“Panopticism” by Michel Foucault Essay

â€Å"Our society is not one of spectacle, but of surveillance; under the surface of images, one invests bodies in depth; behind the great abstraction of exchange, there continues the meticulous concrete training of useful forces; the circuits of communication are the supports of an accumulation and a centralization of knowledge; the play of signs defines the anchorages of power; it is not that the beautiful totality of the individual is amputated, repressed, altered by our social order, it is rather that the individual is carefully fabricated in it, according to a whole technique of forces and bodies.† (240, Foucault)In the essay, Panopticism, by Michel Foucault, he makes the argument that we live in a society of â€Å"surveillance†. It is mainly this surveillance that forms the basis of authority that draws the individual to believe that the world he lives in is one that is continually watching over him. This becomes another aspect of power where it underlies the main idea of separation as one of the many forms of forces in the Panopticon. The effects of surveillance are clearly discussed in Foucault’s essay. The infected population was always observed by presenting themselves at their windows for attendance. If they did not look out the window at that time, they would be considered and marked as dead. Their family would be removed, the house would be cleaned out, perfumed, and then, mere hours later, people would move back in. Obviously, the fear of not being watched would be strong in this situation, resulting in drastic measures taken once someone could not be watched. The plague stands as a representation against which the idea of discipline was created. The existence of a whole set of techniques for measuring and supervising abnormal beings brings into play the disciplinary mechanisms created by the fear of the plague. The Panopticon, is a prison that is â€Å"a machine for dissociating the see/being seen dyad: in the peripheric ring, one is totally seen, without ever seeing.† (228, Foucault) This means that those who are being seen can not see one another and the one who sees everything can never be seen. For the observer, the benefit of being observed is that is establishes the ability to control, change and influence the person. The observer separates the individual from the group by observation, thereby making them individually  aware of themselves, but mainly the observer. This helps obscure the concept of cohesion with others and prevents organization and conspiracy. The panopticon architecture in which everyone is observed and analyzed is incorporated in a building that makes these operations easy to perform. The theory of discipline develops out of the need for surveillance shown in the plague. Plague measures were needed to protect society, which as a result allowed the panopticon to operate power efficiently. Foucault makes this assumption about today’s society by saying that we are always being watched whether we know it or not. One always keeps an eye over their shoulder as a result of the constant fear that someone is watching them. The power gives those in charge a safety net, making the individual conscious of the presence of a hidden watcher, causing them to think twice before acting. An example found in today’s society would be the notion of Santa Claus and how Santa Claus can be used as a form of power to make children behave. â€Å"He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good. So be good for goodness sake.† The song about Santa Claus is more than a Christmas carol, it is used to plant the constant fear in the mind of a child that they are being watched even when they can’t see who is doing the watching. The mere threat at Christmas time of this hidden force is enough to keep children well behaved. Another example is that when we are born, we are given a social security number and a record of our birth. Information goes into a database that is accessible to many people. The government and head offices in the United States can track us with ease since ever job and school we can attend uses our social security number. There is not a single bank account we can open or a loan we can receive without people in higher places knowing about it. Even though we can not see people watching us, we are constantly being watched and tracked by our government. These are examples of many in our society. Also, verbal communication in the Panopticon was not an option. The prisoners  were not allowed to speak to one another. This limit on communication dehumanizes the inmate. If one cannot communicate, not only is new knowledge difficult to gain, but one cannot feel comfort in the simple knowledge that they are not alone. Throughout this endless mind-game, people do not have the idea that they are fabricated and reshaped. Being under surveillance has brought discipline. â€Å"In the central tower, one sees everything without ever being seen.† (226, Foucault) Foucault describes the inside of the Panopticon where in the center stands a guard. Whenever we walk into a retail store, we are always under observation. There is a circular glass piece on the top of the ceiling with a rotating camera looking down upon each of our movements. We think someone is watching us. And from that, we react with discipline. It has proven to be a form of behavior to give us a guilty conscious or the simple fear of being caught. In conclusion, Foucault’s argument may not be easily understood given the difficulty of his writing, but with the examples and proof of such the mind-games that we live in in our society today is a good way of understanding his point of view. Michel Foucault’s Panopticism shows that society is under surveillance. The panopticon represents the way in which discipline and punishment work in modern society, where it shows how the processes of observation and examination function. Schools, factories, hospitals and prisons resemble each other, not just because they look similar, but because they examine pupils, workers, patients and prisoners, classify them as individuals and try to make them conform to the â€Å"norm†. The fact that the modern citizen spends much of his life in at least some of these institutions reveals how far society has changed. We live in a society that watches over one’s movement to judge if their behavior is wrong. It is in ultimate fea r and anxiety that we live out our lives everyday.

Current Treatments

Technological advances are probably one of the most beneficial things that happened to man. It has allowed people to live their lives easier with the help of machines and programs. One area that seems to benefit from technological innovations is the medical field. Today, the latest developments in medicine and health care have provided people the opportunity to live longer and more comfortably. This is evidenced by better medications, diagnosis, and treatment plans for patients.Personally, I believe that the need for better health care led scientists and health care providers to the development of current treatments. Better knowledge in technology also helped professionals in establishing and discovering new treatments for patients. This is seen in Maguire's (2002) study wherein he compared two patients who has the same type of illness. One is a former patient who appeared to have succumbed to the symptoms of schizophrenia and was not able to improve and live a normal life even with the medications available at that time.The other patient receives a newer medication for schizophrenia and is able to go back to school and live comfortably. The latter patient was able to benefit from the improvements in the field of health care. â€Å"With advancements in such medications, patients with schizophrenia no longer need to lead a life totally dictated by this order† (Maguire, 2002, p. 10). â€Å"Consequently, they need considerable support and approval in therapy, to help them disclose symptoms that typically seem shameful to them and make the potentially frightening behavioral changes that will be asked of them† (Author, p.277). Professionals in the field of health care should never be contented with the current treatments and should always look for ways to improve the lives of patients. This can be especially said in the field of psychotherapy wherein current treatment plans and strategies will not always work for every individual and the changing of ti mes affect people's behaviors, which can affect the treatments that were once thought as the best ones.

What can the public sector procurement learn from the private organisation procurement teams?

