The site selection committee works with town officials and developers to identifying and evaluating potential sites for new Habitat homes. This committee is always looking for new members with insight into the local real estate market and the inner workings of town government. The public relations committee is responsible for raising awareness of Habitat for Humanity in our service area. Responsibilities include media relations and publishing a quarterly newsletter.In a non-profit organization there is often very little direction offered to volunteers, leaving them with many decisions to be made on their own. There is a lot of focus on the bigger picture, which in this case is to provide as many families as possible with shelter. However, the steps to achieving the overall goals or mission are not as clearly defined as would be in a profit-seeking company. According to the McKinsey Capacity Assessment Grid, Habitat for Humanity exemplifies effective governance.This offers a competitive advantage because the managers’ decisions are aligned with the stakeholders’ interests since the managers may very well be shareholders themselves. The managers definitely devote their time and energy to improve the financial position of the organization so that it can offer assistance to those that require it the most. Habitat for Humanity is such a large organization; it is broken up into chapters, representing different regions of the world. Each chapter consists of different levels of leaders. At the top of the chain is the President. The President is esponsible for setting and distributing agendas for meetings, setting and distributing calendars of events, maintaining a working relationship with the local affiliate, coordinating an open communication with the Office of Student Activities, and keeping chapter focused on its goals. The vice president follows. His responsibilities consist of serving as project manager of chapter build, serving as chapter chaplain, keeping an open communication with the Construction and Horticulture Club, and overseeing family liaison, volunteer coordinator, superintendents, and tools management.Family liaison pursues a relationship with the family that they are building for. They also keep all other members informed of the family's needs. Brainstorms ideas for gifts to family, plans family gatherings, and makes scrapbooks for the family. Volunteer Coordinators are responsible for keeping track of the number of volunteers designated for the build days. Tools management maintains volunteers on the work site through a sign in/out sheet. They may also assign designated tools to each volunteer as needed through sign in/out sheet.Superintendents maintain a close relationship with the VP during the build day. They will often be one of the most experienced on site and will help the Project Manager decide how to go about construction. They may also help educate and designate groups through construction. â€Å"The ability to implement strategies in an organization is one of the most skillful managerial requirements and knowledge that we need in critical aspects to run an organization† (â€Å"Strategies That Organizational Managers and Leaders Can Use to Create and Maintain a Healthy â€Å",  2011). Leaders and managers in an organization can use some factors to create a healthy organizational culture, such factors are social factors, physical setting, technology, organizing arrangements and individual behavior. Leaders and managers are required to have increased resources, perceptive knowledge, and superior talent and enhanced capabilities to continue facilitating processes toward attaining the ultimate objectives, discovering and commercializing safety of the organization.These multiple activities re quire managers and leaders who have the significant of strategies implementation and core competencies and organizational capabilities that create values to changes of the organization† (â€Å"Strategies That Organizational Managers And Leaders Can Use To Create And Maintain A Healthy†,  2011). A strategy is something an organization uses to help it reach its vision and mission. Habitat for Humanity’s global strategy, asks what markets it should be operating in. As a resource based organization, however, this question is less important.The organization is not looking for opportunities to enter new industries and therefore develop new competencies. Rather, it is looking for ways to use its internal strengths and competencies in the market place. Habitat has chosen a global strategy that has them participating only in one type of non-profit industry – mainly the zero-interest mortgage and home building market. If they were to diversify into other non-profi t markets such as non-perishable foods for example, the organization’s few resources may become too spread out and its core competencies would be stretched rendering all activities less effective.If there was a business-level strategy category for Habitat for Humanity, it would definitely have to be one of cost leadership. The land, supplies, and labor are all acquired at low cost or free of charge. This strategy requires a centralized functional structure so that there can be higher rates of efficiency and better methods of meeting the objectives determined. Habitat incorporates this strategy through and through although its focus is on increasing efficiency so that more families can be helped – not to increase profits.Adapting to different cultures, religions, languages, and people are just a few obstacles volunteers face when working with the globalization within Habitat for Humanity. Globalization makes a huge impact on volunteers. The United Nations has designated the first Monday in October as annual World Habitat Day. According to Habitat International, World Habitat Day’s purpose is to call attention to the current global state of the human habitat and push toward adequate housing for all. By raising awareness and advocating for universal decent housing the systems that reinforce and entrench poverty housing can be altered and even changed.Habitat builds dignity through providing a shelter bringing a family closer together, it builds relationships throughout the world, and it builds community. Habitat for Humanity does all of this through globalization. They are helping people all over the world helping people become part of the globalization. Sustainability and Green building are two ways that Habitat is addressing globalization issues. Based on the research I have done on this organization, I found that there are a couple of strategies the organization an use to help obtain more volunteers and build credibility. The first option is partnering up with more trade schools. Students would be able to obtain hands-on experience and at the same time have the opportunity to add valuable volunteer hours to their resume. It would build a lifelong relationship with the institutions in addition to securing help and perhaps setting the tone for students to keep volunteering after graduation. The second strategy would be to obtain a Better Business Bureau Charity Seal to gain credibility.Obtaining a Better Business Bureau Charity Seal would allow Habitat for Humanity to gain credibility in addition to getting more recognition. A lot of community members look to the Better Business Bureau when making decisions as to which businesses to get involved with or which charities to donate to. There may be people that have not heard of Habitat for Humanity but may learn about the organization through the BBB Website. Joining forces with and obtaining recognition from organizations such as the Better Business Bureau could benefit Habitat for Humanity by providing them with the opportunity to acquire even more volunteers.As with any company or organization, there are always opportunities and risks involved. Making the best decisions for the families that are in need is the only way for Habitat to continue with their success. Strong leadership and management will continue to help the organization prosper. Many of the leaders of Habitat had to overcome their own struggles to get where they are today driving them to make the issue of poverty so much more of a priority. Skill, hard work, and their belief in living out God’s word have built this organization to where it is today.References Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. thriventbuilds. com/partnership/habitat/history. html Leadership vs. Management. (2002-2011). Retrieved from http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/articles/manager_leader. htm Alertnet. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. trust. org/al ertnet/jobs/2011-08-26-1458/ http://www. articleclick. com/Article/Strategies-That-Organizational-Managers-and-Leaders-Can-Use-to-Create-and-Maintain-a-Healthy/997166

