Counseling (Exisential Therapy) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Counseling (Exisential Therapy) - Essay Example In the spiritual approach, a transcendent answer to the four themes is believed to exist. In the atheistic approach, it is believed that there is no answer to the four major questions. One thing that is for certain for a human being is death. There is no denying it. But one cannot move forward in life if the person if afraid of death. The awareness of a person's life being limited by death can cause anxiety. But ignoring the presence of death in a person's lives will not help either. One will have to use the knowledge of the limitation of life to the best advantage for succeeding in life. Dr. Hoffman states that a person who finds the balance between the awareness of death and finding strength not to get overcome by it will have better chance of leading a fulfilling life (Existential Therapy, http://www.existential-therapy.com/General_Overview.htm). Freedom and Responsibility always come together. When people try to enjoy their freedom while ignoring their responsibilities, chances are that psychological consequences like depression, anger and anxiety starts to occur. Every person is free to choose their path in life, but at the same time he or she should take full responsibility of the outcome. One should never blame another human being for anything that happens in life. This also means that one should never let any belief or organization take charge of their lives. Also one should have the awareness that he or she is not powerless in any situation, either natural calamities, or diseases, or oppression, that he or she is responsible for themselves and the predicament there are currently in. Isolation Throughout one's life, a person is involved in different relations with all the people around him. In doing that the person might try to have a hold in the other person's life. But one needs to realize that human beings are essentially alone in this world. One needs to find validation from within, not from others. This awareness will make one live life more to the fullest than live thoughtlessly (Existential Therapy, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_therapy). Meaninglessness The human life can be described as a journey to find the meaning of life or a journey to create a meaning for life. When one thinks about the human life in terms of the isolation it faces, it might appear meaningless to stay alive. It is now that the urgency of creating one's own values and find or create own meanings for life becomes apparent. This will give the person a feeling of significance and will make the person strong enough to uphold the newly found meaning through life. The Therapy Existential Therapy when applied to real life situation can be viewed from four different angle, they are; the view of man, the goals of therapy, the role of the therapist and the role of the client. The view of man Man being a social animal longs to connect with others and might try to find

The Causes of Challenging Behavior Essay Example for Free

The Causes of Challenging Behavior Essay Dealing with children with challenging behavior has been a source of major problems amongst educators. The depth of the problem and the difficulty of dealing with students with challenging behavior have caused some schools and other educators to not properly address the trouble, hence resulting for the child’s expulsion or transfer from one school to another (Laursen and Peterson, 2005). This research will then seek to identify the causes and other risk factors that led to the development of Challenging Behavior and other related cognitive and behavioral concerns. Challenging Behavior: A Definition The Center for Evidence Based Practice (2007) defined challenging behavior as â€Å"any repeated pattern of behavior, or perception of behavior that interferes with or is at risk of interfering with optimal learning or engagement in pro-social interactions with peers and adults†. In relation with this, Emerson (1995) has added the role of culture on a development of a so-called â€Å"abnormal behavior†. Also, the element of success in school and other academic related activity was also cited by Grady (2007) as significantly related on the notion of challenging behavior. Environmental Factors One of the primary causes of challenging behavior among children is maternal depression (Douglas, 1989 p. 8). Studies showed that 30% of mothers during the 70’s to the 80’s revealed symptoms of melancholy. More specifically, a link between maternal depression and challenging behaviors of children proved to be one of the very vital risk factors. In addition, the notion of irresponsible parenting was claimed by Douglas (1989) as may be a result of a bad relationship with parents or with significant others. The role of the father in developing the behavior of the child is very crucial as studies showed that those fathers who exhibit characters of â€Å"personal disturbance, aggressive and anti-social behaviors† produced a significant effect on the children (p. 8). In addition, the difficult attitude of the father could also lead to a poor communication process that could further lead to minute cooperation and in the long run, irresponsible parenting. The study of Brown et al (1978) as cited from Douglas (1989) revealed four â€Å"Vulnerability Factors† that could be related to depression. The first factor is perceived as the death of one’s mother before the age of 11; the second factor was with regard to the absence of a â€Å"confiding relationship† with the mother’s significant others. The third was the lack of a professional career that would allow the mother to go to work, relate with other people and experience other things; and finally, those mothers who have three or more children who are all below 14 years old. Brown et al revealed that a significant 42% of â€Å"depression rate† was seen amongst mothers who have children who are all below 6 years of age. Barnes et al (1998) as cited from Michigan Non Profit Association (2002) have identified the role of parental illness as also one of the major determining factors for a child’s development of a challenging behavior. Some of the emotional dispositions of the mother that might have caused such is anxiety, depression and other negative emotional bursts that might have affect on the ability of the latter to take care of their children. In effect of this, a child may experience sadness, fear, loneliness and anger. The aggregation of these negative emotions in addition to the illness that is currently being experienced by the mother adds a lot on the distress and negative behavior that a child might exhibit. Corollary with this is the cause of family separation or divorce (Amato, 2002) (Pagain, 1997) as cited from Michigan Non Profit Association (2002). Amato and Pagain claimed that when compared from children who have a relatively better family setting, a child who has a broken family has more risks of developing challenging behaviors. In relation with this, Richman (1978) as cited from Douglas (1989) claimed that maternal depression is also associated on poor marriage; but virtually found no correlation at all to the role of relatives and friends in the curing of their depression. As such Douglas (1989) argued that it might be the case that the participants who are within the study of Richman have a relatively healthy relationship with their relatives and friends; however, such a relationship still cease to be a factor that could contribute to the well being of the mother until a healthy relationship on the significant other is established (Douglas, 1989, p. 9). The case of the child named June could be significantly related to this problem (Peterson, 2005). June is a 15 year-old female which has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and ADHD. In addition with this, she has also been perceived as having a relatively low IQ. June has been experiencing problems in terms of dealing with her peers and also her teachers and school administrators. She has been getting her self into fights, using profanity and frequently shouts at her teachers. On one of the sessions of June to Peterson (2005), she revealed that she recognize the fact that it could be possible that the effect of her mom’s relationship with another man who eventually her step father has also influenced her attitude. In one of the incidents June admitted that her most recent tantrum resulted due to watching a movie that reminded her of the bad incident that happened to her and to her step sister. She claimed that there was this time wherein some men on their place have been using some â€Å"chemicals†. At that time, her step sister became intoxicated and was later on sexually abused by those men. In addition, June herself claimed that she was also raped (Peterson, 2005). The role of marital relationship has been perceived as one of the major factors in shaping child behavior, however McLean (1976) as cited from Douglas (1989, p. 9) argued that there are a relatively few number of parents who are willing to undergo marriage guidance for the sake of their children. In relation with this, the Michigan Non Profit Association (2002) claimed that another reason for the emerging of a child’s challenging behavior could be a result of the relationship between the custodial parent and the child. More specifically, the absence of the custodial parent further makes things more difficult for the child since the latter has usually more attachment to his or her biological mother or father. Other cases such as financial difficulties also emerge on the picture as some parents failed to provide the needs of their children as a result of single parenthood or irresponsibility. The role of environmental stress such as poor housing and poverty has also been asserted by Douglas (1989) and Michigan Non Profit Association (2002) as a contributing factor on challenging behavior. The study made by Richman (1978) as cited from Douglas (1989) revealed the relationship of the type of abode to the development of challenging behavior. Richman claimed that there is a high depression rate that could be seen among children who are living in tower blocks. More specifically, those mothers who reside starting from the fourth floor and higher revealed a relatively high risk factor. The physical conditions of the rooms up stairs have been perceived to be the cause of the problem. Richman (1978) claimed that â€Å"damp housing conditions, lack of electricity or hot water, and overcrowding† (p. 9) also add to the depression that a mother experiences. In addition, majority of the mothers who experience depression are those who are with pre-school children who are unsupported and who are living in single bedsits (Richman as cited from Douglas 1989). In addition, Richman argued that such a type of disposition has further added on the depression that a mother experiences. However Richman as cited from Douglas (1989) made it clear that the abode per se does not directly influenced the behavior of the child, rather the amount of depression that is being experienced by the parent. If a particular mother perceived that she is being demoralized because of the type of her abode and its conditions, therefore she will certainly feel depressed and pass on this depression to her child. In addition to the amount of depression, a parent may also feel angry about her situation. In effect of this, the mother will slowly cut her relationship with her child, lost her patience easily; scrap her self out of enthusiasm and totally let her self fully bothered with her problems and deprive her child of proper care. In addition, Richman also made a point that some mothers who live in depressed areas do not necessarily exhibit depressing behaviors. He maintained that the treatment of a mother’s problem is completely relative to the perceiver.

