Human Embryonic Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Embryonic Research - Essay Example â€Å"Natural law†¦permitted: (1) if the action was good in itself or not evil, (2) if the good followed as immediately from the cause†¦, (3) if only the good effect was intended, and (4) if there was as important a reason for [the good] as for allowing the evil effect.†1 This proves, in effect, only that natural law allows for some freedom of interpretation, supposing that the good effect trumps the evil effect. Natural law does not go so far as to say, â€Å"Embryos are not feeling beings therefore they don’t deserve the same respect as human beings.† Even though embryos are potential human lives in the sense that, yes, the sperm has joined the egg—this a baby does not make. An embryo goes through nine (9) months of gestation in order to form a fully-formed human being. Anything less is not considered—for all legal purposes—a person. Of course, one could rationalize that, sure, an embryo is just a person in an undeveloped stage. T he fact is, if one can’t describe with words what constitutes a life, then one does not know what a life constitutes. People can cry foul and say all they want about â€Å"it was the chicken before the egg,† but what they really don’t understand is that human life is a miracle in the making and it can’t be explained by natural law. ... Human life comes in the form of a completely formed skeletal system, nervous system, and parasympathetic nervous system—and not a moment before. Embryos should be regarded as potentially sentient beings. One can tell if embryos can feel pain by doing research as to whether they can feel. However, just because an embryo is sensitive and feels (is sentient)—that does not anywhere near begin to approach the argument that an embryo is indeed a rational being—it’s just nature. This does not mean that embryos are rational beings, because rational beings have free will. However, the fact that embryos are absent of having free will does not necessarily prove that they are rational beings either. Indeed, it would be very difficult to prove that embryos are rational beings even though they are feeling or sentient beings. It could be hypothesized that, since embryos might be able to move away from the heat or cold, that they can rationalize because they can tell the difference between hot and cold. However, whether this would just be a natural gut reaction or demonstrate the embryo’s ability to rationalize, that would be difficult to tell. Just because someone has an allergic reaction to histamines does not mean that the person is rational—it only means exactly that, that they are allergic to histamines. We cannot be making up stories about what we believe to be true about embryos—we must maintain the truth about what an embryo can and cannot do, and what an embryo is and what an embryo isn’t. Until we have these definitions fixed in our minds as to what an embryo constitutes, we will never be able to have a polite discussion or even debate with people who are convinced that embryos are human lives incarnate. The debate may

The Characteristics of Effective Groups Essay Example for Free

The Characteristics of Effective Groups Essay According to Johnson Johnson (2009), groups are defined as two or more people joined together for a common purpose to achieve a goal and influence each other. There are many different types of groups and groups exist for many reasons. Groups are interdependent â€Å"in the sense that an event which affects one member is likely to affect all† (Johnson Johnson, 2009, Chap. 1, pg. 6). Most groups are structured by a set of roles and norms. These roles define what part members of the group will play along with acceptable behavior of each role. Norms are a set of rules that are established through common beliefs and shared values that control the behavior of the group by defining what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior based on the situation (Johnson Johnson, 2009). This paper will provide an overview of an effective group through my personal experiences, explain roles members have played, and explain how group participation is expressed through verbal and nonverbal communication and leadership. Lastly, this paper will discuss how each of these things have contributed to the group’s effectiveness. Effective Groups Effective groups work together to achieve individual goals and team goals, and foster two-way communication between the leader and team members. The team only succeeds when everyone succeeds and resolve conflict in a constructive manner (Johnson Johnson, 2009). Working together in this setting promotes teamwork and a happy work environment. It also encourages people to be individuals and fosters innovation. Johnson Johnson (2009) have stated in order for an effective group to succeed â€Å"the group must achieve its’ goals, maintain good working relationships among members, and adapt to changing conditions in the surrounding organization† to include internal and external influences (Chap. 1, pg. 24). Roles The roles each member plays in the call center are defined by the job description that states functions a member is to carry out based on their role. The groups are structured in a hierarchy of a call center director who would serve as the group chair, a team of supervisors who would be considered committee chairs to help facilitate the effectiveness of the group, that have 20 direct reports or members. Once the group is organized the leader must establish clear and achievable goals. The goals must be able to satisfy individual needs in order to gain commitment from each member, but the group must also see that these goals cannot be achieved without other members of the group. If the goals are set and they are not attainable then members will feel discouraged and unmotivated to achieve the goals. These goals provide a guideline for the group to work by. Communication Once the goals are established they must be communicated to the group. Communication is a vital part of the group being able to achieve these goals as members must be able to exchange information to reduce misunderstandings and clarify work that needs to be done. Effective communication occurs when the â€Å"sender’s message is interpreted the way the sender intended it† resulting in work being accomplished more accurately and efficiently (Johnson Johnson, 2009, Chap. 4, pg. 133). Two-way communication involves both the sender and receiver engaging in open dialogue and being able to share ideas and feelings, rather than the sender communicating the message to the receiver and limiting the receiver sharing responses. Although two-way communication is more time-consuming this is the method that is used with the effective group at my job to encourage group participation, limit frustration, encourage innovation, and increased productivity. Communication is also delivered through different channels verbally and nonverbally that the receiver will have to interpret. Some of the channels that are used are presentations that can be verbally and nonverbal, face-to- face communication, email, group meetings, questionnaires, surveys, reports, conferences, and more. The receiver will pay attention to pictures, words (spoken and unspoken), body language, facial expressions, seating arrangements to show authority, size of the room, invitees, lighting, props used to facilitate the message, and more. Communication should be clear, informative, and delivered using methods assessable to everyone. Employees should have an opportunity to ask questions and managers should also follow-up with employees to ensure they are on the right track. Leadership and Participation In order to establish an effective group, leadership and participation must be distributed amongst all group members to ensure commitment on everyone’s part and to take advantage of all the resources within the group (Johnson Johnson 2009). Two leadership approaches that I’ve continued to use is the â€Å"Try this and What do you think? † These have been both very effective working in a call center, especially one that is new. Within our call center employees are always learning new ways of doing things and improving upon processes, but we simply can’t do it without feedback. Feedback is an important resource that we rely on as managers to tell us what our employees like and dislike and it aids our employees in their development to reinforce positive and negative behavior. As a manager I wear many hats, one of them being a coach. Coaching helps employees identify strengths and weaknesses, and offers guidance without telling the employee what to do. This has been effective because it facilitates conversation between the employee and leader and allows two-way conversation versus it being one-sided. When one effectively coaches and offers suggestions, employees know you care and have an interest in what they are doing and often times will exceed performance expectations because of successful coaching. Once the employees meets/exceeds the manager can continue to give them task that will stretch them and challenge them to aid in their continued growth and development. When coaching employees it will be important to set SMART Goals and ensure that tasks are assigned appropriately according to the employees skillset otherwise, this may hinder development and frustrate the employee. Using the â€Å"What do you think? † approach is considered participative leadership. All decisions made within an organization should not be the sole responsibility of leaders. Depending on the type of decision being made should determine who is involved in the decision making process. By consulting the group the manager is more apt to get buy-in when implementing change and it shows the group that you value their opinion. Although this can be a time consuming approach according to Yukl (2006), when employees feel like they are part of the process they are more likely to accept decisions and performance and morale increases, along with commitment of employees. Leaders will have to be careful that employees have time to participate and aren’t overloaded with work, subordinates share the leader’s goals and tasks, ensure criteria for determining decision is fair so the ajority will be likely to accept the decision, and one’s personal views don’t impact the decision. I’ve used this approach of decision making when trying to find out what type of rewards employees would like so they would work harder to achieve the goal versus me going out and buying things that they will not benefit from resulting in them not being motivated to achieve the goal. This approach can be effective when used for the right reasons and not the leader wanting to avoid the decision making process. Match Decision-Making with the needs of the Situation From time to time leaders will have to make decision that can not be derived out of group consensus. According to Yukl (2006) Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard proposed the situational leadership theory that states the approach a leader takes will be based on the situation, subordinate maturity, and level of influence one needs to complete the task. Effective situational leadership â€Å"acts as one function between the leader style, maturity of follower, and situation and each must be appropriate for one another† (1000 Ventures, 2009). The style of the leader is not consistent with each person because one’s behavior, level of understanding, and commitment to the task may change depending on the situation therefore, the leader must be prepared to use a variety of leadership styles. The key to effective situational leadership is to effectively understand the situation, provide employees with the appropriate tools to learn and aid in development through coaching and feedback, along with keeping individuals motivated. It is never appropriate to assume that all individuals are on the same level because people have different life experiences and needs therefore, proper questioning and observation should be used to be effective at situational leadership. Leaders have to be careful that their leadership style is appropriate for the situation and if not this could be perceived negatively in which the leader will have to make an adjustment. I have used situational leadership as a manager and have found that it is important when the situation affects the group to get the groups buy-in by presenting the problem, getting suggestions, and then making a decision. Resolving Conflict in Constructive Ways No group is perfect and disagreements are bound to happen from misunderstandings, lack of communication or clear goals, personal opinions however, with effective groups disagreements are beneficial, but must be resolved in a constructive manner. According to Johnson Johnson (2009), disagreements promote â€Å"creative decision making and problem solving, promote involvement in the groups work, and commitment to implementing group decisions† (Chap. , pg. 27). Group challenges also ensure that the minority is heard rather than always going with the majority and everyone has a voice. If disagreements are not handled timely and addressed they can destroy the group. Members of effective groups resolve their conflict through compromise, negotiation, analyzing problems by using supporting data, and ensuring the process is fair and everyone is heard to come up with the best solution for the group and leave all members satisfied. If the group is unable to reach a decision then they may enter into a process called mediation whereby an appointed member may determine the best course of action and the group will trust the decision made by the appointed member and move on (Johnson Johnson, 2009). Conclusion All groups are set up based on a structure that includes roles and norms to provide a basic framework for members to function. In order for the group to be effective members must understand what roles they play in order to avoid role conflict and acknowledge the norms exist and they must follow them or accept consequences for not following them. Effective groups use their ability to influence and increase the knowledge and skill of each other and react to issues in a positive manner to resolve conflict to allow the group to run more smoothly. In order for these issues to be well managed the group has to understand the organization’s strategy and business objectives and continually look to the future needs of the organization, consumer, employee, environment, and economy due to continual changes to ensure the organization and group is able to keep up. By each member maintaining its’ commitment to the group, having clear goals and understanding of how they fit in, maintaining clear and open lines of communication, proper balance of leadership and participation to ensure balance of workloads and direction, along with proper channels to resolve conflict will continue to contribute to the group’s effectiveness and enable long lasting effective groups.