Simply viewed, purchasing is ultimately purchasing. Procurement specialists in the two sectors and even from the third sector of charitable, non-profit, and volunteer groups order their purchases from the same suppliers. Both the private and the public sectors pursue value for money. Towards this end, they plan responsible efficient and flexible procurement systems. However, few differences draw the distinction between the two sectors. This is reflected in the radically different dynamics in the two sectors’ operations. As the paper unfolds, it emerges that there is a lot which the public sector can learn from the private sector if it is to achieve the same level of success enjoyed by the former (Barrett and Hill, 2004). The volume or size reflects on one of the commonly touted differences in the procurement sectors (Braczyk, Cooke and Heidenreich, 1998). However, it is inevitable to examine differences in reporting, competition, trade agreements, accountability, corporate culture, tendering processing, awarding tenders, and performance. It is also important to look into professionalism across the two sectors. The commonality or difference in skills is critical also. Ethical considerations across the two sectors are equalled examined with a view to raising valuable information whether the public sector has something to learn from the private sector or not. The public sector management environment is heavily regulated by policy, legislation, and specific processes while on the other hand, the private sector remains more receptive to enterprising and entrepreneurial dynamics as exhibited by their differences in corporate culture (Braczyk, Cooke and Heidenreich, 1998). It is true that the private sector is also subject to certain rules and regulations but the difference rests on the nature of the regulations. The entrepreneurial dynamics are apparently an absent phenomenon in the public sector apart from few instances. This entrepreneurial focus is an area where the public procurement sector needs to learn and improve on based on the private procurement sector model. However, the sector may be impeded by the political influence, as the partisan nature of political processes is influential. The professionals who work in the public sector procurement need significantly more than the regular amount of diplomacy, patience, communication skills, and political intelligence if it is to prevail (Barrett and Hill, 2004). On the other hand, private sector procurement operates in more advanced challenges in the form of bigger risks, more recognition, among other issues. It is on this premise that the view that private sector pays more recognition to competence as key towards success in comparison to the public sector is held. The public procurement sector should minimise the diplomacy and political leanings and focus on competency just as the private procurement sector. Such focus should ensure bigger and attractive returns. Accountability and transparency present other areas of concern in reference to procurement (Barrett and Hill, 2004). This is influenced by the fact that the stakeholders in the public sector procurement come from diverse circles and do not stand a meaningful chance in influencing it. The stakeholders largely composed of taxpayers, clients, elected officials, and in other instances; vendors, underscore this realization. On the converse, the private procurement sector employs up-to date mechanisms to ensure accountability ad transparency in engagements. Most private procurement entities also focus on specific markets, an aspect that the public procurement sector can only attain through the establishment of specialised separate units to address the various aspects of procurement demands. It is thus not surprising that before procurement decisions are made, it is preferred that consensus is struck. Public organizations thus focus on consensus building rather than working competitively (Braczyk, Cooke and Heidenreich, 1998). Public procurement officers are as a result under an obligation to work cooperatively as opposed to doing so competitively. This is further under-lied by the idea that public enterprises engage in the sharing of some information, as it is a requirement in most public organisations. Ontario Public Buyers Association offers an example of organisations, which operate under these conditions. Consensus building is desirable towards appeasing contending stakeholders but this holds limited economic sense. This holds true since consensus building does not factor in the essence of time and other factors, which influence business in a positive manner. As proposed earlier, public procurement should be split into specialised units to deal with specific issues in procurement as it happens in the private sector. The freedom and flexibility to conduct business is absent in the public sector (Earl, 2002). On the converse, the private sector enjoys the presence of these attributes, which constitute the dream pursuits of every buyer. Flexibility is examined in reference to the kind of red tape associated with the public sector procurement. The procedural rules negatively influence the procurement process as the lengthening of the exercise proves an unattractive proposition. The red tape as a result puts constraints and unnecessary demands on the process of procurement. Red tape was intended to ensure observance of set rules ad regulations, but this s no longer congruent with emerging trends in business. As a result, doing away with the unnecessary procedural demands is desirable if the public procurement sector is to make progress. The absence of purposeful negotiations, discussions, leniency measures further compounds the shortcomings associated with public sector procurement. It is notable that public enterprises do not take their time in responding to issues like requests for proposals. Precision and detail must be presented to every relevant department before a decision is arrived at. On the converse, in the private sector procurement, the clients’ issues are keenly attended to as required. In the entrepreneurship spirit, private sector procurement allows for the negotiation of deals on the basis of fees and terms of work which appeal to both parties, as a result, growth in private procurement in tandem with quality of work (Earl, 2004). The focus is on building a good and long lasting working relationship between customers and private organizations. In the private sector procurement, if a company or client secures a satisfactory engagement, when similar projects emerge, the need to go through the same sieving exercises are not considered. The basis upon which tenders are given rests o the previous records of accomplishment. The solid ethical and moral aspects, which governmental organizations lean on, account for some unnecessary engagements. Public sector procurement demands that adherence to rules and procedures are unquestionable (Edquist, 1997). The formal protocol on responsibility, liability, accountability, and the need to protect government information constrains public procurement. On the other hand, the private sector procurement extends freedom on contractual engagements. The private sector clients focus on the market share, competitiveness, and visibility, fees, and contracts act as a measure towards achieving these goals. The moment corporate professionalism is established with a private sector client, the credibility set is useful in determining fruitful future engagements. Of late, governments are embracing e-Procurement; this embracement is based on the realization made concerning the beneficial attributes arising from both administrative and cost reductions associated with such in the private sector (Malerba, 2002). Tendering platforms, desktop purchasing systems, and e-marketplaces, features common in private sector procurement have been adopted in the public sector procurement. This is a positive step, which should pave way for similar improvements towards the promotion of efficiency and effectiveness. The nature of public sector procurement goes through rigorous bureaucratic procedures based on institutional demands (Miles, 2004). The regulation process of public procurement, which witnesses different roles played by international, national, and regional authorities, implies that this type of procurement faces a number of hurdles to overcome. This regulation is meant to ensure competition and transparency in the procurement exercise. To cite an example, public procurement in the UK has to be consistent wit the European Union procurement guidelines, which offer a framework of rules on the issue. These rules and regulations deter EU member countries from distorting competition in public procurement on the basis of geographical or national basis. The creation of the European market provides an avenue for getting value for money in the procurement sector. Apart from adhering to the European Union policy on public procurement, the public institutions must also comply with the requirements imposed by the government as reflected by the Value for Money policy. This policy demands that procurement choices should be premised on whole life cost assessment as opposed to lowest price only. On the basis of this synopsis, it is clear that government procurement is diverse in respect to what it has to cover. This extension and complexity implies that achieving efficiency and lower costs is hard to make operational. Reducing the complexity characterising public sector procurement is thus a challenge. The tendering process is designed in a way that ensures that work done by the government is given out fairy. The government considers the pricing and the nature of the entity offering the required services. The aim is to ensure that tender processing is fairly done based on governmental policies. Though important, pricing is not the major focus in public procurement (Malone, 2001). On the other hand, private sector tendering focuses on fairness and effectiveness in reference to competition. This is based on the drive towards achieving the most cost-effective outcomes in the tendering process. The primary focus is the cost effect, an attribute the government needs to learn from the private sector tendering (Malone, 2001). The political elite holds a lot of power when it comes to public tendering. This is partly due to the fact that the political class hold executive powers in country leaderships. On the other hand, in the private sector, key officials of companies who hold the required expertise holds the power of making decisions on the tendering processes (Malone, 2001). The public sector should learn from the private sector by fully authorising the bureaucratic experts to control the tendering process. If the public sector is to be in a position to operate competitively, it needs to posses buyer power. As in the case of the private buyer power, the public purchasing power may rise from the size of demand in reference to the public sector against the total market demand or due to strategic importance (Cohen and Levinthal, 2006). The size of the market however big, it may be affected by the uncoordinated and fragmented approach by the public procurement sector. This uncoordinated approach lowers the purchasing power of the public procurement sector. This presents one area the public sector needs to learn from the private sector. Towards this end, the public procurement sector should learn how to coordinate its activities properly in order to take advantage of its aces to big markets. The public procurement sector is fraught with unnecessary restrictions on participation (Cohen and Levinthal, 2006). The sector is also characterised with cost escalation. This especially affects small bidders. Such represent the level of discrimination in the sector. Large firms who are at a sound financial standing are thus the ones favoured in the public procurement sector. Towards reducing the chances of participation from the procurement process, the nature of restricted communication as reflected in the limited publication of contracting opportunities, this coupled with the narrow based qualification criteria place too much focus on firm size and experience. There are both benefits associated with increasing the number of bidders. However, the question of whether the government attains the balance between increased costs due to the higher number of participants and the expected drop in the prices as a result of the fierce competition both within the short term and the long-term. The pursuit of value for money should ensure the correct trade off is made, however, this may never be the case. This is attributable to the fact that the administrative costs are more visible as compared to the cost savings obtained from intense competition. Further, afield, risk aversion may lead to favouritism in which case, well-established companies and incumbents take the opportunities ahead of new entrants. Incumbency may limit participation. This is possible if minor suppliers believe that the public procurement sector is friendly to senior suppliers. This implies that some suppliers may boycott the bidding exercises, as they fear their success chances are limited. Such boycotts may in turn trigger price increases due to lowered competition (Cohen and Levinthal, 2006). Openness and publicness pass as challenges on the public procurement sector. Everything, which is done by public procurement, is subject to scrutiny from the public. The public purchases are normally orchestrated through invitations for bids. This opens the process to public bidding. In public procurement, public bid tabulations, which are posted on government websites. This implies that everybody understands what is going on. Overall, the private sector procurement focuses on profit, which is achievable through fierce competition. In practice, there is great variation in the way in which private managers go about establishing links with the customers. This is captured by the pursuit of firms’ attempts to lock opponents out of the market (Malone, 2001). Some firms operate in unstable environments, others like do like monopolies, while others operate in relatively protected niches where entrants find it difficult to make inroads, this under-lies the kind of challenges facing private businesses. Some sectors and businesses adopt methods, which are technologically advanced than others, further compounding the challenges (Egeberg, 1995). On the other hand, the public sector passes as a more homogeneous entity operating in a placid environment. Bureaucratic organisations are in most cases long establishments, which act, as monopolistic suppliers. The supply is to the society as opposed to the market, further to this, the pursuit of profits do not take precedence ahead of the provision of services to the citizens. The assumption that the public sector has been lacking in innovation is often advanced. However, Tan, (2004) notes that the spur of competition lacks in public procurement, a stark contrast with the private sector procurement. The public procurement sector should embrace new technological innovations like e-Procurement if it is to gain from benefits associated with such advancements, as is the case in private procurement (Fagerberg, Mowery and Nelson, 2000). Conclusion The drive towards introducing private-like procurement style into the public procurement sector is a plausible effort as this in the end translates into a number of benefits desirable to the needs of the clients its serves. Such adoption is bound to increase efficiency thorough cost reductions and improvement on service provision. The social responsibility is the major bottleneck affecting the public sector procurement. The public institutions remain accused of being irresponsive to the needs of the people they serve. However, all public organisations exist in a global setting, which heavily bears on how operations are conducted. This co-existence; between public and the other sectors imply that there is a lot to be passed or transferred through learning. The continued nature of existence of the public sector also indicates that learning through experience is a possibility since the various governments institutions are in a position to determine what works and the others which fail. The role of competition however desirable it is may prove inapplicable to the public sector procurement. This is the case in reference to when the public institutions are bidding for example, weaponry and other sensitive products. The public sector is also charged with diverse responsibilities, which are not based on economic terms but rather on the social responsibility aspect. Despite this, the public sector should learn from the public sector on how to become competitive on various fronts. On the basis of the above realisation, it is hypothetically presented that adopting measures to delink the public procurement sector from the diplomatic and political machinations presents a way out in the area. The sector should also encourage more competition in terms of recruiting skilful personnel and in allowing a level playground when it comes to the tendering process. The sector is equally expected to alter the procedural requirements, which mire the biding and tendering exercises. Such a move should lead to a flexible system, which paves way for the achievement of efficiency and effectiveness in the sector.

