Saturday, August 31, 2019
Universal Health Care
AP Eng Lang & Comp ââ¬â 4 442 Precis Source A In the article, Where in the World Can You Get Universal Health Care? , Park informs the reader about the countries that the governments provide health care to their citizens. Park develops the article by listing the countries and giving general details about them. Park's purpose is to provide information about countries where people can get health care in order to make the reader to consider how universal health care can change our nation in positive ways. By using concise and short sentences, the author is writing to a person who wants to know briefly about countries with health care.Source B In the article, Pros ;amp; Cons of Free Universal Health Care, Ireland contrasts the different arguments about universal health care by giving pros and cons. Ireland provides benefits and drawbacks to the type of universal health care system to develop his neutral position. Ireland's purpose is to inform the reader about the positive and ne gative effects of universal health care in order to make them decide whether the government should provide it to all Americans. By using simple sentences and diction, Ireland is writing to a person who wants to have general ideas of universal health care. Source CIn the article, What Are the Benefits of a Universal Health Care System? , Sykora emphasizes all the benefits the citizens can get form universal health care system by listing and give brief explanations about them. Sykora's pro position is developed by all the beneficial factors of universal health care she talks about in the article. Sykora's purpose is to inform about the benefits of a universal health care to the reader in order to make him or her support it. By giving only the benefits of a universal health care, Sykora is writing to a person who has a general idea of both negative and positive view points about it.Source D In the article, Universal Health Care Effects, Uzoma emphasizes how universal health care can ha ve a significant effect on people's health and finance. Uzoma supports universal health care by explaining how a universal health care system can prevent unnecessary suffering and deaths, disability and financial difficulty. Uzoma's purpose is to persuade people who are against a universal health care system in order to have a health system that provides health care benefits to every citizen of the nation. By utilizing detail, Uzoma is writing to the teens and the adults who are interested in this subject. à Universal Health Care The main purpose of this paper is to describe and elaborate more on the need to communal or health care for all in America. America is the only developed state that does not provide universal medical cover for its citizens. The paper aims at looking at some of the general aspects on the universal health care, the percentage population of Americans without this cover, government commitment and the cause for hiking prices of premiums and reduced coverage to employees.Beside that, the paper aims at describing the significant problems experienced by the state toward delivering health care services to the entire citizens. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE This is the medical care and services provided entirely to the citizens through state funding. The government intention is to offer health services to all citizens through tax payersââ¬â¢ money. Some times patients may be forced to meet specific but minor costs. On the other hand, private health care is the medical care and services provided by p rivate hospitals.This hospitals may be entirely private or a corporate entity with the government. INTRODUCTION The main purpose for universal health care for all is to provide medical services to the entire citizens without discriminations. The government offer health services on minimum cost in order to enhance equal quality health services and medical care for all. If the government can afford to offer a communal health care, the entire citizens would have access to medical care. Therefore they can afford to be screened on various diseases that are not affordable to many people.This way the government streamlines and makes living standards of Americans easy, enjoyable and they can have a longer life span. On the other hand, the government wonââ¬â¢t spend too much in treating chronic infections in the future if all victims can afford to meet the bill of such infections. On the other hand private health services can be allowed to offer health services to those who can meet their conditions and terms of operations since their medical services are very expensive. Sub-problem 1: Does the provision of health services to the entire citizens by the government meet the desired quality of health care services?Sub-problem 3: Does the degree on the nature of treatment in public hospitals leads to patientsââ¬â¢ satisfaction and assurance of healthy life? THE GOVERNMENT OF USA SHOULD IMPLEMENT UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS. In the first place, USA is capable of meeting the cost of universal coverage. The government of USA needs to adjust itself on the amount of money spent in war and defense and set aside money for servicing universal health care for all citizens without sidelining others. In USA, the government operates some organizations for veterans, disabled, children and the most poor.Otherwise, the state encourages payment of health insurances privately (Paul Ramsey, 2003). This should be discouraged and USA should adopt universal hea lth coverage. Another point is that US has been unable to monitor the cost of premiums beside its encouragement to purchase premiums privately. There has been a continuous hike in the cost of insurance premiums. In addition to that, the employers have reduced coverage to employees especially in the civil servants, only the military servants and government officials that are fully covered.Note that American government is the main employer in this case. Because of failure to access proper medical care coverage, most people opt to do away with coverage especially due to high costs experienced in the process. For example, most Americans seek coverage through private bodies through employer-sponsored organizations; employees are not satisfied with this method. They accuse the employers for hiking the coverage levels. Again, the current proposals have little efforts to increase coverage to the poor workers.Assessment of America data shows that there is provision of a broad variety of serv ices in tertiary and secondary level. This is at community hospitals. The government of USA can afford to invest in the latest technologies in their operations. This is according to the Canada Study Medical Imaging 2004, (64-65) available at www. cmaj. ca Therefore, it is possible to implement universal health coverage without spending too much on gross domestic income because of advanced technology application. (Ryan S. on the public-private Debate, Dalhousie Medical School).However, this is a challenge because the government of Canada spends more than 55% of what US spends on health care. Again, Canadians have higher life expectancy as compared to Americans and lower infant mortality rates. The people of US would like to have the same life expectancy and lower infant death. However, according to statistics by Canadians institute for health information, Canada has a fewer doctors per capita than US. But health outcomes and expectancy are better and accessible than in America. (Gond en H. Guyett, 2007). Therefore, America can afford to offer the same services as Canada.Actually, the cause for the above-mentioned differences in health care provision and diversion between these two states is because; Canada was able to introduce a publicly funded medical system that was easily adapted. Again; the government of Canada is able to pass her legislative bills with a lot of ease. The US government honestly provides universal health care coverage for a quarter of the entire population. In USA, the government operates some organizations for veterans, disabled, children and the most poor. Otherwise, the state encourages payment of health insurances privatelyAccording to report by Common wealth fund policy foundation, 43 percents of the working populations were not covered in the 2005. As the population increases, the percentage number increases. The negative side of it is that uninsured people suffer great harm and torture as they try to access medical care. If they meet the cost of hospital bills, they are overwhelmed by other expenses. It is unfortunate that non covered individuals are unable to meet the cost of recommended health screening unlike their counterparts who are covered. Again they cannot access regular physicians like those covered.In 2004, 46 millions Americans were not covered (U. S. survey Bureau). Under the net of income, 52 percents of workers earning 20,000 were not covered. The total number of people without coverage was 27 percents. Due to lack of insurance cover; victims of chronic infections such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and asthma do not have access to proper medical check up. They either do away with the dosage or take half the dose since they cannot meet the cost. Therefore, universal health coverage would eliminate some of the pending problems (Collins, 2005).Failure to implement the system of universal coverage can lead to more problems in the near future since the government will spend too much on treating the disabled and chronic infectious diseases. In general health ministry will have lasting problems. Currently, the government of US spends more than 15% OF Gross Domestic Product on health coverage. This is great value and it can be adjusted to meet the basic needs in providing universal coverage. Even if USA is a rich state, persons aging between 20-63 or 60 millions adults are not covered.This exposes the whole population to spend too much on health care. Insurance companies spend between 4. 5- 8. 5 percents on health insurance premiums. This indicates that the costs of premiums on health coverage are rising drastically than the rate of inflation or than the earning incomes of the individuals. This makes the cost of health care very high. According to NCLR 2003, Hispanic Americans are less likely to be insured than their counterparts Africans and white people in American universal health care.The main cause of this racial segregations is that much of Hispanic population in Americ a is composed of illegal immigrants hence they are denied that service of coverage. The same case applies to other races in the continent. Beside that, most foreigners in America are considered to be poor such that they cannot offer the required standard of the working benefits to the nation. Therefore they cannot re-service for their coverage since they are the working poor who cannot offer health coverage and employees benefits to the government. . CONCLUSIONCOMMUNAL HEALTH CARE EXPECTED OUTCOMES IN THE FUTURE The above analysis of public health care dictates where to seek medical attention. The provision of quality and reliable medical care and services to all is the only control as to where to seek help. This is what the USA is aimed at. But due to too much delay, there are several outcomes such as increase of private health care (Jonathan L. 2006). Lack of implementing this bill on time denies poor patients right to seek medical care. Again, there is abuse of human rights. Fail ure to access health care can lead to loss of lives.However, it is a noble idea if the state is able to provide a universal health care and services that are reliable without discrimination, since patients and the entire Americans will benefit from the government. Therefore, they will be able to seek medical attention where they are assured of safety and better outcomes as a patient. However, it is very true that America is composed to a large number of ethnicity backgrounds. However, all citizens should be treated the same. Reference: Ethnicity and racial background, retrieved on 29th November 2007, available at www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov/Hispanic, Caucasians and African-American, retrieved on 29th November 2007, available at www. springerlink. com Hispanic children and adults uninsured, retrieved on 29th November 2007, available www. klru. org/bythepeople/ Joseph Lois (2004), a noble vision for USA, University Academic Press More Americans than Caucasian eligible for federal hea lth coverage, retrieved on 29th November 2007, available at www. ingentaconnect. com Paul Ramsey (2003), Facts on Private vs. Public Healthcare, Miller New York Truman P. and Christian B. (2005), America universal coverage beyond survival, Miller New York
Friday, August 30, 2019
Response to literature- black snake: the daring of Ned Kelly Essay
Bushrangers are known to be ruthless outlaws. Many people have thought of Ned Kelly as a villain, some think of him as a hero or possibly a victim in most cases. Ned Kelly has committed various villainous acts or has been a part of scenes where he most likely wasnââ¬â¢t supposed to be. However, Ned has also done heroic acts and has been victimized by numerous Victorians at the time. Ned Kelly had been expected to be a villain since a young age. Young Ned had done many things a twelve year old wouldnââ¬â¢t think of committing, such as robbing a bank. Ned was originally sentenced to an unexpected trial because he was caught by a trooper when he was flashing a horse in the local streets of Greta. Apparently, Ned thought the horse he was riding belonged to a friend of the family who left not long ago but the horse was actually stolen. Ned had explained to the judge that he didnââ¬â¢t know that the horse was stolen. Unfairly, the judge charged Ned for receiving a stolen horse and was sentenced to three years of hard labor. As for the family friend who stole the horse, he was sentenced to only six months of hard labor. Many Victorians thought that he deserved it, although, I believe he was highly victimized at the scene of the trial. Ned had always been highly protective of his family. There was a scene that happened at the Kellyââ¬â¢s house between a trooper that spread everywhere in Victoria. A fellow constable had arrived drunk at the Kellyââ¬â¢s doorstep to arrest Nedââ¬â¢s brother Dan who was accused of horse stealing. Later on, the constable started to act inappropriately towards Nedââ¬â¢s sister Kate. Nedââ¬â¢s mother got a hold of a shovel and dented the constableââ¬â¢s helmet. After the crime scene, a trial for the incident occurred and Nedââ¬â¢s mother had to serve three years of hard labor until someone pays the bailing payment. Ned, Dan and two mates of theirs formed a fugitive gang and robbed banks and did obscured acts to pay the bail money. Many different stories have been recorded. This may be a villainous and slightly idiotic thing to do but some may think it is loyal and heroic. There was one incident that made all Victorians turn on Ned. There was a shooting at Stringybark Creek where the Kelly gang had their hideout. The results from the shooting scene left two women widowed and nine children fatherless. Since then, there had been an increasing reward for the find of the Kelly gang. Despite all the villainous acts stated, Ned Kelly was victimized through many events. All his and his familyââ¬â¢s trials were unfair due to biasness. Victorians judged the Kelly family and no one listened to their point of view. Ned Kelly stated that the incident at Stringybark Creek was a misunderstanding and that they never planned to shoot. As for the incident at the Kelly house, Ned Kelly was never at the crime scene and was believed to be four hundred-six hundred miles away. It was that the constable was shot by Mrs. Kelly herself but tended the wounds. When the constable went back to the station, he had told the judge, fellow Victorians and partners that is was Ned who shot him. Nevertheless, the judge charged Mrs. Kelly for three years of hard labor and since then, Victorians had been on the hunt for the Kellyââ¬â¢s. Through many of Ned Kellyââ¬â¢s past events, due to all reasoning and evidence stated, it is quite clear that Ned Kelly was put through many crime scenes that he and his family were victimized in.