Mental State Examination (MSE) Case Study

Mental State Examination (MSE) Case Study Lachlan Donnet-Jones Giving examples from the case study, how would you describe Amanda’s behaviour and appearance as set out in a Mental State Examination (MSE)? A Mental State Examination (MSE) is defined as â€Å"[a] medical examination comprising the systematic evaluation of the mental status of the patient† (Dorland, 2011). A MSE evaluates many characteristics of a patient including appearance, psychomotor behaviour, speech, thinking and perception, emotional state including affect and mood, insight and judgment, intelligence, sensorium, attention and concentration, and memory (Dorland, 2011). The initial segments evaluated during a MSE are appearance and behaviour. It is important to note the patient’s appearance as this can provide useful information into the level of self-care, daily living skills and lifestyle of the patient. Behaviour is important to record as it can provide much insight into the patient’s emotional state and attitude. A MSE is an important process in determining a patient’s capacity to make [or not] independent health care decisions and provide the necessary support to better the patients welfare (Volicer, 2011). Appearance: The initial insight into Amanda’s appearance occurs as the paramedic crew arrive, finding her ‘sitting upright, looking dazed and anxious with shortness of breath’. It is apparent that Amanda appears distressed, confused and anxious enough to cause her to become dyspnoeic (shortness of breath) (Shiber and Santana, 2006). Amanda is a young woman with dyed, untidy and matted hair who presents with a poor level of personal hygiene and self-care. Amanda has many facial piercings, her pupils are extremely dilated and her arms are covered in sores. Subsequent to Amanda’s arrival at the emergency department (ED) she appears very tense and her facial expressions change rapidly from smiling to terrified. Amanda’s mother re-counted that Amanda ‘comes home dishevelled and dirty’, and that she has ‘lost a lot of weight’. Behaviour: Following the handover to the clinician at the hospital, it is observed that Amanda appears to be suffering a level of psychomotor agitation as she is ‘very tense†¦ pacing up and down the corridor wringing her hands’. Amanda appears unable to focus, demonstrated by abnormal and erratic eye movements, ‘her eyes stare intensely either into the ceiling above or at staff members’. Amanda appears to be suspicious of and distrust staff members as she distances herself as much as possible from any physical contact and enters the room ‘like she’s about to enter a trap’. During the interview Amanda screams ‘They’re everywhere. Everywhere†¦under my skin!’. Amanda appears to be experiencing tactile hallucinations, she believes there is something beneath her skin, when there is not. Amanda also appears to be experiencing auditory sensation (voices) without an authentic (real) stimulus i.e. auditory hallucinations. This is seen as she looks up at the ceiling yelling ‘Shut up shut up shut up!!!!!! then distressed, proceeds to scream and hold her ears as if to block a loud noise’ and furthermore, ‘Why am I here!!! You won’t tell her anything will you?’. Amanda talks about ‘her’, which may be referring to her mother, but it may also be referring to someone else. Define cognition and then briefly discuss how we might interpret how both Amanda’s thought content and thought form are disturbed? Cognition is defined as ‘the mental processes by which a person acquires knowledge.’ Among these are reasoning, creative actions and solving problems (Marcovitch, 2009). Cognition is an essential in determining what we think and how we think. In an MSE, thought form and thought content are used to gain an understanding of the patients thinking, specifically how they think (form) and what they are thinking of (content) (Trzepacz and Baker, 1993). Thought form is the quantity, rate, tempo and logical coherence of a person’s thoughts. The thought form may include highly irrelevant comments, frequent changes in topic and pressured or halted speech (Kaufman and Zun, 1995). In contrast, thought content refers to selective attention (focus on a selective topic), preoccupation or exaggerated concern (obsessions, compulsions and hypochondria) and distorting or ignoring reality (illusions, hallucinations and delusions) (Trzepacz and Baker, 1993). During Amanda’s interview a number of sentences allude to disturbed thought content such as ‘You know don’t you? You know it’s in my veins!’ and ‘Every one of us is falling – the whole planet is falling!’. Amanda’s exclamations are examples of unsubstantiated thinking and are possibly part of an illusion. The thought form of such exclamations is disorganised, hastily changing from one topic to another, â€Å"they’re in my veins†, â€Å"the whole planet is falling!†, ‘Shut up shut up shut up!!† and ‘Forgive me! Forgive me!’. While the specific idea changes there is a recurrent theme to Amanda’s thought content, disastrous, guilty and fearful situations that are beyond her control. It is evident based on the irrelevant topics and unsubstantiated thinking observed in Amanda’s speech that her thought content is disturbed. Amanda’s thought form also appears distu rbed demonstrated by the ‘flight of idea’s’ she experiences and her inability to focus on a relevant topic within the context of the situation (Trzepacz and Baker, 1993). Briefly explain the differences between hearing and listening. Choose two skills of listening and discuss how you would use these skills to effectively communicate with Amanda. What are some of the barriers you might face in the process? Listening is defined as ‘a complex process that encompasses the skills of reception, perception and interpretation of input.’ (Stein-Parbury, 2013). As opposed to hearing, listening is consciously chosen, one must be paying ‘active attention to what is being said’ (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Additionally there are two terms for listening, active and passive. Active listening is effective listening. It requires concentration to process words into meaning which in turn leads to learning. Hearing, or passive listening, is one of the five senses a human possesses, it is simply perceiving sound (vibrations) via the ear. Hearing alone is a subconscious process and happens automatically. A nursing research paper provides a succinct definition of the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is ‘being there’ for patients whereas listening is ‘being with’ patients (Fredriksson, 1999). In order to conduct effective active listening and exchange information with patients a clinician needs to possess the required listening skills. There are five categories of listening skills; perceiving; interpreting; recalling; and attending and observing, which will be discussed in relation to Amanda’s case (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Observation from the clinician is important in Amanda’s case as much information can be learnt simply from observing Amanda’s behaviour. Observing involves paying careful attention to what is expressed and how it is expressed (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Non-verbal cues such as facial expression, eye contact, body posture and movements ‘[convey] emotional and relational information [Henry et al. 2012] that can inform the clinician of Amanda’s feelings and emotional state. The clinician notices that Amanda is ‘wringing her hands from time to time’, which may suggest she is feeling nervous and anxious. This is an example of observation, by paying careful attention to Amanda’s non-verbal cues (hand wringing) the clinician has an increased awareness of Amanda’s feelings. Amanda’s eyes ‘stare intensely either into the ceiling above or at staff members’, the clinician may interpret this as a sign of distrust and suspicion. Using this knowledge the clinician recognises the absence of trust and can address this in his response to build rapport. Although observing and interpreting the patient’s non-verbal cues is important, it is equally important for the clinician to provide their own non-verbal cues for the patient to interpret. This is referred to as attending. A common mnemonic used for this is SOLER (Sit squarely, Open posture, Lean forward, Eye-contact, Relaxed) (Egan, 2002). Encouragement such as quiet murmuring (e.g. â€Å"Mmm†) and head nodding is also used to show attentiveness and openness, allowing the patient to feel understood. Despite many methods of encouragement and understanding the clinician may still find barriers with particular patients. In Amanda’s case some barriers may include Amanda’s apparent lack of awareness to her environment, she may be unable to listen or acknowledge the clinician, such as when she is staring at the ceiling. Amanda’s hallucinations can potentially disrupt or prevent any congruent conversation and distort her responses. Observation and attending are important skills in listening as they are ‘fundamental in establishing effective relationships’ (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Using listening skills to develop a comprehensive understanding of Amanda’s situation the clinician can respond accordingly in a manner that matches Amanda’s needs. Define therapeutic communication. Using case study examples, explain the difficulties involved in communication when managing a complex scene that includes an anxious patient who presents in the emergency department with a distressed and demanding relative. Hungerford (2011) defines therapeutic communication as ‘a communication technique utilised by a health professional to engage with a person and enable them to achieve personal change’. It is essentially the face to face communication between clinician and patient that aims to enable positive change in the patient. An anxious patient such as Amanda can be difficult to manage, especially in the presence of bystanders or relatives who are distressed, in Amanda’s case it is her mother. While Amanda’s mother may mean well, she is most likely contributing to Amanda’s anxiety. Rather than aiding health professionals she is hindering their ability to reduce Amanda’s anxiety as she ‘[is] constantly obstructing and getting in their way causing interruptions’. In addition to increasing Amanda’s anxiety, health professional’s attention may be taken away from Amanda and focused on calming the mother down. This has a negative impa ct of the patient’s well-being, increasing the time it takes to de-escalate the situation and decrease the patient’s anxiety. Amanda’s mother’s constant interruptions have a negative impact of the patient’s well-being. For example, ‘She is not right; she is really unwell’ as heard from Amanda’s perspective is escalating the situation, making Amanda feel worse than she has too and increasing her anxiety. A potential method to avoid relatives increasing patient anxiety is to separate them. The paramedics separate them during transport, taking Amanda in the ambulance where she can receive further care that is needed, and Amanda’s mother via police. At the ED Amanda’s mother continues to interrupt clinicians. To remove the potential of increasing Amanda’s distress, the clinician interviews Amanda alone. Although Amanda’s mum provided important information it was beneficial to interview Amanda alone. In a situation where a relative is distressed and interferes with treatment it is most appropriate to kindly separate them from the patient, take them to another area where they can calm down and perhaps have a drink or some food. What are the key components of an effective handover between health professionals from different disciplines? Discuss the important considerations of patient handover in regards to objective information and confidentiality (8). A clinical handover is ‘the transfer of professional responsibility and accountability for some or all aspects of care for a patient, or group of patients, to another person or professional group on a temporary or permanent basis’ (National Patient Safety Agency, 2014). The aim of the handover is to establish effective communication of clinical information during patient transfer from the care of one health professional to another. There are numerous steps or processes involved in an effective handover. First, the clinician sending information needs to show strong leadership. Second, any members of the medical team involved in the care of the patient prior to or subsequent to the handover should have an active role in the handover. Third, a multifaceted quantity of information involving the patients past, current and future care should be provided. Finally, the fourth step is to ensure patients that are not stable are quickly reviewed, further care is planned and the tasks are prioritised appropriately (AMA, 2006). Patients expect that confidentiality is respected and personal information is treated with utmost care. Confidentiality is an important legal obligation of health professionals. Delicate and sensitive information regarding patient care should not be discussed in potentially compromised areas, ideally in private quarters away from the public. A final factor to consider during patient handover is the level of objective information. Objective information is fact-based, measurable and observable, as opposed to subjective information which is based on personal opinions, interpretations and judgement (Hjà ¸rland, 2007). Health professionals are required to avoid relaying information that is judgemental, opinion and subjective as this form of information can lead to misinformed health professionals which consequently creates poor or inappropriate patient care (Hemmings and Brown, 2009). References AMA (2006) Safe handover: Safe patients: Guidance on clinical handover for clinicians and managers. Australian Medical Association. Kingston, ACT, Australia. Dorland, (2011). Mental Status Examination. In:  Dorlands illustrated medical dictionary, 20th ed. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Health Sciences. Egan, G. (2002). The skilled helper: a problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. 7th edition. Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole. Fredriksson, L., 1999. Modes of relating in caring conversation: a research synthesis on presence, touch and listening. Journal of Advanced Nursing 30, 1167-1176. Hemmings, C Owen L, Brown, T 2009. Lost in translation: Maximizing handover effectiveness between paramedics and receiving staff in the emergency department,Emergency Medicine Australasia, 21, 2, pp. 102-107, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 May 2014. Henry, S.G., Fuhrel-Forbis, A., Rogers, M.A.M., et al., 2012. Association between nonverbal communication during clinical interactions and outcomes and outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Patient Education and Counselling 86, 297-315. Hjà ¸rland, B. (2007). Information: Objective or subjective/situational?. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci., 58:1448–1456. doi:10.1002/asi.20620 Kaufman, D. and Zun, L. (1995). A quantifiable, Brief Mental Status Examination for emergency patients.The Journal of emergency medicine, 13(4), pp.449456. Marcovitch, H. (2009). Cognition. In:Blacks Medical Dictionary, 42nd ed. A C Black. National Patient safety Agency, (2014). As cited inSafe handover: safe patients. London: British Medical Association, p.7. Shiber, J. and Santana, J. (2006). Dyspnea.Medical Clinics of North America, 90(3), pp.453-479. Stein-Parbury, J. (2013).Patient and person. 5th ed. Sydney: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone. Trzepacz, P. and Baker, R. (1993).The Psychiatric Mental Status Examination. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Volicer, L. Mahoney, E. Hurley, A. 2011 Mental status measurement: Mini-mental state examination inEncyclopedia of nursing research, Springer Publishing Company, New York,