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Describe the various political party systems that can be identified, Essay

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Its about the three books ( A lone together ), ( Steve Jobs ), and ( Assignment

Its about the three books ( A lone together ), ( Steve Jobs ), and ( Facebook Effect ) - Assignment Example The economic policies are not the only limitations but the health and education policies together with other vital factors have been considered to put the country into a wrong track. There has been a promise on job creation by the government, which is yet to be accomplished. Income inequality is another of the factors of major interest among the Americans. How can the government be trusted while there is inequality of wealth; wealth is concentrated among the few persons while a majority still languish in joblessness and lack of basic income that can sustain their daily needs. Turkle believes in interdependence among people through technology (Turkle, 2011). As for the article in Arthur, there is clear interdependence of the students, staff and the other people involved in the university. The article defines its limits of interdependency to physical. Turkle, on the other hand, believes that through technology many have been interdependent in all aspects; which ranges from socializing to information or business sharing. It is informed that both parties define the existence of interdependence among people of different aspects. According to Steve Jobs, comprehensive design was to include simplicity without minimalism; the design was to integrate all the objectives of creation, with ease of use, but not at the cost of functionality. In his designs he articulated for artistic design from the cover, to the inner part of the system. In creating the designs, his main considerations were the usability of the system, as well as the beauty of the design to impress its users (Isaacson, 2011). These parts of architect formed the basis of the company in creating systems. Steve Jobs Company was mainly driven by innovation. The description of his approach can be defined as value disruption design. Whose main objective is to create a

Late Travel company (LT) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Late Travel company (LT) - Research Paper Example DBMS uses various models including relational model. DBMS utilizes query language to get information. A query language can analyze and update data. It takes care of the security of the database. Unauthorized users are prevented from viewing, updating etc of the database. Modeling language, query language, data structure and transaction mechanism are the main parts of DBMS.With the help of 'Data Manipulation' subsystem the user can add, delete or change information in a database. Relational Databases are so popular in that they are the absolute choice for storage of financial records, logistical information, manufacturing in formation, personal information etc. The software is Relational Database Management System. (RDMS) Constraint restricts the domain of an attribute and also the data to be stored in relations. . SQL makes use of 'check constraints'. There are also domain constraints as every attribute has a related domain. , Normalization is an integral part of relational model. It checks duplication of data and simultaneously loss of data integrity. The Relational Model has three parts. Structures are objects which store the data. Data has to remain the same during all the operations. It should not get disturbed during transfer, storage and retrieval. Data Integrity takes care that the data will always be consistent, correct and accessible. It remains faithful to its source. Referential integrity is the mos... It checks duplication of data and simultaneously loss of data integrity. The Relational Model has three parts. Structures are objects which store the data. Operations manipulate the structure and the data it contains. They follow a set of rules. Integrity rules decide the operations on the data and structure. In fact it protects both. Data has to remain the same during all the operations. It should not get disturbed during transfer, storage and retrieval. Data Integrity takes care that the data will always be consistent, correct and accessible. It remains faithful to its source. However in the internet, the data is broken into packets, before being transferred. Data integrity ensures that, even then the data is put back to shape and recovered. Data integrity can be disturbed by malfunctioning of hardware, attack of software applications by viruses. Human error in data entry is another cause. Referential integrity is the most common. In this, the errors in the relationship between a foreign key and primary key are avoided. Proper use of integrity constraints will prevent end user from writing invalid matters. Also unauthorized persons cannot alter the data. 'Server enforced data integrity' is the most dependable data integrity. RDBMS is considered the authority to accept or reject data. Normalize: It is advisable to normalize the database while designing a relational database. Normalizing to 'Third Normal Form' is always recommended. It means, the attributes in each table should depend on the key. Normalization takes care that errors in data input at are reduced. It removes excess data from records. Data model is an integrated collection of concepts for describing relationship between various data, constraints on

Performance management or performance evaluation Essay Example for Free

Performance management or performance evaluation Essay The basic aim of performance management is to create an environment for the employees where they can work at their best. It begins when a particular job is defined whereas it ends when the employee quits from the organization and performance management basically serves as a replacement of the traditional appraisal system. There are certain advantages of performance management and the most important one is the goal of developing clear job descriptions for the employees that can be easily comprehended by them. The second advantage is that it helps the employer to hire the best candidates for the job that suits them and at the same time, performance management helps them to negotiate with the employees on various issues. When the employee is finally hired, he can be provided with necessary training followed by the feedback of the coach that enable organization to develop sessions in which issues regarding performance development can be discussed and according to the results of the performance of the employees, the remuneration package can be designed. Moreover, performance management also provides various career opportunities for the employees and can also provide assistance when conducting exit interviews to know why the employees choose to leave the organization. The concept of annual performance is a bit different from that of performance management. When managing other people, the manager has to conduct performance appraisals in order to know how the employees are performing and this can help motivate the employees to work well in future. Annual performance is basically done to evaluate the performance of the employee and to know how well they have worked throughout the year and the contributions that they have made for the progress of the organization. It not only helps in the development of the staff but it also improves the communication between the staff and the managers, however annual performance has some disadvantages as well. When conducting performance appraisals, employees might ask for feedbacks from their friends in the organization who are more likely to give positive feedbacks and may avoid any negative comments of the employee. Moreover, when conducting appraisals the companies often send evaluations to the raters without telling them how to accurately do the appraisal and without advance notice. (Leat, 2001). Reference Leat,M. (2001). Exploring Employee Relations. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Rules About School Essay Example for Free

Rules About School Essay Students tend to break the rules once in awhile that that is because of peer pressure or rebellion against or with someone else. Teenagers explore and do things others wouldn’t do to look â€Å"cool† or to prove something that they could do something with their life, or to look â€Å"superior† to someone else. Imagine a smart and decent student could do inappropriate behavior just to prove they are fit in that society and to not be called names like â€Å"nerd† or â€Å"loser†, that’s how rules are made in school. But I think that we have a little too much of that. Imagine having fewer rules it would be knowledgeable only if it could help students and help the school, having a lot of rules tend to put stress on students that they want to break out of it and just do whatever they want. With less school rules, student would be in school more often, they have the chance to freely do things they could do, less stress for the students and for the teachers, meaning teachers would have an easier job because bad students wouldn’t be so bad anymore because they have less stress on their mind and now they could pay attention and pass grades. Rules that are forced by the securities and faculty staff are sometimes straining and stressing the students involved in such activities. These activities affect the student’s mentality and social behavior because of aggression and rebellion that has been formed on a student’s mind. An example of an activity is sport. When someone is a student athlete they tend to stay after school and hang out for awhile before a game or a practice start, but some securities have a rule that you can’t stay after school that long and you would have to go home right away, for a student athlete to go home would be a waste of energy and stressing that causes aggression towards the school and the school securities which could resolve to conflict. Another School Rule that students are against is â€Å"contraband† this includes Cell phones, iPods, and dress codes. This rule shouldn’t be forced highly and shouldn’t be taken that seriously by the staff of the school. Technology has been a part of this generation and without them a student could be devastated and again could cause aggression towards a staff. I know that it is rude for a student to use such things during class, but if they do they face a consequence of failing in class due to inattentiveness and no participation, they have the choice to do it or not. And even during recess or lunch securities tend to take peoples and  iPods away, they take it too seriously, iPods should not be that bad it’s called â€Å"Break Time† for students and now music is part of our lives so shouldn’t that become an exemption? Then we have our Tardy/Late rule that students break a lot. This rule is good for some parts and bad for some part. The good part of this rule is to teach students to have discipline and be prompt most of the time. But the bad part of this rule is the consequence or the punishment of it, the punishment is â€Å"calf duty† or ISS(In School Suspension). Which most of the students dislike, if Radford really wants its student to be successful academically it wouldn’t be fair to have rules like these: ISS is a punishment that makes students to rake leaves, clean the gym, wipe tables on the cafà ©, throw the thrash, and clean the baseball field on a SUNNY day for one whole class or more. I personally do not think that this punishment is fair because students need to go to class and learn, not to learn how to rake and clean, that is why we have custodians that does that for us. Not only that but again this things causes hate and aggression towards the school and with that, a student will not be able to focus on studies and they would cause an outrage or break more rules, It doesn’t help the student It makes it worst for them. â€Å"Cafà © duty† is not so bad because they provide free lunch for student, but some other classes HAVE to do it without doing anything bad, and that causes the class to be pulled back academically, again the custodians could do their job and serve the food to the students. It’s a learning environment not a job orientation. Consequences for students are a little bit too much, if the staff thinks that by making these type of consequences would stop the student s to break the rules, I don’t think it will because it causes a student to be rebellious and would want to hate the school for making him/her do all the stuff that REGULAR student does not do. School rules are good but it matters on how staff pushes them and how strict they could be. Deviance has its own punishment and it could be being unsuccessful in life or being a pariah in our school society. A person has a choice to do bad things or good, but there are always consequences for our actions.