Double Indemnity: Love of Manipulation or Manipulation of Love? Essay
ââ¬Å"The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the wordsâ⬠(Phillip K. Dick). Manipulation in this book can be summed up in one phrase: It takes two to tango. This dance takes total control of the manipulator and the person being manipulated. Beauty and lust are two common methods of manipulating others. This novel successfully portrays the manipulation of two very clever women through their full and utter control of Walter Huff. In the book Double Indemnity, the author James Cain describes women as manipulators and clearly shows their power to negatively affect men. He illustrates this through the characters Phyllis and Lola. In extensively flirting with Mr. Huff, Phyllis was able to manipulate him into killing Mr. Nirdlinger, leaving her free of any punishment linking her to the murder. James Cain proficiently uses Phyllisââ¬â¢ character to emphasize the power of cruel manipulation used effectively by this woman. This is a reoccurring theme throughout the three literary time periods: Classic, Cozy, and Hard Boiled. The women in this story are powerful users of manipulation due to their beauty, which feeds Huffââ¬â¢s most fundamental emotions. These emotions are: being loved, cared for, a sense of belonging, and inflating their sense of self. With Phyllisââ¬â¢ relationship with Huff, ââ¬Å"She is wholly coquettish as she woos Walter into her scheme to kill her husband. She even says she loves her husband, but shortly afterwards the repulsive side of her character reveals itself in her comment that they would be doing her husband a favor by killing himâ⬠(Beetz). Mr. Huff is an intelligent man who can plan and scheme a course of action. He hardly shows weakness of emotion and effortlessly completes the murder of Mr. Nirdlinger. Mr. Huff followed his script with ease and serenity. Walterââ¬â¢s downfall was Phyllisââ¬â¢ ability to manipulate him to her ends. Phyllis makes herself look dim and useless in Walterââ¬â¢s eyes in order to get him to take initiative, plan, and execute the murder. Phyllis skillfully has Huff commit the murder and then deceitfully shifts the blame onto him. While she was using him for her final solution, ââ¬Å"Phyllis ferrets out the weakness in Walterââ¬â¢s characterââ¬âhis need to feel superior to othersââ¬âand proves herself capable of sophisticated manipulation. For example, she fabricates preposterous ideas of how she might do away with Mr. Nirdlinger, like drowning him in the swimming pool and making it look like a diving accident, so that Walter can strut his knowledge and develop an idea that will pass muster with the insurance investigators but will also yield the greatest payoutâ⬠(Beetz). Phyllis controls Walter shrewdly throughout the book, whether by devious manipulation or self-portrayed, feigned stupidity. Although Walter seemed as if he were the smarter of the two, Phyllis had full control of him for the duration of the entire novel. Women may use their beauty as an ill-hearted power to get what they want with this game of love. Many professional females may secure positions of power by utilizing their flirtatious skills and their sexual attraction as an influence on menââ¬â¢s emotions. Although James Cain portrays Phyllis and Lola as polar opposites, Lola is still able to use her naà ¯vetà ©, youth, and beauty as leverage and exploits the two men in her life: Nino Sachetti, her boyfriend, and Walter Huff, her paramour. Lola uses her innocent beauty as a coercive force to secure her intended goal with Huff. Huff is attracted to her and influenced by her persona of caring, comfort, and beauty. Many believe that, ââ¬Å"The symbolism is in the [checkers] game that Phyllis and Lola play nearby. Lola says sheââ¬â¢s going out to meet her girlfriend, denies any intent of meeting her boyfriend, the penniless Nino Sachetti. Yet when Huff leaves the house, he finds the sexy young Lola waiting for him in his coupeâ⬠¦ and once again he finds himself being manipulated by a woman. But who is manipulating who? As it develops, Huffââ¬â¢s ambiguous relationship with Lola fits perfectly with Phyllisââ¬â¢ second agendaâ⬠(Russell). Walter is a victim of manipulation, for his lust for these two women promotes and decides his actions more than his common sense. One should nott kill for love, as it is uncharacteristic and hypocritical. Heââ¬â¢s killing to secure his sense of love, which was not found with Phyllis. Walter tries to abide his conscience when he settles for Lola as a consolation prize. Lola notices his weakness and exploits his emotions with her promiscuous behavior toward him. Lolaââ¬â¢s entrapment of her innocent beauty gave her the upper hand in her relationship with Walter, eventually leading to her complete control of him: ââ¬Å"She had made a fool of me. She had used me for a catââ¬â¢s paw so she could have another man, and she had enough on me to hang me higher than a kiteâ⬠(Cain, 80). His willing submissiveness verifies the overpowering influence that the emotional and physical attributes of these women use to their own ends. Walter believes that he is meeting his needs with this devilââ¬â¢s bargain. Mr. Huff allowed himself to be easily manipulated by women because he made himself believe that the women had something to give that he so truly desired. Walter killed Nirdlinger not out of hateââ¬âHuff did not have anything against him, he killed Nirdlinger out of pure lust for his mistress. Walter Huff kills for love, but he will die without being loved. Phyllis and Lola use the three poisons for love: manipulation, intimidation, and domination. These poisons make the foundation for securing their financial and emotional stability.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Using web based research, find an environmental-based ethical dilemma Essay
Using web based research, find an environmental-based ethical dilemma from the past five years online - Essay Example At the Severn tidal estuary, sea water rises up the river during high tide. The proposed barrage would allow the high tide to flow in through the sluice gates of the barrage, when the tide is at its highest, gates would be closed, when the tide starts to fall the water would be released driving two hundred and fourteen 40 MW turbines. The project could generate as much as 17 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year. This project could generate up to 5% of the UKââ¬â¢s energy needs (Black & Veatch, 2007). A large part of the Severn estuary has been marked as a protected wetland. The estuary is the habitat of tens of thousands of birds and other aquatic wildlife. If the proposed barrage is built, 35,000 hectares of protected wetland would be inundated by water potentially endangering the wildlife that depends on it for survival (Turnpenny, 2001). Great numbers of migratory fish including critically threatened or declining species such as Atlantic salmon, sea trout, shads and eels also pass through the Severn estuary. Fish passing through the hydroelectric turbines are likely to suffer injury or death (Turnpenny, 2001). According to Kantââ¬â¢s categorical imperative, the ends do not justify the means, a personââ¬â¢s acts are morally correct if and only if it were correct for every other person to act in the same way, for the same reasons. Another aspect of the categorical imperative involves the treatment of human beings. Kantian morality is concerned mostly with the rights of humans, Kant considered non-human creatures to be mere ââ¬Ëthingsââ¬â¢ which could be used and disposed of by humans at their will. Kant advocated kindness to animals, but only because he believed that those who are cruel to animals inevitably become cruel in their dealings with other humans as well (Gruen, 2010). According to Kant, humans are intrinsically valuable and they must not be used as a merely a means to an end but
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
You can choose the title Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
You can choose the title - Essay Example re the ones that develop such simulations, the simulation is usually influenced by the knowledge and biasness of the designers which may lead to difficulties in learning. It has been observed that designers are the ones that are provided with frequent opportunities to learn rather than the users. By making constant change in the simulation, the designer may be able to understand the requirement and will eventually lead to the increase of their skills and experience. For a designer to develop a simulation can become quite easy if the designer have sufficient knowledge regarding the simulation along with the experience to understand the complexity and realism so that the objectives of the simulation could be met cost effectively. The designer must take into consideration that simulation should not be too simplified that it may disrupt the learning process of the students. On the other hand, experiential learning is an active learning process as it focuses on the theme ââ¬Ëlearning by doingââ¬â¢. Since this is an ongoing process, it requires constant facilitation through coaching and support along with personal interest to participate in the process. By such support, the learner may be provided with an opportunity to identify the reasons for failure through feedback by the expert couching the learner. For a business game simulation to be successful, motivation is required among participants. In order to motive the participants, certain theories were proposed. The theories proposed included goal setting theory, Maslowââ¬â¢s need theory, and Herzberg theory along with other theories of motivation. For an effective learning process, time is the most important factor for achieving the goals and objectives of learning. For the goals and objectives of the students to be accomplished, feedbacks and debriefings from the facilitator or expert is crucial as based on such feedbacks, participants become motivated and self-satisfied with the environment for learning. In order to