Effects of British Colonization on Zimbabwe Women Essay -- Essays Pape

The Effects of British Colonization on Zimbabwe Women The British began their colonization of Zimbabwe in 1890 as part of their project of capitalist expansion and world domination. Colonial expansion was a means of complete control of territories and furthered the expansion of their capitalist political economy. Africa provided the British with slaves, minerals, and raw materials to help them in their capitalist development. To help support capitalist expansion, the British asserted colonial discourse of power and superiority over the colonized. This discourse, or a system of representation, provided a way for the British to produce a position that the West was a superior civilization. In such a discourse the British were able to impose their cultural beliefs, particularly beliefs about gender, on the people they colonized. The imposition of colonial discourse, therefore, greatly affected colonized women. In her somewhat autobiographical novel Nervous Conditions, Tsitsi Dangarembga shows us how the women in Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe, were affected by this colonization by the British. Through different female characters, she shows us how colonization alienated women physically and psychologically through the lack of education, poverty, and relegation to the private sphere. Her novel not only tells about the effects of colonization but also emphasizes that women, despite restrictive gender roles, can develop the critical awareness, determination and strength to fight against their alienation and emancipate themselves from the restrictions of colonial discourse. Before the British came to Zimbabwe, the family worked together as a tribe to help provide for everyone in that family and keep each other above high water. Every me... ...talism, discourse, and patriarchy. After watching her female family members and taking note of everything they experience, and using the opportunities she earns and gains from an education, Tambu is able to educate herself with the critical awareness and strength to emancipate herself and overcome the burdens of gender and alienation of colonization of Zimbabwe. After reading the novel, Nervous Conditions and doing research, I have learned that the colonization of Zimbabwe forced the women of Zimbabwe into very hard roles to play. I have learned that through these processes of colonization, capitalism, discourse, patriarchy, and as a result alienation, women were, as Maria Mies puts it, "externalized, declared to be outside civilized society, pushed down, and thus made invisible as the under-water part of an iceberg is invisible, yet constitute the base of the whole."