Subjective Health Assessment

Subjective Health Assessment Despite the importance of an individual’s perspective of their health and wellbeing, individuals are extremely influenced by the extent to which their treatment outcomes meet their expectations (O’hagan et al., 2014). This is why it is important for nurses to incorporate the individual’s perspective into the interventions; to accomplish this nurses need to use effective communication, such as verbal and non-verbal techniques, to receive the appropriate subjective health information (O’hagan et al., 2014). Nurses further must implement the individual’s perspective into the development of nursing interventions; this will help influence a positive recovery (O’hagan et al., 2014). This essay will define communication in the context of nursing; it will discuss the process followed regarding the selection of an individual and the arrangements made, also which interview techniques were utilised. The essay will further discuss the health strengths of an individual, as well as any health concerns which may benefit from health promotional education. Lastly, there will be a summary about what I learnt from this assignment. It is crucial to understand the importance of communication in the context of nursing, in order to implement it in a nurse-client relationship. Communication is central to human interaction, as it allows individuals to establish, maintain and improve contact with each other (Juvà ©-Udina et al., 2014). The word communication originates centuries ago from the Greek word â€Å"communis† meaning to make common (O’hagan et al., 2014). Tay, Hegney and Ang (2011) define communication as ‘a two-way process –sending the right message that is also being correctly received and understood by the other person’. Communication in the context of nursing is where the nurse and patient perceive the other in the situation and, through communication of verbal and non-verbal messages, sets goals, and agrees on interventions to help achieve these goals (Tay et al., 2011). The initial goal for this assignment is to find a healthy individual between the ages of thirty and sixty five who is not a friend, family member or anyone I knew well. This was achieved by ringing my aunty and asking if she knew anyone in the area that would be happy to help with my assignment. My aunty gave me the phone number and the email of a colleague; from here I sent an email explaining the â€Å"subjective health assessment† project to her. Jenny (pseudonym) promptly replied saying she would be happy to assist, when she agreed I emailed her a consent form. I also ensured her that to be in accordance with The Nursing Council Code of Conduct (2012) as a student nurse I must respect her rights to confidentiality and therefore any personal or identifiable information will be altered to protect her privacy and dignity. From here we arranged to have the interview take place at her house as it would not only be private but it would help ensure that she feels comfortable, we worked out a time that suited us both and decided at 10am on Wednesday 30th of July. The quality and reliability of information is influenced by the way in which information is collected, which is related to the use of nonverbal and verbal communication (Jarvis, 2012). Nonverbal communication of appearance, demeanour, facial expression, silence, and listening are highly influential. I incorporated all these aspects into my interview. Firstly I wore my nursing uniform which made my appearance look professional, and kept a neutral friendly expression throughout the interview. I also made sure my attitude was non-judgemental and that we were seated at eye level; this helped to maintain eye contact which showed that I was alert and listening to her. Sitting at eye level also helped make us both feel equal as no one had an authoritative role over the other. However, verbal communication is just as important as nonverbal communication. I ensured that all the questions I asked were open ended this allowed Jenny to expand in areas which provided me with relevant and detailed information. Also, by using the communication technique refection I was able to respond in a way that allowed Jenny to realise that I was listening and understanding what she was communicating. June has the belief that, for her age she is healthy and she is content with her current level of health. She lives a healthy lifestyle and has few health issues. Junes health and wellbeing is supported by having had completed all of the immunisation programs recommended for her through her childhood. These immunisations are very important during an individual’s childhood as it protects children from negative impacts of illness (Grant, Luxford, Darbyshire, 2005). However, even though June completed these immunisation programs she still contracted chicken pox at seven years of age. This is an extremely contagious disease which is spread by the same methods as the common cold such as coughing, sneezing and skin to skin contact (Grant, Luxford, Darbyshire, 2005). There are many things that influence an individual’s overall health, and the likelihood of developing diseases (Jarvis, 2012). Diseases can occur due to a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors (Jarvis, 2012). In the context of Jennys health she is unaware of any hereditary diseases in her family history. This is a great strength to have as Jenny does not have any increased risks of getting genetic disorders or passing them onto her children. Another strength Jenny has is that she works on a farm; this means she is often outdoors in the natural environment. Tardona, Bozeman and Pierson (2014) research indicates that exposure and experiences in natural environment can improve wellbeing by increasing self-esteem, spiritual well-being, cognitive functions and relieving stress. This shows that Jenny is free of health illnesses and her job contributes to her overall wellbeing Peterson (2000) discusses how this is a proven benefit not only to the individual but the family as well. Regular exercise and sleep patterns are more beneficial strengths displayed by Jenny which contributes positively to her overall wellbeing. Ekblom-Bak, Ekblom, Vikstrà ¶m, De Faire, and Hellà ©nius (2014) discusses how at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous exercise is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Jenny well and truly does more than 150 minutes per week as she motivates herself to go for a power walk every day for around an hour. Kemmler and Von Stengel (2013) research shows that there is a lower chance of experiencing heart disease, some cancers, stroke and type two diabetes when regular exercise is implemented into everyday life. Exercise further helps to improve sleeping patterns. As Jenny is a farmer she has to wake up at 5am most mornings, this results in Jenny having to manage her time well to make sure she gets enough sleep. Jenny goes to sleep around 9.30 at night usually without waking throughout the night and does not nap throughout the da y this shows Jenny has healthy sleep patterns. According to Gruber (2013) healthy sleep patterns are shown to have a positive impact on an individual’s body as it enables the individual to cope with everyday living tasks. Musculoskeletal disorders are the main representation for absence at work worldwide, Jenny experiences back pain which is increased by stress (Là ¶vgren, Gustavsson, Melin, Rudman, 2014). Lundberg and Melin (2002), look at how the conditions at work, such as time pressure and heavy lifting, can contribute to elevated stress levels and muscular tension. They further explore how the elevated levels of stress can reduce the time for rest and recuperations (Lundberg Melin, 2002). Therefore it is important for Jenny to implement interventions that help improve her back pain, when Jenny is at work she could limit the amount of heavy lifting she does and also be educated on the correct lifting technique to avoid further injuries or strains to her back. Jenny can further implement the use of over the counter medication such as deep heat to help relieve the pain and tension in her muscles. The increasing instability in the economic sector and the increase in unemployment rates are likely to trigger financial worries, which can contribute to fatigue levels (Stewart, Abbey, Meana Boydell, 1998). This is because financial worries present themselves as a psychological threat which is prolonged and chronic in nature. This causes an increase in fatigue levels as our bodies are not designed to cope with prolonged periods of increased stress hormone (cortisol) levels (Stewart et al., 1998). In Jennys context she has a job however she still feels financially unstable which could be related to her increased levels of fatigue. Therefore Jenny needs to implement interventions such as seeing a financial consultant to help her understand her future options and avoid finical crisis. Through completing this assignment I feel I now have a greater understanding of the importance of communication in a nurse-client relationship. I learnt that without using proper communication skills you will be unable to understand the individual’s perspective of their health and what they want in life. What I found is that by being non-judgemental and honest throughout the interview developed the nurse-client relationship more, which is extremely important with the client as they are the primary source of information. I believe this was shown when Jenny felt respected as she opened up more by telling me more about her life instead of answering briefly. I further understand the importance of asking open ended questions and using non-verbal communication skills as if I had not the information I received would have been different. I also learnt the importance of taking your time and just listening to the client, especially in Jennys case as she got very excited talking about he r children and upset when I approached the subject of finical stability. So from this I understood that her major worries and weakness in her life is to do with finical pressure and that her children provide her with a source of happiness. In conclusion, effective communication provides nurses with a way to gather information from a client successfully. This essay looked at how I went about selecting an individual and the arrangements made. While also disusing how non-verbal techniques of eye contact and appearance helped make Jenny feel comfortable and verbal techniques of open ended questions to receive more relevant detailed information. This essay further suggested that Jenny’s strengths included having a healthy childhood, no hereditary diseases in the family history, working on a farm and having regular exercise and sleep patterns. However Jenny’s weakness of back pain and feeling financial unstable can lead to health issues which is why interventions of education of proper lifting techniques, using deep heat and seeing a financial advisor can help Jenny’s overall health. This essay also looked at what I learnt from completing this assignment which was that communication skills majorly affect the quality of the information gathered and the trust between a nurse and a client. Reference List Ekblom-Bak, E., Ekblom, B., Vikstrà ¶m, M., de Faire, U., Hellà ©nius, M. (2014). The importance of  non-exercise physical activity for cardiovascular health and longevity. British Journal Of  Sports Medicine, 48(3), 233-238. Retrieved from  http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=605a2018-d38e-4eef-945d-f1ae2481136a%40sessionmgr4005vid=3hid=4211 Grant, J., Luxford, Y., Darbyshire, P. (2005). Culture, communication and child health. Contemporary Nurse, 20(2), 134-142. Gruber, R. (2013). Making room for sleep. Journal of Canadian Psychology/ Psychologie canadienne, 54(1), 62-71. Jarvis, C. (2012). Physical Examination and Health Assessment. Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier Juvà ©-Udina, M., Pà ©rez, E., Padrà ©s, N., Samartino, M., Garcà ­a, M., Creus, M., Calvo, C. (2014).  Basic Nursing Care: Retrospective Evaluation of Communication and Psychosocial  Interventions Documented by Nurses in the Acute Care Setting. Journal Of Nursing  Scholarship, 46(1), 65-72. doi:10.1111/jnu.12062 Kemmler, W., Von Stengel, S. (2013). Exercise Frequency, Health Risk Factors, and Diseases of  the Elderly. Archives Of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, 94(11), 2046-2053. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/science/article/pii/S000399931300422X Là ¶vgren, M., Gustavsson, P., Melin, B., Rudman, A. (2014). Neck/shoulder and back pain in new  graduate nurses: A growth mixture modeling analysis. International Journal Of Nursing  Studies, 51(4), 625-639. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2013.08.009 Lundberg, U., Melin, B. (2002). Stress in the development of musculoskeletal pain. Pain Research and Clinical Management 12 (1), 165-179. OHagan, S., Manias, E., Elder, C., Pill, J., Woodward-Kron, R., McNamara, T., McColl, G.  (2014). What counts as effective communication in nursing? Evidence from nurse educators  and clinicians feedback on nurse interactions with simulated patients. Journal Of Advanced  Nursing, 70(6), 1344-1355. doi:10.1111/jan.12296 Peterson, G. (2000). Making Healthy Families. Berkeley, Calif: Shadow and Light Publications. Stewart, D., Abbey, S., Meana , M., Boydell, K. (1998). What makes women tired: A community sample. Journal of Womens Health, 7(1), 69-76. Tardona, D. R., Bozeman, B. A., Pierson, K. L. (2014). A Program Encouraging Healthy Behavior,  Nature Exploration, and Recreation through History in an Urban National Park Unit. Journal Of  Park Recreation Administration, 32(2), 73-82. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=11sid=b0ae001b-42b0-4b53-83c8-7d6bbdf8bada%40sessionmgr198hid=107 Tay, L., Hegney, D., Ang, E. (2011). Factors affecting effective communication between registered  nurses and adult cancer patients in an inpatient setting: a systematic review. International  Journal Of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 9(2), 151-164. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1609.2011.00212.x Nursing council of New Zealand. (2012).Code of conduct. Retrieved from http://file:///C:/Users/Jessica/Downloads/Nurses%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf

Psychologists Essay -- essays research papers

Psychology is the study of human behavior, how we think, feel and act. Psychologists study both normal and abnormal behavior to understand it. Psychologists also try to use what we learn from that study to help people change aspects of their behavior that they want to change. Areas of psychology are clinical, industrial, and developmental. Careers in Psychology offer varied opportunities. Employment opportunities for capable psychologists are expected to be slightly better than average over the next several years. However, if you're interested in a career in Psychology, you should know that the training program to become a psychologist is a long one. There is also stiff competition for places in graduate training programs in Psychology. So why major in Psychology if it is going to take so long? First of all, it is an interesting profession that offers the opportunity to increase the well-being of one's life. It requires critical thinking skills, statistical reasoning skills, and research design skills. Also a major part of being a successful psychologist is having practical knowledge about people and a charismatic self. People who want to major in psychology usual get a 4-year degree at a university. During the first four years, the student obtains scientific and clinical knowledge in Psychology. It is also possible to get an internship during the third year of schooling. As well, students will get some opportunity to see what applied practice in Psychology will actually look like by taking courses and seminars in areas of special interest. Following the undergraduate degree, a two year program of graduate studies in Psychology in a university will lead the student to a Master's degree. Part of that two-year program will usually involve completing a research project in Psychology. Some areas allow persons with a Master's degree in Psychology to be registered as a psychologist. However, many people, particularly those who want to practice in a specialty area of Psychology, will go on to complete their doctoral degree in Psychology before becoming registered or licensed to practice. This will take another three to four years of study on average. As part of the doctoral program, students will complete a more complex research project in Psychology that will serve as their doctoral thesis. They will also complete an intensiv... ...uch as visual perception and the behaviour of single cells in the brain to complex studies of the behavior of large groups of people.Psychologists may choose to work in a firm, dealing one on one with people who have enlisted for the psychologist's help. In this area, a psychologist may work with abuse victims, abusers, drug abusers, children, marriage problems, and people with an array of disorders, problems, and some who just need help with a problem. Ted Bosack, the director of the Psychology department of Providence University, was kind enough to answer a few questions I sent to him about psychology. He stressed that the best psychologist isn't necessarily the one with the highest I.Q. It takes dedication and an extreme connection with people.Mr. Bosack said, "When you've got a high I.Q., you can write a book on marriage. When you've got a high E.Q., you have a great marriage." He thinks the best psychologist needs, not only high intelligence, but high emotional understanding to better understand people. I think his outlook sums up what a psychologist should be; someone open to those in need of one's understanding, one that will be a confident, as well as a friend.

ratio analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Financial Ratios: What They MeanIn assessing the significance of various financial data, managers often engage in ratio analysis, the process of determining and evaluating financial ratios. A financial ratio is a relationship that indicates something about a company's activities, such as the ratio between the company's current assets and current liabilities or between its accounts receivable and its annual sales. The basic source for these ratios is the company's financial statements that contain figures on assets, liabilities, profits, and losses. Ratios are only meaningful when compared with other information. Since they are often compared with industry data, ratios help managers understand their company's performance relative to that of competitors and are often used to trace performance over time.Ratio analysis can reveal much about a company and its operations. However, there are several points to keep in mind about ratios. First, a ratio is just one number divided by another. Financial ratios are only "flags" indicating areas of strength or weakness. One or even several ratios might be misleading, but when combined with other knowledge of a company's management and economic circumstances, ratio analysis can tell much about a corporation. Second, there is no single correct value for a ratio. The observation that the value of a particular ratio is too high, too low, or just right depends on the perspective of the analyst and on the company's competitive strategy. Third, a financial ratio is meaningful only when it is compared with some standard, such as an industry trend, ratio trend, a ratio trend for the specific company being analyzed, or a stated management objective.In trend analysis, ratios are compared over time, typically years. Year-to-year comparisons can highlight trends and point up the need for action. Trend analysis works best with three to five years of ratios.The second type of ratio analysis, cross-sectional analysis, compares the ratios of two or more companies in similar lines of business. One of the most popular forms of cross-sectional analysis compares a company's ratios to industry averages. These averages are developed by statistical services and trade associations and are updated annually. Some of these sources will be covered later in this guide.Financial ratios can also give mixed signals about a company's fina... ...h ratio is also given. Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios. Leo Troy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Annual. (REF HF 5681 .R25 T7)The source of all data are tax returns filed with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The most recent edition covers approximately 4.7 million active corporate federal income tax returns, including those owned or controlled by foreign persons. The publication profiles corporate performance in two analytical tables for each industry. Table I reports operating and financial information for all corporations, those with and without net income. Table II provides the same information as Table I, but only for corporations with net income. It provides 50 performance indicators for each industry. At the end of each industry section, performance indicators for the last ten years are shown. Data are grouped into 16 categories by size of assets in each industry. About 180 lines of business are covered.Norms in actual dollars for revenue and capital factors such as net receivables, inventories, and total assets are given. It also gives average operating costs in percent of net sales for: cost of operations, pensions and benefits, comp

International Business Essay -- essays research papers

Today’s world of rapid increase in and expansion of technology is the reasons for recent International Business growth. The rapid growth in international business makes an understanding of organizational behavior all the more important for contemporary managers. Businesses have expanded internationally to increase their market share, as the domestic markets were too small to sustain growth. Business transactions are also becoming increasing blurred across national boundaries. Companies engage in international business to expand sales, acquire resources, diversify their sources of sales and supplies, and minimize competitive risk. When operating abroad, companies may have to adjust their usual methods of carrying on business. This is because foreign conditions often dictate a more appropriate method and because the operating modes used for international business differ somewhat from those used on a domestic level. In many ways, then, we are becoming a truly global economy. No longer will a firm be able to insulate it from foreign competitors or opportunities. International business usually takes place in more diverse external environments than found domestically. Businesses worldwide are no longer going International but expanding globally. This fast occurring global expansion of businesses all over the world has been given a new term, it is called international business. As human beings, we encounter risk every day of our lives. As a manager, risk becomes even more importan...