Human Resources and Organizational Strategy Essay -- Business, Organiz

Human Resources and Organizational Strategy Introduction Organizational success or failure is dependent on a myriad of variables that can be challenging to measure and interpret. Success or failure can simply be luck and timing or an orchestrated and deliberate effort. As new technologies allow organizations the ability to rapidly measure and assess its internal and external environmental factors, more efficient strategies can be quickly implemented. The focus of this literature review is specifically on one of these mentioned variables. The paper will detail the relationship that Human Resources (HR) practices have with an organization’s strategic goals and vision. HR is defined by the Society for Human Resource Management as, â€Å"The function dealing with the management of people employed within the organization.† (SHRM, 2011). The primary functions of administrative, development and management. Administrative functions include those tasks that are often considered â€Å"overhead,† such as benefits and payroll management. Development, or HRD, is defined by Swanson (2001) as, â€Å"Human resource development is a process of developing and/or unleashing expertise through organization development (OD) and personnel training and development for the purpose of improving performance (as cited by Hassan, 2007, pg. 2). Lastly, management is those strategic functions that align HR tasks within its own department and with the overarching organizational strategies. This paper will attempt to give a broad overview from the available literature within three areas. First, the paper will explore the historical relationships of HR and organizational strategy. Second, the paper will give an overview of current practices and trends. Lastly,... ...an approach of partnership is critical for organizations that want to gain competitive advantages. Butler, Ferris & Napier (1991) state this as, â€Å"the more management believes that HRM contributes to corporate success, the more its role will be integrated into the firm’s strategic planning process.† (as cited by Rose & Kumar, 2006, pg. 3). Additionally, organizations that apply energy and resources to HRD benefit from an increase in human capital. Là ³pez-Cabrales, Real & Valle (2011) state the benefits of building human capital as, â€Å"If the company adopts appropriate procedures of personnel management, human capital can be orientated to the achievement of sustainable competitive advantages† (pg. 5). In conclusion, it is recommended that further literature reviews be completed to explore study results that supplement or add to information already reviewed. â€Æ'

The Unspoken Dangers of Tanning Beds Essays -- Expository Essays Resea

The Unspoken Dangers of Tanning Beds Tanning beds are devices that emit ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) in order to darken one’s skin complexion. It is believed that approximately 28 million Americans are tanning indoors, in some 25,000 tanning salons nationwide (http://www.fda.gov/ cdrh/consumer/tanning.html ). The rising popularity of tanning beds came about a few decades ago when the media and society started emphasizing that bronzed skin was â€Å"in.† A variety of people use tanning beds, both men and women, and for a variety of reasons; some use them as a weekly (or even daily) routine, others use them seasonally (when it’s hard to get a tan in the winter) and then of course there are the â€Å"event† tanners who go before a big event like a prom, wedding or spring break cruise. Media and what it implies about today’s culture has a massive pull factor on what American people buy. Also, the effects of peer pressure cause people to tan in tanning beds; if the majority of your peers are doing it, then you don’t want to be the only pale kid on the block, despite the consequ...

Lines of Color, Sex, and Service: Sexual Coercion in the Early Republic by Sharon Block Essay

â€Å"Lines of Color, Sex, and Service: Sexual Coercion in the Early Republic† by Sharon Block is based on two women who were mistreated by their masters. Rachel Davis, a white woman, was a servant to William and Becky Cress when she was 14-years-old. Harriet Jacobs, an enslaved black woman, was a slave in James and Mary Norcom’s household. When the women reached ages 15 and 16, both their masters made sexual overtures to them, in which the women had to try and over power. Becky Cress, William’s wife and Mary Norcom, James’ wife were women who could not control their husband’s actions. Since both Becky and Mary suspected that their husbands were having a sexual relationship with their servant, they insisted that the servant left the house immediately. Even though Rachel and Harriet were removed from their master’s household, their masters continued to visit them at their new home trying to have sex with them. When Mary had Harriet sleep with her so her husband could not and so she could â€Å"protect† Harriet, Harriet said, â€Å"she whispered in my ear, as though it was her husband who was speaking to me, and listened to hear what I would answer. (140) When Mary confronted her husband about the issue, he did not stop his sexual overtures. After Becky heard William trying to kiss Rachel in the cellar, Rachel said, â€Å"she had caught him & he wd deceive her no longer, but William denied any wrongdoing and Becky left in tears. These verbal confrontations apparently did not alter William’s behavior; he continued to force himself sexually upon Rachel. † (140) These two wives show that they had no power over their husband. They confronted their husbands about the situation and all they did was deny their behaviors, which lead to Becky and Mary not undertaking any actions to put their husband’s sexual overtures to an end. If Becky and Mary really wanted their husband’s sexual relationship with their servant to end, why didn’t they remove their husband from the house? Or why didn’t they just divorce their husband? This shows how men over powered women during this time by talking their way out of dilemmas and how women did not have the courage to stand up for themselves and prove that they are right and their husband are wrong. By Rachel Davis being a white woman she had more of an opportunity to over power her master than Harriet Jacobs. â€Å"The master of the white servant was sent to prison, while the black slave imprisoned herself to escape her abuser. † (136) â€Å"In 1807, Rachel’s father found out what had occurred and initiated a rape prosecution against William, who was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison. † (136) Since Rachel had her father’s support and also because she was white she was very fortunate that her master ended up in jail. Even though Rachel and Harriet’s rape incidents by their masters were very similar, â€Å"enslaved women ordinarily did not have access to the protection offered by a patriarchal figure. † (143) This is unfair to Harriet because she doesn’t get the local legal system to form a criminal prosecution like they did for Rachel because she is black. Harriet also went through rougher times than Rachel. Rachel was demanded out of the household right when her mistress suspected the sexual relationship. For Harriet, Mary demanded that she left the house when she found out Harriet was pregnant. Harriet had to do this so she could get away from her master and show her mistress that what her husband was doing to her was factual. Harriet didn’t have anyone to help her end her master’s sexual overtures on her, she had to became a runaway slave, and hide in her free grandmother’s attic. Even though both the masters treated Rachel and Harriet the same way, Harriet’s grandmother could not help her lead to legal intervention like Rachel’s father did for her. During this time, women were treated with no respect just as if they were nothing, especially the black women.

Free sample - The Twenties Modernism Vs Traditionalism. translation missing

The Twenties Modernism Vs Traditionalism. The Twenties Modernism Vs TraditionalismIntroduction This decade (1920-1929) is also known as the 'Roaring Twenties ' and sometimes as the 'Jazz age'. This is a period with a huge number of developments in the United States, first of all, there was the economic boom, and this was a post war effect of the First World War. The decade was graced with a spell of economic prosperity. In the early years of this decade, America realized that they have huge urbanized settings than rural. This was also the time when there was prohibition in the United States causing rise of criminals and criminal families such as Al Capone and the Chicago outfit. During this decade, baseball was the major sport and this was when the immigration act was passed. This is also when women were allowed to vote in the nation and work so there was a rather large number of women in work areas.1 Modernism versus Traditionalism During that decade the generation of youth began behaving differently than was previously seen as the norm. Youths lived in the urban areas and mostly led brush (fast-paced) lives. This new trait that was developing altogether is what is being referred to as modernism now and the traits that were left in order to adopt this new life standard is known as traditionalism. Before modernism, the elders stayed in the rural areas and lead quiet and deliberate lives. In order for us to see both sides of the coin of this argument we should try to understand these two groups of individuals. We must consider this in the light of how they saw each other in what areas and what makes them different. These areas are Urban and Rural, Evolutionist and Creationist, Youthful and Aged, The Alcohol debate (prohibition), The radio and Car effects. URBAN VS RURAL: during this time America was at the peak of urbanization trend that began around fifty2 years earlier and for the first time the nation was seen as more urban than rural. The modernists of this time preferred the fast-paced lifestyle. The time was characterized by a huge influx of population to the cities. The cities offered their thoughts to the traditionalists who were backward people at that time and were against development and that they lived their lives based on very thin margins of thinking and they were not open to change. The traditionalists at the time preferred the quiet life in the countryside and the farms. Generally the rural people had their own opinions about the modernists who lived in the cities; they considered them immoral due to their dressing styles and other character traits and since the modernists were more in the cities and business was prosperous they saw the modernists as people too much into money and materialistic values. EVOLUTIONIST AND CREATIONISTS: The modernists at the time started drifting away from the norm and beliefs of religion. They no more accept the known doctrines that the world was created by a deity which was a strong belief of traditionalists; modernists started becoming more liberal and started accepting explanations that the world, as we know it, was evolved as stated by the biological concept of evolution.3 This concept says that any living creature is bound by time and develop with the passage of time; this means the creatures become better in their later generations. This also caused a major trial4 (the Scope’s trial) which happened in 1925 in the state of Tennessee in which a teacher, John Scope was accused of teaching the concept of evolution to his students. The teacher was found guilty but the trial ruling was overturned due to a problem in the prosecutions side. The traditionalists preferred to stick to religion and its doctrines at the time. They stay within the boun daries and teachings of bible and believed that the world was created by God and that evolution was a myth and that the opinion that humans came from monkeys (as dictated by the theory of evolution) is untrue and it should not be taught to students as it is misleading and would derail the generation away from their roots and culture as they literally are considered to be the gospel. Thus traditionalist were against it. YOUTH AND ELDERS/ADULTS: In this period it was the youths that mainly look to the modernist lifestyle. At the time, the youth gave precedence to certain objects that the elders did not see as necessary. Youths loved cars and the fast lives. They court around not to find spouses but just to have fun. Youths also desired life that gave off an air of independence and this they can only find in the cities and urban areas where one had to be a bit unscrupulous in order to get along. The women youth of the time came to be known as flappers due to their dressing habits, they wore short dresses and dyed their hair; this was the fashion at the time. They also wore make up which was not the norm. The elderly at the time are the ones who had the traditionalist aspect in them. They preferred life that gave them a sense of community and security which was mainly found in the rural and farm areas. They saw the youth of the time as being careless and immoral; the traditionalists had a more conserva tive dressing style, a more modest living and even speaking style. Even in the art that the traditionalists preferred it was more modest and subtle. THE ALCOHOL FACTOR: This also falls into the realm of prohibition5 also know as the 'noble experiment'. This was a period in which United States government had banned any activity that involved alcohol in its borders as in the transport, manufacture and sale of alcohol was banned within the United States borders.   Now even though this was the situation in the country, alcohol still did play a major role in the modernist vs. traditionalist agenda, after all, alcohol was still available mainly by means of crime lords and families such as that of Al Capone and the Chicago outfit. Modernists saw alcohol as an element that provided personal freedom. This was a complete paradox of what the traditionalists believed: they said that alcohol caused crimes and broke apart families and that where there was no alcohol people were generally happier and healthier. This period caused the aforementioned crime outfits to prosper even though alcohol was later legalized in 1933. EFFECTS OF THE RADIO: In 1923, there was a frenzy about radio and by the end of that year there was close to six hundred radio stations and close to half a million households in the nation possessed radio sets; whereas in 1922, there was less than a hundred thousand sets. Thus, within a short while it seemed as though radio was all everyone was doing because almost all organizations that were worth mentioning had radio stations. This provided a sure quick fire resulted in easy access to information. Spreading ad and promotions becomes easier. In addition to information, radio also provided entertainment. This changed lifestyle preferred by the modernists is what is totally different from the lifestyle followed by traditionalists. Traditionalist think modernist as leaving their norms behind, whereas young traditionalist thinks modernist’s lifestyle as attractive. Thus, it has been said that the Twenties were shaped by a clash of culturesmodernist versus traditional. This was an era shaped by two groups of people different in almost everything, whether it is their thoughts or their dressing style, their religion beliefs or their general lifestyle. Two cultures were coming face to face thus there were clashes plus acceptances. Thus people always give this argument that that time was a time of cultural clash.    Bibliography: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Paul Sann, The Lawless Decade(Dover Publication: New York 1970). 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"A GODLIKE PRENSENCE †: the impact of radios in 1920s and 1930s 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wayne Curtis, Bootleg Paradise (American heritage: may/April 2007). 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Barth , The Friday Book(G. P. Putnam's Sons:1984). 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Carneiro Robert, Evolutionism in Cultural Anthropology: A Critical History(Westview Press, Boulder, CO, 2003).