The Impact of Wach Tv Children

Title: -The Impact of watchingTelevision for Children The Case of Children watching Television in Ethiopia Chapter One 1. Introduction 1. 1 Back Ground Television (TV) has its good side. It can be entertaining and educational, and can open up new worlds for kids, giving them a chance to travel the globe, learn about different cultures, and gain exposure to ideas they may never encounter in their own community. Shows with a prosaically message can have a positive effect on kids' behavior; programs with positive role models can influence viewers to make positive lifestyle changes.However, the reverse can also be true:   Kids are likely to learn things from TV that parents don't want them to learn. TV can affect kids' health, behavior and family life in negative ways. Whether good or bad, television has found its way into the lives of people all over the world and it an important part of life for many. Some consider it to be a great invention while others say that it harms people and society. Here is a summary of those thoughts. Television is often the main or only source of information about current events and biased or inadequate reporting can deliver inaccurate or misleading information and opinion.Ethiopian Television was established in 1964 with assistance from the British firm, Thomson. It was created to highlight the Organization of African Unity (OAU) meeting that took place in Addis Ababa that same year. Color television broadcast began in 1982 in commemoration of the founding of Workers' Party of Ethiopia (WPE). The current structure and goals of ETV were established 1987 with Proclamation This research may see general and specific area of in Addis Ababa, children see television that its impact.The television and channel clients are increasing every day around the city so, we need to the advantage and disadvantages in the children see tv. 1. 2 Statement of the Problem In recent years, TV, video and DVD programs have come on the market—and now ev en a cable channel for children. We don't know yet what effect TV-viewing by children may have on their development. We do know that time spent watching TV replaces time spent interacting with caregivers and other children. Social interaction is critical to a child's healthy affected.A great deal is known about children and television, because there have been thousands of studies on the subject. Research has studied how TV affects kids' sleep, weight, grades, behavior, and more. Spending time watching TV can take time away from healthy activities like active play outside with friends, eating dinner together as a family, or reading. TV time also takes away from participating in sports, music, art or other activities that require practice to become skillful. Children can be exposed to programming that is not appropriate for their age.Adult themes of sex and violence are far too easily accessed and they destroy the innocence of children. Adults frequently spend many hours each day watc hing television to the detriment of work or family life. 1. 3 Objectives This research goal to show the impact of watching TV children among the cultural, society and school life in Addis Ababa. To show the problem and recommend the way of protecting and minimizing the problem through awareness of the research. How big a presence is TV in kids' lives? * TV viewing among kids is at an eight-year high.On average, children ages 2-5 spend 32 hours a week in front of a TV—watching television, DVDs, DVR and videos, and using a game console. Kids ages 6-11 spend about 28 hours a week in front of the TV. The vast majority of this viewing (97%) is of live TV [1]. * 71% of 8- to 18-year-olds have a TV in their bedroom [1a]; 54% have a DVD/VCR player, 37% have cable/satellite TV, and 20% have premium channels [2]. * Media technology now offers more ways to access TV content, such as on the Internet, cell phones and iPods.This has led to an increase in time spent viewing TV, even as TV-s et viewing has declined. 41% of TV-viewing is now online, time-shifted, DVD or mobile [2a]. * In about two-thirds of households, the TV is â€Å"usually† on during meals [3]. * In 53% of households of 7th- to 12th-graders, there are no rules about TV watching [4]. * In 51% of households, the TV is on â€Å"most† of the time [5]. * Kids with a TV in their bedroom spend an average of almost 1. 5 hours more per day watching TV than kids without a TV in the bedroom. * Many parents encourage their toddlers to watch television. Find out more about TV in the lives of children ages zero to six. * Find out more about media in the lives of 8- to 18-year olds. As you can see, if your child is typical, TV is playing a very big role in their life. Here are some key research findings to keep in mind as you decide what kind of role you want TV to play in your family: * TV viewing is probably replacing activities in your child' s life that you would rather have them do (things like pl aying with friends [6] , being physically active, getting fresh air, reading, playing imaginatively, doing homework [7], doing chores). Kids who spend more time watching TV (both with and without parents and siblings present) spend less time interacting with family members. [8] * Excessive TV viewing can contribute to poor grades [8a], sleep problems, behavior problems, obesity, and risky behavior. * Most children’s programming does not teach what parents say they want their children to learn; many shows are filled with stereotypes, violent solutions to problems, and mean behavior. * Advertisers target kids, and on average, children see tens of thousands of TV commercials each year [9]. This includes many ads for unhealthy snack foods and drinks.Children and youth see, on average, about 2,000 beer and wine ads on TV each year [10]. * Kids see favorite characters smoking, drinking, and involved in sexual situations and other risky behaviors in the shows and movies they watch o n TV. * More on how television viewing affects children. * For more detailed information on these and other issues, read on. Does TV affect children's brain development? With television programs—and even a cable channel—designed and marketed specifically for babies, whether kids under two years of age should be watching becomes an important question.While we are learning more all the time about early brain development, we do not yet have a clear idea how television may affect it. Some studies link early TV viewing with later attention problems, such as ADHD. However, other experts disagree with these results. One study found that TV viewing before age three slightly hurt several measures of later cognitive development, but that between ages three and five it slightly helped reading scores [11]. The American Academy of Pediatrics takes a â€Å"better-safe-than-sorry† stance on TV for young children [12]. It may be tempting to put your infant or toddler in front o f the television, especially to watch shows created just for children under age two. But the American Academy of Pediatrics says: Don't do it! These early years are crucial in a child's development. The Academy is concerned about the impact of television programming intended for children younger than age two and how it could affect your child's development. Pediatricians strongly oppose targeted programming, especially when it's used to market toys, games, dolls, unhealthy food and other products to toddlers.Any positive effect of television on infants and toddlers is still open to question, but the benefits of parent-child interactions are proven. Under age two, talking, singing, reading, listening to music or playing are far more important to a child's development than any TV show. † In addition, TV can discourage and replace reading. Reading requires much more thinking than television, and we know that reading fosters young people's healthy brain development. Kids from fami lies that have the TV on a lot spend less time reading and being read to, and are less likely to be able to read [13].What about TV and aggressive or violent behavior? Literally thousands of studies since the 1950s have asked whether there is a link between exposure to media violence and violent behavior. All but 18 have answered, â€Å"Yes. †Ã‚  Ã‚   The evidence from the research is overwhelming. According to the AAP, â€Å"Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed. † [14]   Watching violent shows is also linked with having less empathy toward others [14a]. An average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by age 18 [15]. * Two-thirds of all programming contains violence [16]. * Programs designed for children more often contain violence than adult TV [17]. * Most violent acts go unpunished on TV and are often accomp anied by humor. The consequences of human suffering and loss are rarely depicted. * Many shows glamorize violence. TV often promotes violent acts as a fun and effective way to get what you want, without consequences [18]. Even in G-rated, animated movies and DVDs, violence is common—often as a way for the good characters to solve their problems. Every single U. S. animated feature film produced between 1937  and 1999 contained violence, and the amount of violence with intent to injure has increased over the years [19]. * Even â€Å"good guys† beating up â€Å"bad guys† gives a message that violence is normal and okay. Many children will try to be like their â€Å"good guy† heroes in their play. * Children imitate the violence they see on TV.Children under age eight cannot tell the difference between reality and fantasy, making them more vulnerable to learning from and adopting as reality the violence they see on TV [20]. * Repeated exposure to TV violen ce makes children less sensitive toward its effects on victims and the human suffering it causes. * A University of Michigan researcher demonstrated that watching violent media can affect willingness to help others in need [20a]. Read about the study here: Comfortably Numb: Desensitizing Effects of Violent Media on Helping Others. Viewing TV violence reduces inhibitions and leads to more aggressive behavior. * Watching television violence can have long-term effects:   * A 15-year-long study by University of Michigan researchers found that the link between childhood TV-violence viewing and aggressive and violent behavior persists into adulthood [21]. * A 17-year-long study found that teenaged boys who grew up watching more TV each day are more likely to commit acts of violence than those who watched less [22]. * Even having the TV on in the home is linked to more aggressive behavior in 3-year-olds.This was regardless of the type of programming and regardless of whether the child wa s actually watching the TV [23]. What parents can do: * According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, media education can help kids become less susceptible to the bad effects of watching violent TV. Some studies have shown that kids who received media education had less violent behavior after watching violent programs. Teach your kids to be media savvy. Find out more about media literacy. * Watch with your kids, so if the programming turns violent, you can discuss what happened to put it in a context you want your kids to learn. Know what your kids are watching. Decide what programs are appropriate for their age and personality, and stick to your rules. * To minimize peer pressure to watch violent shows, you may want to talk to the parents of your child's friends and agree to similar rules. * Visit YourChild:   Managing Television:   Tips for Your Family for more ideas. For more on TV violence and kids: * Key Facts: TV Violence—a report from the Kaiser Family Foundatio n. * A 1993 summary of some of the research on TV violence and behavior. * Television Violence:   Content, Context, and Consequences. The National Television Violence Study (NTVS). * Television Violence:   A Review of the Effects on Children of Different Ages—a 1995 70-page report and review of the literature. * Violence in the Media–Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects: Decades of psychological research confirms that media violence can increase aggression. * Comfortably Numb: Desensitizing Effects of Violent Media on Helping Others—This study by a University of Michigan researcher demonstrates that watching violent media can affect willingness to help others in need. Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children:   Congressional Public Health Summit—a statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American. Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychological Association, American Medical Asso ciation, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Psychiatric Association. Can TV scare or traumatize kids? Children can come to view the world as a mean and scary place when they take violence and other disturbing themes on TV to be accurate in real life. Symptoms of being frightened or upset by TV stories can include bad dreams, anxious feelings, being afraid of being alone, withdrawing from friends, and missing school. * Fears caused by TV can cause sleep problems in children [24]. * Scary-looking things like grotesque monsters especially frighten children aged two to seven. Telling them that the images aren't real does not help because kids under age eight can't always tell the difference between fantasy and reality. * Many children exposed to scary movies regret that they watched because of the intensity of their fright reactions. Children ages 8-12 years who view violence are often frightened that they may be a victim of violence or a natural disaster. * Violent threats shown on TV can cause school-aged kids (8-12) to feel fright and worry. When the threat is shown as news it creates stronger fears than when it is shown as fictional [25]. How does watching television affect performance in school? * TV viewing may replace activities that we know help with school performance, such as reading, doing homework, pursuing hobbies, and getting enough sleep. * One research study found that TV's effects on education were long term.The study found that watching TV as a child affected educational achievement at age 26. Watching more TV in childhood increased chances of dropping out of school and decreased chances of getting a college degree, even after controlling for confounding factors [26]. * Watching TV at age four was one factor found to be associated with bullying in grade school [27]. Can TV influence children's attitudes toward themselves and others? Let's take a look at what kids see on TV, and how it can affect their beliefs about race and gender: * Children learn to accept the stereotypes represented on television.After all, they see them over and over. * When non-whites are shown on TV, they tend to be stereotyped. * A review of the research on gender bias shows that the gender-biased and gender-stereotyped behaviors and attitudes that kids see on television do affect how they see male and female roles in our society. * Television and movies do not often show Asians or Asian Americans, and when they do, they fail to show the diversity in Asian American culture [28]. * Thin women are disproportionately represented on TV.The heavier a female character, the more negative comments were made about her [29]. * In 1990's commercials, white men more often were depicted as strong, while white women were shown as sex objects. African American men more often were portrayed as aggressive and African American women, as inconsequential [30]. * Ads for household items, like cleaning products, usually feature women [31]. * G-rated movies ar e commonly viewed by younger children—often over and over on DVD, and perceived by parents as safe for little kids.However, in these movies, whether live action or animated, males are shown more than females, by three to one, they are not often shown in relationships, and do not solve problems peacefully [32]. * In G-movies, characters of color are under-represented, and are usually shown as sidekicks, comic relief, or bad guys. Male characters of color are more aggressive and isolated [33]. * Music videos over-represent black males as aggressors, and white females as victims, compared to actual demographic data [34]. To learn more, visit the Center for Media Literacy's page on Stereotyping and Representation How are children portrayed on TV? A study by a group called Children NOW of how children are shown on local TV news, found that [35]: * Almost half of all stories about children focus on crime (45%). * Children account for over a quarter of the U. S. population but only 10% of all local news stories. * African American children account for more than half of all stories (61%) involving children of color, followed by Latino children (32%).Asian Pacific American and Native American children are virtually invisible on local news. * African American boys are more likely than any other group to be portrayed as perpetrators of crime and violence whereas Caucasian girls are most likely to be shown as victims. Can TV affect my child's health? Yes, TV is a public health issue in several different ways. First of all, kids get lots of information about health from TV, much of it from ads. Ads do not generally give true or balanced information about healthy lifestyles and food choices.The majority of children who watch health-related commercials believe what the ads say. Second, watching lots of television can lead to childhood obesity and overweight. Finally, TV can promote risky behavior, such as trying dangerous stunts, substance use and abuse, and irrespons ible sexual behavior. Children who watch more TV are more likely to be overweight * University of Michigan researchers found that just being awake and in the room with the TV on more than two hours a day was a risk factor for being overweight at ages three and four-and-a-half. [34]   * The effects can carry on into adult weight problems.Weekend TV viewing in early childhood affects body mass index (BMI), or overweight in adulthood. [35] * University of Michigan researchers and their colleagues who investigated whether diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior or television viewing predicted body mass index (BMI) among 3- to 7-year-old children, found that physical activity and TV viewing are most associated with overweight risk. TV was a bigger factor than diet. Inactivity and TV became stronger predictors as the children aged [36]. * Children who watch TV are more likely to be inactive and tend to snack while watching TV. Many TV ads encourage unhealthy eating habits. Two-third s of the 20,000 TV ads an average child sees each year are for food and most are for high-sugar foods. After-school TV ads target children with ads for unhealthy foods and beverages, like fast food and sugary drinks [37, 38]. * All television shows, even educational non-commercial shows, replace physical activity in your child's life. * While watching TV, the metabolic rate seems to go even lower than during rest [39]. This means that a person would burn fewer calories while watching TV than when just sitting quietly, doing nothing. The food and beverage industry targets children with their television marketing, which may include commercials, product placement, and character licensing. Most of the products pushed on kids are high in total calories, sugars, salt, and fat, and low in nutrients [40]. * Children watching Spanish-language TV after school and in the evening see lots of ads for food and drink. Much of it targets kids and most of the ads are for unhealthy foods like sugared drinks and fast food. This advertising may play a role in the high risk of overweight in Latino kids [40a]. Results from recent studies have reported success in reducing excess weight gain in preadolescents by restricting TV viewing [41]. Childhood TV habits are a risk factor for many adult health problems * One study looked at adults at age 26, and how much TV they had watched as children. Researchers found that â€Å"17% of overweight, 15% of raised serum cholesterol, 17% of smoking, and 15% of poor fitness can be attributed to watching television for more than 2 hours a day during childhood and adolescence. †Ã‚   This was after controlling for confounding variables [42]. Children may attempt to mimic stunts seen on TV Injuries are the leading cause of death in children, and watching unsafe behavior on TV may increase children's risk-taking behavior. * Kids have been injured trying to repeat dangerous stunts they have seen on television shows. * Many kids watch TV sporting events. Researchers surveyed TV sports event ads to assess what kids might be seeing. Almost half of all commercial breaks during sporting events contained at least one ad that showed unsafe behavior or violence [43]. Watching TV can cause sleep problems * Television viewing is associated with altered sleep patterns and sleep disorders among children and adolescents. Regular sleep schedules are an important part of healthy sleep. A recent study found that infants and toddlers who watch TV have more irregular sleep schedules. More research is needed to find out whether the TV viewing is the cause [44]. * Those sleep disturbances may persist. Teens who watched three or more hours of TV per day had higher risk of sleep problems by early adulthood [45]. * Find out more in this research brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation: Children’s Media Use and Sleep Problems: Issues and Unanswered Questions. TV viewing may promote alcohol use The presence of alcohol on TV runs the gamut f rom drinking or talking about drinking on prime-time shows, to beer ads, to logos displayed at sporting events. * Many studies have shown that alcoholic drinks are the most common beverage portrayed on TV, and that they are almost never shown in a negative light. * Recent studies have shown that exposure to drinking in movies increases the likelihood that viewers themselves will have positive thoughts about drinking [45a]. * Alcohol has damaging effects on young people’s developing brains—and the damage can be permanent.TV ads are a major factor in normalizing alcohol use in the minds of children, adolescents and college students [46]. * Ads for alcohol portray people as being happier, sexier, and more successful when they drink. Alcohol advertising, including TV ads, contributes to an increase in drinking among youth [47]. * Television ads for alcohol, such as â€Å"alcopop,† which combine the sweet taste of soda pop in a liquor-branded malt beverage, may targe t youth, especially girls and Hispanic and African American kids [47a]. The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University found that in 2003, the top 15 prime time programs most popular with teens all had alcohol ads [48]. * Alcohol is increasingly advertised during programs that young people are more likely to watch than people of legal drinking age [49]. Kids who watch TV are more likely to smoke * Even though tobacco ads are banned on TV, young people still see people smoking on programs and movies shown on television. The tobacco industry uses product placement in films.Smoking in movies increased throughout the 1990s [50] . * Internal tobacco industry documents show that the tobacco industry purposefully markets their product to youth. The industry uses subtle strategies like logos at sporting events, product placement, and celebrities smoking to get around the ban on TV advertising for their products [51] . * Kids who watch more TV start smoking at an e arlier age. The relationship between television viewing and age of starting smoking was stronger than that of peer smoking, parental smoking, and gender [52]. Recent research has shown that exposure to smoking in movie characters increases the likelihood that viewers will associate themselves with smoking [52a]. * Find out more about kids and tobacco. Kids get lots of information about sexuality from television * Most parents don't talk to their kids about sex and relationships, birth control and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Most schools do not offer complete sex education programs. So kids get much of their information about sex from TV. * Kids are probably not learning what their parents would like them to learn about sex from TV. * Sexual content is a real presence on TV.Soap operas, music videos, prime time shows and advertisements all contain lots of sexual content, but usually nothing about contraception or safer sex. * The number of sex scenes on TV has nearly double d since 1998, with 70% of the top 20 most-watched shows by teens including sexual content [53]. Fifteen percent of scenes with sexual intercourse depict characters that have just met having sex. Of the shows with sexual content, an average of five scenes per hour involves sex. * Watching sex on TV increases the chances a teen will have sex, and may cause teens to start having sex at younger ages.Even viewing shows with characters talking about sex increases the likelihood of sexual initiation [54]. (Read more about this study. ) * Watching sexual content on TV is linked to becoming pregnant or being responsible for a pregnancy. Researchers found that even after controlling for other risk factors, the chance of teen pregnancy went up with more exposure to sex on television [55]. * On the flip side, TV has the potential to both educate teens, and foster discussion with parents. Watch with your kids, and use the sexual content on TV as a jumping-off point to talk with your teen about s ex, responsible behavior and safety. To find out more, read: * The American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) Parent Page on Sex, the Media and Your Child * The AAP' s policy statement on Sexuality, Contraception and the Media How can I find out more about kids and TV? Here are some websites with helpful information: * The Smart Parent's Guide to Kid's TV—from the AAP. * Guia para Ver la Television en Familia, a Spanish publication from the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). * Guidelines for Rating Children’s Television, a guideline from PBS Ready To Learn. * Pautas para la evaluacion de los programas de television para ninos, the above guideline, in Spanish. Special issues for young children (2-11 years) and Special issues for teens address some developmental issues. * Talking with kids about the news—10 tips for parents. * The Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) page on children's educational TV. Visit these related topics on YourChild: * Managin g Television: Tips for Your Family * Media and Media Literacy * Video Games * The Internet * Obesity * Sleep Problems * Reading What are some organizations that work on issues around kids and TV? * The Center for Media Literacy believes in empowerment through education—that kids need to learn how to think critically about TV and other media. Media Awareness Network is a Canadian group with a wealth of information for parents. * The Center for Screentime Awareness sponsors National TV Turn-Off Week each year. Future TV Turn-Off Weeks are in Spring and Fall: April 19-25, 2010 & September 19-25, 2010. TV-Turnoff Week is supported by over 70 national organizations including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association, and President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. References Written and compiled by Kyla Boyse, RN. Reviewed by Brad Bushman, PhD