Essay on Informal and Formal Griencance Essay

This essay will explore the difference between formal and informal Grievance process, how it can be prevented and a sample of the authors own work of grievance investigation and conclusion As a shift Manager and part of my responsibilities to ensure that we have a harmonious working relationship between staff and management. For the purpose of this essay, I will cover the Grievance process, how it can be prevented and a sample of grievance proceedings that I handled. A grievance is generally any complaint that has been presented by an employee to a management representative about an aspect of the employee work, working conditions or relationships. They are usually set out to the employer, either verbally or in writing. However, it is important to note that grievance can be presented in many forms and it should always be dealt with to minimise the risk of employment tribunal claims and awards. As part of our company policy and in our contract of employment, the company has adopted a ‘Positive Work Environment, which states that the company is committed to create a harmonious working environment, which is free from harassment and bullying and in which every employee is treated with respect and dignity.’ We have three forms of communicating to all our employees the company’s stance on grievance related issues, which covers staff understanding of what is grievance, the consequences if a grievance case against fellow employee is proven and the reporting procedures. Firstly, we will discuss grievance to all employees through the employee induction process, in their written contract of employment, which is normally issued to the employee after successful three months probation. And finally through the company hand book, which every employee is issued a copy, signed for and advised to read and follow the company’s policies therein. In addition and under the employment act 2002 (Dispute resolution) Regulation 2004, it is the duty of the employer to detect whether a complaint from an employee amount to an informal grievance, and if it is, such complaint should be dealt with through the organisation or that company’s grievance process. The following are common issues that can easily lead to grievance: †¢ Bullying and Harassment  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Discrimination †¢ Poor Management Practice †¢ Inadequate training †¢ Poor communication †¢ Unfair treatment †¢ Unclear job roles †¢ Failure in providing equal opportunities †¢ Personalities, Values, Workload and Expectations †¢ Changes to accepted customs and practices Once the Management understands that the above possible causes can lead to employee grievance complaints, the initial method to prevent it from happening is to adopt it into the company continuous improvement programme, which must form part of the management daily working activities, since issues of grievance can come from all sectors of employees working activities. The secondary prevention measures are how noticeable grievance cases are dealt with appropriately and quickly. As a rule of thumb, the initial approach to deal with grievance is to try and resolve it informally if possible. As it is always the case, leaving or ignoring grievance to develop can often lead to an escalation of the problem, which can lead to Managers having to spend time on endless investigation, lose of good employee and expensive Employment Tribunal proceedings. There are also multiple symptoms that an employee with perceived grievance can exhibit, which in many cases can affect the productivity of the company. For example, an employee may take more time off or sick off from work, or not performed his or her work duties to the optimum, which in many cases is a result of stress or anxiety from work. An experienced Manager or Supervisor should be able to detect some of these signs, talk to the employee concerned and informally resolved the issue as soon as possible. In a situation whereby a Manager could not detect a grievance through the behaviour of one of his employees, but it is established that an employee complaint is a grievance, that Manager should tell that employee that his complaint is a grievance, and must also explained to him his right under the company’s grievance provision to raise or report that matter (instilling confidence). The employee should be assured that the matter will be investigated and dealt with and there will not be any retribution from the company for reporting that issue. As per the grievance procedure contained in the company handbook and under the employment act 2002 (Dispute resolution) Regulation 2004, the employee must put his case in writing, but if for some reason the employee is unable to do this, the Manager should make full notes of the grievance and ask him/her to sign it as being a true representation. Once the written notification or the signed grievance note is given to the employer, an immediate and formal investigation should ensued. The employer should invite the employee in writing to a meeting to discuss the issue. This is an investigatory meeting to review the complaint, and not to give value judgements or comments, and certainly not any form of decision. The investigative officer should have an open mind, as all the facts may not be available to him. He should not pre-empt the decisions that will later be made. The aim at this stage is to identify the grievance, and be clear about the matter so that the company can resolve the grievance.

Jim Elliot Essay

Would you give your life for something you believed in? Jim Elliot died trying to bring people to Christ. This might be all you know about this famous martyr, but he didn’t start out as a missionary in Ecuador. Early on in life, Jim’s parents introduced him to many missionaries who sparked his interest in mission work. In college, he became ever more focused on his goal of spreading the Gospel to the world. Finally, he went to the mission field where he began full-time missionary work. Passionate followers of Christ, like Jim Elliot, will give everything they have, including their lives to reach others, just as Christ did for us.Jim Elliot’s mother had concerns about her son’s safety as a missionary in a foreign country, but Jim recalled that the independent way his parents raised him had helped prepare him for this life. His munificent parents let their children go alone on camping trips for days, and sometimes even weeks. Jim learned many skills from the se trips. They encouraged their children to get jobs early in life. Wanting their children to be self-sufficient and independent, they gave them more freedom than most children had. Because of this independence, Jim later felt comfortable going on his own to live in a foreign country.His camping experiences prepared him to be able to live without many conveniences as he did in the jungles of Ecuador. As a young boy, Jim had many advantageous opportunities to interact with missionaries who were just coming back from the mission field. His parents would have them to dinner and Jim would ask them probing questions about their work. It was stated in Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose, â€Å"It was these visits that began to fire his young imagination with the importance and adventure of missionary life† (Benge, 1999, p.17).As Jim grew into adulthood, his life was actively focused on preparing for the mission field. While attending Bible college, Jim learned about becoming a missionary . He attended camps that trained people to be missionaries. During college, Jim kept an informative, detailed journal on interesting facts about missionary life. Later, he began giving speeches to college students. Jim ardently told the students how unfair it was that the United States had more missionaries and Christian resources than any other country.He stated, â€Å"There was one Christian worker for every five hundred people in the United States while the rest of the world averaged one Christian worker for every fifty thousand people† (Benge, 1999, p. 22). Using these facts, Jim hoped to encourage the students to become highly interested in being missionaries outside of the United States. After college, Jim began praying for a committed missionary partner. He reunited with different friends from college who shared his passion. Many of his partners fell through, but finally, after much praying and searching, he found someone devoted and dedicated to partner with.Now that Jim had a partner, he was finally ready to be a full-fledged missionary in Ecuador among the Quichua Indians. During that time, Jim was increasingly focused on his work. He did not even stop for marriage. Finally though, after living in South America for quite a while, he did marry his college sweetheart, Betty Howard, right there in Ecuador. They even had a child there. Jim and Betty lived out the verse in the Bible that says, â€Å"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord† (New International Version, Joshua 24:15).While in Ecuador, Jim learned of an isolated tribe called the Aucas; this was a tribe no one had been able to reach with the Gospel because they were so violent. Determined to reach them, Jim Elliot and his resolute partners moved out to a remote location called Palm Beach so they could preach to the vicious tribe. They were only there for a few, short days before Jim and his partners were killed by the very people they were trying to reach. As Jim E lliot was facing death that fateful day, he put his hand on the pocket where he had a gun. He knew he would not use it though.Jim and his partners had made a solemn promise to each other, â€Å"They would not kill those they came to share the gospel with in the name of Jesus Christ† (Benge, 1999, p. 175). What causes a man to be willing to die for a cause? Most people do not set out to die, but people who passionately follow Christ surrender their will to wherever He will lead them. Therefore, they will be obedient to Christ even unto death. Even Jesus prayed, â€Å"O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will† (KingJames Version, Matthew 26:39). Jim Elliot developed a passion for Christ early in life. As he grew into a man, his desire to be a missionary became his life focus. When he was finally able to do the Lord’s work in Ecuador, he was willing to give his life to do it. Even though he had a gun on h im, Jim did not use it; this showed that he was truly ready to die for the Lord. There is so much to learn from Jim Elliot’s example, â€Å"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he can not lose† (Elliot, 1958, p. 108).