Employee Turnover in Hong Kong's hospitality industry Essay

Employee Turnover in Hong Kong's hospitality industry - Essay Example Turnover implies employee leaving the present job voluntarily and taking up other jobs (Jack Black, 2002). Turnover is not resignation which involves end of employment by the employer for reasons such as a fall in profits of the company, bankruptcy or merger. Thus, employee turnover is taken up by the employee rather than the employer. Employee turnover is dependent on the type of business and the economic state of the area in which the company is operating. Thus where there is an economic boom, turnover is said to be much greater than in areas where there is no growth or which are undergoing the economic down turn (Employee What, 2002). The phenomenon of employee turnover is considered as one of the natural outcomes of conduct of business in modern organizations. Thus it is said that achieving zero percent turnover is not practical and should not even be attempted in today's rapidly changing employment environment (Branham, 2000). It is also said that some turn over may be desirable as it would enable a shake out amongst the employees avoiding bunching up of a large number with similar pay scales, salaries and capabilities making a pyramid (Branham, 2000). To retain all such employees will be extremely expensive for the organization. New employees are also said to bring in fresh ideas, approaches, abilities, attitudes and also prevent the organization from remaining stagnant (Branham, 2000). 2.3 Brief introduction of Hong Kong Hong Kong is said to be a very vibrant metropolis which has a life and dynamism of its own making it one of the unique cities in the World. It has a typical Chinese culture which has remained unaffected by British influence over the years (Hong Kong, 2006). It offers a mix of the modern and the ancient, the Oriental and the Western and therein lies its charm. At the same time the employment environment in Hong Kong follows a very flexible tendency. Thus employees in Hong Kong are not inhibited by generally accepted norms of loyalty and life long service which is characterized by some Eastern management cultures such as the Japanese (Hong Kong, 2006). 2.4 Employee turnover in Hong Kong Hong Kong job market has been continuously improving since the middle of 2003. This has been very dynamic and there has been greater availability of jobs in Hong Kong over the past few years (HR Service Providers Directory, 2005). There is a link between job growth and turn over of employees as seen from the data published in the HR Service Providers Directory 2000. The quarterly turn over rate as per the Directory, HK/HRM 2005 First Quarter Survey on Manpower Statistics has continued to rise which is also in conformity with vacancy rates which have also shown an upward trend due to lack of suitable candidates. In the first quarter of 2005, the overall turnover rate was .62 % higher than for the previous quarter at 2.99 %, and almost 1 (.92) % higher than the same period of 2004. Figure 1 at Appendix 1 refers (HR Service Providers Directory 2005). The turnover in the hotel sector was however slightly lower than the overall trend at 2.77 %. Figure 2 at Appendix B refers (HR Servic

Ethics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ethics - Term Paper Example Leaders, who possess honesty and integrity, are better equipped to inculcate a sense of security within the workforce during the fast transforming dynamics of the current business processes. People are frequently less honest in putting their best in their work environment, especially when they are not motivated for the work that they get paid for. I really feel that whatever the work environment, one should do one’s job with full sincerity and try to give one’s best under all circumstances. As in the present case, while my current job is not to my liking, I still conscientiously try to put my best in my job. Another very important fact is that leaders and managers within the organizations should also be honest in their feedback to the employees’ performance. This is one of the most critical aspects of improving and improvising the work performance of the sub-ordinates and workforce in general. Our office environment hugely lacks motivated work because the manager is often inclined to give wrong reports to the seniors. The manager often does not give correct feedbacks. Recently one my colleague was fired for causing a grave error. It was unexpected because he was never told about his mistakes. When he was suddenly served with the notice, we all realized that manager was not only dishonest but had also betrayed the trust of his subordinates. He had just compiled the worker’s mistakes which he had never bothered to discuss with him! In my role as leader or manager, I would ensure that workers are provided with regular feedback so that they can improve their work. This not only would create a more motivating environment but also develop trust between the management and workforce. Honest dialogues also promote inter-personal relationship. When the leaders are honest in their intention to address the problems of the workers, they are better able to manage their performance. Another vital issue is ensuring that workers are given correct pic ture of the organizational performance so that they are able to garner workers’ trust. Managers often misread situations and wishfully hope that optimist attitude would improve situations and productivity. When, over a long time, situations do not improve, he not loses his credibility but also the trust of his people. I will be honest with my workers and try to present correct picture of organization’s future. I think, it would encourage employees to apply new vision and wider perspectives on issues so that corrective measures could be applied for improving the overall performance. Accountability of actions is another important work principle that improves quality of work and promotes teamwork. In fact, one of the members of my team had developed the habit of calling sick on Friday to Monday on a regular basis. His long absence had huge adverse impact on the productivity and weekly targets. Despite repeated complaint, manager had delayed taking action against the errin g member till after huge loss was discovered by the senior management. The lack of accountability on the parts of colleague as well as that of my supervisor/ manager was highly detrimental to organization performance. It also reflected badly on the rest of the team as we were not able to achieve the defined target. I believe that accountability of one’s action is a vital ingredient of one’