Essay on Management Information Systems

Essay on Management Information Systems Essay on Management Information Systems Essay on Management Information SystemsSchool Service Supply Inc. (SSS) is the statewide provider of school supplies. The company provides a wide range of materials and supplies to K-12 schools. SSS has a diverse network of suppliers and offers more than 88,000 SKUs to the schools. The company is the result of the unification of many regional suppliers. It should be noted that SSS does not supply textbooks and computers to the schools. SSS also has a wide sales and distribution network: there are 250 outside agents who cover all states and major areas; there are also 8 large distribution centers. The primary marketing tool of SSS is its large printed catalog.There are different types of competitors for SSS. Although there are no direct competitors, large retailers such as Office Depot (and other furniture retailers), national manufacturer of low-end school furniture Virco and local suppliers target the same clients are SSS. Currently the market share belonging to SSS is only 15%. One of the deficiencies of SSS is its outdated information system: the company uses different software and information systems for different processes (i.e. there are separate systems for ordering, forecasting demand, managing inventory, etc.). As a result, 30% of orders have errors arrive incomplete, are inaccurate or late.Strengths and weaknesses of SSSSSS has several key strengths. First of all, the company is represented in all states and has many effective sales representatives. Secondly, SSS has an efficient supply chain which includes more than 8,000 suppliers. The number of SKUs offered by SSS is also impressive and exceeds 88,000 units. Furthermore, SSS occupies a unique market niche which is not addressed directly by the competitors. SSS emerged due to various mergers and acquisitions of regional suppliers; therefore, the company is composed of experienced businessmen with a good market understanding of at least their region or state. The company can further increase sales a nd leverage its strengths by contacting more schools, offering a convenient way of reviewing the items offered, providing discounts and bulk orders to their clients.SSS also has a number of weaknesses. Its first weakness is the inefficiency of internal processes. In particular, 30% of incorrect or late orders is an indicator of poorly organized processes; such errors are likely to discourage customers. Secondly, SSS has inefficient marketing approach: it is expensive and inconvenient to market the items using catalogs nowadays. It seems that SSS is not represented in the web and hence more advanced school purchase agents simply have no information about SSS. The inefficiency of information systems in SSS is also a significant weakness: the companys systems are outdated and are not communicating with each other.Threats and opportunities of SSSThere are plenty of market opportunities for SSS. The company focuses on a particular market segment schools, and currently reached only 15% o f this market. SSS can establish contacts with the new customers and expand its business. Furthermore, SSS can include computers and textbooks as part of its offers. It might be efficient to offer turnkey solutions for classes and schools. It might be also efficient for SSS to get in touch with the providers of school software and to include software as part of their offers. SSS can collaborate with home schoolers and specialized schools. In addition to this, SSS can expand its market segment to include colleges and universities. One more opportunity is the use of online sales and creating a special website with interactive catalog of items offered by SSS.The threat originating from internal sources is the decline of SSSs reputation due to failed orders and the consequent decline of their market position. The biggest external threat emerges from competition, especially from large competitors such as Office Depot. Such competitors have more efficient operations and more sophisticated customer management systems, so they can easily enter the market segment where SSS is operating. Other threats include difficulty of competing with local mom and pop school suppliers because of the personal links existing between the schools and these suppliers and seasonality of sales.Benefits of information systemsThe use of a modern integrated management information system will significantly assist SSS in improving its market position. The use of integrated information systems in an organization has a number of advantages. Immediate benefits emerge from operational benefits SSS will be able to enhance performance, to increase turnover and improve efficiency of managing inventory, will be able to manage customer relationships in a better way, etc (Stair Reynolds, 2013). One more direct advantage of using one powerful information system will be the integration and alignment of all processes (Stair Reynolds, 2013). Using such system, SSS will be able to synchronize the actions o f its suppliers and sales representatives.It is recommended to align the information system with organizational website and ecommerce opportunities. Customers will be able to place orders online or by phone, to review items offered by SSS, to post own reviews and share experiences. Sales representatives will be able to check the availability of items, offer bulk prices and form orders on the go. Furthermore, suppliers will be able to receive and ship orders instantly. In addition to this, the use of information system will help SSS to manage its logistics and transportation more efficiently: the company will be able to merge orders and deliveries when the inventory management systems of its distribution centers are integrated.Creating a competitive advantage using information systemsIn addition to operational benefits offered by the use of information systems, there also emerge tactical and strategic benefits (Sousa Oz, 2014). Tactical benefits include increased visibility of busin ess operations, improved forecasting, the opportunity to make preliminary orders and to negotiate different options of the order with the clients (Sousa Oz, 2014). The availability of operational and tactical information creates a background for developing business intelligence. SSS will be able to set more precise strategic goals and assess its current and future market position with the help of information systems. Employees and senior management will be able to trace real-time information and therefore improve decision-making, formation of prices and interactions with the customers.Using information systems, SSS can develop the following competitive advantages: optimize its costs and overheads, optimize the supply chain, make prices more competitive, enhance planning and forecasting, etc. Furthermore, the presence of information system will help SSS add new items to its catalog such as school textbooks, computers and even school software. Therefore, the implementation of a unifi ed management information system will help SSS improve its operations, strengthen its market position and create competitive advantages.

Disproving Tolstoy essays

Disproving Tolstoy essays Music is the shorthand of emotion, (Leo Tolstoy). One may take this statement one of two ways. Tolstoy may mean that music, through the use of smaller elements, communicates a greater idea. He also may mean that music is an end to justify a superficial mean. Judging by Tolstoys theories and the fact that he often omits music (or vast genres of it) when arguing his philosophies of art, the latter is more probable. A Russian fiction writer turned philosopher, Tolstoy has some rather interesting theories of what is art. Throughout the course of this paper, I will explain what total serialism is, why its art, what Tolstoys theories are and why they do not hold up when looked at in relation to total serialism. Total serialism is an extension of Arnold Schoenbergs 12-tone technique, also known as dodecaphony. It was one of the most important and influential compositional styles of the 20th century. In the most basic terms, 12-tone serialism is a technique that aims to compose music in which no one tone more important than another. Through the use of a complex mathematical structure called a matrix, the music is composed. Though it may seem a little arduous to explain how this system works, it is important so that the reader may understand the amount of effort and creativity it takes to compose a serialistic piece. There are four different structures in a matrix. The original 12-tone row is called the prime. The prime is a series of randomly generated numbers (0-11) that correspond with each pitch in the chromatic scale. The prime backwards is called the retrograde. When all the intervals of the prime are inverted, it is called the inversion and when the inversion is played backwards, it i s called the retrograde inversion. A matrix includes each of these structures starting on each of the 12 pitches. The intervals are constant for each type of structure (i.e. prime, retrograde...) the only thing that changes ...

What You learned in this class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

What You learned in this class - Assignment Example The grammar and referencing skills learnt in class remain fundamental in transforming my writing skills. The class was significant in enhancing my knowledge in MLA referencing and formatting style. MLA style gives the general guidelines for formatting academic papers and using English language in writing. MLA style enable writers to learn a system for referencing sources through thorough citation in their papers and inclusion of work cited pages. It was encouraging to learn the effective MLA formatting skills including the need for a cover page and inclusion of page numbers. In addition, formatting MLA papers entails good referencing of all information sources used. The use of MLA protects writers from accusation of plagiarism and demonstrates their liability to the source of material. Graduate students should use MLA style to reference their assignments. Understanding basic grammar mistakes, identification, and correcting them is essential in writing a good academic paper. A good academic paper remains void of grammar errors including spelling, punctuation, and use of tense. In addition, correct and good grammar is imperative in avoiding common mistakes and presenting understandable information. Fluency of an academic paper is indispensable in effective presentation of information to the reader. Besides, proper punctuation with appropriate use of commas and full stops is essential in excellent academic writing. Learning the aforementioned techniques of avoiding mistakes and writing appealing academic paper devoid of grammar mistakes was an imperious milestone in my career. Essentially, the class greatly perfected my writing skills. Business letter is a portrait of a company, thus it has to look distinctive and present the high-quality nature of the business. Business letters have a standard format and template. The most commonly used format is the block style with text in single space and double space between paragraphs. In

'Visibility is a trap' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

'Visibility is a trap' - Essay Example Foucault’s work and contribution extend to the social domain as well as philosophy. His philosophical work is being expressed with context to the history and the changes as they take place in parallel and with time. For example the most important factor and understanding in his study is that of the most prevailing factor in form of the urban drive and urban migration. As a result of the urban drive, quite a few patterns have changed and the outlook has changed in a certain definite way in contrast to what it was in past. The visibility being a trap concept is one similar phenomena being derived from the same urban ambiance and its co relation has been drawn in the same pattern. Urban society and the digital element: Modern urban societies are characterized by presence of digital dominance, with everything being handled by the computers and digital devices, apart from their servicing features; they also provide the functions of monitoring and surveillance in certain specific way. For example all the metropolitans have established cameras and monitoring systems, this is also true in the case of highways, buildings and the official work places, where each action is being monitored in a closed and disclosed both ways (Ingersoll 2008, 186). Origin of the concept of visibility: The term can be loosely coined with observation, monitoring and surveillance and its routes stretch back to the last decade of 18th century when the word Panopticon (Dalton & Evans 2004 ,67) was first used for the purpose of watching over the prisoners to notice their activities from a common and panoramic view point enabling for clear observation against their any objective moves that would create any disturbance and turbulence. Characteristic traits of modern urban environments: A modern urban society is characterized by observation of individuals in their working environment. The roles are defined in such a manner that each team and its member works in a tier and hierarchy (Chow 2012, 47) in strict scrutiny and observation. This observation and direct exposure has been termed as a trap by Foucault in his assessment and the quite famous quote. Various proponents of the field from research on social studies and sciences have tried to investigate the aspect of the correlation and affectivity and relevance to the society in certain specific way and each of them has found some material and substance in this regard which would lead to the assumption that urban societies depict more relevance to this concept than any other mode of social outfit. Two common schools of thoughts prevail from the overall discussion, each presenting their views and stressing for the statement at hand and observing and presenting it i n different manners and checking its relation to the various variables of the society how they would have an impact on the individuals as well as those who are related to the other people in the society in one way or the other (ernst 2012). The need: The possible need driven by the visibility factor can be that of not just the establishment of the order in the society but also making things easier for people in a bigger perspective. It

Substandard Patient or Health Care Delivery Paper Essay

Substandard Patient or Health Care Delivery Paper - Essay Example discussed in this paper will relate to the issues of poor communication, resulting in substandard care, and failure to follow basic hygiene guidelines in an Emergency Room (ER) setting. Experience: A few years back, I went to the ER in a large city hospital with a friend who had fallen and broken her wrist. It was only midday, but they were very busy and the receptionist told us we would wait for around 30 minutes to see a triage nurse. Once this happened and a history and details of the accident were taken, we were told to wait to be called to see the doctor. The nurse gave no indication as to how long we would wait. There seemed to be no regular order in place, and at no time did any staff member apologize for delays, ask how people were doing, or announce a waiting time. After two hours, another nurse called us to a treatment cubicle. We waited a further half hour and during that time, I noticed the condition of the cubicle. There was a dirty, used paper towel under the sink, other paper on the floor, and on one wall, there were splashes of dried blood. More worrying, was that when the doctor came in, he straight away began to examine my friend’s wrist, w ithout washing his hands or putting on gloves. His manner was friendly but brusque; he was moving from patient to patient as fast as possible. He told us that bloods and x-rays would be taken, and the nurse came and sent us back to the waiting area. After an hour, we were directed to x-ray and while waiting there, somebody took blood tests. During this time, she was in pain, but because of the need for test results, no pain relief was offered. After 30 more minutes, the x-ray results came back and at this point, the wrist was put in plaster and a sling attached. We could not leave until the bloods results were available. Everybody was polite and efficient, but no apologies for oversights and delays were offered, and we left before the results came; my friend had to sign a disclaimer for doing

Phineas Gage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Phineas Gage - Research Paper Example Human beings can speak and learn every day and learn new daily activities. Human being also solves problems and makes decisions based on their judgment (Fleischman, 2004). There are different types of cognitive functions. Memory and learning are examples of cognitive functions of the brain. Problem solving, perception and movement of various body parts are examples of cognitive functions. Learning of new activities and words, reading and speaking often get coordinated by the brain. These functions differentiate the human beings from other species. Theses cognitive functions originate from the cerebrum part of the brain. The cerebrum comprises of the temporal lobes, frontal lobes, occipital lobes and the parietal lobes. These areas of the cerebrum have different functions (Macmillian, 2002). The Phineas Gage accident clearly explained the functions of the brain in the cognitive functioning. Gage got the brain injuries while he was excavating rocks that he would later use for construct ing railway tracks. The rail roads injured Gage with some of his workmate during construction of the rail roads. Gage got severe brain damage. He got treated, but later became left with a permanent brain damage. The accident affected his brain thus affecting all his daily activities. Doctors that treated Gage noticed that he behaved different after the accident. This led to the doctors examining Gage’s skull to find out what was wrong that Gage was responding differently after treatment following the accident (Linden, 2007). This accident helped to explain the importance of the brain in cognitive functions. After the accident, Gage personality changed. He started acting differently from his earlier actions. Gage lost his personality. The doctors examined the brain and found out that the left frontal lobe of the cerebrum coordinates the personality development. This showed that Gage left frontal part of his cerebrum got damaged. This affected his personality development, hence the reason why there was a loose in his personality. The doctors examined the lesion in the brain and made a conclusion that, the left frontal part of the brain controlled the personality of human beings. So, Gage left frontal part of his cerebrum got damaged explaining why he lost his personality (Linden, 2007). Gage could not make rational decisions and his emotions were unstable. After the accident, doctors treated Gage, but he did not fully recover from the treatment. The doctors discovered how Gage decisions and emotions got affected. This encouraged the doctors to examine the human brain and find out what affected his decision making and his emotions. The doctors found out that the right plus the left prefrontal cortices of the brain remained damaged. This showed that the cortices were responsible for the functioning of human emotions and decision making (Fleischman, 2004). The doctors examined the left and right prefrontal cortices and came up with a conclusion that they wer e responsible for the coordination of emotions and decision making in human beings. The study revealed how the human brain works. Different parts of the brain often get associated with its cognitive functioning. One of the cognitive functions of the brain is to coordinate the emotions and decision making the human being. The study of the brain by the doctors enabled the doctors understand the functioning of the brain. This brain study led to understanding the functioning of

Anterograde Amnesia in 50 First Dates Movie Review

Anterograde Amnesia in 50 First Dates - Movie Review Example It is proposed that a regular facet of anterograde amnesia is damage to part of an extended hippocampal system that consists of the hippocampus, the fornix, the mammillary bodies, and the anterior thalamic nuclei (Mayes & Downes, 1997). This instigates deficit in the recall of episodic information. The film illustrates that Lucy’s head injury impaired a part of her brain, although details are not explicitly explained. In a review published in the Medical Journal in 2004, According to clinical neuropsychologist Sallie Baxendale (2004), â€Å"it bears no relation to any known neurological or psychiatric condition†. Although dysfunctions in different brain regions can result in anterograde amnesia, the contribution of individual structures and their relationships still remains a matter of uncertainty and debate (Mayes & Downes, 1997). The failure to resolve this central issue is partly due to lack of amnesic subjects with specific patterns of pathology. It may also be due to the complexity of the relationships between those regions contributing to amnesia.Anterograde amnesia â€Å"diminishes between ECT treatments and accumulates across treatments† (Squire & Chace, 1975). It is difficult to identify exactly the point at which new learning ability reaches normal levels. Patients with anterograde amnesia following bilateral ECT in a number of studies seem to have recovered by 6 months after treatment and there is no good evidence that new learning ability is still deficient at this time.

Phineas Gage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Phineas Gage - Research Paper Example Human beings can speak and learn every day and learn new daily activities. Human being also solves problems and makes decisions based on their judgment (Fleischman, 2004). There are different types of cognitive functions. Memory and learning are examples of cognitive functions of the brain. Problem solving, perception and movement of various body parts are examples of cognitive functions. Learning of new activities and words, reading and speaking often get coordinated by the brain. These functions differentiate the human beings from other species. Theses cognitive functions originate from the cerebrum part of the brain. The cerebrum comprises of the temporal lobes, frontal lobes, occipital lobes and the parietal lobes. These areas of the cerebrum have different functions (Macmillian, 2002). The Phineas Gage accident clearly explained the functions of the brain in the cognitive functioning. Gage got the brain injuries while he was excavating rocks that he would later use for construct ing railway tracks. The rail roads injured Gage with some of his workmate during construction of the rail roads. Gage got severe brain damage. He got treated, but later became left with a permanent brain damage. The accident affected his brain thus affecting all his daily activities. Doctors that treated Gage noticed that he behaved different after the accident. This led to the doctors examining Gage’s skull to find out what was wrong that Gage was responding differently after treatment following the accident (Linden, 2007). This accident helped to explain the importance of the brain in cognitive functions. After the accident, Gage personality changed. He started acting differently from his earlier actions. Gage lost his personality. The doctors examined the brain and found out that the left frontal lobe of the cerebrum coordinates the personality development. This showed that Gage left frontal part of his cerebrum got damaged. This affected his personality development, hence the reason why there was a loose in his personality. The doctors examined the lesion in the brain and made a conclusion that, the left frontal part of the brain controlled the personality of human beings. So, Gage left frontal part of his cerebrum got damaged explaining why he lost his personality (Linden, 2007). Gage could not make rational decisions and his emotions were unstable. After the accident, doctors treated Gage, but he did not fully recover from the treatment. The doctors discovered how Gage decisions and emotions got affected. This encouraged the doctors to examine the human brain and find out what affected his decision making and his emotions. The doctors found out that the right plus the left prefrontal cortices of the brain remained damaged. This showed that the cortices were responsible for the functioning of human emotions and decision making (Fleischman, 2004). The doctors examined the left and right prefrontal cortices and came up with a conclusion that they wer e responsible for the coordination of emotions and decision making in human beings. The study revealed how the human brain works. Different parts of the brain often get associated with its cognitive functioning. One of the cognitive functions of the brain is to coordinate the emotions and decision making the human being. The study of the brain by the doctors enabled the doctors understand the functioning of the brain. This brain study led to understanding the functioning of

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example But if this concept of CRM is evaluated, it can be inferred that CRM does not include one important relation that the organization has. It is its employees. Keeping the above argument in view, CRM has being given a new definition by Reichheld. He has given a concept of Virtuous Circle sometimes colloquially referred to as closing the loop. A diagrammatic representation of this circle is given below: Reichheld has brilliantly explained CRM in one cycle. This cycle depicts that the key to customer loyalty is not the product or the service that is being provided, but the key is the organization’s employees. According to this circle, if the employees are satisfied with their jobs and the company, they can be easily retained by the managers. This would in return increase employee productivity meaning they would give better service to the customers. The customer will be satisfied with the company’s service and would become loyal. Loyal customers are regular customers of the company and in turn also refer the company and its product and services to other potential customers. Thus they serve as a means of word to mouth advertising. This increases the company’s profits and leads the company to growth. The company can then focus on investing the earnings in internal marketing such as rewards, benefits and compensations which would impact the employees. Besides this, employee empowerment, training and development all contribute to employee satisfaction. Thus this cycle goes on and on. John Moore has quoted in his blog ‘Reichheld on Employee Loyalty’ that â€Å"Many marketers view employee relations as a job solely for human resources—they see employees as tools. But employees—happy, rewarded employees—can work wonders for the company’s marketing efforts. There is no better spokesperson for a company, product, and brand than someone who is happy with

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman Essay Example for Free

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman Essay 1st chapter reflections: This chapter which introduced me to Lia’s family was interesting. I was shocked to read that in her mother’s country of Laos, Lia would have been born by her mother squatting on the floor! They also used special created remedies to solve health issues without relying on hospitals or clinics. It was also interesting to read how important the Hmong people believed in sprits and how their life decisions where decided around the sprit actions. For example, they believed that male sprit’s held up their house roof, if the male’s placenta was buried near the central pillar of the house. Lia was even blessed by the elders because her parents believed that it was a way of protecting her from ever getting sick. If anything, reading this chapter quickly gave me a quick preview of the clash that Lia’s cultural beliefs will have with the American doctors when she gets sick in the future chapters. However, I’m hoping that this book will pick up a little faster and have less history moving forward (being honest lol) 2nd chapter reflections: This chapter started in a class at college; it continued to explain how a Hmong student spent extra time on his speech to talk about how people make fish soup in his culture. Once I finished the first page in this chapter, I understood that the young man was trying to explain to his class that we as humans should be more careful about how we select our foods because we are all connected in different ways. However, I didn’t pick up whether his class was interested after he was done with his speech. This chapter preceded to dig deeper into the Hmong history by detailing their live in north China; N. China was were the Hmong people was subjected to wars, because they did not like to be told what to do or how to behave as a people. However, the Chinese did not like the Hmong people and called them degrading names because they wanted to overrule them. In response to this, the Hmong had to migrate many time and the Chinese finally applied enough pressure to overtake them. Even with the takeover, the Hmong people refused to show any respect to the Chinese emperor. Besides all of this history, I have yet to see how this will tie into Lia’s future health issue. 3rd chapter reflections: This chapter starts to now focus on Lia and detail her first epileptic seizure that started when she was three months old. It was interesting to read that Lia’s parents blamed her seizure on their older daughter slamming the apartment’s front door. They believed that the front door slamming caused Lia’s soul to become frightened and lost from Lia’s body which triggered the seizure. I soon realized the book’s title â€Å"The spirit catches you and you fall down† is associated with the word epilepsy. It was also interesting to read that Lia’s parents saw her illness as a high distinction and a sign that Lia will grow up to heave a healing sprit within her. It was sad to read that Lia had over twenty seizures before her parents became scared enough to take her to an emergency room at MCMC. At first this hospital had a hard time communicating with Lia’s parents because they only had a few interpreters and the doctors quickly concluded that Lia’s illness was because her parents were giving her veterinary medicine. The doctor’s conclusion was heighted when the baby came to the hospital twice coughing badly and showing signs of pneumonia during which the doctors prescribed antibiotics. Lia was seen the third time by chance with a visiting doctor named Dan Murphy and during this visit he wrote a report that stated he did not feel that her parents were not that frightened. Dr. Murphy and his wife quickly became interested in the Hmong people and worked on reviewing Lia previous documented visits.  This chapter showed how cultures seen Lia’s illness differently; the American doctors wanted to give medication to cu re or control the issue, while her parents thought it meant something special. 4th chapter reflections: This chapter showed how the Hmong people viewed the American medical system because they did not understand why certain doctor procedures such as blood drawing had to be done. It was funny to read that they asked one Hmong women that returned to Laos about why American doctors ate people livers, kidneys, and brains! If anything, I read and understood that there was a HUGE difference between how American and Hmong people saw medical. The Hmong people believed that doctors done nothing but made people worse by invading their body sprits with all the test and medication. 5th chapter reflections: This chapter returned to Lia’s illness and explained that she was sent to the hospital seventeen times before he was even five years old! It was sad for me to read how worse the illness was getting and how Lia started to become aware of when she was about to experience one. This chapter also highlighted the fact that doctors believed that her obesity contributed to her epilepsy events and it made her intravenous access difficult. However, her parents focused on making Lia fat because they believed that this showed that a child was healthy and extremely taken care of. The hospital staff was also upset because Lia’s parents would move her in the hospital bed when they were previously requested not to for health reasons. The relationship between Lia’s parents worsen because the doctors felt that her parents were not giving her the proper needed medication and felt that they were part of the reason why Lia’s health continued to decline. After many attempts to get the parents on board, to give medication, Lia was placed in a foster care. This chapter was heartbreaking for me because I felt and understood both sides that wanted to care for Lia. 6th chapter reflections: This chapter explained in detail about how the Hmong people living in camps, shared horrible news about living in America and dealing with the medical system. In my opinion, this chapter confirmed how bad the cultural differences split people apart from seeing a common ground and added stress on her US healthcare system because Hmong people only came into the ER when they were gravely ill and not for prevention. 7th chapter reflections: This chapter explained how much of a power trip people had when it came to offering the best option for Lia’s health. It was noted that Lia did not do well in a great foster home and her developmental skills decreased more as she stayed. Her seizures also increased and the only time she started to show so signs of improvement was when she admitted to a hospital in Turlock where the people she was staying with lived. Receiving care in Turlock casued a decrease her medication requirements and her allowed her to return home. However, I felt that if anything, everyone involved in her health care was guessing and using Lia as a test dummy at her expense. 8th chapter reflections: This chapter was interesting because I was surprised to read that the doctors at the MCMC told the author not to look into Lia’s case because her parents were not friendly. I also thought that the hospital was trying to protect themselves by keep the author in the dark about certain information regarding the handling of Lia’s health. For example, the hospital kept a close eye by setting up a community meeting with the author and the Hmong people through their own nurse’s aide (who also was Hmong). If my opinion, the author was doomed to begin with because the Hmong people resented the MCMC and any staff that communicated with them. This is why I believe that the author had such a hard time during this meeting with them and a more welcoming one when she went and was introduced by Ms. Waller. This meeting is where the Hmong people opened up and tried to explain their culture to her without bring angry. This chapter proved that being from a different culture is fine ; people not respecting other cultures besides their own is what causes these deep miscommunications. 9th chapter reflections: This chapter was sad. I thought that Lia’s health was going to continue to improve after the doctor mentioned that the parents were giving her the correct medicine. However, I wasn’t surprised that the Lee’s thought that the doctor’s took Lia because they were angry at them. I was shocked to read that she fell off the swing and went back into having bad seizures. I dont think I would have allowed my child to even be on one if he or she had health issues like Lia. Sad to think that her parents thought that their child’s troubles were over and that she was going to live a productive and happy life up until this fall. Like everyone else in this chapter, after the tubes and everything, I also saw death coming later on. I’m just hoping that she doesn’t suffer. 10th chapter reflections: Ok. This is (again) is one of the things I did not enjoy about the book. I dont understand why this extensive history about the Hmong people and Vietman/ American war has anything to do with the previous chapter on Lia’s health condition. Only thing I learned from this chapter was that the Hmong people really resented the American culture which includes why the Lees has trouble trusting the doctors treating Lia. 11th chapter reflections: This chapter was the saddest part of the book that I have read thus far. I had to stop midway through the pages because it reminded me so much of my mother’s last struggle when lung cancer ( I cried reading this). I felt every page of this chapter because Lia’s parents and everyone else that loved her wanted to try everything instead of allowing her to pass peacefully. I also can relate to how Lia parents were treated in the hospital because I was in their position where I did not understand what was going on with my mom†¦ but the doctors were pressuring me to turn off her breathing machine. I noticed that Lia’s parents got to a point where they did not care that there were â€Å"issues† between them and the American staff†¦ they just wanted their child saved.. I felt the same way during my mother’s last rush to the ER because she couldn’t breathe. This girl wasn’t going to have a long happy life and I’m hoping she did n’t suffer because of everyone else stubbornness! 12th chapter reflections: Another history chapter and after the previous chapter, I was drained. I understand that hardship that this culture had to endure and I hope that our entire health care system has learned from this little girl’s mistreatment amongst all parties involved. 13th chapter reflections: So I started reading this chapter believing that Lia was going home from the hospital in Fresno. I was surprised to read that she was sent back to the MCMC and placed in the pediatric unit. In my opinion, there was nothing left they could do that would not require the poor child to suffer. I wasn’t shocked to read that Lia’s father tried to steal his child out of the hospital; the attitudes of the hospitals staff, nurses, and Lia’s parents were so negative that this craziness was bound to happen. Sadly, even with the little girl not functioning, the doctors and her parents enter another struggle to control the fate of Lia. Even though the doctors said she would die soon after leaving the hospital, I’m glad that the lee had personal time for closure at their own house because she didn’t die yet. I refuse to get into the â€Å"who was more right†. 14th chapter reflections: Another chapter on their Hmong history; This chapter details the issues they had with adjusting to American life and how no one wanted to be on welfare. No comments on my part.. Besides I didn’t enjoy this section lol. 15h chapter reflections: This chapter picked me up, made me sad and made me smile all at the same time. Reading through this made me think how differently her life could have been if everyone around her were open-minded when she first entered the hospital for treatment. Her current condition is considered a â€Å"persistent vegetative state† but how her parents treated her has not changed. This chapter showed that she is highly still loved and cared for even though she is not aware of anything. But she had a lot of potential to be a much healthier child if both cultures (American Hmong) would have been willing to accept each other†¦ her health decisions got lost in their hardheadedness! 16h chapter reflections: This chapter discuses history again but focuses on how the Hmong people ended up living in Merced; I’m not shocked that they created their own community here and cling to each other because I would of done the same thing if I was displaced. 17h chapter reflections: This chapter refocused Lia’s case and talked about how much could have been done differently to change her outcome and I agree. I ashamed of the hospital staff that believed that the lees should be grateful because they allowed them $200,000 of free medical cost( that should never be on a person mind when you talking about saving someone’s life) and I wish the parents would of learned how to be more open after their child’s health issue†¦ I see that people STILL want to place blame on Lia’s condition instead of accepting the fact that everyone placed a role in creating her current health state. 18h chapter reflections: This chapter shared a lot of my own opinions about Lia’s case. I do understand that some cultural difference will never be resolved because of the history of mistreatment that has occurred within that person’s culture. Our race issues in American is no difference, some people will always see things and their interactions with people as a â€Å"race† problem and nothing more. However, if you work in a hospital helping other people, you need to be able to look beyond that, not take things personally, not judgmental, and be open to learn about the different people that enters the doors for help. 19h chapter reflections: This chapter showed that despite Lia’s current condition, her family still believes that she will change and become a full functioning child again once her soul returns. Finishing this chapter, and reading the author notes throughout the book, I now see that Anne Fadiman started the story sort of believing that the doctors at Merced done everything they could to help Lia. However towards the end I felt that the author wanted people to understand the lee family and their hardship with adjusting to living in America and dealing with our health care system.

Globalisation: Homogenisation or Diversification?

Globalisation: Homogenisation or Diversification? Yannick Buitenhuis Introduction Globalisation has brought changes and has increased global interaction. This growing interconnectedness has led to the movement of ideas, values, ways of living and attitudes across the world. Despite that the interaction between culture and globalisation is not a new one, this process of cultural globalisation has brought forth a relatively recent debate about its outcomes for the world (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 3 7). The debate revolves around two diverse trends that cultural globalisation can bring, namely if the globalisation is homogenising, or differentiating the world. In line with Nederveen Pietserse (1996, p. 137), these are not the only trends that can be distinguished, but are probably two of the main ones. This paper will therefore focus itself on this debate by discussing both sides and will keep the following question in mind: Is globalisation cultural homogenising or differentiating the world we live in? The discussion brings the arguments of both sides to the light and will be elaborated on the basis of some worldwide and local holidays. Subsequently, my own opinion about the matter of cultural globalisation is given in the conclusion to answer the above question. Discussion As earlier mentioned, the discussion will focus on two different views in the debate of cultural globalisation. The two views can be seen as each other opposites. The first that will be discussed will be the idea of homogenisation. Subsequently, the idea of differentiation will be discussed. Both views will be elaborated at the hand of holidays that are celebrated across the world. Homogenisation The first interpretation of the process of cultural globalization is the idea that as a cause of technological innovation, commercial and cultural synchronisation arising from the ‘West’, the world is becoming more the ‘same’, more standardised and more uniform (Nederveen Pieterse, 1993, p. 265). Homogenisation brings about a world that is becoming overwhelmed by forces making for sameness that is the global standardisation of culture and institutional structures (Robertson White, 2003, p. 15). This concepts argues that the connections between geographical places and cultural experience are being weakened by the dynamics of globalisation and that the feeling of spatial distance is wearing down (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 9). A key assumption is that of cultural imperialism, the idea that a few Western societies or the society of the United States carry out their culture upon the world (Ritzer as cited by: Kuhn, 2009, p. 56). The transnational expansion of common codes and practices is the cultural element of this process and can be related to the concept of consumer culture. By adopting the Western/American example, cultures and consumption practices are becoming globally more the same (Kuhn, 2009, p. 56). This can also be related to the spread of some holidays. For example, people worldwide buy a rose for their love on Valentine’s Day in February. This (commercial) aspect of this holiday blown over from the Anglo-American world is now part of many cultures in the world. Another example is Halloween. People worldwide dress themselves in costumes and are decorating their houses with pumpkins and cobwebs. Special events are also organised revolving around Halloween, for instance the Halloween Fright Nights in amusement park Walibi in Biddinghuizen. So in this case, one could indeed argue that some aspects of (western) culture are being spread across the world and are carried out upon other cultures. The same holidays are being celebrated and their practice is the same worldwide. Differentiation The second interpretation is the opposite of homogenization. Differentiation assumes that the world is becoming diverse and focuses on the diversification between places. Individuals and groups have influence on globalisation and globalisation copes with and is characterised by a diversity of reactions. The idea rejects that this process establishes a homogenisation of cultures resulting from one way interaction from Western cultures (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 7; Kuhn, 2009, p. 58). Also, Ritzer (as cited by: Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 7) argued that differentiation relates to barriers which prevent flows that contribute in making cultures look the same. Cultures will therefore stay different form each other and cultural differentiation will stay in a globalising world. Practices of other cultures are present in different cultures, but will stay within the margins of local and national cultures. Thus, different global and local cultures will coexist next to each other. Only the criteria t hat cultural groups use to define their identity and to differentiate from others can change (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 8). The intensification of flows across cultures causes a more inwardly appearing world. Local cultures can indeed be affected by globalisation and its flows, and this can influence the transformation of cultures, but the core of the culture will remain intact (Ritzer, 2010. Cited by: Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 7). Even so, these multi-directional global flows and world processes do not wipe out local cultures, but they modify some of their characteristics and strengthen others (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 8). The strengthening of some characteristics can come hand in hand with an attempt to differentiate from the global or a form of resistance against the forces of globalisation (Kuhn, 2009, p. 59). Link to this, the fact that Valentine’s Day is banned in the Middle-East since 2008, because it does not fit in the Islamic world (BBC News, 2008). Also, cultural groups will react differently to these forces and will develop differently, different environments ask for different efforts to a dapt. Just like that there are holidays that are global, there are also national and local holidays. For instance, only in the Netherlands and Belgium people celebrate ‘Sinterklaas’. Even with the debate revolving around ‘Zwarte Piet’ and reactions from other countries, a lot of people in the Netherlands embrace the holiday as part of their culture. Reactions were mixed, when it came to the public attention that the UN, a global institution, came to investigate this cultural heritage for racism in 2013, which even strengthened the will for some to celebrate Sinterklaas even more. Another holiday that connected to a culture is the celebration of New Year in the Asian world. Instead of the first of January, many Asians celebrate New Year according to the lunar calendar. Or another example, Thanksgivings Day in Northern America. These examples show that despite the flows of globalisation, some holidays do not cross over and are related to specific cultures, because o f the deep historical roots and context. So, globalisation cannot fully eradicate a culture and its core features which characterises it and does not always spread certain cultural aspects out across the world. Conclusion Two different views are present in the debate revolving around cultural globalization. At the one hand, the view that globalisation is homogenising, and at the other hand the view that it is differentiating. Therefore, in the introduction was asked if: globalisation is cultural homogenising or differentiating the world we live in? In my own opinion, cultures can be seen as dynamic and therefore undergo certain changes over time and are exposed to external forces. Globalisation, time-space compression and technological innovation have made global interaction easier and, thus, interaction between different cultures is taking place. Indeed different characteristic of cultures, mostly Western, are being copied al around the world and some facets in cultures are becoming the same, look at Valentine’s Day or Halloween. So, there are indeed some homogenising effects of globalisation. But my opinion is also in line with what Hassi Storti told, namely that the core of cultures will not let itself as easy influenced. A culture can be seen as concentric circles. The outer rings of a culture can be influenced easier, like some consumption patterns, but this is different for the core. Some aspects are not so easy changed or blown over to others, because they are historical rooted and/or do not fit in other cultures, like Sinterklaas, New Year in Asia or Thanksgiving. There are still cultural differentiations in the world. Thereby, I reason that just like cultures differ, their reactions on aspects of other cultures also differ. Aspects that are recognisable and stand close to their own culture will be embraced, but other aspects can be cast away. People can influence globalisation and there is, like Kuhn said, a diversity in reactions. In this way globalisation can be seen as ‘the wind’ in a Chinese proverb, and when it blows, some build walls, while othe rs build windmills (European Commision, 2013). References BBC News (2008), Saduis Clamp Down on Valentines. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7239005.stm. Last used on: 5 October 2014. European Commision (2013), The Commissioners (2010-2014): Connie Hedegaard’s articles. http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/hedegaard/headlines/articles/2013-07-05_01_en.htm. Last used on: 5 October 2014. Hassi, A. Storti, G. (2012), Globalization and Culture: The Three H Scenarios. In: H. Cuadra-Montiel (ed.), Globalization: Approaches to Diversity, pp. 3-20. Rijeka (HR): InTech. Kuhn, K. (2009), Consumerist Lifestyles in the Context of Globalization: Investigating Scenarios of Homogenization, Diversification and Hybridization. In: H. Lange L. Meier (eds.), The New Middle Classes, pp. 49-64. Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media businesses Nederveen Pieterse, J. (1993), Globalization as Hybridization. Working Paper 152. The Hague: Institute of Social Studies. Nederveen Pieterse, J. (1996), Globalisation and Culture: Three Paradigms. In: Mansbach, R.W. E. Rhodes (eds.), Introducing Globalization: Analysis and Readings, pp. 135-144. London: Sage. Ritzer, G. (2004), The Globalization of Nothing. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press. Robertson, R., White, K. E. (2003), Globalization: An overview. In: R. Robertson, K. E. White (eds.), Globalization: Critical concepts in sociology, pp. 1–45. London: Routledge. Tomlinson, J. (2003), Globalization and Cultural Identity. In: Held, McGrew, Goldblatt Perraton (eds.), The Global Transformation Reader, pp. 269-277. : Cambridge (UK): Polity Press. Xincus (2014), A National Study: Becoming the Chamber of the Future. http://www.xincus.com/Survey. Last used: 5 October 2014.

Land Of Desire :: essays papers

Land Of Desire The transformations that America went through in order to become a capitalist country were very significant and are sometimes looked past. However, in the book Land of Desire, the author, William Leach extensively goes into many of those things. There were many things that went into this ranging from specific poeple and incidents to outside places and things. Leach shows each individual ordeal and explains the personal effect that it had on the industry, as well as how society accepted, or in some cases condemned such things. All of this comes from his own education and understanding of the situation. He shows the drift into a capitalistic country as being a gradual change in one thing that then led to another, and to another, and so on. Not to mention that many, many things took part in it. And that if such things had not occurred, we would not be the country that we are today. There isn't a whole lot of information on William Leach, but he does appear to be a very well-thought out man. This is not his only historical book and he's also done other things, including the book True Love and Perfect Union: The Feminist Reform of Sex and Society, and editing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. That specifically shows up a number of times in Land of Desire. He refers to L. Frank Baum (the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) throughout the book, as well as to the book itself. Other than that, though, there's not much else I know about him, too bad it's not exactly the most helpful information as far as why he thinks the way he does. Leach broke the book up into 5 major parts. The first being the preface and the introduction. These two parts laid out the main ideas of the book. After that, Leach went into the three main sections of the book, which end up being the three main steps in the transformation into capitalism. The first entitled Strategies of Enticement, went into a little bit of history, as well as the first recognition of capitalism and were it all began. The second section, Circuits of Power, retold stories of how the public reacted to the whole thing. It also dealt with the philosophical side of capitalism. The final major section of the book, Managing a Dream Culture, displayed the managerial aspects of capitalism and the poeple behind it. Then, the last pages illustrate how the

The Yanoman :: essays research papers

The Yanoman This ethnography is about the Yanomam. Most people will think of these people as 'primitive'. But we do not consider the fact that these people look at us and call us 'primitive' and 'subhuman'. This is why it is important to judge these people with an unbiased mind. The Yanomam are Indians that live widely scattered in southern Venezuela and northern Brazil. They usually live in villages of 75 to 80 people. But there are villages in which there are as little as 40 people or as many as 250 people in a single village. The Yanomam live by a combination of horticulture and foraging. Each household in the village clears their own land and cultivates it themselves. Chiefs, who have to produce more food to meet their obligation to provide hospitality, commonly receives help from others. A village can produce all of its needs from only three hours worth of work per person. One characteristic of the Yanomam is that they are accustomed to violence. Violence is a part of their lives because of their values and culture. Because of this, the Yanomam live in a constant state of warfare. Warfare appears as a main interest supported by a set of beliefs urging strong villages to take advantage of the weaker ones. A regular series of degrees of violence has been institutionalized. It ranges from chest pounding to side slapping. Both are likely to cause injury or death. The Yanomam do not utilize much technology except in their weapons. The main weapon produced by the Yanomam are arrows. They make arrows that are six feet long. These arrows are very accurate. Arrows not only serve as weapons but as valuable possessions that are commonly exchanged as gifts among the Yanomam.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Villages that are nearby may sometimes ally. One reason in which the ally is so that they can team up against another larger village. In order to demonstrate their friendship towards each other, the two villages trade and feast.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The men drug themselves on a daily basis with a substance called 'ebene'. It causes for the eyes to become watery. Another effect of this drug is and excessive production of mucous. The recipient allows for the mucous to drip freely from each nostril. It is believed among these people that the usage of this drug will have an effect in which bad spirits are relieved of.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The dead are highly respected in this culture. Once a person dies, it is forbidden to mention the name of the person ever again. It is considered an offense to mention the name of a family member that has passed away.

Field And Historical Reseacrch: Individual Reflection Essay

There reaches a stage in the life of an individual whereby choices and decisions concerning what must be done are decided and it is usually not an easy task. The answer is only achieved through an in-depth look within themselves. Reflection of the most important values and what they perceive will make them happy as well enabling them to achieve self actualization are also decided. The available resources that are required to fulfill their goals and ambitions must be put into consideration. In this paper, I am going to reflect the processes that Blackburn undergone through learning, the perceptions that she got towards other people, how she shaped her personality to fit the research environment, the values that she attached to different activities and the values of other people. The effective analysis of all factors that made her the person she is today is the only way she can be able to explain the principles that shapes her behavior and also the cause of her changed intentions. According to the statement in question, the processes that an individual undergoes require critical examination of all the factors that are involved in the area under research. The researcher is required to participate fully, in body and soul, in the activity that is being researched. Learning should be a continuous activity since the researcher must be in a position to provide detailed descriptions of all variables throughout the study. The things that Blackburn learned in her researches shows what a researcher is learning during the field study and enables him/her to tackle future experiences and possible opportunities with a lot of ease. The experience gained impacts hugely on the perception that the researcher has towards others, brings changes in their personal character and other held values and attitudes. The positive or negative encounters with individuals from the field of research shows that human beings can learn new things from each other and every individual posses a unique thinking capability and each one will approach a problem from different perspective. Therefore, it becomes easy to ascertain that human beings are always learning the forming and reforming processes and that elements in their personal systems keep changing. The most important thing individuals need to know is to be open-minded when approaching quite complex tasks. They should be judgmental before factoring all important aspects of the problem under research. The brain should always be trained to think and provide solutions. A review of similar past problems and the measures that were taken can help in the improvement of current field researches through a carefully chosen research design (Ferreira and Merchant, 1992, p 19). In conclusion, it is always not easy task to establish the most suitable learning criteria in circumstances where the path to success consists of many ups and downs. Conflicting ideas on the way to carry out experiments that will bring desired results using a specified approach can not be easily avoided. We should always accept failure because it shows us the approach of executing complex tasks. The thinking capacity of an individual should always be utilized to the maximum capacity to ensure that the right decisions are made. Researchers should not only concentrate on the subject matter but their concentration should be centered on how they can improve the value of the subject matter. Things are always changing and so should the long held principles.

The Influence of Globalization and Localization

* Discuss the influence of globalization and localization when it comes to marketing brands. Modern business imperatives dictate that companies adopt a strategy of marketing both locally and globally if they have to compete or capture a significant portion of the market. The concept of global village means that the global market is shrinking and barriers that used to be impenetrable are breaking down allowing for businesses to market their brands out of their traditional market strongholds. The effects of this is that companies will make a global presence but with a local flavor and close attention to the new local communities or markets that they are seeking to acquire. A case in point is the KFC brand. It has the advantage of solid brand name which gives it an instant recognition and market share, but for it to make a significant inroad and capture a majority market shares, it must think locally by tailoring its menu, management and marketing to the local communities. This seems to be the strategy employed by David Novak of the Yum brands in China. He not only realized that a local presence through local management staff and menu makes good business sense, it also ensures the survival of the brand away from its home base. Would the same success be achieved with a less-visible brand? Explain your rationale from the receiver’s perspective. A less visible brand will find it difficult to make an inroad into the market due to the fact that consumers will have a bit of trepidation to accept the brand. The brand will have to work itself up by creating loyalty, employing locals, improved quality and community involvement to gain acceptance. Through advertisement, promotional offers, affordable price and incorporating local delicacies in its menu, a lesser known brand can become a well-known franchise and a visible brand as well. * What steps might you take to achieve the same kind of success with an almost unknown brand? I think the lesser known brand will do well by thinking locally by taking into consideration the sensitivities of the local communities it operates in, employ the locals, be a good local corporate citizen, incorporate the local delicacies on its menu so as to appeal to a wider variety of clients. Also, in its pricing, it must take into consideration the buying power and spending habits of the people to make sure that its products are within local reach. * Discuss the influence of globalization and localization when it comes to marketing brands. Modern business imperatives dictate that companies adopt a strategy of marketing both locally and globally if they have to compete or capture a significant portion of the market. The concept of global village means that the global market is shrinking and barriers that used to be impenetrable are breaking down allowing for businesses to market their brands out of their traditional market strongholds. The effects of this is that companies will make a global presence but with a local flavor and close attention to the new local communities or markets that they are seeking to acquire. A case in point is the KFC brand. It has the advantage of solid brand name which gives it an instant recognition and market share, but for it to make a significant inroad and capture a majority market shares, it must think locally by tailoring its menu, management and marketing to the local communities. This seems to be the strategy employed by David Novak of the Yum brands in China. He not only realized that a local presence through local management staff and menu makes good business sense, it also ensures the survival of the brand away from its home base. Would the same success be achieved with a less-visible brand? Explain your rationale from the receiver’s perspective. A less visible brand will find it difficult to make an inroad into the market due to the fact that consumers will have a bit of trepidation to accept the brand. The brand will have to work itself up by creating loyalty, employing locals, improved quality and community involvement to gain acceptance. Through advertisement, promotional offers, affordable price and incorporating local delicacies in its menu, a lesser known brand can become a well-known franchise and a visible brand as well. What steps might you take to achieve the same kind of success with an almost unknown brand? I think the lesser known brand will do well by thinking locally by taking into consideration the sensitivities of the local communities it operates in, employ the locals, be a good local corporate citizen, incorporate the local delicacies on its menu so as to appeal to a wider variety of clients. Also, in its pricing, it must take into consideration the buying power and spending habits of the people to make sure that its products are within local reach. Numerous theorists discuss cultural concepts. Using this information as a basis, discuss the concepts you would want to analyze and evaluate in order to prepare you and other company executives for the upcoming meeting. * Which of the concepts you discussed would be the hardest to analyze? Why? * Describe a worst case scenario involving the muddling of culture concepts. What steps could you (or your company) take to ensure something similar never happens to you? Numerous theorists discuss cultural concepts. Using this information as a basis, discuss the concepts you would want to analyze and evaluate in order to prepare you and other company executives for the upcoming meeting. There are so many issues that come to mind when preparing for a meeting with a foreign business audience. The first thing would be to know the audience and the cultural, social background to be able to formulate an adequate communication strategy to make the message clear and understandable. There is always the issue of cultural differences that have to be bridged. This translates into what to say and how to say that will not generate any misunderstanding or negative feelings. Understanding the verbal and non-verbal cues that are important in cross cultural exchanges is very important. For example, there is a definite difference between a Japanese or Korean business concept and communication and that of an American. Therefore, advance knowledge and preparation for any meeting between people from these cultures is very critical. What is the gender perception in each culture? Would I send a female to go do a business deal in a culture that has a less favorable view of women in power? What is the most appropriate language to use and what is the distance to maintain when discussing are the issues that would have to deal with. Any company that has a diverse business- be it internal or external must have a policy and procedure manual on how to deal with such diverse base. * Which of the concepts you discussed would be the hardest to analyze? Why? While one may be able to analyze the cultural, socio-graphics and other concepts, being able to nalyze the individual specific reaction in a real situation as personal differences come to play. Certain non-verbal cues may be very hard to analyze and it will be left to he participants to figure out the meaning of each non-verbal gesture to avoid misunderstanding and potential conflict. * Describe a worst case scenario involving the muddling of culture concepts. What steps could you (or your company) take to ensure som ething similar never happens to you? A worst case scenario would be where beliefs and world views are so opposite that communication is impeded. An assumption of superiority by one side over the other may be a recipe for disaster and a deal killer. I had an experience back home in Africa when I received some people from England as I was accustomed to doing. There was always a feeling of being patronized by my European counterpart by not respecting my cultural taboos and on many occasions I had to call them to order and insisted on things being done with mutual respect. I think, preparing my experts on how to behave and respect the cultures of others by not being judgmental and patronizing is definitely one thing to do. Recognizing the non-verbal cues of approval or disapproval is key to avoiding conflict when negotiating. Assignment 1: Communication Process (due by Sunday before midnight). Find a Web site that has an â€Å"About Us† section or a â€Å"Press Release† section. Write a three to four (3-4) page paper addressing the following: 1. Identify the Web site, the sender, and perceived receiver. 2. Analyze the integrated business communication. 3. Assess the media richness of the section. 4. Describe how the message is framed. 5. Identify opinion leaders. 6. Make recommendations for improving word choice.

Essential of investments Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Essential of investments - Assignment Example The accrued interest on the bond turned out to be $2.42. The YTMs were calculated using the YIELD function on excel, with settlement date and maturity date taken at a difference of 10 years, coupon rate being 14% and then reduced to half at 7%, the bond price being $900, redemption value being $1000, and 1 coupon annually. The YTM based on what the firm promised is 2.55%. However, based on what the investors expect after the lenders and the firm agreed to lower the payments the YTM became 1.80%. The expected YTM is lower than the YTM investors were actually promised. a. The initial price is calculated as P=$705.46, with [n=20, I/Y=8, PMT=50, FV=1000]. The price in the next period would be P=$793.29, with [n=19, I/Y=7, PMT=50, FV=1000]. Therefore the HPR is 19.53% calculated as, [{50+(793.29-705.46)}/705.46] c. The 6% coupon bond performed better than the zero coupon bond in either case, when the interest rose or when they fell. This is probably due to the fact that the 6% coupon bond has a higher convexity. This shows that whenever we compare the change in yields of bonds by equal amounts as is in this question, the bond with higher convexity will always outperform the one with lower convexity. The duration was approximately equal but the convexity of both the bonds were different in this example which is always positive implies that the convexity effect always favors the higher convexity bond. d. Such a scenario where the bonds would be priced at the same yield to maturity if the rates changed in equal amounts cannot exist. No investor would buy a bond with a lower convexity as it always underperform the higher convexity bond. The price of the lower convexity bond will be low with a high YTM, which means that the higher yield is to compensate the investor for investing in a lower convextiy bond. The top-down method of security valuation is approach used