Faculty Interview

Faculty Interview Kathleen Fargo University of Phoenix Role of the Health Care/Nursing Educator HSN/548 Denise York November 26, 2012 Faculty Interview Changes are occurring in the health care arena today. With changes in legislation regarding health care regulation and the mandatory health care there is an increase in the already shortage of nurses. With the shortage of nurses come the requirements for an increased need for nursing educators. Responsibilities of the nurse educator extend beyond teaching the student.Educators must shift the emphasis for the result of learning with retention of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the role of a current nursing educator presently employed in a state college in Oklahoma. C. B. is currently an Associate Professor at Seminole State College (SSC) in Oklahoma. Her first position in teaching was as a registered nurse with an associate degree in nursing at a technology school as an educator for the school of practical nursing. She obtained a bachelor’s of science in nursing, was promoted to coordinator of the program. C. B. as obtained a master’s of science in nursing and has been employed at SSC for three years. SSC offers a cooperative alliance nursing program, a bridge program for licensed practical nurses to obtain an associate degree in nursing. SSC is a two-year college working in conjunction with two technological schools in the area to provide a bridge program from the technological school’s practical nursing program to the associate degree in nursing program. Today’s colleges and universities are faced with changing issues related to education and the health science program.According to Billings and Halsted (2009), driving forces for the changes include â€Å"increasing multiculturalism of society, finite financial resources in education and health care, expanding technology and the accompanying knowledge explosion†¦ and the increasing public demand for accountab ility of educational outcomes† (p. 3). Nursing programs must increase the demand for nurses by increasing the number of graduates. Fewer educators are available to teach the increasing number of nursing students.As full-time faculty leaves the institution, colleges and universities are forced to fill the positions with adjunct faculty because of budget constraints. â€Å"Many accrediting agencies require a percentage of full-time faculty and specific targets for faculty with terminal degrees in the disciplines in which they teach† (Stenerson, Blanchard, Fassiotto, Hernandez, & Muth, 2010, p. 25). Accreditation can also depend on the faculty responsibility for the university or colleges ability to â€Å"demonstrate faculty responsibility for the curriculum and faculty perspectives in the process of shared governance† (Ibid).C. B. is assigned to the bridge program as the technology school where she was formerly employed is one of the practical nursing programs wher e she was the coordinator. She is familiar with the programs and is able to provide out of classroom support. C. B. is required to be a member of the committee where updating of the clinical classes occurs. Adjunct faculty who have been at the state college for more than a year are encouraged to participate in committees. Textbooks are decided on in the committee.If the adjunct faculty prefers not to participate in the curricula committee meetings their input is welcome regarding the text selections and curricula planning. The adjunct faculty presently employed at SSC have clinical experience and are familiar with the clinical sites for the students. Full-time faculty is encouraged to obtain a PhD although it is not required. Full-time educators are also assigned two to three adjunct faculty to mentor if the part-time faculty has been employed by the college for less than one year.The associate professor is responsible, with the program director, in evaluating the adjunct nursing ed ucators mentored. Whether full-time or an adjunct professor, each nurse educator has a responsibility to uphold the mission of the institution by mentoring, teaching critical thinking skills, being a positive role model, and practices ethical conduct. Nursing programs must be maintained to remain current. With informatics as a newer field in nursing, along with computers, and rapid changes in technology, practicing and teaching have changed.Additional fields in health care include genomics, cloning, organ transplants, and a potential for pandemics, all which must be included in the nursing curricula in addition to the already existent fundamentals of nursing (Rosenkoetter& Mistead, 2010). In Seminole, Oklahoma the main three minorities include native Americans, Latinos, and African-Americans. SSC is a multicultural college and the cultures are taken into account for the method s taught in the classes. Beliefs and customs are treated with respect nonjudgmentally.Family nursing is add ressed in the clinical classes as students are educating families and the patient on the final diagnosis. Community involvement is strongly recommended for full-time faculty and required of tenured professors. Tenured professors are required to participate in research committees. As classes are phased out tenured professors may have their position eliminated although elimination of positions has not been an issue for SCC’s nursing program. Vacant positions arise as nursing educators acquire a PhD and move to a higher university. Today’s nurse educator has a difficult job.The educator must take the responsibility of turning students into learners rather than the educator just teaching. Increased graduation rates is a must in the current nursing shortage that will extend for decades. The educator faces rapidly changing technology with the college or university’s limited budgets, larger student loads with a smaller faculty, multicultural classes, and different gene rations of students. C. B. ’s goal is to obtain her PhD eventually and transfer to a university. References Billings, D. M. , & Halsted, J. A. (2009). Teaching in Nursing: A Guide for Faculty (3rd ed. . Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders. Rosenkoetter, M. M. , Milstead, J. A. Nursing Ethics. Jan 2010, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p137-139. Retrieved from https://ehis. ebscohost. com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=2&hid=124&sid=0bd9c94c-3d04-4761-9781-b7aa77ff8179%40sessionmgr14 Stenerson, J. , Blanchard, L. , Fassiotto, M. , Hernandez, M. , & Muth, A. (2010, Summer). The role of adjuncts in the professoriate. Peer Review, 12(3), 23-26. Retrieved from https://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=ehh&AN=54710247&site=eds-livetf

Productive and Counterproductive Behavior

Productive and Counterproductive Behaviors An organization will have employees with one of two behavior types. They can either be productive or counterproductive. The root cause of counterproductive behavior can be rooted in employee turnover, attendance issues, or lack of training. It is up to the organization to make an attempt to identify what the causes of their employees’ counterproductive behavior and attempt to find a workable solution. Productive Behavior and its Impact on an Organization Employers want productive behavior out of their employees because productive employees create revenue for the organization. However, employees tend to think just because they are doing â€Å"something† and not idle they are being productive. Their way of thinking would be incorrect. Productive behavior is â€Å"employee behavior that contributes positively to the goals and objectives of the organization† (Jex & Britt, 2008). As we can see merely doing something to occupy ones time is not being productive. Whether or not an employee is being productive can be measured by the cost associated with the employee’s performance and how effective they are. For example, there are two employees in a shoe store with similar sales figures and they sell the same number of shoes each month. The only difference in these two employees is that employee A works ten hours per day and employee B works a six-hour day. Employee B is the more productive employee because employee B accomplishes the same goal in fewer hours. There is a lower cost associated with employee B making him the more productive employee. Efficient employees are productive because they complete large amount of work in a short period of time. When employees are being productive they are concentrating on performing â€Å"core tasks† (Jex & Britt, 2008) and are bringing in revenue for the organization. An organization with productive employees will see less employee absences and in their turnover rate. Counterproductive Behavior Counterproductive behavior is â€Å"behavior that explicitly runs counter to the goals of an organization† (Jex & Britt, 2008). Employees who are counterprodtive may be employees who have issues with absenteeism or frequently tardy, substance abuse, they may steal from the employer, or simply have â€Å"ineffective job performance† (Jex & Britt, 2008). Any behavior that prevents an employee from conducting their job and producing for the employer is considered counterproductive. An Employee who take all day to complete a task because they are there all day and getting paid by the hour is an employee that is counterproductive. Another behavior that is counterproductive is an employee that uses unsafe practices at work. By not following safety rules employees can cause an injury to themselves or to another causing the employee to miss work. As previously stated, absenteeism is a counterproductive behavior. Strategies to Increase Productive Behavior To increase productive behavior in an organization and decrease counterproductive behavior an organization must investigate the cause. Sometimes the reason an employee is counterproductive are out of the employees’ control. For situations that are within the employees’ control, the organization must clearly outline their expectations for their employees. An organization must also outline the consequences for such negative behavior. Drug and alcohol testing and an attendance guidelines policy can be established. These policies will let the employee know what is expected of them and the consequences for not complying. The organization should also make efforts to understand why their employees are not coming to work (Associated Content, 2007). There are times when a personal issue can have its affect on an employees’ behavior. An organization can begin an employee assistance program that would offer counseling to employees if such a program were within the organizations budget. Lack of training and the appropriate tools for performing necessary job functions are factors that are out of the employees’ control. The organization needs to ensure all of their employees have all the proper tools. They can easily do a visual survey and question employees asking them what tools they could use to better perform their job function. Organizations must also ensure all of their employees have the proper training. If employees are not adequately trained they do not know how to perform their job functions. Organizations must adequately train or retrain if necessary any and all employees that require training. At times performing follow up training with all employees ensures employees are all on the same page as far as what their specific job functions are. Performance appraisals also need to be performed on all employees in order for them to know how they are performing in according with their job expectations. These performance appraisals will also serve as a tool to help the employee improve their performance and productivity. A performance appraisal should also be used to praise employees and let them know what they are doing that makes a positive impact on the organization (hrVillage, n. d. ). Both of productive and counterproductive behaviors have their impact on an organization. There are a number of reasons an employee can be counterproductive. Once the root cause has been identified an organization can begin to turn the counterproductive behavior into productive behavior. References Associated Content. (2007). Call Centers: 6 Steps to Improving Employee Attendance and Performance. Retrieved, March 29, 2010, from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/189770/call_centers_6_steps_to_improving_employee. html? cat=31 hrVillage. (n. d. ). Employee Productivity. Retrieved, March 29, 2010, from http://www. hrvillage. com/human-resources/employee-productivity. htm Jex, S. M. &Britt, T. W. (2008). Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner approach, 2nd ed. New Jersey: John Wiley and sons.