Tranquility of a Cemetery

As we come in to a cemetery, we might be filled with fears or have some sort of dreadful feeling. Our first impression may be of dark cold nights and ended lives. What is a scary and dreadful place for some people; it is a very meaningful place for me. This place is so meaningful to me because my father is buried there. Cemeteries are important to bringing perspective and serenity, because they bring us a connection to where we came from, it helps us realize the tenderness of life, and they help us to relax a little bit through their calmness. I have had so many things impact my life and they all seem to end up in the same place. Cemeteries are not the dreaded and scary things of superstitions. They are holding places for memories and faith. The memories I hold from Bellevue memorial park are not from within the place itself but from the people it holds. It helped me realize the delicacy of life by taking many people I loved before I expected them to go. My father is buried in my most meaningful place; my grandma and one of my uncles are there too. The day we buried my dad it was a beautiful day outsides, it was nice and sunny although it looked like it was going to rain. As I entered the cemetery I saw tombstones piled up from left to right and right to left , there’s was people buries in every direction. On one corner there are tombstones dated as far back as the 1800’s, those are the oldest tombs. Then there’s a section as you are coming in to the cemetery, called the mausoleum. As you go in there it’s very quiet, but the smell of the mausoleum is the same smell of a rotting piece of meat. As you approach to the middle section of the cemetery there is the baby section. This section is always filled with balloons flowers and all kinds of decorations, for their birthdays or special occasions. This is the saddest section of the whole cemetery because you always see at least 1 mother crying to their dead child. In the older sections of the cemetery there where caskets coming out the ground, you could see that since they have been there too long the dirt has pushed them out. I walked around the whole cemetery and I felt sad for all f these people that have lost their lives in accidents, crimes, or just health problems. I kind of felt like I was in fear of losing my life too, because I was surrounded by death. As we approached to the section where my father was going to be buried, it smelled like fresh flowers and plants, but if u smelled deep enough there was a humid smell in the air of the rotting corpses underneath the ground I was stepping on. I’ve been at this ce metery three times and as close as I can remember it felt the same. I felt scared, anxious; my heart beat was accelerating as we were getting closer to putting my loved ones underground. The grass was green and freshly cut; it seemed as if they had just cut it for this occasion. Every time I go to the cemetery I’m not scared anymore I feel peaceful, when you go there you get relaxed because it’s very quiet, there is no sound in sight all u can hear is the static in your ears. Also it’s hard to explain the emotions you get as you enter a cemetery; you feel sad, scared, anxious lots of mixed emotions. One thing I remember the most is the feeling of knowing that once my dad was going underground I was never going to see him again all I was left with was his memory and his tomb.

Change Management The WritePass Journal

Change Management Introduction Change Management IntroductionConclusionReferencesRelated Introduction We cannot even endeavor to evaluate and comprehend change management models until we thoroughly understand the meaning of ‘change’.   Even though there is no general definition of change, we would correlate it with words such as alteration, transmutation, metamorphosis, evolution, rejuvenation and modification.  Ã‚   Hughes (2006) has used a generic definition which is â€Å"any alteration in the status quo†. Even far back as 500 BC Heraclius quoted that â€Å"change is constant† it occurs everywhere. It is a defining force in our life, and could be argued that a state of continuous change has almost become routine Luecke (2003). Change is extremely important it will not disappear nor dissipate; it has been studied and researched for many years by different organizations each with the same intention, which is to achieve the ‘perfect’ effective organizational change which will last (Todnem 2005). Some leaders become successful in implementin g change while others fail (Strickland, 1998).   Mourier (1998) reported that failure rates are as high as 60 percent; this is comparable to the 63 percent failure rate for all organizational change reported by Shaffer and Thompson (2002).  Ã‚   Therefore organizations will continue to search for the perfect change literature, which achieves the inevitable (Balogun and Hope Hailey, 2004).   Efficient management of changes at every level is crucial to the success of a Healthcare organization (Todnem 2005). They have been faced with extraordinary changes due to major developments in clinical practice and reorganization within the work place (Upton and Brookes 2000). Due to the various ways in which organizational changes can be managed, we are in need of a standardized model which can be applied to different scenarios. Due to the risks involved, the Healthcare industry needs such universally applicable, efficient change management models now more than ever. In this paper, we dis cuss various change management models and their feasibility in Healthcare. Three important change management theorists: William Bridges stressed on the importance of people in managing change in an organization and stated that the process of change should begin at a personal level (Campbell, 2008). This is vital when working within a staff team as resistance plays a role in the outcome and effectiveness of the change (Paton et al, 2008).   In his seminal work titled Managing transitions, organizational consultant Bridges accurately identifies change and transition as two distinct processes. He describes change as being situational and states that change, does not necessarily involve transition of people (Bridges, 2003).   However, he describes transition as a 3-phase process. The first phase is called Denial where people initially resist the change and express anger, shock and disappointment. The next phase is the Neutral Zone where the reactions of people are less strong and they are ready for the transition at a subconscious level. In the final phase is called the New Beginning, the initial scepticism makes way for hope and enthusiasm and people begin to accept the change with a positive outlook. Bridges (2003) recommends regular interaction and communication with the employees in order to achieve a smooth transition. Being given time to adjust and prepare for the change minimizes resistance (Bernhard and Walsh, 1995). Example given Without implementation Introduction of electronic risk assessment form No training, or enforcing staff of benefits, not   involving them in process Resulted in resistance from staff With implementation Introduction of electronic risk assessment form Excellent training,   staff involved able to understand necessity of new system Resulted in no resistance, letting go of old system, change went smoothly, clinical governance achieved Additionally, he proposes steps such as rewarding the employees contributing to the transition, implementing efficient temporary systems until the transition is complete and setting benchmarks with continuous improvement in order to achieve positive results from the transition. His recommendations have been instrumental in smoothing the process of transition across various Healthcare organizations. However, excluding very simple changes, most changes are multidimensional in nature (Campbell, 2008). Therefore, the change management model has to effectively reach all the impacted areas of the organization. Moreover, various people involved in the change process will have different suggestions and opinions about the cause and the possible results, and changes originating due to external factors such as the economy, recent technological developments are seldom predictable. In such cases, the recommendations of Bridges are not enough. When looking at theorist LaMarsh she proposed a structured change management approach.  LeMarsh (1995) argues that due to the inherent resistance of humans to change, several exceptional ideas and innovative technologies are not adopted and eventually end up being failures. In order to overcome this resistance, she recommends that the people involved in the change process be recognized first. R.Turner, (2003), would agree with this as he recognises the importance that people involved in the change process need to be hightlighted.   Buono (2010) observes that the directed change approach suggested by LaMarsh and R Turner (2003) can cause serious damages if used inappropriately. Due to the unpredictable reactions of the employees who resist the change, organisation members are left to handle emotions such as anger, sadness and loss. Next, since resistance originates from different reasons, (Hargie et al 2004), recommends gathering information about the reasons triggering the resist ance from every level. However, she also accurately predicts a temporary decline in the performance of the organization during the implementation of the change at the same time leading to confusion. Therefore, none of these approaches were sufficient by themselves in handling change management challenges in a healthcare organisation.   However, the most radical development in the field of change management came in the form of Kotter, a Harvard professor. In his best-selling book titled Leading Change (Kotter, 1996), he proposed an eight-step change process (shown below) which marked the beginning of a new era in managing changes. Kotter’s Model described in the box below Step 1  Ã‚   Establish a sense of Urgency Kotter (1996) states that successful implementation of a change requires that a majority of the management wholeheartedly support the idea.   This can be done by creating a sense of urgency, communicating openly, which will de activate resistance.   Once people support the change Kotter states, that this will come automatically. Step 2 Form a powerful collation In order to convince people that change is necessary, a management with strong leadership is necessary.   Build a team of believers by explaining the benefits and inevitability of the change.   Once this is done the change can be implemented.  Ã‚   (Kotter 1996) Step 3 Create a shared vision The best way to get people to support an idea is by convincing them so that their support is voluntary and not forced. Therefore, people who are responsible for implementing and executing the change need to be told about the reasons and the vision behind the change and how it can result in common good.   (Hughes 2006). Step 4 Communicate the Vision If people are to participate in the change process with enthusiasm, they need to be motivated and told about how the change can result in a great future for the organization. This is the most important step of all since this is when resistance will be encountered from various corners of the organization (Day 2007). Step 5  Ã‚   Empower the people to act Since resistance is expected to arise from different levels of the organization.   Change leaders must be prepared to identify the root of the concerns raised and answer them convincingly. This way, all obstacles can be removed in a systematic and effective manner The employees should be allowed to voice opinions and express their concerns. The concerns should not be suppressed since an organisation can grow only if it has motivated and dedicated employees (Day2007). Step 6   Plan for and Create Wins Creating motivation is difficult without showing people rewards, by bringing in a ward system you are rewarding them for good work, or victory.   This will inspire motivation, and gratitude towards the organisation.   Ensuring the change goes even smoother. Step 7   Change improvement check points Kotter (1996) states that â€Å"several changes end up being failures† When looking at change there must not be an end, it is a continual, constant process which should always be checked on, or adapted. To allow the change to last.   As it’s not just time that changes, everything else can. Step 8: Institutionalize new approaches Along with introducing the change, the change leaders must also ensure that the change is incorporated at all levels. It must become the default methodology for all segments of the organization and not just a one-off thing. In order to accomplish this, the change leaders need to clearly explain the employees the relationship between the recent achievements of the organization and the newly adopted practices. By doing this, any change can be sustained irrespective of the initial resistance it encountered. Among the three profound thinkers and approaches discussed above, Bridges and Kotter have been widely discussed due to the effectiveness and versatile of their approaches. Each approach has its share of merits and demerits. While Bridges observes change as a phenomenon, individual level, Kotter attributes an emotional and situational component to the process of change and proposes ways to manage these components in his eight-step approach. Bridges, in his approach, discusses the important steps and concepts involved in the change process (Campbell, 2008). When looking at the reorganisation of shift pattern, let us observe how the approaches of  Bridges, and Kotter would be implemented.   Bridges (2003) and Bernard and Walsh (1996) would gradually implement the change by ending the old shift pattern, ensuring the staff get use to the loss and then implement the new shift pattern. Whilst Kotter at this stage, would create a sense of urgency, reinforce the need for change and communication effectively to all members of the multi disciplinary teams who may cause resistance. The next stage, a major difference exists between the approaches of Bridges (2003) and LaMarsh (1995) and that of Kotter (1996). Bridges and LaMarsh continue to use a top-down, directed change approach where the involvement of the staff is minimal. However, Kotter suggests that the staff be completely involved in the transition. This requires gaining the confidence of the staff by communicating with them and convincing them about the effectiveness of the new shift change. Moreover, Kotter is less severe about the pre-set time line of the transition and stresses more on the successful completion of individual stages in order to ensure the success of the complete transition. Conclusion Healthcare organizations are complex (Day, 2007) due to several interrelated components which interact with each other in an unpredictable manner. Moreover, since the Healthcare industry depends on government funds, economic scenarios too can cause different changes. Therefore, it is important that they have a standard change management model in place so that they can efficiently manage changes as and when they occur. We have discussed the approaches of three profound thinkers who have contributed significantly to the field of change management. While each approach has its share of advantages and disadvantages, the eight-step approach proposed by John Kotter is more feasible in the present scenario.   This is due to the fact that the emotional involvement of employees is crucial for the successful management of a change. Kotters eight-step approach achieves this with the help of transparency and communication. The example of the implementation of shift change proves that in impleme nting a change successfully, Kotters diplomatic approach of allowing the employees and the patients to actively participate in the implementation and allowing them openly voice their opinion proves to be more effective in limiting the resistance.   In this direction, the dominant, bureaucratic approaches of Bridges and LaMarsh fail since the changes are implemented in terms of changing processes and systems. Since these approaches do not care about the effects on people involved, changes are literally forced on the patients and employees. References  ·Ã‚   Balogun, J. Hope, V., (2004) Exploring Strategic Change. 2nd Edition. Harlow:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  FT/Prentice Hall.  · Bridges, W., (2003) Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. Making the most of change.   2nd Edition. Cambridge: Da Capo Press.   Buono, A. F. Kerber, K. W., (2010) Creating a Sustainable Approach to Change: building organizational change capacity [Online]. Available from freepatentsonline.com/article/SAM-Advanced-Management-Journal/233607213.html   [Accessed 04 May 2011].  ·Ã‚   Campbell, R. J., (2008) Change Management in Health Care   doi: 10.1097/01.HCM.0000285028.79762.a1. CliffsNotes.com, (2011) Causes of Organizational Change [Online]. Available from   cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/topicArticleId-8944,articleId-8884.html [Accessed 4 May 2011]. Day., K. J., (2007) Supporting the emergence of a shared services organisation:   Managing change in complex health ICT projects. Gittins., N. Standish, S., (2010) Planning and implementing change in healthcare: a practical guide for managers and clinicians.[Online]. Available from hlsp.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=e5YB-ctXUXw%3Dtabid=1570.   [Accessed 10 May 2010]. Golden, B., (n.d.) Transforming Healthcare Organizations [Online]. Available from   longwoods.com/content/18490 [Accessed 4 May 2011]. Hiatt, J. Creasey T., (n.d.) The Definition and History of Change Management [Online]. Available from change-management.com/tutorial-definition-history.htm   [Accessed 4 May 2011]. Hughes, M., (2006) Change Management: A Critical Perspective. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. ISBN: 1-84398-070-3. Iles,V., Sutherland,K., (2001) Organisational Change. A review for health care managers, professionals and researchers. London: National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisational Research and Development. Kotter,J. P.,(1996) Leading change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Kotter, J. P. Cohen, D., (2002) The Heart of Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Doyle, M., (2002) Changing the way we change.   Journal of Human Resource Management. 12 (1), 3-16. Leyland, M., Hunter, D. Dietrich, J., (2009) Integrating Change Management into Clinical Health Information Technology Project Practice DOI: 10.1109/CONGRESS.2009.28 Mourier, P., (1998) How to Implement Organizational Change that Produces Results. Journal of Performance Improvement, 37(7), 19-29. Schaffer, P., Thompson, D., (2002) Transformational Leadership in the Context of Organizational Change. Journal of Organizational Change, 12(2), 80-88. Strickland, F., (1998) The Dynamics of Change. London: Routledge. Taylor, F. W., (1911) The Principles of Scientific Management, New York and London: Harper Brothers. Todnem, R., (2005) Organizational Change Management: A Critical Review. Journal of Change Management, 5(4). Warrilow, S., ( 2009) John Kotter’s Guiding Principles for Leading Change [Online].   Available from strategies-for-managing-change.com/john-kotter.html  Ã‚   [Accessed 4 May 2011].

Pteranodon Facts and Figures

Pteranodon Facts and Figures Despite what many people think, there wasnt a single species of pterosaur called a pterodactyl. The pterodactyloids were actually a large suborder of avian reptiles that included such creatures as Pteranodon, Pterodactylus and the truly enormous Quetzalcoatlus, the largest winged animal in earths history; pterodactyloids were anatomically different from the earlier, smaller rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs that dominated the Jurassic period. Wingspan of Close to 20 Feet Still, if theres one specific pterosaur that folks have in mind when they say pterodactyl, its Pteranodon. This large, late Cretaceous pterosaur attained wingspans of close to 20 feet, though its wings were made of skin rather than feathers; its other vaguely birdlike characteristics included (possibly) webbed feet and a toothless beak. Weirdly, the prominent, foot-long crest of Pteranodon males was actually part of its skulland may have functioned as a combination rudder and mating display. Pteranodon was only distantly related to prehistoric birds, which evolved not from pterosaurs but from small, feathered dinosaurs. Primarily a Glider Paleontologists arent certain exactly how, or how often, Pteranodon moved through the air. Most researchers believe this pterosaur was primarily a glider, though its not inconceivable that it actively flapped its wings every now and then, and the prominent crest on top of its head may (or may not) have helped stabilize it during flight. Theres also the distant possibility that Pteranodon took to the air only rarely, instead of spending most of its time stalking the ground on two feet, like the contemporary raptors and tyrannosaurs of its late Cretaceous North American habitat. Males Were Much Bigger Than Females There is only one valid species of Pteranodon, P. longiceps, the males of which were much bigger than the females (this sexual dimorphism may help to account for some of the early confusion about the number of Pteranodon species). We can tell that the smaller specimens are female because of their wide pelvic canals, a clear adaption for laying eggs, while the males had much bigger and more prominent crests, as well as larger wingspans of 18 feet (compared to about 12 feet for females). The Bone Wars Amusingly, Pteranodon figured prominently in the Bone Wars, the late 19th-century feud between the eminent American paleontologists Othniel C. Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope. Marsh had the honor of excavating the first undisputed Pteranodon fossil, in Kansas in 1870, but Cope followed soon afterward with discoveries in the same locality. The problem is, Marsh initially classified his Pteranodon specimen as a species of Pterodactylus, while Cope erected the new genus Ornithochirus, accidentally leaving out an all-important e (clearly, he had meant to lump his finds in with the already-named Ornithocheirus). By the time the dust had (literally) settled, Marsh emerged as the winner, and when he corrected his error vis-a-vis Pterodactylus, his new name Pteranodon was the one that stuck in the official pterosaur record books. Name: Pteranodon (Greek for toothless wing); pronounced teh-RAN-oh-don; often called the pterodactylHabitat: Shores of North AmericaHistorical Period: Late Cretaceous (85-75 million years ago)Size and Weight: Wingspan of 18 feet and 20-30 poundsDiet: FishDistinguishing Characteristics: Large wingspan; prominent crest on males; lack of teeth

Business Essay Example for Free (#4)

Business Essay A. 1. As I began my journey as a new business owner of a computer company I needed to define my company’s goals, decide which direction I wanted to take the company to and create a mission statement that will best represent my company. Since the company was new I needed to come up with something catchy and promising that would invite potential clients to find out more about the products we offer. Since there were more participants in this game and from my professional experience I learned that staying on the same path and making advancements is more beneficial than trying to change directions every time. In this case I remained focused on the same two groups for the remaining 3 rounds. Instead of changing and adding more products every quarters like most of the other participants I kept my two models (one for each group) and made necessary corrections and modifications based on the market needs. I verified the requirements of each group, the priorities and the price range each client is willing to pay. Since there are no specific techniques used in this part of the business analysis I used my own judgment in making sure that I create the best product with the items that are most important to the potential client group. As stated above I initially created two products (one for each group) and after the first round they both passed 70% but in the scientific group it was not chosen as one of the best. In the second round I was given an option of reviewing products of my competitors and the only difference was the larger monitor and an upgraded keyboard. I added those options to my products and in the next round both products did very well. I had to make sure that in the nest round I keep up with the new upgrades and add them to my products to make sure that I keep up with the new technology. Even after making the upgrades the prices did not change a lot and the two groups still chose my product as one of their choices and my products were receiving 100% in both categories. Out of all the categories my market performance would produce larger results if I was not afraid in estimating more clients and produce more computers in both categories. Every quarter I ended up loosing clients and sales due to shortage in inventory. My market performance, marketing effectiveness and human resource management remained slightly low even though I was very close to my competitors. As far as my salary package I paid my employees the most but I only contributed 2% of their salary versus 5% that everyone else was contributing. I believe that salary is more important than the retirement contribution. I upgraded health benefits but kept the contribution the same. 2.I would not change the targeted markets I have selected because my decision was a success. I wanted to make sure that my company will have balance between high paying clients and not as much demand and those where the profits are not as high but the demand is much higher. My analogy was right on target because with the Mercedes I was making higher profit but the number of machines was not as high as the market for general public where the profit was significantly lower. After being chosen by both markets as a preferred factory I had to make sure that I am keeping up with current technology and by adding extra features the price difference is not too high so that I would loose my lower profit clients. With that business idea I was able to survive my competition and climb up to the top. 3.When it comes to the sales locations I selected I believe that I have done enough research to make a good decision. Since I have chosen Mercedes for scientific computers and general public I wanted to make sure that I cover United States since Mercedes mainly operated in the US and their main headwaters are in Germany. Therefore I chose NY as one of the first offices along with France in Europe. My next choice was Tokyo since they have the most advanced technology and I can use that as my selling point to generate more business. My last choice was South America even though the expenses were not as high but it is less demanding since the poverty is significantly high. As expected, choosing my locations in this order was a success. 4.Marketing research could definitely be improved since I was not as successful as I was hoping to be. Most of my business was coming from direct sales and not as much from other advertising. I did not want to invest large amounts of money on the popular magazines since the fee was very high and I was concentrating on more common papers such as Science Magazines and business papers. Maybe I should have been more adventurous and invest in more popular magazines but I was afraid that I would suffer financially. Also I was not able to come up with a very catchy advertising line to attract potential clients and was scoring somewhat low on the advertising review. B.One of the most important decisions I made was to invest in international markets. Since Mercedes is from Germany and its factories are in the US I felt as investing in a European market would be a good idea simply because I come from Europe and I know that Mercedes is in demand as well as there are a lot of companies in need of a highly developed machine that can make their discoveries and creations a lot easier. I was a little hesitant about opening offices in Tokyo since their technology is very advanced and cost is very high. But because of that I decided to stand with competition face to face and use this to my advantage. By creating same quality machines for a little lesser cost I was able to survive and beat most of my competition. South America had smaller expenses but the demand was not very high considering the high number of less fortunate individuals. If investing in the international markets required large funds I would concentrate on the US market and possibly South America. Unless I discovered high turnaround and my investment would not affect my company’s future I would consider this option. Throughout my entire game I was very cautious and I was afraid of heavy investment simply because my funds were very limited and I did not want to jeopardize my company over greed and quick wealth. After reviewing my financial reports I was able to determine if additional investment is possible and how my this would effect the company overall. Heavy investment would depend on how the financial statements looked, careful review of the international markets and position of the company in the global market. If the company would not be as successful at the end of the 4th quarter as I wanted it to be I would most likely find another route to expand my borders. Business. (2017, Feb 03).

Food Policy for Public Health Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Food Policy for Public Health Practice - Essay Example The occurrence of overweight and obesity in general and especially in children is rising fast around the world. The increases in childhood obesity in Australia are one of the peaks amongst developed countries. Approximately 25% of Australian children are at present plump or obese which is an enormous jump from 5% in the 1960’s. Significant features causative to occurrence rates of childhood obesity in Australia comprise traditions and socio-economic condition. Childhood obesity in Australia is increasing at an annual rate of 1%, a trend which proposes that half of all young Australians will be overweight by the year 2025 (asso.org.au, 2006). In this essay the problem of child obesity in Australia is looked upon on the basis of Bacchi’s ‘what’s the problem approach’? There is an elevated prevalence of overweight and obesity in children of parents of particular locale. And maternal teaching is the top social determinant of overweight and obesity in childhood. Focusing on children role and their involvement to modern society and potential populations, tackling the determinants of health and wellbeing for children and youngsters will develop population health and wellbeing in general. The main reason of the obesity pandemic is energy disproportion that is a comparative increase in energy ingestion (food intake) in concert with a decline in energy spending (reduced physical activity and increased inactive behaviour). Discovering the significant prognostic determinants of both of these behaviours, in addition to the most efficient and sustainable remedial approaches, is multifaceted and involves parental education and employment; housing atmosphere; play, leisure and physical activity; food and nutrition; and child-friendly physical and social situations. Few straightforward trends recommend moderately agreeable remedies. Childrens fruit and vegetable consumption has reduced considerably over the past 20 years. Their

Location, location, location Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Location, location, location - Essay Example are universal factors that influence the location of a business, including availability of raw materials, transportation costs, land, labor, safety, waste disposal, government regulation, and proximity to market (Pellebarg and Wever, 2008). However, technological developments have made some of these factors less significant in determining the location. For a company that specializes in software, the choice of location would largely depend upon the availability of a skilled labor force, educational resources, and connectivity to the global network, recreational opportunities, and proximity to computer-manufacturing industries, government regulations, and communication system. In North America, the three strategic locations would be the United States (California, Texas, or New York), Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, or Vancouver), and Mexico (Mexico City, Acapulco, or Monterrey). These three locations meet the ideal conditions that a software company requires to operate optimally and become successful (Brun, 2007). The three locations seem to fulfill requirements that make a software company, including close proximity to computer-manufacturing industries and their subsidiaries, available and sound connectivity to the global network, vast educational resources, and a well-endowed communication system that encompasses the globe. The US has numerous educational resources that specialize on software development, include excellent institutions and research centers such as the Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo laboratories. Additionally, the US has a large high-skill labor force that the software company needs. Furthermore, the US is home to the largest computer-manufacturing industries, including Dell Inc headquartered in Texas, Apple Inc headquartered in California, Hewlett-Packard Company subsidiary, and Toshiba America Inc subsidiary, among others (Pellebarg and Wever, 2008). The technological advancement in the country will also be an added advantage for the company. Canada

Compare and Contrast Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare and Contrast - Assignment Example The question is why, despite of many oppositions against it, does discrimination still exist in many cultures of the African countries? Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a controversial international issue on human rights that many people from different cultures, whether they are for or against female circumcision, vary in opinions which come in clash with one another. The World Health Organization (2012) defines female genital mutilation as a procedure that involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or any other injury to the female genital organs, whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons. It is often called female circumcision implying the male circumcision as reasonable counterpart for the rite of passage of the masculine gender. However, it differs greatly from male circumcision because the degree of cutting is far more extensive, which human right advocates believe to be inhuman. This is one of many reasons why human rights’ enthusiasts fight against female genital mutilation as it is considered as a violation on the rights of women and children causing gr eat harm rather than being good according to anti-FGM enthusiasts. Focusing on the ill effects of female genital mutilation, according to anti-FGM and pro health movements, it often impairs a woman’s sexual and reproductive functions and can even affect the ability of girls and women to pass urine and menstrual flow normally that often leads to retention and further infection of the genital and pelvic area. This is why WHO have termed the practice a female genital mutilation because universally it mutilates women violating their rights (Royal College of Nursing, 2006). FGM has been a practice that can be traced a thousand years ago and still flourish even on today’s most modern and humanistic times. If it has been deemed as a violation of human rights then the question is why for humanity’s sake it still persists

Managing Business Operations - Supply Chain Essay

Managing Business Operations - Supply Chain - Essay Example In order to meet its customers’ demand by providing quality services they decided to introduce IT in their business operations. Later on they ended up with problems as there was no integration between the systems of different units. Every individual department maintained its own account of activities properly but had no knowledge of what is happening in other departments. The lack of integration between different departments often created problems for the company. Thus, managing and integrating the affairs of all the units and departments became a tough task for a single person. Most often problems were detected after its occurrence. There are many processes involved in their business, beginning from order for freight to dispatch of the freight at the desired destination. The customer here is the company who places the order for transportation. The first process is the receipt of order from the client. Based upon the order, the company locates and sources the goods. The next p rocess is packaging of the sourced goods. Packaging is the process that requires intensive care. Goods may be breakable, or of exploding or evaporating nature etc. Each type of goods must be appropriately packaged so that no loss occurs to the customer due to destruction of goods. Dispatch of defective goods also affects the credibility of the company. The goods are packed and insured by MLH to secure the goods from loss in transit.