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Compare and contrast Herbert Hoover's economic policies with those of Essay
Compare and contrast Herbert Hoover's economic policies with those of Franklin Roosevelt - Essay Example aissez-faire attitude was due to beliefs that: the government should not be entirely responsible to the well-being of the people; and the government is incapable of regulating and controlling businesses.3 Hooverââ¬â¢s beliefs were partly due to the belief that the economy would be able to bounce back after several setbacks just like before, but these were unable to explain why decreases in costs of production did not allow the fall of prices and subsequent economic growth, and Hooversââ¬â¢ policies on letting the market forces, private sector as well as the Federal Reserve to drive the economy was unable to stimulate employment.4 The downward economic spiral was aggravated further by the declining federal revenues, relying on the gold standard when it was already abandoned by other countries, and declining to spend and providing federal relief to people and wholly relying on local government and charity. Franklin Roosevelt also had to deal with some similar setbacks such as dealing with deflation, preventing wages and prices from falling further to maintain the incomes of workers and employers as well as restoring the reliability of the banking system.5 Some of the New Deal programs were effective in stimulating spending and eventually raising the levels of commerce among the people. Rooseveltââ¬â¢s experimentalist views were able to push through some policies that Hoover might have not even thought of, such as expanding the role of the government in the business and economic sectors, departure from the gold standard, aiming to increase industrial and farm price levels, and the provision for income redistribution, which became the Social Security legislation.6However, while being effective in reviving the economy, some of the programs in the New Deal policy were counterproductive in some strategies. The employment of people by the government kept them earning, and the increase in wages may have increased the spending of the workforce, but the tax increase compelled some
Monday, August 26, 2019
Todays generation gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Todays generation gap - Essay Example It involves attitude, communication, interaction and respect towards others. Work ethics reveal about the characteristics of a person (AllAboutPhilosophy, ââ¬Å"What are Work Ethicsâ⬠). The younger generation (ages in between 18 ââ¬â 29) are radically more diverse than older adults. It has been argued that the older generation is superior than younger generation when it comes to work ethics. The younger generation has a typical reason for feeling idiosyncratic. The reason for their distinctive characteristics is the use of technology. The older generation has upper hand in terms of moral values and respect for others. The younger generation is self-confident but they show little enthusiasm for moral value and respect towards others (Prinsloo, ââ¬Å"Implementation of Life Orientation Programmes in the New Curriculum in South African Schools: Perceptions of Principals and Life Orientation Teachersâ⬠). A subsequent study reveals that technology and values are differentia ting the generations. The younger and older generations are different in the way of utilizing computer and work ethics. Majority of people feel that compared to younger generation, the older Americans possess good moral values, work ethics and more admiration towards others. Source: (Keeter & Taylor, ââ¬Å"MILLENNIALS A Portrait of Generation Nextâ⬠). ... The younger adults are more likely to be single parent and prefer to live with their children. Millennials donââ¬â¢t prefer to live in same household with their children compared to older generation. The younger generation prefers to live in metropolitan areas unlike earlier generation who are likely to live in the rural and urban areas. The family matters most than fame and fortune for todayââ¬â¢s younger adults. According to surveys, almost 52% of younger generation declared that one of the important things in their lives is to be a good parent. People between 30 and 45 years of age had similar thinking as todayââ¬â¢s younger adults. In the year 1997, about 42% of young people believed that being a good parent was most important than successful marriage. Compared to male, the female younger generation of todays concludes that being a good parent is most important to them (Keeter & Taylor, ââ¬Å"MILLENNIALS A Portrait of Generation Nextâ⬠). Source: (Keeter & Taylor, à ¢â¬Å"MILLENNIALS A Portrait of Generation Nextâ⬠). The American people between 9 and 18 years of age are noticeably less religious than older generation. About 15% of people prefer to live good religious life. Younger generation attends religious services less than older generation of America and minority of younger people believe that religion is significant in their life. They place more importance to high paying career than religion. According to survey, 15% younger adults stated that to make a successful career is more important in their life. With regard to job switching, the younger generation prefers to switch their job in their career life. The attitude towards business in young generation is much supportive than old
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Topical Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Topical - Research Paper Example Food security involves a situation whereby all human beings have physical and economic access to enough, safe and nutritious food that can meet their dietary needs and food preference for an active and healthy life. Decision makers, policy makers as well as concerned members of the public have widely discussed issues on how much food the world is growing or is able to grow and whether the production of food involves sustainable management of natural resources. In addition, they have also been discussing how food is distributed at the global, regional, national, and household levels. All these concerns have been crucial in achieving concerted efforts and the international commitment of organizations concerned with world food production such as food and agricultural organization (FAO) (Nicholson, 2009, p14). Emerging acknowledgement of other food problems has placed the concerns of the food system in a much broader context. The concerns include human health closely tied to food safety and the growing cases of nutrition related illnesses such as heart diseases; the commercialization and industrialization of food and agriculture; the emergence of advanced technologies with eminent positive and negative economic and environmental impacts; the emergence of transnational organizations in international food markets; rising concentration in food production, processing, and retail and armed conflicts (McMicheal, 1994, p20). There are environmental challenges facing the global food system. These challenges include climate change, the extortion of natural resources, salinity, increased amount of pesticides, GMO concerns, and biodiversity challenged closely linked to monocropping. Each of these challenges does not cross modern borders, hence making the study of the food system itself a valuable and important experience (McMicheal, 1994, p20). The food challenges being experienced in the world now are both diverse and complex.
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Political communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Political communication - Essay Example Since the flu affects every individual regardless of gender, cultural background or economic status, the campaign is directed to all the people in United Kingdom. Special attention is also given to people coming in the country because they may be bringing the virus just like in the case of the two infected persons confined in a hospital in Scotland who arrived from Mexico (Wake Up Britain, 2009). The campaign aimed to warn people about the dangers of swine flu and at the same time educate them on how to prevent getting infected or infecting others if they suspect they already have the virus. The government used different media such as flyers (Charles, 2009; Department of Health, 2009; NHS & DHSSPS), radio and television broadcast as well as the internet to communicate the information. They hit the right target audience because with the characteristics of the flu, no one is invulnerable. The flyers contained complete information about swine flu and extended more information by giving numbers which people could call in case they need to be educated more about the virus (NHS & DHSSPS, 2009). However, it should be considered that not all who receive leaflets really read them completely. The television advertisement (Department of Health, 2009) can be considered to have effectively relayed the message to the different kinds of people by using models of different races genders and ages. It was short, clear and concise. However, the campaign was quite short and fails to expound on the seriousness of the advice being given. Nevertheless, this could also be understandable because when the campaign was done, everybody seemed to have been well-informed about the swine flu already. Perhaps it could be safe to say that the television is the most accessible medium of information because it is often used for relaxation and people do not need to read what is presented on the screen.
Friday, August 23, 2019
Research literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Research literature review - Essay Example (Waters, 2010). Duddy (2008) says ââ¬Å"women have assumed increasingly indispensable roles in the economy and their contribution to family income has enabled poor families to cope with financial hardship.â⬠Robbins (1999, p. 354) argues that ââ¬Å"women do two-thirds of the worldââ¬â¢s work, receive 10 percent of the worldââ¬â¢s income and own 1 percent of the means of production.â⬠Caraway (2007) also says that despite the huge influx of women in the workplaces as a result of globalization, the gender inequalities at work have remained largely in tact. Tatchell (cited in Paton, 2005) identifies that unless businesses change their discriminatory attitude towards women, men will continue to dominate and a huge pool of talent will go wasted. More women are working than ever before, but they are ever more likely than men to get low-productivity and vulnerable jobs, with no social protection and basic rights. (International Labor Organization, 2008). Mehrotra (2010) sa ys that in case of increased feminization of workplaces, children may feel neglected and seek stimulation outside the house. Regarding the increase in the number of women in the workforce, work attendance is at chance to be negatively affected since women also have primary responsibility for home and family matters. (Heathfield, 2007). Disagreeing, Joachim (2005) says that the rate of working women who can also be admirable mothers is growing now and it is unfair to suggest that they prioritize their jobs over families. According to Waters (2010), women run many of the worldââ¬â¢s great companies, from PepsiCo in America to Areva in France. Feminization has extended from the once infinitesimal feature to a quite considerable and imposing feature obvious in the workplace settings. The increasing encouragement shown from side of the employers to the women is a positive and appreciable trend that no doubt, on one
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Art History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Art History - Assignment Example In the piece On Abjection, the author delves into the limits a human being can sink to in order to ensure survival, as undoubtedly noted at Auschwitz. Is it the complete absence of ego or the antithesis of narcissism, he argues or just the reverse? (Anon,14). In La Frontera, Gloria Anzuldua laments the Anglicization of the Spanish language and says that it is tantamount to losing Chicano or Latino identity in the USA, although the Latin American population is fast growing into the nationââ¬â¢s largest ethnic community (Anzuldua, 87). In The System Shattered and Renewed, the author comments that dirt is reviled in most religious rituals, while water purifies (Douglas, 160). In all these articles, the agent that could cause disruption for the rest of the community is told to stay away from it till he or she is healed or the element causing the danger to purity has passed or faded away. Even in an enlightened society like the USA, we rightly consider abuse of power or proof of corrup tion or scandal as disastrous to the career of a politician or indeed, any public figure. It is for this reason (the Watergate and Lewinsky scandals) that Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton had to resign from the highest office in the
Air quality Essay Example for Free
Air quality Essay The quality f air that we breathe in today has significantly reduced over the years. Atmospheric air contains nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and rare inert gases. Of these, the two highly inevitable ones are oxygen and carbon dioxide. Theses are important for the survival of life n the planet: 02 is useful for animals and CO2 for photosynthesis in plants. The quality of these gases is determined by availability and its pollution-free state. Both factors have contributed to the present unfavorable status quo of these gases with respect to the sustenance of life on the planet. THE TREND Many conferences have held in nations of the world; quite a handful of International Summit have held to address the prevalent menace of environmental pollution that threatens all lives on the Earth. Daily, the number of endangered species increase, and many plants and animals have already gone into extinction as a result of the pollution affecting the quality of atmospheric gases available for daily cellular functions. Human activities such as deforestation and degradation, water pollution through oil spillage and poor river basin development programs have indeed played significantly roles. Besides, exhauist from mechanical equipment and vehicles, gaseous wastes from manufacturing industries, pollution with indiscriminate use of plants chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, etc have contributed to the reduction in the quality of air available to plants. This has affected the produce of plants, and the health of animals including humans. RECYCLING One must realize the fact that plants constitute a major recycling pathway for the purification of atmospheric air. Photosynthesis uses sunlight and such inorganic molecules like CO2 to produce organic compounds in the from of glucose. This is consumed by animals to produce CO2. O2 is used in oxidation of food in animals with carbon dioxide as byproduct. This pathway is important in determining the quality of atmospheric CO2 and O2, a byproduct of photosynthesis. This implies that any process, natural or man-made, that alters this pathway will affect the recycling process and the availability of good quality air for life. The threat of destruction of rainforest would have tremendous impact on future levels of these gases: It would cause an automatic alteration in the pathway describes above. Plants population would reduce and animals would suffer greatly for this. As a result of this imbalance, atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide would change accordingly. CONCLUSION The quality of atmospheric oxygen and CO2 has changes over the years. The threat of rainforest destruction would worsen the change in the future. REFERENCES www.climatechangeissues.com/files/science/Plimer.doc
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Oxendales Marketing Strategy Analysis
Oxendales Marketing Strategy Analysis Anthony Nolan Marketing Campaign Oxendales started off as a purely clothing supplier when they first appeared online but nowadays they sell a lot of different things from home wear to electricals and entertainment items. Through broadening their stock range, they have become a more desirable option for many more segments of the demographic. This report will show how Oxendales go about their business and how they are viewed by the public that use their service. Oxendales marketing campaigns are ongoing. They are around a long time and their name is a household one. Nonetheless they do still need to get their product out there. With this company, selling items is just part of the offer. They also give credit and charge interest on that credit. They make a lot of money doing business in this manner. Once a new season collection of clothing is announced their marketers set in motion a plan that gets the new arrivals from the storehouse to the public. They appear to have a good idea of who they are targeting with their campaigns. The demographic being targeted is the medium to low income earner or people on social welfare; people who can afford to pay instalments but cannot necessarily afford to buy a product outright. For this segment of the market, Oxendales are often an invaluable ally in helping them to clothe themselves, their families and their homes. Oxendales have a huge selection of items on offer for people and for the household. They tend to bring out two new lines of clothing every year. The different styles and items are reflective of the different seasons. The first line of the year is the Spring/Summer collection, which typically comes to the fore around March or April. Then around September they announce their Autumn/Winter collection. Oxendales introduce their new lines typically through a number of channels that they feel will get their product specifically to the target segment. They show their stock on television, using TV3 as their main channel for showing people the wares on offer. They utilise the show Ireland AM to get their new offers into the vision and minds of the public. At the same time as being seen on television they will also be launching advertising collateral campaigns on many different levels, from more television advertising to social media and physical paper advertising. They will follow this up by interacting with the public one-to-one in trade shows such as the Womans World Show which is a yearly event held at the RDS in Dublin. This public relations meet and greet is meant to align Oxendales with many of the other company brand competitors attending the show as well as get their own brand into the minds of the public or to cement their brand in the minds of people who already know of them. No matter where and through what channel they are showing their items, one will find a consistent feel to their advertisements. The colours used are often very alike across all of their advertising campaigns. If one is reading a flyer that falls out of a magazine they will feel that the look of that flyer is consistent with an advertisement they may have seen on-line for example The visual connection is apparent. The consistent look leads on to the famous Three Cs of marketing. Do Oxendales fulfil this criteria? Well their communications are first class. Their advertisements and language used is clear and concise and is not in the least confusing. They sometimes communicate how simple it is to get credit from them as much as their actual items for sale. Their items are often not as Compelling as their credit offers. Oxendales can often reel in a buyer through the promise of buy now-pay later. This is a compelling way to attract custom from the target segment. Their look remains Consistent throughout. Their colours and designs used for advertising is instantly recognisable and they do utilise consistency across channels. Oxendales use integrated communications too. Every time a piece of Oxendales literature is examined or online source seen, one can immediately identify that the company link to the other places they are available to view as well as to their website. They often also link to their credit facilities which experience has told them is a unique selling point. The Marketing Mix The Product Being Sold The most important part of Oxendales overall product is convenience. Online Shopping is on the rise according to Roy Morgan Research (2015). So, from that we can conclude that people are using the convenience of online shopping for a myriad of reasons. What are these reasons? Upstream Commerce (2012) quoted the eight most important reasons that people shop online as Convenience, Better Prices, Variety, Fewer Expenses, Comparison of Prices, No Crowds, Compulsive Shopping and Discreet Purchases. We will see many of these reasons pop up again and again. Barbara Thau of Forbes.com (2013) quotes a study by strategy and marketing consultants Simon, Kucher and Partners when she propounds that 24% of online shoppers like to buy books, consumer electronics and entertainment online while 18% of online consumers prefer to buy health and beauty products, toys, sports equipment, hobby interests, clothing, merchandise and furniture online. This is an interesting finding in relation to Oxendales online activity. 24% of online shopping is spent on books, consumer electronics and entertainment. How many of these do Oxendales supply? The answer is two of the three. Oxendales will sell a person everything from an IPod to an Xbox and from a television to a heater (and many, many items in between). Books are the odd ones out. We move on 18% of people shop online to buy health and beauty products, toys, sports equipment, hobby interests, clothing, merchandise and furniture. That is seven categories of items that could possibly be sold online. Again, how many of them do Oxendales sell? The answer is Five. This online behemoth sells all of that list barring hobby interests and merchandise (though all things sold could be classed as merchandise surely?) So going by the experts views on why people shop online, one would have to conclude that Oxendales understand the reasons and offer an excellent product to people in their online store in order to fulfil the needs of their customers. Specifically however a product is more than just an item. How does this company fulfil the other range of criterion that goes to tick the product box in relation to Marketing? Quality: Like many shops, both online and physical, the quality of item bought is directly linked to the price of the product. Having sampled many of Oxendales products they have been found to be durable and fashion sensitive. Certainly as an online shop, Oxendales is seen as a high quality outlet. Image: The image of Oxendales is linked to a few things. Firstly, it is seen as somewhere that people can buy things now and pay later, thanks to their simple and effective paying plans. They are also seen as ultra-convenient. Oxendales have a wonderful selection of items too in a vast array of sizes and models. So the overall image is one of ease of access to what people want and ease of payment. Branding: Oxendales is a household name. They have been around since 1875 (Oxendales: About, 2016) so it is understandable that in that time they have become so well known. Features, Variants and Mix: As alluded to earlier, this online super store offers many items in many different configurations, sizes, colours and categories. Customer Service: Excellent customer service is available, through online, telephone and written media. When an order is received, the packaging staff also include a return label in case an item does not suit the customer for whatever reason. Availability: Always available to use, every moment of every day of the year. Warranties: Oxendales offer a refund, repair or replacement service on all items purchased that do not reach the consumer in perfect condition (Oxendales: About, 2016). Promotion Oxendales promote sales by giving special offers on their website. The have seasonal promotions in which they offer certain items at a discount price. When Spring arrives, they will often sell outdoor furniture and garden implements at a special discount. In addition to their discounted stock, they also promote through email by giving existing customers money off codes that they can apply to their basket the next time they are online for a discount. For non-members, the company will email introductory offers always highlighting their easy payment option. Almost everybody who applies to Oxendales will be accepted for payment through credit. This company is a market leader in direct marketing. Price It appears that Oxendales do not believe in low price equalling higher sales. Their prices are never as low as one might find on the bargain rail of a local department store. Even when discounts are given, one might find that the item on discount would still exceed the price of a similar discount in a high street shop. As far as positioning goes, the idea that Oxendales wants to hold in the mind of consumers is one of ultimate convenience and ease of purchase. Due to their massive stock one can find almost anything within their range to suit them. Due to their credit facility, one can spend money that they do not actually have and then pay off the cost of the purchases over a set period of time. Due to the company accepting almost anyone that applies for credit, that will place a multitude of people in a catchment net for business, particularly approaching festive periods and leading up to birthdays, weddings, interviews etcetera. The position of Oxendales as a brand is very much one of convenience. However, when people are finding it difficult to keep up to date with payments then the company could be seen as a nuisance and increasingly in a bad light due to their continued letters and phone calls, even though the reason for the continued negative correspondence lies with the consumer. Finally, Oxendales do not only sell through a credit account payment option. They also allow people to pay directly like any other online shop, through use of Credit/Debit card. They do not allow payment through an online bank such as PayPal however. Place Oxendales use a number of different suppliers as part of their distribution channel. Many of their suppliers are little known brands like Premier Man for example. These brands are created and sold exclusively in online shops like Oxendales. The items are produced at low price in many Asian countries, shipped to Oxendales warehouse and then sold on to the consumer or end-user. The company also sell high street brands such as Levis, Wrangler, Toshiba, Black and Decker and Timberland to name a very few. It is the same type of distribution channel. Oxendales buy in the stock at the stock price and then sell on with a mark up to the customer. Of course Oxendales also gain revenue through the interest they charge on their credit facility. The sales support for this company is quite good. They can be contacted by telephone, through a form online on their page and by email. The best way is by far by telephone as one knows they are being heard and they will get an immediate response. The company use a first level channel for selling goods. The goods are produced and then sent directly to Oxendales without the need for a wholesaler. The company also has a presence on social media such as Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Blogger. People As far as customer contact goes, Oxendales rarely need to interact with anyone. They do have a phone contact number and there is an automated response which, if navigated correctly will eventually lead to an operator who is usually very friendly and interested in the query being made. However because their system is so well set up online, there is little need for assistance from another person in order to order goods or return them. Having said that they do have top quality IT staff who keep the website current and glitch-less so that the business of making money can continue apace. The webpages of the Oxendales website have all of the facilities that even the most limited computer user might need and understand. The people who work on the image of the company have done a good job keeping the convenience image to the forefront. They also superbly make the consumer feel that they are getting a bargain when in fact they may not be, not compared to a high street store. However the consumer often values convenience over price. Process The process used is very definitely a customer focussed approach. Oxendales want to radiate a friendly and relaxed approach to consumers in everything they offer, from getting the customer to choose the products to be bought to getting the customer to part with their money. Everything on the website is streamlined and very easy to navigate. Most modern internet speeds will allow for easy navigation and very quick page loading. The design of the website is excellent. The pages scroll and it is up to the user of the site to choose how many items to view per page. There is also a facility where one can sort the item content on a number of criteria from Best Sellers, New in, On Sale to Ratings, Price lowest to Highest and vice versa. Moving from one area to the next is very easy too with the use of a docked banner at the head of the page displaying the different department names, each one hyperlinked to the appropriate section. The actual process of finding, adding to the basket and checking out ones selections is very easy on this website. It gives the impression of years of experience on the companys part. Physical Evidence The whole online experience of shopping at Oxendales is really a very good, easy and addictive one. Given a large enough spend limit it could be imagined that many people would get themselves into a lot of debt in a single visit. Once one uses this site, and provided one has some credit left on their account, it is almost a certainty that one will return and purchase again and again. The whole feel is one of ease and once a purchase is made, one of fulfilment. Oxendales offer a positive feeling to people visiting their site. When the products ordered do eventually arrive at ones front door, they are always packaged superbly in a heavy weight plastic outer layer covering a bubble wrap and a thinner plastic inner layer. They come with a printed receipt and a printed returns label should it be required. Really the whole process from ordering to actually receiving the goods is very simple and incredibly stress-free. Visible Metrics Not having access to information about Oxendales Social Media internal metrics one can only comment upon the visible on-page information that is available to all viewers. On Facebook, Oxendales have 20585 followers. The Facebook page receives between one and four new posts from the page manager each day. New posts receive on average four likes each Judging by the amount of likes for their posts, their followers either do not regularly visit the page or they do not like the posts. Due to their continued success in the online shopping market, one could conclude the former reason for the lack of post likes. There have been seventeen visitor posts going back to December 17th 2015, from a membership of over twenty thousand. Oxendales post both images and video files to their Facebook page but neither are very popular Oxendales have 1344 followers on Twitter The Twitter Page receives between one and five new posts per day from the page manager. New posts receive an average of one like each New posts are rarely retweeted Like Facebook, it can be construed that their presence on Twitter does not greatly contribute to their actual sales on their website. Very rarely does any one of the 1344 followers ever reply to a tweet on the Oxendales Twitter page Oxendales has 23 followers on Instagram They have posted 184 images on Instagram Out of 184 posts, they have received just 5 comments Out of 184 posts, they have received 114 Likes concentrated on 26 of the total posts Without access to their page metrics and only going on the visible data one could conclude that Oxendales success is certainly not based upon their online presence. From the information gained one can see that very few people interact with the company through social media. For this reason, it must be concluded that their success is based upon other strategies. Targeted Demographic Oxendales has an emphasis on contemporary womens styling ranging from sizes 12-32 and were constantly developing our collections to bring you the latest looks that will keep you on-trend throughout the season. With our brand ambassador Lorraine Kelly choosing her favourite pieces, were making shopping for plus size clothes, lingerie and wide fit shoes and boots fun, easy and enjoyable regardless of age, size and shape. (Oxendales Website, 2016) The above direct quote is taken from the home page of the Irish Oxendales website. They do offer clothing for children too and for men and they offer homeware and electrical goods. However, this is the headline from the home page of their website. This above all would intimate the following: That the company are targeting the female demographic above all else. That they are attempting to target all age groups of adult women. That they are attempting to target all shapes and sizes of adult women. That they are targeting women who are fashion sensitive and want to be dressed in up to the minute styles Once one clicks on the Menswear hyperlink, the following is displayed: At JD Williams we know that finding stylish menswear that fits perfectly can be tricky. Our collection of big and tall menswear comes in a range of sizes to give you perfectly proportioned design. We have t-shirts, polos, coats and jackets in chest sizes 36-66, plus our trousers and jeans are available in 5 leg lengths, including extra-short and extra-long leg and waist sizes 32-64. Discover how easy it is to find the perfect fit for every occasion. (Oxendales Website, 2016) Oxendales is still the page header however Williams and Brown is the Menswear Department name. They are using this ploy of renaming the department to make it distinct and separate from the other departments. Their catch-line on this page would suggest the following: That they stock many different types of clothing from T-shirts to jackets to trousers That they cater for all sizes of man, tall, small, fat, thin and everything in between You name it, kids need it. Cots, highchairs, clothes, shoes, coats. But with all this in one place, shopping for your family has never been simpler. Look out for our new range of girls and boys clothing in our collection of baby, nursery and childrens essentials. (Oxendales Website, 2016) This demographic is aimed at the younger generation and is found on the kids page of the website. So what can one glean from this statement? They stock items for many ages of child They stock items for both girls and boys So what can be concluded from the information gained? The conclusion has to be that Oxendales, while catering for many different types of person and interest, primarily wants women to visit their site. This is suggested by the first page loaded on entering the website being aimed primarily at women. The want ladies of all ages and who are fashion sensitive. They probably know that even in the year 2016, women still do a lot of the buying for the household and therefore by targeting women on their home page, they are indirectly offering them the other areas of the site for their perusal also. The tag-lines on the Menswear and kids-wear pages are also aimed at women as well as men. They continue to talk about interests of women, the perfect fit and fashion. Advertising Campaign Oxendales advertise their online business in a number of ways. They use different online sources and some physical ways to advertise (as opposed to intangible online advertising). Their latest advertising technique is to sponsor television shows. They are the current sponsor of the popular television drama Downton Abbey. This means that every time the show is on television, the Oxendales brand is shown on-screen prior to the start of the episode and at the start and end of every advertisement break. This is more than just advertising of course as they are also positioning their Brand next to the aristocratic gentry of a period now long since passed. The nobility and wealth of the families portrayed in the show places Oxendales into a high class light by association. They also advertise on television on daytime television. Ireland AM is a popular morning show mostly for stay at home mothers and unemployed people. The latest fashions available from Oxendales can be seen quite often being modelled on this show. Ireland AM also tend to use real people as models rather than incredibly beautiful sculpted catwalk ladies and gentlemen. This is good for Oxendales as they are trying to sell their brand to the people in the street. On the negative side, using normal people their clothes may not look as glamorous as they would on a professional model. Oxendales advertise online on such sites as hotfrog.ie and rollercoaster.ie. The former is a business directory and this type of advertising is quite astute as people use business directories all the time to locate phone numbers and addresses. Having an ad in such a place should serve the company well. The latter, rollercoaster.ie is a parent and pregnancy site. One can immediately see what Oxendales intentions are here. They are appealing to the mother on behalf of the child; they sell for both. Their online presence also stretches to social media. Not only do they have their various social media pages but they also have paid advertisements in the side bars on the various pages on various sites. Finally, they use the old fashioned paper and card as advertising media. Quite often in glossy womens magazines, postcard sized spam cards will fall out when opened. This junk often consists of various offers and advertisements for different shops, both physical and online. Oxendales do advertise in this manner. They also buy advertisement pages within the magazines pages. Their other paper advertising is through their own full and mini-catalogues. The full Oxendales catalogue is only available through request from their site. However, the mini-catalogues showing their latest offers are sometimes distributed through peoples letterboxes and as a third party supplement in Sunday Newspapers. Bibliography ONLINE SHOPPING STATS: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6095-online-shopping-on-rise-201503182332 WHY SHOP ONLINE? http://upstreamcommerce.com/blog/2012/02/14/8-reasons-consumer-likes-shop-online WHY SHOP ONLINE? http://www.forbes.com/sites/barbarathau/2013/10/08/why-consumers-really-shop-online/#304510da4ab5 OXENDALES ABOUT US: http://www.oxendales.ie/shop/aboutus/aboutUsView.action?cm_sp=OXI-Footer-_-AboutUs-_-AboutUs MARKETING CAMPAIGN: http://www.cio.com/article/2377257/online-marketing/7-ways-to-create-a-successful-integrated-marketing-campaign.html OXENDALES IRELAND: http://www.oxendales.ie/?PROMO=2000gclid=CjwKEAjww9O3BRDp1tq0jIP023YSJAB0-j1SZzTjxpFOGyGZev_jbyMQPHU5trQzI0Kn6-f5OQA2NhoCPDHw_wcBgclsrc=aw.ds Principles of Marketing 8th Edition, Kotler and Armstrong 2012, Prentice Hall Pearson, Ps 4/5/6 38-45
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Communication Characteristics in a Team
Communication Characteristics in a Team 1: How teams differ from groups, how to develop groups into teams. Its important to remind team members that they share a common purpose and to direct their energy toward business-unit or corporate goals. The leader should periodically highlight how everyones work fits into the companys overall strategy and advances its position in the market (Neeley, 2015) 2: The characteristics of high-performing teams. Success in the workplace depends on your ability to build a team, as well as to interact with others on that team. Together, people are able to accomplish what one person alone cannot. This is known as synergy. Following are the characteristics of a Good/Effective team: A clear, elevating goal: This is a goal which has been communicated to all. A results-driven structure: The goal has been jointly decided by all the team members. They are fully committed towards achieving it. Competent members: Each team member has the required skill set in order to achieve the team objectives. Unified commitment: There is nothing happening in silos. With the total commitment from team members, achieving organizational goals becomes easier. A collaborative climate: Commitment from team members and a good leadership leads to a collaborative team with a productive work environment. Standards of excellence: Quality orientation is vital to the success of any organization. External support and recognition: Appreciation as well as appraisal is required to keep the morale of the team high. Principled leadership: Leadership defines a team. An able-bodied leadership can chart the teams path to success. Each team member participates actively and positively in meetings as well as projects. This shows a persons commitment as well as understanding towards a project. Team goals are clearly understood by all: Communication is vital for achieving successful completion of any project. Individual members have thought about creative solutions to the teams problem. Thinking out of the box is vital in todays economic scenario. Members are listened to carefully as well as given a thoughtful feedback. Listening is an important skill for any team. Each team member is important. The thoughts and ideas of each team member have to be listened to, with respect, no matter how silly they may sound at first. Everyone takes the initiative in order to get things done. There is no concept of passing the buck. This is an indication of clear communication leading to understanding of individual responsibilities. Each team member trusts the judgment of others: Mutual trust and respect is highly important for the team. This is the only way to achieve the organization goals. The team has to be willing to take risks: Risk taking is an attitude which comes with confidence. Confidence on yourself as well as on the team, besides the ability to face all consequences. Everyone has to be supportive of the project as well as of others. A team is one unit. Unless these cohesive forces are there, the team will never be able to work efficiently enough. There is ample communication between the team members. Team decisions are made by using organized as well as logical methods. Dissenting opinions are never ignored: In fact, they are always recorded in order to be revisited in case the future situations dictate so. Teams are given realistic deadlines: External support as well as aid is vital to the success of any team. An efficient team needs support from both inside and outside. It needs to meet the individual needs of its members in order to achieve the organizations goals. 3: Handling challenges within the team. 4: Team motivation for better performance. A team is formed when individuals with a similar interest come together to realize a common dream. The team members must think of their team first and all other personal interests should come later. Every individual must contribute equally as per his capability to achieve the predefined targets successfully within the desired time frame. Motivation and attitude go hand in hand in increasing the output of any team. You need a match stick for fire, you need ink for a pen to write, and similarly an individual needs motivation to perform. Every individual has some latent talent and needs a push for the talent to come out. Without motivation, the team members feel reluctant to work and also tend to spread negativity around. Human beings are hungry for praise and appreciation. It is the prime duty of the team leader to appreciate his team members whenever they have done something great. This way they feel happy and motivated to perform even better the next time. Set a deadline for the submission of work. All the employees submitting the work within the stipulated time frame must be appreciated in public. Circulate a mail among all the employees appreciating your team members efficiency. Any person coming out with a brilliant idea should be suitably rewarded. It is not always you give cash to motivate your employees, but even small tokens of appreciation can make a difference. Reward your team member with anything he likes. Appreciating one member does not mean you will neglect or criticize the other members of the team who could not perform up to the mark this time. It is the duty of the team leader to motivate them so that they perform well the next time. Ask them to BUCK UP. A single members performance can hardly make a difference to the teams performance; every member has to contribute equally for the maximum output. Celebrate your teams success inviting all your team members. Take them out for a lunch to a nearby restaurant. They will feel happy and also come closer to each other this way. Give a pat on their back to appreciate their hard work. Titles such as Best Employee of the month and Best Team Member also go a long way in motivating the team members. The names of the best performers must be displayed on the notice boards for everyone to see. Incentives and perks also motivate the employees to a large extent. If any team member does something outstanding do not forget to appreciate him on an open forum and also ask the other members to reach to his level as well. Avoid making fun of your colleagues. It is considered highly unprofessional. Dont spread negativity around. Dont depend on blame games or spread unnecessary rumours about your team members. Motivation alone cant create wonders; it needs to be coupled with positive attitude of the team members to ensure high performance of the team. Adopt a positive attitude at work. Do not always find faults in others. Listen to your team members as well. Dont assume things or draw conclusions on your own. Be a little more flexible and adjusting to avoid conflicts at work place. Sit and discuss issues with your team members to reach to an alternative. Results cant be achieved unless and until you believe in yourself. The will power to do something is important. One should have the urge to perform. Always try to look at life from a larger perspective. Things can not always be the way you like, its better to accept things as it is sometimes. Remember after heavy rains, there is always a clear sky. Problems might crop up anytime, but it is always better to grin and move on. Do not overreact on petty things. Dont be too adamant or rigid, instead be a little forgiving. It is absolutely okay if you take the initiative and say Sorry. This magical word goes a long way in reducing conflicts to a large extent. Dont unnecessary create tensions for others and yourself as well. Dont be disheartened if someone comes to you and corrects you for your mistakes; do take it in a positive and healthy way. Do not step in the office with a mind clouded with negative thoughts. Everything seems wrong to you and you unnecessarily fight with people around. Team members must adopt a positive attitude to avoid tensions and misunderstandings at work place. Positive attitude with a little motivation can actually create wonders for the team.
Monday, August 19, 2019
Puck and Bottom in A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay -- Midsummer Night
Puck and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream à à à à When James Joyce was a teenager, a friend asked him if he had ever been in love. He answered, "How would I write the most perfect love songs of our time if I were in love - A poet must always write about a past or a future emotion, never about a present one - A poet's job is to write tragedies, not to be an actor in one" (Ellman 62). I mention this because - after replacing the word "comedy" for "tragedy" and allowing a little latitude on the meaning of the word "actor" - Joyce is subconsciously giving A Midsummer Night's Dream's argument about the role of the artist. That is to say, an artist must be removed from the action, or, at least, not prone to normal temptations. This emotional distance gives the artist the type of perspective that Theseus likens to a madman's. It also, however, gives the artist a vantage point from which he can give the other characters' experiences meaning. Therefore, I will argue that, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare se es the artist as someone who is removed from the play's main action, but gives meaning to the play's experience (for both the audience and the other characters). I will show this by examining the roles of the two counterpart artists: Bottom (who supercedes Peter Quince as Every Mother's Son's artist), and Puck (whose art is changing people's hearts and minds). My first four paragraphs show how Shakespeare uses Puck and Bottom allegorically to represent two different components of the artistic mind. Secondly, I show how Shakespeare leaves them emotionally distant from the main action of the play. Lastly, I will show how they end up interpreting the play, thereby, giving it meaning. à It is im... ...speare's Festive Comedy: A Study of Dramatic Form and Its Relation to Social Custom. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1972. Bonazza, Blaze O. Shakespeare's Early Comedies: A Structural Analysis*. The Hague: Mouton, 1966. Briggs, Katharine M. The Anatomy of Puck. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1959. Frye, Northrop. "Characterization in Shakespeare's Comedy," Shakespeare Quarterly: Vol.IV (1953), pp.271-277. Nevo, Ruth. Comic Transformations in Shakespeare. New York: Routledge, Chapman & Hall, 1981. Palmer, John. Comic Characters of Shakespeare. London: Macmillan, 1946. Rhoades, Duane. Shakespeare's Defense of Poetry: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Tempest". Westport, CT: Greenwood Press,1986. Young, David. Something of Great Constancy: The Art of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1966.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Impact of Language on Identity and Social Acceptance in Richard Wrightââ¬â¢s Novel, Black Boy :: Race African American
The Impact of Language on Identity and Social Acceptance in Richard Wrightââ¬â¢s Novel, Black Boy The entire act, the entire situation, the entire experience of discovery is not only unique to each and every individual, but more importantly, a thrilling tumult of emotions gone haywire and perceptions completely altered. Richard Wright, in his autobiographical work Black Boy, attempts to convey the discovery of nothing less than language itself. Employing a wide variety of rhetorical devices and insightful commentaries, Wright expertly conveys his newfound respect for language and its tangible impact on both identity and social acceptance. Perhaps most notable throughout the passage is Wrightââ¬â¢s use of rhetorical questions to both outline his whirling thought processes at the time and create a sense of the urgency in his audience. ââ¬Å"Why did he write like that? And how did one write like that?â⬠¦What was this?â⬠By providing answers to some of his own questions and the allowing the readers to do so for themselves for the rest, Wright engages the readers, bringing them along for the ride of discovery. ââ¬Å"Who were these men?â⬠Wright asks, ââ¬Å"Who was Anatole France? Joseph Conrad? Sinclair Lewis, Dostoevsky, Moore, Gustave Flaubert, Maupassant, Tolstoy, Frank Harris, Mark Twainâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ In fact, an entire paragraph is dedicated to these the listing of these authors, whose names were meant to both intrigue the audience and create a sense of fascination. The fast-paced, almost tumultuous wave of new perceptions conveys Wrightââ¬â¢s newfound awe over the effect effective use of langua ge could have. Wrightââ¬â¢s choice of diction, chosen to convey both imagery and invoke ethos also proves to be effective. He describes Mencken as he pictured him at the time, active and in a furor, ââ¬Å"a raging demon, slashing with his pen, consumed with hate, denouncing everything American, extolling everything Europeanâ⬠¦ laughingâ⬠¦mocking.â⬠These words, full of fierce emotions, conveys exactly how deeply Wright feels the language of Mencken. With the forming of a realization that oneââ¬â¢s use of language could impact how others saw one, and perhaps even influence what one truly was, Wright describes how his impulse to dream of writing ââ¬Å"surged up againâ⬠¦I hungered for books, new ways of looking and seeing.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Case Study Fast Fashion Essay
After two decades of fast fashion popularity, retailers and consumers have come to realize one of its biggest issues, its impact on the environment. Can fast fashion and sustainability work together? Step 2 The affordability of Fast Fashion is one of the main reasons for its high demand. Lack of authenticity or Intellectual Property. Fast Fashion has forced retailers to desire low cost and flexibility in design. Lack of quality in production Rapid production prevents consumers to get an idea of whatââ¬â¢s to expect. (Forecasting) Excess of production. Wastes of these products from the retailers and consumer harm the environment. Reveals what is exposed in runways and fashion shows ahead of time. Fast fashion exploits the young consumer by incentivizing impulse behavior. Consumers are getting used to buying more frequent. Due to such rapid turnover, thereââ¬â¢s a lack of exclusivity. Step 3 1. Higher quality, lower quantity. Pros Better option for repair: The customer will rather repair a good quality garment than can last than an inexpensive low quality one. Customer satisfaction: Consumers will be happier with a better value product. Long life: Products that are of better quality will definitely last longer so the consumer wont be forced to dispose. For the retailer, there is a great possibility they may attract a variety of new consumers that do appreciate superior quality. As a result of lower quantity, garments will stand out by look fresher and spacious on the sales floor. Cons Retailers may suffer fewer sales. There is a possibility they may lose some of their usual customers. Fewer options, now that there is a lower quantity. Higher quality means it wont be as affordable for the consumer as it used to be. Companies may have to reinvent themselves and state the fact that they are now enhancing the quality of their products. Consumer will be unwilling to compromise on price. 2. Personalization of Clothing Pros Consumer will be satisfied with having a say in the creation of its particular product. This idea will attract and motivate many more consumers. Itââ¬â¢s innovative and fun for the consumer. The design will be personalized and the consumer will want to keep. Cons May require more shopping time for the consumer Products may not be as inexpensive now that the retailer will cater to every individuals needs. Consumers of fast fashion may be disappointed that there will now be less variety. Consumers may not adapt to this idea and reject it. 2. No more wasting, get compensated! Recycle and Reuse. The system involves customers bringing all the used items back to the stores and getting compensated with either a discount or a minimal refund. This is to incentive the customer to care more instead of wasting and harming the eco-system. Pros Companies will be take back used garments and send them off to countries in need. Companies will be able to reuse and reproduce them. Customerââ¬â¢s ability to help other in need is facilitated by the companies they have purchased from. Customers get an incentive to bring items back after knowing they also get a discount/store credit/ refund.
Use of the Website and Social Media of Woolworths
USE OF WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA OF WOOLWORTHS LTD Woolworths Ltd is retailer so main goal is to sell. Scale of online shopping increased manifold in last two decades. In present time in developed countries, such as Australia customers can buy online almost everything. On this base arose the need to create a new field of marketing ââ¬â internet marketing and e-commerce. THE BASIC UTILITY AND USER-FRIENDLINESS OF THE FIRMââ¬â¢S WEBSITES From all 32 divisions of Woolworths Ltd, 16 have websites. Also there is one website which belongs to Woolworths Limited and describes enterprise as a whole.All websites fulfil different roles. DIVISIONS| CHARACTERISTICS| Woolworths Limited| Customers can find reports, media releases, announcements, board of directors and management, information for investors, characteristics of strategies and actions adopted by company. http://www. woolworthslimited. com. au/phoenix. zhtml? c=144044&p=homepage| AUSTRALIA| Woolworths | Woolworths is main division of Woolworths Ltd. Now, there are over 700 stores in Australia which serve over 13mln customers every week. Its website is the most developed from all divisions.Customers can buy online goods via site, get information about performances, use interactive options, store locator or leave feedback. http://www. woolworths. com. au/wps/wcm/connect/website/woolworths| Thomas Dux Grocery| Website provides only information about new coming products, promotions, recipes and store locator. http://www. thomasdux. com. au/| BWS Beer Wine Spirits| Via this website customers might only find information about types of alcohol sold in stores, current offers in stores. Except from wines and beers in this sores there is possibility to buy hard liquor. ttp://www. beerwinespirits. com. au/| Dan Murphyââ¬â¢s| This is online shop where customers can buy all types of alcohol. Additionally, customers get knowledge about offers and events. http://danmurphys. com. au/dm/home. jsp| Cellarmasters| Online sh op ââ¬â selling wines only (white, red and sparkling). Also provides information about hot deals and gifts. http://www. cellarmasters. com. au/| ALH Group| Website of Woolworthsââ¬â¢ hotels. Customers may find information about company, media releases, venues, social responsibilities. http://www. alhgroup. com. u/| Caltex Woolworths/ Safeway Petrol | Website has information about products, offers, rewards, gift cards, safety issues, petrol station locator. http://www. woolworthspetrol. com. au/home| Big W| Online shop (home & garden, beauty & health, baby, electronics, entertainment, toys, sports & leisure) store locator, online catalogue, and big sale in stores. Has link to Facebook account. http://www. bigw. com. au/bigw/home. jsp| Dick Smith| Electronics online shop ââ¬â TV & Video, Audio & Mp3, photography, computers, printers and office, mobiles & wireless, car & GPS, gaming, home & security, kids technology.Customers can take advantages of online deals, store locato r and links to social media websites (Facebook Twitter, YouTube). http://dicksmith. com. au/dsau/home. jsp| Masters Home Improvements| Website provides only information about new coming products, promotions, store locator and tips about decoration ââ¬â Ideas & Inspirations. http://masters. com. au/| NEW ZEALAND| Countdown| Countdown fulfils the same role as Woolworths in Australia ââ¬â main supermarket in New Zealand. Online shop, offers, stores, community, overview of company. http://www. countdown. co. z/| Super Value| Website provides information about current promotions, new releases, overview of company, tips about food and nutrition. http://www. supervalue. co. nz/| Fresh Choice| Website has the same layout as Super Value site ââ¬â only colours are different. Store differs from Super Value by wider range of products (SV ââ¬â convenience store, FC ââ¬â full-service store). http://freshchoice. co. nz/| Dick Smith Electronics| Its website has the same layout a nd content as Australian Dick Smithââ¬â¢ website. Online shop. http://www. dicksmith. co. nz/dsnz/home. jsp| INDIA|Croma| Website provides information about electronics products available in stores, special offers and news and media. http://www. cromaretail. com/| Table shows there are two main purposes of running website in case of Woolworthââ¬â¢s divisions. One of them is to provide information about products, current special offers, and overview of company, media releases and news, recipes and tips which can be useful to customers. It is used so the client can get the information he needs before leaving home. Customers focus on saving time and money and comparing offers to choose the best one which would fit their needs.Companies realise that they must become competitive in its sector to ensure marketing success. Seven divisions have online retailers. It is a very dynamically developing branch in retailer world. Online shopping statistics give full view on this subject. * 8 8% internet users undertake one or more e-commerce activity * 69% have purchased one good or service in last six months * 1 in 5 Australians do most of their shopping online * Australian traffic to online retail sites: * eBay ââ¬â 5,576,000 unique visitors * Amazon ââ¬â 2,191,000 unique visitors Woolworths ââ¬â 1,488,000 unique visitors * Average 15% growth of internet shopping every year since 2005 * Market share of internet shopping of 7% of all retail sales (14% growth from last year) * Australian-based ecommerce sales ââ¬â A$16. 9bln in 2009, A$33. 3bln in 2015 These facts bring about that online shopping has dormant potential which most companies need to utilise to acquire new customers. To be successful a company must develop its website so that it will be attractive to customers. This attractiveness is defined as user-friendliness of the website.There are some common characteristics features which determine user-friendliness: access to site map, logical naviga tion structure, low frequency of errors occurrence, consistent design and layout, access site search tool, access to contact details, easy language, search engine friendly, easy access to main navigational links in the page heading and footer and access to links to social media. There are also many more criteria which makes websites user-friendliness. Following table shows application of these elements on companiesââ¬â¢ websites. ââ¬â has feature and is user-friendlyX/+ ââ¬â has feature but is not user-friendly X ââ¬â doesnââ¬â¢t have feature | Site map| Navigational structure| Low errors occurrence| Design and layout| Site search tool| Woolworths| X| +| +| +The best design| +| Thomas Dux Grocery| +/XBad visibility| X/+| +| X/+Poor design| +| BWS Beer Wine Spirits| +| +| +| X/+Poor design| X| Dan Murphyââ¬â¢s| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| X/+Only for products| Cellarmasters| X| +| +| +| +| ALH Group| X/+Bad visible| +| +| X/+Old fashion style| X| Caltex Woolworths/ Safeway Petrol| X/+Bad visible| +| +| X/+Old fashion style| +| Big W| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| +|Dick Smith (AUS and NZ division)| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| +| Masters Home Improvements| X| +| +| +| +| Countdown| X| +| +| +| X/+Not on home page| Super Value| X| +| +| +| X| Croma| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| +| | Contact details| Easy language| Search engine friendliness| Navigational links| Social media links| Woolworths| +| +| +| +| +Facebook| Thomas Dux Grocery| +| +| +| +| X| BWS Beer Wine Spirits| +| +| +| +| X| Dan Murphyââ¬â¢s| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| X| Cellarmasters| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| X| ALH Group| +| +| +| +| X|Caltex Woolworths/ Safeway Petrol| +prominent| +| +| +| X| Big W| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| +Facebook| Dick Smith| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| +Facebook, Twitter, YouTube| Masters Home Improvements| +| +| +| +| +Facebook, Twitter, YouTube| Countdown| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| +Facebook, YouTube| Super Value| +| +| +| +| X| Croma| X/+Bad visible| +| +| +| X| The tab le shows that generally websites are user-friendly. Weak points are repeated in some sites. The most common weakness is placing site map and contact details in bad visible location ââ¬â usually in page footer.Second thing is poor and old fashion design ââ¬â computer graphic is well developed and websites should adapt new solution to increase attractiveness and relevance of website. Smaller retailers do not engage in internet marketing and e-commerce. They use only information function in relation to their customers. Other elements work out smoothly and internet users should not have problems with navigation on the websites. Simplification for young people is the use of social media links. User-friendliness of the websites should be assessed positively. WEBSITES AND THE CUSTOMERSInternet sources announce various rankings and list of top online retailers. On the list of 60 most popular listing retailers there are 3 retailers belong to Woolworths Ltd: #7 ââ¬â Dick Smiths El ectronics, #8 ââ¬â Dan Murphyââ¬â¢s and #18 ââ¬â Woolworths. List of Australiaââ¬â¢s top 10 online retailers from February 2011 contains 2 retailers: again Dick Smiths and Big W. Dick Smiths were on the list three years in the row so it shows how well running is the website. Design, updates and layout of website encourage customers to shopping online. Success of Big W is spectacular because it started its activity on the Internet at 10th May 2010.The easiest way to check what costumers think about company is to follow forums where they express their opinions. There are massive numbers of people who buy online and most of them do not complain about the quality of shopping on the Internet via its websites but complain about time they have to wait for delivery. Is it website fault? Delivery is next stage of internet purchase so probably people who organise work in warehouses bear responsibility for delay time. References Communications report 2010ââ¬â11 series Report 1 ââ¬â E-commerce marketplace in Australia: Online shopping [Online] Available from http://www. cma. gov. au/webwr/_assets/main/lib410148/CR_comp_report1-E-commerce_Marketplace_in_Australia. pdf [Accessed on 01st January 2012] Most Popular Listings [Online] Available from http://www. aussie-shopping. com/directory/popular-listing. html? limitstart=20 [Accessed on 01st January 2012] Walsh, J. , 50 Tips to a User Friendly Website [Online] Available from http://www. designinginteractive. com/design/50-tips-to-a-user-friendly-website/ [Accessed on 01st January 2012] Online shopping: Woolies or Coles? [Online]
Friday, August 16, 2019
Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason from ââ¬ÅJane Eyreââ¬Â Essay
I bent forward: first surprise, then bewilderment, came over methis was not Sophie, it was not Leah The shape standing before me had never crossed my eyes within the precincts of Thornfield Hall beforeIts seemed, sir, a woman, tall and largeIt was a discoloured faceââ¬âit was a savage face. I wish I could forget the roll of the red eyesthe lips were swelled and darkShall I tell you of what it reminded me? â⬠¦the vampire. If a person were to read this quote for the first time, his instinct would be of a stereotypical mystery or even horror book. But in fact, this comes from Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte, with a plot nothing like what one might think from this passage. This shows that no matter what the plot of story is; in this case two peoples journey to find love, there is some mystery that keeps the reader guessing. Jane experiences several of Berthas crazy escapes from the attic, but is completely unaware of who or what she is. This lack of knowledge of Janes brings in a sense of suspense and terror to the plot. Without this fear that Berthas character creates in Janes life, the story would just be another tale of love. Jane becomes more curious about the mystery hidden deep in Thornfield Hall and begins to think the person causing the mayhem is Grace Poole. The dread of Bertha produces a dark cloud over Thornfield, symbolizing the secrets kept by its residents, specifically Mr. Rochester. Bertha is a metaphor for Janes subconscious feeling of rage. Jane loves Rochester, but she still fears the binds that the marriage will bring. Jane never acts out on this anger or fear, but Bertha does. Bertha ripping Janes wedding veil symbolizes a secret feeling of Janes that the marriage should not go on. Jane leaves Thornfield, feeling it is now a place of imprisonment or inferiority. While she is away, Bertha burns down Thornfield, expressing what Jane could only feel and not carry out. Bertha is also an antithesis with Jane. They are compared to show the contrast of both. Before the reader even know who Bertha is, it is clear the she has savage-like qualities that bring out Janes righteousness and kindness. This gives the reader more understanding into Janes character. As the story continues and Rochesters past containing Bertha is identified,à similarities between Jane and Bertha are observed. They are both symbols of the socially imprisoned Victorian women. One example is their unattractiveness in the Victorian era. Bertha becomes ugly from her insanity, showing that women, including Jane, were somehow confined due to their lack of beauty. The presence of Bertha Mason in the plot strengthens the readers desire to keep reading and discover who the vampire is. Berthas mystery also strengthens Janes and Rochesters relationship and creates a perfect climax to one of the most read stories of the nineteenth century.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Systematic Review Paper
The purpose of this meta-synthesis research was to synthesize a qualitative study performed to better understand the underlying reasons why only a fraction of cancer patients participate in cancer research trials. The attempt is to explore factors that influence participation in this type of study. Literature in the subject indicates poorly understood process of how patients are enrolled into clinical trials.This systematic review tries to improve the patient decision-making process in participating in cancer clinical trial and to provide Oncology nurses to treat patients with solid background utilizing evidence based practice (Biedrzycki, 2010). The study was conducted in hope to eliminate misconceptions on the negative feelings of cancer clinical trials. A common misconception is participation can cause harm instead of cure. The report clearly describes how the variation in research design and methods revealed low percentages of cancer patient participation in previous studies.An i nformation specialist assisted with the selection of relevant studies. Data selection was reviewed through PubMed. Patient participation and decision making were topics reviewed. A PRISMA-type flow chart elaborates on the multiple studies reviewed (Biedrzycki, 2010). The criteria for reviewing articles included articles published since 2004. Research from other countries was reviewed and was not confined to the United States.Literature reviewed through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) roadmap for Medical Research, fortified the research by emphasizing important aspects of human research participants and transforming this into clinical research. 62 articles met criteria and 24 articles did not meet the initial criteria. Articles beyond five years provided evidence of inaccurate representation of the current views on patientsââ¬â¢ will to participate in clinical trials (Biedrzycki, 2010). The research article indicates the sample sizes ranged from 16 to more than 115000 whic h yield a median=162.The combined sample of participants includes gender, race, and age. Most participants were Caucasian. One study included only Asian women. Ages ranged from 50 to 64 years, median 57. 6 years. Cancer diagnoses were reported in 10 studies, six studies omitted reporting cancer as a diagnosis. Four studies reported advanced cancer. Six studies reported participation in phase I clinical trials. One study reported participation in a phase III clinical study. The rest of the studies did not report the phase of trials. There is no indication whether follow up was done with the original reporter to clarify missing information (Biedrzycki, 2010).The criteria used to appraise the research consisted of decision-making process, communication, educational interventions, perceptions, benefits and burdens, quality of life, reasons for declining participation, knowledge, relative health stock, timing of consent, satisfaction, and decisional regret. Most studies focused on decisi on making, however; thirteen studies described multiple aspects of cancer clinical trial participation. Some studies focused on the psychosocial consequences of clinical trial decision making.This data was appraised by several research team members (Biedrzycki, 2010). Decision-making instruments included the Llewellyn-Thomas, an unnamed instrument and the Homes-Rovner et al. Satisfaction with Decision Scale. Other instruments included the Understanding of Clinical Trials by Joffe et al. and The Decisional Regret Scale and the Karmonos Accrual Analysis System. Most studies did not report psychometric measures and almost all studies used one question to assess willingness, interest or knowledge about cancer clinical trials (Biedrzycki, 2010).Data analysis is presented in table format. Table 1 consists of factors reflecting the rigor of the studies reviewed. Table 2 consists of measures of decision making used in the studies reviewed and Table 3 lists strengths, limitations, and key po ints of the studies reviewed. The studies were mainly descriptive, consisting of mixed-methods design. Three studies tested an educational intervention and two studies used an experimental design. 50% of the studies did not report timing of the research in relation to the decision regarding clinical trial participation (Biedrzycki, 2010).During meta-analysis, response rates varied by type of measure and study design, only 50% reported response rates (range = 21% ââ¬â 95%, median=71%. 29% declined participating because they had no interest and 24% declined with no reason given. One major reason people declined to participate was because they had no access or could not use a computer. Multiple time measures were conducted in decision regret, it was noted that responses were reduced (Biedrzycki, 2010). The process used to pool the data together was clinical trial decision making.The main factors influencing this process consist of patient, provider, and treatment. Two studies speci fically explored decision making by the patient. Education requirements impacted decision making since understanding the risks and benefits of clinical trials was the most important factor taken into consideration by the patient. Educational interventions were noted to have increased patient enrollment. (Biedrzycki, 2010). If the patient found the education from the provider to be coercive, treatment was considered a burden.Time and travel also posed an inconvenience on the patient since it adversely affected quality of life and therefore deterred patients from cancer clinical trials. On a positive note, studies reported factors associated with positive decision making outcomes. Positive decision making included being more spiritual, younger, and having more advanced cancer, and having a good understanding of the education received. Several other aspects were indicated as positive decision making outcomes when providers introduced user-friendly systems (Biedrzycki, 2010).The primary focus of the study was accepting or declining clinical trial participation. The secondary focus was decision-making and the silent variable was the influence on clinical trial participation. All criteria were elegantly spelled out in form of charts and tables. Figure 1 included factors associated with the decision to participate in a cancer clinical trial. Figure 2 revealed factors associated with a positive decision making outcome (Biedrzycki, 2010). A factor that was clearly noted as missing was a review on the process by which patients decide on whether or not to participate in clinical research trial.Components of the decision making preferences have not been determined. Consenting for a research process is autonomous and the current healthcare system does did not provide sufficient learning opportunities for the patient to acquire enough information to make an adequate informed consent. When the patient lacks this knowledge and the healthcare provider lacks the understanding o f the patientââ¬â¢s values, it is difficult for the patient to want to participate in clinical trials (Biedrzycki, 2010).The reviewers concluded that future research is needed for continuation of exploring the reasons for lack of cancer patientsââ¬â¢ participation in clinical research trials. The need for sound construct for decision making can prepare nurses and healthcare workers to understand the cancer patientââ¬â¢s values and to provide education that may enhance knowledge and strengthen interventions, and improve cancer clinical trial participation (Biedrzycki, 2010).
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