Adidas vs Nike Case Study

Creating a powerful website wherein all products and services offered of the company are available and also a websites which interactive too. 5. Using woman athletes in their advertising tactics: commercials or models. SWOT Analysis Strengths †¢ In many invents  is the biggest sponsor †¢ Strong management team †¢ Brand recognition and reputation †¢ Diversity and variety in products offered on the web (footwear, apparel, sporting equipment, etc. ) †¢ Strong control over its own distribution channel †¢ No bad reputation like child labor or environment pollution †¢ In the Soccer industry, Adidas has a stronghold Weaknesses †¢ High prices in some products †¢ E-commerce is limited to USA †¢ Online customer service not helpful or NOT easy to find. Opportunities †¢ Increase female participation in athletics †¢ Collaborate with other online retailers to offer Adidas products †¢ Possibility of outsourcing the web development and e-commerce to a third party developer   Threats †¢ Nikes strong reputation in the footwear and apparel industry too †¢ Negative image created by the sponsored athletes (i. e. Kobe Bryant and his sexual assault case) †¢ Increase in the Price of Raw materials Continuing challenges in import/export duties Competitors Analysis Strengths: †¢ Nike uses a â€Å"Make to Stock† customer order which provides a fast service to customers from available stock. †¢ Nike operates Nike Town shoe and sportswear stores, Nike factory outlets and Nike Women shops. Nike sells its products throughout US and in more than 180 countries. †¢ Nike is strong at research and development, as is evidenced by its evolving and innovative product range. They then manufacture wherever they can produce high quality product at the lowest possible price. †¢ Nike Company is great at expanding their product. Competitors are developing alternative brands to take away Nike’s market share. Objectives of the Analysis 1. To help management understand their competitive advantages/disadvantages relative to competitors. 2. To generate understanding of competitors’ past, present (and most importantly) future strategies 3. To provide an informed basis to develop strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the future. 4. To help forecast the returns that may be made from future investments (e. g. how will competitors respond to a new product or pricing strategy? Strategies . Market Segmentation Most of the consumers of Nike’s products are mainly sportsmen. This is so because of the utility that comes with the products. An athlete is more likely to go a sports shoe designed and marketed by Nike more than a person who detests sporting and exercises. Nike targets these consumers by agreements between Nike and athletic teams, college’s athletic teams, etc. for product spo nsorship and eventual promotion to the members of these teams. In this way, Nike is able to reach a wide number of consumers and consumers who are more likely to buy. Even though others are likely to buy the products, Nike pays specific emphatic targeting to the athlete more than any group of individuals even though it also targets the youth who have embraced the hip hop culture 2. Targeting strategies Nike lays a number of strategies to target their immediate consumers; athletes and other sportsmen. The targeting strategies include among others the sponsorship of products by professional athletic teams, celebrity athletes and college athletic teams. This strategy is specifically successful because of its ability to reach a large number of athletes. If the athletic team manager prescribes a specific type of track shoes made by Nike, the trainees have no option other than to buy them. The teams can as well buy the track shoes in bulky and supply them to the team members. The second strategy that Nike applies is the designing of product destination. It does this by associating success with the product. For example, when a celebrity athlete sponsors a specific brand of athletic shoes, the brand will be associated with success. This psychological effect is reinforced with advertisements that affirm this position. Finally, Nike targets the consumers who are likely to develop product intimacy; those who care more about the utility and quality of the product than the price. In this way, the pricing is not affected too much in a bid to accommodate a large number of consumers. 3. Pricing Strategies Nike targets the consumers who embrace product intimacy and thus care less about the product. This has enables Nike to set relatively higher prices than its competitors. This is a strategy that calls for higher pricing points so as to push the perceived product value. It has been established that consumers who consider a product to be of high quality are likely to pay the high price more often and consistently. Once consumers develop product intimacy, they come to associate their person with the product and will pay whatever price quoted on the product provided it has the Nike logo on it. Another very important thing to note is the fact that Nike uses the vertical integration pricing strategy in which they take ownership of the participants at channel levels that differ and they also engage in multifarious channel level operations both in a bid to control costs and thus influence pricing function. . Distribution Strategies Distribution strategies embraced by an organization can either give them an edge in market or make them lag behind the winners in the market. The more efficient the product distribution is the more sales and thus more profits. The delivery of the right product and at the right time to the consumer not only effects utility but al so leads to high degree of consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Nike distributes its products on level basis. The high priced premium products are given to certain distributors while leaving the low priced to be sold at highly discounted prices at mega retail stores such as Wal-Mart. Whereas Reebok embraced a limited distribution strategy Nike ventured more into a global market capitalization. 5. Promotional and Communication Strategies Apart from Nike selling quality products which have lead to a high degree of customer loyalty, the promotional strategies that the company employs are simply superb. Nike has contracted a number of professional and celebrity athlete which have managed to draw a considerable attention to their products. Some of the sportsmen signed by Nike include soccer stars such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, Basketballers such as Jermaine ONeal and Lebron James2, tri-athlete Lance Armstrong and golf superstar Tiger Woods. This has created a relatively high degree of Nike products’ awareness. Besides the signing of celebrity sportsmen to promote their products, Nike has also employed a great deal of advertisements through the mass media. Nike employs a selective- demand advertisement focused on the high priced shoes used for traditional sports. Research and Development Plan Adidas policy is to control and monitor hazardous substance to protect human health and environment, one of those is to eliminate PVC making progress in finding substitutes like polyurethane, ethyl vinyl, silicones thermoplastic rubber. Adidas also  provide training sessions on employment standards and HR systems, health  and safety is important for the company. Establishing teams to manage and monitor SARS in Asia factory, washing stations, disinfectant  units. Adidas join into technology by make up the world’s first smart shoe, adding a microchip inside the shoe and wireless mp3 player. Also using hot melt system of the  production that is environmentally safe, using heat-activated adhesives. The  packaging that company use, are suitable for transportation over long distances humid conditions and extreme temperature changes and use recycled paper and other  environmentally-friendly packaging materials. Human Resource Plan The welfare of the employees is significant for Adidas family. Adidas identified that in order to achieving the goal to be the global leader in the sporting goods industry depends on the talents, enthusiasm and dedication of the employees. In order to success their satisfaction Adidas uses various methods. Some of these are: †¢ provide medical insurance for staff located in different cities †¢ improve the housing accumulation fund and social retirement fund coverage †¢ introduce flexible working hours †¢ provide annual performance bonus for eligible employees †¢ Make internal agreements on the use of internet, (mobile) phone and E-mail, on reintegration of employees coming back from parental leave, and on on-call service †¢ Support the existence of formal work council Adidas as a large international company occupies thousand of employees of different ethics, cultures, and race. Due to the existence of the HR department the potential  problems are eliminated. As Adidas has to cover many different job positions, the skills that are demanded are various. HR department recruits both low and high skilled employees depending on each job description. Diversity exists in all matters  because there are employees of different age, gender, race, nationality and religion. Alternative Plan and Recommendation In human resource we recommend a continuous training to their employees which are very important. Have a continuous organized and numerous seminars in all levels of employment. As it is mentioned  before, Adidas believes that employees and their talents are critical to the continuing commercial success. For this reason, we recommend Adidas to create a Global Salary Management System which responsibility is to motivate employees through different ways of remuneration and through offering various attractive  compensation systems that could be implemented globally. ADIDAS GROUP OF COMPANY 2012 BRYAN MAWAC RHIZA NEMES 10/11/2012 949 The foundation 18 August adidas is registered as a company, named after its founder: Adi from Adolf and Das from Dassler. 50s The Miracle of Bern 1954 The Miracle of Bern Germany battle Hungary with a competitive advantage. They are wearing adidas soccer boots which for the first time feature removable studs. 60s Higher Driven by a desire to help all athletes committed to performance, adidas manufactures equipment for what some consider fringe s ports. Unconventional high jumper Dick Fosbury launches himself up and over in adidas footwear. 0s The adidas team wins Crowning moment: Franz Beckenbauer, the Kaiser, raising the World Cup in victory salute. Germany had just beaten Holland 2-1 in the 1974 final. 80s The transition After Adi Dasslers death, Adis wife Kathe, his son Horst, and his daughters carry on the business. 90s With a new management Under the CEO Robert Louis-Dreyfus, adidas is moving from being a manufacturing and sales based company to a marketing company. 1995 adidas goes public Flotation of the company on the Frankfurt and Paris Stock Exchange. 1996 A splendid year The three-stripes company equips 6,000 Olympic athletes from 33 countries. adidas athletes win 220 medals, including 70 gold. Apparel sales increase 50%. 1997 adidas-Salomon AG adidas AG acquires the Salomon Group with the brands Salomon, TaylorMade, Mavic and Bonfire in December 1997. The new company is named adidas-Salomon AG. 1999 The new brands The integration of the new brands is gaining momentum. The new TaylorMade FireSole clubs boost sales. Salomon in-line skates take off with high double-digit growth during the first half of 1999. 2000 – New management Following personnel changes, the new management initiates an ambitious Growth and Efficiency Program. Major sports events such as the European Soccer Championship EURO 2000â„ ¢ and the Olympic Summer Games, where swimmer Ian Thorpe takes three gold medals, contribute to the company’s success. 2005 Sale of Salomon The Salomon Group (including Salomon, Mavic, Bonfire, Cliche and Arc’Teryx) is being sold to Amer Sports in October 2005. The new adidas Group is focusing even more on its core strength in the athletic footwear and apparel market as well as the growing golf category. The legal name of the company will change to â€Å"adidas AG† in May/June 2006. 2006 adidas-Salomon AG acquires Reebok The closing of the Reebok transaction on January 31, 2006 marks a new chapter in the history of the adidas Group. By combining two of the most respected and well-known brands in the worldwide sporting goods industry, the new Group will benefit from a more competitive worldwide platform, well-defined and complementary brand identities, a wider range of products, and a stronger presence across teams, athletes, events and leagues. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic]